Tockington Manor School

Wrapping up our week of Sports Day social posts - Upper Prep! Our Year 5 - 8 pupils had a brilliant afternoon of track and field athletics, giving it their all and showing great sportsmanship and team spirit. The fact that half of all the scholarships our Year 8s are taking with them to their next schools are for sport shows just how much it is in our blood!

Thank you to all the parents, staff and pupils who made all our Sports Days such a celebration of sport and our warm community at Tockington Manor! 👏 Congratulations to Alexander for taking the House Cup this year 💪🏆

***Check out highlights videos of all our sports days on Instagram!

Next it’s the turn of our Year 3 & 4 athletes, who took to the track and field for a fantastic afternoon of competition, camaraderie and house pride. 🔴🔵🟡

This is where the path toward serious athletic competition truly begins and our pupils have the chance to sharpen their skills in things like starting positioning, relay handovers and pacing. This prepares them for events like the National Prep School Athletics Finals, where this year we fielded seven elite athletes from our Upper Prep, including a silver medalist. 🥈✨

Of course, their Sports Day was not complete without the traditional Tug-of-War finale - capped off with a wonderful Happy Birthday for Mrs Tregenza! 🎂🎉

From brilliant technique to outstanding sportsmanship (and a bit of birthday cheer), Years 3 & 4 showed us exactly what TMS sport is all about.

Well done to all our winners and competitors! Video on Insta 😀🤩🏅👀👏

Sport is an important part of life in our Pre-Prep and Sports Day brings our Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils the chance to show off the skills they’ve been practising! From high jump and long jump technique to ball throwing and sprinting they certainly did that!

A special shout-out goes to our Year 2s, who jumped at the chance to show off their determination and resilience by tackling the full 400m track. Anyone who knows our grounds knows this features a cheeky uphill stretch before the final straight and we couldn’t be prouder of them for showing off their Tockington spirit. 👏

We were also incredibly proud to see our Year 8 leaders running the event - guiding, encouraging and cheering on the younger children every step of the way.

Well done Tockington! 💪🏆🤩

👀Check out the video on Instagram!

This week on our socials we are celebrating our very healthy sporting culture at Tockington! 🏃And it starts right at the beginning of our TMS journey… in the Nursery!

How wonderful to see our Owls and Woodpeckers participating in a variety of fun races and challenges at Sports Day - demonstrating how they are developing balance, coordination and above all, a love for moving, playing and having fun together outdoors.

Well done all - and thank you to all the parents who came to cheer from the sidelines in our Kitchen Garden on a lovely summer morning 🌞😀🥇

Check out the video on Instagram 👀🥰

Today is the International Day of Friendship and we are taking a moment to celebrate our OTs and the lifelong bonds that began right here on our grounds.

Whether coming back to celebrate siblings at Speech Day, cheering on the sidelines at Sports Day, reliving old memories at our annual House Longball competition, or marking a special occasion or farewell with us, it is always a privilege to welcome our alumni back home.

Here’s to the friendships formed at TMS - pupils, staff and parents; past, present, and future! 🌟

📸 Have you snapped a pic on our giant deck chair yet? Drop your pictures in the comments below - we’d love to see them! 👇

Summer Term at Tockington isn’t just about classroom learning - it’s about adventure, discovery and bringing our curriculum to life in exciting new ways! ☀️🌳

This year, we evolved our Activity Week into dedicated enrichment weeks for each year group throughout June and July. Teachers adapted their classroom lessons to match each week's unique theme, leading up to an exciting hands-on trip to top it all off:

🐾 Pre-Prep dove into an "All About Animals" theme, capped off with a fantastic trip to Avon Valley Adventure Park to learn about different species.

🏹 Years 3 & 4 embraced "Outdoor Adventures" with a special focus on Robin Hood, before putting their skills to the test with archery and axe throwing at the Clifton College Outdoor Activity Centre.

⛰️ Year 5 explored "Mountains," taking on a rewarding trek up The Skirrid to test their endurance and teamwork.

🏄 Year 6 immersed themselves in a "Water" theme across their lessons, riding the wave right into an exhilarating surfing trip in Wales.

✈️ Year 7 tackled all things "STEM," discovering local engineering history during a dedicated STEM day at Aerospace Bristol.

🎨 Year 8 focused on "Street Art" for their final TMS term, exploring urban culture and Banksy on a study tour of Bristol city centre.

School trips and themed weeks do so much more than break up the routine. They build resilience, spark curiosity and give children unforgettable shared experiences outside the classroom.

What a brilliant way to wrap up our Summer Term! 🌟

This year's Headmaster and Headmistress for the Day did an excellent job filling Mr Symonds' shoes!

From morning classroom visits to welcoming parents and children at the front of the Manor House; an important call with our incoming Headmaster Mr Thompson to opening the Y7&8 play not once but twice, they did a brilliant job - even sparing time for a spot of tennis and an alfresco lunch.

Check out the video of their day on Instagram!

Well done Olivia and William! ⭐️👏👏

Who says history has to be boring? While Westminster prepares for a change of power at Downing Street, Year 3 had a much noisier battle for leadership of their own towards the end of term!

To celebrate the end of their Viking topic, the children embarked on an epic Longship Raid, navigating "treacherous waters" under the command of their fearsome captains, Mrs Glanville and Mrs Evans. Once ashore, they faced the ultimate bid for power: a legendary battle against the mighty Anglo-Saxons (our Nursery pupils!). Armed with their own hand-designed shields, it was a brilliant day of teamwork, laughter and history in action. ⛵️🛡️And excellent proof of how much we love to take learning outside the classroom at Tockington!

What a truly heart-warming year of connection, friendship and shared memories it has been with our wonderful neighbours at Glebe House Care Home, part of Bristol Care Homes, in Almondsbury! ❤️

Throughout the school year, our pupils (particularly Year 5) have built a deeply meaningful relationship with the residents. From handing out handmade Christmas cards and crafting Easter postcards to battling it out over board games and puzzles, our children have shown incredible kindness and maturity. 🎲💌

Music has also played a huge part in our visits. Our pupils loved performing pieces on the piano, flute and guitar, and there was some beautiful singing! In turn, we were treated to an impromptu concert by a very talented resident. During our chats, the children were completely fascinated to learn about sound recording from a resident who actually worked as Sir David Attenborough's sound recordist!

We've also loved having the residents come to Tockington as VIP guests at the Owls' Nativity in November, and more recently, hosting them for a special viewing of our end-of-year Prep art exhibition! 🎨

These visits are a fantastic example of the community spirit we foster at Tockington. They give our children a valuable opportunity to listen, learn and appreciate the wisdom of older generations. We are incredibly proud of how they have represented TMS this year. These visits remind us that the best education isn’t just about academic success - it’s about empathy, community and the simple joy of bringing a smile to someone's face. 🌟

Thank you to Miss Green, the wonderful staff and residents at Glebe House and our amazing pupils. We can't wait to continue this special partnership next term! 🤝

A huge congratulations to our Head Girl, Sienna, on being selected for the UK Lions! We are incredibly proud of you as you embark on this prestigious talent development programme, where you will receive high-level coaching and international touring experiences. While you leave us to start Year 9 at Clifton College in September, we look forward to hearing all about your successes!

Well done Sienna!!! 👏🌟🏑😁

A proud moment for the West Panthers! 🦁

Congratulations to Betsy Simpson, Hettie Grindal, Sadhbh Nelson, Florrie Parish, Caroline Jokbe, and Sienna Ricciardi on your selection for the UK Lions. Your hard work, dedication, and commitment have truly paid off, and we couldn’t be prouder.

We wish you all the very best as you represent both the Panthers and your country.

Go do us proud! 🩷🏑