Focus Magazine Spring 2024

Spring 2024

Nursery

The children enjoy plenty of outdoor play when at Nursery. Come rain or shine, they can be found exploring and learning in the garden, on the field or in the sensory garden. As the old Wainwright saying goes 'There's no such thing as bad weather, just unsuitable clothing', and Nursery children certainly live by this rule, donning wellies and waterproofs in the rain, woolly hats in the snow or a sun hat in the summer! The benefits of playing outdoors are well documented and it is so exciting to see how the children respond to the camp fire experiences or just carefree jumping in muddy puddles, squealing with delight! Helping raise happy, resilient children with a love of learning and of nature is the cornerstone of all we do with these, the very youngest children in our school.

A bit of spring pruning

Bubble buddies

Dressing up

Happy Christmas

Our lovely Library

Identifying birds

Playing catch

Team work

Outdoor art

Pebble hearts

Printing with love

Two little dinosaurs

Climbing trees

Reception

Number Games

In Reception, a lot of the concepts we teach are then explored in a practical way. Here, we are using number games to consolidate our learning about '1 more than and 1 less than'. The children have also been learning about number bonds and using Numicon to show the different ways this can be done.

Bringing Phonics to Life

Our new sound to learn on this occasion was 'ar, ar ~ start the car'. The children had a wonderful time getting themselves into a 'car' and using real car keys to go on an adventure!

Snakes and Ladders

The children in Reception are encouraged to play games that encourage turn-taking. Here, as they play Snakes and Ladders, they are developing their number awareness of larger numerals as well.

Diwali

The children enjoyed a wonderful visit from one child's mother and grandmother, and were able to dress up in saris, listen to stories, paint beautiful Diwali pictures and made a Diwali pot.

Writing Practice

Reception children have been working so hard on writing activities. Their sounds knowledge is growing daily and they are putting these sounds together to be able to write words with growing independence.

Threading Beads

The children have been threading beads into different patterns. They have also loved making beautiful headdresses and necklaces!

Colour Monsters

As part of the school's 'Bounce' programme, Colour Monsters are used to talk about feelings and emotions. The children loved writing about their different feelings in speech bubbles.

Parachute Fun!

In PE a real favourite activity is when we get the parachute out. It is a great chance for us to work as a team and play lots of different games that support what we have been learning about in class that week.

Year 1

Great Scott!

The children have loved our topic on Scott of the Antarctica.

Art

For Remembrance Day, children made a variety of poppies using pens, paint and clay. They learnt about the meaning of the day and shared family stories. They also created Bonfire Night paintings by blowing paint and adding a bit of glitter.

Campfire

At our campfire, Year 1 enjoyed learning about fire and ice but most of all enjoyed cooking and eating marshmallows whilst drinking a warming hot chocolate.

Get Well Soon!

Year 1 made 'Get Well Soon' cards for King Charles and the Princess of Wales. They ensured their handwriting was really neat!

Judaism

It was a real treat for Year 1 to have a visit from Mrs Yugin-Power, she taught us so much about Chanukah.

Science

We have explored forces and ice in our Science lessons. During experiments, the children have made predictions, created fair tests and discussed their findings.

A Christmas Truce

During World War One, both German soldiers and allied forces held ceasefires and took part in football matches on Christmas Day. Year 2 enjoyed re-enacting this very poignant moment in history.

Bramshott Church

As part of their Remembrance Day commemorations, Year 2 visited Bramshott Church. During the visit, the children explored the war memorials and war graves of those who died during World War One.

Year 2

Basket Weaving

We have been learning the skill of basket weaving during the Spring Term. The children even taught Mr Williams how to weave the weft between the warps.

Florence Nightingale

The children have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the 'Lady with the lamp'. Florence Nightingale was our class assembly theme and the children loved singing the song 'Medicine'.

Drama

Tuishi Pamoja

Parents and families of Year 4 children were treated to a wonderful performance this term with a show all about friendship and kindness, set under African skies. The children performed brilliantly with such energy and enthusiasm. Their make-up and costumes took their audience on a journey to Africa, whilst the children spoke clearly and moved confidently around the stage. The singing was powerful and strong, and their unity when performing their class dances was a sight to behold! We were very proud of each and every child and it was obvious to the audience that the children really enjoyed themselves!

Christmas Nativities

Parents and families were treated to a wonderful Christmas treat with not one, but two fabulous Nativities! The Nursery and Reception told the Nativity story, 'A King is Born'. Every child in Reception remembered their words and spoke clearly. The Nursery children, dressed as glittering stars, were confident and cute as they sang 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star', all by themselves on the big stage! Then we travelled with Years 1 and 2 to Bethlehem and to a very 'Higgledy Piggledy' and messy stable full of sheep, chicks and mice. We watched as Cooper the Cat led all the stable animals to work together to tidy up in time for the baby to be born. Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem, the angels brought the Good News, the Wise Men journeyed following the star and the shepherds dashed from the hillsides to bring gifts for baby Jesus. Well done to all of the children who took part. You all spoke clearly and remembered lots of directions and actions. The singing was fantastic, and it was a real Christmas treat to watch!

LAMDA

LAMDA students in Years 5 and 6 have received a bumper crop of exam results. Year 5 pupils took Grade 1 Speaking Verse and Prose, and Year 6 took Grade 1 Acting. Overall, the children achieved seven Merits and 20 Distinctions! Congratulations to everyone!

Year 3

Science Experiments

In Science, we had lots of fun experimenting with magnets - investigating which materials are magnetic before beginning to plan our own experiments, which will aim to answer some of our questions about the strength, size, and uses of magnets.

We became rock detectives to find out more about their history

Sharing our Family Trees

Year 3 have produced some super timeline posters. The children were thrilled to share details of their family history with their friends.

Science Fair

The Science Fair allowed the children to show us what they have learnt in our Magnets and Forces unit whilst having fun in the process. The Christmas theme added an extra bit of excitement and the reviews proved very positive amongst the year group. Well done to our budding scientists.

Making our own recycled paper

Modelling the Stomach!

Year 4 love Science lessons, especially when they involve something gooey and messy. As part of their topic on Food and Digestion, they all had to make a model digestive system. Firstly, they mashed up a banana, orange juice, and biscuits and put them into the stomach. Then the stomach set to work mashing up the food and breaking it down. Lastly, some, er…., waste was produced - what fun this all was!

A Visit to Butser Farm

Year 4 loved their exciting trip to Butser Ancient Farm, which took place on a wet and wild day in January. They had a brilliant time huddled around the fire trying to keep out of the wind. The harsh conditions made them realise how hard life must have been for ancient people and how easy we have it nowadays. The trip was taken to enrich the history curriculum and formed part of a topic on the Romans. Mosaic-making was one of the high-lights of the day, along with Roman maths and making jewelry.

Making Wire Faces

Year 4 really enjoyed their trip to Southampton Art Gallery in November. As well as an amazing tour of all the hidden gems the gallery had to offer the children completed a wire workshop with one of the artists in residence. They produced these incredible wire sculptures, which are on display in the Middle school.

Sport

Highfield Cross Country

Almost 1,000 athletes from surrounding schools showcased their talent, determination and sportsmanship at the Highfield Cross Country Championships. With every runner giving it their all and displaying admirable determination, it was two of our youngest runners who stole the show in the Year 3 category. Huey demonstrated exceptional skill and resilience on a challenging course, securing first place, whilst Sophie's dash for the finish line secured a well-deserved silver medal. In Year 4, the girls put in a very strong performance with Olivia, Tillie and Elsie all finishing within the top 15 and as a team they placed second out of 13 schools. In the Upper School, Harry put in a strong performance for the Year 6 boys and placed a very respectable fourth place. This was a tough and very muddy course, with huge numbers of competitors and every runner deserves recognition of their grit and determination on display to cross the finish line.

Under 7 Rugby Festival

The Year 2 rugby festival at Highfield School was a jubilant celebration of youthful athleticism and teamwork amidst the backdrop of muddy fields. Echoes of cheers filled the air, as budding rugby stars showcased their skills, weaving through the opposition teams with determination and grit. Amidst the splatter of mud, the fields became arenas of friendly competition, with plenty of tries scored. The festival not only highlighted the burgeoning talent amongst the school's young athletes but also fostered a spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie, creating memories that will be cherished for years to come.

Oakwood U11 Netball Tournament

Churcher's attended the U11 Oakwood Netball Tournament, with each team playing each other in a round robin event. After seven matches the girls had definitely earned their match tea, having represented the school brilliantly. The B team did an amazing job and when faced against the A team; they put them under pressure with only one goal difference between them. The A team found themselves with a challenging match against the hosts, with both teams vying for top position. In an incredibly competitive match the team played with determination and with their eyes on the prize! They won by one goal, resulting in the A team winning the tournament and an excellent third place position for the B team. Congratulations to you all!

Oakwood U11 Football Tournament

In November, Churcher's U11 football teams headed to Oakwood School to take part in their seven-a-side tournament. All our footballers displayed great talent, teamwork, and commitment throughout the afternoon, shown by some fantastic results across the A and both B teams. Congratulations to the A team, who went unbeaten, winning two matches and drawing two matches, and just narrowly missing out on first place on goal difference. Well done to all that took part!

Year 3 & 4 House Swimming Galas

Year 3 and 4's Swimming Galas were bot thrilling showcases of skill and competition, with all participants demonstrating remarkable competence and determination over the 25-meter distance. Races were fiercely contested, with numerous close finishes keeping spectators captivated and the crowd roaring with excitement. With the lead changing hands many times, we are delighted to finally congratulate Arun and Hamble Houses as the Year 3 and 4 winners.

Our First Hockey Match!

In November, Year 2 took part in their first sport festival when they played a match against Brookham. They had a wonderful time, even in the freezing cold wind and rain!

Year 4 love playing hockey!

Year 5

Science Gophers

We enjoyed taking a trip up to the Senior School to spend some time with the Year 7 Science Gophers. They did a great job at helping the children work through various experiments. The favourite had to be when they created their own slime! They even managed to create a rainbow through liquids with different densities.

Katherine Rundell

Year 5 enjoyed a virtual visit from international bestselling author Katherine Rundell, who talked about her inspirations for her amazing writing. Her advice is to write what you know and if you don't know, then go and do it and find out! She even told us how in one book, someone eats a scorpion, so she ate one herself!

Maths Wizards!

During our whole school Maths week, Year 5 produced the two most prized players of Times Table Rockstars in the School!

Map Reading

In Geography we have all learnt how to read a map and follow compass directions. It was great fun to out onto the field and use the compasses to find our way.

Learning About the Tudors

In History we have been finding out all about the Tudors. This included how they came to power during the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. It was great fun to perform a re-enactment.

Campfire Fun!

Year 5 had a fantastic campfire where they made some delicious s'mores to eat and enjoyed a good sing song to some George Ezra classics. In English, we had also been creating our own Norse myth, so we used this time to make Viking pendants by carving runes into chalk.

Science Investigations

In our Science lessons, there have been lots of experiments to find out about forces, including getting to play around with different gears and levers to show practically how they work. We then moved on to look at the circulatory system. It was amazing to see your own pulse when balancing a straw and marshmallow on your wrist.

Year 6

Lifesaving and First Aid

Year 6 undertook survival swimming at the Senior School pool. They swam in their pyjamas, used objects for floatation, and used techniques for preserving heat and energy. Nurse Julia joined us from the Senior School to take us through some First Aid. The children learnt to dress a wound and how best to respond to incidents such as choking and unconsciousness.

Little Canada

Year 6 travelled to Little Canada, on the Isle of Wight for their residential trip. The zip wire, the vertical challenge, orienteering and the matrix are just some of the challenges the children undertook. They have also enjoyed night games, sleeping in cabins with their friends and spending time together at mealtimes. It was great fun all round!

Masterchef Challenge

For their Masterchef challenge, each team planned and budgeted to create a simple, healthy dish. They walked to Sainsbury's in the morning to buy their provisions and then chopped and cooked in the Gym Hall, using the school's induction hobs. The children were judged on teamwork and safety, health and hygiene, and presentation and taste. Not surprisingly, it was very hard to choose a winner and the children should all be congratulated for the thought and effort they put into their dishes. They have hopefully gained another lifelong skill.

Socks Against Bullying!

Year 6 enjoyed wearing odd socks and getting involved in anti-bullying week 2023 'Make A Noise About Bullying'. We thought about what we do as a school to help prevent bullying.

A Trip to London

Year 6 ventured into London as part of their citizenship curriculum. The children were wowed by the history and significance of the Palace of Westminster as they toured The House of Commons and House of Lords. Lead by expert guides, they gained a real insight into the day-to-day workings and practices of the place. After their visit to parliament, the children took a boat from Westminster to The Tower of London, a time to relax, have lunch, and view some of the most iconic buildings and landmarks of London, including Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and St Paul's Cathedral. At the Tower of London, the Crown Jewels, the torture chambers, the Beefeaters and the ravens were just some of the highlights.

Assemblies

Year 6 pupils learnt about developing resilience and sharing their worries with the right people, judging what is inside of their control and what is outside of their control. We discussed who they should turn to when they need support and to consider what many pupils contend with daily that they don't always share.

To the Nth Degree

Pupils were learning how to work out the Nth term of any pattern. Amber picked it up so quickly she was confident to come to the front and to teach her peers the best approach.

Poppy Appeal

In preparation for Remembrance Day, Year 6 managed the sale of poppies and other merchandise to the rest of the school, taking it in turns to manage the boxes and raise money for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Music

Carol Concert

Bringing the Autumn Term to a close, Year 6 led the Carol Service at St Peter's Church, telling the Nativity story through individual readings. Junior Boi Beatz, Only Girlz Aloud, and Big Sing joined together with Year 6 to create a wonderful choir for the service. The children sang all the descant parts to the traditional carols whilst the congregation sang the melody lines. The school orchestra also performed harmony parts to the carols during the service. The choir sang some more upbeat songs on their own, which rang around the church beautifully. Reverend Will addressed the congregation and also commented on the children's lovely singing and beautiful descant singing. It was a truly magical way to start the Christmas holidays.

ABRSM Exams

At the end of November, a number of students undertook their ABRSM music exams. It was fantastic to see all the students' hard work reap rewards as they received excellent results across the board! Very well done all.

Teatime Concerts

We have continued to have regular Teatime Music Concerts for Years 1 & 2, 3 & 4 & Years 5 & 6. These concerts give the children an opportunity to perform a solo piece in front of their family and friends, which helps to give the children valuable performance skills and it also is a fantastic way to build students' confidence.

Playing to Our Friends

At the start of music lessons, children have also had the opportunity to perform or sing a piece of music to their friends. This is a great stepping stone before performing in a concert or an exam.

Eco News

Solar Panels

As part of a five-year plan to reduce its environmental impact by 2030, the school has unveiled 356 new solar panels on the roof of the swimming pool. The new panels add to the 48 already installed on the roof of the Goodfield Centre building in 2021, making 404 in total. On a November day, ten representatives from the school 'Green Team' were joined on the swimming pool roof by the Headmaster to declare the solar panels officially active. We estimate the annual output to be 130MWh each year, providing 11% of the school's electricity needs, avoiding 30 tonnes of CO2 emissions, and saving £36,500 each year. The school's five-year plan includes the installation of solar panels on more roofs, along with the continued installation of eco-friendly heat pumps.

Our Eco Council have been collecting shallow lids for a local hedgehog sanctuary in Waterlooville, where they will be used to help weaning baby hedgehogs!

Recycling Eco

Soft Plastics

Year 3 have been trying to spread the word about recycling soft plastics, by creating and distributing lots of wonderful posters all over school to remind us to check if our soft plastic packaging can be recycled at a collection point. Eco Council have also been busy sorting out our Terracycle boxes. We encourage the students to bring in different items that can be recycled that would otherwise end up in landfill.

Duffle Coats to Ukraine

Thank you to George Steer in Year 6 and his family, who have involved us in their epic mission to get supplies to Ukraine. Many brown duffle coats have been successfully driven to the border to help children keep warm this winter.

Ecology

Transport

• 30% of Senior School pupils come to school on a school bus

• Approximately 10% of pupils come on the train or walk

• Together this avoids hundreds ocar journeys each morning and evening

Air Quality

• The average air quality at the Senior School is in DEFRA's “Low” pollution band throughout the day

• 10 new trees were planted in the King Charles Copse, 10 along the route to Love Lane gate, accompanied by 370 Elaeagnus hedge plants which will encourage wildlife

• 250m2 of wildflowers have been planted across the school grounds

• There are 10 new recycled plastic planter areas with each one deferring 3,300 plastic milk bottles from landfill making a total of more than 30,000 plastic bottles re-purposed!

Energy Efficiency

• New College is now totally LED with PIR sensors throughout saving hours of use every week

Charity & Community

The Return of U3A

The Science Faculty was pleased to welcome our friends from the U3A for another evening of science fun. Under the guidance of Mr Unsworth, the visitors studied the behaviour of light, using prisms to refract light and map its refraction. Their second session with, Mr Dunster, used flame tests to identify ions present in different solutions. With the assistance of volunteer Fifth Year students, our visitors thoroughly enjoyed using science equipment not seen for a very long time – if ever! – and chatting with the young people.

Waterstones Pre-Schooler Event

In January, Churcher's Nursery teamed up with Waterstones for the inaugural 'Little Listeners' event. This very special story time was designed to appeal to pre-school children and their parents, highlighting the joy and importance of reading in every child's development. The session was hosted in the 'book nook' area of the Petersfield branch by Mrs Knowles, who engaged the little listeners with a raft of wonderful stories, bringing them to life with actions, songs, and funny voices. There were puppets and lots of recommended books for children to pick up and enjoy themselves, as well as stickers and smiles all round. The interactive and relaxed style of the event encouraged parents' questions which Mrs Knowles was able to answer with her teaching experience, tips, and valuable insights on how to best support a child's reading journey.

Action Through Enterprise

The beneficiary of our first non-uniform day of the year was championed by Fifth Former Kian Noorani. 'Action Through Enterprise', a charity close to his heart, supports young people to access education in rural Northwest Ghana. It was sobering for our students to learn how AET supports these teenagers with a daily meal at school, which for many of the students is the only meal they eat each day. Sports kit is also provided which allows them to do P.E., a subject vital in improving their physical health and giving them a break away from their difficult lives. It also provides exercise books, pens, maths kits, and sanitary pads for the girls.

'Save the Children' Concert

Each year we host a 'Save The Children' Charity Concert featuring a variety of items from local schools: Ditcham Park, TPS, and our own musicians. The aim is to raise money to support the amazing work of the charity. Xylophone and guitar solos wowed the audience with their virtuosity, and TPS's House Band were dazzling as usual! After the interval, Churcher's took to the stage with Jazz Band, Junior Chamber Choir, and Rock School, showing the breadth of talent we are lucky to enjoy here. The evening was rounded off in style with the entire cast and audience singing 'White Christmas', and 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing', accompanied by our Jazz Band. A fantastic evening!

Herne Junior School Link

Our Sixth Form Herne Link venture continues to be as popular with our students as it is with the Year 4 Herne Junior pupils. Everyone looks forward to this special part of their week; volunteering, making new friends, and sharing interests and cultures across the age difference.

'School in a Bag' for Ukraine

The non-uniform day in aid of School in a Bag last November was slightly different. After assembly, delivered by Founder and CEO Luke Simon, First Years had an exciting job to do - sorting and packing more than 200 bags to be sent out to Ukraine. Pupils were able to write a note and draw a picture to be added into their bags and a production line was created, filling each bag with vital educational resources. With each bag given a unique number, we have been able to track them as they have travelled to Ukraine and it has been sobering to receive thank you messages and gifts from their recipients. One of our bags is seen in the photo where students continue their education in an underground bunker due to relentless aerial bombardment.

Technology

Year 6 Collaboration

The Computing Department have continued their collaboration with the Junior School that began in the Summer Term and are building upon it. Mr Tong and Mr Sangster have run sessions using the BBC micro:bits with both of the Year 6 classes and are looking forward to welcoming them to the Senior School, in March, for an exciting event called 'Robo-Dragon's Den'.

Code Quest

Each year, Lockheed Martin hosts Code Quest, a computer programming competition where teams of students work together to solve 20-30 challenging problems using programming to complete the 'quest'. In February, 11 Fourth and Fifth Year computer science students competed at their Havant office. The four teams put their coding and teamwork skills to the test, fuelled by a large quantity of complimentary snacks, drinks and pizza! The “Raiders” team of Benjy König, Caspar Molesworth, and James Taylor, put in a great effort to claim second place in the novice category. Well done to all involved; the future of computer science at Churcher's looks bright!

Hardware Building

The Computing Department is lucky to have a particularly strong cohort of Computer Scientists in the Third Year, pictured here learning about computer hardware by dismantling PCs. Let's hope they stay on to continue their studies at GCSE level and beyond!

Hour of Code

Our lower school computing students took part in this year's 'Hour of Code' - a celebration of both coding and AI involving 1.7 million people all around the world, across more than 180 countries. Here you can see our First Years enjoying some of the amazing resources available.

Languages

Onatti Theatre Return

The theatre company Onatti paid a welcome return to Churcher's to entertain our Third Year French students. 'Le cours d'art' told the story of arguing teenagers, stuck in an art lesson, locked in the classroom and trying to escape through the window... Archie ended up being the third character of this play, a happy volunteer and we thank him for entertaining us alongside the two French actors. We knew it was going to be fun when we first learnt of the vocabulary we were about to hear... “la clé, fermé, oh non!” We look forward to welcoming Onatti back to entertain us in future years!

Spanish Fashion Show

First year Spanish students had lots of fun describing each other's eclectic attire entirely in Spanish at their Fashion Show! They learnt and practiced lots of new vocabulary, and demonstrated some fabulous poses in the process!

Welcome to our Language Assistants

Deutsch

Hallo, oder wie wir in Bayern sagen: Servus! Mein Name ist Michael und ich bin 24 Jahre alt. Ich komme aus der Nähe von München, welches ganz im Süden Deutschlands im schönen Oberbayern mit seinen Bergen und Seen liegt. Ich habe nun schon etwa die Hälfte meines Aufenthaltes am Churchers College als Sprachenassistent für Deutsch verbracht und was soll ich sagen: Ich LIEBE es! Besonders schön finde ich es, dass die meisten der Schüler sehr motiviert Deutsch lernen und ich dazu beitragen kann, dieses zu verbessern. Meine Freizeit in England nutze ich zumeist damit, ans Meer zu fahren oder die verschiedenen Teile von England zu erkunden. Dabei beeindruckt mich die Freundlichkeit und die entspannte Art der Menschen hier immer wieder aufs Neue! Ich bin auch sehr dankbar für die beiden Assistentinnen aus Spanien und Frankreich

und das Team des Sprachenzentrums, die mir ans Herz gewachsen sind und meine Zeit hier daher umso schöner machen. Insgesamt ist es für mich also eine großartige Erfahrung, die ich jedem nur empfehlen kann!

Français

Bonjour! Je m'appelle Angèle et je suis l'assistante de français cette année à Churcher's College. Je viens de Normandie, c'est une magnifique région au nord-ouest de la France, connue pour ses magnifiques paysages ainsi que pour sa gastronomie telle que le cidre et le camembert. Je suis extrêmement heureuse d'être ici cette année, être assistante dans cette école est une expérience unique et très enrichissante. Je suis très contente de pouvoir jouer un rôle dans le processus d'apprentissage de la langue et de la culture francophone des élèves. C'est une opportunité qui

nous enrichit professionnellement mais aussi personnellement. Effectivement, j'ai pu rencontrer cette année beaucoup de personnes incroyables telles qu'Evelyn et Mike, les deux autres assistants, mais aussi beaucoup d'autres professeurs!

Español

Mi nombre es Evelyn Esosa y soy de Madrid, España. He tenido la gran suerte de trabajar como auxiliar de conversación de español en Chucher's College. Esta increíble institución, no solo me ha abierto las puertas, sino que me ha hecho crecer a nivel profesional y personal. Tanto el profesorado como los alumnos me han hecho darme cuenta de que me quiero dedicar plenamente a la educación. Churcher's College cuenta con un personal atento a tus necesidades y siempre dispuesto a ayudarte, lo cual ha hecho que la experiencia sea más amena. Estaré eternamente agradecida por esta oportunidad, también le quiero dar las gracias a todos los profesores del Departamento de Lenguas Modernas, en especial a mi mentora, la Sra. Giffin, cuya orientación y sabiduría han sido fundamentales en mi desarrollo, muchas gracias. También me gustaría agradecer el acompañamiento de los otros auxiliares de conversación, Angèle y Michael, ya que su compañerismo y apoyo han enriquecido esta experiencia de manera significativa. Esta es una experiencia que se va a quedar totalmente grabada en mi corazón. ¿Quién diría que un idioma me podría cambiar la vida de esta manera? Por ello, os animo a todos a aprender un nuevo idioma, ya que abre puertas y posibilidades infinitas.

Creativity

D&T Projects

This is one of our favourite times of the year, despite how hectic it becomes! Manufacturing season: the period between December and March when our 44 GCSE and 12 A Level students are tasked with manufacturing the designs they have spent months researching, developing, and planning. Our themes at GCSE were storing personal possessions, toys and games, and climate change. Within these contextual challenges we have a huge range of outcomes, which demonstrate the varied approaches students find to tackle their brief. The Sixth Form have more free rein and can choose their area of focus. This year's projects ranged from a golf ball-collecting machine to a coffee table that converts pneumatically into a dining table. They certainly do our facilities justice and show once again that their potential is limitless.

A Visit to Tate Britain

GCSE and A Level exam year students visited Tate Britain to collect research for their preparatory studies, which will lead them to a final conclusion for their Externally Set Assignment and timed examination. Students were encouraged to draw and sketch, annotate, and record evidence of the artists' work. The Tate Britain collection displays explore 500 years of British art and its many stories and voices. Our students were lucky to discover much-loved favourites alongside new contemporary artworks, from the Pre-Raphaelites to David Hockney, Bridget Riley and Lubaina Himid, alongside the world's largest collection of works by JMW Turner.

Jemima Craven

ARTiculation

Congratulations to Jasmine Tilney who represented Churcher's at the ARTiculation London heat held at the Courtauld Institute in January. She presented a ten-minute speech on Van Gogh's painting, 'Self Portrait Dedicated to Gaugin', and questioned the cultural appropriation of the influence of Japan within his work. Her speech was described as “a nuanced, insightful and comprehensive investigation” by adjudicator Frances Varley. It was a wonderful opportunity to engage with art history and hear the research of other participating students, who talked on subjects including performance art and sculpture. Well done, Jasmine!

Fin Edington

Tom Williams

Will Newman

Seb Monk

Theo Williams

Sixth Form

Football Club

Sixth Form football continues to go from strength to strength, with a growing level of participation and much enjoyment in the Wednesday afternoon training. We continue our programme of friendlies against local schools and are building an impressive record of more wins than losses; the only loss this year coming in an extremely closely contested 7-5 defeat to Bedales. Under Harry Haynes' consistently excellent captaincy, the boys have demonstrated remarkable resilience in stepping up to fill gaps when needed and generally getting stuck in. More than anything, they are clearly having great fun!

Sixth Form Committee

Lobby of Love

The Sixth Form Committee organised their annual Valentine's Day celebration, transforming part of Ramshill into the infamous 'Lobby of Love'. Students gave and received more than 300 Valentines' lollipops, raising money for the charity 'Action Through Enterprise' who help to fund schools in Ghana.

Rugby League Trip

13 students made the trip to the Cherry Red Records Stadium in Wimbledon on in February to watch the London Broncos play the Catalan Dragons in the Super League. It proved to be a tough day at the office for the recently promoted Broncos, who suffered a chastening 34-0 loss. Thanks are due to OC Sam Bloomer, for helping source the tickets; a fun evening was had by all.

Tom's Talking Reptiles

The week before mock exams, Ramshill had something far more terrifying – Tom's Talking Reptiles! Students were invited to come and get hands on with all manner of cold-blooded skin shedders and creepy crawlies that reptilian expert Tom Kozen and his team brought to Ramshill.

Christmas Festivities!

The Committee organised its annual advent calendar - a lottery during Advent where every morning a member of the Sixth Form wins a box of chocolates. This year, they also held a lunchtime children's christmas party, where students could play games and enjoy some festive good cheer.

Careers & H.E.

Presenting Skills Workshop

This term, our Sixth Form students have very fortunate to have Simon Chamberlain, from IPCRESS Consultancy, deliver a twoday workshop. The course is dedicated to learning presentation skills and confidence in presenting in front of an audience. The first day was a great success with the students learning the basic building blocks of presenting 'Control, Body Language, Eye Contact, Speed, and Voice', and they all had the opportunity to refine their technique with lots of peer review and professional feedback from Simon; it was a brilliant day of learning. Students returned for the second day with a prepared presentation to refine their newly acquired skills even further. This will prove invaluable not only when presenting, but also for interviews too.

Magistrates Court Visit

Networking Event

In February, our Lower Sixth students attended a networking evening in the Donald Brookes Auditorium. In preparation, they had a networking workshop earlier that afternoon covering why networking is important, the skills needed and the format of the evening ahead. We had wonderful evening of networking with almost 100 volunteer networkers, including a number of OCs, who put the students through their paces whilst they practised their networking skills over drinks and canapés. Advice, anecdotes and contacts were shared, and, after a slightly nervous start, the students soon found their networking feet and obviously thoroughly enjoyed meeting such an interesting and supportive group of parent-volunteers.

Ethical Leadership

In February, a group of students from the Fourth Year to the Upper Sixth welcomed two Magistrates to school, who presented a highly informative and interactive workshop on Magistrates and the role of the Magistrates' Court, as well as a Q&A and case study. The workshop was followed by the opportunity to visit Portsmouth Magistrates' Court, where, hosted by Magistrates, we had a tour of the courts, learning about how the court functions when in session, its role, structure, and the people present in it. After our tours and a Q&A, we sat in on the morning court session. Our pupils agreed that this experience was a brilliant insight into both the court system, the causes of crime, and the support for those in the system.

In January, A Level R&P students, along with members of the CCF, listened to a talk from Mark Hardie MBE, about ethical leadership. Mark spoke of his time as a Royal Marine and linked it to philosophical insights he has gained during his career. Referring to stoicism, and with practical examples with which the students engaged, Mark talked about the importance of perseverance, effort, and being adaptable. What more important philosophy can there be, than that which answers the question, 'How should I live?'

Pizza Under the Stars

A Level Physics students enjoyed their twilight visit to the South Downs Planetarium for the very special 'Pizza under the stars' event. Dr John Mason, a veteran contributor to the BBC's 'Sky At Night' programme, led them through the life cycles of stars and the very early universe with his exemplary knowledge, understanding, and buckets of enthusiasm. 48 students attended this year and were treated to a mid-interval supper of pizza and soft drinks, before heading back into the auditorium for their virtual star gazing adventure.

Music

Lunchtime Concert

This term's lunchtime concert at St Peter's Church featured performances from our Guitar Group and Fourth Year String Quartet, alongside a variety of solos performed by students from the whole school. Our vocalists treated us to performances of music from Mamma Mia, Hercules and Wicked, while our instrumentalists performed challenging music by Mozart, Schumann, Handel, and Britten. The Junior Chamber Choir left the audience smiling at the end of the concert with their performance of 'Until We Meet Again'.

Carol Service

Once again, St. Peter's Church hosted our four Carol Services, and our choirs raised the roof with a variety of Christmas music. The Senior Choir began the service with the beautiful 'I Wonder as I Wander', from the back of the church, followed by the traditional processional carol, 'Once in Royal David's City'. The service included the seven lessons, interspersed with carols from the Junior Chamber Choir, Junior Choir, SSA Choir, Senior Chamber Choir, Barbershop, and Senior Choir. A rousing finale of 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing', provided a fitting conclusion to the term.

Music Scholars Concert

This was a new addition to the programme of musical events; a delightful mix of various solos, showcasing the vast talent amongst our music scholars from Lara Almashta and William Weatherley in the First Year, to Laurie Horwood, Jackson George, Jonathan Murray and Ross Calvert in the Upper Sixth. An amazing evening of musical talent!

Senior Recital

As January came to a close, the Senior Recital showcased many of our senior ensembles and talented soloists. The concert began with Senior Wind Band's rendition of Jan van der Roost's upbeat 'Gypsy Dance', and ended with the Jazz Band playing Goodwin's 'The Jazz Police'. We were treated to a wide range of solo performances by our talented instrumentalists, including a very entertaining rendition of Copland's 'The Cat and Mouse', on the piano by Jonathan Murray, and Chopin's virtuosic 'Nocturne in Eb major', by William McIntyre. In between a variety of ensemble performances by Flute Group, Fifth Year Brass Group, Senior Jazz Quintet, Senior Brass Quintet, Clarinet Group, and Saxophone Group, there was also an exciting premiere by our first Churcher's 'String Octet', who performed the first movement of Mendelssohn's challenging 'Octet in Eb major'!

Christmas Sing-a-long

The massed ranks of the Junior and Senior Wind Bands, along with the Junior Strings, performed a selection of Christmas pieces during the last Thursday lunchtime of term. This annual event usually takes place outside New College, but owing to the poor weather this year, the musicians played in the cosy comfort of the Music Auditorium. Santa hats were compulsory for all, and the audience were given sleigh bells so they could join in with the festive jingling.

Rock School Showcase

The annual Rock School Showcase is a fantastic opportunity to share with the Churcher's community all the hard work that our amazing musicians have been doing every Saturday morning. The evening was kicked off by our Blues Group and Senior Jazz Quintet who rapidly warmed up our audience with some toetapping improvisational excellence. This was swiftly followed by an eclectic set of originals and covers by the singer-songwriter cohort, whose bravery and creativity seems to know no bounds. After a brief interval, the volume certainly ramped up a bit, with hits from bands such as Imagine Dragons, Paramore, and The Kinks. It was a joy to watch all the performers share their passion. See you next year, rockers!

Lower School Recital

The Lower School Recital featured a whole host of wonderful solos with pupils in the First to Third Year providing an eclectic mix of styles performed on a variety of instruments, including the virtuosic performance of 'Flight of the Bumblebee', by Rimsky Korsakov played by Jayden Siu on the xylophone. The evening also featured eight ensembles, including the Junior Strings, Horn Chorus, Junior Jazz Group, Second Year String Quartet, Guitar Group, Junior Wind Band, and Junior Brass Group, as well as the pupil-led Highway Band, which was formed for the Junior Cabaret last year and who, since then, have been enthusiastically rehearsing by themselves on a weekly basis.

Beyond the Classroom

EPQ

Parents, staff and students came together for our annual EPQ presentation evening to celebrate the outstanding research projects undertaken by the current Upper Sixth. We saw projects ranging from the use of gene editing using CRISPR cas 9 to treat cystic fibrosis to whether climate change is the biggest cause of increasing global jellyfish populations. Artefacts on display included a Tudor Court Dress from the 1530-40s and a post event programme on the Goodwood Festival of Speed. 'Surviving' the EPQ takes dedication and a lot of hard work –congratulations to you all!

Table Tennis Competition

30 keen table tennis players entered the inaugural Christmas Table Tennis Tournament in the Sports Hall last term. It was a keenly fought competition, with some impressive skills on show! On this occasion, it was the younger years who proved victorious, with Bertie Perring winning the singles competition and Amy Hutchings and Pippa Greasley picking up the doubles title.

Public Speaking Success

A Churcher's team has brought the David Cave Trophy home by winning the latest round of the English Speaking Union's Public Speaking Competition. Two teams of students competed in the West Sussex and Hampshire Branch Final, presenting speeches on the topics: 'There is no such thing as free choice', and 'Hypocrisy is not the worst thing on Earth.' There were individual nods to Zhara Ireland as 'Best Chair' and Ruby Chiduza as 'Best Questioner'. For Team A, Freya Wilson was a confident and well-received Speaker, and Will Hawes made everyone feel at home with his comedic turn as Chairperson. In the end, it was Team B, comprising of Zhara Ireland (Chair), Jessie Lofthouse (Speaker), and Thomas Pearson (Questioner) who made it through to the regional finals to be staged in March.

Debating Competition

The Debating Society competed in the regional round of the Oxford University British Parliamentary Debating competition last half term. Churcher's had its largest ever cohort of four teams from the Third Year to the Lower Sixth, many of whom were debating in their first ever competition. They faced two challenging motions, on 'holistic' university admissions and diversity in children's media. With only 15-minute preparation time from hearing the motion before giving a 5-minute speech, with potential questions and interruptions from opponents designed to break their flow and trip them up, their talents were tested to the limit, but they all performed outstandingly. A great introduction to competitive debating.

Schrödinger Project

The Autumn Term saw the return of the popular Schrödinger Programme, an initiative designed to help students develop their appreciation of STEAM disciplines beyond the GCSE curriculum. 29 highly motivated students undertook a five-week research project of their choice. Popular topics included: the physics of projectiles, and complex dynamic problems, such as the synchronisation of pendulums, the motion of a falling slinky, the completion of a loop-the-loop and the motion of a building during an earthquake. Another group combined chemistry and physics to analyse the wavelengths of light emitted when different metal salts were heated. The students certainly enjoyed their projects, and it was impressive to see how confidently they presented their findings to an audience of students, parents, and staff, who were highly impressed by the creativity and analytical abilities of the students, not to mention their perseverance and ingenuity in overcoming the challenges encountered on their journey from idea to conclusion.

Model United Nations

Recent world events have highlighted just how vital the skills of critical thinking, research, debate, and dialogue are, to a functioning, peaceful world. Sixth From students masterfully honed these skills by participating in a two-day Model United Nations (MUN) Conference hosted by Wycombe Abbey School. The real challenge of MUN is debating in committee from the perspective of the country you are there to represent, which often forces students to research and argue views that are at complete odds with their own. Learning to negotiate and cooperate with others who have different priorities, needs, and views to your own helped our students see beyond their horizons and challenge themselves to think outside the box. Our very our Alfie Greggs representing Brazil managed to get his own resolution passed (on the question of the regulation of AI to protect human rights).

Equestrian News

Churcher's equestrian teams continue their winning streak: in November, they won the 80/85cm Eventers Challenge qualifier at Coombelands, beating seven other teams. In they beat nine other schools to take the win in the 90cm Eventers Challenge Class at Coombelands. Both wins qualify the teams and Aneka Wisniewska for the Championships at Hickstead in May!

Sport

Girls' Hockey

The girls finished the season on a high, with the best set of results in a decade, all whilst putting out the highest number of competitive teams (17) in recent history. Both the 1st XI and U16A had strong showings in the Tier 2 National Cup; making it to the third round of their respective competitions. The U15A and U14A both qualified for the South-Central Regional Finals, finishing third and second respectively. Not to be outdone, the U13A finished third in the Hampshire County Tournament, an impressive showing against the strongest schools in the county.

The Frank Guy Trophy

On Friday 8 December, Churcher's College and Petersfield RFC joined forces for our annual 'Frank Guy Festival of Rugby', at Petersfield Rugby Club. Boys from across the school played under the lights in what was a fantastic evening of expansive rugby. Players were able to represent both their school and club, and it was a brilliant opportunity for players, staff, coaches, and supporters to enjoy an evening of community rugby.

English Schools Cross Country

After excelling at the ESAA Cross Country Cup Round 1, the junior boys team performed exceptionally well at the regional finals to clinch one of the 2 qualifying spots at the ESAA National Finals at Woodbridge School, Suffolk, in November. As expected, the field's quality was high (in the senior event, many runners are running at international level). However, the team put in a huge effort in the College's first experience at this level, finishing 19th in the country.

Girls' Cricket

First and Second Year girls have made a tremendous start to the year at the ECB indoor cricket tournament, where they won the group stage and qualified for the semi-finals! They are relishing the challenge ahead, as qualification from the semi-finals would take them back to the home of Hampshire cricket, the Ageas Bowl! We wish them the very best of luck.

The Eaton Games

GCSE Sports Scientists fully participated in our fancy dress-themed, annual Mixed 7s Hockey Eaton Games. The tournament was played in excellent spirit with goals galore, top teamwork and some spectacular saves. Then it was the turn of the Sixth Form tournament – this event always provides entertainment, as hockey players and nonhockey-players take to the pitch in some quite excellent costumes! With three Lower Sixth and two Upper Sixth teams, it really was battle of the senior Sports Scientists. Despite being injured and unable to take the pitch, 'Superman' took his coaching role very seriously, whilst it was Team Lifeguards who took the overall victory!

Boys' Hockey

It has been an impressive start to the season, despite significant disruption by the cold weather. A whopping 18 sides have represented the school this half term, including the newly formed Boys' U18C team. Highlights include:

1st XI finished second in the Hampshire Cup and are still in the Tier 2 National Cup where they will face Whitgift's 2nd XI in the next round.

U16A narrowly missed out on the third round of the Tier 2 Plate, losing to Abingdon School on penalty strokes.

U15A finished third in the U16 Hampshire County Cup, a great achievement considering they are playing teams from the year above.

U12A finished second in the Hampshire County tournament and have qualified for the South-Central Regional Finals, we wish them the best of luck!

Swimming Gala

The atmosphere at the boys Third and Fourth Year House swimming gala was electric, with great support from all Houses for their swimmers! Throughout the afternoon we saw some close races with every race counting as points towards their overall score. Stand out performances came from Charlie Stevenson, breaking two school records in the 100m individual medley in a time of 1.04.05 and 100m breaststroke in a time of 32.94. Rocco Whitehouse also broke the Third Year 100m breaststroke record in a time of 35.67. Well done to everyone who participated.

Academic Enhancement

English

What Would Orwell Say?

Lower Sixth students recently attended a dystopian literature event in London, entitled '1984 in 2024: what would Orwell say?', involving leading experts in dystopian literature. This was a fantastic evening out for the students, and they found the relevance of '1984' in today's context especially fascinating (and sometimes disconcerting!).

History

A Visiting Academic

In November, Dr Nathan Waddell met with all of our Lower Sixth English students. Each Lower Sixth class experienced a university-style seminar run by him, and also had the opportunity to attend an 'English at University' question and answer session chaired by him. Seminars offered challenge and lively debate, and our pupils particularly enjoyed quizzing Dr Waddell on his views on Dracula.

Art and Poetry Competition

The annual Third Year art and poetry competition never fails to impress; students submitted some lovely pieces of artwork and moving poetry to commemorate the 1st World War. The winners were: Imy Shaw, Katie Welsh, Athena Maftei, Ethan Lawlar, Jess Brandt and Zoe Richards. Pieces are on display in New College, well done Third Years!

Holocaust Memorial Day

All Fourth Years students congregated in the Lecture Theatre to listen to Hedi Argent MBE give a moving testimony about her experience in Vienna. She described how the Anschluss in 1938 changed Austria overnight for Jews. All the anti-Semitic laws came in, and when she went to school the next day, her headmistress publicly proclaimed that she was expelled as she was a Jew. She was only nine years old. She clearly recalled Kristallnacht and the terrors that it unleashed on the Jewish community. Luckily, her family had the foresight to escape in 1938 and made it to England for the duration of the war. After the war her parents tried to find her extended family, but found that they had all been murdered in the Holocaust. Her message at the end was to accept people as they are, and to welcome refugees with kindness and compassion.

Bringing Set Texts to Life

At the end of February, we welcomed a visiting theatre group to perform 'Romeo and Juliet' to our Second Years, and 'An Inspector Calls' to our Fourth Years. It was a brilliant opportunity for our students to experience these performances of their current English Literature texts onstage, and especially to have the opportunity to ask questions to the cast afterwards. The actors explained various aspects of both plays throughout their performance, and pupils questioned them on their theatrical decisions.

Gummy Bears Challenge

Third Year History students have started learning about 'the rise of dictators', and, after studying the different forms of government (autocracy, monarchy, dictatorship, democracy, oligarchy, theocracy and anarchy) were challenged to represent these using gummy bears. It was great fun!

Napoleon on the Big Screen

Our 57 A Level historians enjoyed a private screening of the new 'Napoleon' film at the Guildford Odeon. It was an epic film, over two and a half hours long, starting in 1793 with the grisly execution of Marie Antoinette and France in the grip of the Terror and culminating in his downfall with the disastrous Russian campaign and the iconic battle of Waterloo. The Upper Sixth were quite cross about some of the historical inaccuracies and too much attention on Josephine!

Academic Lecture Series

The Churcher's College Academic Lecture Series continues to broaden our students' understanding of their subjects with visiting lecturers encouraging them to think beyond the curriculum.

Geography

Third Year students were treated to an interactive workshop delivered by the British Cartography Society (BCS) entitled, 'Restless Earth: Our Disaster Relief Mapping'. Students were immersed in the challenges faced during the Japanese earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster of 2011, encouraging them to step into the shoes of humanitarian aid, search and rescue, military, and medical aid teams. Each team was tasked with creating two disaster relief maps, which were then assessed based on cartographic design, accuracy, and group work. The winning teams from the workshop will be entered into the annual nationwide Restless Earth competition.

Drama & Dance

Seussical The Musical

In February, parents and guests enjoyed four nights of 'Seussical the Musical', in an exciting new venue, the Petersfield Festival Theatre. The production, filled with warmth and fun, brought Dr. Seuss's whimsical world to the stage. The young cast of First, Second, and Third Years demonstrated impressive talent, enthusiasm, and dedication, embodying beloved characters such as the Cat in the Hat, Jojo, Horton the Elephant, and Gertrude McFuzz. The entire cast gave their best, showcasing colourful costumes, creative set design, and lively musical numbers that added charm to the show. The student orchestra and the Backstage Crew contributed to the high-quality production, delivering a visually appealing experience. One parent described it as, “bonkers, breathless, and brilliant!” – a review that encapsulates the essence of the entire production.

Panto Week

It was time for Panto Week again in Drama, and the First Years did themselves proud with some fantastic pantomimes. They brought humour, songs, excellent acting, an unusually large number of sweets, and a whole lot of silliness as we were treated to five days of lunchtime performances. From classic pantomimes like 'Cinderella' and 'Jack and the Beanstalk', to the less familiar fairy tales, such as 'Hansel and Gretel', every single student stepped into the role of an actor, put on a (usually hideous) costume, and performed their socks off so we could laugh our heads off! It was a busy week, but well worth the effort… oh yes, it was!

Dance

A 12-strong team ventured into London on Saturday 14 October to take part in the qualifying heat of the UK Space Design Competition, developing and presenting their plans for a moon mining base in the very near future. Considering the materials, temperatures, hostile environment, logistics, and economic factors, the team came up with a winning bid, which means they now go to the UK final in March next year, along with 24 other schools. Winners here have a chance to represent the UK team in the international event in Florida in August 2024. Well done team Churcher's!

Treasure Island

Before Christmas, Churcher's take on the National Theatre's production of Treasure Island transformed the Sports Hall into a mesmerising nautical scene. Jim Hawkins was a thrill-seeking, androgynous, “smart as paint” girl, inhabited by the remarkable Clemmie Dodson and Freya Wilson's portrayal of Long John Silver proved that she could give Johnny Depp a run for his money, blending cunning villainy with a touch of charm that kept the audience hooked. Raph Chamberlain, Max and Leo Cropley all delivered memorable performances. The attention to detail in the costumes was commendable, with each actor adorned in swashbuckling attire that added authenticity to the pirate-tastic narrative. The sea shanties, performed with infectious energy, had the entire audience tapping their toes and humming along!

Devising Workshop

A select group of talented Third Year Drama students received an invitation to attend a 'Devising Masterclass'. The workshop focused on the creation of original theatre through the application of simple yet effective drama techniques. Through collaborative efforts, the participants produced unique and compelling theatre, exploring a wide range of themes and narratives. The devised pieces proved to be thrilling, incorporating abstract skills. Students were encouraged to think creatively about how they presented their drama, and they successfully embraced this challenge.

Trips

Berlin

Fourth Year History students visited Berlin in December. While learning about how the lives of ordinary Germans were transformed under both the Nazi and Communist regimes by visiting sites like Sachsenhausen camp memorial, the Olympic Stadium, and the Berlin Wall memorial, students also enjoyed the festivities of the Christmas markets. Some of the highlights included a beautiful and moving sunset whilst visiting the holocaust memorial, excellent tour guides (including our very own Mr Crossman!), and an interactive visit to the GDR museum. There was also the added bonus of seeing Father Christmas fly across the Christmas market!

Auschwitz

On 3 January, 16 Sixth Form students set off for a three-day trip to explore the history of the Holocaust in Poland. On arrival in the beautiful city of Krakow, they walked to the old Jewish quarter, Kazimierz, and visited the Galicia museum, where they learnt about Jewish life in the region before WW2. They were lucky enough to hear the testimony of a Holocaust survivor, Monika, who spent the war in hiding until liberation from the Nazis in 1945; it

was a very moving experience. The group also undertook a tour of Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial and Museum and visited the site of the Great Synagogue, destroyed by the Nazis in 1940. The tour of Auschwitz I and Birkenau was highly thought-provoking and moving and at times very challenging. It was led by a fantastic guide who provided both the facts and the 'feelings' to grapple with a historical site of such importance and memory.

Skiing

In the February half term, 88 students from First to Fourth Year headed off to the Austrian Alps, near Salzburg, for the annual ski trip. Students of all abilities could challenge themselves and progress, enjoying ski school each day in small groups, enabling professional instructors to showcase the diversity of snow space on offer. From challenging world cup downhill runs to adventurous slopes and internationally known freestyle

fun parks, the snow conditions were perfect with powder and tree skiing in abundance. For après ski, the pupils enjoyed a full menu of delights including the bubbles, jets, multiple pools, and slides at Erlebnis-Therme Amadé, disco dancing and pizza at Wilderalm and not forgetting the delicious Austrian cuisine, a fun team quiz, and ski talent awards nights with prizes. As one student perfectly surmised: “Best. Week. Ever.”

Battlefields

40 pupils headed to Ypres on a moving and enlightening visit to the battlefields of the First World War. Flanders field museum, in the cloth Hall was our first visit; this had many powerful and interactive exhibits on all aspects of the war. The the next day, we headed to the Somme area, and visited the monumental Thiepval cemetery - a memorial to over 72,000 missing servicemen. We also went to Beaumont Hamel where the famous Newfoundland regiment fought and died, and then the incredible Vimy Ridge war memorial which has one female figure who stands alone looking out over the slopes of the ridge, and who is known as 'Canada Bereft'. We paid our respects at the 8pm last post at the Menin gate. The final day was spent around Ypres visiting the German cemetery of Langemark and the British Tyne Cot.

Barcelona

Back in the October half term, a group of Third Years had a fantastic trip to Barcelona. Over the course of the five days, the students had lots of fun sightseeing, eating tapas suppers, enjoying the roller coasters, and, of course, seeing the amazing Sagrada Familia, amongst many other Gaudí architectural delights!

Adventurous Activities

DofE - Bronze Practice Expedition

Bronze DofE Expedition training has started in earnest! The Third Years were split into two groups, with Group A learning how to navigate using a map, compass and pacings on Harting Down, and Group B planning the expedition, cooking their lunch on a gas Trangia Stove, putting up a tent, and learning about emergency procedures and first aid. The groups will swap activities in March. A record 21 teams are taking part this year and the expeditions will take place in the New Forest in April and May.

Cadets Fly High

This term, the RAF section took to the skies at MOD Boscombe Down, where cadets learnt to bank and roll. Before a cadet is allowed to fly, they must first undergo basic parachute training. In the unlikely event that they must exit the Grob Tutor, they train to put on their own parachutes, unlatch the canopy and jettison it, before diving over the wing! Cadets were lucky enough to enjoy an evening of sunshine and so learnt to cook field rations on Hex burners.

Ten Tors Training

Four teams are once again in training to take on the Ten Tors, where they will navigate routes of 35 or 45 miles across Dartmoor, carrying all that they need to complete their route and camp out overnight safely. Training began in November in the South Downs, January saw the teams move to the New Forest to continue micro-navigation training and the first weekend of March brought the challenge of heavy snow, sleet, wind, rain and sun while camping at freezing overnight temperatures.

DW Training

This year's Devizes to Westminster squad have been training in earnest over the cold and dark winter months; they are now reaching distances of more than 25 miles. There have been a number of cancelled build-up races due to the monumental rainfall, but the paddlers are still working extremely hard with the approaching main event over Easter Weekend.

OSCA

This year's OSCA programme continues at pace through the Spring Term. Having endured dark, cold evenings OSCA students have demonstrated excellent determination and spirit in creating chariots, catapults, and tripod structures and in scaling the climbing wall. All with typical OSCAneer good humour and lots of smiles!

Scuba Diving

In January, eight OSCAneers became aquanauts for the afternoon as they took part in a PADI Try Dive session with Triton Scuba Instructors. They learnt some basic scuba skills, including regulator loss and recovery, regulator purge, and mask flood and clear. It was wonderful to watch and have the opportunity to photograph pupils as they progressed through their underwater lesson, meeting each new challenge with resilience, and moving from quite nervous beginnings (for some) towards a completely relaxed state underwater. OSCA is about challenge and new experiences, and these pupils certainly enjoyed their journey, as well as whizzing about on underwater scooters and playing a game of underwater catch with a torpedo!

Success Outside School

Jessica Tomalin

Sixth Former Jessica Tomalin is going great guns with competitive precision shooting, having moved discipline from sporter shooting. Most recently she has competed at the British Shooting Schools Championships, achieving second place in the Southeast and tenth nationally, which qualified her for the next round in Cannock. There, a fifth-place finish saw her through to the final and she ended the competition in a very respectable eighth place. This comes off the back of a great year for Jess, coming third in the ESSU (English) Championships, 1st at BOAG (British) Championships, and competing at the Junior International in August. We wish her continued success!

Team Forbes Success!

In November, Team Forbes were in action again at the 13th WUKF European Karate Championships in Antibes, France. Taking part in both kata (pattern of movement) and kumite (fighting), it was a busy week with one of the father/daughter duo always in action. Matt managed to win a bronze medal in individual kumite, as well as placing seventh in individual kata. Then it was Rosalie's turn - putting in a fantastic performance, winning a silver medal in individual kata, followed by a bronze medal in individual kumite.

Mia Clark

OC Mia Clark (23) certainly didn't rest on her laurels after completing her A Levels last Summer, participating in the Army Officer Selection Board over four days in July. She was successful; she enrolled in the Army Officer Internship in Sandhurst in September and was commissioned at her Passing Out Parade on 25 November, having been awarded the Army Officer Internship Award. Mia is now serving as a Second Lieutenant in the Rifles Regiment, stationed in Cyprus, where she is performing a light infantry role. We wish her every success in her new career.

Phoebe Dallyn

Hampshire Hockey

Congratulations to Second Years Alba Browning-Sanchez and Grace Bowdery, who have made it through trials to be selected for the U13 Hampshire hockey squad this season. They have started training and are loving it, both of them say they are very proud to represent their county.

Lower Sixth student Phoebe Dallyn has been notching up some impressive extra-curricular achievements! Not only does she play county rugby for Sussex, pictured here after an impressive 46-20 win against Hertfordshire, but she also managed the amazing achievement of qualifying for the Horse of the Year Show. She qualified after three rounds and a top four finish out of more than 80 competitors and at the Show itself came an impressive 8th in the country competing at 120cm. Multi-talented indeed!