From CE mocks to mod rocs! This week, children in Year 6 have been using a material called 'mod roc' to create sculptures of different foods, which will be displayed in our Dining Room when finished. Mod roc is a type of bandage permeated with plaster which can be layered to create strong, 3D structures. From sushi and burgers to grapes and hot sauce, their creations are coming along nicely. We are excited to see their final results!

It has been an incredibly busy and exciting time in the sporting calendar, with children representing the School far and wide across a whole range of events.

Our Year 4 boys and girls enjoyed their football festival at Hatherop, embracing the chance to compete with enthusiasm. There were also hockey and netball fixtures against Pinewood, alongside the ever-competitive Severnside netball festival, where our teams produced great performances against strong opposition. We must mention our U9A and B girls, who won their festival.

The boys’ first VII enjoyed a superb afternoon at The Downs, Malvern Hockey Festival. Drawn in a strong group, the children rose to the challenge impressively, recording victories over St Hugh’s, RGS Worcester, Moor Park and King’s Gloucester. Those results set up a final against a powerful Pinewood side.

Beaudesert made the perfect start. Quick thinking and a clinical finish saw them take the lead inside the opening minute. Pinewood drew level early in the second half, but Beaudesert responded with a wonderfully taken deflected goal to restore their advantage. The closing minutes were tense, yet the boys showed composure and determination to hold firm and be crowned deserved champions.

There has been a real buzz around the School this week, much of it driven by a brilliantly simple idea: hide and seek.

The grounds quickly became a landscape of strategy. A glimpse of a mid-layer behind a tree... A suppressed giggle from the Rose Garden... The slow, suspenseful countdown before seekers set off in pursuit! What starts as light-hearted fun somehow turns into high drama within seconds.

It has been especially lovely to see older children drawing younger ones into the game, sharing prime hiding spots and celebrating near escapes together. There has been laughter at every turn and a real sense of shared adventure.

Indoors, Mr New introduced a new sport: paper aeroplane golf. Corridors became fairways and precision was everything. On the final hole (the table on Matrons' Landing), you could cut the tension with a knife...

Henry had played superbly and stepped up knowing this throw could seal it. His plane flew cleanly, heading confidently towards the target, only for us to realise that in the moment, he had aimed for the wrong green. Groans turned quickly to smiles, and so it finished in a draw all round. However, Mr New is convinced he should be awarded the (Beaudesert) Green Jacket.

Another lovely week.

Oli and Debbie Jones, Houseparents

Just a bit of light work on debating skills and learning about social mobility over here this week!

In Pre-Prep, we have been working hard on our critical thinking and communication skills. Across year groups, we use Exploratory Talk, which is an approach that encourages oracy and debate, by encouraging children to employ active listening and perspective sharing whilst using sentence starters such as ‘I agree because’ and ‘I disagree because’. Mrs Weinberger and Mrs Danks were blown away this week by the Nursery children’s skills, as they discussed different characters from traditional tales to determine if they were forces for good or not. Discussions included ideas such as Little Red Riding Hood being a little bit good and a little bit bad. She did not heed her mummy’s rules about staying on the path, but she was being kind by trying to look after her poorly grandma. Children listened to each other, expressed their ideas clearly and took on different views with exceptional maturity. Amazing!

We have been loving Forest School, with the warmer days this week has offered us. Reception children planned a wedding in the woods, with processions and celebrations, and got busy creating the spaces and resources they needed for this special (fictional) occasion! We have all enjoyed making hobby-horses using sticks and twine. Year 1 also loved playing tug-of-war and toasting marshmallows on the fire.

Year 1 have been immersed in Design Technology skills, as they have worked to construct their own moving junk model vehicles, following their pre-planned designs with integrated axles and wheels. They have also been learning about industrialist and businessman Henry Ford, who we discovered revolutionised car assembly lines and helped make cars more affordable and available to the masses.

In other news, we have been enjoying developing our artistic abilities, undertaking reading assessments and loving our music lessons, Spanish Club Café and ballet sessions!

Anna Packman, Head of Pre-Prep

St Mary’s, Calne NSEA Eventers Challenge at West Wilts – Sunday 18^th January

Henry in Year 7 travelled to West Wilts on Sunday 18^th to take part in the NSEA Eventers Challenge on his new ride, Stan. He rode really well over a tough course to come 3^rd. A great start for this new partnership.

NSEA Show Jumping at Allens Hill – Sunday 1^st February

Melba and Jack headed to Allens Hill for the NSEA County Show Jumping qualifiers on Sunday 1^st, braving the rain. Melba was riding a new horse to her, Annaghmore Cavaboom, but she rode brilliantly to go clear. Jack headed in to the 90cm with confidence and rode a lovely, accurate round to place 4^th. A fantastic result.

NSEA County Qualifiers at West Wilts – Sunday 23^rd February

Last Sunday, Joey, Melba and Jack all ventured to West Wilts to take part in the NSEA Show Jumping Qualifiers for Hickstead. Joey started really well, going clear in the 70cm with a good time on Lulu and finishing in fourth place. Unfortunately in the 80cm, things didn’t quite go their way, but Melba jumped a lovely steady clear on Pilleyhill Royal, finishing in 9^th place. Into the 90cm and Melba had an unlucky pole, but Jack came in to produce yet another clear. He was not fast enough to be in the ribbons this time, but he rode really well on the lovely, It’s Spartacus. Well done.