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This Week at St Faith’s
World Book Day Assembly
Monday’s school assembly began with a moment of well-deserved recognition for our Year 8 pupils who achieved Bronze, Silver, and Gold certificates in the recent Intermediate Maths Challenge — an impressive total of 21 pupils. Their achievement is especially noteworthy, as the challenge features complex mathematical puzzles designed for pupils in Years 9 to 11.
In preparation for World Book Day on Thursday, Miss Johnson and 11 of our pupil librarians led an assembly celebrating the joy of reading and the power of storytelling. With the help of volunteer teachers representing each of the four houses, the assembly transformed into an interactive quiz. Teachers were challenged on their ability to identify book covers, unscramble story title anagrams, and match famous opening lines to their corresponding books — all with enthusiastic support from the pupil audience. The quiz concluded in a memorable draw, with each contestant receiving a well-earned chocolate prize.
Thursday also marked the annual celebration of Chaucer Choose-Day, a fundraising event in support of the Arthur Rank Hospice. The day was filled with energy and generosity, as pupils and staff came together to contribute to this meaningful cause. It was very clear how much care and attention had gone in to the pupils’ (and teachers’) choices of book-inspired costumes. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, so we do hope you enjoy the accompanying montage of photos and videos capturing the spirit of the day.
Exploring Sound in Science
Year 4 pupils delved into the fascinating world of sound in their science lessons this week. They explored how sound is produced by vibrations and how these vibrations travel through different mediums to reach the ear. Using ‘ear gongs’ made from metal coat hangers and string, the pupils experimented with sound waves, discovering how vibrations travel through solid materials to produce a clear, audible sound.
Meanwhile, the Science Department challenged Year 7 and Year 8 with tasks that stretched their understanding and problem-solving skills. Year 7 and 8 both tackled GCSE-level concepts – Year 7 calculating relative formula masses and balancing chemical equations, while Year 8 worked collaboratively to determine the centre of mass of irregular objects using only the resources available to them. Both year groups showed resilience and determination, rising to the challenge and persevering until they successfully completed their tasks.
The Castle Fine Art Young Artist Competition of 2025
Ms Ankin writes, “One of our Year 8 pupils was named winner of the ‘The Castle Fine Art Young Artist Competition of 2025’ on Tuesday afternoon. The competition challenged pupils to produce ‘creative responses’ in the style of their favourite artist from the gallery, or to respond imaginatively to a theme which they encountered in a previous visit.”
The winning artwork was influenced by John Myatt whose impressionist paintings closely imitate the style of Monet or Manet. John’s story of being an Art teacher turned forger, has featured on BBC One’s Fake or Fortune recently and has also inspired an upcoming film. The winning artwork entitled ‘Racing Day at Longchamps’ will now be professionally framed and displayed in the gallery for the summer. Two other pupils were proud to be placed as runners-up and were highly commended for their intelligent and carefully observed interpretations of paintings by Bob Dylan and Robert Oxley.
Stacy Bodkin, gallery manager for Castle Fine Art, Cambridge, said: “It is always wonderful to welcome the children from St Faith’s to the gallery to learn more about our artists. It’s clear to see how the pupils have been encouraged to be creative and independent in their approach to this challenge. All pupils have given time and thought to their original entries to the competition; the range of work was so varied and carefully executed. I’m sure John Myatt would be thrilled to see this interpretation of his art and we look forward to displaying it in the gallery window in a few months’ time.” “
Cultivating Change in the Garden
Mrs Hudson writes, “We were very grateful to receive our annual seed packet from Cultivating Change this week! The package contained all the seeds we will need for our greenhouse and garden this year. Pupils were very excited to see what vegetables and herbs we would be growing together, and have already been planting coriander.
Cultivating Change keep our greenhouse amazingly well stocked with seeds, allowing pupils to use their free time to garden and find a moment of peace.”
Cross Country and House Netball and Hockey
The Year 3 and Year 4 pupils got our cross-country races underway on Monday with inter-house races on a crisp, clear morning. Their determination and camaraderie shone through as they navigated the course, cheered on by friends, classmates, and supportive parent spectators. Please see the sidebar of the newsletter for the results.
Meanwhile, the Year 3 girls took part in House Netball matches and the Year 4 boys began their House Hockey matches, with both groups showcasing growing skills and team spirit. The matches will continue into next week, and it has been wonderful to see the pupils’ enthusiasm and enjoyment of the game.
Year 5 – 8 Boys’ and Girls’ IAPS Regional Swimming Round
Thirty-four of our pupils traveled to Warwick on Monday to compete in the qualifying rounds of the National Swimming Championships. We entered 15 relay teams and 17 individual races from U10 to U13 levels. The times achieved have not been officially released and should follow next week. Once results from across the country have been collated, any St Faith’s swimmers ranked in the top 20 will progress to the National Finals, scheduled for 7th June. There were many stellar performances from our individuals and teams, and we look forward to hearing about their successes in the coming weeks.
Looking Ahead to Next Week
Next week promises to be equally eventful, beginning with a whole school Sustainability Day and a special assembly on Monday. Later in the week, pupils will take part in teatime singing and speech and drama recitals, and we also welcome Year 8 parents for their Parent-Teacher evening. Friday will be particularly busy, with a welcome breakfast for the Reception 2025 pupils and their parents, followed by the eagerly anticipated Old Fidelians five-a-side football match against staff and parents.
And Finally…
Whether discovering the science of sound, painting inspired masterpieces, or cheering on friends at cross country, pupils have demonstrated enthusiasm and determination in abundance this week. Perhaps this weekend, inspired by World Book Day, families might revisit a favourite story or explore a new one — a perfect way to unwind and carry the joy of reading into the days ahead.
With all best wishes,
Crispin Hyde-Dunn