St Richard's Catholic College
Team reports Community links and fundraising activities Learning beyond the classroom
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TEAM
The ET team comprises of a range of subject staff that have an interest in the use of ICT in teaching (SC, SCE, BS, JB, FN, AP, SW, JD, TH, DH, SC, HH, RV, TS, RFS)
The aim of the team is to investigate how ICT could be used to improve teaching and learning at St Richard’s and to share good practice in the use of ICT across the curriculum. We also wish to plan for changes in teaching and learning arising as a result of new technologies.
Objectives for 2012 to 2013
1. Share good practice. 2. Identify ICT needs of staff. 3. Develop the school website. 4. Develop the Moodle area of the school website.
What has been achieved
1. Share good practice. This has been achieved – we have had several meetings where good practice has been shared and resources/websites shared with Subject Leaders to cascade to departments. 2. Look at the impact of ICT on the curriculum – This has been partly achieved – staff have filled in an online questionnaire which has highlighted their desire for more software training – SC delivered twilight sessions on various pieces of software but they were poorly attended. 3. Develop the school website – mostly achieved – all subject areas now have content on the front end of the school website – the next stage is more dynamic content (need technicians trained in use of adding dynamic content for this). 4. Develop the Moodle area of the school website – partly achieved – most subject areas have content. Currently waiting for new Moodle version to be installed in order to develop it further
Objectives for 2013 to 2014:
1. Improve teaching and learning by sharing good practice in the use of ICT in all subjects. 2. Conduct an online questionnaire to audit pupils’ perception of use of ICT across the school and use the feedback to highlight strengths and areas for development. 3. Investigate the use of new technologies in the classroom such as iPads/notebooks. 4. Continue reviewing and improving the school website and Moodle.
Ms S Cook Emerging Technologies Team
- 1 - FINANCE
This year has again been a very active year in all of the college’s accounts:
Budget Account: Public money delegated from the DfE through the Local Authority: This is the main business account and makes the majority of purchases for the college. Unfortunately, this year has seen an increase in the number of ‘Non-order’ purchases which are in contravention of financial standing orders and this is highlighted in the staff handbook. School Fund Account: Devolved Formula Capital and other activities: this fund is used to collect money in and pay for educational visits and other activities. The number and complexity of visits has increased in the last year. Some staff discuss the logistics of activities before they occur with Glyn Marsh, in his role as Educational Visits Co-ordinator, which enables the office to prepare the systems in advance. Governors’ Fund: the office is now also responsible for the administration of ‘Gift-Aid’ on donations to the Governors’ fund.
The college submitted its self-evaluation for the School’s Financial Value Standard (SFVS) in February; no comments have yet been received from the Local Authority.
Denise Williams has completed the Certificate level of the Accredited Accounting Technician (AAT); she will very shortly achieve the Diploma level qualification. Her study is being undertaken in her own time with support from the college. Glyn Marsh passed the examination in Financial Reporting for Academies, through CIPFA, one of the Chartered Accounting Institutes. Sallie Relf’s skills, knowledge and understanding of the financial requirements of the college continue to develop.
The 2012-13 budget has been reconciled to the LA figures with a reported surplus of £240,310 (5.48%). The LA has allowed the additional carry forward of 0.48%.
HEALTH & SAFETY
A number of projects have been undertaken this year to not only ensure a safe and healthy working environment for the college community, but to enhance the facilities. The remedial work of the A block extension has finally been completed.
Replacement windows to the South, East and West of the Science and Technology Block, music rooms, the E-Learning Office and the Year 8 Pastoral Leader’s Office Additional outdoor seating has been installed, some of which is made from recycled materials. Magnetic holdbacks have been added to doors in C Block corridor and the gym to aid the flow through the building Fitted additional fans to the ICT cabinets that were re-located during the summer The former ICT office has been converted into an SEN and literacy workspace The Ladies’ toilets in B Block have been refurbished The last of the spring loaded blinds in various rooms were replaced during the Easter break. The girls and boys toilets near the hall have been refurbished and the latter adapted for ‘dry’ working An LCVAP application has been submitted for £130,000 to replace the windows and frames in A Block; the frames are poorly fitted in to the building and cause draughts and damp. This work will be carried out during the summer holidays The second music room was refurbished during Easter to create three additional practice rooms. The distorted mirrors in the Dance studio have been replaced. Work will commence during the May holiday on installing the lift, allowing disabled access to the top floor of the Science Block. An LCVAP application has been approved for £150,000 to refurbish the kitchen. A meeting has been arranged for term 6 with the Architects and ESCC.
I am pleased to report that there have been no notifiable or dangerous incidents or occurrences this year.
EDUCATION VISITS The administration of educational visits was, in January, transferred to an on-line system, which has been embraced by some staff but others are still having difficulty with it.
Mr G Marsh, Business Manager
- 2 - PASTORAL CARE TEAM
The Pastoral Care team consists of our five Pastoral Leaders (Year 7 - Mr Bligh, Year 8 - Miss Easton, Year 9 - Mr Doherty, Year 10 - Mrs Bligh, Year 11 - Mr Calladine-Evans), the Principal (Miss Cronin), the SENCO (Mrs Tadros), Mrs Hills and Mr Padgham (form tutors with additional pastoral responsibility), Teaching Assistant Co-ordinator (Mrs Kelly), the School Nurse (Jenny Talbot), the Parent Support Adviser (Becky Ross) and Targeted Youth Support (Patrick Flynn).
The team meets termly to discuss a range of pastoral care issues such as attendance, behaviour, anti-bullying, emotional health and the Three Year Improvement Plan. A large proportion of each meeting involves discussion of the pupils in our care. All Pastoral Leaders are line-managed by a member of the LMT and are in daily contact.
Essentially, the aim of the team is to meet the needs of all the pupils in line with the College Mission Statement, and we are supported in our work by the Chaplaincy team, Behaviour and Attendance County team, School Counsellor, School Nurse, the Substance Misuse Service and a range of other services which we buy into when required. Over the past academic year, workshops have been organised on bereavement and loss, homophobia, anti-bullying strategies, Young Carers, domestic violence and drug awareness.
Each Pastoral Leader is responsible for: providing support to his/her tutors; helping to build up a year identity; organising fundraising activities; overseeing the spiritual, academic and social welfare of the pupils in his/her year group; organising liturgies and assemblies, and leading the PSHEe/Citizenship programme.
Pastoral objectives for 2012-2013 in line with College Improvement Plan and progress
Mrs Hills received a temporary TLR and has designated time to carry out a range of pastoral work which has included working with the anti-bullying team and building the profile of peer support in the college. Mrs Hills liaises with the following outside agencies to ensure our pupils get the most out of their service: Young Carers, Community Nurse, Targeted Youth Support and the Counsellor. She has organised regular SASSY groups for pupils who need targeted guidance on relationships. Mr Padgham also receives protected time and has successfully carried out the role of mentoring some of our most vulnerable pupils. Parental voice has continued to be strengthened through the parental focus groups and the surveys carried out at every parents’ evening. As the use of the portal increases, e-surveys will become part of the practice of gaining parental perspective. The profile of Year Councils, Prefects and Student Listeners will become a target for 2013-2014. The pastoral team are receiving SIMs training in term six so that it is used more effectively for the monitoring of behaviour, rewards and sanctions. The percentage of pupils accessing mentoring in Key Stage 4 has increased. There is now a need to formalise this process and target Key Stage 3. Behaviour systems have been revisited and some changes have occurred. The review of the rewards system across the school will be carried over into 2013-2014 objectives. E-safety has been given a high profile across the college with assemblies taking place for all years. The college supported the Safer Internet Day. Ms Cook promotes E-safety across the college and has been involved in e-safety conferences. Smile Ambassadors have been established in years 7 and 8.
PSHEe objectives for 2012-2013 in line with College Improvement Plan and progress
More attention has been given to topics such as eating disorders/self-harm this year but there needs to be an emphasis on this lower down the school as well. Transition arrangements between KS4 and KS5 have been strengthened. St Richard’s worked on a partnership project with Bexhill College in the following subject areas: MFL, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and maths. Joint CPD was held at St Richard's. New resources and schemes of work were written in both Key Stages for these subjects. The year 11 PSHEe programme was changed to improve knowledge of transition. A transition guide has recently been produced for all year 11 parents. The success of this project was shared with Hastings & Rother Partnership and the LA. Aspects of the ‘Learn to Learn’ programme are now embedded in both the curriculum and through the type of learning and methodology incorporated within lesson plans across the college.
- 3 - Circle time is embedded into the year 7 programme and tutors receive training on this prior to starting with their new forms. Programmes and resources related to DATE (drugs and alcohol education) have been further developed this year. Some differentiation of materials/resources has occurred: this needs to continue in 2013-2014. The ‘Be the Best you can Be’ programme has been adapted in year 8 and the points cup continues to be a successful motivator. Pupil focus groups need to be developed in 2013-2014. Smile Ambassadors are in place in years 7 and 8 and offer peer support as well as another useful insight into life at the college and how we can improve our pastoral work. The year 9 PSHEe programme has been completely re-written in preparation for the academic year 2013-2014.
Objectives for 2013-2014
To increase the profile of Year Councils, Prefects and Student Listeners. To embed the use of SIMs across the pastoral system as a way of monitoring behaviour, rewards and sanctions. To introduce effective change to the rewards system so more pupils, particularly boys, are motivated to progress through the use of appropriate rewards. To formalise the mentoring system and look to improve its usage in Key Stage 3. To strengthen the pastoral team’s role in monitoring the progress of all pupils. To work alongside the Lay Chaplain to improve the quality of year masses. To extend pupils’ understanding of different types of bullying behaviour and harassment. To further develop the parent/governor/staff/pupil focus groups.
PSHEe objectives 2013-2014
To respond to the needs identified by an effective PSHEe pupil review group. To build in greater opportunity for reflection during specific PSHEe topics. To ensure differentiation occurs across all schemes of work. To audit and then improve our work on Mental Health and Emotional Well Being. To continue to increase pupil awareness of how to react in unsafe situations, particularly in relation to sexual health.
Mrs Bligh Pastoral Care Team
- 4 - PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Overview of the year
The Personal and Professional Development team has continued with its focus on teaching and learning, leadership and literacy. We have been learning from each other in meetings, briefings and inset in-house, collaboratively through our partnerships and through contributing to programmes that we are leading such as the Outstanding and Improving Teacher Programme. The ‘learning 3 sets’ from last year are now embedded and have continued this year alongside our implementation of the new Appraisal policy.
Objectives for 2012-2013
1. To use our grant from NCSL to build capacity towards applying for Teaching School status. 2. To strengthen and develop our cpd focus on Teaching and Learning and pupil progress. 3. To develop a St Richard’s Outstanding Teacher Programme. 4. To further develop ICT skills to improve outcomes for our pupils. 5. To continue to build leadership capacity amongst the staff.
Achievement
1. Feedback from our NCSL link and partners suggest that we are in a much stronger position to apply for Teaching School Status. 2. We hosted a whole-school inset day on Independent Learning from Jim Smith for ourselves and Robertsbridge Community College. This had notable impact in both schools. 3. Our facilitation of the OTP and ITP programme has been judged as ‘excellent’ through the quality assurance evaluation. We have used our DfE grant to further develop the programme across primary schools as well as secondary schools; much of the programme has been used in-house. Two more of our staff will be trained as facilitators. 4. ICT skills remains an area for development although profiles are now completed online and there is an increase in the use of online data for tracking and intervention. 5. Our three lead professionals are actively supporting departments in other schools; we now have four Specialist Leaders of Education, and we are currently in the process of establishing an NCSL (National College of School Leadership) programme in the local area.
Overview The team, along with the leadership team, has continued its focus on providing more whole school staff learning opportunities through team meetings, staff meetings and inset time. Considerable resources have been allocated to high quality inset days which have been attended by both our own and staff from other schools too. Professional development has strengthened across the college.
In Service Training Days 2012/2013
September: College Review and Preparation. Performance Management Review and Target Setting. Assessment for Learning. Teaching and Learning October: Whole staff inset on Independent Learning - Jim Smith April: Moderation Day. July: Planning Day. First Aid. Appraisal and Teacher Standards. Child Protection. Training to prepare for a visually impaired pupil
External Inset (increasingly, courses impact on more than one strategy)
58% (29% impacting on Strategy A, B and D) - to embed a high expectation and success culture within the college to support and inspire all pupils to achieve 5% - Strategy B - to develop the quality of leadership in and management of the college 13% - Strategy C - to enhance the principles and practices of our Christian community 24% - Strategy D - to foster an infrastructure that enhances the quality of teaching and learning
- 5 - Objectives for 2013-2014
1. To focus CPD activities on teaching and learning, moving staff from good to outstanding. 2. To develop the facilitation of the Outstanding Teacher Programme, delivering across our Alliance Partners. 3. To achieve increased capacity for leadership and succession planning. 4. To further develop ICT skills to improve tracking and intervention, securing high outcomes for our pupils.
Mrs J Calladine-Evans Personal and Professional Development Team
- 6 - SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
The SEN department includes Kerry Tadros (SENCO), Teresa Clifford (Learning Support Administrator) and five Learning Support Co-ordinators: Nikki Campbell, Tracy Eaton, Karen Park, Kathryn Lea-White and Moira Kelly. There are five full-time Teaching Assistants: Heather Douglin, Natalie Huggett, Cecilia Hubbard, Anouschka Hood and Wendy Gill, with three part-time Teaching Assistants: Nikki Woodhead- Duly, Janie Manning and Rachel Cotterill.
Objectives for 2012 to 2013
1. To explore a more effective use of TAs in the classroom. 2. To re-launch the Equalities group, involving parents and the wider community. 3. To continue to raise awareness of disabilities among peer groups to support vulnerable groups. 4. To embed the enhanced literacy provision, continuing to monitor impact. 5. To provide more INSET to support TAs in developing skills to develop numeracy and literacy across the curriculum.
Progress towards Objectives
1. The SEN department are liaising with the Teaching and Learning team to explore ways to deploy TAs most effectively. Kerry Tadros will undertake an Action Research project on the effective deployment of TAs as a part of the SENCO training. 2. The Equalities group has not been re-launched this year. Parental involvement has been increased as the department have introduced informal drop-ins for the parents/carers of pupils with a particular focus on those with SEN/D and those who receive the Pupil Premium. Parents will also be invited to contribute to our preparation of the Local Offer from September 2013. This document will discuss our provision for pupils with SEN/D. It would be possible to re-launch the Equalities group with the people who contribute to the Local Offer preparation once that is completed, though it is anticipated that discussion of equality is the core business of the school’s Local Offer. 3. A programme was delivered this year by Nikki Duly to train play leader peers to organise games and activities for all of Year 7 with a focus on the most vulnerable. This has been a success and will continue in 2013-2014. Circle time training with peers has been undertaken to support vulnerable pupils. An awareness of disabilities has been raised through this. The learning intervention room has been staffed every lunch-time and a range of activities are on offer, including Lego and games club. 4. Lis Wood and Kerry Tadros have regular meetings to discuss the quality and impact of the literacy provision. Regular testing is undertaken to monitor progress. The purchase of improved materials is being investigated. 5. Karen Park has completed her training in dyslexia this year and will be able to support pupils with dyslexia effectively in another subject area. TAs have had training in the Write on Line software this year which will help pupils become more independent and confident in their literacy skills. TAs have also had training to use the Handwriting Without Tears programme and are teaching pupils in small groups during registration time. Tracy Eaton will visit a local primary school during term 6 in order to improve our practice in working with children who are below Level 2 in maths.
Objectives for 2013 to 2014
1. To work with the Teaching and Learning team to evaluate the best deployment of and maximise the impact of TAs in the classroom. 2. To formulate the Local Offer and develop it in partnership with parents and carers. 3. To improve and develop Provision Mapping, making it an effective whole-school tool. 4. To reintroduce IEPs with high quality, SMART targets for pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs. 5. To continue to develop and improve lunch-time activities for the most vulnerable children. 6. To provide training in phonics for TAs. 7. Informal drop-in surgeries to be held twice a year to encourage engagement with parents and carers, with a focus on pupils with SEN/D and pupil premium pupils. In addition, Structured Conversations will be held in the summer term and the impact and value of these will be monitored.
Mrs Tadros SENCO
- 7 - SPIRITUAL LIFE TEAM/CHAPLAINCY
Objectives: June 2012 - May 2013
1. To plan a retreat for staff. 2. To continue to have high quality services (Advent and Easter Services). 3. To have an outline of the Mass with an indication of what each part is for tutors to use. 4. To continue to develop the chaplaincy website. 5. To appoint a Lay Chaplain. 6. To organise Eucharistic ministering for Year 11. 7. To strengthen liturgical music.
Progress
1. A staff retreat has not yet taken place, but it was felt that this was an important objective and, as such, should be considered. The Lay Chaplain has met with Anita Hooper to discuss the possibilities. 2. The Advent Service in 2012 and the Holy Week Service in 2013 were of a good standard, incorporating music, dance and drama and involving a large number of pupils in a variety of different roles. Other major services included: a Mass for Grandparents in October 2012 (with Year 9 pupils taking the grandparents on a tour of the school beforehand), an Ash Wednesday service and a Mass to celebrate St. Richard’s Day. 3. An outline of the Mass has been produced and the Lay Chaplain has been working with Form tutors on an individual basis when they have been preparing their form services. This academic year, forms have also been able to choose, if they prefer, a service rather than a Mass and all liturgies have included music facilitated by the staff of the music department. 4. The chaplaincy website still needs to be further developed. A chaplaincy mission statement has now been put together by the pupils, to accompany the logo, and plans are being discussed to launch this. 5. A Lay Chaplain was appointed in July 2012. 6. Three training sessions were arranged for Year 11 pupils and staff for them to take up the role of Commissioned Ministers of the Eucharist. Eight pupils and two members of staff were commissioned at the Year 11 Mass in February 2013 and they have ministered in school since then. 7. Liturgical music has been greatly strengthened this year, not only in the large liturgies involving the whole school, but in the smaller liturgies with only one form involved. Liturgical dance has also developed and is now a regular feature in school liturgies. The Music, Drama and Dance departments have liaised closely with the Lay Chaplain in the planning and celebrating of liturgy in school. 8. In addition to the above: Morning Prayer was offered each morning in the Chapel during Advent and Lent, and for staff and pupils on Monday mornings outside of these two seasons; the sacrament of reconciliation was offered in both Advent and Lent; three retreats took place with Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils at Whitstable; pupils attended YouthGather in 2012, the Good Shepherd Celebration in 2013, and will join Bexhill parish on a trip to the ‘Life of Christ’ production at Wintershall. Charity work has continued through the Interact Club (‘Love in a Box’ and the ‘End Polio Now’ campaigns) and through the CAFOD ‘Hungry for Change’ and Bexhill Food Bank campaigns in Lent 2013. Links with local parishes have been developed through parish Masses at St Mary Magdalene’s, Bexhill, and Christ the King, Langney, involving pupils in the ministries of the liturgy. A further mass is planned at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Hastings in June. Pupils took part in the inaugural Mass of the Parish of the Good Shepherd (the amalgamation of St. Thomas of Canterbury, St. Leonard’s and Holy Redeemer, Hollington) with Bishop Kieran in May 2013 and a large number of Year 10 pupils have participated in the Confirmation programmes and will be confirmed in June 2013. A staff INSET session was offered to new staff in September 2012 by the Lay Chaplain and Father David Parmiter.
Objectives: May 2013 – June 2014
1. To continue the cooperation between the Chaplaincy and the Music/Dance/Drama departments in order to further develop the quality and range of the liturgy in school at all levels. 2. To provide an inset session for new staff on what it means to work in a Catholic school. 3. To offer an INSET session on the Mass and putting together a Form Service for form tutors and other interested staff. 4. To offer training for staff/pupils who wish to be commissioned as Special Ministers of the Eucharist and to arrange a Mass to formally commission them in school. 5. To further develop the role of Liturgy Reps and involve them in more tasks, promoting prayer and spiritual life activities. 6. To continue to offer retreats and pilgrimages, notably Whitstable, Lourdes and Rome.
- 8 - 7. To provide a retreat opportunity for staff. 8. To encourage all forms to take part in the campaigns involving the whole school through clear communications regarding aims and practicalities. 9. To encourage further links and communication with the local parishes through personal contact, the website and parish newsletters. Katrina Avery Spirituality Team
- 9 - SUBJECT LEADERS
The Subject Leaders team comprises of all Subject Leaders, LMT, M Boakes (exams), G Machin (timetabling) and K Tadros (SENCO). Some staff who are second in charge of departments or Key Stage Co-ordinators also attend for professional development.
The team will continue to share good practice, look at curriculum design, assessment and marking policies, target setting and tracking of pupils, reports and parent consultation evenings; reflect on feedback from pupils, teachers, parents and Governors and try and plan for changes coming from the DFE. We will plan for and review main events such as Open Evening, Curriculum Evening and Block days.
Objectives for 2012 to 2013
1. New Interim reports to be implemented which utilise SIMs. 2. Update of the profiles (plus, tick, minus) to use SIMs. 3. Set aspirational targets and review methods of tracking and helping pupils achieve their targets. 4. Improve tracking and intervention for vulnerable groups, particularly disadvantaged pupils (FSM and CLA). 5. Continue preparation for OFSTED inspection by developing lesson observations. 6. Implement the new Performance Management process. 7. Review the use of Block Days. 8. Review the monitoring programme, especially the work scrutiny to observe evidence of progress by pupils in their work. 9. Improve data capture points by reviewing the timings and responses from Subject Leaders.
What has been achieved
1 and 2 above have been achieved but will be further developed; see objectives 2, 3 and 4 below. In 3 and 4 above, aspirational targets have been set using FFTD+1 and Pupil Premium tracking has improved but more work will be done hence objective 5 below. 5 and 6 have been achieved but on-going development continues (objective 8 below). Block days will continue but some changes may take place (see objective 7 below). Objective 8 has been achieved but this process is dynamic and will continue (objective 6 below). Objective 9 has not been met and is subject to an overhaul of what is recorded, when it is recorded and what (and when) is reported to parents (objectives 3 and 4 below).
Objectives for 2013 to 2014
1. Improve teaching and learning by sharing good practice among Subject Leaders. 2. Re-visit the format of the summative reports by considering a variation on the Interim Reports. 3. Improve tracking by using profiles 6 times a year. 4. Review the information that goes to parents by co-ordinating publication of profiles, Summative Reports and Interim Reports. 5. Rationalise spending of the Pupil Premium and show impact of strategies designed to improve the progress of Pupil Premium pupils. 6. Continue reviewing monitoring by sharing good practice from other schools and making work scrutiny more rigorous. 7. Examine the possibility of having a KS3 block day with an in house programme of events in the July block day slot. 8. Strengthen the Performance Management/Appraisal system by training, sharing of good practice and improving target setting and feedback. 9. Strengthen the leadership skills of Subject Leaders by training in strategic planning and understanding their role in whole-school development as well as team development.
Mr Clark Subject Leaders Team
- 10 - TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM
The Teaching and Learning team is in its second year following the reintroduction of Subject Leaders Meetings two years ago.
The team consists of Mrs Andrews (Link Governor), Mr Avery (Maths), Mr Byrne (RE), Mrs Byrne (Science), Mr Castano (Maths), Mr Fairbrass (Drama), Mr Gallivan (Maths), Mr Halligan (Art), Mr Harwood (Science), Mrs Herring, Mrs Howis (MFL), Mrs Leggatt (English), Mrs Robertson (Technology), Mr Tadros (Science), Mrs Vanvuchelen (RE), Mrs Williams (Technology), Mrs Wood (English).
The team’s core purpose is to improve the quality of Teaching and Learning across the college by reviewing current practice, sharing good practice and experimenting with new and innovative teaching strategies and interventions.
Objectives and Progress for 2012 to 2013
1. Further develop St Richard’s 10 Outstanding Features of a Lesson in a way that they influence lesson planning and scheme of work development in all departments. The September INSET Day began with a re-launch of the 10 features. Examples of good practice from different departments were shared. The features remain the drive for outstanding teaching, although further work is needed to ensure that this informs planning at all levels. 2. Continue to explore strategies that challenge passivity and promote pupil engagement. Independent learning remains a challenge for most schools, including St Richard’s. Jim Smith’s INSET on ‘The Lazy Teacher’ had a profound influence on the team and staff and continues to inspire staff with ideas. 3. Explore how new technologies can impact positively on pupil learning. This has become the focus of the Emergent Technologies Team (new team introduced in September 2012). 4. Improve the quality of starters that are used across the college. A starter booklet has been created for all staff that has instructions for 30 different starters that can be adapted for all subjects 5. Develop the use of AfL (Assessment for Learning) across all subjects, implementing the feedback from Consultant, Helen Howard’s visit. AfL strategies are a regular feature in T & L meetings. Two members of the team are leading a twilight course called ‘Beyond the Black Box’ that will focus on how AfL can promote outstanding progress. 6. Develop a consistent and effective model of pupil voice that is used by all departments. A range of practice has been explored in T & L meetings. In our final meeting in term 6 pupils will be coming to our meeting and sharing their thoughts on pupil voice and ways to improve this at St Richard’s. 7. Improve the quality of questioning that takes place in lessons. The T & L team has one member who is an AST (Advanced Skills Teacher). She is leading part of a whole staff INSET on questioning at the start of term 6. The team will also put together a questioning booklet that has a list of practical strategies to improve the quality of questioning. 8. Develop strategies that promote thinking skills in all subjects. One member of the team has developed a system of ‘Thinking Keys’ that generate higher order thinking, often by generating cognitive conflict. For example, the ‘Reverse Key’ may ask pupils to list three comments a Christian wouldn’t make about abortion. There are twenty ‘Thinking Keys’ that are being trialed by the T & L team before they are introduced to the staff. 9. Across departments, develop and share intervention strategies that are effective with C/D borderline pupils. A range of strategies have been explored, particularly in relation to revision techniques. These were then shared with the rest of the staff as a teaching and learning tip. 10. Continue to share good practice. During each meeting there is time for staff to share good practice from their own teaching. These ideas are then fed back into the next department meeting. Team members also share bite-size practice in morning briefings (butterfly inset). 11. Develop a Teaching and Learning section on the portal that can be used to share good practice, provide resources, and develop staff. Unfortunately, the E-Learning support team has been unable to facilitate the development of a T & L website / section of the portal to date. 12. Video examples of good practice within St Richard’s. One science lesson was videoed and watched by the whole staff. This will be continued as we trial the IRIS software. 13. Investigate teaching resources that can improve the quality of whole school teaching and learning. A range of teaching resources have been trialled by the team. The most successful one is the Five Minute Lesson Plan which will be rolled out to all staff.
- 11 - Objectives and Progress for 2013 to 2014
1. Further develop St Richard’s 10 Outstanding Features of a Lesson in a way that they influence lesson planning and scheme of work development in all departments. 2. Develop strategies that promote challenge for all pupils. 3. Evaluate the current provision of differentiation across all departments to improve the standard of quality first teaching. 4. Continue to explore strategies that promote pupil independence and autonomy. 5. Improve the quality of questioning across the college. 6. Use IRIS to film examples of good practice that can be shared with staff. 7. Develop a consistent and effective model of pupil voice that is used by all departments. 8. Strengthen current strategies that promote thinking skills in all subjects. 9. Develop strategies to ensure that all homeworks have impact and promote pupil progress. 10. Increase the opportunities for pupils to lead learning, through pupil-led starters and plenaries. 11. Develop the use of DR ICE as an evaluation tool of teaching and learning. 12. Lead a whole school cross-curricular project that targets all years. 13. Develop a Teaching and Learning section on the VLE that can be used to share good practice, provide resources, and develop staff. 14. Improve the quality of the teaching and learning noticeboard so that it has a significant impact on the quality of teaching. 15. Continue to share good practice.
Mr Byrne Teaching and Learning Team
- 12 - GIFTED AND TALENTED ACTIVITIES/OPPORTUNITIES
The current national picture for Gifted and Talented education is vague. This year, the Coalition Government asked Ofsted to carry out mini-inspections of schools where ‘high attainers’ make outstanding progress. This implies a shift away from extra-curricular towards ensuring that schools see their main focus as securing A/A* grades from those pupils who should be expected to make this progress. Funding has also been cut from schools and over this past academic year we have seen our sports grant cut because we were deemed as successful and hence the pupils did not need this financial support. Instead funds have been diverted to schools who do not perform as well. Despite this, the staff at St Richard’s continue to provide extra-curricular activities to ensure that all pupils, including the most able, are offered a challenging and rich curriculum. Here are the activities that staff have offered pupils this academic year:
Art Extended activities in class G&T year 9 pupils working with designated Fine Art teacher on GCSE material
Dance St Richard’s Dance company: over 30 pupils now attending classes six times a week Armed Forces Day in Egerton Park ‘Time to Dance’ festival at the Phoenix Arts Centre Eastbourne Proms End of year Expressive Arts evening Rotary tea party Ardath Care Home Parish services in Bexhill and Eastbourne The year 7 induction mass Advent Service Easter services Grandparents’ mass English National Ballet Imperial Society for teachers of dance graded syllabus
Term Six events Bexhill hospital summer fete Summer fete and sports day ‘Songs from the Musicals’ Hastings Parish service End of year service Ballet Rambert workshop
Drama Weekly drama Clubs for Years 7,8,9 Expressive Arts Event in summer term Theatre visits Theatre workshop for advanced pupils Autumn term production Shakespeare Schools project performance
English Public Speaking competition Newsday with the BBC GCSE Poetry live (was open to all doing Literature) 1066 Schools Book Award Southern Schools Book Award Carnegie Shadowing Group Film Club Media Club Creative Writing club World Book day events and bookmark competition
- 13 - Author Visit
Humanities Weekly meetings for G+T Humanities pupils, focussing on individual interests Visit to Sussex University for G+T Historians to attend an afternoon remembering the Holocaust Visit to Bexhill Museum for all G+T Humanities pupils to assist with their work on a local project Term six event: Show-case afternoon sharing and celebrating G+T projects
ICT Computer Club – Raspberry Pi (programming) – year 9 Digital Media enrichment – year 9 Extension homework – all years Extension activities in lessons – all years Cross curricular work in Term 6 with Maths by making short videos explaining maths concepts. This can be used as flipped classroom learning. This will be developed through Gifted and Talented pupils. Cross-curricular work with Maths looking at using Scratch (programming/coding) and Autograph in maths – term 6. This will be developed through Gifted and Talented pupils.
Mathematics UK Maths Challenge – Junior UK Maths Challenge – Intermediate G&T Booklets being used for more able pupils ‘Extension Maths’ books specifically designed for G&T pupils in KS3 and year 10 Increased use of NRich resources (Univeristy of Cambridge Maths Education Department) for developing problem-solving skills Bridging Unit for pupils taking AS Maths at 6th form college – year 11 Booster classes for year 11 G&T pupils AS Level Transition booklet from Bexhill College Enrichment programme, closer tracking of pupils taking AS Maths, improved sharing of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. Enrichment programme for KS4 at Bexhill College every Wednesday after school in term 4 Teaching of year 8 pupils in ICT to use Autograph software to develop understanding of graphing software Links developed with Bexhill College and meetings held between JB and Head of Maths at Bexhill College. Use of Gifted and Talented pupils to make videos explaining maths concepts/ examples to be used on VLE to help other pupils (cross curricular work with ICT) in term 6. Cross-curricular work with ICT looking at using Scratch (programming/coding) and Autograph in maths – term 6.This will be developed by Gifted and Talented pupils. Improved resources for pupils made available through Further Maths Support Programme link and DfE.
MFL Early German (2 pupils) – tutored during lunchtimes Spanish GCSE (1 pupil in year 8 and 1 in year 11) Double option group After school coaching Early French
Music Orchestra Upper & Lower School choirs KS 3 & 4 Music Showcases Summer Sing ‘Rock School’ sessions after school each week (run by East Sussex Music Services) String Orchestra Regular opportunities to support the music for Liturgies ‘Drum Club’ Summer Show (for singers and instrumentalists)
- 14 -
PE County G&T Enrichment programme Be The Best You Can Be. Elements of this programme are led by Gifted and Talented pupils. Junior Sports Leadership ( 100+ pupils) Year 11 PE enrichment day at Brighton University Primary Schools Leadership: Gifted and Talented pupils lead sessions with Primary pupils. Parts of lessons led by G&T pupils in both Lower & Upper School
NB: this year we lost funding for Sports Development Grants as funding was diverted to schools regarded as ‘more in need’.
Science Master classes for both Key Stages in Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry and Physics G&T alternative homework – presentations to class with peer review Young Investigators lunchtime club - year 7 run by Mr. Holloway Fab Fizzics lunchtime club run by Year 10 pupils (DofE) for Year 8 Future’s Day at Farnborough Air Show Big Bang South East at STEMFest in Crawley (StRATOS Team Gold CREST Awards) CAT Camp residential trip to Wales Institute of Physics talks at the University of Sussex RSC ‘Top of the Bench’ Competition Herstmonceux Twilight Supper and Observing evening Trip to ‘Big Bang VII: The Science Strikes Back’ – Professor Hal, University of Brighton Astronomical Maths Workshop (National Space Centre) GCSE Science Live Trip to Dominion Theatre, London Moonrocks and Meteorites NASA samples Astronomy for the Blind Project (Bronze CREST Awards) IET Great Egg Race Competition (Bronze CREST Awards) Science Week Activities – Wicked Wednesday (Inflatable planetarium, rockets workshop) University of Sussex Outreach for Year 9 G&T (Astronomy) Astronomy & Physics Outreach for Year 8 Astronomy Taster Day Astronomy & Science day trip to Fishbourne Roman Villa and South Downs Planetarium CERN Trip – residential trip to Geneva (with Bexhill College) Herstmonceux Telescope Tours Ethical Eden Trip – residential trip to Cornwall (Science, RE and Sustainable Schools) Forthcoming this term: Big Bang South East (STEMfest in Crawley) Particle Physics Day, University of Sussex Laboratories Day, University of Sussex Day Trip to Bletchley Park
RE Every week there is the Great Debate for Years 10 and 11. This is a pupil-led debate and discussion on current political, religious and moral issues. Science and Belief National Essay Competition–The Religious Education department invited pupils to write an essay that evaluates and responds to an issue raised in Professor Russell Standard’s series of 12 short films and supporting classroom activities, Science & Belief: the Big Issues. The topics are explored throughout the 2012-2013 academic year on Tuesdays after school and include issues such as: Evolution and science; Intelligent design, Morality, Round table 1, Creation, Anthropic principle, Intelligent life out there?, Round table 2, Psychology, Miracles, Science and religion, Round table 3. Pupils who are selected as having written the most thoughtful essays will be awarded either one of three first prizes of £300 or ten second prizes of £100. RS GCSE Day at Chichester Cathedral on 27th Feb 2013. This study day opened with a keynote speech by the newly-appointed Bishop Martin of Chichester. Fifty-two pupils from five schools travelled to the event. The pupils decided which workshops to attend and then were involved in a debate with the panel in a question-and-answer session dealing with the challenging ethical issues tackled in the study day.
- 15 - UN conference to take place at Parkwood Sixth Form Centre on June 12th 2013. Although this event will be mainly for Year 12 students, the Forum meeting felt that this is a great opportunity for able Year 10 pupils to experience an exciting challenge. Pupils are divided into teams and each one will represent a particular country. RE Summer Conference – Death Penalty 12th July 2013. Every year the RE Department invites Year 10 pupils to a Gifted and Talented Conference. The conference will take place on Friday 13th July 2013. The purpose of the day is to provide pupils with the opportunity to explore the Death Penalty. The day will begin with a key note speech by Amnesty International speaker and an address by a local MP. There will be time for questions after the talk but the majority of the day will be spent working in groups made up of Highly Able pupils from different schools in the local area and from Arundel & Brighton and Southwark dioceses. The day will end with pupil-led presentations and a discussion that will attempt to draw together the different arguments. World religion trips to various places of worship will take place during term 6 – Sikh Gurdwara, Muslim mosque, Greek Orthodox Church, and a Hindu temple in the local area and north London.
Technology Weekly Technology Club. Pupil-led lessons in Product Design After-school support sessions Lunch Time Support Sessions Recycled Treasures Design Club Science/Product Design collaboration: FN/JD STEM Project.
Review of the past academic year
National funding for extra-curricular activities has ceased to exist. This has continued this year with a withdrawal of PE funding for Sports Grants. These grants have been diverted to lower performing schools. Thankfully, the college and Governing Body have financed numerous extra-curricular activities as can been seen from above.
Although the extra-curricular focus is important, the DfE focus is on quality teaching in the classroom and ensuring that all ‘high attainers’ from Key Stage Two achieve the highest grades at the end of Key Stage Four. In response to this, I have used the Plus/Minus Profile system to devise a tracking system for the G&T pupils in order to identify where ‘high attainers’ are not performing and will be developing this next academic year with regards to implementing intervention.
Successes this year have been improved provision in Humanities, ICT and Dance. I have helped the Technology Department with regards to strategies they employ and discussed with their G&T Coordinator ways forward by sharing practice from Science and Maths. Work will continue with Humanities and Music next academic year.
The key focuses for the following academic year are: tracking and intervention; improved provision in Technology and Music. We will also move away from the paperwork involved in IEPs to provision plans for the year outlining strategies each department will employ to ensure challenge, extension and enrichment. This should provide a sharper focus on developing teaching and learning with regards to the most able. Copies will provide the Leadership Team with an overview of what each department does to stretch the most able. Effectiveness of strategies can be used against results to analyse effectiveness.
Mr Beaumont
ENTERPRISE
This year the Business Studies group has been split into 4 groups and is completing a 'The Apprentice' style competition whereby each group has to run a fairtrade based stall with the aim of making a profit. The group with the best outcome (group work and profit combined) will win and get to keep 100% of their profits. The other groups will have to donate at least 50% of their profits to a charity of their choice. They have run fairtrade stalls at parents evenings and open evening and have helped Katrina with fairtrade fortnight.
Bright Green Enterprise returned in September to run another very successful Enterprise Block day which received extremely positive feedback from most of the pupils and staff.
- 16 - Year 8 will be completing the £10 to £100 competition in the summer term and will be donating the proceeds to a charity of their choice.
The Snack Attack Competition where pupils had to create a fairtrade snack and design the packaging and a marketing campaign was completed before Christmas and the winning school entry was sent in to the national competition but unfortunately we did not win.
Mrs Forster-Simmons
CAREERS AND WORK EXPERIENCE
Careers This year it became statutory to provide impartial Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance, CEIAG, to all pupils in Years 9 -11. To ensure that the college was meeting this statutory requirement the college commissioned My Future Starts Here to deliver 60 one-to-one interviews with highlighted pupils in Year 11. ESCC provide one-to-one interviews for all pupils in Years 9 – 11 who have a statement of special educational need. The Hastings and Rother Partnership provided extra funding for CEIAG which this year has been spent in the following way: 10 more one-to-one interviews; help organising the careers fayre; tutor training for Years 9 – 11; whole staff INSET; helping to organise employer workshops for year 9 and an assembly for Year 8. Unfortunately, next year the additional funding will cease, but I intend to continue with the careers fayre, the employer workshops and the assembly in Year 8. As of September 2013, the college statutory requirement for CEIAG extends to pupils in Year 8. Stephen Calladine-Evans and I are in the process of commissioning the independent CEIAG for the next academic year.
In April the college’s kite mark for quality CEIAG was reassessed. This involved an independent assessor attending the college for one day to meet with staff and pupils. The college has maintained the Investor in Careers award until April 2016. The report was very complimentary stating ‘St Richard’s Catholic College is delivering an excellent CEIAG and Work-Related Learning programme and the staff should be congratulated on all they do to make it such a success.’
Work Experience Last year, Year 10 pupils participated in a week’s work experience from 25th – 29th June in placements offered by nearly 200 companies and organisations based mainly in the South East. Whilst on placement the pupils had a work experience diary to complete about their experience and practice of the world of work. They were visited or telephoned by a member of staff who talked to them about their experience and checked on the quality of the placement. Overall, the employers were very impressed with the pupils, some even gaining part time jobs from their placements.
Work experience continues to be run by East Sussex County Council who charges schools for taking part. It was decided that work experience was a valuable part of a young person’s development whilst in school, and that the pupils tend to come back more grown up and with a positive attitude towards work. This year, the work experience week will take place from the 24th – 28th June, as this time of year has the least impact on curriculum time.
The preparation for work experience begins in October with pupils picking three possible placement choices from the online Veryan database of employers provided by East Sussex County Council. With over 200 pupils to place this is a significant challenge and we are always looking for high quality placements that will stretch our pupils. Some pupils find their own placements which then need to be approved by the East Sussex County Council on Health and Safety grounds. Whilst this process continues, the pupils begin to prepare for their placement week through their PSHEe lessons. The final preparations happen one month before their placement in the form of a morning of activities. This year, this will be taking place on the 21st May. Along with writing their Curriculum Vitae and letter of application to their employers each pupil takes part in an interview. The interviews are conducted by local employers and members of the Rotary club who provide feedback to the pupils including tips and advice for the future. This year’s event is looking likely to be very successful with 53 employers taking part.
Mrs Adams
- 17 - FRIENDSHIP AND ANTI-BULLYING
15 Anti-bullying Ambassadors have been trained. The training consisted of a one day training course run by the Diane Award group. Areas covered included: identifying bullying, supporting pupils, initiatives in other schools. It enabled pupils to focus on current trends linked to bullying, e.g. cyber- bullying. The role of the Anti-bullying Ambassadors is to ensure a culture is developed in which pupils feel comfortable and supported when becoming anxious about friendship issues and bullying. The pupils selected were Student Listeners who visit year 7 forms on a weekly basis. Alongside the training, termly meetings have taken place to support and drive forward ideas across the college. The Key is to ensure it is pupil-led, but with clear support from staff. Review of school anti-bullying code – pupils reviewed wording and agreed pupil-friendly. Currently all classrooms are being audited by Smile Ambassadors to ensure code is on display (feedback will take place during meetings this term). Raise whole-school awareness of what bullying actually is - this is taking place through year group assemblies by Pastoral Leaders and outside speakers from the Anti-bullying service and targeted events throughout the year – term 2 Anti- Bullying week included work in PSHEe, assemblies and information for parents and children in the newsletter. The whole school also took part in the Safer Schools Survey. Whole staff training on how to recognise signs of bullying - the purpose was to inform staff on current trends and statistics as well as reinforcing that it is everyone’s responsibility to not only act on, but record and follow up any incidents of bullying. Training was delivered by Philippa Hoyle, T&L Consultant. Develop future Anti-bullying Ambassadors – training for individuals as peer mediators – 2 per form Years 7 -10. This will create a network of children in all year groups to strengthen the focus on friendship. Termly meetings with staff will also allow individuals to raise concerns in the early stages as opposed to staff being made aware when an incident is longer-term. Review and re-launch lines of communication for pupils, e.g. issues box, email (awaiting link to moodle). Develop an anti-bullying group to include pupils, parents, governors and staff - first meeting has taken place and next date booked. Use of available experts e.g. John Khan, safer schools survey data etc.
Plans for the future
Rota for Anti-bullying Ambassadors to man a designated drop-in area for pupils, e.g. The Positive Zone. Smile and compliment day in school. A virtual compliment wall. Group to be represented at Open Evening/Parents Evenings. Contact via twitter etc. with the Diane Award Advice and useful links for parents/ pupils on school website. Outside speakers e.g. Mencap assembly on Hate Crime Clarity and continuity of reporting and recording process re bullying incidents
LITURGY, RETREATS, PILGRIMAGES AND PARISH LINKS
Sincere thanks to all the clergy from St. Leonards and Eastbourne deaneries for their wonderful support, in celebrating liturgies in school, offering the sacrament of reconciliation and generally being available to help develop the spiritual life of St. Richard’s.
Liturgy in School The ‘large occasion’ Masses have all been celebrated, the Year 7 Induction Mass and the St. Richard’s Day Mass for example, accompanied by the smaller occasions, such as the Friday morning Mass for staff and pupils each week. Forms this year have been able to choose between a Mass celebration or a service for their own form liturgy. Whether Mass or service, these have been prepared in advance and, increasingly, with the help of the priest celebrating the liturgy in question. The Advent and Holy Week Services involved large numbers of pupils in the readings, drama, dance and music, bringing the season into focus with energy and meaning.
Daily prayer has been encouraged through the production of a weekly prayer powerpoint, taking account of feast days in the Church’s calendar, special UN days and multifaith/cultural festivals. In both Advent and Lent, a short morning prayer was held in the Chapel each day, and, on Monday mornings, a tradition
- 18 - of praying the office of the Church has been established which both pupils and staff attend. On Monday mornings, the last of each month, a Buddhist nun comes into school to offer a meditation session for those who wish – this is usually well attended by pupils of all ages.
Grandparents Event in School The Diocese of Arundel & Brighton held a Grandparents Week for the first time in 2012. St. Richard’s celebrated the week by inviting grandparents of pupils into school on 4th October for a tour, refreshments and Mass. Year 9 pupils rose to the occasion by welcoming grandparents and acting as tour guides.
Whitstable Retreats Fourteen Year 7 pupils and twenty Year 8 pupils took part in the Whitstable retreats at St. Vincent’s Centre in October 2012 and February 2013 respectively. Both year groups engaged well in all of the activities and enjoyed their time away together. A Year 9 retreat is planned for June 2013.
Ski Trip Mass in Austria Those who travel to Austria for the school ski trip usually attend Mass on the Sunday at the local church in Pongau. In 2012, for the first time, pupils read the readings and prepared the prayer of the faithful in German, having practised beforehand. Their presence and contribution was appreciated by the local congregation.
Year 10 Block Day at Ashburnham Year 10 pupils spent a day away from school in October 2012 to take part in a retreat day at Ashburnham retreat centre, focusing on the theme of relationships. The day began with morning prayer, followed by workshops in form groups. The day concluded with Mass in which the readings and homily drew out the issue of relationships in the context of Catholic faith.
Year 8 Block Day at Ashburnham Pupils in Year 8 are due to attend a retreat day, also at Ashburnham, focusing on the issues of poverty in our world and fairtrade. This will occur in term 6.
Church Visits In September, all Year 7 pupils visited St. Mary Magdalene church in Bexhill, learning about the signs and symbols in a Catholic church and taking part in a time of quiet reflection and meditation in the prayer room.
‘Good Shepherd’ Celebration at Worth Abbey On 6th March, ten year 7 and 8 pupils travelled to Worth Abbey for the annual Good Shepherd celebration with Bishop Kieran. The theme was ‘The Prodigal Son’ developed through prayer, song, drama and dance. The pupils met the bishop and a member of the Benedictine community after the service.
‘Life of Christ’ at Wintershall Ten Year 8 and 9 pupils will travel to the Wintershall Estate outside Guildford in June, joining with parishioners from Bexhill parish, to see the production ‘The Life of Christ’. This is a unique opportunity to experience the Gospel story outside in the Surrey countryside with a cast of hundreds.
Parish Masses Two parish masses, one at St. Mary Magdalene, Bexhill, and the other at Christ the King, Langney, have taken place with pupils involved at every level. One further parish mass, at St. Mary Star of the Sea, is planned for Sunday 23rd June.
Training for Special Ministers of Communion in School Eight pupils and two members of staff undertook training to become special ministers of the Eucharist, with the agreement of their parish priests who attended a very joyful and prayerful commissioning Mass in February. Since then, both pupils and staff have ministered at Masses and services on a regular basis.
Merging Parishes of St Thomas of Canterbury and Holy Redeemer The two churches of St Thomas of Canterbury and Holy Redeemer are amalgamating to form the new parish of Good Shepherd. The inaugural Mass of the new parish was celebrated by Bishop Kieran on Sunday 19th May and pupils from St. Richard’s were involved in many aspects of the liturgy.
- 19 - HCPT Lourdes Pilgrimage 2013 Fifteen Year 11 pupils and two members of staff (Mr Campbell and Katrina Avery) had a successful Pilgrimage to Lourdes at Easter as HCPT Group 715.
The pupils were involved in a comprehensive preparation programme of weekly workshops. In these workshops the pupils met with other group leaders who shared their experiences of taking groups of disabled children to Lourdes each year.
The workshops provided pupils with an opportunity to learn what was expected of them in their capacity as a Service Group including preparing Liturgies; practical duties to help the Pilgrimage such as marshalling the torchlight procession, and how to care for children with disabilities. The workshops also tackled the story of Bernadette and the formation of the HCPT charity to give the pupils a greater understanding of the purpose of their trip.
The pupils also took part in a sponsored event as a group and fundraised an extra £200 each to help to send a child to Lourdes.
The group left on Easter Monday and returned the following Saturday. Throughout the week pupils were involved in a wide range of activities such as carrying the Madonna at the torchlight procession; carrying banners at the Regional and Trust masses; forming the choir in the choral in the Underground Basilica for the Blessed Sacrament Procession; delivering the Daily Tatler newsletter around Lourdes, as well as teaching songs to the children, face-painting, animating for the family groups at The Torchlight and Trust masses.
Pupils took prayer intentions for their families, St Richard’s community and their parishes. These were placed in the Grotto. A large candle was also decorated with the names of people whom the pupils wanted to pray for in our community. This was also placed at the Grotto in an emotional evening prayer time.
To help support the family groups the pupils put on a superb fancy dress party with games and prizes. The pupils played with the children in the family groups giving the helpers a short break away from their children.
The pupils had a fantastic trip and were praised by both the Head Brancardier and Leaders of Groups 154 and 71 for their help with the children.
Next Year pilgrimage will be Group 715’s 5th anniversary as well as it being the year our region, Met Deep South, takes charge of the main events of the week. I am hoping for huge interest in the 2014 Pilgrimage and hope for the first year to take back some ex-pupils as well as a larger group of pupils and staff.
COMMUNITY LINKS AND CHARITY WORK
During the past academic year, our pupils have once again demonstrated their care and consideration towards their fellow man. Both pupils and staff respond enthusiastically to the needs of the community, whether it be on a local, national or international level.
Whole School Projects
Mufti Day - October 2012
A regular request of the School Council is to have a Mufti Day. This helped us raise nearly £1,000 which was donated to the following projects:
Pupils travelling to the Developing World to support the building of schools. Bexhill Caring Community.
Sponsored Walk for Youth Gather - October 2012 Eight pupils travelled to St Teresa’s School, Effingham, on 30th September for the annual YouthGather event organised by the Youth Office of the Diocese. They completed the sponsored walk, raising money for children’s charities, and two members of the Film Club made an excellent film record of the day.
- 20 - Remembrance Appeal - November 2012
Loose change collections over a seven day period netted over £400 for the British Legion.
Love in a Box 2012 The Interact club organised the Love in a Box campaign which involved a commitment from every form in the school, collecting over 360 boxes of gifts for children of various ages and raising £850 for the Mustard Seed charity.
Rotary Tea Party On 23rd November, Interact Club members, dancers and singers all attended the Rotary Tea Party for the elderly at St. Augustine’s Church Hall, Cooden Beach. The pupils helped to serve the guests with refreshments and provided wonderful entertainment during the course of the afternoon. They then helped with the clearing up afterwards and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.
Christmas Entertainment for Residents of Ardath Care Home, Bexhill Pupils from the dance group and the choir shared their talents with residents at the Ardath Care Home on 10th December, performing contemporary numbers but also songs from the past so that the residents could join in.
Surviving Christmas - December 2012 For many, many years St Richard's has raised money and organised food hampers in support of 'Surviving Christmas'. This year, the pupils once again exceeded their usual generosity by providing a record number of hampers filled with Christmas fayre and a staggering amount of boxes filled with gloves, coats, scarves, socks, toys and games.
£1,600 was also donated to help needy families. The organisers were absolutely delighted with the college's contributions calling our pupils 'champion fundraisers' once again.
Collection of Used Christmas Cards - January 2013 We have been recycling Christmas cards to raise funds for local charities for the past fifteen years.
Collection of Used Stamps For the twelfth year running we have been collecting used stamps for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Interact Club – End Polio Now Campaign Interact Club members held a sticker design competition in February 2013 to raise awareness and interest in the End Polio Now campaign, choosing the best three designs for the stickers to be sold as part of the fundraising initiative. In March, a week of selling cakes at lunchtime proved very successful and a total of £183 was raised. Altogether, Interact has raised £365.16 this year.
Fairtrade Fortnight Fairtrade activity, raising the profile in school and giving pupils the opportunity to gain business skills through selling Fairtrade goods, has continued throughout the year. In Fairtrade Fortnight, (25th Feb- 10th March), goods were sold each day at lunchtime and, on the first Monday, the newly formed school percussion band gave a dynamic performance in the hall, accompanying a powerpoint on the large screen with images of fair trade staff and products. A businessman from the company Koolskools involved with fairtrade cotton and school uniforms came into school for sessions on fairtrade and business practice, which were well received.
CAFOD Lent Appeal – Hungry for Change Hungry for Change/Food Bank Walk - this was a very successful event. Pupils were encouraged to raise £6 in sponsorship money in order to gain a place on the walk. Each form was asked to bring in a range of items for the foodbank in Bexhill-on-Sea. Each form was encouraged to have a minimum of five pupils per form on the walk. Each form member was asked to bring in at least one item of food to donate to the foodbank.
The Hungry for Change walk took place along Bexhill seafront and through Bexhill’s Devonshire Road and finished at The Sackville Road Methodist church, HQ of the Foodbank in Bexhill.
The aim of the walk was three fold: 1) to encourage the pupils to think about the difficulties of transporting food over a long distance; 2) to highlight the need of those in developing countries who are living below
- 21 - the poverty line and are unable to feed themselves. 3) to raise awareness to the general public who witnessed the Hungry for Change walk to the plight of villages in remote parts of developing countries as well as the need to support those in our local community who are living with little food and few resources.
The pupils put their faith into action by walking three miles along Bexhill seafront led by the CAFOD and St Richard’s banners. Each pupil carried two shopping bags of food which had been collected by their forms during Lent. The walk began with a prayer and ended with the pupils reflecting on the difficulties they had faced along the walk. It was a humbling experience for all involved.
The pupils showed excellent support of this event with over one hundred pupils taking part in the walk. The pupils raised over £2,000 for CAFOD and one hundred and eighty bags of non-perishable food items to the food bank
Mufti Day A mufti day in aid of Yellow Day for St Michael’s Hospice will take place on 7th June.
Rotary Club’s Annual Community Walk – Sunday 9th June Members of the Interact Club will be supporting this event by registering walkers at the beginning of the day.
Miscellaneous Donations
Each year the School Council receive requests from a number of organisations and past pupils to help them in their fundraising. Decisions are made at each Council meeting. The School Council has been able to be particularly generous this year donating to the following causes:
Kilimanjaro Climb £300 Demelza House £25 Colombian Fathers £100
In total, the pupils have raised nearly £10,000 so far this year through whole school projects with more to come from the Year 7 Stay Awake and the mufti day for St Michael’s Hospice. Further funds raised by year groups are listed below.
Other Charitable Works organised by Year Groups
Year 7
Year 7 completed a successful Stay Awake in June 2012, which raised £2,000.
The Year 7 tutor groups have supported CAFOD’s Hunger for Change Campaign and the Food Bank Appeal this year and have participated in a sponsored dodgeball competition.
The main fundraising activity this year will be the Stay Awake at which we aim to raise £2,500 for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, the Year 11 Pilgrimage to Lourdes, the British Heart Foundation and other charities chosen by the Year Council.
Year 8
Year 8 have worked hard this year and have been very generous in their efforts to raise money for charity.
Year group activities in which all tutor groups took part include:
Love in a Box Talent Show Mufti Days CAFOD Hunger for Change campaign fundraising and charity work during Lent
Tutor group activities:
8F - cake sales, raising £77.52 for Work for Water Aid 8L - cake sale, basketball and football shoot-out
- 22 - 8O - charity bike ride, donation to ‘You Raise Me Up’ charity 8U - several cake sales, blindfold penalty shoot-out, sitting down basketball shoot-out 8R - cake sales and donation to charity for kids 8I - cake sale, charity bike ride 8S - bake sale, sweet sale, cake sale 8H - several cake sales, sponsored bike ride, sponsored walk
To date, over £700 has been raised, with hopefully more to come from other planned fundraising activities.
Thank you to everyone: pupils, parents and carers for their generosity and support this year.
Year 9
At the end of year 8, year 9 were involved in an Enterprise charity challenge with the target of converting £10 to £100. They successfully raised £803 which was divided between CAFOD and Bliss and was presented to the charities in September.
Year 9 raised £180 with our annual ‘Crazy tie’ charity event in January. The winner by unanimous decision was Georgia Landy in 9C. 9C have raised money through sponsored silence days. Sarah Clarke raised £25 individually. They are currently baking cakes to be sold on the last day of term 5. 9O have a novel idea that is going to start soon. They will each have a tube, with their photo on, in school. Each week, they will have a gathering-in of 5p pieces: there will be a prize for the first pupil to get a tube full. All the 5ps will go to our next charity event. 9M are planning their annual summer run and hope to raise at least £200. Three form members have a sponsored cycling event underway. 9I are busy with a cup cake sale and individual fundraising. 9T will be selling sweets in term 6 like last year. They are hoping to raise over 200 pounds. 9T’s form tutor raised £50 by taking part in the Movember charity event. 9A are going to raise money in term 6 through various events and individual donations. 9S have had some great individual charity contributions such as Archie Norris raising £50 for Diabetes UK. The form were the year leaders in raising money for CAFOD Mr Doherty, as Pastoral Leader, raised £53 by taking part in Movember.
Year 9 has another year-wide activity to be announced next term.
Year 10
Year 10 have contributed positively to charity activities and fundraising this year. They were particularly active in the Love in the Box and Hunger for Change Campaigns.
Year 10 have organised and run cake stalls for Polio awareness. A week of activities were planned and carried out to mark National Epilepsy week to include raffles, awareness raising, and cake sales. Pupils are currently running computer games at lunchtimes to raise money for Cafod.
Once again the Glyne Gap Special School Christmas party was a great success with year 10 fundraising to buy beautiful presents and providing all the food and entertainment on the day. It was such a pleasure to spend the afternoon with the children of the reception classes of Glyne Gap Special School.
The year group also raised funds for ex head boy, Josh Bishop’s, channel swim – with proceeds of £236.13 going to supporting a school and community in Ghana.
Year 11
Year 11 marked St Valentine’s day on the day itself in 2013. The senior prefects created specially wrapped chocolates and messages of love. Additionally, they attached messages to the stems of roses and distributed them, with the chocolates, to pupils in every year group. Two groups of talented year 11 pupils also toured the school singing a selection of corny love songs to the unwitting objects of another’s love!
- 23 - Additional funds have also been considerably boosted from the sale of Prom tickets, the leavers’ hoodies and the year book. This year has also seen the introduction of new lines of leavers’ merchandise to raise additional funds. These have included leavers mugs, polo shirts and key fobs.
Year 11 Forms have also held individual events, some linked to whole school initiatives:
11C loose change collection for SOS Children. The balance currently stands at £200 11A helped lead Love in Box – raised £40 and Cafod Hungry for Change – raised £60 11I had a cake bake for Marie Curie Foundation for Cancer Research and raised £79.70 11S held several events to raise approximately £100 for Cafod.
LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
As well as participating in Community Links Projects, our pupils have many opportunities during the school year to try something 'new' or extend their talents in some way.
Daily, there is a wide choice of extra-curricular clubs ranging from sporting activities, drama, art, chess, computing, orchestra, choir, Young Investigators, Creative Writing club to extra study support classes in most subjects. We have an Eco-School Club, a Liturgy Council, an Interact Club, a Sports Council and a School Council which meets monthly.
Outlined are just a sample of the activities that have taken place since the 2012 Report.
Art Department
The GCSE results were pleasing in 2012. Art divided into a Fine Art course and an Art and Design course. The A* to C pass rate was 100% in Fine Art with the A*-A pass rate 40% and A*-B pass rate 80%. The average point score for Fine Art was 48.4. Art and Design achieved 70% pass rate A*-C. The 2012 SAT’s result at Level 5+ at was 90% up from 2011’s 89.26%.
Art rooms, stairs and the lobby are completely covered in display boards which have allowed us to produce a successful display of the GCSE pupils’ work. A shared Expressive Arts event was able to show off these displays. It is anticipated that a similar event will happen in 2013. Good quality artwork continues to be displayed around the college, filling large areas of the lower floor of B Block as well as the Art block.
The department continues to be active in both local and national competitions and arts activities.
Luigi Salas won the Great Britain and Ireland round of the Lions International Peace Poster competition. After several previous attempts that resulted in winning the South of England round this is the first time we have won the national event. He went to parliament with members of the Lions organisation to meet the local MP. Pupils will be entering this year’s “Our World Our Future” poster competition at the end of term 6.
The Community Links painting competition set up between Southern Railways and the college resulted in work being displayed at Bexhill station.
There are supervised art sessions at lunchtime. The Art Room fills with pupils furthering their coursework or working on their own individual ideas.
Mr Halligan Subject Leader - Art
Chess Club
Chess Club takes place after school every Monday and Wednesday from 3:15-4:15 in A5.
On Thursday, 14th March St Richards hosted an inter-school Chess tournament. This was part of the Sussex Senior Schools’ Chess Competition 2012-2013. This is part of the competition in the Sussex Schools’ Sir Clarence Sadd Cup.
Mr Walmsley
- 24 - Computer Strategy Games Club
The computer strategy games club has had steady numbers this year. Tournaments played included: Warcraft 3, Empire Earth, Age of Mythology. Most of the pupils are from Year 9. Only one pupil from Year 7 attended the club this year. Due to technical difficulties, the club will not run next year. Games have been given out to those loyal members of the club who have regularly attended this year.
Mr Curtis
Extra-Curricular Dance
The academic year for dance has seen the St Richards Dance company grow from strength to strength with over 30 pupils now attending classes six times a week, learning many different styles of dance, performing at many different events both within school and the wider community.
In June 2012 we were invited to perform at the Armed Forces Day in Egerton Park, Bexhill-on-Sea. The pupils performed several choreographic pieces that were very well received, and we were invited to take part again this year. Unfortunately the event has since been cancelled by the organisers due to lack of support from other contributors.
In February this year we took part in the annual ‘Time to Dance festival’ at the Phoenix Arts Centre which this year had the theme of ‘inspire’. The dance company performed a 10 minute piece ‘Red 17’ which was inspired by choreographers Balanchine, Martha Graham and Ashley Banjo amongst others, and also covered a variety of dance styles and was themed by the colour red.
We have also collaborated this year with the other performing arts departments within the college, taking part in Eastbourne Proms, The end of year Expressive Arts evening, the Rotary tea party, and a performance at Ardath Care Home where on each occasion we performed numbers ‘Wade in the Water’ and ‘Rolling in the Deep’, accompanied by the choir and orchestra.
We have worked closely with the Lay Chaplain this year in developing liturgical dance and have supported all year masses and services with choreographed liturgical dance pieces. We have also taken part in Parish services in Bexhill and Eastbourne, the year 7 induction mass, Advent Service and Easter services. The dance company particularly enjoyed dancing in the Grandparents mass.
We were given the opportunity to showcase our work at Sports Day where the dance company performed a variety of choreographed pieces including an Olympic themed dance.
In February we welcomed the English National Ballet to the college for a 3 hour workshop. The pupils took part in an hour and a half class and then learnt a piece of repertoire Ballet, ‘Snow Flakes’ from the Nutcracker. This was very well received by the pupils who gained invaluable skills, and it also gave them an insight into a professional dance company.
Some pupils are now enrolled on the Imperial Society for teachers of dance graded syllabus, learning grade 3 and 5 modern, Ballet and tap. This allows them to develop their technique and allows them to have all their results recorded which is recognised on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). This benefits them as they journey towards sixth form college and university.
In term 6 the dance company has been invited to dance at the Bexhill Hospital summer fete; they will be performing at the college summer fayre and Sports Day and will be also taking part in the musicals show at the end of the year, which is a collaboration of all the performing arts departments. They will also be contributing a liturgical piece to the Hastings Parish Mass as well as dancing in the end of year service at school. We have been invited to take part in a Ballet Rambert workshop during the May holiday with other schools as part of the Hastings & Rother School sports partnership
Mrs Knight
- 25 - DofE Activities
Sept - Oct We formed a staff team who each received the DofE leader training during a three hour after-school session. The training was delivered by our DofE area manager, Catherine Corfield. Staff involved were: Colin Venner, Floss Nicholls, Mike Padgham, Julie Durkin, Cecilia Hubbard and Wendy Gill. St. Richard’s became registered as a DofE centre. We then began the process of recruiting participants for the Bronze DofE through assemblies and a letter home. We invited parents to come and hear more about the award and over 70 families came to the evening presentation. All of the pupils who came to the meeting handed in letters to confirm they wanted to go ahead and do the award. From this, we formed a group of 28 pupils (this was our maximum possible number due to staffing ratios).
Oct - Dec The Group met regularly after school on Tuesdays and began the process of choosing activities for each of the sections (skills, volunteering, physical and expedition). They set up their eDofE online account and learnt how to record evidence of their progress in each of the 4 sections. We ran sessions to introduce them to the basics of navigation in preparation for their assessed expedition. In November they spent a wet Saturday morning at Bedgebury Pinetum completing the orienteering courses and practising basic map skills. In December, on a dark and cold Friday night, the group undertook a 5km night walk from Hastings to Fairlight through the country park. Jamie Bligh joined us for this activity.
Jan – May The group met weekly after school on Tuesdays to complete their expedition training programme (see attached diary). They began operating in teams of 7 and completed two Saturday training walks and a full weekend practice expedition during which they encountered some wild weather and challenging navigational situations. Kate Standen joined us for one of these practice walks. We purchased all the tents and stoves that will be required for this and future groups.
June onwards The group will be planning for their final expedition which will take place over a weekend at the end of June/ beginning of July. During this weekend an external assessor will assess the teams on all the skills they have been learning during the training. If successful they will be eligible to pass the expedition section of their award once they have completed a presentation about their expedition.
We hope that all the pupils taking part will be in a position to receive their Bronze award sometime early in the new term. During June/ July we will begin recruiting for a new Bronze group from the current year 9’s. This will be done through assemblies and talking to parents. In September we will be ready to hit the ground running with a new Bronze group.
We are currently looking at the feasibility of running a Silver group alongside the Bronze group as many of the current participants have expressed an interest in continuing to this level. This poses some logistical problems with regard to staffing ratios and the time involved at weekends and these need to be addressed before we make any commitment.
It has been a fun and rewarding year for all of us involved with the DofE group and I particularly want to thank all the staff mentioned above who have contributed their time and energy to making it happen. We look forward to seeing this year’s group receive their awards with big smiles on their faces!
Mr Harwood
Drama Department
The Drama department has continued to provide a programme of separate weekly extra- curricular drama clubs for pupils in years seven and eight and an advanced group of theatre workshop for pupils throughout the year.
These continue to be well supported by all year groups and in the case of the year eight group and theatre workshop have led to performance work.
In July 2012 there were performances as part of a performing Arts evening.
- 26 - In October 2012 a Drama performance evening presenting a drama piece ‘Promise’ with our Shakespeare Schools’ piece Shakespeare’s’ A comedy of Errors’ . This was also performed as part of the festival at Roedean School Theatre.
Work is already underway for the Theatre workshop performance of a play ‘Sparkleshark’, which will be performed with a devised piece by the Year 8 Drama club in September 2013.
The department has also arranged two theatre visits this year: ‘Thirty Nine steps’ at the Criterion Theatre, London, and ‘Noises Off’ in Eastbourne.
Work for this year’s Shakespeare Schools entry ‘Measure for Measure’ will begin in the summer term. This will be performed as part of the festival in November 2013.
Mr Fairbrass Subject Leader - Drama
Eco Schools
The Eco Schools team meets every term and includes representatives from every Form group. The representatives are responsible for bringing eco issues to the meeting and reporting back to the Form group. They are also responsible for checking that the recycling bin in the Form room contains only the appropriate paper waste. Additionally, each Eco representative joins a sub-group with a specific responsibility.
Food Production Helping Doctor Durkin and Mr Fairbrass to plant, weed and harvest the vegetable beds. This team works on an ‘as required’ basis. The beds were filled with compost in the summer of 2012. They are due for planting out in term 5 of 2013. Watering, weeding and caring for the apple trees. All of the trees are currently in good health. The first trees planted are now three years old and currently bear fruit. The trees planted in the summer of 2012 survived a harsh winter and have been weeded once by reps. The wormery has been in full use this year, recycling waste from the Food tec room.
Beach cleaning A beach clean was held in collaboration with Bexhill Environment Group in Term 2 of 2012. The reps were encouraged to attend with friends and family. The beach clean lasted for two hours and resulted in 19 sacks of waste and litter being recovered from the shoreline. The reps also heard a talk given by the Marine Conservation Society local officer.
Energy saving Encouraging doors and windows to be closed in the winter. Signs have been placed on the most exposed doors and the reps have distributed signs to go above light switches.
On-site wildlife Representatives have checked the bird and insect boxes in Term 2 and Term 5. The reps have recorded whether they are being used and by which species. In 2013 we have recorded nest pairs of wagtails, blue tits and robins. The data has been sent to the RSPCA as part of their annual bird survey.
Animal adoption Working with Mr Avery, Year 7 reps have managed to raise enough money each to adopt one endangered animal.
Mr Calladine-Evans
Lower School French Club (run weekly in B14 during Tuesday lunchtimes)
The club is open to years 7 to 9.The first term of the academic year focused on a carousel of group activities led by a group of year 9 and 10 pupils. The aim was to enable the year 7s in particular to practise the basics of the language that they were learning in class for the first time in many cases. The practice activities included; flashcard games, singing short French songs, bingo games on numbers and the alphabet, spelling quizzes and games using the interactive whiteboard. Attendance varied each week
- 27 - during terms 1 and 2 as advertising focused on encouraging year 7 in particular to come along for a taste of the club. By the end of the winter term, a more regular group of about 10 attendees was established.
In December, the focus of the activities was on learning key language associated with Christmas and gaining an insight into French traditions at Christmas time. In January, the group learnt about the way the “Epiphany” is celebrated in France. The group enjoyed the chance to play the “King Cake” game with the special cakes kindly brought by Mrs Herring from France. A regular group of about ten year 7 pupils attended on a weekly basis along with 3 year 9 helpers.
In the spring and summer terms of 2012, there was an introduction of thematic projects which involved learning topic-related phrases as well as gaining an insight into the French culture and traditions. During the spring term, projects focused on “Mardi Gras” including a carnival and pancake event. Then, there were a series of “Easter” themed activities including learning about traditions at Easter in France and a treasure hunt based on the words learnt.
During the summer term, the group have been focusing on learning language to deal with real-life situations such as conversational French for going shopping. Additionally, there will be a project on “Bastille” day which is the French National Day in July.
Throughout the year, the pupils have had the opportunity to use the interactive whiteboard, computer, board games and authentic materials to practise their French skills during the club. For the helpers from the older year groups, it has been an opportunity for them to develop their leadership skills and to develop supportive relationships with their younger peers.
Miss Chong
Geography
Local Environment Study Field Trip This year has been very successful for the department in terms of outdoor education. The Year 11 group completed their morning field work at the Cuckmere Haven in September, which has led to controlled assessments being produced of a higher quality than in previous years.
Towards the end of the academic year it is hoped that Year 10 can be taken to Bexhill beach for their controlled assessment visit for a day to improve the quality of data further and allow for a continuation of the high standards.
Swanage As with previous visits, the pupils gained a wealth of field work experience and knowledge of the key landforms associated with the Coastal unit. Despite the rather inclement weather for the weekend, the pupils were very positive, with some of the Year 11’s wanting a repeat visit when the Year 10’s are on their visit. The opportunity to study the landforms and see the evidence of science in action has really engaged pupils. This has filtered through the school with a wider understanding of the importance of study people/environment issues.
Iceland This trip was extremely well subscribed with 38 pupils in years 10 and 11 signing up for the trip. Feedback from the pupils has been very promising and has provided some good insight into what to re- run or alter in a future visit. The opportunity to see evidence of glaciation and walk upon a glacier has given the pupils a much greater understanding of the sheer force of the ice and how it can shape the land. The elements linking to the Restless Earth unit has given a greater insight into why people live in areas of tectonic activity. Further details are in newsletter 5.
As a result of the success of this trip, the department plans to run this again during the 2014-2015 academic year.
Mr Weakley
The Humanities Club
The Humanities Club has been created, in the first instance, as an opportunity for pupils who have shown themselves to be Gifted and Able in either History or Geography to meet weekly to work on extra- curricular activities. The aim is to stimulate interest in their subjects and develop projects that will
- 28 - ultimately benefit the whole school. Currently the club is ‘invitation only’ but there is scope to extend this to all pupils in all years in the future.
Activities that have taken place so far this year include:
Berlin Trip The Berlin Trip was open to all Historians in Year 11 and also formed part of the Humanities Club programme as it provided additional opportunities for Gifted and Able pupils in Humanities. This was the third year of running the trip and it was again a great success. All pupils behaved in a mature and sensible manner and approached the trip as true ‘historians’. Mr Campbell provided huge support as our human Sat-Nav and Mr Calladine-Evans was a great support to all pupils.
My Berlin Experience- By Shannon Vanderstreaten, 11C In the small hours of Halloween, a coach full of 24 St. Richard's pupils and 3 teachers set off to Gatwick to visit Berlin. After an early flight, we landed and took a coach to our hostel. During the journey, we had a talk from Nikolai, who gave us lots of information about former East and West Berlin. We passed the remains of the Berlin Wall, which is now an open air gallery. We would visit this on the second evening. After leaving our suitcases at our lovely Hostel, Singer 109, we set off for a walking tour of Berlin. First, we visited Alexanderplatz, a shopping square near the TV Tower. From there, we went on to see famous sights and statues, such as Frederick the Great and Babelplatz, where the Nazis held the book burning. The memorial was very powerful, and indeed an unforgettable experience. We also visited the Reichstag, the Russian memorial site, the Jewish Memorial, Hitler's bunker, and the former Gestapo Headquarters, where there is now a Museum of Terror. The individual stories mentioned here showed how destructive the Nazis were, and how they affected everyone's lives. Our final sight of the day was Checkpoint Charlie, now a museum, where you could have your picture taken with "guards". It added humour to a place that once meant separation and isolation. After successfully navigating our way back to the Hostel we enjoyed a typically German meal and, tired after a long days' travelling, we all had an early night!
Our second day started with a visit to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. The icy wind and rain added to the sombre mood of the occasion. Our tour guide Michael told us about the atrocities committed within the site, from doctors’ experiments in the pathology room to the "prison within a prison". We laid a wreath for the British soldiers who had died in this camp near the memorial statue, said a prayer and held a moment's silence. It was impossible to not be moved: not one person left the camp without experiencing empathy or some kind of emotion for the people who were held there.
The afternoon activity was a visit to the Olympic Stadium. We saw the memorial to Jesse Owens, and saw how the Nazis used the sporting event as a piece of political propaganda. The bell has one of three swastikas left visible in Berlin, and it certainly gave a good impression of what Hitler wanted the Third Reich to be like, as the statues and architecture were derivative of Roman design.
After this we visited the Open Air Gallery of the Berlin Wall. The artwork was very impressive, and showed the creative side to a modern and vibrant city. It also showed the raw emotion and bitter resentment to the wall dividing a city for over 20 years.
Our final morning in Berlin consisted of a visit to the Jewish Museum. Here, we split into two groups and learnt about the boycott on Jewish shops, different laws forced upon this minority group and the different paths Jews took, often not through choice, such as Exile and Holocaust. It was a very informative morning, and added depth to our Nazi Germany course with the amount of sources and artefacts available to view.
Our final activity in the city was a trip to the Berlin Zoo. After some of the harrowing places and knowledge we had encountered, it was fun to take the afternoon off in this world famous sanctuary.
Holocaust Memorial Event at Sussex University On Wednesday 30th January thirteen Year 10 and 11 GCSE History pupils travelled to Sussex University in Brighton to take part in a Holocaust Memorial Day event. During the afternoon pupils heard from Auschwitz survivor Zigi Shipper; watched a film focussed on the experiences of Holocaust survivors living in Britain today, and heard from the film’s director Daisy Asquith. The afternoon concluded with an interesting discussion on the importance of remembering the Holocaust and the significant role that today’s youth have in preventing it from happening in the future. The afternoon was very moving and provided pupils with a very real insight into life both during and after the Holocaust.
- 29 - Never forget. We must remember the horrific events that surprise us even today, despite the killing going on around the world now. I, myself, still can't believe that something as brutal and soulless as this happened. For me the Holocaust isn’t just a Jewish tragedy, but also a human tragedy. However, after listening to the lecture and the film I understand that there is something that will always light the way; hope. Even out of the darkest and bleakest times hope can spring up like a grain buried in winter soil. I’ve learnt that humans can be amazing; they can somehow move on from a terrible tragedy and live the most beautiful lives without bitterness or hatred. By Arielle Jasiewisc-Gill, 10T
Local Studies Field Trip to Bexhill Museum On Friday 3rd May, pupils from the Humanities Club made the most of a sunny afternoon by walking through Bexhill town to the local Museum. Here pupils were able to explore a variety of topics that they had selected to complete a Humanities Club project. Whether focussed on local artefacts, the History of Motoring, or the changes in Bexhill through time, pupils were amazed at the varied history that Bexhill has enjoyed and were inspired to create projects based on their personal interests. Projects are due for completion in early June and will be displayed around the college and added to the website.
Design the new £5.00 Note Competition In response to the plans for a new £5.00 note featuring Winston Churchill the Humanities Club decided to launch a competition to design your own. The competition asked for designs to include pupils’ Historical Hero and was open to all year groups in term 5. The entries will be judged by the Humanities department and the overall winner, to be announced in term 6, will receive a £10.00 gift voucher. All entries will be displayed around the Humanities Department.
Future activities: Term 6: Humanities Club Showcase The showcase will be held in term 6 where projects created by members of the Humanities Club will be shared and celebrated. All pupils and staff will be invited to the after school event, and all projects will thereafter be displayed around the college and/or on the school website. It is my aim that in the coming academic year the Humanities Club will become a wider, more recognised club throughout the school, and will be more widely supported by the Humanities department and pupils of all abilities.
Mrs R Campbell
Library Extra-Curricular Activities
Book Awards
The Library runs three book awards and a Film Club throughout the academic year.
Between September and Christmas St. Richard’s pupils join with 37 other schools across the south of England to take part in The Southern Schools Book Awards. Four books must be read, reviews written and meetings attended. Voting takes place in December. The conclusion of this award is held at a prestigious evening event at Roedean Girls’ School in Brighton in January, with six pupils attending from each school involved. Each author gives a presentation about their book, and their writing. Pupils have the opportunity to ask questions, meet the authors and buy a signed copy of the books. Pupils completing the award receive a book token to use on the night, or at a later date.
From January and Easter we take part in the local 1066 Book Award, with seven secondary schools taking part. This award is targeted mainly at pupils in Year 7 and 8, although some in Year 9 also take part. Pupils attend a ‘Launch Lunch’ at Helenswood School, where they are involved in the presentation. They then read 4 books, attend meetings, write reviews, post comments on a website, and vote for their favourite read. We conclude this award with a video conference vote link-up with the other schools involved, and pupils from Bexhill High join us here at St Richard’s for this and a tea party, held after school. Pupils taking part receive a certificate, and if they complete all tasks, a book token to spend.
From April until June, St. Richard’s pupils may take part in the National CILIP Carnegie Book Award Shadowing. There are 8 books to read in this award, and children do not get a vote as this is done by a panel in London. However, we take a straw poll in school as to our favourite reads for this event. Because there are 8 books, I don’t ask them to read all of them, or to write reviews. This award is open to the whole school, and is about trying something different and expanding the range of genres that pupils read. There
- 30 - are no meetings, except a final American Supper style Lunch in the Library, where the winner is announced. All pupils taking part receive a certificate.
In all cases, pupils may decide to join the awards themselves, or be encouraged by their teachers or myself to take part.
Film Club
St Richard’s Catholic College Library is also a member of the national organisation ‘Filmclub’ and we show a film roughly once a month in the Library. Our members are drawn from pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9. It is currently co-ordinated by a pupil in year 9 and myself. We currently have almost 30 members, although not all members attend every film. We use the smart-board to watch the films in the library, and we order films from the national club as well as using the resources in our own school Library DVD collection. Screenings take place after school and pupils may place comments and reviews on the national Filmclub website.
In addition to this, the Library also organises Author visits to the school and, most recently, a Nurture Group trip to the local Library in Bexhill to meet an author there.
Ms Tocknell
Mathematics Challenges
The Mathematics department at St Richard’s has participated in the UKMT Mathematics Challenges over a number of years. The Challenges are national competitions organised by the United Kingdom Mathematical Trust. The competitions encourage reasoning, precision of thought and fluency in basic mathematical techniques to solve non-standard problems.
In April 2012 pupils in years 7 and 8 were entered in the Junior Challenge. In recognition of their high scores the following certificates were awarded to St Richard’s pupils: 6 Gold, 15 Silver and 30 Bronze. The pupils achieving gold certificates were year 8 pupils Yasmin Davis, George Johnson, Charlie Harlow, Naomi King and year 7 pupils Matthew Nelson, Isobel Hamilton Burns and Joseph Body. Matthew Nelson also received a certificate for achieving the highest score in the school. We await the Junior 2013 results.
The Intermediate Challenge was taken by pupils in years 9, 10 and 11 in February 2013. The following certificates were awarded to St Richard’s pupils: 7 Gold, 15 Silver and 26 Bronze. Gold certificates were awarded to: Alex Kolimbarides, Emma Hill, Tara Edwards, Filip Grebowski, Rebekah Canby, Lauren Kemp, Phoebe Gurden. Following on from his high score in the intermediate challenge, year 11 pupil Alex Kolimbarides was awarded a certificate for the highest score in the college and also invited to participate in the next round in which he achieved a certificate of merit.
Miss Machin
Media Club
Now in its second year, Media Club continues to grow in popularity. Open to all year groups, it aims to promote film making and editing skills amongst the pupils. Whilst some use the sessions to work on school projects, for example weather reports in Humanities, or adverts for English Media Units, others have made the most of the opportunity to get their creative directorial juices flowing! A national competition from BeCreative FilmEducation.org was entered by pupils across the Key Stages, aiming to promote the importance of copyright to young people. Though there were some excellent entries, two year 7 pupils stood out from the rest and went on to be runners-up in the competition, winning an iPad-mini each, and a dedicated article in the Bexhill Observer.
Many pupils attending Media Club have also used their skills to contribute to the wider college community, whether it be making short videos of charity events to display in assemblies, or to document special events such as Sports Day or the Summer Fayre. The recently purchase cameras for the Media and ICT departments have been utilised extremely well, and have in fact proved so successful that more were ordered for ICT, and more recently the RE department.
Mr Steele
- 31 - Music Department
The Music Department has continued, this year, to offer a varied range of performance opportunities to pupils throughout both Key Stages. The activities are designed to nurture the musical growth of our young musicians, and to give them opportunities to experience the joys of ensemble performance, in a supportive environment.
Regularly rehearsing ensembles include the Orchestra, String Orchestra and Choir’; all are open to all KS3 and KS4 musicians, regardless of ability. Additionally, all Year 10 and Year 11 GCSE musicians rehearse ensemble performances regularly, which supports their curriculum work, and include a varied range of advanced vocal and instrumental work.
The appointment of Mrs Byrne to the post of music teacher in the department has led to the development of the main choir; Mrs Byrne’s specialism is vocal work, and she has put a lot of work and enthusiasm into the choir since September 2012. This choir now has upwards of 60 regular members, who rehearse for an hour after school each Tuesday; currently, they are preparing over 20 songs for the ‘Show songs’ evenings in July. They have already performed several times, including items for the 2012 Eastbourne Proms and the Advent Service.
Another new development has been the setting up of ‘Rock School’ and ‘Drum club’ – these are run as extra-curricular activities by members of the ESMS team, and are funded by the college, but free to pupils. Both have been regularly well attended, and will be contributing items to the Summer Concert in July.
We are blessed with support for many of our performances from members of staff at St Richard’s: Steve Heseltine and Barry Jenkins, in particular, continue to enjoy music making with the music department, and I am grateful for their on-going enthusiasm and help. Pupils gain so much from seeing staff clearly enjoying music making!
Performances during the year have included the following events:
- Three Parish Masses - Music for Open Evening - Music for Prize Evening - Advent Service - KS3 Music showcase - KS4 Music Showcase - Eastbourne Proms
Additionally, performances prepared during the regular weekly extra-curricular music programme support Masses, Services and other Liturgical events throughout the year.
The AppleMac computers in the music area continue to be used regularly for extra-curricular work; pupils use the computers during lunchtimes and after school, to work on composition work begun in class. The recording studio facility is also available as a bookable resource for pupils wishing to record their own songs.
GCSE pupils have also, this year, had the opportunity to visit Glyndebourne, and greatly enjoyed a performance of ‘Rusalka’. Another visit is planned for November 2013, to see Dvorak’s Humperdinck’s ‘Hansel und Gretel’; we will be offering tickets this year to lower school pupils.
There has been a real focus this year on partnership work; for many of our music performances (including the Eastbourne Proms) we have worked with Mrs Knight and her dancers – this has been really successful, and we have a real desire to develop this partnership further.
Forthcoming performances this academic year include:
Summer Concert The Bexhill Festival of Music ‘Big Sing’ event Show songs performance, in partnership with the Drama and Dance departments
Mr Roadknight Subject Leader - Music
- 32 -
PE Department
Successes/Events - May 2012 to May 2013 A busy, successful and very enjoyable year. As detailed below, successes have been across a wide range of activities/sports.
Staff have striven to develop extra-curricular activities, extending the provision on offer, and pupils have once again risen to the challenges set.
Our London 2012 events proved very popular and a great forerunner to the summer’s games. Over three hundred pupils and staff attended our college BBQ and torch relay evening. Pupils attended taster sessions in judo, kickboxing, water sports and golf. Our Sports Day was run as an athletics championships with opening ceremony and medals for podium finishes in all events, and included a Boccia competition. The Sports Council were lucky to attend the National School Sports Competition at the Olympic Park, watching events in the velodrome and Olympic Stadium.
Our links with the local sports partnership have led to greater opportunities for our pupils to display their leadership qualities through the medium of sport. These included a number of Bexhill Primary sports events, an Olympic Themed visit by Miss Easton’s Year 11 group to Parkland Primary school in Eastbourne, and a Year 8 ‘Be the Best You Can Be ‘ Football4Peace day at Brighton University.
Representing the college
College teams continue to have successes at national, county and local level .
Examples:
The Year 10 girls’ biathlon team finished third in the National Biathlon Championships in Birmingham. All six of the boys’ football teams reached the semi-finals of the SE Sussex Schools Football Competition. For the sixth successive year the college won the Spar Cup - awarded for overall points total at Hastings and District Town Sports. Rugby, Netball, Basketball and Cricket successes in local, area and county competitions have been very pleasing. The college won the Schools Prize for the Hastings Mini Marathon.
Successes linked to the Physical Education and School Sports for Young People Strategy:
Overall points winner for the fifth year running in the Hastings and District Schools Partnership, for successes and participation in competitions run by the competitions manager. 150 year 9/10/11 pupils helped organise and run multi skills/sports Festivals for 500 Bexhill primary school pupils. 30 year 7 and 11 pupils attended a ‘Gifted and Talented in PE’ Academy at Brighton University.
Team Successes
Year 7 Boys Sussex Schools Cross Country - third place Boys Hastings and District Schools Football League - winners Boys SE Sussex Schools Cup Football - runners up Boys Hastings and District Schools Athletics - runners up Combined Hastings and District Schools Indoor Athletics - runners up Girls Hastings and District Schools Football - runners up
Year 8 Boys SE Sussex Schools Cup Football - winners Boys Hastings and District Schools League Football - winners Boys Hastings and District Schools Rugby - runners up Girls Hastings and District Schools Rounders - runners up Girls Hastings and District Schools Basketball - runners up
- 33 - Boys Hastings and District Schools Basketball - winners Girls Hastings and District Schools Football - runners up
Year 7/8 Girls Hastings and District Schools Football - runners up
Year 9 Boys Hastings and District Schools Athletics - runners up Boys SE Sussex Schools Cup Football - sem- finalists Boys Hastings and District Schools League Football - winners Girls Hastings and District Schools Athletics - runners up Girls Hastings and District Schools Football - runners up Boys Hastings and District Schools Rugby - winners Boys Sussex Schools Football Cup - semi-finalists Boys Hastings and District Schools Football League - runners-up B Team Girls County Schools Biathlon - winners
Year 10 Girls National Schools Biathlon - winners Boys Hastings and District Schools Athletics - winners Girls Hastings and District Schools Athletics - winners Boys Hastings and District Football League - runners up Boys Hastings and District Schools Football League - runners up B Team Boys SE Sussex Schools Football Cup - runners up Boys SE Sussex Schools Football Cup - semi-finalists B Team Girls Hastings and District Schools Rounders - runners up Girls Hastings and District Schools Netball - winners Boys Hastings and District Schools Basketball - winners Girls Hastings and District Schools Basketball - winners
Year 10/11 Girls Hastings and District School Football - winners
Year 11 Girls National Schools Biathlon - 4th Place Girls County Schools Biathlon - winners Boys SE Schools Football - semi finalists Boys Hastings and District School League - runners up Boys Hastings and District Schools Basketball - winners Girls Hastings and District Schools Basketball - runners up
Individual Successes
Over twenty pupils have represented the county or the SE Region at cricket, golf, cross country, biathlon, hockey, athletics, triathlon, rowing, football and swimming. Special mention to Leowy Simmons who was selected to represent England Under 16s Rugby and Rebecca Elphick who was selected to represent National Catholic Schools for Athletics in Hungary.
The achievements by pupils at the college would not have been possible without the time put in by staff. Thanks to all the PE department and other staff who have helped in running a club or even just transporting teams to fixtures.
Dance is an integral part of the curriculum. With the Dance Company now fully established, the pupils have not only produced an excellent standard of work during lessons but have also performed in the Hastings and District 'Time to Dance' Festival, the Gala Performance at the White Rock theatre and many events around the local area including Armed Forces Day and have also contributed to college services. The dance company also had a workshop visit from the English National Ballet. Many thanks to Mrs Knight for her expertise and enthusiasm.
Mr Varney Subject Leader - PE
- 34 - Prep Club
St Richard’s Prep Club has continued to support and motivate pupils from all year groups in all aspects of their studies. It has been of particular benefit to those children who have difficulties for whatever reason, in completing their homework in their home environment. It has been apparent that some of our children do not have access to computers or broadband at home; Prep Club therefore contributes significantly to St Richard’s policy of inclusion and equality of opportunity.
Prep Club is always supervised by a member of staff from 3.15 to 5.00pm on Mondays to Thursdays. The pupils are generally expected to work on their own in silence so that the atmosphere is calm and all can remain focused and concentrate. Staff are, however, always on hand to answer questions and point children in the right direction. Parental surveys conducted during Parent Consultation Evenings have shown that many parents welcome the opportunity for their children to complete their homework before going home at the end of a school day.
An additional member of staff has been added recently, who has been assigned to specifically help those children who qualify for free school meals; funding for this 1:1 support has been provided by the ‘pupil premium’.
St Richard’s staff, pupils and parents greatly appreciate the excellent service that Prep Club has continued to provide throughout the year.
Ms Hubbard
Product Design Club
This year’s take-up has predominantly been pupils enjoying extra access to the laser cutter. Year 11 pupils working on their GCSE projects have found the time very valuable with the increased access to modern technology. Year 10 pupils have been making themselves more familiar with the workings of the laser cutter in readiness for their GCSE next year.
Lower School pupils often attend to finish off classwork and enjoy the social side as well as the chance to catch up with work. Year 7 pupils often use the club time to practise their new metal-working skills.
Mrs Nicholls and Mrs Williams have also been running a technology club this year, with a sustainability theme; their products can be seen on the display board outside Tech 2.
Mrs Robertson
Public Speaking Competition
A very strong Year Ten Public Speaking team participated in the Local Youth Speaks Competition organised by the Rotary Club, held at Vinehall School, and achieved great success by winning the competition with a speech entitled, ‘Let there be light: an exploration of goodness in our world’.
The team then competed in the Area Final held in Maidstone, taking on other schools from Sussex and Kent, including grammar schools and sixth forms. Although the team didn’t win on this occasion, they gained valuable experience of speaking formally in public and represented the college brilliantly.
Mr Drake
School Council
The School Council has had another successful year, continuing to ensure that pupils have a safe, clean and pleasant environment in which to study. Maintenance of the grounds and buildings is always discussed, along with issues relating to transport and the canteen. Sub-committees continue to deal with these issues and have met regularly throughout the year to discuss specific issues and put forward a plan of action.
Many of the suggestions made by the Council result in small discrete changes which contribute to both improving and maintaining the whole environment. A significant development this year has been the placing of new benches around the school building which have provided additional outside seating for all
- 35 - pupils at break and lunch times. With this various catering and building requests have been granted including the renovation of girls and boys toilets and the re-introduction of half sized paninis in the canteen. We look forward to seeing the introduction of a new salad bar also, which we know has arrived at school and will be functioning soon.
The School Council have also been involved in teaching and learning by helping to review Outstanding teaching practice and highlight areas of strengths in teaching across the school. Ideas from School Council members have been collated and passed on to Teaching staff which has helped to strengthen existing excellent practice. School Council members have also played an active part in interviewing for new staff by sharing lunch with prospective candidates. It is reassuring to know that the ideas and views of the School Council are sought and considered in all aspects of school life.
The School Council continues to actively support our charities and this year Mufti money has been donated to Surviving Christmas, St Michael’s Hospice, Breast Cancer Care, The Poppy Appeal and Cafod. We have also supported a number of past pupils who have gone on to take part in their own charity endeavours.
The PTFA have continued to support the School Council and the Council have enjoyed creating a ‘wishlist’ for the allocation of funds. As always, the Council is hugely appreciative of all of the work the PTFA does for the school.
At Christmas the School Council hosted their annual whole school competition which asked forms to decorate their rooms with a ‘classy’ Christmas theme. This saw huge enthusiasm across the college from both pupils and teachers and helped to achieve a real sense of Christmas spirit.
Members of the School Council also attended the Inspire Conference in Eastbourne in May. Their attendance at this conference was due to their involvement both in the School Council and the Bexhill Youth Council. The links the School Council have made to the community are building in strength and this is an area we would like to continue into next year.
The School Council has again played an important role in school life and has had a positive impact on the whole community. The Council members have represented themselves and their forms well and as a result it is clear that all pupils have the opportunity to influence decisions made for their school. We would like to thank all members for their time and dedication to the Council.
Mrs Campbell and Mr Castano
Science Club
Over the past year the ‘Young investigators science club’ has run every Friday lunchtime from 1.00pm until 1.30pm. Starting with numbers of around 25-30 pupils, the level has since dropped to a more dedicated 10-15. Every week the technicians and I plan and prepare equipment for practical activities not included in the KS3 scheme of work. Such activities include: Making slime, Creating lava lamps, Invisible ink, Static electricity, Explosions, Making nylon, Making hovercrafts, Making periscopes, Making volcanoes, Catapults, Making crystals, Testing fitness, Egg drop, Buzz box, Electromagnets and many more …
The club is fully inclusive and we aim to turn our attention to gardening for the summer term and hopefully produce crops for the summer fayre.
Mr Holloway
Science Trips
During the last year, trips have continued to enthuse and enrich pupils of all abilities across all year groups. Both pupils and parents value the opportunities to engage in learning beyond the curriculum and both day trips and residential breaks have continued to be well supported.
This year’s trips have included return visits to places which have previously proved to offer exciting educational experiences, but we have also engaged in some ‘first-time’ trips which have provided invaluable inspirational opportunities for our learners and those from other partner schools and colleges.
- 36 - While many of our trips have retained a Science focus, others have explored cross-curricular links within the college. STEM collaborations, with their focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, have proved very successful and have included competitions at regional and national level, CREST Awards (British Science Association’s Creativity in Science & Technology) and excursions.
In the Summer term of 2012 pupils were delighted by two truly STEM focused day trips, one to the inaugural Big Bang South East: STEMFest in Crawley and another to Future’s Day at Farnborough Air Show. At the Crawley competition St. Richard’s StRATOS team won two awards and their ticket to the National Science and Engineering Competition in London.
Our Year 7 pupils ventured to the Greenwich peninsula where they enjoyed their first Block Day trip to the Royal Observatory and the National Maritime Museum. This year’s large group of Year 9 Astronomers and older Gifted and Talented also maintained a regular attendance at the Institute of Physics Lectures at the University of Sussex and a St. Richard’s team spent an evening at Eastbourne College in the RSC’s ‘Top of the Bench’ Competition. The mid-term break saw a return to the Welsh Mountains for a residential CAT Camp and we rounded off the term with a day trip to the University of Brighton to see Dr. Hal’s Christmas stage show ’Bigger Bang VII: The Science Strikes Back’ for Year 7s and a Telescope Tour Supper Evening at Herstmonceux Observatory for a record number of pupils.
Over New Year, Upper School pupils returned to Austria for the annual Ski Trip with a lucky few also joining the group who took part in the college’s first trip to Iceland organised by the Humanities department. In the run up to Science Week, the StRATOS team of former pupils competed at National Competition while current pupils across all year groups and abilities spent a day in Chichester visiting the Roman Palace and the South Downs Planetarium. Year 10 pupils enjoyed a day trip to London’s Dominion Theatre to be inspired at the GCSE Science Live show. The STEM theme was extended to Science Week and teams of Year 11 Gifted and Talented Scientists entered the Institute of Electrical Technicians’ Great Electric Egg Race at the University of Brighton. During the Easter holidays, we joined forces with Bexhill College to visit the Large Hadron Collider experiments at CERN in Geneva in the first of what we hope will be many future joint trips.
In the May holiday we look forward to returning to Cornwall for the Ethical Eden residential trip and there are further day trips planned: a return to compete at this year’s STEMFest; a Particle Physics Day for the Year 10s and a day in the laboratories of University of Sussex for Upper School pupils. In the forthcoming academic year we plan to return to Space Camp; we have a planned trip to Oxford with Bexhill College to visit the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy and a tentative trip to Florida for some serious Physics.
Dr Durkin
Science Week 2013
In the weeks prior to Science Week, pupils from Year 10 enjoyed a day trip to the GCSE Science Live stage show in London while pupils from across the college were able to encounter moonrocks and meteorites from the Apollo missions, on loan from NASA, and to model their own comets using specially delivered dry ice.
Science week itself began in great style with a visit from the STEM Sussex team who enthused pupils from the middle ability range, with a variety of logic tasks for the Fun Maths Challenge. These workshops were well received by all and the following day all of Year 10 were treated to talks on Nuclear Energy from visiting STEM Ambassadors.
STEM Ambassadors from the University of Sussex joined us on Wicked Wednesday to inspire revision with Foundation Level Year 11 pupils and to make and launch motor powered rockets with Year 7. The Year 9 Astronomers welcomed a chance to receive some pre-exam revision entitled ‘We Are Astronomers’ narrated by Dr Who actor David Tennant, in the form of an audio-visual presentation in the inflatable planetarium,. The day continued with our ‘Special Science Supper’, an annual tradition involving hands on practical activities in the laboratories run by Dr Littlejohns and Year 10 Student Listeners with pupil guests from St Mary’s Special School. On this occasion, Year 9 pupils from Mrs Nicholls’ ‘Astronomy for the Blind’ Technology group presented their Bronze CREST Award projects to the guests, to great acclaim. We were also joined by STEM Ambassadors from East Sussex Astronomical Society (ESAS) and a visiting representative from East Sussex’s Visually Impaired Support Team who was impressed enough to extend an invitation to the pupils to give their presentations at other schools.
- 37 - At the same time, pupils scheduled to travel to Geneva on the forthcoming CERN trip enjoyed tea and cakes and a talk from Stewart Martin-Haugh, who had spent the previous three years working at CERN, as one of the team of international scientists working on the hunt for the elusive Higgs Boson.
Thursday’s activities included pupils joining Mr. Harwood in modelling a comet and Mr Marsh took three teams of Gifted & Talented Year 11 pupils to compete in the Institute of Engineers’ ‘Great Electric Egg Race’ at the University of Brighton. A worthwhile application of STEM skills aside, all the pupils taking part were registered for a Bronze CREST Award.
The Science department welcomed visitors from 12 local primary schools to help us establish ‘whodunnit?’ in our Bond-themed mystery on the final Friday and at the weekend, nearly 70 pupils travelled to Chichester for a visit to Fishbourne Roman Palace and the South Downs Planetarium.
In addition to outreach visits to Chantry and Catsfield Primary Schools, the whole science team have set up visits for the other primary schools to occur in the slightly less hectic summer term.
Dr Durkin
Ski Trip
Upper school pupils and staff returned to Alpendorf on the Austrian border over the New Year holiday for the 8th annual St Richard’s Ski Trip. The pupils had a fantastic week’s skiing in near perfect conditions and our hosts were wonderful.
In addition to the skiing we all enjoyed other Austrian culture. The ski instructor’s Gangnam-style flash mob was an unexpected pleasure; Austrian style bowling proved to be very entertaining and sledging en masse was enjoyed by everyone as well as the thermal pool baths with surround sound cinema. All the pupils and staff, including Mr Heseltine, Mrs Douglin and Mr and Mrs Holloway enjoyed the trip immensely.
I was sad to say goodbye to Alpendorf and our wonderful ski school instructors but I know that some of the pupils are planning to return with next year’s St Richard’s ski trip and those who have moved on to college have a newly-found hobby to pursue.
Dr Durkin
STEM Report
The college has embraced a STEM culture in college this year arranging a number of opportunities for pupils of all abilities to enjoy Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths work with a fully inclusive pupil list.
The Big Bang South East: STEMFest activities enthused lower school pupils in July and also saw the StRATOS team victorious in both competition and the Gold Level CREST Awards (very prestigious and equivalent UCAS points to an AS Level). STEM activities were also very much in evidence during Future’s Day Trip at Farnborough Air Show attended by older GCSE pupils and project work for Year 10 pupils in the summer term was completed around a theme of Bloodhound SSC (Super Sonic Car).
Term 1 of the current academic year introduced two lunchtime clubs in the Science department: Young Investigators for all Year 7 pupils and Fab Fizzix – a club run by Year 10 DofE pupils as part of their voluntary work in completion of the DofE Bronze Award. This club has been supported all year by a small group of inquisitive Year 8 pupils.
We ran STEM Workshops in association with STEMSussex and our Maths Department. As a Christmas treat, Year 9 & 10 pupils who might want to study maths beyond St. Richard’s, enjoyed a STEM in Space workshop considering the statistical likelihood of life on other planets. In Science Week, lower school pupils from intermediate ability groups enjoyed the Fun Maths challenge.
The Spring term also saw 21 mixed ability pupils (including 6 pupil premium pupils) undertake an ‘Astronomy for the Blind’ project during their Technology lessons with Mrs. Nicholls. All achieved the CREST Bronze Award for their hard work and the best project will be entered for competition in this year’s STEMFest. The projects were approved by visually impaired pupils from St. Mary’s Wrestwood Special
- 38 - School. Year 11 pupils took part in the IET’s Great Electric Egg Race at a STEMSussex evening at the University of Brighton, for which they were also registered for Bronze CREST Awards. They were supported by Mr Marsh, our very own STEM Ambassador. He joined an impressive roll call of other STEM Ambassadors who had joined us from ESAS, the Universities of Brighton and Sussex and EDF Energy.
In a joint trip with Bexhill College, we have also visited one of the world’s largest STEM projects – the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva. STEM related activities will continue in the Summer term with this year’s Year 10 summer project work to be based on ‘The James Webb Space Telescope: Space as a context for teaching STEM’. We will also return to STEMFest and we have confirmed a future visit to the Nuclear Energy centre in Oxford next summer, extending our collaboration with Bexhill College.
Dr Durkin Science G&T Co-ordinator
PTFA
At the AGM in September 2012 Lisa Driver was elected to be Chair of the PTFA for the second year. Cathy Baker stood down as secretary and was elected Vice Chair. Tracy Hobden and Amanda Issacs were elected joint secretaries, and a new treasurer was appointed, Marina Matassa.
The 2012/2013 academic year has once again been busy for members and supporters of the PTFA. In terms of the PTFA’s continued fundraising activities, it has been another productive period. The 2012 Summer Fayre was once again our biggest fundraising event, and proves very successful with in excess of £5,000 raised. The weather was good albeit windy, and the atmosphere was incredible, with a sense of parents and pupils alike not wanting it to end. Plans are at present being made for this year’s Fayre, which will be held on 22nd June. We look forward to it being just as successful.
The Annual Quiz had to be put back until February. Once again it enjoyed high levels of attendance. This remains a popular social occasion with teams of parents, teachers and pupils. Consequently, plans are in place to make it an annual event.
We had our very first ‘Soul Night’ evening in April which proved to be a fantastic event and fundraiser, raising around £2000. We had ‘Soulman Sam’ as DJ. The PTFA worked hard in organising food, a bar and decorating. The feedback from everyone, including people who didn’t make it, has been very positive so we hope to repeat this, if not next year, the year after.
The PTFA also continue to supply a refreshment counter to all Open Evenings, Consultation Evenings, sports day, as well as performances in music and drama. These generally raise a few hundred pounds as well as satisfying the parents, children and staff.
The PTFA continues to invite requests for funding from all those within the college community to ensure that we bring the maximum benefits possible to the college. Last year the PTFA purchased benches for the playground as well as an awning to provide shade. We continue to pay for the lease for the new Mini bus. We have purchased a new much-needed improved sound system, digital cameras, funding to the library for new books and DVDs, medals for Sports day, and just recently released funds for a new overhead projector for the hall.
We are currently assessing very recent requests for financial assistance from a broad spectrum of departments and school clubs and we shall continue to support requests made in the future.
Our Principal, Miss Cronin, is a keen advocate and enthusiastic supporter of the PTFA’s activities and has been ably supported by Mr Clark and Mrs Hood. Staff input remains as ever an invaluable element of the PTFA's work and activities.
The PTFA members continue to be a willing and enthusiastic group of people who give their time and effort to a wide range of activities that reach far beyond the fundraising events. In addition to a very strong core of stalwart members within the PTFA, we have been pleased to welcome a number of new members this year whom we hope may step into office at some future point. My thanks go to all of them for their support and commitment, Particular recognition and thanks go to Cathy, Tracy, Amanda and Marina who put an awful lot of time into making everything run smoothly.
Lisa Driver, PTFA Chair
- 39 - Parental Surveys
At each Consultation Evening we ask parents/carers to fill in a short survey which questions them about college life and what is offered. It also asks the parents/carers to list concerns.
Generally, the parents/carers are very positive about the teaching and learning on offer to their children. The majority of pupils feel safe and secure and the reporting of progress is well-received. Concerns expressed by parents/carers over this academic year include the following:
Transport
Cost remains a concern as does the frequent lateness of the buses in the morning and over-crowding on the trains. Behaviour has also been raised as an issue. Designated Assistant Principals respond to any complaints and sanction where appropriate. Southern Rail and Stagecoach are both aware of our concerns re over-crowding and punctuality.
Curriculum
Year 7 parents were concerned by the perceived lack of e-safety lessons - they are now aware that this is not the case and indeed e-safety is a focus of assemblies as well as ICT and PSHEe lessons. Homework not always being given on the right day. Continued disappointment that the option block does not allow history and geography to be taken together. More vocational courses wanted by some. The challenge of controlled assessments. More support with revision techniques.
Most of the above have been addressed though our timetable currently does not allow for both humanities subjects to be taken. We continue to offer vocational courses to those interested in taking up a course at Plumpton or Bexhill Skills Centre.
Canteen
Food is too expensive and there is not enough choice. Queues are too long. Size of portions.
Prices and portion size are determined by the catering company, Chartwells, who do listen to pupil concerns. Menus are displayed on the website so parents can see the variety of food on offer. The introduction of an outdoor kiosk has reduced queues somewhat. All pupils have purchased their food by 1.00pm allowing them 30 minutes to eat it. Parents from the PFG group had a tour of the canteen and kitchen this year: they were very impressed by the quality of fresh food on offer to pupils.
Bullying
Issues have been raised related to cyber-bullying, sexting and name-calling on public transport.
A number of PSHEe lessons and assemblies have put the spotlight on being safe using the internet. Pupils are warned of the dangers of posting photographs of themselves or others on the web. We take all concerns re cyber-bullying seriously and sanction where appropriate.
Respect for all is part of our ethos and efforts are made in form time and assemblies to encourage pupils to respect difference.
We are never complacent where bullying is concerned. We use the results of the Safer School Survey to inform our planning and future activities. The introduction of Smile Ambassadors, Anti-bullying Ambassadors and an anti-bullying group comprising parents, pupils, governors and staff ensure that anti- bullying initiatives are regularly reviewed.
Feedback on Parental Surveys is provided by the relevant Pastoral Leader in each newsletter. We try to address all concerns. The Survey as a whole is a useful evaluation tool on school systems, processes and policies.
- 40 - Parental Focus Groups
These morning and evening groups have now been running for four years and consist of about 15/20 parents/carers getting together to learn about school life. There has been Governor representation at some of the meetings which the parents have appreciated. Topics covered this year include: e-safety policy, anti-bullying and friendship issues, interim reports, uniform, the College Improvement Plan, the curriculum, the SEF and school performance tables, tracking of pupils, Moodle, the website, transition at 16 and a range of queries related to what needs to be improved.
We start each academic year with a post-it activity called ‘What is going well?’ and ‘What could be better?’; we will end the year in a similar way.
Minutes of meetings are available on the college website.
Partnerships
We belong to the Bexhill Consortium which consists of all the primary schools, Glyne Gap Special School, Bexhill College, Bexhill Academy, the Parent Support Manager as well as a representative from Sure Start, the Police, Health and the Youth Service.
The main focus is ensuring that all Bexhill children achieve their potential and live healthy lives.
The Consortium is chaired by Mr Tony Campbell OBE and Mr Charles Nicholson. Supported by Janet Smithson and Tina Frost, they lead projects and evaluate them. This year, pupils from St Richard’s have benefited from some key funding provided by the Consortium:
Licences for Lexia. CAT tests for year seven were paid for. Gifted and Talented activities. The part-time service of a Parent Support Adviser.
Annually, we have contributed about £12-£15,000 to the Consortium to support the appointment of Parent Support Advisers etc. The Consortium folded in April 2013 allowing a primary alliance to be formed.
The other key partnership is our link with the Hastings & Rother Partnership. We do not invest money in this group which is made up of all the schools and colleges in the Hastings & Rother area. Instead we invest time in terms of working on projects together. Our Careers Co-ordinator has worked with other schools to improve careers advice. This year, we have again been involved in the OLEVI Outstanding Teaching Programme and Improving Teacher Programme. Two staff were trained to act as facilitators and they led training in the ITP and OTP for other schools in the Partnership. Three of our staff attended an OTP programme delivered by Claverham facilitators and three attended a Programme run by St Richard’s facilitators. The OTP work has fitted in with our ‘Ten features of an outstanding lesson’. Topics from the programme have influenced staff meeting agendas, Subject Leader and departmental meetings. It has also influenced INSET.
The work of the partnership, this year, has been enhanced by Alliance funding from County successfully applied for by St Richard’s and Claverham. This has enabled a number of extra activities such as a Literacy cross-phase project, middle leader training/coaching and a greater number of primary staff to benefit from OTP/ITP courses.
Our Teaching School Capacity grant has also enabled us to collaborate more closely with a range of schools.
In previous years, we have also worked on projects related to Diplomas and alternative provision.
Clearly, we also enjoy partnership links with the Diocesan Heads, our feeder primary schools and the Bexhill primary schools who enjoy sports activities as a result of the Sports Partnership work carried out by Mr Varney.
Miss Cronin
- 41 -