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Headteacher's Cup Winners

• this week's cup winners

  Fri 28 Nov 2014
  Pufflings: Anna - Work hard and concentrate
  Anna is certainly putting in the hours to learn her sounds and numbers. She is making wonderful progress in all areas. Well done, Anna!
  Kangaroos: Vinnie - Work hard and concentrate
  Vinnie always comes to school with a brilliant attitude and bags of enthusiasm. He continues to make excellent progress in reading.
  Chipmunks: Cameron - Don’t give up
  Cameron has worked really hard to improve his writing. His perseverance has paid off and he achieved his writing target yesterday. Brilliant!
  Penguins: Sunny - Improve
  Improving every day, such impressive writing. Keep up the good work Sunny! Great target work too!
  Spider Monkeys: Ted - Try new things
  Ted has enjoyed having a go this week and has completed some tricky challenges! Well done, Ted!
  Wolves: Rihanna - Work hard and concentrate
  Rihanna has worked extremely hard in Maths this week. She has concentrated hard and listened well. Super Star, Keep it up!
  Owls: Carla - Work hard and concentrate
  Carla shows an unfailingly positive attitude to her learning and always gives her best. Keep it up, Carla!
  Brown Bears: Kia - Don’t give up
  Kia has persevered with all aspects of her learning. She is such a hard worker and is making great progress. Well done!
  Sports Cup: Sam - Respect
  Sam has worked well with team-mates in a great range of spots clubs and competitions this term (athletics, football, cross country, hockey) and, in particular, for his leadership of the dodgeball team. Well done, Sam! 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

• OLYMPIAN VISITS ST. ANDREW’S

  Thu 27 Nov 2014
    We all had a brilliant start to the week with a visit from British slalom canoeist, Fiona Pennie. Fiona competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and became European Champion in 2013. She is based at Lee Valley White Water Centre and back in October she presented St. Andrew’s with the Active Braintree Sports School of the Year award. We invited Fiona to visit St. Andrew’s to inspire the children.... How inspired we were! Fiona demonstrated the difference between a kayak and a canoe as a very excited George Thorogood and Hannah Wallace were kitted out with lifejackets and helmets and climbed into her boats. We heard about her sporting achievements and disappointments. A recording of Fiona winning a silver medal in the 2014 World Championships was a wonderful illustration of how perseverance and determination can lead to success. Fiona presented our own British Champions with their national orienteering certificates. After break Fiona led mock training sessions for Years 5 and 6. She converted a water-based sport into a land-based activity so the children could imagine what it would be like to do a slalom course. The Owls and Miss Williams enjoyed a photocall. We were delighted that Fiona was able to join us for the orienteering celebration lunch. The team were so excited to be able to share their success with her and collect her autograph. We are extremely grateful to Fiona for making the morning such a wonderful experience for everyone, both staff and pupils. The whole school was buzzing for the rest of the day! Fiona will be competing in the World Championships at Lee Valley in 2015. We shall follow her closely and wish her every success.  

   

  

• DODGE! DUCK! DIVE!

  Tue 25 Nov 2014
   The aim of the game of dodgeball is to avoid being hit by foam balls thrown by the opposing team. The dodgeball club has been very popular after school on Mondays and 11 club members were lucky enough to travel to Braintree College on Friday to play in the Level 2 dodgeball tournament. St. Andrew's team started incredibly well with 2 decisive victories against Lyons Hall and Rayne. Sam Bell and Ben Styman-Heighton were very effective captains, organising their players well with clear instructions and good tactical advice. The competition then became very intense. We narrowly lost to St. Michael's and were then defeated by White Court, the 2 teams who went on to contest the final. The remaining matches swung first one way and then the other as the balls whizzed from end to end. St. Andrew's soon found their best form again and finished on a high with a series of great catches and strikes by Bradley Cattermole. Well done to Sam Bell, Rosy Bird, Chloe Burtenshaw, Bradley Cattermole, India Hook, Joel Hull, Ben Johnstone, Tom Leader, Eleanor O'Neill, Liam Polley and Ben Styman-Heighton on a most energetic and ent ertaining afternoon of sport.

   

  

• This week's Headteacher Cup Winners - 21st November 2014

  Sat 22 Nov 2014
  Pufflings:  Amy  -  Work hard and concentrate
  We are so proud of Amy!  Not even a term in and you are writing independently.  Wow!  Amy used her phonics knowledge to read and write words.
  Kangaroos:  Lucas  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Lucas has made super progress in Maths this week.  He is learning to talk through his work checking his answers for accuracy.
  Chipmunks:  Aaron  -  Try new things
  Aaron has been trying his very best during our nativity rehearsals.  He has been reading his line beautifully clearly and enjoyed taking part, we are very proud of you Aaron!
  Penguins:  Neve  -  Work hard and concentrate
  For excellent observational skills in Science, observing how water changes.
  Spider Monkeys:  Tom  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Tom has put in the hours at home and school and is really enjoying his learning.  Keep it up Tom!
  Wolves:  Ben  -  Work hard and concentrate/Improve
  Ben has worked so hard this week on his handwriting, his presentation has really improved as a result.  Well done Ben!
  Owls:  Ellie  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Elli has worked so hard at it this week to meet her new writing target, both in and out of school.  She has written some fabulous stories at home this week.
  Brown Bears:  Oliver  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Oliver has worked quietly and conscientiously all term.  Well done!
  Sports Cup! Lucy  –  Don’t give up
  Lucy bounced back from  injury and trained hard for the British Orienteering Championships. She showed great composure at the start and used all her experience to navigate the course and race home in 2^nd place.  Congratulations on your silver medal, Lucy!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

• Path of Friendship

  Fri 21 Nov 2014
   Children placed a decorated pebble with a message of friendship in the reflection garden, uniting together against bullying. As the children placed the pebble, they said their kind word or message. Here are a few pictures...

  

• British Championships

  Sun 16 Nov 2014
  To win the British Orienteering Championships in 2013 was a wonderful surprise, a once in a lifetime achievement.  To win again in 2014 was beyond our wildest dreams! 
   
  On 16^th November the seemingly impossible happened.  Not only were St. Andrew’s crowned British Champions for the second year running, but the Year 5 boys and the Year 6 boys both won their age group team competitions and Lucy Walker was awarded the Year 6 girls’ individual silver medal.  With St. Andrew’s name on 3 national trophies this is undoubtedly the school’s most successful team ever.
   
  In front of the beautiful stately home at Temple Newsam near Leeds the competitors lined up for the start.  Over the course of the morning a total of 650 young people navigated the complex network of routes laid out around the parkland and woods.  St. Andrew’s runners all showed remarkable composure at such a major event.  Evie Amos and Amy Skeet held their nerve and used their map-reading skills to complete the Year 5 girls’ course which included some tricky navigation in the finishing stages. 
   
  With Harrison Dixey, Thomas Leader, Thomas Martin, Zac Poter and William Press lined up ready to go there was strength in depth to our Year 5 boys’ team, which also included Jamie Hartnup, Ben Partridge and Oliver Prince from Year 4 who ran incredibly well against older opposition.  The team were worthy winners of their age class, as were the Year 6 boys, Joel Hull, Liam Polley, Oliver Pringle and Ben Styman-Heighton, who formed a very strong unit and achieved an emphatic victory. 
   
  One of the last competitors to set off was Lucy Walker.  She leapt almost to the top of the leader board as she raced home in 13 minutes to claim second spot and the individual silver medal in the Year 6 girls’ category.  Harrison Dixey displayed great speed and navigation skills, clocking the 3^rd fastest time in the Year 5 boys’ category, but unfortunately his dibber had failed to record at one checkpoint and he was unable to score.  Also finishing in very high positions and just missing out on individual honours were Thomas Martin (4^th), William Press and Jamie Hartnup (5^th), Liam Polley (8^th), Oliver Pringle (9^th).  
   
  Former St. Andrew’s pupils continue to enjoy the sport and achieved medal success with Ramsey College and Hedingham School.
   
  Mrs Hartley congratulates the children on their fantastic achievements and sends her thanks to their parents for their loyal support.  St. Andrew’s sporting success reflects the enthusiasm and commitment of so many families.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• This week's Headteacher Cup Winners

  Fri 14 Nov 2014
  Pufflings:  Lily  -  Improving
  Lily, what a lot of work you have done!  You know nearly all of your sounds so far.  You are a superstar.  Well done!
  Kangaroos:  Chloe  -  Respecting yourself and others
  Chloe has shown through her kind actions that she always thinks of others and is very understanding of their feelings.
  Chipmunks:  Improve
  Abigail has been making such an effort with her writing this term, producing her best writing to date in big write this week.  Fantastic work Abigail, keep it up!
  Penguins:  Isabel  -  Improve
  Wonderful writing Isabel! The John Lewis advert inspired Isabel! 'Sam held a fish finger out and Monty took a giant leap to get the fish finger.'
  Spider Monkeys:  Heston  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Heston has focused on the right things and worked extremely hard in all subjects this week, you have been a super star Heston!
  Wolves:  Alesha  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Alesha has put a super effort into improving her cursive handwriting.  What a super star!
  Owls:  Luca  -  Improve
  Luca makes every effort to be the very best that he can be and is producing fabulous work as a result!  Keep it up!
  Brown Bears:  Tahseen  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Tahseen has applied himself to his Science work  -  he has also worked hard to complete his homework on time.
  Sports Cup:  Joel  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Joel’s preparation for the British Orienteering Championships has been meticulous.  He approaches every training session and league event with a real sense of purpose.  Great focus, Joel!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

• IT’S RAINING, IT’S POURING, THE ORIENTEERS ARE SCORING!

  Thu 13 Nov 2014
      It was possibly the wettest orienteering event ever at Mildenhall North. The rain became heavier and heavier as the early runners set off. Fortunately the maps are printed on waterproof paper! Daisy Harrington was the first girl home for St. Andrew’s, continuing her great start to the season. Dripping wet, but still smiling, Louis Dove and Luca Tufnell both clocked fast times as they checked in at the finish control. Katie-May Blower is ready to run solo and start scoring in the league and she is certainly one to watch. By the time the late runners set off the rain had stopped and Oliver Prince took advantage of the drier conditions to achieve an incredible second place on the 2.5km yellow course, narrowly beaten on time by one Year 7 runner. Fresh from his house cross country victory Zac Poter put his talent for long distance running to good use by winning the 2.0km white course in 10.06. Hot on his heels was William Press. Following in their siblings footsteps Daisy and Holli Dixey, Ben Martin and Abigail Prince all enjoyed a run through the forest on the white course. Well done to Evie Amos, Rosy Bird, Harrison Dixey, Jamie Hartnup, Thomas Leader, Thomas Martin, Ben Partridge, Liam Polley, Seb Poter, Amy and Ryan Skeet, Ben Styman-Heighton, Thomas Walker and Hannah Wallace. Congratulations to all our runners on braving the weather and being great ambassadors for St. Andrew’s. Once again thank you, parents, for your loyal support.

   

• ORIENTEERS OR MOUNTAINEERS?

  Thu 13 Nov 2014
   We didn’t know that Essex was so hilly!  St. Andrew’s orienteers loved the rollercoaster course at Langdon Hills on Sunday.  The near vertical ascent of the mud slope was particularly popular!
   
  There were many, many great runs which together earned us our highest total of the season so far: 591 points.  Liam Polley dashed home in 8.19, the fastest time of the day, with Zac Poter, William Press and Oliver Pringle only seconds behind.  An incredible run by Lucy Walker saw her top the score sheet as the only girl to break the 10 minute barrier.  Determined to run unaccompanied, Seb Poter set off alone and his courage paid off as he sprinted into the finish with 97 points to his name.  Thomas Walker and Ryan Skeet cemented their partnership and clocked a brilliant time too.  
   
  With only a week to go before the nationals Tom Leader and Amy Skeet were both in fine form.  All in all, the course was great preparation for the British Championships near Leeds this coming weekend.  We wish the team the very best of luck.
   
  Well done to all St. Andrew’s runners – Evie Amos, Rosy Bird, Katie-May Blower, Charlotte Caswell, Max Davies, Louis Dove, Daisy Harrington, Jamie Hartnup, Joel Hull, Ben Martin, Thomas Martin, Ben Partridge, Izzy Peters, Abigail Prince, Oliver Prince, Ben Styman-Heighton and Luca Tufnell.  Thank you for your commitment and enthusiasm.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• This week's Headteacher Cup Winners

  Sat 08 Nov 2014
  Pufflings: Theo  -  Try new things
  Theo has been using  Numicon to work out number bonds to 6.  Fantastic number work Theo, well done!
  Kangaroos:  Lexie  -  Improve
  We have been jumping for joy every morning this week to see Lexie’s improvement in reading.  Her confidence has blossomed – BRILLIANT!
  Chipmunks:  Ewan  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Ewan has worked hard to make better choices this week.  He has also been very excited about his learning, especially during our Science experiments.  Well done Ewan, keep it up!
  Penguins:  Lilly May -Work hard and concentrate
  Lilly May has enjoyed learning in Penguins this week, smiling, engaged and achieving fabulous results!  A great Marshmallow Igloo.
  Spider Monkeys:  Marty  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Marty has focused on the right things and strives for accuracy and precision.  Well done Marty, what a super Spider Monkey!
  Wolves:  Zara  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Zara has worked hard this week in Literacy, particularly with learning her spellings – she got every one in our test correct!  Well done Zara, a super effort!
  Owls:  Jack  -  Improve
  Jack has been so determined to improve his writing this week;   he has already shown us that he has met his new target in his writing journal!  Great effort, Jack!
  Brown Bears:  Morgan  -  Work hard and concentrate
  Morgan has maintained a focussed approach to all of his learning this year.  He has been keen to improve and has made super progress.
  Sports Trophy:  Hannah Wallace - Don't give up
  for her remarkable improvement in the House Cross Country race. Last time she found the course very challenging.  This time she stormed home in 6th place.  Well done Hannah!