HPS Headlines
Friday 16th January 2026
We have had a very positive start back to the new term in Nursery and Reception. It has been lovely to hear about the wonderful things the children got up to over the Christmas break and to see how well they have settled back into school.
Nursery have started a new topic all about transport and particularly enjoyed making boat sandwiches during their cooking activity. Reception have been exploring a new story, Hello Winter, comparing the changes in the seasons.
We would like to give a very warm welcome to our new boys, Max and Arthur. They have settled in beautifully and we are delighted to have them join us.
We are very proud of the children’s enthusiasm and are looking forward to an exciting term ahead.
Sameer, in Year 1, became fascinated by the Titanic through his history lessons which really captured his imagination and sparked a deep interest in the topic. His enthusiasm grew even further after visiting a Titanic exhibition in London, and for Christmas he asked for a Lego Titanic, combining his love of history with his passion for Lego.
He carefully built the entire model independently over two days and was very proud to bring it into school to share with his teacher and classmates. brilliant job, Sameer!
The Year 3 boys have been doing a wonderful job with their Junior Duke challenges, showing enthusiasm and a positive attitude towards completing their individual tasks at home. They are putting in great effort and taking pride in their progress and personal achievements. The fantastic photos shared along the way clearly capture their hard work, focus, and enjoyment as they take part in a range of activities.
It has been a pleasure to see the boys talking confidently about their experiences, sharing their ideas, and explaining their choices in conversations with staff and peers. Some boys have also chosen to showcase their work through videos and short presentations, speaking clearly about what they have done and what they have learned. These moments highlight their growing confidence, independence, and willingness to try their best.
Idris, for example, has been working on a PowerPoint presentation about cricket .....
On Tuesday, Year 3 visited the River Wandle in Morden Hall Park.
Resilient as ever, the boys didn’t let a little rain dampen their enthusiasm, impressing Miss Lane with their breadth of rivers knowledge from last term’s topic.
They observed and calculated the river’s speed and identified key features, including meanders and tributaries. Well done, Year 3!
In the math's department this term, we are focusing on fractions across the Upper School, developing pupils’ understanding of the relationship between parts and wholes. Year 4 began the year with an experiential activity that challenged them to recognise equivalence, before moving on to a higher-order thinking task in which they competed to acquire the most cake. Year 3 will shortly undertake a similarly engaging (and tasty) activity to launch their learning.
In Years 5 and 6, the boys are revisiting prior learning through recap work and deepening their understanding of fractions, before progressing to operations involving fractions. Towards the end of this half term, each year group will be invited to take part in a competitive activity to identify the group with the largest fractional quantity of chocolate - before enjoying the reward.
In Year 8, we continue to build towards Common Entrance success by combining regular paper practice with targeted conceptual deep dives. The boys are currently developing their understanding of probability and will soon move on to ratio and proportion. They are taking positive steps forward and making increasingly purposeful decisions about the level of success they will achieve in the Common Entrance examinations later this year.
STEAM lessons are always fun, encouraging boys to explore ideas, test theories and think creatively.....
Year 2 have been busy putting their investigative skills to the test in STEAM, exploring whether it is possible to identify the contents of a sealed can without opening it. The boys designed a simple experiment, carefully rolling different cans down a slope and observing how far each one travelled.
Through close observation and thoughtful discussion, they began to notice patterns and make predictions, considering how weight and movement might affect the outcome.
The lesson encouraged curiosity, problem-solving and teamwork, with the boys enthusiastically sharing ideas and refining their thinking as young scientists and engineers. It was wonderful to see such focused engagement and excitement as they discovered how everyday materials can be used to answer scientific questions.
We are delighted to announce that Miss Austin has been selected as a judge for the shortlisting panel of Time to Write 2026, the prestigious creative writing competition run jointly by the ISEB and IAPS. This appointment is a wonderful recognition of Miss Austin’s expertise, passion and commitment to nurturing young writers.
Her involvement at a national level reflects Homefield’s ongoing dedication to championing creative writing across the school. From encouraging imagination and originality in the classroom to providing meaningful opportunities for pupils to develop their authorial voice, creative writing is a valued and celebrated part of our curriculum. We are proud that Homefield staff continue to contribute to the wider educational community, inspiring a love of writing that extends well beyond our own classrooms.
Thursday 12th March 2026 @ 7.00pm
Homefield is delighted to welcome PAPAYA (Parents Against Phone Addiction in Young Adults) for an important and engaging parent talk, during the Spring term.
This workshop, “Let’s Talk About Our Kids & Their Tech,” is particularly relevant for parents of children in Year 5 upwards.
PAPAYA Talks offers a safe, non-judgmental space for parents to explore the challenges of screen time, smartphones, and social media. The session provides:
- Clear, research-backed insights on children’s mental health and digital habits
- Practical strategies for managing tech use at home
- Guidance on setting healthy digital boundaries
- Open and honest discussion (adults only)
PAPAYA works closely with the national Smartphone Free Childhood campaign, a growing movement uniting families, schools and communities who want to give children more space to grow, learn and thrive free from addictive algorithms.
Booking: Please click https://shorturl.at/UrSbb to book your place online.
During the festive break, Haroon in 5H, took part in a Santa Skate.
Starting at Hyde Park corner and ending at King’s Cross. Around 450 people (mostly dressed as Santa!), roller-skated a distance of over 12km through Central London, past Sloane Square, Big Ben, Westminster, Soho and more.
A great achievement for Haroon, who only started roller-skating less than a year ago.
How to support your son to open up:
Many boys talk best side-by-side:
- car journeys
- walks
- kicking a football
- playing Lego
When doing this, try noticing and naming feelings casually. Often just listening is enough.
This link can offer additional guidance on this: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-mental-health/
On Thursday, we were delighted to welcome Annabel, Senior Nutritionist from our catering partner, Lodestone House. Annabel led engaging Allergy Awareness assemblies, helping the boys to understand food allergies and the important steps we can all take to keep one another safe at mealtimes.
The sessions sparked real interest, with the boys listening attentively and asking thoughtful, insightful questions, demonstrating both curiosity and care for others.
This week the boys have been exploring the theme of darkness and light through a range of sensory and hands-on activities.
They have enjoyed investigating how light and dark can change what we see, encouraging curiosity, observation and discussion throughout the week's activities.
Western Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 2TE
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