ST FAITH'S NEWSLETTERWelcome from the Headmaster
5 March 2010 Where can we begin but ‘Rubbish and Rhyme’, the Year 4 production on Wednesday night? It started with each of the four tutor groups presenting one of the four elements through a poem with appropriate mime, dance, petals, thunderous cymbals, water pistols etc etc, and concluded with the Rubbish Cantata and its narrative about how the Master of the Queen’s Music was commissioned to write a ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ national anthem to tag on to the National Anthem at all public occasions by gracious permission of Her Majesty the Queen. Then we all sang it – indeed I was so much moved by the whole thing that I insisted on an encore. Very well done to Year 4 for combining our interest in things ecological and sustainable and environmental with our delight in things musical and dramatic and elemental, and many thanks to tutors, assistants and to Ms Morris, the kind mother who ran workshops for the children to help launch the poetry work.
The Eco breakfast on Tuesday, at which the Eco committee continued its work (of consuming ‘pain au chocolat’ while considering how to advance the cause of environmental friendliness at St Faith’s), integrated very nicely with this subsequent evening. On Monday I went to the Music Scholars’ Concert at The Leys and much enjoyed hearing fine performances by a number of Old Fidelians. On Tuesday there was a ‘first’, in that the Modern Language Department hosted a half-hour presentation to showcase the progress made in French by children in Year 7 since the beginning of the year, and we were able to enjoy the variety of the work that they had done. There was a grossly libellous description (in French) of her big sister by Julia Davies, and many other such remarkable aperçus. On Wednesday I enjoyed the U11 netball and Colts hockey teams, all of whom played extremely well together and secured some swashing victories at St John’s College School. It didn't all go our way but quit a lot of it did on Tuesday and Wednesday against the scarlet pimpernels. Very many thanks to those who baked and bought in aid of the Bentley Brownie Sale, which raised over £300, the proceeds divided between the Haiti earthquake appeal and E.A.C.H. Since the dreadful earthquake in Haiti there has, of course, been another dreadful earthquake in Chile. Dr Martin has sent a Parentmail to the parents of children in Years 3 – 8 about a sponsored Spanish spellings challenge to enable our school to be represented in the international commitment of aid to the unfortunate people who have lost their homes and their livelihoods in Chile. I hope that you will feel able to gather a little support for your child’s efforts with this project. Please may I urge parents to book children into Late Stay through the proper channels? Last night there were very many children who had not been booked in which made catering for them extremely challenging for our kitchen staff. Please may I remind parents of the importance of naming children's clothes? The kit list specifies that a nametape with the surname in large letters be sewn on the left side of the garment above the crest (track suits tops, polo shirts, rugby shirts etc) and on the left leg (track suit trousers, PE shorts, black shorts / skirts). This is really helpful in avoiding losses and, when kit checks take place, in ensuring that children are wearing their own kit and not someone else's. Hot on the news of my retirement in August 2011 I must give you news of the retirement of the Chairman of the Governors of The Leys and St Faith’s Foundation, Professor Evelyn Ebsworth. Professor Ebsworth has maintained a warm interest in St Faith’s since taking office and has presided over some important developments at both schools as well as effecting valuable improvements in the schools’ structures of governance. We are fortunate to have benefited from his wisdom and perspicacity over his years in office. We are further fortunate that a distinguished successor has been found in the person of Sir Tony Brenton, who will succeed Professor Ebsworth during the summer. Sir Tony spent 33 years serving as a British Diplomat in Cairo, Brussels, Washington and Moscow. One of his daughters attended The Leys in the 6th Form and he has now settled back in Cambridge to write a book on Russian history – and, happily, to chair the Governing Body of The Leys and St Faith’s Foundation. Index Wind in the Willows In order to complete a full run through of the play, we will be finishing our rehearsal on March 10th at 5.15pm. Please collect your children from the Crush Hall. It essential that all children attend this final rehearsal. Many thanks. Sports Team Photographs There are sports team photos being taken next Friday, 12th March. Can pupils who are going to be photographed please come to school that morning in their kit. The teams involved range from Years 4 to 8. Any pupil not in a team should come in their uniform as usual. Music Musicale Holidays – Mr Clenaghan has leaflets about these wonderful holidays for children and we have been informed that there is a reduction in cost for St Faith’s pupils! For the leaflet and further details please see Mr Clenaghan. Chamber Choir next week (Friday 12th March) will finish at 4.45pm, and Senior Choir has been invited to attend this rehearsal until 4.15pm. Please note that the Foundation Concert is entry by ticket only. Performers’ families have priority but if anyone would like to go on a waiting list for tickets they should email Mr Clenaghan: jclenaghan@stfaiths.co.uk Rehearsals for the Foundation Concert are as follows: Thursday 18th March at the Wesley Church Junior Choir depart St Faith’s 3.40pm Return to Newton Road 5pm Chamber Choir 7pm at the church Concert on Friday 19th Chamber & Senior Choirs meet at the church at 6.30pm Junior Choir meet at the church at 6.45pm Activity changes Gym Squad Years 5–8: There will be no activity on Thursday 18th March as Mr North is involved in matches. Please make arrangements for your son or daughter to be collected at 3.40pm or book them into Late Stay through the school office. Year 5 Girls Netball: There will be no activity on the following Tuesdays due to matches: 9th March as the children are away on a trip and the 16th March as it is the Year 5 production. Please make arrangements for your daughter to be collected at 3.40pm or book them into Late Stay through the school office. Year 5 Boys rugby: There will be no activity on 23rd March due to a match. Also the 9th March as the children are away on a trip and the 16th March as it is the Year 5 production. Please make arrangements for your son to be collected at 3.40pm or book them into Late Stay through the school office. Tuesday Gym Club: There will be no activity on Tuesday 23rd March as Mr North is involved in matches. Please make arrangements for your son or daughter to be collected at 3.40pm or book them into Late Stay through the school office. Tuesday Swimming activity: There will be no swimming activity on Tuesday 16th March due to the gala. Please make arrangements for your son or daughter to be collected at 3.40pm or book them into Late Stay through the school office. Year 3 Tag Rugby activity: There will be no activity on Thursday 18th March as Mr Park is on a match. Please make arrangements for your son to be collected at 3.40pm or book them into Late Stay through the school office. Year 4 Rugby activity: There will be no activity on Thursday 18th March as Mr Gough is on a match. Please make arrangements for your son to be collected at 3.40pm or book them into Late Stay through the school office. 'Wizard of Oz' rehearsals Performance dates - May 26th and 27th 2010 Rehearsals as follows: Tuesday 9th March – Cats and Poppies Tuesday 16th March – no rehearsal Tuesday 23rd March – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion and their understudies, Boq, Zoq, Melinda, Poppies. Year 5 Trip to the Jewish Community in North London This trip will depart school directly after registration on Tuesday 9th March. Pupils will be registered as a whole Year group in the area outside the Gym by Mr Johnson at 0820 prompt and the coach will drive away at 0830. School uniform should be worn and a coat will be required if the weather is inclement. A small amount of pocket money may be useful, say £3 at most. Please note that it is school policy that electronic games are not brought on coach trips and that any mobile phones are expected to be switched off. We will return between 1600 and 1630, depending on the traffic. Pre Prep On Wednesday the parents of class 1CH joined us for Pre Prep assembly. The children told us about their work on making themselves and others proud. They retold the story of Little Rabbit Foo Foo who hadn’t made anyone feel proud by continually choosing to do the wrong thing. They also acted the story of Jonah and the Whale where in the end Jonah made God feel proud by doing as God had asked him. Well 1CH, we were all very proud of your excellent teamwork to put together such a great assembly! Burwell House - Year 6 Please can all slips be handed in by Monday 8th March at the very latest as we need to confirm final numbers with Burwell House? Thank you. Miss Morse Lost Property Nathan T (7L) has lost his swimming kit from his sports bag. It is in a black and grey Nike drawstring bag whch is named with black named swim trunks and a towel inside. Inigo G (8C) has lost his swimming kit. It is the black longer length swimming shorts which are named, a Tintin towel and they were both in a Hobbs carrier bag. University of Cambridge Science Festival The annual science festival for families runs from 8th – 21st March with a fantastic range of interactive activities for all ages. The programme of events and further information can be found on www.cambridgescience.org Playtex MoonWalk - 15 May 2010, London Caroline Jarman (8L) is part of a team of 7 called the “Glitter Girls” who will be power walking 13.1 miles known as the Half Moon in this year’s London MoonWalk in aid of Breast Cancer causes. They will be starting their power walk from Hyde Park at midnight on 15th May and will walk for as long as it takes to complete the distance. They will all be wearing decorated bras and t-shirts and will be part of a 15,000 band of walkers. Last year this event alone raised in excess of £5.6 million and during the 12 years since the charity started has raised over £42 million.
There are 3 mums (including Mrs Jarman) who have previously walked the full marathon distance 5 years ago and who will be accompanying Caroline and her friends in London on 15th May. If you feel you would like to sponsor Caroline then please “power walk” to the school office where you will find sponsor forms for completion. You can also leave your money there too please! To find out more about Walk the Walk challenges and its fantastic work then visit www.walkthewalk.org Reminders Trophies Mrs Waters asks that trophies awarded for netball or boys' hockey are returned to her by next Friday (12th March) please. Advance notice, too, that trophies awarded for athletics last year are due to be returned on the first day of next term so if you have not done so already could you, please, arrange for these to be engraved during the Easter break? Summer Uniform Summer uniform may be worn after the Easter Break from 20 April 2010 if weaher permits. Winter unifrom may still be worn at this time. The summer uniform MUST be worn after the May bank holiday on 3rd May 2010 A reminder that blazers are required again for Speech day and Prizegiving on Friday 9th July, when the special guest will be the broadcaster Sarah Kennedy, now I trust happily recovered from the flu which took her off the air for a few days earlier in the week. I was forced to revert to Radio 3 - it's a good station, really, but they don't seem to make so much fuss of Moira. Sports news/results Netball matches cancelled The U9 netball matches v New Hall on Thursday 18th March have been cancelled. Match Results TUESDAY 2 MARCH Netball v King’s, Cambridge: U10 A VII won 10-2 U10 B VII won 7-0 Rugby v St John’s: U10 A IX won 35-0 U10 B IX won 25-0 U10 C IX won 25-10 WEDNESDAY 3 MARCH Hockey v St John’s: 1st XI lost 1-5 2nd XI lost 0-2 3rd XI drew 1-1 4th XI won 2-0 Colts A VII won 8-1 Colts B VII won 7-3 Netball v St John’s: U12 VII won 12-6 U13 A VII lost 5-18 U11 A VII won 15-1 U11 C VII won 10-5 U13 B VII won 4-2 U13/12 mixed VII won 10-2 U11 B VII won 6-1 U9 Hockey Tournament: The U9 Girls played in their first competitive tournament yesterday at Felsted. They had an excellent day drawing 3 games and winning 1, so remaining unbetaten for the tournament. The girls were as follows: J Gunn-Roberts, J Saunderson, K Stroude, I Rich, S Malhotra, T Pepper, E Neely, F Brimblecombe, R Macnaghten and D Tye. Diary dates Simply Reeds in Concert - Saturday 6 March On Saturday 6th March at 7pm the Cambridge-based saxophone and clarinet quartet Simply Reeds (Viv Halton, Jon Halton, Graham Dolby and Claire Stevenson) is giving a unique and unforgettable recital of jazz and classical music in the Asbuton hall. Entry is on the door and includes refreshments. Tickets: £8 adults, £5 concessions. An evening of fashion & fun Mrs Goodings (mother of Maddy and Frank Huffer) is organisning a fashion show at Esse Retail and Therapy in Melbourn on Friday 19th March at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £10, include a glass of wine and are limited to 70 places. 10% of all sales proceeds will be donated Red Balloon. For tickets please contact Mrs Goodings on 01223 323238. She'koyokh String Trio New Europe Society Forthcoming event.
Romanian Gypsy & Jewish Music Tickets can purchased on the door or by visiting the website: www.neweurope.org.uk Saturday 6th March at 6.30pm, Bateman Auditorium, Gonville & Caius College (Violin, cello & piano – Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Schumann, Saint-Saens, Beethoven) Booking on-line & on the door www.neweurope.org.uk And afterwards the film: 'THREE COLOURS - WHITE' in French with English subtitles. Starring Julie Delpy (more information on the New Europe website). Saturday 6th March at 8.30pm. Bateman Auditorium, Gonville & Caius College. Tickets £5 / £3 conc. / £3 members. Booking on-line & on the door. www.neweurope.org.uk
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