Issue No.33 May 1996
Issue No.33 May 1996
| FROM THE HEADTEACHER
The traditional Year 11 Leavers Ceremony took place last week when 190 pupils officially ended their time of compulsory schooling before going on GCSE exam study leave. They were presented individually with their Records of Achievement. Mr. Cox, Head of Year 11, then conducted a less formal assembly in which 'East 17' appeared again - after their starring role at the Y11 Ball - and several apt awards were made to certain students. Our Year 11 then 'left', though a pleasingly large number were back next day for revision lessons! I am pleased too that about 70% have decided to further their education in the Sixth Form and will be back in September for 'A' levels or GNVQ. 75 Year 7 & 8 pupils took part in the UK Junior Maths Challenge in which 1660 schools contributed to an entry of 120,000. Simon Matthews was adjudged best in school and other gold certificates went to Ben Cummings, Sarah Skyte, Tristan Blood, David Sillett, Tim Boniface and Edward Waller from Year 8 with Howard Ebison, Adam Baxter, Leo Freedman and Eric Reynolds from Year 7. We also achieved 11 silver certificates and 18 bronze. Honours too for Therfield in the Surrey Advertiser Young People's Poetry Competition - Sixth Former Stuart Bumell, well known for his cricket, rugby, athletics and footballing skills, took first place in the senior section, with Stuart Turner, Sarah Watts and Samantha Totten being highly commended. Jonathan Shimmin, Year 9, achieved a second place and Lucie Moore, Year 10, was highly commended. A full report and publication of some of the poems should be in this week's Surrey Advertiser. It was lights, camera, action for Year 7 classmates of Deborah Hewitt on Tuesday as Deborah was being filmed for a Disneyland promotion. She is one of two British youngsters selected to play with the Disney Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra and will be enjoying a tip to the States shortly. Disney studios wanted to show Deborah during a typical school day and filmed her in Music, English and PE classes. This year's French Exchange provided Mr. Boucry with his usual quota of testing experiences. The visitors arrived two hours late, just as half the hosts were on their way home. After the French pupils had returned from a visit to see the sights of London, an English pupil asked - "can we take them again on Saturday to show them the 'real London'?" Everyone got drenched during the visit to Canterbury, the picnic had to be abandoned and sandwiches eaten in shop doorways! As compensation, we invited our guests to Fish and Chips to keep warm - voted as the best cultural experience of the visit. During a shopping trip to London, three of the French party got lost and eventually found their way back to Ashtead at 9 pm! Mr. Boucry hopes for a quieter time in France next month - and reminds anyone who has forgotten that final payments are now urgently needed! The National Curriculum tests for Year 9 have now been completed and the papers sent away for marking. Parents will be informed of the results before the end of term. We are thinking of producing a high quality folder about the school and would like to hear from companies/business/small firms interested in taking advertising space. Please contact Mrs. Hodgson at the school if you are interested - or can give us a contact name of someone who might be a potential advertiser. School will re-open for the new school year on Sept. 4th - this represents a change of date. A reminder that no pupils will be in school on 28th June which has been set aside for staff INSET. Thanks to the superb vigilance of a pupil and fleetness of foot by an intrepid Mr. Geary last week the police now have someone helping them with their enquiries about the theft of cycles from our cycle racks. From the Librarian : The first 500 books have been added to the new computerised catalogue. We are immensely grateful for the generous grant from the Friends that made all this possible. We are now very much in need of help of another kind - so far about 10 pupils have been involved in the purely clerical task of bar coding and initial entering of the books. However, I would welcome volunteers from parents for the occasional Saturday morning or week day sessions. The important thing to remember is that the process of cataloguing details of books is almost entirely mechanical - the computer does it automatically once you have scanned the ISBN number. For further details either come in and see me after school or phone on 818126. At the present rate we are looking at being 'on line' by Christmas 1996 but there is no denying that inputting 14000 books is a mammoth task!! Many thanks also to everyone who has supplied us with Tesco computer vouchers - I am well on the way to acquiring a major piece of new equipment and, hopefully, a couple of CD Rom disks as well. The PE department are also very grateful to the Friends for providing funds for much needed cricket nets. Unfortunately, a mix-up by the suppliers (a firm owned by Derek Underwood of Kent and England fame) has meant that the nets - although ordered well before Easter - have yet to be erected. Latest news is that Mr. Underwood is about to receive a missive from the Bursar - experience of facing Lillee and Thomson could now be useful! Our cricketers though have got off to a good start, being unbeaten in the leagues and Y10 reaching the quarter finals of the County Cup. We have been competing in the Midland Bank Tennis competition and the school tournament is well supported. In Athletics, 12 of our pupils will be competing for the district in the county championships. The Friends most recent fund raising event - the Auction of Promises realised about £1750 which will go towards providing the Technology department with a CAD/CAM system Many thanks to all those who helped with the organisation, particularly Pat Williams who achieved well over 90 lots for auction. (More details in the Friends' Newsletter). Join Our Scheme : The Friends would like to thank the 422 current members of their Covenants Scheme. They are helping to raise £1400 a year in donations along with a further £450 in in tax refunds. We need more members - if you are a tax payer and interested in joining please contact Ann Jenner on 01372 275172 for more information. Guildford and Salisbury were venues for recent visits by Therfield pupils organised by the RS department. Year 7 students had a guided tour of Guildford Cathedral, rubbed brasses and worked their way through study sheets and Year 8 had a bracing visit to Stonehenge, Old Sarum and Salisbury. A timely trip to a performance of 'Romeo and Juliet' at the Barbican Theatre was made by 50 Year 9 pupils - just a week before the NC English tests and questions on this, their set play. "It really helped me to understand the play" was one comment. As expected, the production by the Royal Shakespeare Company was lively, entertaining and imaginative and much enjoyed by the pupils who were complimented on their impeccable behaviour. The Special Needs Unit of the area Literacy Support Service is offering a Workshop for Parents from 9.30-12.30 on Wednesday, 17th July. The cost is £25 and further details can be obtained - 01737 774166. Interested parents may also like to know that the AGM of SE Surrey Dyslexia Association is at Bletchingley on Monday, 3rd June 7.45-9.30 pm, where two specialist teachers will be discussing 'Positive Aspects of Dyslexia'. More information from - 01737 556173 If you have any outgrown school uniform to sell - or donate - to the school, please contact Mrs. Hodgson. All items, particularly blazers, are in short supply. New uniform can be bought at the school from 4pm to 8 pm on Wednesday (3rd) and Friday (5th) July. Recent successful outings by the Sailing Club have been the Sail Training Week on the Isle of Wight and a summer cruise in the Solent for senior members. The Club's main fund raising event of the year - a Sponsored Sail and Barbecue - takes place on 21st June at Papercourt Sailing Club, Ripley from 5 pm to 9.30 pm onwards. Funds this year are needed for a double new trailer and help with fitting out the newly re-furbished boathouse. More information from Roy Guy (273670) or Mr. Stewart/Mrs. Wingrove. About this time last year the Design & Technology department asked for gifts of any old Meccano - your response was terrific and as a result 10 fairground models have been built for use in the Computer Controlled Technology course. Mr. de Little would now like pupils to try some more challenging models - so if you have any Meccano that slipped through last year's trawl he would be very grateful. Soon all Year 7 parents will be receiving invitations to the Africa Evening on July 1st . ALL Year 7 pupils contribute so be prepared to book your seats early! A reminder too of the school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream on 12th and 13th July. You can order your tickets NOW. DIARY DATES: |