Open
Evening Therfield has
been 'on show' this month with a highly successful Open
Evening on the 16th complemented by very well attended
tours of the school. Despite the counter magnet of an
England football match on television, we had an
enthusiastic turnout for the Open Evening with the main
question being - 'does my address fall within your
catchment area?' Both talks during the evening were
to full houses and the school buzzed and bustled as staff
and students proved their eagerness to show what was on
offer.
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Surgery
I will be available on Tuesday,
12th November from 6pm-8.30pm to meet parents
who have any concerns or issues they would like to discuss
concerning the school and their son/daughter. Initially I
would like to do this through an appointment system -
please 'phone my PA, Mrs Sharkey, on
814432 to arrange a time.
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Testing
Time The first of the
Year 10 Science Module tests takes place on Thursday, 28th
November. It is especially important for students to be
punctual to school that day as the tests will be held
Periods 1 and 2. In Year 10, students will be sitting six
modules which represent a very important part of the
external assessment for GCSE Science. Other test dates are
5th March 2003 and 24th June 2003.
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A
Voice for Youth Mole
Valley District Council are looking to set up a Youth
Council with two representatives from each of the local
state secondary schools. They would manage their own
budget (about £5000) and would help determine youth policy
and youth projects in the area.
Therfield is taking a very active part in this and we will
take up Mole Valley's offer to let us have ballot boxes,
polling booths etc and so run a realistic election
campaign after half term. The Chair of the Council, Cllr
Heather Ward, has offered to act as Returning Officer. If
your son/daughter is interested they should see me
or Miss Wooding.
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High
Ashurst Follow-up work
on High Ashurst indicates that the great majority of our
new students found it a happy and worthwhile two days and
appreciated this opportunity to get to know other students
and staff. Comments include:
'I tried three times to climb the wall and I never got
to the top but each time I got higher - and that's what
High Ashurst is all about!'
'The problems looked as though they were going to be
hard and boring but we talked our way through and it was
fun'
'It was the best day I have had at school so far'.
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Y7
New parents evening On Wednesday,
6th November 7.30-8.30pm parents of Year 7
students have the opportunity to see for themselves what
High Ashurst is all about when Mr Thomas
will give a presentation on this year's activities at a
get-together arranged by the Friends of Therfield.
The tone of the evening will be informal and it will be a
good opportunity to meet and talk with teachers and other
parents. A brief outline of the work that we are doing to
develop Literacy and Numeracy will also be given.
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Dates
to Note On Wednesdays
13th and 27th November, school will close at 3.15 pm to
accommodate Years 8 and 13 Parents' Evenings. Friday, 29th
November is an INSET Day when students are not in school.
Year 13 Reports to parents will now be issued in the week
beginning April 7th 2003.
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Prayer
Group The next meeting
will be held on Monday, 25th November at 8pm at the
school. All parents are most welcome to attend or you can
request a prayer to be said. More information from 01932
865476.
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Looking
Ahead Year 11 will be on
study leave in preparation for their GCSE mock
examinations from Thursday, 28th November. On Monday and
Tuesday, 2nd and 3rd December the mock Modern Languages
orals will be held and the examinations will start on 4th
December. Students must be in school uniform for all
examinations. If they do not have an examination they do
not have to be at school.
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Dictionary
Fortnight After two
weeks of looking up words in dictionary races and other
word related activities in all subjects, Years 7 and 8 can
now claim advanced dictionary skills - so much so that
many have learnt that when it comes to lessons your
dictionary is your best friend!
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Illness
at School We are
fortunate at Therfield to have a very valued team of
Welfare Staff running a very efficient and caring Welfare
Office for students. Currently, Welfare is receiving
visits from 50-70 students a day.
Unfortunately, this volume of students includes some for
whom the Welfare Office can do little. Can we remind
parents that by law, we cannot give pills, tablets or
overthe-counter remedies to students. The only medicine
we can give out is that sent in to school by parents and
this must be accompanied by written consent. We ask
parents to remind students that minor complaints do not
necessitate a visit to the Welfare Office and that, where
possible, students should be in lessons.
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Celebrating
Poetry National Poetry
Day on October 10th brought Mole Valley Poet Laureate,
Lorna Dowell, to Therfield to join staff and students at a
lunchtime reading of poems on the theme of Celebration.
Poems chosen ranged from humorous rhymes by Roger McGough
to Year 7's own compositions in celebration of conkers!
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Sail
Training at Easter The
Sailing Club is one of our most successful Clubs and over
the years it has offered numerous young people the chance
to take up a sport which, in the normal run of things,
would not have come their way.
One of its most popular activities is the residential week
in the Isle of Wight held every Easter which provides full
six days of sailing and the chance to take part in RYA
courses. Unexpectedly, this year, we have one or two
places still to be filled and Mr Stewart
would be pleased to give more information. This is an
ideal holiday for beginners and advanced sailors alike and
is held at the Medina Valley Centre, a fully approved RYA
Teaching Establishment. Dates for 2003 are 21st-26th April
and the cost is £325 inclusive of everything.
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Congratulations
Ian Lyszyk
and Den Richards, both in Year 13, have
been awarded Certificates of Merit in the British Physics
Olympiad - a national competition which is open to all
schools in the UK.
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In
the Field As part of
their coursework for A2 Biology, students spent time at
Nower Wood where they used a variety of fieldwork
techniques and statistics to conduct an individual
investigation with pond dipping proving to be a popular
pastime! Staff from Nower Wood provided a PowerPoint
presentation, including evidence of the badgers in action.
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Background
Studies Geography
students in Year 12 visited Brighton to investigate urban
patterns and processes and coastal studies. The two day
visit consisted of clear skies, warm sun, hard work and
lost equipment - if anyone is by the coast this half term
and happens to see a floating ranging pole, please let the
Geography department know!
No such problems for the party of 130 Year 11 students who
visited Docklands to investigate land use patterns, urban
renewal and redevelopment in London. The day started with
a cruise down the River Thames from Embankment to
Greenwich and the afternoon saw the students walk through
Docklands to Canary Wharf recording how the area has
changed over the past sixty years.
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Theatre
Studies Year 12 Drama
students had a very entertaining evening at the Jermyn St
Theatre in London to see Ibsen's A Doll's House.
They felt that the production was not particularly
effective but thoroughly enjoyed putting their knowledge
of the play into use as they criticised the director's
interpretation of the play and even the actors
limitations! The following practical lessons have been
full of lively debate!
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Looking
at Art So as to observe
twentieth century Art at first hand, forty Year 10
students visited Tate Modem. Many were impressed with the
Abstract work by Barnett Newman and came back to produce
ideas of their own using rollers and card. One view of the
'wobbly' bridge by Jamie Byford has been
presented to Mr Tuck for display in his study.
One student commented on Tate Modern as being 'a
forbidding building' but once inside 'It is a different
world'. As a result of their visit, students will be
comparing the architectural merits of Wren's St Paul's
Cathedral with the old power station, others will make
studies of river life and bridges and some will make
'Modern Artists' as their main topic for this term's
study.
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Musical
Links Rebecca
Langridge in Year 9 is in the chorus in the
pantomime Aladdin at Thames Ditton from
19th-23rd November and Claire Howes,
Year 8, and Charlotte Millar, Year 7,
have successfully auditioned to appear in the musical Annie
at Epsom Playhouse in January.
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Books
on Sale There will be a
Books Fair in the Resource Centre on 19th November from
10am-5pm. The publishers, Usborne, will be providing staff
and students with information beforehand about the titles
of books which can then be seen and ordered at the Fair.
Orders will be delivered about two weeks later.
Mrs Solomon, Resource Centre Manager,
points out that Usborne has been doing really excellent
books for information and pleasure for readers of all age
groups. In the run-up to Christmas some lovely books and
gift sets are available at reasonable prices. Parents are
welcome to visit the fair and are reminded to give
students some extra money that day! The Resource Centre
receives commission on books sold and this will be used to
build up library stocks.
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On
Show As part of Mole
Valley's Arts Alive Festival, eight year 9
students have had work submitted for exhibition at
Leatherhead Theatre. Entitled About Myself the
work by Georgina Hill, Georgina
Dawson, Gemma Farrance,
Daniel Lee, Nicholas Penn,
Louise Moore, Charlie Bennett and
Laura Bartlett is for inclusion in a
collaborative venture by The Bridge Youth Centre.
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Extending
Knowledge Cultural and
social perspectives and scientific horizons were added to
when 150 Sixth Formers visited London this month as part
of their General Studies course. Some chose to watch and
listen at the Old Bailey and absorb history at St Paul's,
whilst others stated in wonder at the amazing exhibits at
Tale Modern, notably Anish Kapoor's dominating work which
had only been set up the previous day. A final group
proved that the delights of the Science Museum were not
just for the lower school and experimented with simulated
space travel and three dimensional film.
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Design
a Tie Year 8 students
will, once again, be taking part in a Tie Design
competition. This year the brief is to design a tie for a
leader of a Political Party. Last year's winner, Hayley
Cooper, produced a design for a personality and
was successful with her dramatic flower design for Charlie
Dimmock.
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Belgium
Battlefields A group of
Year 9 students plus staff spent two hectic, educational
and enjoyable days exploring the Ypres Salient. Highlights
included a visit to the trenches where conditions were
appropriately muddy so as to give a stark impression of
how they might have looked in those grim earlier years.
They also visited Tyne Cot, the biggest cemetery in
Belgium, and the Menin Gate where they attended the moving
Last Post ceremony. Many students were able to
look up family names at the many memorials and all took
time to remember the significant loss of life which
occurred on the very fields on which they were standing.
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1975
Reunion The Woodman in
Ashtead will host a reunion for the 'Year of 75' on 23rd
November at 7.30 pm. Students who took their GCSEs in 1975
should get in touch via email cjdmarrone@btinternet.com
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Sporting
News Congratulations to
Sixth Former Chris Langridge who
continues to excel at Badminton. Having just returned from
representing England in the Danish Junior Cup, he is now
in Pretoria competing in the World Junior Championships.
Joe Bennett in Year 10 has been selected
for the Kent and Surrey Schools team to participate in the
National Schools Swimming Championships at the weekend.
Four of our girls were selected to compete in the Surrey
Schools U13/U15 Tumbling competition with a special
mention for Emma Snow, Year 7, who came
fifth out of 60 competitors in the keenly contested U13
category.
Therfield's Year 11 squad came second in the Cobham 10s
Rugby tournament - we sent over fifty boys and girls to to
take part and they played some excellent Rugby.
The Year 7 five-a-side Football squad of Josh
Evans, Luke Thomas,
Gareth Thomas, Mitch Ward,
Alex Bailey, Mathew Walsh and
Lewis Rainsbury won the District Title, beating
St Andrew's with a Golden Goal in the final.
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Please
Collect Please collect
ereal top tokens and send in to the Learning Support
Department or to Mr Cockerill in
Technology. Each one is worth 10p to the school with a
bonus for those collected by 20th December.
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 Duke
of Edinburgh Bronze Award
Twelve Year 10 students successfully completed their
qualifying expedition for their Bronze Award following a
two day hike across the South Downs. Congratulations then
to Miriam Taylor, Nikkita
Henshall, Gillian Fox, Kathryn
Greenwood, Natalie O'Leary,
Lindsey Frazer, Nicola Hendra,
Alex Crawford, Jessica Palmer,
Matthew Knoyle, Matthew Willsher and
Richard Quaife.
Miss Kendrick, group
leader, reports: Despite a grey start when the two
groups headed off from Washington village, the students'
spirits were high and they were looking forward to what
lay ahead. The weather soon brightened up and without
too many problems they navigated their way across
country. On arrival at camp they wasted little time in
putting up their tents before collapsing in the sun for
a well-eamed rest.
At the evening campfire everyone was feeling a lot
better after having cooked, eaten and tended to
blisters! Not even the hard ground and some people
snoring could keep us awake for long and everyone slept
well after an exhausting day. The second day was easier
to navigate but the hot sun and heavy packs made going
very rough. The groups battled on and everyone made it
successfully to the finish at Southwater Country Park -
happy to have completed the 24 kilometre trek and even
happier to see parents who would take them home to a
bath and good food.
On the way, one group completed a survey of the litter
dropped on the South Downs Way and assessed the impact
of walkers on the land, while the others analysed the
types of people who used the South Downs for walking and
cycling. Students will present their findings after half
term for the final assessment of their expedition.
All of the students hope to have completed the Service,
Skill and Physical sections of the Award by Christmas
with a view to starting the Silver Award next term. This
is a great achievement for these students who have
worked hard and excelled themselves in so many ways to
complete this very challenging award.
We will be opening the Bronze Award to Year 9
students in January and it would be great to see as
many as possible taking part.
Special thanks should go to Miss Kendrick,
Miss Boxall, Mr Hostler,
Mr Pordage, Mr Horder and Mr
Ross for all their help and encouragement.
Click
here for the latest News from the Friends of
Therfield (in
Word)
GOVERNORS' NEWS - October 2002
Mrs Sandra Wake has been appointed as
the new parent governor. There is still a vacancy for
another parent governor and also for a co-opted
governor. If you are interested in becoming a governor
or in nominating someone who is willing to serve please,
as an initial approach, get in touch with the Clerk via
the school.
The Annual Meeting with parents was well attended and
was combined with the Annual Meeting of the Friends. A
number of issues were raised mainly concerning homework
and Academic Tutoring Days and the
overwhelming atmosphere was very positive. The new Chair
of Governors, Mr David Crutchley,
congratulated the school on an excellent set of
examination results and emphasised that this was an
enormous tribute to the teaching staff, parents and
students. Once the formal part of the evening was over,
people were able to mingle and chat in a pleasant social
gathering.
Board of Governors for Therfield School:-
Headteacher Governor - Mr Graham Tuck
Appointed by Surrey County Council
Mr Peter Bingham
Mrs Shirley Lyon
Mrs Yvonne Marshall
Mr Tim Reeder
Mrs Pat Williams
Parent Governors
Mrs Debra Beer
Mr David Christie
Mrs Lynn Pendlebury
Mrs Sheena Reeves
Mrs Sandra Wake
Teacher Governors
Miss R Allen
Mr L Horder
Non-Teaching Staff Support Governor
Mrs Paula Sime
Sponsor Governor
Mr David Steel
Co-opted Governors
Mr David Crutchley (Chairman)
Mrs Paula Scriven (Vice-Chairman)
Mr Eric Skyte
Mrs Dawn Dodd is Clerk to the Governors and can be
contacted via the school.
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23rd October 2002