12 June 2015 | Edited By Michael Streat | Vol 24 No 7 | online at www.woodbridge.suffolk.sch.uk

Woodbridgian WeeklyJapan exchange

Not one of the other exchanges our school has to offer could even come close to match the terrific experience of the Japanese exchange. For a start, each of us had the chance to be partnered with not one but three Japanese students; one who hosted us while we were there and two to join us at home in Britain.

Our school has the extraordinary opportunity to exchange with the Omi Brotherhood School in Omihachiman, near Kyoto. Surrounded by idyllic Japanese countryside, we spent our evenings with our host families and the daytimes taking part in lessons, traditional Japanese activities such as flower arranging and calligraphy and trips around the area. One of the many highlights was the chance to visit the primary school and help run some of the class’s English lessons; we were treated like celebrities and some of the younger children even asked us to sign autographs!

After a tearful goodbye, we took one of the famous bullet trains to Hiroshima. There we spent a poignant day in the Peace Park and another spent on the island of Miyajima with green tea ice cream and tame deer for company. And what could be a better way to round the trip off than a trip to Universal Studios Osaka? Although not traditionally Japanese, it was fun to see their take on theme parks; we felt very out of place as almost everyone there was dressed up for Halloween in full costume!

Skipping forward a few months and our new exchange partners came to visit. It was a fun ten days of explaining English culture, visiting all the sights of Suffolk and many, many selfies. Our exchanges thoroughly enjoyed their visit and the send-off at the station was very emotional.

Overall, it was an amazing experience for both sides and so I cannot help but recommend it to anyone who has the chance to go in the future.

Abigail Crane

Sailing at Kyson point – 50 years!6pm Tuesday 23 June at the DYC

We are delighted to announce a special event for anyone with memories or experiences of Woodbridge School sailing at Kyson Point, or who has supported school sailing over the years. The Deben Yacht Club in Woodbridge is very kindly hosting a celebration barbeque for us on Tuesday 23 June starting at 6pm (just enough time to recover after the excitement of Sports Day).

It would be wonderful to see lots of the young and not-so-young-any-more tars on this historic occasion. Chris Tyndale-Biscoe, who many of us will remember as the face of school sailing, will be the guest of honour, all ship shape and ready to receive boarders (if you see what I mean). 6pm onwards – no need to book in, and there’ll be a cash bar to supplement the celebration spread provided.

London to Woodbridge bike ride

As the forty or so riders pound the B roads of Suffolk in final preparation (well, I hope we are!), I thought it was time to remind readers of the challenge just around the corner for the cyclists:

93 miles in a day (if you don’t get lost), from The Bridge School in London back to Woodbridge.For those unfamiliar with The Bridge, it is a community special school in Islington. Pupils who attend are described as having autism and/or severe learning difficulties or profound and multiple learning difficulties. The school’s specialist area of work is addressing communication and interaction difficulties. Each year some two dozen of our own sixth formers visit for three days to help in class. The young people of both schools benefit enormously from the collaboration. Over the years the bike ride has raised over £170,000 to help the school give the children a better life: from playground equipment to sensory equipment, from wonderful lighting in the hall to bespoke furniture, from the little things to the large that the school could not otherwise fund.

The ride is on Saturday 20 June. If you have already supported someone, then thank you! If not, then do visit the team page: https://www.justgiving.com/teams/SpinForTheBridge2015 (not all riders have signed up, but all would appreciate your support!) or my page: https://www.justgiving.com/Michael-Streat3 . We are very grateful for any contribution.

Funds for Nepal

Once again the students and parents at Woodbridge School showed their enormous generosity with their response to the recent dreadful disaster in Nepal. All students donated £1 for a civvies day towards Next Generation Nepal; a wonderful charity that works tirelessly to reunite abducted children with their parents, but were called upon to extend their services when the recent tragedy struck. Together you raised £671.61!

Mr Jackson and some generous parents also contributed £432.43 to Everest Base Camp as their planned trip had to be postponed.

SPORT UPDATEBoys Cricket

U12A v CulfordMatch won by 6 wickets. Culford 133 for 9 from 20 overs. Woodbridge U12A 134 for 4 from 18.5 overs.

A fired-up Harry Rennell made a pacey and accurate start with the ball as we reduced Culford to 19 for 5 and Harry ended up with figures of 4 for 11. At this point we thought a victory was not far away. However, a couple of physically imposing batsmen put paid to our hubris with some lusty blows and Culford managed to amass a very healthy 133 for 9 from their 20 overs. The Woodbridge openers of Charles Tetley and Graham Mobbs made a bright start and managed to match the required run rate. Danny Norman then smashed his way to a quick 31 while a more sedate 24 n.o. from Harry steered us towards a victorious total with just one over remaining. This was an excellent excit-ing advert for school cricket played in a competitive and sporting manner.

U12A v RHSMatch won by 9 wickets. RHS 61 all out from 24 overs. Woodbridge U12A 65 for 1 from 12.1 overs.

The U12A team showed great desire to keep up its winning form and took RHS wickets at regular intervals as well as restricting the flow of runs. Jack Leith was the pick of the Woodbridge bowlers with his accuracy earning him figures of 3 for 9 from his 5 overs. Woodbridge were only chasing 62 for the win which, at this age group, can still cause problems. However, an impressive 28 not out by opener Graham Mobbs steered us to victory with the loss of only one wicket which now takes our unbeaten run to four games.

Associated Board of Music’s Ann Barbanell Prize

Congratulations to Year 10 pupil Harrison Cole, who has been awarded the Associated Board’s Ann Barbanell Prize for the highest marks in Grade Eight piano in Suffolk. He gets a mention in the ABRSM’s online Annual Review, along with a tasty cheque. You can hear Harrison, along with some of his talented friends, playing music for piano duet, two and even four pianos in our Piano Concert on 29 June at 7.30 in the Music School.

Athletics

Our Year 7 boys and girls went to Northgate for the first round of the county athletics schools event on a day when several of our athletes were at Bedford in the Prep Schools competition, so we knew it would be tough.

The format of the event relies on both the A and B competitors doing their best as our entrants did in spades: Charlotte Bowers 2nd in A long jump with 3.57m; Charlotte Dinwiddy 1st in the B string with 3.48m; Amber Harrell threw 6.44m in shot to come third; Nell Pilkington came 2nd in the B string with 5.70m; Neve Walker was 1st in the 300m; Charlotte Bowers 3rd in the B string… The girls finished an excellent second out of the nine schools competing to gain a place in the schools finals. Brilliant!

The boys had some good personal results too, with discus throwers Giles Kelleway throwing 20.99m for first place in the A string and Adam Cubitt 16.88m to finish 2nd in the B string. Hugo Thomas jumped 1.25m to finish 3rd in high jump while his A team relay came 2nd in their heat; other team members putting in good personal performances were Jack Leith, Hal Ottley and Charles Tetley, and the team finished a very creditable sixth out of eight.

If you’ve lost track over the last week or so, this means that overall Woodbridge have reached the county finals in both age groups for the girls (Y7 and 9), and all our girls’ teams as well as the boys’ Y7 and Y8 teams have reached the Regionals in the ESSA Schools’ Cup. Impressive: a busy time ahead!

More girls at the Hockey Junior Regional Performance Centre

Many congratulations to Mollie Biddle, Sophie Little and Georgia Harrold who have been successful in gaining selection for the Hockey JRPC, Junior Regional Performance Centre, at under 15. Following their County training and tournaments, they will now train throughout the summer with other selected players from Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.

More Athletics

The junior boys’ team and intermediate girls’ team travelled to Woodside Stadium in Hertfordshire this week to compete in the East Anglia Regional B Final of the English Schools Athletic Association Track and Field Cup. The competition requires everyone to take part in two events each, with only two competitors per event. Scoring the most points of the day for the girls (a bit like heptathlon scoring) was Rosa McInerney with 35, Ella Holliday 33, Maddie Craig and Lucinda Cope 32. Rosa was placed 2nd in high jump with 1.45m (scoring 19 points) and Ella 3rd with a PB of 1.41m (scoring 18 points) out of the sixteen competitors. Amelia Brown placed 2nd in discus, also scoring the top individual girls’ points for Woodbridge of 19. A whisker behind, Maddie Craig in long jump and Eleanor Berridge, with another PB in shot, scored 18 each.

The top boys were Alex Weir-Simmons with 38 points, Daniel Norman 31 and Theo Wright 29. Nathan Goddard with a time of 4:43 in 1500m scored the best individual score of the day with 23, but unfortunately his relay team was disqualified so he failed to pick up any further points. Alex scored 20 for his discus throw of 25.58m, while Oliver Juszt scored 19 for his shot throw of 9.95m. As a team we finished 7th in the girls and 8th in the boys, and with many personal bests can be well satisfied with the day’s achievements.

The junior girls’ team will be off to East Anglia Regional A Final next Tuesday at Lee Valley Stadium, Edmonton. The Year 7’s will be returning from France the night before so may be a little tired!

The Anglian Athletics Competition

Good luck to Connor Grant, Laura Graham, William Pilkington, Rosa McInerney, Sarah Barker and Amy Graham who are representing Suffolk at the Anglian Athletics Competition in Peterborough on Saturday!!

Y9 Lunchtime RecitalWednesday 17 June at 1.40pmMusic School

The Abbey Oliver PerformanceTuesday 23 - Thursday 25 June at 7pmSeckford Theatre

Y8 Lunchtime RecitalTuesday 30 June at 1.40pmMusic School

Y7 Lunchtime RecitalWednesday 1 July at 1.15pmMusic School

The Two Gentlemen of VeronaTuesday 30 June & Wednesday 1 July at 8pmChapel Lawn

Concerto ConcertWednesday 1 July at 7.30pmAbbey Hall

Ensembles Lunchtime RecitalThursday 2 July at 1.40pmSchool Hall

Y10 Lunchtime RecitalTuesday 16 June at 1.40pmMusic School

Swing Band performs at Aldeburgh FestivalSunday 21 June at 1pmAldeburgh Band Stand

Piano ConcertMonday 29 June at 7.30pmSchool Hall

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

WSPA ALERTSThis is your last call to buy tickets for the WSPA’s big summer event! The forecast looks great, the location could not be better.

A wonderful summer evening with the sound of soft jazz, a glass of Pimm’s and great company (without the children!). Dinner is a “posh” BBQ followed by disco-dancing. Dress to impress!

WSPA’s Midsummer’s Night Garden Party will be held in the Abbey Hall on Saturday 13 June 2015 from 6.30pm. Tickets are £25 per person.

A cash bar will be available and carriages will be at midnight.

Booking is on a first-come, first-served basis so please visit http://wspanet.co.uk/summer-garden-party for further information and to book.