Weatherhead High School WEATHER REPORT A high performing academy providing excellence for all Spring 2014 WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Gold Duke of Edinburgh recipients Going for Gold! 013 Sixth Form leavers, Rachel Chong, Laura Cook and Hannah Thurlow, travelled to London to collect their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards from the Duke of Edinburgh himself! From Years 9 to 13 the girls worked through Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, volunteering2 in many worthy causes, undertaking expeditions to Wales and Yorkshire, and developing all important life skills. The girls joined over 300 students from all corners of the UK who visited St. James’ Palace to collect their certificates and medals. All round talent Bill Bailey was the special guest and championed the view that, if you can achieve Gold ‘D of E’ Award, then you can accomplish anything in life. The day was a novel break from the girls’ university studies and the friends were able to catch up over lunch once the presentation ceremony was over. The Duke of Edinburgh scheme is offered as an extra-curricular club at Weatherhead with 140 students currently working towards their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. Visit the school website and click on the Extra Curricular>Extended School link for more details. Our big hitter! National Champion Boxing Star! ear 9 student, Chloe, became the Amateur Boxing Association England (ABAE) champion in the Class 1 40-42kgs category. 14 year old Chloe beat her opponent hands down and unanimously outpointed her to take the title. Chloe took up boxing at the age of eleven and has been carefully nurtured and Ytrained at Birkenhead’s Venture Boxing Club with an impressive record winning eight out of her eleven amateur bouts. Chloe has boxing in her blood - her father and uncles were all boxers. Her trainer at Venture is very excited and thinks she’s the best girl on the amateur boxing scene, proving that training hard and having the perfect attitude pay off. The introduction of Women’s Boxing at the London 2012 Olympics and this year’s Commonwealth Games makes Chloe’s chances of one day representing Great Britain - like her boxing idol (and ex-Weatherhead student) Natasha Jonas - all the more realistic! Hickory’s Winners Sweet Taste of Victory wo talented GCSE Catering students joined over 100 budding young chefs from seven schools as they took part in the Junior Masterchef 2014 competition run by local Trestaurant, Hickory’s. Students were asked to create a starter, main course or dessert, that would work well on the authentic American menu, and cost their dish to test its viability on a commercial menu. The competition was presided over by an illustrious panel of judges, including expert food critics, local celebrity chef, Paul Askew, and TV Chef Simon Rimmer. Despite facing stiff competition in the live cook-off final, Amber was crowned Junior Masterchef. Amber’s S’Mores Slice - a biscuit and brownie-based dessert with salted caramel sauce - will feature on the Hickory’s menu for a month. As well as a certificate and trophy, Amber won a meal with her family at Hickory’s and £500 of kitchen equipment for the school. Becky’s runner-up five burgers dish may be used for a ‘special’, perhaps to mark US Independence Day. Hickory’s Executive Chef, Rob Bacon, described how the competition aims to introduce young people to this style of cooking whilst encouraging them to consider a career in catering. 166_WR_Spring14_v7.indd 1 08/04/2014 09:01 We are the Champions Headteacher’s Welcome Weather Report grows ever more extensive as we celebrate many excellent achievements and initiatives from across the school community. It demonstrates the tremendous commitment and talent of students and staff at Weatherhead and I am very proud to share the latest news with you all. We are excited to be welcoming a large number of Year 7 students in September and we hope that Weather Report will provide an insight into the wealth of opportunity available to all our students. We encourage students to get involved in extra-curricular activities and there can be no better showcase of how much there is to choose from. I would also like to remind parents that I offer an Open Surgery each term for any parent or carer who wishes to meet with me to discuss any matter. Dates are published on our website along with all the latest school news, letters, and calendar of events. I hope you enjoy reading this Spring 2014 issue. School of the Week Back of the Net! eatherhead was featured as School of the Week on City eatherhead’s U13 Football team beat off five local teams Talk’s breakfast show in February. City Talk’s Education to represent Tranmere Rovers in the Regional Area Reporter, Les Stewart, gave Weatherhead a very positive Finals of the Football League Cup. The squad, coached W‘shout out’ in the weekly feature. Wby Miss Lilburn, comprised Erin Abbott, Jodie Ballard, Alicia Bond, Mia Bunting, top scorer Lois Davies, Chloe Etherington, Captain To listen to the feature in full, visit the school website & click on the School of the Week link Alisha Gibson and Emily Harding. This is the second year that ! Weatherhead’s U13 Footballers have trodden the path to Wembley. The girls sailed through the opening games and easily overcame Birmingham in the semi-finals to meet Shrewsbury Town in the final. The game seemed to go our way until a last minute equaliser Trampolining from Shrewsbury brought a penalty shoot-out. The girls finished runners-up as the shoot-out went to sudden death meaning that Triumph they narrowly missed out on Wembley. Weatherhead is extremely ear 11 Trampolinist, Megan, proud of the team for their fighting spirit and skills. The girls also represented Weatherhead in relished the support from Tranmere, especially when striker, Abdulai the U19 Girls’ Novice category Bell Baggie, and midfielder, James Rowe, called in to Weatherhead at the Zonal Stage of the National to wish them well. Thanks to everyone who supported the girls on Y their journey for their encouragement and support. Schools’ Trampoline Championships. Megan is one of our top trampolinists, who qualified at individual level at the Regional Stage of the Championships back in November. Megan came eighteenth out of 41 competitors and goes on to represent not only Weatherhead but also the North West of England in the next round later this year. Fantastic Gymnastics ell done to the U16 elite Gymnastics Squad who competed at the North West Milano Team Regional Finals in January. The girls had to perform individually on the WFloor and Vault, as well as in a Trio on the Floor. With over thirty teams in the mix, it was a tough competition that required nerves of steel and consistency across the disciplines. Miss Chard’s gymnasts did themselves proud, showcasing their impressive choreography and technical abilities to firmly make their mark on the North West Gymnastics scene. Lauren Ayers, Kirby Holsgrove and Natasha Murrell finished in first place and went on to represent the North West at the Milano Team National Finals in March where they secured fifth place. An incredible and much-deserved achievement in an elitist event competing with the best of British teams. Football League U13 Team 2 WEATHER REPORT 166_WR_Spring14_v7.indd 2 08/04/2014 09:01 We are the Champions Rewards for All ead of Year 8, Mrs Ronan, has introduced a new incentive scheme for Year 8 students and rewards twenty five girls every half term for theirH good behaviour, attendance and progress. The girls are rewarded with a special lunch in the canteen and are presented with certificates. The scheme encourages girls to be responsible, committed learners and good ambassadors for Weatherhead. Year 8 enjoy the taste of success Eco Warriors Eco Schools is an internationally recognised environmental award programme that puts sustainability at the heart of school life helping to make environmental Year 8 celebration lunch issues simple and easy to manage. Managed by our Well Being Coordinator, Mrs Jones, we have been working towards improving our environmental performance to obtain our Bronze, Silver and Green Flag awards since 2012. Weatherhead’s Eco School Action Team, made up of four Year 8 students, Megan, Tabitha, Emily and Rachel, was the driving force assessing the environmental performance of the school. The Team chose to focus on two of the nine Eco-topics: Energy and Litter. They organised a Switch Off fortnight encouraging staff and students to switch off lights Rachel Brown with Award Winners and appliances when not in use, took part in the Wirral litter strategy and attended a one day workshop at Gilmoss Awards Evenings Recycling Centre. Congratulations to Mrs Jones and the Team on securing this prestigious award for Weatherhead. Staff, students, parents and Governors came together in October to celebrate two evenings of sporting and academic successes at Sports Awards Evening and Senior Awards Evening. Our sporting achievements in school have paved the way for team and individual triumphs in local and national football, gymnastics, athletics and trampolining competitions. Special awards were also given out for volunteering, charity work, service to the school and community, as well as to students who have shown outstanding commitment and success in Leadership and Media Arts. The ceremonies were presided over by special guests, Sue Talbot from Wirral Children’s & Young People’s Services, and Everton Ladies and England goalkeeper, Rachel Brown, who spoke to our students and inspired them to achieve, be successful and follow their dreams. Date for Diaries - Key Stage 3 Awards Evening will take place ! on Thursday 3rd July Eco Schools committee with flag For all the latest news visit www.weatherheadhigh.co.uk 3 166_WR_Spring14_v7.indd 3 08/04/2014 09:01 Global Perspective Global Perspective Boosted by International Award eatherhead has successfully achieved the Foundation International School Certificate in recognition of the school’s drive to introduce a greater cultural dimension to school life beyond foreign language learning.