Woodbridge School and Sixth Form
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Woodbridge School Prep
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The Reception children have started their new topic All Creatures Great and Small. They have learnt about animals and their young and lifecycles. Our role play area is a The Pet Shop and the children have been learning to use money in practical situations. The creative area has enabled the children to extend their knowledge independently creating butterflies in mixed media.

We are very excited to announce that Fergus Gathorne-Hardy has reached the final of the competition.

123,400 children took part and submitted a story. The first round of judging narrowed the field to 4,500 and then there was a further judging panel that resulted in only 50 stories being put through to the final.

Fergus’s story was entitled “The Smoking Pipe” and it was based on his experiences of mud larking.

The live final takes place at The Globe Theatre on 27 May.
Well done Fergus and we all wish you every success in the final.

You can click on the link to hear Fergus’s story or read it below.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4Kn6c4746XcrhYVNq1KtvJX/top-50-stories-2016-age-5-to-9

Here is Fergus’s story:

THE SMOKING PIPE

The river smells different when it’s full or empty. As we approached the Thames, the old brick warehouses looming on either side, we caught the rusty, smudgy scent of low tide. My dad lifted me over the wall to check the coast was clear.

“I can see a way down’, I told him, and we dropped onto the stony shore. Only it wasn’t stones: under our feet lay a carpet of animal bones, broken pottery, shells and other treasures. Suddenly, I heard a crunching noise. A figure in black leather boots was moving towards us, the torn edges of his sweeping coat almost brushing the beach as he swept a metal detector back and forth, ticktockticktock, like an old grandfather clock. His head was bent low, but as he reached us, he looked straight into my face with a pair of brilliant blue eyes. ‘Mudlarking, are we?’ he wheezed. ‘Found anything yet?’

‘Er, not yet, no,’ I stammered.  Fumbling with wrinkly brown fingers in a pocket, the man pulled out a magnificent white clay pipe.

‘Yours, if you want it’, grunted the man, thrusting it towards me. The pipe gleamed like moonlight against his muddy hands. I took it, and it felt smooth and cold, like a piece of fresh chalk. All of a sudden I noticed that a thin whisper of smoke had begun to curl out of the wider end. I whipped round to show Dad, but stopped in amazement. The skyscrapers and the Shard, and all the bridges had disappeared: there was just a thick, soft fog all around me, like being under my duvet in bed. And that’s when I noticed something else. The rumble of buses and taxis and planes overhead had utterly stopped. Instead, I could hear the strangest things: small splashes of water, a clinking of metal, and what sounded like horses hooves beating along. The pipe in my hand now felt warm.

‘Proper peasouper’ came a whisper right in my ear, though I could see nothing. ‘You don’t want to be out in those, all sorts of brigands and cutpurses and vagabonds about…’ A cold finger that stank of seaweed touched my cheek. I yelled, and fell backwards, and the pipe flew out of my hands. I heard the plop as it hit the river water.  Pushing myself up from the grimy shore, I saw my Dad still waiting by the river wall. Behind him was the London Eye and red buses stacked at the traffic lights, and the winter sun was shining on a new office block. But there was no sign of the man in the coat. ‘Better hurry, the tide is turning’ warned Dad.  I glanced back at the water, where the top end of the pipe was just poking out. Ripples were already edging up its neck. Soon, it would be covered.

Many congratulations to our Sixth Formers Miles Budden and Alexander Craggs, and Woodbridge pupil-elect Tom Emmerson who, with the three other members of their team, ‘Refresh’, recently competed in the UK final of the Cyber Centurion Challenge, held recently at Bletchley Park.
Having earned their place in the final thanks to sterling work in the various preliminary challenges, they battled hard to solve a number of complex computer security challenges, and finished in a brilliant fifth place out of the ten teams invited to the finals. The winners came all the way from Gibraltar.

Miles gave an entertaining interview for ITV Anglia http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2016-04-26/competition-aims-to-find-next-generation-of-cyber-defence-experts/

Well done the team!

Katherine Bye reports
The U14As’ last game of the season was a friendly away at Felsted.

It was a difficult match. We played well, however their attacking play was very strong. The first half was encouraging and we scored several skilful goals, but despite this, Felsted steadily pulled out in front. During the second half Felsted continued their powerful play and we struggled to keep up. It was frustrating to end the season with a defeat, friendly or not, having won the league.

The Under 14A netball team has had a great season, winning all its South Suffolk league matches. We showed confidence and, with determination, we won some difficult matches. We played superbly together as a team and showed great dedication. We developed new skills during the season, and focussed on communication, moving onto the ball to get it to the shooters – and on developing more defensive interceptions. We played seven league matches and won all of them convincingly. It has been a great season which we all enjoyed.

Nathan Goddard reports
At the end of the Lent term we set out in beautiful and sunny conditions to face St Joseph’s away from home. We started the match positively and a good piece of movement by Daniel Davies allowed him to take the ball inside the area before passing across the goal to find his forward partner George Rufford at the back post who swept the ball in. Not too long after Daniel found himself in more space on the right side of the area. This time he played a cross across the area to find Josh Graves who took a touch before reverse tomahawking the ball into the top corner leaving the keeper no chance. Later on in that half Noah Lewington made a great save to his right making sure we had the lead 2-0 at half time. However, just after the break St Joseph’s pulled one back after repeated shots on our goal and it was not long before they scored a second from a short corner after some miscommunication. Eventually we kicked our second half into life with Oli Buchanan pouncing on a misplaced pass to slot the ball home from the edge of the area. We had further chances to score more goals and put the game to bed after more good leads from the forwards. However, neither side was able to score any more goals leaving us with a hard fought 3-2 win.

Two days later we faced Framlingham away from home. After being defeated in a tournament earlier on in the year we hoped for better this time, but within the first few minutes of the match we conceded a goal to a short corner. However, for the rest of the half the teams were evenly matched, and we twice came close to equalising when first Alex Weir-Simmons hit the crossbar and then Danny Norman hit the post. As the second half started we had even more chances but we were unable to put any into the back of the net, only for Framlingham to score from another short corner. There would be two more goals from open play in the rest of the match but unfortunately both were scored by Framlingham. Special mention must go to Oliver Juszt for once again making some outstanding saves. Despite being defeated there were many positives to be taken from the match including the amount of chances created and the quality of our hockey.

Arthur Bartlett reports
I have had the most incredible opportunity this season to improve my ski racing. I qualified, somewhat to my surprise, for the ESSKIA (English Schools Ski Association) junior squad, on the basis of the dry slope races that Woodbridge took part in last September. I was invited to join the ESSKIA squad training in Pila in Italy from 13 to 20 March.

The week in Pila was a great chance to meet ski racers from other schools and parts of the country. It was a full program of race training, competition, ski preparation and fitness, and some school work too. I was really pleased with the progress I made during the week – I won the Giant Slalom competition and came third in the Slalom.

At the end of the week I took a taxi from Pila to Tignes in France to join four time Olympian Chemmy Alcott and her CDC Performance team to prepare for and compete in the British Alpine Championships. This was the biggest ski racing challenge I have ever faced and just qualifying gave me a huge sense of achievement.

The program was intense, fitness, activation, skiing, ski prep, and homework but great fun and the camaraderie of been part of a small team – just nine racers – was amazing. I was pleased with my placings, although a way off the podium, I had made real progress. The most thrilling thing I did for the first time was the Super G, a race with very long turns on very long skis, and although I crashed out in the race I cannot wait to have the chance to do it again. I am delighted that CDC performance has invited me to join the team training in New Zealand for four weeks in the summer.

The support of my teachers in providing school work and help while I missed a week and a half of school, and of the sports department in helping me to build my strength and fitness have allowed me to make the most of this amazing opportunity. Thank you.

Many congratulations to Oliver Wroe who recently won the inaugural Wilford Sculls on the River Deben, hosted by the Deben Rowing Club. The course of a little over 2km demanded both speed and expert navigation, weaving in and out of the various natural and manmade obstructions the river invariably provides. Oliver won with the fastest time of the day: 11 minutes 29 seconds, just ahead of Steve Fowler whose masters rowing adjusted time of 11 minutes 31 based on his actual time of 11:51 was not quite good enough. To put Oliver’s achievement in context, Steve rowed twice for Cambridge in the early nineties and continues to train and compete at very a high level.

1st beat Wymondham by 3 wickets in a T20.

Woodbridge won the toss and put Wymondham in to bat on a very damp pitch. The first 8 overs went extremely well, with the opening pair of Matt Sutton and Ollie Whiting bowling tightly. In the last 8 overs one of the opposition swung the bat, scoring a quick 49, which elevated their score to 90 for 6 at the end of 20 overs – a competitive total given the conditions.

Woodbridge in attempting the run chase slowly lost wickets along the way. Fortunately Callum Askins found form with the bat, scoring 55 not out, including 5 sixes, the last of which was the winning runs in the final over. Callum batted with intelligence and determination, hitting out when necessary and carefully watching and playing the variable bounce on the good balls. All in all an excellent way to start the season.

Huge crowds; hundreds of expectant children from across East Anglia; so many schools represented. Woodbridge School’s second hosting of this major regional event on the sporting calendar was if anything even more brilliantly slick than last year’s triumph. Mr Lubbock, Mr Goddard, Miss Sanders, Mrs Richardson and their wonderful team of staff, parent and pupil volunteers spirited up a glorious day of endeavour and achievement, making light of the relatively grey skies, and the attempt at drizzle –nothing was going to dampen proceedings!

Each race went off at blistering pace, the thunder of the feet rolling down the initial slopes into the valley. And then the woodland hill… but even here the attack of the athletes was great to behold. No quarter given to mere gradient. One lap, two laps, Tollers or not depending on age or gender… everyone had a course perfectly matched to their experience and strength, and the challenges posed gave the fastest just the right amount of time to demonstrate their skill. Medallists were almost invariably medallists by a good few metres and not by heartbreaking widths-of-singlets; and teams won their honours thanks to consistently outstanding performance and not through the agony of others’ distress.

After over two hours of racing, one event seamlessly proceeding to the next, it was time to regroup in the Dome for delicious cakes, sandwiches and hot drinks (very welcome indeed!). Mr Brett welcomed and thanked, Mr Lubbock and Miss Sanders praised and distributed: and it was a great day for Woodbridge School: overall team champions! Overall boys’ champions! Overall girls’ champions! Under 11 boys’ champions! Under 12 boys’ champions! Second in under 12 girls, under 13 girls and under 10 boys! Ruby Vinton won U10 girls’, Henry Dinwiddy won U11 boys’, Kit Evans-Lombe won silver in U12 boys’, and Will Frankin (U12B), Edward Rufford (U11B) and Bea Thomas (U12G) all won bronzes. Brilliant stuff. Many congratulations to all the athletes, wherever you placed – everyone counted in the team event – and what a team we were!

Grade 2
Emily Weston Flute Merit
Joshua Bell Guitar Merit
Saif Toubasey Guitar Merit
Grade 3
Toby Mcnally Alto Saxophone Distinction
Madeleine Cheshire Singing Pass
Laura Golding Singing Pass
Sophie Graham Singing Merit
Ianthe Hill Singing Merit
Lauren Wilkes Singing Distinction
Annabel Yates Singing Pass
Ruben Kill Piano Distinction
Grade 4
Amy Goddard Clarinet Pass
Lily Proudfoot Harp Merit
Sophie Drew Singing Merit
Jemima Hill Singing Distinction
Grade 5
Tilly Farrow Piano Merit
Verity Hobday Flute Pass
Hannah Dodsworth Singing Distinction
Rayan Semnani Singing Merit
Grade 6
Jenny Clare Piano Distinction
Charlotte Dinwiddy Cello Merit
Grade 7    
Rayan Semnani Piano Pass
Gabriella Zins Piano Merit
Gabriella Zins Singing Distinction
Grade 8
Nicole Mary Buckingham Cello Distinction
Chloe Agar Singing Merit