HIGH SCHOOL The pursuit of excellence for every student, every day

Spring 2019 Issue Autumn 2018 Issue

INSIDE: - X-TRA VISITS - SPORTS ROUNDUP - COMPETITION SUCCESS - PLUS MUCH MORE

HIGH NOTES SPRING HIGHLIGHTS A summary of our weekly newsletter 'High Notes' for the months of January to April X-tra Competitions...... 16 & 17 IN THIS ISSUE Sports Excellence awards Love Music Trust East music competition Our Whole Curriculum...... 4 Siemens rollercoaster challenge Maths feast UKMT maths challenge Leadership & Service...... 5 Young Enterprise Sponsored silence Green Society Aspirations...... 18 & 19 Peer mentor awards Post-16 Fair HIGH NOTES McCann visit School Council SPRING HIGHLIGHTS Rewards breakfast Old Trafford apprentice Aspire High update Enquiry & Communication...... 6 & 7 Aspire High: NHS A warm welcome to our second issue of 'High Notes Highlights'. I hope that you enjoy this spring Youth speaks Oxford University talks 'snapshot' selection from the news and sports articles featured in weekly High Notes issues this Local library visits World Book Day Expedition...... 20 & 21 term. Portico awards NCS offer Who’s reading competition Bronze D of E The contents included in this issue are all examples (we couldn't include everything!) of activity Portico massey awards Forest school linked to our Whole Curriculum. These highlights demonstrate how much we value a genuinely Magistrate Mock Trials rounded, whole and holistic education for all of our students, an education that will equip them Wellbeing...... 22 Community...... 8 & 9 Wider Curriculum lessons well for the future and one which will help them flourish as they move on to further learning, work MUN Breakfast activity clubs Valentines Fair and life. Lunch clubs East Cheshire Hospice donation Connected assembly Charity cake sale A large number of our students are already making the most of the additional opportunities Comic Relief Swimathon Respect...... 23 available before, during and after the school day. We encourage all of our students to adopt a Holocaust assembly Norcliffe Fair 'do more, be more' approach to the way in which they engage with our Whole Curriculum. This LGBT+ assembly Womens’ Day 'highlights' issue is evidence of just how many wonderful opportunities are available, and how X-tra Visits...... 10 &11 Greatest Icon many of our young people of character are making the most of these opportunities. Philosophy trip Down Syndrome Awareness Day Spanish Exchange Autism awareness Mr M Vincent - Assistant Headteacher Skiing in Austria Washington & New York Religious controversies visit Parent Partners...... 24 BTEC Salford sports visit

X-tra Sports...... 12 - 15 Sports review from the Spring term Leadership and Service Our Whole Curriculum 'Take on responsibility and empower others'

'Students participating fully and performing highly in all three parts of our curriculum' 7HCC Sponsored Silence Peer Mentor Awards oved by the stories they had seen in We celebrated the success of the peer ogether, both staff and students have their geography lessons about children mentoring programme for the 6th form established a set of important core M T living in poverty, Year 7 students decided to set student mentors with a rewards breakfast. values that are central to everything we do at up a sponsored The programme has been a great success Wilmslow High School, specifically defined silence to raise allowing students across the school to be by the word PRIDE. The definitions for the 5 money for supported on core values that are central to everything are Comic Relief, both a pastoral presented below: raising £113. and academic level.

Crisp Packet Recycling big thank you to those staff and students who are regularly recycling their crisp packets Aat school. The WHS Green Society recently signed up to Walkers’ scheme and have been collecting used crisp packets during the lunch break in the hall and High Options.

Rewards Breakfast Green Society tudent Services and the Leadership he Green Society have really STeam held a Tenjoyed a recent project rewards breakfast decorating jars for candle holders The acronym PRIDE stands for for students in Year to present as gifts for someone 11 who are making special on Mother’s Day. Using very good progress donated ribbons, lace, coffee jars Professionalism High standards in all that we do in all their academic and nail varnish they produced subjects. beautiful marbled designs with Respect Showing consideration for yourself and others creative finishing touches. School Council Integrity Just doing the right thing his year the School Council has focused on some Determination Not giving up and aiming for your personal best Timportant issues facing the school and making sure that the student voice is heard. Areas covered have included the school environment, use of Firefly and students’ behaviour Empathy Thinking about and helping others (sanctions and rewards). We still have plenty of ideas of what we would like to work on, including more focus on Eco Schools and looking at facilities around the school. 4 5 Enquiry & Communication Performing'Speaking, listening Arts and X-tra reading 'Grease!' with confidence'

Portico Awards YOUTH We were overwhelmed by the number and quality of entries submitted for The Portico Sadie Massey Awards. SPEAKS Students were invited to write a book review or a short story; successful entries have now been sent off to The Portico The Intermediate and Library in for judging. Senior 'Youth Speaks' teams have had a succesful term progressing through Preliminary and District Final rounds (Frodsham). They are now preparing for the National Finals in May. We wish them well!

World Book Day At Wilmslow High School, we believe reading is of central importance to the pursuit of both knowledge and wellbeing. In the run up to World Book Day, students listened to Miss Baldwin's and Miss Howell’s assembly, sharing books that have changed their lives. Who's Reading Competition Books have the power to build understanding in so many ways!

Staff and students got involved in our competition to guess the staff members hidden behind their book. Mr Ingham in Washington DC was one of the teachers who our winners (pictured far right) guessed correctly. LIBRARY VISITS Throughout December and January our Year 7 English classes have enjoyed visits to Wilmslow Public Library. Whilst there, students learned how to select fiction to Magistrates Mock Trial suit both their interests and their ability.

On the 16th March, 16 eager and terrified Year 8 and 9 students went to the beautiful Birmingham Magistrates’ Court for the Magistrates’ Mock Trial, where schools from all over the country fight legal battles.

6 7 Community 'Caring and contributing citizens'

Charity Music Concert Comic Relief n March, Year 10 student Jessie organised a music concert in support taff and students donated £1 and swapped their normal work clothes and school uniforms Iof The Alzheimer’s Society. The event was a great success raising £1103 Sfor their own clothes in support of the 2019 Comic Relief Appeal. Our thanks go to for the charity. students, staff, parents, carers and Wilmslow Sainsbury's for contributing to our Comic Relief fundraising efforts. The total raised was just short of £3,000. Swimathon 46 Wilmslow High School students took part in the Rotary Club Swimathon. It was an exciting afternoon and the 5 teams completed a total of 756 lengths in one hour. Bollin raised £566.85 for Cancer Research Charity Cake Sale Thorngrove raised £209.00 for MIND Norcliffe raised £464.00 for Cancer Research Five of our Year 8 students, Will, Zain, Raza, Joshua and Max organised Harefield raised £323.50 Alder Hay, The Steve Burne a charity sale in support of the Association of Pakistani Physicians and Charity and Click Sargent. Surgeons of the United Kingdom. A total of £1563.35!!!!! Well done to all the students involved (pictured below).

Valentines Fair n Friday 15th February the Bollin Valentine’s Fair took Oplace. All the students involved in baking, buying and selling the amazing selection of valentines treats were really impressive. They worked so hard to raise as much money as possible with the current total being £774.11.

Model United Nations group of Wilmslow High School’s top debaters took part in an intense weekend of Adebate at Manchester High School for Girls Model United Nations. The students had to research and take on the views of their randomly assigned countries Norcliffe Charity Fair (Malaysia, Nigeria and South Sudan) and debate from the perspective of these utor goups across Norcliffe House ran stalls selling countries. Ta variety of food and drink items at both break and lunchtime for the Norcliffe Fair. It was a fantastic success East Cheshire Hospice Donation and the character displayed by students going out of their e were delighted to welcome Camilla from East Cheshire way to support Cancer Research UK made us extremely WHospice to a Bollin assembly, and even more pleased to proud. The total amount present a cheque to the amount of £2373.03 to help with the valuable raised was £653.94. work they do. 8 9 10 Educational Visits X-tra 'Broadening horizons'

February half-term break was a busy time for educational visits including three overseas excursions Drama Visit Washington & New York he GCSE and A-Level drama classes Twent to watch a production of ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’ by Jim Cartwright at The Alberts Hall, Bolton.

Religious Controversies Twenty one students and three staff A group of Year 10 and 11 students travelled to visited the United States as part of their Cathedral to participate in the annual Christian Sociology & Politics A-Level courses Controversies Conference.

Salford University Year 12 BTEC Sport students made the short trip to Salford University to further their understanding of the Anatomy and Physiology unit and gain further insight into University life.

Spanish Exchange Ski Trip to Austria Year 11 and A-Level students travelled to the town of Coin in the region of Malaga where they experienced Spanish life for 6 days.

Philosophy Trip On Friday 1st February, the social studies team took a group of A-level Philosophy students to Bretton Hostel for their annual weekend of philosophical discussion and debate in a tranquil rural setting.

Forty six students and six members of staff travelled to Hochfugen in Austria 104 11 Sports X-tra 'Sports roundup'

BOYS FOOTBALL After a slow start to the season, the U15s picked BOYS HOCKEY CRICKET up some momentum and managed to win some Both the U12 A and B teams gave a good account The U15s competed in, and won the Cheshire Indoor silverware in the shape of the Macclesfield and The U18 boys made it to the quarter final of the of themselves in their first season. The highlight County Cricket competition! They won the final in Discrict Cup, by beating Poynton 2-1 in the final. Hockey National Plate competition. They of the season was winning the Macclesfield and a tense bowl off after equalling Weaverham's score Another highlight of the season was winning 4-3 recorded a good 5-1 win against Ampleforth College District Cup, beating Eaton Bank 3-0 in the final. of 48 runs. A huge well done to the team made up against a very strong Manchester Grammar School in the round of 32, before beating Bablake School This aside, the both teams managed to muster up of Tom Wilson, Tom Orr, Charlie Hodge, Will Espley, team. 3-0 in the last 16. Unfortunately the boys were beaten some good results against Fallibroome, Altrincham Harry Whitmore and Jack Rae. by a strong Altrincham Grammar side in the quarter Grammar, Bolton School, and Sandbach. final. A huge well done to the team, made up of boys from Years 10, 11, 12 and 13! RUGBY It was a relatively quiet term on the rugby front, due to the cancellation of numerous 7s tournaments as a result of the heavy rain in March.

The 1st XV managed to squeeze a friendly in against St Ninians from the Isle of Man, in which they won 60-0!

There was also an U13 rugby tour to the Isle of Man. Mr Rushton and his rugby coaching team took 30 year 8 The U16s had some good cup runs this season, boys to play against local schools and clubs on the island. The U13s also managed to win the Macclesfield but unfortunately failed to win any silverware. On day 1, we played three schools: King William College, Queen Elizabeth and Castle Rushen. We played and District Cup, beating Tytherington 3-1 in They lost to 2-1 to Thomas Telford, one of the best some great rugby in tough conditions, and ended up winning two out of three matches. the final. The A and B teams managed some footballing schools in the country, in round 6 of good wins against Bolton School, Sandbach and the ESFA Cup. They also reached the semi-final of Players of the day were Charles Hodgson and Will Aston. Manchester Grammar School. Also, the U13 B the Cheshire Cup and the final of the Macclesfield and C teams managed two excellent wins against and District Cup. On day 2, we played two local club sides, who were very strong. Both teams lost both games but gave a really School, which further highlighted good account of themselves and represented the school well. the strength in depth of footballers in Year 8. Players of the weekend- Morgan Bright and Hugo Turner Most improved players of the weekend- Will Thompson and Max Mattimore

Also on the rugby front, an individual accolade for Harry Oliver, who was selected for the England North U18 rugby squad and the England Counties U18 squad. Well done Harry!

(Teams: Top, left to right - U12, U13, U14. Bottom, left to right - U15, 2nd XV, 1st XV)

The highlight of the season for our U18 team was The U14s have arguably been the most winning the Cheshire Plate, beating The Grange successful team across all year groups this year, 10–1 in the final! They also had a good run in the making it to the Cheshire Cup final after beating ESFA, progressing to round 6 and narrowly losing Sandbach 4-2 in the semi final. They have also to a very strong Calday Grange Grammar School. recorded good wins against Bolton School and They also recorded good wins against Manchester Manchester Grammar School. Grammar School, Bolton School, Sandbach, Hazel Grove and Knutsford.

12 13 Sports X-tra 'Sports roundup'

GIRLS HOCKEY The U14 squad finished 3rd place out of 11 schools GIRLS FOOTBALL NETBALL in the county and finished 3rd place out of 9 The U12 team finished 3rd place out of 10 in their schools in the national tournament. The U12s Girls football team went to Rudheath U19s Won the Cheshire Schools County county tournament. They have had a number of impressive victories Senior Academy to play in the Cheshire round of Tournament! this year beating Alderley Edge Girls 3-0, the Indoor tournament and won! The girls went on This season the U12s have beaten some quality Newcastle Under Lyme 4-2 and Lymm High to represent Cheshire in the North West round. hockey schools and have scored an amazing 28 School 2-0. goals and only conceded 6 goals: U12s won the Macc and District tournament! The following girls have also been selected to U12s - 3rd in the School Games Final! Grammar 2-0 represent the county: Georgie Offer, Ellie Wood U16s Team got through to the Cheshire Cup Cheadle School 1-0 and Abi Donohue. Quarter Finals! King’s Macclesfield 3-1 Rossall School 4-0 (Year 7 girls: left, Year 8 girls: right)

U12s came 3rd in the Maccelsfield and District Tournament.

ATHLETICS Steffie Moss competed in the Cheshire Cross The U15 squad have only had a few games this Country and came 2nd in the senior girls race. U13s came 3rd out of 11 schools overall in the season as we are one of only a few schools with an She won the indoor U20 800m at the England national competition. U15s team. A number of the girls have supported Championships in Sheffield and was selected to The U13a/b team have scored 34 goals all season the U16s squad with fixtures and tournaments. run for England in the 800m in an international placing them the top goal scoring team this meeting in Cardiff. Steffie has been selected year. The following girls have been selected to by British Athletics to take part in the 2018-20 represent the county this year: Lucy Griffiths, Athletics Academy of sporting Excellence teaching CROSS COUNTRY Beth Lomas, Holly Ainsworth and Sophie Taylor. Programme due to her achievements in athletics and potential to become a senior international Cheshire athlete. Ben Hamilton-Ryan: 4th James Knockton: 7th The Year 7 girls indoor athletics team came 3rd in Niamh Boyd: 11th the county finals! A great effort from all the girls Finley Greenwood: 8th and only three points between 1st, 2nd and 3rd James Doorbar: 15th spot. TRAMPOLINING Our trampolining team achieved great individual U16s have had a fantastic season with some great wins against Arnold 2-0, King’s Macclesfield 3- 0, and team successes at this year's National Finals. Shrewsbury Hall School 4-1 and Rossall 5-0.

They qualified for the county finals and went onto finish in 3rd place out of 11 schools, beating King’s Macclesfield for a 2nd time and drawing with Queen’s School.

They were knocked out of the nationals by Repton during the quarter final stages, which has been their only loss of the season!

The following girls have represented the county this year: Phoebe Gardner, Jolie Lomas, Maisie Calder and Amy Worsley.

14 15 X-tra Competitions 'Challenging horizons'

Maths Feast LOVE MUSIC TRUST Music Competition n Tuesday 5th March four year Oten students attended the Maths Feast Competition run by the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme (AMSP).

The Love Music Trust is the school's local music 'hub'. This year Wilmslow High hosted the Young Enterprise first round of the inter schools' competition. Both our saxophone and clarinet groups took nterprise requires passion and it was part. Ethe passion that shone through on March 27th when Elision presented their “Journey” in the Churchill Hall of Chester UKMT Maths Challenge University’s Business School to win the Cheshire and ’s Company of the On Tuesday 19th March, Miss Year Sustainability Award. Broad took a team of 4 students to the UKMT Team Maths Challenge Regional Final at Poynton High Sports Excellence Awards Music Competition School. The 'Sports Excellence Awards' are an opportunity to recognise the effort and ur Clarinet Group performed a ten achievement of students in both curricular Ominute programme to a full audience and extra-curricular PE and Sport. The at the Lyceum Theatre in Crewe in the award winners this term are: final of the Love Music Trust Schools Girls Awards competition, led by our woodwind teacher, SIEMENS Rollercoaster Challenge KS3 Excellence in Sports Xtra - Mabel Facer Mrs Walton. KS3 Excellence in PE - Ellie Arkelos Five teams of KS3 students entered the competition and KS4 Excellence in Sports Xtra - Abi Hughes have all worked incredibly hard to complete their KNEX KS4 Excellence in PE - Linnea Boxer roller- coasters in time for the first round of judging in Boys Awards January. We are absolutely delighted to KS3 Excellence in Sports Xtra – Jack report that team ‘The Victoria Line’ won Marshall both the Student Choice Award and the KS3 Excellence in PE – Ptolemy Horner Overall Winner 2019 Award. KS4 Excellence in Sports Xtra – Sam Brown KS4 Excellence in PE – Nabeel Rafique 16 17 Aspirations 'Do more, be more, aim higher'

Post 16 Fair OLD TRAFFORD APPRENTICE A group of 21 Year 11 student visited the ‘Theatre of Dreams’. However, this was to think about their own dreams and aspirations. ASPIRE HIGH: This event was to inform Year 9 students about the options available to them once NHS they complete their GCSE courses and help them to decide which would be sensible To work in the NHS you must options choices for Years 10 and 11. be able to demonstrate the six C’s: care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment. The presentation delivered by Roberta Pomponio definitely demonstrated McCANN Visit good communication as well as Year 13 Enterprise students enjoyed OXFORD UNIVERSITY commitment, given that this was her a morning with one of our Business last day in NHS Cheshire Careers Hub, Partners - McCann Manchester, last before moving onto a new role. Friday, as an introduction to their final unit PRESENTATION Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship. Over 30 students in Years 9-11 and their parents attended a presentation from Kirsty Simpson from the University of Oxford. She talked about what it’s like to study at a Russell Group university and what students need to be doing in order to make a competitive application. Kirsty also presented to Year 7 and 8 students straight after school on the same day. Aspire High Update STUDENTS were treated to a highly engaging talk from Lesley Mitchell, Group Financial Controller for Royal London. 18 19 Expedition 'Embracing outdoor challenges'

FOREST SCHOOL his year’s Forest School has nearly ended, with only a few more sessions before the end NATIONAL CITIZENS SERVICE Tof the summer term 2019, but what a year it has been for both students and staff! Mrs Goodwin and Mrs Hulme went 'on the road’, giving presentations about our Forest School at Year 11 tutor groups attended a presentation the NAS conference in Birmingham whilst the students have been learning how to work as about the NCS scheme, where young people a team and working independently on different tasks. They have played games, built dens, can take part in a four week programme after completed craftwork and cooked lots of different items on the camp fire, including s’mores, their GCSE exams. It consists of two residential toast and popcorn. They are looking forward to using these skills when out and about during weeks (Monday-Friday) and a further two weeks their summer holidays. Follow us on twitter @whsforestschool of project work locally each day. A significant number of students have already signed up.

BRONZE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD

At the start of the Easter holiday, 122 students in years 10 and 11 took part in their silver DofE practice expedition. It was a challenging 3 days, with many new navigation skills to learn and develop, and some higher hills than at bronze level! Students were based in the beautiful High Peak and Edale area, and were very lucky to have 3 good days of weather, particularly on the Saturday, when there were a lots of people with a healthy glow to their faces!

20 21 Wellbeing 'Strengthen your heart, head, hands and health' Respect 'Develop and demonstrate knowledge, empathy and respect'

Wider Curriculum Lessons Holocaust Memorial Day tudents have taken part in five Wider Curriculum lessons tudents in Years 7-11 listened to a very powerful assembly on Sthis term. This learning is an integral part of our 'Whole' Sthe Holocaust. Holocaust Memorial Day took place on January Curriculum offer, which aims to equip students with a sound 27th, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945. It is an understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills opportunity for everyone to remember those killed in the Holocaust, necessary to make safe and informed decisions. The lessons and to reflect on other genocides around the world. are designed to reflect national guidance on such themes as The Greatest Icon Relationships and Sex education but are also tailored to the specific needs of our students in our community. We held our own school vote where we asked staff and students to vote for who they thought was most deserving of the title 'The Greatest Person of the 20 Century'. They could choose one winner Breakfast Activity Clubs from the seven finalists and the result came out in favour of Alan During the term, all of Year 7 enjoyed participating in breakfast Turing with 38% of the vote - with Dr Martin Luther King and activity clubs with Mr Elston and Miss Jamison. Muhammad Ali taking second and third places respectively. The clubs ran during morning form time, and aim to engage all students with physical activity and promote a lifelong love for being LGBT+ Assemblies active. These lessons will hopefully improve concentration and focus LGBT+ History Month was the focus of assemblies earlier in the in the classroom as well! term. This is a time dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating the lives and achievements of LGBT+ people. Presented by Miss McLaughlin, and members of the LGBT+ group within school, it Lunch Clubs followed the themes of remembrance and celebration. We have launched a new Lunchtime X-tra Programme. This comprises of around 30 health, Women's Day fitness, performing arts and other activities. We encourage all students to take part in at The LGBT+ Group in school celebrated International Women's Day least one X-tra activity, during or after school each week. by decorating cakes and making bunting.

Connected Assembly Autism Awareness Week In Mr Vincent's 'Connected' assembly, he talked to students about We celebrate Autism Awareness Week every year, but this year we the importance of developing a healthy relationship with the internet. went one step further and created a display that the whole school was involved in. It has created a real buzz around the school and it has become a central place for students and staff to discuss and reflect about Autism. Wellbeing Assembly Down Syndrome Awareness Day Assemblies led by the PE team focused on the physical, Thank you to all who helped to raise awareness for this day. social and mental benefits of sport and physical activities. Wearing our Silly Socks and our Gingerbread Biscuit Sale raised a staggering £190! Many of our Year seven students helped with the biscuit sale so a special thank you to those 22 individuals. 23 Parent Partners 'Supporting and enhancing your child's educational experieice'

Our newly endorsed Parent Partners Committee is taking shape and ready to encourage parents and carers to get involved in helping school to provide the very best educational experiences for our children.

Of course there will be an all important fund-raising element to activities and events, old and new, but a fresh approach is aimed at parents having fun, thinking of new ways to make a difference and encouraging their children to be community-minded. It is hoped that working together on a year group basis, parents can come up with ways to fundraise for school projects that will continue to help in providing some of the 'extras' at school for the benefit of all year groups.

There are plenty of smaller projects that need support too so we are keen for you to share your ideas. We rely heavily on charitable donations, sponsorship, grants and parental contributions to support the many fantastic experiences that our children get at Wilmslow High School.

Your involvement with Parent Partners can be as little or as much as you want it to be: a volunteer in the classroom or at Forest School, a referee on the rugby pitch, an event organiser, experience of grant funding applications or simply buying a lottery ticket. Everything and everyone can make a difference!

Please email Rachel Guyett Parent Partners secretary: [email protected]

Wilmslow High School, Holly Road, Wilmslow Cheshire. SK9 1LZ Tel: 01625 526 191 email: [email protected] follow us on twitter: @wilmslowhigh