Hallfield Focus | Issue 2 | Jul 2022

ISSUE 2 JUL 2022

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

AN ASTRONAUT LANDS AT HALLFIELD LEADERS ON THE UK CHESS CIRCUIT SENIOR SCHOOL SUCCESS

A FLOURISHING YEAR FOR PERFORMING ARTS

Happy, Secure, Purposeful.

From the Head Master

What a year it’s been! The magnificent Great Hall at the University of Birmingham –our Speech Day venue - was the perfect place to celebrate the great things our pupils have achieved and look back over a very successful year.

We have expanded the curriculum, introduced Hallfield Enrichment, and reviewed what we teach and how we teach it, balancing the acquisition of skills and knowledge, to enable our pupils to develop intellectual curiosity and a creative mindset.

We have seen an incredible growth in music, not just in the curriculum, but an increase in the number and variety of instruments played: we have 284 pupils learning 15 different instruments!

Our drama department blooms with creativity both within the curriculum and in the fabulous productions being staged.

Hallfield Sport goes from strength to strength with both staff and pupils delighting in the return of fixtures and House competitions. The number of pupils involved in matches continues to grow, we have seen the popular growth of girls’ cricket and the introduction of many more co-educational fixtures.

We have all enjoyed using our newly equipped Food Technology suite. We’re very fortunate to have enjoyed lessons from the development chef at the Michelin starred restaurant, Simpsons.

In the Spring Term, we relocated our dining room, enabling the creation of three outstanding new foundation classrooms, offices, a kitchen, and access for our 3–4-year-olds to the learning opportunities of the nursery garden.

We have been thrilled to welcome many wonderful visitors to school – Hallfield pupils aren’t phased to see sights such as an astronaut in NASA uniform, an army captain in combat dress or a high court judge adorned with robes and a wig walking through the corridors! These inspiring individuals, amongst many others, gave up their time to give careers talks to older Prep and Senior pupils, and some also presented at Hallfield Insights – our new evening talks series in which we’ve enjoyed hearing unique perspectives into different areas of expertise.

This issue of Hallfield Focus is absolutely jam packed with photos and articles that really do showcase the unique education we offer. I hope you enjoy reading it and wish you a restful summer. I think we all need to recharge as much as we can over the holidays as I get the feeling we have another busy year ahead!

“I’VE GOT A GOLDEN TICKET…”

Well done to all the Golden Ticket winners from the last six months! Children are awarded a Golden Ticket for demonstrating good behaviour, compassion and hard work. The winners thoroughly enjoyed their lunches with Mr Morrow and were delighted to receive their special pencils to commemorate the occasion.

The final group of winners for the year got an extra special treat with a visit from an ice cream van and a yummy Mr Whippy!

THE WONDER OF WRITING

Over 100 pupils across the country entered the Sir Philip Sydney Writing Competition and we are delighted that Aleena (Year 5), Yuvraj and Andrew (Year 6), were three of the 19 children shortlisted for the finals. In the competition, which was organised by Shrewsbury School, Aleena and Yuvraj achieved highly commended and Andrew received the runner-up prize for Year 6 –congratulations to all three!

QUIZ CLUB SEMI-FINALS

Both of our Year 6 maths teams performed brilliantly in the virtual Quiz Club semi-finals, finishing in the top half of the leader board but narrowly missing out on a spot in the final, where they would have competed in person. They had a great sense of team spirit and should be proud of themselves for making it this far.

POETRY WORTHY OF A BLUE PETER BADGE

Congratulations to Amber (Year 1) who has been awarded a Blue Peter badge for poetry.

YEAR 4 LAMDA EXAM SUCCESS

Congratulations to Rohan, Mani, Parvaan and Henry (Year 4) for passing their LAMDA exams! These exams help children develop important life skills such as clear communication, confidence and improved self-expression. All of which prepare pupils for day-to-day interactions with their peers, family members, teachers and – eventually – will also help support their presentation and interview skills.

MUSICAL SUCCESS FOR HANDUO

Judges at the Dudley Festival of Music, Drama and Dance 2022 applauded Year 2 pupil, Handuo’s, speed and control when he participated in the Grade 3 Piano Solo Open. The youngest in his group, he secured second place out of 17 competitors and next time is striving for first place! Well done Handuo!

PRIMARY MATHS CHALLENGE

Six Hallfield students calculated their way to success at the Primary Maths Challenge earlier this term, which involves tackling a challenging set of problems aimed at more able, young mathematicians across the UK.

Aran, Aamina, Vedaant, Taha, Farhaan and Yuvraj represented the school, and they not only qualified for the Primary Maths Challenge Bonus Round (which typically less than 5% of pupils across the UK qualify for) but then achieved impressive scores on the Bonus Round to receive bronze and silver certificates in recognition of their significant mathematical problem-solving skills.

Well done to everyone for an impressive achievement!

MENSA SUCCESS

Congratulations to Yuvraj (Year 6) who has been accepted into Mensa, the world's oldest and largest High IQ society! Yuvraj's IQ scores were in the top 1% and 2% of the population, respectively, when he was tested. We look forward to hearing more about his experiences within the society.

DIAH REPRESENTS ENGLAND IN GREECE

We were incredibly proud to see Year 5 pupil Diah fly out to Greece to represent Hallfield and her country in the European School Chess Championship and World Cadet and Youth Rapid & Blitz Championship. Here, she tells us about her experience.

It was 20th April 2022 at 5:45 am – the day I had been eagerly waiting for. We were at the Birmingham Airport airline check-in desk. The friendly lady at the desk said to me, “That is a nice hoodie!” I think she was possibly able to see the excitement on my face. “Thank you, this is my England squad hoodie. I’m going to Greece for my first international chess tournament to play for England!” I enthusiastically replied. I had been eagerly counting down the days since finding out that I would be going to Greece as a part of the England Junior Chess Squad.

Shortly before landing at Rhodes airport, the flight captain made an announcement, “We have a 10-year-old passenger on the flight who is on her way to Greece to represent England for her very first chess tournament. We would like to take this opportunity to wish her the best of luck. Everyone at TUI will be cheering for yours and team England’s success.” This was followed by loud cheering from everyone on the flight. Both me and my mummy were taken by surprise. This made me realise ›

SECOND PLACE SUCCESS

Year 5 pupils did Hallfield proud, frantically working out lots of tricky mathematical problems, leading to an impressive second place overall in the KES Maths Challenge. Huge congratulations to the four pupils selected.

that I have a greater responsibility to give my best, as this time I’m not just playing for myself but for my country, and for all the people who have supported me in my chess journey so far.

The resort was full of chess players from various countries and before I knew it, I was already talking to a group of players from Poland. My first game was going to be on a live board which had no notations. I felt very nervous as I had never played on a board without notations before. Over the next few days, the nervousness was replaced by the excitement of playing with some of the top players from around the world. As warned by Mr Thomas, the standard of play was very strong compared to what I have played in the UK. My best game was against a top of the board, well experienced, Turkish player. That game lasted for almost 3.5 hours.

Before starting each round, players exchanged gifts that they had brought from their countries. I had taken UK’s famous Red Bus keyrings. I made some friends with whom I would go for a swim at the beach after the games. I went for long walks almost every morning with my mummy. It helped me calm down before the games.

The England team finished second overall against 331 players from 40 countries – this was the best result for England’s junior chess team so far. I finished joint 7th place. It was a goose-bump moment when England won 2nd prize and an experience that I’ll treasure for years to come.

BORCHERDS SHIELD MATHS CHALLENGE

Year 4 pupils put their numerical skills to the test when they took part in the King Edwards School Borcherds Shield Maths Challenge, achieving an impressive third place spot! Matthew, Marcus, Ethan and Mark undertook a series of tasks including a maths relay and some number puzzles. They had a lesson with the Head of Maths at KES and a special visit from the author of ‘Murderous Maths’ – Kjartan Poskitt – who inspired the boys with maths magic. Congratulations for working so hard throughout the day!

HALLFIELD SCHOOL CELEBRATES THE QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE

On Friday 20 May, Hallfield School came together to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The energy was palpable as the children arrived at Hallfield adorned in red, white and blue. Handmade bunting, balloons and flags were unmissable and got everyone in a jubilant mood right at the start of the day!

Celebrations commenced with an assembly from the Head Master, Mr Morrow who took the children through a potted history of the Queen’s life to emphasise the significance of the occasion in that the Queen is the first British Monarch to celebrate 70 years of service. At the end of the assembly, the children gasped with delight, as they were shown Hallfield’s commemorative bear, which they were all going to receive as a keepsake from the school.

Shortly after assembly the whole school crowded around the flagpole for a commemorative flag raising ceremony led by Mr Morrow. Mr Morrow proudly hoisted the Union Jack flag into the air, whilst the children prepared to sing the national anthem. All the children from as young as 4 years old sang beautifully!

The day was jam packed with activities from biscuit making, to old-fashioned sports and learning a traditional tea dance. A photo booth was set up so the children could take a photo with Her Majesty The Queen herself.

One of the highlights of the day had to be the spectacular Jubilee lunch. A display of desserts fit for a Queen captured the hearts and stomachs of everyone! There was a tiered gateau filled with cream and decorated with fresh fruit in the shape of a Union Jack, trifles and sponges – almost too pretty to eat. The smell of the BBQ heightened the party spirit as the children enjoyed their burgers and hot dogs!

There is no question the children and staff thoroughly enjoyed themselves and hopefully, will keep the memory of Hallfield’s Platinum Jubilee celebration in their hearts and minds for many years to come.

A ROYAL OCCASION

On Wednesday 11 May, Mr & Mrs Morrow were guests of Her Majesty The Queen at a Royal Garden Party in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Unfortunately, Her Majesty was not in attendance, but The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and The Princess Royal dutifully stepped in to host on her behalf.

Mr Morrow received his surprise invitation back in February via email for “Services to Education”, although he originally thought it was a spam email until the official invitation arrived later in the post from Buckingham Palace!

PLANT A TREE FOR THE JUBILEE

Thank you to Holroyd Howe for gifting us two trees to plant as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. Prep pupils enjoyed planting our Crab Apple (Malus Sylvestria) and Wild Pear (Pyrus Communia) fruit trees as part of our extended Jubilee celebrations!

AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR CELEBRATES OPENING OF NEW FOUNDATION BUILDING WITH PUPILS

On Monday 13th June 2022, award-winning children’s author and illustrator, Hannah Shaw, came to Hallfield School to open our brand-new Foundation Building for pre-school children aged three to four. As part of her visit, she ran a series of workshops based on her books Unipiggle and The Disgusting Sandwich, with children from Foundation through to Year 3.

The day commenced with Hannah leading a workshop assembly with Years 1, 2 and 3 on her award-winning book, Unipiggle. It was wonderful to see the children listening carefully and giggling at the story as Hannah read extracts from her book. Vithikarani and Lucas were crowned Queen Bee and King Barry to hand out orders to the kingdom and play the ukulele. The children especially enjoyed joining in with some tongue-twisting riddles to make magic and turn a pencil into chocolate!

all-important red ribbon, and officially open the Foundation Building! The Foundation Building is a purpose-built space for pre-schoolers aged three to four, and features three state of the art classrooms.

As part of the assembly, the children were given a short masterclass in illustration and shown how to draw the protagonist character from Unipiggle. The children did a fabulous job and delighted in seeing the likeness of their drawings to Hannah’s leading character.

THE GRAND OPENING

Following a rather energetic start to the day, some Foundation children joined Hannah to cut the

The bright and airy rooms feature all the latest equipment and learning tools to support children on their EYFS learning journey. Dividing walls means they can be turned into one unified space for free-flow play. The Foundation Building also features a brand-new kitchen, which is used for baking, washroom facilities and a vast outdoor space that can be used all year round, whatever the weather.

DISGUSTING SANDWICH ANYONE?

The day continued as Hannah proceeded to visit each of the three new Foundation classrooms where she read The Disgusting Sandwich, followed by the children creating their very own disgusting sandwiches. The children had great fun stuffing bread with leaves, sticks and playdough bugs!

“Oink oink, muddy sock, turn this pencil into choc!”

Later in the day, Reception children created their very own park using a giant sheet of green paper, cutting out animals, drawing their own characters and creating speech bubbles to bring the scene to life. The children loved collaborating with one another and getting creative in dreaming up a park together.

A VIP LUNCH

Golden Ticket winners that week were in for a surprise when they not only got to enjoy a special lunch but were also joined by Hannah.

At the end of the day, a group of Hannah Shaw fans had the special opportunity to have a roundtable Q&A with her, talk about her books and life as an author and illustrator and get their copies signed. The children came prepared with lots of questions, were really engaged in conversation and conducted themselves in a very mature manner.

On the day, Hannah commented: “I loved meeting these inquisitive and keen young learners! My highlight of the day was interacting with the Foundation children, they were a delight.”

A huge thank you to Hannah Shaw for being part of a very memorable day at Hallfield!

If you would like more information about our Foundation offering, please get in touch with: admissions@hallfieldschool.co.uk. We are still accepting applications for September 2022.

REMEMBERING AARIYA

On Monday 6 June, Year 4 pupils came together to celebrate the life of Aariya by enjoying the memorial garden that was created in her honour. Aariya was a beautiful little girl, who tragically died last year. Six of Aariya’s friends and her brother Joshan let off seven red balloons, each one signifying a year of her life. The warm and reflective occasion continued as the children explored the garden featuring many of Aariya’s favourite things, including rainbows, art and a slide. The space provides a quiet and relaxing area for children to reflect, form friendships and play. From outdoor instruments and flowers, to sensory paths, a gazebo and bird feeders, the garden is a space like no other in the school, promoting a sense of calm and happiness that Hallfield children can continue to enjoy for many years to come.

HALLFIELD SPEECH AND PRIZE GIVING DAY 2022

On Wednesday 6 July 2022, Hallfield School held its annual Speech and Prize Giving Day to celebrate the end of another successful year at Hallfield, the wonderful achievements of pupils across the school and to say farewell to our Year 6 – and for the first time, Year 8 –leavers.

The event was at the impressive Great Hall at the University of Birmingham. This historical, Grade II-listed building provided the perfect backdrop to welcome pupils, parents, teachers and governors to mark the memorable occasion.

Everyone entered the hall to a jazz style rendition of Fly Me to the Moon. This was followed by a medley of space themed songs, beautifully sung by all children from Year 1 to Year 8. These songs were chosen as a nod to our Guest of Honour, astronaut Dr Robert Thirsk.

The opening remark and introduction was from Vice Chair of Governors, Mrs Sharon Stotts. As we go about our busy lives, she reminded parents to protect the next hour and take the time to sit back, enjoy and absorb the atmosphere.

Head Master Keith Morrow followed with a reflective address that looked back on everything that had been achieved at Hallfield over the last year. From the opening of new facilities such as The Creative Cottage and Foundation Building, our partnership with Simpsons Restaurant; to our Hallfield Insights event series. There were so many fond moments, such as drama productions, music recitals, schools trips in the UK and abroad - it’s hard to believe so many things were packed into a single school year!

He concluded with a heartening message: “Enjoy your successes as well as your ambitions and remember - the world is a wonderful place.”

Riyaan Haq (Head Boy), Elizabeth Webster (Head Girl), Aryan Parmar (Deputy Head Boy) and Isha Hejmadi (Deputy Head Girl) all did an incredible job of sharing their experiences and memories from their time at Hallfield. It was touching to see how impactful it had been on their future trajectories.

Aryan said: “The opportunities and activities I have been given at Hallfield School have been phenomenal. Hallfield has shaped me as a person. I have been exposed to amazing teachers and I have made so many friends, all of whom have influenced me in a positive way.”

Isha said: “It’s my final year of Prep that I will cherish forever. I would like to thank all the teachers who have selflessly planned fun lessons for us to enjoy. We appreciate the hard work that the teachers put in to

organise the memorable school events, which will remain with us. As we move on to the next chapter of our lives these lessons will have played a big part in our thinking and how we look at the world around us.”

Dr Robert Thirsk was the final address ahead of prize giving. We were so lucky to have him. As Vice Chair of Governors, Mrs Sharon Stotts pointed out, 6 billion people live on the planet and only 600 have ever gone into space, so to be in the presence of an astronaut is quite extraordinary.

Dr Bob’s speech was full of inspiration as he shared his story of how he first wanted to become an astronaut at just 8 years old, to the characteristics and skills needed to turn that dream into a reality. He then shared what he believes are the three characteristics needed when in pursuit of a successful career:

1. Choose a profession you’re good at

2. Choose a profession you enjoy

3. Work to make the world a better place

He then concluded with how he believes the next generation are likely to find a cure for cancer and land on Mars and how he hopes his contributions throughout his career have paved the way for that kind of progress in the world.

Finally, prizes were given to individuals across the school. A sea of proud faces swept the room and the children looked overjoyed at their own achievements and those of their peers.

We wish all our leavers the very best of luck as they go on to their next venture. You have made Hallfield extremely proud and we hope you take with you a lifetime of memories.

House Captains 2022 - 2023

House Captain: Zichen Hong

House Captain: Aleena Nazir

House Captain: Sophia Aslam

Community 2022

Presentation of The Kathryn Cartwright Community Spirit Award

House Captain: Aryan-Sebastian Barry

Head Boys and Girls 2022 - 2023

Head Boy: Jama Iman

Head Girl: Japmeh Gujral

Deputy Head Boy: Edward Bryan

Deputy Head Girl: Diah Patel

The Kathryn Cartwright Community Spirit Cup has been presented to the school in memory of Kathryn Cartwright (Old Hallfieldian 1997-2002) by her parents. The Cup is awarded annually in recognition of the pupil who has demonstrated the most community spirit in their support for others and good causes.

Abbas Rizvi

Presentation of the Allday Cup and Derry Bowl

The Allday Cup was presented to the School by the parents of Stanley Owen Allday. He attended Hallfield from 1906—1911 and later died in action in France 1915. The original cup, which was first awarded in 1917, is now permanently displayed in the Entrance Hall. The Allday Cup is presented to the boy chosen by his ‘comrades’ as the best sportsman in the School. This person is not necessarily the best performer at sports, since the Trust Deed requires the boys to choose one who ‘plays his games with fairness, courage and good fellowship’.

The Derry Bowl was presented to the School by the parents of the first girl at Hallfield in 1995, Amelia Derry. This is presented annually to the girl chosen by her peers for her good sportsmanship and encouragement to others.

Farhaan Pasha - Allday Cup

Isha Hejmadi - The Derry Bowl

Head Master’s Award 2022

The Head Master’s Award is for all round outstanding contribution to the life of Hallfield School.

Riyaan Haq

A CELEBRATION OF LONG SERVICE

We are proud of the commitment and dedication of our wonderful staff, some of whom have been working with us for a very long time.

At our annual staff BBQ, Mr Morrow had the pleasure of presenting a number of Long Service Awards to our staff to thank them for their continued support.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:

John Dury – longest-serving member of staff – 32 years

Di Colley – 26 years

Eve Kirby – 26 years

Dani Woolley – 25 years

Julie Moore – 23 years

Dan Mulholland – 17 years

Claire Neville – 17 years

Hayley O’Hara – 17 years

Michelle Horner – 15 years

Sarah Linekar – 14 years

Sarah Rafiq – 13 years

Geraldine Thompson – 13 years

Alison Gilmartin – 12 years

Rupinder Bansal – 12 years

Heidi Finnegan – 11 years

Bib-Maria Khanom – 10 years

Maro Cooke – 10 years

YEAR 6 AND HALLFIELDSENIORS’ FRENCH EXPERIENCE

Year 6 and Senior pupils waved bon voyage as they set off on their residential trip to Normandy, France. The children arrived at their accommodation, the picturesque Chateau du Broutel on Monday evening where they enjoyed a French supper together, before settling into their rooms and relaxing for a busy week ahead.

On Tuesday after breakfast, the pupils got off to a dreamy start by heading to the nearby beach. The children had great fun playing ball games, paddling and burying each other in the sand. As if the day could not get any better, a visit to the local sweet shop was next on the itinerary. The enchanting sweet shop was full of colour and delight, decorated with jars of traditional and modern confectionary. The children practiced their language skills and watched a demonstration on sweet making, followed by a Q&A in French.

After an eventful morning, the children headed to a cow farm where they were educated on different types of cows, their purpose on the farm and the products they help to produce. After the tour, pupils made their very own butter in the beautiful weather outside.

Wednesday started with authentic French pastries for their petit dejeuner. This much-needed sustenance set the children up for a day at Go Ape. The weather was glorious as the children took on challenges in the dizzying heights of the treetops and rope bridges. They worked incredibly well together, encouraging their teammates and offering support to complete the adrenalin-inducing obstacles.

Thursday really was the “pièce de résistance” of the trip! The group travelled to Le Touquet in the morning where everyone thoroughly enjoyed the local market experience. There was a huge range of goods and products available to buy and the pupils really rose to the challenge of using their French language skills to purchase souvenirs, snacks and drinks. Mrs Murray-Smith, Head of Modern Foreign

Languages was incredibly proud of the children for making the most of the opportunity to practice.

Lunch was enjoyed on the beach as the glorious weather continued, and all the children were treated to ice cream. In the afternoon, everyone headed to a snail farm that produces over 200,000 snails every year. They learned about the process of farming snails and all the work that goes into maintaining the farm. Finally, everyone got to experience some authentic treats at the farm and a lot of pupils are now big fans of eating snails!

Everyone was very sad to leave the Château, but the children will take home some wonderful memories. They were also very excited to see their families and share their personal anecdotes of their French experience.

YEAR 3 2022 RESIDENTIAL TRIP TO THE BRECON BEACONS

On Wednesday 4 May, a very excited Year 3 set off by coach for the beautiful Brecon Beacons where they were going to be staying for their first-ever residential trip. This was held in the lakeside setting of Acorn Adventure, in the village of Llangorse. As the coach entered the region, children could be overheard exclaiming, ‘Look at the mountains!’ It was already clear they were going to get a lot from their time away!

Throughout their time, the children followed a rotation of exciting activities in their different groups. There was canoeing and kayaking in the shallows of the lake, climbing on an on-site artificial climbing wall, a mini introduction to ‘caving’ through some man-made overground tunnels, a ‘night line’ exercise in blind-folded teamwork, a tug-of-war and even some ‘axe throwing’!

The children were fantastic in their participation: fears were overcome, as was some occasional homesickness; perseverance and enjoyment shone through by the bucket load.

Even during the transport problems that arose on the final day, the children never grumbled and simply got on with their extra activities and, finally, the journey home. Hearing the buzz and stories as they were reunited with their parents was just one indication of how worthwhile and enriching the whole trip had been.

Well done, Year 3!

ADVENTURES IN THE BIG SMOKE

The annual residential trip to London was once again a huge hit with Hallfield pupils! The 4-day trip was jam packed with a visit to the V&A, Natural History Museum, Madame Tussaud’s, St Paul’s Cathedral, a boat ride on the Thames, Matilda The Musical and more. The pupils were a credit to the school, demonstrating excellent behaviour throughout and we were very proud of them!

YEAR 4 RESIDENTIAL

Year 4 had a fantastic week in Cranedale, taking part in endless activities such as pond dipping, bird watching, orienteering and river studies, to name just a few.

YEAR 5 RESIDENTIAL

Year 5 made a splash in Ullswater, spending a week canoeing, kayaking, open water swimming, rock climbing, gorge walking and much more.

YEAR 4 “ROCK” THEIR STEM TRIP

As part of their current study on our dynamic earth and the rock cycle, Year 4 pupils went on a STEM excursion to the Peak District.

They were blessed with perfect weather for a five-mile trip in the Dovedale Valley, where they discovered evidence of U and V-shaped valleys.

Pupils also learned about cave systems and freshwater springs, crossed rivers to see erosion and transportation, and even climbed a small mountain!

It was a fantastic day out, well done to Year 4.

CODE BREAKING AT BLETCHLEY PARK

As part of this term's STEM curriculum, Year 6 pupils visited Bletchley Park. Pupils had a tour of the grounds, learned about its history and practised some code breaking of their own.

A CHOCTASTIC DAY OUT

Year 4 visited Cadbury World and learned all about the rich heritage of the brand, the history of chocolate making, and of course enjoyed sampling a few of the products!

MALVERN COLLEGE GEOGRAPHY TRIP

Earlier this term, current and prospective HallfieldSeniors from our Year 6 cohort travelled to Malvern College for a Geography Day. Expert Geographer and Volcanologist, Mr David Edwards, delivered two captivating talks on Montserrat – Surviving the Volcano and Iceland and Plate Tectonics.

Pupils also entered a competition, designing a poster on a natural hazard of their choice. Kayshan, Krish and Leo won first, second and third place respectively for their posters on Sinkholes, Tsunamis and multiple natural hazards. Well done to our winners!

FUN AT THE FARM

Foundation pupils had a fantastic day out at Ash End Farm enjoying tractor rides through the fields, visiting the birds of prey, and feeding the sheep and ducks!

A VISIT TO HATTON COUNTRY WORLD

Year 3 students were lucky enough to visit Hatton Country World and had a fabulous time! The weather was superb and pupils enjoyed tractor rides, goat feeding, guinea pig cuddles, a session in the “Scales and Tails” area - where the children met and held some snakes - exploring and much more.

RECEPTION VISIT ASH END FARM

Reception pupils had a fantastic time at Ash End Farm! The children spent the day meeting the animals, enjoying a very bumpy tractor ride and exploring the farm.

YEARS 1 AND 2 VISIT THE NATIONAL ADVENTURE FARM

Years 1 and 2 had a fabulous day at the National Adventure Farm! The children enjoyed a group tractor ride around the farm, meeting the animals including cows, ducks, chickens and ponies, and playing in the multitude of indoor and outdoor play areas.

Chess is thriving at Hallfield with well over 150 children taking part each week this year and club membership is set to rise, with over 180 applications to join the nine, weekly chess clubs from September 2022. There is no doubt that these are record-breaking numbers but success on the national stage also requires close collaboration between the school, the parents, the chess coaches and – most importantly – the players themselves. Take a look at the winners of national school chess competitions over the past few decades and you will almost exclusively find a list of highly prestigious southernbased schools such as King’s College, The Hall, Westminster Under, Haberdashers’ Aske’s, Wetherby and Twickenham Prep. Breaking into the chess elite requires hard work and dedication but luckily, our brilliant players have that in abundance. Hallfield is now widely regarded as one of the strongest schools of chess excellence in the country and certainly the best outside of the M25.

The clubs are run by FIDE Chess Master and former British U21 Chess Champion, Nick Thomas, who is aided by the English Chess Federation’s Director of Junior Chess Alex Holowczak. Approximately one-third of the Warwickshire County chess teams are Hallfield players and we are the current IAPS U11 and U13 Team Chess Champions, a title we have held continuously since 2018. In recent years, we have been English Chess Federation U11 team champions and each year one or more Hallfield players represent England at European or World Junior Chess events with success.

“Chess is fun but it’s also far more than that,” says Nick Thomas who has played internationally in many parts of the world including the USA and Russia. “Research has indicated an increase in IQ, an improvement in focus, better problem-solving skills and, crucially, better social skills and improvements in winning and losing with grace, something younger children often find challenging”.

Anyone wishing to play chess at Hallfield should contact the school office, who will pass on your details to Mr Thomas. Chess provision starts in Year 1 and continues all the way to Year 8.

CHESS SUCCESS AT HALLFIELD 2022

1. Saturday 12th March – Warwickshire win U11 Northern County Team Championship with 5/12 players from Hallfield School

2. Wednesday 23rd March – KES Blitz Chess Tournament, Hallfield players come 1st & 2nd

3. Thursday 31st March & Friday 1st April – IAPS Chess Championships, Hallfield win the Team U11 and Team U13 titles and come 1st & 2nd in the Individual event

4. Warwickshire Junior Team League – Hallfield enter 3 teams and come 1st in Division 1 (A Team) and 1st & 2nd in Division 2 (B & C Teams)

Player of the year 2021/2022 (Joint Winners)

Kai Miller (Year 6) & Farhaan Pasha (Year 6).

KRISH

"I love chess because I like playing rapid games"

DIAH

"I like chess because I get to use my brain"

FARHAAN

"I like chess because it is a very tactical game where anything can happen"

KAI

" I like chess because I love the thrill of finding the best moves"

MARK

" I like chess because it’s relaxing"

PREESH

" I like chess because it is fun, interesting and it’s also a challenge"

MATTHEW

"I like chess because you can win lots of medals and trophies"

HAMZAH

"I like chess because I enjoy beating people in competitions"

DYLAN

"I like chess because it teaches me how to focus, it is an interesting game and it can help you in the future with strategy and problem-solving"

ROHAN

" I like chess because I like beating people and having a victory"

AARAV

"I want to beat Mr Thomas one day"

AYANSH

" I like chess because I like to have a challenge against better people"

SIMPSONS’ SUMMER SPECTACULAR

We are delighted to have welcomed back the team at Simpsons Restaurant and their cookery school, Eureka Kitchen, to run a programme of culinary lessons with HallfieldPrep and HallfieldSeniors throughout the summer term.

Rachel Tokitsu, a rising star in the culinary world put together the programme of classes, each themed around recipes that are fun, tasty and could be made at home.

• To kick off the summer program Year 3 enjoyed a food discovery and sensory session: children were taken on a journey of discovery through different tastes and textures.

• Year 4 enjoyed making strawberry cheesecake before planting their own strawberry plants to grow at home, teaching children about the journey from garden to plate and developing an appreciation for the environment.

• Year 5 enjoyed making strawberry tarts before planting their own strawberry plants to grow at home. The end results looked delicious, we hope the children enjoyed eating them that evening!

• Year 6 pupils enjoyed making (and eating) delicious ice cream sandwiches.

HallfieldSeniors had an extra special session where parents were invited for a “Fish & Chip Supper”. The pupils learned to fillet a fish and make a classic takeaway dish with a Michelin twist - spiralised potato was wrapped around succulent pieces of plaice. They can now make this popular takeaway dish at home –much healthier and tastier!

To conclude the terms sessions one group of children were specially selected to make delectable chocolates alongside Mr Morrow. Lots of fun was had with a delicious taste test at the end – the honeycomb was a firm favourite!

“It has been an honour to join Hallfield School during this term’s cookery lessons.

Seeing the pupils’ enthusiasm in the classes and watching their delight in seeing their finished dish was great. I particularly enjoyed the ‘Fish & Chip’ class and seeing the pupils proudly present the meal to their parents.

Thank you to everyone at Hallfield – pupils & teachers for making me feel so welcome.”

Emma White Reservations & Admin Manager, Simpsons

“It has been a wonderful experience being able to not only teach and share my passion but to see the students engaged and excited to learn about food. Hallfield has created an amazing food tech room that allows the students to learn about food and a very important life skill.”

Rachel Tokitsu Cookery School Teacher & Development Chef, Simpsons

ELOCUTION COMPETITION FINAL

After two weeks of intense first rounds and some very difficult decisions, the final of the Upper School Elocution Competition took place on Friday 24th June. The audience was treated to a wide range of poems, from comedy pieces by Brian Patten and Kenn Nesbitt, to rousing renditions of “A Football Game” by Alice Van Eck and “I am the People, the Mob” by Carl Sandburg. Our adjudicator, Naomi Lawrence, was hugely impressed by the calibre and poise of the finalists and described it as “an outstanding celebration of the spoken word”. Well done to everyone who took part!

LUNCHTIME CREATIVE WRITING CLUB

H allfield’s Creative Writing Club was launched at the start of the year for aspiring writers in Year 5, 6, 7, and 8.

The children were very lucky to be joined by children’s author Sarah Todd Taylor who gave a workshop on character writing. Members of the Creative Writing Club were treated to a reading from one of Ms Taylor’s famous 'Max the Detective Cat' novels, and took part in a Q&A.

CHINESE CULTURAL DAY

Year 5 participated in a Chinese Cultural Day run by the Confucius Institute at Coventry University. The children had a brilliant day and engaged well with all of the activities, participating in Calligraphy, Chinese Dance and Tai Chi workshops!

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT!

As part of their Hallfield Enrichment rotation, budding reporters in Year 3 and 4 have been learning some journalism basics. They studied newspaper layouts and language, as well as researching and creating their own news stories.

THE POWER OF EARTHQUAKES

Year 3 has been learning all there is to know about earthquakes. They investigated the causes; how people can protect themselves and what makes some buildings withstand an earthquake. With the knowledge gained, they designed and built models of a building that could survive an earthquake. Dr Wilkinson then tested the buildings on his makeshift shake table.

A PERFECT SYMPHONY

Earlier this term, Year 3 pupils experienced a live performance by one of the world’s best orchestras at the Symphony Hall.

The City of Birmingham’s Symphony Orchestra programme included works by well-known composers such as Sibelius and Dvořák and music from the world of film such as John Barry’s Out of Africa. BBC Radio 3 presenter Tom Redmond helped the audience listen out for particular sounds and instruments and even got pupils on their feet to do some conducting of their own!

TIMES TABLES TOURNAMENT

Prep and HallfieldSeniors pupils competed in fast and furious times tables tournaments for their respective houses. The quickest students from each house represented Ridgway, Pughe, Nowers and Stork for their year group to be crowned Times Tables Champion, earning vital points for their house in the process.

Congratulations to all who took part. Pupils enjoyed cheering in what proved to be an adrenaline-fuelled, fierce competition!

The overall results were as follows:

INSPIRED BY LOUIS PASTEUR

Year 6 pupils have been making (and in some cases baking) some exceptional animal and plant cells as part of their STEM topic on Louis Pasteur, a French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurisation.

Year 5 and 6 pupils were transported to a mystical Mediterranean island where they engaged actively in Shakespeare’s wonderful tale of treachery, power and forgiveness, The Tempest. The Young Shakespeare Company provided a mesmerising modern-day performance of one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known plays, whose main character Prospero, is said to have been based on the great Bard himself!

“BE NOT AFEARD; THE ISLE IS FULL OF NOISES”

1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place 4th Place

GETTING IN A SPIN

Year 5 pupils have been creating wonderful work in their Art lessons by experimenting with printing processes and techniques to create colourful pieces inspired by the spirals they see in nature.

A POP OF COLOUR

Year 4 enjoyed their project looking at pop artist, Michael Craig-Martin. They loved learning about the artist and drawing their favourite everyday objects in the colourful style of CraigMartin’s work.

PANCAKE DAY FUN

There was lots of pancake flipping in Food Tech for Shrove Tuesday!

STEM FAIR FUN

It was a busy month in April for the STEM Department! Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 pupils participated in the STEM Fair, where they had the opportunity to share their knowledge and creativity through various projects. They had a brilliant time sharing these with their peers and explaining them to the judges, who were blown away by the quality and quantity of the projects.

This was an excellent chance for pupils to expand learning beyond their usual STEM curriculum and display a mixture of excellent scientific and technological knowledge by carrying out investigations.

Isha - “It was fantastic!”

Olivia - “I thought it was amazing and really fun.”

Rohan - “It was really good.”

Aryan - “It was interesting to see all the experiments and entries.”

“This year’s STEM week showed incredible variety and ingenuity, with several projects being of secondary school standard. I was genuinely shocked by the sheer number of pupils that took part in this year’s STEM week and was very impressed by the pupil’s understanding and engagement during the whole event.”

– Dr Wilkinson, Head of STEM.

TAKING A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE…

Earlier this term, Foundation and Reception pupils saw their classrooms being taken over by animals. The children got to see and feel the animals close-up as part of an animal handling workshop, whilst learning interesting facts and stories about them; the Tarantula and Chinchilla were firm favourites!

All the children deserve a big well done; everyone was very brave and behaved excellently!

MUD ANYONE?

Foundation children have thoroughly enjoyed playing in the mud kitchen this term – getting lots of fresh air and serving up a healthy dose of dirty hands with a side order of worms!

A VISIT TO THE CREATIVE COTTAGE

Foundation pupils visited our Creative Cottage for the first time to check out some library books. The children were very excited and behaved brilliantly.

DIGESTING KNOWLEDGE

As part of a STEM project, Year 2 constructed models of the digestive system. Using a cardboard background, the children used a variety of craft materials to visualise the process, adding annotations to demonstrate their learning.

BUDDING MUSIC PRODUCERS

In Pre-Prep Music Technology, children learn what makes a successful piece of music by experimenting with sounds and composing on the iPads using Chrome Music Lab. Year 1 were also able to trial a new piece of equipment called a Soundbop, which helps them to visualize chords and experiment with different instrument sounds. Lots of fun was had!

TUNING IN EARLY

As part of our specialist curriculum in Foundation, pupils as young as 3 and 4 years old went to visit the music department and enjoyed a special cello and violin performance from Miss Muddiman and Mrs Edgar.

LEARNING A NEW TECHNIQUE

Pupils in 2DC had an exciting opportunity to work in the Prep Art classroom to create some wonderful prints of shells with Miss Harris. The pupils experienced new printing techniques and processes with some brilliant outcomes. Everyone enjoyed seeing their prints come to life.

WORLD BOOK DAY

Pupils enjoyed a day of reading focused activities whilst wearing costumes based on their favourite book characters to celebrate World Book Day. The day featured a hilarious hybrid of The Masked Singer, which contributed to our school brimming with smiles and laughter throughout the day.

A COLOURFUL EASTER BONNET PARADE

Pre-Prep pupils were invited to participate in an Easter Bonnet decorating competition. The bonnets were incredible – so much detail and creativity went into the entries that Mr Morrow struggled to choose only one winner per form. Well done to everyone who entered!

TEDDY BEAR PICNIC

To celebrate the end of the Summer Term, Foundation and Reception pupils enjoyed a Teddy Bear Picnic with their families. Pupils dined on finger sandwiches and a delicious array of cakes with their nearest and dearest. It was a lovely afternoon!

CAREERS INSPIRATION

We were lucky enough to have internationally renowned concert pianist, Di Xiao, and Rik Bryan, Director of the Bladder Cancer Research Centre, join us for a careers talk to Year 6 and HallfieldSeniors.

The pupils were captivated by Di’s musical journey and expressed a keen interest in the various facets of a professional musician, from worldwide travel to performing, and were amazed by the amount of practice necessary to perfect their craft.

Rik Bryan gave an insightful talk about his two careers in 25 years; after a skiing injury left him unable to perform surgery, he became a Cancer Scientist. The advancements in modern technology for science astounded the students, who left the session having learned that unforeseen hurdles may be overcome with a drive and passion to learn something new.

INSPIRING FUTURES

who delivered engaging career talks on Military Engineering and

Thank you to Adrian Holt and Hannah

The core message from the sessions was that there are infinite paths in life and to always look forward, as you are never ‘stuck’ in one career.

Dipal Patel, a senior actuary at Phoenix Group, shared her take on being an actuary, what it takes to become one and her career highlights to date.

Ricky Paul and Moritz Kebschull shared their experiences of working in Investment Banking, Dentistry and Academia.

Farrell

Physiotherapy.

GRAFFITI IN DIGBETH

HallfieldSeniors travelled to Digbeth’s Custard Factory for a graffiti workshop with GraffitiArtist.com. The trip was part of an introduction to their new project looking at street art and graffiti, learning about how to create street art and how to spray paint. Pupils created their canvases, learnt about the different types of graffiti and painted a group graffiti art piece onto the walls of the Custard Factory.

SWEET SUCCESS

HallfieldSeniors started an enterprising ‘Tuck Shop’ to experience first-hand the many aspects of running a business. They sourced their products to sell, created a marketing banner and a spreadsheet to monitor sales, and of course, applied mathematics during exchanges of money from sales. They will also be making decisions on how much to reinvest in more produce and what to do with the profits... Big decisions coming up for Year 7 and 8 pupils!

VIRTUAL REALITY

HallfieldSeniors have been experimenting with virtual reality goggles as part of their new ICT topic ‘Designing VR Games’.

SPRAYING SELF-PORTRAITS

HallfieldSeniors made the most of the dry weather and ventured outdoors to spray paint the self-portrait stencils they had created in Art. Pupils have been working on backgrounds while studying patterns and self-identity –they were all ecstatic to see their hard work come to life!

GO KARTING AND LASER TAG FUN

HallfieldSeniors enjoyed an end of year trip with Mr Hewer and Mr Morrow to TeamWorks Karting for a go karting and laser tag session. Special congratulations go to Mr Hewer and Riyaan for the

joint-fastest lap time of 26.108 seconds! Mr Morrow had to settle for the title of ‘Fastest Head Master’ on the track. A fabulous end to the term!

A SLICE OF SUCCESS

HallfieldSeniors put their pizzamaking skills to the test as their pizza oven came to completion. Alfresco dining in the sun brought the year-long project to a delicious end. What an achievement!

HALLFIELDSENIORS MEET RT HON. SIR COLMAN TREACY

HallfieldSeniors had the opportunity to meet Sir Colman Treacy, a former high court judge with a career that spans 50 years in law. They heard about his life as a barrister and judge, and got to see

and feel the wigs worn in criminal courts. They even dressed the Head Master in a judge’s gown. It was a superb and inspiring session for any budding barristers amongst our Seniors.

SENIOR SCHOOL SUCCESS AT HALLFIELD

HallfieldSeniors launched in September 2020 and the time seems to have flown by as the school says goodbye to its first cohort of Year 8 leavers. As Hallfield reflects on the highlights and successes over the last two years, it is no wonder HallfieldSeniors is fast becoming a leading choice senior school in the heart of Birmingham.

HallfieldSeniors represents a unique opportunity in the Birmingham area for pupils to grow, develop and mature as Year 7 and 8 pupils within a Prep School environment. Sometimes referred to as “middle school” this offering is common across the UK and abroad, but a less familiar concept in the West Midlands, until now.

Head Master Keith Morrow believed in the benefits a Year 7 and 8 education at Hallfield would bring to children aged 11 – 13 years in and around Birmingham. He comments: “As a parent myself, I saw that not all pupils are ready to flourish at Year 7 in a secondary environment.

HallfieldSeniors offers something special for the pupils and in turn, those pupils bring a great dimension to Hallfield School. We are incredibly proud of our first cohort of HallfieldSeniors pupils, all of whom have achieved amazing personal bests, both academically and socially.”

When devising the curriculum for HallfieldSeniors the school wanted to deliver an education that catered to the academic needs of each individual, challenging their

strengths and overcoming their weaknesses. Small class sizes of no more than 15 pupils and specialist teachers support that goal. Mr Hewer, Head of HallfieldSeniors has worked in senior schools prior to joining Hallfield and shared his view on what makes the curriculum so successful here:

“The continuity of teachers over the two-year period provides the luxury of time for them to really understand

each pupil’s needs and they feel invested in each child because of this. I haven’t seen that level of consistency and continuity at other senior schools, so it’s no surprise that the progress made by our senior pupils has been impressive – monumental, in fact!”

A shining example of this is one senior pupil getting a merit in the Junior Kangaroo Maths Challenge. To put that into perspective, to qualify you have to be in the UK’s top 5% of mathematicians in Year 8 or under to take the assessment in the first place. Once you get to the Kangaroo Challenge you have to finish in the top 25% of that 5%, which means the pupil from HallfieldSeniors is in the top 1% of mathematicians in the country for his age!

Another notable achievement for HallfieldSeniors was when they visited the highly regarded Malvern College for their Geography Day, featuring expert geographer Mr David Edwards. Against other prestigious, visiting senior schools, HallfieldSeniors competed in a competition to design a poster for a natural hazard and won 1st, 2nd and 3rd places respectively.

The pupils’ progress is not only evident in their core subjects such as reading, writing and maths, but also in the soft skills they have acquired from being in a tight knit group. On seeing the children socialise with one another first hand Mr Hewer commented: “The interaction between the pupils is mature beyond their years, from a simple “good morning” and “hello” – they have a genuine interest in one another, which is seen from the moment they arrive every morning.”

Every Hallfield Senior has participated in competitive sport, an opportunity less in reach at larger senior

schools, where the competition to be in teams representing the school is fierce.

HallfieldSeniors is proud to say that despite the wraths of Covid they have continued to provide pupils with experiences and opportunities outside the classroom. In Year 7, the pupils designed and built a pizza oven, which they cooked actual pizzas in this summer – an achievement few senior schools can claim. The pupils took so much pleasure from the experience. The satisfaction from design and build to cooking was perfectly articulated by Husam: “When you make your own pizzas and your own pizza oven it just tastes really nice, you can taste the hard work.”

Excursions were packed into the last year with trips to London and Normandy, as well as experiences such as go karting and ice skating – to name a few. However, the unanimous favourite was the trip to PGL Osmington Bay, packed with adventure, team building and the great

outdoors. Isa, who joined Hallfield when he was two years old, said: “This was the best trip I've ever been on in my time at Hallfield School and I would absolutely love to go on another adventurous experience just like this one!”

Clare Florida-James, Deputy Head and Head of Academic, commented: “The development of HallfieldSeniors has been an incredibly exciting addition to the fantastic offering at Hallfield School. Our teaching staff have a vast amount of secondary and 13+ Prep School experience between them and have been able to develop schemes of work for their subject areas that challenge and inspire the pupils, as well as having the knowledge to prepare them for a range of schools at 13+.

“The small class sizes mean we are able to tailor lessons to the individual needs of pupils and the level of progress they have made is incredible. We are constantly looking for ways to enhance and enrich the curriculum for pupils in the Seniors, including exciting collaborations with Simpsons Restaurant and Priory Squash Club. It is our aim to discover and nurture each pupil’s individual talents and passions.”

As the school looks proudly on the Year 8 leavers, the “proof is in the pudding” – for want of a better expression – as each child leaves having fulfilled their strengths, grown in maturity and ready to continue their education at widely respected schools including King Edwards School, Bromsgrove, St Georges and the Swiss International School in Dubai.

“Our first two years have been a huge success,” said Mr Morrow, “I have seen the pupils first hand grow into mature students and prepare for a huge range of secondary schools locally, nationally and internationally. Our size means these pupils have had an extraordinary number of opportunities and held positions of responsibility they would not have had the chance to if they were one of a large cohort in a secondary school.”

As they embark on their next chapter, the school hopes the pupils take with them lasting and impressionable memories of HallfieldSeniors.

What the Seniors say...

“I have been at Hallfield since Year 5. My favourite subjects are Maths and Computing, but if I had to pick one, it would be Maths. In Year 5 and 6 Maths was not my favourite subject. But in Seniors I was challenged and now I love it!” – Krish

“I would recommend HallfieldSeniors because of the teachers – we get ahead of everything. They will go through anything we don’t understand and I personally think the education aspect is really good here.” – Riyaan

“My favourite aspect of being a Hallfield Senior is that we have more privileges. In year 6 we didn’t have a common room or a specific area to socialise. All the trips we have done have built my confidence, especially PGL.” – Isa

“When I came for a Taster Day everyone was really warm and friendly. Normally if you are new to the school people wouldn’t be that kind and welcoming but they were at Hallfield.” – Ibrahim

“I used to like English a lot but have now shifted towards History and Geography. The teachers are brilliant and make each lesson a great experience. I have loved the teaching in these subjects and will look to continue them in Year 9.” – Husam

“I love Hallfield because it has provided a lot of opportunities to a range of activities. Certain things have influenced my thinking and where I want to be in the future.” – Riyaan

“I feel Senior and at the top of the school even though I share the space with younger pupils. The blazer makes me feel different. The teachers that I had lower down the school now treat me like a young adult.” – Isa

“I will miss HallfieldSeniors and Hallfield in general. I don’t think any other school would have you build a pizza oven or give the opportunities we have here.”

– Husam

INTER-HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY

Years 1 to 8 finished the half term with Inter-House Cross Country. The team spirit and morale were high, well done to everyone who participated!

The final results were:

Year 3 and 4 Girls

Year 3 and 4 Boys

Year 5, 6 and Seniors Girls

A SPECIAL VISITOR

Year 5, 6 and Seniors Boys

Perry, the official mascot of the Commonwealth Games, surprised pupils in Reception to Year 3 with a visit to Hallfield. Perry educated the children about the history of the games, the countries participating and the sports played. The children had a great time and they even got to participate in a group warm-up with Perry!

HARBORNE DISTRICT FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS 2022

On Tuesday 15 March the U9 Football team travelled to the Harborne District Football Tournament. The players were a credit to the school and conducted themselves with great team spirit, playing with real passion. They started slowly in their group but warmed up throughout the afternoon.

After triumphing in first place in their group, they went through to the semi-finals as group winners. They started brilliantly in the semi-final and won 3-0 after some sublime finishing.

In the final, they were just as impressive and scored the winning goal against Blue Coat School with a couple of minutes to go. Their attacking skills were excellent but what stood out the most was that they let in no goals all afternoon. Well done to all the squad on becoming the Harborne District Champions for 2022!

INVITATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY

On Friday 18 and Friday 25 March, Hallfield School hosted an Invitational Cross Country Event for local schools. It was wonderfully sunny and filled with team spirit and enthusiasm, with over fifteen schools participating alongside us as hosts. The three races saw nearly 200 children competing with determination and sporting spirit.

18 March overall results:

• U11 Boys Overall 3rd

• U9 Girls Overall 2nd

• U13 Boys Overall 3rd

25 March overall results:

• U9 Girls – Winners

• U9 Boys – Winners

• U11 Girls – 2nd

• U11 Boys – Winners

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

“IT’S NO USE GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY BECAUSE I WAS A DIFFERENT PERSON THEN.” – ALICE

“Our story of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ was presented with lots of interesting performance elements, from puppetry to poetry, dance and physical theatre. I was really impressed at the level of professionalism in the cast. They demonstrated a real understanding of the story and managed to piece all the parts together beautifully.

“I think that we can all take the lessons from Wonderland. Firstly, keep your temper. Secondly, you will have to run to stay in the same place and run twice as fast to get to where you want to be and finally, if you keep pushing forward, you will cross the chessboard eventually. Valuable lessons all round.

“It is sad to say goodbye to this show but we are now looking forward to our next production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ which will be presented by Year 4.”

Mr Woollhead, Head of Drama

TINKLING THE IVORIES AT TEA-TIME

“THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME…”

Prep Hall was transformed into a theatre with professional lighting and special effects, to host a Year 3 and 4 performance of ‘The Wizard of Oz’. Pupils from Year 4 took on the leading roles and Year 3 took on the parts of the dancing Jitterbugs.

The performance was a huge success, with some audience members even commenting that it felt like they were watching something on the West End!

Our Tea-Time Concert featured performances from some of Hallfield School’s fantastic pianists. Some as young as six and seven years old embraced the opportunity to take centre stage and perform solos in front of a live audience in the Prep Hall. Parents, staff and pupils were very proud of all the children that took part.

MID-YEAR CONCERT SUCCESS

Prep Hall was filled with the sound of music as we held our Mid-Year Concert, featuring some of Hallfield School’s outstanding violinists, cellists and violists. Pupils as young as seven years old jumped at the chance to take centre stage and showcase their musical talents, either in small groups or as members of our Orchestra and String Ensemble. The concert was a huge success, demonstrating the exceptional level of musical talent at Hallfield School. Parents, teachers, and pupils were all very proud of all the children who participated.

A COMPETITIVE HOUSE MUSIC FINAL

We were treated to incredible performances in our House Music Competition. All entrants did a brilliant job of performing in front of their peers – they held their nerve and struck all the right notes. Thank you to Mr McKelvey, the Director of Music at Bromsgrove, for being our guest judge.

Results were as follows:

1st Aran – Year 6 – Saxophone

2nd Yiran – Year 4 – Piano

3rd Sophia – Year 5 – Violin

Overall House scores were:

WOODWIND

AND

BRASS SHOWCASE CONCERTS

It was a delight to see and hear Hallfield’s growing number of woodwind and brass players performing in our Showcase Concert. From the flute, oboe and clarinet, to the trumpet and French horn. For many of our Year 3 pupils, this was their first time performing to an audience on their instrument. A number of our Year 4 pupils performed in our Brass Band and showed excellent musicianship and skill. “The concert highlighted the musical journey and progression experienced by so many pupils at Hallfield School." -

Mr Jopling, Director of Music

2nd Place 3rd Place

A TERRIFIC TEA-TIME CONCERT

We rounded off our Tea-Time Concert Series for this school year with a concert featuring some of Hallfield’s fantastic guitarists. We had nine superb soloists and the concert finished with a terrific performance of three pieces by our Guitar Ensemble. Well done to all the pupils who performed.

END OF YEAR CONCERT

The End of Year Concert proved to be a tremendous finale to our musical calendar this academic year. The concert showcased both the Centenary Choir and the Chamber Choir, along with selected vocalists and a performance from the Staff Choir. All the pupils sang to an impressively high standard and both of the pupil choirs delivered superb performances.

PRE-PREP SHOWCASE CONCERT

The Pre-Prep End of Term concert was a great success, with over 70 children performing. We had fantastically confident solo and small group performances from the Year 1 and 2 singers; five amazing piano solos and the concert was opened and closed with our Pre-Prep and Chamber Choirs, who sang beautifully and with great enthusiasm. Well done to all the pupils involved.

FROM THE TEACHERS

This academic year has seen the greatest growth in the Music Department and preparation in music making is now a core aspect to school life. The department has over 280 pupils having instrumental or vocal lessons each week and a flourishing set of ensembles and choirs who have rehearsed and performed throughout the year.

Music in Pre-Prep has flourished and it has been a joy to witness the enthusiasm on the children's faces when they come to their Music lessons. We have so many budding musicians and I cannot wait to see their progress as they move up the school.

We wish all pupils a restful and fun-filled summer break. This is a great opportunity for pupils to find time to enjoy exploring new music and to keep practicing their instrument!

It has been extremely rewarding to be involved with the establishment of a new department. Drama at Hallfield School has shown the first signs of life this year with the first two full scale productions that took place, which were a real joy to behold. From the talent on display in the Prep School, it is a really exciting time to be part of this burgeoning department. The children have excelled in their roles, whether that was on stage or as part of the technical team. I hope to establish a more concrete technical team in the near future and move towards an end of year ‘Year 6 musical’. Year 4 will be doing a storytelling event and Year 2 will have a similar event as their first experience. If you do see yourself as a main part, make sure to practise your audition speech.

MUSIC AWARD

Mr Woollhead

Mrs Edgar

Mr Jopling

FORM ASSEMBLIES

5GJ – CHINESE NEW YEAR

4BC – CADBURY WORLD

1ST - LEARNING ABOUT BIRMINGHAM

RSB – MINI BEASTS

3JS – PLATINUM JUBILEE

5CW – VALENTINE’S DAY

4DM – ST PATRICKS DAY

1SP – THE WORLD

RSK – FLOWERS

3EK – BRECON BEACONS

4JD – A SIMPLE ACT OF KINDNESS

1DD – HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS

REB – DINOSAURS

3SR – GREECE

FOUNDERS DAY – CELEBRATING 143 YEARS AT HALLFIELD

Old Hallfieldians from across the decades came ‘back to school’ for a tour and a retro school dinner. Held on the eve of our 143rd birthday, the event was held to commemorate Founders’ Day. Mr Nowers and Mr Pughe were the co-founders, and the first day of term for ‘Edgbaston High School for Boys’ – as Hallfield was first known – was 21st January 1879.

For the menu, Old Hallfieldians nominated their favourite school meals. Cottage Pie followed by Jam Roly Poly and custard proved the most popular choices! Guests were treated to the full school dinner experience, collecting their meal from the servery on a tray before sitting down to eat. Great fun was had by all!

A GOOD INNINGS

Ahuge thank you to all the Old Hallfieldians and Hallfield staff who played in our annual Old Hallfieldian cricket match. We managed 14 overs of cricket before the rain sadly stopped play.

We might have left with cricket whites a little soggy but our spirits certainly were not dampened, after a cracking BBQ and the chance to catch up with old school friends. The turnout was fantastic with players ranging from their teens through to their 50s.

We were also honoured to welcome Keith Glenn and Quentin Gummow as spectators. This formidable pairing took many a wicket when they played for Hallfield in the 1950s!

HALLFIELDIANS

OLD HALLFIELDIAN CLASS OF 2021 REUNION

It was fantastic to welcome back the Class of 2021 and their families for our reunion BBQ. The children eagerly ran onto the field to get stuck into the games that were laid out, as if they had never left. There was a lot of conversation and laughter, as children and families enjoyed reminiscing, sharing fond memories and seeing how the school has developed this year. Thank you to Holroyd Howe for providing a delicious BBQ and to all the families who attended. It was great to hear how you are getting on and we hope that you will continue to stay in touch.

GOOD LUCK TO OUR CLASS OF 2022

Farewell BBQs for our Year 6 and Year 8 leavers took place on 11 and 12 July, with Hallfield teachers, families and friends gathering to wish the 'Class of 2022' well for their next steps in education. We will miss them all very much and hope they carry their Hallfield memories with them for a lifetime.

Our leavers are now members of the Old Hallfieldian Society – our prestigious alumni community. Please do keep in touch and attend our events. Next year we already have dates for an open air cinema evening, blitz chess, fireworks, cricket and your summer reunion and we would love to see Old Hallfieldians there!

HALLFIELD INSIGHTS

DI XIAO WOWS AT OUR INAUGURAL HALLFIELD INSIGHTS EVENT SERIES

On Thursday 3 February, our Prep Hall was graced with the ‘pianist of awesome gifts’ Di Xiao, as she entertained guests at our inaugural Hallfield Insights event.

Di started her musical journey at the age of 4 in Guangzhou, when her father sold his motorbike to buy Di her first piano. Her family were not musical but wanted to offer Di opportunities that they had not had. Little did Di and her family know that this would be the start of an acclaimed musical career that has seen her play in some of the most iconic concert venues in the world. Success has taken hard work and determination, with Di practicing for 6-8 hours per day during her childhood. Di fell in love with the music and realised what amazing opportunities were ahead of her, making the hard work easy.

While sharing her journey from East to West with the Hallfield Insights audience, Di included many musical interludes playing songs by Grieg, Sibelius and her own composition, Green Mountain.

Fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese, Di cites the language of music as the most powerful as it is the only one that requires no translation and can connect people and help us understand each other. In a recent interview with classical music magazine, Gramophone, Di said: “One of my aspirations is to be a cultural ambassador, using art

A CAPTIVATING ACCOUNT OF A LIFE IN LAW

Our second Hallfield Insights event saw us welcoming the Rt. Hon Sir Colman Treacy in to the school. Colman’s prep education began here at Hallfield, before moving on to Stonyhurst College and then gaining a scholarship at Jesus College, Cambridge. Colman practised as a barrister in Birmingham before being appointed as a High Court Judge and then later, a Judge in the Court of Appeal.

Colman has been involved in a number of high-profile cases, including being the judge at the first English criminal trial in more than 400 years to be heard without a jury due to jury tampering at earlier trials. He also presided over the trial of two of the killers of Stephen Lawrence.

to break down cultural barriers and bring people together, and it’s a role I take very seriously.”

“Music is as powerful and important, if not more so, today than ever. Looking into the future, it’s vital that this generation of musicians and those that follow continue to explore the possibilities that the internet and new technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and meta-worlds provide.”

Speaking with Hallfield Head Master Keith Morrow before the performance, Di had some valuable advice for aspiring musicians: “You need to enjoy music because the practice needs discipline. Start with little steps and try to start with something you enjoy like a nursery rhyme. Try to find it on a piano, then you can hear something familiar and recreate it. I think it’s the desire you need to bring out. Once you start you will become hooked.”

When asked what qualities you need to be successful as a barrister, he said: “First and foremost it’s hard work. It’s so much about preparing your cases and preparing and preparing again. There’s no substitute for that. Obviously, you have to have ability but hard work is so important. You have to have a bit of luck and you have to be determined to do your best for your client.”

Our thanks from all at Hallfield School to Sir Colman for sharing such a candid insight into a highly accomplished career.

HALLFIELD INSIGHTS: SIR DAVID HASLAM

On Thursday 19 May we were delighted to welcome Old Hallfieldian, Sir David Haslam CBE, back to Hallfield School for the first time in 60 years when he returned to speak at Hallfield Insights! In a talk that blended the personal with the professional, David reflected on the role of the generalist in a society where most often specialism rules. David spoke candidly about his career in medicine and his fond memories as an Old Hallfieldian, making for a delightful evening.

AN ASTRONAUT LANDS AT HALLFIELD

It’s not every day you get to meet an astronaut… but that’s just what Hallfield pupils had the opportunity to do when former Canadian Space Agency astronaut, Dr Robert Thirsk, flew over to spend a few days with us in July.

Dr Bob, as he is known to his friends, is one of only 600 people on the planet who has been to space –and he’s done it twice! His first space mission lasted 17 days in 1996. He was then selected for a sixmonth expedition to the International Space Station in 2009.

We put Bob through his paces: he joined year 5 in a STEM lesson building rockets; jumped aboard a pretend space station built by Foundation; hosted Q&A sessions with inquisitive children from Prep and Seniors; and had lunch with our Head Boys and Girls. Bob could barely move around school without children stopping him for high fives and to ask questions!

In the evening, Dr Bob had a captivated audience as he took guests at his Hallfield Insights talk through a space mission from start to finish. A packed audience of Hallfield families and members of the wider community heard what it’s really like to be an astronaut from take-off to landing, along with accompanying photos and scientific facts.

Hands shot up at the end, desperate to ask questions, and the queue for signed pictures

stretched all the way around the hall, with children (and their parents!) waiting patiently to talk to Bob and have a photo taken.

Bob left quite an impression on everyone he met. Louie (Year 3), said: “I loved all of the amazing pictures. It was so fun to hear a real astronaut speak!” Diah (Year 5), said: “It was so inspiring… I think I might become an astronaut in the future.”

We filmed an exclusive chat between Head Master Keith Morrow and Dr Bob ahead of the Insights Talk, which can be watched on our YouTube channel.

CHARITY

We are proud of our support for charities and the thousands of pounds that Hallfield students have raised for worthy causes.

NUMBER DAY 2022

Pupils enjoyed dressing up in number-themed outfits and participated in a fun-filled day of maths activities and games whilst also raising money for the NSPCC. At break time, the children loved their number-shaped biscuit!

TOTAL RAISED: £1050

COMIC RELIEF

The children came dressed in red, white and blue to raise money for the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. £600 was raised for Comic Relief in Red Nose sales.

TOTAL RAISED: £1022

CHARITY BEGINS AT HALLFIELD

Prep pupils have been running a series of charity fundraising activities throughout the final half term, including:

• Beat the teacher penalty shoot out

• How many nets can you score in 15 seconds?

• Guess the marbles in the jar

• Guess the name of the teddy

• Pot Luck cups game

• Homemade scented candle sales

• Soak the teacher sponge throwing

Nearly £1200 was raised for Help Harry Help Others – Cancer Support Charity.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to stalls, volunteered to take part and donated!

CHARITY BOOK SALE RAISES £130

Ahuge thank you to everyone who donated and purchased books to help support the Children's Book Project and Coram Beanstalk. The weather was very kind to us, and it was wonderful to welcome so many families for their daily browse through our collection of bargain books. Over £130 was raised across the week-long sale for Coram Beanstalk and lots of books were collected to be donated to the Children’s Book Project.

CHARITY TOTAL: £7419.67

OPEN AIR CINEMA

SCREENING:

HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE

After a hugely successful first Open Air Cinema, we are delighted to bring it back for 2022. Tickets are now on sale for our screening of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Join us for a superb evening of street food, children’s entertainment, a silent disco and a film on our grounds. Book now by scanning the QR code.

SATURDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER

This year’s Friends of Hallfield fireworks extravaganza will take place on Thursday 3rd November – with street food, sparklers, entertainment and of course a stunning fireworks display, there will be plenty to keep all ages happy.

OLD HALLFIELDIAN SOCIETY BLITZ CHESS TOURNAMENT

THURSDAY 3RD NOVEMBER

Our annual Old Hallfieldian Society Blitz Chess Tournament will take place on Thursday 13 October. Chess tutors Nick Thomas and Alex Holowczak will oversee proceedings, with prizes on offer for the winning players. Open to Old Hallfieldian players of all ages and select current pupils by invitation.

THURSDAY 13TH OCTOBER

SCAN ME

For the latest information on upcoming events, check your iSams calendar.

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