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The
Beechwood Lion Lent 2020
The WONDERFUL Wizard of Oz – see page 3
From the Headmaster
Dear Parents and Friends, Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances, Of moving accidents by flood and field, Of hair-breadth ’scapes i' th' imminent deadly breach. It’s been a funny old term…but perhaps like Othello, we will at some point in the future be able to sit down, possibly in a Venetian piazza, perhaps even with a loved one and tell tales of the winds and rains that rocked and lashed our buildings and grounds, (seemingly always during Wednesday or Thursday Games afternoons!) We will speak of the days when School, all of a sudden, became something very different… What will dominate our narrative, however are stories of heroism and courage, (of a lion perhaps who found courage in a strange kingdom with the help of his friends and how he came to personify the fortitude of our community). I cannot tell you how proud I am of your children, who have displayed such maturity and yes, courage in the face of adversity. Earlier in the term, Mrs Savage came in from photographing a Wednesday Games session drenched to the skin and made a point of commenting on the amazing resilience of
our boys and girls as they battled the cataracts and hurricanoes on the Astro and rugby pitches, returning with smiles on their faces and tales of battle over a reinvigorating match tea. We have seen families take courageous decisions to self-isolate for seven or fourteen days in support of our broader community, and unpacked the concept of individual and collective responsibility. Year 6 and Top Form pupils reacted with remarkable stoicism and a stiff resolve (and upper lip) to the concept of a remote summer term. As I write, we are yet to understand the true impact of the pandemic on our community and I guess we are all hoping that somehow the tornado passes well away from our loved ones and that the medical and economic consequences sidestep our community, but I suspect that great fortitude will be needed from us all in the coming weeks and months, and that fortitude comes, as the Lion says, from deep within, but always with the support of others; our families and friends, the wider Beechwood community, doctors and nurses and many, many others. The Beechwood staff have been awesome in this regard this term, working together as a large and complex team to ‘prepare a face to meet the faces that we meet’. They have been wonderful role models for your children, demonstrating that, even after the amazing Beechwood Park CrossCountry Championships, a sparkling Soirée Amicale, Poetry Performances, Instrumental Competitions, record admissions and scholarships success to senior schools, the magnificent Wizard of Oz and a few hundred
end of term reports, they still had the energy and drive to upload teaching resources to Beechwood Remote Access Learning! In support of your children’s educational continuity…and to my simply heroic Senior Leadership Team who have led with such skill and agility…chapeaux! In recognition of the cast and crew (and an army of supporting adults!) of The Wizard of Oz, let’s play out this term with a quotation from the Lion… What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk In the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? Why, Courage! This term more than ever before, we have all learnt to grit our teeth and to power over obstacles with a Growth Mindset, grit and determination…and in the end how prophetic those lines of Maya Angelou were in our Poetry Performance …Life Doesn’t Frighten Me at All. Look after yourselves and stay safe and healthy. With best wishes, Yours,
EDWARD BALFOUR HEADMASTER
Year 5 in the Forest
Classroom Canine
Year 5 pupils donned their wellies and hats to take their learning outside! Staff from across the curriculum devised outdoor-friendly activities, from minibeast hunts and classification in Science, to a Pi day tree diameter maths activity, from descriptive writing in the Treetops outdoor classroom to an egg drop Forest School team-building session. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed swapping the classroom walls for tree trunks and getting out into the fresh air.
Bruce, our new Wellbeing Dog, has been a splendid recent addition to the Beechwood Park Art Department. Making his first appearance during Children’s Mental Health Week, Bruce, who belongs to our Head of Art, Mrs Kelway-Bamber, is a lovely black Labrador who is happy to simply ‘chill out’ in the Art Room (or up on the mezzanine) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, whilst pupils are having their Art lessons. On the days that he is in School, Bruce is available to attend other lessons, form times and breaks. Pupils have been delighted with his placid presence; and are eager to visit him at lunchtimes too. Meanwhile, Bruce has loved lapping up all of the attention.
EMMA BALFOUR
LOUISE PAGE
The newsletter of Beechwood Park School, Markyate, Hertfordshire AL3 8AW
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