Last weekend, 38 of our Year 10 students eagerly set off on their Bronze DofE expedition training weekend in the local area.
Beginning with practical navigation practice, emergency procedures, first aid and route planning sessions they then headed to their campsites. There they received more training on camp craft including pitching tents and how to use stoves.
After what was a very pleasant night of camping they cooked themselves a delicious breakfast before packing up and carrying all of their expedition equipment while navigating their way back to the School grounds via different routes.
It was an excellent opportunity to build confidence and skills, with acknowledgement of improvements that could be made ahead of their two-day qualifying expedition which takes place in June.
Well done everyone.
The historic walls of St Mary’s Church, Woodbridge, were filled to the rafters on Friday 1 May for our annual Festival of Voices. It was a truly spectacular evening that showcased the immense vocal talent across the entire Woodbridge School community, featuring students from the Prep Chamber Choir all the way through to the Senior School. The church was packed with a delighted audience , creating an electric atmosphere of shared celebration and pride in a venue that provided the perfect acoustic backdrop.
Miss Weston, our Head of Singing, shares more about the evening.
“The importance of singing in education cannot be overstated, as it serves as a powerful tool for developing confidence, teamwork, and cognitive skills. Woodbridge School promotes this philosophy by fostering vocal excellence across all year groups, creating a seamless journey from the youngest pupils to the most experienced seniors. By bringing together a diverse range of ages, the school encourages a culture of mentorship and community. This was beautifully exemplified when the Head Girl, Year 13’s Emily, joined the Prep Chamber Choir for a charming performance of Do Re Mi, a moment that highlighted the supportive bonds between the School’s different tiers.
The programme was a masterclass in variety, blending sacred traditions with contemporary hits. The mood was unremittingly joyful, a sentiment captured early on by the Woodbridge School Prep Chamber Choir with their spirited rendition of Make a Joyful Noise. It was particularly heartening to see such a strong representation of male singers throughout the night. The Bari Tones brought a cool, classic energy to the stage with Bad Moon Rising and Blackbird , while the combined power of the Chamber Choir, Bari Tones, and Senior Boys for He Ain’t Heavy was a poignant highlight that demonstrated the depth of the School’s vocal department.
While the entire evening featured exceptional singing, several performances were true stand-outs. Chorum delivered The Road Home with a sophisticated, ethereal quality , while the collaboration between the West Tones and Chamber Choir for Hail Holy Queen was a high-octane triumph. The evening closed with the technical brilliance of the Chamber Choir performing Rutter’s Sing a Song of Sixpence and the soul-stirring Music Down in My Soul.”
The evening’s success is a testament to the incredible leadership within the music department. Miss Weston deserves the highest praise for her vision, hard work, and hosting; as the driving force behind the event, her conducting provided a platform where every student felt empowered to shine. The vocalists were expertly supported by James Davy, whose sensitive and masterful accompaniment provided the perfect foundation for every piece. Special thanks also go to Miss Barnes for her dedicated work and expertise with the Bari Tones. Woodbridge School continues to set a gold standard for musical education, and this celebratory display of talent left the audience inspired as they travelled home.
This year’s Shakespeare on the Lawn, performed by Year 9 students, will be The Comedy of Errors; a fast‑moving farce built on mistaken identities, escalating confusion, and the comic potential of two sets of identical twins separated at birth.
Written early in Shakespeare’s career, the play blends slapstick humour with a tightly structured plot, creating a lively story set in the bustling city of Ephesus. Beneath the chaos lies a warm exploration of family, identity, and reunion, making it one of Shakespeare’s most enduring and entertaining comedies.
Excited to be performing this year, we met with Maizie and Clem, who play Adriana and Luciana as they rehearsed together. Although they are both just at the beginning of learning and understanding their lines, it was clear to see how delighted both girls are with the roles they’ve been given, and how much they’re looking forward to being part of Shakespeare on the Lawn this year!
Working with Mrs Mayes and Mr Williams, they took time to talk about each of their characters, their relationship with one another and how this impacts the way they behave – and will behave, on stage. With parts of this play performed as verse, there’s no doubt that these young actors have their hands full getting to know their characters and the script, but it’s clear they’re excited and dedicated to doing their very best.
These early rehearsals are also important to support students in terms of understanding the not only the Shakespearean language itself, but the importance of emphasis, energy, pronunciation and elaboration in the way they perform lines. With characters written over 400 years ago, there are certain complexities that need to be understood in order for our students to be able to give their best performances, and to appeal and relate to our modern-day audiences – and of course, to ensure they do so in a comical way, to keep our audiences entertained and engaged.
Talking to Maizie and Clem, it’s clear to see they’re enjoying themselves already, aware of the challenges but also excited in anticipation of performing in the weeks to come.
Maizie, who plays Adriana
Playing Adriana, who is married to Antipholus of Ephesus, one of the twin brothers at the heart of the play’s mistaken‑identity chaos, Maizie’s challenge is to play a character is consistently described as intense, loving, jealous, and outspoken, qualities that fuel both the comedy and the conflict.
Talking about how she felt to get the part, Maizie shared,
“Adriana is a fun character to play, and I was so excited to get the part. The language can be hard to understand and at times pronounce correctly, but Mrs Mayes and Mr Williams are helping us to do so. I’m looking forward to when I’ve learned all the lines, I completely understand my character as well as all of the others, and the performance comes together completely. With dancing, costumes and staging, I know it’s going to be a really brilliant experience.”
Clem, who plays Luciana
Clem plays Luciana, who is Adriana’s sister – originally written as a calm, idealistic, and traditionally minded woman, her character has been adapted to the 1970s version for this year’s performance, and she will be played as part of the wave of feminism from that era. Electing to be single and finding her sister’s marital problems very tedious, rather than her traditional character being meek and patient she does enjoy antagonising her sister rather a lot!
Clem spoke about her excitement at being selected to be part of the production,
“This is the part I wanted, so I was so pleased to get it! There are a lot of lines to learn, not just off by heart, but really learn and understand, because without that I won’t be able to perform them. I’m loving the sarcasm and humour of Shakespeare, it’s fun to play this part, especially opposite Maizie, the sisterly rivalry is so much fun. One of the things I’m most looking forward to is making friendships and connections with other students in my year, it’s great to make new friends and find out more about each other, it really brings the year group together.”
Live performance is a wonderful experience, teaching and encouraging confidence, resilience and helping students manage nerves, stay focused and recover gracefully from any mistakes; key life skills for now and beyond School.
Everyone involved in this year’s production is incredibly excited about performing live on our Chapel lawn on Tuesday 30 June and Wednesday 1 July. Tickets will go on sale soon, we’ll share details as soon as they become available.
Last Friday afternoon, the School was full of family, friends and OWs here to celebrate our CCF Inspection which took place in the glorious sunshine. With parades and displays from all sections including Army, Navy and RAF, it was an excellent display of our students’ commitment and dedication, as well as their hard work and enthusiasm, and was certainly enjoyed by everyone. With the Inspection carried out by OW Lt Cdr David Armitage, Year 13’s Lucy our Head of Contingent, shares her report on the day.
Thank you to everyone who came, took part and helped organise this wonderful tradition which I know is much anticipated and enjoyed each and every year.
Year 13’s Lucy, Head of Contingent
Woodbridge school CCF annual Inspection took place on Friday 1 May. This event is not only an inspection of the CCF but of the work and dedication that has been undertaken throughout the year to be able to show the CCF at its best.
This year we welcomed back Old Woodbridgian Lieutenant Commander David Armitage, a Naval pilot who has committed his life to piloting the Merlin helicopter.
The afternoon began with a full contingent parade with the quarter Guard at the centre. Myself, Miss Norman, Major Garvie and Lieutenant Commander Armitage then proceeded to make our way around each section, starting with the quarter guard and ending with the RAF. Hearing the cadets mention their passions within their sections was a great highlight to the day.
The parade was followed by three displays: the combat cadets team’s casualty evacuation, the winners of the Trower trophy drill competition (the Navy) offered a drill showcase, and then finally a student-led drum corps performed by cadets in the Navy rounded up the displays.
Major Garvie and I then accompanied Lieutenant Commander Armitage around the grounds of the School showing the diversity of Friday afternoons in the CCF. We started strong with seeing Mr Smith teaching RAF cadets how to make rope out of nettles in bushcraft and moved on to see activities such as the zip wire, first aid, cooking in the field and finally rounded off by visiting the cadets in the flight simulator where Lieutenant Commander Armitage shared his wealth of knowledge on the physics of helicopter flying to keen cadets who regularly attend the flight simulator extra-curricular.
We then watched the gun run, the final event in the Trower trophy which cadets have been competing in all year. This year was a close call, with RAF A flight taking the win as the wider community of the School stood and eagerly watched.
The day was then rounded off by a team effort to pack away the gun run and a final parade where Lieutenant Commander Armitage gave us insight as to where this valuable experience in the CCF may take every individual and how the skills learnt in the CCF will never leave you or do you a disservice. He then had the pleasure of awarding the gun run trophy to the head of the RAF section (Year 13’s Angus) and the overall Trower trophy to the head of Navy (Year 13’s Reuben P) which could not have been a better end to the day, as when Lieutenant Commander Armitage was head of the Navy section in 2007, he too lead the Navy to victory and won the Trower trophy.
Finally, a personal thanks to the heads of section Year 13’s Ethan, Angus, Reuben P (Navy) and all other leaving NCOs who did nothing but show the brilliance of Woodbridge School CCF.
Our Drama Scholars and Enrichment students enjoyed a screening of The National Theatre’s Jane Eyre late last week, which will be followed by a post screening discussion. Sharing her review of the performance, Year 9’s Rebecca talks about what she found impressive, the staging and how she felt generally about the play.
Year 9’s Rebecca
“The National Theatre’s Jane Eyre was an unforgettable performance of a timeless classic.
What impressed me the most was the unique stage design, which, although simple, turned out to be surprisingly effective. In addition to that, the use of multirole and few props added to the emotional intensity of the play and captured its dark atmosphere, while remaining physically dynamic. Although the technical elements were impressive, it was the actors that brought the story to life on stage.
Madeleine Worall, playing the role of Jane, gave a brilliant performance. She conveyed Jane’s quiet strength and resilience, but also showed her bold and fierce side, making her feel deeply human and relatable despite her unusual story.
I also really enjoyed how the play mixed in some comedy to balance out the darker themes, keeping it engaging and interesting.
Overall, it was a memorable performance and stayed with me long after the last scene.”
As ever, our School has been buzzing with the sound and sight of primary school children from the local area, joining us to take part in our Primary Enrichment Programme workshops. Providing them with the opportunity to develop new skills and gain hands-on experience across various curriculum subjects, our programme helps strengthen and broaden children’s knowledge, while bringing genuine joy and enjoyment as they learn.
From K’Nex workshops, an English Murder Mystery and a multi-school Netball Tournament, to investigating what cells look like in Science and learning Mandarin and Spanish, our workshops take children out of their classrooms and allows them to experience and become confident in new environments, read more about them below.
K’Nex Workshop
Waldringfield Primary School joined us for a K’Nex Earthquake Challenge earlier in the year, with 23 Year 5 and 6 children attending and super keen to get stuck in! Challenged to save the people of San Francisco, they had to design and build a tower using K’Nex that could withstand our earthquake simulator. It was a super interactive workshop aimed at improving children’s ability to problem solve, work in teams and build models – and everyone had a great time!
Cells Workshop
Children from Bredfield Primary School, Melton Primary School and St John’s Primary School joined us separately for a Cells workshop – what do our cells look like? Children from Years 5 and 6 had great fun looking at objects under a microscope, providing a whole new perspective on everyday objects. Learning how to use the microscopes safely and effectively, they looked at interesting samples from nature as well as their own cheek cells, learning how to create slides for themselves too.
English Murder Mystery
Providing a fun and practical workshop where children created a file of evidence laying a trail of clues to help others solve a murder, we welcomed 31 Year 5s from Brooklands Primary School and St Pancreas for this English skills workshop. Taking roles and writing a wide range of text styles from police crime scene notes, newspaper cuttings and bank final demands, to love letters, diary entries and forget notes; all evidence taken back to school to be used by their peers to solve the crime!
Mandarin and Spanish Workshop
Waldringfield Primary School children from Years 5 and 6 spend time in our School learning about these languages, their countries and culture. They sang songs, talked about traditions and made Spanish carnival masks as well as learning about how Mandarin word characters were invented – competing to see who could assess the most characters successfully.
Netball Tournament
We were blessed with some warmer and sunnier weather for our Netball Tournament in School in March, where we invited children from Lawford, St Mary’s, Woodbridge, Nacton, Kyson, St John’s Primary Schools, as well as children from our own Prep School, to join us and play. Competing against one another in lively and competitive matches, our sports coaches took every opportunity to share and impart sporting knowledge about the game; from correct moves to suggestions for improvements. Everyone had a great time and came away from the tournament with new knowledge and friends.
Multi-skills Festival
96 Year 1 children from Woodbridge, Melton, Lawford and Kyson Primary schools took part in our Multi-skills Festival. With a range of different sporting activities on offer for everyone to learn about and take part in, it was a brilliant day and provided lots of opportunities for children to not only develop new skills but to enjoy sports they possibly hadn’t taken part in before. Woodbridge School Sports Leader students were on hand to offer assistance and support throughout the day.
Chess Tournament
Following generous and much appreciated support from ECF Grassroots Chess Initiative, we were delighted to hold our Chess Tournament in School, where children St Mary’s, St Pancras, Orwell Park, Royal Hospital School and our own Senior and Prep School joined us for our Chess Tournament. Learning how Chess can support the building of strong analytical and decision making skills as well as pattern recognition, children enjoyed hands-on training, leaving with new skills and friendships!
It’s an absolute pleasure to welcome, host and teach children from schools in our surround area, we’re also delighted that our own students benefit from the programme as they regularly participate in workshops, helping to support children’s learning and experience. The programme can be tailored to most year groups, exploring a variety of topics that will inspire and delight children – and support teachers with subjects on the syllabus.
Last week, a group of 23 Year 12 students travelled to Sizewell B to learn more about nuclear energy, life on a nuclear plant and potential future careers/internships. Alex shared more about the experience.
Year 12’s Alex
“We started in the visitors’ centre with a quick use of VR headsets with their ‘Journey of the Atom’, before heading through to the safety briefing where we learnt about the day-to-day safety precautions that all workers must adhere to. In addition, we were given an overview of the history of the plant, a quick explanation on how nuclear power generation works and specific details about which areas do each part of the process.
Once we had all the safety equipment needed, we headed onto the site. Throughout the visit, the guides explained how nuclear energy works, from the process of nuclear fission to how the heat released is used to produce steam and drive turbines that generate electricity.
One of the highlights was visiting the massive turbine hall, which demonstrated the scale and complexity of the plant. The tour also emphasised to us the importance of safety, waste management and the role nuclear power plays in reducing carbon emissions.
Overall, the Sizewell B tour was both educational and engaging, offering a unique behind-the-scenes view of a major energy facility and helping to deepen our understanding of how nuclear power contributes to the UK’s energy supply.
Thanks to Sizewell B, and also to Dr Law for organising it!”
Last week our Chess team took part in the English Schools Chess Championships online repechage. Playing online rather than in person, it looked to be a challenging experience; finishing 22nd out of 24 teams.
Taking part in 53 games within just one hour it was an extremely fast-paced experience, and for some the time control was too challenging. With just 5 min+3sec/move increment for the whole game, there were some errors in such tough playing conditions, but we’d like to congratulate all of them for taking part and playing well.
Our most experienced players, Year 12’s Nikolai and Rowan won six of nine games and four of seven respectively, and Callum won five out of ten, but it definitely proved to be more challenging for our younger players, Year 9’s Sichen, Year 9’s Max and Year 9’s Arthur but they still played incredibly well and fought hard every minute of the game.
The effort our team has put into these championships has been exceptional, and although they haven’t finished in the top 12 they have done themselves and the School extremely proud.
Students from Years 7 to 10 had an excellent time on their junior ski trip over the Easter break, spending time nestled in the heart of the Grandes Rousses massif in Alpe D’Huez.
Boasting over 250km of slopes, including the famous Sarenne, the longest black slope in the world, students spent improving techniques during lessons, as well as sampling the local cuisine and soaking up the vibrant and friendly atmosphere of this renowned resort in the Alps. They also enjoyed Luge on rails, swimming in the heated outdoor pool, a pizza evening and movie and quiz nights, and really made the most of their ski trip!
Following a few days of limited visibility due to low cloud, the sun eventually came out and students enjoyed glorious conditions. With stunning scenery surrounding them at every turn, it’s clear to see they all had an incredible time in Alpe D’Huez.
Year 10’s Phoebe and Marina share more about the trip.
Phoebe
“This year’s junior ski trip was a trip we won’t forget. We skied four and a half hours each day and I feel we all came out of the week with new skills and a better understanding of skiing. We took part in various activities from swimming at the local pool while seeing who could endure staying in the piles of snow the longest before tapping out, then screaming with our friends going what felt like a million miles an hour on the luge. Many fun memories were made and I am looking forward to having this much fun again on the senior trip in December!”
Marina
“This year’s School junior ski trip to Alpe D’Huez was an incredible experience and easily the best trip I’ve been on so far. The snow conditions were fantastic throughout the week, and our instructors were incredibly patient and helpful in improving our technique which made the sessions on the mountain much more enjoyable. Beyond the skiing, we stayed busy with a variety of activities, ranging from an entertaining fancy dress day to a hands-on pizza-making evening. We even took a ride on the Luge, a thrilling rollercoaster that winds directly through the mountains. It was a truly unforgettable week that set a new standard for school trips.”
Thank you to all of our students for being fabulous ambassadors for the School, and thank you to Mr Brous, Miss Hinton and Mrs Rix for taking and looking after the students – without them, the trip wouldn’t have been possible.
With two charitable tournaments over the last few weeks, we’re delighted to share more about Chess played in aid of both the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support
We were delighted to be invited to take part in the 15th Martlesham Heath Chess Tournament – a fundraiser for the Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s project ‘Mission 2030’ recently; students from our Senior and Prep Schools taking part. With 35 entries, comprising of 20 junior players and 15 adult, over £300 was raised for charity. Well done to Year 9’s Max, Sichen and Arthur, as well as Year 6’s Charles and Year 5’s Samuel who all scored four points out of a possible eight, and also to Year 2’s Daniel who was the youngest player, competing in his first official chess tournament.
English Chess Federation 24-hour Chess Marathon – Macmillan Cancer Support
A 24-hour online Chess marathon was held last weekend in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. The event was also held in memory of Adam Hunt (Head of Chess and Examinations Officer at Woodbridge School 2011 – 2025) and Jonathan Hawkins; two much-loved members of the chess community, who gave so very much personally as players, coaches and mentors. The marathon saw friends and supporters together to honour their legacy and help others affected by cancer. Top chess personalities such as Simon Williams, Frankie and Stanley Badacsonyi, Jovanka Houska, Natasha Regan, Matthew Sadler, and many more were commentators throughout the event on the ECF YouTube channel. You can find out more about the event at https://www.englishchess.org.uk/24-hour-chess-marathon-in-support-of-macmillan-cancer-support/.
