Bishop Vaughan Catholic School Ysgol Gatholig Esgob Vaughan Parents’ Newsletter July 2013 Cylchlythyr Rhieni Gorffennaf 2013
Bishop Vaughan Sports Day 2013 Year 7 Girls 100m Sprint
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES 2013 - 2014 HALF TERM HOLIDAYS Term Autumn 2013
Term begins Monday 2nd September
Begins Monday 28th October
Ends Friday 1st November
Term ends Friday 20th December
Spring 2014
Monday 6th January
Monday 24th February
Friday 28th February
Thursday 11th April
Monday 28th April
Monday 26th May
Friday 30th May
Monday 21st July
Summer 2014
Dates for your Diary Last day of term is Tuesday 23rd July 2013; school closes at 3.25 pm. All pupils return to school on Tuesday 3rd September 2013.
Inset Days Monday 2nd September 2013 Thursday 24th October 2013 Friday 25th October 2013 Monday 28th April 2014 Monday 21st July 2014 Year 6 Open Evening is being held on Thursday 17th October 7.00 - 9.30. Examination Results Examination results summer series will be available on the following dates:A & AS Levels (VCE) GCSE
Thursday 15th August (9:00 – 12:00) Thursday 22nd August (9:00 – 12:00)
PLEASE NOTE: Whilst the school understands the difficulties with holidays, we would remind you that breaks should not be booked without the Headteacher approving the time off first. Please write requesting permission to the Headteacher and not Senior Tutor or Tutor. We would bring to your attention that School Inspectors have regularly pointed out that there is a clear link between absence and lack of academic progress!
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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School Uniform September 2013-August 2014 Year 7-11 Pullover:
burgundy, v-necked with official school logo
Tie:
years 7-11 official school tie
Socks:
with trousers, dark-coloured or white with skirts, standard grey or white
Tights:
should be flesh-coloured, medium grey or black, plain and seamless NB socks or tights MUST be worn.
Blouse/Shirt:
plain light blue, standard school style. Not denim or fashion
NB During the summer term only light blue polo shirt with school logo, may be worn. Skirt:
mid-grey or black in material and standard design, standard knee length (knife or box pleat permitted)
Trousers:
dark grey or black and standard design NOT fashion or jeans. No denim, leather, flares, corduroy, skinny or tapered styles, leggings etc
Shoes:
black, dark brown or dark grey with flat or low heels. Ankle boots may be worn in winter provided they conform to the above regulations Trainers are not permitted. Felt/fabric shoes are not permitted. Heavy boots (military, Ugg etc.) are not permitted
Outer Garments:
pupils may wear, coats, anoraks or cagoules. However, all outer garments, of whatever type, must be plain, dark and single coloured. Anoraks or cagoules must not be too long, too short, denim type, hoodies, tracksuit tops or cardigans A luminous reflective strip is permitted and parents/ guardians are strongly advised to consider this. No logos, writing, patterns of any description should be present. Denim is not allowed. Hats e.g. Beanies, Baseball caps are not permitted in any circumstances. Head bands must be plain and dark. There is no necessity for anorak hoods to be worn at school.
Jewellery:
A single sleeper or a single stud of minimum size in the lobe. No other piercings are permitted e.g. stretchers, spacers, nose or tongue piercing. A medallion or chain may be worn if discreet. It must be removed for PE/Games. All other jewellery is forbidden. It should be noted that tattoos are not permitted.
Make-up/Hair Dye:
Make-up is forbidden. If hair dye/highlights are used they should be a single natural colour with no extreme contrasts (i.e. purples, reds, dip dyes etc are not permitted), no ‘designs’ to be shaved into the hair. No ‘skin head’ type haircuts or shaved patches.
All Items of clothing should be clearly marked with the pupil’s name. FOR ALL YEAR GROUPS – NO DENIM
Please see Page 21 For details of the new PE kit which is being introduced for all year 7 pupils starting in September 2013.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
School Uniform September 2013-August 2014 Sixth Form Uniform The Sixth Form uniform is navy and white – two of our suppliers are:Bergoni, 1 Cambrian Court, Ferryboat Close, Enterprise Park Swansea, SA6 8QN – Tel: 01792 796880 J&S Products – 74 Tycoch Road, Swansea, SA2 9EQ – Tel: 01792 206658 Parents who have any doubts about what is acceptable should contact the school for guidance. Please do not rely on information obtained from elsewhere. Pullover:
navy, v-necked with official school logo
Tie:
Sixth Form official school tie
Shirt/Blouse:
plain white, standard school style (not fashion)
NB During the summer term only navy blue polo shirt with Sixth Form logo, may be worn. Skirt: Trousers:
navy blue, knee length Trousers: navy blue, black, dark grey, standard design. No denim, leather, flares, leggings, corduroy etc.
Socks:
with trousers: dark coloured, or white with skirts: navy blue or white
Tights: Shoes:
plain, seamless, navy tights may be worn. dark coloured with flat or low heels. Ankle boots may be worn in winter and sandals in the summer. Trainers and canvas shoes are not permitted
Topcoat:
dark blue/black/grey – single coloured only
Members of Sixth Form are expected to wear the uniform throughout the school day. A single sleeper or a single stud of minimum size may be worn in the lobe. No other piercings are permitted e.g. stretchers, spacers, nose or tongue piercing. If hair dye/highlights are used they should be a natural colour with no extreme contrasts (i.e. greens etc are not permitted), no ‘designs’ to be shaved into the hair. No ‘skin head’ type haircuts. Baseball caps are not permitted in any circumstances. Any jewellery must be removed if in the judgement of any staff, instructors or technicians it constitutes a health and safety hazard, especially in laboratories, workshops and PE areas.
Mobile Phones If pupils have mobile phones they should note that they are not to be switched on or in use inside the school. This includes the buildings, playground and playing field areas, before, during and after the school day. Mobile phones are to be kept out of sight, either on the person or in the school bag. The school can take no responsibility for any loss or theft of mobile phones. Parents and guardians are asked not to contact their children by mobile or phone text during the school day. If an emergency message needs to be conveyed the school office will take the call and pass the message on. Similarly if a pupil needs to make an emergency call home he or she just needs to approach the office. Failure to comply with these rules will result in the phone being confiscated and kept in the school office for collection by a responsible adult. Any pupil using a mobile phone to record sound or video in school faces the likelihood of exclusion.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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MISSING ONE DAY A WEEK IS EQUIVALENT TO MISSING TWO YEARS OF EDUCATION When your child is off school for one day it may mean: He/she will fall behind with their school work He/she will find it hard to catch up with their work He/she will find it hard to make and keep friends He/she will miss out on school events and opportunities He/she may not get the job they want or a placement in college
Everyday missed is an opportunity missed Positive attitude makes a big difference. Possible Reason: Cannot do the schoolwork and they want to stay home to avoid the lesson Couldn’t do their homework Unsure if well enough to attend Unhappy with friends or being bullied Not getting on with their teacher Long-term sickness, broken bones or ongoing medical condition Late for school. Slept through the alarm Non-Uniform Day Sickness
Birthdays Rain
Friday INSET day
Last day of term
What to do Contact their Senior Tutor who will arrange a meeting to discuss the problem.
Send the child in with a letter explaining the problem and state if they need help. If you think they are ok at the time, send them in and tell them to see our designated First Aid Officer, Mrs Davies, if they feel unwell. Please do not ignore or keep them home. Contact the school on 772006 and speak to their Senior Tutor who will help sort out any problems. Contact their Senior Tutor (telephone 772006) who will help to sort out the problem. Contact their Senior Tutor (telephone 772006) who can arrange for work to be sent home or home tuition if necessary. We would prefer children to arrive late to school rather than not at all but this must not become regular. Pupils must sign in with Mrs Grigg. Stand firm on this one; new clothes are not necessary and pupils must attend. They can wear uniform if they wish. If pupils are genuinely ill, please ring the Pupil Absence Line and let us know so their absence may be authorised. The telephone number is 0844 2393548. This is a day when they should be surrounded by their friends and the best place for that is school. This is not an excuse to stay home. Suitable clothing and umbrellas are great for keeping children dry. If they do get a bit wet, they will dry out. Everyone likes to see a Friday but this is a normal working day and children must attend five days a week. Please look out for the dates in the Parents’ Newsletter and Parents’ Calendar. if in doubt please contact the school office on 772006. The last day of term is another school day and it is just as important to attend. Sometimes there are activities taking place and they may miss out if they do not attend.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
English Department Act of Kindle Kindness: Amazon Donate 25 Kindles for Bishop Vaughan’s Pupils! On Wednesday the 12th of June, our school was visited by some very important guests, who brought with them new equipment that will be highly valuable to the school. Pupils from Years 7,9 and 10 who have expressed a particular interest in wider reading attended this special event, which was held in the school library. Most of them were unaware of the surprise in store, but this was soon made clear after the event began. The large cardboard boxes decorated with orange ribbons and the presence of an Evening Post photographer (you may recognise the ‘headline’ for this article; it was used for the Evening Post’s coverage of the event!) clearly signalled the significance of the occasion, and after Mr. Derek Reid had introduced himself as the General Manager of Amazon in Swansea, we were made aware of what this meant for the school. Mr. Reid told us that we were one of two schools fortunate enough to have been nominated to receive twentyfive Kindles for the school, free of charge. They had been to the first school, a primary school also in Swansea, in the morning; however we were the first comprehensive school to receive these Kindles. Mr. Reid spoke about the rise in technology and how he hoped that these Kindles would have a positive impact on reading within our school. After he had finished talking, Mr Blackburn thanked him for this donation, and talked about the different opportunities that would now be available to us as pupils due to the Kindles. It was then over to myself and Thomas Hutchins to close the formal proceedings by saying thank you to all of the people who had made the event possible. After posing for many photographs, we were finally able to try the Kindles, and it became clear that everyone was extremely excited about the prospect of having these new forms of technology available within the school. Then, much to the excitement of quite a few of the pupils present, the buffet was opened, and we were able to socialise with all of the other people present at this event. Through the Kindles, we hope to start a reading club that will help the younger pupils in our school with their reading and encourage more people to read for fun. We would like to thank everyone who made this event possible; Amazon and all of the voters who nominated us, Mr Blackburn, the Deputy Head-teachers, the English department and also our English teachers for inviting us to attend. It was a wonderful afternoon that everyone thoroughly enjoyed. Emily Davis
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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Maths Department UKMT Junior Maths Challenge Results On the 25th April 2013, about 70 pupils from years 7 and 8 were invited to take part in the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust Junior Maths Challenge. In the test, the pupils had to answer 25 multiple choice Maths questions. The pupils did exceptionally well and the following were the best achieving in the school. Year 8 1st 2nd 3rd Jt 4th Jt 4th 6th 7th 8th Year 7 1st Jt 2nd Jt 2nd 4th Jt 5th Jt 5th 7th Jt 8th Jt 8th
Aodhan Griffin-Barr Alys Williams Chiara Romanello Urszula Tymofiejczuk BJ Pasion Abishan Yuvaraj Ira Go Nia Thomas
8.2 8.1 8.1 8.1 8.3 8.5 8.3 8.4
Gold Award Silver Award Silver Award Bronze Award Bronze Award Bronze Award Bronze Award Bronze Award
Likondwa Gondwe Josna Gego Paul Crudge Ola Pawlikiewicz Harrison Doherty Harvey Collins Josh Mathew Senan Clarke Daniel Duffy
7.1 7.8 7.3 7.6 7.1 7.1 7.5 7.7 7.1
Silver Award Silver Award Silver Award Bronze Award Bronze Award Bronze Award Bronze Award Bronze Award Bronze Award
The following pupils also did very well but they just missed out on a certificate. Year 8 Rhodri Evans, Nia Charlton, Natasha Meyrick, Sophie Beynon, Dominique Jones, Jacob Archer-Huntley and Soffia Cahill. Year 7 Kaine Mccambridge, Bethan Cart, Chloe Bristowe, Amelia Poland and James Towell. There were some very challenging questions so well done to everybody that took part.
UK Junior Mathematical Challenge After playing 500 games, my success rate at Spider Solitaire is 49%. Assuming I win every game from now on, how many extra games do I need to play in order that my success rate increases to 50%? A:
1
B:
2
The solution can be found on page 30
C:
5
D:
10
E:
50
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
Maths Department Swansea Mathematics Masterclass Earlier this year myself, Elizabeth Crudge, Ethan Hanbury, Olivia Collins and Dion Peter from year 9 were given the opportunity to take part in a Swansea Mathematics Masterclass Programme. The sessions were held at Swansea Metropolitan University and Swansea University in a lecture theatre run by University lecturers and undergraduates from Bath University. We covered topics such as The Golden Ratio, Special Relativity, An investigation into Routing Problems, Maths is Fun, The 4th Dimension and Beyond and Practical problem Solving and other interesting things with paper. The sessions were very challenging and were a great opportunity to expand our mathematical skills. On the last session we took part in a group activity where the children from Bishop Vaughan were challenged against pupils from other schools. The test was to build the tallest tower and a platform that could hold the weight of a brick using only paper and glue. Bishop Vaughan pupils were the winners. It was nice to share our experience with the class teacher and teach them something for a change! We were really glad to have been given this opportunity. Thomas Hutchins 9.7 It was a great experience going to Swansea University for the “Maths Masterclass� as each lesson we did something completely different. For example, one week we did relativity and another week we had to make a tower made completely our of paper (and glue) that was at least a metre high. Although I didn't get to make new friends it was good to talk with other Bishop Vaughan pupils who are not in any of my classes. I am glad I went. Ethan Hanbury 9.5 There were six maths masterclass lessons. Three of them were at the Metroplolitan University in Townhill, the other three were at Swansea University. The lessons weren’t just lectures there were activities as well. Some parts were really interesting and overall it was really nice. Dion Peter 9.5 The Maths Masterclass sessions we attended took place in Swansea University on Saturday mornings. It was a great experience for us all as each session we attended had a different topic and we had the opportunity to take part in a range of activities. There were other children from different schools who also attended and they were all very friendly. We found that the last session was the best one as we went into teams of six and had competitions to see who the ultimate winners were. One of the competitions was to see which team could build the tallest paper tower. Every team had a different strategy, but our team ultimately had the tallest tower! This was a great victory for us and our school. It was an unforgettable experience and surely one we will never forget! Olivia Collins and Elizabeth Crudge
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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Science Department Physics Department Collaboration with Swansea University Recent collaboration with Swansea University and Bishop Vaughan School has developed since both establishments have undertaken the Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme (UAS) for the 2nd year running. The Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme (UAS) provides the framework for a degree course module awarding academic credit to science, technology, engineering and maths undergraduates working with teachers in local schools. Their aims are to benefit all those participating in the module by:
Providing key transferable skills to undergraduates which will be invaluable after graduation Providing teaching experience that encourages undergraduates to consider a career in teaching Supplying role models for pupils Giving support to teachers Encouraging a new generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians
Students from Swansea University can choose to carry out part of their course by coming into schools to observe, support and create resources for lessons, with the aim of becoming a teacher. This prepares the students for a career in teaching, but also gives Bishop Vaughan students the chance to talk to and interact with University students. Here is a section from the UAS’ latest newsletter: The first UAS-supported Physics module ran in Wales in 2011-12 when six third-year physics students at Swansea University spent each Wednesday morning of our second Teaching Block working at one of three partner schools in Swansea as part of our new 10 credit module Teaching Physics via a School Placement. We were very fortunate in this regard to have the expert help and commitment of three excellent teachers: Huw Davies at Bishop Vaughan Comprehensive, Danielle Blythe of Olchfa Comprehensive and Pete Lloyd of Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg, Bryn Tawe. For each student the Teacher/Mentor provided invaluable guidance and encouragement. With each school we prepared the groundwork by drafting a Declaration of Intent and Understanding, with the assistance of our Collaborative Provision Committee, signed by both the Headmaster of the school and the Head of the College of Science at Swansea. Bishop Vaughan and the Physics department have benefited from the collaboration, Alevel Physics students have had an open day at the University, with a tour of the labs and a talk by lecturers. Also an extra behind the scenes tour of the large Hadron collider in Switzerland has been organised by a Swansea University lecturer for the forthcoming CERN trip.
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Welsh Department GCSE Welsh Revision Workshop March 25th The Welsh Department welcomed a guest speaker, Jo Knell, to Bishop Vaughan on March 25th to work with year 10 and 11 pupils following the GCSE Welsh Full Course where she delivered a 2 hour revision workshop. Jo is an Educational Consultant for Welsh Second Language, an examiner for the WJEC for Welsh Second Language and the author of the Collins GCSE Welsh Second Language Revision Guide. During the revision session, Jo helped to prepare pupils for their summer exam/s by practising exam questions and perfecting exam technique. She focused heavily on improving pupil’s oral skills in preparation for oral exams and controlled assessments. Part of the WEG fund was used to purchase Jo’s revision guide for all pupils studying Full Course Welsh, pupils have commented that the book has been an invaluable resource as part of their own revision and during Welsh lessons. In an e-mail to me after the workshop, she thanked the pupils for their warm welcome to BVS and commented that their behaviour, attitude to Welsh and language skills were excellent and very impressive. Ms Northey
Confirmation 2013 Congratulations to the following pupils who received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Sunday 16th June at St. Joseph’s Cathedral from Bishop Tom:Lauren Ashman Harvey Collins Cerys Evans Lois Popham Joshua Thomas Matthew Williams
Lauren Casseldine Gabrielle Christmas Jay Popham Kelsey Thomas Daniel Williams
During our preparation time we helped to decorate the Cathedral for Christmas, attended a Station Mass as a group, had a retreat day based on Cafod and living simply, presented a Youth Stations of the Cross during Lent, cleaned around the grounds of the Cathedral and raised £260 for Cafod with sponsorship. Cerys Evans 7.1
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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RE Department Year 8 Retreats 2013 This term, each tutorial in year 8 has been taken on a day retreat to Our Lady, Queen of Peace Church in Llanelli. Accompanied by Mrs Perwick and their form tutor, each class has been involved in various activities and games on the theme of the day which was ‘God doesn't make rubbish’. We looked at the way our self-esteem develops and then considered the power of the words people speak, either to hurt or to help and encourage others. We examined the idea that people's self-esteem could be damaged by using websites such as "Ask FM" and this led to a discussion on cyberbullying and safety on the internet. The students completed a worksheet that made them identify qualities and things that they were pleased with in their lives. A number of games were played to reinforce the theme. The most popular of these being "Clumps" which meant the class having to get in to groups of a specific number, it allowed students to experience how it felt to be excluded and rejected in a fun way. Each class has thoroughly enjoyed their day, and the pupils felt that it was extremely beneficial in helping them understand themselves and others around them. Some comments from our Year 8 pupils: “Going on retreat helped me to learn how to treat others with respect.” “I learnt that our tutorial is like a family.” “I found out that it’s ok to just be yourself.” “I think that it’s important to have this time to reflect on your life.” “It was all about building our self esteem and our confidence.” “Awesome day!”
Year 9 Retreats 2013 During April, the year nine pupils visited Saint Cassian’s Retreat Centre. We left the school at around 12 o’clock and all ran to the back of the bus, we stopped at Port Talbot to pick up the Saint Joseph’s pupils. I never would have guessed then we would have become such good friends by the end of the Retreat.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
RE Department Year 9 Retreats 2013 continued When we finally got to the Centre and settled into our rooms, it was time for the activities to begin. We went into the main room called the De la Salle room and introduced ourselves and played some warm up games. We were then put into our small groups, it was awkward at first but by the end of the three days it was like we had all known each other for years. The three days that followed were really enjoyable with a mix of fun and games, reflection and quiet time, rounded off with Mass which was most enjoyable as we were all involved. I really enjoyed my stay at Kintbury and when time came to leave it was very upsetting. The group made a pact that when we returned to school we would tell other pupils that the stay was an awful experience so we could return again next year. ‘Shhhh don’t tell anyone!’ I learnt a lot about myself at Kintbury and it was an experience that will stay with me forever along with the people I met there. Chloe Sargeant 9.2 On April the 22nd, 30 year 9 pupils got the chance to attend a retreat for 4 days to St Cassian’s Retreat Centre. I was one of them. On the way we stopped to pick up at St Joseph’s school, Port Talbot. When we finally arrived at Kintbury after the four hour bus drive, we got shown to our rooms and then all met in the De La Salle room. We got to meet all of the group leaders and the people from St Joseph’s. Later that evening we got put into small groups, with both people from our school and St Joseph’s and our group leader was Sarah. We went to a little room where we got to know a bit more about everyone in our groups. At 10 o’clock we went to night prayers in the quiet room and went to bed. I had really enjoyed the first day and couldn’t wait for the next 3 days. The next day we had to be up, dressed and down for breakfast at 8:30. One of the group leaders did a presentation about a past experience when she had to be forgiving. We then went into our small groups and talked about her presentation. We spent a lot of time in the De La Salle room getting to know each other and we were all trying to spin plates. It took us a while but we could finally do it. We had a mass that night with Father Kevin and we all had to do a part of it in our small groups. On the Wednesday, later on we went out for a walk called the Emmaus walk around the grounds with our small groups. I really enjoyed doing this because we got to know the people in our group a lot better. We also did lots of fun activities and games outside. It was really fun. We had a lot of spare time where we could go outside or go in the De La Salle room. It was Thursday, our last day. We went and sat in the Cedar room. Where they had a made a powerpoint of all the pictures they had taken of us during our stay, it was sad but happy at the same time. The time had come when it was time to leave and say goodbye. I really enjoyed and hope to go back next year. Georgia Hirst 9.2
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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Geography Department Geography in our local area This term the Geography Department has been out in the real world observing Geography in action. This year the GCSE fieldwork investigation explored how coastal processes shaped Pwll Du beach, South Gower. Pupils measured the shape and size of the pebbles on the shore and mapped how the beach profile changed from the water’s edge. Pupils discovered that a variety of coastal processes determined the size and shape of Pwll Du.
Year 10 Geographers
A Level Geographers Year 12 completed a river study for their fieldwork investigation for their G3 module project. Pupils investigated how river pollution levels varied along the course of the River Tawe. The pollution levels were measured using the Trent biotic index which analyses freshwater invertebrates in the river. Pupils discovered that there were different species downstream of an urban area; indicating pollution levels increase along the river course.
Mr Richards
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
Fundraising Wear a Hat Day On Friday 15th March, the staff and pupils at Bishop Vaughan School took part in ‘Wear a Hat Day’ in order to raise money for the Brain Tumour Research Trust. Hats ranged from the weird to the wonderful and pupils also enjoyed lunchtime activities including a bake sale, raffles and games. The event was organised by Christopher Grey in 8.6 in memory of his father, Jeff Grey, who sadly passed away last year after suffering from a brain tumour. Christopher has raised thousands of pounds to support the Brain Tumour Research Trust since then and the ‘Wear a Hat Day’ event in school was no exception – over £1400 was donated!
Sponsored Silence Pupils in year 8 raised £1500 pounds doing a sponsored silence in memory of Daniel Sanders. A huge thank you to all pupils and staff involved. Funds will primarily be going to Swansea Sea Cadets. Ms Wilshire
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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Year 7 Trip to the Literacy Festival On May 24th, 48 pupils from years 7 and 8 went to the annual literacy festival in Hay-On-Wye. We explored the festival as we all went off in small groups, looking at book stores, going into stalls and we were lucky enough to have our photo with the FA Premier League Trophy! Later, we went to see Gillian Cross, an author who’s just written a book called ‘After Tomorrow’ about English immigrants fleeing to France. I am currently reading this book and I am really enjoying it. Afterwards we had lunch. Then we went to see another author and actor called Emerald Fennell. She gave a talk on ghosts which linked in to her new book, ‘Shiverton Hall’. I loved the Hay-on-Wye Trip and I would recommend it to anyone who would be interested in authors and literacy. I hope they do it again next year! Daniel Duffy 7.1
I went to the Hay-on-Wye festival and my experience was amazing. We met two authors, they were Emerald Fennell and she wrote the book ‘Shiverton Hall’ and Gillian Cross and she wrote ‘Through Tomorrow’. We also had free time to go and look around. Me and my friends Kaylee Jones and Rosa Sartori had a picture by the Barclays Premier League cup from football. There were many cafes where you could buy a hot chocolate which was lovely by the way. It was a shame we left so early. Megan Yeomans 7.4
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
Year 11 Prom Prom King and Queen 2013
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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Year 11 Prom
The year 11 prom was held at The Manor Park in Clydach again this year. Pupils and staff thoroughly enjoyed the evening which offered good company, fabulous frocks and delicious food. As the evening grew dark 500 glow sticks lit up the dance floor and The Riff performed an excellent set. Prom King and Queen, Tommy Evans and Mary-Ellen Courtney received their accolades to much applause (a very popular choice!). Mrs K Spencer I would just like to say how fantastic the Prom was. All pupils seemed to have a great time and they all behaved really well and did us proud. I would just like to thank Mrs Spencer for organising such a great event and to all those who helped. Everything was great and there was a lot of thought in the preparations. I'm sure all pupils appreciated that. This was my first prom at BV and it was truly a great event. Dr Felton
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
Year 7 ‘World Cup’ Football Tournament On Tuesday 25th June 2013, Bishop Vaughan’s Year 12 Public service class, organised a Year 7 Football tournament. 180 boys and girls took part representing 30 countries and competed for the yearly cup. The money raised will go to the Swansea Football Foundation. This charity supports groups in the Swansea area, that have additional educational needs, through the medium of football. Bishop Vaughan is pleased to be able to support them this year. A huge thank you to all Year 7 footballers and spectators who were so enthusiastic and made the event such a success. A big thank you should also go to the many year 12/13 volunteer referees and linesmen who gave up so much of their valuable time to take part in this event. Congratulations to the following teams who were crowned the winners of the event. NEW ZEALAND Non House, 7.2 (GIRLS)
Sara Hadi Sophie Coates Hannah Smith Elli Stokes Georgia Lewis Hollie Raddenbury
NETHERLANDS Teilo House, 7.8 (BOYS)
Liam Thomas Nayan Green Christian McMurray Joshua Hughes Jackson King Jack Edwards
These students will have a small presentation, in school, towards the end of the summer term.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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PE Department Bishop Vaughan Sports Tour 2013 During this year’s Easter Break four members of staff from Bishop Vaughan took 40 pupils from years 9 & 10 who regularly represent the school in football or netball to Spain with MasterClass Sports Tour. While on the tour the pupils had the opportunity to undertake intensive coaching sessions from high class coaches and compete against other schools in tournaments. During the tour, a day was spent visiting Barcelona with a trip to the Neau Camp which the pupils thoroughly enjoyed. Another day was spent at Portaventura, one of Europe’s largest theme parks where pupils were given the chance to experience the rides within the park. .
The tour was a huge success with the year 9 football team winning their tournament and being the only school during the tournament to beat one of the Spanish teams they played against. Arnold Ncube from year 9 was awarded Player of the tournament. The year 10 football team also did extremely well by taking 2nd place in the tournament. Both netball teams also did superbly with both sides winning some of their matches.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
PE Department Sports Day 27th June 2013 The whole school travelled to Swansea University for our annual school sports day. Pupils took part in a variety of traditional athletic events as well as some fun challenges - football keep up’s and hula hoop competitions. Our pupils participated with tremendous energy and we had a number of school records broken. New school records Year 7 girls 100m and 200m - Gabriel Christmas Year 9 boys 200m - Osaze Aghedo Year 9 girls 800m - Alice Warren Year 10 girls 800m - Natalie Hughes 4x100m relay - year 7 girls Non House, Year 8 boys Teilo house, Year 9 boys Mabyn house, Year 10 boys Cadog house Year 9 boys Long Jump - Osaze Aghedo Year 7 girls javelin – Jennifer Thomas Year 9 girls javelin – Danielle Jones Congratulations also go to Mabyn house who were the overall winners.
Football Success Congratulations to the years 8 and 9 football teams who won the Swansea Schools cups this year. Both teams beat Pentrehafod in the finals which were held at St. Helens. Year 8 shared the trophy last year, whilst year 9 reached their third consecutive final.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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PE Department New PE Kit A new PE kit is being introduced for pupils starting in year 7 (September 2013). The kit can be purchased from our usual suppliers Bergoni and J & S Products. PE is a compulsory subject and all pupils will be required to purchase the relevant items of clothing. In addition all pupils will require training shoes and studded boots for football and rugby. For safety reasons a mouth guard and shin pads will be needed for hockey, rugby and football. Pupils in years 8,9,10 and 11 will not be expected to purchase the new kit for September but can continue to wear their existing kit and replace it with the new items as wear and tear dictates. Mrs A Hamer
ESDGC News Eco Schools This term the Eco Committee have been very busy helping improve school grounds. We have recently set up our own eco-garden in school where we have started to grow herbs. We are now able to grow plants and vegetables from seeds which can later be put into raised beds around the school. Next year we are looking to extend our eco-garden and plant part of a wild flower meadow in the school grounds. Any pupils interested in helping with our eco-garden please come along to our ecoclub on a Tuesday week 1, lunch 1.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
ESDGC News How are we doing as a school ? Below is a table showing the areas which we target as a school, the progress made and future developments.
Topic
Symbol
Past
Present
Biodiversity
A few years ago our school had few habitats for our local wildlife.
As a school we are in the processes of setting up an ecogarden where we can grow our own plants and produce.
Energy
Our school was built in the late 1970’s and building design and efficiency has developed since then.
The eco-committee regularly monitors our energy use as a school. Campaigns such as ‘Switch off fortnight’ are introduced to promote energy conservation and to encourage pupils to close doors and windows.
Global Perspectives
Previously our global perspectives as a school focused on departmental trips abroad including the Geography Department’s trip to the ‘Parc National des Cevennes’ in France. Limited long term links were made.
Global Citizenship features highly in our school’s curriculum and there have been numerous international links including the recent COMMENIUS PROJECT & Everest expedition. We also participate in Fair Trade Fortnight to promote awareness of inequality in the world.
Healthy Living
Healthy living has always been seen as important but as a school we did participate in many initiatives and schemes.
Today in school pupils are offered well balanced meals. Fair Trade products are also available to students and recently a ‘Healthy Eating Club’ has been set up. We also have a 5x60 officer who visits school to promote sporting events.
Litter
Litter is always a problem in schools but previously we did not monitor where litter was being dropped. We were also unsure if the bins were in the correct place.
We regularly promote anti-litter campaigns (Year 7 – Re-hash your trash / Year 8 – Litter Collage Competition) in school and monitor litter levels throughout the year. Pupils now eat their meals in the House Halls and there is a high concentration of bins near exits. As part of PHSE lessons pupils also carryout litter picks.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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ESDGC News School Grounds
Our school is situated on a very large site and has around 1,400 pupils crossing the site. Previously attempts had been made to plant trees along the fence line. Previously the EcoCommittee won an Eco competition run by the Co-Operative Group.
The £1000 prize fund is helping introduce an ecogarden to our school. The Eco-Committee is currently planning the eco -garden and intend to introduce raised beds to allow flowers and vegetables to be grown. Recently a new seating area has been introduced to allow students to sit outside
We need to continue to work on improving our school grounds. A focus could be to grow our own flowers and plants in our eco-garden then re-plant the flowers and bushes around the school site. We would be very keen to establish a wildflower meadow within the school grounds.
Transport
A high percentage of pupils travel to school by bus due to our large catchment area.
A transport plan has been drawn up between the eco-committee and the local council in order to improve safety around the school site. A ‘no parking area’ has been designated around the front and side of the school and is regularly monitored by the Police.
We need to continue to promote safe travel and sustainable transport. We would look to increase car sharing wherever possible and for pupils to walk and cycle to school.
Waste
Due to the large number of pupils and size of our school site waste is a problem. Previously all of our waste was collected by the council.
Waste paper recycling bins are available in all classrooms. We also recycle plastic and have a food waste bin available in our staffroom. Teachers are also encouraged to purchase school resources which come from a sustainable source.
Water
Water consumption is high in schools due to the large number of pupils and staff. Previously toilets had traditional taps which would run until they were turned off.
Water conservation campaigns are promoted by the schools ecocommittee and taps now have timed shut off valves to reduce water consumption.
We need to continue to encourage staff and students to dispose of their waste in a sustainable manner. The focus would be to get a higher percentage of people to put the correct waste in the correct bins and to increase awareness. To further reduce our water consumption we are considering introducing ‘Water Hippos’ and look into how we could use grey water.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
Ancient Greek at Bishop Vaughan The pilot project in which Swansea University staff have offered lunchtime lessons in Ancient Greek at Bishop Vaughan has been a great success. Pupils at Key Stages Four and Five have enjoyed the lessons immensely and because of that, we are pleased to report that the project will be continued next year! Lessons will be offered to all pupils in Years 7-9 next term; details will be passed on via form tutors. In recognition of their efforts to make our lessons fun, we presented copies of one of our favourite books to our lecturers (translated into Ancient Greek of course!) we’re sure that you recognise it!
Workshop at Swansea University As stated in the last newsletter, this term Year 12 students took part in a workshop at the university titled ‘Classics and the Rhetorical X-Factor.’ Emma Kavanagh reports: We currently study the life and times of Cicero - one of history’s greatest orators - at AS Level, and staff at the university tailored the workshop to our course in order to further develop the skills we need for exam success. We learned how to analyse speeches by comparing the rhetoric of Cicero with that of figures such as Barack Obama. We watched a range of political speeches and even looked at the way in which comic timing can be improved by an understanding of the ’rules’ governing oratory! We tried creating our own political campaigns using the techniques we learned about and had time during the day to tour the campus and speak with current students. All in all, this was a great experience and we all enjoyed the day (it definitely helped with our revision!).
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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Recent Events: By
the time you read this, we will have had another visit from Steve Rowlands and the animals of Tropical Inc. Pupils from across the school will have seen, and in some cases held, some unusual beasties. There will almost definitely be a snake, probably a spider and possibly a meerkat. Steve runs a rescue-centre in the West Midlands, so he will bring a selection of whichever animals he has in his care at the time. The event is very kindly sponsored by Penguin Recruitment and organised by Mrs. Richardson of the Classics and English departments.
Photographs of the pupils will feature next time. For now, a few pictures of the animals Steve has brought before: Mr. Owen with a tarantula
Mrs Wyatt’s designer hat
Steve with a baby meerkat
We’re sure it will be a memorable experience for all involved. We will also have visited the Roman Baths by the time that you read this newsletter and had a ‘University Morning’, with lectures for pupils of all ages from Dr. Katherine Earnshaw of St. John’s College, Oxford, and Dr. Evelien Bracke and Dr. Ian Repath of Swansea University. Articles will follow in the next edition of the newsletter!
Extra GCSE! Special mention must be made of four pupils—Ffion Jones, Elie Beaumont-Wood, Emily Davis and Caitlin Thomas—to commend them on an excellent year’s work! Despite the pressures of taking an extra GCSE in Latin on a reduced timetable, the girls have also chosen to take an extra GCSE Short Course in Classical Civilisation, for which they study in their lunchtimes. Well done to them for the hard work that this involves!
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Cambridge Latin Certificate Success! Congratulations to those pupils in Year 8 who passed the Stage 4 certificate in Latin, awarded by the Cambridge University Schools’ Classics Project. Pictured below are successful pupils in 8P and 8Q, with their certificates.
In particular, congratulations to the 9 pupils who had full marks! Pictured below are Urzula, Charlie, Sophie and Nia of 8P.
Full marks! And Jacob, Shayla, Soffia, Emma and Charlotte of 8Q.
Optime!
Well done too to those pupils in Year 9 who will have received their certificates by the time this is printed. (Photographs to follow next term.)
Mrs Richardson
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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Aspens Cookery Activities
On the 8th May we invited the 6th formers to join us in a taster session to learn some basic quick and cheap meals for when they head off to University. We made a basic tomato sauce that could be used on its own with pasta or as a base for such dishes as Spaghetti Bolognese, a Sweet & Sour chicken, Sausage Casserole and a Vegetable Dhal. We went through the recipes with the pupils first and then under close supervision we let them have a go at cooking them and of course eating them in the end!! They all said it was worthwhile attending and they really enjoyed. On Monday 10th June we organised a Chinese Theatre Cooking for the pupils in years 7 & 8. The food cooked formed part of their lunchtime menu that day and it was cooked from fresh in front of them in the diner. On the menu we had MENU Chinese Sweet & Sour Chicken Chicken Chow Mein Stir Fry Vegetables in a rich Hoi Sin Sauce Egg Fried Rice Plain Rice Prawn Crackers We had a pupil from year 7 and one from year 8 helping out with the cooking. The day was a great success and we are planning more for the new school year.
Gill Lewis, Aspens Services
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
Sixth Form News On 10th -12th April, me and two other Bishop Vaughan sixth formers had the privilege of experiencing the insight of student life at Cambridge University with other Year 12 students across Swansea. The atmosphere at Cambridge was like the feeling of comfort of being in a home away from home with the friendliness of the people there. During the three days, we had talks, science scientific museum visits and college tours which were Churchill, Jesus, Christ’s, St John’s, Trinity, King’s and Fitzwilliam where I stayed. Jesus College really inspired me with the combination of historic buildings and modern style accommodation as well the astonishing facilities. I attended lectures in Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Being lectured by some of the world’s best academics was a fantastic experience and gave me a taste of topics I want to study at degree level. I had a chance to speak to admissions tutors for both of those courses and to see how Cambridge supervision process works. As well as lectures we had the opportunity to explore Cambridge itself. The residential visit is a great experience as it enables you to stand in a college and really picture yourself there and it is really important to be physically present. I thoroughly enjoyed the three days at Cambridge, gaining useful advice from current students and staff. Vanessa Ho (year 12 student)
Sixth Form and Eco Club Thanks to the efforts of the school’s Sixth form Committee and the Eco Club the school has recently purchased a greenhouse. This is a major step in becoming a more sustainable school and enables pupils and teachers to grow a whole range of plants. The current plan for the greenhouse is for it to act as a nursery for the plants to grow so that once they reach a suitable height and are able to survive around the school, pupils will then be able to replant them elsewhere thus helping to increase our schools biodiversity and encouraging pupils to take a more active role in maintaining the environment and gain an understanding on how to grow their own food. Currently the Greenhouse is located in the courtyard by the sixth form block and is housing tomatoes, chilli, and a whole range of herbs as well as the wildflower seedlings which are growing in there before they are transferred around the school to create wildflower patches. It is hoped that the vegetables and herbs grown in the greenhouse will be used during lessons such as Biology and Food Technology. Thomas Lloyd-Reed
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
Sixth Form Chemistry Trip On 24th June the A-level Chemistry classes went to Swansea University. We were able to spend the day in the laboratories of the Biomedical Sciences Department. The day included synthesising aspirin as well as using analytical techniques such as thin layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy. Swansea University has a leading Mass Spectrometry unit and we were able to see the machines and computers used for this process. We also had a question and answer session with the technician in charge of the mass spectrometry machines. All the students found this trip beneficial as the experiments and analytical techniques we all used are included in the A-level Chemistry course. The trip allowed us to apply the type of chemistry that we are currently studying. We all enjoyed getting involved in the laboratory experiments and using equipment that we otherwise would not be able to use. Thank you to Mrs Davies for organising the trip and all the staff at the University for an enjoyable day. Emma Clarke
Sixth Form Fundraising Radio Station Talent Show On the 25th April, the sixth form committee held a talent show over both lunch times to raise money for the school’s new radio station which they hope to have in place in the new school year. We raised a total of £200 which is a fantastic help towards the grand total needed for the radio station. There were acts of all ages across the school including lots of different singers and a year nine band. The radio station’s main driving force, Corey Edwards, said: “I am really glad that the talent show went as well as it did and I am really grateful to everyone who came to help us, ranging from the team of sixth formers who helped to set up the hall, to the presenters and those who took the money at the door. More importantly, I would like to thank everybody that came to the talent show and gave in their pounds to watch their friends on stage. The acts were brilliant and they all show that Bishop Vaughan has Talent.” Beth Abbott
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
Examination Results If you give a stamped addressed envelope to the office before the end of your Exams, your results will be posted on your behalf. If you cannot collect the results in person you can ask an adult member of your family to collect your results on your behalf. If you do this they must bring with them a signed letter from you authorising them to collect your results. Unfortunately, we cannot give out results over the phone. CERTIFICATES Certificates gained during these examinations will be available for collection in December 2013. It is important that you collect your certificates as they will be returned to the examination board after 12 months.
Getting to School To All Parents and Guardians Parents are politely reminded that pupils who cycle to school must wear a helmet and dismount once they enter school property. Students must not come to school by scooter as this is dangerous to both the user and to pedestrians. We would very much appreciate your co-operation in this matter. Mr J Blackburn Headteacher
Pupil Information If any details have changed, please write or email into the school office so that our records may be updated. This includes any change to address, contact telephone numbers (especially mobile telephone and emergency contacts), place of work, doctor, or any new medical conditions of which we should be aware.
Could you please pass onto the school any relevant email address that we could use to contact you. Maths Challenge solution D
After 500 games, I have won 500 x 49 รท 100 + 245 games. So I have lost 255 games. Therefore I need to win the next 10 games to have a 50% success rate.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
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Bus Passes Could both parents and pupils be aware that the children should carry their bus pass with them at all times. Pupils could be asked at any time whilst travelling on a school bus, to produce their bus pass as evidence that they are allocated a seat. If pupils have misplaced their bus pass please contact the school office who will organise a replacement. Also pupils are not allowed to travel on any other bus other than the one that is printed on their bus pass. On several occasions lately pupils have tried to travel on different buses, e.g. to go over to a friend’s place after school. This is not allowed and the drivers have the right to refuse entry to pupils who are not allocated to their bus. It is parents’ responsibility to collect their children and take them to alternative venues after school.
Parking Outside Bishop Vaughan A letter has been received from the School Community Police Officer asking us to pass on the concerns of local residents in relation to parking and vehicles causing obstructions outside the school from 3 o’clock every afternoon. Police Officers will be patrolling regularly outside the school to take positive action regarding any vehicles which are parked in contravention of road traffic legislation.
Mobile Telephones If pupils have mobile phones they should note that they are not to be switched on or in use inside the school. This includes the buildings, playground and playing field areas, before, during and after the school day. Mobile phones are to be kept out of sight, either on the person or in the school bag. The school can take no responsibility for any loss or theft of mobile phones. Parents and guardians are asked not to contact their children by phone or text during the school day. If an emergency message needs to be conveyed the school office will take the call and pass the message on. Similarly if a pupil needs to make an emergency call home he or she just needs to approach the office. Failure to comply with these rules will result in the phone being confiscated and kept in the school office for collection by a responsible adult.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter July 2013
PLEASE NOTE! School Website The school website can be found at: www.bishopvaughan.swansea.sch.uk
Paying for trips Remember, if your child is paying for a school trip, the House is open from 8.30am until registration and at morning break and lunch times. All cheques should be made payable to ‘Bishop Vaughan Catholic School’ and the pupil’s name, tutorial and trip should be clearly written on the reverse. Thank you.
Lost Property We still have a number of items in lost property - which is now located in the main office. None of the articles are labelled and cannot, therefore, be returned to their owner. If your child has lost any item, please tell them to come and check with Mrs Gwyther/Ms Hancock in the main office. After a period of time items not claimed will be given to a charity shop as there is no room to store them. Lost property is available for checking at break and lunch-time. PLEASE LABEL ALL ITEMS OF SCHOOL UNIFORM SO THAT THEY CAN BE EASILY RETURNED IF HANDED IN TO LOST PROPERTY. Please can all parents and guardians be aware that the school cannot supervise pupils arriving before 8.40 am.
Bishop Vaughan Catholic School Mynydd Garnllwyd Road Morriston, Swansea SA6 7QG Phone: 01792 772006 Fax: 01792 790565 E-mail: bishop.vaughan.school@swansea-edunet.gov.uk www.bishopvaughan.swansea.sch.uk