The Arrow: Lent Term 2023

IN THE SUNDAY TIMES DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE UK’S TOP SCHOOLS #3

LENT TERM 2023

NETWORKING DINNER FOR HEADS

We had a very successful and enjoyable networking dinner with over thirty Head teachers from local senior schools and some not so nearby this term. The night provided a great opportunity for Head teachers to network, share achievements and listen to guest speaker Professor John Ryan who is a Senior Partner at Brexit Partners which advises private and public sector organisations.

FROM THE HEADMASTER

THE ST. EDMUND’S BRAND

We are currently undergoing an exciting project with a specialist educational Branding & Communications agency to help define and support us with our ongoing communications for both internal and external stakeholders / audiences.

Part of this process includes the agency gaining a deep dive and immersive appreciation for our distinctive and truly unique character. Early-stage research and scoping sessions have been conducted, across many areas of the school (which included Parents, Pupils, Staff, our Head, and a tour of the school). Our agency and ourselves would like to thank everyone for their vital and insightful involvement.

The fundamentals of the St. Edmund’s brand will not change so please be assured we will not suddenly be changing who we are as a school. It’s important for a school, as for any brand to monitor, refresh and ensure their brand and messaging is portrayed in the best way and delivering to the optimum. We have not undergone a brand ‘refresh’ in some time and feel that as the school is growing and moves with the times that we evaluate our positioning with clarity, confidence, and consistency.

We will be sure to update you as the process unfolds, but we expect initial enhancements to be visible in the Summer term and then it will take some time to roll out across every touchpoint.

The cold weather has not been an impediment to St. Edmund’s pupils this half term - they have been full of action and enthusiasm.

The successful French trip to Normandy, the various speaker events and trips and the LAMDA pupils successes at Godalming Festival have been just some of their adventures. We have also been pleased to see our pupils enjoying their sporting activities; competitions for football, Boats swimming events and rugby tournaments have helped them to show ambition and have fun. It was delightful to see our Form 6’s being incredible ambassadors for the School at our Prep Open Morning in February and we also enjoyed a successful Nursery Open Morning with almost a full nursery set for September. Further up the school, we have enjoyed being able to bring face to face GCSE Options talks and tours back. As always, it was good to meet with parents too and to talk over this important time for the pupils as they move into the Senior School.

I can certainly see that this Form 8 group (moving to Senior School in September) will be a wonderful addition to our Senior School and we are looking forward to starting their GCSE journey with them.

I wish all St. Edmund’s families a very happy Easter Holiday and I look forward to seeing parents in the Summer term which is always a favourite of mine and I look forward to finally being able to use our new dining hall!

Enjoy reading our Lent term issue of The Arrow, which hopefully gives you an informative overview of the busy and fulfilling term we have had.

CHINESE NEW YEAR

Nursery and Reception children really enjoyed learning about Chinese New Year. Nursery children made their own Chinese dragon and enjoyed cooking and tasting a stir fry and noodles! Reception children looked at Chinese culture and loved slurping some noodles too!

RSPB BIRDWATCH 23

The annual RSPB garden birdwatch is one of our favourite events at Little Ed’s each year. The children went out with binoculars and checklists to tick off which birds they could spot in our grounds. Pigeons and magpies were the winners!

LEARNING OUTDOORS

Being outside forms a large part of our week in EYFS. Reception and Nursery children continue to visit our Forest School throughout the week and we love climbing trees, making hot chocolate, learning how to whittle sticks and exploring the ground for bugs. Our Nursery garden also has a very busy mud kitchen with spectacular mud pies available on a daily basis!

NEWS FROM EYFS NURSERY AND RECEPTION PANCAKE DAY

We loved making some pancakes in Nursery 2 for Pancake Day! All the Nursery and Reception children had a try at flipping the pancakes with some of the children being natural ‘flippers’!

VISIT TO MILL COTTAGE FARM

Nursery to Form 2 had a visit from Mill Cottage Farm this term. It was a wonderful educational and recreational experience for the children who were able to see and learn all about the farm animals that visited.

RECEPTION TO F4 SHOW AND TELL

We were delighted to host an open classroom afternoon for our Reception to Form 4 pupils this term and their parents and guardians. It was a great opportunity for pupils to show their work whilst parents got to have a cuppa and cake!

1

We have some very busy two years olds in our Nursery 1 room this term, who really enjoyed making their own playdough - it was very blue!

PREP

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

& GALA NIGHTS

Quite a lot of our children have taken the opportunity to take part in our “Swim til Late” fun swimming sessions on a Thursday, having a snack before staying on for a fun swim and then a late supper in the dining room before going home.

The Great Escape was widely subscribed to by Forms 3 and 4. For some of the children it was their first experience of running round the grounds by torchlight before feasting on a Chinese takeaway supper.

FORM 2 WINDSOR

FORM 1 WEALD & DOWNLAND MUSEUM

Form 1 visited the Weald & Downland Museum as part of our history topic about homes in the past. It also linked with geography where the focus has been on rural and urban environments and where our food comes from. The children took part in 2 workshops (Field to Fork and Shelter & Survival) and also had the opportunity to put their maths skills to practical use in the gift shop.

CASTLE

As part of our History topic about Kings and Queens, Form 2 had a visit to Windsor Castle on the 20 February. The children started the day off with a workshop, learning about our new Monarch King Charles III. The children learnt about King Charles’ life and all about his duties. Form 2 had a marvellous time reenacting King Charles’ coronation. After lunch they had the opportunity to do a self-guided tour of the state rooms and Queen Mary’s doll’s house. The children were fascinated by all the marvellous objects and armour they saw.

FORM 3 SHAN JAHAN MOSQUE

Form 3 visited the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking and were very excited to learn that it was Britain’s first ever purposebuilt mosque, built an incredible 134 years ago. The children have recently been learning about the five pillars of Islam and greatly impressed everyone they met with their knowledge and enthusiasm. Particular highlights for the children were the chance to experience the large prayer hall first-hand, looking for examples of Arabic writing and the opportunity to look at the Qur’an translated into many languages. This was certainly a trip to remember for all the children involved.

FORM 4 FISHBOURNE ROMAN PALACE

Form 4 had a wonderful sunny day at Fishbourne Roman Palace. The children started the day off with an information video in the cinema room about how they discovered the remains of the palace. They then had a workshop with a variety of hands-on activities where they found out all about Roman life. After lunch the children split into four groups and had an opportunity to explore the palace. The four areas they visited were the gardens, the Museum, the mosaic floors and of course the gift shop!

FORM 4 GOODWOOD FARM

Form 4 visited Goodwood Farm to support their learning in geography. They learned about what the farm produced and what was involved in being an organic farm, to help our pupils make the connection between the food they eat and food production on the farm. The children toured the cow sheds, seeing cows, heifers and calves, some of which were only a few hours old and learning about their development and how they are cared for, as well as having a go at milking Daisy the wooden cow. They hopefully watched the pregnant cows but sadly no new calves appeared while we were there. Later in the day they were lucky enough to watch the milking and learn about how the machinery

MUSIC

Congratulations to the following musicians from the Lower Prep School who performed in the St. Edmund’s Music Gala:

Georgia C and Xanthe L – Singing – Ride on a Rainbow

Harry O’H – Singing – Smugglers Men

Louis H – Piano – Brown Dog Blues

Madison M – Piano – Indian Dance

Harrison A – Singing – Jaguar

Adam AK – Piano – Presto

Noah M – Piano – Indian Dance

FORM 4 GARDENING CLUB

works, as well as observing pasteurisation. They even made and ate their own butter which was delicious. In the afternoon, the children visited pigs and piglets, sheep and an adorable new lamb who was snuggled under a lamp to keep him warm. Amongst other things, the children now know (through personal experience) the difference between slurry and silage and that cows love listening to Radio 1.

ALLISS GARDEN

The garlic planted at the beginning of term is growing well and the onions are starting to sprout. Once the threat of frosts is over, more planting will take place, which will eventually become vegetables for the Food Tech department.

THE LIBRARY & READING

The new reading scheme is well underway in the Lower Prep, with Mrs Darrington working hard to re-label and stock the new books. The children are enjoying a wider variety of genres from which to choose. Form 10 pupils have become regular visitors to the Prep School during Reading Rests and the younger children thoroughly enjoy reading to these older students.

SPORT

Forms 3 and 4 have enjoyed a variety of sports this term including hockey, rugby and football, playing many fixtures both home and away. The whole of the Prep School went out to compete in the annual Divisional Cross Country competition, running their hardest through the woods and around the school grounds before tearing up the top field to the finishing line. Congratulations to all! Boats, an inter-form swimming relay race, has taken place for Forms 3 and 4 who compete against Form 5. This St. Edmund’s tradition takes place during the Lent term, with the grand finale being on the final morning before the Easter break.

NEWS FROM THE PREP

Pupils have had exposure to STEM workshops, where they demonstrated their prowess in constructing various towers, buildings, etc. by working individually and in pairs. Through teamwork they were able to put some of this into practice in the Learning Performance Workshops. Shortly after half term, in week 8, the eagerly awaited French trip took place for the Form 7s, (see separate report) whilst the Form 8 children enhanced their knowledge into the world of espionage and code breaking during the Second World War with a fabulous trip to Bletchley Park.

LEARNING PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP

The children`s academic studies, as usual, never stop, with continued assessments taking place on a regular basis with these results making up a portion of their overall PSB grades, which will culminate in the latter part of the Summer term. Shortly after half term, the Form 8 pupils and their parents, had an opportunity to talk with their subject teachers about potential I/GCSE options as they look to make their all-important choices for this September as they enter the Senior School in Form 9.

HOLOCAUST

On International Holocaust Memorial Day, we talked about the events and consequences of the Holocaust with our Form 7’s and this has led to some of them starting to read John Boyne’s, ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’.

The Prep School has enjoyed a plethora of different opportunities to help develop, nurture and enhance the pupils` knowledge and understanding and not just in the classroom!

FORM 6 ART

Form 6 made paper maché masks this term in Art to represent different cultures from around the world which they will then paint and decorate.

FORM 6 CHARITY EVENT

Form 6 took part in the annual St. Edmund’s Charity Fair on 14 March. The culmination of many weeks of hard work, the children passionately championed their chosen charities after having created hand-made props and costumes. Visitors were festooned with memorable marketing materials including pompom elephants, home-made dog treats and hand-created scrunchies, as well as colourful stickers, badges and business cards. The Charity Fair develops many skills including persuasive writing, presenting skills, empathy and creativity. We were hugely proud of all of them.

FORM 6 CHEMISTRY SPECTACULAR

The annual outing to the Wellington College Chemistry Spectacular took place on Thursday 16 March. 66 excited Form 6 pupils and 5 equally excited teachers piled into the minibuses and set off for Crowthorne. Once at the College, we were treated to a spectacular show filled with wizzes, pops and some very loud bangs – many of which we are unable to do in the Prep School labs. In addition to the amazing demonstrations the pupils learned a lot about the discovery of many of the elements which complimented their recently completed studies on ‘atoms, elements and compounds’.

FORM 8 ART

Form 8 students on rotation for Art this term have been developing decorative ceramic bowls inspired by their research into ceramicist Courtney Mattison, whose work represents the degradation of coral due to global warming. Form 8 have worked really hard on their pieces, and they will look great when glazed and fired! Watch this space for images of their finished work!

FORM 8 BLETCHLEY PARK

On Monday 20 March, Form 8 travelled to Bletchley Park, home of World War II codebreakers, for the St. Edmund’s maths trip. Here, they learned about the lives of those who worked at Bletchley and the challenges they had to overcome. Form 8 also had the opportunity to crack a variety of codes such as Pigpen, Caesar and Morse, and use an original Enigma machine. It was a fascinating and inspiring day for both pupils and staff.

SENIOR ACADEMIC

SIMON HYETT

The Lent term always begins with a huge flurry of activity as Forms 10 and 11 sit their January assessments.

The exam experience and rigour of these assessments pay invaluable dividends in the future for all students. Form 11 students have been finishing their coursework. Hydroponics chambers, plant pots and tables have been appearing in Mr Harnden’s workshop while some fantastic pieces of music, art and drama are created. That such things are possible is down to the many years of creative and practical education students receive during throughout their time at St. Edmund’s.

There have been two great STEM events. STEM careers was fantastically organised by Mrs Newton and my thanks go to all the parents and friends of St Edmund’s who gave up their time to Form 9. There was a fantastic buzz as students learned about the huge variety of careers open to them.

Form 9 then got to present their own scientific achievements at the CREST evening. My congratulations to all the prize winners.

This term sees the confirmation of many school places for 16+. I am delighted at the string of acceptance letters and scholarships awarded to Form 11 students during this term. They have worked hard and it is a fitting reward.

This Lent term also sees Form 8 choosing their senior school options. This year saw two changes. First is the return of a live options evening where students and parents could wander the stalls of excited Heads of Department. The second is the move to optional Modern Foreign Languages. Previously students were expected to choose a language or academic support but in the future students will have even more flexibility with their GCSE options with French and Spanish included in the regular blocks. With this choice we allow even more students to have that perfectly tailored curriculum that means so much to them in the Senior School.

SENIOR PASTORAL

STEVE BARNES

During this term the seniors have kept themselves very busy indeed! During Friday activities the children have learned about a wide variety of personal development areas. These include careers, money matters, emotions and sleep, smartphone and screen addiction, young enterprise, first aid and debating skills.

There have been particularly interesting lectures on the police and the law - this gave the children an input on the role and powers that the police have, as well as looking at the law surrounding drugs, offensive weapons and stop and search. There was also the opportunity to try on some kit! The Senior School also had experts in talking with them about Sport and Nutrition.

The seniors have started planning for their sports leaders’ sessions. This is a wonderful event when the Form 10 children deliver a sports programme to the Lower Prep children. Children from both sides of the school really enjoy this interaction.

Form 9 are also planning to deliver their road safety lessons to the little ones as well - again, a fantastic initiative which is the most wonderful thing to see.

Form 11 have been busy with a variety of academic workshops but they did join the rest of the Senior School (on World Book Day!) watching the senior houses debate such topics as ‘this house believes that examination grades should be abolished’ - very contentious!

Another example of how the seniors have been working with the younger years is the paired reading which has been happening between some members of Form 9 and

FORM 10 GCSE TRIP TO IMPERIAL

WAR MUSEUM

children within Lower Prep as well as Nursery - our thanks to all involved for such a positive term.

FORM 11 GCSE

PE TRIP TO BASKETBALL MATCH

The Form 11 GCSE PE group went to watch Surrey Scorchers play on Saturday 4 March. The aim of the trip was for the students to analyse the players and to be able to apply all their theoretical knowledge they have learnt from the course over the last two years.

BRINGING CLASSICS TO LIFE

Darcey W in Form 10 spent some of her half-term in Rome, consolidating her studies in Classics. Darcey was able to visit the Temple of Vesta, the House of the Vestal Virgins, The Pantheon and The Temple of Hercules – all prescribed sources in the Classics GCSE. Of course, no trip to Rome is complete without visiting the Colosseum.

Our Form 10 GCSE history pupils spent a fantastic day at the Imperial War Museum, undertaking research for their GCSE coursework. They explored the human experiences of war and conflict, while visiting recreations of World War 1 trenches and the blitz.

UPDATE FROM HEADS OF SCHOOL

We caught up with our Heads of Senior and Prep School to find out how their important roles of responsibility are going now they are two terms into their roles.

This term our Heads of Prep, Lorenzo and Tabi, have enjoyed presenting prizes at the Celebration Assemblies, represented their year group as School Council reps, created rotas with prefects for the games tables at break times, helped Mr Walliker and other staff members at our themed activity nights and have enjoyed fortnightly lunches in the Headmaster’s Study.

Our Heads of Senior School, Tom and Arabella had the tough (and what to some pupils might seem daunting) task, of speaking at the February Open Day. They did a sterling job and took it all in their stride. They were fantastic ambassadors for the school and due to

their successful speeches they were asked to represent the school again at the Form 8 Options talk in February.

Tom and Arabella’s involvement in school life is varied – Tom plays in multiple sports teams here at school including First Team Football and Hockey and is a an avid sportsman, having represented Great Britain at the World Championships last year in sailing. He also recently transitioned from the Cadet Class into the 29er Youth fleet. He’s a member of the Senior School Choir and Boys' Choir, 'Voces Volantes'.

Arabella is also very involved in music at the school, playing the bassoon, piano and singing, as well as being part of the Senior Choir and Orchestra - music is one of her most passionate hobbies. She is also a music GCSE student. Arabella loves the creative opportunities she is given at St. Edmund’s and says ‘I love being able to express my feelings and opinions not just with music but also with a paintbrush.’ Arabella is also an avid runner and is pleased that

the future. ‘’ Tom

“As Heads of School, we strive to be positive role models and fulfil the experience we all share here and I have enjoyed speaking to multiple parents throughout the year about our school, especially at Open Mornings.” Tom

the school notices the importance of it and holds events like the ‘divisional cross country’ which we did earlier this term.

For their final term Tom and Arabella hope to help more with prospective parent visits and to be ambassadors for public events the school may be involved with.

“I love being part of the wonderful community here at St.Eds and helping to ensure everyone has a positive experience full of opportunity from both the younger and older year groups.” Tom

LOWER PREP POETRY RECITAL FINAL

The Poetry Recital Final is one of the highlights of the St. Edmunds’s Lent term calendar. The students work extremely hard in learning their poems and have to take part in class rounds in order to access the final. This year there were a range of poems recited in two competitions. The first being for Forms 3-5 and the second for Forms 6-8. Congratulations to all our poetry recital finalists who were selected to perform in the final to a pupil and parent audience. After a much anticipated reschedule due to the Snow Day, an extremely talented pool of pupils bravely showcased their poetry recital skills to our judges Mrs Darrington and Mrs Johnston. Both competitions were strong with a range of both funny and serious poems on offer. Special mentions to Form 4 student, Jacques DT who won the Forms 3-5 competition with a witty recital of ‘The Adventures of Isabel’ and Paddy B who won the Forms 6-8 competition with an extremely funny recital of ‘No breathing’. We are already looking forward to next year’s competition!

‘Around the school we are always looking out for help for people who need it.’

‘We feel very much a part of St.Ed’s as it is a lovely community to be part of. ‘

‘We love it when children come to us with problems as they can recognise us from our shirts, ties and our badge.’

‘’I want to leave a legacy by inspiring others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more in

“The teachers and staff here are people who without, I would not be where I am today, they have really guided me and given me that extra push here and Arabellathere.”

ASSEMBLIES CELEBRATION ASSEMBLIES

This Lent term we have introduced Celebration Assemblies. These are occasions where we recognise and reward our pupils for their fantastic achievements and successes. Each Form Tutor nominates two pupils, one for ‘A Golden Moment’ and the other for ‘Going that Extra Mile’. They have been really special events and are something that we plan to repeat on a termly basis.

RECEPTION

The assembly theme for the Reception pupils was Mothers Day which was linked to the much loved Julia Donaldson book the wonderful story of the Monkey Puzzle. The children brought the book to life by each dressing up as a different character from the book.

WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY

Mr Barnes delivered an inspiring whole school assembly on the theme of Dreams and Resilience. One particular highlight was the pupils learning about Jessica Cox, a lady born without any arms but who has earned her pilots license as well as her 4th Dan Karate black belt. Pupils also watched the stories of elite sports people and how they overcame defeat to ultimately triumph. The assembly ended with the message ‘dream big, work hard and have fun’.

3A’s class assembly was based on their science topic - ‘Rocks’. The theme was the ‘36th Annual Rock Awards’ and the children amazed the audience with their expansive knowledge and confidence on stage. The watching children certainly ‘rocked out’, stamping their feet and singing along with glee. Well done 3A!

4T SPECIAL DAYS IN JANUARY

For many, January can be a pretty miserable month with its inclement weather, dark nights and nothing to really look forward to except the sound of cars being scraped in the morning. Yet, 4T nearly did the impossible with their ‘January Celebration’ assembly. We were reminded that there are indeed days in January to look forward to such as ‘National Sleep Day,’ National Beer Can Appreciation Day’ and ‘National Backwards Day.’ We at St. Edmund’s certainly will be taking January much more seriously from now on.

6K WWF

Before Christmas, 6K agreed that instead of buying presents for each other, they would instead donate some money to the WWF by adopting a rhino. For their assembly, they decided to talk about some of the important conservation and environmental work carried out by this amazing charity.

9S CHINESE NEW YEAR

4R

A

BRIEF HISTORY OF ST EDMUND’S

Many of you may not have heard of the term ‘sesquicentennial.’ This is a celebration of a 150-year anniversary and St. Edmund’s will be celebrating its 150 th year in 2024. With this in mind, 4R dipped its toe into the rich history of our historic school. 4R started with the schools’ namesake ‘St. Edmund’ and how his gruesome death eventually led to the naming of our current four divisions. Next, we were introduced to George Bernard Shaw, who previously owned the main school building before it became a school and his ‘friendly’ rivalry with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. We were also treated to a GIGANTIC list of changes that have happened to the school since its founding in 1874. I wonder how the school will change in the next 150 years?

10S MARTIN LUTHER KING

Form 10S put together an informative assembly on Martin Luther King and the impact he had on the world. They explained how he devoted his life to finding peaceful ways to struggle against injustice and became a figure-head for what is known as the Civil Rights Movement. His vision for a fairer, more just society for everyone was highlighted in his famous ‘I have a dream’ speech.

Form 9 celebrated Chinese New Year and all its colourful traditions in their assembly this term.

FOOD TECH SUBJECT FOCUS

Children participate in Food Technology lessons in our designated food technology room from Form 1 all the way through to Form 11. It continues to be a ‘favourite’ lesson for many. Here’s what pupils have been up to this term...

Form 3 and 4 have learnt how to weigh and measure ingredients, cut fruit and vegetables safely with a knife; and they have learnt about the chemical reactions that take place in bread making whilst combining ingredients, kneading, shaping and baking their own bread.

Forms 7, 8 and 9 have all completed an essential cooking skills certificate with Leith’s school of Cookery, guided by the Leith’s chefs through digital devices. They have each learnt 12 recipes which are designed to serve the whole family with a focus on modern family meals using seasonal and sustainable ingredients. Each student will receive a personalised certificate at the end of this term which works alongside the Duke of Edinburgh bronze, silver and gold scheme. Examples of dishes they have cooked this term are tuna niçoise salad, Thai sweet potato soup, vegetarian chilli, Caesar salad, beef kofta, spinach pea and feta filo pie, chocolate and courgette muffins and pasta puttanesca.

GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition is one of our exciting new GCSE options at St. Edmund’s. Through both practical and theory lessons, students learn about food, nutrition and health, food science, food safety, food choice and food provenance. Students are encouraged to experiment and adapt recipes and learn a whole range of transferable life skills such as budgeting, organisation, teamwork, numeracy and literacy which will allow them to become highly valued employees in a huge range of sectors including hospitality, food production, education, retail, journalism and more. This term, the GCSE students have been studying food science, learning about dextriniation, gelatinisation, coagulation, fermentation and caramelisation!

Next term we look forward to bringing history to life in Forms 7 and 8 as the students explore ingredients and cooking techniques used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Form 9 history GCSE students will learn about World War II cooking in a cross curricular history and food technology project with Mrs Tuhill and Mr Taylor. And this term the St. Edmund’s Easter Bake Off has returned! Send your entries to Mrs Tuhill by the 19 April!

Form 5 have had a balance of theory and practical lessons this term as they learnt about the Eatwell Guide and how to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. They enjoyed making their own pesto using fresh basil and made a high fibre, wholemeal cottage loaf!

Form 6 have explored a new topic of ‘cooking for health’ this term, leaning how to achieve a balanced diet of protein, vitamins and minerals, calcium, carbohydrates and fats and the role each nutrient plays in the body. They have learnt how to accommodate different dietary requirements and cooked a mushroom and chickpea curry, courgette and cheese muffins, tomato, bean and pasta soup and a seeded wholemeal loaf!

We had a fantastic afternoon of filming with the Leiths Academy this term, with our Forms 7, 8’s and 9’s who have all recently completed their Leith’s Foundation Cooking Skill’s certificate, whilst learning a variety of new skills and recipes within their Food Technology lessons.

Our Form 9 students will also be using their Leith’s Academy Certificate to count towards their new skill as part of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme!

SPORT

It has been another busy term for the sports department with the pupils competing in rugby, netball, hockey, football, swimming and basketball fixtures across the whole school.

The U9A rugby team had a particularly successful season winning 88% of their matches. Other notable teams are the U15A rugby, the senior first and second team netball, the U12C tag rugby, the U10A netball and the U8B hockey. Still to come this term we have the U15A and U13A girls football teams in the ESFA small schools cup.

For the first time ever the Prep School girls first team went to Cranleigh School for the IAPS netball tournament. They faced some tough competition but made huge improvements as the day went on to win their last game to win the bowl competition.

The IAPS swimming also took place this term with five St Edmund’s swimmers taking part. Lorenzo G and Amedeo G, Eliska H, Beatrice M-B and Millie L represented the school displaying talent and determination in their races. All swimmers performed extremely well and we are eagerly awaiting the qualification results.

On 10 February we hosted the annual St. Edmund’s cross country which all pupils from Nursery to Year 11 took part in. It was a fun community event which really brought the school together. The following pupils won their races:

U8 Boys Ed N

U8 Girls Alice W

U9 Boys Dylan O

U9 Girls Ciara G

U10 Boys Raph J

U10 Girls Lily E

U11 Boys Miller M

U11 Girls Rosie L

U12 Boys Amedeo G

U12 Girls Isabelle G

U13 Boys Lorenzo G

U13 Girls Millie L

U14 Boys Ed W

U14 Girls Sophia W

U15 Boys Toby W

U15 Girls Sienna I

U16 Boys Drew G

U16 Girls Arabella T

A huge well done to all the students who participated and all the staff that helped.

Click here to see the Cross country gallery, password: WINTER

We also had several students go to the Surrey County Championships for Cross Country. The pupils all did really well and rose to the challenge of a tough course with even tougher competition. Congratulations to Sienna I who finished tenth and qualified for the second round of racing.

This term has seen the return of Boats, the annual Prep School swimming gala. This year was the first time that Form’s 3 and 4 have taken part and it has been a huge success. In the Form 3 - 5 competition 5B are currently top of the table but 4R are close behind winning the top division in the first round. In the Forms 6 - 8 competition 8H are currently undefeated and for the first time they are an all-girls boat which makes it even more exciting. Well done to Bella C, Sophie C, Immy K and Millie L. Also, a special mention to 6K who have won all of their races and are approaching the top division heading into the final session.

The other major sporting event this term was the very prestigious St. Edmund’s pancake racing. It was a very exciting day with children from Reception to Form 11 racing for their division. The winning division in the Senior School was Rose and in the Prep School was Wolf.

This term has seen the first Prep School basketball fixtures with the boys winning three out of their four games so far. St. Edmund’s also hosted a tag rugby tournament with eight schools taking part. It was an enjoyable afternoon for all and well done to Frensham Heights for winning the tournament.

We had an exciting talk from Dan Richardson on sports nutrition in March, which was open to all parents and pupils from Forms 7 - 11. Dan is a professional nutritionist who has worked with Sale Sharks, Leeds United and Manchester City. It was an insightful and interesting workshop for the pupils to learn and ask questions about fuelling for exercise and optimising nutrition for sport. The following colours have been awarded this term:

RUGBY COLOURS NETBALL COLOURS

Milo O

Tom S

Ned B

Jack S

Holly J

Sophie C

Bella C

Millie L

We look forward to a summer of sport next term including a full schedule of cricket fixtures and of course the annual St Edmund’s Sports Days.

Click here to see the Nutritian video

SPORT STAFF FOCUS VOL.1

STUART BALFOUR is our Director of Sport. He teaches PE GCSE as well as overseeing sport across all the age ranges and various sports. He mainly teaches in the Senior School, but he particularly enjoys teaching across all age groups. During his youth, Stuart was a keen footballer, cricketer and golfer and from the age of 5 years old to 30 his whole life has revolved around playing sport 4 – 6 times a week throughout the whole year. Stuart studied PE at GCSE and A-Level and went on to Solent University Southampton to achieve a first-class honours degree in Sports Coaching and Development before completing his PGCE at Chichester University. In his spare time, Stuart loves playing golf, football and cricket, although much less competitively these days and more for enjoyment. He enjoys fitness training and going off and doing adventure challenges in the school holidays. He also swims a lot with his children and enjoys watching them play sport at the weekend. “I really enjoy taking teams at sport and getting to know a group of students across a term and seeing their success and growth. Academically, I am looking forward to taking some superb GCSE PE classes with pupils who are really engaged in the subject and we have some amazing discussions and thoughts. I think observing the students in whole school events is one of the most wonderful things we do at St. Ed’s; seeing the comradery, competitiveness and fun the students have is a delight to see. I always feel privileged to observe and be a part of lifelong memories the students will make”. Mr Balfour.

MATT TYE teaches the Science of Sport course to Form 8 along with Miss Humfress. He also specialises in swimming and cricket in the Prep School, as well as coaching football and tag rugby to the younger years. Before joining St. Edmund’s, Matt achieved his BSc Sports Coaching at Solent University Southampton and while there he also earned his Level 2 Coaching qualifications in a range of sports including cricket. As well as playing cricket for Godalming Cricket Club, he has also been a volunteer coach there since he was 16 years old. Outside of St. Edmund’s, Matt still plays the odd cricket match for Godalming but mainly he swims at Haslemere Leisure Centre. “I love that there is such a wide range of sports here on offer at St. Ed’s! From the lessons in school, to the after-school clubs such as trampolining to the extra-curricular clubs we run on a Friday. I think it’s brilliant that there are so many opportunities here and we have staff that specialise in these sports to support the pupils in them” Mr Tye.

LEWIS HALL currently teaches GCSE PE to Form 9. When younger he played cricket and football at County level and holds a range of qualifications including football and cricket. During university, he spent two summers working in the USA as a lifeguard and swimming teacher. Lewis also has experience of conducting Performance Analysis for Cardiff Met Football Club. When the club made it to the qualifying round of the Europa League he travelled to Luxembourg with the team and gave feedback on their performance. Outside St. Edmund’s, Lewis plays a lot of golf at courses around the area. His handicap is currently decreasing! He also plays cricket at Rowledge Cricket Club and football socially. “One lesson to the next can be completely different. I also particularly enjoy the match afternoons we have at St Ed’s. I love watching students in a range of teams competing against different schools. The students at St Ed’s show extremely high levels of engagement within sports lessons, which means that each lesson is enjoyable as I can see the development and progress that each student makes.” Mr Hall.

LAURA BUTCHART has a degree in Sports and Exercise Science and a PGCE in Physical Education. Laura has been a PE Teacher in both primary and secondary schools since 2001 and when her children were younger, she trained as a personal trainer and children’s fitness coach and ran various boot-camp classes. Laura also grew up predominantly playing Lacrosse, to County, Regional and National Level. She is keen on all types of fitness; running is a particular favourite along with her exceptionally keen and enthusiastic running buddy, her six year old Collie-Poo called Harry! Laura enjoys entering races and events when she can and she hopes to play some netball this summer too, when she is not on the side-line or boundary of a pitch supporting! Laura teaches across the majority of the sports at St Ed’s and enjoys taking teams for both of the Prep School games afternoons. “I love the fact that all children participate in matches within their appropriate level. There is so much to gain from these afternoons, not just the results. The teamwork, collaboration, independence and socialisation that the children experience amongst a host of other life skills, is fantastic. I think it all really adds to the team spirit and ethos of the school.” Mrs Butchart.

TILLY PENLINGTON has a PGCE with QTS in Physical Education in Secondary Years. She teaches hockey to Forms 3 –11, GCSE PE to Forms 9 and 11, as well as Sport Science to Form 10. Tilly enjoys running in her spare time. “I enjoy teaching academic PE, especially GCSE PE as well as teaching hockey and cricket.” Miss Penlington.

11+ SCHOLARS

ALL ROUNDER SCHOLARSHIP

Rosie L ................. Performing Arts & Sport

ACADEMIC AWARDS

Freya C ..................................... Scholarship

Louisa V .................................... Scholarship

Charlie C .................................... Exhibition

Ed W............................... Exhibition (Maths)

ART AWARDS

Noah C-D ................................. Scholarship

DRAMA AWARDS

Imogen H .................................. Scholarship

Memphis M ............................... Scholarship

MUSIC AWARDS

Eliska H ..................................... Scholarship

Seb T ............................ Choral Scholarship

PERFORMING ARTS AWARDS

Jake D ....................................... Scholarship

SPORT AWARDS

Millie G ..................................... Scholarship

Ralph G ..................................... Scholarship

13+ SCHOLARS

ACADEMIC AWARDS

Bella C ...................................... Scholarship

Oscar M .................................... Scholarship

Cassian G .................................... Exhibition

Jackson H .................................... Exhibition

ART AWARDS

Ned B ....................................... Scholarship

Ella K ........................................ Scholarship

PERFORMING ARTS AWARDS

Marina W .................................... Exhibition

SPORT AWARDS

Thomas S .................................. Scholarship

Imogen K .................................... Exhibition

William R Exhibition

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

During the Lent term, we have been promoting diversity and inclusion within the school in several ways. Back in January, Forms 7 and 8 watched a presentation on growing up LGBT+. This was presented by young volunteers who shared their own stories, including their positive experiences and some of the challenges they faced.

In the second half of the term, the school has been proud to support International Women’s Day. This takes place on 8 March each year and is an opportunity for the students to learn about and celebrate the achievements of women throughout the world, as well as to understand the challenges and inequalities that many women still face. The children in Form 6 have been carrying out a research project on important women in history, while, throughout the rest of the school, the children have engaged in Form time activities, as well as watching presentations by Mrs Richardson, Mrs Bampton, Mrs Le Guyader and Mrs Penfold.

Between 13-19 March, St. Edmund’s participated in Neurodiversity Celebration Week. This was an opportunity for the children in the school to recognise and understand that not everyone thinks, learns and processes information in the same way. This culminated in a talk on Autism and Asperger’s for the students in Forms 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. This was presented by Sam Ramsay on behalf of the Curly Hair Project, which is an awardwinning educational organisation founded by autistic author and entrepreneur Alis Rowe. The organisation provides support, training and educational talks for schools, organisations and parents of children with ASD/Asperger’s and there is a link to the organisation’s website below:

THE GIRL WITH THE CURLY HAIR - AUTISM TRAINING, ANIMATIONS, BOOKS

There has also been an excellent BBC documentary on autism presented by Chris Packham, called Inside our Autistic Minds, which can be found on BBC iPlayer. Additional resources on different aspects of neurodiversity, including ADHD and Dyslexia, can be found on the Wellbeing Hub and you can also speak to Mrs Burke if you have specific questions relating to your child.

April - Diversity & Inclusion

Week 1: Blog on the power of kindness by Alicia Drummond, Therapist & Founder of The Wellbeing

Hub

TheWellbeingHub

Week 2: Live event for schools on ethnicity and cultural values with Cliff Faulder, a diversity and inclusion trainer and the CEO of About Face, an organisation tackling racial inequality

Week 3: Webinar on changing the way we talk about disability with Amy Oulton, and Disability Inclusion Speaker (most recent feature on TEDx)

The Wellbeing Hub Content Lineup - Spring Term 2023 -

Week 4: Blog on supporting our children to celebrate diversity by Dr Tamara Scully, Clinical Psychologist & Expert in The Wellbeing Hub

Bonus Webinar: Autism & Girls - Why the presentation is so different with Tessa Morton, CoFounder of ActforAutism

April - Diversity & Inclusion

Week 1: Blog on the power of kindness by Alicia Drummond, Therapist & Founder of The Wellbeing Hub.

These webinars are in addition to the monthly Q&A sessions run by our in-house experts on the first Tuesday of every month at 6pm, and the weekly resources

Week 2: Live event for schools on ethnicity and cultural values with Cliff Faulder, a diversity and inclusion trainer and the CEO of About Face, an organisation tackling racial inequality.

May - Managing Challenging Behaviour

Week 3: Webinar on changing the way we talk about disability with Amy Oulton, and Disability

Week 1: Video: Why children resort to challenging behaviour & how to set boundaries by Alicia Drummond

Week 4: Blog on supporting our children to celebrate diversity by Dr Tamara Scully, Clinical Psychologist & Expert in The Wellbeing Hub.

Inclusion Speaker (most recent feature on TEDx)

Week 2: Blog: From Punishment To Problem-Solving by Julia Philpott, Parenting Coach & Expert in The Wellbeing Hub.

Bonus Webinar: Autism & Girls - Why the presentation is so different with Tessa Morton, CoFounder of ActforAutism

Week 3: Webinar on managing anger and other difficult emotions with James Hawes, an experienced psychotherapist and an accredited member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

These webinars are in addition to the monthly Q&A sessions run by our in-house experts on the first Tuesday of every month at 6pm, and the weekly resources

Week 4: Managing risk taking behaviours by Alicia Drummond

Bonus Content: Podcast on emotional fitness with boys with James Hawes.

May - Managing Challenging Behaviour

Week 1: Video: Why children resort to challenging behaviour & how to set boundaries by Alicia Drummond.

Week 2: Blog: From Punishment To Problem-Solving by Julia Philpott, Parenting Coach & Expert in The Wellbeing Hub

Week 3: Webinar on managing anger and other difficult emotions with James Hawes, an experienced psychotherapist and an accredited member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

Week 4: Managing risk taking behaviours by Alicia Drummond

Bonus Content: Podcast on emotional fitness with boys with James Hawes

hub@teentips.co.uk

As mentioned in our Half Term Newsletter our name change to ‘Health Centre’ reflects the fact that the role of the original Surgery has changed over the last few years with the development of the school.

hub@teentips.co.uk

Our focus is on both the physical and mental health of the children and we support the PSHE and extra-curricular activity programmes.

Within the Health Centre we provide both proactive and reactive measures to ensure the overall health and wellbeing of the children. We are an integral part of the pastoral team and provide support and liaison between child, parents and school.

The Health Centre team consists of two Registered General Nurses - Lucy Burrell (Lead) and Jules Johnston and a Healthcare Assistant – Sheron Elston. We work closely together to help to ensure the utmost care of your child

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND FRED RECKLESS

Mr Reckless was appointed Head of Computer Science in September 2022.

More about Mr Reckless: After graduating from Warwick University I trained as a maths teacher and taught at a boarding school in Sussex. I realised there that the main barrier to success in maths was a lack of confidence with algebra and this led me to create a website, RecklessMaths. While making the website I spent hundreds of hours researching and writing code and that put me on the path to teaching Computer Science.

What years do children start studying Computer Science at St Edmund’s and any plans to introduce it lower down the school?) We start the GCSE course in Form 9 but students have already built a strong foundation from their computing lessons lower down the school.

In Form 8 we start using the Python programming language, which requires students to type their code into the computer. This sense of being a creator of technology rather than a consumer is what I think Computer Science is all about.

Prior to this in Form 7 we use Scratch, a block-based programming language. So far this year we’ve used Scratch to write programs that play songs, create quizzes and even made a chatbot, among others.

What exactly is Computer Science and what will children learn if they study it at GCSE? Computer Science is the academic study of how computers work. We try to understand how computers work at a very fundamental level.

This includes:

• what algorithms are,

• binary and how data is represented

• hardware and software components of computer systems

• computer networks and network security

• ethical, environmental and legal issues such as artificial intelligence and bitcoin

Why do you think Computer Science has recently become such a popular GCSE choice? The major exam boards now offer rigorous qualifications at GCSE and A-level in Computer Science. The accessibility of devices like the Raspberry Pi, BBC micro:bit and Arduino, together with excellent educational resources, have helped to get many students involved.

Stories about artificial intelligence, machine learning, self-driving cars or cryptocurrency are all around us and this shows the relevance of the subject. Above all, students find learning about computers fun.

What skills do children learn and acquire by studying Computer Science at GCSE? Resilience! I’ve spent hours looking for a missing semi-colon which can be frustrating. You get a real buzz when you finally get something working and that’s what keeps me going.

We also develop our research abilities and problem-solving skills. Computer Science is about thinking logically and piecing together different ideas to solve problems. I try to show the students that I can’t solve every problem immediately. Instead, we collaborate to solve problems.

We also value creativity when working together. There isn’t one specific way that we solve problems and students like finding different solutions to our programming problems.

Is there a particular scheme of work or programme that the Computer Science students at St. Edmunds follow? We follow the Edexcel GCSE course in Computer Science. This is the only course that offers an on-screen programming exam and this is crucial as it emphasises how integral coding is to the qualification as writing code on paper (as with other exams) doesn’t give you a chance to debug or test it.

What careers can studying Computer Science lead to?

Every major company in the world needs software to be created. As technology progresses, the range of problems we can solve with computers grows even more. Careers could include creating websites, cyber security, artificial intelligence, or software development.

The major challenges of the next century, including climate change, renewable energy, the development of medicine and food security will all have technology at the centre of their solutions. If we want to solve these problems, we need more people from as many different backgrounds as possible to study Computer Science.

Is it true that you have to be brilliant at maths in order to take Computer Science for GCSE? While it does help we don’t assume any mathematical knowledge for the GCSE. We start from the basics with binary and go over everything in our Computer Science lessons. There have been plenty of students who aren’t top-set mathematicians who succeed in Computer Science by working hard and practising. I would say that some logical thinking skills are shared across maths and Computer Science, so students that enjoy maths are likely to do well on this course.

We recognise that there are not enough girls who are choosing to study Computer Science; in England only 20% of children who study it are girls. Why do you think this is and how as a school can we address this and inspire more girls to choose Computer Science for GCSE? A lot of the traditional marketing for the subject is based on careers in video game development. Whilst this is interesting and one possible career, this is perhaps less likely to appeal to girls. Instead, we try to show that Computer Science can be used in almost any career, particularly those which can help society such as educational technology or medical research.

Girls tend to do very well in the subject and, nationally, outperform boys. In 2021 almost half of girls obtained a 7 or above, compared to 37% of boys.

We try to make the curriculum as culturally relevant as possible. There are many amazing women working in Computer Science, like Katie Bouman at NASA or Timnit Gebru who works on algorithmic bias and data mining. It is key that see relatable role models.

I was particularly pleased to see so many girls performing so well in the Bebras computational thinking challenge last term. This is an excellent sign for the future and shows that girls certainly have the raw ingredients for success in Computer Science.

Computer Science is an essential skill for young people. Although take up at St. Edmund’s is increasing, compared to other subjects across the board, less children choose to study it at GCSE; how do you encourage children to choose it as a GCSE subject? It is crucial to encourage and reward good work

from students, both to motivate them in lessons and to build confidence in the subject. I hope that by the time pupils make their GCSE choices they will have a good understanding of what is needed for success at the next stage so that they can make an informed choice.

I have started up a coding club and also try to work on extra challenges and this year we took part in the Bebras competition. The pupils really enjoyed the challenge and some were invited to take part in the next round, run by Oxford University. This has been an excellent way to build confidence in students and show them how well they can perform at a national level.

There are now loads of different books in our Prep library on coding in Scratch and Python, how computers work and how to make websites. There is also a collection of BBC micro:bits (small programmable circuit boards) that can be borrowed from the library. This lets students explore the subject in more depth.

I think the students are naturally very excited by computers and I look forward to helping the subject grow at St. Edmund’s over the coming years.

FORM 8 DIGITAL LEARNING

Form 8 students started their digital learning and device training with Dr Carlin this term. The first training session covered the introduction and use of a Microsoft Surface device, Microsoft Teams, digital Class Notebooks, completing assignments and the Senso monitoring system.

Form 8 students will continue their digital learning and device training in the Summer term with a 12-hour programme which will cover how to use the Microsoft Surface devices in lessons; the use of Microsoft Teams and other Office 365 programs; the use of Outlook and emails as a form of communication; accessing learning and revision tools; digital inking and dictation tools; immersive reader; using and producing collaborative resources and touch-typing skills.

If parents have any questions about the digital learning strategy and obtaining devices independently or via the school HardSoft portal (using the password of GU266BH which is required during the ordering process), please do not hesitate to contact Dr Carlin (jc@saintedmunds.co.uk).

“I love that we get to program lots and I learn lots of new things that in my opinion will really help me out in the future”

(F9 Marcus Z)

“Before I started I had never used a computer and now I can code and understand binary”

(F10 Archie D)

“I like how you can code whatever you want and there are opportunities”limitless (F10 Josh M)

“Everything about it is interesting and despite it challengingbeing it’s always fun to learn”

(F10 Oliver V)

INTERNAL CALENDAR EVENTS

WORLD BOOK WEEK

AUTHOR VISITS

THEMED LUNCHES

Our pupils had the opportunity to sample haggis, neeps and tatties at our Burns Night lunch on 25 January. It was wonderful to mark the day’s significance even though there was split opinion on who enjoyed it! Chinese New Year was also celebrated with delicious noodles and of course the obligatory fortune cookies!

PANCAKE DAY 20 FEBRUARY

Divisional Pancake Day races were organised for children in Nursery all the way up to Form 11 – lots of fun was had by all!

Our Prep School had a fun and interactive visit from author, James Bishop as part of the St. Edmund’s World Book Week programme. James is the writer of the “Iguana Boy” series, about a superhero who can talk to iguanas and “The Worst Day Ever”, an intergalactic adventure filled with aliens and magical gloop!

Forms 7-9 enjoyed a talk from author Kathryn Evans in the school chapel and were able to listen to her read some of her book ‘Beauty Sleep’.

DRESS UP

World Book Week ended on a high with a World Book Day costume day and treasure hunt around the grounds. Thank you to our amazing English department for bringing the love of reading to life!

RECEPTION TO F8 HAPPY PUZZLE COMPANY

The Happy Puzzle Company aims to encourage logical thinking, team work and problem solving skills to children. They visited St. Edmund’s in March with a variety of puzzles to teach pupils in Reception to Form 8 how to persevere, put their own skills to better use as part of a team and overcome difficulties by approaching problems from a different perspective.

SAFER INTERNET DAY

Safer Internet Day is a day for the School and pupils to focus on online safety. The Safer Internet Centre put together a brief film aimed at parents:

‘GREEN UP YOUR ACT’ ECO WORKSHOPS

FORMS

9-11

SENIOR DEBATING

The atmosphere in the Jubilee Hall was electric during Round 1 of Senior Debating. Two divisions battled it out to debate the topic ‘To Strike or Not to Strike?’ Round 2 was equally as exciting to hear the pupils debate the motion ‘Should the exam grading system be abolished’!

Pupils in Reception - Form 4 took part in a variety of workshops run by Green Up Your Act Education this term. These hands-on eco workshops have been designed specifically for schools to enhance understanding of the curriculum through active learning! The purpose of these workshops was to develop the children’s awareness of the importance of caring for our environment and

EYFS EASTER EGG HUNT

give them some practical ideas of how they can make a difference. Everyone enjoyed upcycling materials to create something to take home. Reception children made their own seedling pots out of scrap paper and planted a bean in coconut husk compost. Forms 1 and 2 used cork fish cut-outs, recycled plastic and paper scales and buttons to make a fun fishy friend and Forms 3 and 4 upcycled materials to make their very own notebooks.

SNOW DAY!

An unexpected event occurred on 8 March... the St. Edmund’s Snow Day! Pupils took advantage of the hills and slopes in the St. Edmund’s grounds to really enjoy the snow and in true St. Edmund’s fashion, simply go sledging and have snowball fights.

FRENCH TRIP

Form 7 had a ‘magnifique’ trip to France in March! They visited Mont St Michel, tasted snails, made bread, had fun on the muddy assault course, took part in a treasure hunt and much more!

The trip is aimed at reinforcing all the French that they have been learning this year and giving them the opportunity to immerse themselves in the language and understand more about French culture.

“One of the best things of the French Trip was the food. I had so many opportunities to try new food like snails and French sausages.”

“We woke up at five o’clock in the morning not knowing this was going to be the greatest adventure of our lives!”

Annabel Z and Esme B

“We completed a total of nine activities over the week for example rock climbing and making bread. My personal favourite was the orienteering with my friends and of course the main activity was the obstacle course” Holly “The teachers on the French trip were amazing and it helped me work on my French and the staff there were very nice and patient.”

Rocco V

Sam R

“Overall I think this was a great experience and I am so happy I went because I made so many new friends and learnt so many new things. This will definitely be a trip to remember (especially the disco)”

Eva A

SPANISH TRIP

Forms 9-11 visited Cadiz in Southern Spain for their Spanish trip this year as part of their GCSE course.

GREAT ESCAPE JUNIOR

F8 LASER TAG & DODGEBALL

F3-8 DR WHO THEME NIGHT

Click here to see more pictures, password: CYBERMAN

F10 ICE SKATING

F6-8 FILM NIGHT

Forms 6 - 8 ate popcorn and watched the classic film ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’ on the big screen in the Farley Hall for their film night this term.

FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE OF SHREK FROM OUR SENIOR PERFORMERS

FORMS 5 & 6 PROUDLY PRESENT

LAMDA

FORMS 3 & 4

24th& 25thMAY 2023

29th& 30thJUNE 2023

LAMDA AT GODALMING FESTIVAL BY JEN DARRINGTON, HEAD OF LAMDA

This year has been another successful experience for St. Edmund’s pupils at The Godalming Festival. Whether they performed their own poetry, humorous verse, prose sight reading or acting, each student gave it their all and rose to the challenge. 11 different types of classes were entered and over 70 certificates were awarded to St. Edmund’s pupils, all achieving 80% or above, and placements were awarded in each and every class. Special mentions to Bethan BP, Isabella V, Louie H, Olivia C, Charlotte F, Sienna I, Isley V, Marina W, Jacob P, Sam T, Darcey D, A, Sebastian A, Alex C, Freya C, Jamie C, Louie H, Zachary D who all achieved Distinction in their categories, as well as Jake D who achieved Honours. One adjudicator, Jean-Marc Perret, aptly focused on the importance of the individual’s contribution, not only through performance, but as a key life skill.

Miss Barr and I would like to say how proud we are of all those that took part. They showed courage, creativity and will be a stronger performer as a result. Congratulations to all!

“Through performing, you express yourself, show personality and your unique qualities. Always value what you do. Always value yourselves”.

STAR PUPILS

OSCAR W

SKI RACING AT ENGLISH ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS

I just wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU to St. Edmund’s for being so supportive of Oscar’s ski racing. He had a fabulous time and what an experience to be able to represent his Ski Race team for the first time at the English Alpine Championships in Bormio, Italy. The biggest English week of winter ski racing started with a parade from all the top UK ski racing athletes and their Clubs through the cobbled streets of Bormio before the serious business on the piste started. Actionpacked, his skiing improved so much thanks to his 3 Ex-GB Ski Racing Coaches. With 6am starts for daily Gate Training, fitness, ski prep, video analysis and team

MATHS STARS

Congratulations to two of our Form 7 Mathematicians. Florrie has achieved the St. Edmund’s record for most consecutive days achieved in Doodle Maths with a whopping score of over 1800. Sophie has been selected to be part of the Parallel Maths online sessions, solving problems and answering questions live. Sophie is one of a small team of children from around the world to be chosen. A huge well done to both girls!

ROBERT M TABLE TENNIS

Rob regularly competes in tournaments to improve and also get an England ranking. He is currently ranked 52 in England for U13 and 157 in U15. He also plays in league matches for Godalming and Guildford (Guildford League) and Fernhurst (Haslemere League) against all ages and abilities, and styles! On top of this Rob plays in the National Cadet League (NCL) where he competes as part of a team of 3 or 4 boys playing regional teams. These matches also contribute to his England ranking and there are various levels within the event. It is an U15 League so he can play children who are a few years older than him.

debriefs it definitely wasn’t a holiday and we are so proud of him for withstanding the pressure of everything involved and for his hard work and brilliant skiing!! Oscar was one of the youngest in in the 100 athletes competing in the U12 Giant Slalom and Slalom races, with the highlight of the week being his nail biting parallel Giant Slalom race competing head-to-head against another athlete – which Oscar WON - by 100 th of a second!!

Congratulations to Zachary D (Form 6) who starred in Kinky Boots The Musical as Young Lola, last week at Haslemere Hall. He rocked his first role outside of school.

ELISKA H AND IZZY C

ENGLISH YOUTH BALLET

Both Eliska H and Izzy C will be performing in the English Youth Ballet performance of Swan Lake at the King’s Theatre, Southsea from 28 to 29 April. Do come along and support them!

Eliska H “I started dancing when I was very small and now take four ballet classes a week. I am just starting pre pointe which is very exciting! This will be my second time dancing with the English Youth Ballet. I also danced in The Nutcracker in 2021.”

Izzy C – Izzy has been doing ballet since she was three years old and is currently training for Grade 7 and intermediate level. She is also a teaching assistant for children under 6 years old at Saturday ballet classes.

FORM 9 STEM EVENT

In February Mrs Newton organised a Form 9 STEM careers event where volunteer speakers from the school community gave a carousel-style series of presentations. Our Form 9 students loved hearing about the career journeys of these STEM ambassadors, who were representing fields ranging from Space Defence to

KAPLA

CREST

This term, Form 9 have been working on science projects in the hope of achieving their bronze CREST award; a scheme run by the British Science Association which aims to engage young people with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). To earn the award, pupils completed a project of their choosing which demonstrates knowledge and understanding of how STEM can be applied to real world situations. The culmination of this work was

the awards evening on Wednesday 1 March where the children, as part of their group, showcased the work they produced. They answered questions from a group of STEM judges from our parent body, as well as Form 9 parents who were able to come in and view their work. Prizes were awarded by our judges and from staff through observation during their projects.

Teamwork Award

Oliver G, Kyle G, Lyra G, Sophia T

Imagination Award

Isobel A, Holly B, Alice G, James H, James M-S

1st Place Thomas D-C, Roel E, Wilf S, Noah W

2 nd Place George L, Alfred S, Judah S, Harriet T, Sofia T

3rd Place Ellyn J, Charlie R, Sophia W, Miles W

Independence Award Harrison B, Taylor C, George J, Lucy L, Edward S

Best Board Award

Lucy C, Ellie T, Max D, George K, Will P

Forms 5-9 loved taking part in our Kapla construction workshops this term, as part of our STEM programme.

Formula 1!

LIFE AFTER ST. ED’S

Oliver P: I joined St. Edmund’s in Form 8 where I completed my GCSE’s and went to the Royal Grammar School, Guildford for my A-levels where I studied English Literature, Chemistry and Biology. I achieved A*AA and then took a gap year. This was in 2021 and due to COVID travelling was still tricky, so I worked as a Helipad Porter at University Hospital Southampton which was a great chance to get some work experience.

I am now in my 1st year at the University of Liverpool School of Medicine and I intend to graduate in 2027. I have my eye on Psychiatry, Endocrinology, Infectious Disease, Cardiology and General Practice. In the future, I intend to work in the NHS, and once I fully qualify, do part-time NHS work and parttime private practice. I have many fond memories at St. Ed’s but some that stick out are Mr Hyett and Dr Carlin’s lessons for triple science and biology, religious studies with Mr Chichester, playing in the woods, boarding nights, LAMDA, drama lessons with Mr Darrington, fantastic school meals and making great friends along with a strong sense of community.

My English lessons with Mrs Hodgkins and Mrs Adams, two truly passionate and nurturing teachers, encouraged me to swerve away from the typical medical triplet of Biology, Chemistry and Maths and pursue English Literature at A-Level. This

decision has worked in my favour, as not only am I much more passionate about English, but I also found that when having to write essays and analysing medical literature, the critical thinking skills I acquired through English gave me a big head start.

The meals with the headmaster provided a really personal touch between the school’s leadership and the students and allowed any comments, concerns or compliments to be aired in a supportive environment. My classmates and teachers will remember my future career was foreshadowed by my enthusiastic approach to any situation or subjects that were medical-related and my borderline illegible handwriting that many poor teachers struggled to decipher! (Although most became fluent in Ollie-ish by Form 11).

SCHOOL GROUNDS UPDATE

Work on the Dining Room is coming along nicely with the floor now finally being laid and all the electric work now complete. We hope to have it open next term so watch this space!

MUSIC

MUSIC GALAS

We hosted two successful music galas, one for Prep and one for Seniors this term. These concerts are the perfect platform for pupils to have the opportunity to play a solo to their parents and peers. The Senior Music Gala started with a bang with the Senior Choir performing California Dreamin’ and getting everyone in the mood for a spectacular evening of musical talent!

Click here to see more Senior Music Gala pictures, password: Marketing

MUSIC BY CANDLELIGHT

The beautiful St. Edmund’s ‘Music by Candlelight’ concert took place in the Chapel in early February. Part of a new concert series that St. Edmund’s is hosting, it was an exciting opportunity to see our Prep and Senior School students performing together. Hits from musicals, opera’s and classical music pieces were performed in this intimate concert within the beautiful surroundings of our school Chapel.

Click here to see more pictures, password: Marketing

Click here to see more Prep Music Gala pictures, password: Marketing

YOUNG MUSICIANS OF THE MONTH

MARCH 2023

ELISKA

H

“I have been playing the cello for a year. I chose the cello because I love the sound of it and the sound it makes (but not when it’s out of tune!). I played in the ‘Concert by Candlelight’ at St. Edmund’s and have been to a cello concert where I listened to Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations in the Rudolfinum in Prague. I love the cello and I am so glad I chose it. I also love singing and I am in the Chapel Choir”.

LUCA K-H

“I began my musical journey 10 years ago, when I started piano lessons. My inspiration comes from my Grandad who was a professional musician (piano and bass guitar) in a 60’s band and performed at the Royal Albert Hall. I have worked my way up through the ABRSM grades and am looking forward to starting Grade 8 soon. My favourite composers are Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninov but I also enjoy playing other genres. I played piano at Steinway Hall recently, which was a great experience and I am currently teaching myself the bass guitar”.

Every month our music department select a ‘Young Musician of the Month’ from our Prep and Senior School. They are chosen not only for their merit, to show case their talent but to inspire others with a love of music.

APRIL 2023

EVAN

T

“I have been performing with Stage Coach Performing Arts for 6 years and have have been part of the annual show each year. St. Ed’s has also provided me with many performance opportunities and I really enjoyed being Rafiki last year in The Lion King, getting to sing some of those songs I first heard when I was 6yrs old. This year, I was Lord Farquaad in Shrek, a rather different role but one I thoroughly enjoyed (even if my knees were less keen)! I am also a member of the Chapel Choir at St. Edmund’. Through the choir, I’ve had many opportunities to sing in lots of different places and to learn from the other members. Since 2022, I’ve also benefitted from the guidance of Mr Colwell; he has really helped my development as a singer. I hope to continue my musical journey and to eventually achieve my dream to sing on stage on Broadway or the West End. I believe that if you set your mind to it, you can achieve anything!!”

IONA B

“I first started playing music in year two when I began piano and this was inspired by my grandma who is a classical pianist. I enjoyed playing the piano so when I found my mum’s old clarinet in year 5 I decided to start learning this as well. Since then I have progressed through the ABRSM grades and am currently working towards Grade 6 clarinet. I have performed in a range of concerts including two scholars’ concerts and these have all helped build my confidence with performing which has enabled me to enjoy playing in front of an audience. I enjoy playing romantic period music at the moment however, I am looking forward to playing more jazz pieces in the future.”

Thank you to our FOSE team of event planners and class reps who have worked exceptionally hard to come up with new ideas and ways to bring the St. Edmund’s community together and support future events to ensure they are accessible and enjoyed by all.

At this year’s AGM the following committee members were voted in:

Sarah Waterfield

Interim Chair / Finance Support

(in the form of recording event spend)

Victoria Christmas Interim Vice Chair (Events)

Emma Rafferty-Kidd

Interim Vice Chair (Communications & Marketing)

Liesl Park

Re-elected as Secretary

Julie Willcox

School Logistics & Compliance Officer / School Rep

Cecilia McKenzie

Charity / Fundraising Coordinator

JULIE WILLCOX

Julie Willcox has stepped down as Chair this year after three years in the role. St. Edmund’s are incredibly grateful for all her hard work and we are very grateful that she is going to continue to be a part of the FOSE team as School Logistics and Compliance Officer.

“I would like to use this opportunity to say thank you to the FOSE team that have consistently gone over and above and have given me some wonderful memories!” Julie Willcox.

Our next big event is the FOSE Summer Fair on 24 June. It looks set to be another unmissable event!

As always, these events cannot run without the help and support of the St. Edmund’s community, so please send a message to fosechair@saintedmunds.co.uk if you are able to help either before or during the fair. We will never ask for more time than you can comfortably give, and it’s a great chance to meet new people and have some fun as well!

We also always welcome ideas for future events, so if you have any great ideas please do let us know.

QUIZ NIGHT

Staff and parents got together in March this year for the first time since 2019 for the biggest, most competitive event in the school calendar... the St. Edmund’s Quiz Night! Hosted by the Wallikers and the Wrights, over 200 people attended. Much fun was had and it was a fitting tribute to the Wrights who are retiring this summer. A huge thank you to all of those who made the evening possible. Thank you for the hilarious, mind-bending quiz questions from the brilliant quizmasters, the delicious food from the wonderful caterers, and the amazing support team behind the scenes (and the bar!) All are greatly appreciated. It was wonderful to see a group of OSE who left the school between 2008 to 2013 at the Quiz night too – they used the event as a great opportunity to catch up with one another!

WORLD BOOK DAY COSTUME SWAP

The FOSE coffee mornings are held on a Thursday during the first full week of each half term. They have been a huge success this term and it has been lovely to meet so many new people. For anyone who has not been before, they are a great and informal way of meeting other parents over a cup of coffee and a yummy pastry! We sometimes combine them with ‘swaps’ for upcoming school events. Our World Book Day costume swap helped save a few pennies and kept a few costumes from landfill!

NEXT TERM’S DATES

Meeting: Thursday 27 April – 8.30am – 10am

Location: TBC

Meeting: Thursday 11 May – 7.30pm – 8.30pm

Location: via zoom

Meeting: Thursday 25 May – 8.30am – 10am

Location: George Bernard Shaw room

Coffee Morning / 2nd Hand Uniform

Sale: Thursday 8 June – 8.30am – 9.30am

Location: George Bernard Shaw Room

Meeting: Thursday 22 June – 8.30am – 10am

Location: George Bernard Shaw room

Summer Fair: Saturday 24 June – 1pm – 5pm

Meeting: Thursday 29 June – 7.30pm – 8.30pm

Location: via zoom

KIM DRUMMOND

Following acceptance of her application in February, Mrs Kim Drummond, Head of Classics, will be starting a Master’s degree in Classics later this year. Kim’s love of Classics started in Prep School with a drama project on the god Dionysus, the God of Theatre. Many years later (towards the end of a 23-year career in the Royal Navy) Kim rekindled this love by undertaking a BA in Classics, followed by a PGCE whilst teaching A-Level Classics at Chichester College. Kim is very much looking forward to this new challenge which will take her two years and she is hoping her ongoing passion will continue to excite and motivate her GCSE Classics students (all 100 of them!)

EMMA MACREADY

Emma runs the Active Academies Clubs and Camps and leads our Running Club. She has qualified and has been selected for England Masters Athletics for the Half Marathon.

TOBY WRIGHT

It was Toby’s 30-year school anniversary this half term. He joined the school in February 1993!

CLEANERS

Our wonderful cleaners were given a prestigious ‘unsung hero’ award. A big thank you from all of us at St. Edmunds, to Louise Peddie, Steven Hooper and Tracey Easton.

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Sarah Adkin, MA, PGCE, currently at Pilgrim’s School, Winchester, to teach English David Amor, BSc, PGCE, currently at Fareham Academy, to be Head of Senior Science

StEdmund’sSchool

Hindhead

St. Edmund’s Spring Camps 2023

Swim, Bike & Run Camp 28th & 29th March

Multi-Sport Camp 3rd – 6th April

book: www.activeacademies.co.uk

email: info@activeacademies.co.uk

ACTIVE ACADEMIES

Run by Emma Macready, Active Academies multi-sport camps take place on various dates during the Easter and Summer holidays. For children aged 5-14, the camps are held from 9am – 3pm and give children the opportunity to swim, bike and run in our extensive school grounds. For further information please go to www.activeacademies.co.uk

ALTON

via Frith End, Bentley, Lower Froyle & Alton

CHARTERHOUSE

via Charterhouse, Farncombe & Godalming

CHIDDINGFOLD

via Camelsdale, Haslemere & Chiddingfold

CHURT

via Beacon Hill, Churt, Rowledge & Farnham

FARNHAM

via Frensham, Lower Bourne, Farnham & Upper Hale

GUILDFORD

via Shalford & Guildford (Pewley Down)

GUILDFORD NORTH

via Guildford (Farnham Road), Guildford (Epsom Road), West Clandon & Ripley (Burnt Common)

KINGSLEY

via Headley, Lindford, Kingsley & East Worldham

MIDHURST

via Weyhill, Camelsdale, Fernhurst & Midhurst

MILFORD

via Godalming, Milford & Witley

PETERSFIELD

via Liphook, Liss, Petersfield & East Meon

RUNFOLD

via Tilford, The Sands, Runfold & Elstead

WINKWORTH

via Godalming & Winkworth

WONERSH

via Peasmarsh, Wonersh & Shamley Green

Bus routes are reviewed each year and every attempt is made to ensure that stops are in the safest and most convenient locations. Requests for new routes will be given careful consideration. Minibus journeys are managed by parents via an online booking system to provide as much flexibility as possible. Please visit saintedmunds. vectare.co.uk to view routes, see updates and to find your nearest stop.

Bus routes are reviewed each year and every attempt is made to ensure that stops are in the safest and most convenient locations. Requests for new routes will be given careful consideration. Minibus journeys are managed by parents via an online booking system to provide as much flexibility as possible. Please visit saintedmunds.vectare.co.uk to view routes, see updates and to find your nearest stop.

St. Edmund’s School, Portsmouth Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6BH Tel: 01428 604 808 • E-mail: schoolsecretary@saintedmunds.co.uk