Sandbach College

SANDBACH COLLEGE NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY 2018

MUSIC TO OUR EARS……

IT DOESN’T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS! What a first term for our A level Music students! Emily Moss has an unconditional place to read Music at her first choice university of York St Johns. “I’m really excited to have got this place as York St John’s has always been my first choice. The atmosphere there is great, the course looks really interesting and I have a family connection – my mum went there!’ Ellen Pointon secured places to study Saxophone everywhere she auditioned – Conservatoire, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Leeds College of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music – Ellen’s first choice, enhanced further by the scholarship she has also received. “RNCM has always been my goal – one of my inspirations is local saxophonist Jamie Sharp who also went there. The teachers are world-class and the conservatoire atmosphere is so buzzing. I can’t wait!” Heléna Walsh has enjoyed similar success at such prestigious conservatoires. As well as winning a place to study Composition at the RNCM, Heléna was also successful in gaining a place on the extremely demanding Joint Course with the University of Manchester – she will effectively get two degrees if she takes this offer! Unfortunately, she also got into the world-renowned Royal Academy of Music in London with a scholarship and has a conditional offer to study Music at Oxford University - difficult decisions ahead. ‘I genuinely didn’t think I’d be in this position so I’m still torn over where to go! Wherever I choose, I’m so excited to study Composition at the next level.’ Hot on our successful Year 13’s heels is Matthew Brett in Year 12 Matthew has successfully re-auditioned for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, this year being promoted to Principal Percussionist. He writes about his experience: “I have just returned from my 5th course as a musician in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, having completed a three day concert tour across the country. This was also my first course after being promoted to Principal of the percussion section in November 2017! As a musician in NYO, I get to attend three intensive residencies across the year, working on some of the toughest orchestral repertoire under world famous conductors. For the last course, we were based at Nottingham University rehearsing before we performed at the Bridgewater Hall, Theatre Royal and the Barbican, one of which is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Under the direction of the highly regarded conductor Sir Mark Elder, NYO staged an opera for the very first time – Bartok’s ‘Duke Bluebeard’s Castle’ – incorporating lights, staging and physical movement. Working alongside over 160 other young musicians on such an amazing residency has been an opportunity I’ll never forget and I can’t wait for the spring residency.”

CHANGING LIVES PROJECT

Central Buddy Scheme (CCBS) is a registered charity organisation, established in 2004. CCBS work to support children with disabilities, through activity clubs, holiday clubs and residential breaks. The organisation currently runs eight activity groups, supporting over 150 young people and their families. In the past the charity has taken small groups on park and boat trips, the organisation has also taken many members to activities supporting the children's fitness, such as canoeing and cycling. The club has recently been able to set up a group known as the Changing Lives Project, aimed at disabled people aged 18 and above, to provide them with life skills, allowing the charity to support both disabled children and adults. In order to support this charity Georgina Gill, Krisella Lyons and Zainab Adnan organised a non- uniform day on 19th October. As a result, we were able to raise £1002.64. By raising this money, the group will be able to continue to organise regular social events to support the social needs of the children, fundraising will also help the organisation provide training opportunities for young peo- ple, to give them the skills to befriend a disabled young person. Not only that, but due to the success of the non-uniform day, the money raised will help allow the charity to run a range of leisure activities and residential trips, which will help offer new experienc- If you are interested in volunteering and are at least 17 es for the children and adults to enhance their lives, develop skills years old contact: Louise Bailey 07938163103 and offer an opportunity to make friends. Stephanie Lawley 07873423389

INTERACT CLUB NEWS

During the Christmas season, the Interact club of Sandbach had been helping to bring the Christmas spirit not only to our school but also to the local community. We held a stall consisting of cupcakes with surprises in the middle, a lucky dip as well as a raffle at the Christmas fair where we raised approximately £95. This will be donated to Blaize; he is a three year old boy who has a rare type of cancer and needs to go to Paris for treat- ment. We also helped to set up at the Christmas market in Sandbach town centre which included putting up light bulbs and directing stall holders to their stalls.

The Christmas Market was a great success and helped in bring- ing the local community together, which is something that we, WELL DONE TO 12 GAWSWORTH the people of action, strive to achieve. They have so far raised £186.06 for Kidney Research Our most recent project was bag packing in the Co-op to raise UK by selling refreshments, sweets, cakes and running £447 (our highest yet!) for the Smile Train. In the new year, we a successful raffle during the recent Dance Showcase will be planning lots of interesting ways to raise money and Evening. AWESOME TEAM EFFORT! bring the local community and the wider world together. We hope that we will have as much success with all of our future fundraising en- deavours as we did this year. If you would like to join us, we meet every Friday after Col- lege until 4:15pm in H3. Stella Vu SENIOR CITIZENS CHRISTMAS LUNCH

The most exciting and entertaining senior citizens Christmas lunch yet!

The annual Senior Citizens Christmas lunch was hosted by Sandbach High School and College on Friday 15 December. It saw 30 Year 12 and Year 13 college students organise, run and host a stunning event. As always, it was completely free to our local community’s senior citizens and they were treated to a full Christmas lunch with all the trimmings (12 turkeys were cooked that morning!). The afternoon lasted 2 hours and was hosted by our very own Mr Fowler and showcased the best of our students’ talents. As is now tradition, the school’s brass ensemble played as our guests arrived and the choir performed after the meal – their abilities shone and our local senior citizens were amazed by their performances. There were 9 dance performances and 3 drama performances that not only entertained but were thought provoking and simply outstanding in their delivery. The entertainment added real sparkle to the Christmas event. The college raffle and collection buckets raised a stunning £850 for Kidney Research UK and added to the entertainment as our local senior citizens won hampers created by our wonderful College form groups and prizes donated by our fabulous local businesses. Special thanks and praise must go to the canteen staff and caretakers for the exceptional work they put in to getting the hall looking spectacular and cooking and plating food for 200 guests! In addition, thanks are given to the commitment of the Student Leadership Group and the additional college students. The event ran smoothly and everyone got a hot meal, was entertained and had a sing along at the end of the meal. Each year the event improves and we love welcoming back familiar faces. Here’s to Christmas 2018! Important Choices in Life...

This first term has been a busy period with a wide variety of activities for both Yr12 and Yr13. Most of our Year 13 students have been very focused on their UCAS applications and personal statements, whilst those planning an alternative career path have benefitted from weekly employability sessions with Careers Officer Mr Puddifoot. We have been fortunate enough to engage the services of the EVOLVE team from Northumbria University who have delivered some informative and valuable sessions on student finance and personal statement writ- ing to our Year 13s. We are also very grateful to Mrs Milnes for delivering her most absorbing and highly effective session on stress management. With the UCAS application deadline looming large and many big companies now launching their apprenticeship schemes for 2018 we all await news about our students’ next steps with great excitement. Year 12 have spent plenty of quality time with their form tutors, who have delivered a very diverse introductory programme to their forms. On Wednesdays the Life Choices programme has included an opportunity for everyone to test their entrepreneurial skills with forms competing in the £20 To Plenty Challenge and bidding for more funding in the Dragons’ Den.

EVOLVE representatives have visited to speak about stress management and Abi Jones delivered a very inspiring talk on volunteering, with a focus on Friends

For Leisure. Perhaps the highlight of the programme so far has been the highly competitive team building morning where each form took on a series of both mental and physical challenges, with Lincoln taking the team building title. As I write we are looking forward to a very packed Induction Day which will include a workshop on Sexual Health delivered by Body Positive, an inspirational talk from Positively Mad, and a session all about GAP Year opportunities delivered by Frontiers.

CONGRATULATIONS

SOUTH CHESHIRE U18

NETBALL CHAMPIONS 2017/18

Well done to: Liberty Hughes, Jodie Lamey, Eve Fenoglio, Harriet Fairlie, Jessie Dixon Evans, Danni Johnson, Ellie Roberts, Abi Blythe. RECOGNITION FOR ESTHER! TRAVEL & TOURISM OUT & ABOUT

On the 3rd October the utterly incredible Esther Watson was awarded her own personal Diana Award for outstanding contributions to social justice, volunteering and school life.

Esther has spent her five years at Sandbach High School dedicated to helping others and she really has been a beacon of goodwill and kindness. Her many, many hours of selfless endeavour were done because she genuinely cares about others and wishes to help in any way The Autumn term saw a group of Business and Travel and possible, not for decoration or accolade. Tourism students visit Railway Station. The purpose of the visit was to look at the provision of service for business

travellers on the West Coast Mainline. We were shown into However, it was decided that that on top of her 2015 Diana various nooks and crannies by Natalie, a Station Supervisor Award, and her 2017 group Diana Award that she should be and Heather the Station Manager. We investigated the First entered separately for an award all of her own and she won! Class Lounge, some very cold platforms, underground tunnels All of the staff and students at Sandbach College and the ‘normal’ waiting rooms. We had a quiz with a prize won are delighted for Esther and she by Zara Foley – she was obviously not as cold as the rest of us fully deserves this recognition. and listened more carefully! Who knew that something as Congratulations Esther! everyday as a rail station could provide so many fascinating insights? The visit was hugely helpful for our course and a fun way to learn about how things work behind the scenes

Esther Watson receives her award Earlier in the term Travel and Tourism students met at Sandbach Station ready to attend a Customer Service Masterclass at the Radisson Blu Hotel . The first workshop was presented by a company called Travel Counsellors and ideal for the A level course. We then had a break with some very nice cookies before moving onto a presentation by the Radisson Blu events manager. Lunch followed with a presentation by Manchester Airport showing the proposed developments at Terminal 2, we then had a presentation by John Lewis suggesting the correct clothes to wear for formal and informal interviews and assessment days. The final presentation was by Jet2 explaining the various roles available and how the company worked with its employees to develop their areas of strength. There was then a concluding talk and we were off, it was interesting to note that as we were leaving an announcement came through that Jet2 were creating 400 new jobs at the airport.

This was a great day in business surroundings and a good day was had by all. 12 Foden: 20—2—Plenty Basketball Match

After many discussions on what our event was going to be (Ideas included hug a pug, cake sale, charity staff karaoke) we de- cided on a charity basketball match: Staff vs Sixth form (And Mr Fowler). The date was set and excitement grew. During form times 12 Foden would bravely tour the school selling tickets and advertising the event and generating interest. The day of the big event came: cakes had been baked, Haribos and soft drinks had been purchased and 12 Foden were ready. Half the sports hall was cornered off, the refreshment stand was set up and the form were ready to welcome the masses! Pre-sales had been slightly disappointing but on the door sales were through the roof. Pupils were rammed (safely) into the viewing area and a great noise welcomed the two teams. In a last minute change to the line-ups Mr Fowler joined the College team to add a bit of height to the team. It was a frantic start to the game with the staff team taking a commanding lead. Miss Jackson was on fire, taking the College team apart with some accurate shooting, Mr Garcia was show- boating from the tip off and Mr Massey was mainly running around like a headless chicken. After a tough first half for the Sixth Form team there was a change in fortunes with Yve Maddock and Kyra Simpson linking well to set up Ellie Roberts for some much needed points! Tabby Carson was the engine room of the team getting up and down the court like a Yo-Yo. As the final buzzer rang the score was a lot more respectable! As a form teacher I was so proud of my form’s organisation skills and enthusiasm shown for the event. Overall they raised over £50 for the school’s chosen charities. Thank you to all of 12 Foden, Sixth Form basketball team and staff who were involved. Mr Fowler

AROUND COLLEGE:

Thank you to all College students who kindly donated to our Christmas Food Bank collection and to Lee Oliver, Jessica Williams and Jen Sunderland for creating our College poppy for our whole school memorial service. A poignant moment giving us all time to reflect on what has gone before so we can be here today. THE COMMON ROOM SERVING UP A FESTIVE TREAT

Before Christmas, Hospitality and Catering students entertained 24 visitors with their traditional homemade Christmas fayre. The students not only prepared and served diners with a little help from some Year 10 students, but they also decorated the restaurant so that it had a cosy Christmassy feel. Diners were greeted with mulled wine closely followed by a choice of either stilton stuffed mushrooms with cranberry relish or chestnut soup with bacon crumbles and bread roll. The main course of three bird roast was a huge success, and the Christmas pudding sundae or poached pear served for dessert was too. The evening finished with tea and coffee and a mince pie brownie leaving our guests full and happy. Well done to Alex Dwyer, Jagoda Mekwinska and Isobel Baddeley .

NURSE DROP IN

COLLEGE STUDENTS ONLY Week 1: TUES 9.30-10.30AM Week 2: FRIDAY 9.30—10.30AM [In Mr Abbotson’s Office]

Pop along for any support and advice including Contraceptive and Sexual Health [including free condom scheme]; feeling under the weather, worried about something or simply need to talk. No appointment necessary.

Teentech: Designing a better future

Following our great tradition of success in the Teentech awards, on 12 October 2017 Olivia Jeffries and Mr Massey attended an awards ceremony and reception at Buckingham Palace. The reception was hosted by The Duke of York and presented by Maggie Philbin. The event was part of Olivia’s prize for winning the best concept award at the Teentech finals at The Royal Society in July. Olivia won this competition with her innovative A Level Product Design project. She worked with seven different organisations, such as The Stroke Association and Balluff to develop a stroke rehabilitation aid for children. The aid, called ‘Re-Calibrate’, worked as a controller for an app game and required the user to step, balance and move to a level of complexity that was appropriate for their stage in their rehabilitation journey. This is a truly innovative product and fantastic end to Olivia’s very successful time at SHSSFC. She has recently started Product Design Engineering at Loughborough University

…..AND FOLLOWING IN OLIVIA’S

FOOT STEPS IS LUCY LOWNDS

Lucy has been shortlisted in the Talent 2030 Engineering competition and will be showcasing her work at the 2018 Big Bang Fair. Talent 2030 is a National Campaign designed to inspire the next generation of engineers. If Lucy is successful she could win £1000 for herself and £500 for the school as well as an Engineering mentor, free complimentary membership to the Women’s Engineering Society and trips to visit sponsors each year.

Good luck Lucy! CSI Forensics Day!

Year 13 Psychology students played the role of CSI for the day. ‘Think Forensic’, a company run by an ex police woman which employs forensic scientists and psychologists came in to train our students on how to be a CSI. They were taught how to lift fingerprints, look for hair fibres, look for blood splatter and what it may indicate. They then applied their learning and their psychological knowledge to a mock crime scene. Students had to look for clues, take evidence, analyse the evidence and then advise the police on what they thought had happened. A really enjoyable day.

@SandbachCollege

ENGLISH SCHOOLS SUCCESS FOR LIBERTY

Earlier in the term, Liberty Hughes competed as part of the Cheshire team in the English School’s Multi Events Championship in Bolton Lincolnshire. After competing hard in ten different events, Liberty finished 9th nationally [out of 29 national competitors].

Special credit must go to Liberty as she continues to thrive in athletics—this competition took place whilst she was completing her early entry UCAS application and preparing for entrance exams to study Medicine next year!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Rachael Murdock for achieving a gold medal in a recent Team Gym competition in the Isle of Man and to Amber Barrie for gaining a silver medal at the British University Judo Championships. Both Yr 13 A Level PE students continue to manage their gruelling training schedules whilst working hard towards their university places for next year. #proudcollege

Delighted to hear the news that alumni Rowan Cheshire is representing Team GB in Half Pipe skiing at the 2018 Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang. Good Luck Rowan!