It Has Been a Short but Incredibly Busy Term at the High School

It has been a short but incredibly busy term at the High School. Christmas now seems a distant memory and the emerging bulbs are a good sign that spring is well and I should also like to take this opportunity to inform you truly on the way. Despite the shortness of the term we that Mrs Bamford (Deputy Head) will be rering at the have fied an awful lot in. end of the academic year 2014/2105. Mrs Bamford has Year 11 coped very well with their mocks during the first served the School for over twenty years and whilst she two weeks and conduct and effort were both excellent. has always been open about her intenon to rere, the Their results were also very pleasing and the girls have news is a sad moment for the students, staff and School benefied from the guidance and advice given by their community. I am sure that you will join with me in teachers in the follow up evaluaons. It was a pleasure thanking Mrs Bamford for her commied and dedicated on Monday, not just for me but for all of the staff service to the School and that there will be many involved, to speak to each of the Year 11 students opportunies over the coming months to wish her well in individually and review their progress and set targets for her new adventures. the next few weeks. The students were noceably aware Interview arrangements are in place and will be held on of the challenges of the next few months but clearly had the 4th and 5th March. We are hoping to aract a suitably plans in place for how to secure their best results. experienced field of applicants and I hope very much to Congratulaons ladies and good luck with preparaon be wring to you again soon aer the interviews to and revision over the next few weeks. “introduce” our new Deputy Head. Students, staff and It is now the turn of Year 12 and Year 13 and this week governors will be fully involved in the selecon process. they too have been sing their mock AS and A2 papers. Mr Kockelbergh (DT and Business) will also be leaving the As students that have already sat a significant round of High School on Friday 27th February to become a Caravan examinaons only a few months ago, they will have Club Camp Site Warden with his wife. Mr Kockelbergh experience on their side but I am sure that they too will joined the High School 6 years ago and has been an find the mock process useful in idenfying the strengths important member of staff in Product Design and and weaknesses in their knowledge and understanding. Business Studies. His keen sense of humour and no‐ Again, good luck to all of our sixth form in their nonsense approach has been valued by students and preparaons for their “real” exams over the next few colleagues across the School and he will be much missed. weeks. Mr Kockelbergh has also been a leading light within the We have had a number of sporng successes over recent Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme at the High School and weeks including notable performances in hockey, has given up lunchmes, aer schools and weekends to swimming, football, and basketball and cross country. support our students through their DOE awards. We wish Congratulaons to all of the teams and individuals both Mr and Mrs Kockelbergh the best of luck in their involved and it was a privilege to be able to award some new business. The posion will be filled in the short term of the silverware and medals in recent assemblies. The and we are about to adverse for a new DT teacher for full team reports are included in this newsleer and so September 2015. please take the me to read them carefully. I felt it important to write to you to inform you of these We had a fantasc inaugural Fringe Friday last week important maers and know that you will be keen to pass which was enjoyed by students and staff across the lunch on your thanks and best wishes to rering and leaving me period. There were opportunies for fringe making, staff too. drawings, painngs and rainmakers in addion to Snow Closure and Bus Delays watching the buskers, melodramas and films shorts. There were master classes and paint splash darts; roving Hopefully the flurries of snow in early February will be all dance troupes (thank you to the staff who performed that that we see this winter and spring. However, if snow one!) and ranters’ corner; a truly rich and varied does threaten bus services or the safety of the school site showcase of talents from the whole school. Thank you to then we would like to remind parents to check the school Mrs Kelleher, Mrs Fisk, Mrs Loose and Miss Pascoe, not website for the most up to date informaon. Cropley only for working towards achieving our Arts Mark Gold Coaches also have a Facebook account which will provide, but also for turning the acon plan into such an enjoyable amongst other things, informaon on the school bus experience. services into Spalding on snow days. They can be found at hps://www.facebook.com/cropleycoach.co.uk?fref=ts Spalding High School exam success Spalding High School is delighted to see their posion in Many Y13 English Literature students aended the third this year’s government performance tables. At both GCSE Transion Lecture: The Gothic Tradion. These lectures and A level, we are the most successful school in South are aimed at stretching our Sixth Form Literature students Holland and also 3rd in the county amongst grammar and exposing them to quite complex literary theory. Next schools. This is a similar performance to that sustained term’s lecture is entled Narrave: How Do We Tell over many years. 96% of all students aained 5A*‐C Stories? GCSE’s including English and maths, and at A‐level, the average points score per A‐level entry was 232.8, Maths Cipher Challenge Results equivalent to a grade B. These results are as a result of This year saw our first set of entries to the Cipher excellent specialist teaching, great commitment from the Challenge, which is an annual naonal code‐breaking students, and the outstanding environment for learning compleon, organised by Southampton University. which Spalding High School provides. The challenge this year consisted of a complex plot where The performance tables show very important informaon the teams needed to tackle an internaonal gang of cyber relang to the students’ academic success: these terrorists, with the story unfolding in a series of short excellent results allow the students to make the next step encrypted messages for the parcipants to crack. They to 16‐19 educaon, or into the university courses or needed to work as a team and decipher the documents employment opportunies of their choice. The and break up the hacker collecve. Each week a new pair achievement of our students is much more than these of documents appeared for the teams to work on, each numbers can represent – fantasc sporng success at week becoming increasingly more difficult. individual and team levels; opportunies and outcomes in art, music, dance and drama resulng in an Arts Mark From the 485 teams that parcipated and were ranked, Gold award; leadership and confidence building acvies our school teams did rather well! which equip our young people for their current and future  223rd place “The Mathia” Comprising of Hannah lives. Darley, Emily Coleman, Paulina Olszewska, All of our successes are built upon the partnership of Amy Tall, Lewis Bywater, Kae McGloughlin, students, staff, parents and governors working together Emily Judd‐Cooper. (Year 12) to achieve the highest standard of educaon possible.  203rd place Abigail Spicer, Sarah Johnson, Record Numbers! Harry Lilley, Sophie Peppercorn, Michelle Jiang and Mary Miniguano. (Year 13) 220 students have applied to join our sixth form in 2015  136th place; Niamh Mulley, Chloe Spinks and which represents one of our largest potenal intakes in Mafalda Rosario (Year 8) recent years. Our success is undoubtedly due to the high  126th place; Lily Dobbs, Bob Pra, Joe Neale, quality teaching and learning at the School which leads to Georgie Ground, Mercedes Baxter‐Chinery and outstanding results and very posive future outcomes for Jade Smith. (Year 13) students. Last year, 84% of our Year 13 students applied A special menon to the last two teams as they managed to university and a staggering 85% aained a place at to complete and astounding 15 out of the 16 challenges! their first choice university. Other students in the year Congratulaons and well done to everyone that took part, group went on to college courses, apprenceships, work hopefully next year will be equally as successful. placements or decided to take a gap year. So far this year, students have received some excing university Senior Maths Challenge Results offers, with the majority of students gaining an offer from The Senior Challenge, organised by Leeds University to all five of their chosen desnaons! promote mathemacs, took place on 6th November 2014, English with all sixty‐seven A level mathemacs students taking part. The ChrsƟna James short story compeon opened this term. This short story compeon for Sixth Form students See below for a sample queson from the 2014 paper. at Spalding High School is sponsored by The Great Brish Karen has three mes the number of cherries that Lionel Bookshop and crime writer ‘Chrisna James’ (Linda has, and twice the number of cherries that Michael has. Benne, a former student at the School). The ten best Michael has seven more cherries than Lionel. How many entries will be published in a book of short stories which cherries do Karen, Lionel and Michael have altogether? will be printed and placed for sale in The Great Brish Bookshop’s extensive distribuon channels. Successful A 12 B 42 C 60 D 77 E 84 entrants will each receive a copy of the book free of charge. In total 28 pupils received a cerficate for their results, which is very impressive. A special menon goes to Georgia Brooks, for achieving a Gold cerficate, Best in School and Best in Year 13 as well Although I did not achieve a place Mrs Syer said that my as Lewis Bywater for achieving a Silver cerficate food tasted wonderful and was all perfectly cooked. It alongside Best in Year 12. was a stressful but challenging morning and I am glad it was my dad who had to drive home in the snow. Science Lorian Partridge 10C Sciensts and technologists from years 7 and 8 have been collaborang to come up with new ideas for products, U12 Indoor Hockey technologies and services that use satellite informaon to On the 21st January the have a posive impact on the issues that maer to them. High School U12 indoor From their inial ideas the three teams entered the Nesta hockey team became Longitude Explorer Compeon. This week the students district champions. The girls were delighted to find out that their entries had all been played local rivals Bourne selected to progress to the semi‐final stage of the Grammar, Bourne Academy compeon. They will now join the other seven teams and The Deepings School at from this region and winning teams from around the the event and finished the country at the Big Bang Fair in March. They will have the compeon unbeaten. opportunity to develop their ideas from concept to reality through a variety of workshops, working alongside Pictured is the team: ambassadors from companies such as Satellite Connie Gins, Applicaons Catapult and the UK Space Agency. Emmie Gins, Cerys Upson, Annie Vayro, The High Quarterly Cally Priestley and Yasmin The latest issue of the School’s online newspaper was Pritchard launched on 12th January and can be accessed via the HQ icon on the Spalding High School website. This current District Swimming Gala issue again includes a variety of arcles: some hard‐hing On the 27th January the Y7 & Y8/9 swimming teams (see Mrs Barat’s piece on recent events in Paris); some competed in the district swimming gala at The Deepings entertaining (see governor Anita Toal’s arcle on the School. The gala included individual races in freestyle, angst of UCAS applicaons – for both students and buerfly, breaststroke and backstroke, as well as both parents…!); some incisive (interviews with business freestyle and medley relay races. In a very compeve leaders) and many more, thanks to contribuons from all event the High School Y7 team finished a respectable 4th year groups and the wider School community. The and the High School Y8/9 team finished 3rd overall. current team of editors, who have taken The HQ forward so competently and with such style, will now step down to concentrate on the examinaons and their wider futures; they will be greatly missed. Special thanks to the editor‐in‐chief ‐ Eleanor Toal – whose commitment has driven this project forward for the last three years and whose idea it was to include several archived arcles in this edion, as a thank you to journalists past: do dip in and enjoy! Rotary Young Chefs compeon – regional heat Aer coming first in the Lincolnshire local heats I was invited to the next round held at Hinchingbrooke School in Hunngdon. For this compeon we had to design Pictured is the team: Natasha Oliver, Gemma Hall, Megan and cook a three course meal over 2 Kierman, Grace Hodge, Karina Kalinkina, Estelle Smakaj, hours. Overall it was a great experience Ellie Jupp, Chloe Pearson, Molly Thomas, Hannah Lane, and I found it parcularly challenging Ellie Blackbourn, Diana Chareviciute. cooking in a new kitchen, especially as I burnt my first batch of meringues!! Football

The U13 & U16 girls outdoor football teams both reached the semi‐finals of the Lincolnshire Schools Football Cup. Over the next few weeks we may have, hopefully, two teams in the final! Pictured in the photo: The U12 indoor football team were crowned district Macy Carr, champions in December and now go onto the Regional Hermione Baxter‐Chinery, English Schools Football Associaon finals in Derby and Emma Gent, Sam Davis and the County tournament in March. Chloe Pearson. On the 10th February the High School U13 outdoor football team played Queen Elizabeth High School,

Gainsborough in the semi‐final of the Lincolnshire Schools Cup football compeon. The game was extremely close as both teams were evenly matched but it Cross Country Championships was Spalding High School who took the lead in the first half with a solid strike from Macy Carr that the opposion On the 17th January the following girls idenfied below goalkeeper could only parry into her own goal. In the represented Spalding High School and South Lincolnshire second half the QEHS girls fought back and levelled the in the annual County Cross Country Championships at scores at 1‐1 and they also had the ball in the back of the Sleaford. In challenging condions the girls did net only for it to be disallowed for offside. However, it tremendously well with them all finishing in the top 50 was Emmie Gins wonder strike halfway through the within their respecve age groups. However, exceponal second half that eventually sealed victory for our girls 2‐1. performances from Cally Priestley (3rd place in U13 The team now go onto the finals that will be played at event), Molly Peel (5th place in U13 event) and Rosie Lincoln College in March. Fresen (13th in U17 event) ensured that several High School girls would represent Lincolnshire at the Regional Cross Country Finals in Ipswich on 7th February. Cally & Molly finished 7th & 8th at the Regional Finals on Saturday. Y7 = Molly Peel, Cally Priestley, Lucy Molyneux, Y8 = Elly Simpson & Ffion Lewis, Y10 = Rosie Fresen County basketball runners up On the 28th January the High School U14 basketball team In the picture: (back row le to right) Caitlyn Westwood, finished runners up in the County basketball finals. The Freya Davis, Emmie Gins, Connie Gins, Chloe Pearson, girls qualified for the County finals aer being crowned Sam Davis, Macy Carr, district basketball champions two weeks ago. The final (front row le to right) Freya Peters, Annie Vayro, was a nail‐bing occasion with Emma Agar, Cally Priestley, Rebecca Clay, Cerys Upson both teams level on score aer normal me but the High School th On the 11 February the U14 indoor football team were girls were narrowly beaten in crowned district champions at the annual 5‐a‐side indoor added me by one basket (4‐2). football tournament. Hosted by Thomas Middleco School, this year the compeon had a record number of Pictured is the team: entries with 10 local school teams from across the area. Olivia Thompson, Amy Carter, The girls reached the finals with an unbeaten record in Charloe Maplethorpe, Macy Carr, the league stage of the compeon beang local Annie Vayro, Cally Priestley, school such as The Giles, Bourne Academy, The Deepings Hermione Baxter‐Chinery. and Haven High. In the final of the event the High School faced arch rivals The Sir John Gleed School and were The U16 girls basketball team are unbeaten so far and victorious with a 3‐1 win. The team will now go onto look like they will be crowned district champions as the represent the High School and South Lincolnshire in the league draws to a close. County indoor football final on the 5th March. Safer Internet Use As this is the week of Safer Internet Day, I enclose a helpsheet for parents and carers with informaon about Y11 Prom supporng young people online. This is from the excellent ‘Childnet Internaonal’ website, which has many other I know that many Y11 students and parents have been useful resources for parents and young people. I hope it keen to know exactly when and where the ‘event of the proves to be informave and a ‘conversaon starter’ on year’ would take place. It has been confirmed that the the important topic of using the internet safely and Y11 Prom will be held at Springfields on Friday July 10th. responsibly. U6/L6 Mock Examinaons Fringe Friday The A2 and AS Mock examinaons were held this week 'Fringe Friday' was a fun filled arts extravaganza, with from 9th February. The students’ examinaon drama and dance performances, buskers, opportunies to performance will show areas of strength, and also areas parcipate in dance, cra, art, instrument which require greater development. I hope that all making, photography and iMovie workshops. Students students will be able to have a well‐earned rest during also had the opportunity to watch films, animaons and half‐term, but that they don’t completely forget that the choir rehearsals, devise musical pieces, have a caricature public exams begin on Monday May 11th for AS students of themselves make a 'fringe' and throw darts at paint (and GCSE students in Y11) which is only 9 school weeks filled balloons creang a colourful masterpiece! away. A2 students have 11 school weeks le. This was a truly inclusive event which captured the We send best wishes to all students and staff on the ski enthusiasm of the whole school. Fringe Fridays will trip leaving on Friday, and also on the art trip to New York connue to be a termly whole school celebraon of the leaving on Sunday. We look forward to their reports in the diversity and experiences of the arts within SHS. next newsleer! Drama With best wishes Spalding High School pupils perform at the South Holland Yours sincerely Centre! Pupils from year 9 & 10 will be performing at the South Holland Centre on Wednesday 25th February. The performance is part of the Physical Fellowship, which is the UK’s only physical theatre fesval exclusively for M K Anderson young people. Headmistress The performance is a devised piece exploring ‘Broken ………………………………………………………………………………………… Britain’ from a young person’s perspecve and was ……………………………………………………………………………………… created with two vising praconers from Highly Sprung Performance Company in just four hours. The standard Diary Dates: they have achieved is remarkable within such a short rehearsal me, and it would be wonderful for them to rd have a few familiar faces in the audience to support them. Monday 23 February – Term begins You won’t regret it! Tuesday 3rd March – Year 11 GCSE Orals begin Thursday 5th March Year 10 Parents’ Meeng Friday 6th March ‐ PTA Disco Year 7, 8 & 9 7.30pm Monday 16th March – Year 10 Work Experience begins Wednesday 18th March – Year 8 Parents’ Meeng Monday 23rd March – Music trip to Germany departs Wednesday 25th March – Year11‐13 French exchange departs End of term – 12.35 Friday 27th March

The evening begins at 7:30pm and will include a professional performance of ‘Fall Out’, and a contribuon from Stamford school.

The internet – an inspiring and positive place

The internet is an amazing resource which enables children and young people to connect, communicate and be creative in a number of different ways, on a range of devices. However, the internet is always changing, and being able to keep up to date with your children’s use of technology can be a challenge. You may sometimes feel that your children have better technical skills than you do, however children and young people still need advice and protection when it comes to managing their lives online.

Issues that your child may encounter on the internet will vary depending on their age and online activities. We have grouped potential online risks into these 4 categories.

Conduct: Children need to be aware of the impact that their online activity can have on both themselves and other people, and the digital footprint that they create on the internet. It’s easy to feel anonymous online and it’s important that children are aware of who is able to view, and potentially share, the information that they may have posted. When using the internet, it’s important to keep personal information safe and not share it with strangers. Discuss with your child the importance of reporting inappropriate conversations, messages, images and behaviours and how this can be done.

Content: Some online content is not suitable for children and may be hurtful or harmful. This is true for content accessed and viewed via social networks, online games, blogs and websites. It’s important for children to consider the reliability of online material and be aware that it might not be true or written with a bias. Children may need your help as they begin to assess content in this way. There can be legal consequences for using or downloading copyrighted content, without seeking the author’s permission.

Contact: It is important for children to realise that new friends made online may not be who they say they are and that once a friend is added to an online account, you may be sharing your personal information with them. Regularly reviewing friends lists and removing unwanted contacts is a useful step. Privacy settings online may also allow you to customise the information that each friend is able to access. If you have concerns that your child is, or has been, the subject of inappropriate sexual contact or approach by another person, it’s vital that you report it to the police via the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (www.ceop.police.uk). If your child is the victim of cyberbullying, this can also be reported online and ofﬂine. Reinforce with your child the importance of telling a trusted adult straight away if someone is bullying them or making them feel uncomfortable, or if one of their friends is being bullied online.

Commercialism: Young people’s privacy and enjoyment online can sometimes be affected by advertising and marketing schemes, which can also mean inadvertently spending money online, for example within applications. Encourage your children to keep their personal information private, learn how to block both pop ups and spam emails, turn off in-app purchasing on devices where possible, and use a family email address when filling in online forms.

There are real advantages in maintaining an open dialogue with your child about their internet use. Not sure where to begin? These conversation starter suggestions can help.

1 Ask your 2 Ask them 3 Ask them if 4 Encourage 5 Think about children to about how they know them to how you tell you about they stay safe where to go for help someone! each use the the websites and online. What tips help, where to Perhaps they can internet. What apps they like do they have for find the safety show you how more could you to use and what you, and where advice, privacy to do something do to use the they enjoy did they learn settings and how better online or internet together? doing online. them? What is to report or block they might have a Are there activities OK and not OK on the services friend who would that you could to share? they use. benefit from their enjoy as a family? help and support. What can I do right now?

Maintain an open dialogue with your child and encourage them to talk to you about their internet use: for example who they’re talking to, services they’re using, and any issues they may be experiencing.

Create a family agreement to establish your children’s boundaries, and your expectations, when on the internet.

Give your child strategies to deal with any online content that they are not comfortable with – such as turning off the screen, telling an adult they trust and using online reporting facilities.

Consider using filtering software to block unwanted content. In addition to filtering, remember that discussion with your child, and involvement in their internet use, are both effective ways to educate them about the internet.

Encourage your children to ‘think before you post.’ Online actions can impact not only yourself but the lives of others. Content posted privately online can be publicly shared by others, and may remain online forever.

Understand the law. Some online behaviour may break the law, for example when downloading or sharing content with others. Be able to recommend legal services.

Familiarise yourself with the privacy settings and reporting features available on popular sites and services.

If your child is being bullied online, save all available evidence and know where to report the incident, for example to the school, service provider, or the police if the law has been broken.

Familiarise yourself with the age ratings for games and apps which can help to indicate the level and suitability of the content. Also see if online reviews are available from other parents as these may be helpful.

Set up a family email address that your children can use when signing up to new games and websites online.

Encourage your children to use nicknames (where possible) instead of their full name online, to protect their personal information, and create strong passwords for every account.

Set up a PIN or password on devices to help protect personal information.

Help make sure that your children know how to stay safe online, by using our SMART Rules for primary aged children, or 5 Tips for Teens.

5 SMART Rules for primary aged children: 5 Tips for Teens:

Safe: Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal Protect your online reputation: use the tools provided S information when you’re chatting or posting online. 1 by online services to manage your digital footprints and Personal information includes your email address, phone ‘think before you post.’ Content posted online can last forever number and password. and could be shared publicly by anyone.

Meet: Meeting someone you have only been in touch Know where to find help: understand how to report to M with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your 2 service providers and use blocking and deleting tools. If parents’ or carers’ permission and even then only when they something happens that upsets you online, it’s never too late to can be present. Remember online friends are still strangers tell someone. even if you have been talking to them for a long time.

Don’t give in to pressure: if you lose your inhibitions Accepting emails, messages, or opening 3 A Accepting: you’ve lost control; once you’ve pressed send you can’t ﬁles, images or texts from people you don’t know or take it back. trust can lead to problems – they may contain viruses or nasty messages! 4 Respect the law: use reliable services and know how to legally access the music, ﬁlm and TV you want. Reliable: Someone online might lie about who they are R and information on the internet may not be true. Always Acknowledge your sources: use trustworthy content check information by looking at other websites, in books, or 5 and remember to give credit when using other people’s with someone who knows. If you like chatting online it’s best to work/ideas. only chat to your real world friends and family.

Tell: Tell a parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone, or T something, makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online.