Trinity termly newsletter

TRINITY TERM NEWSLETTER

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FROM THE PRINCIPAL The Trinity Term, like all others at New Hall, has been busy, with a variety of charity events, educational visits, sporting triumphs and musical concerts taking place throughout the examination term. Our students’ record-breaking public examination results stand as testament to the hard work and dedication of both staff and students, as well as to the well-rounded, holistic approach that we have to education here at New Hall.

I enjoyed sharing my experiences of charity work in Myanmar during the Lent Term.

The visits to a number of orphanages and schools inspired the ‘Soak-a-Teacher’ events, which were greatly enjoyed by students from Pre-Reception to Sixth Form. Nearly £1,000 was raised, which has enabled us to sponsor two teachers for a year in a school and orphanage in Mandalay. Thank you for your support for this charitable enterprise, undertaken in partnership with the New Directions charity, founded recently by a New Hallian.

In June, we hosted Crista Cullen MBE, GB hockey player and Gold Medallist, for the opening of our new 3G and AstroTurf pitches. At New Hall, we continue to invest in the best possible facilities, in order that all students in our care have every opportunity to fulfil their potential here.

I hope that you enjoy reading this newsletter and reflecting on the term’s successes. We look forward to the new school year ahead, which promises to be an exciting one, with the school’s 375th anniversary year celebrations commencing on 8 October, Foundation Day.

Mrs Katherine Jeffrey, Principal

WHAT’S NEW?

SOAK A TEACHER Upon her return to New Hall this term, Mrs Jeffrey shared with the school community her experiences in Myanmar, where she had undertaken charity work with ‘New Directions’, the charity founded with work by New Hallian, Conor Moylan.

Having seen first-hand the need for teachers in Myanmar, Mrs Jeffrey organised fundraising ‘Soak-a-Teacher’ events, with the hope that we would be able to fund a teacher in Myanmar for a year.

Brave senior members of staff, in events held in the Senior and Preparatory Divisions, faced students armed with wet sponges, full buckets, water balloons and, at one point in the Senior proceedings, a hose!

In the name of charity, many students paid to drench

We will, therefore, be able to sponsor two teachers for a year in Myanmar, enabling a number of needy children to receive an education. their teachers, whilst the Music Department provided entertainment in the form of water-themed songs, accompanied by the screams of the sporting teachers.

We are delighted to share that we were able to well exceed the target of £250 and will, therefore, be able to sponsor two teachers for a year in Myanmar, enabling a number of needy children to receive an education.

WHAT’S NEW?

CRISTA CULLEN MBE OPENS PITCHES On 30 June, we were delighted to welcome Crista Cullen MBE, GB Hockey Olympic Gold Medallist to New Hall to open our new 3G and AstroTurf pitches.

After officially opening the pitches, Crista took part in a hockey coaching session with Years 6 and 7 girls and boys, whilst rugby exhibition matches took place on the 3G pitch.

Crista then held a question and answer session, during which she greatly encouraged the students to keep a broad range of interests and emphasised the importance of commitment if they wish to achieve their goals.

The students were then thrilled to be able to collect autographs from Crista, with some lucky girls and boys being able to wear her Olympic Gold Medal.

ESSEX AIR AMBULANCE It was with much excitement on the afternoon of 30 June that students waved in the new Essex & Herts Air Ambulance helicopter as it landed at New Hall.

The visit was part of the charity’s celebration tour of 20 years of saving lives in Essex and

10 years in Hertfordshire.

The helicopter was accompanied by a branded vehicle and mascot, ‘Pilot Pete’, who was thrilled to meet our very own Beaulieu Bear!

Students in Years 7 and 8, as well as pupils from the Preparatory Divisions, were

able to watch the helicopter land before taking a look around it, have any questions answered by charity representatives, meet ‘Pilot Pete’ and buy merchandise!

It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate one of the charities that we support at New Hall.

WHAT’S NEW?

SPORTS DAYS Sports days are always a highlight of the Trinity Term. This year’s events were excellent displays of hard work, camaraderie and house spirit by our dedicated students.

The Senior Divisions’ Sports Day was held on 26 June, and students, staff and parents enjoyed competitive events, interspersed with some more light-hearted races, including the mascot race, the skipping

relay and, perhaps the most competitive of the day, the staff and parents mixed relay!

Records were broken and fantastic results recorded.

Congratulations to Southwell House, overall winners of the day!

The Preparatory Divisions held their Sports Day on 3 July.

A large number of parents turned out to support the children, who approached their events with a mature and sporting attitude. Well done to all who took part, and congratulations to members of St Luke, who claimed the Sports Day trophy!

At the end of their examination period, students in Years 5 – 9 also enjoyed a fun-packed ‘Alternative Sports Day’ inter-house event, with competitive events including egg and spoon, three-legged and sack races, as well as rounders and board games. A fantastic way to unwind at the end of examination week!

NHVS END OF YEAR EVENTS The New Hall Voluntary Service (NHVS) enjoyed a busy week of celebrations to round off another successful year.

The Shaftesbury group held a summer BBQ, a wonderful evening of music, socialising and delicious food for the guests, volunteers and students.

The NHVS lunch groups for elderly guests held a Strawberry Tea. Guests enjoyed an array of sandwiches, scones, strawberries and cream, and delicious cakes.

Fr Lee held a poignant act of remembrance for guests who sadly passed away this year and then the infant choir of the Preparatory Divisions gave a charming performance of some jolly summer songs to round off the event.

Congratulations to Southwell and St Luke!

WHAT’S NEW?

GOOD HOPE CAFÉ ANNIVERSARY April saw the first anniversary celebration of the Good Hope Café at New Hall and we welcomed Barry Mizen MBE and Margaret Mizen MBE, founders of the ‘For Jimmy’ charity that is supported by the café.

We were thrilled to be able to present our charity cheque for £1,900 to ‘For Jimmy’. Thank you to all who support Good Hope and have made this donation possible.

Mrs Jeffrey then introduced Mr and Mrs Mizen to Years 6 and 7, to speak to them about

the origins of the charity and its mission today to spread the message of hope, peace and reconciliation and to help build community spirit. The talk was inspirational and provoked

thoughtful comments and questions from students. Mr and Mrs Mizen left the audience with a challenge following the talk: to work for peace.

We were thrilled to be able to present our charity cheque for £1,900 to ‘For Jimmy’

MAGDALEN & EARLE TEA PARTY On 23 June, Magdalen and Earle hosted the long-awaited Alice and Wonderland Tea Party, in aid of the Little Princess Trust.

A fun-filled afternoon ensued, with lots of delicious homemade treats on sale, games stalls, and a raffle with some very

sought-after prizes. The event ended with a popular ‘soak-ateacher’ line-up of the Magdalen and Earle boarding staff, and students were more than willing to queue up and pay to drench them!

The final total raised by the

event was a fantastic £1327, which will go towards making a wig for a child who has lost their hair due to cancer treatment or other illnesses, an extremely worthy cause. Well done to all who supported the tea party!

WHAT’S NEW?

MOCK ELECTIONS In response to Theresa May’s announcement of a snap general election on 8 June, the Politics Department held mock elections in the Senior and Preparatory Divisions.

In the Senior Divisions, Year 12 students representing the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and UKIP took part in hustings in Divisional Assemblies in a bid to win some support by highlighting their main policies and answering questions.

Then, every lunchtime for a week, ‘Question Time’ debates were held, with each party

discussing key manifesto, including: immigration, crime, education, health, Brexit, the environment and the economy.

The discussions became rather intense as the candidates were faced with some difficult questions from audience members.

Finally, voting took place and the results were as follows: ♦♦ Conservative: 39.8% ♦♦ Labour: 24% ♦♦ UKIP: 23% ♦♦ Liberal Democrats: 12% In the Preparatory Division, a mock election provided an

exciting morning. Each class in Year 5 and Year 6 created a manifesto covering local and national issues and every pupil was involved in producing campaign materials, including posters, badges and a campaign video.

On the day of the election, Years 3 – 6 assembled in the Hall. In a bid to win votes, each class read out speeches and showed campaign videos.

Then it was time to vote. Every student was given a ballot card and placed their votes in official Parliamentary ballot boxes.

Seven pupils acted as official counters and, using a ‘First Past the Post’ system, calculated who the winner was.

It was an extremely close result, but the winners were ‘Progress’. The morning was full of excitement and the Politics teachers were proud to see such young individuals so actively engaged in politics. They are sure that some could be politicians of the future!

WHAT’S NEW?

DANCE NEWS The Trinity Term has been an extremely busy and very successful one for the Dance Department.

53 dancers travelled to London to perform at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre, where New Hall was one of ten dance schools invited to perform in the ‘Mardi Gras Variety Show’. Our dancers performed with professionalism and grace; their dances had the audience mesmerised and showed true teamwork and passion.

Some dancers entered the Colchester Dance Festival.

As this was the first time that New Hall had taken part in the competition, only a small number of students were entered. We were thrilled, therefore, to receive a grand total of 18 gold, 12 silver and 7 bronze medals, along with 22 trophies!

Similarly, in the Chelmsford Dance Festival, 10 trophies were won by our students.

The highlight of the term

was the Legends Dance Show with dances, of many different genres, choreographed by Mrs Molina and members of the Dance Department. The show began with 75 students singing ‘True Colours’ from various positions around the auditorium, which made for a very touching opening. It was wonderful to welcome back some New Hallians to dance with their younger peers. As always, the weekend was an enjoyable one for all involved, with lots

of fun backstage. Mrs Molina would like to extend her thanks to all the parent chaperones, whose help backstage was indispensable, and also to the Costume Committee, whose expert advice and creativity led to beautiful costumes, which complemented each performance. Over 250 students take part in the Dance show every year and the event is always a memorable one for all involved. Congratulations to all who took part!

RESULTS

GCSE RESULTS Record 83% of grades at A*-B

A quarter of grades at A* or 8+

Record 190 modules awarded 100%

RESULTS

24 students achieve at least 9 A*/As

95% of grades at A*/A for twenty 11-year-olds who achieved Level 1 GCSE qualification in their Politics Academic Projects

Principal, Katherine Jeffrey, said: “These fantastic results and New Hall’s success as the TES Independent School of the Year show the strengths of Catholic independent education and reflect the quality and breadth of the curriculum at New Hall.”

RESULTS

A LEVEL RESULTS 44% A*-A 76% A*-B 91% A*-C

Students awarded 100% in 45 A Level modules

A record six Oxbridge places have been secured

RESULTS

Average point score of 140 per student equates to A, A, B

Head of Sixth Form, James Alderson, said: “The results achieved are a great reward for the hard work of our students and the dedication and care of the teachers who have nurtured and inspired them.”

Principal, Katherine Jeffrey, said: “ We are incredibly proud of our students’ successes and it is wonderful to see their excitement today after all their hard work.”

PREP

PREPARATORY DIVISIONS SATS RESULTS We celebrate another year of outstanding SATs results, which evidence how our pupils and teachers have embraced the raised standards of the new National Curriculum, as well as the robust assessment requirements, whilst illustrating New Hall Preparatory Division’s continuous improvement in the quality of teaching and learning.

93% of Year 6 pupils achieved the expected standard in Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar, with 54% of pupils achieving the higher scaled score of 110 or more.

98% of pupils achieved the expected standard in Reading, 27% above the National attainment figure.

As we have introduced Assertive Mentoring in English this year, it is great to see the outcome in these fantastic results.

93% of Year 6 pupils achieved the expected standard in Mathematics and, in a significant increase from last year, 57% of pupils achieved the higher standard of 110 and above. One pupil scored 100% in all three papers.

PREP

LITTLEGARTH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS COMPETITION Four pupils travelled to Great Horkesley to participate in a full day of Mathematics activities this term, as they took part in the Littlegarth Preparatory School Mathematics Competition. During the competition, pupils were challenged to a variety of mathematical problems.

The pupils soon realised the importance of working cooperatively, as points were awarded for teamwork. After the “Ice Cream Craziness” challenge about averages, New Hall team member Elisabeth claimed, “that round was intense!”, sounding rather exasperated. Sitting in second place at lunchtime, the most challenging round for our pupils in the afternoon was “Value of Shapes”. Performing to a very high standard throughout, applying their combined knowledge and reasoning about proportions, our pupils were superb ambassadors for the Preparatory Division, returning with a Bronze Medal each. Well done!

QUIZ CLUB NATIONAL SEMI FINALS On a very hot Tuesday afternoon, Year 6 pupils, Jack, Olivia, Albert and Alexander, travelled to Avon House Preparatory School, Woodford Green for the semi finals of the Quiz Club National Inter-School Quiz Championship, to compete against other gifted mathematicians.

With a respectable 1735 points, our New Hall team came third!

PREP

ONE YEAR ON BBQ With much excitement, Year 6 pupils went out to the Cedar Plot for the ‘One Year On’ BBQ after school on a June afternoon.

Year 7 students were invited to speak to Year 6 about the transition to senior school and answer any questions in an informal and relaxed setting.

Everyone greatly enjoyed the BBQ and ice creams, followed by a humorous question and answer session, and finally, games of Capture the Flag, Kwik Cricket and Ultimate Frisbee!

ANCIENT GREECE

TEA TIME CONCERT

In April, Year 4 pupils were transported to 490BC to the Greek city of Athens for the day.

Nearby, the Battle of Marathon raged on.

The children were required to take on the roles of Athenian citizens during the time of this iconic battle. In the morning, they learned many trades, including soap carving, mosaic making, tile painting and making wax tablets. Their creations then had to be offered to the Greek gods as a sign of respect.

After lunch, victory at the battle was celebrated with a banquet and Greek entertainment, including dancing and retelling of comedies and tragedies.

The children had great fun in a day that really brought their learning to life!

In June, talented musicians from Years 3-6 featured in a Teatime Concert. The pupils treated the audience to a wealth of genres, from jazz to Italian opera and everything in between!

The pupils were commended on the commitment they had shown in preparing their pieces to such a high standard.

PREP SKI NEWS Four pupils took part in the London Schools Ski Race in Welwyn.

Almost 200 children from London and the surrounding areas competed. The New Hall squad performed brilliantly and won team gold in the Years 2-4 special slalom race.

A few weeks later, the skiers were busy racing again. Lulu (Year 2), Aidan (Year 5) and Kyan (Year 6) raced in the East of England Region Ski Association race at Brentwood. All the New Hall skiers raced superbly and achieved personal bests. A special mention goes to Lulu, who won gold in the girls U8 Slalom race.

LYDIA’S CHESS HOMELESS APPEAL Lydia (Year 4) is “just delighted” with the response to the Mathematics Challenge she organised for fellow Preparatory pupils this term. Over £400.00 was raised for her chosen charity, CHESS Homeless, based in Chelmsford. Using her own money, Lydia purchased and presented prizes to the top fundraisers, Miles (Year 2) and Louis (Year 4).

JUNIOR LANGUAGE CHALLENGE Many children across Years 3-5 participated in this year’s Junior Language Challenge. They all worked exceptionally hard to practise their French independently and broaden their vocabulary. There was a record number of participants this year, meaning that nearly £11,000.00 has been raised for charity.

8 of our pupils received a Junior Language Challenge Gold Award certificate, whilst 4 received a Silver Certificate and 2 pupils a Bronze, in recognition of their hard work. We are also delighted that five pupils: Louise (Year 4), Sienna (Year 4), Oliver, Ariane and Danielle (all Year 3), are amongst the top scorers in the North London region and have secured a place in the live semi-finals in September. The language for round 2 is Japanese, and we wish the pupils every success as they apply initiative and persistence to their independent learning of this challenging but fascinating language.

SENIOR

SENIOR DIVISIONS CONFIRMATION In June, both our Roman Catholic and Anglican candidates received the Sacrament of Confirmation in consecutive weeks, by Bishop Alan Williams SM and Bishop John Wraw, the Bishop of Bradwell respectively.

The Confirmation programme at New Hall is unique, as the Catholic and Anglican candidates are prepared together in an ecumenical programme by a team incorporating the New Hall Chaplaincy team and local Anglican clergy. The candidates learn about the aspects of faith that they share and where they differ. This year’s candidates enjoyed an Agape meal together with Mrs Jeffrey and other senior members of staff.

We continue to pray for the confirmandi and their newly affirmed faith.

SENIOR

STEM PHYSICS OLYMPIAD Congratulations to our students who took part in the GCSE stage of the British Physics Olympiad. 40 Year 11 Triple Science students took part in the Physics Challenge this year and have recorded our best results ever.

Notable successes were: ♦♦ Bronze 2: Joseph, Thomas and Luke. ♦♦ Bronze 1: Alexander ♦♦ Silver: Phineas ♦♦ Gold: Daniel, who placed in the top 5.5% of entrants nationally

MUSIC FOR A SUMMERS EVENING Music for a Summer’s Evening was, as always, a wonderful concert. It provides an opportunity to bid farewell to the musicians that will leave the school this year, whilst exhibiting the future musical talent at New Hall.

The combined Sinfonia and Training Orchestra performed two classic Karl Jenkins compositions with great style, with some fantastic solo and wonderful ensemble playing.

The evening ended with a world premiere, in which the audience joined the Senior Choir in singing Jeffery Wilson’s brand new setting of the Gloria – a setting that will be shared with the world on Foundation Day 2017.

SENIOR SKI NEWS

CSI WORKSHOP Year 10 experienced forensics workshops as part of the end of term Activity Day. In groups, they analysed a case from start to finish, looking at the crime scene, DNA and blood samples, before giving evidence in court.

The teams competed with one another and with schools across the world, with points awarded for technique and speed!

FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT Thank you to all the students from Years 7 and 8, who took part in the Fairtrade Mug Competition. Congratulations to winner Lauren, whose mug has now been produced.

Thanks also go to everyone who supported the Fairtrade Tuck Shop this year. Our donation has been sent to the Fairtrade Foundation.

At the England Schools Indoor Championships in Manchester, Luke, Joe, Alex (all Year 10) and Max (Year 7) competed. In the Boys’ Open team category, they placed 4th, a great result in a very strong field.

Emily (Year 9) and Joe (Year 10) competed at the Hemel Club National ski competition in June.

Both skiers performed incredibly well, with Emily taking 1st place in the U16 girls’ race and Joe also finishing in 1st place in his first ever Under 18 race!

Emily, Isabelle (both Year 9) and Allegra (Year 8) have been selected for the Snowsport England Alpine Squad for the second year running and are to be joined by new squad member Sophie (Year 8). This is a huge achievement for the girls – congratulations!

Additional congratulations are extended to Alice (Year 11), Isabelle (Year 9) and Sophie (Year 8), who have been invited to the English Schools’ Ski Association Summer Camp at Langraaf in August. The camp is part of the girls’ preparation for possible participation in next winter’s World Schools Championships.

We wish them every success.

SENIOR YEAR 11 CELEBRATION EVENING A wonderful evening of celebration for Year 11 was held towards the end of term. The annual student-led event is one of reflecting on fond memories for students, staff and parents.

The service in the Chapel was punctuated with readings and musical performances by the talented year group and, in a continuing tradition, a member of each form group placed a photo of their class on the altar and lit a candle, a touching moment.

GLOBE WORKSHOP Year 10 enjoyed workshops with visiting actors from The Globe theatre, to bring their GCSE Shakespeare plays to life.

Students were encouraged to feel the emotions behind the lines and explore the power of words, even making their own Hakas to demonstrate rhythm!

The day certainly helped Year 10 gain a deeper understanding of the texts.

NEW HALL SHOW We were delighted to host our annual New Hall NSEA Show jumping Qualifier at Wix Equestrian Centre in May. The day saw some fantastic performances with riders from schools, both local and further afield, competing for places in the National Schools’ Equestrian Association (NSEA) Championships at Addington.

Thank you to all who supported the show and congratulations to those who took part!

SIXTH FORM

SIXTH FORM EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT Eight Year 12 students embarked on a journey to the European Youth Parliament (EYP) Summer Nationals in Liverpool in June. It was a weekend filled with fun and adrenaline, matched with endurance and stamina.

While the team didn’t get through to the international round as a school, all students came away happy and with a sense of achievement.

Furthermore, they not only had a positive experience, but also learned a lot about themselves as individuals.

It was an intense experience working with other students from the best schools across the country, but our students absolutely held their own and have come back stronger, more confident and ready to face

challenges in any situation. We are incredibly proud of them.

Congratulations to Charles, Constance and Elizabeth who have since received the news that they have been selected for the International Forum, the highest round of the European Youth Parliament sessions. They will be working with the other top selected students from across Europe and the outcomes of this session will actually be passed up to the European Parliament for consideration.

This is a superb achievement and they should all be very proud.

Thanks must also go, once again, to Mrs Clark for preparing the team so well for the EYP events.

SIXTH FORM

NUCLEAR RUSH Congratulations to the Dennett House girls who completed the ‘Nuclear Rush’ race in Brentwood in order to raise money for a worthy cause close to their hearts, Bowel Cancer UK. The Sixth Form girls, Jemima (Year 13), Constance, Phoebe, Coco and Tara (Year 12), as well as their Housemistress, Mrs Murray-Turner, and Ian Brewster, Fitness Instructor, were extremely dedicated in their training for the muddy obstacle race, practising challenges such as wall climbing and push-ups in muddy puddles!

The group greatly enjoyed the challenge of the race, with all completing the tough course in good time. Most importantly, they have raised a hugely significant amount for the charity, over £25,000!

MODEL UNITED NATIONS Year 12 participated in a Model United Nations day, organised by Mrs Taylor, as part of the end of term Activity Day. The day started with the UK submitting a resolution on global terrorism.

Delegates representing a range of countries challenged the UK, asking “Points of Information”, alliances were made and amendments negotiated; after much heated debate, the resolution was passed.

The main excitement of the day came in the form of an emergency debate, where the countries had to find a solution quickly. Trump and Pence had been assassinated, California had declared itself an independent country and the USA was no longer recognised. Delegates had to think of ways to stabilise the situation and reorganise the territory. Lots of solutions were offered, including: allowing California to form a temporary government; a United Islamic State taking over the USA, and an alliance of several European countries invading and auctioning off states.

Year 12 were enthusiastic and engaged throughout and had a lot of fun.

SIXTH FORM ROYAL ACADEMY EXHIBITION

EXCERPTS FROM IN THE HEIGHTS At the end of the Lent Term, Sophia (Year 12) requested permission to direct an entirely student-led musical production with a group of students from across the Senior School. After more than 8 weeks of hard work, they produced an excellent show. The audience were treated to a series of fabulous musical numbers from In the Heights, with great solo and group performances. The whole cast and the backstage helpers should be extremely proud of their achievement, not least because they have managed to fit rehearsing around all of their other commitments.

The audience included two New Hallians, one of which, Gabriela Garcia (pictured), starred in the West End production of In the Heights and was very supportive of all the students, giving them some valuable advice, as well as being very excited to return to New Hall after twelve years.

Congratulations to June (Year 13), whose work has been selected for the prestigious Royal Academy A Level Art Exhibition.

The online exhibition runs parallel to the world-renowned Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. With a record number of 2400 entries this year from A Level students across the UK, June’s piece was one of 49 selected works, a remarkable success.

June’s photograph of fish, entitled ‘Anxiety’, dynamically framed and lit in an aquarium, captured the attention of the judges, including worldfamous German artist Wolfgang Tillmans, who specialises in Fine Art photography.

In her selection for the exhibition, June becomes the fourth New Hall student in as many years to feature, a consistent line of success that only two other schools in the UK can also claim.

CHESS COMPETITION In May, Augustin, Thomas, Etienne, Max, Freddie, Yurila (all Year 7) and Euphemia (Year 12) participated in the Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge Megafinal for Essex. Each student played six rounds of chess, in an attempt to qualify for the Gigafinal tournament.

Euphemia performed very impressively throughout the day, winning the U17 girls Suprema title and qualifying for the Gigafinal.

Congratulations to all students involved in the competition and we wish Euphemia well for her next tournament!

SIXTH FORM SPIRITUAL DAY The theme of Year 12’s final Human and Spiritual Day this year was the ‘role of religion in public life and in education in particular’. In the morning, the students enjoyed a lecture on the history of the school, delivered by Miss Tait, and a series of debates, led by Mr Bray and Mr Reader.

They went on to reflect on their experiences as members of the school community and how they would market their experiences to others. They were asked to think of a school motto, compose a school prayer and choose a school hymn. The results were judged and all were greatly impressed by the standard of the work produced and the consideration the students had given the task, with results that wonderfully reflected our students’ experiences of the education they have received here.

The day was drawn to a conclusion with a talk from Mr John Adams, Head of RE at a Catholic School, who has recently been appointed to a senior role within the Education Department of the Diocese of Brentwood. His talk was entitled ‘Catholic Education, its value and worth’. After a question and answer session, Mr Adams was thanked for his enlightening talk. The day finished with prayer, led by Fr Lee.

ESSAY COMPETITION Congratulations to Kate (Year 12), Theology Prefect, who has been awarded the Prize for the Independent Schools Religious Studies Association essay competition for an excellent essay on the importance of Religious Education in schools. Thanks also go to Miss Webb, who supported Kate in the planning of her essay.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Sri Lanka

A squad of 14 boys from Years 8 - 10 travelled to Sri Lanka over the Easter holiday on a long-awaited cricket tour, for which they had been preparing for the previous three months.

The quality of cricket faced by the team in Sri Lanka was of a consistently high standard and, although the on-field results did not favour the New Hall team, the level of performances certainly progressed quickly in each of the games. All the boys maintained an admirable level of enthusiasm throughout the tour and every player should be proud of their achievements.

Apart from the cricket, the boys had plenty of opportunities to experience the beautiful country of Sri Lanka, including tours of Colombo and Galle, a visit to see the famous stilt fishermen, The Foundation of Goodness charity, the Kosgoda Turtle Sanctuary and the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

The tour was a great experience and the

boys were a credit to the school; the way in which they conducted themselves throughout the trip was outstanding. Thank you to Mr Davidge and all those who were instrumental in the planning and execution of a truly memorable tour.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

GALAPAGOS & ECUADOR Over the summer, a group of 13 intrepid students led by Mr Melloy and Mrs Dennis took part in scientific expeditions to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The journey to the rainforest was certainly not for the faint-hearted, with 25 hours of flights and connections, a 14 hour bus journey, and finally a 4 hour spell by speedboat and canoe! However, once there, the group found themselves in a wonderful environment, still unaffected by human development, in isolation in the middle of the rainforest.

Staying in tents under shelters and showering with river water, the group enjoyed electricity for only a few hours each evening!

The students took part in scientific studies into the plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and fish species, identifying and noting distribution and abundance. They were guided by the resident scientists, experts in their field, whose work feeds directly into studies at universities around the world. This was a marvellous experience for all the students, particularly those who are interested in careers in the Biological sciences. Among the highlights was a morning spent in the canopy tower above the rainforest, watching the mists rise and the air come to life with amazingly diverse bird species whilst being able to see and hear a group of Howler Monkeys in the distance.

The group also visited the nearest village, the Sani reserve community (1.5 hours in a canoe and a 1 hour hike!). This community are trying to manage their environment without selling out to the big oil companies. Here, our students helped to prepare locally grown coffee beans, learned how the local

foods were prepared and visited the school and turtle nursery. They were given a lunch of grubs, plantains and Patarashca (Amazonian fish wrapped in banana leaves).

In the afternoon, New Hall played a community team at football (the international language!), remarkably winning 2-0.

The second week saw the group travel to the Galapagos Islands. This week was less about scientific surveys, as the area is very well studied, but learning about the island’s unique flora and fauna, its place in our understanding of evolution and also the lessons that can be gained from seeing the destruction that man has caused in the past.

The tourists camped in the highlands of Santa Cruz, and all were surprised at the cold and wet weather, considering the islands’ location on the equator!

This is the result of the islands being surrounded by several cold and moist ocean currents; the air cools as it rises and deposits the rain on the camp, meaning the first 3 days of their stay were spent in the clouds! After that, however, the sun shone.

The weather at the coast is as one would expect on the equator. The students saw so many Giant Tortoises that they became almost common-place.

Students also took part in diving, snorkelling and canoeing activities and, for one day, contributed to the reforestation project aiming to restore the endemic Scalesia tree to the highlands.

This was an amazing trip; the environments were so unique, and the students enjoyed experiences they will never forget. One could not help but be moved not only by the beauty of our planet, but also to be concerned of its fragility. Those who went on this trip were very lucky indeed.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Le Touquet

On 16 June, 70 Year 7 students and 8 staff set off bright and early for the chic seaside resort of Le Touquet, Northern France.

The excited group arrived in time for lunch on the beautiful beach before setting off to explore the town and put their French into practice.

Staff were most impressed with the effort made by students to use the language and the enthusiasm displayed. Various travel setbacks made for a very late return to school, thank you to parents for their patience!

It is clear from their comments that the students enjoyed their fleeting French experience!

“Le Touquet was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The trip really helped expand my vocabulary and I now have an idea of what France is really like.”

“My group tried speaking French and succeeded, overall the trip was FANTASTIQUE!” “I really enjoyed speaking French in ‘la boulangerie’ and will remember that moment forever.”

SKI TRIP Over the Easter break, a group of excited skiers left New Hall for Austria for the Years 8 and 9 boys’ ski trip to Zell am See. All made good progress on the snow during the week, with a special mention from Mrs Cooper for the beginners’ group. A highly energetic trip, the days of skiing were followed by evenings packed with activities, ranging from a volleyball tournament to a high ropes course!

A great deal of fun was had by all. Thank you to Mrs Cooper for leading the trip, the staff who were involved in organising and supervising, and the parents who supported it. We now look forward to the girls’ trip next Easter.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

walton-on-the-naze On Activity Day, students in Year 8 enjoyed a glorious day in the sunshine, carrying out some practical fieldwork at Walton-on-the-Naze with the Geography Department.

The trip gave students the opportunity to study first-hand some of the coastal processes, landscapes and management strategies they had studied earlier in the year. An actionpacked day of Geography in the fresh air with time for an ice cream break – all in all, a great day at the seaside!

NORMANDY On 26 June, 54 excited Year 8 students woke at the crack of dawn to start their journey to Normandy. The trip allowed students to practise their French and cookery skills, whilst experiencing French culture.

The group visited the famous Bayeux Tapestry, took part in a treasure hunt around the pretty town of Bayeux, visited the market in Caen, sampled delicious chocolates at a chocolate factory, enjoyed biscuits from the region on World Biscuit Day, toured a goats’ cheese farm and took part in a hands-on session, making French bread and crepes.

Students were also given time to reflect and appreciate the historical significance of the region during a visit to the British Cemetery and a drive past Arromanches, famous for the beaches where the D-Day landings took place.

The tourists stayed at the Château du Molay, where students took part in a ‘Pop Mobility’ session, learning some routines to put to good use at the disco, as well as egg smashing competitions and also swimming sessions at the on-site pool. Brave students even took the opportunity to sample frog legs and snails during the French cuisine night at the Château.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

kew gardens Boarders from Years 4 – 13 made a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Site. The group enjoyed a picnic under a large oak tree.

They visited Kew Palace and kitchens, where they learned about the running of a palace in Georgian times. They entered ‘The Hive’, a sculpture which one can walk into and experience lights and vibrations that represent the movement of bees in a real hive.

Finally, they visited Kew’s collection of living plants, which is the largest and most diverse in the world, all our students found something of interest.

The day was both informative and enjoyable for all!

colchester castle museum Year 3 visited Colchester Castle Museum to support this year’s History topics on Celts from Prehistoric Britain and The Romans. The pupils participated enthusiastically in dressing-up roles, simulation activities, puzzles and hands-on activities, as well as looking for clues in the museum to help them find out about life in the past.

MERSEA ISLAND Year 2 had a fabulous day out at Mersea Island.

The children were very excited about crossing the causeway, with some being slightly disappointed that the tide was low! In the morning the children visited the museum, where they learned about the importance of oystering, sailing and boat building, and looked at artefacts dating back to the Roman times.

At the Church of St Peter and St Paul, the children loved spotting and drawing different items like the beautiful kneelers, the stained glass depiction of Mersea and the weather vane with its smack boat.

In the afternoon, the group headed to the beach, where the children had a wonderful time collecting shells and stones to create Land Art in the style of Andy Goldsworthy. The children could also identify some of the physical and human features of an island, which they had learned about in their topic work

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

bologna A very excited group set off from Heathrow for a jam-packed STEM trip to Bologna, Italy.

A guided tour of the city and lunch greeted the students on their first day. The following days included guided tours of the Ducati motorcycle factory and museum, the Lamborghini museum and the Pagani factory, where students watched cars worth over £1,000,000 being hand-built!

The final day saw the highlight of the trip, a visit to Modena, the home of Ferrari, where students completed a marketing workshop, had a guided factory tour and museum experience, all of which were truly memorable!

europa centre Year 4 visited the Europa Centre in Hornchurch, which provided the children with the opportunity to practise their French speaking skills within small groups, whilst working with French assistants.

Pupils took part in role-plays in a variety of shops with great enthusiasm, using vocabulary they had learned during their French lessons.

The visit to “le magasin de vêtements” was one of the highlights as children were able to try on the clothing items they purchased. The café visit was also very popular as the pupils enjoyed eating their “pain au chocolat” or “croissant” they had ordered in French. The visit ended with a thoroughly entertaining puppet show in French, involving plenty of audience participation.

stubbers ACTIVITy centre Magdalen House and Earle House ventured to Stubbers Activity Centre for a fun day in the sunshine.

The students were excited to jump on jet skis and navigate a course at high speeds, with Augustine (Year 7) the speedster of the group!

They were then challenged with a raft building activity, followed by races on their completed rafts. A fierce battle on the water ensued with Earle and Magdalen facing off and Mrs MacKay and Mr Coupland coming perilously close to being submerged by the students! Good teamwork paid off and all students and staff made it safely to shore, albeit much wetter than before.

SPORT

Cricket week

The New Hall Cricket Week started with a closely-fought game against the prestigious MCC. Batting first, the MCC posted a total of 238, a total that had been significantly reduced as a result of some tight and disciplined bowling from the New

Hall 1st XI. In reply, New Hall lost early wickets, although a partnership of 63 between Gregory and James (both Year 13) followed by a stand of 60 between two brothers (Alexander, Year 11, and James, Year 13) gave New Hall some hope.

The game slipped away towards the end, which meant the MCC were victorious. The match provided a great start to the week, despite New Hall’s loss.

The Joe Hussain tournament took place the following day, involving our own U12 team, Holmwood House, Essex Boys & Girls Clubs and Mount Kelly. The U12 boys played very well, adding the title to their County Cup Crown!

The final day of our cricket week saw the 1st XI host the Old Boys XI on Six Acres and a thrilling match ensued, which ended in a tie.

sailing championships Ben and Josh (both Year 9) represented New Hall at the National Schools Sailing Championships at Itchenor Sailing Club.

208 sailors in 104 boats from schools across the country took part in the RS Feva twohanded boat competition. The event attracted many of the top sailors from both the RS Feva and Optimist single-handed classes, the two largest junior dinghy classes.

The boys finished the regatta in a fantastic 5th place, a tremendous result given the competition they faced. They were presented with their trophy by Ian Walker, Olympic Gold Medallist and Round the World winner. They will hopefully return to the event next year with a regatta win in their sights. Congratulations boys!

SPORT

new hall 2nd at hickstead

A team consisting of Holly (Year 10), Lily (Year 8) and Katie (Year 9) competed in the Hurstpierpoint College National Schools and Pony Club Championships at Hickstead in August.

The girls performed brilliantly throughout the day to eventually finish in 2nd place overall, a fantastic achievement!

county cup success Congratulations to the U12, U13, U14 and U15 boys cricket teams, who all rounded off a successful season as County Cup champions!

Chelmsford mini games All Year 2 pupils participated in the Chelmsford School Sports Partnership Mini Games event.

Despite poor weather, the pupils had a wonderful morning that started with a parade, which included a brass band and mascots!

The girls and boys took part in a variety of activities that were adjudicated and points awarded.

Congratulations to all those who competed, New Hall finished the event in first place! Well done to our individual medallists, Dev (bronze), George (silver) and Leo (gold).

SPORT

ENGLAND RUGBY SELECTIONS Congratulations to Joshua (Year 11) and Oliver (Year 13) for their inclusion in England rugby squads.

Joshua was selected for the England U16 squad for a game against Wales. He is the second New Hall U16 international player in the last two years and the 4th England international in 4 years!

Oliver, who has made a number of appearances for the England U18 squad this season, was part of the team who finished the U18 International Series unbeaten with a strong win against Scotland over the Easter break.

preparatory county tennis finals

Three Preparatory Division tennis teams played at the county finals.

In the morning, the first team, consisting of Joseph, Alexander, Sienna (all Year 4) and Ava (Year 3), finished as winners of the Plate Competition.

Then, in the afternoon, two teams played in the Cup and the Plate Competition.

Cameron, Olivia, Louise (Year 4) and Theodore (Year 5) edged Quilters School to win 3rd place in the Cup Competition, whilst a team comprising Dylan, William, Charlotte and Thalia (all Year 5) finished as runners-up in the Plate Competition. Well done to all!

MESSA TENNIS TOURNAMENT

The Senior tennis teams travelled to Brentwood School to compete in this year’s MESSA tennis competition. New Hall entered two pairs in each age group for the annual tournament. In very hot conditions, all our players performed extremely well and there was some excellent tennis on display. Our teams managed the following achievements: U12 MESSA Girls Champions: Imogen & Grace U12 MESSA Boys Champions: Aston & Tibet U13 MESSA Girls Champions: Samantha & Ellie U14 MESSA Girls Champions: Rebecca & Hannah U14 MESSA Girls Runners Up: Romi & Mia U14 MESSA Boys Champions: Alexander and Felix U14 MESSA Boys Runners Up: Spike and Maxwell U15 MESSA Girls Champions: Eden and Emma.

SPORT

U11 GIRLS COUNTY CRICKET FINALS In June, the U11 girls became Kwik Cricket County Final Runners Up, a first for the Preparatory Division!

U12 & U13 CRICKET TOUR 25 boys ventured down to the South West for the school’s annual tour with the U12 and U13 cricketers.

Matches against Mount Kelly, Taunton Prep and King’s Hall, Taunton were tough tests for both teams and, although the results did not favour the New Hall teams, the enthusiasm and persevering attitude the boys displayed was outstanding.

U14 PERSE TEAM TENNIS In June, the U14 boys and girls tennis teams travelled to The Perse in Cambridge to compete in their annual Team Tennis competition. The U14 boys team, which comprised of Tibet (Year 7), Oscar (Year 8), Aston (Year 7) and Frederick (Year 7), qualified second from the group stage after drawing 3-3 with The Perse and defeating Uppingham 4-2.

The boys faced a tricky semi-final, but overcame Oundle 5-1 to secure their place in the final against The Perse. In a re-match of the earlier group tie, the boys drew 3-3 once again! This led to a shootout being played, in which Tibet and Aston defeated the Perse pairing 10-7 to clinch the trophy for New Hall.

The U14 girls team consisted of Rebecca (Year 9), Imogen (Year 7), Paige (Year 7) and Romi (Year 9).

The girls won their group after a 5-1 win against a strong Perse team, followed by a comfortable 6-0 win against Uppingham. They progressed to defeat Felsted 6-0 in the semi-final and impressively defeated Oundle 6-0 in the final with a dominant display.

Both teams put on a fantastic performance, which saw New Hall win both trophies in our first appearance at the competition!

Michaelmas Term 2017 Wednesday 6 September: All Boarders Return Thursday 7 September: Day Students Return & Term Begins Friday 22 - Sunday 24 September: Exeat Weekend Saturday 30 September: Whole School Open Morning Friday 20 October - Sunday 5 November: Half Term Monday 6 November: Day Students Return Friday 24 - Sunday 26 November: Exeat Weekend Tuesday 19 December: Term Ends

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