AshtonAshton HighlightsHighlights Newsletter 11 Friday 12th December 2014 It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at Ashton. In the newsletter this week you can read all about the range of activities our staff and students have taken part in to spread the seasonal message of peace and goodwill to all. You may recall in the last edition I mentioned we were welcoming some very special visitors to school this week as part of the Ashton Methodist Church Posada. You can see more of how their day was spent on page 3, but suffice to say all those who were in contact with our visitors had an opportunity to reflect on the purpose of their visit and will not forget their experience. When you look at the timetable of events for the day you will also have a good insight into a day in the life of an Ashton student; really quite revealing. Our SCAMPs programme continues to thrive and in this edition you will see how two new additions to the programme are faring. Running Club goes from strength to strength, with numbers increasing each week, see page 4 if you would like to join in. The SJA (St John Ambulance) unit also continues to thrive, with a committed group of staff and students working their way steadily through the training that will see them achieve a first aid qualification that may one day save a life. Truly remarkable determination to make a dif- ference to others can be seen every time that group meet. As we move into the final week of the school term, I would like to remind you one last time that tickets are still available for A Cosy Christmas, but they are selling fast. The production runs for 3 nights but is strictly entry by ticket only; tickets will not be available to purchase on the night, so if you would like to come, please contact school. As always, we are keen to share in your news, so if you have any stories you would like to share with us, please contact school in the usual way, Best Wishes Sharon Asquith Principal Follow us on twitter @ashtoncsc PUBLIC SERVICES OUTWARD BOUND On Thursday 4th December Mr Corcaran and Ms Ascroft took the Yr12/13 Public Services students up to Hutton Roof near Kirby Lonsdale for a days rock climbing and abseiling. Although a little on the chilly side, the students got well stuck in, climbing all 8 routes that were rigged up. Special mention to 'High Tower Minchella' who was the only one to climb the hardest route. After some low flying jets narrowly missed our heads, we spent the afternoon abseiling down the rock face. It was here that 'GI Seddon' was in his element and decided that he only needed a t-shirt on despite the fact it was a brisk 2 degrees!! Events by Ella Huskisson. First of all we started off in the fun boats, we got the boats out and Annie, one of the leaders, told us how to set the boat up. After listening to her talk about how to set them up, we got into pairs and got onto our own boat and we then set the boats up by setting up the sail, and the boom and the rudder. After we did that she set us off sailing. At first it was really hard to figure out what to do because you had to keep swapping sides after the sail had moved sides. But after a bit we got the hang of it and were sailing pretty well. Annie set us a few targets, one was to sail to Chris give him a high 5 then sail back to the shore. After we had dinner, we decided to get out the dart boats. Only 6 people could use these as it was only 3 on each boat. So the rest of us went back onto the fun boats and went further out and tried to sail; some of us went separately and some of us went in pairs. Chris took the people in the fun boats and towed us out to the middle of the lake, he then untied us and let us sail. He set us a few targets to reach and let us sail freely. Then we had to try and make our way back to where we had come from. Because the water was very calm and there wasn’t any wind, he ended up having to tow us back to the shore. Thanks go to Alex, John, Chris and Annie the instructors and the 2 co-pilots Ms Ascroft and Mrs Bradshaw. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME FOR GIVING This year we are raising funds for local charities. We are asking students and staff to write their Christmas thoughts, wishes, greetings or memories onto a paper bauble and we will then pin it onto the tree. Let’s see if together, we can cover the tree with lots of baubles and raise some money for people who are not as fortunate as ourselves. We can be found by the door 4 entrance every day at lunchtime, 20p per bauble. Mary & Joseph Visit Ashton Community Science College Mary & Joseph visiting departments The nip in the air WINTER WARMER w a s s o o n dispelled as this week’s runners pounded our usual weekly route. Christmas concerts, a sixth form trip, a sporting fixture, and even a Senior Leadership Team meeting took some of our regular staff and student runners. However, four new runners joined us this week giving us a healthy 16 souls. A warm welcome is extended to Sasha Singh, James Suggate, Lorren Simpson and Emily Clinch. This week’s first boy home was Jonathon Lang closely followed by the first girl, Grace McGarvey – well done! Mr Wiggins made a welcome return wearing a very fancy new pair of trainers after an injury last week. Next week’s running club will be our Santa Dash – hats and antlers welcome. New runners always welcome. No experience necessary, just a willingness to try to run the whole route. Thank you to all this week’s staff and student runners. YEAR 12 SCIENTISTS On Tuesday 9th December, the Year 12 science students joined students from other sixth forms for a genetics workshop in the newly opened Young Scientists lab at UCLAN. This full day involved students analysing their own DNA using a variety of methods and highly specialised equipment for a PCT tasting gene. PCT is a chemical that makes sprouts and other vegetables taste bitter to some people but not others. By the end of the day, the students had produced their own "genetic fingerprint" for this gene so were able to show why they didn't like sprouts. WEEKLY LITERACY AND NUMERACY CHALLENGES Congratulations to last week’s Congratulations to last week’s winners Jodie Reed 8O winners Molly Mansford 8S Shazmeen Iqbal 9O Mollie Nimmo 10O This week has been Numeracy week with all of the assemblies being inter-form “maths relays”. Congratulations to the winning form groups who were 7O, 8T, 9T and 10N. The best time recorded was 2 minutes 50 seconds by the Year 10 duo of David Roscoe and Muhammad Khan who were ably assisted by their runners Sarah Ashmore and Brandon Wilkinson. Friday was ChristMaths with over 200 pupils coming to join in the activities in the sports hall at dinnertime by making Christmas cubes, voting on their favourite reindeer (Dasher was the clear winner here) and entering the competitions. The winners of the competitions were: Grace Ainsworth 11O ,Ella Roberts 8S,Amber-Jane Breakell 7H Olivia Karri 8S,Harriet Durham 10S, Dylan Turner 10N The answer to the “guess the weight of Santa’s sleigh” was 4740 tonnes with the closest entry coming from Josh Swann 7S. The answer to “how far has Santa travelled” was 34023 miles with Callum Aldred 8O coming the closest to that one. POST 16 COMMUNITY DAY On Wednesday 10th December the Level 2 Beauty Therapy Students visited the Elsie Finney Care Home for the Post 16 Community Day. Accompanied by staff member Jenna Bailey, they provided hand massages for male and female patients who enjoyed the interaction and company as well as the treatments. The Sixth Form students were a credit to the school as they were well mannered and showed excellent client care skills. Consequently, they have been asked to return in the New Year ! SIXTH FORM CHRISTMAS MISSION Students in Sixth Form are working together with the Salvation Army to increase the Preston Food Bank. Last year at Christmas, the Food Bank was completely wiped out in just 2 days. We don’t want this to happen again this year. Rachael Brierley, Emma Riley & Husnaa Patel, 3 of the Year 13 students involved in the food bank said “Our aim this year is to ensure that other families can have a good Christmas, just like us; we can’t let them go hungry again. Last year the Salvation Army helped feed over 900 families and this year, hopefully, we can do the same again’. The 6th Form is asking all students and staff to join together in order to make their Christmas Mission a success. You can help by donating ONE non-perishable item. Boxes will be in the 6th Form Centre and the staff room th and members of the 6 Form will be going round to form groups. Thank You EXPRESSIVE ARTS BRING CHRISTMAS CHEER Expressive Arts have had a busy week this week! On Monday 15 year 7 and 8 Sir Tom Finney High students visited the department and took part in a music session with Miss McClelland and 15 year 7 and 8 Music students from Ashton.