Category: Senior School News
Last week was busy for Hockey players, especially Tuesday which saw four hockey matches featuring players from five Year groups.
Our 1st XI took on Ipswich School 2nd team at Rushmere Sport Centre, and as usual this was a tightly contested match, with neither team getting the upper hand in the first half but both scoring twice. It was Woodbridge who got the match winner in the second half and came away with bragging rights this season. Our goals were scored by Year 13’s Alfie and Hugh and Year 11’s Alex.
The 2nd team travelled to Ipswich High School, seeking their first win of the season, and the first half was a fiery affair! Woodbridge scored three times courtesy of Year 11’s Sam C, Sam L and Arthur and looking like they were going to run away with it. However, the second half saw a much more organised and disciplined opponent take to the field. Both teams now played constructive Hockey. Ipswich High School pulled one goal back via a great penalty corner strike, but thereafter nothing got past Year 12’s Ethan in goal, with him making some quality saves. At the other end, usual GK, Year 12’s Indie made his first appearance playing on pitch as a forward and got agonisingly close to scoring. Without any more goals being scored, Woodbridge saw the game out for the win they craved and have deserved for their play so far this season. Player of the Match went to captain, Year 13 Finlay for his solid performance at centre back, stopping attacks and starting Woodbridge attacking build-ups, and good leadership throughout the game.
Photo below: 2nd team after Ipswich High Win
The Junior 5 and 6 teams hosted Ipswich School last Tuesday evening. After a slow start, with a slightly altered squad, the Junior 5s started to play better passing hockey and created a number of chances . It took some sharp finishes from Year 7’s Miles to beat the Ipswich High keeper who had a decent game. At the back, Year 8’s Charlie stayed resolute in defence. This was a satisfying win in chilly after-school conditions. Well played to all the boys and hattrick-hero and our Player of the Match, Miles.
The Junior 6 team had a resounding and comprehensive victory over Ipswich High School U12C. Our players showed the knowledge and experience they had gained this season, playing against a less experienced team. Well done to all the goal scorers: Year 7’s Will and Stefan and Year 8’s Rufus and Alex and Year 7’s Luke for bagging three goals.
U16 Regional Finals
Last Friday, a 15-man strong squad set off for the East Regional Finals. Not knowing what to expect, being unfamiliar with every opponent, our team acquitted themselves very well. We faced Chigwell, a team on top goal scoring form this season (according to captain Sam’s research), in the first match. Woodbridge set out to defend with structure and discipline and attack creatively using width and height. Woodbridge did this well, but Chigwell finally broke the deadlock despite Year 10’s Arthur making a triple save in that play. A narrow loss in the first game only motivated the players, now knowing they will be a force in the pool.
Next up was a win against Southend High School, courtesy of an early goal from Year 11’s Sam L and a few minutes later from Year 10’s Seb from a penalty corner. Woodbridge enjoyed playing freely with a comfy lead and securing the three points with their win. Frustratingly the same fate hit Woodbridge in the next game, going two goals down in the opening ten minutes against Hitchin. It was too big a deficit to come back from despite Woodbridge giving it their all, including taking the goalkeeper off to play with 11 field players.
The last match of the day was against Stephen Perse. A very entertaining 0-0 draw played out. Goal chances and saves both ends entertained those watching. Woodbridge played some of their best patterns through midfield and up to the forwards, despite fatigue setting in. The team can be very proud and satisfied with their performance at this event. Lots of learning, magic moments, teamwork, mature choices for the team and leadership are just some things to take away. Our Player of the Day was our super goalie, Arthur.
Well done and thanks for each of the players who invested so well in the day. A very memorable day and one which motivates for the future. Looking forward to the next couple of seasons with these young men as senior players at Woodbridge School.
The Army section of our CCF held their annual Minden Dinner on Wednesday evening, enjoying a delicious three course meal ahead prepared by our wonderful catering team. Traditional toasts were made to the King by one of our junior cadets, Year 9’s Bay, there were readings, extracts from notable figures such as Victoria Cross recipients, shared by our Head of Contingent Year 13’s Oscar, Year 11’s Sam C and Jack, and speeches were made by Capt Capjon as well as Year 13’s Oliver.
You can read Oliver’ speech below:
Oscar and Oliver at the Minden Dinner
Ladies and gentlemen, officers, cadets, and guests,
Thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate Minden Day. This is a special evening where we come together to remember the incredible history of the Royal Anglian Regiment, but also to celebrate what makes our CCF so unique—the people, the experiences, and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.
Being in charge of the Army section this year has been an honour. When I first joined, I never imagined I’d be standing here, giving this speech. Over the years, I’ve been through it all—getting soaked on exercises, sleep-deprived on field days, and, of course forgetting my beret. But through it all, the CCF has been an incredible journey. It’s about more than just training—it’s about building confidence, overcoming challenges, and making friends who, at some point, you will have to share a basha with.
We’ve all had moments we’ll never forget— clearing buildings, and spending entire exercises wondering when we’d finally get to eat. But that’s what makes the CCF special: the shared experiences, the teamwork, and the fact that, no matter how bad the weather is we will always come out of it stronger.
Minden Day is about remembering the bravery of those who fought in 1759, but it’s also about recognising the people who keep that spirit alive today. And who better to represent us than our very own Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet, Oscar? It’s a huge achievement, and we’re all incredibly proud of him. But let’s be honest—when he turned up in his Number 2s, I thought Dad’s Army had been brought back for a reunion special. I was just waiting for him to start shouting, “Don’t panic!”.
Now, speaking of people who keep us in check, I have to say a huge thank you to Mr. Stollery, Mr Capjon, and Mr. Garvie. They put in countless hours behind the scenes, making sure we actually get to do all the things we enjoy. Whether it’s planning exercises, organising events, or reminding us that, yes, our uniform does include a beret, they keep this section running behind the scenes .
Mr. Garvie, of course, has his own approach to things. Whether it’s his barefoot shoes or walking around school with no shoes at all, he’s very much in tune with nature.
And tonight is particularly special because it’s Mr. Stollery’s birthday! Now, I won’t say how old he is, but I’m fairly certain when he first joined the Army, they were still issuing swords and horses.
But beyond the jokes, tonight is about more than just our own section. The Royal Anglian Regiment has a long history of excellence, and as cadets, we are privileged to wear their cap badge. Their ethos speaks of teamwork, trust, and striving for excellence—values that we, as cadets embody. Whether we’re training for competitions, learning new skills, or just helping each other through a tough exercise, we are part of something much bigger.
So, as we look to the future, I hope the younger cadets take everything in and realise that the best moments are still ahead! You’ll face challenges, you’ll make mistakes, and you’ll probably forget your beret at some point—but you’ll also have some of the best experiences of your life.
Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for a toast to the Royal Anglian Regiment…
‘The Royal Anglian Regiment!’
Last Saturday, athletes from Woodbridge School represented Suffolk schools at the English Schools in Sussex, the final Cross Country fixture of the winter. This being the third race for some of the runners in three consecutive weekends due to the rescheduled nationals cup date from last December; a real test for the best especially for those who would be competing in their first ever English schools.
The ESAA National Cross-Country championship is the most eagerly anticipated event of the winter for young athletes. It brings together the best athletes in each of the 46 counties in England to compete for the honour of being the best in the country. It is often hard to put into context but a top 100 finish can be the equivalent to significantly higher up in other national events. The starts are super-fast and the competition is the best there is for their age groups in England.
Four students recorded top 100 finishes and were amongst the first home for their county. Year 9’s Alice was 63rd and Year 8’s India J 100th in the junior girls race, Year 10’s Romilly 71st in the inter girls category and Year 8’s Dexter 23rd in the junior boys race.
Special mentions go to the first two home for Suffolk in their age groups. Alice and Dexter. Alice had the absolute race of her season! She has had a brilliant shift in mindset in her training to marry up to her talents and has committed to the cause week in week out. A well-deserved breakthrough race!
Dexter who brought it home for Suffolk once again, put the icing on the cake for a phenomenal winter of racing, national titles and a top 23 in his first ever English Schools Cross Country. Huge congratulations to them both.
We cannot forget to acknowledge all of the individual athletes who qualified for this high calibre race (please see mentioned below). Every single one of them has worked incredibly hard and should be extremely proud of unparalleled achievements both as individuals and more importantly as a team this winter. They will all now enjoy a well-earned rest and recovery as they take a mid-season break before they enter their track season. A final round of applause for them all as it is now over and out for another brilliant cross country season by Woodbridge School.
Here is a full summary of the Woodbridge School athletes results (context being up to 340 athletes in each race, once again, as we mentioned last week all good enough to be representing their county):
Junior Girls:
- 63rd – Year 9’s Alice
- 100th – Year 8’s India J
- 141st – Year 8’s Alexandra
Junior Boys:
- 23rd – Year 8’s Dexter
- 222nd – Year 9’s Hamish
Inter Girls:
- 71st – Year 10’s Romilly
Senior Boys: Suffolk Team :
- 138th – Year 13’s Iwan
Once again a massive thank you to all of you who follow and support their journey at these events and to all parents travelling up for the weekend to help.
Encouraging primary school children to develop new skills and gain hands-on experience across various curriculum subjects, our Primary Enrichment Programme workshops are great fun and engaging – the perfect way for children to learn and develop!
Strengthening and broadening not only children’s learning and knowledge, but supporting primary schools teachers in the delivery of key factors on the primary curriculum, our workshops complement and support what teachers already deliver in school. Free of charge, transport can also be provided and our workshops can also be hosted in schools, to ensure maximum opportunity and participation.
Tailored to suit age/year groups, workshops offer an engaging and dynamic mix of topics and skills accordingly; boosting interest and learning in STEAM subjects, the programme offers over 25 different workshops covering a variety of different subjects and activities. From Art Sculpturing, Crime Scene Investigation, Computational Thinking and Drama Workshops, to Music and Design, Geography Field Studies, as well as playing with LEGO at our LEGO Fun Day, and shows such as A Journey into Space and Kitchen Chemistry.
Attending workshops takes children out of their classrooms and own school and allows them to experience and become confident in new environments; another aspect of growth and development that is just as important as learning.
Our entire School community is involved in supporting the programme and the workshops; from teachers sharing their experience, passion and enthusiasm and taking their own time to plan and contribute to the workshops, to students chaperoning, participating and contributing; in turn supports development of their confidence, leadership and teamwork skills.
At least 20 primary schools participate each year; our programme is always fully booked. Cumulatively, approximately 1,900 children attend workshops each year, meaning by the end of this academic year 13,342 children will have taken part in workshops as part of this programme since its introduction. And this number is going to grow, as we have begun to introduce a similar programme for Senior school students, Secondary School Enrichment which we’ll share more information about soon.
Since our last Primary Enrichment roundup in December, the School has been brimming with local primary school children attending for various workshops. We’ve shared details of some of those workshops below, as a taste of what you can expect from Primary Enrichment at Woodbridge School.
LEGO Fun Day
An event for all the family, this workshop is hosted in School at the weekend and open to the community. Supported The Brickologists, this is always an extraordinary experience for children and adults alike to play and build with LEGO. From free build areas for Duplo, LEGO and LEGO Bionicles, to minifigure hunts with small prizes, it was a brilliant and lively workshop which saw children (and adults!) take part in a Brickoff Lego Challenge with prizes for the best models built, to car building and downhill race tracks. This regular event attracted people from across the School and the region, and as per usual, was thoroughly enjoyed!
Mandarin and Spanish Languages Workshops
Grundisburgh Primary School joined us in School to take part in our Mandarin and Spanish workshop. With activities relating to each of the countries separately, children learned about the languages, the countries and their culture; singing songs, learning about traditions and making Spanish carnival masks, as well as learning about how Mandarin characters were invented, meaning of a series of radicals and competitions to see who could assess the most characters successfully.
Celebrating the Festival of Light
Exploring Hinduism and Judaism, this workshop focused on light and its special meaning and message across the world. Children from Years 3 to 6 from our own Prep School thoroughly enjoyed making their own Hindu Diya lamp which they were able to take home with them.
The Science of Science Fiction
Supported by Sirius Astronomy, children from Years 3 to 6 from several different primary schools as well as our own Prep School, came together for our ‘Science of Science Fiction’ show in our Seckford Theatre. This enthralling, educational and exciting show used flames, marshmallows, ladders, oil, water, lasers and plenty of willing volunteers to unmask the untruths and explain the truths within the ‘Science of Science Fiction’. Children learned how rockets work, why astronauts wear space suits and how to make an invisibility cloak!
Coming up in the next few weeks as we head to the end of Lent term, our Netball Tournament and Multiskills Tournaments will take place:
Netball Tournament
Our Netball Tournament for children from Years 5 and 6 offers an introduction to the full seven-aside game, which is played from Year 7 upwards at all Senior schools, so gives them an insight into what children have in store in sports beyond primary school. With seven different primary schools taking part, children will take part in a round robin format tournament, a perfect introduction for children to experience the full 7 vs 7 game in preparation for their next step to senior school sport!
Multiskills Tournament
Over 130 children from Year 1 at local primary schools are set to join us for a multi-skills festival, where they will take part in a carousel of different sporting activities. As well as having great fun together, and making new friends, children will work on developing co-ordination alongside many other sports skills. Our own Sports Leader students will be on hand, helping to manage the day, and talk to the children about the different sports on offer from Year 7 onwards in senior school.
This is just a selection of the Primary Enrichment workshops on offer through our programme, and the learning and fun had by children attending. If you’d like to find out more, or enquire about your school attending in future, please email primary_enrichment@woodbridgeschool.org.uk.
Last week, eight students from our MUN Club, spanning Years 9 to 13, participated in the annual Felsted Model United Nations Conference. Representing the United States of America, they engaged in two days of rigorous debate across multiple committees, tackling a diverse range of global issues from environmental sustainability to international security.
On the first day, each delegate was assigned to a separate committee, where they engaged in deliberations over pre-submitted draft resolutions, advocating for or contesting clauses in accordance with US foreign policy. Notably, in the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) committee, one of our students had the distinction of drafting and submitting a resolution for debate.
The second day saw the merging of committees for broader plenary sessions, providing even greater scope for diplomatic engagement and strategic negotiation. In the afternoon, the entire Woodbridge delegation convened to represent the USA in a high-stakes crisis simulation. The scenario unfolded with the revelation that an unidentified force had seized control of the Panama Canal, sparking intense emergency negotiations.
As the crisis escalated, the US delegation was thrust into high-pressure diplomatic exchanges, formulating responses and forging alliances in real time. The situation took a dramatic turn when intelligence reports implicated US military elements in the takeover, prompting a wave of scrutiny and questioning from the international community. Despite facing a diplomatic onslaught, the Woodbridge delegation maintained composure, skillfully navigating the inquiries and articulating a compelling defense on the world stage.
The conference was a significant milestone, with two students attending their first-ever MUN and others further honing their diplomatic acumen. Several delegates received special recognition for their outstanding contributions: Year 11’s Jack and Year 10’s Maxim were highly commended, while Year 13’s Bruce earned a commendation for his performance.
Overall, the experience was both intellectually stimulating and immensely rewarding, reinforcing our students’ abilities in negotiation, public speaking, and international diplomacy.
Our Junior Hockey teams had mixed fortunes last week, with our Junior 1 team playing two matches against Culford, while our Junior 2, 3, 4 and 5 teams, as well as our U14 and U15 teams took on Langley. Read more about the matches and our players in our reports below.
Junior 1 Team
The Junior 1st team played two matches on the trot against Culford’s top two teams. The first match was dominated in the first half by Woodbridge but they were denied time after time by an In-form Culford goalkeeper. Frustratingly, two goals went in at the other end against the run of play to put Woodbridge on the back foot. Woodbridge pulled one goal back before half time, through Year 8’s Michael, making his Junior 1 team debut.
The second half saw our team much more secure in defence and continue to dominate, but the penalty corners and goals just didn’t come. Year 8’s Dex made the scores level, but with Woodbridge pushing for the win that they deserved, Culford got the goal at the other end instead.
A short rest and it was onto the next game! Again, Woodbridge showed their skill and tactical knowledge, as well as staying mentally strong after their disappointment from the first match. This time two early goals, one nine-yard dribble and finish and one hit from the top of the D, from Year 8’s Joshua gave Woodbridge the early lead. Year 8’s Alfie and Theo put Woodbridge further ahead in the second half. The team was not going to let this victory slip out of their hands! Culford did score twice, but could not keep our team at bay.
Well done to our Player of the Day, Year 8’s Olly who played two outstanding matches!
Junior 2 Team
The Junior 2s took on the Langley U13A team at Magpies. For the first time this season, the team could not find their flow and lost their winning streak. Usual good decision making and work rate were lacking on the day, and this could not be afforded against a strong Langley A team. Good lessons learned to take into the remaining games.
Junior 3 Team
The Junior 3s, on the other hand, put their best foot forward against Langley U13B. In a close game, Woodbridge was the stronger team but did rely on Year 7 goalkeeper, Harry, to keep a clean sheet to secure the win. Using the whole width of the pitch, Mr Walsh was delighted with attacks up the flanks . The only goal of the match was scored by Year 8’s Alfie R. Well done to the Junior 3s who are on a good winning streak themselves.
Junior 4 Team
The Junior 4 team played Langley U13C in a very equally matched game. The game took a while to find its flow with both teams starting off slowly. Woodbridge managed to put together a string of attacks finding their way into the Langley D. However, with some good defending were quickly closed down. Langley were the first to open the scoring after a quick counterattack down the wing. Woodbridge levelled the score through Year 8’s Alex soon after half time and started to move the ball a little more freely. Before the final whistle Langley managed to bag another goal after a well worked move. Player of the Match went to Year 8’s George B.
Junior 5 Team
The Junior 5s had an enlarged squad to play Langley U13D. The team came away with a goal in each half, to take the win. Very promising depth indeed from our teams. Goals were scored by Year 8’s George B and Year 7’s Miles while the Player of the Match was Year 8’s George T.
U14 and U15 Teams
The U14s and u15s also played against Langley last week. The U15A team came away victorious while the U14s rued missed opportunities in a one-goal defeat.
In the U15 match, Year 10’s Tom was a force to be reckoned with as he used his speed and strength to break through and past Langley defences. Tom scored a goal on his way to winning Player of the Match and set up another. Year 10’s Jago and Year 10’s Charlie completed the scoring for Woodbridge – and it could have been a lot more with the number of chances created.
The U14 team was evenly matched with their Langley counterparts. Woodbridge had the better chances regularly throughout the match but was denied by sharp saves and a last bit of skill lacking in the D. Year 8’s playing up, Otto H, Otto P-S, Joseph and Griff all made an impact. Year 9’s William, Alex and George provided good build up play and balls into the D, linking up well with Year 9’s Anthony in particular in the first half. Langley scored what proved to be the winner a few minutes from the end of the match. The frustration with this close loss shows how the team keeps getting better, knowing they have the ability to compete with confidence and win this kind of game if all comes together at the right moment.
On Saturday 8 March, 12 Woodbridge School athletes were included in the Suffolk team to compete at the UK Inter County Cross Country at Wollaton Park in Nottingham. The UK Inter County event is one of the most competitive in the country, with Area teams from Scotland and Wales competing against 45 County teams from England, almost giving the day a Home Nation International flavour.
At Senior and U20 level, the event also serves as a selection race for the World Cross Country Championships. Worlds are only held every two years and there is no championship in 2025.
Our athletes had a phenomenal day with three outstanding results to highlight.
Suffolk U20 Men won team silver against the very best the UK had to offer. The Suffolk scoring team included our own Year 13’s Iwan providing a very special reward for Iwan’s final cross country season at Woodbridge School. Just as special and worthy of a mention is the fact that all four of the Suffolk scoring team train together at Woodbridge School most Saturday mornings for exactly this reason – to raise the standard to compete with the very best.
The best individual result of the day came in the U13 Boys where Year 8’s Dexter finished an amazing 5th place, just nine seconds behind the winner over 3km – That’s 5th fastest in all of the UK! As far as we are aware only two Woodbridge School athletes have ever finished higher and both of those athletes went on to represent either English Schools or Great Britain.
Suffolk’s second best team result on the day was in the U13 Girls with a 9th place finish. What is unique with this result is that all four Suffolk scorers were Woodbridge School athletes. Our top two athletes had identical times in 28th and 30th, but such is the level of competition that they were only four seconds from 20th!
Here is a full summary of the Woodbridge School athletes (context being up to 350 athletes in each race, all good enough to be representing their county):
U13 Girls: Suffolk Team 9th:
28th – India J (Year 8)
30th – Chloe (year 7) – a brilliant run as a lower year!
39th – Alexandra (Year 8)
86th – Ella (Year 8)
222nd – Imogen (Year 8)
U13 Boys: Suffolk Team 14th:
5th Dexter (Year 8)
U15 Girls: Suffolk Team 21st:
73rd – Romilly (Year 10)
201st – Alice (Year 9)
U15 Boys: Suffolk Team 35th:
112th Digby (Year 9)
261st Hamish (Year 9)
U17 Men: Suffolk Team 15th:
97th – Angus Blackburn (Year 12)
U20 Men – Suffolk Team 2nd – Silver Medal:
53rd – Iwan (Year 13)
Congratulations to every athlete earning the right to compete at this event and a massive thank you to all the parents travelling up for the weekend in support.
Good luck to those athletes representing Suffolk Schools at English Schools in Sussex this coming weekend. The final race of the winter!
CCF RAF students from Years 9, 10 and 12 spend a full day at RAF Coningsby on Monday, organised by one of the School’s parents, Mr Winchester, who was stationed there as a flying instructor. Cadets visited the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, looked around a Typhoon jet and ‘flew’ on the simulator. Year 10’s Ishan shares his thoughts from the day.
Year 10’s Ishan
On Monday 3 March, ten cadets from the RAF section were given the once in a lifetime opportunity to have a very detailed tour of RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
Upon arrival we were escorted around the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) hanger, which was filled with old fighters including, Hurricanes, Spitfires and my personal favourite – The Lancaster Bomber. The tour guide was amazing, giving us access beyond what you would get as a museum visitor. My favourite thing about this hangar was a Spitfire that was painted as a memorial for Sqd Ldr Mark Long.
After we visited the BBMF hangar we were then joined by Fighter Pilot called Phil McQuade who already that morning had flown to Wales for some low level flying through Snowdonia and then some touch and goes at RAF Valley. He took us to the 29 Squadron hangar where we saw Flt Lt David ‘Turbo’ Turnball who was last year’s display pilot, ahead of a tour of the hangar, it was incredible to see all the jets parked up! Our guide showed us around and told us about the different parts of the jet including the pylons for the A/A missiles and A/G bombs/missiles, the external fuel tanks which were much bigger than I previously thought and the coolest part of the jet tour was where the flares and chaffs came out from and the engines themselves.
After that, we were all given the once in a lifetime opportunity to sit in the jet which I didn’t think twice about, even the teachers got involved! Being in the cockpit was surreal, its much bigger than it looks and there aren’t many buttons to memorise which is very handy.
The next activity we had was the chance to have a go on the flight simulator, but not before being taken to where pilots were kitted up for their missions. We saw and learned lots about the pilot’s helmet from our guide; there was a day helmet and a night helmet which had the ability to put night vision goggles on. We also saw a G-suit which forces the blood up to the head to stay conscious. While we waited for the flight simulator we went to the crew room where we were able to get refreshments and food. The crazy thing was that everyone who walked in there was a pilot!!
The flight simulator was housed in a massive building for training pilots, we learned that most pilots in 29 squadron have a 70/30 spilt between simulator and flying. Following a thorough brief, we went into the simulator room – I was amazed! The throttle and flight stick were exactly the same as the one in the cockpit. We were ‘loaded up’ at Coningsby and told where we had to go and what our mission was – we had to fly under a bridge inverted, something I partly achieved; I managed to go under the bridge but I tried to roll out and I crashed!
This was most definitely one of the best trips I have been on, and we are all so very grateful to Mr Rob Winchester for organising the visit.
We are delighted to announce significant success in the Advanced section of the UK Linguistics Olympiad. With around 1,800 candidates taking part nationally, Woodbridge gained what the organiser described as “a remarkably distinguished set of results”.
In particular, of the 89 Golds which were awarded across Britain, two went to Woodbridge – a very impressive success-rate. Moreover, five of our winners were competing a year up (the Advanced section is for Sixth Form).
This is the third year in a row that Woodbridge has won a Gold in the Advanced section, and the second year in a row that Year 11’s Alexander has won Gold. He and Abigail qualify for Round two, from which the GB Olympiad squad is picked.
Results for the Breakthrough, Foundation and Intermediate levels will be announced in April.
Gold (in the top 5% in the country) (pictured above)
- Alexander C (Year 11)
- Abigail D (Year 13)
Silver (top 10%)
- Sam L (Year 11, and narrowly missing Gold)
- Jack C (Year 11)
- Aurelia H (Year 11)
Bronze
- Mika Q (Year 11)
Many congratulations to all.
New experiences and continued progress have been the theme of this week’s Hockey for our U12, Senior 1st and 2nd teams, which you can read more about below.
New U12 Team Perform Well at U12 County Event
Woodbridge School took part in the U12 County Cup for the first time last week. Our Junior teams usually play as mixed Year 7 and Year 8 teams in their Wednesday fixtures, but this event brought together Year 7 boys from five different teams. Quite an exciting yet challenging prospect, with players working together for the first time and needing to learn fast to make connections.
The first match against Culford was the steep learning curve in which the boys adjusted to their attacking and defending structure, getting to know how different players play in different positions. Despite losing this opener, Woodbridge already impressed, with the Culford coaches showing appreciation for the individual talent and team play from our boys.
In the next three games, on the trot, our team was in full flow. Wonderful passing, carrying into space, elimination and decision-making saw Woodbridge play creative hockey and making many chances. Somehow the goalkeepers of Ipswich School and RHS just seemed to stop everything though! As a team our boys could only respect these performances which denied them the wins they deserved.
In the last match of the day more goals went in. Congratulations to James E who was our top goal scorer on the day, including a marvellous deflection into the top corner against RHS. We were also very proud of the slick penalty corner goal with Barney, Max and Oliver combining to score their ‘triangle’ move!
Well done to every member of the team who worked so hard, with body, heart and mind, and got so many compliments for their play. The future is bright!
Senior 1st Team Builds Momentum
Our First XI is building nice momentum, winning their last three matches.
Last week the team beat Ipswich High School convincingly, spreading the goals around. Year 13’s Luca scored twice while Year 13’s Alfie, Year 12’s Lucas and Year 11’s Tom also scored. This was another game which saw Year 11 players gain experience at top school level, which bodes well for future season.
This week the 1st team turned their fortunes around against Greshams. Scoring three goals in the first half took the game away from the opposition, leaving our players to consolidate and manage things in the second half. Year 13’s Alfie was clinical from short corners, scoring two drag flicks. Captain, Year 12’s Luca, scored our third, taking him to the top of the goal scorers list for the team.
2nd Team Progress
Our 2nd XI is getting stronger and improving their results with every game.
Last week they were very disappointed to lose a two-goal lead in an agonising defeat in the closing minutes to a strong Langley 1st team. This week they went one better, with an enthralling goalless draw against Greshams. The finishing touches eluded the players on the day, but promising build up play hopefully sets them up nicely for the last matches of the season.
Well done and thanks to each of our players and staff for their commitment. Looking ahead, we’re looking forward to everyone putting in the last push at practices and matches as the days get longer and the sun gets warmer.