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Newsletter - Easter 2018

Hello from the Headteacher

It’s hard to believe that we’ve reached the end of the Spring term already, when it seems that we are hardly finished with winter. We do appreciate the support of parents during the extreme weather that we’ve had this year. Whatever the weather, there is always lots happening at . Students in Year 11 attended a practical workshop, run by managers from local businesses, where they took part in mock interviews. They found the session invaluable as a dry run for undertaking the real thing when applying for college or work. They have also been sitting mock exams in readiness for the final push next term. The geography and history departments have both taken students from Years 9 and 10 out on field trips this term; the first to the nearby Amex Stadium and the second to Ypres, for an emotional visit to the WW1 battlefields.

Our collaborative workshops with and Albion in the Community have come to an end and you can read about those in this newsletter. These opportunities for our students to work with partners in the local community are much appreciated and we look forward to more of these in the months to come.

At the end of last month, we received a ‘section 8’ Ofsted monitoring inspection; it resulted in an overwhelmingly positive report that reflects the hard work and determination to succeed shown by senior leaders, governors, staff and students.

The leadership and governing board of Longhill High School are very proud of the recognition given in this inspection report. We very much appreciate the ongoing support of our students, parents and the wider community, who are a vital part of our journey to improve the educational experience of all the students at Longhill High School.

Enjoy the Easter break and I look forward to welcoming everybody back on April 12th.

Kate Williams Headteacher

Historians Moved by Belgian Battlefields Some of our Year 9 and Year 10 history students went on a historic trip to the Battlefields of Belgium recently. Here is an account of the trip from history teacher Ms Kenward.

“On Friday 16th March, at a horribly early time for teenagers, the History department took 20 Year 9 and 20 Year 10 historians to Belgium. We travelled via Dover to get the essential coffees and iced drinks for a freezing cold morning, then hopped on the train to Belgium.

We arrived in the beautifully rebuilt town of Ypres, which was destroyed in WW1, but was rebuilt to the exact same standards after the war. Our students visited the Menin Gate which has the names of 56,000 soldiers who have no known grave, which was a very harrowing site. We then visited the museum, followed by a waffle and chocolate shop where many students bought sweets and gifts for their families.

We then travelled to the Essex Farm Cemetery where the famous poem ‘In Flanders Field’ was written and our historians got their first glimpse of the quiet dignity of the British Commonwealth graves.

We ventured on to Langemarck - a German grave site - which many students found hugely contrasting, yet highly moving. Mr Pringle had kindly provided students with a poppy each to place on a grave in Tyne Cot, which is the largest cemetery in the Ypres Salient and some students even managed to locate graves of ancestors in the cemetery, which was a very emotional and powerful experience.

Finally we travelled to Hill 62 where students got to wade through mud, clamber through dark tunnels and splash through the muddy craters to get an experience of trench life. The day was a long but rewarding one and I’d like to

thank all our students for their exemplary behaviour on the day. Thank you also to the parents and carers who had to be up both very early and very late and also to Mr Pringle, Mr Wilson, Mrs Hazel, Mr Whitney and Mr Mayes for their support and huge help on the trip.”

Students Imogen, Saoirse and Dania shared their thoughts on the day, “We’d learnt about World War 1 in history lessons, but this trip brought it to life; we realised that the soldiers were real people, with families and loved ones left behind

“The British cemetery was nicer than the German one. The graves of the British soldiers had a headstone each, whereas the German graves seemed to be shared with lots of names on each. But the area itself, the countryside, is a bit bleak.

“We saw the Menin Gate, with over 50,000 names of soldiers who were never found, but writer Rudyard Kipling had written the inscription “Known Unto God”, which seemed very fitting. We also visited the trenches, where we went into tunnels and treatment bunkers – it was interesting for us, but must have been terrible for the soldiers.”

“It was a very very good trip and we would definitely recommend it to anyone who’s given the chance to go.”

English and Modern Foreign Languages

This has been an exciting term in the Faculty of English and Modern Foreign Languages. In English, for most years, it has been all about The Bard, with Year 7s enjoying reading scenes from the comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream and Year 8s the tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Meanwhile, our Year 10s have begun their detailed study of Macbeth, reading through the whole play and carrying out GCSE literature assessments. In Year 9 we have tried something different this year, giving our students a selection of famous speeches from some of Shakespeare's most notable tragedies including King Lear, Hamlet and Julius Caesar. The students examined the concepts of the tragic hero and the soliloquy, which we hope will set them up well for Macbeth next year, and then wrote their own persuasive speech.

**** This has been a very busy term for the Languages (MFL) department.

We have two fantastic Year 11 classes preparing for their GCSE exams and they have been working really hard to ensure they are ready, including some of them attending catch up every single Tuesday! They have been rewarded with breakfast in some of their lessons.

Year 8 students have been learning about studying a language for GCSE and we are offering students the chance to take two language GCSEs for the first time ever. Numbers for September are very positive and the teachers are looking forward to welcoming their new classes to the GCSE course.

Ms Perronno organised a 5 day trip to Normandy for Year 9 and 10 French students, which departed on the 23rd March. Those of us left behind were looking forward to seeing lots of photos and maybe even getting a little present when they came home! Ms Perronno is also organising a trip for five of our students to attend a school in Granada for a week in May.

Mrs Stallard has co- ordinated visits from two Spanish high schools through UKHSI and would like to thank the Longhill High students who have been buddies and who have attended extra-curricular activities; thanks to maths, drama, ethics and technology departments for providing these activities. Immersion visits are such a fantastic experience for all involved. Our next visit will be in September.

As a department, we are now looking ahead to next term, which will be very busy with exams for our older students. We wish them every little bit of luck in their exams and in the future!

Exciting Times in Science

This term has been very busy in science. Preparing for the brand new 9-1 science GCSEs has occupied much of our time. With accurate specimen papers available for the first time, students and staff were able to see what the final exams will look like. Having marked these mock exams we are cautiously optimistic, but know that in these last few weeks there is a lot of work for our Year 11 students to do if they are to achieve their true potential.

Outside of the classroom we have been busy too. Miss Holland's STEM club has been the nucleus around which many exciting activities have crystallised. The STEM club meets every Wednesday after school in B302 and this term have fired rockets, dissected pheasants and designed experiments for junior schools amongst many other exciting activities.

Members of the STEM club helped students at Woodingdean Primary school to celebrate British Science week by building their own catapults out of elastic bands and cardboard boxes. The STEM club has been awarded a grant to produce science kits that are to go to every Year 5 child in our local primary schools. Each kit will contain everything needed to carry out 5 science experiments that help illustrate important parts of the national curriculum and can be carried out at home. Videos giving instructions have been produced by the STEM club.

Miss Holland also organised a trip for aspiring Scientists, Vets and Doctors to the Royal Veterinary College, where they watched dissections, examined animal bones and worked with calves from the college farm.

We were saddened this term that Stephen Hawking died. He is an inspiration to many of our triple scientists who recognise his fierce intellect, humility and wisdom.

"One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don't throw it away." Stephen Hawking 1942-2018

Longhill Students Shine in Roedean Academy Programme!

Some of our most able students in Year 10 and 11 have been working with the brightest and best of Rodean’s girls to attend masterclasses, team building activities and enrichment sessions at Roedean School. Every Wednesday evening for six weeks, 20 of our girls completed a normal school day at Longhill, often also attending catch up or revision sessions afterschool, then travelled to Roedean for dinner and a further three hours of hard work, new experiences and good fun. The students chose subjects such as Latin, Russian, Literature and History as well as studying masterclasses is English, Maths and Science each week.

The teachers from Roedean were highly impressed by the calibre, commitment and determination of our students. As a result of the girls’ impressive work ethic and academic talents, Roedean will be offering a number of sixth form scholarships to girls who have taken part in the programme. If you are interested in hearing more about such projects or being part of the next cycle of Roedean Academy, please contact Assistant Headteacher, Catherine Bradley who leads on Higher Ability Pupils at Longhill.

Kaia Allen-Bevan was one of the Year 10s who helped develop the concept of the programme in a meeting with Roedean’s Headmaster Mr Blond and Senior Deputy Head, Miss Keller, in November. Here, Kaia gives a flavour of the programme and tells us what the experience of the last six weeks has meant for her as an individual: “Back in December, I and a group of nine other students from Longhill were invited for a meeting with the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher of Roedean School. When I first heard about the meeting, I was extremely intrigued to what it could offer me and if myself and the other students could benefit from this programme. In addition, considering the fact that I am now in Year 10 and trying desperately to get the grades I desire for my GCSE, while balancing other aspects within my life, I was interested to see if this course would be worth taking on, on top of my already busy lifestyle. It most certainly was!”

You will find Kaia’s full report on our website: HERE

Longhill High Teacher Referees Prestigious Youth Cup Games

This March Longhill High’s own Computer Science teacher and English Schools FA Referee, Mr. Avis, has been chosen from over 400 local qualified football referees to take charge of some of County FA’s most prestigious games. At FA Level Mr Avis was involved at a tournament which included teams from the Albion, Chelsea, Southampton and Crystal Palace and also the under 16 girls’ final between Eastbourne and Crawley. For the English Schools FA Mr Avis has refereed games between Sussex and Kent, Surrey and Norfolk, while being Assistant Referee in the National County semi Final between Kent and Hampshire. For his local Sussex Sunday League he has taken charge of the under 15 (Year 10) boys’ final. Mr Avis said, “It has been a long, hard season, but to be rewarded with such high level games is an honour.”

**** First Aid Success for Longhill CCF Cadets

For the last half term, Capt Tester, of Longhill Combined Cadet Force, has been running the St John's Ambulance' Young Lifesavers Award (ACFA) for a number of the school’s cadets.

They took part in many, many hours or both theoretical and practical training in varied areas of first aid such as dealing with electric shocks, asthma attacks, heat exhaustion, allergic reactions, resuscitation, plus many more.

Last week those who attended the course were able to be assessed, practically and theoretically, in order to gain their 'Youth First Aider Status' - a great stepping stone onto more advanced First Aid qualifications.

This has also allowed them to gain and wear the St John’s YFA badge to show off their new skills and achievement. The award can also be used toward their upcoming Duke of Edinburgh award.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the students and instructors, Longhill CCF is proud to announce that we have a 98% pass rate for this course. Well done to all who passed. The next stage is to look into National First Aid Competitions.

It’s a Win for Premier League Enterprise Students!

At the beginning of the year, we told readers about a group of Year 9 students from Longhill High School who had been offered a fantastic opportunity to take part in the Premier League Enterprise scheme, which is delivered by Premier League football clubs in partnership with Sport Relief.

The award-winning enterprise scheme aims to help young people in local communities to enhance their life skills, help to improve their educational outcomes and to increase awareness of the world of work.

The students haven’t forgotten their trip to the fabulous Amex Stadium for the launch of the programme and explained how seeing the stadium and its facilities first-hand had helped them formulate and undertake their business plans. “We got to see everything;” Molly told us. “We saw the whole stadium, from top to bottom, including the changing rooms, the boxes, the media room and all the different restaurants and food areas.”

“We spent some time in the shop there.” continued Ellie. “We were looking at the different products on sale and seeing whether the prices they charged were actually what we thought they might be. Seeing what they were selling already helped us to come up with ideas for other products that they might be able to sell in the future.”

The students came up a range of products which will be pitched to the Retail Division at the Amex Stadium. Some of the ideas were: A model aeroplane with blue and white livery, a children’s toothbrush with Gully (the club mascot) on it, an adult toothbrush and toothpaste called Bright Tooth, dance shoes with a blue and white stripe, a Seagulls motif rugby ball and music downloads to your phone.

Programme leader Mark Slide, from Albion in the Community, encouraged the students to look at the many aspects of business relating to & Hove Albion. Student Toby told us, “We looked at the costs associated with the club, such as income versus expenditure and profit, the fans’ experience, the marketing of goods and whether we could offer incentives to people to buy in person or online. There was a lot to take into consideration and it was really interesting to learn so much about business.”

What did the students think makes a successful business? They all agreed that dedication, loyalty, resilience and teamwork were all vital ingredients and are all hoping that perhaps one of their ideas will be produced and one day be for sale in the Albion shop.

Thanks to Premier League Enterprise and Albion in the Community for giving this wonderful opportunity to our students

News from Year 11

It is with an element of sadness and pride that I write this, the last newsletter for Year 11. I’m sure everyone will agree that this term has sped by and we are now on the home stretch towards the exam season. I am so proud of the mature attitude our students displayed during the recent mock exams and I’m sure the same work ethic will be displayed in the official GCSEs. After school booster sessions remain popular, with students sometimes attending two sessions per day. Over the Easter holidays there are revision sessions each day, which students have been eager to sign up for. Please can I remind students there will be no food available during these sessions so if they are here for the whole day, they will need to bring supplies! Prom preparations are well underway; the majority of students in Year 11 gained enough ‘passport to prom points’ so will receive a letter regarding purchasing tickets. For this year’s Leavers’ Prom, we have been very fortunate to once again book Pangdean Old Barn in Pyecombe. This is a fantastic 17th Century Grade II Listed barn, once owned by Prince Regent (who later became King George lV). The Old Barn includes a stable, a covered courtyard and lovely outdoor spaces affording beautiful panoramic views of the downs, creating a unique backdrop for the celebratory Year 11 Prom. The all-inclusive price includes sole use of the Barn, Stable and Covered Courtyard, Disco, Security, Unlimited soft drinks from the Bar; water, cola, lemonade and juices and Platters served throughout the evening of: homemade pizzas, mini burgers, cones of homemade chips, cocktail sausages with dips and vegetarian alternatives. I wish all the Year 11 students luck for their remaining time at Longhill High and look forward to seeing them at the prom. Ms Winfield Head of Year 11

Creativity & Enterprise Faculty

Creativity & Enterprise Faculty

The Learning Resource Centre AKA—the Library Borrow Books * Use the computers * Print Homework

We have lots going on in our Library at the moment! We would LOVE the students to come and see

1. Launching ‘The Reading Cloud’ We have invested in some new software to encourage READING FOR PLEASURE and to help our students keep track of the resources they have borrowed. We believe this new software will help increase their interest in books. Using the search facility, students will be able to look for books that interest them via key words and suggested reading lists. ALL students have access to The Reading Cloud and we are in the process of introducing Years 7-10 to this new, engaging software.

*PARENTS* We would appreciate your help by encouraging reading at home. Your child can access the reading cloud from any electronic device with internet access via the following link https://www.readingcloud.net OR via the free iMLS mobile app, details below. If your child does not know their log in details, please ask them to visit the Library and speak to a member of staff.

2. Books on Prescription (BOP) We have 28 NEW books!

The wellbeing of our students is very important to us and with 1 in 10 children and young people suffering from mental health problems (https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk) we have chosen to invest substantially in our Books on Prescription area.

3. Young City Reads 2018 We are taking part in the ‘Young City Reads 2018’ and have recruited students from KS3 to join in this city wide reading club.

Young City Reads aims to:

 foster the joy of reading for pleasure  enthuse and inspire reluctant readers  inspire young readers to explore a story’s themes further through conversation and linked activity  increase confidence by supporting the development of literacy skills

We are sharing KID NORMAL by Greg James and Chris Smith, and will include a visit to on Friday 18th May 2018 to see the authors LIVE at the YCR Brighton Festival event.

4. Cozy Zone

Last of all, we have bought the Library some giant bean bags and fleece blankets to make a relaxing and cosy area for reading during break and lunch! They are proving very popular as you can see…

Students enjoying the new area are… Katie Punter, Tahani Lachaal, Kacy Gillespie, Courtney Hayes, Valerija Berezovska and Shannon McCann.

Year 8 Students Visit KidZania

15 Year 8 students had an exciting day out at recently when they visited London’s KidZania. For those who haven’t heard of it, KidZania is an indoor city where students are able to try out different jobs, from which they earn the city’s currency of KidZos. There is a wide range of jobs to choose from and try out, which support the students’ options choices. They tried jobs from surgery to delivery driver, from F1 mechanic to studio animator and many more. The students then had the opportunity to spend the KidZos earnt for the work they did on activities like chocolate making. Some students even earnt enough KidZos to open their own bank account in the city. KidZania offers a glimpse into the adult world of work, but with a large element of fun thrown in and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all the students. Thanks to Miss Molloy and Ms Barton for taking them on the trip.

**** Maths Faculty Building Cultural Bridges

Students from Spain joined with students from Longhill High last week to work on a maths project entitled ‘a bridge between cultures’. Students from Longhill worked alongside our Spanish guests to solve the problem; with limited resources, they were tasked to build a paper bridge, the width of a maths book, which was judged on strength, structure and aesthetic appeal. The winning group of girls showed initiative, perseverance and creativity with their design (pictured in pink) and were declared clear winners by all judges. Students were rewarded for their efforts with a party of Latino music, sweets and drinks to end the afternoon. We hope that the Spanish pupils had a wonderful week here at Longhill High.

LONGHILL PE AND PERFORMING

ARTS FACULTY NEWSLETTER

Wow, this has been another busy half term for our students in the PE and Performing Arts Faculty. The football season is coming to a close and I’m proud of all of our teams who have battled week in week out for the school with some fantastic results along the way. As spring finally approaches we will be having new clubs after Easter, so please ensure you pick up a club list from your mentor. As we are halfway through the year could I please ask that all PE KIT is labelled, as sometimes students will leave kit in the changing rooms and we want to make sure it goes back to the correct owner!

Sussex Games Finals

The Year 7 boys’ indoor athletics team had the honour of Mr Fallick representing the district at the Sussex Schools Finals at The Triangle in Burgess Hill. The team of Oliver Emery, Bayley Kibble, Oliver King Grant, Harry Eteen, Noah Connelly, Stanley Hardwick Owen, George Wood and Alfie Green did not disappoint.

Particular highlights were Bayley Kibble winning the vertical jump with a massive 52cm and Oliver Emery winning the 6 lap race; with a well-paced run. To top it off, the 4 x 2 lap team won the final event. Overall the boys finished 4th and Brighton & Hove Schools Swimming Gala were only 3 points off a medal.

This group of boys have set themselves up well for the This was the second time Longhill High had summer and should aim to reach the indoor finals again next entered the gala in recent years. An increase year as Year 8s. in turnout from four girls last year to eight and two boys joining the squad was a pleasing sight. Great support from team mates and parents Well done to you all, you’re a credit to Longhill High! saw our swimmers give it their all. Close finishes for Amelie Murfitt and Isabel Clark Miss Buxton Lovell in the 50m breaststroke saw the girls just Year 7 Netball Tournament missing out on medals. Longhill High retained their one medal haul from 2017 with a bronze Over the past few weeks the number of Year 7s attending in the year 7 boys 50m backstroke for Luke netball has been increasing which is fantastic; some of these Goodwill. were selected into the team for the Brighton and Hove

tournament. We were straight into the action playing 6 It was great to see Longhill High competing minute games against PACA, Cardinal Newman, Dorothy against some of the bigger schools in Brighton Stringer, Brighton and Hove High School, Steyning and and Hove and each student doing themselves Patcham. The team won 2 of their games and rotated well justice. Great team effort by all - Maia Darling, around the positions while we are still sorting out the best Freya Hambrook, Emma Daniels, Ruby Dominy, suited positions. Massive congratulations to Nila Barnard, Evie Durant, Isabel Clark Lovell, Luke Goodwill, Megan Gilbert, Emma Daniels, Isabel Clark Lovell, Maia Harry Eteen, Amelie Murfitt and Tierney Powell Darling, Evie Durant, Sophie Wilkinson and Lauren - well done to all of you. Townsend, who was the Longhill High player of the day!

Basketball Success @Longhill #TeamPE

8 Students from Years 7-10 represented Longhill High at the South East of England 'Inclusive Zone Basketball' competition held at the . There were teams from all over the South of England and ages ranged from 11-18.

Inclusive zone basketball is 4-aside and 2 of the players must play in a wheelchair. It is a fast-paced game and certainly pushing yourself up and down the full size basketball court in a wheelchair is hard work! Our students were fantastic , all having a go in the wheel chairs and everyone improved throughout the tournament. The team that won made it through to the Nationals competition and were amazing to watch (and very difficult to play against!) We can't wait to go back next year and hopefully score a few more baskets.

Incredibly well done to : Nick Boyland, Nicole Agaid, Tommy Harrison, Brandon Hagland, Callie Mantell, Sophie Mantell, Mason Funnell, Henry Taylor - they were a real credit to the school.

Dance @Longhill #TeamDance th The Friday dance club performed their street dance piece Power at The Brighton Dome on the 19 March, as part of the Let’s Dance event. We were one of 72 schools to perform and all of the Longhill High dancers represented the school with energy and enthusiasm. Well done to Emesa Boross, Natalia Boross, Codi Brown, Isabel Clark Lovell, Phoebe Cullen, Emma Daniels, Maia Darling, Freya Hambrook, Millie Lockwood, Chloe Macfarlane,

Roberta Manea, Louise Markwick, Shannon McCann, Clara Page and Maddie Wright for giving a fantastic performance.

PERFORMING ARTS NEWS

Guys and Dolls #TeamPA

Auditions took place this month for our new school production- ‘Guys and Dolls’. The talent was amazing and it was a very difficult job to cast the show. Rehearsals are now underway and students are very excited to be performing this in the summer term. The show will be performed on 17th and 18th July and we will let you know when tickets go on sale.

Voice in a Million #TeamMusic

Ali English and Charlotte Downing took a group of students to Wembley Arena this term to perform in ‘Voice in a Million’ on the 15th March. Voice in a Million is a project founded in 2009 to raise awareness of the plight of millions of children worldwide; they are orphaned, abandoned or separated from their birth parents and are in need of a loving family for life. The project achieves this by staging large arena concerts with one of the largest children’s choirs in the world. The trip was amazing and the students had such a wonderful time singing in such an impressive venue and were delighted to bring awareness to such a great cause.

YEAR 11 PLAY #TeamPA

‘I love you mum, I promise I won’t die’ was the play performed by a group of Year 11’s on 6 th February. The play was about Daniel Spargo-Mabbs a 16 year old boy who died from an accidental overdose. The play was commissioned by the drugs education charity ’The Daniel Spargo-Mabbs foundation’ in his memory to raise awareness of the risks of taking drugs. The title of play is named that because they were the last words that Dan said to him mother.

The students involved were really keen to tell the story and they all became very attached to the story and wanted to help out the foundation so asked if the money raised from ticket sales could be donated to the foundation. I was also contacted by Fiona Spargo-Mabbs (Daniels mother) and she came to Longhill to speak to the cast and tell her story - which was an incredible experience for the students. Meridian news also came in at this time and did a story on our students and the play (this can be found on the Meridian website and it was aired on the 6 o’clock news.

The performance was incredible and the audience were moved to tears. The cast went on a journey and it has really helped them grow as individuals and as performers. They also managed to raise £230 for the charity and we hope to continue to work with the charity in the future.

WAR HORSE #TeamPA

The Drama Department took a group of students to see Warhorse in January at the . The play is about Albert and his beloved horse, Joey, live on a farm in the British countryside. At the outbreak of World War I, Albert and Joey are forcibly parted when Albert’s father sells the horse to the British cavalry. Against the backdrop of the Great War, Joey begins an odyssey full of danger, joy and sorrow, and he transforms everyone he meets along the way. Meanwhile Albert, unable to forget his equine friend, searches the battlefields of France to find Joey and bring him home. The show was excellent and the students thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

TERM DATES 2017-2018 DIARY DATES

SPRING TERM 2018 Year 7 rd th 3 January to 29 March 14th June Parents’ Evening Half Term

12th February to 16th February Year 8 29th January INSET DAY 8th February Options Evening

th SUMMER TERM 2018 8 March Parents’ Evening 12th April to 24th July Half Term Year 9 28th May to 1st June 17th May Parents’ Evening

TERM DATES 2018-2019 Year 10

22nd February Parents’ Evening AUTUMN TERM 2018 12th July Parents’ Evening th th 4 September to 19 December Half Term Year 11 22nd October to 2nd November 2nd July Leavers’ Barbecue 3rd September INSET DAY 3rd July Leavers’ Prom 23rd November INSET DAY

SPRING TERM 2019 3rd January to 5th April

Half Term Don’t forget, WE ARE NOW CASHLESS. th nd 18 February to 22 February Please use sQuid, our online system –

th it is easy, safe and avoids the need to 28 January INSET DAY bring cash to school.

SUMMER TERM 2019 23rd April to 26th July

Half Term 27th May to 31st May