Issue 117 published 29 January 17 2004
Issue 117 published 29 January 17 2004
| FROM THE HEAD TEACHER
Ofsted Date - I have been informed that Therfield's next OFSTED inspection will take place during the week beginning Monday, March 22nd. As part of the inspection process, you are invited to fill in a questionnaire which you should receive with this Newsletter. This can be returned to the school via your son's/daughter's tutor and marked 'For the attention of Tim Feast, Lead Inspector'. You are also invited to attend a meeting for parents with the Lead Inspector on Thursday, 12th February at 6.30 pm in the Main Hall. This meeting will provide you with an opportunity to express your views about the school. These views play an important role in shaping the final inspection report and I do hope as many parents as possible will be able to attend. Given the need to observe a large quantity of lessons during the inspection week, the OFSTED contractors have asked that we move the date of the Academic Tutoring Day, scheduled for March 23rd. This day has now been rearranged for Wednesday, February 25th. This is obviously an important time for the school. We welcome it as an opportunity to affirm what we are doing well whilst also learning how we can do better. Your contribution in that process is greatly appreciated. Surgery Date - I will be available on Tuesday, 24th February from 6pm to 8pm to meet with parents who have any concerns or issues they would like to discuss concerning the school and their son/daughter. This is a change of date. Please phone my PA, Mrs Jo Devonshire, on 01372 814432 to arrange a time. Oxbridge Offers - Four Year 13 students have received offers to study at Oxford or Cambridge Colleges. Poppy Stagg, who last month gained a Gold Award in the UK Senior Maths Challenge, plans to take up a place at Queens' College, Cambridge to read Natural Sciences, while Jordan Clifford, Sarah Pemberton and Gabriel Villar have received offers from Oxford Colleges. Jordan and Sarah both plan to read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Lincoln and Mansfield respectively while Gabriel intends to read Mathematics at Keble. Changes of Date - Academic Tutoring will now be held on Wednesday, 25th February and not on 23rd March as originally planned. Individual appointment times will be sent home nearer the date and students are reminded that they must wear school uniform when they attend. Also, the Friends' Quiz Night - always a popular event - will now be held on Thursday, 1st April. Results Days - For those who need to plan Summer holidays around results days for public examinations - Thursday, 19th August is the day for A/AS/AVCE results and Thursday, 26th August for GCSE results. Study Leave for Year 12 - Over half term more than 120 students will be going on residential trips and will be leaving on Friday, 13th. On this day, students in Year 12 who are not going on one of the trips will not have to come into school and will be given study leave time to work at home. A Reminder - 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. Wednesday, 11th February is Year 11 Parents' Evening and school will close at 3.15 pm. Trust Fund - The Therfield Trust Fund works closely with the school to identify areas of need that can be supported by donations from you, the parents. This year, the Trust Fund has agreed to support financially the school's bid for Specialist Sports Status, as well as making funding available to departments for particular projects and continuing to fund the school's system of Merit Awards plus the Technology Packs for Year Seven students. I would urge you to support the school by making a regular Standing Order to the Trust Fund. The Trust Fund is also seeking one or more persons confident in ACCESS Software to maintain the database. Please contact Mrs Barbara Howarth (01372 814429) if you could offer a few hours per month to help with this important and very necessary work. Holiday Forms - There has been a great deal of publicity in the national Press about parents taking children out of school for holidays during term time. We will keep you informed as to any new rules but for the present it is important that permission from the Headteacher and any requests for absence must be made in good time. Also please remind your son/daughter that if he or she is late for school then a signing in slip must be completed. It is important for us to know who is in school at any time. Presentation Evening - As one of the most important evenings of the school year it was good to have a packed hall, including 122 students, as we celebrated the achievements of our students in the senior section of the school. Awards were given for outstanding GCSE, Advanced level and GNVQ results, excellent grades in individual subjects as well as service to the school and, for Sarah Adamson, a special award for one hundred per cent attendance over five years! We were honoured to have Mr Brian Downing OBE as guest of honour. He is president of Surrey County Cricket Club as well as having a hugely successful career in the media. The Chairman of Mole Valley District Council, Cllr David Sharland also attended. Headteacher, Mr Tuck, was, once again, able to reflect on an outstanding year for the school in all areas and to promise that Therfield would continue to move forward - Sports College and Leading Edge status were targets for October 2004 and plans were in hand for a three million pound building expansion. Gordon Fox and Harriet Collins performed solo items on the trumpet and cello respectively and were expertly prepared for the occasion by Head of Music, Mr James Casselton. Thanks are also due to the Food Technology staff and students for providing delicious canapés and wine as a starter for the evening. It was a happy occasion as students who, a few months earlier, had been nervously awaiting examination results were able to meet and mingle with friends and staff and exchange news about new courses, first terms at university, plans for gap years or how working life was agreeing with them. Food and Textiles Technician wanted - We are looking for an energetic person to support the Food and Textiles department in setting up lessons, clearing, cleaning and helping with some admin. work. This is a paid appointment, involving some 22 hours per week. Please contact Mrs Barker (01372 814486) for further details. Fleece Orders - If you would like to order a school fleece jacket, please return an order form, together with payment to the Finance Office by 13th February. The jackets are available in black only, bear the Swan logo and are available in two sizes, costing £13 and £18. The fleeces should be available for collection soon after half term. Banking at School - Did you know that Therfield has its own bank that operates in school? Every Tuesday from 1.30 until 2.00 pm in the Resource Centre, the school bank opens for business and it is run by students of the school with supervision from HSBC in Leatherhead and Mrs Moore from our Business Studies department. Why not encourage your son/daughter to come along and open up their own account and begin a valuable lesson in managing personal finance? With this Livecash account, a student can pay in cash and cheques and will also receive a free gift for starting an account! Parents' Prayer Group - Dates for this term's meetings are Mondays, 2nd February and 15th March. All meetings are held at the school commencing at 8 pm and a warm welcome is extended to all. More information from 01932 865476. Auditor Needed - The School Fund is the separate fund that looks after the 'unofficial' money of the school - trips, charities, clubs etc. Our Honorary Auditor, Mr Derek Harwood, has stood down after five years and we are now seeking some one to fill this role. If you are an accountant, banker or have similar financial expertise and would be prepared to be an 'Independent Examiner' of the accounts of the School Fund, please contact Mrs Howarth, the Finance Manager, on 01372 814429. We would like to thank Mr Harwood for his invaluable help over so many years. All About DNA - Year 12 Biology students had some of the mysteries of 'DNA and Genetic Engineering' explained to them during a one day workshop held at the school. John Schollar from the National Centre for Biotechnology Education, guided them through some of the complexities of the topic and students took part in two practical activities using equipment not normally available in a school laboratory. The 'World's Biggest Sing' - Congratulations to all Year Seven students who took part in this amazing event. Although the final national number of participants is still being calculated, we have confirmed that 237 singers took part at Therfield and raised £131 for Sargent Cancer Care for Children. The actual number of schools and singers taking part will be ratified by Guinness World Records in late Spring. Mr Casselton reminds students who enjoyed the experience of singing together that they can continue to exercise their vocal talents in the Lower School Singers every Friday lunchtime. Busy With Maths - A team of Year 12 students led by Helen Bartlett have worked hard to crack the code each week on Cipher Challenge, a national problem solving competition set by Southampton University. The last of the eight codes proved so difficult and time consuming that they decided to settle for a placing of 95th having moved successfully through the seven earlier sequences. A group of Further Mathematicians from Year 12 will be taking part in a Maths Challenge competition to be held at BP Sunbury-on-Thames next month. In the UK Intermediate Challenge, fifty students from Years 9 and 10 will be taking part. Students - and parents! - are reminded that the Year 10 Maths Module 1 takes place on 1st and 2nd March - please remember to bring all necessary equipment, especially a calculator. Remember also, that the second Year 10 Science Module takes place on 3rd March. Revision Guides specially written to help with NCT tests, GCSE and Advanced level examinations are available at a very low cost from the Maths Office. Accommodation Request - We are looking for families to help accommodate staff from our partner school in Munich for the week of the German Exchange (3rd - 11th March). We would welcome help from families who have children taking part in the Exchange or otherwise. This offers a fantastic opportunity for your son/daughter to practise German with a native speaker! You would not be expected to entertain your guest at all times throughout the week, as staff will frequently be involved in trips with the students. Any expenses will, of course, be covered. If you think you could help, please contact Miss Buckell. World Book Day - There will be a one day Book Fair in the Resource Centre to mark World Book Day on March 4th. Many events have been planned from the week 4th to 11th March and also for Science Week, 15th-19th March. Visiting the USA - A detailed letter has gone home setting out the new passport/visa requirements for visits to the USA after October 26th this year. If your son/daughter is in the group to go to the USA in 2005 and you need any further information please contact Miss Allen. Being Good Citizens - At the end of last term, Year 8 students took part in two Citizenship Days that were aimed at increasing awareness of the rights and responsibilities which students face in today's society. The main focus was on political structures within the UK and this involved workshops ranging from Greenpeace, Amnesty International and the role of Members of Parliament. These sessions reinforced the valuable work Year 8 students had carried out during the Autumn term which had incorporated the students' running their own campaigns, pressure groups and understanding the running of a democratic government. Mr Ward, organiser of the event, was delighted by the questions asked by the students and directed at the guest speakers - perhaps the future Jeremy Paxman or Kate Adie could be in Year 8! John Peppard from Amnesty International was also happy with the interest shown and commented, "I felt that the students were listening and taking it in and they had some excellent questions". Carol Service - Another important event which took place at the end of last term was the Carol Service which this year was held in the lovely venue of Leatherhead's parish church, St Mary and St Nicholas. The whole school was represented at the service with students, parents, governors, teaching and support staff giving readings from the Bible. Rachel Oliver, the Church Relational Youth Worker, welcomed everyone to the traditional service of lessons and carols with the orchestra playing music by Handel. The full congregation enjoyed singing carols, accompanied by the organ and Therfield's newly formed Brass Ensemble. They were also treated to choral singing of a very high standard as the Choir and Lower School Singers sang pieces, many by contemporary composers, reflecting upon the various themes of the Christmas story. The Rev. David Eaton delivered a thought-provoking Christmas message and a retiring collection raised £174.85 for the work of the church in Leatherhead and the Rush Self-Help project in Kenya that the school has been supporting this year. Looking Ahead - On Saturday, March 6th our students have been invited to perform at the Children's Trust Schools' Concert at Leatherhead Theatre - more details in February's Newsletter. Chemistry News - The opportunity to extend their Chemistry knowledge came for Year 12 AS students when they attended a one day conference at Westminster Central Hall, London last term. The conference was hosted by Philip Allen publishers and was hosted by Dr Colin Chambers, Chief Executive for AQA Examination Board, and included lectures by distinguished scientists, Dr Bryson Gore and Dr Jonathan Hare. The highlight of the day was a lecture by Dr David Smith of the University of York, in which he demonstrated the link between Chemistry and Medicine. The day finished with an entertaining presentation - How to Make Chemistry go with a Bang! All the students agreed it was a thoroughly enjoyable and informative day and a lively end to a term of hard studying! Year 11 Ball - Once again limousines drew up to the front entrance of the school and some very elegant and smart Year 11 students arrived to enjoy an evening of glamour and fun. This year the gold, black and white theme was evident not only in the balloons and table decorations but in the masks decorated by the students which adorned the hall now transformed into a colourful ballroom. A cabaret featuring a band and various singers, all from Year 11, provided well-received entertainment, the highlight being an item performed by Mrs Thomas, Head of Year, and her deputy, Miss Nicholls. This was followed by dancing to disco music . Two questions followed a highly enjoyable evening - "must we go home now?" and "when can we have another Ball?" Cross Country - Success in the district championships at junior, intermediate and senior level meant that five of our girls - Amie Turner, Gillian Fox, Kirsty Lytton, Clare Dear, Sarah Pemberton - were selected to run for Central Surrey in the County Cross Country Championships. Sarah has also been selected to represent Surrey at the InterCounties and English Schools Championships. Turn Out Your Cupboards! - The Food and Textile Department would like any empty biscuit or sweet tins you no longer need and would also be grateful for gifts of lace, braid, ribbon, buttons and felt but, for the present, no more fabric as the response has been so good they now have a storage problems. Students going on the Outward Bound expedition to Sabah in Malaysia would welcome any unwanted Christmas gifts that they could sell on at the Friends' Jumble Sale on 28th February and so help towards the considerable total they need to raise. Party Time - Weeks of discussion and planning went into the successful party for local senior citizens organised by Year 12 GNVQ students at the end of last term. In making arrangements for the party, the students decided on a guest list, sent out invitations, arranged transport, supplied refreshments and provided entertainment as well as socialising with their guests. Although this was a challenging exercise in organising an 'outside event' and, as such, a valuable addition to the students' portfolios it was also a very happy and much-appreciated occasion. A Plea for Gardening Help - Although the current weather forecast suggests this is more a time for frostbite than green fingers we are still hoping someone will volunteer to tend the hanging baskets and front borders of the school in the coming months. These always give a bright and welcoming look to the school entrance and were tended very devotedly for many years on a voluntary basis by Mrs Pat Hunt. The school would, of course, provide payment for bulbs and plants, so if your present gardening commitments are not too onerous and you think you could help, please contact Mrs Howarth on 01372 814429. School Lunches - Surrey Commercial Services the company responsible for the school meals service throughout the county are telling parents and students about their wares on the local radio station - Eagle. The advertisements will run until the end of March. If you would like to know more about menus and the variety of food available you can visit the School Meals website on www.myschoollunch.co.uk/surrey. Also if you are looking for term time work, Mrs Stedman, our canteen supervisor, is often looking for Catering Assistants. Contact her on 01372 375089. Dates for the Diary :
February |