A Welcome from our Principal
Welcome to the Aspire Magazine, reviewing the Epiphany and Easter terms. It has been a long, busy term with plenty of opportuni es for our young people to shine.
The term began in earnest when early in January, we welcomed Year 4 students into College for a retreat run by our fantas c Year 12 students. Later in the term, our Year 12 and 13 ran a mul cultural workshop for students from our feeder primary schools. Countries represented included Spain, Turkey, India, Poland, Greece, Nigeria to name but a few! Our visitors tasted foods and got immersed in the art, games and music of these countries that are represented amongst our student body. It was a great opportunity to celebrate unity and our College's mul cultural iden ty.
There have been Art exhibi ons by our KS3 students in College and the forma on of a new Art and Diversity group, con nued training for our an –bullying ambassadors, plus a visit from author Ma Dickinson. Our Year 10 students have successfully completed a week’s work experience and have con nued working hard in prepara ons for their GCSEs. We have also had students success again in public speaking compe ons and feature stories of the success of former students in the world of Formula 1 and modelling.
At half term there were trips to Sorrento and Naples, Rome and Krakow. The term ended on a high as the College moved to Macclesfield Town’s home ground to watch the much an cipated Staff V Sixth Form Football match.
I hope you enjoy your read of our latest magazine. Thank you to all of our contributors and all those who help put it together..
God Bless,
Tim Beesley Principal
In This Issue...
Ash Wednesday
Year 4 Retreat Day
Year 9 Lenten Retreats
Sta ons of the Cross
Holocaust Memorial Service at Macclesfield Town Hall
Mul cultural Event for Primary Schools
Student Success
KS3 ADT Exhibi on
Year 9 Graphics Work
KS4 Cambridge Na onal Sports Studies
Students Meet Olympian
Author Ma Dickinson Visits All Hallows
Public Speaking News
Excellent English Work
Farm News
An -Bullying Ambassador Training
Chinese Spring Fes val
Spor ng Success
Art & Design Diversity Group
GCSE Drama Trip
Year 10 Work Experience
Geography Trip to Italy
History Trip to Poland
Re Trip to Rome
Aspire Day - Thursday 29th February
World Book Day
Students Conquer Welsh Mountains in
World Down Syndrome Day
New Minibus Arrives
St Patrick's Day
Sixth Form News
Mock Appren ceship Assessment
Centre
Mental Health support Group
Nolan Trust Speaker Visits
CERN Visit - The Ever Improving
Science Experience
Core RE Sessions
Refugees
Human Trafficking
UCAS Fair
Year 12 Spanish Essay Wri ng
Workshop
Appren ceship Fair
A Level English Literature to Haworth
Staff V Sixth Form Annual Football
Match
Prayer
Ash Wednesday
We began Lent with an Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the Chapel a ended by many students. Ashes were distributed as we reflected on what we could do for Lent. We con nued the theme as the Chaplaincy group had requested that we ran the Lenten Hunger Lunch on Ash Wednesday.
Soup was served with bread to those who wished to take part and forgo their normal lunch. The soup was made by our fantas c canteen staff and served by the Chaplaincy group. £100 was raised for CAFOD.
Year 4 Retreat Day
Students from our partner primaries a ended All Hallows on Thursday 25th January to take part in a retreat led by Year 12 All Hallows’ students. The focus of the retreat was our care of the environment based upon:
“I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground everything that has the breath of life in it I give every green plant for food.” (Genesis).
Year 4 students took part in a variety of ac vi es including a quiz, using plas c bo les to make an animal, decora ng gingerbread shapes, plan ng seeds and taking part in a concluding liturgy. Year 12 and Year 4students worked very well crea ng shapes using string without being able to speak to each other. The Year 12 students had decided on the theme and the retreat was based on their key ideas and thoughts. SYMT had helped to pull the day together following the Year 12 retreat they had led in September. The Year 12 students were brilliant, showing the depth of Chaplaincy within All Hallows.
Year 9 Retreats
Year 9 students all experienced a Lenten retreats in College. The sessions ran by Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team were excellent. A wide variety of ac vi es took place in the Chapel including lively games, making a clay tealight holder, which represented their own light for the world, and board games. There was me for quiet reflec on. Students were given me to think about their own Lenten programme as we all prepare for the great feast of Easter. Form tutors provided support and encouragement. We are delighted to welcome SYMT again as they are now a regular part of Lent at All Hallows. Thank you to Ashley, Claire, Michael and Sandy for all Sta ons of the Cross
Sta ons of the Cross
Year 7 students have been learnt more about the Sta ons of the Cross this term. Reflec ng both in the Chapel and around college on this devo on which is most appropriate as a way of praying during Lent. They were able to find each sta on of the cross around our college site And answer ques ons on them Luckily, the sun has shone!
Holocaust Memorial Service at Macclesfield Town Hall
Mr Eardley, accompanied by Mrs Livesey and Ms Sinclair, took 18 Year 9 students to the annual Cheshire East Holocaust Memorial service at Macclesfield Town Hall. Rod Fletcher, the Cheshire East Mayor welcomed all the a endees, including students from other local schools and then introduced Mr Ernie Hunter who told the story of his mother Fanny Höchste er who believed in 1933 that 'it will soon blow over' and 'how long-standing, friendly, Chr----is an – Jewish rela onships in the small market town of Laupheim, Germany were destroyed by the Nazis. Laupheim was mainly Catholic, with a Jewish community. The Jews enjoyed a full religious and cultural life. Jewish shops closed over the High Holy Days. Catholic and Jewish children played together. Jews were leading members of the local social and cultural scene.
In March 1933 many Germans, including Jews, felt that surely the Nazis could not crush German democracy. They felt “It will soon blow over”. Fanny Höchste er, was one of those and almost le it too late to flee Germany.
Within days of the Nazi Party taking control of the Reichstag, legisla on forced the re rement of Jewish civil servants and poli cal opponents of Hitler – and Fanny, Jewish and already at 30 a senior civil servant, did not want to re re! Despite being physically bullied she bravely stood her ground, including demanding that her re rement be documented, eventually – and unusually – receiving a cer ficate. Fanny eventually realised that “It would NOT soon blow over”. Luckily, her sister Bertl found her a job as a chambermaid in Wales – saving Fanny’s life. Fanny managed to flee in August 1939 – days before World War 2 started.
The story also men ons the fate of some family members sent on the first transport from Baden Wür emberg [December 1941] for “Rese lement East” to an unknown des na on. They ended up in Riga, Latvia, where, on or soon a er arrival, most were shot one on one. Within a year, Jewish culture, religion – and life – in Laupheim had been ex nguished. Ex nguished to this day.'
A er Mr Hunter's moving speech about hope not hate, all a endees were invited to light a candle. Mr Hunter explained that he was ligh ng his candle for all vic ms of the nazi regime and other genocides that have occurred since the Second World War.
Mul cultural Event for Primary Schools
In early January, our fantas c Year 12 students hosted the first All Hallows Cultural Fair for students from St Benedict's, St Paul's and St Mary's Primary Schools in the 6th form common Room. As part of their CORE RE programme, Year 12 students had prepared a celebra on of their cultural iden ty involving food, music, sports, quizzes, games, and informa on about various countries where they or their parents have come from including Nigeria, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Turkey, Jamaica, Slovakia, Sweden, Ireland, Wales, France, Greece, India, Italy and the Philippines. Our visitors tasted foods and got immersed in the art, games and music of these countries that are represented amongst our student body. The primary school students also got the opportunity to play cricket, prac ce their long jump and even take part in some boxing! They were also able to learn words and heard music in different languages, tasted lots of treats to learn more about the many countries and cultures that make up our student body.
The following week, our Year 13 students hosted the second All Hallows Cultural Fair in our Common Room for students from St Alban's and St John's Primary Schools. The countries represented in this year group included Australia, Poland, Turkey, India, Italy, Scotland and the Philippines.
We would like to thank the staff and students of all schools for joining us in our 'round the world' experience. It was a great opportunity to celebrate unity and our College's mul cultural iden ty.
Student Success
Driving Success
Fresh from winning the Young Driver of the Year award, former All Hallows student Joseph Loake will be driving in F3 next year. This is an incredible achievement and means he will be appearing at a number of actual F1 Grand Prix events in the support races, including Silverstone. To read more about this, click here
Modelling
James Cooper, a former All Hallows student modelled in Florence last week for Luca Magliano, who won the Karl Lagerfeld Special Jury Prize Award at the LVCM Prize for Young Fashion Designers 2023. James was chosen from the 40 models to open the show. He has also modelled recently for Calvin Klein.
Ice Ska ng
In February Grace N took part in an ice ska ng team compe on in Dumfries, she came 4th in Trophy D'Ecosse compe on and got to meet Robin Cousins MBE. Grace was recently selected for the Altrincham Synchronised Figure Ska ng Club as a member of the 2023/2024 team.
Trampolining
Congratula ons to Ava R who competed in the Northern Schools Trampoline Finals in Wakefield in February. Ava came 2nd out of 31 compe tors, and is now through to the Na onal Finals in March represen ng All Hallows.
KS3 ADT Exhibi on
We are pleased to open our new KS3 ADT exhibi on in Recep on and the SLT corridor for the Spring term. The exhibi on puts a spotlight on a range of outcomes from the Art and Design Technology curriculum in Year 7, 8 and 9.
Year 8 Food Drawing, Pain ng and Making
Imogen F, Daniel M, Grace C, Eleanor P, Caitlin E, Lacey W, Emily R, Ben P, Renee J, Thomas H, Crystal G, Luca T, Frankie M, Eden W, Kiera G, Lilybelle G, Aimee P, Ben S, Amy C, Joseph R, Avani E, Lucy K,Pippa D, Angel T, Mathilde McM, Harry M, Ki y Y, Charlie M,Charlie W, Phoebe O, Harry F and Amelia Thompson
Year 8 students have inves gated the ar st Wayne Thiebaud who made Pop Art pain ngs inspired by the theme ‘Americana’. They developed their colour mixing skills in paint to explore nts and shades to create three dimensional effects. They have prac ced their tex les and sculp ng skills by making a ‘so ’ breakfast in the style of Claes Oldenburg.
Year 9 Collage ‘Fantas c Beasts (and where to find them)
Amelia T, Maise B-N, Liv S, Hannah G, Evie C, Magenta K, Lily L, Lucy B, Frankie P, Duru B, Emily E, Audrey F, Tamlyn S, Arthur S, Amelia T, Regan K, Frankie T, Doris G, Alfie B, Lillie G, Maria B, Sen ola H, Iluka A, Payton H, Harry B and Ann P.
In this project Year 9 students have developed photo-montage college techniques. Collage describes both the technique and work of art in which pieces of paper, photographs, fabric and other found items are arranged and stuck down onto a suppor ng surface. Pu ng images and elements from different sources allows you to create hybrid outcomes. This technique is in the Surrealist tradi on of Art & Design and allows you to unlock reality and create fantas c visions with a sense of play and humour, which could only exist in your imagina on or dreams. These students used preowned, ready-made postcards and the spent me reflec ng on the images and messages wri en on the back prior to crea ng their crea ve collaged responses.
Year 9 Graphics Work
Protest!
Protest art involves crea ve visual graphic communica on in the act of addressing poli cal or social issues. Art & Design is a medium that is accessible to all types of people and allows for quick communica on of ideas. Ar sts and Designers have produced Protest pieces in a range of mediums including photography, performance, pain ng, and graffi . In this project, Year 9 students were asked to meet the brief of developing a protest message to other students. They inves gated the work of Banksy and most notably, Barbara Kruger. Kruger’s work involves combining black and white photography with bold graphic fonts. The students based their message on one of our core values of Respect, Compassion, Honourable Purpose, Stewardship and Coopera on.
Year 9 Product Design
Adjustable Lamps
Students in Year 9 have been making adjustable lamps. They have prac ced skills working with electronics, machines and hand tools to manufacture an adjustable stand and they have explored the theme of personal culture to create a personalise collage shade.
Year 8 Product Design
Pull-along Toys
Students in Year 8 have been making Pull-along children’s toys. They evaluated exis ng products in the toy market to ini ate the design process. They have prac ced skills working with hand tools to manufacture their design.
Year 7 Product Design
Travel games
Students in Year 7 have been making travel games. They evaluated exis ng products in the travel game market to start developing their product knowledge. They have prac ced skills working a range of resistant materials including wood and acrylic to manufacture their design. Mr McSwity
KS4 Cambridge Na onal Sports Studies Students Meet Olympian
The KS4 Cambridge Na onal Sports Studies Students were extremely fortunate to welcome Dame Laura Kenny into College to answer ques ons posed by our Year 10 and 11 Cambridge Na onal Sports Studies groups.With six Olympic medals (5 gold and 1 silver), Laura is the most successful Bri sh female athlete in Olympic history. As part of their course, the Sports Studies students are currently researching role models in sport, and some are specifically looking at role models in track cycling. The students asked Laura ques ons on a variety of topics
Laura for giving up her me to come into College to speak to the students, especially when she is training in
Author Ma Dickinson Visits All Hallows
On Tuesday 6th February the English department is excited to welcome author, filmmaker and mountaineer Ma Dickinson to All Hallows for a talk with all students in Years 7 & 8, followed by wri ng workshops with selected students in Year 7. This will compliment the non-fic on wri ng skills that Year 7 are currently working on in their ‘Survival of the Fi est’ topic in English, and is also a fantas c opportunity to engage students with reading and possible future careers using their English skills.
Ma ’s talk will share details of his career as an award winning director/cameraman for Na onal Geographic TV, Discovery Channel and the BBC. During his ac on-packed career he has worked with some of the great characters from the world of adventure: Bear Grylls, Judy Leden and Brian Blessed. He has filmed on Everest’s summit (the first Bri sh film maker to do so and get back alive), in Antarc ca, Greenland, Alaska and on top of the highest ac ve volcano in the world.
In recent years Ma has wri en a number of books for young people, including the thrilling series, ‘The Everest Files’. During the day there will be an opportunity for students to get copies of Ma ’s books signed.
Public Speaking News
In early February, Oisin M, Carrie P and Isabel S J represented the school in the Biddulph heat for the Rotary public speaking compe on, and whilst they did not progress to the next round, they did themselves and the school proud.
Coming up this Sunday 4th Feb, Will C is represen ng the college at the Catenian Public speaking compe on. It would be great to get as many people there to support him as possible, £5 entry and it starts at 2.00 pm at the Manchester Conference Centre (Pendulum hotel).
Then on Tuesday 6th Feb, we have 3 Year 9 students, Pola, Jayna and Audrey, plus 3 Year 11 students, Alice W, Grace T and Mathilda C represen ng us in the Macclesfield heat of the Rotary public speaking compe on. This starts at 5.30pm at Macclesfield Academy and again would be great to see as many of you there as possible! Thank you to all students involved and Mr Megson for organising.
Also in February, Congratula ons to the Year 9 Team of Pola J, Jayna J and Audrey F who won the Rotary Public Speaking Compe on last night with their speech, 'Technology in Medicine'. Each of these students won an award for their individual role. Now, the team now moves onto the district final in March.
Our Year 11 team of Mathilda C, Grace T and Alice W did a great job with their speech, 'Why is society fascinated by serial killers?'. Alice won the Best Proposer of the Vote of Thanks Award as well! Thank you to all students who took part and Mr Megson for his work with them.
Excellent English Work
In March, Year 9 students have been working on ‘Pitch Perfect’. This scheme of work has meant they have had to design, market and then pitch their product to the class in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ situa on. The crea vity displayed by Year 9 has been extraordinary as they have created products like: Surprise (a chocolate bar and pick ‘n’ mix combined), an An -tantrum Spray (keeps those noisy toddlers in check), Quiet Candy (for people that never stop talking), the Foodie (air fryer and slow cooker combined), Culture Coffee (mail order create your own coffee flavour) and many more.
For their presenta ons, students showed amazing crea vity. Designing power point adverts, short video clips, websites accessed by QR codes and even crea ng a prototype chocolate bar which was delicious. It has been a fun and rewarding half term where Year 9 students have really enjoyed pitching their weird and wacky ideas to their peers.
Well done, Year 9! Mrs Davies McCumaskey
Farm News
December saw a few changes on our College farm. Vinny the Llama has moved to a new farm for his re rement, having been lonely since his pal Milo passed in summer. We have spent a long me trying to find the right home for him, where he won't be living on his own and we know he will be well cared for. Students local to Congleton can s ll visit him, as he now living at Glebe Farm. We welcomed new mice in December; Cookies and Cream, who have been a huge hit with the students. They are super friendly and love a peanut treat! We are hoping to raise funds for new farm animals and all dona ons received will go towards the purchase of new animals and new housing or enrichment items; there is an op on to donate via ParentPay.
Michaelangelo, our Horsefield tortoise was woken up a er his hiberna on. It may seem strange but Michaelangelo has spent the last 3 months in the fridge! Using an ar ficial method of hiberna on is actually a more reliable method as the temperature remains constant, in the wild tortoises would hibernate underground where temperatures remain constant, if placed outside they are suscep ble to freezing as the temperatures can fluctuate so much in the English winter. Having not been allowed to eat the week before hiberna on to ensure that there was no undigested food in his stomach, Michaelangelo enjoyed his first meal in 3 months!
An -Bullying Ambassador Training
On Tuesday 30th January, I was delighted to have the chance to take some students from our An -Bullying Team for a training day. The day was organised by The Diana Award and was a chance for our Associate An -Bullying Ambassadors to become official ABAs and to finally get their hands on a badge! It was also a great chance for some of our more experienced ABAs to refresh their training and get lots of new ideas to bring back to school. The training was held at Co Op Academy in Failsworth and was a ended by about 20 other schools.
Nabeel, Lacey, Libby, Hannah, Ellie, Maisie, Luis, Phoebe, Olivia and Sagarika were all fantas c representa ves of All Hallows. Despite being in a room full of over 200 other students, teachers and facilitators, they put their hands up, answered ques ons, engaged in the work and had lots of great ideas. Mr Duffield and I were really proud of them. Hannah (one of our more experienced ABAs), said: "The day was informa ve, fun and interac ve. We came away with lots of ideas and learned lots!". We are excited to work together to achieve our next Diana Award badge - watch this space! Mrs Lewis
Chinese Spring Fes val
The 10th February on the lunar calendar marks the beginning of a new year – the Year of Dragon. To celebrate the special event, students from Mandarin class had a lot of ac vi es and all had great fun.
From 6th Feb to 13th Feb, students from Year 7 to 10 had Chinese New Year Classes. During the lesson, students learned how to say Happy New Year in Mandarin, what Chinese people do for spring fes val and their zodiac sign. Each of them won a red pocket with printed Chinese money inside when they could say Happy New Year in Chinese correctly.
On 7th Feb Wednesday, our language assistant, Ms Wang, decorated the canteen with Chinese lanterns, posters, and paper-cuts for windows. The school served many delicious and authen c foods with Oriental flavour, adding more New Year’s atmosphere to every bite.
On 8th Feb Thursday, Year 7 Mandarin students had an MEP trip at Confucius Ins tute of University of Manchester, joined by Tytherington School and Cowley School. During the day, students had cultural workshops on paper cu ng, calligraphy and Chinese dance. At lunch, students enjoyed delicious Chinese food like egg fried rice, spring rolls, fried noodles, curry chicken, in the Chinese restaurant. A er lunch, students went shopping in the Chinese supermarket. By ge ng close to Chinese culture, our students got the chance to integrate what they learned from textbook into the tangible ac vi es in daily life. What they experienced at Confucious Ins tute and China town will also prompt their future interest and inspira on in Mandarin class. Lots of students from Year 7 expressed their excitement about this trip. Daphne S said, with a big smile, that she really enjoyed it and felt thankful to school for organizing the trip.
On 9th Feb Friday, our Year 8 and Year 9 Mandarin students made Chinese dumplings. In the process of making dumplings, the students learned about Chinese food culture and cul vated their teamwork skills. They were all very happy to taste the dumplings they made by themselves. Darcy A said that she really enjoyed the lesson because she learned how to make dumplings and they tasted really good.
Students truly enjoyed the experience and appreciated this great opportunity to shine in their Mandarin lessons during the Chinese New Year. Staff were very pleased with students' achievements through the week's ac vi es.
Spor ng Success
February
Lacrosse
All Hallows play Lacrosse against Macclesfield Academy in the first ever Lacrosse fixture in Macclesfield. This was a great opportunity for students to play a new sport and have a go at one of the latest sports to be added to the Olympics in 2028. The game was played in great spirit with lots of students represen ng their school through sport for the first me. The game ended up 18-16 to Macclesfield Academy, who came out on top in a closely fought game. Player of the Match - Haru P for scoring 10 goals. Mr Ives
Badminton
In February, we played our first ever badminton fixture in a friendly game v Tytherington. It was a great opportunity for our Year 8 students to play against another school, pu ng into prac ce the skills they have learnt and developed over the last term at our extra-curricular club. The compe on was evenly matched, with the singles and doubles games finishing 6-6. We finished with a first-to-seven game which Tytherington won 7-2. We will play a return fixture at Tytherington in the summer. Well done to Shaurya, Hinson, Sid, Vinay, Bes n, Ishaan, Ram and Siri for their effort, but a special men on to Ram M for his play during his matches.
Art & Design Diversity Group
In early February Mr Beasley presented a liturgical prayer on the theme of racial equality and diversity to all year groups. He introduced students to an artwork from Ice Gallery in Wilmslow, called 'Beyond Lies More'. This pain ng depicts black celebri es and role models from past and present. We wish to respond to this artwork and theme by exploring how we can make a response which explores OUR diversity of culture in our College community. Mr McSwity (with the help of the Year 13 diversity team) is crea ng an All Hallows Art group to research, design and make a collabora ve Artwork. The work will be displayed in a future exhibi on. The group is aimed primarily at Year 12 and 10 Art & Design students but we also encourage students in Years 7, 8 and 9, who have a passion for Art, to join us. This is an extra curricular group and we will aim to meet once a week at least during the next half term at a lunch break to develop our project. You will have to be prepared to commit to this.
Visitors Graham Finch from ICE Gallery, Wilmslow and ex England rugby player, Luther Burrell joined us on Wednesday this week to help launch our ‘Beyond Lies More’ art project. Inspired by the pain ng (showed here) our students listened to Graham's inspira on and choice of 6 Black icons who challenged racism and nega ve social a tudes. Graham called our students to start a 'tsunami' of change. Luther shared his personal experience of ins tu onal racism and the brave decision he took to ‘out’ it. We look forward to seeing the Art our students develop over the coming weeks, which reflects the inclusivity and diversity of our College community. Our students commented on the project a er the launch. One said, 'It makes me feel less alienated.' Another, 'this will inspire ac on against ins tu onal racism and help spread awareness.' Ma lda explained that the project 'added reality to a real life situa on that causes problems'. Poppy said that the project made her ' feel less alone with her own experiences.' Finally, Aleysha summed up how the launch of the project affected her, 'this was very moving and made me feel like I have more of a voice and can be that s mulant for change against racism.'
GCSE Drama Trip
On February 14th we seized the Valen ne's day bull by the horns and embarked on an adventure to Home Theatre in Manchester. There we watched a gripping contemporary performance of 'Bluebeard'. The classic fairytale was adapted by award winning director Emma Rice and told a powerful, heart wrenching intertwining story which le us literally speechless. The piece was an immensely compelling message on what it is like for women in society. The adapta on was brutal, bold and beau ful and the students had never seen theatre in this style before which mixed cabaret sparkle with black comedy, film noir elements and epic theatre undertones. We are so lucky to have seen the tour. Students enjoyed journeying through Manchester and for Somy, it was her first me on a train. An excellent cultural experience for all involved, here's to many more!
Ms Pridding
Year 10 Work Experience
This week we welcomed back our Year 10 students from their work experience last week. This is an important part of the Careers Educa on, Informa on, Advice and Guidance we offer in our college to students. The chance to experience the world of work does give students a valuable insight into future careers and the skills needed as they consider their future op ons. We are very grateful for all the parents for suppor ng this experience and to the employers who helped our students. We also want to thank the students who were a credit to our college. Form Tutors have been asking students in their form for their evalua on of the week and this is what some students have said:
· I enjoyed working with children, everybody was very welcoming.
· I now know that I want to be a vet.
· It has given me inspira on on what to do in the future.
· I really enjoyed mee ng new people.
· I enjoyed my week and liked organising the shop and talking to customers though I don't think I'd do this as a job as it's very stressful.
· I realised how much responsibility it is looking a er children at a primary school but I s ll really enjoyed it.
· I enjoyed my work experience very much. The staff at specsavers were really nice and friendly. The work environment is so much more comfortable than school. I learned alot and had a great me.
· We loved the Pandora's Box. The work was a bit hard making logos and prototype for website.
· I felt welcomed by the staff and enjoyed my me there.
· I enjoyed everything about it.
· I found it relaxing in a quiet office.
· It was good. Had a Nando's for lunch one day. Did lots of work.
· They made me feel welcomed and comfortable.
· It was good and everyone was kind.
· Marke ng was quite mundane and boring - it was clear it was not for me. However, I enjoyed the week as it's showed me the specifics and complexi es of the job.
· I enjoyed working in a pre-school loads and the children were so cute. I was sha ered by the end of the week though!
· I stacked the shelves in a grocers with food and drinks. I do not want to do this in the future.
· I went to Emirates. I enjoyed listening to calls and visi ng departments like sales, HR and and IT and even went to the airport where I really enjoyed looking at the opera ons there.
· I found it interes ng and enjoyable working with predominantly senior customers, and prac cing customer service skills. I now understand the struggles of working on your feet all day!
· I enjoyed my work experience but I now know that it wouldn't be my first choice of profession in the future. The people were really nice though.
· I learnt how to do a stock take, which was good because it helped me learn how to run a business. I also got free golf lessons and rode in a golf cart!
· I went to a community garden. It was fun because of the interes ng people. However the labour work was very ring so I wouldn't like to do it as a full me job.
· I learnt how to use the thermal camera which was fun.
· Building and construc on - I enjoyed learning new skills.
· A bakery - I enjoyed it and learnt new skills and might be ge ng a job there.
· Overall I really enjoyed it and would be something I would do in the future.
· I enjoyed helping to fit a door frame into a house.
· I most enjoyed working in the toddler room, although it was longer hours and less breaks.
· I went on recep on, did some accounts and helped to hand out mobility scooters.
· I worked as the role of a TA and helping children with learning disabili es.
Geography Trip to Italy
In half term, a group of geographers from Years 10 to 13 travelled to Italy with staff members, Mr Benbow, Mr Farthing and Miss Wood. A er arriving in Sorrento in the early evening, students had dinner in the hotel, then rested to get ready for the next few days. The following day, our party journeyed up to the summit of Vesuvius with an alpine guide. Students and staff explored the crater, looking at lava and pyroclas c flow residues. Their guide gave a detailed talk about the geography of the volcano and also the geology of the area. The a ernoon was spent in Pompeii where students were led through the site by an archaeological guide who explained about life in ancient Roman mes and the impact of the erup on on the buildings and ci zens. On the final day of the tour, students spent the morning at Herculaneum, a se lement that was also heavily impacted by the same erup on of Vesuvius. The guide showed the highlights of the town and described how the erup on had preserved the area. Students moved on to a tour of Naples Bay and a visit to Naples Museum. Instead of a packed lunch students took part in a pizza making ac vity and then ate the results! The students really enjoyed this ac vity. The a ernoon was spent on a guided walking tour of Sorrento. A er an early night and even earlier start (alarms at 2.15 am) the party arrived home the following morning. Mr Benbow said of the trip, 'It was fantas c! Our students were engaged and interested at each stage. They par cularly enjoyed the guided tours of Pompeii and Herculaneum. For many students who already had personal interests in architecture and ancient history, these tours were especially fascina ng.' Mr Farthing was impressed with the students behaviour and said it was a very enjoyable trip. Thank you to Mr Farthing for organising the trip as well as Mr Benbow and Miss Wood for supervising our students throughout.
History Trip to Poland
During the first weekend of half term, a group of Year 11 historians along with their teachers, Mr Eardley, Mr Akin and Ms Devlin travelled to Krakow to explore important sites rela ng to the Holocaust. A er arriving, the party went on a three hour walking tour, seeing the major sites and areas of the city. On the following day the group headed to Auschwitz and Birkenau for a guided tour. The final day was spent at the Schindler Factory Museum. Students found the visit very moving and it supported their understanding of the Holocaust. Mr Eardley said, 'all students have been extremely respec ul on their visits to the two sites and have been a credit to themselves and our College.' Thanks go to Mr Eardley for organising the trip as well as Mr Atkin and Ms Devlin for supervising our students throughout.
RE Trip to Rome
Over half term 34 of our Year 10 students spent 4 days exploring the sites of Rome, taking in the ancient sites of the Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, as well as learning about the place of Catholic Chris anity in Rome, following the Chris aniza on under Emperor Constan ne. The party visited the Basilicas of St Peter, St Clemente and Mary Major, and the Va can Museums. Here they also had opportuni es to study the major works of Art they cover as part of their GCSE RE including, 'The Crea on of Adam', 'The Pieta' and 'The Tree of Life'. Covering over 32 miles walking, we all really appreciated the opportuni es to stop for gelato, pizza and pasta. A big thank you to Miss Bethell who organised the visit and to Miss Feely, Dr Keogh and Mrs Garvey who supervised the students throughout.
Aspire Day - Thursday 29th February
Our first Aspire Day of 2024 saw students at have personal development sessions rather than their usual lessons. The sessions included: Bri sh Values, well being in the workplace, taxes and mortgages, the legal system and bullying. Year 11 also had specific sessions on revision techniques and preparing for sixth form. The Cheshire and Warrington Pledge provided five speakers to talk to our key stage 3 students, which you can read about below. There was also a talk from the Fire Service on fire safety in the hall. These lessons are an important part of how our College provides a holis c educaonal experience for our students.
Careers Educa on for our Key Stage 3 students
On Aspire Day students in Key Stage 3 heard from 5 inspiring guests on their careers journeys and the roles they currently do.
James Buckley works for the Macclesfield Pledge and helps local schools set up days such as today. James explained that he wanted to be a marine biologist at school but did not get the grades at A'Level. A er many jobs he found the skills he gained whilst a scout in his childhood helped him get his current role. He works with young local people giving them opportuni es to meet real business people and develop skills that will help them find employment.
James then introduced our guest speakers:
Andy Maddock who is a Site Manager and Senior Civil Engineer at Balfour Bea y. Andy explained how he works on many construc ons projects such as bridges and tunnels, nuclear submarine shipyards, installing electric pylons amongst many others. His advice was to consider ge ng as much work experience as possible and either appren ceships or sandwich degrees will help you to get this.
Kalini Kent describes herself as an entrepreneur who runs a local learning and development company, is also an author and runs a local theatre group, Cygnets. She explained her background coming to the UK aged 4 from the Caribbean and overcoming many personal difficul es. She trained as a solicitor and then worked in sales and marke ng before se ng up her company that supports people with employability skills, mental health resilience and life skills.
Dr Laura Hinton explained how she le school being told to study medicine, but she quickly realised this was not for her. At university she swapped courses and trained in pharmacology and is now a Chief Execu ve at Gentronix specialising in ways to prevent people ge ng cancer. I am sure she will have inspired a future genera on of female scien sts.
Vikki Wray is a Director of a local crea ve design company called Bollington Print Shop together with her husband. She trained to be a lawyer a er studying linguis cs at university. She explained that whilst she did well in her GCSEs she did less well in her A'Levels and so her careers path was not as planned and it took many years for her to know her calling. Her main advice was for students to cease every opportunity that comes their way and do the things in life you need to do, not just want to do! We were delighted with our guests and the messages they shared with our students who all listened very well. Mr Blades,
World Book Day
As has become a World Book Day tradi on, staff and students dressed their classroom doors to reflect their favourite books.
Students Conquer Welsh Mountains in D of E Challenge
Imagine scaling rugged peaks, braving the elements, and even rescuing a sheep! That's exactly what 23 All Hallows students faced during their Duke of Edinburgh prac ce expedi ons in the wild Welsh mountains.
Gold Medal Teamwork:
The All Hallows Gold DofE group wasn't alone. Joining forces with students from Eaton Bank and Tytherington, they embarked on a journey of camaraderie and challenge. A er a quick bonding session led by the ever enthusias c Kohta S and the groups set off.
A Brush with Adventure
Just hours into their trek, the group encountered an unexpected hurdle - a sheep entangled in barbed wire! While Mrs Day dashed off to find the farmer, Mr Barron sprang into ac on. With the help of a trusty Swiss army knife, they swi ly freed the sheep, earning it a round of applause (or perhaps a startled bleat) before it rejoined it's flock.
Conquering Challenges
The journey wasn't all sheep heroics. The Gold group tackled demanding terrain, traversing rocky slopes before reaching a well-deserved lunch break with a breathtaking mountain view. Mr Barron praised the students for their welcoming spirit, "It was fantas c to see them working together, even sharing meals with students from other schools."
Silver Streaks
The Silver DofE group arrived the next day, eager to test their naviga onal skills. Each day saw them me culously plo ng routes, deciphering maps, and relying on their compasses to navigate. The DofE assessors were impressed, commending the groups on their excep onal naviga on and resilience. "Not a single complaint about the cold or rain," they remarked.
Triumph Through the Downpour
Speaking of the elements, the weather certainly tested the students' resolve. As rain lashed down from Saturday night, thick fog descended, forcing everyone to rely solely on their compass skills. One by one, the groups emerged from the mist, red but triumphant, having conquered over 50km of challenging terrain.
The Road Ahead
The adventure isn't over yet! Now, the students are focusing on comple ng their Volunteering, Skills, and Physical sec ons. The Gold group has an addi onal challenge; organising a residen al ac vity en rely on their own. A big congratula on to all the students - this gruelling expedi on wasn't just about reaching the finish line; it was about teamwork, resilience and the thrill of pushing their limits out in the wild.
Well done to everybody and a big thank you to Mr Barron and Mrs Day for leading the students over the weekend.
World Down Syndrome Day
On 21 March, many of our students and staff wore odd socks. The idea of the odd socks is to start a conversa on, so when people ask you can tell them, “I’m wearing them to raise awareness of Down syndrome”.
New Minibus Arrives
In March, we took delivery of our new College minibus.
St Patrick's Day
In what has become an annual tradi on, Mrs Turley has led the College in St Patrick's Day celebra ons by working with the Maths department to decorate their corridor in the Fisher Building. Many of our staff wore a green item in celebra on and students also took part, in their maths lessons.
Lá éile Pádraig sona dhaoibh!
Sixth Form News
Mock Appren ceship Assessment Centre
In early January, Eleven of our Year 13 students travelled to Shrigley Hall to take part in a mock Assessment Centre with local na onal and global businesses organised by James from The Pledge. This is always an excellent event which the students gain professional experience from. The students were put through their paces in a series of tasks and will receive individual feedback on their performance. Josh, year 13 said that 'it was a great experience' and that he felt 'much be er prepared for a future assessment centre'. Ruby year 13, found that 'it really boosted my confidence and gave me a bit more focus for the rest of year 13'. Lots of the students have come away with recommenda ons and connec ons with companies. We wish them all the best in their applica on.
Mental Health Support Group
In late January, the Mental Health Support Team came in from the NHS for a follow up session with Sixth Form students. The workshop was a prac cal workshop for what we can do in college to promote posi ve mental health to support students. The Sixth Form had some brilliant ideas, and we look forward to working with them to implement them this year.
Nolan Trust Speaker Visits
On 14 March, our Year 12 students were fortunate to experience a volunteer speaker, Tony from Antony Nolan Trust, who asked if they can be a hero or a lifesaver. As a result of the talk, the Year 12 students were able to be er understand the process of dona on of blood, stem cells and organs.
He acknowledged it is an area of life that we don’t like to think about but one that he encouraged us to. The students were informed that the law has changed (rela vely) recently and that we are now in an “opt-out” scheme and are automa cally donors. However, there is another important element that the students were also made aware of. This is that the individual student’s wishes are not wholly accepted – but it is the parent or guardian that has the final say over whether the organs can be donated. We encourage all families to speak about this difficult but vital decision with one another. It can be, of course, a very difficult conversa on and there are links on the Anthony Nolan website that will support you in having this conversa on. Students were taught about individuals who have been saved because of a transplant or dona on, including a 2 year old, who now has a second chance of life. She went on to succeed at university and, although surviving, is s ll not out of the woods.
Many of our students made further enquiries or signed up and for this we thank them. Please do consider this further in your family. It will enable the Trust to be able to iden fy if the student is able to be a match to someone with blood cancer. There is a demographic for which dona ons are par cularly important and par cularly underrepresented, this being ethnic minority groups. Also, there was a plea for boys to sign up. They are also minority donor yet a majority "user". If you would like to find out more, please follow this link.
CERN Visit - The Ever Improving Science Experience
On Friday 26th January (Happy 18th Birthday DB)our sixth form students set off to experience the new and improved CERN experience. A er a shaky take off we landed in sunny Geneva and set off on our first explora on. Our first educa onal stop was the Red Cross Museum. The first exhibit was an interac ve game where we all had to make decisions to save an island threatened with flood. Our first a empt resulted in a lot of death and destruc on but we worked far be er as a team in the second round and saved a good propor on of the islanders. The rest of the visit involved learning of all the great work that the Red Cross and Red Crescent do across the world and how they have helped out in many difficult, challenging situa ons globally. A er checking in to our hotel it was off to bowling where Mr Faulkner taught the sixth formers the art of bowling and where finesse won out over beginners luck!
The next morning involved an early start so we could get our place at CERN for the day ahead. The new exhibi on opened up by CERN was amazing with a wide range of interac ve displays, virtual reality headsets and immersive journeys through virtual colliders.
As we had a 2 hour break before the tour we popped across to France, just because we could, before our 3 hour tour started. Our guide gave an inspira onal talk on how CERN has developed over the years before we hopped on a bus to go to the ALICE detector. Whilst there he spoke about how the process works at CERN and related it back to the students so they could see what we learn in lessons is applied in the biggest science experiment in the world! On the Saturday evening we were very fortunate to be in Geneva while there was a free light fes val taking place with lasers fired through water screens in the lake and moving luminous displays on the shore. For tea on the Saturday some of the students took advantage of the cooking facili es at the hostel and cooked up a Japanese chicken treat for themselves.
Sunday was a day to enjoy the sunshine and beau ful surroundings with a walking tour of the city exploring its rich history. KS took advantage of the sunshine and even ventured into the lake which was very refreshing apparently!
Geneva has certainly le its mark on me again and I hope it has with the students. I would like to thank them for their enthusiasm on the trip and Miss Rainsford for keeping me company on our long walks!
Core RE Sessions
Refugees
In January, our Year 12 students covered the topic of refugees. This also included the ac ons of Gary Lineker’s tweet on the Government refugee plans and Pope Francis’ views on refugees. Pope Francis helped us to understand humanity as a “we” rather than see refugees as an “us and them”; we considered if we were all in the same boat and if we had a responsibility to others. We also, once again, welcomed Refugees Welcome Cheshire East Chair and ex-All Hallows’ teacher of 25 years, Nicky Campbell. Again we were privileged to hear all about the charity that she chairs here in Cheshire East. We heard of how the charity was set up and considered what a refugee might need, including schools for children and prac cal needs as simple as showing where the shops were, for example. The students were asked to consider various ques ons about a migrants' "push" and "pull" factors but especially the "last straw" that forced their move.
She began by covering the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke’s Gospel); reminding us to ask "who is our neighbour?"
Mrs Campbell explained she got involved in the charity when the Syrian refugees were fleeing because of war, followed by the Afghan refugees in august 2021 and now the Ukraine crisis which began on 24 February 2024 when Russia invaded Ukraine. She explained, one of the reasons she got involved is because of her own family history; Jewish pogroms forced her ancestors to leave the part of the world we now know as Ukraine. Mrs Campbell also helped the students to think about the quality of their dona ons to such chari es. Reminding us to consider the culture and religious beliefs of the refugees; ensuring suitable clothing and food dona ons, for instance, no ham for Muslims. She encouraged gi s of money instead; enabling the refugees to buy what they specifically needed.
She advised that there is a drop in at St Michael’s Church in Macclesfield each Saturday for hosts and the refugees and any volunteers would be welcome. If you are interested to be a part of this but live elsewhere, please check the website for details. Finally, she also made a hear elt plea for dona ons of cash as they only have funds le for one year. Cheshire East can no longer afford to pay.
Our thanks to Nicky Campbell for her cap va ng talk!
Mrs Su on
Human Trafficking
In February, our Year 13 students explored the extent of the crime of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery. Many were so shocked to hear of the scale of this crime; recognising that the (conserva ve) numbers of vic ms is greater than the popula on of Poland and most are children and women. The types of slavery were explored and many, par cularly in Britain, are working in plain sight. We looked at the signs to be aware of and explored what we can do to report anything we feel is "not right"; recognising that it might only be a slight clue or sign we see, but our repor ng this could be giving a voice to the vulnerable people being exploited. We also explored the Pope's words of how this crime is viewing humans as a commodity when all they want is compassion and dignity. The criminals who are selling need a buyer and as we are scandalised by this crime, we need to be doing something about it. Do we ask how we get the products we do? Who is at the other end of the chain?
UCAS Fair
The UCAS fair was amazing! You were warmly greeted as you entered the hall with a map of where every university sta on was. There were over 100 universi es there who all had prospectuses, open day dates, tote bags and more goodies. The people represen ng the universi es were all knowledgeable about different courses and easy to talk to. Then our students split into 3 groups and went to either Manchester Museum, Manchester Museum of Science and Industry or Manchester Art Gallery. I went to Manchester Museum, which was very interes ng, especially as it had a dinosaur sec on (Mr Howells’s favourite part). It also had a sec on about animals, Egyp ans and about other cultures which was very educa onal. All in all was a brilliant trip, I would definitely recommend it for someone who has not been.
Year 12 Student
Year 12 Spanish Essay Wri ng Workshop
On Wednesday 14th February the Year 12 Spanish students from All Hallows a ended an essay wri ng workshop at Manchester Metropolitan University. A er a journey to the University in some very typical Bri sh weather (torren al rain!) we arrived and were warmly greeted by Dr Carmen Herrero, Principal Lecturer in Spanish Studies and Subject Lead for Languages at MMU. The workshops were organized and delivered in Spanish by Dr Herrero herself and focused on a popular film studied by our A -level Spanish students, "El Laberinto del Fauno" (Pan's Labrynth) by Guillermo Del Toro. Students gained some fantas c knowledge including how to structure an essay, argue and illustrate a point, focus on characters, themes and the director’s style and build a phrase-bank to discuss the film. Students also learnt a wealth of new film terminology and were introduced to the works of other contemporary Spanish authors and film cri cs. The students were a credit to the College and were completely engrossed in the lecture. It was par cularly impressive to hear them discussing the film with Dr Herrero in Spanish. Sam G demonstrated fantas c confidence when asked by Dr Herrero to share his thoughts (in Spanish) with the en re lecture theatre! I am sure that this opportunity will not only help them to prepare for their A level exams but also give them inspira on to con nue with their language to degree level.
Appren ceship Fair
Sixth form were delighted to welcome a number of visitors from different companies across the North West. Students from Year 12 and 13 met with the representa ves to find out about op ons in their Life a er All Hallows. Year 12 had a talk from Manchester Metropolitan University about Degree Appren ceships, their many benefits, and how they work. Students then had a chance to ask ques ons and hear about the op ons available.
We are really grateful to the following organisa ons for coming in: SAS Daniels, Thrive, Harts, McCann, Langricks, Manchester Metropolitan University, Santander, Barclays, Stein IAS and East Cheshire Hospice.
A Level English Literature to Haworth
On Friday 15th of March, a group of A level English Literature students travelled into the Yorkshire Dales to Haworth, home of the Bronte sisters. A er a night spent in the YHA a which included a very compe ve quiz night, we woke up to an uncharacteris cally sunny day and headed into Haworth and to the Bronte Parsonage Museum. We a ended two seminar style talks with one of the Bronte experts, who gave us some important contextual insights into Bronte history and also a taste of university with a cri cal interpreta ons talk. A er a bit of a wander around the highly Instagrammable Haworth high-street, we finished off our trip with a hike over the moors to the Bronte waterfall. We le feeling that we had embodied Catherine and Heathcliff and feeling prepared for our upcoming Wuthering Heights exam!
Staff V Sixth Form Annual Football Match
On the final a ernoon before we broke for the Easter holiday, our annual Staff v Sixth Form football match, took place at Macclesfield FC’s Leasing.com Stadium. And, it was as ever a real success and example of our College community coming together, enjoying themselves and raising money for our clinic in India. As it was a whole College rewards a ernoon, the logis cs of safely moving over 1200 young people from College to the stadium required detailed planning, but everything went as smoothly as could be expected, apart from the wind and rain. There was a fantas c atmosphere, with the students cheering on both teams but mostly the staff! It really was a close match, which ended 3-3 a er full- me with the Staff team winning on penal es. A fantas c me was had by all.
May the glory
And the promose
Of this joyous me of year
Bring peace And happiness to you
And those you hold most dear.
And may Christ, Our Risen Saviour,
Always be there by your side
To bless you most abundantly
And be your loving guide.
