As we approach the end of a very busy half term I am delighted to report a wealth of achievements from both Junior and Senior pupils, as well as general updates and activity throughout the school.
This half term has seen the start of our open season for prospective parents and I would like to take the opportunity to thank the many pupils – Junior and Senior – who have acted as tour guides during these events; their commitment (during weekends and evenings) and sheer enthusiasm for Colfe’s has helped to make the sessions some of our most successful to date.
Junior School
It has been a busy time for our younger pupils this half term including a seasonal Harvest Festival celebration full of songs, poetry and readings – all food generously donated was given to the Salvation Army.
Pupils, teachers and parents from nursery to Year 6 spent a week dedicated to sharing the school’s values of Effort, Honesty, Team, Love of Learning, Happiness, Respect and Resilience. Working across the curriculum, pupils had the opportunity to partner with children from different key stages to create displays of their work. Parents were also encouraged to join in by leaving a written message each day on how the values were being used at home. Thanks to PSE (Personal Social Education) subject leader Sarah Walsh for coordinating the event.
Junior School pupils held a celebration of poetry last week – Early Years and Key Stage 1 classes learned a poem at home and presented to their classmates and teachers, while Key Stage 2 took part in our annual poetry writing competition (now in its fourth year) with the theme ‘Messages’. Pupils also had a chance to take part in workshops run by children’s author and poet, Andrew Weale. The winners will be announced after half term.
Music
The Senior School has hosted its first Platform Concert of the year, for Years 7 – 13, with performances from soloists and group ensembles including the Chamber Singers. Earlier this week the Jazz Concert featured a wonderful range of vocal and instrumental performances whilst the Junior School Tea Time Concert featured younger pupils who have recently begun playing a musical instrument as well as our more experienced players.
The popularity of choral singing across the school is growing. This April will see our first concert tour for choral singers to Tuscany (Years 7-13) and will include a chance to visit Florence, Pisa and Siena as well as the opportunity to perform three concerts. And Colfe’s Combined Choir (which brings together students, staff and parents) is currently in rehearsals for its forthcoming performance of Karl Jenkin’s The Armed Man on November 21 at St Alfege in Greenwich.
For more information on the Tuscany trip and for tickets to the St Alfege concert, please contact Emma Bond, Director of Music ebond@colfes.com
ArtArtists from across the school have been on a number of external trips this half term. A-level Fine Art and Graphic Communication students spent a weekend in Margate exploring concepts of circular shapes in art, fashion and architecture and also visited Roche Court in Dorset to view a collection of contemporary sculptures. Year 10 pupils visited Tate Britain to practice the reading and analysis of art work and Year 4 visited Tate Modern for the Georgia O Keefe exhibition supporting their classroom work on leaves, flowers and landscapes.
PsychologyA-level Psychologists have taken part in Colfe’s first ‘Brain Day’ with a series of university-style lectures designed to go beyond the A-level syllabus. Sixth Form students learnt about new technologies that could eventually be used to read and manipulate thoughts remotely, as well as researching schizophrenia from a neurological perspective. Thanks to Dr Guy Sutton from the University of Nottingham Medical School for delivering the lectures and to Dr Lea (Head of Psychology) for organising the day.
Mathematics
Colfe’s strength in competitive mathematics continues with an emphatic win (36 points to 27) against Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College in round one of the prestigious Hans Woyda competition this week. This was an outstanding start to the season and the team – Emma Williams (Year 13), Simone Korsgaard-Jensen (Year 11), Panos Philalithis (Year 9) and Ryan Smith (Year 9) – are all to be congratulated. Thanks, as ever, to Dr Vijapura for his constant support in this area.
Careers
Senior pupils have begun taking part in the school careers programme with Year 11 receiving one-to-one sessions following their psychometric profiling at the end of last term. Students have embraced these experiences, helping them not only with future career planning but in the focus of working hard to achieve their academic goals. The first UCAS applications are ready to submit for those applying to Oxbridge, Music Conservatoires and Drama school – all of which have early deadlines.
School Trips
Plenty of study trips have taken place across the school already with more to come over the coming weeks. Year 12 politics students had a trip to Parliament, Year 9 mathematicians to Bletchley Park and Reception pupils took part in their first music trip to London for a production from the popular Sir Scallwag series at the Wigmore Hall.
The second of our Year 7 groups return today from their Outdoor Pursuits week in the Lake District. Good weather has prevailed for both weeks, which makes this year group the most fortunate on record. I was accordingly delighted to escape from the HMC Conference in Stratford last week to join the pupils for part of their hill walk on Thursday. The range of activities was as wide as ever and thank you to Major Cherry for his organisation of the Outdoor Education programme. CCF Cadets leave tonight for five days to Wattisham in Suffolk and A-level Art and Drama pupils set off this weekend for the popular study trip to New York over the half-term break.
Sport
In rugby there were block fixtures against Brentwood – in which every boy in Year 7 had a chance to play – and Sutton Valance, and in Rugby League our U16s are through to the regional rounds of the Champions Schools Trophy. Well done to Chris Harris (Year 12) who has been selected to represents Kent U18s. Year 3 rugby players also had their first competitive game against Bickley Park School – a great introduction to tag rugby with almost the whole year group taking part. Old Colfeian Matt Gallagher made his senior starting debut for Saracens in a recent premiership fixture.
Junior School netballers started the season with success at the Colfe’s U9 netball tournament – the A team topped the table winning all their matches against teams from Farringtons, Breaside, Babington House and Merton Court. And teams from Years 7, 8 and 9 put in a strong performance in the Condover Hall Competition in Shropshire where the 8As won the plate tournament after victories in the majority of their matches.
In swimming, we hosted the first Junior School gala of the year for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 against Oakfield, Farringtons, Breaside and Merton Court. Colfe’s team secured first place positioning – well done to everyone who took part with special mention to Leo Walker, Alex Edwards, Noemie Klanga, Grace Turner and Gabriella Noyce (all Year 4) who swam above their age group for the Year 5 relay.
Other individual achievements this half term have included:
- Nathan Chapman (Year 7) represented Colfe’s at a biathlon (1600m run and 100m swim) in Ascot, coming third in his age group;
- Brothers Jacob and Leo Walker (Year 6 and Year 4 respectively) performed strongly in the recent Greenwich Borough Swimming Championships with Leo coming first in freestyle and second in backstroke, and Jacob placing second in backstroke;
- Tyler Smith (Year 9) was presented with a Jack Petchey Achievement Award at the London South East Scout Awards in recognition of taking 16 badges and creating his own website;
- Sophia Clark (Year 11 ) won a gold medal and two silver medals in the International Rhythmic Gymnastics competition ‘Dilyana Prima’ in Bulgaria;
- Showjumper Georgia Noone (Year 12) took part in an end of season show at Chepstow with her horse Clifford – wining in one class and coming seventh in another against over 90 professional competitors;
- Luca Thurlow (Year 7) has been selected to represent Great Britain at both the World and European BMX Championships 2017.
Parent Communications
At the beginning of this term we were delighted to welcome our new Director of Communications. Kate Bridgman has joined us from Dulwich College where she was Marketing Manager with previous senior marketing positions held at Channel 4 and the BBC. Kate’s role will be to manage all marketing communications across the Junior and Senior Schools, including communications to parents which will be an area of immediate focus for her – comments and feedback are welcome kbridgman@colfes.com. Please join me in welcoming Kate to Colfe’s.
Building Works
Finally, I am delighted to say that the landscaping and building work at the Senior School entrance is almost complete and should be fully operational by our return to school after half term. Thank you for your patience during the works.
I wish all pupils a restful break and I look forward to seeing you when we return on 31 October.