Lucton News PREP SCHOOL Sept 18th 2020 SIXTH FORM Issue 3 OAKER WOOD BOARDING WELLBEING SPORT TRIATHLON SUCCESS JAKE’S BLOG Prep School News

One of the wonderful things trumpets, flutes, and clarinets. milestone). The Head Boy and about school is that there are I’m sure there will be some Girl will be joined by the Form mileposts that mark our way wonderful sounds at home as Captains to make up our School through the term and, ultimate- the practicing starts. Council. ly, the year. In these times, the- se mileposts are most welcome The Pony Club has restarted. Head Boy: Thomas as they continue to mark the Actually, this would have started Head Girl: Emilia return to normality. sooner except for an inspection by the Pony Club, which Ms Coa- Form Captains This week saw the first tes and her team rehearsals for a class assembly successfully passed. And there Collingwood: Isabel and we also had our first taste you have another milestone of Rodney: Isaac of cross-country although, being normality - inspections. I am a Drake: Annamae Lucton, this was for Years 1 and great advocate of inspections. Nelson: Joe 2! Hearing tests have come and You might think that I say this gone and our Harvest as an inspector but inspections Mr Bicker-Caarten, Head of Competition has also been mean that all is ticking along Prep School announced; not a Bake Off this well and this just goes to show time, but a photo competition that we are too. with the theme ‘Weather’. It is open to all from Transition to Last week, we voted in our Y6 and there will be a separate House Captains and announced one for grown-ups as well so get our Head Boy and Head Girl for snapping. the term. These are all responsible positions and some- Y5 have started their instrumen- thing that Y5 take on and look tal programme; violins, cellos, forward to (yes, another (Continued over)

2 / Lucton News HRF

In Wednesday’s HRF (health related fitness) lesson we were learning how to improve our cardiovascular fitness by setting ourselves a challenge to overcome. We are focussing on setting and keeping to a pace that we can maintain over a long distance. Lots of pupils enjoyed the views, passing the horses in the adjacent field, and we all made the most of the sunny September weather.

Ms Wilkinson, Prep School Reception

At Lucton, we are very fortunate to have our own school ma- tron, and so we were delighted to welcome the lovely Lulu to Reception class this week. She got to know all the children and chatted to them about the things they could do to keep themsel- ves fit and healthy - always an important topic, but even more so at this time! Thank you, Lulu!

Mrs Fower, Reception

Macmillan Cancer and the need to maintain Support Covid security generally, we have no choice but to postpone this event for the foreseeable future. As many parents will know, we Although we are unable to hold traditionally hold an afternoon the event at this time, we are tea in aid of Macmillan Cancer sure that Macmillan Cancer Support each year in September, Support would welcome a which always raises a very donation directly, should you healthy sum for this great cause. still wish to support them. In the meantime, we hope that we This year, we had scheduled the can invite you all for tea at some event to take place in our Queen point in the near future in order Anne Dining Room on the to raise money for this afternoon of Friday 25th wonderful charity. September. Sadly, however, owing to the restrictions in place with regard to social gatherings,

3 / Lucton News Sixth Form

It’s been an eventful week here It’s been refreshing to see just assembly, we enjoyed a talk by in the Sixth Form. After emer- how keen the students are; per- Ms Matthie on the importance ging rather wet from a lake in haps the long break has of curiosity and of learning for Oaker Wood last week (see reaffirmed just how important the sake of learning, following below), the students have dried school is. It would seem, on from Mr Cowley’s talk last off, rolled up their sleeves and therefore, that absence really week about what it meant to be got stuck into their studies. does make the heart grow open-minded. With the weather fonder! being so fantastic, the Sixth While walking the corridors on Formers have also been treated various errands, I’ve had the Our Star of the Week this week to some in Games, pleasure of picking up snippets was Rebecca Bryant, for her which is always a hit (excuse of advice as varied as brush leadership skills at Oaker Wood. the pun). We look forward to the strokes from Mrs Painter-Black, We also had the pleasure of week ahead! tricky maths concepts from Mrs promoting those who were Campbell, and the odd Spanish Options in Year 11 to the Mr Wolstenholme, or French phrase that I think I position of Sixth Form Prefect Head of Sixth Form understand, drifting from (see picture). I am confident that classrooms. The learning is very with the quality of students we much under way! have this year the list of Prefects will grow in the near future. During our Wednesday morning

4 / Lucton News “Knot” For the Faint-hearted!

Our intrepid Sixth Form pupils tested both their confidence and their buoyancy on a trip to Oaker Wood on Friday.

Having learnt how to tie a cloverleaf knot (or, as someone remarked, more of a spaghetti leaf knot), the pupils worked in teams to construct rafts which they then mounted and launched into the water. Once safely floating, they had to balance upright on the rafts before attempting to submerge them by bouncing enthusiastically. With more than one raft completely disintegrating, a soggy but elated band of pupils headed back to school. A great day out was had by all!

Ms Matthie, Sixth Form Tutor Boarding Yet another week has flown by farewell to Mr Niblett (pictured) child is intending to visit friends in the boarding house! Students last weekend. He has spent the or go out on weekends during have been making the most of last few weeks helping us out in term time, again please do let us the glorious late summer quarantine before the start of know as soon as possible so we weather that we’ve been term and with the first few weeks can check that permissions are enjoying by using our fields and of term itself. We have all in place. courts in the evenings. enjoyed his energy and humour Dylan, our boarding house dog, in the boarding house and we Mrs T Webb-Rogers, Head of is certainly living his best life at wish him well on his next big Boarding the moment with all the walks adventure, training in the USA to he has been getting! become a qualified pilot! In his place, we welcome another old Last weekend, the boarders boy of the school, Mr Goode. travelled to Hereford with Mr Pepper and Miss Holt, and had a Please may I remind parents great time ten-pin bowling in the and guardians that we would afternoon. On Sunday we were appreciate knowing any travel treated to another arrangements for half term as wonderful brunch, with many of soon as possible, and at the very us spending the afternoon latest by 9thOctober, so that we working it off in the can make the necessary bus pool. We were also sad to say transfer arrangements. If your

5 / Lucton News Wellbeing

older children The Mix offer free first group of Options in Year 11. Wellbeing Award and practical advice. They have successfully applied We are now in the final stages For parents and carers - The O2 for these prestigious and highly of gaining our national award and NSPCC helpline can help valued roles in the school, albeit for Wellbeing and we are with any questions or concerns I a slightly different manner this looking for parents who would you may have about keeping year due to only being able to like to be on our reference your child safe online and can work in bubbles! Applications group. Anyone interested please provide you with advice and help are open for more to be contact Sharron Goode, through to troubleshoot any problems appointed before half term. Well the school office. your family may be facing. You done to those that were chosen!

can also take a look at our • G Brown Parents may receive some collection of resources you can • F Chilman surveys (don’t worry, they’ll be use from home. • C Clulee short!) in the next few weeks to • H Digwood help us improve our Wellbeing For educators or professionals • K Hassan provision even further. -The Professionals Online Safety • L Horton Helpline will continue to operate • A Marriage Remember we are using the Monday to Friday 10:00am- • E Rudnau Action for Happiness materials 4:00pm. This helpline can assist to support our work and their with any online safety issues or Mrs Goode, Head of Senior website is worth a look: https:// concerns that any professional School www.actionforhappiness.org/ working with children and young people may have. For help and E Safety Reminders support, please email helpline@ saferinternet.org.uk We are finding a number of cases of children and young OPTIONS people posting images of others in the school without their We are delighted to welcome our consent, please help us by reinforcing the message that this is unacceptable. It will save a lot of upset all round.

Further places you can go for help and support

For young people - depending on the age of your child there is a range of places that they can go for help, for younger children they can call Childline for help and support, and for

Thought for the week: “Being extremely honest with oneself is good exercise” Sigmund Freud. 6 / Lucton News Sport Triathlon Success

On Sunday 13th September, Aoibh once again challenged the best in her field at Blenheim Palace; a large and very presti- gious event on the UK triathlon circuit.

Aoibh was on fine form and finished 41st out of 2087 com- petitors as well as being the 4th female to finish and 1st in her age category (17-19)! The event was chip-timed and competitors set off in waves so it has taken a few days for the final positions Once again, we were blessed The Mo Farah challenge was to be ironed out, during which with glorious sunshine and then tackled to see how many time she has moved from 4th to warm temperatures for an after- teams of four could run one 3rd and then back to 4th! noon full of activity, which utili- lap in 68 seconds, the average sed every conceivable sporting speed per lap he achieved for 52 Aoibh has had a short season so space at the school! laps when breaking the one hour far, owing to the current restric- track record two weeks ago. It tions on events; however, she The Sixth Form and Y11 girls was a feat that two teams mana- hopes to be able to compete enjoyed a session of ged with relative ease. more frequently throughout the skills, drills, and matches, whilst remainder of the season, and the boys either honed their rugby Whilst the Middle School girls has even attracted one private skills or headed to the badmin- had a good workout improving and one commercial sponsor ton court to take part in a friend- their cradling and pas- who are both keen to help her ly round robin tournament. sing skills, the boys enjoyed a achieve her full potential. pairs match; Kenya v Pa- Y9 and Y10 girls enjoyed a com- kistan, with Pakistan winning by petitive rounders tournament 11 runs as a result of some good and it was great to see that most batting by the first two pairs. of the pupils scored at least half a rounder. With Ashleigh leading As the cricket season is being the run rate, it was not surprising extended into autumn, congratu- that Rosy’s team won. lations should go to our county cricketers, Jack Barratt who has Several of the Y9 and Y10 boys played for Hereford U15s, and were put through their paces James Hellyer, who has been on the athletics track, with Ellis selected for the U13 squad. proving to be king of the sprints, whilst Jack N had the most Mrs Connop, Head of Sport spring in his step, recording the longest jump in the long jump pit.

7 / Lucton News Jake’s Blog

What a busy week at the stables!

We have had lots of lessons, Pony Club has started up again and, as the weather has been so great, some of us have even been clipped too! We are getting ready to say goodbye to the swallows that have been nesting above Mouse’s stable; a sure-fire sign that the seasons are chan- ging, and the cold mornings are a reminder that winter is not far away..

Jake

8 / Lucton News