What an eventful Christmas term we’ve had! It’s been packed full of all kinds of experiences involving all aspects of living and learning – academic and spiritual, social, moral and cultural. One truly great feature of this term is the outpouring of empathy and Christian concern for the Syrian Refugees. Pope Francis is quoted as saying ‘To change the world we must be good to those who cannot repay us.’ In just over two weeks at the beginning of December, the College raised over £1700 to buy presents for 25 Syrian families who are settling in Shrewsbury Diocese – form groups chose discounted gifts from Argos and the piles of presents filled the Chapel. Teachers took students to see how many presents had been bought and there were some a really special moments when students were awestruck by the number of presents with comments like ‘Did we really do this?’ The whole experience was a powerful reminder of how we can respond more powerfully to human need when we work all together – and it’s also a reminder that prayer and faith has to be translated into actions that make an actual difference. The bible reminds us that faith without good deeds is dead: “If one of the brothers or sisters is in need of clothes and has not enough food to live on and one of you says, ‘I wish you well, keep warm and eat plenty – without giving the necessities of life’ then what good is that?” (James 2:14-15). We have certainly shown the power of faith in action in our Catholic College. This term also had the event known as ‘All Hallows Has Talent’ or AHHT for short which I am listening to as I write this forward. Superbly organised by the Sixth Form and eagerly awaited by all students (and staff), I was struck this year by how our Christian values have made a community where everyones musical offerings and personal differences are accepted. All Hallows is a very special community! I know you will enjoy, as I do, reading about all the events that have been captured in our magazine.
“the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld is glory The glory as of the only begotten of the Father, Full of grace and truth.”
German Exchange...p.03 Syrian Refugees Appeal...P.05 MMU Digital Friendships Conference...p.07 Year 12 Liverpool University Experience...p.08 Crime Day at St Chad’s...P.09 Capital Experience...P.10 Raising Money for Cafod...p.11 Treehouse Appeal...p.13 PTA Quiz Night...p.14 Bowling and Laser Quest...p.14 All Hallows Has Talent…….P.15 Christmas Fair...p.16 Christmas Card...P.16 Year 11 Retreat...P.17 Year 6 Faith Day...p.18 Manchester Palace Theatre...p.19 Advent Service...p.20 All Hallows Governor Training...p.21 Remembrance Service...p.23 G.C.S.E Fine Art Students in Year 9...p.25 Sixth Form Fancy Dress...p.26 Chennai Floods...p.27 Diabetes UK...p.29 Senior UKMT Maths Challenge... p.30 Able Maths...P.30 Carol Singing...p.31 “We wish you a merry Christmas”...p.32 Year 7 Book Buzz...p.33 Book buzz Competition...p.34 Recommended Reads—Ms Sinclair Says...p.35 AHLC Sports Tournament...p.37 Emergency Schools Rugby...p.39 PE Newsletter Results...p.40 PE Newsletter Results Continued...p.41 Prayer...p.42
German Exchange In October 2015 we welcomed Mr Pawelczik and Ms Yurtseven together with 8 German exchange students from Schiller Grammar School in Cologne, who spent a week with their host families experiencing life in England. A special thanks to the Hughes family for volunteering to host one of the students who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to take part. Our students will go over to Cologne in February half-term, so watch this space! In the meantime, here are some of the impressions of the German students, Charlotte, Lynn, Sophia, Daphne, Felix, Jonathan, Jonas and Jan: "I really enjoyed my week in England. When we arrived at Manchester airport I was very nervous but I was welcomed very warmly. I did not find it too difficult to speak English and I found I could make myself understood. It was a totally new experience for me being on my own in a foreign country. At first it felt strange being in a new family in unfamiliar surroundings, but soon I loved it more and more. Everybody was so nice to me and made me feel so welcome." "My host family's hospitality was tested immediately, as my luggage arrived two days late. This turned out to be no problem, as they very kindly lent me everything I needed." "My host family were incredibly nice and I really got on well with my exchange partner. We had been in contact by email, so we did not feel like strangers when we met." "It was a great experience to get to know the everyday life of the families but also to see the school and join in a few lessons there. It was very interesting to see what school in England is like and to see the differences to our school."
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"Because we wore no school uniform we stuck out and some of the English students even wanted to take photos of us." "All Hallows Catholic College is a very big school and it was easy to get lost. There are big sports fields and a football pitch with artificial lawn. In PE I got to play netball, which is not unlike basketball and very popular in England. I found it remarkable that the College has animals such as ponies, pigs, sheep and rabbits. The lessons were quite similar to the ones at Schiller Gymnasium, except the teachers hardly used a blackboard but rather whiteboards and laptops." "The trips to Manchester, Chester and Liverpool were great because we had free time there but also visited the cities together, learned about the history of the city and just got a good impression of life in these cities." "In Chester we went on a guided tour with a Roman soldier and in Manchester we got to see Old Trafford Stadium. That was very cool." "In the afternoons we were with our host families. I thought it was cool and exciting to see what my exchange partner's everyday life was like. The weekend was best. My host family took me to Minehead on the west coast. On Saturday night there was a great Halloween party with very English food and lots of fun." "The exchange was very good to improve my language skills because we always spoke English with the family. All in all it was a very nice exchange and I really enjoyed the time." "My host family were open, hospitable and generous and I am grateful that I could be their guest. I am really looking forward to my exchange partner coming to Cologne."
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Syrian Refugees Appeal
During General RE we had studied the cause of conflict in Syria and had followed some of the many personal stories and tragedies of those fleeing the conflict. The pictures across the front of the national papers of the young child's lifeless body swept onto the beach touched millions. It was this reality that most affected us. This coupled with a reminder during our Advent services of Pope Francis's declaration of 2016 being a Jubilee Year of Mercy, helped us to reflect on how we could help those left destitute by war. Having approached the store manager of Argos, Macclesfield and secured a discount, we then approached all tutor groups and asked them to raise funds to purchase a gift for one the 25 Syrian refugee families settling in our Diocese this week. The response was unbelievable! In just 2 weeks we raised over ÂŁ1700 and have purchased over 100 gifts for the children. The demand for 'Frozen' scooters was even too great for Argos! The gifts were handed over to Sister Mary Jo and Family Support Manager, Trish Spencer from the Catholic Children's society. Alice Waterhouse, Suzie Cantillon, Charlie Waller, Siobhan Wright and Emma Smith (Year 13)
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MMU Digital Friendships Conference As part of the Economic Research Council’s Festival of Social Science, All Hallows Sociology and Psychology students were invited to spend a morning taking part in research at Manchester Metropolitan University. The conference was run by a variety of lecturers, professors and local teachers who are passionate about researching social media and digital well-being. We now live in a society where changes in technology have influenced the way friendships are built and maintained. 62% of UK adults (Ofcom, 2014), and 81% of UK 13–18 year olds (You Gov, 2014) now own a smartphone, increasing the options for digital friendships on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram. Students were able to take part in interactive research to look at the link between online and offline friendships. Students answered a variety of questions using different software including: Is it possible to trust someone if you have never met them face to face? How authentic are online friendships? Is authenticity being redefined by the digital environment? Students really enjoyed the day and are keen to do some work with younger students around the issue of e-safety.
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Year 12 Liverpool University Experience As part of the Sixth Form Higher Education Programme, Year 12 attended a taster day at the University of Liverpool. Students were given a full tour of the teaching faculties, sports facilities, students union and accommodation, as well as attending two lectures. The first lecture explained the application process and why students should think about higher education. Students were amazed by the variety of institutions they could attend and the plethora of courses available to them. Following the tour and lunch on campus, students engaged in a presentation about student life at Liverpool, the original ‘red brick’ university. Students were really taken with the vibrancy of the university and the city as a whole. They were also introduced to the wide range of societies that universities can offer. The day culminated in students designing their own society, including how they would market it, what costs would be included, and where they would hold it. Students came up with a variety of clubs based on their interests, most of them revolved around food and films! This was a first visit to a University for many of our students and gave them plenty to think about before they start their application process next summer. The Higher Education Programme will continue throughout the year, with students registering for UCAS in July and visiting another university. 08
Crime Day at St Chad’s
Fourteen Social Science students were invited to attend a Crime Day at our partner school St Chad’s in Runcorn. The day was run by Emma Murray, a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University. The focus of Emma’s research is criminology and veterans. The session started with an introduction from Emma as to what Criminology is. She ran an interactive session where students responded using cards to show if they agreed with statements, they had to justify their responses. The statements really made the students think about their own beliefs, values and their own biases. Chloe Roff, applying to study Social Science at University said, ‘It was good to see other peoples’ points of view, it was both interactive and enjoyable’. The day continued to look at and explain the concept of Justice and whether it was for the victim or the good of society. Students had to make some difficult choices about what they would do in hypothetical situations. The afternoon session was aimed at pulling together the four branches of Criminology: Law, Sociology, Psychology and Biology. Students debated the relative merits of the roles that the different disciplines play in the criminal justice system.
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The students thoroughly enjoyed the day. Charlotte Standeven, Year 13 Sociology and Psychology student said ‘It was good to work collectively and to look at what deters criminal behaviour.
Capital Experience
Students of the newly branded Career Ready Programme (formally known as CAUK) visited London on 10 December 2015 for their formal induction ceremony at The Dominion Theatre. Motivational Speaker 'Action Jackson' presented an 'action' packed programme which saw the students, who were in their hundreds, up and down out of their seats, networking and generally enjoying the thrill of his unique presentation style. He delivered the first masterclass of the day and was joined by Anne Spackman, former Editor-in-Chief at The Times, who now heads up Career Ready in Canary Wharf. Also on stage was a former student of The CAUK Programme who told of his fantastic career journey further to graduating from CAUK several years ago. From The Dominion Theatre, students moved on to Fleet Street to be hosted by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, the prestigious law firm who have offices in over 20 countries and most recently set up a new office base in Manchester. They provided lunch and delivered the second masterclass of the day. Students were then treated to a tour of their offices before leaving for a sightseeing tour of The Thames at night with amazing views from the bridge back to St Paul's one way and Westminster the other. All in all a fantastic induction to a year that will make students 'career ready' with further masterclasses, industry visits, a business mentor and a paid internship. 10
Raising Money for Cafod In December the Associate Staff decided that instead of a secret santa they would collect money and purchase items for families through Cafod. Cafod is a community built by Catholic churches and partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East helping to fight against poverty . They face many factors that families today are struggling with, these can be HIV, Aids, Conflict and Climate change. Cafod not only helps families in crisis but allows them to learn how to get back on their feet by providing them opportunities to learn new skills. In total the Assocaite Staff raised £73.00. The items which have been purchased from Cafod for these families were based on an “Livestock, Agriculture and Livelihoods" theme.
Build a greenhouse With a new greenhouse to grow fruit and vegetables in, families can eat fresh food every day while also saving money. “I no longer need to invest in buying ingredients to cook with.” Joana Limachi, Bolivia Joana Limachi from Bolivia received a greenhouse through CAFOD. Being able to grow her own fruit and vegetables has completely changed her life. “I really like this greenhouse,” Joana says. “I have struggled in my life until now. But this support has come along and it has really helped and encouraged me.” Joana earns a living by preparing meals to sell. By growing her own food, not only do her family get to eat nutritious meals every day, Joana no longer needs to buy ingredients to cook with. “My tomatoes are growing well. I’ll be able to use them in everything like salads. I just take the products from here and cook with them. There is more food now.” http://worldgifts.cafod.org.uk/wg_productdetail?pid=01t1A000004R9cYQAS
Happy Honey Bee “We will eat the honey which will be good for us!” Marta, Nicaragua In rural Nicaragua, many families live in poverty. With poor soil it is hard to grow enough food, and paid work can be difficult to come by. That is why CAFOD’s beekeeping projects are so valuable to people like Marta and her family. The honey the beehive produces helps break the monotony of a diet consisting mainly of staples like beans and rice. It is also highly nutritious, and can help combat infections. Working on a shared project like beekeeping also helps reinforce a sense of community. “Working with the women feels relaxed. I love being with them. I love being part of a group,” Marta says. http://worldgifts.cafod.org.uk/wg_productdetail? pid=01t1A000004R9T8QAK 11
Help a Farmer This gift trains farmers in new techniques to help them rear chickens, fish, cattle, pigs, goats or llamas more successfully. They’ll learn things like how to feed and vaccinate livestock and how to build enclosures. By learning how to generate a more stable income, farmers will have a safety net if crops fail because of drought or floods. “Breeding chickens is my greatest hope.” Rosa Idalia Rivera de Arévalo, El Salvado The rain and drought in 2010 ruined much of the harvest in the farming village of Puentecitos. Rosa Idalia lost most of her crops which she was hoping to sell to support her family and pay for her daughter’s education. Rosa has learned improved techniques for rearing and keeping chickens, and now has some income to rely on. “I guess I will make about one dollar in profit per chicken,” she says. “If you don’t have hope, you don’t get anywhere.” http://worldgifts.cafod.org.uk/wg_productdetail?pid=01t1A000004R9TNQA0
Here are just some of the many members of Associate staff who helped raise the money for Cafod.
These gifts will help support them in their daily lives providing them with the basics that we take for granted such as shelter, food, water and even clothing. Cafod is an amazing charity which not only offers support but will campaign against the governments when they think something is wrong. Well done to all the Associate Staff for raising such a large amount. 12
Treehouse Appeal Over the course of the last term, students at All Hallows have been generously donating food to the Treehouse food bank in Macclesfield. This is a local service which helps those people in the community who have fallen on hard times and are struggling to buy food for themselves and their families. As a school community we decided to support this cause and for each student to aim to bring in at least one item of nutritious and non-perishable food. We decided that we would run this project within our new house system in conjunction with the R.E. department. We now have four houses in college; Alpha, Omega, Pax and Icthus. Each house had an assembly in which they were told about the Treehouse project and our challenge was to bring at least one item of food in to school for the collection. As always, students at All Hallows demonstrated our core values of compassion and honourable purpose by bringing in lots of tins, jars and cartons of non-perishable food. The amount and range of food that was brought in was huge and I am sure this will go a long way to helping the less fortunate people in our community during these winter months. A massive thank you to everyone who contributed, your donation is much appreciated!
By Joseph Burden
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PTA Quiz Night The annual PTA quiz night took place during October 2015 in the Romero Centre at All Hallows. This was a very exciting evening and very well attended‌ including a Maths team ( The mathemagicians!!!!!) Rounds included geography, maths, general knowledge, music and good old fashioned trivia!!!!! A joker could be used to double your points if the team felt confident in that area.
Cheese and biscuits were provided to maintain that brain power at half time along with a well-stocked bar for liquid refreshments. Fun was the name of game and also to raise funds for the students at All Hallows. It can be said that both were achieved. Money raised from the evening would also be matched penny by penny by Barclays bank doubling the profits. Thank you to Barclays bank for your generosity.
Students from Year 7-10 enjoyed a fun filled Saturday morning testing their skill at ten pin bowling and laser quest. The event was organised by the PTA to help raise funds for projects which enhance the students' experiences whilst at All Hallows. For further information on future events or to join the PTA please email a.heaton@allhallows.org.uk
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All Hallows Has Talent 2015
‘All Hallows Has Talent’ in abundance. A BIG ‘Thank You’ to the Sixth Form Council and A Level Music Tech Students who organised yet another superb show for the whole College as an end of year celebration of the gifts and talents our students have and were ready to showcase for us. The variety of acts ranged from classical performances, street dance; solo singers and groups with a guest performance by our own Rev Harrison! All of the acts were fantastic and helped to raise over £536 for our India project. C. Waller (Head Boy) K. Wilson (Head Girl)
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Christmas Fair
Business students from all years brought festive cheer to students of All Hallows in organising a Christmas Fair on 14 and 15 December 2015. Year 12 BTEC Business students organised the event as part of their unit 'Organising a Business Event', providing stalls for younger Business and Enterprise students and manning stalls themselves with lots of fund raising ideas. Year 13 BTEC Business Planning students also took the opportunity to launch 'The Crisp Hut' a new business venture that will continue to run into The New Year. The Christmas Fair was the perfect venue for the launch event which saw the tasty baps selling at a fast rate. Students donated 100% of these profits to The India Clinic Appeal.
Christmas Card
Year 13 BTEC Business Students competed with each other this year to produce The College Christmas Card, a challenge set for them as part of a BTEC unit called 'Developing Teams in Business'. The winning design, pictured here follows on from the humerous card of 2014 which featured Vinny The Llama. This year the students featured many more animals from the College Farm. Funds raised from sales of the card were donated to The India Clinic Appeal. 16
Year 11 retreat
On a rainy Tuesday morning in late November, eighteen excited Year 11 students prepared to spend an action-packed few days at Soli House, a retreat centre nestled in the Alton countryside. Little did we know that we would come back with new friends, new experiences and a greater understanding of our faith… Throughout the course of the four day retreat, we learnt different ways to pray which helped us become close to God in a way that felt right for us. We also had the opportunity to become closer as a group through a variety of team building activities, such as a challenging obstacle course and the groups favourite, a ‘Riff-Off’ singing competition. These activities were not only a lot of fun, but also a chance to push ourselves to see what we could achieve when working together. On the first day, we were asked what we wanted to get out of the retreat and among answers like meeting new people and doing outdoor activities, was a takeaway and nachos! To the surprise of all of us, on the last night we had pizza and a movie night, which was a perfect end to a great trip! 17
Megan Edwards 11 Clitherow
Year 6 Faith Day
On Thursday 12th November, we were involved in the first stage of the All Hallows Learning Community Project, which will be a project about values. We worked with members from the Faith Council, as well as Year 5 & 6 students from three feeder primary schools: St Mary’s, St Alban’s and St Paul’s. After a few starter activities to get to know each other, everyone had to share three items they would take to a desert island, thereby thinking about what they value in life. Each primary school then worked as a team during an auction of values, during which each team had to budget £100 and bid for the values they deemed most important – it was soon apparent that one of the teams was slightly more superficial than the rest! The session finished with each primary school presenting a news bulletin with details of the day, the tasks to be completed before the next session, and what they had learned. Before the next session the students will have carried out a survey at their schools to find out which values are most important to their teachers and fellow pupils. Each will return in February with their results in a wordle to continue the project. Charlie Waller, Head Boy Katie Wilson, Head Girl 18
Manchester Palace Theatre
In November, thirty of our Dance and Music students visited the Palace Theatre in Manchester for an evening of live performances performed by the English National Ballet. The three dances were called ‘No Man’s Land’, ‘Second Breath’ and ‘Dust’ and were choreographed in 2014 to mark the centenary of the First World War. The dances showed the journey of the young men who eagerly responded to the call of their nation to enlist and defend their country and homes, while their mothers, wives, lovers and sisters flocked to the support services and armaments industry. The dances were a combination of classical ballet and contemporary dance and the dance students were wowed by the technique and powerful performance of the dancers. The music students discovered how important the composition and score is to the choreography. Daniel Hulme, Year 13 said “The performance was breath taking and it has given me lots of ideas for my music composition.”
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Advent Service
Advent or Adventus means 'Coming' and marks a time in the liturgical calendar when we start to prepare to celebrate the feast of Christmas and ultimately the second coming of The Messiah During three Advent services the students were given the opportunity to reflect on their spiritual journey towards Christmas, by journeying with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem through the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas. Students were lead in worship by the 'Inspire' choir and Year 12 A Level Dancers who retold the story of the treacherous journey the refugees are making from Syria to find safety in Europe. As part of the liturgy, students renewed their commitment to support the Christmas social enterprise project buying gifts for the 25 refugee families currently being settled within our Diocese. Year 12 Dance students choreographed a dance piece in response to the refugee crisis and the long journey of the refugees from Syria over into the UK. We have looked at the emotions of young children who have to make the journey and the idea of waiting and wishing for a better life away from conflict and disaster. The students have also discussed how the children involved in the conflict have been forced to grow up too quickly, losing their childhood to the horrific things that they have witnessed. The dancers linked this to the theme of Peter Pan and the idea of freedom and hope. 20
On Saturday 14 November, All Hallows Governors met in the Romero Centre for training on the themes of Ofsted and Self Evaluation, Teaching and Learning, and Safeguarding. Attendees were Jacqui Feely, Allison Caine, Dai Roberts, Sharon Jackson, Martha Marshall-Clarke and Alison Heaton who were joined by the Principal, Tony Billings and members of the Senior Leadership Team; Ann-Marie Connor, Peter Nickson, Janet Leigh and Michelle Garvey. Tony Billings led a session on the new Ofsted framework and the role of Governors in verifying, raising questions and supporting self-evaluation for sustaining excellence and continuous improvement. Ann-Marie Connor led a session on understanding the principles of high quality teaching and learning using a lesson kindly provided by History teacher, Sophie Harrison, which had been 21
filmed using the Iris Discovery Kit. Governors were really interested to see how the various phases of learning which form the All Hallows lesson, following the Teep model came together. The final session, led by Michelle Garvey enabled governors to complete certificated on-line safeguarding and child protection training. The training was well received by all and a testimony to the hard work and partnership between governors and staff. Commenting on the training, the Governor responsible for keeping the governor training records, Sharon Jackson said: ‘Spending time together to actively engage with the themes is invaluable in ensuring we all understand the work of the College and how to fulfil our duties as governors. It was particularly interesting to the inside workings of a lesson and to see the principles of the Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Programme (Teep) in action.’
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Honourable Purpose at All Hallows Remembrance 2015 All Hallows Remembrance Services always give our community a chance to think and pray for honourable purpose in life – about how special life is and how we should try and live it well. We always think about all those who gone before us, including loved ones and we encompass reflection on the feasts of All Saints, and All Souls, as well as praying for those who have lost their lives in war. It’s a sad fact that fighting and war is not over and the world is not really at peace. The plight of people in Syria and many other parts of the world seen in the pictures of people desperately trying to leave their home countries brings this home to us as well as the horrors of conflict virtually every day. This is why our liturgy focuses on three aspects; asking those who have gone before us to pray for us, praying for the departed - and praying for peace. For the first aspect we sing the Litany of the Saints, for the Second we pray and say the Eternal Rest and for the third aspect we walk with the Peace Pole to our Pax Christi Peace and Memorial Garden. This year our service included, thanks to Mr Andrews, the famous words ‘We shall remember them…’ being set to music and sung by the choir. These words, written about the First World War, are from Robert Laurence Binyon’s (1869-1943) poem ‘For the Fallen’. They are printed in full for you to read here. Father, Your son declared “blessed” all those who mourn, knowing that no-one can mourn unless they love very much. Bring courage and strength to those who now mourn because they have loved greatly. In you loving kindness bring them healing and inner peace, and lead the one they mourn into your kingdom of light, happiness and peace. Amen.
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Another very special insight into the tragedy of war was in the form of an extract from Michael Mulpergo’s book Private Peaceful acted by Year 13 student Dan Hulme. Dan expertly helped us get inside the thoughts of a soldier reflecting on his life and contemplating certain death. A very moving contribution was also made by A Level Dance students who performed a piece conveying a message about refugees being lost and having to come to terms with moving on and new places. A big THANK YOU to all our students and staff for your thoughtful participation in our liturgy and especially to everyone who gave a unique flavour to our reflections and prayer. Mr Billings Principal
For the Fallen Poem by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943), published in The Times newspaper on 21st September 1914. With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres. There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears. They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England's foam. But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the Night; As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain, As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, Robert Laurence Binyon, To the end, to the end, they remain. by artist William Strang.
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GCSE Fine Art Students in Year 9 This series of paintings have been produced by All Hallows GCSE Fine Art students in Year 9. They examined the painting Guernica by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. Guernica is a mural-sized oil painting on canvas and was completed by June 1937. The painting, which uses a palette of grey, black, and white, is known as one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history. The painting is believed to be a response to the bombing of Guernica, a Basque Country village in northern Spain, by German and Italian warplanes.
The Art students researched archive images from World War 1 & 2 and used these as the basis of their compositions. They worked in groups to refine their work and produced these outcomes in acrylic paint.
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Sixth Form Fancy Dress
The recent fancy dress event for the Sixth Form at All Hallows Catholic College was a great success, the students manged to raise £476 for their India project.
The India project began back in 2008 when the College chose to work with the Presentation Sisters who serve and empower the poorest communities in India to take charge of their own lives and live more fully. Since 2008 All Hallows has raised over £40,000. All of the money has reached the Indian community directly and the result is ‘All Saint’s Health and Community Centre’ which is now supplied with solar power, and has full sanitation, with fresh water being drawn from a new bore-hole. The first phase of the project realised a single storey building with general male and female wards, a labour ward, a laboratory, a dispensary, and doctors consulting room. The second phase of the project has added another floor with rooms for community meetings, adult health education, and supplementary education for children. Hannah Bristow (sixth form student) said, “Our Fancy Dress fundraiser day has become a tradition at All Hallows. It's a day we really look forward to and a fun way to raise money for our India project. I suppose my next experience of this will be RAG week at university!" Emily Rafferty said "We have been planning our costumes for weeks.... How to put a twist on the Wizard of Oz!? The best costumes were definitely the home made one's... The most talked about was the 'Human Roller Coaster!'
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Chennai Floods We are always keen to be kept up to date with the progress of the communities we are working with in India. The most recent report sent shares the impact of poor planning and development by the authorities in Chennai. Neglecting to monitor the harm done to nature and the environmental impact of our decisions is only the most striking sign of a disregard for the message contained in the structures of nature itself. Once the human being declares independence from reality and behaves with absolute dominion, the very foundations of our life begin to crumble, for “instead of carrying out his role as a cooperator with God in the work of creation, man sets himself up in place of God and thus ends up provoking a rebellion on the part of nature”.[95] “Laudato Si” Dear Sisters, We have been witnessing and listening to stories of the victims, many of whom are our students, in Chennai and its outskirts facing the fury of the floods. The rains may have receded but the nightmare for people living in the flood affected areas is far from over. As Chennai struggles to find its footing after the massive floods that have killed over 200 people, and forced around 15000 people to evacuate their water logged homes let us reflect on this human made disaster and ask what action it calls us to. We share with you some reflections that appeared in the media. Over the years, water bodies across the city have been filled up and built upon, often by politicians with interests in the real estate business, say environmentalists. The result: During incessant rains, water overflows. Some residents call it vote bank politics others say its collusion with developers. (J Sam Daniel Stalin, November 22, 2015) Today, Chennai has a host of expensive infrastructure aimed at ushering in a “Make in Chennai” boom – a brand-new (though leaky) airport built on the floodplains of the River Adyar, a sprawling bus terminal in flood-prone Koyambedu, a Mass Rapid Transit System constructed almost wholly over the Buckingham Canal and the Pallikaranai marshlands, expressways and bypass roads constructed with no mind to the tendency of water to flow, an IT corridor and a Knowledge Corridor consisting of engineering colleges constructed on water bodies, and automobile and telecom SEZs and gated residential areas built on important drainage courses and catchments. Sathyabama University s constructed (Nityanand Jayaraman · Nov 18, 2015) in a water body on Old Mahabalipuram Rd Virtually every one of the flood-hit areas can be linked to ill-planned construction. Nisha Thota an environmentalist and Founder of SHUDDA 27
said, "It's a wake-up call. There would be even bigger tragedies if we don't preserve our water bodies, if we don't deepen them... We don't have to depend on other states for water". Needless to say it is the poor who suffer the most. And we cannot neglect the harm caused to Mother earth and its creatures. Let us listen to the story of Kala (name changed)one of our students from Sacred Heart Tamil Medium School. “The waters rose in the neighbourhood after heavy rains for ... days. Our family comprising of 7 members cuddled up on one cot for all the days while we waited for relief. Our parents let us drink water saved from the one pot we had. The Food distributed by the Corporation was on the side of the flooded road. We waited but in vain. At one point 2 snakes floated in our house. My mother killed one with the steel utensil, but the other disappeared, and we live with a fear, uncertain when that one will come up. Our clothes, utensils etc have been washed away in the waters. Our books, uniforms and school ribbons are not to be found.” We are grateful for the many self-sacrificing, generous people who have been carrying out the rescue and relief operations. Several people threw open their houses to any stranger who needed shelter. Following the “Two Feet theory “ let us join hands and do our part to bring relief to the affected people and let us raise our voice against the issues that have led to this disaster. With every good wish as we strive together to a difference. Anbarasi, Ida, Lancia, Lizy, Rose Province Leadership Team
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India Trip 2016 Another group of students is due to go out to our India Project over February half term. Look out for the blog. Students are being asked to donate some items for the group to take with them.
Merit Plus - Carry on earning them! Merit plus is the reward system which acts in the spirit of our philosophy of Pay It Forward and Random Acts of Kindness. When you do well for yourself and are praised, the goodness is passed on and money is raised for our India Project. Each merit is converted into a donation of money. Over £40,000 has been raised since the project has been started. Thank you to all students for your contribution! 28
Diabetes UK On the 27th November, students from 8 Mother Teresa held a cake sale to raise money for a very good cause - Diabetes UK. The idea was spearheaded by Charlie Parry, who has the condition herself, as November was diabetes awareness month. She was keen not only to raise money for the charity, but also to tell people a bit more about living with diabetes and to dispel some of the myths that surround it. Charlie did an excellent presentation for the form telling us all about it, so we were all really excited to raise some money at our cake sale. money for such a worthy cause!
The sale was a great success and we raised ÂŁ28.35 altogether. Thank you to everybody who bought some of our yummy cakes and helped raise the money.
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SENIOR UKMT MATHS CHALLENGE On 5th November 26 students from Year 12 and 13 took part in the annual UKMT Senior Maths Challenge. Over 82,000 students from across the UK took part with the top 10% receiving a gold certificate, the next 20% silver and the next 30% bronze. Approximately 4,600 of the top students are also invited to take part in the follow-on competition (Senior Kangaroo). Students at All Hallows achieved fantastic results with 2 students being awarded gold certificates, 7 silver and 12 bronze. Tom Bowers was the highest achieving student in year 13 and he also qualified for the Senior Kangaroo competition. Aidan Hughes was the highest achiever in year 12. Congratulations to all students who took part!
Able Maths Students’ problem solving skills were in action on 9th November as All Hallows hosted an ‘Able Maths Day’. Six students from Year 9 were invited to take part along with students from other local schools. Students took part in a series of activities run by Anne Fieldhouse – a Regional Coordinator with the National Centre of Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics who currently works as a Mathematics Education Consultant across the North West. Students displayed some fantastic mathematical thinking and were able to share ideas with students from a number of different schools. Across the day we solved a variety of different problems requiring a number of different approaches across all aspects of Maths. Students showed fantastic team work to solve problems such as ‘would two toilet rolls be enough to wrap a person in?’ They also interpreted ambiguous data using both their knowledge of units and realistic lengths/weights of things. We finished the day creating cubes and other 3D shapes out of old train tickets, with no glue required! After lots of furious folding (and re-folding) and collaboration we had some fantastic shapes to display. These activities all help to develop students’ independent mathematical thinking and problem solving skills which are a key aspect of the new GCSE curriculum which students will first sit in September 2017. As the day was such a success we are currently in the process of arranging to host another event in March, aimed at Year 8 Mathematicians.
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Carol Singing On the evening of December 10th, the Inspire Choir and Brass group gathered near the Christmas tree in the centre of Macclesfield for some community carol singing bringing festive cheer to a chilly evening. The Brass Group, directed by Miss Elliott, accompanied our singing, leading us through our carolling with favourites such as; Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and The First Noel and other less well known carols too. After a welcome Hot Chocolate from Café Nero (which they kindly donated) we walked through the streets of town to begin our more reflective carol service. We began with dimmed lights and a superb solo of the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City by Isobel Bailey (Y10). With accuracy and excellent vocal control she created a beautiful atmosphere to start our service. We proceeded in the style of a traditional service of lessons and carols, punctuated by more modern reflections too. The choir (approximately 30 strong!) sang descants to some of the carols, producing a wonderful ethereal sound. They sang silent night as a solo item in three different languages, highlighting the way the Christian message transcends national barriers and is recognised and celebrated throughout the world. We ended our service with some Christmas treats at the back of church, and a presentation to Fr Peter for his upcoming birthday! Our thanks go to St Alban’s church for the use of their beautiful building and the Performing Arts team for their hard work making it all happen. 31
"We wish you a Merry Christmas"
Year 11 Hospitality students hosted a special Christmas afternoon tea party in aid of East Cheshire Hospice raising over ÂŁ500 for a very worthy cause. As part of their course the Hospitality students had to research, organise and carry out an event. Over 40 people attended the event, both family, friends and members of the St Alban's Monday Club, which included dining out on a selection of finger sandwiches and cakes, whilst listening to the angelic voices of our very own "Inspire Choir" directed by Mr J. Andrews and Mr M. Richardson. The students gained so much valuable experience from this event that it is sure to appear in our Christmas calendar each year. Tutors Mrs Heaton & Mrs Welfle were extremely proud of all of the students and the extra effort they put into organising this beautiful afternoon tea. Everyone who attended was very impressed by their level of professionalism and the attention to detail in their organising. The students received special thanks from Helen Knight, Clinical & Operations Director of the hospice, who was delighted to share in this special day. 32
Year 7 Book Buzz Year 7 get buzzy about books! This year all our new students in Year 7 have received a free reading book as part of The Book Trust’s Bookbuzz scheme. The aim of the scheme is to support ‘schools to encourage reading for pleasure, independent choice and develop a whole school reading culture’, which is something we have been working on in All Hallows for several years now. Students had a choice from a wide range of genres with books at different reading levels for different abilities.
The shortlisted titles: Our top five choices from the shortlist were: Dandelion Clocks Flirty Dancing Cuckoo Song Jinx – Wizard’s Apprentice Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder All books are available to borrow from the AHCC Library.
Here are some comments from our students about their books: ‘We can get a book that looks exciting and one that catches our attention. The book I chose is thrilling.’ Rian Martin 7TR ‘I think being in year 7 getting a book is good because we are able to take two which gives us a chance to read a book at home and a book at school’. Polly Barry 7TR ‘Jinx is an interesting book and it will probably be one of the best books of year 7’. Matthew Clayton 7JP ‘Don’t let people put you off reading because readers are leaders’. Harry Mann 7TR
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Book Buzz Competition Year 7 students were also invited to enter a competition to win another book of their choice from the shortlist by describing what makes them buzz about books. We had lots of fantastic entries and here are a couple of the most inspiring: ‘The reason why I love reading is the pure fact that I love the thrill of being taken on a story of being transported to a land of fiction where you can watch the tale unfold before your very eyes. I love that books are so easy to take anywhere and you can be transfixed anytime and anywhere. Even though I am a girly girl, I love reading action books as I adore the pleasure of not being able to put a book down, being hooked in a place that makes you believe there IS magic, monsters and such. I always love looking at the authors’ view of things and reading helps me to learn how to spell and to use new words correctly.’ Holly Pick 7BS ‘My favourite types of books are fiction books because they’re made up, they are not real so the author can use their imagination when writing the book. Some fiction books have action in them; they make me buzz for the reason that there are fights which can be exciting and cool. I also find them interesting because in the book @Percy jackson’ the author describes the monsters so well that you can imagine them in your head; s/ he can make them sound as gruesome and powerful as he or she wants.’ Finlay Walker 7JBA
The Bookbuzz website has lots of related book fun, including interview, author information and competitions. Log on to explore: www.bookbuzz.org.uk 34
As winter draws on, why not curl up with a good book?! We have lots of new books in the library for students to borrow and with the holiday coming up, why not put the books below on your Christmas list?
The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne (available in the AHCC Library) The latest drama set in the Second World War by the author of ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’. ‘When Pierrot becomes an orphan, he must leave his home in Paris for a new life with his Aunt Beatrix, a servant in a wealthy household at the top of the German mountains. But this is no ordinary time, for it is 1935 and the Second World War is fast approaching; and this is no ordinary house, for this is the Berghof, the home of Adolf Hitler. Quickly, Pierrot is taken under Hitler's wing, and is thrown into an increasingly dangerous new world: a world of terror,
Grandpa’s Great Escape by David Walliams (available in the AHCC Library) If you are in the mood for some laughs this season, then pick up David Walliams new novel! ‘Jack’s Grandpa… wears his slippers to the supermarket, serves up tinned tongue for dinner and often doesn’t remember Jack’s name But he can still take to the skies in a speeding Spitfire and save the day… An exquisite portrait of the bond between a small boy and his beloved Grandpa – this book takes readers on an incredible journey with Spitfires over London and Great Escapes through the city in a high octane adventure full of comedy and heart. ‘
Silence is Goldfish by Annabel Pitcher (available in the AHCC Library) Annabel Pitcher is one of my favourite writers, her stories are always very emotive but very readable. If you haven’t yet read anything by her, then why not try her latest… ‘The third YA (Young Adult)novel from the bestselling and prizewinning author of MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE and KETCHUP CLOUDS, in which Tessie-T discovers she's a Pluto and her parents wanted a Mercury or Venus, at least. My name is Tess Turner - at least, that's what I've always been told. I have a voice but it isn't mine. It used to say things so I'd fit in, to please my parents, to please my teachers. It used to tell the universe I was something I wasn't. It lied. It never occurred to me that everyone else was lying too. But the words that really hurt weren't the lies: it was six hundred and seventeen words of truth that turned my world upside down. Words scare me, the lies and the truth, so I decided to stop using them. I am Pluto. Silent. Inaccessible. Billions of miles away from everything I thought I knew. Tessie-T has never really felt she fitted in and after what she read that night on her father's blog she knows for certain that she never will. How she deals with her discovery makes an entirely riveting, heart-breaking story told through Tess's eyes as she tries to find her place in the world.’ 35
Demon Road (available in the AHCC Library) If you are after something action packed and full of adventure, then give ‘Demon Road’ a try! ‘The creator of the number one bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant series returns with the story of a girl on the run from everything she loves...and the monsters that await her. For anyone who ever thought their parents were monsters...Amber Lamont is a normal sixteen-year-old. Smart but insecure, she spends most of her time online, where she can avoid her beautiful, aloof parents and their weird friends. But when a shocking encounter reveals a horrifying secret, Amber is forced to go on the run. Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers and red-skinned, horned demons - Amber hurtles from one threat to the next, revealing the terror woven into the very fabric of her life. As her parents close in behind her, Amber's only chance rests with her fellow travellers, who are not at all what they appear to be...Witty, actionpacked and heart-stoppingly thrilling, Demon Road will take you on an epic road-trip across the supernatural landscape of America.’
The Rest of Us Just Live Here (available in the AHCC Library) Patrick Ness is one of the most celebrated writers of Young Adult fiction currently writing. He has won the Carnegie Award twice in the last decade alone. His books are always thought provoking and definitely quirky.
‘Award-winning writer Patrick Ness's bold and irreverent novel powerfully asks what if you weren't the Chosen One? The one who's supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death? What if you were like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to the prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again. Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week's end of the world and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life. Even if your best friend might just be the God of mountain lions...
We also have in stock some of the most popular reads of the autumn, including The End, the final instalment in Charlie Higson’s zombie series, Paper Towns and Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee’s first novel. There’s something for everyone… Don’t forget, you can visit your local library to top up your reading over the holidays! Happy Read-mas!
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Sports Tournament The 3rd annual Year 5/6 All Hallows Learning Community football tournament was played on the 8th December. Teams from St John's, St Alban’s, St Gregory's, St Mary's, St Paul’s and Christ The King played in a round robin competition. All the teams involved demonstrated a high level of skill, commitment and embodied the 12 virtues of sport that the John Paul II Foundation for Sport looks to develop in our students. After five very competitive rounds St Johns emerged victorious with St Albans a very close second and St Marys third. Well done to everyone who was involved and we look forward to seeing you at the next competition.
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The Winning Team
The final standings are as follows:
School St John’s St Alban’s St Mary’s St Paul’s Christ The King St Gregory's
Won 4 4 3 2 1 0
Drew 1 0 1 0 0 0
Lost 0 1 1 3 4 5
Points 13 12 10 6 3 0
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Emerging Schools Rugby
Numbers at rugby training have been fantastic following the recent Rugby World Cup. A combination of experienced players and those who had only just discovered the sport through engaging in PE lessons turn up every Monday night, to try and be the next Dan Carter, Jonny Wilkinson or Jamie Roberts. The aim was to enter Years 9, 8 and 7 in the emerging schools festival at Northwich Rugby club. Year 9, led by captain Ed Vitta, were victorious in each of their games at the emerging schools festival. I have taken many sides to emerging schools competitions over the past ten years, but this was the most impressive and successful. From the moment the students got on the bus and asked for a minutes silence, as they were missing Remembrance Day services, to the way they encouraged each other all day, embodying all that is good about rugby and the values of sportsmanship. They won all five of their matches against schools from across Cheshire. This was particularly impressive as for many of them it was their first competitive rugby matches. Stand out players included Liam Bennett, James Lisle and Kanta Sibbett. Though the success really came from the collective effort of the whole squad. Unfortunately the weather put paid to the year 7 and 8 tournaments. We are hoping that these will be rearranged for the Easter term, hopefully with some better weather. Rugby will take a recess for a few weeks due to the light but will begin again in February.
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PE Newsletter Results FOOTBALL RESULTS 6 NOVEMBER
Football result: English Schools U13 Cup, Round 3, All Hallows won v Moorside High School 7-3. Scorers: Fregepane 3, McKillop 1, Speed 2, Stuart 1 Man of the Match: Patrick Pardillo FOOTBALL RESULTS 13 NOVEMBER
Unfortunately the Y11 football team lost in the second round of the Cheshire Cup. They lost 1-0 to Hartford in a very close match. The boys were unlucky but performed well. Man of Match - George Greenwood RUGBY RESULTS 20 NOVEMBER
Year 9, led by Captain Ed Vitta, were victorious in the emerging schools tournament. They won all five of their matches against schools from across Cheshire. This was particularly impressive as, for many of them, it was their first competitive rugby match. Stand out players included Liam Bennett, James Lisle and Kanta Sibbett, though the success came from the collective effort of the whole squad.
FOOTBALL RESULTS 27 NOVEMBER
Year 8 B lost on penalties to Chorlton High School after a 3-3 draw. The scorer of all three goals was Stuart and man of the match was Marshall Stuart. FOOTBALL RESULTS 4 DECEMBER
Year 10 lost their home game against Reddish Vale in the Cheshire Cup by 6 goals to 2. The goal scorers were James Chadwick and Ben Dawson, the man of the match was Luke Boyle. Year 7 students Adam Richardson, Roan Clarke, Euan Morrison, Aiden Butterworth, Owen Wright, Hayden Ronan, Tom Mason and Liam Kerr came in 5th place during the indoor 5 aside football tournament held at Poynton High School. Aidan Butterworth, AHCC player of the tournament scored 3 fantastic goals and set up many chances during the game. Well played everyone. VOLLEYBALL RESULTS 4 DECEMBER
The following students came in 1st and 2nd place in the Macclesfield Volleyball Tournament . The A team will be going through to represent Macclesfield at the County Championships later on next year. A Team: Harry King (Y10), Dan Sherratt (Y10), Ed Vitta (Y9) and Liam Bennett (Y9). B Team (All year 9): Fin Hughes , Luigi Pinto, James Lisle and Jack Marshall-Clack. The following year 9 female students came in 2nd place in the Macclesfield Volleyball Tournament: Rebecca Groves, Jodie Broadhurst, Andze Domaska, Julia Domanska, Jade Ainsworth and Emily Billington. 40
VOLLEYBALL YEAR9/10 11 DECEMBER
Team A male students came 1st against Wilmslow HS and Team B came 2nd against Macclesfield Academy. Player of both matches was Harry King year 10 and Jack Marshall Clack qualified to play in the Cheshire finals. Our Female students also played against Wilmslow and Macclesfield Academy and came in 2nd place. Players of the match was Andze Domaska Year 9 and Julia Domanska Year 9.
FOOTBALL RESULTS 11 DECEMBER
Year 8 English Schools Cup Male Football Fixture Round 4, All Hallows lost on penalties to Elton High School after a 2-2 draw Scorers: Box, Fregapane, Man of the Match: Rocco Fregapane Our female students played a 7 aside football match against Poynton High School. Year 7 lost 2 -0 , Year 8 and 9 lost 2-0 and Year 10 and 11 lost 5-1. Players of each of the matches were Olivia Delany, Izzy Moody and Charlotte Booth. Our female students played Macclesfield and District 5 a side football tournament. They drew 1-1 with Wilmslow. The goal scorer was Sydney Lythgoe-Higginson. They won 3-1 against Falibroome. The goal scorers were Olivia Delany, Joelle McGann and Eleanor Pollard. They drew 0-0 with Poynton and 3-0 against Tytherington. The goal scorers were Olivia Delany x 2 and Joelle McGann. The girls came 2 nd on goal difference, going unbeaten throughout the tournament. Special Well done to Rebecca Wolstenholme, Joelle McGann, Eleanor Pollard, Bella Gale, Olivia Delany and Sydney Lythgoe-Higginson.
BASKET BALL RESULTS 18 DECEMBER
Well done to the Under 14 Basketball team - they are District Champions! The tournament took place at Wilmslow High School. All Hallows were unbeaten by 10 to 3 against Wilmslow And Won 12 to 2 against Fallibroome The boys will go on to represent Macclesfield in the County Finals. Players of the tournament were Adrian Rozanski & Lucas Whitehurst. Well done!
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Prayer God Our Father, You created light and all that we can see. Show us how to grow in a sense of wonder that we may “really see” and appreciate all the beauty that is around us. Lead us to discover how inter-connected are so many things in life and how inter-woven with Your presence. May the coming into our world of Jesus, your son, who lived fully as a human being remind us that we are all called to be at –one with you. Show us how to transform all that might be ordinary in our daily lives and, through your spirit, become more fully alive, to Your greater glory.
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All Are Welcome at All Hallows Catholic College Come in and visit our wonderful Church College
All Hallows Catholic College Brooklands Avenue Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8LB www.allhallows.org.uk