NEWS letterAUTUMN

2017

PAGE 1 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE

NEWS letterSPRING2018

PAGE 1 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

NEWS from The HeadmasterWEEK 5 I 9 FEBRUARY 2018

At the beginning of the year, I wrote about making resolutions to be kinder – to those around us and to ourselves. As we reach Half Term, I am reflecting upon the progress we have made towards that goal. I think everyone is very much aware of my mantra to ‘Be Kind’, but what does it mean to act with kindness, and are we doing it? Kindness, as a word, doesn’t ‘zing’, it’s seen as a passive, perhaps even old-fashioned word. The modern drive for success and immediate gratification has pushed kindness down the priority list (alongside the need for sleep!). But to be kind doesn’t always mean being overly-genteel or offering a stranger your last Rolo (although with Valentine’s Day approaching next week, you may indeed wish to save that final chocolate). Some of the most kind acts I have seen over the past 5 weeks have been tough and determined, purposeful actions, and they have not always appeared kind at face value. Being kind has challenged us to practise tolerance, withhold judgement, demonstrate equality, rethink and retrain ingrained habits and fundamentally see things from a certain point of view which may not correspond with our own. None of these actions are easy. Being kind is not always easy and it certainly isn’t passive behaviour! It is time to reflect upon the strength behind individual acts of kindness and our commitment to the pursuit of success in this area. I wish you all the very best for the Half Term break.

NEWS letterAUTUMN

2017

PAGE 1 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE

NEWS from Pre-Prep

PAGE 2 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

Playtimes are an enjoyable and exciting part of the day for the boys. They have continued to enjoy the equipment on offer and many boys get to enjoy playing with friends in other classes too. This social time is an important part of our learning journey – learning to be mindful of each other, learning boundaries (physical and emotional!) and picking up on important cues that build up our empathy, kindness and understanding of other people in our shared spaces. Sometimes accidents happen. Boys zipping around the playground bump into each other, or an unkind word is voiced. What we can do, as part of our social independence journey, is to use these accidents as a useful tool for learning. In the past few weeks we have been encouraging all the boys to remember the phrase ‘TALK-WALK-TELL’. This phrase encourages boys to TELL their friends if they are feeling upset when an accident occurs in the playground. Often, their friends are completely unaware of what has happened and will apologise immediately when they know that their friend is upset. Sometimes their friends may choose not to listen so the boys are encouraged to WALK away and TELL the member of staff on duty. I hope that this simple phrase will give the boys more independence and encourages them to talk to their friends when they are feeling upset. The boys have enjoyed finding out about the Sponsorship Afternoon on March 16 and I hope everyone has received the letter that provides more details about the event. Half Term will provide a great opportunity for the boys to raise some money for a worthwhile cause and give them a purpose over the holidays to get outside and practise walking or racing. Half Term is now upon on us and I am always amazed at how quickly the term whizzes by. Following the Headmaster’s reference to sleep in the previous newsletter, the Pre-Prep team wish all boys a restful and enjoyable break. We hope that they will take the opportunity to catch up on much needed sleep so they are ready to kick start the term when they return. Next Half Term is set to be the busiest one yet for the Pre-Prep boys with trips, World Book Day and, of course, the Sponsorship Walk to look forward to. Enjoy the break everyone! Ryan Steward - Head of Pre-Prep

NEWS letterAUTUMN

2017

PAGE 1 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE

NEWS from The Vikings

PAGE 3 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

Year 4 Viking Day

On Monday 5 February we had our Year 4 Viking Day! First I made a gargoyle's head out of clay, to scare off the elves. After that I made a lamp, with a wick and hot oil. Later, I made an amulet in the shape of Thor's hammer. Next, I made a clay pot. After that I made some medicine which smelt of garlic. In the afternoon we pretended to be archaeologists and tried to find objects in the dig boxes. It was exceptional in my opinion and I learnt a lot! Connor Wilson - 4R

To make a Viking candle we first had to get a metal ‘s’ shaped tool and wrap a small piece of string around it. Secondly we had to say some special words while we dipped the piece of string into a boiling bowl of wax. We did it about three times, after that we put it in a small bowl and let it cool down. Austin Tinsley - 4Y

We had to use ink and write a letter to the Viking leader, King Guthrum. We ground charcoal and Gum Arabic in a pestle and mortar and I learnt to write my name in Viking runes. George Blunt - 4Y

We made medicine with herbs. We read a card with an illness on it, had to pretend to be ill and then my partner made a medicine for me to treat the illness. Eshwar Tewari - 4Y

We made ugly faces to scare off the evil spirits. Thomas Quick - 4B

2017NEWS from the Classroom

PAGE 4 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue... Flower Dissection in Year 6

On Tuesday 30 January 32 boys from Years 5 to 8 went to the Sky News Academy studios in London.We first went to the planning room where we planned our small films. The genre we were doing was horror and they gave us an introductory idea to expand on. We then went into more detail in our groups and planned each scene.Next we went into the filming studios where we filmed our scenes. Each of the people in the four groups had a different role; you could be an actor, a producer, a director, an editor or a camera operator.We then filmed each individual scene on a green screen with the actors. After that we edited the scenes and put them all together. Soon it was time to watch our short films which we were all very proud of. Last but not least we visited the Sky Sports venue where we saw, through a glass partition, sports presenters reporting on the sports news.All in all I think it was a very memorable trip and I really enjoyed making our film.

Milo Bagot - Y6

The Year 6 boys have been putting all their Scientific skills and and knowledge that they have learnt this half term into a final investigation in which they have carried out a Valentine’s day inspired plant and flower dissection. This helped them to investigate that not all roses are red and not all violets are blue, but all plant cells are the same. Is that even true? The boys have identified different tissues that make up plants and have been investigating how cells differ in different parts of the plant. It has involved them carefully pulling layers of tissues from the plants and making up their own specimen slides with appropriate dyes, and recording accurate scientific diagrams and observations.

Robert Woodward - Head of Science

2017NEWS from the Classroom

PAGE 5 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

Year 3 Ancient Egyptian Day

Highlights from the day:

“Last Friday, we had Egyptian day and my favourite part was when the lady told up a story about how Osiris died and she said that Osiris’s evil brother Seth was jealous of his land so he made a plan to kill Osiris.” Alexander Masson

“The funniest bit was the curse and when the music started the lady’s body started to shiver!” Avi Patel

“The Ancient Egyptian day was very fun. I like the costumes and the tomb. We were allowed to be an archaeologists for the afternoon.” Jacob Strutton-Smith

“My favourite part of the day was the walk around the quad because it was a competition and it was funny. My second favourite was finding your Egyptian family. I was called Amisi and that means flower.” Caleb Timpson

“I went as an Egyptian Lower whose job was to send criminals to prison. When I walked through the gates I was shocked to see so many amazing costumes.” Theo Taylor

Year 4 Spell It! Competition

On Tuesday 6 February, four boys from Year 4 travelled to Eagle House to participate in a Spell It! spelling challenge. There were a record number of schools this year and the atmosphere was buzzing. The challenge consisted of a series of activities such as anagrams, compound words, turning pictures into words, missing consonants and the ferocious five! The boys worked in pairs and thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. Well done to James Bonsall, Ben Wellsteed, Charlie Barnard and Hamza Gulzar!

Natasha Watson - Deputy Head of Lower School

NEWS letterAUTUMN

2017

PAGE 1 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCEPAGE 6 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

NEWS from Performing Arts

Easter Drama Course - 9 to 13 April (10am - 4:30pm)A fun five-day series of creative workshops building a range of drama skills, facilitated by staff from The Beacon Performing Arts Department, Zenelle Oosthuizen and Will Maynard. This is open to Beacon boys in Years 3, 4 and 5.The course will include:• Improvisation and devising• Voice and movement• Physical theatre • Stage fighting• Commedia dell’arte The week will culminate in a sharing of work on the final afternoon in the Spinney Theatre, to which parents and friends are invited to watch. The participants will collectively perform sections from a famous fairy-tale utilising many of their new skills. Please click here to book.

Lower School Tea and Music

We were treated to some lovely performances last night in the Lower School 'Tea and Music' concert in the Old Barn with over twenty boys performing on a range of instruments. We heard everything from 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' through to 'La Donna e Mobile' and the boys all performed with confidence and a smile! Well done to everyone who took part and keep up the music practice over the Half Term break!

Liz Van Tromp - Head of Performing Arts

NEWS letterAUTUMN

2017

PAGE 7 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

NEWS from Performing Arts Congratulations to ...

Year 6 Creating Sound Effects

Mark Krutikov-Korsmik for achieving a distinction in his Grade 7 LAMDA Silver Medal examination. This is an exceptional achievement for someone of his age and we are extremely proud of him!

Max Taylor for receiving a distinction for his Grade 8 LAMDA examination. Max left The Beacon in 2016 for Rugby.

Tom Way (left 2017) for winning the Gold Prize in the Radley Declamation competition with a performance of a Shakespeare monologue from Henry V.

We are very proud these boys who started their dramatical journeys at The Beacon. Many thanks to Mrs Trainer for her expert guidance and also to Mrs Edlin and Mr Maynard for the incredible work that they all do with our boys at The Beacon!

Year 6 have been creating their own sound effects in class music and synchronising them to a short cartoon clip. The boys produced some brilliant cartoon clips, Click here to view Henry Graham-Lane’s project.

Liz Van Tromp - Head of Performing Arts

Year 4 Production of Honk Jr! - Thursday 22 and Friday 23 March

Thursday 22 March at 6:30 pm&Friday 23 March at 6:30 pm

Music by: George StilesBook & Lyrics by: Antony Drewe

Year 4 Presents

TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

Boys in Year 4 are looking forward to putting on Honk Jr! at the end of term. This is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling, Honk Jr! tells the story of an odd looking baby duck, Ugly, and his quest to find his mother. Rehearsals are going well so we know it will be a great production.

Tickets go on sale after half term.

NEWS letterAUTUMN

2017

PAGE 1 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCEPAGE 8 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE

Also in the NEWS

WHO’S WHO AT THE BEACON

MARK WALKER - Head of ClassicsWhat did you do before joining The Beacon?I was Head of Classics at St John’s Beaumont. Before I became a teacher, I was a writer and editor for Gramophone Magazine and then the nascent Amazon when they started in the UK

What does your role involve?Aside from delivering Latin grammar in as manageable form as possible, I also introduce our boys to various aspects of Greek and Roman history, mythology and culture. I am also the Scholarship Co-ordinator for the School.

What excites you about your job?Every day is different - you know what they say about the best laid plans. Well I learned quickly that flexibility and the ability to improvise are essential to the job.

What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?I spend far too much of my spare time playing bass in a three-piece rock band with two old pals of mine. We’ve all recently become huge Grateful Dead fans, so we now gleefully essay long-form improvisations in the middle of our songs. It’s enormous fun - and we never take any of it too seriously!

Who would you say has inspired you in life?Other than my favourite musicians, my greatest role model is The Dude from The Big Lebowski. ‘But, uh, that’s just like my opinion, man.’

Finally, the best thing about working at The Beacon is...The strong sense of community. We all moan and gripe sometimes (boys, parents and staff alike!) but we all seem to know intuitively that we’re all in it together and we’re all striving for the same thing.

Chess NewsOn Saturday 3rd February, The Beacon School Chess team entered into the prestigious National English Primary School Chess Championship for the U9's and U11's Tournament at Kings House School in Richmond.

The U9A team and U11A team both qualified and will now play in the National Semi Finals in May. The Under 9B team, with many players in their first tournament, played very well and gained a lot of experience from the event.

U11A team: Lucas Barnett-Harris, Arran Dhanda, Donnacha Doyle, James Branigan, and Thomas Quick.

U9A team: Sebastian Chapman, James Bonsall, Milan Aggarwal, Josh Twaddle and Alex Thompson.U9B team: Adam Khan, Agastya Rawat, Emre Bromhead and Dino Jayawardana.

Special thanks to our Chess Master Rob Willmoth.

Arran Dhanda -Y6

NEWS letterAUTUMN

2017

PAGE 1 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCEPAGE 9 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE

Also in the NEWS

We will be celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 1 March by asking the boys to dress up as a book character. Hopefully everyone will feel inspired to take part, and the best outfits are usually the simplest. All I would ask is that the boys do not just revert to football kit, I'm aiming for Harry Potter rather than Harry Kane and would really like the boys to use their imaginations. For ideas, please look at the World Book Day website, click here

Katie Turrell - Librarian

Advance Warning - World Book Day on Thursday 1 March

Year 6 Maths Challenge at St John’s Beaumont

On Monday, four Beacon boys took part in a Maths Challenge at St John's Beaumont School. It was my first time taking part in a Maths challenge and it was a fun experience. The three other boys were Donnacha Doyle, Mungo Lawson and William McKenzie. Mr Langley kindly took us there. We entered 2 teams, and there were 44 teams in total.

It didn't take long to get there and soon we were off doing Mathematics! At first, I was quite nervous about it but I soon got in to the swing of things with Will as my partner. There were three rounds which were timed. We had to run to the markers at the end of each column of desks once we had the answer and then, if we got the answers correct, we had to go all the way back to the other the end of the column, then back to our seats. Will and I alternatedwho ran each time. The day was a big success. All the teams were split in to two different groups to be marked. In their half, Mungo and Donnacha came first and in our half, Will and I came seventh. The day was fantastic and I hope to take part in another Maths Challenge soon!

Edward Overy - Y6

NEWS letterAUTUMN

2017

PAGE 1 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCEPAGE 10 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE

Trip NEWS

Year 7 Geography Field Trip to Chesham

Ski Trip to Alpe D’Huez - 30 March to 6 April 2019

On a couple of cold and wintery days, Year 7 carried out some urban fieldwork in Chesham. Their aim was to investigate the different houses throughout Chesham and see if it reflects the urban structure model they have been studying in class. Over the next couple of weeks they will analyse their data collected and form a conclusion.

They pupils found the trip interesting, especially looking at how the buildings have changed over time and the architecture of the older houses. We may even have some architects in the making!

Rebecca Barkham - Head of Geography

In 2019 The Beacon will be heading off to Alpe D’Huez, a new destination for the School, from 30 March to 6 April 2019.

Alpe D’Huez is situated high up in the French Alps, the resort bring 1860m above sea level with the lifts ranging up to 3300m above. There are over 250km of varied pistes suitable for all levels of skiers accessible via a series of excellent lift systems.

There are 45 places for boys currently in Years 4 to 7. If you son is interested please contact Andy Dixon on adixon@beaconschool.co.uk for more information.

Sports NEWS

PAGE 11 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

On Wednesday, the Colts A team travelled to Oxford for a closely contested match with The Dragon School. The team worked hard together to gain a 2-1 victory. Nikhil Bhargava had an outstanding game scoring both The Beacon goals. The team was well supported from midfield by Henry Ryland and Kieran Patel. An excellent pass by Edward Overy set up Nikhil’s second goal. William Letts kept the pressure on with skillful play. Nayan Manu played a relentless game despite his leg injury. There was a solid and fortress-like defence from Rory Grant and Lucas Barnett-Harris. In the last minute Henry Ryland made a crucial save with his tummy to keep The Beacon from a draw. The keeper, Mungo Lawson, played a clean and safe game apart from the unlucky goal. Mr Miles was very proud of the team’s performance and effort.

Mungo Lawson - Y6

FOOTBALL MATCH REPORT: Colts A vs The Dragon

FOOTBALL MATCH REPORT: U9B1 vs Haberdashers’ School

For fans of the sport – particularly those of a certain club from the North-West, the 6th February holds a certain significance. It was pleasing, on such a day to see a young, talented group of boys put in a great team performance on home turf.

Despite the chill in the air, the boys were full of energy with Archie Shawcross once again showing his class in the centre of midfield. Spike Hodgson and Ed Bloore looked assured at the back allowing our forwards to really get to work. It was the interplay between Rory O’Boyle and Felix Bridle that produced the opener with the two interchanging positions in a fluid attack. Felix confidently finished to put us one up. The second came soon after as we continued to dominate, this time the supply coming from a superb through-ball from Freddie Findley. O’Boyle was on the end of it, adjusting his body position before curling the ball in to the top right corner.

Joe Botha had made several brave saves down at feet in the first half but soon turned goalscorer in the second period as he swapped with Archie to play outfield. The two ‘keepers linked up beautifully with a long goal kick finding Joe, who took one touch before blasting the ball in to the bottom corner to finish the game 3-0. Whether in a stadium of 76,000 or on a freezing Willsfield, fans of the sport would certainly have enjoyed this display – I know I did.

Martin Langley - Teacher

Sports NEWS

PAGE 12 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

FOOTBALL MATCH REPORT: U12A vs Thorpe House

HOCKEY MATCH REPORT: U10A Hockey Tournament at Bradfield College

The U12A football team bounced back from the disappointment of last week with a comfortable win over a joint Years 7 and 8 team from Thorpe House.

It was apparent from quite early on that The Beacon team were much more nimble than their heavier opposition. It was only the right hand post that prevented the boys from scoring a contender for goal of the season after some brisk interplay between Josh Lee-Brock, Oliver Bloore and Harry Shawyer. Moments later the Thorpe defence was breached by a typical Ben Phoenix score. Like a panther he swooped upon his prey and the ball didn't stand a chance as it took off into the goal.

Khush Solanki was at his impish best as he magically popped up in the box to convert the next score. He was to repeat the trick in the second half and his footwork for both goals was a delight. Zach Orr-Ewing capped, I felt, a man of the match performance with a thunderous shot and subsequent goal to make the half time score 3 - 0. It could so easily have been twice that. In the second half our keeper James Stewart was called up to active service on more than one occasion and were it not his bravery the score would have been very different. Marco Filippetto was like the great Paolo Maldini, giving the team reassurance at the back, while Zak Wilson and Elijah Orr-Ewing also adopted a strong "they shall not pass" attitude. Final score 4 - 0 to The Beacon. It was a thoroughly pleasant afternoon.

Mike Williams - Head of PE

The U10A squad travelled to Bradfield College for a hockey tournament on Monday. They enjoyed an opening draw against Hall Grove School, and wins against Chandlings School, Moulsford School and Thorngrove Prep School. In the final the boys lost to St Andrews School to finish 2nd in the tournament. Well done to all the boys!

Sports NEWS

PAGE 13 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

English Schools Cross Country

On a frost Wednesday morning, a team of seven Beacon boys set out on their expedition to Leighton Buzzard for the English Schools Cross Country.

The courses were tough and frozen from the snow the previous night but none the less, the boys went about their business and did exceptionally well in every race. A highlight of the day was Alex Hughes who is a year below all the boys and still managing a brilliant place. I think everyone, including his opponents, were astounded that a Year 5 had beaten them.

Everyone ran a fabulous race and special kudos goes to Oliver Bloore, Fraser Creighton, Woody Jackson and Tom Emery who all qualified for the National English Schools Cross Country Championships.

The Beacon Cross Country Team: Alex Hughes, Oliver Bloore, Fraser Creighton, Henry Ryland, Christian Grant, Woody Jackson and Tom Emery.

Tom Emery - Y8

FOOTBALL MATCH REPORT: U10B1 vs Colet Court

The mighty under 10B1 team ran out 2 - 1 winners in a closely contested match at Colet Court last Friday.Two goals from the mighty Thomas Freeman, and in goal Jack Templeton was the very personification of a brick wall. Well played to all!

U10B1 Team: Templeton, Humphries, Desai, Stubbs, Stoica, Schulten, Freeman, Insch.

Mike Williams - Head of PE

FOOTBALL MATCH REPORT: 1st XI vs Thorpe House

On Wednesday illness and injury struck the first team as we came up against Thorpe House in our first home game of the season trying to continue the winning streak. Two debutants joined the team, Ben Staddon and Dilavar Gill, and both had exceptional debuts and fitted into the team like gloves. We started well going 1-0 up very quickly, piling on the pressure and did everything but score in one period of the game. Against the run of play Thorpe House levelled, but this only sparked The Beacon into life with two exceptional goals from Govind, both sweetly struck finishes. Sean "Safe Hands" produced a finger tip save at a vital moment in the game. George Darbyshire once again gave everything creating chance after chance for The Beacon, whilst at the back Edward Best kept us on top of the game with help from Cyrus, Freddie C and Ben. Early in the second half Dilavar on debut scored an absolute pearler to put us into a 4-1 lead. Then we had another slip and the game was at 4-2. Once again Ryan ran down the wing and finished superbly. Joe toiled in midfield all afternoon and The Beacon pushed on to 7-4 victory with good finishes from George and Freddie. Well done lads! Team: Sean Okuyama-Smith, Ben Staddon, Cyrus Hassan, Freddie Chhabra, Edward Best, Joe Harding, Dilavar Gill, Govind Chahal, Freddie Hancock, Ryan O'Connor, George Darbyshire.

Freddie Hancock - Y8

NEWS letterAUTUMN

2017DATE TIME EVENTMonday 19 February Return to School

Tuesday 20 February 18:00 Year 6 Parents’ Evening

Wednesday 21 February Year 4 Trip to Chesham Mosque

Thursday 22 February 18:00 Year 6 Parents’ Evening

Friday 23 February 19:30 BPS Parents’ Quiz Night

Key Future Dates in the Spring TermTuesday 27 February Year 6 trip to St Albans

Thursday 1 March World Book Day

16:30 Middle School Tea and Music

Friday 2 March Year 7 Victorian Waxworks Exhibition

Monday 5 March 16:45 Year 5 Macbeth Playlets (5G/5Y)

Tuesday 6 March 16:45 Year 5 Macbeth Playlets (5B/5R)

Tuesday 13 March Year 5 trip to Sulgrave Manor (Tudor Day)

Thursday 15 March Year 2 trip to Oxford Castle

17:00 Singers’ Tea and Music!

Friday 16 March 14:00 Pre-Prep Sponsorship Day

Thursday 22 March Year 1 trip to Windsor Castle

18:30 Year 4 Honk! Musical Production

Friday 23 March 18:30 Year 4 Honk! Musical Production

Thursday 29 March End of Term

PAGE 1WWWFollow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

PAGE 14 TRADITIONAL VALUES I CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION I WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE

Year 4 Warrior Training

A long stand off - the battle could take a while!

And FINALLY...

www.beaconschool.co.uk

IMPORTANT DATES for your diary