Woking High School Principal’s Letter The Spring Term is fast drawing to a close and parents and governors who have worked so at last we have a hint of spring weather in the hard in supporting our young people to gain air. As always our focus this term has been on such impressive results and to make so much preparing our Year 11 students (and those on progress. examination courses in Years 10 & 9) for their A few weeks later our Vision Impairment Unit GCSE examinations. When they received their was inspected as part of the local authority’s mock results at a formal examination assembly rolling inspection programme. I am delighted in January, there were 65 school days to go to report that the VI department received a before written examinations started. Now thoroughly deserved outstanding grading. there are only 10! Our students have been Congratulations go to all VI staff, TAs, students working exceptionally well and have all realized and teachers for this excellent and inclusive the importance of attending revision classes, provision (see later VI report). obtaining 1-1 advice, completing past papers and identifying the key areas on which to focus Providing challenge and engagement for our for maximum benefit. Some of our students students in both lessons and extra curricular have already taken practical examinations in activities is of paramount importance. This term PE, Art, Drama, Music and MFL. We are all there have been abundant opportunities for very confident that this highly motivated year students of all abilities and all ages to enjoy and group will meet our, and most importantly their, excel in a wide variety of events. In January our expectations and be the highest attaining year Year 11 students were privileged to participate in group in the history of Woking High School. a University Preparation workshop led by Chris Hull, a Senior Lecturer from St Mary’s University At the beginning of March we had news that College. He talked informatively and interestingly the school has been recognized by the SSAT on the importance of GCSE grades and AS/A2 as a “most improved school” in the category choices, preparation for University and then led of year on year improvement in 5+ A*-C an additional session on Law for those interested GCSE qualifications including English and in this career path. Later that month Woking Mathematics. We are very proud to receive this High School students swept the board at the award as it is a recognition of the exceptional Borough Rotary Speaks Competition with the achievement and progress that has been made Senior trophy being awarded to our Year 11 by our students over the past three years. team and the Intermediate award going to our Congratulations should be shared by all staff, Year 9 team. TECHNOLOGY COLLEGES Spring 2011 Newsletter Principal’s Letter Head Boy/Girl Team Oxford/Cambridge February saw budding surgeons in KS4 gain a first hand presentations, options evenings, fundraising events, Friends glimpse of the realities of medical school with a visit to the of Woking High School meetings, sports fixtures and music Royal College of Surgeons. Year 11 students immersed evenings and have given generous donations to the school themselves in Italian culture for four days and were able to via Gift Aid, the Woking High School Prize Club and our new practise their written and spoken Italian in preparation for Amazon Wish List. We are continually grateful for all your their oral examinations. Sporting success has dominated support. the whole term. In February our senior boys Biathlon team Not only have we welcomed parents into the school but qualified for the National finals. Our students also had we have also hosted a large number of visitors including success in the Surrey swimming championships (see later representatives of local sports clubs, Japanese students from sports reports for more details) and our senior girls and Hiroshima and visiting German students from Bavaria. All our boys basketball teams are in the final stages of the National visitors have commented on the warm welcome they receive Competition. Just before February half term, we were treated and the positive, purposeful and confident nature of our to a fantastic music concert marking the 3rd annual Voice and students. Instrument Competition held in memory of Lorna Paterson (please see the Music report for further details). As I write we are all looking forward to the annual primary schools’ Mathematics/Science quiz and the “Modern March marked the opportunity for our KS3 students to Forensics” science lecture. Both activities reflect our participate in the Surrey Mock Magistrates Court Competition. successful Specialist Technology status. Equally there is They were awarded a very creditable 3rd place and many much anticipation and excitement surrounding this year’s were inspired by possible future legal careers. And if all these school production - ‘My Fair Lady’ due to be performed on events were not enough, we have also held three Day 11’s 5th and 6th April at 7 p.m. in the School Hall. this term with a staggering 70+ outside speakers and visitors helping enrich our curriculum even further. We finish school at 12.00 on Friday 8 April and return for the summer term on Tuesday 26 April at 8.55 a.m. Throughout the term, Woking High School parents have shown their continued interest in and commitment to the May I take this opportunity to wish you a happy and joyful school and their son’s/daughter’s education. This has Eastertide. been clearly demonstrated in the huge numbers who have Jane Abbott, Principal attended Year 11, 10, 9 and 8 consultation evenings, revison Woking High School head for the dreaming spires It is with great pride that we are able to pass on and others have received offers from the universities of congratulations to a huge number of our former students. Nottingham, Bristol, Southampton and Cardiff. Now all they This year, our leavers of 2009 have secured more university have to do is pass their exams and gain the grades! We wish offers than any other year group. Four of our past students them all the best of luck. have received offers from Oxford/Cambridge Universities: Additionally, Rishi Agrawal, 11E, has secured a scholarship to Shaan Tehal – PPE at Magdalen College Oxford Eton College for his sixth form study. Our congratulations and Alex Campbell – Music at Christ Church College, best wishes to Rishi for the future. Oxford Jane Abbott, Principal Katie Meadon – History at St Hilda’s College, Oxford George Johnson – Natural Sciences at Peterhouse College, Cambridge Image courtesy of Flickr by Arenamontanus 2 HEAD BOY/GIRL TEAM It was Easter, 2010, and over thirty Year 10 students standing in a marquee waiting for the rain to stop must were writing to Mrs. Abbott asking to be part of the be brilliant preparation for a year of supervising the Head Student Team. Now, a year later, the eight of corridors! us are writing our last goodbye. We have put a lot Our role as the leaders of Year 11 did not stop short into our time as leaders of the student body and, in at motivating the prefect team – we also decided to return, we have got a lot out of it. We have honed and support our entire year group through their mock enhanced our aptitude for organisation, leadership examinations. Last December, via both personal and presentation, and participated in many worthwhile discussions, videos and assemblies, we encouraged events and schemes both in and outside of school. our classmates to work together to achieve some By supporting Woking High’s renowned Windband and truly exceptional grades. There is no doubt that, come Choir, by speaking at the Horsell Village Combined August, our final exam results will be something for Carol Concert, or by attending a Head Students Woking High to be proud of. Conference at Wellington College we have been very Working with the Senior Leadership Team has been an active in representing all the students at Woking High honour. We have all made the most of the time; making School. Within our remit we have implemented many a difference to the future of a school that for five years improvements to what is, rightfully, one of the most made a difference to our future. We can only hope that popular schools in the area: from reforming the School our successors will do so even more. Council to improving the bell procedure; from refining the restaurant queuing system even down to installing Thank you, Woking High. Thank you and goodbye. hooks in the toilets, we have done our utmost to hunt Zoe Kirk Andrew Davey down the imperfect parts of every student’s day-to-day life and then perfect them. We believe that it really is the Amy Rendall Sam Lamont details that count. Indeera Shankla Robert Eyers This year the prefect team have exceeded the standard Madison Fairey Henry Weaver set for them: we spent a soggy day together at High Ashurst polishing our cooperation and patience – considering the quality of the 2010/11 prefects, 3 Centre for Vision Impairment Japanese Visit The Sensory Garden JAPANESE VISIT On Monday, 21 March, we welcomed forty students The PE lesson was thoroughly enjoyed by the and their teachers from Hiroshima University High Japanese participants who were able to engage School in Japan for a morning visit. After their wholeheartedly with our students. Break time on welcome from Mrs Abbott our Year 10 students both occasions was a huge success as the Hiroshima acted as hosts taking the visitors to Maths, English visitors feasted on pizza slices to supplement their and Science lessons before their departure just packed lunches! before lunch.