1 Issue No 12/ 2015-2016

Thetford Grammar School

The small, friendly school that gets results for individuals.

4th December 2015

Dear Parents and Pupils,

Christmas is on its way and I am really looking forward to today’s TGS Family Christmas Winter Fayre this afternoon. Williamson Hall has been magically transformed and the four Christmas trees that have been decorated by the children look absolutely stunning. I am thankful to all parents and pupils for their considerable support over the past weeks to ensure that this will be an enjoyable event for us all. This week has been very busy and I was particularly impressed by our pupils in Pre-Prep and Preparatory who thoroughly enjoyed performing ‘When Sasha Got Swept Up the Chimney’ to a packed audience on two days. The children told the story of a group of orphans who went on a magical adventure to meet Santa and his Elves. The talented children in the Prep School performed their lines and songs with great enthusiasm and members of the audience, including the Mayor of Thetford, were extremely impressed! This wonderful event was coordinated by Mrs Nicki Peace, Head of TGS Preparatory School, with generous assistance from many members of staff and enthusiastic parents. A big thank you to all of them. In the Senior School the Year 7s have been out this week to see Jack & the Beanstalk in Bury St Edmunds and I have been reliably informed that they all had a fantastic time. Furthermore I enjoyed Thetford Grammar School’s English Department trip to see ‘An Inspector Calls’ in Norwich on Wednesday 2nd December. All pupils and the accompanying members of staff had a very enjoyable theatrical experience. I do wish you all a very restful weekend and a wonderful final week here at school before the Christmas holidays.

Mr Mark S. Bedford

Headmaster

YEAR 4 – 6 CAROL SERVICE AT ST CUTHBERT’S CHURCH A letter has been sent home this week inviting parents to join with us to celebrate the festive season at our School Christmas Carol Service. This will take place on Friday 11th December starting at 2.45pm, in St Cuthbert's Church. All Preparatory School pupils in Years 4-6 will be participating in this year’s service.

Please remember to return your reply slip to the Prep School post box by Monday 7th December

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WHEN SASHA GOT SWEPT UP THE CHIMNEY!

This week in Prep School, all of the children have been very busy putting on three performances to packed audiences of the Christmas production ‘When Sasha Got Swept Up The Chimney’. The children have worked extremely hard learning their lines and song lyrics and everybody’s acting was superb. A huge thank you to all of the staff and parents who help to make the production so special and

congratulations to all of the children for their excellent performances! Contributions from the evening raised a total of £194.84 – thank you to everyone for your continued support. Mrs Nicki Peace Head of Prep School

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PREP SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PARTY

The Preparatory School Christmas Party will take place on Thursday 10th December at 2.00pm in the Prep School Hall.

The children will enjoy party games, music and festive food. The children can bring their own party clothes in to school to wear and will come home in these at the end of the day.

We would like to ask parents if they could bring in items of party food on the day. There will be a list of preferred food options on your child’s classroom door and we would be grateful if you could write your name against your favoured choice. Please can you ensure that any food provided does not contain any nuts. Please bring all party food to the Prep School Hall on Thursday morning.

Thank you

Mrs Nicki Peace Head of Prep School

AN INSPECTOR CALLS On Wednesday night the English department undertook their second theatre visit of the term as 75 young drama enthusiasts saw a performance of The National Theatre's acclaimed production of "An Inspector Calls" As in other years the pupils were treated to an

excellent performance,

which also served to underpin the knowledge of those who will study the play for their GCSEs next year.

One student called it 'mind blowing' while many students gave the cast a standing ovation at the end. Our next theatre trip will hopefully take place after the school production of Grimm's Fairy Tales later in the new year.

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JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

On Wednesday morning Y7 went to see Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds. It was a very entertaining trip and many children enjoyed it. My favourite character was Sue Chef; she was extremely funny and amazingly witty. My favourite scene with Sue in it was when Jack, and his mother, Mrs Trumpington are in the mill making bread and suddenly Sue walks in and they all end up throwing

cream tarts at each other. You can definitely see how she turns the place around. So all in all everyone had a very enjoyable time at Jack and the Beanstalk and I am sure any Y7 that viewed this incredible play would be sure to recommend it to anybody! Jenni Kingsnorth Year 7 pupil

It was very entertaining and humorous especially the dame Tina Trumpington and Duke Box, Jill’s dad, who was dressed as Elvis Presley in 70’s style! The show made us all very excited and happy afterwards with people saying things like ‘this was the best pantomime I have ever seen’ and ‘I wish I could see it again!’ Isabelle Murfitt Year 7 pupil

PETER LARGE SCHOLARSHIP

We had two very strong and commendable applications for the Peter Large Scholarship this year from Suzie Hayden and Clemency Wood & Esmé Holt.

Suzie will visit the Taonga School in Zambia for two weeks, to help teach children Reading and Maths. The Taonga School is a primary school which provides education to children whose families cannot afford to send them

to local state schools.

Esmé and Clemency will visit Ambalangoda in Sri Lanka as part of a volunteer group on a project organised by Plan my Gap Year. This is a project to teach children of low income families who speak little or no English.

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Both groups were awarded the full scholarship of £750 which will go towards their overall project costs but they will still need to do some fundraising of their own. We wish them the best of luck in the summer of 2016 with their projects.

THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2016 The Children’s Book Award run by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups (previously known as the Red House Children’s Book Award) is the only national award for children’s literature that is decided on completely by children. Our students in EYFS, 4/5P and Year 7 will be reading the shortlisted books in the Younger Children, Younger Readers and Older Readers categories and voting on our favourites. It’s always interesting to share your opinions with your colleagues and see whether your favourite book comes out top. If you are not in one of the years mentioned you can still take part! Individuals can take part and register their votes on the FCBG website. Attached are further details about the short listed books. You could borrow the books from your county library service (if you don’t have a Norfolk library card go to: http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Leisure_and_culture/Libraries/Library_services/Join_the_library/index.htm). Happy reading! Mrs Julie Settle Librarian TGS CHRISTMAS DINNER WED 9TH DECEMBER Tickets for the School Christmas Dinner are now on sale in the Dining Hall at breaktimes.

Please note that only Christmas Dinner will be available on Wednesday 9th December; there will not be any pasta or sandwich bars. Those pupils wanting packed lunches will need to pick them up at breaktime.

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SCHOOLBLAZER SALE We have been advised by Schoolblazer that their January sale will begin at 9am on the 29th December and finish at midnight on the 31st January 2016. As usual 20% will be taken off all in stock items. If you have already shopped with them they will email you directly.

HISTORY CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT

Message for Year 11 History students and their parents - History GCSE Controlled Assessment

The Year 11 History students are now just over half way through their Controlled Assessment which is worth 25% of the total exam grade. Their question is ‘Assess the significance of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the struggle for civil rights in the USA’. Students are working really hard and I have been impressed by their approach.

Please can all students be reminded of the importance of attending History lessons before Christmas (unless they are too unwell to come to school) in order to complete this Controlled Assessment. Students have a set 8 hours for this task which is completed during our lesson times this half term.

If a student misses a lesson, they need to catch up the time they have missed after school or during lunchtimes at the earliest opportunity. I am available after school in F2 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and during most lunchtimes. These are also the same time slots available for students who have extra time.

Please can parents encourage their children to attend these sessions to complete this Controlled Assessment. The Controlled Assessment task will be completed before Christmas so that students can focus on their January mock exams and the next module, therefore I ask that students attend this ‘catch up’ time ASAP and definitely before we break up.

Students should make sure that they see me if they have any questions about the Controlled Assessment or need any further ‘general’ guidance. Miss Emma Bailey Head of History

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SUGAR FOR SHELTER Thank you to those who have already brought in sugar for our Sugar Appeal. We have until Wednesday 9th December to collect as many bags of any-brand sugar as possible before these are collected and re-distributed. Although not every supermarket stocks Silver Spoon sugar, British Sugar has offered to match, kilo for kilo, the first two tonnes of this brand. Sugar keeps and stores well and is an important source of energy for those who need this support. As well as being essential to many Christmas foods and beverages, the sugar is needed in large quantities by shelters and soup kitchens, particularly in the winter months. SKI TRIP 2016

We have one space available on the ski trip to Aosta, Italy which departs on Saturday 19th March and returns on Sunday 27th. The cost is £830 – this is a fantastic trip and if you would like your child to take part please contact the school office for details. There is a Ski Trip Information Evening on Thursday 14th

January 2016. As well as details of the forthcoming trip there will be a second hand ski clothing sale. Also, for your information, Aldi in Thetford are selling ski wear at a reasonable price from Thurs 3rd December.

Mrs Alison Alecock Trip Organiser FRENCH EXCHANGE 2015-2016 Places available.

We are currently recruiting participants for our annual French exchange trip. Letters including all the details and a reply slip have been issued to students from Y9 and 10 and can also be found on our website.

Please remember to return your reply slip to the School Office as soon as possible so that we can start making arrangements with our French partner school in Compiègne (and get cheaper train deals!).

“I seriously recommend the Compiègne exchange trip. I wish I had done it earlier, and I would go back every weekend if I could! Actually, I would live there now if I could!”

Mr Raphael Maringue Head of French

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LOST PROPERTY Sam White Black games sock

White PE sock Named Named

Rory White Coat Blue, Next Andrew Forbes Analogue watch Light blue strap John Jenkins Leicester Tigers scarf Green/Red – brand new Joseph Ramsbottom TGS Hoodie named Ben Mason Black PE joggers named Ethan Harris TGS black coat Named in the coat seam Joshua Kriehn-Morris School jumper unnamed Arlo Greenwood Wallet Red with black outline Hamish Russell PE top named Ben Jacob-Haigh Cake box Plastic with a green lid Freddie Bayne Blazer named Evangeline Bedford PE Skort and PE top Named Franzi Elders PE sock Black, named Tomás Morgan PE shorts Named Owen Wortley Shoes Black School Shoes Joe Lawson Shoes Black School Shoes Blue Ring Found in Prep School Please collect from the office

CONGRATULATIONS

Well done to all Prep School pupils that received ‘star performer’ awards in the Preparatory School’s assembly on Monday. Also congratulations to the four children below for receiving their swimming awards. Elliot Bedford Connie Foreman Gabriel Galveias Joshua Manning MATCH RESULTS

Fri 27th November U11 Tag Rugby v Downham

U11 Tag Rugby v Glebe Drew 6 – 6 Lost 3 - 6

Wed 2nd December U13 Rugby v Eccles Hall Won 36 - 5 NEXT WEEK’S FIXTURES No Fixtures this week.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Monday 7th December Christmas Tree competition – Methodist Church – House Captains

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Tuesday 8th December Clothes Show NEC Birmingham trip P1-5 Prep School Activities Morning

Wednesday 9th December School Christmas Lunch Thursday 10th December Prep School Endeavours Assembly

Prep School Christmas Party Friday 11th December P3-4 House Drama Williamson Hall

Carol Service St Cuthbert’s Church Y4-13 Last Day of Term

Tuesday 5th January 2016 Spring Term starts Y11-13 Mock Exams begin

Swimming lessons – spring term 2016 Swimming lessons for all pupils will commence at the Breckland Leisure Centre after the Christmas holidays. Lessons will take place on Friday afternoons starting on Friday 8th January 2016. Letters will be sent home next week so please could all Y4 – 6 pupils return their permission slips to the Prep School post box by Thursday 10th December.

ATTACHMENTS No attachments this week FORTHCOMING LETTERS

Y6 House Captains Visit to Methodist Church

Pre-Prep – Y6 Christmas Party

Y4 – 6 Carol Service at St Cuthbert’s Church

Y4 – 6 Swimming

Y9 Options letter A letter is being sent home with Y9 pupils today regarding their GCSE options. Please could you return their choices to school by Wednesday 9th December. If you have any questions please contact the office.

If you would like a printed copy of this newsletter please contact the office.