Ditcham Newsletter - Friday 1st December 2023 Dear Parents Christmas has well and truly arrived at Ditcham with a stunning 16 foot Christmas tree being placed at the foot of the Harry Potter stair case for us all to enjoy. Smaller trees have sprung up around the buildings as the four Houses vie for Top Tree in the inter-House Tree Decorating Competition. It was a pleasure to host Lord Robert Winston last Friday, he gave his time willingly to the whole school community and really took the time to answer questions and share his thoughts on many different issues. You can read the full report here - it was a day for many of us to remember! We are entering the last few busy weeks of term with much to look forward to. Please do take some time to read through the notices at the end of this newsletter, there are some important details to be shared about the Carol Service, Christmas Market and other festive activities we have lined up for our community. Wishing you all a restful weekend.
Graham Spawforth Headmaster
Junior Merit Winners Congratulations to all the Junior merit winners for this week!
Headteacher Awards Congratulations to our senior award winners for this week too.
Dragonflies
Winter arrives at Dragonflies! This week, the children have been exploring what winter looks and feels like - and we certainly got lucky with the weather! The children had the chance to catch REAL snowflakes, feel the crunch of frozen grass and leaves under their feet and experiment with ice on the water trays outside. But it wasn't all cold play outside, the children have been learning their phonics and finding creative ways to spell out words. We are fortunate to be able to really adapt our curriculum so that its topical and relevant and this keeps the children engaged and excited. Part of our mission is to ensure the children transition into Reception ready and happy to learn and we've certainly seem some happy little learners this week! We have loved welcoming new friends to our preschool - Jack and Goldie are settling in really well. Wishing you all a happy weekend! Kylie and Claire
Juniors
Street Child for Uppers This week, Uppers have been writing their ending for the book Street Child – Chapter 9… For context, there have been many twists and turns already in the first 8 chapters. The book is based on a true story set in Victorian Times. Jim, a young boy (about 10 years of age) is an orphan, who has been separated from his sisters and ended up in The Workhouse. Having spent about a year in The Workhouse he realised that he had to escape. He ceases his opportunity late one night and slinks through a gap in the open gate whilst a delivery is being made. What should he do? Where should he go? What will happen next? We shared ideas as a class and modelled a story plan. The children set their own success criteria and then wrote their story endings, editing and improving it upon completion. We shared some together in class and are now in the process of reading the actual ending written by author Berlie Doherty. I actually think the endings that the children came up with are as good if not better than the actual ending! Please enjoy reading Freddie Beck’s Chapter 9 Mr Ainsworth Street Child - Chapter 9 By Freddie Beck Jim was still roaming the grubby, poor, and dark streets of London in search of Rosie and his sisters. Meanwhile, in the depths of Southampton, a man named Barnie heard about how children had been poorly treated. This shocked him and one hour later all of his bags were packed, after getting a small black train to London, Barnie got off at a large station with a huge clock in the centre. Exhausted, Jim heard the sound of a constable’s whistle and didn`t know what to do, he couldn’t run because his legs hurt too much!
What could he do?! The constable was making his way over to Jim, “Oi, what are you doing all on your own and out at a time such as now?” “Sorry, just walking home” he called, “Where is your Ma or Pa?” “They are busy.” Jim lied, The look on his face instantly told the officer he was a runaway. “I’m gonna take you to the workhouse Sonny!” The constable came strutting toward him with his whistle dangling from his neck and his bat grasped. “Jim could see a figure in the distance approaching the officer, as he came closer the moonlight shone on him, and he became clearer to Jim. “Leave him alone!” the figure shouted. “He’s mine!” “Sorry, sir, uurr good night I um bye.” The constable disappeared into the shadows. Who was this mysterious figure?
“Hi, I'm Dr Barnado, or Barnie for short.”
“Jim, Jim Jarvis,” Barnie explained to Jim that he was here to help and wanted to save the children stuck inside the workhouse, in other words, hell! They bought a small, white cottage as soon as possible and made it a comfortable place to stay. “Right Jim,” began Barnie. “When you were in the workhouse, how many children roughly were there?” “Hundreds, thousands, too many to count!” “That's more than I thought, we'd better get started.” With that, they set off to the grotty, old workhouse ready and prepared for the great escape.
They ran and barged into the Mr Sissons' office and made sure that they could free the children in the workhouse, of course, it didn’t work so they switched to plan B. “Jim, there is only one thing left to do, we are going to open the gates at night, the children are going to escape and we will take care of them.” At eleven O’clock, Barnie and Jim made their way to the workhouse. Barnie snuck into the sleeping room and awoke all the children, Jim was on the lookout making sure no one came in or out. As Barnie led the children toward the main gates, Mr Sissons woke up after hearing footsteps outside his sleeping quarters. As Mr Sissons made his way down the snaking spiral stairs, Barnie and a few of the children hid behind a pillar. Shortly after, Barnie realized that the kids could not all fit behind the pillar without being seen. “Who’s there!” belted out Mr Sissons as he was making his way into the hall. “Run for it!” a child shouted, Mr Sissons was now running toward them with his oil lamp and demanding to come back. Barnie led the children into a dark room and quickly split them into groups and they all ran in different directions. Barnie led one group out of the workhouse, they were free but there were many more. The second group was teasing Mr Sissons as they knew he was older than them so he couldn’t run as well as the kids could.
Eventually, they lead Mr Sissons into a pitch-black room that is as dark as a funeral scarf. The children quietly made their way out through a small door and escaped. The third and final group all hid under the stairs not knowing what to do. Most of them were under the age of eight and weren’t very comfortable in a situation like this, Barnie came creeping in and led the children toward the gate Jacob stood as tall as flying kites, Jim came running in and saw What had happened, “Jim I can’t let you go, the police and Mr and Mrs Sissons will come after you.” “Jacob, it’s ok, we have it covered, the workhouse is a horrible place and people of any age do not deserve to be treated like this,” Jim had a small glint in his eye and Jacob was finding it hard to make up his mind. “You're not going anywhere!” hollowed Jacob, “Not without me!” “You will not be going anywhere this is highly illegal.” Mr Sissons was now emerging from the workhouse. “Time to go” exclaimed Barnie with that Jim Jarvis, Barnie, Jacob, and all the children made a run for it to Barnie’s cottage.
They found a horse and cart and jumped aboard, they then made their way down a dark, thin alleyway and lost Mr Sissons, here they were approaching Barnie and Jim’s cottage. One month later Barnie had a large childcare building with proper beds and proper care with proper food. Dr Barnado’s Childcare was a hit, Barnie had freed so many children that there wasn’t enough space for everyone so he encouraged people to open childcare buildings globally. The world is a much better place now and we should all be very thankful that we were not Jim Jarvis. His sisters did one day come back and they all lived together in happiness Camouflaged Creatures Middles have been working on an exciting STEAM – CREST Award Activity this week. They thought about the types of camouflage that creatures use. They skilfully designed and coloured butterflies to match a chosen background, realising that pattern, colour and texture are all important. Their butterflies are not only incredibly beautiful but also very difficult to spot! Their predators won’t stand a chance. Jane O’Hara
Life of Pi Trip On Tuesday evening, 85 of us, from Ditcham, went to the sold out Chichester Festival Theatre, to watch the fantastic Life of Pi. The puppetry was so good that we all forgot the puppeteers were there and the sets were incredible; changing very quickly - transporting us from a hospital in Mexico to a zoo and street market in India, not to mention the vast ocean, in the blink of an eye. The children behaved impeccably throughout and were transfixed by the story. We received a number of compliments from audience members (some of whom were Ditcham alumni) about their behaviour well done! Rather than take my word for it, please read some of the observations from children in Lower Juniors, who came with us:
The Life of Pi was amazing! Hanging out with my besties was really fun too! The puppet animals were absolutely amazing. My friend had tears in her eyes when the goat was killed. The ice-cream was delicious and we had a real laugh as we ate it. I give it 5 Stars, plus extra for the ice-cream. Isla D I loved going to the Life of Pi, at Chichester, with Lowers, Middles and Uppers. At the start they ran a big zoo in India, where a new exhibit had arrived...a BENGAL TIGER! But that's all just memory, 2 people were interviewing Pi (Mrs Chen and Mrs Okimoto). The Bengal tiger had been fed Buckingham (a goat and Pi's favourite pet), so Pi hated the tiger. And that's just the start....it was really, really, really good. 5 Stars. Harley L I loved the play! It was very sad though! The puppetry was stunning - you didn't feel like the people were inside. We also learnt a bit about India (which is what we are studying in Geography!). It mentioned lots of countries. I really enjoyed it. 5 Stars. Bobby T The Life of Pi was the best play I have ever seen! There were tigers, monkeys, hyenas and zebras. It was the best in every way. The play was sad, but also a bit of a comedy, as Pi was really funny. 5 Stars. Tildie W-T
As always, these trips could not happen without the fantastic support of our colleagues, parents and friends - a huge thank you to Mrs Atkinson, Tess and Dave Hall, Amy and Matt Dennis, Kelly Huxham, Kim Barker, Scott Atkinson and Eddie.
House Tree Decorating Christmas has definitely arrived at Ditcham with Christmas Trees popping up all over the place. A splendid 16 foot tree is now filling our hall - reaching up the stairs where children can hang decorations. Then four smaller trees for each of the Houses have also started to be adorned with hand-made decorations - its lovely to see these cross-year-group House activities taking place!
Laila-Rose flying high Last week Laila-Rose Berry in UJA performed at the Point Theatre in Eastleigh in award winning Spot on Productions production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in a lead role as Jemima Potts
Laila received incredible reviews on her performance from the local media flying high in the Chitty Car - well done Laila, we are really proud of you.
Seniors
Its in your DNA Year 8 have had a very creative STEM lesson (some might say STEAM lesson therefore...) making some origami DNA. They learnt about the structure of this complex yet absolutely critical molecule, putting together base pairs and literally pulling it apart to figure out how it forms its characteristic double helix. Students also understood how it was discovered and the processes that lead to its discovery which marked a pinnacle in the history of science and medicine. Mrs Boyland
Good News for Year 7 The Good News people from Petersfield (The Gideons) came to visit our Year 7 students this week to talk about the Bible and to spread the word of Jesus. Children were given a small Gideon's Bible to take away and had fun with a festive quiz around the story of the birth of Christ.
Gruesome Science Year 9s had fun creating some prosthetics similar to those used in movies as part of their science lessons on bioplastics. Thankfully no actual children were harmed in the making of these realistic-looking wounds but they certainly learnt a great deal about how useful bioplastics in industry can be!
Mrs Boyland
Sports News
House Rugby Report
As the crisp November air swept through our school grounds, heralding the arrival of autumn with its clear orange skies, our annual House Rugby Tournament unfolded in a whirlwind of competition and camaraderie. This year's tournament showcased the prowess and resilience of our school's rugby teams, with Forms 3, 4, and 5 igniting the field in the first week, followed by the enthusiastic Forms 1, 2, and 3 in the second week. The initial clashes saw Chalton emerging as underdogs, fervently striving on the field but trailing closely behind Harting after the first week. Meanwhile, Nyewood and Buriton houses surged ahead, securing a formidable lead. However, the tides of the tournament swiftly turned in a remarkable display of sportsmanship and determination. Chalton, fortifying their efforts, rallied with vigour, amassing crucial points that propelled them to first place narrowly beating Buriton house by 1 point. Amidst the fiercely contested games, what truly shone was the incredible sportsmanship, camaraderie, and unwavering team spirit exhibited by all participants. Yet, it's imperative to also extend a notable mention to some standout Form 5 referees—Louis E, William P, Charlie C and James S. Thank you all for your exceptional contribution.
The tournament wasn't merely a showcase of athletic talent; it encapsulated the values of teamwork, resilience, and fair play that are deeply ingrained in our school's ethos. It was a testament to the dedication and passion of our students, coming together on the field to not just compete but to uplift each other and revel in the joy of the game.
Photos to follow..... Sailing Success Huge congratulations to Lucy S for winning the Junior Trophy at Langstone Sailing Club. Lucy was awarded this prestigious cup for being the most improved Junior sailor and, to top it all, was the ONLY Junior to win a prize at the ceremony. Well done Lucy!
Mud Glorious Mud On Monday, fourteen Ditcham students set off to brave the British weather and compete in the Hampshire Inter-Schools Cross Country at Bedales. The conditions under-foot were described as "really, really muddy". This testing terrain resulted in Rupert even losing his shoe during the race! Everyone showed real grit and determination whilst competing on this difficult cross country course. The Year 9 girls paced well and had three in the top 15. However, performance of the day must go to
Millie T who finished first in the Year 9 girls race beating off some strong competition. Well done to all our cross-country runners. Miss Small
Notices and Events
Giant Christmas Charity Market Saturday 9th December, Giant Christmas Charity Market, 9.30am – 3pm, The Petersfield School Hall, Cranford Road, the Causeway. Many festive stalls- artwork, crochet and knitted baby hats, cakes, jams, chutneys, books, puzzles, cards, craft, spring bulbs, bath & skin products, jewellery, toys, collectables, wreaths and gifts. Refreshments with bacon butties. Free admission & free parking. Charity raffle. The event will support Portsmouth Hospitals Charity cancer services fund. Other local charity stalls will include Petersfield Musical Festival and the Rosemary Foundation hospice at home nurses. Enquiries 07798 753836.
You are invited to the FDPS Christmas Market on Friday 8th December from 3pm
The Market will start at 1.15pm and end at 3.45pm for our pupils and we welcome families and friends from 3pm. There will be a Festive Café selling warm drinks, mince pies and savoury snacks, as well as an opportunity to buy gifts in time for Christmas such as personalised jewellery and key rings, sweet treats, candle holders, coasters and much more. Come and meet the Embers bushcraft team and toast some marshmallows! The festive donkeys are back by popular demand so do come and feed them some carrots. Each class has a stall which has been organised by parents to allow children to play games, have fun and win some prizes too. Stalls include pin the nose on Rudolph, Jolly Jam Jars, festive skittles, Secret Santa, tinsel pull, along with the chance for your children to purchase and wrap a gift for their friends or family to open on Christmas Day. All children from Dragonflies to Lowers will have the chance to meet Father Christmas in his grotto and receive a gift. Tickets need to be pre ordered using Ticketsource following this link You will be able to purchase anything at the Christmas Market using cash, card or tickets in lieu of cash. Tickets in lieu of cash can be purchased prior to the event by following this ticketsource link. We ask that children have a maximum of £5 in tickets and a maximum of £10 in cash. We have had some fabulous prizes donated for our Christmas raffle and tickets will be sent home in book bags. These will also be available to purchase on the day. Please send ticket stubs back in book bags or envelopes (seniors). We are also recruiting helpers who would like to lend a hand on the day. Maybe you would like to help in the café or assist our team with building Father Christmas's grotto. If you can help in any way, please contact the Friends at friendsditcham@gmail.com Donations for the Christmas Market would be gratefully received. Any donations of non perishable goods such as books, chocolates, sweets, secret Santa gifts etc should be brought into school on the
morning of the 7th December (Thursday.) Any perishable goods (mince pies, cakes etc) should be brought in on the morning of the 8th (Friday). Please remember that we are a nut free school. All donations can be dropped at the school reception. If you would like to attend our Christmas Market, please complete this short form by clicking here so that we have an idea of how many people to expect. We very much look forward to seeing you!
The FDPS Team
Pre-Order your Christmas box!
There will be a stall at the Market next week that is taking pre-orders for beautiful personalised Christmas Eve Boxes. What's even better is that these are made by Mia and Austyn, two of our business savvy Uppers. If you'd like to order one and collect next week, take a look at the poster for details on how to get your hands on one.
Christmas Activities There is A LOT going on over the coming weeks so here are two posters for Junior and Senior that break it down. If you'd like to book a place at the Nativity, please click on this link to sign up Could we also ask you to let us know whether or not you are attending the Carol Service (and therefore will collect your child from the Cathedral) - this will help us hugely with logistics. Unusually this year, we are holding our Carol Service the day before the end of term. The reason for this is that, much like a good pair of trousers over Christmas, we have grown so much that we don't fit in a smaller venue. St John's Cathedral in Portsmouth will be where we are celebrating the Christmas service this year and because of prior bookings, they have slotted us in the day before term ends. You can let us know whether or not you are able to attend the Carol Service by clicking this link and completing the short form We look forward to celebrating the festive period with our #ditchamcommunity!
After School Care is Changing!
From January, we will be using CM Sports for our after school care provision. You child(ren) will come home with a couple of flyers with booking details on and what activities are available. There will still be care until 6pm if you need it so rest assured there are plenty of options if you rely on wrap-around support. For more information, head to the CM Sports website
Christmas Tennis Camps! The Ditcham Park Tennis Academy is holding three days of their popular camp from 18th to 20th December. Spaces are limited so please make sure you book your place quickly! £60 for one day or £150 for all three. The camp is suitable for Year 3 to Year 7 children.