School News

SUMMER BALL 2009
A spectacular Senior and Prep School Summer Ball is being organised for SATURDAY, 20TH JUNE 2009. Further details to follow but this is a date not to be missed!

INTERNET SHOPPING GATEWAY LAUNCH

Use our new St. Catherine’s School internet shopping gateway to access your favourite on-line shopping sites and you could be raising money for the PTA at the same time as taking advantage of some great special offers. St Catherine’s Senior School PTA and St Catherine’s Prep School PTA have jointly established a new web shop through buy.at whereby we will receive commission on purchases made through the gateway.

The web site address is www.buy.at/stcatherinesbramley through which you can access a variety of different retailers, who include John Lewis (commission rate 2%), Marks & Spencer (3%), Early Learning Centre (4%), GAME (3%) plus many more great sites with varying rates of commission from 2% to 12%.

Funds raised through this joint venture will go towards purchasing key items of equipment for the new buildings which will be used by both the senior and the prep school students and staff in a variety of ways. This could include up-to-date gymnastics equipment, pianos for the four music practice/teaching rooms, piano for the performance space, sound and lighting equipment and a variety of other additional items to enhance the new buildings. Some of these items may be brought into use earlier than the completion of the building if funds allow.

So please have a look at our new web shop. All you need to do to ensure the PTAs receive the commission is to access the sites via the gateway. No further information is required and no codes need to be remembered.

The Trader
This is a reminder that the Prep School Trader will be issued via e-mail next week. If you have any adverts to place, such as outgrown bikes or instruments, children’s gear or a holiday home to let, please e-mail xraycaro@yahoo.co.uk with the details (the deadline is Wednesday). Many thanks!

WALK AND CYCLE TO SCHOOL DAYS
You will all be encouraged to hear, in the last 11 months, car sharing on our walk and cycle to school days has increased from 15% to 33% of the total pupil journeys to school. On each walk and cycle to school day we have achieved 80% of the girls, or more, coming to school by eco friendly means - car sharing, buses, walking, cycling and other modes of transport, rather than one family to a car.

BIRTHDAY TREATS
We would kindly remind parents that as a School we aim to be a nut free environment. Whilst girls are welcome to bring birthday treats to School we would ask that all packaging is carefully read to ensure that any products comply. If home made cakes are brought into School could you please also supply a list of ingredients. Thank you for your support.

USED STAMPS
Although I collect throughout the year, don’t forget to save all the stamps off your Christmas cards as these can be used to help the Phyllis Tuckwell hospice in Farnham. Please ask all your friends and family too. Mrs Chaventre

SECOND HAND UNIFORM

The shop is opening Tuesday mornings 8.30 to 9.30.

We are planning to sell second hand sports equipment, such as tennis racquets, shin pads, hockey sticks and hockey boots. We should be grateful for any that you have in good condition.

Please look through your daughter’s uniform and leave anything you wish us to sell on your behalf, with all your contact details, at the school office or with us on a Tuesday morning at the shop.

Libby 01483 268379

We are looking for two new volunteers to help in the Uniform Shop. It is not an arduous or time-consuming job-just one hour every Tuesday morning-and is a great way to meet mothers from different classes. We also raise valuable funds for the PTA. Thank you.

Eco Warrior News

Last year the Eco Warriors made a wish list of items they would like in the Preparatory School garden. The PTA have very kindly spent a huge amount of money on purchasing some of these items. We now have an outdoor stage with seating, a new climbing frame for the Pre Prep I garden, a bench around the yew tree, some musical instruments and a speaking tube. All of these are already in heavy use by the girls.

PTA, has recently purchased a very special and unique playhouse for the girls. The playhouse is situated in the woods and has been made from a redwood tree, cut down specially for the Prep School, from a sustainable forest in Devon. The girls are enjoying playing in the house along with the newly arrived mushroom seating and table sets for Pre Prep and the older girls.

The new outdoor stage

Reminders

Please remember all girls are required to wear their blazer to and from school. Fleeces are only to be worn during PE and fixtures. Thank you.

In line with the school’s policy with regards to registering the whereabouts of all our girls could we please ask parents to ensure that when taking their daughters out of school during the day for appointments they remember to ‘sign out’ at Reception.

Due to a recent complaint from a local resident we are asking parents of both the Prep. and Senior Schools to please drive with greater consideration when entering and leaving the school grounds. Thank you.

Due to Health & Safety Regulations we are sorry to say that we must ask parents not to bring dogs onto the School premises, particularly onto the playing areas. Girls who have allergies are particularly at risk and I thank everyone for their co-operation in making the School environment a safe place for all our girls.

Library News from the Bibliocats

The Summer holidays are fast approaching and there are many opportunities for the girls to participate in reading challenges or try their hand at storytelling or other writing activities. The Surrey Libraries are inviting children aged 4- 11 years to participate in their National Summer Reading Challenge. Similar to last year's Big Wild Read, the children will be encouraged to read up to six books during the holidays with various fun incentives as they reach certain levels. We would encourage you to visit your local library and they will be more than happy to enrol you in the challenge.

The girls can also practice their storytelling skills by entering the Barefoot Books Young Storyteller competition. Entrants are asked to think of a favourite folk tale, fairy tale, legend or family story and retell the story, using props, instruments and of course, their imagination. Then record your video for submission by 7 November. Any girls interested should visit www.barefoot-books.com/uk for official rules and competition details. The entries will need to be submitted via the School so please inform your form teacher or a Bibliocat if you are interested in participating.

Are you a good judge of what makes a fantastic children's story? Then why not apply to be a judge for the Costa Book Awards. Any girl aged between 9-13 years of age is welcome to enter by submitting a 200 word book review by midnight on 8 August. Please look at www.costabookawards.com for full details. Jacqueline Wilson will select the three lucky winners who will sit on the judges' panel and choose the shortlist and ultimate winner of the Costa Children's Book Award.

We hope all of you will stop by the Library on Open Day to view our display of your teachers' favourite book from their 'younger days'. See if you can match the book to the teacher and find out what they most enjoyed reading when they were little. There is a fantastic prize for the winner of the competition!

The Reading Scheme has been extremely successful with many girls in KSII achieving a Bronze award. The Reading Scheme will not run over the course of the summer but will start again in September when the girls return to school. In September the girls will receive a copy of the proposed Reading Lists for their then current year group and a new Reading Record sheet to be completed over the course of the academic year. Please hang onto your black reading folders as we will ask that these be reused throughout their time in KSII. We are currently compiling a list of great Summer reads and hope to circulate those by the end of the term (it will also be posted on the website).

Thanks to all the girls who have already told us about their 'Desert Island' book. We would love to have more contributions and don't forget you can receive a house point for your recommendation (only one though please)!

The Bibliocats need new library volunteers!

Do you have a spare few hours which you could dedicate to the library each week or bi-weekly? It is a wonderful way to interact with the girls and gain perspective on their interests and activities at school. Please contact the Library Co-ordinator if you are interested in learning more about it. Please let's not let the girls lose this valuable resource - we need parent volunteers to ensure that the library can remain open throughout the entire school day and after school.

Horsley/Clandon School Bus Service
Do you live in the Horsley/Clandon area? Would you like a stress-free school run in the mornings? If so, why not help the environment by joining the school bus. It departs at 0740 from Kingston Avenue in East Horsley, next pick-up 0750 from the West Clandon traffic lights and arrives at St. Catherine's at 0815.

Reading Scheme

We have all been delighted by the girls’ enthusiastic participation in the Bibliocats Reading Scheme. Many of the girls have achieved their Bronze awards with others going on to complete the Silver and Gold awards. A few have already achieved Platinum! We would like to reassure all of the girls and parents, however, that the Reading Scheme is completely optional. Our objective in launching the scheme was to encourage the love of reading and foster the girls’ creative and imaginary capabilities through reading well written and interesting books. Each girl should also feel free to read at her own pace and reading ability. Lastly, the recommended reading lists for each year group are only that- recommendations. Other alternatives can be discussed with the form teachers.

Website
Just a brief reminder that information on the reading scheme as well as the recommended reading lists for each form can be found on the school website. You can access this information from the St. Catherine’s website simply by clicking on the Library button located in the ‘Helpful Information’ section in the Prep School section of the website. All of the reading lists can be downloaded and printed from home should you misplace your copies. In the library section, we will also include any news relevant to the library or books as well as links to other useful websites. Do have a look at the Senior School’s Library page which also has some useful links and resources.

Recommendations
We would strongly encourage the girls and their parents to make recommendations about other events we should be hosting and of course, any good reads-either fiction and non-fiction books that are not currently stocked by the library. Any recommendations or indeed comments can be sent directly to Bibliocats@stcatherines.info.

St Catherine’s School Parents’ Prayer Group
St Catherine’s School Parents’ Prayer Group meets on the first Thursday of the month in term time at local venues. All denominations are very welcome. Please contact Jane on 01483 562512 or Fiona on 01483 503952.

Parking

Could we please ask parents to park considerately at dropping off and picking up times. You are reminded that the parking spaces are reserved for Pre Prep I parents and not to park in the drop off zone.

Some younger children are being left in parked cars and we would advise parents that this is not to be recommended.

As we are sure you are aware, the morning and afternoon school runs are very busy times of day. Therefore, for the safety of your children and other road users, it is extremely important that the following key points are adhered to:

1 Cars must not be parked and left unattended in the drive-through area of the Prep School because it causes serious traffic congestion on Station Road.

2 Cars must not be parked in the entrance of the Senior School driveway in front of the Centenary Building as school coaches cannot pass and it causes serious traffic congestion on Station Road.

3 Cars must not be parked unsafely at the junction of Hall Road and Station Road because an accident could be caused as a result of poor visibility.

Also please can we remind parents that the car parking area at the front of the Prep School is designated for parents of girls in PPI for both the morning dropping off period and the afternoon collection, up until 4pm.

Your patience and courtesy is most appreciated.

We have recently received a notice from the Surrey Police regarding the safe area outside the school which has currently been subject to a traffic regulation order. You may have noticed the new yellow signs which stipulate that there is NO STOPPING between 8.15-9.15am and 2.30pm and 4pm DURING TERM TIME on the yellow zigzag markings. This takes place with immediate effect and means that any vehicles stopping, parking or waiting on the restricted area are liable for prosecution. This will include delivery vehicles, taxis, buses and parents dropping off or picking up children.

We have been informed that the Local Neighbourhood Policing Team and Waverley borough Parking Enforcement have been tasked to carry out regular checks and to enforce these regulations as necessary.

This enforcement has been carried out for all schools in Waverley to provide a clear area in which children can cross more safely. This in no way reflects on the school or our parents.

LONDON TO LISBON
(ever so slowly...)

Dear All

It seems quite some time ago that we were able to send a report of our progress, but in the meantime, hopefully you have all enjoyed a fantastic Christmas break.

In our last report we had just reached Bonneval, where the next stage of launching on the Loir didn't quite go according to plan. It seems that the 120 miles we pulled the boat along the road, were not to be the last, despite our very best efforts to actually get on the water.

The torrential downpours of June had carried on long into July and consequently high waters met us at the riverside on our first look at the Loir. Undeterred, we sought out the limited amount of available information on the river and continued with our preparations for rowing. All the while, we might add, slightly dogged by a nagging pain in my right foot.

From Bonneval, Le Loir was to lead us neatly down to the better known, La Loire and then we would cut across to the river Cher, underneath the beautiful chateau of Chenonceaux. In theory!! In truth the nagging pain in the foot quickly turned to something more serious with the ridiculous result that we were unable to launch, as lifting the boat over the many and various weirs, obstructions, fish ladders etc in the water, had me almost blacked out with the pain. How ironic after such a walk to the first section of water we could row, we were relegated to the road once more.

The local cycle club helping out

In order to keep moving and try to make up some of the ever-so-slightly-behind-schedule time, we chose a route along Le Loir, sticking to the tiny country lanes, ever hopeful for an improvement in the foot. Rural France is fantastic for quiet roads, with little or no traffic and perfect sized villages along the way, the only slight complication being the need to zig zag across the map in order to avoid the larger roads. We could add to this, the attempts by the Minister of Works to set us off course by digging up one of the road bridges en route. However, the arrival of the cavalry in the disguise of the local cycle club, saw thirty willing hands to lift the boat across the divide and set us on course once again.

The wheat belt in this area is truly extensive, stretching for miles, or a week at our pace. It was in the middle of this that unfortunately my foot gave out, leaving us no option but to seek medical advice. Neither of us are the best at taking such advice nor the news that I had somehow damaged the veins in my leg and needed complete rest for a minimum of several weeks, was a serious blow to our plans for progress. After compressing two weeks into two days rest, we tried to push on, but we had to concede defeat and holed up in Moree, a tiny village where we soon made friends with the entire population, given as it was that there was a single bar and a single shop by way of a diversion. As always we were struck by people's kindness and help and used the time to try and come up with a better plan - which clearly we needed!! But in truth, couldn't come up with, so it was en avant towards La Loire, several days later, with industrial pain killers, a rather untrendy hospital style walking stick and a ridiculously slow rate of progress - but hey, progress is progress.

The ancient royal hunting forests that stretched to Blois, provided some much needed shade when finally on 11th July the sun came out, and stayed out. Yippee! It had been over 5 weeks of constant rain and despite our natural enthusiasm; we can honestly say that the sun put the spring back in our step, albeit still with a walking stick. The strain of having to pull the boat alone was beginning to show in Mark, with creaky knees, a sore back and unfortunately socks full of blisters. However, it was Bastille Day in the small town of Onzain and while our neighbours celebrated this early event in the French Revolution, we toasted the 200 miles we had walked to this point.

At Chaumont la Loire, we crossed the wide stone bridge that spans this beautiful river and saw what we had begun to expect in the last few weeks: the rains had swelled the water level to such an extent that any attempt to row upstream would end in disaster!

The trip to date had not allowed for much in the way of rowing practice but it had given us the skills to be flexible in our plans - as you may have noted it had been an almost daily occurrence that some major redirection had been necessary. Thus with La Loire in flood, we continued towards the Cher with the comfort that the Canal du Berry ran alongside, so between the two we were guaranteed a 'do-able' waterway. Lisbon was still 1600 kilometers away so actual movement towards our final objective, would definitely be the order of the remainder of July.

Chenonceaux's neighbour, Montrichard sur Cher greeted us with a warm welcome, a fantastic hotel and the news that the dam had ceased to be in operation from the previous week. Aggh!!! No dam meant no control over the ludicrous current that produced standing waves under the bridges and swirling eddies that spanned the entire river. On hearing that the powerful motored pleasure cruisers had packed up their businesses due to the strength of the current, we realised the Canal du Berry would be our saviour. Only a short day's walk away, we enjoyed the stroll past the enormous Mont Mousseau caves and troglodyte houses that lined the route.

Noyers sur Cher, home to the canalised section of the branch of the river Cher, held great promise as we arrived at the edge of a quiet, still, flat, calm, locked, waterway, almost falling in with excitement as it had all the hallmarks of what we had been looking for since Le Havre.

One significant bonus in our running around looking for information has been the chance to practice our French, and none more so than here as we had half the townsfolk seeking information on our behalf, and even people kindly driving us miles to other towns to find out all that we needed to know. And all that we needed to know was that the Canal had been de-classified and that only 19 kilometers of the 192 kilometers of its length were rowable, the remaining 173 having been built over, filled in or left to their own devices to the point of being unnavigable, even by sneak boat, such as we have.

It had been a theme in our diary noted several times, that we had needed a new plan like we had never needed a plan before. That night in Noyers we wrote it again and in the morning, swiftly acted upon it.

On all of the trips we have undertaken over the years, our aim has always been to do complete it under our own steam. It makes us feel great to have achieved what we set out to do and leaves us feeling there is more we are capable of. Whilst this is still true, we had finally realised that walking more than 240 miles in mostly pouring rain, with 200lbs of boat and luggage was actually more than we were capable of. Especially as I was still unable to walk easily and could not bend my ankle at all.

Mr Tong towing Shark bait!

With our best creative thinking we pushed on trying other means of making progress which still met our criteria of reaching our final destination by our own efforts, (after all on meeting up with the mayor of Lisbon, it would have been hard to explain that we had built a boat, driven it there on the roof of the car and now wished to present it to the maritime museum for others to enjoy! He would surely have been rather confused). These included more walking (slow) pulling Sharkbait with bicycles (less slow but not by much) and even a mobylette or small scooter, popular in rural France (slightly faster but with such a tiny engine, it refused to pull the weight up any slope!)

Despite this we had great fun pushing on towards the Dordogne, through Limousin, via L'Isle Jourdain and on to Ruffec. Incredibly, it was here that poor Mark then hurt his foot and was unable to walk for five days which was another serious set back in our timescale.

The rains of the early part of the trip had rolled away for good it seemed leaving us with a glorious late Summer and temperatures up to 36 degrees which unfortunately, we had not had time to acclimatise to.

As we moved on towards Cognac we couldn't ignore the facts any longer: time was moving on and the season for being able to cross the Pyrenees would soon be over - or rather long over by the time we would have reached them, and we would simply run out of time to reach Lisbon.

Thus it was that just outside of Angouleme that we took an amazing opportunity that presented itself in the unlikely form of a passing Texan gentleman and his wife. But more of that when we have the chance to come and see you all, to show you some more photos and explain the full story that saw the end of the trip.

Mrs Tong was Mrs Jefferies' PA until she left to go on this exciting adventure. Phoebe, one of our UII girls, came up with the most inventive name, thus winning Mrs Tong's competition to name the boat.

Needless to say, we had a wonderful time, made some very good friends along the way and would do it all again - only without the rain and the injuries. Although it would probably make more sense to build a full scale working replica of Lisbon in the back garden and simply row round it, it would certainly be quicker!

With, as always, love to all and thanks to the people we have met along the way.

Mr, Mrs Tong and Rugby