EWELL CASTLE SENIOR SCHOOL December 2016 Newsletter INTRODUCTION As our longest school term draws of Edinburgh Award presentation The Music Pavilion is really taking to a close it seems a while since we evening with the Lord Lieutenant for shape and should be finished by had the long, warm, sunny summer Surrey making the presentations. February half term 2017. We still days as we are now certainly in the have a few tickets remaining for the grip of winter. As I am sure you are The Performing Arts programme has Music Pavilion Winter Fundraising aware, a vast amount has taken provided us with some outstanding Ball on Saturday 14th January 2017 place this term, I would however like shows that would certainly challenge at Glenmore House, Surbiton. Please to highlight a few areas. West End performances. These do book your tickets via ParentPay. included ‘The Miser’ and the A huge amount of sport has been ‘Christmas Cabaret’, as well as the I would like to thank the PSFA played with many victories, most various Carol concerts/services. We for their continued support for notably the Year 10 Rugby team who now look forward to Bugsy Malone the School and in particular the have made excellent progress in the at the Epsom Playhouse during the Christmas Fair and the spectacular NatWest Bowl and at the time of week before half term in February Firework Night which had a writing, they have progressed to the 2017. Halloween twist this year. We look regional semi-finals. We are delighted forward to the annual Quiz Night on to announce that from January we Inevitably there will be some Saturday 4th March 2017. Please will be launching our new School staff changes. We have recently do come as individuals, or arrange sport website www.ewellcastlesport. welcomed Mrs Collett as our new a table, and book early to be co.uk. This website will keep both Prep Admin Assistant and Mrs assured of a ticket. Please do also you as parents and the pupils better Cope back from maternity leave. We come along to the next Principal’s informed as to the fixtures, team thank Mrs Cunnington for providing Breakfast, which is on Friday sheets and results. Once you have maternity cover. You will be pleased 20th January at the Castle and on visited the website you can add the to know that Mrs Jones has had a Tuesday 7th February at Chessington Ewell Castle Sport app/icon to the baby girl. Lodge, to speak to myself or to meet home screen of your mobile phone We say goodbye to Mr Bilsby and up with other parents. to allow fingertip access to all sports Mr Carragher at the end of this May I take this opportunity to wish information. The site will even alert term and thank them both for their you, via twitter, when a team sheet everyone a very happy and enjoyable contribution to the School. We wish Christmas break. or match report is available to view. them every success in their futures. We are confident that this app will We welcome some new staff to Mr P Harris, Principal have a positive impact on your ability the team in January; Mrs McGrath to organise your time and ensure as our new School Administrator, the smooth running of sport at the Mrs Graves who will provide school. Please note that we will no administrative support for Marketing longer be emailing team sheets as and Admissions, Mrs Lawrence this information can be found using as our new Careers Advisor and the new app and website. Mr Houlahan as the new Head of We have had a variety of trips Economics and Business Studies. including several Team Building After a lengthy interview process, I trips, a residential to the Battlefields am very pleased to announce that of Northern France and Belgium, Mr Hepworth will be joining us as a Geography and Art trip to our new Senior School Deputy Head Amsterdam and a Geography trip from September 2017. He is currently to France. We also had some very Head of Year 9, Head of ICT and successful events such as the Head of Adventure at Priors Field Sixth Form Charity Dinner which School in Godalming. raised over £600 and the first Duke www.ewellcastle.co.uk @EwellCastleUK YEAR 7 TEAM BUILDING DAY Today was the day we were all looking forward to in our first week at Ewell Castle School team building day at Guildford Wildwood Adventure! We arrived at approximately 9.45am all eager to go! We started by being prepped and put in our harnesses for the high ropes. Some students were scared and some excited! Very mixed feelings! We had two levels; level one YEAR 9 TEAM was the beginner stage, level two BUILDING TRIP was the more advanced. We had to do the zip wires on every level. At first An influx of new students to a they were frightening, but the more year, especially one as small we did it, the more we got used to it as last year’s Year 8, is always and worked as a team to encourage going to have a big impact on each other. The teachers even joined the social dynamics of the group, in with these activities (Mr Oscoz was and what better way to meet very nervous!!). We all laughed and each other, get to know each enjoyed this as we all got to know other and bond than on a Bush each other. Craft trip? After lunch (was very delicious!) we We began the adventure with a went to a laser quest venue in Woking. game of predator in the woods. This was our favourite part of the day The pupils covered themselves as we got to run around and act silly in face paint or mud and spent a whilst competing against each other. happy hour hiding and running. The competition got serious!! Year Over the two days they built a 7 were divided into two groups and shelter, that many chose to sleep each group was split into two (the in, learnt knife skills and how to red team and the blue team). It got make a fire. At all times amazing very, very competitive. It was a close food was on offer; fruit, water, call between the two teams, but blue and an exceptional menu of triumphed and won the battle! After fajitas, pizza and pancakes. the laser quest we had drinks and Ms C Hoddell went over to the arcade machines. It was a brilliant day, one that we will never forget. A fantastic start at our first year at Ewell Castle Senior School. We all learnt to develop our team work skills greatly as well as getting to bond and build friendships. This I hope will continue through all our school years at Ewell Castle School! Yr7 Pupil 2 SIXTH FORM TEAM BUILDING TRIP The Sixth Form Team Building trip Another highlight was the evening has become a fixture at the start of activity. Starting with a quiz, it each academic year. Its purpose is never fails to surprise teachers how to give the year group a chance to competitive students can be with meet each other, and welcome new each other. This was followed by members to the School. We also an ‘alternative fashion show’. It was use this time away to start creating ‘alternative’ because each group shared memories between the chose a young man to be dressed group – and there were some stand up by the rest of the team: all sorts out moments. of creativity was on display – from use of balloons to plastic bags; garish A range of activities were laid on – lipstick to glitter. A parade took place, with varying degrees of challenge. with a series of questions from one The zip-line was memorable with of the Heads of Sixth, with ‘Clarice’ one insightful pupil proclaiming being crowned winner. All under the “I love forced fun!” as he went watchful eye of our Principal – as one at speed through the trees. The of the ‘judges’. climbing race was competitive between pupils – but also teachers, Mr D’Souza and crate-stacking tested each group’s ability to communicate, create ideas and then take action. One highlight was crawling through tunnels. There were several levels of difficulty – each set of tubes getting smaller. The smallest having just enough room to wriggle one’s shoulders through. Scary stuff (for teachers too). YEAR 11 GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP TO FRANCE around the Beussent Lachelle factory management strategies used there to to see the many different stages in protect the coast from erosion which making chocolate, as well as how we could then compare to the UK the company is trying to manage its once we were home. We also looked coco production using ethical and at how longshore drift transported sustainable sources. And of course, material along the beach by using our no visit to a chocolate factory would bodies to show this process. Sunday be complete without a taste of some morning came around too quick and of the wonderful chocolate made it was time to pack up in order to there! In the afternoon we went to Le meet our ferry home. Touquet to see the development of Mrs R Owen After a very early (and wet) start to sand dunes and the different coastal the day we made good time to get to Folkestone to catch the train to Calais. Thankfully the weather held out long enough for us to stop at our first site of Cap Blanc Nez: an area which, like it’s counterpart in the UK, is being eroded by the sea creating some amazing landforms.