Claires Court Bulletin
JUNIOR BOYS
Bulletin 4 | Autumn Term 2016
Email: dsp@clairescourt.com
Website: http://www.clairescourt.com/news-and-media/bulletins
Location: SL6 3QE for sat nav SL6 4QQ
Phone: 01628 411490
Facebook: facebook.com/clairescourt
Twitter: @clairescourt
FROM THE HEAD'S DESK
Thank you very much for the many positive comments regarding our picture gallery last week - I am well aware that pictures can often tell a far better story than words, especially my words! I would also like to thank so many of you who came to our Sports Department Fundraiser last Friday. Over 200 people attended and we have raised in the region of £2500. This money will go directly to our pupils for their Sports Touring and Bushcraft kit for Year 4, 5 and 6. It was great fun, although I may opt to run the bar rather than the BBQ next year…..there was a lot of food to cook!
This week our assemblies have focused on the upcoming Harvest Festival , although we were treated to a number of our musicians solo performances on Wednesday morning - Mr Rowan was certainly impressed with the standard and calibre of some of our young musicians.
In my plans for the next two years there is a focus on the Arts. Mr Goddard, Mr Rowan and Mrs Icke have already got big plans! At our first PTA meeting of the year, I explained to our parents my ideas for apportioning some of the money raised to help continue the development of our drama, music, art, design technology, photography, computer animation and sculpture. We wish Mr Goddard and his pupils the best of luck on Tuesday where there will be a showcase of their work at the ISA National Art Awards.
I have been extremely proud of our sports teams this week. I watched Year 2 and 3 in training and we are certainly going to have some strong teams from these age groups, with boys showing great skill and determination in their play. They were also having so much fun. Mr Gillespie and Mr Pennington have commented that the Year 6 boys really stepped up to the mark against Caldicott, and their attacking play is taking great shape. Our Under 10’s are off to a tricky encounter against Colet Court this afternoon - tricky as they are renowned for being a strong rugby school, and also because the boys and staff have to navigate their way around the M25 at rush hour on a Friday afternoon!
And what about our wonderful Year 4 teams? They have had to play arguably their two most challenging fixtures in the space of three days, against Beacon and Moulsford. Both fixtures produced an equal number of wins, draws and losses, but they too are now looking like rugby players who can understand the importance of spatial awareness and the need to tackle big boys at the ankles! Special mention to Noah Olikara who scored the ‘Try de Jour’ , a barnstorming run from his own half against Beacon. We should not forget the efforts of Karan Gill as well, who managed to score 7 tries against Moulsford. Wonderful!
As you will see from my pictures, I have been visited by some of younger pupils this week who have been working very well in class, and I have had the opportunity to make my way around our Year 2 and 3 classrooms to observe how they are getting on. From the amount of Merits I gave out in our celebration assembly this morning, they have been doing pretty well! I have also started to give out Turbo Table Awards for my Key Stage 2 pupils, all of whom are after the elusive Platinum Certificate.
With the onset of rain, we are going to find a few difficulties in regard to car parking (a few more difficulties!). We are currently able to park some cars on the grassy areas as the ground is not too soft, but this will change shortly as the weather deteriorates. Our ‘bottleneck’ days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday which is when we have sports fixtures. If you are able to do a car share it would certainly reduce congestion. Otherwise please be a little patient with myself and my site manager, Steve, as we try to negotiate everyone through a safe and swift pick up at the end of the day. Just to remind you, we have our Kiss and Drop service in the mornings, and our Pick Up service at the front of the school for Reception and Year 1 on a Wednesday and Friday.
I am very much looking forward to the Under 9 Rugby Festival tomorrow morning where we will host 12 teams in a Round Robin event. I also hope to see many of you at our Harvest Festival from 11.15am on Wednesday 5 October. There is lots going on! Have a super weekend.
Justin Spanswick
PTA News
Forthcoming Events
Saturday 15 October - PTA Fireworks held at our Junior Boys site
Saturday 12 November - Chess Tournament
Friday 18 November - Fright Night Disco for Juniors held at Girls site
And one for the future .... Saturday 13 May - Annual Ball
Thank you to everyone who attended one of the PTA meetings on Wednesday. It was great to see so many new faces and lots of volunteers for all our upcoming events. Minutes from the meetings, as well as details of the next events will be posted on the school website and Facebook PTA group.
The Firework Spectacular takes place on Saturday 15th October. The tickets will be available to reserve online through the payportal. I guarantee it will be fun for the whole family.
The success of these events relies on your support. CCJB is responsible for the bar. We need as many volunteers to 'man' this as possible . You can sign up by clicking on this link.
If you experience any problems with the link please contact ptaccjb@gmail.com .
Looking forward to seeing you all.
Ana Sidders
PTA CCJB
FORTHCOMING DATES
Saturday 1 October - U9 CCJB Rugby Festival
Tuesday 4 October - The first of Reception's Parents Evening from 4pm
Wednesday 5 October - Harvest Festival 11.15am in the Sports Hall. All are welcome to attend.
Thursday 6 October - The second of Reception's Parents evenings. Year 1 - Year 6 Parents Evening from 4pm. Reception - Year 3 teachers will be in their form room. Meetings for Year 4 - Year 6 Teachers and 1:1/LDD will take place in the Mezzanine.
TRIPS
Monday 10 October - Friday 14 October - Year 6 Field Studies Week at Osmington Bay
FUTURE DATES
Friday 14 October - Year 6 Field Studies presentation to parents in the Mezzanine at 3pm
Saturday 15 October - Firework Night at CCJB
SENIOR BOYS BREAKFAST EVENT
Year 6 boys and their parents are invited to a breakfast morning at Senior Boys on Thursday 6 October. Any boys whose parents cannot attend will continue lessons as normal. A bus has been arranged to bring boys back to Junior Boys once the event has finished. If you have not responded, please email marketing@clairescourt.com by the end of today.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Changes to arrangements at the end of the day.
If you need to change your son's arrangements for the end of the day please call or email the office before 4.40pm. The office is not able to take calls or emails from 4.40pm - 5.20pm when the bus is being despatched.
After School Activities Thursday 6 October
Due to Parents Evening on Thursday evening the Archery and Table Tennis sessions will not be taking place. The boys are welcome to attend study till 5pm.
Please note there is no provision after 5pm for your son to remain at Junior Boys while you have your parent/teacher meetings. Boys may attend After School Care at the college site till 6.30pm. They will travel on the 5pm link bus. Please make sure your son is aware that he needs to book himself for the bus if you wish him to attend after school care at the girls site.
FROM THE SPORTS MASTER
It has been a fantastically busy week in the Sports Department.
On the rugby field this week the U11s travelled to Caldicott to play triangular fixtures with Caldicott and St John's Beaumont. This was a tough set of fixtures but all the pupils played their hearts out, and the U11B team had a superb 20-10 win against St John's Beaumont with Harrison Kerr hugely impressing Mr Pennington with his determined tackling.
The U9s have had a very busy week with fixtures against The Beacon on Tuesday, Moulsford on Thursday and the A&B teams playing in our home rugby festival this weekend. Some of the highlights of this week for the Year 4 include the U9B & D teams competing in hard fought 25-25 and 40-40 draws against The Beacon. The U9A scored on the final whistle to draw against Moulsford.
The U10s play three different fixtures against St George’s last Friday. With mixed teams travelling, I am pleased to report that all three teams came back with victories under their belts. All U10s travel to St Paul’s Junior’s (formally Colet Court) today for 6 fixtures and I hope to give some report of these matches next week.
Nick Butterfield
Head of Sport
FROM THE CHESS GRAND MASTER
I was asked by a parent this week if there was anything they could be doing to help their son get better at chess. This is a great question. I said that so long as they knew how the king moved they could help their son practise checkmating with a king and queen, a king and two rooks and a king and rook - all against the lone king.
It is a cause of frustration for some boys when they find, by their hard work, that they have put themselves into a winning position only to draw the game for the want of being able to finish an opponent off.
Chess is a game learned in reverse. Before you set the pieces up in their starting positions you must first learn how the game ends. Much like driving a car, you need to know where the brake is first, even though the accelerator seems far more exciting!
Upcoming events:
As a school we will be hosting the U9 and U11 county trials on Saturday 8th October. More information and the entry form can be found (along with links to other county tournaments) by clicking on the link below:
Berkshire Chess Trials information
The 16th CC PTA Chess Festival is fast approaching!
Entry forms for the 16th CC PTA Chess Festival on Saturday 12 November can be plucked off the Chess notice board or are available from me. Please could entry forms come into school as soon as possible to avoid late entry fees.
This event will also act as a qualifying tournament for the London Junior Congress.
My thanks to Mrs. Sidders and the whole of the PTA for their organisation of this event.
Richard Hogg
NEWS FROM THE NURSE
We will be offering the Nasal flu vaccines again this year for all pupils in Years 1, 2 & 3 in line with the Government's vaccination programme. This will be taking place on Friday 25th November, information and consent forms will be sent home shortly.
In the meantime, please take a look at the following site for information regarding this vaccine.
Many thanks
Jane - School Nurse - CCJB
MUSIC & DRAMA NOTES
NOTES & TO DO
Many thanks to all those who wore jeans during our Jeans for Genes charity day. We raised a total of £285.25 for this worthy cause.
A Night at the Movies - presented by Claires Court
Friday 11 and Saturday 12 November at Norden Farm
This year’s show is filled with song, dance, performance and music, from some of the world’s most famous and favourite cinema soundtracks. The programme includes The Great Escape, Pirates of the Caribbean, What a Wonderful World, Ghostbusters, Moon River and Stand By Me. Get your tickets now, from the Norden Farm online box office