Newsletter Autumn 2024

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Box Hill School Latest News

Eeyore’s Adventures

Meet the adorable Eeyore, crafted by the talented Ella (Year 8)! Eeyore is exploring our campus, getting ready for winter.

Though the autumn leaves are falling, and the frost is coming, there’s no need to worry. We’re all getting cosy and gearing up for Christmas.

Table Tennis Competition

The whole school has been buzzing with excitement over the last few weeks as our Table Tennis Competition brought together students and staff in a celebration of skill, sportsmanship and community spirit.

After weeks of intense matches, the semi-finals were a highlight, showcasing closely fought games that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Well done to Sonny (Year 11), Sam (Year 11), Theo (Year 9) and Leo (Year 8) who reached the semi-finals.

The much-anticipated grand finale took place, drawing a crowd of enthusiastic supporters to witness an exhilarating match between Sam and Sonny, both in Year 11. Both players displayed incredible talent and determination, making it a match to remember. After an intense showdown, Sonny emerged as the champion. Congratulations, Sonny, on your well-deserved victory!

A big thank you to everyone who participated, supported, or helped organise this fantastic event. The tournament was a true testament to the competitive spirit and camaraderie in our school.

Spooky Lunch

We celebrated with some wickedly delicious cupcakes and spooky-themed treats for lunch. Hope you’re all having a fang-tastic day filled with festive fun and eerie delights!

Round Square Trip: Philippolis

The Box Hill School delegation has had the privilege of attending the 56th round square international conference in Bogotá, Colombia. The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Blooming from the Past’; it has been a wonderful week of reflection where we have had chance to evaluate ourselves, both personally and as a global delegation, on our pasts and how we can grow in the future.

Our days have been packed with exciting activities! Early in the week, we focused on environmentalism and adventure, visiting a goat farm in Boyacá to learn about sustainable land practices and tackling a high ropes course in the afternoon.

We also spent a day in Tibasosa, exploring Colombian culture, cooking with local foods, and contributing to a conference mural as part of our focus on internationalism and democracy.

The final day of activities in Paipa focused on leadership and service. We began with a beautiful hike through the hills of Nobsa, followed by leadership exercises at the top. In the afternoon, we got handson, helping a family build chicken coops for the local community as part of a meaningful service project.

We are incredibly proud of our students! It has been an inspiring week of global connections, learning, and service, culminating in tonight’s Cultural Evening!

Dalewood Model

The Art Scholars have been hard at work creating a ‘almost-toscale’ model of Dalewood House!

Using Google Earth, the students meticulously measured the building and then brought it to life using mixed media, with cardboard being the primary material. One of the delightful features of the model is the inclusion of Eeyore, adding a touch of whimsy to this impressive project. Each student had a part to play and we are so proud of their teamwork, and equally impressed with their creativity.

Round Square Exchange

Jeanne had the pleasure of staying with Florence since September, immersing herself in the life of a Box Hill student. She settled in wonderfully, making friends and embracing all that our school has to offer. When asked about her experience, she shared how much she loved her time here. We will miss Jeanne, but we are also excited for Florence, who will soon have the chance to experience life in France when she stays with Jeanne in just a few weeks! We wish Jeanne safe travels home and look forward to hearing about Florence’s adventures abroad.

Netball

The U13A team delivered an outstanding performance in their third-round cup match against RAAS, undeterred by the chilly conditions.

The defence was strong, with our players making exceptional interceptions and fighting for every ball. Final score: 15-6 to Box Hill School.

A special mention to Lilah for player of the match!

Barbados Tour 2024

During October half term 28 of our Year 10 and Year 11 pupils embarked on an adventure of a lifetime.

Our girls netball team had four brilliant matches vs local schools and our boys had four football matches. They all played some superb netball and football, and it was fantastic to see them working extremely hard in each fixture.

We also embarked on several trips which were brilliant experiences for all. The boatyard beach club was a great day spent on the water, and the catamaran cruise was a fab day out soaking up the sunshine and swimming with baby turtles. They also indulged on the local delicacies of ‘dolphin’ (mahi mahi fish).

Our tour legends were Ledion and Shauna for their dedication and commitment throughout the week. A huge well done to all that embarked on the tour, you were true ambassadors of the school!

National Poetry Day

We were delighted to, once again, host Hip-Hop artist, author and poet, Karl Nova on Thursday 3rd October to celebrate National Poetry Day. Karl spoke to a hall full of rapt students in years 7 to 9 and the ISC. He regaled them with stories from his childhood growing up in London, Suffolk and Lagos, as well as his love of music and how these experiences inspired him to write his own poetry. He went on to perform a selection of his poems which drew much applause. Students in Years 8, 9, 10 and the ISC were then chosen to work with Karl in poetry workshops. The workshops produced some great poetry on subjects as diverse as football, running, the holidays and school food. An excited queue of students streamed into the library at lunchtime to get signed copies of ‘Rhythm and Poetry’, for which Karl won the CLiPPA Poetry Award in 2018, and his latest collection ‘The Curious Life of Karl Nova’.

Hopefully Karl’s visit will have inspired students to think about poetry in a different way and maybe we have some future poets in our midst!

Inter-Thirds Cross Country

A huge well done to all the students who took part in Box Hill School’s Inter-Thirds Cross Country event! you all showed your determination and made it an unforgettable event. Well done, everyone!

Antarctica Flag

Our Year 8 Geography classes have been exploring the wonders of Antarctica, its unique status as the last pristine continent, and the significance of Antarctica Day in December, which celebrates the signing of the Antarctic Treaty. To showcase their learning, they participated in a competition organised by the UK Polar Network, where they designed flags representing the continent.

The competition was tough but in the end our panel of judges, Mr Bainbridge, Ms Robinson, Ms Quaglia and I manged to reach a decision. The runners up are Leo and Heidi and the winner is Lilah. Well done to them and to all of year 8 for their enthusiasm and hard work on this project.

Lilah’s flag will now travel to Antarctica. Watch this space in January for a picture of her flag in the frozen south!

Mrs Fuller - Head of Year 9, Head of Geography

Smoothie Bike Visit

To celebrate World Food Day, students, staff, and even a few visitors had fun blending their own smoothies on the smoothie bike! A big thank you to our wonderful caterers, Holroyd Howe, for providing the fresh ingredients. This activity not only promoted healthy eating but also highlighted the importance of sustainability. World Food Day reminds us of the value of nutritious, locally sourced food and the need for global food security. We hope everyone enjoyed the event and left feeling inspired to make mindful food choices!

Paris Trip

15 Year 10 pupils went on the annual Art and French trip to Paris. Travelling by Eurostar, they were whizzed into the centre of Paris in just over 2 hours, and stayed in a hotel near the Catacombes. The very packed itinerary included Tour Montparnasse, Montparnasse Cemetary, the Catacombes, Centre Pompidou, Musée Rodin, Tour Eiffel (at night!) , Disneyland Paris, a boat trip down the Seine and a shopping trip at Les Halles. The pupils are now experts at using the Paris Metro and have produced some beautiful sketchbooks to inspire their work in Art.

Remembrance

Day Service

Our entire school community came together for a poignant remembrance service during breaktime. We observed a 2 minute silence, to honour those who have served and sacrificed.

Our Headmistress, Ms Robinson, welcomed us, followed by heartfelt words from Reverend Faccini, our Head Girl Lilly, Deputy Head Girl Josephine, and Mrs Ellis.

Thank you to everyone, including some of our neighbours, for your respect and time.

Christmas Card Competition

Please see all the entries for this year’s Christmas card design...

... the Winning Design for our Christmas Cards which features work from Domini, Dillan, Leo and Finn.

World Kindness Day

#WorldKindnessDay, was introduced in 1998 by The World Kindness Movement. Today (and every day) is all about highlighting good deeds in the community and focusing on the positive power of kindness.

GET IN TOUCH

Please contact us via admissions@boxhillschool.com

WHO TO CONTACT

Claire Jordan, Registrar

Daniella Quaglia, Marketing Manager

Old London Road, Mickleham, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6EA

Tel: 01372 373382

www.boxhillschool.com

 boxhillschool

Instagram @boxhillschool

Frozen

The whirlwind that was Frozen Jr. has come to a close in a flurry of bubbles and frosty smoke! What an unforgettable few days it has been. Choosing Frozen was always going to be a crowd-pleaser, but when over forty members of Box Hill School stepped forward to join this year’s production, we knew we had something special on our hands.

Over the course of two days, we delivered three spectacular performances — two evening shows and a matinee for Banstead Prep and Micklefield Prep schools — all of which were met with warmth and enthusiasm. Producing a musical is the ultimate team effort, requiring every element to align: the chorus (both live and recorded), the stage crew, the tech team, and, of course, the lead actors. Seeing this multi-year cast come together — epitomised by their spontaneous rendition of Happy Birthday to Keagan S-T on the final night — was a true testament to the camaraderie behind the scenes.

There are some standout moments and performances that deserve special recognition. James Westgarth and Leander Cooper shone in their roles as Oaken and Hans, delivering fresh, memorable contributions to their dramatic journeys at BHS. William Addison once again stole the show, this time as the delightful Olaf. His rendition of Summer had us all laughing through the tears. A new comedic double act was unveiled in Keagan S-T and Adyson V-E, while the consistently stunning vocals of Khloe V-E soared once more — her performance of Let It Go was a true showstopper.

This production was also bittersweet, marking the final lead role for Ruby Fulco, whose maturity and poise as Anna captivated audiences. Last year, she dazzled as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde; this year, she inspired younger cast members to aim for her remarkable standard. Thank you, Ruby, for everything you have brought to the Drama department — you will be deeply missed.

A massive thank you goes to David Ward, Geoff Coates, Luca Masetti, Jonas Jacob, and Emily Westgarth for their dedication to ensuring the technical aspects of the show ran seamlessly. And finally, a heartfelt thank you to Kathryn Hinchliffe for expertly managing the backstage excitement and keeping our performers focused. What an incredible journey it has been — we couldn’t have asked for a more magical way to bring Frozen Jr. to life!

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