This post is just a quick one to comment on 2 things particular to the Danes Hill experience (well, apart from the Wednesday BBQs, which are also a Danes Hill experience!). The first is the hymnbooks. Now, I know that most prep schools do sing hymns at Assembly whether they're religious or not, and St Paul's certainly had hymnbooks that all the children sang from and picked up from Year 8s at the door.
Danes Hill does things a bit differently though. Whilst St Paul's had generic hymnbooks (I think it's called the Book of Common Praise, or something like that - it's available in shops) and they were school property, Danes Hill children each have their own hymnbook. It's blue. It's small. It's specially made for Danes Hill. The school emblem is emblazoned on the front. They pay for them and, if they lose them, they must pay for another. Every child MUST have one - no sharing!! The first day, I was bit like, "O_O". Now I think it's kind of cool and laugh at how Danes Hill it is :D.
The other thing I find amusing is the house points. Again, all prep schools seem to do this and I remember teachers at St Paul's always handing out house points by writing "1HP" at the end of work. At Danes Hill, however, the house points have a physical form. They actually look like little poker chips - each colour represents a different value (red/orange=1, purple=2, brown=5), and you give them out to the children to take to their form tutors. The kids love getting house points and, thus, it's a huge motivation for them to be good! Who said teachers were now above bribery? lol.
I've taken a photo of my hymnbook and some house points for you to see :).
Until next time!
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