Bishop Vaughan Catholic School Ysgol Gatholig Esgob Vaughan Parents’ Newsletter October 2012 Cylchlythyr Rhieni Hydref 2012
Presentation Evening July 2012
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES 2012 - 2013 HALF TERM HOLIDAYS Term Autumn 2012
Term begins Monday 3rd September
Begins Monday 29th October
Ends Friday 2nd November
Term ends Friday 21st December
Spring 2013
Monday 7th January
Monday 11th February
Friday 15th February
Thursday 28th March
Monday 15th April
Monday 27th May
Friday 31st May
Tuesday 23rd July
Summer 2013
Dates for your Diary Last day of half term is Wednesday 24th October 2012; school closes at 3.25 pm. All pupils return to school on Monday 5th November 2012 - week 1 on the timetable.
Inset Days Thursday 25th October 2012 Monday 15th April 2013
Friday 26th October 2012 Monday 24th June 2013
The full academic year school calendar is available to view on our website, alternatively parents can collect a paper copy from the school’s main office.
PLEASE NOTE: Whilst the school understands the difficulties with holidays, we would remind you that breaks should not be booked without the Head approving the time off first. Please write requesting permission to the Headteacher. 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 October 2012
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Message from the Headteacher
To all Students, Parents and Guardians concerning Public Examinations Please note that with effect from summer 2012, students whose school attendance is less than 80% of available sessions, will not ordinarily be entered for public examinations, or allowed to sit them. This applies to some students in year 9, as well as students in years 10,11 and the Sixth Form. Please be aware that there is very clear evidence from the Inspectorate, and several other agencies, that students’ achievements are linked to their attendance. The school can no longer support examination entry for those with poor attendance and those who do not complete their courses properly. Bearing in mind that Inspectors consider 95% as the minimum acceptable attendance rate, the school believes that in having 80% as a cut off point, it is being more than generous in providing examination opportunities for students. Of course special circumstances of illness and/or distress will be considered exceptionally and on their merits, and should be brought to the attention of the Headteacher as soon as possible. Thank you
Mr J Blackburn Headteacher
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
School Uniform Year 77-11 Pullover: Pullover
burgundy, v-necked with official school logo.
Tie: Tie
years 7-11 official school tie.
Socks: Socks
with trousers, dark-coloured or white with skirts, standard grey or white
Tights: Tights
should be flesh-coloured, medium grey or black, plain and seamless. NB socks or tights MUST be worn.
Blouse/Shirt: 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: 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 etc.
Shoes: 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: Garments
pupils may wear mackintoshes, 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, “bomber jackets”, 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. Baseball caps are not permitted in any circumstances. There is no necessity for anorak hoods to be worn at school.
Jewellery: Jewellery
A single sleeper or a single stud of minimum size in the lobe. No other piercings are permitted. 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.
MakeMake-up/Hair Dye:
Make-up is forbidden. 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.
All items of clothing should be clearly marked with the pupil’s name.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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School Uniform 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: Pullover
navy, v-necked with official school logo.
Tie: Tie
Sixth Form official school tie
Shirt/Blouse Shirt Blouse: 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: Skirt
navy blue, knee length
Trousers:
navy blue, standard design. No denim, leather, flares, corduroy etc.
Socks: Socks
with trousers: dark coloured, or white with skirts: navy blue or white
Tights: Tights
plain, seamless, navy tights may be worn.
Shoes: Shoes
dark coloured with flat or low heels. Ankle boots may be worn in winter and sandals in the summer. Trainers 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. It should be noted that tattoos and piercings of any kind are not permitted. 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.
All items of clothing should be clearly marked with the pupil’s name.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
Message from the Headteacher Welcome
A very warm welcome to our new pupils in Year 7. We trust that your stay at Bishop Vaughan will be a happy and memorable one. We also welcome back into the sixth form very many of the students who completed their GCSE’s in the summer. A particularly warm welcome is extended to those who have joined the sixth form from other schools.
Year 6 Open Evening A very successful open evening took place on Thursday, 18th October. The main hall was filled with prospective pupils and their parents and guardians. The Headteacher introduced the school, highlighting its Catholic ethos and approach to teaching and learning. The sixth formers then took groups of the visitors to meet the staff and some of our current pupils and to see the school facilities. A big thank you to all pupils who gave up their evening to demonstrate the various subjects Bishop Vaughan has to offer. Many favourable comments were received and we look forward to receiving a large number of applicants for the year 7 places available. Please be aware that the application process for all Swansea schools is now online. Though Bishop Vaughan, as a Catholic Voluntary Aided School, is its own Admissions Authority, it is sensible to follow the same process as other Swansea schools. Therefore, starting the Academic Year 2012/2013, applications to Bishop Vaughan should be made via the Local Authority online system. The facility will be available from Friday 28th September 2012. The closing date for applications is 28th November 2012. 2012 The Swansea Council website is www.swansea.gov.uk and from there you will be directed to the page where you apply online. The Local Authority will notify parents by Friday 8th February 2013. However, the school will be able to track applications and will also be in touch directly to inform parents of governors’ admissions decisions. Please do not hesitate to be in touch with the school’s admissions officers, Mrs H Hutchins or Miss H Morgan, if you need any help in making your application. As necessary, we can provide computer access for this purpose. The admissions officers’ contact number is 01792 772006 ext 227 or call in at school reception. If you know of anyone who has not received a prospectus directly from the school or via our feeder primaries, please urge them to be in touch with the school as soon as possible.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS Guidance to Candidates Outside each examination room will be a copy of the regulations which have been agreed by all the examination boards. This sheet gives you further guidance to help you through your examinations so that you are quite clear as to what is expected of you. Make sure you read both documents carefully and if there is anything you are unsure about, please ask. Some important points:points:• • • •
• •
• • •
•
•
•
•
Follow your personal examination timetable closely. Keep it in a safe place. Make sure you know your personal candidate number. It is shown as ‘Exam Number’ on your timetable. Morning examinations start at 9.00 and afternoon examinations start at 13.00 (1.00 p.m.) unless otherwise indicated. Aim to arrive at the examination room at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. If you are late it will cause you unnecessary anxiety, and if you are very late you may not be allowed in. You are expected to attend examinations in correct school uniform. You will not be allowed into the examination room if you are not correctly dressed. If you attend with unsatisfactory uniform, entry in to the examination will only be allowed after your parents have been contacted and asked to deliver the correct uniform to the school. Wait outside the examination room until you are called in. Remember to visit the toilet – you could have a long desperate wait otherwise! Bags and coats must be left at the back of the exam room. You will be allowed to take in only what you need. Pencil cases are not allowed unless they are clear. Pencil tins, boxes and ‘solid colour’ cases are not acceptable. A clear plastic ‘sandwich-type’ bag is just as good as a clear pencil case. Make sure you have the appropriate equipment for each exam – pen (plus spare), pencil, rubber, ruler, sharpener are essential. For certain exams e.g. Geography, Science, and Maths you may need to add compass, protractor, calculator, coloured pencils to your list. Check with your teacher. You will not be allowed to borrow any equipment during the exam. As soon as you enter the examination room you must not communicate in any way with anyone other than an invigilator (supervisor) until you leave the room after the exam. If you become unwell during the examination, raise your hand and inform an invigilator. If you have a specific medical condition, e.g. diabetes, make sure you bring the appropriate drink and snack which should be placed on the floor alongside your desk. You must remain in the examination room for the time allocated to the paper. If you have any time remaining use it wisely to check your work – you will not have another opportunity, and a correction made may result in a better final grade.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS •
•
•
• •
If you are too ill to come to school you must let the school know by telephone at the earliest opportunity. You must also obtain a medical note from your doctor and send it to Mr. Brown as soon as possible. It may then be possible to apply to the examination board for special consideration so that you are awarded a grade. If there are particular circumstances such as recent illness or you are suffering from distress for a particular reason, and you feel it has affected your performance in an examination, inform Mr. Brown and bring a letter from home. You may be entitled to special arrangements in your examinations such as extra time or help with reading. You will be informed of these arrangements before the examinations affected. Mobile phones, i pods or MP 3/4 players are not allowed in the exam room. room If you have an examination clash you must report to the main hall at 8.40 on the day of the clash.
CERTIFICATES Certificates gained during the summer 2012 examinations will be available for collection in December 2012. It is important that you collect your certificates as they will be returned to the examination board after 12 months.
NOVEMBER EXAMINATIONS TIMETABLE Date Tue 6th Nov Wed 7th Nov Wed 7th Nov Wed 7th Nov Wed 7th Nov Thu 8th Nov Mon 12th Nov Mon 12th Nov
Start 09:00
Duration Board/Level Sub Code Subject 01:45 WJEC/GCSE 43700003 Mathematics-Paper 1 Foundation
13:00
01:00
WJEC/GCSE 41710001 English / Engl Unit 1 Foundation
13:00
01:00
WJEC/GCSE 41710002 English / Engl Unit 1 Higher
13:00
01:00
WJEC/GCSE 41720001 English / Engl Unit 2 Foundation
13:00
01:00
WJEC/GCSE 41720002 English / Engl Unit 2 Higher
13:00
01:15
AQA
09:00
01:45
WJEC/GCSE 43700004 Mathematics-Paper 2 Foundation
09:00
01:30
AQA
43602H
43603H
Mathematics Unit 2 Tier H
Mathematics Unit 3 Tier H
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First few weeks at Bishop Vaughan Here a few of our new Year 7 give their first impressions of Bishop Vaughan The first few weeks have been great and it has been fun. I have got a lot of friends. I have joined basketball and badminton and I am enjoying it all. My friends have joined as well. My favourite subject is D&T because we are now making a calendar. Jamie Landeg 7.1 The first few weeks have gone very quickly and I’m really enjoying all the things that are going on in school. So far my favourite subject is Geography because I find it really interesting to know about what is in the world. Thomas Gregory 7.1 The first week went quite fast for me. I was really nervous on the first day, but it was fine. I’ve auditioned for the talent show with my friend Tammy and we hope to go through. Abi Crocker 7.1 The first few weeks at Bishop Vaughan have been great! All the teachers are very nice and helpful. I’ve taken part in various activities like Science experiments and bus bay training. Cerys Evans 7.1 My first few weeks at Bishop Vaughan have been very exciting. I have made loads of new friends. I love Bishop Vaughan School. Evie Childs 7.3 I was scared to be starting at a new school but I have to admit Bishop Vaughan is a very amazing school and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Harley Wheatley 7.3 So far at Bishop Vaughan I have enjoyed my lessons. All my teachers are amazing. Bishop Vaughan is a new experience and that’s what life is about. Gabrielle Christmas 7.5 I think that this last couple of weeks has gone pretty well. I have made new friends, learned new skills and I’m settling in well and my new friends are helping. Jack Crowley 7.7 For me the first few weeks have been exceptional. My favourite subjects are RE, History, PE Games D&T and Science. Daniel Marotta 7.7 I think that the first few weeks have gone quite well. My favourite lessons are probably D&T, Art and Key Skills (ICT) because they are different from other lessons in a way; like in Art it’s not just writing. Bethan Cart 7.7
Year 7 Disco This was a lovely evening with our new Year 7 pupils having fun together. The evening was made especially enjoyable by the support of sixth formers running the disco. Parents also had the opportunity to informally meet the year 7 Tutors.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
Presentation Evening This year's Key Stage 3 Presentation Evening took place on Thursday the 5th of July. The event was attended by Mrs Gomes (Chair of Governors), Mr Ian James (Head of Service, Education Effectiveness), Father Michael Burke, Father Ceirion, Canon Flook, many of the teachers, parents and of course the pupils. Our theme for the evening was 'Sowing and Reaping', because just like seeds, if we are helped to grow and are looked after, we will flourish. For the first time, a small group of pupils were allowed to help with the event. This small group, consisting of Holly Scannell, Natalie Hughes, Phoebe Hughes, Elie BeaumontWood, Caitlin Thomas and myself, met with Ms Spencer and Mr Crudge at lunchtimes during the weeks and months leading up to the event to discuss and plan what we thought would make the evening enjoyable for everyone. We recorded several videos which were shown throughout the event to show the parents and guests what life in Bishop Vaughan is really like. Those who attended this prestigious event were lucky enough to listen to a speech made by Sean White and Mr Jones, who spoke about their time in Athens and the true meaning and importance behind the Olympic Games. Their speech was truly inspirational and the entire audience were captivated from the beginning to the end. Throughout the evening the audience were also treated to a variety of different musical items. The first musical item was 'The Flame Anthem', which was performed by the Key Stage 3 Choir and was truly brilliant. This was then followed by Non House (winners of the Eisteddfod Music Competition), who sung their own beautiful version of 'Calon Lan' to the theme of 'The Rose', and were accompanied by Nathan Corbett on the guitar. The final item was by 'The Riff', who had the audience in complete awe of their musical capabilities.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
Presentation Evening There were a number of different awards presented throughout the evening including awards for Performing Arts, Sports and Individual Subjects. The Special Awards recognised the ethos of the school and the House Awards were fiercely contested! It would be impossible to mention all the pupils given awards, but a special congratulations to Domenique Jones and Aodhan Griffin-Barr from Year 7, Amy McQueen and Leon Morgan from Year 8, and Ashley Williams and Emily Davis from Year 9, who all received the Senior Tutor Awards for their Year Group. Also, congratulations to Joseph Jones and Sophie Price for the Headteacher's Award for Outstanding Progress. The evening was drawn to a close by the 'Vote of Thanks', made by Thomas Crudge and myself, and of course the final prayer. The evening as a whole was extremely enjoyable, as I think everyone would agree. It was a brilliant way of recognising the wide array of talents that we have in Key Stage 3, and celebrating these talents through this most distinguished evening. I would like to thank Ms Spencer for all of her hard work with the 'Year 9 Team', Mr Crudge for his assistance and guidance, and also Mr Blackburn for allowing the evening to go ahead. It was certainly an evening that will be remembered for a long time. Emily Davis 10.6
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
Science Science Trip for year 7 Summer 2012 Last term the Science Department organised a trip for all the year 7 pupils to the National Botanic Garden of Wales. This educational trip offered an introduction to ecology and gave the pupils a fun and interesting experience. Here are some of the reports from the pupils about their day.
Today was brilliant! It was an amazing opportunity for us to learn about plants and animals. Let us tell you how it went.... First we went pond dipping. We split into small groups and were given a net and a tray. We pulled out two newts and called them Charles William Newton and Charlotte William Newton. We looked at the creatures we caught in close detail under the microscope and learnt how to identify them. Once we had finished pond dipping we had our lunch in the giant glass dome and it was an excellent opportunity to take photos. Next we went into a classroom and designed and made rafts that would carry a grape safely down a stream, but ours was sabotaged. We had a great day and we hope we can go again next year. Hollie Wright and Emily Diamond 7.7
We had a great day when we visited the National Botanic Gardens near Carmarthen. When we arrived everyone was excited. The atmosphere when we were leaving the bus was incredible. It was quite chilly outside but we didn’t care. We walked through reception and met our teacher for the day called Jo. We then ventured into the trees and entered this mini laboratory. After a talk on how to pond dip safely, Jo took us to a place which had six individual ponds surrounding it. My group pulled out a tadpole with one leg which we called Sir Unlucky, along with many other pond creatures. We had our lunch in the glass dome and were able to look around at all the beautiful flowers. We then went to a room to make a mini raft to race down a stream. We raced them but unfortunately ours didn’t win. We then got back on the bus and drove back to Bishop Vaughan. Alisha, Dom and Sophie 7.7
Today was the best day ever! We went to the Botanic Gardens. It was very beautiful and we went pond dipping and learnt about lots of creatures. We also made a raft and did a raft race. It was really fun, although we didn't win. It was really an amazing and exciting day. The best trip ever. Mr Beynon, thanks! Sara Chowdhury and Jisa Salim 7.7
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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Science Towards the end of the summer term our A-level Chemistry class went to visit Swansea University’s Chemistry department. When we got there we split into groups of three and went through all the health and safety rules of working in the laboratory. We wrote down all the chemicals and reagents that we would be using and each of their hazards and cautions. This was important because we were using chemicals that we normally did not use in chemistry experiments in school. Following this, we were then able to proceed carrying out the experiments. We had two experiments to carry out. The first experiment involved synthesising and re-crystallising aspirin and the second experiment was the characterisation of aspirin using analytical techniques such as thin layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy. The melting point of our synthesised aspirin was also compared to the melting point of a known sample of aspirin. After a short break, our entire class was taken to the EPSERC Mass Spectrometry Centre to see how the mass spectrometer works. This was very interesting and educational and we were all very impressed at the machinery and how it was used to identify compounds. The machinery in that small room cost over £1 million! Overall, the trip was an enjoyable and informative experience as it helped us to gain a better understanding of the analytical techniques we had studied in class. It also helped us practice our laboratory skills and gave me an idea of how long a day in University will actually be. Joy Year 13
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
Chemistry Quiz On Thursday the 27th of September, Katie Davies, Mateusz Sieduszewski, Thomas Hutchins and I went to Ffynone House School to represent Bishop Vaughan in the annual Royal Society of Chemistry Quiz. We left just before lunchtime, accompanied by Mrs Davies and several eager supporters. Even though Katie and I had represented the school last year, we were still as nervous as Mateusz and Thomas. We spent the journey revising the topics that we thought were going to come up and explaining to Thomas and Mateusz the structure of the quiz. When we arrived we were extremely surprised by how small the school was. There are only 180 pupils (roughly) in Ffynone, compared to our staggering 1500 pupils! Both the teachers and pupils were very friendly and welcoming, and we were lead up to the room that would hold the 'Chemistry Quiz'. It was evident from the first round that they knew their Chemistry! They gained six out of the eight points available, all without showing any nerves and keeping their composure. It was then down to us to maintain and meet the high bar that had already been set by the Ffynone House representatives. We managed to accumulate a respectable five points, which meant we had some catching up to do in the next few rounds! Over the next couple of rounds we tried our best to gain the points and overtake Ffynone, although they were gradually extending their lead. We then had the group round, where we had to work together to guess what the answer was from a series of clues. After spending a couple of minutes thinking logically we came to our final answer, and were delighted to learn that this was right and we'd be receiving all six points! The final round was extremely tense. Although we knew that we couldn't win, we were still determined to gain as many points as possible! The margin between Ffynone and ourselves began to get smaller as the round went on, though it was too late for us to be crowned victorious. Even though we didn't win we were exceptionally proud of our score. Ffynone House School are the reigning champions of the Royal Society of Chemistry Quiz and have been for three years, so it was a huge achievement to finish even close to them! We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and even got Chemistry hats and pens to remind us of our day. Roll on the Chemistry Quiz 2013! Emily Davis 10.6
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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Science At the end of the summer term I took part in a Global Chemistry Experiment. The experiment was trying to find out if sports drinks can improve your performance in the 100m sprint. First we made our own sports drinks. We followed a simple recipe:70ml of summer fruits squash 23g of sugar A pinch of salt 330ml of water Once we had prepared our drinks we split the class in half. One half would drink 200ml of the sports drink, and the other half 200ml of water. We then had to wait 5 minutes. We got into rows of people who had water and then sports drink and raced the 100m. We then went back to the lab with our times to record our results. We added all the sports drink times together and found the average time. We compared the times for sports drink and water and found that on average for our class the sports drink runners were 1 second faster. But I watched a programme on TV that was about sports products and the results from their experiments were inconclusive. I think that it is very hard to find the real answer because it was very hard to make this a fair test. Emma Burns 8.8
Home Economics Healthy Eating Club If your interested in Healthy and Nutritious Food..... Then this After School Club is for you... You will learn how to prepare and cook healthy snacks, for the whole family. Mondays 3:30 to 4:30
For more information please see: Mrs. Thomas H.E.C room Fruits and vegetables contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy body.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
PE News - 2012 Paralympics
On the 7th September, 5 GCSE students including us had the privilege of going to the London 2012 Paralympic Games. We left Swansea at 3am to start our five hour journey to London. We arrived in the Olympic Park at 8am and were amazed at the amount of dedicated support fans from around the world. We spent an hour simply walking around the park and taking photos until it was 9am. Even though the events would only start an hour later, the stadium had already began to fill up. The atmosphere was electric and the excitement was mounting. We watched field and track events such as the men’s javelin finals, women’s discus finals, 100m, 200m and 800m heats and the women’s long jump for the visually impaired. We all showed our support for these extraordinary athletes and their sighted guides. We watched in awe as world records were smashed over and over again. We could tell by the enormous roar that was emitted from the audience when a British athlete was participating in an event. It’s almost impossible to describe the pride that flowed amongst the home crowd whenever a British name was announced. We cheered for everyone, despite the country they represented, every single athlete was inspiring to watch first hand. We left the stadium at 1pm and we had three hours to ourselves. During that time, we toured the rest of the Olympic Park and let us tell you it was even more breathtaking in real life. It was a longer journey home due to the traffic in London but it was definitely worth it. We are proud to say “we were there” at the 2012 Para Olympics. By Adithia and Ashley - year 11.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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PE News Alice Warren 9.1 tells us about her love of playing tennis... I have been playing tennis since I was about 8. I started with sponge balls and a mini net and now I play with yellow balls on a full court. I started to enter tournaments at the age of 9 and won a couple. When I was 10, I got invited to the British Nationals for 10’s and under, which was an amazing achievement. My mum tells me I was scared but very happy. I train in squads four or five times a week. One of these is in Cardiff with the South Wales High Performance Squad. Every Friday I have an early morning squad at 7.00 am! I also have a private lesson with my coach during the week. In July I got into the Scottish Open Tournament which was held in Edinburgh. I was really pleased as some of the best young players in Britain were there and it was great to watch them play as well as being able to play myself. Although my game went to three sets and I played quite well, unfortunately, I didn’t win that time. Roll on the next tournament—hopefully I’ll win next time!!
Chess Championships Four Nations Chess Championships 17th July to 20th July 2012 This year the tournament was held in the Daventry Court Hotel in Daventry from the 18th to 20th of July. I enjoyed the venue very much (4 star hotel). We knew England were favourites to win all four of the levels and playing them first would be hard. I was playing for the under-14 and we won! I had 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses and we thought we might have a chance of winning the tournament. Sadly we didn’t but this is the first time that the boys’ team have beaten England under match conditions. Austria 2012 - European Union Chess Championships 31st July to 10th August 2012 There was great accommodation in the guest house and very close to the playing hall so I didn’t have to wake up early. It was good experience playing in the higher section as I’ve only played chess for around 4 years and this was my first tournament outside of Britain. The heat and mosquitoes were a pain to deal with. I had 3 draws out of 9 matches. Hopefully I will do better in the next championships. National Youth Chess Association Champs 23rd September 2012 Following the Welsh under 14’s win in the John Robinson Cup at Daventry in July, the South Wales Under 14 team travelled to Northampton on 23rd September for the National Association Championships. After a tense final round the team won the Championship! This is the first time South Wales has won the under 14 Championship, or indeed any of the age groups outright.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
Geography Geographers out and about Year 12 Geography have been out collecting data for their A.S level projects. Pupils carried out questionnaires identifying land use patterns in Swansea and ended up down Swansea Marina and visited the Meridian Tower to look at how the land use pattern changes in Swansea
ESDGC Take care - our school, our environment. A vegetable patch or a quiet garden for reflection ? What are your views to improve our school environment because the Eco-committee is back again this year and we are looking for new members to join. Last year the eco-committee achieved some amazing goals including winning the Co-op recycling challenge winning over £1000 to help improve our school environment, and continued to work towards achieving another Green Flag Award. If you are interested in helping our school become more environmentally friendly please attend our eco meetings every Tuesday (Week 1) in room 41 from 12.25 PM until 1.00 pm. Mr Richards
Maths Scientific calculators may be purchased from the Maths Department at a cost of £6.00 each. It is essential that every pupil has their own calculator and brings it to every Maths lesson.
Sociology News Year 13 sociology students studying World Sociology (with a focus on global inequalities) were so moved by the extent of the poverty suffered by so many in various developing countries that they decided to collect their loose change to give to the charity Water Aid. Over 12 weeks they collected £68.70. With the money collected we were able to buy a water pump and to train a pump attendant.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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Children's University Swansea
Swansea Council's Children's University enables youngsters from the ages of five to 19 to get credit for taking part in out of school hours activities such as drama, sport, surfing, art, dance, volunteering, conservation or IT. The Children's University is co-ordinated by Swansea Council and is part of a national accreditation system. Young people gaining the gold awards have completed as many as 600 hours in these activities. The awards are based on the amount of time children and young people spend on activities and their age. They get one credit for each hour of registered activity and these add up to an award. MORE than 200 active, caring and adventurous youngsters are celebrating gaining their bronze, silver and gold awards from the Children's University Swansea. These include 9 Bishop Vaughan students. Gold Award Joseph Robinson 9.3 Bronze Award Cerys Hennegan Rosser 8.3 Rhys Evans 8.5 Matthew Grimsley 9.4 Joseph Johnson 9.6 Kuda Jamu 12.5 Ngonidzashe Jamu 13.3 Fridah Kimani 13.3 Jamie Richards 13.1 Congratulations to you all!
UK Junior Mathematical Challenge An oak tree was planted to mark the birth of Oliver Albert King. He died in 1911 aged 62. How old is the tree in 2012? A: 87
B: 170
The solution can be found on page 26
C: 147
D: 159
E:163
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
‘Tropical Inc’
For the second year running, Room D2 at Bishop Vaughan became something of a zoo for the day, as pupils from years 7 to 13 (and some staff too) were treated to an animal presentation by Steve Rowlands from ‘Tropical Inc’. There were ‘aah’s (especially for the meerkat - despite its smell!) and ‘eeew’s (particularly for the tarantula and the skunk). There was also stunned silence from some groups when the boa constrictor first made its appearance, but there were still plenty of volunteers to hold it. Everyone who saw the presentation had their favourite animal - mine was the baby porcupine, small enough to be held when he visited us in July, but who will already be too big (and spikey!) to be taken into schools by now. Everyone will remember Steve too – he is an excellent presenter who provides an educational, enjoyable and truly multi-sensory experience (you can see, hold, hear and definitely smell that meerkat). There might be good sense in that old saying of W.C. Fields, “Never work with children or animals”, but Steve does both and he makes it look effortless. Thanks to Tropical Inc for coming in to Bishop Vaughan, and thanks also to Penguin Recruitment for funding the occasion – a great end-of-term treat! Mrs M. Richardson (English/Classics)
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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Talent Show Let the Talent do the Talking. The talent show is being organised and managed by the Year 12 Performing Arts A Level pupils under the supervision of Mrs L Williams. The show will bring together the talented pupils from both Bishop Vaughan School and Morriston Comprehensive School. A selection of the acts were performed during Year 6 Open Evening on 18th October. Tickets were on sale from that evening. We hope you will join us for this evening of entertainment where we will definitely 'let the talent do the talking'. Mrs L Williams - Drama department.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
Rome Trip 2012
Thirty-nine students and five staff from Bishop Vaughan School set off on Pilgrimage to Rome on the 9th September 2012. This year we flew from Birmingham airport to Fiumicino. We began the journey in the chapel by saying the ‘Our Father’ and prayers for our continued safety during the week, led by Mrs Thomas. We were grateful for God’s providence during our time and for the safe return of Mr Scannell’s clothes which had been lost in transit! Siobhan Frecker of Parker travel Ltd had organised an eventful week, including visits to the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, the Catacombs, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Venerable English College, the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. Of course, the highlight of the week was the audience with Pope Benedict XVI and being named as a visiting school from Wales. Guests at Villa Palazzola assured us that the cheer that we gave was nicely audible on the Vatican TV. Our stay at Palazzola was superb. We were once again very well looked after by George. A great big ‘thank you’ is owed to all our students whose behaviour and time-keeping was absolutely superb! Their willingness to get along with each other said so much about ‘belonging’ together as a school community. We were very proud of the way that they conducted themselves towards the staff and guests of Palazzola and the local community. Even one of the shop keepers at Castle Gandolfo came to find a member of staff to pay a compliment to our students’ superb manners. ‘Are we there yet!’ became a familiar catch phrase as each day students looked forward to the day’s events. Time now to start saving for 2014! Many thanks to the staff supporting this pilgrimage - Mr Jenkins, Mrs Thom, Mr Scannell and Mrs Cole. Thank you also to Siobhan who made Mrs H Hansen Hannah Madgewick’s 18th birthday very special indeed.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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CAFOD Visitor On Friday 5th October, Ms Gerardina Cardozo visited Bishop Vaughan to speak to some of our Year 10 Religious Studies pupils about life in Columbia. There has been an internal conflict between the state, guerrillas and paramilitary groups for over 50 years. Gerardina Cardozo is the programme coordinator of FUNVIPAS whose mission is to promote peace, justice and reconciliation and poverty reduction in witness to Christian faith and Gospel values which respect the environment and the dignity of human beings, regardless of race, gender, religion. Our pupils designed ‘Hands of Peace’ that will be taken and given to the villages affected by the conflict, as a sign of solidarity and peace. “Today we had a visitor from Columbia called Gerardina who talked to us about her life in San Vicente del Caguan. She stood there and spoke Spanish while a translator told us what she was saying. I felt a lot of sympathy for her when she talked about the bad things of Columbia, but she also talked about the good things. She told us about how she took twenty three hours to travel to work where she would be so grateful if anyone would be there to greet her. She spoke of the fear of never knowing when or where a bomb could be dropped. She mentioned that children as young as eight could be forced to join the army, and she still carries the sorrow of the loss of friends and family that have been killed. I really enjoyed hearing about Gerardina’s experiences, and I wish the government could do something to make it a safer place.” Georgia Roberts, 10.1 http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Visiting-worker-s-peace-messagechildren/story-17050473-detail/story.html
Year 8 Retreat On 19th June I went on a retreat to Our Lady of Assumption Church in Briton Ferry. We played many games. The first game we played was called clumps. We would have to run clockwise around the room and when the teacher called out a number, we would get into groups containing that number of people. The purpose of this game was to see what it felt like to be left out. We meditated in the church at the end of the day and it was very relaxing. We listened to music whilst Ms Smith led us in a guided meditation. I learned we can find time to relax and ignore our surroundings. The purpose of the day was to bond with our class, and to get to know ourselves and our class friends better. My favourite part of the day was the affirmations, when all our class wrote comments about us on sheets of paper and we did the same for them too. Afterwards we went on the bus which took us back to tutorial in school. Olivia Collins 9.3 In the church hall we had to stand up and say our names and say something that nearly no one knew about yourself. I said that I liked to play netball and hockey. The purpose of the day was to learn more about yourself and about others. We did meditation on the altar in the church, which was called Our Lady of Assumption. From the meditation I learned that Jesus loves me and he tries to show me in the flowers and the trees. I learned that he died for me because he loves me. Chantelle Wainwright 9.3
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
Summer School! Coleen Jones, currently a Year 13 student, was delighted to have had the opportunity to attend Oxford University’s UNIQ Summer School in July. Coleen, who is keen to pursue her studies of Classics at degree level writes of her experience here:
“I was so pleased to be selected for this; it really gave me a taste of what university life would be like. The lectures in which I was fortunate enough to participate showed me that my degree will be diverse and exciting as well as academically enriching. I enjoyed the challenges and meeting people from all over Britain who share my interests.“
Ancient Greek Lessons Bishop Vaughan students are being offered the opportunity to study Ancient Greek! Swansea University’s Classics Department are currently teaching lunchtime classes at Bishop Vaughan to give pupils the chance to learn this language and, through doing so, to fulfil their potential across a range of areas. The classes, designed to be fun and lively in their style, aim to increase pupils’ use of logic (definitely needed to decipher a language that is written in an alphabet completely different to our own!) and their literacy skills, by providing insights into the ways in which languages work. Currently, pupils in Years 10 -13 are involved in the project, although the Greek Club may be available to younger pupils later on in the year. The lessons started in the first week of October, however, if pupils are interested and wish to join, there may still be spaces available. The classes run in Lunch 2 ‘s period (1.25 - 2.25 pm) every Thursday in Room 37. See Mrs. Pole or Mrs. Richardson for further details.
University Partnership The department is fortunate enough to have another partnership project with our local university, this one being facilitated through the ‘Reaching Wider’ scheme. We are pleased to have been selected for a workshop day, where our Sixth Form Classics students will learn all about the art of rhetoric (public speaking) in the ancient world from Professor John Morgan, in preparation for their January exams on Cicero, one of the most famous lawyers and politicians in history. We look forward to this event in December.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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Classical Association Students in the Sixth Form have taken an active involvement in the South West Wales Classical Association, with one of the pupils initiating a project to stage a Greek play early next year, Aristophanes’ ‘Lysistrata’. Daniel Minister, Kathryn D’Urzo, Hannah Madgwick and Coleen Jones, three of whom will be pursuing Classics degrees next year, have shown an impressive level of involvement with the society’s events and recently attended an evening of lectures by Professors John Morgan (Swansea), Joan Booth (Leiden) and Ken Dowden (Birmingham) celebrating the career of Professor Ceri Davies. Kathryn stated:
“The event was really inspiring! I’m really looking forward to my Classics degree and this was a great opportunity to meet some world authorities on their subjects.”
End-of-Term Activities! Latin and Classics pupils from Years 8 to 13 participated in an end-of-year reward event organised by Mrs. Richardson. Tropical Inc. - a mobile zoo - visited us in July, bringing all sorts of exotic animals with them. Pictures of the event, sponsored by a local company, are shown on page 20. The students were fascinated to see animals such as meerkats and parrots, and particularly interested to see animals that they’d never even heard of! (Had you heard of a jennet? We certainly hadn’t!) Thanks to Mrs. Richardson for this opportunity!
Certificates Pupils in Years 8 and 9 who studied Latin last year were awarded certificates for their success in the Cambridge Latin Course. Any pupil that has not yet received their certificate should see Mrs. Pole as soon as possible.
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Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
Sixth Form Prom
The year 13 students celebrated the end of their A Level examinations at Sketty Hall on 26th June. Students enjoyed a lovely meal in a nice setting. It was a very special evening. We wish them every success and happiness as they embark on their next steps.
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 E
From 1011 too 2012 is 101 years. In 1911, the tree was 62 years old so in 2012, the tree is 101 + 62 = 163 years old.
Bishop Vaughan School Newsletter October 2012
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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 October 2012
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 two months 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@swanseabishop.vaughan.school@swansea-edunet.gov.uk www.bishopvaughan.swansea.sch.uk