Newsletter July 2013
Transcription
Newsletter July 2013
HEADTEACHER'S JULY 2013 NEWSLETTER Dear Parents This has been one of the proudest years at the school. Year 11 were my first group through the school and they have been an incredible pleasure to work with. They are such a talented group of young people, likeable and inspiring. I wish them well in all their future endeavours, they deserve to do well. The school as a whole has been quite amazing; the number of activities pupils have been involved in has been ‘outstanding’ and of such fantastic quality. Lessons and learning are every improving and students are really engaged in making progress. During drop ins with Mrs Hinks we have seen some really active and stretching learning. Pupil work has been a very high standard as is the quality of feedback and marking. Please visit our website to see the many inspiring activities the school has been involved in. I would like to wish you and your children an enjoyable and restful summer. I thank you for your support of Toynbee School. I really appreciate it and I am really looking forward to working with you next year. It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Caroline Scott (affectionately known as ‘Scotty’) after 36 years of tireless service and support to Toynbee School. Throughout her career she has championed inclusion and the importance of the whole child. In fact thousands of young people in Chandlers Ford and Eastleigh have had the benefit of her wisdom and skill. She is an incredible educationalist as well as being a truly caring and beautiful person. Those who have known her, worked with her and been taught by her would say that she has transformed their lives. It has been a privilege and an honour to know and work with her. Her departure is a great loss and one which we can’t replace. We simply wish her a relaxing carefree and wonderful retirement. I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more. All our love to you Scotty from the ‘Toynbee Team’. On a final note, I would like to thank all the staff who has worked tirelessly to provide a high quality education to our pupils. Yours sincerely Matthew Longden Headteacher I hope you enjoy this bumper edition of the July Newsletter with many news items and photos. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l DIARY DATES: JULY: 16 16 16 17 - 19 18 17 - 20 Fri 19 Mon 22 Tues 23 Year 9 Lulworth Cove trip VI trip to Southampton ski centre LS trip to Longleat Safari Park Year 10 Geography Fieldtrip to Osmington Bay Year 10 Media Trip to Harry Potter Studios Year 7 Spanish Trip to Barcelona Last day of term - pupils finish at 11.00 am Inset Day Staff Development Day 24 July - 2nd September 2013 - Summer Holidays SEPTEMBER: Tues 3 Wed 4 Thur 5 Inset Day Year 7 and Year 10 pupils only - start at 8.40 am All years return to school - start at 8.40 am New uniform for Year 7 and 10 in September 2013 - details to follow in this newsletter t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Who's, who in the New Pastoral Structure As you are aware we will be making some important changes to our Pastoral system. This will provide: v More support for pupils v Greater and more speedy communication with you v A focus on progress to ensure pupils are reaching their targets v A skilled team who can further improve an excellent pastoral system Mr Paul Lawrence, Assistant Headteacher (Guidance, Inclusion and Pupil Progress) Mr Lawrence is responsible for the oversight of pupil guidance and support. He will lead the Student Services Team which includes the Progress Directors and Guidance Managers. Paul has many years of experience as a Head of Year (Senior Leader at Hounsdown School). Miss Anna Dickens, Progress Director KS3 Anna Dickens is responsible for pupils’ progress in Year 7, 8, 9. Her role will be to ensure that students are meeting targets and receiving appropriate intervention and support. Anna has been both a Head of Year and Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator and therefore has invaluable experience across the student ability range. As an outstanding practitioner she has a clear understanding of progress. Mr Peter Bartlett, Progress Director KS4 Peter Bartlett is responsible for progress in Year 10/11 as the current Head of Year 10 he has direct experience of supporting and guiding KS4 pupils. Peter is an ex-Toynbee pupil and therefore has in depth knowledge of our ethos and practice. Guidance Managers KS3/KS4 We are delighted to welcome our 3 new Guidance Managers: Amanda Townsend, Mandy Sanchez and Fiona Durrant. Between them they have exceptional range of experience and background in student support. Miss Vicky Phillips, Director of Inclusion Liaison Vicky Phillips who has lead Year groups throughout the school will take over the leadership of support for vulnerable pupils including child protection matters and children in care. Vicky is highly qualified for this t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Miss Claire Butler, Teacher in charge of alternative curriculum Claire Butler who has extensive proven experience as a Year Leader will co-ordinate the delivery of the alternative curriculum across key stages. This is to engage and motivate students who wish to follow a less traditional path. Mrs Karen Morris Karen Morris will be taking on the role of Assistant Special Needs Manager (Pastoral Support Worker) supporting the SENCO. She will also continue her home school support role and her support of ASD children. Mrs Kim Miller Kim Miller will continue to develop her role as Attendance Officer and will work with the pastoral team to monitor and challenge attendance issues. You can contact the pastoral support team by telephone or on the following email addresses: p.lawrence@toynbee.hants.sch.uk a.dickens@toynbee.hants.sch.uk p.bartlett@toynbee.hants.sch.uk a.sanchez@toynbee.hants.sch.uk a.townsend@toynbee.hants.sch.uk f.durrant@toynbee.hants.sch.uk v.phillips@toynbee.hants.sch.uk c.butler@toynbee.hants.sch.uk k.morris@toynbee.hants.sch.uk k.miller@toynbee.hants.sch.uk We will be providing photos in the new academic year so that you can put faces to names. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Headline Finance Summary Income Individual School Budget Pupil Premium Other Grants Other Income Expenditure Staff Costs - Teaching 2012-2013 £4,777,861 £120,619 £29,162 £184,341 £5,111,983 £2,986,441 Staff Costs - Support £961,751 Other Employment Costs £111,177 Occupancy Costs £370,266 Learning Resources £396,631 Other Costs In Year Deficit Credit Balance from 2011-2012 Surplus to carry forward Our Governors are keen to to be open and transparent concerning matters of interest to stakeholders and the attached summary is now produced for information. With pupil numbers falling over the coming years, the current surplus funds will be needed to ensure that the school meets its obligation to produce a balanced budget going forward. In addition to the above, the school holds £46,000 raised from accumulated sports lettings income earmarked to replace the synthetic pitch carpet in due course. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l £292,382 £5,118,648 -£6,665 £385,163 £378,498 TOYNBEE SCHOOL UNIFORM (September 2013) A smart school uniform is an integral part of maintaining standards in a school. High expectations and clear rules that we adhere to are extremely important in our drive to improve Toynbee School. Appearance is an important part of school life and serves as a preparation for employment. From September 2013 pupils entering Year 7/10 will be required to wear the full new uniform. Year 7 will be buying uniform for the first time and Year 10 traditionally change their uniform from grey to black. On this occasion they will buy the new uniform. All other year groups (8, 9 and 11) are not required to change their uniform at present but may purchase the new uniform if they wish. This will allow parents time to budget before purchasing the uniform. All other year groups must be wearing the uniform by September 2014, although we would like to see as many year groups as possible opting into the new uniform. Until this time, Years 8, 9 and 11 must wear the appropriate current school uniform properly if they are not in the new uniform, and this includes the correct shoes. Whichever year group, girls will be required from September 2013 to wear the official school skirt (pleated) in black should they choose to wear a skirt. The new uniform is as follows: Girls uniform Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Plain white shirt (short sleeve in the summer if preferred) School tie – clip-on (available from Skoolkit and school) Black blazer (plain) - school badge to be purchased separately Black school pleated skirt or trousers (not leggings, jeans or jeggings – not tight material) Black Cardigan/v neck jumper (plain acrylic/cotton/wool – no design or logo) Black or brown shoes (leather/vinyl) – no canvas pumps, trainers or boots (photos supplied) Black or grey tights, woollen tights or ankle socks Suitable coat No sweatshirts/hoodies Boys uniform Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Plain white shirt (short sleeve in Summer if preferred) School tie – clip-on (available from Skoolkit and school) Black blazer (plain) - school badge to be purchased separately Black school trousers Black Jumper – v neck (plain acrylic/cotton/wool – no design or logo) Black or brown shoes (leather/vinyl) – no canvas shoes, trainers, boots or pumps (photos supplied) Black or grey socks Suitable coat No sweatshirts/hoodies t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Where to obtain the uniform Shirts: Shirts can be bought at a retail outlet of your choice (eg. Marks and Spencers, John Lewis, Asda and Tesco). Ties: You will be able to buy the school tie from ‘Skoolkit’ . A limited stock will be available in school. Years 7-9 wear a red and grey striped tie and Years 10/11 wear a black and grey striped tie. Prefects and pupil leadership team will have a different colour and design. Blazers: Blazers with a badge can be obtained through Skoolkit, plain blazers can be obtained through other retail outlets (eg. Marks and Spencers, John Lewis, Asda, and Tesco). Badges for the blazer will need to be sewn on and are available through the School. Skirts: Pleated black girls skirts are available from: Marks and Spencers, John Lewis, Asda and Skoolkit. Trousers: Trousers should be black and plain and are available from: John Lewis, Marks and Spencers, Asda and Skoolkit. Jumpers/Cardigans: Black v-neck jumpers and cardigans are available from: John Lewis, Marks and Spencers, Asda and Skoolkit. Make-up is discouraged and jewellery should not be worn in school. Girls and boys with pierced ears should, for reasons of safety, wear stud earrings, and only one in each ear. No visible body or facial piercings are allowed, this includes retainers, spikes and expanders. This is not an exclusive list. Extreme hairstyles must be avoided: Ÿ No extreme haircuts Ÿ No cuts shorter than a grade 2 Ÿ No coloured hair, eg. natural colour only Ÿ No tramlines, razor cuts, beading or braiding t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Trainers should not be worn as normal footwear. Hoodies and coats or garments with slogans are not allowed. There should be no variation of this uniform and coats should not be worn in school. A towel for use after taking a shower, and changes of underwear and socks, are essential. All games and PE kit should be taken home after use for washing. Pupils should be reminded to bring it to school on the appropriate days and should not wear their day clothes for PE. A gum-shield is recommended for hockey (boys and girls) and rugby (boys) but is not compulsory. In Year 11 both boys and girls are allowed to wear plain black tracksuit bottoms or dance trousers for their PE lesson, if they wish. Girls’ PE Wear: Plain black polo shirt from Skoolkit or plain black T-shirt Black reversible Rugby shirt with red band from Skoolkit, or a plain black sweatshirt (no hoods) Black shorts Black or white trainers (no plimsolls) Long red socks or short plain white sports socks (depending on the activity) Football boots (metal studs are not allowed on the synthetic pitch) and shin guards Boys’ PE Wear: Plain black polo shirt from Skoolkit or plain black T-shirt Black reversible Rugby shirt with red band from Skoolkit, or a plain black sweatshirt (no hoods) Black shorts Black or white trainers (no plimsolls) Long red socks or short plain white sports socks (depending on the activity) Football boots (metal studs are not allowed on the synthetic pitch) and shin guards (Boxer shorts must not be worn during PE lessons; tighter fitting underpants should be worn). t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Sale of the new School Badge/Ties As from Monday 15th July, school badges for the blazers and school ties will be available for sale from the School welfare office via the school’s reception from 8.45 am to 3.15 pm on school days: Tie for Years 7-9 (Red/Grey): £3.50 Tie for Years 10-11 (Black/Grey): £3.50 (Ties can also be obtained at Skoolkit) School Badge: £4.00 (Badges can only be obtained from the School) t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l YEAR 7 Wow – what a year for year 7. There have been so many achievements and successes that I do not know where to start. The inter tutor Active Involvement challenges began in January where every tutor group competed in a whole range of activities to win points for their tutor group. The activities have included football, netball and benchball tournaments. Cake baking, egg drop competitions, scavenger hunts, photography and artwork competitions and more. The idea was that everyone that took part achieved participation points towards their tutor group. We included a range of activities to suit everyone. In the first term this was run by Holly Bristow and Sam Angehlides (year 11) but as their exams got closer they passed on to Louise Short and Chiedza Chogugudza (year 10). The events would not have run without the direction from the older pupils so thank you for that!! I have been incredibly impressed with how many of the year group who have got involved and supported each other. The winning tutor group for this year was 7SHP so a huge well done to them for always being so actively involved!! Year 7 have taken part in numerous trips throughout the year in a variety of subject areas. I am always really proud when teachers return to school and say what a credit to the school this group of young people are – well done year 7! We have some outstanding sportsmen and women in year 7, along with many that are keen to get involved. Year 7s are often on the PE participation leaderboard which is a huge achievement against the rest of the school. Year 7 have also been involved in very successful netball, football, rugby, athletics and many other sports teams. They have competed locally and within the district and taken home excellent prizes. As part of my role I have been visiting the feeder Primary schools and I was very proud to take along Amber Bristow, Melissa Houldsworth, Will Saturley and Jordan Tutt to help explain to the year 6 pupils what Toynbee school was really like!! Their smiley faces and friendliness really made the year 6s feel more comfortable about coming to Toynbee. Before Christmas, pupils were asked to enter the Hampshire Road Safety Video competition where they had to make a video to educate people on Road Safety. We are very proud that Hannah Wood and Maegan Riggs win this competition but the judges were really proud of all of our entries so much so that the voices of all that took part were used to make the video that Hannah and Maegan had designed. A fanstastic achievement and we look forward to the official launch of this in the last week of term! I have been particularly impressed with the maturity of the year group and so much so that some pupils were selected to take prospective members of staff and pupils around the school on tours. As well as being involved in interview panels for new staff. All of which are fantastic skills that they are developing – well done and thank you! Year 7 have been involved in Charity events to raise money for Comic Relief by hosting a staff benchball tournament and huge cake sale. This was largely run by year 7 school council representatives and other reliable volunteers. Thank you! As you can see there have been huge achievements and successes, I am confident that all of this will grow as the pupils do. I would like to take this opportunity to thank; the pupils for being so positive and keen to get involved. The parents for supporting all of the opportunities and finally the members of staff who work tirelessly to ensure that all pupils get the best out of their time at Toynbee. Miss Dickens – Head of Year 7 t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Year 8 Are Great ! It is hard to believe that we are now at the end of Year 8 and how well the pupils in the year group have done this year. It started off with the plastic bottle challenge and this week we end with the presentation of the awards for the reading challenge, merits and participation in school life. When you look back at all the newsletters throughout the year it is clear that year 8 pupils get involved in all aspects of school life and have gained recognition and success not only in school but in the wider community. This is a reflection of the character and commitment of pupils in the year. It has been a pleasure to read their most recent GAPs reports and see how well they are doing in all areas of the curriculum. We have had several new members join the year and they have already started to become active members of their tutor groups. Over recent weeks pupils have started to select their options and there was 100% return of forms within the deadline set which is impressive. I hope that this will be the same when they select their options next year. As you are aware the structure of the school is changing and Mr Tudjman and myself are both taking on different areas of responsibility within school and will be returning back to being tutors. It has been a great year group to see through from Year 7 to 8 and we will no doubt be following their progress through to Year 11 . We will miss the constant stream of visitors through the office door and the extra time some pupils have enjoyed spending with us . I would like to thank you as parents for all your support at information evenings and review days as without you the pupils would not achieve as much success. Year 8 is full of pupils with leadership potential and I hope they continue to grow in confidence and enthusiasm for school life. At this point I would like to wish Mrs Dawkins all the very best in her retirement and good luck to Mrs Kiledjian and Miss Kitchener in their new jobs. Wishing you all a happy and relaxing summer ready to take on the challenges of Year 9. 8Fr Sports Day Winners ……2013 ……..watch out for 9 Bt next Year !! t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Year 9 have blasted through the stratosphere in terms of school participation this year and I can only stand and congratulate them all on such outstanding achievements. I have been so pleased to be part of the year group as they have blossomed into such talented individuals.Well done to those of you who have contributed to school life so far. As the year group continue their journey into year 10 there will be many more opportunities for pupils to get involved. Such events will help them to develop their skills ready for life after Toynbee. In September year 9 will begin their GCSE courses. This will mark a very important part of their school life to date and year 9 students need to make sure they are prepared, if they wantto see a positive result at the end! Everyone one of the year 9 students has made an informed decision about the pathway they wish to study and I have every confidence each one of them will be successful. Understandably this will be an anxious time but also an exciting time. I Wish ALL of year 9 every success. GOOD LUCK! Lastly, I would like to mention my new role as of September. I will no longer be working directly with the year group; I am leaving them in the safe hands of Mr Bartlett who in thepast has worked with me as my Assistant Head of Year. I will be taking on a more specific role in the school and will be working with vulnerable pupils. Naturally I will still be part of the year group but will not be involved in the day to day running of it. I have enjoyed getting to know the many personalities of year 9; I have also enjoyed being part of the success! I wish year 9 a restful summer break and look forward to seeing you all next year! Miss Phillips t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l xx YEAR 10 It has been an exciting year this year with the Year 10 pupils taking on new challenges. Some challenges have been in the classroom with the pupils starting their full suite of GCSE course and they have risen to their challenge well. They have worked hard this year and amassed a sound set of actual grades and predicted grades. Many pupils have also taken on new challenges outside their classrooms lately and have pushed themselves to be singers, explorers, dancers, entrepreneurs and actors. With so many different extra-curricular activities on offer to the pupils such as the Grease Production, GCSE Dance Showcase, Summer Music Concert, Rock Challenge finals and Duke of Edinburgh, it has been a very busy couple of months for many pupils. Despite all this hard work, over 50 pupils applied to be a Toynbee School Prefect and every single application was of an extremely high standard. The pupils had to discuss why they wanted this position of responsibility within the school, tell us what qualities they thought they had in order to make a successful Prefect and outline other experiences they feel have prepared them for such a role. With so many strong candidates, it will certainly be a very strong team next year who will be helping to drive the school forward. From these applications, pupils were also invited to apply for Head Boy and Head Girl. This process was run after the prefects’ applications and the prospective applicants had to do even more work to showcase their talents and skills. With 19 pupils applying to be Head Boy and Head Girl, it was always going to very difficult to achieve this status and after their applications, presentations to staff/ Prefects and a vote open to all staff and prefects then we had our successful candidates. This year’s Head Girl is Claudia Jenkins and the Deputy Head Girl is Emma Manning with this year’s Head Boy being Chris Brewer and the Deputy Head Boy is Matthew Thomas. With many changes being implemented next year for the way the pupil’s voice is used within the school, there are more important areas of Pupil leadership that will need filling so many of the very successful applications and the presentations will not be going to waste as it is clear on what a fantastic year group we have and how many have the ability to lead others and make their voice heard. Mr Bartlett t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l YEAR 11 The prospect of taking over from such a competent Head of Year in Mr Kerwood, who had built a rapport and respect with his Year Group, was a little daunting. However, it has been a delight as such a vast majority of the year group have accepted me with open arms and continued in the same vein of hard work and self-discipline, which will undoubtedly reap its rewards in due course. I could not have managed the last year without Mrs Fox as Assistant Head of Year, who always puts such effort and devotion in to all she does, resulting in such excellent outcomes. This culminated in an unforgettable Prom at Chilworth Manor on 4th July, Independence Day for pupils! Once again the various methods of transport were a moment to behold and the young people embraced an evening of fun, on the dance floor, having their photographs taken with various groups of friends and trying their luck at the casino. It will be great to see many of them on Results Day, the 22nd August, and I really do wish them luck over the coming years as they embark on adulthood and all the challenges this brings. One word of advice; they really must hit the ground running when it comes to 6th Form Colleges, as it goes so quickly and impacts on future choices. And now, as I sign off for the last time at Toynbee School and move on to pastures new in September, I would like to thank everyone for their support and encouragement over the past 10 years and two terms. It has been a pleasure and privilege to work here and be given numerous and varied opportunities to develop as a teacher and leader but most of all to work with the young people as together we have sought to develop their young lives and minds. Peter Washington PROM Photos from Chilworth Manor on 4th July 2013 t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Geography Trip to Monks Brook with Year 8 On Thursday 13th June, the whole of Year 8 went to Monks Brook with the trainee Geography teachers from the University of Southampton. We are the only school in Hampshire that is lucky enough to be able to take a whole year group to a river for free and we are very grateful for this opportunity provided by the University. Year 8 lessons have been covering the theory of river landscapes, landforms and processes and this fieldtrip was a fantastic way of bringing classroom learning to life. Extensive research has been carried out into the benefits of fieldwork in Geography. Work completed by Nundy and Foskett (2004) found that ‘fieldwork is capable of delivering higher levels of learning outcomes than normal lesson activity’. We have found this to be the case with many of our trips, as pupils can experience and interact with the actual learning environment rather than seeing and learning about it within the confines of the classroom. At Monks Brook, pupils carried out a number of activities that built on knowledge gained in class including planning what Fleming Park could be used for, measuring river speed, depth and material size and drawing and labelling a field sketch. The weather was fairly good and thankfully the rain stayed away for much of the day. During the lessons that followed the trip, pupils carried out follow up work to consolidate the investigative work completed at the river. They plotted river data and worked out river features and processes from the graph. A great day out was had by all and it was made possible by the University of Southampton to whom we are very grateful. Miss E Devine, Lead Practitioner: Humanities t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Humanities at Toynbee Humanities Star The winners of the Humanities star this term are: Year 7 Soren Chakrabarti Year 8 Jamie Edwards Year 9 Neve Kean Year 10 Aaron Biggs Year 11 Dylan Alexander The winners were selected from a group of pupils who had been nominated by their teacher for great effort, improved or high attainment, model behaviour or all round brilliance! The winner is selected in assembly through the online random name generator tool. Each winner gets a £10 WHSmith voucher and each nominee gets a certificate. Humanities praise You may receive a postcard from a Humanities subject praising your child for their work. The aim of this is to share our praise with you at home. In addition, your child may receive an A6 postcard (as shown below) in tutor time. This is to share praise with the tutor group and to provide immediate feedback about good work in the lesson. Work is marked with merits and these are signed in the planner. There is such a lot of great work being completed in Humanities and it is really nice to mark work that has been completed with effort, care and dedication. Humanities trips The Humanities department is collaborating with the trips that the four subjects run. The aim of this is to increase the learning that takes places on the trips. In September we will send home an information pack with details of each school trip that we are offering for 2013-14. Many thanks for reading our update. Karen Falcon, Head of Humanities t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l On Wednesday 3rd July, the History Department opened its doors to parents of Year 7 and Year 8 to attend the ‘Celebration of America’ exhibition. Both years have been studying America: Year 7 have been looking at Native Americans and Year 8 have been looking at the history of America from Independence to the Obama era. Their recent homework projects were on display along with example lessons and issues the students had been investigating. Many parents said how impressed they were with the students work, and that they enjoyed being able to come into school and see what they learn. Thanks must go to the staff in the History Department and to our year 7 helpers. Going to college and choosing what A levels to study can be a tricky and stressful decision. With so many students studying the Humanities subjects at GCSE, we decided to make a link with Barton Peveril who planned a day of taster sessions in Geography, History, Modern Foreign Languages and Sociology. It proved to be a great opportunity for our year 10 students to see what these subjects are like at A level, and also to get a feel for college life. Many thanks to Steve Mukherjee and the teachers at Barton Peveril for putting on such a great day. Studying the Cold War covers a huge time period, and year 9 had a chance to step away from the political history and get an insight into some social history. Students were set the challenge of discovering more about a decade during the Cold War (50s, 60s, 70s and 80s) and investigate the sport, music, fashion, technology and key events. Comments such as “and they say we wear lots of makeup” and “what are they wearing!” were heard frequently when looking up the decades, and the 80s came out to be the favourite era to study. Being an 80s child, discussing my memories of big phones or ‘bricks’ and having to tune in the television by hand confused many students. Why not ask your child what decade they studied, and may be you could share your experiences or your parents’ experiences of that time. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l The History Quiz Every year, local schools get together to compete in the History Consortium Quiz held at Barton Peveril. This year we had two teams take part: Becky Ford, Roxy Lauderdale, Louise Short, Ryan Baker and Dominic Mayes. Our two teams did us very proud (some of the questions were very hard!) and they achieved very respectable scores against the local schools. At the end of the quiz, Thornden won with a massive 10 point lead, but next year we will go back even stronger and attempt to take the cup from them. It was great to see an ex-Toynbee student, Ruth Nye, leading the college side of the event, and we must thank the organisers, and also Miss Butler and Miss Merrygold for attending with the students. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Year 7: Geography Trip to Queen Elizabeth Country Park On the 10th July, 40 year 7 pupils went to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park to look at sustainability. In the morning, pupils were given a talk on what sustainability means to them, followed by a “question time” activity where pupils had the opportunity to evaluate how sustainable their lives are and the effect this can have on their futures. All pupils demonstrated an excellent knowledge, with staff at the QECP commenting on the knowledge and enthusiasm of our pupils. Following this, pupils enjoyed some time outside in the sunshine finding clues around the site which helped them to answer questions relating to the sustainability of this tourist attraction. This included a trip to their reed bed toilet system where urine is converted into drinking water! After lunch, pupils were put into mixed groups and asked to build a waterproof den using only the materials they could find in the woodland area. After 45 minutes each group had produced some excellent shelters, although after pouring a bottle of water on them, we found some to be more waterproof than others! The pupils were absolutely amazing! They were enthusiastic, polite and an absolute pleasure to take away for the day. A real credit to of Toynbee School! Miss Devine t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Calshot Activity Weekend Over the weekend of Friday 21st June to Sunday 22nd June, 4 pupils with Visual Impairment (2 yr10 and 2 yr11), went on an activity weekend to The Calshot Activity Centre. The weekend was organised and sponsored by Hampshire Playing Fields Association. It was specifically for young people with physical and sensory disabilities. Our pupils were able to experience all the activities, with a little help even the climbing wall. On arrival, our pupils were shown to their rooms and made familiar with surroundings and facilities. This was followed by a briefing about the weekend ahead by a member of the Calshot staff. During the weekend, our pupils took part in climbing, ringos, archery and water sports. All activities were fully supervised by Calshot staff and LSAs. Our pupils worked alongside Neville Lovett School and Kings, with hearing impaired and physically disabled pupils. Some of our pupils formed friendships and worked together with lots of fun and laughter. During the weekend, our pupils developed their confidence, selfesteem, independence and social skills dramatically. Positive friendships were made and secured throughout, both with other schools and ourselves. At the end of the weekend, Calshot staff debriefed and presented pupils with certificates for successfully completing a residential weekend of multi-activities. Staff said they were the best group they had so far this year, because the three schools worked and mixed well, really supporting and encouraging each other. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l News from the Learning Resource Centre Seven of our Year 8 avid readers took part in the regional discussion and voting morning, held at Applemore College, for the Hampshire Book Awards 2013. Over the past few months, participating pupils had to read the six shortlisted titles, evaluate them against the Award criteria then judge their favourite. The regional event involved lively discussion and debate with students from other participating schools, followed by a literature quiz and the final announcement of the winner, combining the votes from every regional event. By the closest ever margin – only one vote – My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher was voted this year’s winner. Copies of the book are available to borrow from the Learning Resource Centre. As a reward for their hard work, pupils will be invited to attend the Award ceremony next Autumn, when the author will be invited to talk to all the participants, receive her award and sign copies of her book. At the same time, some of our Year 9 keen readers have been shadowing the Carnegie and Greenaway Medals. A small group of students have been reading the eight shortlisted Carnegie titles and judging the plot, characterisation, writing style and overall literary quality. As part of their English lessons and in conjunction with English staff, some groups have been reading and judging the shortlisted Greenaway titles, voting for the most outstanding picture book in terms of illustration. Online comments and reviews were added to the national shadowing website, where thousands of shadowing groups were taking part. Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner was recently announced as the Carnegie Medal winner with Black Dog by Levi Pinfold winning the Greenaway Medal. Again, copies of these books are available to borrow from the LRC. Thanks to all the readers who took part in these events. It took a lot of their time, effort and dedication to succeed in reading all the titles. Hopefully they all enjoyed reading these quality books and trying new genres they may not have sampled before. Mrs Wood, Librarian. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Go4Set Project My School is an Island Over the past 10 weeks, four Year 8 Science Leaders have taken on the challenge of designing Toynbee school as if it were built on an island. Assessment Day was on 20th June at the SeaCity Museum. Our pupils were judged against another 12 schools and were rewarded The Best Overall Project and were awarded with a trophy and given the prize of spending one day on a Patrol Boat with the Royal Navy. Great guidance was received from the mentor, Andrew Gilbert from Selex ES. This has been a very challenging project which stretched pupils’ creativity, teamwork, independence, research skills and being adaptable while working at it. The Aim: Consider Toynbee school as if it were an island and change it so it can be fully functioning on the island setting. Objective - The Island school had to meet most of the necessities of Toynbee School including the needs of the pupils. The location of the island had to be chosen in such way that it could make use of Renewable energy resources to improve the actual Energy Rating. Also, since the school was surrounded by water it was imperative that the safety was paramount. Proposal: The school will be located on a man-made island at the mouth of the river Nile, 1 Km away from the mainland. Unlike Toynbee School, which is powered by non-renewable energy resources, the School on the Island will be powered by Solar and Geothermal energy. The school will have its own supply of vegetables from its own Floating Garden linked to it. This idea came up from the National Science Week at Toynbee, where all pupils in KS3 had to design a floating garden used in flooded areas like Bangladesh. The school will be an International school so the Cairo Airport will be used extensively. As transport to and from mainland would be needed hovercraft and amphibian buses will be used. A speed boat and a helicopter will be used for emergencies only. The helicopter will be acquired from Augusta Westland of Finmeccanica and it will be equipped with Infrared cameras supplied by Selex ES – the place of work of our mentor Andrew Gilbert. Here are some thoughts about the overall project: Patycja Bialecka My tasks involved different skills including art for making posters and designs. Research was vital as well because we had to be able to find the right information that was suitable for the given weekly topic. Another skill was to carry out team work as we had to listen to each other’s opinion and discuss pros and cons as well. Also, I had to employ organising skills in order to complete the weekly task. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Tarran Gurtran I have joined the project recently and when I was given the opportunity I was filled with excitement. I contributed to this project mostly towards my chosen country which was India with several A4 research sheets. Throughout this project I learnt how to extend my research to further than just the internet and how to use the Matrix as a Decision making tool. Nasser Ksous I think our team name should be Tip Top Toynbee. Contribution to the project: I have researched hydroelectric power, a case study on an Egyptian Island, also statistics on Egypt for the Matrix. Also, I looked up different food suppliers in Egypt. The skills I learnt were to carry out extensive research on the internet and also to construct a Matrix. Toby Peters I found this quite a challenging project as I am not used to working in a group. However, I think I managed quite well and we all had a great time and we learnt a lot about some of the things that we needed to make this island work well and sustainable. This was a brilliant opportunity and I would not have passed it up for the world. Andrew Gilbert – Mentor ( Selex ES ) The group worked very well together, were constantly motivated and worked hard to conduct high quality research and well-structured decision making. The final report and presentation impressed the assessors as well as employees of both Selex ES Ltd. and parent group Finmeccanica UK Ltd. The pupils were a pleasure to work with and to show around our site in Southampton, where they asked lots of well thought out questions. I look forward to working with such high standard pupils on similar projects in the future. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Silly Sock 2013 Once again Toynbee rose to the challenge of Silly Sock Day on Friday June 14th. Students and staff swapped their boring every day socks for the brightly coloured ‘silly’ variety to raise awareness for Autism and funds for the National Autistic Society. Videos were shown in all year group assemblies of how autism looks and feels for those students who have a diagnosis to ensure the pupils have a greater understanding of the condition and are more inclusive of their needs. Toynbee once again had many take part and contribute and we are proud to announce we have raised £180!We are already making plans for next year’s event so would like to take the opportunity to thank you again for continuing to support the event and awareness of the autism status. Mrs Morris t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Wimbledon Tennis Championships Visit Monday 24th June On day one of the 2013 tournament a group of year eight pupils made the relatively short journey to the famous Wimbledon Championships. The group were chosen by the PE department for their excellent work, commitment and leadership within the department. It was a fantastic day of tennis on Court Number One. We watched Victoria Azarenka play first, followed by Rafa Nadal's unfortunate early exit and then former champion Lleyton Hewitt play Swiss star Stanislav Wawrinka. We were even lucky enough to see Maria Sharapova warming up on an outside court and left pretty tired at 8.45pm when the light finally faded. It was an inspiring and unforgettable day. Mr Chant and Miss Cridland Picture One on Court Number One at 11am before play began. Names (L to R) - Josh White, Ben Chapman, Jamie Edwards, Dan Brown, Louie Byrne, Nasser Ksous, Holly Hackett, Alice Blackwood At the famous Fred Perry statue outside Centre Court. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l PRIMARY DAY OF LANGUAGES AT TOYNBEE On Wednesday 26th June some Year 5 pupils from Fryern, Merdon and St. Francis Schools were welcomed to Toynbee’s Languages Department for the day. The theme was ‘3 languages in one day’ and the pupils had intensive sessions in Spanish, French and German helped along by the Year 9 and 10 Toynbee Language Leaders. Great fun was had by all and by the end of the day the pupils were able to order food from a snack bar in 3 different languages! t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l GREASE 3rd - 5th JULY This year, the Music and Drama Departments came together to work on a very special project, and that was to perform “Grease”. The performance last week was the result of 7 months hard work from the cast and the band, some of whom had never performed in front of an audience before. The whole team had worked extremely hard on their acting, singing and dancing skills, and we were both very impressed at how the cast supported each other at many after school rehearsals. The theatre was packed over the course of the three nights, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed the show, laughing along with jokes, singing along with the classic songs, and even joining in with the classic “hand jive”! There were too many notable performances to mention, particularly from the T-Birds and Pink Ladies, but we must also take this opportunity to congratulate and thank Mr Cripps who played “Johnny Casino”, and sang “Born to Hand Jive”, much to the surprise and shock of the audience! Mr Cripps is retiring this year, and we were thrilled to have him on board for the show. The Friday night performance was the end of the project, and the cast did themselves, and us, proud, with an extremely slick and professional show. Many audience members commented that it was more enjoyable than some West End shows they had seen! Lots of tears were shed, from both of us, and the cast, as it is sad for such an exciting show to come to an end, but after such an awesome production, we are already looking forward to next year…..watch this space! Mrs Azor and Miss Parrott – Directors t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l YR 10 GCSE Drama performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” – 4th June Every year, the Year 10 GCSE Drama students study a full length play, with the intention of putting it on as a full-scale evening performance for family and friends. This year, 10BDr1 studied William Shakespeare’s classic comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. The pupils rose to the challenge, and I was extremely impressed at the amount of work that they put in to understand the dialogue, characters and plot. We decided to set the play in the present day, and the pupils came up with lots of ideas for music and staging themselves, which resulted in a very funny performance! The theatre was packed with family and friends, who thoroughly enjoyed the play, and the students excelled themselves with their energy and characterisation. The whole class worked together extremely well, and achieved 100% A*-C grades for this assessment. I am very proud of them, and they should be proud of themselves. Mrs Azor t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Trampoline Success Trampoline club has been running since January and has been very popular with over 50 pupils attending. The aim of the club was to give everyone an opportunity to experience this sport but to also pick a team for the district competition, which if we were successful in would lead us to represent Eastleigh in the Hampshire Youth Games. All pupils who attended showed excellent progress which made the team selection for the district round extremely difficult. The final selection was made and 4 paired teams were entered .The pairs were as follows: Callum Loban/Jake Tutt Harry Edmundson/ Max Gregory Indie Nash/ Stephanie Ricketts Anna Mees/ Lauren Mees All teams represented Toynbee with great professionalism and personal best performances. Only the top 3 pairs would go through to the Hampshire Youth Games and Indie Nash, Stephanie Ricketts, Callum Loban and Jake Tutt all made it through to the next round. Max Gregory who showed the most improvement and placed the next highest in the Toynbee team was also selected as reserve for the day. The Hampshire Youth Games arrived and all the competitors were very nervous but ready to perform. Each pair had 2 attempts at the routine which was the same for all competitors and highest score would be used. Both teams showed their ability to act upon feedback and perform to a higher standard in their second routine. The standard was very high but we were still in with an excellent chance. Both teams should be congratulated as the girls’ secured 3rd place and the boys placed in 4th. Well done to all who attended trampoline club, we hope to see you next year. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Cricket The Toynbee school cricket teams have had an excellent season to date. Cricket has become a very popular activity in lesson time and this has been reflected in some outstanding performances by the school teams. The Year 7 team have completed their league programme. They won 4 and lost only 1 of their fixtures and have an excellent chance of reaching the District finals. The team defeated Wildern, Wyvern, Swanmore and Crestwood. All team members have contributed to the results with the team having used ten bowlers and 12 different batsmen in the games. Key performers have been: Zak Cox 101 runs in total. Only being dismissed once! Soren Chakrabarti 49 runs and excellent wicket keeping Nehal Mehta 7 wickets and sensible middle order batting Joe Hughes 6 wickets and disciplined opening batting The team have been a pleasure to coach this year. There are six or seven non club players in the team and they should really look to join a cricket club in the winter. Mr Magee can help with contacts. At the time of writing the Under 14 team have played 2 won 2, including an excellent victory over neighbours Thornden. The other victory was against Wyvern. Scores so far: Thornden 93-3 Toynbee 95-4 (Musgrove 25 not out, Miles 15, Visavadia 14 not out) Toynbee won by 6 wickets Wyvern 77- 3 Toynbee 80-2 (Morton 26 not out, Musgrove 25 not out) Toynbee won by 8 wickets The team now have two games left to play and a great chance of reaching the District Final. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Hampshire Youth Games Toynbee School is the hub site for the National School Games Programme. This programme is aimed at providing competitive sport for both secondary and junior school students. Several members of the PE department as well as Joanne Cridland, the school legacy manager, are involved in coordinating this programme. The programme involves organising and supporting a full calendar of competitive primary and secondary school activities for the Eastleigh and Winchester area. The School Games Programme culminates in the Hampshire School Games which were held this year in Aldershot on Friday 21st June. Toynbee school managed teams in the following events on the day: Years 5 and 6: Tag Rugby Netball Girl’s Football Basketball Golf Hockey Inclusive- Boccia, Basketball, New age kurling, football Years 3 and 4 Gymnastics Tennis Secondary School: Cycling Trampolining Rounders Athletics The day involved well over 2000 students participating as well as several young leaders from Toynbee helping to manage teams and organise the day as a whole. The competition was a great success with several Toynbee cluster teams finishing in the medals! Once again Toynbee was key contributor to sporting excellence in the county! t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Mountain Biking Having won the central Hampshire round of the School Games Mountain Biking competition, the Toynbee team qualified for the Hampshire final. The team of Aiden Collins, Kieran Collard, Ryan Knight, Carl Hunter, Abi Sansome, Holly Hackett, George Davey, Jamie Tyrell, Josh Delfour and Connor Hackett started the competition with the individual time trial. Our number one rider Aiden had a chain problem and had to retire, a frustrated Aiden then took it out on his second attempt clocking the fastest time of the competition. In the seeded races, there were individual wins for Ryan, Kieran and George, with Mr French winning the teachers race. The team then split into two for the relay races and both teams finished second. Athletics This athletics season has seen a return to the days where Toynbee was a force to be reckoned with. Toynbee athletes not only competed in the Eastleigh and Winchester schools friendly competition, but also the Basingstoke schools friendlies. This was to increase the amount of opportunity athletes had to compete as well as having more chances to progress and beat their ‘Personal Bests.’ In the Eastleigh & Winchester district trials the top performances were from Ryan Coles U16 Boys 100m, Fiona Mees U16 Girls Discus 2nd place, Eliose Flavell U16 Girls High Jump 1st place and Eilidh Currie U16 girls Javelin 2nd place. Ryan, Fiona and Eliose were then selected to represent the District team at the Hampshire Championships. At the event Ryan was 5th in the 100m, Fiona was 3rd and Eliose 5th. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l The 1st round of the National Track and Field Cup at Winchester was a day full of ‘Personal Best’ performances form the 60 strong Toynbee team, made even impressive by the horrendous weather, it rained all day. The highlight of the day was the Boys year 10/9 team finishing 4th. Having won the overall trophy at the Eastleigh and Winchester Championship for 16 years in a row ending in 2008, and athletics numbers dwindling it has been great to see over 150 pupils at athletics club this season. Last year the team was a distant 3rd. This year we finished 3rd again but a lot closer to Thornden and Perins. Of the 61 individual performances 33 were ‘Personal Bests,’ only 6 of the 60 athletes train with a club, the rest were selected from PE lessons. Athlete Profile Ryan Coles - Year 10 – 100m – PB:10.9 5th place at Hampshire Champs (vs Yr 11, 1st Yr 10) Eastleigh & Winchester Champion Equalled Toynbee 100m record Equalled Eastleigh & Winchester record Joined Winchester Athletics Club May 2013 t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l District Champions Harry Edmonson Year 7 Discus Emma Payne Year 7 Shot Niamh Carpenter Year 8 Shot Anna Mees Year 7 High Jump Josh Mohring Year 600, Ryan Coles Year 10 100m Year 10 Boys 4x100m squad of Ryan Coles, Yarin Gough, Matt Williment, Greg Cooper, Steve Purkis and Brandon Lillie. Ryan Coles’ 100m win was clocked at a school and district record equalling 10.9, he then went on to anchor the team home. Ryan collected the baton about 6 metres behind the Perins athlete (who is quick!) Ryan tore into his lead and won by a metre, it was the stand out performance of the day, the last event in which every athlete applauded the effort and the sportsmanship as the Perins athlete immediately congratulated Ryan. Good luck to Harry Edmonson (discus), Emma Payne (shot), Anna Mees (high jump), Josh Mohring (600m), Alex Rosling (triple jump), Niamh Carpenter (shot), Dan Brown (discus) at the U13/14 Hampshire Championships later this month. Charlie White (800m) was also selected to represent Eastleigh & Winchester schools but will be on holiday. Well done to all those that have trained and competed this season, numbers and quality are certainly moving in the correct direction. All of the athletes should consider joining an athletics team the two local clubs are: · · Winchester and District Athletics Club o website: wadac.org.uk o Junior section contact: year8to11@wadac.org.uk Southampton Athletics Club o website: teamsouthampton.co.uk o Junior section contact: aj_fisher@btinternet.com Sports Awards Evening 2013 This year sees the inaugural Toynbee Sports Awards evening being held on Friday 12th July. The evening will start with a BBQ in the canopy area before moving to the sports hall for the presentation ceremony. t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Nominees Year 7 Sportsman Jordan Tutt - Jake Tutt - Josh Carey - Paul Littlejohns - Nehal Mehta - Zak Cox Year 7 Sportswoman Anna Mees - Lauren Mees - Lauren Dooley - Beth Thurlow - Emily Tucker - Amber Bristow Year 8 Sportsman Josh White - Jamie Edwards - Dan Brown - Alex Rosling Yr8 Sportswoman Niamh Clouston - Hannah Gehling - Courtney Hegarty Year 9 Sportsman Connor Hackett - Matt Robinson - Carl Hunter - Matt Musgrove Year 9 Sportswoman Emilia Goez - Abbie Butler – Alicia Cummings – Amiee Bullis – Libby Kenley Year 10 Sportsman Brandon Lillie - Chris Brewer - Ryan Coles – Joe Meracp Year 10 Sportswoman Ffion Eade - Eilidh Currie - Emma Manning Year 11 Sportsman Luke Frost - Jack Pearson Year 11 Sportswoman Charlotte Cunliffe - Ellie Curtis - Ellen Dring - Emma Gotts Volunteer of the Year Ffion Eade - Jamie Le Brocq - Alex Stewart - Matt Robinson - Carl Hunter Connor Hackett - Ben Taylor - Arjun Shahi - Holly Bristow Participation Winner Amber Bristow - Carl Hunter - Josh White - Anna Mees - Jordan Tutt - Emily Tucker t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l Team of the Year Rock Challenge - Year 7 Netball - U13 Girls Rugby - Mountain Biking External recognition Gabby Renney - Luke Frost - Soren Chikrabati - Emily Tucker - Stephanie Ricketts Theo Widdrington - Alex Duthie - James Campbell - Liam Hall - Sophie Pike Eilidh Currie – Payton Howard Football Joe Hughes - Alex Middleditch - Matt Musgrove - Alex Duthie Rugby James Campbell - Alex Rosling - Ryan Coles - Loui Giunta – Matt Gilham Hockey Matthew Smith - Josh White - Connor O’Dowda Athletics Harry Edmonson - Joshua Mohring – Niamh Carpenter – Eliose Flavell - Ryan Coles - Fiona Mees Netball Emma Payne - Niamh Clouston - Lottie Dewey - Fiona Mees - Ellie Curtis Cricket Matt Musgrove - Kartik Visavadia - Zak Cox - Joe Hughes – Nehal Mehta Girls Rugby Kirsten Strong - Emily Tucker - Courtney Hegarty - Niamh Clouston Girls Football Payton Howard - Eilidh Currie - Chloe Perry - Ffion Eade Basketball Ewan Ward - Tom White - Theo Widdrington Dancer Sam Anghelides – Libby Kenley – Alicia Cummings – Paige Archer – Emma Manning – Charley Leadbitter Badminton Louise Short -Toby Peters - Soren Chakrabarti Trampolining Indie Nash - Stephanie Ricketts - Jake Tutt - Max Gregory - Callum Lobban Rounders Lucy Torrance - Katy Thompson - Courtney Hegarty - Lilly Platt Cycling Aiden Collins - Kieran Collard - George Davey - Jamie Tyrrell t h e Toynbee S c h o o l - a sp e cialist h u ma n i t i e s sc h o o l BOYS DANCE PROJECT (HEADSTART) A number of year 7,8, 9 and 10 boys were invited to take part in his year's annual Boys Dance Project working with a professional artist from Zoie Logic (Luke Brown). They spent time after school learning new contact techniques and contemporary dance to put into a piece which really pushed the boundaries and portrayed a prison theme, with original and exciting use of tables as a prop. They performed the piece at "Headstart"; Boys Dance Platform at The Point, where they spent the day rehearsing and taking part in practical dance workshops with other professional dancers. The day was really exciting and the performance was exceptional, once again showing the high standard and large number of boys participating in Dance from Toynbee. The piece was later performed at the GCSE showcase as another platform to promote the positive Boys Dance ethos. Well done to: Callum Loban, Kieran Collard, Jordan Allen, Steven Hughes, Aiden Collins, Connor Hackett, Josh De Kock, Garvin, Chan, Kieran Bockhove, Jamie Edwards and Cameron Ross. I hope that they will continue to represent Boys Dance next year! PHONE HOME ROCK CHALLENGE Another year in Rock Challenge, and again another year that Toynbee reach the finals!!! After competing in the heats at Southampton Guildhall, and winning awards for Best choreography, Best video, Best lighting and Best performance skill, our team qualified for the Southern Regional Finals. This is an amazing achievement in that there are not many schools in the country who have reached the finals every time that they have competed and Toynbee should be very proud of consistently attaining such high standards. We spent time a few weeks before the finals changing some aspscts of hair/make up, costume , choreography, and set to ensure that the judges comments from the heats had been implemented to ensure that it was at the highest possible level in preparation for the exceptional standard of schools and colleges that also reached the final. We took 80 pupils to the competition, from all years 7 to 11, who were a credit to the school in every aspect. The competition was of an extremely high standard, with many sixth form colleges competing against us from across the south of England. Our performance was fantastic and certainly stood out as entertaining with a really diverse and high level of dance. Although we did not place in the top 5, the students came away with two awards for Best Lighting and Best video direction, which was more than most schools received. TOYNBEE SCHOOL SHOWCASE 2013: This year the Toynbee Dance showcase, took on a new improved formula to include a range of the Creative Arts subjects. The show was an absolute success with many comments from parents stating that it was the best yet! The evening started with an outstanding exhibition of pupils art work in the foyer and the phenomenal Year 10 band playing as the audience arrived in the garden at The Point. The show was a sell out with support from so many parents, pupils and other schools organizing trips to come and see the performance. There was a wide variety of dance, which showcased a range of curriculum work and performances that had happened throughout the year, to include: GCSE Year 10 Contemporary Dance based on professional workshop from MAP dance, Year 9 Foundation Rosas performance, Boys Dance Project, Year 10 street, Rock Challenge final piece"phone home" and Libby Kenley's tap solo. The dance was intersperced with some exceptional drama and Music performances from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Murder Mansion, and GCSE music ensembles from Jenny Scott, TomWoods, Niamh Harman and Alice Keane, which really added another level to the show and just portrayed the superb range of talented pupils that we have at Toynbee. However, as always, our fabulous year 11 students, who performed their GCSE coursework pieces and created some spectacular dances to display their exceptional range of talents, stole the show. Their finale piece was based on the recent film Gatsby and just had a real touch of class about it. In contrast they created a funny, humorous, and entertaining dedication dance to say thank you to their teachers, which just captured everyone's attention and the spirit of this group. They have been an amazing group and will be very sadly missed, but there is no doubt that they will go on to continue to achieve great things and we wish them every success and happiness in the future.
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