As a school community, Remembrance Day is always an incredibly important occasion. This morning, we gathered in the Main Hall for an assembly to remember those who lost their lives in war and honour those still serving in the armed forces. At 11.00am, the school community held a two-minute silence, followed by a poignant rendition of ‘The Last Post’.
Children in Need – Friday 18 November
On Friday 18 November we will be celebrating Children in Need with some activities in school:
Non-Uniform Day (Nursery – Year 13): £1 donation
All pupils and staff are invited to wear non-uniform on Friday 18 November in return for a £1 donation. Pupils are also welcome to wear something spotty or Pudsey Bear attire.
Bin Bag Fashion Show (Year 7 – Year 13): £1 donation
Pupils in Senior Department will be taking part in the annual Bin Bag Fashion Show at lunchtime on the day. Each pupil is asked to bring in a £1 donation towards materials on either Monday 14 or Tuesday 15 November, when they will be on sale in the Main Hall.
Pudsey Bear Competition (Nursery – Year 13)
Each Form in Senior Department has been paired with a class in Pre-Prep and Prep and representatives from each will join together at break time on Friday 18 November to see who can cover a print out of Pudsey Bear in ‘loose change’. Pupils are asked to bring in some change, anything from 1ps to £2 coins, to help contribute. The group that raises the most money for Children in Need will win a prize.
Eat Your Way to Better Mental Health – Parent Webinar
We are delighted to invite you to join us for a webinar on nutrition and mental health, taking place on Monday 14 November at 6pm. Good mental health is important for everyone whatever their age. Our childhood and teenage years represent a particularly important time for mental and physical development and wellbeing.
Christine Bailey MSc MBANT MIFM PGCE, author of the Brain Boost Diet and the new Mental Health Brochure for Teenagers for Thomas Franks, will discuss the importance of nutrition for supporting mood and cognitive function. Christine will cover:
- Overview of Latest stats on mental health and children
- Key Nutrients often lacking in Children’s Diets and why they are important for mental health
- Good Mood Food – the top nutrients to put on the plate and those to avoid
- Practical suggestions for dietary changes, nutrients to support brain health, focus and concentration
If you are able to listen in on Monday evening, you can join us by clicking here. A recording will be available afterwards for those unable to attend.
Sport Update
Pre-Prep and Prep
The U11 and U10 Hockey teams hosted Mowden Hall this week, and it was a great display of determination and teamwork from all. Well done to Eliana (U11) and Scarlett (U10) who were awarded ‘Player of the Match’ for their team.
Pupils in Prep and Pre-Prep have also been enjoying developing their skills at Football Club. For Prep Pupils (Y3-6) Football Club runs after school on Tuesday and for those in Pre-Prep (N-Y2), it is on a Thursday. The sessions are currently led by Miss Coulson, who is a football coach and a member of the PE department.
Senior Department
Congratulations to all the pupils in Key Stage 3 who ran in the House Cross-Country Competition last week. The PE staff were very impressed with the effort and team spirit on display. Heath won for Year 7, Neville were the winning House in Year 8 and Heath were top in Year 9. The top finishers in each year group were:
Year 7 – 1st = Sophie E, 2nd = Aanya V-B, 3rd = Phoebe A
Year 8 – 1st = Millie S, 2nd = Isabella C, 3rd = Charlotte S
Year 9 – 1st = Linnea E, 2nd = Hannah E, 3rd = Kristina W
Good luck to Keira in Year 11 and Georgia in Year 13, who are both competing in the Acrobatic British Championships in the West Midlands tomorrow.
Author Visit for Year 6, 7 and 8
The English Department has secured a visit from author Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, who is promoting her new book, The Shark and the Scar. Sarah is a professor and associate vice president at the University of Limerick in Ireland and has published several books in both fiction and non-fiction. Pupils in Year 6, 7 and 8 will attend Sarah’s talk on Wednesday 23 November. They will have the opportunity to take a copy of the new book, at a discounted rate of £6.00, and have it signed.
Christmas Fayre donations
We are excited for the upcoming Christmas Fayre, which will be taking place on Friday 25 November from 2pm – 4.30pm. We would be extremely grateful for any donations of tombola prizes, bottles, chocolates, new toiletries or beauty products, unwanted toys or gifts, or cakes, biscuits of savoury treats. Please bring any non-perishable donations into school on Monday 21 or Tuesday 22 November. Food donation should not be brought in until the day of the fayre.
In addition, if you are able to spare something or have a business which can provide a fantastic raffle prize or gift experience, this would also be gratefully received. These can be dropped into Main Reception. Thank you, as always, for your support and we hope to see you at the Christmas Fayre on 25 November.
Pre-Prep Coffee Morning – Monday 14 November
Parents of children in the Pre-Prep Department are invited to join us for a Coffee Morning at 8.30am on Monday. This is an opportunity to meet informally with other parents and staff. Upon arrival, please report to Main Reception and a member of staff will escort you to the event. If it is successful, this is something that we would like to host on a more regular basis.
The Women of Art – Lecture
As part of our ongoing Artsmark journey and the generation of our curriculum in the Arts, we are keen to involve parents and families in the methodology behind our projects. We are committed to providing our students with a wide-ranging Arts curriculum that reflects the skills necessary for all career paths and our aim is to inspire them with the artistic context that shapes our creative world.
Mrs Sneddon-Brown, who is a lecturer on Art History outside of school time, will be holding another informal lecture on The Women of Art on Thursday 1 December in the Main Hall at 6pm. No prior knowledge of Art is needed and it is open to students, staff, parents or indeed anyone who may want to learn more about the history of art. We hope to see you there.
