THE BEECHWOOD LION

Lent Term 2023

It is hard to believe that after battling rainy mornings, snow, fog and ice this term we are now able to take a break, which I hope will take us into warmer weather ahead. Whether through coping with climate, or through tremendous efforts since January, I am fully aware that everyone - pupils, staff and parents - most definitely need the Easter holiday rest.

We were envious of Year 4 who enjoyed fresh conditions on their residential trip to Aylmerton in Norfolk last week. I am enormously grateful to the nine members of staff who gave up time away from their own families to accompany Year 4 - Miss Macpherson, Mrs Greenwood, Mr Bullock, Mr Le Bas, Miss Bailey, Mrs Routledge, Ms Stredwick, Mrs Oatham and Mrs Plummer. Year 7 similarly enjoyed a bracing trip to stunning Bawdsey Manor in Suffolk last week, managing to squeeze every last opportunity out of term time. The experience was made possible by Mrs Wilkins, Mr Darcy, Mr Griffiths and Mrs Hegarty, to whom I extend massive thanks at the end of a long and demanding term for them. As well as a wonderful range of team building activities, both year groups learnt a lot about their own resilience and developing characters, and I think you might find your child has grown up a little bit more as a result.

High quality creative and performing arts have kept us thoroughly entertained this term whether dramatic or musical, or indeed a mixture of both. Emil and the Detectives was a tremendously successful Middle and Senior Department production last week. 117 pupils from Year 5 to Top Form participated and packed audiences over the two nights were astounded by the confidence and talent to behold. To say that it was absolutely fantastic would be an understatement and it is gratifying that after four years we are finally able to put on a large-scale production once again which involved pupils across Year groups. Such a roaring success was made to look easy because of the attention to detail in every respect from Mrs Jacques on costume design and production, Mr Gambrell on stage technology and Mrs Hegarty for producing, directing and generally masterminding the whole performance.

The fabulous Choirs Concert was similarly a huge focus for Beechwood recently not simply because of the increasing numbers of pupils who performed – 126 in total, but it was super to have Year 2 participating for the first time. A wise person once said, that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away. Mrs Lodge, our Director of Music, knows only too well that Lunchtime Concerts have provided many occasions where we have applauded with delight. It is wonderful to see so many parents popping in on a Friday afternoon to join an appreciative audience for the Concerts; this is often where confidence starts to build.

Full reports of our term’s sporting endeavours should have reached you regularly through the Beechwood Lion weekly newsletters. There are many highlights and memorable achievements from strong team performances this term, which are captured by Mrs Carley and her Sports Team in the round up contained further on in this newsletter (see page 74-83).

Fixtures, tournaments and sporting festivals have been part of our daily, non-stop routine throughout the term from Cross-Country, Netball and Rugby, to Swimming and Football. Efforts have been on home ground but also away at other schools and stadiums too - far and wide.

In addition to all matters co-curricular, sporting, dramatic, musical and creative, Year 6 and Top Form pupils and teachers have most definitely not lost sight of academic goals.

Hard work has clearly been centred on a strong work ethic, which, at Beechwood Park we refer to as ‘Engagement’; it is fundamental to all that we do. I am delighted to recognise several members of Year 6 and Top Form who have achieved notable success in entry to their senior schools.

This year, 19 pupils have been awarded 23 scholarships spanning Academic, Music, Art, Sport, Drama, Music and DT to the following schools:

Abbots Hill, Berkhamsted, Downe House, Haberdashers’ Girls School, Haileybury, Queenswood and St Albans School.

Congratulations to the following award holders:

11+ Awards 13+ Awards

Success isn’t always easy and the road to achieving it can be bumpy; I believe those who were not fortunate on this occasion to have received an award will have learnt a great deal about the process and should feel equally and immensely proud of their efforts. The spread of awards above reflects the first-class all-round experience and opportunities for children at Beechwood. Following such a range of applications and assessments, I am confident that Top Form are well on their way to achieving excellent results in their Beechwood Finals or Common Entrance exams in June, which will prepare them to springboard with maturity and confidence on to their senior schools.

I would like to thank the whole school community, but particularly Beechwood pupils for a very special and warm welcome this term. I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the magic that happens at Beechwood, endeavouring to join in with as many of the incredible experiences that children have as possible. There is so much to show and tell; this newsletter can only attempt to share a glimpse, nevertheless, I hope it provides some insight, some reflection and some understanding of why your child is now ready for a rest.

I wish you a relaxing break over the Easter holiday and look forward to welcoming you back for the final term of the school year.

Please note that the first day back for pupils is on Wednesday 26 April at the usual time.

With very best wishes,

Maureen Cussans Interim Head

At the end of this term, we must say our sad, but fond goodbyes to staff who have either been with us all too briefly, or who have been stalwarts in their respective departments.

Mrs Balfour, Head of Year 5, is a passionate and patient educator, adored by Year 5 as much as she adores them. It must be recognised that in addition to the gratitude for guiding Year 5 children and staff with her outstanding lessons and wise counsel, Beechwood has for many years also benefitted from her significant support in the wider life of the school. Mrs Balfour’s calm and cheerful presence will be missed and we wish her all the very best as she moves on to her new role in April. We look forward to welcoming back Mrs Lane to the Middle Department for the Summer Term with 5B.

Mrs Bisset will be missed for her wonderful support and contribution to much of what has happened in Year 4 over the past seven years. In the Middle Department team, she spearheaded numerous initiatives both in and beyond the classroom, and even accompanied the first trip to Aylmerton. We wish Mrs Bisset well in her new role.

I would like to express thanks to Mrs Rutterford and Mrs Anderson, After School Care and Housekeeping Supervisors, for being enormously important threads of continuity in keeping key aspects of our children’s’ experience smoothly covered. I’m sure you join with me in wishing all our leaving staff every happiness as they move on to new pastures and challenges.

I can now bring you news regarding initial appointments to our staff team in September: Mrs June Gbedemah, Mrs Katie York and Mrs Judith Waiting will join us as Head of Mathematics, Head of English and Head of PSHE with Future Skills respectively.

I am delighted that Mr Darcy, building on his responsibility in Boarding and Head of Sebright House, will be Assistant Head Senior Department with Senior School Admissions. He will be supported in this role by a new team of Senior Heads of Year 6, Year 7 and Top Form. I will bring you further information about appointments when it is possible to do so.

The Values of the Fortnight fit carefully into the School calendar to provide timely discussions, reinforced in assemblies, or to support key School events and trends. This term the Values were Aspiration, Respect, Integrity, Perseverance and Friendship. At the start of the year, pupils reflected on what they aspired to achieve and towards the end of term, when everyone was tired, we persevered and focused on how best to manage our friendships.

In the Summer term, as part of a three year review, pupils will have the opportunity to reflect on the sixteen School Values and suggest some changes or rewording, ready for the academic year.

We have also been focusing on Etiquette, not only in the Dining Rooms but in all areas of School life, asking pupils to use Please and Thank you, to make eye-contact, to smile, to say Good Morning, to look smart (shirt tucked in!). The way pupils behave and conduct themselves reflects their personality, and the way they interact with others is usually the first things someone will notice about them. In one of the final assemblies this term, Mrs Cussans told the pupils she once received a letter from the pilot of an airplane praising one of her pupils who had been so very polite and helpful during a flight. Something to aspire to!

I know that it is of paramount importance to us all that our children are safe, happy, making good progress in their learning and interactions. As pupils use more and more digital technology and social media such as Snapchat and WhatsApp and their mobile phone in general, this is accompanied by the greater risks to online safety. So, I encourage you to be vigilant over your children’s use of digital technology and social media. Please discuss with them what they are watching, with whom they are communicating, what they are discussing and the language used. Remind them that if they were uncomfortable with anything, they should speak with a trusted adult.

I wish you all a restful Easter break!

School Uniform Reminder

The choices and flexibility in the items of School uniform pupils can wear remain the same in the Summer term as they did last term.

If a pupil would prefer wearing their skirt, shorts or trousers instead of the summer dress, that is fine. Please click here to see the Middle and Senior Department School Uniform List and here to see the Junior Department List which include the possible clothing combinations.

Mr Packer Deputy Head - Pastoral

From Science Week, practicals and chicks hatching, to Pi day, digit learning and circular challenges, to Emil and the Detectives related lessons with investigations and problem solving, to Shakespeare workshops and success at the English Speaking Union ‘Performing Shakespeare’ competition, to Geography and a new topic on fast fashion for Top Form, micro-climate investigations for Year 7 and creating earthquake proof buildings in Year 6, to a TPR Hindu temple visit, to exams and assessments (both internal and to senior schools), this term has been crammed full of academic endeavour and achievements.

Congratulations to all those children who were awarded academic scholarships this year: Ella Rose A-K, Aidan B, Joshua D, Will F, Tommy H, Uju O, and Jamie W S. It has been wonderful to witness the debating team, Joshua D, Tommy H and Aidan B, winning through to the National Finals of the Rotary Youth Speaks competition.

Thank you, once again, for all your answers and feedback on the Home Learning and Prep Survey. Home learning and prep is an extremely complex topic; research into its value does vary, although the consensus is that when learning takes place both at school and home as a combined partnership, it is hugely beneficial and leads to improved longer term outcomes. From further analysis on your responses, and having considered some overall trend in an earlier newsletter, I will summarise trends by year group:

We had fewer responses on behalf of EYFS (Woodlands Nursery and Reception) pupils and, other than the importance of developing reading skills, there was little consensus in views and feedback.

Year 1 responses showed lots of variation as well, but with a trend towards having prep.

Once again, the focus on reading was consistent; the time for allocated prep was extremely varied from nothing to 60 minutes with some focusing on the need for sleep and family time, whilst others expressed a desire for more homework.

In Year 2, the focus on reading and spellings was clear; this was also the year group where there was some concern expressed over screen time and on-line platforms. It was also the year where the amount of home learning was deemed about right!

The feedback in Year 3 was more mixed with some requesting more prep, comparing it to Year 2, some saying it was spot on and others that it was too much given the longer day and after school activities. This was the first year group where every parent said there should be some daily prep and pupils had a similar view; it was staff who felt there should be the least prep! This was also the year group where pupils requested prep in more discreet subjects, whilst the value of reading was recognised by almost everyone as was the value of online platforms.

Year 4’s feedback correlated closely with that of Year 3, with widely different views, but also articulating the step up required towards Years 5 and 6, the value of online platforms and the end of the school day with after school activities and out of school commitments. The trends in terms of time were similar, again, to Year 3

In Year 5, feedback recognised the 11+ requirements with requests for a greater focus on exam practice and key 11+ skills; this was viewed as the key purpose of prep that most people agreed with

This was also the first year group where the greatest number said that preps should include Science and Future Skills on a weekly basis.

There was more feedback and viewpoints from Year 6 than any other year group. As with some of the above years, there were many differing and conflicting opinions. There was a consensus towards focusing on 11+ examinable subjects and targeting exam practice; many parents also reflected on the challenge of the time prep can take with the school day and after school activities and commitments. This was the year group with the highest number of responses stating there should be no home learning, but also those who are looking for a step up in prep time; and despite comments requesting targeting Maths, English and Future Skills, feedback across the subjects was more wide ranging, for instance in answer to how frequent history prep should be:

Year 7 had the clearest consensus that home learning at the moment is about right and should take 30-40 minutes each evening and 60 minutes at the weekend, covering all examinable subjects on a regular basis. Clearly most parents here are not fans of projects

Otherwise, there were helpful reflections on how prep can be even more effective.

Having reached Top Form, project work and research was viewed as much more beneficial than in other year groups, particularly amongst parents. There were a number of comments on prep taking longer than the prescribed time but in terms of the actual time there were wide-ranging views

I hope this gives a year by year flavour of trends and findings; I will continue to review the feedback with Heads of Department and Heads of Year and through the Academic Committee to ensure home learning and prep is as balanced, beneficial and manageable as possible for all our pupils.

Mr Bullock Deputy Head - Academic

Senior School Advice and Guidance

Thank you for all the kind messages that I received during my absence from school. My knee replacement went well and I’m looking forward to returning to School at the start of next term.

It was great to meet so many parents on Zoom at the start of February. I hope that you found the sessions on 11+ and 13+ Senior School Admissions useful. Next term, I’m delighted to be able to offer three further sessions in the Performance Hall so that we can meet in person. You will be able to talk to other staff and to pupils who have been through the admissions processes this year.

I will send you further details nearer the time but the dates for your diary are:

• Thurs 18 May – Senior School Information Evening for Parents of Year 6 and Year 7 Pupils

• Tues 23 May – Senior School Information Evening for Parents of Year 5 Pupils

• Thurs 22 June – Senior School Information Evening for Parents of Year 3 and Year 4 Pupils

We look forward to meeting you at one of these events but feel free to email me if you have any questions before then.via k.clarke@beechwoodpark.com

Wishing you all an enjoyable and relaxing Easter break, and I look forward to seeing your children back at School after the holidays.

With best wishes,

Mrs Clarke Director of Senior School Admissions

“Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavour.”

William Cowper

Variety is a-plenty at Beechwood and nowhere more so than in our co-curricular provision.

Whether on a virtual trip to Mexico for a fiesta, or an actual trip to Norfolk or Suffolk, there is always an adventure to be had whilst at Beechwood. This term, as ever, has been filled to the brim with exciting and enriching activities to supplement the academic learning and it can be hard to select the highlights.

How to summarise a term when just in the first week we had a Performing Shakespeare Workshop for our Year 7 cohort, a trip to St Albans Abbey for Reception, an excellent Scholars’ Lunchtime Concert, as well as hockey, netball and rugby matches and we even squeezed in an U10 Rugby Festival at the weekend.

There are so many different moments to celebrate and cherish, but the highlights for me this term have been when many year groups or entire departments have come together in a co-curricular event. Whether that be the Beechwood cross-country event back in January, our Choirs’ Concert featuring all three departments or the recent production of Emil and the Detectives.

There is something about a Cross-Country Event that makes me very emotional and I often find myself tearing up! I think it’s the range of emotions you witness a child going through from start to finish. The nerves and excitement before the race begins, the nervous chatter on the start line, the discussion about who will run with whom and do they know the route and are their shoelaces tied tightly enough. It’s the variety of facial expressions as the pupils run ranging from great excitement, to dogged determination, to pure relief once the finishing line has been crossed. It’s the electric atmosphere created by the spectators, the younger classes who come out to support older siblings, the staff on flag posts cheering on their pupils.

Yes, the prizegiving at the end celebrates the achievements of the most able athletes, breaking records and - rightlybeing congratulated for their ability and agility, but best of all, for me, is seeing the participation of the children who don’t find this event easy - the pupils who dread cross-country but go out and try their hardest for their house or their school. The amazing Beechwood spirit I witness when older pupils or pupils who have finished their race and recovered, join their friends for that final lap of the field, demonstrating our school values in bucket fulls - cheering, encouraging, helping their friends along. And this is why I get emotional!

Cross-country seems to bring out the absolute best in people - it’s an event that so many find challenging but an event that everyone can take part in. If you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you will cross the finish line at some point. So, for me, this event was a true highlight as it’s one of the times I witness the magic of Beechwood on display for all.

After all, it was two of our teachers who supported a struggling runner from another school, running the entire course alongside them, and our pupils who cheered them over the finish line.

Beechwood

through and through.

The Choirs ‘Concert was a very special evening as we had choirs from the Junior, Middle and Senior Department performing together.

It is not often that we come together as a whole school inside, as we don’t really fit! It was a joy to sit back and listen to the different choirs ranging from Year 2s rousing performance of “Dang-A-Rang-A-Dang Do!’, to the dramatic rendition of “We’re All Made of Stars” by our Year 3 and 4 Musical Theatre group, to the Chamber Choir who delighted us with a varied repertoire of songs from all genres, my particular favourite being “Putting’ on the Ritz”.

Singing in a choir is proven to create social bonding and it automatically brings different people together. The Choirs’ Concert did just that. It was lovely to see the Performance Hall filled with parents ranging from Year 2 to Top Form, all together, celebrating the musical achievements of their respective children.

I left that evening feeling blessed to have enjoyed such an excellent concert on a Tuesday night!

Emil and the Detectives was a perfect example of all the co-curricular departments working together to create a fantastic show.

Yes, the Drama Department was front and centre but the other departments were also working away in the background.

Our amazing Heads of Art and Design Technology made and designed much of the set and props, our Music Department led the tech side of things and Sports staff were backstage helping out with supervision and getting all the cast to the right place at the right time.

It truly was a team effort from staff and pupils and the end result was a fantastic production showcasing the best of Beechwood. A school play is testament to the saying that “hard work pays off” - during the first few rehearsals of a play, it can be hard to imagine the production coming together, the first full run through is often a disaster and the play goes on and on, even with a few characters missing their scene!

But through hard work and dedication, whether at home learning lines or in rehearsals through lunch and break, the play steadily takes form. The beauty of the final performances is that you don’t see evidence of the grit behind the scenes but just the final polished picture and what a picture it was. My huge thanks and congratulations goes out to every child and adult who helped bring this wonderful production to life.

So, having looked back on this Lent Term with so much to celebrate and commemorate, it is time for a richly deserved rest. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter break and come back ready and raring for a fun-packed Summer term. There is plenty to look forward...workshops, day trips or residentials for every year group including Woodlands; a multitude of events from BPSPA including the return of ‘Picnic on the Lawn’, a Coronation Tea Party, Beech Club and the inaugural Beechwoof event; sports matches and concerts a plenty; Latin Plays and Rap Plays and all rounded off with Speech Day and Fun Night!

Miss Macpherson Director of Co-Curricular