Edition 4: March 2016 ‘A message from Nathan and Beth’ My name is Nathan Smith and I will be the Head Boy of Highcliffe school for 2016-2017, alongside the newly appointed Head Girl Beth Allum. I am currently studying Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Music. After finishing Sixth Form here at Highcliffe I hope to go on to study at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where I will start my journey into becoming an officer in the British army. As Head Boy I look forward to starting up a Careers Festival together with the Head Girl and the extended Leader- ship Team in the Sixth Form. The Careers Festival will showcase a wide range of career pathways available to students post 16 and post 18. Beth and I also look forward to arranging the Freshers’ event for the new year 12s next year; many other sixth form events are in the pipeline already. My name is Beth and I have been a part of Highcliffe School since I joined as a Year 7 student in 2010. Since I've been here I have had so many experiences that have made me who I am today; including being a part of the school's production of We Will Rock You, the French and Spanish Exchanges, 2015 Prom and even the dreaded GCSE exams, just to name a few. Once I have finished my A Levels in Maths, Chemistry, Physics and French, I hope to go to university to study an engineering-based subject. As Head Girl, I hope to work with Nathan, Chloe and Sami (the amazing deputies) and the rest of the school to ensure that the last two years of our school career meet the high standards of the last 5 years and also make sure that the rest of the school have the secondary school experience that they deserve. Exams! As the exam programme approaches, all the staff at Highcliffe Nathan Smith Beth Allum School would like to wish students taking GCSEs, AS and A Head Boy Head Girl levels the very best of luck! Congratulations to all 11 applicants who were successfully accepted onto the AUB Arts Foundation Course following a day of interviewing. Their portfolios of work were exhibited in the Da Vinci building showcasing the exciting diversity of talent and skills that our Sixth Form Art students have developed. The exhibition was on display for a month culminating in a private view for teachers and parents who came to celebrate their successes! Challenge University News As the university offer and interview season draws to a close, our current figures for the Class of 2016 are impressive; 368 offers have been received, 31% of which are from Russell Group Universities including 2 offers from Oxford and 1 from Cambridge. We have also seen an increase in specialised courses and universities high- lighting our students’ diverse talents and ambitions. These include: Music Journalism at the Tech Music School in London (the school is part of the BIMM Institute with notable Alumni including Sandy Beales and Dan Richards, Luke Harris, Phil Simmonds and Ed Drewett); Bioveterinary Science at the Harper Adams University (a specialist in agricultural studies, veterinary nursing and equine management) and Primary Education at St Mary’s (a university with a well-established reputation for excellence in the areas of Education, Sport and Theology). Geographically, our students have traditionally opted for universities in the South and West of England and South Wales with this year showing similar trends. Most notable are Exeter at the top with 30 offers, Bournemouth (21 with 11 being Arts Foundation) Cardiff (19), Bath (19) and Southampton (18). However, 2016 is proving to be ground-breaking with many students setting their sights further afield, venturing to the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. There are 21 offers alone received from the Russell Group Universities of Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, York, Durham, Newcastle, Glasgow and Queen’s University Belfast. All in all, a truly diverse, aspirational and exciting outlook for the Class of 2016! We wish our Y13s the best of luck in their A levels and securing a place at the university of their choice. Aspirant Programme History Year 12 and 13 have embarked on research projects as part of their studies. Year 12 have investigated why the US was unable to win in Vietnam. Year 13 focused on the end of the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe and whether it was driven by the people or the Governments themselves. They then went on to present their findings to the class. Sam Baker and Jake Eastwood have been chosen to train as Holocaust Ambassadors by the Holocaust Educational Trust. As part of their training they have had the opportunity to travel to Poland and visit Auschwitz concentration camp. Geography At the start of the academic year, Year 12 Geographers went to Beaulieu River to explore how it changes from source to mouth. Rather than doing this on foot, a more unusual mode of transport was adopted as students canoed. They got to know each other as well as noting the important geographical features of a river system. This was soon followed by a more conventional type of fieldwork where students completed a transect of Dockens Water. Recently we have been fortunate enough to complete a series lectures with Southampton University focusing on the topic of Health. Students received expert guidance on current health issues around the world including Zika, Ebola and Malaria. This provided the students with extended knowledge beyond what they would ordinarily experience at AS and a glimpse of Geography at university. Religion, Philosophy and Ethics As part of our Philosophy and Ethics courses we regularly attend academic conferences with students from around the country. The speakers are some of the most well known in their fields and provide new perspectives on a range of different topics. In the past, we have enjoyed lectures on a wide range of Y12s attend Oxbridge Conference subjects from the origins of the universe to genetic engineering; from sexual ethics to Utilitarianism. Animated debates always form part of the day. Other Programmes in our next edition... On 22nd March 2016, ten Year 12 students attended the Oxbridge Conference at Epsom Downs racecourse. It was an excellent opportunity for the students to listen to expert advice on how to make a competitive application and attend talks throughout the day on a variety of subjects and student life. Students came away armed with lots of literature to read and food for thought. Today provided a brilliant insight into the nature of specific courses at “ “ these universities, as well as to applying to Oxford and Cambridge. Inspire News Bites Languages Y12 Design and Technology Competition Dance Performance Excellence! Highcliffe Success in European Yr 12 D&T students participated in The Rock Challenge performing Union Translation Competition the annual Rotarian, Design and arts competition tours nationally, Congratulations to Ella Scriven in Technology competition. They were providing an opportunity for Year 13 and Dana Stoffner- challenged to design a bridge that schools to showcase an eight Kerschbaumer in Year 12 who have could take a 1Kg weight as well as minute original performance. been selected for a Special Mention open up to accommodate a boat BTEC Dance students performed Award in the European Union Ju- travelling underneath, in the style of whilst other Sixth Form students venes Translatores Competition. This Tower Bridge. The students devel- supported the success of the per- is the third year Highcliffe has been oped a design portfolio that evi- formance by undertaking back- selected to take part in the European denced their progress and construct- stage roles including hair & make- wide competition (only 70 schools in ed a functioning outcome with very up, costume, scenery and stage the UK are able to take part), but the limited materials. They finished in crew. All areas of the performance first time that any of our students 2nd place overall but have already were judged with Awards of Excel- have been selected for this award. been invited to attend the manufac- lence given to those with a mini- turing base of Marden Edwards who mum score of eight marks out of sponsored and helped to judge the ten; Highcliffe School excelled this Year12 Robotics Day event. year by achieving seven awards in the following catego- Many year 12 students A level History conference ries: Set Design & who are currently stud- Function, Visual En- ying STEM subjects A Level History students travelled to hancement, Lighting, (Science, Technology, London to attend an invaluable Costuming Character, Engineering and Maths) student conference that was Stage Use, Choreogra- were invited to a Robot- specific to their course, phy and Entertainment. ics Workshop hosted by ‘Superpower relations and the Cold Student Ambassadors War 1944-90’. The conference was A level music solo performances from Bournemouth Uni- organised by Keynote Educational versity. In the morning they were given and was delivered by 3 esteemed Congratulations to all year 12 and a robot that had been constructed out speakers: Mark Gosling (author for 13 music students who recently of Lego, a programmable remote core Edexcel History textbooks and completed their solo performance control, and a laptop, and were told examiner for Edexcel), Martin evenings this term. Students they had to customise their little robot McCauley (former senior lecturer at worked over several months to pre- and then program it to play a game of UCL and author of key Cold War pare for a performance in front of family and friends, creating a won- Ping Pong. books) and Piers Ludlow (Associate derful evening of entertainment.