Downsend Times - 23 September 2011

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Choosing this Year’s Charity

Calling all charities. Next week the children in both the Middle and Senior Schools will be given the opportunity to present their ideas for which charity the school will collect for this year. As you know, we raised a huge amount last year for the Rainbow Trust and would like to do the same again this year for another deserving charity.

Please encourage your child to get together with friends and present a worthy charity next week in assemblies. We would be most interested if the family has a personal involvement with that charity specifically.

The children will need to “sell” their charity to us purely in a talk, not using a PowerPoint. We will judge the presentations and then decide on some finalists. The winning charity will be announced on Friday 7th October in Assembly.

Rachel Sumeray & Dee Vanstone
 

Open Morning Arrangements

Please could children who are involved in activities for our Open Morning on Saturday be dropped off and picked up at the Turret or Sports Hall entrance only, as applicable?

Please do not use the Administration Block entrance as we need to keep this area clear for our visitors. The Admin gate will not be open.

Thank you. 

Floyd Steadman
 

Teddy Bears’ Picnic - ‘If you go down to the woods today...’

Downsend was invaded by scores of teddies last week when the Year 2 children invited their teddies to a very exciting ‘Teddy Bears’ Picnic’.

From the minute the day started, the teddies joined in the Downsend day and some even came in their uniform! The fun continued into the afternoon on the school’s  playing fields with Teddy Bear themed games, including a ‘Scavenger Hunt’ and ‘Find the Missing Teddy’ This was enthusiastically followed by a feast of teddy snacks, enjoyed by children and teddies alike, in a picnic prepared by the children earlier in the day.  Click here for more pictures >>

Tessa Roberts
 

Year 5 JCA Trip

The news the tail-end of a hurricane was heading our way last week filled me with a sense of déjà vu, hoping we would not have a repeat of the weather conditions the children experienced on their overnight stay at High Ashurst this summer. The whole of Year 5, some 93 children, were excited and looking forward to their visit to Pestalozzi in Sussex for three days of fun-filled activities. I need not have worried as once again, we were blessed with almost perfect conditions for the time of year.

The children embraced the opportunity to get to know new friends and dare to test their confidence from the zip-wire to abseiling; as form tutors we were impressed by their willingness to ‘have-a-go’ and their support and encouragement of each other.  It was not surprising the children, and staff, slept so well!  A particular highlight was the torch-lit walk on a balmy evening to a campfire in the woodland, telling stories and learning new songs.

In the past, the visit has remained an enduring and pleasurable memory for the children of Year 5 and I believe this year will be no different, as I hope the photographs are testament to. Click here >>

Tracey McLagan, Head of Year 5

‘It was great fun to watch Mr Silva and Mr Allen have an abseiling race!’ Ava Whitefoord , 5LS

‘I enjoyed the zip-wire because I liked the way the wind whistled in my ears.’ Annabel Jennings 5LS

‘I had great fun in my dorm because I was with my friends and we had a laugh and joked about everything.’  Christo Handy 5LS

‘I thought JCA was great. My favourite activity was bivvi building because we worked as a team.’ Ben Smith 5TM

‘It was cool sleeping away from home. I felt really grown up. It was the best trip ever.’  Annabel Bailey 5TM

'I couldn’t believe how high I climbed for the abseiling!’  Sammy Carter 5MS

‘It is hard to choose which activity I enjoyed the most. They were all amazing.’ James Millhouse 5MS

‘I really enjoyed the camp fire – the only thing missing was the marshmallows.’  Ross Plowman 5MG

‘Our instructor was awesome, his name was Dean.’  Luke French 5MG

‘I had a lovely time and my favourite part was building a bivvi in the woods.’ Mariella Amesbury 5MG

‘I just loved everything.’  Tom Francis 5MB

‘I used to be scared of heights, but now I am not scared at all.’ Christina Maye 5MB

‘Camp fires rock!’ Finlay Hurree 5MB
 

Cross Country at CLFS – Sunday 18th September 2011

The Downsend Cross Country Team did tremendously well this year, with the U12 girls placing second and U12 boys placing third.

The day started with the weather looking a little unpredictable and the chance of showers, but as the races got under way the sun shone down on the course.  The U10’s were running a course that measured just under 2km and the U12’s a 2.5km course.

The U10 girls were off first and there were a few nerves on the start line. The girls ran really well (some having never completed the distance before), with our best placed runner coming in 16th out of a field of 36.  Next went the U10 boys who ran the same course. The start was very fast, with some of the boys trying hard to get to the front of the pack.  With 37 competitors taking part, our best placed runner came a respectful 13th.

The U12’s were up next and the Downsend girls got off to a strong start.  As they made the turn to do an extra loop of the top end of the course, we could see that we had 3 runners all very close to each other with 2 girls from CLFS heading the field.  Unable to chase them down, we finished strongly in 3rd, 4th and 5th places.  These girls were Anna Brophy, Emily Roe and Kirstin Hume.  The great runs supported by other finishers in 15th and 18th place meant that we went on to come 2nd in the team event.

The U12 boys then took to the fields, with George Grassly making a strong start heading towards the front of the pack.  As the race progressed, the field spread out with a strong runner from Rokeby leading the way.  George finished in a fantastic 2nd place helping the team into 3rd place.

A great morning of running and some new challenges overcome.  Well done to all who took part and thank you to the parents who came to support.

Marie Seivewright
 

Gardening News

There is still plenty to do out in the garden as we come into the autumn months, and observing the changes is something that everyone can enjoy.  So it is with that in mind we would like to invite you all to take pictures of autumn to brighten up our Gardening Notice Board.

Budding photographers and amateurs are most welcome to contribute pictures from their own gardens or from any autumn walks they may go on.  Look around you and observe the way in which trees are changing colour, animals are making nests and so on. 

Take photos for us, let us see how nature changes this autumn and join us in celebrating the diversity of nature all year round.  Email your pictures to
louise.ellis-barrett@downsend.co.uk or Lesley.sperrin@downsend.co.uk

If you need a garden activity to keep you busy, then making leaf mulches is great fun!  Get a black bin bag, gather up all the fallen leaves, put them in it and leave them to rot down.  This will encourage lots of wildlife and provide you with some great compost next year!

Louise Ellis- Barrett