This Week at St Faith’s

Acts of Courage

This week I was delighted to welcome Dr Clare Ives, the Head of The Leys, to our school assembly. It was an important reminder of the strength of our Schools’ Foundation, and we wish Dr Ives every success as she takes up her new post.

Mr Davenport led the assembly which focused on the theme of courage, and he began by asking pupils to consider what courage means to them. Their answers ranged from “bravery” to “lions”—a natural symbol of strength and boldness. To bring the theme to life, Mr Davenport then shared two memorable real-life stories, each illustrating courage in different forms.

The first described an England cricketer who, despite a dislocated shoulder, returned to the pitch to bat—using his non-dominant hand. His resilience and determination drew applause from both sets of supporters. At the same time the opposing captain of the India team showed another form of strength—genuine compassion and remarkable sportsmanship—by choosing not to take advantage of his opponent’s vulnerability.

The second true story explored moral courage, as pupils learned about Rosa Parks and her quiet but world-changing act of defiance in 1955 Montgomery, Alabama. Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat became a spark that helped ignite a movement for civil rights, demonstrating the power of individual conviction in the face of injustice.

To conclude, Mr Davenport reminded us all that courage often means choosing what is right over what is easy. His challenge—“Will you do what’s easy, or do what’s right?”—gave us all pause for reflection. The assembly ended with a prayer and hymn, a fitting moment to consider how we might each practise courage, large or small, in our own lives.

A man and a woman stand speaking to a group of students in red and black striped uniforms. A piano player sits in the background, and a screen displays the word Courage with an image of a person at sunrise.

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Year 1 Local Area Walk

Year 1 pupils have been making the most of the autumn sunshine with a local area walk to support their Geography topic. Their route took them along Trumpington Road and Coe Fen, where they spotted familiar features such as post boxes, bus stops, and traffic lights. Afterwards, the children drew simple maps of their journey—an excellent way to connect classroom learning with the world around them.

A group of young children in red coats walk on a tree-lined path near a road with traffic lights. Fallen leaves cover the ground, and an adult supervises them as they smile and explore outdoors.

A childs drawing of a landscape with a river, houses, a school, a bus stop, trees, streetlights, and a big hill. Limp wavy lines represent the river, and hand-written labels name each element.

A group of young children wearing red uniforms and jackets walk with an adult supervisor on a small footbridge surrounded by lush greenery. The scene appears to be an outdoor school trip or nature walk.

A childs drawing shows a street with labeled buildings and objects: a school, large tree, streetlight, river, bighouse, bus stop, two red lollipops, and mushroom gait on the opposite side of the street.

A group of young children, wearing jackets and supervised by an adult in a yellow vest, walk in a line along a leaf-covered path beside parked cars and a hedge.

A hand-drawn map showing a winding path passing landmarks: a school, a traffic light, a big tree, a river, another school, buildings, a bus stop, a gate, and a stop sign. The map is labeled in handwritten text.

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Wild Place Forest School

Miss Harder writes,

“This half term has seen the exciting extension of our Wild Place Forest School to include Year 1 pupils, who now join Reception in enjoying this unique outdoor provision. Every Tuesday, each of the groups, named after British trees, take part in sessions that build on the outdoor skills they have been developing in Forest School. These skills range from tool work to bushcraft, inspiring and love and appreciation of nature in the children.

This week, pupils revisited their whittling skills to create “forest friend” sticks. It has been wonderful to see their growing confidence, curiosity, and creativity in this new phase of our Forest School adventure.”

Two young boys in jackets balance on parallel ropes tied between trees outdoors. Fallen leaves cover the ground, and a wooden fence is in the background. Both boys are smiling and enjoying the activity.

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History off the Page: The Great Fire of London

On Thursday, Year 2 travelled back to 1666 for an immersive day with History Off the Page. The session brought to life the drama of the Great Fire of London, allowing children to explore questions such as: What was life really like for people in London in1666? What factors contributed to the Fire of London getting out of hand? How did people manage to stop the Great Fire that raged for four and half days? And what lessons were learned as the city was rebuilt?

This truly immersive experience was delivered in a workshop format, where the children were transported to the bustling streets of 1666 London and the bakery in Pudding Lane where the fire started. Learning to be apprentices in a number of jobs from weaving to embroidery, pottery to ink making, leather work to metal work, and even making potions as apothecaries, the children gained experiences of how Londoners lived and worked in the 17th century. The enthusiasm and engagement in the room made clear how much they relished this vivid and hands-on journey into the past.

Two young children in historical costumes participate in an activity. One girl wears a white bonnet and striped dress, smiling and stirring a bowl, while another girl beside her looks on with interest.

A young child wearing a grey flat cap, white shirt, and vest sits at a table, focusing on holding and playing with a small black object indoors. The background is softly blurred.

Three children wearing historical costumes dig and examine objects in a container filled with dirt and bones, appearing to participate in an educational or archaeological activity indoors.

A group of young children in historical costumes stand in a row indoors, guided by an older man with gray hair and glasses. The children wear various outfits, including a chef’s hat, caps, dresses, and vests.

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The Eco Committees

This practical and imaginative work of our Eco Committee continues to connect our pupils to the natural world in the most rewarding ways.

Mrs Scott writes,

“For the last two weeks the Pre Prep Eco Committee has had a bit of an Acorn theme. My husband collected lots of acorns from an oak tree behind our house. The first job was to see if they were viable to plant. To do this we put them in water – if they floated they were no good (and went to the squirrels to eat) and if they sunk they should germinate. Within the collected acorns we spotted some which were misshapen (oak galls). Oak galls are actually caused by a special type of wasp (oak gall wasp), which lays its eggs on the tree and encases them. When hatched the oak gall remains (the children were fascinated). I went on to say that in times gone past the oak galls were used to make ink.

Last Friday we went to the greenhouse. My husband had prepared some homemade special mulch. Each handful of mulch contains billions of microorganisms (the children loved this fact) and I explained that in their hands they were holding the equivalent of every human on the planet. The children put on gloves and each planted three acorns in a pot. Hopefully some of them will germinate and eventually we can plant our home grown acorns in the school grounds.

On Thursday in Eco Committee, after an al fresco lunch, we decided to tidy up the vegetable beds which were planted with the help of Cultivating Change in March. The committee was very excited to harvest a few carrots and some potatoes. These goodies were taken to Chef Malcolm to use in the kitchen. A lot of fun was had by all and everyone is very keen to get back into the garden again soon.”

Two children in black raincoats stand in a greenhouse, each holding a small plant pot. The child on the right smiles at the camera, while the other looks at her pot. Gardening tools and potted plants are visible in the background.

Two young children in red and black raincoats stand outside. One child smiles and holds up a small object in her hand while the other looks on. Other children in red coats are gathered in the background.

A tray holds small pots of soil with white plant labels sticking out. Next to it, a blue container holds acorns, more labels, and a plant in the back. Gardening supplies and pots are nearby.

Three children in jackets and gloves are working together in a greenhouse, scooping soil from a bag into small pots. Bicycles are visible outside through the glass.

A group of girls in school uniforms work together outdoors, holding and examining a large black net. They are surrounded by benches, plants, and colorful painted tires in a grassy area near a building.

A chef in a striped apron and glasses stands with three smiling schoolchildren, showing a pink tray filled with potatoes or truffles in a kitchen setting. The children wear school uniforms and pose happily.

A boy in a red and black striped blazer and green striped tie holds a pink tray with potatoes, standing outside near a wooden fence and stacked pallets with plants.

A smiling boy in a striped tie and white shirt stands in a garden, holding two freshly picked carrots. Decorated boots hang on a wooden fence behind him, with plants and a house visible in the background.

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Scholarship Talk

It was a pleasure to welcome back Old Fidelians on Tuesday, when six scholars from The Leys—two of whom are former pupils—visited to speak to our Year 8 pupils about their scholarship experiences. Accompanied by Mr Johnson, Director of Drama and Theatre, and Dr Ives, they shared reflections on the process and the benefits of holding scholarships at senior school.

Our pupils listened attentively, posed thoughtful questions, and clearly found the discussion inspiring—a valuable insight as they begin to consider their own next steps.

Four adults stand and sit at the front of a classroom, addressing a group of students in red-striped uniforms who are seated on the floor, paying attention. Colorful posters and an EXIT sign are visible on the walls.

A group of students in red and black striped uniforms sit on the floor, listening to older students and adults in formal attire seated at the front of a classroom decorated with colorful posters and bunting.

A group of students in red and black striped blazers sit on the floor facing older students and teachers seated at the front of a classroom, with posters and a blackboard on the walls.

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Pop-in & Play and Preschool Settling in Sessions

On Wednesday, the Early Years playground and classrooms were filled with the happy sounds of visitors to our latest Pop-in & Play session. These exploratory playtimes give our prospective families the opportunity to ‘feel at home’ with us and experience at first-hand what a St Faith’s education offers.

On Thursday, we held the first of two Settling In sessions for new Preschool pupils joining us after half term. It was wonderful to see the children’s enthusiasm as they explored their new surroundings and began to make connections with staff and classmates ahead of their start on 4th November.

Parent-Teacher Meetings

This week we were pleased to welcome parents of pupils in Years 3, 4 and 8 parents to Ashburton Hall for their parent–teacher meetings on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. These evenings are an important opportunity for parents and teachers to meet face-to-face to discuss pupils’ progress and achievements. These conversations are invaluable in strengthening the partnership between home and school. Next week, it will be the turn of Pre Prep parents on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening.

Year 8 Tour Guide Practice

As we look forward to our Prep Open Morning next Tuesday, we are fortunate to be able to draw on such an excellent and enthusiastic group of Year 8 pupils to lead the tours for prospective families.

This is one of the many leadership opportunities available to our senior pupils, and I know they will rise to the occasion and will enjoy being ambassadors for St Faith’s.

And Finally…

This evening I look forward to attending the Year 7 Poetry Recital, always a highlight of the calendar. Tomorrow, our Reception families will enjoy the long-awaited Scavenger Hunt – previously postponed due to poor weather. This is a long anticipated opportunity for our youngest children to show their parents around their new school – and perhaps discover a few hidden treasures along the way.

It feels fitting that a week that began with an assembly devoted to acts of courage should end with poetry recitals and a scavenger hunt — both requiring a little bravery of their own. Whether standing on stage, or leading the way with a treasure map in hand, it is very heartening to see our pupils meeting new challenges with growing confidence.

Wishing you a peaceful and enjoyable weekend,

With all best wishes,

Crispin Hyde-Dunn

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