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Our 3rd Annual Festival
to celebrate our beautiful campus
Creative | Environmental | Fun
If you would like to contribute news to the next issue (published at the end of Term), please send in information and Jpeg images to info@stokecollege.co.uk by Fridy 2nd June.
Welcome to our first Stoke News of 2023, and a celebratory edition it is, too! I am so proud of all our students’ achievements this term - in class, on the sports field, in art and in external competitions. Several students have taken their school interests beyond the classroom to enormous successabove is Amelia, Year 8, who overwhelmed us with her stunnng ‘Cherries’ artwork that she created at home. I have requested a copy for the walls of the Main House!
The term started with Mock Examinations, a full sports match programme and theatre trips; a reflection of all that we value at Stoke College. I would like to thank all staff for their sincere support of our students as the final examination season apporaches.
Our Year 13 students have had a very successful term receiving offers to some of the most prestigious universities in the country. We are awaiting some of the final offers from international
organisations, together with the remaining UK offers, and will publish these in our next edition.
Finally, I have to mention West Side Story (full review on page 12). What a performance! To be part of the production alongside such a group of talented individuals was an honour. I am touched by many of the comments we have received mentioning not just the talent but the ‘kindness’ exemplified by our students.
I am looking forward to sharing many exciting initiatives that are emerging as a result of my very productive visit to China.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, the Advisory Council and all the Staff, may I wish you and your families a very happy and restful Easter break.
Warmest wishes, Gareth Lloyd.
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Our website stokecollege.co.uk contains links to school information together with a link through to the Parent Portalyour unique space to find information about your child’s school life from timetables to reports.
A celebratory end to a very successful term. I am immensely proud of our students and all of their achievements, recognised over the coming pages.
Stoke Sixth Form student, Sienna, led our Children’s Mental Health Week campaign with a special assembly and accompanying social media posts.
Children’s Mental Health Week began on the 6th February. Stoke College sixth form student, Sienna, launched the campaign with an assembly dedicated to The Importance of Looking After Your Wellbeing
Sienna told the whole school that “good wellbeing isn’t about feeling happy all the time”. She continued by offering a definition of mental wellbeing, explaining why it is important and what can affect it.
Sienna’s presentation was translated into a social media campaign for the Stoke Facebook and Instagram platforms (see example right).
Stoke College is proud to have nine qualified ‘Mental Health First Aiders’ that are there when students and staff need to discuss their own feelings.
Congratulations to Bruno, Year 9. During the February half-term, his gaming team flew to Beijing to participate in the Sportskeeda International Gaming Championship.
Bruno’s team, number 9, PAI, performed brilliantly and Bruno tells us that he is putting his prize money towards his first car.
Well done Bruno!
Earlier this month Year 12 students travelled to Norfolk for a week’s residential at Kingswood. Mikhail, Year 12, gives us a review of the week.
Irecently had the pleasure of visiting Kingswood centre, and I must say, it was an unforgettable experience. The wide range of physical activities like rock climbing, caving, and tunnelling, and the leap of faith kept me engaged and challenged throughout the trip. Not only were these activities fun, but they also helped me push my limits and overcome my fears.
interactions between friends, making the trip even more enjoyable. The centre’s fantastic food selection and amazing flavours made sure that we were well-fed and satisfied after a day of adrenaline-pumping activities. The accommodation was comfortable, with bunk beds that added to the fun of sharing the room with friends.
The centre also had many cool leisure activities like table football and a social room, which added to the overall experience. In conclusion, if you’re looking for a fun, action-packed trip that will leave you with unforgettable memories, I highly recommend Kingswood centre.
Mikhail, Year 12
Apart from the physical activities, there were plenty of social activities and
Runners tend to use three different runs throughout a careful training programme: recovery, speed and long runs. These challenge you in different ways, testing and developing different skills. The field of cognitive science in education mirrors this idea as does a lot of traditional scholarly advice about exam preparation.
In English, History and Media Studies work, we practise recall or ‘retrieval’ tasks every lesson: write out the 30 quotations you have memorised; list the dates of the wars, along with their key points and treaty terms; brain dump the theorists and how they apply to your set texts. These are the recovery runs: repetitive and, in theory, easy. You just keep repeating them over and over again until they become easier and easier to recall. The task itself does not need to get any harder but you will find it easier and easier, not to mention quicker and quicker, the more you practise.
Training for an athletic event, in my case the recent Cambridge half marathon and forthcoming Ironman, is a lot like studying for GCSE and A Level qualifications. I talk about this a lot in my teaching and couldn’t resist the chance to expand on it now.
The end goal, let’s call it a marathon, both sounds, feels and indeed is incredibly daunting. Nobody can just run a marathon without preparing for it, even the professionals, and nobody starts their marathon training by running a 26.2 mile route: they start small and work their way up.
You set yourself a goal, usually a target finish time, which is equivalent to an academic target grade. The target has to be realistic and it may evolve over time in response to changes in your life: you may need to adjust it down due to illness or injury or you may be able to make your goal more challenging if you see that you are performing better than you initially expected to. You also can’t worry too much about other people’s targets: they are running their own race and living their own life. The only person whose success you can control is your own so it’s the only one worth thinking about.
Your training does not take the form of repeatedly running that full distance and hoping to get faster at it through repetition alone. This would be like endlessly writing full length essays or completing full past papers as your sole form of revision. Some people approach their training casually, just fitting in what they can and seeing how things go. Those people can often still complete the race – or sit the exams – but they are less likely to achieve their personal goal or target grade than those who take a more structured approach.
In a speed run you have a different focus each session but the essence is running faster than you normally do, for a shorter period of time. This means the intensity is increased but the overall effort remains about the same. So instead of spending one hour completing a full past paper, you might spend 45 minutes just practising one type of question, or doing timed essay plans, or looking only at ‘explain’ type questions for your syllabus. It is really important to mix up the activities so you cover every element of your course but don’t worry if this work doesn’t ‘look like’ the final exam answer: it doesn’t need to and it isn’t meant to. The Swedish word for these types of runs is
‘fartlek’ which transliterates as ‘speed play’. In your academic studies, these are your ‘tentaspel’: Swedish for ‘exam play’. These tasks can be silly and fun if you need them to be so allow yourself a different approach in these sessions.
Congratulations to our Year 9 and Year 10 students who recently took part in the UK Maths Trust Intermediate Maths Challenge.
“The Maths Challenge is an exciting opportunity for our star mathematicians to participate in a nationally renowned competition.”
Mrs Shane, Head of Mathematics.
The Intermediate Mathematical Challenge is a 60-minute, multiple-choice test.
It has been designed to encourage mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems.
The problems on the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge are designed to make students think. Most are accessible, yet still challenge those with more experience.
Finally, the long run. Runners are encouraged to do these at the same time each week, when you have time for a longer, uninterrupted stretch of focus. These will be the times that you mimic a real exam but usually not a whole one at a time. If you attempt a full paper before you have done enough retrieval practice and ‘tentaspel’, you won’t reap much reward. Start with just one section at a time: 45 or 60 minutes on Section A of the June 2019 paper. Get feedback from your teacher before attempting Section B of the same paper the following week, or completing the 2020 Section A in the same subject. As you get closer to your exams, you need to make sure your long runs are as close as possible to the real thing: start at the same time of day; wear the same clothes; use the same pens; stick to the given timings; put away any books or prompts that you were using to help.
If you have prepared in this way, the final exams become the big race days: your chance to put all your hard work into practice. Even if it feels hard in the moment, you know you have all your training to draw on, and everything you have learned during that preparation programme. You can be proud of yourself and all that you have achieved, earning your medal and everything else besides.
Mrs Hunn-Smith led the Exam Preparation Evening on Thursday 30th March for Year 11 and Year 13 students. Year 11 and Year 13 study leave commences on Monday 15th May.
Special congratulations go to Stanley in Year 10 and Charlotte in Year 9 for achieving a Bronze Award.
“I am immensely proud of the achievement of all of our students, especially Charlotte and Stanley. I look forward to following their maths journeys as they progress through Stoke College.”
Mrs Shane, Head of Mathematics.
Examination preparation isn’t all about cramming and book-work. Year 13 have been looking at the importance of style as well as substance when it comes to gaining those all important marks.
Year 13 students have been focussing on the precision of their exam-writing skills in recent lessons. Using mini-whiteboards to achieve a more precise style and post-it notes to keep the focus on the smaller building blocks of an essay, both enable learners to make rapid progress as they approach their final A Level exams.
Mrs Hunn-Smith, Senior Deputy Head and Head of Sixth Form, explains:
“In so many schools, learners are left to just pick up their essay writing skills alone. At Stoke College, we devote time to the specific teaching of how to construct excellent exam answers, right down to sentence and word level. The difference it makes to students’ final grades is huge.”
Year 13 student, Maddie, said “this method has encouraged me to develop my essays and planning in a way which works for me and built my confidence enormously. Breaking down the skills like this means I don’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of the exam task and I can see how rapidly I am improving now.”
See the article on page 26 to discover how Madame Henson is helping Year 11 students prepare for French speaking exams.
This half term students have been working hard to compete for the most House Points they can. We had a successful Inter-House Lacrosse Competition that saw the Unicorns win with 50 House Points. This was a sporting highlight this term. The current overall house totals are:
Lions - 5406
Unicorns - 4825
The Lions are currently in the lead but there is still time for the Unicorns to catch up.
This half term has seen huge success in individual house point awards. Some student success to mention this term include: Zoe B, Bertie P and Charlotte W (above) achieving their Gold Awards. Constance M, Stanley K and Rafferty J who achieved their Silver Award. Finally, Henry P, Tabby C and Bebe L achieved their Bronze award.
These students will receive their certificates in assembly from Dr Lloyd. Well done to everyone’s achievements this term. We look forward to an exciting Summer Term where we can crown the this year's winning house!
We dressed in red, baked and bought cakes and watched a students V teachers quiz all in the name of fundraising for Comic Relief. And we smashed our target!
Boarding at Stoke College is wonderful way to study, stay and have fun with friends in our home-from-home boarding houses.
Spring Term in the Stoke Boarding Houses has seen an activity-packed programme of fun for the boarders’ break times. We have welcomed new students to the boarding house, both international and flexi- boarders - all exciting additions to our happy home-from-home. Here we look at some of the activities enjoyed by our boarders, this term.
Laser tag: Hunger Games - may the odds be ever in your favour.
For a trip in January, the boarders engaged in a Laser Tag combat. The game was dominated by our top two scorers, Oscar and Saffron, leaving the other boarders little choice but to respond. In the subsequent round, Amir launched himself into action without hesitation and began sniping everyone. By the end of the round, Saffron followed Katniss and Rue’s Hunger Games strategy and had joined forces with someone from another party.
An informative assembly taken by our Chinese boarders revealed that in Chinese culture, the Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity. People born in the Year of the
Rabbits are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded and ingenious. We were informed how Chinese New Year is celebrated across China with the different traditions across the country. Later that evening, we all enjoyed a delicious Chinese banquet prepared by our wonderful catering team to welcome in the year of the Rabbit. With very full plates and some students having seconds and thirds we celebrated in style and toasted in the new year with traditional greetings. An impromptu game of Chinese whispers had hilarious results and despite 3 attempts we were unsuccessful in being able to repeat the initial phrase. A lovely evening of good food, good company and good conversation.
On Saturday afternoon in February Delia, Annie & Oscar all had a go at learning how to crochet. With a ball of yarn each and a crochet hook we used a tutorial from BellaCoco on YouTube to have a go at making granny squares. This proved a lot trickier than expected as it required a couple of different stitches but everyone did really well at giving it a go! Everyone got the hang of the chain stitch really quickly and so we altered our plans and all crocheted some little bracelets to take away as a keepsake of having a go at a new skill.
The boarders revealed their guilty pleasures in the creme egg challenge - all to be eggspertly character analysed by Professor Tarzi! Patrick wants to savour and enjoy his egg with a quick bite of the top off the egg and then sophisticated spooning to remove the luscious centre. Keziah could not decide on one method, so juggling eggs to make a decision before opting for an omelette after an unfortunate mishap of an eggxplosive nature! Mikhail attempted a challenge for the fastest consumption of a whole creme egg. Despite his eggceptional time of 35.6 seconds -it was an unsuccessful result and Mikhail is all set for a future attempt.
shots right down the centre of lane. Mikhail was far from deterred! Despite his awkward but dare I say revolutionary form, he certainly managed to get his fair share of high scoring shots in. Special mention goes to Amir, who took on the role of moral support after missing the pins on most of his attempts. At the end of the day, Mikhail pulled through winning the first game. Followed by Patrick and Oscar being able to walk home with a joint first in the second game.
Every Tuesday the boarding family gathers round the communal table to break bread… and board games. It’s a case of choose your fighter, who would you like to solve a murder with? Who do you genuinely believe is the snake in your midst, because it can’t be the mongoose of truth. It’s almost Shakespearean in its betrayal, and equally as dramatic. Can you look the person next to you in the eye once you’ve made them pick up 15 cards with no blocks? These are the philosophical questions that plague us, at what point is it acceptable to leave your humanity behind to win a game of uno?
On Saturday the 11th, the weekend boarders headed to Cambridge with the attempt to battle it out in a competitive game of ten pin bowling. Despite more than half of the participants being completely new to the sport, everyone was eager to determine who the champion will be. The day out was composed of two separate games, with Patrick setting the pace with consistency in the first few shots. It was not too long after however, when Oscar found his swing, and started blitzing
What’s that? Is it an Owl? Is in a penguin? No, it’s a Stoke Stone!
Some of our boarders and staff having been demonstrating their creative side by painting stones and hiding them around the Stoke College grounds. Everyone worked really hard on their designs, and we were really impressed with the finished results, there is a wide range of designs from abstract patterns to animals and even items of food! So, keep your eyes peeled around campus for these beautifully decorated stones. If you find one, please take a photo and then hide it again somewhere else for someone else to find. If you really can’t resist taking it home and keeping it then have a go at creating a stone of your own to replace it, Mrs Beatham-McDonald has stones and paints in her room if you want to go and create one during lunchtime.
After a three-year break, our whole-school production returned to the Haverhill Arts Centre with West Side Story. The incredible reviews prove, once again, that this small school is a big player in performing arts.
This year’s musical, West Side Story, was a tremendous success. Year 7- 13 students came together for a wonderful sixth month period of hard work and detailed rehearsals. This resulted in an amazing two night run at Haverhill Arts Centre. Seeing year groups work together, be kind to one another and develop friendships and confidence was exciting for the college to witness. Stand out performances go to Ellie L (Year 13) who played Maria with sophistication; Josh S who gave his debut performance for Stoke College with outstanding vocals as Tony; Thomas H and Angus D-S, the charismatic leaders of the Jets and Sharks; Lexi H as a dynamic Anita; and Keziah N as an energetic, and comedic Action.
The annual school musical allows students to develop theatrical skills, build confidence and work in a team. It shows students how they can achieve more than they think they can. It teaches them time management and the ability to work hard and develop themselves at the same time.
“What an amazing show. The enthusiasm and effort put in by everyone was clear and what a result, well done everyone!” Audience Review
Well done to everyone who performed and we look forward to seeing you at the Arts Festival this summer for our first Key Stage 3 play ‘The Jungle Book’ and our annual end of year ‘Stoke Showcase’.
“An amazing group of young people. So impressed with their kindness, encouragement and support for each other. Last night’s performance was stunning.” Audience Review
The Artwork of the Week award celebrates the creative excellence of pupils throughout all years at Stoke College. The Award is presented at the whole-school church assembly, every week.
We look at the recipients of the Award for the Spring Term. Miss Coll has a difficult, yet thrilling, job choosing the recipient each week.
Next, Lexie in Year 11 was awarded the certificate for her oil pastel and mixed media collage which was a highlight to the end of her Component 1 GCSE.
Storm,
9, was the first recipient this term for his highly technical self-portrait lino print reduction – a skill that is GCSE level.
Eden in Year 10 then got her embroidery piece showcased, displaying her marvellous skill and love for textiles.
Then, for the first time in Artist of the Week history, a student won the award for the second time. A huge congratulations to Ffion in Year 9 for this wonderful achievement.
Following this, another brilliant accomplishment for Amelia, Year 8, who was awarded this certificate for her acrylic still life painting that she had completed at home in her free time, displaying her love for the subject and strong set of skills. Amelia’s image is featured above and also on page 3.
Then, our new student from China, Annie in Year 8 won the award for her Hockney inspired acrylic painting landscape, showcasing how she joined the department and demonstrated immediate skill and imagination.
After the half term, Year 13 A-Level student Alisha had her work on display as she was awarded the certificate for her abstract sculptures, acrylic painting and tonal pencil studies that demonstrates the highest level of creative exploration at A-Level standard.
Recently, a congratulations to Ella Slater in Year 11 who was awarded Artwork of the Week for her digital manipulation of a watercolour study, demonstrating how artists manipulate their own artwork to play with all possibilities.
The final Artwork of the Week for the Spring Term has been awarded to Angus, Year 13, for his Collage & Acrylic Illustration. He was inspired to create this piece following a trip to Tate Modern, Liverpool, where he saw the work of Patrick Caulfield. This piece demonstrates Angus’s eye for precision and awareness of light, key skills for his future in Architecture.
This month, art students from Year 9 to Year 13 enjoyed a trip to London to visit Tate Modern.
For the Music & Words evening, Year 10 and 11 GCSE Art students curated and hung an exhibition of their current practice in the wonderful ambience of Constable.
Exposing students to a range of art styles and practices supports the development of ideas for personal projects, particularly at GCSE and A-Level.
Students saw the work of world-famous artists including Gerhard Richter, Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian,
Sonia Delaunay, Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner and many more. The day was made even better with a walk to Borough Market where all students were able to choose and enjoy their lunch from different cuisines around the world.
Working together, the students arranged their artwork across the space to complement one another and celebrate their recent accomplishments.
Congratulations to all Year 10 and Year 11 GCSE Art students for creating such a successful exhibition to showcase a fabulous range of media and explorations.
To celebrate the launch of 85-year-old artist David Hockney’s new exhibition in London, Year 8 have been exploring his famous landscape paintings and digital art.
In the 60 years Hockney has been creating world renowned art, he has offered a way of reimagining our local landscape. Students took photographs of their gardens and other local landscapes and worked with acrylic paint and paint pens to see the world in a new light. Colours were drastically altered, and details were added using a range of mark making. The range of landscapes created have been incredibly successful and demonstrates such technical ability and imagination. Well done to Year 8!
Audiences were treated to an exhibition of Stoke College artistic talent at the February Words and Music event.
Lego is most definitely not just for toyboxes and playrooms! Year 10 students have been using the brightly-coloured bricks to explore the construction of poetry.
Year 10 students used Lego to begin their explorations of GCSE poetry analysis. Mrs Hunn-Smith explains “students often have a bit of a mental block before approaching the poetry element of the syllabus: it can feel like a very alien form of literature.”
Working in pairs, the students picked a type of building to create from the huge box of Lego. They discussed what features their buildings would have to make them recognisable and worked collaboratively to create them.
When we gathered the finished creations together, the class were able to recognise exactly what each group had set out to build because of the set features that were included. This then led into a discussion about how poets consciously construct different sorts of poems using different ‘bricks’ and to achieve different purposes.
Just as the Lego lighthouse had white and red stripes and a sense of height, or the beach hut had a miniature-house design complete with pathway to the beach, so a poet chooses their rhythm, rhyme and verse structure to match their overall creative intentions.
Now that we are busy annotating, analysing and evaluating the set poems, we keep referring back to those Lego building blocks to remember how each choice of word or punctuation or rhyme is a ‘brick’ in the poem, contributing to its overall meanings.
A review of some of the Stoke Sports matches of the season. Thank you to our graduate team, Miss Jones, Miss Bailey and Miss Summers, together with Year 13 students, Tom and Keziah for the reports.
We had a tough first match back. However good efforts were being made especially from Tanaka for her excellent ability to always find space and always moving around the pitch. Ruby also made great effort with the consistent attempt to get the ball and constant communication. The match was mainly defensive however we did manage to score a couple goals.
On Friday the 20th of January, 11 players on the under-18s Netball team ventured to Gosfield to play their first match of the season. With no prior training sessions, the team entered the match with a strong spirit, determined to work on their teamwork and be the most enthusiastic team.
As the game began the players were seemingly evenly matched but Charlotte’s phenomenal dodging together with fantastic shooting from Isla meant
the team were two goals ahead at the end of the first quarter. The incredible shooting continued into the second quarter, with Sasha demonstrating the power of muscle memory, scoring the first time the ball was in her hands. Eloise was a force to be reckoned with as goalkeeper, working well with the defensive players to ensure the ball was quickly passed up the field, Matilda displaying an astonishing adaptability despite some aggressive playing from Gosfield.
In the third quarter, the team ramped up the pressure, Jess ensuring every shot counted and Kitty and Ruby creating an impenetrable defence while Sienna and Megan fought for possession at every turn, ensuring they passed practically and cleverly.
The 4th quarter ended with Keziah making her debut as centre, making some impressive interceptions, the team ending the game with a landslide victory
of 17-8 and starting off the season with a bang. Player of the match went to Ruby B for her versatility and stamina. Well done to the team and to Miss Summers for excellent umpiring and we hope to see your great sportsmanship and enthusiasm continue throughout the season.
On Friday the 20th of January, the U18 boys travelled to Gosfield for a football match. Due to the poor weather, the pitch was frozen and so we played a 6 aside tournament on the Astro turf. Both Gosfield and Stoke had an A and a B team. The tournament was very competitive with both Stoke teams putting in great displays of skill and courage. It ended with Stoke A winning 3/3 games without conceding while Stoke B drew 1 and lost 2 Man of the match goes to Patrick B who stopped many strong shots from going in.
All of our year 7 and 8 boys represented the school against Gosfield in a round robin basketball tournament for their first taste of competitive basketball following units of work in their PE lessons. There was some excellent play on display from all, both in attack and defence with the boys taking an awful lot from the afternoon. Out of the four teams our Team 1 came 2nd and our Team 2 came 3rd with some excellent skills on show from Oskar M in particular with some excellent crossovers and Sam E for some brilliant long range shooting. The boys represented the school superbly in terms of their behaviour, application and commitment, well done all!
On the 24th of February, our under 18s girls played a netball match against Gosfield, it was a tough match with a few injuries despite this the girls carried through with passion and drive. Our attacking side: Jess, Sasha, Charlotte, Isla and Sienna played with resilience and determination even with some complications, especially Sasha achieving player of the match. While the defence: Megan, Keziah, Kitty and Eloise provided a strong restriction for the shooters. A special mention to Megan for her incredible defence, despite having a large fall.
On the 27th of February the U13 netball team travelled to Ipswich High School to compete in the ISA tournament against nine other schools. The team fought well, with continuous communication and encouragement throughout each game. The matches were fast paced with minimal rest breaks but the team maintained their determination and effort across the day. Players of the match were Zoe B and Emily W for their excellent stamina while defending. The team won two of their matches and drew a third. Well played to the whole team.
On the 3rd of March our under 18s played a netball match against Thetford, the girls there were very strong competitors. Our defence, Kitty, Eloise, Keziah, Matilda and Megan put up a strong fight- especially Kitty achieving player of match. While our attacking side,
Sienna, Charlotte, Sasha and Isla persevered all the way through with high motivation under the pressure. With special mention to Sienna who played outstandingly and of course a big thank you to Miss Summers for her excellent umpiring and support to the team throughout.
All boys in year’s 7 and 8 made the long journey to Thetford Grammar for two football fixtures. The A’s unfortunately suffered a loss but learnt an awful lot from the game which they took into the games at Gosfield the following day. The B team however, for some of whom was their first time representing the school, won 1-0 with superb effort and dedication shown by all throughout! Well done boys!
On the 9th of march the U13 netball team travelled to Gosfield school. The team dominated possession throughout the game, with Zoe B providing an exceptional link between the defensive and attacking thirds. A strong defence from Emily W prevented the opposing team from entering the defensive D, which when paired with Harriet G’s agile dodging led the ball straight into the attacking D for Lily C to clean up. The final score was 12-6 to Stoke. Player of the match went to Lily C for her incredible shooting. Congratulations and well played to the whole team.
Our U13 rugby team travelled to Gosfield for a one off fixture to play one final rugby fixture of the season and it was certainly worth the wait! The boys applied themselves superbly and everything that Mr Khan and Mr Evans had been working on across the year seemed to click into place. We played 3 games winning 2 and drawing 1 with fantastic displays from all. It was hard to single out any particular individual as player of the day but Max C showed just how much he has improved this year with some monster tackles and superb carries including setting up a pivotal try in the final game.
We travelled to Gosfield for a 7 a side round robin tournament for the U13’s final football fixture playing 4 fixtures. We won 2, drew 1 and lost 1 game scoring 6 goals in the process. It was a great way to end the competitive football for the boys this term and righted some of the wrongs of the previous day’s game against Thetford whilst the boys enjoyed making many slide tackles on a slippery and muddy surface! Well done to all who represented the school superbly on the day!
On the 17th of March our under 18s played netball against Gosfield with a spectacular win! Despite the rainy conditions our girls played incredibly, the attacking side: Jess, Sienna, Charlotte, Sasha and Isla had a great performance. Special mention to Jess L who scored 14 goals! While our defending side: Matilda, Ruby, Kitty and Eloise played very strongly. Well done for Ruby B for achieving player of the match!
Year 7
After diving into studying about the Water Cycle and how water moves around the world, the Year 7s took what they had learned and made exciting board games to showcase their knowledge! We had fairground themed experiences, a Game-of-Life style game with water cycle trivia questions, Water Cycle-opoly and more! The class thoroughly enjoyed trying out each other’s games and testing their knowledge of the water cycle. Why not ask to play their game with them and test your knowledge of the water cycle too?
Year 8
Coasts are what Year 8 have spent the first half term looking at this year. From exploring different famous coastal locations in the UK to learning about different types of coastal processes like erosion and long shore drift they showed off their cumulated knowledge with some excellent models and posters. It was wonderful to see the level of effort put in and the creativity that went into putting together reflections of what they had learned.
Year 9
The Middle East is what the Year 9s have been learning about so far this year. Last half term we looked at where and what the Middle East is, we dove into deserts looking at climate and animals and what it is like for the people who live there. This
Year 7
This half term the Year 7s had a whistle stop tour of civilisations in Britain from the Celts, through the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings ending in 1066. We looked at ways that life changed and/or stayed the same for people living in Britain across those few hundred years. From crime & punishment to government, from conflict to religion. Why not ask your child how Anglo-Saxons dealt with Crime & Punishment? Or which religion the Romans followed? This half term we pick up with 1066 and the Battle of Hastings and the fight for the throne of England!
Year 8
How much do you know about the history of African Kingdoms? Ask your nearest Y8 student! Since January we
half term we continue our look at the Middle East, looking at its relationship with the UK, products we import and export, before taking a closer look at a few of the major countries.
have been studying different ancient kingdoms in Africa and the rich history that they have. From the richest ruler ever Mansa Musa of Mali to the Deffufas of Kush and the Kingdom of Benin. Y8 have engaged with a variety of sources and interpretations to uncover information about government, religion, trade and architecture.
Year 9
Continuing our look at 20th Century history, Year 9 have been learning about World War 2 following on from our topic on the Rise of the Nazis. From identifying the major events of the war to zooming in more specifically on key battles such as Dunkirk & Pearl Harbour and the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan, they have gained an insight into the impact this global event had. This half term we will be moving onto looking at the Holocaust, considering how it was possible that such an event
could have happened, the events that occurred and the impact that it has had worldwide.
Year 10 have successfully completed their first GCSE topic; Weimar & Nazi Germany where they have studied in more detail what was happening in Germany from the end of the first world war into Hitler’s rise to power. From looking at changing government, Nazi ideology and policies and economic depression they have engaged with sources and interpretations to uncover what it would have been like for different groups of people living in Germany during this time period. We are now moving onto the second GCSE topic Superpower Relations & The Cold War, allowing us to dive further into the global history of the 20th century.
Simnel cakes are usually eaten at Easter. They are lightly fruited cakes that have 2 layers of marzipan and decorated with 11 balls each representing the disciples that followed Jesus less Judas who betrayed him. This is a twist on the traditional Simnel cake. It works equally as well as a tray bake. Follow Mrs Connelly’s recipe for a delicious seasonal treat.
Ingredients
125ml vegetable oil
1 large carrot (grated)
1/2 large lemon (zest)
50g dried fruit
140g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardomom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmag
2 tbsp ginger in syrup
1/2 black tea bag
150g sugar
1 1/2 large free-range eggs
Frosting
200g unsalted butter (at room temp)
200g cream cheese
125g icing sugar
yellow colouring
Decoration you could use mini eggs and put one egg on top of 11 cakes or, as we did, put 11 stars on each cupcake.
Method - preheat oven to 180°c
1. Place al the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined
2. Place into cup cake cases and bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen
3. Take out and leave to cool
4. Make the frosting by combining the ingredients together
5. Once cool, add the frosting to the cakes. You can spread it or pipe it. Decorate however you wish!
As our Year 13 class begins to gear up to revise the mountain of content for their exams, demonstrating key core practicals has helped us take a break from chemical theory and shown us how key principles occur in a laboratory setting.
Recently, we prepared a transition metal complex using a new piece of equipment - a Büchner Flask. A complex ion is where a number of molecules or groups called ligands are bound to a central metal ion. Transition metal complexes can be important tools in catalysis, material synthesis and biological systems.
After preparing the solution with copper sulfate, ammonia and ethanol, we placed the solutions in an ice bath to prevent the crystals from dissolving, gaining as much product as possible. To use a Büchner Flask, a vacuum must be created in a conical flask and the solution poured over filter paper in the top of the flask. The vacuum causes any liquid to be pulled down into the flask, drying out the compound on the filter paper.
This left dry tetraamminecopper(II) sulfate-1-water crystals.
The gorgeous blue colour of the crystals is caused due to the wavelength of light absorbed and reflected by the atoms in the complex. Ligands cause the electrons of an atom to split into different levels. The electrons usually remain on the lower level - the ground state - but need energy to jump up to the excited state. Depending how big the gap between the electron states is, different wavelengths of light are absorbed. The frequencies of light which are not absorbed are reflected and this is the colour we see. This means that the tetraamminecopper(II) sulfate-1-water crystals absorb the yellow and red light and reflect the blue light for us to see.
Year 8 have been learning about the many elements of the periodic table by testing using different methods in the chemistry lab.
Miss Stansfield reports that students enjoyed the process,
“Year 8 have been developing their practical and analytical skills as they detect the colour metal ions emit when their electrons fall down their energy shells.”
Our Year 7 students have started working on a new numeracy scheme during registration this half term called Numeracy Ninjas, the programme aims to help students improve the key numeracy skills in areas such as mental maths, times tables, written calculations, negative numbers, and fractions, among others. Each week they complete a short 5 minute test that they gain points for and then get a corresponding ninja belt level.
They have all worked brilliantly and special mention should be given to Daisy H, Astrid R, Henry P, Emily W and Flynn C who will all achieve improver certificates for going up by at least two belts this half-term and to Neema N L and Mackenzie M who have both achieved their black ninja belt, the top one available, and will receive grand master certificates. Well done year 7, keep up the hard work.
Mathematicians of the Month: Students in other year groups have also been working hard and we should say how particularly proud we are of our Mathematicians of the Month for January Ella S, Yr 11 for her perseverance and improvement in the subject and, for February, Max P for his hard work in class and with his independent study, Eden H for her outstanding attitude towards learning and Neema N L for her excellent contributions in class and her consistently good work ethic.
At Stoke College, we are there to support our students every step of the way. With the upcoming Speaking component of the GCSE, Mme Henson, Head of MFL, has produced booklets for each student. Let’s wish them luck for the 3rd May when their exam takes place.
Madame Henson is a key advocate of the Stoke Approach: Inspiring Minds, Individual Attention and Academic Achievement. As Head of MFL at Stoke, she takes examination preparation seriously and offers students advice and support throughout the process.
With the Speaking element of GCSE French nearing, she has created booklets for each student to guide them through the revision process, including role play exercises to practise in pairs.
Madame likes to remind students of the practical use of their acquired language skills, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
The Design and Technology department has been busy this term with Year 11 students completing their Unit 2 controlled assessment NEA practical projects and preparing for the final examination.
Students in Year 7 have embarked on an extended polymers project that includes skills in technical drawing, surface developments, templates, techniques and processes working with Acrylic.
Year 8 are right in the middle of constructing their MP3 amplifier circuit and have been learning about the various components and how to solder them safely.
Year 9 students have embarked on an horology project that will include more thematic design making a mixed materials clock.
Year 10 students are practising drawing techniques and other forms of communicating their ideas in line with the GCSE specification.
The Stoke PTA launched the new term with a fabulous whole-community event. Fundraising continues and a Stoke icon is brought back to life.
On Friday 27th January, over one hundred members of the Stoke College community, including local residents, gathered in the beautifully decorated Stoke Sports Hall for the first live indoor event in almost three years.
The Stoke Ceilidh celebrated Burns Night with traditional music (provided by The Lairds), dancing and food cooked by our award-winning chefs.
The event was decorated by the Stoke Estates team and the PTA with decorations provided by Hopes Balloons and Miss Coll’s Art Club. The Sports Hall was unrecognisable with Mrs Housden-Knox’s professional table plan and the array of tartan attire worn by guests. The prizes for best dressed went to Hector D-S, Verity L, Mr Smith from Saffron Walden and Dr Baxter.
The well-stocked bar was generously provided by the Three Tuns at Great Abington and table service was expertly provided by a team of Year 13 volunteers.
Thank you to everyone and see you next year!
Thank you to everyone who has given generously to the Stoke Swimming Pool Project and supported recent PTA events. We are delighted to update you that the renovations are fully underway and that we are planning to have the Stoke Swimming Pool ready for opening in May.
Our Estates Team have been fundamental in this project and their work and expertise has allowed us to progress at a faster pace than imagined. We are incredibly fortunate to have such skilled and dedicated craftspeople on our staff.
Mr Evans will be incorporating use of the pool into PE and Games lessons.
May we wish you all a very happy Easter break from the Stoke College PTA
The PTA are a voluntary organisation of Stoke parents and staff that gathers about twice per term to plan events and fundraising to enhance school life.
We currently a key role within the team for an organised team-player. If you would like to find out a little bit more about the Stoke PTA, please contact us on email stokepta@gmail.com
April 2023
Mon 24th Boarders Return. Teacher Training Day (INSET)
Tues 25th Start of term
Fri 28th Form Assembly followed by parents and Principal coffee, 2.30-3pm. Interhouse Public Speaking & Debating Competition (2-4pm)
May 2023
Mon 1st Bank Holiday
Wed 3rd GCSE English Language Exam AM
Fri 5th School Council Meeting. ‘King for a Day’ Coronation Celebrations
Mon 8th Bank Holiday
Tues 9th Y11 GCSE Drama Practical examination all day. Y8 Parents Evening
Wed 10th Y11 GCSE Art examination all day
Thurs 11th Y11 GCSE Art examination all day
Fri 12th Application Deadline for Head Boy & Head Girl. Leavers Assembly (extended) followed by parents and Principal coffee, 2.30-3pm. Y11 & 13 last day. GCSE and A Level Performance Evening; Music, Drama, Art, 6pm
Mon 15th Y11 and Y13 study leave commences. External GCSE and A Level examinations commence. Y13 Art A Level all day. Stoke Bake Off, 1st Round
Tues 16th Y13 Art A Level all day. U15 Boys Cricket and Girls Rounders V TGS
Weds 17th Y13 Art A Level all day. Open Evening 5.30-7.30pm
Fri 19th Form Assembly followed by parents and Principal coffee, 2.30-3pm.
Mon 22nd Hosting Suffolk Cricket Primary Schools Festival (Y9 students leading event) 9am-12pm. Stoke Bake Off, 2nd Round
Tues 23rd Jungle Book Rehearsals, Y7, Y8 & Y9, 4-7pm. Y10 Team-building event, all day
Weds 24th House Assembly. Head Boy & Head Girl interviews.
Fri 26th River Festival all day. 6th Form Soiree, 7pm
Mon 29th - Fri 2nd June Half Term
June 2023
Mon 5th Start of Term. Internal Examination Week Y7, Y8, Y9, Y10, Y12.
Tues 6th U14 Mixed Cricket V Brookes, 2.30pm
Weds 7th U13 Softball Cricket V BHPS (away)
Fri 9th Form Assembly Parents & Principal coffee, 2.30-3pm
Tues 13th New Student and Parent Induction
Wed 14th House Assembly. Residential Trip Y7, Y8 & Y9
Thurs 15th-Fri 16th Residential Trip Y7, Y8 & Y9
Fri 16th Sixth Form Public Speaking and Debate Day
Weds 21st Sports Day
Fri 23rd Sixth Form Familiarisation day for current Y11 and new joiners. Stoke Summer Ball 6.30-11pm
Mon 26th Sports Day Reserve
Tues 27th-Thurs 29th Arts Festival
Thurs 29th Stoke Showcase 7pm Sports Hall
Fri 30th Prize Giving 1-3pm Sports Hall. END OF TERM Buses Depart, 3.10pm
July 2023
Sat 1st Norway Trip (1st-11th)
August 2023
Thurs 17th A Level Results Day
Thurs 24th GCSE Results Day
Thurs 31st Teacher Training Day (INSET)
September 2023
Sun 3rd Boarders Return
Mon 4th Start of Autumn Term
