Senior School Newsletter - June 28 2019

SENIOR SCHOOL

NEWSLETTER Friday 28th June 2019

The following awards were presented in Awards Meetings this week: KS4 Achievement Year 10 - Edward M Endeavour Year 10 - Ben KS3 Commitment to Study Year 7 – Isobel Year 8 – Jennie Year 9 – Catherine Independent Learner Year 7 – Orla Year 8 – Eurika Year 9 – JJ Achievement Year 7 – Leo Year 8 – Kara Year 9 – Freya Endeavour Year 7 – Daisy Year 8 – Holly Year 9 – Sam

Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award

13 intrepid Year 10 students completed the Qualifying Expedition for the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award. The expedition took place in the New Forest, always a challenging place to navigate as many of the footpaths marked on the map peter out into gorse and bracken-covered moorland, with little in the way of noteworthy topographical features to act as a guide to location and orientation. The Silver expedition is also a big step-up from Bronze: it is a three-day self-contained expedition and participants are expected to walk between 15 and 18 kilometres each day. The three groups of Sibford pupils did very well indeed, especially given that the first day was surprisingly hot. All three groups navigated successfully through their checkpoints, although, inevitably so given that all of the pupils are still on their Duke of Edinburgh learning curve, some errors were made. This is not necessarily a problem as long as they can correct these and our Sibford pupils did. All the same, a key element of the Duke of Edinburgh at Silver Award level is that participants give more serious thought to what they did well and what they need to improve on before moving onto the Gold Award than they did for Bronze (when, probably, they were not thinking in terms of the three Awards being part of a natural progression): reflecting carefully on their expedition experience is an important part of the process by which they mature as participants.

As we were on the Practice Expedition, the attending staff were immensely proud of the achievements of these young people. Of course, there is a great deal of hard work which takes place before and during the expedition and thanks for this should go to Linda Phillips, Verity Redrup and Jez Ross.

Year 11 into 12 Transition Day

On Wednesday, the Sixth Form Centre opened its doors to welcome the Year 11 into Year 12 students for their transition. The aim of the day was to explore and consider their subject options alongside beginning to prepare students for the wonderful challenges of KS5 study. The students were able to attend lessons and experience Sixth Form life and learning. The lessons ranged from using the 3D printer, experimenting with willow weaving, discovering 'Geoffrey the newt' in the school pond, grappling with highly challenging algorithms, charting the history of English literature, group business challenges under pressing deadline, creating the perfect sports coach as well as the instigation of a Sixth Form choir with plans for a European tour!

The day culminated in some hilarious and challenging activities involving problem solving and team building. It was a delight to have the wonderful Year 11 in the Sixth Form and I look forward enormously to supporting them through their Sixth form studies and ensuring their successful Post 18 plans. (Cate Mallalieu-Needle, Head of Sixth Form)

Support for Learning - Learner of the Week Margot is this week’s SFL ‘Learner of the Week’. Margot has shown consistent improvement in literacy and numeracy sessions this year and always has a positive attitude towards her learning.

Congratulations Margot, Isabelle Murphy and Sue Sabin consider you a very deserving learner of the week.

Prodrive visit As a part of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) we took a group of students to Prodrive. Prodrive are currently running the Austin Martin race team and were just back from the famous Le Mons 24-hour race. They were dismantling the race cars and our students got to see this whole process.

Prodrive also develop a range of products for different companies, the centre console for Range Rover, a light weight folding pedal bike and we saw the McLaren P1 rear wing, the most complicated wing fitted to any vehicle.

Our ‘Adventurers’ from Year 10 and 11 event will begin fundraising and Model United Nations

raising awareness expedition to Ladakh, India and the Delegates from Sibford School took partfor in their a Model United Nations event at Tudor Hall.

Snow Leopard Trust on Friday during Senior School Sports Day. A range treats will be on offer throughout the afternoon some The discussions on the first of two resolutions (the right to protest and single useand plastics: activities are also planned. Please come and support them how can we stop theirfun use?) were held in committees wheredo each United Nations country withdelegate some spare (V. Macaulay, Head of Key Stage was represented by one whochange. had to ensure that they represented theirThree) assigned countries rather than their own views. All delegates were involved through discussing amendments to clauses, questions and points of order which involved active listening, thinking on their feet and voting.

The afternoon consisted of a General Assembly involving all delegates in which a hypothetical crisis event involving an alien invasion hacking into systems across the world was discussed.

The day concluded with an award ceremony where Phoebe was commended, and Charlotte and Tom were nominated as best delegates and best delegation (China).

It was a brilliant day with so much learnt by all attendees as delegates and future trainers.

We are looking forward to more debating next academic year. (Frances King, Librarian)

I went with the ESOL group to The Cotswold Wildlife Park. After a short journey by coach I had a walk through the park with my Italian friend Sveva. We saw many different species of birds from all over the world, we saw monkeys and we fed them with bananas.

Then we went to the part dedicated to African animals where we saw giraffes, zebras, lions and leopards. The lions and the leopards looked very bored and miserable and personally I think they shouldn’t be closed in cages because they need the freedom to run in their natural habitats.

Then we had an interesting lesson about reptiles with an expert who showed us three different animals: a snake, a lizard and a tortoise. These animals all have cold blood, so they often need to move to warmer or cooler places because they cannot regulate their body temperature. A guide of the zoo also showed us the lemurs from Madagascar and she fed them with carrots and celery.

After lunch I had a little siesta on the grass and I bought a diary with a 3D wolf on its cover for my little brother Jacopo, who is waiting for me in Italy.

I really enjoyed the trip but at the same time it made me sad to see that many animals in cages.

I think that if we want to see these animals we should travel to their original country and go on safari trips so that we can see them in their natural habitats. (Elena, Year 10)

Senior Aquathlon Finals

Sibford School hosted the Years 7,8 and 9 North Oxfordshire Partnership aquathlon finals. With strong competition from 5 local state schools all 3 of our teams performed well. Each competitor in the relay had to complete a 200m swim followed by a 1600m run; determination was needed and all 12 of our competitors showed it in abundance. Congratulations to our Year 8 team for finishing 2nd and our Year 7 & 9 teams that won their age group events and have qualified for the School Games Finals; unfortunately, this clashes with our curriculum enrichment week so we are unable to attend. Well done all. Dave Brassett (PE Department)

Year 7 and 8 Sports Awards Year 7 and 8 were awarded their Bronze Sports Colours and Commendations last week in recognition of their determination, teamwork, progression, leadership and excellence in sport over the course of the year. During the awards ceremony various trophies were also awarded to individuals and teams who have been exceptional in particular sports. (Claire Ferley Director of Sport) Winners Junior Rugby - Henry K & Georgie B Junior Hockey - Olivia W Junior Football - Will W Junior Netball - Georgie B Junior Cricket - Charlie J Junior Rounders - Ava M. Junior Equestrian - Maizey J & Hannah S Junior Swimmer - Archie B Junior Cross Country - Tilly L

Junior Most Improved - Tilly J & Daisy P Junior Team of the Year - Year 7 girls Junior Sportsman - Will W Junior Sportswoman - Emma A