Beachborough Newsletter: Friday 16th May 2025
Head’s Blog
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” Martin Luther King, Jr.
At the heart of Beachborough is a firm belief that every child’s voice matters. When young people are given opportunities to express their views, make decisions, and see their choices valued, they grow not only in confidence but also in their sense of responsibility and engagement.
This is why I am particularly excited about our upcoming Enrichment Week, where the theme will be “Your Voice Matters.” Throughout the week, the children will be encouraged to exercise their right to choose the activities they wish to participate in, truly embodying the spirit of pupil voice in action.
On Monday, Mr Gross led an engaging assembly introducing the range of exciting options available. From adventurous activities like tree climbing, to immersive experiences such as a mock magistrate court, a visit from a planetarium, and even the opportunity to be Head for the Day! These options have been carefully selected to cater for a broad range of interests and to stimulate curiosity and creativity.
As Mr Gross mentioned during his assembly, it is important that the children vote for the activities they most want to experience. This process is more than just a ballot, it is an opportunity for them to practise making considered decisions, to experience democracy in action, and to feel empowered by seeing their choices respected and enacted.
The outcomes we anticipate are significant. Children will develop greater independence, a stronger sense of agency, and a deeper understanding of the importance of their own contributions to the school community. They will also learn to appreciate the value of making informed choices, collaborating with peers, and respecting the voice of others. But most of all, we hope the children will experience the joy that comes from knowing that their opinions and preferences matter.
I am looking forward to seeing the results of the children’s votes and working with the child who is voted Head for the Day. I hope they take it easy on the staff and don’t implement any radical new policies, like replacing Maths lessons with Minecraft!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Simone
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Mrs Susan Caddick (our current Head of Science) as our new Head of Boarding, starting in September 2025.
Beachborough Third XI had a convincing win against Swanbourne this week in a T15 fixture. Set only 64 to win after some fantastic bowling and fielding from the whole team, Keegan and Jake reached the total in the sixth over. Special mentions must go to Freddie for a maiden over, Jack for great captaincy, and Liam for fielding a superb run out. Tobey was player of the match for a great catch and two wickets in one over.
On Wednesday 13th May, Josh S in Form VIII and a member of the West Bromwich Albion academy, had the wonderful opportunity to play in a club match against Walsall Academy on the main pitch at the Hawthorns Stadium. The final score was 7-0 (although the game was closer than the result suggests) and Josh scored a lovely goal.
Many congratulations to Evie W in Form VIII, who has scored consecutive 50’s for the U13A girls’ cricket team in the last couple of school matches against both Swanbourne House (7th May) and Bilton Grange (14th May).
We’re excited to announce that Ultimate Activity Camps are returning this summer. With over 40 exciting sports, games, and creative activities each week, children will have the opportunity to try new experiences, stay active, and make new friends. Plus, take advantage of their Early Booking Offer – book by 29th April to save! They’ll also be running their Ultimate Survival programme, offering adventure-filled days for children aged 7 to 14, immersing them in nature with fun survival skills, challenges, and games.
On Sunday 11 May, Henry attended the Oxford Maths Festival, hosted at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford. Along with dozens of other Maths whiz-kids aged 5-13, Henry participated in workshops, puzzles, and creative maths challenges such as Origami, Mobius strips, and 3-dimensional Sudoku. All the activities were guided by Oxford University Maths students, who shared their passion for maths in so much of daily life. In one cube construction challenge, Henry found a solution that non-one else had discovered, and the university students gathered round to take photos. It was inspiring to be surrounded by so much brainpower, and Henry’s dad needed a little rest at the end of it all!
The Colts Girls A and B teams played their second hard ball cricket match at home against a strong MK Prep this week. The girls showed great enthusiasm throughout the games, enjoying the opportunity to develop their batting, bowling and fielding skills.
This week, our Eco Committee took part in a site-wide litter pick to help enhance our community space. Thanks to the hard work of our fantastic site team, the school grounds are already very clean, so pupils focused their efforts on less obvious areas, including the boarders’ spaces, under bushes, and in the Wildlife and Forest School areas. Armed with litter pickers, they enthusiastically set about improving their environment and making a positive impact. We’re now looking forward to extending this effort with a community litter pick in Westbury village before the end of term. A huge thank you to all the pupils who took part, and to the staff who supported the initiative: Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Franklin, Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Caddick, and Mrs. Cox.
On Monday, 31 of our students travelled to Stowe School to compete in the Athletics Prep Schools Meeting—and what an afternoon it was! Our athletes delivered a series of outstanding performances, showcasing talent, determination, and team spirit throughout the event.
