17th June 2020 — A kind-hearted pupil from Winterfold School in Chaddesley Corbett has embarked on a sponsored cycling challenge through countries of the World to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund.

Harriet Northall, who is just seven years old, is doing fourteen cycle rides on an indoor bike set-up over the next two weeks to represent the fourteen endangered species she’s listed from the WWF.

Commenting on Harriet’s challenge, Mum Rebecca Northall said “Harriet is absolutely obsessed with animals and does everything she can to help them. She would love to do more conservation work with them when she can. She’s an extremely caring and sensitive individual and whatever the scenario, she’s always trying to think of what she can do to help”.

The theme of the School’s assembly two weeks ago was ‘How can you make a difference in the world?’ Harriet chose to think about the environment and helping animals and it grew from there. The following week’s theme was ‘How do we take responsibility for the Earth?’ This fitted fantastically with what Harriet was setting out to do.

Harriet has picked countries where the endangered species are found or as close as possible. She will cycle a mile in each - some are quite steep, so it’s tougher than it sounds.

Harriet is trying to raise awareness amongst her peers about protecting our environment and leaving a better legacy for others, so she’s produced fact sheets on how to reduce plastics that end up in the oceans, ways that everyone can help at home by encouraging wildlife and habitats, making bee hotels, bird feeders, compost boxes, re-using cups etc. These are being shared with fellow pupils to spread the word and share good habits. Harriet is making a cotton bracelet with ocean themed charms for those who donate, as a little thank you.

Harriet set a target of £250 but has already smashed that. She has raised over £400 at the last count and money is still coming in. If you would like to support Harriet – JustGiving.com/fundraising/Harrietshomesforanimals

“I want to save all the animals in our world and protect our environment” said Harriet. The WWF does all the work I’d like to do.” When asked Why does it matter? Harriet said “It might only be one animal we save like the Rhinoceros, but it matters to that rhinoceros. We need to leave the animals for everyone else - we need them!”

11th June 2020 — A talented virtual choir from Winterfold School in Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire has produced an excellent rendition of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds to convey a positive message and bring the School community together during lockdown.

Over the last two weeks, pupils from Years 3 to 8 at the Prep school have been learning the track during their music lessons and have then recorded their part at home. During their online Celebration Assembly recently, pupils and staff were treated to a performance of this feel-good track. Head of Music Mr Price taught the pupils the song, whilst Dr Caine, one of the School’s talented peripatetic music teachers used his digital expertise to put the video together.

Singing plays an important part in a child’s development, supports learning and emotional advancement and expands memory skills (learning words attached to a tune ensures that the information remains in children’s minds, as we’ve seen with younger children learning the alphabet song).

The power of singing as part of a group has been shown to have a range of health benefits, from providing a sense of happiness that boosts your mood, an improvement in concentration, emotional and physical relaxation, collective bonding, helping to increase your self-confidence and self-esteem and generally improving your health and wellbeing.

Commenting on the project, Head of Music, Mr Price said “It has been the aim of the music department to keep the children learning and performing during lockdown. To achieve this, individual lessons have continued for some 90% of the pupils with our specialist team of individual music teachers”.

Since lockdown, we have embarked on a series of online projects including masterclasses, concerts and virtual ensembles using the latest technology, which allows for many performers to be blended together on the same screen. Such projects are invaluable to bring the school together, albeit virtually, to create a memory for years to come of a different time in our lives and allow the children to shine with their performance and IT skills”.

Head Boy – Louis Malanaphy who was part of the recording said “it’s been amazing to see the end result of our hard work – I feel very proud to have been part of such an uplifting project, which will hopefully bring joy to many people during lockdown and help them to look forward to the future”.

Talented singers from Winterfold School in Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire have produced an excellent rendition of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds as part of their Virtual School Choir.

Over the last two weeks, pupils from Years 3 to 8 at the Prep school have been learning the track during their music lessons and have then recorded their part at home. During their online Celebration Assembly recently, pupils and staff were treated to a performance of this feel-good track. Head of Music Mr Price taught the pupils the song, whilst Dr Caine, one of the School’s talented peripatetic music teachers used his digital expertise to put the video together.

Singing plays an important part in a child’s development, supports learning and emotional advancement and expands memory skills (learning words attached to a tune ensures that the information remains in children’s minds, as we’ve seen with younger children learning the alphabet song).

The power of singing as part of a group has been shown to have a range of health benefits, from providing a sense of happiness that boosts your mood, an improvement in concentration, emotional and physical relaxation, collective bonding, helping to increase your self-confidence and self-esteem and generally improving your health and wellbeing.

Commenting on the project, Head of Music, Mr Price said “It has been the aim of the music department to keep the children learning and performing during lockdown. To achieve this, individual lessons have continued for some 90% of the pupils with our specialist team of individual music teachers”.

Since lockdown, we have embarked on a series of online projects including masterclasses, concerts and virtual ensembles using the latest technology, which allows for many performers to be blended together on the same screen. Such projects are invaluable to bring the school together, albeit virtually, to create a memory for years to come from a different time in our lives and allow the children to shine with their performance and IT skills”.

Head Boy – Louis Malanaphy who was part of the recording said “it’s been amazing to see the end result of our hard work – I feel very proud to have been part of such an uplifting project, which will hopefully bring joy to many people during lockdown and help them to look forward to the future”.

19th May 2020 — A story telling initiative launched by a Prep School in Worcestershire is going from strength to strength. Winterfold Storytime is keeping pupils entertained and in touch with each other during lockdown. In fact, the School has received feedback from as far away as USA and Australia.

Following the Deputy Head (Pastoral)'s initial idea for the programme, there have been nine episodes to date, read by Headmistress Mrs Toms, the teaching staff and pupils. Each week, a surprise speaker narrates their favourite story, with stories such as 5 Minutes’ Peace, The Enormous Crocodile, All the Ways to be Smart, The Selfish Giant, Noah’s Ark, Oliver and the Noisy Baby, Room on the Broom and Supermarket Zoo. "One of the best things about it is when you have an idea at the beginning and it explodes into something as exciting as it has done" commented Mr Mitchell.

One of the stories, Fix-It Duck by Jez Alborough, narrated by three members of the same family has been enjoyed by many pupils, including the Phillips children's cousin Elise, who has been tuning in from her home in New South Wales, Australia. Other pupils have listened to the story with their Grandparents in Florida over FaceTime.

Winterfold Storytime has really captured the imaginations of the children and is a comfort to them in these uncertain times. During an interview with BBC H & W's Presenter Malcolm Boyden, he said it that it was a great idea which reminded him of listening to 'Jackanory' when he was younger.

A parent at the School commented “It’s been such a lovely experience putting our story together to share with the children at Winterfold and beyond. Zoom schooling has enabled our children to keep in touch not just with their teachers, class and friends but with family near and far”.

4th May 2020 — Talented young artist Macey Bassam, from Winterfold School, Chaddesley Corbett has produced some lovely street art in Bromsgrove to thank NHS staff for all they are doing to keep us all safe.

Speaking about the artwork, Macey’s mum Naomi Evis commented “Macey wanted to thank everyone on the frontline for all they are doing and sacrificing to help everyone. She loves art and as we are in the centre of Bromsgrove, she felt this was a way of getting her message of thanks across”.

31st March 2020 — On a beautiful spring day, pupils, staff, parents and governors of Bromsgrove School Winterfold assembled for the Opening Ceremony of their newly created outdoor learning environment, Forest School.

The ribbon was cut by TV’s Michael Collie, known from BBC Midlands Today and Countryfile, in particular. Michael is also a parent of four girls who went to Winterfold School, before going on to Bromsgrove School.

Speaking with his hands covered in mud, Michael said “It’s brilliant to see the children at Winterfold just enjoying nature and the environment – they’ve been showing me what they can do simply with mud and there’s a lot of it about!

“I love the fact that an old bomb crater, which has been covered in undergrowth for years, has now been re-discovered and turned into a fantastic natural water environment, for plants, animals and pupils to enjoy.

As he cut the ribbon with Reception pupil Grace McNaughton – picked because she was wearing the dirtiest wellies, Michael Collie joked with the children that he thought the hide that had been built, was for children to hide from the teachers. “They soon corrected me,” he said, “and told me it was to go birdwatching – thank goodness for that!”

Michael talked about his time on Countryfile, when he filmed all over the UK and abroad, going to places that were “wet, windy, muddy, sunny, snowy, blizzarding and wonderful”. He urged the pupils to enjoy and care for the environment, noting that perhaps we hadn’t always done that well so far.

Looking back on his reasons for sending his daughters to Winterfold School, he commented “This sums up what Winterfold is all about – letting children take risks, within reason, and have fun. This is a school that spends money on the things that matter and creates a brilliant environment in the classroom and outside – and the result is the confident and shining, happy, slightly muddy faces I’ve seen today.”

After visiting the new shelter, which will be an outdoor classroom, Michael Collie, together with the Chair of Governors Paul West, Governor Geoff Strong, guests and the Friends of Winterfold committee were treated to a tour of the new site which has been put back to nature. The Friends of Winterfold have funded a bird hide, tool shed and the new Forest School suits for the children. There will be sections for each year group, from Nursery, through to Year 8, with plans to plant a herb garden, vegetable patch and an orchard. The pond is already well established, with flora and fauna in abundance. There are plans to build a jetty, so that the children can enjoy lessons in pond dipping.

Sustainability is of paramount importance to everyone at Winterfold. One parent commented that it was great to see the School re-using the materials they already have for the project.

Denise Toms, Headmistress of the School said “‘Our new Forest School is an outstanding facility for our young pupils to explore the outdoors and enhance their learning and development. We were delighted to welcome Michael Collie, BBC broadcaster and father to four girls who have all been educated at Winterfold, to open our new site. We look forward to taking groups of children to explore the Forest School area with pond, orchard, bird hide, shelter and fire pit. We aim to motivate, inspire and give the children a positive outdoor experience”.

3rd February 2020 — Kind hearted bookworms from Winterfold School in Chaddesley Corbett have been awarded an “Outstanding School” certificate for their continued support of the charity Read for Good. The charity transforms the lives of thousands of children in hospital by providing them with new books, funded by Readathon donations. The regular supply of beautiful, brand-new books and visits from professional storytellers, offer children in hospital the chance to escape to other worlds in their imagination.

In a letter to Mrs Sarah Miles, Head of English at the School, the charity confirmed that the total amount donated to them since 1998 had reached a staggering £24,577.

Commenting on the certificate, Mrs Miles said “It is great to see that our pupils' hard work has been recognised. Reading for pleasure also benefits our children, from improving attainment and wellbeing, to promoting citizenship, character, resilience and empathy. We will be completing our next Readathon during February”.