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World Book Day 2019 – Tom Palmer

We were delighted to welcome Tom Palmer to help us celebrate World Book Day.  In assembly he talked about the importance of reading, and how discovering new books inspires ideas for his stories.

After an hour with all the junior school boys, Tom came to the library where all year 7 boys were looking forward to meeting a real live author.  He told them how important magazines and newspapers had been when he was a reluctant reader as a teenager.  He loved reading match reports, which then inspired him to try books.  He was 21 before he did A-Levels, then became a mature student at Reading University.  He finds celebrity magazines essential when he is researching the background to his stories, as they shed light on footballers’ lifestyles.  He also does research by travelling to the countries where his books are set, and by reading biographies.

It took Tom twenty years to be published, as he had his first story accepted when he was 40.  He sent Foul Play to many different publishers, but was told that a mixture of football and crime would not sell.   He writes on a laptop, then sends his work to his publishers for editing and typesetting.  Book covers are not selected by the author. His latest book, D-Day Dog, out in May, originated in the true story of German Shepherd dogs being parachuted into Europe, to sniff out soldiers who were hiding, and to detect mines.  They were trained to detect the differences in smell of the uniforms of American, German and British soldiers.  He is working on another Second World War book about German children who were rescued from a concentration camp and sent to Windermere.

Tom enthralled the year 7s with an exciting book and magazine quiz, ending in a penalty shootout won by Adam Blagbrough, who received a trophy.  Mrs Lewis, Miss Darkes-Sutcliffe and Mrs Rea performed well in goal, but won’t be taking up the many offers from the Premier League.

Tom had lunch in the library with a group of keen creative writers from the sixth form.  They discussed many literary and sporting topics, such as the poetry of Tony Harrison, football fiction, creative inspiration, and the boys’ own work.  Tom also told them about the practicalities of getting an agent and a publisher.

Talented boys from years 7 to 10 were invited to a creative writing workshop in the afternoon.  The theme, animals in war, inspired some excellent ideas.  The groups set their ideas in the Vietnam War, where dogs were used as lookouts, the English Civil War, using King Charles spaniels as metaphors for the character of the King, cats bringing food to a besieged town, and dogs being trained to work with the military police. The Year 10 group set their story in an African war. Tom was very impressed by the standard of the writing, and told the boys to turn their good ideas into stories.

We would like to thank Tom for a day which inspired many readers and writers, and we look forward to reading his new book after Easter!

  

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Year 4 marked National Poetry Day with a special r Year 4 marked National Poetry Day with a special reading in the library, where they shared a wide variety of their favourite poems. It was inspiring to see the different choices and hear each one brought to life in their own way 📚
Plenty to smile about this National Poetry Day 😬

Year 3 shared their own poems on the theme of ‘Smile’ 🙌
✨ “Prep is a happy and caring school where eve ✨ “Prep is a happy and caring school where every child is cared for, known, valued, and supported. We believe that the early years of education are crucial for building strong foundations, not just academically, but socially and emotionally. Our pupils are encouraged to explore their independence, express their creativity, and develop the resilience to take on new challenges.” ✨

- Miss Elizabeth Lynan, Headmistress

Discover more at our Prep School Open Morning on Saturday 11 October, 9.30am-12.30pm! 

Click the link in bio to book your place! 🔗
✨ Discover Merchant Taylors’ Prep ✨ Join us ✨ Discover Merchant Taylors’ Prep ✨

Join us for our Prep School Open Morning on Saturday 11 October, 9:30am-12:30pm. 🌟

From Reception through to Year 6, our pupils thrive in a happy, nurturing environment where curiosity, confidence and creativity are encouraged every single day.

📍 Merchant Taylors’ Prep School, Stanfield Site, 134 Liverpool Road, Crosby, L23 5TH.

Come and explore our classrooms, meet our dedicated staff and see first-hand the difference a Merchant Taylors’ education can make.

Book your place via the link in our bio 🔗
Our Reception pupils have been spending time with Our Reception pupils have been spending time with their Year 6 buddies, and it has been wonderful to see so many happy, smiling faces as new friendships begin to grow.

The buddy programme is designed to support our youngest pupils as they settle into school life, giving them a familiar face to look out for around School. For our Year 6 pupils, it is also a valuable opportunity to take on extra responsibility and act as positive role models.

Buddies will meet at least twice each week to play, share stories and spend time together, and we look forward to watching these friendships flourish over the year.
Our Year 11 Geographers enjoyed a fantastic two da Our Year 11 Geographers enjoyed a fantastic two days in the Lake District last week as part of their GCSE fieldwork.

Day one saw pupils carrying out a river study before rounding off with a cruise on Lake Windermere and traditional fish and chips by the water. On day two, the focus shifted to human geography data collection, with a stop in Grasmere (and its famous gingerbread!) along the way.

It was an enjoyable and rewarding trip for all involved, and pupils are now back at school ready to write up their findings.
Before heading home, our Year 7s made the most of Before heading home, our Year 7s made the most of one final morning at Castle Head, throwing themselves into a last round of activities.

It’s been a fantastic few days of adventure, challenge and new friendships! The end of the trip - but just the beginning of their journey together.
Day 2 of the Year 7 residential at Castle Head con Day 2 of the Year 7 residential at Castle Head continued with plenty more adventure! After enjoying their packed lunches, pupils got stuck into a new round of activities, including some who took on the challenge of raft building. Working together in their teams, they designed and constructed their own rafts using barrels, poles and rope before taking to the water to put their creations to the test. There were plenty of splashes, laughs and a real sense of achievement as everyone worked together to complete challenges.

Later in the evening, after tucking into a delicious lasagne, everyone gathered around the campfire to build a fire and toast marshmallows together, the perfect way to end another busy day.
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