Cundall Manor Upper School News

Wednesday 3^rd December

According to one fairly well known Christmas song ‘It's the most wonderful time of the year'; it is certainly one of the busiest in Upper School! Amongst other activities Thornton are in the midst of their mock GCSE examinations and Session 2 of the outdoor pursuits programme has started. This is designed to involve ‘warmer' pursuits over the chilly months. We have Scuba in the pool and classroom, climbing at the Leeds Wall and Power-boating (in thermals and lots of layers) at Castlegate Quays. One group of Eldmire pupils even asked to continue their kayaking so that has been arranged! A mention of the snow warning for tomorrow merely attracted a comment of ‘Yeah!' from several participants. Who said we have a generation of children who are only happy spending all their time in front of a computer?! There is a limit however and we would of course not pursue any activity if it were not safe, even if we had to drag the pupils away from it! In Session 3 we will be adding two further options, namely .22 shooting and a survival course run by ‘Taste the Wild' based very near to Cundall.

Next week Main School head off to the Panto. (Oh yes they do!) In Upper School we hope to have the first of the inter-house competitions which will be shooting (air rifle) and hockey. This will take place within the school day. In the evening a group of staff and pupils will be going to sing carols at Oak Trees Residential Home in Alne, Alne Hall Cheshire Home and the Durham Ox at Crayke. Further details will be sent home in a letter shortly. It is not a compulsory event for Upper School pupils but we would welcome the support of any willing carollers.

On Thursday next week there is a hockey match between the U16 team and the staff. The result of a bit of banter on the pitch a while ago about the inevitable ‘we could easily beat the staff', a sufficient number have come out of retirement (in some cases ‘deep' retirement apparently) to don on their shin pads, remould their gum shields and pick up a new small headed hockey stick. Both team lists will be published by the end of play tomorrow. The game will start at approximately 5.30pm on Thursday evening at Alanbrooke Barracks. We (the staff) would be very happy if no parents came along!! But joking aside you are all welcome to come along but you will need to bring photo ID to gain access to the camp e.g. passport, new driving licence etc. History, it is said, is written by the victors so next week there will be a report (hopefully) written by Mr Bayley...

D Chubb

2009 India trip

We are delighted to confirm that the following pupils have been selected to go on the India expedition in the summer next year:

Tom Hepworth                     James Bircumshaw    Bertie Webber          William Johnson

Louis Williams                     Romy Prendergast     Edward Key

Lucy Hookway                       Harriet Pepper          Phillip Fieldhouse

Fundraising for this trip has already commenced. Both Romy and Lucy have sold Christmas decorations last Saturday morning and Wednesday morning in the pre-prep car park. They must be commended as they have raised in the region of £600 for ASRA, so a huge well done to them both and thanks to all who have supported them.

Following the success of these sales and the carwash at the Christmas Fair, the India trip pupils will be holding further fund raising events in the New Year. Watch this space for further details.

J Kempton