BLACON HIGH TIMES

Your news, your views, your school Edition #4 July 2015

Inside this issue: Fond Farewells and New Beginnings... Fond Farewells/ 1 New Beginnings As the end of the school year approaches School from September 2015 and we wish Headteacher’s it is me for us all to think about enjoy‐ him every success in his new role. 1 ing the summer holidays, but it is also Message Mrs Musgrave (Family Support Worker), Ms me to say some goodbyes. Thornthwaite (Librarian) and Mrs Duffy Sports 2 We said a fond farewell to our Year 11 (currently Cover Supervisor) are all leaving Spectacular students at their celebraon evening and us at the end of the year to begin their well‐ Call the 2 prom earlier in the month, and they will earned rerements; between them, they Midwife! say their final farewell to Blacon High have clocked up over 80 years of service. School on results day in August. Over the years, all three ladies have occu‐ Out of This 3 However, Year 11 are not the only ones pied various roles in Blacon High School and World! to be waving goodbye to our school. We have touched the lives of many of our stu‐ Duke of 3 will also be sad to see some long serving dents; their contribuon is greatly acknowl‐ Edinburgh staff leaving us at the end of term. edged and they will be sadly missed. They leave us with our very best wishes and we Ex Head of Maths Mr Hughes has been Youth hope that they all enjoy a long and happy 4 with us for the last 15 years. He trans‐ Games rerement. formed the Maths department making it Music 4 one of the strongest performing depart‐ A number of support staff are also leaving Soirée ments in the school. Mr Hughes will be us this year to take up new posions in Sep‐ fondly remembered for his massively tember. A huge ‘thank you’ goes out to all Congratulations 5 posive atude, the great relaonships the staff who have contribut‐ he developed with both staff and stu‐ ed so much to our school dents and his fantasc sense of humour. over the years. WOW! Days 6 Mr Hughes will be joining Hawarden High You will be missed! Festival of 6 Music A message from Mrs Yates Blacon 7 Memories Like me, I am sure that you are all looking forward to a well deserved break. It has been another busy but hugely successful year and, once again, I am proud of all of your achieve‐ Year 11 Prom 7 ments.

As we move towards the end of term, I would like to wish you all a very happy and safe End of Term 8 holiday: enjoy every moment!

New School 8 When we return feeling refreshed in September, please remember the importance of full Year school uniform and make sure that you are equipped appropriately for the demands of the school day. Expectations 8 With all my best wishes,

Mrs Yates Sports Spectacular

On the 26thJune, our school set off on a journey to Wrexham for our annual Sports Day. We spent the day at the Queensway Stadium watching and taking part in a variety of field and track events. We had been training for months in PE and couldn’t wait to put our skills into pracce!

When we arrived, the heavens opened and it started to rain. Aer a few damp running events, the sun was on our side and came out to watch us compete. I knew it would be a good day, but I couldn’t believe the atmosphere; it was wild! There was so much compeon, it was almost like a Liverpool vs Man‐ One of the funniest moments was the staff relay at chester United match. Everyone was shoung for the end of the day. This was a great way to finish their friends to win and we loved being in a real sta‐ because the PE department won the race, but it was dium. Many of my friends said they felt like sports fantasc to see the other departments race as well! stars for the day! Sports Day is the best day of the school year because Charlie Evans said, ‘My favourite moment was my we get to visit a real stadium and compete against race when I achieved the Year 7 record of 24 seconds our friends. Chloe Dee said ‘I haven’t had this much in the 200m race; I can’t believe I won it!’ fun in a long me; what a brilliant day!’

Some of the main events included: running, shot put, Although we went home feeling very red, we all discus, long jump and the relay. For me, the best agreed on one thing: we had an amazing me and moments were the 800m and the relay race because we can’t wait unl next year! I won both of them. When I crossed the finish line, I felt like Mo Farah! I could hear my friends cheering By Leon Duckers, Year 7 me on as I was running, and this made me even more determined to succeed.

Call the Midwife! At the beginning of June, a group of Year 10 students visited Chester University to find out more about what it takes to become a midwife. We’d already met with the lead lecturer of the Midwifery course on our Careers Day, but we were desperate to discover more... When we arrived at the Riverside Campus, in the cen‐ tre of Chester, we weren’t sure what to expect. Would we be looking at textbooks? Would there be any real babies? In fact, nothing could have prepared Aer we had invesgated the robots and found out us for what we were about to experience. about how they worked, we had a presentaon about

university life in different locaons. We were told all We entered what looked like a hospital ward, com‐ about finance, courses and university social life. It was plete with beds, medical equipment and two mid‐ a really useful end to the day, and we journeyed back wives. Lying in the beds were robots. They looked just to school on a high. like humans; they even breathed and blinked! We were told that students use these ‘robots’ to pracse When we got back to school, we had a brilliant me their delivery skills. They can be programmed to do discussing the experience with our friends. Many of us many things such as give birth, encounter medical had taken photographs of the robots which made for problems like haemorrhages or breech births, and some interesng conversaons! We really valued the even to ‘speak’ to the students about how they feel. opportunity to see such a unique place with amazing At first they were a bit creepy to look at, but once we facilies, and several of us are now looking forward to learned how they worked they were really fascinang. applying to Chester University. We were able to examine the robots’ stomachs and see the baby breathing and moving, just like they would in real life. Out of This World!

Miss Ghorbani recently held The winners were Lacey a compeon for her Year 8 Purchase, Chloe McCulloch, Science class, who were Mason Cree and Ella Fauld‐ studying the structure of the er, who were chosen be‐ Earth. cause of their presentaons and level of detail in their Students were asked to de‐ models. sign and produce their own models of the Earth, demon‐ Other students in Science strang their knowledge of have been enjoying a host its shape and various layers. of acvies, from an Aim They were given two weeks to purchase materials and begin Higher workshop to presentaons from the Science Club. craing their Earths before presenng them to their class‐ Some memorable moments were exploring ideas about mates. Not only did the students clarify their knowledge of atoms, radiaon and magnesm in the workshop, Ella Fauld‐ the Earth during their individual presentaons, they also er’s ‘hair‐raising’ experience with a Van de Graaf generator, explained their choice of materials and how they construct‐ presenng career ps on becoming Volcanologists and food ed their own models. sciensts, and meeng an inquisive new cohort for Sep‐

tember during Mr Evans’ Year 6 taster sessions. The effort put in by the students was so impressive that Miss Ghorbani asked Mr Sabri and Mr Scoltock to judge who they thought should win prizes for their creaons. Duke of Edinburgh

The start of July – one of the hoest days of the year and as DofE students, we had the luxury of being outside in the sunshine while our peers struggled in the unrelenng heat of the classrooms back at school.

Our first task was to navigate from point A to point B on our pracce expedion. Because of our new found skills from our many orienteering trips with Mrs Roberts. This proved an easy challenge and we impressed our instruc‐ tors by using ‘handrails’ and ‘cking points’. However, when our instructors asked us how we would safely walk on a road, they were less than impressed when Georgia Paddock‐Davies informed us all that it would be the same way as you would ride a bike ‘against the traffic’. Needless lunch. We had to cook this ourselves. Aer being taught to say, Georgia’s mum doesn’t allow her to own a bike. all of the safety procedures, it was me to put our culinary Another key learning moment for one of us was when Ben skills to the test. Lacey Graham surpassed everyone with Murphy learnt that a ‘sle’ was the wooden contrapon her combinaon of pasta, tomato puree and her special used to climb over fences and not a ‘sty’. ingredient: Spam! Ben was proud of himself for cooking his first ever meal. When we finally reached our desnaon, it was me for Aer this, we pracsed pitching our tents. The girls were naturals and set about working as a team to perfect their creaons. Some of the boys le a lile to be desired; Toby Sephton did most of the work whilst Joe Leatherbarrow adopted a more of an instruconal approach!?! The boys then conducted an experiment to see how many people it is possible to squeeze into a two‐man tent; the world record is not in danger!

All too soon it was me to return to Blacon but we are all looking forward to our weekend away on our pracce expedion at the end of July. By Bethan Johnson, Ben Murphy, Georgia Paddock‐ Davies and Elisha Cox Youth Games

For the second year In 2014, the University of Chester hosted the Internaonal running, students from Youth Games and Blacon High School represented Chester Blacon High School in a number of different sporng acvies and social were selected by the events. Head of PE, Mr Cairns, was delighted that students ‘Chester Internaonal from Blacon High School had been selected to represent Links Associaon’ to Chester again: ‘Our students are always great ambassadors represent Chester at the both for the school and the whole Blacon community.’ presgious Internaonal Youth Games, which This opportunity allowed the school to develop the great took place between the sporng talent it has in Years 8 and 9 at Blacon High. It also 1st and the 5th July in gave them the chance to compete alongside students from Sens, France. different countries and cultures in a different environment and take advantage of world‐class, professional facilies. Mrs Yates said: ‘Once again, our students were selected to represent Chester and we recognise what an honour this is for the school. This demonstrates their skills, leadership and commitment and our students will develop from The team parcipated in this.’ a number of sports along‐ side students from Sens Councillor Carol (France), Senigallia (Italy) Gahan was delight‐ and Lorrach (Germany). ed to be joining the The programme of Blacon High School events at the games in‐ team for the trip cluded a range of and travelled to sporng and cultural Sens along with acvies including the teachers Mr Cairns, Fesval of Sens. Students Miss Flynn and the competed in mul‐ students. She said: naonal teams in sports such as: football, volleyball, table “The staff and stu‐ tennis, rounders, athlecs, archery and dodgeball. They dents of Blacon also completed a ropes course, a climbing wall and had a High worked hard to lot of fun in karng races and inflatable sumo contests. prepare for the And if that wasn’t enough, they also aended a party at games in Sens and the water sports centre! The highlight was the opportunity they have been to experience the French culture by aending an art and fantasc ambassadors for Blacon and Chester on the inter‐ music fesval and being VIPs on a city tour. naonal stage. This was a very worthwhile trip and a great opportunity for students from four European naons to work, compete and socialise together.”

Year 9 students Marcel Aziamale and Hollie Burrows were extremely proud to represent Blacon High School and Chester in the Internaonal Youth Games for the second year running. They really enjoyed the range of different sports and the oth‐ er cultural and social acvies they were rewarded with. They both agreed that it was a fantasc opportunity to meet new people and emphasised that it has been a valuable experience that they will re‐ member for the rest of their lives.

Music Soirée

Over the last few months, the Music department has been It was brilliant to see the working hard to prepare and perform a spectacular soirée students involved in the for a lucky audience. The aim of the soirée was to demon‐ running of the soirée, but it strate the skills of all those involved, and to celebrate the was equally fantasc to see hard work that has been implemented in the department every single student per‐ over the last year. form on stage to showcase their live performance skills. This was a parcularly special soirée, as it has been man‐ Many of them performed aged enrely by the students. The Year 10 BTEC Music solo pieces in a variety of group has been carefully organising the event for several disciplines including voice, months; planning elements such as the adversing and drums, bass guitar and markeng, hospitality and the running order. On the night, piano. the students were brilliant hosts and hostesses: running the box office; meeng and greeng the audience and The group also invited special guests to perform and the taking on crucial backstage roles such as crew, sound, pupils would like to thank Mr McDermo, Mrs Salisbury, lighng engineers and stage managers. Every student was guitar teacher Mr Nicholls, the School Band and Choir for vital in ensuring that the night ran smoothly, and the taking part and performing at the event. commitment and dedicaon of students was evident. Music student Declan Parker said, ‘It was a very successful night and I know I speak on behalf of all of the other students when I say how pleased we all were to be a part of it’.

There was an array of glowing reviews of the night: ‘The pupils presented the event with confidence and there was a variety of music to suit all tastes.’ ‘It was ‘a fantascally entertaining night with a large sup‐ porve and lively audience.’

An outstanding effort from the BTEC group...you’re all stars! Congratulations!

Mrs Julie Salisbury, has worked at Blacon High School since Mrs Salisbury will now begin reading for a doctorate in September 2000. Over the past 15 years she has taught October 2015 and we all wish her every success in the next pupils in both English and Drama. Mrs Salisbury was integral phase of her learning. in developing Drama at Blacon High School, which culminated in Dracula, the first producon held by the new Drama department in 2004. With the addion of Music, the Performing Arts department was born in 2007.

The Performing Arts department offers a full programme of producons and performances in school and at a number of venues in the North West each year. These have included A Christmas Carol, Othello and most recently, Return to the Forbidden Planet.

Students have the opportunity to parcipate in a range of acvies including intercultural projects with the University of Chester; the Shakespeare Schools Fesval and varied Naonal Theatre Workshops where students work with experienced dancers, choreographers and musicians.

In early 2011, Blacon High School supported staff development by offering them the opportunity to study for a Masters degree in Teaching and Learning at the University of Chester. Julie’s dissertaon focused on the benefits of process drama to support learning in other subject areas and she was awarded her Masters degree in March 2015. Mrs Salisbury said, ‘I am a firm believer in lifelong learning’. WOW! On the 23rd and 24th June, Blacon High School held two were brought into school which prompted many inter‐ ‘WOW Days’ for the local primary schools. The Arches, Dee esng quesons from the curious Year 5 students. Point JH Godwin, St Theresa’s and Highfield Primary School all visited our school for the day to find out more about Finally, the students dined alongside some of our staff and the many subjects and acvies we offer to students. students to get a ‘taste’ of Blacon life. The day will be fol‐ lowed up by further WOW! days in September where both A carousel of acvies was offered to our partner primary pupils and parents will be given the opportunity to observe schools over the two days to give their students a taste of lessons in various subject areas. A huge thank you to all Blacon High School life. Year 5 students had a brilliant me staff, pupils and partner primary schools involved in this in Technology with Mr O’Neill and Miss Flynn, who taught project; it is extremely valuable for our prospecve pupils them how to design and print their own t‐shirt. The Year and we can’t wait to meet our new Year 7 students in Sep‐ 5s were then able to take these home to show parents tember! their designer skills!

Our PE staff treated pupils to a variety of sports, including scaling the climbing wall and bouncing on our trampo‐ lines—a novel experience for many of the students.

Mrs Salisbury then met with the Year 5s and engaged them in a number of team‐building games that will be vital for their Drama skills in Year 7. Shrieks of laughter could be heard coming from the Drama studio throughout the day! Year 5 also took a trip to Africa during an African‐themed Music workshop with Miss McHale. Exoc instruments

Festival of Music Llangollen Internaonal Musical Eisteddfod is a celebraon first Choir we saw were from a Primary School in Hong of music, dance, costume and culture from naons around Kong, they were outstanding, with a mature sound that the world. Every summer since 1947 Llangollen has staged could compete with any adult choir. They went on to win one of the world’s most inspiraonal cultural fesvals. Each the compeon later in the day (as we expected). Watch‐ year, around 4,000 performers and as many as 50,000 visi‐ ing the Choirs from around the world has inspired our pu‐ tors converge in the beauful small Welsh town and its pils and with some commitment (turning up to rehearsals Internaonal Pavilion; to sing and dance in a unique combi‐ every week aer school), next year we aim to go and per‐ naon of compeon, performance, and internaonal form on the field at the Eisteddfod; we may not be ready to peace and friendship. compete against the best choirs from around the world next year, but with hard work and commitment we will be Its compeons climax with the presgious ‘Choir of the able to take part in the fesval. If you like singing, you World’, which determines the best overall choir of the should definitely come and join us. event. In 2005, Luciano Pavaro added his name to the compeon in recognion of his appreciaon of the fes‐ val and its influence on his career.

On Tuesday 7th July, accompanied by Miss McHale and Mrs Salisbury, the school’s Band and Choir aended Children’s day at the fesval. We travelled down to Llangollen in the pouring rain, but had glorious sunshine for the remainder of the day. When we arrived we aended the Bongos, Brass and Dance Concert in the Royal Pavilion. Where we all took part in a fantasc Bollywood dance workshop. We also worked with hundreds of other children to compose a piece of music. Then we went to explore the field. There were stalls, workshops, cra acvies, shops and food from around the world. Our pupils took part in as many acvies possible.

We were even lucky enough to see Wynne Evans (Opera singer from the Go Compare advert) who was filming for a TV channel, and Connie Fisher spoke to a group of our pu‐ pils (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Maria from the Sound of Mu‐ sic). There were Choirs, Bands and Dance groups from around the world. Aer lunch we went to watch the first few choirs compete in the Junior Choir compeon. The Blacon Memories

Ma Baker and fellow writer Helen Newall have been working relessly to create the show that is set to be staged at Chester Cathedral. It promises to be a nos‐ talgic journey through Blacon and its schools from over the years. Individual memories and anecdotes will be threaded through the story, and the audience will be able to idenfy popular characters and events from over the years!

Stories have included (not‐so‐fond) memories of The English Department has recently been involved in school dinners, school trips where health and safety an excing and innovave community project with was not an issue; life‐long friendships that were founder of choir, Handbags and Harmonies and writer formed in school, memories of favourite teachers and Ma Baker. even incidents of pupils geng the cane!

The project has been inspired by the new school The show will be a fantasc way to commemorate the buildings being constructed around Blacon. Highfield closing of our current school building, and a way to Primary School has already moved into their modern‐ celebrate the old becoming the new. We look forward looking new‐build, and we (along with JH Godwin Pri‐ to seeing the finished product! mary School) are in the midst of having our building completed. All of the schools have been busily col‐ lecng memories; both from ex‐students and, in many cases, their children who now aend the same primary schools and Blacon High School.

Our English department has been working closely with members of the community who have aended Blacon High School over the years. Anecdotes have been recorded, photographs have been stored and the memories have started to be woven into the pro‐ ducon that will be performed in the Autumn.

Year 11 Prom

Blacon High School held our leavers prom in the su‐ Mrs Yates said: ‘It was a special occasion for looking perb surroundings of the Queens Hotel in Chester on back but also thinking about the bright future that 3rd July. Looking elegant, students arrived in style at our students will enjoy. The evening was full of the venue dressed in a stunning array of ball gowns laughter and demonstrated the strong and respecul and contemporary dresses, while the boys cut a dash relaonships that exist in our school. We will miss in their take on formal are. our Year 11 students but they will always be part of Blacon High School’s lasng community.’ Students were joined by most of their teachers who enjoyed a three course, a la carte dinner before the evening’s celebraons really warmed up.

Students were awarded lots of fun prizes before the most hotly contested honour of the evening was awarded. Aer votes were counted and verified, Lewis Coppack and Thea Moore were crowned Prom King and Queen.

All that remained was for students and staff to dance the night away and there were many emoonal fare‐ wells as the evening drew to a close.

End of Term Arrangements On Thursday, 16th July students will be parcipang in a range of reward trips and acvies and, therefore, will not be required to wear school uniform but do need to wear clothing appropriate for the acvies they will be engaged in.

On the last day of term, Friday 17th July, students will spend the morning in a range of acvies both in tutor areas and in the school hall for a whole‐school event. They will then have an early lunch at 12 noon and be dismissed aer registraon at 12.40pm. Please ensure that your child aends school on Friday, 17th July so as to maintain full aendance and to enjoy the acvies planned. It is also a non‐uniform day (contribuon of £1) and the money raised will be donated to charity. New School Year Arrangements Our new school year begins on Wednesday, 2nd September 2015. Years 8‐11 students should come into school at 11am. This enables our new Year 7 students to have some me to sele into school first. The day will then connue as follows: 11.00‐11.15am Break 11.15‐12.15pm Tutor Rooms 12.15‐1.15pm Period 4 Lesson 1.15‐1.55pm Lunch 1.55‐3pm Period 5 Lesson

Uniform and Equipment Expectations We expect all students to wear our uniform. Our uniform reflects our high expectaons It is the first thing to be seen by the public so we expect students to wear uniform properly at all mes, including walking to and from school. All students should:

 Wear a sensible coat to and from school in poor weather  Wear shoes in school at all mes, NOT trainers  Carry a reasonably sized school bag  Make sure there are no extremes of hairstyles  At most, wear only one plain ring/plain round ear studs and a wristwatch  Wear the following uniform, some of which is available from the school Girls’ Uniform Boys’ Uniform School blazer School blazer School e School e White school blouse (short or long sleeve) White school shirt (short or long sleeve) Black skirt (school style, knee‐length, NOT a pinafore) Black trousers (school style, no jeans or cords) Black trousers (school style, no jeans or cords) Black shoes (no boots, trainers or trainer shoes, no can‐ Black shoes (no heels, wedges, boots, slip‐ons or canvas/ vas/plimsolls, no white piping on shoes) plimsolls) Black or white socks Black or white socks Neutral or plain black ghts Each student is expected to provide the following basic items of equipment for every lesson:

 Black ballpoint pen  Pencil  Pencil eraser  Ruler  Student Planner

We look forward to seeing you back in school, with the correct uniform and equipment, on Wednesday 2nd September. Happy holidays!