News From The Grove Summer 2023

Summer 2023

The Newsletter of Woodhouse Grove School

First Grovian at King’s Coronation

We were delighted and proud to watch Old Grovian, General the Lord Houghton of Richmond, carry part of His Majesty’s Regalia to the altar for the Coronation Service on Saturday 6th May. An incredible achievement to be part of this momentous occasion.

Lord Houghton, who was Chief of the Defence Staff 2013 - 2016, bore the Sword of Temporal Justice and we believe this to be the first time a Grovian has been involved in any Coronation ceremony.

UK Science Olympiad Success

Our Sixth Form students have performed incredibly well in this year’s Science Olympiads.

In Chemistry, Olivia was awarded a gold certificate which puts her in the top 9% of the 12,000 candidates who took the exam. In biology, Lizzie was awarded a gold putting her in the top 5% of 13,000 entrants. Dudley, Kaidong, Samuel (chemistry) and Harry (physics) all achieved Silver in their respective Olympiads and Abigail, Moh, Philip, Zak and Rory all gained bronze certificates in physics.

These Olympiads are very challenging; testing problem-solving skills and application of knowledge beyond the A-level syllabus.

The future of biological sciences is also bright with some of our Year 10 students participating in the Biology Olympiad, along with 43,000 students from around the world. Three attained gold, including Lezain who scored over 91%, seven achieved silver and nine students attained bronze.

Year 10 Biologists

New Kiln All Fired Up

Our art students are now enjoying the use of a brand new kiln that was installed just before the Easter break. Pieces created by Year 11 for GCSE artwork were amongst the first pieces to come through the kiln.

Year 10 art students have been creating a range of 3D sculptures inspired by ceramic artists such as Louise Hibbert and Catrin Mostyn Jones to support their GSCE coursework, and Year 7 have made some gruesome gargoyle heads.

LEAP Finalists

Our enterprise group, The Canine Confectionery Company, reached the final stages of the LEAP competition. They presented their business plan, sharing the highs and lows of running their dog treat business and gave a full account of their achievements and what they learned throughout the process.

Their business mentor, Mrs Watmough, accompanied them to the annual awards ceremony at the end of April, where they won 2nd prize for the Award for Innovation.

Careers Support

A combination of talks and exhibitor stalls at our Post 18 event provided Year 12 students and their families with the opportunity to explore future career options and to make more informed decisions regarding their future. It was particularly pleasing to speak with Old Grovians, present on their employer stands, who had taken different career paths and shared their experiences with current students.

New Sixth Form Facility

In June, ten students from Years 9 and 10 attended a 'Meet the Professionals' Healthcare Careers Day organised by the University of Leeds. They learnt about 16 different areas of the health and social care sectors. The event gave the students an insight into life as a university healthcare student and also the entry routes into each of the rewarding healthcare careers.

Building work on our state-of-the-art Sixth Form facility has started. It will meet the needs of all our students, supporting our vision of a forward-thinking Pathways Programme. The new facility will include more seminar rooms for use when our Business Partners deliver career talks; increased space for individual and collaborative working; and integrated technology for the live streaming of topical issues.

Elements of the space will have a much more corporate feel – preparing our students for life after Woodhouse Grove. The new block is due to be fully operational early 2024.

Another National Finalist

We are delighted that, once again, we have a Woodhouse Grove pupil in the National Finals of the Poetry by Heart competition.

Congratulations to Lily Edwards, Year 11 who secured her place in the final by reciting 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night' by Dylan Thomas and 'How Do I Love Thee' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Lily has earned the honour of performing her poems at the iconic Globe Theatre in London.

I am Grovian

Tieva Business Visit

A group of our Sixth Formers visited TIEVA, one of our school business partners, to find out all about their business and the roles available to school leavers. TIEVA, whose head office is located in Calverley, designs, manages and supports transformative technology solutions.

Students thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and even took calls with prospective customers. Several Old Grovians who now work at Tieva, also shared their experiences with students.

Benefitting from Green Investment

The recent sunny weather is having a positive impact on our green credentials.

Almost 1 km2 of solar panels, installed last Autumn, have cut school electricity consumption by 33% in May 2023 compared to May 2022; even dropping to zero consumption at times throughout the month.

Recent investment in an automated swimming pool cover is also starting to have an impact on reducing heating costs in the pool area.

Sixth Form Business Partners

Students can opt for up to 60 days of industry experience with one of our business partners whilst studying in Sixth Form at the Grove. This opportunity provides them with valuable work experience and helps to develop ideas about their careers.

We caught up with Francesca Arrandale, Year 12, who has benefitted from a work placement with Deu Estates in Leeds as part of her Sixth Form Pathway.

What are you studying in sixth form?

I’m studying Business and Politics and I am hoping to add Finance next year.

How many days do you work at Deu Estates?

I really enjoy my time there and attend every Wednesday.

Why did you choose this placement?

I chose this placement because it seemed really interesting. I have always wanted to be an Estate Agent, however I hadn’t considered the lettings side of it before. What sort of activities do you get involved with?

I am gaining experience in general office duties such as answering the phone, filing and completing paperwork, but I also get involved with industry specific activities such as house viewings and emailing customers.

Do you think the pathway scheme is helpful for your future?

I think the pathway scheme is very useful especially for people who think that university isn’t for them. I am gaining continuous work experience and networking with people in an industry I hope to work in. It has also helped me to become more confident as a person; when I first started I was really shy!

Au Revoir to 70 Years of Service

At the end of this academic year we say goodbye to a number of long serving colleaguesMrs Hughes and Mr Jarvis have a combined service of 70 years between them!

It is also important to recognise the work that our support staff do. Many are tirelessly working behind the scenes to ensure our students have the best possible experience. We say farewell to Mrs Dixon and Mrs Pedley, two of our science lab technicians with over 30 years working at the Grove between them, and also to our external exams team, Mrs Humphreys and Mrs McLelland.

We spoke with Mrs Hughes who joined the Grove in 1987. She gave us this insight into her time here and her plans for the future.

What have you enjoyed most about your time here?

I have worked with some amazing colleagues and pupils, and some of those amazing pupils have since become amazing colleagues, including the Pastoral Deputy Head and the Headmaster! It has also been wonderful to work in such a beautiful setting; the grounds really are idyllic.

What are your highlights?

I have some fantastic memories of ventures outside of the classroom: French exchanges with the Lycée Clemenceau in Reims, Lower School German and Spanish trips to the Black Forest and Tarragona, Year 7 outings to Lightwater Valley all spring to mind.

What has been the biggest change at the Grove?

Technology without a doubt, with lockdown being the biggest challenge. I will be forever grateful to my colleagues for their guidance when remote learning was thrust upon me!

Any funny moments?

Plenty! For example, in more recent years, seeing the stunned silence of one of my A-level classes whose studious classwork I unexpectedly disrupted, following what must have appeared like a strange sort of dance from the front of the classroom. They were clearly unaware that a huge spider had landed on my knee and, unfortunately for them, I didn’t have the nerve to choose a particularly discreet way of removing it! Mon histoire de l’araignée is definitely one of those top 10 moments!

What three things would you take to a Desert Island?

I just couldn’t imagine a life without people, but if it had to be things and not people, I’d take my John Travolta film collection (though rather futile I guess, with no DVD player), a survival guide entitled “Living without teenagers” and some writing equipment to write my very own “History of The Grove”.

What are your plans for retirement?

A life without Woodhouse Grove is hard to comprehend at the moment although I won’t miss the long commute - a quick calculation suggests I have covered more than 300,000 miles on my journeys to and from school!

I am looking forward to taking life at a slower pace now and spending more quality time with family and friends as well as some charity work.

Emotionally, I’ll never be ready to move on from The Grove, but physically and mentally, I know that the time has come to let go!

We wish all our retirees the very best and look forward to receiving signed copies of ‘History of The Grove’ by Mrs F Hughes!!

I am Grovian

Spanish Trip 2001

Staff outside the Lycée Clemenceau in 1999

Exams Team

Welcome

to the Chaplain

Reverend Drost joined at the beginning of this academic year and although he has considerable experience working with schools, this is his first position employed within a school. He shared his thoughts with us.

Working within Woodhouse Grove and Brontë House is different to my previous school work which involved popping in once every few weeks for assemblies and some class time. Here, I am immersed in a daily routine which sees me involved in all areas of school life, including meeting parents and other visitors and much of the charity work.

I am a bit of a petrol head and love older classic cars –my first 3 cars I owned were all Morris Minors and my favourite was an old ‘wood’ framed estate car called ‘Ducks’ as its plate was DKX 932F.

Hope for Justice

In February, Years 12 and 13 were treated to an inspirational talk by Tim Nelson, CEO of Hope for Justice, a non-profit organisation that runs anti-trafficking projects all over the world. Mr Nelson spoke passionately about initiatives and ways every individual can help to prevent modern slavery.

What do you like best about this role?

My main role has to be that I am first a Methodist church minister, and being able to share these teachings at chapel every day and try to model it, is a joy and a privilege.

As a youth worker, I really enjoy being part of the PSHEE team in helping to deliver all the varied subjects that, as a team, we know will add value to each individual pupils’ lives.

In boarding I have the chance to see and hear the experiences of the boys on their boarding journeys. Boarding adds so much depth to the students' experience at The Grove.

Anything about the role that surprised you?

Having spent significant amounts of time helping in previous schools, I was struck very early on, what a generally happy place this is! In the staff room and in the playgrounds, staff and pupils are courteous, and excited about life at WGS, in both lessons and co-curricular activities.

How do you like to spend any spare time?

I like to think I am handy with a hammer and screwdriver – my wife and father (a carpenter by trade) do not always agree. I am happy to potter around the garden and we love the new walks and cycle rides we have discovered around Apperley Bridge.

So inspired by this talk, Naomi Partridge, Nina Hawkshaw and Mica Bardouille-Lewis, all Year 12, successfully walked 20 miles along the Leeds and Liverpool canal in fancy dress and raised £840 to help with anti-trafficking projects.

Naomi said, “I have been truly inspired to help this awesome charity. Our aim is to help Hope for Justice with their anti-trafficking projects."

School of Rock!

Our spring school production of School of Rock in March stood out for many incredible performances. The audience was clearly impressed, giving a standing ovation after this high energy show. Congratulations to everyone involved, both on stage and behind the scenes.

We caught up with Georgina Dutton, Year 11, who played the lead.

What part have you got in School of Rock?

In School of Rock, I play the character of Dewey Finn. In our show, I am playing the character as non-binary instead of male to have our own unique take on the show.

How did it feel when you got the news that you were playing the lead?

When I received the news that I was playing Dewey Finn, I was literally jumping with excitement! This has been one of the characters in the back of my mind that I have always wanted the opportunity to play.

It’s a big school year for you, has it been hard keeping up to date with school work?

It has been extremely hard keeping on top of school work due to rehearsals, but I have mostly managed to do my work during breaktimes and at weekends.

Have you been involved in other school productions?

I have been involved in many school productions here at The Grove, such as Double Dahl, Legally Blonde and High School Musical. but I am usually working in the tech box.

This year I thought I would step on stage and do what I truly love to do, and earlier in the year, I played the character of ‘Lloyd’ in Blue Stockings.

What are your plans after Year 11?

My plans after Year 11 are to study Maths, Design Technology and Physics at A-Level. However, I would still like to be involved with future productions as I love acting and theatre and I wouldn’t ever want to give that up.

The McCarthy Theatre

Prior to the Easter concert, we officially renamed the Grove theatre to ‘The McCarthy Theatre’ in honour of the former Director of Music and Second Master, David McCarthy. It was wonderful to have David in attendance for the renaming and Easter concert. The Easter Charity Concert was a great success covering music from a 17th Century Madrigal to the Arctic Monkeys, bringing to a close a busy Spring term in performing arts.

Alice In Wonderland

At the time of going to print, Year 7 and 8 were preparing to take us to Wonderland, performing outdoors on 'the holy grass' of the Grove Quad. Despite the heat, rehearsals are going well with a cast of over 50 students involved, plus an exclusive pre-show gig by our Year 9 'School of Rock' band.

The audience, likely to be armed with picnic blankets, snacks and sunhats, will be treated to a whirlwind experience meeting the iconic characters of Lewis Carroll's classic.

They are asked not to be ‘late’ like the White Rabbit, and will be invited to chill at the Caterpillar Cafe, smile at the Cheshire Cat but strongly recommended NOT to eat the tarts as the Queen of Hearts would have their head!

A special mention to our wonderful tech club who helped with a multitude of prop making – from cup cakes to roses.

Arts Dinner

The 28th Arts Dinner for sixth form students celebrated another year of success in the Arts and included students from Art, Drama, Design, Media Studies, Music and English. Touching and humorous speeches from students, and eulogies from staff accompanied fine dining on the Hastings-Long Gallery.

Fond Farewells

Our Leavers’ Soirée was an opportunity to say goodbye to our incredibly talented Year 13 musicians - so many accomplished musicians performed individually and in groups, and we hope they all continue to showcase their talents upon leaving the Grove.

At the end of this academic year, we also say farewell to Mrs Baker, Director of School Productions and teacher of Speech and Drama. Over the last 5 years, Mrs Baker has directed 13 outstanding shows and has always gone above and beyond for our students. If she's not joining in the warm-up drama games, she is knee-deep in props and set, and you can often find her making (and trying on) costumes for the shows! We thank Mrs Baker for her extraordinary contribution to the Arts at the Grove and wish her all the best in her next adventure.

Reflecting on the trips highlighted here, we are reminded of how life-affirming school trips and tours can be. Whilst the sport or informative nature of the trip is important, it’s even more important for the students to spend time away with their friends and develop so many new life skills, including independence, confidence and social skills.

Andorra Ski Trip

What a week! During February half term, 72 of our Year 8 and 9 pupils, along with 8 staff members, travelled to Andorra.

Business Road Trip

Pupils enjoyed 4 hours of skiing each day in amazing weather with amazing views. The skiing conditions were fantastic. Pupils also had the opportunity to visit the centre of Andorra for food and shopping. Other activities included ice-skating and using the hotel’s leisure facilities.

Year 12 students enjoyed their business and economics UK road trip in May. They started with a VIP tour of the Morgan Factory production site in Malvern, before heading to the Welsh Mining Experience which included a trip down a mine.

‘The best aspect was seeing the levels of progression from every pupil. I had the pleasure to spend 6 days with the beginners group. The levels of support and encouragement they gave each other were amazing to observe. I am very proud of each of them, as they can now all competently ski!’ Mr King

At the Royal Mint, near Cardiff, they saw how money is made before they travelled back across the border to London.

Day 3 started with the 'Inside London Finance City' tour. Then onto the London School of Economics to listen to a private lecture with Simon Somerville, where he shared his knowledge of behavioural economics.

At the Museum of Brands students took part in a customer profiling workshop, and finished the day with dinner at the Old Bank of England Restaurant. They headed home via Cadbury World in Birmingham.

WW1 Battlefields Tour

It was a thought provoking few days in Northern France and Belgium for our Year 9 students on their Battlefields tour.

A packed itinerary included visits to cemeteries, trenches and museums in both the Somme and Belgium, including; the Lochnagar crater; the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme; Sheffield Memorial Park, where our very informative guide, Tom, explained about the Pals system; and two key Canadian sites, Beaumont-Hamel with it’s calling Caribou, and Vimy Memorial.

In Ypres, pupils spent time visiting the 'In Flanders Fields' Museum and, of course, the chocolate shop before the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate. Students, Lois Turner and Archie Wallace laid a school wreath as part of a moving ceremony showing respect for those lost in battle.

At many of the memorials, students spent time scanning the thousands of names for local regiments and their own surnames, as well as looking for specific long lost family members they had researched prior to setting off.

Students particularly enjoyed exploring the underground tunnels re-created at the Passchendaele Museum to experience what life was like for WW1 soldiers and exploring the real trenches preserved at the Sanctuary Wood Museum.

After a final night in Ypres, our trip spent the morning walking through Bruges.

“My favourite thing about the battlefields trip was when we went to see the trenches that were preserved with corrugated iron. It was incredible to see the conditions that the soldiers had to deal with. I also enjoyed going to the museum where we got to lay in the dugout beds.” Ilaria

“My favourite part of the Battlefields trip was exploring the underground tunnels in the trenches.” Matthew

Barcelona Football Tour

During the second week of the Easter holidays, 43 students from Years 9 and 10 travelled to Spain for the junior football tour. The 3 teams played in two fixtures each against local Spanish opposition, as well as playing in a tournament against other UK touring schools and enjoying a ‘masterclass’ coaching session at FC Riudoms. Students spent some time sightseeing in Barcelona, including a tour of FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium and admiring their trophy room - less enjoyable for Marcos who is an avid Real Madrid fan!

The tourists appreciated their time together, both on and off the pitch, including their thrill-seeking day at Port Aventura Theme Park.

Netball News

Following the local round in November all of our squads qualified for the Regional round held at EIS Sheffield in January. Our U14 squad narrowly missed out on qualifying for Nationals, finishing 3rd in the region overall. Our U16s had a phenomenal day and finished Yorkshire & Humberside Champions and the U19s qualified in 2nd place following an incredibly intense day!

England U18 Squad

The teams travelled to the National Finals in March to play against the top 18 school teams in the country. The two squads each played in 8 very intense games at the highest level and we are so incredibly proud of them. Our U19s were ranked 13th= and our U16s ranked 9th= nationally after the event.

Our netballers also had an incredible run in the Sisters n Sport National Netball Cup with the U19s, U16s and U13s all reaching the cup semi-final! To have 3 teams finish in the final four in the country is outstanding and a definite first for Grove Netball.

A record breaking season and the last season for our Year 13 girls, who have had an astonishing Netball journey at The Grove; reaching Nationals in 2 consecutive years. We hope that they continue to play netball as they embark on the next stage of their educational journey. As true Grovians you have inspired the girls coming through the school and shown them what is possible and for that we are incredibly grateful.

Congratulations to Ned McCormack, Year 13 who played superbly for England in the U18 Six Nations Festival; awarded Man of The Match against France and scoring a try against Ireland. Ned has also signed a professional contract for Leeds Rhinos.

Following in Ned’s footsteps is Alfie Longstaff, Year 12, who has been selected for England U18's Rugby Union squad going to South Africa this summer, and hopes this will be a springboard into the squad for next season.

Football Focus

Congratulations to Rafe McCormack, Year 9, who this season has trained and played in numerous fixtures as part of the England U15 Squad. The squad won both fixtures against Belgium in February and more recently Rafe was involved in a tournament in Spain drawing with the US, winning against Japan and losing 2-1 to the eventual winners, Spain.

Congratulations to Year 11 pupil Jess Strudwick, who represented Wales earlier this year at the U17 Netball European Championship. Jess performed excellently throughout the tournament and played in every match.

Cricket Highlights

The boys 1st XI have recorded good wins against Bradford Grammar, GSAL and QEGS. Jaden Webster, Max Chaplin and Kian Tennant have been amongst the top performers with the bat, whilst Jaden Webster and Harry Pinkney are so far top of the wicket takers for bowling.

Our Years 7 to 10 teams have all progressed to the Quarter Final and Semi Final stages of their respective Yorkshire Cups.

Congratulations to Adam Hussain, Year 9, who has had a fantastic season and was presented with the match ball after scoring 100 against QEGS.

Athletics Success

A successful start to this years’ athletic season saw both our Junior and Inter Girls track and field teams qualifying to represent West Yorkshire at the regional finals of the English Schools Track & Field Cup. There were some great performances at the regionals with both Macie Donaldson, Year 8, and Charley Clark-Taylor, Year 9, winning their 1500m races. Amarachi Nleme, Year 9, was second in the Inter girls 200m and Maisey Bellwood, Year 10, was third in the Inter girls 800m.

The girl's 1st XI recorded their first win with a brilliant performance against Ampleforth College. They are improving with every game and competing with some of the more established girls' teams in the county. The U15 & U13 teams are doing brilliantly in the West Yorkshire Women & Girls league. The U15s sit 3rd in the league whilst the U13s are top of the table and have secured a place at finals day!

In addition, 19 pupils represented Bradford at the recent West Yorkshire Championships with the following making the podium;

Ayomide Solaru - 1st Inter Boys 200m; Maisey Bellwood1st Inter Girls 1500m; Sam Johnson - 1st Junior Boys shot; Macie Donaldson - 3rd Junior Girls 800m; Cleo Hainsworth - 3rd Junior Girls 300m; Ben Dickinson - 2nd Junior Boys 300m; and Charley Clark-Taylor - 2nd Junior Girls 1500m.

Tumbling Championships

Congratulations to Austin Burnett, Year 7, who having achieved gold in all previous competitions, was eligible to compete at the British Tumbling Silver Championships in Telford in June. Austin thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was placed 6th overall.

In February, we were delighted to welcome Michael Dawson, former Spurs football captain and England player, for a Q&A session with Mr Bradburne. Michael reinforced that hard work, determination and a positive attitude are key to a successful career, both on and off the field. It was interesting and inspiring to listen to Michael talk about his experiences during his 20-year career as a professional footballer.

We say farewell to our Year 13 boarders and wish them well on their continued journeys. Our leavers in girls boarding added their fingerprints to the Miller tree to be forever remembered by their Miller family.

Great Yorkshire Weather

Since Christmas, our boarders have enjoyed a number of day trips, including Ninja Warriors in Leeds and Clip 'n Climb in Ilkley. They have also cooked together, laughed together and celebrated moments where many cultures have come together, such as the King’s Coronation ceremony and Liverpool hosting the Eurovision Song contest.

The recent sunshine encouraged some of our boarders out for a walk around Ilkley Moor. They enjoyed exploring the beautiful countryside that surrounds The Grove.

What a contrast to the weather experienced in March!

Boarding Visit to China and Hong Kong Inaugeral Grove Summer School

Mr King (Head of Boarding) and Mrs Cadman (Director of Marketing and Commerce) enjoyed two weeks in China meeting current, new and prospective students and parents. A busy and extremely ambitious trip enabled them to explore Shanghai and Nanjing before venturing along the coast to Quindao and Yantai. Mr King then continued his travels to Beijing, whilst Mrs Cadman joined the Headmaster in Hong Kong to meet prospective families and to host an alumni event.

Mr King commented; 'The highlights of the trip were meeting the families of current and prospective students, exploring the local culture and embracing the local cuisine. It was an amazing experience and words cannot describe the incredible levels of hospitality that we received throughout our trip.'

We are delighted to announce our first International Summer Camp will take place in July. The two week camp will provide children with the opportunity to experience life as a Grovian and be exposed to British culture as well as enjoying our on-site facilities and local excursions. Thirty students will join us from Spain, Italy and China during the two week Summer school.

9 to 14 year olds will undertake a Science Education and Activities Programme. Students will also have the opportunity to mix with our current students in a number of co-curricular camps. The programme will also include the opportunity to explore Yorkshire and develop their knowledge and understanding of the local heritage and culture.

14 to 18 year olds will take part in an International Business and Leadership+ and Activities Programme which focuses on developing selfawareness, self-confidence and resilience whilst improving their critical thinking, communication and teamwork skills.

The international relations element of this course examines how our global society influences the way in which people, teams, organisations and countries interact with one another.

Gardening Club

Though the current hot and dry spell is causing some gardening challenges, it is encouraging some strong plant growth.

Coronation Celebrations

We held an indoor street party to celebrate the King's Coronation. Our children had a fantastic time decorating their own picnic boxes before they were filled and topped off with a coronation bun.

Ashdown Lodge pupils joined in the fun – Pre-Nursery decorated crowns to wear for their Coronation picnic and Reception learned what a Coronation was and some facts about King Charles III before painting portraits of him.

The polytunnel seems to be paradise for the tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers right now and our potatoes are thriving too - there are even a few coming through in last year’s bed!

There have been regular visitors of the furry kind too; moles to be specific and there is a theory that the most likely culprits for the annihilation of last autumn's broccoli crop were deer.

Year 3 enjoyed making cards fit for a King in preparation for his coronation. Other year groups made coronation art, studied a coronation souvenir book, as well as a telescopic coronation momento from Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1952.

On a more scientific note, Year 4 and Year 6 researched the weight of the coronation crown and were quite impressed by how heavy it was!

Dina Nayeri - Award Winning Author

We were privileged to welcome Dina Nayeri, a former refugee and now award-winning author, to the Grove. Dina engaged students in Years 7 to 12 with her amazing story of survival, determination, and happiness and then shared her incredible journey with key stage 2 pupils at Brontë House.

At ten years old, Dina was forced to flee Iran with her mother and younger brother and eventually made it to Oklahoma via a refugee camp in Italy. Pupils learned how Dina must have felt to leave behind her father and her friends, and go to a strange country on the other side of the world because her life was in danger. Those in the group listened very carefully, asked some excellent questions and were a credit to the school.

What’s The Crime, Mr Wolf

Our Year 3 and Year 4 pupils were outstanding in their two shows of ‘What’s The Crime Mr Wolf’ in March. Despite a delayed start due to the weather, the children performed to a packed theatre both nights. The story was very intriguing with both sides putting their case forward and Mr Wolf in the middle of it all! Congratulations to both pupils and staff on another fabulous show.

Planetarium Visit

The Aurora Planetarium visited Brontë House in March as part of National Science Week. Younger children learnt all about the solar system and the space race, with a brief stop over in the land of the dinosaurs!

Key Stage Two children took a tour of the solar system and learnt how the earth orbits the sun, with the oldest children in Year 6 investigating the workings of a telescope and embarking on an immersive trip through the human body. A truly unique experience!

Cookery for Years 3 and 4

Not only do our catering team create delicious meals every day and amazing buns for special occasions, they are also helping pupils to immerse themselves in their topics whilst learning cookery skills.

As part of their topic on Italy and the Romans, Year 3 enjoyed a pizza making workshop with Mrs Howcroft and the catering team. Year 4 watched a cookery demonstration linked with their Incredible India topic and assembled their own samosas, with mouth-watering results!

HMC Athletics Success

Netball Champions

25 Brontë House pupils from years 4 to 6 competed in the HMC Athletics competition in York in June. It was a fantastic effort and a 3rd place result for our U11 girls team. There were also some excellent individual achievements including Poppy 1st in the 100m; Kieran 1st in the 600m and also 2nd in high jump; Jack 2nd in 80m; Freddie 2nd in the howler throw; and Elijah 3rd in the 400m. The U11 girls came third in the relay.

Cricket News

Mr Bedford was delighted with the U11 cricket A team win against Aysgarth. Everyone played their part with both bat and ball, but a special mention to Henry Sewards, who scored an impressive 36 runs.

Football News

In March, our U11 football team won the HMC bowl trophy and our U11 girls took part in their inaugural HMC Girls’ Football competition in Hull. A great experience with some good game play and a lot of learning: a mix of wins, losses and draws, but a great day for all involved.

Our U11 netball team mirrored the success of the Grove 1st VII and won the Queen Margaret's netball competition. They played some challenging games using good communication and great skill to help them to win the whole tournament. Congratulations to Orlaith Curtis who was awarded player of the tournament.

A win in the cross-country competition topped off a great day.

Budding Brownlees

A beautiful afternoon at the Brownlee Foundation Triathlon saw 15 excited Brontë House pupils looking forward to experiencing the life of a triathlete. What a fantastic experience for our children who, not only took part in all three disciplines, but learned how the transitions worked using kit baskets.

Adventures for Year 4

Coastal

Year 4 explored all aspects of their residential trip to Boggle Hole. Before they went they investigated how a coastline is formed and had to find coastal areas on a map and decide what type of landforms they were.

During the trip, the children enjoyed a jam packed few days of coastal walks, fossil hunting, sandcastle building, potion making and telling stories around the fire pit.

“The food was mouth-wateringly good. The breakfasts were delicious!” Alex

“Going hunting for the Boggle himself in the woods was really good fun,” Azaan

Once they were back at school they produced some beautiful watercolour paintings of Boggle Hole.

Year 6 Residential to Plas Menai

Year 6 had a blast at the Plas Menai outdoor centre in Bangor. The children had the opportunity to try a variety of activities including mountain biking, powerboating, fishing, windsurfing and sailing. It is fair to say they got wet a lot and were quite tired on the way home! A great way to complete their time at Brontë House and make lasting memories before moving on.

"Fun and exciting, the activities took a lot of us out of our comfort zone." Jumaimah

"It was a once in a lifetime experience and I really enjoyed it." Lucy

Cumbrian Adventures for Year 5

What a fantastic time Year 5 had in the Lake District. Bathed in beautiful sunshine, they tried out many new activities including, climbing, raft building, gorge walking and canoeing.

Ashdown Trips

Our youngest pupils gain so much from off-site day trips; new routines, new experiences, social interactions, independent thinking and lots of new facts for them to take in.

Recently our Nursery year group enjoyed visiting the animals at Hesketh Farm. They looked after guinea pigs, milked calves, collected eggs and saw pigs and piglets. They also had a bumpy ride on a tractor and trailer and walked around the paddock.

Rule Breakers!

Pupils certainly enjoyed ‘Break The Rules’ Day! They were invited to break up to 9 school rules and pay £1 for each rule broken and raised £1000 for the Dogs Trust. Their rebellious streaks were evident; bringing in cuddly toys, posing with (temporary!) tattoos, and filling their water bottles with juice!

Ashdown Sports Day

Our Reception pupils took part in lots of different activities on their trip to Herd Farm Activity Centre. The activities allowed them to challenge themselves in a safe environment, whilst also giving them the opportunity to work as a team. There are lots of daredevils in Reception!

Diary Dates

Autumn Term 2023

Boarders return Tuesday 5th September from 4pm

Term begins Wednesday 6th September

Half term begins Friday 20th October 4pm

Boarders return from 6pm on Sunday 5th November

Term recommences Monday 6th November at 8.30am

Term ends Friday 15th December 4pm

Spring Term 2024

Boarders return Sunday 7th January from 6pm

Term begins Monday 8th January at 8.30am

Half term begins Friday 9th February 4pm

This year our Ashdown Sports Day included an inaugural event for our two year olds in Pre-Nursery. They thoroughly enjoyed being involved in their races and cheering on Nursery and Reception pupils.

Boarders return from 6pm on Sunday 18th February

Term recommences Monday 19th February at 8.30am

Term ends Wednesday 27th March 4pm