March 2012 Dear Parents, This term’s newsletter celebrates the many varied achievements of our students and, once again, I am proud of the range of activities in which they are involved. Next term promises to be equally busy with students playing a key role in historic events to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the carrying of the Olympic torch through Rye. What a year 2012 will prove to be! Another significant development in Rye College’s history this term has been our planning to create a Studio School in Rye in 2013. This would bring back some post 16 courses for young people locally who wish to specialise in the Arts and Enterprise. Our Studio School will prepare 14-19 year olds for work within the creative industries and is a very exciting project. If we are successful, our Studio School will be one of only 50 within the country, offering unique opportunities for young people in this area. We have been overwhelmed by support from businesses covering a wide area from Ashford through to Hastings. Our application is now with the DfE. If you are able to support us in our bid for the Rye Studio School, as a student, a parent or an employer, please follow the link on the Rye College website. On behalf of everyone here at Rye College I wish you a happy and restful Easter break.
Rye College ‘Gets Set’ for Olympic & Paralympic Games Rye College started the New Year with an Olympic plan and International Partnerships. 50 students set off to partner school, College Jean - Moulin in Berck, Northern France for an overnight stay and to repeat the successful creative partnerships that began last year. After a smooth crossing, the day began with some shopping and lunch in Boulogne and ended with a visit to a family sweet shop in Berck; where the owner gave a demonstration on how to make strawberry lollipops before staff and students had a go too. A bi-lingual dinner was held at the hotel where young people and teachers from Britain and France made friends and made plans for the following day. In preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic games this year, both colleges are to focus on the Olympic values as a theme for carnival and parades. The day began with a sports challenge at the local sports centre with a further school, EREA Berck sur Mer. Groups consisting of students from all colleges made up teams to compete in a variety of Paralympic games - wheel chair basket ball, bacci and blindfolded football. Activities were followed by a tour of the newly built College Jean- Moulin, a 4 course school dinner which was delicious and then a planning session to create costumes and puppets for the carnivals this year. Students explored themes of the Olympic torch, determination, stronger and faster. Work will be continued at both schools with the French school visiting Rye at Easter. Students will meet again to parade together at 'Carnaval des Geants', Berck in March and to follow the Olympic torch in Rye in July.
Rye College Celebrates Fairtrade Fortnight Rye College hosted an evening event in Fairtrade Fortnight to celebrate the support by Rye College for the Fairtrade movement. Fairtrade wine, juices, biscuits and chocolate were all available to sample whilst Assistant Principal Jo Townshend and artist Paula MacArthur gave a talk about looking at the influence of Fairtrade on College life and how it has led to a partnership between the College and secondary school Presec in Tema, Ghana. The evening finished with a short film showing the student visit to Ghana last year.
Rye College Presents: ‘Our Day Out’ March saw Rye College students from Years 7 to 10 took part in a production of Willy Russell’s musical ‘Our Day Out’. The musical tells the story of Mrs Kay’s ‘Progress Class,’ a remedial class of London school children who are unleashed for a day’s coach trip to Bodiam Castle in Sussex. The play is an exuberant celebration of the joys and agonies of growing up and being footloose, fourteen and free from school. But this is more than a romp—it points up the depressive present and empty future for these comprehensive no-hopers from the back streets of London, for whom a day out is as much as they can expect. As with all Rye College Drama Productions, the students demonstrated a wide variety of skills in the Performing Arts including acting, group and solo singing as well as choreographed numbers. Many of the talented cast were Year 10 GCSE Drama students who were assessed in their roles for their exam, as well as Year 10 and 11 GCSE Performing Arts students who designed tickets and programmes, as well as running the box office and front of house, along with being in charge of sound and lighting, all providing excellent evidence for their portfolio. The GCSE students were also joined by a cast of Year 7, 8 and 9 students who have been rehearsing twice a week after school since September and it is obvious that there is a lot of talent and potential in many of these younger students. Students will now be working on a Performing Arts Show Case, which will be performed in the summer term. The production was acollaboration between Rhiannon Chillingworth and Head of Drama Sarah Wall, who would both like to thank the students in the cast for their hard work and dedication, as well as the staff of Rye College who supported the production.
Calling all Families! Do you want to make some money over the summer holidays? Host families are needed to house European students from: 23rd July to 3rd September 2012 (aprx. 6 wks). Within walking distance of Rye College is essential or an easy bus route or lift to college, 5 days per week. An agreement to have CRB (police check) for non-adults is also needed. Students need to be provided with: their own room, either shared or own bathroom, a kind and friendly atmosphere, choice of either full board, half board or just bed and breakfast, willingness of family members to support their English learning, internet access is useful but not essential. Rye College of English will check that the accommodation is suitable. Please contact asap: 01797 224908 or julie.wren@btopenworld.com
Stay up to date with College messages with our Twitter page Simply visit our Twitter page to see the latest messages from our college and other relevant messages from other organisations. To visit the page either go to www.twitter.com/ryecollegeuk or (if you have a smart phone) scan the QR code below. You don't have to join Twitter to see our messages but it is a good idea to join up and follow us. Want to know how? There is more information on our website: www.ryecollege.co.uk/parents/mailinglist Happy Tweeting!
Lucy Retains Title with a Flourish! On the weekend of 3rd – 4th March 2012, Lucy attended the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) National Speed Lifesaving Championships at Ponds Forge, Sheffield. Lucy was to compete in 3 individual events with her first event being the first event of the competition, the 100m obstacle. Swimming in the final heat, Lucy made a good start, and at the halfway point had established a small lead over her nearest rival. But this changed at the turn, as a fast tumble combined with excellent underwater work out of the turn gave her the lead she needed. Coming up to the last obstacle, the lead increased and a fast manoeuvre underneath it saw her secure her second title in a row, some 4 seconds faster than last year and breaking the UK and Eire record for 12-14 year age group by nearly 2 seconds! Next event – the 50m manikin carry. Last year Lucy secured a silver medal, but with a much stronger field this time, and ranked 4th, she did well to go faster than the previous record, but was touched out into 3rd place in a very close finish. Lucy’s final event was the 100m manikin carry with fins, an event in which she had never previously competed. Her lack of experience in the particular event showed and, despite leading by some way after the initial 50m swim, her more experienced rivals brought their experience to bear in pushing her back to a highly creditable 4th place. Lucy also competes in swimming, and the previous weekend at Crawley saw her competing in the Sussex County Swimming Championships at the K2 in Crawley. She had another very successful weekend there too, achieving gold medals in the 14 year girls 50m breast and 100m breast, as well as bronze in the junior (girls 16 and under) 50 breast stroke, silver in the 14 years girls 200 breast stroke and 100m backstroke, along with 4th place in 50 butterfly and 200m freestyle and 5th in 100 freestyle.
DLWP Film Club Tutor: Nick Pilton - Tuesdays 6-8pm - 17th April ‘til 19th June - £100 (can be paid in two instalments). Would you like to learn how to make your own films, as well as having the opportunity to show them alongside an international exhibition? Then join our popular film club with filmmaker Nick Pilton and have the opportunity to write, shoot, direct and edit your own films, which will be installed alongside our summer exhibitions. The theme for your films will have a link to either sports or classic heist movies. This is a ten week course for young people aged 13-19. No experience is necessary and all equipment is provided. For more information and to book visit our new website www.dlwp.com or call the info desk on 01424 229111.
Rye College Basketball Star! “My name is Migle and I’m in Year 9 at Rye College. I love playing basketball and I train professionally. I was recently selected for a National League team called the Sevenoaks Suns. We have played 8 games so far and have won an amazing 7 and only lost 1! My ultimate goal is to play for Great Britain someday. If I could, I would love to play basketball for the rest of my life!” Migle - Yr. 9
Multi Skills Festival
Rye College Junior Table Tennis Project
As part of our Sporting and Cultural Olympiad, Rye College hosted 150 future sporting stars from the local Rye Partner Primary Schools. The Year 2 pupils enjoyed a morning of physical challenges when Weekly Tuesday eventhey participated in the annual Multi Skills Festival, at Rye Sports ing Community Club Centre, on Wednesday 14 March 2012. Festival activities were orsessions are currently ganised by Year 10 Sports Ambassadors’ with Year 10 BTec PE Stuavailable to children dents and 75 Year 7 Sports Leaders acting as activity station offiaged 7 to 16 years in cials. Children from the five schools rotated around 11 activities that the Rye area. Pupils tested their generic sporting skills of, Moving, Aiming, Co-ordination from Rye College and and Balance, in order to achieve target scores, leading to the Rye Community Priaward of individual bronze, silver and gold, multi-skill certificates. mary are encouraged Competition winners were Peasmarsh CE Primary, with Rye Com- to attend from 3:30pm-4:30pm. Partner Primary munity Primary coming second and Icklesham CE Primary in third School aged players from Beckley, Brede, Icklesham, place. Guestling Bradshaw, Peasmarsh, St Michael’s, Playden and St Thomas’ Winchelsea can attend from 4:30pm-5:30pm. In addition, an Easter Table Tennis Day will take place on Tuesday 3rd April from 9:30am -3:30pm in the College gymnasium. Places at these sessions are currently available and interested parties should contact Kevin Haffenden at www.rothertta.com or on 07803138881 to book a place.
Street Twenty Cricket
Rye College Basketball
The Year 7 cricket team participated in the inaugural Hastings and Rother School’s indoor Street Twenty Cricket Competition, winning matches against Hastings Academy, Buckswood and Robertsbridge, and losing to competition winners Claverham.
The college’s basketball players have been attending Thursday and Friday training sessions throughout the term. Their hard work has been rewarded with some impressive results in the Hastings and Rother Competitions. In particular, congratulations to the Year 8 team on winning their competition with a final victory over Hastings Academy. The team are now busily preparing for the County Finals that take place at the Sussex Schools Games in Crawley on July 3rd. Our other sides, Year 7, 9 and 10 all finished as runners up in their competitions with the Year 10 team deserving special praise when only losing by 4 points A quick reminder for Year 9 students going to Arto County Champions, St Leonards Academy, in a fast and deche this June. Please can you double check that frenetic final. your passport is valid for the now confirmed dates of Thursday June 21st to Friday 29th June 2012. All monies should have been paid in by now and Year 9’s should expect various meetings about the trip between now and June. J. Naylor - Party Organiser
Ardeche 2012
Lateness to College in the Mornings
If students are late to College in the mornings i.e. after 9:00am, it shall be recorded. Should a student be late twice in the same week they will receive an After College Detention. Parents will be informed by text that their child has been late and the date of the detention. Detentions will be held in the focus room for 20 minutes. Students late to College due to delays in their bus/train will be exempt.
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