published 17 December 2003
published 17 December 2003
| SPECIALIST SCHOOL STATUS After consultation with staff and governors, it has been agreed that our school will be moving forward with a bid for Specialist Sports College Status for October 2004. In doing so, the school will continue to provide a broad and balanced curriculum that ensures that academic excellence is sustained across all subject areas. The advantages of achieving special school status are:
The challenges will be:
I will be looking to hold an evening for parents in the New Year when we can provide a more detailed explanation of the process and also answer any questions or concerns that may arise. Teaching and Learning Evening We were delighted that almost one hundred parents were able to join us for an evening that explored the work that the school is currently undertaking in teaching and learning and the part that parents can play in this process. The feedback that we received on evaluation forms rated the evening as either 'excellent' or 'good' and there was a clear view that much had been achieved in clarifying the respective roles that we can play in supporting our children. Results from the evening will be incorporated into our future planning and I will be updating parents accordingly. For the future we will be looking to run similar evenings that explore other issues of general interest or concern to parents. A Popular Choice First preference applications for admission to Year 7 in September 2004 stand at 251 which means that, once again, we are over subscribed. Building Project There has been some positive news this month on the chances of obtaining funding for the school's proposed building project to provide a purpose built area for creative arts, three additional classrooms and two new hardcourt areas. As part of the project, some or all of the huts will be removed but the W block, that houses the Language Unit as well as History and Religious Studies classrooms, will now remain. Although the new project will not give us all that we had first hoped, it will provide much needed extra accommodation. Admissions Policy All parents will have received an LEA consultation document regarding a new policy for school admissions. Clearly this represents a fundamental shift of emphasis on how choices can be made and I would encourage parents to respond to the consultation paper. It is important that your views are known so they can be taken into account. Trust Fund Students at Therfield benefit enormously from your contributions to the Trust Fund. The Trust Fund Committee is looking to recruit one or more volunteers with excellent ICT skills to manage the Database of information held that produces the letters sent out each term and records Gift Aided donations. If you have a good working knowledge of Access/Excel and have some time to spare, please contact the school. If you would be willing to help instead with administration for the Trust Fund, please contact Mrs Howarth (01372 814429) at school. A Reminder School closes at 1 pm tomorrow (Thursday) for the Christmas break and we return to school on Monday, 5th January (Week 2). On Wednesday, 21st and Wednesday, 28th January, school will close at 3.15 pm to accommodate Year 10 and Year 12 Parents' Evenings. An important date for Year 9 parents and students is Wednesday, 4th February when a meeting will be held to outline choices and procedures for the move to Year 10 in September and the commencement of GCSE work. Join the Team Mrs Harvey, Examinations Officer, is still needing people to complete her team of invigilators for the forthcoming public examinations. She needs `mature, responsible and calm individuals' who will be available to be called on from the end of April, through May and June. These are paid appointments and hours can be flexible. Please contact Mrs Harvey on 01372 814463. Parents' Prayer Group Dates for next term's meetings are 2nd February and 15th March 2004. All meetings are held at the school commencing at 8 pm and a warm welcome is extended to all. More information from Mrs Poole on 01932 865476. Visit by MP Government and Politics students and School Council members will have the opportunity to meet and question Sir Paul Beresford, MP for Mole Valley, when he comes to talk to them on 30th January. Mathematics Masterclasses Five Year 8 students have been invited to attend a series of Maths Masterclasses at Surrey University next term. The classes will be held on Saturday mornings and will cover a range of topic: including coda breaking and how to use a graphical calculator. Congratulations Matthew Dries in Year 10 came third in this year's National Trampoline Grade 2 finals. The standard was extremely high and competitors came from 101 Clubs throughout the country. Winning Trail Winners of the Year 7 Maths Trail around the school were Rosie McEwing (Band A), Lucy Howard and Kirsty Pullam (Band B), Sam Pudney, Conor McParland and Callum Newton (Band C). They each received a 1.7 kg bar of chocolate as a prize. Senior Maths Poppy Stagg in Year 13 was the Gold award winner and 'best in school' in the recent UK Senior Maths Challenge competition. As a 'reward' she has recently taken a three-and-a-half hour paper in the British Mathematical Olympiad. Results come through in February and if her score is sufficiently high Poppy will then compete in the even more stringent European Olympiad with the final prize being a visit to Athens. Michael Singleton gained a Silver award with Helen Bartlett, Pratik Rao and Lawrence Dobie gaining bronze. Theatre Workshops Two professional theatre companies have visited Therfield recently and have provided the Advanced Level Theatre Studies students with some excellent input and experience. The Stan and Brecht Theatre Company gave workshops on the contrasting styles of Stanislowski's realistic acting and Brecht's exaggerated style and drew an enthusiastic response from Year 12 students plus a group of Year 11 GCSE Drama students who may well opt for Theatre Studies next year. On another theme, the MBD Theatre Company gave a very physically challenging workshop on the Berkoff acting style and this too was much appreciated. Revision Skills Those GCSE students who gave up a day off to attend a revision seminar in school on INSET day had the opportunity to brush up on examination technique and learn new ways to approach revising for the forthcoming examinations. Ninety students attended and the feedback was very positive - a number agreeing that it would be very useful in helping to plan a revision programme. "it was much better than I expected and not at all boring" was a frequent comment. Well Done Ben Woolford, Year 7, Lisa Burrell, Year 8, and Samantha Benham, Year 9, were prizewinners in a poster competition organised by the local Crime Prevention Unit. The theme of the competition was 'Help Beat Car Crime' and our winners were praised for their excellent posters which were adjudged in the top ten out of hundreds of entries. Personal Safety Course Following on the success of the self defence course for students held last year, Miss Nicholls is organising another to start in January. In conjunction with qualified instructors and approved instructors from Fight Back Ltd the ten week course will be held lunchtimes starting on Friday, 9th January. A voluntary donation of £21 towards the cost is requested and although the closing date for enrolment has gone, Miss Nicholls would be pleased to hear from anyone else who is interested. Still Needed If Christmas means you have a surplus number of radio controlled cars in the house the Design and Technology Department would be grateful for any donations An after-school club has been set up and is in need of more cars. Mr Cockerill would be pleased to give more information. Book Fair Grateful thanks to all those who supported this popular event. We were able to buy £288 worth of new books for the Resource Centre. Reading Club This lunchtime Club is very popular and well supported. The Book Fair had a positive effect on the Club as many of the free books are now available for Book Club members to read. Presentation Evening This is the occasion when we celebrate the success of our senior students, not only in public examinations but in a wide range of activities. This year's event will be held on 7th January and is also a wonderful opportunity for students to catch up on news with friends who have completed their first term at college or university, spent time at work or on gap year activities. A Request The Child Development and Health and Social Care groups need a lightweight, folding pushchair for use with their ever-popular 'true life babies'. It must be a pushchair please and not a pram. Mrs Rogers would be delighted to hear from you if you could help. The Food Technology Department would like to thank all those who donated fabric, knitting needles and craft equipment - it has been gratefully received and will be put to good use. Sporting Round-Up Those Year 7 and Year 8 Rugby players who went to Twickenham last week for the Oxford and Cambridge Rugby match had an extra thrill when the Webb Ellis World Championship trophy was paraded at half time. A number of England's winning squad, including Will Greenwood, Josh Lewsey, Richard Hill and Kyran Bracken, walked the pitch and were greeted happily and noisily. The game, which ended in an 11-11 draw, was exciting and the whole occasion was memorable. Therfield's footballers did very well in the district 5-a-side championships. Year 9 took first and second places, Year 7 reached the semi-finals and Year 8 came fifth. Year 7 Badminton players showed great promise when they took first, second and third places in the mixed doubles competition in the district championships. Next term will be as busy as ever with seven Saturdays being fully booked with football and rugby matches plus the regular programme of hockey, netball, cross country, basketball, gym and dance to keep everyone active, happy and fit. Lost Property Please make it a New Year's resolution to have all school clothing and equipment labelled. Absences If your son or daughter needs to be absent from school please telephone so the absence is immediately recorded. There is no need to send a note if you have telephoned. A Busy Time A number of important events have taken place towards the end of term. A report on Year 8 Citizenship Days, School Carol Service, the Christmas Party for local pensioners organised by Year 12 GNVQ and the Year 11 Ball will be included next month. Finally, may I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year Dates for the Diary |