Claires Court Bulletin
JUNIOR BOYS
Bulletin 2 | 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
It was back to reality this morning! After several days of glorious sunshine, the commute to school earlier today demonstrated how several inches of water can play havoc with our transport systems and roads. For those of you who braved the trench of water underneath the motorway bridge near our entrance, I hope both you and your cars have dried out!
We have enjoyed an exceptionally busy week, and the boys are now very much into the swing of school life. Congratulations must go to our Under 9 rugby players who played their first competitive matches for their school against Gayhurst on Tuesday. The boys showed tremendous character and displayed great sportsmanship throughout their hard fought encounters, especially with the heat making conditions very tough. Our A, B and C teams won, and D and E teams drew - well done boys, a brilliant start to the season! Our E team in fact were awarded a merit certificate this morning in assembly by Mr Denton who felt they had been exceptional from the first whistle to the last. Well done also to our Under 10 and 11 boys who took to the pitches on Wednesday. I was particularly impressed with the Under 10B team who defended and tackled with real purpose, and the Under 10A side who looked very strong during their clash with Davenies.
I hope the Curriculum Statement mornings were useful and that you have come away from them clearer on how we intend to develop your son’s skills both in and out of the classroom this year. If you have any further questions, please do contact the form tutor as the first port of call.
We already have 150 people joining us for the PTA and Sports department fundraiser on Friday 23 September. If you have not got your ticket yet and would like to come along, please contact the school office.
In our assemblies this week we discussed our first Golden Rule ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated’ and in our celebration assembly that we hold every Friday morning, there were a large number of Merit Certificates given out to boys who have been excelling this week following the Golden Rules and with their academic work. We also considered the importance of hard work and never giving up - I used the story of how Jonny Wilkinson started playing his rugby in the Under 8/9 D and E teams before he became the player we know him as today (I did have to explain to quite a few of the boys who he actually was!!).
I have been giving out a number of Gold Stars this week to our boys who have performed well in their academic studies, and Reception came to visit my office earlier this week to see where I was hiding out! If you visit our school reception hall, you will also see the brilliant Extreme Reading Project that Harry and George Watson constructed over the summer holidays. It really is impressive and is well worth a look. Mrs Davies, our librarian, was very pleased!
Over the next few weeks our boys in Year 1-6 will take part in our INCas (Interactive Cognitive Assessment) Benchmark testing. As a school, we use the data that is generated in these tests in our teacher planning to ensure that we identify areas of strength and weakness in English, Maths, Non-Verbal Reasoning , Picture Vocabulary etc for the individual pupil. Along with our end of year assessments and our formative topic/unit analysis, we keep a close track of pupil progress and development. The INCas tests are lots of fun! The boys love to sit in front of the computer and answer lots of questions - they really enjoy the challenge. For the Year 1 boys, this is more of a ‘learn how it works’ assessment rather than a critique of ability and skill, as the boys are still so young.
A big thank you from me goes out to Thor Hardvendel, Alfie Ward, Oscar Helm and Felix Oppenheimer. These boys have been especially helpful this week to the staff and to other boys in the school - I am delighted with their efforts.
Year 5 are currently enjoying the sunny climes of Marchants Hill just down the A3 where they are taking part in a PGL Outward Bound weekend. I am sure the weather will be kind to them tomorrow!
Please have a look in our photo gallery of some of the wonderful artwork that our boys in KS2 have been producing over the past week.
It leaves me to wish you all a lovely weekend.
Justin Spanswick
PTA NEWS
We are extremely excited to start this new academic year 2016-17.
The PTA at CCJB wants to include all parents in our school. If you work, we know that can be difficult. That is why we are now scheduling both daytime and evening PTA meetings and are trying to plan ahead as much as possible to spread the fun.
Our aim is to raise extra funds to provide our kids with useful tools for the future. Do visit the school website and see what the PTA at CCJB has achieved in the last few years - climbing frame, outdoor table tennis, outdoor chess set, to name but a few.
Many hands make light work, often we need help with stalls or manning the bar at our events – 30 minutes of your time would be so much appreciated – so do sign up for a slot on the rotas when your class rep sends them out.
Personally, my aim is to enjoy every minute with my children and have as much fun as possible. If you share this ethos, maybe you should check us out!! If you have any queries, our brand new email is ptaccjb@gmail.com
All the best,
Ana Sidders
Chair PTA CCJB
Save the Date - Saturday 15 October - PTA Fireworks held at our Junior Boys site.
Court Circular 2015-16 arrives with families this Friday. As well as sharing news of the massive range of activity that takes place across the year, this issue also contains all the main sports events and tours as well as a Creative Corner. Shortly the online Sports Circular will also be available via the website and this will include all the team reports.
The material is not the work of the editor, but that of the pupils as well as the teaching and coaching staff and it is to them that thanks should be given for providing such a great range of material.
Whilst this issue is a bumper edition, the aim is for it to be fully inclusive so that all can enjoy and share in the activities in which pupils across all the sites have taken part. It is the culmination of a year’s work and we look forward to an equally busy and rewarding year in 2016-17.
FORTHCOMING DATES
Monday 19 September - Full after school activity programme starts
Friday 23 September - Jeans for Genes Day. If your son wishes to wear jeans / denim for the day please can he bring in a £1 donation for this worthy cause.
Friday 23 September - Sports Department Fundraiser - Back To School social. A letter was sent out last week with all details. Please come and support this event as your son will benefit from the funds raised whilst a pupil here at CCJB. There is a BBQ and licensed bar. Event starts at 5.30pm with food from 6.30pm. Cost per family £25.
FUTURE DATES
Saturday 1 October - U9 CCJB Rugby Festival
Wednesday 5 October - Harvest Festival 11.15am CCJB
IMPORTANT NOTES
Pupil Personal Effects Insurance and Pupil Accident Insurance
A reminder to parents that all pupils (with the exception of nursery pupils for Personal Effects Insurance) are covered by your school fees. Full details of the cover provided is available on the Letters and Notices Page (General) page of the School website
Activities
The full activity programme commences on Monday with all before and after school clubs running normally. Outstanding slips for Tennis, Judo and Karate need to be handed to the office as soon as possible please.
Year 1 Karate (Fridays)
Although not on the original plan we are now able to offer Karate to Year 1 boys after school on Fridays. Sessions will run from 3.30pm - 4pm. Please contact Mr Leuzinger if your son is interested (ecl@clairescourt.net) . Further information is available from the Office.
House News - Year 6 have held elections for this year's House Captains. This was a closely fought contest in some of the Houses. Congratulations to the following boys who are now our 2016/2017 leaders of their Houses.
Windsor Captain - Jamie Shepherd
Windsor Vice Captain - Lewis Moorby
Cliveden Captain - Nyle Cohen
Cliveden Vice Captain - Luca Thomas
Fawley Captain - Lachlan Kerr
Fawley Vice Captain - Harrison Kerr
Dorney Captain - Tom Welch
Dorney Vice Captain - William Lawrenson
TRIPS
Wednesday 21 September - Year 2 visit The Rye. A letter regarding this trip went home with boys this week.
FROM THE SPORTS MASTER
This week has seen some blisteringly hot temperatures, not something we are particularly used to when we return for the rugby season. The pupils in Reception to Year 3 have loved cooling off in the pool during their swimming lessons and have got particularly hot and sweaty during PE lessons. The hot weather has not put off our rugby players with all member of Years 4, 5 and 6 taking part in their first competitive fixtures of the term against Davenies and Gayhurst. I was particularly proud to coach the U9A team and to hear of the other U9 team’s performances during their first ever competitive match against Gayhurst. The boys played their hearts out and their behaviour both on and off the pitch was outstanding. They truly were ambassadors for their school. For the U9A team James Wojciechowicz showed the spectators how much he loved tackling, while Samuel Ancliffe ran the length of the field to score a try for the U9E team. These are just two of the many examples I have heard this week which shows just how much the pupils have enjoyed their first week of sport.
Nick Butterfield
Head of Sport
ART NEWS
Collage in the style of Henri Matisse
Self portrait using pattern collages.
Collage in the style of Henri Matisse
MUSIC NOTES
Speech and Drama starts next week so you will receive an email to confirm your place if you have registered interest with Ms Icke.
NOTES AND TO DO
U7 Football with Boyn Hill
Boyne Hill Boys & Girls FC is looking for children of all abilities to take their first steps into team sports with them. They will be running a ‘taster session’ for U7 football players on 17 September 1.30pm at Summerleaze SL6 8SP (their home ground) if anyone wishes to come and have a look. Interested parents should contact Mr Dunning on his mobile 07767 803540 or via email david.dunning@cps.co.uk
In addition to the connection with football, they will be encouraging groups of children to continue their enjoyment of sport through Cricket in the spring and summer months. They hope to be able to connect up with Littlewick Green CC and their superb colts section to enable friendships through sport to continue all year around. Both clubs provide a good competitive level, but more importantly are welcoming and supportive to children of all ability levels.