The Marches School Winter newsletter 2017

Winter 2017

Welcome FROM THE HEADTEACHER The autumn term is always a key one for setting the tone of the year and for creating the pace for the preparation of the Years 11 and 13 students for their exams, and this year is no different.

We have launched the display around school of our school vision, Achievement through caring, and our 5 key values – Empathy, Excellence, Integrity, Creativity and Equality. Year 13 sat mid-term exams in September and Year 11 have just taken their first mocks and gone through the mock results day exercise to feel the tension of opening a results envelope then reflecting on their feelings.

Standards through the school are high with our annual review showing outstanding teaching at a higher level than ever and students meeting with external reviewers sharing their enjoyment of learning and all we have to offer here.

Every week we have much to be proud of within but also beyond the classroom.

Our first sporting silverware of the year came in the first month, when the Year 7 football team won a North Shropshire

tournament, with further success in cross-country and netball also coming this term.

Students have visited Universities for lectures and competitions, travelled to London and Colomendy and we have welcomed our first exchange students from our partner school in Spain. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has grown again at every level this term and House events have been a strength with Bake Off and Gaming and the Debating Competition coming after Christmas.

On behalf of everyone at The Marches School, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and we look forward to welcoming the students back in January, safe and well, ready for the next adventure.

We thank you for the strong support of the three parent learning events which are so vital for success and we value that we have parents and carers who work with us to get the most from our young people.

The term has come to a close with our Christmas Concert in St Mary’s church, with many of our partner primary schools showcasing their talents alongside our choirs and bands. The event always marks the start of Christmas for me and this year was one of the best.

Alison Pearson Headteacher

Vision: ‘Achievement through caring’

Mission: We believe: Successful, creative, lifelong learners participate in a journey of self-discovery.

They know how to learn, and acquire skills to be happy and thrive in a changing world with confidence and courage.

Values: Excellence - striving always for mastery and personal success Integrity - consistently acting with honesty, compassion and respect Empathy - embracing and supporting the uniqueness of every individual Creativity - inspiring and challenging through invention, experimentation and exploration Equality - ensuring fair opportunity for all

The Marches School T. 01691 664400

Morda Road, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 2AR

E. admin@marchesschool.net

W. www.marchesschool.co.uk

Winter 2017 | 1

News UNIVERSITY WEEK

REMEMBRANCE DAY

Year 11 students took part in a University Week this December. It was an exciting opportunity for the students to find out about Further Education and to ensure that they are aiming high as we approach the exam season.

They attended assemblies each day of the week and took part in workshops offered by The Royal Navy and The Royal Marines.

ETHAN MAKES A SPLASH FOR CHARITY

Year 10 student Ethan Lee-Birch raised an impressive £750 for Cancer Research UK in August by swimming 8,000 meters at Oswestry Leisure Centre. He set a target of raising £200 for his 8,000 meter swim but after completing the swim which totalled 320 lengths completed in 3 hours and 9 minutes, Ethan managed to raise £750. Recently Ethan proudly presented his £750 cheque to Peter Tew, Representative and Volunteer from Whitchurch Relay for Life as part of Cancer Research UK.

Year 7 spent Friday 19th November exploring the symbol of the poppies and other flowers used as a symbol of remembrance around Europe. They explored life on the front line for soldiers and life for families at home during World War One. The whole school came together for a Remembrance Service and observed a minute’s silence to reflect on the fortunate life we have in Oswestry in 2017.

Each Year 7 student has made a poppy or other remembrance flower which has been used to construct our school wreath.

This term, every student came together to hear four local organisations speak about what their charities do.

Horatio’s Garden, You and I Counselling, Derwen College and Hope House all presented. Students voted for the one project they wished the school to support as they left the hall using tokens, with the clear winner being Hope House followed by Horatio’s Garden project.

Year 8 student Phoebe Shaw has taken the first steps to becoming a recognised artist by winning the local round of the Lions Peace Poster Competition.

This opportunity was brought to students by the Oswestry Lions Club.

www.marchesschool.co.uk

2 | Winter 2017

School Trips LONDON TRIP On the first weekend in December, students went to London as part of The Marches School Rewards. The weekend included rides at the fair ground, a look around the Christmas markets and getting festive at The Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park followed by all you can eat pizza, a walk through Covent Garden and an evening watching a fantastic performance of Disney’s Aladdin in the West End. On Sunday their weekend finished with some Christmas shopping at Westfields Shopping Center.

On Monday 6th November Year 9 Art students visited Russell Kirk's workshop. They learned about the history of Chester’s parade, how the puppets move and how to design their own puppets. Students then made their very own puppets when Russel Kirk visited The Marches School on Tuesday 5th December in preparation for the Chester Winter Watch Parade which students participated in on Thursday 14th December.

www.marchesschool.co.uk

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Sport NETBALL TOURNAMENT On Wednesday 1st November we hosted the U13 and U15 North Shropshire Netball Tournament. 21 local secondary school teams entered the event which took place from 1.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Schools which competed in the tournament were The Corbet School, Thomas Adams School, Lakelands Academy, Adcote School and St Martins School.

The Marches School U15 team won all of their 5 games and went onto the final where they were crowned North Shropshire Champions after securing an 8 - 7 victory against The Corbet School. They are pictured on the front of the newsletter!

We had an A and B team competing in the U13 tournament.

The Marches School U13 B team were placed 3rd in their group. The A team won all 5 of their games and went onto the final where they lost 4 – 2 against Adcote School.

INTER-COUNTY CROSS COUNTRY Year 7 student Massimo Wyatt, Year 8 student Mia Wyatt and Year 9 student Anna Rothera who are all members of Oswestry Olympians made their Shropshire Cross Country Team Debuts at Warwickshire College on Saturday 25th November, in the Inter-Counties Competition against 7 other counties. Massimo came 42nd and contributed to the Shropshire Year 7 team coming 1st overall. Anna was 75th and Mia 77th.

RUGBY

Year 10 student Hattie Leslie-Miller has been chosen to play for both Oswestry and North Midlands U15 Girls’ Rugby teams. This is very impressive and a great achievement.

The Year 8 Boys’ Rugby team were crowned North Shropshire Champions on Tuesday 17th October. They played against Sir John Talbot’s School, The Corbet School and Thomas Adams School at Whitchurch Rugby Club.

SHROPSHIRE SCHOOL GAMES This term students took part in the Shropshire School Games Festival at Shrewsbury Sports Village and Sundorne Sports Hall competing against a total of 64 teams. The Marches School swept aside their rivals in the KS3 Boys’ Table Tennis.

Nine Year 8 girls took up the opportunity to take part in a Rugby Taster Session led by an England Rugby Development Officer at Oswestry Rugby Club on Thursday 23rd November.

The students had a great time albeit very muddy! The girls showed great potential and were invited to attend the club’s open day the following Sunday.

www.marchesschool.co.uk

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Performance ROCKET

We have had a very busy term in the Performance Department with lots of preparations taking place for our first Cross-Trust Carol Service with Miss King and Mr Moore working hard to ensure everyone is in the festive spirit. See pictures on the next page!

Miss McGreal and Miss Wright have also been putting the students through their paces with rehearsals for Beauty and the Beast – it is looking fantastic, and promises to be another big highlight on the calendar for February 2018!

Merry Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all at Beauty and the Beast in February!

Mrs Gilpin - Associate Director of Performance Across the Trust

THEATRE TRIPS

The Lowry Theatre - Hetta Gabler

Liverpool Playhouse Theatre - People, Places and Things www.marchesschool.co.uk

SCHOOL CHOIR

Choir rehearsals.

Hengoed Park Residential Home.

This December the first Cross-Trust Carol Service took place on Thursday 14th December. Over 90 students from both schools attending School Carol Services to mark the beginning of the festive season. The calibre of musical talent we have in both schools is impressive. Mr Moore from Sir John Talbot’s School and Miss King from The Marches School provided wonderful coaching and expertise to prepare students for these fantastic events.

www.marchesschool.co.uk

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House News

HOUSE RANKING

HOUSE BAKE-OFF COMPETITION

Hargreaves - 1st Bonington - 2nd Mallory - 3rd Stephens - 4th Whittaker - 5th

The first Great Marches Bake Off took place this term.

Students were asked in their form groups to come up with baking ideas to take part in a baking challenge to create a batch of 4-6 cakes. Ten teams were formed in each house to take part in a house heat, where their house leader decided on an entry to go into the final. The house heats were hotly contested events, and the standard and creativity of the students clearly showed their baking talents.

The final took place on Wednesday 18th October, where students had 1 hour and 15 minutes to produce their cakes.

The timing skills of allowing cakes to cool before decorating, to making sure the decorations looked ‘showstopping’ meant the students had to keep calm under pressure.

Mrs Pearson and the leadership team judged the competition, and took time deliberating their decision.

The final results were: st 1 : Mallory - Lottie Smith and Kira Parry 2nd: Whittaker - Ellis Morrow 3rd: Hargreaves - Rebecca Manford and Ellie Chadwick 4th: Bonington - Daisy Whitelam and Kornelia Kielan th 5 : Stephens - Cerys Hadfield and Tierney Wallace-Reid

Christmas Card Competition This year’s Christmas Card competition was won by Year 10 student Hannah Sadler who is in Mallory!

www.marchesschool.co.uk

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Information 2018 EXAM DATES Year 9 Mock Exams: 8th January – 19th January Year 11 2nd Mock Exams: 29th January – 9th February Year 12 and 13 Mock Exams: 29th January – 9th February Year 10 2nd Mock Exams: 30th April – 11th May GCSE, AS and A2 Exams: 14th May – 29th June Year 7 and 8 Exams: 18th June – 29th June (In class) Year 7 and 8 Exams: 2nd July – 6th July

SPRING TERM TRIPS Drama: The play that goes wrong (GCSE and A level students) - 31st January English: Jekyll and Hyde (GCSE Students) – 16th February Auschwitz Trip: 19th - 21st February Brussels Trip: 21st – 25th February Spanish Exchange: 18th - 25th February

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KEEP UP TO DATE

@MarchesSchool

TERM DATES Spring Term 2018 Monday 8th January to Thursday 29th March 2018 Half term Monday 19th to Friday 23rd February 2018 PD day Monday 26th February Summer Term 2018 Monday 16th April to Friday 20th July 2018 Half term Monday 28th May to Friday 1st June 2018 PD days Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th July

Mrs Murphy has recently been appointed Careers Guidance and Inspiration Officer Cross-Trust murphy.m@marchesschol.net 01691 664472

www.marchesschool.co.uk

ALUMNI

University Visits

Lucy Parry, a former A Level student at The Marches Sixth Form, has just successfully completed her first term at the UK’s largest medical school in Manchester. 18 year old Lucy, who achieved AAB in her A Level subjects Biology, Psychology and History and B in AS English Literature and an A in Core Maths this summer, sets her sights firmly on a career in medicine and is embarking upon the next stage of her educational journey at The University of Manchester.

Students in Years 12 and 13 have had the opportunity to visit a number of universities this term to see the different opportunities availble to them. On Wednesday 8th November 14 students visited The University of Warwick for a ‘Chemistry in Action’ day. The day included talks on ‘Indestrucatble Energy’, ‘Nature’s Robots’, ‘The Magic of Oxygen’, ‘Examination Success, and ‘ The Periodic Table of the Oceans’. This was a great opportunity for students to find out more about Chemistry from some world-leading scientists and to be able to explore a campus-based Russell Group University.

On Monday 4th December Year 12 students had the opportunity to visit the University of Liverpool.

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Thank you to Kelly Stant and Myfanwy Murray from Lanyon Bowdler for coming in to talk to A Level students about the Legal Profession on Thursday 19th October.

RK

ERIENCE P X E

Year 12 students, at this stage of the year, should have contacted suitable employers regarding work experience which takes places from 18th - 22nd June 2018. This experience gives students the opportunity to develop their employability skills and gives an invaluable insight into potential future careers and professions.

If you have any problems or if you are struggling for ideas, please see Mrs Wyatt.

On Friday 13th October students visited the Creative Media Technology department at Wrexham Glyndŵr University. They offer degrees in Music Technology, Sound Technology, and TV Production and Technology.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD On Saturday 4th November, 10 pupils from Years 12 and 13 took part on a training walk for their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award up Arenig Fawr near Bala.

Welcome FROM THE HEAD OF SIXTH FORM It is such an exciting time in The Marches Sixth Form at the moment.

Year 13 students have completed their UCAS applications and offers from some of the finest institutions in the country are rolling in. I am confident that the extensive support students receive from our higher education team, all the visits to top universities and their extensive work experience will ensure institutions are desperate for Marches Sixth Form students to study with them. There are many students who would like to pursue fantastic careers without going to university. We are delighted that our links with apprenticeship providers have secured placements for so many of our talented students.

What is really special this year is the amazing buzz around Sixth Form created by the diverse future careers students are exploring. Clearly the

focus has been on the UCAS process for many over the last couple of weeks and their pride in their applications and offers is tangible. Year 13 are determined to achieve their full potential next summer and take up their university offers, whilst Year 12 have signed up to the useful resource Unifrog, are visibly inspired by the Year 13 students and are excited about their turn to apply in the next academic year.

I was also pleased and encouraged to see so many Year 11 students from The Marches School at our Sixth Form Festive Lunch on Friday 15th December.

Key Stage 5 Mock exams will take place at the end of January. Sixth Form students are making the necessary preparations to enter the exam period with confidence. They recognise that thorough revision at this point will pay dividends when they enter the summer

exam season.

The Sixth Form Common Room is looking very festive. I am pleased to announce that with our growing Sixth Form student numbers the Common Room will be extended. The last few ‘Fun Fridays’ of 2017 have been incredible, with the inter-form pumpkin carving competition being a particular highlight! You can see what we get up to in Sixth Form by following our new Twitter page @MSixthForm.

I know 2018 will be an auspicious year for all associated with The Marches Sixth Form and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Claire Boyes Assistant Headteacher: Head of Sixth Form

FUNDRAISING

A photography exhibition is currently on display in the Sixth Form foyer.

It showcases work of GCSE Photography students, alongside two Sixth Form students who have taken Photography offered as part of the enrichment programme. Students were given the following themes to choose and explore: a specific colour, nature, hands, perspective and framing.

Sixth Form raised over £300 for Children in Need!

NEWS

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Winter 2017