THE KINGS OF WESSEX COMMUNITY SCHOOL A Specialist Technology College Issue 57 Also available in colour on our website: THE KINGS’ MESSENGER www.kowessex.co.uk October 2004 Contents Dear Parents Page No. The first half of the Autumn Term has been 1-2 Head’s Address exceptionally busy with much happening around 3-5 Schools Awards 2003-4 school. 6 Absence from School 7 Science News 7-8 Modular Maths Our new Year 9 students are now settled into life at 9-10 Modern Foreign Languages Kings and making good progress. It is good to see 11-14 News from English and Perth-y-Pia them getting involved in a number of activities and 15-16 Art Trip to Wells Cathedral events. 16 History Trip to Radstock Museum Drama Trip to Hamlet The high point of our Term was our Annual Awards 17 Technology Extra Curricular Activities Evening held on Wednesday 15 October 2004. This 18-19 Work Experience Health and Safety year’s Guest Speaker was Mr Robin Bush, Chairman 19 House Sport of Somerset County Council. Robin is also famous for 20-23 Sports News his passion for local history and gave a superb talk, 24 School Calendar which greatly entertained an audience of over 500 Inserts: parents, staff and members of the community. PTA 2004-5 flyer PTA Christmas Cabaret Over 130 students received awards and it was a Mobile Phone Contract great pleasure to see them on stage being presented Drugs Awareness Parents Evening Letter with their award and prizes. Students received awards for a wealth of achievements and contributions to the school and you will have opportunity to read their names in this Kings’ Messenger. Another significant event this Half Term was our Harvest Church Services at St Andrew’s Church, held on three morning for all our students. It is always a joy to visit St Andrew’s and provide our young people with a moment of quiet reflection, in an otherwise busy schedule. We are particularly grateful to Preb. Victor Daley who led our services and to all our students involved in the music and readings. Over the course of the Term we have been very busy with a wide range of trips and visits. Our Year 10 Geographers have all visited Brean Down, whilst our Year 9 Historians have commenced their visits to Radstock Museum. Students undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh Award have been out on expeditions and we have also had our Year 12 English residentials to Perth-y-Pia in Wales. Our Drama students watched Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Company and our Art students have attended the Knitting and Stitching Show in London and also visited Wells Cathedral. You will have opportunity to read up on some of these trips later in this newsletter. From further afield, on the international front, we recently welcomed Musicians and Dancers from the Czech Republic in association with Danzatak. And on the subject of the Czech Republic, a group of our students are about to set off for the return leg of their exchange with our partner school in Prague. This is all in addition to the variety of extra curricular clubs and activities that happen on a daily basis. The end of this Half Term sees the retirement of Mrs Val Jones, our Learning Resource Centre Manager. Mrs Jones has been in post for 16 years over which time since starting her career, she has transformed the library facilities here at Kings from poorly equipped, cramped accommodation to a state-of-the-art LRC, which is well equipped with both books and periodicals and ICT equipment. We all wish Mrs Jones well in her retirement and thank her for her enthusiasm and determination and valued work with our young people. Mrs Bridget Knutson, an experienced librarian will be joining us as Mrs Jones’ successor and will be in post shortly at the start of next Half Term. Thank you very much for your support on our uniform. Our students are really looking smart and we have had relatively few incidents of uniform infringements this Half Term. I am proud to say that visitors to the school have commented on how well dressed our students look, which is clearly a credit to our young people. And now a plea to parents. I am receiving an increasing number of complaints from members of the community about the antisocial behaviour of some of our students in the evenings and at the weekend. Whilst I realise that this is outside school time, I do believe that as a whole community, it is important that, as parents we show responsibility in being aware of our children’s whereabouts and actions - as far as possible. Finally, a reminder to all parents that our Target Setting Day for our parents and students in Years 9/10/11 will take place on Monday 15 November 2004. Students in these years will only be required to attend school for this day for their appointment. I wish you all an enjoyable Half Term holiday and remind you that we return to school on Monday 1 November 2004. CHRIS RICHARDSON Headteacher Appointments with Staff We are always pleased to meet with parents to discuss issues relating to their children’s education. However, we do ask that parents contact the school first to make an appointment. We would ask that in the first instance that you contact your child’s Form Tutor, prior to speaking to their Year Co-Ordinator. Please be aware that for parents coming into school it may not be possible to see a member of staff due to timetable commitments. Parents wishing to make an appointment with senior members of staff must in all cases make an appointment. Thank you for working with us. 2 School Awards 2003-4 The following students were presented with an award. These were presented at the school’s annual Awards Evening held on Wednesday 15 September 2004. The Awards Evening is an important event in our school calendar for our parents, staff and students. Year 9 Achievement Awards Year 9 Tutor Awards Jennifer Barritt Robert Baker Kelly Eccleston Harry Briffitt Benjamin Kammerling Andrew Burland Bethan Meadowcroft James Covell Elizabeth Murray Elizabeth Freeman Christopher Nash Natasha Gowan Benjamin Puddy Philippa Ivens Linda Pugh Philip Lee Joshua Roberts Heather Paterson Jonathan Smith Claire Ratcliffe Daniel Ward Zoe Gertner Cup – Naomi Taschimowitz GCSE Awards for High Achievement Year 10 Tutor Awards Emily Atkin Nathaniel Bird Matthew Aung Isabel Fenton Alexei Bygrave Camilla Gruffydd-Jones Matthew Dickson Philippa Hambly Hannah Duckworth Simon Orriss Franchesca Gifford Emma Paterson Victoria Heal Stephanie Robson Ashley Jones Andrew Strang Samuel Jones Emma Talbot Jeremy Sharples Philip Tromans Oliver Williams Erica Padfield Awards for ‘A’ Level Year 11 Tutor Awards High Achievement Mehreen Arshad Daniel Ashby Thomas Duckworth Charlottee Daintree Michaela Francis Heather Edwards Natalie Gilbert Owen Gildersleeve Ayla Harper Keryl Johnson Joanna Long Lauren Key Abigail Milsom Katharine Montague Gary Sheldon Rachel Newton Charlotte Streeter Samuel Parkinson Spurthi Vemulapalli Alanna Skuse Michael Taylor Jennifer Wainwright Louise Wright 3 Year 9 – Faculty Awards for the greatest effort and progress · Creative Art Lily Mason · Design Technology Lisa Robson · Drama Harriet Allen · English Laura Carter · Humanities Sasha Davies · Mathematics Bethany Morgan · Modern Languages Jack Brady · Music Mark Goddard · Physical Education James Saunders · Science Fraser McQueen · Learning Support Sam Smith Year 10 – Faculty Awards for the greatest effort and progress · Creative Art Claire Macaulay · Design Technology Gemma Tidman · Drama Kayleigh Crook · English Hazel Rossiter · Humanities Alistair Haggerty · Mathematics David Smart · Modern Languages Jason Gupta · Music Evan Gildersleeve · Physical Education Sarah Mann · Science Elizabeth Cooke · Learning Support David Ward Work Experience Awards Year 10 Work Experience Extended Work Experience Matthew Dickson Jonathan Rolfe Margaret Gibb Megan Lacey GNVQ Awards Emma Fleet Subject Awards Richard Cox Gough Award for Girls Sport (Deanes Award): Rachael Goddard Ryder Cup for Boys Sport (Deanes Award): Henry Eriksson Peter Reeve Cup for Best Footballer: Peter Coates Lindsay Textiles Award: Verity Walcott Maple Leaf Cup for Art: Samuel Thomas Richard Barnes Drama Cup: Samuel Nicholls Best Actor Award: Jean-Jack Chalmers Best Actress Award: Laura Morgan Jubilee Baton for Music: Andreas Spanring Suzanne Wallis Cup for Music: Frances Rabbitts Richard Chinn Music Shield: Rebecca Cripps Arnold Hill Cup for R.E: Joanna Collison Gesamtschule Felsberg German Award: Nicole Vosper French Award: Jennifer Wainwright 4 Geography Award: Sarah Hall History Award: Hayley Barker Brian Elvins Cup for most Promising ‘A’ Level Historian: Charlotte Daintree & Oliver Parsons Mathematics Award: Thomas Dunton The Bev Hearn Cup for Photography: Daniel Morris Psychology Award: Polly Cook Media Studies Award: Pamela Pastou Peter Corrick Computer Award: Nicholas Watson Lanes of Cheddar D.T. Award: Cora Taylor Creative Writing Award: Thomas Young Science Award: Rachel Newton Special Awards and Cups Downey Cup for Service to the School: Senior Student Team: Fraser Alcorn Nicholas King Daniel Ashby Nicholas Redgrove Jolene Burkinshaw Rebecca Robinson Heather Edwards Louise Wright Andrew Nicholson Cup for Contribution: Rebecca Robinson National Westminster Bank Cup for Persistence/Determination: Lucy Mason Jill James Cup for Enthusiasm: Aye Aung Jennings Cup for Character: Nicholas McKen Hardy Award for Good Citizenship: Oliver Parsons The Kings of Wessex Shield for all of the Above Qualities: Stacey Chivers Peter Bubbear Cup for Courage: Emma Stephens Community School Award: Thea Oliver The Kings of Wessex Old Student of the Year: David Scourse (Posthumous) Congratulations to all our students! Don’t forget! British Summer Time ends on Sunday 31 October 2004: Clocks will move back one hour… 5 Reporting Absence To all our Parents and in particular, for the benefit of our new Year 9 Parents We operate an Absence Hotline for Parents’ convenience Illness or any other absence should be reported on the first and every day of absence by telephoning: 01934 745304 (This telephone number is available 24/7 ) Your child’s name, tutor group and reason for absence should be given.