Friday 29th April, 2022

A MESSAGE FROM NICK OT

Dear Parents,

I’m not sure where to begin to be honest! From the Queen visiting Year 1 to Year 4 conducting their own powerful Storm vocabulary performance - from Year 6 having an overnight camp-out to Year 5 learning Ukrainian and creating messages of support - to Year 3 getting creative and using materials to explore fractions. Not to mention the Early Years using claw hammers and Year 2 beginning their wander through their topic of Rainforests - it has simply been a fantastic first week back at school and one that offers an exciting marker for the summer term ahead. I hope the feedback coming home has been equally positive and that you have had a good week too.

When the sun shines at Frensham there is always that extra spark in the air and we have certainly seen that this week within all classes. It has been great to see so many classes taking their learning outside and lovely examples of this have been sketching with Hannah on Main Lawn, Science with Esme out in the 4-6 playground, a whole bevvy of JS ECA’s in full-flow and a JS assembly out in front of Main House and its unbelievable view. 

We have also been spending the week launching our focus on the ‘Spirit of Togetherness’ with the children and this was further represented in a fun-fuelled whole Junior School Assembly in the theatre this morning. Please do keep checking in with your child’s class SeeSaw blog for further updates and pictures and keep an eye out for the new Friday Snapshot email. The Friday Snapshot  will talk you through the headlines of your child’s learning experiences of the week gone, let you know what is coming in the week ahead and will also share any other key information that should be on your radar.

Next week I intend to share the key dates for the summer term with you and will also endeavour to showcase any other wonderful learning moments in the Junior School that I come across. Until then, the Junior School Staff and I wish you a fab bank holiday weekend and we will see you on Tuesday for the next week of learning, experience and adventure!

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Take care and enjoy your time.

Nick O-T

BOOKMARK BOX FOR UKRAINE        

The charity Bookmark Reading (whose usual purpose is to volunteer in primary schools to assist children in the UK with reading support) have recently committed to raising £1m to support Ukrainian children who are arriving in the UK. They want to help them start their new chapter in the UK feeling secure, welcome, and inspired. They have therefore created the Bookmark Box for Ukraine, working with literacy experts to carefully curate a box filled with literacy resources and tools to help these children build their familiarity with the English language. In the boxes, they are including high-quality, bilingual books, magazines, activities, school packs and tablets pre-loaded with educational and language apps and eBooks in English and Ukrainian. The tablets will also have SIM cards and mobile data allowance, so the children can stay in touch with friends and family displaced around the world. Please click here for the donation link and further information.

LAPTOPS IN SCHOOL

Can we please remind you that all students in Years 7 to 13 must have a fully-charged laptop in school everyday. Details of recommended laptop specifications can be found here - www.frensham.org/essential-kit

TIMETABLES FOR INDIVIDUAL MUSIC LESSONS

Timetables have been prepared for the remainder of this half term, and are available to parents on the Parent Portal under your child’s Real Time Timetable.  Schedules for students in years 7 and above are available to them on Teams, and all Junior School Tutors have been sent copies for children in years 3 to 6 who have lessons too – so fingers crossed all will go swimmingly!

WATERLOO BUS

Just a reminder that the Waterloo bus will be doing the return journey to school on Monday 2nd instead of Sunday 1st.

FARNHAM FOODBANK

Whilst you are shopping this weekend or next weekend please could you consider adding one of these items to your shop/trolley?

Collection point t.b.c.  for Mon 8th May

Squash 

1 litre carton fruit juice 

Tinned carrots

Instant mash potato

Instant noodles 

Microwavable sponge puddings 

Toilet rolls 

Men's deodorant 

COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY

If you haven't already, please fill out the communications survey by next week: https://forms.office.com/r/mM14zvMbRH

SCHOOL EVENTS - see all upcoming events here

TEDxFRENSHAM​

30th April: 10am to 5pm

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If you're still looking for something to do tomorrow, you can still grab a ticket to TEDxFrensham in the Aldridge Theatre. If you haven’t been to a TEDx event before, it’s very different to a standard conference - more informal, more buzzy! Speakers have only 18 minutes on stage each to convey their idea and get you thinking. 

GCSE ART EXHIBITION​

11th May 6pm

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Please come along and see the outstanding work created by our GCSE Creative Arts Students - featuring work from Fine Arts, Graphic Communication, Photography and Product Design.

SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING​

16th May 6pm

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Please come along to hear about Life at Frensham Senior School, see relevant facilities, take a tour of Roberts House and meet Sixth Form tutors and current students.

ELEVATE EDUCATION SEMINAR

Elevate Education came into school to run a Year 9 study skills session on Time Management this week - perfect timing, as they work towards their Year 9 assessments. The session shared ideas on how to prioritise time, how to produce a weekly planner, how to create a study group, and how to avoid procrastination. This session will be followed up by another session called Study Sensai at the start of Year 10.

The students took away with them a handout with ideas on how to study more efficiently. I hope this was useful and the students took something away from the session.

Information which students may find useful can be found on their website.

https://uk.elevateeducation.com/home

They also run a number of useful parent seminars. Details of these will be emailed home as and when they occur.

YRS 11 & 13 FUN

Years 11 and 13 took part in some fun activities this week before heading off for study leave.

GEOGRAPHY TRIP TO ICELAND

Our Geography expedition to Southern Iceland over the Easter Holidays was a truly enriching experience, both socially and educationally. The activities and landscape sparked curiosity and creativity in our students well beyond the remit of Geography. As Linn’s film shows we packed in a fantastic variety of experiences over our 3 night/4 day stay.   

Our group of 29 students and 4 staff, started our adventure walking through lava caves, immersing ourselves in the closest conditions to complete darkness that many of us will have experienced.  We had a fascinating visit to a geothermal power station to help us understand how the Icelandic population power and heat their homes. This also gave us a better insight into why our showers smelt of eggs!  Equipped with crampons and ice picks we trekked across part of the Solheimajokull Glacier and enjoyed the spray of one of Iceland’s many beautiful waterfalls by walking all the way behind it. It wasn’t all action however, in keeping with Icelandic tradition we relaxed in thermally heated water in both hot tubs and an open-air pool.  We visited the mid-Atlantic ridge to see the division of the North American and European plates, alongside Thingvellir, Iceland’s first parliament. Great Geysir (a spouting hot spring), bubbling volcanic pools, Gulfoss (largest waterfall in Europe), a trip to a dairy farm serving delicious ice cream and walk to the Hard Rock Café along the sea front in Reykjavík via a film set completed our final day. 

Alas, we never quite got to see a full display of the Northern Lights, although some greening of the sky was reported.  However, new friendships were forged and minds and bodies stretched by new experiences. The students were a credit to the school, they were polite, genuinely great company and good humoured, even at 4am on our day of departure! Their engagement and awe in the landscape inspired us all to look at it with new eyes.  Our display showing the pictures of our wonderful adventure will be coming to the Geography department soon.  

Thanks to Will Paskell, Dan Pullen, Linn Kathenes-McGuigan and Karen McBride, Accounts and Support Staff for their help in running the trip. 

Student comments below:-

‘Best four days ever’

‘I built a strong connection with people on the trip’

‘It was mentally healing to be in a new and different place’

‘So good to get to know people in different years’

‘Each destination was equally as brilliant, and the bus journeys were fun’

‘Looking for the Northern lights from hot tubs was amazing’

‘It was all fab-tastic!’

COSTUME OF SPORT

Building on the success of the Regency Morning Talk delivered by Dr Kim Simpson and Clio O’Sullivan as part of our World Book celebrations back in March, the links between Chawton House and Frensham Heights continue! Zoë and Sam from the English Department supported the official opening of the latest exhibition A Costume of Sport which was Clio’s first curation. We look forward to working alongside Chawton House to develop student enrichment opportunities and community collaboration projects in the future.

WELCOMING UKRANIAN FAMILIES

We welcomed 15 local Ukranian families to meet, socialise and select items from the pop up shop of donated toys and clothes.

This was captured on BBC South Today last night. It was lovely to meet the families that have travelled so far under such uncertain conditions for the last few weeks.

Huge thanks to helping students; Chloe, Olivia, Theo and Kitty and teachers too.

A ROYAL VISIT

Our Year 1 students were treated to a royal visit this week when the Queen came to tea to celebrate her upcoming Jubilee. They all behaved impeccable using their best bows and curtsies and asked many questions about her life and responsibilities. They had a royal tea with cucumber sandwiches and jam tarts.

YEAR 4 THIS WEEK

We held our Yrs 4-6 assembly outside on Tuesday – it was glorious weather and a gorgeous setting.

Additionally – Year 4 are focussing on plastic pollution during DT this half term. This week Group 1 reused plastic milk bottles to create bird feeders and snack pots. They worked really well together – there are going to be some happy birds!

YEAR 8 ART

Year 8 this week have had a moment to work together on a larger piece. The creative collective comes to life.

Love it!Beautiful!So cute!

YEAR 9 ART

Just to get back to ourselves after the break some of our Year 9 students lost themselves in pastel creations of the moon.

SAILING INTO THE LONG WEEKEND

Nine sailors from years 5 and 6 took part in the first Sailing Club session of the summer term and we'd love to let you know just how great they were! With a mixture of some who have sailed a little, one who has sailed a lot and the majority who have never sailed at all, our time on the water was a great success. The sailors covered the basics; parts of the boat and what they do, how to control our speed, steer and turn our boat around. A special mention for Alexander who mastered falling out of his boat and to Ava for being so helpful to her friends who were learning the ropes! It was great to see everyone out in their boats and I looked forward to seeing them all progress over the coming weeks. 

Lauren

Welcome back to students and parents to the best term of the year, summer term! We have an action-packed term planned and we will cover a huge number of sports from Athletics, Tennis, Softball, Cricket, Ultimate Frisbee, Swimming, Rounders and many more! Equally we have a full fixture schedule which can be viewed anytime in the school calendar. A reminder that it gets hot when we are out for long games afternoons students to bring a water bottle and perhaps some sun cream on very hot days! A couple of dates for your diary are our sports days, all timings to be confirmed nearer the time:

Monday 27th June – Junior School Sports Day (Excluding Nursery and Reception, Date TBC for this)

Tuesday 28th June – Senior School Sports Day

Waverley Athletics Championships 2022

We have the Waverley Athletics trials coming up on the afternoon of Tuesday 10th May at Charterhouse school. Successful athletes will then go on to represent the county at the county championships.

If students have competed at club level athletics over the winter or think they may be successful in a chosen event, please could you fill out the form using the link below so that we can put together a team sheet after some consultation with the PE team. Those selected for the team will be made aware next week.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=eAZCpZbL5k6HffgdfK3cA8ljBLpMaRZKkeoMlQonexlUOTdRODNBNUtYOERLRzUyU1g1WE1QRDhRUC4u

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Staff v Students Volleyball Match
Just before we broke up for Easter the students Challenged  the staff to a volleyball match. Over 20 students made up 4 teams in a round robin tournament. As expected the staff never lost a match but it was brilliant seeing so many students keen to play. Amazing also to see Spectators supporting the students on the balcony. 

On the 23rd/24th April 2022, Isla competed in her first south east regional swim championships weekend. In her age group, Isla won gold for the 400m  and 800m freestyle, and silver in the 200m backstroke.

Theme Day

This week we had a taste tour of Australia with BBQ chicken, roasted squash soup, mushroom burgers lamingtons and prawns with avocado.

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Street Food​

The street food on offer this week was chicken fajitas (and a vegan version) with wraps and minted cucumber. As well as this we had pea and mint soup, freshly battered cod, bubble and squeak cake, pasta with carbonara sauce, chickpea salad and chocolate brownies. Lots to choose from.

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Tasting Table

Watercress in many forms was on the tasting table this week. Soup, salad, frittata, crostini and pesto.

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Why not follow us on Instagram @Frenshamkitchen

Or on twitter @standing_karen, @ashep64

NEXT WEEK'S MENUS

Monday 2 May

Silver Duke of Edinburgh Practice Expedition

19:00 - Boarders return 7pm onwards

Tuesday 3 May 

Classes resume

Year 10 and 12 Assessments

14:30 - U14 & U15 Girls’ Cricket v The Royal School (Home)

14:30 - U14 & U15 Boys’ Cricket v Duke of Kent School (Away)

Wednesday 4 May 

Year 10 and 12 Assessments

14:00 - Year 11 Business Studies Mock Exam (Sports Hall)

14:30 - U18 Cricket v More House School (Home)

15:30 - U10 & U11 Girls Cricket v Duke of Kent School (Home)

15:30 - U11 Mixed Cricket v St Edmund’s School (Home)

16:10 - U12 & U13 Girls Cricket v Bedales (Home)

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Thursday 5 May  

Year 10 and 12 Assessments

Year 11 German British Film Institute Study Day

U12 & U13 Boys Cricket v Heath End School TBC

09:30 - Year 11 Exam Briefing (Aldridge Theatre)

09:30 - Tutor Time: Study Skills (Tutor Bases)

13:50 - Year 13 Exams Briefing (Roberts House)

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Friday 6 May 

Year 10 and 12 Assessments 

Saturday 7 May 

Year 10 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Qualifying Expedition

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Sunday 8 May 

Year 10 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Qualifying Expedition

Year 7 Greenpower Race Day (Goodwood)

10:30 - Year 12 and 13 Comparative Anatomy Morning

13:00 - Outreach: Farnham Assist Lunch (Central Farnham)

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL

You can follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We also have several Twitter accounts around the school where you can find resources and school info:

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Main School account - @FrenshamHeights

Rick - @rickclarke72

Becks - @becksscullion

Business/Economics - @getontheeconbus

Careers - @FrenshamCareers

Creative Arts - @ArtsFrensham

Charity, Outreach and Community - @FrenshamCharity

Design & Technology - @FrenshamDT

Junior School - @FrenshamJuniors

Geography - @FrenshamGeog

Maths - @Frensham_Maths

Modern Foreign Languages - @Frensham_MFL

Music - @FHMusicSchool

Outdoor Ed - @Frensham_OE

PE & Sport - @Frensham_PE

PRE -  @FrenshamPRE

PSME/PSHE - @FrenshamPSME

Science = @FrenshamScience

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