NEWSLETTER - Holmwood House Preparatory School

www.holmwood.essex.sch.uk
HOLMWOOD HOUSE
NEWSLETTER
Tel: 01206 574305
Friday 12 December 2014
Autumn Term, Week 13
Chitts Hill, Lexden, Colchester, Essex, CO3 9ST
FROM THE HEADMASTER ...
Dear Parents
Here we are at the end of
what has been an
extremely busy, rich and
varied term. The children
and the staff have all
earned a jolly good rest as
they have given their all in
so many ways.
This
week’s Christmas parties
have been great fun; the
Pre-Prep even had a visit
f r o m
F a t h e r
Christmas! The Juniors
enjoyed traditional party
games and the seniors
threw themselves into the
Bingo and Karaoke Night
on Wednesday. We
enjoyed a wonderful
Christmas Lunch on
Tuesday; Tina and her
crew have been on
overdrive providing
refreshments and mince
pies for various events as
well as party food; well
done to them.
Pre-Prep ended their term
with Christmas Carols in
the Jubilee Hall and the
Prep School held their
traditional Carol Service in
St Botolph’s Church,
Colchester. My thanks to
Mr Snell and Mr Stapleton
for what is an extremely
busy time of year. The
singing
has
been
wonderful and we are very
lucky to have such an
active musical scene.
approach to the parents of
the Prep School.
On
Saturday 17 January,
please come along to the
talk in the Talbot Room at
11.15am. We also look
forward to Maths Week
and Conscience Week next
term as well as two major
productions by pupils in
Years 4 & 5 (Robin and
His Sherwood Hoodies)
and in Years 6 & 7
(Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat).
And these are just the
highlights!
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Monday 5 January 2015
Staff INSET Day
Tuesday 6 January 2015
8.30am Term Begins
Saturday 24 January 2015
Exeat Weekend
Friday 13 to Monday 23 February 2015
Half Term
Friday 27 March
Term Ends (whole school)
Sewing Christmas Trees
On behalf of Helen and
my family, may I wish you For half an hour each week this term
all a very Merry Christmas Lottie L, Beth I, Emma d’A, Holly H
and Phoebe R have stuck diligently to
and a Happy New Year.
the task of creating a sewn Christmas
decoration. Everybody finished, Holly
and Phoebe completed their tree just in
With best wishes
the nick of time. Well done everyone.
Alexander Mitchell
As we look forward to
2015, I would like to flag
up an important date with
you where I will take the
opportunity of explaining
the 5Rs Learning to Learn
Headmaster
S C H O O L NE W S . . .
Congratulations!
Elliot W completed
his Open Water
Scuba Diving Course
– PADI – this week.
This is a fantastic
achievement as he put
in a great deal of hard
work. Very well
done!
Happiness is the key to progress
We bid a fond farewell to
Jono, Lucy and Tayla,
this year’s Shadows, and wish
them well on their return home.
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Friday 12 December, Autumn Term, Week 13
W E E K LY E L E M E N T M E E T I N G S . . .
LAND
LAND’S GOT
LAND
We started off with some dancing by a group of Year 7 girls Harriet F, Holly H, Oyin A, Angelie A, and Olivia R - who
danced to ‘All About The Bass’, followed by a piano piece from
Noah T. Then we listened to Christopher T playing the violin and ‘The Cup Song’ by Millie C
and Maisie H. Then there was a performance of ‘Rockin’
Around the Christmas Tree’ by Oliver R, Oliver S, Sam B and
Peter M also known as ‘The School Boyz’ with a surprise
performance from Mikey C and Xen McW who sang ‘Let It
Go’ from the film ‘Frozen’. The biggest surprise, however,
was a fantastic performance from Zara M in Year 2 with an
amazing solo. Zara won the competition.
The judges were Evie D, Millie C, Xen McW, Mikey C,
Angus F-T and Santa.
Everyone thought it was great, with lots of clapping and
cheering. We also gave out prizes to staff and pupils.
Nicolas R-P
Thanks to Oliver T, Air had a super final element meeting with a treasure hunt, the results of the
tutor group paperchain competition and a talk from Sapphire B-G. Many thanks to all the Air
staff that have helped this term. Happy Christmas, Air!
In Element meeting today it was lovely to see all the Pre-Prep children too.
They sang one of the songs from their carol concert. The Year 8s organised
‘Pin the Beak on the Penguin’ and all children were rewarded for their efforts
this term. Then we ended with a rousing chorus of ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed
Reindeer’. Thanks to Mr Snell for providing the musical accompaniment.
WATER
WATER
AIR
AIR
Page 3
Friday 12 December, Autumn Term, Week 13
L I B R A RY. . .
Ideas for Christmas books for young sports fans
Tom Palmer, author of Rugby Academy and Over the
Line recommends these books for young sports fans. He
says:
Another Olympic autobiography – covering
swimming, cycling and running – is the
Brownlee brothers’ Swim Bike Run: our
triathlon story. Not only the story of their
“It’s not always easy to choose the right book for a child, training and competing, but filled with
training tips too. 9+
grandchild, niece or nephew. But if you do choose the
right book it can have a huge impact. I talk to more than
50,000 children a year about books. I ask them what they
An annual not about balls –
like to read and many of them talk about sports books,
although some might argue with that – is
because that’s what I write. This is my list of sports book
the Top Gear 2015 Annual. Lots of
Christmas ideas for children based on what children say
children are obsessed with cars. This is
one Top Gear publication that is aimed at
to me.
kids, so it is relatively safe. 7+
The Guinness Book of Records do football and rugby
versions. Ideal for children who like facts and who might One Dollar Horse by Lauren St John is a
not be confident with reading long linear narratives. 6+
great story set in the world of
equestrianism. A girl and a horse. But more
The Know the Game Series are short
than your usual pony tale. St John writes
and clear books with the rules of most
animals as well – or better – than anyone.
sports and games. Very
9+
comprehensive. Include loads of
sports. Good value at £5. 7+
And one for next year. Loads of children
love WWE wrestling. 2015 sees the first
children’s wrestling novel I know of. Phil
Earle’s Demolition Dad. Phil is a fine
writer, so it will be good. 7+
Charlie Merrick’s Misfits in Fouls,
Friends and Football by Dave Cousins is
a very accessible well-illustrated nonintimidating story about football. A little in
the style of Wimpy Kid, etc. Funny too.
8+
Finally, it’s all very well promoting other authors’ books,
but I write sports fiction too. Rugby Academy and Over
the Line are the new ones.”
There are lots of boys’ football series. There
is only one for girls that is in print, but it’s
great. Helena Pielichaty’s Girls FC series.
Twelve excellent stories. 7+
The 2015 England Rubgy Annual is
one of the few non-fiction rugby books
for children. Lots of pictures, puzzles
and facts. Great for Christmas Day. Be
careful not to buy it for anyone who
doesn’t support England. 6+
Jessica Ennis’ autobiography –
Unbelievable – looks like it is for adults, but
Jessica wanted it to be written for children
too. A confident 10+ could read it. My
daughter did and found it very inspiring.
The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams
has been adapted for television
and will be shown on BBC1 on Boxing Day
at 6.55 pm.
Have a lovely Christmas and...... Keep Reading!
Mrs Apperley Librarian
Page 4
Friday 12 December, Autumn Term, Week 13
READING COMPETITION...
And the winner is...
Year 4 Reading Competition
Winner: Harry O Runner up: Margot F
Highly commended: Ilayda H, Fergus S, Gus A, Pearl P, Jemima L, Ava G, Amelia M and James P.
Year 5 Reading Competition
Winner: Misha B Runner up: James N
Highly commended: Honor D, Alara H, Thomas L, Oliver J, Charlie A,
AJ P-S, Millie C, Oscar D, Daniel R-P, Sapphire B-G.
Year 6 Reading Competition
Winner: Zeke L
Runner up: Maximus G
Highly commended:, George L, Sam B, Edmund A, Oliver S, Olivia F, Oliver R, Matthew B, Eliot W, Jasmine W.
Well done to everyone!
T H I S W E E K I N G E O G RA P H Y. . .
Holmwood House Year 7 Microclimate Project
During this week, all Year 7s have been busy collecting weather data
from five strategically chosen sites around the school. They have
found that the weather does vary between these sites and will now
use the data to produce a project on the microclimate of Holmwood
House. The pupils enjoyed using a variety of weather instruments, in
particular the ‘Electronic Anemometer’ which accurately measures
wind speed. The microclimate project acts as a valuable practice run
for the CE coursework which begins in the summer term.
Page 5
Friday 12 December, Autumn Term, Week 13
SCIENCE...
Holmwood students go to the BBC filming of the
2014 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
“Sparks will fly” Lecture 2
presented by Professor Danielle George
Professor Danielle George is Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Engineering and
Physical Sciences, and a Professor in the Microwave and Communications Systems research group at the
University of Manchester. She worked at Jodrell Bank Observatory as a senior Radio Frequency Engineer until
2006 when she took up a lectureship post in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. She was
awarded a Professorship earlier this year at the age of 38.
“A revolution is happening. Across the world people are taking control of
the devices we use every day, customising them, creating new things and
using the sparks of their imagination to change the world. Now it’s your
turn, and you can start with the things you have around you. Professor
Danielle George will take three great British inventions – a light bulb, a
telephone and a motor – and show you how to adapt them and transform
them to do extraordinary things. This is tinkering for the 21 st century,
using the full array of cutting edge devices that we can lay our hands on:
3D printers, new materials, online collaboration and controlling devices
through coding.”
Watch all three lectures, especially lecture 2!
Lecture 1
Lecture 2
Lecture 3
Monday 29 December 2014
8pm – BBC Four
Tuesday 30 December 2014
8pm - BBC Four
Wednesday 31 December 2014 8pm BBC Four
The Light Bulb Moment
Making Contact
A New Revolution
1878. Geordie inventor Joseph Swan
It
demonstrates the first working light
Alexander Graham Bell who first
was
the
Scottish
inventor
bulb.
Now in 2014 we can find tiny
managed to get the world’s first
LEDs in almost everything we own. So
telephone to transmit speech –
can we use a humble light bulb to start
and now we carry these amazing
our own imaginative, creative process?
devices around in our pockets!
Danielle will announce the new rules of
W e’re
invention and show you how to use
everyone else in the world, so
modern tools and technologies to have
can we use these networks to
fun and make a difference to the world
solve problems?
around you.
now
connected
to
The Royal Institution’s very own
Michael Faraday demonstrated the
world’s first motor in 1822 – now
we are surrounded by devices that
spin, swing, and saw. But why stop
now? If we continue prototyping,
testing and perfecting, can we turn
a humble motor into something
world changing?
Page 6
Friday 12 December, Autumn Term, Week 13
PRE-PREP NEWS...
Year 3 Christmas Party
BOARDING ...
Christmas Cakes
On Monday, George B-C, Oyin A and James J delivered the Christmas cakes that the boarders had made to
Blackbrook Residential Care Home in Dedham. The residents were thrilled to receive the cakes and the children had
an interesting time chatting and getting to know the recipients.
Mrs de Voy
Bingo and Karaoke Evening
Page 7
E L E M E N T M AT C H E S …
Friday 12 December, Autumn Term, Week 13