Twelve Woodbridge School athletes represented Suffolk at the annual Anglian Schools Cross Country Championships hosted this year at the Royal Hospital School on Saturday 3 February.
There were four age group races for each of the boys and girls and Suffolk were up against the very best from Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk.
Suffolk were in the top three teams in every race and across the eight races were crowned overall champions.
Suffolk won 6 of the 24 individual medals on offer and Woodbridge School athletes claimed 3 of the 6:
Ruby Vinton won Gold in the Minor Girls
April Hill won Bronze in the Junior Girls
Nathan Goddard won Bronze in the Inter Boys
Full results were:
Minor Girls : Ruby Vinton 1st
Minor Boys : Moses McBride 10th (An excellent debut at this level)
Minor Boys : Edward Buckingham 20th (Ed was with Moses before being tripped in the home straight – who says XC is not a contact sport)
Junior Girls : April Hill 3rd
Junior Girls : Bea Thomas 27th
Junior Girls : Amy Goddard 31st
Junior Girls : Jess Elmer 50th
Junior Boys : Charlie Turner 9th (Junior Boys were team winners)
Junior Boys : Kit Evans Lombe 15th
Inter Boys : Nathan Goddard 3rd
Inter Boys : Alex Evans Lombe 35th
Inter Boys : Daniel Davies 57th
Selection to compete at England Schools Cross Country
For the Minor category this was the final race in a series. For Juniors and beyond there was the added pressure of trying to make the cut to compete at England Schools.
This race served as the final trial after which the Suffolk Team would be halved.
It is fantastic to report that the following seven athletes will represent Suffolk at the England Schools Cross Country Championship in Leeds on Saturday 17th March:
Junior Girls : April Hill
Junior Girls : Bea Thomas
Junior Girls : Amy Goddard
Junior Boys: Charlie Turner
Junior Boys : Kit Evans Lombe
Inter Boys : Nathan Goddard
Inter Boys : Alex Evans Lombe
Amy gets another mention in that this year she is the only Woodbridge School athlete selected to compete at England Schools a year young. Amy will get to try out for the same age group next year.
Congratulations to all, a just reward for all the hard work and we wish you every success in Leeds.
Last weekend, three Woodbridge girls flew out to the French Alps to compete in the annual Schoolgirls’ races. Katherine Bye, Beth Turner and Honor Bartlett raced in three disciplines: Giant Slalom, Parallel Slalom and Slalom against girls from schools as far afield as Glenalmond, St Mary’s Calne and Cheltenham Ladies, as well as the big ski schools of Surbiton, Reed’s and NLCS.
In the first race of Giant Slalom, all our girls put down clean runs through the gates and Honor Bartlett finished as the youngest competitor in the top 10, winning the silver medal for her age group. It’s a discipline that we cannot train for on a short dry slope, so our girls did amazingly well to ski with such confidence. What’s more, our overall team time allowed us to qualify for the afternoon’s Parallel Slalom programme, set up as a relay with the whole team competing. We were pitted against eventual runners up in the first round and were certainly not embarrassed in coming in second to them, Beth Turner putting in a great leg for the team. The final race was a traditional slalom race, and with Honor in second overall in the combined, this was a perfect opportunity to move up. Her first blazing run saw her come back to within 0.03 seconds of the leader. But a costly mistake, valiantly corrected by climbing back up the mountain!, saw her lose time and finish in the bronze medal position.
Many thanks to Lucy Bartlett and Rob Turner for coming out to Flaine support the girls too. The team really was a credit to the school and showed the talent we have on the slopes. Bring on more training sessions on the Ipswich Glacier on those bitter Friday evenings!
…And when all was said, sung, and done, the glory of homeland Edelweiss inspired the Austrian hearts to defy those Nasties after all. The snow fell, the music soared, the mountains called, and Maria saved her Captain and his children! Hurrah! I confess, one or two of us in the audience wiped away three or four tears. Between us, of course.
There is something bewitching about musicals – the suspension of disbelief as the music and the songs weave in and out of the spoken word makes for a little bit of magic, and there was plenty of that on show in the Seckford Theatre. From the hypnotic opening of the nuns at prayer to the circle completed at the curtain’s call by the Mother Abbess herself, this was a story that flew along on the wings of love. Seven children in glorious rank order of size, and even more glorious harmony, looked every bit the family as they shrieked at thunder, spun the bed, learnt of musical scales and of loving, and loving again. The Captain’s staff offered a charmingly cheeky deference that belied an obvious fondness for their master. Max did as Max will do – pleasing himself and all around him, and Frau Schraeder with charming honesty did the decent thing by the Captain. What would any of us have done in those times, eh? Not, we hope as Rolf (but good for him at the end!), or the Barons and Baronesses, the Admiral or Boo Hiss Zeller.
So the innocent and Godly nuns and their Abbess saved the day, and the mountains did the rest. The Nasties were thwarted, and our finest of Captains with impeccable honour and a firm hand at the metaphorical till rediscovered his heart and his children, and took the hand of our most beguiling of postulants – our Maria, whose eyes shone with a fervour of goodness that swept all before her.
It’s a wonderful story, and the intimacy of the setting was so beautifully enhanced by the quite outstanding performance of the Band and the fabulously versatile set. On stage, the quality of the singing, as well as, of course, the acting, took us into the heart of Salzburg, and the von Trapps completely into our hearts. Thank you. Thank you, cast, Band, and crew in all your guises. And to those with the vision to bring it all together – directors of stage, music, song and dance – our most heartfelt of congratulations.
SPANISH INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING AND DRAMA WORKSHOPS
On Friday 12 January Years 3, 4 and 5 took part in an interactive storytelling workshop in Spanish. John of the Freshwater Theatre Company told two stories (Rocitos de Oro y los Tres Osos and Los Tres Cerditos) with the help of the Abbey pupils. In the afternoon Year 6 were joined by Year 7 pupils from the Senior School and took part in an interactive drama workshop on Don Quijote. Both workshops were very entertaining and helped pupils develop even further their linguistic and cultural knowledge.
Mrs Verona
‘The workshop helped us to learn some different words in Spanish. It was great! There was some fantastic acting.’ Niamh (Year 4)
‘We had lots of fun at the Spanish workshop. I had a part in Los Tres Cerditos. It was simply great and we learnt some new Spanish words.’ Tom (Year 4)
‘Both stories were extremely funny, and I found the workshop really inspiring and fascinating.’ Theo (Year 4)
‘I thought the workshop was good because I liked how we were involved in the acting’ Aston (Year 4)
‘I enjoyed Don Quijote. The actor was great at playing two parts. I loved that we were involved in the acting too!’ Polly (Year 6)
‘It was funny and educational at the same time!’ Edward (Year 6)
‘I enjoyed watching the crazy adventures Don Quijote had’ Oscar (Year 6)
‘The workshop was really funny; I learnt a lot of new words!’ Joe (Year 6)
‘The workshop was a funny, interactive and educational show. I loved it!’ James (Year 6)
Izaac reports:
‘On Sunday 21 January, thirteen teammates and I competed in the annual RAF Competition held at RAF Honington. I’m very pleased to say that we achieved 8th place in the overall standings of the competition and most notably 1st place in the Drill section of the competition and 2nd place in the fitness section. I accredit this outstanding performance to the hard work, dedication and resilience of the entire team throughout the weeks of training leading up to the competition. I am extremely proud to have been part of such a committed team. I wish next year’s cadets the best of luck, and hope they can continue to build on the fine reputation of the Woodbridge School RAF section.’
The editor could not have put it better!
On Thursday 11 January, Woodbridge School hosted the Suffolk Schools’ Series B County Championships, which was also the final trial for the Anglian Schools’ race in February and the English Schools’ event in March. The weather may not have been at its best, but the athletes weren’t to be deterred despite a muddy course and difficult footing from trying their best.
Twenty five runners from The Abbey and Senior School raced, having already gained top 40 places at the Series A championships at Culford in December and there were some outstanding results. In particular, six won medals for top-three finishes and are hoping to be selected to represent Suffolk.
Full results:
Minor Girls – Ruby Vinton 1st
Minor Boys – Ed Buckingham 8th, Moses McBride 9th, Henry Vincent 20th, Tommy Burrows 34th, John Evans Lombe 39th, Jonjo Walker 44th & George Na Nakhorn 49th
Junior Girls – April Hill 1st, Amy Goddard 5th, Bea Thomas 9th, Jess Elmer 10th, Anna Jackson 19th, Emily Whyte 20th and Ashleigh Wildbore 37th.
Junior Boys – Charlie Turner 2nd, Kit Evans Lombe 3rd, Edward Rufford 18th & Mauricio Corfe 30th
Inter Girls – Sophie Graham 22nd & Victoria Burrows 35th
Inter Boys – Nathan Goddard 1st, Alex Evans Lombe 3rd, Daniel Davies 12th, George Rufford 23rd & Chris Long 25th.
Thank you to all the members of staff and parents who volunteered and supported the event, whether marshalling, warming up, or supervising the athletes. We would not be able to host such events without all your support. Also, many thanks again to Mr Goddard for his dedication and for the time he gives.
OW Tess Bryson writes:
‘I have independently organised (not through university or via a charity), to go to Maya Universe Academy for all of July to help tutor children in English, teach them sport and help the construction team to improve the facilities of the school. The Academy, situated near Kathmandu, is for Nepalese children up to aged 15. I am seeking to raise £700 both to help fund the trip and supply the school with the kind of necessary items that we take for granted here in the UK.
I would be incredibly grateful for any support anyone can offer. My justgiving page is https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tessbrysonnepal?utm_id=2&utm_term=adQ5jYyWA. Many, many thanks.’
Suffolk Representative Honours
Many congratulations to the following who have been selected to run for Suffolk at the Anglian Cross Country Championships on Saturday 3 February.
Minor Girls : Ruby Vinton
Minor Boys : Ed Buckingham and Moses McBride
Junior Girls : April Hill, Amy Goddard, Bea Thomas and Jess Elmer
Junior Boys : Charlie Turner and Kit Evans Lombe
Inter Boys : Nathan Goddard, Alex Evans Lombe and Daniel Davies
Young pupils at Woodbridge School have been joined on stage by Lord Marlesford and the Rt Hon Sir John Waite, a former Lord Justice of Appeal, for the exciting debut of ‘The Trial of Paris’ play. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 performed the play to two audiences on Friday, 19 January, in the Science Lecture Theatre.
Written by Anne Wright, Woodbridge School’s Head of Classics, ‘The Trial of Paris’ is a crossover between Greek mythology and a courtroom drama. The play sees Paris of Troy on trial for starting the Trojan War, with pupils playing barristers and witnesses including Aphrodite and Zeus.
Lord Marlesford, President of the Suffolk Preservation Society and former Parliamentary lobby correspondent for The Economist, joined the young cast on stage in character as a judge for the first ‘Trial of Paris’ performance. Sir John Waite took to the stage as a judge for the second performance, bringing his lifetime experience as a former Lord Justice of Appeal. The play encouraged the audience to take an interactive role as jury, by deciding whether Paris was innocent or guilty.
Anne Wright said: “I am incredibly proud of the cast, who were utterly convincing, and I should like to thank our judges for their thought-provoking comments about the importance of the rule of Law.”
Latin is very popular at Woodbridge School for pupils of all ages, from Year 7 to A Level. Classical Greek is also available (both as an academic option and as an extra-curricular activity), while Classical Civilisation is offered at A Level. The school has a proud tradition of sending Classicists to Oxford and Cambridge Universities and, this year, a Woodbridge School pupil has been offered a place to read Classics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford.