Netherwood is very proud to be playing host to a group of Spanish students for three weeks. The students will be immersed into Netherwood school life, where they will take part in the full academic curriculum, as well as the trips that the boarders enjoy every weekend. The students have settled into the school very well and already their English (and our Spanish!) has improved greatly. We hope they enjoy their Netherwood experience and are sure that already, they have forged lasting friendships with our students.

Netherwood School will take part in the 'Roald Dahl Read-a-thon' during the week of October 16. Each class in the school is involved, from reception to Year 11, and students will be reading in order to raise money for two children's cancer charities. We are all excited to be taking part in this fantastic cause and hope to make this an annual occurrence.

Saturday, September 23, was the boarders trip to Dan'yr'Ogof Caves, near Swansea. The following account was written by Bryn Roberts, of Year 8: 'When we arrived, we looked at all of the interesting large-scale models of the dinosaurs. Steven Good, of Year 3, was fascinated by their humungous jaws and kept putting his hand in them!

"After this, we went into the show-cave - it was terrific! It was a bit cold and damp, but we didn't mind. When we went down there, Mr. Morris pointed out tonnes of interesting facts about here, there and everywhere. My favourite part of the cave were the 'curtains' - they looked like huge bacon rashers! There were many formations of 'carboniferous limestone rock', which looked like various things, e.g., a group of nuns and the half- end of an angel.

"When we arrived at 'Cathedral Cave,' we noticed 'Stone Age' drawings on the walls. Further in the cave, though, was truly magnificent. There were two waterfalls either side of a bridge and we could walk under them! In that cave, people could get married and we saw an altar in there!

"Next, we had to bypass 'Bone-cave' because, unfortunately, people needed the toilet. On the way to the toilets, we went round an old Stone Age village. It had bones lying everywhere in it! "Finally, we went into a museum and gift shop. It was very interesting, with all its artefacts etc...it made me jump when I saw a model of a disfigured man!

"But the fun didn't stop there! On the way back, we passed the most haunted house in Wales... whhooo!"

Well done to everyone who took part in the sponsored skip last term. An incredible total of £1,035 was raised for this very worthy charity. Those raising over £50 received a gift from the British Heart Foundation - Skye Murray, Eleanor Scourfield, Harry Vickery, Lewis Murray, Angharad Palmer and Astrid Bowen.

On Thursday, September 16, Years 3, 4 and 5 went to the 'Grow It, Cook It, Eat It' day at Scolton Manor. The classes started by watching a pantomime about the four 'C's' - cross-contamination, cooking, chilling and cleaning. Everyone learned about health and hygiene when preparing, storing and cooking food. An interesting talk was then given about rationing during WWII, as well as the importance of and issues surrounding food labelling. Mrs. Jenkins, head of Key Stage 2, commented that the best part of the day came next ... a cookery demonstration with tasting, where the children learned how to produce a perfectly balanced meal!

After lunch, the children learned how to look after the countryside and how to plant their own vegetables!

Thank you very much to everyone at Scolton Manor for a really excellent and worthwhile trip. This week, the Pre-Prep children have had two very busy, productive and messy afternoons making butter and bread!

The butter was made using cream and home-made churns (jam jars and child power!) and with a little help from their teachers, Mrs. Poole and Mrs. Pattison, the butter was made and butter-milk was produced. All the children tasted it and agreed that it was delicious! Next came the bread making! This was a much messier affair, especially when Greg decided to take the flour in his own hands (literally!). White rolls and sunflower bread rolls were produced and again the children decided that their bread, along with loads of their homemade butter was the best they had ever tasted! Look out Jamie Oliver!