The Tockingtonian 2023 - 2024

From the Study Window..........................................

Seniors........................................................................ End

FROM THE STUDY WINDOW

Welcome to this, the 93rd edition of the Tockingtonian.

When looking back at the many successes of the last academic year we can do so with an enormous sense of pride. Our Head Boy, Anay's advice to fellow Tockingtonians in the Year 8 Leavers' Book was to “throw yourself into any challenge or you will regret it afterwards”. Looking at this review of the year, I'm sure you'll agree our pupils have heeded his call.

As we said goodbye to our leavers on Speech Day, it was clear to see that they all display, with abundance, the very important attributes of confidence, kindness, determination and resilience that we hold so dear in our school. I hope they can all look back on their time here and be proud of what they have achieved as we are most certainly proud of them.

Flipping through this year's magazine, I can confidently say this is the strongest body of staff, across all departments, that I have had the privilege of working with in my entire teaching career. I thank them all for

their hard work and dedication to wanting the absolute best for our children and our school.

Our pupils' successes are clear for us all to see. In academia, we go from strength to strength. Common Entrance saw our children average 74% with a third averaging an A* or A**. Mme Gannon has taken our French Department ahead in leaps and bounds with the introduction of DELF Prim and our children are clearly working at an advanced level. So much so that Year 7's Alex has received a Major Commendation from Queens College, Oxford, for his translation work.

Our reading scheme, Accelerated Reader, inspired our children to read an impressive 76,905,200 words this year and our Millionaires Tea Party, a reward that started a few years ago with just Janu and Katie joining me, saw over 40 children attend in June. This is a fine example of the energy and enthusiasm our children and staff bring to learning, coming together to celebrate successes across year groups.

Sport continues to go from strength to strength in every discipline be it on the well-kept sports pitches, the astro, in the pool, on the track, or on the cross country course. We have also seen a keen rise in the number of children participating in horse riding both at a novice level and competitively and we look forward to building on our sporting successes with the development of our new Sports Centre, due to be completed in Summer 2025.

The Performing Arts saw a wonderful collaborative approach this year with children and staff across the school coming together. Part of the growth in this area has been down to the improved sound system, lighting and ever-changing backdrop, all of which have been made possible through the hard work of FOTM - thank you!

Our extracurricular programme has gone from strength to strength this year, with 74 clubs being available and just under a 100% take up. All of this shows quite clearly the breadth of offering for our children and most certainly reinforces our motto of ‘make the most of every moment’.

Our Estates Team has given new life to what was the Girls’ Boarding Wing, an area which has now become our new Learning Support Centre. Two classrooms above the Nursery have also been transformed into a new Foreign Languages Centre for Latin, Spanish and French.

The announcement that we would be joining the Clifton College Education Group was well received by the whole school community and I extend my gratitude to all concerned with this task. We can safely say that this year has been a success and the development of new strong friendships across our two schools will only help but strengthen us in 2024-2025 and beyond.

We say goodbye to some wonderful people this year and I urge you to read about the significant contributions of particularly Mrs Bernie Hinchliffe and Mr Alastair Ramsay on our staff pages.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition of the Tockingtonian as much as we have enjoyed putting it all together.

Mr Symonds

SENIORS 2023-24

Our Senior leavers this year have moved onto the following schools:

J. Sapkota

Kingswood

Academic Scholarship and John Wesley Award

T. Caudery

Clifton College Art Scholarships

P. Chavaroche

Castle School

F. Leadbeater

Clifton College

Academic Scholarship

M. Pook Marlwood

H. Hill

Clifton College

Academic and Headmaster's Scholarship

W. Rigby

Wellington College

H. Horsted

Clifton College Academic Scholarship

S. Drury Wycliffe

Sports Scholarships

A. Nair

Clifton College

Headmaster's Award and Sports Scholarship

J. Sanders

Wellington School Art Scholarship

F. Rogers

Clifton College

L. Simpson

Clifton College

Academic Scholarship and Headmaster's Award

I. Mockridge Westonbirt School

D. Simpson

Clifton College

Headmaster's Award

C. Rice Wycliffe

G. Francis

Chipping Sodbury School

O. Graham Wycliffe Music Scholarship

Year 8 Monitors

The Year 8 pupils held these roles for the 2023/24 academic year. They held these with a sense of responsibility and pride setting an excellent example to all of the pupils.

Head Boy A. Nair

Head of Boys' Sport S. Drury

Head of Girls' Sport L. Simpson

Head Girl I. Mockridge

Deputy Head Boy H. Hill

Deputy Head Girl D. Simpson

of MFL P. Chavaroche

of School Parliament F. Rogers and F. Leadbeater

T. Caudery

Head of Alexander O. Graham and M. Pook

Head of Churchill L. Simpson and H. Horsted

Head of Cunningham J. Sapkota and W. Rigby

Head of ICT G. Francis

Head

Head of Art

J. Sanders

Head of Music C. Rice

Head

Head of Orchestra

END OF YEAR PRIZES

The Merchant Prize for English

L. Simpson

The Ashford Prize for Best Poem F. Leadbeater

The Shaw Prize for English A. King

The Prize for Most Promising Writer J. Sapkota

The Totally Tockington Prize D. Simpson

The Broyd Prize for Reading C. Williams

The Haigh Cup for Middle School Creative Writing

J. Bird

The Old Tockingtonian Prize for History

H. Horsted

The Sarah Finnigan Award for Drama

W. Rigby

The Year 3 & 4 Drama Prize

B. Gannon

The Old Tockingtonian Society Prize for Mathematics

Winner:H. Hill and L. Simpson

Progress: S. Drury

The Prize for the Most Promising Mathematician

F. Rogers

The Jones Cup for Excellence in Geography A. Nair

The Robert Mason Prize for Geography F. Crocker

The Finnigan Prize for French A. Fernandez-West (Y7) P. Chavaroche (Y8)

The Nursery Prize for French

S. van Niekerk (Owls) L. Harrison (Woodpeckers)

The Lower School Prize for French L. McAlinden

The Middle School Prize for French J. Webley

The Lower School Prize for Spanish

J. Oni

The Upper School Prize for Spanish J. Sapkota

The Bett Prize for Classics J. Sapkota

The Barber Cup for Effort (Y6 - 8) H. Horsted

The Elaine Thomas Prize for Art T. Caudery

The School Prize for Art J. Sanders

The Richardson Prize for Art I. Pickavance

The Allen DT Prize G. Francis

The Jamie Smith Photography Cup T. Caudery

The Benjamin Moore Science Shield

J. Sapkota

The Smith Prize for Science

H. Hill

The Middle School Prize for Science

G. Rigby

The School Prize for Computing/ICT

G. Francis

The 'Dame Mary Warnock' PSHE Award

H. Horsted

The Winston Prize for Singing

M. Pook

The McArthur Prize for Best Overall Musicianship

J. Sapkota

The Walters Prize for Piano

A. Nair and C. Rice

The O'Leary Award for Musical Theatre L. Francken and T. Gilmore

END OF YEAR PRIZES

The Lower School Prize for Music

J. Oni, O. Chen, C. Byrne

The Wilkinson Shield for Best Wind Player

J. Hill

The Warn Prize for Best Guitar Player

F. Rogers

The Prize for Best Electric Guitar Player

O. Graham

The Lees Progress Prize for Strings

T. Caudery

The School Prize for Percussion

H. Hill

Lower School End of Year Prizes

Reception: L. Elder and B. Bista

Year 1: E. Dixon and I. Bird

Year 2: O. Barker and V. D'Agnillo

The Pippa Mason Award

S. Drury

The Baker "Make the Most of Every Moment"

Salver

J. Sapkota

The Jubilee Cup

F. Crocker

The Russell Trophy

G. Rigby

The Resilience Award

T. Caudery and S. Baigent

Outstanding Progress in Learning Support Trophy

F. Mortimer, M. Gilronan, I. Mockridge and G. Francis

The Smith Cup for All-round Sportsmanship

O. Graham

The Gerrish Activities Cup

F. Rogers

The Watson Sports Achievement

Reception: F. Rowe and L. McAlinden

Year 1: E. Dixon and Z. Lu

Year 2: I. Pedder and J. Oni

The Shutt Cup for Lower School Endeavour

N. Mapondera (swimming)

Award for Best Water Polo Player

S. Drury

Lower School Water Polo Award

J. Hortop

The Pullin Equestrian Prize

S. Girdley

The Symonds Cup for Excellence in Cricket

W. Rigby

The O'Leary Award for Contribution to Tennis

A. Nair

Best Girls' Games Player of the Year

L. Simpson

Best Boys' Games Player for the Year

S. Drury

The Stringer Shield 1st Churchill 2nd Cunningham 3rd Alexander

The Prize for Contribution to School Council

F. Rogers and F. Leadbeater

Award for All round Achievement

D. Simpson

Headmaster's Special Recognition Prize

C. Rice

Headmaster's Prize

O. Graham

Lifers' Awards

O. Graham, F. Leadbeater, I. Mockridge, M. Pook, C. Rice, J. Sapkota

Head Boy and Head Girl Salvers

Head Boy: A. Nair

Head Girl: I. Mockridge

Lifers 2022/3

Beyond Above

Families and their children who could go to any school they wish, choose to come to Cheltenham College. Why is that? Why does Cheltenham become their first choice? Perhaps it is, quite simply, that we look to astonish – whether that’s our top academic performance, our fabulous track record for sport of all kinds, our House system and exceptional pastoral care, or our vast range of co-curricular opportunities. And yet, it’s more than that. Come and see.

Clifton College is an independent co-educational day and boarding school nestled in the heart of Bristol for pupils aged 3-18 years. Proudly offering a modern education set amongst historic grounds with outstanding facilities that provide a richly diverse learning environment. Including a Grade II listed Library housing over 15,000 books, the Joseph Cooper Music School, purpose-built Redgrave Theatre, highly equipped Science School and our brand new state-of-the-art Chellaram Sports Complex, built to the highest sustainability standards at our 90 acre sports ground.

Discover more at cliftoncollege.com

Scholarships available

Clifton College offers pupils a unique opportunity to excel in their chosen field through our Scholarship programme. Available for 11+, 13+ and 16+.

Find out more:

OUR NURSERY

The Nursery has enjoyed another fantastic year.

During their ever-popular environmental walks, the Woodpecker children experienced a variety of themes throughout the year including hibernation, flowers, trees, birds, and life cycles. The children enjoy their environmental hunts through the school’s vast grounds collecting various natural resources and matching them with visual pictures. This promotes the children’s own interests and understanding skills whilst developing their language and working as a team.

Under Miss Green’s supervision, the children have experienced making toast over a fire pit, eating the slices when ready, making bird feeders and sawing wood cookies with actual hand saws!

To enhance literacy skills the Owls, with the aid of reference books, identify various plants and creatures. These are used to create collage letters and numbers.

The children in Owls participated in Forest School during the year with Miss Green (Forest School Teacher). Forest School supports play, exploration and supported risk-taking, developing children’s confidence and hands-on experiences in TMS’s natural setting.

Weekly, the Woodpecker children have enjoyed their cooking activities, with Esther introducing and developing a variety of skills from scooping, pouring and mixing to whisking and cutting using our safety knives. Hopefully, you have enjoyed a selection of their prepared foods ranging from pasta salad, cakes, crumbles and fruit pies.

During their cookery activities, the Owls developed various skills including chopping, spreading, mixing and

measuring. They followed recipe cards using their mathematical knowledge to create banana bread, smoothies, flapjacks and blackberry and apple crumble, using fruit picked from our kitchen garden.

This year all classes have continued to experience French as another language with Madame Gannon. The Woodpeckers have focused on colour, number and animal names, whilst the Owls have participated with colours, songs, games, and making sentences. For the first time, due to the fabulous learning the children have demonstrated all year round, one child from each class was invited by Madame

Gannon to attend the TMS Speech Day Prize Giving Ceremony on the last day of term. It was such a proud and exciting moment for both the children and their parents to receive an award in front of the whole school. The Nursery staff were incredibly proud to see them recognised as part of the prize giving.

Continuing with the Language theme, following an introductory Makaton course for the Nursery staff, this year the Woodpeckers were introduced to a weekly simple Sign Language activity, “Sign with Sam”. The children have learnt many signs; please, thank you, happy, sad, various transport vehicles, animals and colours. This has been well received by the parents, who have mentioned they have learnt some signings through their child. This success will be continued next year.

Our Nursery Garden received a fabulous makeover earlier this year, thanks to the Friends Of Tockington Manor. The garden has been sectioned into areas promoting communication, motivation and

physical skills, alongside children’s important social skills. We now have many tactile plants encouraging touch and smell to stimulate the children’s senses. The pergola provides shade and a quiet area for children to indepedently share books and select their activities.

Mud kitchens, a village and shop allow the children to explore role play, creativity and self-confidence. From all this, the health and wellbeing for everybody may now be duly supported. Please do take a look at this wonderful area where your children play!

We are already looking forward to a very exciting year in 2024-2025. Mrs Pearce

We have had another eventful year in the Lower School. It was a delight to welcome Miss Codd and Miss Haynes to the team and we thank them for their enthusiasm and dedication.

Our pupils love a challenge both in and outside the classroom. Whether they are working together in classes, competing in sports or enjoying school trips, they do the very best for themselves and support their fellow pupils.

As children progress through the Lower School they move from being taught mainly by one teacher for all subjects, to being taught by specialists, in many subjects. Staff understand each individual pupil's strengths and give any support necessary to help them reach their potential.

Our pupils learn as much outside their classroom as they do in it. With a wide range of visits, including trips and activities outside the curriculum, they develop team-building and problemsolving skills and broaden their friendship groups and their horizons. Pupils feel a sense of pride in their school, and they relish opportunities to earn House Points through effort, improvement, excellence and attitude.

Some particular highlights of the year include our nativity play ‘Everyone Loves a Baby’. All the children performed brilliantly and enjoyed the premise of this production.

In the Summer Term, the whole Lower School participated with enthusiasm in both their Swimming Gala and Sports Day. A big thank you to Mr Perez and Mr Ross for organising the events and making the lessons so much fun throughout the year.

It was lovely to welcome Mrs Britt back after her maternity leave and we wish Mrs Dyer née Coles all the best with her new family member. A big thank you to the whole Lower School team for another fabulous year.

Miss Sheppard

Reception

The class of 2024 started school with bright sunshine and a heatwave! The children, as ever bounded into school with enthusiasm and showed delight at the gifts they found on their tables. This year we surprised the children with pencils which contained herb seeds for them. Everyone got a TMS helium balloon to look after too. Day one was a success!

We started to learn about pets, how to look after them, discovering who had what pets at home and how we could care for a variety of different animals. This lead us nicely into our first trip of the year with an outing to Noah’s Ark farm, where the children played in a pumpkin patch and had a workshop about a huge variety of animals. The children were invited to hold guinea pigs and centipedes as well as skin that a snake had shed. It was a fantastic day!

The children engaged with their phonics learning quickly and positively. We worked through our letter sounds and started to read early in the year. This allowed the children to become confident writers too and soon we were writing words and sentences using all our new techniques. This engagement with literacy has continued and as we close this academic year, we are very proud of every child who is reading with fluency and confidence, well done, Reception!

The Autumn Term ended with our brilliant Nativity play. The children performed twice to a full house and played the parts of the sheep and the angels with growing dramatic flair! The songs are still stuck in our heads. The naughty little elf played some fun tricks every morning during December

and the children started to get excited about Christmas. We discovered the Hungarian custom of cleaning shoes before the arrival of St. Nicolas and the children were very excited to receive a present for their immaculately clean wellies!

The Spring Term started with promise of warmer and lighter days and the children settled quickly. We focussed our learning of fables. The children enjoyed this genre of storytelling, and we spent time discussing the moral of each tale. We made some super works of art; weaving tortoises for the Hare and the Tortoise story, making peg ants and grasshoppers as well as producing some beautiful paintings for the Lion and the Mouse story. It was an excellent topic which we all learned from. We broke up so close to Easter that this year we could follow some Easter traditions,

so we made chocolate nests, rolled eggs, and dyed eggs with natural food colourings. It was so much fun, despite the rain! Although a short term, the children continued to blossom academically. They worked hard in maths and literacy, and we continued to challenge them with their reading on a daily basis. Another term over!

Finally, the Summer Term was upon us, but it was cold and wet! That didn’t stop us taking any opportunity we could to get some learning done outside. We planted our sunflowers ready for the September intake of our new children, we looked after our sweet peas, which Mrs. Aldridge and Arthur kindly donated and enjoyed what little sunshine we had. We learnt about a variety of topics during the term and used different genres of books to base our learning around. We started with traditional tales and made felt elves to fit with the Elves and the Shoemaker tale. The children learnt to sew with growing confidence and

loved their elves! We then took a nonfiction book about Queen Elizabeth and we had a royal week, painting portraits, writing to Buckingham Palace and hosting a royal tea party with cucumber sandwiches. The children loved serving each other and hosting King Gilby and Queen Sarah!

Each child prepared a presentation to deliver to the Year group on their favourite book. They did well presenting to their peers and their confidence grew every week, well done, everyone.

We took a trip to Pizza Express, which tied in with our text ‘The Little Red Hen Makes Pizza’ a twist on a traditional tale. The children learnt about how to make pizzas from scratch. We learnt about the five magic ingredients needed for dough and even managed to spin our own pizzas! We took our pizzas back to school for a picnic lunch and enjoyed a feast, much to the jealousy of the rest of the school!

We enjoyed a wonderful Summer Concert where the whole department joined together in singing a variety of songs. After the concert, the Reception classes hosted a summer Art exhibition, which highlighted our artwork from the whole year. The progress the children have made is super and we do hope the parents enjoyed the exhibition too.

Our swimming gala and sports day was again, another success. The children showed off their swimming stamina and the Year 8s did a marvellous job in helping us run a super sports day. It is wonderful watching our leavers help the younger children showcasing the lovely young people they have become.

Activity Week was full of fun air-based activities and we enjoyed a fabulous trip to the Aerospace Museum in Filton. The arrival of a real hot air balloon was fabulous, a big thank you to the Berkely family for helping us achieve this.

Another year draws to a close, another year group to say goodbye to. We will miss you, Reception ’24 but you know where we are.

Mrs Abraham, Mrs West and Mrs Neil

Year 1

At the start of the year, the children were thrust into the role of superheroes as they needed to save captured vegetables from evil pea as part of our ‘Supertato’ reading unit. The children entered the classroom one morning to find that chairs were upside down, vegetables were stuck to the whiteboard and water bottles had been muddled up. The classes drew their own ‘wanted’ posters in the hopes that we would find evil pea! Luckily, after a few weeks he was found and banished far away. Peace had once again been restored at TMS!

In the Spring Term we met our new friend Sunny who visited us from the Kalahari Desert.

Our story ‘Meerkat Mail’ focused on Sunny’s adventures around the world and we read all the lovely postcards he sent to his family. We learnt about the different features of a postcard and then created our own. Sunny stayed with us for three weeks and we were sad to see him go!

The children have worked hard across the Maths curriculum with lots of exciting activities supporting their understanding of place value, addition and subtraction, shape, and measurement. The children loved working practically using Numicon to identify number patterns. We even compared the Numicon pieces to chocolate bars – we discovered that the odd numbers would not be the good ones to share as there is always an extra bit! The children enjoyed identifying the different 2D shapes around the school and created their own 3D models out of sticks and marshmallows – perhaps the biggest challenge was not to eat the corners!

We were lucky to be joined by the Bog Baby in the Summer Term. The children loved making their own Bog Babies out of clay and created their own unique habitats from volcanoes to ponds at home!

The children had lots of opportunities for different measurement investigations and got very used to estimating. They used balances to measure weight, and cubes to identify the weight of different objects - including Sunny the Meerkat! Much fun was had outside with cups of water, exploring the capacity of different containers. Luckily the sun was shining to dry us all off!

We have covered some fantastic and engaging topics this year ranging from Superheroes (Florence Nightingale and Neil Armstrong) to learning about the History of Dinosaurs, Animals around the World, Weather Patterns and Space. In the Autumn Term we were visited by Florence Nightingale herself. She had travelled from a hospital in Scutari to tell us about her life and how important it is to maintain good hygiene. We made sure our hall was kept clean whilst we ‘operated’ on our injured friends and bandaged up our wounded soldiers. We learnt

about different weather patterns and created our own diaries based on the weather we observed at school over a five-day period. Due to the unpredictable weather during April, we had lots to observe and write about! During our Space Topic in the Summer Term, we learnt about Galileo and created our very own telescopes out of kitchen and toilet rolls.

In Science, we started the year by learning about the human body. We took part in a taste and smell test where we had to guess what the objects were in a selection of pots. Each pot was hidden and contained different substances such as vinegar,

chocolate, and lemon. The children thoroughly enjoyed this interactive experience. We then moved on to seasonal changes and identifying the differences between summer and winter. We discussed how the days during winter are shorter than those in the summer. The children discussed why it would not be beneficial to wear hats, gloves and scarves in July and sun hats and sun cream in December! In the Summer Term the children learnt about different materials and ordered them based on their properties. We discussed the importance of recycling and why we recycle groups of materials and not others.

Well done Year 1 for a fantastic year, you have worked so hard!

Mrs Dyer, Miss Haynes and Miss Turpin

Year 2

Miss Gooch, Miss Codd and Jackie have enjoyed an exciting year, full of creativity and enthusiastic children. We kicked off the Autumn Term with some engineering exploration and excellence. Following in the footsteps of Brunel, Year 2 dug tunnels, designed and built bridges and set sail for Australia as Victorian passengers on the SS Great Britain. Their knowledge of properties of materials in Science helped to save the Gingerbread man from a soggy swim in the river and their creativity

flourished when concocting and writing recipes inspired by George’s Marvellous Medicine in English.

At harvest time, Year 2’s collaboration and creativity came together and ThoMaS the scarecrow was born, to be included in Old Down Country Estate’s half-term Scarecrow Trail.

We went on a cultural tour around the UK in Geography and found out that ‘Everyone Loves a Baby’ in the Lower School’s nativity performance.

Year 2 sprang into action exploring animals and their habitats in the Spring Term. Lots of fieldwork, investigation and observation built up super scientific enquiry skills that were continued with homemade videos and habitat boxes. A trip to the Bristol Zoo Project highlighted just how much the children had learned during this topic. Castle Week was a medieval masterclass in castle construction, defence, attack and hosting a banquet and this term we toured the world with Buddy Bee.

Digital skills have been building all year and we extended this to movie trailers and AI animals to test our descriptive and collaborative storytelling skills.

Summer was hot, hot, hot with the Great Fire of London. Year 2 travelled back in time to 1666 to discover who, what, where, why and how events unfolded. A visit from the Avon Fire team on Disney Day gave us more than the ‘bare necessities’ on modern fire safety. We had many ‘light bulb’ moments as we switched up our learning to the next level in our Science topic all about electricity and navigated past, present and future mapmaking in Geography.

All of Year 2’s English skills were applied in writing Anancy story books which were joyfully shared under a shady tree. Our Activity Week was fantastic - have a look on page 106 to see everything we did!

Miss Gooch, Miss Codd and Jackie

Our year started by welcoming the children to their new classroom in the Upper School and choosing our class pet! The children decided to sponsor a pangolin from the Born Free Foundation and named her Pango. Over the course of the year, the children have taken turns to take her home each weekend and have lots of fun and adventures with her.

YEAR 3

In class we have had a very busy year! In the Autumn Term the children created a field study investigating ‘What Makes A Popular Holiday Destination?’ inspired by their own summer holidays. We also explored the key features of the United Kingdom, developing our map reading skills to find the major cities, rivers, mountains and mountain ranges. In History, we studied the diverse culture of the Ancient Greeks, with the children particularly enjoying making their own clay pots and reenacting the story of Theseus and the Mintoaur in Drama lessons. In Maths we focused on number and place value including addition and subtraction facts, estimating, and rounding with a catchy rhyme to help us remember the rule, “5-9 climb the vine, 0-4 slide to the floor.”

In English the children studied the book ‘The Hodgeheg’ by Dick King-Smith. Highlights of this topic were creating our own little clay hedgehogs. We all enjoyed attending bonfire night and the Christmas Fayre this term too. We finished the term by taking part in a live drawing session with author and illustrator Thiago de Moraes. He taught us how to illustrate a Christmas lunch with a variety of famous historical figures as we drew along with him!

In the Spring Term in Geography we performed a comparative study between Kenya and Tockington. We learnt about what life is like in rural and urban areas of Kenya for two school girls and how their lives are similar and different to ours. The children particularly enjoyed learning about a Kenyan artist named John Ndambo and had fun getting creative, designing their own artwork inspired by his paintings.

In Maths we studied statistics and measurement, with the children participating in a weighing challenge involving chocolate and measuring activity which saw the children go outside and perform an investigation, measuring objects around school using different apparatus such as rulers, tape measures, metre sticks and trundle wheels.

In History we studied the Celts in the first half of term, with a highlight being dressing up as Celtic warriors and being painted with woad. In the second half of the term we studied the Romans and visited Roman remains at Caerleon. In lessons we dressed as Romans and took part in a Roman banquet eating peacocks’ brains and drinking wine. In Art we made Roman shields and then used them to take part in Roman army training, performing formations such as the testudo and the orb.

In English the children enjoyed creating their own heroes and monsters to include in their quest myth writing as well as writing a playscript.

The Summer Term saw our Geography topic change to the Amazon rainforest. The children were very adventurous in trying a variety of rainforest foods and

created fantastic non-chronological reports incorporating everything they had learnt. History had moved onto the invasion of Britain by the AngloSaxons and Vikings, with the children creating their own illuminated letters inspired by the Anglo-Saxon chronicle and taking part in a Viking Raid on Rose Garden. After creating Viking shields, the children climbed aboard a Viking longship and sailed from the Astro to Rose Garden where they attacked the people of Britain! In Maths the children learnt how to tell the time and had lots of fun running their own beach cafe to learn how to use money and how to give change. Another book study, ‘Leon and the Place Between,’ inspired our English work in the first half of term and a variety of different poetry styles filled our last few weeks together in Year 3. In Drama the children performed in their first ever Shakespeare Festival. They performed ‘As You Like It’ and also took part in some of Shakepspeare’s most famous sonnets (see more on page 39). This term we also took part in Disney Day, Family Fun Day and Activity Week which were full of fun, laughter and friendship… just like our whole year together in Year 3!

Mrs Glanville

It has been an incredibly busy and exciting year for both Year 4 classes! Together, they have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the curriculum with numerous fun and hands-on topics to bring their learning to life.

We kicked off the Autumn Term with engaging humanities topics, including the Ancient Egyptians in History and India in Geography. In History, we created an Egyptian menu, turned our clothing into beautiful Egyptian gowns, designed and made our own cartouches, and participated in an ancient Egyptian workshop in Bristol Museum. Our India topic allowed us to look at the geographical and political facts about the country, as well as comparing and contrasting how people live differently. To end the topic, we got to handle and understand Indian artefacts from Chembakolli village.

YEAR 4

The Spring Term came by quickly and we jumped straight back into hard work! Our History topic on World Explorers was a hit, with both classes thoroughly enjoying learning about famous world explorers and how their expeditions impacted history. Although, the rat-filled hard-tack biscuits did not go down well on our ships; we nearly had a class mutiny! In Geography, we focused on the local area, mastering map skills, OS map symbols, and reading coordinates. Creativity flourished in our English unit on Roald Dahl’s 'George’s Marvellous Medicine', with students writing their own surprising medicine creations and a newspaper article. In Maths, we continued developing the four operations and introduced fractions, decimals, percentages, properties of 2D shapes, and becoming detectives to solve the fraction mystery!

In Maths, we focused on consolidating number facts, exploring new methods for multiplication and division, opened our own restaurant and planned a Diwali party! Our English work centred on non-chronological reports, with students creating superb fact files about a mysterious new creature. Beyond the classroom, we enjoyed Happiness Day, a trip to the Bristol Hippodrome for the pantomime, the Christmas Fayre, the Carol Service, and numerous successful sports events!

The excitement continued with an Easter Egg Hunt, the older year group’s performance of Madagascar, World Book Day activities, a triathlon, a Swimming Gala, and many more exciting events!

The Summer Term always seems to fly by, and this year was no exception! The classes eagerly anticipated learning about the gruesome Aztecs and they were not disappointed. We started our feast by offering two ‘sacrifices’ to Huitzilopochtli and then had the chance to sample new and different foods; the avocado was the most popular this year! In Geography, we studied our European neighbours, learning about capital cities, landmarks, monuments, and cultures in various countries. Students then selected a European country from a hat and prepared PowerPoint presentations, which were outstanding!

In Maths, we enjoyed our geometry topic where we learnt to work out perimeter and area of 2D shapes, exploring angles, coordinates, position and movement of shapes, drawing and analysing graphs. Towards the end of the term, we participated in a fun filled Opera Activity Week, performed in the Shakespeare Festival, took part in House Athletics, the Swimming Gala, and numerous cricket fixtures!

Year 4 has been an amazing year, filled with learning, creativity, and fun! Each and every one of the Year 4 group have truly made the most of every moment and we will miss them very much as they move on to Year 5.

We wish you the best of luck in your continued learning at Tockington Manor School.

Mrs Shopland & Mrs Ross

YEAR 5

Year 5 have had a fantastic year, full of growth and adaptability. It has been a very busy year and students have made the most of every moment. Form time has been filled with lots of interesting discussions, regular reading and making good use of the new Chromebooks. The two groups have become tightly knit and enjoyed all the cross-curriculum activities.

When reflecting on the year, there are many memorable moments to mention. The first one which sprang to many students’ minds was receiving their Chromebook. The staff have been blown away by how quickly they were able to navigate their way around them.

Another highlight was performing in Madagascar The Musical, the students loved rehearsing, performing and of course getting to dress up as zoo guests and lemurs; it was a brilliant show. Year 5 did a great

job at supporting the Year 6s and we look forward to seeing them taking the lead parts in the new year. Within the theme of theatre, students also enjoyed visiting the Bristol Hippodrome to watch Peter Pan - there was lots of laughter and fun. Anthony in particular was super excited to see Mr Hercule Poirot, aka David Suchet, aka Captain Hook, and made a huge sign to show him.

We were lucky to have the Young Shakespeare Company visit again, who treated us to an engaging performance of Shakespeare’s Henry V. The students loved getting involved and all left buzzing from the performance. Many of the year group also enjoyed visiting Badminton School for the Dance and Drama workshop; we have some very talented actors in the year group for sure!

Year 5 have also loved all the sport they have participated in over the year, with firm favourites being fixtures and House Tournaments. As the Summer Term starts, so does the love for Longball, which many also play in their break and lunchtimes. Sports Day was another great day, with lots of cheering and healthy competition.

Lastly, Activity Week has stayed strongly in the mind of the group. They loved the wide variety of tasks, from willow weaving, whereby we made a willow hedge and teepee, to baking gingerbread with Mrs Shopland and the ‘Army’ assault course created by Mr Harvey and Mrs Davis. Visiting Skirrid Fawr in the Brecon Beacons was the treat of the week, with many students being so proud that they climbed such a long way. Well done!

Finally, thank you to Robert, Megan, Anthony, Jasper, Sophie and Evie P for representing Year 5 in School Council meetings.

We wish Year 5 the best of luck for Year 6!

Mrs Aldridge, Mrs Greenbank and Mr Perez

This year has certainly been a memorable one for Year 6. The first half of it was dedicated to play rehearsals between our learning and when they took to the stage, Year 6 blew the crowd away with their singing, acting and dancing skills - see more on page 40.

YEAR 6

Another highlight has been the Afon Caerfannell trip. Year 6 had an enjoyable (and very wet!) day on the beautiful river in Tal-Y-Bont on Usk conducting their field study. The group worked tirelessly taking measurements and collecting data, resulting in many wonderful portfolios - read more on our Geography pages!

As the work got progressively challenging, Year 6 showed us that they are now ready to take on the challenges of Common Entrance and have demonstrated immense determination and strength at overcoming obstacles. Many are now about to embark on their Pathway Program journey and all of them are ready for the responsibilities that lie ahead for them in their final two years at Tockington. Please see our subject pages for more on Year 6's excellent academic progression.

We have had many fun times this year in matches, maths challenges, concerts and trips. Here in school, the children in Year 6 have loved our ‘Paired Reading’ mornings with Year 2, forming friendships and being great role models for the younger ones. This continues as we move into our vital final years at Tockington.

To finish the year on a high, Year 6 had a smashing, splashing time surfing at Porthcawl during Activities Week and on Fun Day, Year 6s were involved in Beat the Goalie, sunflower planting and an Escape Room challenge. All got stuck in to raise money for the FOTM.

You are a wonderful bunch, good luck to you all in Year 7.

Mrs Davis, Madame Gannon & Mr Harvey

YEAR 7

Year 7 had a fun-filled year with so many wonderful highlights. The Autumn Term was packed full of trips all over the country, starting with a visit to the Houses of Parliament. The children discovered how MPs run the country, looked around the corridors and also made a special visit to the Lord's Chamber. Soon after, Year 7 went to Brecon Beacons on their Leadership Camp, where they took part in a wide variety of activities including caving, hiking and team challenges. The Sports Pathway Programme trip to Clifton College to watch the Crusaders train against the Scarlets was a sporting highlight, while both the boys and girls experienced great success in their own Rugby and Hockey teams respectively. The Autumn Term concluded with an exciting day out to the Panto to see Peter Pan which was very funny as Poirot (David Suchet) was playing Captain Hook.

Year 7 had an incredible Spring Term, with many amazing activities including House football and House netball, where the children used their leadership skills to assist the Year 8s in organising their Houses for the events. A special event this term was a trip to the Bristol Hippodrome to learn the behind-the-scenes workings of the theatre. During the tour, Year 7 learnt about stage magic, which included trap doors. The children also learnt about the history of the theatre itself and even got to go on the stage.

Summer was a busy term for Year 7 with mock Common Entrance Exams a prime focus and all the children revised hard and achieved great grades. They had a visit from the Royal Shakespeare Company, who performed their version of Henry V, which sparked Year 7s enthusiasm for the end-of-term production, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Year 7 thoroughly enjoyed a trip to Normandy, France and two particular highlights stood out. Year 7 visited Omaha Beach, one of the D-Day beaches, and experienced a 360-degree cinema showing of the D-Day landings. They also visited a cheese factory, trying multiple cheeses and holding a two-week-old baby goat.

The Year 7 and 8 production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a roaring success. After months of hard work, the whole cast in the final performance was given five stars by Mr Phillips, which is high praise indeed!

Sport must not be forgotten in the Summer Term with swimming galas, Inter House Athletics Finals and House Cricket. On the penultimate Saturday school of the year, Years 5-8 competed in House Longball, which was an eagerly anticipated event for Year 7. It was a very close tournament, with each House winning a match, so the trophy had to be awarded to the House with the most runs, therefore, Churchill was victorious.

Overall, it has been a fantastic year for all pupils in Year 7 and I am sure they are looking forward to what Year 8 will bring.

Mr Phillips & Miss Green

YEAR 8

Trip to Wales

At the start of the year, we went to Stackpole to conduct a study on sand dunes. In groups we investigated them and identified when the stages of the dunes changed and what the characteristics of each stage were. The trip was lots of fun and we all had a great time. We also did other activities such as a coastal walk and surfing.

Sporting (includingAchievements an almost unbeaten cricket season…!)

This year the Year 8s have contributed to all of the school sports teams. We have represented the school in Rugby, Hockey, Football, Netball, Cricket, Tennis, Cross-Country, Swimming and Athletics. The 1st XI cricket team almost went unbeaten until they fell at the final hurdle against a strong Clifton College team. In all the sports, we have achieved great things. A few people qualified for Nationals after their performances at Millfield. All in all, it has been a very good last year of sport for the Year 8s.

STEAM Day

Year 8s loved STEAM day. The theme was chocolate, which was amazing! We made our own brownies and designed the box for them as well. In Science, we measured the melting point of dark, milk and white chocolate, and then we ‘cleaned up’ with our tongues, licking up all the delicious, melted chocolate. It was a great day!

Houses of Parliament Trip

The trip to the Houses of Parliament was a great day out. Year 7 and 8 got taken around the Houses of Parliament on a tour and we saw the wonderful architecture inside. We were given headsets so we could hear what the tour guide was saying. The Houses of Parliament were very interesting and we got to know a lot about how it works; we even got to go into the area where the politicians debate. We learnt new facts about the history of the Houses of Parliament. After the tour we sat outside and ate our lunches before taking a walk through London to look at the sights.

The Play

Year 8s enjoyed putting together Charlie and The Chocolate Factory this year. In the play everyone got a role, whether that was backstage or performing as the main character, Willy Wonka. The play was very well received by the rest of the school, parents and families.

Common Entrance Exams

Year 8 took the Common Entrance exams after the May half term, which we used to revise. The exams lasted a week and then we were all done. A week after the exams, we found out our results. We each went into Mr Symonds’ office to be told our results. Year 8's results were fantastic and everyone was pleased with their scores; many people improved on their scores from the mock exams that we took earlier in the year.

Sports Days

On Sports Day (House Athletics) everybody takes part from Years 3 - 8 and there is also a Lower School Sports Day. There are sprints (75-200m), distance runs (600-1500m), throws (cricket ball/ rounders ball throw and shot put), long jump and high jump. Year 8 has always enjoyed House Athletics as it is a nice event where everyone can take part and contribute to their House. There is always a lot of support for everybody and a competitive drive from each House to win the event. See our Sports Day pics on page 104.

Backstage at the Hippodrome

We enjoyed a trip to the Bristol Hippodrome where we went backstage. It was fascinating and we enjoyed the trip. We learnt about the lighting and the mics and how they are designed to get rid of feedback. We visited the different rooms and even saw how the trapdoors worked.

street art all around the city. We saw colourful murals, street art and cool graffiti. It was so exciting to see pieces by famous artists like Banksy in real life. We even learned about the history and meaning behind some of the art, which was really interesting. Overall, it was a super fun and interesting trip!

Watching the Scarlets at Clifton College

Art Trip

Our Year 8 Art trip to Bristol was great! We got to see loads of amazing

Clifton College asked Year 7 and 8 to go and watch the Welsh Scarlets and the Canterbury Crusaders train. It was great to see how professional teams train and how much technology has to be used to train with drones and many cameras. Canterbury Crusaders are a touring team from New Zealand who were preparing for their game against Bristol Bears. The Crusaders were made up of New Zealand internationals like Scott Barrett, George Bell and Ethan Blackadder who have all played in the New Zealand first team in competitions like the World Cup and lots more. Lots of the Scarlets have had caps for Wales or have a very good chance to.

Last Goodbyes

We ended the year with our 'Final Countdown' dance; the traditional staff vs Year 8s rounders game; and a very memorable prize giving. We are excited to take all our happy memories of Tockington into our next schools.

Year 8

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PERFORMING ARTS

Apart from our own productions at Tockington this year, the children have been exposed to all manner of experiences involving the performing arts. In the autumn, Lower School enjoyed a performance of Sleeping Beauty while Upper School watched the pantomime, Peter Pan, at the Bristol Hippodrome. Some of our older pupils attended a Drama workshop at Malvern College and we have had regular visitors to the school to perform educational theatre to the children. A wonderful year of dramatic learning!

We were also very pleased to support community theatre this year with a sponsorship of The Princess, the Pirates and the Prunes. Put on at the Olveston Parish Hall it even featured a mention of TMS in the script!

Year 3 and 4 Shakespeare Festival

Year 3 and 4 took on the task of performing Shakespeare’s comedies this year. We began our exploration of Shakespeare’s work in the Spring Term, when we read and unpicked the stories to ensure that we understood the many complicated strands of the plot and characters. Next, we learned the dance routines before auditioning for our parts. Once roles had been assigned and the characters had been cast, we began the exciting process of rehearsing the immortal bard's works.

The children learned their lines well and recalled direction, delivering their lines confidently and clearly. Next we moved onto filming the sonnets in various locations around the school, which would be projected in between each performance. Finally, with the projections and videos edited, music and sound effects prepared and costumes washed and assigned to each actor, we were ready for our dress rehearsal. We performed in front of the whole school, which was wellreceived with lots of laughter. Then onto opening night. The children performed for their parents on Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th June and did themselves proud. Their performances of The Tempest, As You Like It and Twelfth Night were met with thunderous applause from the audience who cannot wait for next year's performances of the tragedies!

Well done, Year 3 and 4!

Mrs Glanville

Year 5 and 6 Madagascar - A Musical Adventure

This year's performance was an outstanding success. Year 6 rehearsed for months every Tuesday evening for an hour or two to put the show together. Singing and choreography was learnt in class music lessons.

The children were superb to work with, showing a conscientious attitude and really good attention, listening skills and focus in rehearsals. Some children had more lines than others but every single child counts and can take their moment with aplomb.

It is always very exciting when a show comes together and the uplifting music and comic script made this show a particularly enjoyable and fun experience all round.

Everyone involved is encouraged to behave as one huge, supportive team and this includes pupils from other year groups who help backstage and with lighting and sound. Mrs Mockridge creates a fantastic visual experience with stunning costumes and props and Miss Green carefully chooses background slides and controls the lighting, training up children to help as she works.

Mrs Aldridge and I would like to thank everyone who supported the show and a special thank you to Sophie Kirk Harris who prepares soloists in their singing lessons. Thank you also to Mrs Ross who designed and oversaw the make up this year. It is always sad when a show comes to an end but we are looking forward to the next one already!

Mrs SapkotaMrs Glanville

Year 7 and 8 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The Year 7 and 8s put on a brilliant performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Wilf as Willie Wonka was outstanding, with his largerthan-life acting and comedic timing, the audience was in fits of giggles. The play was filled with tricks, like Thea as Violet being blown up into a giant blueberry, and Fletcher playing Mike Teevee, being zapped into the TV.

We gave the play a new twist, with Mrs Aldridge rewriting the Oompa Loompa tunes into trendy pop songs. Basil as the Oompa Loompa Leader, along with his green-faced team, worked hard to learn the different songs and dances, and on the night their performance brought the energy. Another treat was Mrs Sapkota's two original songs, 'Wonka' and 'Luck Will Change', sung beautifully by Wilf and Amelie playing Mrs Bucket respectively.

The play was a real team effort and we couldn't have done it without the backstage crew, Oscar G on lighting, Charlie on sound, along with Mrs Mockridge and Miss Green. Well done to all the students, this play will most certainly be hard to top!

Mrs Aldridge

This year has seen the implementation of a new and refreshed Music Curriculum at TMS. The advent of the Music Suite back in 2018 provided a new space and new resources - not just the iMacs but a music storage cupboard which has enhanced the organisation of existing resources. Pupils in Year 5 & 6 study genres of music and they begin to think about their own favourite artists. Year 7 & 8 now learn Blues, Film Music and a lot of other music tech projects that you will read about later in this article. Pupils still learn recorders, ukulele, keyboard and we use glockenspiels a great deal to learn Music Theory which is taught more formally from Year 3 - 6.

MUSIC

Lower School class music lessons are divided into Foundation Stage (Reception) and KS1 (Year 1 & 2). In Reception, listening and timing is practised and mentioned repetitively. Children are encouraged to begin to use their voices well and listen to each other and themselves to increase self-awareness. In Y1 children begin to show increased independence and they are able to read song words from the board. Timing and intonation begin to develop and embed and children are able to join the Lower School choir. We cover a lot of theoretical work in a practical manner using Solfeggio and using chime bars in Reception and moving onto coloured glockenspiels in Year 1 and 2. By the end of Lower School the aim is that all children will have grasped the idea of pitch, the major scale and rhythm - in particular different lengths of notes. They will be able to recognise crotchet and quaver rhythm patterns by sight.

Music Lessons & Exams

We have nine visiting music teachers (Peripatetics) who between them offer tuition in the following instruments: piano, guitar, violin, recorder, fife, flute, clarinet, cornet and voice. Children may start individual music lessons after Christmas in Year 1. We regularly award ‘Wow’ badges which are celebrated both in the school weekly newsletter (The Tracker) and given out in assembly by our Year 8 Head of Music. These are for children who have amazed their teacher in some way - usually for something unexpected like a surge forward in progress, mastering a new skill on their instrument after trying for some time, or singing beautifully. They can also be awarded for a very high quality level of musical

awareness shown in answers in class music or during a music lesson.

At Tockington Manor we pride ourselves on offering the opportunity for taking assessments in as many different genres as possible to find the golden nugget of engagement in every child. We cover pop, musical theatre and classical singing exams and we also offer both classical, rock and pop Trinity or ABRSM face-to-face or recorded exams. Thank you to Mrs Alice Pullin for her outstanding flexibility and support with entering music exam candidates and communicating the exam feedback to the Peripatetic staff and me. I would also like to thank the visiting Music Teachers themselves for continuously monitoring and ensuring progress. Thank you to you all.

Events and Ensembles

Taking orchestra is possibly the highlight of my week! Pupils of Grade 1 plus in Years 5 - 8 are invited to come along every Wednesday morning to play together. We currently have 22 pupils attending, mainly at Grade 3 - 5 - a fantastic achievement. The children speedily set up the space and we start promptly. Usually I arrange pieces of music, trying to guess what notes the children can and can’t play! There is always room for adaptation and the pupils appear to love it! We learnt two pieces from The Greatest Showman as well as Shakira's ‘Waka Waka’. Thank you orchestra - I feel very proud of you and your achievements this year and you were wonderfully reliable.

We also have two other instrumental ensembles - strings and guitars. Both groups perform at our main Annual Spring Concert and other events and are run by Peripatetic teachers Tom (cellist) and Matt (guitarist). Next year we hope to run a wind ensemble too.

Summer 2023 Term Exams

The following pupils all took their first steps into music, passing their Trinity Initial Piano exams: Robbie O, Evie S and Izzy H.

Well done to the following pupils who achieved their Trinity Grade 1 Piano passes: Teddy S, Lexi J, Belle D, Rosemary H and Aryansham S. A special mention to Charlie B who passed with Distinction!

Congratulations too to Oscar L, Sirivaana V and Nitsa B for passing their Trinity Grade 2 Piano exams.

On Guitar, Jack D gained a merit in his Trinity Initial Exam while Fletcher achieved Grade 2.

With the expert tuition under Mrs Moreton, our bands have gone from strength to strength. Mrs Moreton also arranges versions of rock songs that are suitable for pupils and we have Band 1 and Band 2 (a training band of mainly younger pupils). Band 1 (mainly Y8s) has now been together for three years and is really starting to sound professional. We will miss you very much next year! However, we know that Band 2 will be up and coming and so the circle of life at Tockington Manor continues!

We still have three choirs and I thank Mr Sherwood for his support, particularly accompanying the children and helping to select repertoire. Lower School Choir is where a TMS singer's journey starts, followed by Junior Choir for Y3 - 5 pupils and leading onto the older pupils who join Performance Choir. We enter Thornbury Eisteddfod each year and this year we won two trophies

- The Lower School U7 category and we were also awarded a trophy for the Overall Best Choirs. For me the highlight of the day is witnessing the progression from Lower School Choir to Performance Choir - the latter having a mature sound and a lovely even blend of voices.

The main annual concert of the year was held in March 2024. A wonderful array of performances took place and it was really enjoyable watching our main musicians perform. We had flautists, violinists, clarinettists, guitarists, a drummer, pianists and singers perform solos and in between all of our ensembles took their turn. It was really great to have the support of our fantastic Peripatetic teachers for this and the standard was very high. Thank you to all of you who performed for giving us an end of term treat.

Autumn 2023 Term Exams

Well done to the following pupils who passed their Trinity Grade 1 Piano exams: Sienna R, Emily W, Patrick M, Sophia H and Evie P. Congratulations too to Hugh P and Max A for passing ABRSM Piano Grade 1.

Pictured above: This year, Ms KirkHarris, one of our singing teachers, organised a handful of her singers to perform in The Merry Wives of Windsor with Bristol Opera - namely Poppy R, Evie P, Isabella H and Amelie K. They were outstanding ambassadors for our school and absolutely loved the experience.

Pictured right: Ms Townsend, our violin teacher, encouraged her pupils to join a strings day at Gloucester Academy of Music, which Akilan attended and loved.

Bella H achieved a Merit for her Grade 3 Trinity Piano exam - well done Bella! Merits too for our wind players Evie P (Flute) and Jasper H (Clarinet) who passed their Trinitiy Initial and Grade 2 exams respectively.

Additional Trinity exams in the Autumn term included: Emma S - Initial Piano, Hugh P - Grade 1 Guitar and Rosalie C - Grade 1 Singing. Well done all!

"Thank you for encouraging Akilan to take part in this. It not only enhanced his music skills but also instilled confidence and courage in him. The sense of accomplishment he felt after the concert was priceless."

Summer Term

The Lower School Summer Concert did not disappoint! It was, as usual, one of the highlights of our year at TMS. Nothing can prepare you for the experience of witnessing 4 - 7 year olds performing with the utmost aplomb. The confidence of the children was a joy to see. A special mention must go to Maxine and Ping who are now playing Grade 3 pieces in Year 1! This is an astonishing achievement for both at such a young age.

Our choirs and bands made recordings at Clifton College recording studio - a real treat! The bands were outstanding and overseen by Mrs Moreton. The choirs raised the roof and Rosemary H in Year 4 even recorded her own song with the help of her good friend Izzy H who won the Thornbury Eisteddfod cup for the best

Music Technology

Year 7 and 8 have had another successful year of Music Tech and it has been exciting to see the range of potential that we have in the Music Department. Students are taught about the many responsibilities of a music producer and develop skills applicable to other roles in the music industry that don’t necessarily require you to be an instrumentalist.

Each project focusses on exploring a variety of musical genres whilst developing the fundamental skills of composition, arrangement, and production. The students work predominantly on the iMacs, using our chosen Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), GarageBand. The students have covered: Remixing, Found Sound Sampling, Foley Sound FX, Indian Fusion Music, and Minimalism. They have demonstrated a great

singing performance this year. To close off the Summer Term, and the year, we witnessed our wonderful Junior and Performance Choirs jointly singing ‘The Circle of Life’ to send our Year 8 leavers on their way and reminisce of their show in Year 6 - The Lion King. Emma F sang the solo. It only remains to wish all of the TMS leavers, including Ms Walters and Mrs Hinchliffe, a wonderful next chapter.

Mrs Sapkota

deal of patience, imagination, and attention to detail, and have gained a real insight into how professionals approach different composition styles.

Music Tech at TMS acts as an ideal stepping stone into GCSE music, giving a taste of the sort of projects that might be worked on. The main goal is to help inspire the students to explore their creativity in different ways and understand the array of possibilities available in the industry.

Mrs Moreton

Spring 2024 Term Exams

Well done to the following pupils who passed their Trinity Initial Exams with Distinctions: Lexi J and Effie M (Flute) and Charlie B (Clarinet).

Other Trinity exams this term included Grade 1

Singing for Tilly H and Bella R - both with merit; Grade 1 Piano for Bea B, Ruby L and Albie P; Merits in Piano for Teddy S (Grade 2) and Sirivaana V (Grade 3) and a Distinction in Grade 2 Piano for Lexi J. Oscar G passed his Grade 2 Trinity Rock and Pop exam with merit, playing the electric guitar.

In their ABRSM exams, Teddy S and Lexi J gained a distinction and a merit respectively in Grade 1 Theory while Akilan achieved Grade 1 Violin with Merit.

Fletcher R passed his Grade 4 LCM Pop exam and well done to Wilf R for a merit in Grade 5 LCM Music Theory.

ART & DESIGN

The children’s confidence and creativity has continued to flourish this year and there have been many exciting projects ranging from Ancient Greece to Gargoyles and Super Sculptures to Street Art.

The pupils have also enjoyed a number of fantastic Design & Technology projects such as Christmas stockings, moving monsters, sewing pencil cases, designing slippers, and building bridges and greenhouses as well as a couple of excellent STEM days.

In the Autumn Term, the children worked hard to produce Christmas card designs for our fundraiser – we raised well over £500. The Year 5 students excelled at producing magnificent portraits of famous historical people to adorn the History room (see pg 62) and are proving to be a collection of budding and talented artists.

Artistic design for the Spring Year 5 & 6 production of Madagascar started early and the Art room became a hive of activity. With the help of both Art clubs, some amazing creations were made, including some beautiful jungle scenes.

To consolidate their learning about Medieval Art, Year 7 took a trip to Wells Cathedral where, combined with their History and English studies, they learnt all about the Reformation. They were given a fascinating tour of the Cathedral which included a visit to the Library and the archives where they learnt about the impact of the Reformation on the decorative artwork in the cathedral. They rounded off the day by creating mini chained books of their own containing some beautiful, illuminated lettering.

In the spring, the students in Year 3, 4 and 5 took part in a STEM day, based around the theme of “Sweets”. The children got stuck into all the activities and had opportunities to investigate, research, design and collaborate with their peers. All the children were beautifully behaved and appeared to thoroughly enjoy the day, despite the fact that they couldn't eat all the sweets!

The Summer Term began with Year 6, 7 and 8 taking part in a STEM Day and the theme was a popular one….Chocolate! In Mrs Shopland’s bakery session the pupils were challenged to create their own brownies with a variety of flavours to choose from, such as ginger, orange, white chocolate chip, honeycomb, coffee and even chilli. Oscar D was brave enough to try the chilli and reported back that it was “Delicious!”.

There were some excellent bakery skills displayed, sharing of ideas and helping each other out. In Maths with Mrs Davis they were tasked with designing their own packaging. They investigated shapes and created nets for their brownie boxes. With Mrs Mockridge the pupils created their own brand logos and slogans for their brownies. There were some excellent ideas demonstrating great creativity and inventiveness. Finally, the pupils had fun in the Science lab. They used the Bunsen burners to research the melting

point of different types of chocolate before rounding off their STEM activities with a quiz on all things chocolate. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day and there were very few brownies left at the end of it!

Activity Week allowed for some therapeutic art time and the Lower School and Nursery were lucky enough to have a visit from artist Sophie Sherwood. Sophie showed the children how to create beautiful artwork using special photo paper and a bit of sunshine! It really was magical – even the teachers wanted to have a go!

At the other end of the school, post Common Entrance, Year 8 took an eyeopening trip into Bristol to see some of the city’s amazing pieces of Street Art. The class was fortunate to have a very experienced tour guide who knew all the back stories surrounding each piece of work as well as many of the local characters and some of the Street artists personally, including Banksy himself! The trip concluded with an opportunity to do some spray painting and they all came away with an amazing piece of artwork.

There have been some superb photography entries this year. Well

done to George C, Herbie H and Isabelle D for their winning termly entries and a special, congratulations to Theadora C who won the Jamie Smith Photography cup at the end of the year.

A few pieces of pupil’s artwork were exhibited at The SATIPS Art Exhibition at Moreton Hall School at Oswestry. Well done to Amy G, Florence F, Teddy S, Danielle B and Theadora C. The work was admired by all and especially our previous Headmaster, Mr Tovey who is now President of SATIPS.

The Art and Design department has continued to flourish and evolve and we are constantly reviewing and planning new trips and ventures. Next year we will build on this and there will hopefully be more trips and visits and a full on programme of fantastic projects, awards and competitions.

Mrs Mockridge

ENGLISH

The English Department has seen yet another incredible year unfold, marked by three jampacked terms brimming with captivating literature and enriching texts. It has been a joy to witness the brilliant English lessons created by our staff. Whether it is Fables in Reception to Performing Poetry in Year 4, and Dystopia in Year 7, pupils have been fully immersed in their engaging lessons.

Year 5

Year 5 had a great year and particularly enjoyed studying a new topic of Fantasy. We introduced two new novels this year, Abi Elphinstone’s Rumble Star and Philip Pullman’s Clockwork. The imaginative stories inspired the children to create their own fantastical writing.

In the Spring Term, pupils studied Shakespeare’s last play, The Tempest, followed by a collection of natureinspired poetry, including ‘The Tyger’ by Blake and ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ by Wordsworth. The children create a personal anthology inspired by nature.

The year finished with traditional and subverted fairytales, looking closely at Grimm Brothers’ Stories and Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes. Moving on to non-fiction, the classes then debated whether fairytales are still relevant for children today. The pupils quickly identified how fairytales have changed, especially with the female

After the Christmas break, Year 6 moved on to Shakespeare's comedies, Much Ado About Nothing and Midsummer Night’s Dream. Pupils enjoyed exploring the comedy genre and used the plays as inspiration for their poetry, constructing sonnets to ballads and haikus to free verse.

Storytelling was the topic for the Summer, we started with thinking about the evolution of the story and how the purpose of a story has changed, specifically linking ideas to Ancient Greece, who invented the theatre and the art of persuading.

Year 7

Detective Fiction was first on the list for Year 7s, who loved learning about literary detectives, from Sherlock Holmes to Sally Lockheart, and using their detective skills to solve different crimes and mysteries. With their new knowledge, the class then designed and created their own detective stories full of suspense and mystery.

The Spring Term consisted of Shakespeare and poetry. This was the first time students had read Shakespeare’s Scottish tragedy, Macbeth. We were blown away by how well the pupils could track the lead characters, identifying their fatal flaws and how dramatic irony is created, whilst linking ideas to the context of Elizabethan society. Inspired by the events of conflict, the class then examined a variety of War Poetry, some of which were written by Wilfred Owen and Lord Alfred

The Summer Term was another favourite topic for the class, Dystopia. enjoyed exploring a of literature from 1984 George Orwell to War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. We looked closely at what influenced these writers and then thought about society’s worries at present to inspire

Year 8

We started the year with Gothic Literature, studying a selection of the classics, like Frankenstein and Dracula and modern stories like Roald Dalh’s The Landlady. Pupils loved reading and creating sinister settings and creepy creatures.

The rest of the year was dedicated to the English Common Entrance Exam, the class learnt about the format and practised the skills needed for the Reading and Writing papers. I am pleased to say the class did brilliantly in both their mocks and final exams!

Once the Year 8 exams were over, we used our English lessons to rehearse for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

It has been a brilliant year and I wish the Year 8s the best in their chosen senior schools. I will remember them as a class who loved to sing and dance at any opportunity!

Mrs Aldridge

Young Shakespeare Company

After the success of last year's performance, we invited the company back and this year they performed Shakespeare’s Henry V to Years 2 to 8. It was great for the pupils to experience one of Shakespeare's historical plays and they highly enjoyed the interactive format and audience participation. Pupils were asked to play soldiers to servants and members of the court. We hope to see the company again next year!

World Book Day

A favourite day for many children in the school, World Book Day was another great celebration of literature! We started the day with an assembly, where the Year 7s gave a very interesting presentation about the history of the books (inspired by their recent trip to Wells Cathedral), followed by each year group showing off their amazing outfits by having a boogie.

Engaging and exciting lessons ran throughout the day, with many classes participating in live events with authors, and inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a special chocolatey pudding was served at lunch.

Wells Cathedral

Year 7 also had a brilliant cross-curriculum day at Wells Cathedral, along with learning about the history and stone masonry, we also got to see some of the oldest books in the country and learn about the history of the book. It was extremely interesting to learn about how books were made and who read books, and we even got to make our own mini leather-bound books.

From the Library

The library has been bustling with activity all year, with numerous children participating in a variety of events.

Our well-loved 'Milkshake Mondays' have continued this year, allowing children from all year groups to visit the library during break time for a story, a reading activity, and a snack. We've enjoyed finding rhyming words in stories, exploring alternative and modern traditional tales, and taking part in very popular book quizzes! Thank you to our fantastic catering team for providing us with their delicious milkshakes and biscuits.

The library hosted the Year 3 and 4 Book Club in the Autumn and Spring Terms, and Creative Writing Club in the Summer Term. During Book Club, children have explored many stories including: ‘The Slightly Annoying Elephant’, ‘All Pigs are Beautiful’ and ‘ There’s a Snake in My School!”. Children in Creative Writing Club have enjoyed creating storyboards for newly-learned stories, created their own mythical characters and created WANTED posters for fictional baddies.

Accelerated Reader remains a popular tool in schools, playing an important role in developing strong reading habits among children from Years 2 to 8. This year, we were thrilled to celebrate a record-breaking 40 children at our final Millionaires' Tea Party, marking a further increase in the number of students reaching their Word Count milestones.

Our creative writing competition entries to ‘Young Writers’ has continued to impress this year with many children’s work being published in two books, ‘Once Upon a Dream’ and ‘Crazy Creatures’, both of which are available to borrow from the school library.

The library continues to thrive, bolstered by generous donations from parents and the acquisition of new books through rewards earned from our successful Book Fair in March. We extend a special thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers who selflessly dedicate their time to assist children in the library during lunchtimes.

Handwriting and Presentation Competition

Another amazing year for the competition, the formation of words to the artistic flare never ceases to impress staff. It is a great reminder to all the children about the importance of their handwriting and presentation in all their subjects, and Lower School are definitely giving Upper School a run for their money!

LATIN & CLASSICAL CIVILISATION

It’s been another busy year for the Classics Department. I have really enjoyed teaching in the library –it’s a great space for discussions (we compared Athenian & British democracy). Also, there are plenty of nooks and crannies to hide cards for a Latin verb treasure hunt!

Mr Horsted started off the year for us with his excellent talk on Roman Entertainment, or to be precise ‘Baths, Gladiators and Chariots: leisure and entertainment in ancient Rome’. We learned about the richest sportsman in history (a Roman charioteer, not a footballer), the story of Androcles

& the lion and the contents of a drain in the Roman baths (not pleasant but very educational).

In Latin, we have followed a similar pattern to previous years to ensure that children are prepared for Common Entrance and have a sufficient grounding to go onto GCSE at their next school if they wish.

In Classical Civilisation, they have studied a number of topics in sufficient detail for the Common Entrance exam – these include stories from Homer’s Odyssey, the Roman Army, Athenian democracy, the Kings from

SPANISH

It has been a pleasure to teach everyone from Reception to Year 8 and to see how children progress over the different Year groups.

Lower School

Early Rome, Roman & Greek Gods and the 12 labours of Heracles. The students always look forward to the end of each topic when it is time to produce dramas on the subject.

In September 2024, the Latin class will be on the move again. Lessons will be taught in the new languages block alongside Spanish & French lessons. I’m hoping the close links between the languages will become clearer as a result and am looking forward to the year ahead.

Mr Sherwood

Lower School enjoyed our famous “Rockalingua” songs and videos, it is

always fun and exciting to learn this way. We have listened to an animated version of “El Quijote” which has been very popular. We have covered many topics including personal introductions, days of the week, vowels, colours, numbers, parts of the body and have also learnt about Spanish culture.

Upper School

Upper School focused and developed their language skills, speaking, listening and writing, with classwork. Duolingo has been introduced as a great learning tool from Year 5 to 8 and it is great to see children progressing and ticking off units here, they have made excellent progress. Year 8 concluded their year with an assembly and all school joined in to sing some of our popular songs. I am delighted with everyone’s progress over the year, well done to all the children at Tockington!

Mr Perez

Our French Department has come along in leaps and bounds this year and we are very proud of a number of initiatives which have borne fruit.

ISMLA Creative Writing Competition

Tockington’s Languages Department is now a member of the Independent School’s Modern Languages’ Association which allows us to keep up to date on current affairs in the Languages world. Each year, the Association organises a series of language competitions. Year 7 pupil Gloria’s essay, entitled ‘Dans le métro’, won her first prize in our inhouse competition and was selected to represent Tockington at national level for French. In their final assessment, the Association commented: “The Committee commends Gloria on a significant achievement in the ISMLA Creative Writing Competition. Her story was a joy to read and we encourage her to continue her interest and passion for French!” Gloria has done exceedingly well

FRENCH

DELF Prim Diplomas

As part of the academic refurbishment that has been going on since last summer in the French Department, perhaps the most exciting development has been our first small cohort of linguists sitting the DELF Prim A1.1 international exam, run by the Ministry of Education of France. On a sunny Spring morning, our pupils and their parents assembled in Oxford, in front of the globally renowned building of the Alliance Française. Amal, Oliver (Year 6) and Boróka (Year 4) prepared throughout the academic year through weekly sessions, developing both their language and exam skills to successfully tackle the challenges

of the assessments. After a couple of weeks of anticipation, their DELF Diplomas were issued by the Ministry of Education in Paris. On behalf of all our linguists at Tockington, we congratulate them on their fantastic achievement and wish them luck in sitting the next level of the DELF Prim examinations!

Anthea Bell Literary Translation Prize

For the first time this year, a handful of our talented linguists entered a prestigious national language competition, the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators. The translation of an extract from a contemporary French novel entitled ‘Ma Famille du Cameroun: de Paris à Yaoundé’ by Alex (Year 7) has been awarded a Commendation by the Translation Exchange from The Queen’s College at the University of Oxford. His work was one of a few selected from over 3600 entries from schools across the country. Alex’s outstanding achievement is not only proof of his fiercely competitive and creative mind, but his win also highlights the growing ambition and excellent academic potential of our linguists at Tockington’s Languages Department.

Mme Gannon

Chocolat Chaud Club

Our younger linguists (Reception - Year 4) made history this academic year at the Languages Department. They signed up to our very first French workshop series designed specifically with our youngest TMS linguists’ academic profile in mind.

The initiative, better known by all by now as the ‘Chocolat Chaud Club’, has seen the number of its participants steadily increase, with over thirty little linguists receiving their first French language diploma at the end of the Spring Term.

"The lasting effects of a positive academic experience in the youngest learners cannot be overestimated. And when this positive experience is repeated over and over again, it will ripple through to other fields of learning."

Madame Gannon, French Teacher

MATHEMATICS

It has been another incredibly busy and successful year for the Maths department. This year, Mrs Greenbank and Mrs Byrne have been teaching Year 5 and 6 Maths, respectively, alongside my classes. Many thanks to them both for their excellent teaching, their support and for inspiring our children to become young Mathematicians.

We have continued our teaching of Maths for Mastery, this year. This thorough and in-depth approach begins a topic using concrete materials, before moving onto represent it pictorially and finally tackles abstract problems. This builds self-confidence and resilience in pupils, which we are now seeing the positive effects of.

Similarly to last year, we entered many of our students into national competitions to give them the opportunity to practise their problem solving, demonstrate their ability and enjoy the Mathematics. For the first time this year, pupils in Year 3 and 4 took part in the First Maths Challenge. Well done to those who gave it a go and for trying your best. Our students in Years 5 and 6 were entered into the Primary Maths Challenge, and students in Year 7 and 8 took part in the Junior Maths Challenge run by the UKMT. In all challenges, the questions encourage mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems, and are very challenging indeed.

First Maths Challenge

Gold – Effie M

These Maths Challenges are designed to promote a love of problem solving, and although the questions are multiple choice, they are designed to make students think and not to guess. Well done to all students on their achievements, and particularly to the students who won awards.

Primary ChallengeMaths

Gold certificate – Dudu Y, Joe L, Kieran Q, Nitsa B, Oliver G, Ruby L, Sirivaana V

Silver certificate – Amal L, Bella H, George C, Gilby R, Jasper H, Patrick M, Suzanna J

Bronze certificate – Albie P, Anthony K, Aryansham S, Connie S, Emma S, Hattie R, Harrison C, Hugh P, James V-P, Léon F, Max A, Megan G, Sophia H, Sophie G, Will B

Bonus Round competitorDudu Y achieved Bronze

Junior Maths Challenge

Gold – Herbie H, Lola S

Silver – Gloria D, Basil B, Finley L, Anay N, Fletcher R, Janu S

Bronze – Alex F-W, Bertie M, Oscar G, Darcy S

Kangaroo round competitor –Herbie H, Lola S

Silver – Ben C, Faris L, Florence F, Harry Ba, Henry T, Rapha G, Richard L, Teddy S

Bronze – Lexi J, Amy G, Araminta C, Archie C, Ben S, Boro G, Brendan B, Charlie B, David L, Dylan N, Eleanor G, Florence T, Gabriel T, Harry Bl, Hugo C, Tilly R, Ranveer C, Rosemary H, Seb W, Sophia H, Sophia D, Toby B

Maths Challenge days

Year 6 Maths Challenge –Redmaids’

Four Year 6 children visited Redmaids' High, along with over 60 others from schools across Bristol. The school hall was buzzing as these children worked very hard trying to solve the Maths problems as quickly as possible, going for the coveted bonus points. The rounds included Countdown, using equations to find the values of letters and a final 20 question challenge. Jasper H, Albie P, Suzanna J and Avneet C did a sterling job at representing the school and gave it their all.

Year 6 Maths Challenge –Clifton College

Kieran Q, Oliver G, Ruby L and Nitsa B took part in the Year 6 Maths Challenge at Clifton College. They were up against 16 other schools, who had each put forward their top mathematicians to go up against each other in four challenges. These were:

Group round - work as a team to complete 15 questions in 40 minutes. Crossnumber - work as a team to complete this crossword with numbers in 45 minutes. Shuttle - work in pairs to pass correct answers to your other pair. Relay - lots of running the correct answers to your marker and then to your other pair.

The team had lots of fun, worked incredibly hard all day and did an outstanding job at representing Tockington, coming 5th overall.

Year 5 & 6 Maths Challenge –Cheltenham College

Four Year 5s and four Year 6s were invited to Cheltenham College to take part in a Maths Challenge. There were over 20 teams taking part and the children spent the day answering questions, completing puzzles and solving problems, all to gain points for their team. Both teams performed exceptionally well at the logic round and all thoroughly enjoyed the relay where two pairs were answering alternate questions as quickly as they could. Our Year 5 team was made up of Dudu Y, Aryansham S, Bella H and Hugh P who all received a Bronze medal for coming in third place. The Year 6 team consisted of George C, Joseph L, Sirivaana V and Amal L. Well done to you all for your exemplary attitude and behaviour.

Year 8 Maths Challenge –Queens College

Two Year 8 teams represented the school at Queen's College, Taunton, taking part in a UKMT Maths Challenge. They were up against tough competition and the teams should be proud of their performance. Well done Lola S, Herbie H, Henry H, Finley L, Anay N, Fletcher R, Oscar G and Janu S for superb application of Mathematics.

Four Year 5s went to BGS to take part in a 6-round challenge, competing against around 45 pairs from local schools. All of them entered into the spirit of the challenge, trying their best and enjoying the competition, all while being excellent ambassadors for the school. Very well done to Evie P, Belle D, Anthony K and Patrick M.

Year 5 & 6 Maths Challenge –Tockington Manor School

We hosted Clifton College for a Year 5 & 6 Maths Challenge in June. The children were selected by their teacher to represent to school and took part in groups of four, in a Make the Number (countdown style) round, a Logic puzzle and a Relay round. Clifton came out as overall winners but all students from both schools were fantastic. Well done to the following for taking part:

Year 5: Lois R, Freya I, Sophie G, Herbie D, Hattie R, Emma V-P, James V-P and Evie S.

Year 6: Harry P, David E, Sophia H, Emma F, Jess W, Connie S, Rupert P and George G.

Well done to all those who represented TMS in Mathematics this year, for such a fantastic effort and for their exemplary attitude.

Year 4 Maths Challenge –

Effie M, Rapha G, Richard L and Teddy S from Year 4 visited Redmaids' to take part in a variety of fun, Maths based, timed tasks and earn points for their team. The tasks involved working with dice, pentominoes, playing cards, dominoes and tangrams, with the final round coming together to work through multiple choice mathematical problems. They all did a fantastic job at getting involved and most importantly, had lots of fun!

Year 5 Maths Challenge – BGS

Redmaids’

Counting Cubs

This part of the Year 7 and 8 leadership programme involves the students leading Maths-based activities with the Owls in Nursery.

In groups of four, members of Year 7 and 8 have successfully organised and led Maths activities to the Owls, demonstrating excellent communication skills and getting the Owls learning and enjoying more Maths through play. The Owls love meeting and playing with the older children and the Year 7s and 8s always leave with a big smile, feeling a great sense of achievement and enjoyment.

Some of the activities and games we’ve played include giant dice rolling, singing number songs, shape hunts, matching games and more!

MAT group

The More Able and Talented Maths group began this school year with the National Cipher Challenge from the University of Southampton. Our growing MAT group gave this challenge a very good go before their age ruled them out of future rounds. Well done on getting as far as you did through ‘The Body in My Library’. We have also looked at some Additional level algebra in depth and worked through Problem-Solving challenges as a group.

Well done to the dedication of Anay N, Finley L, Herbie H, Henry H, Janu S, Lola S, Alex F-W, Basil B, Bertie M, Gloria D and Oscar B this year.

Common Entrance

Year 8 have produced an incredible set of results in Maths, with each student surpassing expectations and receiving a result to be proud of. This class have been such a bright and lively group, happily accepting a challenge and demonstrating excellent Numeracy and ProblemSolving skills. Many have very bright futures in Mathematics ahead of them.

We achieved 7 passes at Foundation level and 11 passes at Core level. Four students also gained passes in the challenging Additional paper.

Next Year

September will see a new member of teaching staff, Mr Graham Reeves join the Maths Department, teaching Years 5 to 8. The focus will continue to be on

equipping our learners with Numeracy and Problem-Solving skills for life, by teaching Maths for Mastery. We also look forward to competing against other schools in various competitions and Maths Challenges, involving many students in the Upper School. Lessons and practical activities will take place both inside and outside of the classroom, with the emphasis on being fun, engaging and purposeful to create a new generation of bright, young mathematicians.

Mrs Davis

SCIENCE

It is always exciting for Year 3 when they first enter the Science Lab and this year was no exception. Throughout their time in the Science Lab, Year 3 have diligently worked on developing their science skills and knowledge through a wide variety of practical and theoretical activities.

Year 4 have continued to build on their understanding of scientific principles, including beginning to work on developing their own methods. Year 5 is an exciting time in the Science Lab as the chemistry based experiments become more exciting and challenging with the introduction of Bunsen Burners. The children have worked really well this year on developing their practical skills and understanding of how to work

safely in a Science Lab.

In Year 6 we have built on the Bunsen Burner skills and begun exploring more challenging scientific topics such as genetics. More recently we have been looking at plant and animal cell organelles and their functions. We have done this through diagrams, models and presentations.

Year 7s and 8s enjoyed their trip to Badminton School where they took part in a liquid nitrogen show. It was very exciting to see and all the children were thrilled by the experiments on show. They have all worked really hard on the Common Entrance syllabus and obtained very pleasing results which each child was proud of. All the children in Years 3 to 6 have also enjoyed developing their problem solving skills through taking part in the CREST Awards

programme, British Science Association's scheme for STEM project work. These challenges involve thinking outside the box thinking to find the solution to problems, such as designing ergonomic chairs, designing pencil moulds that help improve handwriting, electromagnetic generators and testing the theory that toast always falls butter side down.

September 2024 brings new coding software and exciting new opportunities for all pupils - we are excited to see how the new academic year unfolds.

Mr Glanville and Miss Green

GEOGRAPHY

Year 8 Fieldwork trip to Stackpole, Pembrokeshire

Year 8 had a fantastic trip away to sunny Pembrokeshire and conducted their fieldwork study on the Freshwater West sand dunes, better known as ‘Dobby’s beach’. As the coastal winds swept in, we carried out our data collection on slope angles, volume of Maram Grass, Bare ground, and other plant species inside a quadrant, as well as counting the variety of plant species. The pupils worked tirelessly each evening, creating profiles, graphs, pie charts, writing their introductions, methodologies, and conclusions.

Additional activities included dusk stargazing on the famous eight arch bridge, a long coastal walk from Freshwater West via Barafundle Bay into Stackpole centre, creating sand sculptures, surfing (or trying to!) coasteering, bat spotting and exploring St Govan’s chapel. During the trip, we were fortunate enough to spot seals, cormorants, herons, and kingfishers but the elusive otters evaded us this time.

A special mention to Head boy, Anay N who achieved the highest grade in the school in his Common Entrance Exam for Geography of 96%.

Year 7 Leadership trip to Bannau Brycheiniog National Park

Year 7 got their first experience of visiting one of three National Parks in Wales by attending a leadership trip in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). The trip began with a long walk through the Black Mountains and exploring some of the oldest caves in Wales which is home to endangered species of bats. Due to high winds (70mph) on Pen-Y-Fan, the children

were unable to climb one of the three peaks but showed great resilience when completing some stimulating team-building challenges set out by our fantastic instructor Rob. Their trip culminated in a visit to Pontsticill reservoir and river walk through the mountains spotting one of the region's oldest and still operating, railway services.

Year 7 Sustainability trip to Bristol Airport

Year 7 were given the opportunity to visit the UK’s leading green airport right here in Bristol. Bristol airport is currently 0% carbon emissions and plans to be fully carbon neutral by 2030. This was a fantastic introduction to the new stewardship topic that Year 7 started in the Summer Term. The airport representatives were fantastically informative in their talks and answered some great thoughtprovoking questions from the children. We look forward to our annual visit to the airport and thank the staff for their time and organisation.

Country

Overall Winner

Year 8

Year 7

Year 6

Year 5

Year 4

Year 3

Year 2

Cartography Results

Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term

Iceland Australia

Jack S

Lola S

Poppy R

Darcy S

Thea C

Germany

Poppy R

Charlie R

Bertie M Leila Belle S

Theo G and Avneet CNitsa B and Connie SEmma and Issy P

Diya D and Bella HWill B and Bella HJasper H and Anthony K

Araminta C and Rosemary HAraminta C and Richard LLexi J and Charlie B

Ranveer C

Ivy B and Florence

Year 5 Traffic Survey,

South Gloucestershire

Ranveer C

Ranveer C

Elsie B and FloroBella H and Vito D

thank you to Mr Phillips for his invaluable help and enthusiasm.

Year 6 Fieldwork

trip to the Afon Caerfannell in the Brecon Beacon

Cartography Competition Results

What an incredible first year of talent I have experienced when judging such wonderful work. The quality of entries is nothing below outstanding with all children from Reception to Year 8 showing amazing attention to detail, scale and geographical accuracy; it is mesmerising! Well done to all who took the time, effort and a serious amount of patience!

Year 5 had their first experience of conducting a survey and then writing up their results in a portfolio. The children assessed the volume and type of traffic outside of the school grounds and then wrote up their findings against their hypothesis. The children were magnificent all day and produced some wonderful written work. A special mention to Will, Max and Dudu who achieved the highest grade of 93%. Well done all, and a big

Year 6 had an enjoyable (and very wet!) day on the beautiful river in Tal-Y-Bont on Usk. The year group was divided into four teams; Wye, Severn, Tal-Y-Bont and Usk to conduct their field study. The group worked tirelessly and were an absolute credit to the school and a pleasure to take into beautiful Wales.

The teams took measurements and collected data across the three different stages of the river: Upper, Middle, and Lower. The children focussed on taking data for, the gradient, velocity, width, and depth at each stage. As the teams moved downstream

towards its mouth in the famous TalY-Bont reservoir, this is where we saw the river meet the Caerfannell and its confluence with the Usk.

Year 6 worked hard on their portfolios over the following weeks, and a special mention to Kieran Q who achieved the highest-class grade of 97%. I would like to thank Ms Parrington, Ms Benson, Mr Ross and Mr Tyrell for their invaluable help and great attitude and enthusiasm during the day.

Mr Harvey

HISTORY

Year 5

Year 5 students embarked on an exciting historical journey this year, delving into the fascinating eras of the Tudors, Stuarts, and Victorians. Their studies provided a comprehensive understanding of the social, political and cultural transformations that shaped Britain from the 15th to the 19th centuries.

The exploration began with the Tudors, a dynasty marked by notable figures such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Students learned about Henry VIII's six wives and his role in the English Reformation, which led to the creation of the Church of England. The class also explored the significance of Elizabeth I's reign, including the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, which established England as a formidable naval power. Transitioning to the Stuarts, the focus shifted to the tumultuous period of the English Civil War, the execution of Charles I and the brief rule of Oliver Cromwell. Students examined the Restoration of the monarchy under Charles II and the subsequent Glorious Revolution of 1688. The final term of the year took the students into the Victorian era, characterised by Queen Victoria's long and influential reign from 1837 to 1901. This period witnessed the Industrial Revolution, which transformed the economy and society. Students investigated the impact of industrialisation, including Children’s Schooling and fabulous inventions of this time.

Throughout their studies, Year 5 engaged in various activities, including role-playing historical figures, creating timelines, and analysing primary sources, not to forget the fantastic Tudor Workshop!

Year 6

Year 6 has engaged in a comprehensive study of three pivotal periods in history: World War I, World War II, and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The study of World War I provided students with insights into the causes, key events, and consequences of the conflict that reshaped the world from 1914 to 1918. Students examined the complex web of alliances, the impact of trench warfare, and a study of the Battle of the Somme. The creation of detailed models of weapons used during the war, such as rifles, machine guns, and artillery, allowed students to grasp

the technological advancements and their devastating effects on warfare. Year 6 was gripped during our studies of World War 2, looking at a host of topics including Weapons, Dunkirk, and The Blitz to name a few.

To complement their historical studies, students engaged in creative writing activities, producing poetry, newspapers, and diary entries. These exercises allowed them to express their understanding and empathy, capturing the emotions and perspectives of individuals who lived through these tumultuous times. The poetry reflected the sorrow and resilience of those affected by war and slavery. Their exploration was enriched by various interactive activities and a visit to the M Shed museum for a Home Front workshop and a more detailed look at Bristol during the Blitz.

The study of the Transatlantic Slave Trade exposed students to the harrowing realities of a dark chapter in human history. They explored the origins and development of the trade, the inhumane conditions endured by enslaved Africans, and the profound cultural and economic impacts on both sides of the Atlantic, while the newspapers and diary entries provided vivid accounts of historical events, bringing the past to life through their eyes.

Year 7

Year 7 students delved into key historical events as part of the Common Entrance syllabus, including the Battle of Hastings, the Norman Conquest, and the Crusades. Their studies provided an in-depth understanding of the power struggles and religious fervour that shaped medieval Europe.

The exploration began with the Battle of Hastings in 1066, a pivotal moment that led to the Norman Conquest of England. Students examined the strategies of William the Conqueror and Harold Godwinson, understanding the significant shift in English culture and governance that ensued. The detailed study of the Norman Conquest highlighted the profound changes in feudal society, law, and architecture brought about by Norman rule.

The curriculum then shifted to the numerous Crusades and the battle for the Holy Land. Students learned about the motivations, key

figures, and outcomes of these religious wars, gaining insights into the complex relationship between Christianity and Islam during the medieval period. The analysis of the Crusades emphasized the enduring impact of these conflicts on European and Middle Eastern history.

A highlight of the term was the castlebuilding project, where students applied their knowledge of medieval fortifications by constructing detailed models. This hands-on activity enhanced their understanding of military strategies and castle architecture. Additionally, a visit to Wells Cathedral offered a captivating look at the power of religion in medieval times. Students marvelled at the cathedral’s architecture and learned about its historical significance, reinforcing their appreciation for the role of religion in shaping medieval society.

enhance their analytical skills in preparation for the final examination.

In the Spring Term, students delved into the intriguing stories of Thomas Becket, his conflict with King Henry II, and his subsequent martyrdom. They also studied Medieval Women, examining their roles and influence in medieval society, from queens and noblewomen to peasant women.

Year 8 students coped extremely well with the rigorous schedule of weekly essays, honing their revision skills and fine-tuning their exam techniques. This diligent preparation not only set a strong foundation for Senior School but also resulted in an outstanding set of Common Entrance results this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching Year 8 over the years and will remember them all fondly.

Mr Phillips

Year 8

Year 8 began the year by focusing on the Common Entrance examination topics, starting with the fascinating events surrounding the Black Death. This included a memorable song and a survival game where students navigated Europe as merchants or travellers, trying to avoid the deadly plague while visiting all the major merchant cities. This interactive approach helped students understand the widespread impact of the pandemic.

The curriculum also covered the Battle of Bosworth and the Battle of Bannockburn, where students learned about the strategies, key figures, and outcomes of these significant conflicts. Additionally, they explored the lives and reigns of Edward I and II, practising essay writing to

COMPUTING

Computing at Tockington has gone from strength to strength this year with ICT an integral part of our pupils’ learning here. Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 now have a dedicated Computing lesson once a week where planned activities have opened our youngest students’ eyes to the digital world. Children have really increased their confidence when navigating the Chromebooks and have developed their problem-solving skills.

Pupils enjoyed learning how to code using various programs. They explored floor Beebots and then transferred these skills onto the computer, creating algorithms and debugging if needed. Another unit of work focused on typing, with Reception and Year 1 learning the main layout and functions of a keyboard and using the correct hand placement. Year 2 progressed this further and took on the challenge of touch typing.

Years 3 and 4 have been building on their success from the Lower School and relished their additional timetabled

We have a forward-thinking approach to Computing at TMS and our Artificial Intelligence block of work with Years 5 - 8 epitomises that. As always, online safety remains paramount and from Reception through to Year 8 pupils are well-educated about the internet and other online technologies.

I am excited to continue to look for ways to develop our Computing offering at TMS, with September 2024 bringing new coding software and exciting new opportunities for all pupils.

Mr Ross and Mrs

PSHE & SMSC

The PSHE and SMSC provision at Tockington Manor School has continued to develop and adapt with the changing world that we live in. We pride ourselves on creating an interesting and informative curriculum that focuses on a holistic approach to developing children who are healthy, sociable, and emotionally literate. Our whole school approach builds and develops on key concepts and skills to support pupils’ SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural) Education, focusing on Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World as they journey through the school.

Lessons include a wide variety of enjoyable activities including discussions, role play as well as art, craft and design tasks. Years 5 to 8 work on the digital platform Google Classroom, which has enabled them to introduce more interactive elements into their lessons, such as creating and editing videos. Our PSHE lessons aim to prepare children for life in modern Britain today by arming them with the skills and attitudes that will allow them to become full and active citizens in our wider global community.

Afew highlights for this year have included Year 2 learning about how digital technology impacts our feelings and relationships through the book “Look Up”; and Year 7 learning how to create persuasive speeches and debate, culminating in a hotly contested lesson on the correct order to apply jam and cream to a scone (and how you pronounce scone) not to mention the merits of putting pineapple on pizza!

In addition to our timetabled lessons, our assemblies and workshops continue to provide a wealth of opportunities for children to explore PSHE and SMSC topics. Our “Look at my Work” assemblies give children a detailed insight into the world of work and develop their understanding of different career paths. This included inspirational talks from Mr Hill on his triathlon success and Nick Butter who has run a marathon in every country in the world. Lower School enjoyed an introduction to British Sign Language in Activity Week, where they learnt basic signs for greetings, finger spelling

We have had a wide range of exciting assemblies this year with a particular highlight being our Black History Month assembly celebrating the Bristol Bus Boycott with Olympian Vernon Samuels, whose Dad was the first black bus driver in Bristol.

In a fast-paced and evolving world, we look forward to the 2024/25 academic year with great anticipation in the PSHE department.

Miss Green

OUTDOOR LEARNING

It has been another fantastic year in the development of Outdoor Learning at TMS with children across the Upper School, Lower School and Nursery enthusiastically engaging with nature.

Nursery take frequent nature walks exploring the grounds, but this year has also been able to take part in some Forest School sessions with Miss Green. These have focussed on seasonal changes and often involve a craft-based element. In the Autumn Term, leaf crowns and pinecone decorations were created. During the spring, Nursery enjoyed creating bird feeds from bananas, raisins, cheese and seeds to ensure the local wildlife was cared for during the colder months. Nursery rounded off their Forest School sessions by using a bow saw to cut wood and create wood cookies, which was an exciting but tiring experience.

In the Lower School, Year 2 has been very busy exploring habitats, orienteering with homemade maps, gathering data and measuring length in Maths lessons, exploring the Great Fire of London and much more.

Last year, Green Feathers installed two cameras in our bird boxes on the school grounds. In late February we began receiving a visitor in one of the boxes, a Great Tit! The little bird investigated the box a few times before deciding it was suitable and making it home, sleeping in the box every night for two weeks. It then went off to find a mate and, in mid-March, they began to build the nest together. On the 12th of April the female laid eight eggs which began hatching on the 25th. Seven hungry little chicks spent the next few weeks growing, feeding and stretching their wings. Mum and Dad did a great job of taking it in turns to keep them warm and feed them beetles, green caterpillars and worms. Before long the little pink babies had grown into juveniles and were ready to leave the nest. On the morning of 16th May all seven chicks successfully fledged within the space of ten minutes. We are hopeful that after a successful brood this year, they might return again next spring!

Throughout the year, Saturday mornings have continued to provide Upper School students with the opportunity to participate in Forest School activities. The focus this year has been on developing a wide variety of outdoorbased skills and knowledge. The children have also been able to experience a campfire session, where they learnt about fire safety and enjoyed snacks cooked on an open fire. Sessions also included using tools to create decorations from wood and garden development and maintenance.

The Kitchen Garden has continued to develop and grow this year. We harvested a wide variety of produce in the summer and autumn, including broad beans, squashes, tomatoes, strawberries, leeks, onions, potatoes and cucumbers. These were used in school meals and the children had the opportunity to share some of the produce with their families. Both Upper School and Reception gardening clubs have been popular again this year and provided the children with the chance to learn more about how to grow their own food. Another lovely addition to the Kitchen Garden was the willow fencing, arches and a teepee created in Activity Week by the Year 5 and 6 children as this provides some protection from stray footballs and gives a sheltered place to work during the summer season.

Miss Green and Mrs Glanville

PATHWAY PROGRAMME

It was another busy year for the Pathway Programme, providing some excellent experiences for our candidates. In September, we kicked the year off by having Nick Butter attend the school as our keynote guest speaker. Nick has several world records and is the only person to run a marathon in every country in the world. He tackled countless hurdles on the route and shared these with the pupils with tips on how he turned his adventures into successful stories for his two books. Nick then ran our cross country course with the pupils and commented on how much he enjoyed his visit to TMS.

Also in the Autumn Term, the sports candidates visited Clifton College, where they had the opportunity to watch the world famous Crusaders rugby team train and play a match vs the Scarlets. An opportunity to see a professional sports team on a training day was extremely valuable for our sport candidates. Other sporting opportunities were linked with our focus on careers. Gloucestershire County Cricket Head Physiotherapist Kirk Russell spent an insightful afternoon with the pupils, giving some perspective on the life and career of a top sports physiotherapist. We also had a visit from the Welsh Guards who delivered a presentation on the army and the opportunities they offer. We even had a go at one of their fitness tests, with one pupil gaining the standard required to join the marines! Alongside this, pupils were offered support through mock interviews and the preparation of references for their sports scholarships, with our assessment afternoon replicating that of a senior school sports scholarship assessment.

For academic candidates it was also a jam-packed year. Pupils attended a Science trip to Badminton School to experience a liquid nitrogen show and had an outside

company run workshops on effective revision strategies and tips to deal with exams. The Spring Term involved a trip to the Houses of Parliament, where pupils were able to experience how the UK government is structured and learn about the inner workings of parliament.

Finally, we were lucky enough to be joined by Zoologist, Dr Alice Dancer, as part of the Programme's vocational talks. Alice works at Bristol Zoo Project and shared the details of her daily job and how she got into it. Pupils heard about the advantages and disadvantages of studying further between jobs and about some of Alice’s fascinating research projects including understanding animal boredom.

A successful year for the Music and Drama Department was supported by a musical theatre workshop at Malvern College, where candidates explored the musical Oliver, acting out scenes, singing songs and learning choreography for some of the iconic musical numbers. As well as this, we were lucky enough to be joined by Izzy Powell, a TMS parent and an experienced Royal Theatre of Ballet dancer who spoke to the children about her career and the benefits of dance. The Bristol Hippodrome also welcomed us backstage for an insight into careers in the theatre. Mrs Sapkota continues to work tirelessly to support our Music candidates and has regularly run workshops focusing on our pupils' individual requirements.

It’s an extremely exciting time for the Pathway Programme and we are looking forward to another exciting year of experiences and opportunities for our new candidates.

Mr Ross

Scholarships

In our second year of the Pathway Programme over 80% of our candidates achieved scholarshipswell done!

CLUBS

Extra Curricular activities remained a vital part of life at Tockington Manor School in 2024, with clubs playing an essential role in allowing the children to engage in a vast array of activities on a weekly basis. Both Lower School and Upper School offer several clubs each day, which have proved to be very popular with the students. Looking at the whole year, our average attendance for clubs remains high at 97% of Lower School pupils and 95% of Upper School pupils attending at least one club a week, with many attending more than one club during the week. These range from clubs during the school day, such as Ornithology, Origami, Functional Fitness Club and Counting Cubs Club, to after school clubs such as Street Dance, Art Club and Quiz and Board Games Club.

We're more than a school. We're a family.

RUGBY

1st XIII

What an enjoyable roller coaster of a ride this season has been! The U13 squads have worked exceptionally hard to improve their skills and this has shown in some fantastic performances and results. Their development under new guidance has been a pleasure to observe with staff, parents and opposition in awe of the talent on show

We won 5 of our 9 matches, scoring 43 tries during the season. We competed admirably in the Cheltenham College Festival after 6 matches in the 7-a-side format. We had some excellent performances throughout the campaign including a 5-match unbeaten streak. Notable wins against QEH and Clifton College were among the highlights of the season. These were free-flowing games in tough weather conditions and both away from home. The boys really stuck at the process and found a way to win in a tight affair at QEH and in the end, were comfortable winners vs our new friends at Clifton College.

What has been most pleasing is the number of players who have stepped up into the 1st team this season and have then taken their form into the 2nd team, often returning to the fold in several weeks. The year group has a cohesive nature where players work hard for one another and it has shown in how resilient they are when falling behind on the scoreboard. It is also note-worthy how fit the squads are and their ballhandling skills are similar to those seen in the NBA. This bears testament to the extensive numbers at touch rugby club and the PB times in cross country.

Mr Harvey and Mr Drury

1st XIII Players (Back Row L to R): Herbie H, Anay N, Charlie R, Oscar G, Stan D, Henry H, Wilf R; (Front Row L to R): Finley L, Jack S, Janu S, Basil B, Hugo L, Oscar HP

(Not pictured: Bertie M, Henry W, Charlie D, Oscar B, Fletcher R)

2nd XIII

2nd XIII Players

Back Row (L to R): Finley C, Alex F-W, Charlie B, Freddie S, Basil B,

Front Row (L to R): Fletcher R, George F, Jack D, Paul C

(Not pictured: Bertie M, Charlie D, Oscar B, Oscar D)

The 2nd team really did develop as the season progressed with some outstanding results, most notably against Wycliffe, Stonar and Clifton. The final game of the season was against Rougemont and this produced the best half of rugby the boys had played all year!

The year group has a cohesive nature where players work hard for one another and it has shown in how resilient they are when falling behind on the scoreboard. It is also note-worthy of how fit the squads are thanks to touch rugby club and cross country. We competed admirably in the Cheltenham College Festival after 6 matches in the 7-a-side format.

Mr Harvey and Mr Drury

Year 5-8 Cymric Cup for House Rugby

Another exciting Saturday morning played in excellent spirits down on the bottom field.

A very close affair where the U11 and U13 tournament carried the same weight. Both tournaments were a two horse race between Cunningham and Churchill. Cunningham won the U11 Tournament with Churchill winning the U13. Eventually, after some mathematics, Churchill were crowned the winners by scoring 18 tries to Cunningham's 16. Well done to everyone involved in the morning.

Players of the Tournament Joe L and Oscar HP

Top Scorers Freddie S, Harrison C, Charlie B

Most Improved Players Leon F, Patrick M, Alex FW

First year of Girls' Rugby!

U11 Warriors

As per RFU guidelines, the U11 boys now ruck with two players from each side, creating a much more physical game at the breakdown. This group of talented boys took this adaptation in their stride and dominated many teams in this area thoroughly this season.

It was a very successful season for the Warriors, who played fixtures against all ‘A’ opposition, including entering the U11A Severnside Tournament, where they performed admirably. The rugby continued to improve as the season progressed, evidenced when we played Monmouth for the second time in the season and produced an excellent performance, beating QEH on the same day. Nine boys represented the team throughout the season and I believe this group of pupils have the potential to be an outstanding rugby team. I congratulate everyone for their part played and wish them all the best next year playing 1st XV rugby.

Mr Ross

U10 Players

(Back Row L to R): Dudu Y

Tommy G

James VP

Herbie D

Hugh P

Max A

Jasper B

William B

Alex E

(Front Row L to R): Patrick M

Theodore H

Robert O

Aryansham S

Efan D

Anthony K

U11 Players

(Back Row L to R): Joe L, George C, Harrison C, Theo G, Stan B, Albie P, Oliver G, Max H;

(Front Row L to R): Harry P, Gilby R, Leon F, Rupert P, Jasper H, George Gr,

Not pictured: Kieran Q, David E, Gilby R

U11 Bears

Bears have had a more positive season and there has been a huge improvement from Year 5. These boys are now more confident playing rugby and their skills are very good, particularly their handling. There has been a lot of work done in tackling and this has been noted on the pitch. The team worked hard in lessons to develop their game and the boys have been committed and determined. This team has a great understanding of the game and together they have shown excellent teamwork and sportsmanship – a real asset to the school. Although results were not on our side, the team never gave up and always kept working hard to be better and to improve.

Mr Perez

Rugby Colours

Congratulations to Stan D, Anay N, Wilf R, Herbie H, Henry H, Janu S, Charlie R, Oscar G and Finley L who were all awarded Rugby Colours this year!

U10 Falcons

A superb term of rugby for the Falcons, where we competed admirably against some of the biggest schools in the area. Our ever-improving skills and bravery enabled us to finish the season with a great set of results. A particular highlight was the 9-5 win over Rougemont. I’d like to thank the players for their efforts this term and also the parents who supported us both home and away

Mr Weeks

U10 Sharks

The Sharks demonstrated remarkable perseverance and dedication throughout the season, embodying the true spirit of sportsmanship. The commitment shown during training sessions has been admirable, with a strong focus on teamwork that has positively impacted the play of the group. The Sharks consistently encouraged fellow teammates, developing a supportive environment. The target for the next rugby season is to focus on specific catching drills and exercises, enabling them to build confidence and technique in this area.

Mr Glanville

U9s

This was a superb season for the TMS under 9s who had some very talented individuals working tremendously together to create rugby of the highest quality. This was very evident in the first contest of the season, a round-robin tournament against QEH and Llandaff. It took the boys a while to get into it but they took

U9 Players: Brendan B, Hugo C, Rapha G, Freddie M, Ben S, Akilan N, Toby B, Ben C, Richard L, Dylan N, Teddy S, Henry T

U8 Players: Harry Bl, Harry Ba, David L, Ranveer C, Will I, Faris L, Archie C, Gabriel T, Seb W

control in both matches to record noticeable wins against bigger schools.

The team’s success was built on strong defence with Richard, Dylan and Henry at the forefront, including running lines of Rapha and Brendan, with exquisite results. It was great to see, even at a young age, these boys were committed to listening to all the advice being given especially as this was their first year of full contact. Well done to everyone involved and we look forward to seeing you continue your success as you move though TMS.

Mr Drury and Mr Harvey U8s

The Year 3 boys enjoyed their very first season of tag rugby at Tockington. This is a good introduction to the game and a fun way to learn rugby. Tag rugby can be a tricky game to get the hang of and this team tried their best and worked hard in both lessons and fixtures.

The boys made excellent progress as the term progressed and they performed really well in their fixtures, getting some amazing scores and scoring a huge number of tries. The boys always faced their fixtures full of enthusiasm and good sportsmanship, making them the great team they are.

Well done to the boys on a fantastic season of tag rugby. I am looking forward to seeing them play next year as they progress to contact rugby.

Mr Perez

HOCKEY

U13 Tockington Cavaliers

This squad consisted of Year 7 and 8 girls who played two tournaments; Bruton and Severnside plus fixtures against Wycliffe, Rougemont and Dean Close St Johns. The U13 Cavaliers worked hard and we were delighted to get 3 wins from 5. The girls excelled across all areas of the pitch and their effort levels and work rate are to be commended. In training we focused on movement on and off the ball looking at set plays down the line and from the defence to the attack. This was evident in match play as the term progressed. All the girls defended well and developed a strong understanding of ‘setting the press’ for free passes or at hit-outs. In addition, the U13s increased their ball pace which allowed them to move around the pitch quicker, creating more counterattacks on the opposition.

The progress was remarkable this season and it was a pleasure to watch the girls’ skills grow throughout. Thank you for all the support throughout the season.

Miss Bird

U11 Eagles

The U11 Eagles have been a pleasure to coach this year and they have shown good development throughout the season with five wins and two losses. The girls have made significant strides in their understanding of positional play and teamwork, creating a solid foundation for future success. While the team has faced challenges, particularly in gaining confidence against stronger opponents, their overall results were pleasing. The Eagles have improved their dribbling, passing, and shooting abilities which has led to better ball control and more accurate passes. A special mention has to be made to Emma S who first put her goalkeeping pads on in September and is clearly a natural in this position. I look forward to following these girls next season as they step up to U13 hockey. Well done all!

Mrs Shopland

U13 Players (Back Row L to R): Poppy R, Gloria D, Mia P, Immy M, Thea T, Amelie K (GK), Martha G, Darcy S, Lola S; (Front Row L to R): Annabelle O, Leila Belle S

U11 Hawks

The Hawks team consisted of U11 and U10 girls for fixtures and the team had a successful season with four wins and a draw. The girls showed fantastic versatility to play in several positions, as well as some changes in defence, which came with padding up new goalies, thank you Evie P and Amal.

The rest of the team worked hard to adapt to their roles and this became successful in them making space, which is something we had been working on in our coaching sessions. Additionally, we worked on ‘Setting the Press’, two touch hockey and ball speed. Towards the end of the season, there were some excellent performances leading to victories and it was evident that these new skills were being transferred from training into gameplay.

To finish the season, the girls participated in a fun football fixture at Rougemont, where we won 2 and drew 1 match. It was clear our hockey skills transferred easily to the football pitch!

Mrs Ross

U11/10 Cardinals

Some of the Cardinals opened the season with a Coaching day and Festival at Malvern College, this was then followed by a fantastic season - winning 4 of their 5 matches, with a good number of goals against schools such as King’s Gloucester and Wycliffe. As the term progressed, the girls grew into their positions on the pitch and our strike rate at goal vastly increased with a real highlight being the 6:4 win against Llandaff. A most enjoyable term, well done Cardinals.

Mrs Tregenza

Hockey Colours

Players:

U11

Avneet C

Sirivaana V

Amal L

Sophia H

Emma S

Nitsa B

Connie S

Sienna R

Jess W

Emma F

Ruby L

Issy P

U10

Sophie G

Evie S

Emma VP

Sienna B

Belle D

Megan G

Freya I

Bella H

Lois R

Evie P

Emily W

Diya D

Harriet R

Congratulations to Lola S, Darcy S, Mia P and Imogen M who were all awarded Hockey Colours this academic year!

Players:

U9

Boroka G, Rosalie C, Beatrice B, Charlie B, Bella R, Isabella H, Rosemary H, Matilda H, Pearl L, Ayla T, Bonnie B, Araminta C, Sophia H, Effie M, Isla M, Arabella G, Lexi J, Danielle B, Hannah B and Olive M.

U8

Imelda A, Asia B, Amy G, Eleanor G, Adaline G, Tilly R, Florence T, Anna W, Charlotte W, Sophia D and Florence F.

U9 Tigers

The U9 Tigers had a very successful season with their only losing experience coming at the end against a well-drilled Downs. We worked hard on understanding positional play and where to pass the ball next. I was impressed to see how far the girls came with their independent skills, increasing ball pace and accuracy early on in the season. We had some natural goal scorers within the team who were backed up by some fantastic movement on the flanks and strong tackles in defence.

The U9 Tigers show huge potential as a group of girls and I look forward to coaching them in the U11s next year.

Mrs Shopland

U9/8 Bobcats

Throughout the season, we participated in a combination of matches and festivals with a mixture of outcomes (two wins and one loss). It was a pleasure to coach a determined team throughout the hockey season, as the squad showed much promise. The girls are becoming more familiar with their roles on the pitch and they are developing confidence when making tackles. Our training focus for the season was to use our players, look for opportunities to pass and implement two touch hockey. Girls who joined our team from Year 3 showed promising skills on the pitch and supported our team where we needed it.

Thank you to all the parents who supported us throughout the season. We really appreciate your encouragement.

Mrs Ross

U9/8 Rams

The U9 Rams took part in several fixtures, including festivals and lots of coaching sessions. Throughout the season the girls became more confident moving the ball down the pitch, creating goal-scoring opportunities. The main focus over the season was tackling and the Rams team used these techniques well in both fixtures and lessons. The progress this season was excellent and it was a pleasure to watch the girls’ skills grow throughout the season. One win and two losses - well done Rams.

Miss Bird

U9/8 Devils

The Devils took on their first school mini hockey matches including a festival as well as several coaching matches. Over 10 goals were scored throughout the term, most memorable being the 3:1 win v Collegiate, and it was a real pleasure to see these girls getting to grips with the techniques and skills that we are so looking forward to seeing develop next season. A win and two losses - well done Devils.

Mrs Tregenza

The Taylers of Woodford Cup for House Hockey

We were treated to an exciting tournament this year, showcasing some fabulous hockey skills, impressive teamwork and a level of determination and resilience you'll only find at House Challenge!

In one 8 a-side tournament, incorporating girls from Years 5-8, House Captains (Lola S, Immy M and Mia P), managed their squads and ably led their teams on the pitch. The outcome was some very high-scoring exchanges; 14 goals scored across 2 matches, plus a very tense Churchill/ Alexander 1:1 Draw.

Highlights, supported by findings from our own Stato for the day Jess W, were: Overall winners, Alexander, (always looking threatening), had 13 attempts at goal in addition to their 9 strikes on target. For Cunningham, Amal bravely stifled both oppositions' scorelines and made a total of 13 fabulous saves, her squad must also be noted for their tenacity and effort, led competently by Immy M and Annabel O. Churchill, finishing in second place, also managed to create their share of opportunities with 9 hits at goal, in addition to the 7 scored and Amelie was instrumental in protecting the Churchill goal line.

Results

Churchill and Alexander 7 points each. With a goal difference of +2, the Taylers of Woodford Cup was awarded to Alexander.

Player of the Match Hattie R Lola S Belle D and Immy M

Top Goalscorer Ruby L

Most Improved Player Amal L - unflappable and enthusiastic, a great performance in goal

Most Valuable Player Ruby L - all-round stand out performance in midfield to win the ball or progress play

Overall Winner - Alexander

County Honours

Outside of school Sienna R (pictured right) was selected for the West Panthers U12 squad (the youngest of 90 girls trying out). The Panthers went on to win the national tournament!

Alexander Churchill Cunningham

CROSS COUNTRY

The 2023-24 season was a most enjoyable and successful one. We again competed in a wide variety of events with individual and team achievements.

Our Monday evening running club was as popular as ever, with upwards of 40 members turning out, even on the coldest and darkest of winter evenings. Thanks to Mr Symonds and Mr Weeks for their invaluable help over the season.

There were a huge amount of PBs (Personal Bests) and list times given out throughout the season, with everyone putting 100% into their running to gain a badge. Lola S (U14G) and Fletcher R (U14B) won the South Gloucestershire Schools Cross Country Championships despite being a year young in their age category with Darcy S winning the Silver behind her sister in the U14 Girls race. Lola & Darcy also came first and second in the Avon Schools competition, beating all the other Year 8 & 9 girls from South Glos, Bristol and BANES. They, along with Fletcher went on to represent the school at the South West Championships and were ready to run in the National race before it was cancelled. This cancellation alongside the Malvern NPSCC summed up a very wet and muddy season! Congratulations to Leila Belle S who won her South Glos event and Oscar HP who came 2nd.

The U11 and U13 Boys team were victorious in the Severnside Championships at Wycliffe College. Darcy S also won the U13 girls race by over 200m, in a very successful afternoon for the school.

The U8, U10 and U11 Boys teams won the team race at the Inter Schools event at Westonbirt with plenty of podium performances to show. The U8, U9 and U11 Girls came second in their team events again with lots of brilliant individual results.

Our biggest achievement of the season came in the Gloucestershire League, where all four of our teams medalled. This is a fantastic achievement considering we are the only school to compete in the league. This result summed up the season with Tockington teams coming together to support each other in difficult running conditions, something that was common all season.

I am extremely proud of all the pupils in the school who continue to enjoy their running and put 100% into what they do.

Mr Ross

INTERNAL COMPETITIONS & EVENTS

The Booker-Jones Cup for the Best Girl Cross Country Runner: Lola S

The Davis Cup for Best Boy Cross Country Runner: Fletcher R

The November Cup

Years 3 - 4

Years 5 – 8

Winner: Teddy S Winner: Aryansham S

2nd: Harry Ba 2nd: Charlie D

3rd: Effie M 3rd: Hattie R

Easter Egg Run Competition

Winner: Fletcher R

2nd Evie S 3rd Darcy S

4th Rosemary H 5th Charlie D

Turkey Trot

Winner: Thea C

Severnside Cross Country Championships at Wycliffe College

U11 Boys: 1st (Theo G 2nd)

U11 Girls: 4th

U13 Boys: 1st (Fletcher R 2nd)

U13 Girls: 4th (Darcy S 1st)

National Prep School Cross Country Championships (NPSCC)at Malvern College

Cancelled

Gloucestershire League Clubs Cross Country

U11 Boys: Champions! (Theo G 6th, Harrison C 8th)

U11 Girls: 2nd (Ruby L 10th)

U13 Boys: 3rd (Fletcher R 5th)

U13 Girls: 2nd (Lola S 2nd, Darcy S 4th)

Westonbirt Cross Country Event

U8 Boys: 1st (Faris L 3rd)

U8 Girls: 2nd

U9 Boys: 3rd (Dylan 2nd)

U9 Girls: 2nd (Bella R 2nd)

U10 Boys: 1st (Tommy G 2nd)

U10 Girls: 4th

U11 Boys: 1st (Theo G 1st, Harrison C 3rd)

U11 Girls: 2nd (Ruby L 3rd)

TMS Relays

Cancelled

Cross Country Colours

Congratulations to Lola S, Darcy S, Fletcher R, Janu S, Wilf R, Stan D, Anay N, Henry H and Herbie H who were all awarded Cross Country colours during the course of the year!

Clarke Cup for House Cross Country

1st Cunningham 2nd Churchill 3rd Alexander

FOOTBALL

1st XI

A fantastic season for the 1st XI who were tested with some tough fixtures from some very large schools. The boys always put 100% into their matches and demonstrated a ‘never give up’ attitude that was embedded into their play. Again the 1st XI were expected to set the standard and demonstrate the style of football we wish to play at Tockington, with high work rate and a packed midfield with an attempt to dominate the 1st and 2nd ball with and without possession. This group picked this up quickly and accumulated some fantastic results throughout the season.

A famous win vs Clifton College 1st XI got the season off to a fantastic start and gave the boys confidence going into their other fixtures. There were also wins vs Beaudesert and Wycliffe College in the season, both being brilliant achievements. A special mention to Janu S who captained the side excellently and was awarded the best footballer award. I look forward to the 2025 season and overseeing the 1st XI with our Year 7 boys leading the team, joined by our talented Year 6 boys.

Mr Ross

Second XI

The 2nd XI football team had a good season of football this year. The team was formed by a mix of Year 7 and 8 boys and they tried hard and made great improvements over the term. During the season we played Clifton College, QEH, Wycliffe and Clifton High School.

It was a pleasure to see them work together as a team and to see them develop as players. Well done to everyone for their hard work and commitment.

Mr Perez

Football Colours

Congratulations to Janu S, Anay N, Stan D, Charlie R, Herbie H, Henry H, Finley L, Wilf R and Oscar G who were awarded Football colours during the year!

The Sharland Football Cup for Best Football Player: Janu S

1st XI Players (L to R): Basil B, Wilf R, Henry H, Anay N, Charlie R, Stan D, Janu S, Finley L (sub), Hugo L, Bertie M, Oscar HP, Charlie D (Not pictured: Alex FW, Herbie H and Theo G)

U11 Wanderers

A superb term of football for the Wanderers. We played some brilliant football against some big schools and thoroughly deserved to boast a record of 8 wins and 1 defeat. The highlight of the term was the clinical 4-1 victory away at Beaudesert where we played some of the best Under 11 football that I’ve ever seen. The boys should be extremely proud of their efforts and they all have bright footballing futures ahead of them.

Mr Weeks

U11 Rovers

Over the past year, the U11 Rovers have showcased their skills, dedication, and teamwork on the pitch, leaving them with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

The mighty Rovers displayed exceptional talent and determination throughout the season, and despite results not always going their way, their effort (in true Tockingtonian fashion) would not be questioned. Each match was a testament to their hard work and resilience along with some fantastic goals and inter-play.

Beyond the matches themselves, this season was also about forging bonds and fostering camaraderie among teammates. From pre-game pep talks to post-match celebrations, the players stood united, supporting each other every step of the way.

The unwavering support of our school community – parents, teachers, and fellow students – played a crucial role in motivating our players and created an exciting buzz around every match

As we reflect on a great football season, whether on the field or family support, each member of our school community contributed to the success of our football program, with a big thanks to Mr Ross. Here's to another season filled with teamwork, passion, and more memorable moments!

Mr Harvey

U11 Athletic

This was certainly a very entertaining season for the Athletic with never a dull moment on the pitch. There were plenty of goals in many of the games as attack was certainly the order of the day in all the matches. Athletic did come up against some very

2nd XI Players

Back Row (L to R): Finley C, Alex F-W, Oscar G, Oscar D, Finley L, Freddie S,

Front Row (L to R): Jack D, Oscar B, George F, Fletcher R, Henry W, Paul C,

strong schools but there was never a backwood step by any of the boys who fought right to the end. David E who did start in goal at the beginning turned into a superb centre back who was totally committed and always put his body on the line, in midfield George G never stopped running and was fully committed to all tackles and up front Jasper H showed potential to be a very good striker. Performances and confidence grew throughout the season and this culminated in the communities football festival where the best football of the year was played. It was a real pleasure to be involved with this team and wish them all the best for next season.

Mr Harvey

U11 Players: George C, Stan B, Harrison C, Max A, Theo G, Joe L, Tommy G, Max H, Keiran Q, Will B, Albie P, Rupert P, Efan D, Herbie D, Robert O, David E, Jasper B, Gilby R, Jasper B, Oliver G, Leon F, George G, Harry P

U9 Albion

The Albion football team had a fantastic season of football and all the players worked hard and enjoyed every game and training. During this season we played against St John’s, QEH, Clifton High School, The Downs, winning five out of six of the games. The boys were fantastic, always keen and ready to play and this made the games very enjoyable to watch.

Well done to everyone for a great season of football!

Mr Perez

U9 City

This was a very entertaining season for the under 9s City team with many goals scored and great fluent football played. The whole side were prepared to work really hard for their team mates which reflected in some superb results against some very strong schools. As mentioned there were contributions from all the team but special mention to Harry Ba who pace and finishing where first class and Harry Bl who work rate around the park and unselfish passing lead to many goals.

These boys were a great bunch, always willing to listen to advice and encouraging all their teammates even when things were not entirely going to plan. Congratulations on a great season and look forward to seeing you all next season.

Mr Drury

U9 Rangers

What an enjoyable football season the U9 Rangers had. As soon as the first whistle of the season blew, the season began in fine spirit and continued through wind, rain and sometimes sleet! The squad’s ability to maintain possession and put into practice exercises taught in Games lessons, was a testimony to the team’s collective teamwork. The U9 Rangers practiced diligently, honing their dribbling, passing, and shooting techniques under the watchful eyes of coaches, parents, and siblings.

The children will carry with them memories of sportsmanship and the joy of playing the beautiful game with their friends. Well done, to all involved.

Mr Harvey

U9 Players: Dylan N,

L,

T,

Richard

Henry

Brendan B, William I, Faris L, Raphael G, Teddy S, Akilan V, Ben S, Toby B, Freddie M, Gabriel T, Archie C, Ranveer C, Seb W, Harry Ba, Harry Bl, Teddy S, Ben C, Hugo C, David L

Year 5-8 (Boys and Girls) Maclellan Cup for House Football

A fantastic morning of football where boys and girls played together as a mixed tournament in pursuit of the MacLellan Cup. There were three separate tournaments played with all points adding up to a final tally for their house, with individual certificates being awarded in each tournament.

Congratulations to all players involved, who demonstrated excellent skills and teamwork throughout, winning and losing with grace.

Results

1st Cunningham 11 points

2nd Alexander 8 points

3rd Churchill 6 points

Players of the Tournament Stan D, Wilf R, Theo H and Connie S

Top Goalscorers / Most Valuable Players Stan D, Efan D and Emma V-P

Most Improved Players Basil B, Max A, Harry P, Issy P, Poppy R and Sienna R

Girls Football

Football grew in popularity amongst the girls again, with 2024 providing plenty of opportunities for them to play. As well as the U13 girls' annual fixture with Clifton High, there have also been fixtures for the first time for the U9 and U11 girls. Opposition included The Downs, Dean Close St John's, Rougemont, Howells and also a touring side from Guilford and we are keen to grow these fixtures going forward.

A big highlight of the year was the House Football tournament where, for the first time, girls and boys joined forces in 2 draws to compete for the Copenhagen Cup (see report above). It was thoroughly enjoyed by both players and spectators.

Football club was popular again with a good third of its members being girls. It's a real pleasure to see so many girls enjoying football and we will continue to work to provide playing opportunities again in 2025.

Tockington Manor School joined Clifton College Education Group

on 31st May 2024

Clifton and Tockington have been linked for generations: as Bristol based schools; as match day opponents; as a Senior School destination; as classroom pen pals; as charity fundraisers; as supporters of the Arts; and in our shared approach to the educational and pastoral care of our pupils. This is the next step in a shared mission to provide an outstanding education to our pupils; support them to develop their talents; provide extracurricular opportunities so they can make the most of every moment; and prepare every pupil for the rapidly changing modern world.

NETBALL

U13

The U13 team were a pleasure to coach throughout the netball season. We had a mixture of results and it was clear to see improvement as the season progressed. We celebrated 3 victories, 4 defeats and 1 draw, including 1 tournament where we were placed second overall. A notable highlight of the season was the team’s performance against Llandaff Cathedral, where we had a nail-biting finish with a goal just before the whistle! Congratulations to the U13 netball team on a season filled with memorable moments. Good luck with your future netball training.

Mrs Ross

U13 Players (Back Row L to R): Lola S, Darcy S, Martha G, Annabelle O, Mia P, Thea C

Front Row (L to R): Poppy R, Leila Belle S, Gloria D, Amelie K and Imogen M

Superleague Netball Trip - Team Bath v Severn Stars

A group of Year 5 - 8 girls went to see our local teamTeam Bath, go head to head with Worcester based Severn Stars, in a local Derby Superleague, second round match.

Our Yellow and Golds struggled to gather any momentum in a challenging 44:72 defeat at the University of Bath Arena, but it was still very watchable, and the girls particularly enjoyed getting up close and having selfies with their favourite players after the match.

Netball Colours

Congratulations to Lola S, Darcy S, Imogen M, Thea C and Mia P who were all awarded Netball Colours during the course of the year!

U11 / U10

An outstanding year for the U11s consisting of 4 squads. We also competed in the U10 Severnside tournament, where we won a memorable overall second place, beating schools including Cheltenham College and Dean Close.

U11 Storm

2024 was an excellent season for this enthusiastic and energetic group of girls. Their matches sometimes took the format of Bee 5 a-side; for other fixtures 7 a-side traditional netball. We celebrated 4 victories, a defeat and a draw and there were further highpoints when some of the girls played with U13 squads. Without doubt a key highlight for Storm was their high scoring 17:14 win against Cathedral School Llandaff and also the 18:2 Rougemont scoreline. So much to build on, it was a real pleasure coaching this squad.

Mrs Tregenza

U11 Dragons

The Dragons netball season sometimes took the format of Bee 5 a-side and sometimes the 7 a-side traditional netball. The girls adapted well to this and gained skills that they were able to execute in both formats of the game. We enjoyed a mixed season, sometimes playing against opposition A teams depending on the fixture which posed a more challenging, but beneficial experience for the girls.

The Dragons worked hard on triangular movement on the court with ‘around the D’ play being a focus. The highlight of the season goes to Emily W on her top D shot into the hoop! Alot of potential that I am sure we will see develop further next year - well done girls!

Mrs Shopland

U11 Thunder and Pulse

These squads had a very exciting and enjoyable netball season. We played a combination of Bee 5 a-side fixtures and some 7 a-side traditional fixtures, which the girls adapted to well.

We had a mixture of results, with the girls displaying a clear improvement over the term. U11 Thunder celebrated 2 victories and 2 defeats while Pulse achieved a win plus a draw. A highlight of the season was Thunder’s last team performance against Rougemont. We were drawing 5:5 at half time but with fantastic teamwork and excellent play down the court the girls had a convincing 13:5 win. Pulse had a memorable 5:2 win against Cathedral School Llandaff. A fantastic season, it was a pleasure to coach these squads.

Miss Bird and Mrs Shipway

U11 Players: Avneet C, Sirivaana V, Amal L Sophia H, Emma S, Nitsa B, Connie S, Sienna R, Jess W, Emma F, Ruby L and Issy P.

U10 Players: Sophie G, Evie S, Emma VP, Sienna B, Belle D, Megan G, Freya I, Bella H, Lois R, Evie P, Emily W, Diya D and Harriet R.

Year 5-8 Farr Cup for House Netball

This year House Netball was played at the end of what was a very successful Netball term, and it was no surprise that it evolved into a very exciting and closely fought House Challenge. All year groups from 5 to 8 combined to form 3 House teams, under the guidance of a House/Team Captain. The girls hardly seemed aware of the icy wind and hail stones as they went about their jobs and with all 3 Houses each taking 1 win from 3, it really was a case of 'every goal matters' right up 'till the final whistle.

We were delighted to see the age groups working hard together and being supportive of each other, whilst digging deep

against their usual teammates - especially when it became clear that the Farr Cup could be anyone's!

Congratulations to everyone who participated, especially to Lola and Darcy's team who just pipped Alexander to the post in the end, they collected the Farr Cup on behalf of Churchill.

Player of the Tournament Annabelle O/Emily W

Most Valuable Player Poppy R/Sienna B

Most Improved Player Thea C/Freya I

U9 Players: Boroka G, Rosalie C, Beatrice B, Charlie B, Bella R, Isabella H, Rosemary H, Matilda H, Pearl L, Ayla T, Bonnie B, Araminta C, Sophia H, Effie M, Isla M, Arabella G, Lexi J, Danielle B, Hannah B and Olive W

U8 Players: Imelda A, Asia B, Amy G, Eleanor G, Adaline G, Tilly R, Florence T, Anna W, Charlotte W, Sophia D and Florence F.

U9 / U8

Both Year 3 and Year 4 girls had outstanding success in their Bee netball mini squads this year. Playing mainly 4 a-side Bee Flier netball, all girls were able to focus on basic skills such as shooting for goal and as a whole squad across the term, they scored in excess of 154 goals, which is just incredible for this age group.

U9 Stars

The U9 Stars played a couple of matches 4 aside and also developed into Bee Stinger format, where they played 5 a-side and rotated positions on court. With 6 wins from 9, their season was superb. Most of the girls attended regular Netball Club and it was a joy to see them take wins like the 9:0 victory vs Clifton High.

Mrs Tregenza

U9

Comet and Lightning

These squads interchanged throughout the season. Playing together as U9 Comet, they won all 4 matches, with a memorable 9:3 win against The Downs, Wraxall. Lightning also won 2 of their 3 matches including a superb 5:0 win at Clifton High.

Mrs Tregenza

U8 Panthers / Hotshots / Titans

The U8 girls had a fantastic first netball season, where they showcased their ability to learn new skills and put them into practice. Throughout the term, we played a mixture of schools in the Bee netball format, allowing the squad to develop their defensive and attacking play. We look forward to our next netball season with this group. Due to the nature of the coaching matches we competed in; we played each fixture as a festival focussing on progression and skills and therefore didn’t keep scores.

Mrs Ross and Mrs Shopland

SWIMMING

It has been an amazing year and I am extremely proud of what every child has achieved. Everyone has made incredible progress over the last nine months in the pool and we have been able to take part in several swimming galas and competitions.

Swimming Galas

TMS vs Wycliffe - Our first gala of the year took place at the beginning of the Autumn Term. Our children performed really well in what was a perfect gala against Wycliffe. We used the opportunity to try teams, relays and choose individuals for future events. TMS won convincingly and the children were excellent - a real asset to the school.

TMS vs The Downs - Saturday school saw the first swimming gala against another school taking place on a weekend and welcoming a big number of spectators. The results from of this gala show it was a very successful event - we had around 70 children and staff and welcomed about the same number of parents! This meant the pool was buzzing on Saturday. The noise level was deafening making the races very thrilling to watch! TMS children were excellent throughout the event. The swimming standard was outstanding in both individual and relay and their sportsmanship and team spirit were also remarkable. It was a pleasure to host everyone and always good to see the children performing for TMS, well done to all of them for their hard work and a massive thank you to Mrs Greenbank and Mr Drury for their support and hard work on the day.

TMS vs Westonbirt vs Wycliffe - In March we travelled to Wycliffe for our first-ever swimming gala involving Years 3 and 4 and also a more experienced Year 5. The afternoon went really well for TMS. The children worked hard and were very supportive of each other, making it a very enjoyable event to watch. Out of 42 events, we came first in 25 of them, second in 13 events and third in four. This demonstrated how strong we were in the field and how confident our young swimmers are.

It was a pleasure to take this group of swimmers out and I look forward to organising more swimming galas in the future. Finally, a big thank you to Mr Drury for his help driving and supporting the children during the gala. Well done to everyone involved for a fantastic event!

Swimming Colours

Congratulations to Lola S, Darcy S, Stan D, Herbie H, Fletcher R, Wilf R and Oscar G who were all awarded Swimming Colours at the end of the year!

IAPS Swimming

Qualifiers 2024 Results

In early March we headed to Millfield for the IAPS swimming qualifiers. This is always a very exciting event as the children get the opportunity to swim in a fantastic venue and experience first-hand what swimming in a major event feels like. This year, we were lucky to see a team of professional and Olympic swimmers train, amongst them James Guy, who shared some words of advice and encouragement.

The day started with the relay teams first in the water, medley and then freestyle relays. All our teams worked really hard and we had very good performances all round. This year, for the first time, the Year 5 swimmers swam 50m in their individual events and they all faced this challenge admirably. Our more experienced swimmers in Year 6, 7 and 8, who have taken part before also put on a great show too.

Finally, a massive thank you to Mr Drury and Mrs Greenbank for their continuous support and patience before, during and after the event, THANK YOU!

Well done everyone, you should be proud of yourselves, I certainly am!

Finals 2024 Results

We saw ourselves back at the London Aquatics Centre with two excellent swimmers, Oscar H-P and Leila Belle S. Coming to the LAC is a good opportunity to see professionals and Olympians train and they always put on a good show.

The morning saw the boys competing in their events and from the beginning we witnessed a very high standard of swimming. Oscar swam in the U12 50m freestyle race, making it to the finals where he then came 9th. A superb performance from him against strong competition. Leila also swam in the U12 50m freestyle race, and she came 16th overall - another outstanding performance. These placings put our pupils in the top 20 of the country and they are a fine example of the dedication and commitment we see in swimming at TMS - they are true assets to the school.

I am extremely proud of their performances and I look forward to coming back again next year with more swimmers.

Competitive Start Awards

With the installation of the new diving blocks in January, we have seen a great improvement in our swimmers diving from both the poolside and the blocks. One of the requirements of the diving blocks is to work towards the "Competitive Start Award" which focuses on dives for all strokes as well as tumble turns and technique. We are ever so grateful to the Friends of Tockington Manor for their continued support and their help to purchase them. Here’s to many years of swimming and diving at Tockington!

Autumn Term Interhouse Swimming Gala

A thrilling morning with the pool packed with children full of energy and loud cheering! This is the first event for Year 3 and they performed extremely well. Year 4 now have more experience in these events and were a great example throughout. We introduce diving from Year 5 onwards, as this is a very important skill to help develop swimming further, and many children enjoyed this in their event - it also made the races very exciting to watch. After a few last-minute changes to the races, our top Year groups got into the water producing a fantastic end to our House galas. The 50m races were particularly thrilling to watch as in most cases, the tumble made the difference in each event. Overall, everyone excelled in the afternoon and great team spirit and sportsmanship was displayed, with Churchill taking the honours.

Summer Term Interhouse Swimming Galas

We finished another successful year of swimming with the Upper School gala taking place on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of the term. Years 3 and 4 performed incredibly well and all children gave their best in their events. For the first time, we had a whole House relay which proved to be very successful and fun! Every child put on a superb display of swimming, with great races and amazing teamwork.

Lower School Gala

At the end of the Summer Term, all the Lower School children took part in their annual gala, and wow, what a wonderful event! The children were so enthusiastic and it was great to see how far they have come along this year. They performed really well in their events, pushed themselves and swam beautifully!

Thornbury Swimarathon

After a few years without taking part in this event, TMS swimmers returned putting on a great show of swimming, teamwork and above all fantastic spirit! It was wonderful to see how our swimmers dominated this event and swam well over 100 lengths per team in just 50 minutes raising over £500 for charity. It is always a pleasure to see that our children thrive in and out of the school environment and they illustrated tremendous sportsmanship. Well done to everyone involved!

Results

Churchill- 516 points

Cunningham- 462 point

Alexander- 393 point

What a joy to see everyone taking part, having fun and working together. Thank you to Anna and Ali, for their continued support during the year and to all the Lower School staff for their help on the day!

Mr Perez

CRICKET

1st XI

Cricket is thriving at Tockington Manor, with more pupils playing outside of school than ever before as well as countless opportunities provided internally. The hard work starts in the cold winter nights, with Mr Weeks, Mr Drury and I running our popular winter nets programme to allow us to get the season off to a flying start. Many thanks to the two of them for their help running this again, hopefully soon these winter sessions will be inside!

This season continued to provide an opportunity for boys and girls, where we had four senior teams for the first time, with boys and girls mixed together. Everyone had the opportunity to develop their hardball skills throughout the season and all students represented the school on numerous occasions, both in hard and soft ball. Many individual performances stood out throughout the season for the 1st XI, who had their most successful season ever against high quality opposition. Notable individual performances came from 1st XI captain Anay N, who averaged 45 over 8 innings, including half centuries at important times. Stan D was also crucial with the bat and averaging 78, is believed to be the highest for any 1st XI player at Tockington Manor. In Year 7, Hugo L also scored his first half century on a

lovely Saturday morning vs Dean Close, St. John’s, an achievement he will hope to repeat next year. There was also the famous Friday night in May, where leg spinner Wilf R took 5 wickets as the 1st XI beat Beaudesert for the first time in many years. Although these are individual performances, it is important to reflect on the importance of the whole team this season, who have all contributed hugely to the success of the season.

There were many high-profile wins over the season including Beaudesert, Collegiate, The Downs and Stonar, with a huge amount of runs scored throughout the campaign. Importantly, the team always played in the right spirit and with a smile on their faces.

Congratulations to all who represented the 1st XI this season, who all contributed vital performances throughout. I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing the Year 7’s lead the team with the help of the talented upcoming Year 6 pupils. I also wish all the best to the Year 8 leavers and thank them for their services to cricket at the school. I hope you continue to play cricket at your respected senior schools.

Mr Ross

2nd XI

The 2nd XI have had a stellar season of cricket, led superbly by their captain Oscar. With a number of tight contests, often coming down to the final over, the team have overcome pressure through their resilience on a number of occasions. It has been so pleasing to see them in tight affairs, where game management is the real tactic that is being tested and the team have stepped up to this standard fantastically well.

The batting of Freddie, Basil and Oscar have really led from the front, whilst the bowling has been outstanding from Charlie B, Charlie D, Fletcher and George. The fielding expertise of Jack D, Jack S, Alex FW and Bertie have been at the forefront of their success and expertly kept by Henry W. The way the team has been guided by Mr Dawkins has seen them progress immensely and I can see a clear path on how these players can now develop into 1st XI cricketers.

Mr Harvey and Mr Dawkins

3rd XI

The 3XI team has been a joy to coach this season. Every team member has shown significant improvement in their bowling technique, game understanding, and batting strategies. We've experienced some thrilling and high-scoring matches, highlighted by our nailbiting victory over The Downs, where we won by just 4 runs! Some of the squad had the chance to participate hardball pairs games. These experiences helped the players adapt to different wicket speeds and game formats. Each player has made noticeable progress, and I am confident that our departing members will continue to develop at their senior schools. Congratulations!

Mrs Shopland

Cricket Colours

U11 Gladiators

Congratulations to Lola S, Darcy S, Anay N, Stan D, Wilf R, Henry H, Oscar G, Janu S, Finley L, Charlie R and Herbie H who were all awarded Cricket Colours at the end of the year!

U11 Players: Joe L, Kieran Q, Max H, Max A, Harrison C, George C, Theo G, Hugh P, Tommy G, Theo H, William B, Sienna R, Sienna B, Stan B, Nitsa B, Jasper H, Alex E, Gilby R, Efan D, Jasper B, Rupert P, Ruby L, Belle D, Leon F, Avneet C, Emma F, George G, Albie P, Robert O, Ronnie H, Sophia H, Freya I, Issy P, Oliver G, Emma VP, Megan G, Harry P, Patrick M, David E, Anthony K, Diya D, Hattie R, Herbie D, Evie S, James VP, Emily W, Amal L, Sirivaana V, Connie S, Lois R, Jess W, Sophie G, Bella H, Evie P, Emma S, Dudu Y, Aryansham S

The TMS U11s were a very talented side with the results proving what a hard team they were to play against. Led from the front by Joe L, they were unbeaten all season, showing grit and determination to get over the line. The batting was built around super knocks from Max H (46), Max A (40) and Joe L (40) across all these games. The scores in all these matches were winning innings. In the bowling department, everyone contributed and special mention must go to Tommy G and Theo H, two U10s who performed admirably throughout the season. The main highlights of the season were the two victories over The Downs, the first being by 1 run and the second by 5 runs. The other game worth mentioning is the one against Llandaff Cathedral when Lola S played her first game and managed to pick up 4 wickets including a team hat trick.! The U13s will have some very talented individuals moving up and I look forward to watching their success.

Mr Drury

U11 Gladiators

U11 Eagles

The U11 Eagles had a competitive season, showcasing great determination and skill. The team played five matches, winning two and losing three, with several games being decided by just a few runs. A highlight of the season was the victory against Howells School, where the Eagles took 5 wickets and hit several boundaries. All players demonstrated great teamwork and consistently supported one another through each match. Overall, it was an excellent term of cricket and you have been a pleasure to coach this season, thank you all for your efforts!

Miss Bird

U11 Dragons

A memorable and impressive season for the Dragons - where bowling and batting performances went from strength to strength. Each player can be proud of the 3 from 6 win scoreline, they deserved more! We looked sharp in the field and took catches on the boundary (a fabulous 28 run win v Clifton College), we had overs when we hit the boundary three times - like our match winning over v Collegiate to get a 20 run victory. So many highlights, so much to be proud of, and it was a pleasure to coach the Dragons.

Mrs Tregenza

U11 Outlaws

A great summer of cricket for the Outlaws with many of the squad experiencing hard ball cricket for the first time. We improved considerably as the season went on and definitely become more comfortable batting and bowling with a hard ball. The dramatic win against Collegiate was the highlight of the matches. It was great to have a mixed gendered team and the team spirit was superb throughout. Well done to the whole squad.

Mr Weeks

U11 Sharks

This season has been truly memorable for the Sharks. Every player showed remarkable improvement in both fielding and batting, contributing to our unbeaten record. We hit numerous boundaries and demonstrated excellent partnership between the wickets. One of the highlights of the season was the outstanding sportsmanship displayed in every match and during our training sessions. I am incredibly proud of everyone for this. Coaching the Sharks has been a delight. Thank you all for a fantastic cricket season!

Mrs Ross

U11 Tigers

A wonderful season of cricket for the Tigers! They performed really well throughout the term and it was great to see them work hard in lessons which then reflected in their fixtures. The team improved considerably over the season and the children were dedicated and resilient. We were strongest at batting and we hit several 6s in fixtures as well as endless boundaries, scoring a great amount of points. Well done to everyone for their commitment and hard work. I look forward to seeing you progress further.

Mr Perez

Copenhagen Cup for House Cricket

On a glorious Spring morning in May, with the company of Gloucestershire Cricket’s mascot Alfred, and parents a-plenty, our Houses went head-to-head in the Bash, Blast and Bang tournaments, competing for the Copenhagen Cup.

The Bash

I was once again blown away by the quality and standard on display. Three cracking hard ball games of cricket where all players had to contribute for their House. First on were Alexander vs Churchill and after a slow start, high quality batting from Max H and Hugo L gave Alex a competitive 63. Churchill openers made this light work however, with Henry H and Harrison C knocking off the runs without losing a wicket, with the 1st XI WK scoring 24 to give Churchill an early advantage.

The game of the morning was Cunningham vs Alexander,

where it looked certain 75 would be enough to get Cunningham a win, however, fabulous batting again from Max H and Hugo L meant that the game came down to the last ball, ending in a dramatic tie! No super over meant both sides shook hands taking a point each.

The final game of the morning was one sided, Churchill made 99 off their 10 overs mainly thanks to an outstanding 50* from 1st XI captain Anay N, Cunningham were unable to chase the total, crowning Churchill winners of the Bash Competition.

Results

Churchill- 6 points

Cunningham- 1 point

Alexander- 1 point

Most Valuable Players: Max H and Hugo L

Most Improved Players:Theo G, Poppy R

Player of the Tournament: Anay N

Mr Ross

The Blast

The Blast Tournament consisted of three entertaining, 100ver, Softball Pairs matches.

We were treated to some excellent cricket. Alexander opened the batting against Churchill in the first match; this was a good competitive game with both sides taking 3 wickets. In the second innings, it was the bowling from Leon F, Albie P and Stanley B which kept Churchill under pressure, and despite Rupert P's top scoring 13 runs, it was Alexander who clinched the 3 points.

Next, Alexander v Cunningham was the Blast Tournament's 'Match of the Day', where the result was decided on the last over. Jasper H and Gilby R for Cunningham, were the first and most successful pair with the bat, scoring a combined 12 runs. Alexander’s bowling was consistent however, and few extras were conceded - Sophia H's stats deserve a mention. Cunningham then made good progress in the field and took 3 wickets. Unfortunately though, some nervous bowling gave way to extras, and with Alex choosing when to hit the wides - plus running well between the wickets, the challenge became a very close affair. Both Thea C and Jasper H maintained composure and closed the bowling in fine form for Cunningham, but sadly they were left 1 run short.

Finally, Churchill were keen to get underway v Cunningham. They were first to bat and ran 33 runs (compared to Cunningham's later 26) and then went on to bowl 20 extras less, while taking 5 wickets to Cunningham's 0. The match went very much Churchill's way and Rupert P's bowl and diving-catch wrapped the morning up nicely! A very decisive win indeed for Churchill.

Results

Alexander 6 points

Churchill 3 points

Cunningham nil

Most Valuable Players: Amelie K/George G

Best Batter: Rupert P

Best Bowler: Gilby R/Nitsa B

Player of the Tournament: Jasper H

Mrs Tregenza

The Bang

A wonderful morning of cricket saw some exceptional skills all round from the 3 Houses. Alexander excelled with Alex E's fantastic shot selection and clear transferable skills from his cricket club. Churchill were excellent in the field and this was highlighted by an Issy P hat trick! Cunningham however, were the standout performers and special mentions to Belle D's bowling and Emily W's energy and tenacity in the field.

A great day showcased some excellent skills!

Results

Alexander 4 points

Churchill nil

Cunningham 4 points

Most Valuable Player: Emily W

Best Batter: Alex E

Best Bowler: Belle D

Player of the Tournament: Issy P

Mr Harvey Congratulations Alexander on winning the Copenhagen Cup!

Alexander - 11 Points

Churchill - 9 Points

Cunningham - 5 Points

Congratulations to all the following boys who represented their County squads this year:

N, Joe L, Kieran Q, Max H and Max A (above) who scored his first century!

U9 Rockets

This was a very enjoyable cricket season for the Rockets with a huge improvement in performance as the term progressed. During our training sessions we focused on each of the disciplines within the game and this was certainly evident in the matches we played. The bowling of Araminta C was a real highlight in all games and it was fantastic to see the progression she made. The same can be said of Bella R, who hit the ball very well and a long way. Well done to all, I look forward to next year.

Mr Drury and Miss Bird

U9 Phoenix

A fabulous season for the U9 Phoenix team who have significantly improved throughout the season. The team made up of Year 3 pupils developed and built on their skills and understanding of the game. The bowling and batting improved hugely as the season progressed, with a wide or no ball barely being bowled. There were some amazing results throughout the season and the pupils should be proud and look forward to building on this in the next season.

Mr Ross

U9 Superchargers

It was a fantastic season for our mixed Year 3 and 4 team, unbeaten over four softball pairs matches! There were exciting exchanges with Collegiate and Howells School, where the Superchargers showed tenacity in final overs to snatch wins with narrow margins; our biggest victory was a 48 run scoreline against The Downs. In lessons, the team were keen to focus on technique and our bowling stats; we certainly have some very promising cricketers coming through. I have thoroughly enjoyed our season together Superchargers.

I hope you all continue to love your cricket and I look forward to further success next season.

Mrs Tregenza

U9 Originals

The Under 9 Originals have had a fantastic season and their progress is clear for all to see. I have been immensely proud to see how the children have adapted to a variety of formats of the game when playing away fixtures, adapting quickly to match requirements. The squad have developed in leaps and bounds and I cannot wait to see them next season for another exciting journey.

Mr Harvey

U9 Invincibles

The Invincibles had a really positive season of cricket. From the beginning, they were focused and committed to the team and we saw great progress over the term. Players worked hard on their bowling and this made a great difference in fixtures. Our batting was strong allowing us to score many runs. It was great to see all the children enjoying and getting involved in a busy cricket season and I look forward to seeing them develop further in the years to come. Excellent team!

Mr Perez

U9 Braves

The U9 Braves have enjoyed a successful winning season this year, showcasing loads of potential amongst the players. We have worked hard on our bowling lines and thinking between the wicket ensuring we make the most of our shots. We have seen some great batting from all especially Danielle and Rapha who have both hit numerous sixes. But the standout moment has to be Henry's spectacular diving catch on the boundary against St John. It has been a pleasure to coach the Braves this season and we both look forward to seeing them progressing to the U11’s next year.

Mrs Shopland and Mr Dawkins

U9 Players: Rapha G, Danielle B, Brendan B, Henry T, Bonnie B, Teddy S, Toby B, Dylan N, Hugo C, Bella R, Boro G, Effie M, Araminta C, Sophia H, Harry Bl, Bea B, William I, Freddie M, Ayla T, Archie C, Harry Ba, Rosemary H, Lexi J, Tilly H, Richard L, Hannah B, Rosalie C, Akilan V, Charlie B, Isla M, Arabella G, Ben C, Pearl L, Gabe T, Adaline G-L, Eleanor G, Ben S, Izzy H, Olive W, Imi A, Ranveer C, Sophia D, Asia B, David L, Charlotte W, Amy G, Faris L, Tilly R, Florence T, Anna W, Florence F, Seb W

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ATHLETICS

Athletics continues to be a strong and successful sport at Tockington. The track was very well used with the pupils having a go at all the track and field events on offer. Our Monday running club and Friday evening athletics clubs were well subscribed, the pupils always enthusiastic and willing to work hard. I am grateful for the valued help given by Mr Weeks and Mrs Tregenza. Thanks also to Miss Green for running her throws club which has helped all of our field athletes to improve their technique.

We attended the annual Beaudesert Park athletics meeting in May, ending the meeting with 23 podium places and six Severnside Champions. Congratulations to Fletcher, Darcy, Lola, Emily and Tommy.

In June we competed in the South West Athletics Championships at Millfield School. The athletes performed admirably and we had a great day out gaining invaluable experience. We competed very well in difficult conditions, testament to our preparations and maintaining our fitness throughout the term. Lola S emerged as South West Champion in the Under 14 Girls 1500m - outstanding! We are very proud of all our athletes, who behaved impeccably and were a pleasure to take to the event. Alongside many PBs were ten podium places. There were Silver medals won by Fletcher R (1500m), Sienna R (Discuss), Darcy S (800m), Ruby L (800m) and Theo G (1500m). Bronze medals were won by Harrison C (High Jump), Belle D (Hugh Jump) and Theo G (1500m). Congratulations to all athletes who gained vital experience from the event.

ESAA Award Scheme

During the term, the pupils worked towards gaining points for their Houses, individually, and on improving their PBs on the ESAA Award Scheme. Years 3-8 achieved some excellent times and distances with the revamped ESAA Scheme proving a real encouragement in their pursuit of PBs and self-improvement.

During the term there were 111 Gold Award standards reached, with many of our pupils achieving four or more in a range of events. I would like to thank Stan and Lola for the excellent job they did as Athletics Captains, they were good role models for our younger pupils. This was apparent when, together with their Year 8 classmates, they helped lead a

TMS Records Broken

U12 Long Jump - Theo G

U12 High Jump - Harrison C

U12 High Jump - Belle D

3000m - Fletcher

Six of our elite athletes took part in the National Prep School Championships at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, which was recently used for the Commonwealth Games. This provided a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to compete on such a high level stage. Lola S placed 4th in the 1500m with her sister Darcy placing 7th in the 800m. Fletcher had a commendable performance, finishing 8th in the 1500m. Ruby came 15th in the 800m, with Theo G coming 10th in the 1500m. Sienna R became Tockington’s first pupil to throw a discus in the national final achieving a commendable 10th place. All performed to the best of their ability. Congratulations to all six of you - what an experience! You were all an absolute credit to Tockington throughout the term. I would like to thank our loyal and supportive parents for all their help and encouragement at all of our events this term.

Mr Ross

Introduction of High Jump

We were very pleased to be able to introduce high jump to our athletics activities this year. After a nervous start, the children showed tremendous improvement with some spectacular performances during Sports Day.

Freeman Cup for House Athletics

1. Cunningham - 692 points

2. Churchill - 644 points

3. Alexander - 522 points

Victor / Victrix Ludorum Results

U10 Boys - Dylan N

U10 Girls - Bella R

U12 Boys - Harrison C

U12 Girls - Ruby L

U14 Boys - Stan D

U14 Girls - Lola S

TENNIS

Tennis has been as popular as always this year with children choosing to pick up their racquets at break times and after school. It was also incorporated into our Games lessons with a handful of players also attending clubs outside of school.

There were two school fixtures against The Downs and Brimsham Green, along with our internal tournaments. We were delighted with the standard of tennis displayed throughout, with players also taking ownership of their umpiring and scoring. Congratulations to all those who took part, playing with such maturity and sportsmanship.

Mrs Tregenza and Mr Ross

Internal Tournaments

These were played to a high standard this year with the usual excitement and enthusiasm we have come to expect. There were some closely fought matches with results as follows:

The Simpson Cup (Junior Singles)

Teddy S

The Pritchard Cup (Junior Doubles)

Teddy S and Brendan B

The Hilliard Cup (Senior Girls Singles)

Lola S

The Rapson Cup (Senior Boys Singles)

Alex FW

The James Finnigan Cup (Senior Doubles)

Janu S and Alex FW

The Lucy Newman Trophy (Mixed Doubles)

Gloria D and Alex FW

EQUESTRIAN

The newly formed (2023) Tockington Manor Equestrian Team continued to grow this year. We have seen the addition of new members out enjoying the sport and most importantly cheering each other on.

The school team pursued events in the equestrian discipline of Show Jumping during the year with both the NSEA (National Schools Equestrian Association) grassroots classes, and also in the British Show Jumping Just for Schools categories. For many, this has been their first year representing the school and they have all achieved brilliant results and had lots of fun. Outside of school competitions, Tockington Equestrian team members achieved excellent results representing local Pony Clubs at regional championships in Showjumping / Eventing and Polo. They were also active with Showjumping Academies.

The equestrian team look forward to welcoming new members in the 2024-2025 school year. We would love to grow and are looking forward to supporting more teams and also branching out into other equestrian disciplines including Dressage and Eventing.

Sophie G qualified for both the winter and summer championships for British Showjumping JFS in 60 and 70cm following multiple wins and maintaining top league positions throughout the year, held at Cricklands in Wales for the winter champs and Stoneleigh in Warwickshire for the coveted summer champs. At the Winter Championships Sophie secured a third and ninth place. The Summer National Championships saw Sophie finish in an impressive 4th place with less then 1 second in the jump off separating the top 4 riders. In addition, Sophie topped the national schools league at 60cm (open to any student up to the age of 19).

Olive W had her debut competition representing Tockington Manor in a huge class at Rectory Farm, riding a brilliant clear round. Charlie B represented the school in both the 70cm and 80cm with confident riding and a lovley clear in the 80s just narrowly missing a placing in both rounds with very large classes.

Hugo C, in his first year at Tockington, achieved some very impressive podium positions at NSEA grassroots ranging from 40cm -60cm including competitions judging the riders on their ‘style’ around a course of jumps. These impressive results qualified Hugo to represent Tockington Manor School at the NSEA grassroots championships held at Hickstead in Sussex in August where qualified riders who had finished top 6 in a qualifying competition from throughout the UK competed against each other!

SPORTS DAYS

Our Sports Days from Nursery through to Year 8 were fantastic TMS community events and saw some incredible sporting performances. Lower School had a bit of a soggy day but the children showed excellent resilience and determination - that's the Tockington spirit!

ACTIVITY WEEK

Activity Week this year focused on two separate themes: ‘Opera’ for Upper School and ‘Up and Away’ for Lower School.

On Monday, the whole of Lower School was treated to a visit from a hot air balloonist and enjoyed learning about hot air balloons and how they work. It was a fantastic way to inspire a week all about flight. Upper School also set their week off to an exciting start with a visit from Opera Boots, a specialist opera company. The children took on the mammoth challenge of creating an opera in a day and performed to their siblings and parents the very same afternoon.

Tuesday involved the Lower School children moving through a carousel of three different activities. They worked with a local theatre company to create giant willow birds; took part in Forest School and a musical theatre workshop based on the Mary Poppins song “Let’s Go Fly a Kite”. Meanwhile, Year 6 enjoyed a trip to Porthcawl to learn how to surf and develop an understanding of beach safety. The rest of School then began their rotations of the weekly activities which included: The Rocket Challenge in the Science Lab, making One Sentence Operas, Hansel and Gretel-themed cookery and much, much more.

On Wednesday, Year 3 and 4 took a trip to the Lido at Portishead where the children enjoyed a morning of swimming and visiting the tuck shop courtesy of Mrs Hinchliffe. This included a life-saving skills session run by the lifeguards at the Lido to mark Drowning Prevention Week. Nursery enjoyed a visit to the Kitchen Garden where they had a Forest School session with Miss Green and every child created wood cookies. The children learnt how to use a bow saw safely in pairs. The day was finished with the ever-popular “Hunt the Teacher” activity where children worked together in mixed age groups to unjumble the code word, which the children managed to do despite no one being able to find Miss Fox!

Thursday saw Year 5 visiting Skirrid on a mountain trip where they learned about local history and wildlife. The Lower School had an introduction to British Sign Language and learned how to sign and sing “Old MacDonald”. It also saw the completion of the willow work by Year 5 and 6 who made the fence, archways and teepees in the Kitchen Garden to enhance the area used to cultivate crops.

The week ended with all the children participating in learning-based play on the top field. Watching the Upper School children working with the Lower School children created a real sense of community. Later, the Upper School Activity Week was finished with a quiz, recapping and testing of knowledge.

Miss Green

What is Activity Week?

Activity Week is when our School goes off the books! Usually held in the middle of the Summer Term, it's five days packed with exciting and stimulating activities for children throughout Tockington Manor School and Nursery. From excursions to interesting places to visits from special guests, our teachers devise unique activities centred around the two themes, for Upper School and Lower School. Year 7 & 8 spend the week away on their annual camp. It is an excellent way to educate our children in an extraordinary way and something our children look forward to!

SENIOR CAMP

YEAR 7 & 8 FRENCH TRIP TO NORMANDY

After a hiatus of a couple years, Tockington pupils set out to conquer the shores of Normandy once again in the summer. Here, Year 7 & 8 tell us, in their own words, about their experience!

Our trip started with a very early wake up and long wait to arrive in France but it was definitely worth it. On our first day we arrived in the evening but that didn’t stop us from going down to the beach and playing in the sea.

The next day we all went to a goat farm and enjoyed the adorable (and somewhat smelly) goats. We were given the opportunity to taste and buy the goat's cheese to take back home. In the afternoon of Tuesday, we looked around some of the remembrance sights for the D-Day landings. We saw the German and the American burials as well as the beaches where they fought. At the end of the day we got to watch a D-Day commemoration in a 360 cinema near the beach.

Mesnil goat farm at SaintHilaire-Petitville, where Kevin showed us a film about the farm and explained to the children the ins and outs of raising goats...in French!

At La Cambe German war cemetery, our pupils volunteered to read out two moving passages about the history and significance of WW2 and the key events of the débarquement. They also visited the Normandy American War Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer.

Year 7 & 8 had time to pause for thought (and a photo!) at Arromanches-les-Bains

On day three, we got to put our speaking skills to the test and headed to Bayeux to tour the markets. We didn’t find it too hard to communicate as most of the people spoke English! After wasting our money in the best ways at the market, we headed to the Bayeux Cathedral. Whilst there we noticed that a famous painting of Thomas Becket was on the wall. This was funny as it relates back to what we have been learning in history throughout the year. We then had to quickly eat lunch and head to the Bayeux tapestry. Each section was explained through a speaker device which you would hold up to your ear so you could understand what the embroidery meant. After this we headed to a cidery (we didn’t try any real cider though!) to learn about how it works and try some of their apple juice.

On the final full day, we visited Mont St Michel for the whole day. We looked around the different gift shops and the actual abbey itself. This day was incredibly hot and involved a lot of stairs, it was still fun though! During lunch we all got attacked by vicious seagulls which was fun.

On the last day when we left, we spent some time at the park before hitting the road. We had some stops on the way back. We saw Pegasus bridge which played a big part in the D-Day landings as well as going to the local French supermarket to spend our money on snacks. Some of us bought fresh baguettes for our families before getting the ferry, arriving home at around 1 am.

The trip was a fun time for everyone, we got to experience French cuisine, culture and some experiences we may have never had if not for the trip. We are surely unlikely to visit a goat farm again in our lives! Thank you to the teachers who took us on this trip! And a special thanks to Justin, our bus driver!

Written by Year 8

A visit to the Norman-Romanesque Bayeux Cathedral, which was consecrated in 1077, after spending our pocket money at the marché. Our afternoon at La Ferme de Billy Cidery included a tour of the orchard and some insight into the production and bottling plants. In the evening we got to try escargot!

The mediaeval city of MontSaint-Michel had a spectacular Abbey including the Cloister and Great Pillars Crypt

FRIENDS OF TOCKINGTON MANOR

The 2023-24 school year has been a year of fun and expansion and support for FOTM has seen us go from strength to strength.

First up was our New Parents evening. This is always a casual and relaxed affair to explain who we are as team and what we do. Every year we love to meet new parents, who then join FOTM as committee members or to support us with our events.

The pressure was on Mr Perez and Mr Ross to set out the course for the Russell Run this year – their first time after Mr Jones’s retirement in July 2023. The event was well attended and everyone had a lot of fun, with over £200 donated to our Charity of the year, S.H.E through purchases of drinks and cakes.

The Curry and Quiz night raised hopes that a team was going to beat the teachers this year…with an increase of ticket sales from 57 to 123. And… it finally happened, with FOTM being the new champions! This is first time the teachers have lost in many years and we hope they will come back fighting in October! This event is always very social and relaxed – despite being highly competitive! It’s almost as popular as the fireworks – which again did not disappoint - thank you to the Woodward family for supporting us with their generous donations!

Christmas Fayre always gets us into the spirit and this year was no exception. A new initiative, allowing the older students in Years 6 - 8 to run their own stalls, meant we had wreaths, bracelets, churros, crochet and many more to add to our usual stalls. As this was so successful, we will be inviting our students to run their stalls again this year.

FOTM always help the Easter Bunny provide eggs or Easter treats to each child, so we worked with Father Christmas this year to do the same. Each child in Lower School and Nursery was given a wrapped book and the Upper School children were delivered chocolate or sweets by Father Christmas’ helpers.

Spring term saw the addition of the Charity Danceathon with 90 children split into three sessions learning a new dance that they then performed at the end of their session. It’s amazing that children as young as four can learn a dance routine in only 45 minutes! We would like to thank Izzy Powell for leading the dancers and to Miss Green for organising the event. We raised £1000 for our school Charity of the Year and £900 for FOTM.

The Easter Bunny visited us on the last day of term to work with the Year 8 students to run an egg hunt for over 260 children. It’s lovely to see the Year 8s set up and run this event and make it special for the younger children. Their enthusiasm is infectious and FOTM would like to thank them all for all their help.

Fun Day never disappoints and ignoring the breeze, was a fantastic day with lots of happy children running around having fun. The Bouncy Assault course was a big hit again and our many children (and adults!) enjoyed being ‘arrested’ by our parent police officers!

Mr Perez has advised this was his last year of producing his world-famous paella. We may have to start a school-wide petition to persuade him he needs to continue…

Mr Symonds has talked for a while about a Headmasters XI vs FOTM XI cricket match and following an initial postponement, on a windy June day the Hardball match between the school staff and parents/ex pupils was played. The Headmaster’s team won this year but FOTM will be back next year to challenge again. A much more relaxed soft ball game was also played and while far less competitive was still very enjoyable.

Our last big event of the year was our Tropical Summer Party. The weather was perfect, the hog roast was scrumptious and the atmosphere was exactly as we wanted – relaxed, social and full of laughter and cocktails.

This year FOTM ran bars at all after-school plays and concerts, provided coffee vans at the school sports days, our first tuck shop, introduced our new token system which will continue to run and ran our annual Ice Cream social on yet another cold, damp day. The money raised

over the last 12-18 months has been spent wisely on key items for the school including the newly updated Nursery garden, two new GoPros, two diving blocks for the pool, leavers’ hoodies and Easter eggs, books and chocolate for the children.Thank you to each and every one of you for your support over the last 12 months. Every donation, hour volunteered, and drink bought helps us to donate items to the school and run our events.

To the FOTM committee members and TMS staff, THANK YOU for all your hard work and dedication to our events. You are the backbone of what we do. Bring on 2024-25!

Helen & the FOTM committee.

OLD TOCKINGTONIANS

It has been wonderful, as always, to hear from our OTs around the world and receive them for visits back to the school. We enjoy hearing about the successes of our former pupils and encourage all our Old Tockingtonians to keep in touch!

Wonderul to have Freddie Cooper back on Tockington turf! The former TMS Head Boy has represented his country as part of the England Athletics U20 team and couldn't resist joining us for the annual Russell Run. We look forward to installing his signed England shirt in our 'Sports Hall of Fame' soon.

Congratulations also to Toby West (pictured below) (2011-2022) who was selected to play for the rugby National 7s academy alongside playing for the Bristol Bears academy, captaining the first u15 team at Wycliffe college and vice captain for North Bristol RFC u15. Tobys love of rugby started at TMS when he was 7!

“One of the most valuable traits I learned at Tockington was commitment, be that in the classroom or on the sports pitches. This helped me when having to find the consistency in training to make an England team.”

We were very happy to welcome the Rolls family back to the school in the summer during a brief visit back from Australia. Dad Russell was an ever present member of FOTM and mum Anna a School Governor. Stirling was Head Boy, came second in the National Cross Country Finals, holds the current Cross Country record and was awarded an Academic Scholarship to Clifton College. His younger brother Fraser was an enthusiastic rugby player before the family relocated. A Tockington family through and through it was great to be able to jog some memories for the Rolls'!

Some of our Class of 2022-2023 girls attending this year's Speech Day

Michael Keene was one of the first intake pupils at Tockington Manor School in 1947! Now in his eighties, he regaled Mr Symonds with some brilliant stories about his time here.

Freddie Cooper

STAFF

This year we bid farewell to a long standing and vital member of our staff team, Mrs Hinchcliffe. Bernie has been at Tockington since 1999 and we will certainly miss her warmth and kindness, both as a teacher and in her latter, vital role as Head of Learning Support. Miss Haynes is off to follow her wanderlust, along with Ella and Mia from the Nursery, and our garden will be poorer for the loss of Joe Lloyd. Best of luck to Miss Bird in her new role following her graduation. We'd also like to thank Alastair Ramsay for his service on the TMS Board of Governors - we appreciate his contribution to the school over the past three years.

As the school grows, we were fortunate to have some excellent new staff join us. The children have loved the creative talents of Miss Codd, and our Games Team were joined by Mr Harvey and Mr Drury. Congratulations are due to Mr and Mrs Ross who got married in the summer, as did Mrs Moreton-Buckley. Mr Perez has discovered the joy of parenting with a new baby boy in the house while Mrs Dyer welcomed a little girl - congratulations!

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

A wonderful first Nativity for the Woodpeckers in the Nursery at Christmas time.

Remembrance Day 2023

Representatives of the Royal British Legion joined us, as always, for our annual service to remember those who fell. The children gathered around the pond and heard poems and prayers to mark Remembrance Day 2023.

Cheque handover to Catalyst Foundation's S.H.E.

Well done to the very first cohort of 'MPs' who participated in our new Tockington Manor Parliament, previously known as School Council. Finley and Fletcher did a great job leading this year's reps.

It was a brilliant year of fundraising for our chosen charity this year. The S.H.E. Programme seeks to make education accessible to girls in Zimbabwe and Zambia and the almost £5,000 raised by Tockington families was used to purchase bicycles for the girls.

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