The Lark, Spring 2016

The Lark

Spring Term 2016

Pride In Our Year 6 Girls

Pastures New

Congratulations to our Year 6 girls for their commendable results this year. They have been offered places across a wide range of senior schools which include Brigidine, Charters, Farnborough Hill, Leweston, LVS, Lord Wandsworth, Luckley House, Priorsfield, Sir William Perkins’s School, St. Swithun’s, St Catherine’s, St George’s Ascot, St George’s College Weybridge, St Theresa’s, The Marist and Tormead, almost a third with a scholarship or exhibition. We are immensely proud of their achievement.

To celebrate the girls enjoyed a super afternoon soon after the end of the exams. A netball match versus the formidable opponents of a brightly attired Y6 parents’ team was followed by a slap-up tea party complete with balloons and games.

Year 6 have now started work on the Year 7 curriculum, have made excellent ambassadors for the school at our recent successful Spring Open Morning and left for an exciting residential trip in March ( more on page 3 ). A busy term.

Body Talk Each week Nursery explore a topic. For a week this term it was “Ourselves”. Our littlest children were absorbed in discovering what lies behind their body using a model skeleton. The boys and girls learnt much as they touched, moved, and drew the skeleton. To support the topic they also learnt about foods that help keep their bodies healthy.

The week ended in drawing their self-portraits, now proudly on display in the classroom.

www.coworthflexlands.co.uk

@CoworthFlexSch

Tel. 01276 855707

Avid Readers

Science Club Wind Turbine Project

World Book Day at Coworth Flexlands School was a very colourful “dress up” day. We had a host of book animals, a theme chosen in support of our selected charity this year, Surrey Wildlife Trust. The result was a glorious mix of characters including the Three Little Pigs, Mog and Simba – all raising £240 for the Trust.

Girls in the Science Club, enthusiastically attended by Years 4 to 6, have been immersing themselves in the world of wind turbines. Coworth Flexlands’ girls are participating with BP in their exciting Senior School Challenge.

With the support of Miss Jackson, Head of Science, and Miss Stevens, a BP scientist and Year 2 parent, the girls used practical application of maths and science to find out the most efficient structure of wind turbines.

In celebration of this special day we welcomed two storytellers. Author Josh Lacey inspired Years 3-6 through creative workshops. The girls engaged fantastically, asked lots of interesting questions and produced some excellent work as a result. His book-signing at the end of the day was very popular!

Key to their research was an informative collaboration via Skype with Miss Aisha Oliver, an ex NASA scientist, now investigating the best form of wind turbine for BP, Houston.

The Early Years and Pre-Prep girls and boys enjoyed passionate, vivid storytelling from our second visitor - Vanessa Woolf.

There were many squeals of delight and laughter coming from the library.

A thrilled Miss Jackson said “this type of project really helps problem solving, opens eyes to how science impacts our world. It inspires curiosity, creativity, and rigour and teaches collaborative skills, and very importantly we have all had fun.”

Long John Silver Scares The Parents Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, Treasure Island, Years 3 & 4 performed an action packed musical to staff, pupils, parents, grandparents, godparents and family friends over three shows.

The “Famous” Fives And Sixes Go On A Welsh Adventure

A happy Mrs Glover, Head of Music & Performing Arts, glowed, “A huge congratulations to our extremely talented year 3 and 4’s who gave such powerful and energetic performances of ‘Treasure Island’.

Splendid singing, dancing and pirate accents filled the stage and much fun was had by all.

We are very proud of you all!”

Jack Frost This term Year 1 have taken advantage of the varied weather and spring delights.

Secret bookcases and ‘smores around the campfire delighted our Year 5 and 6 girls on the first day of their much anticipated residential trip to the Gower Peninsula.

They copied a favourite Jack Frost poem to practice their handwriting and proudly displayed their excellent pen skills alongside lovely wintery artwork.

After packing rather a lot of luggage in the coach, an excited bunch of staff and pupils set off on their journey, Spring firmly sprung, on a gloriously sunny morning. After a stop off at Bristol Zoo to see the animals, examine endangered species, stroke cockroaches and marvel at the penguins’ antics, they arrived at the Georgian Manor House, their home for the next 4 days. After being intrigued by a secret bookcase which led from the library to the dining room and a hearty Welsh supper, they ended their day in the woods around a campfire, roasting ‘smores’.

More recently the boys and girls have enjoyed still life painting of Spring flowers. Daffodils were crafted for the ‘Seasons’ board using cutting and maths skills, sunflower seeds were planted and finally special surprises were made for Mother’s Day.

Memories are made on these trips, friendship bonds are strengthened and our girls further develop their independent spirit and confidence – the trademark of a Coworth Flexlands pupil. The trip continued as this issue was going to press but the activities planned - archery, bush craft, crate stacking for example – as well as the joint communal fun of eating and sharing rooms – will only have added to their appreciation of others and the world around them.

www.coworthflexlands.co.uk

@CoworthFlexSch

Tel. 01276 855707

www.coworthflexlands.co.uk

@CoworthFlexSch

Tel. 01276 855707

Sporting Successes in Brief Multi Skills Year 1 & 2 On Monday 29th February, year 1 & 2 boys and girls enjoyed a multi skills tournament outside school, performing well and showing particular strength in the fitness tests. The children behaved impeccably and were a real credit to the school. This was the first of such events that will now feature in our Pre-Prep sports calendar.

Hockey U11 & U9 hockey fixtures this term have pitted us against Staines Prep and Greenfield School. The girls enjoyed putting their practice sessions into these competitive matches, drawing two, losing two and winning five.

Netball It has been a busy term for netball matches hosted at home and venturing out with the minibus to other schools. Lisa Phillips, Director of Sport proudly states, “The girls have great focus in their training. Coupled with their determination, this term has seen some great wins and much improvement in skills. The highlight of the term was securing 6th place out of 16 schools at the U11 IAPS Regional Netball Tournament. A well fought place for a small school.”

Football Football is a popular sport at Coworth Flexlands School, motivated by Miss Lisa Phillips’ passion for the game. This term the U9’s hosted their first football training/match session with Greenfield School. It was a very productive afternoon learning rules as well as the skills of a competitive game. Miss Phillips also runs the popular after school football club and trains Berks Football Club U9 girls team on Saturdays at Coworth Flexlands’ football pitches. A number of our girls are now playing intercounty football.

Judo A judo squad of six girls were in action at the January annual IAPS School championships held at High Wycombe judo centre. The girls fought well to win two bronze and two silver medals. Sam Wyke, Head Coach glowed,“To win four medals at the IAPS school championships is testament to the work rate and commitment of the Coworth Flexlands’ judoka team.”

A Message From Our Headmistress We are always delighted when pupils at Coworth Flexlands demonstrate their initiative and team-building skills. I was therefore thrilled to be able to say, “Yes” when the girls suggested dressing up as animal book characters to support our charity, Surrey Wildlife Trust. It brought together the aims of the pupil librarians to make Book Day fun and the Eco team to raise money for our charity, of which a main focus is the preservation of the skylark habitat. As the skylark is our school emblem, the protection of these beautiful birds is close to our hearts.

Anne Sweeney, Head

www.coworthflexlands.co.uk

@CoworthFlexSch

Tel. 01276 855707