Haberdashers' Monmouth School

✨📚 An Inspiring Visit from Author Emma Swan 📚✨

Years 1–4 were delighted to welcome Emma Swan, author of The Cruise Ship Kid and accomplished performer in both the West End and Horrible Histories, for a truly memorable and engaging author talk.

Emma immediately captivated her audience with a wonderfully imaginative introduction, featuring a playful “takeover” from her main character, Silver, who reappeared throughout the session with humorous interruptions—complete with silly hats, moustaches and mischievous on-screen moments that had pupils laughing throughout.

Drawing on her own childhood growing up aboard a cruise ship, Emma described life at sea as “a cake that lives on the sea”—a vivid and accessible image that sparked curiosity and excitement. Pupils were introduced to nautical terminology, took part in lively “This or That” discussions, and enthusiastically joined in with songs and role-play activities that brought both storytelling and learning to life.

Emma’s session struck a thoughtful balance between entertainment and inspiration. She encouraged pupils to embrace creativity, to remain present in the world around them, and to challenge stereotypes—particularly through her portrayal of older characters with unexpected and inspiring talents.

The children responded with equal enthusiasm, asking insightful questions and sharing their own aspirations, from authorship and illustration to acting, science and sport (with the memorable ambition of owning 199 dogs proving a particular highlight!).

The visit concluded with Emma generously taking time to sign books for pupils, creating a lasting and personal connection to the experience. So inspired were the children that many were eager to begin reading immediately, with some opening their books and immersing themselves in the story there and then in the recital hall.

A vibrant, imaginative and thoroughly enriching experience—one that has undoubtedly ignited a deeper enthusiasm for reading and storytelling across the school. 💙

🎭 WHO’S BEHIND THE MASK? 🎤

Join us for an evening of mystery, music and light-hearted competition at our Staff Masked Singer.

On Saturday 20th June at 7pm, our teachers and staff will take to the stage in disguise, performing as colourful characters while you try to work out who’s behind the mask. 👀

Expect a few surprises, plenty of laughter and the chance for the audience to vote for their favourite performance.

🎟️ Tickets:
£6.50 Adults | £5 Students
In support of St David’s Hospice Care and Guide Dogs

🎫 Tickets available here:
https://www.ticketsource.com/whats-on/monmouth/the-blake-theatre/staff-masked-singer/2026-06-20/19:00/t-gllrvjl

We hope you can join us for what promises to be an enjoyable and memorable evening.

National Boarding Week Spotlight ✨

To celebrate National Boarding Week, we’re delighted to share a student-written blog by Enya, who joined Haberdashers’ Monmouth School from the Bavarian Alps.

“I would do it again a hundred times if I could.”

In her own words, Enya reflects on two unforgettable terms of boarding life — from the friendships that made her feel at home, to the experiences that pushed her beyond her comfort zone.

“The people who welcomed and appreciated me with open arms made it all worthwhile.”

Her story captures the true essence of boarding: community, opportunity and personal growth.

👉 Click below to read Enya’s full article and discover her journey at Haberdashers' Monmouth School.
https://www.habsmonmouth.org/enya-boarding

🏃‍♂️ King’s Baton visits Haberdashers’ Monmouth School 👑

We were proud to welcome the King’s Baton to Haberdashers’ Monmouth School this week as it continued its journey across Wales ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Students showcased a wide range of sports during the visit, including athletics, swimming, rugby, cricket and rowing. Activities supported by the Eddie Butler Performance Centre were also highlighted.

The visit forms part of the King’s Baton Relay, which is travelling across 74 nations and territories before the Games. Wales’ baton carries the word “community”, a theme that was reflected throughout the day.

Thank you to Team Wales for making this inspiring visit possible. We wish all Commonwealth athletes every success this summer.

Last week gave a lovely snapshot of life across Pre-Prep and Prep. There’s been a real sense of curiosity, creativity and growing confidence in everything from early number work in Nursery to more independent, hands-on learning further up the school. Pupils have been designing, building, performing, exploring outdoors and developing new skills, all while supporting one another and taking pride in what they’re creating. There is also a quiet sense of excitement building as productions and end-of-year events begin to take shape. This is just a small window into a much fuller picture of school life.

A glimpse of the week through our photos:
1. Nursery creating wooden spinning toys, exploring colour and movement through a hands-on activity.
2. Reception enjoying their Summer topic, learning about sun safety and making bright sun catchers.
3. Year 1 designing their own laptops and beginning to build confidence with typing and simple computing skills.
4. Year 2 on their visit to Penarth, including time at the RNLI lifeboat station.
5. Year 3 applying their Maths skills through practical activities.
6. Year 4 developing their sketching and shading, with impressive detail in their work.
7. Year 5 nearly finishing their helmets for the upcoming production.
8 & 9. Year 6 completing their airboats and practising soldering techniques.
10. Junior Boarding making the most of the evenings with cricket and swimming.

✨ Dame Judi Dench opens our production of The Tempest!

A huge congratulations to our incredibly talented group of students on their fantastic production of The Tempest, which took place last Friday and Saturday evening in the Performing Arts Centre.

Mastering Shakespeare is no easy feat, yet this remarkable cast of 8 to 17-year-olds delivered his language with passion, conviction and enthusiasm. This is a true testament to their talent and to the vision of director Mother Alycia. From Year 3 to Year 12, every performer brought energy and joy to the stage.

Led beautifully by Miles as Prospero and Aislinn as Miranda, the cast took audiences on a magical journey filled with music, mischief and wonder. Standout performances shone across the company, with Henry, Poppy and Megan delighting audiences as Caliban, Trinculo and Stephano. The shipwrecked royals were brought to life with grace by Efa as King Alonso, Llewi as Prince Ferdinand and Joshua as Gonzalo. Sean and Sonali delivered thoughtful and compelling performances as Sebastien and Antonio.

The island spirits also captivated, with Layla as Spark, Isla as Flame, Tabitha as Harpy and Amana as Blaze, all led by Esme as Ariel. Their beautifully choreographed movement, with choreography by Amana and Tabitha, added a magical, ethereal dimension to the production.

The production was directed by Mother Alycia, with Sean M as Assistant Director.

We were also honoured by the involvement of Dame Judi Dench, whose recorded narration opened the play and inspired the cast throughout the process.

👏Bravo to all involved!

🔥🍽️ From MasterChef to the classroom…

Ahead of the MasterChef finals, Haberdashers’ Monmouth School was thrilled to welcome back alumnus and 2026 contestant Daniel Llewelyn-Williams for an inspiring visit.

Daniel brought the heat of a professional kitchen to our Year 10 pupils, challenging them to recreate his bold “Spicy Cauliflower Four Ways” dish — all in just 90 minutes! ⏱️

Using every part of a single cauliflower, students delivered an impressive array of techniques, from caramelised purée and pickling to crispy leaves and za’atar crumb — a true test of creativity, precision and teamwork.

“It’s not an easy brief, especially under time pressure, but they showed real focus and determination,” Daniel shared.

Students described the experience as “like being in a real professional kitchen” — fast-paced, exciting and unforgettable.

The session highlighted the importance of sustainability, skill and innovation in modern cooking — and we’re already looking forward to Daniel’s return!👨‍🍳✨

The English Department’s Evening of Literature and Music was a great success, showcasing the breadth of talent across our school, including poetry recitals, drama, dance and song. Those performing represented a cross-section of our school, from our youngest ever contributor Joshua (Year 4) performing Hamlet to the School of Rock Cast singing ‘If only you would listen’.

As usual, the event highlighted the outstanding talent we are so lucky to have in the school. Talent, however, is not just restricted to our students, with Mr. Boiling and Mr. Roffe both earning their place on this year’s programme and securing a spot for all events looking forward.

Thank you to all those who took part and made the evening such a success.

📸Photography by Marketing Prefect and Deputy Head Girl, Megan K.

We are incredibly proud of former student Dylan Allman on the opening of The Prickly Patch 🦔

This fantastic new volunteer run centre in Monmouth provides a dedicated space for the care, recovery and release of wild hedgehogs, which sadly remain on the red list as a species at risk of extinction. It was a wonderful day celebrating the official opening, complete with drinks, cakes (including some very endearing hedgehog designs!) and a ribbon cutting by Catherine Fookes MP.

We were delighted to sponsor our very own Habs Hutch, along with supplies, and got to see first hand the incredible work being done during small group tours. From hearing about Rowan the hedgehog recovering from lungworm to the hundreds of calls and rescues already carried out by the Hedgehog First Response Unit, it was clear just how vital this centre is for our local wildlife.

A really important message we took away 👉 if you ever see a hedgehog out during the day, even if it looks active, it is usually not OK and likely in need of urgent help.

Call the Volunteer First Response Unit on 01600 605125 who can organise a rescue if needed."

Congratulations Dylan on everything you have achieved, both during your time at school and beyond.🌿

🔗 Read more in our full article here: https://www.habsmonmouth.org/alumni-opens-the-prickly-patch