IN TOUCH
HEADTEACHER’S LETTER 6
JUNE 2014
KINGSDOWN SCHOOL
www.kingsdownschool.co.uk
Dear Parents/Carers,
Even though last term was a relatively short one, we managed to fill it with a wide variety of
events and activities. The exam season is now here and Year 11 have been revising hard in
order to achieve their best. Year 10 have also sat some formal examinations, and exam weeks
will take place for all other year groups shortly.
We are looking forward to meeting our new Year 7 students for September during our Year 6
Primary Classroom days, held on the 2nd and 3rd of July, and also welcoming Year 5 parents to
a tour on Saturday 28th June, from 10am.
Good luck to all students with their forthcoming exams.
Wendy Conaghan, Headteacher
Dates for your Diary
Year 10 Work Experience -
23rd - 27th June
Year 10 College Experience Days -
30th June - 2nd July
KS3 Presentation -
2nd July
TD Day -
4th July
Sports Day -
11th July
Non-School Uniform Day -
18th July
Activities Day -
23rd July
IN TOUCH
Young Enterprise Company Win County Under 16 Best Company Award
The school’s Young Enterprise company, New Life, recently returned from the County Finals held
this year at Cumberwell Park Golf Club, Bradford on Avon, as winners of the ‘Under 16 Best
Company Award’. The company also won the ‘Creativity and Innovation Award’ and ‘Best Trade
Stand Award’.
New Life was set up as a young
enterprise company in September last
year. Members have support from school
staff and a business advisor from
Nationwide Building Society, Paul Moffat.
The purpose of the programme is to
encourage young people to get involved
and learn about running their own
business. The students elect a Managing
Director, Financial Director, Company
Secretary and so on and are
encouraged to run their company along
the lines of a real one, albeit on a smaller
scale.
This year’s company decided to focus on recycling as a theme, manufacturing record clocks,
cup candles, map tags and clothing hooks. They attended trade fairs at Nationwide Building
Society and the Outlet Village, as well as selling in the local community. Companies around the
county are visited during the course of the year and the most promising invited to the Finals.
At the finals the company had to make a presentation about their business, and the judges also
take into account many other aspects including the company business plan, products, sales,
trade stand, financial report and company report.
The company members who represented the school at the finals were Daniel Sore (Managing
Director), Jonathan Sear, Amar Syed, Jack Vincent, Lewis Merrifield, Aaron Marchant and Jack
Jones.
We hope that a new group of students in next year’s Year 10 will want to start a Young Enterprise
company and repeat the success of this years group.
Mr North
TD Days 2014-2015
(July 4th 2014)
September 1st 2014
October 22nd 2014
December 19th 2014
January 5th 2015
July 3rd 2015
IN TOUCH
The Falconry Experience
On the 16th May, the ASC Centre was visited by some birds. Phil came in with his assistant and two
birds. The first bird was an owl, and the second was a Harris hawk. The students from the ASC
centre, and some students from Learning Support, sat in ASC 3 waiting. We were told about the
two birds. We learnt about their natural habitat, diet, housing, personality and backgrounds. We
were also allowed to ask questions.
Then we went outside to see another Harris hawk called Nessa (after the ‘Gavin and Stacey’
character, because the bird was born on Barry Island and squawks a lot). We were told information
about her, and then we saw her fly. All of the students and staff stood facing each other in two
parallel lines and Nessa easily flew between the lines, even when we were nearly an arms length
away from the person opposite us! By this time, we had aroused the interest of that day’s
messengers and several members of staff. Nessa kept flying onto the school roof above G Block,
where the crows and seagulls circles above her, trying to scare her away as she was too close to
their nests.
Then, Phil got out a piece of rope with a toy rabbit on the end. He put the toy rabbit under a large
sheet of parachute material (so that Nessa couldn't see it until she was meant to). One by one, the
students were told to grab the rope and run, so that we could see Nessa ‘hunting’. Only one
student made it to the end of the field without Nessa catching the toy rabbit. Two or three students
nearly made it, but they all got caught by Nessa. The others only made it a few metres.
The remaining staff and students were allowed to put on a leather glove so that Nessa could sit on
their arm. They all enjoyed the experience.
Then we all went back inside. Phil held the bird from earlier, and his assistant held Nessa. We asked
more questions, and these were all answered in specific detail. Nessa kept squawking, so she had
to be taken outside, where some year 11s from the main school saw her when they went by to go
home. Phil told us more stories about his birds, like the one time he lost a Harris hawk in town, and a
few days later it showed up in a warehouse near Honda.
Overall, we had a very exciting and memorable day.
ASC Student
Service Pupil Premium (SPP)
The Department for Education introduced the SPP, at the same time as other Pupil Premium
payments in 2011, as a part of the commitment to delivering the Armed Forces covenant.
As an Academy, Kingsdown School can receive additional funding—currently £300 per year paid
directly to the school—for each student who is a child of service personnel. The funding is designed
to assist the school to provide mainly non-educational support (known as pastoral care) to these
students. The SPP will help us to support the unique challenges that children with parents in the
Armed Forces can often face.
We can though, only claim the SPP if the parents of those eligible children declare their child’s
service status to us; if you are a service parent who has a child at Kingsdown School, we would
encourage you to let us know by emailing me on [email protected] or by letting
your child’s year office know.
Marlene Blackwell
Business Manager
IN TOUCH
Young Musician of the Year
Once more the Kingsdown Young Musician of the Year competition was an exciting occasion with
some excellent performances given. The adjudicator was David Barnard, who is managing director
of Sound Futures ltd—a music education consultancy, and was once the director of the Swindon
Music Service.
The winners were as follows:
Year 7 Joint Winners: Kayleigh Gibbs (voice) and Nyah Purnell (voice)
Year 8 Winner: Kate Palmer (voice)
Year 9 Winner: Chay Hohler (drums)
Year 10 Winner: Abigail Daniels (voice)
Year 11 Winner: Amelia Bryant (voice)
Junior Young Musician of the Year: Chay Hohler
Junior Runner Up: Kayleigh Gibbs
Senior Young Musician of the Year: Amelia Bryant
Senior Runner Up: Rosie Mundy (voice)
Young Singer of the Year: Abigail Daniels
Junior Ensemble Winners: Kate Palmer (voice) and Tilly Wale (voice)
Senior Ensemble Winners: Alice Moore (violin) and Daisy Faulkner (flute)
Well done to all who entered and helped to make this such a great competition.
Summer Concert
The Summer Concert was held on Thursday 22nd May and was a great success. The audience had
an opportunity to listen to items from the orchestra, choir and chamber choir. In addition, the
students who had represented the school at the Swindon Young Musician of the Year performed,
as well as the winners from the recent Kingsdown Young Musician of the Year competition.
The orchestra presented four items, including the theme from Doctor Who, which had become a
favourite, and Danes Macabre (used as the theme for Jonathan Creek). The choir sang songs
ranging from the slightly comic A Tall Story to Cabaret. The Chamber Choir sang two songs:
Whenever I’m Here With You and the beautiful Weep No More, both giving an opportunity for our
new piano to be showcased.
Well done to all students who performed, and a special mention to Miss Colledge who made her
debut with the orchestra on flute!
Our final concert of the year will be a Recital Evening on 8th July which will give one final
opportunity for any student to perform.
Mr Wicker
IN TOUCH
Annie Jr
On April 1st, 2nd and 3rd, Kingsdown School students performed Annie Junior. With classics like ‘It’s
a Hard Knock Life’, ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘Easy Street’, family, friends, staff and others from the
community were truly wowed by the students’ performances.
“Myself, Mr Wicker and Miss Manners
are extremely proud of the whole cast
and crew of ‘Annie’. They have
worked really hard in the last two
weeks and have created a great
show”
- Mr Lawson (Director)
“The students have worked incredibly hard since
October on this production and it has been an
absolute pleasure working with such talented
young people. It has been a wonderful
opportunity for students to form a strong sense
of community between all year groups and
observing the support, kindness and
encouragement the students in the production
have offered to each other has made me
extremely proud of our school.”
- Miss Manners (Choreographer/Director)
“I was amazed at the Annie
performance. It was brilliant. I thoroughly
enjoyed the music and watching all of
our lovely, talented students performing.
Who knew that Kate Stickley could be
so horrible! Well done to all involved.
There was clearly a huge amount of
effort put into this performance and this
really shone through. I can’t wait for the
next one!”
- Mrs Green
Extract from the ‘Student Voice’ magazine
IN TOUCH
HAVE A SAY IN YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION
As a parent or carer, you naturally take a keen interest in your child’s education. Now
here’s your chance to have a say in key decisions at our school and to make a real
contribution to the local community—by becoming a Parent
Governor.
Research shows that Governors are often perceived as intellectual, middle class and of
an older generation, and many people feel that they couldn't be a Governor because
they don’t think they fit this image. But what we really need is a good mix of people from
our local community, from all walks of life and backgrounds, who can bring different
viewpoints, experience, skills and fresh ideas and enthusiasm with them.
School Governors make important decisions with regards to the running of the school,
including the curriculum, pupil targets, school improvement, budget, staffing, health and
safety and management of the premises to name a few.
If all of this sounds rather daunting, remember that school Governors are drawn from all
walks of life, and no specialist knowledge is required. There is a broad range of support
available to Governors, including newsletters and publications, termly briefing
documents, websites, helplines and training, with some specifically tailored for new
Governors. Our more experienced Governors are very willing to provide advice and
information.
Governing bodies act corporately, meaning that they are collectively responsible for
decisions. The emphasis is very much on collaboration with other Governors and the
Headteacher, and the amount of time devoted to governance varies, but an average
might be one governing body meeting per term, plus one or two committee meetings.
At Kingsdown, Governors also play an important role in recruiting school staff and
conducting discipline hearings for both staff and students.
Governors report that they derive a range of personal benefits from the work—indeed,
many find the role enormously rewarding and stay with the school for many years. I
myself have been at Kingsdown for over 15 years now. These benefits include; the
chance to acquire new skills and upgrade existing ones, undertake an exciting and
challenging role, meet new people and work together towards a common goal.
Governors also report immense satisfaction that they can help make a real difference to
children’s lives.
If you feel you may be interested in becoming a Governor at Kingsdown School please
contact the school via:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01793 822284
Andy Hazelton
Chair of Governors
IN TOUCH
Kingsdown School Equestrian Team
Kingsdown School is pleased to announce that it is now a member of the National School
Equestrian Association. The NSEA organises competitions throughout the whole year, covering the
3 main equestrian disciplines: show jumping, dressage and eventing. These events take place at
local, county and regional level. We have started our own equestrian team, and students from
Kingsdown are able to compete for their school and individually in various equestrian events. Any
students who ride competitively and would like to join our team should contact our Team
Manager, Mrs McIlveen.
We currently have one pair who are actively competing for the school; Dan Lane and his pony
Nevada. Dan has been riding since
2005 and competes regularly in
show jumping, dressage and
cross-country.
Pony Profile
Name: Nevada
Born:
2006
Gender: Gelding (male)
Height: 14.3hh
Colour: Palomino
Owned by: Dan Lane
Breed/Type: Welsh Section D
History
Nevada sustained an injury to his face as a two year old in 2008 which left him with facial nerve
damage. He was facing an uncertain future, as it was doubtful that he could ever be ridden.
However, he was rescued and kept as a companion for another horse. At the age of 5 his owner
decided to try and back him (train him to be ridden). Amazingly, his injury did not seem to affect
his performance and has not stopped him from competing. He came to Dan in December 2012
and Dan and Nevada are now our first ever members of the Kingsdown School Equestrian Team.
First Place
Dan competed as an individual at a local show in Uffington on Sunday 18th May. He and Nevada
were placed first in the ‘3 Fence Challenge’. This class is the equestrian equivalent of the high jump
and always draws the crowds! It involves each pair jumping a course of three fences, and each
time the pair jumps clear, the height of the
fences is increased and the pair who jump clear
over the biggest fences are the winners. Dan and
Nevada were the only pair to jump clear over 3ft
3” (approximately 1 metre). This was the first time
that they had jumped this height as they usually
compete at a height of 2ft 6” (approximately
80cm) and is a great achievement.
Well done to them both!
Mrs McIlveen
IN TOUCH
Pencelli 2014
The parents were clearly eager to get rid of their children for a week, as there were plenty of people arriving
early to the school car park on Sunday 11th May. Excitement levels were already high as we boarded the
coach and headed for Wales for a week of adventure and challenge.
On arrival at Plas Pencelli, it was a shock to the system for some when the group had to make their own
beds… It was clear that this week was going to be a steep learning curve for many. We set out for an
evening walk around the local area, the sun was out and it was a great opportunity to get a bit muddy,
something we were going to have to get used to in the week ahead.
The week would be action packed right from the off, with each group going out for an activity each day.
The students were clearly excited to face the challenges ahead, whether it be walking to the top of a
mountain (to enjoy a lovely hot chocolate) or to squeeze through the smallest of gaps in a cave, they were
fantastic at supporting each other and giving
encouragement where needed. There was nothing
nicer each afternoon than seeing the smiles on
faces of people proud of the days achievements;
canoeing down a river through rapids, climbing to
the top of rocks or over coming a fear of the dark,
everyone was really pushing themselves to do their
best.
Each evening before dinner saw the arrival of the
room inspectors. With ever increasing expectations,
room inspection brought out the competitive nature
amongst our students. Each room would try to
out-do the next, with exquisite displays of shoes,
creative methods of folding towels and by the end
of the week we were greeted with song, poetry and
even a cup of coffee and biscuits to enjoy as we
went round. Standards from all the rooms were high, and I am sure they are keeping up the good work since
their return home.
After dinner activities always required lots of energy (in the hope of tiring them all out before bed).
However, having a team of twelve students tied together with rope and asking them to make their way
down a river whilst blindfolded tended not to have the desired effect, particularly when they all toppled into
the water like dominoes after slipping down banks and over moss covered rocks.
To celebrate the end of a fantastic week, a fancy-dress rounders tournament and bonfire was to be the
evenings entertainment. Each group looked fabulous in their onsies and demonstrated excellent team spirit
in the high energy matches with students trying their best to win. As the sun set over the fields, we gathered
round the bonfire with marshmallows on sticks, reliving the wonderful memories that had been made
throughout the week.
Blue Team
Amar Ahmed, Sophie Roberts, Jemma Amos,
Ollie Byrne, Nathan Harris, Bethany Fitzgerald,
Adam Gale, Paige Mansley, Tommy Jones,
Georgia Sims, Hannah Woodhouse and Eloise Brown.
Being a member of Team Blue for five days was a joy.
They worked fantastically well as a group, looking out
for each other in a supportive manner. Listening to
‘Bear Grylls FM’ on the mini bus and our morale
boosting songs were particular daily highlights. Having
the most students falling out of a canoe was a claim to
fame and we enjoyed winning most of the team
building activities—until the pesky Yellow Team pipped
us to the post!
Miss Siebert
IN TOUCH
Red Team
Jenny Beaven, Kieran Bonci, Codie Church, Jenson
Davies, Lucia Haines, Liam Hartley, Lucy Hudson, Jake
Lovelock, Aidan Plenderleith, Danielle Rhodes, Macy
Sanghara and Gipsy Viveash.
Red Team (or should I say THE BEST TEAM) were a
fantastic bunch to work with. Energetic, enthusiastic
and great at working together, we conquered many
challenges as a team. When morale was dipping,
they were eager to share sweets to keep us going on
a long mountain walk. We invented the ‘mountain
mocha’ to enjoy at the top, and it was clear that no
gap was too small, no cliff was too big—we tackled
everything head on. Well done for being so fantastic.
Mrs Lees
Yellow Team
Becky Binning, Patrik Braithwaite, Harley Clements, Xavi Diaz-Butcher, Saskia Harding, Pheobe Laye, Jack
Marshall, Lauren Roberts, Keira Ryan, Sol Savory, Holly Separghan and Finley Merchant.
Yellow Team were a team that learned to work like a well-oiled machine over the week. We started off as a
team that fell every 2 metres when tied together, walking blindfolded up a flowing river, but ended the week
as a team that took on the sides of a quarry whilst supporting each other. We had some great fun, with some
of us going as far as to leap out of the canoes to go for a swim in the River Wye. Amazing stuff Yellow Team!
Mr Rees
Green Team
Toni Ayres, Talos Benfield, Carmen Child,
Conner Church, Ben Gorman, Demi Gray,
Imani Hill, Danny Lane, Charlea McGahan,
Callum Minns, Monica Teles-Pestana and Erin
West.
The Green Team showed fantastic team spirit
throughout the week and grew in
confidence with each passing day. On the
first day the team had to scramble up
boulders as the wind blew and the rain
lashed around them and some students
were missing the comforts of home within
minutes; thankfully a gloopy mug of hot
chocolate was the reward for the morning’s
exertions. On the second day, the team had
to push themselves even further on an arduous trek up the tallest mountain in South Wales, Pen y Fan. It was
fantastic to see the students confronting challenges and getting stuck into new experiences and I was proud
to be a part of the team—especially when I placed my life in the hands of two students during climbing! Oh,
and then there was the small matter of us winning the most
Pencelli points—come on the Green Team!
Mr Davies
Thanks to Mr Amey, Mr Davies, Mr Rees and Miss Siebert for a wonderful week of fun and adventure and thank
you to our 48 students who made it a week to remember.
Mrs Lees
IN TOUCH
NEWS FROM THE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTRE
Student Librarian Vacancies!
We very much value the help of our student
librarians, who assist us during break and lunch
times. We now have a few vacancies for student
librarians, so if you would like to put your name
forward, just pop along to the LRC and speak to
Mrs Curtis or Mrs Longthorne for further
details. The places are open for Year 8 students
and above.
We have recently said goodbye to our
fantastic group of Year 11 student
librarians. We would like to say a huge
‘Thank You’ to Joanne Baker, Sara Curtis,
Kamya Gopal, Ella March, Rosie Mundy,
Hannah Perry, Alicia Smith and Jack
Warwick for all their help and support.
Most popular books borrowed from the LRC this academic year so far...
Year 7
Male
Female
‘Demon Hunter’
‘Clean Break’
By Steve Skidmore & Steve Barlow By Jacqueline Wilson
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
s
Hi
‘Blade: Running Scared’
‘Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’
By Tim Bowler
By John Boyne
‘Monkey Wars’
‘Heroic’
By Richard Kurti
By Phil Earle
‘The 5th Wave’
‘Ostrich Boys’
By Rick Yancey
By Keith Gray
‘Hunger’
‘Beautiful Creatures’
By Michael Grant
By Kami Garcia
to
ry
Biog
Don’t forget!...
rap
hies
As well as a wide selection of fiction books, we also
have hundreds of non-fiction books! Invaluable help
all
Footb
for prep work or finding out more about your
favourite hobbies and interests.
im
An
als
Coun
tries
aroun
d the
Wor
ld!
Cars
Pets
Our Spine-Chilling Short Story Competition is running until 27th June!
There’s still time to get your stories sent in! Details on the next page.
IN TOUCH
Spine-Chilling
Short Story Competition
Here is your chance to show off
your creative writing skills!
Using the picture opposite, write a
short story of no more than 500
words, using your own characters
and imagination. Don’t forget to
put a story title, your name and
tutor group at the top!
If possible, e-mail your entry to
Mrs Curtis, L.R.C. Manager, but
you can also type or handwrite
your story .
Frighteningly phenomenal first prize!!
A Kobo E-Reader
CLOSING DATE 27th JUNE
All stories entered for the competition must be original.
E-mail your entry to [email protected]
Alternatively, give your typed or handwritten story to the L.R.C.
staff.
500 words limit does not include your title, name or tutor
group.