Gifted and Talented Rugby Coaching workshop

On Saturday 28th January, Great Walstead hosted a gifted and talented rugby workshop. This was combined with a coaching workshop.Around 15 coaches and over 50 young rugby players came to watch a presentation and then get involved in a coaching practical with two excellent coaches. This was a great opportunity for the boys to have a high level session with other gifted players taken by an experienced coaches to try and develop their game. This was a great chance for coaches of all age groups to come along and use the session as a combined workshop by observing the coaches on the day.

Andy Turner, a level 4 coach and level 3 coach educator, ran the U13 session and Neil McGovern Director of Rugby at Brighton RFC ran the U11 session.
Andy is currently the Head of Rugby at Christ's Hospital and has previously coached U18 England South, U18 Divisional, Harlequins Academy and Sussex 1st team.
Neil is currently the Director of Rugby at Brighton RFC and has coached Sussex U20's and ladies Divisional. He is an aspiring level 3 coach who has played rugby for U18 England group, Harlequins U21's and various national league 1st teams.

The sessions were enjoyed by all who participated and it was great to see so many young and talented players from the area playing together at Great Walstead.

The Great Walstead Colts A and B rugby teams finished the season in style on Wednesday as both teams were unbeaten for the whole season and amazingly neither team conceded a single point!

Colts A: Played 8 Won 8 – Points scored: 261

Points conceded: 0

Colts B: Played 7 Won 7 – Points scored: 274
Points conceded: 0

The Pinafore Pirates

The school play this year was “the Pinafore Pirates” – a pastiche of all things Gilbert and Sullivan. Set on the island of Paragonia, it followed the fortunes of young Daisy Corcoran (daughter of Buttercup from HMS Pinafore), and her quest to save her beau, Christopher, from a band of female pirates, led by the fearsome Pirate Queen. To help her, she enlists the help of the Malignoquent seven – Sorcerer John Wells, Iolanthe, Princess Ida, Major General Stanley, The Duke of Plaza Torro, The Admiral, and The Mikado. Eventually, the sorcerer saves the day and the pirates fall in love with the policemen (well this is Gilbert and Sullivan!) and the seven decide to take over the pirate ship and sail the seven seas.

The cast initially found the style of acting and singing required a challenge, but, after a lot of hard work and long rehearsals, they produced some absolutely wonderful performances and went on to make this one of the best productions we have seen at Great Walstead for some years.

The secret of its success was the witty script and many catchy songs. No one had too much to learn but there was enough to keep each member of the cast challenged and engaged and it truly was a team effort. Combined with that the wonderful set, made by Mr Simpson and painted by Mrs Roberts, the atmospheric lighting provided by Mr Kay and the brilliantly colourful costumes, many handmade by Mrs Kay, really helped to bring the show to life. Not to be left out, of course, is Mr Novkovic, who, with his band really helped to add to the singing and who worked so tirelessly with the soloists to help their performances. My grateful thanks must goes to them all; I really couldn’t have done it without their help.

Mrs Alex Bowd
Drama teacher

Conkers Revival at Great Walstead

Pupils at Great Walstead are reviving the popular autumn playground past time of Conker competitions. This is where conkers have a hole put in them and are threaded through with a piece of string and tied. Then it is all action where pupils take turns to smash each other’s Conkers. The Great Walstead way is that pupils have 3 minutes to make as much damage as possible to their opponent’s conker. The week has had champions at different age groups through the school with boys and girls equally sharing the honours. Headmaster Colin Baty is pleased that children can be children considering the world we live in this day in age. He goes on to say ‘It is wonderful the next generation of children can enjoy games our grandparents played, along with climbing trees and making dens in the woods, is that not what childhood is all about?’

Brighton College Jazz Day

In Ocotber four of our senior musicians were invited to attend the Prep Schools Jazz Day at Brighton College, along with another 70 plus musicians from various Prep Schools in the Sussex and Surrey areas. They learnt to play a selection of pieces, including Rock Around the Clock, On Broadway and a few Latin American pieces.  Congratulations to the children, as well as the parents that were able to attend the informal concert in the afternoon

Dance Workshops

In September the Junior girls took part in a dance workshop based on "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T. S. Eliot. The morning started with a makeup workshop run by Mrs Mckinnell-Merrett. The girls worked in pairs and created some amazing "cat" stage makeup. They then moved on to work with Katie Ley-Wilson and to dance to music from the show "Cats" by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Then the Middles girls took part in a dance workshop based on the book "Wicked" by Gerry Maguire. Jerry Maguire has written many books based on fairy stories in which he looks at the story from a different angle. Like the Junior girls the day started with a makeup workshop, the girls really went to town with green and gold and magical swirls. They then danced to music from the show "Wicked" with music by Stephen Schwartz.

The final result for both groups was stunning. A dance routine produced in full costume and make up in just one morning!