Ditcham Newsletter - Friday 8th March 2024
Dear Parents
After the huge success of Grease, you'd think our staff and children would be having a quiet weekbut such was not the case! The Music Department and musicians were hard at work performing in Petersfield for a lunchtime concert on Tuesday and then it was our Senior School Concert on Thursday evening which saw a great many talented students performing again.
This week has also given us World Book Day with our Juniors being transported to their favourite stories and fictional heroes. Well done to the staff who took on characters from Harry Potter - I was particularly impressed with Mr Ainsworth's Dumbledore!
Huge thanks to Juliette Barnes for her Wellbeing Workshop on Wednesday evening, it was lovely to see parents come in for this insightful talk.
Furthermore, we have welcomed some French Exchange students to Ditcham this week which has been a great experience for us all.
To wrap the week off, we are hosting an Alumni Event tonight for some of our 'Founding 100' who started at Ditcham in 1976 when Paddy Holmes founded the school. We are really looking forward to engaging more with our past pupils as we head towards our 50th birthday as Dticham Park School.
Wishing you all a restful weekend
Best wishes
Graham Spawforth Headmaster
Headmaster Awards
Congratulations to the Seniors who have been given a Headmaster Award!
Junior Merit Awards
Congratulations to all the Juniors who have been awarded a merit this week - some excellent work to be seen!
Dragonflies Pre-School
Easter Fun for Dragonflies!
In Dragonflies this week, we’ve made bunny faces and read soooo many stories which helped us to celebrate world book day! The children were all dressed up and looking amazing! We’ve been practising forming our numbers and making some special craft for our party next week! We finished off the week going for a daffodil walk but we also spotted some snowdrops, primroses and (most excitingly) a really long worm – and a short one, but that was less exciting!
What a great week!
Kylie and Claire
Juniors
Music Success for Wren
Huge congratulations to Wren who also took part in the Portsmouth Music Festival over half term performing on the flute. Wren was awarded a Distinction by the judges and received the cup for her
grade. This was her first time performing at a large event like this and it takes nerves of steel to stand on the stage and play - well done Wren!
Pen Licence Award
Congratulations to the following children for achieving their Pen Licence!
• Olly H
• Lucy S
• Heidi J
• Matilde L-C
• Dusty L
• Max H
Sew Talented in Transition!
This term Transition have been learning to sew in their DT lessons. So far they have learnt the running stitch and back stitch and are currently working on both a diagonal and cross stitch. Mr Livingston and I have been very surprised by how engaged the children have been with this and also by how talented they are! We definitely have some future sewing stars in the making! The children are using their new-found stitching skills to decorate a bookmark to take home at the end of term. Well done Transition!
Mrs Newton
Pure Poetry in Uppers
In Uppers this week, we have been looking at poetry and how we can use similes, metaphors and personification to bring poetry to life. We read and analysed the poem ‘Lone Dog’ and then pupils imagined that they were a different animal and wrote in the style of Lone Dog, using similes, metaphors and personification for maximum effect and impact. Alice M and Yasmin P's poems are below for you to enjoy.
Rhino - Alice M
I’m a wall, I’m tougher than them all
I’m big, I’m strong and I will never be wrong
My horn is like a spear it strikes fear into the hearts of my prey
The floor shrieks as I lie, I shall never die.
I am sly but strong and you will never find me
I am heavy like a weight but I am never late for my prey
I am rough but delicate,
I am powerful but caring
I am strong but will never leave my crash
I am the apex, the real tough guy
Those lions will never be running by my side.
My crash obey me, they will never betray me, neither will I Not for me the cuddly life, on my path I shall strive.
Cat - Yasmin P
I’m a fierce cat, a rough cat, a tough cat and lone,
I’m a wild cat, a cheeky cat, hunting on my own!
I’m an agile cat, a hungry cat, eating silly mice,
I love to bask in the sun, watching it rise like a balloon.
I will never be a pet cat, I am a prowler, teasing silly birds,
I am as proud as a lion, as bold as a tiger, as fast as a cheetah,
My claws are daggers, my senses sharp,
Never seen with a human, cringing for my meat,
I sleek around at the dead of night and help myself to some meat,
The houses seem to laugh at me.
As I walk, the flowers dance,
As I talk, the humans scatter,
As I hunt, the mice splatter,
As I climb, the trees natter.
I stay on path, my quest is tough,
Hands try and grab me, but I slink away,
Below the moonlit sky I rest, A bed of twigs and leaves, it’s like a nest, I know this is for the best.
Mosaic Madness for Lowers at Fishbourne
Last Monday, Lower Juniors enjoyed a wonderful trip to Fishbourne Roman Palace. The day was packed with activities, including a very informative video about the discovery of the Palace, exploration of the gardens (including the, not particularly comfortable, triclinium), an in-depth look at the mosaics and hypocaust system, the museum AND a fabulous workshop.The workshop further
developed our knowledge of the villa and the life of the inhabitants; it also allowed us to make our own mosaics, with genuine Roman tesserae, to experience writing as the Romans did (on a replica Vindolanda tablet and using an equivalent to Roman ink, pen and paper), to play Roman games, work in a Roman kitchen and much more.
One of our favourite activities was learning about the clothes the wealthy Romans would have wornBenji, Lucas and Tildie made fabulous models!Our favourite fact, from the day, was that the footprint of the original Palace was bigger than the footprint of Buckingham Palace!
Thank you to Sonia and Emma for helping.
Mrs Tanner
Prehistoric Pre-Prep
As part of our topic on Mary Anning the children made fossils, mixing flour, salt, coffee grounds and water to make a dough, kneading the dough and then making an imprint in it using different animal shapes to create a very effective fossil of their own. Very fitting on International Woman’s Day that the fossils are ready to go home and the children can tell the story of Mary Anning to their families.
Mrs Somerville & Emma
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Stretch and Challenge Success!
Huge congratulations to
Minnie F
Elizabeth G
• Lennox N
• Emilia H-W
for completing their Spring Term Stretch and Challenge activities. They were awarded their certificates in today's Celebration Assembly.
World Book Day 2024
it goes without saying that Ditcham really does know how to embrace World Book Day! This year did not disappoint with some really ingenious costumes, great books and of course, a brilliant team effort by the staff who let the Sorting Hat decide which house they were going to be in for their Harry Potter theme. Mr Ainsworth was a superb Professor Dumbledore and we were also joined by Professor Snape (Mrs Tanner) Professor Sprout (Mrs Somerville) and Professor McGonagall (Mrs Newton)
But the biggest thank you goes out to Ditcham pupils and their parents; the school has buzzed with book characters and the excitement of sharing favourite books. With reading boosting creativity, confidence and analytical skills, we are delighted to support and applaud this special day and hope you enjoy the selection of photographs.
If you could dress-up as a favourite character, who would you be and why? Spend a little time talking with your child and saviour these moments.
Here are some of the many images to showcase a marvellously 'magical' day yesterday.
Julie Mothersele
Prep immerse themselves in books
Prep thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to dress up as their favourite characters for World Book Day on Thursday. After explaining each character to the rest of the class, we then completed a book treasure hunt and investigated different front covers of books. The highlight of the day was turning potatoes into our favourite characters. This was quite challenging, but a lot of fun!
Transitions are Sew Talented!
This term Transition have been learning to sew in their DT lessons. So far they have learnt the running stitch and back stitch and are currently working on both a diagonal and cross stitch. Mr Livingston and I have been very surprised by how engaged the children have been with this and also by how talented they are! We definitely have some future sewing stars in the making! The children are using their new-found stitching skills to decorate a bookmark to take home at the end of term. Well done Transition!
Mrs Newton
Seniors
Izzy Continues to Shine!
Not only was Izzy C one of our incredibly Sandy's in Grease, but she bagged herself first place and a trophy at the recent Portsmouth Music Festival in the Solo Scene and Song Performance Section. This is a huge competition that many children take part in and its clear Ditcham really does have Talent! Well done Izzy, the future is bright for you.
Intermediate Maths Challenge 2024:
The UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenges are lively, intriguing multiple choice question papers, which are designed to stimulate interest in Mathematics in large numbers of pupils. The paper contains 25 multiple choice questions. Of these, the first 15 are more accessible whilst the final 10 will provide more food for thought. Schools enter their best Mathematicians and of the total entrants 8% achieve gold, 17% achieve silver and 25% achieve bronze. 700,000 young people take part in UKMT Challenges every year. 73 Ditcham Park School pupils entered the IMC and 37 achieved awards, 5 Gold, 11 Silver and 21 Bronze awards. Five pupils did particularly well and have qualified for the next round: Finley B was named ‘Best in School’, Best in Year for Year 11, and achieved a Gold award; Harrison F and Ed U-B in Year 11 both achieved a Gold award; Oliver B was named Best in Year for Year 10 and achieved a Gold award; Elliott W was named Best in Year for Year 9 and achieved a Silver award. In the next round Elliott has qualified for the Grey Kangaroo, Finley, Harrison, Ed and Oliver have qualified for the Pink Kangaroo. A special mention goes to Charlotte F-M, Year 10, who achieved a Gold award and has been entered for the Pink Kangaroo.
Full results below:
Gold:
• Oliver B
• Finley B
• Charlotte F-M
• Harrison F
• Ed U-B
Silver:
• Toby B
• Silvia C
• Amelia G-B
• James H
• Joshua L
• Charles O
• Max O
• Alex R
• Ed T
• Adam V
• Elliott W
Bronze:
• Lauren A
• Isabelle B
• Sylvie C
• Archie C
• Megan C
• Daisy D
• Charlotte D
• Xavi F-M
• Zuki G
• Edie Ho
• Hebe H
• George L
• Harriet L
• William M-R
• Clara O
• Nathan R
• Alex S
• Eloise S
• Oscar U
• James W
• Samuel W
Very well done to everyone!
Mrs Morris
Careers Week at Ditcham
All this week, our Seniors have been focusing on Careers and what comes next after they leave Ditcham in Form 5. George Harris, Head of History, Careers and Further Education had created a full timetable of talks, activities and information sessions from a range of external visitors. Students heard from Sixth Form centres and Colleges as well as learning about different paths such as Apprenticeships and traditional degrees.
A big part of this week has also been about helping the Year 8 students to think ahead and plan their GCSE options around what sort of career or role they might want to explore. This forward-planning means they are fully prepared and can keep their options open too, if needs be.
We hope it gave our students a useful insight into what might lie ahead for them after their GCSES!
Reading Together - through Podcasts
Our Reading Together Book Club has now taken podcasts in as these are often more accessible. So please enjoy!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reading-together/id1734807813
French Exchange - visit to Ditcham Park School
After a very successful visit to our French exchange school in Bordeaux some of our Year 10 and 11 students welcomed back their partners last Friday. After spending the weekend in host families, the French students came into school on Monday and Wednesday. They shadowed their partners and participated in French lessons with the younger years. On Tuesday the French students and their English partners visited Oxford for the day. After an unpleasant journey in the rain, they took advantage of nicer weather by taking a walking tour of the main sights such as the Bodleian Library, the Sheldonian Theatre, the Radcliffe Library, several colleges and the Covered Market. After lunch and some free time, they took an excellent audio/visual tour of Christ Church College before walking back to the bus via the River Thames. On Thursday the French students visited London and took in the Tour of London, the London Eye and the Tate Modern Art gallery. All participants of the exchange would agree that it has been an enriching and rewarding experience and one that they would recommend to students taking or thinking about taking French as a GCSE.
Peter Swabey MFL Department
Fixtures for next week
We have a lot of matches to squeeze into next week. Please see the tables for information of where they will be, who is playing and what time collection is. Do come along and support your child(ren) if you can, we love having our community around us!
James, Graham and Louise PE DepartmentSports News
Riding Success for Bella
Hot off the stage from Grease last week, Bella rode like ‘Grease Lightning’ (pun intended) in her second class and secured herself a place in the Plate Championships in October. Bella rides a 16H horse who is quite the step up and she competes against speedy little ponies who can nip around turns, so to qualify was pretty impressive. She shaved 9 seconds off the previous class, demonstrating a superb partnership with her horse. Well done Bella, we look forward to seeing you achieve more great results over the coming season!
NOTE: if you have a child who regularly competes in the Equestrian world, please do consider becoming part of Team Ditcham and competing at NSEA events. We are looking for riders to make up a team. For more information, please email us
U10 Rugby V Morehouse School
On Tuesday the U10 rugby team travelled to Morehouse in what turned to out to be an excellent game of rugby.
Ditcham got of to a strong start with strong runs from Kamil KK, Charlie W and Oscar U. The sustained pressure meant Ditcham flew into a 15-0 lead. Every time Morehouse had possession, they couldn't get past the resolute Ditcham defence and some massive hits from Josh L, Alex KK and Kian S put pressure on all of the Morehouse players. They snuck a try before half time which made things more interesting but Ditcham were too strong on the day and came out 30-10 winners. It was a superb attacking and defensive display and the boys have shown really good improvement this year. Well done to all involved.
Player of the match- Charlie W and Kamil KK
Mr Walton
U8 Rugby at Boundary Oak
On Thursday the U8 boys played Boundary Oak in two touch games. In the first game it was a real end to end affair with both teams scoring some amazing individual trys. Ditcham went 3-0 down but some strong running play by Kamdi and George meant we went into the break at 3-3. With the downhill in the second half the boys really started to click and more trys from Kamdi and Magnus put Ditcham ahead and with some strong defence the boys managed to win the game 7-5. Well done to all players and special mention to Kamdi who was player of the match with a hattrick of trys
The other game had a similar theme with lots of excellent running rugby. Ditcham were 4-0 down but managed to claw it back and scored 3 unanswered trys thanks to a super display from Tommy D, who also captained the team excellently. All the boys worked really hard and although they couldn't get the win they gave 100% throughout. Some special mentions to Otter, Arthur and Oliver who played there first games for Ditcham. Well done boys. It was a great afternoon and thanks as always to the parents who came to watch the boys and I really appreciate the support
Mr Walton
Sunday Ride
Last Sunday, a group of 10 riders took advantage of the sudden, unexpected appearance of the sun to enjoy a wonderful ride along one of the most beautiful stretches of the South Downs. Starting in Up Marden we made our way up towards Telegraph House above the Hooksway , passing through its avenue of beeches before breaking out onto the downs above Harting. The tough pull up to the top of Harting Down was swiftly forgotten once we discovered our support car was filled with home baked cakes. Thoroughly fuelled we, completed our circuit with another fierce climb back into Up Marden and yes, more cake and hot chocolate too. Congratulations
to all who took part, including dome strong riding parents and enormous thanks to Mr and Mrs Baker, who hosted the ride and provided the support vehicle. Particular thanks as well, to Fergus O’Loughlin, our ride leader, who created such a terrific loop for us to enjoy.
Dig Day
Bike club members should look out for details of our Easter holiday trail building day, designed to prepare our North Woods trails for the resumption Thursday bike club after Easter. Any support is very much welcomed and a participation form and date will be emailed to all very shortly.
Coasteering and climbing Trip
There are just a couple of places still available for our trip to Swanage in June. Please complete the online form if you’d like your child to take part (Uppers – Year 11). The letter can be found in the Notices Section of this week's newsletter
https://forms.gle/E2gASycCSHK6HXKy8
Mark Philips Adventure Sports Coordinator
Year 7 and 8 Hampshire Schools Cross Country
On Tuesday, three cross country students set off from Ditcham in miserable conditions picturing a very wet and damp run. However, once arriving in Basingstoke we were pleasantly surprised to be greeted with some welcome sunshine. Sophie P-H, Mackenzie G and Max J were all representing the South East District against the best runners in Hampshire. Sophie, Mackenzie and Max ran extremely well and did Ditcham proud by giving their best right to the finish line - well done.
U11 Hockey Tournament @ Churcher's
On Wednesday, 8 girls travelled to Churcher's Senior School to take part in a very competitive hockey fixture. The girls were in the A stream which meant having a goalie and playing short corners, which was a new experience for some of the girls. They all played extremely well, had fun and learnt lots for future games - well done girls.
U9 Hockey vs Portsmouth High School
On Thursday, 12 girls travelled to HMS Tamarie to play a friendly fixture against PHS. For some of the girls, this was their first competitive hockey fixture due to recent cancellations thanks to the British weather! Both teams played really well with one team narrowly missing out on a draw in the last moments of the game. Well done to all the girls.
Miss SmallU10 Rugby V St Hilary's
On Wednesday the u10 rugby teams travelled play St Hilary's in what turned out to be two brilliant rugby matches. In the A game the early exchanges were very even however Leo H and Danny M ran over and put Ditcham on top. This opened the floodgates and every player on the team managed to score. The offloading game at times was unstoppable and it was great to watch. The final score was 55-25 to Ditcham. Player of the match for the second week running was Leo H, great job.
In the other game it was another high scoring match and Ditcham dominated throughout. The boys were particularly strong at the break down led by Alex MC who won a lot of ball. It was a great game and the boys won 50-30. The main try scorer being Archie C
Well done to all the boys for a really successful afternoon.
Many thanks for Mr Fairhead for the photos!
Mr Walton
Notices and Events
GCSE EXAM INVIGILATION 2025
At Ditcham Park School we are looking for temporary help from parents to act as scribes and readers for candidates sitting their external exams in the GCSE June 2024 Exam Series. The provision of a scribe/reader and the support that provides is an arrangement that the candidates have been awarded in accordance with the Equalities Act 2010.
The role will require you to either type or handwrite the candidate’s responses as part of their formal examinations as well as reading for them as and when required. Full training will be provided by the Exams Officer and the Head of Learning Support (Seniors) in preparation for the role. Previous experience of scribing/reading is not required; however, this would be an advantage. You would also not need any specific typing or shorthand qualifications although a certain level of keyboard proficiency would be useful. We will also apply for all your DBS checks and so it is not necessary to have a DBS certificate already in place.
The GCSE exams begin on 9th May 2024 and run until the 19th June 2024. However, each candidate will not have an exam on every day of the series - detailed timetables will be available in due course. The exams start at 9:00am in the morning and at 1:30pm in the afternoon and so you would need to be available 30 minutes before the start time and for the entire duration of the exam which could last for anything from 1 hour 15m to 2 hours with the extra time provision on top of that and so the longest exam time is approximately 2hrs 30 minutes.
We would also require you to spend some time in school prior to the examinations to get to know the candidate you will be working with – this is so you will be in a better position to understand the requirements of the role and particularly the needs of the candidate.
You will need to have an empathetic nature in order to undertake this role and you will need to be flexible as the commitment will follow the individual candidate’s timetable and will not necessarily be a daily requirement.
It is vital that all guidelines and procedures for examinations are always adhered to as detailed in the guidance for Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration and in the Instructions for Conducting Examinations. As previously mentioned, full training will be provided.
If you are interested and would like to be part of the team, then please email Gill Davies,
the Exams Officer on gill.davies@ditchampark.com
Details of the hourly rates are available from Gill Davies on request.
Climbing and Coasteering Trip - Sunday 23rd June
Exciting news! There will be a trip to the limestone cliffs of the Jurassic coast on Sunday 23rd June. The trip is open to all pupils from Uppers to Year 11, but I will have a maximum of twelve places available.
Our intention is to enjoy a climbing session in the morning followed by coasteering in the afternoon, although the exact nature of the sessions is weather dependent.
Coasteering, for those of you not certain, is a combination swimming, jumping, cave exploring, scrambling and swell surfing. It is exceptionally good fun! The water will still be cool in June but good quality wetsuits are provided.
Our Provider for these activities is a company called Land and Wave. They are holders of the relevant licences for outdoor provision to young people from AALA and the HSE.
The precise details of the trip will be confirmed once we have a clear sense of numbers but are unlikely to change much from these:
• Leave Ditcham Park at 6:30am in the school minibus on 23rd June
• Return at approx. 7:00pm on the same day.
• A maximum group of twelve pupils from any year group from Uppers and Seniors
• Cost of approximately £55 per person
• Packed lunch and snacks to be provided by parents
• Kit list to be provided but no specialist equipment required.
We will look to take numbers from across the age range, and if over-subscribed we will resort to the time -honoured solution of pulling names from a hat.
Please complete this short form if you would like your child to take part.
Mark Philips Adventure Sports Coordinator
Music Music Music!!
We have a lot of events coming up over the next few weeks. Please come along and support our students and enjoy the fruits of their labours.
• Thursday 14th March - ABRSM practical exams ALL DAY in Solent Suite
• Monday 18th March - Petersfield Musical Festival Youth Concert #1 7.00pm (Petersfield Festival Hall) featuring Uppers Junior pupils and senior musicians - book tickets here:
https://petersfieldmusicalfestival.org.uk/event/youth-concert-1-2/
• Wednesday 20th March - Petersfield Musical Festival Youth Concert #2 7.00pm (Petersfield Festival Hall) featuring Uppers Junior pupils and senior musicians - book tickets here:
https://petersfieldmusicalfestival.org.uk/event/youth-concert-2-2/
Easter Tennis Camp
Bookings are now live for our Easter Tennis Camp! Secure your child's place now to avoid disappointment as places are limited.
Book your place here!
CM Sports Activity camps for Easter
CM Sports, our After School Care provider will be running some camps and activities throughout the Easter holiday. Camps are available for children aged 5-14 (inclusive) and will have a range of different activities to keep them entertained throughout the day. Places are limited, so please do secure your place or places as soon as possible.
To book a place for your child, use their on-line booking tool
Roll Up! Roll Up! Its Charities week soon!
Get ready for an unforgettable week as we gear up for our annual Seniors Charities Week! From March 18th to 22nd, we're bringing you a line-up of exciting events and activities, all aimed at supporting our house charities and making a positive impact.
Join in the Fun:
Sports Challenges: Kick off the week with high-energy sports challenges during mini-lessons. Hosted by our enthusiastic Heads of Houses, these events offer a chance for every pupil to participate while contributing to a great cause. A small donation is all it takes to get in on the action, and there are House Points and prizes up for grabs for the winners!
Great Ditcham Bake-Off: Show off your baking prowess on Wednesday, March 20th, in our highly anticipated Great Ditcham Bake-Off! Our expert judges, resident chef Chris, and pastry chef Abbey, will taste-test the entries. Remember to label your creations with your name and tutor group before placing them in the large hall in the morning. After judging, we'll serve up the delicious treats in the afternoon for donations to charity. Please note: We are a nut-free school, so be mindful of ingredients. Allergy-friendly alternatives like gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free options are encouraged!
'Sponge the Teacher' Event: Get ready for some hilarious fun on Wednesday afternoon as we host our annual 'sponge the teacher' event! Bring your spare change and don't hold back let's make sure no teacher leaves dry!
Charities Fete: Thursday is your chance to shine with a non-uniform day for a minimum £1 donation. In the afternoon, each tutor group will run a stall at our annual charities fete. From games to prizes, there's something for everyone to enjoy!
Tuck Shop: Don't forget to swing by the tuck shop, manned by our dedicated house captains and student volunteers, during break and lunchtime. Treat yourself while supporting a worthy cause! Your support makes a difference, so let's come together and make Seniors Charities Week '24 a resounding success! Thank you for your generosity and enthusiasm.
