We have enjoyed some more excellent music-making culminating in some exceptional Christmas productions. 8 children have taken and passed music exams and an impressive number have gained half- or full- colours.

There are some exciting musical projects coming up in 2012. Make sure that you don't miss them!
Click here to read Mrs Jones' Review of Music at SG in 2010 / 2011.

Last week, disaster befell SG when Gerry the Giraffe fell off a shelf. Sporting Chaucer’s yellow scarf, poor Gerry lay shattered as well as legless on the hallway carpet. Emergency options included renaming him Gerry the Basset Hound, but Mr Curtis came to the rescue with his tubes of Araldite. Late into the night, the Headmaster received a text informing him of a successful operation but that Gerry would be somewhat unstable on his pins. Further surgery might include a large steel bolt to allow him to stand up throughout the week. Anxious well-wishers (Prep 6 pupils) hastily signed a get-well card as did Amelie Geens (Year 1) who sent him the message below.

Happily, Gerry was fit enough to be presented to Austen House who this week topped the stars chart. Interestingly, the giraffes at London Zoo are confused by the unseasonal weather. Some of them have been so overwhelmed by unexpected heat, their knees have buckled and they've fallen over... Gerry is not the only poorly giraffe! Lily-Grace Chandler responded with an Ode to Gerry:

click here to read Lily-Grace's poem.

As the last few days unwound, I approached our outstanding Captain of school, Holly Fielder, and suggested that I might interview her infront of the school in order to discuss and review the year's highlights. "I have already done it," she announced and then proceeded to explain that she had written her key-note address to the school!
what a remarkable achievement that an 11 year old can show such intiative and enterprise. I am extremely to grateful to holly for her outstanding leadership and inspirational character and talent. Please read Holly's review of the year:

click here to read Holly's Review of the Year

I was thrilled to hear the news of some fine scholarship success for three Year 6 girls. Emilie Knights-Toomer has been awarded a Sports Scholarship to Kent College. Holly Fielder has won a Sports and Academic Scholarship to Kent College. Alex Sharp has been awarded a Sports and Academic Scholarship to Ashford School.
We have a very talented top year and can reflect on some stunning 11+ performances last term (including Victoria Ayton, Oliver Langworthy and Alasdair Pilmore-Bedford) but are particularly thrilled with the scholarship success which demonstrates the pupils' talent, effort and commitment. well done girls!
Elsewhere in the school and not to be outdone, Laurie Cobb (Year 3) recently scored 100% in both his Maths and English January exams. On top of that he loves his sport, he plays the trumpet and laughs a lot! Well done Laurie!
I have been astonished at the standard of project work in both Prep 4 and 5 and have awarded highly sought after Headmaster's Commendation Certificates to a number of children. Following the theme of "wood", Prep 4 children chose a diverse range of subjects: The Eden Project, the long bow, wooden musical instruments, rocking horses,trees, etc. Well done to all children in Prep 4.

Somewhere between 1500 and 2000 runners took part in the Kent Primary Schools Cross-Country Championships last Saturday. There were about as many spectators again to make a very large crowd! The weather was fine and the conditions almost perfect for racing.
Last year's team won 5 medals in total: 2 team golds, 1 team silver and 2 bronze medals. That was a fantastic achievement. This year we raised the bar further: 3 team golds, 1 team silver and bronze, and gold, silver and bronze individual medals. 8 medals in total.
I compiled the following medal table to put into context Spring Grove's fine achievement.

A Great Start In the first race of the day, our Year 3 boys performed superbly with Harry Linch winning a silver medal, Fred Sharp was 5th and then Laurie Cobb and Yannick de Moubray raced for the third spot in the team. This time, Laurie's determination won through. Their own private race was very important for it secured the SG team the first team gold by just 1 point!
The Year 3 girls ran terrifically well as a team and finished close together. Out of a field of over 200 runners the following positions are commendable: Tallulah Holy, 12th; Lucy Henderson, 14th, Emily Beaugie, 19th, Francesca Barton, 22nd; Ellie Wood, 45th. The team won silver.
Our Year 4 girls did not enjoy such a good day and at least two of them stumbled in the opening stampede - lessons to learn there! However, our team effort was still good enough to secure team bronze.

Our Year 5 and 6 girls underlined Spring Grove's dominance: Our Year 5 girls were led home by the graceful running of Anousca de Moubray and then followed by Arabella Saliba-Williams who was clearly back to her very best and who passed several runners in the last few hundred metres. Katie Higgins was the 3rd SG runner home in 18th place followed not far behind by Hannah Moran in 20th, Saskia de Giles in 34th and Anna Bromley in 35th.
The Year 6 girls' team of Alex Sharp, Ellie Saxby, Emilie Knights-Toomer and Holly Fielder brought to a conclusion SG's triumph with another great display of ruinning. Alex ran a courageous race and our top three girls finished in the top 10 and achieved the lowest total of the day: 1st, 4th and 8th = 13 points.

Facts and Figures
No. of Competitors = 1500 - 2000
No. of Races = 8
No. of Medals won by SG = 8
Team Gold: Year 3 Boys, Year 5 Girls, Year 6 Girls
Team Silver: Year 3 Girls
Team Bronze: Year 4 Girls
Individual Gold: Holly Fielder (Year 6)
Individual Silver: Harry Linch (Year 3)
Individual Bronze: Anousca de Moubray (Year 5)

The Fantastic Team of Athletes who represented Spring Grove so magnificently

On Sunday 6th March 2011 the Spring Grove U11 girls’ team, alongside 38 other schools, participated in the annual National Prep Schools Cross-Country Championships in Malvern. The victorious girls’ team returned to Kent with two team Championship trophies and an individual silver medal. It is normally the bigger schools who dominate such events and so to go to Malvern and defeat larger and more famous schools is amazing.

Spring Grove’s Motto: “Always Do Your Best” “We have a small number of girls in Years 5 and 6,” said the headmaster, Bill Jones, “and so I am delighted that the Spring Grove ethos of always doing your best, inspired by the expertise and enthusiasm of excellent coaching, has triumphed in a National sporting event.” Spring Grove School is a small family prep school situated in Wye, Kent and educates boys and girls aged 2 -11.
There is terrific competition for places in the cross-country teams and this year we had to hold special trial events in order to confirm the final selection for the race. Led by our most experienced runners, Holly Fielder and Emilie Knights-Toomer, who have both been awarded sports scholarships to Kent College, our team of Year 5 and 6 girls also included Ellie Saxby, Arabella Saliba-Williams, Anousca de Moubray and Saskia de Giles and were thoroughly prepared by our excellent coach, Dee Langford. “If I was nervous, then they were nice nerves!” said silver medallist, Holly Fielder. “We had a relaxing warm-up and on the start line I was looking forward to it!”

Facts and Figures
There were 6 runners in each of the 38 teams and therefore over 200 runners in each race. Results: Holly 2nd, Emilie 11th, Anousca 26th, Ellie 57th, Arabella 62nd. The first 4 runners’ positions count as the team score: 2nd + 11th + 26th + 57th = 96pts. The 2nd placed team was 18 pts behind! The competition is so tough that there is a separate trophy awarded to the best small school: we won that. Most importantly we won gold and the overall title.

Mrs Langford proudly holds "Bob" and "Dave", the magnificent trophies won by the girls!

This delightful painting of Spring Grove School was commissioned in the Summer of 2010 and was unveiled at the end of November. We are thrilled with the end result and are delighted to be able to offer you a chance of owning your own print. There are three sizes available and these can be ordered by emailing headmaster@springgroveschool.co.uk

We finished the year as we started...