DESBOROUGH COLLEGE
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:
OXFORD HERE WE COME
BUSINESS STUDIES TRIP TO CADBURY WORLD
TRIP TO WINCHESTER SCIENCE CENTRE
YEAR 3/4 CRICKET SKILLS FESTIVAL
ENGLAND CRICKETER VISITS DESBOROUGH
OXFORD BRASENOSE TRIP
RUGBY
SKI TRIP
DRAMA NEWS
PIXL EDGE
TEF COMPETITIONS
ART DEPARTMENT NEWS
LRC NEWS
HARRY KING: DOUBLE ROOKIE AT THRUXTON
LUCAS LIGHTS UP BREAM SANDS
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
May 2016
POLICE CADETS
Dear Parents/Carers I hope that you are all well and looking forward to a (hopefully) sunny half-term holiday. I know that I am and the staff and pupils are, too. Boys in Year 11 and sixth form students, both boys and girls, have generally worked very hard in preparation for the exams and deserve to succeed. They just need to maintain their focus for a few more weeks to give themselves the confidence they need as they sit the last few papers. They can then look forward to results day knowing that, whatever the outcome, they have done their best. Nobody can ask for more. As is now the tradition at Desborough, Year 11 boys will be asked to vote for the three teachers who they feel have gone the extra mile for them since September. The winner is awarded The Desborough College Teacher of the Year Award which is a rather handsome trophy presented by the boys themselves. There are plenty of staff to choose from, believe me. Collectively, the staff at Desborough College are the most hardworking and talented that I have worked alongside in over thirty years in the teaching profession. Year 13 students will be saying farewells to teachers and fellow-students over the next few weeks before embarking upon the next exciting stage of their lives whether that be at university, in employment or in training. I wish them all luck and thank them for being such an entertaining, humorous, helpful and well-mannered year group. I hope to see as many as possible on A Level Results Day to share their happiness and excitement. There can be little respite for the staff, I'm afraid. Preparations are already in place to ensure that next year's Year 7 cohort are given a smooth, worry-free transition into the secondary phase of their education. It will be the biggest year group in school and over 100 of them are signed up for the summer school. Trips are taking place over the next couple of months to Borneo, Rhos-y-Gwaliau and Bangor in Wales. News and pictures of these trips can be seen on Desborough's Facebook page and Twitter feed. Nuria White and Louise Pankhurst do a great job maintaining these sites. Finally, a plea for information. We are putting together a Wall of Fame to celebrate the achievements of Desborough pupils. Unfortunately, I suspect that many boys are too modest to share their achievements with me so I am hoping that parents or friends will contact me with details that I can display to acknowledge and share outstanding practice.
Regards
Oxford Here We Come! An enthusiastic bus full of our Year 12 students arrived on the 22 March, at the conference rooms at Epsom Downs, Surrey, for the 2016 Oxford and Cambridge Student Conference, to start a day packed with inspiration and insight into the world of Oxford and Cambridge Universities. They were given the opportunity to meet with faculty members and current students, who allowed their visitors the chance to get overviews of subject content and university life, not just from the University’s staff but from those living the student life in two of Britain’s, and the world’s, most prestigious educational establishments. Buzzing with the impact of the world they had just had a chance to see at much closer quarters, our lucky students returned at the end of the day determined to aim high! Mrs Sansom—Sixth Form and Careers Co-ordinator
2
Business Studies Trip to Cadbury World It was an early start for Year 10 on Tuesday 12 April, as we hit the road to Birmingham for a day at the Cadbury factory in Bournville. This mouth-watering trip was to complement the boys’ studies on production processes, quality assurance and use of technology in production. The day started with a talk on the history of the company, new product development, marketing and also the use of ICT in the factory. From there, some boys made their way to the 4D cinema, whilst others perused the Cadbury gift shop – where a small fortune was spent! Our final stop was the self-guided exhibition, taking us through the chocolate production process as well as offering some free samples along the way. As a teacher, I couldn’t have asked for a trip that was better aligned to what the boys are learning in the classroom, and I know that my own class have already begun to make use of their Cadbury insider knowledge. As a chocolate enthusiast, I couldn’t have asked for a better day out!! Thanks must go to the staff that accompanied the trip, and to the boys for their pleasant behaviour and enthusiasm throughout the day! Mr Clawson—Head of Business Studies
3
Winchester Science Centre Trip—13 April 2016 The Year 7 science trip to the Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium successfully ran again this year. The trip is turning into a yearly tradition and one the boys very much enjoy. This year the boys watched the planetarium show “flight through the universe”, which zooms out from earth to explore the solar system, surrounding stars, our galaxy and finally the universe. It is always a unique experience as the planetarium shows are not recorded beforehand, instead the presenter will choose where to show in a vast and detailed simulation of the known universe. We had the opportunity to see some of the closest known exoplanets and see the solar system’s path around the Milky Way galaxy, and the boys then asked some very interesting questions to the presenter. We also had the chance to explore the museum part of the Science Centre which contains hundreds of interactive exhibits, with many that are new this year. The boys particularly enjoyed the sports science exhibits, and the optical illusions downstairs. They filled in a Question Sheet using some of the activities to answer the questions and the best ones from each group were later awarded a prize in assembly by Mr Allen. I am very pleased that I was in charge of such an enjoyable and educational experience for the students. Miss Moore – Physics Teacher & KS3 Co-ordinator
4
School Sports Partnership Year 3/4 Cricket Skills Festival On Tuesday 19 April, boys from Year 10 supported the School Sport Partnership’s Year 3/4 Cricket Skills Festival at Boyne Hill Cricket Club. They all did an outstanding job and were fabulous ambassadors for Desborough College. 195 children participated from 12 primary schools and took part in a circuit of cricket skills in glorious sunshine. Each station was supported by 2 Desborough boys and staff from Berkshire Cricket. The Berkshire Cricket staff, primary school staff and parents commented on how good the boys were with the children, giving them encouragement, helping develop their cricket skills and encouraging them to enjoy the game. The following boys deserve a big pat on the back: Amaar Ayub, Joe Brookman, Austin Heath, Oliver Hull, Harry King, Jasraj Mahil, Drew Prince, Rajveer Pahl, Raza Rashid, Arthur Rodrigues, Ibrahim Sajid and Matt Worsfold. Thank you to Emma Fitzgerald for giving the boys the opportunity to shine in the community. Mr Brar—Teacher of PE
England Cricketer Visits Desborough Pupils from Years 7, 8 and 9 were put through their paces by James Kirtley, a former England Cricketer on Wednesday 18 May. The main focus of the session was bowling and by the end, boys were bowling quicker and hitting the stumps on a regular basis. James commented on the excellent questioning of the group, their performance level and attitude throughout the morning. The following boys were given the excellent opportunity: Ishaan Joshi, Abdur-Rehmaan Ahmed, Nic Howarth, Oscar May, Charles Aldridge , Anis Waheed , Sameer Latif , Sean Gobbett and Harry Coombe. Mr Brar—Teacher of PE
5
Oxford Brasenose Trip On the 25 April myself and seven others in Year 11 went on a trip to Oxford that Mr Hill organised to visit the University, in particular Brasenose College and the Maths Department. We found the whole day really enlightening and helped us in understanding how to apply to a university. The part of the trip we found most interesting was the complete contrast between the two styles of life between secondary schools and universities - university seemed a lot more relaxed and casual - and the style of teaching was very different, as again it was more relaxed. We visited the Maths block first which was very modern, built about two years ago - and very impressive. The Admissions Tutor for Maths gave us a talk on a type of Maths we had not seen before (called 'graph theory'), and she then gave us a tour around the block explaining some of the mathematically based architecture. Our trip ended with a lunch at Brasenose and a tour of the accommodation and Common Room by two current students, and Dr Joe Organ (Brasenose's Outreach Officer) answering our questions about Oxford and the life of university. Overall, we feel that the trip helped us understand what university life is like and made us consider Oxford as a potential university. Once again, thanks to Joe for being such a good host, and organising this visit just for us. Wikipedia links to graph theory, and the famous 'bridges of Konigsberg' problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Bridges_of_K%C3%B6nigsberg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graph_theory Tim Fyffe—Year 11 and Mr Hill—Head of Physics
6
Senior Rugby Players Visit Radley College— 27 April The senior rugby players spent an outstanding day at Radley on the 27 April focusing on strength and conditioning for the coming season. This day consisted of presentations, testing and technical work to support the boys. The visit provided the future stars of the school 1st XV with an outstanding opportunity to develop their strength and conditioning knowledge and technique. This will provide an extra edge for next season as the team look to build on the unbeaten season of last year. The opportunities the visit provided the boys with are unparalleled with any of our nearest rivals, and should help provide the marginal gains that will be crucial in order to keep developing Desborough rugby. The day was organised by the Director of Health and Fitness at Radley College Mr Mark Spivey. Mr Spivey is a well-respected member of the strength and conditioning community having been Head of Strength and Conditioning for Bath Rugby, the Australian Institute of Sport and most recently for England Cricket. The day allowed the squad to improve in a number of areas from nutrition and preparation for games, to technique of a number of strength exercises. The squad pushed themselves to the limit in all the tests they completed and now have baseline data on which to improve. The challenge for the side now is to take this knowledge forward with hard training and effort to ensure that a solid foundation of strength and fitness is in place for the tests next season. A huge thank you must go to Radley College, specifically to Mr Spivey, who very kindly donated an Olympic lifting bar and 120Kgs of weights to Desborough. This will allow the coaches to provide variety and increased intensity to training sessions. The squad are making the most of the opportunities that are being presented to them through days such as this. The challenge for next year’s 1st XV is significant in that a large number of senior boys will be moving on from the school. The chance to gain vital knowledge such as this will allow the boys to fill the shirts of those boys leaving with success. The strength of rugby at Desborough is sure to continue with the application and enthusiasm the boys are demonstrating. Mr Allen Head of Rugby, Desborough College
7
Ski Trip to Austria In the Easter Holiday 49 Desborough boys, along with six staff, ventured off to Saalbach/Hinterglemm in Austria for 6 days of Skiing. The journey was a gruelling 22 hours (due to the M25 bank holiday traffic!) but nevertheless, the boys remained in good spirits whilst munching through stacks of Haribo, excited to get in resort and strap those Skis on! The cohort was split into ability groups by the Ski Instructors before hitting the slopes for the first session. Mr Horsell, full of confidence, went off with the advanced group who really did show him how it’s done! He retreated down to the intermediates for the majority of the trip, but I will give him his due because he did go back for more punishment with the “Desborough Hot Shots!” As the week continued the progress of all boys was phenomenal; boys that had never skied before were cruising down the red and blue slopes like it was a walk in the park! It was really rewarding and great to see. When the sun went down and the skis were resting in the boot room, the fun didn’t stop. Evening entertainment included a night out to an ice cream parlour, Bobbys Bowling Bar for an evening of bowling and arcades, quiz night, pizza night and my personal favourite, an ice hockey fixture between two local rival teams. A special mention must go to Mr Horsell (again) and Luca Walker who were dragged onto the ice for the half-time entertainment! Desborough Ski Trip 2016 was a massive success and enjoyed by all. The boys were fantastic ambassadors for the school and conducted themselves impeccably well. To be fair, I wouldn’t expect anything less. The trip was such a success; I have been quick to start the ball rolling for the next Ski trip in 2017 which is now oversubscribed. I would just like to thank all the staff for giving up their time to support the trip. It couldn’t happen without them. Also, thanks to the boys themselves for making it the “BEST TRIP EVER!” Mr Hall—Raising Achievement Leader for Year 10
8
Drama News LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION… The Drama department has been blessed with a significant amount of funding this year. The Spoore Merry and Rixman Foundation has donated two generous gifts and these have been put to good use to develop and overhaul the stage lighting. We now have the use of two wall mounted dimmer packs with a total of 12 lighting channels, illuminating a maximum of 24 lanterns. We have also purchased more powerful Fresnel and Profile Spot lanterns which should offer students plenty of options when lighting their productions. We now have direct audio feed into the PC and a separate ipod connector, and all the loose wires into the dimmer pack have been hidden away into trunking, giving the whole place a tidy, professional feel. Other generous funding has been received from Dan Jacoby’s memorial fund, allowing us to further improve our resources. We have purchased large poster frames to display photos of the best performances, situated in prime position behind the audience seating area, and we are also in the process of acquiring new stage rostra. Finally, David Kelsall, the new member of the site team, is kindly constructing 10 striking metallic door frames for us to use for set design and as an integral part of A Level performances. All students will benefit from these exciting additions to the Drama Department as they commence their new courses in September. Mrs K Turner—Head of Drama
9
Drama Photos
10
PiXL EDGE: OUR STUDENTS’ VIEWS PiXL Edge: good or bad? Well, as far as this programme is concerned, I believe that Desborough College has made a very good decision to be involved. My reasons and justifications are plain and simple because PiXL Edge is simple. This is my first point. When first using it I found that I could control and use it simply and easily as the programme itself is clearly mapped out, and even includes instructions for certain functions. Personally, I find that there is not a more desirable way to get people interested and keep reports positive (the booklet that they sent us was very helpful too). My second point is the presentation and the style of PiXL Edge. From the second I took a look at the website, I was pleased by the way that PiXL Edge was modern and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. This modern style of the programme brings me onto the next point; how it can prepare us for the world. I believe that PiXL Edge was a brilliant idea, and that vision was to help bring children into the modern world using technology; because of this programme we have more chance of getting into the university of our choice and also getting employed. I had been worried before this programme that I might do badly at my GCSEs or other tests and then not manage to get into the university or job that I really wanted but now I – along with many others – have a chance to flourish in whatever path we choose. This brings me to my final point: how well PiXL Edge has been welcomed and encouraged. Once a fortnight we will log onto PiXL Edge and manage our activities. Not only is this fun, but we then get the chance to organise a great host of events. Recently, two other students and I planned and made an inter-form basketball tournament which went very well. This would not have been possible if it wasn’t for PiXL Edge and how teachers encourage it. In conclusion: how can you not love a good, modern programme that is clear and simple? That can help us to get a good life? The answer is simple – you do have to love it. Max Baker—7LZP
11
PiXL Edge Continued ... PiXL Edge is a new website that students can access easily. It shows our hard work. Miss Pankhurst has organised this for the whole school. PiXL Edge has helped students organise sports related tournaments. We are really lucky to have Miss Pankhurst as our form tutor, she can help us with PiXL Edge anytime. At the moment our form group is thinking of taking part in a school bake sale. It was really nice of Miss Pankhurst to organise PiXL Edge for us. PiXL Edge is useful because it will help you to get a job in the future. Lots of pupils think it is an excellent idea. Miss Pankhurst verifies our work. In my opinion it will be a huge success in the future and it is very useful. It is also very efficient for the teachers. It compels us to take part in lessons. Arman Hussain— 7LZP
PiXL Edge is so much fun and brings people together for a great event for all to do. Lots of people are taking part in an event at this moment; my class are going to do a bake off. I am lucky enough to have Miss Pankhurst as my form tutor as she is running it. We have great ideas as we are all young with fun and creative minds. It was a great idea to bring it to Desborough so we can have some great fun. Teachers are always willing to help. It is amazing how many people come to our class and want to do an activity. Finally, I would just like to say it is an amazing life experience: planning, organising and performing. Owen Smith—7LZP
12
The Education Fellowship’s Inter-Academy Short Story Writing Competition Congratulations to the following students who recently took part and were successful in The Education Fellowship’s Inter-Academy Short Story Writing Competition:-
Josh Hills, Year 7 Winner of Category 1 (Yrs 7-9) Story Entitled: “Lost at Sea”
George Rendle, Year 10 Winner of Category 2 (Yrs 10-13) Story Entitled: “A Casual Day Out at Sea”
Max Baker, Year 7 Runner Up of Category 1 (Yrs 7-9) Story Entitled: “Stormfish”
Ravi Sanghera, Year 10 Runner Up of Category 2 (Yrs 10-13) Story Entitled: “Rough Seas”
Josh and George both won £15 book tokens and a certificate. They have also won Desborough’s English Department £100 (£50 each). Max and Ravi won a £10 book token and a certificate..
Well done boys! 13
What a term! A crucial time of examinations in the Art & Photography department, with all GCSE and A Level students completing their practical sessions. We are hoping for some strong outcomes in the August results!
During the exams, KS3 have continued working on their starting points that vary from insects to food. This term, Yr8 artists have been exploring recycled and environmental art, inspired by the artist and architect Hundertwasser. His colourful and organic paintings have inspired our boys to create their own landscapes and colourful sketchbook pages. (Work from Lucas Walker and Reuben Bignell)
3D Recycled insects by Aiden Noble and Lewis Nash Yr7
Year 7 have continued skill building – this term focussing on insects and biro cross hatching. They have also had the opportunity to complete an extended 3D project to build their own insects from scrap materials!
14
James Merifield Yr13
Jerrell Foster Yr13
Laurence Jones Yr13 Yr13 Art/Photography outcomes and work from the examination series. James Merifield’s anatomy inspired studies (top left) combined mixed media surfaces and refined drawing. Finally, Our Yr13 Photographers Jerrell Foster and Laurence Jones explored social issues such as anorexia, body image and drug abuse through their experiments.
15
Finally, a few images from our diverse and experimental work by Yr11 Photographers for their exam project inspired by the title “Past, Present Future”. Here we have Fraser Miller’s contemporary abstract images, Will Palmer’s atmospheric woodland scenes and finally Victory Mabungu’s architecture series. Well done boys!
16
Art and Photography Articles by Miss Rhodes—Head of Art and Photography
LRC News: The 2016 European Football Championship is nearly here giving us a chance to enjoy some competitive European football and also to encourage football-loving children to read about the game. In the past Desborough LRC was involved with the Premier League Reading Stars challenge run by the National Literacy Trust. Some Year 7’s and 8’s attended an after school football reading club which encouraged boys to enjoy reading for pleasure linked to football. Since then, every international tournament we encourage boys to link the two. From blogs to biographies, websites to fiction, newspapers to magazines – reading about the European championship can help your children to enjoy reading for pleasure. The National Literacy Trust and children’s author, Tom Palmer, have devised some ideas to help you and your child combine reading and football and enjoy the European Tournament. Tom Palmer will be writing a story: Over the line beginning on 13th June and updating it each day throughout the tournament. His story marks the centenary of the Battle of the Somme 1st July 1916 in which over one million men died http://www.somme2016.org During the First World War a battalion was set up for football players and fans to fight together called The Footballers’ Battalion also known as the 23rd Middlesex Regiment to encourage men to volunteer. Even the author Arthur Conan Doyle made an appeal: “There was a time for everything, but there is only time for one thing now, and that thing is war…If a footballer had strength of limb let them serve and march in the field of battle.” You can read the first chapter of Tom Palmer’s story here: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0003/2219/Over_the_Line_2016_Chapter_1.pdf Euro 2016 begins on the 10th June and the final takes place on 10th July. A full fixture list can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/european-championship/euro-2016/ schedule/group-stage. Here are some suggestions for reading and researching during the competition: 1.
I would like pupils particularly in Year’s 7 & 8 to research a First World War football er and create a poster for our display. Research worksheets are available in the library. When starting your research ask if anyone in the family or local community was involved in the war and loved football. Look at your local club, the team you play for, if it existed during the war, or the team you support. Find out the following:
Name of footballer Date and place of birth Background What happened to them in the war What happened after the war A copyright free image of them if possible List of resources used
Hand in to the library in June.
17
LRC News Continued ... 2. Read Over the line daily. 3. Euro 2016/Battle of the Somme word searches: www.literacytrust.org.uk/euro-2016 4. Find a wallchart to complete as the tournament progresses. These can be found in newspapers, magazines and on-line. 5. Watch Tom Palmer’s videos on location including at the grave of a former footballer and battalion member. http://www.readingwar.co.uk 6. Five Euro 2016 websites to keep up to date: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro http://www.theguardian.com/football/euro-2016 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/european-championship/euro-2016 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/euro-2016 http://www/worldsoccer.com/tag/euro-2016 7. The LRC holds lots of fiction and factual books on the game for pupils to borrow. Books specifically on football and the First World War available from the LRC: War Game by Michael Foreman Respect: The story of Walter Tull by Michaela Morgan. Over the line by Tom Palmer When the guns fall silent by James Riordan Other useful resources: Novelists favourite WW1 novels in the Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/ childrens-books-site/2014/jun/30/best-first-world-war-ww1-books-for-children-andteens British Council: Football Remembers the Christmas Truce: https:// schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/sites/so/files/files/Football%20Remembers% 20New%20sources.pdf Imperial War Museum: Football facts http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/9-facts-about-football-in-the-first-world-war Please support your children and read with them during the European Championships and beyond. We hope these reading suggestions help your family read even more for pleasure.
A Hallissey School Librarian
@DesboroughLRC
18
Harry King— Double Rookie at Thruxton 9 May 2016: Youngster Harry King produced his most impressive performance to date to secure a pair of rookie class podium finishes in the latest rounds of the Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship at Thruxton. The 15-year-old, from Holyport in Berkshire, had shown glimpses of his potential in the opening meetings of the year at Brands Hatch and Donington Park, but headed to the high-speed Hampshire circuit keen to turn his undoubted speed into on-track results. That speed was showcased in impressive fashion in free practice after Harry put his Elite Motorsport-run car to the top of the times, although qualifying would see him starting the opening race from twelfth on the grid. Focusing on the job at hand, Harry was a man on a mission from the moment the lights went out and was soon working his way up the order, posting the fastest lap of the race en-route to a solid seventh place finish. That also saw him secure a place on the podium for the first time this season as second best of the rookie drivers. Running at the sharp end of the field in race two, Harry found himself embroiled in a frenetic battle for third place overall with fellow rookie Seb Priaulx, with the pair running nose to tail throughout the second half of the race. Despite having the quicker car – and setting faster lap times than the eventual winner – Harry had to settle for fourth place overall and second rookie; giving him more silverware from the weekend and a huge boost in confidence heading to Oulton Park for round four next month. “From P12 on the grid, I had no real idea what to expect in terms of results, but I had a lot of confidence around Thruxton and the car was perfect all day; the team did a fantastic job with it,” he said. “It isn’t easy to follow people around Thruxton as it can make it difficult to see where the turning-in points are round the back of the circuit, but it was huge fun on track and I think I’ve really shown what I can do. I was happy with seventh in race one and to set the fastest lap really showed the pace we had in the car. We tried to build on that in race two and the fight with Seb was fantastic. We were so closely matched that it could have gone either way, and although it would have been nice to get on the overall podium, I’m really pleased with P4. This weekend has given me a massive boost and hopefully the results can really kick-start my season. I’m certainly feeling a lot more confident going to Oulton Park.” Harry now sits eleventh in the championship standings, just eleven points away from the top ten.
Well Done Harry!
19
Lucas Lights Up Bream Sands Year 7 student Lucas Burridge lit up the recent Bream Sands rugby tournament with his electric pace and wicked side step securing him the Player of the Tournament award. The tournament was attended by a large number of Desborough boys who represented Maidenhead RFC. The tournament provides an end of season celebration for all those involved in the rugby club. Lucas stood out as the individual player of the tournament that was voted for by the coaches of all the teams that attended. A huge honour for Lucas to receive. Well done Lucas.
20
Information for Parents Our mobile App is now live on both Apple and Google Play Stores; you can stay in touch with our Events, News and receive free push notifications from us!
To download visit the Apple or Google App Stores and use the Username: Desborough Pin/Password: 6345
21
Information for Parents Continued .. Second Hand Uniform If parents have any second hand uniform, in good condition and would have no objection to donating this to the school, please contact Nuria White in Student Services. Thank you.
Homework Club All students are welcome to attend Homework Club which takes place Monday-Friday from 3.15 until 5.00 pm in Room B10. Maths Sixth Form Tutors attend the session every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
Examination Season 2016 Please note the official examination season commences on 3 May to 28 June 2016.
22
Information for Parents Continued ...
23
24
burglary prevention leaflet drop in Marlow for 5 hours in the pouring rain (which was a taster of the fact that police work in all weathers!!). I remember my first night at W&M Cadets very well for various reasons, however, what I remember most clearly is being instantly impressed with the high standards, discipline and commitment of both Cadets and Leaders and to this day we strive to maintain those standards. With Cadets I have worked and participated in many events. The first was the, now annual, Sponsored Walk (the 2016 date for this will be announced shortly) – on that occasion it was a 13 mile walk from Maidenhead to Windsor and back along the river. Since then I have worked with Cadets at the Force Open Day, Maidenhead Festival, Specials Attestation Ceremonies, Windsor Sleep Out and numerous others. A highlight of last year was taking the Cadets to the Force Open Day for them to demonstrate drill and be inspected by the new Chief Constable and Police & Crime Commissioner – I am proud to say the Cadets did a fantastic job! I formerly worked for Aylesbury College as exams officer for up to 1200 students, PA to a Consultant Burns Surgeon, Money Laundering Recording Officer and Financial Investigator for a bank before finally starting in my current safeguarding role. I’m looking forward to continuing to staff events this year and working closely with our police colleagues in the neighbourhood teams.
Contact Details… TVP Cadets Windsor Police Station Alma Road SL4 3ES Email; WMTVPVPC@outlook.com
To join our Unit please register an ‘expression of interest’ by emailing thamesvalleypolicecadets@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk. Please include your full name, address, date of birth, contact details, the area of the cadet unit you would like to join, along with a short description of why you are interested in joining.
25
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/
Date for Your Diary Our Sports Day this year is Wednesday 29 June . Further information will follow in due course.
26
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 Friday 24 June 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
27
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: ________________________
28