Weekly Newsletter

As we approach Christmas, festive songs from the upcoming Christmas show can be heard echoing across the department. Yesterday afternoon, I was lucky enough to join Nursery and Reception as they came together for a rehearsal. You are certainly in for a treat with one particular number quite possibly heading for a place in the Christmas Charts.

This week, it has been wonderful to welcome so many children into my office to share their writing. From Reception pupils beginning to form their letters, to Year 1 children writing extended sentences, to the detailed fact files about life in the trenches during World War One produced by our Year 2 pupils, the variety and quality of work has been impressive. What strikes me most, though, is the pride the children show in their own achievements. Their enthusiasm and confidence is something to be truly treasured.

We are also very fortunate as a school to have so many opportunities to engage with external professionals. This week, Year 1 welcomed ZooLab into school, meeting a range of furry, and not-so-furry, friends. Experiences like these bring learning to life for the children. I was rather amused listening from my office, as there wasn’t a single scream, very impressive, considering the presence of both a snake and a tarantula!

A small plea from us as we move through the term: a number of reading books have understandably been misplaced. Please can you check at home for any school reading books that may have been put aside or mislaid. If you find any, please return them to the returns box in the front foyer, located by Mrs Dawson’s office.

Mrs Wynne
Assistant Head (Junior)

Nursery

It’s been a wonderful week in Nursery, filled with excitement and learning across all areas. Our book of the week, Owl Babies, has been a firm favourite, and the children have loved recreating their own owls and retelling the story, brilliant opportunities for strengthening both fine motor skills and comprehension. In Maths, we’ve focused on number recognition and ordering numbers, with Maths bingo proving to be a fun and confidence-boosting way to build understanding. Forest School brought its own adventure as the children eagerly helped to “clean up” after a dragon with a cold who had sneezed all over the forest. What great fun exploring and problem-solving outdoors! Well done Nursery, have a great weekend!

Reception News

It has been a wonderfully busy week of learning and rehearsing in Reception! Our Literacy focus has been Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and the children have loved exploring the story by imagining their own favourite porridge ingredients and writing their very own recipes. In Maths, we have been learning about the part–whole model, an Early Years approach that helps children understand how numbers can be broken into parts and put back together again, building a strong foundation for addition and subtraction. Reception D also came up with a brilliant initiative this week—opening their very own library and even making their own money to buy books! Well done, Reception D! We were delighted to welcome some very special visitors as the Seniors joined us for Maths activities—they played number games, tackled puzzles together, and even helped build an impressive fortress! The children were thrilled to see the snow on Tuesday, adding to the growing Christmas excitement, especially as our Christmas play rehearsals are going brilliantly—you are in for a treat! We will be sending out a costume list next week. Have a wonderful weekend!

Year 1 News

We have had another bumper week in Year 1! This week Year 1 has wowed us with their singing. Keep it up! On Wednesday, we welcomed ZooLab to school where we took part in a hands-on practical experience getting up close with some creepy crawlies. We learnt all about how the animals used their senses to explore the world around them. We were so proud of how the children handled the animals. We have really enjoyed our new class reader, Mr Big by Ed Vere. We have enjoyed listening to jazz music to set the scene of our story and writing some complex sentences using ‘and’ and ‘because.’ In Maths, we have enjoyed identifying and sorting 2D shapes, as well as exploring their properties. We hope they enjoy the home learning task for this week to find 2D shapes around the environment. In art, we looked at primary colours and created our own colour wheel. During our history lesson, we were finding out the differences between our childhood and the childhood of our grandparents. Have a wonderful weekend!

Year 2 News

It was lovely to welcome our Year 2 parents to the Open Classrooms earlier this week. Thank you for taking the time to come and see your child’s work – they always love showing off their hard work with pride!

We were so impressed with the detailed fact files produced this week on the topic of World War One. The use of complex and creative vocabulary really added depth to their work and we can see them all being a lot more adventurous with their writing which is lovely to see.

We ended the week with the Seniors coming to visit and take us through some maths tasks as part of Maths Week England. Thank you Seniors, for being such incredible maths role models!

It has been a wonderfully busy and enriching week across both year groups, filled with creativity, curiosity, and a great deal of hard work from the children. We continue to be impressed by the positive attitudes they bring to school each day, as well as the kindness and support they show one another in their learning. The classrooms have been full of energy and enthusiasm, and it has been a pleasure to see the children so engaged in their activities.

Year 4 had an exciting week as rehearsals are now well underway for Cinderella Rockerfella. The children have been demonstrating fantastic teamwork, confidence, and commitment as they learn lines, practise songs, and bring the characters to life. Their enthusiasm is infectious, and we are very much looking forward to seeing their hard work shine on stage.

I wish you all a relaxing, peaceful weekend.

Mrs Tora Hodge
Deputy Head (Academic)

Year 3 – Miss Kyriacou, Miss Corin, Miss Lundrigan

Another productive and engaging week in Year 3 has passed by quickly. The children have demonstrated excellent focus, enthusiasm, and dedication across all areas of their learning. Below are some of the key highlights from this week’s activities:

Our English lessons have continued to centre on the captivating text The Wild Robot. The children have been working diligently to enhance the quality of their writing by incorporating a range of sophisticated techniques, including similes, expanded noun phrases, and fronted adverbials. It has been a pleasure to observe their growing confidence as they experiment with language and develop their creative expression.

In mathematics, our focus has been on extending the children’s understanding of addition and subtraction. They have been applying these operations to a variety of reasoning and problem-solving tasks, demonstrating strong logical thinking and increasing accuracy. Their progress is evident, and we are very proud of the determination they have shown.

Our history lessons have taken us further along our chronological journey from the Stone Age into the Bronze Age. The children have been learning about the significant developments of this period, including how early humans adapted to their environments and utilised emerging technologies to improve their daily lives. This topic has sparked great curiosity and thoughtful discussion within the class.

As we approach the festive season, we have begun exploring the Nativity story. The children are thoroughly enjoying learning about this important narrative, its historical context, and its enduring cultural significance as Christmas draws near.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. We look forward to another enriching and inspiring week of learning ahead.

Year 4 – Mrs Futerill, Mrs Warnes

In Mathematics, we’ve been digging deeper into fractions, exploring mixed and improper fractions and consolidating our understanding of equivalent fractions. Meanwhile, Mrs Futerill’s class has been busy preparing for and completing the Primary Maths Challenge. Good luck to all of our dedicated participants!

For English, our topic of Fables has provided a wonderful context for practicing writing dialogue. Students have been focusing on significantly developing their vocabulary by discovering a wide range of exciting reporting verbs to attribute speech. To truly embed this, Year 4 took part in an immersive English lesson on Thursday where they role-played characters, bringing dialogue to life using descriptive words like ‘scoffed,’ ‘chirped,’ ‘muttered,’ and ‘reassured.’ Students also acted out movement verbs such as ‘scampered,’ ‘darted,’ ‘shivered,’ and ‘glided,’ ensuring each movement and piece of dialogue related to the themes of autumn and winter. This activity has been fantastic for building vocabulary, understanding character, and will lead directly into writing our own fables.

Our History journey began with the Vikings this week! We used maps to identify where they originated and where they eventually settled in England. Everyone is looking forward to learning more about this fascinating period next week.

And last, but certainly not least… lights, camera, action! Year 4 is working incredibly hard in the theatre as we prepare for our Pantomime. The energy is high, with enthusiastic singing and big smiles all round. We are very excited to see it all come together; it is sure to be an amazing show!

This week we are able to share our photos from last week’s science lesson and our immersive English lesson…

Year 5 – Mr Russell and Mrs O’Brien

We were delighted to welcome so many of you this week to Parents’ Evening. It was a pleasure to discuss your children’s progress and share how fantastic they are. Thank you for taking the time to join us; your support is invaluable.

In PSHE this week, our learning centred on the complex emotions surrounding money. This is a vital topic for the children’s future understanding, and we explored various scenarios, contrasting the feelings associated with saving money versus the immediate gratification of spending it. We also worked on developing an emotional understanding to be prepared for the unexpected bills or financial hurdles that families can sometimes face. The children showed great insight, working hard in small groups to identify and highlight these various emotions.

On Thursday, we held a dedicated Year 5 assembly focused on stress. The children shared mature and considered thoughts on defining what stress is and identifying common factors that make them feel stressed. We highlighted the physical and emotional symptoms of stress so that they can learn to identify them not only in themselves but also in their peers. We discussed the important concept that some stress can actually be helpful, challenging and motivating us to perform better. To help manage their mental load, we used an activity designed to help us prioritise our stresses so they can be managed more easily, before rounding off the session by discussing practical strategies to employ when things become overwhelming.

We have also celebrated Maths Week England 2025 across Year 5! Our maths lessons were filled with a number of engaging and stimulating tasks designed to challenge and inspire our young mathematicians. A major highlight was the whole-year House Maths Quiz, where the children worked independently, applying their knowledge under pressure to earn points for their respective Houses. We are eagerly awaiting the final tally to announce which House has accumulated the most points from the competition!

Outside of numeracy, we have also seen fantastic work in English, with several pupils excelling in their creative writing tasks. Alex, Ava, and Rafael, in particular, have really enjoyed developing their descriptive language, which saw them craft vivid descriptions of mysterious caves, as well as penning a hilarious and imaginative story about a mischievous meerkat. Kush has also been really proud of himself this week as he was able to achieve full marks on his weekly spelling test.

Wolf enjoyed the different dishes that Meat Free Week had to offer. He especially enjoyed Wednesday’s sushi bar which proved to be a particularly popular choice this week! Seb and Sansiya continue to enjoy using the different machines in Design Technology and have this week created bases and keyrings for this half-term’s project.

Year 6 – Mrs Allen, Mr Kay, Dr Moradi

It has been another wonderfully busy week for our diligent and energetic Year Six pupils. Jack Frost made a sparkling appearance on Wednesday, and the children thoroughly enjoyed their snowy walk to assembly!

Later that day, they showed remarkable resilience by taking part in football fixtures and training sessions despite the freezing temperatures. Their determination and spirit continue to impress us.

On Thursday morning, Year Six joined Mrs Allen for an assembly on managing stress and recognising when we might feel overwhelmed. Pupils explored how a little stress can be helpful at times, while also learning practical strategies to quiet that “little chimp” on our shoulder that can feed us worries or negative thoughts.

Many pupils have also been attending 11+ assessments, interviews, and scholarship days. Interview preparation continues with Mr Stanley, Mrs Hodge, and form teachers. As always, please do keep us informed of any upcoming school dates.

We are incredibly proud of how the children are conducting themselves during this super busy period.

Notes from assembly on how to best manage stress. Please do continue these as talking topics at home:

• • Breath is key… in for 3…hold for 3…out for 3…
  • Get enough sleep and maintain a good sleep routine. Avoid screen time an hour before sleep.
  • Break a large task into smaller, manageable steps.
  • Aim for “good enough” rather than perfection. You’re more than good enough!
  • Take breaks from stressful situations: listen to music, talk it out, draw, write, spend time with a pet, or enjoy a sport.
  • Focus on taking one day at a time.

• Try not to overthink the unimaginable or worry about what hasn’t happened yet

• Do something now that will support you later.

Through the ‘Charitable Service to the Community’ Division of their Edge Grove Diploma, the Seniors have been busy preparing a product to market from conception to creation, and sell to you on Saturday 29th at the Christmas Fair! 

The Diploma Entrepreneur Charity Challenge is one of the Seniors’ most highly anticipated events of the year, and is underpinned by our core values of empathy and kindness, as well as the World Economic Forum skills of creativity, originality, and initiative.   

Pupils have worked collaboratively in their entrepreneur groups to bring their creations to life, and are competing for the Entrepreneur Prize!  All of their proceeds will go to the charity of their choice.  They have been busy preparing pitches for Wednesday’s whole-school assembly.  Here is what you can expect to find at the fair:

For International Mens’ Day, the Seniors had lunch in the boardroom with their male teachers, and discussed how to use ‘Power for Good’ and what it means to be a man.  You can read more about it in the pastoral section of this newsletter.

Highlights of the Week:

Zach: The Big Conversation was really good because it was great to hear the other male teachers open up about their stories.  

Eashan & Grayson: We’ve taken over an empty classroom to make our snowglobes every day for the Christmas Fair!  (Miss Senior – Yes: I can confirm the Jubilee has been subject to a rather powerful Glitter Bomb)

Senior of the Week:

This week’s Senior of the Week is Grayson!  Grayson is an embodiment of courtesy around School, always engaging with every member of staff that he passes and is always so polite.  When Grayson leaves the Jubilee at 4pm, he walks past Mrs. Broadis and Mrs Wroe’s office and wishes them a good evening every single day.  Thank you, Grayson, for your manners and conduct.  

Talking to Strangers: Preparing your child for Interview

Mrs Broadis – Head of Future Schools Curriculum

Throughout childhood we train our children to be suspicious of strangers online and in person, and to avoid engaging in conversation with anyone that they do not know.  Then, when they reach the age when they are ready to move on to senior school, they are told they must converse with energy and enthusiasm with a person who is entirely unfamiliar. How do we help children prepare for the moment of interview, when they find themselves having to share their interests, strengths and character with a colleague in an unfamiliar setting?

Conversations at home are essential. In the busyness of modern life, I know as both an employee and mother, it is easy to go a day without having, what I call, a ‘proper’ conversation with members of my family. Exchanges can be transactional and cursory as we navigate the demands of life away from work. Now that the children are grown, we need to engineer time to come together, and I realise childhood gave us precious time for my children to learn the art of conversation. 

Mealtimes were central in growing the ability to hold a conversation. This is why at Edge Grove, staff sit with children at lunch time, so children can learn the art of ‘small talk’, the natural to-and-fro of conversation, and learn how to keep a conversation moving using questioning, giving detailed answers, and linking one topic of interest to another.

At home, over the evening meal, I would hear about the boys’ days, and we had the opportunity to discuss ideas: our thoughts about the state of the world; our reactions to a particular event in the news; or an opportunity for my husband or I to share something interesting that would broaden their horizons. When we had visitors, there were times when the children were required to join us, so they had that exposure to conversing with adults who were much less familiar, and with whom they had to adopt a more formal and less intimate tone.

Visits to places of interest were another time for talk – in the car on the way there and back, and then the talk around the shared experience of going somewhere new, learning about culture and history from museums and galleries, or touring the sights. We took holidays to support the boys’ interests; a trip to Rome and the Port of Ostia when our middle son was mad about the Caroline Lawrence ‘Roman Mysteries’ series; to Belfast, when our youngest was obsessed with the Titanic; to Yosemite when the boys were older and wanted to see where Alex Honnold had free-soloed up El Capitan. Childhood was talk-rich, and now I miss those precious days when we had quality time together.

As children are prepared for interview at Edge Grove, we can recognise those children who come from homes where talk is a feature of family life, and where family-time is devoted to experiential learning. It is fantastic to hear of weekend trips and holidays to interesting places which provide a wealth of rich information for discussion. As for talking to strangers, children must see modelled positive interactions with unfamiliar people, and have the chance to share their ideas and thoughts amongst adults who are not well-known. Then, when they walk alone into an interview room, they can be confident in their ability to chat with an adult and share just how interesting and brilliant they are!

Future Schools Update – Week 10

Mrs Broadis, Head of Future Schools Curriculum

This has been a busy week of assessments for our Year 6 pupils, and they are continuing to thrive and impress us under the pressure. On Thursday, Mrs Allen delivered a very timely assembly on stress which covered recognising the impact of stress on the mind and body, and most importantly learning ways to manage the inevitable feelings of anxiety that come with a string of high pressure events. 

This week we have seen another group of pupils sit the ISEB Common Pre-test for those schools that require it: STAHS, Harrow, Eton, Downe House. A group returned from St Margaret’s having enjoyed their assessment day which involved a group activity where they had to collaborate to create a marble run. We have sent pupils to Belmont, and our Habs applicants took their QUEST Part 1 and Part 2 assessments, along with writing a three paragraph piece of creative writing in thirty minutes, inspired by an image. Some pupils have attended Sport and Music scholarship days, and some of our girls sat their on-line assessments at RMS and Wycombe Grammar. 

It’s a busy, demanding time, but the overwhelming feedback is that pupils have felt well prepared and confident – and when they tell us the assessments were hard, we rejoice, because in these days of adaptive tests, this means they were getting their answers right!

It was a pleasure to meet with Year 5 parents in this week’s parents’ evenings. Now is the time to book your Future School meeting with Mr Stanley and Mrs Hodge before the end of this term, or for early in the new year, to share some preliminary thoughts about senior school education; please email Future Schools.

I would ask all 11+/13+ parents to keep us informed of interview and assessment dates by emailing both Future Schools and the School Office. This way we can ensure our systems are in place to support children to the best of our ability, so they can go out brimming with well-placed confidence and character! 

Important Dates

Monday November 24th 

Aldenham Assessment at Edge Grove (Aldenham use Part 1 of the Quest assessment)

Wetherby School Assessment at Edge Grove (Wetherby use Part 1 and Part 2 of the Quest assessment)

Everything you need to know about Quest Admissions

Below is a list of those senior schools which Edge Grove families have chosen in the last four years, with links to Admissions pages.

Independent Schools

Abbot’s Hill

Aldenham

Belmont/Mill Hill

Berkhamsted

City of London School

HABS Boys

HABS Girls

Haileybury

Immanuel College

John Lyon

Merchant Taylors’ School

North London Collegiate School

Queenswood

Royal Masonic School

Sherrardswood

St Albans

St Albans High School for Girls

St Columba’s

St Helen’s 

St Margaret’s

St Paul’s 

UCS Hampstead

Wycombe Abbey

13+ Boarding Schools & Colleges

Bede’s

Charterhouse

Cheltenham Ladies’ College

Eton

Harrow

Marlborough

Wellington College

State Schools

Dame Alice Owen’s School

JFS

Henrietta Barnett School

Queen Elizabeth’s School

St Albans Girls’ School

Herts SW Consortium Schools

(Registration for Secondary Transfer for September 2026 is now closed. No late registrations will be accepted.)

On Tuesday 18th November, our older boys and some of our male staff came together for a special “Big Conversation” lunch to mark International Men’s Day.

The event created space for open and positive discussion around role models, kindness, respect, and what it means to use our “Power for Good.” Pupils reflected on the kind of men and friends they aspire to be, guided by staff who modelled warmth, integrity, and genuine listening.

This year’s lunch ran as a pilot, with representatives from Year 6 joining our Seniors, and we look forward to expanding the format in future years.

We’ve shared our Conversation Starter Sheet below so families can continue the discussion at home and explore what “Power for Good” means to them.

International Men’s Day_The Big Conversation 

A huge thank-you to all staff volunteers who made this such a meaningful event.

It was also lovely to catch up with our dads at Friday Football this morning. This wonderful group of dads get together every Friday morning for a game of football and it’s always lovely to hear the fun they have. It also struck me how important these shared experiences are for boys and men to laugh, talk and support each other. Thank you Mr Tannenbaum and all our dads for this wonderful thing you do and long may it continue. If you would like to join the dad’s Friday Football please do email office@edgegrove.com.

It has been an incredibly busy fortnight in Performing Arts, and it feels as though Mrs Allen and I haven’t left the Theatre at all! (Not that we’re complaining — it’s the best place to be.) We truly love creating magic with our talented, budding performers.

Our pantomime, Cinderella Rockerfella, is shaping up to be a glittery, joy-filled performance bursting with music, humour and sparkle. We can’t wait to share it with our Year 4 families next week. Please also check out Mrs Allen’s reflection on why performing arts is such an integral part of the curriculum.

On Tuesday afternoon this week we had Mrs Undrell’s Music Platform where eighteen of her pupils performed for family and friends.. We have an incredibly talented collection of students here at Edge Grove.  Our pupils are truly fantastic and deserve celebrating for their musical achievements.  A huge thank you to Mrs Undrell who has taught, organised, rehearsed, and inspired our children week-in, week-out in order to provide something special for her students: a concert all of their own.  I’m incredibly grateful to Mrs Undrell and am indebted to her for all of the knowledge, passion and care for her pupils.

Year 3 have also been working hard in preparation for Winterfest on Saturday 29th November. They will be performing a collection of Christmas songs, coming together as a year group choir the likes of which has never been seen!

Meanwhile, the Junior Department have been busy rehearsing their nativities, Whoops-a-Daisy Angel and The Big, Little Nativity. We’ve had an abundance of sheep, donkeys, wise men, and the occasional camel charging through the department this week – quite a sight to behold!

We are also looking forward to our upcoming Carol Service on Friday 5th December, which is open to all. The service will feature a collection of carols alongside readings and performances from our two stunning Edge Grove choirs.

And finally… on Thursday 11th December, our choirs will be going off-site to Battlers Green Farm and The Mead Care Home, where they will be spreading Christmas cheer through song.

Busy, busy, busy!

Festive, festive, festive!

Mr Evans and Mrs Allen
Director of Music and Director of Drama

What a vibrant and exciting week it has been in the Art Department! The atmosphere was buzzing as students from Years 3 through 8 meticulously applied glazes to their ceramic houses, preparing them for their final firing in the kiln over the weekend. The children gained valuable knowledge, learning about various glazing techniques and the fascinating process of how a kiln transforms their creations. We are eagerly anticipating the results, as these beautiful ceramic houses will be the centerpiece of our special Christmas exhibition, proudly displayed in the Art room during the last week of term. Meanwhile, our younger Year 2 artists have been focusing on developing their fine motor skills, diligently practicing their cutting and crafting abilities to create their own unique paper trees. 

Hi-de-hi!

The weather has changed and winter has arrived. As I write (Wednesday morning) the snow is gently falling and everything feels peaceful and serene. Then I remember I have two hours of Panto rehearsal today, nativities to prepare for, a Carol Service, choirs, presents to buy and wrap, cards to write, lessons to teach… ok, not so peaceful now!

But Matthew’s photo of the week(congrats Sarnesfield) has gently calmed me down, reminded me that all is fine and that I’m cool, calm and collected… on the surface anyway: underneath, my legs are flailing about like a giraffe learning to tap dance… have I taken the image too far… probably.

Congratulations to Matthew for an excellent photo which will be displayed in our assemblies this week. The points for the photo competition stand as follows:

Sticking with the animals theme, our very own Head Boy Isaac decided to enter Joke of the Week for his House Gills, and won with this turtley exschellent pun:

I went to a costume party dressed as a turtle and somebody asked “ Who is that girl on your back?” I said “that’s Michelle”

Therefore, the current House points for Joke of the Week are:

And so I shall leave you with the current standings for House points this term. There’s still all to play for and only a couple of hundred points in it!

Have an excellent weekend everyone!

Mr Evans
Head of Houses
Director of Music
Children’s Entertainer

Joke entries this week

• The police were called to a kidnapping on a school day. It’s ok, he woke up!
• My dad told me a joke about boxing. I guess I missed the punch line.
• What contests do skunks win at school? The smelling bee.
• Why did the Cyclops teacher have an easy job at school? He only had one pupil.
• Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make everything up.
• When are footballers like babies? When they dribble.
• Why did the crayon cry? He was feeling blue.
• What did the O say to the other O? OHIO.
• What is a monster’s favourite fair ground ride? The scary-go-round.
• Why was the cell phone scared to go to the dentist? He didn’t want him to remove his blue tooth.
• What did the cheese say when it looked in the mirror? Hallou-mi.
• I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not so sure.

We have enjoyed a fantastic, albeit chilly, week in the Sports Department. While a number of fixtures were unfortunately cancelled due to flooded or icy pitches at other schools, our own Edge Grove grounds weathered the snow and slush remarkably well. Thanks to this, we were still able to field our Seniors and Colts A–C football teams, who made the most of the wintery conditions.

Our U10A Hockey team also travelled to Haileybury for their first indoor tournament. The pupils rose to the challenge brilliantly, showcasing impressive skill and versatility. Although indoor hockey is similar to the outdoor game, the ability to play the ball off the sideboards makes for a much faster and more dynamic experience, something our players adapted to with great enthusiasm.

On Thursday, we were delighted to host the U11 County Table Tennis competition. Meanwhile, our Year 3 pupils played an internal football tournament, showing great teamwork and determination, and our Year 4 pupils devoted their energy to the excitement of the Panto.

A busy, rewarding week all round, well done to everyone involved!

Hertfordshire County Table Tennis Finals

On Thursday Edge Grove hosted the U11 county table tennis finals. The boys played in the morning and won all their pool games as well as their knockout matches. However, due to the quirks of the draw, they missed out on a place in the county final and instead competed in the 3rd-place play-off.

Edge Grove Seniors vs Westbrook Hay 

Final Score: Edge Grove Senior IX  7-1 Westbrook Hay

The Edge Grove Senior IX delivered an outstanding performance on the pitch, securing a comprehensive 7-1 victory against a challenging Westbrook Hay side. The win was a testament to the team’s cohesion and individual brilliance across all areas of the field.

Edge Grove started the match with pace and aggression, quickly establishing dominance. The initial momentum shift came courtesy of Alex, who netted two sharp goals early in the contest. These crucial strikes set the tone, putting Westbrook Hay on the back foot and allowing Edge Grove to control the remainder of the half.

The midfield battle was firmly won by Edge Grove, spearheaded by the exceptional performance of Leandro. Proving almost unplayable, Leandro dictated the flow of the game, distributing the ball with precision and capping his stellar afternoon with two goals of his own. Up front, Isaac was a constant threat, showcasing his lethal finishing ability by scoring a fantastic hat-trick, cementing himself as the team’s most dangerous attacker on the day.

In goal, Max had a relatively quiet match, a reflection of the defensive strength ahead of him. Despite his best efforts, he was unlucky to be beaten once by an excellent, unstoppable strike from a Westbrook Hay player.

Ultimately, this was a great team effort where every boy contributed to the result. The 7-1 scoreline is a brilliant reflection of the Senior IX team’s current form and teamwork. Well done, boys!

Edge Grove Colts A vs Lochinver House 

Final Score: Edge Grove Colts A 2-4 Lochinver House

The Edge Grove Colts A team hosted Lochinver House, seeking to improve on a difficult 5-0 loss from earlier in the season. The team faced significant changes going into the game. With Teddy sidelined by injury, Jack bravely stepped into the goalkeeper gloves. In defence, Hunter was seamlessly integrated, having stepped up from the B team, while Raphy provided crucial flair and drive on the wing, adding a different dimension to the attack.

The game began slowly for Edge Grove, whose initial indecisiveness allowed Lochinver to capitalise quickly, stealing in to score two swift goals. Down 2-0, the boys faced a familiar uphill battle, but this time, their response was immediate and significant.

A counter-attack soon proved fruitful. A superb, defence-splitting ball from Tyler found Cooper speeding into space, who coolly pulled a goal back with a clinical left-footed finish. This goal visibly injected confidence into the team, and for the rest of the half, Edge Grove were camped firmly in the opposition’s box, pressing for the equaliser.

Their pressure eventually told. Just before the break, Tommy delivered another masterful through ball, setting Cooper free once more. Cooper finished even more impressively this time, levelling the scores and sending the team into the interval deservedly tied at 2-2.

The second half brought a renewed challenge as Lochinver House significantly stepped up their game and quality. They managed to breach the Edge Grove defence twice more, scoring two excellent finishes to re-establish their lead. Despite the deficit, the effort remained faultless. Louis was tireless across the pitch, working relentlessly both in attack to create chances and tracking back in defence to recover possession. Tyler was an ever-present force, winning the ball high up the pitch and constantly looking to play his wingers into dangerous positions. Unfortunately, despite their outstanding commitment and work rate, the Colts A team could not find the crucial third goal needed to claw their way back, ultimately losing the match.

While the result was not the desired one, the team’s ability to come back from a 2-0 deficit against a strong opponent, especially with an adjusted lineup, showcased commendable resilience and character.

Edge Grove Colts B vs Lochinver House 

Final Score: Edge Grove Colts B 1 – 5 Lochinver House
Venue: Edge Grove (Home)

Despite the very cold conditions, the Edge Grove Colts B team showed fantastic determination and effort throughout their match against a strong and well drilled Lochinver House side. Every player gave 100%, competing with energy and commitment from start to finish. Player of the Match went to Oscar J, who delivered an outstanding performance in goal. Although the final score was 5–1, Oscar produced several superb saves and demonstrated excellent decision-making under pressure, keeping the team in the contest and showing real composure. In defence, Aiwanehi I, Riley H, and Ved M worked tirelessly to limit Lochinver’s opportunities, making crucial tackles and clearances. Harry N also deserves praise for stepping into a leadership role, helping to organise the defensive line and communicate effectively with his teammates during key moments of the match. Rafael K showed remarkable resilience, getting knocked down on multiple occasions but always getting back up and continuing to give his all an excellent example of determination and grit. A special well done to Chris C, who stepped up from the C team to join the Colts B squad today. He adapted well to the pace of the game and contributed positively throughout. Although the opposition proved very strong, the Edge Grove players should be proud of their teamwork, attitude, and hard work in challenging conditions.Well done, Colts B!

Edge Grove C vs Lochinver House C

Today’s fixture against Lochinver House C was an excellent game of football, despite the final scoreline not falling in our favour. It was a true box-to-box contest, with both teams showing great commitment, energy, and a real love for the game.

Lochinver House proved extremely clinical in front of goal, taking their chances well and ultimately securing a 6–0 win. However, this result does not reflect the effort, attitude, or passion shown by the Edge Grove C team throughout the match.

Monty worked tirelessly down the right wing, constantly looking to find space and drive the team forward. Chimdi was a real presence in the centre of the pitch, using his strength and composure to keep us competitive throughout. A special mention must go to Josh O’Keefe, who was outstanding in defence; his positioning, tackling, and reading of the game prevented the score from being far greater.

Well done to all the players for their resilience, teamwork, and determination. A performance full of character from start to finish.

U10 Indoor Hockey Tournament at Haileybury 

Edge Grove 0-3 Kings College

Edge Grove 0-6 Heath Mount

Edge Grove 0-1 Kingshott

Edge Grove 1-4 St Cedds

Edge Grove 1-3 Chesham

Edge Grove 1-2 Beechwood

The U10A squad enjoyed a fantastic afternoon of indoor hockey, full of energy, teamwork, and plenty of fun. Despite not playing much indoor hockey normally, the team adapted brilliantly to the fast pace and different style of play. The results may not have all gone our way, but the performances on pitch were full of determination and real progress.

Leila was outstanding in goal, making several crucial saves and showing growing confidence throughout the tournament. Lily delivered a solid all-round performance and kept her cool under pressure, scoring three well-taken penalty shuffles. In defence, Sienna was exceptional, reading the game well, using the walls cleverly, and driving the ball up the pitch into the opposition’s D with purpose.

Overall, it was a positive day with lots of learning, great effort from every player, and plenty to be proud of. The team represented themselves brilliantly, and we look forward to building on this experience in our next fixtures.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the science of creating machines and computer systems that can perform tasks that usually require human intelligence.

From voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, to personalised recommendations on Netflix or YouTube, it may be surprising to realise that AI is already part of our everyday lives and many children and young people are engaging with it in various ways, whether to help with homework or to talk to it as a friend.

The pace of change can feel bewildering but Tooled Up has a number of resources designed to help you navigate this important topic.

As AI becomes an integral part of life, children and young people have a unique opportunity to explore and benefit from its possibilities. Our guide Everyday AI: Transforming How We Live and Interact offers a glimpse into its workings, including how we already are, and could, utilise it.

With many children now using AI Chatbots for learning, companionship and as a confidante, it’s important to ensure that they don’t replace trusted relationships or real-life experiences. AI Chatbots: What Parents Need to Know provides practical support to help parents guide young people to use them safely.

How are children engaging with generative AI and what do they need to stay safe, informed and empowered? In Supporting Children’s Use of Generative AI Dr Nomisha Kurian, a leading researcher on AI and children’s wellbeing, offers practical insights highlighting what child-safe AI could look like and why children must be included in the conversation.