Governors
and Friends The Annual
Meeting for parents with governors, which followed on the
Friends' Annual Meeting, drew its best attendance for some
time.
Reports were given on the work of the various committees
and Mr Hickey, Chairman of Governors,
summarised the year, outlining achievements, including
Beacon Status and the excellent examination results. He
welcomed the new headteacher, Mr Graham Tuck,
and responded to questions, most of which centred around
School Finance.
Mr David Crutchley answered questions on
the Trust Fund, detailing how the money was spent and
stressed the Fund's crucial importance to the school.
Mr Tuck said how he valued the
partnership between the Friends and the school. He took
the opportunity to outline his aims and values for
Therfield and said any review and reshaping would underpin
planning and policy and interlink teachers, students and
parents.
He is seeking to maintain a safe and happy environment for
learning, mutual respect within the school, celebration of
achievement and to seek involvement of all within the
school.
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Reminder
Year 8 Parents' Evening
takes place on Wednesday, 14th November and school will
close at 3.15pm that day. Friday 16th November and
Wednesday 28th November are INSET days; students are not
in school.
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Prizegiving
Students, parents, staff
and guests had an enjoyable time at the Lower School
prizegiving when we were pleased to reward over 170
youngsters for their contribution to the school over the
past year. Mr Reddin was a popular guest
of honour who was able to have a personal word vvith many
of the prizewinners. Awards were given for receiving most
Merits, for achievement, effort, improvement, attendance,
sport, music, sailing and service to the school.
Mr Tuck said the evening was about
recognising and celebrating achievement and to say those
magic words -'Well done!'. He felt that Therfield was good
at promoting, recognising and celebrating achievement. "As
a school we are second to none in providing our students
vvith a variety of opportunities to flourish".
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League
Tables The Financial
Times published its table of 'a guide to the UK's
leading schools' on October 6th and Therfield featured
strongly, coming 464 in the top 1000 featuring State as
well as Independent schools. Our position would have been
even better but the FT ignores General Studies
scores. Apologies for Therfield not appearing in the Sunday
Times column - we were not asked to submit returns
but will certainly do so next year!
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Work
Experience In the week
before half term, 235 Year 11 students took part in the
Work Experience programme. A truly amazing variety of jobs
were filled, ranging from engineering, clerical,
photography. museum work, teaching, animal care and bakery
assistant.
Rosemary Manby looked as though she had
an interesting week mapped out for her at the Liverpool
Daily Post and Echo, while the prize for the
most-travelled must go to James Lloyd
for his time at a tennis centre in the USA!
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WWI
Battlefields In an
action packed visit just before half term, sixty Year 9
students and six staff boosted their historical knowledge
by touring a section of the battlefields of the First
World War. This was a particularly poignant time for such
a visit and Miss Allen, Head of History,
was delighted with the behaviour of Therfield students -
'they were immaculately behaved throughout', she said.
They saw many of the important strategic positions on the
Ypres Salient and paid their respects to the thousands of
casualties at the the huge Tyne Cot and Langemarck
cemeteries. The group also attended the moving Last
Post ceremony under the impressive Menin Gate,
which remembers all those soldiers who have no known
grave. Unusually for a visit at this time of year they
were able to enjoy unseasonably clement weather.
On a lighter note, the Therfield students put on a
fantastic and much appreciated talent show at the hostel
and bought - and consumed - more chocolate than any other
group! 'All-in-all a very memorable and successful tour'.
useful link: Leatherhead
War Memorials
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Prayer
Group The next meeting
will be held on Monday, 26th November at 8 pm at the
school. All parents are welcome to attend or you can
request for a prayer to be said. Contact 01932 865476 for
more information.
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Congratulations
Sixth Former Christopher
Langridge continues to excel at Badminton. With
his partner from Yorkshire he is now ranked Number One in
Europe for Doubles.
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Harry
Potter Year 7 pupils are
now rehearsing for an evening showing Harry's adventures
based on J K Rowling's best seller The Philosopher's
Stone. This is the first in the series and details
Harry's life with the horrid Dursley family, his
encounters vwith his magical peers at Hogwarts Academy and
his combat against evil in the shape of Lord Voldermort.
Performance dates are 15th and 17th January.
Two students, Alexander Williams, Year
7, and Oliver Marriage, Year 8, have
secured parts in the next Harry Potter film and
can expect to visit some exciting locations during filming
over the next few months.
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Pictures
for Schools We were
delighted to receive four beautifully framed prints from
Sainsbury's as part of their sponsorship scheme promoting
Art in Schools. Five students, Stacey
Kendry, Charlotte Curtis, Michael
Greenoff, William Watton and
Bradley Hanson, all taking GCSE Art, were
in the group to receive the paintings at a ceremony at the
Leatherhead store.
Mrs Newstead, Head of Art, who
accompanied Mr Tuck to the
presentation, said the paintings would both enhance the
general environment and form a valuable teaching aid. This
is the second donation of paintings Therfield has received
from Sainsbury's. This collection features Children
reading comics by modern day artist Peter Blake, Snow
Storm depicting a steam boat off a harbour's mouth
by J M W Turner. The Orrery by Joseph Wright and
The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger.
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Art
Study Five of our A
level Art students - Vicky Walton, Fern
Tasker, Michael Greenwood, Rachel
Score and Kimberley Medley,
were invited to take part in a Study Workshop on 'The
Nude'. The students visited the Wallace Collection in
Manchester Square where they toured the galleries, studied
statuary of the figure and made figure studies of a nude
model.
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High
Ashurst Once again new
Year 7 students pitted their wits and strengths against a
series of challenges thrown up on this two day visit and
most voted it a big success. Mr Thomas,
staff at High Ashurst and Sixth Form helpers all deserve
much thanks for organising, running and taking part in
this demanding, yet rewarding, event.
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Poetry
Time National Poetry
Day was celebrated with a recital of favourite
poems chosen by staff and students. The theme this year
was 'Journeys' and the poets chosen ranged from Dylan
Thomas and Robert Louis Stevenson to Spike Milligan and
Roger McGough.
Mr Tuck read his own moving poem about
'Yugoslavia' and guest Lorna Dowell,
Mole Valley's Poet Laureate, entertained with
her poem which compared a visit to the dentist to a
journey into space, the bill finally being 'astronomical'!
Some of the newly formed Year 8 Poet Laureate group also
performed their own and others' poems. The Day was linked
to a week of poetry activities and was so successful that
another Recital is planned for next term.
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Skill
with Words Dictionary
Fortnight saw Year 7 students having dictionary
races in each lesson across the curriculum and taking part
in a Call My Bluff quiz the winners being
7LBX. It is hoped that this fortnight becomes an integral
part of the school calendar and goes on to encourage sound
dictionary skills for all students.
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A
Wider View Year 12
students had their General Studies knowledge boosted by a
mass exodus on 10th October. One group visited Tate
Modern, another went to the Science Museum, while a third
toured Brighton. Field studies have also kept students
fully occupied - a wet and windy Brighton was again the
venue for the Geography department while Biologists spent
time at Nower Wood.
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Docklands
Visit Urban renewal and
redevelopment schemes were the subject for study for one
hundred Year 11 Geography students when they visited
London. The morning involved mapping the land use of
London whilst travelling down the Thames from Embankment
to Greenwich. The afternoon saw the students in the
Docklands investigating service and job provision for
different members of the community.
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School
Catering Assistants If
you are interested in term time only work, please contact
the Catering Manager on 01372 375089.
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Studying
Leisure As part of their
GNVQ course, a group of year 10 students visited Chessington
World of Adventures. Lectures on 'Marketing' and
'Leisure and Tourism' added plenty of background knowledge
to their studies and the more practical aspects were
followed up by sampling some of the rides. The value of
competition was shown on the dodgems when Mr
Pordage set himself up as champion driver! A
good day which demonstrated that learning can also be fun!
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Well
done Year 8 students, Laura
Cooper and Daniel Howell,
were among the runners-up in the Jamie Oliver competition
run by the Blue Peter programme.
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Thank
You PC Morfee, Child
Protection Officer, gave a much appreciated talk to Health
and Social Care students. Local playgroups, such as Flying
Start, All Saints and Fortyfoot give invaluable support by
providing work placements and the enthusiastic 'Party
Project' Year 8 students are grateful to Sainsbury's and
Wonderland for help, advice and party ware.
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Gymnastics
Taking part in their
first Surrey Schools gym competition, the U15 and U13
Tumbling Squads both came seventh out of ten schools at
Sutton recently. The girls were very nervous as they
performed before a panel of judges but intend to put the
experience to good use in future competitions.
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Sailing
A good start was made to
the year at Surrey Schools' Littleton Regatta
when Sarah Waldman and Adam
Baxter both secured first places.
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Rugby
We sent four teams to
compete in the Cobham Tens Tournament. The Year 8s came
back with the trophy for their year and were the only team
in all age groups to be undefeated. The girls, who had
begged to be allowed to take part, won silver medals and
the Year 9 and Year 10 teams both finished third.
As part of the programme to develop Rugby within the
school a club link with Cobham RFC has been set up. Tony
Robinson, director of coaching, will run
special sessions at Cobham after school on Fridays for the
boys and a coach will come into school for the girls.
Sessions start on Friday 2nd November.
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Cartridges
Wanted The ICT
department are very keen to receive any empty inkjet
cartridges from printers. These can be sent away for
recycling and provide useful income for the school.
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Craft
Fair Wet , windy
or fine, the place to be on Sunday (4th) is Therfield's
Craft Fair.
This will occupy three halls, provide inspiration,
choice and quality for your Christmas gifts and make a
happy social occasion for all the family. Refreshments
available.
The doors open at 10am and close at 4.30pm - entry fee
is £1 (50p for seniors and children). Under 5s free.
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Issue 92 1st November 2001