The LJS Review

Introduction from the Chair of the Governing Committee of Laxton Junior School

Mrs Debbie McGregor

Themost remarkable feature of this year has been how fast it has passed, bringing together the best of LJS in May, at the 50th anniversary celebration of the founding of the School and ending the year stronger than ever. This is in no small part due to the collaboration of the whole LJS community and the welcome that has been given to our new Head Lydia Waller. Lydia is the fifth Head to take the reins at LJS, bringing with her a wealth of experience of the prep school environment.

The 50th anniversary was blessed with fine weather and a magnificent turnout from the whole School, as well as former staff, including two former Heads, previous and current Governors and LJS alumni from Oundle School. It was a joyous occasion with much music, noise, food, drink and competitions, including the much anticipated staff vs parents hockey match and victorious staff; you will see the celebrations in the content of this Review. To celebrate pupils past and present, the Art department curated a magnificent exhibition of pupil self portraits, which adorned the Yarrow Gallery for the anniversary.

A key initiative this year has been to bring closer connectivity to parents through Parents in Partnership initiatives, inviting parents to experience the wide range of activities the School has to offer, such as workshops, music events and ‘come and see’ sporting fixtures. The interest has been exceptional and more events are planned for the coming academic year.

Within the core curriculum a different approach to learning for Years Four to Six is being introduced which places subject matter teachers at the heart of their specialist subjects for each year group. Music also continues to thrive with awards and recognition for the School orchestras, brass band and the pupil choir, and it is always lovely to see the staff choir performing too.

Outside the classroom the school has hosted and won numerous sporting fixtures. A highlight was the Knight Frank Schools’

Triathlon, with no less than 1000 pupils from local schools participating in a high-profile event that raised about £80,000 for charity.

Upon reaching the end of Term we say goodbye to staff and pupils who have come to the end of their time at LJS. Our sincere gratitude and best wishes go to everyone who is not returning next Term.

At the time of writing this, it is disappointing to have to acknowledge that on the political front clouds are gathering. However, LJS is fortunate in being able to plan for this uncertainty from a position of stability and strength. The Governing Body together with Lydia and the senior leadership team are dedicated to providing the best education for your children. The School is in great health and interest in places remains as strong as ever.

On behalf of the Governing Body, our thanks and appreciation to all staff, pupils and parents for your support and commitment to Laxton Junior School.

The Head

Lydia Waller

Whata year it has been for Laxton Junior School!

It’s hard to believe a full academic year has passed since I welcomed our wonderful children back from the summer break in my first assembly as Head. Looking out at all those eager, happy faces still fills me with the same joy and excitement today as it did on that very first day. The enthusiasm and curiosity our children bring to School every day are truly inspiring, and I feel incredibly privileged to be a part of this vibrant community.

This year has been one of tremendous growth and accomplishment for our community, both inside and outside the classroom. From our very first Dog Show and amazing results from sports fixtures to the intriguing displays at the STEM Fair and everything in between, it has undoubtedly been another remarkable year for LJS.

Our School reaching the significant milestone of its 50th anniversary celebrations has been a personal highlight and a standout moment for both pupils and staff alike. This celebration has provided a wonderful opportunity for reflection, allowing us to delve into our School’s history and hear inspiring stories from our alumni. It has truly highlighted to me how LJS has evolved while steadfastly maintaining its core values throughout the years. The shared stories and memories have served as a testament to LJS’s enduring spirit and strong sense of community.

I am excited to share with you the latest edition of The Review, a celebration of some of our best stories that so effectively reflect the vibrant and dynamic spirit that makes Laxton Junior School such a special place. As you peruse its contents, I hope you will feel, as I do, that our core values of Care, Community, Love of Learning, Quality, and Opportunity shine through. The Review

captures just some of the brilliant highlights from this year, and I hope you reflect on them with joy and pride in all that we have achieved together.

As an integral part of Oundle School, our key objective will always be to provide a prep school education of the highest class, and I can confidently say we continue to do so. Looking ahead, I am tremendously proud that we will be welcoming a full cohort of Reception starters, implementing a new approach to our academic curriculum, and hosting many more exciting events for our community. On behalf of the entire School, I want to express our deep appreciation for the continued engagement, support and trust from parents and families. I personally look forward to enjoying the upcoming year together.

So, all that’s left for me to say here is, I hope you enjoy this opportunity to reflect on just a few of the highlights we have had in this remarkable year.

‘We get to play in the mud kitchen and that is good fun.’ Merryn

A word from our children

‘I like Maths and PE - the other day we played cricket and I caught someone out!’ Fergus

‘I really enjoyed the 50th anniversary this year.’ Violet

‘My

favourite thing about this year was all the photos we took.’

Arthur

‘I

really enjoyed Spanish and Community Kids clubs; they were fun!’ Immy

‘My favourite thing about this year was my friend Henry.’ Hamza

‘I liked doing my tie-dye t-shirts and spending time with my friends at break time.’ Summer

‘I loved Mary Poppins and France as well; I loved going to a new country with my friends.’ Minahil

‘I loved the STEM Challenge this year.’ Saoirse

‘I really enjoyed the Community Kids fundraising club in Easter. The Dog Show was exciting - we didn’t dare hope that so many dogs would turn up!’ Lila

‘I loved our trip to York, especially visiting the Chocolate Story.’ Huzayfa

‘I like swimming - it’s my best sport ever!’

Mariam

‘My favourite thing this year was learning about Tudors and Victorian days.’ Henry

‘I really enjoyed the 50th anniversary celebrations because it was interesting to learn how much Laxton Junior has changed.’ Sienna

‘I enjoyed sitting in the Library and reading my books.’

Effie

LJS Turns Fifty

An Extraordinary School Day

For Laxton Junior School’s big celebration of 50 years, the children were treated to a unique day off timetable, with skipping, Maypole dancing, singing and more! A bouldering wall in the School field was a big cause of excitement for many where, over the course of the day, we were challenged to accumulatively climb the height of Mount Everest collectively. This challenge was set in honour of LJS pupil Vivaan Jayaswal and his family, who hiked together to Everest Base Camp in November 2023 to fundraise for Galaxy Gurukul, a school for underprivileged children in Kolkata, India.

Children and staff alike enjoyed the skipping and Maypole workshops. Mr Grainger showed off his skills at doing ‘double unders’ and Mrs Henderson was a natural at ‘arm wraps’!

‘It was exciting to be part of something new and different. Performing outside was a new experience and really exciting.”

Lila

At 2pm, the whole School migrated to Cheatle Field and families and friends of LJS were invited to join.

We gathered around the main stage where Mrs Waller officially started the festivities, which began with former LJS pupils ranging from 11-18 years old singing alongside current LJS children. We enjoyed a huge variety of beautiful performances from the children and staff before the grand finale where the whole School came together on the stage to sing Kusimama

Then it was time to head off and explore the event!

The food, made by our fantastic LJS Catering staff, was absolutely wonderful and everyone had so much fun at the photo booth and face painting stands. It was a particular treat to spot previous Heads, Mr Potter and Mr Robertson, who came along to share in the celebrations.

Parents v Staff Hockey Match

One eagerly anticipated event at the 50th celebration took place at the end of the day; as people started to disperse from Cheatle Field, 19 parents and 18 members of LJS staff eagerly donned shin guards and gum shields ready to take each other on in the first ever LJS parents against staff hockey match.

A special addition to this event was the work of our very own Miss Amos who applied her creative skills to print personalised commemorative number ‘50’ team t-shirts for both teams!

With experienced players on both sides, the match proved to be extremely close. Competition was fierce but good-natured, and with a final score of 5-2 to the staff, there is undeniably an appetite for a re-match!

Celebrate with a Portrait

In the week of our 50th celebration event, LJS took over the Yarrow Gallery to display our ‘Celebrate with a Portrait’ exhibition. When choosing a theme for this whole-school art exhibition, portraiture seemed perfect. The reopening of the National Portrait Gallery last summer inspired us to have our very own portrait gallery in Oundle.

Every child in the School had at least one of their portraits on display inspired by a host of different artists including Chris Ofili, Michael Craig-Martin, Kara Walker, Frida Kahlo and Antony Gormley. The final work consisted of photography, film, painting, collage, iPad drawings and sculpture among other media, to make the exhibition as immersive as possible, demonstrating the wealth of artistic opportunity our children have experienced this year.

With 50 years of Laxton Junior School to be celebrating, old photos from the School and yearbooks of previous classes were also featured. Some of our fabulous alumni sent us photos of themselves with news about their current professions and favourite memories of LJS. Turn to page 44 to see some of them!

Highlights

Our excursions ‘out and about’ this year have been superb, offering us the chance to explore beyond the classroom and immerse ourselves in the beautiful countryside surrounding Sacrewell Farm. We have explored six fascinating interlinking topics through their ‘Farming with Nature’ workshop programme: Soil, Pollination, Plants, Field to Fork, Farm Animals, and Wildlife. We have made butter, investigated why worms are so important and visited new life on the Farm, to name a few! The children have really enjoyed returning to the familiar setting each season and have come away with some special memories.

More locally, we loved visiting Oundle Church where Rev Annabel shared the history of the Church with us. We were fascinated by the stainedglass windows and the little door that led up the spiral staircase, and we wondered who lived up there! Our final trip of the

Spotlight on: Creating a LearningFriendly Environment at Home

A Year in EYFS

In LJS’s youngest year group, a year sees a great deal of change. Our children come fresh and full of wonder into our learning environments in September and over the course of the year develop amazing skills, from handwriting and basic numeracy to evolving a deeper understanding and level of confidence in interacting with the world around them. Watching them grow is an unending joy!

year was a real treat; an adventure up into Heron Rogers Wood to find the Oundle School bees. The student beekeepers allowed us to sample the honey and showed us the real hives. We felt incredibly lucky to see the busy bees in action; now, we just need some mini beekeeping suits!

Back inside the classroom, a big highlight has been our exploration of clay. This year we have really enjoyed experimenting with clay and feel we have become experts on how to handle and manipulate clay. Clay is a wonderful medium to work with; it wakes up all our senses, we feel calm playing with clay, and we develop our fine motor skills too. This year, we have made intricately detailed leaf prints, very characterful self-portraits, and stunning sunflowers.

To support your child’s learning at home, it is helpful to have a designated space for them to be creative, curious, and playful. Ideally this will be near the heart of the home as this will make it easier for you to check in, interact and have little conversations with them. To help them take responsibility of their space, it is important they help you sort and organise the resources; they need to take ownership of keeping the space organised and tidy.

Less is More

Rather than having everything out at once, select a few items and then rotate them. Toys and resources need to be easily accessible so low-level units with open baskets are ideal. Add interesting books to the space, linked to your child’s interests or learning in School.

Open-Ended Resources

Open-ended resources encourage greater creativity on your child’s part. These could be wooden blocks, natural loose parts such as small sticks, stones, shells, pinecones, and wood slices as well as fabric scraps, nuts and bolts. You may wish to add in simple wooden little people and junk modelling resources to help your child build a narrative around their play.

New Academic Approach

Teaching and learning at Laxton Junior School has always come from a place of passion and enthusiasm amongst our staff, which is used to inspire and instil a lifelong love of learning in our children.

This year, we have continued to deliver the very best quality of learning that we can to our children, embracing opportunities to link together themes and topics with real-world experiences.

Introducing: A New Approach to Our Learning

At Laxton Junior School, we have two key goals:

1

2

Ignite a life-long passion for learning by offering our children a captivating and ambitious educational journey that not only prepares them for Senior School, but life beyond.

Cultivate and deliver strong individualised care that puts the children in our community at the heart of everything we do.

In order to help us continue to reach these, we will be introducing an exciting new approach to how learning will be delivered in September 2024 and beyond. This will follow an interwoven structure that smoothly transitions from Pre-Prep in Reception to Year Three, and guides each child through their educational journey in Year Four to Six as they move through the Prep phase. Throughout their experience at LJS, wellbeing and happiness continues to be at the forefront of our approach to learning; nurturing our children to becoming well-rounded, confident and happy individuals who are ready for life at Senior School and beyond.

Spotlight on: Embracing the Pleasure of Reading

Mrs Houghton

Read more about this new approach in our brochure.

Encouraging a child to read and discover the joy of reading involves creating a supportive and stimulating environment. Here are some practical tips for how to engage your child in reading.

Visit Libraries and Bookshops

Make trips to libraries and bookshops a regular outing. Let your child explore and find books that align with their hobbies or interests, whether it’s sports, animals, or fantasy. When children read about topics they love, they’re more likely to enjoy the experience.

Make Reading Interactive

Engage with your child while reading. Ask questions about the story, predict what might happen next, and discuss the characters and plot. This not only improves comprehension but also makes reading a fun, shared activity.

Incorporate Technology

Utilise e-books and audiobooks, which can be particularly engaging for tech-savvy children and can be used during long journeys to faraway places.

Encourage a Reading Routine

Set aside a specific time for reading each day, such as before bed. This establishes reading as a regular and enjoyable part of their daily routine.

By incorporating these strategies, parents can foster a love of reading that provides lifelong benefits, from enhanced imagination and empathy to improved literacy and academic performance.

STEM at LJS

This year, Laxton Junior School has not only maintained its tradition of excellence in STEM, but also achieved new milestones that highlight the ingenuity and dedication of our children and staff. With the STEM lab introduced last academic year in full use, we have seen another exciting and inspiring year for our children.

Oundle STEM Challenge Cup

One significant highlight was LJS winning the Oundle School STEM Challenge Cup for the second consecutive year. This competition required pupils from Mr Grainger’s STEM Challenge Club to develop and present their own STEM-based projects over the course of two terms. The dedication, teamwork, and innovative thinking displayed by LJS pupils were outstanding. Their projects not only met the high standards of the competition but also impressed the judges with their originality and technical proficiency. On the day of the challenge, the children had the opportunity to present their projects to Mr Peverley and Mr Judd from Oundle School before having a go at some exciting engineering tasks, which included trying to build the strongest Da Vinci bridge!

A huge congratulations to our winning team of Lautaro Mirando Andino (Year 6), Jasper Peverley (Year 6) and Olivia Joyce (Year 5), who impressed the judges and won first place on the day with their innovative design of a Game Boy video game called “STEM Quest”.

2023/24 STEM Fair

One of the stand-out events of this year was our biannual STEM Fair, where our children across all year groups showcased an impressive array of STEM-themed projects exploring complex scientific questions.

Children in Years Three to Six presented a variety of sophisticated and innovative projects, demonstrating their deep understanding and passion for STEM subjects. These projects covered a wide range of topics, from exploring the possibility of cows saving the world with their poo to figuring out how to stop crying when chopping onions! The younger students, from Reception to Year Two, also contributed with smaller yet equally fascinating projects and dioramas that illustrated their budding curiosity and foundational knowledge in STEM.

The judges were thoroughly impressed with the quality of work produced, awarding many prizes in categories such as Best Eco Awareness and Best Use of Technology. A special mention goes to the winners of the Best of Fair award, a Year Six group comprising Lila Burman-Roy, Jessica Dale, and Catrin Wood. Their project explored whether slime mould could be the answer to navigation and mapping. The girls’ work stood out for its originality and depth of understanding, earning them well-deserved recognition.

Congratulations to all participants for their outstanding efforts and contributions to making this year’s fair a resounding success.

Results

Best of Fair:

Is slime mould the answer to navigation and mapping?

By Jessica Dale, Lila Burman-Roy & Catrin Wood (Year 6)

Best Eco Awareness:

Can cows save the world?

By Isla Hockel & Zara Abbott (Year 6)

Best Use of Technology:

How can we make paper aeroplanes fly further?

By Toby Deane & Hugo Flikweert (Year 5)

Looking Ahead

Best STEM Combination: Does the pressure of a netball affect how high it bounces?

By Arabella Bentley, Olivia Joyce and Manahil Malik (Year 5)

Best Oral Presentation:

Presentation on volcanos

By George Mansergh & Lawson Miller (Year 5)

Best Display:

Presentation on bacteria

By Atticus Huot, Seth Miles & Declan Rivera (Year 4)

We are thrilled to announce that this September, Lisa Smith will be joining LJS as our new Head of Science and STEM! Mrs Smith, an experienced subject specialist, will bring her expertise and passion to our school, elevating our Science and STEM provision even further.

Diving into Digital

As the role of technology in our day-to-day lives becomes more significant every year, our Computing curriculum at Laxton Junior School has to constantly adapt to meet these needs. At LJS we want our children to be digitally literate, but we also want them to use technology to solve problems, help them creatively and, most importantly, be safe. This year, our curriculum has included a number of different activities that have allowed our children to achieve these goals.

Safer Internet Day

This year’s Safer Internet Day was a huge success and we had a number of different events throughout the week to support our pupils. During the week, we had:

A parent workshop with input from staff and pupils at Oundle School. The session began with Catriona Harrington running through the online safety content included in Oundle School’s Learning for Life curriculum. She also introduced the Digital Ambassadors from the School and they described what online life is like for teenagers. The session also included information from Mr Harper about Online Safety at Laxton Junior School. We discussed the curriculum and the different procedures we have in place to help children stay safe online during their time at School. We also went through some helpful tips to support our children at home. The slides and any useful links to websites have been shared as a School Post for anyone who was unable to attend.

Online safety drama workshops for pupils in Years Two, Four and Six. The engaging and interactive workshops helped children to develop the skills they need to become digitally resilient, how to respond to online safety challenges and be kind online.

Lessons and assemblies for pupils covering a range of different topics looking at how we can inspire change and make a difference online.

Laxton Junior School

Bebras UK

The Bebras Challenge introduces computational thinking to students worldwide. This year, over three million students from more than 80 countries participated.

All Key Stage 2 pupils took part this year and Year Six entered the aged 10-12 category. In this age group the top 10% of pupils receive an invitation to participate in the Oxford University Computing Challenge. Despite being the youngest year group in this category, six of our Year Six pupils progressed through to the next challenge which was wonderful to see.

Robotics

At Laxton Junior School, we are fortunate to have a number of different robotic sets that pupils throughout the School can use. These robots allow our pupils to use skills from other areas of the curriculum to solve different problems. The LEGO WeDo sets are wonderful for our younger children and this year has seen them build spy robots, satellites and a Mars rover.

The LEGO Mindstorm EV3 robots are perfect for our older pupils and this has allowed them to use more complex code to program them. They also need to use knowledge from Maths and Science to ensure their robots can perform the necessary tasks they have been set.

Spotlight on: Keeping Your Child Safe Online Mr Harper

Computing Lead

Online Safety is so important for all of us and in particularly for our children. We have included below a few helpful tips for you to ensure your child stays safe in our digital world.

Set up rules together

If you want your children to follow rules while using their digital device, it is important that they have some ownership over them. It is much more difficult for them to disagree when they have helped to set these rules themselves.

Show an interest in what your child is doing

Your child is much more likely to share with you worries or concerns if you show an interest in what they are doing. This could be occasionally playing a game with them or talking to them about online interests.

Ensure you are aware of the settings on their device and the games they play

Most devices and games will allow you to add restrictions to ensure your child is safe. This could be limiting screen time or what they can view on the web, or taking chat features off the games they are playing. It is important to remember that often children can access harmful content by accident and the likelihood of this happening can be significantly reduced by putting these things in place.

‘The Winter Concert made me happy and was enjoyable. It was lovely to see lots of parents there to watch us perform.’

George

Music

Music has truly flourished this year, providing amazing opportunities for both solo and group performances. Our ensembles are expanding rapidly as more children are inspired to explore new musical avenues, embrace their talents and harness new skills.

2023-2024 Musical Highlights

• Massed Musicians Day – LJS brass, woodwind and string players joined together with other prep schools and primary schools for this event hosted by Oundle School. The aim was to promote collaborative music-making. The children were challenged but came away excited and inspired. The day ended with a short concert by all of the individual groups.

• LJS Winter Concert – One of the highlights of the festive season is our Winter Concert; this year it involved 124 children across a range of instrumental ensembles and choirs performing a variety of festive treats.

• Crash Into Christmas – An event that is a real highlight of the Christmas season for children and staff alike, also hosting the third House Sing event. This year the event had a Disney theme, as the judges were treated to performances of You’ve Got a Friend in Me, I Just Can’t Wait to be King and Bare Necessities. Whitmore were our winners, singing Hakuna Matata from The Lion King.

• LJS Christmas Service – Held at Oundle School Chapel this is always a beautiful way to end the Michaelmas Term as a community of children, parents and staff. The opening solo of Once in Royal David’s City was performed by Lila BurmanRoy and the service also featured performances by our Junior and Senior Choir, as well as congregational carols.

‘The Summer Concert was my first time performing in a concert like this, and I was so nervous but excited!’

Maher

‘At Oundle Sings it was fun to sing with lots of children, and to make friends with people from other schools.’

Georgie

• Oundle Sings – Held just before the February Half Term break, the second Oundle Sings involved 146 Year Five children from six different local primary schools. The theme this year was ‘Around the World’ and as a large group we sang songs in Portuguese, Polynesian, Italian and Swahili, with individual performances from some schools as well. The day finished with a short performance to parents.

• Oundle Festival of Music – For the first time, Laxton Junior School entered two classes at the Oundle Festival of Music on Friday 22 March. It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to see how their standard compares to other schools, with our LJS Brass winning the Instrumental Ensemble for Key Stage 2 and under class, and our Senior Choir winning the Choir Year 6 and under class. We are already starting to look at entering similar events in the future.

• 50th Birthday Celebrations – It has been a big year for Laxton Junior School, and only right that musical items were showcased at the celebrations on Monday 6 May. Every child had the opportunity to take to the stage and perform, with each year group singing a song, whilst coming all together as a whole School to perform Kusimama by Jim Papoulis, a song encouraging people to stand tall and understand how valuable their contributions to the world can be. In the second half of the afternoon, all three choirs – Junior Choir, Senior Choir and Staff Choir – took to the stage to perform some of the songs they had been working on together.

• Community Concerts and Sense Sensations – We have continued to host these community events over the course of the year, with members of the local community being treated to a range of solo and ensemble performances. A highlight was the event before Christmas, showcasing Reception’s festive performance, the Year Two strings as well as our Year Five and Six Brass Players and Senior Choir. We have also enjoyed adding a community performance to the Year Six production, before performing to the rest of the School and families.

• LJS Summer Concert – As our music ensembles have continued to grow and expand over the course of the year, we built on this success by ending the academic year with a showcase of this hard work. Over 130 children from Years Two to Six took to the stage at Oundle School’s Great Hall to perform in a variety of instrumental ensembles and choirs. This included our second LJS Full Orchestra, including all four of the instrument families, and an LJS Choir, comprising over 110 singers this year!

• Examinations – Our children have continued to sit face-to-face music exams over the course of the year, through Trinity, ABRSM and Rock School exam boards. 102 exams have taken place with 50% gaining a Distinction.

Total number of exams (AB and Trinity) sat this year:

102

38%

Percentage achieving a Distinction:

Percentage achieving a Merit: 50%

Drama

Drama has continued to thrive at LJS with a range of opportunities, experiences, and activities available to give every child a love of theatre. From EYFS up to Year Six, all of the children have not only been part of a performance, they have also all been to the theatre to watch one.

EYFS took to the stage in December and charmed us all with their Nativity, and Year One acted their socks off in their production Hats Off! As always, the children were well rehearsed and performed confidently and most entertainingly.

During the last week of the Michaelmas Term every child was given the opportunity to watch a production at the Stahl. EYFS and KS1 were entertained by Hobgoblin Touring Theatre Company, with their clever show The Greatest Fairy Tale Ever Told. KS2 had our old favourites, Lamphouse Theatre Company, performing Treasure Island. This felt like a real full circle moment as Lamphouse selected this story to mark their 10th anniversary, and our former Year Three and Four pupils watched the original in the LJS Hall in 2013.

We had two additions to the performing arts calendar this year, in the form of the LJS 50th celebrations and a group of Year Five pupils entering the Choral Speaking Competition at the Peterborough Festival. Colonel Fazackerley’s Ghost was a triumph and Year Five came home very worthy winners. They performed again at the School celebrations and wowed us all over again.

After a successful inaugural year, LAMDA Club has grown to two evenings each week, on offer to older and younger pupils. The children all had a lot of fun participating in a wide range of Drama games and activities and also worked hard on their monologues and duologues. It was a treat to take the exams here at School and everyone enjoyed the experience.

And so to the Year Six production… Mary Poppins Junior was an ambitious choice that absolutely paid off. Rehearsal time was tight but the children stepped up and immersed themselves in the process, adding creative ideas and suggestions as well as helping to make props and create costumes. We also had a successful Parents in Partnership evening where kind volunteers painted the set and made colourful kites.

‘I enjoyed taking part in the Speech and Drama competition because I like acting and expressing myself.’ Ottilie

A special mention to Delene Abbott who also created chimneys, sweep brushes, huge cut-out letters and fabulous park scenes that added so much to the set. Her enthusiasm, imagination and determination kept us going whenever we were flagging!

On Friday 17 May, the Stahl was buzzing and our wonderful audience radiated positive energy. Thank goodness, then, the children more than matched this with their singing, dancing, acting and exuberance, to deliver a night that none of us will forget (especially the songs – anyone else still singing them? Year Six definitely were when they were in French treetops at Go Ape!). Roll on next year’s spectacular spectacle!

Plans are already afoot for more of the same next year, with fun Drama lessons, thoughtful and entertaining performances and more.

Art

It has been another creative year in the LJS Art and Design Studio. Much of the work the children completed this year was centred around the 50th Birthday Exhibition, with the key theme of portraits and linked to specific artists. Across the year groups, the children explored many famous artists and their distinct styles in a variety of media forms, such as mark making in the style of Vincent Van Gogh, mosaic inspired by street art and the Ancient Romans, and Yayoi Kusama’s pumpkins sculptures. As you walk through the School, you see the development of skills and art that appear on the walls in the classrooms and corridors.

Photography Competition

Our School-wide portrait photography competition invited children to capture the essence of a muse through the lens. Showcasing creativity and technical skill, the competition highlighted diverse perspectives and artistic expression.

The winning portraits, selected by our very own keen photographer, Mr Marsden, were chosen for their originality and emotional impact.

2nd Place

Olivia Joyce Year 5

‘This is a very clever combined image with two different expressions, two different profiles and an excellent use of the arms to frame herself. The star bracelet adds another layer of complexity to the image.’

1st Place

Amory Rowe Year 1

‘This is a wonderful self-portrait freezing a special moment in time. There is real connection between the two as their heads touch. There is also real contrast in skin tone with beautiful soft lighting from the window out of shot. Excellent!’

3rd Place

Kiki Pierri-Coakley Year 5

‘I love the contrast between light and dark, plus the playful nature of the pose, hair going down and tongue going up. The image is well-balanced.’

The Yarrow Gallery Installation

The opportunity to exhibit at the Yarrow Gallery doesn’t come around too often, so this was an extremely exciting and important moment for showcasing the work of our talented, passionate children.

The installation sculpture, inspired by the work of sculptor Antony Gormley, was contributed to by every child at LJS, who each made at least one paper flower that resulted in the complete form that is now on display in our School’s front entrance!

Getting to know our new Head Lydia Waller

Tell us about your background and what got you into teaching?

I’ve always had a passion for learning and a deep curiosity about the world, nurtured by several inspiring teachers during my school years. Their dedication and ability to make learning an exciting adventure left a lasting impression on me, inspiring me with the desire to become that person for other young people.

I began my teaching career in secondary schools in Northern Ireland, teaching English and History up to A level. Later, I moved to England and took a teaching role at a prep school, where I discovered my love for working with younger children. Since then, I’ve stayed in the prep sector, teaching from EYFS through to Year Eight.

I firmly believe that children have boundless potential, and it is our responsibility and privilege as adults to nurture and unlock it. By doing so, we help each child become the best version of themselves, ready to contribute their unique talents and strengths to the world.

What drew you to LJS?

As a Head, I always liken choosing a school to choosing a house to buy—it must ‘feel’ right. For me, that feeling is rooted in the ethos and culture, which you can sense almost immediately upon visiting. During my first tour, I knew this was where I wanted to be. The happiness of the children was evident, the

staff’s deep care and dedication were palpable, and there was a warmth and authenticity throughout the School that really resonated with me.

What have been some of the biggest highlights for you in your first year as Head at LJS?

My first year at LJS has been incredibly rewarding, with too many highlights to choose from! I’ve loved the moments when we’ve come together as a whole School community, like during our 50th celebration, the Dog Show, and Sports Day. These events truly showcase the power and unity of our community, proving that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

A significant highlight has also been the people here. Starting somewhere new is never easy, but the warmth and support from colleagues, parents, and children have made the transition seamless. Their enthusiasm and dedication add immense value to our School, and I feel privileged to be part of such a wonderful community.

What plans do you have for the future at LJS?

Coming into LJS, I already knew that this was a great School; it didn’t need a complete overhaul. Instead, I’ve looked at what we do with fresh eyes, identifying opportunities to strengthen and enhance our offering.

I am particularly excited about our new approach to teaching and learning, which allows us to build on our existing strengths and enhance them further. Starting this September, our model, Explore, Discover, Empower, Nurture (EDEN), is designed with the strengths and knowledge of our staff in mind. It leverages our expertise in child cognitive development and effective learning strategies. We focus on equipping our children with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need as they progress through each stage of their education at LJS and moving forward into Senior School. By harnessing the full expertise of our staff, we are dedicated to supporting our children’s growth and learning at every stage.

My ambition at LJS is to provide a prep school education of the highest class. At LJS I want to ignite a lifelong passion for learning by offering our children an engaging and ambitious educational journey that prepares them not only for Senior School but for life beyond. Central to this vision is a commitment to individualised care, ensuring that every child in our community is at the heart of everything we do.

What is your favourite thing about your job?

What I enjoy most about my job is the children. No matter what kind of day I’m having, the moment I step onto the playground at break time or pop into a classroom, I’m greeted with huge smiles and bubbling enthusiasm. Their eagerness to share what they’ve been learning and experiencing is incredibly uplifting and never fails to remind me why it’s such a privilege to be part of their lives each day.

Quick Fire Round

Favourite colour?

I love the colour green!

Favourite meal?

Roast chicken dinner

Any pets?

My gorgeous Westiepoo, Clover

What was your favourite subject at school?

This is a tricky one – it would have to be a tie between History and English

Hobbies?

Reading, dog walks and cooking

Favourite area in LJS?

The Library – I feel at home surrounded by books

Favourite book?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Being able to hear and understand the thoughts of animals – I am often wondering what Clover is thinking!

Do you have a favourite motto/quote?

‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’

Maya Angelou

Super Sport

Our sports year at Laxton Junior School has been marked by vibrant participation and outstanding achievements under the leadership of our new Head of Sport, Simon Eldridge. With so many amazing achievements, we had to pick out just a few key highlights from the year to show off such a fantastic year of sport at LJS!

• House competitions throughout the year in cross country, cricket, swimming, rugby, netball and hockey fostered competitive spirit amongst the children.

• The Boys U10A and U10B Rugby Festival was hosted at Oundle School this year and was a fantastic afternoon of rugby. Our U10A rugby team also went undefeated at the Bilton Grange festival.

• We had winning team awards and individual awards at the Rutland cross-country event from Year Four to Six in the Michaelmas Term with Year Five Girls winning the event overall! The U11 Girls also won the Ayscoughfee Hall Cross-Country event in the Lent Term and the U11 Boys finished in second place at this event.

• We have seen successful swimming victories, including a win against Kimbolton and record-breaking performances. As of May 2024, LJS has won every swimming gala entered this year!

• The Year 6 Sports Tour in Norfolk took place on 8th-9th March. The children played brilliantly in fixtures against Gresham’s School and Norwich School and visited Beeston Hall on the Saturday. In addition to the thrill of competition, the pupils engaged with a range of fun-filled activities such as The Big Zipline and archery.

• New initiatives like Team of the Month, Curtain Raisers, and parent engagement through sport webinars and open training sessions were introduced. These efforts have not only showcased our pupils’ talents but also strengthened our School community through sport.

Sports Day

LJS Sports Day 2024 proved to be another exceptional display, not only of the skills of our children but also their camaraderie and ability to keep moving forward in the face of setbacks. It was a good day for breaking records, particularly at the high jump; Year Fives George Mansergh and Emma Coates both smashed the current records for U10s and Year Six Sophia Duncan exceeded the U11 Girls High Jump.

The real highlight of the whole day was seeing how enthusiastically the children cheered each other on. Moments when records were on the cusp of being broken brought the children together and it was impossible not to be moved by the way the children all shared in celebrating their classmates’ achievements.

The weather held off for just long enough for the House winner to be announced as Burghley. No sooner had the athletics track been cleared of people than a torrential downpour washed away the afternoon.

School Records:

Blubelle Bright (Reception): Vertical Jump (22.1cm)

Sebastian Makhzangi (Year 3): 400m Distance Run (1:16min)

Felicity Lees (Year 3): 40m Hurdles (8.53sec)

Elias Peverley (Year 4): Vortex Throw (28.8m)

George Mansergh (Year 5): High Jump (1.25m)

‘I love the match teas!’ Hugo

Emma Coates (Year 5): 800m Distance Run (2:51min), Javelin Throw (15.4m) & High Jump (1.15m)

Theo Brown (Year 6): 800m Distance Run (2.41min) & 60m Hurdles (9.97sec)

Sophia Duncan (Year 6): Shot Put (7.7m) & High Jump (1.25m)

Joint School Records

Felicity Lees (Year 3): 400m Distance Run (1:26min)

Theo Brown (Year 6): Running Long Jump (3.6m)

‘I love celebrating a win with my team.’

Fritha

Participation in sport teaches many important life skills including discipline, collaboration, and problem solving, and can enhance leadership qualities. It helps build resilience and how to cope with setbacks, helping children develop a growth mindset that will help them succeed at any life stage.

Prioritise Movement in Daily Life

Families play a crucial role in encouraging a love for sport and physical activity. Prioritising movement as a part of daily life creates a supportive environment that values health and well-being. Creating a routine that includes regular physical activity, setting achievable goals, and celebrating progress can motivate children to stay active.

Encourage Trying New Things

See George break the Boys U10s High Jump record!

Encouraging children to try a variety of sports can help them find an activity they truly enjoy, fostering a lifelong habit of physical activity.

Model Active Behaviour

Participating in sports as parents or organising family activities such as hiking, biking, or playing sports together sets a good example to children. Attending their sports events where possible and providing positive reinforcement can boost their confidence and enthusiasm for sports.

By integrating these practices at home, families can support their children in developing the skills and habits that sport cultivates, preparing them for future challenges both on and off the field.

Sacrewell Farm

Seasonal Trips

Oundle School Heron

Rogers Wood –Beehives

St Peter’s Church

R

Woburn Safari Park

Holdenby House

Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara

2

1

Bharat Hindu Samaj, Peterborough

Peterborough Cathedral

Planetarium

‘My favourite thing this year was the Frontier Centre because it was so funwe literally had the best time ever! In the evening it was fun because we got to play on inflatables.’

Maddie

‘I loved the Jorvik Centre because there was a fun ride that showed us what York was like in the Vikings times, including the smells that there would have been.’

‘Tenire

‘I loved the France Trip! I liked eating snails; they were delicious!’

Jess

Terrific Trips

When asked about their favourite LJS memories, almost every child will refer to a School trip or residential. Even our alumni fondly recall trips such as the ski trips to France and the canal barge around Holland LJS used to do. Not only do these trips make lasting memories for our children, but they help them to form stronger relationships, gain independence and learn through first-hand experiences.

Trip Highlights 2023-24

York Residential

Oundle School SciTec visit

West Stow Anglo Saxon Village

4

3

Frontier Centre Residential

Flag Fen Archaeology Park

Peterborough Mosque

5

Naturesbase,

Wales Residential

Burghley House

Peterborough Cathedral

France Residential

Bletchley Park

Sports Tour

6

‘Amazing, amazing, amazing.’

Laxton Junior School

‘France was also a very good trip because it was full of exciting activities. We got to hear French being spoken all of the time.’ Ciaran

‘I loved the French trip and all of the activities. We got to do lots of fun activities with our friends.’ Bea

Naturesbase

‘I loved the food! It was fresh, it was homemade, it was unforgettable!’ Rupert

‘We learnt new skills, things we didn’t know we could do!’ Isobel

‘Team building helped us to get to know each other in different ways.’ Georgie

‘The Mam Tor trip was fun as you got to climb a big hill. I had never climbed anything like that before and it was fun’.

Airen

York Residential

‘I loved the York trip because we went to Pizza Express where I had a margherita pizza and fruit lolly.’ Benjamin

‘I really enjoyed stopping in the hotel in York. I felt safe with my friend being in the same room.’ Nico

‘I was thrilled to get the chance to go to the Chocolate Story in York. Each room was completely different.’ Evelyn

‘My favourite trip was the York trip because we got to go to the Fudge Kitchen, see how it was made and taste some.’ Quentin

‘I liked visiting the Jorvik Centre because I enjoyed looking at the artefacts.’ Declan

‘I really enjoyed going to York because we visited so many places including the Jorvik Centre, Chocolate Story and Dig!’ Isaac

“My favourite club is Pokemon Club because I like trading cards with other people.” Declan

“My favourite club was Cross Country because each week I pushed myself to be better.” Emily

“I love Cross Country because I get to run with my friends.” Tenire

“I like Chess Club because it is a good game. I enjoy playing against other people and learning new skills.” Daniyal

“Chess Club is always my favourite club because of Mrs Laxton always pushing me to use ‘Girl Power.’” Minahil

Keeping up with Clubs

“My favourite club is Drama because I get to act out poems, emphasising the words I want to.” Amelia

“LAMDA – I loved preparing for the exam with games and activities.” Jess

“I’ve enjoyed doing Drama Club throughout the year and I’ve recently done a LAMDA exam. I love that you can express yourself.” Ottilie

“My favourite club was Cricket Club as I felt I was improving in it throughout the Summer Term.” Austin

“I really enjoyed Cricket because it is my favourite sport and we were able to play hard ball.” Quentin

“It was really fun because we learned ‘Supercalifragilistic’ in German!” Otis

“I have liked doing Netball Club with my friends as I have learnt how to get better at netball.” Sienna

“I really enjoyed Girls’ Football and Netball Club because it was so much fun and we had Oundle School coaches helping us to improve. I really liked it when we played the First Form team and we beat them!” Lyla

“I like playing the games with Mrs Ticehurst and I really liked playing with my Reception friends at this club.” William

“My favourite club was Football as it is my passion and I really enjoy playing.” Seth

“Girls’ Football is a great club because it is fun to play with other girls.” Jess

“I loved Girls’ Football because it was just us girls. I enjoyed the Sports Tour, all of it, but especially when we played an extra match against their A team, everyone else was finished so we had all of Year Six LJS cheering us on. The sound was amazing!” Sophia

“I like Cartoon Club because it’s nice and calm and you get to draw stuff like Toothless!” Albie

“I like that it is really creative. I liked it when we were trying to make my pumpkin out of clay, I used golden paint!” Paddy

“My favourite club at school is Music Technology because Miss Haynes has helped us to create music on iPads.” Nico

“My favourite club is Cooking Club because it is always a surprise what we are going to make.” Benjamin

“I really like Cooking Club because I can learn how to cook some of my favourite foods and snacks.” Declan

“It’s kind of like a creative place and you learn a lot about the past. You can make stuff to do with what the teacher talks about.” Lottie

“We do lots of fun things and it’s always calm!” Sophie

“It’s the best club in the whole world and I love it when we get to do lots of planting.” Amory

Outdoor Learning

We have had another busy year in our LJS Woodland Activities, embracing the garden throughout the seasons.

The activities we carry out in our Outdoor Learning Days mean the children are always learning vital skills through experience. This magical time can be transferred easily to time outside School, in any weather and space.

Simple games, such as ‘1,2,3 Where Are You?’ and ‘Predator’ help develop a tactical mind, planning routes and hiding spots. Listening to the echoes of responses heightens the children’s senses, listening to the whereabouts of their classmates’ replies. Using tools and resources builds in opportunities for children to problem solve and manage risks. Learning to work as a team, ensuring not only personal safety, but considering their group’s safety, also creates awareness of their own responsibilities in a community.

Taking academic learning outside is another wonderful way to put learning into action. Drawing upon knowledge they have learnt in a variety of lessons and applying it in a practical activity allows skills and knowledge to be combined.

During our Outdoor Learning Days, progression in tool use has continued, with Years Four to Six continuing to master the skill of using a sheath knife to carve and create tent pegs and woodland people from sticks.

Years One and Two developed their collaboration skills, working together to saw wooden rounds, and Year Three have worked hard to light mini fires and understand the elements of the fire triangle.

Key Stage 2 have continued to think about the five Cs – co-operation, consideration, collaboration, care and communication – throughout their day, undertaking teamwork tasks and skill-based activities.

Across the curriculum, children in EYFS and Key Stage 1 have continued to take their learning outside regularly, combining a

range of academic and fine motor skill opportunities. The garden has provided an excellent environment to practise number and letter formation, understanding the world around them and even hunt for dragons, to inspire some creative writing!

We have also selected a new site for the Teepee to allow for further use in a variety of lessons, and this has created a new space in its wake for further development next year.

The garden has continued to flourish, with established plants and now also wildlife. Many rabbits have burrowed and created a home in the garden. During quiet moments rabbits have been spotted hopping up the path as well as sitting quietly in the grassy patches. The Eco Team also introduced new bird boxes and feeders, resulting in us seeing several birds becoming used to our busy School grounds and settling in to the garden, including a family of blue tits. Year Two stayed very quiet and still, and enjoyed watching the birds swoop in and out of the box, collecting food and nesting supplies.

‘I really like Outdoor Learning, especially when we get to make things such as bracelets and tents pegs!’

Emily

Spotlight on: Spending Time in Nature at Home

Mrs Poole

Outdoor Learning Lead

Whether you have a small or large garden, countryside on your doorstep or not, finding ways to build in time outside, whatever the weather, should be a must. Embrace the rainy months and make homemade rain gauges to track the rainfall. Watch the weather and see what a weather map and chart looks like. If the sun shines, make a homemade sun dial and track the shadows and read the time. Den building on any scale is a great activity to do, utilising any resources you can find. The outdoors can be great for linking academic learning with real-world experiences.

Try counting objects, making multiplication arrays, measuring area and perimeter.

Make your own paintbrush, using sticks and leaves, and paint away!

Utilise the environment around as a fabulous stimulus to write and create poems, stories, similes and metaphors. Practise letter formation in muddy patches.

Take a book outside and read stories together around a fire, a lantern or with a torch. Question pots, explore and ask questions and research the answers together. Why is the sky blue? How far do the roots of a tree reach?

Art

Learning for Life Maths English Have fun!

Run, play, laugh, hide and seek; spend time away from the easy reach of today’s technology and home comforts. Step outside into an exciting world of Outdoor Learning.

‘Spending time in nature is always good for our wellbeing, resetting and refocusing the mind. At School, I am always reminded of this each time we have our Outdoor Learning days and activities. Whether they are aged 4 or 11, the children love to run, play, imagine and explore our woodland area. The happy laughter and camaraderie that fills the air always make me smile.’

Mrs Poole

Sustainability at LJS

This year has granted us the opportunity to incorporate and build in our Sustainability programme with Outdoor Learning giving more time to consider our impact on the world around us. At LJS we believe in the importance of Sustainability and being environmentally aware stewards of our planet. Sustainability is woven throughout the academic curriculum, into our Outdoor Learning Days and in our themed Sustainability initiatives throughout the year. The children have undertaken tasks during their Outdoor Learning Days, including understanding their carbon footprint and making bird feeders, and everyone (staff included!) has been actively encouraged to turn off taps, interactive boards and lights.

Following the fabulous successes of our Eco Team last year in achieving Eco Schools Green Flag with Merit accreditation, we aimed this year to make our School even more sustainable. In September, twelve new members from Year One to Year Six were voted onto the Eco Team by their peers to represent their classmates in meetings and to talk all things Sustainability. This year, we are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Eco Schools Green Flag with Distinction; we are very excited to continue this in the oncoming School year.

Highlights from this year include:

This year we have introduced Sustainability as a theme into the Year Three, Four, Five and Six Outdoor Learning Days. Year Six have calculated their carbon footprint and looked at ways to reduce it, Year Five have explored the beauty of trees, and Year Four have created a 3D map of the Woodland Garden.

On 22 April, LJS celebrated Earth Day which began with an assembly led by Ms Crump and the Eco Team, and with a surprise visit from EcoMan who introduced the ‘House Litter Picking Challenge’. Earth Day at LJS was an energy-free day and by not using any technology or lights we managed to save £30 in electricity!

LJS took part in ‘Walk to School Week’ from 20-24 May, when children were encouraged to walk, cycle, scoot or ‘park and stride’ if they lived outside Oundle. We kept a tally each day of how many times children travelled to School sustainably and ended the week with a grand total of 427 active journeys from Years One to Four alone. We even had some children cycling in from Bulwick, Glatton and Yaxley! Well done, everyone.

Check out how cleaning the bike shed went on our Instagram

On 6 June, the Eco Team got out to clean up the School bike store to give it a new lease of life. This project was met with significant enthusiasm from the children who eagerly donned their waterproofs. This was easily one of the more satisfying jobs for the team as we all took great joy in watching the muck and grime of at least 10 years run down the shelter and into the drain.

The Eco Team have been working with Oundle School Grounds and Gardens to design and plan a new vegetable garden at LJS. This can be used to learn about growing plants in academic lessons, and also means we can create a Gardening Club. The Eco Team visited Scott House to find out how they use their new vegetable garden. The children are very excited to get outside growing!

Sustainability

Lead

Here are the LJS 10 Top Tips to becoming an eco-warrior of the future:

1 Get outside and enjoy nature – it really is very special!

2Always put litter in the bin.

3

Reduce energy waste by turning electronics off.

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4

Reduce water waste by having showers and turning off taps.

Reduce food waste by eating what is on your plate.

6

Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle.

7

Eat less meat – we have a meat-free day at LJS each week.

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Learn to compost at home.

Walk, cycle or scoot to School. If you live too far away, then you can Park and Stride!

10

Garden together as a family – grow fruit and vegetables. This can even be done in a small space!

Assembly Highlights

Chapel service celebrating 100 years of Oundle Chapel, Judaism, Harvest, Remembrance, Christmas, Triathlon, Children in Need, Comic Relief, The Woodland Trust, Careers, LJS 50th Celebration, Oundle Mencap Holidays.

Visitors: Mrs Kerr-Dineen (OS Head), Rev Coulter (Chaplain), Rev Foot (Assistant Chaplain), Ruth Jampel (Judaism), Sarah Hope, Natascha Biebow, Rev Annabel (Associate Vicar, St Peter’s Church, Oundle)

Caring for our Community

Assembly themes this year were chosen by our School Council from the previous academic year. They wanted to hear about inspiring role models and successful people and their stories. We linked this request to the theme Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. We learnt about the stories of many people including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Tom and Ben Curry (OO), Sienna Rushton (OO), Jesus, David Attenborough, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Sarah Hope, the Cadbury family, Thich Nhat Hanh, Jeff Weiner, Katy Perry and Florence Nightingale, to name but a few.

‘I enjoyed James and Sarah, the wheelchair basketball players, teaching us how to play. I was proud as I got a medal for the best learner.’

Seth

‘Raising money for charity is really heart warming’

Amelia

Charities and Fundraising

As always, our community has come together to support a variety of causes with enthusiasm and creativity, showcasing the compassionate spirit of both our children and staff.

Red Nose Day was a huge success for Whitmore House, as our students donned their funniest outfits to raise funds. Green Day saw the entire school wearing something green and embracing environmental consciousness, with proceeds going to the Woodland Trust on behalf of Lilford House. In a spirited display of endurance, students took on the beep test running challenge, supporting Burghley’s House charity, Oundle Mencap Holidays. Gloucester House also made a vibrant impact with everyone wearing yellow in support of Children in Need

One of the highlights of the year was the Knight Frank Schools Triathlon which we have taken part in for the last three consecutive years. Around 130 LJS pupils took part alongside more than 1000 children from local schools. About £80,000 was raised in support of local charities and Restless Development, a global organisation that empowers young people to become young leaders and create real change in their communities.

‘I really enjoyed the triathlon because I like running, swimming and cycling.’

Quentin

As with every year, the children always enjoy performing for our local community; we saw another successful year of Sense Sensation events, where we invite people to see our talented young musicians alongside a delicious afternoon tea treat.

Adding to our list of firsts, the Community Kids Club’s Dog Show made its debut this year, which was eagerly attended by families and LJS staff who were keen to show off their wonderful fourlegged friends. This event proved far more successful than anticipated, raising over £700 for the Stamford and Oundle Foodbank. There is undeniable appetite for another next year!

‘I really enjoyed the triathlon because you had different sports which made it challenging.’

Declan

Read about Burghley’s Bleep Test

House Events

From thrilling sports events and captivating singing and drama performances to challenging general knowledge quizzes and a festive Christmas tree decorating contest, every year our House events bring our children together in good-spirited rivalry. One of the best things about LJS is seeing the children cheering and supporting each other at events like these! Here’s how the Houses did this year…

Michaelmas

General Knowledge: Whitmore

Cross Country: Lilford

Rugby: Lilford

Girls Hockey: Lilford

House Sing: Whitmore

Christmas Tree: Gloucester

Lent

House Music: Burghley

House Speech & Drama: Gloucester

Netball: Lilford

Summer

House Litter Picking Challenge: Gloucester

Swimming U9 + U11: Lilford

Sports Day: Burghley

Cricket: Lilford

Overall House winner Lilford

Boys Hockey: Gloucester

Library Challenge: Burghley

Cross Country: Lilford

House Music

LJS House Music is a real highlight of the musical year, allowing the children to perform as soloists as well as competing for their House. Following two weeks of first round auditions, listening to 130 performances, we had our four finalists for each House for both the Junior and Senior competitions. The finals were held at Great Hall and judged by Holly Cook, flute teacher at Oundle School. It was a tough competition to judge, with a very high standard and every performance was excellent, however, special congratulations go to:

Felicity Lees

Junior

Amelia Teriba and Leah Hyder

Junior Musician of the Year Runners-Up

House Speech & Drama

Lila Burman-Roy and Olivia Joyce

Senior Musician of the Year Runners-Up

This year’s House Speech and Drama Competition was well attended by families and staff in its new evening slot and every child performed to an incredibly high standard. Our adjudicator, Rachel Hurd-Wood, was blown away by them all and no one envied her having to choose winners.

We laughed, cried, smiled and giggled through an incredible set of poems and texts – well-chosen and well delivered across the board – and it was wonderful to watch each performer leaving the stage with a smile on their face, then applauding and celebrating the fine performances of their class mates.

Congratulations to Summer, Sebastian and Olivia, and well done everyone who took part.

Y1 & 2

Summer Bizley

Y3 & 4

Sebastian Brown

Y5 & 6

Olivia Joyce

Musician of the Year Winner

Theodore Brown Senior Musician of the Year Winner

Listening to our children

At Laxton Junior School, our children are not only thoughtful and creative risk-takers, but they also bring a distinctive viewpoint on the pupil experience. By actively involving them in decision-making processes, we have witnessed meaningful transformations and improved outcomes for everyone. This approach not only fosters a sense of empowerment and inclusion but also nurtures their unique potential.

School Council

• Ensured ‘pupil choice’ lunches feature on each menu cycle.

• Supported the creation of the zoned playground approach, giving their feedback on resources to order and the timetable of ‘ball zone’ activities.

• Reviewed and renewed the ‘LJS School Rules’ ready to launch in September 2024.

• Shared the ideas and thoughts of their peers with other members of School Council.

• Reviewed the School’s approach to House Points and have chosen an approach to take us into the 2024-2025 academic year.

Digital Leaders

• Delivered Online Safety Assemblies.

• Reviewed and updated the Online Safety Pupil Charter.

• Started planning Online Safety Day 2025.

• Learnt about new applications on the iPads to be able to support friends.

Eco Team

• Proudly hoisted our new Eco Schools Green Flag up the flag pole.

• Met with representatives from the Oundle School Catering Team to explore what they are doing to reduce waste and reduce the School’s impact on the environment.

• Met with representatives from Support Services to explore what they are doing to reduce waste and reduce the School’s impact on the environment.

• Provided plants to every classroom to improve air quality, aid memory retention, reduce stress levels and increase energy levels.

• Ran a House Litter Pick competition.

• Supported the ‘World’s Biggest Toy Swap’ to promote reusing and recycling toys.

Play Leaders

• Supported play and initiated games.

• Monitored play equipment.

• Gave feedback on the creation of the zoned area on the playground.

• Gave suggestions for the best equipment and balls to purchase.

Sachi Caring

Wellbeing Ambassadors

• Planned and delivered a Wellbeing Ambassadors Assembly.

• Designed and painted a Buddy Bench for the playground.

• Chose WA caps to be identified with on the playground.

• Offered a listening service at lunchtime during Children’s Mental Health Week.

‘School Council has felt important to me because LJS should always be learning and growing and School Council help that.’ Sophia ‘An open mind is the main foundation in which we build our future.’

Pastoral

There have been many highlights this year. The introduction of our Wellbeing Ambassadors, a new Year Six responsibility, stands out. Alongside Mrs Sarah Ashby, the Wellbeing Ambassadors’ first project was to design and paint a Buddy Bench which will be placed in the Calm Area of the playground in the next academic year. This will provide a quiet space for children to sit and chat with friends and will be the legacy of our first Wellbeing Ambassadors.

Mindfulness across School has developed to include our younger pupils. Reception, Year One and Year Two have engaged in short mindfulness sessions with Mrs Padley, whilst Mrs Ashby has continued to bring Mindfulness to Key Stage 2. Both Mrs Ashby and Mrs Padley are trained to deliver Mindfulness through the Mindfulness in Schools Project. As our Wellbeing Mentors, Mrs Ashby and Mrs Padley also led assemblies, linking the use of Mindfulness to role models within music and sport.

The theme for Anti-Bullying Week, ‘Make a Noise About Bullying’, supported our approach to countering bullying and cyber bullying. On Friday 17 November, OpenView Education visited LJS to host a theatre-based workshop for Year One, Year Three and Year Five.

At LJS, our children understand the importance of mental and physical wellbeing, ensuring that they care for themselves as well as for others. In the Michaelmas Term, Hello Yellow day was a great success, with children and staff wearing different shades of yellow to support World Mental Health Day. On 1 February our Wellbeing Ambassadors, supported by the wider Pastoral team, offered a listening service to pupils during their lunch break.

During Children’s Mental Health Week, we learnt about ‘My Voice Matters’. We actively sought the views of our children and during this week, we shared that their request for new equipment at playtimes had been heard. Mr Harper and our Digital Leaders delivered assemblies on the theme ‘Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online’ for Safer Internet Day.

Following research by our School Council, we restructured our playground space to include four zones: Calm, Equipment, Balls and Creative. From football, cricket, basketball, netball and rugby to hoops, ankle skittles, stilts, skipping ropes and small bats and balls, there is something for everyone! In addition, if someone just wants a little peace, there is the opportunity to read a book, play chess, or snakes and ladders, or be creative.

It took me many years to realise that there is something called self-compassion and I learnt about this through a Mindfulness in Schools Project lecture 10 years ago.

An elderly friend, now in her 90s, once said to me, ‘You are no good to anyone if you don’t look after yourself!’ Whilst this may sound a little self-indulgent, my friend was right. Finding ways to look after physical and mental health is a top priority in a frantic world. I take time to stop and enjoy the moment, a red kite soaring above the myriad of the rooftops of Oundle, intrinsic and complex patterns in nature, or looking into a beautiful flower as a bee investigates. This can stop the rumination that has become our habit.

Assistant Head Pastoral

So, if you have never tried this before, my top tip is to find something to wonder about, look carefully at each detail and give yourself a refreshing brain break.

Mrs Ormston

Parents in Partnership

Parents in Partnership sessions are a way for us to further share and communicate our Values and Mission, alongside what is being taught at our School and how we approach a range of subjects, themes, and topics. Over the course of the year, we organised more than 40 events, spanning all year groups.

These sessions are designed to ensure our parents are not only kept informed but are also actively engaged in the educational journey of their child. By participating, we hope that parents and families can continue to support learning at home, gain a deeper understanding of the experiences their child has during the School day, and boost their knowledge and confidence around their child’s learning. Family involvement is crucial in creating a cohesive and supportive learning environment that extends beyond the classroom, fostering a community that values continuous learning and partnership.

• Half Termly Head’s Tea & Talk

• The Senior School Pathway

• Reception Stay and Play with focus on Play, Outdoor Learning, Phonics and Maths

• Sports Webinars

• Come and See Swimming

• Open Training Sessions

Highlights: Sessions included:

Proud parents spotting their props being used in the Mary Poppins production

• Online Safety

• English

• Community Drop Off

• Piano Lessons

• Our Approach to Teaching and Learning

• Year 1: Kaffee und Kuchen and Toy Workshop

Families having regular opportunities to meet the Head, fostering strong relationships and growing connections within the LJS community

• Year 2: Tudor Houses Workshop and St Peter’s Church

• Year 3: Outdoor Learning and Creative Creations

• Year 4: Shackleton’s Journey

• Year 5: Victorian Archives

• Year 6: World War II Model Building and Mary Poppins Prop Making

Parents discovering, with awe and wonder, the history of Oundle through the Archives Workshop.

OPEN Learning Partnership

Community Partnerships continue to go from strength to strength for Laxton Junior School and remain a priority. As well as enjoying well-established annual events, such as OMEC (the Maths conference for Years Five and Six), we have been delighted to be a part of some new initiatives such as a Quentin Blake illustration workshop for Year Four at Kettering Buccleuch Academy, an art workshop for Year Five with Anna Dimitriu, a visit from the Imperial College Planetarium and the second year of the very successful Year Three Athletics afternoon.

Our pupils have taken advantage of the fabulous ExpertEd Live sessions as well as the exciting online Midweek Maths and Science sessions. The whole of Year Five took part in the Creative Writing competition and we offer our congratulations to Lulu, who was a prize-winner!

It has been a busy and fulfilling year and we look forward to further enhancing our partnerships next year.

Parents

and Friends Association

The PFA continues to be an essential support to our School. The time given by the dedicated team of committee members, as well as all those who pitch in and help, is always appreciated.

This year, it would be impossible not to first mention the beautiful Sophie Allport mugs that were commissioned for the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the school. Every child at LJS received a commemorative mug and the remaining stocks are available to purchase.

As well as raising money for events and projects that benefit all our children, PFA events provide opportunities for the LJS community to come together. 20% of the profits from these events are donated to charity and this year, the donation will be split equally between the four House charities.

Fundraising and Community Events

Termly uniform sales

Michaelmas Term

• Movie night in the Hall

• Christmas Wreath Making Workshops

Lent Term

• Quiz Night

• Paint and Sip, led by Carol from The Social Canvas

Summer Term

• Commemorative Tea Towel

• Commemorative Sophie Allport Mug

• Each child and member of staff to have an ice cream or ice lolly from an ice cream van as an end-of-year treat

• End-of-year disco event for every child

Working together with Oundle School

As an integral part of Oundle School, our children have many opportunities to enjoy the facilities, staff and experiences the School has to offer. This allows us to provide our pupils with unparalleled learning experiences beyond the classroom.

This year, we enjoyed a number of exciting visits to SciTec, including fire writing for Year Four, and Chemistry experiments for Year Six with Mr Peverley (Oundle School’s Head of STEM).

The annual Oundle School STEM Challenge is also hosted at the SciTec building, and the Engineering department inspired many of our children with all its impressive machinery and gadgets available.

The children also benefit from regular swimming lessons in Oundle School’s Sports Centre, featuring an impressive 50-metre pool, which helps them develop vital skills and confidence in water. The athletics track is fundamental to events such as our annual Sports Day, where pupils participate in a variety of track and field events, with space for friends and family to spectate. Additionally, the pristine cricket grounds host numerous fixtures, allowing the children to engage in competitive sports while honing their skills in a professional environment.

The Stahl Theatre, the beautiful Great Hall and the Chapel at Oundle School all serve as perfect venues for our concerts and

performances. These historic and elegant settings not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of our events but also offer our children the excitement and experience of performing in a grand and inspiring atmosphere.

Leadership Day

On Thursday 13 June 2024, Year Five took part in an Oundle School Leadership Challenge Day following the success of last year’s first-time event.

‘Leadership is about taking people to places they don’t want to go to or to do things that they don’t believe they can do.’

This was one of the many things Year Five learned about what makes a good leader during their Leadership Morning at the Sports Centre led by Lieutenant Colonel Mansergh, Contingent Commander of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) at Oundle School. He shared some details of his experiences as a marine and captivated the children’s attention with stories of teamwork and overcoming challenges; a key theme for the day.

After the talk, the first phase of the morning began in the pool, where the children were placed in teams of five ‘intrepid explorers’ seeking the source of a tributary in the Amazon.

Scenario 1: A local tribe is chasing them out of the forest and a team member has been injured. The children must cross the ‘river’ (pool) in silence whilst keeping the injured team member dry.

Scenario 2: Now the children assume the roles of two farmers, a tiger, a flamingo and a bag of seed. The farmers must move the

tiger, flamingo and seed across the ‘river’ BUT the tiger will eat the flamingo if left alone together, and the flamingo will eat the seed if left alone with it.

Scenario 3: In all the chaos, crucial medical supplies have been dropped in the ‘river’ and sunk to the bottom. The children must retrieve these supplies from the bottom as they cross the ‘river’ one last time.

After time in the pool, what better way to recoup some energy than with chocolate? The children had a brief orienteering activity, applying map reading skills to find (and eat) a tasty snack before heading to Heron Rogers Woods for the final part of the morning: ‘Hunters and the Hunted’.

For this final phase, the children were briefed on the six Ss and one M that gives you away when hiding from the enemy:

Shine Shape Silhouette Sound Shadows Spacing Movement

Once the camo cream and uniforms were on, the first three Ss were somewhat resolved and the children were sent off to attempt to ‘evade capture’ from a small group of their classmates. As the woodland sounds changed from a cacophony of joyful shouts and laughter to birdsong and rustling leaves, many of the children managed to completely disappear amongst the foliage.

As the morning came to a close, it is safe to say Year Five were tired but very happy after hours of adventure.

The Junior Houses at Oundle School

Scott House and The Berrystead are Oundle School’s junior day and boarding Houses. Situated just across the road from LJS, our children often catch a glimpse of life as an Oundelian and indeed enjoy their lunches within the junior Houses’ grounds. This year, our Year Five children had the additional opportunity to attend a Boarding Experience at The Berrystead, with a BBQ and games in the grounds.

We caught up with The Berrystead’s Housemistress Sophie Fonteneau, Scott House’s Housemistress Fiona Quiddington and some of the pupils and staff to find out more about life in the Houses of Oundle School’s First and Second Formers.

Berrystead

‘As Matron I am here to support the children’s wellbeing, whether physical, emotional or otherwise. I live in the House and so can take care of your needs, day or night. I asked one of the children if they could describe my role and they said, “First one to come to”.’

Gietta, Berrystead Matron

‘The Berrystead community had the great pleasure to host Year Five LJS children in June for a taster boarding evening where a lot of fun activities in the gardens were organised by our Head of Boarding Adventures, Miss Furber. They clearly enjoyed the company of The Berrystead boys and girls who competitively played Capture the Flag and Giant Twisters with them. It was lovely to hear giggles, laughter and chats amongst them while eating toasted marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate. I was delighted to hear from them that they loved the cosiness of our dorms and they naturally embraced our routine – PJs, teeth, reading and lights off. I have been most impressed with their lovely manners, energy and enthusiasm and I can’t wait to see them moving to the Junior Campus where they will undoubtedly flourish. ‘

Mme Sophie Fonteneau (Housemistress of The Berrystead)

‘When catching up with our former Berrysteaders as they are completing their final term at Oundle as members of the U6, they often recall fondly their time relaxing and chilling out in The Berrystead Gardens. Some reminisce about the fantastic Sunday activities such as the whole House cinema trips, Laser Quest and the water slide. All however remember just spending time with their friends on glorious long summer evenings, be it playing football or on the swings chatting, as their best and happiest times at Oundle.’

Mr. Burman-Roy (Deputy Hsm)

‘As ambassadors of The Berrystead, we take this role incredibly seriously, because it includes listening to our peers, the voices of The Berrystead community, so that we can make it a better place for everyone. We feel that it is essential for a boarding House to feel like home, as it contributes to the physical and mental wellbeing of us all. That is why, as ambassadors, we love to hear from all members of the House, about their likes and dislikes, highs and lows, so that everyone feels appreciated and respected, but more importantly, that we all feel like a family. Over the years that we have called The Berrystead home, we have felt a sense of belonging; being able to relax and unwind in a safe and loving environment is something that The Berrystead takes seriously, away from the hustle and bustle of School life.’

Sisi and Maddie (Berrystead ambassadors)

The

I really enjoy the conversations I have with prospective families in search of a school for their child, as I love telling them the Scott House story. Our aim is to make the transition process as transparent as possible, from the first contact, to having your child commence their first day with us.

I often get asked to explain a School day for the lower years, so, here is a snapshot of life in Scott House:

Pupils start their day with us from 8am, they register in the House, and then go off to lessons, and return to House for a snack and a play in the gardens/hang out in the House, whether it be cricket, football, table tennis or chess. Pupils then head off to lessons again and return to us at lunch. Over lunch, a Scott House pupil will catch up with the staff team, play with friends, have music ensembles, sit with their tutor over lunch and rest. Then off to lessons once more and a return late afternoon for toast and hot chocolate in the café area. The toast quality control varies depending on which tutor is on duty! I won’t mention comparisons here: the pupils are aware of which days it is safe to ask for additional jam!

We work hard and play hard; this is a base where the pupils can come home and be themselves, finding out what they like to do, whilst growing together.

We have just returned from another terrific trip to Slimbridge, and visited the other Scott House, where Sir Peter Scott lived, at the heart of the WWT site. We learned once more about his life and aspirations for conservation. A highlight was seeing where the money we raise goes to – the Flamingo Exhibit. Of course, Go Ape and the Medieval (dress up) Banquet, rated highly too! Staff got involved. There are pictures on our Instagram page!

The great aviator Amelia Earhart once said that a single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions and the roots spring up and make new trees. “Try always to be kind” is the motto of Scott House and as pupils move through the School, the roots they have developed in Scott House should allow them to flourish in the next steps of their voyage.

So, here you are, this is Scott House…

Mrs Fiona Quiddington, Housemistress

There is no better way to find out more than to come and see for yourself.

‘If I had to describe Scott House in three words they would be: welcoming, exciting and action-packed. The House team support us at every step. Whether it was helping us manage time in our busy schedules or simply having a chat; conversation with every member of the team was full of laughter and kindness. At Scott House independence and trying new things are encouraged. Whether you enjoy academics, sport or music there will always be an activity for you. There are also a wide selection of pastimes to try within the House itself – everything from chess to table tennis and basketball. Many of these play a part in inter-house competitions with The Berrystead and the friendly rivalry between us adds to the fun!’

Pupil, Scott House

Scott House

LJS Alumni – Where are they now?

As part of our 50th Birthday celebrations, Mrs Ashby and Mrs Waterhouse called upon some LJS alumni, to share their favourite LJS memories and update us on some of the exciting things they have been up to since leaving our School.

Ruby Goodall

Izzy Proby

Izzy attended Laxton Junior School as a pupil alongside her sisters Alexandra, Rose and Alice. Her favourite memories of LJS are the House competitions, school plays and playing on the grass in the sun at breaktimes. She left LJS in 2002 and worked as a marketing executive at the Tate, artist liaison at Rise Art and then became a teacher, specialising in Maths. You may have spotted Izzy around this year because she has been working as maternity cover in the Educational Support department at LJS! We have absolutely loved having Izzy back this year.

After leaving LJS in 2010, Ruby now works for a startup company creating tech and AI events in Silicon Valley, New York and London. She is enjoying all the travel opportunities this job brings. One of her biggest highlights at LJS is Sports Day. Ruby really enjoyed taking part in anything sporty and competitive at School and still loves all things sport-related now. She regularly plays netball –something she learned in Year Three and is still in contact with some of her friends from LJS, one of whom only lives around the corner from her.

Rachel Pearson

Rachel’s favourite memories of LJS are the trips; the ski trip in Year Five and then the whole year group trip to France in Year Six. She also remembers the Mums vs Girls netball match and loved beating the Mums’ team! Rachel now works for Mars as a Strategic Sourcing Manager, which involves quite a bit of travel. However, the best part of the job is all the free chocolate she gets to have!

William Burgess

Farah Shair

Farah left LJS in 2006 and her favourite memories of LJS include performing in various plays. Farah’s Year Six play was Bugsy Malone and she loved it. The time spent on stage clearly inspired her because Farah is now on stage at every possible moment as a stand-up comedian.

Will was one of the very first intake to LJS and left in 1980. His Year One teacher was Mrs Eden who he says was a lovely lady. In Year Two, Mrs Elliot kept gerbils in the classroom which, according to Will, stank! He remembers the Year Six barge holiday in Holland where he had his first experience of chips in a cone with mayonnaise. Will also remembers Jonathon Clarke – a lovely person who suffered badly from asthma and sadly died in Senior School. At LJS, we have a Cup to commemorate the life of Jonathon. Will is still in touch with friends from School and is now an executive chairman of Burgess Farms, which is a family-run business.

Adithya Menon

Adithya has fond memories of his time at LJS and the many wonderful teachers who taught and encouraged him. Mrs Pearson certainly holds a special place in his heart. Adithya is now a trainee solicitor at Allen & Overy Shearman Sterling, currently sitting in the International Arbitration Group based in London. He has a keen interest in Investment Treaty Arbitration, International Commercial Arbitration and Public International Law. Adithya has a passion for cricket and chess, which he discovered during his time at LJS.

Mike Fray

Ormond (Finn) Taylor

Rukmini Iyer

Rukmini’s fondest memory of LJS is the cookery lessons with Mrs Bland. She remembers learning how to make sausage rolls and a spectacularly good coconut, cherry and chocolate chip cake. 20 years later, she included the recipe in her first book! Rukmini is now a cookery writer, columnist for The Guardian and BBC’s Gardener’s World magazine. Her Roasting Tin series of cookbooks has sold over 1.75 million copies worldwide! She now lives in London with her husband, two daughters and beautiful border collie, Pepper.

Ormond, who left LJS in 2010, has many good memories from the School but one thing that comes to mind is helping to form a massive conga line in the playground during break; everyone joined in singing and laughing! Currently, Ormond is doing a PhD in Quantum Communications at the University of York. His research involves using photons to communicate information securely and he and his colleagues intend to use them to extend current methods in new and exciting ways.

Mike joined LJS in 1974 and remains friends with many of his classmates from the Old Dryden building today. One of his favourite memories at LJS was a trip on a canal barge around Holland that Mike went on when he was in Year Six. Since LJS, Mike spent a number of years in genetic research before now managing his family business close to Oundle.

Chloe Ashby

Chloe left LJS in 2001 and is now an arts critic and author. Her favourite memory from her time at LJS was playing Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, although looking back, she can see why her stepdad, a writer, despaired at the butchering of Shakespeare in the songs that were performed!

Thomas Bletsoe

Thomas was a pupil in the last reception class at Old Dryden, before the move to our current building on East Road. His favourite memories from LJS were made in the chess club that was run by Mr Trotter at the time. Thomas loved heading off to tournaments in ‘Mr T’s’ Union Jack Mini and competing for spots on the Northamptonshire team. Now, Thomas works in Newcastle as an accountant with one of the big four accountancy firms.

Keep singing, dancing, signing, catching, throwing, shooting, scoring, saving, calculating, reading and writing!

Farewell Year 6

From

Mrs H-C

Wow, what a year it has been. From Move-up afternoon to now, you have come such a long way and I am delighted to have been with you all the way.

I know it all feels like a whirlwind, as though your feet hardly touched the ground, but when you look back on your last year at primary school, you will be amazed by all that you achieved.

Do you remember reading The Unforgotten Coat – a story set during someone’s last term at primary school? Reading it in September that all seemed impossibly far away and now, here you are, about to step out and start the next chapter of your own story.

You have all grown up together and created strong bonds that will last for years to come. Looking back, you should reflect thoughtfully on the special times – the fixtures and House matches, the Remembrance Service and concerts, the French trip and Mary Poppins. And to conclude, the Leavers’ Assembly, Chapel and Speech Day – three special, and very different, ways to mark the end of your time at LJS.

I sincerely hope that these reflections are heartfelt, with a wry smile and a chuckle as you remember the fun and laughter we have all shared along the way. Special memories for me include treetop MPop, signing and letters in Supercal, ziplining on the Sports Tour and singalongs on the bus. I wonder what you will look back on most fondly.

It has been a pleasure getting to know you all better this year and I am so proud of all of you. I wish you all the best as you head off to new schools and hope to hear how you are getting on from time to time.

Farewell

Year 6 From Mr Grainger

As we come to the end of this incredible year, I wanted to take a moment to thank each one of you for being such an amazing group of pupils. Your enthusiasm, curiosity, and hard work have made this year truly special and memorable.

You held many as a captive audience when you took to the stage during your production of Mary Poppins, and I couldn’t have been prouder watching you all shine on the night!

We’ve had some fantastic science lessons together, from deciphering Morse code messages to learning about evolution through the power of Pokémon, and your creativity and eagerness to learn made these lessons not only purposeful but also incredibly fun! I was constantly impressed by your ability to tackle complex topics with enthusiasm and determination, and I am proud of the progress you have all made.

The STEM Fair was undoubtedly one of the biggest highlights of the year. Each of you put in tremendous effort and showcased brilliant projects that made me incredibly proud. Your hard work, creativity, and ability to work together were evident in every project, and you truly did yourselves proud. The day was one filled with positivity, and this was thanks to your dedication and enthusiasm for learning.

participating in team challenges, your cooperation and positive spirit shone brightly. I will cherish the memories of learning together in the great outdoors.

Our trip to Bletchley Park was another standout moment. Seeing your excitement as you learned about the history of codebreaking and the amazing work done during World War II was inspiring. Your curiosity and insightful questions showed just how engaged and interested you were in the world around you.

Our Outdoor Learning days were full of teamwork and laughter. Whether it was building shelters, exploring nature, or

Finally, the House Competitions throughout the year were filled with energy and enthusiasm. Watching you support one another, compete with good sportsmanship, and celebrate each other’s successes was truly heartwarming.

Thank you for making this year unforgettable. You’ve been a fantastic year group, and I’m so proud of everything you’ve achieved. I know that you will all go on to achieve great things. Don’t ever change and always take pride in yourselves and your own abilities and interests.

I wish you all the best as you move on to your next adventures and we shall always remember you with fond memories at LJS.

Year 6’s Favourite LJS Moments

‘I’ve been here since Reception and made so many memories. When I was in Year One, I told Mrs Waterhouse she had a ‘snappy dress’ – we still talk about it now!’

Zara Abbott

‘I’m going to miss the teachers, the Woodland Garden, and the Science Fair. I really like the edible science lessons. I’ve loved seeing the trees change with the seasons.’

Lautaro Miranda Andino

‘I will always remember my friends at LJS – Hanna Z, my best friend and always there when I need her. Sophia – I would get upset in Reception and she would always comfort me. Reuben V – always playing with me when we were younger.’

Lyla Banerjee

‘I’ve loved meeting the really lovely teachers.’

Isaac Bessant

‘I really enjoyed the tennis tournaments and the trip to France.’

Airen Bird

‘In Year One, just before I started at the School, I met Mrs Laxton at the Waitrose checkout and I thought she was the founder and the owner of the School.’

Eloise Aitken

‘I liked the Wales trip in Year Five. Swimming is my favourite thing to do and I really enjoy the swimming galas and going to the IAPs finals.’ Percy Green

‘I’d like to come back in 50 years and see what has changed. I’ve loved being a part of the community.’

Alexander Delorme

‘I

loved the Wales trip and the sports tour. I will really miss the friends that are going to other schools.’

Sophia Duncan

‘The best thing about LJS is the Community.’

Sam Beasant

‘I’m going to miss the sports fixtures and IAPS tournaments.’

Daara Ayelabora

‘My favourite thing about LJS is the Residentials!’

Eloise Phillips

‘My favourite things about LJS are the Residentials and sports fixtures. My favourite lesson is Maths – the teachers always find a way to make it fun.’ William Calvert

‘I’m going to miss all the really kind teachers.’ Jessica Dale

‘I love walking together with my friends to School and going to the café Beans together in Oundle.’ Hana Gibbon

‘I’m going to miss making up songs together with my friends. Wales was a really fun trip.’ Minahil Hasany

‘I love the sports at LJS and walking into school with my friends.’

Harry

Elderkin

‘I love the overnight School trips.’

Beatrice Howitt

‘I’m going to miss the breaktimes, the laughs, and the songs we make up.’

Lila Burman-Roy

‘I will miss all the IAPS trips and the breaktimes playing tag.’

Theodore Brown

‘I love the IAPS trips, mostly because they have the best sweets!’

Sachi Mann

‘Some of my favourite memories have been playing Michael in Mary Poppins – exciting and scary! And having to be rescued by Mr Marsden when my foot got stuck on the Mam Tor trek.’

Vivaan Jayaswal

‘My favourite thing about LJS was the Wales trip. I love the opportunities like all the sports fixtures LJS has given us.’

Isla Hockel

‘I’m not going to miss one thing; I’m going to miss everything! LJS is the school of my dreams.’ Ashley Mason

Scholarships & Destinations

Lila Burman-Roy Academic Scholarship Oundle School

Hana Gibbon English Exhibition Oundle School

Sachi Mann English Exhibition Oundle School

‘I love all the opportunities LJS gives us.’

Imogen Haslam

‘I really enjoy it when we play football together at breaktimes.’

Reuben Visser

Burman-Roy Music Scholarship (singing, viola, bassoon) OundleSchool

Lila

Teddy Conners Music Exhibition (tenor horn) Oundle School

‘I

loved our playground games in Year 3. I also love the fixtures and the Woodland Garden.’

Jasper Peverley

‘I really enjoyed the trip to the Viking Village in Year Four and climbing with Mr Marsden.’

Reuben Nott

‘I enjoy the Rugby fixtures – in Year Five, I scored seven tries and I was really proud of myself and my team!’

Seamus Rivera

‘I joined LJS in Year Two and still remember my first day. Sam and Lucien looked after me.’

Harry Richardson

‘My favourite thing about LJS is the teachers and the trips – I remember going to the farm in Reception.’ Teddy Conners

‘My favourite trip was Wales. I’m going to miss the trips to such lovely places.’

Ciaran Ngugi

‘I loved the trip to Wales!’

Hannah Zhang

‘I loved it in France when I was the first to be asked to hold the baby goat. It was warm and snuggly.’ Jack Norman

‘I really love the Sport and Maths at LJS, I also really enjoy going to Chess Club.’

Hugo Singlehurst

‘My funniest memory at LJS was in Year Five when everyone needed to go to the toilet on the journey to the Wales Residential!’

Lucien Smith

‘I really enjoyed Sports Day – I love challenging myself.’ Cameron Jones

‘I’m going to miss being in dorms together on residentials with my

friends.’ Catrin Wood

‘I really like the sports fixtures - particularly because we tend to do really well at them! The teachers are all caring and make all the lessons fun.’

Vidhaan Mehta

Hana Gibbon Music Exhibition (violin, piano) Oundle School

Vivaan Jayaswal Music Exhibition (piano) Oundle School

Lautaro Miranda Andino Music Exhibition (piano) Oundle School

Reuben Nott Music Exhibition (tuba) Oundle School

32 Scott House, Oundle School (day)

2 Berrystead, Oundle School (boarding)

Haberdashers’ Monmouth

1

Hinchingbrooke School

1

Maidwell Hall School

1

1 Northampton School for Boys

Prince William School, Oundle

1

From my five years at LJS, I have found that what makes this School truly special are the people and the opportunities.

It won’t surprise anyone that most of my best memories come from the sports pitch. Beating Witham 5-1 at hockey and then at cricket, were particular highlights. I’ve also loved the Residentials, going away with my friends to see different places is something I will treasure forever. A special mention goes to Mr Marsden for helping us to push our boundaries and get up early at the weekend!

There are also many other people from my time at LJS that I would like to thank, one being Sophia. It has been an honour being Head Boy and sharing the experience together. Her amazing knowledge of different people around School has been very helpful when we are working on the Cup of Kindness! Sophia is kind, supportive and helpful.

I also wish to thank the teachers at LJS. They are all supportive, encouraging and always helping me do my best. To the children at our School, thank you for making me laugh and always supporting each other. To my brother, Will, thank you

Sam Sophia Head Boy & Girl

It has meant so much to me to have the opportunity of being Head Girl. It has been an honour to lead the School, alongside Sam, and together face every challenge head on.

I know there have been special moments for everyone at LJS this year. It could be getting a pen licence, winning a House match, making a new friend, or conquering a fear… Whatever it is –congratulations!

I have loved every moment of being Head Girl, but my favourite is laying the wreath on Remembrance Sunday. This was special to me because I have personally been attending the service for the past 10 years. I also loved my meetings with Mrs Waller,

for making me late every day because we are always playing cricket in the garden before school!

Some advice I would like to give the whole School is to stay resilient. It is something I’ve had to work on throughout this year and I am yet to master it. Keep being kind and giving the next Head Boy and Girl the hardest job choosing who to give the Cup of Kindness to!

LJS, keep being brilliant and thank you!

with hot chocolate and a biscuit, which have been important to talk about the School. It has been a pleasure to get to know her this year.

I would like to thank Sam for being an amazing partner, and, of course, for always writing the lion’s share of our speeches! Thank you to my friends for believing in me, even when I didn’t and for their neverending support. Thank you to my House, Burghley, for making every year, but especially my last year, so memorable. We won Sports Day! Thank you Mrs H-C and all my teachers for supporting me to be the best I can be. Thank you to all the children of LJS for being so kind and for giving so many amazing ideas to School Council.

My time at LJS has taught me to be kind and resilient, to take every opportunity and to enjoy each day.

To the next Head Girl and Head Boy and every other child at Laxton Junior School, be kind and try your hardest in all you do, I am sure you will enjoy each and every day!

We are delighted to welcome Alice Ticehurst to the EYFS team in September, as a Reception teacher.

Staff Salvete

We welcome, also, Jennifer Kirkely, who has been appointed as a Therapeutic Pastoral Mentor starting in September.

Alice is a familiar face, having joined the LJS Educational Support Department in November in a part-time maternity cover role. Alice brings with her a wealth of EYFS and Key Stage One teaching experience.

Her love of creating engaging play opportunities for children is set to dovetail beautifully with the ethos of our EYFS setting.

Also joining us in September 2024 is Lisa Smith, as Head of Science.

Jennifer will be part of the Emotional Wellbeing Team at Oundle School but will dedicate a portion of her time to supporting our children at LJS.

Her role will be instrumental in promoting the wellbeing of all our children.

Lisa joins us from Beachborough Prep, where she has been Head of Science for the last seven years. She brings with her extensive experience, expertise and a genuine passion for inspiring a love of Science and STEM in children and young people. We look forward to welcoming Lisa into the LJS family.

Staff Valete

Sappho Holland will be leaving us at the end of this academic year.

Sappho joined us in September and her warmth has enabled her to build positive relationships with her children, families and colleagues. Sappho will take up a role closer to home from September.

We wish her every happiness and success in the future.

Andy Grainger and his family will be leaving at the end of the academic year to start a new adventure in Dubai.

Andy has been a fantastic Head of Science and teacher here at Laxton Junior School for a number of years.

We wish him the very best of luck and hope he and his family has an amazing time.