SALESIAN NEWSLETTER Issue 10 Salesian Newsletter 29 June 2018 YEAR 7 RETREAT WWW.SALESIAN.SURREY.SCH.UK Kingdom Building by Paul Bryce, Deputy Headteacher discerning of ages, we want irrefutable proof and an important service to the wider community without complete understanding if we are to be accepting. any detriment to Salesian School. Since the last newsletter, we have spent time Of course, God doesn't work like this. He is a mystery I am delighted to share this good news with you. We reflecting on the themes of Building the Kingdom and and we're not very good at accepting mystery. Yet, we are deeply committed to promoting our vision of Faith. The Year 7 Retreat, organised by Fr. Kevin and know that in decent Catholic schools we're all called to education not just in individual schools but also in the the Chaplaincy team, was a great way for all to reflect demonstrate great faith in each and every child, wider diocesan community and reaching out to other on our faith journey, with different activities regardless of how little prior evidence of success they schools in need. This is the service that Mr Kibble and throughout the day culminating in a whole year mass. have demonstrated. It is in these children, who may Salesian School has committed itself to for many years We are now looking forward to the Year 8 retreat in present with the least redeeming features, which we and the fruits of this work are the support and July. This term tends to be the busiest with an are most likely to meet God and when we have faith in reputation that Salesian School has won from our abundance of trips and activities going on and plenty them, amazing things happen. The same is true when staff, students, parent and families and from the wider of opportunities to Build the Kingdom here at we demonstrate faith in God, particularly when we community. May I thank Mr Kibble and all the staff for Chertsey. Being with the children outside the appear not to have any good reason to do so. the wonderful dedicated and inspirational service that classroom and the relationships that are formed, in However, those who can overcome their doubt will go they offer our young people and their families. this different context, is at the core of our Salesian on to reap the rewards! Fr. John Dickson SDB, Chair of Governors ethos. All our students have had the opportunity to Reflections on faith: get involved in an array of events such as going to see Year 12 Hamlet Trip Hamlet, a talk by a Holocaust survivor, a trip to Who or what do I demonstrate great faith in and To go or not to go to Hamlet at the Globe? That is the Marwell Zoo, Year 10 Careers Day, Year 12 Work why? question. Well, trust your handy English Literature Experience week and many more. This week we held Who do I need to place more faith in? What might student to answer such an age-old question. If you our annual Year 9 Extra-curricular Evening when all happen if I did? have happened to read the epic tragedy that is Year 9 students stay back after school and all staff get What stops me placing my faith in God? Hamlet, you will find a play filled with angst, grief, and involved with an activity. The highlight of the evening What might happen if I showed more faith in myself intense climactic physical and mental action. for me was when Angelica Bugarin made an / others / God? However, like all of Shakespeare’s plays, Hamlet is not impossible shot to win the dodgeball game for her Leadership Update meant for the Sunday reader in book form. Hamlet is team. The DofE students and teachers are on the truly at home on stage, performed to the true On behalf of the Governing Body, I am delighted to North Downs again this weekend, hopefully in the brilliance of Shakespeare’s genius. Elle While’s announce that Mr Kibble has been appointed as sunshine, and I look forward to seeing some of our interpretation includes Michelle Terry as troubled Deputy Chief Executive of the Xavier Catholic children and their families at the ‘Walk for Sean’ next prince Hamlet. Terry brings a refreshing air to the play, Education Trust. Initially, this will be a part-time weekend. Thank you for all for your continued support not just reinventing the character of Hamlet in a new position and so Mr Kibble will still be based at Salesian and God Bless. gender but also for the modern day audience; School and continue as Executive Headteacher for seemingly translating all stage directions into Gospel Reflection both Salesian and Chertsey High Schools. instinctive movements. As a viewer, you simply can’t Luke 1:57-66,80 Mr Kibble will be working closely with Mr Paul Gower, take your eyes off her for fear of missing even an over 2017-18: Building the Kingdom from Salesian School who was recently promoted to Head of School at exaggerated eye roll. Every monosyllable of Hamlet’s On Sunday we celebrated the feast of the Nativity of Salesian, in order to ensure a smooth transition in lines is uttered with an intense and overwhelming St John the Baptist. The Gospel story focuses on John's responsibility over the coming years. From passion, filling the vestiges of the Globe with the parents who were called to demonstrate great faith in September, Mr Gower will oversee the day-to-day beauty of classic playwriting. Aside from the shining the Lord when they learned that they were to conceive running of the operation and Mr Kibble will provide protégé that is Hamlet, the cast is brimming with late in life. John's father, Zechariah, understandably, overall strategic leadership as well as continuing to actors who truly embody each character. Characters found this difficult to get his head around at first but offer a highly visible presence around school. who may have appeared flat in the written version of was well rewarded once he had accepted what had I am also pleased to announce that our existing the play, such as Polonius and the Grave Digger, come been foretold. Leadership Team will be further bolstered by the to life on stage, entertaining every demographic of Having faith in someone or something is fairly appointment of an additional Deputy Headteacher, audience with sharp quips and a strong sense of wit. straightforward when we have lots of evidence of that Mr Owen Bruynseels who joins us from SJB in Woking. Furthermore, the character of Guildenstern, played by person or that process delivering the goods in the past. We are confident that this strengthening of our Nadia Nadarajah, is reorchestrated with the disability It's a lot more challenging when we have nothing Leadership Team will ensure the continuity of the high of being deaf. As a result, Hamlet is much more tangible to hang our faith on, when we have no prior standards of service, which we offer all our students representative of our society as a whole, and this only experience of something coming to fruition. This is and their families as well as enabling us to undertake builds on my positive impression of this interpretation. what stops many from having faith in God; in this most This version truly brings Hamlet to life. Rather than SALESIAN NEWSLETTER | Issue 10 2 emulating the Jacobean setting the artistic directors have said what great ambassadors the students were occasion. They were smartly dressed, keen to learn choose to dress the play as something rather more for the college, and would happily take them on again. and maturely behaved throughout. The students too ‘normal’, making the play easy to understand and Plans are already in place for improvements for next enjoyed the experience of being Sixth Formers and interpret, even if (like many of us) you can’t interpret year, but all-in-all, a very successful set of placements many felt it provided a real insight in what they want Shakespeare’s special lexicon of English. If you think that students can use for their future applications. to study after GCSE. Some student comments were: Shakespeare to be the last thing you would like to see Sophie Crabb (Head of Year 12) ‘The day inspired me to work harder at GCSE so I am live, then think again. Believe you me; Hamlet is no able to study the options I want at A-level’ longer a play for the closeted bookworm. Methinks Year 10 Career Day Lessons were ‘challenging but fun’ and ‘faster and more you doth protest too much. engaging’ Megan Lewry (Year 12 Student) ‘The teachers really treated us like adults’ Year 12 Business Trip ‘It made me even more enthusiastic and engaged to This week 31 Year 12 Business students visited the learn’ BMW Mini Factory in Oxford for a two-hour guided ‘Can we have 2 days next time to try more subjects?’ tour. The first factory focused on the automation involved in producing the frames for the Mini Cooper, Now it’s on to Year 11 and working for those all- Clubman and Countryman. Interestingly it involves important GCSE grades! thousands of robots and is manned by fewer than 50 Matthew Roberts (Asst Head of 6th Form/ Teacher of employees. This showed the students a fantastic Science) example of capital-intensive production, which links to Year 10 World Farming Talk the A Level specification they have learnt this year.