GRANGE SCHOOL
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Happy New Year Welcome back to the new term. I hope that the festive break was a happy one and that you were able to enjoy time together with your family.
Brilliant Club In February, 12 Year 8 Grange students will be selected to take part in The Brilliant
We have three new staff joining us this term and it is my pleasure to introduce them to you.
Club. The Brilliant Club is an award winning non-profit organisation that exists to
Ms Evans is taking up the role of Assistant Head responsible for KS3 and provision for the More Able and talented students. Ms Evans came to us from Wallasey School where she was responsible for Teaching & Learning, More Able and Talented as well as Head of Geography.
schools. This club is for students who have displayed academic excellence. The
Mr Vine is also an Assistant Head and his responsibilities include the development of Transition mainly between KS2 and KS3. Mr Vine joins us from The Kingsway School in Cheshire where he was Head of PE and Lead Teacher for Transition. I am delighted to welcome them both to my Senior Leadership Team. Miss Thompson takes up the role of Lead Practitioner for Mathematics. Miss Thompson joins us from Abraham Moss School in Rochdale where she was a successful Head of Mathematics. Working alongside the current Mathematics Faculty leadership of Mr Liptrot and Mrs Mogg, Miss Thompson’s experience and expertise will, no doubt, be of great benefit to our students and the faculty. I look forward to working alongside our new staff.
widen access to top universities for outstanding students from non-selective state
programme involves an induction at the University of Durham, followed by 6 weeks of tutoring, at The Grange, led by a PhD student from a leading university. They will then complete an assignment at GCSE level which will be assessed and graded. Upon completing the course successfully they will then ‘graduate’ from the programme at the University of Oxford in May.
The Brilliant Club facilitates sustained contact between outstanding Students and doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from top universities. The programme was created through the Teach First innovation projects and as such it will be well organised and seek to give our students a tremendous insight into university life at top institutions. We are delighted to engage with The Brilliant Club as it is aligned with our school’s ASPIRE values through the support our students will
receive to help them achieve.
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.
GRANGE SCHOOL
Headlines Parent Forum
Food Bank This Christmas time, Mrs Simpson, Mrs Aitcherson and the year 11 GCSE RE group decided to organise a collection of food to be donated to Runcorn Foodbank. Staff and students were asked to donate tins and packets of food to go to those who needed it over the festive period. The collection ran for a few weeks and we were all astounded by the amount of food collected and the generosity of parents and carers, students and staff. The food was delivered to one of the Runcorn Foodbank outlets at Christ Church in Castlefields. Tony Mitchell from the Foodbank welcomed our donations and explained to the group how the Foodbank works and the importance it has in the community. Thank you to everyone who donated items!
We are constantly striving to improve what we do day to day to ensure the smooth and effective running of the school. Involvement of Parents is key to this success and we hold one Parents Forum meeting per half term to discuss ways forward. We are looking to recruit more members to this team to ensure that we are hearing as many voices to ensure that everyone involved with the Grange feels valued. Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday 26th February at 5pm. If you would like to express an interest in joining this forum please do so by contacting Mrs Thomson via the school number - 01928 562 660
Friends of The Grange School We are keen to form a group of Parents / Friends who would be willing to assist with the raising of valuable funds for the school. If you would like to be more involved in The Grange and would like to get to know others with children at the School, then please come along. Everyone is welcome, with or without experience of school fundraising. If you are unable to join us on that evening but would still like to be involved, please contact Mrs Hall on the school number - 01928 562 660
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.
GRANGE SCHOOL
Headlines
Media City Trip The Grange ‘Tag Team’ got straight into action on return to school after the holidays, with a trip to Media City in Salford. The group, made up of year 8 and 9 students, had the opportunity to tour the state of the art facilities which are home to the BBC, itv & many web and game design companies. The first stop of the day was the Match of The Day studio, where the team learnt about how live sporting events are recorded and how much media magic is required to create the shows we see on television. Following this was a trip to HQ1 where shows such as The Voice, Jeremy Kyle and Question of Sport are filmed. Students were full of questions and interested in the thousands of different jobs that Media City has created in the North-West. A tour of the galleries was next on the agenda and the group had the opportunity to explore the different studios that work together to create live and recorded media.
Rotary Club Rotary Clubs around England are holding their annual Young Musician competition to inspire the next generation of talented students throughout the country. Erin MacDonald and Chris Keoghan, two of our GCSE Music students, were delighted to be offered the chance to enter the competition. Both Erin and Chris have been active members of the music department throughout their time at school, performing in many of the school concerts and receiving peripatetic music tuition. The day came for the first round of the competition and members of the Runcorn Rotary Club joined together with two leading figures in the Halton music scene to judge the competition. Both students gave excellent performances and one judge was moved to tears by Erin’s vocal performance of All of Me. Once the auditions were completed it was time to play the nervous waiting game. After deliberation and adding up the scores the judges were pleased to announce that Chris and Erin would be the two musicians representing Runcorn in the district heats at Wesley Chapel on the 31st January.
We are very proud to have such talented musicians within The Grange and we wish Chris and Erin the best of luck as they represent the school and Runcorn at the end of this month.
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.
GRANGE SCHOOL
Headlines INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION
Mr Burton, our School Fantasy Football Chairman has written his monthly report. Managers of the month DECEMBER 2014 HOUSE COMPETITION
We have a new winner in the individual competition. Aaron Hutton, son of Mr Hutton, was on top position as manager of ‘Aaron Athletico’ with 199 points. ‘Rhys X1’, managed by Rhys Johnson in 10 CRL, were the team of the month in December with 201 points. They represent PRIORY HOUSE in the competition. Rhys changes his squad on a regular basis and is hoping to stay in top position throughout the rest of the season. He is currently in third place on the overall leader board.
As we go to print it is very pleasing to see that Miss Symes (Symes FC) is still ahead of Mr Carney (Gasworks X1). She is proving to be a very successful manger and is determined to keep our Head of School behind her in the league table.
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.
GRANGE SCHOOL
Headlines
THE GRANGE HOUSE SYSTEM from.... JANUARY 2015 Following Mr Milne’s departure and Mr Willmott’s promotion to Subject Leader for Humanities, we now have two new house leaders. Miss Simms is now Head of BRINDLEY HOUSE and Miss Carroll moves over to take charge of CASTLE HOUSE.
Mrs C. Knight Head of BRIDGEWATER HOUSE When I took over Bridgewater house in 2013 from Miss Bate, I was already aware that Bridgewater House was a house to be reckoned with, always ready to compete and attempt to win the inter house competitions. This determination to succeed has continued under my leadership and I am extremely proud to be Head of Bridgewater House.
One of the words that I regularly use in assemblies and when rallying students to enter competitions is PARTICIPATION. To me this is the key thing for a House to succeed. I encourage all students to participate and enjoy the competitions and events; if we win it’s an added bonus! To coin a phrase…we’ve got to be in it to win it! Taking part in House events helps us bond as a house team and promotes healthy competition, even if it doesn’t always end in victory for us! This philosophy seems to be proving successful over the last year and Bridgewater is in the healthy position of second in the House league. The highlight of the year for me was the Christmas Fun and Games events where we had enthusiastic participants from all five year groups, resulting in another Bridgewater win – well done to all, including the cheering supporters! The Bridgewater primary phase has also shown great enthusiasm and participation in the events we’ve held so far and I look forward to seeing this spirit continue as students move through The Grange.
I have asked our four Head of House to write a short article about their aims and hopes for 2015.
So… keep supporting your house and its members, participating and supporting Bridgewater so we can continue to be the best we possibly can!
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.
GRANGE SCHOOL
Headlines
Miss M. Simms Head of BRINDLEY HOUSE What an honour it is to take the lead of Brindley House! I have heard from the previous Head of House, Mr Wilmott, that the students within Brindley are incredibly talented and a pleasure to be around. I hope that nothing will change there! However, there is a change I would certainly welcome: a change to our current position on the House leader board, of course! I would love to restore Brindley back to its former glory. But how can we achieve this? I feel strongly that Brindley needs a stronger sense of identity. Many of us feel a sense of attachment towards a particular football team and muster up some interest in or enthusiasm for that team every single week. Do the same for Brindley! Identifying with Brindley House only during big events like the ‘Sports Spectacular’ will not give us the best chance of success. Make Brindley your business: know who is ‘in the team,’ when each ‘match’ is and how we are performing. Once our identity is strengthened, I hope to see more Brindley students supporting their House in a whole host of ways. The House Competition is important and I urge you to do all you can to secure points that will increase our chances of victory. In addition to this, I hope to ensure that there are other ways to get involved. Could you help to promote noncompetitive interaction between Brindley forms across the years/phases? I see the House System as having the potential to provide you with ways of taking on new responsibilities, with older students nurturing those in Year 7, for example. More on this will follow in the weeks/months to come. All that remains to say is that I look forward to getting to know you all and to seeing how Brindley will progress in 2015 and beyond.
Miss H. Carroll Head of CASTLE HOUSE I am so excited to be taking over from Mr Milne as Head of Castle house, and what an act to follow! When I spoke to Mr Milne about taking over Castle house, I was a little nervous stepping into his shoes. One thing he told me, with great pride, before he left, was how amazing the students of Castle house are; something I already knew, although this might not quite be reflected in the house standings at the moment. Something I aim to put right! The students of Castle are a proud bunch, they wear their ties with pride and are always happy to show support for their house. We may not always win, but we are always the loudest and proudest! As Mr Milne would say, with drum in hand, ‘We are Castle house, We are Castle house!’ I aim this year to make sure not only are we the loudest and proudest, but that we are a house to be reckoned with, challenging those above us for the top spot. We have had a good start to the year which we can build on by ensuring we show our house pride and participate in as many house events as possible, for Castle house, the only way is up! The end of term Christmas event had brilliant participation from all year groups, something I hope will carry on throughout the year. With increased participation and the enthusiasm and support we already have I am certain we can work our way to the top spot, where we belong! I am eager to see what 2015 brings for Castle house and what amazing achievements lay ahead for our fabulous students.
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.
GRANGE SCHOOL
Headlines
Miss J. Crozier PRIORY HOUSE It is great to be back as Head of Priory House upon my return from maternity leave. I am incredibly proud of my amazing house securing another win last year and currently ranking in the top spot. Priory House is filled with talented, friendly and fun students who make the house so great! I feel strongly that Priory encompasses the school . Values. We have achieved 1st place overall for the last three years. We support each other doing events especially if that means shouting the loudest. We persevere, even if the event does not fit our individual talents. We use our integrity to win events. We have a great respect for each other and our competitors. Being part of the house system enriches our lives. My vision is to continue with our success and to ensure everyone in Priory feels the same pride I feel for the house. If you find yourself free on an event night come along and take part. From participating to cheering everyone plays a vital part in making Priory an amazing house. I look forward to seeing you at the next house event. All that is left to say is… Come on Priory! The future looks promising for our House System and I have no doubt that our new team will continue to make our houses a vibrant and valuable part of school life.
The current league tables are as follows and you can follow the fortunes of your child’s house on our school website. INTER HOUSE COMPETITIONS 2014 -2015 Y7 Games Galore
Thursday 11th September 2014
PRIORY
BRINDLEY
CASTLE
BRIDGEWATER
Y9 E-Jig
Wednesday 8th October 2014
PRIORY
CASTLE
BRINDLEY
BRIDGEWATER
Y8 Netball and Basketball
16th 2014
PRIORY (JOINT FIRST)
BRIDGEWATER (JOINT FIRST)
BRINDLEY (JOINT FIRST)
CASTLE
Y7 Vivo challenge
Up to Friday 17th October 2014
BRIDGEWATER (JOINT FIRST)
PRIORY (JOINT FIRST)
BRINDLEY
CASTLE
Y3 Launch
Wednesday 22nd October 2014
BRIDGEWATER
PRIORY
CASTLE
BRINDLEY
Thursday
October
Y6 Inter House Football
Wednesday October 2014
BRIDGEWATER
BRINDLEY
PRIORY
CASTLE
Fantasy Football
Manager of the month: October 2014
CASTLE
BRINDLEY
PRIORY
BRIDGEWATER
BRINDLEY
CASTLE
PRIORY
BRIDGEWATER
PRIORY
CASTLE
BRINDLEY
BRIDGEWATER
Y10 and Y11 5- aside Football Fantasy Football
22nd
Friday
28th
November 2014
Manager of the month: November 2014 21st
Y7 Vivo Challenge
Up to Friday November 2014
PRIORY
BRINDLEY
CASTLE
BRIDGEWATER
Y2 Launch
Wednesday 17th December 2014
BRIDGEWATER
PRIORY
CASTLE
BRINDLEY
Fantasy Football
Manager of the month: December 2014
PRIORY
BRIDGEWATER
BRINDLEY
CASTLE
End of term competition
Friday 19th December 2014
BRIDGEWATER
PRIORY
CASTLE
BRINDLEY
HOUSE POSITIONS as at.... Monday 5th January 2015 I st PLACE 2nd PLACE
PRIORY HOUSE BRIDGEWATER HOUSE
43 POINTS 33 POINTS
3rd PLACE
BRINDLEY HOUSE
31 POINTS
4th PLACE
CASTLE HOUSE
27 POINTS
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.
GRANGE SCHOOL
Headlines
Alumni - Mrs Wendy Marshall (Née Lloyd) I was a student at The Grange from 1980 – 1985 having already attended The Grange Infants and The Grange Juniors. The eighties were a time of great changes in the world, Margaret Thatcher had become the first female Prime Minister, CDs were futuristic and unemployment in Great Britain was at an all-time high. But life at The Grange was fantastic. I have many treasured memories: trips to the Menai Centre, maths clinics in the school holidays with Mr Burton and school discos with Mr Tarry as DJ. Initially, I was apprehensive about returning to The Grange and wondered whether the ethos of the school would have changed. Happily, I found that the only difference was new members of staff. I immediately felt like I had ‘come home.’ I consider it a privilege not only to be working in my old school, but also to be lucky enough to work alongside some of my old teachers. I am very fortunate to be working with an excellent team of professionals and I am proud to once again be a member of The Grange.
As I approached the end of my school life, I wondered what was next. A YTS scheme, the government’s solution to keeping unemployment figures down, was not for me and I didn’t want to go to the local college. What I really wanted was not to leave school at all; the obvious solution was sixth form at The Grange. I knew from experience that the staff were incredibly supportive and more importantly, they knew what I was capable of and what I could achieve. It was this support, which I had received throughout my time at The Grange, that ensured I achieved excellent grades in my O’Levels. After leaving The Grange I went on to work as an accounts clerk before moving into payroll management, until ten years ago. It was at this time that I made the decision to pursue my dream of working with children. I returned to education on a part time basis and achieved the necessary qualifications to fulfil my dream. I worked with pre-school and primary children and then six years ago I saw an advert for my dream job, working at The Grange. I knew it was time to move, time to give something back to the school that had supported me so well during my own education.
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.
GRANGE SCHOOL
Headlines
Grange Unplugged Introducing Following the success of Grange Unplugged at the start of the school year, the music department will be presenting the second instalment with ‘Grange Unplugged Introducing’. Performing over two nights, some of the hidden talents of The Grange will be revealed, as we introduce our Year 9 GCSE Music students and Year 7 & 8 top achievers. Students will showcase their abilities in a completely acoustic evening, which takes music back to basics and puts the focus firmly on our future stars.
Maths Puzzle The answer to last month’s festive teaser is shown below.
Grange Unplugged Introducing will take place on Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th February at 7pm. Tickets will be available from the Finance Office from Monday 2nd February. Book early to avoid disappointment, as there are only limited tickets available. Keep your eye on the Grange Twitter and Facebook page for trailers and interviews with some of the performers, using #GUIBeThere.
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.
This month’s teaser is...
GRANGE SCHOOL
Headlines
GCSE Options I would like to remind all parents and carers of students in Years 8 and 10 that we are getting close to going through their options process. It is important that all parents and carers consider these choices carefully with their son or daughter and gain the right information to help. To support this process, grade cards reflecting recent assessment data will be provided to parents and carers very shortly. In addition, there are a number of very important meeting coming up which will help parents and carers discuss options choices with their children. Year 10 Parents evening – Thursday 12th February Pathways evening – Thursday 5th March Year 8 Parents evening – Thursday 26th February Pathways evening – Thursday 12th March As always, parents evening is a vital opportunity for parents and carers to visit school and discuss their son’s or daughter’s progress towards their targets in each subject. Pathways evening is designed to provide all of the relevant information about the options process as well as having subject specialists on hand to explain more about the subjects on offer and what taking that subject as a GCSE really means. We are confident that with these events students, parents and carers will have all of the information they need to make the right decisions.
Term dates Term
Opens
Closes
Spring 1
Monday 5th January 2015
Friday 13th February 2015
Spring 2
Monday 23rd February 2015
Thursday 2nd April 2015
Summer 1*
Monday 20th April 2015
Friday 22nd May 2015
Summer 2
Monday 1st June
Thursday 16th July 2015
* School is closed on Bank Holiday Monday 4th May 2015. Event
Date
Year 11 Parents Evening
Thursday 22nd January 2015
Year 10 Parents Evening
Thursday 12th February 2015
Year 8 Parents Evening
Thursday 26th February 2015
Year 10 Pathways Evening
Thursday 5th March 2015
Year 8 Pathways Evening
Thursday 12th March 2015
Year 9 Parents Evening
Thursday 19th March 2015
Follow us on www.thegrange.com www.facebook.com/grangeschool @grange_school
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.