King’s Hall School Prep Newsletter Edition 18 21 st March 2014 ___________________________________________________________________ HEADlines The final week has been its usual whirlwind of fun and it is worth noting how much vibrancy there has been in the last seven days even though people are feeling a little weary. The involvement of so many children in various events and activities continues to be impressive and so it is no coincidence that King’s Hall children are purposeful, enthusiastic and assured. Those qualities were on display from Year 6 as they put on a terrific production of ‘Flipside’. The intentions of Mrs Keirle to immerse the children in all aspects of a theatrical experience were evident and it was genuinely a case of every part matters. Very well done to all involved and there is a little more about the production later in the Newsletter. Parents and staff have been busy, too, and well done to Mr DJ who sang as part of the St John Passion performance at King’s College last Friday evening and also to the fathers who put their knees, hamstrings and lungs to the test in a football match against King’s College staff that ended in a 2-2 draw on Sunday. The Pupil Council have led us in another response to help those affected by the local flooding through the ‘Phil The Bag’ charity and it has been good to have feedback of how important and welcome the support is from those on the Levels. Thank you to parents for their support. The children have been building towards the House Music competition with their usual fervour and cometh the hour they have, once again, impressed with their talent and energy. I thought the parents certainly added richness to the sound when asked to join in – well done! So, the Newsletter contains another good dollop of fact and fun to bring the Lent term to a close and I hope you all have a good Easter holiday with your families. Justin Chippendale
Transcript
King’s Hall School
Prep Newsletter
Edition 18 21st March 2014 ___________________________________________________________________
HEADlines The final week has been its usual whirlwind of fun and it is worth noting how much vibrancy there has been in the last seven days even though people are feeling a little weary. The involvement of so many children in various events and activities continues to be impressive and so it is no coincidence that King’s Hall children are purposeful, enthusiastic and assured. Those qualities were on display from Year 6 as they put on a terrific production of ‘Flipside’. The intentions of Mrs Keirle to immerse the children in all aspects of a theatrical experience were evident and it was genuinely a case of every part matters. Very well done to all involved and there is a little more about the production later in the Newsletter. Parents and staff have been busy, too, and well done to Mr DJ who sang as part of the St John Passion performance at King’s College last Friday evening and also to the fathers who put their knees, hamstrings and lungs to the test in a football match against King’s College staff that ended in a 2-2 draw on Sunday. The Pupil Council have led us in another response to help those affected by the local flooding through the ‘Phil The Bag’ charity and it has been good to have feedback of how important and welcome the support is from those on the Levels. Thank you to parents for their support. The children have been building towards the House Music competition with their usual fervour and cometh the hour they have, once again, impressed with their talent and energy. I thought the parents certainly added richness to the sound when asked to join in – well done! So, the Newsletter contains another good dollop of fact and fun to bring the Lent term to a close and I hope you all have a good Easter holiday with your families.
Justin Chippendale
House Music
This year’s House Music Competition drew the Lent term to a fantastic close. The event featured every pupil in the Prep Department (save for a very small number who had to return early to their overseas home) and showcased a wealth of talent in vocal and instrumental arenas. The entries for the Junior groups were varied, exciting and accomplished and received positive comments from this year’s judge, Nikki Ridley. Gibbs opened with a beautiful arrangement of Jupiter by Holst; Daneel and Julia Louw played the tricky core duet supported by Maggie Rundell, Jenna Kirby and Amelie Ridley on flute, clarinet and piano. Ellie George on ‘cello followed for Whitby with the exquisite Bach solo Arioso. A jazzy arrangement of Wade in the Water, given by Lottie Knill and Olivia Highton on vocals with Jemima Lawson Johnston on ‘cello, was Oldham’s offering. Bradfield ended the Juniors with an amusing rendition of Les Poissons from The Little Mermaid; Kitty Chapple sang the solo (and played the trumpet) accompanied by Lara Chapple on clarinet, Kyla Stell on ‘cello and Michael Warrick on piano. The Junior class was won by Whitby. Whitby started the Senior entries with a moving performance of Streets of London sung by Katie Davy-Ericson and Ellie Carrow, with Bailey Cameron on violin and sensitive drumming from Andrew Hayden-Briffett. Oldham followed with Dream a Little Dream of Me sung by Phoebe Hake and featuring Alec Sprague on piano and Edward Cashmore on drums. Bradfield impressed with the Irish melody The Last Rose of Summer played by Eliza Chippendale on solo flute with Isabel Burger and Eliza Chapple on violins and Florence Jeans on piano. Gibbs finished this section with a toe-tapping performance of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 from Flora Keeling and Ellie Clist on vocals, Henry Adcock on vocals and trumpet, and Ranulf Mason on piano. The Senior class was won by Gibbs. The House Songs this year took on a slightly different form and, inspired by traditional spirituals, introduced the houses to two- and even three-part singing. An auditory and visual feast was served for the audience as the pupils rose admirably to the challenge of pitting choir against choir! Bradfield opened with the powerful three-part I am a tower of strength which they sang with real passion; this was followed by Whitby’s mesmeric performance of the two-part I am the heartbeat which was not only powerful, but made excellent use of both humming and drumming. Next came Oldham’s Never lose my way which rose to a thrilling and full-blooded three-part conclusion. The House Songs were brought to a close by Gibbs’ impassioned and thrilling performance of I am determined to walk in freedom. The whole audience – pupils and parents alike – were then involved in a four-part rendition of the African chant Senwa Dedende which echoed around the four corners of the Sports Hall. Many parents looked thrilled to have the opportunity to join in, and the stage was then set for the final verdict..... The House Song was won by Bradfield.
The overall winner of the 2014 House Music Competition was Gibbs. Many congratulations and thanks to all the performers. What a wonderful way to end the Lent term!
Flipside The Year 6 production of Flipside was a resounding success. It was clearly evident that the children were delighted to be performing on stage and that they were a real ensemble group who worked as one to convey the serious messages of the play. The children learnt a huge amount of new drama skills from choral speaking to ensemble work, miming, improvisation and physical theatre. The ice tunnel and carriage created by children, material and umbrellas were particularly effective! Every child was actively involved on stage from those bursting with confidence to the slightly more hesitant. Voices were clear and the narrators moved around the stage telling and conveying the story with ease. Costumes were colourful and entertaining and the children should be congratulated on how well they conveyed their characters in each of the three plays. Two Bards, William Goad and Andrew Sullens, kept the audience entertained between plays with their comic humour. The children certainly displayed team work and support of each other; despite broken arms and illness they all knew the show must go on! The play was accompanied by effective music and interesting projected scenery which kept the audience engaged and added to the sensory feast. ‘Flipside’ was a new venture which was executed to a very high standard and a real testament to the skills, imagination and dedication of all those involved.
Mary King’s Riding Day for King’s Schools
Twelve pupils, aged from 9 – 16, from King's School’s equestrian teams enjoyed a fantastic cross-country clinic with Olympic legend Mary King at Pontispool Arena. They learnt how to ride different jumps and how to approach the cross-country phase of a three-day event.
Head of Equestrianism at King's Schools, Julie Gresswell, said how pleased she was that the pupils had obviously enjoyed the session so much. "I am thrilled that everyone gained such a valuable insight into professional cross-country skills and techniques, and learned how to apply Mary's expertise to their own riding; some of our pupils rode with a huge smile on their face during the entire clinic!"
A view from the Rose Garden
The children in the Rose Garden certainly enjoyed their Golden Time this week and the boys and girls happily played games with each other. Harriet brought in a game of physical and mental challenges, which included naming ten species of bird or spinning around in circles for one minute. Others played DS Games or used iPads; some watched a cool film about dragons(!); some girls built a den under the desks and played with Moshi Monsters; while other girls cuddled bunnies [not real ones!] on pillows. Even though it was a bit cold outside, the boys played tag and the girls skipped. It’s all go with glorious Golden Time!
Academic Life... Geography The second half of the term has seen the programme of field trips emerge from their winter hibernation. The Year 3 pupils fitted in a trip to Dunkery Beacon, the highest point on Exmoor, where, amongst other things, they witnessed temperature inversion at first hand (enjoying clear sunshine while the lower altitudes were shrouded in mist). Year 5 journeyed through the mist to the Earth Science Study Centre in the Mendips where they learned about rocks in general and about the versatility of limestone in particular. The weather station has enjoyed a quieter time, but it did show a flicker of excitement when it recorded the warmest day of the year on Saturday – 16.9 degrees; the Summer term is just around the corner!
Music We have had successes at the recent Bristol Festival of Music, Speech and Drama: Michael Warrick: 1st place in Composition (11 years and under) He was awarded an ‘Outstanding’ and the Halyna Ovcharenko trophy. Julia Louw: 1st place in Piano Solo Own Choice (8 years and Under) She was awarded a ‘Distinction’ and the Ann Grayburn Trophy. Julia was commended for her Composition Julia Louw & Saphie Goad: 3rd place in Piano Duet (11 years and under) A number of pupils recently took ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall exams and, while it takes a couple of weeks for ABRSM results to arrive, the results from the Trinity Guildhall exams were positive with all pupils passing; two being awarded Merits, and one a Distinction. Well done to you all. The Summer term is packed with exciting things to do and we still have room for more members of the Orchestra. Rehearsing on Tuesdays during Hobby time, it is a fun and rewarding chance to play music together in a larger group and work towards some of the school’s larger-scale and more formal events. The minimum standard for entry is Grade 1 and, if the House Music competition has sparked an interest in joining the Orchestra (or even in starting an instrument) please do contact the Director of Music for more information. Next term will see the long-awaited joint IAPS Schools concert in Exeter Cathedral, the return of the wonderful Fête de la Musique, a concert in Orchard Portman Church and, of course, the Prize Day Concert – lots to look forward to, so please do encourage your children to join in as much as possible. More details will be available soon but I would like to give advance notice that, in partnership with Taunton Children’s Orchestra, we will be running a three-day orchestral workshop during the Summer Holidays from 11th -13th August.
Year 7 have been busy with their entries in a National Competition called Linguatrivia. They had to answer 50 questions testing their grammatical and cultural knowledge. Watch this space for results after the Easter Holidays! Year 6 have been writing to pen friends in Paris whilst 8S were very excited to receive emails from their new pen friends in Tourcoing and have penned emails to our contacts in La Réunion too. More info to follow!
We have had a very busy half term with sport, plays and such like. There is one thing that we all love and that is the time we have at school when we are able to read our books in the quiet and calm of the grounds. Below are just a sample of the books we are enjoying at the moment.
Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce “A family need money to keep their petrol station afloat. They come up
with the idea to steal a painting and sell it. The book is really gripping, a good read.” Michael Warrick
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling “A large book, 766 pages, but very readable, the story is really interesting
and the book is hard to put down. Harry is setting out to find the Horcrux to kill Voldemort.” Eve Thomas-Everard.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson “A non-fiction book about a reluctant traveller who tries to find out
about Sciences as he never really liked it. The book is in several different parts, about topics such as geology and astronomy. A bit boring, but also interesting.” Will Goad.
Out of the classroom...
Literature Festival Book Fair: Wednesday 30th April, 8.30am - 4.40pm
All of the children will have the opportunity to choose a book to buy – and, of course, parents are also very welcome to come along. There will be a wide choice of books, suitable for all ages from 2-13 years. The company we use, Travelling Books, undertake to have read all the books they sell which means that you should be able to allow your children to buy with confidence. Some books are stickered as suitable for older readers indicating that the content is more mature.
As I am sure you are aware, children’s books typically cost from about £3.99 to £6.99, although most cost £5.99. There are several ways to pay: you can send money in with your child (it would be helpful if you could include a slip of paper with the amount written on it); you can purchase online Book vouchers from http://www.travellingbooks.co.uk/index.php?id=78, (these have the added advantage of giving you a 20% discount); or you can come and pay yourself before or after school. We earn excellent commission from the book fair which we use to provide books throughout the school. Many thanks, in advance, for your support and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on Wednesday 30 April.
On Tuesday the children in Years 7 and 8 were invited to a talk by Miriam Mason-Sesay on the work of Educaid in Sierra Leone, our chosen Year 8 charity. Miriam explained to the children about the lack of good education in a country that has come out of a civil war and which has few trained teachers. Miriam works through Educaid to give an education to children in poverty that cannot pay the £15 a week it costs to attend school. She told stories of how some of the children started out and the difference it has made to their lives. Their website makes for some interesting reading: www.educaid.org.uk .
Please look out next term for the cake sale, sponsored walk over the Quantock Hills and the Year 8 Fair.
I have enjoyed seeing lots of different birds coming to the bird feeders out on the Chapel Lawn (so named because the Woodard Room used to be the Chapel). They have had peanuts, seeds, suet balls and some meal worms - which are especially good for the robins - and also some half coconuts filled with fat and seeds. They loved them and they were gone in no time! I could not understand how the birds were going through so many peanuts until I observed a cheeky squirrel hanging upside down flinging out the nuts from the hole he had made in the wire and then eating them on the ground. The peanut feeder has now been changed so only the birds can get at the nuts! We have seen quite a variety of birds visiting the hanging feeders: blue tits, nut hatches, tree creepers and greenfinches amongst others. A flight of long tailed tits, dunnocks and even a green woodpecker flew in one day. We also have a pair of puffed up pigeons picking up all the seeds dropped by the birds from the feeders. It’s really great to see them all tucking in.
In an exciting climax to this year’s Parents’ Skittles Ladder, the second in the history of King's Hall, all participating teams were invited to an evening of spin, skill, power and sheer bravado.
With about 40 people dragged out on a Monday night we had seven teams of six parents taking part and each match had its own individual stars. A high score of 16 was laid on the table early on by Gary Young playing for Year 5 which spurred on the competition as scores of 17 and 18 were then recorded.
The 'Best Male Leg' was eventually awarded to Phil Luxton, playing for Year 2 and the 'Best Female Leg' to Krystina Feltham representing Nursery.
There were some nail biting matches for the Gold/Silver play off and for the Bronze medal with Gold finally going to Year 3, Silver to Year 5 and, after a noisy and somewhat heated battle for Bronze, Year 2 sealed their place on the podium.
A special mention must go to Year 8, who finally recorded their first skittles victory 'ever' and I am sure will be spurred on to further success as they move on to the dizzy heights of King's College.
Thank you to everyone involved in mobilising teams into action - the results have been recorded and will be the starting positions for next year’s competition.... bring it on!
Parents’ Football v King’s College Staff (Match Result 2-2)
What a fine body of men! A gorgeous morning saw a (slightly more so than anticipated) robust performance from the King’s Hall Dads that led into a family barbecue and refreshments. A perfect way to enjoy the weather and good company.
A final thought for the term from Head Girl, Lilly Chambers This is the end of a greatly successful term. I have thoroughly enjoyed being Head Girl and, although I will miss it, I happily pass my authority to the next term’s Head Girl (we don’t find out who until Final Assembly!). I am glad to have been chosen as I have had a great time and have happily helped the younger children and have enjoyed helping out around the school. Many exciting things have happened this term including the Speech and Drama presentation which I was pleased to be involved in… it included children from all ages and included a range of different pieces. There has also been the Lent Term concert, House Music and lots of successful sporting achievements. Also there have been exams for Year 8…including mock Common Entrance and Scholarships…the results were displayed in last week’s Newsletter. Have a great holiday and enjoy a rest before next term. Happy Easter!
Sport Action and News...
Netball
This has been a successful term of netball for the girls with many lessons learnt and a great deal of effort exerted. It is pleasing to see so many girls of a differing ages performing well in the competitive environment. As always, there is still room for improvement and a number of games were lost by a single goal. Focus on the finer elements of the game would help overcome the close games that we could win. The highlights of the season were led by the U13s who won the Queen’s tournament for the first time in our history and then went on to finish 5th in both the County Championships and the IAPS competition. The U12s had a very good season too and the future of King’s Hall netball is in good hands. The Junior teams played very well against our local rivals and were successful in the majority of those fixtures. Well played to all of our girls in what has been a most enjoyable season. Keep practising your skills as we look forward to continuing the good work next year.
Hockey
Firstly, congratulations to every boy who has represented King’s Hall this season. Throughout the teams there has been some excellent hockey. Most pleasing, has been the improvements made, individually and collectively as teams. The senior boys have played some outstanding hockey at times and the 1st team only lost one game all season, and that very narrowly by one goal away from home. Statistics very rarely lie, and the fact that the 1st team managed to score a total of 43 goals (in nine 11 a-side fixtures) whilst conceding only 5, paints a very clear picture. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams had equally good seasons with players consistently putting in good performances and providing respective coaches with constant selection ‘headaches’. I would like to thank all coaches this season for all their hard work and I would like to single out Mrs Hayes, who has been outstanding in her work with many children. We are lucky to have someone with her expertise around. We look forward to the next hockey season with an expectant air.
Josh Thomas, Johnny Drysdale, Robert McSwiggan, George Thomas and James Rew helped Taunton Civil Service win the County Under 10 Hockey Tournament at Yeovil on Sunday. Well done, boys!! There are many King’s Hall children who represent a number of Sports Clubs in our area who have performed well and continued to develop their sporting ability. It is fantastic to see you all enjoying your sport and seeking new challenges.
The Boarders’ World...
Our final weekend of the term has been, in the words of Tina Turner, “Simply the best”. It is amazing how sunshine can lift us all. On Saturday the boarders went to Vivary Park and did the Low Ropes course, which was followed by ice creams and doughnuts. All day Sunday was spent out in the woods where the children lit fires, made pizzas and pancakes for lunch, decorated eggs, skateboarded and had remote control car races. We then finished with a treasure hunt, rewarding everyone with an Easter egg. The weekend was a perfect way to end the Lent term and now we’re all longing for the Summer Term to begin!
A glorious Saturday saw the Year 8s once again on the Quantock Hills practising for their Exmoor Challenge Hike next term. This walk was all about using a compass with the map. Two groups set off in different directions to find their way around the moorland and valleys. About half-way around the walk one group entered one of the many combes and soon the fallen trees became too much of a temptation. For a while it was more like parkour rather than walking. The two groups met in the combe and continued together out of the valley onto a ridge. At this point I thought it would be a good idea to test their compass/navigation skills so they were asked to work together as a team, and lead us back to the buses. Big mistake as 22 children all headed off in different directions!
Mr Thomas Head of Maths, Year 6 Tutor and Games Coach
Harriet Fox Y8 pupil
What has been your greatest achievement? Why?
Getting out of the accountancy profession; boy it was dull, you cannot say the same thing
about teaching!
Being selected to run the London Mini Marathon representing the South West, because I have
wanted to do it since my brother first ran it when I was 10.
If you could be anyone in the world, who would it be?
The heart goes out to him after recent events but it would have to be Mick Jagger. He has earned an
absolute fortune despite being unable to hold a note, he performs in front of packed out houses
and he has had a string of tall, glamorous, leggy girlfriends.
Someone who could make everything
in the world good!!
What is your favourite hobby?
Avoiding any kind of DIY. All sport, but especially running.
Which house are you in at King’s Hall and why is it the best?
Bradfield: working with the wife is nothing but a joy! I am in Whitby, it’s the best because we just have fun!
What is your nickname? Why?
A most recent nickname was “Scratch”, as in pork scratching. I was fielding in the covers when a ball
whizzed past me; I dived, rather posthumously, and the closest fielder thought I was a lazy pig.
Hattie by my friends because it is a lot shorter than Harriet to shout across the sports pitches.
What is your favourite television programme?
Programmes like Spooks, Homeland and Silent Witness, these I can watch in peace. Suddenly, when rugby or cricket comes on vital chores emerge from
nowhere and have to be done.
How I met Your Mother... I love American comedies.
What is the greatest natural landmark you have seen in person?
Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Cheddar Gorge, mainly because I see it every day
out of the kitchen window.
Where in the world would you most like to visit and why?
A Test Match in Mumbai; curries, cricket and travelling with Bob Coupland
would make a great triumvirate of “Cs”. He could guide me through the menu and I would
explain to him the finer points of playing spin.
The Kenyan mountains,
to train for running at altitude.
What is your funniest joke?
I do not have a best joke – all my jokes are really epic!
Teacher: Where’s your homework? Pupil: I ate it, Miss.
Teacher: Why on earth did you do that? Pupil: You said it was a piece of cake.
Of what are you most afraid?
Snakes – I once made up a character called Ruth Rattler.
Clowns and Rats, they just completely creep me out!
Funniest moment you have ever witnessed?
Rumours of an intruder in the woods. The intrepid trio of Barnsley, Coupland and Thomas went off to investigate. While Coupland and Thomas cowered behind him, Barnsley was lobbing logs and
stones into the undergrowth, shouting “Identify yourself”. The startled rodent didn’t and fled.
I really can't think of one I’ve just had so many hilarious moments with my friends.
If you were given 3 wishes what would you choose?
West Ham to win the Premiership. Somerset to win the County Championship.
To get to School in the morning without having had to shout at our 4 boys.
For endless wishes. For there to be no fighting in the world.
