Ivy Bank High School’s Business Partnership Newsletter
Issue 7 June 2000
Simply Top Class
We have all seen the Brits and the Oscars but in March this year Ivy Bank High School held its own version, the Expressive Arts Cabaret Awards 2000 evening. The event was sponsored by Barclays Bank, and the room provided free of charge by Burnley Football Club.
The event was held in the plush surroundings of Turf Moor’s Executive North Stand and was presented by Clare Plane, 16, Scott Summers, 15, Joanne Webb, 15, Danielle Eglin, 15 and Gary Starr, 15.
The girls, in cocktail dresses and the boys, in dinner suits, introduced guests from local businesses who presented the awards for art, music and drama. In true Oscar style, the winners’ names were pulled from sealed envelopes.
The evening contained a performance by the ‘Jane Bond and Ivy Bank Mission’ drama group, various dance, ballet and singing performances and a scene from the Willy Russell play, ‘Blood Brothers’. The school’s IBFM radio roadshow provided music for the evening.
Head of Expressive Arts Terry Parker, said: “This was a unique production and I believe for a school to let its students present the whole awards evening shows a tremendous confidence in them. Who knows, one of our students maybe a star of tomorrow.”
Let there be Night In This Issue
Ivy Bank High School was probably the only school in the country to view the Simply top class...... 1 first solar eclipse since 1927 with the help of a business partner. Let there be night...... 1 TV Stars for the day...... 2 Aero and Industrial Technology Limited provided funding for a 1000 students to IBFM Again !...... 2 view this once in a lifetime opportunity through special viewing glasses on the Classical duo back in school...... 3 school’s playing fields! The whole school had spent all morning learning more A knockout amount raised...... 3 about the rare occurrence. Its Bliss to be back in school...... 3 News in Brief...... 4 BBC North West Tonight sent their educational correspondent and a film crew McDonalds grant...... 4 along to film the event. The spectacle of 1000 students viewing the eclipse Environmental award...... 4 appeared on television that night. Editorial...... 4
Ivy Bank High School’s Business Partnership Newsletter 1 TV Stars for the day
Twelve Manchester United mad students appeared on the club’s own children’s television show in February.
They took part in MUTV’s ‘Reds at five show’ after a day at Old Trafford. Their visit included viewing the ground from the directors box, a tour of the museum and during two filmed sessions they tried their hand at voice over commentating while watching a video. They were also given United T-shirts, treated to lunch News in brief.... and given a £5 voucher each to spend in the club shop.
IBFM - Again !
IBFM took to the airwaves of Burnley and Padiham for one week in November last year for our second live transmission.
The broadcast was even more successful than the first thanks to the commitment from our students, the knowledge we gained from our first transmission and the quality of programming. Many local celebrities were interviewed and star guests included BBC’s Blue Peter presenter Katy Hill, TV comedy duo Dr Evadne Hinge and Dame Hilda Bracket and world famous classical piano duo Sally Bishop and Anne-Marie Hastings.
The support and help we received from our business partners was unbelievable. Thanks go to you all, but here are just a few who helped:-
HSBC Bank, Baxi Heating Limited, East Lancashire Business Partnership and TRW/Lucas provided duty managers to help run the station with the students. Baxi Heating Limited and TRW/Lucas constructed a purpose built radio station in the school. Dudley Office Automation installed a fax & phone line donated two printers as competition prizes and advertised on the station. Lancashire EveningTelegraph supplied the news. East Lancashire Business Partnership provided partial funding. Green Park Media developed and provided our web site. The Radio Surgery provided consultancy, equipment, and training. Many of our partners advertised on the station and some, such as Richard Farnworth, from Farnworths Solicitors, were guests on special features.
HSBC Bank were the stations official sponsors and have agreed once again (with a very substantial sponsorship deal) to back this ground-breaking scheme this October.
2 Ivy Bank High School’s Business Partnership Newsletter Classical Duo back in school
Natasja Godden and Charlotte Binns shared the stage at Ivy Bank to perform a concert with international stars Sally Bishop and Anne- Marie Hastings.
North West Piano Centre, Manchester sponsored the concert and the company loaned two grand pianos to the school especially for the performance.
The concert was featured on Radio Lancashire which added even more excitement to the occasion.
Sally and Anne Marie have recently won the Tokyo International Duo Championship and the British Duo Association Competition.
A Knockout amount raised
WHAT A KNOCKOUT of a fund-raising event! The school’s annual foam and fun fund-raiser raised £5000 for the school’s PE department.
Almost 1000 students took part in a day of water, foam and fun as they splashed their way around a course set up by the It’s a Knockout Roadshow.
Certificates were presented to the youngsters who completed three laps and raised at least £3 in sponsorship. Those who raised £12 received sports prizes, cinema tickets, and gifts from Marks and Spencers. The overall winner received the Rosegrove Glass Trophy and £25.
The school is very grateful to Apollo Cinemas, Rosegrove Glass and Marks and Spencer’s for sponsoring and supporting this annual event.
Its Bliss to be back in school
Singer Marie Atkinson returned here with her fellow performers to give a concert to 1000 students as a thank you gesture.
Marie, 17 and the other members of Bliss had their first air play of the single, ‘One Sweet High’ on the school’s radio station, when Ivy Bank went on air in May 1999. Since then they have appeared on Channel Four’s Big Breakfast TV programme.
Marie said “I was still at school when we made the broadcast and this is a way of returning the favour. We were very grateful for the air time.”
Marie left Ivy Bank with 3A*s, 4Bs and 2Cs in her GCSE’s and is now studying law, including business contract management, as well as pursuing her singing career.
Ivy Bank High School’s Business Partnership Newsletter 3 Blue Peter - History in the making
Student’s Andrew Stubbs and Clare Plane were at the Blue Peter studios when the programme’s appeal reached it’s £1 million target.
From behind the cameras the students saw confetti fly and rockets fire out of the top of the totaliser as the presenters announced the appeals target to raise money to buy incubators for children had been reached.
Presenter Katy Hill had invited the teenagers down for a tour and to watch the programme being filmed after she was interviewed by the students on the school’s radio station.
During the tour of the Shepherds Bush studios they saw the the famous garden, all four Blue Peter studios (which are also home to CBBC), as well as the sets for Parkinson and News Night.
After filming had finished, Andrew and Clare met all four presenters and had another chat with Katy who agreed to participate when IBFM broadcasts again in October this year.
Peers 4 Fears
Recently, Ivy Bank introduced a Peer Counselling initiative in school to provide a support service to all students. Sixteen pupil counsellors were selected from years 7-10 and have undergone a comprehensive training programme run by Lancashire Pupil Referral Service to equip them with the necessary skills.
The scheme has been promoted on the school’s radio station IBFM and Baxi Heating Limited provided team building tuition for the peer counselling team.
All the students are keen to work hard in the helping and supporting of their peers. The service will be available twice daily in the counselling room and following a year 7 competition, was named ‘Peers 4 Fears’.
4 Ivy Bank High School’s Business Partnership Newsletter Students aim to clean up Viewpoint - Ian Wilson
Two budding Ivy Bank High School chemists produced their Why Ivy Bank ? very own multi-surface cleaner in a ground-breaking That’s the thought that came to mind when asked to educational and industry project. outline this viewpoint.
Amy Hamilton and James Huggon joined forces with Robert Why indeed ? McBride Household Products Limited and Asda to produce We are one of the fastest growing companies in the and sell their own product. country. We are located at Simonstone and officially in the Ribble Valley but sat almost on the borders of The aim of the project was to highlight chemistry in the Hyndburn and Burnley, our connection then could have workplace. It gave the students an in-depth knowledge of been from any school in those three areas. In fact our the process involved and the chance to market and sell the recruitment catchment area includes Blackburn and household cleaner. Pendle too. It is quite reasonable to assume then that we could have connections with just any school in East Mrs. Eleanor Palmer Grant, Personnel Manager at Robert Lancashire. McBride, said: “Amy and James spent two weeks with the company. They looked at all of the processes, from product So back to my question. Why Ivy Bank? testing, quality control, mixing, blow moulding of the bottles In truth about five years ago Ivy Bank made the and designing the bottle label, to marketing and selling the approach inviting me to join their Technology Advisory product.” Panel. I have a firm belief of involvement in community issues and in particular forging relationships with Mr. Andy Davis, Asda’s General Manager, said: ‘When the schools. I had not been with Time Computers very long school approached us with the idea I thought it was a (a month or two at the most), I was new into the role of phenomenal project and something we would like to support Personnel Manager and at that point we were about as a company. The household cleaner should sell really one eighth of our current size so the approach from Ivy well, and could even become a collector’s item as only a Bank then gave a wonderful opportunity early in my limited amount are to be produced.” time with the company.
It was pleasing to be given approval by the directors and so my connections with Ivy Bank began.
Looking back what would I say about my experience? Well, in the first part I have always enjoyed contact with schools. However I always felt that in many ways the relationship appeared to be one sided. To an extent that is understandable but with Ivy Bank there is a genuine desire to forge partnerships.
As I already said some 5 years ago I was invited to join the Technology Advisory Panel. From the outset the views of the business and commercial members were not only welcomed but listened to. In short there was an opportunity for genuine partnership. This panel has blossomed since those early days.
Having said all of that perhaps the most impressive thought is to see the commitment to the students by the staff. This is shown in the innovation and the forward vision displayed by staff to ensure that the students attain the highest possible achievements.
At Time Computers we applaud this approach and look forward to being part of what I believe will be a successful and long term partnership.
Ivy Bank High School’s Business Partnership Newsletter 5 Environmental Award News in brief
The Image Works Limited have East Lancashire’s guardians of the environment won praise from the top professionally produced and sponsored at the Lancashire Evening Telegraphs annual Grimewatch awards in the Attendance Certificates that contain March. Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw was guest of honour at the event, the colour scheme used in the new and he praised all those who had done their bit to improve the environment school prospectus. in East Lancashire.
The Abbey National Achiever of the Ivy Bank’s Educational Environmental Zone won the Best Secondary Month scheme for outstanding School Project. The judges said: “The school, inspired by the Forest of achievement continues to be a huge Burnley project, has landscaped its surroundings with an emphasis on incentive and success with the students tree planting and is very impressive and the project is growing from strength of the school. It has seen many to strength.” different forms of achievement being rewarded. The school received an attractive engraved crystal trophy and a £100 cheque and will host the awards next year. Baxi Heating Limited provided teambuilding and customer care Editorial training for our new prefects who spent a full day training at the companies’ Welcome to this issue of Highlights, this issue premises in Padiham. is bigger as it includes features that would have been in the Christmas issue. I do hope The TRW/Lucas technology day was, you find this issue interesting and if you have once again a brilliant success with this any articles you would like publishing for the years project being entitled ‘Sandy next edition please get in touch with Michael Sandwiches’. The students had to Watson - Telephone 01282-775111. organise a promotion and erect a stand for a beach bar in Greece. We have decided to include website address’s for our business partners GTC Sports sponsored the Burnley and other companies that are featured in the newsletter. If you would Schools Gymnastic Competition at Ivy like yours adding, please contact Mike Watson at the school. Bank which was organised by our very own PE teacher Sally Wallace. The Radio Surgery http://www.theradiosurgery.co.uk Green Park Media http://www.greenparkmedia.co.uk The Manchester United soccer school Dudley Office Automation http://www.fhbrown.co.uk roadshow was held at the school over IBFM http://www.ibfm.co.uk the weekend of 10 th and 11 th of June. Lancashire Evening Telegraph http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/ lancashire/burnley/index.html Baxi Heating Limited http://www.baxi.com/ TRW/Lucas http://www.trw.com McDonalds Grant HSBC Bank http://www.hsbc.co.uk Barclays Bank http://www.barclays.co.uk The school has been awarded a grant of Burnley FC http://www.clarets.co.uk £3000 by the Ronald McDonald Children’s Blue Peter http://www.bbc.co.uk/bluepeter/ charity to install a sound amplification Apollo Cinemas http://www.apollocinemas.co.uk/ system in the four classrooms of our flash.html English Department. This will help our Time Computers http://www.timecomputers.com/ hearing impaired students and will also mainindex.html benefit our other pupils. AIT Limited http://www.ait-ltd.co.uk Bliss http://www.neonportal.com/bliss/ Manchester United FC http://www.manutd.com Highlights is sponsored by Marks and Spencer http://www.marks-and-spencer.co.uk/ Potterton, part of default.asp McDonalds http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ Baxi Heating Limited homepage/asp/intro.html Robert McBride Limited http://www.mcbride.co.uk GTC Sports http://www.gtcsports.co.uk Asda http://www.asda.co.uk
6 Ivy Bank High School’s Business Partnership Newsletter