July - South Wilts Grammar School for Girls

ONWARDS
July 2010
Staff Farewells
There will be several changes next year. We say goodbye to members of staff who are
leaving at the end of term:
Grace Hemming will retire after 28 years as Bursar at South Wilts. Mrs Hemming has
been a member of the Senior Leadership Team, having responsibility for school finance,
HR and the support staff as well as the school site and has overseen the many new
buildings and refurbishments over the years.
Mike Parks retires after 31 years at South Wilts, for the past 20 years as Head of ICT. He
was part of writing the Specialist School Bid in 2003. He also taught Chemistry until 1998.
Alan Dennis retires as Head of History and SEN after 20 years here. Ian Owen leaves
after 21 years as Teacher in Charge of Classical Civilisation to take up a Head of Classics
post at Bishop Wordsworth’s. We also say goodbye to Joanna Milkins (English) who is
going part-time to Gillingham School, Gemma Ellis (Science and Geology) who is
travelling overland to Australia, Lucy Darby (Sports Co-ordinator) and Nicky Taylor (parttime Art). Catherine McLannahan (Drama) goes on maternity leave.
We also say goodbye to Joel Harley, our Bournemouth University ICT student who has
been here on a one year work placement. Mary Andrew has worked her gap year on
reception and as departmental support, particularly in Music. We would like to thank all
those who are leaving for all their hard work and wish them well for the future.
Building Work
This summer we are aiming to complete the refurbishment of the Old Building. This
includes replacing windows and doors and raising the level of the downstairs floors. Work
started last October holiday and has continued throughout the year. The refurbishment of
the computer rooms is already well underway. Corridors and stairways will be redecorated.
We are also extending the Dining Room and refurbishing it. Students are currently helping
with the design of the interior to give the area a light and modern feel.
Learning Resource Centre and Academic Mentoring
The new LRC has meant much greater usage by students who enjoy working in this
environment. Mrs Wood and her team of student librarians have been very active in
running book club, book awards and competitions and ensuring that the LRC is popular
The LRC has been used for one to one mentoring by Sixth Formers.
Academic mentoring this year were led by the Year 13 students Miranda Kent, Mei Ling
Henry, Charlotte Little and Rachel Tooley, with very little staff input. It has been so popular
that additional mentors have needed to be trained to cope with demand. (Mrs Stratton)
A Message for the Summer
The holidays always seem to fly by, especially for girls expecting A and AS level
results on Thursday 19th August and GCSE results on Tuesday 24th August.
This has been a fantastically successful year for the school with sporting, musical, artistic,
dramatic, mathematical, scientific and creative achievements in every area.
Congratulations and enjoy the summer. (Mrs Stratton)
Academy Status
When we return in September we will start to inform and consult parents and students
about the new Academy Status. Hopefully all the essential information will be available by
then. (Mrs Stratton)
July 2010
Page 2
Attendance
Uniform
Parent Support
Page 3
Charity News
Our link with China
Page 4
South West
Academic Trust
news
Page 5
Psychology Essay
Competition
Maths News
Page 6
Junior Maths
Challenge
Page 7
G&T Science &
Drama Day
Eco Week
Page 8
German Trip
French Trip
Page 9–11
Activities week
Page 12
Activities Week
Auschwitz
Page 13
Industry Days
Page 14
Drama News
Music News
Page 15
Music News
Page 16
Music News
Sports News
Page 17
Sports Day
Page 18
Sports News
Page 19
Sports News
Page 20
IT / Facebook News
Lost Property
September Start
Dates
ONWARDS
Attendance
As the end of this year approaches and another bunch of holiday/
absence requests find their way into my pigeon hole, please can I ask
you all to consider such absences very carefully next year. There is the
expectation that all students will attend all lessons and the pattern of
absence can be very disruptive.
Only in exceptional and unavoidable circumstances should family
holidays be taken in term time, all others have to be refused authorisation. Other activities,
however beneficial they may seem to be, should take place in holiday or weekend time,
excepting those activities such as music examinations where you are offered no alternative.
It is understandable that you only see the day or few days absence of your own daughters, but
this adds up to a very big picture where staff have to deal with absent pupils on a daily basis,
seriously disrupting the educational flow of a series of lessons. Over 500 days of schooling
have been lost through holiday absence this year and over 400 pupils have requested
absences for reasons other than illness or medical appointments. When considering requesting
absence next year, please bear these statistics in mind and be prepared for your requests not
to be authorised. (Mrs Stammers)
Uniform
If you are buying uniform in preparation for the new term
in September, please can I ask you to take the following
into account:
A school fleece is appropriate to wear to and from school
as are plain coats in dark green, black, navy or grey.
Hoodies, denim and coats with logos are not acceptable.
Shoes for school must be black, low heeled and plain, it is
not appropriate to come to school in boots, trainers,
sandals, cloth or canvas shoes of any kind.
Tights for the winter months must be navy, dark green,
black or flesh coloured but not grey. We always
appreciate your cooperation in ensuring your daughter
comes to school in the correct uniform, with a skirt of a
decent length and without jewellery or make up. Thank
you. (Mrs Stammers)
SWGS Uniform shop
E-mail:
uniform@swgs.wilts.sch.uk
Website: www.swgs.wilts.sch.uk
The term time opening hours
are:
Thursday 12.00 to 1.00pm
1st Saturday of each month
9.30am to 10.30am
The summer holiday opening
times are:
Monday 30th August 2010 9.30am to 1.30pm
NB The shop will be closed
from 23rd July to 31st August
2010
Parent Support Adviser
Chris Lister is now working as the Parent Support Adviser for both South Wilts and
Bishop Wordsworth’s Schools. She has responsibility for other schools in the
Salisbury area and has worked for the last 18 months with the schools in Durrington.
Chris can offer help and support to parents with worries regarding their daughter/s
during their time at school. She is not part of the school staff and all meetings will be
confidential unless agreement to share information in the best interests of the student is given.
Some things which she has been involved with in other schools include;

Providing a listening ear for parental worries

Offering guidance about behavioural problems

Gaining access to information about other difficulties including financial worries,
relationships and health issues

Referring parents and students to other agencies

Supplying details of Parenting Groups
If you feel that you would like to contact her about any issues facing your family, please do so
on 07595 217569 Or email clister@avonvalley.wilts.sch.uk
2
ONWARDS
Charity News
Last term ended with a teacher versus student
relay event, organised by 11B. We were fortunate
with the weather and teacher teams from
Humanities, Maths and Science battled it out with
Y11 and Y13 teams from SWGS. Mr Parks
looked extremely dapper in his suit and bow tie as
official starter; Mrs Owen, in a beautiful hat,
awarded the prizes at the end and yes, you have
guessed: the pupils won! The Year 11 team:
Philippa Hollinghurst, Rebecca Heil, Vicky James
and Imogen Wolsey were just too good! Thank
you also to 8E for running the charity cake sale at
the end of term, achieving their charity target
easily.
World cup fever hit South Wilts in June and July
with a sweepstake organised by 10W (won by
Shiffa Shahid, 10A; 2nd place Mr Philips).
Winners of Charity Relay
Well done to 9E for their lunchtime guessing games fair, to 9W for their outdoor games event
and to Miss Drysdale’s group for their “How well do you know South Wilts?” quiz.
Did you know that South Wilts has its very own Gareth Malone? After just a few sessions with
Mrs Evans, who ran a voice workshop at one of our TD days, the staff singing group was
challenged to put on a short concert for pupils on Wednesday 14th July, in aid of the school
charities. Hopefully the pupils were impressed!
Finally, the charity prefects will be putting on a “Get Ready for Summer” event on the evening
of 21st July in the main hall, supported by local shops and beauty outlets. I am sure that this
will be a very successful evening. We are all looking forward to the summer holidays but
remember to be safe in the sun as well.
We look forward to presenting cheques to the Children’s Society and the Mayor of Salisbury’s
charity, Childrens Chance, at our end of year charity assembly. There have been some very
innovative ideas for raising money again this year and I have been overwhelmed by the sheer
generosity of pupils, parents and staff raising approx £10,000. Well done everyone! (Mrs
Tallis)
Video conferencing with China
Our International school prefects in Year 12 have once again been talking face to face with
students at our partner school in China.
We discussed topics such as May Day
celebrations and the recent German
exchange. Students in China told us of their
exams and showed us some of their magic
tricks. There was also an opportunity to
discuss music, with students here and in
China listening to the same bands.
We hope to extend this video
conferencing opportunity to a
wider range of students next
year. (Mr Jones)
3
ONWARDS
South West Academic Trust - Year 9
Challenge Day
‘Is there a difference between honesty and
law?’ This is just one of the challenging
questions posed to groups of Year 9 students
across the South West Academic Trust
(SWAT) schools. Eight Year 9 students from
South Wilts initially formed cross-school
groups at the first SWAT Challenge day held
at Exeter University in April.
Students were posed an Oxbridge interview
question and tasked with the challenge of
preparing a presentation in response to their
question on 6th July. Students worked hard to maintain contact with their group to plan their
presentations over distance. Nonetheless on July 6th students presented their ideas, and the
results were truly astonishing. With questions ranging from ‘Is there a difference between
innocence and naivety?’ to ‘What is the purpose of comedy?’ students grappled successfully
with complex and abstract ideas. Their presentations were balanced and thought provoking with a good dose of humour, creativity and controversy!
The presentations were videoed and are/will shortly be available on the school website
www.swgs.wilts.sch.co.uk. Students were challenged both in their interpersonal skills and
abstract thinking and achieved outstanding results. The SWAT will be holding further
Challenge Days next year. (Mr Jones)
South West Academic Trust - Student Voice Conference
On Thursday 1st July we went to Exeter University to take part in the South West Academic
Trust’s first ever Student Voice Conference. The morning consisted of all participating schools
making a 10 minute presentation on ‘Enrichment opportunities outside the classroom’ and
‘Student Voice’.
All schools were very honest and put forward problems they had encountered in their research
and suggested potentially very effective ways to solve these issues. After a delicious lunch the
representatives from each school were divided into pairs, one Year 12 and one Year 10 and
then formed discussion groups lasting half an hour on three topics: ‘How are we challenged?’,
‘Is it cool to be clever?’, and The role of competition in our selective schools.
The teachers circulated and listened in as some of us got into heated debates and others
discussed mutual problems and issues we come across such as pressures and frustrations
that stem from competition and the need to reward students who show outstanding
commitment as well as outstanding achievement.
It was an extremely enlightening day where we discovered methods other schools use that we
hope once we feed back to SWGS will help to improve our student voice and increase the
opportunities offered to further our learning. (Anna Goodman, Laura Mason Year 12; Shiffa
Shahid, Sabrina Maurice-Broom Year 10)
4
ONWARDS
Psychology Essay Competition
Congratulations to Jemma Mouland 13MMT for winning 4th place and £100 cash prize for her
entry into a national psychology essay competition run by Heythrop College (the specialist
Philosophy and Theology College of the University of London.) Students studying AS and A2
were invited to apply and Jemma responded to the poster displayed in our Psychology
classroom
The Heythrop Psychology Essay Prize 2010 was awarded following entries composing a
response to the following title, ‘The Lack of a Single Theoretical Framework in Psychology is
Problematic for Discipline’. Discuss. (Mrs MacTaggart)
Gifted & Talented Maths Day
On 1st July a group of four Year 9 South Wilts students (along with Miss Copley)
went to a Gifted and Talented maths day at Stonehenge School. Anna Inman,
Georgia Smith, Elly Crosthwaite and Emma Beck enjoyed a day investigating how
aeroplanes glide.
To begin with we were given an introduction on how aeroplanes worked, and what
made them glide. We were then given a booklet and had to make our own plane out of card.
We learnt that to make our plane fly well we had to find the centre of gravity and add weight to
it.
We discovered that the centre of gravity would be nearer the front. When we finished the
planes we went down to the hall to test them. We tested them by putting different weights on
them and then flying them. We then recorded the results. We found the day very interesting
and by the end of it we had learnt a lot about how planes glide and how to make them fly
further and be more successful.
We would like to say thank you to Stonehenge School for having us and also to Miss Copley
for taking us. (Georgia Smith, Anna Inman Year 9)
Year 7 FunMaths Roadshow
A Bi-Lingual Maths Event
On 6th July, Year 7 took part in the FunMaths Roadshow held in the Main Hall. This was a bilingual event with 50 mathematical puzzles to solve…..but with the instructions written in
French. Twice as puzzling!!
The participants went around in twos or threes tackling a range of challenges that varied in
difficulty, with the French speakers of 7A translating for the German speakers of 7E and 7B’s
French speakers translating for 7N’s German speakers. Some staff and sixth form volunteers
checked the answers before they moved on to other puzzles.
It was widely regarded as a big success by both the Mathematics Department and the Modern
Foreign Languages Department, and by those who took part.
They thought it should be repeated next year because …
“I really enjoyed interacting with a different form and also
found the maths and French mix very fun”
“It exercises your maths and language skills”
“It gives us a chance to get to know new people and
experiment with different languages and have a go at
problem solving”
It’s really fun and helps the forms to make friends. It also
tests your maths and French skills but most of all it helps you
co-operate with others.”
“Because it was challenging and fun”
“It helped people work together” (Mrs Allen)
5
ONWARDS
Junior Maths Challenge
124 students in Year 7 and 8 took part in the Junior Maths
Challenge.
This national competition is run by the UK Mathematics
Trust. Gold, silver and bronze certificates are awarded to
40% of participants nationally and the most successful
participants at each level are invited to enter follow-on
rounds.
This year 65% of our entrants were awarded certificates,
which was a fantastic result. In addition, the Best in School
was Niamh Aarons, 7B, who was invited to take part in the
Junior Maths Olympiad, for which she also receives a
certificate of participation.
In the Junior Mathematics Challenge, the following girls were awarded:
Gold Certificates
Year 8
Charlotte Bateman 8N, Esther Bersweden 8E, Clover Crosse 8A, Fiona Defty 8B, Alice
Ditchfield 8N, Tegan Eldridge 8B, Emily Hitchins 8N, Poppy Iveson 8N, Eleanor May 8E,
Amelia Powell 8A, Molly Smith 8A
Year 7
Niamh Aarons 7B, Sarah Croager 7A, Olivia Day 7N, Gemma Morgan 7E, Annabelle Sessions
7E, Joanna Starling 7A, Natasha White 7A
Silver Certificates
Year 8
Katherine Aylward 8E, Anna Barnes 8B, Rosie Bishop 8N, Ellen Emmins 8N, Hannah Evans
8E, Isobel Finlay 8A, Isobel Gentle 8N, Polly Gill 8B, Amber Goodwin 8A, Emily Green 8B,
Rebecca Ingram 8E, Rebecca Lee 8E, Gabrielle Morse 8B, Holly Scott 8N, Ksenia Solovieva
8N, Hope Stidwill 8B, Joanna Weaver 8E
Year 7
Harriet Allen 7E, Emily Barnes 7A, Lara Bonney 7B, Imogen Cawley 7E, Octavia Clark 7B,
Elizabeth Cusack 7E, Sophie Ellis 7B, Anna Godson 7A, Meaghan Hopkinson 7A, Sophie
Hudson 7A, Kegan Hughes 7E, Chloe Mead 7B, Natalie Moncur 7E, Emily Oswell 7B, Eloisa
Paver 7E, Rebecca Perriment 7E, Sarah Tooms 7N, Alicia Vidal 7A
Bronze certificates
Year 8
Virginia Baker 8A, Amy Challis 8N, Milissa Coker 8B, Hannah Copping 8N, Lucy Cunningham
8E, Catherine Dodd 8A, Anna Gentleman 8B, Caitlin Hogan-Lloyd 8N, Kate Jordan 8E, Molly
Judd 8B, Claire Leese 8N, Keshia Merry 8N, Bria Muir 8A, Claire Prince 8B, Rebekah Wood
8B, Olivia Langhorn 8B
Year 7
Imogen Collins 7N, Katherine Cooke 7E, Niamh Dale 7B, Juliette Glennon-Alty
7B, Alice Heaps 7E, Jessica Lock 7A, Laura Melville 7A, Lucy Olsen 7N, Anna
Rolfe 7B, Megan Rushton 7B, Jasmine Thayer 7B, Jessica Webber 7A
(Ms Offner)
6
ONWARDS
Gifted and Talented Science and Drama Day
On Monday 5th July ten Year 7 students visited Wyvern College to take part in a
gifted and talented Science and Drama day. The day was organised through the
Wessex gifted and talented cluster chaired by South Wilts as a Lead gifted and
talented school.
Our students worked with other Year 7 students from Wyvern and St Joseph’s
schools to investigate a challenge using skills of scientific investigation and team work.
Students were posed the problem that a community is concerned about the fish dying in the
nearby river. They investigated possible causes and made suggestions to solve the problem.
The students worked extremely hard and had a very enjoyable day. They were also praised
highly by the organisers and hosts for their abilities and conduct during the day. (Mrs Harris)
Eco Week
“South Wilts is going green!
Why don't you?” was one of
the many posters seen around
the school during our
EcoWeek (5th - 9th July) this
summer. Members of the school EcoTeam
organised and ran the event with the
invaluable support of the staff and other
school departments. The Sports Day Banner
Competition incorporated a sustainable
theme and the IT Department ensured that
the computers were on for a shorter period of
time each day – our thanks go out to both
departments.
Science and Drama Day
The Gardening Club ran for a lunchtime and
its regular members spent Thursday
remodelling the school pond area. On the
same day the canteen (photo left) surpassed
themselves once again with their Green
Theme Canteen and for the duration of the
week they also provided students with
biodegradable takeaway trays rather than the
polystyrene alternative.
Extra recycling was collected around the
school, and students were encouraged to
find a greener mode of transport to school
during the week – hats off to Mr Jones who
cycled 50 miles to and from school on Friday
to raise money for the EcoTeam! We also hit
our target of 100 improved journeys with staff
and students using public transport rather
than getting a lift or walking/cycling rather
than using a vehicle.
An enjoyable week was had by all;
particularly Mrs Herbert’s tutor group who
won the EcoWeek Quiz!. (Emily Nash 6JMA)
7
ONWARDS
Year 7 German trip
I have just got back from the German trip. It was amazing and we had loads of fun. There
were lots of cool activities and there was never a dull moment. Although it was a long journey,
it wasn’t as bad as I thought, as you could watch DVDs and chat with your friends.
On the Tuesday we went to Cochem castle. I thought that it would be a bit dull but it was quite
interesting and there was a little gift shop, which was a really good place to buy souvenirs.
Afterwards we took the chairlift up to an animal/theme park. In the theme park there were lots
of rides – small ones and quite big ones. It was great fun! The animal park is not too big and it
was nice to walk around looking at the birds, bears, raccoons, deer, goats and other animals.
We saw baby goats being born.
On Wednesday we visited the school in TrabenTrarbach and met our pen pals. The school was
very friendly and we were given a free drink before
we left. We then went shopping in Bernkastel and
had a really nice boat trip back to Traben –
Trarbach in the afternoon. In the evening we
played mini golf and it was great fun.
On Thursday we went to Trier and we stopped off
at a very large supermarket on the way. It was
absolutely massive and took about 10 minutes just
to get from one end to the other! In Trier itself we
went to the Roman amphitheatre, the Roman Baths
and the Basilica. Then we were able to go
shopping which was exciting!
Overall, the German trip was a great success and it
was one of the best experiences of my life.
(Gemma Morgan 7E)
Year 7 Visit to France
At a very early time on the morning of Monday 7th June, 7A and 7B gathered with their parents
to load luggage onto the coach and say goodbyes, before setting off to Normandy in France.
After a long coach journey, broken by picnic breaks and DVDs, the group arrived at their
accommodation in St. Martin de Brehal.
Students and staff found their rooms, went off to supper and then bed, after a tiring journey.
During the week there were visits to a
market where everyone did lots of
shopping, the Mont St Michel with its
fantastic views and very many steps, a
historical day visiting the D-Day beaches
and the Bayeux Tapestry and an
enjoyable visit to Champrepus Zoo.
The visit to the school was a chance to
meet the penfriends Year 7 had been
writing to during the year. This was a bit
scary at times but a real chance to
communicate. Everyone had a great
time but it was nice to get home to tell
family and friends all about the trip. (Mrs
Jouahri)
8
ONWARDS
Year 8 Trip to Longleat
During the Year 8 activities week, we went to Longleat for a day. This was extremely enjoyable
and we think that most of our friends would agree.
At the start of the day, we got on the coach at normal school hours; needless to say, we were
all very excited and loud – well those of us that weren’t travel sick!
When we arrived at Longleat, we went straight through to the safari. The safari was amazing
especially as it was in such beautiful surroundings; we all enjoyed the view and were
mesmerized by the different animals. After the safari, we entered the beautiful orangery, in the
stunning Longleat House. The talk we were given, was very interesting, we learnt a lot about
how the park is run and the history of Longleat.
Next, we enjoyed a relaxing boat trip across the glistening lake of Longleat; here we saw many
sea lions – so cute! We also saw a 50 year old gorilla called Nico, with HD, flat screen, sky TV.
Lastly, we were given some time to explore the grounds of Longleat; many of us bought ice
creams and sweets! We enjoyed visiting Longleat’s smaller but equally as good, attractions.
Overall, Longleat was one of our highlights of the week, we would definitely go back! (Phoebe
Pugh, Emily Herod, Roisin O’Neill and Emily Bailey 8B)
Duke of Edinburgh Introduction Day
Despite the awful weather, Year 9 pupils travelled to Potterne for a Duke of Edinburgh
introduction day, run by the army, as part of their activities week. We took part in a variety of
team building activities, including tower building with giant
Maccano, buggy building, the Eggtastic challenge and an
obstacle course.
Only one group were not allowed to take part in the obstacle
course due to health and safety because of the rain. We
enjoyed all of the activities, and our favourite activity of the day
was the buggy building. Afterwards, we had an interesting talk
about The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, including what it
is and what you have to do for it.
Overall, we had a fun day and learnt a lot about team work and
The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. (Alice Nield, Emma
Clarke and Melly Morris 9W)
Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme 2009 / 2010
We started the year with 95 girls (18 groups) enrolling at Bronze, 45 girls (6 groups) at Silver
and 35 girls (5 walking groups and 1 sailing group) at Gold. Each participant attends one two
hour meeting a month for training, in addition they are asked to attend a planning residential at
the appropriate level.
Bronze - The students were taken out on a day walk in December or January to practice map
skills. 90 of the girls attended the planning residential weekend at Oxenwood Outdoor
Education Centre in February 2010 and completed all the paperwork needed for their
expeditions. They all did very well considering that they were camping out and it rained for
most of the weekend! All the girls attended the practice expedition which took place in the
Chalke Valley in April. 72 of these girls went for assessment in May, in Savernake Forest and
the rest in June in the Marlborough area.
Silver - There were two silver day walks in the Purbeck area and a residential planning
weekend nr Bridgewater in January 2010 to complete their training and expedition
paperwork. Their assessment was in the Brecon Beacons.
Gold - At gold level, a Brecon weekend was enjoyed by all and gave them practice at walking
in different weather conditions as we had heavy snowfall whilst we were away. The gold
assessment was on Dartmoor in June or will be in the Lake District this summer. (Mrs Morris)
9
ONWARDS
Discover Adventure Day
I had a really good day with Discover Adventure and I think we all learnt to work in teams of
people that we may not have worked with before. I think we all did really well. This was our
first chance to work in our new forms which we will be in next year (Year 9). I thought this was
the perfect day to do this as it was all about team work.
The activities we took part in were great fun. I especially enjoyed the climbing wall activity. We
all worked really well to complete the tasks and help each other.
By the end of the day we got to know each other quite well, which was a bonus to the day. We
had to use lots of different skills within the day which was good as there were lots of different
types of activities. I would have loved to have a longer time to spend there and I really enjoyed
myself and so did all of my friends! (Hope Mayhew 8A)
Langford Lakes
One of the days during Activities Week involved us
going to Langford Lakes to learn more about the
environment, focusing especially on invertebrates
and different types of leaves. When we arrived, we
were given sheets that we were asked to fill out as
we carried out an experiment investigating whether
more invertebrates lived in flowing water or still
water. We split in half, before getting into groups of
three.
Our group went to the stream first and we tested its
PH, temperature and the rate at which it flowed. We
also took samples from the water and checked its
clarity and used our sheets to identify what
invertebrates were living in it.
Discover Adventure Day
We then went to the pond and carried out the same
tests so that we could compare our results. Overall,
we found that not only did more invertebrates live in
still water, but a larger variety lived there.
After lunch, we started our second activity and
collected different samples of leaves before sorting
them into a dichotomous key. This key meant you
were able to identify a leaf by looking at its features,
such as its shape and its veins. Overall, it was a
really interesting day that contrasted with the rest of
the week, and we were able to learn more about the
environment we live in. (Kellie Patrick 8A)
Take your Daughter to Work Day
Year 8 have been finding out about the world of work
either by joining their parents for a day at their place of
work or by a school based investigation into the variety of
careers available.
The students in school for the day did an excellent job of
creating an eye catching display of a wide range of
careers. Photo right. (Mrs Stammers)
10
Langford Lakes
ONWARDS
Year 8 Trip To The Playhouse
On Wednesday 9th June, Year 8 went to the Playhouse to participate in a day of acting and
learning new Drama skills. We started off the day by walking from school to the Playhouse,
where we were met by two representatives of the playhouse called Mark Powell and Sarah
Butcher. They gave us an introduction to what we would be doing throughout the day and we
went through some fun warm up starter activities.
We were split into two groups: half of us went with Mark and the other with Sarah. In Mark’s
group we learnt how to create a scene by only using two words; this was very interesting and a
completely different concept of improvisation. We then had a short break where we could meet
up with the other half of Year 8 to discuss what we had been doing and what we would be
doing next.
We swapped with the other groups to work with Sarah where we did some body work, working
with partners to create some sequences of moving around as one. We then added to this by
joining up with some other partners, to create one big group. We had to move around together
using different heights and widths. We were able to watch each other performing and learnt
how we could have improved our scenes. After this we had a lunch break which gave us some
time to chat and talk about what we were going to do after lunch.
Everyone was very excited about the afternoon and we couldn’t wait to get started and to find
out what we were going to be doing. We had to get into groups of around six and we were
given a prop and some lines generated by the other group during one of the morning’s
activities. We got straight to work with Mark by going into improvisation; we had to include the
lines in our play in some way, whether it was simply reading them or making them into a
conversation. The time went very quickly and we had to go and join the other group and
perform our pieces after we had got our plays together. It was really fun to perform the play
and watch how people decided to interpret the piece of writing that they were given. We learnt
so many new skills that we will now be able to include in our upcoming Year 8 Drama
Competition which is based on the theme of time. (Emmeline Ross 8N)
Year 7 Lulworth Cove
On a Wednesday morning, half of Year 7 bundled into a coach, waved goodbye to SWGS, and
set off towards the prospect of a sunny geographical day at Lulworth Cove.
An hour and a half later sixty sun cream smothered South Wilts girls set foot in Lulworth, a
honey pot for tourists. First stop was Lulworth Cove itself, a small cove with fantastically blue
sea and the odd bang due to being close to an army firing practice site. We stopped to note
down the five different types of rocks that made up the cliff side.
After walking up a meandering path we got to our next location, Stair Hole. This is where we
looked in to more detail about the hard rock,
Purbeck Limestone, and why it goes vertically
upwards. Next we stopped for lunch and an ice
cream, which gave us the energy to walk up a
steep chalky hill in order to reach Durdle Door.
At Durdle Door we noted down how a naturally
beautiful giant rock arch has been created due
to a process called erosion. We then headed
back to the coach with a great deal of
knowledge about coasts. Overall Year 7 highly
enjoyed this world famous geological location on
the south coast of England. (Sasha Hilton 7E)
11
ONWARDS
Year 9 Circus Skills Workshop
During Activities Week, Year 9 took part in a Circus Skills Workshop, which was organised by
the Shooting Stars Company. The whole day was divided into two halves, where half of us
would spend time in one room, doing a range of Circus skills, whilst the other half would
experiment with other miscellaneous items.
There were diabolos, spinning plates, and even a tightrope. The spinning plates were quite
hard to learn at first, but after we had mastered the basics, other tricks seemed quite easy. The
diabolos were difficult too - however, some people managed to learn how to throw the diabolos
high up into the air (we ventured outside onto the school field for this) and catch them nearly
every single time.
After a wobbly trip on the tightropes, we learnt the art of Hat Manipulation, which everyone was
pleased with, as once we had learnt some nifty ways of getting a trilby hat on and off our
heads, we could invent some tricks of our own, and mimic dancers or singers such as Usher.
We were given some free time after that, during which we had a go on wobbly bikes and tried
on some completely ridiculous hats and waistcoats. It was almost like a circus in itself - there
were students balancing on stilts and teachers who were diabolo-spinning like professionals.
There were miniscule clown bikes and unicycles, which everyone was eager to have a go at. I
tried a go on the clown bike, but it was so small that I got cramp in my feet and had to get off.
Keeping well away from the bikes, I instead stuck with Devil Sticks, which were fairly easy to
get the hang of, and great fun if you could do it well.
Watching students struggle at the unicycles was always hilarious - whenever you caught a
glimpse of them you would see them clutching at the nearby railings, unable to move yet
egging on others to "Get a move on." This was similar to the clown bikes in ways - if you were
to lean too far back you could descend into a spectacular wheelie, before falling straight onto
your back, and the bike itself would career off into a stationary unicyclist, causing havoc for
everyone.
However, as we packed up, we were delirious with stories to tell each other -for instance, who
had managed to travel one foot on the unicycle, yet fall backwards onto somebody on sky high
stilts, how the teachers were better than the students at juggling, and how one of the
instructors had demonstrated a brilliantly epic 'solo' on the diablos. The day was very eventful,
and inspired many students to buy some of the equipment. But overall, it inspired us to run
away to the circus, because it was all so much fun. (Emily Howard 9E)
Sixth Form Trip to Auschwitz.
Recently myself and another sixth form student, Rosamund Pearson, took part in the Lessons
From Auschwitz project. The project consisted of four parts. An orientation seminar in which
we met Kitty Hart-Moxon who lived through the Holocaust and Auschwitz and now talks about
her experiences. We then had a one day visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in
Poland. This was a very moving experience for everyone who took part. It was definitely a trip
worth making as the understanding and the knowledge that you gain is amazing, however it is
not a place that I would like to return to in a hurry.
The third step involved a reflection seminar in which we
discussed what we felt and what we had learned from our
time at Auschwitz. This was a great chance to think about
what had happened and to experience it again. The final
step was a follow up project. Rosamund and I led a class of
lower school students and taught them about our
experiences and helped to continue spreading the message
of the Holocaust, so that nobody can forget possibly the
darkest period in human history. (Lucy Coy 6CXM)
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ONWARDS
Year 9 Industry Days
The whole of Year 9 were involved in three exciting and challenging days. Twenty-five local
companies set realistic business problems for small groups of pupils to solve over 3 days. The
pupils set up a tremendous rapport with their respective employers and the solutions they
came up with were amazing! Using their advanced ICT skills enabled them to produce
professional presentations on the final day. Employers, staff and governors enjoyed lunch on
the Friday, followed by a tour of all the presentation boards, after which pupils made their
formal oral presentations.
A cup, donated by The Old George Mall, was
presented to the overall winning team, “Pizza
Hut” (Mia Baines, Alex Cater, Isobel Harrison, Naomi
Coombes, Grace Collins) whose problem was “To
increase lunchtime business in the Salisbury
restaurant”. The group carried out research into
people’s lunchtime eating habits and presented a
wide range of excellent ideas for improving number of
customers. They also discovered aspects of the
business which needed considerably more marketing
and gave very plausible ideas to create awareness of
the Pizza Hut offer. The Manager has forwarded their
ideas to Head Office!
Many groups were asked to return to the companies and present their ideas to management
teams. This they very much enjoyed and it made them feel very important! Some of the ideas
from other groups are being adopted by the companies and they are working with the pupils to
develop this work further. The Spire FM group have planned a “Fashion Month” which will run
in September. These three days have given Year 9 pupils the opportunity to develop
communication, decision-making, problem-solving and time-management skills. They enjoyed
negotiating in teams and putting their ICT skills into practice. The company representatives
very much enjoyed working with the pupils and were extremely impressed with the pupils
enthusiasm for their task set, creativity and attention to detail. Well done to all Year 9 pupils!
Thank you to the following companies who are so committed to this annual event: Exeter
House, Marks & Spencer, Old George Mall City Centre Management, Pizza Hut, Rowanmoor
Pensions, Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury City Council, Salisbury Museum, Salisbury,
Cathedral Visitor Services, Salisbury Law Courts, Salisbury Playhouse, Shopmobility, Spire
Fm, The Red Lion Hotel, Three Swans Surgery, Tourist Information Centre, The Mercure White
Hart Hotel, Trethowans LLP, Waitrose, Wiltshire Community Dieticians, Wilsons Solicitors,
Wilts Constabulary, Wiltshire Fire & Rescue, Wood BMW, Woolley & Wallis. (Mrs Moody)
Gramma Mia!
A SWGS/BWS whole school, student run production had never previously been attempted,
and so the first thank you really must go to Mrs MacLannahan, who gave us permission to run
around and attempt it. Mrs Sherburn and Mrs Tomkies for being so patient with us when
booking our rehearsal and performance times, and then to Mr Evans for agreeing to lock up
after us. Mrs Taylor was a huge help and printed and cut out the wonderful bright blue tickets,
before we passed them to Mrs Wood in the library to help sell them. A huge thank you to Mr
Jones for giving us the money to hire the sound equipment to experiment with, and to
Expression Events for providing it.
I cannot stress enough how grateful we are to Mr Brown who covered all our rehearsals, and
also to Laura Mason who managed all the lighting as well as finding time to be the new Head
Girl and to Julian Farmer who frequently turned up at 9am to sort out the sound, despite
having left school. Lastly, to all the parents who put up with us for re-quiring their children until
at least 8pm every day for a week, and then for coming along and supporting us.
13
ONWARDS
Design and Technology Exhibition
Regular visitors to our annual Design and Technology
Exhibition will have noticed a change this year; the
coursework folders have moved over to e-portfolios. This
meant that the gym was full of computers, however, the
practical work was still present in all its diversity. This
range was exemplified when visitors were greeted at the
door by a Performance Dress by Jess Carver designed for
professional singer Joy Thacker (Yr13); a Nature Garden
for balconies made from recycled materials by Hannah
Wilson; an architectural concept model of a football
stadium by Aaron Pedliham; a concept model for a new
Sports Rally Car by Isaak Mustifa and a display stand
containing a range of ceramic products by Rebecca
Hardingham.
The diversity continued throughout the rest of the
exhibition with a wide variety of products meeting a range
of design situations. The open evening was well attended
including the recently retired County Adviser for Design
and Technology Vince Marriott. Mr Marriott commented
that it is not just the quality of work that he admires when
visiting South Wilts, but also the thoughtful and
imaginative analysis of the idea development that is
always so clearly evident. (Mr Crouch)
Music News Leaving Staff
We are very sad to be losing two members of our
department at the end of this term. Ros Bromley has taught
violin here for several years, encouraging her pupils to enjoy
playing and to share her passion for music. Her very
generous contribution to many of our concerts has been
much appreciated.
Christina Bourne has taught at South Wilts for very many
years and has made a wonderful contribution to the
department, preparing singers for exams and concerts and
always seeking to hone her own teaching and try out new
ideas. We thank them very much for their dedication and
enthusiasm and wish them very well for the future. (Mrs
Poppleton)
Congratulations
Many girls have been successful in individual instrumental
and singing examinations. In particular, the following girls
have passed Grade 8: Eleanor Cook (Viola); Katie Davies
(Clarinet); Eleanor Sargent (Clarinet with distinction).
Clare Scott recently passed her Royal School of Church
Music Gold Award with a very high mark. Frances Copp,
who left SWGS last summer and is currently studying
Medicine at King’s College, London has just been awarded
the title Bournemouth Singer of the Year. (Mrs Poppleton)
14
View more photos at http://
www.swgs.wilts.sch.uk in the photo
gallery
London Winds Quintet
On Friday, 29th May some
SWGS wind players (Rebecca
Bostock, Katie Hall, Alex
Richards, Ellen Sargent and
Rosamund Thomas) went to the
Salisbury Arts Centre to attend a
Masterclass with two of the
members of the London Winds:
Philippa Davies (flute) and
Michael Collins (clarinet). Both
soloists and ensembles took
part. They each played a piece
that they had prepared in
advance and were given advice
on how to improve it and the
rest of their playing.
Those in the SWGS Wind
Quintet learnt about tuning,
posture and using their full
range of dynamics as well as
how to balance the different
instruments with their different
timbres and tunes in the piece.
The soloists (clarinet and flute)
were given advice on a variety
of ways to improve their
technique and playing.
In the evening the London
Winds gave a concert in St.
Thomas’ Church where they
performed a variety of music for
Wind Quintet.
The girls really benefitted from
the Masterclass. Thank you very
much to Mrs Wiseman for taking
us to this event and giving us
this valuable experience. (Roz
Thomas 9B)
ONWARDS
Music For Life
Sarah Beckett in Year 13 is organising a fundraising concert in aid of a charity called the AV
Foundation. It supports education in developing countries and she hopes to raise enough to
build school buildings and a community kitchen in Bergmanshoogte; a village in Karoo, South
Africa.
Music For Life showcases the best of local music talent, including students and staff from
SWGS, and will feature all types of music from classical through jazz to acoustic and pop. The
show is on Friday September 10th 2010 at the City Hall Salisbury, and tickets will be available
from the City Hall Box Office. Tickets are £12 for adults and £10 for 18s and under. Don't miss
it! (Sarah Beckett 13BAW)
Junior Concert
The Junior Concert was a really lovely
evening, full of sparkling performances
of a great variety of music. There were
many solos, duets and small chamber
groups, with all students singing and
playing to a very high standard and with
great aplomb.
Piano Students’ Concert
Mrs Notley and her pupils gave a delightful concert
on 1st July. The students played a variety of solo
and duet repertoire to an audience of friends and
family and then shared refreshments together.
Thank you very much to Mrs Notley for arranging
this event. (Mrs Poppleton)
The Training Orchestra began the
concert with very polished and effective
renditions of ‘Rondo alla Turca’ by
Mozart and ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ by
Reid and Brooker. The evening came to
a lively conclusion with a most
enjoyable selection of ‘Songs from the
Sixties’, including such well-known
songs as ‘California Dreaming’,
‘Scarborough Fair’ and the ‘Shoop
Shoop Song’.
The Junior Choir did these well-loved
numbers justice, singing in beautiful
harmonies with great enthusiasm,
commitment and verve. We were very
grateful to those instrumental and
singing teachers who supported the
evening, to Mrs Notley for her sensitive
accompaniment of the Junior Choir and
to Mr Ottaway and Mrs Cooper for
accompanying their pupils.
Piano Students’ Concert
My team masterminded the evening,
directed the Training Orchestra and
Junior Choir, accompanied many of the
soloists and organized the whole event.
Thank you very much to her and to all
who contributed to such an enjoyable
evening’s entertainment.
Junior Concert
15
ONWARDS
‘From the Beginning’
A group of players joined a few other young
people to provide a band to accompany infant
children in a singing and classroom percussion
project. This was organised by Mrs Parsons in
conjunction with the Wiltshire Music Service
Wiltshire Connect Project and took place at the
Arts Centre under the baton of Valerie
Hayward.
The whole event proved to be great fun and
very worthwhile. Thank you to Mrs Parsons for
arranging this exciting opportunity. (Mrs
Poppleton)
Forth Coming Events:
10/09/10
City Hall
7.30pm
AV Trust concert
15/09/10
P1 Music Room
7pm
A Cappella
Workshop
16/09/10
Salisbury Cathedral
7.30pm
Senior Choir
18/10/10
Salisbury Cathedral
5.30pm
A Cappella
24/11/10
School Hall
7pm
School Concert
14/12/10
Salisbury Cathedral
7.30pm
School Carol
Service
Lady Taverners
Outdoor U13 & U15 County Finals
Both the U13 and U15 teams played superbly
well on a scorching day at Trowbridge CC, both
securing top spot and securing a place at the
regional finals in Bournemouth on August 10th.
Each individual played a vital role throughout
the day. Batting was strong and bowling was
consistent, with some outstanding bowling
performances from Clover Crosse and Hope
Mayhew and Laura Jack behind the wicket.
Well played girls and good luck for the next
round. (Miss Cassidy)
A Cappella Wedding
Some of our girls very much enjoyed singing
at the wedding of a former member of A
Cappella, Bridget Hendicott. Her sister,
Eleanor, is a present member.
The service was beautiful and we all felt
privileged to be there to support Bridget and
Jim in their marriage. (Mrs Poppleton)
Wiltshire Music Service ‘Primary Live’
Festival
Members of the SWGS Chamber Orchestra
took part in this event at the City Hall. The
purpose was to inspire primary school young
musicians to continue with their instrumental
music making. Mr Parsons organised this
and led the girls in a very enjoyable and
valuable day where they were able to share
their love of playing with younger children.
Judo - National Team championships
I took part in The National Team Judo
Championships this weekend in Walsall.
There were nine areas/teams there
altogether including Scotland,
Combined Services and several of the other
regions in England, there were many British
and England squad players as well as two of
the Olympic team members competing.
Each team was further spilt into teams of
cadet, juniors and seniors and then by
gender, I was in the junior women’s South of
England (Hampshire, Kent, Sussex and
Surrey) team. We managed to get placed
second (silver) despite
being one player down
to the other teams with
London first and
Northern Home
Counties third. (Emily
Snell 6DJE)
Have a look at the link
about the event: ht tp://
www.britishjudo.org.uk/
16
ONWARDS
Sports Day 2010
The PE Department wish to thank all staff, Friends of South Wilts, sixth form and competitors
for contributing towards another highly successful Sports Day at South Wilts. Well done for
such an excellent standard of competition - including four school records broken! Hannah
Richards threw 8.73m in the Year 7 shot putt which breaks a record from 1996; Lizzie Clifford
ran 44.4s in the Year 9 300m and 11.8s in the 75m hurdles breaking records from 2006 & 1998
respectively; Emily Kalik ran 2.28:2 in the Year 10 800m breaking a record from 1993. Well
done!
Year 7
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
E (136)
B (123)
A (92)
N (91)
Year 8
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
N (134)
A (131)
B (120)
E (95)
Year 9
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
E (214)
B (186)
A (181)
W (122)
N (109)
Year 10
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
W (199)
N (166)
A (163)
B (140)
E (137)
The best athlete awards were also presented to the
girls who had scored the most points within the
limits of sports day entry (2 track & 1 field plus a
relay, or 2 field & 1 track plus a relay). Results
below:
Year 7
1st Rebecca Perriment
2nd Phoebe Kalik
Year 8
1st Catherine Lethbridge
2nd Imogen Kunzer
Year 9
1st Lizzie Clifford
2nd Jerry Edwards
Year 10
1st Hannah Brown
2nd Ellie Ingram
17
ONWARDS
World Schools Orienteering
A huge congratulations to Lucy Butt from
Year 11 who recently competed in the
Championships in Spain. Lucy ran as part of
the Great Britain squad in the U16 event
covering a course of 4.7km.
Lucy finished 3rd individual which is an
astonishing achievement for an international
event – well done! We are very proud of you
and delighted that all the hard work and
training paid off. (Miss Salen)
Salisbury Schools Swimming Gala
Many girls competed in this year’s Swimming
Gala which was fantastic. The girls faced stiff
competition but won medals in many
individual events.
Lucy Butt (right)
Boston Ski Trip 2010
The ski trip was so much fun! We got to Boston
in the late afternoon. On the coach ride to the
hotel we were all pretty excited for the first hour
and then it was just the year 9’s making the
noise, then it got quieter and quieter as most
people began to fall asleep.
Casey and Derek were awesome! They were
the ski instructors. We all made so many
interschool connections. On our first full proper
day in America, we went to Freeport…
SHOPPING! It was really hot and it was a lot of
fun.
The next day was our first day of skiing, and in
the morning we had to get everything
organised, such as ski boots, helmets, skis,
etc. We were then all spilt up into different
groups of ability, with two groups of beginners
and a group for advanced. We spent the whole
week skiing and making memories that will last
a lifetime. On the Friday, it was time to go so
we all packed up and set off for Boston airportbut first, we went shopping, AGAIN! And then
we all got on the plane and had to come
home…
The ski trip was so much fun, and we would
like to take this opportunity to thank the
teachers who organised this and came. (Tiffani
Chatee & Naomi Blake 9B)
18
The night ended with the relays in which
South Wilts won every race in every age
group, picking up trophies for the U16
medley and freestyle relays and the U14
medley and freestyle relays. This was a very
successful night, well done to all the girls
involved. (Miss Dew)
Equestrian Club
Sandroyd School Tetrathlon
Shooting, Swimming, Cross Country Riding
and Running. Rosanna Sykes, Alice Elgar,
Frances Elgar and Emma Blackburn came
3rd in the team competition. (picture below)
Well Done!
Dressage Championships
Alice Pearse and Toby won the unaffiliated
dressage championships at Sparsholt
College in Prelim. Well done! (Mrs Holland)
Rosanna, Frances, Alice and Emma
ONWARDS
County Athletics Championships
Following successful performances at the Salisbury Schools Area Athletics competition many
girls competed at the County Championships on 12th June. Six South Wilts girls were
especially successful and earned their place at the South West round in Exeter on 19th June.
They were Amelia Clifford (2nd in 400m Hurdles and Flat), Abby Dalziel (5th in High Jump),
Elisabeth Clifford (3rd in 75m Hurdles), Eleanor Ingram (5th in Javelin), Sophie Kalik (5th in
1500m) and Imogen Wolsey (1st in the 3km).
Amelia, Imogen and Elizabeth all performed well enough to be selected for the English Schools
Track and Field Finals in Birmingham on 9th & 10th July. Amelia placed 7th in the 400m
Hurdles, Elisabeth placed 6th in the heats for 75m Hurdles plus ran the first leg of the 4x100m
relay (7th overall), and Imogen placed 5th in the 3km. Remarkable achievements, we are
extremely proud of all of you. (Miss Salen)
County Pentathlon
5 girls attended this event at Marlborough College on Friday May 28th - Imogen Kunzer (Year
8), Elisabeth Clifford (Year 9), Hannah Brown, Rosanna Grant and Nicole Esdaile (All Year 10).
The girls all performed exceptionally well at the Long Jump, Shot Putt, High Jump, Hurdles and
800m. Imogen and Nicole came 4th in their age groups, Rosanna came third and Lizzie and
Hannah came 2nd.
The year 10 girls won their age group as a team. Leading on from this event was the South
West round at Millfield School over the weekend of the 26th and 27th June. From the previous
round Lizzie qualified to represent the Wiltshire team in the Pentathlon on the 27th.
Rosanna, Nicole and Hannah all qualified for the Heptathlon which took place over the two
days and also included Javelin and 200m. All the girls performed very well individually and as a
team, Rosanna, Nicole and Hannah’s team finished second in the South West, just missing out
on qualification for the next round. Individually Hannah came 8th, Rosanna came 13th and
Nicole came 20th. Lizzie had a fantastic day, qualifying 1st with the Wiltshire team and second
individually in the South West, Lizzie will now go on to represent the South West in the next
round. Well done to all the girls involved. (Miss Dew)
Tennis
Three South Wilts teams competed in the Salisbury Schools Year 7 & 8 doubles tennis
tournament at Victoria Park on 18th June. Squads 2 & 3 both came 2nd in their pools following
strong performances from Tilly Clark, Ana O’Connor, Emily Walker, Clover Crosse, Molly Judd,
Izzy Rutledge, Emma Evans, Megan Dunlop. Squad 1 – Imogen Kunzer, Hannah Richards,
Milly Watson and Hope Mayhew, (right) won their pool
so progressed to the final against Trafalgar and
emerged victorious!
This secured a place in the County Final in Swindon
on July 1st. The girls played Kingdown & Ridgeway
and once again South Wilts won all matches to take
home the County Winners trophy. Well done! (Miss
Salen)
The PE Department and sixth formers enjoyed an
afternoon of tennis on Court Number One at
Wimbledon on July 3rd. We saw the girls singles final
and two gentlemen’s invitational doubles matches plus
an array of tennis stars practising around the grounds
– Martina Navratilova to name but one! (Miss Salen)
19
ONWARDS
Low Cost Computer Software
If you are planning to purchase software
packages for your PC in the near future then
consider looking at RM’s discount department for
UK school and college students.
Current prices are:MS Office Professional Plus 2010 (Word, Excel,
Powerpoint, Publisher, Access): £39.07
New Facebook Online Safety Link
Launched just last week, all young users of
Facebook – and their parents – are invited
to add the new ClickCEOP ‘app’ to their
profile.
Through this app, they will be able to
access advice, help and support from the
CEOP Centre, the government online
safety group. Crucially, young people will
be able to report instances of suspected
grooming or inappropriate sexual behaviour
directly from their profile to specially trained
investigators.
Visit RM’s website at www.rm.com/basement to
see the full details and prices for these and other
products. In order to purchase, you must have a
child in full-time education. Check details
carefully, particularly the specification of the
computer needed to run the packages. Phone the
Once added to their profiles, young users
company for help if you are unsure. (Mr Parks)
will receive regular messages from CEOP
and its partner organisations who operate
Social Networking Sites: Continued
‘behind the button’ to make children safer.
Concerns
CEOP’s new Facebook page
At school we block all access to social(www.facebook.com/ClickCEOP) will also
networking sites such as Facebook because of
contain polls, news alerts and status
our concerns over misuse:
Web stalkers who “groom” teenagers in order to updates. The page will look at topics that
teenagers care about, such as celebrities,
build up online relationships that could develop
music and exams and will link these
into emotional interactions if the teenagers
subjects to questions about online safety.
concerned are groomed carefully;
The development of personal profiles, often left
open to public view, in which teenagers have
often been encouraged by online “friends” to
post very personal information and suggestive
photos. We would encourage all parents to
monitor the internet use of their children, and to
do so closely and thoroughly. This would
include access to their social-networking
accounts.
Some potential employers now trawl through
the Facebook accounts of job applicants to
check for possible misuse. (Mr Parks)
Users can either add or bookmark the ‘app’
so it appears on their profile, as not only a
constant source of help and reassurance
for them but also as a strong visual signal
to their friends, family and others that they
are in control online. (Mr Parks)
Coombe Road Concerns
If you have any concerns about road
safety on Coombe Road (A354), Coombe
Bissett, please e-mail:
kerry.badger@virginmedia.com
Lost Property
Parents are reminded to name all property belonging to their daughters which comes into
school.
All named items brought to Lost Property are returned to girls quickly. However, anything
unnamed remains until it is claimed, or is kept for two terms and then disposed of. (Mrs Taylor)
Wednesday 1st September
Thursday 2nd September
Friday 3rd September
Monday 6th September
September Start Dates
am Year 12 pm Year 13 in school
Year 7 only in school
Years 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13 in school
All years in school
20