Newlands 2015 – The WebLog

Welcome to the Newlands 2015 WebLog (or blog as we like to call it).

On this page you should be able to catch up on what the Year 6 boys are up to in the Lake District from Monday 14th to Wednesday 16th September.

Photographs should also appear here too – you may need an extra bit of software if you are trying to view a slideshow on an iPad or Android device but it should work fine on a Windows PC.

Mr Lyon, Mr Youngson and Mrs Mellor will be sending their reports back to Crosby and I (Mr Wardle) will be popping them on here.

Newlands is such a fabulous place – the boys will have such a great time. We hope you enjoy reading all about their antics. (The latest stories will appear nearer the top of the page so it is easier for you to see the latest news. )

If you would like to email comments to the staff at up at Newlands you can do so by using the email address below. Please note that it isn’t possible to reply to each email received but they will be read.

Thursday – 11:30AM

Report by Y6W

The boys are all back in school but they are SOOOO tired; there’s not much work being produced today! There are loads of stories being told of the Tarzan Swing, The Washing Machine and, oddly enough, samosas (I don’t think it is wise to ask about that one!).
The boys all arrived back on time, singing ‘Let it Go’ from Frozen as they approached school – they are an odd bunch. All were picked up on time and went off home for a long bath and a hot meal.
Comments about the trip from Y6W
Paul L – The ghyll was freezing – but the Washing Machine was the coldest thing EVER.

Thomas C – Our room was haunted by Stalky Bear!! (???!!!)

Harry G – The zip wires and the woods activities were amazing.

Omar A – The best activity for me was the Tarzan Swing – it was phenomenal!

Adam C – I LOVED the High Ropes – that was my favourite activity.

Jacob M – Activities = FUN

Matthew H – The woods were great, although I got a rope burn on my neck – it doesn’t hurt though!

Ishan P – Canoeing was really tiring and really cold when we jumped in the lake – but it was such fun.

Jack – The whole trip was impeccable – I’d love to be able to go again!

Wednesday 1:15PM

They are on their way!  They expect to be back at school by 4:00PM, traffic permitting.
*****Please be aware that you will not be able to park in the school car park as the gate is locked for safety reasons between 3:40PM and 4:10.*****

Wednesday 9:15AM

I’ve just had a phone call from Mr Lyon, gushing praises about your boys! It seems that they have tidied rooms, stripped beds and packed their things brilliantly! Unbelievable!

The boys have just toddled off on their last activities (hasn’t the time flown by?) and they will be back, wet and happy, in time for lunch.

The Newlands Gang are hoping to leave Newlands between 1:00 – 1:30PM and expect to be back at school by 4:00PM, traffic permitting. Any delays? I’ll let you know here.

Parking is not permitted on the school site (the gates are locked for safety reasons) so please park in nearby roads – and PLEASE don’t park on the double yellow lines outside of school as the coach needs somewhere to park.

Wednesday 9:00AM

The internet is back up and working at Newlands so Mr Lyon has sent through the following about last night’s hotly anticipated Best (and Worst) PJ Contest. Read on…

Winnert of best PJ s= Ted
Runners up = Charlie J, Ismail

Worst PJ winner= Harry
Runners up= Tom B, Rory

Winner of the orienteering= William G, Tom S, Hemanth

Sorry we were not able to ‘blog’ last night, the internet was broken!

Sooo impressed with boys getting packed and rooms efficiently cleared by 8 am.

Wet clothes have been retrieved from Drying Room and in some cases returned to owners (where named).

Unnamed items will be brought back to school and can be collected on Thursday or Friday from Junior Hall. After that we will dispose of them. Some damp and muddy socks and undergarments have started making their own way out of drying room and were last seen crawling towards the A66.

The teachers’ photography skills (or lack of!) are shown to great effect here – hopefully you can recognise your own child’s dreadful choice of sleepwear.

Wednesday 8:30AM

After battling for hours with the website last night (and failing to get the photos on here for you) I have managed to get a new selection on in a slideshow (see below Tuesday 7.30PM).

The Gremlins seem to be alive and kicking up in Newlands, as well as in Wardle Towers. Hopefully we’ll get something for you within the next hour or so.

We hope you are enjoying what you are seeing and reading! – PW

Tuesday 9:00PM

Boys have been tearing around on an orienteering competition this evening before the ever popular PJ comp (very high standard as I already mentioned) Where do they get their energy? Some mums will probably be pleased to get their pyjamas back – or maybe not.

They are now upstairs cleaning teeth and going to bed sensibly.

We have been impressed with the lads’ team work and support of each other all week. Just helping each other with the tricky business of putting on harnesses and buyancy aids.

Tuesday 7:30PM

A new update has arrived at Wardle Towers and I am pleased to publish it for all of you, knowing that you are ALL missing your little darlings….

The boys arrived back from their afternoon activities hungry and ready for dinner First though they had to get showered and changed for dinner. They then had around 40 minutes of free time which they used to pack their bags ready for tomorrow, allowing them to enjoy tomorrow’s activity without having to worry about packing.

The boys who finished packing first then helped those who hadn’t finished and concentrated on tidying their rooms up. They then headed downstairs for a drink of hot chocolate and a chat about who had the tidiest room. (MyOh My – How the time must fly by with such interesting conversation!!??- PW)

At 6 o’clock everyone had a dinner of tomato soup with bread to start, chicken pie with mash and vegetables for main course and chocolate sponge for pudding. Mr Lyon and Mr Youngson then read out some of the messages that the boys’ parents and loved ones had emailed to them which was very much appreciated.

After cleaning up and a quick change of clothes the boys headed off for their evening activity of Orienteering.

There should be some tired – but happy – lads tucked up in Newlands tonight.
Don’t forget that, if you are unable to see the slideshows on your device you will be able to see them on a Windows PC running Internet Explorer.

Tuesday 2:00PM

At last!  We have a report from ‘Up North’  (and a pile of photos too) and things are going well. Mr Lyon writes…

The boys retrurned from their morning activities in fine spirits and some even volunteered to go for a shower without being told to. (Good grief!  I need a lie down with that piece of information! – PW)
Lunch was taken outside in the picnic area. the sun was cracking the flags and the boys enjoyed their sandwiches, crisps, biscuits and apples. This was all washed down with some blackcurrant juice.

Some boys then enjoyed some free time playing football and rugby/volleyball (if such a game exists), whilst others rolled down the hill in the garden, or played pool inside in the Common Room.

Afternoon activities are just about to begin and the boys have gone to the ‘Big Green Shed’ to meet their instructors.

The boys sound as if they are having a busy time – but there is still time for them to have a bit of a play around in the sunshine. Well done to the teachers for managing to get an internet connection! Two merits each!!

Tuesday 12:30PM

Mr Lyon has been on the phone to tell me that the internet up in Newlands has now completely disappeared. To solve this they are off to try to find somewhere to use some free WiFi so I am hopeful that some photos come through within the next couple of hours.

It is sunny up at Newlands and the Newlands Gang are out in the garden eating their lunch – sandwiches, crisps, fruit and squash – as well as playing in the grounds. By all accounts behaviour is VERY good and EVERYONE is having a brilliant time. Enjoy the peace and quiet…

Keep on checking back – I’ll put a note in the title of the blog when I get some new photos. PW.

Tuesday 10:00AM

The systems all seem to be working at the moment and the staff have sent another little ditty down from the Lakes….

Quote of the day so far from canoists:

‘James is an oarsome paddler.’

News from the rooms:

Ben wins prize in room 9 for loudest snoring last night.

Occupants of room 5 request ear plugs after Paul spends the night talking to himself.

Paul is in my class and I would have hoped against hope that he might have stopped talking at least while he is sleeping – sadly, it seems that he is just as noisy in the Land of Nod!!! 

Tuesday 9:00AM

It is vitally important that the boys have a good breakfast inside them before they start the day’s activities; there is no breakfast better than the Newlands Breakfast.
Mr Lyon has now done his hair and make-up and reports below…

The boys have all tucked into a hearty breakfast to prepare them for this morning’s activities. They feasted on cereal and toast, followed by a cooked breakfast (bacon, sausage, beans, tomato, scrambled egg and mushrooms). There then followed the difficult decision as to what sandwich filling to have for lunch.

The dining room was a little quieter this morning and there were a few tired looks on some boys’ faces. They will certainly sleep well tonight.

Thank you to those parents who have sent messages to your loved ones, which we have passed on to the boys. They are going to their rooms to collect the clothing required for their activities and then the fun will begin…

Tuesday 8:00AM

They must have had double breakfasts this morning because another bulletin has been received this morning…

The weather forecast is dry and improving today- good news for the lads who are all off to either Derwent Water to canoe or Stoneycroft Beck to have a scramble. This is reckoned to be the highlight of the trip by many. Boys have to wear wet suit as well as two layers of clothing (and buoyancy aid + helmet). Alex D’Arcy certainly enjoyed it yesterday and told us all about it in detail, particularly the slides where you did not know what to expect in the plunge. You can expect plenty of soggy stuff when they return.

Tuesday 7:30AM

An early morning bulletin from The Newlands Crew…and some surprising news about the boys actually sleeping! Read on…

A peaceful night was passed in the Newlands Valley. The patter of little feet in the corridor first heard at 06.30, in ten minutes became a crescendo of booted boys off to the latrines. While the kitchen staff prepare the yummy 6 item hot breakfast the lads have been instructed to wear different clothes from day 1 and tidy rooms. Making a bed seems to be a mystery to many of them. More later.

Still having internet problems getting photos uploaded but we are receiving and passing on messages to the boys.

There are some photos to get on here and I will endeavour to get them published in the not-too-distant future.
N.B. If you are not seeing a couple of slideshows on this blog you may need to view it on a different device – or use a different app. I was able to view it with no problem on my Android using FlashFox – but using Chrome nothing is showing. It is best viewed on a PC using Internet Explorer. 

Monday – 10:00pm

From Newlands…

The boys are all tucked up in bed and lights are out. Staff are patrolling the corridors armed with tranquiliser dart guns in case anyone as much as pokes his nose out of the room.

We are all very impressed with the standard of the PJ s and onesies that have been on display here- it will make the judging of the best PJ comp almost impossible!

Last activity of the day was compulsory teeth cleaning. This was greeted less than enthusiastically in some quarters. Night all.

From all of us back home we hope that you have a peaceful night – there is NO chance of that,I’m aftaid. We’ll be thinking of you at 5AM, though I’ll be very jealous at 8AM when you are tucking into your breakfast. Sleep well!!

Monday 8:30pm

Mr Youngson writes…

Wow what a meal! Yummy vegetable soup was followed by 3 flavours of the chef’s home-made pizza, consumed rapidly by our hungry campers with chips and salad, rounded off by delicious Lakeland ice cream. Energetic games in the Big Green Shed will hasten digestion (hopefully) before bedtime hot chocolate drinks.

Apologies if the photos are not coming through as yet- we are having problems with the constipated internet up here in the wilds of Cumbria. Hoping the blockage will soon be cleared, there are many pics that we are trying to upload even as I write.

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We hope that you are enjoying the blog – don’t forget to email your comments.

Monday 5:00pm

A picture for your bedroom wall…? Perhaps not! A staff ‘selfie’ for you.

Mr Youngson writes…

Weather has held for us this pm and boys will are returning from lake, ghyll and high ropes.

The high ropes course has been improved again here so that the boys have extra challenges to face. They were all enjoying getting stuck in to the rope bridges and scary confidence steps.

On return canoists and ghyll scramblers will hang wet gear in drying room and be despatched to showers pre dinner. Pizza and chips on the menu which should go down well with happy campers.

(There’s a problem uploading photos due to poor internet connections at Newlands. Hopefully we’ll get more photos on here tomorrow).

Monday 2.30PM

The pigeon carrying news of the intrepid travellers has just arrived (I resisted the urge to pop it into a pie) and the report is below…

We have arrived! Boys had lunch at Tebay services and then proceeded to Newlands for 12.15 briefing. All are out on afternoon activities now – Ghyll scramble, High Ropes or canoeing. More pics to follow.

The boys will have been allocated their rooms by now which, if my memory serves me right, will be like jumble sales with clothing all over the place. It is important that the boys are wearing the correct clothes for each activity so they will have been sent back to change if they weren’t properly dressed out.

Safety is of paramount importance and the boys will be kitted out with buoyancy aids and helmets, where appropriate – that’s fun to try on.

Tea will follow later – the boys should be a little tireder by then….though a lot noisier; they will have so much to talk about!

Monday 12:30PM

We’ve heard that the boys have all arrived safe and sound up at Newlands.

Lunch was a sumptuous affair, although Mrs Mellor was trying to attract a feathered friend over to her as her lunch was a bit boring and she fancied some crispy duck instead. I think that the duck got away…

Mr Lyon was the photographer in these photos – you can see his fingers in the pictures. I must have a word…you just can’t get the staff!

There was a slight technical hitch with the coach’s alarm at Tebay but, using some of the skills aquired by being in the army, the driver managed to get it all sorted and they were back on their way. They are just having their briefing session before going out and about on their first activities.

Monday – 9.30AM

They’re off! The boys excitedly made their way up the driveway to be greeted by Alan the Driver, ready to take them up to the Lakes. The atmosphere in school had reached fever pitch in the classrooms and they were ready to go. Once Alan had packed all of the bags onto the coach and Mrs Mellor and Messrs Lyon and Youngson had checked that the boys were all seated and belted, the coach set off –  frantically waved-at by a happy band of jolly parents.

The plan is that they will stop off at Tebay Services (they do nice pies there, I recall) for a spot of lunch before continuing on to Newlands.

It’ll be SO noisy on that coach!!