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News from the surrounding Villages
Friends of Boxford School Christmas FayreThe School was full to bursting at the Christmas Fayre. The children were able to visit Santa in his grotto, enjoy the many stalls, Wine to Water, Teddy Tombola, The Hamper Raffle to name a few plus they were able to play the legendary Human Fruit Machine. From the help and donations from the school children’s families, we were able raise £1350. This will help fund ongoing projects, equipment, trips and treats for the children, which are not covered in the Schools budget. Elmsett & Aldham Players Young Charlie is working to a deadline but suffering from writers block. Can he find inspiration from the works of the great Charles Dickens or will he get more than he bargained for from these classic characters? Can the past and therefore the future be re-written or is fact stranger than fiction? For the answers to these and many more questions why not draw up a comfy chair and settle down with us for a superb time of live entertainment suitable for the whole family. Another truly original pantomime which this year celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. A great script, imaginative direction, a live band to accompany the songs and an enthusiastic cast look set to deliver another fantastic show, so book your tickets early to avoid disappointment. Ticket prices have been reduced this year and so are especially good value for what always turns out to be a great live show. Thursday and Friday evenings (at 7:30pm) and Saturday afternoon (2:30pm)- Children & Concessions £3.00; Adults £4.00 Saturday evening – All tickets £5.00 (no Concessions). Tickets will be Available from January from Elmsett Post Office & General Store (01473 658210) or contact; Owen Corble 01473 658726 Christmas Stars Shine Brightly in Bildeston Miss Lesley, Principal of Miss Lesley’s School of Performing Arts said “I would like to take this opportunity to stress how proud I am of ALL my pupils. I would never generally put on a show until at least a year after teaching pupils for the first time. However, despite them having just 24 lessons (some of them less!) they have amazed with me their enthusiasm, talent and eagerness to perform to an audience; they truly are ALL my little stars!”
Profits from the “Christmas Stars” will be used to subsidise a trip for all the students to hopefully see a top show either locally or in London’s West End sometime in 2012! Miss Lesley’s School of Performing Arts News from Kersey School Owl Class and Badger class have had a really busy half term, which began with a fascinating Ancient Greek day in which the children had a wonderful time acting out myths, playing games and learning through role play about the Ancient Greeks and how they lived, and ended with their amazing performances in the annual nativity play “Bethlehem Baby”. Squirrels and Hedgehogs have enjoyed learning about homes long ago and have used our beautiful village as an example of how houses were once built. Everyone really enjoyed singing songs in the school play, and the little impromptu individual acts made the audience laugh. Now the outdoor play area has been completed, and the canopy extended, thanks to the Friends of the school, the children are enjoying learning beyond the walls of the classroom, which is fantastic. During November the school remembered those who sacrificed their life for the freedom of others, and everyone participated in Heroes Day, where we raised over £70 for the Help the Heroes Charity. In a special assembly of Remembrance led by Owl Class, we learnt about the horrors of war and the hope of the Poppy, we were joined in this assembly by families of service personnel, and Major Corcoran and Major Myers in full military dress helped Owls with the readings. Across the school, “The Big Write” is inspiring children to develop their writing skills, and to reach their personal writing targets; this is further encouraged in Miss Gurney’s after school creative writing club. Parents have commented that when they collect their children following a writing session “The boys especially can’t stop talking about what they are writing, they are so enthusiastic!” The whole school also participated in a writing focus week with other schools in the pyramid, where each child produced a book to be shared with fellow pupils at other schools. In fact writing is such a big hit here, that the School Council has organised a non-uniform day to raise funds to buy more “Big Writing” materials. We have been really fortunate this term to receive additional support from the Greys trust which has helped us restock the books in the library, from the children themselves who raised money through a sponsored read to replenish reading materials in Key Stage 2 and from the Friends of the school who purchased new reading scheme books for Key Stage 1. With all these developments we are aiming for “Big Success” in all aspects of literacy, and are now increasing our focus on numeracy, where we have recently purchased new teaching materials. This is an exciting time in the learning journeys of our whole school. We are looking forward to the literacy and numeracy “learning with the children days” organised for next term, and to the various sports tournaments and events planned. As ever the Friends of the school have been incredibly busy in both fund raising and in spending their money on helping our school to ensure everyone not only reaches our vision of “achieving potential together” but aims beyond this too. In addition to a huge thanks to this dedicated and hard working group of parents, we would also like to thank the entire community for their support in all fund raising activities, with your help we really can make a difference! We wish all everyone in the community and beyond a peaceful Christmas and a very happy New Year. Linda Curran-Spain |
Our 2012 pantomime is ‘What The Dickens’ and runs from Thursday 16th February to Saturday 18th February 2012. 
A performing arts school launched earlier this year, put on its very first production “Christmas Stars” at Chamberlin Hall, Bildeston on the 11th December. Students at the school, ranging in ages from as young as four, danced and sang their hearts out, putting on a very professional variety show of exceptional standards to a packed audience.
A two hour show with costume changes, lighting and smoke machines had children giving performances from Oliver, Wizard of Oz, Grease, Hairspray and much, much more resulting in the audience giving a standing ovation at the finale. A former student and teacher at the famous Italia Conti Academy in London, Miss Lesley has had a successful career in show business working on both TV and the West End. Now relocated and living in Suffolk she is pleased to bring her knowledge and experience to children in a rural community. 
Hi, I am Linda Curran-Spain, and in April this year I took up position as Head Teacher of Kersey CEVCP School. For me in my first headship, the last two terms have flown by, and I am sorry that I am now only finally introducing myself to the wider community of the school. Now I have settled in, I would like everyone to know about our outstanding school, and the fantastic families I work with.