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Welcome to the spring edition of the Bloo House newsletter.
For this edition, we would like to start by welcoming the Keating family who joined recently with their two sons, Eiran and Joe.
We would also like to mention Robyn Brooke, who achieved a Merit in her recent music exam and congratulate Phoenix Love, who was offered a place at both Reeds and Claremont Fan Court schools, having recently sat their exam and interview process.
The team at the school is ever evolving and we are delighted to welcome on board two superb English teachers, Fran Notton and Maggie Tanner.
As we embrace this lovely warm weather, Bloo House has an eventful summer term planned. As well as school visits to Wisley butterfly garden and Hampton Court Palace, the school will be attending its first Esher May Fair on Saturday May 21st . As well as sponsoring the event, the school will also have a stand with a raffle, face painting and Bush Craft demonstrations from our very own survival master, David Hunt.
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School Open Day - 28th May 2011
(10.00am - 12.00pm)
The school will be holding an open day at the end of May. Principal, Melissa Carter, will be addressing visitors at 10.30am, followed by cake and tea in our garden.
If you are interested in visiting the school, please call the school office to book a place.
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MP Visits Bloo House
 Esher and Walton Member of Parliament, Dominic Raab, recently visited Bloo House to learn more about its unique philosophy to education.
He spent time speaking with co-founders Melissa Carter and Piers Hesketh-Gardener, learning about the school's unique ethos and success.
Experiencing the school at first hand, Dominic saw how creating an endearing, rather than an institutionalised environment, is key to providing the right atmosphere for children to learn in a happy and comfortable way. In addition, nurturing a child's emotional intelligence through appropriate communication is essential in order for pupils to reach their full individual potential.
Dominic's visit was a valuable experience for all involved. As the government looks for ways to improve academic levels and children's general state of well-being, Bloo House is often likened to a new generation of school, where an inspiring environment fused with emotional communication can bring out the best in pupils overall achievements.
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Are Children Growing Up Too Quickly?
 A Government funded survey has found that almost nine out of every ten UK parents believe children are having to grow up too early, with nearly half unhappy with pre-watershed TV. The research is part of a government-commissioned review into the sexualisation of children. Most parents said music videos and the celebrity culture were encouraging children to act older than they were.
Of the 1,025 parents of five- to 16-year-olds surveyed, 40% said they had seen things in public places, such as shop window displays and advertising hoardings, that they felt were inappropriate for children to see because of their sexual content. And 41% of parents said they had seen programmes or adverts on television before 9pm that they felt were unsuitable for similar reasons.
The survey also said that parents were "struggling against the slow creep of an increasingly commercial and sexualised culture and behaviour, which they say prevents them from parenting the way they want".
The review is exploring whether there should be restrictions on retailers selling sexualised products aimed at children - such as "Porn star" T-shirts or padded bras.
A code of conduct on "age appropriate" marketing and a new watchdog are among plans being considered by the review. Items that have been criticised include pencil cases and other products with the Playboy logo.
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It's Official! Singing Can Improve Your Well-being.
Singing in school can make children feel more positive about themselves and build a sense of community, research based on 10,000 children suggests. An evaluation by the Institute of Education of England's national singing programme, Sing Up, found a clear link between singing and well-being.
It also found that children who took part in the programme had a strong sense of being part of a community. The Institute of Education's independent three-year study, commissioned by the Sing Up programme, is based on data collected from 9,979 children at 177 primary schools in England.
Composer Howard Goodall, the National Singing Ambassador, said: "These findings are gold dust for head teachers. "We've always maintained that singing, alongside its brain-training benefits, can help children to grow in confidence and create stronger communities and now we're able to prove it with hard evidence."
The research comes just days after ministers said they were safeguarding the funding of music in schools at the present level for one year ahead of a major funding shakeup. However, there are no guarantees on music funding after 2012.
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The Owl & The Pussycat
 Penned originally in 1872 by Edward Lear, the Bloo House adaptation took place at the end of last term, under the music direction of Cassie Wadsworth, head of music at the school.
To view highlights of the show, a short film is available on our website here.
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