Darlington 11-19 Practitioner Newsletter Issue 23, February 2017 © Darlington 11-19 Partnership Welcome In This Issue… Alps Adventure - Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form Welcome to the latest 11-19 practitioner newsletter; College I'm proud to say that once again it showcases the Ready, Steady, Bake! - Carmel College amazing achievements of a whole host of young Durham 1:1 Tutoring - Haughton Academy people across Darlington. This is testament to the hard work of colleagues from a wide range of The Institution of Civil Engineers - Foundation for providers across the town and this work Jobs characterises the unique collaborative spirit that Smashing Success - Longfield Academy exists amongst stakeholders. High Praise - St Aidan’s C of E Academy This collaborative spirit is more important than ever Social App Winner - Darlington College as once again we once again face a period of Durham University Visit - Hurworth School curriculum and assessment change across the Synagogue Visit - Carmel College educational sector. I am confident that this spirit of collaboration will continue in 2017 and colleagues Ahead Partnership - Haughton Academy will continue to go the "extra mile" to provide a National Music Success - Queen Elizabeth Sixth wide range of opportunities to allow Darlington's Form College students to optimise their potential across a range of Spoonful of Knowledge - Teesside University activities. Bioplastic - Carmel College Congratulations to all the young people for their Mental Health - Darlington College achievements in 2016 and I look forward to seeing Triple Whammy - St Aidan’s C of E Academy these being built upon in 2017. Subsea week - Foundation for Jobs Application and Apprenticeship Days - Haughton Academy Parent’s and Carer’s Evening - Teesside University Bear-ing Gifts in Borneo - Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College You’re Hired! - Darlington College National STEM competition - Hurworth School Dean Judson Supporting Progression Conference - Teesside Head teacher, University Hurworth School Chair, 11—19 Partnership 1 Alps Adventure A Level Geology students at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, have enjoyed an exciting week long fieldtrip to the European Alps. The aim of the trip was to study the landscape and geological evolution of one of the world’s great glaciated fold mountain belts, but the students also participated in a number of thrilling adventure activities, including rock and ice climbing and trekking across a glacier at the summit of the Mont Blanc range. The Alps were created by the collision of the European and African continental plates between 35 and 5 million years ago and are the highest mountains in Western Europe. Such provinces are an integral part of the A level Geology course and students at QE have the opportunity to investigate these landscapes in person. During the trip students trekked 1,000 metres up a mountain to the famous icefall on Glacier d’Argentiere, France; travelled on a cable car to the 3,842m high summit of the Aiguille du Midi and explored the high mountainous terrain around Lac d’ Emosson in Switzerland. But the undoubted highlight of the excursion was trekking across the summit ice cap of Mont Blanc Massif. The staff and students travelled up to the ice cap on the Skyway cable car, which ascends 2,200m from the Courmayeur valley on the Italian side of the mountain. After kitting up with crampons and ice axes the students were led by a team of experienced mountaineers across crevassed glaciers to the summit of Petit Flambeau, from where they enjoyed stunning views of the mountains. Ed Anderson, trip leader and Head of Geology at QE said, “The trip not only provided a valuable learning opportunity to study mountains and glaciers at first hand but it was also great fun and created many lifelong memories”. 2 Ready, Steady, Bake! “It is wonderful to see our students leading fundraising efforts here and encouraging their peers to be merciful, especially during this Jubilee of Mercy”, said Maura Regan, Chief Executive Officer of Carmel Education Trust. Following the success of the Great British Bake Off, the Sixth Form Spiritual Depth group decided to use the concept to raise funds for last year’s Harvest Appeal for Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD). Staff baked their way through the technical round and whisked up spectacular showstoppers to impress our very own Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry – Mr Graham and Mrs Atherton. Miss Hardcastle and Mr Ladyman were crowned the King and Queen of Cakes and were awarded a special golden spoon for their efforts. Over £750 was raised through this event and students continue to bring in CAFOD Fast Day envelopes, and Year 7 will host their own afternoon tea to add to this figure. Students have also looked closer to home and have provided tinned foods for the local Food Bank. Durham 1:1 Tutoring Opportunity Year 11 Haughton Academy pupils have taken up the excellent opportunity for additional 1:1 tutoring at Durham University (Thornaby Campus) to enhance studies and revision. Pupils have been paired up with subject tutors to cover a range of subjects from Maths, English, Science and History. Pupils are attending weekly sessions in their own time, which will run until their exams in June 2017. Pupils have been introduced to the university environment as their sessions take place in the university auditorium and gives them a feeling of life in a Higher Education setting. Developments are in place to link with Northumbria university students to enhance and support Business Studies pupils. 3 The Institution of Civil Engineers Jack Cogan (red helmet) of Foundation for Jobs works with engineering teacher Gary Taylor and Haughton Academy (Education Village) pupils Owen Carter, Kyle Tomlinson, Matthew Costello, Tyler Turner and Lee Redshaw More than 7,000 young people in Darlington have now benefitted from Foundation for Jobs activities since the private and public sector partnership was launched five years ago. A busy end to 2016 saw more than 100 pupils from secondary schools across Darlington build a 14 metre long cable-stayed bridge, owned by The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East, from scratch and then carry out the ultimate test of walking across it. It is the fifth year in a row that ICE has joined forces with Foundation for Jobs and Darlington College, which hosts the activity, to give children and young people a hands-on example of civil engineering work. 2017 started with the official launch of Foundation for Jobs Apprenticeship Event with a breakfast in January attended by business leaders and school representatives, who were able to hear more about plans to bring Year 11 and Year 13 pupils from Darlington schools and colleges together with science, technology, engineering, construction and digital companies who are looking to recruit apprentices. The event itself will take place in September 2017 and be aimed at young people looking to start an apprenticeship from the summer of 2018. 4 Smashing Success! Smashing their way to success, Longfield Academy’s successful Table tennis players proved to be on the ball as they table tennis team, L-R, Dylan Gunton, Callum Finlay, Callum McRae and Thomas Rayner batted away the opposition in a hard-fought contest of speed and skill. Students from Longfield Academy of Sport competed in the Northern Zone championships winning through to the next stage of the prestigious English Schools Table Tennis Association event. They will next play in Grantham, in March, in what will be the semi finals of the national contest, cementing the school’s reputation for table tennis at the highest level. The Longfield Under 13s, Dylan Gunton, 12, Callum Finlay, Callum McRae and Thomas Rayner, all 13, grabbed the honours at the English School Team Event staged in Billingham. Also taking part were the U16 team, comprising Matthew Pearson, 13, Luca Pontone, 13, Nile Gott, 14 and Adam Cruddace, 15. The U13s had to battle the might of favourites, Saint Mary's School, of Hull, in the first round, who narrowly defeated Longfield 5-3. The second match, against Biddick School, Washington, saw Longfield dominate coming away with a 7-1 win. The match against St John Fisher School, Harrogate, resulted in another 7-1 win and the final round against St Bernard's, Cumbria, proved a rout with Longfield securing a convincing 8-0 win. PE teacher Trevor Tearney said, “Both the U13 and U16 teams represented the school fantastically well, exhibiting great resilience, sportsmanship and talent. They fought for every single point.” Team coach Chris Rayner added, “What was particularly pleasing was seeing the less experienced players glowing with confidence and really playing well and going for their shots.” Head teacher Susan Johnson added, “The table tennis teams have secured themselves enviable reputations in school and act as great role models for all of our students, showing what can be achieved at a national level with hard work, determination and the brilliant support of their parents.” 5 High Praise A Principal had high praise for students, staff and the community two years to the day after taking charge of the transformation of her school. A special appreciation worship was staged at St Aidan’s C of E Academy, to mark the milestone in its new era of learning. Principal Nicole Gibbon thanked organisations which had supported her since taking the helm, including Whitburn Church of England Academy, the Carmel Education Trust, Hurworth School, the Avec Partnership and Darlington Borough Council. “All these people have been by my side and I’m delighted they could join us today,” she said. “This is an amazing school with outstanding students and staff and we have come an incredible distance in just two years. We have completed the preparation training and are now ready to take to the track and fly out of the blocks as a true contender.” Secondary and primary school head teachers and a group of Teach First leaders joined around 700 students for the worship, which featured music, prayers, video and drama.