Aspire & Achieve Together Holcombe Newsletter April 2019

CONTENTS Message from the Executive Principal 1 Message from the School Captains’ Team 2 Sixth Form News Welcome to The School Captains’ Team and Prefects 2019 3 Apprenticeship Fairs and UCAS Exhibition Trip 5 Team Wayfield 5 Sixth Form Mentoring 5 Swimming Gold 6 Capstone Volunteers 6 Holcombe Hero Jack 7

Year 9 Progress 7 Online Safety 7 Markus’ Music 8 Braydon’s Karate 8 Victory Sea Cadets 9 Sea Cadets Presentation Evening 10 Sea Cadets Rowing Competition 11 Tag Day 11 Year 7 News Boxing Success 12 Computer Science High Achievers 12 Year 7 Flood Projects 12 Golden Ticket Award Winners 13 Holcombe Shop 13 Student Voice Feedback 13 Parent Survey Feedback 14 Parliament Visit 14 Trips 15 World Book Day and Libraries Trip 16 Competition Time 17 Inter-House Football Competitions 17 Handball Success 18 Maidstone United 19 Pizza Night 19 U13 Basketball Tournament 20 Celebration Assemblies 20 MET 21 Wellbeing 21 Duke of Edinburgh Award 21 Exams and Revision 22 Holcombe Association 22 Extra Curricular Activities 23 Term Dates – 2018/2019 24 Looking Ahead : Term Dates – 2019/2020 25 Page 1 HGS Newsletter M ESSAGE FROM THE E XECUTIVE PRINCIPAL

Welcome to our Spring edition of the Holcombe Newsletter. As always, you will find this document packed with news and information that reflect our vibrant and talented community. Being handed this newsletter at the end of term to write this opening paragraph is always a timely reminder, at the end of a busy term, of why we do what we do. There is nothing more rewarding, for a school Principal, than seeing the students under your care “ being their best” and developing into admirable citizens. This newsletter demonstrates our students achievements in so many ways; sporting, musical, academic and leadership to name but a few. Many individuals are named in this newsletter, and rightly commended for their participation, commitment and success. I wish to pay particular thanks to those students who support their local community, notably in the mentoring and guidance of others. I am delighted that so many Year 12 students are taking on these important roles both at Holcombe and in local primary schools. As we continue the year at Holcombe, our staff and I will be continuing to promote the concept of “ Believe you can”. Resilience and grit are key aptitudes in 21st century living, and we remain focussed on improving our provision of how we can best support our young people to overcome barriers they may face and strive for excellence in all they do. As a Principal across two schools, I am always delighted to see our students collaborating with those at The Victory and was thus extremely proud to see Holcombe students as members of the Victory Sea Cadets Corp at the recent Area Officer visit and inspection. The boys were fantastic ambassadors for our school. An exciting new undertaking will be the shared sailing trip the two schools are undertaking later this year, sailing from Medway to Portsmouth to meet with students at another of our Trust schools, The . The summer term is always the busiest in a , as we enter the final preparations for our Year 11 and Year 13 students before they sit their public examination. All students should have the full revision materials they require, with additional support sessions on offer to help them reach their potential. We wish them well as they enter this important stage of their education. Exams are then followed by a wide range of school events as we head towards the end of the academic year, and I look forward to informing you of these through our regular newsletters and bulletins. I would like to close by offering my warmest appreciation and gratitude for our wonderful Holcombe staff. Exam season is always the most stressful for teachers, as we take every opportunity available to support and guide our students. We are lucky to have such a dedicated and talented staff body and I hope that they, together with your sons and daughters, take the opportunity for some much needed rest and respite over the Easter break. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday, and I hope to see many of you at Holcombe events during the Summer term.

Ms M Gage Executive Principal Page 2 THE SCHOOL CAPTAINS’ TEAM

Message from the Team

Since the start of our tenure, we as the School Captains’ Team have endeavoured to work with Staff and Students alike to bridge ideas and suggestions, in order to improve the Holcombe Community.

This term we have carried out our first series of Student Forum meetings, including year groups throughout Holcombe, to gage where they feel changes could be made. We have also conducted a range of assemblies, throughout Term 3 and 4, on a variety of topics, including Diversity within the School Community and Women’s Rights and Achievements. From a practical perspective, we have also spoken to a range of charities, and formed a partnership with The Friends of Wisdom Hospice, who we will be supporting through a number a fundraising opportunities later to come. We look forward to the opportunity that being a team brings us, in terms of inciting new and innovative projects that the whole school can mutually benefit from. We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone at Holcombe a Happy Easter.

School Captains Team and Prefects 2019

Captains’ Team

Head Boy Daniel Marks Head Girl Thea Baker Deputy Head Boy Elliot Odom Deputy Head Girl Bethany Franqueira Head Prefect Martin May Sports Captain Caitlyn Ehrich Captains’ Team Hanna Roob Harry Osborne

Prefects

Jesse Akinbadewa George Atzev Jessica Ballard Dan Belsey Simon Bowgen Jack Brisley Kiera Ferguson Billy Flynn Henry Freeman James Grogan Sam Harber Ethan Kerr Oliver Lee Connor Murphy Megan McGinley Mark Nutting Phoebe Hudson Mitchell Phillips Reece Perkins Gemma Ram George Reynolds Jag Singh Tom Short Maisie Murphy Steel Thomas Tweedley Harvey Welch Abigail Williams

Meet your Captains’ Team Page 3

Daniel Marks

‘Hi, I’m Daniel Marks, and I am honoured to be the Head Boy of Holcombe . I have been a student at the school since the start of Year 7.

I am studying Economics, Psychology and Politics, with ambitions to work in Commercial Banking in the future. I am an avid football fan and musician. This year my mission is to engage with the Students of Holcombe so that their concerns and issues are heard. I also want to make Holcombe a more inclusive environment for all students to study and learn, so that all students can feel truly part of the community. I’m keen to ensure that Holcombe undergoes a transformation over the following year, so that the School has a 21st century vision, fit for a 21st Century School. I look forward to my role over the next year, and I hope can we make Holcombe truly outstanding.’

Thea Baker

‘Hey, I’m Thea Baker! I’m the Head Girl of . Coming from , I’ve worked hard to get to Holcombe and I was elated when I become the Head Girl. I’m taking English Literature and Language, Computer Science and Drama and I’m hoping to go on to study Japanese at Durham University. Outside School, I work a lot and do a lot of homework and studying. Besides all the school-related activities, I spend a lot of my time drawing and playing video games. During my time here I aim to make the Holcombe community more inclusive and look after the community around Holcombe. I want Holcombe to not just be a productive and study-based school; I want the boys to be left with good memories and enjoy their time here.’

Bethany Franqueira

‘Hey, I’m Bethany Franqueira and I’m currently the Deputy Head Girl at Holcombe. I previously studied at Walderslade Girls School but worked incredibly hard to get to where I am now, which is studying A level Psychology, Politics and Religious Studies and I hope to go on and study midwifery at either Belfast or Kings University. It’s a real privilege to uphold this position of trust within the School along side the Captains’ Team, whom may I add, are an absolutely lovely bunch of people, and collaboratively work great as a team together.’

Elliott Odom

‘My name is Elliott Odom and I am Deputy Head Boy here at Holcombe. I have been here since Year 7 and am currently studying English Literature, Politics and Geography at A Level with the intention of studying Geography at a top University. Outside of school, my main interests revolve around music, both playing and listening, as well as drama. I have always wanted the chance to serve on this team, so I have jumped at the opportunity to support the school, which has developed me academically and socially into the person I am today.’

Meet your Captains’ Team Page 4

Martin May

‘Hi, I'm Martin May and I'm Head Prefect at Holcombe Grammar School. I study Economics, Business Studies and Maths, and hope to study Economics at University. I'm proud to lead a team of prefects who represent the Sixth Form at school events and serve as role models within the school community. I hope that going forward, we can get involved in supporting the rest of the School Captains’ Team at charity events to ensure they run smoothly and successfully.’

Hana Roob ‘Hi, I’m Hana Roob and I’m part of the School Captains’ Team. I came from , so coming from an all girls school to Holcombe was a big change for me, but I have settled well within the community. I currently take Biology, Chemistry and PE A Levels and I’m aiming to study Biochemistry or go into a medical route at Kings College in London. However, my interest outside of school is completely different — I play football for a local club and have been there since I was six years old. So with this, it enables me to work in a team very well and I look forward to working with the School in the upcoming terms.’

Harry Osborne

‘Hi, I’m Harry Osborne and I’m part of the School Captains’ Team. I have been at Holcombe for the past five years and I have enjoyed my experience so far. I currently study Biology, Chemistry and PE at A Level and I hope to go into some part of medicine at University. Outside of school, I play football and am part of an athletics club. This has enabled me to work well within a team and has helped to build my confidence.’

Caitlin Ehrich

‘My name is Caitlin and I am the Sports Captain here at Holcombe. I previously attended Fort Pitt Grammar School but I decided to move after Year 11. I currently take three A Levels: PE, Psychology and Business. I hope to become a sports psychologist or physiotherapist in the future after studying at University. Outside of school I take part in rock climbing, where I am part of a competitive squad.’

SIXTH FORM NEWS Page 5 Apprenticeship Fairs and UCAS Exhibition Trip

Our Sixth Form have attended a couple of Apprenticeship Fair Events this term. One fair was held at Maidstone Leisure Centre, Mote Park, on Friday 8th February, and another was held at Academy on the 22nd March. These fairs, organised by local MP Kelly Tolhurst, allowed students to identify apprenticeship opportunities, discuss employment options with companies across a variety of sectors. We hope students took advantage of the information and resources on offer and developed their understanding of opportunities available to them after completing their A Levels. In addition, on Friday 15th March, Year 12 students attended a Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Conference event at the Event Centre, Detling. There were over 180 exhibitors at this event, including representatives from Russell Group Universities, Oxbridge and Universities from Europe. Students engaged with the universities and the courses on offer, which enabled them to identify potential pathways to pursue.

Team Wayfield

Year 12 students have continued to volunteer at Wayfield this term, mentoring students. This partnership has continued to be an enormous success, benefiting both Wayfield and Holcombe students. Thank you again to Wayfield for having our students and of course to Miss Tanti for all of her work in coordinating the project.

Sixth Form Mentoring

A number of inspirational and hard-working Year 12 students have volunteered to meet with younger members of the Holcombe community. Our Year 7 and 8 students will be able to learn from their new role models about how to aspire and achieve in a grammar school setting. Each week, mentees will be able to ask questions, find out how to make the most of their classes and learn skills on how to prepare for exams. The mentors have also offered to be available as a supportive friend between the meetings. We are pleased to have such students who are willing to give up their time to support each other.

Key dates

Week commencing Monday 24th June: Year 12 Prelims Week commencing Monday 1st July: Year 12 Work Experience Week Tuesday and Wednesday 2nd and 3rd July: Sixth Form Induction Saturday 12th October: Open Morning Page 6 Swimming Gold

Congratulations to Ethan Willard, Year 7, who recently competed in the Black Lion Open Development Gala, which was held at Medway Park Leisure Centre on Saturday 2nd March. Swimmers from across Kent Swimming Clubs participated in events covering all four strokes and distances from 50 Metres to100 Metres, along with the 100 Metre Individual Medley. Ethan beat his personal best in all nine of the events he entered, and achieved a large array of medals: three golds, two silvers, two bronze and two fifth places in his age group!

Ethan says: ‘I have been swimming with the club for about 18 months and since we got a new coach, Martin, back in January my swimming has improved a lot. I have knocked over 11 seconds of my previous 100m individual medley time, 7 seconds off my 100m breaststroke and 5 seconds off my 50m backstroke. I train three to four nights a week, doing one and a half hour sessions. I really enjoy training and competing in competitions, and I am so pleased to have come away with nine medals and nine personal bests. It makes all the hard work worthwhile.’

Congratulations on your successes, Ethan, and keep up the hard work! We look forward to seeing where your swimming journey will take you next. Thank you for being a Holcombe Hero.

Capstone Volunteers

Two of our students did Holcombe proud when they braced the cold and gave up their Sunday in order to join other volunteers at Capstone Farm Country Park, Gillingham, for a Volunteer Day. As part of their participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Henry Pridmore and Lenny Gorham helped prepare for a new bee garden by clearing an area of the Park (with other volunteers and the Capstone Team.) The bee garden is being raised as part of a project organised by The Bee Conservation Trust. One of the rangers said the volunteers were ‘a fantastic group.’ Lenny said the day was ‘good fun’ and that he loved ‘helping the environment,’ while Henry said he ‘enjoyed the day a lot.’ We are proud of these boys for dedicating their time to the environment and our local community.

Page 7 Holcombe Hero Jack

Huge congratulations to Jack, Year 7, who recently competed at the Kent Swimming Championships. His front crawl swim time placed him ninth in the country! This achievement is simply spectacular. Here is what Jack says about it: ‘This weekend I participated in the Kent Swimming Championships 2019. This is where all of the top swimmers in Kent come together to compete against each other. I made the final for every race — this means that I am in the top eight in Kent for every race I swam at the weekend. In the final of the 50m front crawl I swam a personal best time of 29.94 seconds. This placed me third in Kent, and ninth in Great Britain.’

Jack says his swimming journey ‘all started two years ago, when I was chosen to represent my primary school at the Mini Youth Games Gala held at Medway Park. Whilst there, just after I had swum, the Head Coach from Black Lion approached me and asked me to attend a trial the next day. Six weeks after that I competed in my first gala at Mote Park in Maidstone. I joined Bronze Squad and moved through the squads quickly. I train 5-6 times a week and I have gym and strength conditioning too. I compete in 1-2 galas a month, depending on which competitions are happening.

This time last year I qualified to swim at the Kent County Championships 2018 at the London Aquatic Centre and Crystal Palace. I think I had five or so different events. During the last year, I have gone from strength to strength and for the 2019 Kent Championships I have qualified for sixteen events.

My ambition is to enter the Olympics and win a gold medal in 2024 or 2028!’

Year 9 Progress Online Safety

We would like to say a huge congratulations and Tuesday 5th February was thank you to the following boys for the progress Safer Internet Day 2019. they have made on their recent grade cards. Please can parents and carers These boys are in the top ten in their year group see this link: for progress, which is a fantastic achievement: https:// www. holcombegrammar.org.uk /2019/02/safer- Tariq Rahman Edward Ferguson internet-day/ for more information which can be Jon Treeby Frank Leonard used to support students.

Faizaan Ahmed Kavi Naidoo We recently updated our online safety Joe Roots William Gamet information on our website. Please see the link Edward Ferguson Faiz Uddin here for useful information and links: https:// www.holcombegrammar.org.uk/support- and Allen Tumbapo. guidance/support-for-parents/ Thank you to the boys from Mrs Manning, and all of us at Holcombe! Markus’ Music Page 8

Before Christmas, Music Teacher Mr Horsey entered Markus Sadler, Year 9, for the Medway Young Musician of the Year. This is an event organised by the Rotary Clubs in Medway, where musicians from across Medway compete for the title of Medway Young Musician of the Year. Markus is a very talented pianist, who recently achieved his Grade 8 in piano with a fantastic grade of 96/100. He has now received the news that he has reached the final of the competition, and will be performing at the Brook Theatre on the 26th April!

Markus explains: ‘I have played the piano for six years and enjoy it more than ever. This is because there is always something to do and learn, at whatever stage I am. When I was asked by the Music Teacher to enter the Medway Young Musician of the Year, I was sceptical because of the competitive element, but I am seeing it as an opportunity to perform. My main inspiration has been my father, who himself used to be a concert pianist. I have recently begun performing in concerts with him. I have his very first piano teacher as my own, and he guides me.’

We cannot wait to see where Markus’ musical endeavours take him, and we would like to congratulate him on all of his achievements, and wish him luck for the final. Thank you to Mr Horsey for encouraging Markus to do this, supporting and believing in him.

Braydon’s Karate

Huge congratulations to Braydon Turner, Year 8, who achieved his black belt in karate on Sunday 24th March! This is a phenomenal achievement. We are extremely proud of him.

Here is what Braydon says about it: ‘I started Shizendo karate 5 years ago, the style of karate is Wado Ryu. Since then, I have worked hard training once a week and practicing at home to learn the different katas to achieve belts from white and red 10th kyu, to brown two stripe 1st kyu.

On Sunday 24th March at Tonbridge, I successfully graded for my black belt; it has taken me a year to achieve this belt. I am now a Junior Shodan 1st Dan. Karate is not about violence, fighting or aggression, it is about development through the martial arts way. The key to learning is discipline, which leads to respect. I have also learnt how to use the Tonfa through the weapons courses. My aim now is to learn the applications of the katas and self-defence techniques. I would also like to become a child instructor at the club where I train.’

Well done, Braydon! Your sportsmanship and dedication to your extra-curricular activity is fantastic to see. Thank you for being an inspiration to our students. We wish you the best of luck as you continue your karate journey. Page 9

Medway Victory Sea Cadets

Medway Victory Sea Cadets was set up in 2018. This unit is available to all students at and Holcombe Grammar School. At present, we have both Year 7 and Year 8 students attending, who are now learning and experiencing the Sea Cadet Corps and all that it offers.

At Medway Victory, we aim to give young people an experience that will help them grow into the individuals they want to be in a safe and friendly environment. Through various activities and adventures, we learn teamwork, respect, loyalty, self-confidence, commitment, self-discipline, honesty and how to be the best version of ourselves. Activities include: sailing, canoeing, rowing, archery, shooting, camping, and adventurous training including expedition training. We learn drill, armed drill and piping, seamanship, music such as, drumming, marching band also first aid, engineering, catering and stewarding. Many of these can lead to a BTEC qualification equivalent to five GCSEs. Training will lead to becoming a fully-fledged cadet, with the sea cadet promise: “I promise to serve my God My Queen, My Country and the Sea Cadet Corps and to obey the orders of my superior Officers. I will be proud of my uniform and be smart and seaman like in wearing it and always do my duty.”

Cadets are expected to regularly attend the unit on Mondays 1800-2000 at The Victory Academy in smart, tidy uniform and to respect all the volunteer staff whilst attending and learning. Many external courses are available to cadets and promotion through the ranks to become a Petty Officer Cadet.

We also offer a great path for adult volunteers and welcome people who have time to commit to the Unit on a regular basis or if you have Sea Cadet experience or qualifications in any of the above activities we would love to hear from you. As our Unit grows we also require more adult volunteers.

If you would like to find out more about the Sea Cadet Corps, search 'Medway Victory Sea Cadet Unit' on Facebook or contact [email protected], or contact Mrs Villalta at Holcombe Grammar School.

Page 10

Sea Cadets Presentation Evening

A total of ten Year 7 and 8 Holcombe students were proudly involved in their first Sea Cadet 'Area Officer' visit and inspection on Monday the 4th February. The most well represented House from our school was Shannon, with Lucas in Year 8, Harry, Nimi, Jonathan, Joe, Luca, Andrea and Jack in Year 7, who all enrolled as new entries to this unit.

Jaiden and Feranmi, Year 7, were presented their Enrolment Certificates and Beret, and Lucas was given his 3rd Class Basic First Aid award. It was excellent to see the Ceremony being attended by so many friends, family and members of staff, showing support to these students. We are proud of our Holcombe Grammar School and The Victory Academy students working together to build character and resilience.

Training Weekend

The 2nd—3rd February saw seven Medway Victory Cadets taking part in a training weekend with the Medway Towns Unit. By all accounts they had a great time, and each achieved the qualification that they were aiming for. The following qualifications were achieved by different students: Intermediate First Aid, Basic Marine Engineering, Basic Catering and Basic First Aid.

Well done, all!

Drill and Piping Competition

On Sunday the 4th March, after some intense practice sessions, the Medway Victory Sea Cadets entered their first Drill and Piping Competition, at Brompton Barracks in Chatham. Our Holcombe students Joe McKenzie-Cook and Andrea Recchia were among the participating Cadets. The Cadets had a good day, and should be proud of their performance. They learned a lot and are determined to return next year as a force to be reckoned with! Page 11

Sea Cadets Rowing Competition

On Friday 15th March, two Holcombe students, Joe McKenzie-Cook and Andrea Recchia, took part in the Sea Cadets Rowing Competition. They participated in the Year 7 race, where they had to row as far as they could for two minutes.

The boys were fantastic representatives of their School, and both placed very commendably, despite only having a few months’ training. Joe came 115th out of 180 participants, rowing 441 metres, and Andrea came 145th, rowing 420 metres. Joe also took part in the boys’ team sprint relay, where they had to be the fastest team to row 2000 metres.

Joe said ‘I enjoyed the experience visiting the Copper Box Arena in the Olympic Park in London to participate in the National Junior Rowing Championships this year, and hopefully I can take part again next year as a Year 8. Year 8 competitors have to row for three minutes. To place 115th with only five months training was a big achievement and I hope that with more training I can place better next year.’

Andrea said ‘I had the time of my life! I thought the most amazing part was going to the stadium and back to Victory because of all of the amazing things we saw on the journey. I also liked the part where we got to the stadium and got to go around it to look for stamps for a prize. When it was my turn to do the rowing, it was a bit nerve- wracking, but I placed 24th out of my section. I am proud of my place because I have been training for three or four months now. This was definitely one of the best things I have done.’

Tag Day

As part of our charity work at the school, students were allowed to wear non-uniform clothes to school on the 5th April. Students brought in voluntary £1 donations, which were donated to a range of charitable organisations, including the Royal British Legion. We were happy to see so many non-uniformed students, supporting this great cause.

Should you wish for further information on the work of The Royal British Legion, or to make a further donation to support their invaluable work, it is available at https:// www.britishlegion.org.uk/. Year 7 News Page 12

Boxing Success Computer Science High Achievers

Well done to At the beginning of March, Year 7 students Archie Barritt, attempted some complex problem-solving questions Year 7, for winning that were taken from an A Level exam paper, his Boxing bout on intended for 18 year olds. The following individuals Sunday 20th gained extraordinarily high results and exceeded the February. He marks that some Sixth Formers achieved on this trained very hard to paper. Harvey Linney achieved a staggering 100% represent his club on the paper, Jack Pass achieved 97%, and Papa 'Kent Gloves' and Amoako-Atta, Jason Gardner and Christopher we are very proud Labeodan all achieved 94%. We are extremely of him for his out proud of these young computer scientists! of school achievements. Keep up the good work, Archie!

Year 7 Flood Projects

Geography students in Year 7 this term submitted their own designs for a flood proof building, based on last term’s learning about rivers. The best models were well-built and used a range of materials, which included building bricks, lolly sticks, plastic syringes, cake and sweets. Thomas’ project, pictured right, is a house on stilts with a lifting mechanism made with syringes. Ben’s project, pictured left, is a very tasty-looking cake, which has a range of flood defence strategies made from sweets! All students showed in-depth geographical understanding when they presented their models and in the labels explaining their design. Some even contributed unique and inventive flood protection strategies showing their creative thinking skills. Golden Ticket Award Winners Page 13

Years 7 and 8 have launched their Golden and Platinum Ticket Awards system for the top students in Key Stage Three. Nominated weekly by their class mates and Form Tutors, Golden Ticket winners are recognised for their positive attitude and impact on learning around the school. Platinum winners are identified by Heads of Year as top achievers who make outstanding contributions to school life and are gaining the most house points on a daily basis. Miss Martin and Mr Curry serve breakfast to the winning students on a Wednesday morning. The students are also invited to enjoy lunch together on Friday. Each week awards are given for students who deserve appreciation for their hard work. Thank you to these Holcombe Heroes for being great role models and fantastic representatives of our School!

Holcombe Shop Student Voice Feedback

The Holcombe Shop, run by our Student Students in Year 7 were asked by their Head of Year Services Team, opened in Term 4. Students are to identify their best lessons and reasons for this, as now able to use the positive behaviour points part of a Student Voice discussion. Miss Martin they have accumulated to purchase items such asked students from different forms and teaching as pens and notebooks. These behaviour points classes in order to get a fair representation of the are awarded around school for good behaviour, lessons currently taking place. but may also be taken away if a student displays negative behaviour. Students expressed that Dr Harris, Mr Claessens, Mrs Mourino and Mrs Obee were their favourite For 275 points, students may purchase a teachers. When asked why, students explained they football or a rugby ball, and for 550 points, a were very interested in the topics covered, wanted to £10 Odeon or iTunes voucher. The shop is learn and felt that these teachers were teaching in a based in Student Services, and is open to way that kept them engaged and involved in their students before school every day. learning. Thank you for being outstanding teachers! Parent Survey Feedback Page 14

We have collated the feedback from the Year 7 and Year 10 parent surveys that went out to parents last term, and we are proud to report that 91% of Year 7 parents, and 90.5% of Year 10 parents, agreed their children are happy at School. More positive feedback included that 95.55% of Year 7 parents, and 93.65% of Year 10 parents, said their children feel safe at School, while 93.33% of Year 7 Parents and 85.71% of Year 10 parents said they would recommend our school to other parents. These statistics are very positive and show Holcombe is continuing to listen to its students and aspire for excellence.

Parliament Visit

Tyler Cook, Year 11, was lucky enough to be invited to visit the Houses of Parliament! Here is what Tyler says about his day in Westminster.

‘As a member of the local Conservative Party, I had the privilege of being invited to a free tour of the Houses of Parliament and a talk with Kelly Tolhurst, MP for Rochester and Strood, Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility. I learnt a lot about current affairs on both a party level and the national level during Kelly’s talk and Q&A session, including many things the party is doing but are not typically talked about in the media. I learned a lot about work being done for workers’ rights, small businesses and young people, especially apprenticeships programmes, an issue close to me due to the fact I want to go through the paralegal and solicitor apprenticeships post 16. I got a unique insight into Brexit, directly from a Member of Parliament and minister who has been on both sides of the Brexit debate and has had a lot of first-hand experience dealing with Europe through her role.

The tour itself was much less about current affairs and more about the history of Parliament and how it runs. The tour started in Westminster Hall. We learnt about the beginnings of the Houses of Parliament and the different rulers that oversaw the construction of the different buildings. Next, we entered the House of Commons, following the pathway an MP would take if they wanted to vote ‘no’ on a bill. We learnt a lot about the smaller details and traditions that have been going on for centuries and also many other incidents. One of the most notable things about the Commons Chamber is it is very small, much smaller than it seems on TV. When the chamber was destroyed in WWII, many architects suggested it should be built bigger but Churchill wanted to keep the dimensions similar. He wanted a rectangular chamber (contrary to most of Europe which had adopted semi-circular parliaments) because he wanted to face his enemy, not see them over his shoulder. He also wanted to keep it small to preserve the intimacy of Commons; he wanted his enemies close. Next, we went to the Queen's Chambers and followed the route she would take on the state opening of Parliament and finally, we went through the House of Lords. The House of Lords does not typically make it to the news as often but it was still very interesting learning about the differences in the structure, power and politics of the two Chambers.’

Thank you Tyler for this detailed insight into the world of Westminster!

Page 15 Bowling Trip

Over thirty students were awarded a Bronze Award Certificate and badge in the celebration assemblies in January. This was for achieving more than one hundred net house points in Terms 1 and 2. On Friday 25th January, our award winners enjoyed an afternoon bowling together as a prize at the Chatham MFA Bowling Centre. Thank you to the students for all of their hard work, and we hope they had a great afternoon.

Tate Galleries Trip

Year 10 Art and Design students visited the Tate Galleries on Friday 15th February. The students spent the day perusing the art works, sketching, and reflecting on what they had seen. We hope this experience provided them with inspiration and direction for their own works. Thank you to Mrs Mourino for all of her work in organising this beneficial experience for our students.

Upcoming Trips

Our students have a number of exciting trips coming up. In May, a group of our Year 8s will be visiting Manor Adventure in Norfolk. This is a residential trip taking place over a week. Students will be undertaking challenging activities that will help develop independence and confidence. The trip will also promote students’ abilities to collaborate and become successful team members through living alongside their peers and working together in a team environment. Activities will include: Climbing, abseiling, fencing, high ropes, orienteering, raft building, overnight camps, and many more. We wish our students a safe, enriching trip, and we trust that they will learn a lot from this adventure.

Also fast approaching is the Normandy trip in June. Students will be tourists for a week, taking advantage of exciting sites of interest including the Bayeux Tapestry Museum, which is listed ‘Memory of the World’ by UNESCO, and the Mont St Michel Abbey, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Students will also spend time perusing the ‘Drakkar’ Chocolate Museum, as well as a goat’s cheese farm, and the Les Co-Pains Bakery. We hope our students enjoy soaking in the flavours of France, and have a très bien time!

Iceland Trip

Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 students will be visiting Iceland in April 2020. This visit offers the opportunity to see many of Iceland’s volcanic features as well as other interesting sites such as waterfalls, black sand beaches and plenty more (much of which forms part of our exam level studies). The full itinerary for the trip has yet to be finalised but will include visits to the Golden Circle, Þórsmörk, Jökulsárlón and Reykjavik; all of which provide a wonderful educational and cultural experience. If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Obee at [email protected] Page 16 World Book Day

World Book Day took place on Thursday 7th March. At Holcombe it is a requirement that each student has a reading book (of their choice) with them each day. We offer a number of strategies to encourage reading for pleasure; this includes a relationship with Medway Libraries through which all Holcombe students can become members and access books regardless of where they live. Not only can students access the latest titles through school but we also have the advantage of regular contact with the children’s and teen librarian from Medway. In addition, forms have been provided with book boxes so that students have an appropriate choice and can invest in engaging reading.

In the run up to World Book Day, students were given access to a wide range of recommended reading appropriate to each year group. Extracts from suitable books were shared in form time, lessons and through clubs. There was also an opportunity to listen to extracts from novels read by teachers and Sixth Form students at lunchtime. The reading culture here at Holcombe continues to grow.

Please contact Mr Still if you would like to discuss any strategies to help support wider reading for your child or would like help on choosing appropriate titles.

Libraries Trip

To celebrate World Book Day, Mr Still, Miss Carpenter and Miss Goodwin visited the local library with a select group of Holcombe’s most avid readers from Year 7.

‘At the library, the students listened to extracts from Young Adult novels, including ‘Young Sherlock’, a funny poem or two and some disgusting facts that the boys loved. They were then given a tour of the library and its services and spent some time browsing the shelves and taking in all the library had to offer. As you can see from the photos, many of the students found a good book to get stuck into; some even used their library cards to take a collection home.

It’s great to see these students taking some time out to enjoy a book or two. We are proud to have joined the nation this World Book Day in celebrating reading and the power of a good book.’

Miss Goodwin

Page 17 Competition Time Inter-House Football Competitions Results

Our talented students are always getting involved Y EAR 7 with activities outside of school. We are pleased to Goals Played Won Drawn Lost Points Position congratulate Raza Hasnain, Daniel Stikans and scored

Rhys Gulliver in Year 7 who have all entered a Conquest 4 1 0 3 5 5 5th writing competition as part of celebrating 900 years Guardian 4 4 0 0 14 12 1st of Leeds Castle, Kent. The winning stories will be Shannon1 4 1 0 3 1 6 4th placed within a time capsule and buried in front of Shannon2 4 1 1 2 10 7 3rd the Castle, only to be opened 100 years from now at the Castle’s millennium. Well done to these young Barfleur 4 2 1 1 14 9 2nd men for applying their creative thinking and English Language skills to write a short story about castles Y EAR 8 and time travel, and we wish you all the best with the results.

Following World Book Goals Played Won Drawn Lost Points Position Day in March, we would scored Conquest also like to 4 3 0 1 8 10 2nd 1 encourage students to Conquest 4 3 0 1 15 10 1st engage with a 2 competition to design a Guardian 4 3 0 1 6 10 3rd National Book Token. Shannon 4 0 1 3 1 10 5th One lucky winner’s design will be made into a real- Barfleur 4 0 1 3 2 10 4th life National Book Tokens gift card, to be distributed across bookshops nationwide in time for Christmas. Well done to Jason Gardiner in Year 7 for already Y EAR 9 submitting his intricate Doctor Seuss inspired entry (see above) and to Chisom David Obidimalor and Henry Stephens who have also submitted entries. th Students who wish to enter have until the 12 April Goals Played Won Drawn Lost Points Position to submit. Details are on Show My Homework. scored Conquest 3 2 0 1 6 7 2nd

Guardian 3 1 0 2 2 5 3rd Inter-House Football Competitions Shannon 3 0 0 3 0 3 4th Term 3 Inter-House Football Competitions were Barfleur 3 3 0 0 5 9 1st held in February. The games were carried out in a five team league and we were proud to see that every squad had put forward a full team. Mr Nanson Year 10 praised the ‘competitive spirit’ of the players, and their outstanding sportsmanship. A huge thank you to the PE department for all of their efforts in Goals organising the competitions, which have been Played Won Drawn Lost Points Position scored embraced and enjoyed by our students. Throughout Conquest 3 1 2 0 1 5 2nd these competitions, students have worked interdependently, have developed skills and pushed Guardian 3 2 1 0 6 7 1st themselves. The Form Tutors and Heads of Year Shannon 3 1 1 2 3 4 3rd also deserve a thank you for their support in making Barfleur 3 0 0 3 5 0 4th this happen. Please see the results on the right. Page 18 Handball Tournament

Holcombe Grammar School secured their place at the Handball Southern Regional Finals as they triumphed at the U13 Kent schools Handball Tournament on the 31st January.

Year 8 students from the school maintained their outstanding record of being undefeated as they won 2 of the 3 games played, before drawing in their final match.

Leo Nordkvist and Elisha Babayemi displayed their impressive defence skills particularly against the Dover Grammar Schools for Boys team. Brent Varrall and Matthew Olorunlogbun also demonstrated strong goal scoring techniques throughout the matches.

Following the group stages, teams faced the tense knock- out rounds. Holcombe Grammar triumphed against Canterbury High School, proving their ability to work as a team as they progressed into the final with a 2-1 victory!

The team’s final opponent was the Harvey Grammar School, Amon Ra-Mesoirisa’s slick dribbling skills opened up opportunities for his team mates to score many points to secure their place in the Handball Southern Regional Finals!

The Holcombe team displayed great maturity and team spirt throughout the competition. Mandy Gage (Executive Principal, Holcombe Grammar School) said:

“I am absolutely thrilled with the team’s win and progression into the Southern Regional finals! Sport is a huge part of our identity at Holcombe Grammar School; I am so proud to see the school leading the way in the Medway and Kent area.”

Andrew Nanson (PE Teacher and Team Coach) said:

“The boys involved have worked hard both in lessons and at clubs to improve their skills. They have represented the school impeccably and deserve every inch of this success. The School and the PE Department wish them the best of luck at the Regional Finals in May.”

The team’s hard work and persistence, has lead the boys to win two handball competitions in a row, to advance to the Southern Region Finals to play on behalf of Kent. The pupils are a great exemplar for the school with both their attitude and skills.

The finals will take place in Surrey during May 2019.

Page 19 Maidstone United at The Victory Academy and Holcombe Grammar

The Victory Academy and Holcombe Grammar School, in partnership with Maidstone United, offer a Football Academy for students joining our Sixth Form.

Football Academy students will attend The Victory Academy or Holcombe Grammar School Sixth Form, studying their choice from a range of two-year Level 3 qualifications (A Level or equivalent), including BTEC Sport. The rest of the week will be spent developing their footballing skills whilst training and playing under the guidance of Professional FA and UEFA Qualified Coaches.

What the Academy Offers

 Exclusive Maidstone United Victory Academy Nike kit and training wear;

 10 hours of coaching and playing under the guidance of specialist football coaches;

 Experience of the professional game, access to professional facilities at The Gallagher and the experience of the first team management staff;

 Training alongside studying at High performing schools, with Grammar School option;

 Two 3G pitches, two gyms for conditioning training along with access to specialist fitness trainers, and Physical Education specialists.

 Weekly Under 18s matches with other teams across Kent

Football Training will be run by Professional FA/UEFA Coaches. Fitness Training will take place at The Victory Academy, which boasts a Conditioning Suite with the latest technology, multiple pitches, and a Multi-Gym and Weights Centre. Additional regular training will take place at Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium.

In addition, there will be the opportunity to undertake added short courses on Accredited FA and UEFA courses on coaching, refereeing, first aid etc., and to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Pizza Night

On Thursday 4th April, a Pizza Night was held for forty Year 9 and 10 students. This was a celebration event for students that have excelled academically, displayed excellent behaviour, or have made the extra effort to seek support. Students spent the afternoon relaxing, socialising and eating pizza. Heads of Year Mrs Manning and Mr Conway organised this event to recognise these achievements and say thank you to our students. We will be holding these celebration events once a term. Keep up the hard work, Years 9 and 10! We hope you enjoyed your well-deserved end of term treat. Medway School Games U13 Basketball Tournament Page 20

Another successful day for Holcombe Grammar School came at the Medway Schools U13's Basketball Tournament on Thursday the 7th March. The competition started with a fantastic 21-0 win over The Victory Academy.

Points from Ben Dyson and Isaac Sesay saw Holcombe ease through their first group game and set a strong standard of basketball for the rest of the tournament. Wins against and The Howard followed, with extremely energetic performances from Tye Prater, Peace Okunrinkoya and Kieran Morgan, with Holcombe proving too much for the opposition. Those wins, and a draw thanks to powerful play from Jack Galton and the shooting of Jack Lane, helped Holcombe finish top of their group and advance into the Semi-Final where they would face Thomas Aveling. This game was fast-paced, with superb strength and discipline from Reagan Almazar and the influential dribbling of Elisha Babayemi. Holcombe were again too strong for their opponents and booked a place in the final against the impressive Rainham Mark side, who had dominated their group on their run to the final.

In a tight game against an extremely strong Rainham Mark side, Holcombe eventually lost 5-2 and claimed a very respectable second place and a silver medal. The whole squad performed superbly throughout the day and were an absolute credit to the School. Our thanks as always to the PE department, and to Form Tutors and Heads of Year for their continued support.

Mr Nanson

Celebration Assemblies

Celebration Assemblies were held in the last week of Term 4, to celebrate the hard work of our students this term. Every year group, including the Sixth Form, celebrated academic success achievements, as well as positive behaviour achievements. Students were given their certificates during assembly. Some students received prizes, including a combination of Flip Out vouchers, stationary sets, badges and an Amazon voucher, awarded to students for the Bronze, Silver and Gold Positive Points Awards. In addition, the completed reward cards our students have been accumulating were entered into a draw and winners were selected at random. Prizes included cinema vouchers and Amazon vouchers, with a £30 Amazon voucher as the first prize. This term saw the highest number of awards given. Congratulations to all of the students for their hard work.

Page 21

Mastery, Endeavour and Thinking Wellbeing Committee

Our Year 7 and Year 8 Mastery, Endeavour Wellbeing Committee and Thinking groups meet weekly to discuss Meetings were held on 16th their views and interpretations of current January 2019, and then events, as well as presenting an area of interest again on the 28th March to the group to widen their understanding of 2019. Our Staff Wellbeing the global community we live in. Ambassadors are responsible for co- Recently, students Jack Pass and Isaac Sesay ordinating the School’s both delivered an engaging and informative efforts of implementing presentation exploring the question ‘What are wellbeing initiatives and activities. the attributes of a coachable athlete?’ Both boys collaborated, drawing upon their The Committee first focused on ‘Giving’ and then experiences and wider research, resulting in a highly enthusiastic group discussion of the ‘Caring for the planet.’ Term 3’s Wellbeing Focus skills of habit-forming, resilience and was ‘body: Be Active. Walk to talk,’ which aimed perseverance. Similarly, Demilade Owalabi to get students and staff being more active. Term and Oliver Morris presented their ideas on the 4’s Focus was ‘Take Notice,’ which aims to topic ‘School Reform’, drawing upon encourage students and staff to take notice of their schooling practices from the UK and the surroundings and try to see things with ‘new Netherlands. They compared and contrasted eyes.’ We would like to thank our Staff Wellbeing the hours of teaching, styles of learning and the Committee for the work they do in implementing relevance of curriculum. By the end of the initiatives that benefit both staff and students. presentation and subsequent discussions, the MET group were routing for Oliver to be the future Minister of Education! Keep up the great work, MET!

Our Bronze Duke of Edinburgh students have been hard at work every week, undertaking training to prepare for their upcoming expeditions. Their practice expedition will be held in April, with their assessed expedition following close behind in July. Good luck to all students involved. Meanwhile, Silver Duke of Edinburgh participants will be completing their expeditions during the Easter Holidays and the May Bank Holiday weekend. The students have really embraced their planning in the last few weeks.

Mark Nutting, Caitlin Ehrich and George Green, Year 12, have been attending MOAC at the Strand on a weekly basis to prepare for their four day expeditions, which will take place in Summer 2019. Having completed their Silver Award last year, many of the Year 11s have opted to continue to the Gold award, and some are choosing to help the younger year groups with their Bronze and Silver awards as part of their volunteering section - many thanks to the hours of preparation they have undertaken already this year.

Finally, Duke of Edinburgh participants from Year 10 and 11 went to Rochester Cathedral on 20th March to receive the awards they gained last year. The evening was well-attended by both students Page 22 Exam Time Year 13 Revision Session

Year 11s and 13s sat their Preliminary Exams. The Year 13 Geography A Level students Both year groups have studied hard for these, successfully spent an intense day studying at the and we hope the results helped them to Emmanuel Centre for the Pearson Edexcel A-level understand what is expected of them, and Geography Student Revision Day. During the aided them in their revision and exam Conference, they were able to cover the examination preparations. skills required for Papers 1, 2 and 3, with tips for answering data stimulus, numerical, short and We wish them the best of luck as their final extended-writing questions. The day was led by exams approach. experts in their field, David Holmes, Cameron Dunn and Bob Digby, who also recapped and reinforced the core content from the specification.

Whilst the day was incredibly busy with lots to consider, and explore, the cohort found it invaluable and reinforced much of what they already knew.

Mrs Obee

Holcombe Association

On Friday 29th March, Holcombe Grammar School and Fort Pitt Grammar School Year 7 and 8 students attended a school disco at Holcombe, organised by the Holcombe Association. A fun- filled evening was had by all. Thank you to the Holcombe Association for their work in organising this, to our members of staff involved with the event, and to our parent helpers who volunteered to help on the evening.

The Holcombe Association is the Parent and Teacher Association (PTA) of Holcombe Grammar School. The Association has been going for many years and is one of only a few secondary PTAs in the Country. It is a registered charity and although was set up to support the school, the association has its own governing document and must follow the rules of the Charity Commission. It is the aim of the Holcombe Association to raise funds to provide equipment, services and materials for the school not covered by the school’s budget, but would be used to support and enrich the learning of the students at HGS. The Holcombe Association is made up of a number of committee members; Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer who are responsible for the running of the Association. These are all volunteer parents of students. A Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the running of the association. There is a group of parents who also volunteer to help run and support the School at events.

Every parent, carer and staff member is automatically a member of the Holcombe Association and as such are welcome to our monthly meetings. Even if you can only offer an hour or two a year to help at events, we would love to hear from you! Please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

The following meetings will be held in The Hub (M20) Sixth Form Block at 7.30pm, Monday 15th May Monday 17th June Monday 8th July

We look forward to seeing you. Page 23

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Term 5

BEFORE LUNCHTIME AFTER SCHOOL SCHOOL (1.20PM) (3.05PM) (7.30AM) HANDBALL

MONDAY GYM GRAPHIC NOVEL CLUB (M10) TABLE TENNIS BASKETBALL

BADMINTON BOXERCISE HANDBALL BOOK THIEVES (A10) ATHLETICS

TUESDAY GYM SPANISH/FRENCH FILM HOMEWORK ON TIME

BASKETBALL CLUB (S16) (B12)

BADMINTON YR 7 HARRY POTTER CODING CLUB ART CLUB (D20) (H11) GYM HANDBALL HIGH JUMP YR 7&8 CRICKET GYM ARTICULATE (M14) HOMEWORK ON TIME WEDNESDAY BASKETBALL CHESS CLUB (E12) (B12)

BADMINTON YR 7 MET GROUP (M13) DUKE OF EDINBURGH

(B15) HANDBALL GCSE PE SUPPORT ATHLETICS

THURSDAY GYM RIDDLE CLUB (M13) HOMEWORK ON TIME BASKETBALL YR7-10 YUGIOH (H11) (B12)

BADMINTON YR 8 MET GROUP (M13) ART CLUB (D20) HANDBALL GYM GYM DEBATING SOCIETY (B12) GCSE PE PRACTICAL FRIDAY BASKETBALL KS3 FILM CLUB (H15) SUPPORT

BADMINTON LEGO CLUB (B12) Page 24

TERM DATES FOR 2018/2019

September 2018 to July 2019

Term 1 Start Monday 3rd September : Staff Development Day – no school for students Tuesday 4th September: whole school starts

Finish Friday 19th October

Open Morning Saturday 12th October Autumn Break Monday 22nd October to Friday 26th October Monday 29th October: Staff Development Day – no school for students

Term 2 Start Tuesday 30th October Finish Wednesday 19th December Thursday 20th December – school closed for day in lieu of Open Morning

Christmas Break Friday 21st December to Thursday 3rd January Friday 4th January: Staff Development Day – no school for students

Term 3 Start Monday 7th January Finish Friday 15th February

February Break Monday 18th February to Friday 22nd February

Term 4 Start Monday 25th February Finish Friday 5th April

Spring Break Monday 8th April to Monday 22nd April

Good Friday Friday 19th April Easter Monday Monday 22nd April

Term 5 Start Tuesday 23rd April Finish Friday 24th May Early May Bank Holiday Monday 6th May May Break Monday 27th May to Friday 31st May

Term 6 Start Monday 3rd June Finish Friday 19th July Monday 22nd July: Staff Development Day – no students in school Tuesday 23rd July Staff Development Day – no students in school

Page 25

LOOKING AHEAD TERM DATES FOR 2019/2020

September 2019 to July 2020 Term 1 Start Monday 2nd September 2019: Staff Development Day Tuesday 3rd September 2019: Whole school starts Finish Thursday 17th October 2019: Whole school finishes

Friday 18th October 2019: Staff Development Day

Autumn Break Monday 21st October 2019 to Friday 25th October 2019

Term 2 Start Monday 28th October 2019

Finish Wednesday 18th December, 2019

Christmas Thursday 19th December 2019: School closed in lieu of Open Day Break Friday 20th December 2019 to Friday 3rd January 2020 Monday 6th January 2020: Staff Development Day

Term 3 Start Tuesday 7th January 2020

Finish Friday 14th February 2020

February Break Monday 17th February 2020 to Friday 21st February 2020

Term 4 Start Monday 24th February 2020

Finish Friday 3rd April 2020

Good Friday Friday 10th April 2020

Easter Monday Monday 13th April 2020

Spring Break Monday 6th April 2020 to Friday 17th April 2020

Term 5 Start Monday 20th April 2020

Finish Friday 22nd May 2020

Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4th May 2020

May Break Monday 25th May to Friday 29th May 2020

Term 6 Start Monday 1st June 2020

Finish Friday 17th July 2020 Monday 20th July 2020: Staff Development Day Tuesday 21st July 2020: Staff Development Day

The newsletter can be downloaded from the HGS website. Term 5 Commences on Tuesday 23rd April (Week B)

We wish everyone a happy Easter