Test Valley School Newsletter

April 2014

Photography Competition 2014

HC: Emily Peach 11A

Winner: Amy Hickey 11A HC: Bethany Vause 9D The theme of this year’s competition was “People”, in line with the Rotary Club’s RIBI Young Photographer of the Year Competition, which some of our pupils have also entered. The judges, Mr Hewson and Mr Slater, were pleased to be presented with some imaginative interpretations of this challenging theme. See inside for further entries.

Dear Parent

As I write a long and busy Spring Term is drawing to a close with all the pupils and staff looking forward to the Easter holidays!

We hope you enjoy our newsletter, celebrating the huge variety of activities going on in and out of the classroom at Test Valley School. In addition we are delighted to share with you some of the successes of our pupils out of school in their own ‘pursuit of personal excellence’. There are many more on the ‘Latest News’ section of our school website.

I would also take this opportunity to encourage you to look at our website if you have not recently done so – this is now completely revamped and we hope it provides much easier access to relevant information for users as well as promoting our school in the best possible light to anyone looking to find out more about our school. Do have a look on www.testvalley.hants.sch.uk.

I take this opportunity to send all our Year 11 pupils very best wishes for their forthcoming GCSE examinations next term. Staff and pupils have been working hard and we look forward to celebrating strong results in August. Now is certainly the time for Year 11 to be revising fully as they reach this final stage and the end is almost in sight.

Finally, I thank you for your ongoing support throughout this term and send you best wishes at this time.

Miss L Hiscock Headteacher

End of Financial Year Please note

Any cheques made payable to Test Valley School which have been presented during the last two weeks of term will not be cashed until the beginning of May.

Test Valley School P.T.A

100 Club Winners January 1st Prize — £15 Mrs Hillier 2nd Prize — £6 Mrs Cooper 3rd Prize — £3 Mrs Ball February 1st Prize — £15 Mrs Diaper 2nd Prize — £6 Mrs Pape 3rd Prize — £3 Mrs Macey March 1st Prize — £15 Mrs Walukiewicz 2nd Prize — £6 Mrs Jeanes 3rd Prize — £3 Mrs Butt

You have to be in it to win it!

If you would like to take part in the PTA 100 Club, ask at reception for an application form. You can buy as many numbers as you like and each month 3 numbers are drawn. The cost of entry per number is £12.00 for 12 draws (no matter which month you join us). The next draw will be on 22nd April 2014

Winners are notified by post and announced within the PTA section of the school website Chair of Governors Report Easter 2014

Over the past year the Governing Body has seen a number of changes with new governors joining us. We welcome into our team Alec Ryan, Julie Cassidy, Mark Wall, Nick Measham, Deborah Martin, Mark Hughes and Kev O’Rourke. We are pleased the new governors are settling into their roles very effectively. We would also like to thank those governors who have moved on and thank them for their service to the school.

Over the past year we have had to support the Headteacher and the Senior Team with regard to a number of challenging circumstances now facing schools. As many parents are aware the cohort of pupils coming up from our primary schools in recent years has been smaller due to demographic factors. The impact of this has required careful management with our priority always being to maintain a high quality learning experience for all our pupils. We are, however, pleased to hear that the numbers of pupils expected in Year 7 for September is very buoyant and still increasing, despite the local trends. We are delighted so many parents continue to share our belief that we are a school moving forward and the right choice for their child.

The governors are very aware of the need for the school budget to be used effectively and have supported the school in this. As part of our monitoring role we scrutinise the costs carefully and consider every opportunity to make appropriate cost savings without compromising the school’s priorities. In the summer we hope the school’s boilers will be replaced in order to provide a much more cost efficient service.

Our staff remain one of the school’s greatest strengths and we believe this will be realised in the summer examinations. The governors monitor the results against predictions and against national statistics. This shows that the school is achieving well, especially in the core subjects of English, Maths and Science. The school also excels in other subjects and in the opportunities offered to pupils, for example in Design and Technology the school has excelled in local competitions with other schools. The school has also mounted drama productions and concerts which governors fully support and next term the pupils will be organising the annual Stockfest music festival. From time to time the governors hear from the pupils and we also see them in action beyond the school day. I always have in mind the excellent way they act as ambassadors for the school to prospective pupils and their parents. They are a real credit to the school. The governors wish all those Year 11 pupils sitting their GCSEs the very best that their hard work and their ability can achieve.

Have a happy Easter

John Smith Chair of Governors

Two former Test Valley pupils who now attend Peter Symonds College have received conditional Oxbridge places for 2014. They are Jack Peach to read Mathematics at Girton College, Cambridge and Eleanor Gravenor to read Music at Exeter College, Oxford.

Music Department News

In February the second annual Andover Young Musician of the Year competition was held in St Mary’s Church, Andover featuring performances from talented musicians from five local secondary schools, including Test Valley. All three of our acts performed exceptionally well and received positive feedback from the judges, with Eben Taylor and ‘The Revenant’ (Josh Yard, Connor Fealy, Jake Hoadley and Kai Marsh) both representing us in the Popular category with songs they had written themselves and Zack Stephens presenting an expressive and assured performance of ‘Remembrances’ from Schindler’s List in the classical category.

On Monday 3rd March two Test Valley Bands (The Revenant and Forsaken Fire) then took part in a workshop at the Music Academy at Andover College, receiving feedback on their performances from staff and students at the college, culminating in a final performance of the songs they had worked on. This then led to them being invited to take part in a Battle of the Bands as part of the college ‘Respectfest’ Gig on Wednesday 26th March, alongside college bands and a Year 11 band, ‘Follow the Water’, also from Test Valley. All groups performed with confidence and style, with ‘Forsaken Fire’ (Oliver Dade, Dan Finch and Hugo Leonard, all 9G) receiving an award for the Most Improved Band and ‘The Revenent’ placing overall second in the competition. March has also seen the Year 11 Band ‘Follow the Water’ (Harvey Baker, Eben Taylor, Matt Selwood, Archie McMaster and ex-pupil Tom Oliver-Hawkins) fly through the next stage of Hampshire Music Service’s Battle of the Bands to secure a place in the final, to be held in June, so congratulations are in order to all three bands!

Meanwhile, the School Orchestra, Choir, an advanced Wind and Brass ensemble and a number of talented KS4 soloists including Zack Stephens, Ben Kirby, Jess Walukiewicz, Hannah Gravenor, Glenn Hamilton-Smith, Michael Dunwell and Ross Pryde have all been working hard to prepare for the Test Valley School Spring Concert which was held on Thursday 3rd April in the School Hall. This proved to be a very enjoyable and diverse evening of music.

Mrs G. Leyman Head of Music Rotary Technology Challenge

On Wednesday March 12th Mr Allsopp, accompanied by Mr Lucas took sixteen Year 9 pupils to a Design and Technology tournament organised by the Rotary Club. The competition took place at The Crossfield Hall in Romsey. There were five other schools present : Romsey, Mountbatten, Thornden, Harrow Way and St Annes, seventeen teams in total. The challenge was to remove a radio active rock (tennis ball) from a box and place it on a target within 30 seconds. This had to be achieved remotely from a distance of two metres. Each team of four had four hours to design, plan, test and improve their prototype before final judging. They also had to produce a design folder documenting their decisions during this time. The competition was tough and it was really good to see how the pupils coped with the different mechanical problems as their prototypes developed. Test Valley School took second place, with St Annes taking first and third. The winning teams were awarded a laser engraved glass trophy and all participants received a special certificate. It was a fantastic day that really tested the pupils determination, problem solving and team skills.

The Test Valley winning team were: Emily Fitzpatrick, Mia Hancock, Danielle Short and Lucy Brooker - Well done!

Mr Allsopp - Head of Design and Technology

Thank you from the Science Department

The Science department would like to say a big thank you for the bales of shavings donated and delivered by Mr and Mrs Weeks. It is much appreciated by the school and the animals who have a plentiful supply of bedding!

A thank you also for the continued support from Becky Soper of Becky’s Greengrocer in Stockbridge for the regular donations of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/testvalleysch Twitter: @testvalleysch PTA News

With Easter around the corner, we felt you might appreciate a summary of what your PTA has been up to over the past few months.

Our fashion show in October raised £700 and was a very exciting night for all, prompting talk of another one next year. Possibly the best aspect of the show was the joint commitment of pupils, staff and parents; it just shows what spectacular results we’re capable of when we unite, so a big ‘thank you’ to all those who took part.

This term we have Stockfest on Friday 2nd May and the PTA will organise the usual barbecue and drinks. We have agreed that 50% of the barbecue proceeds should be given to the school farm to help towards animal feed and any emergency vet bills, so it will be a pleasure to be able to hand a cheque to the Science department for this well-loved asset.

Additionally twelve copies of Roget’s Thesaurus have been bought for the English department (£150) as requested, plus some memory sticks (£150) and we are hoping to finance a 3D laser printer for the Graphics and RM department (£1,000 pledged). We are currently researching a cover for the swimming pool too, to help keep the leaves out and the heat in!

Next term we have a car boot sale scheduled for September 28th, so watch out for further details ….

The PTA is a small band of friendly parents and teachers who meet about once per term for one hour and conduct any other business usually by a flurry of emails. If you feel you would enjoy being part of the team you will be given a very warm reception. Phone Jane on 01722 712854 for more information.

Photography Competition 2014

Second: Lucy Emery 8D

Joint Third: Williams Samways 8D

HC: Nirvana Climo 9A

Joint Third: Lara Davies 11W

HC: Ellie Bentley 7A Two further entries, by Lara Davies 11W and Toby Brown 11W, also received Highly HC: Toby Brown 11W Commended. Schools Library Service Literature Quiz

The first Schools Library Service Literature Quiz took place on 6th Feb. Test Valley School participated in one of the regional heats, which was hosted by the Romsey School.

The quiz covered all areas of literature with answers ranging from Shakespeare and Jane Austen to Michael Morpurgo, the Gruffalo, Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, James Bond and the Hunger Games. A really wide knowledge of children's and young adult literature was needed.

The first 3 rounds (Opening Lines, Heroes and Villains, Who Am I?) were full of difficult questions. However, at half time, our team, comprising Peter Arthur, Harry Scobie and Holly Tims, were in the lead! The next 3 rounds (Harry Potter, Film and TV Tie-ins and a picture round) were slightly easier but did allow some of the other teams to make up points. We were absolutely delighted to be announced as the winners — especially as we only had three on our team due to illness.

The Headteacher of Romsey School was a great quizmaster and presented the Test Valley team with their awards. Peter, Harry and Holly received a book token each, a certificate for the School, a certificate each and a trophy which is proudly on display in the Library.

Congratulations to the team on their commendable performance in this round and the regional final - and keep reading!

Peter Arthur 7S, Holly Tims 9N and Harry Scobie 8S Blue Fusion at IBM

Six Year 10 Test Valley students attended the Blue Fusion STEM event on March 20th. It was both intriguing and educational. It showed all who participated how to program, lead events and even manage entire towns!

Blue Fusion took place at the renowned company IBM, at their Hursley Headquarters. Participants were shown and interacted with many interesting pieces of software and computers that IBM has created.

The day started with a tour of the museum that housed most of IBM and Hursley’s historical background, then we were taken to several places around the massive structure and were put through many tests of our IT skills and group work, including building a space station, navigating through space past planets and wormholes and parking cars carbon efficiently!

Our programming skills were really put to the test in a challenging game where we had to create an artificial intelligence that would mine stones.

Over all Test Valley School came in a tremendous 3rd place out of twelve teams of immensely intelligent students from separate schools.

Kieran Hart 10G MFL NEWS

We would like to congratulate our ‘MFL Stars of the Month’ who have been chosen from each year group as having done particularly well at something, or who have been working really hard. Each person gets a postcard home, a certificate for their record of achievement and their name on the Star Boards in the MFL corridor. The winners since Christmas have been: January – Tom Monedière-Carter 7A, Austin Jacobs 8S, Charlie-Mae Young 9N, Kai Marsh 10S, Josie Dahne 11G. February – Rebecca Dean 7D, Lauren Lister 8D, Lewis Reed 9S, Evie Templeman 10A, Lucy Scullard 11D. The winners for March will be announced soon! Pupils have really been enjoying making new friends in France and Germany with our pen-pal letter writing and we look forward to developing these links. The Classics Club is still going strong and would welcome any new members. We are also hoping to re-launch Italian Club in the summer term. Our Lead Language Learners have set up a drop-in club for KS3 pupils who need help with their French and German HLTs. This is run on a Wednesday lunchtime in Room 64. Film Club at the start of February was ‘Charlie et la Chocolaterie’ and we will be watching another movie after Easter – this time in German!

Joyeuses Pâcques & Frohe Ostern!

Charity Committee Update

The charity committee have had yet another busy term organising a number of events across the school to raise money for several different charities. Their latest events have included: running a lunchtime concert for Diabetes UK where the committee managed to raise £663.69; organising a cake sale and dodge ball matches for Sports Relief and fundraising for Breast Cancer Awareness and Andover Young Carers. The charity committee have worked extremely hard, evident in how they have, in total, raised nearly £2449.51 for charities locally, nationally and internationally this year.

Miss E. Dean Raising £2449.51 for charity Year 9 Visit to the Holocaust Memorial Centre – Newark

On Wednesday 27th November, fifty one Year nine pupils and five members of staff visited the Holocaust Centre in Newark. During the visit the group toured the museum and memorial gardens, and heard a very moving talk from Holocaust survivor Arek Hersh, who was taken to a work camp when he was just 11 years old, experienced the ghettos, was taken on a three day ‘death’ march and finished the war in Auschwitz. All pupils behaved exceptionally well and asked a number of very insightful and thought provoking questions. As a follow up to the visit, Year 9 pupils will be working with members of the Aegis Trust on the 19th December to study issues around intolerance and discrimination. The centre has invited Test Valley School to visit again next year and we very much hope to be able to offer this invaluable experience.

Mrs N. Osborne Kieran Hannan Year 8

Running a cross country course over 3k being with a dog (Canicross)

Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd February 2014 Bissel Woods Equestrian Centre Birmingham

This was the first Canicross event to be held in the Midlands and it turned out to be a very difficult course which claimed a few casualties over the weekend - fortunately no one was seriously hurt. The contenders had to compete with the results of the recent poor weather as much as with each other, with parts of the course being thick with mud. This made it punishing work for Kieran and the dogs but despite this he achieved an excellent 2nd place in his group.

Year 10

On 14th February Year 10 pupils took part in ‘Prom day’. In teams of 6 they had to organise a Prom for 100 people. This involved choosing the theme and venue, providing a menu and costings and designing a prom dress.

The winning team from each tutor group presented their plans to the year group.

The overall winning team was ‘Prom 1’ - Holly Deere, Eve Cavey, Sophie Pitman, Kitty Maurice, Anna Pearce and Georgia Ingram.

The team won a pizza lunch with drinks. Thank you to Mrs Edge in the kitchen who helped to choose the winners. ______

Revision

Well done to the 40+ pupils who are attending science revision classes regularly twice a week, ready for the exams in May!!

All are welcome Wednesday and Thursday 3.30 — 4.30 p.m. in Room 14.

Mrs C. Crossland

GCSE RE trip to St Pauls Cathedral, London

On the 17th January a group of Year 10 GCSE RE pupils visited St Pauls Cathedral in London to examine the ‘big issues’ within the Church. Pupils began with a guided trail around the Cathedral with their attention being drawn to areas, objects and art that relate to issues such as war, peace, remembrance, suffering, birth, morals, Biblical teaching, preaching and prayer. They were encouraged by our guide to think about the function of the Cathedral as a place for worship, reflection and debate for those of other faiths/ beliefs. Pupils also took part in a question and answer session with a priest on issues of birth and death, suffering, the role of women and the sanctity of life. The trip has helped pupils put their classroom learning into context and was enjoyed by all.

Mrs N. Osborne

12 words of winter Prize Winners

CONGRATULATIONS to our Winners, Glenn and Lucy. They both win a Book token and a book. The winning entries are below

Glenn Hamilton-Smith 11S The Snowman wept as his nemesis rose; he melted alone and unloved

Lucy Brooker 9A Sleeping soundly, snow falling outside. Only Santa knows where the presents hide. Cheerleading competition. BCA Western Classic

On Saturday 1st March our team the Streetz, travelled to Exeter to compete in the BCA Western Classic. The team was entered into 5 categories and achieved a trophy in all of them.

Megan and Beth were part of a team entered into the trio tumbling category. This category involves gymnastics and dance, they achieved an excellent 2nd place! The whole squad entered the junior cheerleading category which involves dance, gymnastics and stunts, the squad finished in a strong 4th position. As a team we also won the sportsmanship award which is awarded by the organisers and judges of the event. It is awarded to the team that catches their eye throughout the day for having a good attitude and being supportive to other teams. It is the second time that our team have won this award.

Beth Adolph - 9G Laura Grinham- 8D Megan Strom—9G U16 Boys Basketball Plate Runners-up 2013/2014 Season

Back row: J.Darling, T Sheppard. A. McMaster, J. Biggins, J.Murphy, G. Allen, C. Darbyshire, D. Tedd Front Row: T. Gabriel, H. Rymer

The U16 boys basketball team, comprising of both Y11 and Y10s, reached the final of their league after finishing 3rd in the regular season and then beating the team who came second in the play-offs by an impressive 20 points!

In the final they faced Upper Shirley High from Southampton, who finished top of the league, suffering only 1 defeat all season, as it happens, to our team! All looked set for a close encounter.

The final was played at a neutral venue, St Mary’s Sports Centre at Solent University in Southampton with both National League referees and table officials doing the honours.

We started the 1st quarter very well and took an early lead, then and for no apparent reason our normally solid defence, lost focus and USH went on a 13 – 0 scoring spree! After some harsh words and some substitutions, the flow was stemmed. Despite a now more secure defence in place, we struggled at the scoring end, one of our regular points scorers had suffered a leg injury which, despite his great efforts, meant he could not be as effective as usual. The 13 point run by USH turned out to be the difference and over the remaining 3 quarters, our boys were unable to catch up, losing 41-23.

The team had a great season, the boys had a fantastic attitude, were a credit to the school and did a great job in getting to the final. Deserved runners up for the season 2013/14.

Mr D. McDaid U16 Hampshire Bowl Rugby Final

On Wednesday 24th February the Test Valley School U16 rugby team travelled to the King Edwards Sports ground to play in the Hampshire Bowl Final against Sandown Academy from the Isle of Wight.

Test Valley made a strong start and it took Sandown a little while to find their feet, as a result of this and great recycling work by the forwards the ball made its way to Breach on the right wing. He had already had a couple of runs but on this occasion he was able to beat his opposite number with sheer pace to score in the corner. Darling stroked the conversion over from out by the touch line, 7 – 0.

Test Valley continued to control the game through their forwards whose work rate was excellent and it was not long before the forwards again created a platform for Darling to take the ball on the reverse and crash over the line, unfortunately he could not add the extra points, 12- 0.

The second try appeared to wake Sandown up and they controlled the rest of the half through increased aggression from their forwards and some excellent lines of running from their backs. This resulted in sustained pressure on the Test Valley try line but strong tackling and good communication managed to keep Sandown from crossing the line. However when Sandown had a big overlap and it looked certain that they were going to score Parry took a gamble and intercepted the ball before tacking his way to between the posts with the Sandown stand-off hot on his heels all of the way, Darling converted, 19-0 at half time.

Back row: A. Pickard, J. Darling, O. Eastham, J. Gray, J. Biggins, B. Brownhall

(C), J. Murphy, B. Andrews, O. Parry, J. Breach, N. Couzens, C. Fealy.

Front row: J. Grinham, J. Robinson, B. Reed, T. Gabriel, T. Brown, H. Baker, A. Lockington, C. Holland Sandown came out in the second half with the bit between their teeth and Test Valley looked as if their efforts of the first half had taken there toll as it was not long before the Sandown 15 broke through 4 or 5 tackles to score a great solo try between the posts which was converted, 19 – 7.

It was now a case of Test Valley trying to hold back the sea of red as Sandown put everything into attempting to pull back on terms and it was not long before their forwards turned the tables by going through the phases and producing good ball for their backs to score in the corner, but the try went unconverted, 19 – 12.

This was a trying time for the side and with several substitutes to bring fresher legs into the game Test Valley got back on terms by starting to control the ball again but they did not look like breaking the Sandown line. The game went through a 10 minute period of both teams defending brilliantly before a slip in the Test Valley backs allowed Sandown to cross but again the try went unconverted, 19 – 17.

Shortly after came a pivotal moment in the game when the excellent Sandown stand-off and kicker suffered from a bout of cramp and had to leave the pitch just as his team were awarded a penalty which would take Sandown into a 20 – 19 lead if kicked. Unfortunately for Sandown the replacement kicker was unable to score with the penalty and the score stayed at 19 – 17.

It was then that Test Valley stepped up their game and without their marshal to organise them Sandown’s defence did not look as tight. It was from here that after solid play from the forwards that Eastham managed to run a line between the new stand off and the inside centre to score what proved to be the deciding try, Parry converted to make the score 26 – 17. Sandown continued to fight for everything but were unable to reply in the remaining six minutes.

Both teams played some excellent rugby over the course of the game and at no time was the referee called to discipline any player in what was a highly physical match. Congratulations must go to Sandown Academy for their play, effort and never say die attitude which very nearly won the day for them. However the whole of the Test Valley squad played their part in producing some outstanding rugby which resulted in them defending the title that they had won as U15s the season before.

“A fantastic result. A massive congratulations to the boys in Years10 & 11. I was proud to watch you play & will remember the match for many years to come.” Mrs Wingham Head of Year 11.

Captain Ben Brownhall receives the U16 Hampshire Bowl U13 Hampshire Rugby 10’s Tournament

Tuesday 15th March 2014 at Southampton RFC

The event consisted of 24 teams, 6 playing in the Cup completion and 18 in the Plate, one of which was Test Valley School. Test Valley were drawn in a tough group consisting of Ryde School, Sandown Academy (both from the Isle of Wight), Toynbee School, Warblington School and Wyvern School.

Game 1: V Ryde. Test Valley started well scoring early on but then fell behind to two quick tries. In the second half Test Valley scored more unanswered tries before having to hang on after conceding a late try. Won 20 – 15.

Game 2: V Sandown. Sandown had looked good in their first match and continued their strong form and, despite Test Valley putting together some good rugby, they were unable to cross Sandown’s line and conceded a try in each half. Lost 10 – 0.

Game 3: V Wyvern Test Valley dominated this game in the forwards which provided a solid platform for the team to play through the backs. Test Valley scored two early tries before adding a third in the second half. Wyvern scored a well-deserved consolation for their efforts. Won 15 – 5.

Back row: George Lewis, Ben Powell, Harry Scobie, George Ward, Lewis Wakeford, Harry Stevens, Alma Volavola, Alfie Appleton. Front row: Jack Rymer, Hugo Crago, Harry Eastham, Tate Whitehead, Austin Jacobs, Callum Hollinshead Game 4: V Warblington Test Valley played some of their best rugby within the group stages in this game. Managing to break the line in attack and looking far more organised in defence. As a result Test Valley scored 2 tries in each half. Won 20 – 5. Game 5: V Toynbee This was a game of quite literally two halves for Test Valley. In the first half they were strong going forward and managed to keep a strong defensive line and as a result went into half time three tries to one up. However in the second half Test Valley went to sleep and their defensive line was not good, as a result Toynbee’s strong runners broke through on more than one occasion to get themselves back into the game and Valley were a little lucky to hold on. Drew 15 – 15.

From their results Test Valley finished second in their group meaning that they would play Connaught school and Kings’ School in the fight for 4th, 5th and 6th position in the plate.

Game 1: V Kings’ Kings had looked impressive in their first match but Test Valley managed to organise their back line to counter the threat of Kings’ fleet footed backs. Despite this Test Valley went a try down before scoring two of their own to make it 2- 1 at half time. In the second half Test Valley had the advantage of the slope and spent long periods in the Kings’ half before, against the run of play Kings’ equalised. This appeared to spur Test Valley on and sharper rugby lead to them scoring two more tries without reply. Won 20 – 10.

Game 2: V Connaught Test Valley were straight back on after having just worked hard to beat Kings’ and for a while it looked as if it would take its toll on the team with them going one try down after poor tackling. Again conceding a try appeared to be the catalyst that was needed to inspire Test Valley and for the rest of the game they dominated in the forwards and backs running in five tries and conceding one further try. Won 25 – 10 As a result the team finished 4th overall in the plate. It also became apparent that Test Valley’s original group must have been one of the strongest with Sandown winning the first place league and Ryde the 3rd position league. The team played well and improved as the day went on and this is definitely something to build upon in the future.

The Test Valley team with Ex Scotland captain Budge Poutney.

Youth Sport Trust Young Ambassadors Conference Tuesday 21st January 2014

What is the Ambassador Programme?

“The Young Ambassador Programme is a true legacy of London 2012. Established by the Youth Sport Trust (YST) when London won the right to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the programme has now become embedded in our schools. Young people are now aspiring to, and striving to become, the next Young Ambassadors in their school”

On Tuesday 21st January myself, Erin Philips, and Holly Deere travelled to Solent University Southampton to attend the Youth Sports Trust Young Ambassador Conference.

We arrived at around 9.30am and were greeted by organisers and members of the Youth Sport Trust and PB Education. We then made our way to the theatre/stage room, where all other Young Ambassadors were seated. A short opening ceremony began at around 10.00am. The ceremony showed clips of the London 2012 Olympic Games, to remind everyone of athletic role models and how it inspired a generation. We were then taken through the agenda of the day and split into our groups.

The first workshop was ‘Lead Your Generation’. In this workshop Young Ambassadors highlighted what makes a good Ambassador and how we can inspire others. In groups we each discussed qualities that a Young Ambassador should have. Some of these qualities included being confident, organised, motivational and friendly. We then discussed how we can use our skills and qualities to inspire and lead our generation. Suggestions included were :

 encouraging less confident peers to take part in sporting activities that they would not usually participate in.

 organising new sporting events to everyone, as many felt males were more dominant when it came to sports, and as Young Ambassadors we want everyone to be included.

 getting communities involved as well as pupils around school.

The second workshop was ‘Personal Development’. This workshop looked at role models and how a Young Ambassador should act .In small groups we conversed about how using our enthusiasm could benefit others. As a whole group we then talked about experiences of disappointment within our lives, and how we have acted upon them. We looked at inspiration role models within sport and society and how they have made a change, and how we can use their courage to inspire others.

Jeanette Kwakye

The final workshop was ‘Athlete Mentor’. This workshop was highly inspirational. During this workshop we heard a motivating story from Jeanette Kwakye. Jeanette is an athlete for Team GB. As a child Jeanette was very good at athletics but did not have the right attitude. She began training but shortly gave it up. Jeanette later re-joined her athletics club as she saw other members progressing further than her, this encouraged her to get back in the game. Jeanette went to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and raced in the finals. She shared her story and told us how to keep on track. Jeanette spoke about always ‘staying in your own lane’ and not to worry about what others are doing.

After this we concluded the conference with an ‘Action Plan’. We discussed with Mrs Smith the plans we are going to make to improve sporting attitudes in our school. We are now hoping to inspire the pupils at Test Valley School and maybe make a difference to their thinking.

KS2 BASKETBALL

Three Test Valley Cluster schools attended the basketball coach- ing session on Tuesday 4th February 2014. Pupils from Wherwell, Stockbridge and Wallop developed their basic skills and knowledge of the game from the Year 10 Sports Leaders. Twenty Sports Leaders taught the skills of basketball involving dribbling, shoot- ing and passing and developed the game situation using key rules. After the warm up and stretches the KS2 pupils looked at the techniques needed for the basic basketball game especially shoot-

ing.

After a short break the coaching games began with team talks from the Leaders highlighting the necessary rules for the game.

The games began and the determination to do well could be seen on the pupils’ faces’. All the pupils were fully involved in the coaching session and were congratulated and awarded a certificate from the Sports Leaders.

Well done to all the Year 10 Leaders as they all successfully passed their assessments. Mrs N. Smith

Year 7 pupils were shown the basic skills for the competition

RESULTS 2014

Tea A D S N Total Score Position m Points Differ

A 13-38 82-31 14-10 7 + 30 X 1 3 3 1st D 38-13 22-27 15-12 7 + 23 2nd

3 X 1 3 S 31-82 27-22 27-13 5 - 32 4th

1 3 X 1

N 10-14 12-15 27-13 5 + 7

1 1 3 X 3rd

Sports & Young Leaders KS2 Indoor Girls Football Event

Winners 2014 Wherwell A

This year’s girls indoor football competition saw 4 teams from the local Primary Schools battle it out in the Test Valley Sports Hall. The teams competed in pool matches of 6 minutes then played for final placing. Both Wherwell and King’s Somborne had 2 teams available to compete this year.

Nonstop action from the girls this year U15 Hampshire U15 Rugby 7’s

Wednesday 19th March 2014 at Hampshire Collegiate School

Test Valley were in a strong group which consisted of Portsmouth Grammar School, Oaklands Catholic School and Bitterne Park School.

Test Valley played Oaklands first and put together some good rugby try to use the width that was available to them and were 7 – 0 up until the last play when, into added on time, Oaklands crossed the line under the posts to draw the game 7 – 7. In game two the opponents were Bitterne Park which proved an easier game with Test Valley putting on a good show and winning relatively comfortably 24 – 0. In the final group game the team came up against the very skilful Portsmouth Grammar School and it was the one occasion that Test Valley were outclassed but kept working hard but went down 35- 10.

At the end of the group stage Test Valley and Oaklands were level on points but Oaklands scored 2 more points in their pool games to push Test Valley down into 3rd position.

Back row: Josh

Powell, John Darling, Jacob Breach, James Grinham, Harry Diaper Front row: Guy Jacobs, Tyler Gabriel, James Robinson, James Webster

Due to finishing third in the group Test Valley had a tough draw in the first round of the plate with a game against Kind Edwards XI. The team went two tries down in the first half buts fought back in the second half but could not quiet make up the deficit losing 10 – 7.

This sent Test Valley into the Bowl competition where their opponents were local rivals Harrow Way and despite Harrow Way working hard and stretching Test Valley at times Test Valley were able to overcome them 24 – 0.

This took Test Valley into the final of the bowl where they were to meet Westgate School. Again this was a frantic game and Test Valley were not quick out of the blocks going two unconverted tries down in the first half to fight back to 10 -7. In the final plays of the game Test Valley were putting a lot of pressure on Westgate and just when the winning try looked to be on the cards a covering tackle forced a Test Valley foot into touch and the game was concluded.

The team can be very proud of their efforts, as it was the first time many had played in a 7’s tournament against the quality of opposition that they met and they continued to work hard and learn throughout the day.

County Table Tennis Final-Under 16s

Friday 24th January Totton Sports College, Southampton

Dominic Raymond competed in the Under 16s boys event and Lucy Brooker and Kirsten Jordan in the Under 16s girls event. They played a round robin event whereby they were in a group of four and all played each other. The top two in each group then when on to the next round. Unfortunately, Dominic and Kirsten both finished third, meaning they were knocked out of the competition. However, Lucy finished second in her group and went on to the quarter final. She faced a strong competitor in the quarter final match but played extremely well throughout. Despite her best efforts, she was beaten by a very experienced player. All three pupils thoroughly enjoyed the day and hope to play in the tournament in the future.

Left: Kirsten Jordan, Middle: Dominic Raymond, Right: Lucy Brooker.

“I think you played very well.” Mr Dyke

Cross Country - Getting through to the Nationals!

Recently I competed in a cross country race where I represented Wiltshire. As a result of coming home as the 2nd Wiltshire runner I have been asked to represent Wiltshire squad in the National Cross Country Competition! It will be held on the 8th of March in Birmingham. Due to it being the Nationals it will be shown on Sky Sports!

Here is a picture of myself and my team mates from the previous run but they will be running with me again in the Nationals.

Sarah Brett age 12 7N Leadership Conference 2014 Conference Report by Ben Reed 10S

On the 5th March Test Valley School took several Young Leaders and two Sports Leaders to Norman Court School to join in with a Leadership Conference. Test Valley joined five other schools for the conference which was organised by Personal Best Education from Mountbatten School.

The aim of the day was for the pupils to take part in a specific workshops each organised by a different members of staff. These stations were Team Management led by Mandy Quill, Game Making led by Donna Smith, Media led by Ellie Probert, Art organised by Claire Vine and finally the Dance choreographed by Stacy Wilson. The Leaders had to choose a workshop that they would be involved in for the day.

The day started off with an introduction to the conference followed by an inspirational talk from the 23 year old female boxing star Hannah Beharry , pictured here with Ms Knowles and TVS Leaders. Hannah has achieved many titles including twice England champion at 48 kg and British champion at 50 kg. She told us of her struggle from the tender age of 16 years old, to become accepted for what she does and her fight to the top of her game. The dance group performed a routine for the closing ceremony based on Hannah’s life story. They spent their entire day perfecting the routine to perform a stunning performance at the closing ceremony for the Conference.

The Media group was given the difficult task of interviewing multiple pupils (in some cases teachers) from each of the different stations to create a short movie to provide coverage of the Conference. The group showed the report at the closing ceremony.

Amy Ball Year 8 being interviewed

The art group had the task of creating a flag for their own school using very few materials. This can be seen in the Sports Hall Foyer. The team managers’ group had to distinguish the difference between a manager and a coach, learn the qualities that a manager needs and how to form a good relationship with the players. The game makers learnt how to organise a game and how to respond to multiple situations which are in some cases quite unpredictable. This could involve speaking to other officials on the side line, to taking control and making potentially a game making decision.

The day ended with a small presentation to certain Leaders who had shown and developed specific skills during the day. Thanks to Mrs Smith for driving the Mini Bus and Ms Knowles for taking her car. We all had a great day and look forward to further developing our leadership skills possibly at the Level 3 Games on 20th June in Aldershot.

AREA NETBALL COMPETITION March 2014 WINNERS BROUGHTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

This year saw Broughton beat off the favourites Lockerley School by winning all their matches and scoring a whopping 27 goals at the Area Netball event. It is the first time in 7 years that Lockerley have not won the trophy so congratulations to Broughton and once again a big thank you to the Sports and Young Leaders who did a great job officiating. Mrs N. Smith