SpratChat Interview with Mrs Coyne

Sport News

Music News

Pre-Prep News

Senior School Council Meeting

House Competitions

SHSPA Car Show

From the Head Master 19 May 2017

In the News

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School Council and Circus Visit I do hope all those of you who attended Happy’s Circus last Friday enjoyed yourselves - and a big thank you to the two dads who were inadvertently thrown into the performance! Most importantly, the children certainly seemed to have a wonderful time. Due to the excellent numbers who attended the circus, Happy’s have made a surplus which is given back to the school to spend directly on the children. During the summer holidays we are intending to spruce up the area down by Year 4 with new fencing, seating and two or three new play items for the children, such as outdoor table tennis. I have asked the School Council to decide on the particular items that the children would like and, to this end, each form’s Council Reps are gathering the views of their form to take back to the next Council meeting. House Singing Always a highlight of the year, the ‘House Singing’ takes place next Friday. Every member of each house comes to-gether and takes part in a quite wonderful occasion, with each singing two ‘whole house songs’ as well as a junior and senior soloist representing each. This year the theme is songs which have featured in ‘The Muppets’ – a theme chosen by our annual adjudicator, Mr Peter Davis, Director of Music at Oakham School. It is always a great shame that we cannot accommodate parents at the event due to space in the Hunter Hall so we are, again, intending to ‘livestream’ the House Singing so that parents can watch the event at home (or at work!). The streaming will be operational from 2.45 pm through to the end of the competition, with a small break in filming after the singing and before Mr Davis’ comments. The link is only available to Spratton parents and will be texted to you next week. There can be technical issues with any livestreaming but testing this week has proved suc-cessful. Parents of the soloists taking part in the competition are very welcome to attend the event itself. SHSPA Car Show & Family Picnic We are already crossing our fingers for good weather for this event, which promises to be lots of fun with something for everyone. It should be a fantastic afternoon for the whole family and I do hope lots of you will be able to support it. Sunday 11th June 12.30 – 4.00 pm - please put the date in your diary. School Visits As you know, I frequently visit senior schools primarily with a view to keeping in close contact with senior schools and to keep abreast with any changes at those schools. I also regularly visit schools where we do not send many children so that I can get to know the Registrar and the Head and enjoy a good tour of the school. I have either re-cently visited or in the coming days will be visiting Repton, Oundle, Berkhamsted Girls, Ratcliffe College and Welling-borough. Ascension Day Services These take place next Thursday 25th May, with the Years 6, 7 and 8 service at 8.50 am and the Years 3, 4 and 5 ser-vice at 9.15 am. As always, parents are very welcome to attend. Late 6.00 pm Supervision

Miss Brocklehurst, who supervises late duty in the Dining Room until 6.00 pm, will be away from school next week. Mrs Patricia Trotter will be taking this duty, and she will again be taking it towards the end of term as well. Finally, although as I write rain continues to pour, all children should be in ‘summer uniform’ from Monday.

Thank you

Congratulations to Harley Hiller who has received a Star Student Trophy at a tast-er session of Taekwondo at The Daventry Ambush last Saturday.

Well done also to Dino Gallone and Dickon Collins who were selected as ‘players with potential’ to represent Northamptonshire at the Midlands schools and youth coaching day.

House Table Tennis

This was a new-style competition, under the stewardship of Mr Busby, with help from Mrs C Williams; played over three separate weeks, with the different age-bands. Crucially, EVERY POINT counted! See inside for final results.

Pupil Achievements

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Spratton Hall Newsletter Page 2

Senior Choir Charity Concert – Saturday 17th June

A letter has been sent out to all those involved, please can

the reply slips be returned as soon as possible. We will be

meeting at Kettering Salvation at 6.15 pm, the concert will

start at 7.00 pm and finish by approximately 8.30pm. Tick-

ets are available from the main school office at a cost of

£5. All are welcome to attend.

Music Department

S p r a t C h a t

Mrs Coyne

Mrs Sallie Coyne, Pre-Prep Teaching Assistant, talks to Year 8 pupils Millie Walters and Marcus Aldrich.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up on a busy farm in the village of Podington where I had an idyllic childhood surrounded by horses and dogs. I enjoyed competing in gymkhanas on my chestnut pony, Copper. I went from the small village school of thirty pupils at 11 to Dame Alice School, Bedford which had 800 girls so that was rather challeng-ing!

What is your favourite part of working at Spratton Hall?

Every day is different. I love working with the uplifting Pre-Prep children, they do not look forward, they do not look back, they just live in the moment.

What would your dream job be?

I have done amateur dramatics for most of my adult life so my dream job would be to perform on the London stage in a musi-cal. Maybe I would like to be Christine in Phantom of the Opera!

What is your proudest moment?

It has to be watching my children grow into aspiring adults. My son works in banking in London and my daughter is a teacher in Northampton.

Now for the ‘quickfire’ questions:

Favourite holiday destination? Any Greek island

Favourite sport to play or watch? Watch rugby

Favourite drink? Gin and tonic

Favourite gadget? iPhone

Favourite meal? Any Italian food

Favourite day? Sunday

Favourite book? Pride and Prejudice

Favourite television show? Made in Chelsea

Favourite film? Pretty Woman

Favourite website? Google.com

Finally, can you describe yourself in 3 words?

Bubbly, warm, dependable

House Competitions—Table Tennis

Years 7&8 Table Tennis

Boys 1st Frobisher 2nd Drake 3rd Grenville 4th Raleigh

Girls 1st Frobisher 2nd Grenville 3rd Drake 4th Raleigh

Summer Term Final Results

Boys Girls 1st Frobisher Grenville 2nd Raleigh Frobisher 3rd Grenville Drake 4th Drake Raleigh Lost Property

Lochie Dow (4S): black school shoes size 2/3 (named)

Found: Neil Mason Associates swipe card

Cake Sale Following your support for the Year 8 Cake

Sale last week, we managed to raise over

£200 for Alzheimer’s Society. Thank you.

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Artist of the Week Artist of the Week goes to

Spratton Hall Newsletter Page 3

TEAM OPPOSITION VENUE DATE RESULT

U11 A Rounders Bedford Girls U10B Away 13.5.17 Won 12.5-4

U10 A Rounders Bedford Girls U10B Away 13.5.17 Won 18.5-13.5

U10 B Rounders Bedford Girls U11B Away 13.5.17 Lost 16-9.5

1st XI Cricket Maidwell Hall Away 13.5.17 Won by 10 wickets

2nd XI Cricket Maidwell Hall Away 13.5.17 Won by 4 wickets

3rd XI Cricket Maidwell Hall Home 13.5.17 Won by 30 runs

Colts A Cricket Maidwell Hall Home 13.5.17 Won by 9 wickets

Colts C Cricket Maidwell Hall Home 13.5.17 Won by 8 wickets

U9 A Cricket Maidwall Hall Away 16.5.17 Won by 80 runs

U9 A Cricket Fairfield Prep Home 18.5.17 Won by 20 runs

U9 B Cricket Fairfield Prep Home 18.5.17 Won by 24 runs

U9 C Cricket Fairfield Prep Home 18.5.17 Won by 18 runs

U8 A Cricket Warwick Away 18.5.17 Won by 10 runs

U8 B Cricket Warwick Away 18.5.17 Lost by 3 runs

U8 C Cricket Warwick Away 18.5.17 Lost by 5 runs

U8 D Cricket Warwick Away 18.5.17 Lost by 83 runs

Results

Art Department Sport Department

Artist of the Week

Artist of the Week goes to

***

Fixture Amendments

Art Department

Year 8 Fashion Show

A reminder to Year 8 that they need to bring in all their

Fashion Show clothes as soon as possible as we only have

two weeks left of

making.

Wednesday 24th May

Addition: Colts E Cricket v Wellingborough (A) at 2.30 pm

Rugby Clinic

Mr Barnard will be running a Cricket Clinic for boys and

girls on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd June for Years 2, 3, 4

and 5.

Please collect a letter containing full details and

complete the reply slip from the school office.

On Saturday 27th May the Year 8 charity group supporting ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’ are organising a stall for the Holcot Car Boot Sale. All monies raised will be donated to the Guide Dogs char-ity but, in order to make it successful, we need lots of items to sell.

We would be very grateful if everybody could bring in one item (or more!) that is no longer needed at home that we could sell at the Car Boot, such as board games, jigsaw puz-zles, DVDs, decent bric-a-brac or anything else of a reasona-ble quality.

Items can be brought into school and left in the Hunter Hall foyer and we will then store them.

Thank you for your help.

India Clarke, Isabel Stock, Millie Walters & Lauren Baucutt

Cricket Clinic

Cancelled Clubs Monday 22nd May

Years 3&4 Drama Club and Construction Club are cancelled due

to exam meetings.

Thursday 8th June

Years 3&4 Cricket Club is cancelled due to general election.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

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Spratton Hall Newsletter Page 4

Non-School Events Saturday 20th May

Jazz Band ‘Ginger Pig’ playing at the Northampton Picturedrome in

aid of NSPCC

Starting Tuesday 9th May

Northants JDC Hockey Sessions at Wellingborough School—U12s to

U17s Website Link Booking Form

Friday 4th June

Family Fun Run at Ashby St Ledgers

Please see full details on our school website www.sprattonhall.com

Senior School Council Meeting

It was the turn of the Senior School Council to meet last Thursday. Our meeting was filled with lively debate and discussion and lots of ideas were shared. The children voted against the proposal to spend their grant of £100 a term on board games for classrooms and have been tasked to return with costed ideas for the next meeting. Mr Clarke has asked the children to think about how to improve an area for the Year 4 playground and ideas in-cluded table football, an outdoor table tennis table, a swimming pool and a zip-wire! Let’s see what the Headmaster thinks of these ideas! Well done to the pu-pils for attending the meeting so promptly and sharing their ideas enthusiastically and with confidence.

Are You Having a Clear-Out?

We Need your Junk! Year 7 will be doing some Steam Punk themed art during activities week.

We can use most unwanted items so if in doubt bring them in to the Art Room.

Here are some suggestions:

DIY

Metal objects, nails, screws, cogs, washers, straight or flexible pipes (metal and plastic), wheels, wire, picture hooks.

Kitchen items

Pots/pans, utensils, cutlery, interesting tins.

Other

Leather items (boots, bags, belts, jackets), old electrical items, clocks, lace, old glasses and swimming goggles.

Many thanks

Mrs Moreton & Mrs Williams (Science Department)

Gap student, Beth Morris, is

doing a skydive on

Saturday 17th June to raise

money for the

mental health charity,

Mind. This is a huge under-

taking for Beth given that

she is afraid of heights!

If you wish to sponsor her you

can do so in the following ways:-

Text: BMSD98 £5 to 70070

Online: justgiving.com/beth-morris7

Notices

On Friday 26th May, as there is House Singing and it is nearly half-term, Team Practices and Extended Years 7 & 8 Cricket are OPTIONAL after-school. However, LAMDA lessons are still compulsory.

Please ensure your son/daughter tells their tutor what they are doing at the end of school, as normal, for registration pur-poses.

Fidget Spinners/Fidget Cubes – obviously these are the ‘thing’ of the moment! Whilst children are very welcome (at present) to have these at school, they are not to be out in lessons, as they can make a noise and distract others. There are other noise-less, less distracting options for chil-dren who feel they need something to fiddle with to aid concentration.

Thank you

Mr Dow

House Singing Competition Parents can view the House Singing Competition on Fri-

day 26th May at 2.45 pm via our Livestream Link. With

some great songs from the likes of Barry Manilow and

The Muppets, it is not to be missed! Good luck every-

one.

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Lunch Menu

Spratton Hall Newsletter Page 5

Monday

22nd

Tuesday

23rd

Wednesday

24th

Thursday

25th

Friday

26th

Saturday

27th

Sunday

28th

SUMMER UNIFORM

COMPULSORY FROM

TODAY ONWARDS

1200—1745

Stowe Athletics

Meeting

1500—1530

Year 1 Ocarina Concert

in Hunter Hall

1620

Cancelled Clubs:

Years 3&4 Drama Club

Construction Club

1500

U9 A&B Cricket v

Beachborough (A)

Oreo & Friends Animal

Encounter with Year 1

1430

1st & 2nd XI, Colts C, D & E

(addition) Cricket v

Wellingborough (A)

3rd XI, 4th X, Colts A&B

Cricket v Wellingborough (H)

1st, 2nd & 3rd IX Rounders v

Foremarke Hall (A)

U10 A&B Rounders v

Foremarke Hall (H)

U11 B/C, U10C Rounders v

Beachborough (H)

U11A Rounders v Quinton

House (A)

0850—0910

Ascension Day Service

for Years 6, 7 & 8 at St

Andrew’s Church

0915—0935

Ascension Day Service

for Years 3, 4 & 5 at St

Andrew’s Church

Parents are welcome to

attend the services

1500—1520

Story Time for New

Reception Children in

Pre-Prep

1630—1930

Spratton Athletics

Meeting

1445

House Singing

Competition

Parents can view by

LiveStream Link

1620

Clubs, Activities, Prep

& Team Practices —

ALL OPTIONAL

(LAMDA lessons are

still compulsory)

1720

Half Term Begins

School Diary for May

Menu Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Soup of the Day Leek & Potato Soup Tomato Soup

Meat Main Course Sausage & Bacon Pasta

Chicken Fricasse Meat Loaf in a Peppercorn Sauce

Roast Loin of Pork & Trimmings

Fish Fingers, Chips & Peas

Vegetarian Main Course Mushroom Stroganoff

Stuffed Peppers with Vegetable Cous Cous

Red Onion & Goats’ Cheese Tart

Vegetarian Sausage Rolls

Vegetable Burgers

Salad Bar Options Chicken Pitta or

Cheese & Vegetable Pitta

Feta Cheese & Olives

or Roast Pork

Selection of Cheese & Bacon

or Cheese & Tomato

Croissants

Tuna Mayonnaise or

Egg Mayonnaise

Roast Ham or

Prawns in Marie Rose Sauce

Jacket Potato Bar Cheese & Beans Minced Beef & Vegetables

Brie & Bacon Chilli Con Carne Chicken Curry

Pre-Prep (Meat & Vegetarian Main

Courses plus)

Roast Ham or

Grated Cheese

Sausage Roll or

Boiled Egg

Grated Cheese or

Tuna Mayonnaise

Roast Ham or

Egg Mayonnaise

Grated Cheese or

Tuna

Desserts Bananas & Custard

Yoghurt, Fruit, Cheese & Biscuits

Bakewell Tart

Yoghurt, Fruit, Cheese & Biscuits

Cranachan Trifle

Yoghurt, Fruit, Cheese & Biscuits

Pineapple Upside Cake

Yoghurt, Fruit,

Cheese & Biscuits

Fudge Brownie

Yoghurt, Fruit, Cheese & Biscuits

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Soup of the Day Leek & Potato Mushroom

Meat Main Course Vegetable Pasta Bake

Moussaka

Pork Ragout

BBQ Chicken Cheese

& Bacon

Sausage Chips &

Beans

Vegetarian Main Course Mushroom & Chick

Pea Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff

Vegetable Pizza

Vegetable Moussaka

Mediterranean

Vegetable & Quinoa Medley

Vegetarian Cottage

Pie

Salad Bar Options Roast Ham

or Grated Cheese

Prawn Marie Rose

or Cheese Baked Scones

Indian Pakoras

or Eggs Harlequin

Cream Cheese & Cu-

cumber or

Pate

Roast Ham

or Grated Cheese

Jacket Potato Bar Bacon Sausage & Mushroom

Cream Cheese & Smoked Salmon

Minced Beef

Pre-Prep (Meat & Vegetarian Main

Courses plus)

Ham or

Cheese

Sausage Roll or

Egg Mayonnaise

Grated Cheese or

Tuna Mayonnaise

Ham or

Egg Mayonnaise

Grated Cheese or

Ham

Desserts Yoghurt, Fruit, Cheese & Biscuits

Chocolate Sponge

Yoghurt, Fruit, Cheese & Biscuits

Doughnuts

Yoghurt, Fruit, Cheese & Biscuits

Eton mess

Yoghurt, Fruit, Cheese & Biscuits

Upside Down Pineap-ple Sponge

Yoghurt, Fruit, Cheese & Biscuits

Rocky Road

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Spratton Hall Newsletter Page 6

Monday 22nd May, 3.00pm in the

Hunter Hall – Year 1 Ocarina Concert

(all family and friends are most wel-

come to attend)

Wednesday 24th May – Oreo and

Friends Animal Encounter with Year 1

Thursday 25th May, 3.00-3.20pm –

Story Time for New Reception Children

Friday 26th May, 2.45- 4.00pm – House

Singing competition, watched by Year 2

(Please note that the Year 2 children

will finish at the slightly later time of

4.00pm due to this event)

Friday 26th May – Half Term Begins

Congratulations to the following chil-

dren who have gained swimming

awards - Isla Allsopp (RB) 50 metres,

Sophia McDonald (RB) Stage 2 certifi-

cate, Emilia Hamilton (1N) 25 metres,

Olivia Lewis (2D) Stage 1 certificate,

Chester Williamson (RY) Stage 2 Award.

Very well done to Ginny McAra (RY) for

gaining a Gymnastics certificate.

Congratulations to Hugo Picamoles (RY)

for being awarded ‘Player of the Week’

at his rugby club and to Felix McAra

(2P) for gaining an end of season rugby

trophy.

Finally, well done to Ludo Lindsay (RY)

for gaining a certificate at Tennis Camp.

Bursts of excitement, followed by focused moments of hush have been emanating from the

Year 2 classrooms this week ~ all in the quest for a ‘Pen Licence’! In preparation for the move to

writing with ink in Year 3, Miss Powell and I have challenged the children to ensure that their

handwriting is evenly sized, contains a range of taught joins and has clearly defined ascenders

and descenders. The children will then be rewarded with their very own Berol Handwriting Pen

to use every day! Handwriting practice galore, including Dough Discos to enhance and

strengthen those essential finger muscles and interactive whiteboard activities, are all being

enjoyed in abundance in the eager pursuit of licences.

Not to be put off by the soggy, wet weather, Year 1 enjoyed an eventful day out at Woburn Sa-

fari Park on Wednesday. Unlike the smaller creatures, the big safari animals did not seem to

mind the showers one bit and delighted the children by happily making an appearance. With

noses pressed up against the coach windows, the children saw playful bears tumbling around,

huge giraffes go striding past, as well as lions and zebras. This was followed by watching yet

more animals getting wet, but this time in the form of a very entertaining, acrobatic sea lion

show!

On Thursday, we once again welcomed our new Reception children, who will be starting with us

in September, to come and join their teachers for a story. Sitting wide-eyed with interest as a

favourite book was read aloud, both Miss Yeo and Mrs Bold felt sure that the children were ac-

tually gazing in fascination at the huge box brimming with dinosaurs… the role-play ‘Garden

Centre’ complete with pots, trowels and soil… the large mound of green sparkly playdough

perched on the table …and the numerous constructions kits just waiting to be delved into ~ it

won’t be long before our new little ones can come and enjoy their first play session with us!

Finally, this afternoon sees one of the highlights of the Pre-Prep calendar - ‘Grandparents’ Day’!

The children have been desperately excited all week and cannot wait to whisk their special visi-

tors off on a guided tour around the Pre-Prep Department. No doubt, excited calls of “Come on

Grannie,” and “This way Grandpa,” will be heard, as the children venture upstairs, downstairs, in

and out of classrooms (even the cloakrooms get a look in!) all the time encouraging their visitors

to keep pace. Following a concert of specially chosen songs, I am sure that our special guests

will relish a sit down with a cup of tea and selection of home-made cakes at the end of the after-

noon!

Mrs Fiona Sanchez Head of Pre-Prep