Tanbridge Review - Tanbridge House School

Tanbridge Review
Autumn/Winter 2012 Issue 18
As we embark on the New Year and reflect upon the Autumn term, I would like
to take this opportunity to thank every member of our community including parents, carers, students and staff for
your continued support of Tanbridge House School. Of course, this has culminated in a wonderful Ofsted report which
acknowledges the superb work of everyone connected to our school; this has been an outstanding team effort.
May I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2013.
Jules White
Headteacher
From Good to Outstanding!
Tanbridge House School is celebrating after being rated as an
“Outstanding” school in its latest Ofsted report, placing it amongst
the top schools in the country.
Following an inspection on 22 and 23 November 2012, the
school received the maximum of four “Outstanding” grades for
Achievement of Pupils; Quality of Teaching; Behaviour and Safety
of Pupils; and Leadership and Management. Tanbridge has been
informed that since September 2012, when the new Ofsted
framework was introduced, only 3% of schools are graded as
Outstanding.
Mr White, Headteacher, said: “I am pleased that the hard work of
every student and the support provided by our parents and carers
has been recognised. Most importantly, the dedication and quality
of my colleagues, teaching and non-teaching, has been fully
endorsed. The report provides an exciting platform from which to
build for the future.”
On hearing the excellent news, two of Tanbridge House School’s
student reporters, Euan Thomas and Rosie Carruthers, decided to
look at what they think makes their school “Outstanding”…
See page 3 for Euan and Rosie’s thoughts on our Outstanding news!
“Tanbridge House School has a fantastic school
community and I think the school’s outstanding
status goes beyond academic successes.”
Euan Thomas, Year 10
Tanbridge student
wins BAFTA Award
for Computer Game
Tanbridge House School student Chris Purdy
has won a Children’s BAFTA Award in a national
Games Design competition and will now work
with experts at the University of Abertay in
Dundee to develop his game further.
See page 3
Students quiz Council CEO
Four Tanbridge students had the opportunity for a Question and
Answer Session= with Kieran Stigant, Chief Executive of Horsham
District Council, and Mr White during a visit from Mr Stigant in
November 2012.
See page 7
£9,500 granted for
new active initiative
Staff and students have raised close to £3,000 for charity between September and December
2012 through Non-Uniform Days, participating in ‘Movember’ and a Friends of Tanbridge Quiz
Night.
Tanbridge House School and
Horsham District Council have
been granted £9,500 from
Sport England to fund a new
initiative which aims to get
every student and member
of staff involved in a new
physical activity.
For more details on each of these activities please see pages 4-5, 7 and 8.
See page 2
Nearly £3,000 raised for charity
Sports News
Sports Round Up
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The Senior Gymnastics Squad (pictured
right) followed on from the March
2012 success of the Junior team and
won the pair and group floor sections
of the West Sussex Senior Gymnastics
Competition. The gymnasts (Jade
Brewster, Vikki Rudderham, Molly
Adams, Aimee Tolhurst, Nadine Dovey,
Natassia King, Maddie Goacher and
Josie Lanning) all worked incredibly
hard to train and rehearse for this
competition for the 2 months prior
The U13 girls’ Football team have now
reached the last 16 in the country in
the National Cup. This follows a 7-0
win in the previous round, beating
Mossbourne Academy in Hackney. This
is the best achievement ever for a girls
or boys team from Tanbridge House
School.
Year 7 and 8 students had their
first Hockey fixtures this term. The
girls drew their match but the boys
unfortunately lost. However they were
playing Year 8 and 9 students so we
feel they put up a good fight!
In Dance news, Rock Challenge
rehearsals are now in full swing and the
Reflex Dance Group are preparing for a
performance at the Hawth Theatre in
early 2013.
The U14 girls came 2nd in the Area
Basketball Tournament. They were
beaten by Holy Trinity but won a very
exciting game against St Paul’s to
clinch second place.
Key Stage 4 boys were the winners at
the Horsham Area Schools Badminton
Championships held at THS.
Photo courtesy of: BAFTA/Richard Kendal
Tanbridge House School student Chris Purdy has won
a Children’s BAFTA Award in a national Games Design
competition and will now work with experts at the
University of Abertay in Dundee to develop his game
further.
Here are some of our sporting highlights
from the Autumn/Winter term:
•
BAFTA Awards success
for Tanbridge student
The BAFTA Young Game Designers initiative, which is
in its third year, aims to inspire the game designers
and game-makers of the future, by giving young
people aged 11-16 the chance to design and create
their own video game and develop it with industry
professionals.
Tanbridge to get active thanks to new funding
Tanbridge House School and Horsham District Council have recently secured £9,500 of funding from Sport England to
deliver an exciting new project to engage students with sport and physical activity.
Tanbridge’s aim is to use this funding to get more students participating in a physical activity. Six key activities
have been identified for development in the project - dance, table tennis, freestyle gymnastics, golf, archery and
baseball.
Activities will be delivered with a range of partners through Horsham District Council, local sports clubs and
organisations across West Sussex and will involve professional coaches, training opportunities and off site visits.
Funding will also be used to train teachers so that these new activities can continue to be delivered at school in the
future.
Leader of PE at Tanbridge House School, Mrs Hyslop, said: “We are delighted to have been successful with our bid
for funding. Our aim is for this money to build on the Olympic legacy from London 2012 and continue to inspire a
generation to try new things and engage with sport - even those who might not consider themselves to be typically
sporty.
We believe there has never been a better time to show young people what a positive impact an active lifestyle can
have. The joint partnership with Horsham District Council will enable us to deliver a really exciting programme
throughout the year and ensure everyone across our school community has the opportunity to develop a passion for
physical activity.”
Cllr Sue Rogers, Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for a Safer and Healthier District, said: “Horsham District
Council has a long history of successful partnership working with local schools.
This award will further cement
links between schools and local
clubs and help students with
the transition from school sport
to community and club based
participation.”
For the first time this year the competition had two
strands: the original Game Concept Award is for an
idea for a new game, including a description of the
characters, the world of the game, and how it will be
played. The inaugural Game-making Award presented
by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe was aimed
at games made using game-making software or
programming languages. Young people could enter
both categories as individuals or as a team.
Chris was crowned the winner of the Game-making
Award and will now work on his game with experts
from the University of Abertay and will visit SCE
London Studio, makers of the BAFTA Award-winning
EyeToy® and SingStar® franchises.
The winners’ entries were chosen from hundreds
across the UK by a jury of games industry professionals,
educationalists and celebrity gamers. Actor/presenter
Tyger Drew-Honey (Outnumbered, Friday Download)
was on the Game-making Award jury and presented
Chris with the award alongside Maria Stukoff,
Head of Academic Development at Sony Computer
Entertainment Europe (pictured above right).
Chris’s game Smiley Dodgems requires players to keep
a “smiley” character alive as long as possible against
an onslaught of enemy shapes. The jury, which was
chaired by Jonathan Smith, Head of Production at TT
Games, described the game as having “clean visuals
and compelling gameplay with impressive finesse”.
On receiving the BAFTA Young Game Designers Gamemaking Award, Chris said: “I’m very excited to be
given the opportunity to develop my game further and
I can’t wait to visit a real games studio. I’d recommend
this competition to anyone as it has been great fun
putting my entry together. Winning is a bonus!”
Celebrity ambassador Tyger Drew-Honey said about
the Game-making Award: “I was really impressed by
the level of detail that went into Christopher’s game,
Smiley Dodgems, and I had to tear myself away to try
out the other entries! It was great to be able to finally
meet him and the other nominees at the Children’s
Awards.”
Project to build on “Olympic Legacy”
The Sport England funding bid is looking to build on Tanbridge’s Olympic Legacy
which stems from an already thriving sporting ethos in the school. This has
developed through a whole host of events around the London 2012 Olympic and
Paralympic Games.
After an Olympic Day in May 2011,complete with a visit from Lord Coe, the school
hosted its own Paralympic Day for local primary schools (pictured right) with a
range of 2012 Paralympic hopefuls in attendance. In addition, student Gabriella
Rogers carried the Olympic torch on its relay journey through Lewes and a team
of 16 students attended the Paralympics as volunteers in the Sitting Volleyball
events.
Students excel at Sussex Table Tennis competition
Tanbridge House students did themselves proud recently, topping the boards in a number of categories at the Under 13 Sussex Table Tennis Alliance Crawley and Horsham
School Team Championships at Holy Trinity School in Crawley.
The BAFTA Young Game Designers initiative seeks
to equip young people with the knowledge, skills
and confidence to become the next generation of
successful game designers. It aims to demystify the
creative process of games development and highlight
how key qualifications in areas such as maths, physics
and computer science are essential for those wishing
to enter the industry. BAFTA has partnered with
Abertay University and Sony Computer Entertainment
Europe (SCEE) on the initiative.
Further details about the competition, as well as
teaching resources and details of workshops that took
place around the country, can be found at:
www.bafta.org/ygd
Year 7 and 8 students from six different schools competed against each other for two hours during the competition. A range of categories and bands allowed for individual
performance recognition as well as team achievements.
In the end, students George Hazell, David Smith, Lauren Pound and Alice Hazell progressed onto the next round of the School Games after coming first in the mixed team
category. Benedict Carter and Alice Hazell also came first and second respectively in their band, with George Hazell winning his band overall.
In the Under 16 competition, our top four players also managed to make it through to the next round of the School Games - well done to all those who took part!
2
We would like to thank the West Sussex County Times
for allowing us to use some of their photographs in
this Tanbridge Review.
Year 7 s visit local Care Homes
Young Chef title up for grabs
A group of Year 7 students visited four local care
homes in the run up to Christmas to sing Christmas
carols and hand out Christmas cards to the residents,
many of whom have profound physical and mental
disabilities and require around the clock care.
Two Year 10 students competed in the Rotary
Young Chef competition this term, battling it out
in the kitchen against students from Forest and
Farlington Schools.
21 students visited Bouldings (Orchard Lodge),
Orchard Lodge, Kingsmead Lodge and Rapkyns Care
at tutor times during December. Miss Watson, Leader
of Year 7, said: ”A visit from our students will have
no doubt meant a great deal to residents of these
homes, especially at this time of year. The students
all acted with great maturity and compassion and I
am very proud of them for taking part.”
Chloe Baller and Adam Baker each designed and
cooked a two course menu which was then judged
by a panel of professional chefs. A student from
Farlington School was announced as the winner
at the end of the competition.
Miss Masterman, Food Technology, said: “Both
Chloe and Adam did a great job in putting together
a creative menu and delivering under pressure!
They should be very proud of themselves.”
Embracing technology in the classroom
Teachers have been embracing new
technology this term and exploring different
ways to inspire and improve student learning
by introducing iPads into the classrooms.
At the end of the last academic year,
following consultation with staff and
students, Tanbridge invested in the latest
3rd generation iPads. The majority of these
iPads are used by students across the Science
curriculum enhancing learning and engaging
young people. The imaginative uses of apps,
combined with instant video, photography
and student teamwork is inspiring!
Teachers across other departments are also
piloting iPads and Apple TV with their students. Significant work has been completed in PE, Business, ICT and
English, with lead teachers exploring the many opportunities that such technology provides. Mr Tidman and
Miss Black have been instrumental in showcasing these developments.
Mr Harding, Assistant Headteacher and Leader of Tanbridge’s ICT Development Group which has been set up
to ensure that the school makes the best use of today’s technology, said: “Teachers have been using iPads
creatively to bring new ideas that previously were unavailable. This is an exciting journey of discovery for
both students and teachers.”
Alex Smith, Head Boy and one of the student members of the ICT Development Group said: “It has been really
exciting to be part of the ICT Development Group. Students and teachers have been working together to see
how technology can be used to support our learning and the teachers have listened to our opinions and ideas.
So far I have used one of the iPads in Business Studies to record and edit video and upload it to a website and
I’m looking forward to using them again in other subjects.”
3
Focus on: Our Outstanding Community
Students give their views
on Outstanding School
Congratulations!
(continued from page 1)
Messages from the school community have been flooding in following the publication of our Ofsted report. We
would like to share some of these lovely messages with you:
Two of Tanbridge House School’s student reporters, Euan
and Rosie (both Year 10), decided to look at what they
think makes their school “Outstanding” after hearing
about our new Ofsted grading.
“Many congratulations on a superb Ofsted report...it is great to see that not only was it applauding the academic
side but all the other aspects of school which is great to hear.”
“I would like to send my congratulations and well done to all of the staff at Tanbridge...Throughout the inspection
my daughter commented how the lessons that she had were the same standard as her normal lessons.”
Community/Culture
“I am writing to congratulate you and the school as a whole, on achieving an outstanding Ofsted inspection. I
have read the report and it is truly outstanding in all areas and makes for excellent reading.”
“Tanbridge House School has a fantastic school community
and I think the school’s outstanding status goes beyond
academic successes. Students treat each other in a polite
and friendly manner and teachers play a key part in the
school’s respectful culture.
“You have shown the children that excellence is something that is attainable and worth pursuing...You have
made them feel proud of their school, their teachers and themselves.”
“I am aware how difficult it is to achieve outstanding, but truly believe Tanbridge House absolutely deserves it.”
For example, some Year 10s recently chose to become
reading friends with Year 7 students; helping them with
their reading and acting as a mentor.”
Euan Thomas
Positive change thanks to
Student Board
Teaching & Learning
The Information Shop in Horsham has
decided to extend it’s opening hours as
a result of recommendations made by
Tanbridge House School’s Student Board.
“Our lessons are interesting and fun. Teachers engage
with us so that we feel part of the lessons and we are
encouraged to think for ourselves, actively participate
and make decisions about our learning. There are ICT
resource centres for each department and lessons
often take place outside the classroom, making them
memorable and fun.”
The Information Shop, based at the Y
Centre, is funded and supported by West
Sussex County Council. It caters for young
people aged 13 to 25 and is a friendly and
informal place where young people can go
to get advice on a variety of issues such
as careers, money issues and family and
relationships.
Rosie Carruthers
Experience and opportunities
“I think we have outstanding opportunities in school.
Extra-curricular activities are a key part of school life
and every club has a fun and friendly atmosphere.
We have the opportunity to gain experience of what life
is like in the real world. Year 7s get to try their dream
jobs for a day and we have opportunities to work with
businesses on projects too. Last Summer three students
even went on a special work placement to IBM in London.”
Euan Thomas
Achievement
“Everyone is encouraged to reach their personal best.
There is a ‘Celebration of Achievement Assembly’
for each year group at the end of every school year,
which celebrates and rewards not only those who have
performed exceptionally well in each subject area, but
those who have overcome huge obstacles to achieve their
personal best.”
Rosie Carruthers
The students also spoke to Chair of Governors, Mr Bob
Dulieu to gather his thoughts on the news. He said:
“The Governors are extremely proud of what Tanbridge
House School has achieved and this report validates
our own views that this is truly an outstanding school.
Credit must go to every single member of staff, their
dedication, professionalism, and commitment to the
school and students is inspiring.
The Governing body would also like to thank our
fantastic student body and the parents and carers who
have supported Tanbridge House on this journey. Jules
White and his management team have worked tirelessly
to achieve the aim of making Tanbridge House an
outstanding school and this report is a well deserved
acknowledgement of their superb leadership”
“Teaching is outstanding. Teachers plan interesting and
enjoyable lessons extremely well. Lessons motivate and
engage all students.” Ofsted Report November 2012
Artwork created for new look Horsham Station
Art
students
from
Tanbridge
House
School have helped to
brighten up the new
look Horsham Station
by decorating it with
their artwork.
A number of schools
created artwork for
the station. Transport
Minister Norman Baker
visited in November
as part of the official
opening and was most
impressed with the
work done by all the
schools involved.
Year 9s help Children in Need
A group of Tanbridge House School’s Year 9s donned their finest “onesies” in November
2012 in a bid to raise money for Children in Need.
Tanbridge House School held a non-uniform day for all students on the Monday after
Children in Need and students were invited to donate £1 in return for wearing their own
clothes to school. However, a group of students in Year 9 decided to try and raise even
more and asked if they could collect sponsorship in return for wearing fashions latest
must-have; the “onesie” into school.
In addition to this, some students wore animal costumes, undertook sponsored silences
and two students even collected sponsorship for fasting throughout the day.
The students raised just over £450 between them, which contributed to the whole school
total of £1643! Mrs Price, Leader of Year 9, said: “We have a very caring culture at
Tanbridge House School and our students inspire us to keep thinking of others and do what
we can to support those in need. I am incredibly proud of these students for going above
and beyond what was expected of them and trying so hard to raise money for Children in
Need. They have done fantastically.”
At the end of the Summer term, Student
Board undertook a two day project to see
how they could encourage more young people to use the Information Shop. They visited the shop to find out about
the services on offer before returning to school to conduct research and discuss their ideas. The group then
prepared an action plan and presented this at the end of the second day to members of Horsham District Council
and West Sussex County Council.
One of their suggestions was to extend the opening hours of the shop from 5pm to 5:30pm, in order to give school
students time to go home and change out of their uniform before visiting. This idea has now been implemented.
Members of Horsham District Council were so impressed with the students’ work that they invited a group of them
(Josh Trout, Matt Crompton, Sam Waller and Katy Ellis - pictured L to R above with Mrs Linsell, Student Board
Coordinator) to present again at the Council Chamber in December 2012. As a result, West Sussex County Council
and Horsham District Council are now discussing how they might be able support further changes.
Sam Waller, 14 and Josh Trout, 16 said: “We have really enjoyed finding out more about the Information Shop
and presenting our ideas for how we think it could improve. The Information Shop already offers a brilliant range
of services and advice for young people – our recommendations focus on how we can make more young people
aware that it is there and encourage them to step through the doors. It is a brilliant facility and we feel that we
are lucky to have it.”
Mr Osmond wins Community
Outstanding Teaching
for
Mr Osmond received a West Sussex County Times Community Award
in November following a nomination from an ex-student for the
Outstanding Teacher Award.
Tanbridge House students started the project with Mr Hyde last year
and he helped them to create a range of large murals for the walls
which are now on view for the general public to see.
Described as ‘really funny’ and ‘a bit of a lunatic really’, Mr Osmond
was recognised for his unforgettable lessons. He said: “To receive
something like this is really overwhelming, and to be at Tanbridge
- it’s a privilege to work alongside the students of this community.”
Mrs Palmer, Leader of Art, said: “The students really enjoyed creating
these pieces - it was quite a challenge to make something on such
a large scale. The work they have done is really impressive and I’m
delighted that their efforts can now be appreciated every day by the
Horsham community.”
Students from his Tutor Group and French class recorded messages
for Mr Osmond to be played on the night and even performed a
rendition of his infamous “Gameshow Song!”
Well done Mr Osmond!
“Students’ positive relationships with one another and staff generate excellent learning. Students learn
enthusiastically.” Ofsted Report November 2012
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Award
5
Movember Madness!
Staff at Tanbridge House School decided to do their own bit of fund-raising and took part in
Movember; growing moustache’s for the month of November and raising £450 in the process to
support Prostate and Testicular Cancer.
An “awards ceremony” took place at the end of the month, with prizes going to Mr Tidman, Mr
Liley and Mr Thorpe, who was awarded Best in Show!
Female members of staff also took part at the end of the month and wore fake moustaches
throughout the day. Mrs Smale was announced as the best female Movember supporter and,
along with the other prize winners, received a trophy specially made by The Technology Club.
Summer celebrations of outstanding GCSE results
In August 2012 we were delighted to confirm that 80% of our students gained five or more A* - C GCSE passes including
Maths and English. 96% of the year group gained five or more good A* - C passes overall.
Headteacher Mr White commented: “These remarkably good results are the culmination of several years of hard work and
dedication across the school.
I would like to thank my staff for their professionalism and parents/carers for their wholehearted support of the school.
Most praise, however, must be reserved for the students themselves who have performed superbly. The results are
outstanding by any measure.”
Presentation Evening 2012
We were of thrilled to invite students back to school on 6th
December for our Presentation Evening. The evening gives
students the chance to collect GCSE Certificates, catch up
with friends and attend a special awards ceremony.
Prizes for achievements in each subject were given out as
well as a number of additional awards, including those for
Attendance and Service to the Community.
The top prize of the evening, ‘The Leslie Prize’ (sponsored
by Horsham High School) was awarded to Valentina Chirita
(pictured left with Mr White and Judith Harding, School
Governor) in recognition of her outstanding contribution in a
specialist subject.
We would like to thank our prize sponsors: Rawlison Butler,
Mr John Snelling, Novartis, Mr and Mrs Head, Mr Peter Tobutt,
Horsham Rotary Club and the Inner Wheel Club of Horsham.
Business Breakfast Meeting
Local businesses attended our Business Breakfast Meeting on 23 November
and had the opportunity to find out more about working with the school
and each other. The meeting took place on the final day of our Ofsted
inspection and was also viewed by members of the inspection team!
Visitors had time to make new contacts and network during the two hour
event which also featured presentations from Year 11 students, who talked
about their entrepreneurship in charity work and their recent business trip
to Brighton and Hove FC (see page 8), as well as Apprenticeships in Sussex
and DG Studios.
Mrs Linsell, Marketing & Development Manager, said: “The Business Breakfast Meetings are always popular events as they
provide a really good opportunity for local businesses to extend their contacts and meet new people. On top of this, many
visitors are keen to work with the school and our students in some way so it’s a great opportunity for us to get together
to discuss ideas.”
Anyone who is interested in attending future meetings should contact Mrs Linsell at slinsell@ths.uk.net
6
GCSE success for younger
students
Five students have achieved remarkable
results in their Language GCSEs this year;
gaining four A*s and two As between them;
despite sitting their exams either one or
two years early.
Council CEO visits Tanbridge
House School
A student report by Jack Edwards (Yr9) and Thea Elvin (Yr10)
On Thursday 14th November, Kieran Stigant, Chief Executive at West
Sussex County Council, paid a visit to Tanbridge House School to meet
students and tour the school.
Amongst the students are Gus Best and
Desiree Laredo Castro, who were aged 15
and 14 respectively when they sat their
exams. Gus achieved an A in Italian, whilst
Desiree gained an A* in Spanish.
Mr Stigant visited a variety of lessons, being shown around by Senior
Prefects before being interviewed by students Anya Brant, Jack Edwards,
Thea Elvin and Sam Waller about issues relating to his work and the
variety of areas that he oversees.
Desiree said: “As I speak Spanish, it made
sense for me to try and do my GCSE last
year as I felt ready for it. I had to do
extra preparation and studying on top of
my regular subjects. I’m really proud of
myself for getting an A*, especially as I
took the exam a year early.”
Students prepared a range of questions for Mr Stigant. When questioned
about the decline in opening hours of public libraries, Mr Stigant said
that the Council had three options: close smaller libraries, close libraries
with low usage or alter opening hours. The Council made the decision,
based on usage patterns, to limit the opening hours of some libraries to
20 hours a week. The communities surrounding the libraries were given
the chance to vote for the hours that best suited them, and all libraries,
with the exception of just one, were granted their requests.
Gus said: “Although I speak Italian, I made
a point of revising my spelling and writing
skills for the exam. I’m now concentrating
on studying for the rest of my GCSEs which
are coming up this year.”
Mark Osmond, Head of Modern Foreign
Languages said: “We are very proud of
these students. This is a considerable
achievement given the fact that
the majority of them are not native
speakers. We would like to extend our
congratulations to all of them.”
Mr Stigant was also asked by the students about how he prioritised his
workload at the council and the reason he became involved in that line
of work. He talked about his main influences including a well-known
politician and statesman, Joseph Chamberlin, who died in 1914. Unlike
most major politicians of the time, he had not attended either Oxford or
Cambridge University.
Mr Stigant was full of praise for the school and said how impressed he
was with the quality of teaching and the standards of student conduct
and engagement.
Kieran Stigant with Mr White and students (L to R) Anya Brant, Jack Edwards and Thea Elvin
Good Samaritans make THS proud
This term we received notice on two separate occasions of incidents where our students
have gone out of their way to help others in need outside of school.
On one occasion two youngsters rushed to help a Year 7 student who had fallen over on her
way home. The students helped her up and made sure she was OK to get home, as she was
quite shaken up. Mum was very grateful!
On another occasion two Year 8 boys came to the aid of an elderly lady who had fallen
outside her home. They helped her inside and waited with her until a family member came
and her son came into school the next day to personally thank the two boys.
As a school we are very proud to have such thoughtful and caring students at the heart of
our community.
We look forward to welcoming Mr Stigant to Tanbridge House School
again in the future.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Tanbridge House School’s musical community came together at the very
end of the Autumn/Winter term for the annual Christmas Concert which
featured a programme full of festive music performed by students in the
school’s main vocal and instrumental ensembles.
The concert took place on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th December
and included performances from the Chamber Choir, Junior Choir, Senior
Choir, Junior Orchestra, Senior Orchestra, Concert Band, Brass Ensemble
and Jazz Band! The concert also included two vocal duets which were sung
expressively by Year 11 students. There was a matinee performance for
local Primary School children on 19 December.
Mrs James, Leader of Music, said: “The Christmas Concert is a very popular
event and we were sold out on both evenings again this year. It is a
wonderful way to end the year and is a true celebration of music and of the
immense talent that we have in abundance here at Tanbridge House School.
All of the performers did an incredible job and the Music department is very
proud of them. ”
7
Business Masterclass goes to Brighton &
Hove Football Club
Students from Tanbridge
House School got a taste
of the business world in
September when they visited
Brighton & Hove Albion’s
American
Community
Stadium for a Business
Masterclass, as part of an
Albion in the Community
Education initiative.
Raising awareness of Climate Change
Eco-conscious students got involved in a campaign with UNICEF
UK to encourage the government to protect children from the
effects of climate change.
Students designed paper leaves and wrote messages to the
government on them about why money should be contributed
to the Green Climate Fund; a pot of money coordinated by the
United Nations that can help poorer countries adapt to climate
change. This money could protect millions of children from
climate-related disasters by ensuring they have enough food and
clean water, are protected from harm and have the chance to
go to school.
The work was part of UNICEF’s new Schools Campaign Network;
a new project to get young people’s voices heard in their
campaigning. 11 schools that are involved in the UNICEF UK
Rights Respecting Schools programme have taken part in the
School’s Campaign Network so far.
The all-day class – attended
by 25 Year 11 students –
provided an opportunity for
students to develop the skills
required to start a business
enterprise. Students were
tasked with developing a
new iPhone/iPad app and
developed business plans,
conducted market research
and carried out a SWOT
analysis.
Natasha Adams, Activism Officer for Unicef, said:: “I’m really
thrilled that Tanbridge House School has taken part in our
first ever Schools Campaign Network action. Our Speak Up for
Children campaign is all about protecting children from the
effects of climate change. Having children’s voices heard as part
of the campaign makes our message all the more powerful.”
We currently have two active groups of students who get
involved in activities like this, including the Rights Respecting
Responsibilities (RRR) group and the Eco-Representatives group.
The students then had to
define their roles within the
team and further develop
their app before presenting
it to an assessment panel.
As part of the visit students toured the stadium, taking photos and video on iPads to refer back to
when developing their app. Students used the tour to assess the stadium in terms of its construction/
layout, current media/PR provision and commercial partnerships.
Miss Black, Leader of Business at Tanbridge, said: “The Masterclass programme was a fantastic
opportunity for students to observe the varied business roles in a Championship side’s stadium.
Students had to develop an innovative mobile phone app that would benefit the football club or
enhance the supporters’ experience at the club. The winning app (to be decided) will be turned
into a real app and be available through the App Store! Overall the day was engaging, inspiring and
informative for students and staff!”
Luke Rookwood, one of the students who took part in the Masterclass, said: “The Amex Business trip
gave me a great insight into the foundations and roles that need to be done to run a Championship
football club effectively. It helped me to understand new technology and software being used in a
business environment.”
Matt Mead, Head of Education for Albion in the Community, said: “The students took on the task
head-on and designed apps in a variety of ways; creating not only those that add value to a match
but those that would generate revenue and commercial opportunities. The students have set very
high standards for the remaining Schools Masterclass events and have positioned THS as a school of
choice for Albion in the Community.”
Tanbridge House School and Albion in the Community are now looking towards some follow-up
projects in the future. Mr Tidman, Tanbridge’s Gifted & Talented Coordinator, commented: “As a
teacher in charge of Gifted & Talented enrichment, I am really excited about the opportunities that
Albion in the Community can provide for Business, ICT, Media and PE students at THS.”
Tanbridge Parents raise £900
Parents from Tanbridge House School have raised over £900
through a “Friends of Tanbridge House School” quiz night.
Parents from the school community joined forces with staff
members to take part in the quiz, which featured 10 rounds
of questions and a raffle with prizes kindly donated by Wabi
Restaurant, John’s Toy Shop of Southwater, Coco’s Salon and
Sainsbury’s.
The money raised was split between the Tanbridge House School
Fund and its partner school; the Masaba Friend’s School in Kenya.
Tanbridge has been actively raising money towards a new Library
for the Masaba school for the past year and the total raised is
now standing at £6,000. The goal is to raise £10,000.
Mr Marshallsay, Assistant Headteacher and organiser of the quiz
night, said: “It was great to have so many parents attend this
event run by the staff and parents of our school. There were
some very interesting rounds, revealing the vast knowledge our
parents have of 80’s Pop music! We would also like to say a big
thank you to all who helped organise the event.”
Adventurer inspires Year 11
A group of lucky Year 11 students were treated to an inspirational
session in December with Alex Alley; an inspirational speaker,
World Champion, Round the World Yachtsman and Adventurer!
During his visit, Alex told students the story of his adventures
which include participation in the Global Challenge. Dubbed
‘The World’s Toughest Yacht Race’, the Global Challenge sails
the ‘wrong’ way round the world against the prevailing winds
and currents.
During the 10 months of the race, Alex covered approximately
35,700 miles in some of the world’s most hostile oceans. This
took his total racing mileage to almost 100,000.
Alex’s visit also included a DVD of the race alongside some
student activities which focused on developing an ability to
persevere and succeed.
The session culminated in students writing down their goals and
aspirations for the future and feedback was hugely positive.
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Tanbridge House School, Farthings Hill, Guildford Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1SR
Headteacher: Mr Jules White, BA (Hons)
Tel: 01403 263628
Fax: 01403 211830
Email: office@ths.uk.net
Web: www.tanbridge-house-sch.co.uk