Friday 13 May 2016 Dear parents, families and friends of Yarrells, All busy this week! Even though I have been away from school for some of this week at the European Parliament – see further details below – there has been lots going on at Yarrells! We had our photographers in school on Tuesday taking class photos. They like to use a variety of props for each class so the photos should be exciting: you will soon receive a proof. We have also had the Life Education van with staff at Yarrells and they have given our pupils, and parents, interesting and essential information which supports our PHSCEE curriculum. Today, Year 3 start their study trip to the Ancient Technology Centre with half of the year group going today and half going with me next Friday. They will have the chance to live as Vikings for a day and a night; dressing, eating and sleeping like a Viking. This will enhance their understanding of their history topic and is bound to be a memorable experience – it will be a wonderful ‘Viking sleepover’! Internal appointments It is at this time of the year that I am planning for the future and it gives me great pleasure to announce some staff promotions within the school from September 2016. Firstly, Mr Small currently and continuing as Head of Maths, will take on the role of Head of Senior Prep (Assessment). His role will have a primary focus on assessment to help improve the outcomes of our pupils academically. In order to ensure the academic continuity and progress from the very bottom of the school up through to the seniors a new post of Assistant Head of Pre-Prep and Nursery has been created. Mrs Wilson, who is currently is and will continue to be a Year 2 teacher, will take up this role. Another key role in the school is Head of English and I am very pleased to announce that Mrs Blake, our senior school English teacher, will take up these reins. Prizes at the European Parliament I was honoured to be at the European Parliament yesterday to be part of the ceremony when our partner school in France was awarded the top prize from The Hippocrène Foundation for its partnership with ourselves and other projects on European citizenship. This is awarded to schools that actively do something within their community to improve the lives of fellow European citizens. Their focus was in encouraging people in their local community to recognise the value of refugees to European society by showing pictures of prominent people, including Albert Einstein, Freddie Mercury, Rita Ora and Sigmund Freud, along the roads leading into their town, briefly explaining that they too were refugees originally. I and the school were thanked profusely for taking an active part in working with their students on the project and making the effort to actively support our partner school. They are very keen to become more actively involved with our pupils in the future. I was also able to meet the Poole MEP Ashley Fox who complimented us and our partner school for working so hard to encourage peace and understanding through partnership across European society. We look forward to receiving the French students back here for a presentation of their work on Friday 17 June. We are planning a day of presentations and fun including sport competitions and a music concert, as well as preparing for our future projects which will include a joint sustainable development project and establishing links with another school, in Spain. Looking forward to next week! Our Year 8s have their Common Entrance oral exams and we wish them well with these. We are looking forward to the Years 2-4 French assembly on Tuesday as well as rounders and cricket matches for our various teams. Our Reception classes

are getting excited about their study trip to Weymouth Sea Life Centre and Year 6 will have the opportunity to see the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Poole Lighthouse. I look forward to seeing many of the Years 5-8 parents for the coffee morning at 9:30 on Friday and I also hope that as many parents as possible will join us on the field, just before 13:00 on Friday, to watch our Big Dance Pledge at 13:00. There will be performances across the world connecting thousands of dancers. The choreographer is Akram Khan – he choreographed the work for the opening ceremony of the Olympics. This is an opportunity for groups/schools to learn an original choreography, or develop it to make it their own, and then perform it wherever they are as part of a worldwide performance day. Andrew Roberts-Wray Headmaster This morning, we were proud to present ‘Pupil of the Week’ certificates to the following children: Freddie Stephenson and Aleksandar Roberts (Tran); Isla Merrell (RC); Nuala Dirks (RW); Rory Connolly (Yr 1B); Ibrahim Ali (Yr 1N); James Neesam (Yr 2R); Charlotte Sandy (Yr 2W); Noah Connolly (Yr 3I); Noa Sorene (Yr 3M); Marnie Dodd (Yr 3S); Josh Somerville (Yr 4GW); Max Phillips (Yr 4L); Leo Calcinotto (Yr 5B); Noah Blake (Yr 5S); Lauren Corn (Yr 6B); Cameron Talwar (Yr 6G); and Bjorn Albert (Yrs7/8). Well done everybody. In next week’s assemblies we will also congratulate the following children for recent achievements: Eliza Moorby for a swimming certificate Marnie Dodd and Jayden Coombes for triathlon awards; Isla McPhail and Euan McPhail for fun run awards; Pierre Guillon, Esme Broadbent-Miles, Olivia Howard, Lulu Smith, Henry Keegan, Kiki Drummond, Justus Dirks, William Paddy, Lewis Maftah and Halima Ali for Yarrells’ science awards; Joseph Stickney and Sophie Stickney for a Lamda distinction; and Joseph Stickney for a Yarrells’ “Chain Reaction” project science award. We are having a slight change of procedure in that only Pupil of the Week certificates will be handed out in Friday's assembly. Any other awards will be handed out in the Years 3 – 8 assembly on a Monday and the Pre-Prep assembly on a Tuesday.

We have appointed our Form Captains for Years 3-8 and they have been awarded with their badges. They participate on the Student Council. All those on the Council meet regularly to represent their peers and engage in the life of the school. They discuss issues with their classes to take forward to the Council meetings and have the chance to consider ideas, suggestions and opportunities put forward. Mr Lewis, Head of the Junior Prep, leads and coordinates the Student Council.

3I 3M 3S 4GW 4L 5B 5S 6B 6G

Thomas Jupp Pearl Leese Fintan Dowling David Sherry Sam Calvert-Lee Lauren Emery Ruby Pope Freya Tudberry-Swain Tobias Blundell

I am delighted that once again, our pupils have achieved very well in LAMDA exams, with every single pupil achieving either a merit or distinction: Katelyn Stevenson*, Louis Thomas*, Mia Gale*, James Neesam*, Michael D’Arcy-Smith*, Lily Daniel*, Mia Caton*, Thomas Covell*, Benjamin Merrell*, Isabelle Milsom, Eleanor Blakeway*, Isla McPhail*, and Ruby Pope*. Well done everyone, and Mrs Cutler and Mrs Gill! *denotes distinction

Things to remember for next week Mon Tue

Wed Thu Fri

Common Entrance oral exams 14:30 Yr 4 Cricket v Clayesmore (A) Common Entrance oral exams 08:50 Yrs 2-4 French Assembly 14:00 Yr 2 Rounders v Upton Infants (A) 13:45 Yr 5 & Yrs 6-8 (A teams) Cricket v Park at Dean Park Cricket Ground 14:15 Yrs 5 & 6 (A & B teams) Rounders v BCS at Parkstone site Reception Study Trip to Weymouth Sea Life Centre 12:00 – 15:00 Yrs 3 & 4 selected pupils Dorset School Games Tennis at Poole Park 13:30 Yr 6 Study Trip to see BSO at Poole Lighthouse 9:30-10:30: Yrs 5-8 Parents’ coffee morning in Yarrells’ dining room 13:00 Yarrells take part in the Big Dance Pledge – parents welcome to watch Yr 3S and half of Yr 3I Study Trip to Ancient Technology Centre

Join our Yarrells Team for Race for Life run on Sunday 19th June 2016 at Poole Park, 11am. Have you signed up yet? Group ID Code: LN9024 https://raceforlife.cancerresearch uk.org/rfl/forms/race/enter.jsf?gr oupNumber=LN9024 Please support & sponsor us. https://www.justgiving.com/YarrellsSchool2 016?utm_source=Sharethis&utm_medium= fundraisingpage&utm_content=YarrellsScho ol2016&utm_campaign=pfp-email.

FRENCH FRIDAY WORDS

le printemps – spring les bois – the woods

Is something boring because

les arbres – trees

of it or because of you?

l’athlétisme – athletics comment dit-on? – How do you say?

News from Kindergarten & Pips

Mrs Wilkinson & Mrs Huish

We have made the most of the sunny days and spent time outside planting seeds and plants. The children were very hands on in filling the pots with soil, planting and watering, whilst learning what plants need to grow. They enjoyed a counting game in maths and used circles to make a caterpillar. Lots of painting and role play were enjoyed and this week we had snack time outside in the sunshine. Millie brought in a giant centipede which caused great excitement, and some of the children (and Mrs Wilkinson) were even brave enough to hold it! Well done everyone.

Transition News

Mrs D Hayes & Miss Z Salter

Transition children were busy this week with activities inside and outside. They cut out a sequence of pictures to order the life cycle of a butterfly, working on cutting skills. We had fun with musical instruments and baked some cheese straws for snack time. The children made an outdoor mini-beast environment which was very entertaining as they could watch the creatures close up, including a giant centipede that was brought into school. A delicious treat was making caterpillars with fresh fruit threaded on skewers and on plates. Well done Transition, we have all had a fun week.

Reception News

Mrs B Chappell & Mrs J Williams

Towards the end of last week Reception went on an African animal safari around the school grounds. The children searched high and low for tigers, lions, elephants, giraffes and other wild animals and made a tally chart to show how many they had found. Each child then chose an animal to take into the woods to play with. It was lovely to see the children roaring and prowling around, making up woodland games together.

Yesterday we had a visit from the Life Education Bus. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting Harold the giraffe, and we learnt so much about how our bodies work. We found out how important sleep, exercise and healthy food are to keep ourselves full of energy, and we were taught the different names and uses of our important body organs. We also learnt how important it is to clean our teeth and wash our hands to keep out nasty germs. Most importantly we talked about medicines and how they can make us feel better but we must remember NEVER to touch anything without an adult we know giving it to us.

Year 2 Maypole Dancing

Ms G Robbins & Mrs V Wilson

At our spring fayre the Year 2 children performed maypole dances, including the Barbers Pole and The Plait. They were fantastic dancers. Even when the music stopped unexpectedly the show went on! We were VERY proud of them all. We would like to also take this opportunity to give a BIG thanks to Mrs Brinded, who gave up a considerable amount of her own time to come and teach the children maypole dancing with Ms Robbins. We could not have done it without her.

Year 4 Camp

Mr T Lewis, Mrs S Way & Mrs J Ghandour

Last Friday saw the much-awaited Year 4 camp to Carey Camp in Wareham Forest. The fun-filled weekend began with an excited journey to Wareham in our minibuses. The weekend was packed with team-building activities from our arrival to departure. Every child was very well behaved and enjoyed the opportunity to experience shelter building, archery, low-ropes, an electric fence game, Blind-Fold trail, campfire with story-sticks and orienteering! The children stayed in bell tents and were very well catered for in this purposemade centre. Every child relished the experience and should be very proud of

themselves for their contribution towards what was a fantastic Year 4 camp. Mrs Ghandour, Mrs Way, Mr Small and Mr Lewis also thoroughly enjoyed the experience of seeing the children in a different environment. This was an outstanding show of teamwork and co-operation, Year 4, well done! We were also impressed to see quite a few Year 4 faces at our Spring Fayre on Saturday, which is quite a feat is considering the small amount of sleep the children had! Not wanting the experience to end, we have been working on recounts of our experiences of Carey Camp in our Literacy lessons!

Year 4’s Rocket Science

Mr T Lewis, Mrs S Way & Mrs J Ghandour

Year 4 have been experimenting with our rocket seeds from space this week. The seeds have sprouted and are being measured daily to see whether the seeds which have orbited the earth on the International Space Station or those which remained on Earth grow best. We will keep you updated on their progress! The students have been working scientifically to compare the growth of the two types of seeds through research and observation. Eventually they will report which seeds have grown best and suggest possible explanations for their results.

Yrs 5 & 6 Chain Reaction Science Challenge

Mrs E Barnes

Year 5 and 6 were set an Easter challenge to create a chain reaction that had at least four stages to it and could be repeated. They amazed me with the wonderful designs that they brought into school, ranging from creative and intricate to big and bold. Prizes were awarded to the following students for their hard work and spectacular chain reactions: Joseph Stickney (Yr6), Noah Blake (Yr5), Esme Broadbent-Miles (Yr5), Justus Dirks (Yr5), Harry Taylor-Young (Yr5), Loris Seweryn (Yr5) and Ellie Roper (Yr5). A special mention must also go to Olivia Howard (Yr5) and Helen-Sophie Saunders (Yr5).

Year 5’s Study Trip to Corfe Castle

Mr A Small & Mrs M Blake

Last Friday’s trip to Corfe Castle was a great success. The children enjoyed the wonderful sunshine and the spectacular views. They learnt all sorts of fascinating facts and stories and tried to imagine what it would have been like there during The English Civil War. Here’s what some of the children had to say about it… On Friday, 6th May, Year 5 went to the village of Corfe to learn more about the castle during The English Civil War. It was a really hot day! On the walk to the castle, we saw some of the remaining stones from its walls lying in the river. It was very interesting. When we arrived, our guide, Lewis, told us about the people who used to own Corfe Castle. William the Conqueror built the castle and the last owners were Sir John and Lady Mary Bankes. Lewis then took us to the entrance and told us that to get in to the castle enemies had to charge up the hill with people chasing them, get past the drawbridge, get under the portcullis and run past the murder holes where hot water, hot coals, boiling oil and other unmentionable things could be dropped on their heads. In the end, they had to leap over a metal bar, go under another portcullis and climb a spiral staircase, where there would be a soldier waiting to fight them off. After that, we were told many other fascinating stories, like the one about Edward the Martyr being killed by his stepmother, and we learnt plenty of interesting facts. Before we left, we were allowed to re-enact the siege of the castle, which involved a bit of rolling down the hill. It was great fun. We really enjoyed this trip because we learnt so much, even if we had been to the castle before. Written by Ellie Roper, with contributions from Leo Calcinotto, Betsy Vavasour and Kira Cook

Years 5 & 6 Rounders Match v Park Wednesday 10th May 2016 Lauren reports… We had two very strong teams. In the first half the A

Team batted first, accumulating a total of 7 ½ rounders to 3 and in the second half 6 rounders to 5 so we won both matches, with the player of the match being Lauren Corn. The B team scored 8 ½ rounders to 4 ½. I think both teams played very well and Mr Williams was very happy with the effort we played with and the accuracy that we displayed, having some good strikes of the ball and quick team run-outs through tight fielding.

Years 7 & 8 PEDSSA Dorset Athletics Trials Wednesday 10th May 2016 Mr Williams reports… On Wednesday, Alfie Roper, Henry Pride and Fergus Taylor travelled to Ashdown athletics track

to participate in the PEDSSA Dorset athletics trials. The boys were quite nervous because there were so many children there competing in various events and age categories from Year 7 to Year 12 and with such schools as Dumpton, Canford, Castle Court, BSB, Poole Grammar School, Corfe Hills.

Alfie started us off well in the Minor Boys 100m race to finish a very respectable 10th out of 20, with a time of 14.8 seconds. Henry followed with a time of 14.6 seconds, placing 17th out of 28. Fergus ran the first of his three events, the 1500m Minor Boys race in a time of 5 minutes and 46 seconds, placing 7th out of 15. Fergus than ran the 800m Minor Boys race in a time of 2m 51s, eclipsing his previous best time and placing 5th out of a tough field of 12 athletes, a brilliant feat considering that this race took place six minutes after his 1500m! Henry, Alfie and Fergus all then ran in the 200m in their respective categories, Alfie finishing 10th out of 20 and a time of 32.1s, Henry 16th out of 26 and a time of 31.7s and Fergus 13th out of 20 with a respectable time of 34.5s: this meant he'd clocked up a total of 2500m throughout the afternoon.

Well done to all three for their hard work and determination throughout a very tough and competitive afternoon on the track. I will put on some additional sessions for children who would like to participate in next year’s event from Years 7 and 8 so that we are even more competitive next year! A very big thank you goes to Mrs Roper who kindly transported the boys from Upton Rec, where they had games, to Ashdown, as I had to travel straight across from the rounders match at Dean Park.