Category: Pre-Prep News
The Reception children took part in their first Harvest Festival today. As the service began they carried their fruits and vegetables into chapel to present to Reverend Wilson. The chapel was well attended with parents, grandparents and siblings all joining in. The children particularly enjoyed singing “Oats and Beans” with accompanying actions.
As part of their topic “All About us” the Reception children are focusing on their pets and how to care for them. They have some goldfish and giant snails to look after for a week. They will be taking on the responsibility of feeding and cleaning them. Today they have been washing the snails shells with water and feeding them with lettuce.
This week the Reception children have been learning about healthy foods. They had a food tasting afternoon, sampling ten different fruits and vegetables, including black figs, papaya, physalis and avocado! They were all keen to have a try and some of the children have now discovered new foods to add to their favourite food list.
The Year 2 volcano topic came to life this week when the children created erupting volcanoes in the classroom. They made their own volcanoes out of clay and then carried out an experiment to learn how different substances react when they are mixed with each other. Year 2’s will never forget this exciting learning experience and were even keen to write up the experiment afterwards!
We thought about our own experiences, discussed Christian celebrations and learnt about celebrations in other religions focusing on the festivals of Diwali and Hanukkah – both festivals of light. We had great fun acting out the stories behind these festivals. Some of us enjoyed playing a game with a dreidel – this game is enjoyed by Jewish children during the festival of Hanukkah. Other activities we enjoyed include making Diwali cards, writing the story of Rama and Sita, writing the story behind the dreidel game and making birthday candle Hannukiahs. Come and see our RE display board and artefacts outside Queen’s House hall.
As part of the Year 1 topic ‘Splish Splash Splosh’ we went to Woodbridge Marina for the afternoon. We looked at the yachts and motor boats which use the River Deben, and drew some of our favourites. Then we walked to the boating lake to sail our own boats.
As part of our topic “All About Me” the Reception children have been focusing on toys. This week they had a Teddy Bears Picnic in the Queen’s House garden. They listened to stories, sang songs and enjoyed a lovely picnic including teddy shaped jam sandwiches prepared by themselves earlier in the day. Great fun was had by all!
A new headmaster and a recently-appointed charity chief shared a first experience in their roles at a school’s annual speech day. Both embarking on their first year in the job, Neil Tetley, new head at Woodbridge School, and Roger Wright, who became chief executive of Aldeburgh Music in March, addressed pupils for the traditional ceremony. On his first public engagement in Suffolk, Mr Wright said he had heard much about the school’s musical reputation and explained how it could bring people together and bridge divides. He also applauded the range of international initiatives available to pupils. Mr Tetley commended the warmth and community of the school, as well as recent exam success. National achievements in sports and music were also included, as well as charity work across the school, which had raised more than £50,000 for 50 organisations.
The new children in Reception have had a busy first week in school. With the topic “All About Me” as their focus, they have been painting pictures of themselves, drawing family trees, creating paper plate faces and making new friends. The children have enjoyed activities in the outside area as well as experiencing their first music, French and P.E. lessons. What a wonderful start to school life!
At Woodbridge School, today is the first day of term for our pupils and for our new Headmaster Neil Tetley. On taking his place in the Headmaster’s Office on the first day of term, Neil Tetley said “I am very much looking forward to welcoming new and existing pupils back to school. Woodbridge is an outstanding school and I am very excited about getting to know the pupils and staff that make up this exceptional community.”
Neil was educated at Epsom College and the Selwyn College, Cambridge where he read History. He joins us from Sevenoaks School where he was Deputy Head. Before that he taught at King’s College School, Wimbledon, and at the International School of Brussels.
Neil is married to Laura and they have two sons, Charles and Henry, who both also start at Woodbridge School today.