Sefton Hockey Club & ABS Partnership Headteacher WELCOME As we approach the Whit half term break, As you read through our newsletter, however, it is apparent that the examination season it is obvious that learning at Archbishop is well and truly upon us. Undoubtedly, this Blanch is not solely exam focused; you will is a time of stress and anxiety for students, see that there has been no let up in the parents and staff alike, but it is also a time to extra-curricular trips, competitions and reflect on our school’s core values; students performances which enhance student life in must Trust in all the hard work they have Archbishop Blanch! put in over the course of their studies, have Faith in their abilities and be Thankful for May I ask that you join me in Miss H Duggan, the support of their teachers, families and keeping our students in your Headteacher friends. With this in mind, I am confident that thoughts and prayers during this our students’ efforts will be duly rewarded examination season. come August. MUSIC CONCERT On the evening of Thursday 31st March, 45 of our girls participated in a Music Showcase in the Theatre. This was our first opportunity to show off our new sound and lights. The programme was designed to `showcase` work from GCSE and A Level groups and included a mixture of girls own compositions and solo /ensemble performances from a variety of genres including Musical Theatre, Pop and Classical.

The students delivered a very professional concert We also have our own students supporting the and the quality of work was outstanding. The event on the technical side of things… Amy Perry Choir also presented two numbers to start and and Sarah Burns on sound and Eleanor Black, end the Concert. Ericka Sanchez and Bethany Gedge on lights!!! Parents said ‘it was like being at a live gig’ and We are very proud of all the girls who took part ‘the talent is unreal’! and look forward to the next event. Particular thanks have to go to Augusta Knopov and Hannah Well done to all our talented Hutton (year 13) for their incredible contribution performers and thank you! to the department throughout their time at As always, you make us very Archbishop Blanch. Both students have been accepted at Music Colleges and we wish them all proud. the very best. Mrs Oztuna - Head of Performance live

Year 7 students attend a BBC Strictly micro:bit Live Lesson the famous tower. Students experienced the use sessions which was broadcast across the country from the of basic algorithms, loops, sequencing, variables Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Countdown’s Rachel Riley explored and inputs and outputs which combined together some of the amazing things the BBC micro:bit can do with some can create fashionable wearable technology as very simple coding, we were joined by demonstrated in the final dance. stars Kevin and Karen Clifton. In this spectacular setting, they performed a special dance routine before To view the full show please search the BBC Live explaining how the instructions of dance shows or click on the following are akin to digital coding. Other guest linkhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/ appearances included Anton Du Beke who demonstrated how the pocket-size articles/49tjW0qR05wXrdpK7ZbGTbs/ mirco bit computer can be used to light strictly-micro-bit-live-lesson. TRIP

Students from Archbishop Blanch School attend UK’s largest technology event at the NEC Birmingham. At the event students could fly the latest drones or could take driving lessons in one of the most tech savvy cars in the world. The show offered students the chance to get involved in interactive features such as driving a segway and IN RESIDENCE latest wearing virtual reality headset. Writer FORBIDDEN LOVE Short Story Competition who have also set their stories in the past. Sophie’s entry, Students could also receive advice (to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death) ‘True Love Only Happens Once’ is set during feudal times and learn about some of the newest The entries for the competition were varied and and the opening is powerfully compelling: Two words. True products to hit the market in one of inventive, with love happening in unlikely and challenging love. Those two words should never be used, never spoken. the many theatres. The Super Theatre circumstances, from imagined nightmarish futures, to the Don’t even think of them. They ruin lives, crush hearts and saw many of the TV show features familiar present and difficult periods in our past when war darken souls. I learnt this the hard way, so take my advice live on stage. and social class differences lead to tragic outcomes for and from now on never let them poison your mind or fly lovers. Choosing an overall winner was a difficult task as from your lips. There were tech vs humans each story had addressed the competition brief, was unique Charlotte Northover’s story, The Matron’s Secret has an challenges, audience tech help, and had its own distinctive strengths. Those that made it interesting structure with the moving ‘end’ at the beginning: presenter challenges and most from the longlist to the shortlist were certainly commendable He was dead. I knelt in the dirt of the earth with his head on exciting of all, future tech. One of our and worthy of merit, so we decided to award two runner up my lap, his beautiful diamond blue eyes staring into mine, students won the latest parrot drone prizes to recognise this. So, the winners of the competition the hellish sky reflected in his pupils. Set during WW2, it when being selected at random from are: explores the frowned upon love of a nurse for an injured the audience. 1st Eleanor Daniel Mc Keigue for soldier. ‘Forbidden Love’ All writers have created interesting, believable characters 2nd Sophie Conant for and strong, distinct settings that transport readers to other ‘True Love Only Happens Once’ lands and times, where lovers face many challenges and

3rd Charlotte Northover for obstacles. Well done to all competition entrants! The three Literacy/Numeracy Clock ‘The Matron’s Secret’ winning stories will be posted on the school website for all to enjoy. The winner, ‘Forbidden Love’, is set in a distant past and Rebecca Murrall in Year 13 has the story crosses many genres: fantasy, history, romance, designed our very own literacy, mystery and speculative fiction. It explores many of the numeracy clock for ABS. The themes we find in Shakespeare, such as betrayal, secrets, clock is designed to help students deceit and death. The opening paragraph below gives a flavour of the mysterious and intriguing setting and tell the time using an analogue shows the skilful way readers are drawn in: clock. She has certainly done an impressive job! Our story begins in a far off land, a land which now lies forgotten, buried deep, deep down in our memories so A variety of designs were presented to that we may never remember it again. Nobody can now the students and the most popular was remember what it was called, or how you can get there. then produced. They will be distributed They could remember once, hundreds of moons ago, when around the school in a tick….tock. the people of this world still recalled the old ways when the ‘other kind’ came and went from our world as they pleased. The runners up are Sophie Conant and Charlotte Northover, 2 3 Archbishop Blanch first Headteacher Mrs Kathleen Goodacre set the News from our Poster Design school a challenge to design a poster that represented the stained glass windows in the prayer room. She wanted a reminder of the 6th Form Head Challenge journey of the stained glass and how it has come with us to the new build from many different sites. Girl Team... We set this challenge to our Year 10 Graphics group and Miss C Roberts and Miss H Taylor worked with the students to support As we are coming to the end of this term and Year 13 are thinking of exams and where they are heading next, Year them in designing a front cover for all Mrs Goodacre’s important 12 have had the responsibility of thinking who they wish to documents and history of the stained glass windows. represent the school when they enter Year 13. Each year we O announce that Caitlin will be joined by her deputy team of have a strong and dedicated Head girl team nominated by Sophie Townley, Olivia Watt and Ben Aindow. We look forward staff and pupils. After a rigorous process of staff nominations, to the next year and wish this fantastic team all the best. Mrs Goodacre and she selected the following student speeches and then a formal student vote, Archbishop New facilities for 6th Form - Courtesy of” Friends of Archbishop winners… Blanch would like to say a huge congratulations to our new Blanch” Head girl , Caitlin Cavanagh. We are confident that Caitlin will As part of our new site at Earle road, students have seen a large First place - Molly Lightfoot winning a £25 be a inspirational representative of our school. investment in technology and facilities, all to make student Our Head Girl also needs a strong team around her and we experiences at Archbishop Blanch the best it can be. WHSmith token are very happy tWe were very pleased to have received Following a kind donation from the “Friends of Archbishop an anonymous donation which funded the purchase of Blanch” the Sixth form has recently received a brand new Second place - Megan Sloan winning £5 commemorative coins to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s kitchen area, giving them freedom to use these facilities during 90th birthday on April 21. All students received a coin which the day. It is important for our students to have facilities they Third place – emily Costello winning £5 recognises Elizabeth as our nation’s longest serving monarch are responsible for, giving them freedom to have a break and Prizes were awarded in our celebration assembly on the and her dedication to her role of the Head of the Church of have their own space. ‘As a student of Archbishop Blanch we 24th March. England. PSHCE lessons that week focussed on the Queen’s life have state of the art sixth form facilities and it is great to have of service to her nation and on the changes which Great Britain somewhere we can make a cup of tea or bring our own food to Thank you to all entries but especially to Molly. has undergone during her reign. warm up.’

Due to our focus on improving SPeLLiNG spelling and literacy across the school, the English Faculty has organised our second Spelling Bee ABSolute Dance performs of the year. It went fantastically On Wednesday evening, 27 April, Year 13 English Literature well and all of the pupils were students visited The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester to ‘10 Pieces’ at watch ‘King Lear’ starring Don Warrington. Students are currently in competitive spirits. We were studying the great tragedy for their A-Level examination. An amazing performance by ABSolute Bee pleased with the abilities of Dance Company! Congratulations to all Staff and students alike thought the production was superb, all students in years 7, 8 and the dancers at Archbishop Blanch!!! 9, however we were especially highlighting key aspects of Shakespeare’s brutal portrait of one man’s unwinding sanity, taking the audience from the heart of On Monday, 21st March, 18 students from years 7-11 took part pleased with our Spelling power to the cold and barren world of the outsider. It pitches in a classical music concert called ‘Ten Pieces’. This was Champion groups. We look Lear against his children, against nature and against the universe organised by the BBC, with the aim to get young people forward to our final Spelling Bee in itself. listening to classical music. After two months of hard work, the Summer Term. Students particularly found the portrayal of the Fool and Kent the students performed to Hayden’s Trumpet Concerto in interesting- probably most memorable though was the depiction front of friends and family, along with nine other schools of the infamous eye-gouging scene! from across Merseyside. Our dance was based on the relationship between young girls and their dolls and how it changes as they grow older.

According to Year 11 leah Shepperd, “It was an amazing experience and a pleasant change to perform with schools from across the city. We would like to say a huge thank you to Miss Melluish for choreographing and costuming our dance and providing us with the opportunity to perform it.” Her Majestys Birthday We were very pleased to have received an Maths Challenge anonymous donation which funded the purchase of The 2016 UKTM team regional finals for Years 8 and 9 students took place after school maths at St Edwards College on Wednesday 16th March . This was a full on challenge practice on commemorative coins to celebrate Queen elizabeth maths competition with teams of four pupils Acompeting from 37 regional a Wednesday with Miss ii’s 90th birthday on April 21. secondary schools. The competition tested their maths knowledge, their Cummins and return to speed of answering and their creativity in their application of maths to the take part in next years vast array of problems thrown at them over the exhausting 4 hour challenge. competition armed with All students received a coin which recognises Elizabeth as our The team from Archbishop Blanch comprised of Holly Sabin and Sarah Jane more knowledge about nation’s longest serving monarch and her dedication to her role McCallum from year 9 and Lucy Milner and Sarah Ismail from Year 8. They the rounds involved had to concentrate, pace themselves and work well together which tested and how best to tackle of the Head of the Church of England. PSHCE lessons that week an extra element apart from their maths knowledge. these. focussed on the Queen’s life of service to her nation and on the Their efforts paid off magnificently and this level of co-operation shone Well done to all four changes which Great Britain has undergone during her reign. threw with the Archbishop Blanch team as they secured a place half-way girls involved and their magnificent effort and good team spirit; they 4 through, coming in 17th position out of 37 teams. Delighted with this represented Archbishop Blanch very well indeed. Good luck for next year! 5 result and how the day went a whole, they are keen to continue their Geography Alder Hey Project completes.

Students completed the project on Friday 22nd April. In document that is shared with the public, commissioners and Field Trip: addition to the initial hospital visit, the children have completed local Healthwatch groups. work for Alder Hey Hospital in relation to hand hygiene, their expectations of the hospital and sharing how they would like As a thank you for their hard work, the girls were awarded A Day in the Dunes the harms within the Trust shared with them in the future. with a selection of beautiful fiction books that the hospital All the children were enthusiastic with exemplary behaviour trust selected for the students. They will also be invited to an On Monday 21st March, the year 12 and 13 and a credit to the school. Their work has been included in a award ceremony in July to celebrate the work that they have Geographers went on a field trip to Ainsdale produced where they will be awarded with certificates. dunes as part of their A level course. This involved surveying the shape of the dunes and collecting information about the vegetation growing there to improve their understanding of coastal ecosystems. The group were efficient and good humoured in their endeavours and although the day began with wet weather, by lunchtime we were basking in early spring sunshine which made the tasks a lot more pleasant. Some useful data was collected for the skills paper of their A level and is now being processed and written up in detail. Despite some difficulties in climbing the dunes and Mrs Collier nearly falling off one into a patch of prickly Sea Buckthorn, everyone survived unscathed and had a good day. Thanks to the students for such an excellent day’s fieldwork and to Mr Ball for accompanying us.

The Y13s has an assembly from Katie Lockwood from Very, incorporated in The Shop Direct Group, based at Speke Liverpool. Katie spoke to the Y13s about Doctors on Call!! Apprenticeship the prevalence of apprenticeships and the new levy being imposed on large On Wednesday 27th April, the school was privileged to have Success businesses to offer different level apprenticeships. 2 junior doctors visit the school; Dr Julia Webster GP and Dr This means that even though the vast majority of Y13 students have applied Robbie Kerr, an obstetrician. They gave an assembly to Y10s to university, there will be opportunities such as masters degree level about their different roles as well as the range of other careers for Year 11 Artist Lily! apprenticeships available once the students have graduated. Katie was also in the NHS. This was truly inspirational and encouraged all Congratulations to Year 11 student Lily Hine who Talk... promoting Higher Level Apprenticeships available at Shop Direct in IT and students to identify their own strengths and how they fit in the has been commissioned to illustrate an eP and Business Analysis requiring entry with ALevels in maths, business and science NHS or with the world of work in general. Album cover! Read about the opportunity in Lily’s related subjects. They also met with our 6th form students taking BTEC L2 own words... and 3 in Health and social care. Here they again talked about different jobs in the NHS in more depth as well as provided I’ve always loved drawing and painting; it’s my favourite first aid training. They finally met with our prospective Y12 activity to do in my spare time. Since early 2014 I’ve been medical students to ensure they knew how to structure their all- encouraged to share some of my work online. Most of Business Success for our important UCAS personal statement and secure relevant work it has been based around portraiture and my personal 100 Club experience. They were told about other intricacies particular to the interests. Last Easter, I was offered a job in a coffee shop Sixth-Formers! medicine student selection process such as the UKCAT and in the Albert Dock, where I met my friend Luke. He works Winners BMAT tests they will face and how to ensure a good work/ part time in the coffee shop whilst performing with his life balance. All students were thoroughly engaged with the Thanks for being part of the 100 club. The doctors and received some invaluable information, advice and band, ‘Wild Rossa and the ’88’, in the evening. April draw has been made. guidance as well as training which will help them with their Congratulations to our young men in the Congratulations to the following winners futures. In the shop one day after school, Luke asked to see my Sixth Form who were pitching to financial April 2016 sketchbook, where he discovered this portrait I had drawn professionals on the proposition of a new a few months previously. He took the sketchbook away travel and tourism business. This was part Prize % Monthly Winning Winners total Prize No. Name and after making a few phone calls and deliberating with of their Level 3 BTEC Travel & Tourism income Value the other band members, he asked if he could use the award. They were successful, and so much drawing on the cover of his EP to be released in March so, that our visitors were so impressed First 30% £12.90 9 L Boyle they are actually going to refer them on Second 15% £6.45 17 M Curran 2016. Back in December, the band further commissioned for mentoring by the Liverpool Chamber of Third 5% £2.15 5 N Owen me to draw a second picture for them, which will Commerce and also to put them forward as hopefully be featured on the back of their debut album. ambassadors for the International Festival Monthly Prize fund Their current eP is now available to purchase or listen to online, of Business. Well done! 6 and they are hoping to be signed by a record label soon. £21.50 7 Talented Year 8 Congratulations to Year 8 student Charlotte Dowson! The second annual Page to Stage Festival in 2016 saw 8 one-act plays by new writing talent from across the UK in 5 different local venues over a two week period in April 2016. Charlotte played a cheeky teenage daughter in “The Reluctant Celebrity” a dark comedy which follows the journey of a family man whose son posts footage of his heart-attack on the internet. This straight talking, genuine, victim of the media is loved by the public and the more he rejects celebrity and fame the more he is adored. It seems there’s nothing this father can do wrong but an employee of his knows something, something so important that he can demand a pay rise without question. But in a twist of fate, a bombshell is dropped that will stop all the cameras. This is not a story about celebrity or reluctance, it is a story about secrets. At the Festival’s award ceremony on 17th April, Charlotte was nominated (and won) Best Supporting Actor and the play was also recommended for further touring. Official Quote published by the reviewer ”….One person not mentioned nearly enough in this is the wonderful Charlotte Dowson. A brilliant performance, with excellent comic timing. Hope to see you in something else soon” Charlotte can next be seen playing the Witch in ABS’ very own production of into the Woods! Sefton Hockey Club & ABS Partnership

Just before the move to the new school site in September, the school and Liverpool Sefton who went for most of the season unbeaten, winning both Lancashire Hockey Club agreed to a partnership aimed at encouraging the playing of hockey at Archbishop Division 2 and the Division 2 League Cup. The W5s continued to thrive Blanch and progression to Liverpool Sefton Hockey Club (although given the school’s history of whilst the W2s retained its North League position and the W3s came producing so many top class players this was hardly needed!). second in Lancashire Division 1, a particularly notable achievement as most of the opposition are 1st and 2nd teams and also reached the The partnership was formally inaugurated in September at a ceremony to open the new astro Division 1 Cup Final losing to Formby 1s. pitch attended by the Headteacher and the great and the good of hockey. Guest of Honour was England and GB International and all time top goalscorer, Tina Cullen. She was accompanied by Our aim next season is to let the students from Archbishop Blanch start Chris Todd, a former international Olympic Umpire and Vice President of England Hockey and to train with the adult teams and play for them in League matches. Sefton’s Chief Coach and GB International Coach and England International Peter Nicholson. ALSO we look forward to having new ABS players. Anyone who has Throughout the season every Tuesday afternoon come rain, hail and snow; 3-4 coaches from older sisters (and brothers!) or mums and dads (and aunties and Liverpool Sefton coached between 15 and 60 Year 7-10 girls. In total, over 120 different students uncles) or girlfriends and boyfriends is asked to tell them of our Back attended and have made great progress. We also had a number of ABS students playing for our to Hockey Courses we are running on summer evenings from May to Junior Sefton Under 12 and Under 14 teams in fixtures against clubs such as Wigan, Neston, and August. Runcorn, on Sunday mornings.

As part of the school-club partnership, Liverpool Sefton uses Archbishop Blanch for its training on Wednesdays and Thursday evenings and matches on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The club has 5 Women’s Teams and 4 Men’s teams. The top Women’s First team plays in the National Cross Country League so is the best Women’s team between North Wales and Manchester. During the year it struggled but thanks to the marvellous pitch at AB we managed to beat Wakefield, the eventual Congratulations to the Year 7 and Year 10/11 Cross champions, and both top universities Loughborough and Durham and retain our National League Country teams who came 3rd in the City. They status. All other women’s teams have had good degrees of success, most notably the W4s undertook grueling races throughout the winter months in various locations around Liverpool and pushed themselves to the max! A special mention should go to Jade Morgan and Emily Lucass in year 10 who also won individual medals for high positions with the races.

The year 7 team comprised of: Lauren Chan, Morgan Carragher, Anna Cook, Elizabeth MacFarlane and Isobelle Davidson. The open age team comprised of : Emma Jones, Emily Russell, jade Morgan, Anna lea Wilson and Emily Lucass. Well done also the year 8 / 9 team who also competed in the races, but unfortunately did not place. Dates for your diary... Friday 27 May - Finish for half term break. Monday, 6 June - Return to school usual time Wednesday, 6 July - New Intake Taster Day 7 pm New Intake Parents’ Meeting Wednesday 13th June - Sixth Form ‘Lunch on the Lawn’ 7 pm- Into the Woods Production Thursday 15 June - 7 pm Into the Woods Production Tuesday 19 July - Finish for Summer Break (12 Noon)

C of E High School Follow us on the official 80 Earle Road Liverpool L7 6HQ - Telephone 0151 233 7373 school twitter account @abblanchschool www.abblanch.com