Children’s Eco Conference
Last Thursday, the Dragon hosted its annual Eco Conference. Year 5 and 6 children from 11 state primary schools and independent prep schools joined our very own Green Dragons on the Eco Team for a day of workshops, discussions and talks. This was the 3rd running of this event, which encourages children to come together and discuss their ideas and initiatives on sustainability.
Dragon staff and Green Dragons ran workshop sessions for delegates where children composed haiku, design recycled armour and accessories, and explored renewable energy sources. Visiting children also joined the Dragon Choir and treated the delegates to a preview of the C Block Eco Musical, ‘One Sun, One World’. Two engaging speakers talked about trees from very different aspects. Read more about the presentations by Gabriel Hemery and artist Angela Palmer here. Delegates said how much they enjoyed finding ways of exploring issues of sustainability through different areas of the curriculum and praised how well the Dragon pupils hosted the event.
Foiled by Dragons
The Dragon fencing team went to High Wycombe on Sunday to participate in the County Foil Competition. After a long day and some superb fencing, Nathaniel Moatti won the U12 title with Henry Portwood and Alastair Cunningham coming tied 3rd and Noé Larousse winning the U10 title. A great set of results.
Tintin Lecture
Parents may like to know that on the eve of the release of ‘The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn’, author Michael Farr (one of the world's leading Tintinologists) will survey the life and origin of ace reporter Tintin. The lecture, in aid of the Simon Drew Foundation, is entitled ‘Tintin Ace Reporter’ and will take place at the Wigmore Hall, 36 Wigmore Street, London W1U 2BP, on Saturday 22 October at 3.00 p.m. For further information and tickets, please go to www.simondrewfoundation.org.uk
BOARDING HOUSE NEWS
Dinos and Devils
Cherwell girls had an action-packed in-school weekend starting with a trip to London’s Natural History Museum. Dwarfed by the diplodocus, wowed by the blue whale and giant bugs, much fun was had by all and no one was left behind to spend a Night at the Museum.
Back at home, Ma and Sir had turned Cherwell into a haunted house of horrors for the evening’s Halloween party. The girls transformed themselves into all manner of freaks and frights and had a riotous time playing the traditional games of apple-bobbing and musical statues. To round off the day, the girls snuggled down to watch ‘Ghostbusters’ (of course).
Gone to the Dogs…
Mr McNeile, a Gunga Dorms Taker, arranged a dog race night for the Gunga boys last Friday, using a Race Night DVD on the big screen TV. The boys placed their bets on the dogs depending on how much cash (chips) they had and looked at the odds to decide how much money they wanted to place on each race. In a suitably tense atmosphere, the boys enjoyed 7 races during the evening. The biggest winner increased his cash stash by nearly 800% by the end of the night.
Graffitti Collage
The Gunga boys had a Graffiti competition using some washable chalks in the House patio area. From the many drawings and entries the three winners were Issa Nasiri, Rajabbek Muminov and Jono Barnes.
Testing Quiz
School House enjoyed its first House Quiz of the Year on Sunday. The boys competed in 7 teams, moving around the House to 7 different question stations. There were questions on the Dragon, music, sport, general knowledge, Pictionary, picture board and historical dates. It was highly competitive, but the ‘Agatha Quiztie’ team were the eventual winners.
Strictly Gone Dancing
Saturday night in the Stuart-Clark house is a dancing frenzy with boys returning from supper to a little ‘Strictly’. The boys say it’s Tradition…
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Tea Set
The Middle School Pottery club has been making teapots, cups and plates. The group celebrated finishing their tea set with a tea tasting. (See main picture).
Geography Genius
On Wednesday last week, three Dragon boys entered the Worldwise Geography Quiz at Magdalen College School with the following results: 1st: Dragon School – 77pts 2nd: Oxford High School I – 52pts 3rd: Magdelen College School – 49½ 4th: Chipping Norton – 47 5th: Cherwell – 44 6th : Wycombe Abbey – 42 7th: Oxford High School II – 36 8th: Tudor Hall – 19 (missed 1st two rounds)
The boys each received a book token for their efforts.
Dragon on Twitter
To encourage more people to get to know the Dragon, we are now on Twitter. Followers can get a selection of news and stories direct to their Twitter accounts. Follow this link to join our page. News for parents will of course remain available via this newsletter and the school website.
LYNAMS NEWS
Invitation for Year 3 Parents
Next September Lynams Year 3 children will come to Bardwell Road for Year 4. If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit E Block (Year 4), Ma McNeile would very much like to invite you to come and look round on Saturday 14 January 2012. The programme for the morning will be:
• Coffee in the Rink between 9.15 a.m. and 9.45 a.m.
• A tour round E Block and the school with a current E Block child until 10.25 a.m.
• A Q&A session with John Baugh
The morning will give you the opportunity to find out more about what life is like on the Bardwell Road site and to discover some of the exciting opportunities awaiting your children next year. Please contact
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if you would like to come.
Fire Service Visit
As part of their topic ‘People Who Help Us’, Reception were treated to a visit from the Oxfordshire Fire Service this week. The children were taught about what the Fire Service does and the importance of smoke detectors. They were shown around a fire engine and the best part of the visit was having a go with the water hose.
Literature Week
Year 3 started the Lynams Literature Week by visiting Summertown Library. The Librarian gave a very informative talk about the range of ways a book can be chosen and proved that you cannot ‘judge a book by its cover’. Many children were surprised by the services provided by their local library - did you know you can take out 20 books at a time?
DRAGON SALE UPDATE
Happy half term!
Half term is traditionally the time when cupboards are cleared and donations gathered in readiness for the Sale. If you have any good quality and saleable adult and children’s books, DVDs, clothes, toys, ski wear, bicycles, sportswear and sports equipment please leave them after half term in the specially designated drop zones at school – look out for the bins in the playground at Lynams and in the gym foyer at the Dragon. This year we’re also looking for good condition fancy dress costumes, computer games and unopened bath time goodies. If you have any adult or children’s bikes you’d like to donate, please contact
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, and if you are able to give them a quick rinse and oil beforehand Andrew and his team would be most grateful!
Thank you to all donors for the amazing donations which have already started to come in for the Grand Auction, Silent Auction and Raffle.
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would still love to hear from anyone else who might have something to offer and, if you’d like to get yourself into the bidding mood before Sale day, why not sign up for our brand new 12 Days of the Christmas Sale online auction? Each weekday in December, before the Dragon Sale, we’ll be offering a different and unusual lot and inviting you to bid generously. To take part, sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
We’ll leave you with another of Jonathan Pugh’s fabulously funny designs for the Dragon Sale this year – Christmas cards available to order now on the pre-orders page of the website.
From the Dragon Sale Team
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