DESBOROUGH COLLEGE
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: ARTICLE FROM THE EDUCATION FELLOWSHIP & RECRUITMENT OPEN DAY YEAR 10
December 2015 Dear Parents/Carers 2015 has been an excellent year for Desborough College in lots of different ways:
BUSINESS TRIP
1.
Examination outcomes improved again with 63% of the Year 11 boys achieving 5A*-C grades including English & maths. Nationally the figure for boys was 51%. Next year will see further improvement.
2.
140 boys joined Year 7, the biggest number for many years. First preferences have risen by 48% and there is now a strong likelihood that we will reach our admissions limit of 189.
SAFE DRIVE
SPEECH NIGHT
GCSE MUSIC STUDENTS RADLEY
We welcomed approximately 20 students into our sixth-form from other schools.
VISIT
3.
THE WALLACE COLLECTION REMEMBRANCE
Our partnership with Radley College is rather unique and I am indebted to John Moules, the Radley Warden, and Andrew Reekes who devised the programme and encouraged the Radley Dons to travel here and share their expertise with us.
PRIMARY SCHOOL REUNION BRASENOSE
Radley College continued to offer Desborough students opportunities that would not ordinarily be offered to students attending state schools. I could choose a wide variety to tell you about but will restrict myself to one: the series of nine presentations that were delivered to Desborough boys and sixth-form girls by Radley Dons on topics ranging from "The mutability of History" to "Disruptive Innovation: the antidote to decline" to "What will we do when we run out of numbers?"
4.
Four boys, the first in a number of years, submitted applications to Oxford University. Good luck to those students and congratulations to Mr Hill who encouraged and coached them.
5.
The expansion of the extra-curricular offer available to Desborough College boys. There are the usual trips abroad: German Exchange, skiing, Aachen, Belgium and Borneo. And of course the many educational trips, including residentials, that boys enjoy in this country.
COLLEGE YOUNG ENTERPRISE MASTERCLASS
Drama, Music, Art, Science, Technology, Computer Studies and Cookery all offer after-school clubs alongside the many sporting opportunities available and, recently, these have been joined by The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
LOGAN ALL UNIVERSITY VISIT
6. AACHEN TRIP
RUGBY
The governors did a great job supporting and challenging me to maintain our recent improvement. I could not do my job properly without them and we have recently welcomed four new governors to the team. Nigel Cook, the Chair, has taken a sabbatical and is presently sailing around the world while we lost Dan Jacoby, the inspiration behind many of our successes, after a long illness. Margaret Brown who is standing in for Nigel is keeping me on my toes.
DRAMA REPORTS
7. TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT NEWS
Sadly, we are losing James Reilly who is going to teach in Canada. We wish him well! 8.
We have been the beneficiaries of a series of kind donations made by the Spoore, Merry And Rixman Foundation, a local charitable foundation that has generously given us grants towards the cost of photographic and lighting equipment, musical instruments, a sports cafe and a breakfast club. Many thanks!
9.
We put on a 4 day Summer School to help ease the nerves of boys joining our Year 7 in September.
LRC NEWS
MUSIC DEPARTMENT NEWS DESBOROUGH LEGACY GOVERNOR ELECTIONS INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
We appointed some superb teaching staff in Business Studies, Computer Science, English and Design Technology.
There are lots of other things that I could tell you about but Nicola, my PA and the editor of the newsletter, has given me clear instructions on the number of words that I am allowed! I shall conclude, therefore, by thanking you all for the tremendous support that you have given Desborough throughout 2015. I shall be in touch in the new year but in the meantime enjoy a restful Christmas break and a happy 2016.
Letter from Johnson Kane, CEO, The Education Fellowship Dear Fellows, The Fellowship, co-ownership and us My decision and commitment to create co-ownership within the Fellowship was based primarily on two things. Firstly it has been my career long belief that great, outstanding organisations are created and sustained because everyone in the company buys into the values, standards and focus of that organisation. Secondly, when that is achieved, then great, outstanding organisations achieve great and outstanding outcomes. That might sound very simplistic but it is nevertheless a fact and one that I have seen demonstrated repeatedly in many organisations throughout my career. Great, outstanding organisations are not achieved because of great outstanding COOs (and we have one in the Fellowship) but because the impact of the values, strategy and standards created and targeted by that office ripples and engulfs and therefore enables every classroom, corridor, office and every one of us proud to be called a Fellow. Great and outstanding organisations are created and sustained when everyone in that organisation not just understands the values, the targeted and very necessary outcomes, but believes them relentlessly. As Fellows it is not ‘what I can do’ or ‘what can/does the Fellowship do for me’, but ‘what we can do’. Because as co-owners, as Fellows of the Fellowship, the lines that separate and distinguish the MAT from the academy become blurred and it becomes ‘us’. Us - committed to making our organisation great and outstanding, us as a family helping, sharing and importantly caring about and for each other, committed to our common values and targeted outcomes. It is us acknowledging our weaknesses and strengths together as Fellows as we accept and achieve our outcomes and responsibilities. A colleague said to me recently that they did not believe in the Fellowship and would never work for them. That is sad and I felt a sense of failure. But as I reflected I realised that not everyone sees the benefits and outcomes that co-ownership and Fellows bring and we must all work harder to explain and demonstrate our values and purpose because they are the keys that we as Fellows can use to unlock the doors of potential to great and outstanding. Again that has to be all of us because we are co-owners - so it’s what we can and must do together, each playing and enhancing their part and role. I, as one of the co-owners, a Fellow, must understand that and also believe it and believe in it. There will be some who understand the Fellowship but do not believe it and won’t allow themselves to be a part of it. As I visit our academies, as I sit in and enjoy our Fellowship forums and witness co-ownership in action, challenged by pupils and staff as co-owners to step further and higher on our quest for outstanding and great, I realise that the Fellowship is greater than any one individual who chooses not to embrace it. They must find their commitment elsewhere because co-ownership and Fellows is ‘us’. The Oxford Dictionary defines a co-owner as someone ‘who owns something jointly with another or others’. We as co-owners jointly own the Fellowship and we all are jointly responsible for our outcomes as we are together for creating and sustaining the Fellowship as a great and outstanding organisation. Because it’s ‘us’, not ‘them and us’ - it’s ‘us’ on this journey to having excellence in everything we do in the Fellowship. That challenge excites and drives me because together we are creating a great and outstanding organisation and as we do, and must do, we will be delivering to our pupils the keys to great and outstanding lives. We jointly own that responsibility because in the Fellowship it is us. It’s us and in a hundred years the ‘us’ will be other co-owners and Fellows but the values, belief and targeted outcomes will be the same as those we embed now. That’s how great and outstanding organisations become, and are, sustainable. Fellows and co-owners, ‘us’ - together we are greater than the sum of our parts.
2
Teacher Recruitment Open Evening at Northants The Education Fellowship is holding its first Teacher Recruitment Open Evening on Thursday 11
February 2016 from 4.45pm – 6.30pm. It will be held at Olympic Academy, Olympic Way, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 3QA. Please bring it to the attention of anyone you know who may be interested in working for the Fellowship so they can ‘save the date’ and join us at Olympic to hear about the benefits of working with us all. We need inspiring and motivational individuals who embrace challenge, change, educational excellence, transformational teaching and innovative curriculum. We particularly need great NQTs (who will be employed from 1 July and paid throughout the summer holidays), skilled teachers, Deputy Heads/Principals, Executive Heads/Principals for our primary and secondary academies in Northampton, Wellingborough, Rushden and Raunds. Full details can be found here http://www.desborough.org.uk/Teacher-Recruitment-OpenEvening-in-Northants and at www.educationfellowship.net
3
Year 10 Business Trip to Legoland We are very fortunate at Desborough to have what is the now the world’s most powerful and valuable brand, ahead of both Ferrari and Apple, right on our doorstep; and On Tuesday 20 October our Year 10 Business Studies boys took full advantage! We had an action packed day lined up, kicking off with an insightful workshop on the Marketing and Human Resource ins and outs of this mega-brand. We even made some time for the rides; pictures to appear in the Business corridor soon! The boys were tasked with gathering lots of inside information on LEGOLAND’s marketing mix, ready to use in class for our next topic. By Christmas, each class will have developed a marketing mix for what they think could be the next big ride at the theme park. A fantastic day was had by all, with LEGOLAND staff commenting on our boys’ respectful and mature attitudes. A great start to the year in the Business Studies Department. Mr Clawson – Head of Business Studies
4
Safe Drive, Stay Alive Event for Sixth Form 4 November Our Sixth Form have made annual visits to this event over several years and every year its impact is very evident and very powerful. As many of our very eager sixth formers commence their driving lessons, dreaming of the freedom a car will bring them, they often enter the process feeling that they have read the driving codes and laws, are beginning to understand the workings of a car and that, as a matter of course, they will make great drivers. This event brings home, only too clearly, that there is more to the ‘story’ than that! This event not only presents filmed imagined scenarios involving young drivers and their equally vulnerable passengers, but also a series of live presentations from many of those directly involved in the tragic consequences of road accidents. We meet bereaved family members, reeling from their shattered lives; members of the Police and Emergency Services who are first on the scene and have to deal with the desperate results of accidents; hospital staff who work tirelessly to put right the often devastating consequences of accidents, and sometimes young accident victims themselves - their bodies forever maimed. I think it is fairly obvious that these presentations have, and continue to have, a significant impact on our students, and, gratifyingly, is applauded by them as a necessary, effective and appreciated tale of caution.
Mrs Sansom—Sixth Form Coordinator
5
Speech Night Well – it was another happy gathering of ‘the clan’ on Friday 6 November, when we had a fine evening celebrating the achievements of past and present sixth formers, presenting prizes, hearing all the news of exciting first terms at university or the first months of an apprenticeship and being totally engrossed by our wonderful guest speaker, Mr Kevin Baughan, Director of Technology for Innovate UK. It was a relaxed and happy atmosphere supported by moments of pride amongst the parents in the audience, and the pride of the students as they received their prizes on stage. Mrs Sansom—Sixth Form Coordinator
6
GCSE Music Students Visit Radley College On Monday 9 November I took the GCSE Music class to our partner school, Radley College in Oxford. The class were treated to a tour of the Music Department including the two large auditorium performance spaces. Three of the boys were performing in the lunchtime recital concert so they had an opportunity to practise in the large new performance space to make sure they were ready, and also get used to the acoustics in the room. The whole class then took part in a Year 10 GCSE Music lesson where they worked in small teams to analyse African music, improving their listening and collaboration skills. The boys managed to show their knowledge and analytical skills which they have been working on since the beginning of Year 10. The boys were then treated to lunch in the great hall. after which was the lunchtime recital concert where students and staff come along each week to watch and hear pupils play a variety of music. Robert Matthews played Stairway to Heaven on the acoustic guitar with confidence and accuracy, Austin Heath played a saxophone solo that was technical and demanding and Oliver Taylor performed Rather Be, on the beautiful Steinway grand piano. The boys were great ambassadors for Desborough College and held their own in the large and new performance hall that they haven’t played in before. The rest of the afternoon consisted of a band rehearsal with Radley’s Orchestra. Austin, James and Oliver sat in the rehearsal with Oliver playing an important role on the triangle. We then were able to sit in and watch an hour long concert for Autistic children which the Sixth Form Radley boys were performing. It was great to observe such a high standard of musicianship. The boys had a great musical day listening and experiencing new instrumental sounds, music styles as well as confidence building. Miss Smith-Phelps—Head of Music
7
The Wallace Collection Museum Trip On the 11 November some privileged students in Year 7 and 8 were lucky enough to go on a trip to the Wallace Collection with Mr Bromley. There were many activities that were on offer and I am sure everybody enjoyed this great experience. It was an amazing experience for the students being able to learn about all of the people involved in The Hundred Year War, especially because it told us about our country’s origins. This was very useful for us as we learnt not just about the hundred year war, we also learnt about soldiers and kings and what happened to them if they got captured. We all had fun pretending to be kings, queens, peasants and even important years in The Hundred Year War. Being involved in this activity helped us to remember the dates when people died or when people attacked and conquered places. These are now engraved into our minds. If you asked any of the students what they learned, only about on this small trip, it would be a substantial amount. The artefacts that were on display were amazing and some students were able to wear them as part of an activity that everyone took part in. We also took part in an activity to show the difference between shooting in order, or at a certain time, which is better than shooting at will. We practised this with rubber darts and a statue of a soldier. In conclusion everyone learned something new and we hope that students next year will be able to go on this trip like we were able to do. Jimmy March and Louie Atherton—Year 8
8
Remembrance
Warrick Heath, an ex-student of Desborough College, proudly took part in a Remembrance march past the Cenotaph to remember the fallen. There was a huge amount of preparation on Warrick’s behalf involving a selection of rehearsals to tailoring uniforms. Warrick found the experience very moving and felt honoured to represent the ACF. Well done Warrick.
In School, assemblies were held with all year groups during Remembrance Week and wreaths were laid by the Head Boy and Colin Cutler from the Old Maidonians to commemorate those pupils from Desborough who died in the World Wars. A minute’s silence was held on the 11 November at 11.00 am as is customary.
9
Primary School Reunion In our last newsletter we published excerpts of letters written by our Year 7 pupils in their English lessons. These were sent to their old primary schools, and on 12 November, many of their ex-head teachers, teachers and support staff joined them for afternoon tea in the library. The boys themselves made plenty of iced cakes for their guests (thanks to Miss Pankhurst for supervising the baking earlier in the day), and they showed great self-control in not eating them all up before the event began! Our Year 7 English teachers also came along to meet and make links with primary colleagues. Kickie Dzimba (7SJT) was particularly pleased to meet up with Miss Nash, and Miss Furmanski again from St Luke's - "I was so happy to see them and it reminded me of old times at St Luke's. I enjoyed giving them a tour around the school and they were really impressed". We received very complimentary feedback from our visitors and all credit to our Year 7s for their evident enthusiasm and enjoyment of their first term at Desborough College! Mrs Eaves—Senior Assistant Principal
10
Brasenose College Talk & Visit Year 10: Before half term, Dr Joe Organ, Brasenose’s Outreach Officer kindly visited Desborough. The fact that we have a group in Year 10 who already have superb GCSE Maths results and have started A-Level is a good sign that we have the talented, hard-working students who should be aiming for the very best universities. Joe met the group, and talked them through life at Oxford, what it is like, and what sort of students they are looking for (short answer: make your chosen subject your hobby!). The Year 10 students heard about the range of courses available, as well as the typical life of a student – from what it’s like living and working in college, to the clubs and societies that are on offer. Our boys had lots of good questions, and Joe really enjoyed meeting them. It is already clear that lots of the group could, and should have places like Oxford on their radar, and it was great to get them thinking early that the best universities are absolutely for people like them. Of course hearing about a place is not the same as actually visiting, and so we are also planning to take the group to visit Brasenose for a tour in the new year. Year 12: It’s my absolute honour to be able to work with a group of talented, friendly, hard-working students that we currently have in Year 12. To give them a taste of Oxford life, we visited Brasenose in November. Though some had attended on Open Days previously, the fact that this was a visit arranged just for Desborough means the time, access and attention spent on our group far outweighs what the students are able to get from a public Open Day. The group were able to look through and ‘mark’ personal statements from students currently studying at Brasenose, to see what kind of information they will need to provide as part of the application process next year. The attitude of our students was fantastic: if they didn’t know before, getting into universities like Oxford is tough – grades like A*AA at A-Level are just the start of what you need, but certainly do not guarantee a place – they do now. But it is clear that the Year 12s at Desborough are up for the challenge, already investigating what course they might do, what work experience or placements they can do to help their application and how to make their subject their hobby! They had a tour of the college, a typical room, the common room, the dining room and bar, and had lunch chatting with current students – always a great way to see that the ‘sort of people’ who go to Oxford are the same as the sort of people who go to Desborough. We then walked over to the Physics Department for the afternoon. We were shown around some of the labs – including some cutting edge BioPhysics work, and then met a research student who works in Solid State Physics for a talk. A benefit of working in Solid State Physics is that you have plenty of liquid nitrogen around, and there are quite a lot of tricks you can play with liquid nitrogen. We were given a hands-on demonstration of some of them. Liquid nitrogen is approximately -198°C, and being that cold, it freezes objects on contact – so a flexible rubber tube shatters when hit. It can cool certain objects down so that their electrical resistance drops to zero they become superconducting. If you put such an object near a magnet it can hover, and so building a track of magnets means you have a model of a levitating train. It was a great session, full of interesting Physics (some of it in the AS course!) and excellent demonstrations. Being reasonably local to Oxford makes it possible for visits such as this to happen, where both a college and a department go out of their way to put things on just for Desborough. We can’t thank them enough, as it is clear that our students came away excited by what they had seen, and more sure and determined that Universities like Oxford are for them. Year 13: Year 13s have by now applied for courses that have an earlier UCAS deadline – these are for medicine, dentistry, veterinary science or anything at Oxford or Cambridge, and this year we had four students doing this, three for various courses at Oxford and one a potential medical student. In addition to excellent grades, these courses require superb personal statements, references, and excellent performance in pre-interview entrance exams. Typically, fewer than half of the applicants to Oxford get through to the interview stage, which happens just before Christmas. We supported the candidates in their work preparing for this: Joe Organ came in earlier in the year to give interview tips, for example, and at the time of writing we are hoping to hear good news about interviews. Mr Hill – Head of Physics
11
Photos— Brasenose College
12
Young Enterprise Masterclass for Year 10 Students On Friday 27 November 30 boys from Year 10 took a step inside the corporate world, to work alongside SAP business advisors and Young Enterprise staff to take part in the Small Business Challenge. The boys were focussed on developing their employability skills and seeing if they had what it takes to develop that all important business idea. SAP provided a fantastic venue for the masterclass, with the boys receiving expert advice from industry professionals. The day culminated in the teams pitching their business ideas to Mr Frazer and their SAP business advisors, with each group of boys doing so, professionally and confidently. There could, however be only one winner of the ‘New Business of the Year Award’, and this was quite rightly achieved by entrepreneurs Stanley Lavender, Yaseen Hussain, Michael Bell, Gabriel Doyle, Luke Osborne and Arsal Qureshi. As ever, the boys were a credit to Desborough College, with all staff commenting on the boys’ respectful attitude and unrivalled enthusiasm. Thanks must go to Mr Hall, Sarah Stone from Young Enterprise and of course SAP and its staff for hosting a fantastic day for the boys! Mr D Clawson—Head of Business Studies
13
Logan Hall University of London—1 December Year 12 and 13 Product Design students are working hard on their own design portfolio at the moment and we had the amazing opportunity to attend a number of lectures at Logan Hall UCL in London in December where we met five different experienced and well known designers. The day began with meeting the lead exterior designer for Jaguar. Matthew Beaven was the lead designer of the Jaguar CX 25 which starred in the new James Bond movie! He took us through the process of design and even showed us his first design sketch of the car itself. Our students were impressed to see that even at Jaguar, designers model their products and iterate every part of a design!
Amazingly the day did not end there! The boys listened keenly to the advice and inspirational insights of five wonderful designers throughout the day from Jaguar’s lead designer, well known designer Pascal Anson to Jay Osgerby the co-founder of “Barber and Osgerby” who designed the Olympic torch for the London Olympics. Jay Osgerby stole the show with his wit, inspiring presentation and his sheer passion for design. He has been involved in many projects that have been successful worldwide and the lecture hall of 950 sixth formers burst into applause once he had finished. This was an amazing day out and has shown our students what the future can hold for designers.
Miss Kelleher—Head of Technology
14
Aachen Trip—3 December Where do I start? I really enjoyed seeing the German culture first hand and it is something to remember for years to come. I have been to many countries and if I were to compare it I wouldn't really know how to explain it in words! We are all unique and that is what I found on this trip. We had a few stops, but I really enjoyed talking to my friends and the talented students of Newland Girls’ School. We all considered each other as peers and it was nice that although we only had a day in Germany, we socialised so well. The bus trip was long but we arrived early and saw the waking streets of Aachen. We all went to separate cafes in groups of approximately eight to begin with. My cafe (Aachener Cafe Haus) was beautifully decorated and we watched the street from the windows. We then left the cafe and took part in an activity that included describing old fountains dotted across Aachen. We then went to a shop to buy postcards to send to our parents. I found that fun describing everything we had done so far. We then had to try and find different locations, like a cinema or a theatre, and describe what was happening there. It was barely eleven o’clock when we headed for a regroup which was a really good use of time. The free time was perhaps one of the best parts of the trip when we all got together in groups to see the town’s shops and to talk. It provided us with the best way to learn in this kind of environment. Speaking in German to the people made the trip, in ways, surreal because we were not at home and we were in a different place speaking in a different language. After free time, we headed off to post our postcards and speak to the people in town about random things like “What is your favourite drink?”, or “What is your favourite animal?” These questions really gave you a sense of what the people are like and their friendliness. The Christmas market was amazing and the Cathedral was stunning. I looked at them both in awe, realising that I had never see this in England and I bought so many things! We had dinner at a pizza place quite close to the town centre and that was a really good relaxing end to a wunderbar day! The trip was brilliant and as a student you have to believe me when I say, it was sick. Kai McCann—Year 9
15
Aachen Trip
16
Desborough Rugby What a great term of rugby it has been here at Desborough. The popularity of the game is ever growing with more rugby balls being thrown around at lunch and break time than footballs and teams from the Year 7 B’s to the 1 st XV producing outstanding performances. We have run sessions alongside Russell Bolton, Maidenhead 1st XV Coach and RFU Community Coach, for Year 7 and 9 boys all term. This access to further quality coaching has led to almost 60% of the fixtures played being Desborough wins. This is quite some achievement from the boys who have played over 50 fixtures this term. The Year 7’s started the term with a bang with 60 boys coming out to the first training session of the year. The huge numbers meant that selection was fiercely competitive for the A and B team fixtures. Boys who had never played the game before joining the school now look like seasoned players to go alongside the boys who came to us with significant rugby experience. Highlights for the year group included notable wins against Burnham Grammar, Park House and Charters. This group of players has enormous amount of potential going forward through the school. The Year 8’s have also produced some great rugby this season. This year saw the boys playing 15 a-side full pitch rugby for the first time and adapting to the demands this placed on them. Mr Furmage cited the ever reliable performances of James Ferguson, Toby Dann-Muirhead and Corey Burridge, to name but a few, as crucial to the teams continued success. The highlight of the season came with a thumping 21-5 victory over local rivals Holyport. This leads us neatly to the combined Year 9 and 10 team. The sides have combined this year to give them a great shot at developing as a squad for the coming seasons and eventual development into the 1 st XV. The team have played some great rugby this term and have improved through the hard work and commitment of the side. The creative powers of Drew Prince and the more agricultural but similarly effective powers of Ollie Hull and Omair Belal have driven the team forward. The side progressed to the fifth round of the Natwest Vase. The squad has the makings of a great team, although continued commitment to training and a drive to improve are crucial if this talented group are to fill the shoes of the departing members of the 1 st XV. The 1st XV have been the flagship side for the school again this year. Their success is the level to which all Desborough boys aspire in years to come. The rugby played by the team has been outstanding with fly half Will Lawrence and scrum half Scott Prince directing the side extremely well. The forward pack has been impressive and physically dominant all year. Shane McKenna has captained his squad superbly all season and led by example on and off the pitch. Highlights of the year are many but the 17-12 win against a Radley XV will live long in the memory after being 12-0 down. The character and resolve of the boys has been evident throughout and was exemplified by the 12-12 draw with Shiplake College, where again the side came from behind. All roads led to the end of season clash with Claire’s Court for the David Course Memorial Trophy and with Desborough holding the trophy the pressure was on! The match was a great spectacle and a full blooded affair. The coaches and boys had come up with a game plan that aimed to take advantage of Claire’s Courts weaknesses and accentuate our own strengths. The team executed this plan superbly on the day with the forward pack dominating the lineout and the fringe battle. This was directed superbly by Will Lawrence and Ollie Malik out in the backs. Desborough scored 4 tries, one each for Reece Long and Alex Gloster with tighthead prop Ahmad Hussain saving his try scoring form for the end of the season by bagging himself two tries. The final score of 22-10 reflected the control and dominance Desborough had over the game. Another unbeaten season on the local circuit is testament to the hard work in training, from pre-season in August all the way through to December, and the boys ability to take real ownership of how they wished the team to develop and play. It’s been a real pleasure coaching the side. The following boys, who have only lost 2 national cup fixtures in the past two years, will leave the school at the end of the year after 3 outstanding years of service to the 1st XV: Ollie Malik, Scott Prince, Chris Gill, Michael Spandley, Cezary Apcio, Will Lawrence, Reece Long, Laurence Jones, Luke Sheppard, Izzy Quaye, Josh Bowry and Shane McKenna. Representative honours: Berkshire U18’s: Will Lawrence and Shane McKenna Berkshire U16’s: James Johnstone, Phillip Wells and Frazer Miller Berkshire U14’s: Luke Clarke-Smith and George Elliot London Irish U18’s: Alex Gloster London Irish U14’s: George Elliot Mr Allen—PE Teacher and Raising Achievement Leader 17
Rugby Photos Under 15’s
Under 13’s
Desborough v Radley
18
Rugby Photos
19
Desborough’s Year 7 Rugby Team Take On Berkshire’s Best! The Year 7 rugby team travelled to Reading Blue Coats School on Thursday 19 November ready to play in the U12 County Cup. This all-day event promised to place the boys against the best in the county and to test how far the group had come since the start of September. The group was made up of the players who have been working hard and representing the school this season. A number of them had never played rugby before joining us in September and their level of performance is testament to the hard work and dedication they have shown. The tournament started off in a downpour that lasted all day and limited the amount of expansive rugby that was on show. The first game saw Desborough pitted against Park House who they had already played, and beaten, earlier in the term. A tough battle ensued with Lucas Burridge finally breaking the deadlock to secure the win. With matches only 5 minutes each way it was imperative the boys made a good start. This has been something the side has struggled with all season but they managed to get it right in the remaining games in the group stages. This led to wins over Forrest B’s, John Majeski Academy and a hard fought draw with The Downs School. This meant Desborough would go through as group winners. Despite a sloppy second half against The Downs the side had been playing some excellent rugby. They faced a tough draw in the quarter finals against Reading Blue Coats. The boys produced an excellent performance and just lost out by 2 tries to nil. This loss left the boys deflated but ultimately they lost to a very good side that they competed against extremely well. The side then entered the plate competition but a long day of rugby and the weather finally caught up with them. A great day out for all involved with some huge improvements seen by all players. The hard work pays off! Mr J Allen – PE Teacher and Raising Achievement Leader for Year 7
20
Desborough Retain David Course Memorial Trophy The annual David Course Memorial rugby match took place on the 9 December at Braywick Park. The match aims to place the best of Maidenhead school boy rugby against each other. The game, in its 9th year, saw Desborough takes on local independent school Claire’s Court. The trophy was won by Desborough last year after a 29-3 victory over their rivals. The excellent season the 1st XV have had all led up to this game. The game started at a ferocious intensity with neither side giving any quarter. Desborough gained early territory and pushed Claire’s Court back on to their 5 metre line. This led to a lineout that captain Shane McKenna stole, a theme for the rest of the match, and the first try saw Ahmad Hussain burrow over for his first of two tries. The Desborough side brought a level of focus and intensity to the game that saw them defend superbly throughout. After the great start they withstood a sustained period of Claire’s Court pressure which led to a penalty which the opposition fly half pushed wide. Following a fantastic clearing kick by scrum half Scott Prince, Desborough, again, exerted huge pressure on a 5 metre lineout for Claire’s Court. Shane McKenna poached the ball and a few phases later the physical Alex Gloster crashed over. A penalty was converted by Claire’s Court towards the end of the half making the score 12-3 in favour of Desborough at half time. Following some simple messages at half time the boys refocused and exerted pressure on Claire’s Court in their half of the field. Some outstanding driving play for the forwards got the side within 10 of the opposition line. Ben Lawrence, playing out of position at inside centre, carried the ball even closer and the rest was done by the hugely impressive forward pack. Ahmad Hussain scored his second of the game. Ahmad had waited all season for his first try in a 1st XV shirt and both his tries were just rewards for his contributions all season. The score was now 17-3 with 25 minutes to play. Claire’s Court increased the pressure on Desborough straight from the restart in play following the try. They camped inside the Desborough half for the next 15 minutes and probed the defensive line continually with some excellent passing and width. The line was broken a number of occasions but the scramble defence of Desborough recovered and some key turnovers allow some relief for Desborough. However, the dam eventually burst as Claire’s Court finally managed to convert a chance. This made the score 17-10. The defensive effort by Desborough was superb but the try had galvanised the opposition. The composure shown by the boys in the final 10 minutes of the game spoke volumes about their belief in their ability to win the game. Two well executed rolling mauls brought Desborough within 5 meters of the Claire’s Court line. The writing was on the wall and after a number of well executed pick and go’s Reece Long sealed the game. With 3 minutes left the side saw out the game and huge celebrations ensued. Those players in Year 13 will relish this experience for many years to come. Laurence Jones, Ollie Malik and Tom Judd, to name but a few, where outstanding as they have been all year. Man of the match was awarded to Scott Prince for his superb marshalling of the forward effort. A great result, that caps off an even greater season. Mr Allen—PE Teacher and Raising Achievement Leader
21
London Irish Visit Desborough Tuesday 15 December saw London Irish come and visit a group of Key Stage 3 rugby players from the school. The boys got a sneak peak at the demands of being a professional rugby player including a day in the life of a London Irish star. Alongside this, the boys received invaluable advice about how to take the next steps in their own rugby journey – it’s all about the skills! Following the presentation inside, the boys strutted their stuff out on the fields. The coaches from London Irish delivered a fast paced, enjoyable session which left the boys challenged, tired and covered in mud. All the boys involved had a great time and would have improved from throwing themselves so whole heartedly into the session. A great way to cap off the season! Mr Allen – PE Teacher and Raising Achievement Leader
22
Drama Reports:YEAR 13 DEVISED THEATRE: SHARING A SOCIAL CONSCIENCE On 10 November, Year 13 Drama students presented two thought-provoking pieces of devised theatre that explored challenging subject matter. The first group, Internet Predator, examined the dangers of internet grooming and the addictive pull of video gaming. They based their ideas on the true story of Breck Bednar, a 14 year old teenager who was mercilessly manipulated and killed in 2014 by Lewis Daynes, a vindictive internet predator. Daniel Henshaw played the predator Charlie Stone, aka RedEagle, displaying chilling control and manipulation of his victim Ryan Lloyd, played by Sam Cox. It was shocking and heart-breaking to witness the metamorphosis and change in personality as Ryan was groomed and exploited, with Sam Cox tackling some complex, conflicting emotions in a highly convincing way. The Mother, played expertly by Megan Dyde, narrated her tragic story with depth and sensitivity, taking the audience with her on an emotional journey. Her scenes of conflict with Nico Mandozzi, as the Father, were particularly shocking in their authenticity and Nico’s conclusive monologue resonated true with many. Sam Hoxley played the experienced Psychiatrist with the task of unravelling the events and consoling the Mother; here he reflected a strong inner life through truthful dialogue which added to the overall poignancy of the piece. Even Ryan’s friend Bradley, played imaginatively by Malique Maynard, could not free Ryan from his obsession with gaming. The ensemble Chorus represented abstract concepts such as the demons in RedEagle’s mind and achieved this through stylised physical movement and destructive choral chanting. The Chorus also performed Modern Warfare fight sequences that helped to show the dangers when the line between fantasy and reality becomes blurred. The energetic choreography was supported with disturbing dubstep music, much of which was creatively composed by Sam Hoxley, to add to the horror and reinforce the clear warnings to the audience. The second group, Remember Me…, also presented some shocking total theatre, based on the tragic Alps plane crash in March 2015. The co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, was responsible for the sudden descent and violent disintegration of Lufthansa’s flight 9525 flying from Barcelona to Dusseldorf. The storyline traced Lubitz’s life and depression prior to the crash and examined his deteriorating psychological state of mind. The actors used an episodic performance structure to explore the victims’ grief, hopelessness, the global shock and how this human tragedy was exposed in the media. Tom Downey, as Lubitz, portrayed a deeply disturbed character with an innate desire to be remembered as a martyr figure. The combination of a convincing inner life and physical variation made this character compelling to watch. Chris Gill, Tom Judd, Ben Hopkins and Joe Moore all multi-rolled, demonstrating a variety of character attitudes with creative ease. Joe and Chris’ convincing monologues as the Emergency Rescuer and the School Principal respectively, were emotionally moving; Tom’s portrayal of Lufthansa’s CEO was hugely authentic in its execution and dialogue; and Ben’s Victim’s Relative scene was truthful to the core. They also played the Chorus – an ever-present force, manipulating Lubitz’s mind, making him feel consumed with destructive and sacrificial intent. The sophisticated level of research and script writing was a significant feature of this group’s success The evening ended on a high note with positive audience feedback. At this point the students realised that all their dramatic intentions and desired audience responses had been successfully met! Well done Year 13 for attending so many rehearsals to achieve excellence – awesome work! Good luck with your 3,500 word Written Portfolio! Mrs Turner—Head of Drama
23
Drama Photos REMEMBER ME…
24
Drama Photos INTERNET PREDATOR
25
Drama Reports YEAR 10 THEATRE TRIP TO THE WYCOMBE SWAN On the 18th November, Year 10 travelled to the Wycombe Swan to see a performance of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. The students were intrigued to see how a professional director and design team would meet the challenges of presenting the many locations on the Pacific island – and they were not disappointed. With a generous budget, the set designers transformed the proscenium arch stage into a variety of sites, fusing together elaborate set, sound and lighting imaginatively to create atmosphere and mood. It was interesting to see how the boys’ evacuation from a global nuclear war had been displaced to modern day society. This gave the performance a whole new disturbing interpretation and made for some interesting social / political discussions afterwards. Also, the aggressive behaviour of Jack, Roger and the Castle Rock group, made direct references to gang culture in modern society, adding to the shocking relevance of this classic novel/ play. It was great to see so much lively enthusiasm and such positive feedback from all pupils and behaviour was exemplary – a big ‘Well done’ to the Year 10 Drama crowd! Good luck with your 2000 word Theatre Evaluation!
Mrs Turner—Head of Drama
26
Technology Department News This term Year 7 students have been finishing off their pencil case projects and they are looking great! An excellent mixture of modern technology and traditional joint work in woodworking is seen in their designs. Our students have been flying it with engraving with the laser cutter in both woods and plastics this term and it has really finished their pencil cases off well.
Year 8 classes have been working on their photo frame projects this term and are all finishing up at the moment. The quality of work has been very good with lots of the boys introducing their own ideas as well. It has been great to see the boys work collaboratively in lessons helping one another with the more difficult parts of their marking out and manufacture.
The Year 9 stools are making a big comeback this year with our new Year 9 students taking on the multi-joint project. This project really tests accuracy and skill as the boys use advanced marking out techniques and processing skills. Brilliant work so far, we are looking forward to seeing the finished products
27
Technology Department News Continued The year 10 students are off to Hogwarts before Christmas!
The Warner Brothers studios in Watford to be more precise to see the making of the Harry Potter movies and to reinforce their learning on protying and model making and the importance this has in any industry.
Year 12 and 13 BTEC Construction students have been working with a wonderful tutor from Satro. Kevin has completed a bricklaying course with the boys and now they are getting the chance to learn the basics of plumbing too. It has been a valuable course for the students who have enjoyed it thoroughly.
We are all off for a visit to one of Shanleys buidling sites, Boulters Meadow soon to have a tour of the site and a look at how construction on the larger development scale runs! Miss Kelleher—Head of Technology
28
LRC News The Autumn term has been a fun-packed and fabulous start to the school year in the LRC and there is plenty more to come in Spring: Chess competition, World Book Day with a potential author visit; other events and Carnegie Shadowing etc. Do please follow the LRC twitter feed on our website @DesboroughLRC
We have been running our Scholastic half-price book fair this week at school which has proved extremely popular and I am really pleased that the reading ethos we encourage at Desborough is being thoroughly integrated and so many boys enjoy reading.
We are very lucky at Desborough to have a wonderful library that is extremely well used by all year groups during lessons, break and lunch-times. At a time when Scottish schools are losing their professional librarians and school libraries and many are fighting to keep them (see the following link) it is a time to reflect on how lucky our boys are to have such a resource. http://www.cilip.org.uk/cilip-scotland/news/authors-back-campaign-save-scotland-s-school-libraries “Leading Scottish novelists James Robertson, Christopher Brookmyre and Alan Bissett have voiced their support for the petition. Two time Saltire Society Book of the Year Award Winner James Robertson commented: "Libraries in our communities and in our schools are vital signs of a civilised society. If we allow them to close or not to be staffed by professional librarians, we are sending out a message that we don’t care about our young people’s education or their future."Christopher Brookmyre said: “School libraries are where pupils learn a lesson for life that books are for pleasure, not just for homework.” In addition Alan Bissett commented: "I'd hope all would agree that libraries provide an invaluable service to our communities, but perhaps many are not aware that there are specialist kinds of librarians. The users of school libraries, for example, have very different needs from those of public libraries. School libraries have an integral function in any child's education and we should be respecting the skills which school librarians provide." So much evidence shows how important it is for children to have access to books and resources to improve their attainment in every subject which is why the LRC is so well supported by staff and pupils at Desborough. As part of our reading ethos and following the Accelerated Reader Scheme I am also pleased to announce that for this term in Years 7 and 8 we have eight Word millionaires. We even have a quadruple millionaire, Seamus Dunne, who has read 80 books. Our other millionaires are: Jack Dennis, Vansh Singhal, Aden Choudary, Reuben Bignell, Nicolas Crossa, Thomas Choules and Ciaran Allen. Congratulations to them and all the other boys who are reading and improving. Thank you too to our parents and siblings who encourage their children to read every day and listen to them read out loud. Not only is it a great support to help them achieve, it is also a lovely pleasurable time to spend together. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a restful, happy and safe Christmas. Mrs A Hallissey School Librarian 29
Music Department News It’s been a busy half term in the Music department. We have had many lessons and rehearsals dedicated to recording and performing coursework for GCSE and Sixth Form music. The Sixth Form BTEC music boys performed very well their pop music recitals to an invited audience. Thulani, Conor G, Conor L, Sam, Ezekiel and Frazer all played with confidence and accuracy in their different arrangements and group ensembles of pop music from 1950 to today. The audience were treated to their renditions of some Beatles, Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Emily Sandie, Jay Z and Drake among others. The work the boys produced was a good standard and was consistent showing the hard work they all put into practising and preparing for this big coursework unit.
Gifted and Talented music pupils from Years 8-10 were invited to a special African and samba workshop from an outside specialist. In the workshop the boys were taught, and demonstrated understanding of different key complex rhythmic features of music including time signature changes, cross rhythm and polyrhythm as well as large group pieces from African and Brazil. The boys were able to play unusual and common African and Brazilian instruments including Djembes and Surdos. The workshop was a real challenge and they all worked and listened really well.
The next musical concert is the Christmas Celebration being held on Wednesday 16 December at 7pm in the Jacoby Studio at school. There will be soloists, Year 7 choir, Drama Club and the jazz band taking part plus a few carols. See you there. Miss Smith-Phelps—Head of Music 30
Legacy Garden Desborough Legacy are currently fundraising to build a “LEGACY GARDEN� within the school grounds for all pupils. The main purpose of this garden is to give the students more activities to take part in during their break times, such as table tennis, table football, pool and board games whilst also giving them a comfortable space to talk and relax. Within the garden we are installing a modern seating area with white rendered walls, decking and planting areas. A BBQ will be built near the seating area to be used for special events and on charity occasions, meaning we can use it at every possible opportunity.
Design for the Proposed Legacy Garden
The Design The design for the Legacy Garden at Desborough College took into consideration the need for an attractive outdoor area where pupils can eat and play table top sports and that can also be used for events held by the College both during the school day, evenings and weekends. The style is formal to reflect the courtyard setting. As the hard landscape is mainly horizontal with white retaining walls and timber seats, the planting has been chosen to soften and counter balance this with the use of specimen trees and tall Phormiums. The garden will also have lighting and a permanent barbecue so that it can be enjoyed in the evenings. Mr Ayres-Turner—Site Manager
31
Desborough Legacy Dear Parent / Carer Desborough Legacy is a combination of teachers and parents who have come together to raise money to buy additional resources for all of our boys. All parents and staff at Desborough are automatic members. Our last event raised £1500 and we are in the process of planning further events for the current academic year, these will be publicised shortly. There are a number of ways that you can get involved:Join the Legacy – we meet once per half term for 1 hour – please contact us on the above email address for more information.Support Legacy events by manning a stall or attending the event – contact kathrynjames96@gmail.com to see how you can help. Make a donation to Desborough Legacy on the form below – all funds will go directly towards improving facilities and resources for the boys. This is an annual donation and we suggest £2 per month. We are a charity, so please tick Gift Aid if you are a UK tax payer as this will mean we can claim the tax back on the donation. We are currently fundraising to improve the outdoor areas and install some equipment so the boys have more lunchtime activities. As we raise funds from donations and events, we will publish what we do with those funds i.e. where your money is spent. We are asking all parents to complete the form below to either pledge your help, make a donation or both! DESBOROUGH LEGACY ANNUAL DONATION 2015 -2016 Please return this form to the school office for the attention of Kathryn James. STUDENT NAME:___________________________________FORM:_____________________ I would like to make a donation for the current academic year of £30.00 payable to Friends of Desborough School I would like to set up a standing order of £2 per month: HSBC 90559261 40-31-05 I am a UK tax payer and would like to make a Gift Aid declaration. I would like to join the Legacy team. I am able to help at events My contact number is ____________________Email address: ________________________
32
Governor Election Following the recent Governor election we would like to inform parents that Ian Hills and Sarah Brazenor will be invited to join the AAB as parent governors. Vaughn Chadwick and Michael Hull will be invited to join as co-opted Governors for assistance with special projects. Congratulations to Ian, Sarah, Vaughn and Michael
Parentview Gives you the chance to tell Ofsted what you think about Desborough It would be helpful if you could share your views of Desborough College with Ofsted. Please visit the website below even if you have done this previously.
http://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/ 33
Free £400 for Lunchtime Hot Meals If you are in receipt of state benefits or you work less than 16 hours per week with a family income below £16,190, your son may be entitled to free schools meals. This can provide you with more than £400 per child for free lunchtime meals in school. We believe that the FSM is a crucial entitlement to help ensure that all children, independent of their family income should be able to get a nutritious meal in the middle of the day. They also have important health and educational benefits for the children that receive them. All school providers are encouraged to introduce cashless systems so that children in receipt of FSM get this funding automatically. This was one of the reasons to improve our catering service. To complete an Application Form on-line press ctrl and click on the link below:-
https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/mwschools/ If you have any further questions, please contact the school on 01628 634505
Cashless Catering for Students Desborough has now introduced Cashless catering for all our students and staff. Desborough College is working in partnership with Catering Academy to ensure a healthier delivery of food to all its students and staff. Our dining room is open from breakfast onwards and offers hot and cold drinks, snacks, and home cooked meals created by the chef on our site. Samples of the Catering Academy menus can be found on the school website. Once your child is registered for our cashless catering system just follow the instructions on our website for the sQuid online payment system, and your child will be able to buy food in our dining room without the worry of remembering to ensure they have cash with them. The cashless facility has allowed us to provide the students with a quicker service as no money and change is being handled. Please be aware that there is no cash facility at the tills.
http://www.desborough.org.uk/sQUID-Online-Payments
Next Principal’s Surgery Parents wishing to have a private conversation with me about any issues relating to school are invited to attend my Principal’s surgery. The next one will be held on 15 January 2016 from 8 am to 11 am. These sessions are 10 minute slots. If you wish to have a longer conversation then please book a separate appointment via Nicola Humphries on 01628 762521.
Desborough College Shoppenhangers Road Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 2QB Tel: 01628 634505 Fax: 01628 639263 E-Mail: info@desborough-college.net
Information for Parents WINTER BURGLARY CAMPAIGN
As the nights get darker and the clocks go back, please be aware that burglary’s do increase and your local Neighbourhood Team would like to give you some crime reduction advice for the coming winter months ahead: Ensure that windows and doors are closed and locked when you are out. Don’t leave small windows open believing them to be safe. Keep all external gates and garages locked. If you want to leave windows open while you sleep, fit window restrictors so they cannot be fully opened, or make sure they are not large enough to allow access to a burglar. When out in your garden ensure that windows and doors to the front of the house are secure. It only takes a second for someone to get into your home and take things without you noticing. Do not leave valuables on display in front of windows or in reach of open windows or doors. Ensure that all garden equipment and tools are securely locked up in a shed and out of sight. Tools can be used by the potential offender to break in to your home. Consider fitting outside security lighting or a visible alarm to help deter burglars. Even using pea shingle or gravel on a driveway and spiky plants in garden beds can help. Don’t leave any keys near entry points where they can be ‘fished’ or ‘hooked’ out through the window, letter box or cat flap. Ensure any internal handle operated locks on UPVC doors are fully secured with a key. Do not leave the keys in the lock. Use timers for lights inside your house if you’re not going to be in, never leave the house in complete darkness. Five top tips on home security for a crime-free Christmas: Property-mark presents and valuables with your postcode, house number or name,. Make a note of all model numbers and serial numbers of all electrical items. Keep presents out of view – placing presents in plain view of windows will only draw attention to your house and its contents. Be cautious when using social media such as Facebook – do you really want to advertise that your home is empty by showing you are somewhere else or having a countdown to your holiday? Invest in a timer to open and close your curtains or turn on your lights or, better yet, ask a family member or neighbour to pop in and do it at random times of the day so a potential thief does not see an exact pattern. Dispose of boxes and rubbish discreetly. Leaving boxes outside will give away the fact that you have new and valuable items in the house.
Thank you from your Neighbourhood Team.
35
36
37
38