THIS WEEK AT FRENSHAM
Friday 26th November, 2021
A MESSAGE FROM KATHERINE
Spotlight on the Junior School
Dear Frensham Community,
Well, that was a busy week! As you will see there have been birds of prey flying at Frensham and a fabulous author visiting to talk to our children about refugees. The children in the Junior School have been inspired by so many things this week and it was wonderful to share them in our assembly today. We also spoke about how it is important to have a go, make mistakes and turn them into a positive. I shared the amazing book ‘Beautiful oops’ with them which is all about how a mistake might actually open up a new possibility. At Frensham we want our children to be happy to take risks, make mistakes and grow from them just like us as grown-ups!
We're also wondering if anyone in our amazing community knows someone lovely who lives locally and would be able to join our team in January to work in our Nursery – Year 3 Late Stay. It would suit someone who would love to come and play, laugh and create things for just two hours every afternoon from 3:30-5:30. They do not need qualifications but experience with younger children would be great even if that's not in a school setting. Perhaps a wonderful grandparent in the local area would be interested in some company (the teachers and children are a delightful bunch who will always brighten up anyone’s day!). Do please push our advert out to anyone you think would be suitable, thank you in advance for any help you can give. www.frensham.org/working-at-frensham
Lastly, a big thank you to FoF for your secret squirrel mission to make Christmas special for the children in the Junior School. Thank you for everything you are doing.
Have a lovely stormy weekend!
Katherine
SCHOOL MESSAGES
Dropping Off at Reception
If you're dropping off or picking up your child at Reception, please drive really carefully and slowly in the area in front of Main House - students and staff are crossing this area at all times of the day. Also, please don't park right in front of the glass Reception doors. Thank you!
Christmas Dates to Remember!
We're planning lots of festive things, big and little, things for the students in the run up to the Christmas break. Many will be a surprise, but here are a few dates to remember:
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Friday 3rd - Christmas Jumper Day
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Friday 10th - Snuggly PJ Day
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Tuesday 14th - Yrs 4-6 Christmas Showcase + Yrs 7-9 Dinner Dance
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Wednesday 15th - Christmas Sparkle (clothing / outfits) + Yrs N-3 Chrismas Play + Yrs 10-13 Dinner Dance
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Thursday 16th - Junior School Christmas Lunch
Malawi 2023
On Tuesday evening we officially launched the trip online to Malawi in 2023. Tom from True Adventure presented
details of the trip, pinpointing the area, identifying some of the activities we will be undertaking and giving information about this small but beautiful part of Africa.
We are opening the trip to any student who is in this years Year 10 and above.
Below are the links to the presentation slides shown on Tuesday evening and the parents information pack.
PRESENTATION SLIDES
PARENTS' INFORMATION PACK
If you decide that this unique trip is for you, please fill in the application form by Friday 3rd December.
I am hoping that we will be able to have a team get together before we stop for Christmas to start the ball rolling!
If anyone has any questions, I have set up a Malawi 2023 team on Teams.
I am so looking forward to forming the team and putting plans into action with everyone.
Have a great weekend and I hope to hear from you soon,
Sally
Elevate Memorisation Webinar
If you missed the Elevate Memorisation Webinar on Tuesday, you have 10 days to watch the session here - Memorisation Webinar
A Big Thank You From Friends of Frensham
A big thank you to some of our parents who have been so generous in their donations to our Christmas raffle.
Shyne (Year 7 parent) who runs the annual music festival in Guildford on June 3rd & 4th has given us a voucher worth £150 to attend the 2 day event. For more information go to the website http://www.shynefest.uk/
Also Sara (Year 7 parnet) has donated some of her fragrant vegan and cruelty free candles which smell amazing. www.theuniversalsoulcompany.com
Another big thank you is to parents in Junior school who are working together to deliver the “swap shop” where the JS students can chose presents for their parents and have them gift wrapped ready for Christmas Day, and a super decorated Santa’s grotto where Santa will greet the students ready to check they are ready for the big day. We have also had a Christmas tree to make the area more festive donated by Castle Street Flowers in Farnham.
Christmas Raffle
As we approach Christmas, Friends of Frensham are running our fundraising raffle. We have been incredibly lucky to have some amazing events and gifts donated to us from some of our parents, from festival tickets for a family of 4 to Shynefest, to gifts from the Universal Soul company, who sell a stunning range of non-toxic vegan fragrance products of candles and room fragrances.
We also have a Christmas hamper, wine gifts and much more.
The raffle tickets can be bought on the link here: Christmas Raffle Tickets
Christmas Puddings
Thank you for your support with Friends of Frensham Christmas puddings this year. We have beaten the past 2 years figures! If you have not ordered your puddings in the set timeline, do not worry. We have ordered some additional puddings to sell in the last week of term in the Aldridge theatre during the Junior School Christmas performances, and also at the music and dance performance on 9th December at the Aldridge theatre.
Rowledge Community Choir
If you would like to join a friendly choir (no auditions required), Rowledge Community Choir rehearses every Tuesday evening at 7.30pm in the Music School. The choir is currently rehearsing pieces of Christmas music for our Christmas concert on 14th December in St James’ Church, Rowledge. The choir is led by Sam Rolles, a former Frensham pupil, and his father, Edwin, who was formerly Director of Music at Frensham Heights. The cost is £5 per session. Come along for a free taster session. Any tenors or basses particularly welcome. Please see our website: rowledgecommunitychoir.co.uk or contact Liz Bownass-Clark: liz@frensham.org.
UPCOMING SCHOOL EVENTS
PETER PAN - THURS 2 & FRI 3 DECEMBER
We began exploring the story of Peter Pan in our Yr 7 & 8 Drama club and we are now bringing you a creative play that the teachers and children have developed whilst meeting together. We have tried to bring this to the stage at a minimal cost to the environment asking the children to make their costumes from re-using, recycling or buying items from charity shops. The set has been designed by Dolly Moon-Kilner in Year 8 and is being built by Shaun and Nicky from our very own Aldridge Theatre using as few new items as possible. Please look out for wood reclaimed from the outdoor theatre and old pieces of set that have been altered to suit this play.
All in all - a production with everyone sharing ideas and thinking of the planet whilst enjoying being together rehearsing and performing. Monies raised will be going to Great Ormond Street Hospital, an extremely worthwhile cause.
MUSIC & DANCE CONCERT - 9TH DECEMBER
It's time for our Music and Dance Concert. Come along and see the Aldridge alive again with Music and Dance Performances from our Years 7 and up students. Tickets are free, but please book a place below. Also, be sure to let us know if your child is performing and needs to be booked in for supper - you can do this when you reserve your ticket.
OLD FRENSHAMIAN ON THE LONDON STAGE
Old Frenshamian and talented Drama student Lukwesa Mwamba has recently been seen in Doctors, Eastenders and Carnivale Row. Last week she made her (COVID postponed!) debut on a major London stage. She is playing Nina in the production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the Charing Cross Theatre - she can be seen on the poster in the pink dress.
The production is running until 8th January. Lukwesa sends her love to the Frensham community and hopes that some of you will be able to see the show.
SAVE THE DATE:
JUNIOR SCHOOL PERFORMANCES
Tuesday 14th December
at 2:30pm: Aldridge Theatre
Year 4-6
Christmas Showcase
Wednesday 15th December
at 2:30pm: Aldridge Theatre
Nursery - Year 3
Christmas play ‘Lights Camel action - The sequin’
TEDxFRENSHAM
TEDxFrensham is coming back to the Aldridge on 30th April, 2022.
Tickets have not been released yet, but save the date or head to their website - www.tedxfrensham.org - to sign up for news.
There is a great line up of speakers but they still need volunteers to bring everything together. If you would like to get involved supporting the speakers - reading outlines/drafts and coaching where necessary - or with fundraising and getting local businesses involved - please contact the event team on hello@tedxfrensham.org
THIS WEEK AT FRENSHAM
A-LEVEL TRIP TO WAR OF THE WORLDS
On Friday, A Level Drama and Music students went to the War of the Worlds Immersive Experience in Leadenhall, London. Set to Jeff Wayne’s iconic soundtrack, this part live-action, part VR/AR production amazed, amused and terrified students in equal measure. Here’s a photo of those that survived the experience!
A BIT OF BAKING WITH THE BOARDERS
Some of our boarders made some delicious looking cookies with Stef over the weekend.
CYBERFIRST GIRLS COMPETITION
Starting on Monday, 2 teams of girls are going to be taking part in the National Cyber Security Centre CyberFirst Girls competition. The competition takes place over a period of 10 days and the teams will face a series of online challenges aimed at testing their skills on different areas of cyber security, such as cracking code and working through logic problems. With less than 15% of the workforce in cyber security being female, the primary objective of the competition is to inspire girls to consider career options they may not have thought about.
Sarah Cull (Head of IT and Computer Science) has been working alongside a school mum, Paula Page, who is the director of her own Cyber Security company to inspire the girls and to make them aware of potential exciting career opportunities available to them if they enjoy the competition. “This is an incredible opportunity for the girls to try something new and I am hoping they will enjoy the challenges the face over the next 10 days and build some resilience and teamwork skills, as well as their technical skills” explained Sarah.
To find out more about the NCSC and what they can offer to all students, visit https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberfirst/overview
HADRIAN'S WALL MEDALS
To celebrate the success of their trip to Hadrian's Wall in September and the amazing Time Traveller's Guides to Roman Britain, Year 7 students were all awarded with gold ceramic medals made by Amy and Sonia. The students also really enjoyed seeing some of the photos they captured on the trip.
MFL PLAYS
The MFL department have organised for students studying French, Spanish and German to watch plays performed by Onatti Productions.
French students watched Mon Père Ne Me Comprend Pas on 5th November. Spanish students were set to watch En el Campamento today (but this has been postponed for a bit due to postive Covid cases in the cast) and German students will get to watch Horoskop in March.
YEAR 8 ART
Making decisions this week about how to arrange collage pieces to get best visual results. Considering balance, chaos, jumbles and more.
YEAR 7 ART
Absolutely amazing work from Year7 whilst we draw our animals and consider how best to simplify shapes and add pattern. We'll done year7.
YEAR 5 KESTRELS
On Thursday Year 5 welcomed Andy Crowle from Urban Wings to Frensham. Andy is a falconer and he brought two kestrels called Tee-ki and Gizmo with him. He also brought a peregrine falcon called Gus. As part of their Tudor topic this term, the children have been listening to a story set in Tudor times called ‘Treason’ by Berlie Doherty. The main character is given a kestrel by Henry VIII.
Andy talked to the children about the stunning birds of prey. He explained that many phrases and words we have such as ‘hoodwinked,’ ‘fed up,’ ‘under your thumb,’ ‘wrapped around your little finger,’ and ‘end of my tether’ originate from the world of falconry. He also explained that servants would have had kestrels, but Royalty would have had the more expensive birds such as the peregrine. He told the children that people would be seen walking in the street with a bird of prey on their hand.
The children asked Andy many questions and they were able to wear a thick gauntlet so that Tee-ki could fly and land on them to take a morsel of chicken or Gus could perch comfortably.
It was a super afternoon, sunny but cold.
We hope that it will be possible to welcome Urban Wings back to Frensham in the future.
Please flick through the photos taken during the afternoon.
THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE
Year 7s have been investigating types of waves. They used slinkies to demonstrate the motion of these types of waves.
Year 8 are exploring density and pressure. We constructed a Cartesian diver and observed the effects of increased pressure on buoyancy.
Some of our Year 9s have been discovering osmosis and how the mass of potatoes change depending on the concentration of the solution they’re in.
Year 11s have dived into learning about the inheritance of genetic traits by building reebop marshmallow organisms based on the genes inherited.
YEAR 9 HORIZONS
- CAREERS AND GCSE OPTIONS
On 17th and 24th November in their Developing Horizons lessons, Year 9 spent time thinking about careers and their future pathway at Frensham. As part of this, they heard from the teachers who lead the 'new' options that will be on offer for them in September 2023. These subjects are Esports, Business, Performing Arts, Sports Studies, Computer Science, Graphic Communication and Photography.
The Year 9 students were engaged throughout and asked a number of excellent questions. There was a definite buzz around school following this as they excitedly looked through the options booklets and digested what they had learned.
The student feedback was very positive:
"The sessions were good, the options session helped me understand about the process and how it works. It was interesting to learn about the new courses that I haven't studied."
"I enjoyed it because I learned more about the subjects I could do." – Lexie
"I definitely think it was useful as it widened my views on what I can take." – Heidi
YR R & 1 FRENCH
A group of dinosaurs came to French last week! Inspired by our one third story “How the dinosaur got it’s shoes”, Years R and 1 put on their masks for a video performance where they introduced themselves in French and talked about their own chaussures. The have been learning numbers, colours, introductions, simple instructions and adjectives whilst reading about Terrance T-Rex, designing masks and running around the playground hunting for my shoes! They have been fantastique!!
TEALIGHTS IN CERAMICS
Years 6 - 9 have been making animal tea light/candle holders, ready to light up the dark evenings.
ADVENT CALENDAR
Hamilton House is getting festive with the addition of Debbie's fantastic handmade advent calendar!
YEAR 6 AUTHOR VISIT
In Year 6 we have been learning about refugees. Last week we were joined by Danielle (Draven’s mum) who talked to us about her work in Calais, shared lots of her own experiences as well as those of people she has worked with along the way. She shared several stories with us, including one about her friend who is a UN worker and had to return to England in a refrigeration van. Year 6 really enjoyed this and were able to link lots of their learning from topic, English and art lessons.
We have been inspired by our learning and want to support local refugee families and have been in touch with Farnham help for Refugees and Farnham Foodbank. We discussed this with Olivia, who was hoping to complete a reverse advent calendar, and have decided to put our ideas together. From the 1st – 10th December we will be collecting items, we would love it if the children in the Junior school could bring a different item in each day and there will be collection spots in the Junior School Hall and 4-6 atrium. We have asked what they would find most useful, and they have said: UHT cows’ milk, long life fruit juice, orange squash, chocolate bars, sweets, snacks (not nuts), tinned carrots, tinned peas and tinned tomatoes. Look out for our posters around school for any more information.
Today Ele Fountain, author of Boy87, came to speak with us as part of the enrichment programme. She shared information about her time in Ethiopia and how that inspired her writing. She also talked about the process involved to publish a book and the children had a chance to ask her lots of questions. We then took part in a creative writing workshop. This involved them creating a ‘tree’ plan, they are all enthused about writing these stories and left the workshop with the challenge to return after lunch with their first line ready to engage a reader.
YEAR 10 CHARITY STALL
Last Friday Jeff’s tutor group in Year 10 created a hot chocolate and cookies stall with the help of a few Year 7 & 8 outreach volunteers.
They raised £75 in aid of Lymphoma Action.
Thank you to you for raising our awareness and adding to Hugo’s fundraising total overall.
AUTUMN TERM CLIMBING
It’s fantastic to see that Climbing is as popular as ever! Due to long waiting lists for our regular climbing club we have managed to expand opportunities by offering climbing at Surrey Sports Park during games afternoons.
FIRST AID: SIXTH FORM & DofE
This week saw our Sixth Formers and Bronze DofE students learn the essential life skills of how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator on a non breathing casualty’ Our year 12’s are currently working hard towards gaining their Emergency First Aid At Work Qualification’ whilst our Bronze DofE Students are covering this as part of their DofE first aid training an integral aspect of our expeditions program.
SATURDAY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON
Congratulations to Molly and Bailey (Yr 10), who represented Frensham Heights last weekend. They both sang solo in front of a crowd, on a large outdoor stage – with superb style – a fabulous effort from both young ladies and their first public performance for such a long time!
THIS WEEK'S SPORTS REPORT
U18s Netball
Frensham 26 - 26 Salesian
The U18’s showed great determination and teamwork in the most exciting fixture of the season. Both teams were evenly matched, going goal for goal each quarter and when the final whistle blew it was 26 apiece.
U11s Netball
Frensham 12 - 2 St Ives
Monday afternoon the U11’s travelled away to St Ives to participate in a game of High-5. Overall a very successful afternoon.
U14s Football
Frensham 7 - 1 St Edmunds
On Tuesday afternoon the U14 football team played St Edmunds in a return fixture following a defeat to them last time out.
U10s Football
Frensham 6 - 0 Sherfield
The U10 football team played their final game of the season on Wednesday after school with Sherfield the visitors.
U16s Netball
Frensham 5 - 17 Salesian
Today we played a home match against Salesian college. We played their U18 team so it was always going to be a challenging match.
U15s Football
Frensham 5 - 3 St Edmunds
This was the game the boys have been looking forward to all season as we welcomed our former teacher Lewis back to Frensham for this match.
U11s Football
Frensham 7 - 1 Sherfield
A fantastic performance from the Under 11s who ensured they finished the football season undefeated which is a fantastic achievement.
Mouthguards
Next terms competitive sports options of Rugby Union and Hockey which will both require a mouth guard as a condition of play.
GUILDFORD CITY SWIM MEET
On 21st November, Isla took part in the Guildford City SC L2 Winter Open Meet and achieved gold in the 200m backstroke, 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle; silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 50m freestyle in her age category.
NEWS FROM FRENSHAM KITCHEN
Theme day
Thursdays tend to be a theme day in the servery at Frensham, this week it happened to fall on Thanksgiving Day. What better excuse is there for Roast Turkey and all the trimmings, pumpkin cheesecake and an apple caramel slab cake.
Street food
This week on offer at the street food counter we had some delicious Frensham fried chicken.
Tasting table
This week the students got to try Clementines on the tasting table. They could try it in the form of shortbread, jelly, ice cream, smoothies and soup!
NEXT WEEK'S MENUS
WHAT'S ON NEXT WEEK
Monday, 29 November
08:30 - 15:15 – Year 11 Expanding Horizons Drop Down Day ADDITION
14:30 - 15:30 – U10 & U11 Football v More House School (Home) ADDITION
Tuesday, 30 November
08:45 - 15:25 – Year 4 Trip to Ufton Court (Reading) ADDITION
14:30 - 16:00 – U14 & U15 Football v Sherfield School (Home) CANCELLED
14:30 - 16:00 – U14 Netball v Sherfield School (Home) CANCELLED
14:30 - 16:00 – U15 Football v More House School (Home)
14:30 - 17:00 – U15 Netball v Sherfield School (Away) CANCELLED
Wednesday, 1 December
14:30 - 16:00 – U18 Football v Bedales (Home)
14:30 - 16:30 – U18 Netball v Salesian College (Home)
15:20 - 16:30 – U9 Football v Bedales (Home) MOVED TO 8 DECEMBER
19:00 - 21:00 – Year 11 Event (Main House)
Thursday, 2 December
13:10 - 13:50 – Informal Rock and Pop Concert (MRR)
16:15 - 18:00 – U15 Swimming v King Edward's School Witley (Away)
19:15 - 21:00 – Peter Pan Performance (Aldridge Theatre) ADDITION
Friday, 3 December
08:30 - 11:30 – Year 12 NCS Skills Booster Workshops (Staff Dining Room and MRR)
19:15 - 21:00 – Peter Pan Performance (Aldridge Theatre) ADDITION
Saturday, 4 December
U18 Football v Winchester College (Away)
10:00 - 13:00 – Stretch and Challenge Ceramics Workshop