It’s been an incredibly busy week at Sunninghill this week – with trips to London for our seniors, Abbotsbury Swannery for our Form 1 and 2 children, choral performances at Sherborne Abbey and Wessex Music Fest, and of course our whole school photo on Monday.
This morning, Form 5/6 worked fantastically as a team to produce their class assembly. They have been learning about different significant individuals from the past and looking at how they have made an impact in the world. The children went on to receive their own special Oscar inspired awards for being great achievers on their recent residential too. Mrs Telfer and Mr Newberry also received a special award for taking Form 5/6 away and making their experience so memorable.
Academic Excellence awards were give to Florence F, William C, Maddy, Juliet, Felix and Finlay. Well Done certificates were given to Bea, Penelope, Orlando, Sonny, Hamo and Rory and to all of Form 1 and 2 for their brilliant behaviour on their recent trip to the Abbotsbury Swannery. Penelope D and Tessie received a medal for kickboxing, Finlay and Sophia received a Tassumai Trail Blazer badge, and Agatha, Anna, Connor, Shayan, Ted, Sasha-Mae and Nora received their Titan badge.
Jia Wei and Juliet received the Commitment award, Ruby, Rosa and Nora the Compassion award, Olivia and Anna the Courage award, Remi, Oscar and Mila the Creativity award. Well done to you all.
Last weekend, Anna, Lottie and Jia Wei performed at the Wessex Arts Fest. This is the first time we have performed in the festival as a school and our piano trio proudly and confidently performed on the main stage for a 15 minute set. Huge thanks to Hannah Trevorrow, Head of Wessex Schools Music, for inviting us to perform and for an inspiring day of music at Thomas Hardyes.
On Tuesday, our senior vocal group participated in the annual Sherborne School’s Choral Day. Singing alongside both Sherborne Boys and Girls, our talented singers took confidently performed in the Evensong in the beautiful Sherborne Abbey. I was so thrilled to hear how beautifully they sang, and that our children were performing the parts normally reserved for senior school pupils.
On Wednesday, we were delighted to see three of our pupils taking their ABRSM Music Theory examinations. Two pupils sat the Grade 5 Theory examination, whilst one pupil took Grade 1 Theory.
Music Theory examinations develop pupils’ understanding of how music works, including notation, rhythm, keys, scales, chords, musical vocabulary and harmony. As pupils progress through the grades, they are required to apply increasingly advanced analytical and compositional skills.
Grade 5 Theory is a particularly significant milestone and is widely regarded as being comparable to the written theory component of GCSE Music. Pupils studying at this level demonstrate a strong understanding of musical structure and notation, as well as the ability to analyse and interpret music in considerable detail. Grade 5 Theory is also a prerequisite for students wishing to progress to higher practical instrumental examinations (Grades 6–8).
We are incredibly proud of the pupils for their commitment and hard work in preparing for these examinations and wish them the very best of luck with their results.
Later in the day, Form 3–8 pupils enjoyed a fantastic woodwind showcase led by Mrs Griffin, our Head of Woodwind at Sunninghill, alongside Lottie, our Music Prefect and Scholar.
The children had the opportunity to learn about and listen to a wide variety of woodwind instruments, including the recorder, flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone and tenor saxophone. It was a wonderfully inspiring session and the pupils thoroughly enjoyed hearing the different sounds and styles each instrument can produce.
A huge thank you to Mrs Griffin and Lottie for delivering such an engaging and inspiring showcase. Many of the children are now very keen to have a try for themselves! We look forward to seeing lots of budding woodwind players getting involved!
Form 1 and 2 had a wonderful and enriching trip to the Swannery on Thursday, bringing their science learning on life cycles vividly to life. The children observed pens carefully sitting on their nests, keeping their eggs warm and gently turning them, while cobs stood guard over their territory. They were delighted to see newly hatched cygnets both resting in their nests and bravely taking their first swims.
The visit offered plenty of hands-on experiences too. The children compared their own arm span to a swan’s impressive wingspan, helped to feed the swans, and enjoyed exploring the duck decoy and swan-shaped maze.
It was a fantastic day, and the children represented the school brilliantly. They listened attentively, asked thoughtful questions, and demonstrated excellent knowledge throughout.
Mr Willemse and Mrs Telfer have told me that it’s been a great week for sport this week. On Tuesday Form 3 and 4 travelled to Parkstone with Mrs Telfer to play BCS in a diamond and pair’s cricket match. The A team played pairs cricket and the B team played diamond cricket. Some great examples of fielding and supporting each other. Super batting to score lots of runs and brilliant communication from the teams.
On Wednesday there were three matches against Leweston. The level of cricket was very good and there was some excellent bowling, fielding and batting on display. Special mention to U12/13A’s who played a fantastic hardball match at Martinstown Cricket ground losing by 3 runs, 122-119.
In PE, pupils have been very fortunate to use new sports kit which has been purchased by the PTFA. We are very keen to continue to improve equipment and opportunities for children in nursery all the way up to Form 8 and are very grateful to the PTFA for all their support. A huge thank you to the PTFA from all the pupils and teachers.
Our Forms 7 and 8 pupils enjoyed an inspiring and enriching day in London on Thursday, combining the magic of theatre with the wonders of ancient history.
The morning began at the Globe Theatre, where pupils took part in an energetic and highly engaging Macbeth workshop after a tour of the theatre, even watching rehearsals taking place on the stage! From the very start, Jim captivated the group with his enthusiasm and deep knowledge of Shakespeare. Pupils were not just spectators, they were active participants, exploring character, language and dramatic tension through performance.
Highlights included experimenting with voice and movement, bringing a key scenes to life between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and gaining a real sense of how Shakespeare’s plays were intended to be experienced. Jim’s ability to make the text accessible and exciting ensured that every pupil was fully involved. It was wonderful to see so many pupils growing in confidence as they embraced the challenge of performing Shakespeare.
Following this theatrical experience, the group travelled to the British Museum for a tour of the Ancient Egypt exhibition. Pupils were fascinated by the incredible artefacts on display, from the Rosetta Stone, to intricate hieroglyphics and ancient tombs.
Throughout the day, all pupils represented the school exceptionally well. Their curiosity, enthusiasm, and excellent behaviour were a credit to them, and it was a pleasure to see them engaging so thoughtfully with both literature and history. A huge well done to Forms 7 and 8 for making the day such a success -and special thanks to Jim for an unforgettable workshop at the Globe.
The celebrations for Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday have continued this week with Liz, as Reception and Nursery have been planting seeds and an oak tree in the grounds in his honour.
Next week is Assessment and Exam Week for Senior Prep, providing pupils with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, progress and hard work across a range of subjects, in a supportive environment. We know they will all do brilliantly!
I hope you all have a wonderful and restful weekend.
David
