Bridgewater School – Prep. Department

Like all good gardeners, Prep III know, especially since they have started studying plants as part of their Science topic, that seeds need soil to help them germinate and grow.  But what if they don’t have soil?  Will they still germinate if seeds are placed in other materials?

Prep III have devised a fair test – where we only change one thing, in this case what we put the seed into – to see if seeds will germinate in other things, such as sand, a paper towel and cotton wool.  Interestingly, all the class think that the seeds will germinate in soil.  Three quarters of them think they will germinate in sand, while only one or two think they will germinate in the paper towel and cotton wool.  Watch this space for further developments!

The U11 Netball team took on top of the league St Mark’s on Tuesday 12th March. They were a very tall team and played a fast style of play which shocked our defenders. We fought until the last minute but were defeated 2-11. St Mark’s complemented our team, stating that we had been their strongest opposition all year! Player of the match was awarded to Allegra for some great shooting. However, credit must also be given to Dina who defended solidly and turned over ball throughout the whole game.

Both of the U11 A and B team played in a competitive fixture against local rivals St Marks last week. The B team were up first against a mixed opposition. Two early goals from Yasmeen helped us to take the lead but St. Marks had a good combination in the third quarter which allowed them to creep back in the game – with two goals each it was very tense. The game finished 3-3 and Yasmeen was awarded player of the match for her outstanding play.

The A team were up next and again both teams looked equally matched. Our first combination of Ellen at C, Allegra at GS and Jess at GA was working very well. Our passing was fast and effective, allowing us to score 6 goals! Our mighty defence were also stopping their very tall shooter and at half time the score was 6-3. The opposition came back at us in the second half but they could not do enough to stop us from scoring. It was a successful evening as we finished on top, winning the game 9-8. Ellen was awarded the player of the match for her tenacity throughout the whole court, particularly in defence.

There was great hilarity throughout the Prep Department this Friday, as our children delivered their favourite jokes in aid of comic relief.  Each class held their own joke-a-thons, and then all came together to hear the funniest in our Friday afternoon assembly, as well as some of Mr. Rooney’s.  The winner of the prestigious Prep Comic Relief Funny Joke Trophy? Prep I’s Samuel:

Why did the man lose his job at the orange juice factory? He couldn’t concentrate!

Well done to all our entrants, and thank you for helping to raise money for this worthy cause.

Friday proved to be a horribly wet, cold, miserable day – perfect conditions for our enthusiastic cross country club runners!  Twenty runners from Prep III to VI ran off into Worsley Woods to enjoy the conditions on Friday lunchtime – what better way to build up an appetitie for Mr. Green’s Friday lunchtime fish and chips!

Cross country club does not run in the summer term, so if you want to get involved, you only have a few weeks to do so.

Oh, and make sure your washing machine works well!

The switch to a mid- week as opposed to a weekend festival ensured a bumper turn out at the 7-a-side AJIS U9 Football Festival at Cheadle Hulme Grammar School last week.

Bridgewater were placed in group B and although no titles were up for grabs, they were eager to show they could win the group regardless. First up were Merchant Taylor’s B and even though games were only eight minutes long, Bridgewater quickly amassed over 15 shots on the opposition goal. Alfie continues to show his long range striking skills and also demonstrated an awareness of when to play team mates through on goal. Alfie scored a hattrick with Joel adding another in an impressive 4-0 opening win.

With a short break taken, Bridgewater were soon back in action against Westholme.  The goals continued to flow in this game too, with the team raining shots down on the Westholme back line. Luca B opened his account, as did Tommy Jack, whilst Alfie and Joel added to their tally from the first game. A comfortable 4-0 win again guaranteed that all teams knew they had to take Bridgewater seriously.

In the third game, Bridgewater surprisingly struggled to break down the bottom of the league Cransley Prep. Luca C in goal still did not not have to make a save and the combination of Molly, Jackson and Toby were rarely troubled at the back. Bridgewater dominated possession, but it was late goals from Tommy Jack and Josh that eventually sealed a 2-0 win. In the fourth game, a strong Oldham Hulme were next up and the team had to work much harder for this one. Once again, Bridgewater controlled the game and had a series of chances to win it.  In the end, it was a superb strike from Luca B that was enough to give a 1-0 win and maintain the 100% winning streak in the tournament.

With matches now moving off the grass and onto the 4G, Bridgewater has two games left to see if they could top the group. First up was Abbey Gate and the team found the adjustment from grass quite tricky at first. Fortunately, another Alfie drive and a tap in for Tommy Jack sealed a 2-0 win in the end. In the final game, the hosts Cheadle Hulme Grammar provided the opposition and both teams looked a little tired as the game kicked off. Luca C was once more rarely troubled in goal, with Molly and Jackson increasingly comfortable in defence. Bridgewater could have settled for a draw to top the group, but nobody considered this as a serious option. With time running out, it took a late goal from Alfie and a second from Josh to give Bridgewater an impressive six wins out of six.

The U9 team can now look forward to a day trip to Queen Ethelburga College, York to compete in the AJIS 6-a-side tournament on Monday 25th March. The team has also qualified for the 7-a-side ISA Cup Finals later in the term and can be very proud of their achievements already this year.

Prep II used their Computing lesson today to learn how to stay safe online.  The children learned about the similarities between staying safe in the real world and when visiting websites.  Today we read the story of Smartie the Penguin, who was given a new tablet for his birthday, and needed help with lots of different things. We also learnt the song that Smartie’s parents teach him when faced with difficulties online:

“Before you tap and click, you need to stop and think, and tell someone”

To hear this story, visit Childnet.com/resources/smartie-the-penguin.

For more information about internet safety, have a look at our Internet Safety for Parents page on this blog.