SJT Winter 2017 Newsletter

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

FUTURECHEF COMPETITION

GIRLS’ FOOTBALL REMEMBRANCE DAY

WHITCHURCH 10K Winter 2017

We have had another wonderful term full of sports, creativity and academic success. Our sport teams continue to make their mark with increasing successes at local and county level. Our rugby, football, hockey and netball clubs are attracting a great many of our students and we are very proud of their achievements in recent fixtures. Our year 9 girls were particularly impressive at their debut in Oswestry and it is hoped that the squad will grow over the coming year.

This term our students have continued to express their creative talents working with Mrs Clarke on community arts projects including the continuation of the Chemistry Bridge mural and work on a long term community project to produce town 'trails' in the style of the Wakeman Trail in Shrewsbury. Students also displayed their creative talents in the production of a range of Remembrance Day artifacts which took pride of place in the St Alkmund’s remembrance service.

It is hoped to create a permanent display of these products for all to see and enjoy.

At the time of writing we are planning our carol service which is being held in St Alkmund’s Church on the 18 December at 7pm. This joint venture promises to be a superb Christmas celebration bringing together our two secondary schools for both the Sir John Talbot’s and Marches events. The Trust schools continue to work closely together and hope to collaborate on many more music and drama events in the future ensuring all students have opportunities to take part in performing arts activities.

On the 1 December Tilstock Primary School became part of the Marches Academy Trust. I am very pleased to say that the collaboration between all the Trust schools will continue to strengthen education provision in the Whitchurch area. The continued partnership of parents, teachers and students across the town and local area can only stand to benefit the community as a whole. During the spring term we will be collaborating with Whitchurch Junior School and Infant School on a literacy project that will both celebrate all students’ writing skills and provide a platform for us to continue to drive improvements in education standards to ensure the success of all age groups in the future. There will be a literacy celebration event hosted in the town’s Civic Centre in the summer term.

Student safety on the way to and from home continues to be a high priority for us and I urge you to ensure all students who cycle to school wear a cycle helmet.

I would like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas break and a healthy and happy new year to come.

David O’Toole

Reminder

Students should be dropped off and collected from the front of school only (Leisure Centre entrance).

Headteacher School Meals daily spend limit The school operates a daily spend limit of £5.00 per student in the canteen area.

Should you wish for this limit to be increased in respect of your child, please write to the school, indicating what limit you wish to be in place.

Please clearly indicate your child’s name in the letter and the preferred daily spend limit.

H.M.Prince Facilities Manager

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RE Trip

As part of the Religious Education curriculum Year 7 visited a Sikh Gurdwara and a Buddhist Peace Pagoda in Birmingham. Students listened with intent as they were shown around the religious buildings and had the opportunity to ask questions of the Sikh guide and Buddhist monk. At the Gurdwara, students were offered food in the langar, a community kitchen in the Gurdwara, where a free meal is served to all visitors as part of their selfless service to others. Year 7 students have been set a project to create their own model of a religious building and these visits will surely have inspired their creations.

All of Year 10 and 12 students visited the Skills Show at the NEC in Birmingham; this is the nation’s largest skills, apprenticeships and careers event that helps to shape the future of the next generation. Over 200 employers and training organisations exhibited at the event and were on hand to engage students with great career and future study ideas and advice.

In November students organised coffee mornings during break time to raise money for Children in Need.

Over a £120 was raised through a variety of events including cake sales and a raffle. Year 11 student Hannah Phipps was the lucky winner of the raffle prize which was kindly donated by Mrs Unwin, Head of Year 9.

On Thursday 9 November students attended the Sportsability Games at Shrewsbury Sports Village and came 5th place in a dodgeball competition.

The team worked very hard against tough opposition and received a special mention for their team spirit.

Following the huge success of Whitchurch’s first event of its kind earlier this year a winning 10K fundraising event has been launched for 2018. On Sunday 8 April, Sir John Talbot’s School and headline sponsors Grocontinental will be joining forces once again to bring the road race to life. Next year, students will be asked to put their creativity skills to the test to design the 10K medal. The 10K is a fantastic opportunity for our students to get involved in many different ways be it running, designing, organising or generally helping out. We are always indebted to everyone who plays a vital role in making these opportunities possible for our young people.

Registration is now open! - https://regevent.co.uk/sjt-whitchurch-shropshire-10k-on-sunday-8th-april-2018-1000am.

www.sirjohntalbots.co.uk

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ADAM GEMILI

Four KS3 students were invited to Müller to meet the World Athletics 4 x 100m champion Adam Gemili. Müller sponsor major athletics events and are keen to involve young people to inspire the next generation to have fun with sport. Adam worked alongside the students during team building competitions. He also told them about his move from football to athletics and how it was the best decision in his life so far.

Pictured below with Adam Gemili: Year 7 and 8 students Eddie Lewis, Sam Appleby, Harry Corney and Holly Gilbert.

FOOD BANK

Sir John Talbot’s School Rotary Interact club organised the collection of items of food for Whitchurch Food bank.

Year 11 students have created a range of creative projects such as games, crime boards and songs to help them revise for An Inspector Calls as part of their GCSE English Literature.

HIGH ROPES

Congratulations to Year 8 student Lilly White-Culf for winning the Christmas card Recently Year 10 and 11 enjoyed a very chilly outdoor competition. Pictured with Lilly is Dora Marlow, Chair of Churches Together who adventurous activity experience at High Ropes in Shrewsbury. The group were carrying out practical awarded Lilly her certificate and prize. assessments for their sport studies qualification.

On Saturday 25 November, lanterns created by Year 7 students were paraded through the town during the Whitchurch Christmas Light Switch On. This year the lights were switched on by Whitchurch Citizen of the Year, Mrs Rose Snell. Pictured outside the Civic Centre with their fantastic creations: Luca Bridgewater, Olivia Talbot, Alesha Edwards and Rebecca Elsley.

www.sirjohntalbots.co.uk

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CELEBRATORY DINNER On Monday 27 November The Marches Academy Trust hosted a Celebratory Dinner at Sir John Talbot’s School in recognition of the continued support provided by local businesses and sponsors throughout the year. Guests enjoyed an evening of entertainment, provided from musically talented students across both Sir John Talbot’s School and The Marches School. Mr O’Toole, closed the evening by presenting a £5000 cheque to Macmillan Cancer Support raised from this year’s Whitchurch 10K run. Thanks also go to students who kindly volunteered their time at this fantastic event.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD Students at Sir John Talbot’s School have prepared over 70 boxes for Operation Christmas Child, organised by Miss Webb, Head of KS3. Miss Webb said “Following the success of previous years the students were keen to donate again to such a worthwhile cause and help people from other countries to ensure that Christmas is a special time for everyone, especially those less fortunate than ourselves.”

Prue Noss in Year 7 has been selected to represent Shropshire for Cross Country. Prue recently took part in a Midland’s counties competition in Warwickshire.

STUDENT TRAINING GIRLS’ FOOTBALL

The U12 and U14 girls football teams have had success this term. The U12’s travelled to Madeley Academy and Prue Noss scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory. The U14’s was hosted at Bishop’s Castle Community College and SJT beat them convincingly 12-0, with goals coming from Jess Walley, Rachel Owen, Ebony Cooper, Chloe Lloyd and Katie Winstone.

Year 9 student Dylan Poole recently delivered training to all teachers and Access Leaders on hearing impairment along with specialist teacher of the deaf, Peter Bridger from the Sensory Inclusion Service. Dylan provided information for staff on technology to support hearing in the classroom and he also took questions from staff.

Dylan spoke with confidence and the training was a valuable addition to the continuing professional development programme at SJT. www.sirjohntalbots.co.uk

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Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award COTSWOLD KIT TALK On Thursday 14 December Jess Furber attended a ceremony at St James’s Palace, where she received her Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Jess was a fantastic DofE participant and she completed her Bronze, Silver and Gold levels at SJT. During her award ceremony she met celebrity, Dan Walker from the BBC and received her award from Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

FRENCH BOOKS

FutureChef

Duke of Edinburgh’s Silver Award students were visited by two staff members from the Cotswold outdoor store in Shrewsbury to give a talk about looking after their expedition kit.

Thirteen GCSE food and nutrition students took part in the initial school heats of Springboard FutureChef competition. Two of the students Priscilla Nqambi and Caitlin Brackenridge qualified for the local heats. The school then hosted the local final judged by Andi Redwood, a practising chef working in a London restaurant.

Congratulations to Caitlin Brackenridge who has successfully gone through to the Regional Finals in Birmingham.

Mrs Joy Ellison from Whitchurch has donated a large collection of French literature books to Sir John Talbot’s School. Pictured are: A Level French Students Becky Brookfield and Shola Bailey.

In the lead up to Remembrance Day each tutor group produced a memorial to a local person who lost their life during World War 1. Students researched how the local soldier lived and died in the Great War. The memorials are very poignant and went on display at St Alkmund's Church.

Pictured above Miss Newey, Teacher of PE who served in the army and led the remembrance assemblies. www.sirjohntalbots.co.uk

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TERM DATES Spring Term 2018 Monday 8 January to Thursday 29 March 2018 Half term: Monday 19 to Friday 23 February 2018 PD day: Monday 26 February Summer Term 2018 Monday 16 April to Friday 20 July 2018 Half term: Monday 28 May to Friday 1 June 2018 PD days: Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 July Autumn Term 2018 Tuesday 4 September to Friday 21 December 2018 Half term: Monday 29 October to Friday 2 November 2018 PD days: Monday 3 September and Friday 26 October

TALBOT THEATRE - WHITCHURCH LEISURE CENTRE EVENTS TUESDAY 9 JANUARY - 7.30PM DUNKIRK (12A) Flicks in the Sticks Germany advances into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops are slowly and methodically evacuated from the beaches using every vessel that can be found. Starring Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh and Harry Styles.

TUESDAY 16 JANUARY - 7.30PM THE BIG SICK Flicks in the Sticks Based on the real life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V Gordon, it tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail and grad student Emily who fall in love. He worries about what his traditional Muslim parents will think. When Emily is suddenly ill and in a coma he finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family’s expectations and his true feelings.

www.sirjohntalbots.co.uk

Winter 2017

Taster days available for prospective Sixth Form students during February. Contact us today for more information.

Sir John Talbot’s School T. 01948 660600

Tilstock Road, Whitchurch, Shropshire, SY13 2BY

E. admin@sirjohntalbots.co.uk

W. www.sirjohntalbots.co.uk