Issue Date: 16 / 03 / 2018

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1 Issue Date: 16 / 03 / 2018 Dear Parents, My week started weirdly being forced to dress up as the lead singer of Guns n Roses at my wife s fancy dress birthday party (pictures unavailable). As Head, I am getting used to being a figure of public mockery (dressed up in aprons, pelted with snowballs and force fed revolting foodstuffs in Chapel) but this was a whole new level of embarrassment. Since that traumatic Saturday night though, I am happy to say things have normalised My congratulations go to the cast and production team of Wild Things, this term s Junior School play. I thought it was an innovative, exciting and cleverly executed performance. Our young actors showed a great range of skills, not least the ability to work effectively as an ensemble. The choreography was outstanding and I thought the story was presented with skill and sensitivity by our performers. Once again, I am very grateful to Aimee Walker-Reid for masterminding this production and for being so generous with her time in terms of rehearsing, producing and directing the show.

2 Ella Wheadon has had a busy couple of weeks not only did she manage the production of the programme for Wild Things which involved, amongst other things, having to repeatedly and patiently remind me to write my introduction before the print deadline but also she has been blazing a trail on the fencing piste. Ella competed in the South East regional heat for U14 girls sabre in Tonbridge. As you can see, she came 3 rd and has qualified for the national finals in Sheffield on May 5 th. This is a great achievement give she is a newcomer to the sport at a competitive level. Ella is in the purple socks! Our sports teams have also had a successful week. There were good wins for the U13 & U12 netball teams who swept aside Dover College with some quick and determined play for the second week running. The U11 results quite didn't follow suit but all the girls in Form 5 and 6 had a chance to play once again and a fun afternoon was had by all, finishing up with hot chocolate and cookies! The U11 boys hockey had a full fixture card at home against KC. We ended up all square as four matches ended as two wins apiece. The Under 11B team had the best result with a 4-1 win. Next week, 63 children from Forms 6 to 8 are off to the Netherlands on our sports tour. This is our 15th annual tour of this great outdoor sporting nation. The pupils will play in a series of evening fixtures as most Dutch sport is club based and take place after school, leaving us to fill the days with some swimming, ten-pin bowling, Efteling Theme Park and of course light training sessions! Keep track of the tour on our daily blog. As part of their RS work on places of worship, last Tuesday Form 3 visited Canterbury Cathedral with Mrs Relf and Mrs Swatman. The morning began with a guided tour with everyone dressed in medieval costumes, followed by a session in the activity room of the Education Centre.

3 Activities included writing with quills and ink, chiselling stone and brass rubbing. Their visit ended with a visit to Choir House. The children had lunch in the dining room and then were given a tour by Mr Southey. Sara Kalantari (L6) and her sister, Setayesh (Form 5) gave a fascinating presentation on the country of Iran and its culture this week. The children in Form 5 were given an insightful view of Iran, its history, traditions, food, clothing and education system. Setayesh, who recently joined us here in Junior School from Kerman, skilfully conveyed to her classmates what her life was like there. Our Form 5 pupils listened with interest and had lots of questions for Sara and Setayesh. Well done to both girls! Alex Bradley (Sixth Former and son of our very own Mrs Bradley) and his father will be taking part in the 2018 Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race in support of The Not Forgotten Association and the Princess of Wales Regimental Association. The team will be among the 600 kayakers in 2-man kayaks that set out from Devizes for the 125 mile endurance challenge to Westminster over the Easter weekend. Alex has been training hard in recent months for this challenge of paddling 125 miles and crossing 77 portages following the Kennet and Avon Canal and then the River Thames to finish at Westminster Bridge.

4 David Bradley was wounded whilst serving with the 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales s Royal Regiment in Iraq in In 2008 David set himself the challenge to compete in the gruelling 24 hour race as a form of rehabilitation whilst raising funds for Help For Heroes. He successfully completed the event and then again in 2015 with his daughter, Pip, and is now looking forward to undertaking the challenge with Alex. Alex and David will grateful for all donations to support the charity and help them reach their target of Donations can be made The Not Forgotten Association Take care this weekend. The snow is coming back! Best wishes, Edward O Connor, Acting Head of Junior School

5 CONGRATULATIONS: GOLD CERTIFICATE to Evan Gallagher, Sophie King, Freddie Post, Tilly Turner. PLATINUM CERTIFICATE to Elizabeth Scholer, Richard Do Carleton-Moody. CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE to Setayesh Kalantari Khandani, Ella Jones, Evan Gallagher, Luke Lanaway, Christopher Bufford, Harry Lightbourne, Cyrus Cooper, Fergus McKie, Reuben Norton, Rory Polhill, Kian Rahman, Percy Soutar, Piers Morrissey. General CREEPY CLAWS AFTER SCHOOL ANIMAL CLUB We are gauging interest for running another 6 week session of the Creepy Claws club, this time opening it up to Forms 6, 7 & 8, after school on a Thursday. The cost for 6 weeks is 30. Please let Mrs King know if you would like your child to join. SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB Children in Forms 3-5 have been given the latest Scholastic book club leaflet. Mrs King will send the order off on Wednesday 21 st March. Orders and payment to Mrs King please. Cash is fine or cheques to be made payable to Scholastic please. Next Week 21 st March - World Book Day The 21st March has, since 1999, been World Poetry Day. The decision to select a single day on which we '...recognize the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind.' was taken by the United Nations. To mark this day, Mrs Lawrence is hosting an early evening event in the Junior School library (5pm-7pm). Everyone - children, parents, grandparents, staff- is invited to bring a poem that they particularly enjoy to the event- simply to share it. The plan is to compile our own St Edmund's Favourite Poetry Book. if you'd like to take part in the event ( or if you'd like to choose a poem for inclusion in our anthology) please contact Mrs Lawrence in the first instance. Looking Ahead KENT FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE, 5 th & 6 th April This is open to children in Years 7, 8 & 9 and will be held at the Canterbury Christ Church University between 9.30am-3.30pm. More information can be found at