Issue 28 – 4 May 2017 DEAR PARENTS It’s going to be short and sweet this week and yes, I know I always say that and then ramble on for pages but I mean it this time and… yes, I know I say that as well and still ramble on for pages… but I really do mean it this time! I’m meeting myself coming backwards at the moment so time is short. Last week, I had the pleasure of taking three Year 2 boys to Barksy Media Recording Studios in Pudsey (by the way if ever you need a film making for your company, or you want to record something, this company was brilliant. They were extremely kind to the boys, they laid on refreshments for them and showed them around the studios and also made the recording free of charge for the charity). The boys were there to record a story for Variety the Children’s Charity, which will be used this evening at their Yorkshire Property Awards Dinner at Rudding Park, in Harrogate. Hopefully, the boys’ angelic and persuasive voices reading a story about poorly children will encourage all of the people present tonight to donate lots of money. The boys were absolutely brilliant, see ‘Quote of the Week’ later in the ebulletin. I just love the Centenary House boys; they believe anything you tell them! Well, it’s all happening in Wakefield tonight. Yes, it’s that time of year when the glitterati pitch up at QEGS in their designer frocks, borrowed jewels from the likes of ‘De Beers, Asprey’s and Tiffany’s’ (not Mr Tiffany’s wife’s jewels) to attend the social calendar highlight of the year. The fake tans have been applied; hairdressing salons throughout Yorkshire are having their busiest day of the year and that’s just the dads! It’s all happening behind the scenes too; as I speak we are investigating the case of the ‘missing red carpet’, the programmes are currently being reprinted because the edges of the pages haven’t printed correctly and I realise I have forgotten my tights to go with my dress! So what am I talking about? Yup, it’s the QEGS Junior School Year 5 Oscar’s evening. We look forward to seeing you this evening in your finery; the boys are extremely giddy (I’m being polite here), which is a euphemism for being silly!! I can assure you that you are in for a treat this evening, see you all later. Finally, the Sainsbury’s voucher season has come to an end, yes, you can all breathe a sigh of relief. Please send them all in and then we can make the draw for the raffle. I’m telling you now that your chances of winning a raffle prize have been significantly reduced. Mrs Cooke (and her factory staff) has had whole books of raffle tickets written out in her name…now that’s what a dedicated QEGS parent looks like, if you need a good role model look no further than Mrs Cooke! I’m just imagining now the teasing that is going to be going on with the other mums, Mrs Cooke! Quote of the Week…this is a conversation between myself and one of the Year 2 boys I took to the recording studio. Just to set the scene…before we went into the building I was doing the usual: remember your manners, listen carefully to the instructions you are given and... Mrs G: You are very lucky boys to be visiting a recording studio and to experience this fantastic opportunity, I am 20 and I have never visited a recording studio before. Boy: (looking at me quizzically) You’re not 20! Mrs G: You can’t say that to your Headmistress, how old do you think I am then? Boy: (he pauses for a moment) I think you are 23 Mrs G: You are nearly right, I’m 22 Boy: I knew it, I knew you weren’t 20! I couldn’t stop laughing; he was so pleased with himself because he thought he had ‘caught me out’. All I can say is, if only...!

Stars of the week…Please can I nominate the following teachers for Star of the Week: My husband and I would like to nominate Mrs Mayes, Mrs Monk, and Mrs Gardiner for the work that they have done with our son. We have both seen a dramatic change in both his reading and writing ability, along with his confidence. We have been given full support by all three teachers throughout, and excellent guidance as to how we can help at home. I truly believe that the Learning Support department are the unsung heroes! We have never seen such a happy boy as we did yesterday afternoon when he realised he was on the ‘next stage’ of his reading books. Thanks again to a wonderful team! Boy tip of the week…Over the next few days you will be able to read on the Junior School website a document called ‘The Digital Generation’, which has been published by IAPS. It is a lengthy document (29 pages) but there is absolutely everything you need to know about protecting your child from the digital generation. I know it is lengthy but please do take 30 minutes to read through it, it really is an excellent document. On a final note…We are very excited to be having Simon Weston as our guest on Monday, we feel very honoured. I will report back about the visit in the next ebulletin. See, I told you the ebulletin was going to be short and sweet! Louise Gray SCHOOL EVENTS Forest School sessions – Summer Term These are the sessions for summer term. Please still be mindful of the weather forecast and bring waterproofs if wet weather is forecast. Tue 9 May: 3R Tue 16 May: 4J Tue 6 June: 4C Tue 27 June: 4H Tue 4 July: 3P Mr Thompson Speech Day Cups and Awards - At your earliest convenience, please return, to the Junior School Office, any perennially presented cups and/or awards which boys received at last year’s Speech Day. We would be grateful if you could ensure that the item is polished and engraved with your son’s name. Thank you. Grandparents’ Afternoon – Friday 26 May Your son has brought a home a flyer to invite grandparents of boys in Years 3-6 to our Grandparents’ Afternoon. Due to limited space in school it is necessary that numbers are restricted to two grandparents per family. Therefore, as this is an annual event with appropriate forward planning, all grandparents in the family will hopefully be able to attend at least once in their grandson’s Junior School career. If your son is unable to bring a grandparent, we are happy for another ‘senior’ member or friend of the family to attend. We would like all boys to feel included. Please return the completed invitation form to school as soon as possible. PLEASE NOTE – GRANDPARENTS ARE WELCOME FROM 2.10pm. PARKING IS NOT PERMITTED ON THE SENIOR SCHOOL SITE UNTIL 2.10PM. Sun Hats and Sun Cream As the weather is becoming warmer please can you ensure your son has a regulation school sun cap in his house colour which is available to purchase for £5.50 from the Junior School and Centenary House School offices. We will be speaking to the boys about how to stay safe in the sun and we ask that, at appropriate times, sunscreen is applied at home before your son arrives at school. Boys are welcome to bring sunscreen into school, especially when there is an outdoor event/sporting fixture planned. Mr Thompson Ski Trip 2018 – Beginners’ trip to SnoZone – Thursday 28 September Please see letter sent home with your son. The trip is compulsory for beginner skiers only. Please can replies be returned by Thursday 11 May? Thank you. Mrs Taylor and Mr Drury

Lower School Choir - Wharfedale Music festival on Friday 19 May On Friday 19 May, boys in Lower School Choir should arrive at school at 8am. I will meet them in Junior School Hall ready for the coach to leave at 8.20am. Long-sleeved white shirts, blazers and polished shoes please! Boys should also bring a bottle of water and a snack with them. We look forward to seeing any parents at Kings Hall, Ilkley. The class has been split into two groups and starts at 10am. We are in the second class of the group. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to email Mrs Rogers at drogers@qegsjs.org.uk. Many thanks. Mrs Rogers Nearly-New Uniform Please remember you can donate any unwanted uniform and sports kit to the PTA to raise extra funds for the boys. We are also looking for used rugby boots (that are in a usable condition and clean please!). Our next nearly-new sale is scheduled for Transition Day on Tuesday June 20th. Please drop all donations at the school office. The PTA Wee Wonders British Golf Championship 2017 ‘Wee Wonders British Golf Championship 2017’ for junior golfers aged between 5 and 12 years old. A regional qualifier is being held at Woodsome Hall GC, Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield on Sunday 14 May. Regional winners go through to the grand final at St. Andrews on the 26 and 27 August. Entrants do not need a handicap or be a member of a club. For more information and to download an entry form please visit www.weewondersgolf.com. Entries close on Sunday 7 May. J Tiffany NOTE

LETTERS/ATTACHMENTS – To download from the school website – www.wgsf.org.uk

- Ski Trip 2018 – Beginners’ trip to SnoZone – Thursday 28 September - Year 5 Trip to Armley Industrial Museum – Wednesday 17 May - Year 6 Play – Treasure Island – 29 and 30 June - Reception Owlet Booklet - Year 2 Trip to the Children’s Art School – Tuesday 6 June RESULTS Cricket v Bronte House U9A Won by 88 Runs U8 Red Won by 62 runs U8 Blue Won by 8 runs U8 Green Won by 37 runs Mr Tiffany

v BGS U9's Won by 63 runs U10's Won by 104 runs U11A Won by 6 wickets U11B Won by 68 runs

HOUSEPOINTS The weekly totals for each House are as follows:- Junior School W/E 07.04.17 Term to date Centenary House Weekly Term to date Bentley 113 4068 Bentley 142 2846 Cave 120 3820 Cave 137 3073 Freeston 111 4023 Freeston 160 2643 Savile 236 3651 Savile 118 2909

COMING SOON May 5 Open Morning Y5 Mountain Biking Cricket v Bronte House U10A/U11A (H) 8 Cricket v MGS U8A/U9A (H) Y6 Mountain Biking

Simon Weston visiting 9 Cricket v St Olave’s – U9 A/B (A) 2M & 3R Forest School 10 Nursery boys visiting CH 11-12 JS Assessments 12 Y5 Mountain Biking Cricket v St Olave’s U10 A/B (A) Cricket v St Olave’s U11 A/B (H)

Centenary House News

After a lovely wet bank holiday Monday, we have returned to school with warmer weather. The boys love being able to take their learning outdoors and use all their senses to experiment, explore and become excited about their topics, with various sessions including PE, outdoor maths, forest school and EYFS activities regularly occurring in the adventure playground, the mud kitchen and within their own outdoor area. The staff attended an excellent INSET session on outdoor learning and are now full of new, exciting ideas to use in the Owl’s Den and within the Centenary House environment. Thank you to everyone who donated to ‘Bags to School’ over the last couple of days and the PTA for all their help with the organisation. The winner of the Amazon voucher at Centenary House is Luca Frahm (2B) and the Junior School winner was Ben Blanchard (5R).

Year 2 boys are definitely getting excited as they start rehearsals for their end of year play. This year’s play is titled “Eddie the Penguin Saves the World”. When Eddie notices the iceberg melting he decides to move up to the North Pole in search of more ice, however he soon realises that it is fast disappearing there too. On a mission to stop the ice melting any further, Eddie travels the globe to tell all the humans just how they can help. The boys have visited the theatre and had a run through of the play and are now working on sections of the play to rehearse their actions and individual lines. We are also enjoying learning the songs that accompany the play and I regularly hear the boys singing the songs at playtime while building with the bricks or drawing at the tables. I’ve also seen a few boys practising their penguin walks around the playground! Next week the nursery boys will be visiting Centenary House for the afternoon. The Reception boys have very kindly agreed to share their resources and are sensibly suggesting the type of toys the younger boys might like to use. It doesn’t seem two minutes ago that our Reception boys joined us and now they are helping to plan for the next cohort! With the thought of QEGlets moving on, we are busy preparing all the boys for the next stage in their education. Transition passports for Reception and Year 2 boys have been sent home for specific skills to be practised. I have just heard that we have our first boy who has successfully completed the Year 2 passport - he will be receiving his certificate in the awards assembly. The Year 2 boys will soon be visiting their new setting. Having previously welcomed the Year 3 teachers into their classrooms to meet and get to know them, the boys and Year 2 teachers will be visiting the Junior School where the Year 3 boys will work with them on various creative activities. The afternoon will be spent in areas within the school such as the Year 3 classrooms, the art room, the DT room and the music room so that the boys can become accustomed to the school during a fun, sociable occasion. This is such an exciting term in many ways, as we prepare to welcome new boys to the school and attend such special events as sports day, sleepover and my favourite occasion, Speech Day. But within that excitement, I always feel a tinge of sadness as we prepare to say goodbye to boys who are moving on to the next stage of their learning journey. I think I had better sign off before I become too emotional with it all – I suspect I need to take a leaf out of the boys’ book and toughen up! Mrs Butler

IMAGES OF THE WEEK

JUNIOR SCHOOL

U8/9 Cricket

Printing Workshop

Needless to say it took a woman to find the Red carpet for the Oscars Evening!

Barksy Media Recording Studios in Pudsey

CENTENARY HOUSE

Boules Club

Year 2's Titanic topic has grabbed the boys’ interest