Dear parents and guardians,
This newsletter highlights key events happening across each of our schools this half term, with the last day of term being Wednesday 28 March.
Quick links
If you'd like to look further forward for any school, please check the website calendar.
You can also check sports fixtures throughout the term using our new sports website.
World Book Day Collaboration
1 March
All children will be able to dress up as a book character of their choice and celebrate World Book Day with their Dame Bradbury's peers.
Year One will travel to Saffron Walden and enjoy a range of book themed activities at Dame B's.
Year Two will host a celebration at the City site for their Dame B's friends, where we look forward to welcoming Polly Faber (alumna of Perse School for Girls) who will talk to the children about her 'Mango and Bambang' series. She will be accompanied by Clara Vulliamy (daughter of Shirley Hughes) who illustrates the 'Mango and Bambang'.
Whipple Museum
6 March
(City)
9 March
(Madingley)
During this experience the children will be visiting the Whipple Museum, Cambridge to explore and understand the science behind light and shadows. The children will look at a range of scientific artefacts and learn how scientists, doctors and mathematicians have helped us in the past.
The children will need to have a waterproof coat as they will need to walk from the coach or City site.
Gymnastics Displays
12 - 21 March
Parents will have the opportunity to watch a co-ordinated gymnastics display in the hall:
- 12 March - City Y1 at 1.40pm
- 13 March - City Y2 at 1.40pm
- 20 March - Madingley Y1 at 2.30pm
- 21 March - Madingley Y2 at 2.30pm
Each child will showcase a sequence they have prepared demonstrating the gymnastics skills they have learnt. The children will also perform a conditioned movement phrase as a whole class.
Class Assemblies in the Junior School Hall
Parents of participating pupils are welcome to join us from 8am for assembly at 8:40am, finishing at 9am:
- 6Aleph – Wednesday 21 February
- 6A – Monday 26 February
- 4A – Friday 2 March
- 4Alpha – Friday 9 March
- 3A – Wednesday 21 March
- 3Alpha – Friday 23 March
Year 3 Trip to Hazard Alley
22 February
Year 3 set out for Hazard Alley in Milton Keynes to learn about how to keep safe in today’s world.
Collaborative 'Space Mission' with Dame Bradbury's
Year 4 pupils from Junior School and Dame Bradbury’s will meet up at the Junior School for a ‘Space Mission’.
World War 2 evacuation day
22 February
Year 6 pupils from both schools will experience a ‘World War 2 evacuation day’ together at Dame Bradbury’s.
Year 6 pupils will be wearing period costume.
Year 5 Tudor Day at Burghley House
28 February
Not to be outdone, Year 5 also wearing period costume, will go off timetable with a Tudor Day at Burghley House near Stamford on Wednesday 28 February.
World Book Day Collaboration
1 March
All Junior School pupils are encouraged to come to school dressed as a book character of their choice.
We look forward to welcoming Polly Faber, alumna of Perse School for Girls, who will talk to Years 3 & 4 about her 'Mango and Bambang' series. She will be accompanied by Clara Vulliamy (daughter of Shirley Hughes) who illustrates the 'Mango and Bambang'.
Year 4 trip to the Scott Polar Museum
2 / 9 March
Year 4 pupils are looking forward to extending their knowledge and understanding of life in Antarctica when they visit the Scott Polar Museum. 4Alpha will be going along to the museum on Friday 2 March and 4A on Friday 9 March.
Year 6 trips to the Foundation Nature Reserve
5 - 9 March
Year 6 pupils are looking forward to their spring trips to the Foundation Nature Reserve this week.
Science Investigative Competition
Some Year 6 pupils are working towards the 2018 Science Investigative Competition, which culminates in an exciting finale with students from Dame Bradbury’s on Friday 9 March. We wish the teams from both schools all the best as they decide how to tackle their investigative research projects!
Movement Showcase (Gymnastics and Dance)
Students from the Junior School and Senior School will perform gymnastics and dance routines that they have been practising in PE lessons and club sessions over the last term.
Junior School Integrated Learning Project
12 - 16 March
This year's Junior School Integrated Learning Project will be focusing on the Foundation's Learning Wheel, with an emphasis on historical knowledge and understanding. This looks set to being an exciting week, during which Junior School pupils will have the opportunity to delve into a variety of activities, explore historical establishments on our own door step and meet a panel of experts.
'Pirates of the Curry Bean'
27 March
18:30
Year 5 pupils are working very hard towards their drama production of 'Pirates Of The Curry Bean' by Craig Hawes.
This lively musical will be performed in the Senior School Hall at 18:30 on Tuesday 27 March. Tickets will shortly be available from the Junior School Office.
Parents Evenings
- 1 March, 17.30-20.00 - Kindergarten to Year 4 Parents Evening
- 7 March, 16.00-18.00 - Kindergarten to Year 4 Parents Evening
- 12 March, 16.00-19.30 - Year 5 Parents Evening
- 13 March, 14.00-15.00 - Transition to Reception Parents Meeting
Trips
- 27 February - Sedgwick Museum Year 1 (children will be leaving school on a coach at 9:15, returning in time for lunch)
- 28 February - Sedgwick Museum Year 2 (children will be leaving school on a coach at 9:15, returning in time for lunch)
- 22 March - Year 3 Trip to Scott Polar Museum, Cambridge. Our trip to the Scott Polar Museum will help the children to understand the history of polar exploration. They will look at key historical events and the risks and rewards of braving the most extreme climates on our planet.
Spring Reading Challenge
w/b 19 February
The librarians will be launching our Spring Reading Challenge. The theme they have chosen this year is ‘A World of Words’. We would like everyone at Dame B’s - and their parents, grannies, cats and gerbils etc - to join in the fun and read as wide a range of text types as possible. The librarians will be working hard to design certificates to award at the start of the summer term. We will be running a poster competition too, which will be open to any member of Dame B’s, from the Kindergarden to Year 6.
World Book Day Collaboration
1 March
All children will be able to dress up as a book character of their choice and celebrate World Book Day with their Junior School peers.
Year One will host a celebration at Dame B's for their Junior School friends.
Year Two will travel to Cambridge and enjoy a range of book themed activities at the Junior School, including a highly anticipated visit from Polly Faber (alumna of Perse School for Girls) who will talk to the children about her 'Mango and Bambang' series. She will be accompanied by Clara Vulliamy (daughter of Shirley Hughes) who illustrates the 'Mango and Bambang'.
Collaborative 'Space Mission' with Dame Bradbury's
We are delighted to be visiting the Stephen Perse Junior School for a Year 4 ‘Collaborative Learning Day’. This will involve Year 4 children from both schools spending a day at the Junior School focusing on thinking skills and decision-making activities.
World War 2 evacuation day
22 February
Our Year 6 pupils will be joined by their counterparts from the Junior School to experience some aspects of what it would have been like to be a WW2 evacuee. Dressed in role, they will share activities including making toys, doing some “no-cook cooking”, and finding a new use for our PE shed!
Science Investigative Competition
9 March
16.00-17.00
Some Year 6 pupils are working towards the 2018 Science Investigative Competition, which culminates in an exciting finale with students from the Junior School on Friday 9 March.
We wish the teams from both schools all the best as they decide how to tackle their investigative research projects!
Other events to note
More details on these events will follow, but please do get in touch with the Dame B's office if you have any immediate questions.
- 20 March, 8.30-12.30 - Dame Bradbury's Early Years come to Big Gym
- 20 March, 15.30-17.15 - PTA Storyteller event
- 23 March - Prep School Concert
- 23 March, 18.00-19.30 - Saffron Hall Concert (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 pupils)
Dame Bradbury's Parent & Toddler Group
Please note that these events are open to anyone in the local community - so please do share with friends and help us spread the word!
This term, the Dame Bradbury's Toddler Group can look forward to:
- 2 & 9 March - Parent and Toddler group
- 16 March - Toddler Forest School
- 27 April - Toddler Yoga
- 18 May - Stories, Songs and Rhymes
- 22 June - Toddler Forest School
If you have any questions, or if you'd like to book your free place on any of these events, get in touch.
Parents Evenings
- 20 February, 17.30-18.00 - Year 9 Parents Evening
- 26 February, 18.30-21.00 - Year 10 Parents evening (at the 6th Form College)
- 7 March, 18.30-21.00 - Year 7 Parents Evening
- 15th March, 18.30-20.30 - Year 8 parents evening
Trip Information Evenings
- 22 February, 17.30-18.30 - Iceland Parents Information Evening
- 23 February, 17.30-18.30 - Year 10 German Exchange meeting
IGCSE Drama Showcase
13 March
17.00-18.30
An opportunity for parents and friends to come and watch year 10 perform extract from ‘Girls like that’ by Evan Placey and ‘Blue Remembered Hills’ by Dennis Potter. Refreshments will be served from 4.45pm. Please note: some of the material is not suitable for younger children.
Big Bang Fair - National Finals
13-14 March
After success at the regional Big Bang STEM event, two teams from Year 9 and Year 12 have been invited to present their projects at the Big Bang Fair National Finals! Read more here.
Movement showcase
16 March
18.30-19.30
Students from the Junior School and Senior School will perform gymnastics and dance routines that they have been practising in PE lessons and club sessions over the last term.
'The Tempest'
22 & 23 March
Year 9 & 10 drama production of ‘The Tempest’ - with live music and original choreography. Costumes and set created by members of Backstage Club. Not to be missed! Tickets on sale soon.
More information to follow.
French Exchange Trip to Rouen
24 - 30 March
Our partnership with the Collège la Providence in Rouen has been going strong for the past two decades, and this year’s trip once again should provide great linguistic and cultural opportunities for all involved.
The outbound trip will depart on Saturday 24 March and we will return on Good Friday, 30 March.
Michaelhouse concerts
Our regular series of Friday lunchtime concerts, free and open to the public, continues at the Michaelhouse Centre this term, with our talented musicians playing on the following dates:
- 23 February - Klara Spark, harp
- 2 March - Annabel Jenkinson, piano and Phoebe Dix, clarinet
- 16 March - Ella McLoughlin, violin
Each concert starts at 12:30pm and lasts for around half an hour. We'd love to see you there.
Senior School Spring Music Concert
26 March
Calling all singers - particularly tenors and basses!
The Spring Concert in West Road Concert Hall on Monday 26 March will include a performance by our massed choirs of John Rutter's Feel the Spirit, an extensive work for choir and orchestra. Parents who are experienced singers would be most welcome to join, with a particular need for tenors and basses. Please contact Mr Rudd if you would be available to sing (mr@stephenperse.com). We will provisionally schedule a full rehearsal for the afternoon of Sunday 25 March, but can make copies of the music and recordings available immediately.
Parents Evening
- 1 March 6pm - 9pm - Lower 6th Parents’ Evening
Trips
- 24 February - Arts theatre visit
- 6 March - Sixth form Spanish cinema trip
Bank of England presentation 'Keeping on an even keel' - Lower 6th Economics
8 March
11.00-16.00
A presentation explaining the banks roles and resposibilities in an accessible, imaginative and entertaining way. The presentation explains why low inflation and a safe and stable financial system matter to the UK economy.
INSPIRE ME talk - John Ingold, Creator of video game ‘80 Days’
9 March
12.00-13.00
John is the co founder of INKLE, a Cambridge based video game company. His game ‘80 days’ won the BAFTA for game of the year and was ‘TIME’ magazine game of the year. More information to follow.
Big Bang Fair - National Finals
13-14 March
After success at the regional Big Bang STEM event, two teams from Year 9 and Year 12 have been invited to present their projects at the Big Bang Fair National Finals! Read more here.
INSPIRE ME talk - Professor Hamid Sabourian
15 March
16.20-17.20
An opportunity to listen to Professor Hamid Sabourian, a fellow of Kings College Cambridge, talk on “The power of theory in Economics and Social Sciences: Coordination, Herd Behaviour and Trust". More information to follow.
Cambridge Model United Nations Conference
16-18 March
We are proud to host the first high school level MUN in Cambridge, organised by our sixth formers. With participants from Serbia, Turkey, Portugal, Italy and many more countries, the competition is high, hence the conference is bound to be prestigious and unique. The theme of the conference is 'Hostility Towards Globalisation', chosen to fit the political landscape at the time of the conference.
IB Visual Arts Exhibition
23 March
19.30-21.30
An exhibition showing off the talents of our IB Visual Art students.
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Spotlight on... CamMUN
SPF 6th formers organise the first high school-level Model UN conference in Cambridge
We are hugely proud to be hosting CamMUN at the Stephen Perse Senior School next month. This three day debating conference has attracted participants from Serbia, Turkey, Portugal, Italy and many more countries, and is sure to be an exciting and thought-provoking event.
Participants at the Model UN will be researching a country's position on current topics and faithfully represent its viewpoint throughout debates, with the goal of passing resolutions and discussing on-going global issues.
This year's theme - Hostility Towards Globalisation - has been carefully chosen to fit the political landscape at the time of the event and to cater to all areas of interest, ranging from environmental to military.