Spring 2009 - Gateacre School

Gateacre Community Comprehensive School
Grange Lane
Gateacre
Liverpool
Merseyside
L25 4SD.
Tel: 0151 428 1569
Fax: 0151 421 1349
email: gateacre-ao@gateacre.liverpool.sch.uk
Web: www.gateacre.liverpool.sch.uk
CREATING LEARNERS, EXCITING MINDS
Produced by Words&Pictures. Tel: 01943 854800.
aspire
Issue 2, Sprin
g 2009
The news ma
gazine of
Gateacre Com
munity Comp
rehensive Sc
hool
a
t
a
h
W st ic year
fa ntas
planning permission for the new
school had been granted. In fact,
the council planners described it
as the most exciting scheme in
Liverpool. Work starts this year.
To top it all off, we recently won
the e-safe education award.
Gerard Lonergan, Headteacher
OUR exciting new programme of
study for Year 7 started this year.
Here are some first impressions:
“We do a project on a subject
of our choice, and we can
choose to work in groups or
on our own. I think Fridays are
better than our normal lessons.”
Rosie Russell
“The Integrated Curriculum is
about exploring fun new ideas
with your form.” Hannah Barnes
More details about the course
and its structure are available on
the school website. Follow the link
to Integrated Curriculum from the
‘in the classroom’ page.
gad
“
WELCOME to the latest edition
of aspire, the magazine that
showcases all the good work and
experiences that happen in school.
It has been a fantastic year in
terms of both achievement and
enjoyment. Lately, we had our
GCSE and A-level Certificate
Presentation evening at
Hope University, where
the guest of honour was
Stuart Smith, Executive
Director of Children’s
and Adult Services in
Liverpool. The evening
provided an opportunity
for many of our successful
students who have gone
on to university to meet
up again.
On the same day, we
learned that the final
“
A new way of
teaching and
learning
s
d Lonergan show
adteacher Gerar
In safe hands: He
ard.
aw
on
ati
uc
ed
e-safe
off the school’s
We have the
technology
have been
IN recent months, we
press releases
of
er
mb
nu
a
in
ed
featur
ologies
hn
tec
st
for testing the late
re and
twa
sof
th
(bo
es
vic
de
and ICT
ilding
(Bu
F
BS
new
hardware) for our
l.
oo
sch
e)
tur
Fu
the
Schools for
C Breakfast
The Liverpool Echo, BB
Newsround
C
BB
and
ws
Ne
News, Sky
ellent
exc
have all given Gateacre
dgets for
ga
st
late
the
press for using
chi
tea ng and
the next generation of
afe education
e-s
r
ou
learning. Also for
to achieve a
us
ps
hel
ich
wh
re,
softwa
for all our
ent
nm
iro
safer working env
.
nts
de
stu
staff and
gade
Testing, testing: Ellie Costello
and Patrick Devaney, Year 8.
Accent on languages
EUROPEAN Languag
es Day,
a Europe-wide celebrat
ion of all
the world’s languages,
took place
in September.
Gateacre students too
k part
in a number of activities
including
a ‘Who wants to be a
millionaire?’
language quiz, games,
presentations
and poster competitio
ns.
recently
nts (inset photo)
SIX Year 10 stude
ent in a Onertm
pa
De
y
log
Techno
represented the
in Halewood.
r
ve
Ro
Jaguar Land
at
,
ge
en
all
Ch
y
Da
construction tasks
set engineering
nding
sta
efre
The teams were
a
ct
tru
being to cons
the final challenge
nothing more than
metres high using
1.2
g
rin
t.
light measu
firs
e
m
Gateacre team ca
sful in winning a
es
newspaper. The
cc
su
o
als
re
nts we
uarding Awards
feg
Five Year 12 stude
Sa
ol
ard at the Liverpo
aw
ns
ucation
rso
Pe
g
Youn
eir Theatre in Ed
recognised for th
about the
ge
sa
es
m
l
rfu
2008. They were
we
promoting a po
en
be
pool.
s
er
ha
Liv
h
ich
ut
play, wh
le across so
re of young peop
ion in which
tat
en
es
pr
alk
safety and welfa
tw
ca
ed at a glittering
make-up and
We also triumph
mes, hair design,
stu
co
ted
ea
cr
s
nt
dents fought
de
stu
stu
e
10
Th
ar
e.
Ye
mes Bond them
Ja
a
on
d
se
d best make-up
ba
an
e
modelling
e best hairstyl
th
p
oo
sc
lands CLC.
to
on
titi
tition held at Park
off tough compe
e the Rest Compe
ov
Ab
ad
He
e
th
awards in
rke,
mdadou, Emily Cla
Rest: Shereen Ha
Head Above the
Year 10.
is,
nc
Fra
a
ss
ne
Va
Tanika Reid and
Badge of honour: Hollyoaks actor
Stuart Manning with
Hollie Rainford, Lauren Watson
and Emily Mawdsley, Year 7.
Proud
to be
Scouse
ON 12th December, Gateacre
celebrated its first ‘Proud to be
Scouse’ day, raising money for
Alder Hey’s Imagine Appeal.
Year 7s prepared a traditional
Scouse, or meat stew,
for lunch, while Year 11s
created a healthy menu.
Radio City and Stuart
Manning (Russ in Hollyoaks)
also joined in the fun.
The day was a wonderf
ul
opportunity to reinforce
positive
messages about the be
nefits
of language learning and
an
opportunity to apprecia
te and raise
awareness of cultural
diversity.
Multi-lingual: Hannah
Hanson
and Liam Clark, Year
10.
t
h
g
i
n
a
s
i
’
‘Day Out ber
to remem
Artists draw praise
THE annual Art Exhibition gave
students the opportunity to display
their exceptional creative talent,
using an extensive range of materials
and media. Drawings and paintings,
ceramics, printmaking, textiles and
computer-aided design 3D work were
all on show.
Among the special guests was our
very own Tudorlambanana, which was
designed by 20 of our students and
two artists from KECS Design.
Music on the opening night was
provided by teachers Graham Warner
and Rob Jones.
Russell’s Our
tion was Willy
uc
od
pr
ol
use’
ho
age this ‘Sco
THE 2008 sc
delighted to st
e
apital
er
C
w
d
e
W
ne
.
ut
ow
Day O
rpool was cr
ve
Li
at
th
ar
play in the ye
ed students
of Culture.
mber of talent
nu
ge
casts.
hu
e
th
d to have two
Because of
ns, we decide
tio
di
d
te
au
or
ed
pp
nd
su
who atte
ew was
production cr
The first-class
ns made up of
ia
ic
us
m
of
aff
d band
groups and st
by a dedicate
ar
ye
number of
a
m
fro
ts
en
stud
departments.
to receive a
from various
ere privileged
w
e
w
t
lf!
gh
ni
g
Russell himse
On the openin
sage from Willy
es
m
ck
lu
od
special go
10, Adam
n
o
i
t
c
a
n
i
s
t
r
A
Kewley, Year
dd and James
i, Year 8,
cast: Jack Do
Shaira Quresh
,
13
ar
Ye
The talented
,
len
Al
8.
ian
ar
ist
Kr
Ye
,
7,
ha
Briscoe, Year
d Hope De As
rs, Year 11, an
Georgia Bowe
d
n
a
c
i
s
u
M
,
D ra ma
Da
o
e
r
t
n
e
c
e
h
t
n c e a re at
f
ll, Holly
e: Jack Campbe
African influenc
ley, Year 8.
ck
Bu
n
ga
Me
d
Simpson an
m
u
l
u
c
i
r
r
u
c
l
the sch o o
Stage struck
IN Septembe
r, the Drama D
epartment laun
school’s new
ched the
theatre compa
ny, Open the
is a unique op
Gate. This
portunity for st
udents to gain
professional ta
a semiste of the thea
tre industry at
As well as nu
first hand.
rturing studen
ts’ acting abilit
company prov
y, the
ides a platform
for students in
in the technica
terested
l aspect of thea
tre.
Bookings are
currently bein
g
PSHE-themed
taken for
performances,
assemblies an
enterprise proj
d
ects.
First-hand ex
perience: Pa
ige Jones, Na
Danielle Howa
taccia Chean,
rd and Megan
Owen, Year 10
.
A captivating performance
THE Music Department has enjoyed a long
and productive association with the Liverpool
Institute for the Performing Arts (LIPA), which
stretches back some ten years.
In October, 16 Community Arts students
and two tutors visited the school as ‘artists
in residence’ for a week. The LIPA students
worked with 80 Gateacre students in the
disciplines of Music, Drama and Dance on
themes loosely based around ‘Liverpool’.
The result was a captivating 45-minute
performance that highlighted aspects of our
city’s culture and history. The performance was
watched by an appreciative audience of staff,
parents, family and friends, who were quick to
praise our students’ enthusiasm and the high
standard of their performance.
African influence: XX, XX, XX and
XX, Year XX.
festive
music
A feast of
THE Music Department celebrated Christmas
in style with the annual carol concert.
The programme, which was packed with
seasonal classics old and new, featured the
orchestra, choir, jazz band, big band and the
flute group, together with a (heavenly) host
of soloists.
The Languages Department’s Year 7
choir also performed Cascabel (Jingle Bells)
in Spanish.
The evening concluded with the traditional
sing-a-long of Slade’s evergreen, Merry
Christmas Everybody.
On song: Members of the choir Joe Marsh, Carol
O’Flaherty and Gemma Edwards, Year 9, and
Chantelle Pomfrett, Year 11.
l’s
Liverpoo
cultural
legacy
ops
a series of worksh
dents took part in
ge
rita
he
l
ra
ltu
cu
A NUMBER of stu
its
and
ure of Liverpool
the workshops
exploring the fut
s for the Future,
ion
Vis
ed
titl
En
.
cance of ‘their’
beyond 2008
nsider the signifi
co
to
s
nt
de
stu
enabled
st century.
Liverpool in the 21
orld Music drew
ops, the use of W
ing
sh
rk
wo
e
th
g
Durin
and dance, includ
ic
us
m
of
ethnic genres
e
l
th
ra
s
ve
nt
se
de
er
stu
th
ge
ve
to
also ga
and Arabic, and
.
African, Kurdish
of an African drum
at
be
e
th
to
e
nc
da
to
y
nit
rtu
po
op
Po l i sh e x p re s s
ON 15th July,
we left Liverp
ool for a lifechanging trip
to Krakow in
Poland.
During our visi
t we explored
historical and
many
cultural mem
orials and
buildings, be
fore encounte
ring the harsh
reality of Ausc
hwitz – an em
otionally
challenging an
d unforgettabl
e experience.
Georgina Wat
kins and Emm
a Crichton, Ye
ar 11
Postcards from around
the world
Dutch treat
AMSTERDAM is famous for its coffee
shops and beer, but students on the Year
13 History trip to the Dutch capital were
there to visit the Anne Frank House and
the International Court of Justice.
During the trip, we worked with Dutch
students to reach our own definition of
what justice is, and whether it is possible
to mete out justice in relation to events
such as the Holocaust and the recent war
in the former Yugoslavia.
ted to
tment was invi
THE PE Depar
tigious
es
pr
ents for the
ration
nominate stud
de
Fe
ts
or
ols Sp
ven
Liverpool Scho
se
,
e nominated
award
Award. Of thos
an
ith
w
d
te
presen
l in
al
students were
H
s
e’
y in St Georg
our was
on
at a ceremon
f-h
t-o
es
here the gu
November, w
Beth Tweddle.
the gymnast
ness, Year
ere Carl Bow
rs
The winne w
Lewis, Year
xing, Marcus
13, for kickbo
rd, Year 9, for
Bi
s, and Joe
ic
et
hl
at
r
fo
,
Thomas,
10
students Emily
and John
cricket. Year 11
ch
an
be, James Br
ag
Aj
la
ilo
am
D
ised for their
e also recogn
Pritchard wer
football.
contribution to
s
t
r
o
Sp
s
d
r
a
aw
International
exchange
Joe Jennings, Year 13
Alton Towers adventure
Theatrical
spectacular
THE Drama
Departmen
t travelled fa
last term to
r and wide
give studen
ts a variety
experience
of theatrical
s they will n
ev
er forget.
Suddenly, S
hakespeare
more than
became co
100 studen
ol when
ts went to se
Shakespea
e four differ
rean classics
ent
in London,
Stratford an
Mancheste
d Liverpool.
r,
We also wat
talent perfo
ched local
rm Our Ben
ny and Vine
well as seei
gar
ng the spec
tacular Slava Tom, as
’s Snowsho
w.
Peras and
On target: Nick
ar 12.
James Marsh, Ye
siness
12 and 13 GCE Bu
A GROUP of Year
in October
rs
we
visited Alton To
s
nt
de
stu
ies
ud
St
er service.
to explore custom
d then
ended a talk, an
On arrival, they att
er service
m
sto
cu
’s
rk
theme pa
experienced the
e rides.
th
of
enjoying some
at first hand while
Teen drama: Year
10 students with
Melvin Burgess
members of Lim
(third right) and
e Productions.
Tuned in to TV
STUDENTS in Year 10 took part in a project with Lime
Productions (the team behind Hollyoaks) and the awardwinning writer of young adult fiction, Melvin Burgess.
Burgess and his writing team are working on a new
teen drama for Channel 4, and have been visiting schools
across the country to ask teenagers about the issues that
affect them. With the help of the production team, the
students wrote short stories and television scripts on the
themes of rebellion and conformity.
Meanwhile, Gateacre’s English and Drama Departments
hosted a Shakespeare day, during which teachers from
across the LEA were invited to take part in workshops run
by actors from the Globe Theatre in London.
a, Year 9 Geography students
THROUGH the medium of Dram
ants.
explored the world of Polish migr
including a ‘Conscience
ities
activ
us
vario
in
They took part
to be a Polish migrant,
end
Corridor’ whereby they had to pret
move to England.
or
nd
Pola
in
stay
to
and decide whether
ing to establish links
hop
The Geography Department is also
students writing
of
aim
the
with
a
Afric
with a school in South
stories. It is
and
res
g pictu
letters to each other and swappin
ramme.
prog
e
ang
exch
an
to
lead
hoped that the link may
‘Conscience Corridor’: Thomas
Jones and Emily Foster, Year 8.
el
Lloyd, Lauren Daly, Emily Daly, Dani