SOUTHSEA Promote Their Love of Games and Inspire Students to Get Whole School Assembly Involved
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Priory Post ENJOY | RESPECT | ACHIEVE SUMMER TERM ISSUE | 2018 PRIORY SCHOOL’S Priory School’s inaugural Comic IMPORTANT DATES Con event on Saturday 16 June AUTUMN TERM has been hailed a resounding Monday 3 September success which we now hope to Year 7 only in school continue as part of our annual Tuesday 4 September calendar of events. All year groups return to school With so much to take part in, games to play, crafts Thursday 13 September to make and buy, comics to peruse and purchase, the Year 11 Parents’ Advice Evening convention was popular with staff, students and their families and local gaming shops who came along to Friday 14 September SOUTHSEA promote their love of games and inspire students to get Whole School Assembly involved. Staff from Games Workshop in Arundel Street were on hand to showcase various Thursday 20 September Warhammer products and get the students painting their own characters. This amazingly creative table top game has been enthralling people for around 80 years and was as popular Open Evening as ever with Priory’s students. In addition, the proprietor of A Fistful of Dice in Elm Grove Friday 21 September had brought along several games for students to play, such as Final Fantasy and Dungeons INSET Day and Dragons. Priory’s students had great fun challenging each other and it was lovely to see 1 them engaging in games that were both imaginative and stimulating. Friday 19 October Comic Con’s organiser, science teacher and resident fantasy/sci-fi addict, Mr Doney, said, Dubai Cricket & Netball tour departs “I knew the event would attract interest from students as so many of them attend my Monday 22 – Friday 26 October Role Playing Game (RPG) after school clubs. But to see such a large gathering of students Half Term in school on a Saturday and keen to get really stuck in was amazing. “ Wednesday 31 October Year 7 Meet the Tutors Evening Monday 12 November Rocking Ur Teens event Thursday 15 November Certificate Evening Students were encouraged to arrive in costume for a Cosplay Friday 16 November Competition which rounded off the event. They arrived in Girls into STEM Event an array of costumes such as a Jedi Knight, a Hufflepuff pupil, Spiderman, Super Girl, Peter Pan and Wendy and the Avengers Tuesday 27 November pair Phil Coulson and Nick Fury. The winner of the competition INSET Day was Year 7 student Jezebel Hunter-Cresdee whose Poison Ivy costume wowed the judges. Jezebel said, “It was such a fun event Thursday 6 December to attend and I loved going as a character that people recognised. Year 11 Parents’ Evening When I got my prize, I was given a big bag and I thought I had to Monday 10 December choose something from it – but the whole bag was for me! I’ll definitely come again next year.” INSET Day As a school, we have a passionate interest in promoting learning outside of the curriculum Tuesday 18 & Wednesday 19 December and the event was seen as one that embraces the ethos of the school’s extra-curricular Priory Dance Show offering. Mr Vaughan said, “We believe that all students should try a range of new experiences and enjoy both new physical and mental challenges. These types of role playing Friday 21 December games have plenty of scope for imaginative group play and that can only be a good thing.” Last Day of Term Monday 7 January Return to school from Christmas Break Headteacher’s Message Dear Parents and Carers Welcome to the Summer Edition of the Priory Post. You will see in these pages an exceptional amount of activity, both in the classroom and beyond. As we approach the end of another busy and hectic The Expressive Arts Faculty certainly enjoyed a wonderful term for all at Priory, it is difficult to find the time year with Shakespeare Productions, Musical Concerts, the Festival of the Arts and the Dance Show. There has been to pause and pick out just a few highlights from the much to celebrate on the sports pitches, typified by the epic academic year 2017-18 as there have been so many. Sports Day on Southsea Common in June and the wonderful Now we bid farewell to Year 11 with the Prom and we know performances from our sports teams, epitomised by the that, like last year, there is still considerable uncertainty hugely successful under 13 and under 16 girls’ football teams, over their results this summer. This is no reflection on our the Year 7 boys’ football team who won the league and the students’ commitment but more the uncertainty around exam Portsmouth Cup and the amazing boys’ trampoline team who marking of brand new GCSEs in so many of their subjects. reached the National Final. The year group deserves their success because they have The new academic year will arrive with some changes to worked so hard and for this effort alone, we look forward to the working week at Priory as we run a two week timetable welcoming them back for results day in August. I must also pay and finish lessons earlier on a Wednesday and Friday. I am tribute to staff supporting Year 11. so grateful to those parents who emailed thoughts and concerns, were able to join us at the Consultation Evening in Extra sessions after school, at weekends, in half term and June and left reassured that these changes are firmly for the over Easter all combined to ensure that students received benefit of our students. the additional support they needed and went into their examinations confident of what they had to do. There has been huge interest in opportunities such as Duke of Edinburgh and we are now one of the the biggest providers 2 of DofE opportunities in the South of England. It has been hot work this summer so those students deserve all the recognition that they get. This activity does not end just because term ends either. We have two expedition teams away to Norway for the second global Priory Expedition. This is double the number that went to Iceland two years ago and they will return with memories to last a lifetime. In addition to this, we have Have a great summer and we welcome the whole teams heading off to Dubai in October as part of a netball school back on Tuesday 4 September with Year 7 and cricket tour alongside another local secondary school. We also have students at a residential at Oxford University only on Monday 3 September. Mr Vaughan over the Summer Break. The Priory offer grows, both in term time and beyond. Photo courtesy of The Portsmouth News Meet your new team of Senior Prefects Progress leader Ms Robinson with from left to right, top to bottom: Matt Sherren, Seth Harrison, Tom Gough, Scarlett Thomas, Zarah Zahid and Wiktoria Lasocka We are sure they will all do a wonderful job for us over the next year. Congratulations to all of the prefect team. Priory Annual Sports Day – live from Southsea Common On Thursday 21 June, Southsea Common once again became Priory’s school for the day as every student, teacher and member of support staff headed off to the seafront to take part in a variety of sports. Everyone was allocated a team to ensure a competitive edge to the day which has been hailed a resounding success as usual. Students took part in a range of activities including football, basketball, handball, rounders, athletics, beach dodgeball, bench ball, tennis and ultimate frisbee. Everyone got the chance to experience four events and it was pleasing to see every year group giving their best shot. Year 8 students Harley Weekes and Paige Kingston were taking part for the second year. Paige said, ‘It has been really nice having the whole school out and taking part in the sports. It is good to have all the space. At my primary school we did it in the grounds so it’s nice to have the whole of the seafront.’ Harley agreed: ‘I really liked playing football which we normally play in our PE lessons. There was lots of sport 3 to choose from so the whole day was really fun.’ The annual event was organised by Mr Rackley, Head of PE, and his team of sports’ teachers. He said, “The event takes a lot of time and effort to set up but everyone loves doing it so much that it really has become an important annual fixture. I feel very privileged to head up such a prestigious event.” DAY 18 IN SUPPORT OF THE TOM PRINCE CANCER TRUST WE RAISED AN AMAZING Priory students ‘celebrated’ Blue Day for the final time as the wonderful charity has now reached its target of £1399.48 raising a million pounds. The Tom Prince Cancer Trust was formed when Tom, a student at Priory, sadly died from cancer. His family has gone on to raise this huge sum of money and this has happened largely with the once a year ’Blue Day’ when the city turns blue for the day. Priory students have always taken part in fundraising but this year we wanted to make it extra special. Everyone came in wearing blue and 4 also brought in lots of small change to take part in stalls and buy cakes, ice lollies and sweets- all coloured blue of course. Creative Industries Portsmouth University Workshop Mrs Parfoot from the Art Department took a few lucky Year 9 students to a creative workshop for a day of fun and experimentation.