a good school and a great place to learn! SPRUNG 2015 KEVICC

ISSUE No. 178
Courier
King Edward VI Community College TOTNES
Summer 2015
SPRUNG 2015
KEVICC Dance
a good school ... and a great place to learn!
KEVICC is a Co-operative Trust School
A word from the Principal The Courier
Here is our final Courier of the year – and
perhaps the variety of College life captured
here goes some way to explaining how it
doesn’t seem at all long ago that we were
starting the year back in September.
One thing that has particularly struck me from
this edition is the number of different groups
working together to make the experiences our
student have at KEVICC the absolute best.
Obviously we have all our dedicated staff,
teaching and non-teaching, and, of course, all
our students who work with us and each other
day-in, day-out. But, as well as this, we are so fortunate to be able to
call on others to enrich our students' education – the Governors, the
Parents’ Association, our Foundation Governors, the Old Totnesians,
Primary Schools, universities, the Rotary Club, local sports clubs,
authors, dancers, musicians, parents, community projects such as
Saturday Morning Music and SWIMBY – the list goes on and on.
Our thanks to all for your help to the College this year, and to more of
the same in the future!
Alan Salt
Our Student Editors
Martha Harris-Davey year 12
Here we are again, after a heavy, prolonged
winter - it's finally summer. I've discovered over
the past few years what summer really means
to me, which is a lot. With the sun comes a
certain sociability that just can't be achieved
by any other season – staying out late around
a fire; relaxing on the beach; swimming in the
river. KEVICC's Midsummer Live festival is a
prime example of the summertime spirit that
I live for - music, laughter and fun under the sunset. Bliss.
But, not only is summer a time of fun, it has also become a time
of decisions and new things for me. Once exams are over, the time
comes for not only relaxation, but reflection too. With the academic
year coming to a close, we start considering the year we're leaving
behind, and what our hopes might be for the coming one. And I don't
just speak in terms of academic success - it could be success amongst
friendships, creativity, travel, family, or even romance!
For me this year, it has meant researching universities, considering
where I want to go and what I want to study. For the first time in my
life, these new decisions are starting to become, although still equally
exciting, a bit scary. It's daunting to think of the mistakes I will
inevitably make, but it's helpful to focus on how important they are.
It may sound clichéd when I say not to be afraid of making mistakes
but, ultimately, without encountering these errors in life, we cannot
grow as people; therefore we cannot reach our full potential.
Liam Heitman-Rice year 13
I write this the day after the Sixth Form Leavers’
Ball. This truly marks the end of my time at
KEVICC and this is where I leave you. I feel both
exalted with joy and genuinely saddened. I
hereby resign my post as Press Team Editor and
I leave my podium to a talented and promising
young lady, Martha Harris-Davey. Thank you for
reading my long-winded editorials.
Page 2
King Edward VI Community College
Ashburton Road
Totnes, Devon
TQ9 5JX
Telephone: 01803 869200
Email:administration@kingedwardvi.devon.sch.uk
Web:www.kingedwardvi.devon.sch.uk
Design, layout and editing:
Polly Morrow
pmorrow@kingedwardvi.devon.sch.uk
Next issue: Content Deadline
Friday 30 October 2015
Contents
A Word from the Principal
2
Student editorials
2
Student Achievement
3
P.E.
4 / 5
English
6 / 7
Design and Technology
8 / 9
History
10
Geography / Wildwise
11
Art
12
Foundation Art
13
Maths
14 / 15
Primary Sport
16 / 17
Creative Learning Day
18 / 19
Performing Arts
MFL
20 / 21 / 22
22 / 23
Science
24
Alumni
25
Features
26 / 27
Sixth Form
28 / 29
Mary Lidstone Trust
30
Parents Association
31
Old Totnesians
31
Foundation Governors
32
Governors
32 / 33
Staff Leavers
33 / 34
Student Achievement
Tommy Hodgkins
dancer
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Tomm
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YDC r
For this school year, year 11 student Tommy
Hodgkins gained a coveted place - one of only
30 - in the National Youth Dance Company at
Sadlers Wells in London. Tommy was one of over
500 applicants, and was accepted a year early,
aged only 15, with 16 being the usual entry age.
In the first regional round, he was unanimously
selected by the panel to be put forward for
the national audition. Now he is attending
residencies, with public performances, in the
school holidays and taking part in a nationwide
tour in the summer.
NYDC has been one of the most life-changing
experiences of my life.
We eat, breathe and speak dance - every day. It is beautiful.
It has taught me not only to be a better dancer, but also a stronger person.
You learn a lot about yourself when you do twelve hour days, seven days a week, doing a physical, expressive art form.
Matt Swiss ~ continues to perform at the highest level!
In recent weeks, year 12 student Matt Swiss, of Dart Totnes Amateur Rowing
Club, has been making his presence felt in the sport of rowing when competing
in some BIG regattas.
In the National Schools Regatta in Nottingham - the biggest regatta for Juniors
(years 7–13) on the British Rowing calendar - he recorded the fastest time in the
J17 time-trial and then won the silver medal in the final! His coach said: This was
a great achievement by Matt, as last year he came 7th and now he has finished
2nd, which shows how much he has improved over the last year. In the J18 event
he was ‘racing-up’ a year and got through to the semi-final – hoping to return
next year to have a go at winning this event.
Next came the London Metropolitan Amateur Regatta at Eaton Dorney (venue
for the London 2012 Olympics rowing events) - open to all age groups, and one
of the bigger regattas on the British Rowing calendar. He competed in his first
senior competitive event (IM3) and came third in the final. In the J18 event, he
took complete control and lead the race to the finish, pretty much unfazed by
his opposition and winning by over 6 seconds. The conditions were not that great
and the water was a little choppy – no problem for Matt, as he is used to the
windy conditions of the West Country!
Matt has now won his first regatta category this year and, after the weekend, he said: I am happy with the weekend's
results as, in IM3, you can have a whole range of talents but who you get drawn against is a lottery, so I am happy to
come out with third place. Victory
in the Open J18 event was a good
result and hopefully I will return
and do the same next year. Matt’s
focus can now return to the Final
Lewis, in year 8, has just competed at the National Trial for the GB Junior team at
Tumbling semi-finals in Peterborough, where he the National Watersports Centre
achieved the bronze medal, so he will be competing in July. This is to compete for a
in Telford in the National Finals in July.
place to represent Great Britain
Tumbling is a very difficult routine which involves at either the Junior World
running and then performing various flicks, twists Championships in Brazil, or the
and tuck backs. Lewis has been doing gymnastics for Coupe de la Jeunesse in Hungary.
ten years and has competed at many competitions Matt is hoping that his intensive,
in both artistic gymnastics and tumbling. He is very six days a week, winter training
committed to gymnastics, and is now training to be programme will pay dividends and
he will win his GB Rowing Vest!
a coach at his club, Torbay Gymnastics.
Lewis Dennis ~ success
in gymnastics
Page 3
P.E.
Year 8 Girls' Hockey
KEVICC Football
Jo Anders, Alicia Hayman, Lucy McMurray,
Mia Poore, Menna Shore, Sophie Roe and
Eve Rouse, plus Lauren McGinnis in year 7,
narrowly missed coming third in the End
of Season Hockey Tournament at T.G.G.S.,
after a cracking start against Kingsbridge
C.C. when Jo Anders scored a fantastic hattrick for the girls to win 3-0. The next two
games were much tougher, with the battle
for third place coming down to their final
game against Stover, which they narrowly
lost 1-0. They should be extremely proud
of their fighting team spirit, which was a
credit to the College. Lorna Souch, L.S.A.
U16 Boys' Hockey
This U16 fixture against Kingsbridge is
becoming an annual event – the boys lost
last year, so were keen to restore honour to
KEVICC this time. It was a fiercely fought
friendly but the win really never looked
in doubt. The only goal came in the first
half, when some great attacking play from
Jack Connabeer resulted in a cross from
Fred connecting with Jacob Smith's stick,
who slotted it past the keeper. An excellent
team effort all round. Lorna Souch, L.S.A.
Rounders Club
This year has seen a large number of
students attending from all year groups
rain or shine. The girls involved have
been training for their end-of-season
tournaments and are looking forward to
representing the College.
This year saw all KEVICC football teams
achieve some fantastic results! The year
11s were a shining example, narrowly
losing out on penalties to a very strong
Tavistock team in the last 64 of the
National Cup Competition.
Stand-out performances along the way
came in the form of Charlie Johanson, Alex
Hartridge and Oliver Payne. Well done,
year 11!
The year 9 team narrowly lost to Torquay
Boys' Grammar School in a fiercely
contested fixture by a solitary goal!
The year 8 team had a narrow miss,
again on a final place, in the semi-final
of the South Devon Competition, losing
to Torquay Academy by a couple of goals.
However, the students made great progress
and surpassed their efforts from last year.
The year 7s took part in their first
competitive fixtures for KEVICC at this
year's 5-a-side tournament, where they
performed valiantly and scored some
fantastic goals. Some wonderful football
has been played this year and sets the
College up perfectly for next season! Dan Gillard, PE teacher
Rounders Club
House Matches
After another term of intensely contested The club is on every Tuesday on Elmhirst
house matches, full of a plethora of talent, Field and all year groups are welcome.
Nicola Wright
it was clear that the overall results were
going to be very close. It was a fantastic
More P.E. on pages 16 / 17 / 28
effort by Gyles Boys to finish top in years
7, 9 and 10 to take the overall victory in
Football. Snape finished a close second;
Davis third and Babbage just edged out
Scott in a close 4th and 5th finish.
Girls took part in a Netball competition
where the scores were incredibly close but
the years 8 and 9 Davis teams were both
victorious in their year group competitions.
Davis did run out as eventual winners;
Scott came a very close second, with Gyles
and Snape joint 4th and Babbage coming
in a valiant 5th position. Dan Gillard
Page 4
Sixth Form Football
This year the Kennicott team achieved
some impressive feats. with a very positive
league position. The team, captained by
Buzz Avis, managed to go the whole season
unbeaten. Along the way, they achieved
some very impressive results, none more so
than beating T.B.G.S. two goals to one after
losing one at half time. Over the course of
the season, the team was driven by some
outstanding performances from Buzz and
from Matt Hartridge. Special mention
also needs to be made of Zac Sheppard
and James Phillips, who both reluctantly
wore the gloves at some point, and made
fantastic contributions to the overall team
performances. Dan Gillard
P.E.
Table Tennis Champions!
KEVICC sealed their first Under-19 Girls'
Table Tennis title in thrilling fashion. They
dominated the National Schools' Team
Championships, comfortably beating their
first two opponents before a hard-earned
victory against SRC Bede Sixth Form which
saw the dynamic team of Lily Goddard,
Holly Johns, Jaz Johns and Elsa Perry seal
their victory with a 5-3 win.
Team coach Kerrie O’Neill said: 'I couldn't
be more proud of the girls - they played
outstanding table tennis all day, fighting
hard for every win.'
We are all very happy with winning the
championship for table tennis. All of us
played really well in all our matches,
especially Lily who only started playing
the game a few months ago. Elsa Perry
London Irish Rugby trip
This year saw selected students who excel in Rugby gain free places to watch London
Irish v Exeter Chiefs at the Madjeski stadium. It was an incredible spectacle with
a London Irish win. With a drop goal in added time, it was a special way to win a
hard-fought contest. The students were given large flags to wave during the game
and were invited to create the tunnel on the pitch for the players to run through after
the half-time break. At the end of the game, our match day sponsor invited the whole
group up to the players' lounge where students met all the players from London Irish.
Having photos, and getting flags and programmes signed, was a highlight for a number
of students. A HUGE thank-you must go out to the company PUMP TECHNOLOGY
who allowed us to keep the cost right down by providing free tickets and enable this
incredible opportunity for a special, and hardworking, cohort of students.Dan Gillard
Year 9 Most Able in P.E. students
Year 9 students Ewan Baker, Libby Daymond, Lewis Dennis,
Felix Dennison, Issy Sadler, Teya Sheppard and Joe Windsor
have been taking part in a partnership-run programme this
year, targeted at 'Most Able students in PE'.
These students have had the opportunity to work closely with
a local sports physiotherapist to support their performance
and development in sport through a series of five sessions
throughout the year. Sessions at the physio-clinic in Exmouth,
and at Exeter University, involved working on nutrition for sport
and working on functional movement and injury prevention.
Carly Perring Team Leader of PE
Totnes Archers
Victory came our way in the
Devon & Cornwall Archery
Society Winter Title, aided
by a massive score of
519 out of 600 by Lizzie
Garner. Our winning team were presented
with medals and County Gold Medals. Our
members have been competing all over
the county, achieving victory in several
classes, especially in the junior ranks. Lily
Howe, a non-KEVICC student, has set six
new county records so far this year, and
became Indoor County Champion over
the winter.The club recently shot against
Brixham in the national On Target Club
Knock-out Competition and gave a good
account of ourselves, as did Lizzie Gardner
in her senior team debut. Totnes Archers
Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Another group of KEVICC students have embarked on their
Duke of Edinburgh journey. This is the leading youth charity
and gives all young people aged 14-24 the chance to develop
skills for life and work, to fulfil their potential and to have a
brighter future. This year's students have taken up a whole
host of volunteering opportunities, ranging from creating
their very own ECO council; working in a local swimming
club and working in local charity shops. Activities being
completed as part of their Skill and Physical sections range
from building computers; swimming; and learning guitar
and piano to name but a few. If you would like to gain a
nationally recognised award that looks fantastic on your
College applications, please see Mr Gillard in P.E. at any time!
Find out more at www.dofe.org
Dan Gillard , PE teacher
Page 5
English
Poem by Alice Letten
Based on
The Cellist of Sarajevo
He’s afraid of dying
He may die at any time.
The sound of a nearby shell
A short burst of rifle fire
Another shell lands
He begins to panic.
He takes a deep breath.
His mouth has gone dry.
He sees the grey,
Everywhere the fog of war.
Mangled buildings,
street wreckage
Dead and discarded bodies
People slinking along
like frightened animals
Empty eyes, haunting faces.
He takes a deep breath
Keeps his head low He has ever felt so old
or so terrified.
He feels the shot
Before he hears it.
A sharp zip, a rush of air
The bullet grazes his ear.
Then BANG!
The sharp blast of a gun
An eruption of gunfire
A volley of bullets.
Surprised, Confused, frightened
His legs give out
Time falters
Fatigue envelopes him
He drowns in a hopeless ocean
of exhaustion.
He takes a deep breath
And exhales
His feet are moving
He’s back in the street.
Once again time slows down
His blood-shot bots hit
the ground.
The sound slaps and echoes
in his ears.
Is he brave?
A hero?
A villain?
A coward?
Silent worries.
Friendless fears.
There is only what he can do
And what he can’t.
He takes a deep breath.
He’s afraid of dying…
But he’s more afraid of killing.
Page 6
This year we have had two year groups
participating in the Accelerated Reader
programme, and what a fantastic success
it is so far! Pupils are reading more, and
more widely, and the feedback from
parents, staff and pupils is enormously
positive. I regularly hear that pupils who
'never read at home' are now
regularly engaged in reading,
and at home as well as school.
I have had some lovely emails
from parents regarding this
and they are a joy to receive so
please keep them coming!
So, how are they all doing?
Well – here is the run down for the Spring
term. Year 7 took 1717 quizzes altogether
last term, gaining 5390 points! WOW!
They beat Year 8 who only took 1085
quizzes, gaining 4747 points. The English
class who took the most quizzes was 7y2,
my class (no cheating I promise!) with
360 quizzes and in Year 8 it was 8y1, Mr
Lintell's class, with 207. Our top male
quizzers in Year 7 are Harry Bamforth
– with 41 taken! – Troy Davis and Joe
Williams, with the girls being Ella James,
Izzy Walton and Kenya Dow. Well done!
In Year 8, James Hoff wins the day with
35 quizzes, almost caught by Zack Clark.
Elsie Evans and Kia Tonkiss are the top
quizzing girls for Year 8, and we had 12
pupils who read over one million words
last term alone! WOW! WELL DONE !
The favourite books last term
were interesting. Year 8 liked
Girl Online: The first Novel by
Zoella by Zoe Sugg, though
Picture Perfect and Harry
Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets were close behind.
Year 7 preferred Catching
Fire by Suzanne Collins, with Robert
Muchamore's The Recruit and Class A
a very close second and third. However,
a nice surprise was that Jane Eyre was
number 4 for Year 7.
Thank you for all your continued
support and encouragement, and please
remember that you can log on via Home
Connect to see how your child is doing,
and receive an email whenever they take
a quiz. Happy Reading.
Emma Simmons, English teacher
Author of The Rain and The Storm visited ...
Specially selected students from years 7 and 8 were
rewarded with a talk by Virginia Bergin.
The speech was very exciting; we had a wonderful time,
thank you, and I hope that there are more of these enriching
experiences up for grabs! Evie Aspland
Virginia came to KEVICC to kickstart a book tour and was
very keen to start the tour in Totnes. She said: I don’t think I
will EVER forget my visit to KEVICC. You were great!
Carrie Groves, in the English Department, says: It’s such a
privilege for students to have the opportunity for authors to
come in and speak to them, and to answer their questions.
Year 7 students worked with childrens' author Penny Little creating mini-books
I was one of the chosen budding authors
and, after the session, I was asked to
write an article about my experience,
and I thought 'How am I going to fit two
hours of a fun, creative, exciting talk,
that lets me write my own book with my
own written words, into a couple of small
paragraphs?!' Poppy Payne
It was very exciting and the whole room
was buzzing, especially because we were
asked to create our own monsters and
feature them in a story of our creation!
Evie Aspland
English teacher
Carrie
Groves
concluded: This
invaluable twohour session was
full of energy
and creativity
and the students
were all very
enthused about
their creations. We are incredibly grateful for
such a unique opportunity for the students and
hope to see Penny again very soon!
English
Year 10 Trip to see Macbeth
My wonderfully cultured Year 10s thoroughly enjoyed a English teacher Carrie Groves said: The production
trip into the mind of Macbeth.
looked into the psychology of the play in a way that
Three weird sisters operate a strange collection of really opened the students' minds and they were able to
bring that alternative interpretation into their Controlled
electronic musical apparatus.
Macbeth is invited in to play. Assessments.
Playful, kaleidoscopic and horrific, Filter’s radical version The students were very open-minded about the way the
of Macbeth fused Shakespeare's corrosive, psychological play was presented, asked intelligent questions and were,
thriller about ambition, power, witchcraft and sanity with in every way, a credit to the school.
innovative sound and music to take you on a strange, I am incredibly proud of them.
funny and scintillating journey to the epicentre of the Filter’s irreverent and contemporary recreations of the
classics – Caucasian Chalk Circle, Three Sisters, Twelfth
'heat-oppressed brain'.
Night
and A Midsummer Night’s Dream – have gone down
As part of their GCSE English course, the group went to see
a
storm
in the UK and the World in the past few years.
the play performed by the Filter Theatre group at Exeter
Carrie Groves, English teacher
University's Northcott Theatre.
Author Sara Greaves visits KEVICC
Sea Scape
Shelly O’Leary
The Gull The sun is so bright!
But the sea is a fright.
The sand is as golden as a pound
Coin. And the fried chips.
But the seaweed looks like slimy
tentacles.
If the seaweed is slimy
Then for sure, the fish is slimy.
The beach is endless – it goes on
For miles...
As the sky turns dull…
The sea comes to eat the sand castles.
As the sun says goodbye
And hello to the moon
The sky goes away… just to be seen
soon…
And then from midnight…
The beaches and sky are completely
dead.
Not a gull in sight…
Or even a smile in sight…
As the beach is awaiting the sun.
For another day full of fun.
Anya Rose
Slimy, slippery, the bird
Lies there stiff and
Unfeeling.
I wish it was a living
Being.
Year 10 Poetry
Recession Jasmin Whitehead
The derelict hotel stood in its sadness as the
sky darkened.
The senseless waves smashed against the
steps.
The tangling creepers climbed
Up the cold stone walls
And into the darkness
Of the creases
As if
Ripping the building apart leaf
By leaf.
The boarded windows
Sheltered the swallowed
Depth of the inside.
As it blindly pleaded for sight.
I kneel down close to the
Ground.
It’s sheltered here,
And safe.
Pleasant.
(Minus the stench of rotting
Flesh and the sound of
My breath.)
Heavy.
Like my thoughts.
Steadily, steadily.
Remember to breathe.
Breathe in time to
The sound of
The sea.
Page 7
Design & Technology
London Underground Chocolate Company
take a new direction – supported by the
Totnes REconomy Local Enterprise Forum
The team of four Year 8 students, who last summer won a prize at
the Science Technology, Engineering and Maths event at Exeter
University have, over the last year been in negotiations with the
Transport for London Organisation. Unfortunately the organisation
has decided not to develop the partnership further and will
not allow use of their name. The team of four girls, Charlotte
Puddicombe, Menna Shore, Lucy McMurray and Mia Poore, now
plan to develop another chocolate concept in conjunction with the
Eden Project. The team hope to negotiate with the Eden Project
during the summer term the possibility of selling their products
in the shop. The chocolate shape, which reflects the panels of the
biomes, will have flavours that link with the crops grown in the
domes. The girls have already researched which price-point
to target in relation to the other chocolate products
available at Eden.
David Irish, Team Leader of D&T
Something Wonderful
in My Back Yard
Logo Design Competition
A group of Year 12 Btec Design students have been working
on a live project to develop the corporate identity of this new
musical, based on the Transition movement. The musical project
is being part-financed by crowd-funding donations. In March,
the students were briefed by Chloe Uden, from RegenSW and
Matt Harvey, the celebrated poet, who is the lyric writer. They
were asked to present ideas that reflected the musical's ethics
and principles in a modern and accessible manner. The clients
and public were consulted at various stages and the final designs
exhibited at the D&T Expo in May for the final client selection.
The client gave feedback to all students and announced the
winner – Kal Lawrence – who will receive £100, and negotiations
on rights will be agreed. It is hoped that Kal will be able to develop
his design further into production with real practising designers,
further enriching his learning experience.
The quality of work produced by KEVICC Design and Technology
students was very impressive, and we are really happy to have
had feedback on the designs from the people of Totnes whilst
the work has been on display at the College. We are delighted
with the logo Kal has designed – it’s a winner!
Chloe Uden, SWIMBY Musical Producer
Page 8
The company recently pitched their new
emerging ideas to the Local Entrepreneurs
Forum at the Totnes Civic Hall. As a result,
they have received offers of further financial
advancements; opportunities to learn about
chocolate production; marketing guidance;
free advertising space; contacts with Fairtrade
supply chains; contacts with food production
engineers and a potential link with the cofounder of Green & Blacks.
This gave the students a valuable opportunity
to experience the networking process. They
are now following up these opportunities and
contacts, and building their relationship with
the Eden Project team.
David Irish
Kal Lawrence, SWIMBY logo design winner
This was a challenging brief but I felt it would be a good
thing to do. I needed to convey the message of the
musical visually, and the logo needed to 'catch your
eye'. I reduced the long title and chose colours carefully.
Kal is now in discussion with Chloe Uden and Matt
Harvey about working on the SWIMBY Musical
Songbook as paid work experience this summer.
Design & Technology
Design & Technology EXPO 15
This year’s D&T Expo reflected an evolution in electronic
manufacturing in all age groups across the school and
its primary partner schools. This reflects the continuing
emergence of 3D print technologies in society and
industry. Students from Diptford Primary School
exhibited their designs for modern egg cups created over
a four hour period. Year 7 and 8 students, as part of the
Enterprise in Schools Programme, developed self-directed
products based on rotational profile techniques within the
3D computer-aided design software. Products included
candlesticks, diablos, pencil storage devices, salt and
pepper shakers, night lights, yoyos, goblets and vessels.
At Sixth Form level, Larissa Connabeer developed the Dry
Pod system that allows sailing enthusiasts to dry their
wetsuits once used by ensuring that all the openings of the
suit are kept open to keep air circulating. The components
all stack together and save space on the boat when not in
use. Larissa has already registered the website name and
is looking to develop the idea further commercially next
year in her gap year.
Oliver Crewes, also in year 13, developed a solitary bee
hive for use in modern environments. Again, the shell
was prototyped using a powder-based 3D printer and
filled with bamboo rods for the bee access. This project
responded to the alarming decline in bee populations in
both urban and rural areas in recent years.
Matt Smith, as part of his Product Design submission
,developed a biodegradable ashes urn that, when planted
in the ground with a sapling inserted, gradually feeds the
sapling and its collar provids a barrier to weeds choking
the young plant.
Fab Lab
meets
e a c h
Tuesday
evening
in the
D&T lab.
Other exhibits at GCSE level included Hazel Woodcock’s
shelving system in a rowing boat form that, when flooding
occurrs – as in the Somerset Levels last year – home
owners could use to save their precious belongings and
leave them floating inside the house.
Fleur Halkes in year 11 designed a large bamboo surf rack
structure that was beautifully engineered yet, because
of its selection and use of materials, environmentally
sensitive and sustainable. Its quality would not have
looked out of place at A Level.
There were also many GCSE Textiles exhibits that
illustrated the creativity and individual approaches that
students take ~ the diversity of which is inspiring.
In addition to the work of students at the College, the
community Fab Lab that meets every Tuesday evening
exhibited as part of the show. Pieces included CAD
drawings, materials tests, mathematical models, 3D
print outs and kite designs. The work of the Fab Lab is
now attracting referrals from commercial business in
Plymouth.
As ever, the exhibition illustrates the diversity and creative
talent of students and community members within the
community, and the diverse range of traditional and
modern technologies that can be accessed and deployed
at the College. David Irish, Team Leader of D&T
Page 9
History
Year 4 from The Grove travels back to the past
Information for KEVICC Staff one day in April ... Year 4
from The Grove have fallen through a time portal and been
evacuated to Kennicott in 1940.
To ensure the defence of Kennicott from any Nazi 5th
Columnists, and possible invasion, they will be forming LDV
(aka Home Guard) patrols. If challenged by members of the
LDV, please identify yourself as a friend and present your
1940 Identity Card to avoid being arrested as a spy.
Year 7 History Challenge Pathway students had been asked
to help out when The Grove came to KEVICC so, dressed in
1940s clothes, they met the Grove students who had been
'evacuated' that morning onto the Kennicott lawn before they
started their 'time travelling day of adventure and fun'.
The Grove students seemed to really enjoy their day.
Toby Cayless said: It was absolutely amazing during WW2
day. Thank you..
Eden Cohen-King added: It was epic! Best school day I have
ever had! My favourite part was the guard training.
For Marcel Almond-Worrall: it was so fun. I loved the ration rock
cake and the gardening, but especially loved the Home Guard.
We really enjoyed the day too and hope that the Grove students
will come back and visit us again, maybe for a different time
travelling adventure.
Rio Creed year 7
There were workshops throughout
the afternoon run by KEVICC staff,
and helped by trainees and students:
Dig for Victory
Blitz Experience
Local Defence Volunteers
Totnes remembers the Gallipoli Campaign
As part of the KEVICC Remembers Project, which is
remembering the events of the First World War, the College
were asked if they would be willing to participate in an event
organised by Totnes Town Council to mark the 100th anniversary
of the start of the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915. Two members
of the Year 7 History Challenge Pathways Group, Ben Summers
and Jai Stacey, agreed to participate. Ben writes:
I was asked to research and prepare a speech relating to
the Gallipoli Campaign in the First World War. The College
was keen to be represented because a number of its exstudents fought and died in Gallipoli and, one in particular,
was singled out for his bravery and was awarded the Victoria
Cross, the most important medal that a British soldier would
win. He was Major Richard Willis and I had been asked to
talk about him as he had been a student at King Edward VI
School in Totnes. Richard Willis was born on the 30 October
1876 and he attended our school in the 1880s.
After the speeches, Jai and myself were asked to plant a tree
in memory of the brave people who fought in Gallipoli. The
tree we planted was a Brown Turkish Fig Tree and with it was
a plaque which mentioned Major Willis and his VC, and that
this was the first of 100 trees to be planted in the town in
memory of the First World War.
I am proud to think that Major Willis attended our school.
I believe we must learn from history and work together to
create a lasting peace for all. Ben Summers, year 7
Page 10
Geography
Water Aid Workshop
A team of Geography students across years 7, 8 and 9 took part in a
workshop led by WaterAid – a charity that aims to create a world where
everyone, everywhere has safe water, sanitation and hygiene. Their
mission is to transform the lives of the poorest and most marginalised
people by improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
Students learnt about areas in India and Africa which suffer from poor
water resources. They found out about some of the difficulties faced
by people in these areas who have no access to safe drinking water.
Shockingly, at least 10% of the world’s population still live without safe
water to drink and one in three people live without a decent toilet.
As part of the workshop students had the opportunity to carry 7 litres of
water and feel how heavy this felt. They saw pictures of children aged 7
who had to carry 15 litres on their heads for a number of miles.
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I thought the workshop explained
the world's water problem very well.
I was not aware that there was such
a large problem with world’s water.
Felix Dennison
During the workshop I realised how many people, families
an villages are suffering and need help.
Coco Powell
Year 9 Wildwise Project
Forty-five year 7 students visited the Devon County Show
in Exeter as part of their work in Geography. The students
have been examining their British cultures and traditions
as part of a unit of work entitled Exploring Britain.
Students had an insight into the world of farming
and took part in a number of hands-on activities led
by FarmWise Devon, who aim to allow pupils to have a
‘beyond the classroom experience’ and to be able to
engage with demonstrations. They planted seeds; made
their own apple juice and saw chicks hatching. They
also saw a number of specialist livestock and watched
the pig-judging event. Then they had a sheep-shearing
demonstration in which Mr Trent lent a hand! Other
animals that the students visited included llamas, goats
and calves. They followed this up by completing basic
geographical fieldwork including a produce survey, land
use survey and practised their field sketching skills.
They also enjoyed excellent performances by KPAC and
KFC, who took to the bandstand to perform. Millie Harris
Over the past six weeks a selection of Year 9 students have
been finding their inner Bear Grylls and have taken part
in a bushcraft project within school. The students have
learnt to make fire from scratch, build shelters to survive
in and to forage for food.
They also got the opportunity to canoe down the River
Dart and make Mrs Wright a cup of tea on their homemade fire. The students have had a brilliant time – and
learned lots of new skills. The programme finished with
all their parents coming in for a bushcraft celebration
and the students cooked them some trout over the fire in
Kennicott Woods.
Nicola Wright, Head of year 9
Page 11
Art
KEVICC @ Birdwood House 2015
February saw another really successful exhbition of artwork by KEVICC
students at Birdwood House, Totnes. Sixth Form students who stewarded
the show were delighted by the range, and amount, of positive feedback
they received from members of the public. People seemed genuinely
impressed by the high standard of work; variety of media and techniques
used – and the professional way that the exhbition had been hung. It is
always an absolute pleasure to showcase the work of our deeply talented
students and reminds the staff here of how lucky they are to work in a
place where their subject is so highly thought of!
Tim Wightman, Team Leader of Art
Ariel Gallery
WATERMARKS
an exhibition of
'Poems & Photographs
Where Land & Water Meet'
We were delighted to host
work from Candy Neubert,
Jane Spiro, John Daniel
and Michael Carter.
Year 7 students visited the
exhibition and wrote poems
in response to the work; later
meeting artist John Daniel in
the Gallery where their poems
were exhibited and judged.
Page 12
Aerial Photography
Local amateur photographer, Dave Mitchell, gave an
informative talk to students from a range of years
about aerial photography, including showing how he
uses kites, poles and drones to take the photos. He
brought in interesting equipment, including rigs and
remote controls for the cameras on kites. The students
found the talk fascinating and fun! Olly Haring, an A2
Art student in year 13, said: I was very inspired by
the talk and Mr Mitchell was unbelievably helpful in
providing support for the Personal Investigation part
of my course.
Tim Wightman, Team Leader of Art
Foundation Art
Ellen Conrad
Foundation Art Show June 2015
Student Ellen Conrad was just one of many
students exhibing work of a very high standard at
the end of year show this summer. She writes:
I have been a student at Kennicott since 2012 when I joined
the Sixth Form to study for my A-Levels.
My interests in fashion and textiles began whilst at my
former school where I undertook an art project on the
fashion designer Alexander McQueen. His work sparked
my enthusiasm for dressmaking. Being able to design a
garment, and then to make it, is so exciting for me.
My creativity really blossomed whilst at Kennicott. A-Level
Textiles allowed me to combine my love of fashion with an
appreciation of art and the design process. I was taught how to
develop ideas along with lots of useful skills and techniques.
I am confident that this acquired skill and knowledge will
come in handy in the future. What I really loved about A-Level
Textiles was that there were no limitations to how wild and
outrageous our ideas could be. I had a lot fun designing and
making some truly wacky outfits.
By the end of year 12, I knew I wanted to do the Foundation
Course at Kennicott. The Foundation Course has given me
the opportunity to learn new skills, expand my creative
ideas and helped me decide what I want to do in the future.
A big part of the course was finding out exactly which
degree course I wanted to apply for. Through talking with
tutors, undertaking research and visiting colleges, I decided
Costume was where my interests really lay.
This, in turn, led me to realise that my work is much more
costume/fine art based, rather than purely fashion based.
I have since gained and accepted a place on BA (Hons)
Costume for Performance at London College of Fashion which
I am very much looking forward to starting in September.
I think the Foundation Course at Kennicott is fantastic
because you really are allowed to try out any idea you
have, and the tutors are all so helpful and supportive. They
encourage us to work really hard and be the best we can be
– and for this I am very thankful, because I know I will come
out of this year a confident and well-rounded artist.
Ellen Conrad
Further details about the Totnes Art & Design Foundation Course can be found at www.kingedwardvi.devon.sch.uk/foundationart
Page 13
Maths
In the diagram below, all the lines pass
through 4 numbers.
The middle numbers are missing, but each
line much total 24.
Can you work out what the missing numbers
are?
Page 14
Maths
UK Maths Trust annual Maths Challenges saw great results for KEVICC students!
UKMT is an organisation who
aims to advance the education
of children and young people in
Mathematics. Throughout the
year, students are challenged to
compete in a number of individual
and team competitions.
Year 9, 10 and 11 students
competed in the Individual Maths
Challenge, with a large number of
them achieving Bronze, Silver or
Gold Awards – given to only the top
40% of participants. Five students
did so well that they qualified for
the next round of the Challenge and,
from this, one student achieved a
Merit Award. Well done Ted!
Year 7 and 8 students did just as
well when competing in the Junior
Maths Challenge, with students
also achieving Bronze, Silver and
Gold Awards. As well as achieving
best in school, Huw Paige is also
through to the next round to
compete in the Junior Kangaroo
competition. Congratulations Huw!
Year 11
Year 10
Year 8
Gold
Gold
Gold
Ted Stokes
Michael Flanagan
Rowan Robinson
Hannah Sutton
Huw Paige
Adam Backhouse
Silver
Silver
Ethan Merrington-Pink Joanna Quinsey
Tyler Walton
Silver
Ayla De Jong
Tommy Hodgkins Bronze
Eliza Boyacigiller Jack Carter
Kane Milne
Year 9
Louis Guy
Ollie Tysoe
Silver
Orla Kelly
Ewan Baker
Sasha Wicks
Felicity Dunn
Joe Pratt-Johns
Bronze
Keith Lam
Lilah Aptroot
Bronze
Teya Sheppard
Karli Rose
Seb Simons
Luke Moore
Katie Brock
Danny Cleave
Ben Turner
Matt Rowe
Jamie Stacey
Jess Ellis
Ayesha Milner-Glover
Sam Cooper
Cody Bakewell
Mia Poore
Rhys Gribble
Alicia White
Bronze
Joe Haggerty
Lucy McMurray
Max White
Year 7
Silver
Daniel Flanagan
Bronze
Joe Arthur-Williams
Benjo Aptroot
Alfie Annear
Harland Clark
Leah Shelton
UKMT Team Challenge ~ our year 8/9 team
Felicity Dunn, Sam Eaton, Ewan Baker and Mia Poore
Two irrational numbers (approximately 0.618 and
1.618), are often referred to as the golden ratio. These
two numbers possess many intriguing properties. For
example, shapes that adhere to the golden ratio have
long been considered to be aesthetically pleasing.
Year 10 investigated this property using measurements
taken from facial dimensions. These were used to
calculate proportional quantities, and recorded. An
average was taken – I won’t say who was closest to it
but, remarkably, many of the students achieved an
average close to 1.618!
Jonathan Hawker, teacher of Mathematics
Four of our most talented
mathematicians from years 8 and
9 competed in the Team Maths
Challenge Regional Final in
Plymouth, competing against 19
other schools from the local area.
The day comprised of four rounds
– a group round, a cross number,
a shuttle round and a relay round.
Our KEVICC students showed how
well a team could work together,
and how they could use everyone's
different skills to answer some
very challenging questions.
At the end of the day, the results
were announced and the KEVICC
team had finished in 4th place,
fighting off fierce rivals from
Kingsbridge
and
Ivybridge
Community Colleges!
A brilliant day, and a huge well
done, to Ewan Baker, Felicity
Dunn, Mia Poore and Sam Eaton. Emma Townend, Maths teacher
This summer, GCSE students found this question in the
Edexcel Maths paper:
There are n sweets in a bag. 6 of the sweets are orange.
The rest of the sweets are yellow.
Hannah takes a random sweet from the bag. She eats
the sweet.
Hannah then takes at random another sweet from the
bag. She eats the sweet.
The probability that Hannah eats two orange sweets is
1/3.
Show that n² – n – 90 = 0.
Can you solve it?!
Page 15
Primary Sport
Primary Central Venue League Football
After another fantastic season of breathtaking football, it
was South Brent who found themselves top of the pile and
crowned champions for the 2014/15 season. They were
closely followed by runners-up Landscove, and Totnes St.
Johns who took a well-deserved third place.
The league has been well supported by Primary staff and
parents alike, with good crowds regularly turning up to
watch the action. As well as some brilliant skill on show,
and some wonder goals, it was great to see all the teams
display the true spirit of football, including the values of
fair play, respect and team work.
Our attention now turns to a well-deserved summer break
to recharge the batteries – with one eye on next season,
and who can wrestle the title away from South Brent!
Sam Lyndon, PE teacher
Primary Athletics
Page 16
On two Wednesdays in June, over three hundred year 3 and
4 pupils from Broadhempston, Dartington, Harbertonford,
Landscove, South Brent, The Grove and Totnes St. Johns
came to KEVICC to take part in an Athletics Festival.
The event was run by our Year 10 Sports Leaders and
included opportunities for the primary school pupils to
practise and refine their technique in a range of athletic
disciplines, including long distance running, sprinting,
javelin, hurdling, long jump and many more. The unique
aspect to a festival is that it is fully inclusive, which
enables all abilities to take part and have a go at the
events – whether they are a complete novice or an elite
performer.
During the planning process, the leaders felt that the
event should highlight the values of the Olympic Games,
so they designed reward stickers that were given to
students who demonstrated the values of courage,
determination, inspiration,
excellence, friendship and
respect. After two and a half
hours of practical activity,
it was time to head back
to their schools and a welldeserved rest. Some of the
teachers commented that
they have never known their
class to be so quiet during
afternoon lessons!
A massive well done to
everyone who took part
and to the year 10 leaders
for their organisation and
enthusiasm. Sam Lyndon
Primaries
Primary Visits English and Maths
We have been busy entertaining and
teaching enquiring young minds in our local
feeder primary schools. The year groups
range from to year 6 right down to year 3s!
A huge 'thank you' to our support students
who have volunteered to come along and
represent the school, providing essential
help during the workshops.
The primary schools benefit from sessions in
Maths and English, working co-operatively
in partnership, and it does tie in well with
their school timetable. Furthermore, we had
some excellent feedback from the schools
about the way we worked together and had
the children moving from one discipline to
the other.
A giant’s foot print is discovered
in the play-ground. The pupils
need to use their skills and
knowledge of times tables, ratio
and a map of the body to recreate
a life size picture of the giant!
Donkey Derby, roll up roll up!!
Introducing probability through a
game of dice: which donkey will be
the winner? A whirl of activity and
flurry of pencil and they’re off…
There was some excellent insight as
to why one choice was better than
another – and then it was off to a
word snake word search.
Racing through thesauri, finding the
very best word and then transforming
sentences led to some amazing
descriptive work in English.
Sentences such as:
The illuminating Christmas lights
twinkling merrily in the gigantic hall
were washing away the necromancy
that had once lived there.
Amazing!
Maybe a spot of Pythagoras; colouring
to start with of course!
But who will be the first to find his
famous formula??
Thanks for taking care of us. The kids really enjoyed themselves and they were buzzing on the way home.
There was such a buzz in all the rooms we visited and everyone commented on how 'engaged', 'calm'
and 'enthusiastic' our students and teachers were. Well Done! Staff from the Primaries
We very much hope to continue this positive work over the coming years.
Luke Harvey, Maths teacher and Emma Simmons, English teacher
Page 17
Creative Learning Day 3
Global and International Awareness
Year 9 had a day of International Sport –
getting clued-up on countries and cultural
attitudes through sport – with a mini-Olympic
event in the afternoon on the Elmhirst field.
3D pr
int eg
Year 7 explored Spanish
culture through music, dance,
song, art and langauge –
Spanish being the most
widely-spoken
language
world-wide.
The whole school benefitted
from a selection of Spanish
food being available in the
Dining Room.
In all our Creative Learning Days, the themes
and topics covered are elements of the students'
curriculum which need to be covered to build an
understanding and experience of knowledge, or
ideas not normally covered in specific subjects – or
to address themes that straddle different curriculum
areas and might 'fall through the gap'. Together, they
satisfy some elements of Citizenship and Social,
Moral, Spritual and Cultural understanding. On the
Summer Term day, our year 11 and 13s were postGCSE and A-level exams and no longer in College.
I enjoyed the new software we
used to program the robots.
Trading Day: I thought
it was decent because it
was competitive but you
still had to work hard!
I did everything
and I loved it.
Page 18
g cup
s
In year 8, robotics and world
markets
were
explored
through the building and
programming of robots,
and the buying and selling
on the stock market, with
live streams of commercial
activity. Plus a small group
of students were involved in a
3D printing activity.
Creative Learning Day 3
Year 10 spent the day making ready
for work in the international arena with
interview opportunities; apprenticeships;
holiday planning and handling currency.
Theatre
company
Value
Theatre
presented Am I Bovvered? – a play
exploring attitudes to work experience
that was very well-received by each group
of students throughout the day. It proved
very thought-provoking.
They also reflected on their work / life
balance through a range of activities
which the students chose themselves.
These were archery, drumming, martial
arts and Zumba dancing.
For these activities, specialist workshop
leaders were brought in and this
oppportunity to work with professionals
really
enhanced
the
students'
experiences of each activity.
The theatre performance had
relatable characters and made me
understand the need for a balance
between the three attitudes they
acted out, helping me feel more
confident towards work experience.
Delvinya Howard year 10
Year 10 Mock Interviews were
organised by Nicola Ambrose,
Careers, and carried out by
members of the Rotary Club of
Totnes whose support we find
invaluable on many occasions.
Interviews carried
out by people who
are not known
to the students
are
particularly
valuable,
since
they provide a
more of a 'reallife' atmosphere.
Dr. Peter Beale
Vice-President
If
we
have
contributed
in
some small way
to helping them
steer their way
through some of
the
challenges
they
face
in
making
career
choices, then it
will have been well
worthwhile.
Derek Meacher
Year 12 held a United Nations Conference: a world issue
was explored with problem-solving through debate.
They also welcomed speaker Jill Lewis who informed
them about HIV/AIDS issues at a global level. She works to
raise awareness of sexual health in general, and HIV/AIDS
in particular. Students and staff learned a great deal.
The three Creative Learning Days this year were all organised by Sarah Kehaya, from the
History Department, who retires this term. She did a wonderful job on all three occasions!
Page
Page 19
17
Performing Arts
Cross-cultures Workshop
Primary Dance Day
Children from years 5 and 6 at Berry Pomeroy,
Dartington, Marldon and The Grove Primary
Schools were invited by Sarah McInally, Team
Leader of Dance at KEVICC, to a Primary Dance
Festival Day – and all had a wonderful time!
There were three different dance workshops:
Breakdance, Contemporary and Dance linked
with Science. Four Gifted and Talented year 9
students – Danielle Adams, Emily Hawkins,
Freya Ingram and Molly White – supported
dance staff with real talent and enthusiasm.
Students from KEVICC, Teignmouth C.C., Landscove Primary and Park School had a
unique and enriching opportunity in two workshops recently, creating new music
and dance by exploring, and then combining, the distinct musical traditions of
Mbira and its integral dance from Zimbabwe with a classical string quartet. This
creative project was led Chartwell Dutiro with dancer Denise Rowe and Exeterbased quartet Contemporary Sounds, all working with Bath Spa University.
Chartwell’s inclusive and heartfelt approach to Education is contagious. I
have learned a lot from his style of teaching, and have really embraced this in
my own classroom. Music is absolutely embedded in our culture and society,
just as it is in other cultures over the world. Working with Chartwell reminded
me of this fact. It is our duty as teachers of the Performing Arts to keep them
alive during this challenging time.
Anna Chadwick, Music teacher
Something Wonderful in my Back Yard
Well-known poet Matt Harvey, and
acclaimed composer Thomas HewittJones are in the process of writing their
second musical entitled Something
Wonderful in my Backyard which
follows the story of a community with
big ideas! The musical explores the
ideals of the transition movement and
takes inspiration from Totnes. KEVICC
group KPAC have been extremely lucky
to be invited to perform some of the
material as it is written, which is both
incredibly exciting and a real privilege
to be a part of. Earlier this term, students met with a local BBC team, who initially
recorded the students singing Pie in the
Sky and Home in our Theatre to ensure
that they managed to achieve a clean
sound. After an hour of solid work from the
students, we relocated to the Kennicott
kitchen garden where students performed
the song in various spots and formations.
Following this, students walked up to
Civic Square where they performed in
front of an interested local crowd. The
feature was aired five days later and the
students came across fantastically.
Jo Crook, Head of Performing Arts
Page 20
My contribution to the day was a workshop I
devised from word stimuli. I gave the students
imagined scenarios and, from this, they had
to depict with their bodies the sensation or
action involved. The outcome was fascinating.
Susie Reeves-Sharp, Dance teacher
It was fantastic to see such enthusiasm all
day for cross-curricular learning. Each group
embraced the challenge of furthering their
understanding of forces through movement.
Cara Young, Dance trainee teacher
Performing Arts
Tilly Coulton year 11
I have not
always
been
so
inspired by
music as I
am today.
Practising
the
flute
used to be a
chore and,
because
of that, I
never really
got better.
I found it upsetting and challenging and
nearly gave it all up completely.
I've been playing flute since I was 8, but it
was when I was about 14 that I learned that
music is only fun if you enjoy what you're
doing. My amazing teacher, Kate Graham,
encouraged me to try jazz flute, which
involved improvisation and generally a
different approach to music. I loved it and,
because I loved it, I practised it, and because
I willingly practised, I got so much better in
a short time. I am so glad that I continued
with the flute, and have now taken my
grade 6, which I passed with distinction.
I'm now on track to do my grade 8 flute
next year, which I am so excited about as
it's such a wonderful skill to have. I am also
hoping to take my grade 7 singing soon and
have recently started working on my grade
2 piano; I believe it's important in music
to learn, or at least experience, as many
instruments as possible! I am part of the
KEVICC Jazz Band and Orchestra, and have
played for a couple of the school musicals,
including this year's Addams Family. I am
also part of the Devon Youth Symphony
Orchestra. Playing in groups is my favourite
way to play because listening to all the
sounds working together is an amazing
experience to be immersed in. I also help
my flute and singing teacher, Kate Graham,
with her after-school Soundcheck Music
Club where years 7, 8 & 9 can come to enjoy
singing, song-writing and performing.
Next year, I will be taking Music and Music
Technology at Kennicott, which I am so
excited about, and then I hope to enrol in
a university specializing in music, such
as Guildhall in London. I'm so grateful to
the KEVICC music department for helping
me to fall back in love with music; the
opportunities are endless and I can't wait to
see where music will take me.
SPRUNG: KEVICC Dance
SPRUNG just seems to go from strength to strength.
I wanted this year's SPRUNG to be a real eclectic range
of styles from different year groups, representing the
dance department at its best, and this is certainly what
was delivered on the night. We had funky dance moves
to Kylian style technique, and an array of different
stimuli expressed – illustrating the intellectual process
that is integral to choreography and performance.
Dance really is the ‘hidden language of the soul’.
This performance platform is so important to the
students and they thrive on having a live audience,
and receiving feedback. The introductory film – put
together by Tom Greig, our Theatre technician – truly
highlighted how important dance is to some of these
students and proved a good opener to this year’s show.
Every single student was supportive of one another throughout all the rehearsals
and lead up to the final showcase. It felt like a big family throughout the process.
I am truly inspired, moved and proud of every single student who performed. The
professionalism was first class and the
energy was immense! What has been one
of the main highlights for me is seeing the
students grow from their younger years
towards being adults, and how the top end
students inspire others to achieve high
quality outcomes. I am so privileged to be
teaching these talented young students at
KEVICC and they fill me with the greatest
sense of joy. Sarah McInally, Team Leader
Drama
Jo Crook and Derek
Davies took a group of
year 10 drama students
to see The Woman in
White by Susan Hill in
Plymouth. The play is a
‘two-hander’ with both
actors performing all
of the different roles within the story. I wondered how the students would respond
in light of the recent Daniel Radcliffe film and the cinematic special effects that is
unachievable in live performance.
The students all came away absolutely buzzing and re-telling one another the
moments they found most scary. Once again, our students were a credit to the
department and the College.
Jo Crook, Head of Performing Arts
Year 11 Drama students have just completed
their GCSE performances. There was a real range
in all performances throughout, with hard work,
long rehearsal hours and fantastic work from all
groups – an experience they will remember for
the rest of their lives.
Alex Harris and Kathy Rablah led year 12 in
putting on two plays – The Skriker and The
Bacchae – both challenging pieces that really
required students to stretch themselves, both
at an individual performance level, and working
as an ensemble. They were both excellent
performances and a huge thanks goes to
members of the department for their extra
hours in the lead-up to the exam. Jo Crook
Page 21
Our very first Music summer music
festival put on in collaboration with
the Parents' Association, in June ...
What an incredible day! The weather was in
our favour and the collaborative nature of the
festival meant that the whole event was very
enjoyable! Our students made us very proud
again as they filled the two stages with sound
for over 2½ hours. As well as our usual music
ensembles and soloists, there was dancing,
acting and some performances from our
younger Challenge Pathway groups. Andy
Quick, the professional musician headlining
the festival, could not believe the talent of
the students and thought our KFC (KEVICC
Folk Club) was 'awesome'.
.. our stewards ..
The year 11 BTec students supported the event
fully by providing an entertainment zone which
included tie-dying and a bouncy castle. Feedback
from the community has been very positive, and we
cannot wait to do an even bigger and better event
again next year. Thank you to all staff, students,
the P.A. and the local community involved in the
event; you all worked so hard. Well done KEVICC!
Nicola Hansford ,Team Leader of Music
.. our technician ..
Modern Foreign Languages
Language Leaders: This year has seen the launch of the KEVICC Language
Leaders Award with six leaders enrolling on this course. This award has been based
on the highly successful Sports Leaders Award, and follows the same principles
of developing skills in organisation, communication, motivation, leadership and
taking the initiative.
Following on from discussions and training in basic language teaching techniques,
the students taught each other, as well as a French and Spanish year 7 class. There
was a lot of excitement of teaching the younger pupils. The resources produced
were outstanding – the year 7s were fully engaged and loved every minute of it!
Next year, we will continue to offer our Language Leaders programme as an extracurricular activity for the current year 7 and 8 students. If you are interested in this,
please pass your name to Mrs Lawrance directly, or through your language teacher.
If you would like more information, you could also see one of the 2014-15 Language
leaders; Abi Clements, Callum McGinnis, Danni Adams, Daisey Bailey, Ed Coles and
Elly Wilson. Rachael Lawrance, MFL teacher
Page 22
We managed to do
it again! Miss Salter
and Miss Fernandez
keep on organising
cookery sessions, and
still we haven’t had an
uneventful one yet.
Callum McGinnis definitely struggled
big time when trying to turn over the
omelette: half of it ended up on the
floor, and the other half looked inedible.
Ed Coles could not believe his eyes! On
the contrary, mine was great and proved
to everybody again that I am the best.
The girls were all right-ish but, let’s
face it, I didn’t care anyway and they
were definitely more worried about
their hair. Mrs Crellen caused trouble
by being clumsy and challenging Miss
Fernandez’s Spanish recipe by adding
weird stuff to it. I think she got parked
in the end!
Miss Fernandez made us put so much oil
that I am still surprised my cholesterol
is fine. The doctor said I should be more
cautious though from now on. Cheers
Miss! That was a good one! Can’t wait
for the next one Miss. Can we possibly
make “Churros” and “snails”?
The anonymous student ;-)
Modern Foreign Languages
Exeter meal at the Spanish restaurant EL FORN
On adore les crêpes!!
In April, the Spanish Sixth
formers attended a revision
session at the Spanish
restaurant in Exeter – El Forn.
We spent the morning
discussing current affairs in
the target language, and then
we had a traditional Spanish
tapas experience, directed
by the Spanish chef Rafa and
Luis, our favourite Spanish
waiter. I was very proud to
present Caitlin Pether with a
lifetime achievement award
for her amazing participation.
And it was fun as well!
After school in March, some years 8
and 9 made some delicious crêpes
with two of the language teachers.
I found it really enjoyable and fun
to make different foreign delicacies,
with extra things on top to decorate
them with.
Hannah Munday
Cristina Fernandez De Gorostiza Samper
Special thanks to Mrs Presley and Miss Salter, plus Mrs Fernandez (who taught Science here
a few years ago) and her friend Isabel - who both very kindly participated in the day.
Year 9 Pop-Up book to help younger learners
A small group of year 9 boys have been spending time in the library
creating a pop-up book – filled with lots of useful French vocabulary,
for younger students to use next year. As well as numbers and
colours, the boys have illustrated pages of useful words that year 7s
will be learning in their first year of French at KEVICC.
Well done boys, great idea!
Yasmin Salter, MFL teacher
Exeter University Languages Day
Owen Flower, Year 10 Spanish student writes: language students
went on a trip to Exeter University for a Languages Day. The day
commenced with an intriguing tour around the university campus,
led by a current student. Three interesting and highly beneficial
language sessions followed, taught by a university lecturer. I found
these very helpful, learning a variety of new vocabulary. We were
pleased to realise we seemed more confident in our level of language
than the students from other schools. We also had a talk about
the highly recommended 'Year Abroad', where students can spend
a year studying anywhere in the world. To top the day off, slightly
behind schedule, we had a tiring sprint to catch our train! It was
an enjoyable day and I would recommend it to future year10 MFL
students as a good opportunity to learn about what it is like to study
at a University like Exeter, whilst developing your MFL skills.
Plymouth University
Masterclass Morning
Some super-keen year 9s had
the exciting opportunity to visit
the University of Plymouth on a
Saturday morning and experience
a masterclass from one of their
native French lecturers.
They enjoyed hearing about true
French culture and learned a few
tricks to improve their work and
get top marks every time!
It was a really fun and enjoyable morning where I got to meet a few new people. The teacher was kind and taught us some
facts about France, and gave us some really useful worksheets - and we even learnt some French tongue-twisters!Tansy West
Page 23
Science
Royal Society of Chemistry Top of the Bench Competition
In December last term, a team of four KEVICC students
attended the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Top of the Bench
regional heats in Exeter University.
KEVICC students win the regional heat
and go on to compete in the Finals!
The team, consisting of Ethan Merrington-Pink (year11), Beth
Courtney (year10), Emma Jarvis (year 9) and Ewan Baker (year
9), battled it out against a variety of schools from across the
South West. The team worked fantastically as a group in the
university lab, completing two practical assessments and a
chemical knowledge quiz. Each member of the team worked
extremely hard in all aspects, each assigning themselves
roles and jobs throughout the tasks, but also enjoying every
minute of the opportunity to work in a university lab!
The hard work certainly paid off! The KEVICC team were
announced as the winners of the regional heats! The team
was ecstatic (including Mr Waistnidge and me, who couldn’t
contain our excitement and let out cheers during the
announcement!) and we returned with the knowledge that
we were through to the finals.
In April, we began the day of the finals in Loughborough
University, with individual thirty minute chemical knowledge
tests, followed by two hours of practical tasks. We were up
against some very stiff competition, but we were happy in
the knowledge that we had come this far and we were going
to enjoy the experience. We were also able to act as a funding
committee by voting for some of the university's PhD
chemistry students, who pitched us their amazing research
ideas which may transform our everyday lives very soon!
l-r Ewan Baker, Ethan Merrington-Pink, Beth Courtney, Emma Jarvis
Main photo courtesy of
Loughborough University and
Royal Society of Chemists
When the results of the competition came in, the team who
took home the trophy wasn’t KEVICC but, regardless of the
outcome, this was a fantastic opportunity to showcase some
of our College’s finest chemists! As a teacher, I was certainly
proud to present them as my team and I know that we all
took something incredibly positive away with us on the train
home (and that doesn’t include the free t-shirts, goggles and
pens!) Fran Dumas, Science teacher
Phenomenal Science
Students have been exploring the weirder side of Science at a club called Science Phenomena.
The students have performed magic tricks that only Science can
explain, like spinning a strobe pen which defies gravity; causing
perpetual motion in pendulums and spinning tops; lighting a 230V
strip light with their bare hands; conducting several thousand volts
of electricity through their fingertips and flying a UFO that writes
messages in the air.
With gadgets to play with; impossible 3D puzzles to figure out and
things like hovercraft to build, time seems to fly past. Those who like
Science Phenomena like anything that flies. So we have also tested
out missiles that helicopter back to Earth; water rockets; boomerangs
and other flying objects. Science phenomena are like magic tricks
and, as with all magic tricks, we just want to know – how do they do that?
Why not come on Wednesday lunchtime in Room 86 to find out?John Lessware, Science teacher
(see page 31 for details of the generous support given to us by the Foundation Governors)
Page 24
Alumni
The Professor and the Student .. but which is which?!
Professor Helen J. Cooper
Professor of Mass Spectrometry and EPSRC Fellow
University of Birmingham
Earlier this year, I had the great pleasure
of delivering my Inaugural Lecture at the
University of Birmingham. All Professors
are asked to give an Inaugural Lecture
in recognition of their appointment,
and they are a great opportunity for the
Professor to tell colleagues, friends and
the public about their research. I was
especially delighted that my former
Chemistry teacher, your very own Mr
Dave Waistnidge, was able to attend.
Dave taught me Chemistry for both my
O-level and A-level and really sparked
my interest in the subject.
After leaving KEVICC, I went to the
University of Warwick to read Chemistry.
On completing my BSc, I stayed at the
University of Warwick to study for a PhD.
I had always been more interested in
physical chemistry and my PhD focused
on understanding the gas-phase ion
chemistry inside a mass spectrometer
– and this has been at the centre of my
research since those days. I stayed on at
Warwick where they were lucky enough
to get funding for the most powerful
mass spectrometer available. This was
capable of analysing large biomolecules
such as proteins, and so began my move
towards to the biosciences, although
always (and to this day) with one foot
still in physical chemistry.
In 2000, I had the opportunity to move
to Florida State University to work in the
lab of the inventor of that very powerful
mass spectrometer. This was a wonderful
time for me – I was working in one of the
biggest laboratories in the world, with
Julie left KEVICC
in 2000. Now a
published author,
she tells her story of how she achieved her
dream with the publication of her first novel
about 18th century Cornwall, The Cornubian.
I knew from a very early age that I wanted
to be a writer. I still have my very first book,
The Kitten, that I penned in Marldon Primary
School. I did well in my GCSEs at KEVICC and knew I wanted to
stay on at Kennicott but, in the summer of 1998, I suffered a
head injury in a national karate competition. The neurosurgeon
informed me that the after-effects I was experiencing were the
result of a concussional brain trauma, and that it should clear
up within 6 months. But, when I joined Sixth Form, I suddenly
found I was struggling to concentrate. My writing started going
funny. I became anxious and frustrated and my G.P. advised
me to leave Sixth Form as I was putting myself under too much
pressure – but I didn’t like the idea of giving up. Sadly, I was not
able to achieve the results I would have been capable of prior to
the accident. The odd thing was, whenever somebody asked me
what I would like to do for a living, I would always answer, Well,
I’d like to be a writer, but… There was always a ‘but’.
Being a writer never really occurred to me as a realistic
occupation. After all, I also wanted to marry Mel Gibson, have
an apartment in Monte Carlo and fly my own Learjet. Then I
found The Kitten – that first story – again. In fact, I found
over fifty stories. I had never stopped writing, you see. Being
a jeweller was kind of nice. As was being a nursery nurse. But
Julie Spiller
It was such an honour to go up to
Helen’s inaugural lecture as a newly
appointed Professor of Chemistry at
Birmingham University. The day was
fantastic, right from Helen showing
me around the lab she works in, to
meeting her family, Mum and Dad
and younger sister Fiona (who I also
taught A-level chemistry) and her
family. I even impressed myself by
understanding (most) of Helen’s
lecture on her research; although the
photo of me with her A level chemistry
group all those years ago came as a
bit of a surprise!
Dave Waistnidge
access to fantastic kit and the brightest
colleagues, and the sun always shone!
In 2003, I came back to the UK to the
University of Birmingham. I have set
up a research programme aimed at
developing novel approaches, using
mass spectrometry, for the analysis of
biomolecules directly from their natural,
or actual, environment. I am particularly
interested in proteins. The Lecture I
gave recently, entitled 'From surface to
structure: Exploring the molecular world',
marks the culmination of my career to
date. I’m looking forward to continuing
my research, and exploring the chemistry
that underlies it all.
Helen Cooper
neither was what I had really wanted to do. I dug out my best
work, a novel written not long after I had finished my A Levels,
when my confidence was at its highest, and I re-edited it; reresearched it; trained in writing screenplays; converted it into
a four and a half hour TV drama and sent it to Julian Fellowes,
who writes Downton Abbey. Against the wishes of his solicitor,
he actually made contact. It might be easier to sell as a novel,
he said. I re-checked my historical facts and then re-wrote the
entire thing. I submitted it to a publisher. They told me if I could
get 250 pre-orders, they would publish it. I started publicising.
Generally the response was helpful but one published author/
turned bookshop-owner, informed me that I would never get
250 copies, 'not in a million years', as an unknown author. The
support I received from KEVICC made me feel I was capable
of success – since my book became available, over 30 former
KEVICC pupils have contacted me with the words, At last! We’ve
been waiting for this for 14 years! I tentatively contacted Mrs
McGinnis in the hope she might help publicise my book. You
probably won’t remember me, I wrote. Of
course I remember you, Mel Gibson and
the manuscript, was her reply. How funny.
Everyone else remembered exactly who I
was. It was only I who had forgotten.
I truly believe that anything is possible
if you want, and work for, it enough. If
you still dream about it – whether you’re
13, 33 or 93 – then it’s not too late. But
the earlier you do it, the longer you’ll be
happy. So start NOW.
Julie Spiller
Page 25
Features
Carneige Medal Shadowing Event
KEVICC students with Philip Reeve
The Ten Tors Challenge is now in its 55th year and, despite some
changes to the event by the Army to ensure its continuation, it
remains as challenging as it has ever been. In the event teams
of six young people hike set courses of 35, 45 or 55 miles
unaided; camping, cooking and navigating independently.
Three teams from KEVICC took part, with students aged
14-18. Students began training in November, with day walks,
overnight camps, and sessions in school on First Aid, navigation
and camping skills. All students who complete the training
receive an award in recognition of their commitment, even if
not selected for the final teams.
This year was very successful for KEVICC – all three teams
completed as full teams without any fall-outs (usually around
25% of teams entering either don’t complete the course or have
members drop out). The 45 mile team, in particular, did very well
to finish together – with members suffering from blisters and
strains, they carried on due to the support of team members,
and the determination of the individual students. Teams often
wear something distinctive to cross the finish line – KEVICC 45
arrived in vibrant tie-dye, which made them easy to spot!
All three teams finished in the early afternoon, which is a very
good finishing time (the bulk of teams tend to finish 1-3pm, with
a cut-off of 5pm.) Particular praise goes to the 35 mile B team
KEVICC hosted the local Schools' Annual Carnegie Shadowing
event this year in June. We were lucky enough to be allocated
local author Philip Reeve, winner of the prestigious Carneige
Medal for Here Lies Arthur in 2008. Regarded as the greatest
accolade a children's writer or illustrator can receive, the medal
is unique in that it is judged solely by librarians across the UK.
It was enlightening to hear at first-hand about the Carnegie
selection process from a winner's perspective. Our year 7 and
9 students performed brilliantly, inspired by their allocated
shortlisted novel, The Fastest Boy in The World by Elizabeth
Laird. Their piece gave an evocative interpretation of the book,
using cleverly devised physical theatre. Also, the year 7 ushers
worked really hard, helping to make sure the day ran smoothly.
Alongside our own students, other participating schools
included Coombeshead, Dartmouth Academy, St Cuthbert
Mayne, Stover, Teign, Torquay Academy, Torquay Boys and
Westlands.
Jane Riley and Gabriella Woodcock, Librarians
Ten Tors ~ success for our teams!
The KEVICC 35 B Team from l-r: Stefano Catalano (navigator), William Spooner
(leader), Arthur White, Katy Smith, Kit Cregan (navigator), Ben Timothy
who finished at 12:15, and showed how much their navigation
had improved over the year, doing a tricky leg to Watern Tor in
the morning when fog was causing visibility of below 10m. The
team arrived at the finish in their high-vis jackets that they’d
been wearing to make sure they didn’t lose each other!
Will Manley , Outdoor Education Co-ordinator
Totnes Weir Hydropower Scheme
After a community meeting at
KEVICC last term, works are now
under way on the Hydropower
Scheme at Totnes Weir.
It is hoped that, when completed,
it will meet some of the electricity
needs of the College with green
electricity at a reduced price,
and greatly reduce our carbon
footprint. Additionally, there is
the potential for an educational
facility at the control building.
Atmos Totnes will also benefit
from the supply of electricity.
Alan Hocking, Site Manager
Page 26
Features
Thank you so much to everyone who ate cakes and donated
to the Nepal Fundraiser just before the holidays. We raised
£67 for the Nepal Earthquake Appeal, which we are sure will
go to really good use over there. Thank you for your help
fundraising and for eating the cakes! Nick & Abi Rangecroft
A glimpse of the Year 11 Prom
Eco Council attend the
Devon Waste Summit
at County Hall
Eco Council Year 11 student
members Amy Allen, Tilly
Coulton, Ethan Merrington-Pink,
Karli Rose and Owen Trimming,
attended the annual Devon Waste
Summit at County Hall last term. During
a busy, fun-packed day, the students
got involved in various workshops and
talks, and had presentations from
visiting speakers and experts. The
students also participated in a Global
Trade Simulation game, and the team
not only won, but managed to generate
more than double their income, AND
generated the least waste of all the
teams involved!
Another key part of the day was a 'waste
free lunch' competition, where schools
had been challenged to bring their own
packed lunches that generated as little
waste as possible. Our students came
up with some very creative ideas to
eliminate packaging, and Neil Edwards
impressed the judges with a packed
lunch made entirely from handpicked
herbs and plants from the banks of the
River Dart. These efforts saw us win the
competition, and a cheque for £100 for
KEVICC, which will go towards further
recycling equipment and initiatives.
It was a very successful day which not
only linked to the students' work as
part of the Eco Council, but also covered
areas such as the environment, society,
sustainability, science, and citizenship.
SaMM ~
Saturday Morning Music
It was an excellent day and we
were very proud of the students
who were great ambassadors
for KEVICC and were really
enthusiastic and engaged in all
the activities. We now hope to
take a group every year to this
important and very educational
event. Steve Sherwood
Eco Council were invited to go
to Exeter to take part in an Eco
Summit in March. This was
really exciting, as we thought
that we would learn more about
the environment around us and
how to look after it. The topic
of this eco-summit was waste
disposal. We were put into teams
and together learned about
how many people take rubbish
for granted, and how many
resources that are used carry
many consequences. There was
also a competition held for the
most environmentally friendly
lunch. Amazingly, our school
won and we received a £100 prize
to put towards our co-operative.
It was a very enjoyable day and
we hope to come again next
year. Amy Allen Year 11
Proof that the last 5 years as their Intervention tutor
was worth all the blood, sweat and tears!!! The best
students and Prom ever!!! Thank you all so much.
I’ll miss you. Janie x (Janie Glynn-Chivers)
SAMMs is a great place for people who
want to play music and people who
already play an instrument. There are
a variety of groups; some of them are
folk, guitar group and choir.
After a session you can buy sweets
from the tuck shop. There are no
auditions, so come along and give it
a go. You don’t have to go alone so
bring your friends along and enjoy
yourselves!
Ben Summers, year 7
Saturday Morning Music (SaMMs)
happens at KEVICC in the Ariel Centre
most Saturday mornings in term time
between 9.30am and 12.30pm. Do find
out more about us, and then come along.
Our website is undergoing redevelopment
but you can find details of the courses
we are running this term, and more, at:
http://www.samstotnes.org.uk
You can contact us for more details at:
samstotnes@gmail.com
The SaMMs Committee and Trustees
Page 27
Sixth Form
It’s time to say farewell to the Class of 2015... from Amy Withers, Head of Sixth Form
On behalf of all of the staff who have worked with you, I wish
you all the very best for your bright and shining futures. It's
been a pleasure to get to know you and to see you all rise to
the challenges of Sixth Form life. You are leaving Kennicott older,
wiser and more qualified to join the big wide world! Look after
yourselves and each other, and keep in touch.
We’re also saying goodbye and good luck to a number of our
wonderful tutors. Kat Fennell and Will Manley are moving on
to pastures new, whilst Dave Waistnidge and Sarah Kehaya are
being put out to pasture… I mean embarking on the adventure of
retirement! Kennicott will miss their caring approach to tutoring
Sixth Form students, their wisdom and their expertise. Thank you
for your dedication to our students and very warmest wishes.
Amy Withers' Kennicott Awards Winners
Political Hustings
A few weeks before the Election, students from local secondary schools were
planning a political Hustings with KEVICC Politics teacher Dave Troake, and Trixie
Foster from the local community. On the night, Chris Rogers, former BBC correspondent, welcomed an expectant audience
to KEVICC with the constituency prospective candidates and interrogative students Polly Rathbone and Tom Simpson from
Kingsbrige Community College; Sam Black and Naomi Chapman from KEVICC; Dulcie Fenton and Natasha Ringrose from
Churston. Raelle Alexander, of KEVICC, and I, met all the candidates beforehand to ask all the candidates questions about why
they wanted to join their party; their main priorities; the policies they had designed to attract young people and their plans to
rejuvenate job opportunities for the youth of Totnes.
The night began with a question about affordable housing in the South West, followed by questions on Education – with a
debate about the importance of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) vs. Arts and Humanities (subjects
such as Art, Music, Languages, History and English). However, I personally found the question about Environment the most
interesting. Then came the issue of the EU – Should we stay or should we
go?- which, unsurprisingly, raised the roof as both students and candidates
argued the opinions of the general public on leaving/remaining in the EU.
The students I spoke to enjoyed the event, particularly when the debates
got a bit more heated! Together with the Politics Creative Learning Day,
there was a general consensus that students are now more aware of their
candidates, and what their parties stand for, in preparation for the General
Election in May. Alice Giorgi, year 13
Back in the Autumn term, Kennicott students rallied
together in a communal effort to gather vital food and
hygiene supplies to be sent to those affected by the Ebola
crisis in Sierra Leone. We have since been updated by Jill
Lewis, who co-ordinated the campaign in Totnes, on the
arrival of the much needed supplies:
We are delighted to tell you that the 324 boxes of food
and hygiene supplies (contributed to by so many in
and around Totnes) finally arrived in Sierra Leone in
mid-March. The delay was unavoidable, and out of our
control, but they finally got to Freetown where the huge
job of unloading and distributing the supplies began.
They were warmly received, and greatly appreciated, by
many diverse groups in Sierra Leone as people dealt with
the ebbing and aftermath of Ebola.
Well done, and thank you, to all of those students and
staff who contributed. We saw for ourselves that a small
individual contribution can collectively make a huge
difference. Amy Withers, Head of Sixth Form
In June, students in
year 12 attended the
'Let Mathematics Take
You Further' conference
at Plymouth University,
organised by the Further
Mathematics Support
Programme.
The
key
aim for the day was
to
emphasise
that
mathematics
is
fun,
challenging and essential
to a variety of careers. By the end of the day, students realised that
by actively choosing to study mathematics at A Level they will have
gained a valuable passport to a range of exciting university courses
and inspirational careers. The day was informative and raised
students’ aspirations. Damian Yates, Maths teacher
Maths at A level is challenging at times but the satisfaction you
get when you find the correct answer is unparalleled. I recommend
maths for a challenging and stimulating lesson every day.
Students Teach Staff A Lesson!
Entering its seventh year, the Dave Tellam Memorial Shield was
yet again hotly contested in the annual Staff v Y13 Leavers
football match. The shield was evenly balanced going into
the contest, with three wins a-piece for the staff and VI Form
teams. The staff, in particular, were keen to get their name on
the shield once more to go in front on this momentous piece
Page 28
of silverware for the first time since the event’s inception.
Expectations were certainly high as the VI Form team had been
undefeated in the regular season…
The result? 9:2 to the STUDENTS!!
All funds raised go to Action Aid in
memory of Dave, a former teacher at the College. We
are proud to donate to this charity in his name. Brad Turner
Sixth Form
kennicott
The Courier: Alumni Spotlight
Student Name: Irma Konovalova
When did you leave Kennicott Sixth Form?
I left Kennicott Sixth Form in June 2013.
Which subjects did you study at Kennicott?
I studied History, Psychology, Mathematics, English, Spanish, Biology
and Theory of Knowledge.
Did you enjoy your time at Kennicott?
I enjoyed my time at Kennicott very much. Even though there were a
few stressful moments – having to meet deadlines for the assignments;
sitting the exams. But, overall, the time spent in Kennicott was very good
and will always be remembered positively.
What was the best thing about Sixth Form?
I can’t rule out a single thing; the whole experience was very good.
What was the most important life lesson you learnt in Sixth Form?
Realising that everything matters in your life, even though at the time it
might seem like a very insignificant thing or occurrence. And never say:
Oh, it doesn’t matter, I will never need this in my life – be attentive to
detail, and appreciate what you have.
Is there anything you miss about Kennicott?
The relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff and Totnes !
What have you been doing since leaving Kennicott?
I had a gap year after I left Kennicott, during which I was working as a health care assistant in the community;
then I moved to Bournemouth. Now I’m studying Psychology at Bournemouth University and I am still
working as a health care assistant in a nursing home.
If you could do it again, what would you change and why?
I wouldn’t change much, as I have achieved what I wanted. Maybe I would study a bit more and appreciate
every moment more.
What are your aspirations? What would you like to do in the future?
I would like to get a PhD in Psychology and work in the field of my interest (at the moment I find every field
of psychology interesting and fascinating); carry on educating myself; maybe do some work for a charitable
organisation.
Is there anything else you wish to add?
I would like to emphasise what a brilliant place Kennicott is. I wouldn’t say that I had the same opinion when
I was a student there, but we tend not to appreciate what we’ve got, and always expect more and better.
Kennicott is situated in a beautiful location; the atmosphere at College is very relaxed: the staff members are
extremely friendly – always ready to help; to stay an extra hour after a long day. When I first came to England,
to Kennicott, my English was very basic and I struggled to sit through the lessons and understand the topics,
but thanks to the effort and patience of the teachers, my English has improved a lot and I have achieved very
good results. I will always be grateful to you for accepting me into your community and being such wonderful
and helpful people !!!
Thank you for completing this – please keep in touch! Tineke Ellis, Sixth Form Manager, May 2015
Page 29
Mary Lidstone Trust
The Trust was set up with a generous
legacy from Roy Lidstone and is dedicated
to the memory of Mary, his wife.
After Mary’s sad death in 2010, Roy put
in place arrangements to create the Trust
to benefit students (current and former)
of KEVICC. The legacy has been invested,
and income from the investments is being
used to enable young people to follow an
academic dream which might otherwise,
through financial circumstances, not be
possible.
The first students to benefit from the
support are completing their first year
and we're delighted to hear from them
about how the year has been.
Claire Lester: studying Law and Business at Bristol University
When I left for university, I was equally excited and nervous and when
I arrived, it was so different from what it’s like at home. But everyone is
new, and looking to make friends and fit in, so very quickly I felt part of a
friendship group and at home in my flat.
I’m taking Law and Business and, like I assume most people are, I was slightly
nervous that everyone would know so much more than me. But I need not
have worried as everyone had done different A levels and the lecturers teach
you everything you need to know. Although the work load was harder, and
I had fewer, but longer essays, in my degree than at A level, I
quickly got used to the new structure and standard expected.
Amelia Durbin: studying for a B.Ed in Primary Education
I have had a great first year at university and my main advice
at Plymouth University
University life is a scary and daunting experience for to any one going this year is to throw yourself into the many
everyone. Throughout my childhood I was constantly being opportunities presented to you. Not only do they look good
prepared for the experience; cooking my own meals, doing on your cv, but they are great fun to. The Lidstone grant has
my own washing and being financially independent since not only helped me financially with basic living costs, but also
the age of 15. But when the UCAS process began, it’s safe to enabled me to take full advantage of opportunities like going to
London with the Law Society to see the Supreme Court. It also
say that I didn’t handle it well.
helped me to be less stressed, as I could afford all the books
After years of knowing I would be applying for university,
I needed to fully understand my subject and, of course, have
finally I actually started to plan my future and take complete
some fun nights out to relax too.
control of my life. The pressure was too much. I knew that
I’d get in to
university as I
Christina Sims:
was
studying
studying Filmmaking
hard and could
at Kingston University
see that my
After studying at
grades
were
KEVICC for eight
good enough.
years, I have now
H o w e v e r,
completed the first
the idea of
year of my degree at
university life
Kingston University
was slightly too
London, and it has
much for me to
been an amazing
handle. I was
experience.
plagued
with
My course is B.A. (Hons) Filmmaking, and I could not have
paranoia and misconceptions. I thought that I wouldn’t
found a better place for me to study the subject I love. KEVICC
make any friends, I wouldn’t be able to afford to eat, I would
really pushed my creativity over the years and further shaped
miss home, I’d fail… The list is endless!
my love of the arts, especially film. This led on to shape my
However, now I'm 'there, and am finishing my first year,
choices at GCSE, A Level, and the Art Foundation.
I am so incredibly proud of myself. University is the best
Kingston University has turned out to be the best next step on
experience. If you are scared, please don’t be. As much as
for me, as the campus I am on is Art and Design orientated, and
it is a cliché, actually 'everyone is in the same boat'. Every
therefore buzzing with creativity. It is great to be surrounded
student understands one another. You’re given the freedom
by other young artists all helping, and bouncing off of each
you’ve always wanted alongside studying a course that you
other, just like many departments throughout KEVICC.
are passionate about.
This, and adjusting to living just outside London, has really
The grant I received from the Mary Lidstone Trust has also
helped to shape, and change my work over the last year, and
enabled me to partake in so many activities that have helped
I am very proud of what I have achieved. This is all thanks
me make the best of friends; broaden my education and
to the Trust, for enabling me to be financially able to live in
enjoy every second of the year. University is a once-in-a-life
London whilst I study. To see some of the work I have done
opportunity. Do not miss out as I promise you that you won’t
this year, and works from past projects, go to:
regret a thing!
http://christinajayesims.tumblr.com
Page 30
Parents' Association
A place and a space to make and
create – for students; run by students
The Open Box at KEVICC is a studentrun website and studio facilitating
the work of young thinkers, makers
and artists, alongside a professional
artist from the local community. We
place art and creativity at the heart
of everything and are dedicated to
generating ripples of influence into
the wider community, involving everyone.
The Open Box, says Elise in Year 8, is a place where kids have
a chance to think outside the box and take charge of their
responsibilities. This is an opportunity to be creative and do
what we want through art.
The idea of the title 'Open Box' came from Faith in year 8. We all
immediately loved it. It sounds open to all. The box gives you
the feeling you have space, but still with some rules. The Open
Box also suggests that there is no barrier to your imagination
and a chance to be free.
Who runs it? Students are encouraged to take the lead, be
creative, and to think for themselves. It is run by six dedicated
year 8 students with facilitator Sara Downham-Lotto.
How do we finance it? We are extremely grateful to the KEVICC
Parents' Association for their
kick-start contribution of £600
in February. This afforded the
Open Box materials, and some
payment for Sara's time.
Hatched as an idea in 2014 by
Tim Wightman, Team Leader
of Art, and Sara, it is based on
the international organisation
Room 13.
http://room13international.org
Our Parents Association fund projects throughout
each year and we really appreciate their support.
Here we hear about three recent ones.
Students are loving exploring the
weirder side of Science in Science
teacher John Lessware's new
lunchtime club called Science
Phenomena (see page 24). John
is very grateful for the financial
support received from the P.A.
for buying equipment when he
launched the club.
Walkie-talkies were bought for use with
Duke of Edinburgh walks training. These
will massively improve communications
between checkers and teams on the training
walks. Until now, we have had to use mobile
phones – which on Dartmoor often have
areas with no signal, and have a cost for
each call or text. Will Manley, D. of E. Co-ordinator
Stop Press
Midsummer
Live!
made a profit
in excess of
£750 for the
P.A. and the
Music Dept.
see page 22
Old Totnesians
Barry Warren writes: In April 2015 twenty-seven members and guests met at the Royal Seven
Stars Hotel, Totnes for their reunion lunch. The attendance covered a wide range of ages and
included our newest member, Nicola Smith, who left the College in 1980.
A former member, Dr Peter Cannon, who left the Grammar School in 1949 and now lives in
America, was unable to attend but sent a sizeable amount of cash to his friend John Wooster
in order that those present could have a drink at his expense for old time sakes. The picture
shows some members from his era drinking Peter’s good health.
They are from left to right in rear row – Professor John Silcox from America, Colonel Peter
Morrison, John Courtiour, John Phillpotts; seated – John Wooster and Peter Moore.
A number of the members present went up to The Mansion and were
present when a fig tree was planted by current KEVICC students to
mark the Centenary of the Battle of Gallipoli at which a former pupil of
the Grammar School, Captain Richard Willis, was awarded the Victoria
Cross (see page 10). That medal is now displayed at the Imperial War
Museum in London as part of the Lord Ashcroft Collection. The Society
is looking forward to forging further links with the College to develop
the archives and history and explore ways to develop the alumni. We
are also able to help students and staff with grants. If you think we
can help please give us a call.
For further information please contact Barry Warren, Honorary
Secretary on 01884 34670 or bgjwarren@btinternet.com.
Page 31
Governing Body Annual Report 2014 – 15
In the year I have been Chair of Governors, there have been
significant changes; the appointment of our Principal,
Alan Salt, being one. As he navigates KEVICC along the
path to Outstanding, governors are there to support him
as well as to challenge.
Although governors are volunteers, we are increasingly
expected to be professional, effective, strategic and
skilled – regular training is vital. Good organisation is
also vital and our Clerk to Governors is invaluable. We
have reassessed our governance structure and now all
meet together as a Full Governing Body (FGB) monthly,
instead of just termly, and have no separate committees.
This means fewer, more focused, meetings enabling us
all to focus on our core functions. Successful governance
requires work outside formal meetings and, throughout
the year, governor working groups discuss strategic
issues. Individual governors have responsibilities for key
areas and are linked to staff members with whom they
meet and then report to FGB meetings.
The work of governors can often go unnoticed and we
are trying to change this. Our Clerk to Governors sends
staff a monthly email identifying any policy changes
and including approved FGB minutes. We also have a
programme of governor visits to the College and, as
governors in a College with strong Performing Arts, one of
our very real pleasures is attending students’ shows and
concerts. Increasing our visibility to parents is another
focus for us now. The governor pages on the website have
been updated and we send a representative to the Parent
Voice meetings. The KEVICC facebook page was prompted
by governors and we hope that this will be a useful forum.
In the spring term, we carried out our promised three
year review of the uniform decision. After scrutinising
the feedback from the 2013 questionnaire, and after
considerable discussion, we decided that it was in the
best interests of the College to retain a uniform. Governors
then asked the Principal to make recommendations about
the uniform with regard to affordability, practicality and
suitability and, at our May meeting, we approved his
recommendations. The changes are minimal and details
of the recommendations are in the minutes of the May
meeting which will be posted on the College website once
the minutes have been approved.
The Governing Board has reconstituted and, in the
autumn term, we will be recruiting new governors from
the community and the parent body to join us. The
recruitment will be skills-based, but there is support and
training for anyone who would like to become a governor.
If you think you might be interested and would like an
informal discussion about the role, please contact me
(kwilson@kingedwardvi.devon.sch.uk).
Being a member of the Governing Body can be hard work
and challenging, but is also a great privilege; we are proud
to be part of this College and its continued improvement.
Kate Wilson
Foundation Governors
Support for the Maths Department
Foundation Governors' money granted for support in the
College was put to very good use on Creative Learning
Day this term. Last year, Keith Price bid for equipment to
support the teaching of Maths, which included Numicon
and Lego Kits. The contribution made was £6,000 so it's
very good to see how many educational benefits, and how
much pleasure, the equipment is giving.
Year 9 took part in a variety of activities on Creative
Learning Day and the Lego programmable robot kits were
very popular. Having built the models, the students then
had to program them to navigate a course successfully.
Page 32
Numicon is excellent for demonstrating how number
bonds are formed. It can be used for all the key
mathematical operations, from adding and subtraction
through to multiplying, as well as for understanding
the relationship between numbers. These skills form
the foundation for development in mathematics
and have proven invaluable in developing low level
learners, allowing them to access more complicated
mathematical concept. The visual input significantly
improves one-to-one sessions, and the understanding
of lower level and pre-entry students.
This was harder than it seemed – especially deciding how
to adjust a calculation that wasn't working!
Keith Price, Assistant Principal Post-16
Governor Profiles
Meet our Governors!
Kate Wilson
In 2008 I became a parent governor, hoping
to be able to contribute something that
would make a difference.
Seven years after I was first elected, I have
learned so much, and I am now, since
reconstitution, a co-opted governor. These
are exciting times to be a governor at
KEVICC and I feel very positive about our
College’s future.
On this page there is an extract from the
Governor Profiles that you can read in full
on the KEVICC website, including details
of their roles and responsibilities.
Follow the link in the 'Community' tab.
Richard Dennison
I have a background in corporate
communications and currently work for BT,
where I manage BT's intranet, supporting
90,000 employees in 170 countries. I have
lived just outside Totnes for eight years. I
cycle and run to keep fit in my spare time
and like to paint the occasional picture. My
son is in Year 9 and loves KEVICC, where he
is thriving.
Patrick Bromley
Alan Salt
I come from an educational family and have
worked in schools in Bristol and Oxford. I
joined KEVICC in September 2014, having
moved to Totnes in 2012. I think we have a
wonderful opportunity at KEVICC to create
something really special – a comprehensive,
inclusive and co-operative college with
exceptional standards, rooted in its local
community.
Jane Collings
My boys all attended KEVICC from years 7 to
13 and thrived. For the past 12 years I have
been a community governor; now, since
reconstitution, I am a co-opted governor..
I am committed to inclusive education
and continue to contribute towards school
improvement, with the aim of ensuring
every student reaches their full potential
and gains the passion for life-long learning.
A long-time member of the Governing
Body, first as a Parent Governor, later as a
Community and then Trust Governor; now
I'm appointed by the Local Authority.
I am passionate about encouraging all
students to reach their full potential by being
stretched academically, so that they will be
able to follow the careers that they choose.
Bethan Edwards
Roger Foord-Evans
I was educated at Totnes Grammar School
and my daughter's five children also
attended the successor College, KEVICC,
from where we all benefitted enormously.
My working experience was rich and varied.
Now retired, I have been lucky to maintain
direct contact with the Navy, social work
colleagues, art therapists, and with KEVICC
as a Governor.
I became a Parent Governor in March 2014
when my son was in Year 7. I became a
Governor because I wanted to contribute
something to Totnes. Believing that the best
school is a good local school, I wanted to
play my part in ensuring that KEVICC is such
a school: serving the whole community and
attracting all children who live in Totnes.
Rachel Foot
Julie Watson
I am a fully-fledged Totnesian, having been
born and raised in the town. I attended
KEVICC myself, and both my children are at
the College. I have worked within the SEN
department at KEVICC for eight years and
have a broad perspective on the workings
of a secondary school, from transition to
final examinations. The staff governor role
is interesting and rewarding.
I have been a member of a governing body for
over 12 years, both primary and secondary.
At one stage, I served on three governing
bodies. I live in Torbay.
Both our children have been educated at
KEVICC. The challenge of ensuring the
continuing retention of good staff and the
outstanding education of students is what
drives me to remain serving as a governor.
Tim Friese-Greene
I have worked for forty years in the music
world: producing, arranging, conducting,
and writing. I have been a company director
for over three decades. I am a first-time
governor, and determined to help make
KEVICC the local comprehensive school that
every family in the community would want
their child to go to. Our youngest is currently
studying at Kennicott.
Carole Whitty
Now retired, I spent my career working
in Education. I loved working with young
people, and I taught in a wide variety of
schools, both urban and rural.
I was a Headteacher for fourteen years in
two state comprehensive schools. I joined
KEVICC Governors three years ago and I am
enjoying making links between the College
and its immediate area.
Page 33
Staff Leavers
Abby Bartlett ~ Geography
With passion and dedication, Abby has been
an inspiration to both staff and students alike
over her five years here, where she began as a
Geography NQT. As Team Leader, she led the
department to the best ever exam results in
2014 and we wish her every success in her new
position as Head of Geography at Plymstock.
Stephanie Chapman
~ Maths
Sadly, it wasn't possible to fit in all the
words written in tribute to staff leaving
this term. The tributes will all be published
on our website, with photos, and with a
link to them on the home page to help you
find them. Please read them ..
Also leaving this term are Suzanna Cox
(Catering) and Lizi Rudd (Cover Supervisor)
Carola Hyne
~ Admin.
Rebecca Pengelly ~ Geography
Whether full or part-time, Becky has always
shown full-time commitment – an attribute
that staff, parents and students have all
recognised. She will be missed for her skills;
her desire to see students succeed and her
knowledge. She will leave her imprint here
and it is a privilege to have worked with her.
Yasmin Salter ~ MFL
Steph's Maths lessons were fun and engaging,
and she was always there to support if extra
TLC was needed. She became an integral
part of the school community, taking part
in all activities on the year 7 Okehampton
residential and she dedicated time and skills
to educating young minds, We wish you well.
Carola has had a variety of non-teaching roles
over her 15 years here and so probably knows
how to do most jobs in the College: we hope
she leaves us her phone number so we can
ask questions when needed! Always willing
to work and help anywhere across the College
when needed, she will be missed by many.
Yasmin's contribution has been huge and her
enthusiasm and creativity will be missed.
As you'll be flatmates, we will continue to
steal resources from you through Cristina
Fernandez! Thank you so much for all your
hard work, and we are sure you will go on to
great things at Woodroffe School and beyond.
Jeanette Coles ~ Catering
Sarah Kehaya ~ History
Bradley Selves ~ P.E.
Jeanette, as Kitchen Assistant, and then
Kitchen Supervisor, always approached each
day and each challenge with the utmost
professionalism. Every opportunity was
embraced, together with always looking after
the needs of students and staff at Elmhirst. We
wish her the best of luck in her new adventure.
History will be sad to lose a highly respected
teacher who will leave a huge hole in the
Department. She is a caring, hardworking
teacher who truly understood the concept of
personalised learning and went out of her way
to get to know and understand the individual
and to tailor her teaching to their needs.
Brad has been our fabulous PE technician
this past year and has always been a gifted
athlete and a kind and generous person. has
proven to be such an asset to our department
and a wonderful support to our students.
He has also played a pivotal role in both
community sport and sport/PE at the College
Fran Dumas ~ Science
Will Lintell ~ English
Connor Taylor ~ IT
An awesome member of the Science team at
KEVICC, Fran singlehandedly created a team
of mini super-scientists (see p.24), and the
fantastic annual Science Weeks have been
planned and delivered by her. She has been an
amazing asset in representing Science in our
community, and we are very sad to see her go.
Will is an excellent and adaptable English
teacher, able to inspire students of all ages
and abilities. He is self-reflective and has been
very generous with his time here, coaching and
advising others in the department on different
approaches to teaching and learning. We are
very grateful for all his hard work here with us.
Two years ago, Connor left an iMedia lesson
at KEVICC to be interviewed for the post of
IT Technician. He held his own against other
applicants who had many years experience
and were twice his age. He has shown great
maturity and technical skills and will no
doubt become a respected team player.
Enthusiastic and passionate about ICT and
Computing, Andrew has contributed much
to our ICT work, especially with Year 11 and
at Post-16. He is always supportive of all
students, giving time generously to allow
them to reach their potential. We wish him
well in his new post at Exmouth C.C.
Ash has proved to be a hugely influential
member of staff, who truly goes the extra mile
for his students, ensuring they are are getting
the very best from their time at KEVICC. With
a wide range of skills in his 'teacher toolbox',
Ash moving on to Teign School will be a huge
loss for the PE department.
Andrew Dykes ~ ICT
Neil Edwards ~ Science
Ash McInally ~ P.E.
Will Manley
~ Maths
John Tipping ~ Caretaking
John has been extremely conscientious in
his approach, and both the caretaking team
and staff have appreciated his willing nature
and flexible approach. Having recently been
nominated for recognition is a good reflection
of his efforts. We wish him well in the future
and hope he enjoys his holiday in Vietnam.
Kathe Veale ~ Admin.
Neil is a fabulous teacher and tutor; a
passionate ecologist and a sustainable
gardener. He set up our Eco Council and
Garden Club, as well as rescuing and
renovating the Kennicott Garden. KEVICC has
been beautified and improved by his vision,
passion and energy. We thank him for it all.
Will has built up a formidable reputation as
the 'Guru' of the Maths department and has
developed from NQT into a very well respected
teacher. More recently, his energy and
commitment to running the very successful
Ten Tors programme has been admirable. He
will leave a big hole here at KEVICC.
Over her 11 years here, and in a variety of
roles, Kathe has helped hundreds of staff
and thousands of students to get what they
need, and to make the day run a little more
smoothly. We will always be grateful for the
service she has given the College and wish her
all the best for the future.
Lisa Neill ~ MFL
Sam Williams ~ Science
Kat, a biologist with a special interest in
Space, has been an huge asset to Science,
including leading the Department for most
of this year. She has taken on many roles at
KEVICC; touched the souls of many of her
colleagues and will leave a lasting impression
on many of the students she has taught.
Lisa will be missed for her efficiency,
organisation, ICT skills and amazing tidiness – the MFL department cupboards will be
a mess without her! We wish you lots of
happiness and we are sure that you will be
highly successful in your new post as Second
in Department in Cullompton, Lisa.
Sam has been a great ambassador for KEVICC
through all her primary transition work. As
well as enthusing primary school students
with outreach projects, she has brought
science from outside into our classrooms.
Every tutor group she has taken on has thrived
with her, and she will be much missed by all.
Carrie has done a huge amount for the students
of KEVICC through the English Department,
as well as running a large number of extracurricular enrichment activities. Every extra
responsibility she took on, she did so with
vigour and energy, and for the good of the
students, both in College and out.
Page 34
Mandy has been here since 2007, always
showing commitment and dedication to the
Sixth Form, whilst working in an enthusiastic,
yet professional, manner. She has been a true
asset to Kennicott and will be truly missed.
Thank you for everything; we wish you well for
the future – the Kennicott Team.
Kat Fennell ~ Science
Carrie Groves ~ English
Amanda Nicholson ~ Admin.
Gonai Ziyambi ~ Food Tech.
In her time here, Gonai helped many students
with their learning; devoting much of her own
time to allowing them develop further and
maximize their own potential. She expects
high standards of herself, and the students
she has taught, and leads by example. We
wish her well in her future.
Staff Leavers
The P.E. team will certainly not be the
same without 'Chis'; an ex-head of our
department, with a huge reputation within
the community sport network. He is the
topic of so many memories for current/
ex-students and staff, and will leave such
a legacy at KEVICC and in our community.
His presence was always immense and
he had many guises – Vice-Principal who
would always hold you to account; PE
teacher who would always have the best
interests of KEVICC at heart, especially
when refereeing; sarcastic member of
staff who would never let a mishap go
unnoticed, and caring and moral person
who always had your back. He was awarded
a lifetime achievement award for his work
with our Kennicott Football team at our
Sports Personality awards evening in 2014.
We will always remember his attempts at
fancy dress too!
On a personal note, Chris has been my line
manager for the past four years; he has
been my counsel through my two years as
a Head of Year, and my friend for the past
eleven years. He is someone who I admire,
respect and will greatly miss at KEVICC.
Carly Perring and the PE Team
In 1976, two fresh-faced and eager
scientists arrived at KEVICC. Now retiring
after thirty-nine years of teaching
Chemistry, Dave Waistnidge quickly hit
his stride and soon established himself as
a science teacher par excellence, moving
on to take charge of A-level Chemistry
and Geology. In 1997, he narrowly missed
becoming Salters Chemistry Teacher of
the Year, finishing runner-up. Perhaps
this is how he managed to persuade Sir
Harry Kroto (Chemistry Nobel Laureate)
to visit the school and donate the Kroto
Award for excellence in A2 Chemistry
investigation? His passion for his subject
has never dimmed and today he is as keen
and committed as ever he was. There is
far more in Dave’s life, however – he was a
footballer of great skill; a skilled batsman
and wicket-keeper; a water polo player
Chris Chisholm
Chris getting his KEVICC Sports Personality
Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014
Dave Waistnidge
David Troake
David Troake joined KEVICC in 1991 as an
NQT. Based primarily in the Sixth Form, he
led and taught on a wide variety of A Level courses, including
his first love of Economics and Politics. David has been an
exemplary subject teacher, thriving on delivering his subject to
his students in creative and interesting ways. He has worked hard
with students to achieve excellent results across many years.
He worked magic with his students and always achieved a loyal
fan base, whom he has won over in each subsequent year with a
mixture of flinty dry humour and acerbic wit, judiciously used.
A particularly effective form tutor, with extensive knowledge
of the UCAS procedure, he has led on Oxbridge applications.
He set up the Year 7 Okehampton residential; the very first
I would very much like to add my thoughts
about Chris Chisholm as I was fortunate to
work with him for sixteen years at KEVICC.
In particular, it is my thanks that I want
to express. I want to thank Chris for his
commitment to the College; he has given
above and beyond to ensure that students
not only get the best from their lessons,
but also that they develop into responsible
and caring people.
I want to thank Chris for all that he has
done for the staff team; his knowledge and
experience has helped us become better
teachers and leaders. I want to thank
Chris for being such a vital member of the
leadership team; Chris is a highly-skilled,
utterly reliable, hard-working professional,
totally dedicated to KEVICC for each of his
twenty-five years at the College and with
a sense of humour that brightens even the
darkest days.
So many students, staff and parents
know of all that he has given through
his teaching; sporting knowledge and
leadership. For all of this, and for the
support and guidance he gave me over the
years as a trusted colleague, my heartfelt
thanks go to Chris. Kate Mason
and, of course, a skier. Dave managed the
Sixth Form ski trip for many years, along
with Alan Blake and the late Tony Dixon.
Oh yes, he also managed to slip in the
odd game of golf as well. AND, he was a
musician – playing the saxophone in the
staff band (and occasionally added vocals
to the mix). MORE?! He is also an actor! He
has appeared in musicals, Shakespeare
and straight plays. His forte, however, was
as pantomime dame. Quick of wit, and
sharp as a razor, no one escaped verbal
retribution if they heckled him!
Retirement beckons then and he joins me
at last in the ranks of the leisured classes.
After nearly forty years, we are still
colleagues and, more importantly, friends.
A long and happy retirement awaits you
and I hope that you enjoy it to the full.
John Roberts, former KEVICC Head of Biology
of which drew headlines when the coach
went up in flames! He was responsible for
Activities Week for several years and led on Duke of Edinburgh
and outdoor education. He also set up and implemented the
successful IB programme in the Sixth Form. He is a stalwart of
a small Dartmoor community raising pigs, which have supplied
many staff BBQs over the years. He is a keen cyclist, swimmer
and runner; also currently training for his second Triathlon.
David is a colleague of great integrity and warmth, with the
ability to chuckle at human foibles and frailties; but always
ready to listen and advise. He has been playfully described as
a present day ‘polymath’ and his colleagues will certainly miss
his knowledge and wisdom. Victoria Manley, Sociology teacher
Page 35
“KEVICC is great. I can't
wait to start.”
KEVICC
OPEN EVENING
Tuesday 22nd September 2015
School tours & presentation from 6pm
OPEN MORNINGS
Thursday 1 & Friday 2 October 2015
Our Sports Day report will be in our next
edition but, pictured here, are some
students practising for the big day!
9am to 10.45am meet staff and students
Contact Admissions
01803 869200
King Edward VI Community College is a Co-operative Trust School
Stop Press news ...
Join us at the Totnes Show
on Sunday 26 July
See KPAC
(our talented Performing Arts students)
performing on the Music Stage
Lillian Goddard, a talented
year 12 athlete, is pictured
with her two gold medals
from the South West Schools
Championships for the 400m
hurdles and long jump.
Lillian is currently ranked
number 8 in England in the
under 20 age group, as a 17
year old against 18 and 19
year olds.
Big Bang Fair 2015 in Exeter ~ awards
for KEVICC students again this year!
The Big Bang Fair South West is about inspiring
young people, from all backgrounds, to study
Science,
Technology,
Engineering and Maths.
KEVICC students won
four awards, plus two
Sixth Form students
will go to the National
Design
Awards
in
Birmingham next year.