Month: November 2018

It is an astonishing testimony to the care and energy that Mrs Brown and her team have given to our Careers Fair since she brought it into being just a few years ago that it is now considered the best East Anglian venue for many of our stallholders. Exhibitor numbers continue to rise, with some 10% new this year, and a further, sometimes overlapping, 10% or more with direct Woodbridge connections (often OW employees keen to return a favour!).  Over sixty companies helped teenagers from all over the county research their futures, and the Dome was buzzing throughout the four hours with a wonderful sense of purpose and possibility.  Universities, colleges, professional institutes, companies, charities and more all were delighted to offer advice, and could not have been more pleased with the constant footfall of those keen to listen.  I wonder how many futures will prove to have been influenced by this opportunity?  I wouldn’t be surprised if it proves to be hundreds.  Our thanks go to all the exhibitors for joining us, and our congratulations to Mrs Brown, Mrs Kneebone, Mr Edwards, the catering and caretaking staff, and all the teaching staff and prefects who ensured it ran so perfectly on the day.

We are excited and delighted to announce that there will be a Christmas Fair taking place on Saturday 8 December so please do put the date in your diaries!

Christmas is a wonderful time for us to bring the whole Woodbridge School community together, and our Fair offers the perfect opportunity for a marvellous afternoon of fun. There will be plenty to entertain everyone, including a fabulous Santa’s grotto for the younger children, fun and games, arts and crafts, delicious food and drink, as well as some fantastic stalls for Christmas shopping.

We would love to hear from you if you would like to take a stall at the Fair, to sell your products or run a fun festive activity. Please email samanthaihenacho@gmail.com or contact your year group rep if you would like to get involved.

We will be delighted to see you there!

Even a short journey can dull the senses… and so it proved as our journey to Orwell Park lulled us into a slow start which the opposition exploited.  One goal down so early on woke us up, though: we reorganised quickly, Perdi and Alice leading the way with some good runs forward; meanwhile strong defensive work from Millie and Jasmine, and Matilda rock solid in goal whenever she was the only person in the defensive circle, kept the opposition at bay. All seemed set fair for a very close encounter, only for Orwell to steal a second goal on the break just before half time.  In the second half we came out with much more assertion and Olivia and Isla played really well, Olivia getting in some great positions up the pitch and Isla clearing the ball from our defence.  Havannah played brilliantly in defence as did Kitty who made some fantastic attacking runs up the right hand side of the pitch.  Evie and Poppy held the ball well in the centre of the pitch, and Orwell had barely any further chances (those they did were well covered by Faith in goal).  We did, though… and many of them… it’s just that on this occasion we couldn’t put any of them away! It was a fantastic second half and one which bodes well for next week against RHS.
Well done girls, and our thanks to all the supporters who came to watch.

The U14A team played a fast competitive game away to Ipswich High School. With several players unavailable for various reasons it again showed the strength in depth of a squad still able to field such a strong team. Helen in goal had a particularly busy time making save upon save; the defence worked hard with Lucy taking quick 16-yard hit outs and Amy working tirelessly in front of her to move the ball up field; and the two Ellas on the right also had fine games.
A decisive first-half break saw all Bea’s hard work rewarded with a goal to put Woodbridge ahead, but the opposition really put the pressure on in the second half, and were a last rewarded in turn with a late equaliser for a final score of 1-1.
This was a fine team effort full of hard work.

Daniel has been shortlisted by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, in the Armistice 100 Schools Poetry Prize competition organised by the University of Lincoln. Daniel’s poem will feature in a book and he has been invited to attend an awards ceremony at the University of Lincoln where Carol Ann Duffy will announce the competition winners and launch the book containing the winning and shortlisted poems.  Huge congratulations to Daniel.

Robert has been selected on the basis of performance and commitment to a programme of training and competition over a period of several years, and establishes his status as a UK Squad sailor who will hope to represent Great Britain at major international events in the forthcoming years. Congratulations to Robert!

Pupils experiment with food colouring and milk in a popular experiment known as ‘magic milk’ where they see the effect of adding an emulsifier on immiscible liquids (two liquids that don’t mix!).

I think I speak for all of the students who went on this trip when I say this has impacted all of us for life. Our experiences were all independent and touching in a multitude of ways. We, as a group, had the chance to interact with such different characters, from babies up to young adults, and each imprinted their happiness and loving on us individually each day we spent there. Our time was short but packed full of special moments that will undoubtedly stay with us. The children, no matter what needs they had, were constantly engaged and happy – and only ever wanting to share that with us. We couldn’t help but feel our hearts melting. And the staff looked after us brilliantly, and were patient and very helpful when we felt out of our depth.

As a group we were able to come together and get to know each other which in turn helped when we cooked a meal together in the school on the last night. This trip was a transformative experience and has really opened our eyes to the benefits of being put outside of our comfort zone and devoting a bit of our holidays to helping others. It’s been a truly valuable life experience.

Anna, Year 12

Our intrepid Young Enterprise team recently seen, selling goods and carrying out market research in Framingham at the sausage festival.

Here are the winners of the Year 7 Haiku Competition, judged by Tim Gardiner and created during his workshops on Wednesday 18th October as part of the Woodbridge Youth Poetry Festival 2018. Tim is a prizewinning poet and ecologist, listed on Europe’s Top 100 Haiku Poets, and this is his third visit to Woodbridge School to work with Year 7 pupils. Tim writes:

1st Place

damp green grass
summer stampedes
my way

James H, 7D

A simply superb haiku with clear juxtaposition of seasons and wonderful second line alliteration. The upbeat nature of the poem is also redolent of summer days and when read aloud, it has such a gentle rhythm.

2nd Place

shape of glass
buried in the ground
filled with filth

Ellen H, 7D

I’m always looking for poems that stand out from the rest and dare to be different. Ellen’s haiku takes a simple image (buried bottle) and makes it mysterious (shape of glass) before the lovely alliteration in the final line. The word filth really conjures up the image of dirt and grime; perhaps a strong metaphor for something else? Whatever the meaning, the poem has terrific rhythm read aloud and clever use of words.

3rd Place

William B, 7A

the country roads call my childhood

Few students attempted a one line haiku. William’s evocatively conjures up a rather sad narrative in just a few syllables. The poem has a clear kireji (cutting word – roads) even if it lacks a seasonal reference (kigo). William’s haiku is reminiscent of John Denver’s hit, Take Me Home, Country Roads. He builds a poem around this song and makes the words his own.

The commended poems are:

Enzo J, 7A

the soft grass
waiting to be walked on –
bathing in the sun

Great second line and rhythm.

Bruce B, 7A

weeping willows
on the ground
dewy grass

Very compact haiku with a lovely link between ‘weeping willow’ and ‘dewy grass.’

Violetta S, 7A

dry leaves lying in the sun
gasping for a drop of water

Lovely two line haiku with a good contrast between both parts.

Millie J, 7B

an empty shell –
lines and smooth
scarred on the outside

Fantastic description of an acorn, which could be a strong metaphor.

Samson F, 7A

prickling brambles –
a solid wall
blocking my way

Interesting use of long, short, long lines plus a deeper meaning.

Oscar W, 7C

fallen conkers
far from the tree –
squirrel scuttling through

Good use of alliteration in a surprising final line.

Hugh M, 7C

sat on the warm grass
watching the barley
majestically dance

I can see the barley waving in the warm wind. Beautiful image and the use of ‘majestically’ gives some haiku added interest.

Tolly Y, 7C

pile of autumn leaves –
stacked above one another
by the living meadows

Long lines, but wonderful contrast between death and life.

Phoebe Adams (7D)

a wise old oak
waiting for years
to be discovered

A real Lord of the Rings feel to this one with a maturity far beyond the age of the poet.

Ollie J, 7A

nature’s breath
curling trees
likes witches’ fingers

stretching up
reaching down
the sorrows of the weeping willow

poison ivy
surrounds the tree
a loner in a world of fear

I’ve included three of Ollie’s poems due to their interesting structure and quite profound final lines which work despite their length.

Congratulations to all the poets on being selected by Tim. The three winners will receive a signed copy of his latest collection, The Flintknapper’s Ghost.