JUNE 2011
Getting those 5-4-Life!!!
Diary Dates
JUNE
5-4-Life is a scheme in Year 11 helping students who have not quite reached
their target grade. Teachers from English and Maths help us to achieve five
A* - Cs including English and Maths. They help us to prepare for our exams
and to give us revision resources, in both of the core subjects. Over the year
we have had support to complete our coursework; revision sessions before
the mock exams; interviews to discuss our progress after the mocks; and a
wide range of resources to help us revise.
Continued on page 3...
Radio Partnership goes live !
Devizes Hospital and Community Radio is back on air
in its new home at Devizes School.
Devizes Mayor Pete Smith officially opened the studios
recently and the station is now broadcasting to four
sheltered housing schemes in the town.
The move of the station has resulted in a unique collaboration with one studio
for DHCR and one for Devizes School Radio, providing the opportunity for
students to gain radio presenting and recording experience.
Continued on page 3...
Advanced Notice - The first two days of Term 1 have been designated as
Staff Development days. Therefore, new Year 7‟s and Year 12‟s will return
on Monday 5th September and the whole school will be back on
Tuesday 6th September 2011.
 KS3 International Week
Week commencing 20th June
 New Entry Evening (Y6 to Y7)
Monday 27th June - 7pm
 Year 6 Induction Days:
Tuesday 28th June
Wednesday 29th June
Thursday 30th June
JULY
 TD Day Friday 1st July
 Year 11 PROM
Monday 4th July
 Year 11 & 13 Clearance Day
Tuesday 5th July (am)
 6th Form Induction Day
Wednesday 6th July
 Full Governing Body Meeting
Wednesday 6th July, 6.15pm
 Sports Day
Friday 8th July
 Open Evening
Wednesday 13th July
 School Production of
„Hairspray‟
14th - 16th July
 Reserve Sports Day
Friday 15th July
 Year 12 Biology Fieldtrip
18th - 22nd July
 Final House Assembly on the
Quad
Thursday 21st July
 Last Day of Term 6
Friday 22nd July, 12.30pm
Devizes School Uniform Policy
Uniform is a vital part of the school identity. We expect every student to be dressed correctly at all times
according to the list below.
All items are obtainable from Scholars, 2 Little Brittox, Devizes. Tel 01380 722642.
Polo shirt
Sweatshirt
Shoes
Socks
Skirts
Trousers
A white Devizes School polo shirt with the Devizes school logo.
No visible T-shirts to be worn underneath.
A round-necked sweatshirt with a red stripe around the neck and school logo. The school
sweatshirt is the most identifiable piece of school uniform and should always be the first
item worn over the polo shirt in cool weather. Therefore to wear an outdoor coat
directly over a polo shirt is not permitted. Hoodies or other sweatshirts, and
cardigans, are not acceptable.
Plain black low- heeled. No trainers, sling backs, ballet-style pumps, canvas style
daps or boots of any nature. The same footwear must not
be worn around school and for PE. This is an essential
Health and Safety requirement.
Girls: Plain black or navy tights or socks, white ankle socks in
the summer.
Boys: Plain black or navy socks – not the same ones to be
worn around school and in PE.
A plain black knee length skirt.
Black tailored trousers. No hipsters or low rise. Jeans, combat
trousers and shorts are not permitted. No leggings. Belts
must be plain black and fit through the loops on the trousers.
Outdoor coat A plain jacket or coat is required. Denim, camouflage, leather, or imitation leather
jackets are not permitted. Fleeces, Hoodies (including any with school logo on) or
non school uniform sweatshirts should not be worn in place of an outdoor coat.
Scarves can only be worn with a coat.
Hats
Baseball caps are not to be worn.
Jewellery
Students who have their ears pierced may wear one small plain stud or sleeper in each
ear. No rings or studs are permitted in any other part of the body which may have
been pierced. No stretchers of any kind.
Any excessive jewellery i.e. bracelets will be confiscated by a teacher and dealt
with according to the „Confiscation of Property‟ policy.
If a student has an item of jewellery that they value it should not be bought into
school as it will not be covered by insurance.
Make-up
Nail varnish and excessive makeup are unsuitable for school and are not
permitted.
Hair
Hair should be a natural and uniform colour and not worn in a style which has the effect
of drawing attention to the student. Simple hair accessories in school colours only.
All items of clothing and other belongings should be clearly marked with the owner‟s name.
SANCTIONS: Items such as scarves, non uniform sweatshirts will be confiscated according
to the school‟s Confiscation Policy.
If a student does not adhere to the uniform policy
for trousers, skirts, shoes etc, a letter will be sent
home. This will be followed by a meeting with parents/carers and the student‟s Head of House if the
uniform does not alter.
If the situation continues the student will be sent
home and a meeting will be arranged with the
Head to resolve the situation.
Mrs B Smart - Assistant Head
Getting those 5-4-Life!!!
(Continued from page 1)
On Thursday 28th April and Tuesday 10th May, two legendary English
teachers Miss Syrett and Mrs Dean took us to the Town Hall for four
lessons of intensive revision. This obviously meant that we were not in
school, and the environment made the event feel more special and
memorable, allowing us to learn a lot more about English and we will now
remember vital skills and knowledge for the exam.
We are sat in a huge mature block of Red Leicester cheese. Inside the
Cheese Hall are 6 high doors. Pictures of past mayors are perfectly
placed around the room. The pure gold chandeliers lovingly light up the
room, whilst the floral red curtains hang high with pride. Wonky wooden
floorboards line the floor. These are the things which give the Cheese
Hall its character.
When the clock strikes 10.30am, Cheese Hall
ferociously turns into feeding time, reminiscent of
Bristol Zoo! The boys grow horns and charge for
the biscuit basket like rhinos. Whereas the girls
move sophisticatedly towards that much needed
cup of tea and split into our ‘gossip’ groups.
After completing the resources to support our
understanding of each English exam paper, and
develop our skills towards that all important C
grade, lunchtime comes around at 12.30pm. What’s
your favourite food? Well at the Town Hall they
provide everything from creamy luxurious cakes to sweet strawberries with yummy
sugar on top! The boys fight over the expensive iPad, just because they want to play
fun friendly fantastic kids’ games!
Miss Syrett
We came here to revise and learn about all our papers and Mrs Dean and Miss Syrett were a huge help.
5-4-Life Team
Radio Partnership goes live !
Continued from page 1
There is a school radio club running once a week, supported by
the School Sport and ICT specialism funding where the students
record interviews, drama and living history articles. Regular shows
are broadcast with music across our school computer network.
As part of the official opening of DHCR, Graham Seaman from
local BBC radio attended the studios to interview two students
from the DSR club. Congratulations to George Rogers and Jake
Hale in Year 9 who demonstrated their budding talents with the
microphone and were excellent ambassadors for our school. You
can listen to the full interviews with the DSR DJs and volunteers
from DHCR that featured on breakfast and lunchtime BBC local
radio by visiting our school web-site, www.devizes.wilts.sch.uk
Mr D O‟Rourke - Subject Leader for ICT
Graham Seaman from BBC radio and
George Rogers
English News - Key Stage 3 Celebration
Year 8 have been studying Myths and Legends in English last term, for example Beowulf,
Jabberwocky and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. It’s been an inspiring topic for students of all
abilities.
Here is part of Mark Harris, 8T-CHD‟s fantastic epic poem, ‘Tyrannous’.
Beware my meaty friend
For these flats stand tall
But you lie on the bottom floor
The sun goes in
Out comes the moon
With Tyrannous
Screaming out DOOM!
The clock strikes noon
Screams come from every room
As the lighting flashes
The thunder bangs
All you can see
Are these giant fangs
Blood is sprayed
Over the window
As a man lost his head
Whilst sleeping in bed
The clock strikes one
The hour of terror
Has gone
For these people
Time has run out
But there may be
Luck for others
As reports flood in
Our hero has come
To devour Tyrannous
For his sin
Mark Harris
Mrs Carpenter says: “From the fabulous and inventive adjective and powerful use of direct
address in the opening line we are gripped. The irregular rhyme scheme somehow gives it a
sinister tone, and the atmospheric descriptions and use of a striking clock as a metaphor for time
running out make this a tense, expertly structured poem. I love it!’
Mrs H Carpenter - Subject Leader of English
.
Intermediate Mathematical Challenge,
February 2011
In February, some of our Year 9 and 10 students took the
UKMT Intermediate Mathematical Challenge.
Certificates were awarded to the following:Silver
Adam Walters (10)
Amy Holt (10)
Abigail Ibbetson (10)
Alex Singh (10)
Henry Claridge (9)
Laurence Day (10)
Bronze
Oliver Farrant (10)
Benjamin Kitching-Morley (10)
Jade Shergold (10)
Danny O’Gara (10)
Alex Campbell (9)
Jordan Hancock (9)
Madelaine Pearce (10)
Arthur Plumb (9)
Best in school was awarded to Adam Walters.
Well done to all those who took part.
Mrs C Fisher - Teacher of Mathematics
Notice to all Parents/Guardians
We have been advised by the Health
Protection Agency that since the beginning
of 2011, there has been a large increase in
confirmed cases of measles across England
and Wales.
There is an increased risk that your child
may catch measles if they are not protected
against the disease. Unless your child has
already received two doses of vaccine, we
would advise you to obtain MMR
vaccination before travelling to mainland
Europe.
For further information please go to
http:www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/
InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/Measles/
Talented… Badminton Club
The Badminton Club, which runs after school
sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, has
produced more success. The school now proudly
boasts the best U15
boys singles player in
the Mid Wilts District,
Harry Easton.
It also has the second
best U13 boys singles
player in the same
district Jake
Brown.
These medals were won Harry Easton 9G-BCR, centre
at the Mid Wilts Age
Restricted Championships held at Dauntsey
School on 5th and 6th February.
The Mid Wilts Area is large, taking in all schools
and
badminton
clubs
from
Chippenham,
Trowbridge, Warminster and Devizes.
Competition was stiff with a number of pools in
each age group and semi finals and finals to be
played. Congratulations to all those others who
took part in this and the National Schools
Competition County Finals recently.
Harry and Jake are
also the two captains
that have teams in the
Mid Wilts Junior U14
League and we wish
them success together
with our U18 team.
Jake Brown 8M-ADR,
first left
Mr J Murphy - Badminton Coach
Connor Canoes to Success in the
Devizes to Westminster Race
Connor Henley (Year 10)
achieved an incredible 8th
place, out of 73 competitors in
the junior section (15-19 years)
of the Devizes to Westminster
boat race.
Having spent 6
months in hard training, 3
nights a week on the water and
another 2 nights either circuit Connor Henley
training or running, he set off
with his friend Ali Little to
complete the 125 miles over the Easter weekend.
Each team were given a set number of miles to
row per day, and over 4 days their time on the
water was added together. The first day was 34
miles, the second 36 miles, the third 38 miles and
the final leg was 17 miles.
Each night they camped over and cooked for
themselves, however support from Connor’s and
Ali’s mum at each stage ensured they had
enough food and
water to last the
race.
The boys arrived
in Westminster
after 19 hours,
27 minutes and
51 seconds on
the water.
They were delighted with their achievements and
as they were one of the youngest competitors in
their category, they are very keen to do the event
again next year.
I am very proud of Connor’s achievements and
shows how all young people at Devizes School
can be successful if you are committed and work
hard towards achieving your goals.
Well done Connor!
Miss A Beck - Subject Leader of PE
Music Congratulations!
Congratulations to all of our brilliant musicians who have achieved very
successful results in their Music exams. They are as follows:Ben Starling
Matthew Stratton
George Taplin
Cullen Wylie
Sarah Wicks
Emilie Lebarbier
Amelia Goadby
Grade 5
Grade 3
Grade 2 (with Merit)
Grade 1
Grade 2 (with Merit)
Grade 1
Grade 3
Mrs A Hodder - Subject Leader of Music
Drum Kit
Drum Kit
Drum Kit
Drum Kit
Trombone
Flute
Clarinet
What is it like to be a Sports Captain at Devizes School?
Hi, I am Katie Edwards and I was the Year 7 Netball Captain this year. It has been great fun and really
enjoyable to be the netball captain, but sometimes it can be very difficult and challenging, but don’t let
that put you off being a Captain!
The netball season:WOW! The ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams have played amazingly, with fantastic teamwork and very good motivation.
I would especially like to mention Keira Jones who started off not knowing very much about netball, but
has progressed rapidly to become a key member of the team. The ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams had a variety of
wins, draws and losses, but tried their hardest in all games.
AWESOME! That is what the ‘A’ team are. They won all of their games except for one where they lost
by ONE goal to St Mary’s, but they put up a very good fight. Performance in all games has been
amazing; it all flowed with great passing from: Sarah Hogan, Hannah Wilson and Amy Roberts.
However, all the players were amazing.
Year 7 Netball Tournament:
The ‘B’ team ended mid table which was brilliant and the ‘A’ team won all their games except for one
which they drew with St. Mary’s. This meant both schools had the same number of points, so the
winners had to be established by goal difference. St. Mary’s had scored 5 more goals than Devizes
during the tournament, so they were declared the winners, with Devizes runners up. A fantastic
achievement by Devizes Netball Squad as a whole.
Would I do it again?
Yes! I would recommend being a Captain for
any sport because it’s a great opportunity to
develop leadership skills and to get to know
students and staff a lot better. So take a risk and
be a Captain; you’ll have lots of fun.
Thank you to all the teams for having me as your
Captain!
Katie Edwards - Year 7 Netball Captain
(Pictured: Year 7 ‘A’ Runners-up team:
Back, left to right: Daisie-Mae Merritt,
Mel Roberts, Amy Roberts, Sarah Hogan,
Chloe Ellis
Front, left to right: Metmany Smith,
Katie Edwards (C), Hannah Wilson)
Special Educational Needs Conference - “Living & Working with Challenging Behaviour and ASD”
This will be held at:
Hardenhuish School, Chippenham
Friday 15th July 2011
10.00am - 4.00pm (Breakfast on arrival from 9.30am)
For more information and to reserve your place, contact 01249 650693 and ask for ‘Events’ or email
[email protected]
Miss V Black - SENCO
Wiltshire Schools Cross Country Team well-represented at the National Schools Championships
Back in March, the Wiltshire Schools Cross Country team
took part in the National Schools Cross Country
Championships in Nottingham. For the first time in many
years the team travelled up to Nottingham the night
before to ensure the best preparation for the race. They
arrived at the venue from the hotel in good time to walk
the course and sample the growing atmosphere, in the
glorious sunshine.
On a difficult course in hot conditions, the runners were a
credit to their schools. Every one of them put in a
whole-hearted effort and ran superbly in fields of 360
runners.
Tony Hogan 11G-PYW, third from right, part
of the Intermediate Boys team
The teams had a good day with the Junior Girls
finishing 14th out of 44 and the Intermediate boys 17th out
of 43. The Intermediate Boys, which included Devizes
School’s Tony Hogan, 11G-PYW, also showed their
strength and depth and won the Newcastle 900 trophy
for being the first full team finished with the highest
placed 8th runner. This was another fantastic trip for the
Wiltshire team and an experience that the runners will
learn from and progress their running to the next level.
Tony Hogan with the winner’s trophy!
Well done to all the runners who took part; you are a
credit to Wiltshire!
Mr S Hershbein - Wiltshire Schools Athletic Association
Fishing Workshops
Fishing tuition for beginners and advanced anglers - Tuesday evenings from 14th June, 6pm - 8pm at
Curry’s Pound, Bath Road, Devizes. (Free tuition to A.A. Members) Freetime vouchers can also be
used. For further information, please contact George Cooper, Parent Support Adviser on
07891740870.
Devizes School
The Green, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 3AG
Tel: 01380 724886
Fax: 01380 720955
Website: www.devizes.wilts.sch.uk
Email: [email protected]
Headteacher: Mr. M G Irons B Sc, NPQH
Printed by Kennet Print Ltd, Hopton Industrial Estate, Devizes SN10 2EU Tel: 01380 720049 Email: [email protected]