Headteacher: Mrs Carol Taylor
Phone: 02380 843162
SPORTS AT ORCHARD
Our aim is to provide ample opportunity to our students to experience as many sports as possible during their time at Orchard Juniors. Entering in to the New Forest School Sport Partnership competitions, Southampton Football Leagues and Cup, as well as hosting numerous sporting events throughout the year ourselves at Orchard Juniors with other local schools; to provide a range of opportunities and events from inclusive festivals to competitive pathway events to allow opportunities for all levels of sports participation.
Children are encouraged in assemblies to attend lunch time training sessions for upcoming events, from which we select our teams.
On Wednesday, we took two teams to compete in the New Forest Handball Regional Tournament. With the sun shining, the children brought fantastic energy that matched the fast-paced and exciting nature of the game.Both teams demonstrated excellent teamwork, resilience and individual determination throughout the afternoon. The players showed great improvement as the tournament progressed, supporting one another, working hard in defence and attack and never giving up in closely contested matches.It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm and effort from everyone involved, with all players representing the school brilliantly while developing their confidence and skills in a competitive environment.
Our B Team (Yellow) qualified for Tier 2 and showed great development throughout their matches, finishing 3rd in Tier 2 and a very respectable 7th place overall.
Our A Team (White) qualified for the top tier after winning all of their games in the seeding round. They continued their excellent form in Tier 1, winning two of their three matches, only narrowly losing to the eventual winners by a single goal. This outstanding performance secured 2nd place overall, the silver medal and a place in the County Finals in July on the Isle of Wight.
Well done to both teams for their excellent performances and positive attitude throughout the tournament — you should all be very proud of yourselves. Best of luck to our A Team in the County Finals!
On Monday, we travelled to Lift New Forest for the New Forest Regional Netball Tournament. With two passionate and determined teams competing, Mr Ramsey had the pleasure of watching some extremely high-quality netball from our players throughout the afternoon.
Our B Team faced a challenging opening fixture but quickly grew in confidence and control as the tournament progressed. Their teamwork and determination saw them qualify for Tier 3, where they went on to win the group title, remaining undefeated throughout the tier. Congratulations to the team on an excellent performance!
Our A Team started strongly and maintained that momentum all afternoon. Through an outstanding display of teamwork, determination and hard work, they qualified for Tier 1 of the competition, giving them the opportunity to compete for a place in the County Finals.
Tier 1 featured four extremely tough matches against high-quality opposition. Showing incredible resilience, the team fought back from losing positions in three of the games to secure three wins and one loss, leaving the team tied at the top of the table on points. Goal difference ultimately separated the teams, meaning we proudly brought home the silver medal — our best result in many years — and secured a place in the County Finals in April.
Congratulations to the team — you were outstanding.Good luck in the County Finals after the Easter break!
On Tuesday, three Year 6 pupils proudly represented the New Forest at the County Cross Country Championships in Basingstoke.These three runners have shown fantastic dedication by attending weekly training sessions with Mrs Simmons at our Cross Country lunchtime club. During these sessions they have worked hard to develop their running technique, race tactics and build a strong endurance base in preparation for race day. Their commitment and determination throughout the season has been fantastic to witness.
The County Cross Country Championships feature a particularly challenging course. The races are tightly packed and require experience and confidence to navigate successfully. All three pupils performed excellently, demonstrating that their hard work and preparation truly paid off.Both races included well over 100 runners from across Hampshire, making their achievements even more impressive.
Results
Boys’ Race
Kaan – 8th place (2nd in the New Forest and Orchard’s highest ever finisher at this event)
Spencer – 76th place
Girls’ Race
Isla – 61st place (6th in the New Forest)
An incredible individual effort from all three runners — we are extremely proud of you!Cross Country Club
Reminder Don’t forget our lunchtime Cross Country club every Wednesday from 12:15pm–12:45pm. All children are welcome! Whether you’d like to compete in future races or simply improve your fitness, bring your shorts or joggers and trainers and meet on the field at 12:15pm. We look forward to seeing you there! 🏃♂️🏃♀️
Last week, our hardworking and talented badminton team represented the New Forest area at the County Finals in Portsmouth. This marks the fifth consecutive year that we have represented our area and these students continue to build on our proud and successful badminton tradition.As expected, the standard of play at the County Finals was extremely high. Our young players rose to the challenge, delivering some of their strongest performances both individually and as a team.
After the seeding round, we qualified for Tier 2 of the competition, giving us the opportunity to compete for the Silver Cup. We narrowly missed out on the top tier by points scored in what was an incredibly tight group phase.
We are incredibly proud to say that the team rallied together and through hard work and determination, won all of their matches in the Silver Cup competition to claim the trophy, finishing 7th in the county overall — an outstanding achievement.
Congratulations to the team. You were a pleasure to take to the tournament and represented the school brilliantly.
Recently, we took 12 enthusiastic lower school children to a Gymnastics Festival at Noadswood School. The children had a brilliant time and represented our school and it's values flawlessly. The children participated in a range of gymnastics activities including, using springboards and trampettes, performing individual and partner balances and exploring actions on the balance beams. Well done everyone you were excellent.
Yesterday, we took two Girls’ Football teams to Testwood School for the New Forest Schools tournament.
The girls played brilliantly all afternoon, showcasing their talent, hard work and teamwork throughout. Although we didn’t quite avoid the rain — with a few showers passing through — we were lucky to enjoy some sunny spells too. Despite the mixed weather, we had a fantastic time!
Orchard Whites secured a spot in Tier 1 after an impressive seeding round, winning all three of their opening matches. They continued their outstanding form in Tier 1, controlling games for long periods and playing excellent football. With two draws, one win and one very unfortunate loss, they finished 3rd overall — bringing home the bronze medal.Well done, girls — you were fantastic!
Orchard Yellows qualified for Tier 3 following the seeding round and showed great determination throughout the competition. They worked brilliantly as a team, defended resolutely, and were incredibly hard to beat all day. They also scored some superb individual and team goals.A great effort, girls — you were brilliant!
Last week, we took two badminton teams to the New Forest Schools Tournament at LIFT New Forest.The children have been working incredibly hard during after-school clubs and break-time training sessions to hone their skills and develop strong teamwork in their doubles matches — and their dedication certainly paid off!
Both teams played brilliant badminton throughout the afternoon. There were some exciting rallies and extremely competitive fixtures, with several matches only being decided by the narrowest of margins. The standard of play was outstanding and the sportsmanship on display was fantastic to see.
🥈 B Team – Tier 2 WinnersOur B team qualified for Tier 2, where they continued to grow in confidence and sharpen their match-play skills. Their determination and teamwork earned them the Tier 2 Winners Medal — a fantastic achievement.Well done, team — you were excellent!
🥇 A Team – Overall ChampionsOur A team delivered outstanding performances across the entire tournament. Battling for every single point against very strong opposition, they won every game they played — an incredible accomplishment!
They were crowned overall tournament winners and will now travel to Portsmouth after half term to compete in the County Finals.
Amazing work, team — we are so proud of you and wish you the very best of luck at the County Finals!
Sportshall Athletics Success!
This Saturday, our three qualified teams travelled to Testwood School to compete in the New Forest Sportshall Athletics Finals, all aiming to secure a place in the County Finals this March.
With three teams of eight, every athlete gave absolutely everything — and it showed! Our young athletes achieved an outstanding number of personal best performances, highlighting the hard work, commitment and talent across our teams.
What truly stood out was the attitude and sportsmanship of our students. They competed with determination and passion, supported one another throughout and upheld the true spirit of competition with integrity, demonstrating fantastic team spirit, respect and resilience — a real credit to the school.
New School Records Achieved!
• Tilly – Girls Long Jump
• Zino – Boys Long Jump
• Ella – Girls Chest Push
Incredible individual performances from all three athletes!
Team Results:
• C Team – 10th place
• B Team – 7th place
• A Team – 2nd place (qualifying for the County Finals!)
A huge well done to all athletes involved — we are incredibly proud of you and can’t wait to see what you achieve next!
Football Tournament Report
Today, our superb Boys’ and Girls’ Year 5 & 6 Football Teams travelled a short distance to Staplewood Training Ground, home of Southampton FC, to compete in the Southampton Regional Finals of the Utilita Cup and Premier League Primary Stars tournaments.
It was a fantastic day of football, showcasing the incredible talent from schools across Southampton. With the winners earning the chance to represent Southampton FC at the Southern Area Finals, the stakes could not have been higher.
Both competitions followed a modern, Champions League–style group format. Each team played five randomly selected opponents from an eight-team league table, with the top four progressing to the knockout stages. Semi-finals and finals would then decide the overall champions.
Girls’ Team
Our Girls’ team made an excellent start to the tournament, recording two wins, two draws and one defeat in the group stage. This strong performance secured 4th place and a well-deserved spot in the semi-finals.
In the semi-final, the girls faced St Francis in a closely contested and exciting match. Despite a huge effort and a determined performance, they narrowly lost 1–0 to the eventual tournament winners.
The girls then competed in the 3rd/4th place playoff against Hook with Warsash. After a tense 0–0 draw, the match was decided by penalties. Orchard held their nerve, with a brilliantly taken spot-kick from Olivia and a superb save from Isla in goal sealing the win.
An outstanding achievement — 3rd place in Southampton. Congratulations, girls, we are incredibly proud of you.
Boys’ Team
The Boys’ team took a few games to settle into the tournament but soon found their rhythm, playing some excellent football and controlling matches with confidence. They finished the group stage with two wins, one draw and two losses, placing 4th and securing a semi-final spot.
In the semi-final, the boys faced Crescent. After a hard-fought 0–0 draw, the match went to penalties. Calm finishes from Spencer, Brody and Jenson, combined with an excellent save from Ben in goal, sent Orchard through to the final against fellow New Forest school, Bartley.
The final was a true spectacle and a fitting end to a high-quality tournament. Both teams played with immense spirit, determination and attacking intent. After going a goal down, our boys showed great resilience to level the match at 1–1, but heartbreak followed in the final moments as Bartley managed to score a late winner.
Congratulations to Bartley, and we wish them the very best in the next round. Our boys could not have given any more — they represented themselves and our school brilliantly. 2nd place in Southampton is an incredible achievement. Well done, boys!
We are incredibly proud of both teams, well done teams!
Remember football lunchtime clubs Tuesday (boys) & Friday (girls) with more football opportunities coming up very soon.
Today, our Year 5&6 Boys' and Girls' Football Teams were up early this morning to travel to Wide Lane for the 1st qualifying rounds of the Premier League Primary Stars and Utilita Cup Tournaments hosted by The Saints Foundation.
We are very proud to announce that both our Boys and Girls teams have advanced to the Southern Regional Finals tournament taking place at Staplewood Training Ground next week. Both teams performed excellently this morning, showed brilliant teamwork and respect for their opponents.
Congratulations Teams - Good luck next week!
New Forest Schools Basketball Competition
On Friday last week, we took five basketball teams to Noadswood School to compete in the New Forest Schools competition. After practicing throughout Autumn 1 in PE lessons, the children were excited to showcase all their hard work and learning in a competitive setting.All of our teams were excellent throughout the afternoon, demonstrating a high level of teamwork, resilience, skill and respect for their opponents. Mr Ramsey was particularly impressed with the children’s behaviour and the way they supported and encouraged one another.
With five teams playing simultaneously, there was a lot to keep track of, but every team performed brilliantly. Four of our five teams (Teams B–E) qualified from the seeding round into Tier 2, which was a fantastic achievement and showed just how evenly matched they were. However, this did mean that with four Orchard teams and one St Luke’s team in Tier 2, we had several Orchard vs Orchard fixtures. All teams competed strongly and showed great quality, with our B Team claiming the Tier 2 medal after winning all four of their games.
Our A Team had a flawless start in the seeding round, winning every match and progressing into Tier 1 to compete for the overall winners’ medal — something Orchard has not achieved for a very long time. They continued their unbeaten run and finished 1st overall after a very tight final match against Blackfield. With an incredible 8 wins from 8 games, our A Team claimed the gold medal and have now qualified for the County Finals in May.
An outstanding achievement from all involved — well done to every player who represented the school so brilliantly. 🏀👏
On Wednesday, we took two very enthusiastic teams to the New Forest Dodgeball Festival at Testwood School. Both teams competed in two rounds of matches against other schools, demonstrating fantastic teamwork, skill and bravery throughout.
In the final round, our teams faced each other in what proved to be a really fun and entertaining encounter! Well done everyone, it was great fun to watch!
On Monday, our three Table Tennis teams travelled to Basingstoke for the County Finals at Blue Coat School, having qualified last month to represent the New Forest.
As always, the standard at the County Table Tennis Tournament was exceptionally high, and our young players gave their all as they competed against the best in the county throughout the morning.
Each team experienced both wins and losses, showing excellent skill and remarkable resilience in some very tough matches.
Both our Girls team and Boys B team narrowly missed out on reaching the knock-out stages, but they should be incredibly proud of their performances and determination.
Our Boys A team progressed to the quarter-finals, where they faced the tournament favourites. Despite showing outstanding resilience and determination, they were knocked out at this stage, finishing in a very respectable joint 5th place.
Well done to everyone who took part!
Round-Up of Our Recent Sports Fixtures and Events
Last week, we took two teams to the Orienteering Festival at Tile Barn.
The challenge required pupils to navigate their way across the course, locating a series of checkpoints and finishing at the correct destination as quickly as possible. Both teams worked brilliantly, demonstrating excellent teamwork, communication, problem-solving skills and resilience. Great job, everyone!
We also travelled with two boys’ football teams to Calmore Junior School for an afternoon of matches. All four games were tightly contested, each ending either in a draw or with just a single goal separating the sides. Our boys competed fantastically, showing real passion and teamwork throughout – well done!This week, our focus shifted to Athletics as the indoor season began with back-to-back events.
On Wednesday 12th November, we took three teams to the first New Forest qualifying event at Testwood School. It was a spectacular competition, full of talent and strong performances. Our athletes were outstanding, achieving numerous personal bests in both field and track events – and setting five new school records in Boys’ Long Jump, Boys’ Relay, Girls’ Speed Bounce, Girls’ 1-Lap Sprint and Girls’ Chest Push. Congratulations to our record-breakers!Results:Orchard C performed brilliantly, securing many personal bests and finishing 14th.Orchard B delivered an excellent team performance, finishing 5th and qualifying for the January finals. Orchard A produced the performance of the day, taking 1st place and the gold medal, setting all five school records along the way and earning a place in the January finals.Excellent work, everyone!
We can’t wait to take three more teams to the second qualifying event next week and look forward to the finals in January, where we hope to see even more Orchard teams earn their spot.
Finally, yesterday we returned to Testwood School for the first round of the Indoor Athletics League. Eight of our athletes competed in the first of three meets, taking on additional events including triple jump and shot put. We were delighted to see another school record – this time in the Girls’ Triple Jump – bringing us to six school records in one week!
We currently sit in 2nd place overall, a fantastic start to the league as we head towards Meet 2 in the new year.Well done to everyone involved – you represented our school brilliantly and should be extremely proud of yourselves.
Girls’ Football Festival at Applemore College
On Wednesday, two of our girls’ football teams travelled to Applemore College to take part in an exciting football festival.
Over the course of the afternoon, the girls played 10 matches against teams from schools across the forest. Both of our teams were outstanding — dominating possession, showing confidence on the ball and playing with great energy and teamwork throughout.
Our Yellow Team made a strong comeback after a narrow defeat in their opening game, going on an impressive nine-match unbeaten run. They showed real determination, learning quickly from that first game and applying the skills they’ve been developing in PE lessons and lunchtime clubs. Their teamwork and defensive discipline were exceptional — conceding only one goal all afternoon, and that came in the very first match!
Our White Team were in top form, finishing the festival undefeated. They played exciting, attacking football and impressed with their quick transitions — working tirelessly to win the ball back and launch fast, creative counterattacks. Their efforts were rewarded with plenty of goals and plenty of smiles.
We’re incredibly proud of both teams for their fantastic performances and are already looking forward to the upcoming tournaments later this year.
Girls — get involved!
Join Mr. Ramsey and his Football Clinic coaching team this half term here at Orchard Junior for a Girls’ Player Development Day. This special session, designed exclusively for girls, will be led by experienced coaches from the Football Clinic Development Centre — a great opportunity to learn, improve and have fun! See attached flyer for more information.
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