Dear Parents / Guardians
The second half of this term sees a busy schedule of events across all our schools. Highlighted events are detailed below. For a complete view of school activities, please visit our school calendars. We hope to see many of you at the Senior School Open House event this week (see below for details).
Quick links
Senior School Open House
Thursday 9 November, 17.00 - 20.00
We are looking forward to welcoming families currently at our Pre-Preps, Junior School or Dame Bradbury's to the Senior School to experience everything we have on offer, from the Cabinet of Curiosities to the Visual Arts Centre to the transformational new building. Teachers and pupils will be on hand to make this a really special evening.
Assemblies
- 7 November, 08.45-09.15: City Year 1 Class Assembly
- 8 November, 08.45-09.15: Madingley Year 1 Class Assembly
Photographs
- 9 November, all day: Individual and family school photographs at City
Trips
- 7 November, 09.00-11.30: Kindergarten Trip - Farm to Fork Experience at Tesco Bar Hill
- 10 November, 09.00-13.30: Kindergarten enjoy Diwali celebrations and lunch with Dame Bradbury's pupils
- 15 November: Reception visit PX Farm to learn about working in harmony with the countryside
- 11 December: Key Stage 1 supermarket visit to research festive global ingredients
- 12 December, 14.00-15.00: City Year 2 sing carols at St George's Care Home
City and Madingley Kindergarten Tea Party
City Kindergarten to visit Madingley Kindergarten for a tea party, planned and organised by the children in the morning.
Parents and Friends Association (PFA) Christmas Fair
2 December (Saturday)
10.00-12.00
Junior School Hall, Library and Classrooms
Please come and help us launch the 2017 Christmas season at this PFA annual event, which is a very happy and busy occasion with lots going on and plenty of wonderful ways of teasing money out of purses!
Pre-Prep Nativity performance
The Nativity performance from City and Madingley Pre-Preps. Parents are politely requested to collect their child directly from the Senior School after the performance. Late Stay will be available at the City Pre-Pre. There will be no Late Stay at Madingley.
Madingley Pre-Prep Carol Concert
Come and enjoy some festive carols from our Madingley Pre-Prep children at St Mary Magdalene Church.
City Pre-Prep Carol Concert
Come and enjoy some festive carols from our City Pre-Prep children in the Junior School Hall.
Madingley and City Pre-Prep Christmas parties
Madingley Pre-Prep and City Pre-Prep
Christmas parties for pupils.
School Christmas Lunch
Madingley Pre-Prep and City Pre-Prep
Christmas Lunch for all pupils.
view the FULL Pre-Prep Calendar
Junior School - What's on?
Trips
- 9 November: Year 5 visit to Epping Forest Field Centre, as part of their thematic study of Rivers
- 24 November: Year 6 visit to Stibbington, as part of their thematic study of The Victorians
- 7 December: Year 4 visit to Colchester Castle Museum, as part of their thematic study of The Romans
Parents' Consultations
Junior School teaching staff look forward to meeting with parents at the Autumn Term Parents’ Consultations when they will provide detailed feedback on pupil progress:
- 7 November: Y3 and Y4 Parents' Consultation
- 13 November and 21 November: Y5 Parents' Consultations
- 15 November and 23 November: Y6 Parents' Consultations
House Assemblies
On the afternoon of Thursday 2 November, Junior School pupils came off timetable to work on their House Assembly performances. These link closely with the House Art Event, held earlier in term, when each House took one subject section of the Foundation Curriculum Wheel as inspiration. But which House tackled which section? All will be revealed in the performances on the following dates, each in the Junior School Hall from 08:40-09:00:
- Monday 6 November – Clark
- Wednesday 8 November – Cattley
- Monday 13 November – Kennett
- Wednesday 15 November – Pollock
- Friday 17 November – Rose
- Monday 20 November – Street
Year 6 collaborative event at Senior School
Year 6 pupils from the Junior School and Dame Bradbury's come together in the Senior School in order to get a feel for life there as a student in the near future. This is one of several collaborative events for our Year 6 pupils who already know each other quite well and are looking forward to being in Year 7 together, from September 2018. The programme includes sessions in a Science Lab and the new Sports Hall.
World Philosophy Day
Students across the Foundation will be marking World Philosophy Day this year. In addition to presenting the Junior School with philosophical questions to think about and discuss, our Year 6 pupils will participate in a WPD workshop being held at the Senior School.
Year 3 and 4 Performers’ Platform
Following a great concert given by members of Years 5 and 6 before half term, we look forward to hearing some of our youngest musicians in action for the first time!
PFA Christmas Fair in the Junior School Hall, Library and Classrooms
2 December (Saturday)
10.00-12.00
Junior School
Please come and help us to launch the 2017 Christmas season at this Parents and Friends Association annual event, which is a very happy and busy occasion with lots going on and plenty of wonderful ways of teasing money out of purses!
Year 6 Drama Production of ‘Ebenezer’
We are all looking forward to Year 6 pupils’ production of ‘Ebenezer’, a musical based on ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens. Tickets will shortly be available from the Junior School Office.
Speech Recital
Speech pupils in Years 4 and 5 will entertain their audience with presentations of poetry and prose which they are currently most enjoyably rehearsing during weekly Speech lessons with Mrs Cruise.
Junior School Carol Concert
Junior School pupils will all participate in our end of term Carol Concert at St Andrew the Great. Details of arrangements will be sent to parents via School Post.
Trips
- 7 November, 08.30-12.00: Year 1 and 2 trip to Saffron Walden Fire Station
- 7 November, 10.30-12.30: Year 3 trip to Saffron Walden Church
- 10 November, 09.00-13.30: Diwali celebration and lunch for all three Pre-Preps
- 30 November, 11.00-12.30: Year 3 trip to The Night Before Christmas at Saffron Hall
- 9 December, 13.00-16.00: The Spirit of Christmas
- 15 December, 11.00-12.00: Carol Concert at St Mary's Church
Events for parents
- 7 November, 16.00-17.00: e-Safety workshop and webinar for all parents
- 17 November, 08.00-09.00: Breakfast with David Walker (Head of Senior School) for Year 6 parents
- 21 November, 18.00-19.00: Cornwall Information Meeting for Year 5 parents (Theatre)
- 24 November, 08.00-09.00: Breakfast with David Walker (Head of Senior School) for Year 5 parents
Other key dates
- 9 November: Bebras Challenge Day, Years 3 to 6
- 11 December: ABRSM Exams
- 12 December, 16.00-18.00: School Disco, Years 4 to 6
- 14 November, 14.00-15.00: Primary Maths Challenge, Years 5 and 6
- 16 November: World Philosophy Day, marked across the whole Foundation
- 22 November, 08.30-12.30: Mock Entrance Examination Morning, Year 6
Year 6 collaborative event at Senior School
Year 6 pupils from the Dame Bradbury's and the Junior School come together in the Senior School in order to get a feel for life there as a student in the near future. The programme includes sessions in a Science Lab and the new Sports Hall.
USSP Cross Country Finals
Dame B's athletes compete at the USSP Cross Country Finals. See the latest news article for their progress so far.
Early Years Nativity
Our Early Years pupils perform their Nativity play.
Christmas Jumper Day, Christmas Lunch and Santa's Grotto
Dig out those festive knits for Christmas Jumper Day at Dame B's. Pupils will enjoy a Christmas lunch (12.00-14.00) and a trip to Santa's Grotto (14.30-17.30).
Dame Bradbury's Carol Concert
Come and listen to Dame B's pupils' festive singing at St Mary's Church.
Dame Bee's Baby and Toddler Group
Join us for coffee, chat, play, crafts, snacks and a sing-song.
All are welcome to join our free Dame Bee's Playgroup, every Friday morning in term time from 08.30-10.30.
Senior School - What's on?
Scholarships, Entrance Tests and Assessments for 6th Form
If your child is applying for a 6th Form Scholarship, please see key dates below:
- 7 November, 12.00 noon: deadline for 6th Form Scholarship applications
- 16-17 November: Music, Sports, Art and Drama 6th Form Scholarship Assessments and Interviews
- 18 November, 08.30-15.30: 6th Form Academic Scholarship Testing
Art notices
- 21 November: Year 9 Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts (6th Form College, Shaftesbury Road)
- 27 November: students to collect their GCSE Artwork from the Visual Arts Centre (Coronation Street)
'Inspire Me' talks
Please note that Year 11 pupils are welcome to attend this term's Inspire Me talks at the 6th Form College, designed to challenge our students to think differently.
Senior School Autumn Concert
Come and enjoy performances from our Senior School musicians at the Autumn Concert.
World Philosophy Day with Professor Simon Blackburn
Senior School and 6th Form College
On Thursday 16 November, the Foundation will be celebrating World Philosophy Day.
In the Senior School and 6th Form, a wide variety of events will be taking place, including lectures from Professor Simon Blackburn, a school wide Kahoot! competition and a philosophy-themed lunch.
Assemblies will also take place in the week before and after the event, delivered to all Year 7 - 13 pupils by 6th Form Religious Studies and Philosophy students.
The Canterbury Tales
A group of pilgrims gather together in a tavern in Southwark on their way to Canterbury. Under the sardonic eye of Chaucer himself, each pilgrim recounts a tale to entertain their companions; by turn comic, bawdy and sublime, these great theatrical tales and their tellers are a vivid testimony to Chaucer’s insight into human nature.
Mike Poulton’s adaptation was premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company, opening at The Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon before embarking on a world tour.
Students in Years 11-13 will perform a select number of the tales at 7.30pm on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 November.
Tickets are available from Senior School and College receptions, £5 for adults and £2.50 for concessions. Please note that whilst our interpretation will be largely family friendly, Chaucer’s original text contains some strong language and sexual references.
Dress rehearsals will take place on Sunday 12 November, Sunday 19 November, and the evening of Tuesday 21 November.
Year 11 IGCSE Drama Showcase
Year 11 will showcase their work for IGCSE Drama.
The Snow Ball
The Snow Ball, in support of Blue Smile, is taking place on Friday 15 December 2017 from 19.30-22.00 at Great Chesterford Community Centre.
The Ball is for Years 7, 8 and 9 pupils, and will include a disco, raffle, photo booth, nerf shootout, drinks and snacks!
Tickets are £23 each. For more information and to book please visit: www.cambridgecharityballs.com.
Please note this is not an SPF event.
Trips
- 27 November, 10.35-16.00: Psychology Conference at Cambridge Union
- 5 December: Economics trip to the Mini Cooper Plant Oxford (Year 12)
- 12 December: Tudor History trip to Norwich (Years 12 and 13)
'Inspire Me' talks
We are pleased to be hosting two 'Inspire Me' talks this term, welcoming guest speakers into the 6th Form College to help challenge our students to think differently:
- 8 November, 16.30: ‘How Women Made the West Rich’, a lecture by Dr Victoria Bateman (more information on this lecture below)
- 6 December, 16.30: 'Game Theory', a lecture by Dr Manuela Dal Borgo
The 'Inspire Me' talks are open to students in Years 11 to 13, and take place in the Old Library.
Inspire Me! 'How Women Made the West Rich' - Dr Victoria Bateman
Dr Bateman, a Lecturer and Fellow in Economics at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, will explore how women made the West rich.
Dr Bateman's research is currently focused on the development of the European economy from early-modern times to the present. The questions motivating this research include: How did we become a rich modern economy? Why are poor countries still poor? What lessons can be drawn from history for current day economic policy?
Delivered in conjunction with our Economics Department.
More about Dr Bateman
Follow Dr Bateman on Twitter
World Philosophy Day with Professor Simon Blackburn
Senior School and 6th Form College
On Thursday 16 November, the Foundation will be celebrating World Philosophy Day.
In the Senior School and 6th Form, a wide variety of events will be taking place, including lectures from Professor Simon Blackburn, a school wide Kahoot! competition and a philosophy-themed lunch.
Assemblies will also take place in the week before and after the event, delivered to the whole Senior School and 6th Form by 6th Form Religious Studies and Philosophy students.
The Canterbury Tales
A group of pilgrims gather together in a tavern in Southwark on their way to Canterbury. Under the sardonic eye of Chaucer himself, each pilgrim recounts a tale to entertain their companions; by turn comic, bawdy and sublime, these great theatrical tales and their tellers are a vivid testimony to Chaucer’s insight into human nature.
Mike Poulton’s adaptation was premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company, opening at The Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon before embarking on a world tour.
6th Formers and Year 11 will perform a select number of the tales at 7.30pm on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 November.
Tickets are available from College reception at £5 for adults and £2.50 for concessions. Please note that whilst our interpretation will be largely family friendly, Chaucer’s original text contains some strong language and sexual references.
Dress rehearsals will take place on Sunday 12 November, Sunday 19 November, and the evening of Tuesday 21 November.