12September 2025
In this edition:
Year 8 take the leap into Leadership
The Senior Section build their team work
Year 2 explore Famous People as they start their new topic
Year 1 welcome their parents as they start their Farming topic
The Sugarcraft Club have a hoot this week!
so many of you have shared with me when talking life and that is: ‘Happy Children, Happy Parents’ It’s a o foster at Castle Court each day When children se flows naturally – friendships flourish, curiosity dre adults feel uplifted
In Monday’s whole school assembly, to mark Roald Dahl Day o 13th September, I shared a number of quotes from Dahl’s famo children's stories Dahl understood the power of words, but he also understood the power of kindness and a positive approach. As he said, “If you have good thoughts they will shin out of your face like sunbeams, and you will always look lovely
That sense of kindness, warmth and joy is something we strive to achieve throughout the school. I have already seen so many ‘sunbeams’ lighting up our school and it is a delight to witness the positive, infectious energy that comes from happy children who are keen to learn and feel secure and care
That happiness and joy was certainly evident in the Year 1 and 2 Topic Exploration Sessions which took place this week. It was wonderful to see the children having such fun sharing their learning with their parents and benefiting from the family approach which is at the heart of our school.
I certainly hope tonight’s FoodFest, our first whole school parent event, will be another joyful occasion. The evening will give you a chance to see the improvements that have been made in the middle part of our school, meet your child’s teachers and tutor, catch up with friends as well as make new ones, all whilst sampling the wonderful food created by our catering team Tonight’s theme will be Best of British, giving us the chance to showcase produce from local businesses. It will be great to celebrate the start of the term as a whole Castle Court family and I look forward to catching up with many of you later this evening.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Best wishes, Katie
Head’s Awards are given out every Friday morning in assembly to children nominated by their class teacher or form tutor; the reasons for these are many and varied, including outstanding effort, overcoming difficulty, or helping a friend in need A huge congratulations for their efforts goes to
NGRT and NGST in Years 3-8
Monday 15 Sep 2025
11:00 Year 6 Geography Trip to River Allen
16:30 Scholarship Information Evening
08:30 Reception Topic Exploration Session (with parents)
Tuesday 16 Sep 2025
08:30 Community Choir, Family Lounge
14:15 Year 3&4 matches with Clayesmore
Girls’ Hockey - Canford PrepFest U10 & U13
Boys’ U11 football at Moyles Court - start time TBC
4AllparentsofYears Pto8arewelcome. eleaseseeyour mailsformore informationandto RSVP.
Wednesday 17 Sep 2025
Thursday 18 Sep 2025
Friday 19 Sep 2025
09:30 Charlie's Chimps, Family Lounge
14:15 Yr 5-8 Boys' Football & Girls' Hockey v Clayesmore
09:00 Year 2 Trip to Brownsea Island
13:00 Year 5-8 Sailing, Ringwood
08:30 Parent Prayer Group, Boardroom
Saturday 20 Sep 2025 Poole and Bournemouth Grammar School Tests
tGoodluckto hosechildren sittingthese tests
Monday 22 Sep 2025 CATesting in Years 4, 6 & 8 this week
Tuesday 23 Sep 2025 08:30 Community Choir, Family Lounge
14:15 Yr 3&4 Football Festival, Durlston School
16:00 Boys Football - U13a v ACS Cobham (ISFA Cup 1st round)
Wednesday 24 Sep 2025
08:30 U13 Boys football at Moyles COurt - start time TBC
09:30 Charlie's Chimps, Family Lounge
14:15 Yr 5-8 Boys' Football & Girls' Hockey v Sunninghill
Thursday 25 Sep 2025 Year 1 Trip to Travellers Rest Farm, Durweston
13:00 Year 5-8 Sailing, Ringwood
14:00 Singing Rehearsal, Year 3-8
Friday 26 Sep 2025
Reception Trip to Moors Valley Country Park
More tinformationon hesetripshas beensentoutby email.
Please ‘save the date’ for our annual Harvest Festival Service: Thursday2October2025 2.30pm SportsHall
Refreshments will be served from 1.30pm as part of our Macmillan Afternoon Tea Party.
Charlie’sChimps
Charlie’s Chimps Club has launched! What a joyful morning we had on Wednesday – the family lounge was a medley of colour, bubbles, puppets and instruments Smiles all round If you would like a place for your child, please use this link.
17:45PickUp
repGate
otethatthisgateisopenfrom8.15amPleasedonotopenthegateyourself dintasthispresentsase ingrisk
All pickups at 17:45 should be from the terrace. Please do not ask your child to meet you elsewhere on the school site. This is for Safeguarding reasons Pre-PrepAwesomeAutumnDay
There is currently a weather warning for wind in place on Monday which may mean that we will need to postpone the trip Please continue to send your children into school dressed in their PE kits and with the kit list provided and we will monitor the weather over the weekend
On Wednesday 15th October, Cubs & Badgers (who attend on a Wednesday), Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will experience an ‘awesome’ day enjoying autumnal related activities Children are encouraged to wear autumn colours (red, orange, yellow, brown) into school for the entire day.
Children in Year 2 invited their parents in to the classroom on Tuesday morning in preparation for the start of their new topic: Famous People They will spend this term learning all about film stars, political leaders, sports legends and even inventors!
Thank you to the many parents who were able to attend; it was lovely to see you all, and the children loved having you!
On Thursday, it was the turn of Year 1 to invite their parents in for a Topic Exploration Session.
Can you guess what their topic might be?!
Thank you once again to all the parents who were able to attend; it was great to see you all!
Our first Artist of the Week for this term is Rex, who worked super hard over the Summer Holiday to finish off this awesome puppet head that he had made a start on in Art Club.
Well done, Rex!
Individual music lessons will begin from next week The music timetables can always be found in the "links" section of EduLink under “Music Timetable”, together with other useful documents like the parents’ handbook for music. Pupils can also find the same documents using the same link. The timetables are also displayed in the music department so pupils can check their times when they arrive at school in the morning. One point to highlight from the handbook is that it is understood that, when agreeing to music lessons at school, one 30-minute English, Maths and Science lesson will be missed each half term for each instrument learnt. Forpupilswholearninstrumentsoutsideofschool, please could you complete the Google form HERE to inform us of instruments they play, so they can be included in any relevant concerts in school.
ABRSM music theory lessons can be taken as an extra lesson in the same way as practical music lessons and are usually taught in various non-curriculum times. These cost £83.50 per term and are taught in small groups where pupils are grouped according to the grade they are studying Those pupils working towards ABRSM grade 5 on their instruments will need to pass grade 5 theory before taking higher grades on their instruments. Please contact Mr. Smith for further information (jsmith@castlecourt.com).
We are really looking forward to restarting the CCS choir this coming Tuesday 16th September in the Main House at 8:30am No audition, no requirement to read music, no past singing experience necessary – just singing for fun!
All different styles of repertoire. Rehearsals throughout this term, working towards a performance in the Harvest Festival and Carol Service, and again in the spring term, working towards a performance in Spring Concert
Please contact Mr Smith if interested (jsmith@castlecourtcom) or pop along on Tuesday to see what it's all about!
Senior Dance Clubs commence the week beginning 15 September – Years 5 and 6 Monday lunch time, Years 7 and 8 Friday lunch time - in the studio. All boys and girls are welcomebring your friends and embrace creativity and collaboration at Castle Court! We will celebrate the work in these clubs at the Performing Arts Presentation Evening in December Girls in Years 7 and 8 may find wearing sports skort/shorts useful for floor work. Any questions, please feel free to email Miss Tomblin (dtomblin@castlecourt.com).
This year’s task is to createanA3posterexploringatleastoneisland: its location its people its places its environments
The poster can be handmade (then submitted electronically using a scanned copy or photograph), or made electronically using PowerPoint, Canva, Word, Publisher or PDF.
WhataretheRoyalGeographicalSociety lookingfor?
Eye-catching, innovative, informative and accurate submissions
A well-written and informative piece that demonstrates geographical knowledge and uses accurate geographical terminology
Any images used must be copyright free – you may choose to visit an island and take your own images
All images must be credited
Excellent attention to spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Original and independently produced - class sets of identical entries or entries which have copied information from other sources, such as the internet or AI, will not be accepted.
Entries must be produced by single pupils – no group entries allowed.
If produced electronically, please use a minimum font size of point 10.
Entries must not be 3D or have tabs or hidden information.
Local- Brownsea Island, Green Island, Long Island, Isle of Portland
National- Isle of Wight, Isles of Scilly, Lundy Island, Scottish Islands, Islands on Lakes, Isle of Man
Global- Remote Islands (Artic/Antarctic), Tropical Islands (Pacific, Caribbean, Coral Reefs), Holiday Islands, Islands for defence...
All entries must be made as an online submission via the RGS website: https://www.rgs.org/ygoty2025.
The deadline for doing this is 3 October 2025; however, the RGS recommend submitting them in good time before this date.
Whocanenter?:
There is a category for Key Stage 2 (pupils aged 7-11) and for Key Stage 3 (pupils aged 11-14)
Badger Cubs
Class Teachers / Form Tutors
Mrs Genge | Mrs Tomblin
Badgers Mrs Bartlett | Mrs Wilson
Reception Mrs Brewer | Mrs Speer
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Mrs Hanger | Mrs Zachariades/Mrs Wheildon
Mr Antell | Mrs Hellyer/Mrs Glenn
Mrs Baugniet | Mr Bambrey
Year 4 Dr Lippiatt/Mrs Deards | Mr Laidler
Year 5
Year 6
Year 7
Year 8
Nursery
Pre-Prep
Years 3-6
Years 7&8
Mrs Vivian | Mrs Miller
Mrs Rule | Mr Jordan
Mrs Lea
Mr Phillips | Ms Thompson
Section Leaders
Mrs McSorley
Mr Antell
Mrs Munns
Ms Thompson
Heads of Department
English Ms Thompson
Maths Mrs Miller
Science Mrs Gallop
History
Geography
Mrs Rule
Mrs Chudley
Music Mr Smith
Art Miss Sinclair-Smith
DT
Sport
Mr Phillips
Mr Fermor-Dunman
Yourfirstpointofcontact foranydaytoday rquestionsandenquiries elatedtoyourchild(ren) istheirtutororclass teacher.
Leadership Team
Mr Edmond Deputy Head
Mr Dunsford Assistant Head (Pastoral)
Mrs Munns Director of Teaching & Learning
Mrs Robson Admissions & Marketing
SENDCo
Mrs Harmer
And finally... The Corfe flag flies proudly in today’s sunshine