Hurstmere Newsletter Summer 2009

Newsletter Summer 2009

SCIENCE LAUNCH... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... We have

LIFT OFF!

F

ollowing on from our specialism in Sport, the Specialist Schools Academy Trust (SSAT) has awarded Hurstmere School, High Performing Specialist Status. As a result we have adopted Science as our second specialism.

This will enable us to develop opportunities for pupils to study Science beyond the school curriculum encouraging them to consider Higher Education and Science related careers.

DIARY DATES The students finish school this term on Friday 17th July at 1.30p.m.

Students return on Friday 4th September Please check the school website www.hurstmere.org.uk for dates for next term.

To celebrate the addition of Science to the School’s Specialist status, we have organised a series of events. The first of these was on the afternoon of the 25th June,when Mr Stringer, Staff and the Governors of the School invited guests from local schools to hear guest speaker Mr Martyn Berry MA, Msc., C Chem., FRSC give a talk on Science as a Specialism in schools.

Excellent, innovative and inspiring education in Science can lead to a better knowledge of how Science works and builds the responsible citizens our society requires. We seek to further utilise the impact of our

Left to right: Mrs. S Bayar, Director of Science Specialism, Guest Speaker Mr M Berry, MA, Msc., Cchem., FRSC and Mr A Stringer, Headteacher at the launch of Science as a Specialism on Thursday 25th June.

SCIENCE: Theme Days

Sports Specialism to improve learning across the curriculum and to build upon the cross curricular links between Sports and Science.

It was decided that the school’s Science Status be celebrated with 3 Science Launch days:

By encouraging a broader understanding of Science through extended and enhanced enrichment opportunities, we hope to raise achievement. Links with partnership schools, local industry and parents will be part of our strategy to extend the impact of the Science Specialism beyond the classroom.

Thursday 25th June Yr 9 Theme Day: “Engaging in Our Community”. Also, a 3pm Twilight for staff, governors, local primary & secondary schools with a guest speaker.

Friday 26th June Yr 7 Theme Day: “Building a Sustainable Future”.

Monday 29th June Yr 8 Theme Day: PE/Science Cross curricular Project on Forces.

On these days, each Year Group had their normal timetable suspended and they were involved in a project for the school day. Each project had a range of activities and events planned for the day including guest speakers and some tasks that involved prizes for the Mrs S Bayar boys.

The new status will ensure the Hurstmere Science department is able to utilise the additional funding to improve the quality of Science lessons and raise attainment by making Science a priority in school.

Director of Specialism

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I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and restful summer holiday. As always, it seems to have been a very busy year with a vast array of trips and events accompanying everyday school life and I wish to publicly thank all of my staff who give so willingly of their time to enable the boys to participate in so many extra curricular activities.

During Activities Week at the end of term boys will be going on a host of trips both in the United Kingdom and Europe. Perhaps our most adventurous so far will be a group of boys and staff who are going to Zambia to coach rugby and who recently enjoyed a day at the Zambian Embassy as a guest of the High Commissioner. With the recent appointment of a new Media & Displays Co-ordinator, Mrs Jackie Dowse, I hope that in future we will not only continue to organise a wide variety of extra curricular events but also do a better job of regularly informing parents by newsletter of our many successes and achievements.

As I am sure you are aware, we were vastly oversubscribed again this year and look forward to welcoming our new Year 7 students on an induction day at the end of the term and during our Sports Summer School in the holidays. At the other end of their schooling, our Year 11 boys have worked hard for their examinations this summer and the general work ethos has been truly commendable. They will achieve some excellent results and all of us wish them every success for the future. Our High Performing Specialist Status enabled us to take Science as a second specialism to accompany our Sports status and the additional £60,000 annual grant will help us boost this area of the curriculum.

staff. Ms Power has left the English Department to take up a post nearer to her home and will be replaced by Miss Bradley. Mrs Aziz is leaving the ICT Department to join BETHS Grammar School and is being replaced by Mr Waghorn. Miss O’Brien is leaving the Drama Department to return to Australia and is being replaced by Mrs Wilson. Mr Ras is leaving us and will be replaced by Mr East in the Technology Department. Mr Skeete is also leaving the Technology Department to become a Tennis Coach and Miss Hayward will join us in his place. Ms Lyons is leaving the Mathematics Department and will be replaced by Mr Nagra who is an Advanced Skills Teacher in Mathematics and formerly Head of Mathematics at Langley Park Boys’ School in Bromley. This will help to strengthen our Mathematics Department and Mr Nagra will also work on the cross curricular delivery of Mathematics, particularly in relation to our Science Specialism. Other new staff joining us in September are Mr Ball in the PE Department, Mr Worden in the Science Department and Mr James in the French Department.

I believe that in September I will head the strongest staff I have known at the school in the eleven years I have been at Hurstmere, and so with some excellent Year 11 results this Summer and our new staff, we can look forward to continued development next year and even greater accolades.

We are fortunate to only have a few staffing changes for next September, but will be saying goodbye to a number of

Yr 7

Mon 13th Windmill Hill Eagle Heights

Tue 14th Windmill Hill London Zoo Hip Hop Stage Sword Fight Workshop Ardeche/Mersea Technology Day Thorpe Park

Wed 15th Windmill Hill London Zoo African Dance Bollywood Workshop

Ardeche/Mersea Film Project PE Day

Yr 8

Ardeche/Mersea PE Day

Yr 9

Ardeche/Mersea Film Project Thorpe Park

Ardeche/Mersea Film Project Pain tball

I.C.T. Day

English Day Rap Poetry

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Ardeche/Mersea Pain tball Shakespeare Experience

Mr A Stringer

Thurs 16th Windmill Hill London Zoo Hip Hop Kent Circus Skills Workshop Ardeche Pain tball English Day Rap Poetry France Day Trip Ardeche Film Project Shakespeare Experience Karting

Friday 17th Windmill Hill PE Day

Ardeche I.C.T. Day Karting

Ardeche Film Project Paintball

GEOGRAPHY Field Trips

Year 7 At the start of the year, the whole of Year 7 took part in a Geography field trip to the Docklands Museum in London. The trip was aimed at introducing how London, and specifically the Docklands, has changed over time. The trip involved a tour of the museum which contains several exhibitions detailing key points in history which have changed the shape of London. These include times of piracy and World War II. The pupils had the opportunity to experience a stay in an air raid shelter and a walk through the old streets of London’s Docks in Sailor Town, which is an authentic reconstruction of the dock area of London from the 1800s.

The purpose of this trip was to introduce the changes which have occurred in London over time. It also allowed the pupils to conduct a small project on the impact of tourism in different, contrasting environments. This was a fantastic data gathering exercise and allowed the pupils to use the data in an informative way.

The Year 10 students also visited Seven Sisters Country Park in the spring term.

The purpose of this trip was to gather primary data for their coursework. At Seven Sisters Country Park, the pupils used several data gathering techniques at different areas of the park to help them complete their coursework when they returned to school. These techniques ranged from sketching of the world renowned River Cuckmere meander to asking members of the public questions from the questionnaires Outside the museum, the they had created before the pupils could see the con- visit. trast between the old dock yard warehouses which re- The trip was a great oppormain and the new financial tunity for the GCSE students area of London including to see some geography outCanary Wharf. side of the classroom. This location provided excellent opportunities to see coastal Year 10 In the autumn term, the Year management techniques at 10 GCSE students travelled first hand, impacts of tourinto London to study how ism on an area and how it the area of St. Katharine’s can be managed, all with Dock has changed over the back drop of the Seven time and the impact that Sisters white cliffs. tourism now has on the area. We then moved to Mr A Reddy Head of Geography Greenwich to study the impact of tourism at the Cutty Sark area and in Greenwich Park itself. Whilst in Greenwich Park, the students explored different areas including the Naval Museum and the Royal Observatory.

Food Technology We have now completed our second year of food technology in the school and it has proved popular with both lower and upper school students.

KS3 - Due to the large GCSE option uptake we have been unable to include Year 7 in our rotations, apart from a very small number of lucky students.

From September 2009 we will be starting some after school sessions - THE COOK CLUB - so pupils in Year 7 and 8 can come to the Food Technology area and learn some skills whilst making some tasty food. Both Mr Day and Vicki, the Food Technology assistant, would like to say a big thank-you to all of the boys who have worked so well in the room this year. Next year we have more time with each group in KS3 so we will be able to do even more cooking KS4 - Our first GCSE group have just completed their final exams, and we look forward eagerly to August when we can find out how well they have done. The current year 10 have now started, and are working well on their coursework projects, which they should be completing by the end of January 2010.

Good luck to all our leavers, our current groups, and to all those starting in September.

Mr M Day Head of Food Technology

FRENCH GCSE - CONFERENCE

On January 28th a group of Year 11 students went to London for the day to attend a French GCSE conference. After our journey on the train (where the last coach had been reserved for Hurstmere) and tube, we joined another 700 students from schools all over the country. The day consisted of interactive activities led by French GCSE specialists and sketches performed by BBC actors.

The boys had a great time and they left the conference with fresh ideas and tips for their GCSE revision.

Following the success of the conference, the French Department organised a similar day trip to London on 9th March, this time for Year 10 students. Forty of our boys attended a national conference which targeted the specific topics of Year 10 French GCSE. The boys showed exemplary behaviour and learnt a lot from the day.

Thanks to Mme Marchioni, Mrs Guyan, Mme Antoniol and Mrs Wootton for accompanying the boys and making each of the conferences an enjoyable and valuable experience.

Mme L Notton - Head of Languages

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English and Media Studies A representative from the charity 'Support Our GCSE Media Studies: Soldiers' came into a Year 9 English lesson and Two successful workdiscussed, with students, her sons' experiences shops involving sixty Year 10 Media and Drama stuof fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The class donated parcels of essential and luxury items, dents ran in school on the that they had put together for the charity to ship out to 29th and 30th April 2009.

British soldiers, and also wrote letters of support to solProfessionals in television diers serving abroad.

drama, including the curYear 7 were also involved in this charity campaign and donated over 350 items. Soldiers rent first assistant direccame into a special Year 7 assembly to collect the gifts and posed for photographs. tor of 'The Bill', taught the boys how to act and film Year 7 form group Melbourne: Promoted and advertised the parcel campaign and are one scene, and then write now working on the next charity campaign for ‘Support Our Soldiers’. They are going to encourage Year 7 form groups to collect as many used stamps as possible which will help and film their own police raise funds for serving British soldiers. If you want to find out more about this charity go dramas. The boys were to www.supportoursoldiers.co.uk extremely creative and engaged with the activities, especially the group work A trip to The Somme with the History Department, for Year 9s was arranged using their own hand-held

by Miss Power. Students reading the novel ‘Private Peaceful’ were invited to cameras, and they visit the place where one of the most infamous battles of World War I took learnt some invaluable place. tips to use in the classYear 11 students took part in the yearly trip to the Poetry Live Conference, room. The Act-ed compawhere they had the opportunity to listen to and watch some of the poets from ny will be returning for their GCSE ‘Anthology’ and were given exam tips by the chief examiner.

Activities Week in July.

Two Year 10 students, Serhan Mehmet and Michael May were successful in the regional Speakout Challenge Competition, making it through to the Kent finals, held at Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School.

“The Red Stallion” school newspaper, now in its second year, has gone from strength to strength with the new Year 7 cohort adding fresh ideas. Miss Rosillo holds the meetings once a month.

This year’s Activity Week holds more interesting events in store; a special visit from a popular poet and a two day Shakespeare extravaganza. This will include performances from a theatre group and some fascinating works.

The weekly meetings for the Carnegie Awards have enabled Year 7 and 8 students to pick their favourite book for the award. They will be doing a presentation in front of other schools in the Borough at Townley Grammar at the end of June.

Mrs. Nunes accompanied several Year 8 students on an Aim Higher ‘Harry Potter Day’ which enabled them to have a taster day at Greenwich University and the opportunity to interview the students of Greenwich University. University staff and students, some dressed in Harry Potter costumes, led a variety of Potter-themed activities and challenges to educate and entertain the boys.

The pupils encountered Hedwig’s owl cousin who flew in from Eagle Heights, Kent’s Bird of Prey Centre at Eynsford. Other events included a Hat Making Challenge, Quidditch Trophy Challenge and workshops with a design, drama, science and sports theme. The pupils also produced a newsletter about the day.

Year 11 Trip to BFI Southbank Conference on Television Quiz Shows: This topic forms part of their examination syllabus. The boys were complimented on their behaviour and interest in the day.

Year 9 English: Twenty boys from Year 9 went on a reward trip through the Jack Petchy Award Fund, to the Imperial War Museum, London. This supported their reading of two First World War novels and was a cross-curricular event with the History department.

Mrs A Elliott Head of English

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WORK EXPERIENCE 6th - 17th July 2009

History in Theatre Thursday 12th March – The History Department arranged for a touring theatre group to visit Hurstmere in order to perform historical plays to both Year 7 and Year 9. Before lunch Y9 were treated to a play ‘Doomed Youth’ about the effects of World War I on British society. After lunch Y7 were enthralled by a production of ‘Time Tunnel’, a look at medieval history through the eyes of a time traveller. Both performances were very well received by the boys and it was a thoroughly entertaining day.

Y9 Cross-curricular Trip to the Somme Battlefields On Friday 17th October the English and History departments combined to run a trip to the Somme battlefields for around 50 Year 9 students.

It was a fantastic day linking with the studies of World War I in history and ‘Private Peaceful’ (the novel by

The earth column Michael Morpurrose highgo) in English. er and Children's Laurehigher to ate Michael Moralmost purgo wrote this 4,000 feet.

There it gentle and deeply hung, or moving depiction seemed to of World War I, as hang, for a seen through the moment in eyes of Tommo the air, like Peaceful, a solthe silhouette of some great dier who faces the firing cypress tree, then fell away squad at dawn. It skips be- in a widening cone of dust tween memories of a hard and debris.” but joyful childhood in rural Early attempts to fill it in England and the depravity were resisted and the land of life in the trenches as he was eventually purchased attempts to reconcile the by Richard Dunning to entwo very different sides of sure it would be preserved.

The Lochnagar memorial his brief life. and a cross made with wood We visited the Lochnagar now mark the site. crater which was made by the Lochnagar Mine, an ex- We also saw the Thiepval plosive-packed mine, Memorial which is dedicatwhich was detonated at 7.28 am on 1 July 1916, ed to the missing of the the first day of the Battle Somme which bears the of the Somme. The ex- names of more than 72,000 plosion was witnessed officers and men of the Unitfrom the air by 2nd ed Kingdom and South AfriLieutenant C.A. Lewis can forces who died in WW1 of No. 3 Squadron in the Somme sector before RFC: 20 March 1918 and have no “The whole earth known grave. Over 90 perheaved and flashed, cent of those commemorata tremendous and magnificent column ed died between July and rose up in the sky. November 1916. Our tour There was an ear- guide was very knowledgesplitting roar able and the boys were exdrowning all the cellent. guns, flinging the machine sideMr S Syplywczak ways in the reHead of History percussing air.

At the end of Year 10, students are expected to do a two week Work Experience. During this time the students will be expected to undertake duties in a working environment so as to have some understanding of working practices.

Found by the students themselves and verified with Bexley Education Business Partnership, these placements also generate vital documentation for students’ leaving files. Placements are many and varied; in recent years students have continued to work in small local firms, multi-national institutions and even with the Mayor of London!

What is constant, however, is the level of praise our students receive from their Work Experience employers and from the Borough for the quality of the placements themselves.

Mr K Mackenzie-Ingle

Fund Raising-

Cake Sale

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D R A M A Year 10 used professional Trestle Masks to explore masks and mime as part of their Drama GCSE.

be running various workshops including Hip Hop and Street Dance, Circus Skills and African Dance. A member of the West End Show ‘Stomp’ is coming in to work with the Year 7’s on rhythm and movement.

Head Teachers’ Conference at the Marriot Hotel in Bexleyheath in July. The aim is to raise awareness of communication issues between schools and parents, through Drama.

in a Dance Club and will be performing their work during a Year 7 assembly in July. They studied Hip-Hop and Street dance styles, with a visiting tutor from the company ‘Dance Cheer 49’, for twelve weeks.

Ms L Woodward Head of Drama

bullying workshops for Bexley primary school children at the Children’s Parliament Conference in March.

Sketching to Success!

With an impressive A*- C grade GCSE pass rate of 81.5% last summer and the successful completion of the ‘SoccerHenge’ sculpture garden project by a group of this year’s Yr11 pupils in last year’s Activity Week – it was always going to be a ‘tall order’ to build on these successes this year!

The talent, enthusiasm and hard work of our boys has meant we have continued to build on our previous achievements –

Bassett, Reiss Berry, George Webb, Callum Eden, Erman Yenican, Billy Killick, Jamie Brown, Ryan Gregory and Luke Higgins, were highly commended in a national portrait competition, and are to have their work published in the ‘National School Art Portfolio’.

earned the school a £500 first prize in the Bexley Police graphics competition – his logo design will be used by the Bexley Community Policing Group.

‘Soccer-Henge’ In last year’s work experience and Activity Week, year 10 pupils (Daniel Plummer, Ryan McGandy, Joshua Jenner, Jack Campbell, Jake Sauders, Max Brooker, Christopher Caddock and Joseph Rutherford-Axcell) garden-landscaped the grass area between the Art Department and the Year 9 playground - and made and sited 11 ‘breeze block’ carved sculptures, based on the idea of combining ancient historic monoliths with a carefully chosen ‘greatest ever’ football team. Please feel free to come and see the result of the boys’ hard work when you next visit the school.

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Work getting under way on the sculpture project July 08 and the finished ‘Soccer-Henge’ sculptures in the garden June 09

have high hopes for our largest ever GCSE Art Option cohort with their art exam results this summer.

Good luck to all our school leavers in this, and all their other exams.

Mr D Blower Head of Art

GCSE Drama

“Bouncers” ...

The Drama GCSE examinations were very successful this year, with a range of plays performed in the Drama studio. ... a very popular choice, with three different interpretations.

n Beach ‘Brighto s’ - (left g Scumba than Hart, Luke

rJona aniel Ga od and D o lw e z a H ner.

to right)

‘Find Me’ -

‘Our Countries Good’ -

(above and below)

Daniel Furlonger as Vinnie with Troy Steele, Dexter Cook, Michael Horgan, Stephen Walker and Joe Bradley.

Matthew McDonald, Matthew Wright, Liam Hollands, Nathan Truscott, Josh Ravens and Lewis Byron as the officers.

(left to right)

‘Accidental Death of an Anarchist’ - (left to right) Kerian King, Jamie Hutchinson, John Andrews and Aryan Hashtrudie.

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The School Council battles Swine-flu!

This term the Student Voice has been working hard to clean up the school.

The School Council have been debating ways of improving the quality of cleanliness within the school toilets and have agreed the fitting of a new liquid soap dispenser which will improve the standard of hygiene for everyone in school. This was driven by senior councillor Kirk Porter.

in the Outer London areas. This discussion was part of a Student Voice project on knife crime following the death of Rob Knox at the end of Hurst Road on the 24th May 2008.

Mr. Conway said, “The questions were very polite but also very much to the point. They were particularly interested in violent crime issues, having been part of a school project on knife crime. The boys varied in age range but each question was thoughtful and well put. They were an articulate, bright group who did credit to their parents and the school”.

The MP added, “Parliament can sometime overawe visitors but this group came well prepared and were not to be fobbed off with any politician’s ducking and diving. They wanted straight answers to their straight questions and had their own views on why violent crime is growing. We would all do well to listen to their generation more carefully and I found the experience very encouraging to know that this excellent school is turning out first rate students.”

Mr D Cleary

Student Research Team To support the School Council a team of student researchers has been selected after an application process. They are currently researching standards of hygiene around the school by focusing on surveys taken in form time.

MP quizzed by form representatives Back in February a group of form representatives from across the age demographic of the school visited their local MP, Derek Conway. The boys were given a tour of parliament and were received in their MP’s private chambers for a very open discussion on the rise of knife crime

MP for Bexley, Derek Conway

We know for sure that Los Angeles has won the first half of the competition, but the next few weeks will decide which form wins the second half! Keep up the fantastic work boys and Year 8 should be as successful as this first year has been!

Ms Mackler would like to congratulate all of the Year 7s for a fantastic start to their time at Hurstmere! The year has gone tremendously well and this is due to the polite behaviour and hard working efforts of the whole year group. It is clearly a team of boys with great ability and I look forward to seeing that develop throughout Year 8.

As a team we have already experienced some enjoyable events together! From "Form Assemblies" where students worked hard to present to their entire year group the information about the Olympic city their form is named after, to a disco in February and two skating trips to Gillingham, everyone has been kept quite busy.

The students have worked very hard to gain points for their form in the "Inter-Form Competition".

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Ms L Mackler Head of Year 7

Year 7 ice skating trips to the Ice Rink, Gillingham

Year 8

Year 9

I am writing as Head of Year for the last time because, as most of you are aware, from 22nd June 2009 my role within the school changed. I have moved from Head of Year to Head of the Science Department. I have had a very enjoyable and rewarding time working within the school’s pastoral system but I am looking forward to the different challenges and experiences that my new role will bring, especially in view of the School recently being awarded Specialist Science College status. This is a very exciting time to be a part of an expanding department.

Your son’s new Head of Year will be Mr Joyce, who is currently Head of Year 11. I have been working closely with him over the past few weeks and will continue to do so to ensure continuity of your son’s pastoral care.

I would like to thank you for your support over the past two years and I wish your son every success as he progresses into Year 9.

Year 8 have had a very successful year and have been involved in a variety of activities including a trip to the David Beckham Academy in Greenwich and a Raising Aspirations day. They have a number of things to look forward to in Activities Week including a trip to the Ardeche region of France, a trip to Mersea Island, Go-Karting, Paintball and a trip to Thorpe Park amongst other activities running within school. Next year they must continue to achieve and work hard as they will be choosing which subjects they would like to study in Key Stage 4.

Mrs. W Day - Ex Head of Year 8

On Monday 22nd June 2009 Mrs Day “handed over the baton” to myself as the Head of Year 8. I would like to wish her a successful time as Head of Science in this exciting time for Science at Hurstmere, and to thank her for all her hard work and efforts in moulding such a great group of boys. I am looking forward to the responsibility of guiding your sons through their final three years at Hurstmere, not just helping them achieve good examination results but assisting them in their social development, as they turn from boys to young adults.

This coming year, when options will be taken, is a very important time in the boys’ education. It has shaped the path for many pupils and has led them towards a career of their choosing. Making the right option choices can be so vital and if this is done sensibly and thoughtfully then the boys can enjoy a focused approach to their KS4 studies.

A favourite part of my job is to get to know each and every pupil in the year group and understand all the different personalities and their specific needs. Over the next three years I am also looking forward to working with you, the parents, and together supporting your sons at Hurstmere.

As we come to the end of Key stage 3 it is my pleasure to report that Hurstmere Year 9 are generally in good shape and ready to face the challenge of Key Stage 4 in preparation for adult life. Three years have gone by fast but in that time boys have gained confidence and maturity and built up the knowledge required to take them on to their chosen courses and GCSE’s.

Many have excelled on the sports field, in drama, music and other extra curricular activities put on by the school and in the community. This is an important part of their education and getting the balance right in the next two years will bring the results that every parent will be proud of and every pupil will need given the current economic situation the country faces. The workload from now on may mean less TV and computer games time and set aside time in the holidays for course work which is a large part of the overall grade in many subjects. There is no doubt that boys who work hard, follow instructions and stop finding excuses why work could not be completed will benefit in the long run.

Having been a Head of Year for more years than I would like to remember, I can say that this is a good year group and my colleagues agree. It is often the case that in the final two years the boys become even more focused on the goal of their final exams. As parents you may be seeing changes in your son as he goes through puberty and also wants more independence. For some these can be difficult times and if there is any way the school can help please do not hesitate to contact me.

Finally I would like to thank the tutors for all their help, much of which goes un-noticed, and you, the parents, for your support. Getting your children in school, on time and prepared to be able to work is vitally important. I would also remind you that taking holidays during term time in the next two years can disrupt his learning. Let us continue the partnership for the good of your children. You have the pleasure of your child’s company over the next six weeks, so enjoy the holidays and we look forward to his return in September.

Mr G Jagniaszek - Head of Year 9

Mr G Joyce - Ex Head of Year 11, new Head of Year 8

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Sports News News Sports Due to the large amount of sport that takes place at Hurstmere, Mr Simpson will continue to produce the ‘Sports College News’, where most of the year’s sports news will be featured. However, our Sports Days were such a triumph for many students, that it was decided to dedicate a page of the school’s Newsletter to celebrate the boys’ sporting achievements on the track.

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Year 10 Work Experience in Africa The result of this year’s School Fantasy Football League was, as ever, a close run thing. Despite a storming last month from Luke Callegari (Year 8) he was still seven points short of overhauling Tom Clifford (Year 10).

Z

ugb R g a A - T I B M A

y

On Monday 8th June, fourteen Year 10 pupils were invited by the Zambian High commissioner to visit the Zambian Embassy in recognition of the work that we will be doing in their country coaching underprivileged children in Lusaka.

The school has joined forces with the Tag Rugby Development Trust who go to many areas of the world that have a rugby structure in place but struggle to progress due to social and economic circumstances. Our boys will be visiting many parts of the country taking kit and equipment with them. The trip is being organised by P. E. Teacher, Mr Robinson. They will then spend a week teaching the youngsters how to play tag rugby and the week will culminate in a tag tournament. With the equipment and knowledge that our pupils leave behind it is hoped that the less fortunate youngsters will continue to get the enjoyment of playing and in turn improve the Rugby structure in the country. The Boys have had to raise a sum of £10,500 to help subsidise the trip and they have carried out a number of fundraising events to reach this target. To name a few:-

The FA Cup competition was even closer with Joe Lynch (Year 8) surpassing Ben Fraser (Year 8) by just two points.

Joe needed every round in the competition to win as he only passed Ben’s total after the Cup Final itself.

Tom Clifford

Overall Results: 1st 2nd 3rd

- Tom Clifford (Year 10) - Luke Callegari (Year 8) - Hasan Aysal (Year 8)

Year Winners: Year 7 – Harry Maher Year 8 – Luke Callegari Year 9 – James McMahon Year 10 – Tom Clifford Year 11 – Dan Boatman Staff – Mr. Joyce

Luke Callegari, Hasan Aysal and Joe Lynch

FA Cup Winner – Joe Lynch Entry packs will once again be Available in late September/early October for all pupils and staff.

Mr N White Chairman, Hurstmere Fantasy Football League

Staff Race Night Bag packing at Morrisons Inter-form football and rugby Valentine’s Disco Refreshments at Parents’ Evening Sponsored swim - (thanks to the support of Crook Log Leisure centre) swimming the equivalent of the English channel in a massive team effort.

Tag Rugby Festival and Family Fun Day where all of the Primary Schools in Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich were invited to participate, led by the boys. We intend to repeat the event next year.

Many of the events the boys have organised have involved many local organisations and we would like to thank all of the people involved. As part of the fundraising activities alone, the boys have gained many skills including leadership, project management, enterprise skills and teamwork.

A number of students previously unattached to extra-curricular sport have found their niche in the Martial Arts group, who are devoted to their after school training on Wednesdays from 3.30 - 4.15. They are affiliated to the Hyo Gen Do group outside of school and do all their gradings at Swanscombe. At the last grading on the 19th Mr K Wadsworth April several pupils passed their belts.

Head of P.E.

Mrs G McGill - Head of Religious Studies

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On Wednesday 17th June a group of twelve Year 8 and 9 boys attended a Science & Technology challenge day, funded by Bexley council and in collaboration with Greenwich University.

Worshipful Company of Barbers’ Medical Activity Day This trip was organised in conjunction with Bexley Borough’s Aim Higher programme which aims to raise student’s aspirations and encourage them to consider Further Education after they finish their GCSE’s.

The students were selected from those studying for GCSE Additional Applied Science – a course which aims to provide students with some of skills needed for work or further study in a science based environment.

After travelling to London Bridge by train, the students took part in an interactive lecture on the Cardiovascular System which took place in one of Kings College’s science laboratories. They learnt about the basic anatomy and physiology of the heart including looking at preserved specimens of hearts that showed a number of different disorders including heart attacks and replacement valves. They were also given the opportunity to dissect a lamb’s heart, although some students embraced this with more enthusiasm than others! The event was delivered by a former government pathologist who was able to add a number of rather gruesome stories of her own; she was assisted by students currently studying medicine at Kings.

The day involved the boys working in teams of four, two members of each team being from a different school.

Each team was given one of a number of “challenges” with some basic equipment with which to work. One such challenge was to build a bridge, using only paper, string and masking tape.

What made the day a success was that participants were made to work outside their ”comfort zones” by quickly building a team with two strangers and using their initiative and creativity to find a solution to the challenge. Hurstmere boys did extremely well in developing team work very quickly and Josh O’Flynn and Elliott Roworth won first prize for their “self-righting buoy”. Of the eight participating schools, Hurstmere took third place amongst some tough competition and, as would be expected, all the boys’ behaviour and conduct was exemplary throughout the day. They were all worthy “Ambassadors” for the school and we should be proud of them.

Mr P Dovell

Bexley’s Mayor Visits Hurstmere

After lunch the students were given a tour of the university, including lecture theatres, the library, ICT facilities and student common room.

During the afternoon session the students were given the opportunity to examine both normal ECG traces, and those of people who had suffered from a heart attack. They also learnt about ways in which heart attack victims can be treated and preventative measures that can be taken to prevent the likelihood of that happening. The session ended with a ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ style quiz.

Left to Right:Toby Hosier, Cllr Bernard Clewes, Ben Hughes and Dean Tucker.

Overall a fun and informative day was had by all with the students gaining knowledge to support them in their GCSE Science exams. The students behaved impeccably throughout the day and were a credit to the school.

On Friday 26th June, our Year 7 students impressed the Mayor of Bexley, Cllr Bernard Clewes with their Water Project, which was part of the ‘Building a Sustainable Future’ Science Theme Day. The Mayor visited several classes during his morning tour of the school accomoMrs W Day - Head of Science panied by Mr Stringer, Mr Stollery and Mr Cleary.

Produced by J. Dowse - Printed by EHV Printers Limited July 09

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