Therfield's
Vision Can I thank all
of you who contributed to the consultation process? Our
vision for the school is The Best for All. This
vision will be supported by the following aims:
Our Aims for Learning are:
1. ensure that our school is a safe and friendly
community, based on mutual courtesy and respect.
2. provide a supportive yet challenging environment in
which learning can flourish.
3. provide each member of the school community with the
best possible learning opportunities.
Our Aims for Achievement are:
4. create a shared understanding of the high expectations
that we have of ourselves and others: provide challenge
and support for the fulfilment of these expectations.
5. measure and celebrate individual progress and
achievement in its many forms.
Our Aims for the School Community are:
6. to recognise the dignity of the individual.
7. seek the active involvement of all connected with the
school in shaping its future development.
8. demonstrate our shared values in the way that we work
with and behave towards each other.
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Governors'
News
Professor Mark
Cross is the new Chairman of Governors, in
succession to Mr John Hickey. Mr
David Crutchley will be the senior vice
chairman and Mrs Paula Scriven, vice
chairman.
We welcome Mr Tim Reeder (below) as our
new LEA appointed governor and thank Mrs June
Robinson, the retiring governor, for her work
and interest in the school.
Mr Reeder, who lives at Fetcham, served in the Royal
Navy for eleven years before taking up a number of
international posts in the business world, notably in
management development and consultancy.
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Good
Practice Congratulations
to the English Faculty on receiving an award from the LEA
for demonstrating Leading English Practice at
Key Stage 3.
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Early
Closures 6th March is
Year 9 Parents' Evening school will close at 3.15pm.
On Friday, 22nd March, school will close at 1.00pm at the
start of the Easter holidays.
Summer term starts on Monday, 8th April.
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Boosting
Grades The Modern
Foreign Languages department has been very pleased with
the support for the grade booster sessions being held
prior to the GCSE oral examinations. Year 11 students can
voluntarily attend sessions at lunchtime and after school
in order to practise French and German conversation and
attendance at all sessions has been very good. Miss
Buckell would like to thank those Year 12
language students who have given up time after school to
help, with a special mention for Rachel Stamper who has
been particularly committed.
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Module
Dates Wednesday, 6th
March is the date for the next Science modules to be sat
by Years 10 and 11. All students follow the AQA
Specification A (Modular) Double Award Syllabus and the
module tests are an important part of the external
assessment, contributing 30% of the final mark.
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Music
News and Dates GCSE
Music students will be holding an Ensemble
Performance Evening on Thursday, 7th March in
the New Dining Hall. Parents and friends are invited to
attend to see and hear some of the work produced for the
examination courses. Details re times etc from the Music
Department.
This year's Spring Concert will be
combined with the Choral Evening and
will take place on Wednesday, 20th March.
All of the school's ensembles will be performing, so the
programme will feature the Main Orchestra, Symphonic Band,
Main Choir, Lower School Singers, Swing Band, plus the
Year Seven Band making its concert debut.
As usual selected soloists will also be featured. As one
of the main musical events of the year it attracts and
richly deserves good support - so please put 20th March in
your diaries now - letters re tickets and times will be
sent out nearer the date.
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Looking
Ahead Year 9 parents
should have received a letter concerning National
Curriculum Tests. In May this year all 14
year-olds in English state schools will be sitting tests
in Mathematics, Science and English. The tests will be
held on 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 13th May and it is most
important for all those involved to attend.
The tests were set up so that parents could find out how
their children were progressing and you will be informed
of the level reached. Details of the exact timings will be
sent out nearer the date but if your son/daughter is in
Year 9 and you didn't receive a letter, please contact the
school.
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Sponsored
Spell This year
£1,642.43 was raised by Year 7 - an amazing all-time
record. Winners of the shield are 7LBX who
contributed £374.43. The English Faculty is very grateful
for this magnificent effort and thanks all parents and
friends who supported the event, not forgetting the
students who worked so hard to perfect their spelling!
Books will be bought for the Resource Centre and for the
English Faculty. Year 7 students are at present
contributing to a list of recommended books and these will
be identified by Sponsored Spell Stickers.
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Prayer
Group The next meeting
will be on Monday, 4th March at 8 pm in the school. All
parents are welcome or you can request a prayer to be
said. Mrs Jill Poole (01932 865476)
would be happy to give more information.
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Wanted!
Do you have an old video
camera you no longer use? The English Faculty's camcorder
has just officially 'died' and they need a replacement.
Although they would prefer one that uses standard VHS
tapes they are not choosy! So, if Santa brought you a
lovely new, tiny, up-to-the-minute camcorder for
Christmas, perhaps you would consider donating your old
one to the school. Contact Ms English if
you can help.
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Looking
at History A two day
visit to the World War I Battlefields is being offered to
all present Year 8 students. The visit takes place on 17th
and 18th October when they will be in Year 9 and
complements the work on the Great War which begins in the
Summer term. Accommodation is limited and in previous
years there has been a clamour for places with many
students having to be disappointed. However, one or two
places are still available - perhaps parents did not get
the letter sent home by student post? Anyone interested
should contact Miss Allen.
The two day visit is packed with activities, including
attending the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate,
walking some of the trenches, hearing individual stories
and visiting the many museums and memorials. Coming as it
does shortly before Poppy Days and Remembrance Services in
this country, the visit has a particular poignancy and
significance as well as being a valuable aid to history
lessons. Just in case the itinerary looks rather
formidable, previous visits have been voted as 'truly
excellent' by students and staff.
useful link: Leatherhead
War Memorials
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Still
Collecting Thank you for
the Tesco Computers for Schools tokens you are
sending in to school; we always put them to good use. The
Learning Support Department also welcome the tokens from
newspapers and crisp packets which help to supply the
department with a number of new books and these offer a
considerable incentive to reluctant readers.
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Partnership
with Parents A reminder
that a seminar giving information about Special
Educational Needs is being held at Guildford College from
9.30-1.00pm on Saturday, 9th March. More information 01737
646227.
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Help
with Dyslexia An all-day
conference organised by SE Surrey Dyslexia Association on
16th March will be held at the Harlequin Theatre, Redhill
from 9.30am to 4.30pm. More details from 01737 763888 or
01737 556173.
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Gym
and Dance Show Once
again this lively and entertaining evening was a big
success. In the run-up to the performance, the organisers
Miss Jackson, Miss Jefford and
Miss Mulroy, had a worrying time as
several of the gymnasts and dancers fell prey to one or
more of the prevalent ailments! However, on the night all
proved themselves to be true troupers and performed with
zest, expertise and vivacity.
The many hours of practice put in to improve skills was
evident and much appreciated by the audience. The group
pieces in gymnastics were particularly dynamic and
included a vaulting exercise and tumble routine which were
especially eye catching. The dance section featured
dancers from all age ranges. The Year 7 dancers really
enjoyed their first public performance and some of the
more experienced dancers coped brilliantly with more
complicated choreography.
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Revision
and Study Skills A very
encouraging 70% of Year 11 volunteered to come into school
on an INSET Day for the Revision and Study Skills Seminar.
The day was designed to help students prepare and revise
for their GCSE exams. It proved to be a great success with
nearly all students ticking the 'excellent' or 'very good'
boxes on their seminar evaluation sheets.
These are the thoughts of one student, Susan
Wilcox, who attended - 'in groups of about 30,
we settled into classrooms and were introduced to the
'leaders'. They were very friendly towards us and our
learning was aided by various games and discussions. One
of these was a memory competition in which we had to
remember twenty 'tangible' words by creating our own
stories - of course, those with more vivid imaginations
flourished in this area. Also, good input into the tasks
on our part was rewarded with sweets, much to everyone's
delight!
'The manuals which were issued contained all the
information we needed. With the leaders we were able to
answer the questions and draw appropriate diagrams. The
sections that were covered involved memory, understanding,
summarising, preferred learning styles, association
mapping, revision and time management. I personally feel
that whilst revising I can now refer back to the
techniques and things we did on the day. It was very
worthwhile and the relaxed, friendly atmosphere helped'
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Help
Wanted Can anyone spare
a few hours on a voluntary basis to input and analyse data
relating to the Trust Fund? It would be
helpful if you had your own computer and able to work at
home; you would be dealing with confidential information
and would be part of the Trust Fund Committee. If you
think you can help, please contact Mrs Barbara
Howarth, Finance Officer, at school.
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Happy
Skiing Both ski trips -
the seniors to Austria and the Lower School to Italy -
arrived back safely and were happy to report plenty of
snow and good skiing conditions.
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Theatre
Visit As part of their
GCSE Theatre Studies course, 79 students visited Wimbledon
Theatre to see a production of Lord of the Flies.
It proved to be a memorable experience, as students found
themselves able to identify with the dilemmas faced by the
young castaways. This experience of live theatre proved to
be a highlight of the course so far for many students.
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A
Top Tie Hayley
Cooper in Year 8 is this year's winner of the
school's Tie Design Competition organised by the
Guild of Tie Makers. Hayley's design was an abstract
inspired by the TV programme Art Attack.
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Seeking
Sponsors On Sunday, 17th
March, Mr Langford (Music) and Mr
Sadikali (Science), along with 1998 others,
will be abseiling off the high point of Twickenham Rugby
Stadium in an attempt to break the world abseiling record
and also raise money for Cancer Research UK. Both are
seeking sponsorship, so if you would like to encourage
them and raise money for a good cause, please contact them
at school.
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Congratulations
Steven Douglas
and Antoine Thompson, both in Year 10,
were selected for Surrey Schools U15s football squad to
play Sussex Schools over half term. Unfortunately, on this
occasion both boys had to withdraw as they were away on
ski trips.
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Issue 96 27th February 2002