World Teachers’ Day
On Wednesday this week, we celebrated World Teachers’ Day and I challenged the pupils to populate a noticeboard with messages of thanks to their teachers. The aim of the day is to raise awareness of the importance of the role played by teachers all over the world and we joined over 150 countries in its acknowledgement. The United Nations placed ‘Achieve Universal 
Education’ as one of its Millennium Development Goals as they firmly believe education is the key to all of the other Development Goals being met. It was a wonderful sight at the end of the day with so many thoughtful words posted on the board.
Macmillan Coffee Morning
Thank you for sending in so many delicious baked goods last Friday to support the Macmillan Coffee Morning and also to those parents who helped out. The children enjoyed the delicious cakes enormously and we were thrilled to be able to support this worthy cause.
Windows into Learning
Today, we welcomed Year 4 parents to a presentation by Mrs Simmons. For more details see article further on in the newsletter.
Open Morning
Next weekend, Saturday 15th October, the Whole School opens its doors to parents looking for independent education for their children. The morning runs from 9.30am to 12.30pm and will provide an insight into life both academically within the classroom and in terms of the opportunities available in the wider School community. Teachers will be on hand to showcase their subjects and answer questions and many of our pupils will be helping out on the morning with Year 7 acting as tour guides and other year groups helping within departments. They are fantastic ambassadors and their help is very much appreciated. Thank you for your support in recommending friends and colleagues and we hope they are able to come along on the morning.
Mrs Knox
Headmistress
Achievements
Jack Mason (Y7) was selected for a County Archery Shoot (Northamptonshire v Leicestershire). Overall (adults and juniors, all bow types) Leicestershire won the match, but the combined Northamptonshire Juniors beat the Leicestershire Juniors with Jack the highest scorer in his category.
Jack Bates (Y5) won the Orange Ball Competition at the Northampton County Lawn Tennis Club Championship and is now the Clubs Orange Ball Champion.
Molly Barnes (Y8) was awarded the 'Endeavour Trophy' at the Corby Festival of Dance.
In the Classroom
This week I have been impressed by Year 7 pupils who demonstrated their thinking skills and questioning when discussing aspects of different religions in their RS lesson. They showed an understanding of other people’s points of view and were keen to find out more information. If you have noticed some extra kindness around School this week, it could well be the work of the Year 6 pupils. In their Life Skills lessons, they have been talking about random acts of kindness and how a small act can make a big difference to someone else’s day. Next week I will be reporting back with some examples of what they have done.
Habits of Mind Poster Competition
This week, pupils have been given details about the ‘Persisting’ poster competition and I would like to encourage as many of them as possible to enter. They can:
- Work individually or with others
- Produce a hand drawn or electronic poster but it should be suitable to be blown up to A3 size
Other information:
- Deadline for entries is Friday 21st October (when we finish for half term)
- The word ‘Persisting’ should be included somewhere on the poster
- Entries should be submitted to Mrs Owen in hard copy or via gmail
- If photos/pictures are included, they must be original, not sourced from the internet etc.
There will be a prize for the winner. Good luck, everyone!
Mrs Owen
Deputy Head - Curriculum
Help for Children’s Mental Health
An interesting read in The Guardian this week on how helping parents understanding their child’s mental health is essential as the NHS children’s mental health services are struggling to cope with the demand placed upon them. To read the article click here.
Positive Parent Programme
I am proud that here at Wellingborough we are being proactive with our approach in tackling mental health concerns and our Wellbeing team are at the forefront of that drive with their ever growing Positive Parenting Programme. The next session on ‘Teaching positive behaviour - positive behaviour management and its impact’ is on Thursday 13th October and parents across all three schools are more than welcome. For more details click here.
National Childhood Measurement Programme
The National Child Measurement Programme took place in School this week and the NHS nurses came in to measure the height and weight of our pupils in Year 6, in order to assess overweight and obesity levels in children within primary schools. This data can be used at a national level to support local public health initiatives and inform the local planning and delivery of services for children. More information can be found on the NHS website, click here.
Worried about that? Drop in and chat!
Thank you to our Wellbeing Managers, Gemma Saunders and Steve Hill, for hosting a drop in for parents this week. This provides a great opportunity for our parent community to come and speak to our wellbeing team about their work and involvement with the pupils, as well as discussing any specific concerns around wellbeing.
Mrs C Petrie
Deputy Head - Pastoral
Year 4 Trip to Verulamium
On Friday, 30th September, Year 4 had their first trip of the year, which was very exciting. They were full of enthusiasm and exceptionally well behaved. The visit included a hands-on discovery session in the museum, exploring the ruins of a Roman theatre and a walk to see the mosaic floor and hypocaust of a large villa. The staff at 
the museum complimented their confidence and high level of enquiry skills, as they investigated and studied the artefacts in the teaching room. Verulamium was the 3rd largest city of Roman Britain and there have been many treasures uncovered during excavations from the unique theatre with stage, the only one of its kind in Britain. The pupils have been writing an account of the visit in English lessons, using a snake tool for planning and their History lessons will unveil more detail about Roman life. To read Thomas Docker’s account of the day click here.
Year 4 Windows into Learning – Maths
Thank you to the parents who were able to attend the presentation today, I hope that you enjoyed the experience and opportunity to partner your child in a lesson situation. Click here to view a copy of the presentation which reiterates the benefits of parental support and includes some links to websites. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to make contact as@wellingboroughschool.org.
Mrs Amanda Simmons
Year 4 Coordinator
Music School
Recital, Monday 17th October
Our first recital of the School year is on Monday 17th October at 4.30pm in the Pod, featuring solo musicians from both Prep and Senior Schools. Refreshments will be served from 4.10pm, and everyone is warmly invited to come along.
Music Lesson Timetables
To view next week’s timetables of individual lessons, which are also displayed just inside the main entrance to the music department, click here.
Mr Leutfeld
Head of Music
Country of the Day
To continually improve location knowledge in the Prep School, here is a daily challenge from 6LW. Your focus for each day is to locate the country on a map! If that is too easy, there are some extension questions too…
- Daily challenge:
Monday 10th October – Belgium
Tuesday 11th October – Thailand
Wednesday 12th October – Ecuador
Thursday 13th October – Gabon
Friday 14th October – Namibia - Extension questions:
1. What is the capital city of this country?
2. What does the flag look like?
3. How many people live in this country?
4. What are the most notable features of this country?
Dr Fordham
Head of Geography
Sports Fixtures Week Commencing 10th October 2016
Wednesday 12th October
- Rugby
U13A, B & C v The Dragon – Away – 2.30pm start
U12A & B v The Dragon – Away – 2.30pm start
U11A & B v The Dragon – Home – 2.30pm start
U10A, B & C v The Dragon – Home – 2.30pm start - Hockey
1st/3rd/5th v The Dragon – Away – 2.30pm start
2nd/4th/6th v The Dragon – Away – 3.15pm start
U11A, B & C v The Dragon – Home – 2.30pm start
U10A & B v The Dragon - Home – 3.15pm start
Thursday 13th October
- Rugby
U9 v Witham Hall x 2 teams – Home – 3pm start - Hockey
U9 Mermaids & Unicorns v Witham Hall – Home – 3pm start
Friday 14th October
- Hockey
U9A & B - Bedford Modern Tournament – Away – 12pm start
After School Clubs and Activities – Tuesday 18th October
On Tuesday 18th October most after school clubs and activities will be cancelled due to parents evening taking place in the Prep School. Dance and U9 rugby will still go ahead as normal as the staffing for both these activities are not affected by the parents evening. Apologies in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.
Results
To view this week’s results please click here.
Mr Irvine
Head of Sport and Extra-Curricular
Information to parents
Please visit the parents login area on the website to view copies of letters sent by Clarioncall. If you do not know the login details please email prep-office@wellingboroughschool.org. Click here.
Earlier this term, all of the Clubs were asked to put forward their suggestions to the Charity Reps for the charities they felt we should support this year. Four charities were chosen and these were presented most confidently to the pupils and staff by the Charity reps on Thursday. The four charities put forward were: Air Ambulance, Children Are Butterflies, Cystic Fibrosis and British Heart Foundation. Each of these charities has touched one or more of our pupils personally and they shared their stories with us. Each pupil and staff member was then asked to vote and we are pleased to announce that this year we shall be supporting British Heart Foundation.
about what the shop sold and things like that. Next we went to a sweet shop. I bought a pineapple sweet. I thought it was really soft so I bit into it really hard. To be fair, I thought I had broken my tooth! After that we went to the bakery. Next, we went into an old Cinema. There were posh people’s seats and benches for the not so rich people. After lunch, we walked down to Lillian’s house. It was really fun looking at a Victorian house. Next, we were going to the mine but first we went to Rose and Jack’s house; they were one of the wealthier people. Soon after that we went to the mine. My group watched a short clip then we went in. We had to put helmets on and then we went into the mine. It was pitch dark but there was a little light from the torches. Then the man told us that we all had to turn off our torches. Now it was pitch, pitch dark. I couldn’t see anything. It was horrible; all we could see was a tiny bit of light shining on the statues. Finally we got out. It felt good to see daylight. After we had done that we headed off to Samuel Webb’s house. It looked very different to our houses now. Then we went to a chapel and we learnt a lot about what happened in the chapel. After a while it was time to go home. We all got on the bus and off we went back to school. I really enjoyed going to the Black Country Museum.
Whilst in Year 6, during the month of June, Flora Baxter, Meghan Griggs and Yasmine Hickey raised £278 from selling homemade fudge, truffles, cookies and cupcakes during the Fiver Challenge. They have decided to split the money equally between two local charities: ‘
Northamptonshire County Cricket Awards Night, one for a clean bowled hat-trick and the other for taking 4 wickets in a match with bowling figures of 3 overs, 1 maiden, 4 wickets for 4 runs. 
….Agincourt!
My group went along the top to a small cave in the rock. Then we discussed the conflict between user groups that happens at Stanage Edge. Next we moved on to go down into a little woodland. In there we were pretending to be certain people that use the land and had a debate about our separate problems. Finally, we went down to see a local farm. The man who owned the farm had to have several different jobs to keep his farm going. We then went back to the youth hostel. There, we had a talk from a National Park Ranger about conflict. On the Friday we went to look at Mam Tor the ‘Shivering Mountain’. Then we went into the caves. These are famous because they are one of the only mines that produces Blue John. This is a blue and yellow rock. They also showed us lots of stalagmites and stalactites. Then we drew a field sketch from the entrance to the cave of all of the mountains, fields and villages. Next we walked around Castleton. Some people took photographs, some people did traffic counts and some people gave locals questionnaires. Finally we went to see a limestone quarry. It was about a mile in length and it would take you about an hour to walk across. A large truck came and we all had a go it sitting in the driver’s seat. Lastly, the truck driver lifted the bucket on the back so that we could see it happening and then drove back to the quarry. Then 80 tired Year 7 pupils and teachers went home for half term! Report by Annabelle Woodward. To read another report by Becky Richardson, please 
huge amount from the experience and had many positive comments from all who watched us play. I made many new friends and it is definitely an experience that I will never forget. Dubai is now calling in three years time - watch this space!
his half term - Taking Responsible Risks. We are encouraging our pupils to learn how to take intellectual as well as physical risks. People who are capable of being different, thinking of new ideas and testing them with peers as well as teachers, are more likely to be successful in this age of innovation and uncertainty.
Omar Ghanem (Y7) participated in the National Swim Gala for Virgin Active Clubs and achieved a gold medal for the 50 meters breaststroke finishing in 40 seconds. The event took place in the Olympic Pool in London.
showjumping with her pony Laddie at the Moulton Equestrian Centre, Unaffiliated Jumping Event.
Prep School had a busy equestrian weekend with Isabelle, Oliver and Clara from the Prep School competing in the Akeley Wood Show Jumping Competition, held at Addington Manor. There were some lovely clear rounds at the competition and the pupils competed very well. We would also like to wish the very best of luck to Clara, Oliver, Niall and Lucy who are competing at the forthcoming Grass Roots Championships at Bury Farm.
The Year 4 floor has been a hive of activity this week as Miss Kingstone and the pupils have been making their own Roman shields. The corridors have been lined with the products of their labours and we look forward to seeing them put to use, perhaps in some battle formations in future history lessons.
Last Friday the first Year 7 group visited the Daylight Centre in Wellingborough to help sort and pack the food that has been donated. The pupils worked efficiently, checking use by dates and categorising food ready to be put into bags for individuals who are in need. They learnt about the different types of people who use the Centre and how the food packages need to be made up with their differing needs in mind. The second group of pupils visited the Centre today and we look forward to the rest of the year group taking their turn in the weeks ahead.
Students took part in three sessions over the course of the morning, looking at the river flow rate, flooding on the river (and how it can be managed), and also river landforms and habitats. Students completed tasks on their worksheets, and learnt about flow rate by dropping an apple into the channel and timing how long it took the apple to travel the specified distance. Students were able to see the physical processes and features found along the river, which they will be studying in more detail during their Geography lessons over the coming weeks. In sum, a fantastic trip, with amazingly well-behaved students. Many thanks to the staff involved, the Ranger Service at Stanwick Lakes and to Mr Batley for volunteering again. Mr Batley has certainly become an honorary geographer with all his trip volunteering!
has been a real highlight in the Prep School this week. It has given us a perfect platform to engage with the pupils on this important issue, to take a stand against bullying and raise awareness of bullying and the support the School provides. I would like to commend the ABA's, capably lead by Mrs Rowley-Burns, for their excellent leadership throughout the week.
The PASS survey should give us an insight into pupils' mindsets that might be otherwise difficult to gain. We aim to encourage a 'growth mindset' in our pupils rather than a 'fixed' one. This creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for future accomplishment.
mpionships
Jack Mason broke the U14 County record for a Portsmouth shoot at the Bedfordshire v Northamptonshire County match.
17 Elite programme 
s festivities go into overdrive. There was a fine collection of Christmas jumpers on Thursday and for this privilege the pupils paid a pound. We raised over £300 for the British Heart Foundation. The staff also joined in and our own Mrs Billington won the best Christmas jumper award. The inaugural Club Dance competition was a fantastic way to start the day. Congratulations to Jaguars for their fine rendition of “Thriller”.
lunch, for which we must thank Elaine O’Sullivan and the Chartwells team, the pupils were treated to the staff rendition of “Sleeping Beauty”. It certainly won the approval of all those in the audience. Finally, the pupil disco, which was a lovely way to end an exciting day. The pupils had a hugely enjoyable time and my thanks to the WPSA for their superb orchestration.
riding Duke, achieved 2nd place rosettes in the 80cm and 90cm showjumping and a 4th place rosette in the 70cm showjumping at the Arena UK competition.
nges. Today in form time, they have been setting their academic, personal and wellbeing goals for the term. I have enjoyed walking around the School seeing how the form groups are displaying these. I particularly liked Mrs Drye’s football themed goal display. I also talked to the pupils about considering what their “legacy” might be in the Prep School. What they wa
nt us to remember them for. Will it be their kindness, care for others or positivity. Will it be their passion for learning, spirit or determination to give everything a go. My vision is for each pupil in the Prep School to be known and respected for their skills, abilities and character.
stmas holidays. At the Keysoe New Year Pony Show they jumped a double clear in the 80cm open class, double clear in the Discovery (90cm) and also 4th place and double clear in the Winter Discovery Qualifier, qualifying them for the Blue Chip Championships at Hartpury College in April.
This term in English Year 4 will be 'writing for different purposes.' They will look at audience, purpose and text structure. This week they started with how to set out instructions effectively. Some have enjoyed Mrs McDougall's cake baking, where after careful measuring, whisking, cracking and stirring, 16 perfectly formed and iced cakes appeared from her magic oven. Mrs Simmons' class have been thinking about the best ingredients for a delicious smoothie and what imperative verbs to include in the instructions. But who was brave enough to sample the fruity health drink concocted by 4AS? Did it tickle the taste buds or leave some reeling from the unusual blending of flavours? Next week, you can ask 4AK whose sandwich was the jammiest and who forgot the margarine!
The Year 5 children are certainly looking forward to their next Science topic - Earth, Moon and Sun, following a visit to school by astronomer, Mr Andrew Green. 
Several Year 8 and Year 4 pupils spoke about their experiences of our 'Buddy Scheme' to Year 7, in an assembly this week. This term, Year 7 pupils will be able to work with children in the Pre-Prep School, by supporting them in the classroom with their reading and writing and also in the playground by playing and talking with them. This is an exciting opportunity and introduces the idea of buddying to our children at a time when they have more understanding of the world of work and it will give them the chance to experience this first hand, whilst developing confidence and responsibility at the same time.
of Treasure Island we were treated to last night! This highly entertaining adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel finds young Jim Hawkins as he discovers a treasure map in a dead pirate's sea-chest. Jim is led on an expedition across the ocean to recover a fortune in plundered gold. I would like to commend our Year 8 pupils on an outstanding performance. Mr Hargreaves, director extraordinaire, is also to be congratulated. As one member of the audience commented: “the Year 8 plays are always a highlight of the year for me” and another “I am amazed at how the Hall was transformed into a ship for the night”. Bravo to all cast and crew. A superb production.
On Saturday 21st January our School Equestrian Team of Keira, Alice, and Izzy attended the Cedars Upper School NSEA Showjumping qualifiers at Bury Farm, Bucks. The 90cm class took place indoors and all our riders rode brilliantly achieving 5th place out of 13 teams. They were also the highest placed Northamptonshire team and qualified for the NSEA County Championships in April. Izzy and Duke also came 7th individually out of 78 riders. Sadly the 80cm was outdoors and following several days of freezing conditions, the ground was just too hard and so the team decided to withdraw. The organisers very kindly permitted Izzy to swap her 80cm entry for the 1m class which was indoors and although just out of the placings Izzy was the highest placed Northamptonshire rider qualifying her for the County Championships in the 1m class. Huge congratulations to everyone for doing so well at this popular event and we look forward to attending the County Championships which will take place on 21st April. Our thanks as always, also to our parents for their time and support in enabling the School to be represented.
A reminder for Year 5 parents that next Tuesday (7th February), Year 5 pupils will be visiting Kew Gardens, as part of their Geography curriculum on Ecosystems and Climate Zones. Pupils should arrive at school by 7:45am (please note the earlier start to the normal school day) and should wear their school tracksuits. Pupils should also have warm and waterproof outer layers with them too, as it may be cold and/or wet, in addition to it being tropical and hot! We aim to arrive back in school by 5pm, although I will keep you informed by clarion call, should we have any issues with traffic. A packed lunch will be provided by the school, but pupils should bring with them some writing equipment, as they will be doing academic work on the trip. Students are allowed to bring up to £5 in spending money, should they wish to purchase a souvenir.
During two English lessons, 5FD were definitely Finding Humour and happily Working Interdependently whilst enthusiastically participating in their Collective Nouns Competition. Divided into four groups, they competed in a race to discover collective nouns, through independent internet searches on four topic areas: Animals; Birds; Fish, Reptiles and Insects; and People, Plants and Miscellaneous. They used ICT skills to create PowerPoints with which to illustrate the meanings of the words they had found. They selected images, for instance of salamanders, and labelled them correctly (a congress/a maelstrom!). Every now and then, Mrs Drye shouted, “Lucky Dip!” and four runners shot to the silver trophy, in which a selection of assorted lesser known collective nouns acted as a treasure trove. Favourites were an obstinacy of buffaloes, a wake of vultures, a chain of bobolinks (let’s face it, we just liked saying “Bobolinks” and they are charming!) and an ostentation of peacocks. There were interesting questions too: “Do pearls go under People, Molluscs or Miscellaneous?” That seemed to tick the Band 5 Progress Skill “You ask questions to help you use what you know (e.g. 'If "terrier" is a common noun, why is "Alsatian" a proper noun?').” After all, people wear a string of pearls, oysters make the pearls, but pearls are jewellery. Gosh, our language is fascinating! 
Rupert Mason, from Redheart Theatre, kept Year 7 on the edge of their seats. He also captivated several parents, who thoroughly enjoyed the three Gothic tales he enacted so superbly and were most complementary about his dramatic monologue and the level of literature the children were being taught. The sound of eerie winds, heartbeats and creaking doors helped add to the tension and suspense conjured by darkness, candlelight, a skull, red drapes, firelight and shadows. Mr Mason vividly brought several characters to life with deft use of the actor’s craft: the tilt of a head, a withered arm, nervous blinking, clothing in mad disarray and accents galore. We heard stories about fear, the supernatural and insanity, by Edgar Allan Poe, Dickens and H.G. Wells. For 55 minutes he mesmerised his audience, made them jump and gave pupils the opportunity to thoroughly appreciate that most ancient of communication skills – the art of the storyteller. What a super way to augment the pupils’ study of short stories the previous term. 
Rupert Mason also gave a magnificently moving performance of ‘Mr Owen’s Pocketbook’ (written and directed by the award winning Justin Butcher). During one period, he took his Year 8 audience (and attending parents) from Shropshire to Flanders, from Merseyside to Edinburgh’s Craiglockhart Mental Hospital, from the horrors of the trenches to the dismay of parents’ receiving the news of their son’s death. Cleverly intertwining the lives of numerous poets, as diverse as Tennyson and Sassoon, he began with the discovery of Wilfred Owen’s pocketbook amongst the dead hero’s personal effects, through which he drew a vivid picture of that poet’s life and work, his mentors and muses, but also of all soldiers in WW1. Through the powerful conviction of Mr Mason’s performance, we empathised with those suffering cruelly from exposure, saw the panic of a gas attack and charged down the “valley of death” with the 600. Through the eyes of an officer writing to Owen’s mother, the differing views of the ‘reality’ of war were made starkly clear. There were tales of wild heroism juxtaposed with bleak dismay yet, ultimately, of the deep love Owen felt for his comrades and of the voice he had found as a “poets’ poet”, which speaks to us all down the generations. It was a superb conclusion to the pupils’ English studies on the literature of war.
A rip roaring pirate classic tore through the Prep School Hall this week, in much the same way that illness tore through the cast! Robert Louis Stephenson’s classic was fired from the cannon of Year 8 and landed with a burst of “Yo ho ho’s!” and several bottles of rum. “The one legged man” stumped around the Hall seeking treasure and fortune whilst his crew of rascally pirates sought to rob the noble Lady Trelawney and her butterfly loving friend Miss Livesey. This was a riotous production, a complete company effort with multiple lines coming thick and fast from a well drilled cast. So well drilled in fact that, when illness struck four of the cast, parts were redistributed and did not in any way slow the show down - a magnificent feat! Add to that the fact that it was a different four students over two performances and you really get a sense of what an achievement it was. The highlights were numerous, too many to list but … a galleon in the Prep Hall, Long John’s leg , Captain Flint, Benn Gunn’s love of cheese, the real treasure, the fight, Jim in the apple barrel, the square dance …I could go on. Well done to the entire cast. A fantastic production performed with brio and vigour!
The Year 7 pupils travelled to Bhaktivedanta Manor, the UK headquarters of the Hare Krishna movement, near Watford and the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Bedford on Tuesday, 31st January. Head-scarves were packed and offerings of fruit and vegetables for the sacred herd of cows were loaded onto the coach that took Year 7 southwards to explore the sights, sounds, tastes and scents of Hinduism and Sikhism. The steady drizzle failed to dampen either their curiosity or the warmth of the welcome we received in both venues. Our pupils elicited appreciation from our hosts by their intelligent interest and commendable behaviour.
This week, we were delighted to welcome seven of our School Governors to the Prep School. They started the day with Hymn Practice witnessing the marvellous flexibility of our music staff during a power cut swapping from the organ to the piano and keeping us lala’ing throughout. They then spent some time going on a Learning Walk around the school visiting four classes of different age and ability groups. Our focus of the walks was to focus on the theme of Pupil Engagement between both class and teacher, and pupil to pupil which was a very worthwhile activity. Listening to Will Mabbit, a visiting author was then followed by a Q&A with our pupils. Their feedback was glowing:
On Tuesday 7th February Year 5 pupils visited Kew Gardens as part of their Geography curriculum on Climate Zones and Ecosystems. Pupils experienced a guided tour of the Palm House, replicating a Tropical Rainforest environment. They were able to learn about the types of plants and how they are adapted to life in the rainforest. Thankfully, the weather was fine and dry (albeit rather cold) and there was no sign of the rain from the morning. In addition to the guided tour, pupils also visited a range of different climate zones, to experience different plants in the Princess of Wales Conservatory (ranging from the tropical desert to carnivorous plants found in cooler climates). Our trip coincided with the Orchid Festival, so there were fantastic displays of a whole range of different orchids. Many thanks to all staff who attended the trip, and to Mr Batley and Mr Knox as volunteers. An enjoyable and educational visit to support this Year 5 Geography module.
The English department invited writer Will Mabbitt to talk to Years 4, 5 and 6 (plus visiting Governors, who had to make a reluctant exit half way through) about his books and the creative process of committing ideas to paper, creating characters (like Omynus Hussh) and the narrative arc. He made us all swear an increasingly amusing Pirate Oath (cunningly incorporating copyright), before helping us explore his character via our observational skills; this was a great lesson in how to portray personality through describing personal possessions: coffee mugs, Marmite jars, piles of reference texts, a laptop, highlighters, a Blu-tack bone, a camera, a dead pot plant, a fox mask and a self-congratulatory Oscar etc. Next, he chose members of the audience as bodies and invited us to give them personality traits which they then had to portray: we ended up with a cowardly lion, a brave and intelligent bear, a “cool” panda, a timorous tiger and a drunken hedgehog. As they journeyed towards the treasure, pupils also had to invent suitably gruesome deaths for each of the motley crew in turn, until only one survived. Children are delightfully inventive about such matters! During this journey, he also dropped little pearls of wisdom into the entertainment which fitted perfectly with our Habits of Mind: Taking Responsible Risks, Finding Humour, Striving for Accuracy (how vital the skills of an Editor are!) and Persistence. Believe in yourself. Be observant, and listen to everything that is going on around you because the best stories are always rooted in reality. Never let an idea escape you; Post-it notes make an invaluable memory aid when you’re in a hurry. What a lovely way to spend an English lesson. (All the books have been purchased; he will complete the signing next week, so pupils will be issued with them after half term).
Crazy Hair Day today was a huge success and the children have come up with all kinds of wacky ideas from pipe cleaners to bird cages and carefully balanced coke bottles! Even the staff got involved and have been sporting ribbons and balloons in their hair. We have managed to raise a total of £452.80 for Phab Kids, a charity which provides residential trips for mentally and physically disabled children. These camps make a real difference to the children, and also their families who are dealing with disability on a daily basis. Mrs McDougall is extremely grateful to everyone for fully embracing the day and making a staggering amount of money. It is now only 11 weeks until the London Marathon!
them of Malala Yousafsai, heralded by many as the "the most famous teenager in the world". I shared her story and parts of the speech she gave to the United Nations Youth Assembly to demonstrate the power of one voice to change the world. This young woman has taught us about forgiveness, not taking anything for granted and that there is no age to stand up for injustice and for what we believe is right. I am leading a project as part of the Prep School Development Plan to look at community service and service learning opportunities to help our Prep pupils make a positive difference to their community.
Well done to 7AJS for their super assembly this morning which focused on the fact that every single one of us is special and unique and we need to celebrate our differences.
e been learnt, costumes are being made and dances choreographed. The children are all enjoying the experience and very much looking forward to performing it in a few weeks’ time. To complement the busy rehearsal schedule the children are learning how to compose and write play scripts in their English lessons. 4CM have been working on a 'cops and robbers' style setting with everyone writing their own scene which they will show case to the class next week.
Congratulations to all. A day like yesterday gives us the opportunity to reflect on how fortunate we are to take delight in the pleasure of reading. At Prep School age, children begin a lifelong relationship with the printed word and, with your and our help, grow into adults who can read easily and frequently. I, dressed as Calamity Jane, especially enjoyed hearing Year 4 pupils take delight in sharing their well-presented book reviews with me. Another thing that caught my imagination was the ‘6 Word Book Challenge’ set by Mr Medhurst our librarian.
On Wednesday 16 Year 4 parents joined us to work with their children on some English activities in the library. The afternoon started with a short presentation showing a curriculum summary; the assessment process and how active learning or cross curricular links are used to engage the children and give purpose to their writing. Later, comprehension, spelling and spag.com were amongst the activities on offer. It was a really super afternoon, with the pupils thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to work with their parents in a relaxed environment. Thank you to all those who attended making it so worthwhile, as well as encouraging and supporting your children in their learning at school. For those not able to attend please 
on Sunday at Glebe Farm. She won the 70cm on Bella and came 2nd on Archie, won the 80cm on Archie and came 2nd on Bella, only jumped Archie in the 90cm and came first. She also got the fastest and 2nd fastest time of the day on Archie and then Bella, beating the adults too.
st places and a second place in her different categories.
ogrammes. On Monday in Form time, we discussed how these values were represented in our School. I enjoyed listening to the discussion as the pupils came up with their views on how we embody these such as: we show care and kindness towards others, we listen to others and learn about different beliefs, we are represented on the School Council and we elect our Councillors, we vote for our School Charity, we follow our code of conduct and understand the rewards and sanctions in the School. 5FD delivered an excellent assembly this morning bringing these values to life in an engaging and informative way. Well done to Mrs Drye and 5FD.
status averaging a rock speed time of 1.83 seconds per question. Finn Davern is a ‘Rock Star’ with an average rock speed time of 2.36 per question. Well done to the whole class who have improved their speed of recall of mixed times tables. The Top 5 this week are:
ultan and a royal ruby. Add in a scattering of songs, witty puns, fun and laughter; it is a show not to be missed! The performances for parents are next Wednesday 15th March and Thursday 16th March at 3pm prompt. No tickets required.
yment and joy on the pupils’ faces was priceless. I commend them all and also their fabulous and hardworking teachers. A show like that takes considerable work and the result was certainly superb. I also would like to commend the performers in the Spring Concert this week. Again, a superb showcase of the outstanding abilities of the Wellingborough pupils. We look forward to welcoming our Year 8 pupils back later this afternoon from their Geography Field Trip. They have had superb weather in Dorset and have been busy improving their skills and knowledge. Good luck to our U10A, U11A and U13A teams competing in the Rugby National Schools Rugby Finals at Epsom on Sunday. You can get immediate results by following us on Twitter 
3rd month. Also the children discovered that 3.14 backwards makes a fairly reasonable spelling of the word PIE – a coincidence? During the day all maths sets in all year groups found out about Pi - what it is and what it represents. Additionally Year 5 made loom band bracelets so that the colours of the bands reflected the sequence of the numbers in Pi. Year 6 had the task of following the pattern so that they wrote a story starting wi
th a 3 letter word, then a 1 letter word followed by a 4 letter word and so on. Years 7 & 8 had two tasks. Firstly they had to solve “dingbats” which all had Pi/pie in their answer, they then had the difficult task of memorizing Pi to as many digits as possible. One Year 8 group got to 54 with only about 10 minutes to achieve the task! Both pupils and staff were delighted that even our lunches followed the theme of the day with cottage pie and apple pie on the menu!
rm plays to allow pupils to experience the French language in context. Following the story of a lost tourist trekking along a French beach, the play allowed for all sorts of strange encounters. Plenty of audience participation (in a surfing lesson, a beach closure for a presidential visit and a case of mistaken identity) saw the pupils actively involved in their learning, and the visiting actors commented on how engaged the pupils were. Thanks to Niall Mahon, who wrote a short review: "It was very funny and they did very well with only two people! I could happily watch it all day."
