Month: May 2016
Last weekend saw Woodbridge students taking part in the RHS team racing regatta held at Alton Water. This event attracted around 25 teams from schools and local sailing clubs around the East of England to battle it out in the RS Feva and the Firefly classes. The wind, varying in direction and strength all day, tested the team’s abilities in a wide variety of conditions. Team racing is a lot about tactics and being new to team racing as a school it was a steep learning curve for many of our students, both in the Junior RS Feva and Senior Firefly teams. Whilst we did not come away with any medals it was a great experience for both our teams, and left many looking forward with anticipation to events later in the term.
On Sunday 26 April 25 skiers from Woodbridge School competed in the ERSA ski competition at Ipswich Dry Slope. The weather was variable, with sun and hail, the competition organisation was excellent and the competitors all performed brilliantly. Four of our teams came away with medals.
U19 boys’ team of Sam Newman, Tom Harper, Harry Nicholson and Freddy Simpson took bronze position.
U14 boys’ team of Alfie Glendinning, Ben Oates, Saif Toubassey and Josh Ralph also finished in bronze position.
U16 girls’ team of Katherine Bye, Beth Turner and Charlotte Bowers took bronze as well.
The stars of the day were our U19 mixed team of Lucy-May Turner, Chris Grainger, Jasmine Baumbach and Matt Bye who took gold!
A big thank you to our captains, Chris and Lucy-May, who looked after the younger team members so well and to all the parents who turned up to support and help.
Next competition is ESSKIA in September.
Following on from a very successful 2015 golfing season, Chloe has started 2016 extremely well. At the start of April, Chloe achieved every golfer’s dream by securing her first ever hole in one. Chloe managed the feat on a 165 yard par 3 hole at St Audrys Golf Club. Chloe has followed this up by being selected for the Suffolk County Girls’ 2nd team, playing in county matches over the last two weekends, firstly at Bedford & County Golf Club then at Newton Green Golf Club. Well done Chloe; keep it up!
Six schools took part in the first athletics meet this season at RHS on Saturday: Gresham’s, Ipswich High, Ipswich School, Brandeston, RHS and Woodbridge. Open to girls’ teams of U12, U13 U14 and U15, it made for a busy and exciting day with so many involved. Woodbridge won overall with first places in both the two younger age groups and second in the older two.
In the U12 category we had many second places with a particularly fine run to win the relay, Katie Bellhouse and Ella Walker high amongst the many who contributed excellent results. The U13 team saw Ianthe Hill win the 300m, Annie Yates the discus, Sophie Graham the Javelin with a new PB of 35.39m, and the relay team also won. In the U14 Sarah Barker won the 300m, Amy Graham the 800m, javelin and relay, Joanne Garnett the discus. In the U15 team Chloe Outen won the triple jump with most of the rest of the team being placed second in their events.
A special mention must go to Annie Yates who in true Woodbridge fashion offered to compete in the hurdles a year up and the relay team two years up, and to Millie Buchanan whose commitment to the team despite in the end being deemed by staff too ill to compete was an example to all. These examples of enthusiasm and team spirit give a hint as to why our teams so often do so well across such a broad spectrum of activities: the camaraderie is hugely appreciated by peers and staff.
Thanks to all the parents who brought the girls to school on our Bank holiday weekend and those out supporting at RHS. Most importantly thank you girls and well done!
The Abbey Y3 tennis team competed in the qualifying rounds of the county competition at Ipswich High School. The team was made up of Lara Zie, Georgia Pommier, Rose Jackson, Nina Chapman. With much enthusiasm the girls took on Ipswich High School in the first tie. This was a close affair with the girls playing well, and pushing nerves aside, this being their first competitive fixture. The fixture ended in a 3-3 draw but with a superior points difference, The Abbey were the winners. Next up was Brandeston in the finals of the day. Lara Zie proved she was one of the players of the day, beating her no.1 ranked opponent 10-7, after a comfortable win in the first round, and impressing the professional tennis coaches. The singles and doubles matches were close, and the girls impressed with how they improved from their first match, but The Abbey had to settle for second place on the day. With this they achieved qualification for the Y3 County Finals to be held at Brandeston in June. They showed good fitness and determination, running balls down and giving their all. Valuable experience was gained, which will be needed when they compete at the County Finals.
On a glorious sunny day The Abbey took part jointly with Y7 and Y8 and competed in an Athletics Meet at Newhall together with teams from IHS, Newhall and Holmwood House.
The results are as follows:
Y4 came 3rd
Y5 came 1st
Y6 came 2nd
Overall our team won this Athletic event. Well done to all the girls.
The children at Queen’s House have been trying hard to improve their manners this week. As well as remembering to say please and thank you, they have been holding doors open for others, eating nicely in the Tuckwell Room, waiting politely to speak to teachers and being courteous to visitors in school. They have collected gold stars for their efforts and special Good Manners Certificates were awarded today to Scarlett, Martha, Alex, Freya and Audrey. Well done to all the children in Queen’s House who tried so hard this week with their manners.
Certificates were presented today to the children in Queen’s House. Effort certificates were awarded to Poppy, Ruby, Maea, Olive and Arthur. Table Manners certificates were awarded to William, Xan, Henri, Alex and Stephanie. Jemima received the Karate certificate. Congratulations also to Rowan who took part in the 2016 Barnet Junior Chess Individual Championships and achieved Boys Under 7 Winner. Well done!
The Reception children have been learning about Life Cycles this week. After learning about how frogs grow and develop, they went into the Queen’s House garden and found hundreds of tadpoles in the pond. They are looking forward to watching them develop further.
Two bakers’ dozen of wonderful fare: no two compositions at all alike even though many shared the examiners’ initial demands. This really was an exceptional evening: as Mr Penny said at the close ‘one of the best in memory’, and also one that benefited considerably from the skill and support of peers happy to play for each other and alongside each other. Solos, duets, trios, quartets, quintets… and so on up to a full orchestra (this one admittedly played by Sibelius, the software that facilitates the practicalities, though not the inspiration, behind composition). Woodwind and brass, keyboard and guitar, voice and violin, drums and dissonance; jazz, classical, ballad, minimalist and maximal, modern and traditional… Tremendous.
Many congratulations to all, under the sympathetic and expert guidance of Mr Milton, for producing such a fine evening’s entertainment, whether composers, performers or (usually) both: Gabriella, Georgia, Felix, Grace, Theo, Madeline, Harrison, Isabella, Michael, Joseph, William, Francis, Eloise and Harrison; and helping them perform: Freeman, Charlie, Oscar, Rhiannon, Sid, Chris, Bethany and Gabriella.