Our Winter Wonderland! New Community Build
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The official magazine for Park Community School: Issue 11 Autumn 2010 Autumn ParkMiddle Park Way, Havant, PO9 4BU Postwww.pcs.hants.sch.uk In this issue Our Winter Wonderland! New Community Build Plus Exam Results • Olympic Excitement • International School Award • Arts Update Change - exciting and Winter Welcome to issue 11! a little frightening Wonderland The last few months have started a process of The Performing Arts and Community Winter Wonderland got off to a flying change in education which is both exciting and a departments are celebrating the success start (in suitably icy weather) with little frightening. Under the new government there Another of the first Winter Wonderland Week at daytime activities, including junior are many exciting opportunities for schools. The Park Community School. This week was schools taking part in a wide range of challenge is to work out which of the possibilities of- great set the result of the activities such as fer the best way forward for our school. That means combined efforts ice skating, dance, which of the alternatives on offer will bring the best of the Performing singing and crafts of Exam teaching, learning and ultimately make for the best Arts Department, workshops, which education for our students. MADD Productions were led by students. Results Over the last two years I have been struck by how (Hampshire Ltd), the The Thursday of Winter strong a sense of identity there is in both Park Com- Park Community Wonderland was The school celebrated munity School and in Leigh Park. There is a very Team and PC a community day another outstanding strong desire to be the best and sieze opportuni- Ventures. with separate events year of success with ties. Choosing the right opportunities and ignoring designed especially Preparations for 94% of students “dead ends” means knowing what is best for us here for the under fives this exceptional achieving five or more in Leigh Park. I think that is best done by talking with and senior citizens. event began at the high grade passes and as many people as possible, those who work in this The culmination of beginning of the 43% gaining five or school, other schools and elsewhere in the commu- the week was the term with weekly more including English nity. Christmas Fayre on meetings to plan Friday afternoon. and Maths. Under the new government, as an outstanding infant schools for daytime activities and an evening and organise all Every department school, we can choose our future. We are well concert each night allowing many young people from aspects of Winter of the school was We are expecting even placed to ensure our outstanding school can do the area to show what they can do. We were making Wonderland; this represented at the greater results this year even more for our students and this community. Last school exciting and I want to find ways to do that more proved to be a Fayre, with the local as over half of our month’s Winter Wonderland was a great example of the time. fantastic opportunity community and junior Year 11 have already of what can happen when many enthusiastic and for students to learn schools also running achieved a grade C talented people come together. We had our ice rink how to put on an Fun for everyone on the Christmas-themed Winter Wonderland icerink! or better in their English up for a week, visits from many primary, junior and Christopher Anders, Headteacher event for the whole stalls. Year 7 students GCSE. community. were particularly . enterprising with their stalls – a on the Thursday, a concert to mark of MADD Productions are visitor to the fayre could purchase items the life and legacy of Sean Dickinson. now looking forward to ranging from calendars, homemade This was an all-singing, all-dancing planning further events, cakes, bookmarks to original pieces extravaganza, celebrating all the work such as “MADD at the Fort” of art. Also available was time on a that Sean had done for the school in April. Winter Wonderland bouncy castle and hot chocolate with and the local community. The concert has been a unique and marshmallow topping. The Fayre and ended with a fireworks display which real learning opportunity for week-long activities were a fantastic outshone many a Guy Fawkes’ night. our students. achievement. Winter Wonderland week was an Community Build Evenings at Winter Wonderland were a amazing experience and involved Our front cover photograph roaring success, with concerts held in the over 2000 students and young people shows students from junior You may have noticed building work has started on marquee every night. On Monday there from the local community and the schools enjoying the Winter our school site. This is for our new community building was a junior schools’ performance of Havant Federation of schools. Students Wonderland craft workshops which will open next September. The building will ‘Mean Old Man’ which was sold out and working with the MADD company have provide space for community groups, the NHS and enjoyed by all. Other concerts included summed up the week as being ‘fun, Artist’s impression of Community Build from adult and family learning. Middle Park Way a talent show, a secondary schools’ exciting, hard work, fantastic, a huge 01 concert, a professional concert and, success and just brilliant!’ The students 02 International School Award Our school, our news Army Cadets In September, Park lessons, student groups found out about a range of Greenpower Community School was global music through drumming workshops using have a day to pleased to be awarded instruments from all around the world. At the Greenpower Electric the International School remember Car final at Goodwood in Award by the British In Geography, as you would expect, students found October, Park’s team “Team Council. The award is out about many other countries, including the heroin Spirit” came 39th out of 75 trail in Afghanistan. In Values lessons, students met a Twelve members of the No 8 (Park included the helicopter flight, a visit to in recognition of all the Community) detachment of B the Museum of Army Flying at Middle starters on the grid. “Team Buddhist monk, who demonstrated the gentle art of work that goes on, in Company, Wallop, a tour of Spirit” completed 35 laps of Tai-Chi. Whilst Personal Development lessons covered and out of school, to Hampshire and 668 Squadron and the 2.4 mile circuit giving an many hard-hitting international issues, such as slavery, bring an international Isle of Wight Army an opportunity for overall total of 84 miles. This genocide and racism. perspective into the Cadet Force had the cadets to ‘fly on was an excellent result as the lives of Park students. “the flight of their their own’ using the Year 10 and 11 English students explored other team were expecting to be The award also recognises the links that Mrs Hutchin, lives” in November latest in technology around the 50th mark. All in all cultures as a basis for their study of poetry and when they took a where army pilots Head of Modern Foreign Languages, has established it was a very good end to the between students at Park and our French partner literature. Students from all year groups were involved trip to school in a are trained – the racing season for the team. school in Valogne, near Cherbourg. in cross-curricular days, such as PeaceOneDay where Lynx helicopter. helicopter simulator. war and the causes of war were considered. Through Over the past year students have experienced other Difference Day prejudice and the need for tolerance The ACF The cadets said nations through Food Technology lessons, where Year were discussed. In Communication and Culture detachment is it was a fantastic 8 students cooked food from different countries, and Day, Year 7 students were introduced to Chinese, based at Park day and Lieutenant in ICT, where students learned about other countries Japanese, Hindi, Russian, German and Spanish Community Spencer Drain, the through internet research. languages. School and commander of affiliated to the Army Air Corps (AAC). the ACF detachment, said he hoped nd In Art, students made African masks and explored the And, of course, many students have been able to The Commanding Officer of 2 that our cadets would be inspired to Mexican Dia de los Muertes (Day of the Dead) as a have first-hand international experiences through Regiment AAC had kindly invited the become pilots in the future. source of inspiration for their own painting. In Music school trips to France, Italy and America. cadets to an “experience day”, which Thanks to the team, staff, parents and Rotary Club members who have supported Team Spirit throughout the season. Governor Profile - Peter Woods I joined the Governing Body of Park educational attainment. In particular, I Community School as a Community would like to see as many local students Governor in 2009. Having spent my as possible stay on in education and entire working life in education (30 progress to college and university. To years of teaching mathematics in this end, I hope to work with my fellow my native North East and Hampshire, governors, the Senior Leadership Team In July we surprised Fred Deeks and Tessa Short, our and the final 6 years with the Learning and staff at the school to help maintain long-serving Chair and Vice-Chair of Governors, when and Skills Council), I wanted to use the and improve even further the excellent we arranged for them to receive their certificates for experience I have gained and some standards the school and its students Oustanding Service to Park Community School at our of the skills I have developed for the have achieved in recent years.