PARK NEWS

Spring/Summer 2019 www.theparkschool.org.uk

Follow us: @ParkBarnstaple @ParkBarnstaple Welcome to the Park News

warm welcome to the summer edition of into the canteen and add more cafe style seating Park News that is packed with a fantastic in the fast food area. This will create an improved Areflection of Park students and their time eating experience and a social area for Year 11 at Park. This edition features a snapshot of, students. achievements, activities and opportunities, that sum up a typical six months of life at The Park Our school officially became a member of the Community School. Tarka Learning Partnership from February 2019. During this time the Trust has supported the school and our students in a number of areas. We look forward to working even closer with the Trust and partner schools over the coming months and years.

At the end of this school year we say farewell to several colleagues. I would like to formally thank them for their hard work, dedication, and contribution to Park without committed and supportive staff we could not offer a wide range of activities as seen in this edition of Park News. In English we bid a fond farewell to Mrs Aubrey, Mr Harris, Mrs Maher. Mr Knight leaves the English department to study a PHd in English Literature. Mrs Sluman also leaves the department and I would like to start this edition by offering leadership team to spend more time with my thanks to the whole staff team at Park for her young family. Mrs Sluman’s leadership providing the opportunities available to our responsibilities have been taken on by Mrs students and giving their own time to ensure Freeman. To support this Mrs Brierley becomes the best for our students. We are lucky to the new Head of Drake House. In further changes have a great and committed staff team. You to the English department we welcome Mr Hague, will be aware of the major curriculum changes Mr Franklin, Mrs Woods, Ms Perkins, Ms Sweet- that we have planned for September. Not only Escott and we also welcome back Mr Bailey. will September bring in a change to our school day but also the timing of lessons, how we use In Maths and PE Mrs Gilbert, Mr Popham and Mr homework to develop knowledge, the introduction Greenaway leave us to pursue new adventures. of prep time to support self reflection, reading They are replaced by Mrs Hartland, Mr Somercloud and revision. The staff team have been busy and Ms Locke for mathematics; Mr Phillips and developing new knowledge organisers, initial Mrs Garman join us to support PE. In History quizzes and assessment materials that will we wish Miss Roberts well as she moves to south support the introduction of the new curriculum. Devon, Miss Roberts is replaced by an Ex-Park My thanks to the staff for all their efforts and student Mr Chugg. We formally welcome Mr energies at his busy time of year to prepare these Waters to join the Science department and are new resources. delighted that Mr Lewis has extended his stay in the Science department to cover a maternity Since our last edition of Park News the site team leave. A huge thank you and goodbye to Mrs has been very busy under the guidance of Mr McNeill and Mr Addy as they move on from our Elliott with the installation of our new solar panels, music department, they will be replaced by Ms new ceilings in North Block, a new boiler in the Monk and Miss Beardshall and finally in DT Mrs sports hall, redecoration to classrooms PTE 1, 2 Scott leaves at the end of the term to be replaced & 3, Maths 1, 2 & 3 and many corridors around by Miss Pitwood. the North Block. The campus improvement work continues. Our school community pass on their thanks and best wishes to colleagues leaving us and welcome Over the summer we will complete our our new staff in September. safeguarding developments by adding a new entrance gate to the front of the school, improving the canteen facilities and adding a Year 11 cafe into our catering area. We also anticipate completing our LED lighting project over the summer break and will be replacing the South Building roof. To aid the changes to the school Gareth Roscoe day we will also add an additional servery area Headteacher

2. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 The Tarka Learning Partnership - Vision for the Future

he Tarka Learning Partnership has formally been in existence for one year with The TPark Community School joining on 1st February 2019. The family of schools comprising of Eden Park Academy, Sticklepath Community Primary Academy, Landkey Community Primary Academy, Roundswell Community Primary Academy (opening in September 2020), Newport Community School Primary Academy and The Park Community School have been working together on • Reviewing and supporting the quality a common vision for the Trust. of teaching and leadership across all The vision was developed collectively across the schools schools through Head Teachers, staff and their • Supporting schools on areas which the Trust respective Governing Body: - and schools have identified for further work on The Vision and Values of the Tarka during this academic year Learning Partnership • Helping schools develop their IT systems for the future to support staff and pupils ‘Empowering young people in North • Working with groups of teachers and school Devon through learning’ leaders on a range of projects from moderating teacher assessments to inclusion practices for Aspiration: We promote the love of learning and vulnerable pupils empower young people to raise their aspirations • New transition system to support pupils moving through challenge, effective partnership, celebrating from primary to secondary from 2020-21 achievement and support for all, regardless of • Establishing a clear and coherent school background and individual need. governance framework Equality: We support vulnerable individuals and • Establishing a common finance system and groups within our community and embrace both procuring centrally to make further funds diversity and equality of opportunity. available for teaching Pupil and Staff Well-Being: We ensure all staff • Creating universal services to schools such and young people are given the appropriate training, as personnel, estates management, school support and care to promote well-being for all. improvement, health and safety, GDPR, legal Safeguarding: We champion the highest standards support, educational welfare to reduce costs and of safeguarding through a commitment by all, to our lift burden off Head Teachers and their staff young people. • Developing with the Department for Education a new primary school for Roundswell which Teaching and Learning: We strive for a high will directly transition children into The Park quality learning culture in every school, through the development of teaching and learning, leadership and Community School. This will open in a new state governance, whilst valuing the individuality. of the art building in September 2020 offering places to both reception and nursery children Curriculum Innovation: We commit to the development of a high quality, challenging, broad and It has been both personally and professionally balanced curriculum which is responsive to the needs rewarding to work across the primary/secondary of the young people and the wider world. age range with young people from 2 to 16 years. To Values: We ensure openness, honesty, respect, witness and be a part of this journey is very special tolerance and integrity in all we do. as each young person develops and matures. Community: We invest in the young people and families of North Devon through connecting education Before we enter our second year of collaborative and the needs of our local communities. working across the Trust, I wanted to personally Support Services: We will ensure that we deliver thank all the schools – their pupils, staff, governors high quality services to schools, so that staff can and community for supporting the development focus on the provision of high quality teaching and of this locally based Trust, which aims to enhance learning and achieve a successful work-life balance. the quality of education and welfare support for all pupils and their families. I wish all the young people Outlook: We reflect, respond and adapt to the the very best with their respective test and exam changing world and its impact on education, results this summer and hope you achieve all that regionally, nationally and globally. you set out to do. Good luck! A vision is a piece of paper, if it is not brought to life through what we collectively set out to do and achieve. As a newly formed Trust we have been working together as a group of schools on the Andy Cotton following areas during 2019/20: - CEO - Tarka Learning Partnership

www.theparkschool.org.uk 3. Alumni - Present Progress Folders To Year 11s

n April three Park School Alumni and a retired Head of House joined students for the Ipresentation of Progress Folders to Year 11 students as part of the process of leaving school.

Matthew Beveridge presented the folders at two assemblies; Kingsley and Fortescue. Matthew spoke about his career since leaving Park, a series of jobs, working in London and then coming back to Barnstaple to start an events company. He is a director in New Coast Events Ltd. This company was given the contract to organise the New Year celebrations in the square in Barnstaple. His advice to students was “not to worry if at 16 you don’t know what you want to Matthew Beveridge do, just go out there and try different things, don’t be afraid to move on and eventually you will find something you love doing.” Matthew is delighted to be back in North Devon, a place he loves, doing a job that is challenging but rewarding.

Paul Mullen, from Anglo Krempel, spoke to students about the opportunities presented by apprenticeships in the area which can enable you to have a good career in North Devon. Paul has recently taken over the Chair of the North Devon Manufacturers Association, which is working towards attracting STEM investment in the area. Paul Mullen The former Head of Chichester House, Gill Robins, was invited back from retirement to say goodbye to Year 11 students for whom she was Head of House for. She had two messages for students;

“If you cannot get the little things right you won’t get the big things right. If you don’t know what you want to do don’t worry about it, go along one path and if it doesn’t work out, change, try something new.”

“Take action, make it happen. Take control of your life and do things for Gill Robins yourself.”

Peter Hill presented the folders to Raleigh House. Peter’s job with Dryrobe involves travelling to exhibitions and sales events in countries in Europe as well as visiting America. He gets to meet elite athletes and sports people. The fabric of the products that Dryrobe manufacture and sell is something that didn’t exist 10 years ago, so Peter’s job would not have existed 10 years ago. Peter’s message was to “focus on the things you enjoy and to find a job you love.”

Peter Hill

4. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 I Went To Park School And Now I Am... James Harrison-Taylor Accountant fter leaving Park in the summer of 2010, I went on to study A Levels with a year each at Petroc and Exeter ACollege (if you’re a student struggling to decide which is the better college, in my experience there really wasn’t much in it at all, visit them both and go with your gut on which you think you’ll be happier at!). I was never completely sure what I wanted to do career-wise (lots of ideas came and went), but I did know that I enjoyed learning and loved doing maths, so made the decision to go to university and study it further. I spent 3 years doing my maths degree in Cardiff, the greatest city there is - not that I’m at all biased! While there I started planning what my next steps would be, and though still not entirely sure, I remembered the impact my teachers had on me during my time at school and decided I wanted to follow in their footsteps, so I went on to do post graduate teacher training at Exeter University, followed by some time teaching maths in a few schools across Devon. I learned a lot, worked alongside some fantastic people, and made plenty of great memories doing it, but ultimately decided that my future lay elsewhere, prompting me to look into becoming an accountant. Unfortunately at the time I struggled to find a role, and so took a stopgap job at a financial planners while I worked out how to get where I wanted to be. It wasn’t a fun 9 months, but I learned a lot about resilience and making the best of a bad situation, while also gaining valuable insight unto the corporate world. Eventually I had an opportunity come up to apply for a trainee accountant role at Old Mill Accountancy Firm, and I jumped at the chance. I’m now almost a year in, and enjoying my work more than ever, studying professional qualifications alongside, and working in a fantastic team, long may it continue!

One of my biggest highlights from my time at Park was the year 10 residential to Adventure International, it was a great week of trying new things and having fun with friends, and the memories have stayed with me. I’m pretty sure I’ve even still got my superteam medal tucked away somewhere! I also still remember a lot of the learning I did, both academic and personal, from the great teachers at Park, quite a few of them I think we’re still there last I checked (they must have the patience of a saint!), so big shoutouts to Mrs Button and Mr Ratcliffe in Maths, and Mr Reason and Mrs Tossell in Science, for being awesome!

To be honest, for the complete breakdown of the best memories of my time at Park, you may as well just ask Mr Knight in the English department, as we made most of them together as part of the same group of friends!

While where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing has changed quite a bit since leaving Park, my main motivation has always been to keep learning, whether that’s been academically through study, or developing skills and knowledge in the workplace, or picking I think the best message I could up new hobbies to try, or even just watching the great people give would be that it’s okay not who’ve been part of my journey so far to try and learn from to know things, you don’t need to the things they do! have your life planned out by the time you leave school. I think the best message I could give would be that it’s okay not to know things, you don’t need to have your life planned out by the time you leave school. Some people at your age know exactly what they want to do, be it a specific job, or travelling, or pursuing a certain goal, but even more people don’t have a clue, and that’s okay. People change over time, so while it’s important to have a plan, it’s even more important to update that plan as you go (and it will almost certainly change, and then keep changing some more!) based on your experiences. As long as you find things you enjoy, everything else will fall into place.

To pass on one experience would do a disservice to all the others. Every experience is important, they all change you as a person, and they all give you the opportunity to learn, develop and improve, even the bad ones (there’s no such thing as a bad experience, as long as you learn something it was worth it!), so try new things, they’ll result in great memories!

www.theparkschool.org.uk 5. Our Head Prefects for 2019 - 2020

Following a detailed selection process, including a written application and interview.

Our congratulations go to:

Head Girl: Amelia Pengelly Head Boy: Daniel Mock Deputy Head Girl: Skye Pirie Deputy Head Boy: Rory Boorman

Amelia Pengelly - Head Girl

Hi my name is Amelia, I was encouraged to apply for the role of Head Girl by my former Tutor, Mr Marsh. I am delighted to have received this position, along with Head Girl of Raleigh House, and over the next year I hope to improve mental wellbeing across the school.

My favourite subject is Biology and I aspire to study medicine at university as I want to be able to help others.

Outside of school I like taking part in a swimming club and horse riding as I find it a great way to relax and lead a healthy lifestyle. I also enjoy trying new challenges, such as the Exmoor Challenge and Ten Tors, and I would encourage all students to take part in some of the many opportunities available at The Park Community School.

Daniel Mock - Head Boy

Since Year 7, I aspired to be a senior prefect so am very proud to be Head Boy of the school and Fortescue House for the forthcoming academic year.

I enjoy both the academic and sporting aspects of school and have represented the school many times in sporting activities locally, regionally and nationally. I especially enjoy gymnastics, rugby, athletics and climbing. I was lucky enough to receive the ‘Ultimate Sports Performer’ for 2018.

Outside of school, gymnastics takes up a lot of my time, and I am proud to have competed nationally and internationally; my proudest achievements have been winning ‘The Presidential Classic’ in America earlier this year and previously being National Champion.

I would strongly encourage students to give the best of themselves and take as many opportunities as possible, to ensure they make the most of their time here. I look forward to the upcoming year and the challenges that will come with the new roles.

6. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Skye Pirie - Deputy Head Girl

My name is Skye and I am privileged to have been selected for the role of Deputy Head Girl of Park School and of Chichester House. I hope to carry out these roles to the best of my ability and help Park develop changes which will improve the well-being of the school in order to allow students to achieve to their optimum potential.

Park has helped me significantly over the past few years, improving my confidence as a person and supporting me through both sport and academia, with my favourite subjects being PE, Science and Maths. Opportunities in school have encouraged and aided me in being the best person I can be.

Outside of school, sport takes up a large portion of my time: currently I am national surf-lifesaving champion in many events, as well as holding two British records; this year in cross-country I was fortunate enough to represent Devon at national inter-counties, and in swimming I will be competing at the Scottish nationals. I am also grade 6 at clarinet.

Rory Boorman - Deputy Head Boy

Hello, my name is Rory Boorman and I am lucky enough to have been selected to be this year’s Deputy Head Boy! Also I have been chosen to be the Chichester Head Boy. In school I do many academic activities and athletic activities such as rugby, cricket, table tennis and many more. Furthermore I have been very successful with my academic achievements with many badges and certificates such as the Key Stage 3 awards and merit badges.

As deputy head boy I would like to make the school have a safer environment, enabling students to talk freely to others within the school community confidently.

Outside of school I am most interested in sport. My favourite sports are swimming, running and surf life saving. I am excited to see what new ideas I can bring to Park School in my new role.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 7. Five Year 100% Attenders

L to R: Laura Swales, Ellie Raymond, Headteacher Mr Roscoe, Owen Davies and Harry Huxtable

Laura Swales, Ellie Raymond, Owen Davies and Harry Huxtable achieved 100% attendance during their five years at The Park Community School. Headteacher Mr Roscoe congratulated them with their certificates and badges.

Headteacher Mr Roscoe said “it is widely acknowledged that good attendance has a positive impact on progress. For any student to achieve 100% attendance over a school year is fantastic, showing real determination and strength of character. To achieve 100% over five full years of secondary education is extremely rare and a remarkable achievement. Laura, Ellie, Owen and Harry shown remarkable resilience and determination to have 100% attendance. During their time with us they have been great students and role models to others, in classroom activities, sporting events, art, drama and music activities, charity work, prefects, school council and peer mentors to name but a few of their amazing efforts.

Laura Swales said: Luckily, I’ve not been ill enough to have a day off school but even when I’ve not been feeling great, being at school with my friends has always taken my mind off how I’m feeling.

Ellie Raymond said: Although my achievement was most likely down to the fact I hadn’t become seriously ill throughout the year, I think a secret of mine that helped to achieve 100% attendance in school is to keep persevering. Even on days when I felt like school seemed too much effort. As one day at school can be crucial and I may have missed out on important information that could help me achieve better results.

Contact Details Has your phone number, email address or home address changed recently?

Have you let us know? We are sending information to parents/carers more often by text and email, so it is important that we hold your latest contact information.

Please ensure you keep us up to date. Tel: 01271 373131 Email: [email protected]

8. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Staff are interesting people too! Staff Profile: Ross Bishop (Head of Science Dept)

was born in Barnstaple and spent my early years growing up in Bickington where I Iattended Sticklepath Primary School. My family, much to my delight, then moved to Braunton to be closer to the beach. I went to Park School for my secondary education and loved it. After that I went to North Devon College (now Petroc) and studied A-Levels in Maths, Physics and Geography. Having spent most of my life in education I decided to take a gap year and travelled around the planet to mainly go surfing and enjoy different cultures - I Favourite Book: visited California, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia A book called Nothing - A New Scientist book by a and Indonesia. My mum had said I could only go compilation of authors into the amazing world of travelling if I got into university first and deferred apparently nothing, things like the ‘number’ zero, my entry - she wanted to ensure I left home I deep space and placebos. think and got a degree. I did this at Plymouth Favourite Music: University where I studied BSc Ocean Science Punk Rock Favourite Film: (it’s a mix of oceanography and meteorology). Star Wars:The Empire Strikes Back, Dumb and During university I also studied and qualified as Dumber, Silence of the Lambs a professional commercial scuba diver, trust me, Favourite Hero: diving in Plymouth Sound in February is a chilly Ayrton Senna - I still watch the Formula 1 experience. Grand Prix races and Senna was amazing, I still remember watching the race where he Jobs wise I never really knew what I wanted unfortunately lost his life, I was gutted. to do and so have had an eclectic employment Famous people (alive or dead) I would like history - selling ice creams on Woolacombe beach, to meet: postman, manager at a rental car company. I • Stephen Hawking - what a legend, somebody didn’t really see any of them as jobs I would stay who proved with determination you can do in for the long term and so my love of Science led whatever you set your mind to. me into teaching where I shall stay, as I feel I’ve • Steven Gerrard - this is a sad one but he was found my calling in life. hero throughout his playing days at Liverpool, getting the behind the scenes stories would be Interesting facts - I went to primary and fantastic. secondary school with Mr Slee and Mr Sloman • Brian Fallon - singer and guitarist from The used to teach both of us, that’ll probably makes Gaslight Anthem (one of my favourite bands), him feel old! his lyrics are brilliant and I just think he’d be an interesting person to talk to. My best teacher and why: Your life in 10 Questions: Mr Rivans my old English teacher, he just had faith in me and was amusing, he always called me Sid Favourite Pastimes/Hobbies: and to this day I have no idea why! I enjoy going mountain biking and still play Your Biggest Regret: football on a weekly basis and you’ll often find Spending too much time down the beach surfing me late at night playing Fifa on the Xbox. My when I should have been revising Maths A-Level - main hobby now is definitely wakeboarding which I had to do a few retakes as I underestimated how I do a lot, it has overtaken surfing as I can no difficult it was! I got there in the end though. longer stand the crowded seas around North Your Proudest Achievement to Date: Devon and the fact the surf is rarely any good. Actually saving enough money to buy a house! Wakeboarding just needs lightish winds and I’m The most important thing I ever learned: the only one on the cable! Extreme sports can hurt, proceed with caution.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 9. Governors’ Tea - Spring Term Awards

A Governors’ Tea is held once a term for those students who have received 500, 750, 1000 and 1250 Merits. The certificates and badges are awarded to each student by a member of the Governing Board and the Head of House.

Hosted by Mr Williams and Mr Roscoe, we enjoyed meeting this term’s award winners. Mrs Baker, our Chair of Governors, presented the awards. Mr Roscoe highlighted the hard work and consistent effort shown by students.

Our congratulations to them all.

Raleigh House 500 Merits Year 9 - Lilia Back, Emilia Bond, Sophie Davies, Daisy Goodwin, Reece Herbert, Grace Mangan, Amy Penny, Rebecca Scourfield Year 10 - Chloe Bath Year 11 – Nathaniel Woo 750 Merits Year 11 – Jenna Bowman, Ellie Raymond, Henry Sherlock 1000 Merits Year 11 – Lauren Braund, Floella Kilham, Molly Mugford Drake House 500 Merits Year 9 – Ethan Angell, Finley Body, Alexander Cooper, Lexus Dryden, Neah Hamman, Cameron Huxtable, Lucas Macree, Samuel Newby Gonzalez, Madison Whiteley, Riley Body, Kian Scutt, Ashton Sims Year 10 - Sophia Allen, Isabella Dyer, Kia Mae Barker, Liam Darch Year 11 - Ben Ryan 750 Merits Year 9 - Cerys Wild Year 10 – Chloe Ovey Year 11 – Sophie Gibbs, Ben Ryan, Tom Prouse, Charlie Veale 1000 Merits Year 10 – Molly Maclead Year 11 – Luke Kinsman 1250 Merits Year 11 – Jacob Walker

10. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Kingsley House 500 Merits Year 9 – Lucy Camp, Ruby Cox, Joseph Dunsworth, James Keates, Amy Miller, Isabella Malfait Year 10 – Natalie Clarke, Brooke Foley, Jack Jones, Bradley Marlow, Adam Marshall, Iain Mckenna, Lauren Palfreyman, Rupert Pocock, Hannah Soper 750 Merits Year 10 - Rosie Elliott, Darcy Lewis Year 11 - Meaylee Lewis 1000 Merits Year 11 - Kirsty Kingdom Fortescue House 500 Merits Year 9 – Adrienne King, Katie Lewis, Miranda Mckenna, Megan Walker, Kearney Young Year 10 – Evie Paine Year 11 – Harry Vaughan.

750 Merits Year 9 – Finley Carlyon, Coco Grigg Year 10 – Phoebe Simpson Year 11 – Megan Howells 1000 Merits Year 11 – Isaac Stanhope

Chichester House 500 Merits Year 9 - Rosie Anderson-Retter, Madison Fishleigh, Lily Gullon, Grace Hughes, Edgar Nuzzo-Cunha, Hannah Piers, Mia Roscoe, Daniella Tardito, Callum Thorne Year 10 - Holly Marie Isaac Year 11 - Harry Flint, Sam Sussex 750 Merits Year 10- Yasmin Gurler, Benjamin Mitchell, Louie Rossem Boyd Year 11- Bethan Janes, Leslie Drew, Joseph Place, Jasmine Seaber, Erin Stickley 1000 Merits Year 11 – Georgia Barrett, Tara Davies

www.theparkschool.org.uk 11. Governors’ Tea - Summer Term Awards

Our Summer Term awards were hosted by Mr Williams, we enjoyed meeting this term’s award winners. Mrs Baker, our Chair of Governors, Mr Mike Canham, Mr James Prince, Mr Martin Kennaugh and Mrs Marilyn Gagg presented the awards.

Our congratulations to them all.

Raleigh House 500 Merits Year 8 - Jake Greening Year 9 - Marcus Bulled Year 11 – Georgia Bellew 750 Merits Year 9 – Harriet Jones Year 10 – Sam Jarvis, Alisha Perry 1000 Merits Year 10 – Mia Williams

Drake House 500 Merits Year 8 – Mathilda Baker, Romilly Goddard, Emma Heard, Madeleine Slater, Oakley Taylor Year 9 - Milly Cooper, Neo Gibbons, Matthew Woodward 750 Merits Year 9 – Kathryn Hassan.

12. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Kingsley House 500 Merits Year 8 – Charlotte Down, Eveline Seymour Year 9 – Joseph Cottle, Emily Casinelli, Amara Chadburn, Caitlin Ford, Grace Parker, Hunny Phillips, Jack Reynolds, Tayyibah Shah, Charlotte Tucker, Sean Walker, Xinyue Wang 750 Merits Year 10 – Meryem Kalaycilar, Ellen Webber 1000 Merits Year 11 - Emily Blundell.

Fortescue House 500 Merits Year 9 – Owen Bale 750 Merits Year 9 – Robert Waldron Year 10 – Reuben Grigg 1000 Merits Year 9 – Evie Schofield

Chichester House 500 Merits Year 9 - Maddison Hughes 750 Merits Year 10- Harriet Adams, Tia Middleton, Jessica Price.

1000 Merits Year 10 – Kirsty Gibson, Skye Pirie

www.theparkschool.org.uk 13. Our world of English

students need for their English Speaking and Romeo and Juliet RSC Listening Endorsement as well as public speaking, interpersonal skills and literacy in life beyond Live Lesson school in university, college and work. On Tuesday 2nd April, 170 Year 10 and Year 11 students studying Romeo and Juliet had the Over the course of the week students performed opportunity to watch a live lesson from the Royal a poem, a speech and an extract from a book. On Shakespeare Company (RSC). This allowed our the final Friday of the week, they took part in an students to go behind the scenes of the current examination with an external examiner to gain RSC Romeo and Juliet tour and explore how the English Speaking Board Senior Introductory RSC actors approach the plot, language and qualification in Oral Communication which was structure of the play. It featured the deputy RSC a brilliant achievement. All students worked artistic director, Erica Whyman, and the actors incredibly hard in preparation for their GCSEs and playing Juliet and Friar Laurence from the theatre in the world of work. Well done! company.

The actors and directors looked at two key scenes from the play: when Juliet speaks to Friar Laurence Poetry Live January 2019 about what to do after Romeo’s exile and her To support the poetry section of our literature monologue just before she takes the potion. These exam a group of Year 10 students travelled to scenes are integral to students’, understanding Bath to watch GCSE Poetry Live! We think that the of the text and even came up in the GCSE exam! experience was excellent and really boosted our They unpicked how the actors decided which lines, understanding of how to structure our answers and words and phrases to emphasise and the range of understand the context of the poem itself. If you meanings within the speeches that they wanted to ever get the opportunity to go to an event like this draw out. This really highlighted the performative then take it because we think that it helped us a lot aspect of the text that is so vital to understand and with our studies. explore in the exams. During our time there, many poets and several It was a fantastic opportunity for students to watch exam experts talked through meaningful poems the actors perform as well as talk through their from the GCSE anthology and explained how to interpretative choices: it really brought the play to effectively divide your time and articulate the life and provided invaluable support for students correct points in your exam to achieve the best and their critical reading of the play. possible marks. Some notable people who attended and spoke were Carol Ann Duffy (Valentine), Simon Armitage (The Manhunt), Owen Sheers (Mametz Articulacy Workshop Wood) and Imtiaz Dharker (Living Space). They During the week commencing Monday 3rd June, a talked about their experiences behind the poem group of Year 9 students undertook an Articulacy along with what it means to them and this gave Workshop with an external organisation. Over the a real insight to the creative aspects that inspired week students learned how to give a presentation these pieces of literature. using visual aids; speak from memory; read a passage from a book in an engaging and exciting This trip is useful towards your studies because the way; listen and engage with peers, examiners stories behind the poems allow you weave context and teachers in positive and confident ways. into your answers therefore elevating your mark. This was a fantastic opportunity to develop skills While the authors were speaking about the context

14. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 of their poem, you could clearly see their personal such an important skill in today’s society, so I wish emotions which underpin the poem, meaning that more young people took part in such events. The we are be able to analyse how the emotion is Rotary Club gives so many students a platform to connected to the piece as a whole. Talking about voice their opinions, which is clearly an important the meaning and emotion behind the poem as well thing; I believe student voice is a huge part of as the poem itself is vital, enabling you to access a our school and each year I love to consider which higher level of writing. topics I am passionate about. Overall, the whole experience of Youth Speaks, from the writing Overall, we think that this experience allowed us process through to standing on the stage and to gain a deeper understanding of how to structure speaking, has been very valuable to me and our answers in the poetry exam and achieve higher to my team mates, and I hope it continues for marks by linking in real life contexts that the generations to come.” authors have given us at this event. By listening to the poets talk about the experiences themselves, we can see and feel that the emotion in these Illustration and Creative poems is so authentic, which allows us to relate to the poem and talk more about how it could connect Writing Course to a wider audience.

By Jessica Davey and Jasmine Acott (Year 10) Youth Speaks

As part of the local secondary school alliance programme, we were lucky enough to have an opportunity to take a Gifted & Talented writing During the Spring Term, The Rotary Club of and illustration course at Barnstaple are kind enough to offer a great West Buckland School. opportunity for students in both primary and This was led by the secondary school students to express their ideas on West Buckland English a topic they are passionate about. They accomplish department and Joseph this by providing Youth Speaks, which is a Witchall – West Buckland’s competition where entrants must perform a speech artist in residence, whose persuading the audience of their views on a current background includes illustration for children’s topic. English Teacher Miss Jones generously literature. We spent half of each session writing gave her time to help coach this year’s team, and focusing on literacy skills. The other half of consisting of Cerys Wild and Mia Roscoe (Year 9) each session focused on illustration skills. and Jo Cole (Year 7). They represented The Park Community School, with the speech “A Choice That There were three sessions, and each was on Changes Everything”. The team focused on the a different topic, including change, settings, issue of whether teenagers should be given the atmosphere and use of descriptive language. We responsibility to choose their GCSE options, and at learnt how to use the detail in a piece of writing to what age. The conclusion was that students must add the same level of detail to the illustration, and make their own decisions; however, they need to watched as a professional illustrator modelled these be well-informed to achieve the best chance of skills for us. success. – By Cerys Wild (Year 9) Our skills in both art and creative writing increased Mia Roscoe said “I enjoy the experience of Youth enormously due to these sessions and we really Speaks because it’s a competitive platform that appreciated the opportunity. It was a very isn’t a sporting event! It’s fun because I can be enjoyable experience. creative in my speech writing and competitive in my speech giving. I think that public speaking is By Emily Tobin and Jo Cole (Year 7)

www.theparkschool.org.uk 15. A Record Breaking Sports Day!

Monday 24th June was our annual school sports day. This year saw a change to the schedule with students competing for the first time in individual year groups. The day was also brought forward to allow for more relay events which saw greater levels of participation across each house team. Having completed field events and the 800 and 1500m prior, Fortescue started the day ahead of the pack with last year’s champions Chichester close behind in second. The event began with the individual sprint finals and finished with the relays. The atmosphere was excellent throughout with each house area getting behind their athletes on track.

The students performed sensationally with every student showing commitment and determination. Congratulations to Fortescue who finished the day on top with Chichester in second, Raleigh third, Kingsley in forth and Drake in fifth. OVERALL SPORTS DAY RESULTS

Our outstanding performers of the games went to the 1st Fortescue 1010 following students: Olivia Joslin - Fortescue (7) 2nd Chichester 984 James Harley - Fortescue (7) Mia Fordham - Chichester (8) 3rd Raleigh 892 William Pengelly - Raleigh (8) Lucie Davey - Fortescue (9) 4th Kingsley 819 Alex Penny - Fortescue (9) Poppy Sampson - Fortescue (Inter) 5th Drake 763 Zachary Wheaton - Kingsley (Inter)

INDIVIDUAL HOUSE SPORTS DAY RESULTS Year 7 Year 7 Year 8 Year 8 Year 9 Year 9 Inter Inter Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls 1st D 145 C 145 C 159 C 107 C 138 F 159 K 134 F 161 2nd C 137 D 114 R 116 D 102 D 129 C 110 F 124 R 129 3rd R 133 F 108 F 104 F 101 R 120 R 88 R 109 C 117 4th F 122 R 100 D 96 R 97 K 113 D 76 C 108 K 90 5th K 119 K 90 K 94 K 96 F 94 K 59 D 71 D 54

16. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 School Records Broken

The outstanding performers

Year 9 - Girls’ Shot Chichester Year 7 Boys 4 x 100m Relay Team Lucy Ward broke the school record for the Joshua Simpson, Callum Atkinson, Dylan Year 9 Girls’ Shot with an impressive distance Smith, Joshua Kyle broke the school record of 9.43m. The record was held since 1991 by with a time of 58.06s. The record was held by Naomi Tucker, with a distance of 8.78m. Fortescue since 1990 with a time of 59.35s.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 17. Park Sports Stars Rugby Year 7 and Year 9 Teams - North Devon Champions

Our Year 7 team finished the season undefeated in their very first season of Rugby. The boys turned out in great numbers (40+) to train and 38 boys went on to represent the school in fixtures. Good wins against South Molton and Pilton followed on from an initial draw against Braunton. In their final Waterfall tournament, the boys defeated Ilfracombe and Braunton and held Chulmleigh to a draw to Year 10 Rugby Team finish overall North Devon Champions.

The Year 8 team were our most improved. The league campaign saw them claim wins against Pilton and Braunton and a loss to South Molton. In the upper tier waterfall tournament they narrowly lost to South Molton, GTS and Bideford to finish in fourth place overall.

Our Year 9 team avenged their early season Devon Cup defeat with a 21.19 victory over Great Torrington School in the Area Final. Comfortable victories over Braunton, South Molton and Pilton in the league campaign saw them march straight through. Stand-out performances from Ben Lloyd and Alex Penny in the final saw them tame a very strong Torrington team and hold off a late fight back to claim victory.

Netball Year 10 Team - North Devon Champions As always Park remain a force to be reckoned with in netball circles.

The Year 7s played their first matches and with a very large squad, they only lost 2 matches out of the 8 schools played. They came 3rd overall in the North Devon Finals. Showing great potential for future seasons.

The Year 8 team finished 3rd, Year 9 finished 2nd and the Year 10 team came 1st to be crowned North Devon Champions and came 3rd in the Devon tournament.

Well done to all those involved and we look forward to next season. Many thanks for your time and commitment.

Year 10 Netball Team Athletics Year 7 Boys and Year 10 Girls/Boys Team - North Devon Champions It has been another successful athletics season for Park School. With a change of pool in the North Devon Athletics League the athletes had to get used to new competition, and they shone through. Every team qualified for the finals, 7 teams in first place and 1 team in second place. The finals were highly competitive and our athletes stepped up to the track and performed exceptionally well. The Year 7 boys and Year 10 boys and girls teams are now North Devon Champions.

As well as this we had fifteen athletes make the North Devon Schools’ Athletics Team, competing in the Devon Schools Championships in Exeter. Millie Ayres also went on to represent Devon in the South West competition.

18. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Gymnastics What an amazing year for the gymnastics team! Back in March we had two competitions. On 3rd March was the South West Floor & Vault competition, with twenty-one students taking part. Although this was a very difficult and high-level competition, we had two teams getting 2nd on the podium!

On the 15th and 16th March we took two teams to the National Finals Team Milano competition in Stoke On Trent after qualifying in the regionals. The U13 team came 7th and the U16 team came 3rd! We also came an astonishing 2nd regionally.

Fifty-five students then represented Park for our final and biggest competition of the year at the North Devon Schools Floor & Vault competition on the 17th March. The school absolutely dominated the competition with 9 out of 10 teams reaching the podium, in addition to eighteen students gaining individual awards.

The photo (above) reflects the success of the club this year. What an incredible team! We would like to thank the gymnasts for their hard work and dedication throughout the gymnastics season. Training for countless hours both during and after-school. A massive well done to all involved.

Badminton The badminton club continues to go from strength to strength and remains a very popular club with students across all year groups. There are many students who have shown excellent commitment to the club throughout the year and enjoy coming along each week and developing their skills.

The annual competitions at Chulmleigh are always a highlight of the season and it was fantastic to be able to enter more teams from Park School than ever before. All players represented our school brilliantly and it was a great experience for them to play more competitively against teams from several other schools.

Our KS4 boys and girls teams both came 3rd. For the KS3 competition we were able to take 2 boys and 2 girls teams who all did brilliantly. In particular the girls A team came away with medals for 2nd place, only losing to Chulmleigh A, whose team consisted of many county level players!

Fantastic results all round! Swimming On 7th June we took a small team of swimmers to the North Devon Swimming Gala. With some very competitive races Park students held their own with consistent top 3 finishes. Junior girls finished 3rd, Junior Boys 2nd, Inter Boys 2nd and Inter Girls finished 1st.

Overall Park finished 2nd. Well done team!

www.theparkschool.org.uk 19. North Devon Chess Champions Rounders The season has been very successful for all our rounders teams. Year 7 have started enthusiastically with a large squad to choose from. They have won all but one of the games convincingly, only narrowly losing to Braunton in a very closely contested game.

Year 8 have also played with real enthusiasm and team spirit. They have been captained by Maddie Phillips and have had a mixed bag of wins and losses, but they’re resilience and endeavour have shone through.

Year 9 Rounders team Year 9 have had another very successful season. With a large squad they have adapted well to changing positions and players. They have remained undefeated in the local area, which meant they represented North Devon at the Devon School Games tournament where they came a very respectable third place.

Year 10 have also continued their dominance in the rounders league for the fourth year. Their excellent batting and consistent fielding skills have left them undefeated for the season.

Team A Team B North Devon Chess Champions Park Community School entered two teams into the DTSA North Devon Spring Chess Tournament on Friday 29th March.

A Team Members: Ahmad Aslam 8RW (Captain), Oliver Rawlinson 8NW, Jack Watton 8MR, Finley Carlyon 9PR

B Team Members: Edie Maytum 8MR (Captain), Tyler Dennis-Joy 8NB, Sethini Vanderbona 8MR, Alex Edwards 9NW

Our A team won the competition with a record of four wins and one draw (the draw was against Park B team). Our B-Team came joint 3rd with Braunton A, Braunton B came second.

Both teams played exceptionally well especially as they are mainly Year 8s and had to play against 6th formers and Year 10/11s in some games. There were teams representing Ilfracombe, Braunton, Pilton, South Molton and Torrington.

20. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Student Profile

Student Profile Harriet Adams (Year 9) Overall, I enjoy most of my studies at Park, however, I do not excel in all of them. At Park, I have discovered that I have a strength and passion for languages (French and Spanish). My biggest interest in languages is the opening of opportunities for my future, as well as discovering new cultures. One of my aspirations is to become a linguist; I would like to tackle the challenge of learning Mandarin as this may open a wider range of job opportunities. However, I also enjoy and excel at Geography and Sociology, which I may study further at A-Level. I would also like to explore Marine Biology because I find this to be a very interesting, emotive and controversial subject (especially with global warming and environmental issues being so topical). My final academic option that I have considered is Sociology and Psychology, as I have great enthusiasm for this area.

On top of my academic achievements, I have also put many hours into extra curricular activities such as Ten Tors (35 miles as the team leader), which I largely enjoyed, although, can safely say it’s the hardest challenge I’ve ever faced (yes, it’s harder than a Maths lesson). I have also achieved bronze level in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, which I am now currently pursuing at the silver level. Away from school I am a level 4 NICAS awarded climber. I use my experience to volunteer in assisting and motivating younger climbers at my local club. There are many occasions in which I socialize with my peers such as surfing, running, camping and other relaxing activities.

Throughout my years at Park, I have had many unforgettable experiences. My favourite trip has been the 2019 ski trip, where I experienced many different cultures, people and tasks. Furthermore, I was pushed to enhance my skiing ability; by the end of the week, I felt comfortable speeding down the black slopes and achieved an award for best improver.

I like the sense of community and well-being throughout the school as I feel like overall, we are all able to be a family with healthy competition between houses (Chichester being the best of course!). Park has pushed and supported me to be an outgoing and bubbly person, able to tackle challenges in academic situations as well as physical ones.

I am currently a charity prefect (I have recently introduced Chichester’s new separate charity: Mind and have already began fundraising events). On top of this, I have taken an active role in peer mentoring to give back and teach those students coming into the school at a younger age, giving them confidence within Park School itself.

Throughout Park School we all have great challenges, from small to big, alongside amazing opportunities. Don’t waste time not trying; because in the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take. Working with the staff and friends we can all achieve our aspirations and make history together.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 21. ParkDo you aspire to be greatGuilds in a certain field such as engineering or music? Our Guilds are an opportunity for our more able students to take part in a project with a very specific focus, teaching skills that prepare them for future employability and go beyond the classroom experience. The STEM Guild The STEM Guild is aimed at those wanting to study Engineering, Science, Architecture, or Maths at A level or higher. You will undertake exciting challenges and have the opportunity to apply for an Arkwright Scholarship which will help you on your chosen career path. Greenpower Race Series Students of The Park Community School are participating in a STEM Guild project which inspires young people to be the engineers of the future. The Greenpower project comprises of building a go-kart, working in a team and then racing it against schools/organisations.

Key elements to our success are teamwork, initiative and fundraising to enable the project to keep going. We have received sponsorship from John Fowler Holidays, Class Charts, Friends of Park and Siemens and have managed to raise over £1400!

William Skinner said: “We have been building the Greenpower go-kart for the best part of this school year. There have been challenges along the way, but we have persevered to solve them as it is all part of the process of designing and making something of this scale.“

Chloe Wesson said: “On Sunday, 23rd June the STEM guild team raced ‘The Park Panther’ go-kart at Castle Combe race circuit. We competed against 56 other karts and placed 34th in our first race and 39th on the second race which allowed us to get into the top 20 in our category.

We left school at 6am and didn’t arrive home until 8pm, so it was a very long day and we were all exhausted by the time we got back. Everyone worked as a team to make change overs as smooth as possible and by the end of the day we were all getting along with no arguments. So overall it was a very successful day. We would all like to say a huge thank you to Mr Worsfold, Miss Brierly and Mr Cockbill for making all of this possible.”

Good luck to the team on Thursday 4th July, when they compete in their next race at Predannack Airfield, Cornwall, they are hoping to improve on their previous results from the last race.

22. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Year 10 College Taster Day

Petroc College -Taster Day 272 students from Park School took part in a Taster Day at Petroc to get a flavour of the differences between being in a college and a school. The day, on Thursday 27th June, also gave the students the opportunity to sample courses and different styles of teaching. The feedback from the college was that the students had got involved and had challenged themselves in a new environment. We would like to thank Petroc for organising this very positive experience.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 23. Plastic Free Park School Awarded ‘Plastic Free School’ status

The Plastic Free group pictured with the award

This year, Mrs Wray and Mrs Veale set up a group to look at how the school can become more environmentally friendly; in particular looking at how we could reduce single-use plastic within the school. The first task was to give the group a name, thus ‘Plastic Free Park’ was born.

We originally started off with just a few students, but over the past two terms it has grown, with students that are all passionate in making a difference to our environment.

Our first aim for the group was to gain‘Plastic Free School’ status which is awarded by Surfers Against Sewage.

This consisted of five objectives: Phoebe Clarke and Stanley Sherlock with Objective 1 – Form and name a group. their letters from the House of Commons Objective 2 – Organise a litter picking session around the school grounds, recording what plastics are polluting our playground. Objective 3 – Challenging Government. A couple of our students wrote to our local MP asking if they would be kind enough to write to the Secretary of State of Environment and ask what the Government is doing to address the problem of plastic pollution. Objective 4 – Challenging Industry. The group emailed Walkers Crisps, Cadbury and Coco-Cola asking them to make changes to their packaging. Objective 5 – Challenging Yourselves. One of the first things we looked at, was getting rid of the single-use plastic water bottles being sold in the school. We did this Mrs Wray and Mrs Veale and replaced the bottles of water with recyclable cans of water. Aluminium water bottles were purchased and are now sold in the canteen. Friends of Park also very kindly purchased a new water cooler to fill the water bottles.

All these objectives were met and the school received their Plastic Free School’ status. A wonderful achievement!

24. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 “Bin It” – Social Media Campaign A group of Year 10 students have helped Mrs Veale drive the ‘Plastic Free Park’ programme by entering a national competition to create a social media campaign in our fight against plastic.

Some of the girls attended the Extinction Rebellion March in Exeter and were keen to show their commitment to the cause by making a film to encourage our students to buy aluminium water bottles in school instead of using plastic ones. Their USP (unique selling point) involves the organisation of some workshops to allow students the opportunity to personalise their own water bottles using enamel paints.

Rosie Elliott, Rhiannon Grice, Poppy Phillips, Elise Whormsley and Jessie Wright all took part in beach cleans as part of the making of their film. Their ‘Don’t Buy It – Bin It!’ campaign won £500 prize money which was split between the students and the school. Thanks must be paid to Ant and Cathie Higgs for their support in the editing of the girls entry.

Here is a link to the video the girls created - https://vimeo.com/337296026/e023ac94da Crisp Packet Recycling Campaign The Park Community School supports the Freedom Centre, which is a day centre and therapeutic community for the homeless and vulnerable. They have started a campaign to recycle crisp packets, not only to help the planet, but to also raise money which will go towards their nonprofit charity. Two of our students, Kacper Cicharski and Jayden Williams, are pictured alongside Beth Lane and Samuel Lane from the Freedom Centre, with some of the crisps packets that Park School students have collected. Pen Recycling Campaign Park School have joined TerraCycle, a company which offers free recycling programmes funded by brands, manufacturers, and retailers around the world to help you collect and recycle your hard-to-recycle waste. Pen Bins have been placed around the school, for staff and students to place their used pens, which will then be collected by Terracycle for recycling. Katie Foster, Max Tweedie and Florence Skinner are pictured with some of the Pen Bins.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 25. Energy efficiency savings

the world, when it comes to issues regarding the Plastic Free Kitchen environment and David Attenborough who at the We have been looking at ways we can reduce age of 93 has brought the issues of plastic waste our environmental impact as a kitchen. It has to millions of people around the world. With young been really encouraging to see the whole school people such as these as future voters and policy get serious with issues of waste, energy use and makers, the future is bright! single use plastics. By Anthony Matthew - Catering Manager In the dining room students and staff only use stainless steel cutlery and china/reusable plastic crockery. For students and staff Solar PV Panels Installed who wish to take food away we have 100% biodegradable containers and cutlery. We have reduced single use plastic bottles by 50% and will phase out all plastic bottles in the near future. All suppliers are local with our three main suppliers based in Barnstaple; this reduces food miles and supports the local economy.

We try and keep food waste to a minimum. Food waste that we do create is turned into Biogas by Andigestion a company based in Holsworthy. Any usable food left over on a Friday is collected and distributed to any homeless and vulnerably housed people in The Park Community School have officially thrown Barnstaple. the switch on a new 50KW photovoltaic (PV) panel solar array. One key area where we have made a large impact, is by making nearly all our meals in Kim Baker, Chair of Governors explained: “We house, from pizza bases, sauces, cakes, desserts look forward to making significant savings in and vegetables. Making everything in house has electricity costs from the 180 solar panels but this reduced the need for individually packaged is just part of wider programme of lighting and items and buying ingredients rather than pre heating efficiency planned for the school. made items has reduced cardboard and plastic waste. All this has been made possible through a Salix finance loan - an interest free Government loan The environmental impact of producing beef and which will be repaid over eight years through the pork has proven detrimental to the planet, we are savings made in energy consumption, and through looking into ways we can reduce using meat. income from the feed-in-tariff for electricity generated by the solar array. The efficiency Being part of the Plastic Free Park group in the savings will be promoted through a portal on site school has been brilliant. The students have to help generate awareness of the school’s efforts made a huge impact already and will continue to to reduce carbon emissions. So far the solar do so in the future. Many students now consider panels have saved the school an impressive £2200 their hero’s to be the likes of Greta Thunberg, a since installation in March. 16 year old autistic girl who has the attention of

26. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 KS3 Awards Evening

Each year we celebrate and share the success of some of our finest students who are making the most Progress; who are the Highest Attaining; have had the best Attitude to Learning and to those students who have made a major contribution to their House across all three years of their time so far at Park. As the students move from Year 9 into their GCSEs it is an opportune time to take stock and reward real, hard work.

This year we have 59 student winners for the awards across 15 different subject areas and Houses. This recognises the broad and balanced curriculum which we offer at Park Community School, where students achieve across such a wide range of subjects. On the evening of 26th June, our award winners received a new KS3 Award badge which they will proudly wear on their blazer celebrating their success. SUBJECT PROGRESS ATL AWARD ATL AWARD ATTAINMENT ATTAINMENT MALE FEMALE AWARD MALE AWARD FEMALE English Ellie Hall Lars Selter Phoebe Clarke Jack Reynolds Evie Bazley Mathematics Madison Burree Alexander Phoebe Clarke Fin Carlyon Cerys Wild Cooper Science Maddie Baxter Fin Carlyon Isabella Malfait Jack Reynolds Evie Bazley History Molly-Mae Nicolas Roberts Cerys Wild Fin Carlyon Katherine Hammett Nicholson Geography Kearney Young Joshua Batchelor Amelie Farrow- Finley Body Poppy Tallin Mann Philosophy, Xinyue (Anna) James Keates Phoebe Clarke Joseph Evie Bazley Theology and Wang Dunsworth Ethics French Libby Gammons Lucas Macree Kellie Gooding Charlie Tompkins Cerys Wild Spanish Xinyue (Anna) Reece Herbert Lily Wright Sam Puttipap Phoebe Clarke Wang Design and Ella Tibbles Jack Reynolds Megan Walker Tommy Rogers Harriet Jones Technology Art Millie Davies Alexander Coco Griggs Stanley Sherlock Kitty Sampson Cooper Drama Grace Mangan Freddy Pearce Hunny Phillips Jack Reynolds Amelia Blyth Music Owen Bale Joel Murdoch Kathryn Hassan Charlie Tompkins Mia Roscoe Computing Xinyue (Anna) Daniel Foster Tayyibah Shah Jack Reynolds Cerys Wild Wang Physical Taj Marwah James Figes Jenna Worrall Alexander Penny Lucy Ward Education SASC Award Robert Waldron Freddy Pearce Lillia Back House Award Drake -James Figes, Kathyrn Hassan Chichester- Callum Thorne, Mia Roscoe Kingsley - Joseph Dunsworth, Lucy Camp Fortescue - Zahi Kanj, Lucy Ward Raleigh - Fin Mead, Harriet Jones

www.theparkschool.org.uk 27. Ski Bormio 2019

At the top Race to the finish line

This year’s annual ski trip saw a change of venue in the basement of the hire shop, this all went for the first time in 20 years. We still went to Italy quite smoothly. We had the chance to walk but we sampled the resort of Bormio which is in around Bormio town and become acquainted the Lombardy region of the Alps. So, with a little with some of the art, architecture and history, trepidation we boarded the coach for the 26 hour expertly delivered by Andi, our ‘in-house’ ski journey to the resort. It sounds like a long time, representative. it is a long time, but the journey went surprisingly quickly. We arrived in Dover for the ferry crossing The first day’s skiing was a mixture of excitement in record time, everyone took advantage of the and nerves (mainly from the staff) as we made chance to stretch their legs, have a bite to eat and our way up to 2000m in the cable car. We were update their statuses! Then it was back on the greeted by the skiing instructors who organised us coach for a scenic drive across France, Germany into groups and off we went for a mornings skiing. and Switzerland. Not that we saw much scenery, All of the groups met up again at lunchtime, it was soon dark as we settled down to watch ‘The where we stopped for a magnificent hot lunch in 3 Amigos’ for the umpteenth time (blame Mrs the restaurant right at the bottom of the chair Freeman) and then bedded down for what seemed lifts. After stuffing our faces with pizza, pasta, like a fairly comfortable sleep on the coach, based chips and salad, we were ready for another two on the loud snoring that some people made (you hour lesson, finishing just in time to get the last know who you are!). cable car back down to the bottom.

We got to Bormio and were greeted with snow The following days pretty much followed the and sunshine - what more can you ask for? A same format except that the fails became more quick stop at the hotel for room allocation and spectacular, the speed down the mountain lunch was followed by ski fitting and collection. increased and the dares became more daring! It’s Unexpectedly, with 40 odd people crammed got to be said that the instructors were superb;

28. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Instructors’ Award Ceremony Building a snowman they got the best out of everyone, ensured that too bad at all; some of us even managed to catch all skiing improved no end and they allowed us a glimpse of Lake Como in between shut eye. Of to have some great fun whilst still keeping safe. course we had to watch ‘The 3 Amigos’ again Bormio hosted the 2005 Skiing World Cup and (Mrs Freeman!!!!!) but apart from that, the coach many of our instructors actually represented Italy journey went quite quickly and we were home in in that event so it shows you the calibre of people no time. who taught us. The Park Community School runs a skiing and Although this was a skiing trip, it wasn’t all about snowboarding trip every year, so if you are the skiing. Every night there was a wide range interested in going in 2020, please sign up via of fun games, quizzes and activities laid on in the the Pupil Reception or on Wisepay. If you need to hotel, aimed at encouraging friendships, bonding, know any more details, please do not hesitate to teamwork and overall good fun. The hotel food contact Mr James: [email protected] was excellent throughout the week but that didn’t or contact the school office. stop us all from venturing into town one night to sample the local pizzeria. The Year 11 group The following links show the ‘official’ skiing enjoyed it so much they went back again later in videos and are well worth a watch. They were the week. put together by Charlie Tompkins, one of the students on the trip this year and as you will see, Friday, the day of departure, came around too he’s done a great job! quickly. We all had a fantastic week skiing and Full video made countless new friends. It snowed on https://youtu.be/757sL_PXyug most days so the conditions in the resort were Ski Fails superb. As you can see by the photos, it was https://youtu.be/E8fp0VuSvQc great fun. The journey back home didn’t seem

www.theparkschool.org.uk 29. Ten Tors Challenge

Park School entered two 35 mile teams for Ten Tors 2019 Team A consisted of: Team B consisted of: 1. Saul Bell-West Team leader/Navigator. 1. Harriet Adams Team leader/Navigator 2. Amelia Pengelly Navigator 2. Lauren Brooks Navigator 3. Joseph Floyd Navigator 3. Ethan Brown Navigator 4. Harry Thomas 4. Isabella Dyer 5. Louie Van Rossen-Boyd 5. Taylor Burgess 6. Poppy Phillips 6. Emma Blackie (from West Buckland)

Team A finished at 12:19 Team B finished at 15:01

Both teams of year 10 students were successful in completing the challenge as complete teams. The students are to be congratulated for the way they The outdoor training staff are very conducted themselves throughout the Challenge period. pleased and proud of you all. It is a tremendous achievement to complete The weather over the weekend was cloudy and the challenge. Well Done! warm on Saturday, with a steady wind. Sunday was sunny and hot, again with a steady wind. Mr Ratcliffe All finished in fine fettle, and were glad to have completed the challenge.

30. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Outdoor Education - Duke of Edinburgh

2019 BRONZE AWARD At Park Community School, we are committed to providing students in Years 9, 10 and 11 with access to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme is a voluntary non-competitive programme of practical, cultural and adventurous activities. It is designed to support the personal and social development of young people, regardless of gender, background or ability. It offers an individual challenge and encourages young people to undertake exciting, constructive, challenging and enjoyable activities in their free time. What’s more, many organisations such as employers and universities take a good view of the Award and what it says about the person who has achieved it.

Year 11 Students: There have been four Year 11 students who have completed their Bronze level award since January. Congratulations go to Carla Keast, Bethan Sharples, Keira Worrall and Kirsty Kingdom.

Year 9 Students: This year forty-three Year 9 students have signed up for Duke of Edinburgh. Most are aiming to complete the Bronze Level Award within this calendar year.

Over two weekends in June, thirty-seven of them took part in their Expedition around the Hartland peninsula. They were all successful and completed it, despite some testing weather conditions. (lots of sun, wind and rain).

Congratulations to the Year 9 students below, who completed their Bronze Award - Well Done! Joshua Batchelor Zahi Kanj Evie Bazley James Keates Tilly Beer Luke Kyle Jack Reynolds Marcus Bulled Ben Manley Mia Roscoe Phoebe Clarke Jake McElfatrick Evie Schofield Joseph Cottle Miranda McKenna Lars Selter Ellie-Louise Dawson Finlay McKenna Ashton Sims Tom Fennell Fin Mead Charlie Tompkin Madison Fishleigh Amy Miller Xinyue (Anna) Wang Kellie Gooding Katy Nicholson Jasmine West Reece Herbert Alex Penny Cerys Wild Grace Hughes Jessica Price Lily Wilson Madison Hughes Sam Puttipap Jenna Worrall

www.theparkschool.org.uk 31. Exmoor Challenge The Exmoor Challenge The Exmoor Challenge is a 16 mile timed walk around the area near Dulverton, Tarr Steps and Anstey Common. Competitors must navigate and travel between check points within a certain time. The route must take no more than 5 hours.

On Snday 5th May, the weather was lovely, not too hot and not too cold with barely any rain. Our teams went out at around 10:45am and arrived back around 4:00pm. Both teams did brilliantly, the Senior Mixed Team gained 1st Place and the Junior Team gained 7th place.

Junior Team Members: Mia Fordham Jack Partridge Liam O'Brien Maddie Phillips

Senior Team Members James Figes Amelia Pengelley Will Pengelley Lily Gullon

Student Profile Emma Spriggs (Year 9) What is your particular interest/achievement? My interests are cycling and running. I have always been able to run since I was small and started cycling when I was 12: track, cyclocross, road and mountain biking.

Tell us more about it. My Dad got me into cycling, he is a great inspiration to me. I train 6 days a week and run when I can in between.

What have been your biggest achievements to date? I first started by getting lapped in local races then worked my way up into keeping up with the boys and beating them in races and now I race nationally in places like London and in the Midlands. I love attaining and following the activities of the group. What are the “secrets” of your success? There isn’t any secret, just train hard and keep motivated. If you are getting bored shake it up a little. Do something slightly different, otherwise you will lose the excitement.

What is the most important/best thing about Park School? For me lunch times are the best thing about school and also PE. It’s a place where you can socialise with your friends, have fun and try your best, even if you can’t do it you won’t be judged.

32. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Young Enterprise

This is Omnia, a Young Enterprise Company formed by eight students in Year 10.

Back Row: Jessica Renny, Molly Mugford, Ellie Cox, Yasmin Gurler, Darcy Lewis

Front Row: Abi Sherwood-Earl, Sophie Foster, Jessica McCullum

All the students took on roles, sold shares, attended meetings and created a product to sell. This was a story colouring book about a Chimp called Cherry and her adventures. The story and illustrations were all done by the group.

‘Omnia’ Company Roles: Managing Director Yasmin Gurler Human Resources Director Jessica McCullum Finance Director Ellie Cox Dep Finance Director Jessica Renny Development Director Molly Mugford Operations/Sales Director Sophie Foster Quality/Online Sales Director Darcy Lewis Supply Director Abi Sherwood-Earl

The design and editing of the book was a long process, with printing done by an online company. It was intended for the Christmas market but was then switched to Easter. The story is about a Chimp called Cherry and the impact of plastic pollution and rubbish being dumped. The themes were: • Loss of wild habitat • Fly tipping in the countryside • Litter and recycling • Friendship • Working together • Plastic Waste • A Home

Local company Perrigo supported Young Enterprise by providing an employee to advise the students at their weekly meetings. Emma-Jane Watkins advised the students on the business aspects of running the business.

The book was sold at a pop up shop at Park, to local primary schools, at Bideford Pannier Market and online through the Young Enterprise website.

HSBC provide the company with a business bank account. The company raised share capital of £245. The dividend, after payment of a winding up fee of £9.80, a registration fee of £80 and paying the printing costs of £117, was 20p for each £1 share. A good return for a short term investment. All shareholders are receiving their original investment and dividend.

Thank you to Great Western Railway for paying the school registration fee of nearly £1000 to Young Enterprise. Thank you to Perrigo for Emma’s time to enable the enterprise to run.

Serena Thomas - Young Enterprise Link

www.theparkschool.org.uk 33. Student Profiles

Student Profile Jack Reynolds (Year 9) The subjects I enjoy and am good at: Currently, the subjects I enjoy most are Computing, Science and Technology. This is because I like the challenges they present and they are in-line with my interests and future potential careers.

What I have achieved/hope to achieve in them I am part of a team that has been working together to build an electric kart to compete in the Greenpower 2019 races. Our first races were on the 23rd of June and we did reasonably well placing 36th out of about 50 other schools and we are looking forward to the next set of races on the 4th of July.

I have also received an award in each of these subjects following the Year 9 Awards, which I am especially proud of and very thankful of my teachers who nominated me.

My Bronze DofE expedition was a good challenge as we walked 24 kilometres between Clovelly and Hartland over two days with all of our camping gear. I’m also currently working on finishing the volunteering section of the award by helping out at the Junior Park Run on Sundays.

My ambitions for the future/career I hope to pursue I’m not entirely set on a career path, however I do know it will be based around the subjects I enjoy and am interested in.

The careers advice we are being given through lessons and assemblies is really helping me in deciding where I want to be and how to get there.

My interests/hobbies/what I do in my spare time In my spare time I enjoy playing sports like football and tennis. I am hoping to start playing badminton as well because it is something I am unable to do with school due to other commitments and would like to compete for the school.

I currently play for Eastside AFC and we finished 3rd in our league this season and achieved runner up in our plate competition. I have a great time every match and it has been amazing to see the club progress.

The things I like most about Park School What I like most about Park School is the diverse range of opportunities in all subject areas, which is largely down to teachers’ willingness to give up their time for the students. This makes getting involved in activities around school much more valuable and offers the opportunity to everyone.

34. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Staff are interesting people too! Staff Profile: Luciana Gomez- Gilabert (MFL Teacher) was born in Brazil and lived there until I was 22. My parents and my Iwhole family are from Uruguay and some from Spain. In my house we spoke Spanish and outside Portuguese. I used to spend my summer holidays (in South America it’s three months of holidays!) in Uruguay. Apart from school, I used to do dance (for 7 years) played basketball and was in the Athletics team in my secondary school. I also used to represent my school for Drama, reciting poems and I won a competition twice. With my dance group, I visited many cities in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay as Your life in 10 Questions: well, it was a great experience. Favourite Pastimes/Hobbies: Dancing, playing basketball, walks with the kids, I did a Languages degree in Brazil with Portuguese eating good food and watching films. as the main language and Spanish as a second language. I worked in Brazil for four years in Favourite Book: private school teaching Spanish and English as Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine. foreign languages. Favourite Music: Because I had family in Spain and a Spanish Latin, rock, pop, anything really. citizenship, I decided to go to Spain to study and Favourite Film: moved to Valencia where I did a second degree in Volver (Spanish film from Pedro Almodóvar) Spanish Philology. In Spain, while I was studying, I worked in a Music company where I got to know Favourite Hero: many important DJs and had to contact music El Chapulín Colorado (it’s a Mexican hero from a companies to buy their songs for our albums. I TV series) had to travel to some cities as well (including the UK) to translate for some DJs as they didn’t speak Famous people (alive or dead) I would like English well. to meet: 1. J.K Rowling During my university degree, I spent one year 2. Frida Kahlo in Italy (Bologna) doing my Erasmus exchange. 3. Pablo Neruda There, I worked as an English, Spanish and My best teacher and why: Portuguese teacher. The food was great there! Luis Stabile, he was my Portuguese teacher in When I finished my degree, I moved to Italy (my secondary school, he loved languages as I do husband is Italian) and worked there for 5 years now. teaching languages in different places, in the meantime, I got married, had two children and did Your Biggest Regret: two post-graduate diplomas in teaching Spanish Giving up dance and basketball. as a foreign language. Your Proudest Achievement to Date: In 2015 we moved to England and since then Managing to keep working and having two small I have worked in a secondary school in South children. Devon until I started working at Park. In my house we speak three languages (Spanish, The most important thing I ever learned: Italian and English) and my dog (she is Spanish) To be kind and helpful. understands all of them as well.

www.theparkschool.org.ukwww.theparkschool.org.uk 35. Expressive Arts Art/Photography Museum Workshop with Ceramicist Taz Pollard On 29th April and 18th May, twenty-two Year 10 students spent two days working alongside ceramicists Taz Pollard and Nicola Crocker on a community project connected to the Museum of North Devon. They have been designing a clay relief frieze which will adorn the new entrance to the Museum of North Devon.

Taz has been working with four community groups on this project. She now has the difficult job of collating these designs into one enormous piece of work. The student’s designs reflect the Arts and crafts movement focusing on the intricate images from Brannam’s Pottery and Shapland and Petter furniture.

Following a day of photography and drawn studies based on our town’s architectural history, our students attended a weekend clay workshop back in the classroom to create their relief panels. Their designs will become part of our towns heritage. We look forward to not only seeing the finished result once the museum’s extension work is complete but also hope to see some of our students’ work displayed in the new gallery space within the museum.

Park School Art Instagram account is Live! Please follow us on the @parkschoolart site. Regular updates are made every week so why not see if your work has been uploaded ready to view?

Well done to all students who have had their work represented.

Thanks to Ms Clarke who has introduced and managed this site for the art and photography department.

36. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Expressive Arts Art/Photography

Year 7 workshop Year 11 workshop

Year 7 and 11 Ranger Russ Workshop Once again Ranger Russ provided an afternoon of excitement as he presented his strange and crazy animals to a group of Year 7 students.

Ranger Russ generously stayed back at the end of the school day to allow some of our Year 11 GCSE photographers to take some photos in preparation for their forthcoming exams. Ruby the boa constrictor appeared to be perfectly happy roaming our school rugby pitch. The students looked a little apprehensive however!

Park Alumni The annual art exhibition at Petroc saw a huge number of ex-Park School students exhibiting their work. The Art Diploma Show included: Mia Hawthorne, Mia Barrett, Maddie Hamilton Mudge, Polly Storey, Chloe McGuire, Eden Duke, Emily Isaac, Jessie Parker, Jamie Vodden, Tori Lawrence, Jessamie Parker, Lucy Rance, Dillon Stone, Jade McIllwaine, Molly Mellett and Katie Fanning.

At Petroc Brannam’s site the Art Foundation and Foundation Degree courses displayed the work of Jay Bailey, Alex Murdock, Kerrie McGuire, Liam Hammett and Poppy Slattery had their work on display. Well done to all exhibitors. It’s great to see their work progress up to degree standard.

Eden Duke Jay Bailey

www.theparkschool.org.uk 37. Expressive Arts - London Trip

Year 10 Expressive Arts London Trip This year we invited our fabulous GCSE dancers to join our annual trip to London. Our London team now consists of Artists, Photographers, Dramatists, Dancers and Musicians! Another action packed itinerary left us inspired and ready to implement our experiences back in the classroom.

The students jotted down some of their thoughts and memories during our very long coach journey home. Their words sum up the ambience of the trip perfectly!

“I thought that there were a lot of beautiful things happening every second but as a West End lover, I loved the West End Live in Trafalgar Square” - Cerys Hemmings

“I like the different cultures and food of Brick Lane. I also liked the BA Photography Degree Show.”

“I really enjoyed Woman In Black as it was the first real play I have watched. Great fun.” - Toby Palmer Edwards

“The highlight of London 2019 was Covent Garden, The Lion King @ The Lyceum the Lion King!” Theatre, The Summer Show at the Royal Academy, London Eye and London Skyline. “The Lion King had phenomenal costumes The culture @ Brick Lane in Shoreditch was and set design. It took my breath away!” best” “I loved how, in the Lion King the different “I liked experiencing the diverse culture animals used different movements to tell and trying the street food from Brick Lane! the story. We learnt one of the dances Definitely an experience we don’t get in afterwards in the Pineapple Studios with one North Devon!” of the performers from the show.”

“The underground Vintage Mecca in Brick “Pineapple Dance Studios was something to Lane was amazing.” tick off my bucket list!”

“I loved seeing the Queen Elizabeth portrait in the National Portrait Gallery and watching

38. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 The Aspiring Futures Project On the 18th and 19th June forty-five students from years 7 to 9 took part in the annual Aspiring Futures Programme which has students working collaboratively with other students from South Molton Community College and West Buckland School.

The festival took place over two days where students talented in art, drama and music came together to produce large artworks, a drama performance and musical pieces all illustrating the theme of ‘Our Environmental Future’.

The project helps to promote the ‘all round learner’ by encouraging and challenging creative responses to the theme.

Over the two days the artists produced fourteen large scale acrylic paintings inspired by the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. The musicians learnt how to use a loop pedal and produced pieces inspired by a series of short videos created by Mr Addy.

The drama students split into ten groups on the first day and then came together on the second day to produce one fantastically choreographed piece using simple props such as a water bottle and a mobile phone. The title was chosen to inspire freethinking and creative responses and the students certainly rose to the challenge. There were goose bumps all round when the students made us all question what can Anya Muzard Clark 8ER we do now to save our environment for the “I really enjoyed the experience. There future? were some ups and downs but overall it was brilliant.” Bella Rowell 7MB “It has been really fun being able to work Becky Scourfield 9MA and Chloe Stacey 8SG with the other students and share our art “It was really fun. We met new people and work.” had a great day. The Art resources were amazing, we had a lot of room and our Sethini Vanderbona 8MR project/topic is great.” “It was fun to observe our ideas and concerns for the future and express them in Art. “

Art Therapy Club Art Therapy is our new Thursday lunchtime art club (also run by Ms Clarke).

Come along to complete class work, borrow resources, use our computers, work on your homework tasks or just work on a personal masterpiece!

All welcome.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 39. Expressive Arts Drama MED Theatre DNA Class GCSE Workshop Performance Review Written By Emma Nichols The play was an overall success and audience feedback was In May, my year 10 GCSE Drama positive. class got the chance to perform our set text to our families This helped make it an and friends. After months of experience that I think we rehearsals and learning lines we will all take away with us were finally ready. and remember for the rest of our lives. As the audience started to file in I felt nervous but Thank you to Mr Carroll for ecstatic as I knew all of our directing us and to Mrs Stevens hard work was going to pay for doing the lighting on the off. When the lights dimmed, night. Thanks also to Yummies On Monday 3rd June Mr the play came to life. who provided food for us Carroll’s GCSE class took part between our final rehearsal and in a workshop delivered by The play, by Dennis Kelly, is the show. professional devising company about a gang of friends who MED Theatre. killed their classmate, the lengths they went to in order to Based in Dartmoor, MED focus cover up their crime and the way their work on devising pieces it changed relationships between of theatre based on stories, them. The boy (Adam) really myths and legends from this wanted to be part of their gang area of North Devon. With year which made him vulnerable to 10 at the beginning of their bullying which eventually led to devising journey for the first his tragic "death". The final twist part of their Drama GCSE, the is spine chilling. MED practitioners gave them a valuable insight into their We portrayed the play in a methods of creating work using realistic but safe way using these skills. physical theatre. This gave the audience a visual representation During the course of the of how Adam was killed which morning the practitioners also helped them to feel put the students through empathy for him. their paces with numerous creative activities designed to I think the play has brought challenge their ideas of how to our whole class together as create theatre and give them we worked with people who a roadmap for creating their we had never really spoken to own pieces using skills learned before. During rehearsals, we all Review Written By Saul from the workshop. It was a supported each other by helping great morning and we hope each other learn lines when we Bell-West to get MED back to the Drama were not needed on stage. It Department to see the work also helped us build confidence When I was first introduced to students have created as a as some of us hadn't performed DNA, Mr Carroll, our director, result of their visit. much in the past which made warned us about some of the it more nerve-wracking. As dark themes in the play but I the play came to its chilling don’t think any of us expected conclusion I felt relieved and the challenging story about proud of our achievement. murder and deception we ended up performing. My first

40. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 impressions were sceptical. Rehearsal was really about calm. Once the show started I’d never done a play before, people getting their lines we knew we weren’t going to so starting out with one so stuck in their heads and have any hiccups. Everything impactful, was a challenge. really becoming a believable ran smoothly and no one forgot performer. I think everyone a line. If something was slightly My character, Phil, becomes the did that superbly and thanks off, no one would step out of mastermind behind covering to our director, we knew how character (which was the main up a dreadful accident. I knew to develop our characters thing we were told not to do that I would have to put effort personalities. For example, EVER, as a performer). As a in to understand Phil’s emotions the three Leahs (Elise, Rosie whole performance I think it and situation. A lot of Phil's and Emily), I think did a really was superb. Not only that but scenes don't involve him saying good job of selling a realistic we all enjoyed doing it. From anything. As an actor playing performance. Other examples the first run through to the final that character you need to include Toby as John, Meryem performance, it was great fun. really focus on what he would as Cathy and Jack as Mark. We be thinking and reacting to used many different techniques As a performer it taught and how he would portray that but the one I thought was most me a lot about how to sell a through facial expressions, effective was ‘super objective’. believable character and how body language etc. That's how This initially involved us putting to work with other actors you really get involved with ourselves in our characters’ well. Which I think are some who you’re playing and how shoes and seeing what they are of the most valuable things you can give off a believable most interested in, during one an actor can have. performance which is the most scene. important thing. Over the course Our next project will be a of the play, Phil becomes darker On the day of the performance I devising piece, to the year and darker. I think playing a was less nervous than I thought 9s, soon to be year 10s doing villainous character is more fun I would be. I think one main drama next term. And I am and interesting than playing a factor causing that, was how very excited for that topic. hero. You get to really become I was completely comfortable With devising, you can work invested in their backstory and with the group I was working as a director and get to be as mindset. So I really enjoyed with. It wasn’t just one person creative as you want, which are playing him. performing, it was the class as the reasons I chose to do GCSE a whole and that’s why I felt so drama.

Expressive Arts Music Music Achievements Congratulations to the following students for passing their examinations this term:

Libby Gammons 9MA Grade 3 Piano - Merit Martha Peckham 8MP Grade 2 Piano - Pass Ruby Hedden 8RW Grade 1 Piano - Pass Amelie Bond 8SG Grade 2 Flute - Pass Miranda McKenna 9PR Grade 1 Piano - Pass Tom Fennel 9SP Grade 1 RSL Bass - Distinction Lauren Murray 9PR Grade 3 Piano - Merit Lily Shaddick 8LC Initial Piano - Merit Lily Bennett 10JL Grade 1 Piano - Pass Freya Wright 11NA Grade 2 Piano - Pass Anna Cosh 7MB Initial Piano - Distinction Coyla Vuki 11CE Grade 4 Piano - Merit Sophie Jones 7DW Grade 1 Piano - Distinction Emily Whiterod 8 LC Grade 1 Piano - Distinction Hallie Mitchell 10DS Grade 3 Piano - Distinction Fin Mead 9DG Grade 3 Keyboard - Distinction

www.theparkschool.org.uk 41. There’s a world Travel Blog by out there... fulfilling and incredible than we public transport is about to be Nick Bailey could have hoped. shut down. These last ten months certainly have been a bit different. As So, would I recommend it? Is That challenge hit us on our many of you know, I took the leaving the world of North Devon arrival in Tokyo, but was just opportunity to go travelling with with its familiar faces and home one of the many we all had to my wife and our two young boys. comforts something you yourself face. Others were less stressful, should consider? Of course it like rafting down jungle rivers or is...and here, as briefly as I can scrambling up remote mountains. explain, is why. Some were more intense, like when we got caught up in an Challenge - I know you hear this earthquake near the Indonesian word a lot in school. Maybe it’s island of Lombok. But whatever one that inspires you or maybe it the challenge was, the feeling of fills you with dread. Either way, overcoming it was amazing. the thing about facing a challenge is that it brings out all kinds of Experience - Travel offers you skills you never knew you had, opportunities you just can’t like determination, confidence have at home. Yes, you might and independence. Imagine, be able to watch programmes for example, finding yourself in or video clips showing awesome the world’s busiest train station things from all over the world, after a fourteen hour aeroplane but these are always happening flight trying to work out which to someone else. You’re just a platform you need. Every single distant observer. Experiencing sign you see is not only written them for yourself is so much in a different language but also more rewarding. It wasn’t a sudden decision by in a totally different script and any means, in fact we had been none of the thousands of people Many of our personal highlights saving for it and planning it for hurrying past speak much came from encounters with wild years. Still, even with all that English. Oh, and you have to find animals. Seeing whales off Cape preparation the final experience that platform quickly because a Cod and Kaikoura, having bears turned out to be more exciting, typhoon is approaching and all wander through our campsites

42. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 in California’s Sierra Nevada, whilst we were away than when impact on me than any TV nature coming face to face with an we were at home. And anyway, documentary has. Likewise, orangutan in northern Sumatra who says you have to go by surfing off remote coral islands and giant Komodo Dragons near yourself. Travelling with a friend that are literally covered in plastic Flores. These are incredible can make the experience even waste woke us all up to the moments burnt into my memory, more special. extent of the problems the world alongside more terrifying ones faces. like finding a snake outside our But travel is also about the bedroom and the time I got people you meet for the first Often if you listen to the news attacked by a seal whilst out time. We made friends in every you’d be forgiven for thinking surfing! country we visited. Some of that the world is a scary place these were fellow wanderers out and the best thing to do is stay Travel is packed with a multitude to have their own adventures, at home. But this is simply not of small adventures, each one like the young man we came the case. Yes, you need to be adding to the whole overall across in California, who was careful wherever you go but in all experience. Everywhere we went part way through an epic bike our time away we encountered in Japan gave us fascinating ride from Alaska to the tip of nothing but kindness. glimpses of a culture so different South America. But most were to our own. Indonesia was a the people who called these Life can sometimes feel like a dizzying whirl where one day amazing places “home”. Despite conveyor belt from school to I might be lost in a paradise the communication difficulties in college to finding employment. of empty tropical waves and Japan and Indonesia locals went Travel offers something different the next struggling through out of their way to say “hello” or and it’s more accessible than you the maze of a polluted city. help us when we were lost. In the might think. You don’t have to America and New Zealand were North Island of New Zealand we go away for a long time. A few filled with immense and diverse got to know one family so well weeks can be enough to open you environments from scorching we ended up changing our plans up to new opportunities, places deserts to frozen mountains. so we could hang out with them and adventures. If you do want longer. to stay away for longer working We watched a rugby match in in many countries is relatively Auckland, lived beside the World Perspective - I think this straightforward and gives you Trade One Tower in Manhattan, is perhaps the single most an even better appreciation of saw the world’s oldest tree, important reason for going away. where you are. For example, you slept in hammocks, saw glaciers Life at home moves so quickly can get involved in all manner of spilling into an ocean, fished for and it’s easy to feel constantly environmental projects, so that our dinner, got lost, got scared, bombarded by information, jobs rather than just worrying about missed home and never wanted and expectations. Having time our impact on the planet you are to come back...all in the space of away from this hectic world gives actually doing something to help. less than a year. you a chance to form your own opinions based on a broader There were plenty of times over Friendship - the idea that range of experiences. the last year that we all found heading away from home will be hard, leaving home is after all a a lonely business just isn’t true. One night I stayed up for hours daunting prospect. But never did For a start, the ease of social talking with a guide in the depths we regret the decision to go. media platforms today make of an Indonesian rainforest. staying in touch with friends and Hearing his views on what There’s a whole world family ridiculously easy. In fact was happening to the jungle out there and it’s I would say I had more contact around us and seeing some of with many of my oldest friends it for myself made a far greater wonderful!

www.theparkschool.org.uk 43. History - Students Of The Term

Students Of The Term Year 7 – Ryan White 7LI - Miss Roberts says “Ryan is a very polite and helpful young man who clearly enjoys History and works hard to overcome barriers to his learning by researching topics outside of lessons and producing great revision resources.” Year 8 - Isabella May 8RP – Mr Greenleaf says “Isabella has shown excellent effort this term and she has a clear desire to develop and enhance her knowledge, she is proud of the work she creates and this is clearly demonstrated by its consistent quality. She is a pleasure to teach.” Year 9 - Harriet Jones 9DG – Mr Greenleaf says “Harriet has shown a really ambition to improve herself in History. She constantly involves herself in the lesson and displays the best possible attitude to learning. She frequently wants to further knowledge and does this by challenging herself in her classwork and by asking questions to broaden her understanding. I look forward to seeing what she achieves next year.” Year 10 -Leigh Balment 10RC – Mr Blannin says “Leigh has enjoyed a superb first year of GCSE study. She consistently leads the class in scores on knowledge tests and has worked hard to develop her analytical skill set. She achieved a 9 in her GCSE mock with the highest score in the year. She is an absolute pleasure to work with and an example to all.” Year 11 – The History Department would like to thank all of the Year 11 students who came to revision sessions and engaged so positively with all we tried to do. Their good humour and positive attitudes inspired us all and we really hope all of their hard work pays off.

History Cup Winners

KS3 -9S – Mr Greenleaf says “This class shows a real energy and passion in History, each student helps to encourage a great atmosphere with their attitude to learning. They have really bought into the idea of directed learning competition and there is a real intensity to achieve. Every student has confidence to question each other’s opinions and ability to engage in fierce debate.”

44. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 KS4 - 10A3 – Mr Blannin says “The class have made real progress this year. They are growing in confidence and developing a really positive growth mind-set. Directed learning scores have improved consistently and they have worked hard to improve their extended writing skills. If they keep it up they will achieve some really positive results next summer.” Year 7 - Chepstow Castle Trip One hundred Year 7 students enjoyed an exciting opportunity to visit Chepstow Castle, a superbly preserved historical site dating back to shortly after the Norman Conquest. The visit supports students study of Medieval History which they are currently undertaking. The day started with a tour of the Castle led by Mr Neil Eddiford, a renowned expert in castle life during the 12th and 13th centuries. Mr Eddiford engaged the students with a series of tales of medieval life, and posed challenges focused upon attacking and defending the castle. After a short lunch we were then treated to a demonstration of medieval weaponry. Mr Eddiford was very impressed by the students’ knowledge of the topic and the insightful questions they asked. Year 8 - SS Great Britain Trip Ninety Year 8 students had the opportunity to visit the SS Great Britain in Bristol as part of their study on Industrialisation. The students enjoyed a tour of the ship where they were able to contrast the experiences of first class and steerage passengers. Students also participated in a workshop examining the lives of different passengers who travelled on the ship during its many important voyages. They had the opportunity to handle artefacts and examine sources in order to create a pen portrait of the passenger they were investigating. Finally, students had the opportunity to visit a museum dedicated to Isambard Kingdom Brunel. A huge thanks to all of the staff and students who made the trip such a positive experience.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 45. Uganda - Kira Farm Trainees

In October 2019 a group of students will visit the Kira Farm Development Centre in Childhood: After his Kampala, Uganda. As part of their amazing father died when he was experience they will meet and chat with a baby, Alafa lived with trainees at Kira Farm including the Alafa his grandfather who he Kilugebe and Winnie Babi who are the 2019 believed was his father. His grandfather had three Amigos Kira Farm trainees, that as a school wives and Alafa was made to do all the work we sponsor. because he was not their son. He dreamed of becoming a motorbike mechanic but had to give Below is an introduction to Alafa Kilugebe up school due to lack of fees. He never once saw and Winnie Babi, who will keep in contact his mother during this time until she finally told with the school, updating us with their him the truth about his father when he was 12. progress at the farm. In addition, his stepfather has been in prison for the last two years and when he is sentenced he Name: Alafa Kilugebe could get a further five years. There have been a Age: 21 number of disputes between family clan members Gender: Male over land, which have led to the death of a clan District: Kaliro member and several arrests. Education level: Senior 2 (Year 8) Typical day: Alafa wakes at 7am and goes to the trading centre to see if there is any work. If he Alafa is a small young can find a labouring job he will earn £1 a day. If man with a huge not, he will go back home to wash his clothes and smile. He is keen collect water and firewood. Water is collected from to break free from a borehole about 100 yards away. Unfortunately extreme poverty and it is very old and keeps breaking. There is a new is discovering that life borehole in the village but it is owned by some on Kira is very different Muslims who Alafa’s family have been in conflict from life at home! with, and they will not let Alafa’s family draw water there. Family: Alafa has a complicated family background. He has two sisters but his father Joining Kira Farm: Alafa was shocked to learn died when he was only 7 months old and he went that he, out of all the other young men who had to live with his grandfather until he was 12, at come for interviews, had been chosen for Kira which time he was reunited with his mother. They Farm’s training programme. He knew he needed to live together in his stepfather’s home, however earn money for a commitment fee and kept giving his stepfather has been in prison for the last two it to his mother for safekeeping, but she ended years. Alafa’s mother has a further six children up using it because they are living in extreme with his stepfather. poverty. All Alafa was left with was toothpaste, soap and a bus fare to Kira Farm. Accommodation: Alafa lives with his mother and three of his step-siblings in a little house that Settling in: Alafa is settling in well to life at Kira. isn’t big enough for all of them. His mother has He is loving the showers in particular - and being one bedroom, Alafa and his brother share another able to share a room with the new friends he has room, and his sisters share a room in the next- made. He is amazed to have three meals a day, door neighbour’s small house. and on time. It is very different to life at home! He has chosen to learn building, carpentry and Land: Alafa has a quarter of an acre of land that bike mechanics, alongside conservation farming. his father left him, as does his mother. They live Hopes for the future: When he finishes at Kira, off this land by growing potatoes, cassava and Alafa is keen to go back to his community and maize for food. If there is nothing in the garden be an inspiration to others by helping with they go hungry. They can make money by digging development. He is very grateful to be learning land for other people, but his mother uses this new skills to enable this to happen. money for school fees - and any money Alafa earns goes towards essentials such as soap, tea, matches, sugar and kerosene. The family have no livestock. Unfortunately Alafa’s father had another family before them, through which he fathered six boys and a girl. The six half brothers now want some of their father’s land too, so the land situation is problematic for the family.

46. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Name: Winnie Babi dreamt of becoming a nurse. Age: 19 Education: Winnie loved going to school and Gender: Female much preferred it to her life now. She did quite District: Kaliro well academically and left primary school when Education level: Year she was 12 years old, and completed Year 8 at Senior 2 (Year 8) the age of 16. In Uganda children can only move up to the next year group if they pass their end Winnie is a quiet, shy, of year exams. Often because of failing exams, or young lady who is missing school due to being unable to afford the eager to embrace all fees, there is a wide mix of ages in classes. Kira Farm has to offer If Winnie didn’t speak English at school, and this year. slipped into a local language, she was forced to wear smelly rotten bones around her neck for the Family: Winnie lives day. with her father and Typical day: At 6.00am Winnie wakes up and stepmother. Her tends to the crops until 1.00pm, when she returns mother married again and moved away, but she home to prepare a family meal for 3.00pm. After comes back once a year to see Winnie. Winnie washing up she enjoys a quick game of netball has no real brothers or sisters; she has three with her friends before going to fetch water. Along stepbrothers and four stepsisters. with her stepsisters, Winnie spends an hour a day collecting 100 litres. When she has finished at the Sadly, Winnie doesn’t enjoy a very good borehole she starts preparing an evening meal, relationship with her stepmother, who often provided they have enough food in the garden. accuses her of not helping even though that’s not Winnie and her step-siblings collect firewood most true. Her stepmother drives a wedge between days, but it’s getting increasingly hard to find Winnie and her father. (deforestation is a significant problem in Uganda). Sometimes they have no wood to cook a meal Winnie’s second name, ‘Babi’, means ‘bad people with and have to go hungry. around me’. She inherited the name from her Personal life: Winnie says the best thing in father. Her real name is ‘Tibintolawo’ which means her life is that her dad loves her very much; the ‘words don’t move me’, meaning people can say hardest thing in her life has been losing her mum. what they like but she won’t be hurt by them. Joining Kira Farm: Winnie’s family will miss her Accommodation: The family live in a two- helping with all the daily chores while she is away room, mud brick house, with a tin roof. Winnie’s – farming, washing, cooking and more. However, stepmother and father sleep in one room, and the Winnie was very keen to join Kira and gain children sleep in the other room. The girls sleep skill and thanks God she was chosen. Winnie is together on a thin mattress on the floor, it’s too looking forward to studying tailoring, conservation small for all of them so they have to sleep across farming, hairdressing, computers and bike the mattress leaving their legs hanging off the mechanics – even though she has never seen a end. female bike mechanic before. Land and livestock: Winnie’s family live on half Settling in: On arrival at Kira, Winnie was truly an acre of land. Her dad used to be a teacher, but stunned. She thought the centre was too nice he wasn’t being paid so he left the school. The to be a school, but when she was shown around area Winnie lives in is very poor and jobs are few she realised that it was a great place to learn. and far between. Her parents own a pig and rear She says there are four major differences from piglets to make money (borrowing a neighbour’s home – food, a bed, clean water and electric boar). They use the profits to hire land to grow light. Winnie has also been surprised by the fact crops and they also dig other people’s land in the that everything happens on time and the style of planting season; this kind of backbreaking work farming is very different from anything she’s seen is notoriously poorly paid. The family have three before. She is settling in well and making lots of chickens. new friends. Food: Winnie and her family grow sweet potatoes, Hopes for the future: Eventually Winnie would maize, beans, cassava, bananas and ground nuts like to get married and have two children. Before to eat. then, she would love to open her own hairdressing Home life: Life at home isn’t good, mainly salon and purchase her own land. These are because of Winnie’s stepmother. However even realistic dreams with the skills Winnie is going to if Winnie’s mother was at home the family would acquire this year! still be living in abject poverty. Unlike some trainees, Winnie knows she is desperately poor because there are rich and poor in her village and Winnie can compare lifestyles. As a child, Winnie

www.theparkschool.org.uk 47. Staff are interesting people too!

Johannesburg and soak up some winter sun. Favourite Book: Tales of Dunk and Egg: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by G.R.R Martin. Favourite Music: Angels by Robbie Williams as it is the song that reminds me of my time as a member of the University of Plymouth Football Club. Favourite Film: Lord of the Rings Return of the King, a truly amazing film which I first watched in 2003 and have watched many times since. It stills beats any film for quality to date.

Favourite Hero: Thierry Henry a French footballer who to date is the top goal scorer for Arsenal FC.

Famous people (alive or dead) I would like to meet: Staff • Alexander the Great, the greatest general in military history and by the age of 30 had conquered almost all of the known world. Profile: • Gordon Banks, the Goalkeeper for England in 1966 and maker of the greatest save in James Greenleaf football history against Pele. • J.R.R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings (History Teacher) which was based on his experience as a First World War veteran. I was born in Maidenhead, Berkshire and moved to Northam just outside Bideford just after the My best teacher and why: Millennium. I attended Appledore Primary School I had two fantastic history teachers who gave me and then Bideford College where I stayed on to do the confidence to pursue my interest in a subject my A-levels. which I really loved. They always gave extra to help me succeed. After my A-levels I was successful in my application to study History at Plymouth Your Biggest Regret: University. After a fantastic three years in I did not talk more to my Grandfather about his Plymouth, I was able to gain a place on a Masters experiences during the Cold War serving in Korea Degree reading History at Exeter University. before he passed away. Along the way I supported myself by working in a variety of part-time jobs including being a Your Proudest Achievement to Date: checkout operative and as a waiter in a local cafe. My journey through University in Plymouth which In this cafe I served a member of the Game of included helping to organise the football club, Thrones cast on two separate occasions (However having an unbeaten record in Varsity against I did not manage to pluck up the courage to talk Marjon. Also raising thousands of pounds for to them beyond taking their order.) Murphmania a charity for a former player who had past away with Cancer.

The most important thing I ever learned: Your life in 10 Questions: Never keep a problem or worry to yourself, Favourite Pastimes/Hobbies: because a problem shared is a problem halved. To I am sport mad and love to watch and play many always speak up and give time to listen to others forms of sport. I can frequently be found playing as they may need you. football on a Saturday for Braunton FC across North Devon. In the summer I am either playing cricket at Westward Ho! or watching England or Somerset across the country. I am even hoping to go to South Africa at Christmas this year to watch the Boxing Day test cricket match in

48. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Year 8 Oceans on the Edge Geography Field Trip As part of our Oceans on the Edge unit we took all of our Year 8 students to Croyde Bay in June, to investigate coastal erosion processes, shoreline biodiversity and sampled for microplastics. Students collected data that they are now using in lessons. Fieldwork skills are now a key component of the Geography GCSE exam so teaching students these skills in the lower years is really important. It's also fabulous to see all our students learning outside the classroom.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 49. Our World Of Maths UKMT Olympiad and Kangaroo Maths Challenges Some of our students who did really well in the UKMT Intermediate Maths challenge recently did the follow on rounds to this; the Kangaroo or Olympiad papers.

Some of our Year 9 students - Fin Carlyon, Harry Gammon and Jack Reynolds - completed the Grey Kangaroo paper and some of our Year 11 students - Alfie Sanger, Isaac Stanhope and Alex Winter - completed the Pink Kangaroo paper.

Fin Carlyon and Harry Gammon’s scores were high enough to achieve a merit, so especially well done to them.

Alex Cooper in Year 9 qualified to take the Olympiad paper, an even more difficult challenge, and scored a merit. Well done Alex. UKMT South West Regional Final Winners A big congratulations to four of our Year 8 and Year 9 students who recently won the South West regional final of the UKMT Maths Team Challenge; Jacob Phillips, Sethini Vanderbona, Fin Carlyon and Harry Gammon.

They visited Coombe Dean School in Plymouth on Thursday 7th March, where they competed against other teams in the South West on a variety of rounds, putting their teamwork and problem-solving skills to the test.

On Monday 17th June our four students travelled up to London to compete in the National Final of the Team Maths Challenge, which is run by the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT), and took place at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London.

Over 1700 schools entered the Semi Finals competition and the best 88 aspiring mathematicians from across the UK qualified to take part in the fiendishly testing grand finale. Our team did extremely well achieving a position of 54th overall. Well done to them all.

Year 9 Finance Week In February we held our annual “Finance Week” for Year 9 students in their Maths lessons. They studied a variety of topics such as budgeting, loans and interest, currency and methods of payment, tax and national insurance, payslips, mobile phone contracts and the cost of learning to drive and running a car. They also had a session with Edi Rogers and Francesca Benny from NatWest bank.

50. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Maths Feast On 8th March, four Year 10 students: Skye Pirie, Lotte Taylor, Tom Paviour-Coward and Ellie Cox went to The Met Office in Exeter where they took part in the Maths Feast. This is an exciting competition for students in Year 10 testing mathematical, communication and teamwork skills.

They competed against other schools from across the south west in various mathematical challenges, including some A-Level work.

They worked really well as a team, scored well in all rounds and represented Park School really well.

Maths New York Trip There are still places available on the New York trip for July 2020. Please contact Miss Vidler if you are interested. Year 11 Exams Well done to our Year 11 students who have now completed their GCSE Maths exams. A big thank you to Tesco for donating bananas for their revision breakfast sessions! Maths Puzzle of the Week Our weekly Maths Puzzle of the Week competition continues to run. Some of the winners this term have been: Henry Sherlock 11NA, Maddie Baxter 9ML, Finley Body 9CK, Fin Carlyon 9PR and Oliver Rawlinson 8NW.

The weekly maths puzzle is available from your tutor or maths teacher, or can be seen on the noticeboard outside room Maths 10. Submit your answer to Miss Knight in Maths 10 for a chance of winning the weekly prize.

Student Profile Will Pengelly (Year 8) What is your particular interest/achievement? I am particularly interested in running, including cross country, triathlon, which includes being a member of Taw Velo and Northam swimming squad and North Devon Athletics Club. But my particular achievement was to compete in the 2019 London Mini Marathon representing the South West Tell us more about it. I started running in year 4 and do approximately 6 hours of training a week for all of my activities.

What have been your biggest achievements to date? In the London Mini Marathon I was 21st out of 240. I have also been a member of the successful Exmoor Challenge team for the past 2 years. What are the “secrets” of your success? I train regularly and I have a positive mental attitude too.

What is the most important/best thing about Park School? We have good running sports teams and other opportunities to get active.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 51. Inspiring Science

Meitner Day On Tuesday 5th March we had a visit from the “Links to a Life” team, who delivered a day of activities based around the life of Lise Meitner. The quality of the activities was excellent, particularly the play, but also the group work and discussion activities. I was very impressed by how well the girls responded, showing great collaboration in group activities and confidence in the discussion. Thanks to the team for their hard work. We will be seeing them again next year.

Dan Rance said: “The content was quite cross-curricular and therefore allowed almost everyone there a chance to shine as their particular areas of strength were brought to the fore. The final hour-long discussion that concluded the day gave everyone an opportunity to express some quite personal feelings and, speaking as a pedagogue, allowed for a level of co-dependence and respectful thought that I was unaware could ever be elicited in a classroom.

Students said: “I think the drama performance was excellent because it allows the students to apply their knowledge into a story to map it in their head.” - Jasmine “It was good being in a group with other years as we learnt from each other. - Harriet “I really enjoyed the physics day, especially the card games, and I enjoyed that it was interactive and the play was really good.” - Molly

Ranger Russ Workshop On Thursday 14th February Ranger Russ wowed sixty or so of our Year 8s with his varied collection of invertebrates and snakes, including ''Clive'' the 12 foot long dwarf python. He was very well received although one or two of our smaller students looked distinctly nervous. We will probably see him again next year. How big will he be then?

52. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Biology Challenge In March all of our separate scientists competed in the Royal Society for Biology's annual Biology Challenge.

This involved two challenging exams, based on, not only what they had studied, but also their wider knowledge of Biology.

They did well, with eight students achieving the highest award (Gold), eight Silver and twelve Bronze, with most of the rest Highly Commended or Commended.

Our highest scorer was Skye Pirie. The other Gold Award winners were Rosie Elliot, Hallie Mitchell, Adam Marshall, Tom Paviour-Coward, Aaron Hall Rudford, Kimberley Jump and Louie Van Rossem Boyd.

All participants will receive a nice certificate, a year’s subscription to a biology magazine, and Gold Award winners will be entered into a ballot for a presentation in London.

Student Profile Charlie Tompkins (Year 9) What made you start cycling? I don’t really know what it was that made me start; all I remember was that someone told me about a BMX club doing a taster session. I went along when I was 8 or 9. I really enjoyed it and I then went on to join Taw Velo to start road cycling. That was where everything started.

What is your greatest achievement? Winning the South West Championships is my greatest achievement. The points I racked up last season also meant that I came 3rd in the South West Series.

How much of your time does cycling take up? I train roughly eight hours a week. On Mondays it’s Strength and Conditioning for about 45 minutes. Tuesdays is a hard structured session on the Wattbikes for about an hour at the Fitness Hub in Barnstaple. Wednesday is a rest day for me. Thursday I do swimming for an hour (for variation and endurance). Friday is a structured session on the turbo trainer at home which is around 45 minutes to an hour long. Saturday is either a two hour session at the velodrome in Wales or another turbo session and Sunday is a three hour ride with my team (Propello).

What are the secrets of your success? I wouldn’t really call them secrets, but just hard work, train hard and don’t give up. This year in the Tour de France an American rider Lawson Craddock crashed on the first stage (of 21) and fractured his shoulder. For many riders this would be their race over and they would be on the first flight home. Craddock is the perfect example of never giving up. He could barely walk, yet finished all 21 stages and raised nearly $200,000 for charity.

www.theparkschool.org.uk 53. I Went To Park School And Now I Am... Keanie Trick Disaster Response Charity Volunteer y last day at the Park Community School was May 2011. Unlike most of my year group I had decided college wasn’t for me Mand instead joined the British Army as an Aircraft Technician in September 2011. I served in the military for seven years where I worked on the army’s helicopters abroad and in the UK.

However, in 2016 I was unfortunately injured and spent two long hard years rehabilitating physically and mentally until in 2018, I was deemed too injured to resume military service. This was a very hard time for me to come to terms with the loss of my career and physical abilities, but I decided to change my attitude and remind myself I’m still able to lead a positive, wonderful and full life and I won’t allow anything to get in the way of that. During this time I was very fortunate to be supported by Help for Heroes (Who Raleigh house used to donate money to when I was at school- So thank you very much!), British Legion and Waterloo Uncovered - Where I took part in multiple archaeological projects that help veterans recover from physical and mental issues whilst digging up the battle of Waterloo to help confirm historical data on the Battle.

Last year due to my injuries I was fortunate enough to take part in a two part BBC documentary called ‘Without Limits’, the programme focussed on mine and four other injured veterans stories of recovery and resilience, as we took part in an arduous 1000 mile expedition across a remote area of Australia. This was all run with the help of HRH the Duke of Sussex to mark the 2018 Invictus Games. That programme really changed my life in many ways, mentally and physically and since then I have been solo travelling and working around Australia and New Zealand, taking part in many opportunities I never thought I’d physically be able to do again.

Since moving to Australia I have become a volunteer for an amazing charity called ‘Team Rubicon’. Team Rubicon is a disaster response charity that deploys teams around the globe to quickly respond to large-scale disasters and to provide relief to communities in need. This charity has provided me with the passion, purpose and ‘feel good’ factor I had lost when I left the military as Mahatma Gandhi once said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

I have two special memories from my time at school: Going to Belgium on the battlefields tour and finding my Great Uncle Samuel Tricks grave. He was one of the first boys to gain a scholarship into The Park Grammar School in 1910 and was accepted to Oxford before deciding he would give it all up to join the Great War. I heard last year that the school still visits his grave when doing the Battlefields tour and that really makes me proud to have started this tradition with the History Department.

My second favourite memory came from the celebration of the School Centenary. Due to the fact my Great Uncle was one of the first students and I was still at the school a hundred years later the Drama department wrote a play I was fortunate enough to act in, based on my family and the school! It was amazing to be able to tell the schools story and history alongside remembering Samuel Trick and all the other young men from The Park School who gave so much in both World Wars for our Country.

My motivation in life has been to never have any regrets. I’ve lived my life ensuring I didn’t hold back, gave everything a chance even if the thought terrified me and gave my full heart to everything. This has resulted in being able to travel the world, move to multiple cities, have opportunities in life, I never could have dreamt of and ultimately resulted in a positive fulfilled life.

My message to students would be - not everything in life will go exactly the way you have planned, but I promise you everything is happening the way it should at the correct moment for you and it will always work out fine. Just stay confident, positive, passionate, driven, live your life to the fullest and never lose who you are.

Due to my injuries I was told at 18 that I would be in a wheelchair by 40, this thought terrified me and I started to live my life in a reclusive way. The best thing I ever did was change my mindset and remind myself how great life is and how I should be living life to the fullest. This change in attitude truly changed my life and since then I’ve carried out activities I never thought I would do again such as - I hiked across Outback Australia, learnt to Surf, sky dived again and helped change people’s lives after natural disasters in Australia.

I just want to add that you should all believe in yourself, anything is possible! Don’t give into fear and give every opportunity a go!

54. Park News Spring/Summer 2019 Student Profile

What have been your biggest achievements to date? In January, I started competing in a league and I played six of their competitions altogether. I found out that I had come ninth out of thirty one people which meant that I got asked to come back and play in the final. In the final, I did not win any of my matches, but I won a medal for getting to the final, along with a voucher for being the top performing girl out of the whole league.

I have recently been playing in more of the league’s competitions and hope to reach the final again this season. What are the “secrets” of your success? Sometimes I have bad days where I can’t hit the Student Profile ball, or it keeps going in the net but I keep trying. We also do something called “off-stage” where we Phoebe Hughes (Year 7) go to the back of the court and think about what we have done wrong and what we need to do What is your particular interest/ better. This helps me lots. achievement? I love to play tennis as much as I can and love to My secret is to always listen to your coaches and compete in competitions. I also play the flute and don’t get frustrated with yourself when you do the piano. something wrong. Tell us more about it. I first started playing tennis in year 4 (when I was What is the most important/best thing about Park School? nine). After going to a schools tennis festival, I fell I love how Park School encourages everyone to try in love with it. I decided to start playing in a group new things but also use the skills that we already on Saturdays for one hour each week. After about have, so we can participate in team events. All a year, I decided that I wanted extra coaching, so the teachers are very supportive and friendly. The I began doing two hours on a Saturday instead of best thing about Park School for me is the trips one. Last year in August, I got moved from the and activities because there are so many different recreational strand, to the performance strand opportunities. which meant I moved up from playing two hours a week, to five and a half hours a week (including a session on Fridays at 7 am!)

Mrs Lesley Deegan, Catering Assistant Staff Update Mr Jacques Eon, MFL Teacher The following staff have started with us this term, Mrs Savella Gibbons, Catering Assistant we would like to welcome them to our school. Mrs Caroline Gilbert, Primary Maths, English Teacher Starters: Mr James Greenaway, PE/Maths Teacher Mrs Nicola Smith, HR Coordinator Mr Connor Hassan, Work experience Mr Adam Lewis, Science Teacher Mrs Eleanor Hasting, Science Teacher Miss Beth Nash, PE Coordinator Mr Mark Harris, English Teacher Mr Chris Cheung, Maths Teacher Mrs Kelly Hastings, English Teacher Mr Jacques Eon, MFL Teacher Mrs Tracy Isaac, HR Manager Mrs Emelia McNeill, Music Teacher Mrs Sandra Kitchen-Hurle, Teaching Assistant Mrs Lisa O’Connell, English Teacher Mr Liam Knight, English Teacher Mr Tom Popham, Maths Teacher Mr Adam Lewis, Science Teacher Mrs Elizabeth Johnson, Cleaner Mrs Caroline Maher, English Teacher Mrs Claire Seymour, Science Technician Mrs Emelia McNeill, Music Teacher Leavers: Ms Denise Middlemass, Linc Behaviour Support Miss Beth Nash, PE Coordinator The following staff have left or are leaving this Mrs Lisa O’Connell, English Teacher term, we would like to wish them good luck in the Mr Christopher Orland, Teaching Assistant future. Miss Christine Phillips, Cleaner Mr Jack Addy, Music Teacher Mr Tom Popham, Maths Teacher Miss Lisa Barton, Learning Mentor Miss Emily Roberts, History Teacher Mrs Natasha Aubrey, English Teacher Ms Nicola Scott, Design and Technology Teacher Mr Neil Ballantyne, English Teacher Mrs Faye Sluman, Assistant Headteacher Mrs Amy Berry, PE Teacher Mrs Michelle Stapley, Science Technician Mr Chris Cheung, Maths Teacher

www.theparkschool.org.uk 55. Don’t forget, before starting any online shopping, simply go to our school webpage www.theparkschool.org.uk, click the School Angel link and select your retailer.

By going through School Angel, the retailer will make a donation to the school when you make a purchase.

We thank you for supporting the school by using School Angel!

Together, so far we have raised funds of £1300.09

Charity Donations Spring/Summer Term 2019 Guide dogs – £4532.71 Non Uniform Day - £1220.89 for ND Hospice Non Uniform Day - £982.44 for Toilet Twinning

Drake Charity 9SP + 9CK held a sponsored ‘use only one arm day’ and raised £224.50 for MS Charities. 9SP also raised an extra £150.15 also for MS Charity.

Chichester Charity 9ML raised £42.97 split equally between RSPCA and Cancer Research. Harriet Adams in 10PS organised an Easter Raffle raising £77.22 for MIND.

Fortescue Charity 8RW raised £51.00 for North Devon Hospital Special Care Baby Unit. 7KH held a sponsored silence and raised £99.50 for Children’s Hospice South West and £99.50 for The Alzheimer’s Society.

Term Dates Summer Term Ends - Monday 22nd July OVERALL HOUSE ACTIVITIES’ at 12.50pm Non Pupil Days - Monday 2nd September SHIELD 2018-2019 and Tuesday 3rd September (School Final House Points office will be open) 1 FORTESCUE 160 Autumn Term Begins - Wednesday 4th September 2 KINGSLEY 147.5 Half Term - 21st October to 25th 3 CHICHESTER 143 October inclusive Autumn Term Ends - Friday 20th 4 DRAKE 113.5 December 5 RALEIGH 111