Ad Caelestia Sequere … Reach For the Stars

Newsletter for Highworth SchoolNewsletter for Highworth School Issue 3

Message from the Headteacher

Another term draws rapidly to a close and for students in Yr13 it is their final term in school. I hope they will reflect on the time they have spent at Highworth and now feel prepared for the next exciting stage in their lives. The vast majority of students have worked incredibly hard and I know will be eagerly anticipating their results on August 15th - I shall look forward to meeting them on the day. We also will be eagerly anticipating the results for our Yr11 students on August 22nd - good luck to all! As many of you are now aware, Mr Smith is retiring at the end of this academic year and we have been busy finding replacements for his role. The Governors decided not to appoint a Deputy Headteacher but instead to promote within the school. The following staff were successful in gaining promotion as Assistant Headteachers: Mr Dodd, Mr Beer and Miss Greensmith. The Governors were impressed with their ideas, vision and commitment to maintain the ongoing success of the school. Students also assisted with the interview processs and agreed unanimously with the decisions of the Governors. Sales of the new uniform have continued to be strong throughout the Lower School and we are anticipating that the majority of students will wear the new uniform before it is enforced in September 2014. There are opportunities to purchase the uniform during the summer holidays - see our website for further details. I wish you all a happy holiday - let’s hope for sunshine!

With the departure of Yr 12 on Study Leave, there has only been time for one Student Voice meeting this term – but Angus, myself and the new Student Management Team got off to an excellent start, listening to the views of SV members on a range of school issues which should by now have been reported back to mentor groups. Applications were invited for the posts of two Student Governors who have now been elected: congratulations to Francesca Barnes in 10AB and Indigo Germain-Shaw in 10KK. A group of members also volunteered to form a working party which will be run next term by Dr Pickles and Mrs Perrian to review the Positive Event system. Elissa Poyner

Message from the Head Girl

May 2013

English Culture Day

Traditional afternoon tea was the highlight of Highworth’s English Culture Day celebrations on St. George’s Day, 23 April. Our prefects served tea, scone and cakes throughout the lunch hour, raising funds for our Community charities. Thank you to Mervat and her team for preparing a delicious English lunch and congratulations to JFA for winning our Heroes of England competition. We are looking forward to celebrating French Culture Day on 12 July. Please contact s.ferris@highworth.kent.sch.uk with your suggestions.

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Ad Caelestia Sequere … Reach For the Stars

This term, our focus has turned to exams and we began with a Stress Busters competition to create a five point plan for coping with exams. CPO produced the winning plan which is on display on our noticeboard and SBR deserves a special mention for the most comprehensive entry. Well done! We would like to say a special thank you to Mr Ridgeway for following up our competition with a special assembly about opportunity and aspiration as well as introducing our Y11 students to UCAS. We are grateful to Mr Dodd for supporting our Yr 11 academic peer mentoring each Monday this year. As we say goodbye and good luck to our Yr 11, 12 and 13 students, we hope that they really will fulfil the words of the school motto and “Reach for the Stars.” English heroes were discussed in mentor groups as part of our English Culture Day celebrations and the new CS prefect team served a delicious traditional afternoon tea on 23 April. We have raised over £1,400 for our charity, the new MS Therapy Centre in Canterbury, and are looking forward to seeing the start of the new building at the end of this year. As this term draws to a close, we are voting for our own CS heroes: the students who have demonstrated respect and friendship, inspiration, determination and courage or equality during the year.

CPO’s 5 Point Plan for Coping with Exams: Make a revision plan and a daily checklist that is realistic and achievable.

Do other things as well as revision - exercise, spend time with friends, go out, listen to music, etc.

Eat and sleep well. Have a rest before you go to bed – meditate, listen to music, have a hot chocolate, have a bath, watch TV.

Be organised, tidy and hide your phone so you do not get distracted.

The Exam Season is now well underway and even as we were saying goodbye to our Yr 11 students last week, some of them sadly missed the festivities due to exams. The remainder, dressed in army battle gear, pitted their wits against the other Communities in the General Knowledge Quiz and then laughed and cried whilst watching their photographic presentation compiled expertly by Roxy Brierley. We were all amazed by how much they have changed since Yr 7. We wish all of Yrs 11, 12 and 13 success in their examinations and look forward to seeing most of them return to complete their studies here, but wish those who are leaving every happiness in their future studies and careers. Sadly Mr Howie will be leaving us for pastures new in September and we would like to thank him for his cheery contributions to AMI/LHO Mentor Time – he will be greatly missed. Next term our new Community Prefect Team will return to challenge us with the Paper Aeroplane Competition, the UNO Tournament and the Continuous Cricket Championship. We will also be looking forward to our PRIDE Awards.

What another busy term this has been! It is with great excitement that we welcome our new Prefect team – Joint Captains – Maddie Barfoot and Becca Lindup, Vice Captains – Gaby Baker and Clarissa Price and prefects Danielle Gibbons and Selina Rai. They have already made an impact on the Community with lots of great ideas and they have given our Learning Community Board a make- over. We look forward to many new fund raising ideas on their return from their examinations. We wish all of our Yr 11, 12 and 13s good luck with their exams and all the best for our school leavers with their adventures in pastures new. Please keep in touch! With the leaving of Yr 13, we will also be planting a tree, for Amy Clark, a former JP student who left last year after finishing Yr 12 to study at Canterbury College. She, along with her boyfriend sadly died in a car crash in December 2012. Yr 13 have organised a cake selling fundraiser and with the money raised have bought a tree and a plaque. The tree planting is on the last day for Yr 13 and will be in the grounds at Highworth close to her Mentor room C112. The remainder of the money raised will go to a charity close to Amy’s heart – The Lord Whisky Sanctuary Fund.

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Ad Caelestia Sequere … Reach For the Stars

This term has been the first term for KK under the management of our new prefect team, and so far so good! Our major event this term has been Kiri Te Kanawa’s twist on the great British Bake Off, with students from different mentor groups entering their best purple inspired cakes. In the final on Tuesday 8 May there were over twenty entries, of all different shapes and sizes. The competition was proud to be judged by Miss Maiden and Mrs Carter, who are both keen bakers themselves, holding lots of expertise. After detailed analysis of all the entries, five winners were crowned. For a perfect bake, with excellent texture and flavour, Beccy Baldry from SMU; for elegance and technical challenge, Rachel Lawrence for her beautiful ‘last rose of summer link’ from SMU; for KK link and presentation, Demi-Jade Bissett and Indigo Germain-Shaw, both from ECA, with their ‘KK are rich in spirit treasure chest cake and mentor inspired cupcakes’; for KK links and use of colour, Millie Higginson from SMC-KDE, who made an amazing two-tier purple cake featuring a mini Mr Linstead on the top; and finally for originality and teamwork, Willow Grant-Callier, Sophie McCann, Jordanna Mills and Phoebe Tibbenham from LRA who made a McDonald’s cake featuring a hamburger, chips, McFlurry and milkshake. We then sold the cakes during break time and lunch time to raise some money to contribute to KK’s community charity next year. A brilliant effort from all led to making just over £70! The event was a great success and we hope it will be the first of many KK bake offs. Moreover, before this holiday we are holding an inter-mentor ‘UNO’ challenge, to find the champion mentor group. We hope this will be enjoyable and a great success too!

As always in Term 5, there has only been the opportunity to have one Community assembly but that did enable us to welcome our new prefect team, hear the future plans of our Yr 13s and hand out certificates and prizes to those who were awarded the most Positive Events in Term 4: Macey Bean in 7NS, Natalie Faiers and Rosie Cooper in 8NS, Amy MacCormack in 9NS, Sophie Ball in 10NS, Rhiannon Drakeley and Zhane Rose-Amankwa in 11NS, Connor Brown and Laine Caruzca in 12NS and Peter West in 13NS. The winning mentor group were KCA. This term all students have been nominating those whom they feel are most deserving of an award at our PRIDE ceremony at the end of the academic year and it has, once again, been a great pleasure to read the comments that our members have written about the support, friendship and respect shown to them by others. Finally, one of the highlights of the term was Yr 11’s final day in school before their exams when the whole of 11NS came in looking amazing in their pirate and sailor costumes! Two of our four teams came first and third in the quiz that began the day and at break, in true NS fashion, we all did the hokey-cokey on the field! The morning ended with a presentation of photographs that reminded us all of the many good times that 11NS have shared over the last five years. We wish everyone taking exams during the next few weeks the best of luck and send our very best wishes for the future to all who are leaving us.

Exam season really has started in earnest now with GCSE and A-Level students coping with the pressures this entails. Yrs 7 and 8 have also experienced internal exams this term, in between making pom poms in mentor time. Yr 13 will finish lessons at the end of this term, while Yr 11 had a Disney fancy dress theme for their last day. As the photos prove, Miss Greensmith is our Fairy Godmother and as an extra wish, we decorated her office with multi-coloured post-it notes! We wish everyone sitting exams all the very best

and look forward to the sun shining in Term 6 for some VM rounders!

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Ad Caelestia Sequere … Reach For the Stars

Highworth Folk Band who have repeated their last year’s success and won a place at the National Festival of Music for Youth. They will be travelling to Birmingham to perform on Friday 5 July. We wish them good luck! Highworth Chamber Choir who put on a concert on Saturday 27 April at the stately home and musical museum Finchcocks. Two of our pianists, Jenny Chen and Olivia Burt, also performed piano solos on some of their period instruments. Aurora Orchestra, a celebrated professional orchestra from London, who have been working with Yr9 and 10 singers this term. Together with workshop composer John Barber and professional singer Suzi Zumpe, the students composed a song themselves, worked on a Bulgarian folk song and combined forces with Yr4 children from St Teresa’s Primary School. The culmination of their project was a concert in St Mary’s Church in Ashford on Friday 17 May, featuring their pieces, orchestral works and exciting works for orchestra and breakdancers. The venue was full for a vibrant evening and we look forward to further collaboration with the Orchestra.

Year 11 Drama

This month has produced many fantastic performances in the PAS thanks to the myriad of productions for Yr 11’s Unit 2 performance exams as well as the Yr 12 monologues and group plays. Particular praise was given by the visiting examiner to the casts of ‘Waiting for Godot’ and ‘Night, Mother’ for the incredible unity apparent between set, costume, lighting and actors to create high-quality productions. The creativity of interpretation by Siobhan Redfern, Caitlin Harvey and Lucy Vining for their performance of Berkhov’s ‘The Trial’ was also noted as well as further captivating performances by Rhiannon Drakeley, Ellie Brewster, Lucy Dukes and Alex Valentine. All cast members should be congratulated on their professional attitude and their ability to overcome the nerves for this intense final performance day to provide a thoroughly enjoyable assortment of performances. Students now are working towards the final element of their GCSE in Drama and so we wish them every luck in their final written exam.

COMING SOON – musical dates for your diary: HiJAC! - not a mis-spelling, but the High-worth June Alternative Concert! This ex-citing event will combine the best of our choir and orchestra concerts with the pop-ular music of our Bandstand events to cre-ate a new kind of festival, hopefully out-of-doors! Tuesday 25 June 2013, 5.30pm-8.30pm. Bring a picnic and a rug. JAZZ ORCHESTRA at EASTWELL MANOR – this year’s concert by the Highworth Jazz Orchestra, to open the Ashford Jazz Festi-val, is at 7.30pm on Thursday 4 July. In a break with tradition the orchestra is taking up the opportunity of performing in the marvellous surroundings of Eastwell Man-or, in the courtyard. Tickets available soon. GREASE! - the KS3 summer show is on for two summer nights - Thursday 11 and Fri-day 12 July - and is the one that you want. 7pm in the Hall.

Coming Soon….

Musical dates for your diary: HiJAC! - Not a mis-spelling, but the Highworth June Alternative Concert! This exciting event will combine the best of our choir and orchestra concerts with the popular music of our Bandstand events to create a new kind of festival, hopefully out-of-doors! Tuesday 25 June 2013, 5.30pm-8.30pm. Bring a picnic and a rug! JAZZ ORCHESTRA at EASTWELL MANOR – This year’s concert by the Highworth Jazz Orchestra, to open the Ashford Jazz Festival, is at 7.30pm on Thursday 4 July. In a break with tradition, the orchestra is taking up the opportunity of performing in the marvellous surroundings of Eastwell Manor, in the courtyard. Tickets available soon. GREASE! - the KS3 summer show is on for two summer nights - Thursday 11 and Friday 12 July - and is the one that you want. 7pm in the Hall.

Year 13 Music/Music Technology student Tim Aviss has written a track which in 3 weeks has had over 30,000 hits on Youtube. Tim composed, mixed and mastered the music and teamed up, over the internet, with Danish rapper Nico Collu. Tim then edited the vocals and mixed them on to his track. Nico produced the video. Tim and Nico have since met! The song is called This Generation and can be heard on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ktWWXBG93w. It is also available to download on itunes at https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/this-generation-feat.-nico/id631204120. All the proceeds from downloads will go to Amnesty International.

This Generation

Music Notes

Congratulations to the…….

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PAGETURNER Awards

This year seven students from Highworth were shortlisted for the prestigious Pageturner Art Competition which was organised by Canterbury Creative Arts and the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery. Rosa Bradford (Yr12) won first prize for the best interpretation of the theme, which this year was ‘Curiosity’. Rosa’s prizewinning entry was a clever and imaginative black and white digital photograph of her dog Alfie’s torso. Chloe Lightfoot (Yr13) was runner up in the 16-18yr category with a colour digital image of her grandmother entitled ‘Thoughtful’. Chloe’s image will also be used on this year’s A-Level Summer Exhibition invitation. All students who were either shortlisted or prize winners will have their work on display alongside artists such as Albrecht Durer and William Turner between the 4th June and 21st July at the Turner Contemporary, Margate. The exhibition will be titled Curiosity: Art and the Pleasures of Knowing.

Year 12 commenced the afternoon of performances by producing productions varying in style and humour from the quick wit of Michelle Hayward’s Eliza Doolittle from ‘Pygmalion’ and Georgia Taylor’s confident portrayal of the manipulative Lady Macbeth, to the beautifully touching sensitivity of Daisy Gathern’s Mel from ‘Shakers Restirred’. Some much-needed light relief was provided by Jennifer Jones’ understated yet well-timed ‘Hush’ monologue and Jessie Millner’s intelligent and well-judged Viola, before being struck by the intensity of both Emma Deans’ Fantine from the stage version of ‘Les Miserables’ and Giles Thornton’s horrific account from ‘The Woman in Black’. The evening performances started off with an explosive battle of class within ‘Miss Julie’, heightened by the grounded and truthful performance by Chloe Ward as Kristine. We then jumped forward in time from 1888 to the 1960’s for an emotional performance of ‘Eclipsed’ based on the true events surrounding Ireland’s Magdelaine Laundries. Lauren Harris’ disturbing portrayal of the mentally unstable Mandy Prenderville proved a captivating performance alongside the powerful battle between Rebecca Lindup’s novice nun and feisty, hardened Brigit Murphy, played by Ellie Ford, ensured the audience remained transfixed throughout the production.

Year 12 Drama and Theatre Studies

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Ad Caelestia Sequere … Reach For the Stars

Our stay at the Kent Mountain Centre was amazing. It was definitely worth the visit, meeting new people, developing friendships and bonding as one huge family. We have never done so much exercise, laughed so much or had such good food in one week and soon discovered that we didn’t want to return home! The activities were challenging yet exciting because we were pushed to our limit at times with tasks such as zip lining across a 20ft drop above the ocean or abseiling down a vertical rock face. However, our instructors were always there to support us. Whilst it was snowing at home, we enjoyed kayaking and canoeing on Lake Llynpadarn in the glorious sunshine surrounded by the extraordinary scenery of the snow covered mountains. We soon got to grips with ice axes and crampons (spikes for the bottom of your boots) to prevent us from slipping. It is safe to say that the gorge scrambling was good fun and we got very wet crawling through the narrow holes of the waterfall and jumping into an ice cold plunge pool. We enjoyed every single aspect of our trip and have learnt many things about ourselves as individuals, but the greatest thing we have learnt is that nobody is fresher than the Clyd!

Ethiopia Training Weekend

Kent Mountain Centre - Wales

For our Ethiopia expedition, we took a weekend away to the New Forest at the end of April, strolling around the fields and the lovely bogs giving us a chance to work as a group before our 3 week expedition. We each individually had the chance to direct the group and, for some, learn to map read and read a compass – vital to get around Ethiopia! In the evening we settled into the tents we put up ourselves and split into groups to do the cooking and washing up. Overall, the weekend gave us a chance to develop skills and get a better understanding of our group for our expedition starting July 19th. Excitement mounts!

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Ad Caelestia Sequere … Reach For the Stars

Some Yr 9 students took a trip to the London Philharmonic Orchestra to enjoy a memorable performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Before we entered the concert hall, the audience were given stickers stating which family they belonged to: Montague or Capulet. Highworth were Montagues. Why? Because at certain parts in the concert we were told to shout Shakespearian insults at the other family! Combined with listening to the orchestra, we watched some actors perform certain scenes from the famous play adding to the thrill of the event. The Orchestra was fantastic and showed levels of expertise only we can dream about. All in all it was a wonderful experience and we would like to say a big thank you to the teachers who arranged the trip. By Katie O’Hara 9KK/SRI.

On 24th April 2013, four modestly talented mathematicians (Molly Barker, Amy MacCormack, Phoebe Barrett, Laura Sheppard) represented Highworth in the regional final of the Junior Mathematics Team Challenge, run by the United Kingdom Mathematical Trust (UKMT). Other equally gifted schools took part such as Tonbridge Girls, Invicta Girls, Maidstone Boys, Skinners, Norton Knatchbull and two Dutch schools representing their country which goes to show that Mathematics is a universal language. The event began with ten warm-up questions relating to shopping, sequences and percentages. The group was then split into pairs and the fun began with cross-number, a mini-relay answering alternate questions and finally an enjoyable relay race. We gained full marks on every event apart from the last where we ran out of time, but we had accumulated such a high score that we won overall! With our free pens, book marks, certificates, 3D jigsaws and the knowledge that we were the best, we returned triumphantly to Highworth. The National Final at Lindley Hall, London is on 17th June against the other 80 Regional Final winners from around the UK. We wish them every success in this prestigious event.

Mathematics Marvels

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Ad Caelestia Sequere … Reach For the Stars

Our U-13 football team who made it through to the final of the Kent Schools Cup, where they met defending champions Leigh Academy on a wet and blustery Tuesday evening. The vociferous support for both teams was treated to an entertaining, high quality and close fought match, with Highworth playing the most attractive football, but Leigh Academy displaying greater defensive strength and ruthlessness in front of goal. Highworth’s attacking play was orchestrated by Yr 7’s Abbey Davies and player of the match, Izzy Griffiths, who worked relentlessly to unpick the opponents’ towering defence. Sadly, for all the skill and talent of our players, size counted on the day, and Leigh Academy outmuscled our girls when it mattered and scored a breakaway goal in each half to lift the trophy. Since more than half the team will qualify for this age group again next year, we will look forward to exacting our revenge in 12 months!

The under 12’s Futsall team who were runners-up in the final of the South East Futsall Championship. Aileen Williams 7AB and Izzy Griffiths 7CS were amazing up front, while Charleen Cairns 7AB and Keara Isteed were solid in defence. In goal were Yasemin Kannur and Josie Samson who did a great job.

Highworth U15 indoor cricket team who represented Kent in the finals of the SE England in April. The event took place at St Bede’s Prep School in Eastbourne. The girls played extremely well and came runners up in their section. They then had a very hard game in the semi-finals losing to Brighton College, a cricket specialist school.

The Yr7 ‘Super8s’ athletics teams who came 1st and 3rd in the Ashford and Shepway competition. The A-team will go on to represent Ashford at the East Kent School Games in June.

Catherine Knight Yr7 who went up a grade in taekwondo to become one better than a black belt!

The U15 volleyball team who took part in the ‘Sackville Invitational Tournament’. They did really well to reach the semi finals.

Amy Royal in Yr 9 on achieving her 50,000m rowing award; to Lauren O’Connor in Yr 10 and to Charlotte Arnison in Yr 8 on achieving their 50,000m Rowing Awards; and to Helen Watts, Jacqueline Benson in Yr 7 and Nicole Szekeres-Tapp in Yr 8 on achieving their 25,000m Rowing Awards.

Our under 13 Handball Team for reaching the South East Championship representing Kent, finishing in third place. Well done to all the girls for showing such a great effort.

Congratulations to…….

U15 Volleyball Team

U13 Football Team

Year 7 Super8’s

Under 13 Handball Team

Under 12 Futsall Team

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Ad Caelestia Sequere … Reach For the Stars

Headteacher: Mr P Danielsen Highworth Grammar School, Quantock Drive, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8UD

Phone No.: 01233 624910, Fax: 01233 612028 Email: office@highworth.kent.sch.uk Website: www.highworth.kent.sch.uk

Free School Meals – Have your circumstances changed?

If you have children under 19 in full-time education, they may

be entitled to free school meals. To be eligible, the student’s family must be in receipt of one of the following benefits and will need to provide the relevant proof: Income Support Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance Child Tax Credit (not Working Tax Credit) If the household income is below £16,190 Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit Asylum Seekers Proof of support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 An Income-related Employment and Support Allowance They do accept bank or building society statements as they show which benefit is being received. If you think you may be entitled to free school meals, please request a form from the school or alternatively, please download and print-off the Free School Meals form from www.kent.gov.uk/education

Monday 3 June - Staff Development Day

Tuesday 4 June Term 6 commences; return to Week B timetable

Tuesday 2 July - Year 13 Leavers Day

Tuesday 9 July - Taster Day for the new Year 12

Friday 19 July - Last Day of Term

Monday 22 July and Tuesday 23 July Staff Development Days

MS Butterfly Appeal

On Friday 3 May, CS Community Captains Holly Chapman and Ellen Paredes attended a press lunch at the Canterbury MS Therapy Centre with Orla Dean Odey who nominated the charity. It was inspiring to see the work of the therapy centre and inspect the plans for the new building. We are delighted to have raised over £1,400 for such a good cause.

Congratulations to Rachael Hooper for being accepted into the Northern Contemporary School of Dance! Rachael was amongst hundreds of hopeful dancers that auditioned for the prestigious Northern Contemporary School of Dance. Despite having no formal training outside of school, Rachael made it through several cuts and down to the last fifteen on her audition date. Rachael then had to endure a nail biting week before hearing whether or not she had been accepted. Everyone in the Dance Department is exceptionally proud of her and wishes her every success.

Soaring High

I was very interested and moved by this year’s CS charity, The Kent Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre, as a close family member suffers from the illness. I decided to do my level best with the help of my stage school to make a big fundraiser at our next show. We chose a raffle and it was held at the Sinden Theatre on the 2nd February 2013. It was a truly spectacular day and the generous audience managed to help me raise £160. When I was told I had raised this much, I was so shocked and happy, it was unbelievable! This was the first fundraising event I had ever done and I was desperate to go up to the centre and meet the workers and people. The centre was very welcoming and the manager, Karen Middlemiss, gave me a tour of the building and I met some of the dedicated and friendly staff who worked there. All of the residents were happy and sitting around having a chat. The home is quite small but with donations they could build a more spacious and warm building, which would include facilities specially made for the MS patients. Another amazing thing is the centre’s patron, Mr Frank Brake, is doubling all donations made this year and so I actually raised £320! Their Butterfly Appeal is now up to £751,012 meaning that in the next 18 months they should reach their target. Thank you CS for introducing me to this truly special charity. By Isabella McKenzie-Sanchez 7CS

A Memorable Visit