BRAMLEY LAUNCHES TODDLER GROUP
January 2012
Bramley says it's delighted to be launching its brand new Toddler Group. It will start on Wednesday 22nd February 2012 and will run every Wednesday during term time from 9:15am to 10:45am. The School has been extremely busy over the last few months collecting toys and preparing to welcome local parents and their younger children.

Headmistress, Paula Burgess, said: "This is a unique opportunity for parents to come into our school, relax and chat with their friends each week while their children socialise and have fun playing games and making a mess! A Toddler Group is a lovely way for babies, younger children and their parents to come together and hosting such a weekly gathering in our school is the perfect setting."

The Bramley Toddler Group is for boys and girls from newborn to five years old. The cost will be £2 per session and this will include homemade cake, tea and coffee.


OLYMPIC TORCH VISIT
December 2011
The 2012 Olympic Torch came to Bramley on Friday 2nd December 2011! Current parent, Mr Tim Lawler, hosted a very special assembly and talked about the Olympic Games. They are being held in London in 2012 for the first time since 1948 and Mr Lawler brought both the 1948 Olympic Torch and the golden 2012 Olympic Torch! The girls enjoyed a very interactive assembly where they demonstrated their knowledge of the Olympic Games.








ANOTHER WORLD TITLE FOR MARTIAL ARTS EXPERT
November 2011
Congratulations once again to our former teacher, Ms Vicki Gasston, who has won the World Champion Grand Chamption title for First Degree Women Black Belts in Houston, Texas. Out of six disciplines, Vicki won four gold and two silver medals. Her club, Barker Martial Arts in Oxshott and Great Bookham, won an array of medals at the event. Vicki also runs the Martial Arts Club at Bramley on Mondays from 5pm until 5:45pm and children of all ages are welcome to attend.

STUNNING PERFORMANCE OF ROMEO & JULIET
Summer 2011

This year's Prep school production was Romeo & Juliet and all girls from Years 3-6 were involved. Under the expert guidance of Mrs Phillips, Mrs Coombes and Mr Morton, the girls were well rehearsed and choreographed, not to mention dressed in costumes of the era, to put on fantastic performances that delighted their audiences.

"I was a villager, a house worker and a policeman. I enjoyed being the policeman the best as I had my chance to speak and I heard my voice booming on the stage. I felt really alive when I got into my costume!" Amy Hardman

"I was a villager, a servant and an officer of the watch. My favourite bit is the song where the Prince banishes Romeo for killing Tybalt who killed Mercutio who is Romeo's best friend. I cried when I watched the fight. Tybalt was Juliet's cousin - imagine if you cousin was killed by your husband!"
Georgina Fogarty

CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO MS GASSTON!
Well done once more to our teacher and Black Belt Instructor, Ms Gasston, who has won three Golds and one Silver out of six divisions at the recent European Championships, narrowly missing out on the overall Grand Champion title. However, her club, Barker Martial Arts, finished in third place in Europe! You can read more about Ms Gasston's achievements below...


BRAMLEY GOLF DAY
May 2011
Well done to everyone who took part in the 15th annual Bramley Golf Day. The winning team comprised Tom Allen and his son Jack, Chris Milan and Peter Clayton. They won the event by only one point from Governor, Nick Willett, and his team. Thank you also to those who generously donated auctioned prizes including the sponsoring of a hole.

TRIUMPHANT WORLD CHAMPION SPORTS TEACHER
May 2011
The Acting Head of Sport at Bramley has made a name for herself again with victory at the Spanish Martial Arts Championships. Vicki Gasston won three Golds and three Silvers to take the title of Overall Grand Champion Womens' 1st Degree Black Belt at the event in Barcelona last month. She gained the most points in total after taking part in six different divisions - sparring, breaking wood, techniques, forms, sword and staff.

Vicki will now compete in the European Championships at Kings Lynn in Norfolk in June. Vicki is already a reigning World Champion in Kuk Sool Won having taken the title in America last year. Vicki, who only took up the martial arts system four years ago, said: "I am obviously delighted about my win in Barcelona and I'm now working hard for the next big hurdle, the European Championships." Vicki trains at her local Oxshott and Great Bookham Club alongside her husband, James Barker.

ISLE OF WIGHT TRIP
May 2011
27 girls from Years 4 to 6 had a lovely time on their recent residential trip to the Isle of Wight. There were visits to Osborne House, Bembridge Lifeboat, Robin Hill Country Park, Alum Bay and Carisbrooke Castle among others. Activities included a fossil hunt on the beach, tenpin bowling and a disco.



DESTINATIONS OF TOPS
April 2011
Bramley is delighted to announce three Scholarship awards this year - Siana Dennis was awarded a Sports Scholarship to St Teresa's, Rhianna Hyde was awarded a Drama Scholarship to Woldingham School and Kate Sharpe was awarded an Exhibition Art Scholarship to St Teresa's. Congratulations to all our Tops - their senior school destinations are as follows:

Laura Codd          Rosebery
Lottie Coley         Rosebery
Georgia Curry      Woldingham (chosen); St Andrew's
Siana Dennis       St Teresa's (Sports Scholarship)
Isobel Galloway  St John's (via Downsend)
Kirsty Hawker     Woldingham
Rhianna Hyde      Woldingham (Drama Scholarship)
Ella McSharry      Rosebery
Rosie Odell          Royal Alexandra & Albert
Kate Sharpe        Francis Holland (chosen); St Teresa's (Exhibition Art Scholarship); St Catherine's
Olivia Westland   Rosebery


CUPCAKE COMIC RELIEF COMPETITION A SUCCESS
March 2011
Bramley raised a magnificent sum of more than £400 on Red Nose Day. Pupils pitted their cupcakes against each other in a cupcake competition on Friday 18th March 2011. The cupcake sale raised nearly £80 and in total the day's activities raised £414.65. The prize for the biggest cupcake went to Maddie Low, most original to Gracie Caterham-Ashford, most inventive to Kezia Arnold and funnniest cupcake to Isobel Galloway. Each cupcake had to reflect Red Nose Day in some way. Headmistress, Paula Burgess, said: "Over half the School entered the cupcake competition so it was a really enjoyable way of raising money for an extremely worthwhile cause. The girls were so creative with their ideas and decoration." 


GIRLS TAKE PART IN EUROPEAN TREE PROJECT
February 2011
Our girls have been recognised for their efforts in a European initiative to investigate six common tree species. A number of girls visited Juniper Hall Field Centre to be presented with their certificate for taking part in the Beagle Project - Bramley was one of only three schools in Surrey to be invited to the prestigious event in Mickleham. The initiative was launched with over 300 schools across Europe in a bid to understand how trees differ in each country.

Years 2 and 3 girls at Bramley noted the changes in one of the School's silver birch trees, as their project, from March 2010 to January 2011. Work included dating when the first buds and catkins formed and when the first yellow leaves appeared. Headmistress, Paula Burgess, said: "This was an extremely exciting science project that really helped the girls understand how trees live within our own environment and across Europe. I am very proud that our girls took such an interest and gave such valuable findings."


THE BIG TREE PLANT
February 2011
Bramley has got involved with the government's new tree planting campaign which aims to plant 100,000 trees before the summer. The initiative, with Eco-schools, encourages people and communities to plant more trees throughout our towns, cities and neighbourhoods. Bramley took part in The Big Tree Plant in February 2011. Mrs Hamilton and Mrs Curry, our parent Eco representative, worked with a number of girls and parents planting Hornbeam, Hazel, Dogwood, Crab Apple and Field Maple trees in the gardens of the School. We look forward to nurturing them and watching them grow in the years to come!