Frewen News

The Oaks Celebrates Chinese New Year

Our Chinese 'Gap' tutor, Mao Ye (or 'Jacky' to his friends!) has brought a taste of the Orient to our junior school with a programme of activities to celebrate Chinese New Year. 

As well as a presentations on Chinese life and culture, Jacky has organised a calligraphy session, and had the children cooking a Chinese meal - which they then had to try to eat with chopsticks! The highlight of the week though was a collaborative project with our neighbours at Northiam Primary School to make and parade a Chinese dragon. Watch out for the photos!

International Cellist plays at Frewen

International cellist Chris Howlett visited Frewen to see his younger brother Ben, who has just started a year as one of our Gap Tutors. Chris has studied in Melbourne, London and Vienna, and has won a host of international music prizes.

While here he offered to play for our students, an offer which we eagerly accepted. For many it was their first exposure to live classical music, and was very enthusiastically received.

A Christmas Extravaganza

Virtually the whole school was involved in one way or another with the end of term entertainments. We held a very popular Carol Service at the local parish church, and pupils from The Oaks performed a specially written Nativity Play. Senior pupils then entertained parents with a concert and readings, and all the pupils can be justifiably proud of their performances.

There is no doubt though that for most of the pupils the highlight was to see the staff making fools of themselves in 'Snow White and the Seven Chavs', under the able direction of Wendy Barnett. It would be unfair to pick out one perfomance from such a stellar team, but the most inspired casting was undoubtedly that of Principal Linda Smith as the Wicked Queen, and the most unlikely was Fitzy, our favourite Australian, as Prince Charming! Great fun was had by all, but no London agents have been in touch with us - yet!

It's a Sporting Life at Frewen

A revolution in sports and outdoor activities has hit Frewen this year.

• The long awaited Sports Hall has now opened just next to the junior school. We have been able to arrange regular use of the hall, both during the day for mainstream sports activities, and in the evenings for use by boarders.
• Pupils have eagerly welcomed the arrival of our new Head of Outdoor Activities. Australian Paul Fitzsimmons, ('Fitzy') joins us from Tunbridge Wells High School with a wealth of experience in orienteering and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, as well as the full range of Games and PE.
• Rugby has returned to Frewen, just in time to encourage pupils to cheer on our heroic national team. Better luck next time, Fitzy!  
• Games GCSE Option introduced: many of our Year 10s have eagerly signed up for our Games GCSE option, the first time this has been offered at Frewen. Following successes last Summer at ISA athletics meetings, many pupils are keen to see what they can achieve.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme: with the arrival of our new Head of Outdoor Activities, all Year 9s will be pursuing the DoE Bronze Awards this year. DoE is an excellent scheme for our pupils, offering a chance to succeed in a wide range of options of their choosing. The DoE Scheme is also highly regarded by employers as it demonstrates the sort of initiative, effort, and achievement that is all too seldom found elsewhere.

'A Brighter Future'

Oaks mum Karen Sparacia has been the inspiration behind the production of an innovative 2008 calendar called 'A Brighter Future'. The calendar features stunning photographs of the local area around Rye, and each month there are different discount vouchers for local goods and services that will repay the cost many times over.

Sale proceeds will go towards the school's Chairman's Fund, which helps to finance a small number of places at the school for local children. The cost is just £6.50 and numbers are limited, so please let the school secretary know how many copies you would like!

Extra Numeracy support

Following the successful introduction of our intensive daily Literacy sessions last Autumn, our Head of Mathematics Rachel Kimber has developed a wide ranging Numeracy programme which has been introduced this Autumn. The programme runs on two mornings each week and is tailored to the needs of individual pupils.

Our girls just keep growing!

Our decision to admit girls three years ago has proved to be a big success, with numbers steadily increasing and now up to fourteen day girls, with girls now in virtually every year group. We are now in discussion with our girls to see how we can continue to improve the facilites we offer them.

Over time we expect the proportion of girls to continue to increase and we intend to ensure that our curriculum and facilities reflect this.

Upgrading Sensory Integration in Occupational Therapy

Following additional specialist training, our Occupational Therapist Claire Burdge is introducing a new range of programmes for children experiencing sensory processing problems. Sensory integration therapy utilises a range of specialised equipment including suspended equipment. This provides enhanced sensation as part of a meaningful activity that yields an adaptive response, improves the ability to process sensation, and thereby enhances learning and behaviour. 

Parents or education professionals wishing to know more should contact Claire via the school office.

Even healthier food

Our Catering Manager Heather Wareham has always been at the forefront of the movement to make school meals healthier, so it is with some enthusiasm that she has embraced the new regulations monitoring the nutritional value of school meals.

Introduced in response to Jamie Oliver's high profile campaign, the new legislation requires all school menus to be analysed as to their nutritional content, with targets set for both the 'bad' and the 'good' elements.

Heather has had to load all her menus into a sophisticated new computer programme and is very pleased with the results. She said "It involved a lot of work, but it is good to know that what we will be producing will be even better than before, and helping to make the children healthier. I'm afraid a lot of the favourite puddings have had to go, but with most recipes it is simply a matter of substituting healthier ingredients."

One particularly useful additonal benefit of the software will be to enable analysis of some of the more specialised diets required by some chidren, to identify and correct any nutritional imbalance. For those who struggle to eat healthily outside school, it should also be possible to demonstrate quite graphically just how their diet imight be harming them. 

As much as possible of our food continues to be locally sourced to enhance quality and minimise food miles.