Issue No.53 March 1998
Issue No.53 March 1998
| FROM THE HEADTEACHER
New School Day - Just a brief
reminder to parents that from next September there are some
modifications to our School Day. All parents have I been written
to, but a reminder might be helpful. The school intends to use the first week after the Easter holiday to try out aspects of the afternoon of our new day. This will mean that school will end slightly earlier than normal on that week, but will start at the same time. School Rules - The School and Governors have been reviewing our Behaviour Code. One additional clause is being added to cover the school in all eventualities. This is "The Governors reserve the right to exclude permanently any pupil who commits such a serious act that in their opinion his or her continued presence in the School would prejudice the health or safety of staff or pupils in the School. Such acts could include sexual assault, an assault on any member of the School community or the possession of an offensive object". Problems solved - Our Year 11 team of Neil Ferguson, Philip Haines, Robert Hicks, Thomas Greenwood, Michael Peck and Matthew Roberts are the intermediate Problem Solving champions of Surrey following their success last week in the finals at BP Research Centre, Sunbury. Competing against winners and runners-up from heats held all over the county they succeeded in designing and making a machine that would propel a ping-pong ball the greatest height and stick on a given target. The same team reached the finals of the competition, organised by Surrey SATRO, in 1996 when they were juniors. This time they have moved up a group and taken the top prize. Trials won - A team from Years 8 and 9 won the Redhill area heat of a Magistrates Court Mock Trial Competition organised by the Citizenship Foundation. They now go on to compete at Guildford in the Regional final. Sarah Waldman, Stephen Dugdale, Howard Ebison and Eric Reynolds were the lawyers, Dan Richards, Hannah Poole, Nick Lambon and Ian Lyszyk the witnesses, Nick Reeves, Sarah Glass and David Swingler the Magistrates and Arran Flowerday the clerk. They took part in two 'trials' one on the possession of Ecstasy and one grievous bodily harm. Simon Matthews acted as court reporter, and was asked to give an account of the day's events to Radio Mercury. Sporting win - Gold medal winners at the English Schools Badminton team championships were four boys from Year 8 - Chris Langridge, James Molyneux, Philip Rippin and David Urry. They qualified for the finals at Luton having won all their matches in the SE area contest. In the final rounds they faced very strong competition and it was left to a nail-biting doubles to supply the winning points. Sailing success - The 1998 season got underway at the weekend with the Papercourt regatta run by Surrey Schools Sailing Association. Our pupils got off to a splendid start with Neil Ferguson winning two trophies, Simon Fuller with Ian Dibble and Jenny Lawrence with Helen Tavner also winning trophies. We also gained four second places and four third. Help with German - No one would doubt the value of visiting and living in a country when you wish to polish your language skills and Mrs Hrouda would be pleased to help and advise any Year 10 parents who would like to arrange a private exchange visit with a pupil at our contact school in Cologne. Better still, if three or four families got together it would make travelling there and back more enjoyable. Having been over-subscribed for the Exchange last year it was disappointing to have to cancel this year because of lack of sufficient support, particularly when the opportunity to talk and absorb a country's culture is so important in Year 10. Gardening Club - The school garden is looking good with plenty of flowers and a well-tended vegetable patch. However, Mr Tom Beams of Leatherhead Horticultural Society would like to see more pupils taking an active interest. So if your son/daughter shows an interest in gardening urge them to join - they will be encouraged to help in an active way and can learn a tremendous amount from the Horticultural Society members who attend regularly to keep our garden looking so well. Bus times - The 562 bus (Epsom -Cobham -Oxshott) which is used by a number of our pupils starts a new timetable next term. Parents should check over the Easter holiday to see if it will affect their child. Debating Society - The Death Penalty was the first topic for what it is hoped will become a regular fortnightly Debating Society meeting. Amy Kerbel and David Lindsell provided a powerful case in support of the motion "Reform and rehabilitation are more important than retribution and revenge" and were countered strongly by Stuart Avory and James Luke. The level of debate was intelligent and thoughtful and merited more support than the small but vociferous audience who, in the end, voted to carry the motion. It is intended that this should be a Sixth Form led Society but open to all who wish to attend. Miss Allen would be pleased to receive future topics for debate. A look at industry - 36 Year 11 students visited the Ford Motor Works at Dagenham as part of their Geography GCSE studies. The visit provided an excellent chance for students to witness production methods in action, learn more about the company's world-wide strategy and to find out why Ford chose to set up in Essex. As a case study of industrial location the visit is hard to beat. Some students were heard to remark that it was the best school trip they had even been on - so Year 10 Geographers remember to get your replies in early next year!! Thank you to the Friends - Among the many departments to benefit from the fund-raising activities of the Friends, is Home and Food Technology, whose Textiles section can now boast a very modern computerised sewing machine and scanner - Mrs Shannon has promised interested Friends a demonstration and try-for-yourself evening! - The department gets through a vast amount of material each term and would be grateful for any unwanted textiles you have - any shape, size, colour or texture. Thank you from Uganda -Therfield was one of 21 Surrey schools to donate Science books and equipment to Lugazi School, Uganda as part of the School Link scheme. Organised by Mrs Wingrove we sent two car loads of old text books and equipment which were gratefully received and put to good use. Hindu Temple Visit : 50 Year 7 students visited the Hindu Temple in Neasden to experience this unique - (to Europe) building, constructed in traditional materials and by traditional methods. They observed the arti (fire) ceremony of devotion to the murtis (forms) of the gods. The afternoon at Westminster Cathedral was equally interesting, particularly since Cardinal Hume came and spoke to the group. Vouchers - Yes please : we are collecting Tesco and Sainsbury vouchers, if you want to register for the Sainsbury scheme we have forms in school. Reminder : School closes for the Easter holidays at 1 pm on Friday, 3rd April. German theatre - A useful and thought-provoking aid to their German comprehension was experienced by our A Level German students when they visited the Goethe Institute in Kensington to see a production of a play by Max Frisch "Biedeman und die Brandstifter". This was a black comedy which was excellently acted and quickly gained the attention of its audience and so added to the understanding of the language. The group are currently studying Nazi Germany so the topic of arson in the suburbs was particularly apt. Report by David Reynaud. Job Vacancy for a Library Assistant - Mrs Gaynor Briggs who was appointed in December has had to leave for personal reasons and we are very sorry to see her go. We are now looking for a new Library Assistant - the job is for 16 hours spread throughout the week, term time only. We need someone with some library experience who is used to working with young people. So if you or anyone you know is looking for a challenging opening in education please contact Mrs Burnham for an application form. Spring Concert on Tuesday Main Hall - 7.30 pm - a few tickets (£2.50 adults, free for pupils) are still available for this popular musical evening. The programme should suit all tastes and includes the debut of our own Trad-Jazz group 'The Swanee Stompers' plus orchestral and solo pieces from our most able musicians and singers. Bon voyage - A group of students led by Mrs Nicole Jones will leave for the Mediterranean next Friday in the early hours of the morning. They will fly to Athens to join HM Topaz and cruise to Greece, Crete, Cyprus, Israel and Turkey. We look forward to hearing about their experiences and seeing the photographs! Drama Occasion - not surprisingly the Evening of Drama put on by our Year 13 Drama students was a sell out. A first class evening of entertainment was provided with a splendid contrast of work on view. Excerpts from Shakespeare to Alan Ayckbourn were included with some thought-provoking original work to add spice to the occasion. DIARY DATES A Sporting round-up of our football, hockey, basketball, netball, badminton and cross country successes will appear in the April Newsletter. Cricket, athletics, tennis and rounders start next term. |