HM Letter to Parents Sept 2015

Contents Page 1

Staff News University Destinations Williams Project

Page 2

Examination Results

Page 3

Examination Results Summer Holiday Work Smiles With Grace

Page 4

Choir Tour to AndalucĂ­a

Page 5

Evensong at York Minster News From Chigwel Calendars Dogs on Site

Page 6

Bianca Andrei Sixth Form Centre

Page 7

Hockey Tour to South Africa

Page 8

Hockey Tour to South Africa

Staff News This term we are welcoming a number of new staff.

•

Mr Keith Ennis joins us as a teacher of mathematics and he will co-ordinate the subject in the Third and Fourth Form.

•

Mr Richard Maynes also joins the mathematics department.

•

Miss Rosemary Pettingill joins the science department.

•

Dr Gillian Groszewski joins us as a teacher of English.

•

Miss Danielle Le Bas joins the Junior School where she will co-ordinate geography.

•

Miss Jessica Bonner joins the Pre Prep as a Year 2 teacher.

•

Mr Christopher Leek will be a graduate assistant in the PE and games department.

•

Mr Joshua Haley joins us as a biology technician.

•

Mr Paul Stiles will be the new Pre Prep Catering Manager.

We send our congratulations to Mr and Mrs Andrew Chapman on the safe arrival of Charlie, bother to AJ and Ollie.

University Destinations Last summer’s A level students had, quite

The top university destinations in 2015

rightly, been ambitious in terms of the

were Exeter, Birmingham, LSE, Bristol,

university courses they had applied for.

Cambridge, and Nottingham, which

Having then achieved such strong results,

together will receive thirty Chigwell

we were delighted with the places that

students. Our aim is that students achieve

were confirmed. 85% of students will go to

the A level results they need to pursue the

their first choice university and nearly 80%

degree or other course of their choice

of universities are part of the prestigious

when they leave us. We are delighted that

Russell Group.

so many were so successful.

Williams Project Please encourage your sons and daughters to take advantage of the Williams Project.

Each fortnight a visiting speaker delivers two sessions on a Tuesday after school and you will see details in the calendar.

1

Examination Results A levels - Sixth Formers celebrated stunning A level results with a record number of A* grades. 27% of results were A*, over three times the national average, and the most common grade achieved across all entries was an A grade.

In fact, 40% of the students

achieved at least three A grades; 15% achieved at least four A grades; and three students gained at least five. 85% of students gained at least a B grade. Of the seven students who took the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) in addition to their A levels, all but two gained at least an A grade.

2

Examination Results GCSEs

-

Chigwell

students

were

delighted when they opened their GCSE results.

A quarter achieved at least

seven A* grades and of the eighty-six pupils in the year group, six achieved at least ten A* grades. Indeed, A* was the most common grade awarded out of all entries and in addition to their other subjects, the ten students who also took the HPQ (the GCSE equivalent of the Extended Project Qualification) all achieved an A* grade.

39% of grades awarded were at A* (six times the national average); 72% of grades awarded were at least an A; and 91% were B grade or above.

Summer Holiday Work As usual, the summer is a very busy time for the support staff and I am very grateful to them for all their hard work as we continue to make improvements across the site.

As well as the general decoration and maintenance around the site, the former staff common room has been converted to Penn’s House; the former maintenance department has been converted to the new staff common room; and a new maintenance building has been constructed behind the Drama Centre.

Smiles With Grace On Sunday there will be a 5km walk

11am in the Bury Road car park on the

through Epping Forest in memory of

edge of Chingford and although initiated

former pupil Grace Boxall who sadly

as a ‘run’ many are coming just for the

passed away two years ago just before

walk. The route will be marked with purple

she was sixteen. The walk will start at

ribbons and arrows. All are welcome.

3

Choir Tour to AndalucĂ­a This summer the Chapel Choir toured

fascinating trips to the Mezquita in

Andalusia, from Seville, to Jerez de la

Cordoba and the Alhambra in Granada, as

Frontera, Cadiz and then on to Granada,

well as walking tours of the beautiful

covering just over 1500km. They drew

regional capital Seville where they were

large and responsive audiences to their

based. The choir were also treated to a

concerts and impromptu performances on

local performance of flamenco, as well as

the steps of cathedrals.

being given the opportunity to watch the world-famous Andalusian horses in a

The Chigwell choir was joined by pupils

spectacular

from Southend School for Girls and both

routine

that

displayed

extraordinary skill and elegance.

choirs blended well, each night offering a balanced programme, singing with a

Well done to all the students and hard-

passion and vibrancy that even 45â °C

working staff that enabled the tour to be a

temperatures could not suppress. The

resounding success.

pupils could not have asked for more aweinspiring surroundings to perform in, from the church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion in Carmona, to the Basilica de San Juan de Dios in Granada. Often the unassuming exteriors of these churches did not prepare the choir for the ornate interiors and gilded altarpieces which provided the backdrop to the concerts, all of which were received by appreciative audiences who gave standing ovations.

On one particular

evening performance they had the pleasure of singing to an esteemed guest, in the form of Michael Portillo, former Cabinet Minister-turned-travel presenter.

The bustling schedule and the searing heat did not hinder them from appreciating the history and rich culture of the region, with

4

Evensong at York Minster The final act of the Chapel Choir 2014/15 was to lead Evensong at York Minster on Tuesday evening where the School’s founder, Samuel Harsnett, became Archbishop of York in 1628. The choir were in imperious voice creating beautiful lines, especially in the Queen’s responses by Philip Stopford, and the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Tertius Noble. There was a congregation of several hundred for the service in the evening.

News From Chigwell The latest edition of News from Chigwell has been produced, giving a flavour of some of the many activities that took place at school during last academic year. This is available on line at: HERE If you would like a copy, you are welcome to collect one from Reception.

Calendars

Dogs on Site

As usual, pupils will be given a copy of

Between the hours of 7.30am and

the blue calendar with details of all

6.00pm dogs are not permitted on the

events taking place this term. If you

school site. Outside of these times, we

have not received a copy, please collect

ask that dogs are kept on a lead.

one from either the Junior or Senior Reception.

5

Bianca Andrei Andrei

competitions in physics. Bianca was the

represented the United Kingdom in the

only female member of the UK team of

International Physics Olympiad (IPhO)

six students and her performance

and was awarded a bronze medal, an

ranked her fifth in the world out of all

outstanding achievement given that she

the women who took part.

Over

the

summer

Bianca

still has a year to go to complete her A levels. This year, the 46th IPhO was held

in

Mumbai

and

eighty-four

countries were represented in the annual physics competition which is open to secondary school students from across the world.

It involved

individual theoretical and experimental

Sixth Form Centre As I mentioned on Speech Day, we hope

so, we would be very pleased to hear

to be in a position to begin building the

from you. This is a very exciting project

new Sixth Form Centre on the edge of

which will make a real difference to the

Top Field in the next few months. A

facilities we can offer Sixth Form

number of families have generously

students, working in preparation for

supported this project over the summer

university.

and if any other parents would like to do

6

Hockey Tour to South Africa Chigwell boys and girls travelled to South Africa this summer, to compete in the Cape Town International U18 Hockey Festival.

A total of forty-six

teams took part in the tournament which included schools from the UK, Namibia and South Africa. The aim of the tour for our pupils was threefold; to develop and improve their hockey, to

success, the girls finished an impressive 14th place out of 22 teams, whilst the boys finished a respectable 16th out of 24.

A measure of the development

made by both squads was highlighted further in their final post-tournament match against Outeniqua High School where both the team and individual performances were outstanding.

Away from the hockey pitch the squads

embrace different cultures and new

experienced several once in a lifetime

experiences, and finally, to make friends

opportunities which proved to be the

through sport.

highlight of the tour for many pupils.

The tournament, was held across several spectacular venues in Cape Town each with its own backdrop of Table Mountain. It consisted of eight matches over nine days for both the boys and the girls. Competing against several of the leading South African independent schools the pupils performed to an exceptional level and grew in confidence as the festival progressed.

Despite

results not being the key criteria for

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Hockey Tour to South Africa These included a visit to Robben Island

surroundings. The trip proved to be a

where pupils learnt about Nelson

resounding success due to the hard work

Mandela’s struggle against apartheid

of all staff and the exceptional

by a former inmate; meeting the

behaviour of the Chigwell pupils both on

local community at the Fisantekrall

and off the pitch.

township; and ‘making friends through sport’ at Welbedacht UCC Primary, where the pupils now wish to establish charity links providing sports kit and equipment in the future. The tour came to a superb conclusion at the Garden Route Game Lodge where pupils went out on both a dusk and dawn game drive to see the big five in spectacular

No doubt this term will be as busy as ever and I look forward to seeing you at some of the many events that will be taking place over the next few weeks.

With best wishes Yours sincerely

Michael Punt

8

Term Dates Half term: Saturday 17th October to Sunday 1st November Term ends: Wednesday 16th December 2016 Lent Term First day: Thursday January 7th Half term: Saturday Feb 13th to Sunday February 21st Term ends: Wednesday March 23rd 2016 Trinity Term First day: Monday April 18th Half term: Saturday May 28th to Monday June 6th Term ends: Wednesday July 13th