Modern Foreign Languages
In an exciting new initiative designed to promote spontaneous speech in French and German, all MFL groups in KS3 are now taking part in the Winston Modern Language Olympics. Students are competing every lesson to be awarded a bronze, silver or gold medal for their spontaneous and relevant speech in the target language during their lessons. The emphasis is on team work to encourage much higher numbers of children in each class to volunteer target language speech. The medals awarded are converted into points which are collated on our on-line Olympic score board and prizes for the top performing class or classes will be awarded each half term. Students are provided with cue cards in their lessons to help them to get started but many are already finding the confidence to go “off-piste” and create their own phrases! This project is off to a flying start with points flying onto the scoreboard every day and every indication that student confidence in their ability to communicate in a foreign language is growing steadily.
Confidence building opportunities
This was represented by Charley Stacey, Zara Mahmood and Charlotte Killin, all Year 9 students, at a meeting of the Senior Leadership Team. Their parents were involved from the beginning attending the team building sessions and the final presentation. Students spent 8 weeks learning about how to present themselves in a positive way and how to dress for formal occasions. This included team building exercises, how to apply make up, healthy eating and good skin care. The ultimate aim was to raise achievement by building confidence and social standing within the peer group and raise attainment in lessons. The final presentation was to show what they had learnt and what they enjoyed most about the course.
There is currently a course for Year 10 girls on a similar programme as the Year 9 course. These girls have so far had make up session applicable for school and have now their own gym session run by Miss Devereux in the Sports Centre gym. They will also be looking at their own body image and how to interact positively with peers and staff.
The catering initiative was for Year 8 students who had 6 sessions with Mrs Vadi who taught them about healthy eating and how to cook dishes which Wasim Ahmed, Dylan Munowenyn and Emily Remedios eventually presented to the Senior Leadership Team as a tea. We really enjoyed their tea – especially the delicious cakes. The students in both groups were fantastic, showing such self-confidence – well done.
Some Year 7 and 9 students are attending early morning Handball and Basketball clubs followed by a healthy breakfast. The basketball coach is from Guildford Heat and the handball coach is from the sports college partnership. All students are really enjoying the sessions even though they have to be in school by 7:30am!
There are initiatives in the pipeline for Year 9 boys aimed at learning how to organise a disco or gig and eventually running one in school. They will learn not only about the music side but also the business side of running an event.
Along the music theme there are 6 Year 9 and 10 students attending Radio Rockz two day course to learn about the radio business at the studios. At then end they will have recorded their own 2 hour radio show.
Maths
Mrs Trubridge reports that the maths department invited Year 7 students and their parents in to school to try to eradicate their fears of algebra. The parents were taught all the methods we use to teach the students. There was lots of positive feedback, a helpful session, with parents leaving having understood lots, including how expressions are formed and equations are solved.
The top sets in Year 9 and 10 took part in the nationwide Intermediate Maths Challenge, using all their knowledge to help them answer the questions in the paper, each increasing in difficulty as the paper went on. Results will be published when they arrive.
Toe by Toe
Toe by Toe has been running every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning during registration time since October half term, for 35 Year 7 students and their Year 10 coaches. It is proving, as usual, a great success with the students gaining confidence as they work their way through the book. We are very pleased with the progress made by the Year 7s and the efforts of the Year 10 coaches.
Astrofest
11 members of the Astronomy Club and GCSE Astronomy course recently attended the annual European Astronomy Festival in London, accompanied by Mrs Dudley, Mr Anslow and Mr Catlyn. Many listened to morning and afternoon lecture sessions which included talks by leading astronomers and major TV personalities like Professor Brian Cox. Brian May, from Queen, an avid astronomer, made an unscheduled visit and Sir Patrick Moore was in attendance, at the grand age of nearly 88. All were signing their books, and many of the students managed to get their dedications and signatures. Professor Cox was particularly interested in our Astronomy Centre project and entered into individual discussions with many of our students. Plenty of purchases were made, nearly all of them well-thought out in advance. One telescope dealer even gave us a small telescope for the school because he did not want to have to take it home again after the show! No doubt we will be in attendance again next year. ASTROFEST is organised by Astronomy Now magazine.
Consortium for Street Children
Having achieved an assembly each day for the week for each year group about the Consortium for Street Children came the moment we had been waiting for…would the Yr 9 and Yr 7 students actually turn up for a damp, miserable evening to sit outside in the cold?
It was really touching and moving to see the first few arriving armed with huge pieces of cardboard, plastic sheeting, sleeping bags and tarpaulin all clamouring to begin building. As 4pm approached we, staff members, saw a swarm of over 70 students, on the patio area, putting down the foundations of their own ‘designer’ shelter. Some had already ‘prepared earlier’, others were creating as they went along, smaller groups suddenly decided to work together to make bigger shelters, the invention and sense of fun was infectious and we, the onlookers, were quite taken aback by their evident enthusiasm.At 4pm everyone disappeared inside their new ‘homes’, giggles and chat emanated all around. A wonderful moment for us was realising that these students were being ’kids’, they had no I-Pods or gadgets to play with or on, they had to resort to chat and play; it reminded us all of our youth, playing in dens and making up games. The weather was not great and rained on us a couple of times but it did not dampen anyone’s spirit. By around 6pm hanging out in the shelters had rather lost its appeal, slowly students popped up and wandered around chatting to other den makers, old fashioned games appeared and new friendships were made. Everyone present was an asset to the evening, when it came to clearing up no one shirked, every bit of debris was collected, even the mountain of cardboard was gathered by all participants and placed in huge bins. It had been quite an event, yet after only 3 hours outside on a damp, chilly February evening, I think we all realised just how difficult it would be to live on the streets 24/7 and how lucky all of us are to have a home and loved ones to go home to. A few students asked if we could do this again, others said they now understood better what street kids have to put up with, which for me was the message that we were hoping would be picked up. If you are one of those students, well done, you made us proud of you and huge thank you to Mrs Warburg-Gurel for organising this event
The Ragged Child @ The Rhoda McGaw Theatre (report from Mr Donaldson)
Over 125 students from all years groups were involved in this year’s musical theatre production of The Ragged Child at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre, representing a collaboration of actors, dancers, singers, musicians and technicians, who came together on four consecutive nights to produce an exhilarating and memorable production that will stay in the memory of all those who had the privilege to witness it.
This was a stark and moving account of child deprivation in London in the 1850’s, featuring Harry Bennett with a strong and commanding performance in the leading role of Lord Shaftesbury, fighting for the education of the ignorant and illiterate poor. This was a tour-de-force performance, expressive, fluent and articulate in its delivery, from a young actor destined for greater things in the future. His philanthropic focus was on two of the children from the Devil’s Acre, Joe and his little sister Annie. James Thom
