The following certificates were recently awarded to our youngest swimmers, celebrating their early achievements in the pool: 

Can get into the water safely: Lexie Chilton

Can swim with a float: Sophie Dickson

Springmead hosts family swim

Just as a reminder, family swim will take place on Saturday 6^th November from 5.30-6.30pm.  This is an opportunity for families to enjoy time in the pool with each other and friends – the school pays!  It is also an opportunity for children to try for distance badges that, due to time constraints, we cannot get through during ordinary swimming lessons.

A group of 10 Springmead Year 5 & 6 pupils travelled to the Frome Leisure Centre Astroturf on Thursday afternoon to take part in a hockey fixture with Selwood.  The teams were playing a new 6-a-side format of the game called Quicksticks.  Three Selwood teams would take it in turns to play against the team from Springmead.

Springmead soon overcame the experience of playing on a different surface as the games were played at a great pace.  All the children made a fantastic contribution to each of the matches and really enjoyed the experience.  Particularly pleasing performances came from Tom Taylor, Lizzie Finch, Thomas Hastings and Max Ralph.  All three games ended in draws, 3 – 3, 0 – 0 and 1 – 1.

Beckington once again brought two teams for the football fixture against the Year 3 & 4 team. In the first half Beckington played their stronger team and were able to control most of the play with the Springmead side being forced to defend well and then attempt to counter attack. Beckington proved too strong and were leading comfortably at the break.

With an all changed team in the second half Beckington were looking to extend their lead. Both teams continued to work hard and create chances and Springmead started to come into the game more as an attacking force and were able to put the Beckington goal under greater pressure. Unfortunately the efforts of the first half began to catch up with the Springmead team and allowed Beckington back into the game. The second half finished 2 – 2 and everyone on the Springmead team can be very proud of their efforts.

For the first cross-country league this season our runners were blessed with dry and bright weather.

17 children represented Springmead in the 4 events and all performed to a high standard.  Well done to those who competed for the first time: Eva Perkins, Evie Jackson, Luca Morgan, Harrison Pow-Jones, Campbell Goff, Charlie Powell, Christian de Jaeger and William Ball.

A fantastic effort was put in by all our runners and well done to Elena Sidman who came 1^st in the lower schools girls race.

The results from the league can be seen on the playground notice board or at: www.MendipJuniorAthletics.org.uk

12^th November – story telling evening for Year N  – Year 2.  Time to get your pyjamas on and come to our jungle themed story telling evening.

19^th November – Night hike for Year 3 – 6.  Get your walking shoes and torches ready for a hike around Alfred Tower.

Information regarding tickets etc will be available the first week after half term.  Looking forward to seeing you all there!  

Can you help?  We are having a get together to sort out costumes and props for this year’s pre-prep production.  If you can lend a hand, whether you can come to this meeting or not, please let Charlotte Heald know know.

Tuesday morning’s event was a lovely occasion to celebrate all the children’s successes during our annual Poetry Performance Competition.  Every single child from Reception upwards has stood up and recited a poem to their class – what an incredible achievement! 

It is always wonderful to hear the finalists and enormous thanks go to Peter Stone who had the unenviable and extremely difficult task of selecting the winners.  Congratulations to Autumn and Summer Houses who are joint winners of the house championship and a big ‘well done’ to our individual winners.

Poetry Winners 

Reception  Sophie Dickson

Yr 1           Jemima Shakespeare

Yr 2           Zakarie Rosenfeld

Yr 3           Imogen Paige

Yr 4           Elena Sidman

Yr 5           Cameron Wight

Yr 6           Lizzie Finch

Sports news

Seven days after their first meeting the Year 5 & 6 football team once again faced a strong North Bradley side.  The game was played in much better conditions to the previous week, which allowed both teams to produce more attractive passing football.  In a fairly even first half both teams created chances but it was North Bradley who took the lead and managed to hold that slim advantage to halftime. 

The second half continued in a similar fashion with chances at both ends.  Thomas Hastings, in the Springmead goal, and his North Bradley counterpart at the other end were having to be quick on their feet and both keepers produced important saves to keep the score at 0 – 1. As Springmead pushed for an equaliser a quick counter attack allowed North Bradley to double their advantage. 

Unlike the previous meeting this seemed to increase Springmead’s motivation and desire.  Several chances came along but it wasn’t until Tom Brown managed to get around the keeper with a cool shot that Springmead managed to get back into the game.  With only a couple of minutes left chances were still being created at both ends and while Springmead were beginning to look more comfortable North Bradley were becoming more ragged.

It was only some very fine last-ditch tackles and scrambling defence that enabled North Bradley to hold on to their slender advantage and complete the double over Springmead.  This was a much better performance than the first game and the whole team can take great pride in their effort and determination.

Next week’s fixtures

Monday 4^th October 2010 – Yr 3 & 4 Football v Beckington (Home)

Tuesday 5^th October- Mendip Cross Country League at Wells

Thursday 7^th October 2010 – Yr 5 & 6 Hockey v Selwood (Away

Poetry Performance Competition (Year R-Year 6)

Well done to everyone who learnt and recited a poem this week.  The class finalists will perform their poems at next week’s final at 10.15 am, Tuesday 5^th, at the Village Hall; parents of these children have been invited to the final.  If your child is not in the final but you would like to come along, please feel free to do so.  The finalists are as follows:

Hedgehogs ~ Sophie Dickson, Jonny Cox, Harriette Puddy-Jones

Rabbits ~ Jemima Shakespeare, Abby Sparrow, Amelia Nicholson

Otters ~ Louis Wight, Arabella Goff, Zakarie Rosenfeld

Badgers ~ Agnes Arnold, Imogen Paige, Eddison Donson

Squirrels ~ Jack Beeching, Elena Sidman, Freya Applegate

Owls ~ Cameron Wight, Frances Arnold, Jack Buchan

Eagles ~ Lizzie Finch, Caitlin Norton and Tom Taylor