BETTER Times - Summer 2023 - Issue 15

Bohunt Education Trust Termly Events Review

SUPPORT AND CARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AT STEYNING GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S BOARDING PROVISION

JUDGED OUTSTANDING BY OFSTED.

STUDENTS AND STAFF AT STEYNING GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S BOARDING PROVISION ARE CELEBRATING AFTER RECEIVING A GLOWING OFSTED REPORT PRAISING

THE PROTECTION OF STUDENTS, STUDENT PROGRESS AND CULTURE OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

Ofsted recognised the boarding provision’s work to help and protect students as ‘outstanding’ and noted how students feel safe and well cared for whilst at school, with boarders forming positive friendships across year groups.

State Boarding Schools are inspected under Ofsted’s Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF) where the vision, provision and impact of care for students is of paramount importance. The report is SGS boarding provision’s first Ofsted inspection under the new National Minimum Standards (NMS) which came into force in September 2022 and is more rigorous in terms of safeguarding expectations and the impact of how students are cared for.

The report commended Director of Boarding, Mr Tom Leighton, for being regarded as a ‘role model for sensitivity, making people feel important and understanding.’ The inspectors also praised the significant impact that the boarding environment has on educational attainment and the ‘exceptional’ monitoring of boarders’ care and wellbeing.

The report praises the leadership team for having detailed knowledge of each student and ‘suitably challenging ambitions for what they can achieve.’ Whilst the inspectors also recognised that staff have ‘created an environment that is relaxed and flexible but has expectations and boundaries that most boarders accept and follow.’

The report also highlights that:

• Boarders make significant, sometimes exceptional, progress across education, social and psychological areas of their development.

• Boarders greatly appreciate the all-round education they receive and attribute this to the ethos of those who work with them.

• Students who are boarders and may have arrived with weaker educational experiences are demonstrating proportionately greater progress than students of the same age who do not board.

• Managers and staff know the progress that each boarder is making. During the inspection, Ofsted also collected parent feedback which highlighted high levels of satisfaction with the boarding provision, including:

• 100% of parents said they would recommend the school to another parent.

• 100% of parents strongly agreed or agreed that their child is happy at school.

• 100% of parents strongly agreed or agreed that their child feels safe at school.

We are keen to celebrate all the positives in the inspection report, whilst being clear that there are areas we still want to work on

to improve further. We have reviewed our CCTV procedures and have taken steps to ensure that these issues are addressed together with responding to the helpful recommendations.

Headteacher at Steyning Grammar School, Adam Whitehead, said:

“I am thrilled that Ofsted has recognised our boarding provision’s work to promote students’ relationships, progress and wellbeing, and noted how students feel safe and well cared for. I would like to thank everyone in our local community for their hard work, dedication and commitment to making Steyning Grammar School the superb learning environment it is today. We look forward to continuing to build on the successes already achieved in years to come.”

Chair of Governors, Rod Scott, said:

“We are very pleased with Steyning Grammar School’s boarding Ofsted report today. It highlights the high-quality leadership, student progress, safety, culture and personal development that we are so proud to deliver for students at our school.

“The governors, leadership team and the whole school community are committed to continuing to drive the improvements and successes recognised by inspectors and look forward to doing so.”

Neil Strowger, Trust Leader of Bohunt Education Trust commented:

“Steyning Grammar School has gone from strength to strength since its fascinating beginning in 1614. Today, it is rightly a school with a strong reputation in the local area and well beyond, for delivering high quality education and opportunities to all its students.

“We are delighted that Ofsted has judged the support and care provided to young people as Outstanding in our boarding provision and we look forward to working closely with the school as it continues on its journey.”

FUTURE ISSUES OF BETTER TIMES

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Many thanks to all this issue’s contributors.

Road by Jim Cartwright at Bohunt Sixth Form- page 16

The Costello School on tour - page 12

Spotlight on Bucky p30

Helicopter visit at TPS - page 25

WELCOME FROM THE CHAIR OF BET

Welcome to the third term of this academic year. I write this over the weekend when King Charles III has been crowned. The overall ceremonial was more restrained than that for his mother Queen Elizabeth II (which I can just remember!), but nevertheless still impressive. Here in the UK we do pomp and ceremony extremely well, hence the huge numbers of foreign tourists! I am somewhat ambivalent about royalty (and republicanism), yet I can enjoy the pageantry of thousands of personnel marching with precision in perfect time with their bands. Adding in the age-old ceremony of the Coronation itself in the thousand-year-old setting of Westminster Cathedral mad for a memorable event. No doubt many of you will have had the opportunity to participate in local street parties, hopefully in reasonable weather! We all need a bit of cheer to counteract the gloom of last winter and the current wave of industrial disputes.

Many of you may be aware of the distressing consequences of the one-word Inadequate for a headteacher in Reading, following a recent Ofsted inspection. The new HMCI, once recruited, will wish to review the absolutism of single word descriptors which can’t ever accurately encapsulate the complexities of schools. Whilst I accept that independent quality assurance is important in education as in many other areas of activity, I would welcome consideration of reform.

I know I speak to the converted when I say that these days the teaching profession is under-appreciated. When I was growing up, teachers were highly respected and regarded in the same category as solicitors and doctors. Society has deteriorated to the point that parents are quite prepared to abuse, and occasionally to assault physically, their child’s teacher for some perceived-excessive disciplinary issue, yet are not prepared to discipline their child themselves. Teachers have become under-valued, as demonstrated by the national pay-scales. I worry about the long-term national

impact on the current Year 11, who have missed so much teaching over the last 3 years, due to Covid and then the strikes. Whilst I do not condone the current strikes, I do understand the reasons why they are taking place. Hopefully, the Government and the Unions will reach a sensible agreement in the very near future.

Nevertheless, we in BET do work hard to recognise and, as far as possible, to reward our staff for their dedication and to recognise individual colleagues, teams and schools who have demonstrated excellence in their work. The BET Awards this year was held at Old Thorns in April, and was attended by more staff than ever before. Due to a long-standing prior engagement, I was unable to attend the event this year. My fellow-Trustee Professor Steve Wood was an excellent substitute at what was a very enjoyable evening. The selection panel had the difficult job of selecting the winners from over 300 nominations by colleagues.

In the middle of March, I had the privilege of attending a performance of High School Musical at the Theatre Royal in Portsmouth. This was a TPS production, involving over 100 students from Years 7 to 11, and was highly professional and very enjoyable. I was blown away by the high standard of the many individual performances, singing, dancing and acting. Well done to all involved.

The following week, Mark Marande, Principal of TPS, was called to give evidence to the House of Lords Education Committee, which is enquiring into the skills our young people will need for the digital and green economy. The Committee was interested to learn about BET’s innovative outdoor education curriculum, our focus on interdisciplinary learning and the future of GCSE assessments.

DR RAY MORTON

Chair of the Trust Board

MESSAGE FROM TRUST LEADER

Dear Colleagues,

I wrote in September of my sadness and nostalgia for the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and, once again, I find my thoughts (and airwaves) dominated by another seminal event in our illustrious history: the coronation of King Charles III. There cannot be very many readers who were alive to witness the last coronation of a British monarch on 2 June, 1953. Whether royalist or roundhead, it is difficult to deny that we are living through a defining moment in the history of these isles. The imminent passage to a new age – the Carolean – feels far from the advent of a golden age, despite the pomp and circumstance; we are facing enormous challenges as a society duly mirrored in our school communities.

Fascinated as I am by the history of the Gold State Coach that transported the newly crowned King away from Westminster Abbey - designed by William Chambers and built in 1762 as a royal runabout, it has been used at every coronation since William IV’s in 1831 – a 260 year old gold coach undeniably paints a discombobulating picture when viewed through the lens of the current deep cost of living crisis.

Let us step away from politics, however. Pomp and circumstance, glitz and glamour are by no means the preserve of the Royal Family. On Friday 21 April – as you will read in the pages to follow – we celebrated the tremendous success and achievements of our wonderful education family. The BET Awards might have moved from The Studio at TPS to the Old Thorns but the same sense of celebration and recognition of colleagues’ commitment was plain to see. There were 315 peer nominations which was a record number but there is still room for further improvement as one or two schools deserve to have a brighter light shone on their members’ wonderful work.

Some of our schools have been focusing on generating positivity for our year 11 cohort as they begin their public examinations showing true innovation in their approach, including leadership teams monitoring positives being awarded on ClassCharts in ‘real-time’ and hot-footing it to the classroom to reward the recipient with a sugary token of appreciation. That is not to say that our year 13 students are not held in mind as they sit - for the first time in their schooling - public exams. I wish each and every one success over the weeks to come and am incredibly grateful for the contributions they have made to our education family during their time with us.

Vive le roi!

NEIL STROWGER

Trust Leader of BET

THE BET AWARDS 2023

Hotel in Liphook, Hampshire, where shortlisted nominees toasted accomplishments whilst donning their black-tie attire.

Kirsty Protheroe, Headteacher of The Costello School, and Paul Collin, Headteacher of Bohunt School Worthing were the evening’s hosts, providing entertainment and energy throughout as winners from across the Trust were applauded on stage. Since January, Bohunt staff and pupils have been creating heart-warming and inspiring nomination videos for outstanding individuals and teams who have made significant contributions, which were then played at the ceremony. This year was particularly noteworthy, with a record-breaking 315 nominations made across the Trust’s 1,100 staff – a true testament to the remarkable talent and commitment of BET’s staff, and the desire to recognise and celebrate excellent work.

The categories celebrated the wide-reaching successes of staff across BET, from Steyning Grammar School’s Naomi Hursthouse receiving the Outstanding Leadership Award to Alex Robinson from Bohunt Worthing picking up the Innovation Award.

service, their ongoing commitment to students, and for the way in which they champion the shared Bohunt ethos of Enjoy, Respect, Achieve. The ceremony marked just one of many opportunities for colleagues from across the Trust to come together, with representatives from all eight schools in attendance.

Neil Strowger, Trust Leader said:

“The BET Awards are a clear demonstration of the outstanding commitment, talent and dedication of our staff. From nominations to the ceremony itself, the event creates a real buzz across our family of schools. We received a huge number of entries this year, demonstrating just how important it is for our staff to celebrate each other’s successes.

“This year’s winners and nominees are shining examples of BET’s values, and it is thrilling to see our staff exemplify our ethos within and across our schools.”

See our photo special on pages 16–17

WORLD BOOK DAY CELEBRATIONS

IN MARCH, BET SCHOOLS CELEBRATED WORLD BOOK DAY IN STYLE WITH SOME BRILLIANT FANCY DRESS, READING CHALLENGES AND ARTS AND CRAFTS ALL THEMED AROUND THEIR FAVOURITE BOOKS.

Throughout the day, Bucky made sure to visit as many classrooms as he could, spreading his infectious energy and enthusiasm for reading. He even got to sit in on a few classes, his tail wagging as he listened intently to the stories being shared.

As the day came to a close, Bucky was exhausted but happy. He had never seen so much excitement and joy around reading before, and he knew that the love of books would stay with these students for a long time to come.

With one last wag of his tail, Bucky headed home, ready for a welldeserved nap, as he loves sleeping! But as he closed his eyes, he couldn’t help but dream of all the adventures and stories waiting to be discovered in the pages of his favourite books.

Anonymous - year 7.

World Book Day at The Costello School

The school was a hive of activity for World Book Day. We decorated our classroom doors, ran several competitions, including writing a story, created characters from empty loo roll holders, baked cakes based on a book or character, and even got creative with our outfits for the day. Congratulations to 8B3 for the decorated doors (Lion, witch, wardrobe), Robert M in 7H1 for his Garfield toilet roll, Kiara H in 7H2 for her Hunger Games cake and Alicia Q from 9H1 for her fantastic Woman in Black costume!

It was wonderful to see the growth and ambition of BET in action. What a day!

Bohunt Bucky ‘enjoys’ world book day.

It was World Book Day at Bohunt School Worthing, and Bucky, the school’s beloved therapy dog, was particularly excited. As usual, he was greeted with pats and belly rubs from students and teachers alike as he made his rounds, but today there was something special in the air.

As he trotted down the hallways, Bucky noticed something different about the classrooms he passed by. In every one of them, there were stacks of books piled high, and students were gathered around their teachers, excited and eagerly listening as they read aloud from their favourite stories, some even dressed like them.

Bucky couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder as he watched the students’ faces light up with each turn of the page. It was like they were all transported to different worlds, completely absorbed in the tales being spun before them.

MP RETURNS TO BET FOR QUESTION TIME EVENT

STUDENTS FROM BET AND BEDALES SCHOOLS CONVENED FOR THE PARTNERSHIP’S FOURTH QUESTION TIME-STYLE DISCUSSION ON POLITICS, CURRENT AFFAIRS AND EDUCATION ON 10 MARCH 2023.

Panellists included former Education Secretary and MP for East Hampshire, Rt Hon Damian Hinds; Mark Marande, Principal at The Petersfield School (TPS) and Will Goldsmith, Head of Bedales Schools. Also on the panel were Sixth Form students Arabella Martin (Bohunt) and Margot Paisner (Bedales). The discussion was skilfully chaired by Bohunt’s Director of History, Rowena Hammal.

Over 150 Politics, Economics, Sociology, Global Awareness and History students from Bohunt School and Sixth Form, TPS and Bedales attended the event, modelled on the BBC’s Question Time, where panellists were quizzed by students on topics including teachers’ pay, censorship in literature and the charitable status of independent schools.

The event followed three similar events featuring Damian Hinds, which have been hosted by Bedales, Bohunt and – during the pandemic – online, since 2019. The event was the latest in a series of co-operative activities and workshops held between BET and Bedales, which has a developing partnership to share good practice, resources, training opportunities and student collaborations.

The student panellists were selected by their schools to join the debate. Arabella Martin is at Bohunt Sixth Form studying Philosophy, English Language and Politics. She hopes to study Law at university and become a barrister. Margot Paisner is at Bedales Sixth Form, studying Economics, Politics and English and is hoping to read Political and Social Literature at university.

Damian Hinds, MP for East Hampshire, commented: “Once again, I was hugely impressed with the engagement from the students who demonstrated such passion and depth of understanding of the complex issues facing us all. This event was another great example of the productive partnership between Bohunt and Bedales and it was a real pleasure to play a part in it.”

Mark Marande, Principal at The Petersfield School, commented: “The insight and thought demonstrated by our young panellists at the Question Time event was wonderful to see. As a firsttime panellist, it was a pleasure to witness the inspiring political

motivation of our students and to contribute to the strength of the BET/Bedales partnership.”

Will Goldsmith, Head of Bedales Schools, added: “Many thanks to Bohunt for hosting the panel discussion, which has become an excellent annual fixture in our partnership. The event was a hugely insightful opportunity for students to interact and quiz school and political leaders, and to learn about holding them to account for their actions and the decisions they make that affect people’s lives.”

Arabella Martin, Bohunt Sixth Form, said: “I found the debate to be an extremely valuable experience, gaining an understanding of differing views from experienced members of the panel who represented private and state education. The issues discussed were topical, engaging, complex and relevant to modern day education. It was a thought-provoking experience and I thoroughly enjoyed representing Bohunt School and students alike.”

Margot Paisner, Bedales, said: “The panel on Friday was not only intellectually stimulating and engaging but also extremely thoughtprovoking. The topics discussed were divisive and relevant, it was an amazing opportunity to show the genuine intrigue of the upcoming political youth, and converse with those so well informed. I know my peers and teachers alike really enjoyed it. From Bedales, thank you to Bohunt for hosting and for all the panel members who provided insight into their views on current affairs.”

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

IN JANUARY BET SCHOOLS ENJOYED A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES TO CELEBRATE

CHINESE NEW YEAR. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEK INCLUDED:

Students at The Costello School created dragons and coloured in Chinese New Year mindfulness templates.

At Bohunt Horsham, students enjoyed ink-blowing to make Chinese New Year-inspired artwork.

At Bohunt School in Liphook, the Mandarin department held a chopsticks challenge.

Boarders at Steyning Grammar School tucked into a Chinese New Year feast. The dining hall was decorated with paper lanterns and dragons and students received lucky golden (chocolate!) coins.

Bohunt Wokingham students put on a Chinese New Year-themed performance during assembly.

At Bohunt School Worthing, students practised their calligraphy skills, tried on traditional Chinese clothing and also received red envelopes with gifts in.

BET CUP LATEST

THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, SCHOOLS ACROSS THE TRUST HAVE BEEN COMPETING IN THE BET CUP. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THE EVENT HAS TAKEN PLACE WHICH SEES ALL EIGHT TRUST SCHOOLS COMPETE IN BASKETBALL, TABLE TENNIS, GYMNASTICS, CRICKET AND ATHLETICS COMPETITIONS.

The BET Cup is the perfect opportunity for our students to show off their sporting skills and enjoy some friendly competition with other trust schools. The final event of the cup is athletics which takes place at MountBatten Leisure Centre on Monday 26 June and will be followed by a presentation to the winners. Good luck to all the competitors!

BET AT THE HOUSE OF LORDS EDUCATION COMMITTEE

ON THURSDAY 23 MARCH, MARK MARANDE, PRINCIPAL AT THE PETERSFIELD SCHOOL, WAS CALLED AS A WITNESS TO GIVE EVIDENCE TO THE HOUSE OF LORDS EDUCATION COMMITTEE IN PARLIAMENT.

Representing the Bohunt Education Trust, Mr Marande discussed our innovative outdoor education curriculum, our focus on interdisciplinary learning and the future of GCSE assessments.

The parliamentary select committee are conducting an inquiry examining education for the 11 to 16 age range, with reference to the skills necessary for the digital and green economy. They are chaired by Lord Johnson of Marylebone and will be producing a report with recommendations for the government.

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

Kirsty Protheroe, Headteacher said: I am always pleased and proud to receive emails from members of the public who meet our children when on excursions. For both trips, I had emails stating how polite and well mannered our students were whilst representing the School. They were proud to fly the School Tour flag, and this enabled them to be identified and celebrated. There was a competition as to who could get the best picture with the School Tour flag; I think the celebrity endorsement (and the much whooping and hollering at the airport on meeting Sam Smith) may have clinched it. Congratulations, team New York!

A Costello student writes: We spent February half term in New York and made plenty of memories which we will all remember a lifetime. Arriving in America, we were waiting at baggage claim when we bumped into award-winning Sam Smith! What a fantastic start to the week! We packed so much into such a short amount of time and enjoyed every moment. From a walking tour of New York to a ferry crossing to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island we spent the whole week enjoying ourselves and having fun. We went to lots of museums, galleries, to the top of the Empire state building, rode the metro, visited the 911 memorial, ate at a whole host of delicious diners, and, of course, went shopping. It is hard to believe we went to so many places, saw so many sights and experienced so many adventures in just a week. Friends and memories have been made for life!

Kirsty Protheroe, Headteacher said: Ski Trip: wow! Another year, another fantastic ski trip. There were many high points from the trip, but the overwhelming highlight is just spending the week with the students and seeing them flourish and progress at their own individual level. The students were a joy, and as their families you should be very proud of them. All of this was topped off with a lady staying at the same resort as us complimenting the students on how well behaved they are. Our huge thanks go to the fantastic staff team; Mr. Reed, Mrs. Battisson, Mr. Heslin and Miss. Wylie. Without them, these trips would not be able to run.

DURING HALF TERM OUR STUDENTS WERE LUCKY TO TRAVEL TO SOME UTTERLY REMARKABLE LOCATIONS AND EXPERIENCE THINGS MANY WOULD NEVER DO IN A LIFETIME.

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

BOHUNT HORSHAM TRIP TO ORLANDO, BY LEO, YEAR 10

Orlando, Florida was an experience that we will never forget. The travel day began with our trip to Gatwick airport where we flew to Florida. It was a long journey but excitement was high. We made it to the hotel, where we had our first experience of American cuisine, then headed to bed, excited for the week to come.

Day one, the beginning of our adventure, of course we started with the classic American breakfast which was absolutely delicious. Our first stop was the Kennedy Space Centre, where we learned about the history of space exploration and the incredible feats of engineering that have made space travel possible. We went into the Atlantis building where they had a simulator of an actual space launch. We also learned about the history of the space shuttle and how it revolutionised space travel during the space race in the late 20th century. In the evening we went to WonderWorks, an interactive science museum with a variety of hands-on activities and exhibits, an upside-down house with unique floors with weird and wonderful attractions. As we made our way up the floors each level offered a different experience. We made it to the top floor, called the basement, where we played a game of laser tag.

On day two, we visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where we explored Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge doing the Star Tours ride. We also visited Toy Story Land, with the Slinky Dog Dash ride and Toy Story Mania all themed around the film. We also had the opportunity to ride some of the most thrilling rides in the park, such as the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, which took us by surprise with the speedy launch and the Tower of Terror, a ride themed around a haunted hotel.

Day three was the first of our two days at Universal Studios, the first park was the Islands of Adventure, our first stop was the Marvel Super Hero Island with some really intense rides such as the Hulk Coaster. and the Spider-Man simulation where you are reporters for the famous Daily Bugle. Next up was Jurassic Park, another intense ride on the famous Velocicoaster where you get a brief view of the whole resort along with a 360 degree corkscrew over the lake. We also had the chance to explore the first part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Hogsmeade, a district with a replica of the actual Hogwarts castle, it was such an immersive experience.

Day four began with a special tour of Universal Studios Park. Our tour guides taught us the backstory of the buildings and streets situated around the park. We learned that some movies had even been filmed on the very street we were standing on.

Many of us decided that we would stop for lunch in the Simpsons food court where they offered a wide variety of foods including the infamous Krusty Burger. We then moved our way around to the second part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. To end

off an amazing day, we ate at the famous Hard Rock Cafe with the traditional American Diner experience.

Day five, the final day of our trip, we began with a walk down to a souvenir gift shop with all things Florida, we bought presents for friends and families. The next stop was the Boggy Creek Airboat ride, they had their own alligator sanctuary and we even got to feed them some food. The boat ride itself was fascinating as we saw some alligators in their natural habitat, whilst we sped across the lake. We then set off back to the airport for our return home. Once we had returned we were all in agreement that it had been the best school trip we had ever experienced- memories that will last a lifetime.

Photographed in front of the Mercury Seven Astronauts at the Kennedy Space Centre, Leo is in the middle

BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW…

INTERVIEW – SAFIA GRIFFIN, FINANCE OFFICER, BOHUNT HORSHAM

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Usually two small people jump on me asking if it’s time for breakfast yet.

How would you describe your job to a child?

I’m the bank in Monopoly.

What is your biggest ‘game-changing’ achievement, personal or professional?

I won the karaoke competition at Japan Matsuri (a Japanese festival in London) singing in Japanese. The prize was a return flight to Japan - best trip ever!

What 3 words would you use to describe your job?

Different every day.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

Continuing to help develop Horsham as we expand into primary and further build various revenue streams such as external lettings.

What’s your favourite song lyric or line from a film?

“I cannae change the laws of physics! I’ve got to have thirty minutes!”

What’s the best thing about working at BET?

That my job doesn’t chain me to a desk all day. I get to be involved in all aspects of school life, from dressing up like the Queen of Hearts for World Book Day, to going on the school ski trips, to helping choreograph our school production, to organising charity events and school festivals and much more.

If you were an animal, what would you be?

A Panda, who knows Kung Fu.

What famous person inspires you most?

I don’t have just one person who inspires me, but when I grow I want to be Michelle Yeoh. She continues to push the boundaries and pave the way for Southeast Asian actors... and she’s just so cool.

Tell us about something you’ve done that scared you?

When I went diving in Egypt. I find open water so vast and intimidating, but diving is something I’d always wanted to try. Going under for the first time and ‘breathing’ underwater was such a strange and scary feeling.

What two things would you take to a desert island? A hammock and procrastination.

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

SUPPORTING

THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

It has been an exciting first few months of the academic year with many opportunities to develop the minds of our young people. Within our PSHE and RSE curriculum have been exploring: relationships with themselves and others, digital safety and keeping safe online, gender identity and sexual right and rape culture, all of which plays a huge part in supporting the mental health of our young people.

Alongside this we have had the pleasure of going beyond the curriculum with guest speakers from companies such as:

• ‘Everyone’s Invited’ who focussed on educating our year 11 students about language associated with ‘Sexual Right and Rape Culture’

• ‘Our Streets Now’ who explored violence against women with our KS4 students.

• ‘Barabarni’ - focus on Online Safety for all students within KS3 and 4.

Currently all of our year 7 students are participating in the ‘Peer Education Project’ led by Miss S Tutton and our year 12 students, within PSHE lessons. Within this 5 week programme students will learn:

• That mental health is something that we all have which changes over time and in different circumstances.

• How to challenge common myths surrounding mental health while acknowledging the stigma they can cause.

• The 5 ways to mental wellbeing and identify ways to enhance their own mental wellbeing

• To think of ways that people can help themselves when they are not feeling at their best and identify sources of support when help is needed with mental health.

• How important relationships are to our mental health and to consider how to help friends with their mental health.

To find out more: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/ourwork/programmes/families-children-and-young-people/peereducation-project-pep

THE BET AWARDS 2023

ROAD BY JIM CARTWRIGHT AT BOHUNT SIXTH FORM

Deborah Lampard, Head of Drama, Bohunt Sixth Form:

It is thankfully now three years since we heard ‘public venues such as theatres should no longer be visited.” For a nation of theatre goers, the lights are definitely back on the stage and here at Bohunt Sixth Form, we found ourselves with a new intake of students raring to tread the boards - this time in our new space, The Hatfield Theatre. No light entertainment here though; instead, the dark, gritty and politically all too relevant 1980s play Road, by Jim Cartwright. A play that moves, that shouts, that softens and despairs. A play that challenged our students to consider a community scarred by unemployment and how to live with, or without, hope.

I hoped students would sign up. I hoped students would understand why we believe this play is important, how it would entice an audience and what we felt it could mean to them for years to come. Such hopes were met when a strong cast of students came forward in October 2022, with a student-led Stage Management and Front of House team formed to aid their endeavours. A team that worked tirelessly and professionally to support with props and costume design, marketing and ticket management and to coordinate our sublimely talented Year 12 Sixth Form band, who performed live 80s classics in the interval to a delighted audience.

On arrival at The Hatfield Theatre, audiences were met by the vivacious yet untrustworthy narrator Scullery, who led them down Road and back again to meet all who inhabit it. From the young to the old, to the cheerful, ‘I’m DJ Bisto… you’ll get used to me, you’d better’, to those who’d lost their dreams that never started, ‘I feel like England’s forcing the brain out me head.’ Student performances were compelling, bold and brave, from seasoned performers and those who had last acted in Year 8.

Students worked admirably, in just four months, to stage this courageous play to a sell out audience of friends, families and a wealth of returning students, who are ingrained in our Expressive Arts community. Which is exactly what this production allowed for more of; a new community of students to develop, an old community to come back together and community on stage to encourage us, their audience, to consider the very idea of hope in our present day communities. I, for one, was left hopeful that this community of intelligent, articulate and daring students will guide their way forward with more hope than the inhabitants of Road were ever given the opportunity to do.

Ella, Year 12 Drama A-Level Student:

To begin my Sixth Form experience I took part in the production of Road. A gritty, moving and political play written by Jim Cartwright, set in a deprived working class community in Lancashire, 1986. I joined the cast with a desire to contribute and indulge in the opportunity to act and learn more about my passion for theatre and what it can communicate. Not only did this experience completely inspire me, but I was also immediately part of a community where I felt able to thrive as both a person and actor. Rehearsals were a buzzing, joyful atmosphere, despite the content of the play - which somehow motivated everyone to invest their everything. I performed the role of ‘Carol’, a teenager living within this struggling community.

I found this play to elaborate on the kaleidoscope of topics which we explore in Drama A Level, including History, Politics, Psychology and Literature. Cementing for me that theatre is an innovative and evolving tool to reflect society, with the ability to entertain, yet influence and educate. Road has contributed to my ability of making the most out of every opportunity and embracing the challenges thrown at me both in Sixth Form and life after.

PRIORY COMMUNITY WEEK

In the first week back after February half term Priory School enjoyed its first ever ‘Community Week’. Activities throughout the week were designed to cultivate a strong sense of community both within our school and out in the local community. Another focus of the week was kindness and how we can make the most of opportunities to be kind every day, even in very small ways. There were inter-house competitions run throughout the week to encourage a sense of house community as well as a range of other opportunities to develop our culture of kindness and community.

Students from Yr 9 & 11 visited Sydenham Court care home to provide musical entertainment, run crafting activities, play board games, and darts with the residents. In Food lessons the previous day students had baked trays of brownies to deliver and share with the residents as well. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and the residents said how lovely it was for the students to visit and spend time with them. The students showed immense maturity and compassion for the residents, really taking the time to talk to them and brighten their day. All of the students who went have asked to make it a regular activity.

A beach clean on Southsea beach was arranged for after school on Thursday, it was very well attended by students, along with staff and parents who volunteered their time to meet at the beach on what was a very cold afternoon. The activity resulted in 40 bags of rubbish being collected and disposed of properly. It was a really wonderful thing to do in support of our local community’s enjoyment of the seafront.

Yr 8 students paid a visit to our local Food bank, St Margarets, which we have supported for a number of years with donations and fundraising. Lauren Broughton (Food Pantry Coordinator) spoke to them about why there is a need for a pantry and how St Mag’s has moved forward to help and support our community with post lockdown food bank services. Students helped sort donated food items into the correct life span and pricing section. As a team, they worked incredibly hard sorting and stacking each food item. After that, Lauren talked about why a pantry is so valuable to our

community. In just that week alone the pantry had serviced 100 local families. We raised just over £650 across the week and have since been to the Food bank to drop off a very large amount of food and essentials.

Throughout the week students earned kindness tokens for doing random acts of kindness. Each time a member of staff witnessed kindness by our students they were given a token to redeem at the ‘kindness corner’ treat stand. Across the week over 2000 tokens were given out, which demonstrates the amazing level of kindness within our school community.

PSCRE lessons throughout the week all began with a kindness ‘Do-Now’ activity. Students completed postcards outlining a time that someone had been kind to them or when they had witnessed kindness, how this made them feel and encouraged them to be kind in return. These will shortly be made into colourful bunting to decorate corridors in the school.

The week had so many ‘Proud to be Priory’ moments and it has been so wonderful to see so many of our students enthusiastically take on the challenges and activities of our first ever ‘Community Week’. From spreading joy in a local care home to beach cleaning, Priory staff made this first ever ‘Community Week’ a wonderful opportunity for students to engage with game-changing activities, and the students have stepped up to the challenge at every opportunity.

MEET EX-PRIORY STUDENT AND MP STEPHEN MORGAN

Earlier this year, three GCSE Citizenship students were invited to represent Citizenship students at Priory School at a roundtable meeting with Stephen Morgan MP Shadow Minister for Schools. Stephen is of course an ex-student of Priory School and our local MP.

The meeting had been organised by the Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT), the subject association for Citizenship education. The purpose of the meeting was for Stephen to be able to talk directly with students, teachers and Headteachers from across the country about Citizenship and to learn more about what is being studied, the subject in general and why students think it is such an important subject.

Nadir, Anaya and Mia, all Year 10 GCSE Citizenship students, were selected to take part in the round table meeting, and were accompanied by Mr Vaughan. They chose to talk about their current work on rights and responsibilities and the age of criminal responsibility and also discussed lowering the voting age. The meeting was held on Zoom, where they were joined by Citizenship students from across the country, Stephen Morgan MP and Liz Moorse the CEO of ACT.

“To start with, Stephen did a little introduction and then we were given the stage. The three of us told him what we have been covering in Citizenship recently - Rights & Responsibilities, the court system, roles of the and more, and why we thought all of this was important. We were then given the opportunity to ask questions so we started by asking his views on the age of criminal responsibility and whether it should be raised as this is something we have discussed in class. He linked it to the voting age and the work he has been doing to

lower that to 16. Next, we asked him what he thought about the idea of compulsory maths until the age of 18, since he is Shadow Education Minister. He stated that he knows there are not enough teachers for that and that not everyone enjoys maths.

We were then able to listen to the questions from other schools and the responses from Stephen Morgan which was very interesting.

We touched on a range of other topics relevant to our Citizenship studies and the major issues in today’s society. It was a good opportunity to improve our skills, understand issues from other perspectives and the impact these will have on future generations.”

By Yr 10 students Anaya, Mia & Nadir, & Helen Blachford.

Steyning Grammar sixth formers and staff travelled to Poland during half term, where they made an “emotional and thought provoking” visit to Auschwitz.

On the first day of the A Level Humanities trip, the group of around 50 students took a guided tour of Krakow, seeing the Mediaeval old town and the Jewish quarter of the city, where they learned about the ghettos Jews were forced to live in after the Nazi invasion.

Later on they spent the afternoon at the Schindler museum, where local businessman Oskar Schindler helped save the lives of many Jews during the Second World War. His life was later captured in Steven Spielberg’s film, Schindler’s list.

The second day of the trip saw the group visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, the site of the largest concentration camp in occupied Europe during the Second World War.

History teacher Jack Fleming, who accompanied the students, said: “The experience was incredibly overwhelming for staff and students alike, as we saw first hand the place where over a million people were exterminated by the Nazis.

“All of us came away with an extra appreciation of the true horror of the Holocaust and many students revealed how emotional it had made them.”

Year 13 student Harry, who went on the trip, said: “I would say that the trip to Poland was on the whole an amazingly culturally enriching trip to a quite beautiful country.

“Visiting the Auschwitz camp itself is an incredibly emotive and moving experience and is somewhere I would recommend people go to so they can be educated on the horrors that occurred there. It is a sombre experience but an incredible opportunity to visit a place like this.”

Mr Fleming added: “Hopefully the trip will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We returned home glad to have gone and seen with our own eyes the scale of the atrocities committed by the Nazis, and a resolve not to let those crimes ever be forgotten.”

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

RESPECT: STEYNING GRAMMAR SCHOOL DIVERSITY DAY

Steyning Grammar boarding students and staff hosted a Diversity Day for more than 50 primary school pupils.

The school organised a programme of engaging workshops and activities centred around the theme of respect and celebrating difference.

Both staff and students worked with the younger pupils who were aged 9 and 10 as they took part in discussions and thoughtprovoking activities.

Year 13 boarding student Caleb, who helped to run the activities, said:

“The workshops taught the children about diversity and understanding how to be inclusive of different kinds of people. We had discussions with the pupils about language barriers and asking

them if there have been times they haven’t understood things. The younger students also played a matching up game to teach them about definitions such as gender, age and religion.

It was very interesting to see how they felt about different topics and I was impressed with how much they knew about diversity. I think it was a good day because they seemed very interested and were all taking part.”

Director of boarding, Tom Leighton, said:

“As well as the primary school students, representatives from Chichester Diocese and CofE Educators took part in the day. Two of our boarding students, sixth formers Billy Wheals and Demi Alao are proud to be Racial Justice Youth Ambassadors.”

STUDENT/TEACHER INTERVIEW

STUDENT TO TEACHER

What inspired you to be a teacher?

I always wanted to be a teacher when I was at school. I was lucky to be able to retrain and pursue that after I had my children.

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Anything that would involve travel and seeing the world.

What’s the best part of your job?

There are lots of good parts, working with young people means that every day is different and there is certainly never time to get bored.

Who are your heroes?

David Attenborough. I am sure lots of people would have the same answer, but he has done such an excellent job of highlighting issues such as climate change, plastic pollution and losses of biodiversity. He seems to be able to engage people from all generations.

Why did you choose to teach at Steyning Grammar School?

I only started working at SGS in September, I wanted the challenge of working in a larger school based over different sites. Working mostly at Rock Road has enabled me to get to know the students and the school quickly, it has been great to meet all the Year 7 and 8 students there.

Tell me a little about a teacher that inspired you.

My maths teacher when I was in Year 10 and 11 (although it was called Year 4 and 5 then!). She always had time for us and she used to make an excellent Mars Bar cake at the end of term.

What is one exciting teaching method you use?

I am a Science teacher and so any practical demonstrations or tasks always help to engage students. Particularly if it involves fire and burning things.

What are your thoughts on education today?

There are so many things we could talk about here. There are lots of challenges in education, especially when we look at the bigger picture and the use of smartphones and social media and how their use impacts on young people. I really like working in a school with iPads now as it enables us to show a more positive way to engage with the internet and use new technology to our advantage.

TEACHER TO STUDENT LEON – YEAR 7

Tell me about yourself in 30 seconds.

My name is Leon, my birthday is in July and I go to SGS and really enjoy it. I do guitar, I’m on my third grade, do drama club outside of school and I have a dog that I love - called Bruno.

What are your strengths?

I think I am good at maths and drama because I do drama club outside of school. I also would say I am resilient.

What are your weaknesses?

I think I could do better in music. It is harder when I am not doing guitar.

Give one example of something you enjoy, respect or have achieved at Steyning Grammar School.

I have achieved writing my first ever essay - in History and I got a good grade for it.

What or whom inspires you?

My Dad inspires me because he is good at lots of things like art, design and technology.

What are your plans for the future after leaving school?

I want to be an interior designer. It sounds like a really fun job.

What is your favourite line from a film/song/book?

I forget the book but it is ‘even though I have gone through so much, I bounce back’.

What one thing would you change about school life?

I want more to be able to swap my ERA points in the shop because I have loads of them.

VICKY CHALCRAFT - ASSISTANT HEAD TEACHER AT STEYNING GRAMMAR SCHOOL, ROCK ROAD AND LEON IN YEAR 7, ALSO AT ROCK ROAD.

Costello Horsham

Liphook Priory

SGS TPS Worthing

Wokingham

HELICOPTER VISIT AT TPS

As part of a STEM/Careers Day we were delighted to welcome a Scout helicopter, courtesy of Historic Army Aircraft Flight, which landed on the school field.

After feeling the incredible downforce generated by the rotors, 180 students from all year groups enjoyed the opportunity to get up close to the aircraft and talk to the Army pilots and engineers, asking questions about the functionality, operation, and engineering of the aircraft. Students asked them how their careers developed and how to start a career in aviation and engineering. They were also given the chance to sit inside the Scout helicopter as the pilots talked them through the controls. Pilot Major Rich Pillans is a former TPS student himself!

In a carousel of activities, students also attended presentations from experienced, graduate and apprentice engineers from Boeing, who spoke about their current roles within the aviation industry, how they got to where they are today, and the possible career paths open to our students. This was invaluable as it showed them how it is possible to be able to get into a position of engineering at Boeing and what the many pathways and options might look like.

Alongside this, members from the Army Flying Museum told the story of British Army Flying from the early days of military ballooning to the modern Army Air Corps. This included a variety of different items and artefacts, their history, and how they were influential in shaping today’s aircraft and military equipment.

Finally, we bid farewell to the pilots and engineers as they took off, having inspired the next generations of engineers, pilots, and recruits to pursue a career in the aviation industry. It was a fabulous afternoon and students gained valuable insight into the possibilities of these exciting and important careers.

STUDENT/TEACHER INTERVIEW

TEACHER TO STUDENT

Tell me about yourself in 30 seconds?

I am Peruvian/Irish/Singaporian/Chinese. I love my French bulldog, Rufus, and going to the beach, art, music and singing – I sing all the time!

What are your strengths?

I’m good at Spanish, art and playing the piano – I’m now Grade 4. I am creative and make jewellery and small sculptures. My family says I’m good at talking to people and putting them at their ease.

What are your weaknesses?

I’m resistant to trying new things, but I know this and I’m trying to be more open to them. I’m not good at tidying my room and I hate spiders!

STUDENT TO TEACHER

What inspired you to be a teacher?

I was very lucky to grow up surrounded by people who had travelled to other countries and spoke other languages. I have always been fascinated by the way languages enable you to connect with others, share ideas and gain an insight into the way they think. From the age of 12, I knew I wanted to learn languages and eventually teach languages to young people. If you were not a teacher, what would you be?

People who know me will tell you that I like things to be organised and that I am a stickler for details. If I was not a teacher, I would probably be an international event organiserI would still want to be in a job where I get to use languages.

Who are your heroes?

It was very difficult for me to choose a hero as I have been inspired and influenced by so many people. My historical hero is Jane Austen as she was a broad-minded woman of her time, who was driven by her passion for literature. She wrote about intelligent, witty, strong spirited women, who fought against the conventions of society. She gave women a voice and inspired them to do what they love.

What is the best part of your job?

I love being in the classroom and teaching a subject I am passionate about, and seeing students taking a genuine interest in the language they are learning, asking questions about how languages work or wanting to find out more about different countries or cultures. It is also great to see students progress, develop their confidence and reach a point where they feel they can communicate in the language.

Why did you choose to teach at TPS?

I enjoy working as part of a team and TPS has a very strong team and community ethos. It also offers a dynamic, fun and supportive working environment, which has enabled me to grow as a person and as a professional. However, the best part of teaching at TPS is getting to work with our lovely TPS students. They absolutely made the school for me!

Tell me about the teacher who inspired you the most?

Both of my Spanish and English teachers from secondary schools have inspired me. They talked about their experience travelling, living and working abroad. I always knew I wanted to travel and explore different countries, but it had never occurred to me that I could study, live abroad and use the languages I have learnt on a daily basis.

What is the one exciting teaching method you use?

I think cultural activities are a great way to promote love of learning languages as they bring languages to life. Students love finding out about different aspects of culture, which match their own areas of interests. As part of my lessons, I always try to make sure we discuss and whenever possible even experience music, food, art or literature from different countries.

What are your thoughts on education today? In the past few years, it has been great to see a shift in culture and a greater emphasis placed on the holistic approach – we are looking beyond exam results, developing the whole person and helping them develop lifelong skills such as resilience, independence, curiosity and global citizenship.

Can you give me one example of Enjoy Respect and Achieve?

My friend Evelyn loves swimming (Enjoy) and puts in a lot of hard work to achieve her dream of becoming an Olympian, training 6 times a week. I respect her dedication.

What or who inspires you?

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper, and playwright who wrote the songs in the musical “Hamilton” and also starred as Alexander Hamilton. He also wrote the songs in the films Moana, Encanto, and Vivo. The tunes are so catchy and make me want to sing along. What plans for the future do you have?

I don’t know yet what I want to do as a career, but I like music, art and animals, so I would like to include them, and I hope it would involve travelling to learn about new places and cultures.

What is your favourite saying from a song or book?

The Australian poet, Erin Hanson wrote: “There is freedom waiting for you On the breezes of the sky, And you ask ‘what if I fall’

Oh but my darling

What if you fly?”

Those last two lines remind me that if I don’t try, I won’t experience the wonderful.

What one thing would you change about school life?

I know it’s a big ask, but I would like a swimming pool, a massive climbing frame, pets in the classroom, a small jungle instead of a playing field and a zoo in the jungle!

CYRINE JAWORSKI, DIRECTOR OF MFL AND ZURI

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

THE WHEELER PROGRAMME AT BOHUNT WOKINGHAM

The only thing I could think about for the next week was the Wheeler Programme. To apply I first had to write an application form which took me a while but was very exciting to do. I tried to be as cautious as I could about it as I thought one wrong typo and I’m out. Next I had to do an interview which was the hardest part of the interview. It was very scary, however I completed it and thought I did really well.

I found out I had a place when my parents got a call from Miss Hurst. My family were and still are incredibly proud about the fact I got in and my friends are very happy for me. I’m most looking forward to the team building activities because I feel it will help me make more friends and improve my nervousness around people I don’t know very well.

Dylan’s parents said ‘We are really proud of Dylan for the hard work he put in to prepare for the interview and so pleased he was accepted. This is an amazing opportunity for him to develop his skills and gain different experiences at such a prestigious school as Wellington College.

Find out more about the Wheeler programme at: https://www. wellingtoncollege.org.uk/news-events/the-wheeler-programme-atransformational-opportunity-for-partner-state-school-pupils/

Dylan, year 9, writes about the initiative.

The Wheeler programme is a funded education programme to complement and support existing school provision. This innovative programme brings together the experience of the current Independent/State School Partnership together with Wellington College and other strategic partners to provide regular academic enrichment, mentoring and support over a five year period to groups of students attending non-selective maintained schools specifically to encourage ambitious aspirations for the future. Each year as the students go through the programme they will experience support and assistance particular to their needs through a combination of a yearly residential course, additional workshops and mentoring.

The application and the interview were very exciting but also very nerve wracking as I didn’t want to make a mistake or say something wrong. However I did enjoy it a lot.

I felt very happy about my place and couldn’t believe it when I got in. I am incredibly excited about the Programme because I feel that it is a one in a lifetime opportunity that I can’t miss out on. When I first found out about being put forward by Miss Hurst, me and my family were really excited and surprised.

BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW…

ALEX MARTIN – TEACHER OF SCIENCE, BOHUNT WOKINGHAMthe morning?

Apart from the allure of coffee, it’s the chance to talk about science all day whilst also helping people.

How would you describe your day job to a child?

Intense! No one day will be the same and there will always be a list of things to do, but it can be very rewarding also!

What is your biggest achievement to date, personal or professional?

Scoring a goal against Liverpool FC Academy when younger! I’d love to say it was an unstoppable shot from 30 yards into the top corner, but in reality it was a tap-in from 2 yards! They all count!

What does a typical day look like to you and what are you currently working on?

I get up at around 6:30 am and try to be at work by about 7:45am. I get my printing for the day sorted and check my emails. Any periods when I don’t teach, I try to get as much done as possible, be it lesson planning, marking etc. At the end of the day I stay for an hour or so to finish off anything I need to. I then try to go to the gym before I go home. In the evenings I like to watch TV, play chess and go for walks when it’s a bit brighter.

Currently, I am working on improving my physics understanding. As a biology and psychology specialist, my studies didn’t see much overlap with physics concepts, although I do like talking with students and colleagues about the little-known field of ‘psychophysics’!

What 3 words would you use to describe your role?

Intense, demanding, rewarding.

What’s your favourite line from a film?

“Does anyone have any orange slices?” – Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War.

What do you like most about your job?

Being able to help people and talking to them about interesting science theories!

What are your biggest professional challenges? Balancing the workload and trying not to be a perfectionist with things!

What’s your personal mantra?

“What’s the biggest waste of time? Comparing yourself to others.” Charlie Mackesy.

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

BOHUNT SCHOOL WORTHING: BSW IN THE COMMUNITY

It was a busy spring term for BSW! Here are a few highlights where the Community was at the centre of BSW’s students’ day.

LITTLE LIFE SAVERS

Little Life Savers is an amazing local charity set up by a Bohunt parent. This charity visits schools and teaches younger students how to get help if an emergency situation happens around them and basic Lifesaving skills. All BSW Y7 students have participated in a Little Life Savers workshop and Y8 students will be taking part soon.

Mrs Stanley who runs the charity always encourages other Bohunt parents to become volunteers to go into schools to teach these life-saving skills to as many students in as many schools as possible so if a child finds themselves in an emergency situation they would have recall of the skills necessary to help someone until help came.

Victoria Y7: What were the different life saving skills that you learnt?

We learnt how to do chest compressions with two hands. You give 20 pushes lightly (but not too lightly) which is for keeping the heart beating. You can hit their back lightly with the heel of your hand. You would use this when food is stuck in their throat. Also there was a recovery position which you use while you are waiting for someone to come and help.

Faith Y7 :Why do you think it is important to learn life saving skills?

I think it is important because if you see anyone choking even if you don’t know them you can still help them.

Ella Y7 : Why do you think Little Life Savers is an important charity?

I think it is an important charity because it teaches younger people how to save lives.

Little Life Savers can be found at: https://www.littlelifesavers.org/ https://twitter.com/littlifesavers

https://www.facebook.com/LittleLifeSaversCharity

https://www.instagram.com/little.lifesavers/

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

In February BSW students put on a magical performance of Alice in Wonderland. The cast and crew put hours of their own time into making a colourful and creative feast for the eyes. The busy cast and crew participated in weekend rehearsals and decorated a lot of the set pieces themselves to captivate audiences.

They also gave an exclusive performance to over 250 pupils from local primary schools and a few lucky Bohunt Horsham students as well!

Cast member Clara L Y8 said this about her experience:

Playing Alice was a long but exciting journey, I’d be lying if I said it was easy as it was such a big role, unlike anything I had done before. Even though I found it challenging, the staff support, especially the drama teachers made me feel more confident in myself and the work I was doing.

The cast I was working with were all so talented. I loved seeing each scene come together incorporating everyone’s ideas making the most incredible feeling to each scene when we would perform it. We couldn’t do the show though without the stage and tech crew who worked so hard on props, sounds and lighting that I think brought the show to life. It was such a rewarding experience and I thank everyone for the encouragement and support throughout Alice.

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

SPOTLIGHT ON: BOHUNT BUCKY #BOHUNTBUCKY INSTAGRAM: @BOHUNT_BUCKY

Beth Dean who is currently training to be the Pastoral Handler for Bucky said:

BSW welcomed Bucky The Dog as a full-time staff member at the end of November 2022.

Bucky is in training to be a Therapy Dog! Bucky is associated with a company called Canine Assisted Learning which helps train dogs like Bucky to help students of all ages with their well-being.

BUCKY FACT FILE:

Breed: Labrador

Birthday: On June 20 I will be 2!

Favourite colour: Green

Hobbies: Long walks, sleeping, chewing on a deer antler, keeping an eye on my toys, playing fetch with my family

Favourite Food: Chicken (yummy)

Favourite TV Programme: Up

Favourite Teacher: Miss Palmer

Favourite Support Staff: Mrs Calder

Last Book Read: Woof by Allan Ahlberg

Best Sleep Spot at work: Tub chair in Mr Collin’s office

Best Sleep Spot at Home: The Sofa

Best Walk Location: The Beach

IN BUCKY’S WORDS!

My name is Bucky and I work at Bohunt Worthing. The main part of my job is to say hello to lots of students and staff and I really like it when they get to know me and tickle my tummy! Sometimes I say hello to students who are upset. When this happens it is my job to let them pet me, I LOVE being fussed so this is a nice job for me to do.

I currently only have a few students who I know really well but I have now settled into school and my trainer said I could build up the work that I can do with students because I am so happy here.

I am now allowed to go on tandem lead walks with a student and my handler and go into the green area at the front of the school and play fetch with a student and my handler. I am also very lucky as extra staff at the school are going to be trained to be my handlers which means I will spend more time in Pastoral and SEN.

“We have an exciting addition to our team. Bucky is our trainee therapy dog and he lives in our Main Office area - he is always ready and excited to meet visitors to the school. Bucky is extremely friendly and is a brilliant help to some of our young people who find school challenging. He brings a moment of joy and peace to their day. Bucky is always happy to have cuddles and loves attention, which makes him the perfect dog to spend time with. Bucky has already become a favourite among staff and students alike and is building up to being more comfortable in big groups or areas he is not familiar with. Bucky has been a wonderful part of our school so far, and we are very much looking forward to our future with him - we hope he is too!