Barcelona!Barcelona! Return for a Former 1960’S Student
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The Magazine of Christleton High School Spring Term 2015 • An emotional Barcelona!Barcelona! return for a former 1960’s student • When our students met George Osbourne • A visit to the Royal Northern College of Music 2 Christleton High School Magazine Stop Press...Stop Press...Stop Press... Bank of America Merrill Lynch has worked with the school throughout the planning stage and is a key partner moving forward. Their support has enabled the Studio to plan to meet employment gaps, NEW STUDIO SCHOOL particularly in the banking and commerce sectors, both locally FOR CHESTER and nationally. We are delighted to be able to qualification – an internationally We believe that this is a fantastic announce that Christleton High recognised alternative to A opportunity for those students School has just received the levels. who could benefit from adding go ahead from the Department a significant work-related for Education to establish an The Studio working day, week and term will be longer and programme to their academic innovative new Studio School - studies. It is anticipated that this Christleton International Studio. will reflect a highly professional workplace. It will provide an will lead to internships and, in As a Studio School, it will offer a exciting alternative pathway some cases, to supported degree very different curriculum based for those students who will be places. By working closely with around project learning, and will better served by a project based local employers and utilising culminate in students achieving academic course. the International Baccalaureate the International Baccalaureate qualification, we believe we can enhance the life chances of the Studio students. As you know, we were inspected by Ofsted in November 2014 and were naturally very pleased to receive the ‘Outstanding’ Before You Post grade but we are all absolutely determined to continue to develop and improve the High School for the benefit of our current and future students. The addition of the Studio is key t? to that development. It will reflect the values of the High School, with the highest standards, and will create a culture of enjoyment in learning and challenge to excel. The Studio will welcome students of all abilities and backgrounds and will open its doors to students THINK in September 2016, reaching its full capacity of 320 students by 2018. T - is it TRUE ? H - is it HELPFUL ? A J Lamberton I - is it INSPIRING ? Headteacher N - is it NECESSARY ? K - is it KIND ? Mrs S Leake Chair of Governors Spring Term 2015 3 Welcome to Contents 4 Headteacher’s Report 19 Hot Scholars @ Daresbury 36 Grosvenor Gallery Art Show 6 Young Chef Competition 20 Pathway News 36 Wonderous Warhol 7 D of E Reaches New Heights 22 Travel and Tourism Work 37 Arty Hot Scholars Experience at Carden Park 7 Year 13 Biology Visit 38 Barcelona Visit 24 Mid Cheshire College 8 Young Chef Competition Pt. 2 40 Amazing Athletics Placements 9 Early Pancake Day 41 Gym and Dance Show 25 A Future Mechanic 9 Hot Scholars Need You! 42 Netball News 26 Airbus Apprentice 10 Fab Lab 44 Football News 27 Pathway to Coaching 10 Biology Olympiad 45 Girls Football 28 Pathway: Placements 11 Lollipops! Approach! 45 Ping Pong 12 World Book Day 29 Meet Our CCF 46 Basketball 13 Vocal Workshop 30 An Emotional Return 46 Anyone for Cricket? 14 Royal Marines Food Workshop 32 Royal Northern College of 47 Cross Country Champ Music 16 An Evening With 47 Indoor Athletics George Osbourne 33 Recording Studio Visit 47 International Netball 17 Students Visit Labour NHS 34 Art Tutorials 48 The Lion King Announcement 34 Flushing Away Poverty 18 Biology Field trip 35 Prize Winning Sketchbook The Swan is the official magazine of Christleton High School Village Road, Christleton, Chester CH3 7AD Tel: 01244 335 843 www.christletonhigh.co.uk 4 Christleton High School Magazine Headteacher’s Report of our development. Election success in sport. Details of time is frustrating in terms the sporting successes this of school leadership as it is year are featured later in the quite difficult to anticipate magazine. the future direction of government education policy. There are already significant changes which have been made to AS and A2, along with the GCSE changes brought in by Michael Gove which are still making their way through the system. The Spring is always a very overall effect of this is still busy time in any secondary taking us in the direction of school. Much of the exam linear courses with terminal and course work is coming to exams, and the return to a more traditional curriculum. a head, students are planning We finally have a Combined and thinking about the next Numbers at the school Cadet Force (CCF), led by stages of their careers, and remain very buoyant; we are Pilot Officers Mr Hollywood planning is underway for the currently at 1330 students and Mrs Stott. They are new timetable and budget. with numerous appeals supported by the Cadet I hope you have noticed running. You will notice one Administrator, School Staff no slackening of the pace aspect of the SSDP discusses Instructor Mr J Hudson, and of change and the drive extending our educational we are now up and running. to ever raise standards provision, but not on this site. I am delighted with this within lessons, and the I am currently investigating development as it allows school generally since our a number of options and students of all backgrounds inspection. reporting regularly to and abilities to work Governors on this matter. together, enjoy some great If there is any news of experiences, and learn new significance then I will write skills which will be of use to directly to you. them throughout their lives. Our children seem to In Music and Drama we get better and better at continue to grow. In sport. At the end of 2014 February, a large group of our we were named 12th musicians joined our partner best school in the country rural schools for a concert nationally (second state day at the Royal College of comprehensive), and we also Music in Manchester. The welcomed Mr Horrocks to music chosen for students to lead the Department with the perform was challenging, the challenge of generating even resulting concert outstanding. greater levels of participation Our next school musical and success. for lower school students, We have begun the Miss Lidgard has secured The Lion King, is now cast. implementation of the the Head of Department Record numbers auditioned, Strategic School Development post at Bishops’ High which is a testament to Plan (SSDP) which can be School in Chester. We are students’ self-esteem and found on our website, and delighted for her, wish her desire for challenge. Please which charts progress for the well, and thank her for remember to book your next 2-3 years and provides her significant contribution tickets early as our musicals direction for the next stage to the development and sell out quickly. Spring Term 2015 5 the exterior of our building been to add some £300,000 to a high standard, making which will broadly match it thermally efficient and the increased costs and a much better learning loss of other grants, but environment. leaving us solvent and in a strong position to continue We have been really been developing. disappointed by the defect which has been found in the If you have spare time and swimming pool, and which capacity, our volunteer was causing very significant network always welcomes leakages. You may have read new people and skills. My about this in the local press. thanks go to the many people The pool is likely to be out of who already volunteer, and to action for some time, initially Jean Charlton, the governor while liability is established, who leads them with such and then for the corrective enthusiasm and commitment. works. At the end of February, we were visited by 30 Headteachers and Senior We have been undergoing Leaders as part of the a major refurbishment to “Looking at Outstanding the back of school, which Schools Programme”. Their has been quite a difficult comments about the students project to manage. Timelines and the general operation of have slipped and as a result school made me very proud disruption to students has of the way your sons and increased significantly, with daughters come to learn and paths being closed and ugly the quality of teaching they plywood panelling introduced receive. to speed up the building work and ensure that it completes Although we know we still on time, which is a condition have much to do to get of its funding. better, please be assured that we believe we are on the This is regrettable, but I do right track and are impatient believe that when the new for greater success for all our work is completed in mid-late students. April, the same classrooms Whilst we are not responsible which are being disrupted for this, we recognise the I hope you have a happy and will benefit from much better inconvenience and loss of peaceful Easter, and are able acoustics, good insulation and opportunity it causes to our to spend time together, even a fit for purpose building. local community, and in if it’s helping with revision! particular the young people We are awaiting the outcome who are learning to swim or of a second bid to complete developing their swimming the re-fenestration around skills. the front of school (this is the silver cladding which we put Financially, we have had on as a temporary measure some adjustments made to as it was cheaper than re- future budgets as a result painting the building, which of the Government looking had become particularly at the funding formula and unsightly).