It has been wonderful to welcome back two OWs – Etiane Cheung (2015–2022) and Lily Constantine (2016–2023) – over the past two weeks to deliver talks to our Year 12 students.
Etiane, now in her third year studying for a BA in Modern Languages with a year abroad, visited to talk about university applications and life at King’s College London. She has certainly made the most of her time at university so far, embracing opportunities to study, work, grow, and be challenged in the best ways. Her talk gave students a fantastic insight into what it’s like to live and study in the heart of London.
Lily left Woodbridge after completing her A levels in 2023, having secured an apprenticeship with Fred Olsen Logistics Ltd. After completing her Level 2 qualification in Customer Service Skills, she moved into a full-time role at MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company as their Transport Customer Coordinator. She returned to speak with two colleagues about life after Woodbridge, what it’s like to study and work without going to university, and the exciting apprenticeship opportunities available at MSC.
Two very different paths—two very successful outcomes. Congratulations to both of them, we’re extremely proud of you, each smashing it in their own way!
Something a little different last week was Miss Gill our Head of Geography, hosting a webinar which was presented by the Royal Geographical Society titled ‘What do Geographers Actually Do?’
Students heard from a number of speakers who had studied Geography after A levels and learned about the diverse careers, that followed, such as International Development, Urban Planning and Sustainability Management. It was a fantastic opportunity to gain insight into where a Geography degree might lead! Thank you, Miss Gill!
Last Friday, we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming Central College of Animal Studies into School, they delivered an engaging veterinary experience workshop for our Year 9 and Year 12 students.
With hands-on with activities such as identifying parasites, gowning up for surgery, and locating a foreign object in a toy dog, students also learned how to bandage animals of different sizes, practiced suturing, and tested their knowledge by identifying surgical tools, examining X-rays, and even observing kidney stones.
It was incredibly rewarding to see and hear how engaged the students were—an enjoyable and educational experience for all!
Last week senior students from our Drama Scholarship and Enrichment programme took part in an exciting opportunity to explore James Graham’s new play Punch.
One fateful evening, an impulsive punch leads to fatal consequences, with teenage protagonist, Jacob Dunne, left dealing with the consequences of his actions. Our students were treated to a seminar style discussion and practical seminar, mirroring what they might expect if they elect to study Drama at university. Year 12 Drama Scholar Georgia was kind enough to write a review about her experience.
Year 12’s Georgia
“Last week, I took part in a seminar, about all things Punch – a new play written James Graham.
The seminar explored the play’s themes, particularly the power of restorative justice, and I was able to express my thoughts and feelings whilst enjoying what my peers had to offer, encouraging me to consider things I hadn’t before the session.
A few days later, I had the great pleasure of attending a practical workshop, led by Jordana Golbourn (an external facilitator) and was given the opportunity to bring to life choral moments from the play.
We immersed ourselves in the world of Punch by not only considering the acting and staging but also the set design, lighting, and costume, improving our abilities as well-rounded Drama students.
I am so grateful for the opportunities provided by our wonderful Drama team and cannot wait for the next one!”
Students returned from Salamanca at the weekend having spent a week in the province enjoying and exploring the culture, cuisine and enhancing their language skills. We’re delighted to be able to share a report from Year 9’s Lola, and Year 12’s Emily and Lily about their experience on this intensive Spanish trip, including their highlights, thoughts and feelings about this beautiful city.
Year 9’s Lola
“Salamanca was an unforgettable experience! So different from anything I’d ever known.
Staying with host families gave us a real glimpse into everyday Spanish life and culture and the daily conversations with my host not only improved my Spanish but also boosted my confidence to take risks with the language.
We took part in many activities, but my favourite was salsa dancing. It pushed us to step out of our comfort zones and embrace the vibrant spirit of Spain.
From the beautiful streets to the rich culture, Salamanca left a lasting impression, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to experience it all.”
Year 12’s Emily and Lily
“Wow – what a week! We have truly had such a blast in the city of Salamanca over the last six days, putting our linguistic skills to the test, and immersing ourselves in the Spanish culture.
From jam-packed lessons in the morning at ‘Colegio Delibes’, to experiencing our first taste of the Spanish workplace in the afternoon, swiftly followed by evening tapas – we really have done it all.
Undeterred by a rather abrupt 4.00am wake up on Sunday, we excitedly embarked on our Spanish adventure, both curious and eager to discover what awaited us. On arrival, we were greeted by our amazing hosts, Jimena, Kevin and their son Alejandro, who kept us well fed, comfortable and completely at ease for the entire week.
In the mornings, we threw ourselves into grammar and conversation lessons in an extremely diverse class, meeting students from all around the world. Our afternoons were dedicated to our respective work experience placements, serving coffees and churros in authentic Spanish cafés, or acting as classroom assistants in a local Spanish school.
Despite our bursting schedules, we still managed to find pockets of time to get out and explore this beautiful city and make the most of everything it had to offer.
We are so grateful to our amazing teachers for organising such an incredible trip – what an opportunity!”
Year 12, 10 and 8 Geographers travelled to Felixstowe, Aldeburgh and Dunwich recently, making the most of the Spring sunshine to embark on various field trips in the local area. Read more about what they got up to in our report from Mrs Gill, Head of Geography.
Mrs Gill, Head of Geography
The Geography department have been making the most of the Spring sunshine to embark on various field trips in the local area.
Year 12 were at Felixstowe, firstly measuring to what extent the beach between groynes conforms to a typical model diagram and later walking along the prom and up into town investigating the theory of rebranding. The day is a chance to practise fieldwork techniques, to learn new ways of measuring different types of data and also to confirm and question ideas learned in the classroom. The formal writing up of their investigations helps reinforce good enquiry structure for when they do their own individual investigation, worth up to 20% of their actual A level.
Year 12 at Felixstowe – an interesting way to use a tape measure?
The whole of Year 8 took over the beach at Dunwich to try to identify what processes are occurring and if erosion is still happening. They measured beach profiles, sediment characteristics, wave types, longshore drift and learned a little about the history of this once great medieval city – now a village of less than 200 people – all because of erosion! We also had an interesting study in how long it takes 90 people to each get their bag of chips! In the GCSE exam, students are questioned about fieldwork techniques, such as sampling strategies, and have to use their own experience to answer questions on things such as the accuracy and reliability of their data collection methods or assessment of the validity of their conclusions.
Year 8 on a breezy Dunwich beach – is that cliff eroding?
The coastal defences to the south of Aldeburgh provide an excellent opportunity for Year 10 to see if the groynes, seawall and riprap are effective and to find out what other alternatives might be being considered.
Year 10 at Aldeburgh – where has all the sediment gone?
What an absolutely superb afternoon we had on Wednesday 21 May, with our very own clarinet teacher, James Meldrum, who treated us to a truly inspiring Clarinet Recital in the School Hall! Mr Woodley, our Director of Music shares his review of the afternoon.
Mr Woodley, Director of Music
“It was fantastic to see so many students from our school, as well as local senior and primary schools, come together to hear James perform and share his incredible passion for the clarinet.
James, who is the principal clarinet of the New European Ensemble in the Netherlands and specialises in contemporary and 20th-century music, showcased his immense talent with a diverse and captivating programme. From the rhythmic allure of Astor Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango (featuring the ‘Bordel 1900’ movement) to the virtuosic flair of Alamiro Giampieri’s Il Carnevale di Venezia, every piece was performed with astonishing skill and musicality.
The audience was particularly enchanted by George Gershwin’s classic Summertime, and the technical brilliance of Donato Lorreglio’s Fantasia da Concerto su motivi de “La Traviata” di G. Verdi and Artie Shaw’s Clarinet Concert truly highlighted the clarinet’s versatility and expressive range.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Maciej Kassak for his superb accompaniment on piano, and a special thank you to Gerry Gillins on drums for adding their fantastic contributions to what was a truly memorable concert – and I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying on guitar!
Concerts like this are invaluable for encouraging and inspiring our young musicians, and it was clear from the captivated faces in the audience that James’s performance had a profound impact.
We are incredibly fortunate to have such a world-class musician and dedicated educator as part of our Music department.”
Our recent Chamber Concert was an absolutely superb evening, showcasing the incredible talent and dedication of our students across a diverse range of ensembles. The performances were truly a treat for all who attended. Read more about it the evening from our Director of Music, Mr Woodley.
Mr Woodley, Director of Music
“The evening featured contributions from Cellisti, who opened the concert with a vibrant rendition of Bizet’s Habanera, Bernstein’s America, and Williams’ Schindler’s List. Seckford Strings charmed with Barrera’s Russian Riddle, and the Clarinet Quintet delivered a fine performance of the Allegro from Mozart’s Quintet KV 581, with Year 13’s Abi’s clarinet playing being especially impressive.
A key highlight was the Piano Trio’s rendition of Mendelssohn’s 1st movement from No.2 in C minor, which was performed with profound beauty and emotion, captivating the audience. The Chamber Orchestra, though remarkably large for a ‘chamber’ ensemble, nonetheless delivered a magnificent performance of Britten’s Soirees Musicales, demonstrating impressive cohesion and musicality.
Year 13’s Phoebe’s flute solo, Density 21.5 by Varese, offered a fascinatingly modern contrast. Phoebe tackled this challenging piece with remarkable confidence and great sensitivity, truly making it her own. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents speaks volumes about the evening’s impact. As one parent so aptly put it, it was, “a smashing night…superb!” and “a real treat to come and listen to,”. It was clear to see the bursting pride of parents and grandparents alike, and rightfully so.
We were also delighted to be joined by Mavis Masters, who taught cello at the school for 27 years before retiring in 2007, who was also celebrating her 90th birthday with us. Mavis even gave a wonderful speech at the end, expressing her delight that such impressive music making was still flourishing by the students in the School.
A huge thank you to all the students for their hard work and brilliant performances, and to all the staff who generously gave their time to support everyone, making such a memorable evening possible.
Last week, our Year 12 A level and Year 10 GCSE Drama students travelled to London to see My Neighbour Totoro at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Year 10’s Willow shared her experience and enjoyment of the trip and the play.
Year 10’s Willow
My Neighbour Totoro was an absolute joy to watch.
Having seen the original movie it is based on, I can say the production captured the essence of childhood whimsy with ease; from the costumes to the puppets and the stage design itself.
The show was constantly moving, a massive highlight was the large house, made up of multiple set pieces so it could be pushed around to reveal the happenings inside and out.
I loved all the puppets and by extension the puppeteering, they felt like they were taken straight from the movie and there were so many of them! From fantasy creatures to a realistic goat, and of course, not to be forgotten, the nearly ten-foot-tall Totoro puppet. There was even a separate puppet for when he was asleep!
The acting was brilliant from every cast member, and they really solidified themselves as part of the fantastical world. There are a million more things I could say about how wonderful this show is but, to keep things short, it was fun, silly and I highly recommended it!
LAMDA students from Years 9 to 11 gave incredible performances in their annual showcase this year. This year’s title was People, and we saw dreamers and runners, fighters and fools; each carrying their own battles, their own hopes, their own wounds stitched just beneath the skin. These characters stepped into the spotlight, not because they are unbreakable but because they are unafraid to be broken! Year 7’s Nina shares her thoughts on the performances.
Year 7’s Nina
“This amazing night was hosted by the wonderful Year 11’s Samuel L and Edward who finished off the evening with their own excellent piece One Man Two Governors, which was a great and very entertaining way to end the evening.
The smallest of touches made the evening so special and intriguing, for example, the performers walking onto the stage the way they predicted their characters would have, which in itself seems such a small thing, but it actually made quite a difference, and related to the theme of the evening, ‘People’, as all the pieces and characters were so different.
As always, none of this could have happened without the amazing Head of LAMDA Ms Lockwood who organises these brilliant events, the incredibly talented students who perform, and last but never least, the audience who support the students during these wonderful showcases.
It was a truly exciting and entertaining evening, and the perfect opportunity to see students’ performances from their exams, demonstrating all of their hard work.”
Ms Lockwood would like to express her thanks to all of the Year 11s who took up their own time to come and perform at the start of a busy exam session’ Sam L, Edward, Scarlett, Lily and Eloise.
What a truly special evening at St Mary’s Church for our Festival of Voices! The concert showcased the incredible talent and dedication of all our young singers. Our Director of Music, Mr Woodley, reports on the evening.
Mr Woodley, Director of Music
“We were treated to a beautiful and gentle rendition of Whitacre’s Sing Gently and a charming Fly Me to the Moon from the Chamber Choir, followed by the delightful Panis Angelicus and the spirited Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel from the wonderful Woodbridge School Prep Chamber Choir.
Their performance was truly captivating! The Bari Tones brought a different energy with their takes on Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Human, while the combined voices of the Bari Tones and Chamber Choir soared in a powerful Nessun Dorma. Chorum’s thoughtful And So It Goes offered a moment of reflection, and The West Tones impressed with their evocative Evensong and the beautiful Autumn Leaves.
The concert built to a joyous crescendo with the Year 13 Leavers’ poignant The Road Home, followed by a moving performance of What Was I Made For? by The West Tones and Chamber Choir. The Chamber Choir’s playful Sing a Song of Sixpence added a touch of light heartedness before the entire company of performers filled the church with the infectious energy of Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat for a truly unforgettable finale!”
