Greenpower Team Race Ahead in International Finals
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1 Newsletter: Issue 13 October 2018 Greenpower Team Race Ahead in International Finals Bideford College Racing Take Second Place in Final! On the 5th of October, Bideford College Racing Team travelled up to Rockingham Motor Speedway in Leicestershire to com- pete in the Greenpower F24 International Kit Car Final. Greenpower F24 is an electric formula car race for under 16 year old. The team set off at 4am in the morning to be there in time for scrutineering. This was the last Greenpower final at Rocking- ham Raceway, a track at which Bideford College Racing hold the lap record. With 51 cars on grid including teams from as far away as China, everything was set for the 11:30 start of the 90-minute race. Early in the race Adam managed to stay roughly half a lap behind the Bromsgrove School car called The Chicken, the race favourite. This was good because Bromsgrove School have a tendency to drain their batteries early and to make slow driver changes in the pit stops. For the first 30 minutes, Adam was consistently lapping around the same speed, staying ahead of another main rival, Megazord from Bristol Grammar School. At the first pit stop, the Bideford College car, JRB Special was in the lead, but only because the Chicken had made its first pit stop 3 laps earlier. Thanks to an amazing pit stop by the team, their second of the three mandatory drivers, Alex, re-joined ahead of The Chicken. Unfortunately, The Chicken had picked up some good momentum in the three laps after its pit stop, and soon overtook JRB Special. The Chicken made its second pit stop quite early. JRB Special ran in the lead for a little while before Alex pitted after a very good stint. Bideford College Racing made another fast pit stop to ensure that they were close to the Chicken so that new driver Rowan could attempt to overtake the luminous yellow and black car. There was only now about twenty-five minutes left of the race, and Rowan was doing everything he could, but the Chicken was still ahead. Then Bideford College racing noticed the Chicken losing its advantage over them. Hearts in their mouths, the Bideford College team watched as Rowan gained on Chicken, until he overtook for the lead! Ben Cook, Harry Cook, Harry Dean, Callum Deemer, Adam Williams, Zack Rucki, Alex Rucki, Rowan Young… missing on the day but in the team…. Harvey Cottle, Danny Cashmore and Tristan House.. www.facebook.com/bidefordcollege www.bidefordcollege.org 2 Year 7 Residential By Evie Thompson and Daisy Williams 7HA During the start of the autumn term, the new Bideford College Year 7 students went on their residen- tial to Dartmoor Training Centre. We did this to learn and develop the skills we would need at Bide- ford College and to get to know each other better, outside of the classroom. Some of these skills in- cluded; resilience, leadership, listening skills and the importance of time keeping and being organised. On the first day at Dartmoor there were 4 activities to complete in preparation for the long walk the next day. The activities we did were; navigation, orienteering, den building and learning how to make a Tyrolean crossing. The den building was to enable us to work on our team work and cooperation as a group. After a long, hardworking day, we returned to the centre, prepared the evening meal and using our map skills planned our route across the moor for the following day. Continued on the next page... www.facebook.com/bidefordcollege www.bidefordcollege.org 3 Year 7 Residential Early the next morning the determined Year 7’s had a filling breakfast and set off on their journey across the moor. Two groups took the minibus and started at Dartmeet and the others started at the centre, this meant each group were walking independently. We had to face the elements whilst we climbed over rough terrain. It took between 6 and 8 hours, but we all had fun and faced our fears, es- pecially at the river where the group had to build a Tyrolean crossing and support each other to cross the raging river. We also had to haul all the equipment there and back in very heavy rucksacks. We learnt a lot about Dartmoor from our experienced guides. After we finally returned to the centre, we showered and changed and started to work on our presentations for the next day. The next morning everyone was tired and aching from the previous day. We finished off our presenta- tions and prepared to speak in front of the whole house. We reflected on what we had learnt and the skills we would take back to Bideford College. Everyone did their best and felt proud of what they had accomplished and that they had faced their fears. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to The Dartmoor Training Centre but were happy to return to our own homes and beds! www.facebook.com/bidefordcollege www.bidefordcollege.org 4 Lyndsey Kane - Principal It has been a pleasure welcoming the new cohort of Year 7 students into Bideford College, and I already feel that I know many of them, due to taking part in the full day walk on four occasions and many Tyrolean crossings during this years’ extremely successful Year 7 Residential. We were blessed with beautiful weather for the majority of the visits, although I do remember one particularly wet, windy and foggy day – up on Dartmoor – which I think added even more to the fun of the event! The students were a pleasure to be with and it was nice to get to know them, in a different setting, from school. It has been another very busy term, with many activities taking place, which I know you will be able to read about in the Newsletter. What never ceases to amaze me at Bideford College is the dedication of the staff, in putting on extra-curricular activities, trips and the daily revision sessions for Year 11s after school – every week. The staff at Bideford College really do care, very deeply, that the young people who attend Bideford College are given every opportunity to experience something new and learn something interesting – both in and out of lessons. I know that there are plans for further activities and trips for the coming term – and this will add to the richness of life at Bideford College. For Year 11s in particular, this is an important half term break – where they need to be revising hard for their Mock Exams, which begin on Monday 5th November. All students and parents have been furnished with an Ex- am Timetable and the times and dates of revision sessions which are held daily after school and during lunch breaks. It is imperative that they use this break to prepare themselves for these exams, so that they can be suc- cessful. I know that Mrs Jewell is in regular contact with the parents of Year 11 students, regarding exams and how we can support them to be successful. However, if there are any questions you still have about how you can support your child towards exam success, please do not hesitate in contacting her if Year 10 or 11 – or any of the teachers at Bideford College – for additional support and guidance. The more that parents can support their chil- dren with their learning – the more successful they will become. I would like to thank all the parents who have ensured that their child attends school – on a daily basis and I very much look forward to this continuing. It is imperative that the students attend school, so that they are able to learn but also, so that they can take part in many of the clubs, competitions, trips and activities which are on offer daily at Bideford College. Finally, I would like to wish you all a restful half term and look forward to welcoming you all back on Tuesday 30th October. www.facebook.com/bidefordcollege www.bidefordcollege.org 5 Greenpower Team Castlecombe Greenpower Racing 16/09/18 The second race meeting we have attended of the Greenpower season was at Castlecombe, a fair three hours away from home. As many of our team are in Year 10 and will be leaving in the not too distant future, the Year 8s had their chance to shine in the race at Castlecombe, including myself. All the Year 8s,bar one, squeezed in practice laps to get a feel for the rela- tively quick track. After practice we had a 45 minute gap until the first race of theday. Alex Rucki started off the first race very well and made consistent progress throughout the whole of his first stint before we made our first pit stop of the day and handed driving duties over to Rowan Young. Rowan managed to complete his drive with- out crashing, despite one of the rear tyres going completely flat and requiring pumping up. As a result, we lost an estimated 3 minutes extra in the pit lane. Once we got the tyre pumped up again it was the turn of Tristan House to nurse the ailing battery to the end, quite literally stopping as the chequered flag dropped. At the end of the race we were third, with an aver- age speed of 22.1 mph. For the second race, I was in the car for the start and the rest of the first stint. I managed to just about keep the Megazord car (Bristol Grammar School) for the whole of the first stint, setting the fastest lap over both races for our car, a 4:13.6 (though this was down to me having the best of the battery) and handed over to Danny Cashmore, the only Year 10 to actually race in the whole of the event.