WOW beats at the Ringwood Waldorf School

Foot tapping beats rattled the rafters at the Ringwood Waldorf School when more than 100 students and staff enjoyed a magical drumming workshop.


Musicians Magic Drum were at the Steiner school as part of its Waldorf One World (WOW) Day to raise money for underprivileged children across the globe.

The fundraising day coincided with the school’s annual Michaelmas celebrations and pupils led a friendly dragon into Ringwood town centre to collected donations from shoppers.

Parents and pupils also baked cakes and tasty morsels such as soup and apple crumble to sell in school and took part in a Dragon Game across the school grounds the following day.

“It was a wonderful opportunity for everyone to pitch in, have fun, as well as make Wow Day a success,” said school administrator, Nigel Revill.

“The sound of the drumming was infectious and set all our feet tapping.”

Magic Drum facilitator, Glyn Bush, said: “It’s all about making music in the moment and going along with the beat.

“You can do as much or as little as you want. The children – and adults - really get into it.”

Steps for summer at Ringwood Waldorf School

HUNDREDS watched as children from the Ringwood Waldorf School welcomed summer in the traditional way.


Maypole dancing performed by classes four and five, accompanied with music by other pupils, was the highlight of the annual May Day celebration and open morning at the Folly Farm Lane school.

Some 250 visitors were also invited to watch pupils sing and perform a play in the school hall, as well as visit classrooms to see children’s work on display and meet their teachers.

“This annual event is very popular with lots of existing parents and prospective parents all gathered in the school courtyard,” said Sandi Weir, music teacher.

“The school was full of people enjoying the festivities with us. It was lovely, lots of families. We wanted it to be a community event, and it was.”

Refreshments included home baked cakes and coffee served in an impromptu alfresco café area.

The site also hosted a secondary open day at the neighbouring Lantern Community with a craft trail, refreshments and entertainments.

New Royalty seeks crowning glory

THEY believe they have the talent and will showcase this at the area finals of a prestigious national battle-of-the bands, this coming Saturday (May 21)


New Royalty - a group of five teenagers from the New Milton area – is taking to the stage at the Portsmouth Guildhall for the area finals of the Live and Unsigned Competition.

The Arnewood and Highcliffe and Brockenhurst College students wowed industry judges with a live audition to get this far.

The boys now have their eyes on the national finals at London’s 02 and the top prize of a £50,000 recording contract.

They already have a loyal following with more than 500 fans on their Facebook page.

Arnewood student Ben Steers, lead guitar and backing vocals, said: “We started as a group of friends getting together two years ago, simply because we enjoyed playing music.

“But we’ve moved on from a ‘garage’ band and have made a name for ourselves playing at local clubs and parties.

“We were asked to record a promotional CD for an energy drink which was handed out at its national launch at a music festival in Brighton.

“And our lead singer Luke Adams won the 2010 Talent Call at Bournemouth Pavilion.”

The group also consists of James Bailey on drums and percussion, Gorran Kendall bass guitar and backing vocals, and Jack Case keyboards.

Live and Unsigned says it is the UK’s largest national music competition for original unsigned acts and bands, with more than 10,000 acts from across the country entering every year.

The members of New Royalty say they are inspired by Muse, Kings of Leon, Placebo and Stereophonics among others.

Teenage beauty dreams of crown

A HAMPSHIRE teenager needs your votes to help achieve her dream of becoming a Teen Queen.

Imogen Wilson, from The Arnewood School in New Milton, is in the final stages of the Teen Queen UK competition.

Every public vote cast in the teen beauty pageant will also raise money for two charities helping third world communities.

The 15-year-old was scouted while attending the Clothes Show at the NEC in Birmingham.

Imogen is up against 49 other girls aged between 13 and 19 from across the country.

The two girls with the most text votes by the end of April will go through to the UK finals in August.

Her mother, Melanie said: "She was at the Clothes Show with the school because of her textiles course and the competition people approached her - scouted her.

“A modelling career wasn’t on her radar before, but she really enjoyed the photoshoot.

“She’s had a lot of positive feedback from people.”

Voting finishes at 11.30pm on April 31.

To vote, text TQ19 to 81319, or call 0900 593 8000 quoting 19.

A proportion of the money raised from calls and texts is being donated to the charities Mad Foundation and Madventurer.

We're Outstanding!

“OUTSTANDING,” say government inspectors following their visit to a North Bournemouth primary school.

They have also taken Elmrise Primary out of ‘special measures’ two terms earlier than expected - impressed with its exceptional progress since the last Ofsted.

Children love learning, are well behaved and benefit hugely from Elmrise’s partnership with nearby Oakmead College of Technology sharing resources and specialist staff, says the report.

Leadership and management is good and, “the governing body has grown in strength…and is now very focused and rigorous in holding the school to account.”

Children in the school’s nursery and reception, “make outstanding progress and by the time they start Year 1 their attainment is above average,” say inspectors.

Although Key Stage 2 is judged as ‘satisfactory’, the report does stress the huge improvements driven by the staff, governors and the children to springboard it from the failing category so quickly.

“It is a rapidly improving school,” says the report.

“There has been a dramatic improvement in pupils’ attitudes to school and to learning,” says the report.

“Good teaching has been key to raising pupils’ attainment from low to broadly average.”

Inspectors also note Elmrise has the tools and motivation to improve even further.

Justine Brooks, head of Elmrise, said: “Our unique links with Oakmead means specialist teachers are working across both schools benefiting the children in PE, ICT and design and technology as well as helping the older children move up to the secondary.”

This ‘soft federation’ between both schools started last September and it is hoped this partnership will be further strengthened as a ‘hard federation’ from this autumn.

Executive head, Dr Annetta Minard, said: “Crucially, inspectors have recognised the exciting opportunities that are available in both schools through our successful partnership.”

Kate inspires tomorrow's stars

CHART-topping Kate Nash inspired Bournemouth schoolgirls when she made a special visit to Avonbourne Business & Enterprise College.

The 23-year-old chose the secondary to launch her campaign Kate Nash’s Rock and Roll After-School Club for Girls, which hopes to boost the number of female artists in the music industry.

Kate, whose debut album Made of Bricks hit the number one spot in 2007, played a video to the 200-strong student audience, spoke to them about her career, and performed a song called I Hate Seagulls.

The pupils - all studying music or involved in musical extra-curricular activities - questioned her about stardom, stage nerves and her inspiration for writing songs and also showed her some of their lyrics.

“I was shocked and annoyed when I found out that only 14 per cent of song writing royalties goes to women. I want to do something about this huge imbalance,” she said.

“What I want to do for you guys is start after-school clubs but not just for performers but also for women behind the scenes such as techies, managers and those wanting to work in record labels.”

Kate shot to fame in 2007 and soon became a regular on the festival circuit, wowing crowds at Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight and around the world.

Last year she scored a number eight in the UK with her second album, My Best Friend Is You, but has also enjoyed huge singles chart success with hits including Foundations, Pumpkin Soup and Do-Wah-Doo.

“There is still this ridiculous image in the music industry that women cannot be serious artists. I want to change that.

“The best way of doing this is encouraging more girls into the industry.”

Kate says she plans to visit four more schools across the country as part of her campaign.

Award-winning schoolgirls tame notorious dragon

GIRLS from a Bournemouth secondary have helped a notorious dragon launch a national search to find fresh talent like them.

Pupils from Avonbourne School were chosen to assist Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Peter Jones who is leading a £400,000 initiative to unleash an entrepreneurial spark in UK schoolchildren.

Called the ‘Tenner Tycoon’ the Bournemouth girls were last year’s national winners for their inspiring community project Internet Rangers, which helps OAPs become online savvy.

The Avonbourne project saw the girls tutor elderly residents in internet skills such as using email, booking train tickets and researching hobbies online.

Former Blue Peter presenter Valerie Singleton OBE visited the school to support the project; the girls won awards for the scheme including one from BT, and were invited to Number 10 and the Houses of Parliament to tell ministers about their work.

They have also been the subject of TV documentaries and their latest foray into the media spotlight to launch this year’s Tenner Tycoon saw them take part in a photo shoot at famous Worx studio in London as well as feature on BBC News and GMT.

They have also appeared in national newspapers including the Telegraph and Times.

"This scheme is a superb opportunity for students to experience what the life of an entrepreneur can be like,” said Kathryn Loughnan, Avonbourne’s head of ICT and Internet Rangers’ mentor.

“With a little risk, some creativity and a can-do attitude they might find they have launched a whole new business concept.”

This year’s Tenner Tycoon will see more than 40,000 young people across the UK encouraged to start their own business using a £10 note.

Organisers Enterprise UK, an enterprise campaign agency, says the aim is to inspire entrepreneurship in young people against a backdrop of “the worst youth unemployment figures in a generation”.