The Fortnight That Was…. 11 March - 22 March 2013 T

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On Friday 8 March J4 visited

Pitsford Weather Station. We went to have a look at the tools to see how the weather is measured as we are looking at ‘Weather’ in our Topic lessons.

Some of the tools were

thermometers which measure the temperature of the air. There were also thermometers which recorded the highest and lowest

temperatures of the day. The highest temperature was 9°C and the lowest temperature was 6.5°C. There was also a rain gauge which measures how much rain there has been in a day. There is a tool which looks like a crystal ball which measures sunlight. The sun heats the ball and it burns onto a special piece of paper which records the number of hours of sunlight in a day.

There are other tools called anemometers which spin around and that tells you the speed of the wind. Then you need to turn the speed recording into knots.

All of the information that is collected at the Weather Station is sent away to help with weather forecasts. There are lots of newspaper cuttings on the wall that the Weather Station have been included in. I thought it was very interesting that they help to

decide on the BBC weather forecast.

Elliot Mitchell J4

Pitsford Hall Weather Station trip

Easter Egg Tombola Year 10’s Easter Egg Tombola has been a

very popular break-time event. Despite tickets selling for only 20p each, the

organisers managed to raise a commendable £ 717 in aid of CAFOD!

Egg-stremely well done to all involved.

Mark Westaway explains the various apparatus

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World Book Day is an annual event, which encourages children to read and enjoy books—it was shortly before this fortnight but The Junior School pupils had such fun, that we had to include it! The children enjoyed a paired reading session across the age groups. The younger pupils selected their favourite picture books and J4, J5 and J6 read to them.

Art and Craft

Sri Lankan Dancing

Mrs Hemachandran recently visited the Junior School to give children in Kits, Squirrels, J1 and J2 a lesson in traditional Sri Lankan dancing as part of their usual PE/Dance lesson. All the children thoroughly enjoyed the lesson—thank you!

On Mother’s Day, members of the Junior Choir sang at the Mothering Sunday Family Service in All Saints' Church, Pitsford. Everyone commented on how beautifully they sang and one regular member of the congregation implored Mrs Willmott to bring the children more often, saying that it was a real treat to have them in the church. Thanks must also go to the parents who supported us by bringing their children to the service.

Mothering Sunday Service

Representatives of the International Student Office at Northampton University, visited last week to talk to our overseas students about Student Finance. Home students were taken through the intricacies of applying for student loans in a separate session by Mr Lewis and will receive a more general talk on personal budgeting after Easter.

Preparation for life after Pitsford

World Book Day

These delightful fabric fish were made by the After School Art and Craft Club which is open to all children in J3-J6. As well as being lots of fun children learn a variety of lifeskills skills such as sewing.

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U11 Netball Victories Our U11 netball team, captained by the excellent Molly O'Connor competed in the ISA High Fives Netball tournament held at Stafford Prep School. After a shaky start, possibly due to the length of the bus journey, the girls played well to take 3rd place in their pool of 5 teams. Their reward - a place in the 5th place play -off, where they exhibited all their skills and shooting ability to come out resounding victors against Stafford Prep. Well done Girls! Last week the U11 Netball team hosted a touring team from Bradford Grammar. Quick passing, excellent footwork and fine shooting from Molly O'Connor and Natasha Starcevic ensured that the School won 18 - 13.

Jennifer Cowie

On Saturday 26 January, 29 excited girls travelled to Birmingham to watch the last match in the series between England and Australia; England were two up in the series and so we were anticipating a competitive match. The NIA was buzzing and the athleticism on the court was explosive. After a disappointing first half, there were screams from the crowd as England secured a ‘Whitewash’ of the series, with the final score England 58, Australia 51.

Birmingham NIA - England vs Australia Netball series

Everyone from Pitsford school had a great time and were amazed by the speed and level of skill involved in an International Netball match, we look forward to this new found drive and enthusiasm being applied to school practices and fixtures.

Marie McNally

Under 18 Netball End Season With A Win The Senior netball team ended their season on a high with a 17-13 victory away to Caroline Chisholm school on a very cold Wednesday evening. Many congratulations to the team!

Stop Press: Latest results: Pitsford v Kingsthorpe U13 10-10. Player of the match: Rose Wallace Pitsford v Kingsthorpe U12 10-7. Player of the match: Lydia Slinn

If you would like to get to know some other parents at the school and/or could possibly spare a few hours here and

there on PTA-type projects, then please come for coffee at 11am on Wednesday 24 April in Pitsford Hall.

Don’t worry if you’re busy that day,

drop me a line and I’ll keep you posted! jheatonharris@pitsfordschool.com

On Thursday 14 March Pitsford School Played Quinton House in the District Semi

Final. The match was heralded a 10 Try U13 Thriller with Pitsford winning supremely with a final score of 29-25.

At Tuesday’s U12 match, Pitsford played Moulton and won with an outstanding 50-7. In the U18 match Pitsford beat Moulton 31-26. Well done Pitsford!

East Regional 8 Tennis Inter-County Event J2’s Harris Chacksfield recently came a commendable second in an eight county regional tennis tournament. A great achievement. Harris is clearly a sportsman to watch—here he is at the Pitsford Run just before Christmas, when he won Under 7’s. Well done Harris!

Recent ISA Rugby 7’s

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Under 13 District Rugby Final

After beating Quinton House in the Semis, we knew we were in for a much tougher match against Sponne School. On a cold, windy afternoon, Sponne put us under pressure playing with the wind in the first half and managed to break tackles with ease by way of two particularly large and fast boys in their three quarters line.

However, we kept our heads and scored a try just before half time to give us more confidence.

Captain James Smith suffered a bloody nose early in the second half but recovered to resume after some touchline medical attention. Two further tries made for a respectable scoreline but we couldn’t overturn the large first half deficit and went down 40-17 as the final whistle blew. The improvement of the squad this year has been nothing short of

amazing, thanks to the great work of coaches Mr Kefford and Craig Newby. All Black Craig Newby joined our coaching staff this year after retiring from Leicester Tigers due to injury.

10 Try Thriller!

Friends Of Pitsford School (F.O.P.S.) Wanted!

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Comic Relief was wholeheartedly celebrated on Friday, when Sixth Formers held a Teachers v Pupils Quiz in the Gym. I’m not saying the questions were fixed but the

quizmaster was a pupil, the

questions were set by a pupil and, quelle surprise, the pupils’ team won!

Mrs Leeke was chosen to represent the losing teacher’s team and as a consequence, she had a cream pie in the face…

Following the quiz, we were then treated to a sketch showing a typical staff meeting (They weren’t really teachers kids! – Ed), which included, among other things, a tirade from “Mr Toone” on untidy bags in corridors. Although comical, the sketch emphasised the importance of Comic Relief’s fund raising, in comparison with some of the less important issues which influence our comfortable lives.

To finish, Mr Toone (it really was him this time – Ed) played the piano for the first time ever in public, producing quite a polished performance of John Cage’s 4’33″ (see video on website for what really happened – Ed).

By the end of the show, the Sixth Form raised in excess of £380 for Comic Relief!

Now that’s not an amount to laugh at – well done!

Comic Relief

NOTICEBOARD

If you have a message for other parents at Pitsford School, please let me know and I will include it in the next Pitsford Post

Email: jheatonharris@pitsfordschool.com

Just to say, received the first issue, very informative and useful source for parents!

Louise Smith Parent Yr 7

Excellent-good to see menus-won’t be duplicating any evening meals now!

Kris Hunt Parent Yr 9

Very good and informative. Publishing the menu is a great idea too. Helen Louise Dabbs

Parent Yr 11

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Monday 15 April Chicken à la King, rice Quorn® and mixed vegetables in tomato sauce, rice (v) Selection of fresh fruit or cheese and biscuits Tuesday 16 April Simply baked beef lasagne, mixed salad Quorn® lasagne, mixed salad (v) Selection of fresh fruit or strawberry jelly Wednesday 17 April Roast loin of pork, roast potatoes, sage and onion stuffing, fresh vegetables and apple sauce Stuffed red peppers, roast potatoes, sage and onion stuffing, fresh vegetables (v) Selection of fresh fruit or yoghurt Thursday 18 April Jacket potato, beans, cheese, mixed salad Selection of fresh fruit or home-made cake Friday 19 April Jumbo fish finger, chips, peas Cheese and tomato omelette, chips, peas (v) Selection of fresh fruit or ice cream Monday 22 April Spaghetti bolognaise, mixed salad Quorn® bolognaise, mixed salad (v) Selection of fresh fruit or home-made cookie Tuesday 23 April Roast topside of beef, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, fresh vegetables Baked cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, fresh vegetables (v) Selection of fresh fruit or yoghurt Wednesday 24 April Tuna and cheese puffs, new potatoes, sweetcorn Cheese and tomato omelette, new potatoes, sweetcorn (v) Selection of fresh fruit or chocolate brownie Thursday 25 April Home-made quiche Lorraine, croquette potatoes, St Peter’s salad Home-made quiche Provençale, croquette potatoes, St Peter’s salad (v) Selection of fresh fruit or home-made cake Friday 26 April Home-made pizza, chips, mixed salad Home-made cheese, tomato and mushroom pizza, chips, mixed salad (v) Selection of fresh fruit or ice cream roll

Menus Looking Ahead As all our produce is sourced locally menus are subject to change and older pupils may be offered additional options which are not shown here.

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Monday 8 April: 8am L6 Snowdonia Residential Trip Friday 12 April: 2pm L6 Snowdonia Trip returns Monday 15 April: Summer Term Commences 4pm Rounders Club 4pm Guitar Beginners 5-8pm Y8 Parents’ Evening

Tuesday 16 April: 4-6pm Sailing Activity 4pm Recorders 4.30pm Hotshots Basketball

Wednesday 17 April: 1.45-4pm 6th Form visit to Northampton University 4pm Mini Strikers 4pm Cricket 4pm Gardening Club

Thursday 18 April: 1-3-30pm Junior School Swimming Lessons From 3.30pm Tennis 4pm Kwik Cricket

Friday 19 April: 1-3pm Junior School Swimming Lessons 4pm American Football

What’s On Looking Ahead?

Monday 22 April 4pm Rounders Club 4pm Guitar Beginners

Tuesday 23 April: 4-6pm Sailing Activity 4pm Recorders 4.30pm Hotshots Basketball L6 +U6 talk on Student Finance

Wednesday 24 April: 4pm Mini Strikers 4pm Cricket 4pm Gardening Club

Thursday 25 April: AS Art Exam 1-3-30pm Junior School Swimming Lessons Yr 8 Maths Challenge 4-5.15pm Junior Tennis Club (tennis courts) From 3.30pm Tennis 4pm Kwik Cricket

Friday 26 April: 1-3pm Junior School Swimming Lessons 4pm American Football

Date For The Diary:

Junior School First Birthday Party Friday 3 May

Parents welcome from 3.15pm

Junior School Open Morning Tuesday 23 April, 9.30am

If you know someone who may be interested in coming along to have a look round

our lovely Junior School—please let them know this date!

For more information contact Karen Cannon on 01604 880306

Happy Easter!