Aoril 2019 CHARLTON SCHOOL Message from the Principal Another exciting but relentlessly busy term draws to a close. Our newsletter provides a flavour of the variety of achievements and opportunities Charlton students have had; our students continue to impress us with their hard work and In this issue commitment, both within the classroom and beyond. BBC Young The dark nights in February lit up with Reporters our school show. Charlton was alive with the Sound of Music. The show Mr A McNaughton Careers & saw nearly 200 staff and students Principal coming together to showcase the have several football finals coming up Enterprise talents of our Expressive Arts too. department and received phenomenal A Passion For reviews. Preparations are well under I wish all our teams good luck in their Fashion! way for our next extravaganza – remaining fixtures, continue to display Charltonbury, our own summer the commitment you have and I am …and much more! music and arts festival, on Tuesday 9th sure we will see a few more trophies July, please come and show your in our cabinet by the end of the year! support. In addition to the competitive sport, We have always been successful with we have an outstanding group of our sports teams, but this spring term young leaders who have been must be one of our most successful ambassadors for the school on many yet. Many teams occasions, they always receive praise “The work with our have qualified for for their organisational skills and semi-finals and caring attitudes. partner schools in the finals across a The work with our partner schools in range of sports. Learning Community Trust the Learning Community Trust One standout continues at a pace and there have continues at a pace.” performance so far been opportunities for our students has been our to compete and participate together Under 14 boy’s rugby team becoming in the LCT Banquet Cooking County champions, having beaten competition, Dance showcase and Shrewsbury School in the semi-final theatre visits. We will be putting on a and Haberdashers Adams in the final. joint Trust dance show later in the Our Under 15 girls continue to excel year. in a range of sports, they have already become Shropshire School Games We take our responsibility to provide champions in rugby and handball and career information and guidance very ...continued over Message from the Principal ...continued seriously at Charlton, to ensure all our vision and values for the upcoming students can make informed decisions academic year, with a particular focus on about their future educational plans further developing a very positive climate when they leave us. In the newsletter for learning and building the character you will see a number of activities that education of our students, on values and have taken place across all year groups virtues such as resilience, perseverance, this term to support students thinking optimism, honesty, respect and integrity. about their futures. The end of term means we have to say I remain in communication with our local goodbye to staff who are moving on. PCSOs and councillors Mrs Carpenter about congestion (Learning Support), Mrs around the school site, “We will be reviewing Goddard (Science) and especially at the end of Mrs Vickers (cleaning the day. Please our vision and values staff) are all retiring. consider our for the upcoming Mrs Goddard has neighbours when academic year..” dedicated 40 years to parking to collect teaching, many within students. Particular the county of issues have been raised in Dee Close and Shropshire, a fantastic achievement. Apley Drive, where residents’ drives Also leaving are Mrs Vyse and Mr Allen have been blocked or used to turn (Science) and Mrs Jones (Maths). I am around in and cars have been double grateful to the contribution all have parked opposite each other, not allowing made to Charlton School and wish them traffic to drive past. All our actions leave well for the future. an opinion of the school so please set a Finally, I would like to wish all our good example to our students, of students the very best of luck as they courteous behaviour. prepare for the examination period Courteous behaviour will be a topic we ahead. May I wish you a pleasant and will look at as we move in to the restful Easter break with some quality summer term. We will be reviewing our time for your family. Faye’s Short Story is Published Faye Oliver, former Charlton student who left last year, has had a short story published. Called ‘Six O’clock News’, it has been picked up by Bridge Ink, a young adults literacy magazine based in New Jersey, USA. Faye said, “I am very grateful to Mr Adams as I could not have published this story without his help, tips and publishing experience.” You can read her story below, and also on their website at: https://bridgeink.org/volume-three-issue-one Faye also appeared on BBC Radio Shropshire on 29th March, you can hear the interview via this link https://www.telfordcollege.ac.uk/news/read-talented-teenager-becomes-published-author/ SIX O’CLOCK NEWS The middle-aged man no longer had them to be warned. She needs to get expressionless eyes. His eyes had been off this bus with me. She clearly hasn’t “And now we have an update on the struck by something, something that I realized. Jack Hansen case. It has been reported had never seen before. Something that that he has escaped HMP Brixton and is “Come with me. We need to get off at had clearly been injected into him. believed to be on his way to Mill Hill. the next stop.” Jack Hansen has been named ‘The This man was a stranger. Nothing but a I led her off the bus and out into the Modern-Day Jack Ripper’ as last year he stranger. Yet his eyes were so alarming, cool, autumnal air. My hands were was given life in prison for the murder I knew that I needed to listen. I needed shaking, my knees were drumming, my of seven women. Also, tonight Lilah to get off. I knew it was dangerous. I teeth were chattering and my stomach Ashton has been reported missing. didn’t know this man. My parents’ was sickened. She was waiting for an Scotland Yard fear that Lilah Ashton has warning words of “Stranger Danger” explanation. been in contact with Jack Hansen.” were beaconing out to me like an air raid siren. All the “Stranger Danger” Speak David, just say something. I _____ conversations I had with my parents, all managed to throw out whatever tangled Tired. My ears stung from the slow those times we had been warned in up words came to me: “She, she was drone of Professor McAllister’s voice, school. I tried to dismiss these thoughts dead. That, that man. He was holding going on about media law and and, as if I was possessed, I picked up her up.” regulations and whatever else. My eyes my phone and my bag and got off the _____ were clamped down by the weight of bus, waiting for an explanation from this Does anyone know? Can anyone tell? data I had drilled into me today. My man. Has anyone noticed? Noticed what? mouth was tasteless. I was tired. But, at His eyes were not easing, even off the The girl I’m holding up is dead. She least it was Friday, and I was six stops bus. His facial expression assaulted me. deserved it. I knew no one would know. away from home. My real home, not Unsure of his motives, I suddenly Come on, Jack, take a look around you! just my university building. Not long wished I had stayed on the bus and had That girl over there is struggling to now. Trying to pull my eyelids apart listened to my head and not my heart. keep her eyes open. That man looks was like a vigorous exercise and the six But then he spoke. like he doesn’t even know the day of o’clock news could not persuade me to the week. And that goth at the back is open them in any way. “She, she was dead. That, that man. He was holding her up.” still listening to music. As for the driver, Come on, Sophie, I said to myself. he has his back to me, focussing on the Don’t get off the wrong stop again. _____ road. You have nothing to worry about, Although my snooze was sweeping me That girl was dead. Under her drooped, Jack! Your plan is working! You’re out in, I knew that I needed to stay awake. I lifeless neck, a slit mark was visible. I of jail–for good. took a look around me and I wondered had to look twice; there had been many Cold. She was dead. Good as a rag doll. what these people’s stories were. Why people passing through. I just had to were these people on this bus with me? look again; my heavy eyes were right Minutes passed. Were they trying to get home to their the second time round: she was dead. I They know. What is he whispering to families, too? Or was their week just wanted to say that I was dreaming but her about? They’re getting off the next beginning? In my peripheral vision, I the pinch test proved me wrong. I had stop. I know it. What are they saying? could see a middle-aged man sat in a to get off.