Message from Miss MacPherson, Director of Co-curricular

And just like that, another term has flown by! I have a theory that time at Beechwood runs on fast forward, perhaps this is why the weeks go by so quickly but we manage to fit so much in? School started with a bang (or should I say thud?) with goals scored by the U11 Girls at the Olympic Park Hockey Tournament all those weeks ago. From then on fixtures have come thick and fast in Hockey, Football, Rugby, Netball, Swimming, Skiing, Equestrian and Fencing. Not forgetting our pupils in Year 7 and Top Form who opted to learn Kick Boxing in our Sport for all Programme on a Wednesday. Some fantastic successes across the board but also lots learnt. A closely fought ‘second’ place is quite possibly the best way to learn about the true meaning of teamwork, resilience and humility. Thank you to Mrs Carley and the entire Sports Department for ensuring an extensive range of opportunities for all our pupils. Read Mrs Carley’s Sports Round Up from page 74

The last couple of weeks, have seen Drama a plenty with a myriad of Christmas Shows to pick from. However, at Beechwood, it’s not just about the quantity but most definitely the quality. Feeling under the weather? Check out one of Beechwood’s all singing and dancing, quite literally, Christmas Shows for a dousing of Christmas spirit and merriment. I was warmed from the inside out watching our talented pupils perform with confidence and enthusiasm a plenty. No need for a strong cup of coffee when you start the day watching ‘Lights, Camel and Action’!

Thank you to Mrs Hegarty and all the Form Teachers and Teaching

Assistants who ensured that all the festive productions went smoothly ! See pages 20 to 27 for some fabulous photos of our festive productions.

And where there’s Drama, there’s often Music too! Music is a perfect way to bring a community together and we do that often at Beechwood whether in our weekly assemblies, lunch time concerts or the end of term Christmas Concert.

You can always hear Music at Beechwood from when you arrive in the morning and hear Big Band rehearsing or during the day when pupils walk back to class singing after a choir rehearsal or when it’s time to leave School and a boarder is doing some practice. Music is everywhere! The musicality of Beechwood was reflected in our recent ABRSM and

Click here to Trinity exam results - all exams passed and a huge proportion of merits and distinctions, which is a fantastic watch the feat. See page 66 for more details.

Christmas Concert Thank you to Mrs Lodge, Mrs Jarvis, Mr Harrington and all the Instrumental Music teachers for all their work this term

The DT workshop still wows me every time I go in and it seems to have this effect on pupils too. It has been quite the transformation from gutting the old workshop at the end of the Summer Term, to seeing it in all its glory now.

The creative buzz from the workshop during lunch times when Senior pupils take the opportunity to work on their own inventions pulsates across the courtyard. I love popping into DT lessons as I am always astounded by what the pupils are creating - from flying mythical creatures to desk lanterns to a giant, interactive Christingle! See page 62 for a round up from Mr Fox about what has been created in the workshop this term...

Similarly, the Art Room is never still. It is always a riot of colour and creation. The kiln has been extra busy this term firing up creations in all year groups. Mrs KB loves a challenge and took on creating Mr Balfour’s portrait alongside the pupils, putting the children at the heart of a child-centred portrait of our headmaster. Two successful Art Trips, to Stowe and Berkhamsted, have inspired the pupils and shown what they can achieve if they continue to study Art and Design as they move onto their next schools.

And what a treat it was to see a variety of children’s artwork brought to life by the Beechwood 2022 Christmas Jumper that Mrs KB put together and then we sold for Charity. I look forward to seeing what the next whole school Art project Mrs KB comes up with! Read more from Mrs KB on page 64

But let’s not forget the trees! This term has been all about trees, Mrs Le

Bas was one of the teachers most effected by remote learning. Is there anything more challenging then teaching Forest School via Zoom?!

Forest School is well and truly back and now with a replanted forest and a new orchard too. Thank you to the entire community who donated trees and their labour - it was such a special day when Beechwood came together to join forces in replenishing our forest for years to come. We now also have our very own Queen Elizabeth Orchard which will in time come to provide us with fruit for many a crumble and jam. A huge thank you to Mrs Le Bas for creating this legacy of which we can all be a part.

More from Forest School on page 72

I could go on about the range of trips that we have embarked on from Year 1 visiting Wardown House Museum, to the boarders visiting Bedford Planetarium, or Year 3s quick “trip” to Ancient Egypt but I hope you’ve already heard about all of these adventures from your own children. I hope your holidays are filled with a variety of co-curricular activities and you have time to take a breath, recoup and recover ready for the excitement of the Lent Term! Miss Mac Director of Co-Curricular