I was immensely proud of all our school this morning during our beautiful Harvest Festival. Nursery, sang a wonderful Autumn Song – ‘Dingle Dangle Scarecrow’, Junior String Ensemble performed ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’, Junior Choir sang ‘The Sun Came Shining Down’, and the Junior and Chamber Choir sang ‘Try Everything’. Vira and Millie also read their beautiful poem called ‘Harvest Gift’.
My thanks must not only go to these fabulous performers and music teachers but to all you parents who came to support the children and gave so generously to the collection. Sara Farmer, Manager at Portland Foodbank, and her husband Dave, a Trustee at Portland Foodbank, were so touched by your generosity and absolutely loved the service. My thanks to them both for coming along today, and also to Rev’d Keith Magee. I must also extend my thanks to Liz and Mrs Culshaw for the beautiful Autumnal displays in the hall. It truly was a wonderful morning.
As we approach the half term holiday, with the nights drawing in and the onset of the colder weather, we also mark the end of the sailing and windsurfing season! This half term we have had 19 children in sailing after school club, and 12 children doing windsurfing enrichment.
Next term, we hope to have another 8 children taking part in the RYA Level 1 Powerboat course, as they enjoy speeding around Portland Harbour during enrichment.
We are incredibly proud of our watersports at Sunninghill, with just over 60% of the children in Forms 3-8 spending time on the water in the last 6 months. In the recent Autumn regatta we had top 5 places in the U11s and U13s. It should also be noted that Scarlett was the highest placed girl in the U13s and Daisy and Alice were the highest placed girls in the U11 fleet. Sailing is not all about racing, however, and some children just enjoy the benefits of being on the water. We foster a lifelong love of watersports in so many of our children and many children who leave Sunninghill continue to sail. In fact, there are 3 former pupils that are Instructors and 2 others in Years 10 and 11 who are now Assistant Instructors, who have all worked for the Andrew Simpson Centre, including with our children!
On Wednesday, Forms 6–8 participated in Classroom RevivR in their PSHE lesson, as part of the British Heart Foundation’s ‘Restart a Heart Day’ initiative. This important programme taught our students critical life-saving techniques such as CPR and how to use a defibrillator. The students were taught how to recognise a cardiac arrest and understand the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack and understand the importance of teamwork in emergency situations. We are so grateful for this essential training, and although we hope they will never have to use it, it is such an important life skill to have.
Some of our Senior Prep girls also received their certificates today from Mrs Telfer for another life skill they have done in enrichment – Rookie Lifeguarding Skills. The girls worked really hard and Mrs Telfer was very pleased with their progress.
Half term also marks the end of Form 1 and Form 2’s ski-ing lessons in enrichment. The children have all worked really hard and made incredible progress with their ski-ing and their confidence. They have all absolutely loved it!
Today, during breaktime, there was much excitement as Mrs Nolan-Stone announced the cast list for Aladdin! She was very keen to share with me how hard the children have been working this term, as they prepared for their auditions. We have an incredible pool of talent at Sunninghill, and many fabulous parts. With the amount of acting, singing and dancing involved in the production, we know it is going to be spectacular!
On Tuesday our Junior Prep footballers had their house football competition – some great teamwork and fantastic sportsmanship on show.
On Monday night, it was the staff’s turn to show off their moves on the football pitch as we held a friendly match against DMS after school. It was a lot of fun, although it did make me realise that I am a lot slower than some of my younger, fitter colleagues! Thanks to all who joined in and for our Form 8 supporters!
Reflecting on the first half term of this academic year, it is incredible what exciting things the children have packed in. I am so grateful to all my colleagues for making all these things possible, and I wish them, all of your children and all of you a very happy half term break.
Best wishes
David
