Ditcham Newsletter - Friday 10th November 2023 Dear Parents Remembrance and the military have been themes for the first week back after half term. Today we held our own Service of Remembrance to show our respect and say thankyou to all those past and present who serve our country in the armed forces, emergency services and the National Health Service. Earlier in the week, we hosted a visit from the British Army Women’s Boxing Team who put our sports scholars and GCSE PE students through their paces. You can see some photos from this in the Sports section. There is also a fantastic report on our recent Spanish Trip in the new 'Featured News' item on the front page of our website. Please do take a look at it, along with our social media feeds, podcasts and Ditcham Digest blogs - there is something for everyone.
I am excited to announce the forthcoming visit of the eminent scientist, Lord Robert Winston, on Friday 24 November. We will publish details of his visit and an opportunity for parents to meet him in due course.
Best wishes
Graham Headmaster
Junior Merit Winners Congratulations to all the Junior merit winners for this week! Outstanding Work Award
Huge congratulations to Alice M (Y6) for receiving an Outstanding Work Award for her 500 word story competition entry. She has woven so many different facets so cleverly into her story and created something funny and memorable. You can read it in the Juniors Section!
Poems for Armistice
Memories of Home By Louis Elsom
His hand shuddered, like a blind shaking in the sharp wind His filthy finger arched over the icey metal trigger, flights of bullets stopped the silence. his head craned over and he rested his eye to the scope. a dark green eye glimmered like a precious gemstone set against the pale backdrop of the white sclera as he looked down the scope. As he laid alone on the tallest building, surrounded by gunshots.
He clutched a photo of his family, His mind strolled, His mind wandered back to memories of home. In the depth of dark chaos, He longed for the warmth of his loved ones, He lined up the shot. Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought of his wife His filthy finger arched over the icy metal trigger Beneath the sounds of screams and bullets, he whispered to himself I'll be home soon. He blinked. His finger tensed and his body vibrated
MUD By Zuki Garrett
A mother full of desire and sorrow Put her vest on the mud, Put her helmet and gun into it too She put her first aid kit in the mud. There, she put the screams of fallen soldiers, She put the cackles of the opposition on it once again,
Sounds of guns firing, sound of the amo locking in. The comfort of peace and family she put there. On the table the mother put. What was on her mind, The thought of going home to her family What she wanted to do with her children She put that there too. Those that she loved, those that she admired She put them there too. One pistle can fire 12 times The mother put 12 on the ground. She was next to the tainted sorrows of others She reached out and placed it on the mud too So many days she wanted to feel warm She put on the mud the warmth of a blanket She placed her loyalty and dignity on there too It sagged and squelched but held firm. The woman kept pilling things on.
A Spot of Grass By Olivia Mackenzie Crooks
A father full of despair Put his hat on a spot of grass, And then tossed down his uniform too. He put on the grass a picture, And the memories with it. Put on the grass was laughter, And his daughter's sweet little face. He put the hope of returning home, And through away the reality he might not. On the grass he put his loyalty to his dear wife, And the strength he needs to fight this war. Oh how he misses his big comfy bed! He put that on the grass too. He put down a cottage, And hugs his family before putting them inside. Put on the grass was a fireplace, With an armchair by the fireside. The grass withers from no sunlight But it bursts with green as the summer comes! The rays of warmth shine down on the pile, As it grows and grows.
The Drawer By Megan Bedford
A soldier full of nostalgia Folds their uniform into a draw Places their boots there, He puts his badge and pin their Sounds of gunfire, thumping in his ears Flashes as the bullets as they zipped through the air he put there his grief and sorrow In the draw he buried the scar of dreams Pushing back the urge to abandoned Fighting forward to shield others The days he spent counting The hours he spent missing Withdraws the feeling of drowning So often he wished for a garden He put the sowing of the garden in the draw He placed there his sleep and Effortlessly the draw slid Keeping the secrets near
The Box By Josh Lewis
A soldier comes home full of boldness of the military Put his helmet in the box, Put his badges there, He put his dinner in the box, The sounds of a car, the exhaust sputtering. He put his worry there, his pain, His joy, his pride and noble ness, He lowered down his memories; Of his children, his dog, And the one he loved. His dreams, To be a chef, An artist, Down they go. He dropped his broken smile, His hidden fear, His everlasting trauma, The box groaned and creaked. The smell of sweat and gasoline, The light, shining through the curtains, And the taste of blood, The feeling of dread Making him sick to his stomach. His thoughts, Why was the sky blue, The grass green, And where were his efforts going. And finally he laid down his life. But the box didn't break, It stood firm and the next soldier stepped up.
A Wisp of Smoke in the Wind By Elsbeth Walker
A person full of remorse put down the last time he saw his brother A brother who was snatched from him Like a wisp of smoke in the wind Into a muddied box He tossed the screams of the wounded, Glistening bullets The uniform he wore The mud at the bottom of the trenches Commanding shouts. Next, he carefully placed The chuckle that follows a joke And the taste of well-earned food The whispered confessions In the quiet of the night. And peace. Peace, the beautiful thing That he used to take for granted. Next, he took his very best memories
The ones with his dog and his brother and his friends And pressed them against his heart. When he felt the hope return, he gently laid them down in the muddy box, The muddy box that never protested Or grumbled.
1692 By Edward Croucher
A musketeer full of fear Put his musket on the tree, Put his pellets in a little bag there. He put his gunpowder and food on the tree. He put there the flashes of light from enemy guns, Sounds of the muskets, sound of metal against metal. The hardness of his chest plate and sunny weather he put there. On the tree the man put The want of the war to end. How he could celebrate if they win,
He put that there. His family and enemies, He put them on the tree too. Two wrongs don’t make a right: The man placed that on the tree too. He was next to a cannon; He reached out and placed on the tree, destruction. So many minutes he had wanted his children! He put on the tree the hugs of his children. He placed there his fear and worries; His hope and enjoyment he placed there. How that’s a strong tree! It didn’t wobble or creak. The man kept throwing things on.
A Soldier Full of Pride By Christopher McCrohen
A soldier full of pride, Released the burdens onto his sleeping bag at camp, The burdens stood firm, proud, Our soldier just looked jealous, Released the artillery from his back, The bottle commonly stored in his side pouch, A soldier dropped the sounds of gunshots, The sense of a slow dripping of sweat from his brow, He let go the want of rank, The thought of dank water for the next 5 months, Decapitated the fractured images of destruction and evil, He thought of Mum’s fried eggs nestled in a bed of baked beans, Not a sleeping bag of beans, His mind settled for a while on the thought of victory, Winning, His main goal and intention, He struck revenge on its side and watched it seep through the bag and into the dirt, It sank deep, But a fragment remained on the bag, Inescapable, It followed him like a shadow, Like death, Sorrow, But from sorrow comes victory, Always victory He laid himself down on the sleeping bag, Prickles and hard objects left impressions on his back, He flinched but stayed still, Victory was coming, Even if it was just making it through the night.
Dragonflies
Poppies, Play Doh and Practice makes Perfect! This week was all about the letter P (or so it seemed!) - with plenty of fun activities to keep our Dragonflies busy. The main focus was on Poppies, we made our own little collage poppies that the children could take into the Armistice Service on Friday. We learnt about why we use poppies and also what we need to think about during the service of remembrance. The play doh came out for a fun 'Play Doh Disco' so that the children could practise using their nimble fingers - its a great way to help a child become more dextrous (disguised cleverly as a fun game of course). We then used these stronger fingers to hold pens and draw lines between the letters of their name that Claire and Kylie had 'hidden' in a picture of their choice.
Practice has started for the Christmas Nativity and so the children had a lot of fun learning about the play they were going to take part and to start having a go at some of the songs and dances. Plenty of leaves have fallen in our garden so the children really enjoyed picking up armfuls of (rather soggy!) brown, red and yellow leaves and throwing them into the air to watch them tumble down. Now, in amongst the leaves in one picture, can you see what we also managed to capture in the photo??! Thankfully the flying miniature car made it safely to the ground well away from where we were standing! Friday morning was our Armistice Service in the Martin Pryce Building (sadly the rain meant we couldn't stand outside) and the children were amazing. They stood quietly whilst poems and prayers were read. Then the Last Post was played on a bugle before we stood in silence for 2 minutes. That's a very long time for a little person but all the Dragonflies made us very proud indeed. Have a great weekend and see you next week. Mrs Harding & Claire
Juniors
500 Word Competition Story - Alice Milne (Outstanding Work Award) One day the animal kingdom was mourning the loss of its monarch. She had passed last summer and all of the animals were sad. In a home near a small village, a small black cat named Freddie Meowcury was crying. As he wailed and wailed, he suddenly realised he could sing! This is kinda magic, he thought. Feeling hungry, he decided to go out scouting for fish. From a distance he heard a rhythmical tapping on the lilies… boom boom cha, boom boom cha! Tapping away on his lily pads was Frogger Taylor. Boom boom cha, boom boom cha. Freddie’s mood began to lift and the weight of despair became lighter and lighter as he heard this rhythm. Ah - oh, Freddie called. Ah - oh. Their music was perfectly in sync. Freddie’s voice sounded so extraordinary that Frogger thought he’s gonna be a big man some day. The two became inseparable. Several months went by. Freddie and Frogger made each other happy every day with their music. ‘Wouldn’t it be great to make everyone this happy?” said Freddie to Frogger. They realised that they had one vision - to create a band that would bring happiness to the entire kingdom. And so began an epic adventure travelling the world together. In the open savannah they found Rhino May. His wild hair was electrifying! It created a buzzing noise which vibrated across the plains. “Wow,” said Frogger. “This would fit perfectly with your voice Freddie!”. They agreed to ask him to join their band. Freddie, Frogger and Rhino made a great team.
The band toured the kingdom trying to spread happiness wherever they went. However, it felt like something or someone was still missing. One morning, whilst walking in the scrublands, they came across a majestic stag, his enormous, velvet antlers scraping against the trunks of trees. The stag froze at the sight of a frog, cat and rhino together. ‘Could it possibly be? Surely not? The animals from my dreams! It has to be! Is this the real life or is this just fantasy?’ The majestic stag John Deerkan leapt into the air, sprinted towards the band and shouted you’re my best friends! From my dreams! Let's make some music together! The low sounds of the antlers were a perfect accompaniment to Freddie, Frogger and Rhino. For months they continued to travel the world, meeting happy and thankful fans along the way. One day, the group were asked to appear on BBC Savannah Sunrise for a big announcement. During the interview, a fan in the audience stood up and announced, “We are so happy that you brought music to the kingdom. In return, we would like to honour you forever with the band name of… KING!” Uppers Learn About Parliament This week, Uppers have been embracing Parliament week. In PSHE, we have been talking about democracy and learning about what it means. All classes in Juniors will have a School Council representative, to ensure pupils have a voice at school. In Year 6 pupils have given presentations to the year group explaining why they would be a great School Council representative on behalf of the rest of the year group. This culminated in pupils voting for their preferred candidate. Congratulations to Freddie S-C who was elected as the UJA School Council Rep!
In addition, all pupils have also been putting forward their suggestions for the name of the new fan tailed goldfish in the Junior Library. The most popular names were put forward for pupils voted for their favourite, with the announcement made in Celebration assembly on Friday afternoon. Democracy in action! At the time of writing we are all excited to find out the winner!
*EDIT* - Breaking News! We can reveal that the fish is now named as Pumpkin!
Mr Ainsworth and Mrs Mothersele
Super Solutions! As part of our topic ‘Changing States’, Middles conducted an experiment to test whether different substances were soluble or insoluble. They tested 6 different substances by mixing them with water. As part of the experiment, they had to decide how they would keep the test fair and what equipment they would need. Middles had lots of fun making different solutions with a partner and recording their observations using the scientific vocabulary they had learnt.
Kerry Vaughan-Carpenter
A Night at the Musicals! Well done to Evelyn Brimble and Hattie Barker (Y4) who had the opportunity to sing at the New Theatre Royal with the Opera Boys during the October half term as part of Stagecoach in
Havant. They performed six musical numbers and put on a great show for a Night at the Musicals. What an exciting experience!
Remember Remember...... Prep have enjoyed being back in school this week. Our focus for the week has been “What do we remember in November?” and we have found out about Guy Fawkes and his plot to kill King James I and the importance of remembering all the people who have fought to keep us safe. We enjoyed making a beautiful wreath to share at the whole school Armistice Day service.
In Science, we have been learning about the importance of exercise to keep our body healthy. We observed changes in our bodies as we completed different exercises for three minutes each and discussed the importance of only changing one thing when we are carrying out scientific experiments. Unfortunately, the rain stopped us from being able to run outside, but we had lots of fun running on the spot, dancing and doing yoga and then thought about which exercise was best for our body and why. We all agreed there was no correct answer as all exercise is good for us!
Mrs Witte and Tracey
Tasty Toothpaste Lowers have completed a Crest Award which involved making and testing toothpaste. They followed instructions, measuring ingredients carefully with a spoon and pipette, choosing a colour they thought would encourage people to brush their teeth. The toothpaste was assessed by how well it stayed on the toothbrush, it’s colour and how successfully it brushed away Permanent Marker on a tile to replicate brushing away plaque and keeping our teeth clean. They were extremely successful and their toothpaste brushed the tiles clean, there was also an enticing minty smell wafting around the room from the Peppermint drops, the toothpaste consistency was mostly thick enough to stay on the toothbrush. Well done Lowers, great Science!
Seniors
Wake up Boo! Year 9 have been studying the classic American novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ and as part of a homework project some Year 9 pupils have created some superb 3D models of Boo Radley’s house. The pupils used information taken from the novel to ensure that their models were as accurate as possible. I love the little details of the houses and how the models manage to capture the brooding atmosphere of Boo Radley’s house.
Mrs Roberts
Petit-déjeuner pour les neufs Y9 enjoyed a very tasty French lesson with M. Swabey and his guest, Guillaume. Children had to come up and ask for food, then discuss the price before being able to take it away to eat. It was a really good opportunity for them to practise their conversational French as well as to eat some proper continental breakfast items! Bravo a tous!
Senior Guitar Concert The Music Department are delighted to invite you to their Senior Guitar Concert on Wednesday 22nd November at 6.30pm in the South Downs Hall. There will be a variety of performances on different guitars from rock to pop and classical to acoustic. Entry is free and there will be refreshments served from 6pm. Parents, please encourage your children to sign up, there is a sign-up sheet on the music room door for them to put their name on. Its a great opportunity to perform in a more relaxed environment. Please do come along and support the children, they've been practising hard for this and we have some very talented musicians! Mark Knopfler beware....
From the Music Department
Sports News
Diving to new depths! Huge congratulations to Leo H who completed his PADI Junior Open Water qualification over the summer. He was the youngest ever person to pass this gruelling course at the dive centre. Well done Leo - we can't wait to see what diving adventures you get up to.
Rose Sanders Hampshire Schools Athletics Success During the summer a number of our students participated at The Hampshire School Athletics event in Southampton. Year 9 student Rose S fought off some tough competition to win gold in the U14 long jump. This is a fantastic achievement and is much deserved. Also a big well done to all the other students that competed on the day! The summer feels like a long time ago now....
U9 Football Match On Thursday the U9 boys football team travelled to PGS for a triangular tournament vs Prince Mead and PGS.The boys played Princes Mead who started strongly and stormed into a 2-0 lead. However the Ditcham boys settled into the game and after some last ditch defending from Arthur B-P started to play some football. Charlie B and Thomas H Thomas played some lovely balls over the top, which Jacob M managed to latch on to and finished cooly past the onrushing keeper. Prince Mead scored a late goal which meant the game finished 3-1
In the second game vs PGS the boys played some excellent football and were unlucky not to win the game. Charlie B scored a goal that even Erling Haaland would be proud of, he ran on to a superb ball from Thomas H again and smashed it into the top corner. PGS got a goal back but didn't really threaten after that and Ditcham just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net in the closing stages. Another great game and the boys worked really hard. Well done all Mr Walton Sunday Adventure Ride, Stansted Park.
Last Sunday a committed group of young cyclists and parents met at Stansted Park for a lovely end of half-term ride. Astonishingly, the weather was fabulous even if the ground was saturated. Although the course was relatively flat and technically straightforward, the mud under the wheels made it challenging at times and our young riders coped exceptionally well with slippery roots and tyre sucking gloop. It was lovely to see our last bike club leader, Lucy O’Loughlin join us for the ride. A big thank you to our ride leader, Fergus O’Loughlin for navigating us through the route and to Thomas Klemm, a Year 10 pupil, who helped out on the day and enjoyed the ride too.
Mark Philips Adventure Sports Coordinator
https://sway.office.com/nFusggWvqImAn1gn#content=QykeOQGheN2hKS
Bronze DofE Awards
Congratulations to the following recipients of the Bronze Award:
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Edith Horlock
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Megan Bedford
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Zac Henton
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Nell Howard
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Josh Lewis
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Natalia Arnold
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Megan Huxham
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Jake Gallagher
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William MacDonald-Robinson
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Emily Hughes
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Henry Brown
This is a wonderful achievement and recognition of the many hours of hard work put in to complete the award.
Mark Philips Adventure Sports Coordinator Army Boxing Demonstration and Talk Earlier in the week, we welcomed three members of the British Army Boxing Team to Ditchham. They gave a really insightful talk to the children about a career in the Army but also from a sports perspective about nutrition and training. There was a chance for them to put the children through their paces as well! Huge thanks to Lucy Kisielewska, Niamh Brookes and Charlotte Tasker for giving up their time to come in, we really enjoyed meeting them!
On Tuesday a riveting clash between Ditcham Under 15 and the formidable St Eds, the match unfolded as a tale of resilience and determination. Despite finding themselves in a challenging position, three goals down against St Eds, Ditcham staged a spectacular comeback, eventually drawing the game 3-3. The comeback was spearheaded by the impressive Hayden, who not only showcased his goal-scoring prowess but also played a pivotal role by securing the equalizer. The boys never let their heads drop and were a credit to the school. Adding to the excitement, Archie contributed a noteworthy goal, a superb team effort that highlighted the squad's cohesion and skill. The intricate build-up play leading to Archie's goal reflected the collective strength and teamwork of the squad Superb performances by Oscar Ulph and the tough tackling Olli Bailey were also real highlights, well done to everyone involved.
On Wednesday a football doubleheader on the Astro at THE EDGE in Haslemere saw the Ditcham U13 team demonstrate determination and skill in matches against KES and St Eds. The first match saw Ditcham U13 facing KES, and despite a valiant effort, they experienced a narrow 1-0 defeat. The contest was closely fought, with both teams battling for supremacy on the field. Despite defeat, the team exhibited commendable effort and sportsmanship. The second match against St Eds proved to be a more evenly contested affair, ending in a 1-1 draw. Alfie Harris emerged as a standout performer, showcasing his skill with a crucial goal from a free kick. His precise execution demonstrated both technique and accuracy. The defensive backbone of Hector, Stanley and Callum played a crucial role in holding the line against the opponents. Their resilience and coordination contributed to the team's overall solid performance. Additionally, Noah's excellence in goalkeeping added a layer of confidence to the defensive setup, ensuring that the opposition found it challenging to breach the Ditcham defence. In the triangular tournament, Ditcham U13 secured the second position, a good afternoons work well done all.
On Thursday, Ditcham Under 8s travelled to St Eds. The team kicked off the matches with a dominant display in the first game against St Eds, controlling the field and dictating the tempo. Despite the match ending in a 0-0 draw, Ditcham's Under 8s showcased their skill, teamwork, and ability to dominate play from the outset. The positive momentum continued into the second game against Boundary Oak, where the Under 8s secured a convincing 3-0 victory. Kamdi Ogbu contributed two goals, and Will Crossley added another, highlighting the team's attacking prowess. In the third game against Boundary Oak Under 9s, Ditcham faced a tougher challenge, ultimately losing 2-0. Despite the defeat, the team displayed determination and sportsmanship. The day concluded with another commendable performance in the fourth game against St Eds Under 9s, resulting in a 0-0 draw. The young players demonstrated defensive solidity and held their ground against an older age group. Well done to all the team!
Up Coming Sports Fixtures We have a couple of big sports fixtures in the calendar for our first week back. Do come along and support the teams if you can! Please take a look at the table to see what fixtures are being played and where they are.
Many thanks The PE Department
Notices and Events
Stay and Play in Reception and Dragonflies! We have a Stay and Play for our preschool, Dragonflies coming up on Tuesday 21st November at 9.30am and a Stay and Play for our Reception class on Friday 24th November. Please do spread the word. Places can be booked through our website
Anti-Bullying Week 2023
Anti-Bullying Week 2023 is coordinated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. This year it has the theme 'Make Some Noise' and will take place from Monday 13th to Friday 17th November. The week will be kicked off with Odd Socks Day on Monday 13th November, where adults and children wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique. It would be wonderful if all pupils in across the whole School would be able to rally their support and wear odd socks. Bringing our Ditcham Park Community together. In PSHE in the Senior School we will be making a noise about bullying in the PSHE sessions. Understanding that bullying in all its forms will not be tolerated. Thanks for all your support.
Mrs Jane Browning
Scholastic Book Fair - Junior School Next Week Our hard-working Friends of Ditcham Park have organised for a huge book fair to come to the Junior school next week. Children will have the chance to look through the books and purchase items as well (all done on-line, so no need to bring cash in!) Form Tutors will be taking the children to the fair throughout the week. Keep an eye on our social media pages and the Junior News Bulletin for more details....
Adventure Race at Ditcham Park The popular Questars Adventure Race Series is coming to Ditcham on Saturday 11th November. There are options to run, bike or run and bike over a scenic trail route. You can enter as a team or individually and you can even borrow a bike if you don't have one suitable for the terrain! For Ditcham staff, pupils and parents they are offering a 20% discount on entry fees. For more information, visit the Questars website