Newsletters
Read below a sample of our 2025 September Term school newsletters:
Spirit of the Banda – Week 01
It has been great to welcome the pupils back to school this week and see their enthusiasm for the start of the new school year. Everyone has quickly got back into the routine of school life and the school site has been a hive of activity as new teachers have been met, new classes brought together and new friendships made.
Spirit of the Banda – Week 02
If you have been in the vicinity of the Hall this week, you will hopefully have seen our new Scholars Boards which have been put up as part of our 60th Birthday celebrations. The boards list all the Banda pupils who have gained awards to senior schools – see how many current staff and parents you can pick out amongst them!
Spirit of the Banda – Week 03
I’ve had the pleasure of being in the UK this week for a meeting of IAPS Heads in Brighton. Not only has it been great to attend talks and seminars on a wide range of topics from wellbeing to sustainability to use of AI to entrepreneurship, to name but a few, but it has been very gratifying to see that what we’re providing at The Banda very much mirrors what the top UK prep schools are also striving to do.
Spirit of the Banda – Week 04
It was great to welcome Jon Taylor back to The Banda earlier this week. Jon is an expert on all things to do with online safety and his hard-hitting but excellent and extremely relevant talks to both groups of pupils and parents. We will share his slides with you all in due course and I highly recommend looking through them if you were unable to attend the talk. Please do look out for future parent talks and workshops as we look to strengthen the bond between school and home, and provide you with up-to-date guidance on vital parenting matters.
Spirit of the Banda – Week 05
It was great to be able to announce our Heads of House and Prefects for the school year: Sam (Duma), Honey (Simba), Lia (Swara) and Juliet (Twiga), along with Erin, Michael, Joshua and Constantin. Many congratulations to them, as well as our Captains of Cricket, Nyssa and Michael. We look forward to developing leadership opportunities for all our Year 8 pupils in the coming weeks.
Spirit of the Banda – Week 06
The first half of term seems to have disappeared in a flash and it’s certainly been a busy week of activities at school. Both Year 1 and Year 2 have had trips off site; whilst the Pegasus children have enjoyed a morning of fun and games, rounded off by a picnic with their parents.
Spirit of the Banda – Week 08
I often write here about the busy week that has just passed and the wide range of activities that the pupils have been involved in. However, in the busy rhythm of school life, where academic endeavours and co-curricular activities often take centre stage, it’s good to pause and reflect on one of the key tenets of our community – and our Value for this half of term – kindness.
This simple yet profound quality isn’t just about good manners; it’s the invisible thread that nurtures a positive and supportive environment for every child. When pupils consistently choose empathy, compassion and respect, they aren’t just making someone else’s day better, they’re actively developing the emotional intelligence and strength of character required to thrive in the wider world. It’s a trait that is a real strength of Banda children but also one that we’re placing an increased focus on in the coming weeks.
