Issue No.70 October 1999
Issue No.70 October 1999
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FROM THE HEAD TEACHER HAPPINESS IS .... This was not just a 'sample tasting' - 224 of the pupils in the year group answered the questionnaire. On 10th November we hold our Open Evening for parents of children due to start secondary school in September 2000. A number of tours to see the school at work will take place around that time, so please tell people that Therfield is a happy school and recommend them - and their children - to come along and see us in action. Therfield was also featured in the Financial Times Top 1,000 Schools supplement which came out on October 8th. |
CHANGE OF TIMES So that staff can prepare displays and generally get ready for the evening of Wednesday, November 10th, school will close at 1.10pm that day and reopen at 9.40am on the 11th. A number of pupils will be helping in the evening, acting as escorts, guides and assisting with demonstrations. WHEN YOU BRING THEM INTO SCHOOL AND PICK THEM UP LATER I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD USE KINGSTON ROAD OR THE CLEEVE ROAD ENTRANCE AS YOUR DROP OFF/PICK UP POINT AND AVOID USING DILSTON ROAD. Please note also that school will close at 3.15pm on Wednesday, 3rd November so as to accommodate the Year 11 Parents' Evening. |
CONGRATULATIONS Mr Tilley, who taught in our Maths department for many years and is now our very efficient Examinations Officer, is to receive an award for 25 years service with Surrey County Council. Mr Cox, who left last term and made an immense contribution to the life of the school in his 22 years here, is also to be honoured by County, having been selected to receive the Surrey Award for Achievement. Mrs Sharkey, who is my secretary and a devoted worker in so many areas of the school, has also been chosen to receive this prestigious Award. |
THANK YOU Contributions to School Fund so far this year have amounted to about £7,500 and I am enormously grateful to all parents who have contributed. The Fund is invaluable in making possible those extras which cannot be met out of capitation and greatly adds to the quality of life at Therfield. As usual, I will make a sum of about £300 available for the School Council to decide on how it should be spent. Representatives are currently canvassing tutor groups for suggestions and, later this term, will be voting on the ideas put forward. In previous years, the money has been spent on: picnic benches more seating around the school tennis racquets music stands sports kit and donations to various departments for improved equipment. |
THE HIGH ASHURST EXPERIENCE Asking around the school afterwards, it seems that Year 7 pupils who went to High Ashurst enjoyed the experience - when asked, most nodded sagely and pronounced, - "it was good". As well as promoting teamwork and friendships it helps with Maths as well - one boy worked out how many pieces of toast Mr Thomas would have consumed by the end of the week! |
WORK EXPERIENCE Year 11 students are out on work experience this week. Placements are as diverse as usual with one pupil working at The Oval, one at Gatwick Airport, one at Shoreham Airport and one on a fish farm but the debriefing we are all keen to hear about is from the pupil who is spending a week working at the Cabinet Office. This year many more requests were made for computer-related work, while veterinary surgeries, schools, shops, travel agencies and beauty parlours retain their popularity as work-places. Some students have taken the opportunity to 'taste' further education courses at a local college, choosing farming and photography. |
MUSIC NEWS A wonderful experience for members of the Main Choir takes place on 9th November when they will be part of Surrey Schools massed choir taking part in a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Accompanied by the County Youth Orchestra they will be singing extracts from 'Carmina Burana' by Carl Orff. A splendid introduction to the sounds of samba music was provided by Sam Alexander and his band in an afternoon concert earlier this term and now Therfield's Samba Band gets under way. This will be open to pupils in Years 7 and 8 and auditions to find the 30 players to make up the permanent band will be held next month. Sam Alexander, who is one of the leading exponents of the Samba style, will coach the band. A letter has gone home giving full details and Mr Pratt or Miss Jarvis will be happy to answer any questions. Higher Education having claimed one or two of the original members this term, the Therfield Stompers plan a 'Reunion Concert' on Friday, 17th December at Ashtead Baptist Church. Tickets will be £3.50 each (£1.50 for children) and Tim Boniface (01372 273 770) is the man to contact. Proceeds from the concert will go towards funding bass player Ben Newton to take part in the Venezuela 2000 expedition, an environmental-charitable venture being organised from the school. Jazz enthusiasts should join the queue! |
NATIONAL POETRY DAY There was an encouraging response to the English Department's lunchtime session for recitation and poetry reading on October 7th. A good mix of staff and pupils - all years and both boys and girls - gathered in the Drama Hall, some to listen, others to recite or read aloud their favourite poetry. Poems chosen also reflected a wide range of interests and although this was an informal session, the poems were listened to with rapt attention. |
PARENTS' PRAYER GROUP The next meeting will be held at the school at 8pm on Monday 15th November. All parents are welcome to attend or put forward a topic for prayer; more information from Mrs Jill Poole on 01932 865476. |
POLITICS AT FIRST HAND 25 A-level Politics students spent a fascinating day at the Houses of Parliament. They spent an hour listening to and questioning Lembitt Opic, the Lib-Dem spokesman on Northern Ireland and Youth Affairs. Topics discussed included the legalisation of cannabis and, inevitably, the Euro. The group had a tour of both Chambers of the House, including watching the Law Lords in session deliberating over the Neil Hamilton versus Mohammed Al Fayed question. |
TATE GALLERY VISIT Year 10 pupils gained considerably knowledge for their project 'British Art and Major Moderns' when 50 of them visited the Tate Galley earlier this term. A 'dust storm' caused by sand-blasting work and strict security to keep the pictures safe from dust and predators afforded the pupils some amusement as well as some annoyance but they enjoyed a lively lecture which guided them through the works of Turner, Picasso and Jackson Pollock. Sketch books were quickly filled and the gift shop did a great trade in post cards as pupils enthusiastically embarked on research for their projects. |
DOCKLANDS TOUR Year 11 Geography students had a day testing out their knowle dge of inner city redevelopment schemes and the factors affecting land use change in cities during a field visit to London Docklands. As well as a boat trip along the Thames when the growth of London was discussed, pupils also travelled on the Docklands Light Railway and visited the Millennium Dome Visitor Centre plus the Canary Wharf complex. |
ROAD SAFETY As part of their Child Development Course pupils learned how to teach road safety to young children when Mrs Jane Siegle, Mole Valley's Road Safety Officer, visited them last week. Pupils also designed a road safety poster calculated to appeal to primary school children. The winners will be lucky enough to work shadow Mrs Siegle when she visits local primary schools next month. |
SOME REQUESTS The Science Department urgently need a table-height fridge. So if you are replacing your refrigerator, Miss Wood in the Science Department would be pleased to hear from you. Also, Mrs Burnham in the Resource Centre is collecting the tokens 'Free Software for Schools' being published in The Times, Sunday Times and TES and would be grateful for any spare tokens. Mrs Shannon in Home and Textiles Technology reports that a great number of un-named food technology aprons (mainly yellow Year 7s) are being left in the department. There is a label inside on which a name can be written - the naming of all property is vital if we are to return it to pupils. Also, please make sure your son/daughter has enough money for emergencies, especially 10p for the phone. |
CROSS COUNTRY In the sub-mile relays held at Trinity School, Croydon on Saturday our junior boys team came first and the intermediate boys were second in their respective groups. The girls found no other teams had turned up to provide competition, so they ran against the boys and were delighted to finish ahead of quite a few schools. At the TSB Cup the intermediate boys won their group and the girls came second so both teams now go on to compete in the regional challenge round next month. |
TOUGH GUYS 3 staff and 31 Sixth Formers are busy training for this national competition which really lives up to its name. It takes place in Wolverhampton on January 30th and survivors from previous years vouch for the fact that if the cold doesn't get you, the mud almost certainly will! Those taking part will be raising money for charity and are interested to know if any firm would be prepared to offer sponsorship in the way of T-shirts or sweatshirts. |
CRAFT FAIR Sunday, November 7th sees one of our most successful ventures take place when, once again there is plenty of opportunity for you to buy some unusual and original Christmas gifts. As well as popular exhibitors from previous fairs a number of new craftspeople will be setting up their stalls and demonstrating how they make their wares. The Fair opens at 10am and runs till 4.30pm. Help is urgently needed in preparing and serving refreshments throughout the day. If you can spare an hour or two, please telephone Barbara Sharkey (01372 814432) who would be delighted to hear from you. |
FRIENDS OF THERFIELD MILLENNIUM BALL This is a sell out. Everyone who has applied for tickets by the closing date will receive them in good time to attend! |
YOUR LETTERS Letters which should have come home via Pupil Post:
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DATES & TIMES TO
REMEMBER |
| 20th October | Lower School Prizegiving 7pm |
| 21st-22nd October | Year 9 History visit to WWI Battlefields |
| 25th-29th October | HALF TERM WEEK |
| 1st November | Return to School WEEK 1 |
| 3rd November | Year 11 Parents Evening |
| 7th November | Friends Craft Fair 10am - 4.30pm |
| 10th November | Prospective Parents' Evening 6.30pm |
| 13th November | Friends' Fun Quiz Evening 7.30pm |
| 24th November | Staff Training Day - pupils not in school |
| 1st December | Year 8 Parents' Evening Year 11 Mock Exams & Study Leave begins |