The News Magazine of Rivington & Blackrod High SchoolSummer 2014

Community . Standards . Inclusion

Rivington & Blackrod students ‘Ease On Down the Road’ in this year’s school production of ‘The Wiz’.

WELCOMEI am very proud to welcome you to the summer edition of EXCEL Magazine which showcases the latest outstanding achievements of our students. The year has certainly been a busy one. In the summer of 2013, we saw exceptional results in both GCSE and A-Levels; our Governors gained the nationally recognised Governor Mark and our students showcased their talents in a fantastic, sell-out production of ‘The Wiz’. The enrichment activities which students have taken part in have been amazing and students and staff have travelled far afield. They have made friends through a Swedish exchange, visited Le Corbiere in France to perfect their skiing and have taken in the cultural sights of New York. This is not to forget all of the fantastic sporting achievements that we have seen. This edition of EXCEL is full of more exciting news stories, which we hope you will enjoy reading about.

We have now said goodbye to our year 11 and year 13 students and we know that their good work will pay off in August, when their results arrive with us. Good luck to all in their further study or future careers.

I never fail to be in awe of the commitment of our staff and governors in creating these opportunities, and I am always proud to share the talent and dedication of our students.

Have a great summer, and thank you to all parents for your continued support.

Tony Purcell, Head Teacher

NEWS

1 | COMMUNITY . STANDARDS . INCLUSION

Rivington and Blackrod High School, working in partnership with Pulse training, are offering some of our most able students a very unique opportunity. Thirty year 10 students are currently working towards an Institute of Leadership and Management qualification in self-management. This course is designed to develop time management, stress management, resilience, prioritisation of tasks, managing challenging situations and target setting skills. At the end of the course our students will gain an externally accredited qualification. The ILM courses are usually used by industry and other forms of management to train leaders. We believe we are the first school in the country to deliver such a course to students.

Rebecca Grantham, Director of HumanitiesRachel Harwood, Daniel Harper and Emily Unsworth - Year 10

Learning to Lead

NEWS

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Learning to Lead

This year’s school production took audiences by storm as ‘The Wiz’, adapted from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum was performed to audiences in March.

With a cast of 36 students, and 7 in the band, plus many students and staff supporting backstage, the show was a sell-out on each night. Dorothy, a young girl who lives on a farm in Kansas with her Aunt and Uncle is caught up in a tornado and is transplanted to the Land of Oz.

Rebecca Crookson (year 11) played Dorothy; Oliver Dobson (year 13) the Lion; Aaron Cork, the Tinman, and Marcus Bowman, the Scarecrow (both year 12) and Callum Harrison from year 10 played, ‘The Wiz’. The amateur production was performed by arrangement with Samuel French Limited’ and it was adapted from the book by William F. Brown with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls.

Janine Stephens, Head of Drama

Year 7 Go On an AdventureOnce again the gods were smiling on the year 7 residential at the Conway Centre in Anglesey. The sun shone, the tide was in and everyone was involved in a variety of activities. Year 7 students got a chance to try their hand at abseiling, canoeing, high ropes (60 feet high!), raft building and climbing. The raft builders got the opportunity to test out their own design and all but one group proved successful. Sadly the unsuccessful group had the pleasure of a dip in the Menai Straits. Plans are already in hand for the Year 7 residential in 2015!

Martin Keene, Maths Teacher

Let’s Move for a Better World!

Thanks to the support of so many, Bolton Arena have been successful in winning the Technogym Challenge of ‘Let’s Move for a Better World’ winning Rivington and Blackrod High School, a new gym circuit which can be used with classes, small groups and individuals. The equipment will further enhance our sports provision in school and will encourage young people to keep active and healthy. Thank you to all those who have helped us to win this challenge.

Michelle Howard, Director of Business DevelopmentCaroline Fletcher (Bolton Arena), Paul Bartle (Bolton Arena), Graham Green (RBHS), Anand Ahuja (Bolton Arena) & Vicky Botes (Technogym)

Year 7 students

3 | COMMUNITY . STANDARDS . INCLUSION

COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

Going for Bronze!

Twenty four, Year 10 students braved the elements and undertook their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award practice expedition in the beautiful Trough of Bowland. They started in Calder Vale and finished 14.5 km later, just outside Boggy Wood, in the Beacon Fell Country Park area. They perfected their navigation and camp craft skills, practiced numerous scenarios, including what to do when faced with a footpath blocked by a herd of cows, but most importantly they learnt what not to take with them on a two day walking and camping expedition.

Sandra Lucas, Duke of Edinburgh Award LeaderMain: Rebecca Greenfield and Sarah ActonRight: Luke Dainty, Zack Doogan, Sarah Acton, Lewis Ross-Nichol, Rebecca Greenfield, Muhammad Intowala and Sam Humphreys

Culinary Delights

Year 8 student, Ellen Tuppen (pictured), has been participating in a project which has inspired her to cook and create an array of culinary delights.

Ellen attended the Wellbeing Farm in Edgerton where she cooked a meal for 45 guests. She was given the chance to use artisan style cookery and was educated about where food comes from, where and how it is produced and how lifestyle choices have an effect on the environment and on our health. She was also given a signed copy of Gino D’Acampo’s latest recipe book.

The course was led by Mike Harrison, an executive chef, who is passionate about educating people about food and loves demonstrating his skills and sharing his knowledge.

Lucy Taylor, Senior Support Co-ordinator KS3

RIVINGTON & BLACKROD HIGH SCHOOL | 4

COMMUNITY

Students participated in a Teens and Toddlers Celebration Event which was held at the National Football Museum in Manchester. The event followed a successful programme of our young people working with children from primary schools to develop their skills. The students who attended from our school were Nina and Ella Sharp, Georgia Humphries and ex-pupil Lucy McCann.

The turnout was amazing and all young people and parents had a fantastic evening. Charlotte Carbery-Evans who was the ‘2012 Inspiring Young Women’ winner was the guest speaker and her speech was very motivational. Michael Kane the M.P for Wythenshawe and Sale East also attended and gave a speech.

Emma Wilkinson, Teenage Health Coordinator

Remembering the BraveStudents attended a workshop in our chapel which focused on former students of the school who were killed in action during World War I. This was part of a heritage lottery funded project which is focused on the war. Students identified names from the commemorative window, then using the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Website to trace the battles and locations, students identified memorials of former students to visit, during the Battlefield Trip in July.

Andrew Cheetham, History Teacher

Teens and Toddlers

CelebrationAdventure BoundTen young people participated in a field trip to Castle Head Residential Centre in Cumbria, thanks to the Field Studies Council. They took part in activities, including bushcraft and ghyll scrambling. Harry Smith, year 9 said, “I had the most fantastic time on the residential. The best thing that we did was the football, the obstacle course and the ghyll scrambling.”

Michelle Howard, Director of Business Development

Liam Crooks - Year 8 and Harry Smith - Year 9

5 | COMMUNITY . STANDARDS . INCLUSION

FACULTYFACULTY

Twelve students from Years 10 and 11 travelled to Geneva, Switzerland to see the work at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. They were met with glorious sunshine and the trip included visits to the Red Cross Museum and the United Nations Headquarters. The visit to CERN involved the students descending 100m underground to see the Large Hadron Collider and its workings were explained passionately by the resident scientists.

Nava Velupillai, Head of ScienceIssac Knowles - Year 10

Budding Nuclear Physicists

The Creative Design department has launched its own British Bake-off style competition the ‘Rivi Bake-off’. Open to years 8 and 9, students had the opportunity to design and make a sweet baked product, which contributed to the ‘5 a-day’ campaign and contained at least one Fairtrade ingredient. Entrants had to send a picture of their creations and the best ideas were selected and taken through to the finals. The finals will be held in July and each of the finalists will make and present their products to our panel of judges. We are looking forward to seeing some innovative new products!

Shaun Holden, Creative Design TeacherLaurel Campbell and Nandita Prasad - Year 8

Battlefields Trip

In March, the government provided finance for two year 9 students, accompanied by a teacher, to visit the battlefields of the First World War. The trip incorporated visits to the Commonwealth cemetery at Tyne Cot and the German cemetery at Langemark. It was a moving occasion, when a wreath was laid at the Menin Gate in Ypres in remembrance of those affected by the fighting on the Western Front. At the Sheffield Memorial Park there were clusters of graves marking the spots where the “Pals” regiments fell while the Thiepval Memorial served as a potent reminder of those who died, but whose bodies have not been recovered. It was a moving experience and one that has taught us the true meaning of war.

Afreen Arif and Teresa Fletcher - Year 9

Oxford University Visit

Five students from Year 10 were selected to attend a residential at Keble College, Oxford, along with students from other schools in Bolton. They spent 3 days in Oxford, living in undergraduate accommodation, dining in the very grand dining hall and attending science based activities. The students were Tara McClaughlin, Chloe Ryder, James Abercrombie, Issac Knowles, and Zack Doogan.

Nava Velupillai, Head of ScienceTara McClaughlin, Zack Doogan, James Abercrombie, Chloe Ryder and Issac Knowles - Year 10

RIVI

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FACULTY

Food Revolution Day

Year 7 students were involved in Jamie Oliver’s ‘Food Revolution Day’. The aim of this day was to get as many children around the world cooking a healthy dish. The day was all about celebrating the importance of cooking good food from scratch and raising awareness of how it impacts our health and happiness. Over a million children took part, from 74 different countries, including Australia, Bosnia, India and the USA. We watched Jamie demonstrate how to make his ‘Rainbow Salad Wrap’ via a live web link, before our students made the product themselves. Students thoroughly enjoyed themselves and were rewarded with certificates and stickers to commemorate their day.

Fiona Payton, Food Technology TeacherJack Phillips and George Radcliffe - Year 7

ROAD

BTEC Performing Arts students presented a musical version of Jim Cartwright’s ‘Road’ in July. ‘Road’ explores the lives of people living on a Bolton street in the 1980s. The play explored their struggle to come to terms with the recession and unemployment and how it affected their lives. Complimented with music from the 1980s, ‘Road’ was an excellent show. Well done to all who took part.

Lisa Walshe, Assistant Head of Drama

Boxing for Success

A group of Year 8 students recently took part in a program of boxing activities. Darren, from Horwich Boxing Academy, took the group through various activities such as circuit training, dodge ball, pad and rope work. Boxing activities help to improve fitness, increase agility and confidence whilst at the same time teaching self-defence. On completion, students achieved an AIBA International Boxing Association Preliminary Award.

Catherine Brides, Teaching Assistant Year 8 Boxing students

Readers Assemble!

After the success of World Book Day in raising the profile of reading across school, several book clubs have been founded. On Thursday lunchtimes, staff and students from years 8, 10 and 11 meet up, to share their enthusiasm for reading or to encourage each other to read more widely. So far, we have explored ‘The Book Thief’, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and have recently embarked on a literary trip to ‘Animal Farm’.

Similarly, year 7s gather on Tuesday lunchtimes, to read and swap books. As well as training for the final of the Big Book Quiz, this lower school book club have recently read the much acclaimed ‘Roof Toppers’ by Katherine Rundell and will be reviewing the short novel for the school library.

Sally Grundy, Teacher of English

Big Book QuizAfter achieving second place in the first round at St Joseph’s High School, a small group of year 7 students (Rohan Jenkin, Kirsty Crook, Heather Harrison, Toby Holden-Lock and Amaan Lohdi) are heading to Wigan for the final of the Big Book Quiz. These students are busy reading and revising Private Peaceful, The Thirteen Treasures, Abomination and Pig Heart Boy. They will be accompanied by Year 12 students, Abi Roberts, Tori Wooff, Camisha Carter and Alex Collins, who are set to perform two acoustic pieces, while the scores are being counted.

Sally Grundy, Teacher of English

7 | COMMUNITY . STANDARDS . INCLUSION

SPORT

Lower SchoolThe Pathway CentreAlbert StreetHorwichBoltonBL6 7AW

Upper SchoolRivington LaneRivingtonBoltonBL6 7RU

Telephone. 01204 333266Fax. 01204 333264E-mail. head@rbhs.co.ukWebsite. www.rbhs.co.uk

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Thai Boxing Champion

Charlotte Antoni (pictured) went to Birmingham to compete in two competitions for Thai Boxing and K1. She won two British titles and is now through to the World Championships, which take place in Tuscany in October.

Charlotte has been participating in this sport since the end of Year 6 and trains Monday - Thursday for three hours. She is a member of Peel Scorpion Thai Boxing Club in Little Hulton. We are thrilled with her achievement.

Lucy Taylor, Senior Support Co-ordinator KS3

Medals for Year 8 HandballOur Year 8 boys and girls competed in the Bolton School handball competition, with both teams narrowly missing the top spot. The girls played excellently, competing against a very talented Canon Slade team, where they just lost out in the final 5-4. The boys came through a very tough group, going through on goal difference, to play St Catherine’s in the final, where they narrowly lost 6-4. Well done to all.

Scott Porteous, PE Teacher

Track and Field

After a 12 year absence, students participated in the prestigious English Schools Track and Field Cup. Finishing positions do not matter but instead it is times, height and distances which count with points being awarded accordingly. The first round took place in Stretford, Manchester, with both Inter Boys and Inter Girls (Years 9 and 10) competing. The Inter Girls team finished 4th with 286 points and qualified for the regional final which was held in Warrington. The girls performed brilliantly in blistering conditions, equalling their previous round’s 286 points and finishing 7th out of 13 schools. Notable performances were Georgia Lever in the 200m and long jump, Katy Marsh in the 100m and Kelly Wainwright in the 300m. Squad members were: Katy Marsh, Shannon Richardson, Kiera Ashton, Ellie Charnock, Georgia Lever, Lucy Worthington, Mia Wild, Megan Smyth, Maddie Littlewood, Caitlin Whitehead, Jessica Taylor, Shannon McClarence and Kelly Wainwright.

Lindsey Tait, Assistant Head of PE

World Cup Fever

Rivington and Blackrod High School used National School Sports week to learn about the World Cup and all the countries involved. All Key Stage 3 lessons across the curriculum involved some element of the world cup with students being able to ‘score goals to win prizes’ through positive contributions while trying to avoid getting a yellow or red card. It was a great week, enjoyed by all!

Scott Porteous, PE Teacher

Student Peter O’Donovan will be continuing his studies, and his ambitions to become a professional tennis player, at the prestigious University of Nevada in Reno, close to Las Vegas. The 18-year-old, who has won a scholarship to attend the university where he will study for an Economics degree and will no doubt be hoping to emulate Nevada’s most famous tennis star, Andre Agassi.

Peter, who lives in Horwich after moving here from the Lake District three years ago to get coaching at Bolton Arena, was approached by the university after they saw his tennis skills on a show reel.

He said: “I am excited about studying abroad. I have been playing tennis since I was six, and although the facilities at universities over here are good, they are not as well established as those in America, where sport is a very big deal. I will still be able to continue my academic studies.”

Paul Canning, Head of Sixth Form

TENNIS STUDENT HEADS TO LAS VEGAS