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cademy of Excellence Tottenham

Summer‘16

London Academy of Excellence Tottenham | Sports | Trips | Duke of Edinburgh

HIGHNOTESHIGHNOTES

Summer

The newsletter of Sir Roger Cholmeley’s School at Highgate

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Highgate School and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club have announced an innovative partnership to create a new sixth form in Tottenham, with the support of the Department for Education (DfE) and Haringey Council.

London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET) plans to open as a state-funded sixth form in September 2017, welcoming A-level students into Year 12. The proposed school will prioritise local students most likely to benefit from an academically-rigorous curriculum, and those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and is in consultation until the end of June 2016.

Our involvement in LAET represents the next stage in our partnership teaching programme with local state schools. For last ten years, we have worked with primary and secondary schools across north and east London, including LAE Stratford, which opened under the leadership of Highgate

teacher Robert Wilne. Other leading independent schools have indicated their support for LAET as partner schools.

Head Adam Pettitt said: “We want to enable bright, local children, especially those with disadvantaged backgrounds, to access a high-calibre academic education and first-rate preparation for university and employment. This kind of collaboration is our way of being both a charity, which fundamentally we are, whilst remaining true to our educational ethos.”

Highgate and Spurs to partner New School

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Sir Roger Cholmeley’s School at Highgate An educational charity

Highgate is an educational charity as well as a School, and is committed to the principles of access, bursaries and community, which underpin our charitable vision.

Many Highgate teachers give up to 50% of their time to our network of around 40 partner schools, giving hundreds of pupils across London access to excellent teaching and enrichment activities.

The School awards a significant number of means-tested bursaries for children: around 85 children currently at Highgate receive substantial means-tested fee remission, and we are committed to increasing that number.

Highgate is also committed to fostering strong links with schools, charities and other organisations, enabling our pupils to learn about the importance of positive service in their community.

As an educational charity, Highgate is grateful to the many parents and OCs who make donations in support of these priorities – sponsoring bursaries, contributing to crowdfunding campaigns for the Highgate School Museum and VEX Robotics, or volunteering their time by offering work experience, interview preparation and careers advice.

All support is hugely valued and makes a genuine difference!

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Year 12 Physicists have achieved great things in the British Physics Challenge.

With half of all our participants gaining a coveted medal, pupils also broke the Highgate record with five golds and two silvers. Most impressively, Charlie Solomons-Tuke (12TL) scored full marks!

All gold medallists are ranked within the top five percent of students in the country: a

formidable achievement. Congratulations to all pupils who secured a medal.

Chamber Concert Raises Funds…

Speaking of Fundraising, Highgate held a local chamber music concert at St Michael’s Church, Highgate, in April, in support of refugee charities Save the Children and NNLS Asylum Seeker Drop In.

Chamber groups from throughout the school perfomed an exceptionbally well received concert to an audience of musicians, volunteers and parents alike.

A total of £1500 was made in donations for the two charities!

Congratulations to all pupils who performed and our thanks go to all who helped organise the concert and to those who donated money for the good causes.

Highgate Physicists excel in British Physics Challenge

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VEX Robotics Teams take on Worlds in Kentucky

Highgate Director of DT & Engineering scoops TWO National Awards!

Andy Thomson is James Dyson Foundation Design & Technology Teacher of the Year and Design & Technology Association Subject Leader of the Year!

On 11th March 2016 Andy Thomson, Highgate’s Director of Design Technology and Engineering scooped 2 prestigious awards at held at HQ of the IET in Savoy Place. Andy knew that he was in the running for the Subject Leader of the Yearaward but the James Dyson Foundation award was a complete surprise!

At the annual Design and Technology Association Excellence Awards ceremony

on 11 March, Mr T was described as “a remarkable Head of Department and Director of Design Technology and Engineering” who displays “an outstanding level of commitment and drive for the subject”, setting Highgate “apart from the rest.”

Huge congratulations to Andy on his richly deserved awards!

In April, two of Highgate School’s most successful VEX Robotics teams flew over to Louisville, Kentucky in the USA to take part in VEX Worlds 2016 in April

Our Teams Error404 – Alex Saikia (13GH), Colin Kpodonu (13KG), Max Caplan (13FG), Alice Mitchell (12QG)) – and ‘Systematic Chaos’ – Roch Briscoe (11WG), Ellen Bonser (11HG), Nick Roberts (11HG), Jake Stephens (11FG) and Max

Davis11HG) – competed in the VEX EDR High School competition along with no less than five hundred other teams!Though neither team was selected for the latter stages, this did not detract from the unforgettable experiences and memories of VEX Worlds 2016. Both teams, Mr Thomson and Mr Taylor would like to thank everyone for their kind donations that made this trip possible. An absolutely unforgettable and rewarding experience was enjoyed by all!

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The now legendary Jazz orchestra concert at the Pizza Express Jazz Club in Dean Street was, once again, the most highly anticipated musical event of the school year.This year’s concert featured three groups: The Eldridge Quintet, The Coltrane Quintet and the Highgate School Jazz Orchestra, providing a huge range in styles and performers.

Improvisational highlights included The Eldridge Quintet rendition of the classic Horace Silver track Nica’s dream and The Coltrane Quintet’s trademark high-tempo tunes, with moving features from Ruby Gold and Cameron Burt.

The Highgate School Jazz Orchestra kicked off with Duke Ellington’s old school track Koko and the audience found themselves transported to another realm, with Helen Footman on baritone sax providing the low Eb drone to set the mood. The band finished with the crowd favourite; Birdland by Weather Report, featuring Ben Hodgson,

who leaves Highgate this year, on drums.

The afternoon was filled with fast swing, modal jazz, classic standards, bebop, fusion and Latin music and was an event that will live long in the memories of performers and audience alike. Here’s to next year!

Jazz Musicians Play Pizza Express

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Fives Squad Flies High at National Schools’ Championships

Highgate, Haringey and the London Youth Games!

Highgate was represented in the final of every competition entered at the National Championships, and we took home 3 of the 7 titles on offer!

For Will Ryan (8M) & George Everitt (8W) and George Karageorgis & Max Christofi (both 10MG), beating highly-seeded pairs to reach the finals of their events was a great performance.

Aside from Ollie Light (11NG) and James Hopkins (11EG), performance of the week goes to Carolina Valensise (12EG) and Viva Ruggi (10WG), who beat Shrewsbury in a semi-final of high-quality fives to win the Ladies Open.

Ollie and James played one of the best tournaments ever seen, beating St Olaves then Shrewsbury to reach the final of the Open. Both games were watched by the biggest crowds of the week; their athleticism, skill, speed and mental focus impressing everyone. Having overcome Eton in the U16 final they ran out of gas in the second final, but a significant achievement nonetheless - they would have been the first ever pair to win both U16 and U18 titles in the same year!

The whole squad enjoyed the week, with high quality fives played in the correct spirit!

The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games is Europe’s largest youth sports festival. School and Community Competitions take place over a nine month period across 30 different sports as part of the National School Games Programme, allowing the most talented young people in each London borough to compete to become champions of London.

Over the last five years Highgate have provided more and more participants, helping to ensure that Haringey continues to improve it’s standing as one of the top sporting boroughs in London. In recent years our pupils have been involved in Fencing, Hockey, Cross Country, Mini-marathon, Cricket, and Rowing… This year for the first time we will be running the Athletics team as well as providing Sailors to help the cause!

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Gold

In the last week of the Easter Holiday 20 year 12 students and 6 staff visited the misty mountains of Snowdonia for the Gold Duke of Edinburgh practice expedition.After a successful first day of navigation training around the spooky disused mines and lakes of Tanygrisiau, the groups finished their preparation for the expedition, getting their tents ready and bags packed for an early start in the morning.

The three-day unaccompanied expedition involved groups summiting Mount Snowdon or another peak, Cnicht, followed by wild camping… A cold night meant the groups woke up in their camp sites to inches of snow which made for a memorable final day’s hike!

Silver

Meanwhile, 36 Year 11 pupils visited the Peak District for their Silver Duke of Edinburgh practice expedition. With cold weather forecast many turned up ready for Arctic conditions – with supplies and snow mobiles packed it was all systems go!

After acclimatisation and navigation training, the teams set off to walk up Hope Valley and along the famous Pennine Way under clear blue skies. Spirits were high as the stoves went on that night and thoughts began to turn to the final leg the next day and the promise of a hot shower and a real bed back in London.

Undaunted by a turn in the weather on the final day, teams crossed the famous Mam Tor and walked the ridge to Lose Hill to finish back in Hope Valley, where the coach was waiting.

Roll on the assessed expedition in the Brecon Beacons in June!

Duke of Edinburgh updates!

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Our French Connection

At the beginning of the Easter break, eleven Germanists and Historians from Y10-13 took part in a cross-curricular visit to Berlin.

The itinerary, which had a sharp focus on the forthcoming IGCSE History and A Level German examinations, included visits to the German Historical and DDR museums as well as to the Berlin Wall visitor centre at Bernauer Strasse and the Cold War exhibition at Checkpoint Charlie.

The students also enjoyed a guided tour of the Reichstag building and there was opportunity to reflect at the Holocaust Memorial and to admire the architecture of the Berlin Cathedral and the Brandenburg Gate.

At the end of March, 15 Year 10 pupils went to Paris for the 19th year of the exchange programme run in conjunction with the Henrietta Barnett School and Lycée Jean Baptiste Say.

Friendships were quickly rekindled, with French pupils having visited London in February. In addition to visiting the Musée d’Orsay, Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, the Tuileries, and Versailles, pupils spent the evenings and weekend with their partners working on their French.

Striking a blow for closer European union, some pupils have enjoyed the process so much that they are already planning independent return visits!

Cross-Curricular Berlin

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The Mallinson Sports Centre was a hive of activity after school on Wednesday 16 March as representatives from 23 leading UK Universities, several prominent US institutions and GAP organisations set their stalls out for the annual Higher Education Fair.

Strong attendance from Highgate School’s Year 12 pupils – along with parents, carers and pupils from 25 partnership schools also invited to the event – soon contributed to a pleasing hubbub as questions were asked and advice given.

The main event was preceded by 3 seminars given by Bristol, Durham and Dundee universities on how to choose a course, writing personal statements and how to apply for competitive courses.

Dr Joan Lasenby of Trinity College, Cambridge delivered an informative talk on how A-level reforms will affect admissions to Cambridge. Dr Marrium Khan of Lady

Margaret Hall, Oxford University, was also present to answer questions.

Pupils left well-informed about post-A-level options – and well-armed with University prospectuses...

Higher Education Evening

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Should we stay or should we go?

Pupils from the Masaryk and Economics societies organised and hosted a joint debate on the subject of whether or not the UK should stay in the European Union.

The debate took place in the School Museum with visiting speakers coming in from Civitas think tank on the ‘leave’ side and the European movement on the ‘stay’ side to argue for the two different campaigns. Each side was given ten minutes to make the case, followed by questions and debate involving the mixed audience of pupils and teachers.

From the history of the EU to trade agreements and the finer political and economic factors of the referendum, debate was fierce. At the end of the session, a majority voted that the UK would be better off staying in the European Union.

But what will the UK decide on 23 June…?

Thanks go to visiting speakers and all who made the event possible.

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Highgate School’s female Physicists joined their peers from local Partner schools for an evening of serious science – and a buffet dinner!

Dr Joanna Brunker of Cambridge University she spoke engagingly about her research in medical Physics – particularly focussing on using ultrasound or light from the visible spectrum to distinguish oxygenated and deoxygenated blood flow, which could have huge implications in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

After discussion over dinner, bridge engineer Victoria Richardson spoke about her career to date and how you should apply for opportunities, even if you aren’t

sure where they will lead. Victoria showed us concrete foundations for a bridge in Hong Kong that she designed, a tunnel underneath Abu Dhabi airport, explained her experience of working on site near Liverpool Street station with Cross Rail and her work with charity Bridges to Prosperity.

The next inspiring ‘Girls in Physics’ event will take place in the autumn term.

Chrysalis ‘Girls in Physics’ Events

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Teachers and pupils dressed up in creative costumes for World Book Day last March. Staff read extracts from their favourite books in assembly – including The Twits, Gangsta Granny and Owl at Home. There were in-character presentations, some surreal poetry inspired by Anthony Browne, a book quiz on iPads and “don’t judge a book by its cover”!

After lunch, mixed form groups participated in a whole host of activities – from Japanese storytelling to storybook quilt making.

‘I dressed up as Jacqueline Wilson’s ‘Hetty Feather’ on World Book Day which was a lot of fun. I can’t wait till next year,’ said Lila Dhiri (5N).

In May, Year 5 visited the Crystal in London’s Victoria Docks. Home to the world’s largest exhibition on the future of cities, it is one of the world’s most sustainable buildings.

After an introductory video about the imbalance between rural and urban areas in the modern world, pupils completed various interactive challenges whilst finding out lots of useful information about the environment and how being eco-friendly could contribute to saving the planet.

‘The Crystal teaches you about how to be ‘green’. The view over the river Thames was amazing and I got to drive a plane stimulator through Sydney at night! I told my parents that I wanted to go back there again!’ Amber Edwards (5N)

‘I really enjoyed the Crystal trip. I loved how interactive it was and how you could learn independently or with a partner.’ Alex Jones 5N

World Book Day in the Junior School

Year 5 Go Green at the Crystal

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Pre-Prep Science Week: out of this world!

There was a buzz around the Pre Prep School as the children prepared to blast off into space, ready for an action packed ‘Out of this World’ Science Week.

During the week, the children were treated to an explosive Science Show by Dr Szydlo and visits from the Senior School Science Department and sixth form pupils who gave workshops to introduce biology and chemistry to the children.

The week finished with a bang with each class taking part in a ‘Rockets’ workshops led by the ‘Science Boffins’. The children were captivated by the investigations and experiments!

And the children were set a fascinating challenge: to designing and construct an item that would be useful to take on a trip into space. We look forward to seeing their inventions!

Highgate School, North Road, London, N6 4AY

020 8340 1524highgateschool.org.uk