Great Torrington School Easter Newsletter

Great Torrington School Calvesford Road Great Torrington EX38 7DJ

01805 623531 [email protected] www.gts.devon.sch.uk Headteacher M r A B l o o d w o r t h

The term started in a very busy and purposeful manner but sadly, Covid-19 has resulted, unfortunately, in a disjointed and challenging end. More of that later.

We have conducted a number of Faculty reviews looking at the quality of teaching in lessons and the structure of the curriculum delivered. Having observed lessons, spoken to the staff and pupils the overall picture is one of well-structured lessons, great staff/pupil relationships, positive learning environments with a growing sense of pace. We adopted “Teach Like A Champion” (TLAC) pedagogy at the start of the year as the main focus of our teaching learning strategy and from what we have seen to date, this approach is having the impact we hoped for.

The term has seen an increasing profile of the Sustainability Group and we were proud to be involved in tree planting at school and Jubilee woods. I would like to thank the pupils, staff and Town Council for their involvement in such a positive and worthwhile activity in the fight against climate change. Sadly Covid-19 has brought a premature end to the sporting season, which is a great shame as a number of teams were lined up for North Devon finals and other potential honours. Those pupils involved in a variety of performances and other activities have felt similar frustrations. Whilst it is hugely disappointing not to be able to perform or compete after putting in so much hard work, I know the pupils and staff will have learnt a lot from their experiences and efforts.

So, Covid-19. As I have said in my regular updates, we are experiencing challenging and unprecedented times as a school, a community and a Nation. There is no clear picture with regard to more long-term outcomes or strategy but I can assure you I will keep you informed at each step. I need to thank you, the parents for your understanding and support at this time but also the pupils for remaining calm. The staff at GTS have responded in their usual indomitable way, showing commitment, compassion and a desire to continue to serve the young people of our school; I am very proud to be the Head of GTS at this difficult time. Even though it is extremely challenging for us all at present it is great to be able to see the school and wider community coming together to support one another.

It maybe some time before the school returns to normal. AllCanteen I can ask is for you continue Ladies to support us and follow both ours and the Government’s advice as it becomes available. Please keep yourselves and your loved ones safe and well.

A Bloodworth Headteacher Great Torrington School Gain NCS Silver Championship On Tuesday 3rd December, the NCS Team (National Citizen Service) hosted their Champion School Celebration Event and Dinner at , The Taw Restaurant. The event was attended by , Atlantic Academy and Great Torrington School, who all had Year 11 students signed up to NCS Programme last year, and achieved Championship Status. Mrs Peters and Mrs Leonard accepted the award on behalf of Great Torrington School achieving Silver status, which demonstrated that 25% of Year 11 students accessed the NCS Programme last year. It was a lovely evening dinner that was prepared and served by staff and students, working towards catering and hospitality qualifications. We were then shown a short presentation including a video montage of activities completed over the summer; then presented with our NCS Champion School Plaque. Principal, Sean Mackney, also attended the event and was interested to hear about the impact that the programme has had on those who have participated. The National Citizen Service is open to all 16 and 17 year olds in England after their summer exams are finished; we work with Petroc to promote this amazing opportunity. NCS helps builds skills for work and life, taking on new challenges, meeting new friends and developing skills to boost their CVs. In the final weeks they pull together these skills and experiences by undertaking a social action project that can make a mark on the local community. Carnival Queen!

Tuesday 14th January 2020 saw the annual Carnival Queen interviews held at Great Torrington School, with an outstanding 12 candidates to be interviewed by the Mayor (Miss Keeley Allin) and three committee members (Ann Ayre, Rachel Ayre, and Jenny Batty). All four of the interview panel have a vast knowledge of the area and are passionate about May Fair, which will be held on Thursday 7th May 2020, the Round the Tree race on Friday 8th May 2020 and the Carnival on Saturday 9th May 2020, where the Queen will be crowned. All Candidates interviewed extremely well, making this a challenge for the committee who deliberated for some time over the decision. In the end, huge Congratulations went to Charlie Butt who will be crowned Queen, along with her two attendants, Mia Lewis and Libby Brown. Chop For Charity!

On Friday 24th January 2020, Mrs Lomax, Kaitlyn and Maddie braved having their hair cut short to donate to the Little Princess Trust. The Little Princess trust has been helping children and young people since 2006. They provide free, real-hair wigs to children and young people, up to 24 years, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions. They have supplied over 8000 wigs to children and young people and have invested circa £5 million into ground-breaking childhood cancer research. Mrs Lomax, Kaitlyn and Maddie donated a combined total of 35” (80.9cm) of hair and also raised £93.56. A big thank you to former student, Mandy from Changes Hairdressers in Winkleigh for donating your time. Crufts Here We Come!

Shortly before christmas Great Torrington School student Rhianne Mitchell, and her clever border terrier, Skye proved their pedigree and talent at the Ladies' Kennel Association Show at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. Experienced handler Rhianne, qualified through the preliminaries to gain a place to compete at Crufts for the second year running and will get to mix with the best from all around the UK. This prestigious event draws many entrants; in 2019 the judges were spoilt for the choice of 27,000 dogs, and over 160,000 spectators attended the show over the four days. Rhianne, who is currently in Year 10, competed at Crufts last year with Skye. She only started out as a dog handler in 2018 and has fallen in love with the opportunities that it has provided her with. In 2019, she was placed 1st at North Devon and Devon County Show in the Junior Handling category and has now qualified for the Junior Handling section at the National Terrier Association Championship on Saturday 4th April 2020, at Staffordshire County Showground. Rhianne also has another little border terrier called Louis who is five months old and the son of Skye; Rhianne’s mum says Louis adores Rhianne and together they are training to start their competitions in the near future. We wish Rhianne and her little four legged friend Skye the best of luck for Crufts 2020 and the National Championship Show in April.

Update.; Rhianne went on to have an amazing day on 8th March 2020 at Crufts, where she came 4th out of 23 competitors in the Border Terrier Post Grad category. Well done! Run Freya Run! 05/12/2019 07/03/2020 On Sunday 5th December, Freya Woodhead (Year 7) travelled to Yeovil to compete in her first race, representing Devon at the South West Championships. Freya competed across a 3.2km distance, and finished 8th overall, making her the 2nd best Devon runner, and helping the Devon team take second place overall. Her 8th-placed finish means she has been given an entry to the mini London Marathon. Freya’s next Devon race was held on 7th March 2020 in Loughborough, at the UK Inter-Counties Championships. She competed in the U-13 age group and finished 30th out of 306 competitors. This is an excellent achievement, especially as Freya is U-12. Congratulations Freya! We are very proud of her. Devon Schools Cross Country On Saturday 18th January, eleven Great Torrington School pupils represented North Devon in the Devon Schools Cross Country Event, at Stover School. Given the recent weather, the athletes were fortunate to enjoy a day of blue sky and sunshine, however, temperatures were low and the waterlogged ground quickly became muddy and slippery. Special mentions go to Freya Woodhead for finishing in 1st place in the Minor Girls, Jessie Parker for finishing 7th in the Inter Girls and for Ailis Temple-Thurston for finishing 8th in the Junior girls. Congratulations also to Ruby Tucker (38th) and Maisie Stevens (47th) in the Minor Girls, Jack Babb (22nd) in the Minor Boys, Abi Tucker (41st) and Eden Hurst (43rd) in the Junior Girls, Ruben Stacey (30th) in the Junior Boys, Juliette Reed (22nd) in the Inter Girls and Harvey Reeves (22nd) in the Inter Boys.

Overall North Devon Team Results: Minor Girls Second, Junior Girls Third, Inter Girls Fourth Minor Boys Second, Junior Boys Second and Inter Boys First

Athletes will be contacted in due course to inform them if they have been successful in being selected to represent Devon in the South West Schools Championships in February. Well done again to all those involved. Ski Trip to Pila, January 2020 On the 25th January 2020, Great Torrington School headed to Pila, Italy, for a Ski trip. Below is a write up of the amazing time the students and teachers had. Pila – a small Italian town hidden in a valley in the Alps, peppered with pistes.

We woke with mountains surrounding us. It was our first view of what would be our life for the next week. Towering above us white peaks shining, with dark grey rock ripping through looking like a torn, moth-eaten wedding dress. Minute after minute, turn after turn a new view, a new taller peak, a new memory. After I cannot remember, we went through the bowls of Mont Blanc, which is the tallest mountain in Europe at 4808m. At the end of the tunnel we drove through town after town, all of them shadowed by the mountains that fenced everyone and everything. At the end of the tunnel we drove through town after town all of them shadowed by the mountains that fenced everyone and everything. I remember the pines scattered randomly on the mountains boasting their height to one another. The position seemed strange, being on some of the steepest parts on the mountain (except from the precipices) tightly packed so it looked like a pointillism painting representing moss. The snow glistened in the sunlight in high comparison to the dark rocks that shouted out for attention, standing out from the crowd. Every rock clear as crystal against the snow.

Upon the Gondola in the morning, was the best time to take advantage: it was golden hour and so when the sun peeped over the mountains it shone a golden light on the other side of the valley. It is hard to describe except it was magic. I loved the Gondola. As it was a skiing trip I suppose I should talk about that now. After learning the basics and getting used to the abundant snow we went on blues next to the meeting point. For my first proper ski alone I remember feeling like I was going at speeds only astronauts experience. I now laugh at my slow snow plough turns down a blue at the beginning of the week. At lunch I virtually had to swallow down my meal so I could watch the views. On the pistes we were directly facing the other side of the valley and watching the skies and the mountains. The skies were pure blue, bluer than I have ever seen with no cloud. I saw one day one cloud just hovering alone and realised I was higher than it.

My first red was at the top of a mountain and the beginning of it we had already done (the first quarter was classed as blue as was the beginning to many other red runs). The start of the red run was like a side alley to the blue; hidden between the trees and the width of a country road. This run was my favourite as it was probably the longest and had the best views. It was a little trail through the trees which I really enjoyed just because of the pines there, they just were an amazing thing. The views of the mountain's there were some of the best I got. From there you could see an array of mountains all lined up and of course the front looked largest but there were ones behind with higher peaks that would just show over the first bulky mountain. The run through the trees did finish though and crossed over a piste to another red which went down and down until we crossed one of our first blues then down that to the meeting place. Then we used the chairlift to get to the cable car where we used the cable car to get to the beginning of the run (the top of blue). Then we did it all again but this time able to soak more scenery in as we were used to the turns.

On the same blue that began the previous red was a wider run which was again red. This red was not as long but it went to a halfpipe. The halfpipe was great and unexpected and finished after around 600 yards, which is extremely long. It then turned into a huge slope with lots of people on and then a trail scattered with pistes. I remember stopping here to watch the mountains and the valley below. Every night Year 8 boys made it a ritual to play chess. After a few nights we had spent most time watching Kristian vs Callum play as they were the most evenly matched. This annoyed me though because there were so many obvious moves that I could not tell them. We came up with a chart ranking everyone (except Josh vs Marcus) it went: Mr Stanier, Fin, Kristian/Callum, Marcus and last place was Josh who did not like to play chess anyway. I also watched Mr Stanier play and help teach Miss Rollick who was a good chess player herself. I even got a match against Mr Stanier but I could tell he was messing with me and beat within minutes with an unbeatable checkmate. Ski Trip to Pila January 2020

First Night: Our first night of forced fun was a lovely walk up a hill around 1800m above sea level though probably only 150 m above Pila’s level. It was a lovely walk because we had not got used to the scenery of mountains and I do love to walk. Especially after a 26-hour bus journey. At the top of the hill/mountain was a church and the ruins of a castle turret. We clambered around the ruins for a long time just climbing. Unfortunately the turret was locked so we could not get up. The church had lots of scratchings of people’s names and dates. I remember the earliest I saw was around 1917, or something along those lines.

Second Night: On the second night we went for pizza for our dinner which tasted nice. Then we had a walk around town, desperate to find the dinosaur which we found after an hour of searching was not actually there. Fortunately we did find the dinosaur, but 3 nights later. We did not buy anything from the shops because they were either clothing or cost a ridiculous amount of money (some dresses and jackets were over 200 euros).

Third Night: On the third night we went bowling where we were put into random teams, and bowled to get the most points overall as a team. Overall my team won because of Peter and Alex mainly who got the most points individually overall. I personally did terribly and got around 40 points, because I nearly always got the gutter. I enjoyed this though because of the competitive nature I had between Kristen, Georgia and myself.

Fourth Night: On the fourth night the thing I was most dreading was present: the disco. I sat in the corner, occasionally tapping my foot. Near the end at about 10 pm, 6 people grabbed hold of me and dragged me to the dance floor so I just flopped on the floor and lay there, and then suddenly sprinted back. As you have probably guessed, I am not much of a dancer and especially with the terrible modern songs that were played.

Fifth Night: On the fifth night we went for ice cream and I ate Vanilla, It was lovely ice cream. Then we went back to Hotel Des Roses where we ate, then had a quiz on which the Year 8 boys (my team) did not do too badly. 19/40 is terrible for a math test but when it is modern songs and trendy stuff it is great (for me at least).

Sixth Night: Our last night ended with an awards evening when our ski instructors would come and give us our grades. I got 2 distinction, which meant I was close to getting a 3. Then we thanked our instructors as that would be one of the last times to do that. I would now like to conclude this brief explanation of the Ski Trip by saying thank you to all the teachers who came, interski, Meg, Nia my ski instructor, the coach drivers, the hotel staff and everyone who worked at the slopes for making my stay more enjoyable, swift and fluid.

Thank you! By Finley Naylor Great Torrington School In Photos

Blesma Visit January 2020 Kents Cavern Trip February 2020

Game for Change January 2020 Petroc Taster Day March 2020

E&I Band Saw March 2020 Ten Tors Camping March 2020 Transition Leaders of 2019-2020

Ability Games February 2020 North Devon Schools Gymnastics Competition March 2020

Westward Ho! Beach Clean 7 Challenges January 2020 Artwork Tree Planting As part of the UK’s Woodland Trust bid to encourage Communities to plant more trees for future generations, climate change and Wildlife habitats, the school was successful in a bid and received trees to plant. On the 3rd March 2020, a group of students went down to Jubilee Woods to plant 60 Trees. The students and staff had a lovely time. Below are statements written by some of the students who took part in the planting.

"On Tuesday 3rd March our class and another planted around 65 trees in Jubilee Woods. I really enjoyed this and think it is a good thing to do with climate change. It is also good because you can go back there in a few years and through out your life, watch your tree grow and say I planted that " Noah H

"On Tuesday 3rd March 2020, some of the children in Year 7 went off to Jubilee Woods to plant some trees to reduce our carbon footprint. In class we have been learning about our world and the changes that have been happening around us while we are all still living our lives as if nothing is happening. Climate change is an ongoing problem so planting more trees is helping our planet; you can always do your part for the world! We planted 65 trees of all different types: Oak, Hawthorne, Blackthorne, Cherry, Rowan and Crab Apple. It was really nice to know that you have done your part for the environment and that when you come back to the woods you can go and check your tree. The woods will help animals get fed and give them shelter. I hope this will make more people aware of the ongoing problems. " Maddison F

"On the 3rd March 2020, Great Torrington School walked to Jubilee Woods, to plant some trees - 65 in total - to make a gateway of the woodland leading to the commons.

It is important to plant more trees, especially since recently sea levels and precipitation has been rising due to global warming. " Rowan Rotary Club of Torrington Young Photographer

The theme for the 2019-20 Young Photographers' competition was “Through My Eyes”. There were three age groups in the competition (7-10 Junior, 11-13 Intermediate and 14-17 Senior) and entrants were required to produce a portfolio of three photographs based on the theme and write about their photographs.

Local heats were held by 13 Rotary Clubs across Devon and Cornwall, with the winners being enteredo int the District 1175 competition. A total of 27 entries were entered into the main district, with 81 photographs being assessed. This year we had three entries submitted by Baz Meeson (Senior), James Leonard and Louise Tomlinson (Intermediate category).

Sebastian (Baz) Meeson

Picture 1 – I took this picture while out cycling through Fremington quay. I chose it for this competition as an entry because of the way the cloud cover is reflected in the water. The water was extremely still as far as you can see, and the water stretches off into the distance, leaving the far bank on the horizon, barely visible. I used my wide angle camera for this.

Picture 2 – I took this picture back at the beginning of the year on the Oxford canal. I picked it as an entry because of how the sides of the boat, the banks of the canal, and the hedges down the towpath lead you down the picture, to the twists at the end of that section. I also like how on the left there is a clear separation between the trees with no leaves, the bushes covered in green. The whole of the Oxford canal was as nice as this, but this was one of the best pictures I took.

Picture 3 – I took this picture from the top deck of a bus, parked on the coast around Bucks. I am happy with how as soon as the cliff ends, the cloud cover begins over the water at one consistent level, like a ceiling of sorts, that carries on into the distance, fading away slightly the further away you look. It continues to the opposite cliff where it appears to be coming down and consuming the land. I took a few of these pictures, some with the bales and frame from the wedding I was at, and some without, but decided it worked well to have the people in shot to give a contrast to what was going on nearby as well as what was going on in the distance. James Leonard

The reason why I have chosen these photos is because the sunset/sun is in them. I have always liked the light of the sun because of the different colours and shapes it can make through shadows. I also like it as they involve trees and the way they twist and turn to let the light through. In my opinion my favourite photo is the one with the orange sunset where I had to wait for it to get dark before I could take the photo and for the orange sun so that I got the image I wanted, the glow through the trees and down through the lane.

Louise Tomlinson

I see the peace in the water in these pictures. And the disturbance in others I love how the posture of the water mixes perfectly with the rocks and sand it’s a nice mixture through solids and liquids. I love how on the rocks and the water the further back it gets the shade gets darker and shadows follow upon the picture. In this picture you see the sun reflecting on the water making it glisten and making it all beautiful. The rain water on the car window makes it more shiny and the bit nearest to the sun is less shiny and it’s harder to tell that there is rain on that bit. I personally think that the trees and the hills mix together well in this picture because it brings more to the beauty in nature into it . It shows the disturbance in the water and at the same time it gets calmer. I really love how the trees leaves go into the water as they sit there dangling with the water brushing against them.

Keeley Allin, Rotarian, past student, Mayor and keen photographer, judged the photos. Both James and Baz’s photos won the Torrington Heat round and were put through to the District round, where there was tough competition. Sports News Rugby Season Review

Year 7 The year 7 Rugby team this year has been outstanding. We’ve gone from level 10 to level 100; that’s because of our rugby teachers, Mr. Poorman and Mr. Cooke. So far we have played three games, won two and lost one. We win because we play as a team. The team so far has played an amazing start to the season and the best thing about rugby is getting muddy and having fun! Next season we will win even more games! By Ben Walter

Year 8 At the start of the year, we did not have a team and some were still at the basics, preventing the higher levels to develop their game play, meaning the opposite team always had a clear advantage because we never trained together as a whole team. This being said, everyone has improved from their starting state. Everyone has put their all in this season and this made us get somewhat better results (did not lose them all). The first matches were testing our positions and meant we had to lose to learn. Then we surprised all in the rugby sevens tournament where we won four games and drew with previous competitors who had easily beaten us. With these results we stayed and were in the semi-finals where we only had five minutes. We lost. Our most recent and best match has shown the improvement and dedication to the sport from the team. We previously did not know the positions we play but against Ilfracombe we knew exactly where to go. We drove in the rucks and pushed them back where we previously could not ruck and failed repeatedly. We passed the ball when needed to the wingers, giving us many and great chances and some tries were scored through this. We won. The whole rugby team would like to thank Mr Cooke and Mr Avery for both developing our game. By Finley Naylor and Albert Jenkins

Year 10 This season has been very eventful for the year 10 rugby team. We got to the Cup Final, cruising by our match against Pilton school and winning it very comfortably, to face West Buckland in the final. This was an extremely difficult match and West Buck had evidently been training very hard since our match last season in the semi-final, which resulted in a Great Torrington win. We did not let our heads go down, we worked as hard as we could for the win in that match, however on West Buckland’s home turf with a referee of their own, we were sadly defeated. Everyone felt a bit hard done by after that match, but we went back to training the following week and focused on the next match against Chulmleigh in the league. This was a very comfortable game for us, and we went on to win extremely convincingly with no real threat from the opposition. After this game, we went to go to the rugby sevens tournament held at . With a team of bare 7, due to some of the team making controversial decisions and other complications, we were exceptional in this competition. We won all of our pool matches very easily against the likes of Pilton, Holsworthy, and Shebbear. These amazing results placed us against Park in the semi-final. Against all the odds, we managed to win again very comfortably at 47-0. This meant we were in the final against West Buckland once again. With no substitutions, we played and fought to the last whistle and put up a good competition, but we were beaten. Despite the result in the final, our team and West Buckland were both invited to Blundells school were we would represent North Devon at sevens. This achievement was brilliant in itself. The competition at Blundells was very impressive, however we held our own extremely well against some of the best teams from across the county with one win out of the four matches we played. Also, in our match against Devonport, we were unlucky to lose. We have qualified for the league final. Overall, this season has been decent so far with some top performances from us. By Ned Pettifer Sports News Netball Season Review Year 7 This season for netball has been really good. So far we have won practically all our matches except one. Everyone in the team is really skilled; they try their best all the time and don’t give up. Our most recent match was at Bideford and we played Bideford School and Chulmleigh School. I thought that Bideford School was an easy one to beat, but they did really well. Chulmleigh School beat us by miles. They’re really good at holding and they do long, strong passes and were really quick at moving on their feet; this is something our team needs to work on a bit as our passes are not that strong and we move a little slow on our feet sometimes. But other than that, the team is good and I am confident we will have more success over the rest of the season. By Lillie-Mae Weston

Year 8 This season has been okay; we have lost some of our games and won some. Everyone has played well and we work really well as a team even though we had some year 7s. We have had injures and we have worked well as a team. Our most recent matches were a tournament at Park. We played Pilton, Park, Chulmleigh, West Buckland; there were some strong teams and some teams that were closer to our ability. The team played well as we also had to battle the weather! By Lexi Reeves

Year 9 Over the past term we have played many matches against different schools, winning many and losing few. Even with the constant rainfall the year 9 netball team persevered through it all. Coming 5th in the year 9 tournament at Park school. The team has worked well together to win many matches including our most recent games against and Chulmleigh. Playing different schools always opens up the positions the team feel most comfortable in and allows us to improve skills and ideas and to take these on to the next matches. Amelia Turnwell

Year 10 Overall, our netball season was very good, as we have won the majority of our games and we didn’t let our heads drop at a loss. Throughout the season we have seen a very large improvement in our team as whole. We have learnt how every individual plays netball and this has helped us to gel better as a team, leading to more victories and very close losses. We have tried lots of different rotations, mixing up positions and finding out our strongest team from this experimenting. With our strong defence and outstanding attackers we have won more games than we ever have throughout the years playing together. Ellie heard Ability Games

The Ability games was held in Barnstaple and it was fun. I did wheelchair basketball, arts and crafts, tennis, fencing and badminton. There was also archery and laser shooting. My achievement is the little cup I won at the arts and crafts. I enjoyed doing what I wanted and nobody stopped me. There were other schools from across Devon. Everyone I know enjoyed it. The GTS team went by coach. Year 9 Student Edukid Uganda Trip

During the February half term, Mr Seaton went to Uganda with Edukid to see the four children that Great Torrington School sponsors. Edukid are a charity that support children from third world countries, such as Cambodia, Uganda, and Palestine to help get them back into education as well as other support. The four sponsored children all attend the primary school, Koch Goma, which is near Gulu, in North Uganda. North Uganda is one of the poorest areas in Africa. It is still affected by the Civil War that ran for 21 years finishing in 2008. United Nations are still working alongside the country to help bring it back from the brink. Many children have been orphaned due to the war as well as the terrible diseases they are unable to protect themselves from. Edukid helps children falling within six categories: former child soldiers; abductees; orphans; child-led families, those with HIV/AIDS and those living in chronic poverty. Te provide both primary and secondary education.

During Mr Seaton's visit two schools were visited as well as home visits with a social worker. Three families were visited in total, all of who are extremely poor. Two of the families had ten children in total and the other family had six. Most of the children had worms and scabies and some even had Malaria. They also had no shoes as well as only one set of clothes each. The houses were old stone ruins with no roofs/ They had holes in the walls which allowed poisonous snakes to come in during the night.

Whilst visiting one of the schools, it was noticed that a child had broken into the school so they were able to have communication with children their own age as well as trying to better themselves and gain an education. The class rooms are large, with an average of around 50+ children in each class room. The classes consist of mixed age groups. The class that Mr Seaton visited had an age range of 8-13. The reason for this is because if they do not pass the year they are held back.

Mr Seaton personally sponsors a child for £30 a month; this allows them to have access to school, school uniform, meals, exams, and a push bike so the child is able to get to school. As well as this they also have access to a Social Worker, who provides them with medical support, meaning the children are able able to have immunisations as well as anti-Malaria vaccinations. Edukid will also provide a family with solar panels and they will receive three solar powered lights. This allows the children to complete any homework that may have been set, as it gets dark around 19:00.

For more information on how to donate, please visit https://www.edukid.org.uk/donate

Westward Ho! Beach Clean On Friday 10th March 2020, a group of year 7s went to Westward Ho! to complete a beach clean and learn how the Council are helping protect the local beaches. They collected rubbish from the beach that has been dropped by visitors as well as being brought in from the sea. All items collected will be sent to the Marine Agency. Below is what a student had to say about the experience.

"On Friday 10th March we went to Westward ho! to do a litter pick and learn about how the council is protecting the beach and burrows. It is really important that we pick up all of our rubbish and put it in the bin. Around Westward Ho! there is various litter equipment for people to do a two minute beach clean; I think that everyone who visits beaches should do a beach clean. I think that some people don't take the time to think about where their plastic goes when it flies away or what damage it could do to marine animals. We did our beach clean for nearly an hour and we collected loads of plastics, metals, ropes and other things. I think that everyone in my class is now being more aware and more thoughtful about everything." Maddie

Sports Relief 2020 On Friday 13th March 2020 Great Torrington School held various events to raise money for Sports Relief. It was the job of the Sports Captains to come up with the itinerary. Three options were agreed upon: Penalty Shoot Out, Sprints and Splat The Teacher. These were held within a half hour slot at lunch time and raised an amazing £52.40. Well done to all who participated, especially the Sports Captains for organising, and all the members of staff who had wet sponges thrown at them and footballs kicked at them! Next Steps South West

Next Steps South West (NSSW) is a collaboration of fourteen partner universities and colleges throughout Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, which is funded by the Office of Students. As part of the programme NSSW help young people navigate their own personal journey to higher education, including apprenticeships.

Working together we provide events and activities designed to educate and inspire young people between ages 13 – 19. It is all about providing impartial information on study routes and career paths, in order to make an informed decision about their future.

Over the winter and spring terms we have worked with NSSW and hosted several events aimed across year groups. During the Autumn Term, NSSW provided training to all Year 9 students on a free resource called Careerpilot, This is a free careers information website, jam packed with advice aimed at 13-19 year olds and can be accessed beyond their time with us. It is worth noting that it also has a Parent Zone which gives information to help parents and carers support young people in making the right decision about study and work. The session is run by NSSW staff with student ambassadors from local universities. The ambassadors engage with the Year 9s by talking to the year group about university life and sharing their own experiences and passion for university, and answering any of their questions and dispelling any myths that they might have.

In October we enjoyed a fantastic, funny and inspiring talk from Stephen Seki, about his time as a small child in Uganda and his journey to England to be reunited with his mum. He talked about his struggles in life to learn the English language and his resilience in achieving results that enabled him to go to University and qualify as a Pharmacist (which he decided to do after getting the words "Farmer" and "Pharmacist" confused when asked for his choice of future career!) Our pupils were totally engaged in his inspirational story and his positive energy for life; we recommend that you check out his Social Media channels and search for Stephen Seki.

In November NSSW attended our Future Opportunities Evening where they were available to talk to pupils about the various options available to them when they leave Great Torrington School, such as A-levels, BTECS and Apprenticeships and routes into Higher Education.

In December we welcomed back MADE training with their fantastic workshop for Year 11 called "Exams MADE Easy", which gave lots of hints, tips and strategies for revision. Feedback from the pupils was that the sessions were really useful and hopefully pupils will all find their workshop activity sheets helpful to refer when revising for thier GCSES.

During National Careers Week this March we took Year 10 pupils to visit The Factory, Petroc, to watch the Barbican Theatre’s production of ‘Why Would You’. It was a great opportunity for pupils to watch three characters go through the struggles involved in taking their next steps and the opportunity of higher education and the different routes that can be taken. It was a fantastic performance that discusses financial barriers against aspirations as well as explaining and debunking the myths and complexities of student finances for our pupils in a light-hearted way. We hope to have more exciting events planned, such as a university trip for year 10s to get a taste of campus life.

NSSW are keen to engage with parents/carers and appear at local events held at local FE, HE and school events; please go and visit them when you see them out and about, they have lots of free resources and need to know updates about progression on higher education. You can also sign up to a regular email by visiting the NSSW website to receive their latest bulletin news. You can also look through previous editions. Sign up at nextstepssw.ac.uk Petroc Taster Days This term Year 10 enjoyed a great day at the Petroc Taster Day, where they got to try out a wide range of subjects and experience what they would be doing on each course, as well as listen first-hand to the expectations. Pupils had morning and afternoon taster sessions, getting to choose two different workshops, from A Level subjects to animal care, public services, performing arts, hairdressing, beauty, construction, architecture, engineering and catering.

Thank you to Petroc for a brilliant day and giving our pupils an insight into college life and helping them to start thinking about their next steps.

Trip to Exeter College's Reach Academy Year 10 pupils were given insightful talks from current college students and staff about Exeter’s Reach programme, followed by an orientation quiz to familiarise themselves with college surroundings. After lunch they listened to the college’s debate team before heading back to GTS.

The Reach Academy is a unique initiative for academically gifted students to encourage them to stretch themselves academically and aim high in their university and career ambitions. The programme involves committing approximately 2 hours per week to extra-curricular activities and experiences that will develop their skills and knowledge to benefit their university and job applications. There are limited places on the Reach Academy. If you are predicted to achieve Grades 7-9 in your GCSEs and have the motivation to explore your subjects outside the classroom, then the Reach Academy would be interested in your application. As a member of the academy you commit to 60 hours per year for Reach activities; this equates to approximately 2 hours per week. For any Year 10s who might be interested in applying next year, the advice is to apply early, as the deadline for the Reach Academy programme is earlier than for other courses. For further information, take a look at their web page: https://exe-coll.ac.uk/school-leavers/academies/reach-academy/ Parents' Evening 2020

May 11th Year 10 Parents' Evening Tuesday, 4.00pm - 7.00pm

Key Dates 2019/2020

April Term Dates 20th Y10 Work Experience - Week 1 - Group 1 Summer Term 2020 27th Y10 Work Experience - Week 2 - Group 2 Term Begins: 14th April

Half Term: 25th May - 29th May

Mayfair Day: 7th May July Bank Holiday 8th May 2nd GTS Summer Concert, Quad area, 6pm Last Day of Term: 22nd July 10th GTS Sports Day 10th GTS Prom Upcoming Dates

Year 10 Work Experience Week 1 - 20th April - 24th April 2020 Week 2 - 27th April - 1st May 2020 Transition Dates 2020 Wimbledon Trip 2020 Open to pupils in Years 7 - Year 6 Transition Information Evening 10 in September this year. Monday 16th March, Sports Hall, 6pm (To This is an exciting be rescheduled) opportunity to visit the Assembly Days GTS Visit Primary Schools Wimbledon Championships 2019/2020 Friday 15th May - Friday 22nd May on Thursday 2nd July with Year 6 Transition Week an over night stay, then a Monday Discovery Monday 22nd June - Friday 26th June visit to the Natural History Year 6 New Entrants Evening Museum on Friday 3rd July. Tuesday Resolution Monday 6th July, 6pm - 8pm Sports Hall The cost of the trip is £210.

Year 5 Taster Day Wednesday Endeavour Friday 3rd July 2019, 8.50am - 3.00pm Thursday Endurance

All calendar dates can be found on the front page of our website gts.devon.sch.uk