Q News
Q News | Issue 12 | Autumn 2021
Issue 12
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Autumn 2021
Les Quennevais School Learning to be your best through excellence and enjoyment CONTENTS
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Q News | Issue 12 | Autumn 2021
HEADTEACHER’S REVIEW Dear Reader, How quickly time has flown since the beginning of the academic year and we now find ourselves looking forward to a much needed break this Christmas. As ever we have enjoyed a very busy, productive and inspiring autumn term. A term where we have successfully navigated and battled our way through the ever present challenges of COVID-19 to enable our students to have as ‘normal’ an experience in school as possible. Indeed, it would be fair to say ‘normal’ has gone from being a very underrated thing that we have taken for granted for so long, to something that we now have a better appreciation of and a deep longing for! So it was with great joy that we began the autumn term back in September with a more ‘normal’ transition into secondary school for our Y7 students. What a terrific bunch of young people they are and how quickly they have established their place within our community, immersing themselves in the many varied opportunities on offer. They are full of enthusiasm and ambition, this was keenly celebrated in the extraordinary work Y7 students submitted for their Transition exhibition. What enormous potential they have – exciting times ahead for them all.
Front cover credit: Scarlett, Y11 student
The character and resilience demonstrated by our Y11 students continues to impress and inspire us all. They began the term with an iGCSE English Language exam in October. Their preparation and commitment, attending revision sessions at weekends was superb. No excuses, no complaints, they just got on with the job in hand with real maturity and optimism. This of course was superbly supported by our fantastic staff in English, Mr Oliver as Head of Y11 and our Y11 tutors as well as our magnificent support staff. With mock exams in all subjects now completed they can rest for a while ahead of their iGCSE Maths exam and Enterprise and Marketing exams in January. We know they are ready and able for the challenges that lie ahead. Rome wasn’t built in a day and the same principle applies to building successful young people. Our Y11 students have actually been preparing for examinations since the first day in Y7. We guide and develop not only knowledge and understanding through a rich curriculum, we also develop character, values and attributes through experiences that shape and enable our students to be equipped for life and everything that lies ahead. They are a seriously impressive Year group and one we are extremely proud of.
Year 11 also found time to enjoy the wider aspects of school life, representing our school successfully on the sporting field, carrying out leadership duties across the school and within our community, with real maturity and a sense of fun and immersing themselves in a wealth of additional opportunities. I am proud and delighted to reveal they delivered a historic first for our school, winning the Rotary Peace debate held in the States Chamber for the very first time in the history of the school. Our students excelled themselves in the Chamber, delivering a passionate brilliantly articulated and persuasive argument that won over the panel. Competing against students from a range of other Island schools, predominantly from Years 12 and 13, our students were simply superb. Congratulations must go to the whole team and Miss Ritchie who prepared and supported our students to a historic victory. Continuing on a theme of firsts, a highlight for this term has to be our inaugural Careers Fair held in our main hall. 35 local businesses represented a wide and varied range of employment sectors. Students from all Year groups had the opportunity to experience a high quality event that hopefully inspired, intrigued and introduced students to opportunities within the workplace and beyond. Talking to potential employees is such a valuable experience and a sense of excitement and interest was infectious throughout the whole day.
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It is vital that Careers teaching and Careers thinking it’s not only focused on our senior students. It is essential we begin enticing and exposing our younger students to all the opportunities that we can. This is a new dimension and development that we will be embracing with a sense of vigour and creativity in the years ahead. It was something of a swan song for Mrs Ashley our Assistant Headteacher, who has been a member of the Senior Leadership Team for over 21 years at Les Quennevais. Part of her role has been Careers and it is a measure of her outstanding moral leadership that she is still innovating initiatives, as she brings this dimension of her role to a close. Mrs Ashley will be stepping down from Senior Leadership from January. I am however delighted she will remain very much part of our school in a part-time capacity and continue to teach Enterprise and Marketing at GCSE as well as leading and coordinating whole school events. Our school and generations of students have benefited immeasurably from Mrs Ashley‘s dedication to her leadership role and her love of our students has driven her to offer so much, over so many years, to so many. As a close colleague I am personally extremely grateful to have worked alongside Mrs Ashley every day on aspects of school leadership and I know our school as a better place with her still in it! I know parents, many who are former students of Mrs Ashley themselves will agree and join me in thanking her for her commitment, passion and drive in supporting school leadership for so many years. As a newly proud grandmother we wish her a very happy future in her new part-time role.
Looking further ahead to January, our school will be quite literally ‘Rockin!’ as we forge ahead with our School Production, the thrilling musical extravaganza ‘School of Rock!’ Not only is it our first production in two years, it is our first production in our new school. Excited doesn’t come close! We have really missed seeing our students perform on stage and I know how much they have missed performing themselves so it promises to be a highlight that will thrill us all, as always. Tickets will go on sale after Christmas so please ensure you get yours quickly especially given we do not have the same capacity as the Opera House, which we sell out for a full three night run and given the seating restrictions we will need to manage around Covid precautions. Students have been rehearsing around-the-clock and thank you to our parents who have supported this so well. A School production is a real commitment from everyone involved but one that creates a buzz and a thrill like no other. I for one cannot wait! This edition of Q News once again reflects the vibrant and busy life of our school and also the very special culture that we cherish. As we prepare for Christmas a time for reflection and pause for thought, I am struck by the reminder that many of the challenges we faced last Christmas still remain. However, I feel very strongly that if we do have to face these challenges as a community, and we must, then I am very glad that I work here at Les Quennevais School and with you all.
I know Covid and the complex issues around isolation, contact tracing and even vaccinations are a struggle for so many of us. Let us remember that whatever our personal views around political or medical matters we are simply a school and we are doing our very best for your children and our children. So many of the decisions and actions that we are required to undertake are simply directives and are not of the schools making. Without your support as parents Covid will divide us and could break or damage something very precious. We must remain focused on the wonderful achievements of our young people who come to us everyday and remember how they thriving. All staff have once again risen to over and above what should ever reasonably be expected from them. I do not expect Readers to understand much of what we have had to cope with on a daily basis but I hope that you all feel that we have done our very best in these difficult and testing times. I know how much they give each day and over time this takes a severe toll. They do it without complaint or any expectation so when a small thank you comes their way, it can change the feel of a day and make everything worthwhile. The power of a thank you is enormous and the gift of friendship and support is the most precious gift we can give. I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and I hope that you cherish some much needed time with your families. After all these are the really important things in life. Stay safe and well however you’re spending your Christmas here or further afield and we will see you again at the start of next year. Happy Christmas to you all. Yours sincerely
Sarah Hague Headteacher
HEADTEACHER’S REVIEW
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Q News | Issue 12 | Autumn 2021
Students are bowled over by exprofessional cricketer Alex Tudor It was another memorable day for Les Quennevais School as we welcomed cricketing legend Alex Tudor to officially open our new state-of-the-art cricket nets and relaunch cricket at Les Quennevais School.
Mrs Hague then took Alex into our Sports Hall to show him our indoor cricket facilities followed by a tour of the school, which included a stop at our Digital Wall showing a video about him and the famous 99!
The cricket nets, which were installed in the Summer holidays, have been kindly sponsored by Carey Olsen through ‘Chirpy’s Cricket Development Centre’, led by James Caunt. Since choosing Les Quennevais School as Chirpy’s base, James has been able to grow Chirpy’s significantly and is extremely excited about the future of the sport at the school.
The tour then concluded with an inspiring Q&A session with Year 7 & 8 in the Main Hall. Students asked a wide range of perceptive questions, with staff and students were hanging onto his every word.
Alex Tudor, fondly known as ‘the night watchman’ for his legendary 99 not-out against New Zealand in 1999, was blown away by the school and our sports facilities. After opening the nets, he then bowled the first balls at some very starstruck students who loved the opportunity to face an ex-England fast bowler.
ALEX TUDOR
Alex’s main message to the students were that hard work is 100% more important than talent, you must be kind to each other, respect and learn about people from a different background and culture, take every opportunity given to you, that a tight, close family is hugely important and siblings who you respect and can look up to really matter but most of all always keep learning.
Alex was extremely impressed with the students’ interest, engagement and behaviour. He was more stunned by the size of the queue to get his autograph after! What a fantastic ambassador for sport and cricket in particular but what an impressive role model for our young people. After Mrs Hague’s engagement with another cricketing legend Mark Butcher on Twitter, we could well be welcoming more sporting legends in the future. Watch this space! Mr A Richardson Business Manager
Q News | Issue 12 | Autumn 2021
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ALEX TUDOR
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WELCOME Our new teacher of Computing Mr A Watson
Who is Mr Watson? I grew up on a farm in the west country, I spent a lot of time climbing and surfing and went on to be a climbing instructor for a while. I studied design and spent several years working overseas in Australia and America, either in construction or outdoor pursuits. I’ve spent the last ten years working in a school in central London, we were ready for a move so the chance to come and live in Jersey turned out to be the ideal opportunity. How would you describe yourself in three words? Quiet, ambitious and competitive.
Why did you want to teach at Les Quennevais?
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
I’ve seen plenty of schools that have some amazing and ambitious teachers, but when I came for my interview, I was overwhelmed by the way all the staff at Les Quennevais seemed to be going above and beyond for the students.
When I was training to be a project manager my mentor taught me to treat everyone the way you would like to be treated.
What is your main goal with students? You can’t get far in life without IT these days so whilst I want students to get great grades, I also want them to be ready for life after school. What are your likes?
Why did you become a teacher? I had quite a few different jobs before deciding to teach, I was a surveyor and project manager for a quite a few years. I wanted a career change and having worked as climbing instructor when I was younger, shifting to teaching wasn’t too much of a change.
STAFF INTERVIEW
Fresh coffee, cycling and climbing.
What are your dislikes? Traffic Jams, when working as a project manager my daily commute was a 130mile round trip in and out of London, I think some days I spent more time in my car than I did in my office.
Who is your idol? People who really push themselves, I was fortunate enough to race for a professional triathlon team when I was younger and made it to a few world championships and got the chance to meet some of my idols.
And finally, what excites you about Les Quennevais? There’s always something going on, it brings a real buzz to the day. You can’t help but get pulled along with it.
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LQS hosts its first Careers Fair Employers and business representatives from over 35 different sectors attended our inaugural Careers Fair this term. All students from every year group were invited to the Main Hall to engage with delegates about their respective sector invoking inspiring discussion about the various careers available to young people today. It was also lovely to welcome back lots of ex-students who were able to talk to current students about their chosen career, how they got there whilst promoting their employer or business.
“What a great opportunity for the students and we met some fabulous young people who are interested in careers in healthcare. The whole event was really well managed and we all commented on how well behaved and mannerly the students were throughout. A really lovely event to be part of!” The event was a huge success and we look forward to building on that success and growing the event for next year and beyond.
Feedback from both the students and the delegates was hugely positive with one commenting –
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Q News | Issue 12 | Autumn 2021
Historic ‘first’ as LQS students win the Rotary Peace Debate Les Quennevais School was given the opportunity to attend and compete at the Rotary Student Peace Debate on Friday 19th November. The Rotary Club chose the theme of civil disobedience. Our Year 11 debate team decided to focus on Generation Z’s involvement in civil disobedience, our motion being “Why is it up to Generation Z to take on Governments to usher a new wave of change?” To give you all a little insight on how dedicated this team was, on the night before the big debate, the squad stayed after school for a late-night session. At 4:30pm the speech was 15 minutes long! Our cut off was 5 minutes! We managed to get it down to 7 minutes. Mr Lopez stopped by to have a listen, just as he was about to leave, he shares some of his literary brilliance, a riff: “The letter Z is at the end of the alphabet, but Generation Z are at the forefront of Civil Disobedience.” This was the cherry on top!
Debate day began by the Bailiff addressing the assembly and introducing Naomi West from Extinction Rebellion and Lesley Katsande from Black Lives Matter to present and share their views to the assembly. Lesley spoke passionately about what civil disobedience means to her, as well as the importance of the youth’s voice in bringing about change. All schools performed incredibly well, and it was a fascinating debate with very good presentations and intelligent question and answer sessions from all. Hautlieu school’s motion focussed on “collective action through non-violent civil disobedience is the most powerful way to bring about social change.” This was followed by De La Salle College presentation on the group Insulate Britain and whether they are helping or hurting the climate crisis.
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Finally, and the last to present Oliver, Abi and Zoe spoke with such passion, explaining who Generation Z are, the power of technology and highlighting the generation’s success in using civil disobedience to provoke change. They also managed to include how government could be doing much more to reach the crucial goal of limiting a rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees celsius. Students were spectacular in answering a range of challenging questions from other schools. Nicholas and Isabel were brilliant in assisting those answering the questions with insight and knowledge.
After all schools presented, the votes were in. To quote one of the organisers of the Student Peace Debate, “Les Quennevais emerged as the clear winners of the competition and will the hold the Colin Powell Trophy until the next debate.” Well done and thank you to the amazing Year 11 team who took part in this year’s Peace Debate. Oliver, Abi, Zoe, Isabel, Nicholas, Poppy, Jake, and Rosie. You have all been outstanding.
All of your hard work, after school sessions, speech rehearsals paid off in the end as WE WON! First year back after Covid and we came back with a bang and with the trophy raised proudly in the air. Fingers crossed for next year... Miss Ritchie Teacher of Humanities Miss Ritchie and her winning team celebrated their success with a prize winner’s breakfast hosted by Mrs Hague in the school’s Conference Room
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Senior students left inspired by Summer Bio-Medical Project During the first week of August, Year 11 students Eathan, Adi, Lauren and Hanna took part in an island-wide Bio-Medical project. This opportunity allowed students to witness varying medical vocational prospects that take place on the island including: • • • • • • • • • •
Surgical Techniques (including performing a heart dissection) Pathology (Pathology Department of Jersey General Hospital) Pharmacology Biochemistry Biodiversity Dentistry Nursing Medical Imaging (Medical Imaging Department of Jersey General Hospital Veterinary Sciences (Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Careers and university application advice and exercises.
Here’s what Eathan had to say about the project.
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Gaining both experience and knowledge in varying fields of the biological and medical industry, the week spent with plenty of other students around my age provided us with day to day experiences, as well as a plethora of previously unknown information. During the course, and speaking to students, everyone spoke with ease, as the professionals shared their history and guided us individually.
For me, I had recently been thinking along the surgical route as a career, yet could not fully grasp the pathways that I needed to take to achieve my goal. However, before I had the chance to personally speak with a student in his last year of studying to become a surgeon, I took an interest in the Neuroscientist that was with us for the day. At first, Neuroscience wasn’t even on the margins of my radar, although by the first hour, my eyes were opened.
From the opening speech about what we would cover, to the very last aspects mentioning about future technology, and how it may be able to be incorporated into the brain to reduce or completely eliminate the worries and illnesses caused within the body, vanquishing harmful conditions. It was here that I had obtained a mentor, questioning him and discussing the possibilities that may come within the time it takes to study a subject. Visitors emailed us to contact them with further questions and help on their journey down a medical route. Including those that are not sure about their careers, this is a perfect opportunity for a spark in aspiration, and if nothing makes sense of your decisions, you will still have the skills picked up throughout the week. I am delighted that I was fortunate enough to be part of this lifechanging opportunity. Eathan Deputy Head Boy
BIO-MEDICAL
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Students spring into action after Earth-Shot Awards After two successful whole school Parliament meetings, students have discussed a range of issues. After a survey taken by students last academic year about their experiences of their first year in the new school, students highlighted the canteen as an area for improvement – this has then led to a further initiative about what we can do as a school regarding food wastage. Whilst discussions focused on canteen prices and meal options, some students within the parliament directed their questions towards the issues surrounding the packaging of food and then raised the question: what happens to our food? Where does it go? What happens to the food that isn’t sold?
Inspired by the recent Earth Shot awards and the city of Milan who won the global prize designing a scheme for a waste-free world, talk suddenly turned from dietary and pricing to the sustainability of our food consumption and what we can do about it within our local community. Students went away to research about what Milan had done and to see if we could apply something similar for our own community and this was then presented back in the second meeting, with students reporting that: “A third of all food produced globally is wasted. Each discarded food item uses precious resources and heaps pressure on agriculture. The global food system generates between 25-30% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions suffer from food insecurity. The City of Milan’s Food Waste Hubs tackle two problems in one. Launched in 2019 with the aim of halving waste by 2030, each hub recovers food mainly from supermarkets and companies’ canteens and gives it to the team who distribute it to the neediest citizens.
The student parliament presented to Caring Cooks CEO Yvonne Corbin and discuss how the school canteen can support the initiative.
Milan is the first major city to enforce a city-wide food waste policy encompassing public agencies, food banks, charities, NGOs, universities and private businesses. And it is working. Today the city has three Food Waste Hubs, each recovering about 130 tonnes of food per year or 350 kg per day, an estimated 260,000 meals equivalent. Milan has created a blueprint that can be scaled throughout the world. If more follow Milan’s lead, cities may become one of our greatest assets in humanity’s progress toward a waste free world.” Our aim is to now use this blueprint set by the city of Milan (albeit on a smaller scale!) and create our own food wastage programme. The wheels are already in motion with meetings that have taken place with Jersey Hemp, Jersey Carbon Farm and Dark Carbon Energy. Students even presented their vision to the CEO of Caring Cooks who was blown away by the Parliament representatives who gave their views on how the canteen can change and how they can help support and join the LQ food wastage programme. There is a long way to go, but we are certainly in an exciting place – watch this space! Mr Harris Assistant Headteacher
STUDENT PARLIAMENT
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Alumni Interview Steven Cartwright
I left Les Quennevais School in 1997 to go on to Hautlieu to study A-levels. Although my A-level grades didn’t go to plan I went on to the University of Plymouth to study an HND in Business and Finance and then a degree in Oceanography specialising in Meteorology. Returning to Jersey, I worked for the Jersey Harbours which was incredibly fun as I loved being on the water on a daily basis. After a while this became routine and for me lacked challenge and progression that I had began to crave. In 2006 I took the decision to join the Royal Navy as an Engineering Officer. Passing the Admiralty Interview Board and Officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth I went on to serve on the Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, the Marine Engineering School HMS Sultan and then had the opportunity to serve overseas as an adviser in Yemen. I served with the Royal Marines in Scotland and finished as a Staff Officer in Navy Command in Portsmouth leaving at the end of 2012 to become a Civil Servant in Jersey.
ALUMNI INTERVIEW
When I returned to Jersey, I joined the Ministry of External Relations, Jersey’s version of the Foreign Office, that focused on Jersey’s relationships with other jurisdictions and countries. I looked after UK and US relations as well as relations with certain countries in the Middle East. This role was fantastic as it required me to travel to London, Washington, and New York on a regular basis and meet a fascinating range of people. Throughout my career I had always made sure I continued to test my brain, I made a point of taking courses in project management, risk management and policy making. After three years with the Government of Jersey I stepped out of Public Service to broaden my managerial skills. I took a job as Senior Manager working on the Change Programme for the Jersey Financial Services Commission. I had made a personal choice early on not to go into finance, but I thoroughly enjoyed gaining the experience of managing complex projects and working with people from different backgrounds and specialisms.
In 2017 I was fortunate to be appointed as Chief Officer of the Bailiff’s Chambers. This in modern terms is office of the Chief Justice. However, Jersey’s Bailiff is also the Civic Head and Speaker of the States Assembly. It’s a busy role but with that comes variety and above all its fun. I’m lucky enough to have the responsibility of coordinating Liberation Day annually and recently a virtual Liberation day which really did test me. I get to plan and work on Royal visits and I regulate public events such as Weekender and other large events for the island.
Which years were you at Les Quennevais? I was at Les Quennevais School between 1992-1997 when the old school building was being updated from a very 1970s building. What was your biggest challenge at school? Sport - I was so bad at sport, literally all of them. But over time, when I left school I found out that I was pretty fit and got into cycling, running and surfing.
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What was your greatest achievement at school? Getting through school and onto higher education. For me that was my aim. I wasn’t a perfect academic and I preferred hands on lessons like Design and Technology. I had to work hard to achieve the grades I needed but got there eventually.
Song/band/album that defined your school years? I guess Wonderwall by Oasis, and not because I listened as a fan but it was played incessantly by everyone on loop! I evolved into more of a Blink 182, Offspring and Foos type.
Favourite lesson or activity? I never had a particular lesson, it was more about the fun of teachers. Any lesson can become a favourite providing you have the right teacher. My form and Humanities teacher Mr Gough was legendary and one of the longest serving teachers at school (probably even a world record :P). Mr Hughes my English teacher was a man of the world and reminded the class that life wasn’t a doddle and we needed to understand the reality ahead of us. Both teachers brought the lessons alive and made them great fun.
Favourite memory of Les Quennevais?
Favourite aspect of your job?
When class finished. Not because I hated class but that was usually when the fun started, meeting up with friends and there was always a drama kicking off somewhere to sit back and watch. For me my time at Les Quennevais was colourful and starting age 11 and leaving at 16 I left a different person in a good way.
Public service. My role serves islanders without them even realising. Due to the broad nature of my role I have a number of remits that support island life. The most interesting aspect is approving public events. I work with a panel of experts from the emergency services and other agencies to make sure they are safe for people to attend.
Which aspects of life at Les Quennevais helped you become the person you are today?
What advice would you give to students looking at their career options?
We all have challenges going through school, especially secondary school, you begin to push boundaries and look at who you want to be and how you want to be seen. For me being determined not to fail school and to go on to bigger things. Even when it became apparent I wasn’t a top grade student I knew that perseverance and determination would get me through.
In the military I learned that no plan survives first contact, meaning when something like an explosion occurs, whatever you had planned generally goes out the window and you have to rethink your approach.
What path did you take and who inspired you along the way to get you where you are today?
I chose to do things that made me tick – courses, jobs etc. I was never told what to do by my parents, and I think that helped me form my decisions and shaped my career. One thing that is a must - learn from any mistakes and don’t repeat them.
From that I would say keep things simple and you can’t go far wrong. In planning and tackling a career plan in whatever field you choose take it in bite size chunks and regularly check that its working for you.
If you would like to be a Q News featured alumni, please contact our Business Manager Mr Richardson. We’d love to hear your story!
ALUMNI INTERVIEW
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Year 7s hit the ground running
Well how do I even start to describe a year group that already feels well and truly embedded into our school community. I cannot quite believe how quickly this first term has gone! It really doesn’t seem like it was nearly six months ago that we were welcoming students through our doors and into our school hall to welcome Year 6.5 on Transition Days, and yet here we are, with a fabulous year group who are already so involved with everything Les Quennevais has to offer!
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To watch them represent the school wearing the LQ shirt highlights the pride they all feel to be part of our community.
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YEAR 7 REPORT
It was quite clear from the two transition days back in the summer that this year group had something special about them, as they interacted with passion and curiosity in every lesson, which was then only to be surpassed by the outstanding quality that students produced for their final outcomes of the Transition Project. Whether it was a cook book identifying each stage of a local delicacy of real Jersey produce, a piece of art depicting the island’s efforts to protect our environment or even a beautifully crafted model of local landmarks such as Corbiere lighthouse, it was clear that students had certainly taken on board the advice they had been offered to ensure that excellence was delivered. It really was a beautiful moment on the Year 7 team-building day, to watch students engage with each other and critique their work in the Transition Exhibition.
One thing that is abundantly clear, students of Year 7 are already full of House spirit and the competition is already incredibly fierce. Whether it has been the DT construction project, efforts to ensure they have the highest Class Chart points, Tugof-War, or Inter-House football or netball, students are desperate to give their all for their House. Beyond this, I am delighted that so many have thrown themselves into extra-curricular activities after school. We all know how incredible our school productions are, so to have so many Year 7s stepping up and showing the courage to get involved with this already makes me incredibly proud.
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In addition to this, the volume of students who have put themselves forward for other opportunities such as STEM club, football or netball is truly unbelievable. We certainly have some incredible talent and to have had the opportunity to get outside and watch them represent the school wearing the LQ shirt highlights the pride they all feel to be part of our community. My message this year has been to take as many opportunities and throw yourself into LQ life as much as you can – Year 7 carry on! Your future is very bright! Mr Harris Assistant Headteacher / Head of Year 7
YEAR 7 REPORT
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Year 7 Transition Projects
What an extraordinary, blistering impact our new Year 7s made for the Transition Exhibition. Their creativity, ingenuity and incredible hard work which shone from every piece of our exhibition for 2021. It always amazes me how, from a handful of lessons with us in July, our youngest students go away over the Summer to produce awe inspiring work from such a wide variety of subjects. This year was no exception. The art produced by this years’ group was easily the most beautiful and brim-filled with talent I think we have ever had. From semi-abstract wave collages, to stunning paintings of Portelet Bay, landscapes made from sea glass and other found objects, lino prints, striking textiles art and beautiful sculptural work. It is very clear that this year group will need keeping a close eye on in their art and textiles lessons over the coming years to make sure we make the very most of the abundance of talent that is spread across this wonderful year group.
TRANSITION
The scientific research and presentation on habitats were exceptional this year, with detailed models, superb diagrams and explorations of our local wildlife. The quality was unsurpassed. We had our very own Repair Shop piece in the Historical section along with some fascinating models of local sites of historical interest. It’s always so interesting to see how much our students connect their own family history to their projects. The folk tales section demonstrated some excellent writing and compelling stories, including an extraordinary story written as diary entries set in two different time periods.
We had magnificent sporting stories and history exploring local sporting heroes. As with every year, the protest art about the issues with plastics in our seas was a sombre and powerful reminder of just how passionate our young students are about the state of the seas which surround our island. The sculptural wave made from a plastic bottle was my personal favourite. We have run our Transition Project for many years now. I always wonder will students rise to the challenge and every year, they seem to rise that little bit higher. This year was no exception and I cannot wait to see where that energy, commitment and sheer flair will take them in the next 5 years. Mr Jones Assistant Headteacher
Recipients of the Headteacher’s Award were invited to an afternoon tea with Mrs Hague
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LQS reach for the stars for first Astronomy Night This term, students in Year 9 and 10 were invited along to Les Quennevais’ first of many Astronomy Events. Guided by expert Neil, from the Jersey Astronomy Club, students took a tour of the Solar System accompanied by a warming hot chocolate and stunning photography displayed on the Media Wall. The cloudy weather, which prevented us using the generously donated telescopes held by the LQS Science Department, didn’t curb the enthusiasm of the students and staff who attended. We discussed the sulphuric acid clouds on Venus, Jupiters raging red spot storm and Plutos demotion to dwarf plant.
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Students commented: ‘I really enjoyed the meeting and I found myself genuinely smiling out of interest for the talk. The atmosphere of the talk was honestly so relaxed and happy. I’m glad we all had similar interests and it was super fun!’ ‘I really enjoyed the talk! It was extremely informative and interactive. I feel that I’ve learned a lot from this experience.’ ‘I now want to just float around in Jupiter for the remaining of my existence. I would like to thank the teachers and the smart astronomy man for taking the time out of their day to organise and hold this event.’
We look forward to the new year and spring term, where we will host further Astronomy events across the year groups. Including celebrating National Astronomy Day around the 7th of May with talks, workshops and immersive experiences for students. Coming up this year in October is also the return of World Space Week, which alternates yearly with World Biology Week. This will involve House Competitions and events throughout the week from Mon 3rd - Fri 7th Oct. Miss O’Connell Teacher of Science
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ASTRONOMY NIGHT
Innovative new course DEC! has laid down it’s foundations this term Design, Engineer, Construct! (DEC!), is an exciting and innovative course that teaches young people about the built environment. Students learn skills linking to a range of construction roles, such as Architecture, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Project Management, Facilities Management, Quantity Surveying and Land Surveying. Students carry out projects which see them designing buildings, following the process outlined by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). After completing a range of tasks in their portfolio, such as interviewing a client, conducting research, consulting planning legislations, carrying out feasibility studies and generating initial ideas. Students use OpenBuildings Designer, which is industry standard BIM (Building, Information, Modelling) software provided by Bentley Systems, to create and develop 3D models of their buildings, in our state-ofthe-art computer suite. Students can also visualise their finished designs in a real-life setting using LumenRT software. There they can see their building positioned in a landscape, with people and cars nearby and test the building in different weather conditions, conducting energy analysis and building compliance.
DESIGN, ENGINEER, CONSTRUCT
The DEC! course promotes strong cross curricular links with subjects such as Maths, Science, and IT, and educates students about relevant issues such as climate change, encouraging them to be responsible citizens who can think and design sustainably. Students benefit from a real-life application of Maths in their DEC! lessons when carrying out things such as land surveys where they use technical measuring equipment, and when calculating benchmark costings for the rooms in their buildings An integral and unique aspect of the DEC! course is that we are supported by our industry adopters, Rok. Alongside learning from their DEC! teachers, the student’s lessons are frequently supported by industry professionals, to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world. We are also able to utilise this industry support to take our students on site visits, where they can see and learn from a real-life application of skills and get a first-hand experience of what a range of construction jobs, such as Structural Engineering and Project Management, look like in action.
As well as benefitting from our industry adopters, Rok, we also benefit from the extensive industry links that Class of Your Own (the providers of the DEC! course) have around the world. As previously mentioned, students use industry standard Bentley Systems software to design their buildings. This is software used by Architects, Engineers, and designers all over the world, and has been used to design well known buildings such as 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin) in London. We can learn from the expertise of the professionals at Bentley Systems when needed, creating fantastic international links for our students. All students get the chance to study DEC! in Years 7, 8 and 9. In Year 7 students are introduced to the course and learn a range of DEC! skills such as conducting a land survey, design techniques and sustainable initiatives. Year 8 students carry out a DEC! Award, designing ‘A Home for Everyone’, with inclusive features and once completed they receive an endorsed certificate for their work. Year 9 students carry out a DEC award and/or a skills unit learning how to use the Bentley Systems OpenBuildings Designer software.
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In KS4 students who have chosen to study DEC! as one of their options, carry out the Level 2 qualification where they complete a portfolio of work showing the process of designing of a building that provides a resource for the community. We are very fortunate here at Les Quennevais School to have a state-of-the-art DEC! facility, with cutting edge technologies. Our students have access to equipment such as laser measurers, air quality metres, temperature, and humidity readers, and very excitingly 12 VR headsets (sponsored by Rok), that they can use to fully visualise their building concepts and virtually tour around them to see how their buildings would be if they were to be constructed. A fantastic cutting edge and inspiring experience for our students.
We are proud and excited to have introduced DEC! into the curriculum here at Les Quennevais School. We look forward to showcasing our students’ DEC! work in a department exhibition at the end of this academic year. If you would like to keep up to date with what is going on in DEC! lessons, please follow us on Twitter at @LQS_DEC. Mrs Ferreira Head of DEC
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I love DEC because I enjoy the digital learning and I really like learning about architecture, something that I had never had the chance to do before. We experience a lot of new things that we have never done before and go on site trips to see the jobs in real life. - Charlie, Y10 student
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DESIGN, ENGINEER, CONSTRUCT
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ROCK SETS YOU FREE! This is one of the lines from the iconic show we are staging from the 25th-28th January – The School of Rock! With the last couple of years we have had, it has been so sad to see live theatre and music taking such a hit in the pandemic, and so we set out on this journey with absolute determination that we were going to give our students the opportunity of experiencing the excitement and exhilaration that performing live brings, whether it be onstage, backstage or in the band. We were so lucky that we got to stage Annie at the Jersey Opera House barely a month before lockdown, but it feels like an age ago, especially to the students! We were absolutely committed to taking anyone who wanted to be part of the first show in our brand new facility and ‘School of Rock’ seemed to fit the bill perfectly!
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Centred around a traditional, stuffy American prep school where the students are not allowed to express their creativity and are constantly worried about grade scores and competing to get into Harvard or Yale, the story revolves around a cheating, scruffy, freeloader who impersonates his friend and fills in for a sick teacher. He is obsessed with rock music and soon realises that he has a fantastic array of musical talent in these students. He ‘sets them free’ by forming a rock band and showing them what they are capable of! It is a show that really centres around the music over anything, and it is a challenge for the students and the band, but we are going full steam ahead with fantastic plans for the set, costume and choreography!
It’s set to be another fantastic LQ production and really special as it is taking place in our new school, just as we are hopefully being ‘set free’ from the pandemic, ready to continue the grand tradition of Les Quennevais shows! Tickets are available from the beginning of next term, so make sure you get yours to avoid disappointment – it’ll be the hottest ticket in town! Miss Milman Head of Drama
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Les Quennevais School Presents
25 - 28 January 2022 CONTENTS
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Head Boy & Head Girl Reflections We’ve finally completed our first term as Head Boy and Head Girl. We have certainly been busy and adapted to our new role within school. With on-going support from our teachers, we have managed to balance our duties with our studies for mock examinations and interventions for our forth-coming GCSEs. It was certainly interesting having to prepare our first speech for a virtual presentation, as we both feel more comfortable in front of a crowd rather than having to deliver our speech into a camera knowing that it will be going on the big screen in the hall. The feedback we have had however was so positive and we really felt like had made a helpful impact on this year’s Open Evening. We know that so many people want to join us here at Les Quennevais, so for us to be able to talk with passion about what the school can offer and what we have enjoyed about our time was something that we both felt confident in doing – who wouldn’t want to be part of our community? We have both had previous Senior Students who have inspired us from our early years at Les Quennevais. Whether it was Grace Burnouf or Cole Graham, it was these students who made us want to make a difference and represent our year group and school. We are so proud to be in this role and look forward to further challenges.
HEAD BOY & HEAD GIRL REFLECTIONS
As part of our role, we have headed up two School Parliament meetings which have focused on our school canteen and the service provided. As a result we were able to prepare a presentation along with other student form reps which was then presented to Caring Cooks. This discussion also brought up the issue of food wastage and what we can do as a community to ensure that our carbon footprint is reduced and sustainable. We are currently working with Mr Harris to see what can be done regarding this matter and have had meetings with both Jersey Hemp and Dark Green Carbon. We hope we will be able to give you further information as this project unfolds throughout the school year. We look forward to meeting with more guests to the school as we prepare for future events such as the Year 9 Options Evening, the school show and further assemblies. We know that we don’t have too much longer left at Les Quennevais and want to make sure that we can give as much as we possibly can for the school that has given us so much. Billy & Lottie Head Boy & Head Girl 2021-22
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House Reports McKeon We go again. That was my message to the House at the start of this term when the whole of McKeon were gathered at the front of the school for the official raising of the flag after being crowned Champions of last year’s House Competition. However, real champions are able to repeat that success, so we have to climb the mountain again to ensure this is the start of the McKeon dynasty at Les Quennevais and not just a Blackburn Rovers one-off triumph. I want us to raise our flag every year and for that to be the norm, the standard, the status quo. To win it all again will be twice as hard with Tranter wanting to taste victory again and Watts being stripped of their crown and with a new Head of House in Mrs Le Marquand, they are all fired up to keep the Red Army at bay.
Can we do it? I firmly believe we can. History is repeating itself. Once again, we fell short in the tug of war competition with it not being our main strength. We came second in the House Football and Netball by 2 points and have just triumphed in the Table Tennis competition, leaving us in 2nd place only a handful of points behind Tranter. This is a carbon copy how events unfolded last year and momentum is on our side. It’s great to close the term with a win and for our new Year 7s to experience victory in the House Competition. Now they will want more.
I look forward to next term with the introduction of new competitions such as cross country and basketball. I’m sure this determined group of young people will continue to inspire. The competition is refreshingly close, keeping us all on our toes. I’d like to thank Mr Harris and Mrs Le Marquand for their competitive support and wish the staff and students of all Houses a very Merry Christmas! Mr Richardson Head of McKeon
The team spirit from all year groups has been infectious and I have been most impressed by those who have suggested others before themselves to represent the House to give McKeon the best possible chance of winning! These students are the real team players.
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Tranter Tranter House, I am and always will be an incredibly proud Head of House. We know that over the last three years we have consistently delivered a very competitive account of ourselves and despite falling just short of the big prize, we never go down without a fight. My message this year is simple: we don’t let our foot come off the gas! We have started this year’s competition strong, but have had some disappointments in both football and netball, as we have previously performed much better in both these events and for some reason have let the occasion get to us amongst different year groups. We know that this is now behind us and we know that there are further opportunities to put this right.
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Despite embodying all of our core values, Resilience is the one I always associate most with our House; we simply have the grit and never-say-die attitude. Our efforts in the Tug-of-War competition show what a strong House we have. Year 11s led by example guiding the way for all other year groups securing maximum points, while there were wins for Year 10 boys and Year 9 girls, with all other teams securing second place finishes. A special mention has to go to the Year 9 boys team, who, for the first time have secured a victory and really dug in, to secure the points – their reaction of joy and camaraderie showed exactly what it meant to them!
I have no doubt that this year’s competition will be fiercely competitive. McKeon, as reigning champions, are a force to be reckoned with, whilst Watts have had a lifetime as top dogs dominating the competition throughout the years. We know from recent success what it is like to be champions. We also know what it is like to fall short. We know where we want to be, come the end of the school year. A big thank you to our House and Sports Captains who have driven and organised all events so far. It’s a BIG year ahead – let’s hope the school remains lit-up in blue! Mr Harris Head of Tranter
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Watts What can I say Watts House! Firstly, it is an absolute honour to lead this amazing House. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs Ashley for her dedication, commitment and overall competitiveness that she has given Watt’s House over the years. This is not an easy role to follow but a challenge that I am so excited to take on. This year we have a new message: It’s time to shine! Yes Watts House, we are following in the footsteps of Emma Raducanu. In June 2021 at the age of 18 Emma ranked number 338 in the World. But, on the 5th July 2021 Emma made it to the quarter finals at Wimbledon. She finished having moved up the world rankings by 188 places. This was not the end of her determination. Later on in the year she won the US open and ended up ranking 23 in the world! This is what we are going to do, move up that leader board to the top. With determination, drive and working together we are going to smash this. So Watts…..It’s time to shine!
The year started with Tug of War, and what a fantastic start to the year it was. Watt’s came out in force, especially the Year 7s. I have never had so many students lined up outside my office putting their names forward for the team, but even more amazingly that other students were nominating their fellow Watts peers that they believed should be in the winning team. And then outside to the field, the atmosphere was electric. Watt’s fought hard, even when were a team mate down. We narrowly missed the title, but my goodness we showed the other Houses what we were made of. Onto football and netball. There were lots of mutterings around school about the previous Watt’s teams and how there were strengths in particular year groups and Houses. This did not deter us. Watt’s students came running in after matches to tell me the news….and it was good. Friday 5th November, not only was it Guy Fawkes Night it was also Watts’ time to shine….the golden Watts flag was up and the school was a glow in rich yellow. We had done it, we had won!
So, we can do this and it’s all down to your amazing team work and knowing your peers, their strengths and which event they should be in. A huge thank you to my Sports Captains that help build the teams. But, I would also like to thank those individuals that took it upon themselves to build their own year groups football and netball teams. We have a very exiting year ahead. Remember there is a House event for everyone. We needs everybody’s skills. So Watts House, It’s time to shine! Mrs Le Marquand Head of Watts
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Winter Wonderland comes to LQS
At Les Quennevais School, we never do things by halves and Christmas is no exception! The last week of term saw us raising money for our Christmas Hamper appeal where the entire school dressed to impress in their festive jumpers and Christmas accessories. This was then followed by some extraordinary talent in the inaugural Christmas Creation House Competition for Year 7 & 8, which was won by Tranter House.
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The House assemblies all had a different theme with hilarious staff participation which saw staff eating chocolate covered brussell sprouts under the guise of chocolate truffles! The Charity Committee of student leaders then came together to produce some stunning hampers which will go out to those most in need at this time of year within our local community. These were kindly sponsored by the Co-Op thanks to CEO Mark Cox.
On the final day, there was much merriment celebrated through the Santa Dash which saw students from Year 7 - 10 dress up as good ol’ Saint Nick and run 2 laps of the school building. The winners were 1st Ronan Y10 (McKeon), 2nd Harry Y10 (Tranter) 3rd Rory Y9 (Tranter) and Sienna Y7 (McKeon) was the fastest girl. The final results of the Dash were: 1st Tranter House 2nd McKeon House 3rd Watts House. Well done to all those who took part. Merry Christmas Les Quennevais!
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HALF TERM HEROES So many of our students do extraordinary things. It is a privilege to be able to highlight some of the ‘Heroes’ that live among us and go above and beyond for others, or to be the best version of themselves. Each student will receive 5 House Points for their House and an Amazon voucher - a sign that good deeds will be rewarded! - Mrs Hague
THE WINNERS
Freddy 8T McKeon House
Dylan 8V McKeon House
Luke 8S McKeon House
Austin 8V McKeon House
Nathan 8E Tranter House
Nominated by Mrs Morley School Value: Respect “Following an unfortunate incident in which a student dislocated his knee whilst playing football outside of school, these boys showed true respect for their peer by handling the situation in an extremely mature and responsible manner. Nathan telephoned the parent of the injured student and very calmly, clearly and precisely reported exactly what had occurred, what action had been taken and where they were. Meanwhile Freddy stayed at his friend’s side as he lay on the ground whilst Dylan, Luke and Austin waited for and directed the ambulance to the scene. Heroic stuff, what a credit to the school these all are, well done boys!” - Mrs Morley
Michaela 7S McKeon House
Sienna 7S McKeon House
Isabelle 7Y Watts House
Ben 8L Watts House
Libby 7E Tranter House
Nominated by Mrs Le Riche School Value: Respect “During a Year 7 netball match against Beaulieu, one of our students injured herself in the match. The students above were absolutely amazing during the first aid situation. They comforted her, gave her their jackets to keep her warm and kept her mind off it by sitting with her and chatting to her until her Mum could pick her up and take her to A&E. Once again LQS students showing what it means to be part of a community. Kindness, responsibility, unflappability and instinctively knowing the right thing to do - it’s what makes our students ‘Les Quennevais’!” - Mrs Le Riche
HALF TERM HEROES
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THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS We would like to thank our corporate partners for their generous financial support this year. We are proud to have these companies associated as Corporate Partners of Les Quennevais School, working with us to make a difference and invest in our young people. If you’d like to become one of our partners, please get in touch with our Business Manager Mr Richardson.
CORPORATE PARTNERS
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JERSEY’S PREMIER PRINTER Mailmate Signage Barette Commercial Centre, Unit 7a St John Tel: 01534 495 837 e-mail: gareth@mailmateprint.com CONTENTS www.mailmateprint.com
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