RECLAIMING NARRATIVES: College celebrates Black History Month
SPORT: Meet our 2024/25 sports teams
The New Wittonian
The official newsletter of Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College
Issue 10, Winter 2024
No. 1 sixth form college in the country
Sir John Deane’s has reinforced its position as the UK’s highest performing sixth form college after being ranked number one for student progress three years running.
The College has maintained its number one ranking for ‘value added’, a key measure of student progress, following another extraordinary year of A level results.
An incredible 80% of all A level grades awarded to Sir John Deane’s students were A*, A or B, far surpassing the national average and even better than last year’s record high-grade success. The number of A*- A grades also hit an all-time high,
at an unprecedented 50% of all entries, while A* grades alone accounted for 19%.
Students at the College make more progress than they would at any other designated sixth form college in the country. This year’s results also placed the College within the top 1% of all schools and colleges nationally for student progress.
Principal, Chris Atherton, said: "This academic success sustained over many years is a tribute to the extraordinary culture and hard work of all the students and staff at Sir John Deane's. We're proud to be the country's leading sixth form college."
Musical Soirée
Sir John Deane’s launched its season of music and performing arts in November with a celebration of the diverse musical talents of the College community.
The annual Musical Soirée, set in the College's historic Brunner Hall, featured a vibrant mix of solo and ensemble performances from students across a range of musical disciplines.
The program offered a delightful variety of classical and contemporary works, from the
College's talented soloists, chamber choir and wind, brass and string ensembles, reflecting the broad musical interests of the students.
Classical music lovers were treated to pieces by celebrated composers, Elgar and Grieg, while students also embraced more contemporary sounds, including the pieces 'With You' from the musical Ghost and 70s jazz classic 'Weather Report'.
Black History Month
Sir John Deane's celebrated Black History Month during October with a number of activities based around this year's theme 'Reclaiming Narratives'.
The theme marked a significant shift towards recognising and correcting the narratives of black history and culture. During the month we reminded ourselves of the power of stories, including stories of resilience, triumph, and the invaluable contributions of Black communities throughout history.
Sian Aryee, Diversity and Inclusion lead at the College said: "As an anti-racist College we can amplify these voices, allowing us to honour the past, celebrate the present, and inspire each
other. We are not just recognising history, but actively shaping and reclaiming it."
Amongst the events there was a focus on the arts, with music by black artists played at the beginning and end of each day and a student-led anthology dedicated to under-represented writers and poets within literature and the media. Personal Development and subject lessons also focussed on black history and the contributions of black people in certain subject areas.
The month ended with the College's third annual 'Show Racism The Red Card Day,' inviting all staff and students to wear red as a symbol of antiracism.
SJD alumni captains University Challenge team
We were delighted to see former Sir John Deane's student Jake Roberts captain the Durham University team in the current series of University Challenge.
The team progressed to the second stages of the competition after a thrilling first round match against Oriel, which was fought right to the final minute. Durham narrowly missed out on the win with a score of 165, enough to see them through to a play off match and progress to a second round against the Open University. Unfortunately the competition ended there after they lost the match with a very respectable score of 115.
Jake achieved straight A*s at Sir John Deane's and is now in his third year studying Physics at Durham.
Environmental Society Flourishes
The College's Environmental Society continues to go from strength-to-strength after welcoming new members in September.
The student-led group, which helped the College achieve it's eco-school flag award with distinction earlier this year, have wasted no time getting to work on new initiatives.
The Society have paid several visits to Kingsmead Primary School, helping them to maximise their natural green spaces through weeding and
planting bulbs. They also plan to deliver an assembly and have been working with the children preparing their fruit and vegetable patches ready for the growing season.
The Society also met with Sustainable Northwich, an environmental group championing sustainability and climate awareness in Northwich. The team were invited to meet with students to discuss ways to work together and were given a tour of the College, including our very own community garden.
Aspiring Apprentices show off their skills
More than 50 students were put through their paces during a mock interview day at the College in December. The event welcomed representatives from some of the region’s top employers to test students on their interview skills as part of our Aspiring Apprentices Programme.
The students, all considering higher and degree level apprenticeships, attended a number of workshops in the run up to the event, including guidance around apprenticeship opportunities, CV writing and interview preparation.
Thank you to all employers involved, including Barclays, Butcher and Barlow, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Myerson Law, RMG and Science and Tech Facilities Council.
Stage is set for Legally Blonde the Musical!
Students take on D of E challenge
The College's popular Duke of Edinburgh programme was in full swing throughout October with 140 students working towards their Silver and Gold Awards.
70 students took part in a silver practice expedition in Llangollen, learning essential skills such as route planning, night navigation, countryside code, cooking, team building and leadership. They then had to put all their skills to the test on a three-day qualifying expedition in the Peak District, working in groups to travel on foot from Tegg's Nose Country Park to
An award-winning musical based on the adored movie 'Legally Blonde the Musical', follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, this musical is so much fun it should be illegal!
Wednesday 12th - Friday 14th
February
Tickets £12 (£10 students) available from the College website
Music & Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Neill Benjamin Book by Heather Hach
Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the MetroGoldwyn-Mayor motion picture
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI www. mtishows.co.uk
Rudyard Lake.
A further 70- students are now preparing for their Gold award with a practice expedition in Snowdonia in the spring before heading out on a four-day qualifying expedition in the Lake District in June.
In the meantime, students will be working on other elements of the award, including volunteering, physical activity and the skills section, which involves students broadening their understanding and expertise in a chosen skill.
Special visit almost 80 years in the making
Sir John Deane’s was delighted to welcome back former student, Margaret Jones, almost 80 years after she first left.
Margaret, who was known as Margaret Brocklehurst during her time at Sir John Deane's, recently returned to the College to see how things have changed from when she first joined in 1939, aged 10.
Back then, unbeknown to Margaret, her husband, David Ronald Jones, was also a student at the school, though boys and girls were not allowed to mix. Their paths didn’t cross until years later, but their connection to Sir John Deane’s would continue for generations, with sons Kevin and Andrew both attending the then Boys Grammar School. Andrew, in particular, made his mark as Head Boy in 1973/74 and was awarded the prestigious Saner Medal, an honour still presented to students today during the College's annual prize giving ceremony.
At 95 years old, Margaret was delighted to tour the College’s new facilities, but also took time to visit the Brunner Hall, the oldest surviving part of the original school building, where she could reminisce about her time there.
Margaret was accompanied by close family friends, sisters Fiona and Lorna, who also have a special connection to the College as former students themselves and whose father, Philip Hornby, attended the school during the 1930s.
Life's a beach for year 12 Geography students
Year 12 geography made the most of the Autumn sunshine with a trip to the seaside back in October. They were split between the waves and the sand on Formby beach with students collecting data on the beach profile, sand dune height and wave type to help them learn the skills they will need for coursework later in the year.
College community supports local charities this Christmas
Staff, students and parents have generously donated to a number of local causes this Christmas.
Once again, our annual foodbank appeal has seen hundreds of items donated to the Mid Cheshire Foodbank - all of which have now been delivered ready to be distributed to those in crisis.
The College's Charities Committee have been baking for
Alder Hey Hospital, while staff have also been busy preparing boxes for a homeless charity in Chester.
Finally, our annual Christmas jumper day on the last day of term will be raising vital funds for St Luke's Cheshire Hospice, which offers a wide range of services to support people living with life limiting illnesses in mid and south Cheshire.
Students shine in Cambridge Chemistry Challenge
Budding young scientists from Sir John Deane’s recently participated in the prestigious Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, with outstanding results that showcased their interest and aptitude in the subject.
Among the top achievers were James Tang and Thomas Davenport, both of whom were awarded the Gold prize for their exceptional performance. A further 40 students achieved silver or copper awards, having demonstrated their ability to think beyond the syllabus and approach chemistry in the way university-
level chemists would.
The Cambridge Chemistry Challenge is an annual competition designed by an experienced team of teachers and university chemists and consists of a 90-minute written paper. It challenges students to apply their knowledge creatively, providing an excellent opportunity for those considering further studies in the field.
This year, Sir John Deane’s students’ results reflect not only their hard work and dedication but also the College’s commitment to inspiring and
Gold winners Thomas and James
Meet your 2024/25 Sports Teams
Photos by Immy Gowing and Emi Jones
Swimmers make waves at national finals
Sir John Deane’s swimmers achieved a remarkable 7th place finish at the English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) National Finals in November.
Emily Fozard, Evie Blackburn, Eden Mankee and Zara Comb qualified for both the freestyle and medley relay during the regional event in October, marking the first time they competed together.
Taking their place in the finals at Sandwell Aquatic Centre in Birmingham, home of the Commonwealth Games, the girls pulled out all the stops for a 1 minute 53 seconds finish in the freestyle relay, taking 7th overall. They were up against fierce competition, including GB Olympian Eva Okaro, representing overall winners Repton School. Notably, they were in the top two state schools in their race, earning praise for their teamwork and performance on the national stage.
Jenny Thorp, Head of PE and Sport at the College
Netballers continue winning streak
The College's netball team is looking to defend their league title and secure a place in the National Schools Finals after an undefeated start to the season.
The girls head into the Christmas break at the top of the North West College's League, having not lost a game.
The team were also victorious in the Cheshire Schools Netball Tournament in November, with a straight run of dominant wins, cementing their place in the regional finals in February.
The newly formed second team are also second in the Division Two league, showing the strength in depth of netball at the College.
said: "Congratulations to the girls on a fantastic performance - they have done the College and their swimming clubs proud. It takes a huge amount of hard work and commitment to be successful in swimming and we hope their performance will inspire more swimmers to represent the College at future events."
Rugby Round-Up
Now in the second year of their return, the College's rugby teams continue to go from strength to strength under the watchful guidance of coach Paul Rees.
The Men's team sit at the top of the North West College's League with four wins out of four and an average 41.5 points scored, having only conceded 36 points in total.
Paul said: "The stats reflect the overall team performance this year, which has been magnificent. We're looking forward to the second half of the season and just need to keep this momentum going!"