Newsflash 17 November 2023

17 November 2023

NEWSFLASH Fortnightly Newsletter of Woodhouse Grove School Follow us on twitter @woodhouse_grove

Anti-bullying Week

Life of Pi Theatre Trip

Thank you to everyone who participated in anti-bullying week.

A lot of activities, arranged by our pastoral team, took place throughout the week including; assemblies with each year group; Odd Socks Day celebrating individuality; ‘give a shout’ speech bubbles in the Martin Hall; kindness notes that pupils found in their lockers; our very own anti-bullying video; and cup cakes for lunch today with ‘make a noise about bullying’ messages on them.

Last week, 60 students went to see Life of Pi at Bradford Alhambra Theatre. It was a fantastic and complex production that will certainly give our drama students lots to analyse and evaluate in their coming lessons. We enjoyed hearing their debates about which of Pi's stories was the truth!

Year 7 and 8 Spotlight Show Last week, our cast of super talented Year 7s and 8s braved the stage of the McCarthy theatre, some of them for the first time! Presented superbly by Rebecca Chapman, the performance showcased the talent of singers, musicians, actors and a dancer. The students demonstrated the Grovian values of being committed and resilient throughout rehearsals and the show. Well done to all involved!

Remembrance Day

Mathematical Olympiad for Girls

Thanks to everyone who attended the school Remembrance Service in the Grove Chapel and also to the school brass group for supporting the Remembrance Service on Sunday afternoon in Rawden. Mr Tedd led the music and our Chaplain, Rev Drost and Rev Rachel Ford from St Peters, led the service.

Four of our senior mathematicians sat this challenge last half term. The Maths Olympiad for Girls is aimed at girls and young women across the UK and consists of five challenging problems where full written solutions are expected, rather than multiple choice question in the maths challenges. Congratulations to Nicola Trimby, Eva Cheng and Abigail Lewis who were awarded merits and to Rainie Ngai who was awarded a certificate of participation.

Welcome to our Junior Librarians

Spooky Dungeons and Dragons

Our new junior librarians are getting more involved in library life where we supported remembrance day with our own display.

Our Dungeons and Dragons club goes from strength to strength. In our spooky Halloween session Lorna Kerr, Year 11, surprised everyone with her amazing 'Eyeball Cake' which was enjoyed by players and dungeon masters alike.

Anti-Racism Assemblies Today pupils from Years 8, 9 and 10 listened to and took part in an Anti-Racism seminar and workshop. The pupils learnt about the sliding scale of racism and different types of discrimination.

The club also has a new D&D Club ‘chest', made by the talented Mr Sunley, in which to keep all the D&D Club materials, sourcebooks and dice.

Green News

Remember Me—Senior Production

Thanks to FOWG and EST Display in Rawdon, our Green Grovians can now be seen easily at work in their Hi Vis.

Tickets are now on sale for our Senior production of ‘Remember Me’ coming to the McCarthy Theatre at the end of November. A piece of devised theatre featuring iconic music and exploring the notion of carving your own name into the history books and being remembered. Book your tickets now.

Your Green Grove needs you!

School has been gifted another 200 trees from the Woodland Trust to plant along the riverbank.

We would be grateful for any help planting them between 2.00 and 4.00pm on Sat 2nd December.

Students must be accompanied by a responsible adult for this activity, but all are welcome. Please contact Mr Lambert for further information. lambert.pr@woodhousegrove.co.uk

Eco Committee The Eco Committee spent a chilly lunchtime planting dozens of trees next to the Cabin; these will provide another area for wildlife to flourish as well as looking beautiful when they've grown!

There will be a wide variety of trees, including oak, blackthorn and rowan. The Eco Committee hopes to repeat this and plant even more trees in the spring.

Speak to Mrs Goodwin-Bates if you'd like to get involved.

On the West End Stage Exciting times for Alma Monteverde-Amorim, Lily Richmond-Coggan, Emily Campbell, Matilda Fraser, Katie McWilliams, and Freya McDonald who all performed in 'Across the Line' in the West End with PQA.

Sixth Form Information Evening

Thank you to everyone who attended our Sixth Form Open Evening last night.

Approximately 110 families (both current Year 11 and new to WGS) attended to find out more about Online Safety Section our Sixth Form offering and to discuss A-level and Parents Guide to WhatsApp BTEC subjects in more detail with staff.

As one of the most popular messaging apps used Building work for the new Sixth Form centre is on by all age ranges and around 2.7 billion monthly track to be operational after February half term. users, WhatsApp has been adding new features over the last year or so which some parents may not be aware of Internet Matters have put together a really good 'how-to' guide for parents which you can access HERE.

Leeds Youth Parliament—Vote Now

Individual News

If you are aged 11 to 18 years and live in or near Leeds - Vote for Rakelmi!

Congratulations to Sam Dowsland, Year 8, who was presented with the "Player of the Tournament" for the U12 Yorkshire Junior Cricket Festival for his part in the winning Aire Wharfe team.

Rakelmi Williams-Colley, one of our newest sixth formers, has been shortlisted for Leeds Youth Member of Parliament. Out of 59 applicants, Rakelmi is one of six finalists.

Congratulations to Emily Chapman, Year 8, who was placed first in her grade with Rakelmi wrote a manifesto illustrating her ideas her partner at the Yorkshire Pairs that the youth of today should have more of an Gymnastics competition recently in impact on our political system and argues for more Barnsley. opportunities for children to get politically informed and involved. Her election video can be Congratulations to Kira Grahamslaw, Year 11, who captained the GB Fencing Second viewed here.

Team in Austria, won a bronze The final 6 are part of a democratic vote where any medal at the national adult children aged 11 to 18 who live in Leeds and the tournament and also a silver at surrounding areas can vote for 3 candidates. the local national Cadet tournament. Kira is now ranked Voting ends next Friday, 24th November and we 6th in the British Cadet national would love any one eligible to vote for Rakelmi, our rankings. young aspiring politician. If she can win a majority she will secure her spot as a member of Leeds Congratulations to Tilly Sugden, Year 10, who has recently been Youth Council! awarded her Arts Award Silver Click here to vote Level 2 which she achieved Eligible voters need to vote for three people through Young Masters Visual putting either a 1, 2 or 3 under the names of the Art School. Tilly was also one of candidates you wish to vote for and a 0 next to the six winners in the Bradford others. Let's get Rakelmi the votes she needs! schools Christmas card competition and has been invited to receive her Grove Poet Laureate prize and certificate from the Lord Mayor of Bradford in December.

Congratulations to Ash Poplar, Year 10, who is our new Grove Poet Laureate.

Harvest Donations The judges were really Students hiding behind our impressed with Ash’s poem wall of Harvest donations entry. ready to go to Bradford North Well done to everyone who Foodbank for distribution. entered - some very creative Thank you so much for all writing. your donations.

Rugby News

XC teams through to the Nationals

Our 1st XV, 2nd XV and U14 teams had success last week with wins against Durham School although there were narrow losses for the U15s and U16s.

Our U13s won against Stonyhurst, but the U14 lost a tough match in the cup to Prince Henrys GS. Congratulations to our U15 rugby squad, who during half term, were crowned plate winners at the Langley Festival beating RGS Newcastle in the semi-final and Brighton College in the final.

Congratulations to all our students who ran in the regional round of the English Schools Cross Country cup last weekend. In particular, well done to the Inter & Senior Boys, and Inter Girls teams who have qualified for the Nationals in Suffolk in December.

Notable individual runs include first places for Charley Clark-Taylor and Archie Peaker; a 3rd for Maisey Bellwood, 5th places for Macie Donaldson and Will Thornhill; Harry Bates 8th and Harriet Williams 9th.

Congratulations to Alfie Longstaff, Archie Hurford, and Callum Hyland Dugbo who have all been invited to train with the England U18 rugby squad next weekend. This means that 5 of our boys have been included with the England set up this year, with Tom Rowe involved earlier this year and Ned McCormack training in Spring.

Netball Area Winners Well done to our 3 netball squads who competed in the West Yorkshire Round of National Schools on Saturday. A tough day, particularly for the U16 squad, but there were some brilliant full squad performances. Congratulations to both the U19 and U14 squads who won their competition to qualify for the Regional Round in February.

Football News Our U12 girls played their first match of the season against Immanuel College in a competitive match which finished 2-1 to the visitors.

Good luck to our U13 boys who play Dame Allans in the next round of the ISFA Cup on Monday.

Congratulations to our 6 netballers on England Pathways through Leeds Rhinos or Manchester Thunder; Grace Ross, Lexie Cadman, Summer Anderson, George Rayner, Bella Strudwick and Cleo Hainsworth and to Jess Strudwick who has once again been successful in gaining a spot in the U17 Welsh Squad!

Only 10 tickets left Schoolblazer will be running a flash sale Monday 20th - Tuesday 21st November.

This includes all our core uniform across the school.

There will be 20% off ALL in-stock items online at schoolblazer.com during the sale period, while stocks last.

FOWG Festive Fundraising

Festive Wreath Making with the FOWG

FOWG Festive Fundraising is well underway as we plan for our Raffle & Christmas Shopping Our 12th December event is now sold out, Fair. Here's how you can support the FOWG in but we still have places on Thursday, the the run-up to our annual event, all donations 14th of December! can be dropped at school reception...

Make your own Festive Wreath in the ncompany of Friends whilst enjoying festive refreshments, with the expertise of Flowers of Guiseley, in Guiseley.

Book your tickets now through the FOWG Online Shop https://fowg.sumup.link/

Raffle tickets are on sale from Monday 20th November through the FOWG Online Shop—link below The FOWG Calendar 2024 is available for pre-order through the FOWG Online Shop https://fowg.sumup.link/