Success Summer 2011 Ullswater Community College

sUCCess the news magazine of Ullswater Community College

U.C.C.

ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2011

Broadcast news

Spotlight on our media team – Sounds of the Beacon

Ullswater Community College WE GET THE RIGHT RESULTS

UCC goes from strength to strength THIS year has been no less busy, or indeed challenging, than my first as Headteacher at UCC. Given our success last summer, especially at GCSE, I expected the pace of change to slow down this year, but that has not been the case.

A new uniform, new website, new building programme, a developing curriculum offer and a growing demand for us to achieve even more has focused plenty of interest on the College.

Most of what is best about UCC comes, of course, from our staff, parents and students, and this has certainly been the case this year, with others taking up the agenda for success at UCC.

As we come to the end of the year, let me record my thanks and admiration to all those in the college and wider community who have worked so hard and contributed so much to the continued improvements of our brilliant college.

Nigel Pattinson, Headteacher

Agenda for success: Headteacher Nigel Pattinson with Melanie Leeder and Alicia Brittle, Year 8.

Hot springs, cool rocks and high rises EIGHT Geography students from UCC joined students from five other schools in Cumbria on a two-week, trip of a lifetime to Taiwan.

After a 36-hour journey, they arrived in the capital of Taipei where they visited Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest buildings at 550-metres high. Then it was off to Yelhiu Geopark, famous for its ginger mushroom rock structures, and a look at the preserved remains of Guangfu High School, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1991. Afterwards, we visited Toroko National Park and arrived at our accommodation in the hot spring resort of Ruei Suei.

The trip included visits to several schools, where we joined in with aboriginal songs and dances, archery and made traditional craft objects.

We would like to thank our sponsors: NBM, Riverside Recruitment, Beacon Fire Protection and the Mary Graves Trust, who helped to make the trip possible.

Greg Kent, Geography Teacher

All abroad: Emily Richardson and Aidan Thompson try their hand at calligraphy (left) and (below) The welcome from the Amis Dancers at Guangfu High School.

2

Young

X-rays in focus ON 21st March, UCC hosted the prestigious Institute of Physics schools’ lecture, entitled ‘Medical Physics: From X-rays to antimatter: the science of seeing inside your body’.

All 266 UCC GCSE Science students (together with other regional schools) attended the interactive lecture, during which Dr Michael Wilson showed how physicists have developed the use of x-rays, radioactive molecules and magnetic fields to ‘see’ inside our bodies, enabling doctors to better diagnose and treat illness and disease.

This followed the IoP ‘Ever Wondered Why?’ roadshow in October, which stimulated students’ appreciation of the amazing nature of the universe.

John Cloke, Head of Science

of th

Year!

ON 30th April, UCC student Oli McGeorge (pictured left) was crowned Rotary Club of Great Britain and Ireland Young Chef of the Year, after competing against over 6,000 other talented young chefs. His prize includes a week in Italy visiting the olive groves used by the sponsor of the event, Filippo Berio, a day cooking at Fifteen, Jamie Oliver’s restaurant in London, and work experience in the Michelin-starred eatery Auberge du Lac in Hertfordshire.

Year 10 Professional Catering student Ben Fulton has also taken another step towards becoming a celebrity chef. Ben was recently invited to Bristol to have lunch with none other than Marco Pierre White, who invited Ben to work with him at his Michelin-starred restaurant, The Box Tree, in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

Lee Hutchinson, Professional Catering Teacher

Students master Maths

ARE you a logical thinker? Do you like problem-solving?

Every year, keen Mathematicians at UCC enter the National Mathematics Challenge run by Leeds University and the Royal Institution. The students, from Years 7 to 11, answer challenging questions on a variety of problems, which are judged nationally.

Recently, Chloe McManusGraham and Liam Bentley in Year 8 won gold awards, with Chloe being best in school. Year 8 students Chris Martin and Joe Glendinning won silver. There were seven bronze awards, also in Year 8. Thomas Bennett was the highest-scoring Year 7 student, achieving a silver award (one point off a gold), and Daniel Grant and Ruby Scarlett also won silver. Well done to everyone who took part.

Sarah Foster, Maths Teacher

MAD Day out AS part of ‘MAD Day’, students in Year 8 attended Wetheriggs Animal Rescue Centre, where they took part in car parking ‘Meet and Greet’, working in the café, feeding the animals and mucking out.

The day was organised by Mr Tuer and students from Year 11, who also helped out on the day.

Staff at the Centre and members of the public commented on the students’ excellent behaviour and polite nature.

To the rescue: Liam Braithwaite, Year 8, with a fox cub.

Photo courtesy of delamare.photography.co.uk.

Chefe

Phil Winskill, ICT Teacher

3

Ullswater Community College WE GET THE RIGHT RESULTS

When it comes to big-name interviews, up-to-date news bulletins, OUR MEDIA TEAM keep students and staff both informed and enter

Sounds

of

the B

Magic of the media UCC’s Media team, Sounds of the Beacon, have been working hard during the past year. The team, which includes students from Years 7 to 12, produces programmes which are then broadcast across the College’s screens and website.

Initially funded by the Creative Partnership, who provided industrystandard equipment, Sounds of the Beacon has been growing for the past four years.

They have increased their reporting and filming experience by attending training workshops with the BBC Youth Broadcast team and the ITV news reporter Ryan Dollard.

Michelle Lewin, LRC Manager, and Rachael de la Mare, Media Assistant

A d a m R y d i n g , Ye a r 8 : n ews re p o r t i n g , Chu c k l e Br o t hers

J o r d a n S ummers , Ye a r 1 1 : Crew f o r B a b a Bri n k m a n

Asher H a r t, Ye a r 9 : C R E W FO R R o r y S t ew a r t

4

C a l l um M a ws o n , Ye a r 8 : S p o r t s re p o r t i n g

, or the latest film, gaming and sports reviews, ertained

Beacon

M a c a u l e y G l a d wi n , Ye a r 1 0 : PETER Mandelson

We’ve got it covered!

AS well as one-off feature interviews with Mandelson and Levi Tafari, Sounds of the Beacon record a weekly news broadcast covering current affairs and sports news as well as film and gaming reviews. Filmed in the Sounds of the Beacon Studio, these are broadcast to students across the UCC big screens at break and lunchtimes.

The news team have covered issues such as the Japan crisis and the New Zealand earthquake, as well as keeping students up to date with events in the gaming, film and sports worlds.

Michelle Lewin, LRC Manager, and Rachael de la Mare, Media Assistant

Be c c a Kir k b y, Ye a r 1 0 : E c o Cu b e

Our students have also interviewed... l Britain’s Got Talent BMX bikers (EcoCube Event) l Melvin Burgess, award-winning author l Bali Rai, author l Sophie Kain, Apprentice contestant l Dreadlock Alien, rap poet l BBC Schools News Report l Dr Simon Smart, Harvard l Helen Skelton from Blue Peter l Donavan Christopher, poet l ... and Mr Pattinson!

A l i c e R o p er , Ye a r 1 0 : Fu n er a l f o r a Frie n d a n d Le v i Ta f a ri

J a c k E NN I o n Ye a r 7 : n ews re p o r t i n g

STOP PRESS! TO watch the podcasts of Sounds of the Beacon interviewing their long list of fascinating guests, visit their page in ‘Student Life’ on the College website.

And, if you want to get involved, come and visit the LRC. Michelle Lewin, LRC Manager, and Rachael de la Mare, Media Assistant

5

Ullswater Community College WE GET THE RIGHT RESULTS

Art

on show

THE annual Art Exhibition, celebrating the work of A-Level and GCSE Fine Art and Art Textiles students, was held on 1st June. Initially based in The Pig Pen, the exhibition was later transferred to the studios in the Art department.

The students produced a broad range of work spanning a variety of disciplines, and many have been inspired to continue their Art education at Carlisle College.

Owen Smith, Head of Art

Celebration o THeatre volante

IN March, the Languages Department hosted a play by The Flying Theatre company It took place in an imaginary French village where paintings could talk and people climbed ladders suspended in mid-air.

Performed in French, the music, comedy and circus skills enabled the audience of students from Years 7 and 8 to enjoy, revise and improve their language skills.

Marie-Christine Noguera, Head of MFL

Designs on the prize THE annual Rotary BAE Systems Technology Tournament, which involves schools across the local area, seeks to encourage young people to solve design issues, work together as a team and use their practical skills.

Congratulations to the UCC Sixth Form team who won the advanced group section by modelling a crane structure that would transfer waste material from a given zone size.

Rhonda Dockray, Head of Design & Technology Tournament triumph: Jonathan Pickup, Maisy Cooke, Chris Jackson and James Temple.

6

environmental action STUDENTS from UCC and Lazonby School worked in partnership with the Eden Rivers Trust and the Environment Agency to produce a giant mosaic highlighting the causes and effects of flooding in our catchment.

Special thanks to Art Teachers Bethany Grattan and Emma Robertson for their hard work. The mosaic will now go on public display.

John Sander, Head of Citizenship

of creativity Grand design: India Vecqueray, Lauren Frost and Marieke Evans, Year 8.

‘Wicked’ stories and

gruesome tales

Tall tales: Anouska Robertson and Joe Currie, Year 7.

IN January, 12 UCC students in Year 7 were given the opportunity to take part in the ‘Story Giants of Eden’ project, which was launched by the professional storyteller Dominic Kelly in partnership with Cumbria County Council’s Extended Services. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project was designed to inspire children to unearth local myths and legends and continue the storytelling tradition.

Over the course of several weeks, they worked with Dominic to develop their own storytelling performance of the gruesome tale of Wicked Jimmy Lowther. In addition, they made props for their story and were involved in designing and making the UCC ‘Story Giant’ of Wicked Jimmy’s dead lover, which took pride of place at the Penrith May Day parade.

India Campbell, Art Teacher

7

Produced by Words&Pictures. Tel. 01943 854800

Ullswater Community College Wetheriggs Lane, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 8NG Telephone: 01768 242160 Email: admin@ullswater.cumbria.sch.uk Website: www.ullswater.cumbria.sch.uk

Athletes lead the field Dance extravaganza!

FOLLOWING weeks of hard work and after-school rehearsals, 120 talented students took to the stage in April for ‘Let’s Dance’, UCC’s first Dance show extravaganza.

Supported by family and friends, students from Years 7 to 11 were given the opportunity to showcase their talents in a variety of Dance styles.

Look out for next year’s show on the UCC calendar.

Erin Dixon, Dance Teacher

Year 8 rise to the challenge

FOLLOWING an inter-district event at Sheepmount in Carlisle, four athletes out of 23 from UCC, were chosen to represent the county.

Katy Barnard in Year 12 qualified as the senior girls’ hammer thrower, and hopes to gain a scholarship to America to pursue the sport. Meanwhile, Ryan Martin, Ben Brooks and Meg Wilson were all successful in the shot putt.

All four will compete for the county at Gateshead Stadium, and Katy has also been selected to compete in the national championships.

Johnny Greenwood, Head of PE

County

AN eight-strong team of Year 8 students from UCC recently took part in the Kielder Challenge at Talkin Tarn.

Organised by the Kielder Trust, the day was composed of five tasks, during which the students received no help from their teachers,

cricketers UCC has six students who play regularly in county cricket.

Greg Cameron and Sam Hall have both played for the Year 7 county team. Greg is a hardhitting batsman and off-spin bowler, while Sam bowls and bats middle order.

Amy Hullock in Year 7 has represented the county girls’ at Under 13, 15 and 17 level, while Aimee Martin represents the Under 13 team.

Meanwhile, Asher Hart and Greg Hall (Sam’s elder brother) are looking forward to their respective county tours down South later this summer. Both boys have worked hard at their batting and are important members of the Under 14 and 15 county squads, respectively.

Johnny Greenwood, Head of PE

Batting for Cumbria: Aimee Martin and Asher Hart, Year 9.

but had to rely on teamwork and quick thinking to solve the problems.

From cracking secret codes to manoeuvring a giant spider through an obstacle course, the team displayed unswerving determination to win their heat.

Marcus Castle, Head of Year 8