The Beechwood Park Lion Lent Term 2024 beechwoodpark.com
Contents Page 5: Message from the Headmaster Page 6: School Events (Pancake Day & On S’ amuse) Page 12: Woodlands Page 16: Reception Page 18: Year 1 Page 22: Year 2 Page 24: Year 3 Page 26: Year 4 Page 28: Year 5 Page 30: Year 6 Page 32: Year 7 Page 38: Top Form Page 40: Art Department Page 48: Design Technology Page 50: TPR Page 52: Sports Department Page 54: Music Department Page 55: Boarding Page 56: BPSPA
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MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER Dear Parents and Friends of Beechwood Park, Another fabulously busy, productive, and exciting week has concluded and, with Christmas something of a distant memory, it’s hard to believe that Half Term is here already. Alongside an action-packed week of learning, the children have been pancake racing, charity walking for Keech Hospice, and playing a myriad of sports fixtures. In addition to that, the Year 6, 7 and 8 French plays took place this week and our Boarders took part in a special ‘murder mystery’ evening on Thursday night. There have also been discovery sessions in the woods for our youngest learners. On reflection, perhaps everyone is ready for a Half Term break! Our school, as a forward-thinking learning community is really important to me, and I love the fact that Beechwood Park blends camaraderie, happiness and hard work together. We are also a listening school and the results of our parents’ questionnaire have now been shared. I am really excited and energised by the opportunities that lie ahead to make our great school even better. So, as we now press pause for the Half Term holiday, I wish everyone a restful and relaxing break and look forward to welcoming you back in a week’s time for the second half of our Lent Term. In the meantime, please enjoy reading the Beechwood Park Lion at your leisure, it summarises our Half Term across all year groups and departments with lots of lovely photographs and round ups. Best wishes, Mr Pritchard
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SCHOOL EVENTS
Pancake Race
ON S’AMUSE This Half Term the Modern Foreign Languages department organised a highly successful revival of On s'amuse, a Beechwood Park tradition in which all pupils in the Senior Department get the chance to showcase their language skills by performing in a French play. The morning's programme comprised some classic tales with a modern twist, including The Three Little Pigs, Hansel & Gretel, Snow White, The Little Red Hen and Cinderella, combined with other more bespoke productions to create a richly entertaining spectacle. The standard of performance was incredibly high and reflected very positively on the pupils who had only a matter of weeks from first read-through to curtain-up. Next year's cast members have a tough act to follow.
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On S’amuse
WOODLANDS
Our little explorers
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Little City
JUNIOR DEPARTMENT RECEPTION Reception started the Lent Term with a trip to St Albans Abbey to kick off our topic about Buildings and Materials. We then really enjoyed creating pictures of buildings inspired by Paul Klee during our Junior Department Arts Day. Little City came to visit us and set up a whole city in our Junior Department Hall, which inspired a morning of creative role play. Everybody has totally immersed themselves in finding out information about life in Australia. The topic began with a Zoom call with a Reception teacher in Sydney. The children have investigated animals, everyday life, the environment, the Dreamtime and have really impressed us with their knowledge and understanding of this exciting topic!
JUNIOR DEPARTMENT YEAR 1 Year 1 have zoomed off into the world of transport this Half Term! We have read and written stories, facts and poems about transport in Literacy, learnt about how travel has changed over time in History, investigated how vehicles move in Science and drawn, pastelled, painted and collaged ‘things that go’ in Art and DT. We have also welcomed lots of exciting vehicles with wheels into School; including a campervan, classic cars, a dancing Tesla, a tractor and a bus! Thank you to all the visiting Parents, Grandparents, Staff and Governors who have helped make our topic come alive so far. We still have plenty more to come next Half Term and are excited to continue on our journey! As well as all of our work on Transport, we have also danced at the Junior Department disco, celebrated Chinese New Year, channelled our inner artists on Art Day, expressed ourselves for Mental Health and played in a Little City! It's no wonder we are ready for a rest! From the Year 1 team
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JUNIOR DEPARTMENT YEAR 2 In keeping with the British obsession of talking about the weather, we started the term introducing the Year 2 children to the delight of ‘Weather Watch’. Linked to our topic of ‘Hot and Cold’ we have been plotting the weather in Markyate, Tromso (Norway) and Mexico City. The temperatures have been especially variable so it has been good to watch our line graphs grow, as well as being a great introduction to negative numbers. Our map work led us to Norway and we compared the country to the United Kingdom. We focused on Arctic animals as we honed our fact finding skills, producing some incredible pastel pictures of the different animals camouflaged against their harsh environment. We have worked on adding interest to our creative writing by using a wider range of conjunctions, expanded noun phrases and adverbs, ending with creating our own Arctic Adventure. The highlight of our topic was a memorable visit from Amelia, Seraphina’s Mummy, who in 2010 was the first British woman to sled unsupported to the North Pole (with Seraphina’s Daddy Dan). She fully immersed us in the journey, sharing photos and answering our questions, carrying out an experiment on keeping drinks hot, setting up their polar tent and letting us explore her equipment. It was the most incredible learning experience with the inspirational message to never limit yourself. Maths mastery happens when the children manipulate equipment and our topic of money has allowed just that. As physical money becomes less important it was great to see the children's understanding grow and their confidence to calculate with pounds and pence emerge. Our Art Curriculum Collapse Day, inspired by the Brazilian artist Romero Britto, led to the most uplifting day of pattern and colour. Each child was given the task of decorating a tile, creating collective delight as they were pieced together by each class. It was a lovely day of getting to know Hope Ling, Beechwood’s Artist In Residence too. From the Year 2 team
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MIDDLE DEPARTMENT YEAR 3 Year 3 have had another amazing Half Term and are becoming increasingly independent and resilient learners. The undoubted highlight was a new Year 3 trip, to the STEM Discovery Centre in January. The children embraced the opportunities presented with great enthusiasm and curiosity, as they learnt about the technology behind space exploration and saw some of the prototypes of the Mars rovers in a simulated landscape of arid sand and rock. The Year 3 children were excellent ambassadors for the school and asked some great questions. The hands-on exploration in the Discovery Zone fully engaged and delighted both children and adults alike and the sound of laughter and gasps of delight filled the room, as they made connections with their learning, piqued their curiosity and inspired us all to find out more.
Another excellent opportunity for experimental learning came during a very special science lesson, when the whole of the year group came together to make ‘Chocolate Rocks’. The children had been learning about the formation of the three types of natural rocks and grated chocolate was always going to be an enticing option to recreate these processes. It was lovely to work as a whole year group and the children were engaged and excited to use the different types of chocolate and a combination of layering, pressure and heat to produce different effects. They may even have had the chance to have a little nibble at the end!
The school-wide focus on manners is showing delightful results; the children are more mindful of each other and of the school staff and the expectation of politeness is being met more consistently and automatically. Year 3 has started a House competition to select a child from each class each week with the best manners. Stewart are currently in the lead! Will Saunders, Sebright or Tudor be able to catch up?
From the Year 3 team
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YEAR 3
MIDDLE DEPARTMENT YEAR 4
Ufton Court This term started with our wonderful Residential Trip to Ufton Court. Year 4 stayed for two whole nights away from their parents in this lovely Tudor House. During these two days we braved the very cold weather and were transformed into Anglo Saxons and Vikings! We took part in lots of brilliant activities such as Rune hunting, jewellery making, a delicious banquet (where we dressed up!) and a battle! We had lots of fun together, a particular highlight was Mr Pritchard’s magic show on our first night. Year 4 behaved brilliantly and fully immersed themselves into our trip, the staff at Ufton Court were impressed with how they conducted themselves and lots of compliments were given. This made all their teachers very proud. Thank you to all the staff who came and supported this adventure. Runes Year 4 went outside to explore communication in the Viking times. As Vikings would not have had pens and paper to write with, they might have carved into stone or built messages using natural materials. We created our own messages using runes, can you decode what they say?
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Viking Ships Year 4 had to put their listening and craft skills to the test when they made a 3D model of a Viking ship! It was super to see lots of collaborative learning happening, when ‘expert’ children helped other children to complete their boat. We have had a fun-filled jam packed first half of Lent term! Thank you parents for all your continued support. We hope you all have a wonderful Half Term break. From the Year 4 team
MIDDLE DEPARTMENT YEAR 5 2024 started with a bang as Year 5 ventured off to Ufton Court for their World War 2 immersive experience. The week started with warnings of snow and freezing temperatures, but Year 5 would not let anything dampen their spirit and positive mindset. They were a credit to the school and thoroughly enjoyed their experience. The busy week continued with Forest School; smores and hot drinks were the highlight for many, although Staff were very impressed with the creativity and technical ability the groups demonstrated with their shelters, along with some wonderful teamwork. One of the other activities was to complete an observation walk. Mr Dixon had placed in plain sight some everyday objects that didn’t belong in the forest, a silent walk through initially saw a very small proportion of these being identified. We discussed the need to be aware and take in the surroundings, linking with the idea of mindfulness and appreciating the beauty around us, the second walk through had greater success rates. To round off the week we saw some silky and energetic moves on the dance floor at the School Disco. The pupils tell us they slept well that weekend, the staff certainly did too! Children’s Mental Health Week was another highlight for the pupils. It saw us pursuing the message of ‘My Voice Matters’ and the children expressed themselves by wearing non uniform and lots of open discussions. Evie and Alexa stated the highlight of the week was having the chance to select their own activity in an assembly slot; whether it was Lego, dancing, reading, colouring … there was something for everyone. The pupil's voice told us that this would be something they would like to repeat in the near future… watch this space Year 5. We eagerly await the school performance of Matilda and many Year 5’s have demonstrated incredible commitment and dedication with rehearsals. All of Year 5 will have their own chance to perform in the Summer Term with our Rap Plays. Parts and scripts have just been given out and the enthusiasm has been contagious, you will not be disappointed when they come to perform them next term. We hope everyone has a lovely break and comes back well rested for a short but busy (it always is) period before Easter. From the Year 5 team
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SENIOR DEPARTMENT YEAR 6 English This half term has been an exciting journey through the world of Shakespeare for our Year 6 students as they explored into the captivating play, Macbeth. The term kicked off with an engaging workshop by the Young Shakespeare Company, allowing our pupils to actively participate and immerse themselves in the play by taking on key characters. The experience has not only enhanced their understanding of literature but also brought the magic of Shakespeare to life. Art In the world of Art, our Year 6 students have demonstrated their artistic skill by creating stunning mixedmedia works. Utilising crystal drawings and experimenting with various materials, they've produced captivating pieces that showcase their evolving skills as fine artists. Their creativity knows no bounds, and we're proud to witness their growth as budding artists. French Year 6 has embraced the beauty of the French language and culture through entertaining plays. From classic tales like Cinderella and Snow White to lesser-known gems like Little Red Hen and Hansel and Gretel, our students have showcased their linguistic and dramatic talents. These performances not only reinforce language skills but also provide a fun and immersive way to appreciate French literature. TPR Reflecting on the profound lessons of history, Year 6 focused on the Holocaust, researching into the experiences of individuals who stood against the atrocities. A particularly impactful story unfolded as they learned about a Muslim family's courageous efforts to protect a Jewish family from the Nazis. The students have produced exceptional work, demonstrating empathy, historical understanding, and a commitment to preserving important narratives. Latin Year 6 have extended their linguistic journey even further. Verb topics have included: 2nd conjugation verbs, the Imperfect Tense and the verb 'to be' in present tense. They have been puzzling over noun case endings: subject, object and even the Genitive Case! They've been making some great learning aids, too. The myth of Daedalus and Icarus has taught us that we really ought to listen to the advice of parents and the dramatic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is currently captivating imaginations. From the Year 6 team
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SENIOR DEPARTMENT YEAR 7 Year 7 have had a great half term since coming back after Christmas. Every pupil in this year group has now been the Super 7 pupil at least once and has passed the challenge, gaining a point for our collaborative reward chart. We are now over half way through colouring the number 7 and are thinking about an appropriate reward once we have completed it. Many teachers have commented on how Year 7 pupils are starting to embody our motto of ‘Ready to Learn, Ready to Lead’. There is still some way to go but as a year group the pupils are really starting to bond and become a very cohesive group, who are all eager to be successful. There have been lots of fun times this Half Term such as, the Cross Country Competition, the pancake race, French plays, House Music Competition and the sponsored walk. We are looking forward to plenty more activities in the second half of the term especially the Latin/History and English trip. Lessons have also been exciting, with lots of practical work in the Chemistry topic they have been covering in Science and there has also been much interest and discussion around the dystopian literature they have been learning about in their English lessons. In Latin, 7B have been learning how adjectives have to 'agree' with nouns in number, gender and case. It's like Maths - you have to find the 'common denominator'! 7A have been very creative - they've made Latin Valentine cards in which they used Latin pronouns, Latin imperatives and questions. Recipients included pets, favourite foods and even a cricket bat! From the Year 7 team
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SENIOR DEPARTMENT TOP FORM Top Form pupils have had a busy Half Term, working hard across the curriculum and continuing to develop their leadership skills. In their Future Skills lessons, they have been writing and presenting TED talks as part of Children's Mental Health Week and the topic 'My Voice Matters', a few of them had the opportunity to present them in assembly. They showed so much confidence and the rest of the school really enjoyed learning about what they had to say. The Performance Hall has been filled with beautifully spoken French, as rehearsals for On s’amuse have been gathering momentum. The Top Form also did a brilliant job of looking after 15 guest schools and marshalling the course at Beechwood Park’s annual cross-country event. Pupils continue to enjoy being wonderful role models to the younger pupils and all Top Formers visit their link Forms at least once every week. Noah confidently helped 5G to vote for our next school charity. Nicole visits 2CW regularly and the children adore her. They can’t wait for her to visit with her special birthday box and a card on their birthdays. A ‘Huge Congratulations’ go to our two Top Form finalists (Matthew and Thomas) in the House Music Competition that took place this Half Term. The standards were VERY high and made for a thoroughly enjoyable concert that was adjudicated by Sarah James (Woodwind specialist). Please refer to your email for the competition video. The Beechwood Park Podcast Team (Matthew, Jamie, Benedict, Isaac C and Isaac G) have been meeting weekly to develop on the success of their recent Podcasts. Throughout the Half Term, the group have been honing their sonic branding through their skills acquired in Music Technology and have been working hard on their format to make for an even more entertaining and informative podcast at Beechwood Park School. New Podcast members are always welcome from Year 7 and Top Form and please feel welcome to speak with Mr Gambrell for more information on the group. From the Top Form team
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ART DEPARTMENT The Art Department has been really busy this Half Term, and the quality of work that I have seen over the past 6 weeks has been exceptional. Year 3 started the term with a hot chocolate party in the art room, to test out their fantastic clay mugs! They decorated party hats, enjoyed their drinks and chilled out with some pot designs, and no art session would be complete without Bruce cuddles! Since then, they have been working on blending, learning how to create a gradual fade between colours using oil pastels. This skill will stand them in good stead for many kinds of drawing and painting as they widen their skill base. In Year 4, many of the pupils have finished off their stunning texture tiles as well as making some fabulous gelli prints to decorate their boxes made in DT. Year 5 have been exploring the extensive range of drawing techniques that can be used in journalling whilst learning that Art can be a great way to relax and unwind. Year 6's mixed-media crystal drawings are extremely impressive: these have given the pupils the chance to try out lots of different ways to draw within the same artwork. In Year 7, the Cubist self-portraits are almost finished, and we are moving on to examine the work of John Piper. The pupils will employ Piper's style to some images of our school's unique architecture in the coming weeks. Top Form have been the first Beechwood Park Pupils to undertake a drypoint printing project, based around Gothic Architecture. The results are absolutely fantastic! Art clubs have been filled with success this term too - From Year 3 and 4 Dragon eyes with Mrs Murphy, to updating the house banners with Mrs KB and Jackson Pollock marble painting with Miss Ling - there is never a dull moment!
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Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Year 7
Top Form
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY This Half Term the Beechwood Park Team participated in the First Lego League Robotics competition, hosted by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Stevenage. This competition is divided into two primary sections. The first section involves teams designing and programming their robots to autonomously accomplish various challenges. In the second section, named the Innovation Project, teams are tasked with identifying and engineering solutions for real-world problems. This year, we won in the Innovation Project. We also secured an impressive fourth place in the Robot game challenge, narrowly missing the opportunity to advance to the national level amidst stiff competition. During the tournament, we displayed exceptional teamwork and spirit. The judges commended the students for their great humour, collaborative problem-solving skills, mutual respect, and space for individual growth. It was fantastic to witness every team member actively involved, exuding genuine enthusiasm. Beechwood Park also achieved the highest possible score in the category of Teamwork, Inclusivity, Communication, and Innovation. It was an excellent performance overall, and well done to everyone that competed at the event and the team that helped and supported. Mr Lambert a special thank you to you for being a great Coach and Mentor during this tournament.
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TPR Top Formers visit to the Mosque - By our roving reporter Nicole We left school at 10am. We went on the school minibuses and a short while later we arrived at the Mosque. When we arrived, we were asked to take our shoes off outside, before we entered the mosque we had to do so with our right foot first! The Imam gave us an introduction in the foyer, we were told about how women would enter normally through their own entrance at the side. When we were to leave we would leave left foot first. We then went through to the area where men wash in preparation of prayers, this is called Wudu. We then entered the Prayer hall which was extremely clean and the carpet had built in prayer mats, all facing the Ka’bah. All of the prayer mats were the same and symmetrical. There were two cases full of the holy Qur’ans, which we were informed must not touch the floor and some people use a stand called a Rehal to hold it up. In the front of the Prayer Hall was a large arch called the Mihrab where the Imam reads the Qur’an from. The Imam then gave us a very interesting talk about the Five Pillars of Islam and then we went upstairs to see where the women pray. Imam Saleem then told us that sometimes during the month of Ramadan when people fast, for the last ten days they can stay at the mosque and eat, sleep and drink which you are not usually allowed to do. Then we went back downstairs and said goodbye. We stepped out of the mosque, left foot first, put on our shoes and returned to Beechwood Park. Mr Wood then kindly managed to get us some biscuits, as we had missed our snack! It was a very interesting trip and the Mosque was a very peaceful place. Holocaust Memorial Day Every year children across the UK take part in activities for Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD). Each year there is a theme for the children to reflect on both the Holocaust, Nazi persecution of other groups, and more recent genocides such as those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. This year the theme was based on accounts of survivors and victims of the Holocaust. Year 7 and Top Form examined the messages sent by David Berger to his girlfriend and looked at a photograph of him. Despite being executed, his last wish - to be remembered by someone - was reflected on by the pupils in a very thoughtful way. Years 6 looked at the plight of the Mandil family who had fled Nazi occupied Yugoslavia to neighbouring Albania. There they met a Muslim family named Veseli. They took them in and hid them in a house in the mountains. Through the bravery of the Mandil family, the Veselis survived the war. The pupils wrote some very thoughtful responses as to what it must have been like to escape from the Nazis twice and make their perilous night journey.
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SPORTS DEPARTMENT This first half of the Lent Term has raced by and the Sports Department have certainly had a busy time. Hosting our annual Cross-Country event is always a favourite date in the calendar, with nearly 400 runners from a number of schools, running their way around our outstanding grounds, it really was quite an occasion. Congratulations to all our Beechwood Park runners, you did us proud. More recently, some pupils from Year 5 - Top Form ran in the Hertfordshire Schools' Cross Country Championships and we are delighted to announce that both Lilly (Y6) and Amelia (Y5) finished in the top ten and have therefore qualified to go forward to the Nationals to represent Hertfordshire. The children have enjoyed many netball, rugby and hockey fixtures and we are proud to see what fantastic ambassadors the children are for Beechwood Park. They show respect to the opposition and officials, play fair and give their absolute best effort. Our U10A's thoroughly enjoyed having the experience of playing in the rugby festival held at the Stone X Stadium, the home of Saracens Rugby. Not only did they play on the pitch of dreams, they also got to be the Guard of Honour and welcome the Saracens and Lyon teams onto the field. Last week we took a squad of 18 to the IAPS swimming qualifiers at Whitgift School. The Beechwood Park children swam their hearts out and we now wait to hear if anyone has swum fast enough to qualify for the National Finals in June, which take place at the spectacular London Aquatic Centre. Keep your fingers crossed! Our Equestrian Team have also been busy and earlier this month, the 70cms showjumping team of Frank (Year 6), Violet (Year 4) and Guy (Year 7) went to the County Show Jumping Qualifier at Bury Farm and rode their socks off and as a result, they were crowned...Hertfordshire County Team Champions! They now look forward to the Showjumping National Champs at Hickstead in May. Rory, Nicole and Chloe (Top Form) and Guy (Year 7) have also just returned from a National Qualifier for Showjumping and Eventers Challenge. The team won the 75cms and 85cms classes in the Eventers Challenge and are through to the National Finals at Hickstead later this year. Thank you to our incredible Equestrian Manager, Juliet Laing, for her passion, determination and kindness to our team supporting them through all events. Finally, we must congratulate all 22 Beechwood Park pupils who competed in the Hertfordshire School Fencing Championships earlier this year. From little ninjas in Year 2 to our most experienced Year 7 and Top Form teams, all had a fantastic experience and showed wonderful team camaraderie and respect to their fellow competitors. In the Year 7+ category the Beechwood Park team came across older fencers and battled to the very end. Congratulations to Benedict, Isaac G and Jonah who became the Hertfordshire County School Silver medallists. IAPS selection is just around the corner, we look forward to supporting and seeing the team in action in Millfield this May. Next Half Term is just as jam packed and we look forward to hosting our U11 netball and rugby festivals, the U11 IAPS Netball Tournament, National Prep Schools' Cross Country Championships The Sports Department
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MUSIC DEPARTMENT PRESTO PRIZES Rory P 3D for practising daily and making fantastic progress with your guitar playing. Cecily D 3P for excellent preparation, leading to fluent playing and enthusiasm in lessons. Theadora K 6JG for absolutely brilliant piano work and really learning well. Shoma L 5K for wonderful commitment to progressing with playing guitar. Joshua G 4R for fantastic progress towards his Grade 1 exam. Amelia K 5B for super hard practice and good listening. Laila J 5B for excellent practice. Harry C 3P for your super sight reading in his pbone lesson. Flynn S-L 3P for excellent progress and regular practice. Jessica L 3P for phenomenal progress in your first week of guitar lessons and excellent music reading skills. Hari M 7JW for excellent piano practice. Alex L 5G for demonstrating excellent skills and creativity in Music Technology. Hugo S 5G for enthusiastic progress in bass guitar. Rory P 3D for wonderful practising and progress in his guitar playing. Ted R 3O for wonderful progress and developing confidence in his guitar playing. Albie F 3D for amazing piano work and practice. Consistent effort and achievement too. Ishaan G 3O For consistent practising, progress and enthusiasm. Edward G 5G for showing incredible resilience and hard work in turning some huge challenges into really positive outcomes. George M 5K for overcoming some huge challenges and working hard to turn them into successful outcomes. Joe P 6JG for really excellent practice and progress towards Grade 3. Joshua G 4R for good concentration in your lesson and excellent progress. Harriet S 3D for amazing progress and enthusiasm! Sophia Cross 4B for fantastic improvement and progress with her flute.
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BOARDING What a fantastic Half Term of boarding we have had! We have turned the school into a giant laser tag arena, visited Bedford Planetarium and also ran our very own murder mystery night, based on the hit tv show The Traitors! Next Half Term we look forward to carrying out games from across the world and also having our very own giant Easter egg hunt around the school grounds. I have thoroughly enjoyed being acting Head of Boarding so far and can't wait for more fun next Half Term, I promise it will be fantastic. I am leaving you with a few photos including one from our night at Nando’s, this was a treat for the dorm that earnt the most boarding Dojo points this Half Term. Well done everyone. From Mr Griffiths and the Boarding Team
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BPSPA We hope you have all had good starts to 2024. It’s been another busy half term for the BPSPA! The dance floor was bouncing on Friday 12th and 19th January with 139 children from the Junior Department, 119 children from Years 3 & 4, 56 from Year 5 and 72 from Years 6-7. The children really enjoy themselves, which is what it’s all about! In total, the discos raised around £2,100, to be split 50% school projects and 50% for Keech Hospice Care, which is amazing. A big thank you to all the Staff and Parent helpers. On Saturday 3rd February, we had a packed room for the BPSPA Quiz & Curry night. Congratulations to the “Woodlandn’t you believe it!” team for winning the quiz. Special thanks to Renata Woodhams for her hard work in organising, parent helpers on the night, Miss Mac for being a brilliant MC and the catering team for providing a delicious meal. The quiz raised £975 for school projects and £975 for Keech Hospice Care, plus an additional £570 for Keech via the higher or lower round. We had our BPSPA drinks & nibbles in the White Horse pub on the evening of 8th February – a space for parents to learn more about the BPSPA, feed in and meet other parents in an informal setting. And finally just before Half Term, with the help of school staff, the children took part in sponsored walks as part of the Short Tail Trail Activity Day, to try to reach our fundraising target of £2,500 for Keech. Hare and tortoise sculptures will arrive soon! If you haven’t already, please do sponsor via the fundraising page here. We’ve also sought your input on which charities proceeds from the Summer Ball should support, alongside school projects and Keech Hospice Care. The results are in.... The charities selected are DENS (whose aim is to be the first port of call for people in Dacorum who are facing homelessness, poverty and social exclusion) and WheelPower (which provides opportunities at Stoke Mandeville for disabled children and adults to play sport). Thank you to all the parents, staff and pupils that voted. We hope you’ll come along to the Ball in the Summer Term, it’s an amazing event and helps to raise lots of money for some amazing causes at the same time. The second half of this term is quieter in terms of BPSPA activities, but the Committee will be in recruitment mode, organising teams for some big events coming up in the Summer and the Michaelmas Term too. See the BPSPA website for more information. We can only run events with your help. Please do get involved if you can! Have a great break over Half Term. From the BPSPA
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