What`s news at Ralph Allen

What’s news at Ralph Allen
Useful Information
 Whole School Photograph
Fri 4 May is whole school photo day when photographers Gillman & Soame will be taking a photo of all
students and staff. Please could all students wear correct uniform and be punctual to school on the day.
Sixth form tutors have given their students information about the required dress code. Please make sure
students stick to it! They should wear black jumper, jacket, shirt or top.
 Year 11 Information and Study Leave
Parents have been sent permission letters relating to early study leave. Please return yours immediately
if you have not done so already. Many thanks.
Mrs Helen Turner, Head of Year 11
Week Commencing
Monday 14 May 2012
All Year 11 students will be expected to attend their normal lessons
unless they are in an examination. During this week, students may,
with parental permission, study at home in the morning before an
afternoon exam.
Friday 18 May 2012
Year 11 Assembly period 5
Monday 21 May - Friday
1 June 2012
All Year 11 lessons will continue during these two weeks where
teachers will be available to provide additional exam preparation.
If students have parental permission they will be allowed to study at
home during these two weeks.
ISSUE 13 April 27/2012
List of contents:
Useful Information
Whole school photograph
Year 11 study leave
Choosing Health
conference date change
Library software
Exam information
Year 7 lunch arrangements
Things to do
Active Kids vouchers
School News
Painting of Bath Characters
No smoking message
Crimebeat award
Netball news
STEM day
Staff news
Published fortnightly
A number of exams will have already started by this time.
Friday 1 June 2012
Last day of Year 11 lessons.
 Change of date
The Choosing Health conference for all year 12 is now on Monday 9th July.
 Exciting New Library Software
We are currently installing new library software. This includes a new online version of our library catalogue which students will be
able to access from home. The system will be accessed via the school website or directly.
Pupils will be able to use the system to help with research, to write reviews about books they have read and search for new books
and other library resources. One feature called ‘Who Next’ recommends new books and authors based on the books that pupils
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What’s news at Ralph Allen
have already read. If you have access to an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, then you will be able to download a new App called ‘iMLS’
to access the library from those devices.
We will inform students and parents as soon as the software has been installed successfully and is ready for use.
 Examination Information
Ralph Allen exams information is now on the website, giving details of all exams in May and June 2012. See
http://www.ralphallen.bathnes.sch.uk/information/exams#ExamTimetable - this can be reached via the Announcements section
on the front page.
The exam timetables are separated, so there is one for GCSEs which includes Year 10 modules as well as all the written Year 11
exams.
The A Level timetable includes all modules for AS and A2 written exams.
Practical exams and language speaking assessments take place before the written exams; candidates are advised of these dates
by their subject teachers. Language orals and art and photography exams are underway already.
All candidates are issued with their personal ‘candidate statement of entry’ which shows the date and time of each scheduled
exam. These were issued before the Easter holidays.
If you have any queries about the May/June exams, please contact Mrs Gillian Holden, Exams Officer on
gillian.holden@ralphallen.bathnes.org.uk
 Year 7 Lunch Arrangements
rd
From Monday 23 April the current arrangement which involves Year 7 coming to lunch early at 12.50pm
has been changed so that they come to lunch at the normal time of 1.00pm with the rest of Key stage 3.
They will have the choice of using the Dining Hall or the Snack Shack. They were informed of this in assembly
on Monday.
Miss Sarah Hetenyi
Assistant Headteacher
Things to do
 Active Kids Is Back – Play Your Part!
We’re participating in Sainsbury’s Active Kids again this year. This presents a
fantastic opportunity to collect vouchers for a range of additional equipment
and experiences that gives our children the opportunity to learn new skills.
Unfortunately, this year Sainsbury’s stopped giving out vouchers from the
st
10th April instead of the 31 May and consequently we are having difficulty in
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What’s news at Ralph Allen
st
collecting as many vouchers as in previous years. Can we ask you all to dig out any vouchers you have by Monday 21 May at
the latest. Please spread the word to friends, colleagues and neighbours that we’re collecting and need your vouchers now!!
Every voucher is greatly appreciated, and will help us to get more vitally needed sports and cookery equipment.
Thanks for your support!! We have only had 2,000 vouchers to date - we managed to get 16,000 last year. Many thanks in
advance.
Mrs Sue Rogers,
Teacher in charge Food Technology & Mrs Jill Prior, Finance Assistant
School news
 Painting Of Bath City Characters
Sixth Form artist, Hazel Evans
They serve you coffee, make
decisions about the city we live in,
entertain us on stage and screen
and pass us in the street. Now the
characters who make up Bath have
been portrayed in a painting
capturing the life of the city. The project was the idea of A-level student Hazel Evans who wanted to bring the life and soul of the
city together in one painting. She has put together a montage of 195 people which is currently on display in the school foyer.
Among familiar faces you will see Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage, John Cleese, Olly Barkley, Midge Ure, Mayor Bryan Chalker, MP Don
Foster, and local councillors Roger Symonds and Cherry Beath. Ralph Allen School individuals included are Steve Paisley, Jane
Squier, Pete Breese, Paul Coyne, sixth form students and Hazel herself.
Hazel was inspired by the iconic Simpsons characters of Springfield poster, and wanted to create one for Bath. She took photos of
people she met on the streets and has been recreating them in paint since January. Hazel said, ‘I am relieved that it is finished.
‘I thought at the start that it would only take me a month or two, so it has been quite a drag ploughing through slowly every day. I
am pleased with it, but being picky I am a little annoyed about a few accidental paint smudges I made. Also I think I got better at
painting people on a small scale as I went through.’
Hazel is also involved in the Bath in the Blitz, Then and now exhibition at Bath Central Library until 28 April. See
www.BathInTime.co.uk for further information.
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What’s news at Ralph Allen
 Rap Music Gets No Smoking Message Across
Ralph Allen students took part in the No Smoking Day Rap competition, and were presented with their awards at a presentation
ceremony at the Egg Theatre on 20 March 2012. A team of two of the Ralph Allen students won the award for Best Lyrics (the
lyrics are printed below).
Youngsters created raps for a competition organised by Sirona Care & Health’s Health Improvement Service linked to No Smoking
Day. Ruth Lander, health improvement specialist, presented vouchers and certificates to winning students. She told the audience:
“We have had a fantastic array of raps entered into the competition. We had a lot of pleasure looking through the entries. It was
really tough to decide a winner. The aim of the competition was to find raps we could use to promote our stop smoking service.
We have had some really creative and wonderful raps submitted. It is really important that young people’s messages and opinions
are listened to.’
RAPS created by pupils from schools across Bath and North East
Somerset can now be used for advertising stop-smoking services.
Best Lyrics category winner was Ralph Allen School’s
Quit Wid Me 2!
Nicotine, tar, rat poison too I’m a non smoker,
you should quit wid me too!
Cus you could save like a whole load of cash,
Buy a new car, take out the trash!
Feel a lot better, run a mile too
No more cancer, I’ll quit with you!
You’ll feel a lot better
Your house will smell fresh
I’m a non smoker
They are the BEST!
(MP3 recordings of the raps are also available)
RalphAllen2 – Theo Box and Christian Hughes in Year 8
 National Crimebeat Award
As mentioned in the last issue, Ralph Allen students won a national award for a
project to steer young people away from binge drinking. The students who
participated, and so impressed the judges, were Juliet Barry, Miranda Temple
Smith and Tom Higgins all in Year 9.
Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord
Condon with Juliet, Miranda and Tom
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What’s news at Ralph Allen
As part of the prize the students were
given a tour of London and trip on the
London Eye.
 2012 Senior Netball Season at Ralph Allen Ends on a High!
th
th
Three end of season tournaments on Wednesday 28 March and the B&NES Netball league finals on Thursday 19 April.
Year 10 BANES Netball Tournament and League Champions!
The year 10s have finished the season unbeaten and
were both B&NES League and Tournament winners.
Over the season they have played 5 league games,
during which they scored an impressive 169 goals and
conceded only 21. Their most impressive wins came
against Somervale and St Gregory’s. As a result of
winning their half of the pool they progressed to the
league final against Wellsway. Some fantastic centre
court play from Abi Burgess, Anna Briggs, Edie Pearson
and Lauren Smith allowed the shooters of Georgia
Symonds, Bryony Richards and Ella Van Gelderen to
build up a solid lead and ensured they ran out 25-7
winners, with Abi Burgess being voted player of the
match.
Team: Bryony Richards, Abby Burgess, Emily Sargent, Livi Hamer-Web,
Amelia Hampton-Armstrong, Martha Wells, Lauren Smith, Ella Van Gelderen,
Edie Pearson, Anna Briggs and Georgia Symonds
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What’s news at Ralph Allen
The B&NES tournament, due to the number of entries, was run on a round robin basis which enabled all the teams in B&NES to
play each other. Some fantastic defensive play from Amelia Armstrong, Livi Hamer Webb, Emily Sargeant and Martha Wells
ensured that the team only conceded 11 goals in their 5 matches and finished the tournament unbeaten.
Mrs Brown, Head of Girls’ PE, said, ‘There has been a fantastic squad commitment and enthusiasm this season which has paid off
in all their matches. Finishing the season unbeaten and double champions of B&NES is a fantastic achievement. Well done to all
involved.’
Year 11 B&NES Netball League Champions and Tournament Runners Up!
In the Netball Tournament the girls had 6 games to play and
made a great start winning their first 4 games with excellent
shooting from Livi Wills and Lauren Short. The next game
was against Wellsway and we know it was going to be a
tough one. It was close from the start but Wellsway started
better than Ralph Allen did and held the lead in the short
game. Bryony Robertson and Maud Gittens played some
great defensive play but we couldn’t catch them. We did
win our final game but Wells way won all their games which
made us runners up. A great team effort from all the girls.
The team qualified for the league finals against Writhlington
School, having won all their games in their half of the
league. The girls started really well and had a good lead
nd
going into the 2 half. Jess Schol-Binks played well on an
injured knee and Bethan and Suzie made some great
interceptions. The team never looked back and went on to a
convincing win. Bryony Robertson was player of the match.
Team: Bethan Richards, Lauren Short, Jess Schol-Binks, Maud Gittens,
Suzie Beverage, Lucy Whipp, Livi Wills, Bryony Robertson and Laura Birks
A very good season for the girls.
Mrs Ellie Brown,
Head of Girls’ PE
 B&NES Sixth Form Social Netball Tournament
B&NES Sixth Form Social Netball Tournament, the first of its kind,
was organised by Zaya Morris-Taylor as an opportunity for B&NES
sixth formers who had not entered the national tournament to play
an afternoon of competitive Netball.
Team: Charlotte Walker, Holly Saliba, Leah Elston-Thompson,
Megan Purcell, Kirsty & Kadeen (TeamBath Superleague),
Catherine Farmer, Sophie O'Leary (cpt),
Becky Symons, Emily Padfield, Megan Symons
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What’s news at Ralph Allen
Eight teams entered -Winterbourne, Beechen Cliff, Bristol City Academy, Filton Academy, Hanham, Churchill, St Mary RT & Ralph
Allen. Ralph Allen's squad of 9 rotated to produce some great netball with victories against all the teams, enabling them to claim
even the bonus point of being within 50% of goals scored! A fantastic team performance.
Kadeen Corbin, GS/GA for TeamBath Superleague and part of the England squad did a Q&A for the girls and a shooting game of
'killer' against the team's shooters before Ralph Allen were presented with their gold medals. A great way to end the season and
for many of the squad their final run- out for RAS!
Mrs Claire O’Leary,
Teacher of Netball and Drama
 STEM Challenge Day at UWE, Bristol
We were three of twelve year nine students that were lucky enough to attend a S.T.E.M
(science, technology, engineering and maths) challenge day at the University of the West
th
of England in Bristol on Monday 26 March. After being divided into mixed school groups
of four, we participated in four different activities throughout the day: constructing a
bridge with limited materials, Lego robotics, investigating a murder mystery with forensic
science and car building. At the end of the day the Mayor of Bristol and the Vice
Chancellor of the University presented awards to the best teams.
Each workshop challenged us in a slightly different way. They involved logical thinking,
productive teamwork and encouraged us to step outside our comfort zone and work with
new people.
The following people were those who went to the event and they all really enjoyed it.
Freya Alder, Bartholomew Scattergood, Rufus McKay, Adelaide Peach, Danielle Workman, Tom Weedon, Oskar Steadman.
Rhiannon Granville, Patrick O’Dwyer, Tom Mason, Sollstice Wilson-Garner and Patrick Knight-Gaynor
A special congratulations to Patrick-Knight Gaynor and Sollstice Wilson-Garner for winning the award for the best robotics team
along with two members of Abbeywood School. Also, well done to Rhiannon Granville and Oskar Steadman for receiving runnersup in the vehicle challenge and to Danielle Workman and Tom Weedon for coming second in the bridge building challenge.
Everyone had a wonderful day and
this is thanks to the staff,
Mrs. Rogers and Mr. Lake for
supervising us and making this
amazing trip possible.
By Freya Alder, Danielle Workman
and Tom Mason
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What’s news at Ralph Allen
 Staff
news
Jane MacPhee leaving
A very fond farewell to Jane MacPhee, Receptionist/Administrator, who is leaving on Friday 27 April
2012. We wish her every success in her many new plans.
Here follows a message from Jane:
Hi all!
Well the time has come for me to 'leave the building' after almost 11 years at Ralph Allen. I
have so many memories to take with me, a few of which will make me smile for many years to come. I have
laughed until I've cried, and cried until I laughed and have so many stories to tell, but that can wait for
another day.
I have some lovely things to look forward to, and am ready for all the challenges that my future holds. I am
thrilled that I am to be ‘Nanny MacPhee’ in August and again in December, and I'm sure that my time will
be full with all the joys that being a Grandparent will bring, not to mention how much I love spending time
in my garden.
I have had so many happy years here, and thank you all for your friendship, laughs, support and kindness. I
will of course miss you all.
I would like to wish Ralph Allen and all of the wonderful, amazing, dedicated staff the very best for the
future and in everything that you do.
With my very best wishes. Jane x
Dave Smith leaving
Congratulations to Dave Smith, Premises Assistant, who has been promoted to the post of Caretaker at
Southdown Infants School. Dave will be leaving on Fri 27 April 2012 after six years’ working at Ralph Allen.
He will be much missed for his helpfulness, cheerful nature and warm smiles.
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