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What's New Carol Service Christmas term at The New Eccles Hall School came to a fitting close with a Carol Service held, as always, at St. Mary's Church Attleborough, on Friday 16th December. This beautiful medieval church, dominating the centre of this typical Norfolk market town, is ideal for such a service as it has an unusually wide nave, which enables the whole congregation to see, hear and thoroughly appreciate the festival of lessons and carols prepared by Director of Music, Mr. R. Thornton, and Deputy Headmaster, Mr. P. Beddoe. Pupils of all ages, together with staff, presented a wide range of readings on the Christmas story and theme. The school choirs entertained the parents with their well-prepared carols. Parents were in good voice in the congregational carols. The Christmas Appeal this year was in aid of the newly launched community project the school will become involved in over the coming eighteen months; helping the street children in Asuncion, the capital city of Paraguay. £480.00 was raised from the collection taken during Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Thank you to everybody who gave so generously. The Pupils and Staff would like to take this opportunity of wishing everybody a most happy Christmas and a more prosperous new year, but also, of more importance, good health.
Junior Play Throughout the second half of term, the Junior school worked hard to prepare a wonderful Christmas Play; a modern day technological version of the nativity story set in a newsroom, with field reporters on the story and minute by minute narrative. Masterful performances were by newsreaders Sam H. and Kian S. as they interviewed an equally commanding figure of Isaiah Prophet played by John A. Thanks go to the parents for helping with line learning, and special thanks to Mrs Aldred and Mrs Jack for a huge amount of effort backstage.
Star Wars – Episode IV A New Hope
As part of the Christmas celebrations at The New Eccles Hall School, the drama club, under the direction of Alex Fryer from Year 13, put on a fantastic production of Star Wars for the rest of the school; Pupils, Parents and the Staff. The venue for the production was the Arts Centre, and it is part of a trilogy, with the next two episodes taking place in the Spring and Summer terms of 2012.
Alex
Fryer’s Star Wars was a multi-sensory feast of drama.
Hollywood came to New Eccles Hall School. The costumes were
for real and the interaction with sound and light from the
performance technicians brought a real 3D effect to the
enthralled audience. The cast were confident in their
performance, with lines delivered with feeling, together
with the excitement of the on-stage action from the whole
cast.
There were storm troopers and rebel troopers, along with the usual intergalactic stars, Luke Skywalker, played with feeling by Alex Lawrence, Han Solo’s role was taken by the director Alex Fryer. The show was stolen by Obi-Wan Kenobi, who sounded more like Alec Guinness than the actor himself. George Brightman had all the robotic actions of C-3PO down to a fine art and his side kick made all the right noises in R2-D2. Tom Ellis’s Chewbacca roared his concern and approval at various stages of the proceedings.
We are
all waiting for the Oscar nominations this coming year and
of course the next episode in the New Year is a real
highlight on the horizon.
Noel French Christmas Play As Narrator Jack R said in the introduction, it was as simple as the ABC. Tim and Jack R introduced very clearly all characters.
This year Docteur Sam, the vet, had to make the reindeer,
John, Leo, Daniil, Jay and Jack C better as they were all
very poorly. Father Christmas Kian and Mother Christmas
Yat-Ying were really worried. Daniil led the choregraphy and the singing and Annabell (Year 9) played the piano on Tuesday. The little Elves Alfie, Brandon and Michael sang very sweetly. It is very uplifting to work with enthusiastic children whose creativity and imagination keep the staff on their toes!
Mrs Thresh is very grateful to all her team of helpers,
including Miss Shutz and Miss Aylan and of course Mrs Ewin
for her continuous support.
12th and 13th December 2011 Formal Dinner Tonight saw the annual Formal dinner hosted by the School Positions and Mrs Brown. The evening started with the Head of School offering Evening Grace before we were served roast lamb and all the trimmings. Bethan Gibby played the cello during dinner and a poem was read by Jordan Greenhow - Deputy Head of School.
Further entertainment was arranged with performances by the School Choir and our International students, and the evening was concluded with a congregational performance of Hark The Herald Angel Sings and We Wish You A Merry Christmas. A good night. Well done to all those who made it happen. 7th December 2011 Arty-Fact Theatre Company
Tuesday December 6th saw a visiting theatre group -
Arty-Fact Theatre Co - visit our school to perform, discuss,
analyse and talk through William Shakespeare's play - Romeo
& Juliet. December 2011
Christmas is coming With ten teaching days left till the Christmas vacation, the Junior House decorated the tree, sang songs and ate freshly cooked mince pies from the catering department. Lauren, Roisin and others were in high spirits singing the good old songs around the tree.
December 2011 Year 9 Team building This term, in PSHE, Year 9 have been encouraged by their form tutors, Mrs Maddams and Mrs Thresh, to take a group, as well as, a personal responsibility for their studies and actions. This has involved the group taking part in team building sessions, led by Mr Ian Sippitt, in order to help students develop their social skills and interact better with one another.
December 2011
ISA Swimming Success
While the school enjoyed a lie-in, Katie, Stephen and Yat
Ying travelled to Coventry to represent the Eastern Region
at a National Swim Gala. All three swam amazingly well, and
some swimmers even surprised themselves with their efforts.
Introduction to the
96th Bombardment Group Museum for ISC students.
Mr. M. Jacques and three of his International Study Centre Students visited the 96th Bombardment Group museum located on the school site and received an introductory tour and talk from Mr. S.A.Simington on the background to the museum and its significance to the school site and the local area. Some buildings on the school site were used as a hospital for injured airmen. After the talk, the students took a short trip to the old airfield at Snetterton to see the memorial dedicated to all who served on the base during WW11. The students will be writing a short essay in English on the tour. Anybody wishing to find out more about the museum and the airfield can do so on www.96bombgroup.co.uk November 2011
New Eccles Hall
Remembers The Fallen Mr Allard led the tribute, marking this an extra special day as it was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, as well as being the 11th year of this millennium. Eccles School also held their annual Remembrance Service at Eccles Church the previous day, and once again paid tribute to the fallen.
Funeral Service of School Director, Mr. Gerard McGurk
On Friday 4th November, Mr. P. Beddoe, Deputy Headmaster of
New Eccles Hall School, along with Mr. S.A. Simington
attended the funeral service of Mr. Gerard McGurk, a long
serving Director of the school. Mr. McGurk had only recently
celebrated his 85th birthday when, following a short
illness, he died on October 18th. The funeral service was
held at St. John’s Catholic Cathedral in Norwich and was
attended by many friends and family.
Mr.
McGurk moved to Norfolk with his family in 1975 as Bank
Manager with Nat West, the school bankers. He became the
Regional Director for the bank in 1976 and retained this
post until his retirement in 1986. In that year, he kindly
accepted the invitation to become a Director of the school,
following the premature death of Mr. M.B.M. Simington. Over
the following twenty five years, Mr. McGurk has been a much
respected and active advisor to the school and a frequent
visitor. He had great experience in the field of education,
having served for many years as a Governor at Notre Dame
High School and, for 12 of those years, as Chairman. He was
a great lover of sport, particularly Golf and Cricket. He
served as Captain of Royal Norwich Golf Club on two
occasions.
“New
Eccles Hall School will forever be grateful for Mr. McGurks’
wise counsel and furthermore for his practical advice on a
wide variety of school business.” remarked Mr. Sean
Simington. “We will be marking his dedicated service to the
school by inaugurating a memorial prize and bursary in his
name at Prize Giving in July 2012”. Fireworks
Thursday 3rd November saw the return of the Eccles Hall
School Firework Extravaganza.
As he wandered round the firework stage, lighting each set
of fireworks, the music sounded out. The sky was lit up as
far as the eye could see, as the crowd looked on and enjoyed
the sounds, smells and sizzles.
Swimming Gala
Our senior school took part in the annual ISA Eastern Region
Swimming Gala hosted at Ipswich Crown Pools
on Thursday 3rd November. November 2011 Maths Quiz Year 8 spent a sunny afternoon this term solving a ‘New Eccles Hall School Mathematics Quiz’ around the school site, devised by Mrs Maddams. They had to follow clues and answer questions around the whole site, picking up coloured cubes hidden by Mr Lees. This involved reading mathematical information, measuring, counting, estimating, knowing specific mathematical vocabulary, and recognising symmetry, as well as following instructions and working as a team. Mrs Maddams and Mr Lees were impressed with all the pupils’ enthusiasm and rewarded them with biscuits the following lesson!
November 2011
Happy Halloween
Tonight saw the Junior House turn their hand
to ghosts and ghouls in the cause of 'All Hallows Day'. October 2011 Visit to the RNLI
Year 10 BTEC Public Services students enjoyed a very
interactive visit to the RNLI at Wells-Next-The-Sea. The
group met Lifeboat Coxswain, Mr Allen Frarey, who began by
explaining the work of the RNLI, before moving on to explain
the callout procedure for the lifeboat and how important
teamwork and communication are within the public services -
a subject the students have been examining as part of their
BTEC course.
School Butcher -
Pepperells
- Wins Hat-Trick of Awards
New Eccles Hall School takes a real
pride in planning and delivering a balanced menu for p We were delighted to hear from our local butcher, Pepperell’s of Harleston that they have just received a hat-trick of awards for their bacon, gammon and sausages in the BPEX Awards for Meat Product Excellence in 2011/12. They beat off rivals from all over East Anglia. As independent butchers, they are able to deliver quality to their customers by ensuring that their products are prepared to the highest standard. October 2011
Lord of the Flies Sixth Form Theatre Trip
There have been many interpretations of Lord of the
October 2011
Castle
Acre Year 7 set off on Friday 14th October to the lovely Norfolk Village of Castle Acre, just a few miles north of Swaffham. On a brilliant Autumn day, we first visited the remains of the Cluniac Priory, using an audio guide with prompts from Mr Beddoe and Mrs Jack. The remains showed an interested history group a clear picture of the layout of a monastic house and all enjoyed exploring the interior of the Prior’s dwelling, as well as gaining an insight into the style of Norman church building.
Lunch in the barn was followed by a short walk to the village’s Motte and Bailey Castle. All marvelled at the extensive ramparts and ditches, together with the remains of a stone keep which once stood proudly on the Motte. Pupils in year 7 are currently studying the development of medieval castles in History lessons, and this visit clearly stirred the imagination of all and provided vivid evidence of the nature of castle building used by the Norman conquerors. Castle Acre is an excellent example of life in the early Middle Ages, showing the might of Norman rule from the castle, the divine power of the Church in the Priory and the eternal labouring of the peasants in the surrounding fields. A great day was enjoyed by all, experiencing first hand an aspect of our great historical heritage. October 2011
Renaissance Team Building in the Auvergne Not all pupils are lucky enough to start the academic year on a team building expedition into the heart of the Auvergne region of France. Fourteen Year 10 and 11 pupils from New Eccles Hall, accompanied by two staff, spent a week at the school centre in the picturesque village of St. Bonnet de Montauroux, which is forty minutes’ drive south west of the provincial capital of Le Puy en Velay, in the heart of the Massif Central. The focus for the week was to challenge young people to improve their teamwork and leadership skills. Pupils were expected to move away from thinking of self to take responsibility for each other and to work together for the benefit of the team. Various challenges and tasks were set, not unlike the Krypton Factor, and with the group divided into two teams, a competitive edge was brought to the proceedings.
Part of the excitement in the week was the opportunity to take part in the annual international renaissance festival held in Le Puy. The teams entered the archery competition. Unlike previous years, none of the young people from Eccles got through to the finals. The whole city embraces the festival, with thousands in medieval costume, including the Eccles pupils, making a fantastic and memorable spectacle. Other highlights included rock climbing, rafting on the Allier and abseiling from the bridge over the river Chapauroux. There was even time for a team cooking event. A great week had by all and hopefully a few lessons learnt in a practical way which will result in an Asdan Award for those pupils who complete the written tasks and produce a presentation on the whole week. October 2011
Theatre Visit for Year 5 and 6 Years 5 and 6 from New Eccles Hall School had an exciting trip out of school on Wednesday 5th October to visit the Playhouse Theatre in Norwich, to see the new production of Friend or Foe, adapted from the book by Michael Morpurgo.
The pupils had enjoyed the book as a class reader, and
thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to see the book brought
to life in the theatre.
For some, it was their first visit to the theatre.
Mrs Jack, Year 6 class teacher, was delighted with the
production and the positive response from her class.
Bronze Duke of Edinburgh training weekendThe end of September traditionally brings the training camp for the new Bronze D of E participants. Twenty-nine new recruits set off on a hot Friday afternoon, well kitted out and in great spirits. The short two mile walk to Applewood campsite, next to Banham Zoo, was enjoyed by all, and on arrival all set about pitching tents and preparing their meals. A lot of thought had been put into the cuisine - from sausages, bacon, chicken, cheese, chopped onions and loads of different types of sauce to embellish pasta. Washing up was carried out swiftly and efficiently, followed by a quick meeting which praised their efforts and finished with singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to one of the participants.
After some free time, all settled down quickly for the night. Morning broke with a heavy dew on the ground and an Autumnal mist before the sun rose on another glorious day. Saturday consisted of a staff-led route, teaching map and navigation skills around the beautiful countryside south of Banham. After lunch, the five groups set off on their first route, which brought them back to school. All found their way back and the new Bronze participants should be very proud of their efforts and achievements – thanks also to three seasoned campaigners in years 11 and 12 who came to help the new participants – well done to all!
September 2011 Geography Room Mural Pupils had an
exciting day on Wednesday, when a new mural was designed and
completed in just one day! Last term, Tony Allen, a graffiti
artist from “sticky fingerz” of Norwich, gave an illustrated
talk about the history of street art, and inspired some of
the pupils to produce ideas for a new mural on the Geography
room. This week, these ideas were used as a basis for the
design, which was sketched out only minutes before the first
group of pupils arrived to start spraying.
All year
groups, from year 3 to year 13, had the opportunity to have
a go. They were shown differing techniques and were able to
help create the ‘new EHS’ graffiti lettering and a glimpse
of an exciting Geography lesson through a gaping hole in the
wall. As Tony said to the pupils - you can point to a part
of this mural and say “I did that!”
X UK
Residential Summer Camp The six week residential summer camp has come to an end. This popular activity camp has been a sell-out success for the eighth year at New Eccles Hall School. Even adding two extra weeks over the last two years this busy camp has gone from strength to strength.
X UK focus on a complete care package hosting young people from eight to sixteen. They received an ‘outstanding’ report from Oftsed. All activities are conducted by trained instructors with participants accompanied by camp tutors with a balanced emphasis on fun, with safety being of prime importance. There is so much to choose from on site; quad bikes, karate, fencing, scuba diving, climbing walls, high ropes courses and zip wires, swimming and volleyball, to name just a few. In addition campers enjoy excursions off site to London, Norwich, Cambridge and Bury St. Edmunds. In the evenings there are BBQs and camp fires, plus the obligatory disco! Despite the uncertain weather this year there has always been a happy atmosphere and a sense of purpose for all the campers and for the staff. To find out more about camp go to www.xkeys.co.uk August 2011
University Success Aidan Day, who left Eccles Hall School in 2005, has graduated from The University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) with a B.Eng. (Hons) degree in Electronic Engineering. His brother, Ryan, who was also an Eccles pupil, will be starting on the same degree course this year. July 2011
Walled
Garden Project The New Eccles Hall School outdoor classroom (Walled Garden) project is well into the second season of success. The vegetable area is in full production with an excellent crop of early potatoes which are being taken daily to the school catering department. Lettuces have been in plentiful supply, along with beetroots and carrots despite the dry spring weather. In the greenhouses the tomato season is well under way, as is the cucumber crop. The multi-sensory area of the walled garden is maturing as planned and creates a lovely area for quiet reflection. Pupils and staff are fully involved in the production during the term time. New Eccles Hall School’s Head Gardener is pleased with progress and production - as can be seen from the photograph with one of the prize cucumbers! July 2011
New Eccles
Hall School Prize Giving 2011 The academic year at New Eccles Hall School was brought to a fitting end with the annual school Prize Giving on Saturday 9th July. The event took place in a large marquee on the back lawn of the main hall. The guest of honour was Mr. Paul Spendlove, President of the Eastern Region of the Independent Schools Association, of which NEHS is a long standing, fully accredited member. This formal occasion celebrates the achievement of pupils in all areas of school life: academic, sporting, social and extra-curricular, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. Assembled pupils, parents and staff were addressed by Headmaster, Mr. Richard Allard, who reflected on the successful school year, not only in terms of results for the school, but more importantly the achievement of an “outstanding” inspection report from the Independent Schools Inspection (ISI) service. David Addison from Year 11 spoke of the positive experience he has had whilst a pupil at New Eccles. This was followed by the presentation of a new prize by the parents of Alex Reed. Senior Sixth former Dan Chapman addressed parents, reporting on his experiences of being the foundation sixth former at NEHS in September 2008. Formal proceedings were brought to an end with the oration from the Head of School, Kieran Smith. Parents, Pupils and Staff were able to enjoy a light lunch served on the lawns after the Prize Giving.
July 2011
End of Year Summer Soiree On Wednesday 6th July, Pupils, Parents and Staff were invited to celebrate the end of term at a Summer Soiree with live Music. Following a delicious BBQ and drinks, the assembled guests were entertained by two groups - AmyJustSing and Dumbfoundus. The latter group played at Play Fest, which was hosted in the grounds of the school at half term. It was a great night, with the young people getting up to dance to the music. A great way to bring the term and school year to an end. July 2011
Bye Bye Year 8
July 2011
Romeo and Juliet
Shannon Donnelly was the Nurse. She spoke clearly and in
character. This girl, who has always struggled to find the
words, got them here. She has real stage presence. July 2011 Eccles Hall Select v NRCC On Friday July 1st 2011, the New Eccles Hall School Cricket Team hosted the annual 20/20 match against The Norwich Retirement Cricket Club. Match report.  July 2011 Wales Walking Weekend 2011 Mr Beddoe and Mrs Jack departed for Wales with eleven pupils last Friday for the annual walking weekend. After a smooth journey, we arrived at the Yacht Club next to Llyn Clwedog, where we met an instructor from Staylittle Outdoor Centre. The pupils were split into two teams. Their task was to build a raft from wooden poles, rope and plastic cylinders. When all was assembled, both rafts completed the journey around an island. After this, we moved onto our youth hostel near Dolgellau, by which time the rain was set in for the night.   Saturday morning was damp and misty, and the chances of getting to the top of Cadair Idris seemed slim. We set off on the Foxes Path, with the intention of at least doing a lower level walk. Even that proved impossible, as we were faced with a previously small stream that had now become a raging torrent, and thick wet mist allowed very poor visibility. We traced our steps back and visited Dolgellau, the beach at Dyffryn and had our evening meal at a Fish and Chip Café overlooking the sea. Sunday was completely different, with blue skies and hot weather. We all enjoyed a great walk to the summit of Aran Fawddwy, 2967 feet – 8 miles and 7 hours in total. The views were fantastic and all pupils greatly enjoyed the experience. Later that evening, at the youth hostel, the pupils were praised for their good behaviour and manners. We returned to school on Monday after a wonderful experience in the Welsh mountains taking in the breath-taking views and all the wonders of our rich countryside. June 2011 Sponsored Walk Last Wednesday, 22nd June, the whole school from years 2 to 13 embarked on a sponsored walk to raise funds for the trips to Moscow and for Cancer Research, on a 50/50 basis. Once again, the Doig family had invited us to hold the walk around their farm estate, next to the Snetterton Racing Circuit, which provided a very picturesque route across farmland, through woods and, in places, along a small river. Pupils set off from school after an early lunch, with a weather forecast of occasional showers. Within minutes, the heavens opened, and all gained a good soaking, but it was quite a warm day and, undeterred, all carried on under clearing skies, with almost all making it back to school - having mostly dried off by this stage. The experience was enjoyed by all, despite the weather, and although the walk was only 7½ miles, the conditions provided a good test. Many pupils and staff commented on how much they enjoyed the event and our thanks go to the Doig family for their hospitality and for allowing us to walk around their farm estate.  June 2011 Visits Day On Monday June 20th, Eccles Hall School decided to revisit a tradition of the 'old school days' and take each year group out for a curriculum based Visits Day. Year 12 went to eat out at Jamie 
Oliver's restaurant in Cambridge and discuss management
strategies, Year 10 were invited to the BBC in Norwich to
produce and make a news broadcast, followed by orienteering
round the historic churches of Norwich. Year 9 went to Duxford
to spend the day looking at historic war planes. Year 8 visited
the tank museum in Muckleburgh with Mr Collar and Mr Beddoe.
Year 7 had a great day at Banham Zoo and enjoyed a cake
competition, while Years 5 and 6 visited the world famous
Norwich Castle and learnt about ghosts and ghouls. The weather was great, the children all enjoyed themselves and all learnt something new from the Visits Day experience. Some tired students that night......... We hope the next Visits Day in the Autumn Term is equally successful! June 2011 ISA National Athletics 2011 Year 7 student, Katie, competed in the 1500m National event at Alexandra Stadium on Wednesday June 22nd. New Eccles Hall had two entrants invited to attend the event this year. Unfortunately, due to a French Trip, Sam F. was unable to attend. Katie ran a great race and finished in 8th place. The Eastern team was selected from an event organised early this term. Just to give you an idea of the scale of her achievement, the event included entrants from eight other regions, where three students were invited from each regional. Well done Katie for running and Sam for being selected.   June 2011 Lyceum School comes to Eccles In May, we were all especially delighted to welcome a group of students and staff from a premium school in Moscow known as the Lyceum. Although the group were at New Eccles Hall School on an academic and cultural 'integration' visit, their time included visits and excursions to many interesting places including Cambridge, the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, St George's Distillery, Bressingham Steam Museum and, of course, to London!   The group fitted into life at Eccles remarkably well, and a number of valuable friendships were forged during the 3 week stay. We look forward to welcoming another group from The Lyceum School, Moscow back to Eccles next year. June 2011 ISA Junior Athletics
Monday 13th June saw the Junior ISA Athletics event at Garon Park
Athletic Track in Southend. A select set of students from Years 4, 5
and 6 travelled down early in the morning for the event. Among the
team were a number of New Eccles Hall Debutants making their first
appearance for the school.
C. Brown June 2011
Year
8 French Trip – May 2011
On 20th May, nine pupils from year 8 flew out
to Carcassonne, accompanied by Deputy Head, Mr. Beddoe and Mrs Bagg.
A short drive then took us to the old walled town and its citadel –
a huge, magnificent example of medieval military architecture. That night we stayed in a quaint hotel in Valras
Plage, 50 metres from the Mediterranean. We took a very pleasant
swim the next morning before travelling to the school’s house in St.
Bonnet, and also crossing the magnificent bridge at Millau, designed
by Sir Norman Foster.
The whole week was blessed with excellent weather
– blue skies and temperatures into the high twenties. In the
volcanic landscape around St. Bonnet and the local town, Le Puy en
Velay, pupils completed a work book based on the trip, and visited
the Vierge et Enfant and Cathedral in Le Puy, a local farm and a
working textile museum which houses a 200 year old Spinning Jenny! Pupils also swam in a local river and at Le Lac
du Bouchet and tried their skills at ten pin bowling – the manager
gave us an additional free game and Mrs Bagg was by far the best at
bowling!
Pupils and staff have to be self-sufficient on
school French Trips and all helped with shopping, cooking, washing
up and in the domestic upkeep of the house in St. Bonnet – an
excellent week was had by all, learning much about the history and
culture of France and developing social skills in an environment
different from that normally experienced in the day to day routine
of school.
Moscow 2011
From May 11th to May 18th thirteen students from Eccles and three
staff visited Moscow. They went on a return visit to meet old
friends from the Promo M School. At the school they enjoyed visiting
lessons, beating the Russians in a football match and judging an
International sining competititon.
ISA Athletics
On Wednesday 18th May, I had the pleasure of taking some 30 plus competitors from the senior school to represent Eccles Hall at the annual ISA Athletics event. The venue was Cambridge University, and the day was full of surprises. Some new faces joined our team this year, as Year 11 were involved in their English GCSE exams and several pupils were on a school trip to Russia.
C Brown 18th May 2011
Bronze and Silver D of E Assessment Weekend
Last Friday, 6th May, 15 pupils set off on their Silver assessment
expedition in Suffolk. All three groups completed their 30 mile plus
walks over three days with great spirit and all felt proud of their
achievements. Their routes took them to two overnight campsites at
Haw Wood Farm just off the A12 and Marsh Farm, south of Saxmundham.
On Saturday the pupils following the Bronze Award, set off from
Ubberston and, though on their first assessment expedition,
performed very well indeed with the stronger participants helping
the weaker ones in their groups. The weather was fine, good meals
were cooked and information for their tasks was gathered. All three
Bronze groups completed their expeditions which finished at Dunwich
beach, but no one fancied a dip in the sea!
The assessor, Mr Chamberlain, was pleased with all the groups
praising, in particular, some pupils who showed great leadership
skills.
The school’s award manager, Mr. Beddoe,
commented that all had shown great endurance, initiative and team
spirit and that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards are a very valuable
qualification and one that cannot be ignored on any
CV. Well done to all.
Winners of the 2011 CensusAtSchool National Competition As 2011 is a census year, in Mathematics and GCSE
Statistics lessons, we have been studying the uses and history of
censuses. Year 9 entered the censusatschool national poster
competition. They chose to
collect primary data to find the ‘Average Year 9 pupil’ at the
The photograph shows the pupils in front of the Census display with
the Samsung netbook they won for the school.
If you would like more information, please look at
www.censusatschool.org.uk
home page, where Brandon’s winning
poster is displayed.
Ski Trip On 1st April 2011 we departed, after a long Easter Term, to find snow in Torgon ski resort, Switzerland on our annual ski trip. I had the pleasure of taking 23 students and 3 staff for a week of fun in the snow.
After a 22 hour bus journey, we arrived at Torgon, only to find it sunny but snowless. So the plan was to get bussed up higher in the mountains in search for snow. Verbier it was then. One of the most expensive and picturesque places in the world. As the ski resort was some 3000 metres high, we agreed that 4 days of skiing was more than enough. So we planned a trip to the local thermal baths, and a day at Europe’s biggest indoor water park. Great fun. The pupils were a pleasure to be with, and we as a staff were very proud of their behaviour from start to finish. C. Brown April 2011
Duke of
Edinburgh’s Award – Practice Weekend On the weekend of 25th-27th March, 15 Silver participants went off on their practice expedition in North Norfolk. Friday was a lovely day with warm sunshine, Saturday, however, was miserable to say the least, with persistent rain until late afternoon. The expedition ended on Sunday with good weather and excellent spirits amongst the participants!
The Silvers performed very well throughout the weekend showing excellent navigation skills, walking up to 30 miles and beyond carrying all the equipment and supplies needed for the weekend. No grumbles, despite Saturday’s weather! ‘Silvers always tend to perform more professionally than at Bronze level and that was certainly the case this weekend’ said D of E Manager, Paul Beddoe. 18 Bronze participants joined us on the Saturday morning and despite awful weather did very well –at the end of this first day all were in good spirits, cooking their meals and enjoying a rain free evening! On Sunday all groups completed their journeys on time – A thoroughly good practice weekend was had by all despite a few blisters and sore feet! March 2011 Yesterday’s World Years 5 and 6 joined our Russian visitors for an afternoon at Yesterday’s World in Great Yarmouth on 16th March. The wax figures and the hundreds of artefacts from a bygone age, some were toys that the staff could remember from their childhoods, were seen with fascination by all pupils. With a short questionnaire, pupils sought facts from reconstructed shops from Victorian times and experienced how life was in an age with no computers, ipods or mobile phones! The tour of this fascinating museum ended with rides on the carousel and a cup of tea in the quaint café. An excellent afternoon by the sea in March!
March 2011
Oxburgh Hall Year 8 accompanied our Russian visitors to Oxburgh Hall on Tuesday 15th March. We all had an excellent guided tour of the house which just predates the reign of Henry VII which started in 1485 after his victory at Bosworth Field. In fact Henry and his wife, Elizabeth of York both stayed at Oxburgh Hall. All enjoyed the wonderful rooms, the tapestries woven by Mary, Queen of Scots during her captivity in England and particularly squeezing through a narrow entrance into the Priest Hole. Pupils also had the opportunity to try on Tudor Clothes of different social classes and this added much enjoyment to an excellent trip. A ramble through the extensive woods surrounding the house seeking wooden sculptures of animals rounded off a very interesting and informative day.
March 2011
New Eccles Hall School has Got Talent meets the X Factor at
the Oscars Has The New Eccles Hall School got talent? Of course it has! On Thursday 31st March to celebrate the end of the term the school students put on their own show and what a show it turned out to be. Who said variety was dead? The judges were treated to a rare selection of talent. Synchronised drumming, ballet, comedy double acts, stilt walking, a magician, rapping artists and a dance troupe. It was a wonderful afternoon of entertainment from all ages including the old staff who managed to put a song together. Not a computer in sight. Good old fashioned home spun fun! The judging panel was made up of the more discerning staff chaired by the Simon Cowell of Eccles, Mr. R. Thornton, Director of Music. It was a difficult one to call when it was time for choosing the winners. In third place was Ben Talbot Williams, in second slot were Cody Webster and Brandon Mason. The overall Eccles Oscar winner was Shannon Spurdens for her stunning ballet display. The Ipod Shuffle prize went to Charlie Dickenson for sheer entertainment value. The show brought a very busy term to a happy end. Happy Easter.
March 2011
Red Nose Day – Charity Fund Raising Red Nose Day at New Eccles Hall School was a day when pupils could attend out of uniform. There were one or two sights around the school, with various costumes, red noses and red hair. Boys dressed as ladies. The pupils paid a small fee to attend out of uniform, with all funds raised going to Red Nose Comedy Relief. In the afternoon the young people, under the direction of Mr. Rance, organised and ran a Penny Fair, again to raise funds, but this time for the school Community Project to Moscow - 'Once In a Lifetime'. Over £120 came from the Fete.
March 2011
Fashion Show The last Wednesday of the
Lent Term has seen a first at New Eccles Hall School - a fashion
show put on by some of the students. It was a great event and the
whole school were in attendance. March 2011
Arty-Fact Theatre
Company Return On Tuesday 29th March, the Arty-Fact Theatre Company made a return visit to New Eccles Hall School to present a workshop on Romeo and Juliet for Years 9, 10 and 11. Once again the production was of a high standard. In addition to the scenes from this tragic love story being acted out, the company involved the school students in various scenes, followed by question and answer sessions. These workshops are vital for young people studying Shakespeare and other texts, as they bring the play to life and provide real insight, in readiness for essay writing and examinations. March 2011
Eccles Hall Shooting Team Win
March 2011
Spring has Sprung! English students have been enjoying the warm weather and celebrating with poetry. Year 7 and Year 9 groups have performed Wordworth's poem 'The Daffodils', surrounded by the flowers. It has been decided that this will be an annual event, to celebrate both the beauty of our surroundings and the wonderful literary heritage that we have. Drama club have also begun rehearsals for a scene
from Shakespeare in the walled garden. The performance will take
place at the end of the Summer term.
Promo M visit. For 15 years now, school has celebrated a special relationship with Promo M school from Moscow. This year was even more special, as students from Eccles are visiting the school on Moscow in May. For our Russian friends, highlights of their trip were trips to Stratford on Avon for a performance of King Lear; a visit to Ely Cathedral and shopping in Norwich and London. To thank the school for their hospitality the Russian students performed in a concert on the final day of their visit. Highlights included traditional Chechen dancing and songs in English and in French. Our students have promised to take part in the Russian 'Festival of Songs' on May 17th in return. Russian Club continues to be an eagerly awaited of the school week. Students visiting Moscow are learning Russian to make communication an important part of the visit.
History Trip - Normandy On the weekend of March 18th-20th a group of New Eccles Hall Students accompanied by three staff; Mr. Beddoe, Deputy Head of School, and Mr and Mrs Cuthbert took the night ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre and ventured on to Normandy on the annual school History Trip. During the weekend the party visited a number of museums linked to the D Day landings of the 6th June 1944 including Point de Hoc where the Americans landed, a 360 degree cinema with film from the time and Pegasus Bridge which was the point of the first action involving British Troops in the early hours of 6th June.
In addition the group visited the town of
Bayeux and took time out to view the famous Bayeux Tapestry which
tells the story of the Norman Invasion of 1066. The rebuilt modern
city of Caen hosts the Peace museum and this was yet another
fascinating part of the tour. This adventurous weekend excursion was
thoroughly enjoyed by everybody. “These trips are always
oversubscribed and the young people’s interest in and their
enjoyment of history are to be encouraged” remarked Mr. Paul Beddoe
who is also the Head of History at the school. “We are already
looking forward to next year.”
Regional ISA X Country
After yet another successful year of hosting the Regional ISA X
Country, we had seven of our students selected to represent the
Eastern Region in the Independent Schools Association National
Finals held at Princethorpe College on Saturday 5th March.
The following students did really well at the event and finished
well within the expected time. March 2011
Caged Football -
Youth For Christ. In the first week after half term, 2nd March, the YFC (Youth for Christ) Organisation visited New Eccles Hall School to lead an assembly on their movement. They brought with them an exciting game for our young people to take part in - Caged Football which they used to emphasise their message on teamwork, humility, fair play, performance under pressure, persistence, sacrifice and self-belief. We hope that some of these important messages for life got through to the pupils who took part.
March 2011
UK Mathematics Trust Intermediate Maths Challenge
Ten
students took part in the UKMT Intermediate Challenge. The challenge
is aimed at the top third of 14-16 year olds studying mathematics
i.e. Year 11 and below. The challenge involves answering 25 multiple
choice questions in 60 minutes and is sat in school under normal
exam conditions. The top 40% of students nationally receive a gold,
silver or bronze certificate in the ratio 1:2:3.
Well done all 10 entrants and we are
especially pleased to announce that as well as Stephen Clark and
Toby Hardesty receiving a bronze certificate, Alasdair
Bevan-Margetts, David Addison (Year11) and Will Utting (Year 10) all
achieved gold certificates.
David and Alasdair have both qualified
for the follow on round, called the European Pink Kangaroo
Challenge, and will sit this paper on 17th March 2011. We wish them
both good luck. To read more about the UK Mathematics Trust, please go to their website.
February 2011 Geography Field Trip
In mid February the New Eccles Hall School GCSE Geography
Students spent three days in North Norfolk on a field studies
trip. They were gathering data on tourism in Cromer and
Sheringham. The group stayed at the field studies centre at
Overstand Hall. Not only were the pupils able to gather their
data for their coursework, but they were able to make use of the
technology centre at Overstrand to commence writing up their
conclusions. Coursework is an integral part of many GCSE
subjects. It is important for young people to escape the
confines of the classroom and test some of the theory. Ms.
Pearce and Mr. Chamberlain, who accompanied the group, were very
pleased with the efforts of the students over the three days.
February 2011
Inspection Report New Eccles Hall School have received an outstanding report following their recent inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) The Inspection took place over two visits in early December 2010 for two days looking at regulatory requirements, followed in January 2011 by a three day visit focussing on the quality of teaching and learning. The inspection report highlights the ethos and excellent teaching in the school. “We are rightly proud and delighted with the recorded outcomes of this inspection” reported Headmaster, Mr. Richard Allard. “It is a rigorous process which has recognised the strengths of our vibrant school community of pupils and staff and in addition it will help us focus on planning for the future success of the school”. Inspection report School Action Plan
February 2011
Max is logo design winner. Drama students who are looking forward to their trip to Moscow in May were set a challenge. They had to come up with a suitable logo design for the visit that all the group could wear on a sweatshirt or hooded top. The winning entry came from Max Burrows in Year Nine. He got to see his design produced by graphic designer Melissa Bagley of MelissaBee designs.
Max took the Russian flag as the centre of his design. All the students going on the visit took part in a mind mapping session come up with a name for the Cultural exchange visit to Promo M Linguistic School in Moscow. Promo M students have vto isited us at Eccles every year for the last fourteen years. Students making the return visit to Moscow decided to call the visit 'Moscow Once in a Lifetime.' It was felt that the trip offered the students a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience Russian life and culture at first hand. Russian Club has begun meeting in Prep times on Tuesdays at the school. In the first meeting students were taught that Russia has a population of over 140 million people. The currency is the rouble. They were also taught to say 'Hello, how are you?' in Russian by Russian assistants Miss Elena and Miss Natalya. February 2011 Chinese New Year Dinner. On February 3rd the Boarding Pupils of the
New Eccles Hall School celebrated the Chinese New Year with a
special dinner. The whole menu was a choice of Chinese Dishes –
Chicken Chow Mein, Beef in a Blackbean Sauce, Szechuan Pork, all
served with Egg Fried Rice and Prawn Crackers, Pancake Rolls, Fried
Chilli Beef and Spare Ribs – It all slipped down well. The dining room had also been decorated with some
colourful masks for the occasion made by pupils with help from the
staff. It was a wonderful evening with some entertainment provided by one of our international students with Director of Music and Housemaster Mr. Thornton.
Who was buried at Sutton Hoo?
As part of their History project Years 3,4 and 6 visited the Anglo
Saxons' burial site at Sutton Hoo. They spent a very interesting
hour with Claire Worland, the learning officer, looking at and
identifying Anglo Saxon objects.The pupils then visited the
exhibition centre which has an amazing reconstruction of the burial
chamber of King Raedwald. The children were able to try on Anglo
Saxon costumes and helmets and they saw originals and replicas of
the treasures found at the burial site. The actual treasures are on
show at the British Museum. After lunch there was a tour of the
burial mounds.
The visit was very informative and seeing History at first hand gave
the children a real insight into the mysteries of Sutton Hoo.
   February 2011 Circus performer visits Eccles
Past pupil, Joss Richardson, visited the school to pass on his circus
skills to the pupils in Years 2 - 6.
Joss was already honing his juggling skills whilst at school and was
'spotted' by circus scouts a few days after leaving school. He worked as
a clown and a juggler with the travelling circus for three years before
leaving to make a career encouraging youngsters in school.
The pupils spent an enthusiastic afternoon working with spinning plates,
diablo, fire sticks (without the fire!) Poi and juggling balls. The
afternoon culminated in a performance from Joss demonstrating how good
one can become with hard work, hours of practice and experience.
February 2011 Drama Club Masked Performances The Drama Club have been working on using masks in performance. Students have undertaken a series of workshops looking at how masks can be used to create character and conversely, how characters can hide behind a mask. The Club has worked on sessions which deal with creating still pictures or tableaux to illustrate character. From this they have then produced improvised scenes. The future focus will be on working towards producing scripted performances. After last Summer's successful performance of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in the walled garden, the group are hoping that the masks can be incorporated into a theatrical event during the summer term. Many of the Drama Club are going to Moscow with the school in May, when a musical production, working with the students from Promo M school, will be the final outcome of the visit.
February 2011 Independent Schools Association Eastern Region Cross Country Championships On Wednesday 9th February 2011, New Eccles Hall School once again hosted the Independent Schools Association Eastern Region Cross Country Championships. This is the eighth year that New Eccles Hall has hosted the event in their extensive grounds which offer a good variety of surface and enough of a challenge for all the competitors from Year 4 through to Year 13. The weather for the day gave perfect conditions, light winds and dry. Twenty six schools from all over East Anglia were in attendance, from Lincolnshire in the north of the region to Essex in the south. The performance of the pupils was commendable, cheered on by many visiting parents. Competitors finishing in the first nine qualify for the National finals to be held at Princethorpe College Warwickshire later in the month. New Eccles Hall School was represented in all age groups with eight pupils qualifying for the National Finals; Jenna Alden, Jack Andrews, Russell George, Alex Fryer, Brandon Mason, April Chapman and Jamesina Breadmore-Ferrugia. It was a great day of sport with over four hundred young people taking part.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
- Cooking Practice
New Eccles Hall School is a strong supporter of the Duke of
Edinburgh Award Scheme at both Bronze and Silver Level. Through the
winter months pupils taking part undergo training in various aspects
of the award scheme; navigation, first aid, community service, club
skills and camp cooking, to name a few. New Eccles Hall School is
proud of the pupils’ achievements in this area as highlighted by the
letter
from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme area office. As the
sixth form expands, it is envisaged that pupils will become involved
with the Gold Award, with successful participants receiving their
certificates and badges from Prince Philip at St. James’s Palace in
London.
  February 2011
Imperial War Museum Duxford Trip Forty pupils and staff from New Eccles Hall visited the Imperial War Museum at Duxford for the day. The pupils were able to look around the many exhibitions of planes, both military and civilian.The Museum is located on the wartime airfield of Duxford - famous for the Duxford Wing led by flying ace Douglas Bader during the last war. The pupils all enjoyed the visit where it is possible to get very close to the exhibits and to get some real hands-on experience, as can be seen in the photographs.
February 2011 Puppet Making The Junior Boarding house staff are always coming up with ideas for keeping the pupils amused and busy. Ms A. Klepacka organised a session of hand puppet making for the young ones. They all got fully involved in producing various characters. Next session must be writing a play for the puppets to take part in!
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Flies over the years, from Harry Hook’s classic movie to an
episode of The Simpsons, most of which have attempted to
update the story to make it modern. In this version for Sell
a Door Theatre Company however, Nigel Williams sticks fairly
rigidly to William Golding’s original and evades the issue
of the times by avoiding it altogether, explaining their
trip as a threat of war, instead of specifically World War
Two as the original did.
Ms. Natalya Karcha and Ms. Elena Tuzhikova, our EVS teachers, were
responsible for galvanising the young people into action. The show
had all the elements of a London fashion parade. New styles were on
show for both males and females - with some a little outlandish. The
music and the accompanying light show with still frames lit the
screen behind the catwalk and made for a breath-taking atmosphere.
Even some staff were drawn in to model their latest fashions. Mr.
Rance had a very nice little tissue number on and Mr Jones was
wearing a very dark outfit with a tin can theme to it! All the fun
of the fair. A great effort from the young people. 
