From Monday, 31 March to Wednesday, 2 April, Year 3 and Year 4 pupils from Warwick Junior School embarked on an unforgettable residential trip to the Mount Cook Adventure Centre in Derbyshire. Blessed with wall-to-wall sunshine, the two-night trip was filled with excitement, learning, and camaraderie.

The Year 3 boys engaged in a variety of thrilling activities, including land karts, indoor climbing, and the Game of Tribes. They also participated in an archaeological dig, archery, bone working, and fibre craft. The evenings were equally adventurous, with firemaking skills and rocket building sessions. Throughout these activities, the boys demonstrated empathy and resilience, working together and supporting each other through challenges.

Year 4 students took on more challenging pursuits, such as high ropes, ziplining off the top of the accommodation block, off-site orienteering, scrambling, and rock climbing. Their evenings were filled with abseiling and the Mount Cook challenge. The boys showed remarkable focus and independence, tackling each activity with enthusiasm and determination. Their ability to communicate effectively and take responsibility for their actions was evident throughout the trip.

The boys stayed in dormitories of 4 or 6, which led to some late nights filled with laughter and bonding. Despite the excitement, they made the most of every opportunity presented to them, demonstrating creativity and reflectiveness in their approach to the various activities. The food at Mount Cook was fantastic, providing the boys with the energy needed for their action-packed days. The Mount Cook staff were brilliant, offering support and guidance throughout the trip.

In conclusion, the trip was a resounding success, with the boys not only having fun but also developing important life skills. The combination of excellent weather, well-organised activities, and supportive staff made this an unforgettable adventure for everyone involved. The Year 3s are already looking forward to returning next year as Year 4s to experience the thrilling zip line!

A heartfelt thank you to all the staff who made this trip possible. Their dedication and hard work ensured that the boys had a safe, enjoyable, and enriching experience. The boys returned home with wonderful memories, having had a fantastic time at Mount Cook.

The Warwick Junior U10A football team had an impressive run at a football tournament held at RGS the Grange this week.

The boys started strong, winning their first two games comfortably against Kings St Albans and The Elms. Although they faced a tough challenge in a competitive group game against RGS, which they lost, their overall performance allowed them to progress to the semi-finals.

In that crucial match, they defeated Winterfold, setting the stage for a rematch with RGS in the final. The boys excelled in the final showcasing excellent passing, organisation, and teamwork, which ultimately led them to a convincing 3-0 victory over RGS The Grange, making them the deserved overall winners of the tournament! Well done to everyone involved.

Year 4 stepped back in time to Ancient Rome for this year's play. The story took place in the Colosseum where the stage was set for the first ever Great Roman Bake-off! There were no gladiator fights, but the boys were whisked into a frenzy, beaten to a foam and knocked back in a competition where Flour was Power!

Orphan Gladis managed to escape the clutches of her miserable aunt and uncle by winning the Great Roman Bake Off and becoming the ‘Gladisbaker’.

The uplifting and cheery songs, alongside the impressive acting talents shown by the boys, made this show unforgettable for everyone who came to watch it.  Well done, Year 4!

Reflectiveness was our new learning strength this week and in assembly I asked the boys to reflect on the things they find easy and the things they find difficult. The boys were incredibly honest about the subjects and activities they find easy or difficult, but also those learning strengths such as focus, which they can find challenging. We discussed how we all have different strengths and weaknesses and that we need to be appreciative of our strengths and those of our friends, but also supportive and empathetic with each other when we find things difficult. 

This was a busy week musically with Junior School boys performing alongside Warwick School pupils in the Stringfest and Guitar concerts. A number of boys also took their music exams this week, and we wish them luck as they await the results.  

All the year groups enjoyed football fixtures this week and the School Council also met to discuss menu changes, car park signage and their views on school life. 

As we approach the final busy few weeks of the term, there are a number of events, including Terra House Charity Day, open homework weeks, Year 6 trip to Bletchley Park and the Year 3 and 4 residential. If you do have any questions regarding upcoming events, please check the newsletter or contact the school office. 

With best wishes, 

John Bond 

Last weekend, our U11 sevens rugby team enjoyed a rare Saturday fixture, taking part in the annual Caldicott Prep 7s festival. 

With 12 teams taking part on the day, there were 2 pools of 6, with one crossover game to end the day. This meant that our boys played six games, each lasting 10 minutes. A lot of rugby to be played and plenty of opportunity to showcase their skills! 

The first game was the toughest, taking on a strong Caldicott team on their main pitch, with the game being live streamed on YouTube! The boys defended brilliantly, but couldn't quite get their attack going, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. What followed after was a brilliant day of rugby overall and the Warwick boys showcased some fantastic rugby - having worked very hard in training to improve their attacking skills. They went on to win all five of their remaining games. 

A highlight of the day was a full-length of the pitch, multiphase try against our friends at Clifton College, who we had met earlier in the season on tour. But a highlight for the coaches was watching the boys do player-led huddles and team talks, piecing together what the focus of each game should be. A real sign of maturity from the players!

It was a fantastic day overall, and having a large parent group there in support definitely gave the boys a lift throughout the day. Well done to all of the boys who took part.

Warwick Town Council are inviting local schoolchildren to design a flag based on the theme, ‘A celebration of Peace and Love’. The flags will be hung across the Town Centre, from the beginning of May, in time for the town’s 80th Anniversary of VE & VJ Day celebrations. 

This will be run as a competition open to all Junior School boys. The winning design will be printed onto flags to be displayed for the rest of the summer around the Town Centre. 

On Thursday, 1 May, winning pupils and their families will be invited to the Ballroom at The Court House to celebrate their artwork ahead of the flags being unveiled around the Town. 

All designs need to be submitted to the Junior School office by Friday 28th March with the winner being announced in assembly on Monday 7th April. 

Please download the template which should be used for any submitted design. Paper copies of the template will be available in the school office. 

Good Luck!