Issue 118 25th February 2004
Issue 118 25th February 2004
| FROM THE HEADTEACHER
Thank you - We are grateful to the many parents who found time to attend the meeting with the Lead Inspector for OFSTED on 12th February and also those who replied to the questionnaire. Another Important Meeting - I plan to hold a meeting with parents to discuss our bid for Specialist Schools Status. Date and details will follow. New Home-School Agreement - As part of the consultation process for Therfield's new Home-School Agreement a draft document is attached for your consideration. The staff have worked on producing this important draft document which aims to state clearly the responsibilities we each have in the education of your son/daughter. It is designed to help develop a positive and supportive relationship between all involved in our partnership. Please will you consider the attached draft with your son/daughter. If you have any feedback, we would be delighted to receive your comments and input and greatly appreciate your support and contribution in the development of this new document. Please mark any replies for the attention of Mrs Carriett. School Uniform - Please remind your son/daughter that sweatshirts and 'hoodies' are not part of the school uniform and should not be worn to school. Absent from School - If your son/daughter is unwell, please remember to phone in to school in the morning if at all possible. Make sure you leave your child's name, tutor group and reason for absence. It is helpful if you can be specific rather than using a general term such as 'sickness`. If you leave a message we do not require a follow-up letter. Please Note - School will close at 1 pm on Friday, 2nd April at the start of the Easter Holiday. Taking Part - Auditions are being held for the school production of the musical Sweeney Todd Shock and Roll Show. Students in Years 7-9 are particularly needed. Information from the Drama department. Music News - The Swing Band will be taking part in a Schools Concert at Leatherhead Theatre on 6th March - tickets (£7 for adults, £4 for Under 12s and OAPs) can be obtained from the Theatre. The event is in aid of The Children's Trust. Fifteen local schools will be taking part and should provide a memorable evening of music plus a demonstration of much talent by the 400 young performers taking part. On 17th March, GCSE students give a performance of their work for friends and family and on 31st March the Spring Concert, as always, provides a rousing end to the term. All groups will be taking part with a first public performance from the Year 7 Band which came together last October. Mathematics Success - Year 12 Double Mathematicians took part in a very demanding Maths Challenge organised by Surrey Business Enterprise Partnership at BP International at Sunbury-on-Thames. All gained certificates and, as a group, narrowly missed coming in the top five schools. Earlier in the month, a large contingent of Year 9 and 10 students took part in the UK Intermediate Maths Challenge, results of which will be announced later this term. 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. Parents' Prayer Group - The next meeting will be on Monday, 15th March - the week before Ofsted Inspection starts! Meetings are held twice a term at the school commencing at 8 pm and a warm welcome is extended to all. More information on 01932 865476. Please Note - 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 and angle measurer. The Maths department is unable to lend equipment. Remember also, that the second Year 10 Science Module takes place on 3rd March. Accommodation Request - Mr Hostler is seeking accommodation for one or two French teachers who will be accompanying students from our partner school during the exchange from 15th to 23rd March. He would welcome help from families who have children taking part in the Exchange or anyone else interested. This offers a wonderful opportunity for your son/daughter to practise French 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 Mr Hostler. Many thanks to the parents who responded to our appeal for similar help with the German Exchange. World Book Day - There will be a one day Book Fair in the Resource Centre to mark World Book Day on March 4th and students will be able to purchase books at special rates. To mark the occasion the Resource Centre is running a quiz on fiction and non-fiction books with a special section on Science as the following week is Science Week. Gym Club - A Gym Display evening is planned for 25th March. In the past this has proved a very popular event and tickets will be on sale shortly. Help with Languages - Since November the Modern Foreign Language Faculty has been running a special revision class for Year 11 students - and it is not too late for others to join in! The sessions enable students to practise for their speaking examination in small groups with Year 12 Advanced Level Language students. The speaking examinations are now only six weeks away! These sessions take place on Tuesdays from 3.30-4.30 and all GCSE candidates are welcome. An additional session is held on Thursday lunchtimes for borderline grade D to grade C candidates studying GCSE German. Students interested in attending should see Mrs Bushby. Disco Time - An enjoyable Disco for Year 7 students was organised by Year 11 students to raise funds for their Outward Bound Expedition to Malaysia next year. There was a very good turnout and an energetic time was had by all as they found themselves dancing to many of the disco tunes of some years ago. The music plus refreshments meant everyone had a good time and Year 7 are now hoping that a repeat performance might take place before the end of the year. Other fundraising events for Sabah 2005 have included a Valentine's Day sale of roses and cookies and the opening of a Tuck Shop. Political Input - Sir Paul Beresford, MP for Mole Valley, visited the school and met with members of the School Council. Together with Mr Tim Reeder, Governor, he was interested to hear students' views about school life and living in and around Leatherhead. He was then interviewed for the Green Bottle by Year 12 student, Richard Dodd who questioned Sir Paul closely about war with Iraq, top-up fees and hunting with dogs. The main focus of Sir Paul's visit was to meet with Sixth Form students studying Government and Politics. He spoke about his time as an MP, life without lain Duncan Smith and looking to the future. A lively question and answer session followed and Sir Paul commented that it was a joy to meet so many young people with so much knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, politics. The visit was arranged by Mr Ward who commented, "I was pleased to see how students from all years were keen to ask questions and were able to demonstrate a considerable knowledge of the subject". News from Drama -
Thirty Year 10 students enjoyed a visit to the Phoenix Theatre
in London. They were paying particular attention to acting
techniques and the director's staging of the production in
preparation for their Theatre Review examination. AS Theatre
Studies students visited the Richmond Theatre to see Ibsen's A
Doll's House. The coming months are extremely busy ones
for the Drama Department. Dates to note are: A GCSE Drama Evening will be held on Wednesday, 24th March for any Year 9s opting to take Drama in GCSE. This performance by Year 10 students will provide an excellent and enjoyable 'taster' of what to expect and family and friends are invited. Representing Youth Glen Brewer and Hayley Cooper from Year 10 and Craig Gale (Year 8) will be attending a reception at County Hall this week as members of Surrey Youth Parliament. The Mole Valley Youth Council meets twice a term and students are encouraged to bring comments and suggestions to their representatives so these can be discussed at meetings. Students should contact Glen, Hayley or Craig or use the suggestions box in school if they would like their views known. Happy Ski Time - A change of venue proved to be a good move for 81 lower school students and twelve adult skiers over half term. Instead of going to Austria they went to Serre Chevalier in France where they enjoyed excellent food in a four-star hotel, wonderful ski conditions in which all levels of expertise made good progress and some great après-ski entertainment. Skating on an outdoor rink was popular, as was a highly competitive quiz night arranged by Mr Tuck and, on the final evening, exclusive use of some grand disco facilities. Switzerland proved a popular destination for the Senior Ski trip attended by 37 students and five staff. The resort offered fantastic skiing conditions under cloudless blue skies. All students made excellent progress - everyone negotiated at least some part of the famous Lamberhorn Run, a terrifying black run used on the men's downhill World Cup circuit. Après-ski activities included attending an ice hockey match, ten pin bowling, quiz and bingo nights and shopping in Interlaken. Details about next year's trip will be available within the next few weeks. Congratulations - Liam Narey in Year 9 has been selected to train with the Surrey Development squad for Rugby. Sarah Pemberton in Year 13 has been selected for the Surrey Cross Country squad. The Year 9 Basketball team reached the final of the District Tournament and the Year 7s reached the semi-finals. Sixth Form Rag Days - With the idea of raising as much money as possible, while having some fun, Sixth Form students will be holding their Rag Days from 29th March to 1st April. This year they will be collecting money for CHIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Children) and a local charity Pitstop that helps homeless people. Activities planned include students versus staff sporting events, a quiz night, lunchtime entertainment sessions in the Main Hall, dress-up days, a five-a-side football tournament and, hopefully, at the end of the week a Rag Ball. Dates for the Diary |