Sibford Scene Archive

Grandmothers always said – and probably still do – “All good things come in parcels of three!” This was certainly true of the magnificently successful theatrical presentation by our very own Sibford Gower Primary School on 8th April.

Not in the Village Hall — oh no! Nothing less than the famous stage of the Chipping Norton Theatre. And not just for one performance – certainly not! Bookings were so heavy that a matinee had to be staged to fit everyone in. The smell of greasepaint and the laughter of long ago lingered as the curtain rose and the music swelled.

The Pied Piper was first on the boards. Set in the Market Place with stallholders crying their wares, rats in abundance with lovely long tails thatswished and swashed. The story unfolded over half—an-hour with everyone playing their parts to perfection and rounds of applause as the curtain fell.

Cinderella was next on the programme with all those lovable characters which we have come to know so well. An off-beat production which caused many surprises but the Prince got his girl in the end!

Lastly Rumpelstiltskin proved to be just the right choice to round off a superb programme of entertainment when the audience was invited to join in the fun and singing, as they certainly did – with loud gusto!

How many ‘Mum hours’ went into the making of those lovely costumes? And where did our school find such skilled imagination to make and paint such fantastic scenery? And lastly just where, oh where did one find such talented acting and singing? Having tasted the first-fruits of performance many of the children will surely continue with music and dance study and who knows where that might lead? For above all it is the function of education at all times to light the blue touchpaper of children’s imagination, to give them belief in themselves and to show all that opportunity offers.

Well done everybody! Congratulations to an exhausted but triumphant school-staff. Wonderful!

Much has happened since the School’s last report to the Sibford Scene, culminating perhaps in the Meeting for Worship held at the Gower Meeting House on Saturday 29th March. This was an occasion to remember. Current scholars, old scholars, current and former pupils, Staff and Governors, joined the act of Worship and thanksgiving after which a tree was planted in the grounds of the Meeting House to mark the occasion: the School’s 150th Anniversary.

During the term three major musical events made this a Spring of particular distinction.

On Saturday 7th March, Bernard D’Ascoli gave a brilliant recital on the school’s new Yamaha concert grand piano to a large and enthusiastic audience. A week later the pinao was in use again this time for the finals of the Banbury Young Musician of the Year competition, revived for the first time for many years and held-most successfully at the school under the auspices of the Banbury Rotary Club.

On the 4th April choirs from all the other seven Quaker Schools in England joined Sibford’s Choral Society for a magnificent performance of Handel’s Israel in Egypt in Coventry Cathedral which also formed a special event in our 150th Anniversary programme.

There was also an outstanding exhibition of work by Sixth Form A Level Art Students, held in March. Further work will be on a display as part of Oxfordshire Art week, in the Music School at the Manor, 16th—23rd May.

In many other areas too, pupils and staff have put in great energy and initiative. The Fielding Day Care Scheme, run for elderly people in the village by members of the Sixth Form has started and there have been a number of visits away from school by pupils including a memorable trip to the Black Country Museum. Orchard Close added to its vigorous programme a series of puppet shows for string, glove and shadow puppets with performances held not only in school but also in the Jack in the Box Nursery School.

The Junior and Senior Drama groups produced most impressive productions: Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations by the younger pupils, and extracts from five more weighty plays by the Fifth Form Drama set.

At our Sunday Evening Meetings, we have heard about the lives of Friends in Bolivia, and the accessibility of Art, on two recent Sundays and next term’s programme of speakers will continue to cover a particular range of important themes.

Next term promises to be, as usual, a very full one again with a number of summer sports events and our Open Day on July 4th.

We hope that on that occasion and on others too, friends from the village will come to the events whenever possible, and we will look forward to seeing you.