Last Sunday was a very special morning. The school took a break from the sparkle and glitz of Christmas and immersed itself in something far more pared back and raw. It was still about showing love and support at this special time and about putting others’ needs way ahead of our own but it was more sombre and reflective than some other seasonal festivities and activities can be. I quickly lost count how many children, parents and friends stepped up to have their beautifully long locks cut in aid of Give a Child a Wig for Christmas but it was well over twenty. I gave up trying to keep track of the fundraising total which eventually soared past the £10,000 mark. And I soon put away my ruler and pulled out the extendable measuring tape in an attempt to most accurately record how much hair had so generously been given (over thirteen and a half metres was collected on the day). It was a tremendous occasion and one which the school was very proud to get behind. Thank you to everyone who came along to show their support, thank you to all who went online to give so generously and to the team from Thomas Hills who gave up their free weekend at a hugely busy time of year, to take the bravest step of all in closing the scissor blades around much loved, and nurtured hair. There were a few tears – from parents as well as children – as hair fell to the floor but the real sense of purpose and togetherness overcame these moments of doubt, replacing them with an optimism of what was being done to help children battling with cancer.

Well done to Mrs Higgins and Mrs Cumming for having the drive and inspiration to make it happen. I know of several individuals, Mr Lloyd included, who have already begun to grow their hair ready for the next time.

The diary of Christmas performances and celebrations continued this week with the children on the Nursery site being passed the festive baton. I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the Skylarks Nativity on Wednesday which was an absolute joy to behold. There was so much confident singing, remembering of complex actions and purposeful moving around the stage in front of what must have been the largest audience that the children will have ever faced in their three and four year lifetimes. Well done to all the children and to the staff who had encouraged and cajoled them into a very heart warming performance. A couple of days before it had been the turn of the Nursery children to visit the HPA Christmas Gift Shop. There was great excitement as the children entered the beautifully decorated library eager to choose something wonderful to put under the tree. I overheard one young lady saying to her friend that she was hoping to find a Buzz Light Year and a Woody from Toy Story. When I asked her if that was what mummy and daddy would like, she giggled. I hope she chose wisely! The Gift Shop is a lovely school tradition, a simple idea which brings much happiness. It affords the children the chance to give something back on Christmas morning to those nearest and dearest who give so much throughout the year. Thank you to the HPA for committing yet more time and energy to creating happy memories for our children.

In response to parent requests we are trying something slightly different on the last morning of term on the main school site so that older siblings can leave school with their younger brothers and sisters meaning that parents do not have to make return trips to school and that your family Christmas can begin up to an hour earlier. Full details appear lower down in the Nutshell but hopefully this initiative will ease congestion and make everyone’s lives that little bit less frenetic. I am confident that this sense of calm and consideration will continue into the New Year when the school launches its Car Sharing Software. It is a pioneering scheme which has been developed in partnership with the innovative minds behind Go Car Share, a service more usually associated with bringing festival goers together to share journeys. Judging by some of the mud on the wheels of the school’s fleet of 4x4’s, some of them have already driven through Glastonbury en route to Wolfs Hill. More details will follow in January but I hope that as many of you as possible will give the scheme due consideration.

Finally as this is the last Nutshell of the term and of the year, may I take this opportunity of wishing you all a peaceful and Happy Christmas. I hope the holidays allow you to slow down or to speed up (depending on what you have planned) and to recharge depleted energy stores. We have had a jam-packed autumn term with so much to commend it. Enjoy your time with families and friends. And I leave you with one last, both terrifying and exciting, thought. When Big Ben chimes twelve midnight on the 31st December 2015, Hazelwood

Well done to the children who baked cakes and biscuits and raised £250 through their culinary efforts. Their achievement is counting towards their HECA.

School will officially enter the year of the opening of its new teaching facility! I will sing Auld Lang Syne to that. Merry Christmas!

For a list of emails/letters/texts sent home each week please see the ‘Notice Board’ further down the Nutshell.

News from The Nursery

We have been treated to a wealth of productions and Christmas concerts this week which has been truly delightful. The Skylarks performed ‘This is My Gift’ to two enthusiastic audiences who were thrilled by the way the children managed to sing and perform on stage. All the children and staff deserve a huge thank you. The Skylarks children should be congratulated on rising to the occasion and all making it onto the stage – no small feat when you are only 3 and 4. There are definitely some budding thespians amongst them! The Robins children donned their Christmas hats this week and participated enthusiastically in the re-telling of the Nativity story. They thoroughly enjoyed playing their musical instruments and signing all their Christmas songs to a very appreciative audience. Thank you to all the staff and also to our fabulous positive audiences who made the occasion an uplifting festive experience for everyone.

Thank you all for your generosity at these events, so far we have raised £288 for the Hazelwood Community Fund which I know will be extremely grateful for your donations particularly at this time of year. My final thank you goes to the catering team who kindly made warm mince pies for all our concerts and productions which were greatly appreciated particularly on some of our recent cold, damp mornings. Mrs Kidson (formerly Miss Boylan) returned on Tuesday after her wedding and the children and staff were very excited to welcome her back. It sounds as if she had a truly amazing day and I would like to congratulate her and trust that they will both be very happy together. In addition, to our concerts we have welcomed the HPA Christmas gift shop to our site this week. Our library was transformed with lights and tinsel to make a truly magical experience for the children. All the children enjoyed shopping with the elves and were quite definite in

their choices for their loved ones. I just hope ‘Dad’ likes the pink gloved ice scraper! Thank you to the HPA for organising this event.

Lots of glitter, songs and craft activities have abounded across the whole site this week. There is even a Santa’s chimney under construction in Wagtails – I do hope he will be able to fit down it after all those mince pies! Reminders:

Please could all Oak parents please ensure they give 48 hours’ notice to book their child into after school care. This ensures we are able to staff this appropriately and maintain the correct staff:child ratios. Any late bookings will incur an additional charge.

It would ease the settling of children and ensure all the staff and children can fully engage with all the activities if children arrived promptly for the start of their session. If you are unexpectedly running late, please do let the office know and we can make staff aware.

Dates for next week:

Monday 14th December Whole Site Christmas Lunch (1145 – Andreae Hall – Wags, Wrens and Robins) (1230 – Skylarks and Oak – Dining Hall) Tuesday 15th December Wrens & Wags Christmas Concert @ 9.15am Wednesday 16th December End of Term for Oak at 11.30am. Nursery children (term time only) end of term at the end of their normal day. Friday 18th December Wear a Christmas Jumper Day on

Busy preparing for Christmas As well as preparing for their Christmas Concert, the children in Robins have had a busy week. These images capture just some of what they have been up to: creating a small world winter wonderland filled with animals and beasts, creating Christmas Cards and sparkling pictures and of course visiting the Christmas Gift Shop to pick out something special for those at home.

News from Hazelwood

Hazelwood Sports Kit needs washing We have sports team photos on Tuesday and would love to have everyone looking freshly laundered. Thank you.

Schoolblazer starts in January Please be aware that only in stock items will be sold at sale prices. In response to customer feedback, a change in the online ordering software will now allow you to place an order for a garment which is currently out of stock ready for future delivery. This item, however, when back in stock and ready for delivery, will be charged at full and current price. This approach is very much in line with all High Street and online retailing. Only a few specific items and sizes are currently reported as out of stock. Christmas Lunch on Monday 14th December The catering team will be pulling out all the festive stops on Monday to serve up a delicious Christmas lunch. We will be treated to the whole works of roasted turkey or Vegetable Wellington, roasties, sprouts and roasted veg, pigs in blankets, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce. To follow, if there is any space left, will be Chocolate Yule Log or traditional Christmas Pudding. Delicious!!

Congratulations to James and Jimmy who alongside their Sevenoaks Town team-mates won the Tandridge Youth A League Autumn Gold Cup at the weekend. Having beaten five

other teams on their way to the final, the boys came out victorious in a 3-2 nail biting final. As captain, James has had the privilege of keeping the cup at home for the first few days. He and Jimmy took great pride in sharing their success with the rest of the school. Well done to you both.

Last Day Pick Up News Please note that on Wednesday 16th December we shall be asking older siblings to join their younger brothers and sisters at earlier pick up times during the morning. We shall be offering a shuttle bus service to take older siblings of Oak Reception children (across the school) down to the Nursery site at 11.30am to assist with a single site pick-up. We will then be asking the children to leave and to be picked up as follows:

Year Group

Pick-up time

Further notes

1 & 3

11.30am

With older siblings too

4 & 5

12.00pm

With older siblings

6, 7 & 8

12.30pm

n/a

Thank you to Lucy Kiaie for the glittery star which now sits perched on the top of the Christmas tree in the TOSH. During one of her LAMDA lessons, Lucy noticed that the tree was missing its crowning glory. When it was suggested that she was an ideal person to create one (being a star herself) she gladly took up the challenge. With the tree being 12 feet high, and with H&S rules being what they are, it was up to Mr Cartwright, perched on a ladder, to fix the star to the pinnacle of what is a mighty fine tree. With such a sparkling star, the Nutshell is expecting wise men from all over the site to come and marvel at its magnificence.

“Thank all the parents and pupils for all their support and generosity. The whole experience has been wonderful and really brought the feeling of giving and Christmas to life. Not only has everyone donated a huge amount of hair and money to the two charities but there has been so much support in the school, including those that turned up early on Sunday to support, cheer and clap on those having their hair cut. It has been a privilege and honour to be part of such an event and wonderful to feel a part of such a loving and giving community. We couldn't have done it without everyone's support and generosity.” Mrs Higgins

“The feeling of goodwill this morning was very special” 326 donors have kindly donated by visiting

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GiveaWigForChristmas

On Monday, a gentle trip around the M25, at an average speed that was never likely to endanger the driving licences of Mrs Brighting and Mr Dyson, took Year 8 to the fabulous Bletchley Park. Purchased by MI6 in 1938, it was the wartime headquarters of the 'Ultra Secret' codebreakers and is now a heritage museum. Used recently for the filming of The Imitation Game, we were able to view some of the sets. Our tour guide, former intelligence analyst, offered a fascinating insight into the secret operations of Bletchley Park during WW2. He also offered Phillip Hellman, who answered all of his questions, a job with GCHQ!

However, the highlight of the trip was the Enigma Machine itself. As an educational group, we had the privilege of being invited behind the scenes to use the very machine used by Benedict Cumberbatch in the film. Having been advised that there were 26 quintillion (that's a lot of zero's!) possible variations of code for the Enigma machine, Kalai was invited to type a message into this very precious machine, and, thanks to the work of Alan Turing and his team in the 1940's, Jack successfully decoded the message.

A wonderful, day, filled with history, maths, secrets and intrigue. Mrs Phillimore

Monday’s Juice Bar The children were ‘treated’ to an array of fresh fruit and vegetable juices as our Catering Team introduced them to the delights of carrot & ginger, banana, mango & mint and beetroot and orange juice. For the less adventurous there were also blended fruit juices. Surprisingly the more exotic mixes went down well with many children’s taste buds finding the unfamiliar concoctions somewhat pleasing!

Congratulations to Lola, Elisa and Karlijn who represented Team Velocity Gymnastics at the Regional Floor & Vault Championships in Guildford on Sunday. They all did so well placing in the top 6 in their individual age categories against some really tough competition with the following results: Lola Bennett - Bronze, Elisa Yewman - 6th and Karlijn Ras - 5th. Brilliant performance from the girls who are gaining more and more experience of competing ahead of the defence of their Regional Championship next term.

The children from the Oak Reception Art Club enjoyed making crackers during their last session of the term. They are looking forward to pulling them on Christmas Day.

What can Year 7 do with a balloon and some glue soaked newspaper? Read on and you will some of their most amazing creations….

The Oak children were treated to a special trial session of Street Dance on Tuesday which they all thoroughly enjoyed. If your child would like to join this club on Tuesday's after school for the Spring term, please contact Chantelle Kite, Evolution Dance Academy, Tel: 07709 348723 or email evolutionda@outlook.com before the end of term.

Dowling Ducks get into the Christmas spirit!

You may double take when passing the window looking into the RS classroom. You may also be forgiven for thinking that Miss Clayton’s nativity scene should be more traditional, reflective if her position as Head of RS. You would however be forgetting that she is also Head of Dowling, a role she takes with equal responsibility and passion. Miss Clayton has however cleverly combined her Hazelwood roles and instead of the more customary animals gathering around Mary and Joseph, there is a whole nativity scene of miniature Dowling ducks. Needless to say it has gone down well with the children and is definitely right up there as one of the highlights of the schools 2015 Christmas!

Happy Christmas from the Nutshell! To celebrate Christmas, the Nutshell has hidden seven Santa’s hats throughout this festive issue. Track them down and email bursar@hazelwoodschool.com with the locations of the festive headgear and you could win yourself a prize. There are five Prosecco and chocolate selection box prizes to be won! Email as soon as you can to be in with a chance of winning!

Bhangra, Bollywood and Balti Last week, Year 4 were transported to India as part of a fantastic finish to their topic work this term. The art room, TOSH and theatre were transformed in to amazing art spaces, fantastic food rooms and dynamic dance areas. In the food room, the children were met by exotic smells and were asked to identify some popular Indian

spices. The star anise and cinnamon were particularly popular with many children telling us they had used them when cooking at home with their families. Next, the children made their own Indian dips, milkshakes and sweets, yum! In the art room, the children created some rangoli patterns on the floor, made peacocks ( India's national bird) and had some Indian henna applied to their hands. The bright colours used in Indian art made the work especially lovely to look at. The third and final room introduced the children to Indian dance. They learnt some Bhangra moves and sequenced them together to make their very own Bollywood routines. The children found the fast pace of the dancing tiring but picked up the moves surprisingly quickly. Some of the boys were particularly impressive.

The children looked incredible throughout the day in their Indian costumes and it was clear from the beaming smiles that everyone thoroughly enjoyed their brief trip to the East! Thank you to all of the parents and staff who helped to make the day so successful.

Congratulations to Mrs Mewis for her terrific appearance on TV this week. The Nutshell and all the Hazelwood parents who tuned in, think you were ‘robbed’ of victory and should have emerged as the worthy winner! Zoe and Seth were very proud of their talented mum.

Year 5 were challenged to write a story about what superpower they would have if they

could. Some of the very best pieces of work which have been entered into a writing

competition run by Reigate Grammar are shown below. They are reproduced in the

Nutshell with the permissions of their superhero authors….

Callum Superhero Murray

Annie Superhero Verdier

Camilla Superhero Eerdmans

My name is Francesca and I am at school on the field at break time just walking around and full of boredom! Suddenly I think to myself why not have a bit of fun and fool around with my power that is to control water just by body movements.

Sometimes I imagine what it would be like if was a superhero, always saving the day! I would be called Water Bender or W.B Girl for short.

I would spend my days putting out fires across the city by bending water out of every hydrant and thereby helping the environment, simply by a flick of the thumb. Maybe if a bank was being robbed, I would pound the robber with water simply by blinking until he gave the money back.

This awesome power rocks and it is the best because it can be used to keep me dry when it’s raining because by drawing an arc with my arm I can create an umbrella of water. I can do all kinds of tricks with it too. My favourite is taking water from a pond by lifting the water in the air to see all the fish that are held in it.

Although it would be very nice to be a hero, I think that I will stick to being a regular 10 year old. But you never know, maybe one day I might just change my mind and become the ….”Water Bender”.

Benjamin Superhero Strowger

Francesca Superhero Wood

HPA

Huge thanks The HPA is thrilled that the Fireworks evening has made over £2,600 and the Christmas Fair over £5,000. These are fantastic results and thank you for all your support. There are exciting plans afoot to spend some of this money for the direct benefit and enjoyment of our children as soon as possible and we will update you very shortly. The Christmas Gift Shop Thank you for all the gifts which were brought in on Friday. We have a lovely selection and some real gems. Encourage your children to pick well and to look out for the ‘star buys’! Christmas Gift Shop - Monday 14th December. On Monday please remember to send your child in with £4 for two presents (£2 for one) for the Christmas Gift Shop. If there are any further parents who can help with setting up and wrapping presents on Monday please contact Lizzie Stephenson on lizziestep@gmail.com

News from the Kitchen

Please don’t forget that the new menus for both Hazelwood School and the Nursery & Early Years are now on their respective websites under The Parents’ Sections.

Music Timetable

The weekly music timetable can be viewed on the Music Notice Board outside the Dining room in the courtyard. I will endeavour to have the coming week’s music timetable on the notice board by the end of the school day each Friday. Please ensure that your child brings their instrument and music in on the relevant day. It is also important for them to take these books and instruments home when they do not need them in school.

Sports Department

Match Reports should be put in the folder on the wall in the PE office. They are then collected by the captain on Monday morning to be read out in assembly. If your child is nominated as captain, please encourage them to write the report in time for the assembly. The children do like to share their successes with the rest of the school. Thank you.

Crocodiles vs Sharks Swimming Report

This give all swimmers a chance to compete against their team mates and parents came to support them from the poolside. The event was great fun with a healthy dose of competitive spirit! Well done to all those who took part. Final Scores on the Jaws: 1st Crocodiles 158pts 2nd Sharks 141pts Note to All EMS Swimmers: Well done to all for a fantastic swimming term with some fabulous results! Please make sure you all check the school calendar for Spring Term’s fixtures so that we are all prepared. Have a lovely Christmas break! Swimming Gala vs. Somerhill Schools (Derwent Lodge Girls & Yardley Court Boys) Monday 30th December On Monday 30th December, the U11, U12 and U13 swimming team travelled to Tonbridge against tough opposition school Somerhill (who are made up of a boys and girls school combined). Experience in a 25m pool is invaluable and the team impressed with some great performances. Luke Woollard, Anne Lisa Ras and Bethan Sharps all swam exceptional winning performances in particular! Overall it was a great gala performance, final scores:

1st Somerhill 241pts 2nd Hazelwood 205pts .....a solid second against a strong Somerhill team, so WELL DONE! Miss Lloyd Head of Swimming

Due to another school cancelling a swimming fixture scheduled for Thursday 3rd December, we decided to run an in-house gala for all U8, U9 and U10 EMS swimmers. All swimmers were split into two teams – the crocodiles and the sharks – to battle it out!

Lupercus is on its way! The final amends were made on this year’s Lupercus this afternoon. It is now being prepared for print. The special 125th Anniversary edition contains over ninety pages of very happy memories from a very special year. The magazines will be distributed in January. We hope you will enjoy it.

These wonderful 3D sculptures were created by the children of Year 7. Starting with just a

balloon, some newspaper and flour glue in September, they have lovingly, and very

cleverly, crafted them into a wide range of characters, objects and things of real quirk and

beauty. Congratulations Year 7, they are egg-cellent!

Notice Board

The following letters have been sent home this week. If you did not receive a copy, and you think you should have, please contact the school office who will be happy to send you a duplicate copy.

Year 5 Head lice Year 3 – 8 Games kit and Policy Year 6 Play Year 8 Pizza Film Night

Key Events for next week and the first week of January

Monday 14th December Am Christmas gift shop Noon Christmas Lunch Last Day for After School Clubs, Dance, Late Rooms Tuesday 15th December 0915 Wrens’ and Wagtails’ concert 1630 Carol Service at Tonbridge Wednesday 16th December Last Day for Breakfast Club TERM ENDS at: 1130 The Nursery and the Early Years 1130 Years 1 & 2 1230 Years 3 to 8 Friday 18th December 1800 Early Years and Nursery annual closure until Monday 4th January 2016 HAPPY NEW YEAR! Spring Term 2016 Monday 4th January 2016 Nursery and Early Years open Tuesday 5th January 2016 1400-1800Year 6 Play rehearsal Wednesday 6th January 2016 Bus Services start (am) All Early Rooms, Clubs, Dance, Late Rooms & Breakfast Club start Music Groups start 0830 Term starts for Years 3 to 8 0900 Term starts for Years 1 & 2 and Nursery & Early Years (term time)

Early Morning Swimming starts U11 Inter House Rugby Thursday 7th January 2016 0835 House meetings Saturday 9th January 2016 0930 Rugby: 1st XV Rugby v Caterham Festival

Mrs Scott's Oak class have had a very festive week making a lovely Christmas card. On the card the children have turned into Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer! We have also made Christmas hats for our Christmas dinner, done a Christmas maths investigation making different sized Christmas trees with cubes and made salt dough Christmas decorations.