Meridian Index

Primary School

We have been spending some money, something we all love to do.  But it is thanks to the £800 which was raised at the Christmas Bazaar that we have just taken delivery of eight beautiful new tables and 30 beautiful new chairs.  Thank you to everyone who supported us,  and continue to support us in our fundraising ventures in the community.  Our new equipment will be on display at our OPEN MORNING which will be on Saturday 21st May from 10.00 to 11.30 am in the Youth Centre at the Village College.  We will inviting personally anyone whose name is already in our Admissions Book, and welcome everyone else in the village who has a child and is now considering registering them at Preschool.  There will be lots to do for the children, and the parents can chat with the Preschool staff and parent committee about what we offer.

There is a whirlwind of events our committee is organising this term.    It is a chocolate bonanza for the children at our Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday 20th March  at the Youth Centre.  We have a Nearly New Sale of childrens equipment, clothes and toys at the Village College on Saturday 23rd April,  and then something completely different, a Band Night on Saturday 11th June, also at the Village College.  We have two great bands, Stingray and  The Scott Brothers, performing, a bar, tickets are on sale at £10 each and are available from Jane Hackshaw on 205237.

Then to quieten things down and end the term, our Strawberry Teas at the Youth Centre on Sunday June 26th.  

I think after all that we will be ready for our summer break!  If you want to know more about our events, or about anything to do with Preschool,  please speak to our Supervisor, Cathy Dennis, on 203039.

Swavesey Primary School

Book Appeal
Our new Library / Music Room is nearing completion. We are now ordering new books to help create a superb new resource for our school. Many former parents and pupils may wish to help us complete this important task. If YOU would like to help us by donating a book to the library, you can drop a cheque into the school office and we will buy a book on your behalf. We will name all our donors, placing a gratitude sticker in the front of a book. 

Community Governor
We are seeking someone who knows our local community well to join the governing body of our vibrant, successful school. This is an opportunity to gain excellent insights into primary education and assist the school in meeting further important challenges in the next 4 years. If you are interested and would like further details please contact Lynsey Newbery (Chair) on 230831 or Val Dalby (Clerk) at school on 273312

Last Orders Please!
Mrs. Porter first began working at our school in 1990. We asked her what had changed about school meals and her kitchen over the years. She told us that most things are now better than before, with better quality food and a more efficient kitchen. Mrs. Porter said that she will miss working with the children and teachers the most. Her favourite memories are about Christmas time and Christmas dinners in school.

Mrs. Porter told us a little about her new job. 'I will be working for Bethel Baptist Church in their office, mostly doing some desktop publishing.' Mrs. Porter has two sons (Jonathon, 31 and Tim, 19) and daughter Esther (28) who all attended Swavesey Primary.

We will all miss Mrs.Porter a great deal. In assembly this morning she was presented with jewellery, photo frames and some flowers as a leaving gifts.

Her assistant, Mrs. Julie Williamson, takes over her job next week.

Interview by Alex Blake & Jack Holdsworth (Year 5)

At our School Council meeting last week it was suggested that we trialled GIRLS ONLY FOOTBALL for one week on the playground. This has sparked some lively debate and some persuasive writing in Years 5 & 6 literacy lessons. Here are some written extracts from Year 6:

When boys and girls play on the same pitch there are too many players. Some boys ignore girls and say they get in the -way, but they don't. Girls say that boys don't pass and leave them out.

I think having girls' only sessions will improve their skills and help them to learn the rules on their own. So when they play with the boys they will not feel left out and they will have fun. However, if there are girls only sessions boys will get bored and there will be more fights in the playground. Next, if girls don't want to play, boys should be able to take the pitch. I would prefer to keep football mixed because it gives both boys and girls a chance to play.

Matthew Nightingale (Year 6)

When boys and girls played football together space was cramped and accidents were caused by everyone rushing after the ball. Secondly, when girls waited to play boys wouldn't pass to them so they started moaning about girls ruining their games.

.Some girls say single-sex football is better as the boys are stronger and It would also give girls more time to practise their skills and play by simplified rules. On the other hand, the boys' views are totally different. They complain that if girls have separate games they would get bored and start arguing. Some say it's not necessary for girls only games because they don't know how to play and It just wastes time.

Perhaps girls should have their own, games and boys their own games of football? If we have one day each and there are three days mixed that would give both girls and boys some time to practise on their own..

Sophie Ekkebus (Year 6)

Some people disagree with having girls only football and say that it would be better for girls to play with boys. They say this because girls could learn from boys when seeing them play, and be able to join in and try the same skills themselves. Others say children should get used to playing mixed games because it is more natural, even though professional teams are not mixed. Girls and boys should mix, and not always be separated. If there is just girls only football boys won't have enough to do. The only way to prevent this happening is to have mixed teams and games. It only seems fair to have a school rota to keep the football in order with a selection of days with only girls, only boys and mixed football.

Christina Laddell (Year 6)

Swavesey Village College

The Spring Term, though short, was nevertheless very busy. The highlights included : 

• in Music and Drama …
  A combined and sell out concert between the College's Music Department and the Cambridge Chord Company who are the European Barbershop champions.
• Rock Night which provided a forum for six school bands who attend our Rock School on a Thursday evening. Each group had to perform at least one original piece and one cover version. The highlight of the evening was the return of Ninefoldpunch.
• Students from the College have been out in the primary schools, both performing and leading whole school choral workshops.
• Our elite choral group, 'St Cecilia 14', competed in the London Heritage Festival against choirs from Europe and America.
• Mrs Pawson, our Head of Drama, took on the role of the Gruffalo to lead a day's drama workshops as part of Elsworth Primary's Performing Arts Week.

in Sport …

• Our year 7 Girls Football team won the Cambridge Schools event and went on to represent the district at the regional tournament in Colchester.

in Science …

• During Science Week, we had the Eggstravaganza when up to 19 eggs were hatched live on the webcam from a science lab.
• Students took part in the Science Race -a national competition against schools from across the country.
• Our Community Science Lecture was targeted at students in the Primary Schools and in Year 7. Uniquely, the audience were graced with a visit by Sir Isaac Newton himself - who was wearing remarkably well for his age.

The College is involved in a number of initiatives aimed at promoting healthy living and environmental issues. For example our students are involved the Schools' Nutritional Action Group looking at the nutritional value of the different foods that they eat at school. This is helping to us to change our menus so that students have healthier options. Alongside this, the Eco-Club is looking at a range of issues linked to waste and recycling.

Highlights during the summer term will no doubt include :

• The Key Stage 3 Drama Club performances of abridged versions of 'The Tempest' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' on the 23rd to 25th May.
• The Leavers' Prom on 25th June
• The Variety Show on the 13th to 15th July.
• Various residential trips : the Year 7 Camp, Modern Languages Year 8 trip hostelling in Germany and Geography and History Trips in Year 9 to the Eden Project, Cornwall and the Battlefields in Belgium, respectively.

We remain very grateful to parents and other members of the community for their continuing support of the College. During this term we are going to explore the possibility of launching a 'Friends of Swavesey Village College' that would be made up of parents past and present. For more information about this and other College news, log on to www.swaveseyvc.co.uk for weekly updates.