CORBY TECHNICAL SCHOOL

ISSUE 3 December 2013 NEWS www.corbytechnicalschool.org

New Era Begins at School

The biggest day in our history came on November 18th when the doors to our new school opened. It was a truly momentous day as students went on a tour of the fantastic new facilities before settling down to start a day of learning. CORBY As you will see from the picture spread inside, it really is an awe Technical inspiring building that will help provide a first class learning environment for our students. School infinite paths to choose from...

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CORBY Technical School infinite paths to choose from... Welcome

We have had an incredibly busy start to This newsletter shows that our students the school year. are continuing to flourish here. We have We began by welcoming our new Year hosted talks from interesting speakers, 7 students who joined us in September. visited technology companies with I am thrilled to say they have settled in worldwide reputations and have further very well and it has been a pleasure to strengthened our ties with organisations see how welcome our Year 8 students such as Adrenaline Alley and RS have made them. Components. Our next big event was, of course, the We also have a number of students opening of our new school building who have distinguished themselves on Monday, November 18th. I remain academically and in the world of sport. very grateful for the patience that was In particular we are proud of Darnel for demonstrated by all our students and winning a speech writing competition parents whilst we were waiting for our with his inspiring words and of Drew, new building to be completed. The Bailey and Dmitrijs for their sporting opening day was a fantastic occasion achievements. which I’m sure none of us will forget It has been a great start to the year and and every day since then it has been with the introduction of new initiatives wonderful to see how much our students such as our Industry Breakfasts just and staff are enjoying being in their new around the corner I’m sure the year will surroundings. only continue to get better and better. A special thank you must go to all our staff who worked so hard to make the Angela Reynolds move to the new school go so smoothly Principal for everyone concerned. 2 3

New Building

There were cries of ‘awesome’ and of which have spectacular views in line with the Brooke Weston Trust ‘epic’ as the delighted students around the green central area philosophy of openness and visibility. clapped eyes for the first time on the of Corby. Another key part of the Trust’s state-of-the art school. Principal Angela Reynolds, said: ethos, which requires that everyone After a first assembly with an address “Our students and staff have waited is treated as an equal, will have an from the CEO of the Brooke Weston patiently for our new building to influence on the day to day routines Trust Dr Andrew Campbell, the open and everyone is very excited to of the school. Staff and students Principal and the Trust’s Estates and be here. will use the same entrances; staff Facilities Director Matt Isherwood, furniture will be the same as the “During the past week our students students were given tours of the furniture students will use and staff have been talking lots about how building. will wait in line at meal times just as much they were looking forward to students will. They were thrilled with its glass- using our new technology area, IT fronted classrooms, science suites and theatre and it’s great to The new building will eventually laboratories, design technology see so many smiling faces.” use a swipe card system for workshops, IT suites, music access control and a cashless technology and art and design The two-storey school shares many catering system - news on this to studios, library, theatre, sports hall of the design features of the Trust’s follow. Display screens will also be and dedicated dining room. other schools. located throughout the building to After the tours they started their It has two learning wings and its communicate key information to lessons in the new classrooms, many extensive use of glass throughout is students and staff. Brooke Weston Trust’s “The construction of CTS was a remarkable project to be involved with. At the very Estates and Facilities Director, beginning there was uncertainty over securing the site for the school with changing Matt Isherwood, said: personnel at the Education Funding Agency, it was finally secured with the support of NCC. The appointment of Mansells Construction as the project main contractor brought the opportunity to provide a full ‘new build’ as opposed to a refurbishment & extension of the old Firdale building. The patience and faith of the students, their families and the staff of Corby Technical School were rewarded with the opening of their new school after an incredibly quick 42 weeks build programme. Special thanks must be go to Jason Stanbridge and Mark Williams of Mansells Construction (Balfour Beatty), Tom Sampson from the Education Funding Agency and Ian Murray from MACE. All key members of the project team that ensured that every pound of value was wrung out of the limited budget available. Without their drive, professionalism and rigour for quality Corby Technical School would not be in the building they have today.” Year 8 student Alice Spence was the first student through the turnstiles. She said: “I just thought ‘wow’ as I walked in. It looks amazing and I can’t wait to start learning here.”

BBC Radio Northampton The local media came in to witness our big day, interviewing students and staff. Here’s BBC Radio Northampton reporter Martin Borley interviewing one of our students. The Corby Radio recording can be listened to by visiting the podcast section on our website. Technical news

Festo visit inspires students Our students have had the chance to work alongside world class engineers. Nearly 50 students from Years 7 and 8 visited Festo, a leading world-wide supplier of automation technology, which has a UK base in Northampton. The students had the chance to speak to engineering apprentices about their experiences, take part in pneumatics workshops and look at 50 products made by the company. Design and Technology teacher Nigel Barrett said: “Festo makes the stuff that makes the stuff that makes the stuff we use in everyday life. It is at the cutting edge of robotics and manufacturing. “About 10 per cent of their profits go into research and development and their employees have a free hand to try things out. They create fantastic things such as their Smart Bird which weighs only 410 grams and flies like a real bird.The students loved their visit – they had a fascinating time.” Year 8 students Bartosz, Matthew and Shannon took part in the visit. Bartosz said: “I enjoyed looking at the exciting machines. I would like to work there and I found it interesting to talk to an engineer.” Matthew would like to become an engineer. He said: “I liked looking at their ping pong machine. It has a jet which blows the balls up in the air.” Shannon added: “I liked learning about the sewage machine - it separates the rubbish out into different pipes and recycles it.” Students enjoying their tour of Festo

Industry Breakfasts will be launched soon Entrepreneurs and business leaders in the community and we want to work on.” will be invited to start off their day forge even stronger links with the Any parents who have industry with breakfast at Corby Technical business community. contacts who would like to find School. In the New Year we will “It would be great to welcome out more about the initiative can launch our first ever Industry businesses to our school for our contact Mr Barrett at nbarrett@ Breakfasts to strengthen our links Industry Breakfasts. It would be corbytechnicalschool.org with the business community. wonderful if the links we’re forging The project is being co-ordinated now lead to jobs for our students by Design and Technology teacher or help them to get the skills they Nigel Barrett. need for the careers they want He said: “I think this is a really to pursue. innovative project. Many schools “Businesses can also ask our are busy looking inward but here students to help them solve we are trying to look outward – challenges that they are facing. that’s our ethos. It would be great for our students “We’re trying to immerse ourselves to have real life challenges to 6 Thai boxing Sports news 7 champion Bayley Talented young karate star Dmitrijs

Sporting Bronze for Success for Bayley Dmitrijs at National Competition A young star has become the British champion in his sport. A talented young athlete has competed in a national Year 7 student Bayley has been involved with karate competition. Thai boxing for about five years and his array of Year 8 student Dmitrijs has been studying karate competition wins includes the British Champion for seven years and took part in his second National title for u-11s and under-35kg. Open Karate Championships last month. In total, Bayley has so far won six trophies, two belts He won the bronze medal in the team category. and four medals. He said: “My mum took me to my first class and I took Bayley said: “I’ve been doing Thai boxing for about to it straight away. It’s great exercise and I have a lot five or six years now and I train in Kettering. of friends at the karate class. “I enjoy it because I’m always learning new things “I’ve been in lots of competitions and this was and it’s great winning belts and medals because it the second time I’d entered this event and I did means all my training has paid off. better this time. “I had to do lots of training to become British “I didn’t win any individual medals but I got the champion and it took a lot of dedication. bronze medal in the team category. “I’d really like to pursue Thai boxing as I get older.” “I was really happy to have won that - I was Bayley trains every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. really surprised. “I only just missed out on the individual bronze by 0.01. The experience has given me confidence to go back again next year.” PE teacher Louise Feeley said: “Dmitrijs is a good student. He is dedicated to his sport – it’s something he really enjoys.” Technical news Other News NASA astronaut meets our students CTS students got the chance realised that you should never to meet NASA astronaut Dr Michael look to the past to determine your Foale CBE. actions, always strive to create Dr Foale, who is a veteran of six a new way of doing things - you space shuttle missions and was are the future and you are better the first Briton to perform a space equipped than anyone to see walk, gave a talk urging students to potential for change.” work hard to achieve their dreams He also urged the students to focus at a conference held by XMA at on achieving dreams and being CTS partner school Corby Business consistently good. Dr Foale said: Academy in October. “When the Soviet Union collapsed (whilst I was in space!) and the USA A group of CTS students and were suddenly working with Russia, Principal Angela Reynolds went I moved out there and learnt along to hear Dr Foale’s talk. Russian. It was a challenge but an Speaking at the event, Dr Foale exciting one and you should never recalled his experiences through be afraid to take risks - risks are a school and admitted that it was good thing when taken with the a challenge due to the constant Speaking of his route to NASA, right measure of caution.” “reality checks” his friends and Dr Foale said: “I thought the only Principal Angela Reynolds said: “This teachers insisted on giving him. way to becoming an astronaut was was a really fantastic opportunity for But, determined to realise his dream to be a test pilot because that’s our students to meet Dr Foale and of becoming an astronaut, he what had happened in the past. to hear all about how he went on defied his doubters and went on I thought my dreams might be to become an astronaut. Meeting to become one of our most finished when an eye test prevented Dr Foale and listening to his talk was acclaimed astronauts. me from taking this route but I’ve absolutely inspiring.”

RAF medic inspires students An RAF medic spent time with “He spoke to them about how wanted to be either a doctor or a students at Corby Technical School he had got into the RAF and how medic when I’m older. I have also just days before he was due to be important it is for the students to always wanted to travel so his role deployed to Afghanistan. get their qualifications. sounded really interesting. SAC Charlie Mawby gave a talk to “In particular he impressed upon “I’m now going to join the air students in Years 7 and 8 about them how important it is to decide cadets.” his three years in the RAF and the what you want to do earlier rather SAC Mawsby visited the school qualifications he needed to get into than later so you can start studying just days before staff and students the force. in that direction. moved into our new building. Teacher Nigel Barrett taught SAC “He is a really nice man and he is so Mawby when the medic attended passionate about what he does.” Brooke Weston. Year 8 students Toni Jayne and Mr Barrett said: “Charlie was just Shannon were both inspired by the about to go to Afghanistan where talk. he would be on the front line and Toni Jayne said: “I found it responsible for saving people’s lives interesting . It made us think about so it was fantastic that he could what we want to do. come to see our students first. “I found his advice very helpful.” He gave an inspirational talk and became a real role model for the Shannon added: “I found his talk RAF medic SAC Charlie Mawby students. very inspiring because I have always with our students 8 Other News 9

Groups launched to promote reading Two new groups have been launched at CTS to help students to get the most out of their reading. The first is the Book Club which is open to all students in Years 7 and 8 and meets after school. The second is a reading group to which Year 7 students are invited if they lack confidence in their reading. Director of English, Markus Wilson, said: “The Book Club is open to everyone. All the members have received a copy of Wonder by R J Palacio and they read together after school and by themselves at home too. Through reading as a group we can explore different ideas and interpretations of characters and events. It also develops the students’ interaction skills. “Our separate reading group is invitation only and is for students in Year 7 who lack confidence in their reading. We read together in short bursts of 25 minutes in a closed environment and then we discuss the book. We’re currently reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and its language is quite complex.” Year 8 students Natalie and Aidan are members of the Book Club. Natalie said: “I like reading - particularly psychological thrillers. I’m a confident reader but I’ve become more fluent in my reading since I started going to the club.” Aidan added: “I think Wonder is amazing. “I’m really pleased that the book club has started up.”

Visions of a better world where people I’d won the competition I was on a continue to make mistakes so they can trip and when I came back to school Darnel learn from them have been created by everyone was clapping me and I didn’t hopes for a our students. know why. About 30 CTS students took part in a “When I found out I’d won I was really better world speech writing competition in which surprised and happy.” they were challenged to outline their Director of English, Markus Wilson, said: version of an ideal world. “Darnel took simple ideas and made The winner of the competition was Year them meaningful. He talked about 8 pupil Darnel, whose favourite subject hope and said he hoped that in an ideal is English. world we would still make mistakes so He said: “I entered the competition that we could learn from them. It was a because I thought it was a good way to very well-considered speech.” get across my views. I think everyone Darnel received a £10 Amazon voucher should be kind to one another and and a DVD copy of The Great Dictator. there shouldn’t be people who are He plans to spend his voucher on trying to take over the world - people Christmas gifts for his family. should work together. At the end of The two runners-up were Johnjoe from Darnel with the opening the speech I said I thought this could Year 7 and Christabel from Year 8 who frame from a slideshow which happen in the future if we all stuck were each presented with a £5 Amazon accompanied his speech together. When it was announced that gift voucher. Other news

Drew has made it through to the county cross country championships Drew is a runaway success A Year 7 student has made it January. “Drew finished in the top 20 in his through to the Northamptonshire Drew said: “It was hard but I category so he will go on to run at Cross Country Championships. enjoyed it because it was fun to run the county championships. Drew beat off tough competition against my friends and the other “Our Year 8 girls also did brilliantly. from young runners from across competitors. They all came among the top 80 Corby and Kettering to come 7th “I’m excited about going to the finishers and another of our Year 8 in the U-13s category of the district county championships and I feel students, Christian, moved up 12 championships. proud to be representing the places from where he finished last His success means he will school.” year which is a huge achievement. represent the school at the county PE teacher Louise Feeley said: “The success of our runners this championships which will be held “Our runners did very well and I’m year gives us something to build on in Northampton on Saturday 11th massively proud of all of them. next year.” Furry friends raise money for Pudsey Some familiar faces popped up at Corby Technical School to help raise about £140 for charity. Students and staff brought along their favourite furry friends as part of Bring a Bear day which coincided with Children in Need. In exchange for the chance to take their teddy bears to school for the day students and staff were asked for a suggested donation of £1. All the money raised went towards Children in Need and the Philippines disaster appeal. Principal Angela Reynolds said: Students challenge “Everyone could bring a small bear with them to school but the bears themselves at Fairthorne Manor were told they had to behave. Year 7s took part in abseiling, archery and kayaking during a residential at “We ran this fundraiser last year Fairthorne Manor. and it was really popular with the The trip took place in the last week of Term 1. students. It’s a great way to raise Louise Feeley, who organised the residential, said: “It was really good and money. This year the fundraiser was it gave the students the chance to start to really get to know each other held on our final day in our old school as they worked in teams.” building so there was an excited Students also took part in a crate challenge, went on a zip wire, went atmosphere.” canoeing, did orienteering and built rafts. 10 Adrenaline Alley Other news 11 welcomes our students Corby Technical School has forged a new partnership with one of Europe’s leading indoor skate parks. Students are taking part in a four week programme at Adrenaline Alley in Corby after school where they can choose to ride BMX and scooters or have a go at inline skating or skateboarding. Year 8 students Bobby and Aidan are among those who are taking part. Bobby said: “It’s a lot of fun. I’ve been there a few times in the past and it’s great that we can go with school now.” Aidan added: “It was the first time that I’d been there and it was amazing. I’m really looking forward to going back. It has ramps which launch you into the air and you end up in foam pits and I can’t wait to have a go at that again.” The students take a brief break from PE teacher Louise Feeley said: “This is the first time we have ever done their activities at Adrenaline Alley anything like this with Adrenaline Alley. The students are really enjoying themselves and we hope to run this programme each term.” The students also met Dakota Scheutz, Hunter Scheutz and Jacques Honour, from Lucky Scooter Parts, who were also visiting Adrenaline Alley. Dakota has been named the best scooter rider in the world.

Students learn about school logo Students have learned about the meaning Donation helps students behind their school logo. Corby Technical School’s logo features an become computer programmers image of one of the most famous surfaces in Students are getting to grips with creating their own computer mathematics – a Mobius strip. The Mobius strip games thanks to a generous donation from one of the world’s is special because it only has one side and it is leading distributors of electronic products. RS Components has where the symbol for infinity comes from. donated three Raspberry Pi computers to Corby Technical School Director of Mathematics, Linda Arnold, said: to help students learn about computer programming. “We held an assembly where we looked at our Design and Technology teacher Nigel Barrett said: “Eben Upton school logo. The Mobius strip reflects our motto created the Raspberry Pi because he wanted young people to be that here there are infinite paths to choose.” able to get into computer programming in a simple way. You can make a Mobius strip by taking a long “The Raspberry Pi is really a computer which can be plugged strip of paper, giving one end a half twist and into televisions and enables young people to have access to then taping it together. computer games and to be able to create their own games. To see that it has one side draw a line along “It has been fantastic for my Year 8 students who have been one side of it and keep going until you end up studying computer science and have been creating their own where you started. Then try to see if you can fantastic games.” find the other side of the strip which should not Year 8 pupil Bartosz said: “I’m very excited that the school has have a line on it. You will not be able to find the Raspberry Pi computers. I’m looking forward to creating my own other side of the strip because it does not exist. games with them.” If you follow it round with your finger you CTS Director of Mathematics Linda Arnold said: “We’re delighted will finish on the opposite side from where with this generous donation which will enable our students to you started but you will not have gone over develop their computer programming skills. “The school is trying to develop its industry contacts and this is the edge. The sideways 8 figure which means the first step in doing that. We’re looking forward to working in infinity is supposed to represent the Mobius partnership with R S Components again in the future.” strip because the strip goes on forever. News and Information

Our staff take on the Number Day challenge in front of students Students raise funds for NSPCC Our students have raised hundreds of raised more than £250. principal Miss James who scored pounds for charity by taking part in “We didn’t expect to raise as much as 127, science teacher Mrs Khan who the NSPCC’s Number Day. that so we’re very pleased.” scored 117 and teaching assistant Students were challenged to correctly The best performing students were Mrs Walpole who scored 106. answer as many multiplication Hannah and Faye in Year 7 and NSPCC Number Day was launched in questions as they could in three Harley in Year 8. 2000 and it has so far raised more minutes and to encourage their family Before the end of term prizes will than £1.1 million for the charity’s work and friends to sponsor them. be awarded to the tutor group and with vulnerable children in the UK. So far the school has raised about the student who collected the The aim of Number Day is to make £250 and the money is still coming in. most money. maths fun and instigate a positive ‘can do’ attitude towards the subject Director of Mathematics, Linda To inspire the students, our staff also while raising funds and awareness of Arnold, said: “The students did really took part in the maths challenge. the NSPCC’s work. well and at the moment we have The top performers were vice

After School Clubs A list of After School Clubs is now available on The students the school’s website. get to grips The list can be found under the Student with the egg challenge Information menu on the homepage. It include the times and locations of activities. Students crack egg problem Year 7s took part in a challenge to design a sledge which would Homework prevent an egg from cracking while it was going down a ramp. The students worked in groups to design and make their own assignments sledges to keep their egg whole. Parents and students are reminded they can Teacher Nigel Barrett said: “I explained the problem, which is that keep track of homework assignments on the moving eggs have kinetic energy and if this energy is transferred school’s website. directly to the egg, it will break. So the challenge was to find a way There is a special section devoted to homework of protecting the egg from this energy. I showed them an example which can be accessed through the Student of protecting a human in a car, which was similar to what we were Information menu on the homepage. Users doing with the eggs. They had 45 minutes to create their own simply have to click on the relevant class to see sledge for their egg. They had some really good ideas. Out of 15 what homework is required and its deadline. eggs, only four broke.”

Corby Technical School Cottingham Road, Corby, NN17 1TD www.corbytechnicalschool.org