Beachborough Newsletter: Friday 21st June 2024

FVI go to Normandy!

From Monday 10th to Friday 14th June, Form VI had a fantastic week in Normandie, exactly where 80 years ago, the allies landed to take back control on Continental Europe.

On Monday, on our way to Bernières-sur Mer, we visited the lovely Port of Honfleur, enjoyed some madeleines, and had a ride on a merry-go-round.

Tuesday was our D-Day and we started by visiting the Pegasus Bridge Memorial, standing on the very bridge taken by Major Howard and his men in the early hours of 6th June 1944. We then ventured to the Café Gondrée, the first French house liberated. Arlo, Ben and Ariana were chosen to offer Arlette Gondrée, 4 years old at the time, a big bar of chocolate. She was serving behind the bar and when she saw us, her face lit up and she clearly remembered our encounter from last year. We then went to learn about the battle of Normandie at the Arromanches 360 cinema, and finally, to the new British Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, where the now famous silhouettes overlook Omaha Beach. It was all about veterans as Mr Gross and Mr Southwick bumped into… John Whybrow! An unexpected and very special moment for all.

On Wednesday, we left Bernières and headed south towards Saint Malo. On route, we visited “La Chère Rit” where children were taught, in French, about goat cheese making. Manon and her team were very friendly; the children understood absolutely everything and the participation was high. Clearly, lessons are paying off! After leaving the goat cheese farm, or chèvrerie, we ended the day in Saint Malo Intramuros for some shopping.

Thursday took us to Le Mont Saint Michel for an interactive and exciting visit of the abbey using the new tablets on offer. Francisco summed it up by saying “I’m learning so much!” After a quick lunch, the whole group had the privilege to be received by Jacques Bono, Mayor of Le Mont Saint Michel, thanks to Mr Perronnet’s brother. We then ended up the day at the “grand aquarium” in Saint Malo.

To break up a long journey back on Friday, we stopped in Caen at the market place Saint Sauveur. Children enjoyed spending their parents’ last few euros on proper baguettes, pains au chocolat aux amandes, saucissons and fresh fraises! We were back at Beachborough at 10pm, earlier than planned! Maybe because the driver (not our usual Carwyn), was in a hurry to get back…

It was an absolute pleasure to spend the week in France with Form VI, they were all absolutely brilliant, embracing any opportunity to learn about History and culture, practice their French as much as possible, and making great memories with friends. They were praised on numerous occasions by members of the public for their attitude and behaviour. A huge thank you to the whole team for looking after the children, Mr Gross, Miss Clarke, Ms Dolman, Mrs Berrington, Mrs Franklin, Mrs Collyer and of course, for all his WWII knowledge and stories and all the pastries for staff in the morning, to Mr Southwick!

Nicolas Perronnet

Stowe Chemistry Afternoon

Form VII had a fantastic week of Science last week, with not only a visit to the Wetlands but also on the Friday our annual trip to Stowe School for an afternoon of Chemistry. Once again, Mr Tearle treated us to a variety of exciting demonstrations with a focus on the movement of particles and their reactions with each other. The children were wowed with facts such as, how many atoms were in the balloon compared to people on earth and following on from this, the children had a clock reaction challenge to complete in the labs. This required logic, a clear methodical approach, and plenty of collaboration and team work. Our Form VII remained focussed throughout the afternoon (only stopping briefly for some ghab) and showed such determination, that you often heard a little squeal of delight when the magic one minute target was hit. However, the prize only went to those who achieved this golden time goal in the ‘time-offs’ and it was Rory and Jonathan who managed to create a mixture that reacted after 1. 0016 mins, which was incredibly accurate and saw them presented with a variety of gifts as prizes. With a return to the lab for one more demonstration: elephants toothpaste (but with a far greater volume of bubbles than ever seen at Beachborough, to everyone’s delight), we boarded the coach back to school. Once again, a fantastic afternoon and appreciated by all. Thanks to Mr Tearle, Mrs Gracie, and all the sixth form helpers.

Mrs Smith

The Beachborough and Brackley Triathlon 2024

On Sunday 16th June, the annual Beachborough and Brackley Triathlon took place at Stowe School.

The event was a huge success, with over 300 children in attendance, aged 8-16 years old. There were five categories determined by age, ranging from TriStart, who swam 50m, cycled 1km and ran 500m, to Youth, who swam 300m, cycled 6km, and ran 3km. All of the competitors did exceptionally well, showing real determination and resilience. With many Beachborough children participating, we were thrilled to see some of them placing within the top 10 in their age category, so congratulations to all of our Beachburians for taking part!

We would like to extend a special thanks to the team at Beachborough and Brackley Triathlon Club, who work so hard throughout the year to prepare the children for events like this. They have had children representing the club at National level, and some of their older athletes are now racing on the international stage! If you would like to join the Beachborough and Brackley Triathlon Club, and race at Stowe next year, you can sign up here:

Membership | Beachborough & Brackley Triathlon Club (beachboroughandbrackleytriathlon.club)

The FVIII Formal Dinner

On Friday 14th June, the FVIII Formal Dinner and Dance took place!

The evening entailed a delicious three-course meal, courtesy of our chefs, and concluded with a disco for our children to let off some steam, following their exams.

They all looked outstanding in their dresses and suits, and it was a fantastic way for FVIII to spend some of their final days together. Thank you to our Houseparents, Mr and Mrs Blithe, for organising yet another special evening of boarding.

Our first esports tournament! 

In a thrilling and historic event, our school esports team participated in the first-ever prep school esports tournament at Cottesmore Prep School. With a total of 11 schools competing, the atmosphere was charged with excitement, camaraderie, and a shared passion for competitive gaming.

Our talented team showcased their skills in two popular games: Rocket League and Minecraft. The boys demonstrated remarkable teamwork, strategy, and resilience throughout the day, making us all proud.

The Rocket League squad put on an impressive display, advancing through the preliminary rounds. Their coordination and quick reflexes were on full display as they executed jaw-dropping aerial maneuvers and strategic plays. After a series of intense matches, they made it to the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, in Minecraft, the team navigated through complex challenges with creativity and precision. Their ability to build, strategize, and adapt to changing circumstances led them to the semifinals.

Throughout the tournament, our pupils not only competed but also learned valuable lessons. They discovered the importance of communication, the benefits of strategic planning, and the necessity of staying calm under pressure. These experiences have laid a solid foundation for future competitions and personal development.

Buoyed by the success and positive feedback from this tournament, we are already planning for the future. There is a palpable excitement among the pupils about setting up a dedicated esports club next year. This club will provide a structured environment for regular practice, skill development, and participation in more tournaments.

As we look forward to more tournaments and the establishment of our esports club, we are confident that this is just the start of a successful and enriching journey for our pupils. Their dedication and passion for esports will undoubtedly lead to greater accomplishments, memorable experiences in the future as well as a world of possible careers!

Thank you to Mrs Hodgkinson for driving us.

Mrs Blithe

The FVIII Showcase

Last week, our FVIII children performed in their final showcase at Beachborough.

The show was jam-packed with the childrens’ talents and interests, and saw many laughs along the way. From dancing to penalty shoot-outs, and teacher impersonations to a 30-minute art challenge, FVIII demonstrated all that they have learnt during their time spent inside and outside of school.

As the show came to a close, the children reflected on the years that have gone by and the memories that they share – there wasn’t a dry eye in the house! Well done to FVIII for putting on a brilliant show that was full of emotion, and to our wonderful staff who supported them along the way.

Club Credits!

Maths with FIII

On Wednesday, whilst continuing their ‘shape’ topic, Mrs Eynon’s Form III Math’s group were making 3D shapes in their lesson. Using cocktail sticks and Blu Tak, the children had lots of fun creating a variety of 3D shapes whilst exploring the number of vertices, faces and edges each shape had.

Staff News:

Chantelle Harrison, our Assistant Head of Manor House will be leaving Beachborough at the end of the Autumn Term 2024, as she has secured the position of Head of Key Stage 2 at Quinton House School.

Chantelle has had a huge impact on many children in the Manor House since joining Beachborough in 2019 and will be missed, but I know you will join me in wishing her every success and happiness in her exciting new role.

We are currently in the process of recruiting her successor.

I will be writing to parents with full staffing details for September 2024 before the end of term.

Simone   

The results are in! 

Congratulations to:

• Form IV who enjoyed a successful final cricket fixture of their season at Spratton Hall, with Beachborough emerging victorious in 5 of the 6 games.
• Tobey V in Form VII who took a hattrick in the U12B’s win over Pitsford on Wednesday.
• Both the Colts A boys and girls’ cricket teams who were involved in gripping games of cricket on Wednesday against Milton Keynes Prep. The boys’ match finished in a tie with both sides locked on 104 off their respective 20 overs.

FV Charity Ping Pong Tournament in aid of Mary’s Meals

Form V pupil, Isabella, came up with the fundraising idea to organise a charity ping pong tournament. Over the last two weeks, Form V pupils and staff have been participating in a special charity ‘ping pong doubles tournament’ to raise money for our sponsored school in Malawi. So far, over £40 has been raised. This will feed 2 pupils at our sponsored school, a daily mug of porridge, for a whole year.

We will announce the winner of the tournament and how much has been raised before the end of term.

Well done, Isabella! Great idea 😊 You have been committed to make this event happen. Form V have thoroughly enjoyed taking part. The money you have raised will make a difference to the lives of children at Nthola Primary – thank you.

If you have your MARY’S MEALS COLLECTING MUG at home, please remember to bring it into school by Monday 24th June so that we can calculate how much money we have raised for our sponsored school this year.

THANK YOU.

What’s on next week?

Mon 24th
8.30am – Form VIII certificates to be handed out (PSHE room)
Enrichment Week, Day 1
8.30am – 8.55am – Registration with tutors
9.00am – 10.00am – Opening assembly, outlines the week for all, introduce visitors
10.00am onwards: Sessions begin – Each group has a file with timetables and registers and can collate scripts and keep group
work together.
12.30pm – 1.00pm – Come back together in Whybrow – short film techniques

Tues 25th
Whole School Pastoral Meeting
Enrichment Week, Day 2
8.25am – Registration STRAIGHT TO 8.30 session

Weds 26th
8.30am – 8.55am – Forms III – VIII Club Assembly
9.00am – 11.00am – Forms VII & VIII Prime Agency PSHE concert featuring ‘Maddox’ (The Whybrow)
9.00am – 12.30pm – Form V&VI Enrichment Dance Morning (Outside)
2.30pm – Girls’ Cricket: U13A v Maidwell Hall (A)*
2.30pm – Girls’ Cricket: Colts A, B and Cavaliers v Swanbourne House (A)*
2.30pm – Girls’ Cricket: Colts Tigers v Akeley Wood (A)*
2.30pm – Boys’ Cricket: 2nd XI v Maidwell Hall (H)*
2.30pm – Boys’ Cricket: 3rd XI v Ashfold (H – Westbury CC)*
2.30pm – Boys’ Cricket: Colts A and B v Maidwell Hall (H)*
2.30pm – Boys’ Cricket: 4th XI v Maidwell Hall (A)*
2.30pm – Boys’ Cricket: Colts C and D v Akeley Wood (A)*
2.30pm – Boys’ Cricket: Colts E v Maidwell Hall (A)*

Thurs 27th
Enrichment Week, Day 3
Last swimming lessons

Fri 28th
8.45am – 5.00pm – Forms III-VIII Sports Day*
Hog roast – under the large tree, near car park (where pupil match teas are held)

Sat 29th
7.00pm – 1.00am – Beachborough Friends Midsummer Nights Ball @ Blackpit Brewery*

Sun 30th

6.00am – 4.00pm – Gathering of Goblins at Goodwood Motor Circuit*