Stringer Press | Autumn Term 2023

Stringer Press AUTUMN TERM

Contents Headteacher's message Open evening Meet our Head Students Dolawen video Skateboarding fundraiser Science taster lesson for parents Upper school production Carol concert 2023 Shaun by the Sea Stringer sheep Upper school book group Library news Christmas foodbank donations Minibus fundraising Dorothy Stringer quiz night 2024 Culture day & Show Racism the Red Card Black excellence events Art mock exams Drama trips EDF ‘Dare to Dream’ trip Geography field trips Le Touquet trip ESU public speaking competition Chess success AQA entry level certificate in Science UK Maths Trust challenge Froglife Sustainable schools Eco Schools green flag award PE news Alumni and staff sucess Inspection report School feedback Key dates Join the Stringer Supporters

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HEADTEACHER'S MESSAGE MATT HILLIER

Dear Parents, Carers, Staff and Governors I am delighted to report that it has been another productive, busy and fun term at Stringer!

Lower school If we cast our minds back to the beginning of September, what a long way our Year 7 students have come! From their first days of nervously finding their way around the school site and learning how the canteen system works, now we see Year 7 as confident members of our school community, fully participating in school life and having made new friends. I am pleased to see that Year 7s have joined the Choir, Dance and Sports clubs in droves, and I know many are excitedly looking forward to their trips to Dolawen over the next two terms, another great chance to expand friendships.

Year 8 and 9 are no longer the youngest in the school and they too have been embracing the opportunities both in class and with our extra-curricular programme. It’s lovely to see some of the Year 9s come back to participating in clubs that may have fallen by the wayside last year and also working hard in those option subjects they have chosen as their double lessons. I have no doubt those final choices next term will be difficult to narrow down, but they will be well supported in this process with our options event next term.

Upper school We started the academic year celebrating our best ever GCSE outcomes both in terms of attainment and progress and we finish this term with the current Year 11 students having completed their mocks and ready to face the challenges ahead, with college interviews and then their final examinations on the horizon. Year 10 have also made a very successful start to their GCSE subjects and feedback and observations show the rapid progress they are making. Thank you for making sure those in your care are attending, participating, and learning together in a supportive environment.

Whole school We held our wonderful Open Evening this term, as well as lots of school tours, and next term the Year 6s will hear about their secondary school allocation. We’re already excited to welcome our Class of 2024 year group next September! Hot on the heels of our open evening was the opportunity for us to showcase our work to two external bodies, one being Ofsted and the other Challenge Partners. We were pleased that both could clearly see the ambition within our curriculum, as well as our excellent outcomes. In addition, our brilliant extra-curricular and careers provision were also highlighted in their reports, both of which can be found on our website. Our aim is to continually improve and to ensure we offer the best possible ‘education for life’.

HEADTEACHER MESSAGE

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HEADTEACHER'S MESSAGE MATT HILLIER

Other key events this term have been our school’s support for Show Racism the Red Card, as well as our culture day in October, showcasing and celebrating our multi-cultural community. We finish the term with our bake sale and non-uniform fundraisers towards our new minibus, which supports our trips to Dolawen, as well as many other sporting and enriching activities. These events were organised and led by student groups, with the support of staff, and we are proud of all their efforts. If you would like to get involved or can help in any way with school fundraising, please visit our website: https://dorothy-stringer.co.uk/fundraising/ or email communications@dorothy-stringer.co.uk so we can put you in contact with the Stringer Supporters, our parent fundraising group.

Extra curricular In 2024, not only will students continue to receive excellent learning, but they can also look forward to work experience, enrichment week (including our sports day) and many other trips and visits as well. I am always amazed at the number of opportunities the students have here, and it has been wonderful to see the levels of engagement with sports training and fixtures, both early in the morning and in the evenings after school, especially this term when the days are so short.

A final thank you goes to all our dedicated staff, who, in addition to all of the above this term, have also put on sports clubs in all weathers, rehearsals for the Upper School Drama Production (Curious Incident – look out for ticket sales starting next term) and our festive Carol Concert. Preparations for this year’s art exhibition and dance show are also well underway. On behalf of all our staff I would like to thank all those of you who have taken the time to send messages of appreciation this term; I know they value this kindness greatly.

A big thank you to our student Open Evening speakers

I do hope that during the Christmas holidays, students and staff can rest and enjoy time together with family and friends. I wish you all a relaxing break over the festive period and a happy and healthy 2024.

HEADTEACHER MESSAGE

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OPEN EVENING We were delighted to once again open our doors for our annual Open Evening back in October. We had a brilliant time showcasing our school to prospective families and really enjoyed seeing our current students supporting us on the evening too – they were excellent tour guides and the prefects were great ambassadors for their favourite subjects!

A particular well done goes to Year 7 students, Phoenix and Marlo and Head Students Kodai, Elise and Frasier, who delivered four lots of speeches to our prospective parents and students – we were blown away by how eloquently they displayed their passion and commitment to school life.

Our Head Students have also been busy working on some other projects this term, including our Christmas fundraising and upcoming minibus fundraiser, and we look forward to working with the team over the rest of this academic year.

WHOLE SCHOOL

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HEAD STUDENTS We were delighted to welcome a brand new Senior Student team at Dorothy Stringer this term. Our Head Students, along with our Senior Prefects, will be working on a number of projects this year including Christmas fundraising and our minibus crowdfunding campaign, as well as helping with the organisation of some of our school events.

Take a look at their introductions below to get to know our Head and Deputy Head students in a little more detail.

ELISE

Hi, my name’s Elise and I’m a Head Student this year. Over the years, I have been lucky enough to get involved with various opportunities at Dorothy Stringer like peer mentoring, becoming a Maths Prefect and being a member of the student council. Outside of school, I enjoy kickboxing, playing the drums and reading. I applied to be a Head Student because I wanted to continue to help out with the school as much as possible and bring about the changes that students want to see. I hope to encourage all students at Stringer to engage with all the possibilities they can as every moment is worthwhile. In my time at Stringer, I have made incredible friends and been supported by incredible teachers, something which I am extremely thankful for. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

WHOLE SCHOOL

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HEAD STUDENTS

KODAI Hi, my name is Kodai and I am pleased to be one of three Head Students here at Dorothy Stringer.

While our cohort's induction here was interrupted due to the pandemic, I feel our year group has overcome huge obstacles consequently, and that we should all be proud of our own unique Stringer journey.

Since starting my Stringer journey back in 2019, I found myself wanting to help our school. This is because of the genuine, tangible sense of community here which I wanted to support further. I founded long-lasting bonds within the Stringer community just by volunteering for events like open evenings or even productions.

Something that has always been important to me is the opportunity for fresh starts. I use the phrase "Blank Slate Ideology" and I believe it's crucial to a successful school environment. Students and staff included have days which are better than others and it's important to acknowledge that sometimes our actions are not reflective of our true self. I want everyone to have the opportunity to start afresh, so we can all enjoy our Dorothy Stringer journey.

Outside of school I can be found at airshows, binging on Netflix series and practising Ikebana. While academia is important, so are your hobbies and passions - they're what make you unique. I think it's important to find a balance between school work and personal life - a skill that comes with time.

Going forward, I would like everyone to embrace their futures with open arms, because, undoubtedly, it's going to be exciting!

FRAY

Hi my names Fray, I’m honoured to be one of the three Head Students here at Dorothy Stringer! A few things about me are: I really enjoy reading and skating; I am a sergeant with St John Ambulance; my favourite music is indie rock; and I am proud to be a young carer. Whilst at Stringer, I have also been a peer mentor, JLT member and an advocate for our queer community.

I originally applied for this role because I felt it was a great chance to empower equality within the school community and to lead positive change in the way students have a say. Personally, I have gotten a lot out of being a Head student, but I hope people would also agree that I and the brilliant team of other senior students have been a force for good so far. My main role this year has been to help run school-wide events as well as maintaining a strong student voice team through groups such as the JLT. I’m also really excited to announce our plans for future projects in the new year (more on this soon!).

I totally believe that everyone has worked really hard in some way or another during what has at times been quite a full-on year. This resilience and hard work is what makes Stringer the sort of school I am proud to represent so well done everyone - I hope you enjoy a well-deserved Winter break!

WHOLE SCHOOL

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HEAD STUDENTS

GABRIEL

Hi, I'm Gabriel and I am one of the Deputy Head Students at Stringer, as well as an avid music lover and Prefect for the Music department. Since the very first time my wide-eyed and slightly apprehensive Year 7 self entered the busy gates, I immediately felt at home due to the countless friendly pupils and teachers that are responsible for making the Stringer community as special as it is. I quickly discovered the Jazz band and sports clubs, which sparked a passion of jazz piano and exercise for me and have endured as exciting as ever to this day. As testament to this, I perform regularly in a jazz ensemble. More than this, these two interests have been an always-enjoyable vehicle to meeting amazing people throughout my learning journey at this school. With this experience, as Deputy Head Student I hope to help students to find the passion that makes them buzz just as I did through helping and creating extracurricular clubs as well as by making a school environment that inspires being the unapologetically-best version of every pupil and teacher at this wonderful school, even if that just means spreading positivity with a smile.

EDIE

Hi, my name is Edie and I am a Deputy Head Student here at Stringer. Throughout my time here, I have participated in many sports teams, dance shows, music clubs and help support new Year 7s as a peer mentor. My passion for dance has grown over the years and here I am a dance captain, helping choreograph many dances for the school dance show at Brighton Dome. I am very grateful for the opportunity I was given to study textiles; through this I have found my love for fashion and creativity. Being able to study a GCSE I love taking has been a huge help as it doesn’t feel like a chore (even if I have to do it most days). I decided to apply to become a Deputy Head Student as I felt there was a need for student suggestions to help make our school a more inclusive place. I believe that we should reward all achievements from academic to creative and sporting. I hope I can help add to our already fantastic school and learning environment in a positive way that the younger years will enjoy.

WHOLE SCHOOL

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HEAD STUDENTS

LILLY My name is Lilly and I’m excited to be a part of this year’s senior leadership team. Already as Deputy Head Student, I’ve been actively involved in both strengthening our Stringer community through the planning of various school-wide events and fundraisers as well as helping to welcome and settle our new Year 7s. This has been wonderful since I applied for this role with the intention of giving back after almost 5 years’ worth of support and care given to me by my teachers and prior leadership teams.

Since this role offers a diverse mix of initiatives to be part of, I’ve been able to apply my creative interests and weave my strengths together in ways I previously hadn’t. My hobbies are very much design-based such as making clothes as well as drawing and cooking. With upcoming events such as creating the yearbook, running bake sales and helping run open events, I find creativity is an extremely useful asset to have.

I’m also grateful for my roles as a part of the YMCA mental health champions; as a peer mentor throughout Year 10; and as a French prefect, since each of these has broadened my skill set and developed my ability to work well in a team.

I look forward to encouraging the same enthusiasm for trying new things in the younger years. I believe that it is very important to make use of the opportunities presented to you as this not only helps build a fantastic set of skills for life beyond school but can also lead to great friendships and exciting challenges which truly push you out of your comfort zones.

I hope to leave Stringer knowing that I tried all that was offered to me and that I made a positive difference for those around me. I am very proud to be a part of this school and believe that this role will be a very rewarding experience that I get to take with me into college and my life beyond that.

TOM

Hi, I'm Tom and I'm one of the Deputy Head Students this year. The reason I ran for the role of Head Student was the idea that my peers and I could voice changes or introduce ideas to the school that would benefit staff and pupils alike. It also gives me a sense of responsibility and respect that would be a great aspect to carry on further in life. I would like to think of myself as a creative person; I really enjoy doing art, listening to music and talking to people. I think these have helped me to become the person I am today.

The art allows me to be creative and thoughtful, the listening of music led me to become a good listener and being able to pick my words right, and the talking to people allows me to be more approachable and friendly. I hope to make a good impression for the younger years in such that they believe they too can help make the school a better place with their ideas and thoughts. My past teachers have done an amazing job at supporting me and giving me a chance to voice opinions and i hope that this will carry on for years after.

WHOLE SCHOOL

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DOLAWEN VIDEO

We were delighted to receive the finished edit of our brand new Dolawen video this term. The film crew accompanied one of our Year 7 trips to Dolawen at the end of last year and had a great week capturing a taste of the exciting activities we offer at our outdoor activities centre in the Snowdonia national park. If you haven’t seen the video yet, you can view it on the Dolawen page on our school website – it gives a real flavour of what our students get up to during their week in Wales.

We’re already looking forward to our trips with our current Year 7 students this year – stay tuned for lots of photos in the Summer Term edition of the Stringer Press.

WHOLE SCHOOL

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SKATEBOARDING FUNDRAISER We’re proud to have had four of our students take part in Brighton Youth Club’s All Night Endurance Skate fundraiser on the 4th November! Our students, along with a number of other skaters, were challenged to skate the park for 10 hours from 10pm8am, with the aim of raising money for a temporary home while BYC is rebuilt during 2024.

Not only did our students manage the gruelling 10-hour skate, but between them they managed to raise an incredible £1,465! The event raised £6,459 overall and will really help BYC as they aim to keep their youth projects going over the next year. Well done to Seb, Errol, Caspar, Johnny and all the other skaters who took part! If you would like to donate to BYC and support their ongoing projects, head here: Add a subheading

SCIENCE TASTER LESSON FOR PARENTS On Thursday 16th November the Science department hosted an evening of science learning for Year 7 parents and carers. They were thrown into our science labs to brush up on their key chemistry knowledge and experience a lesson just as their children do.

Those who attended felt the evening was beneficial to help them to help their children with home learning and to access the online platforms we use in our science teaching. Watch this space for future learning opportunities for the wider Stringer community!

EXTRA-CURRICULAR DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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UPPER SCHOOL PRODUCTION MS ETTINGER

The Autumn term is always an especially busy time for the Drama Department. Term began with three weeks of auditions for the Upper School production, casting and then the start of nightly rehearsals for this year's production, 'Curious Incident'; an abridged performance of the adapted play by Mark Haddon and Simon Stephens.

The play introduces Christopher, a 15-year-old on a mission to find out who killed Wellington, his neighbour's dog. Christopher's detective work ends up taking him on a strange and frightening journey that tears apart his once familiar world.

Performances will run from Wednesday 31 Jan to Saturday 3 Feb 2024, in the Middleton Theatre at Dorothy Stringer. Tickets will go on sale in January; the booking link will be available on the SLG and in the Weekly News, and tickets can also be purchased from the Drama Department box office.

DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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CAROL CONCERT MR REEVE

The Music Department were delighted to host the Dorothy Stringer Carol Concert this December. It was a great evening with amazing performances from across all year groups. The Big Band and Choir entertained throughout the evening along with performances from our Music Prefects and the Year 9 Band. It was wonderful to see and hear St John’s church filled with students, families, friends and Dorothy Stringer staff. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and hope to see many of you at our Spring Concert 'Back To The 90s' in 2024.

MUSIC DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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SHAUN BY THE SEA After spending his summer in hibernation, we were pleased to see our very own Shaun the Sheep, Fernando, take his place at Patcham Library. He remained there throughout the Martlets Shaun by the Sea trail before heading to the Brighton Centre for a big farewell bash. We are pleased to share that Fernando has now returned home to Dorothy Stringer and is proudly on display by the main hall next to our snail from the 2018 Martlets trail.

We were also delighted to see that Bloom, the sheep decorated by Dorothy Stringer parent and artist Faye Bridgwater, made the highest amount at auction, raising an incredible £25,000 for the Martlets!

Thank you to everyone who supported our Shaun by the Sea project, especially Beth and Lucy who did a brilliant job of decorating Fernando!

STRINGER SHEEP We were delighted to welcome the Sussex Wildlife Trust sheep back to school in November. The sheep play an important role in ensuring that the grass in the butterfly haven remains suitable for wildflower species that are the sole foodplants for caterpillars that then become Small Blue and Adonis Blue butterflies.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered to look after the sheep during their stay. We hope to see them again next year!

WHOLE SCHOOL DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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UPPER SCHOOL BOOK GROUP MR RYAN

We were delighted to welcome back to Stringer former student and author, Luke Young, who visited us this term to discuss his debut novel 'Against the Current' with our Upper School Book Group.

Luke's novel charts his experiences of a digital world which became detrimental to his health and wellbeing and tells the fascinating story of how he navigated his way to a world entirely off-line.

Our students universally loved Luke's candid account of his journey, and the group's questions were eye-opening and led to a great deal of engaging discussion.

Many thanks to Luke for providing the opportunity to discuss the book in person; also to Mr Ryan for organising the event, and to all who participated.

LIBRARY NEWS MRS BOWEN

This term we have had a lot of great book recommendations from our new Year 7 cohort, most of which have now arrived in our library. We have also increased the number of graphic novels and comics available which have proved very popular in all year groups. My wonderful prefects have supported the library by running the new book nook area and helping younger students with finding something to read. We now have updated reading lists on the library website, including ‘new releases’, ‘black writers and stories’ and ‘LGBTQ+ stories’ which will allow students to further refine their searches when looking for books to read. Next term I will be creating a revision area for GCSE students, which will include revision resources available for all subjects and access to library computers at break and lunchtimes. Happy reading!

LIBRARY DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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FOODBANK COLLECTION Following the success of last year’s collection, in the final weeks of this term our students and staff have been collecting donations for the Whitehawk Foodbank. It has been wonderful to see our school community coming together to support the foodbank, and we were once again blown away by the amount of food and toiletries that our community donated.

A big thank you to Mr Brown, Mr Kipling, the communications team and our student team who helped us with collecting and delivering the items, and to Miss Brown for organising us all – we couldn’t have done it without you!

WHOLE SCHOOL

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MINIBUS FUNDRAISING

This term at Dorothy Stringer we continued our minibus fundraising efforts with a bake sale and non-uniform Christmas jumper day.

Next term we hope to supercharge our fundraising efforts with our Quiz Night and the launch of our Minibus Crowdfunder – we've got a big target in mind but are confident that our school community will help us to smash it!

Look out for date of our next bake sale and fundraising events, and let Ms Parmar (in the hub) or Miss Brown (in the Communications office) know if you’d like to get involved!

FUNDRAISING

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CULTURE DAY AND SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD

This year we were pleased to once again take part in Show Racism the Red Card’s ‘Wear Red Day’ on Friday 20 October. We combined this day with our very own Culture Day, a chance to celebrate our multicultural school community!

While many of our students wore red in support of Show Racism the Red Card, it was also lovely to see so many of our students wearing their own cultural dress to school.

We even had a fashion show at lunch time, as well the opportunity for students to share food dishes that represented their cultural heritage.

A number of our students also took part in a presentation with John Lynch, an equality and diversity specialist who spoke to our students about the barriers and challenges he has faced throughout his career, and how he overcame them.

A big thank you to Ms Parmar for organising this excellent day, and to the staff and students (including the Culture Day Committee and Senior Students) who helped to make the day a success. We raised a brilliant £814 for Show Racism the Red Card and had a great time celebrating our school’s vibrant community.

WHOLE SCHOOL DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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BLACK EXCELLENCE EVENTS

For Black History Month this year we showcased Black Britons who are making waves in their field. This supports our new History curriculum at both key stages. Students enjoyed department run assemblies and lessons focusing on inspiring Black British figures in history. Aspiring lawyers met with Chief Operating Officer of the Women’s Higher Education Network, Cianne Jones, to discuss careers in law.

Cianne Jones at UCL

Nesta McGregor interviewing Stormzy for BBC News

Some students took part in workshops on allyship with members of Brighton & Hove Black anti-Racism community organisation including former Stringer student, Bud Johnson and spoken word artist, Aflo the Poet. All students in Years 8-10 participated in a special assembly and Q+A with BBC sports journalist and presenter, Nesta McGregor, who spoke on a range of topics, from which footballers he has interviewed to his career experiences, and the work he does for the Black community.

WHOLE SCHOOL DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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ART MOCK EXAMS

Our Year 11 students produced some truly exceptional work in their GCSE Art, Photography and Textiles mock exams this term. We couldn’t be more proud of their incredible creativity and skills, and have no doubt that they will smash their GCSE exam when the time comes. Well done everyone!

ART DEPARTMENT DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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ART MOCK EXAMS

ART DEPARTMENT DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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ART MOCK EXAMS

ART DEPARTMENT DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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DRAMA TRIPS We ran a number of Drama trips this term, including a Year 10 GCSE trip to Chichester Festival Theatre to see Life of Pi. Our students were so impressed by the beautiful design elements of the show coupled with the dynamic, moving performances, and were the best-behaved young actors in attendance!

Our Drama department also ran a trip to see The Witches in London this week. Our students really enjoyed soaking up the Christmassy atmosphere in London and watching the performance at the National Theatre.

Thanks to our Drama team for running these trips and to our students for their exemplary behaviour.

DARE TO DREAM EDF TRIP DARE TO DREAM

A group of Year 10 students visited EDF Energy in Hove as part of the ‘Dare to Dream’ programme. Dare to Dream helps young people to understand what positive changes they can make in order to realise their aspirations!

Events also took place in school and included inspirational assemblies presented by Jack ‘the Lad’ Hayes. Jack focused on the qualities and life skills that support personal success and talked about his own life experiences.

Some students were selected to have the opportunity to talk to a business mentor from EDF Energy, a leading local employer. Their mentors provide support and advice throughout the Dare to Dream journey, acting as positive role models and helping to inspire students with their ideas and encouragement. This culminates in a visit to EDF offices in Hove. There, students learnt about EDF’s online presence, and sat in on customer contact in the call centre. On the practical side, they saw how engineers are taught to install smart meters. And then they ate lots of PIZZA!

TRIPS DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIPS

This half term our Year 10 Geographers have been exploring Brighton City Centre as part of their Human Geography fieldwork. Students are investigating whether Brighton is in fact a sustainable city through a variety of data collection methods.

Students were tasked with looking at the most common types of transport in use across the city centre, the types of shops that are available, and even questioning members of the public with regards to their opinions on sustainable aspects of the city. These methods were chosen to allow students to collect data that is relevant to Egan’s wheel of sustainable communities. With COP28 in progress and a consistent focus on sustainability in the mainstream media, there are real world links between what students study in their local area and wider geographical issues.

Back in class, we will evaluate the methods we used to collect data and assess the reliability of our conclusions. All of this work supports students for their fieldwork exam in Year 11. What do you think - is Brighton a sustainable city?

TRIPS DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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LE TOUQUET TRIP

The Languages department is delighted to have been able to organise a second trip to the seaside resort of Le Touquet, in northern France.

For the last week of term, we will be taking a group of 40 students from Year 9 to Year 11 who will have a jam-packed week of activities, many of which will be together with students from a secondary school in the nearby town of Etaples.

We will take the ferry from Dover in the early morning, and, after a visit to a chocolate factory, we will meet our French pen pals for a traditional ‘goûter’ (afternoon snack) at school. During the week, we will visit the Nausicaa Sea Life in Boulogne, the Musée Somme, as well as the Christmas market in Amiens. Students will also learn about bread and croissant baking in the boulangerie of Escoeuilles and enjoy many other activities such as bowling, a treasure hunt and market shopping in Le Touquet.

We aim to organise a similar trip to Spain at the end of 2024 and will then offer the French trip again in 2025.

Joyeuses fêtes de fin d’année à tous!

TRIPS DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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ESU PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION MR SILLERY

On Tuesday 28 November, two teams from Stringer enthusiastically participated in the EnglishSpeaking Union’s Schools’ Public Speaking Competition. Our teams delivered speeches on the topics: Is science a threat to mankind? and Does the media manufacture public opinion? We faced teams from Brighton College and Chailey on the night and, although we did not qualify for the next round, the adjudicators were impressed by the high standard of our speakers, questioners and chairs. Harriet Gruender, the ESU’s Education Coordinator, provided the following feedback: Your speeches were clear, and your articulate delivery was wonderful, keeping us fully engaged.

They were genuinely insightful speeches composed of a good structure, and you all showed great skill in your individual roles. Amazing job!

Although we were a little disappointed with the result, we were proud of our students, and involvement in this sort of competition offers them valuable life experience and certainly builds confidence and resilience. You can read their speeches in full here:

DOES THE MEDIA MANUFACTURE PUBLIC OPINION SPEECH? JOELLA’S SPEECH

Have you ever come across a news story, social media campaign or viral video that borders on being provocative propaganda in its biased presentation of a controversial cultural, political or religious issue? Do you worry we live in a post-truth global news landscape that skews facts in accordance with ideological stances? Is there a corner of the media that we can depend on to provide a reliable, objective, nonpartisan elucidation of current affairs… upon which the citizens of the world can truly rely?

Good evening fellow speakers, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Joella and I am a pupil of Year 9 in Dorothy Stringer School. Today I will be speaking on the statement “the media manufactures public opinion”. hope you’ve have had some time to reflect on my earlier questions. I strongly suspect many of you listening to me have been unduly influenced by subtle, and potentially harmful, media manipulation numerous times in the last month alone. Perhaps you have consciously subscribed to a news outlet or channel that perpetuates views similar to your own… that can certainly help us to consolidate our existing beliefs and attitudes… though… perhaps in doing so, we lose sight of equally valid opposing viewpoints and perspectives. Perhaps an algorithm has harvested your on-line activity and is merely telling you what it thinks you want to hear; or selling you what it thinks you want to buy.

EXTRA CURRICULAR DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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ESU PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION MR SILLERY

I I have undoubtedly been invasively influenced by the things I have seen and heard on my screens, I am what that very media has dubbed a screenager, my generation has been subconsciously exposed to more media manipulation than any other. It has become a ubiquitous phenomenon, technological advancements have resulted in a relentless tsunami of polarising prescriptive edicts and hard-sells, usually with specific agendas… be they designed to change the way we think or the way we spend.

Social media has proved to be the most substantial impact a form of media can have on an audience. Social media has been used as a powerful tool by politicians, marketers, brands, companies and even individuals to achieve their goals. Examples of this are seen on a dayto-day basis, for instance: The media creates a positive mental image for a brand or company in the public’s mind, in some cases to cover the terrible things they do.

The rapid spread of information helps to validate and expand opinions.

The media sometimes tells us what to think about the news. Press coverage sends signals to audiences about the importance of mentioned issues, while framing the news induces the unsuspecting viewers into a particular response.

The media also undertakes Agenda-setting. This is when the media focuses their attention on selected issues on which the public will form an opinion on. Similarly, Priming works by repeatedly exposing certain issues to public. As the issues get more exposure, the individual(s) will be more likely to recall or retain the information in their minds.

To sum up everything that has been said, in our democratic society, mass media is the driving force of public opinion. Media sources such as the Internet, newspapers, newsbroadcasts and others play significant roles in shaping a person’s understanding and perception about the events that occur in our daily lives. If the newspapers, internet, television and countless others continue to be easily accessible to the public, the media will continue to have an influence in shaping its opinion. But we must hold ‘our’ media to account! It must not be allowed to exercise prejudicial, manipulative or nefarious influence via invasive tentacles of influence. It is not the arena for misinformation or disinformation… bias or downright lies.

EXTRA CURRICULAR DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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ESU PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION MR SILLERY

IS SCIENCE A THREAT TO MANKIND? AISHA’S SPEECH

Today I will be unequivocally answering the question: Is science a threat to mankind?

This question is one of the most important subjects you will hear about today: science permeates all aspects of society and will be instrumental in deciding the ultimate fate of humanity, whatever your opinions are.

Science is humanities only tool in the shaping the world, allowing us to illuminate the unknown and use knowledge to further (or hinder!) our future. It could be argued that we are all products of science: from the physics of movement to the chemistry of DNA. This aside, we have been pursuing knowledge since the beginning of society when the greatest discovery was the fire that protected us from the cold of winter, and our only understanding of day and night was in the context of religion. Now, we go about day-today life talking on phones, driving in cars and sitting comfortably inside during the cold while radiators are warming the home.

In an age where AI is self-learning and war more devastating, is science’s main purpose still to provide us with information about the world or is it becoming a threat to mankind?

Have humas stumbled upon things we were never meant to discover? Have we lost ourselves in trying to explore the cosmos when our own planet is crumbling around us?

Have we gone too far to soon?

Some of the most pressing threats to mankind that have been brought about by science.

For example, the burning of fossil fuels for energy has contributed heavily to the climate change that threatens our near future. science also poses a severe threat to humanity through the lethal manufacturing of nuclear weapons. This advancement has the potential to eradicate entire populations. In addition to these tangible threats some may say science poses ethical concerns as knowledge is power and power can be used to propagate inequalities.

However, these arguments only acknowledge the way certain humans abuse science instead of the exceptional benefits.

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ESU PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION MR SILLERY

For instance, the quality of our lives has increased drastically which allows us to live nearly twice as long as we did in the 1900s. without the transformative development of modern medicine, scientists would not have been able to create a covid vaccine, in just one year, that has saved over 132 million lives. We also cannot ignore the technological advancements, such as the internet, that has momentously changed the way people interact and access information. Instead of religious explanations for natural occurrences, we have alternative explanations for the mysteries of life. Science.

Whatever people may say we will never truly really know the effects of new technology until the future. Nevertheless, I believe that science is a powerful tool that has drastically improved our lives and our understanding of the world. The potential threats associated with science are only a result of human actions, rather than the nature of science itself.

By promoting a more educated, responsible, and ethical use of scientific knowledge, we can ensure that science continues to benefit generations to come. Therefore, I surmise that science is not a threat to mankind.

CHESS SUCCESS Congratulations to our students Richard and Matthias who represented Dorothy Stringer in the Sussex Closed Chess Championships, coming first in the U13 School Team Championship! We are so proud of their achievement and were delighted to receive the School Team Championship trophy.

Matthias said: ‘I was taught how to play chess by my family and have loved it ever since. I really have had an incredible journey and made lots of friends along the way. Be it England players or prodigies years younger than me. The organisation I play with and for is Sussex Junior Chess and they have an amazing community.’

Any students in Years 7, 8 and 9 who are interested in chess can join the chess club in M113 on Tuesday lunch times. Speak to Mr Nott or Mr Mason for more details!

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AQA ENTRY LEVEL CERTIFICATE IN SCIENCE MX EAST

The 12th December saw twenty Year 10 students receive certificates for passing their AQA Entry Level Certificate in Science.

In Year 9 these students followed a bespoke programme that touched on all aspects of the GCSE syllabus. They designed and carried out six independent projects; completed six AQA assessments under controlled conditions and even visited Rampion windfarms, whilst learning about renewable energy. All students passed, with the majority getting a Level 3 grade (equivalent to a distinction).

It was lovely to celebrate their success by giving them their certificates and eating some cake!

The Science Department wishes these students the best of luck in their Science GCSE going forward.

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MATHS CHALLENGE MS STONE

On Tuesday 3rd October our Year 11 Additional Maths students took part in the Senior Maths Challenge, which is predominately aimed at 6th form students and above. We were delighted to receive the results recently and discover that 75% of our students who were entered into the Senior Maths challenge gained a bronze medal or above, compared to the 66% of all students who achieved this nationally! Overall, we received 13 bronze, 6 silver and 2 gold medals.

Our two gold medallists were Stephane R, with 84 marks, and Leon P not far behind with 80 marks. Both students were entered into the follow-on round which took place on Wednesday 15th November. Only the best sixth formers in the country take part in this challenge and Stephane and Leon both did incredibly well to be entered.

Stephane also gained a merit in this challenge with an amazing 55 marks!

Well done to both students for their hard work and dedication and to all our students who took part in the challenges.

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FROGLIFE In October we were delighted to have Froglife visit the environment centre, where they gave a talk about all the projects going on in the local area, including the re-creation of dewponds on the South Downs. We had a very successful woodland working day beforehand, where students and parents helped coppice a number of hazel trees and plant up some wildflower bulbs. The Friends of Hollingbury and Bursted Woods held their AGM in the environment centre on the same day so there was a really wonderful sense of community coming together with a common purpose of working to make the natural world around us better for wildlife. Well done and thank you to all involved!

SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS

We are delighted to be part of the Our City, Our World – Sustainable Schools for Sustainable Future project. Eight of our school’s Student Climate Leaders have been working with students from other secondary schools in Brighton and Hove to develop a collective team action to try and get things changed in our schools to make them more sustainable. The students have received training form Citizens UK, learning how to network effectively, how to build relationships with other people and to work together for a common cause. Through meetings in schools, the voices of many 1000s of students are being heard and this was channelled into one big event on Friday 8 December where council leaders were presented with ideas about how they could change things.

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ECO SCHOOLS GREEN FLAG AWARD Dorothy Stringer is proud to share that we have been awarded the Eco Schools Green Flag Award for the 23rd year in a row! This year we were also delighted to have gained a merit for biodiversity.

See below for some of the highlights from the feedback that Eco Schools gave us!

‘It’s very impressive that you have formed such a large Eco-Committee. It shows that young people in your school are aware of environmental issues and committed to being active and creating positive change.‘ ‘It’s clear that you have embedded environmental issues into your curriculum with great enthusiasm and these issues are being used to enrich learning in your school, whilst engaging young people in important issues. We love how you’ve creatively layered them across your classroom studies in such interesting and complimentary ways, such as planting your own potatoes to learn how growing your own food reduces waste.’

‘Your Eco-Code is beautifully designed, and easy to follow with a powerful message. It’s a great reflection of the ethos your Eco-Committee have created, well done to all involved! Thank you so much for submitting such a great application. We have loved reading about your journey and are incredibly impressed by all you have achieved. We have no hesitation in awarding you an EcoSchools Green Flag with Merit, congratulations!’

Well done to Mr Sandercock and the Eco-Committee for their incredible work!

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PE NEWS MR GILL

It has been great to welcome the students back in there new year groups this Autumn term and see so many of them taking part in the extracurricular opportunities in PE, Sport, and Dance. It was lovely to start the year by celebrating the success of last year’s sports teams at our PE, Sport and Dance Celebration Awards at Donatello’s in Brighton. They were 3 very enjoyable evenings, and it was great to look back on memories from last year but also create some buzz and excitement for the year to come.

There are a whole host of clubs for students to be involved in and we pride ourselves in providing something for everybody. Whether students are looking to train to compete or just to take part for fun and enjoyment, there are over 40 different teams and clubs to be a part of.

It has been great to see so many old and new faces making the most of the opportunities that the Dorothy Stringer PE department offer.

Netball Netball has been very successful this term throughout all year groups and attendance to netball club has been great. The Year 10 netball started the term by entering the National School competition which was a great experience to play other schools outside of the league.

Having been beaten in the first round they went through to the next round to compete for the National Bowl, they played Gordons school in Woking, which was a very close game; they narrowly lost but had a great experience. Throughout the term the Year 11s have competed in three tournaments, all other year groups have played in matches in their leagues. The Year 7 and 8s had a successful start, winning against Longhill School and have continued to improve and show strength throughout the term. We look forward to continuing to play the rest of the netball league up to Easter and the Year 11s have their final netball tournament in February.

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PE NEWS NR GILL

Football Girls’ football has continued to go from strength to strength, with a large number of Year 7s coming to club and lots continuing in Year 8 and 9s. The U14s had their first game against Varndean which went to extra time, narrowly losing 3-2. The season has continued to be great for the U14s who beat BACA 10-1, top scorers are Amelie A, Year 8 and Ruby W, Year 9. The U12s have had a successful term getting through to the third round of the County Cup and winning against Uckfield Community College. They go through to play the next round in January.

Year 7 Boys football has seen over 80 students regularly attending club nights which has been fantastic to see. We have had two teams competing in the County Cup, District Cup and Brighton League. The A team unfortunately lost 2-1 in a close game against Shoreham Academy in the County Cup but have put in some strong performances in the league. The B team won their first game of the year against Blatchington Mill B, there have been some strong individual performances with students looking to break into the A team.

Year 8 Boys football team have also made a very positive start to the year. The A team are into the quarter finals of both the County and District Cup and are adapting to 11-a-side well.

We have had 3 B team games and a friendly, this has meant that over 50 students have been given the opportunity to represent Dorothy Stringer this year, with plenty more fixtures to come.

Both Year 9 teams have been playing some great football and this had led to some successful results. Both teams are currently unbeaten in their leagues and the A team are still in both the County Cup and District Cup after some strong team performances.

Unfortunately, the B team were beaten in their District Cup game against Longhill but can now concentrate on maintaining their 100% record in the league.

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PE NEWS MR GILL

Year 10 Boys team are having an excellent season. They are currently sitting top of the Brighton league and are still in both cup competitions. They beat Tandridge House 4-1 to progress to the last 32 of the County Cup and put in an impressive team display against Cardinal Newman to progress in the next round of the District Cup. Special mentions so far this year to Bertie H and Theo M who have been Player of the Match on a number of occasions.

The Year 11 team have had a mixed campaign so far this year. Unfortunately, they were knocked out of both cup competitions in the early rounds but have put in some good displays and picked up valuable wins in the league. Their league fixtures continue in the New Year.

Rugby It has been great to see lots of new faces at rugby clubs this year. Year 7 have made a particularly strong start to their County Cup campaign with strong performances to beat both Cardinal Newman and Brighton College Prep. They progress to the next rounds after Christmas. Year 8 were drawn against the same opposition in their fixtures in the County Cup. Despite losing both their games there were some strong individual performances from Blake H and Henry D. Both the Year 7 and Year 8 teams were lucky enough to take part in a Rugby Development Day at Hurstpierpoint College. A fantastic opportunity where they learnt and developed new skills through some expert coaching and were able to put this into practice with some friendly matches against other schools in the afternoon.

The Year 9 team have made an impressive start to the year, remaining unbeaten at Christmas. They top their pool in the County Cup with wins against The Angmering School and Seaford Head and we wait to find out who we will play in the next round after Christmas. Nine of the Year 9 team were also selected to play in the U14 Brighton Barbarians rugby team.

They played a strong Cardinal Newman team which ended in a narrow defeat 24-14. Two more matches in the tri series against Newman will be played in the New Year. Special mention to Eddie B who has been selected to be part of the Harlequins Development Player Programme. A fantastic achievement.

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PE NEWS MR GILL

The Year 10 team have yet to play their first matches of the year but have plenty to play in the Spring. The Year 11 team have been competitive in the matches they have played to date, losing to a strong Steyning Grammar School side. They have also been ably supported by a number of the Year 10 team.

Dance Preparations for the annual Dance Show at Brighton Dome are well underway. Dance clubs have been well attended by students both before school, during lunchtimes and after school. Students have had the chance to participate in a range of genres and styles and are looking forward to being able to perform their pieces at the Dance Show in March. A big thank you to our amazing Dance Captains who continue to support clubs and help to develop the skills of the younger students throughout the school.

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PE NEWS MR GILL

Table Tennis Table Tennis has always been a popular club at Dorothy Stringer, and we are lucky to have some extremely talented students who represent the school in various competitions. Both our U13 Girls and U13 Boys teams won the East Sussex Schools Finals and have progressed to the Regional Finals to be held in the New Year. Well done to Olive S, Makia G, Starla L-T, Ryan G, Finley A, Rafa M and Hewad K. We are hoping that the U16 Boys team will be able to join them by winning their final later this term.

Swimming Swimming continues to go from strength to strength at Dorothy Stringer. Our extra-curricular clubs have been well attended and the addition of a Girls Only swim club on a Wednesday morning has been well received by students. The Swimming Team continue to punch above their weight at galas and competitions. This year we have entered the Swimming Super League, this consists of 16 teams and after two rounds of competition, Dorothy Stringer are 8th. There are two further rounds to follow, and a finals day will be later in the year.

Special mention to Tilly T, who finished 1st in the Senior Girls 50m backstroke beating the other 15 competitors.

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PE NEWS MR GILL

Athletics We have again had some very strong performances from our athletes at the most recent English School Cross Country competitions. Round 1 is held at Waterhall each year and both our Junior Boys and Intermediate Girls teams qualified for the Regional Rounds. Special mention to Lara C, who won her race beating off strong competition from other runners from Sussex. The Regional Round, made up from schools all over the South East, was held in Tonbridge. Ned W, Stan H, Jack B, Beau H, Morris W, Izzy L, Lara C, Cara, M, Kira D and Tey M all gave really strong accounts of themselves in some particularly wet and muddy conditions.

Years 7 and 8 also got the opportunity to take part in the Brighton and Hove Indoor Athletics competition, in which the students got to represent Dorothy Stringer in a range of running, jumping and throwing events, participating against 7 other schools in Brighton. The Year 8 Boys and Girls teams both finished 4th in their competitions, Year 7 Girls finished 3rd and the Year 7 Boys finished 1st overall, progressing to the next round in April to represent Brighton and Hove. Well done to all involved!

The PE department have recently held the annual Stringer Run, a 2km cross country course set up around the school grounds. Nearly 300 Year 7 and 8 students took part this year, a fantastic effort by everyone involved. This year’s winners from Year 7 were Jack B and Stella G, and Year 8 winners were Stan H and Jessica N. All who took part will accumulate points towards the Inter House competition and a chance to win the Addis Shield. Interhouse competitions continue to run to give all students and opportunity to compete and represent their houses. More Interhouse competitions will take place in the new term, so keep an eye out for Football, Netball, Basketball, Capture the Flag, Badminton and Table Tennis competitions to sign up to.

A huge thank you to all students who continue to support our extra-curricular programme in PE, Sport and Dance. We look forward to seeing you all in the Spring term.

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ALUMNI NEWS

Congratulations to ex-Stringer student and Drama Departmental Assistant Gabriel Robinson, who has featured in the new BBC3 series Grime Kids.

The show premiered at London BFI on Friday 13th October. Grime Kids follows a group of young adults growing up in the early 2000s, dreaming of being able to make their marginalised voices heard through grime music.

We are very proud of Gabe and everything he continues to achieve in film, tv and theatre. You can watch Grime Kids on BBC iPlayer - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0gp4gpz/grime-kids

BRITISH PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS - MISS BROWN We would like to say a massive congratulations to Miss Brown, one of our incredibly talented art teachers here at Stringer and one of our very own alumni!

Miss Brown was shortlisted for the British Photography Awards. Included to the right is a picture of her amazing shortlisted photograph, and her at the Dorchester in London for the Photography Awards. Well done Miss Brown, this is very inspiring for our Art students!

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INSPECTION REPORT We are pleased to share that following our inspection in November, Dorothy Stringer has maintained its status as a ‘good’ school.

We are delighted that the inspectors’ report notes that staff are ‘ambitious for all pupils’ and ‘dedicated to inclusivity’ and that safeguarding is effective and pupils ‘feel cared for and safe at school’.

‘Incidents of bullying are dealt with sensitively and effectively by adults who know their pupils well.’

We are also very pleased that the report recognises our ‘ambitious and wide-ranging’ curriculum, and that ‘in many subjects, the curriculum takes pupils beyond the ambition of the national curriculum’.

In terms of our extra-curricular provision, the report recognises that ‘opportunities for all pupils to extend their learning outside their curriculum subjects are extensive.

The before-school sports clubs bustle with pupils keen to participate. In addition to sports clubs, a range of activities is available, providing something for everyone.’

Thank you to all our students, staff, governors and all the parents and carers who participated in the Parent View survey, we are grateful for your continued support.

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DRAMA DEPARTMENT

C a n I ju s t ta k e th is o p p o rt u n it y a s w e ll to th a n k y o u fo r ig n it in g m y s o e n th u s ia s m n ’s fo r E n g li s h th is te rm . It w a n e v e r h is fa s v o u ri te s u b je c t a t p ri m s c h o o l, b u a ry t re c e n tl y h e has com re a ll y e x c it e home ed about w hat you ha le a rn in g (s v e been o m e th in g to d o w it h o ri fa ir y ta le s g in s o f I th in k ). It 's s o n ic e to h e a r h im w a n t to ta lk a b o u t h is le a rn in g !

Y e a r 7 P a re nt

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to send us feedback and kind words this term; it is always appreciated. We've been really delighted to receive some lovely feedback from parents and carers recently, so we thought we'd share some of the comments with you. If you would like to leave us any feedback please email office@dorothy-stringer.co.uk

Coming up next half term...

January Tuesday 9 January - Year 11 photos Thursday 11 January – Y11 Parents’ evening Thursday 18 January – Y9 Options evening Thursday 25 January – Y9 Parents’ evening Wednesday 31 January - Upper school drama production first night

February Thursday 1, Friday 2, Saturday 3 February – Upper school drama production Tuesday 6 February – Year 9 school photos Friday 9 February - Student and staff Mastermind Quiz Friday 9 February - Break up for half term

WHOLE SCHOOL DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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Dorothy Stringer open evening A REVIEW BY LIZ UREN

DRAMA DEPARTMENT

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MERRY CHRISTMAS & happy new year from everyone at

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