Message from the Acting Head of Junior School
Mr Richard Lock
Dear Parents,
I start this, my first newsletter, with the wonderful news that Mrs Meier has had a baby girl and they are both doing well. It is, of course, because of her maternity leave that I have the privilege of leading the Junior School for the next year.
Although we have only been back to school for seven days, there has been lots happening. It was on my second day at the helm that I took my first morning assembly and introduced myself to the wider school community. During this assembly I was able to understand some of the talents and qualities which make up the Junior School of Eltham College.
You may have seen that our girls’ chess team, consisting of Aayat, Amelia and Yueci, took a very well-deserved victory in the Under 11 English Chess Federation national competition. This is the first (of hopefully many) national titles for our girls’ and we are extremely proud of their achievement. Of the 27 games played, the girls won 22, drew one and lost just four matches. Figures which Mr Oliver, master in charge of chess, would only be able to dream of for his beloved Nottingham Forrest. When describing the story of how our girls achieved victory there were audible gasps across the school. The entire community were delighted to share in the success of these chess masters and we have challenged to aim for any European (or even international) titles.
We also congratulated Alessa who, during the Easter holiday, donated her hair to the Little Princess Trust. Not only will her hair be used to make a wig for children who have been affected by cancer treatment, but she has also raised over £1,200 for the charity which will be put towards the work of the charity in making and distributing the wigs. It was only later in the day did I learn that Alessa has donated her hair twice to the same charity and that she hopes to the same again soon, albeit once her hair has grown to the required length.
On Monday, we bade farewell to our Year Five pupils who departed for their residential trip to Norfolk. Although the weather was not reflective of the ‘summer’ term, the children were nevertheless able to enjoy a wide range of activities at the centre. One highlight for the trip was a coastal walk which included seal spotting. We look forward to more details later once the children make their return to school this afternoon. We thank Miss Johnson, Miss Levy, Mrs Wearmouth, Mr Schaper, Mr Dale, Mr Wearmouth and Mr Marin for running the trip and making it such a special week for the children.
The summer term is always filled with exciting events and school traditions which mark the end of the academic year. Some highlights include Sports’ Day, cricket fixtures, the Junior School art exhibition, safety workshops, parent/teacher meetings, the Summer Concert and prizegiving. For all events and details, please consult with the online calendar available here.
As the term progresses, I look forward to meeting more parents from the Junior School. Should you want to contact the school, please do so through other members of the Junior School Senior Leadership Team as well as Form Tutors and the rest of the teaching team. My email remains [email protected] but please also contact the office [email protected] or Mrs Tunstall, my assistant, who will be able to direct you to the most appropriate person.
Wishing you a good weekend,
Richard Lock
Acting Head of Junior School
