Issue No.27 November 1995
Issue No.27 November 1995
| FROM THE HEADTEACHER
Therfield really buzzed with effort and interest at our Open Evening on November 15th and an encouraging number of parents and children attended. Tours of the school have been going on all the week and our Sixth Formers and present Year 7 pupils are proving to be good ambassadors for the school. If you know of anyone with a child/children due to start secondary school in September 1996 tell them about Therfield - it is not too late to come and see us. Next week you will all receive a letter signed by ALL Headteachers of Surrey Secondary Schools. It is asking for your help in fighting cuts - which could mount to £12 million - in Surrey's Education Budget. The letter sets out in detail the likely effects of more cuts, such as fewer teachers, bigger classes, less help for those with special educational needs and so on. I hope that most of you will share our concerns and write to the people mentioned. It is rather ironic that at this time when recently published 'league' tables make much of Surrey's good standing that such a threat to our schools should be considered. I would like to say 'thank you' to the parents who worked so hard at our 'plant in' on Saturday (18th). We were few in number but great in effort and it was nice to know that at least one Year 11 pupil noticed! "I think the school grounds look really good and I like the new shrubs", he said. Proceeds from today's Mufti Day when pupils pay 50p NOT to wear school uniform will go to House Charities. Juniper are supporting LEPRA, Leith, Cancer Research, Norbury, the Disabled Sports Foundation and Polesden have chosen Positively Children. A reminder about Uniform is that Mrs. Hodgson is pleased to receive second hand items for sale - blazers, PE kit in particular. Forms for new uniform can be obtained from the School Office. Presentation Evening for the present Sixth Form and those who left in July will be on Friday, January 6th at 7.30 pm. Guest of Honour will be Professor Patrick Dowling, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Surrey. We look forward to hearing from our students most of whom will have completed their first term at university. In an attempt to give Year 11 students a realistic practice under Examination Conditions we are holding our GCSE 'Mocks' from Thursday (30th) Nov. to Friday (8th) Dec. inclusive. During this period Year 11 students will be on study leave - giving them the opportunity to revise and prepare thoroughly - and will only attend for their examinations. At the end of the week - 8th - we are holding the Year 11 Charity Ball at the School . This is a formal function with formal dress and represents Year 11's major contribution to our charity fund raising efforts. After last year's success with Handel's Messiah we return this year to our traditional Carol Service. This will be held at 7.30 pm on Monday, December 18th at St. George's Church, Ashtead. Readings telling the Christmas Story will punctuate carols sung by the Main Choir and the Lower School Singers. The Main Orchestra will accompany traditional carols and there will be plenty of opportunity for the congregation to have a good sing! Please come and join in and take part in a Therfield tradition going back nearly 20 years. The Swing Band will be taking part in the Lighting Up Leatherhead Evening on Friday, 1st December starting at 4.30 pm. The Band has been very much involved in community events this year and on Monday joined forces with pupils from St.Andrew's School to give a concert for senior citizens organised by Ashtead Rotary. 1996 also looks like being a busy year for this popular Band! Our Lower School Singers who took part in the Best of British Concert at the Royal Albert Hall last month were unanimous in their praise for the event. Nicola Fenner thought it was a great experience and "really brilliant', this was echoed by Claire Mander who really enjoyed the chance to go there and sing, "I thought it was a superb concert". Sian Hartigan thought that when they popped the party poppers at the end it was really effective and Sophie Johnstone, although having reservations about the poor state of the changing rooms, said she hopes she can do something like it again! "I would recommend it". Please note a change of date for our Sixth Form Open Evening. This will now be held on Wed. 17th Jan. 1996. Parents of pupils now in Year 11 can come and see and hear what is on offer and if you know of anyone interested in a Sixth Form place do encourage them to come along or to contact Mr. Cummings for more information. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - Many thanks to all those parents who donated Tesco Computer Vouchers to the school. We had enough vouchers to purchase 2 cassette recorders which have been donated to the Music Department and a Canon Ion Camera which will be kept by IT. This camera will enable us to import pictures straight into a computer for use in Desk Top Publishing. It can also be used by Science for time-lapse photography and others will be able to borrow the camera for field trips etc so that the photos can be stored on the school's network and used by pupils in their coursework. POETRY MARATHON - About 100 Year 8 students took part in the Poetry Marathon held in the Drama Studio earlier this month. They memorised poems to recite and were sponsored to raise money for their House Charities. Over forty poems were performed by staff and students and included Jabberwocky, Oh Homework, My Homework, Skimbleshanks, The Eagle, The Railway Cat and Anthem to a Doomed Youth. Overall the atmosphere was exciting, the audience enthralled and the number of students involved was impressive. The English Department and Heads of Houses thanks all those who took part and those who sponsored them. Christine Stedman our Catering Manager has been presented with the Heartbeat Award by John Tiffney, head of Mole Valley's Environmental Services. This is for consistently providing well-balanced, healthy meals. In contrast, the Catering Services would like parents to know that the company featured in a BBC Watchdog programme on November 13th does NOT supply meals in Surrey schools. SIXTH FORM QUIZ NIGHT - There were no red faces among staff following the Quiz Night which saw 11 teams battling it out. The honour of the teachers was upheld as they finished first and second and then generously donated the prize money to the House Charities. The event organised by Jon Buckley, Kerry Bissell, Rachel Hills and Helen Wallis raised £40 and was much enjoyed. SAILING CLUB - About 100 people attended the Club's Open Evening and enjoyed a programme which included presentations by pupils ranging from Lina Haines giving first impressions as a new sailor to Richard Guy explaining the role of the senior students. A slide presentation of recent club activities was given by Mrs. Wingrove, James Angus reported on the Racing and Mr. Stewart gave a full account of the year, which saw Therfield adjudged Surrey Sailing School of the Year once again. The Club has about 50 active members drawn from all years. Newcomers are welcome. SPORT - For the first time Therfield will be represented by teams in the TSB Cross Country All England finals. Our Junior Boys (Terry Lyszyk, Tom Harrold, Ben Adams, Nick Beard, Brent Gale and Anthony Chambers) and our Junior Girls (Emma Firth, Vicky South, Jessica Price, Laura Richens, Lara Stewart, Abigail Cleary) will be running at Shirebrook in Nottinghamshire on December 2nd having qualified at the Regional Finals . Thanks to sponsorship from Buchanan and Curwen they will be sporting new Therfield sweat shirts for the occasion! An indoor 5-a-side Hockey Tournament was held for Year 7 pupils this week to encourage boys and girls to take part in a sport which for many of them is new. The teams played in a round robin system using both the gym and sports hall and Mrs. Harper was impressed by the great enthusiasm, support and determination shown. No more than 2 boys were allowed per team and the winners were all from 7LCN - James Payne, Christopher Oliver, Michelle Leary, Sarah Young and Helen Jones. FOOTBALL - Congratulations to Bryn Halliwell (Y10) and Matthew Strickland (Y12) on being picked to play for Surrey in the U15 and U19 teams respectively. The school teams are all doing well and are lying in the top two or three of their leagues, with the Year 10s being unbeaten. The U19s are playing in the very competitive County League and have won 3 lost 1, while the U16s are through to the quarter final of the County Cup. Basketball has now started and we have teams in the county league and cup competitions. When setting down or picking up pupils please, please do not park in Dilston Road. If necessary use the back entrance in Cleeve Road. DIARY DATES: Jan. 3rd '96 Spring Term starts |