Beechwood Lion Summer 2020

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The

Beechwood Lion Summer 2020

Summer 2020: An extraordinary term

From the Headmaster

Dear Parents and Friends, …and so we reach the end of an extraordinary Beechwood year, an extraordinary summer term, particularly for our leavers, and I hope that this extraordinary edition of the Beechwood Lion provides us with the opportunity to celebrate our Year 6, Top Form and Staff leavers.

Pupils, staff, parents and governors have all worked together magnificently to ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ as they negotiated the challenges and vicissitudes of the global pandemic. Our COVID lexicon, (following swiftly on the heels of the Brexit lexicon), has bulged to include hitherto unheard Coronaspeak such as ‘social distancing’ (surely an oxymoron to any Beechwoodian), ‘respiratory hygiene’, ‘bubbles’, ‘BRAL’ and ‘PPE’. We have taken it all in our stride and

amidst this tempest of whirling change and ever-shifting horizons, our community has ridden the waves with awe-inspiring skill and demonstrated our Mission and Values with strength, character and not a small degree of patience.

To say that I am proud of our community would be a massive understatement; we have together demonstrated that with huge capability and even more determination we can nurture others miles apart, skilfully engage with Mr Bullock’s inspiring Beechwood Remote Access Learning and march over mountains with gladness.

Our cooperation and teamwork have been a thing of wonder, but we have also come to recognise that it is in our own differences and diversity that our true strength lies; each of us has played our own unique part and out of the crucible of experience Beechwood has, this term forged its true character.

Whether it has been in making prodigious quantities of PPE, or in raising money for the NHS, Whipsnade Zoo or the World Wildlife Fund, our pupils have proved themselves to be the leaders and influencers of tomorrow and they emerge from this crisis with their heads and flags held high.

You too should be immensely proud of your children; the littlest, responding with courage to our challenges, our oldest demonstrating leadership and service beyond their years and in many cases putting aside their own needs in support of others in our community.

Thank you for the faith you have shown in our community, during a time of great anxiety, thanks to those of you who took the time and trouble to send kind messages of thanks and encouragement to our outstanding teachers.

I hope you all have a well-deserved rest over the summer and I wish our leavers, whose preparation here is now complete, every happiness for the future.

With best wishes, Yours,

EDWARD BALFOUR HEADMASTER

Heads of School Adeola and Dan, our 2019/20 Heads of School, summed up their time at Beechwood for our first ever Virtual Speech Day video.

Our years at Beechwood have been the best of our lives. Dan and I both started in Reception Green, stayed on until Top Form, and have loved every second of it.

Throughout the years we have ventured on many trips in the UK and abroad.

Our Year 7 trip to Cornwall was amazing and really helped us to bond and make new friendships. These trips broadened our horizons, and showed us how many opportunities exist. The memories that we have shared will stay each Top Former as we move on, and the friendships will last a lifetime.

Our time at Beechwood would never have been possible without all the staff, there to support us every step of the way. We wish to thank the teaching staff and the non-teaching staff for their unwavering support and care. Thank you.

ADEOLA

Our time at Beechwood will always be held near to our hearts. We are grateful that Beechwood has prepared us for our future and supported us in gaining places at our next schools.

Beechwood has been our home and Adeola and I will miss our time in boarding, which we feel has helped shape who we are today.

The thought of leaving Beechwood, our home, is sad, but also exciting as we have the opportunity to spread our wings, use our knowledge, and encounter new experiences. Being chosen as Head Pupils has been an honour and it has been a great way to end our time at Beechwood.

We wish the best of luck to all of the others who are moving on as well.

DAN

The newsletter of Beechwood Park School, Markyate, Hertfordshire AL3 8AW

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BPSPA and Helping the NHS BPSPA NEWS In what has been an inevitably quiet term for the BPSPA, I wanted to start by sharing how much everyone enjoyed the virtual Discos that we refused to cancel - I know from personal experience and from the feedback that we received. The show did go on and thanks to COVID we now have a snowproof contingency plan for running Discos! Thank you to Mike from Disco Factory and to Sarah Bremner for their hard work and positive energy.

Summer Term 2020 has been quiet, but much has been happening behind the scenes. Thank you to our Fun Night team who not only managed to cancel everything that they spent months working on, but have been able provisionally, to re-book everything for next year and have prepared information to make the transition as smooth as possible for the next Fun Night team.

The BPSPA AGM will be held early in the Michaelmas Term and a number of positions on the committee will be changing. I would like to thank the current committee for their tireless work and positive efforts this year. Thanks and goodbye go to Sarah Davies, Liz Balen, Sally Fox and Penny French. I think regular change is a great way to keep things fresh and I wish all the new team every success for the future.

I wish you all a marvellous summer holiday and hope you enjoy your down-time away from schoolwork and BRAL. The Michaelmas Term will be the start to a new year of fun! I know that the Quiz Night organising team have been investigating every option to ensure that a safe event takes place. Hopefully it will take place onsite, but a contingency plan is also under way.

Good Luck and farewell to all of those leaving the Beechwood Family. Many of the families that are leaving have given much time and energy to school events and we are so grateful to everyone who steps up to ensure our events run. And that’s all folks… my final Beechwood Lion and the end to a fun time supporting the BPSPA. With my best wishes to you all SARAH WOODRUFF, BPSPA CHAIR

Beechwood Park Steps Up For NHS

Adam’s Epic Effort For The NHS

When the School was forced to close as a result of Covid-19, Head of DT, Tom Fox immediately stepped up to the challenge and put the School’s 3D printers to work to create some very specific equipment. In order to assist a small team of doctors, he developed a specifically designed adapter to enable face masks to fit commonly used anaesthetic breathing filters and has been producing these adapters using the 3D printers.

He has also 3D printed face shields, making enough to give to the Markyate Surgery, Markyate Pharmacy, Redbourn GP Surgery, Redbourn Pharmacy, Redbourn Care Home and also the two food shops on the High Street.

Mrs Begley, Head of Science, also provided much-needed support, and delivered 50 pairs of the School’s Science goggles to the Rothschild House Surgery in Markyate village, following a request to help with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Adam, in Year 5 used his passion for 3D printing to help others during the Coronavirus crisis and 3D printed the reinforcement bases for NHS visors as part of the 3D Crowd printing effort. Adam’s initial batch consisted of 50 reinforcers, which were taken to a central warehouse for construction and onward distribution to the NHS. However, following his second batch of 70 units (which coincided with a public awareness campaign and 3D Crowd local distribution), the Hertfordshire Coordinator decided to source the reinforcers solely from Adam.

Unsurprisingly, Adam received some fantastic feedback from some very grateful local medical personnel.

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Sophie Goes The Extra Mile Enterprising Top Former Sophie, spent the entire Easter holidays printing face shields on her home 3D printers. Sophie fundraised to be able to buy additional printers to increase capacity and as a result produced over 3,500 face shields, which were distributed to local GPs, hospitals, community nurses, ambulance first responders, care homes, pharmacists, neonatal staff, midwives, health visitors, dialysis units, podiatrists, sonographers, and even vets.

Local radio station Radio Verulam presenter Dr Kathy Weston picked up on this amazing story and interviewed Sophie on their popular Thursday evening Parents’ Show. Sophie was also interviewed by local newspaper The Hertfordshire Mercury and was made ‘Captain Scala’ for the day by Simon Mayo on his Scala Radio show at the beginning of April.

Vale, Salve & Gratulationes!

Gary Freer is retiring as Chair of Governors at the end of August, and will be succeeded by current Chair of the Finance Committee, Mark Hammond.

I will be stepping down from the Governing Body on 31st August, after fourteen years as a Governor and seven as Chairman. When I joined in 2006 none of the present Top Form had yet been born! It has been a pleasure and a privilege to have had the opportunity to contribute to the school’s success for so long.

I am delighted that Mark Hammond has kindly agreed to be the new Chairman. I hand over with the school at a high point - the Pandemic has been a gruelling ’stress test’ and staff, children and parents have pulled together magnificently. I am very grateful to parents for their support and for the faith they have shown in the school. This extraordinary Summer Term has been the school’s Finest Hour.

In recent years we have been able to renew the Buildings and Estate and to add several new facilities, including better IT infrastructure (thank goodness). Most important, the standard and style of education and pastoral care have evolved and developed. The outstanding quality of both was recognised last year in the ISI Inspection Report, which I will always be proud to read.

A school is an organisation in which outstanding and dedicated leadership makes a huge difference. In Ed Balfour we found someone who has been able to take a very good school and, supported by a strong Senior Leadership Team, and all our devoted and dedicated staff, to make it even better. Similarly, it has been a joy to work with so many able and wise fellow Governors over the years - and I send special thanks to my Deputy Chair, Clare Cutler, for her unfailing support of me and of the school.

I will miss you all very much but will stay in touch and you may see me at future Speech Days and some other events - so, as they say in the Cafe du Lion, it’s au revoir et bonne chance.

GARY FREER

Like many of the Governors, my association with Beechwood began through my children who were both pupils in the School. My daughter is now at University and my son is in the sixth form at Uppingham.

I joined the Board in 2015. Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1991 and then with a career in banking and fund management, my role has been as Chair of the Finance Committee and I also until recently chaired the Public Benefit Committee. Although I am retired from full time work, I keep myself occupied through being a director of both public and private companies.

Following Gary as Chair will be no easy task and I am grateful for the guidance he has given me in preparing for the role. We will continue to support the Headmaster and the Senior Leadership Team in the ongoing development of the School. Beechwood is a special community and the work that happens here will prepare children for life, whatever it might throw at them – this is the very essence of a preparatory school and it is about so much more than simply learning to read, write and count. The range of academic and co-curricular activities we offer, be it in music, art, drama or sport really sets our School apart. I believe it is the finest prep school for miles around and it is the aim of the Governors to ensure that we continue to stay ahead of the field and that Beechwood children continue to thrive both whilst here and long after they have left.

Recent challenges through the global pandemic have been met head on. I am delighted to have witnessed at first hand the commitment of so many of the staff (both teaching and non-teaching) who have gone more than the extra mile to ensure that the School’s Mission is delivered for each and every child in our care. Thank you also for the very high number of supportive messages that parents have sent in recent weeks. We are acutely aware that this has been a difficult time for many.

I look forward to meeting many more parents and children over the coming months.

MARK HAMMOND

Minimus Mythology Competition The results are in! Beechwood Park swept the board in the animation category of this international competition. Alice R (5L) won first place, with Finlay W (5B) in second, and Jacob H (5L) in third! They wowed the judges with their creative and entertaining videos of the Daedalus and Icarus myth.

Congratulations to these worthy winners and to all our amazing entrants. They were up against 22 prestigious schools from all over the globe .

HELEN BEAVIS AND MICHELE ANDERSON.

SATIPS Handwriting We were thrilled to learn that Beechwood Park is joint overall runner up in the SATIPS National Handwriting Competition 2020. Well done to everyone who took part. The quality of your handwriting was very high making it very difficult for the judges to assess the entries.

We are particularly proud of the four Beechwood pupils who were chosen as individual prize winners. Huge congratulations on their achievement and beautiful handwriting go to: Charlotte (2LW) 1st in the Age 6 Category, Livi (4K) 3rd (Age 8), Cecily (Top LD) 1st (Age 12) and Akshan (Top LHH) 3rd (Age 13).

GRAÍNNE WILKINS

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Vale Top Form Moving On, Moving Up Thanks to the wonders of Zoom, Top Form have been able to hold a Roman banquet, a Beechwood Bake-Off, a mock court trial, and a re-enactment of The Crystal Maze. They have immersed themselves in First Aid training and virtual trips into London, to the cinema and to the theatre. There have been deep contemplations about the nature of healthy, safe relationships and heated debates about hot topics in the news.

Pupils have continued to participate in sport, drama, art, music, DT and CS too, producing some fantastic work and with many achieving their Leadership Through Service and IDEA Awards We have had an amazing selection of guest speakers join us on Zoom from all over the world, sharing their experiences ranging from coronavirus testing and charity fundraising to studying penguins in the Antarctic and working in HM Treasury.

It has also been wonderful to be joined by last year’s Top Formers, Henry, Fiona, James, Alex, Will, Joe, Josh who all shared their top tips for a successful transition to senior school.

This year’s Top Form have been fantastic to work with. They have remained unerringly positive and determined to make their last weeks at Beechwood full of laughter and happy memories.

The days on site have been a welcome relief from life on a computer screen, with every pupil embracing the opportunity to reflect on the things that they will always hold close to their hearts (with Mrs Anderson’s sword featuring heavily!). As Izzy said so eloquently, “It’s not the building, it’s all the people that make it such a special place.” Enough said.

Bon Voyage, Top Form!

KERRY CLARKE

As this extraordinary term ends, we reflect on our Top Form leavers and enjoy their best memories of Beechwood Park.

Teacher reflections on the Top Form My best memory of the Top Form is possibly one of my first ... I had the privilege of joining the Top Form on their Year 7 trip to Cornwall. I most enjoyed the evening football matches on the field overlooking the beach. The spirit, and compassion, on display made me feel sure I had made the right decision to join BPS, with every child, and adult, getting an opportunity to shine.

MR DARCY

It has been an absolute joy teaching you all. You do yourselves and the school proud every day. I have no doubt you all have the brightest futures ahead of you, and that you will achieve wonderful things. It’s not just your obvious and many talents that will stand you in good stead, but your kind, funny, thoughtful personalities. You will all continue to nurture, engage and inspire.

MR HOLLIS

As you leave Beechwood, aspire to great things but please don’t forget us. We certainly won’t forget you. In the words of a great bear always remember that “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

MRS WILKINS

Top Form’s best memories of Beechwood Top LD BEN C - Building a robotic arm in art, and art and DT generally!

MAX - My first boarding night because everyone was welcoming and friendly. I came in and Ed and Theo raced to greet me.

ALEX - Most likely it was power boating in the summer.

MATT - Being a boarder, the Boarders’ Feast as well as the trip to Provence.

CECILY - I have loved all of the trips including Cornwall in Year 7 and the choir tour to Amsterdam and Bruges.

THOMAS - Definitely power boating and sailing MICHAEL - My best memories are the Year 7 trip to Cornwall and the cricket tour to Barbados.

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Top Form Memories Top CLH ADEOLA - Joking in lessons chilling on the Astro and boarding.

JOSEPH - Barbados, Isle of Wight and Cornwall.

ADAM - First ever sports day, residential trip to Cornwall and boarding with my friends.

CALLUM - Being made welcome in year 7. Latin and French - Mrs Anderson and Madame Bliss were very patient! I also loved the sport especially rugby and cricket.

CHARLIE - My best memories from Beechwood are the incredible activities in the boarding house and the amazing film nights.

GEORGE SM - Winning the ISGA golf at Sunningdale, snooker with Mr Griffiths in boarding and the great camaraderie.

IZZY - The best memories are of the times I’ve spent with my friends laughing until we couldn’t breathe.

GEORGE ST - Playing rugby with the rest of the boys and being with my friends. I especially loved boarding, it was like a permanent sleepover!

ARTHURO - Nothing feels better after having played rugby than walking towards the main school building and having the sunset behind me whilst being caked in mud and knowing that I have pushed myself to the limit.

ARTHUR - My best memories are having a good time with my friends.

Top KLB SOPHIE - The amazing school trips, the Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Barbados and Provence. I have great memories of general school life, from laughing at random things in lessons, to playing sport and boarding.

DANIEL B - The school trips together especially Cornwall and the Isle of Wight.

MATTHEW C - Being with all of my kind friends.

JAMES - Making lifelong friends.

DANIEL H - Probably Year 6 Colditz in Boarding. Dan and I were going to win, but James came roaring back and all three of us drew!

FREDDIE J - All memories are good memories.

THEO - Fun Nights and Excellence Day were really fun and also the football tour this year to St George’s Park.

FREDDIE W - Chuckling in the library and going wildly off topic to discover things I never knew I needed to know.

Top LHH WILL - The trip to Provence. When Eddie, Hugo, Elliot and I reached the swimming finals in Sheffield - it was brilliant to be part of such a fantastic team. To be able to learn how to sail and power boating.

VERITY - Ski trip and Choir Tour because of the amazing people. Boarding, Beechwood’s Got Talent and crying, singing and laughing with everyone.

CHRISTOPHER - I really enjoyed the talent show as it was great to see such a variety of skills. I was amazed to come second and very impressed by the winner. I also vividly remember going to my link form and helping with ‘show and tell’ - unwinding string to denote the size of various massive animals.

ALFIE - Winning the plate at St George’s Park, Colditz, boarding, break time football, being House Captain, Year 7 trip to Cornwall and the Science Department mice.

ED C - The Cornwall trip and the St George’s Park football trips because we all had so much fun.

EVA - The Barbados cricket tour was the highlight of year 7. The Choir Tour to Holland was the best experience and boarding has been the most fun.

JAKE - My favourite memories are all of the trips we have been on, especially Cornwall and the Isle of Wight. My favourite ever memories must be the ones on the Barbados trip - we had loads of fun times.

ETHAN - Going to Barbados and body boarding in Cornwall.

AKSHAN - Provence, being a Woodlands buddy and hockey A team captain.

EDDIE - Taking gold in both the teams and individual categories as the Beechwood cross country race 2020 for Mr Ridley.

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Au Revoir to our Year 6 Leavers 6AB

6AKH

6WH

ISLA F - the trip to the Isle of Wight in Year 5.

ELODIE - the sandcastle competition on the Isle of Wight trip when we made a mermaid.

GRACE - the Isle of Wight

HARRY - the trip to Aylmerton and especially our walks.

ALEXANDRA - sharing the Isle of Wight experience with my friends.

ALEXA - The science classes. I will always remember my time at Beechwood .

WILL - Reception Yellow winning the relay on sports day after Mrs Grant’s expert tuition.

EVIE - the colour run on Excellence Day, it was so much fun.

GABRIELLA - the Year 4 trip to Aylmerton, especially going to see the seals and fossil hunting.

6CAG OSCAR - scoring a hat trick in the County Football Tournament against Orley Farm - one of my goals was when I flicked the ball over my head and volleyed it LUCY - when I got my netball shield and the Isle of Wight trip.

ANNABELLE - in Year 5 when a few of us performed sciency stuff!

CARLOTTA - on the last day before the Christmas holidays 6CG played football with a scrunched up piece of paper it was so fun and we played it the whole morning.

ISOBEL - Fun Night where I took part in a cheerleading dance KEIRA - in the coach, on the way back from the Isle of Wight everyone started shouting medication time, come on!

JACK - in Year 3 I bought a whistle into school and at break I blew it and everyone started lining up thinking break was over CHARLOTTE S - at the Isle of Wight and Charlotte and I made a song for Mrs Horn to the tune of ‘Despacito’ CHARLOTTE W - Mr Kneller’s jokes

6MW MILLY - Aylmerton SOFIA - at the Isle of Wight when we visited Osborne House and Mr Ridley jumped out and scared us in the cellar

NIA - the Isle of Wight trip IZZY - on the Choir Tour, Jasmine, Ben, Samuel and I spent our time on the beach rolling down the hills getting covered in sand ISLA MO - singing ‘medication time’ on the way home from the Isle of Wight BEN - winning our first rugby match in three years against Edge Grove

6AH IOLA - screaming and shooting each other with laser guns on Fun Night LULU - when Bella made our table shake with laughter BELLA - I love the woods and we have played so many fun manhunt games there JULIETTE - the Year 5 trip to the Isle of Wight

KATIE - playing in the forest at break ISLA MC - so many! Walking on the mud flats at Aylmerton, Fun Nights and picnics after Speech Day SAM - with Will, Jamie and Jack in year 5, we had a tonne of sticky notes and wrote ‘Hi’ on them JESSICA - the first day back at school after the summer Holidays JASMINE - going to the Isle of Wight and playing on the beach

This year marked my 5th year working at Beechwood Park. I have enjoyed many personal milestones during my time, including my 21st birthday, completing my degree and teaching qualification and getting married, to name a few. Without Beechwood I would not have met my husband and we wouldn’t be starting this brand-new adventure together. I feel genuinely lucky to have worked with so many wonderful colleagues and children.

You are truly what makes an excellent school.

ADRIENNE HORN Y6 BUBBLE MANAGER

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I started as a GTA where I spent a lot of time running around school, inside and out. I remember my first night of boarding, walking up and down the dormitory checking that pupils were asleep - this led to many questions the next morning about a possible elephant in the Boarding House! After Christmas I metamorphasised into a teacher. I have loved changing pupils’ perceptions of the world and being challenged by the questions they ask! I have enjoyed the team atmosphere at Beechwood; laughing and sharing ideas.

ANNA PENNINGTON Y6 BUBBLE MANAGER

My time at Beechwood Park has been too brief, but it has been an amazing experience.

The Beechwood community welcomed me in and made me feel so at home. I will look back on the past year with the fondest of memories, and will always be grateful to the staff, pupils and parents of the school.

WILL HOLLIS - Y6 FORM TUTOR

Staff Leavers In September 2016 after a retirement which lasted a long weekend I arrived at Beechwood Park for what was supposed to be a 6-month temporary appointment as Bursar.

Four years on I find myself facing a proper retirement with mixed feelings. I know the time is right but I will miss the place enormously.

I had, of course, anticipated a gentle winddown to a smooth departure; how wrong I was. I have been privileged to work with an outstanding team of teachers and support staff who contribute so much to making Beechwood the outstanding School it is, exemplified by how the crisis has been managed. If I have achieved anything in my time it is entirely due to the efforts of those around me. My breakfasts and suppers will never be the same again without the excited chatter of the boarders. I know Beechwood is in good hands and I will follow its fortunes with interest. I leave with best wishes and thanks to the whole community: pupils, parents, staff and governors.

Fifteen years! Where does the time go? To you all I say, keep those Computer Science skills honed, never stop learning and be safe!

PIERS CASIMIRMROWCZYNSKI

It has been a great joy and privilege to have been a staff member at Beechwood, and to have worked with so many wonderful colleagues and such bright, interesting pupils. I would like to wish Ava, Max, Louis, Charlotte, Harry, Catherine, George, Quinlan, and Charlie a fond farewell and very best wishes as they move on to new classes in September. To Monty and Samuel, I hope that you will settle quickly into your new schools and take with you those high Beechwood values. For Will, Ben, Chris, Eva, Ethan, and Theo: all the very best to each of you. You have all been wonderful pupils to work with and, no doubt, will go on to great scholastic achievements in your next schools.

MAEVE EUSTACE

TIM BLAD

I have many fond memories of my time at Beechwood but those that stand out include the joint choirs singing beautifully for the School’s 50th Anniversary celebrations at St Albans Cathedral and the open air production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. But the overriding memory will be the empowering and enabling impact Music has had on the pupils.

I would like to thank all the pupils, staff and parents of Beechwood for their kindness and support, but I would especially like to thank the Music Department team for being such a wonderful, talented and unique group of professionals to work with.

JULIAN WINN

I have had a wonderful experience whilst working at Beechwood Park. The children have been a joy to teach, they are so enthusiastic and happy, enjoying learning through this awe inspiring environment! I loved Forest School and the lunches were amazing! Thank you. There is a great sense of team work here, I will miss you and wish you all the best!

TRACEY PLUMMER

My Beechwood journey began in 2012, having been warmly welcomed by the inimitable Patrick Atkinson, with the sound of a heavenly choir echoing in the Great Hall! So many memories!

The amazing school productions, hilarious staff pantomimes, cosy Stewart House Assemblies, the Year 2 French shopping adventures, Café du Lion, and who could ever forget Soirée Amicale! The Love a Lingo Day this year only confirmed what I have known for so long. I have been blessed to have worked with such dedicated and talented staff, and to have taught such wonderful children, from whom I have, in turn, learnt so much.

I wish the Beechwood Community all the very best!

CAROLYN BREHENY

I joined Beechwood Park in January 2019 and just a few short days later we welcomed the ISI! Of course we sailed through the inspection as Beechwood is a wonderful school. All credit to Mr Balfour and his amazing team. My best memory of Beechwood is Wimblewood. It was such a fantastic day - I brought my family along and we had a great day out. I will miss everyone at Beechwood; I loved my time with you. Keep being the amazing team you are.

Beechwood is such a special place and I shall miss it very much when I am in Norway. The staff, students and environment have made my time at the school so enjoyable and rewarding. To my wonderful harp and piano students, you have all been a pleasure to teach. I will miss you all, and I wish you all the very best for the future.

CATHERINE DERRICK

My most abiding memories of Beechwood will be of the children and colleagues whom I have been incredibly privileged to spend my time with. Keeping the Science Department ‘in-check’ has been hugely fun! Amazing (and messy) practical lessons, fire alarms and chicks and mice abounding are all part of a usual day. Supporting English lessons has been wonderfully absorbing, and Mrs Wilkins often had to remind me that I must let the pupils answer first; I did earn credits for engagement though! Finally, working with our incredible Learning Support pupils has been truly joyful. Our ‘joke of the day’, walks and talks, and tea parties to celebrate their inspirational achievements will stay with me forever.

VANESSA LEIGH

Thank you to everyone for all your support and enthusiasm for junior music and for welcoming me back to Beechwood this year. My biggest thank you has to go to all the children in Woodlands, Reception, Years 1, 2 and 3 for your incredible, passionate and heartfelt singing which has, at times, brought a lump to my throat, a tear to my eye and which is a memory I will keep with me as I relocate to Malvern. I will miss you all.

WENDY WILSON GODDARD

KAREN BARKER

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Sport: Garden Olympics To coincide with National Sports Week, and in lieu of the usual Beechwood Park Sports Days, this year the Sports Department invited all pupils to take part in the Beechwood Park Garden Olympics.

Congratulations to everyone who took part and well done Stewart House.

Staff Leavers Continued My favourite bits…Having a natter with 5L in the mornings; the English trips; War Horse in MK and Romeo & Juliet at The Globe; the County Cup cricket final; Colts A and B footy; visiting actor workshops; visiting poets; World Book Day fun; funny Zoom meetings; gothic writing with the Top Formers; the Top Form lessons in general; the two lovely librarians in my two years here; under 10C rugby; the amazing Learning Support team; watching descriptive writers blossom; the Isle of Wight with fantastic Mrs Ridley; learning to be a better teacher from my wonderful English colleagues; being in the privileged position of introducing WH Auden to children; having a laugh with my dear friend, Mr Cooper… just lovely highlights of a whirlwind six terms.

A huge thank you to the wonderful children at Beechwood, with whom I have had a blast (metaphor, 5A). It is a privileged and fun job we have – I will never forget that.

ANDY LIVERMORE

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Beechwood Community and although brief, I have plenty of memories that I will cherish. One of the stand-outs being the first time I led a sports team out - shout-out to the U13 B Hockey Team and my time in the Boarding House was another major highlight. Good luck to everyone next year.

JORDAN BUTLER

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