Summer Newsletter 2016 - Ulverston Victoria High School

A Glorious Finale for Year 11
So Long, Farewell, Auf Weidersehen, Goodbye to Year 11,
Class of 2016. On Wednesday 6th July we said farewell to Year
11. It was a wonderful day
and very emotional from
the start and throughout.
The
day
began
with
our traditional Leavers
Assembly at the Coronation
Hall. It was great to see so
many students and parents
there and characteristically
their
attendance
was
fantastic and their spirits
were high.
As we reminisced about the last 5 years at UVHS it became
apparent that the year group had embraced their time here and
had been involved in all the opportunities that had come their
way; the year 7 disco; the sponsored walk; trips to Germany
and France; Sports days;
Masterchef;
London
Olympics torch relay;
trips to the Trafford
Centre;
Duke
of
Edinburgh and numerous
very successful sports
teams. It just showed that
the Class of 2016 were a
brilliant group of young
people who wanted to
live life and try all new
experiences. They were fantastic role models and ambassadors
for the rest of the school as shown by the highest number of
Senior Student ties awarded to any year group. An outstanding
set of students who we
should all be very proud to
know.
In
the
evening
we
gathered again at school
ready to depart for the
big event of the day;
the Prom. The students
looked
amazing
and
were able to enjoy time
on the terrace and have
the traditional informal
photos with close friends and staff. After a formal dinner in the
banqueting suite the Head Boy and Head Girl and their Deputies
awarded their prizes and announced the results of the voting
for Prom King and Queen. Harry J was chosen as Prom King and
Bethany H was chosen as
Prom Queen. Once the
speeches were complete
the dance floor was then
packed. However all too
soon the last song was
being played and we had
to leave but not before
enjoying a spectacular
firework display before
we once again boarded
our coaches for the journey home. It certainly was a day that we
will all remember for a very long time. Year 11, as always, were
amazing. Good luck to you all!
SUMMER 2016
Mr Fay writes....
As we are coming close to the end of another school year
I am reminded of a phrase I used in 2014 when our school
community was riven by a tragedy. As Dickens wrote in
a “Tale of Two Cities” it “was the best of times and the
worst of times” for UVHS in 2016.
The worst of times because once again the school was
devastated by the tragic death of one of its students: Josh.
Words cannot describe the impact that Josh’s loss has had
on the school and on his class mates and friends in Year 7.
During this tragic time I have found inspiration from Josh’s
parents who have been outstanding in their love for their
child and the quiet dignity by which they have handled
the awful tragedy of Josh’s passing. They have been truly
exceptional in their dedication to the preservation of Josh’s
memory.
The best of times because UVHS may well be in the best
“fettle” in the school’s history. The ethos of the school is
second to none and it is matched by our examination results
and the dedication of our teachers. Students tell staff that
they feel part of a special supportive community and I know,
as do all our staff, that this is a special place to be.
Next year we welcome 12 new members of staff but we also
say our farewells to eight, who in the main, are going on to
pastures new and we wish them all the best for the future
and that they look back on their time with UVHS with warm
memories.
Best wishes to all for the summer......
PAGE TWO
Zigi Shipper visits UVHS
Holocaust survivor Zigi Shipper shared his testimony with
our Year 9 students in July. Zigi has visited the school on
a number of occasions; each time his story has informed
and inspired our students and this year was no exception.
These are the comments and thoughts of some of our Year
9 students:
“Zigi’s story made me feel upset but also very happy for
him. I feel like I have learned a lot about the Ghettos and the
Concentration and Extermination Camps and how cruel the
Nazi officers were. I think it was very brave of him to jump off the
transport truck to get away. I enjoyed the happy ending and it’s
a shame that he
lost the uniform
he was given
after
his
liberation
as
it
contained
so
many
memories.”
“I
found
the
whole
experience very
moving. As soon
as Zigi started
to talk I was
fascinated. His story was truly amazing and very unique. He
was inspiring and really made me think back and reflect on
what we have learnt in lessons. Once again, I feel like school
has provided me with an amazing experience that I will carry
with me for my whole life and will never forget”
“I found the event inspirational and it really showed how much
I have compared with other people less fortunate than myself.
It made me feel very lucky and reminded me that I should be
happy with what I have.”
“I found the experience extremely interesting and moving.
Zigi had a lovely attitude to his life and what he talks about. He
gave a very personal point of view which was very emotional.
Zigi’s talk was a once in a lifetime opportunity which I will
remember for a very long time.”
“I felt so privileged that Zigi came to speak to us. I found his
talk heart-breaking and felt so upset to hear what he had gone
through. Things don’t matter sometimes, like little arguments
with friends. This matters. This is really important.”
“I thought that the talk was very interesting. Zigi is a very
inspirational man. His attitude towards life was amazing. I
will always remember his talk.”
“It was really surreal that a survivor of the Holocaust was
standing in front of my year. I think it is fantastic that we have
that experience to tell future generations.”
This
year,
Zigi was also
kind enough
to
speak
to
parents,
staff
and
governors in
the evening.
He
believes
that it is really
important
to
promote
life-long
education and
that all generations should learn about the horrific events of
the Holocaust.
We are grateful to all of the parents, staff and governors who
attended to hear Zigi’s moving and inspirational talk.
The Power of Creativity at Prize Giving
UVHS celebrated Lower School Prize Giving on Monday 27th
June with a wonderfully creative evening at the Coronation
Hall.
Students from Years 7 to 10, their parents and carers,
staff, governors and special guests of the school gathered
at the presentation which awarded students for both their
progress and achievement this academic year.
The
theme
this year was
“The
Power
of Creativity”.
The audience
was
treated
to a dramatic
performance
from Aurora
and Isabella
representing
the German
Drama
Club
and
poetry
from Charlie, Maria and Adi. Hattie, Alex, Fenton and Harry
from the Photography Club gave an overview of their recent
photographs and why they enjoyed taking them. Sydney
shared her experience of participating in the Textiles Rotary
Competition and the stage was taken over by an array of
colour from over one hundred dogs made by students in the
Art department.
Many students received prizes for progress and achievement
in subject areas, such as Didi - Music Achievement Prize,
Michael
DT
Progress
Prize,
Chloe
Key
Skills
Progress
Prize and Hugh Extended Project
Qualification
Progress Prize to
name but a few.
Harvey
Pearce
received
the
School Award for
Fortitude,
Tabi
was awarded both The Bethany Crook Award for Dedication
to the Performing Arts and The Governors’ Award for
Service to the School and Hazal Ozmus from Year 10 gained
The Headteacher’s Prize. A new prize this year for School
Parliamentarian of the Year was awarded to Isabella Philipson
from Year 8.
Our guest speaker was Mrs Jackie Arnold, MBE FCMA,
Head of Strategy and Business Planning at BAE Maritime –
Submarines.
Jackie
gave
a warm and
inspirational
speech to the
audience and
presented
the
prizes
to
UVHS
students.
The evening
was a great
success and
showcased
the creativity of our students and their teachers at UVHS!
PAGE THREE
Farewell to Year 13!
Having now completed their A level exams we wish the
whole of Year 13 all the best for their future and hope they
can look back on their time here at UVHS and feel proud of
all they achieved. Good luck to all!
Queen’s College Oxford University
In addition to our Oxbridge sessions this year, our Year
12 students have been given a number of additional
opportunities to enhance their aspirations to pursue
University choices. As well as a special workshop on
Personal Statements delivered at 6th Form by our partner
Queen’s College, Oxford back in March, we had the
opportunity to attend a residential HE plus day down at
the beautiful College ahead of
the official public open days this
year.
During
our
visit
students
experienced
their
chosen
subject by attending subject
taster sessions, witnessing and
participating in a mock interview
and receiving more advice on
personal statements from student
ambassadors. They also had an
opportunity to take part in a
series of fun activities in the city
of Oxford and visit the various
colleges on the open day.
Most Able Education Discussions
Students from Years 7-9 have been participating in some
high level discussions associated with many different
topics and issues facing society today and in the future.
The sessions are chaired by members of the community and
businesses;
experts
and professionals in
their field, who prompt
students to engage with
some
contemporary
concepts associated with
a topic of interest. Our
students practically run
the sessions themselves
and have shown some
excellent
thinking
skills, offering potential
and creative solutions as well as posing some very complex
and challenging questions amongst themselves!
Next Discussion …Mr John Woodcock MP… I wonder what
topic will be up for discussion that day?
Science News
During our annual biology field trip Year 12 biology students
visited Sandscale Hawes National Nature Reserve. This is home
to one of the largest remaining Natterjack Toad populations
in the UK, migrant birds such as Garganey and Grasshopper
Warblers and very rare Orchids,
such as the Coralroot Orchid.
Students had to plan and carry
out a practical to investigate
how non-living factors such as
light and temperature affect
the distribution of different
plant species and experience
the beautiful costal sand dunes.
Students are assessed on their
practical skills and methodology; such as planning, working
safely, collecting accurate results and presenting them as a kite
diagram. This assessment forms part of a practical endorsement
for biology that they can use to apply to University.
UVHS is an island…?
On the 4th of July a group of 16 pupils from Years 7, 8 and 9
drew a conclusion to a 10 week project they had been working
on called “my school is an island”. The pupils were given a
brief from the project sponsors EDT to develop a sustainable
school which could be located on an island and which would be
completely self sufficient. They worked in 3 teams with mentors
from local company Siemens Sub Sea to develop ideas, build
models and write a final report. The culmination of the event
involved preparation of a public display stand and delivery of a
presentation to a panel of senior personnel from local business
and organisations.
All the teams came through
with fantastic
closing
presentations.
Mr
John
Rogers (principal engineer
at Siemens) said “This was
a fantastic chance for the
children
to
understand
some of the issues faced by
industry and engineering
companies. It gave them a
great opportunity to develop
team working skills and experience delivering to a deadline as
well as being able to visit an engineering site and see how STEM
subjects relate to the real world.” Hattie L from Year 8 said ”We
would like to thank the mentors from Siemens Sub Sea for their
help on the project. We would not have been able to complete
our research and develop the final presentations without their
help. I hope to get involved in the project again next year and
learn from this experience.”
Year 7 Science Club
A science club has been meeting every week during the course
of the spring and summer terms to provide opportunities for
students to investigate aspects of science that interest them.
There are a wide variety of projects underway focusing on making
bath bombs, testing extreme
sports
environments,
preparing crystal structures
and making a model of the
planets in our solar system.
Working towards CREST
(Creativity in Science &
Technology) bronze awards,
the students are learning
how to investigate scientific
challenges in a fun and
enjoyable
environment
where key skills are being developed that will help students to
become our scientists and engineers of the future.
PAGE FOUR
Visit to Normandy 2016
Earlier this term 53 students and 5 staff spent a fantastic
week in Normandy. The main focus was practising our
French speaking skills with the help of ‘animateurs‘ from
La Grand’ Ferme in Bacilly in the heart of the Normandy
countryside. On the first evening we visited the world
famous Mont St Michel. Students were really impressed by
the magnificent structure which is a world heritage site.
At the nearby Chateau
students took part in
a variety of activities
including
climbing,
fencing,
bread-making
and aero ball. Creative
talents were improved
by taking and developing
their own photographs
in
the
photography
workshop.
All
the
activities were conducted
in French which helped to extend students’ vocabulary and
confidence.
This year we wanted to develop the cross-curricular history
theme so we invited Ms Lomas along on the visit and she was
able to give students lots of background information about
World War Two events in the region. Students then visited
some of the Landing Beaches and sites that they had heard
about.Other highlights of the visit included a visit to an
organic goat farm where some were lucky enough to hold and
milk the goats. Everyone enjoyed practising their speaking
skills with the traders at the market in Villedieu-les-Poêles
and they were able to buy some interesting combinations for
their picnic lunch.
This was another fantastic educational experience for our
Year 8 students. Plans are going ahead for our visit next year.
Year 10 are looking forward to their visit to Paris in the last
week of term. More news of this in the Autumn newsletter.
German Students visit Windeck-Rosbach
Year 8 students visited Windeck-Rosbach, east of Cologne in
June. Students wrote about their thoughts and impressions
of the visit:
We went to Germany on Sunday evening and came back home
early on Saturday morning. On two days for our lunch we were
given 7.50 euros to buy a picnic from the supermarket. We also
went to the swimming
pool.
When Ms. Ward
went down the slide she
waved at us all. On one of
the days we had to order ice
cream in German. When
we went to the school we
met our pen pals. In the
German lesson we had to use our
German and our pen pals had to try
English. For breakfast there was
always a variety of cooked meat and
salami, cheese, cereal and bread.
By Hannah B and Sophie G.
Our recent trip to Germany was
great and we had great fun with our
friends. We visited lots of places,
including the gigantic Cologne
cathedral. The towering cathedral
took our breath away! The views
from the top were amazing as
you could see the entire city. The
swimming pool visit was also a highlight. Everyone had great
fun jumping off the diving boards, going down the big slide or
just swimming in the 50m outdoor pool. Frau Ward seemed to
enjoy the slide most! Written by Jake M.
Googlers visit UVHS
In association with Impact International a team of 16 graduates from the search engine company
Google visited UVHS to deliver a leadership workshop to our students. Sixth former Ben Varley
said, “ The aim of the Google graduates coming in was to develop our leadership knowledge and
give an insight of the potential careers Google has to offer. Having a big company such as Google coming into the school was
great as a company of this size rarely deliver presentations to schools and talk to students; it seemed to have made the students
immediately more interested in their work of how the company functions. The presentation allowed students to interact and
ask questions to Google graduates from all over the globe of what they do and what attracted them to working in Google offices.
I gained an insight of how Google market themselves and the services they provide; as well as discovering all of the different
opportunities Google can offer after undergraduate studies.”
Google Graduate, Mark Donnelly said, “I can’t thank you enough for having us, it is an amazing school and it was our absolute
pleasure to spend the time with your incredible students. On a practical level, I was impressed with how forthcoming the
students were in speaking in front of the group. This is something professionals still struggle with, and equipping as many
of them as possible to become comfortable with doing this will stand to them in interviews, meetings and presentations
throughout their professional careers. I’d like to thank all at the school for having us, it truly was a special experience”.
Award Winning Employability Programme
The ESH Group has worked with a range of business partners to develop ‘Building
My Skills’, a year long employability skills programme which has provided year 9
UVHS students with a rounded programme of timetabled business engagement
as part of the curriculum. Tallulah from year 9 said, “It was good to know what
different businesses are looking for and what skills you need for that particular
industry”.
Building My Skills has been delivered throughout Cumbria, Scotland, Yorkshire
and the North East for 5 years and won Business in the Community’s National
Big Tick for School Partnership in July 2015. The programme’s success is built
on a collaboration of over 70 school partners and 100 businesses, which this year
have worked with over 9,000 students generating over 45,000 hours of learner
engagement. All students receive 5 x 1 hour long guidance sessions over the
course of the academic year which are structured to provide an insight into the session speakers’ career path, sector, valued
employability skills and are supported to complete a ‘checkpoint’ – contributing to their ‘employability portfolio’.
We would like to extend our grateful thanks to ESH, GlaxoSmithKline, Boots, NHS and the Furness Education and Skills
Partnership for supporting our students during this programme.
PAGE FIVE
German Spelling Bee Success!
This year over 75,000 Year 7 pupils from 580 schools across
the country have taken part in the Foreign Language Spelling
Bee.
In March, our top three Year 7 students, Matthew T, Ruby M
and Harry Q, performed in the North West regional final at
Manchester Metropolitan University. Hundreds of students
competed
in
French,
German
and Spanish, and
the competition was
fierce. Students are
challenged to learn
a list of 200 words in
the foreign language
and how to spell
them out loud in the respective
language. Words from the list are
selected at random, and students
must spell as many as possible
in one minute. The regional final
Hamlet Performance
On Thursday 12th May, the English department took a
group of students to The Dukes at Lancaster to see Hamlet
performed by The Tobacco Factory Theatre Company.
Hamlet is one of the texts being studied in Year 9 and we
were pleased to be able to allow the students a chance to see
it brought to life on stage.
The
performance
was
strong, and many students
found the tale of revenge
riveting – even though most
of them had not had chance
to read the full text before the
performance.
As usual, the students were a real
credit to school, both in the theatre
and when they were in fine voice
on the way home.
UVHS International Talent Show 2016!
was intense, with students
having to compete in deadlock several times. We were
up against some of the North
West’s
top-performing
grammar schools, and there
were only four places up for grabs for each language. Sadly,
Ruby and Harry were knocked out in the French stage, but
Matthew held his ground in the German. After two intense
rounds of spelling in front of a packed lecture theatre,
Matthew was victorious and bagged fourth place for German
and secured his place in the National Final, to be held at
Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge on 1st July. Matthew is
pictured above with Dr Sharon Handley, Dean of the Faculty of
Languages at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Matthew is one of just 108 students to be selected from
the initial stage of over 75,000 students! The Languages
Department are incredibly proud of his achievements, and
wish him the best of luck in the final.
BBC Radio Cumbria came into school to interview Matthew
and Miss Beardsley live on air and they congratulated us on
being the only school in Cumbria to have reached the final.
Great work!
PTI School of the Week!
UVHS is proud to be selected as PTI
School of the Week in recognition of
our commitment to the PTI Schools’
Programme and Associate Departments
schemes with 8 of our departments
involved. http://www.princes-ti.org.uk/
about/news/
On Tuesday, 28th June, over forty students from Years 7 to
13 performed in our very first UVHS International Talent
Show. After months of rehearsals, live performances in
EIGHT different languages hit the stage at UVHS in a real
Modern Languages extravaganza. There were poems, songs,
dances, musical
percussion,
drama
and
comedy,
and
apparently a bear
had got loose
from the zoo and
stole the show….
Mr Butler and
the UVHS School Choir (pictured above) provided a seamless
performance in Latin
and the Year 7 ‘Hand
Band’ took to the stage
with their musical
cups. The opening
act, provided by Sixth
Form students Ben,
Florrie and Connor,
could
have
been
something straight out of the West End. The incredible talent
just kept coming. Watched by Year 7 students, the aim of
the show was to promote our love of language learning; to
encourage students to continue with their languages beyond
Key Stage 3, and to
celebrate diversity.
It
was
a
great
afternoon
enjoyed
by all and something
we hope to be able
to
repeat
next
year. Well done to
everyone involved!
Charli Smith Year 7 (above) owns her poetic licence.
PAGE SIX
Duke of Edinburgh 2016
Bronze Duke of Edinburgh 2016
This year has seen 22 of our Y10 students working towards their
Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. This has included weekly
training meetings while also attending activities towards their
physical, skill and volunteering sections.
Participants have shown independence, perseverance and
commitment to attend a demanding training schedule of first
aid, expedition and camp craft training while also taking part
in a number of walks to build on these skills. Students have
taken part in two evening walks
to Birkrigg and Urswick where
they were required to navigate
themselves around a set route and
complete a number of navigation
and investigation tasks along the
way.
During their practice Expedition
on the Cumbria Way participants
experienced
real
Cumbria
weather. It rained for both days
not even stopping when then
needed to set tents up and cook.
Despite this all groups remained
in good spirits and one group even
stopped on day two to rescue an
injured sheep!
All pupils showed great teamwork and navigation skills over
the weekend but staff felt that one group in particular had
shown the most progress. For this our Golden Boot Award
2015/16 for navigational achievement was awarded to Group 1
(Megan, Will, Alex, Alistairand Lucy). Megan was also awarded
a “Head Teachers Wow” for her excellent leadership skills. A
huge well done to all involved and we hope to welcome some of
you back for the gold award in the 6th Form.
Gold Duke of Edinburgh 2016
This year has seen seventeen Y12 students go on three practice
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions, a two day Lakes, a
four day Lakes and recently a 4 day Yorkshire expedition. On
the Yorkshire expedition, the groups learned lots about the
weather which turned out to be horrendous with very heavy
showers interspersed by spells of drizzle. But luckily Yorkshire
is almost hollow so the rivers subsided and the ground
dried up quickly. The groups showed amazing resolve and
determination not to give
up and covered around
seventy kilometres over
the four days carrying
all their kit. They will
be travelling to the
Cairngorms in Scotland
to do their qualifying
(assessed) expedition in
the last week of term. Let’s hope the weather is good to them.
Well done to all concerned.
Also, recently the
following students
received their Gold
Award:
A l e x a n d e r ,
Adam,
Oliver,
Luke,
Emma
,Caitlin.
A
big
‘congratulations’
for
completing
this
difficult
award; it is a real achievement. Well done!
My Trip to the Somme, France
I am the youngest member of the Ulverston-Albert
twinning association and I was one of the lucky eight
people (including the Mayor of Ulverston) chosen to attend
the centenary commemorations of the Battle of Somme.
100 years ago during the 1st World War men from all continents
came to the North of France to fight in the very horrific,
brutal and bloody Battle of the Somme. Approximately 3
million soldiers fought over a front of 45 kilometres that
lasted for 141 days (1.7.1916 to 18.11.1916) in which time 1.2
million were killed, wounded or missing in action.
I travelled to Albert by train and Eurostar via London and
Lille. We visited the Ulverston Trench and wearing my school
uniform I laid a wreath for UVHS. We went to meet Albert’s
German twin towns Aldenhoven and Niesky and a delegation
from Birmingham who adopted Albert after the 1st World
War. We attended an official reception at Albert Town Hall
and a civic meal at Authuille Restaurant near Thiepval and
took part in a 1916 parade with 100 pipers. We went to the
Somme 1916 Museum and watched a service at Thiepval on a
big screen in the public gardens.
On Friday 1st July we went to Contalmaison (where I laid a
wreath for UVHS in my school uniform) which was one of
the big services on the day. We watched 100 bagpipers play
and had a soldiers meal and went to a concert at the Basilica
with Barbara Hendricks and the Picardie Orchestra. Barbara
Hendricks was awarded a medal of peace.
On Saturday we went into Albert Market then had the official
twinning lunch. After
lunch I changed into
my school uniform
again and we went
to the Service of
Remembrance at the
Courcelette Canadian
Memorial. After that
we went to Ulster
tower,
Theipval,
Newfoundland
memorial
and
La
Boisselle
the
Lochnager
crater.
Then after another official meal we attended a concert of the
Birmingham Teenagers Choir with the City of Birmingham
Symphony Orchestra at Albert Basilica.
There were lots of security in France including gendarmes,
army, snipers, bodyguards, road blocks and helicopters,
quite a few times we had to walk through security doorways
and x-rays like they have at airports but at the Somme there
were tents with all the technology inside.
By Maisie A 7.6.
PAGE SEVEN
UVHS Maths - Top Performers!
UVHS Maths is top performing sixth form in Cumbria!
UVHS maths department are simply thrilled to have been recognised by a DfE validated body as the top performing non selective
sixth form in Cumbria, and in the top four of the North of the UK for Mathematics. An awesome achievement and one we will
be immensely proud of for many years. Sheila Hirst, head of maths, put it down to the amazing dedication of UVHS’s team
of inspirational A level maths teachers and their coordinator and mentor Lin McIntosh. The students worked hard for this
and the fantastic success for each and every A level student means that they were able to reach the highest next steps from
Cambridge University to read Natural Science to London to read medicine
to Loughborough to read Engineering and Maths at Lancaster and many
more. We have loved teaching our students and were so delighted when
they achieved such dizzy heights with 33% of the huge cohort being
awarded A* and 74% A or A* (double the national figure for all schools
including selective schools). Mathematics is a very popular choice at UVHS
with over half the sixth form studying maths at A level, 130 this year with
an additional 36 studying Further Maths.
Year 8 & 9 Team reach dizzy heights and the UK Maths National Final in
London
Our year 8 and 9 maths team
reached the National Final of
United Kingdom Maths Trust
Team Challenge for the fourth time. This is a great achievement and Edward, Freddie,
Jack and Hal were very excited to join the 88 teams from across the country at the Royal
Horticultural Halls in London for the big day. The questions were fiendishly hard but
much fun was had by all. The group had the extra bonus of a trip on the London Eye the
day before and a great walk around Westminster and the South Bank.
UK Maths Individual Outstanding Results
Congratulations to James Year 7 who achieved a very high score in the recent Junior
Maths Challenge and gained entry into the Junior Mathematical Olympiad. This is a
very testing two hour exam designed for the top
1200 students in the country in years 7 and 8.
Meanwhile Eleanor M in Year 8 also scored very
highly and progressed to the Junior Kangaroo round. This is similar to the “Kangourou
sans Frontières” competition for older students, the name recognising the fact that
the organisation was inspired by the Australian Mathematics Trust. We wish them both
every success and offer congratulations to the many other year 7 and 8 students who
received gold, silver and bronze certificates.
Breaking News! : Year 7 student comes in top 210 for maths of all year 7 & 8 in the UK!
We have just heard that James in year 7 has achieved a brilliant result in the Junior
Mathematical Olympiad. This is the follow-up round to the Junior Maths Challenge
for which James was selected after coming in the top 1200 in the country. James has
now won an Olympiad bronze medal and medals are only awarded to the best 210 in
the country! This is particularly outstanding, not only because James is still in Year
7, but also because he only practised for the exam in the short space between the two
competitions. As the type of questions that are asked are of a very different nature from
the normal curriculum and require a high level of mathematical communication skills,
James clearly has a natural aptitude and we look forward to more great results in years to come.
New from Comp@UVHS
Miss Clapham’s Code Club continues to grow in strength with students entering the annual Bafta Young Game Design awards
for the second year running. This term they have been getting to grips with the BBC micro:bits and learning how to program
the small chips to follow sequences. We look forward to implementing them in the Autumn term with Year 8.
In March, Miss Clapham took fourteen year 7 students to Blackpool Tower
for the BBC Live Lesson where the BBC micro:bit was officially launched.
It was hosted by Rachel Riley and Anton du Beke and the day was an
interesting experience for all. In fact, the students almost had as much
fun as Miss Clapham! They learnt about how algorithms are used when
movement sensors are involved and this was skilfully demonstrated by
Karen and Kevin Clifton.
Mr Evason continues to work with Lancaster University as part of their
Honorary Teaching Partners scheme. Collaborating with colleagues across
Cumbria and Lancashire to develop resources that support the delivery of
the new computing topics in the key stage 3 national curriculum.
More recently, three year 8 girls were accompanied by Mrs Silcocks to
Lancaster University for their inaugural Girls in Computing Day. They
learnt about wearable technology and electronics. With inspirational
keynotes from Elise who setup a computer club (Girls2Geeks) when she was 9 years old and Dr Lucy Rogers ( http://lucyrogers.
com/ ) who is involved in using Raspberry Pi’s to control various life-size dinosaurs on the Isle of Wight.
A fantastic year in Computing and we are looking forward to continuing in September.
PAGE EIGHT
UVHS Extends a Warm Welcome to New Staff!
Mrs Bower : Development Coorindator of Biology
My name is Mrs Bower and I am delighted to be joining
Ulverston Victoria High School’s Science department in
September as the Development Coordinator of Biology.
From a young age I wanted to become
a teacher. I pursued my passion
for Science, studying Biology and
Chemistry at A-Level and then went
on to complete a Biological Science
degree through Liverpool University.
After graduation I spent a summer
participating in field research
into the speciation of Geckos in
Fuerteventura before commencing
my studies for a PGCE in order to
fulfil my lifelong ambition and
become a qualified teacher. I am
extremely lucky to have a job that I
enjoy so much, working and learning with some of the most
inspiring young people.
I was blown away by the learning ethos of the School and its
students on my interview day and I am truly excited to get to
know you all.
Miss Wisdom : Teacher of English
I am thrilled to be joining Ulverston Victoria High School as
an English teacher in September. A love of reading and books
lead me to study English Literature
at University of Cumbria and
subsequently to complete a PGCE with
the South Cumbria SCITT; it has been
a challenging yet incredibly rewarding
year. I am most looking forward to
building great relationships with my
classes and enthusing pupils through
innovative and engaging lessons.
Outside of the classroom I enjoy
being active whether that be running,
cycling, walking or participating in
Taekwondo, so I’m sure I will see
some of you at a practice or event. I
am always on the lookout for a good book too so send your
suggestions this way. I am very much looking forward to
meeting you all in September.
Mrs Hill : Receptionist/Administration Assistant
Hello All! I would like to introduce myself to you. If you
haven’t already seen me, you will be seeing my face greeting
you at your school.
My name is Mrs Hill and I will be joining the current
Office Team as Reception/
Administration
Assistant
covering maternity leave. I am
originally from Devon, but have
lived in Ulverston for the last
14 years. I feel lucky to have
Ulverston as my home and live
with my husband, 2 children (one
of whom is excited to be starting
UVHS in September) and finally 2
dogs.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my
time as an Exam Invigilator/
Reader this year at UVHS and feel
privileged to have been a part of
a stressful but important time for
both students and staff.
I am really looking forward to meeting everyone and being a
member of such a fantastic team and renowned school.
Mr Vogler : Head of Drama
I am looking forward to working at UVHS very much. After
fourteen years of English and Drama teaching at Millom
School, I’m excited to be working with Richard Butler and
the Performing Arts team to serve
the students at UVHS and offer what
will hopefully be something of a
renaissance in terms of the Drama
curriculum
and
extracurricular
provision,
building
on
the
excellent legacy of productions and
performances that the school has
produced in the past. I am keen
to offer not only Drama clubs and
performance opportunities, but also
regular theatre visits for all students,
especially those in Key Stages 4 and
5. Work is already underway to reequip the Drama Studio with cutting edge theatre lighting
and sound software which will only serve to enhance the
students’ experience of Drama further. In my spare time I
enjoy fell running, triathlon, climbing and of course, visiting
the theatre!
Mrs Bonnett : Teacher of English
My name is Mrs Bonnett and I am delighted to be joining
UVHS in September. I did my undergraduate degree in
English Literature at the University
of Central Lancashire and my PGCE
with the South Cumbria SCITT
and the University of Cumbria. I
was very lucky to have my second
placement at UVHS, where I have
been immersed in a wonderful
English Department. Whilst here I
have been involved with the school’s
Duke of Edinburgh award; this
enabled me to utilise my skills and
passion for being outdoors. In my
free time I can be found exploring
the local fells, either on foot or on my mountain bike. I am
also a keen swimmer and have competed in local triathlons.
I am doing a half marathon in September so if you see me in
school, feel free ask me how my training is going!
Miss Seed : Teacher of Physics
After teaching in Lancashire for four years, I am really
looking forward to moving up to Ulverston and becoming a
member of the Science department at UVHS.
My background is in Engineering and I have worked
in industry for four years as a
Process Engineer at an oil refinery
in Lincolnshire.
Prior to this,
I graduated from Nottingham
University with a MEng in Chemical
Engineering. I am very passionate
about STEM and I strive to inspire
my students to explore and pursue
exciting careers within these
subjects.
In my spare time I really enjoy
walking and I am seeking a new
challenge after completing the
Yorkshire 3 Peaks and Hadrian’s
Wall in recent years. I love to travel
and visit new places, so I can’t wait
to move up and explore the Lake District. I look forward to
meeting you all in September.
PAGE NINE
UVHS Extends a Warm Welcome to New Staff!
Mr Reader : Teacher of Geography
I am very excited to be joining the Geography department
at UVHS in September. I am originally from North Devon,
and after completing my A Levels at
Bideford College I went on to study
Geography at Aberystwyth University.
Geography is such an interesting and
diverse subject, and I am looking
forward to carrying out some
exciting activities with my classes in
September. Recently I have completed
my PGCE at the University of Bristol,
and I have enjoyed working with staff,
students and parents at two very
different schools. I am a keen hiker,
and I am looking forward to exploring
the lake district and getting involved
with some of the extra-curricular activities at UVHS, such as
orienteering club!
Miss Blaney : Teacher of History and BPE
I am delighted to be joining UVHS in September as a Teacher
of History and BPE. I graduated with a degree in History from
Northumbria University in 2012,
and will complete my PGCE with
the South Cumbria SCITT in July.
I remember walking in to UVHS
for a training session and almost
immediately thinking, ‘I could
definitely see myself working
here’, and so I jumped at the
chance to apply for this position!
I am originally from Coniston
and currently live in Barrow-inFurness, so I am thrilled to be able
to start my career at a fantastic,
successful and inclusive school
in an area I know and love. In my
spare time I enjoy walking my dog,
cooking and going to watch live music. I am very enthusiastic
about History and am excited to take on BPE classes this year.
I’m sure my enthusiasm will inspire my students, and I look
forward to getting to know them all in September!
Accelerated Reader and Reading Buddies
Our reading schemes this year have proved both popular and
successful.
Accelerated Reader, now in its fourth year, is a Reading
programme for our year 7 and 8 students.
Quite simply, each book that has
been read has a quiz attached to
it and the answers can determine
the students’ comprehension of
the story and understanding of
challenging words.
Ross Barrett in form 7.6 (pictured
left) has improved his reading age
by 1 year and 10 months.
Ross says he has enjoyed reading
many books and finds the quizzes
fun. He likes the challenging aspect
of the quizzes and said he has learnt
the meaning and context of lots of
new words.
Reading Buddies pairs slightly less confident readers from
Year 7 with a sixth form ‘buddy’ who they read to in the Library
every Thursday during form time.
Dylan Webb in form 7.5 (pictured right) has improved his
reading age by 1 year and 3 months.
Miss Groves : Teacher of German with French
I am Miss Groves, and I will be starting at UVHS in September
teaching German with French. I have
been teaching at St Bernard’s in Barrow
for the past five years. Prior to this,
I worked for a textile company as a
Business Manager. It was fun as I got to
use my German in a business setting,
but I chose to become a teacher and
have never looked back!
In my free time I enjoy playing the
flute, going to see live music and
photography. I also love travelling and
exploring new places both in the UK
and overseas. In the past I have lived in
Germany and The Netherlands, where I
taught English.
Miss Parkin : Teacher of Mathematics
I am really looking forward to joining the maths department
at UVHS. I graduated from Lancaster University in 2013 with
a Philosophy, Politics and Economics degree. I then went
to work in the Head Office of
Homebase as a financial analyst
before realising teaching was
the career for me. I think maths
is a great subject because it
opens the door to so many other
fields of study (like economics
in my degree), plus, the feeling
you get when you solve a
difficult maths problem is just
fantastic. In my spare time I
love to dance, to travel, and to
eat good food in good company.
I also go running in an attempt
to counterbalance the good food! See you all in September for
the start of a brilliant academic year.
Mrs Brooks : Design and Technology Technician (Food and
Textiles)
Hello I’m Mrs Brooks, the new Design and Technology
Technician for Food and Textiles. I started
at the beginning of July and have met a
few of you already. I really enjoy my new
job and am very happy to work here. You
all seem very nice and I look forward to
getting to know all of you. I especially
like helping out during the cooking and
have recently helped out with the tiedyeing and Morse bags.
When I am not at work, I look after my
herd of 130+ sheep which keeps me very
busy. I have only just finished lambing
with my last lamb being born the night
before I started here at the school! I also
love any type of cooking, walking and spending time with my
two daughters who are also at UVHS.
Dylan was slightly nervous at
first but his buddy, India in year
12, put him at ease and was very
supportive and encouraging.
India also enjoyed participating,
found the experience worthwhile
and said she’d recommend all
sixth formers, whether they’re
big readers or otherwise, to
get involved if they get the
opportunity.
PAGE TEN
Sports Round-Up
Once again, we have had another great year in Athletics on both
the track and field. Eight students from Year 7 represented
Furness in the County Finals at Copeland. A huge well done to
R Moate, J Morgan, J Wood, L Walker, M Wilcock, H Murray, G
Alcide and E Simpson for excellent individual performances.
UVHS are Victorious Again!
In the Barrow Schools Athletics, UVHS were crowned winners
overall. Winning both the Year 9 and 10 categories and Year 8
finishing in second place, meant we
were crowned champions finishing
on 418 points. A HUGE well done to
all of those that took part.
Will has been a phenomenal athlete
this year, with excellence in football
and now in athletics. So, the icing on
the cake, being crowned the Cumbria
Schools 300m Champion! Will is
now the UVHS, Barrow Schools and
Cumbria 300m champion. Not bad,
hey?
The Year 11 boys football team
ended their time at UVHS on a bit
of a rollercoaster. They had what
would be classed as a very successful season by reaching the
semi-final of the county cup, narrowly losing to Richard Rose
Academy, Carlisle. The victors going on to win the county cup.
Locally the team got to both the Hakridge Shield Final and
the Roger Ion cup. In the latter they played St Bernards and
after being 2-0 up at half-time narrowly lost 3-2. The boys
blaming the result on some very poor refereeing decisions and
one dubious penalty given to the opposition and a ‘stonewall’
penalty not given for Ulverston. However, the team showed
what they were capable in the Roger Ion cup by defeating
Chetwynde 4-1 with 2 goals from Matthew Pearson and 1 from
both Isaaca nd Tyle. A great victory where the boys showed
their class. They were a credit to school for their commitment
to school for 5 years.
The summer has seen a mixed bag of cricket results across
Years 7 to 10. UVHS had 4 teams (U12, U13, U14, U15) entered
into CSCA County Knockout Competitions and an U14 friendly
league structure across the Barrow Schools was developed to
try and give pupils
more opportunity
to play hardball
cricket. The U12
8 a side team
won the Barrow
area
competition
before playing in
the county wide
President’s Trophy
where they won
2 and lost 2 games to finish 3rd. Our U14 team chasing 3
county championships in a row reached Rd 3 of their County
Competition but were beaten by 6 runs in a close game against
Millom school. Within school we have had two very healthy
inter form cricket competitions running across the summer
term for Years 7 and 8. The separate competitions have
been run over lunch-times each week to encourage cricket
participation and friendly competition between forms with all
who took part enjoying the chance to play cricket, some for
the first time.
Carousel!
At the very end of last term UVHS Performing Arts
Department staged Rodgers and Hammerstein’s powerful
musical, ‘Carousel’, at The Coronation Hall.
Voted
best musical of the 20th century by Time Magazine, this
timeless classic features hit songs including ‘You’ll Never
Walk Alone’, ‘June Is Bustin’ Out All Over’ and ‘If I Loved
You’.
The sell-out audiences were treated to professional-standard
performances from all
of our students:
Ben
Lewis and Florrie Dobson
were superb as the main
characters, Billy Bigelow
and Julie Jordan - there
wasn’t a dry eye in the
house as we witnessed
the
development
and
then dramatic end to their
relationship,
with
the
roguish gigolo revealing
his softer side by the end of
the production. The more
light-hearted
moments
were provided by the other
leading duo of Connor Wood
(playing Enoch Powell) and
Ella Boardman (playing
his wife Carrie), both of
whom played and sang their parts brilliantly, especially the
beautiful duet – ‘When The Children Are Asleep’.
The supporting cast to this fantastic quartet were Abi Aspinwall,
Sarah, Chris , Matilda and Oliver, all of whom seemed totally at
home at The Coro, bringing all the contrasting personalities to
the stage, acting and singing with total conviction. However,
we must not
forget
the
chorus
and
dancers of 30
other students
who
gave
such
depth
to the overall
performance
and gave the
key moments
even
more
i m p a c t ,
especially
during Billy’s
death and in the finale.
As usual, the pit band - made up almost entirely of UVHS
students who had to play the professional West End parts
– was phenomenal and complemented the whole theatrical
experience. The quality of this production really showed
UVHS Performing Arts at its best; a perfect example of why
we are so highly thought of across the region and showcasing
the amazing talent that we have throughout the school, from
Year 7 – 13.
Huge thanks must go to the director, Miss Hicks, for
producing a show of such amazing quality, and Mr Butler for
the musical direction.
Asthma Inhalers
Students with asthma are encouraged to carry their reliever inhaler at all times. Parents are asked to ensure that their child has
regular asthma checks at their GP or with their respiratory nurse and that their child brings their prescribed inhaler to school
every day. All inhalers must be clearly labelled with the child’s name, dose and expiry date. Parents should inform school of any
changes in medication and complete the annual Individual Health Care Plan available from the school office.
PAGE ELEVEN
Town Lands Suite Unveilling
On Thursday 26th May our purpose built SEN Centre, The
Town Lands Suite was unveilled, after a very generous
donation from the Town
Lands Trust. Doreen Fell,
Jim Going and Anthony
Bryson officially opened
the centre on behalf of the
Trust with Mr Fay thanking
the Trust on behalf of the
community of UVHS.
This amazing donation
has enabled UVHS to
also equip our new
library extension on the
upper floor.
After
the
opening
ceremony, guests were treated
to an array of refreshments,
served by students in the
Town Lands Suite, who are
extremely proud of their new
facilities!
Thank you Town Lands Trust!
Circle Time!
Circles continue to meet every Tuesday after school in
Town Lands. Our small group have had another eventful
year. We have been swimming regularly at Dalton Leisure
Centre. We have discovered Japan, had a go at origami,
tasted sushi and learnt Japanese. We have socialised at
Costa Coffee, learnt songs in sign language and become
expert bakers. We have enjoyed film nights and relaxed
with yoga.
Our annual residential at
Great Tower approaches
and we will be cratestacking,
canoeing
on Lake Windermere,
toasting marshmallows by
the campfire and enjoying
the wilds of our beautiful
Lake District.
We have continued to
enjoy making friends,
learning new skills and
fundraising for future
sessions of Circles. The fundraising at Christmas was a
festive feast of delicious homemade cakes and biscuits
made by our talented Circles chefs. We managed to raise
£120 which was a fabulous result.
Wondering what we’ll do next school year? Perhaps we
might be successful enough to be on Bake Off!
Year 8 Fieldwork in Ambleside
The archaeology club had an exciting trip to the Duddon
Valley, meeting some real archaeologists and exploring the
site of a Saxon Longhouse dig.
Firstly,
we
were
shown and
had
the
c h a n c e
to handle
s o m e
historical
objects
d a t i n g
back
to
5000 years
The unpredictable Lake District weather was true to its
name this year as Year 8 Geographers assembled for our
annual trip to Ambleside. To say we experienced monsoon
rainfall on two of the days would be an understatement,
but this didn’t phase our hardy Year 8’s!
The pupils recently completed work in the classroom on
the topic of glaciation, learning about processes of erosion
and the landforms created by glaciers. From the summit
of Loughrigg Fell,
the
pupils
were
able to take in the
glorious views down
Windermere, towards
the Langdale Pikes
to the west and the
Fairfield horseshoe
in the north. They
all took advantage
ago. Next, we practised
excavating objects using
archaeological techniques.
We had three trays of sand
with objects buried in it. We
found a toothbrush, 2 pieces
of pottery and some money
from different countries.
After a break we got into
the minibus and set off
for the Duddon Valley. We
climbed up the mountain,
then looked at the site of an
historic Saxon house. At the
end, five people said they
were thinking about becoming archaeologists!
By Henry 7.2.
of the great opportunity to see the
impacts of glaciation on an upland
environment and successfully noted
down all the glacial features they
could spot, as well as discussing the
processes that created this dramatic
landscape.
In addition, the students investigated
Ambleside’s main function of a
tourist town by analysing land
use and environmental quality at
different locations. They recorded shop type and economic
function around Ambleside, after which many were lured
into the delicious smelling Chocolate House!
All pupils approached the trip with enthusiasm and positivity
- we even had a picnic basket filled with homemade treats
make its way to the top of the fell for a picnic with a view!
Archaeology Club Trip to the Duddon
Musical Magic!
The Music Department has been exceptionally busy this
term with Swing Band concerts all over the region as well
as a spectacular Wind Band concert with the Band of Her
Majesty’s Royal Marines in May – not to mention the
Summer Concert on 7th July at The Coro and the Wind
Band’s 8-day concert tour to Austria to close the year.
However, the highlight of the term was appearing at The
Coro as part of the Ulverston International Music Festival
supporting the international jazz artist Julia Biel. .
The visit of the Royal Marines in May was very memorable
and saw 2 sell-out audiences – as well as a joint concert on
Friday 6th between the Swing Band and the Marines’ Dance
Band. The Wind Band shared the stage with the full Marines’
band on Saturday 7th, producing an absolutely amazing joint
concert.
The Director of
the R. M. Band,
Captain
Daryl
Powell, said of
the UVHS bands
that they are
the best school
groups he has
ever heard – a
fine compliment
from
arguably
the
finest
forces band service in the world! Such was the success of
the weekend that the Royal Marines have already secured
funding for a repeat event next year! Over May half-term,
8 of our Year 10 GCSE instrumentalists were invited to visit
HMS Collingwood in Portsmouth for a Career Acquaint Visit;
they had a brilliant time!
Many thanks to the RM for allowing UVHS such great
opportunities - we are the only school currently to benefit
from such a close working relationship with the Band Service,
both in terms of concert weekends and work experience.
Early Closure : Friday 22nd July 2016
Ulverston Victoria High School will close at 1.50 pm on the
last day of Summer term, Friday 22nd July 2016. School
transport have been informed and students who use school
buses will be collected at this earlier time.
Arrangements for September 2016
Return to School : Wednesday 7th September 2016
Year 7 students start school at 8.50 am and are with form
tutors during periods 1, 2 and 3.
Years 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13 return at 10.55 am with form tutors.
Normal lessons for the above year groups commence at
period 4.
Year 12 students commence Sixth Form on Friday 9th
September at 8.50 am and have interviews on Tuesday 6th
and Wednesday 7th September.
Collection of Exam Results
Arrangements for collection of Exam Results:
Thursday 18th August 2016 - A Level Results Day
A2 Collection - School Library from 8.30 am - 11.00 am.
AS Level Collection - School Library from 11.00 am - 12.00
pm.
Thursday 25th August 2016 - GCSE Results Day
Collection - School Library from 10.00 am until 12.00 pm.
News from Design Technology
Product Design : Year 11 Product Design students worked
exceptionally hard on their controlled assessment
practical work. They have produced an excellent set of
docking stations to date
demonstrating a range of
high level practical skills
using wood, plastics,
electronics and metals.
Resistant Materials : Year
11 Resistant materials
students have produced
a range of outstanding
creative solutions for their GCSE Controlled Assessment.
They started off researching relevant information that
included design movements of the 20th Century and then
produced a design specification from which they designed
and developed a final solution.
GCSE Fashion Students Photoshoot : Students took part
in a Fashion photo shoot in order to test the products that
they have made for their coursework. The outfits that the
students had made were modelled
in a photographic studio. The
themes included ’modern vintage’
1960’S Festival wear and a choice
of west end productions.
Cooking With Croftlands! Ms Shaw
was delighted to be approached by
Mr Cross from Croftlands Junior
School as to whether they could
have three groups of their fantastic
Year 6 students come and use the
cooking facilities here at UVHS.
The pupils created colourful and
creative stir fries, and left the DT
block filled with wonderful Asian
aromas! As you can see from the photo they worked like
professional chefs!
Year 11 GCSE Catering Success! : Year 11 students carried out
a practical examination, preparing and cooking a two course
meal for two people, on a country of their choice. Students
showed great skill when cooking and presenting their two
courses. It was a great privilege to sample a wide selection
of extremely well cooked and presented dishes – this was an
opportunity for the students to show
off their skills, they did just that!
Year 8 and 9 students entered
the Rotary Club Young Textiles
Technologist Competition. They
were given a brief and produced a
design portfolio and finished product.
The theme was ‘A Gift to the World’
and students had to design and make
a product for a baby or toddler.
The results were: 1st was Sydney
Atkinson, 2nd was Hattie, joint
3rd was Emilie and a Year 8 team
including: Ruth, Victoria and Molly.
Highly Commended: Ben.
Sydney then attended the regional final for Cumbria and
Lancashire held at The Lakes School. Six Cumbrian schools
entered the competition and Sydney was successful in
winning the competition and becoming Cumbria and
Lancashire Rotary Club Young Textiles Technologist 2016.