Post on 03-Jun-2020
Chitts Hill, Lexden, Colchester, Essex, CO3 9ST
FROM THE HEADMASTER . . .
parents of Year 7 pupils at the
CE Information talk on
Saturday. It starts at 11am
and gives you the necessary
information of what to expect
in the run-up to the Common
Entrance examinations in the
summer of Year 8. Parents of
other year groups are, of
course, welcome as well.
On Monday and Tuesday
next week I will be out of
school at the IAPS Annual
Conference being held this
year in Westminster.
With best wishes
Alexander Mitchell
Headmaster
Dear Parents
Our sports teams have made
an excellent start to the sea-
son with some notable victo-
ries and thrilling matches in
rugby. Our 1st XV rugby
team displayed a fine mix of
skill, tenacity and sportsman-
ship against New Hall on
Wednesday resulting in an
exciting 24-19 victory.
The Colts made a convincing
contribution to the season
against The Abbey. The As
won 56-6 and the Bs had an
entertaining match and won
28-21. An encouraging and
exciting first few weeks!
Please let your friends know
about our Open Morning next
Friday between 9.30am and
11.30am. The staff have
worked hard to display much
of the children’s work from
the first two weeks around the
school and we are hoping for
a busy morning.
I visited Christ’s Hospital
School in West Sussex on
Wednesday and had a fasci-
nating day. I was given a
tour of the school. At lunch-
time, the whole school
follows a 120-strong march-
ing band into the dining hall
every day!
A big thank you to Mrs
Motion and the boarding staff
for ensuring the Years 5 and
6 bonding experiences on
Monday and Tuesday went so
smoothly. The children
seemed to thoroughly enjoyed
themselves and certainly
tucked into the cooked break-
fast with gusto!
This morning, a professional
photographer from The
Colchester Gazette visited the
Reception pupils to take
photographs. Look out for
them in next Tuesday’s ‘First
Class’ supplement.
I hope to see many of the
Autumn Term, Week 3
www.holmwood.essex.sch.uk
Happiness is the key to progress
Tel: 01206 574305
Friday 20 September 2013
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Saturday 21 September 11-12noon Information Morning for
parents of Year 7 pupils - ‘The Common
Entrance Years’
(Year 8 parents also welcome)
Thursday 26 September
Technology Team Challenge at Felsted
Friday 27 September 9.30-11.30am Open Morning (Public)
6.10pm Exeat Weekend begins
(no boarding)
7.30 for 8pm Welcome Dinner for
Reception parents
Saturday 28 September Exeat Weekend - no school
HOLMWOOD HOUSE NEWSLETTER
SCHOOL NEWS . . .
Pre-Prep French
The video shown at the
Information Evening on
Tuesday 17 September can
now be found on the school
website on the French page.
Prompt Arrival
Please could you ensure that
your child arrives promptly in
the mornings. It really does
make a difference when all
pupils are in school and ready
to learn on time.
Senior Schools
Oakham, Culford and St Felix
School are holding open
mornings on Saturday 5
October and The King’s
School, Canterbury is holding
an open day on Saturday 12
October. Please contact the
schools direct for further
information.
If Your Child is Ill
Please refer to the guidelines
on the school website regard-
ing when your child is fit to
return to school after illness.
Reception: Delilah C
Sophie P
Year 1: Edward F
Jenson G
Year 2: Jude S
Flynn P
Year 3: Pearl P
Damon B
WELL DONE!
In recognition of demonstrating one or all
of the Golden Rules, the following
Pre-Prep children have received
Golden Awards this week:
Year 3 Activities
Science
“
Page 2 Friday 20 September 2013, Autumn Term, Week 3
SCHOOL NEWS . . . . . .
Air Element Meeting, Thu 12 Sep Archie L did a wonderful demonstration of his
martial art, Kuk Sool Wun, this week in Air’s
Element Meeting.
ENGLISH …
The Year 7s spent their English double
lesson on Monday observing and making
notes on the features of Annie's Garden to
support their understanding of how to make
use of the five senses, figures of speech and
strong, original adjectives in their creative
writing.
Year 7
You’ve never seen teachers
move out of Archie’s way so
quickly! He was awarded our
coveted ‘Air Contributor of the
Week’ sticker for his efforts.”
Miss Godman,
Head of Element
If you require directions to a particular school, please
visit our website or ask at the front office.
Sports Fixtures
Details of this term’s latest fixtures can be found on
the school website.
Team sheets for matches are on display from Monday
morning on the wall outside the dining room and in
the Talbot Room. They give details of team members,
start times, departure from and return times to
Holmwood for away fixtures.
Page 3 Friday 20 September 2013, Autumn Term, Week 3
ELEMENT MEETINGS…
The BIG vote! Pupils in all three Elements voted this week for pupil Heads of Elements, Deputy Heads
and Charity Representatives in this week’s Element Meetings.
The results will be announced next week together with the names of the tutor group
School Council Reps.
“Land centres around the vote.”
“I made a speech today and
I was very proud.”
“I’m looking forward to
the results!”
Page 4 Friday 20 September 2013, Autumn Term, Week 3
S… BUDDIES …
Reading This week the children met their buddies to enjoy some time reading books together.
BOARDING …
Boarders’ Talk, Wednesday, 18 September This week’s boarders' talk was given by William and Matthew T. They
talked about their sailing success in Italy in the summer. They were
placed 9th overall in the RS Feva World Championships.
“We were very lucky that the boys were able to bring their boat in to school as part of
their presentation.”
Mrs De Voy, Deputy Housemistress
Page 5 Friday 20 September 2013, Autumn Term, Week 3
SCIENCE …
Holmwood - Associate School Member of The Royal Society
At the end of last term the Science Department submitted an application to
become an Associate School Member of The Royal Society, the UK national
academy of science. We were therefore delighted to hear recently that our
application was successful.
Membership lasts for two years during which time we have the opportunity to
participate in their many projects and activities.
What is the Royal Society?
“The Royal Society is a fellowship of many of
the world’s most distinguished scientists
drawn from all areas of science, engineering
and medicine. The society’s fundamental
purpose reflected in its founding Charters, is
to recognise, promote and support excellence
in science and to encourage the development
and use of science for the benefit of humanity.
The society has played a part in some of the
most fundamental, significant and life-
changing discoveries in scientific history and
Royal Society scientists continue to make out-
standing contributions to science in many re-
search areas.”
The Royal Society website
“The Associate Schools and Colleges scheme is
a UK network of enthusiastic teachers who
share their experience and work with us in
order to help promote excellence in science
and mathematics teaching.”
The Royal Society
Robert Boyle, Chemistry 1627–1691 A natural philosopher, chemist, physicist and
inventor. He is best known for the formulation
of Boyle’s Law and is generally regarded as one
of the founders of modern chemistry.
Benjamin Franklin, Electricity 1706–1790 One of the Founding Fathers of the United States
of America. He was a major figure in the history
of physics for his discoveries and theories regard-
ing electricity.
Edward Jenner, Vaccination 1749–1823 Is widely credited as the pioneer of the small-
pox vaccine, and is sometimes referred to as
the “Father of Immunology”. Jenner observed
that milkmaids rarely got smallpox and
concluded that exposure to the bovine disease
cowpox conferred immunity; a theory he
tested and proved by injecting a child with pus
from cowpox blisters.
Charles Babbage, Computing 1791–1871 A mathematician, philosopher, inventor and
mechanical engineer who originated the
concept of a programmable computer.
Alfred Russell Wallace, Evolution 1823–1913 A naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist
and biologist. He is best known for independ-
ently proposing a theory of natural selection
which prompted the joint reading of his and
Charles Darwin’s papers on evolution in 1858
and spurred Darwin to publish his own theory the
following year.
Joseph Lister, Antiseptic Surgery (1827–1912) A surgeon who promoted the idea of sterile
surgery while working at the Glasgow Royal
Infirmary. He successfully introduced carbolic
acid to sterilise surgical instruments and to clean
wounds, which led to reduced post-operative
infections and made surgery safer for patients.
Ernest Rutherford, Atomic Structure (1871-1937) A chemist and physicist who became known as the
father of nuclear physics. He discovered that atoms
have a small charged nucleus, and thereby pioneered
the Rutherford model (or planetary model) of the
atom. He was widely credited as splitting the atom
in 1917.
Dorothy Hodgkin, Crystallography (1910–1994) A chemist credited with the development of protein
crystallography. She was the first female Briton to
win a Nobel Prize.
Sir Nicholas Shackleton, Earth Science (1937- 2006) A geologist and climatologist who specialised in the
Quaternary Period. Much of his later work helped
to clarify the rates and mechanisms of aspects of
climate change.
The Society was founded over 350 years ago in 1660. Since that date it has had many significant members. To celebrate the
350th Year of the Royal Society in 2010, the Post Office issued 10 first class stamps illustrating some of the best known fellows
of the Society and their extraordinary achievements.
Sir Isaac Newton, Optics 1643–1727 A physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural
philosopher, alchemist and theologian who is
considered by many as one of the most
influential men in history. Newton described
universal gravitation and the three laws of
motion which dominated the scientific views of
the physical world for the next three centuries.
Page 6 Friday 20 September 2013, Autumn Term, Week 3
SPORT…
Rugby, Wednesday 18 September
U11 A, B & C vs The Abbey (H)
Hockey - U11 A & B vs Littlegarth (H)
If any parents take photographs at away matches, please send them to: suzanne.excell@holmwood.essex.sch.uk