The Wansbeck Music Festival Steel Pan competition took place in the KEVI School on Saturday 25th March 2017. Newminster and Chantry Middle School pupils performed extremely well and the results were as follows.

First places:

Under 11 Band – Chantry Steel A
Under 11 Soloist – Ruby Houseman-Wilkinson (Newminster)
Under 11 Ensemble – Thomas, Pippi and Erin (Newmnster)

Under 13 Soloist – Charlie Haliford (Newminster)
Under 13 Ensemble – Lydia, Lottie and Eleanor (Chantry)

Second Places:

Under 11 Band Second – Newminster Steel A
Under 11 Soloist – Simone Syndercombe (Newminster)
Under 11 Ensemble – Naomi and Georgia (Chantry)

Under 13 Band – Newminster B
Under 13 Ensemble – Florence and Millie (Chantry)

On Friday 24^th March at 11:10am, students, teachers and staff from Newminster and Chantry Middle School in Morpeth put on their dancing shoes in support of Red Nose Day 2017.

This was the biggest fundraiser that Newminster and Chantry Middle Schools have ever done. Over the past few months, students and staff have been busy planning, practising and perfecting their two dances. Over 1000 students performed their dances to Olly Murs’ ‘Dance with Me Tonight’ and ‘Shut Up and Dance’ by Walk the Moon which were chosen by student voice. The dances had been choreographed by year 8 students.

The day itself was packed with fun and fundraising, with the whole school community getting involved to help Comic Relief and have fun on Red Nose Day 2017 including a bake sale, pennies used to create the school crest and the whole schools sponsored dances which was filmed by a drone.

Newminster raised an amazing £1,763.26 for Comic Relief!!

Click ‘continue reading’ for images of the dance and a message from the Head of School and students.

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We have a junior Learn to Row course starting on Friday 31st March and running on Fridays and Wednesdays. The course is currently half full.

Would you be able to circulate this information to schools in case they are aware of anyone who wants to learn to row. There will be another course in September and there is an opportunity for taster sessions on Mondays. If interested see Mr Dick.

Cost approximately £80 (to be confirmed).

At Tyne United Rowing Club, Newburn Bridge Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. NE15 8NR.

1. Friday 31^stMarch 6pm to 8pm;
2. Wednesday 5^thApril 6pm to 8pm;
3. Friday 7th April 6pm to 8pm;
4. Wednesday 12^thApril 6pm to 8pm;
5. Friday 14^thApril (Good Friday) 6pm to 8:30pm;
6. Wednesday  19^thApril 6pm to 8:30pm;
7. Friday 21^stApril 6pm to 8:30pm;
8. Saturday 22nd April 12pm to 2pm or 2pm to 4pm or Wednesday 26th April 6pm to 8pm.

Recently, classes from Chantry and Newminster Middle Schools have been working with James Tait to produce written work involving use of Northumbrian dialect. Students were given the choice of writing either a poem, short story or piece of prose in the Northumbrian dialect and involving subject matter related to Northumberland.

James, a teacher and poet, has been employed by the Northumbrian language society to help preserve and promote the Northumbrian dialect and to encourage youngsters to enter this particular competition. The competition will take place on Saturday 22nd April at 1.30pm in St Robert’s Church Hall, rear of Collingwood House, Oldgate, Morpeth. All entrants who attend this will be given the opportunity to recite their work. Further details of the gathering can be found at www.northumbriana.org.uk. It is free for children to enter these competitions. Winners will receive trophies, with second and third places receiving plaques.

Please note that this is not an organized school outing, but is entirely up to parents to bring their children along to these competitions.

This poem has been written by Mark Wales in year 5 as an entry for the ‘Writing Competition’. http://www.northumbriana.org.uk/gathering/

Click ‘continue reading’ for the poem.

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The Wansbeck Music Festival Steel Band competition is taking place in the KEVI Upper School Hall (next to the main reception) on Saturday 25th March. Students must be accompanied by an adult and wearing full school uniform. All students must arrive by 10am for a 10.15am start.

Competition times:

10.15am-1pm – U11 and U13 Steel Band, ensemble and soloist categories.

2pm-5pm – U16 and U18 Steel Band, ensemble and soloist categories.

Your child might be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit

Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.

To see if you qualify please complete an application either online or through a written application. Further details can be found on the bottom of this link.