News Archive
On Friday 13 March, The Study joined in with thousands of school children all over the country to 'do something funny for money'. We raised £382.36 for Comic Relief. Girls came to school wearing some very funny creations and at Spencer House Charlotte and Charlie organised a joke competition and had everyone rolling with laughter in assembly.
To help raise money for Comic Relief, The Study Cellists performed a twinkle-a-thon. During break on Friday we tried to perform 15 variations of 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'. There were nine of us altogether and we had a large audience at Wilberforce House. We managed all fifteen variations and by the time it was over I was exhausted.
Jacqui, Year 5
Two very excited teams set off for the Small Schools Year 5 Hockey Tournament at Harrodian School on 12 March. After an exhausting day of playing matches, with teams from eleven other schools, we waited eagerly for the final results. Not only did our 'A' hockey team win the tournament, but our 'B' team came first in the Plate division. All the 'A' and 'B' players went home with medals - and big smiles!
To celebrate World Book Day, Spencer House girls enjoyed dressing up as book characters.
From left to right: Bananas in Pyjamas, Lyra from Northern Lights, Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz, Oliver Twist and Friends and Mr Happy and Mr Bump
We were eager to learn more about our chosen charity for this term, when Louise Ferns, a Schools Presenter for Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, visited. She told us about the hospital, a little of its history and how our donation will help to make a real difference to the patients and their families. Among the many fund raising activities we have held so far this term was a pedometer challenge organised by Jemima, Year 3 and a match box challenge by 6B. Catherine managed to squeeze 135 items into her small match box and we found out that Jemima took 7653 steps in a day! Rachel's guess was the closest.
Left: Jemima congratulates Rachel, the winner of the pedometer challenge. Right: Louise, with Catherine and her sister Elizabeth
Rather than going to Portsmouth to see the Mary Rose, the famous Tudor ship came to Year 5! Not only did Trevor and Clare from the Mary Rose Education Department, bring along lots of replicas of the artefacts found on the ship, they also brought some original items. It was amazing touching and smelling real rope and wood from the Mary Rose. During the day we found out a lot about life in Tudor times. We particularly enjoyed trying on the Tudor costumes and playing a game of 'Nine Men's Morris', which is like Connect 4, except you cannot go diagonally.
Tasmin, Year 5
Left: Dressing up as Tudors. Right: Playing Nine Men's Morris.
Studying Victorian ArtefactsEveryone was so excited about Victorian Day. We all dressed up and looked very realistic. Mr Ian Roberts came to spend the day at The Study and he transformed the Spencer House hall into a Victorian schoolroom.
First we went into the hall where we looked at the objects which might be found in a Victorian classroom. Then we were shown a logbook from a school, written by the head teacher (like a diary). It was really interesting to find out about what really happened in schools then. We were shocked by how many children died. During the morning we experienced a typical school day in a Victorian school. We were even visited by a School Inspector: he was really strict and scary. We spent the afternoon in our classroom where we were history detectives. Mr Roberts put out lots of strange objects for us to look at and we did a fun quiz about them. Everybody learnt a lot and had an amazing day.
Camelia, Year 6
On Sunday 8th February the Spencer House Choir joined eleven other London school choirs for a concert at The Royal Academy of Music to help The Children's Trust celebrate its 25th birthday. Our choir delighted everyone with their repertoire: a moving rendition of 'Evening Prayer' by E. Humperdinck followed by a lively song called 'Buy Me Chocolate', which had everyone swinging in their seats!
On the stage in Duke's Hall
With the help of Far and Wide Puppets, girls at Spencer House spent a week putting together a puppet show from scratch. After a busy week of making puppets, sets and scenery, script writing and rehearsing, the Spencer House Hall was transformed into a theatre for three spectacular performances of 'Huracan and the Feathered Snake', a Mayan creation myth.
Just before relaxing at Half Term, Wilberforce House girls enjoyed immersing themselves in a week devoted to book related activities. This year's theme was 'Journeys' and one of the highlights of the week was a hilarious performance of 'The Bungaroo'. Helped by Splats Theatre Group, the girls had great fun rehearsing and performing this play about a bungaroo (part rabbit, part kangaroo) who journeys to Earth from the planet Bung, and the audience had great fun watching it!
Is that a bungaroo?
The final of the annual Spencer House Public Speaking Competition is a highlight in The Study's calendar and this year was no exception. Mrs Wendy Smith, Head of English at Notre Dame School, who had the unenviable task of choosing the winners, commented on the very high standard of all the finalists. Congratulations to everyone who took part and particularly to the winners: Jessica, Year 4, Esme, Year 5 and Jade, Year 6.
Mrs Smith with the finalists
Wilberforce House girls and staff had a great treat when two Japanese ballroom show dance champions, Yasu and Tomoto, gave a performance at Wilberforce House. The girls were enthralled by the different dances and they had fun when they all tried out the waltz. Rachel,Year 3, reports: 'I thought Tomoko and Yasu were really good at the cha-cha-cha and the Argentine tango. Their costumes were really beautiful. We enjoyed trying the steps of the waltz. They were really excellent so I hope they win their next competition.' Fabienne, Year 3, said: 'It was all so beautiful I can hardly think how to describe it.'
Our Reception classes have enjoyed meeting a variety of visitors in their topic on "People Who Help Us". They have learnt about the work of a doctor, a St John's Ambulance volunteer, a police officer and a dance teacher and they are looking forward to finding out about the firemen and a speech therapist. All visitors have inspired some imaginative games in their role play area. The surgery has been inundated with broken bones, heads and even eyes! The police and firemen have been busy filling out report forms and the post office has had record sales in stamps!
Year 2 had a great time at the Science Museum. We did lots of investigating in the Launch Pad and then we went into the garden area and we experimented with water. There were little boats that you could play with. Next we went to the space part and saw an astronaut with his spaceship. There was another giant spaceship which was made of foil.
Before going home, we visited the section of the museum where it showed old things like vacuum cleaners and cookers. What a busy day we had!
Tara and Lara, Year 2
Lots of Study girls took part in Merton Council's competition to encourage children to walk to school. Across the borough, Merton school children drew pictures for a 2009 Walk to School Calendar. Congratulations to Daphne, Year 2 and Jemima, Year 3, whose pictures were chosen to appear in the calendar.
As well as entering competitions, we support Merton's Walk to School Campaign, by encouraging everyone (girls, and staff!) to keep fit, and help the environment, by walking, scootering or cycling to school, when they can!
