It has been a busy start to the athletics season, especially for Year 10, with three competitions in six days, and all in the glorious sunshine. Our reports below come from Mrs Scahill, our Head of Athletics and Other Sports.
ESAA Track and Field Cup, Bury St Edmunds
Woodbridge School got off to a winning start with three of our four teams competing in the Suffolk round of the ESAA Track and Field Cup in Bury St Edmunds on Thursday 8 May. Luckily not a wash out like last year, the teams enjoyed a day of competition in the sunshine. Each team is made up of thirteen/fifteen students and they have to cover all the events between them, doing two events each (one track one field) scoring points for their distances and times. Junior boys and junior girls are a mix of Year 7 and Year 8. Inter boys and inter girls are a mix of Year 9 and Year 10.
The junior boys, junior girls and inter girls won, and the inter boys came second. This takes the winning teams through to the regional round, which takes place after half term in Chelmsford.
We were very proud of our athletes who very early in the athletics term were able to compete confidently and gave it their all. There was lots of support from teammates as every performance meant essential points for the team. Top scorers of the day were Year 8’s Alexandra and Dex, and Year 10’s Romilly and Tom.
Suffolk Schools and Suffolk County Athletics Track and Field Championships
Three days later many of the athletes were back in Bury St Edmunds on Sunday 11 May, competing individually in the Suffolk Schools and the Suffolk County Athletics Track and Field Championships.
Athletes taking part included:
From Year 7:
Juno
From Year 8:
Imarah
Alexandra
Evie
India B
India J
Imogen
Alfie
Dex
Otis
Josh
Ella
Tom
From Year 9:
Eirann
Hamish
Oscar
Ben
From Year 10:
Georgia
Romilly
Felicity
From Year 11:
Margot
It was also lovely to see OWs like Nancy A competing there too.
It was a very successful day for the Woodbridge athletes with many personal bests and top three finishes; especially for Romilly who achieved under the entry time of 4.45, with 4.44 to qualify to run the 1500m in the English Schools Championships in July.
There were Gold medals for Margot (for the third year running) in high jump, for Georgia in triple jump, for Eirann in javelin and high jump, for Oscar in 100m and 300m, for Hamish in 800m, for Ben in long jump, for Tom in javelin, for Imarah in discus, for Alexandra in 800m, and for Dex in 1500m. There were Silver medals for Romilly in 1500m, Ella in javelin, Oscar in high jump, and for Juno in 100m, and there was a Bronze for Ben in 100m.
Well done to all the athletes competing on the hottest day of the year so far, particularly those who achieved personal bests! Also big thanks to their parents for all their support.
Good luck to those going on to represent Suffolk at the Regional Championships in Peterborough on 21 June 2025.
South Suffolk Schools, Northgate
On Tuesday 13 May, in the evening, the Year 10 boys and girls teams were competing against 14 other South Suffolk schools at Northgate.
It was another successful meet with individual wins for Romily, Georgia, Izzy, Charlie, Ollie Y, second places for Eve, Rory, Oli M, Ollie Y, Liam, Johnny and the relay team of Charlie, Tom, Seb and Rory and third places for Sukie, Abi, James, and the relay team of Izzy, Sukie, Abi and Georgia.
Well done all and thank you to the staff for running events and videoing for GCSE.
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!
42 students from Year 10 took part in the Bronze DofE expedition training last weekend, undertaking practical navigation practice, emergency procedures, first aid and route planning.
They were then driven to their campsites, two groups staying at each location with staff. There, they received more training on camp craft, including pitching tents and how to use stoves.
After a pleasant night camping as the weekend’s weather was lovely, they cooked breakfast they then walked back to School on different routes, carrying all their expedition equipment.
Mistakes were made, being those navigational or with their kit, but hopefully the groups learnt from these and this weekend gave them the opportunity to prepare themselves and be ready for their two-day qualifying expedition in June.
Last week, Drama Scholarship and Enrichment students watched a screening of Wonder Boy, directed by Sally Cookson (who originally directed A Monster Calls), followed by a post-performance discussion. Year 9’s Phoebe took part and reports on the screening and the discussion.
Phoebe, Year 9
Wonder Boy was super funny, whilst highlighting the challenges of living with a stammer.
I really appreciated how everybody attending the screening treated it like we were in the theatre and respected the performance.
The post-performance discussion helped us understand other people’s views and ideas, it gave me an opportunity to discuss what I found enjoyable and what I took from it creatively for future projects.
I really appreciate the screenings the Drama department puts on for the Enrichment programme as it broadens our knowledge of theatre. Wonder Boy was an impactful story that taught us very valuable lessons and I really enjoyed every minute!
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!”
Our annual CCF Inspection took place in School last Friday afternoon, carried out by Lt Col Olivia McBride RAMS (OW 1997-1999).
Thank you to friends, family and all the OWs who joined us to watch the Inspection, which included a parade and various displays from all sections of our over 200-strong Combined Cadet Force including Army, RAF and Navy. With afternoon tea and cake following the final Inter Section Competition and parade, it was an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their skill and commitment to their chosen section, and a super opportunity for friends and family to see exactly what being part of the CCF involves and means to everyone.
Year 13’s Oscar W, Head of Contingent shared his report from the afternoon.
Oscar W, Year 13
“Our annual CCF Inspection, which is one of the CCF highlights of the year, took place on Friday as we welcomed back Lt Col Olivia McBride who used to be a cadet at Woodbridge School herself. It was a proud moment for everyone to showcase the amazing activities we have access to and the skills we all have as cadets.
The afternoon started with a full parade complete with Quarter Guard. Each section stood together as I took our Inspecting Officer around and introduced her to each of our Heads of Section, as well as some individual cadets. Lt Col Olivia McBride took time to talk to students about their experience in the CCF and the different things they enjoyed and hoped to go on to do. This was followed by three displays, one from the RAF Drill Team, one from the Navy Drum Corps and one from the Army Combat Cadet Team who re-enacted a section attack drill from the recent competition we attended where we took top school and second place overall.
I then proceeded to escort Lt Col Olivia McBride around the Woodbridge School grounds where groups of cadets were demonstrating a huge range of activities; from the confidence course to zip wiring, climbing, paintballing, low ropes, first aid, flight simulator, command task, fieldcraft and raft building.
Our Tower Trophy Competition has been running throughout the year and the gun run was the final exciting event. Students from all years, friends and family lined the Dome Pitch where five teams – Army 1 Platoon, Army 2 Platoon, RAF A Flight, RAF B Flight, Navy – all lined up to support their chosen team. Dismantling the mock guns, carrying them across an obstacle course and back again where we had to reassemble them, was certainly something that got the crowd going! The RAF’s B Flight won the event but Army’s 2 Platoon took the Tower Trophy overall. Congratulations to them!
The final parade rounded off the day where Lt Col Olivia McBride congratulated us all on the effort and time that goes into the planning and execution of the Inspection Day. She also spoke to us about how she had once stood in our shoes and the many paths that you can go down where the experience and lessons learned in the CCF are invaluable.
My personal thank you to the Heads of Section Oliver (Army), Hugh (RAF) and Ewan (Navy) for all of their input and congratulations to every cadet involved, we really showed Woodbridge School CCF at its best!
Woodbridge School Boys 1st XI hosted the Marylebone Cricket Club in School earlier this week, everyone enjoying a fantastic day of Cricket.
The MCC batted first and on a beautiful cricket wicket got their innings off to a flying start with some fantastic shot making. Year 13’s Oscar H bowled an excellent opening spell with no reward, but beat the bat on a few occasions.
Year 12’s Rvvail and Year 11’s Oscar P chipped in with some decent spells, but the MCC opening batters played beautifully. Year 10’s Barney came into the attack and bowled superbly; he bowled with good control and ended up with 3-wickets from his 15 overs. The MCC ended up declaring on 210.
Woodbridge lost an early wicket, but a solid 40-run partnership between Year 11’s Tom and Barney saw the score move past 50. Tom was then dismissed for a well made 21. It was then Barney who took the attack to the bowlers, playing some glorious shots on the way to his maiden 1st XI half-century.
With Woodbridge requiring a further 60 to win the game, with 5 wickets in hand, Barney was finally dismissed for a fantastic 80 from 113 balls, which included 13 boundaries.
Unfortunately, the MCC bowlers were then too strong for our lower order and Woodbridge ended up falling 50 runs shy of the target.
It was an impressive match on both sides, but MCC came away with the win, our team falling 50 runs shy of the target. Thanks and congratulations go to the MCC players, their visit highly anticipated and very much enjoyed by our players and sports teachers, and an absolute privilege to host the match once again.
Special mention to Year 10’s Barney who received the Spirit of Cricket Award, for his wonderful innings of 80 and 3.
It was a busy and successful weekend for Woodbridge skiers last week, with our School ski team taking part in the ERSA Competition last Sunday, with Year 12’s Hans also taking part in the National School Snow Sports Association Competition on Friday 25 April.
Year 12’s Hans – National School Snow Sports Association Final
Having qualified at the Regional Dry Slope heats held in Ipswich earlier this year, Year 12’s Hans took part in the National School Snow Sports Association (NSSA) final in Gloucester last Friday, representing the School. A thoroughly successful day saw Hans achieve 4th fastest male overall, taking gold in the U19 category – huge congratulations Hans!
The dry slope in Gloucester, at 225 meters long, is the longest slope in England. This type of slalom course requires skill, stamina and speed. Hans is part of the Woodbridge School Ski Club and is an active member of the Suffolk Vikings Race team who meet to train and race every Saturday morning.
ERSA Ski Race
On a sunny Sunday, our racers assembled on the home slope of Ipswich and took on the fastest and slalomist racers from across the East, travelling from St Albans, Norwich, Langley, Berkhamstead as well as our local competition from the Ipswich schools.
In the morning, our junior duo of Leo and Chang from Year 6 wound their way through a challenging course of stubby gates and fast times and consistency were the outcome of a success assault. In the afternoon, our two teams of Senior School racers battled the heat, nerves and full length gates to complete a successful day for our teams.
Every racer, across the board, improved their own personal time in their second run with Year 8’s Frankie and Izzy improving by over four seconds each. Our senior Cat 4 boys team, made up of Year 10’s Maxim, Year 11’s Benjamin and the Year 12’s, Hans and Alasdair, beat off a very competitive field to finish in an excellent third place.
Another enjoyable season of racing and ski trips comes to an end, see you all back up on the Ipswich glacier in September.
The Combat Cadet Competition, which takes place at Beckingham Training Camp, is a demanding fieldcraft competition for cadets from the Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force which builds on the core syllabus to test cadets’ resolve and leadership skills. Nine of our Army cadets took part this year coming away as the top CCF and taking second place overall out of 23 teams, performing excellently across all aspects of the fieldcraft tasks, this is an achievement they can all be incredibly proud of as Year 13’s Head of Contingent and captain of the Combat Cadet Team Warrant Officer Oscar W reports.
Year 13’s Oscar W
“Training for the competition started months ago, with 24 cadets trying out for the team across various afternoon sessions doing different series of tests from fitness to skills and drills. Slowly we selected down to a final team of nine cadets who all had the required fitness and varied types of skills we would need during the competition. The final team also attended a weekend training day at School.
During the competition, the team took part in many different aspects of field craft. We carried out a series of mock military scenarios, including a building assault, a casualty evacuation under fire and a two-hour long patrol in order to recce a position. Followed soon after by a 2km timed run.
At each stand, the objective had to be planned and carried out while adapting to any changes that were happening live. I would like to especially thank second in command Colour Sgt. Oliver B for his amazing help with creating and adapting plans as well as organising admin such as ammo distribution and kit checks.
The competition was a great test of everyone’s personal skills dependent on their role, from section commander, scout to rifleman and I am very proud with the personal performances of every cadet on the team.
Congratulations to the whole team: 2IC Colour Sgt Oliver B, Sgt Jack M, Cpls Ethan W & Henry C, LCpls Sam C, Arlo W, Alex B and Ben B. I would also like to thank LCpl Huw B who couldn’t make the team due to injury but assisted the Army in running one of the stands. All our hard work from the training to the weekend of competition really paid off with top CCF and second place overall.
Well done to everyone and thank you to Mr Garvie, Mr Capjon and Dr Stern who helped us with the training and made it all possible.
