All Hallows Boarders Blog

Cinema and Tank Museum

2012-01-20T02:51:00.000-08:00

We have been back for two weeks now and everyone has settled back into the swing of things. The boarding house has felt very settled and all the children know their clubs and activities for the term.

Our first two weekend trips were to Wells Cinema Centre (To watch Puss in Boots) and to the Tank Museum. Both trips were enjoyed by the children as you can see by the photos that were taken by Mr Gracia. Clearly he is a talented photographer as well as a tennis coach!

The children are being very helpful at mealtimes of a weekend and it is great to see them taking more of an active role and enjoying helping to prepare and set up for meals. (It all adds to the family atmosphere)

Following Exeat weekend we have a trip lined up to @Bristol and some land zorbing at All Hallows which promises to be fun.

I hope that everyone enjoys their Exeat!

Cinema and Christmas Dinner

2011-12-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

Well what an action packed weekend we had! After a full afternoon of sports fixtures all of the boarders hopped on board a coach and headed to Wells Cinema Centre. We were lucky enough to nearly have the entire screening to ourselves. The film on show was Hugo and we have now developed a very good relationship with the owners due to the excellent behaviour of the children. With that in mind I am sure that we will go back there a few times next term.

Sadly the weekend was also the last for Miss Caughley and Mr Hodgetts who will soon be jetting back off across the other side of the world. They have both made a real impression upon the boarding community and will be missed by both the children and staff.

On Sunday it was the annual Boarders' Christmas Dinner. St Bede's was festively decorated and as you can see from the pictures there were even some clear plates, which means that someone is eating their greens! After a great meal the children moved to the gym to play a variety of party games. As always the way to appeal to a boarder is through their stomach and sweets were on offer as prizes!

This week we have a 'Christmas Disco' on Wednesday where DJ Billy and MC Florence will be spinning some party tunes! After all packing has been completed on Thursday we will then take to the main staircase for the now traditional 'Christmas Carols on the Stairs'. This is a welcome last chance for us all to come together (hopefully in good voice) and celebrate as a community.

I hope that you all enjoy a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. See you in 2012, the All Hallow's Resident Team!

We've Been Busy!

2011-11-15T01:32:00.000-08:00

The second half of term has started with a real bang! (Sorry. Bad joke, I couldn't resist!)

The first Sunday back, saw us head off to Clarkes village. The children enjoyed the chance to move around the shops. If truth be told the sweet shop still appears to be the favourite destination, although sports shops and pasty shops now run a close second and third.

The Boarders' Fireworks Night had to be cancelled on the first Friday back due to poor weather. We re-scheduled for the Tuesday , which also co-insided with the Year 5 sleep over night. We had a fantastic time eating chocolate covered apples and making shapes in the air with sparklers as Mr Veal's expertly lit fire roared behind us. Next came the main event. Mr Hannah, assisted by Mr Veal and Mr Hodgetts treated us to a twenty minute display of bright colour and banging noise. as you can see from the photos, we all had an amasing time.

Last Sunday the children cooked their own three course meal. We split into groups and prepared different courses, all under the watchful eye of our catering manager Emma! The menu was as follows:

Soup with Blintzes

Pancakes with Roasted Vegetables and meatballs, in a creamy tomato sauce, topped with cheese

Cupcakes with butter icing

The children had a fantastic time making their meall and then all sat down together as a family to polish off all the food.

Next weekend is Exeat weekend!

Portraits and New Friends!

2011-10-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

What a busy weekend. Saturday was a very full day. The morning began with our weekly boarders meeting, before lots of the children took the opportunity to watch Wales come close to reaching their first World Cup Final. (In truth Mr Lucas and Mr Hanratty were more upset than anyone else!) Following on from that was the Saturday moring enrichment programme. A stand out on the day was the Year 6 Ready Steady Cook held in Scouts Wood. Two teams created a three course meal for the judges to try. I hope to put some of the pictures on the next blog for you to see. Next came a whole raft of sports fixtures, all played in fine weather. By the evening everyone was fairly exhausted and relaxed in the Boarding House as the darkness drew in.

On Sunday we had guests from Hazlegrove School join us for the afternoon. The boys and girls from each school were mixed together to form eight teams each consisting of eight children. Each team then undertook three challenges designed to test their ability to work together as an effective unit. Each challenge was timed and the team that completed the challenges in the quickest time were then crowned the winners. At the end of the afternoon all the children were treated to a barbeque before Hazlegrove headed home to Sparkford. It really was a pleasure to see the children from both schools bond and develop new friendships as the afternoon progressed.

At end the day we went to Mass before indulging in some hot chocolate and a movie before bedtime. Some serious sleeping took place after such a hectic fun and food filled weekend!

I have also taken pictures of a few of the portraits that Mr Lucas has taken of our boarders. I apologise for the flash that is in the pictures, but they give you a taster of what is on display. Each boarder has been photographed and their pictures adorn the walls of their landing.

The Lions of Longleat

2011-10-10T07:54:00.001-07:00

The weather had changed for the worse this weekend, but the spirit in the boarding house
was still excellent. After an extremely busy match day on Saturday, the boarders sat down to an Italian themed evening. After a fine meal it was time to cosy up in front of a DVD and relax in warm.

Sunday morning began with a full English Breakfast to set us up for the busy day ahead. The coach departed at 11.00 for Longleat so that we could make the most of our time. There was so much to do! We started with the Safari and our coach driver took us around the park although, because of the risk of damage, we missed out the monkeys. (And in truth there were enough of those inside the coach!)

After the safari we visited the Bird of Prey Show, adventure playground, maze, Jungle World and even had time for ice cream.

Upon our return it was time for mass, before getting ourselves prepared for the week ahead.

Thanks to Mr Green for taking some excellent photos at Longleat.

Pizza Orienteering!

2011-10-06T03:17:00.000-07:00

There is a veritable feast for your eyes this week. Loads of pictures from last weekend. To start off the Sunday, the children Orienteered around the school site, finding money tokens as they went. After exchanging these tokens for real money, a trip to Tesco followed where the groups bought their toppings and other treats to eat. The pizzas were cooked in the clay oven in Scouts Wood under Mr Somerville's expert guidance. A fantastic day was has by all, as you can clearly see from all of the pictures, which were taken by Mrs Blakely. Enjoy!

Josh and Oscar tuck in!

What a feast!

The new outdoor classroom in Scouts Wood

Rolling the dough, while below the oven heats up!

Shopping in Tesco!

"Does anyone know how to read a map!"

Mrs Toomey's breakfast?!

Sunday breakfast is a very leisurely affair!

St Bede's is very well used.

The ball skills club in full flow!

Cookery Club!

2011-10-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

A little bit back to front with this week's blog I am afriad. The midweek blog comes before last weekend's posting which is still under construction. (It will be on tomorow with lots of great pictures from Pizza Orienteering!)

As you can see fom the pictures below, The Cookery Club have been hard at work making some healthy creations to enjoy. I am pleased to announce that, as yet, there have been no confirmed outbreaks of food poisoning!

I hope to get some pictures posted from other clubs soon.

Obviously with the fantastic weather of the past week the children have made great use of the outdoor facilities, which has been a joy to behold. With the change in weather it may be that children swap the swimming pool and tennis courts for the log fire in St Bedes, which now has a new DVD player and Nintendo Wii, ready for the colder months ahead.

Thanks for reading our blog!

Thursday Night in the Boarding House!

2011-09-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Rupert models the school athletics vest after a hard run in the cross country at Millfield. He came 5th which is a fantastic effort!

Mr Murphy has also been making the most of the mini heat wave. It has been very busy out on the tennis courts this evening.

Nick and Harryare enjoying a spot of pool, whilst in the background you can see the glow of the tennis courts.

Pepe out on court. He just finished an epic doubles match between himself and Tomas versus Josh and Johnny. I have decided not to take them on, they are all too good for me!

More pool! The new common room in St Bedes has been a great success. Table tennis, pool and table football are played avidly.

Nice hat Emma! Watch out! The Year 5 girls are about!

Boo! Hello Lucy!

Molly shows off her wears from Dimond Club!

As does Lara, a very crafty pair!

Pepe again...I am new to this blogging and didn't know how to delete the picture so you have to see it twice!

More blogging to follow at the weekend. This weekend the children are Pizza Orienteering. Intrigued...find out more after the weekend!

We've Been Busy!

2011-09-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a very busy week in the All Hallows' Boarding House. Last weekend saw a Saturday night visit to Nunney Castle for fifteen of our more experimental boarding children. Whilst at the castle they enacted jousting between King Arthur's Knights and the Knights of Mordred the Black...with a modern twist. Instead of horses we had bicycles and instead of spears we had painted swimming pool noodles. A variety of water squirters and water balloons were also used, all in the name of entertainment.

On Sunday our younger boarders visited Cholderton Charlie's Activity Farm and amongst other things:fed the animals, watched pig racing, went on tractor rides and enjoyed playing in the activity barn. Next time hopefully the weather will be a little better! The older children travelled to Burrington Coombe to go caving. They had a fantastic time crawling through the darkness in cramped and wet conditions...no honestly! They did!

As you can see from the photos the Boarders' Evening Clubs have began. The Cooking Club made some fantastic cakes which they then kindly shared with the rest of our boarding community. Yummy!

This week we have exeat and weekend and I am using it to buy a new camera so that we can take lots more photos to put on the blog!

The 1st Weekend of the Year!

2011-09-12T02:53:00.000-07:00

The first weekend of the year was a relaxed affair with pupils having plenty of time to enjoy all that Cranmore Hall has to offer; swimming, tennis, table tennis, table football, computer games, pool, dvd watching and much more besides all took place. It was great to witness our new boarding pupils integrating so well with the more established faces.

An army marches on it’s stomach of course, and so plenty of eating also went on. Sunday was a veritable food fest, starting with a cooked breakfast, before a Sunday Roast at lunch time and homemade pizza in the evening. That was all topped off with hot chocolate and homemade flapjack before bed as the busy first week meant some tired children took to the beds ready to prepare for the next busy week ahead.

The evening and day time activities programme kicks in next week and so it should be a great week ahead.

Next week…caving and farm visits and bicycle jousting!

Theatre and Food ... How Refined

2011-03-28T02:46:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning club was a busy affair. Bingo was enthusiastically played, Miss Blakely showing clear expertise as the caller. A good spell of activity monkeying around on the Adventure playground followed as the boarders made the most of the sunshine.

As evening descended like a darkened cloak, it was time to dress up and head to the theatre. The theatre in question was ‘The Merlin’ in Frome and the actors treading the boards were our very own Year 7. An excellent, enthralling evening followed as we were wowed by the weird, wonderfulness of Alice in Wonderland. Following the performance one of our boarders was heard to remark:

“Incredible! The interpretation of Lewis Carol’s premier work of literary genius was packed with ingenuity and was genuinely intriguing.”

Another remarked…

“That was great and I liked the sweets at half time!”

Upon our arrival back at All Hallows we realised that the clocks would need winding forward and that we would be losing an hours sleep! Sensibly a decision was made that the children could lie in bed for as long as possible in the morning. (A clear benefit being that staff could do the same!)

Happily wake up was delayed until 8.50 and a leisurely breakfast was enjoyed in pyjamas and dressing gowns. The Pain au Chocolate on offer proved an extremely popular choice as the boarders set themselves up for the day ahead.

And what did that day hold for our happy band? I will tell you! It was the ‘Big Cook Off!’ Which translated means our boarders all contributed towards a 3 course meal which was to be eaten in the evening. Bread was made, soup simmered and blended, onions chopped and meatballs rolled, cakes baked and ‘subtly’ decorated. Emma and Suzanne were casting their expert eyes over proceedings and passing on secret recipes.

While the kitchen was running hot a variety of other activities took place; The ICT room was opened, some made Mother’s Day Cards, some took advantage of the sunny afternoon swimming and playing water polo.

At 5 o’clock it was time to sample the fruits of our labours and the budding chefs sat down to a meal of:

Smoked Bacon and Leek Soup with Home Baked Bread Rolls

---------

Cranmore Hall Meat Balls and Tomato Sauce Served on a bed of Swirly Spaghetti and Garnished with Tangy Tasty Cheese

---------

All Hallows Finest Fair Trade Chocolate Cake Decorated Garishly!

Upon passing the school drive visiting chef ‘Rordan Gamsey’ couldn’t resist finding out which geniuses were creating the tempting smells that were wafting around East Cranmore. Upon sampling the menu he was heard to remark.

“Amazing, simply amazing. The subtlety and smokiness of the soup was a joy. Smoky bacon and leeks…perfect combination. Onto the meat balls… beautiful! A real rustic quality, juicy tomato sauce and spaghetti…classic combination. And to top it all off a real dream of a chocolate cake!”

Following Mass we settled down for the evening. Letter writing and of course the ever popular ‘dormitory tidy up’ were followed by a movie in the comfort of St Bede’s. After that it was time for bed and get ready for the week ahead.

12th & 13th March

2011-03-15T07:44:00.001-07:00

Makeovers, Shopping, Football and lots of Chocolate! What a Weekend!

Following the usual Saturday afternoon sports fest and a long walk in the sun ,where a swarm of Lady Birds were discovered, the boarders settled down to some relaxation.

Pizza, chips and corn on the cob in a box was the order of the day, served in a box in front of the last minutes of Ireland v Wales. Despite some vociferous support Ireland lost…sorry Mr Murphy!

Next it was time to move on to some…chilling out! The younger girls retired upstairs to Mrs Moulton’s Salon for some serious pampering. Elegant makeup and some slick hairdo’s were on display, just take a look at the pictures! You might notice an addition to the beautifully made up girls in the picture as our Australian Gap ,Mr Hoggetts (AKA Billinda) accidentally made his way up stairs to be have a make over of his own.

Downstairs there was a DVD on the big screen for the younger boys, whilst the older boys played pool, table football and Fifa 2010 on the games console in ‘The Cellar.’ The older girls made use of their common room to snuggle up and watch a movie of their choice. With so much activity going on it was a shame to have to call bed time!

After such a relaxing evening the boarding house sprung back into life in the morning. Fuelled by Pain au chocolate the boarders played golf, 5 a side football, sent e-mails, skyped and watched the old girls hockey match which took place on the astro. A full Sunday Roast then set everyone up for the main event…SHOPPING!
The sweet shops, milk shake shops and clothes shops of Bath, must have rubbed their hands with glee as the All Hallows 50 descended upon their shops like hungry locusts! As always the behaviour on the trip was top notch and the staff commented upon the politeness and punctuality of the children. (Well done Gang!)
In the evening it was Mass; then letter writing time, where hopefully, all children had plenty to write home about. Before bed there was just time for some hot chocolate to top off the weekend. (In case anyone hadn’t eaten or drank enough!)

Boarders' Bowling Bonanza!

2011-02-18T02:54:00.001-08:00

A Busy Weekend

2011-02-17T04:44:00.000-08:00

The weekend of February 12th and 13th could not have offered more variation in weather if it had tried.

Saturday saw clear skies and some welcome warmth from the sun. There were hockey and netball matches galore and the endeavour of the children was certainly matched by some great skill levels and exhilarating scorelines.

Those not in matches or finished early, enjoyed the fresh air and an opportunity to relax.

The evening saw the temperature drop and so the boarders took to their sofa’s and comfy chairs to watch the goggle box. The vast majority of boys sat glued to the England v Italy match, recorded earlier in the day, and were certainly entertained as England romped in with 8 tries. Those less interested in the 6 Nations had a choice of films to suit their needs.

With it raining all day on Sunday any time outside was largely curtailed but our Sunday activities, totally by luck rather than judgement were thankfully both indoors. It was a split trip this weekend, with our younger pupils bowling and our older boys and girls attending Lazer quest (since go karting appears to have become extortionate in price)

12 lucky boarders had a great time perfecting their bowling technique. It was wonderful to see them working as a team and becoming more confident with each frame. With the help of the bumpers, and their obvious skill, there were many strikes and spares to be had.
Special mention should go to Inigo who managed the afternoon left handed. Sophie really improved her technique, Georgia had a great afternoon's score and Miquel scored well with his individual bowling style!!! It was certainly a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon.

For those at Lazer quest whilst the weather was dreary and dank; the boarders were anything but! So, the opportunity to hunt down and shoot the new teacher in a big Lazer Quest barn somewhere in dank Wiltshire was perfect.

Several of the boys thought they were auditioning for the SAS and supplied sound effects as they shot indiscriminately at anyone that moved. They were out first! The level of competition between everyone was keen and after each round notes were compared on who had shot the most targets (opponent or otherwise). And even though we were firing light beams, the fear of being hit, the excitement of hiding behind walls, in derelict buildings and around corners was very real.
In the drama and mayhem that unfolded, the new teacher was not always easy to hit. He may not be so lucky next time.

Cley Hill - January 30th

2011-01-31T07:57:00.001-08:00

It was a cold, but clear and sunny day - a typical English winter's day - and the boarders climbed Cley Hill - a chalk hill that rises majestically from the plain, a short 20 minute journey from school.

Decked out it coats & scarves, wellies and gloves, the children and staff huffed and puffed their way to the top of the hill - any breath they did have left was then taken away by the stunning views and scenery.

All the children loved the freedom to race around the top of the hill exploring nooks and hiding in crannies. In a world of high technology, it was wonderful to see so many children enjoy enjoying the simplest of pleasures. A wonderful afternoon!

(Click on a picture to see a larger version.)

Welcome Back!

2011-01-15T00:46:00.000-08:00

It didn’t take long for these stalwart boarders to get well and truly back into the swing of things. Saturday, when not in lessons, saw all the boys and girls given an opportunity to attend a hockey or netball session in preparation for the first batch of matches next week. With everyone getting 2 sessions in before most schools have returned from the holidays we hope to have hit the ground running and set ourselves up for a positive week come next Saturday.

The rest of the day was spent in free time around the campus with many braving the cold, biting winds that have hit us throughout most of the week. Watching a DVD whilst snuggled up in St. Bede’s and the cellar went down well before hitting the sack.

A lazy start to Sunday morning was the order of the day before the boys and girls set off for Bath’s ‘Theatre Royal’ to see ‘Aladdin’. Explaining the basis of Pantomime, before departure, to one of our Spanish pupils had left me stumbling somewhat and I am not totally sure if he was any the wiser afterwards but he said it was fun, and he wasn’t wrong. Widow Twanky and Wishy Washy seemed to be the crowd favourites and I’m sure the hisses and boo’s coming from the All Hallows’ section were the most vociferous. It proved to be an entertaining afternoon but having sat for much of the day the children enjoyed the opportunity to play pool or use the gym before and after Mass.

It was a busy weekend and I’m sure the children are all set for their first full week back!

Paintballing

2010-10-20T00:32:00.000-07:00

The Year 8s may remember the date 10/10/10 as the day they first experienced the horrors of open warfare. As the bus arrived at Sedgemore Splat, near Glastonbury, the anticipation of battle was palpable. Two armies went to their separate ends of the battle field. Each with their share of overseas mercenaries; ranging from France, Spain - and even a large Australian! The theatre of combat was littered with abandoned forts, ruined vehicles, barrels and fences … and covered with the ominous technic lours of previous paint-shed.

Between each skirmish, the dead and wounded retreated to the ‘safe zone’ to compare stains and bruises. With coloured capsules firing across the tranquil Somerset meadows and the ‘crack’ of pressurised pop-guns peppering the countryside; there was no quarter given in the melees. Fearlessly the teams advanced on their opponents with minimal tactics or strategy; and the regular cry of ‘Ow Ow – OK stop I’m dead!’ was oft heard.

One of the wounded wrote a poem where he lay, it began:

“If should be dyed, think only this of me,
That there is a local field, near Street,
That is forever Inked”

"Oh I do like to be beside the seaside ..."

2010-10-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 3rd of October, we went to Burnham on Sea.

After the hour long coach journey, we arrived in Burnham on Sea and we went straight to the Pier to enjoy the arcades and play on different machines! We had a lot of fun and some of us even won vouchers to collect a prize!

The ice cream shop was also very popular and a few of us bought mini buckets of sweets!
Then, we took a few minutes to walk along the shore, some of us even walked in the water as they were wearing their wellies.

At the start of the day we thought the weather was going to be very bad but in the end we escaped the rain! We all enjoyed our day out and it was refreshing to have the opportunity to go to the beach!

Heather models a new hair style!

Borja the Builder

Tazia spots a flaw in their plan ...

Oops!

"In Spain the beaches are this big"

The weekend's duty team.

All Hallows School

Girls Just Wanna' Have Fun!

2010-10-05T01:17:00.000-07:00

Some of the girls enjoying free time in the dorms!

Den Building

2010-10-05T01:05:00.000-07:00

Den Building at Stourhead

Organised by the National Trust, this yearly event as become a firm favourite with the boarders.

Given space, tools and very much a free reign, the children were tasked with building their own shelters in the woodland from the materials they could find around them.

Different designs incorporated all the features needed for survival in the wilds: a waterproof roof, insulation to keep warm, enough space for the whole group. The only problem was dragging the children away at the end of an exciting day in the beautiful British countryside!

Fun in the Sun

2010-05-03T06:23:00.001-07:00

Well that jinxed the weekend for us! The temperature dropped and light rain fell but we still had a good time. The weekend became known though as Pain in the Rain. Saturday night was spent relaxing with tuck and a film in St Bedes called ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’ and was enjoyed by everyone! Sunday started well with pancakes for breakfast followed by a letter home to parents. Most children were then keen to be outside and took advantage of the bikes despite the drizzle and went zooming around the track.

Following a roast lunch the children were taken up to Scouts’ Woods and split into teams for a tower building competition. Much fun was had by all and three prizes awarded for their various talents. There was then some free time running about in the woods before heading back to school for hot chocolate. Mass was enjoyable with Father Philip sharing a homily about the Christian Family throughout the world and standing up for what we believe in despite persecution. We finished with (another!) hot chocolate before heading off to the dorms to give them a thorough cleanup before Open Day and then bed.

Meeting the animals!

2010-02-10T03:59:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly, the sun was shining this Saturday and with few sporting fixtures it meant that our boarders had ‘the run of grounds’ in the afternoon warmth. Swarms of children crawled over the adventure playground and the newly erected traversing wall had its first airing as ‘little monkeys’ displayed their flexibility and strength.

Amazingly enough the sun continued to shine on Sunday morning. A full English breakfast fuelled the troops, as once again they enjoyed the best of weather to get some fresh air into their lungs.

The afternoon saw a trip to The Tropiquaria Wildlife Park at Watchet
Lunch followed our arrival before we had some fun time in the playing area.

A crew of twenty-four budding zoologists then met some interesting wildlife both outdoors and as part of a tropical environment. Highlights included meeting a skunk (Mr Bumble the skunk was very famous and appeared in the news one day!), monitor lizard and handling a python - for those who felt brave enough! The children enjoyed their time on the adventure playground, were treated to a marionette puppet show and were introduced to a variety of interesting animals from all parts of the globe. From emus and wallabies, tarantulas, turtles, snakes, tropical birds, peacocks, crocodiles, gibbons, lemurs and meerkats to the Brazilian tapir – we saw a great variety and had a fun-filled, educational day.

On the return to school, food once again took centre billing as a hearty Sunday meal was consumed. The Yorkshire puddings and Ice Cream going down particularly well….although not at the same time of course! Mass with Father Phillip followed, before the evening ended with a steaming cup of hot chocolate, a bourbon biscuit or two and a roaring fire in St Bedes.

Luke models the new school scarf!

"mmm ... dinner!"

"Urgh! Whats that smell?" ... says the skunk!

The fiercest creatures seen all day!

A meeting of minds?

All Hallows Has Talent

2010-01-30T02:42:00.000-08:00

A new year and a new search for talent.

Friday evening saw 16 diverse and varied acts take to the stage in the first round of
"All Hallows Has Talent 2010".

Open to all comers, the acts ranged from singers to dancers to meerkat impersonators through stunt men and magicians.

The team of judges - Piers D. Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell faced the difficult task of whittling the 16 acts down to the lucky 12 who go on to perform in the next round on Thursday.

Amanda, Piers & Simon relax in the green room

School in the Snow!

2010-01-08T04:36:00.000-08:00

The first day back at school for a new term, and the snow began to fall ... and fall and fall!
The school managed to remain open with a skeleton staff, but the boarders took the opportunity to make the most of the 'white stuff!'

Batten Down the Hatches!

2009-11-23T05:11:00.000-08:00

The UK is enjoying (or should that be enduring?!) a wet, wild and windy November and, whilst we are fortunate that we here in Somerset have not suffered the flooding that has hit other parts of the country, on many days its time to close the door, light a roaring fire and be glad to be indoors!

Saturday the 14th November was such a day - the wind howled and rain lashed down and the boarders enjoyed an afternoon indoors, relaxing with their friends, as all school matches fell victim to the weather.

Sunday dawned with the sun shining, although the wind continued to blow, and the boarders took the opportunity to enjoy the extensive school grounds. The bikes were ridden and football played on the all weather astro turf, before everyone went for a long, muddy walk in the afternoon.

Bonfire Night!

2009-11-09T06:02:00.000-08:00

After a fun packed day celebrating the School's 71st birthday, the boarders were able to round off the day's festivities with a bonfire party.

The weather stayed dry - a cold, damp November evening warmed by a roaring bonfire and illuminated with a magnificent fireworks display. Tradition demanded that Toffee Apples were eaten by all and everyone enjoyed a fantastic spectacle to end a great day!

Sunday 18th October

2009-10-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

Following a day of tiring matches, 32 of our finest boarders adjourned to the ‘All Hallows’ cinema. Mr Hannah had cunningly turned the theatre into a cinema courtesy of a projector, lap top, speakers, cello tape and one very large white sheet. Pop corn and chocolate flowed as we enjoyed our night at the movies.

Sunday morning arrived all too quickly for some as the boarding house slowly moved into action. A fine breakfast of pancakes set us up for morning activities. The remote control cars had an airing, hockey was played on the astro and the Nintendo was well used on the big screen in St Bede’s. Tennis and Mario Carts being particular favourites as the on looking crowd cheered and shouted.

In the afternoon our intrepid pupils and the brave duty staff of Mr Ellery, Mr Dowbekin and Mrs Nathan travelled to Burrington Coombe for caving, archery and search and rescue. Fortunately those doing search and rescue didn’t need to go the caves to help those down under the Mendips. One of the highlights for the pupils was being able to strap the Gaps and teachers to a stretcher and hang them up side down. Despite their pleas thankfully they were not allowed to use them for targets during the archery!

Sunday evening was spent at Mass, followed by hot chocolate and tuck in front of a rip roaring fire in a very cosy St Bede’s. Thank you to all who boarded this weekend for making it a very enjoyable duty for Mr Callow and Miss Blakely.

Art Attack Sunday!

2009-10-14T07:04:00.001-07:00

The boarders enjoyed a very 'crafty' afternoon on Art Attack day. They all had the opportunity to make a money box out of clay - some of which were very inventive indeed. They also enjoyed a range of art activities including water colour, paper modelling and painting. Alex Makepeace made a fabulous mobile for his dormitory which had photos of all the 'inmates' from said dorm!!! A great time was had by all.

Shopping at Clarke's Village

2009-10-13T07:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend, October 11th, the Boarders descended on Clarkes village for a shopping spree. Once sugar levels were topped up at the Cadbury's shop it was time to hit the rest of the stores. The children had a wonderful time and really appreciated the freedom to be able to roam.

However far too little tuck was brought back to school for the staff's liking.

Bingo!

2009-09-30T02:23:00.000-07:00

Eyes down for a full house.............

Terrific Tuesday for the boarders involved a 'Bingo Bonanza' in St Bedes. Their Common Room was packed (a veritable Full House) and tension and angst were palpable as the professional caller ,aka Mr Bird - thoroughly enjoying himself with all the jargon involved, such as 'legs eleven', 'key to the door' etc etc. - announced the numbers to much gnashing of teeth and excitement as the thought of calling BINGO kept the children on the edge of seats. The prizes were varied and magnificent: lots of edible delights, stationery, Rubik cubes, cards, packs of tennis balls but the undoubted 'star prize' turned out to be the box of decorated sticking plasters!
The catering team added to the sense of occasion by providing cheese toasties as a welcome snack at the end of the evening.

Paintballing

2009-09-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful September afternoon, a band of hardy, if slightly nervous, warriors headed for a secret location in the depths of Somerset to do battle amongst themselves.

Safety kit was donned, briefings listened too and then, after a short forced march into the woods, battle commenced. Using a combination of guile, stealth and aggression, the warriors closed with the enemy (their former friends, now on the opposing team) unleashing a hail of orange paint balls on anything that moved. Several scenarios were played out, from ‘Capture the Flag’, to ‘Seek and Destroy’ before finishing with a free for all to use up any remaining paint pellets.

With a scoring system that made the Duckworth-Lewis method seem simple, the lead ebbed and flowed, but at the conclusion the scores between the two teams were equal and honour was even.

The sun shone, the adrenaline flowed and the children had a super time and they were buzzing, but weary, as they made the triumphant journey home.

Blackberry picking!

2009-09-29T06:59:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 13th September, the boarders enjoyed a great day out in the beautiful Somerset countryside, making the most of the late summer sun, picking blackberries.

On their return to school, the harvest was turned into blackberry smoothies - a delicious treat!

Welcome!

2009-09-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first post of the All Hallows School Boarders Blog!

The aim of this blog is to provide an online diary of all the great and wonderful activities that the boarders at All Hallows School get up to in their free time. It is an informal record of a boarders life, and an opportunity for parents of boarding children to keep up to date with what their children are doing when they are away from home and under the care of the (great!) team of boarding staff at All Hallows School.

If you would like to find out more about the school, why not visit the 'Official' All Hallows School Website. Parents with the children at the school can find out more day to day information by visiting the All Hallows School Extranet.