Welcome Back!

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

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 ..."

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!

Some of the girls enjoying free time in the dorms!

Den Building

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

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!

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?