Month: March 2016
The U15A netball team finished their season with an exciting tournament held at Woodbridge. Early games saw the girls win 22-2 against East Bergholt, 7-1 Ipswich School, 13-9 RHS and one loss against Ipswich High 7-11. With Ipswich High losing a game against RHS it meant that Woodbridge in their last game needed to score 22 goals to win the tournament. Despite 11 scored in the first 6 minute half they only scored another five in the second half. So they finished as runners up with a goal average of 13 while Ipswich High had an average of 14. All nine squad members played really well and have increased their goals scored this season to 221! Shooters Maddie Felton, Katy Garnett and Jemima Hill have been brilliant. Captain Chloe Outen has been continually outstanding, with defensive players Eleanor Berridge, Louise Farthing, Mia King and Mollie Biddle always working hard to break down the play of the opposition. Georgia Harrold and Flora Johnson have helped to feed the ball into the circle. A good team effort from a super set of girls – well done!
Reports by Katherine Bye
The U14A had a tense match against St Joseph’s College. At the start of the first quarter we picked up the pace and scored 6 goals in quick succession, putting us into the lead. However, St Joseph’s started fighting back and we finished the first quarter 7-4 to us. During the second quarter St Joseph’s scored 8 goals and Woodbridge scored 5. We held our nerve and great delaying down the court prevented them from going ahead and we held them level at 12-12. Holding our heads up high we went into the third quarter determined to take a strong lead. Great movement in the centre and goal third meant the ball travelled quickly down the court allowing us to increase our score, while good defensive interceptions prevented St Joseph’s from scoring many goals. At the end of the third quarter the score was 19-14. In the final quarter, we were determined to finish off the last league match of the season with a strong win. We worked well together as a team and with great play by all, we ended the tough match 28-20 to us.
A dozen captured moments in the life of young William Brown came gloriously to life through the voices of this year’s parade of form winners as they vied for the title of Ayres Cup champion and Reading Aloud winner (not something I can imagine William himself undertaking with anything other than a destructive gleam in his eye). The Year 7s started us off as two of our own Williams (in name not deed, of course), Nina and Millie told their story of accidents and adventures; the Year 8s Kira, Lily and Annabel carried the baton of comedy into the realm of the absurd; the Year 9s Guy, Oliver, Martha and James made absurdity blush; and Toby finished us, William, his father, and most of the attendant family, off in the finest style. Brilliant, ridiculous, gloriously entertaining and…. crucially… fantastically well read by everyone concerned: enunciation, characterisation, enthusiasm, innocence and a certain lack of it, the odd accent, and a bit of adult ranting from time to time. Many congratulations one and all, and, as is ever thus on the Reading Aloud evening, just a soupçon more to the three year group champions: William Cook in Year 7, Guy Seagers in Year 9, and Lily Craig the Year 8 and overall Ayres Cup champion. Our thanks to Rosie, Rhiannon and Mr Edwards for their adjudication, to Audrey and Mrs Gardner’s daughter Rosie for their introductions, to Dr Renshaw for the inspiration, and to Miss Edwards and her team for the hospitality of the Seckford Theatre.
What a great night out! The foot tapping got underway immediately, and rather appropriately, with the Swing Band’s Blues Walk, the boys enjoyed a sing-song in Tequila (well, a sing-word: “Tequila!” after the last chord – perfectly delivered!), then Along Came Betty… and the Day Tripper. Wonderfully recognisable and brilliantly upbeat, the Swing band’s set was a real treat, full of expertly delivered solos and improvisations, and a great start to the entertainment: thank you Mr Shepherd and your musicians.
Thereafter we were treated to a rich variety of sumptuous music from the smaller ensembles: rags, blues, deep South (Deep River, at least), soul, something Cool and a breezy Air to help chase in springtime, epitomised by Beach’s Pastorale (a performance, as Mr Penny pointed out, conceived and rehearsed without staff input by the quintet which played it so beautifully). Many congratulations to all the individuals who contributed to these most intimate of groupings, the largest of which was the ever-entertaining Percussion Ensemble.
The second half was the Concert Band’s. Mr Hubbard’s choice of repertoire mixed genres brilliantly, keeping it all exciting yet familiar, rousing yet poignant. Uptown Funk! – not what I expected from the Band; Festiva, Game of Thrones (I confess I may have heard this tune once or twice on the sofa at home with the family), Gabriel’s Oboe (Isabella Pincombe’s gorgeous solo absolutely captivating) and The Dam Busters to close all much more Band-like but no less exciting for that. And in between Life on Mars and our own small tribute to Bowie.
A great night out indeed: our thanks and congratulations go to all the performers, and to the conductors Mr Hubbard, Mr Shepherd and Miss Foster, and our thanks to the audience for the retiring collection of £182.05 in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.
Woodbridge School had a record five pupils, all from Year 9, represent Suffolk at England Schools National Cross Country Championship on Saturday 5 March in Nottingham. 44 counties each sent their best 8 athletes, so over 350 of the fastest children in England were competing in each race. The races are so competitive that there are often a half-dozen athletes crossing the line in a single second. The setting was perfect: cold but sunny conditions on an undulating but not too muddy course.
Suffolk finished 16th in the Junior Boys and 20th in the Junior Girls. Nathan Goddard finished an amazing 25th with George Rufford 260th in the Junior Boys, while Sarah Barker finished 88th, Amy Graham 192nd and Millie Buckingham 297th in the Junior Girls.
There are just two cross country fixtures left for this winter, the Inter Counties in Birmingham on Saturday 12 March and the East Anglian Prep Schools Cross Country Championships which Woodbridge School is hosting on Sunday 20 March. Please come and support your school as defending champions at this final event!
Congratulations to Rowan Kent (Under 8) and Marina Pommier (Under 9), Jake Cartwright (Under 12) and Lai Chun (Under 18) who became Suffolk Chess champions yesterday. Indeed Rowan, who is not yet 7 won his tournament with a perfect score of 6 wins from 6 games! Great credit also goes to the other Abbey and Woodbridge students who took part. There were numerous other good performances and it was particularly encouraging to see so many students in the younger age groups taking part.
Staying on chess and the final four of the Year 7 Mileham shield have been decided. This tournament, which has been running throughout the Lent term has enabled all Year 7s to take part. Congratulations to Tobias Juszt, Talia Fawcett, Thomas McNally and Jake Cartwright for getting this far.
Today the Suffolk Police visited Queen’s House. They talked to the Reception children about how they help people in the local community. The children were so engaged and inspired by the police visit asking and answering questions throughout the morning. They particularly enjoyed dressing up in the police uniforms and hats and exploring the police car!
Chapel Choir came together on Thursday March 10 to sing Compline, an ancient form of night prayer using plainsong. It was a very spiritual moment of reflection in a busy day, and everyone benefited from the tranquility of this very special service.