Our Summer Concert was the perfect end to our musical calendar, as we enjoyed performances from our ensembles, choirs and bands on Tuesday evening. The children did an incredible job, showcasing all they have learned in the last 12 months and, for some, over their entire musical journeys at Beaudesert.

Having thirty-seven children from one school competing in a show jumping competition is an incredible achievement and something we should all be immensely proud of.

We began with the 30cm Cross Pole Clear Round. Mums, dads and helpers led the ponies over the fences, doing a fantastic job of supporting, encouraging and reassuring their young riders. Then came the 30cm class, where we introduced a timed section from fences six to ten. Seven of the eight riders jumped clear. Rose took the win, with Azarius and Benji close behind.

All eight riders produced clear rounds in the 40cm class, with the times getting quicker and quicker. Henrietta set an impressive benchmark, only for Flora to storm into the lead and shave a remarkable ten seconds off the time. Lena came agonisingly close but had to settle for second, with Hanni taking third. The 50cm course added a couple more fences, making the tight turns to fences 11 and 12 the deciding factor. Ottilie, Kaitlyn and Hanni all produced lovely, controlled clear rounds before Flora entered the arena. She appeared slightly steadier than in her previous round, but as she reached the jump-off section between fences six and seven, she suddenly found another gear. Seven more riders followed, with Lena and Hollie both coming tantalisingly close, and it looked as though Flora had secured another victory. Then Fergus, our final rider, entered the arena. Taking the tight angles beautifully, he stopped the clock two seconds faster to claim the win.

On to the 60cm... If I thought Fergus had been quick, I hadn’t yet seen Ben and Lulu fly around the course. It looked as though they had victory in the bag until an unlucky pole at the final fence left them with four faults. Kaitlyn, Florrie and Fergus all produced lovely rounds, with Kaitlyn holding the lead until the final three riders entered the ring… Cue the Baxter sisters! Nina flew around in 33.1 seconds, cutting every corner and taking every angle, demonstrating the fantastic partnership she and Zebedee have developed. Then came Iris. There were one or two moments where I found myself holding my breath, but she kept her cool, Bunny answered every question, and they crossed the finish just 0.14 seconds behind Nina. The final rider of the class was Hollie. After a steady-looking first half of the round, I thought Nina had done enough, but Hollie had other ideas. She hit the accelerator in the jump-off to stop the clock at 30.52 seconds and take the win.

The 70cm class saw the back rails raised and the fillers introduced. Iris and Nina both rode well, each collecting four faults, before Fergus produced the first clear round. Rufus proved every bit as quick as his sister, recording a clear in 30.85 seconds, but Joey and Leo were next into the arena and shaved over three seconds off the lead with a hoof-perfect round, finishing in 27.36 seconds. Henry, Ella and Hollie all put in excellent performances, each only a few seconds behind the pace. Our penultimate rider, Rose, was absolutely flying with Izzie but couldn’t quite overhaul Joey, finishing in 29.49 seconds.

Up to 80cm, the competition became even fiercer. Ten of the fourteen riders jumped clear rounds, with the top six all stopping the clock in under 33 seconds. These riders have built such wonderful partnerships with their ponies and were confident enough to attack the turns without sacrificing control. Joey once again came out on top, shaving another 0.14 seconds off his 70cm winning time. Rose was once again hot on his heels in second with 28.89 seconds, followed by Henry, Rufus, Mia and Arabella in sixth.

To have twelve children confidently tackling a 90cm track is exceptional for any prep school, and it was a real pleasure to watch. Joey set another blistering pace, only for his wonderfully honest family to point out that he had inadvertently missed fence four! Florence produced a lovely round on her new pony. Although an unlucky pole resulted in four faults, having only had the pony for around a week, this looks like a partnership to watch next year. Marni then produced a fantastic round, bringing the winning time into the 29-second bracket before Annalisa, fresh from finishing third in her One Day Event at the weekend, shaved another second off. It was Arabella, however, who ultimately claimed the class aboard Crosskeys Boy with a superb clear round in 28.54 seconds.

Finally, we came to the 1m class. Arabella jumped the only clear round to take the win, while Jack, Amelie and Florence each had an unlucky pole but rode superbly to finish second, third and fourth respectively.

It was especially fitting that our final prize giving of the day celebrated these four riders, as we also said goodbye to our Year 8 leavers, Jack and Amelie. Jack heads to Dean Close on an Equestrian Scholarship, while Amelie moves on to Cheltenham Ladies’ College, where equestrian sport forms part of her Sports Scholarship. We are incredibly grateful for everything they have contributed to the BPS equestrian team over the years and wish them every success. They will be greatly missed.

As always, a huge thank you goes to all our parents and helpers. Without your endless support, none of this would be possible.

Have a wonderful summer, and we look forward to seeing you all again in September.

Mrs Davies-Smith, Equestrian Co-ordinator

4JB delivered a wonderful performance on Tuesday, proving that last certainly isn't least! The children performed with remarkable confidence, both remembering and delivering their lines so well. The play jumped between past and present, with the children hosting a game show that explored the culture and values of the Ancient Maya, and it's safe to say that every single member of the audience learned some new, and rather wacky, facts!

It was a brilliant way to end the year's drama performances. Well done, 4JB.

The Leavers' Cricket was a fitting way to round off our Year 8’s sporting career at Beaudesert. There were 3 games that took place using a pairs format ensuring parents bowled against and faced their child. The highlight of the afternoon was no doubt a Mrs Baalack hat-trick against Titus, for which Rufus (Titus’ older brother) caught him out for 2 of the wickets. Games were played in good spirit and formed memories that will be talked and laughed about for years to come.

The last night of boarding is always a special one for our Year 8s. The evening began with the annual staff v Year 8s tennis match, where each Year 8 is paired with a staff member to compete for the coveted tennis medals. While the barbecue heated up, along with the World Cup England v DR Congo match, the teams took their turns on the courts. After a nail biting final match, Mr Craig and Jasper took the top spot, just pipping Mr McWilliam and Arthur.

Following the tournament, the children kitted up for a much-anticipiated 'slip n slide' on the Banks. The grounds were filled with shouts and laughter as the children flew down the banks, covered in mud and strawberry smelling soap, delighting in challenging each other to slide the furthest.

The evening wrapped up with toasting marshmallows around the firepit, and chatting together before their final night all together in the House.

On Thursday, Year 3 revisited one of their favourite long-term projects. The acorns they carefully collected and nurtured have now grown into young oak saplings. As they gently repotted them, they reflected on how nature often mirrors our own experiences.

Just as a young tree needs more space to grow, they talked about the transitions that lie ahead; whether moving into a new class, starting a new school, or embracing new challenges. Forest School gives our children countless opportunities to build confidence, resilience, curiosity and independence. We hope our Year 3s carry these qualities with them as they continue their journey.

Across Pre-Prep, the children have excelled and developed in Forest School this year, and we hope they are looking forward to returning in September.

We are looking forward to celebrating our children's achievements at our Pre-Prep Prize Giving this afternoon, and our Prep School Prize Giving on Saturday.