Our community has enjoyed a particularly festive week – from the delicious Christmas lunches served up by our catering team, to the Christmas Elves helping with traffic duty. As we reach the end of term, we have enjoyed reflecting upon and celebrating the efforts and achievements of all our pupils.
In The Classroom – Science & Respiration
Lessons have continued apace this week and in Science Year 7 have been learning about the topic of Respiration. They used their creative digital skills to record a video of Coffee Mate igniting to demonstrate the release of energy from food during the chemical reaction of respiration. Some pupils then went one step further to provide a narration to accompany the video, explaining the science behind the demonstration. As you can hear they demonstrated an impressive ability to articulate and record their clear understanding of scientific processes.
Year 8 English
As part of Year 8 revision for entrance exams, some classes have revisited speech writing. The pupils did research into the effects of conflict on children living in war zones across the world. This week long project culminated in children creating PowerPoint presentations and then writing individual speeches. The writing helped the children develop their skills of empathy and understanding about the challenges faced by children living in war zones.
Speech & Drama Exams
Following the successful Teatime recitals last Friday, this week 34 pupils from Years 3 to 8 took New Era exams in subjects ranging from Public Speaking, Interview Technique to Verse and Prose and Acting. The pupils have worked extremely hard to reach this point of assessment and we look forward to hearing how they got on next term.
Artwork
At St Faith’s we are very fortunate to have such an inspiring Creative Arts department, with gifted staff and impressive teaching facilities, which enable pupils to discover their talents and excel in achievement and ambition. I hope you enjoy reviewing some of the wonderful artwork that our pupils have produced this term.
St Faith’s Parents’ Association Annual Christmas Fair
As reported in last week’s newsletter the annual SFPA Christmas Fair took place on Friday. Business was brisk for the local vendor stallholders and many families enjoyed a festive shopping experience, refreshed by the seasonal offerings supplied by our catering team. Father Christmas was also in high demand as our pupils revelled in the opportunity of an early visit from the Santa, and you can see here some of the photos of this very popular whole school event. Thank you to all of those involved in making it such a tremendous success.
Christmas In The Library
Festooned with Christmas decorations, including a distinctive Christmas tree, the Library has embraced the Christmas season with great enthusiasm. The Library staff, together with the pupil librarians, have also been running special activities this week, including making Christmas cards, building a book tree to take home, word-searches and quizzes.
Pre Prep Christmas Party & Christingle Service
Pre Prep children have been immersing themselves in seasonal celebrations with real gusto. On Tuesday they came to school in special outfits for their Christmas Party. Games and activities were in full swing in the Sports Hall and Ashburton Hall and during the activities, the children were reminded of the importance of friendship and kindness, not just during this season of goodwill, but all year round. There then followed a lovely festive feast in the dining room and the children really enjoyed the opportunity to sing ‘We Wish you a Merry Christmas!’ to our outstanding catering team who look after them so well. Yesterday, it was the turn of the Pre Prep parents to enjoy a festive occasion. A traditional Christingle service of songs and readings was delivered confidently and with great care by the children, who also explained the origins of and the symbolism of each part of the Christingle.
Oh, Yes It Is!
“Roll up, roll up it’s Panto time! Our much-loved stories told in rhyme.” Pupils in Year 4 delighted their audience on Wednesday in Ashburton Hall with a medley of well-known Christmas pantomimes: Peter Pan, Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk and Cinderella.
Christmas Carol Services
Yesterday the Michaelmas term started to draw to its seasonal close with two traditional carol services, one for Years 3-5 and another for Years 6-8. Leading us in worship was our Foundation Chaplain Reverend Coleman, and there were pupil readings and prayers, choir performances and congregational carols. It was wonderful that so many families and friends were able to join us for this seasonal celebration – a real highlight for our whole community.
Christmas Jumpers & Last House Standing
Finally on this last day of term, staff and pupils have donned their very best festive knitwear to add colour to the already seasonal cheerful Last House Standing competition. This energetic and exciting event is among the noisiest of the whole school year! Loyalty to one’s House could be seen as well as definitely heard. Some excellent individual and whole-House performances across Years 3-8, ensured the last term of 2023 ended on a high note.
And Finally…..
Activities at St Faith’s will continue next week with the Art and Design Workshop, the Multi-Activity Course and the Code Camp Computing Course, all open to our pupils in Years 3-8. I am very grateful to the staff who are supporting those courses. In addition, a group of pupils and staff will be heading to Italy on Saturday for the highly anticipated ski trip. We wish them an enjoyable trip with excellent snow conditions and safe travels.
With the teaching term now concluded and 2023 drawing to a close, I would like to thank everyone in our community – staff, parents and pupils, for their contributions this year to making St Faith’s such a special place. Whether you are travelling far or staying local, may I also take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very blessed, happy and peaceful Christmas.
We look forward to welcoming back the pupils on Wednesday 10th January, with all the promise that a new term and New Year brings.
With all best wishes,
Dr Crispin Hyde-Dunn
