Park House School Personal Best 42

Grease was the word!

See pages 8-9 for more photos!

A farewell and a big thank you to our outstanding Headteacher for the last 17 years! It would be impossible to list everything Derek Peaple has done for Park House but we have just a few highlights on page 3 and on the back page.

It wasn’t like that in my day!

Personal Best has been the chronicle of my Park House journey. We conceived it in the Summer of 2004, a year into my Headship, to capture and communicate the spirit of what being a Sports College was all about. Some 16 years, 42 editions and around 1,300 pages later it has grown into the proud, regular celebration of everything that this wonderful community stands for, and all that our incredible students achieve.

Issue

1 – Sum Park me House School r 2004 & Spo rts Col lege

New sletter

Why all

It w s n’t lik thatain e my da A y!

The New putting NVQ football each other coaching Sven stude ? through their pacents PHOTO: s.

Dave Hine Sports

How fitting therefore that this special Summer Term edition captures so much of what our young people have contributed to not just their school but also the wider community in these most unprecedented times. It certainly wasn’t like that in my day...

Cherished memories. Exciting futures. • Derek Peaple, Headteacher

Photogra

generation ago, sport concept education as it would likely to inspir was a e as much those whos achievement.

That’s what dread In we aim School by entire e sporting heroe the minds of for here and Sport marketing in Park s were s Colleg on unear pursued n’t back House e. Our thing the ed their caree teams, and in focus isn’t and Radc next gener many cases Education rs as amat liffes – ation of meant eurs, Phys although we do Rooneys muddy freezing – but ical we’ll be pitch, or afternoons delighted programme to provide a the breat changing robus if hless trek on a room after complemen where involvemen t educational Those to the a cross who recal ts the more t in sport -coun students l such were likely try run. traditional times undertake. studie competition talent or to be those who with fondness It’s not about beatin s our enthusiasm , alrea but about dy standards in every had a g the setting for sport sense, and, as . The strag were often it is not the Olym yourself new glers, the winnin pian ethos left behin How times g as the has it, d. taking part! that it is impor Sport Educ have chang tant so ed. The ation can much evolution schools You might be seen in across in colleg be surpri the count activit longer sed by ies we just on ry, the emph es and the range offer, and searching in here the local of projects at the Sport for a poten asis no professiona we are issue of tial playe s Colleg might do involved l Personal r for e. well in the club, or the pluck Best, provid This, the first into what The accen regional y is on the champions kid who t these es a brief for physi curriculum days is ‘sport for look hips. cal educa on inclus all’ appro here, the ion, our links tion and abilities, ach that support with sport seek sees childr a genuine opportuniti the wider comm in our region broad sporti to achieve the en of all , es that best they have open unity and the our stude approach ng context, and can in a nts here. ed for some to then to take that future caree their academic of studies, rs, and years in to their to their Perso education. lives beyon nal bes d their

phy

the logo s?

It’s no wonde r we have letters on our school no room for These logos notepa significant represent some per! achievement very Sports s: Colleg of 268 school e – we are one s award Specialist ed this our plan Status on the basis standardsto raise whole school of communityand enhance sports provisiwider Sportsmark on.

Gold national award for – the top of school the quality -based extra-curricul curricu ar PE and lar and Artsmark Sport.

Gold – the for Art, Drama equiva Sportsmark and Music lent of the Gold. only 18 schools We are one of hold both in award the country Youth Sports s simultaneou to sly! body which Trust – the nation works to sporting develop al opportunities people and for Sports Collegprovides supporyoung t to all es.

Investors in People which recogn – ises the an award support quality given to of them fulfil all staff in helping – suppor their roles at the school ting studen their person ts to achiev al bests! e

It’s wh t? at eve is str ryone iving here for…

Introducing your new Principal...

As I am sure you can imagine, when I applied for and was fortunate enough to be offered the role of Principal at Park House School, nobody could possibly have known the circumstances in which I would take up the role. Covid-19 was very much a real concern but we were still almost a month from lockdown and school closures, and the speed with which the situation developed took those of us who aren’t epidemiologists very much by surprise!

Recent months have brought perspective though and I am pleased to confirm that I am just as excited to get started as I was when I received the call offering me the job. Yes, it will be very different and, yes, there will be unprecedented challenges. However, amongst the many things I think school staff are excellent at, rolling with the punches and being resilient in the face of uncertainty is something we are well used to, and I know Park House staff are going to meet the challenge successfully.

Similarly, whilst young people need our care and support in testing times like this, I am always impressed by the strength of character, resilience and flexibility that they are capable of. As I enter my sixteenth year working in comprehensive secondary schools, I can say with absolute certainty that any notion of a snowflake generation or that teenagers are in some way lacking in fortitude are complete fallacies – our children are amazing and I have no doubt they too will overcome the difficulties of an uncertain world with vigour and, ultimately, success.

Of course, I am not just excited about how we will overcome this terrible virus. Being a Newbury resident for all of my life (three years away at university notwithstanding), I am well aware that Park House School has so much to offer that is worth getting excited about! A real family school that serves its own community as well as being outward facing and inclusive, phenomenal artistic endeavour, prodigious sporting talent, outstanding academic success and inspirational charity work – these (amongst many I have missed) are the things that make a great school.

And these things will not stop just because we have to stay further apart, wash our hands more often and change the way we work for the time being. That is not to make light of a very real and serious situation. Rather, it is just to say that there are things that are more important, more enduring and more influential in shaping

a young person’s school experience, and Park House School will be committed to ensuring that these things abide, global pandemic or not.

That is why I am excited to get going and, frankly, I can’t wait. In the meantime, all the best for the summer. Stay safe and I will see you in September.

• Mr Goodenough, Principal Designate

Park House School A Leading Academy for the Whole Community

Personal Best is published by Park House School. It is distributed to students, staff, parents, stakeholders, alumni and friends of Park House School. Issue No 43 will be published late 2020.

We need the help of staff and students to produce Personal Best – thank you again to all those who have contributed to this issue – we’re sorry if your story couldn’t be included this time.

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Do you wish to say something positive about school life? Please submit ideas, stories, copy and high resolution photos for future issues to Principal, Mr Tom Goodenough or Mrs Teresa Jones in the school office.

Park House School, Andover Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 6NQ T 01635 573911 E tjones@parkhouseschool.org W www.parkhouseschool.org /ParkHouseSchool @PHSNewbury

Designed and produced by Waddell Digital Limited WaddellDigital @WaddellDigital www.waddelldigital.co.uk

Thank you, Mr Peaple, for 17 wonderful years Revisit some of the highlights at parkhouseschool.org/Personal-Best Issue 4 – Summer 2005

Issue 2 – Winter 2004

Issue 3 – Spring 2005

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Why all the logos?

The New Sven?

NVQ football coaching students putting each other through their paces.

PHOTO: Dave Hine Sports Photography

It wasn’t like that in my day! generation ago, sport education was a concept likely to inspire as much dread as it would achievement. In the minds of those whose sporting heroes weren’t backed by entire marketing teams, and in many cases pursued their careers as amateurs, Physical Education meant freezing afternoons on a muddy pitch, or the breathless trek to the changing room after a cross-country run.

Those who recall such times with fondness were likely to be those who already had a talent or enthusiasm for sport. The stragglers, in every sense, were often left behind.

A

How times have changed. The evolution in Sport Education can be seen in colleges and schools across the country, the emphasis no longer just on searching for a potential player for the local professional club, or the plucky kid who might do well in the regional championships.

The accent these days is on inclusion, a genuine ‘sport for all’ approach that sees children of all abilities, seek to achieve the best they can in a broad sporting context, and to then take that approach to their academic studies, to their future careers, and to their lives beyond their years in education.

That’s what we aim for here in Park House School and Sports College. Our focus isn’t on unearthing the next generation of Rooneys and Radcliffes – although we’ll be delighted if we do – but to provide a robust educational programme where involvement in sport complements the more traditional studies our students undertake. It’s not about beating the competition, but about setting yourself new standards and, as the Olympian ethos has it, it is not the winning that it is important so much as the taking part!

It’s no wonder we have no room for letters on our school notepaper!

These logos represent some very significant achievements: Sports College – we are one of 268 schools awarded this Specialist Status on the basis of our plan to raise whole school standards and enhance wider community sports provision.

Sportsmark Gold – the top national award for the quality of school-based curricular and extra-curricular PE and Sport.

Artsmark Gold – the equivalent for Art, Drama and Music of the Sportsmark Gold. We are one of only 18 schools in the country to hold both awards simultaneously!

Youth Sports Trust – the national body which works to develop sporting opportunities for young people and provides support to all Sports Colleges.

Investors in People – an award which recognises the quality of support given to all staff in helping them fulfil their roles at the school – supporting students to achieve their personal bests!

THE EDITED HIGHLIGHTS PHOTO: Dave Hine Sports Photography

Leading Edge: It’s Getting Personal!

We are celebrating the government’s most prestigious award for excellence and innovation. ‘Leading Edge’ status, which replaces the former Beacon School scheme, is awarded to schools that lead a partnership of other schools to develop new and exciting approaches to raising student achievement.

Personal best?

It’s what everyone here is striving for…

PHOTO: Waddell Digital

FASTERHIGHERSTRONGER Welcome to the third edition of Personal Best – the first to combine news on Sports College developments with updates on whole school events and student achievement. As such this edition tells a very important story about Park House’s development as a ‘mature’ Sports College, adding value to student learning and achievement in many different and innovative ways.

Read more inside about other exciting developments at the Sports College, including Tri-Golf which gives young people the chance to take their first swing at golf and some exciting news about partnerships that Park House is developing with schools in South Africa and the United States.

“Specialist Sports College status is not a ‘bolt-on’ extra, but is instead very much at the heart of our on-going commitment to improving standards of teaching, learning and achievement for all students, right across the whole curriculum.”

For us, Specialist Sports College status is not a ‘bolt-on’ extra, but is instead very much at the heart of our on-going commitment to improving standards of teaching, learning and achievement for all students, right across the whole curriculum. To adapt the Olympic motto, it helps us to improve faster, achieve higher standards and make our community links even stronger.

The Leading Edge programme featured in the last edition of Personal Best is a very good example of this approach. Here, an initiative started in PE in Sport to meet the needs of a smaller group of students has been broadened out to offer a much wider range of ‘personalised’ subject choices in Years 9 and 10, enriching the curriculum and offering more opportunities for individual students to excel in areas

which match their interests. For example, our Year 9 students who move into Year 10 next year will be the first to have the opportunity to take a number of additional, ‘enrichment’ GCSEs in new subject areas such as Economics, Geology, Media Studies, Psychology and Spanish, offered in ‘Period 6’ – an additional teaching session immediately after school.

It is therefore very fitting that there should no longer be two separate newsletters but a single, termly, update on the wide range of activities which go on within and beyond the classroom. It is equally fitting that our commitment to Valuing Success For All should also be reflected in the idea of encouraging each and every student to strive for ‘Personal Bests’ in their varied contributions to the life of the school. I am sure that you will agree that there is much to celebrate in the individual and collective achievements reported in this issue.

Amongst many others, this term’s highlights include reports on the latest Lakeside Trip, the Hoax Calling initiative, Inter-House Dance, the successes of our Equestrian Team and an update on our growing international links with schools in South Africa and the United States. ● D Peaple

Issue 6 – Spring 2006

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

YET ANOTHER GREAT ISSUE!

Year 7 Student

This is the most exciting edition of Personal Best yet, with everything from fire fighting to motorsport included! Read inside about our Year 12 students’ involvement in the latest initiatives to reduce the amount of hoax calls made by young people from mobile phones.

ANOTHER ACTION PACKED ISSUE!

Why Sports College status makes a difference – for everyone!

the potential to completely change the way in which we think about working together as schools to create learning that really does meet the needs of the individual student.”

Cate Robinson-Slater, Deputy Headteacher, who has responsibility for leading the programme added, “The new courses have been launched this The Park House scheme, which developed from a term with some very positive initial feedback from all Sports College initiative to widen the staff and students involved. In learning opportunities through PE practice, we are personalising & sport, involves students from learning programmes to provide “We are really Park House, Trinity, The Castle, pleased to be part of this greater individual support by more Mary Hare Grammar School closely matching students learning excellent partnership, and Newbury College in a styles and preferences to increase which gives some of our motivation and thereby raise range of ‘personalised learning programmes’. These individually pupils the opportunity to individual achievement. We are tailored courses are currently looking forward to extending the be involved in a wider being offered in Dance, PE & curriculum offer over the next three range of courses.”

Sport, Design Technology, Drama, years to provide more choice and Humanities and The Travel Industry, Kerry Gray, Headteacher, engage more students across the with the number increasing over partnership.”

The Castle School the first three years of the Kerry Gray, Headteacher at The Partnership. Lessons in these areas Castle School also commented, “We are really are characterised by the use of laptop technology pleased to be part of this excellent partnership, and the practical application of learning skills. which gives some of our pupils the opportunity to Headteacher, Derek Peaple said, “We are be involved in a wider range of courses.” delighted to have this opportunity to share new ideas and approaches across a wider partnership Following the submission of detailed plans to the of schools in West Berkshire. Leading Edge is Department for Education and Skills Innovation Unit, about maximising our complementary strengths to the Park House-led partnership will now benefit offer new and exciting learning opportunities for from an additional government grant of £180,000 young people right across the Newbury area. It has spread over a three-year period. ●

You might be surprised by the range of activities we offer, and projects we are involved in here at the Sports College. This, the first issue of Personal Best, provides a brief look into what is on the curriculum here, the support for physical education and sport in our region, our links with the wider community and the opportunities that have opened for some of our students here.

AN ACTION PACKED ISSUE!

The rewards of Leading Edge Status are already being reaped.

To celebrate the GCSE achievements of ex-Year 11 pupils from the previous year, a presentation evening took place on 8 November, attended by Olympic silver medallist and 400-metre runner, Mark Richardson (above).

See Inside for more details…

Issue 5 – Winter 2005/6

Cover Illustration Competition Winner!

Aidan Morris

NEWS APLENTY!

As usual there are a breathtaking number of achievements and a huge variety of activities at Park House with which to fill Personal Best! Artistic, musical, literary and of course sporting stories are among the many features. We take a look back on the tour of Australia undertaken in July by three of our sports teams.

PHOTO: Waddell Digital

THINKING CORRECTLY

Mr Peaple pictured with Athens 2004 Gold Medalist Steve Williams, Athens 2004 Silver Medalist Debbie Flood and fitness guru Lizzie Webb

DOUBLE TOP!

UNDER PRESSURE… This term’s edition of Personal Best celebrates the outstanding range of both achievement and opportunity at Park House.

Pages 2–3 feature our annual ex-Year 11 Prize Giving Evening, where our guest speaker – Sir Clive Woodward – joined what he described as his ‘fellow pupils’ to mark their superb achievements in last Summer’s GCSE examinations. It was a great pleasure to welcome Sir Clive back to the school, where he worked alongside our Sixth Form students to complete his NVQ Football qualification, for this very special evening of celebration. He used his talk to the students to link the ingredients of his highly successful coaching philosophy to success in the examination hall, emphasising ‘T-CUP’ or Thinking Correctly Under Pressure! At the end of this term, we will also be holding our A Level presentation evening for ex-Year 13 students, with a feature to follow in the next edition of Personal Best.

This issue we also feature a student profile on Max Anstie our very own up and coming moto-cross rider! Could he be a household name of the future?

And for those who like their thrills at a slightly slower speed we have news about how you could join our annual trip to Lakeside in Cumbria.

national press! However they are measured, results of this standard are a reflection of the tremendous work and commitment of students and staff, coupled with the support and encouragement of parents – teamwork which is at the very heart of the school’s success as a learning community. I should therefore wish to take this opportunity to congratulate all our current and ex-students on their outstanding individual and collective achievements.

“…results of this standard are a reflection of the tremendous work and commitment of students and staff…”

The achievements of those students in last summer’s examinations were quite outstanding and continue to place us in the very top flight of state schools as defined by the various league tables devised by the

However, it is also the breadth of activity and opportunity at the school which stands out in this issue, with reports on events which range right across the curriculum – and beyond!

I am also delighted that an increasing number of these articles are written by the students themselves and congratulate our budding journalists and news photographers on the quality of their work.

You may be relieved to learn that this headline does not imply that Darts is about to become one of our focus sports at Park House! However, the darting analogy is certainly appropriate as I am delighted to be able to introduce this term’s edition of Personal Best with news of two outstanding – and related - successes for the school.

I should also like to take this last opportunity of the calendar year to wish all the students, parents and friends of Park House a very happy Christmas and successful 2006.

With good wishes Derek Peaple, Headteacher

Issue 7 – Summer 2006 Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

submission indicating how the subject specialism will be used to raise standards of achievement and widen opportunities for all students across the school.

Not only did Park House meet these challenging criteria, but we were specifically commended by the Department for Education for substantially exceeding them! This achievement is a testimony to the SPORTS COLLEGE outstanding work and leadership REDESIGNATION “This achievement of Miss Yvonne Hayes, our Firstly, we have just received is a testimony to the Director of Sport, who has notification from the Department outstanding work and overall responsibility for Sports for Education and Skills that we leadership of Miss Yvonne College development and, have successfully redesignated specifically, the redesignation Hayes, our Director as a Specialist Sports College for bid. This detailed a number of of Sport” the third time. This means that priorities for the next four years of our specialist status is guaranteed our specialist status, including new links with through to 2009, resulting in a further £600,000 local clubs and holiday sports schemes. in additional funding for the school to use across the curriculum over the next four years. I should EXTENDED SCHOOL STATUS at this point emphasise that achieving The second cause for celebration is that, from redesignation, even for a successful school like April 2006 we officially become an ‘Extended Park House, is no forgone conclusion: it requires School’. Park House of course already has a outstanding performance in relation to a series deservedly outstanding reputation for its role as of exam-related targets and a detailed (continued overleaf)

Of course, we also look at more recent events at the school and feature profiles on students who achieve great things in and out of school. And, we also feature some of the clubs which offer students things to do out of school. If you would like to be featured next time please get in touch!

In this, the sixth issue, we report on everything from sporting success to technological, social and business achievements. We have reports on successes in football, trampolining and biathlon.

There is also news on an important new scheme run by students to encourage debate on the thorny, modern issue of drug abuse.

PHOTO: Waddell Digital

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

PHOTO: Waddell Digital

Issue 1 – Summer 2004

“ATop Sports College”

Read reports on the annual trip to Lakeside and this year’s Skiing trip to North America. Plus Year 9 students have been developing posters to dissuade children from hoax calling the Fire Service – you have been warned! If you would like to be featured next time please get in touch!

That was how double Olympic Gold Medallist Dame Kelly Holmes recently described Park House during her inspirational visit to the school. And, on reading this term’s packed edition of Personal Best, I’m sure that few will disagree!

beyond school. These were all major themes of Dame Kelly’s visit – just one highlight of a term in which students have been involved in an unprecedented variety of activities that, as you will see, have included success in a number of national competitions and a superb cross-curricular World Cup Theme Week.

Dame Kelly’s comment is a wonderful endorsement of what we set out to achieve at Park House. Being a ‘top sports college’ means that we aim to use sport in very broad and innovative ways to motivate and inspire students to achieve across the entire curriculum and provide them with new opportunities to take on leadership roles both within and

It was a great privilege to welcome Dame Kelly to Park House on 28 June, where she met and talked inspirationally with a wide range of students involved in all sorts of different activities. The double Athens Gold Medallist’s day at school started, appropriately, with involvement in a ‘mini-Olympics’ session for a group of Year 9s and students from the Castle

Special School, planned and delivered by our Year 10 Junior Sports Leaders.

These students have been following a new leadership qualification available to all in Year 10, which also sees them involved in organising sports festivals and activities in many of our local partner primary schools. Kelly spent a great deal of time with the students, offering advice and joining in with the lesson that they planned for the group.

It is very significant that throughout her visit, Kelly was accompanied by Helen Bate and Matt Green from Year 11, who have now graduated from the first phase of the Junior Sports Leadership (continued overleaf)

Issue 14 – Winter 2008

Dreams and Teams...

Focus on learning...

Issue 10 – Summer 2007 Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Issue 11 – Winter 2007/8 Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Issue 9 – Spring 2007 Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Reporting on Success!

On 8th November we enjoyed an evening of both inspiration and achievement at Park House, when we were joined by guest speaker Danny Crates to celebrate the successes of ex-Year 11 students at our Annual Prize Giving Ceremony.

inspirational achievements in the special profile on page 4. Danny was, of course, also a particularly fitting choice as guest of honour, as he had already worked closely with a number of our students as a sports mentor during the two years of their GCSE and BTEC studies.

As Athens Paralympic 800 metre gold medallist, world champion and world record holder, Danny spoke inspirationally about overcoming hurdles and setting new personal challenges to the audience of past and present students, parents, Governors and friends of Park House.

You can read more details about Danny’s

This was truly inspirational Prize Giving, which celebrated the many and wide-ranging achievements of our students. Certificates and prizes were awarded for both academic achievement and students’ contributions to the school and the wider community. There were also outstanding performances by the

The range and pace of activity at Park House over the last term makes it impossible to identify a single ‘lead story’ for this issue of Personal Best!

school’s highly successful Swing Band, which includes members of the ex-Year 11 year group who deservedly received their Music Colours.

The evening was rounded off by a post presentation reception for students and guests, generously hosted by the Park House School Association.

A Young Sports Ambassador visit to South Africa, BBC Young Reporters project, the Schools Shakespeare Festival and numerous sporting achievements all feature among the highlights of an outstanding term.

Full coverage of the evening, together with a complete list of this year’s prizewinners follows on pages 2-3. This sets the tone for an edition of Personal Best which reflects of another term of inspiring achievement by students at Park House. ● Derek Peaple, Headteacher

At the time of writing, our Year 12 Sports Ambassadors, Matt Green and Helen Bate, have just departed to South Africa where they will be working with students from our partner school in Durban on an international citizenship

project based around the theme of ‘fair play’. The project is currently being tracked by our team of BBC Young Reporters from Year 8 (pictured above with Maggie Philbin), who will be broadcasting live on the event to a live national audience on BBC News 24 on 22 March! Both of these activities will also be developed further as part of our next ‘Theme Week’ in June and covered in the Summer edition of Personal Best.

Creativity has also been a key feature of the work of a group of our Year 11 English and Drama students who have successfully directed, produced and performed in their own production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest at The Corn Exchange in February. The superb

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Issue 13 – Summer 2008 Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Outstanding!

Celebrating Success!

production, which received outstanding reviews from the organisers of the Festival, has now been performed to all students in Year 8, inspiring the next generation of gifted and talented performers and directors as they move through the school.

Our ex-Year 11 students celebrated their excellent GCSE results and school achievements on 29th November in the company of their parents, teachers and special guest, leading TV and radio presenter Maggie Philbin.

It is exactly these sorts of activities which enrich the student experience at Park House, motivating and inspiring achievement at every level of the school.

It is therefore no coincidence that recently released performance tables from the Department for Education reflect our best ever results in Key Stage 3, with ‘value added’ in every sense of the term.

The evening looked back on what has been a remarkable year for the school, with the year group producing our highest ever achieving GCSE students – as featured in the last Special Results Edition of Personal Best in September and on pages 2-3 which follow.

PHOTO: G Jones

Inspiring achievement!

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

PHOTO: Waddell Digital

Issue 8 – Winter 2006/7

Enter the Dragons...

Issue 12 – Spring 2008

Reflection on last summer’s magnificent GCSE successes was complimented by a celebration of equally outstanding successes in other areas of school and

● Derek Peaple, Headteacher

Issue 16 – Summer 2009

Issue 17 – Winter 2009

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

community life, many of which are featured in this and previous editions of Personal Best. In addition to the presentation of GCSE certificates, academic achievement and progress awards and subject prizes, the evening saw awards and Colours distributed for music, art, sport and commitment to the school and community.

I am immensely proud of the achievements of every one of last year’s students, with each certificates and award presented during the evening reflecting their tremendously hard work and commitment.

We were delighted to be joined for the evening by Maggie Philbin, who presented the certificates and prizes and gave a motivational speech, encouraging students to follow in her footsteps and seize every

opportunity that life presents. Maggie is a regular visitor to the school, covering many events on her BBC Berkshire Breakfast Show and pioneering the BBC Young Reporters project, which recently gave our students the enviable opportunity of interviewing David Cameron.

The evening’s entertainment was provided by the school’s superb Swing Band and Jazz Bands and culminated in a reception for students and guests, hosted by the Park House School Association.

PHOTO: R Cooper

PHOTO: Waddell Digital

PHOTO: Waddell Digital

Tales of activities, theme week, school trips, art exhibitions, student features, staff profiles, sporting achievements and much more...

This edition of Personal Best now continues the theme of celebrating success by capturing the equally wideranging activities and achievements of our students throughout the Autumn Term. ● Derek Peaple, Headteacher

Issue 18 – Spring 2010

Issue 19 – Summer 2010

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Park House School & Sports College Newsletter

Creative Learning

‘Outstanding’ can be the only word to describe the work and achievements of our ex-Year 11 students, which we proudly celebrated alongside Beijing Olympic Rowing Gold Medallist, Zac Purchase at our Annual Prize Giving Ceremony on 6 November.

Governors, staff, students and parents that just as an Olympic Gold medal represents the ultimate symbol of years of dedicated training and commitment, so the presentation of students’ GCSE certificates equally represented the pinnacle of two years’ hard work and preparation.

Zac’s presence as guest of honour was particularly fitting in this Olympic year, as he presented students with special Achievement, Commitment and Community Service awards and GCSE certificates following what I have previously described in the Results Edition of Personal Best as our very own ‘Golden Summer’ of student achievement.

2008 was therefore a truly memorable Prize Giving, which celebrated the many and wide-ranging achievements of our students – who also had once in a lifetime opportunity to pose for photos with Zac’s Gold medal, which he freely passed around the audience!

Zac himself focused on the parallels between the students’ fantastic achievements and those of the Olympic medal winners in Beijing. As Britain's first Olympic champion in his event, he told the audience of

There were also outstanding performances by the Concert Band, which includes several members of the ex-Year 11 year group who deservedly received their Music Colours – as well as a fantastic preview of what packed audiences were to be treated to in our equally memorable production of (continued overleaf)

Respect Courage Excellence Determination Inspiration Friendship Equality

Defining Moments At our ex-Year 11 Awards Evening in November, Paralympic 800m gold medallist and Team GB flag bearer at the 2008 Beijing Games Danny Crates inspired students, parents, Governors and staff alike with his personal reflections on how positive responses to the ‘defining moments’ in an individual’s life and, in his case, sporting career can promote wider success and lasting achievement.

Obviously one of the ‘defining moments’ of any student’s school career is the presentation of their GCSE certificates as

Living the Olympic and Paralympic Values

the culmination of five years of learning and commitment. It was therefore wonderful to collectively celebrate this special moment with so many of our former and current students, and to reflect upon their outstanding and wide-ranging contributions to the life of the school. These achievements and contributions are proudly featured on pages 2-3.

Suitably inspired by Danny’s references to the Olympic and Paralypmpic Values, the Park House Student Sports Development Team – many of whom were in the Prize-giving audience on 4 November – are now also beginning work with Danny on a unique and exciting long-term educational documentary related to the 2012 Games. This is just one of the term’s many activities showcased in our latest edition of Personal Best. I am sure you will agree that the enthusiasm, energy and spirit of our amazing students serves as its own source of inspiration as they individually and together work to shape their own ‘defining moments’ at Park House. • Derek Peaple

Issue 20 • Winter 2010 • Park House School & Sports College Magazine

Park House Values...

Issue 21 • Spring 2011 • Park House School & Sports College Magazine

A Snapshot of Our Values...

Inspiration… Excellence…

Courage and Determination Friendship… Respect and Equality

Inspiring a Park House Generation Pictures from our amazing production of We Will Rock You on pages 19 -22

FREE COVER

DISC PLAY LOUD >>

Inspiring Creativity!

A striking image for the front cover of an equally striking celebration of this term’s inspirational achievements and opportunities at Park House!

Inspiration…

Excellence…

Courage and Determination…

Friendship…

Respect and Equality…

With London 2012 now less than four months away, this latest edition of Personal Best reflects just how creatively our work with the Olympic and Paralympic Values is shaping so many of these achievements and opportunities in many new and different ways both within and beyond the curriculum. And it really does start on the front page.

Aviva Telegraph Sports College of the Year 2011

This stunning photomontage interpretation of the classic Olympic Rings was created in response to a London 2012 ‘Get Set to get creative!’ competition. Overleaf the team of student artists and photographers explain how they produced what we are thrilled to announce as one of the national winning entries, which we hope will soon appear on an official 2012 poster!

From Art, Design and Photography we move to English and Media, with ‘Letters to the World’ in 2012 and a BBC School Report feature on the second of our ‘Values Days’. This in turn

brought together brilliantly-themed creative learning in ICT, English, History, Geography and PE based around a central focus provided by the Paralympic Values of Equality and Respect.

Underlying all of these opportunities and achievements is of course an emphasis on student leadership and voice. From an educational perspective, the power of young people to make a positive difference to their local and wider community is perhaps the most exciting element of the vision for an Olympic and Paralympic Legacy. We can already see it here in updates on the work of our Games Makers, local community projects such as ‘Gardening for the Games’ and international learning.

A night with the stars...

Adding to the mix of fantastic learning and achievement showcased in this edition are also reports on trips and visits, House and national competition successes and charity work, together with special features on our current and former students’ wide-ranging interests and accolades. Please read on to be creatively inspired! I’m sure you will be. • Derek Peaple, Headteacher

Clare Balding joins our stars at Prize Giving See pages 2–7 and centre pages for more!

Issue 23 • Winter 2011 • Park House School & Sports College Magazine

Issue 22 • Summer 2011 • Park House School & Sports College Magazine

Students star in GB Bobsleigh Championships at Innsbruck

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Issue 24 • Spring 2012 • Park House School & Sports College Magazine

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What a rush!

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Knockout The Headteacher’s ‘Living the Values’ Award, introduced by Mr Peaple in 2012 as part of the school’s Legacy commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values, was this year presented to Lucas Voss.

See pages 16-20 for more outstanding prize winners!

Living the Values The Headteacher’s ‘Living the Values’ Award, introduced by Mr Peaple in 2012 as part of the school’s Legacy commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values, was this year presented to Annabel Chaffey.

Annabel achieved twelve GCSEs all at grade A and, as highlighted in Issue 29 of Personal Best, is currently in the Team GB Bobsleigh squad with the target of competing at the Youth Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer in 2016.

Annabel was one of twenty-three students presented with the Gil Appleby Memorial Prize for achieving nine or more A* and A grade GCSEs and also won the subject prize for Physics and the Peel Cup for Female Athlete of the Year!

Legends...

The Headteacher’s ‘Living the Values’ Award, introduced by Mr Peaple in 2012 as part of the school’s Legacy commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values, was this year presented by All Black legend Zinzan Brooke to Luke Barlow.

See pages 4-7 for more outstanding prize winners!

Read Luke’s account of his trip to Tanzania on page 12!

See pages 2–6 for more outstanding prize winners!

Photograph courtesy Bonnie Lane: www.bonnielane.com

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Living the Values...

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Discovering our students’ brilliant journeys – past, present and future...

Work hard.

Be brave.

Believe in yourself...

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The Headteacher’s ‘Living the Values’ Award, introduced in 2012 as part of the school’s Legacy commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values, was this year presented by England and British Lions legend Lewis Moody to Daniel Roch.

The Headteacher’s ‘Living the Values’ Award, introduced in 2012 as part of the school’s Legacy commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values, was this year presented by England Rugby World Cup star Heather Fisher to Ben Marshall.

See pages 4-7 for more outstanding prize winners!

See pages 4-7 for more outstanding prize winners!

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Be led by what makes you happy...

The Headteacher’s ‘Living the Values’ Award, introduced in 2012 as part of the school’s Legacy commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values, was this year presented by Olympic Rowing Gold Medallist Katherine Copeland to Tiegan Doyle.

Grease was the word!

See pages 4-7 for more outstanding prize winners!

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A farewell and a big thank you to our outstanding Headteacher for the last 17 years! It would be impossible to list everything Derek Peaple has done for Park House but we have just a few highlights on page 3 and on the back page.

See pages 8-9 for more photos!

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Thank you for this legacy and more!

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A message from our Trust’s Chair and CEO When I agreed to take on the role of Chair of the Board of Trustees last October I did not quite anticipate what a busy year it was going to be. We had just been subject to an OFSTED inspection under a new Inspection framework and we were pleased with a really strong ‘Good’ judgement. We are now building on that, with the aim of providing an outstanding education for all of our students.

In the Spring we reviewed our governance structure and the Trust now has a Local Advisory Body in place. We are working closely with them as they focus on Earlier this year, I was pleased to be offered the post of Interim CEO until August 2021, having worked closely with staff at the school, in my role of Deputy CEO. There have been some notable highlights this year, starting with the Year 7 Open Evening last Autumn – where I watched with baited breath as science teachers apparently ‘set light’ to students who were holding their hands out!

At the Year 11 Prize Giving, British Olympic rower Katherine Copeland MBE inspired us with her personal story, which was followed by celebrating the remarkable achievements of our students. The absolute highlight of the year for

In preparing for the new academic year the Trust has begun to appoint its own staff and I look forward to working with them in the coming year. As we look forward to welcoming students back in September for whatever a ‘new normal’ will look like, may I end the year by saying a huge thank-you to everyone and wish you all a happy holiday. • Dr Coleen Jackson, Chair of the Board me though, was watching the fantastic performance of Grease! I was lucky enough to see elements of the production on three occasions, and I’ve been humming the songs on and off all year!

This term, has been an intensely professionally challenging one for schools, having to respond at short notice to rapidly changing situations, to ensure that our students and their families were safe, whilst providing a ‘virtual’ education for the majority. At Park House, we have not only overcome challenges, but positively embraced the opportunities which lockdown has provided. From Mr Marshall’s In-House Challenges to Wendy Hayes producing masks, and Mr Peaple keeping us ‘in the news’ - we have continued to lead the way.

Everyone now deserves a well-earned break and my thanks for your support and hard work. • Laura Bromberg, Interim CEO

Goodbye...

Hello...

As a Trust we would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Peaple for his leadership for 17 years as Headteacher at Park House. Generations of students and their families have benefited from the ‘Values led curriculum’ which he introduced, and we are proud that he will now be sharing this knowledge in schools across the country. We would like to wish him well for his future career as an educational consultant.

We welcome the new Principal of Park House School, Mr Tom Goodenough who introduces himself on page 2. Park House School will be Mr Goodenough’s second Headship, and he joins us from his previous ‘outstanding’ school in Oxfordshire. We are looking forward to working with Mr Goodenough to continue to develop Park House School to educate our students for the future.

News in brief A thank you...

I have been doing some volunteering including picking up prescriptions and shopping for people in the community during lockdown. But, more importantly I wanted to share with you (as I’m sure she wouldn’t do so herself) how amazing my colleague Miss Jo Lewis has been. Despite the pressures we have all been under she has been picking up prescriptions, and doing shopping for four or five different people on a weekly basis. And when I was poorly she also picked up my prescriptions and shopping! She saved my bacon. A huge thank you for your support. • Miss Davis, Head of History

Setting an example...

Using my exercise time, I have enjoyed being able to get out for a run three or four times a week. The roads were so much quieter and so few people around before 9am. I have had the opportunity to see the trees grow leaves and flowers blossom – nature at its best. I also joined a challenge to raise money for the NHS (along with several of our students) where I had to run 5k, donate £5 and nominate five friends for the challenge. Added to that I decided to do it for my birthday (did that mean I could enjoy five cakes?) I also signed up for a virtual run, to run as many miles as I could manage and received this great medal • Miss Hawkins, Educational Support

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the curriculum and well-being of Park House students. In the last two terms, we have faced the challenges of educating the majority of students in their homes.

Throughout all of the challenges which we have faced this year, I have been impressed by the wonderful work undertaken by staff, the resilience shown by students, and the support offered by their families.

The positive side of social media and the importance of community

In my time as a teacher I have seen the development of social media and the influence it plays on our day to day lives. Although I have been aware that it can be positive, I have mostly had concerns about the negative impact it can have on students’ well-being, and the impact it has on me personally, if I spend too much time on it. However, since the start of lockdown on 22 March, I have witnessed the positive side of social media, and how far reaching it can be, and also what a fantastic community I am part of, both at Park House and within West Berkshire.

In the first week of lockdown, through D&T Teacher groups I am part of on Facebook, I joined the discussion with other D&T teachers across the country about the shortage of PPE and face visors medical staff seemed to be facing, who were on the frontline of the fight against Covid 19.

The discussion led to a large number of D&T Departments deciding we would use our skills and equipment to help solve the problem, and with Mr Peaple's permission, I started to use my department to make a few prototypes.

A couple of days after my initial prototypes were made, Mr Tree – Head of PE, emailed to ask if I’d seen the visors being worn and did I think I would be able to make something similar? His family members and in-laws in London, the Hot Spot for CV19 at that point in time, working as Paramedics or for the NHS,

had no access to PPE. Luckily I was able to say I was already on the case, and a day later 1st Class Logistics, made the very kind offer to drive the first 16 visors into London, so they could be in use as soon as possible. The day they were received, Mr Tree’s sister posted her thanks on Twitter and a picture of the first 34 visors I made was posted to our school Facebook page, saying we were happy to produce visors for anyone in our local community needing them. The subsequent requests and media explosion led to the busiest six weeks of my life!

After a few days making visors on my own, with requests still rolling in and starting to feel a little overwhelmed, I put a call out to the West Berkshire D&T Network to ask if any of them would be willing to start production in their own D&T departments to fill requests, and thankfully The Willink School, The Downs School and Kennet School came back to say they could (and even our own Mr Thorne’s dad offered to help with his 3D printer!).

For the next six weeks visor production ramped up massively, with requests still rolling in and our production rate increasing massively. And, using a new design created by Smoke & Mirrors our record was 250 visors in one day!

Whilst production was going on, I was also fielding an array of media requests, appearing on South Today, Radio Berkshire, Heart FM Breakfast Show, in the London Evening Standard, my ultimate LadBible, and as one of the Duchess of Cambridge’s 10 most

moving shots of the period in Hello Magazine. Due to the quantity of materials being used I started a Just Giving page to raise funds to replace them, and after a shout out on Radio Berkshire and appearing in the Evening Standard, the donations to this also went bonkers – thank you so much to the many, many parents, students and friends who donated.

As I write this article, production has pretty much stopped although we are still getting a few requests through sporadically. But, it was an absolute rollercoaster while it was happening. The total number of visors produced is just shy of 1,800, and we have helped over 70 different groups, ranging from one or two visors for local carers to 100 for the West Berkshire CV19 Hot Hub, set up by local doctor’s practices, and the Phoenix Centre Adult Care Services.

The Just Giving page raised £4,500, and once school materials have been replenished and equipment serviced, we will donate around £2,500 to the WBCH Rainbow Rooms and the Royal Berks Charity. I have never felt prouder to work at Park House and what we achieve as a community.

Although I would not wish Mr Peaple’s retirement from PHS to occur during lockdown, I hope this also acts as an additional reminder of the fantastic community he has helped to create, at an incredible school, with community at its heart. • Mrs Hayes, Head of Design & Technology and West Berkshire D&T Network Lead

See overleaf for a collage of just some of the others involved in this mammoth effort...

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Greased lightning!

Our second production of Grease, performed at Arlington Arts in January, sold out two months in advance – such is the reputation of our musicals!

Derek Peaple said: “This joyous production wonderfully captured the spirit of our school community. The talent, passion and enthusiasm of the cast, inspired by a creative staff production team, was truly special. I am so proud of them all.”

Head of Drama, Hannah Baron, said: “Words alone cannot describe how proud I am of the students involved in our production of Grease. The talent was rightly described by audiences as being up there with that of the West End. Our students were a joy to work with and I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.”

For more photos visit www.waddelldigital.co.uk/grease2020

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Cricket - a new era My article last year focused on our fantastic journey to Middlesex Indoor Cricket School where we represented Berkshire in the U13 Lady Taverners Final. Although this year has been cut short I was able not only to have another opportunity to work with our U13 girls from last year but also to discover and watch the journey of our new Year 7 girls.

The U13 girls moved up to the U15 age group and we had a new and exciting squad for the U13 competition. It was an absolute pleasure working with all of the girls each week as I was able to watch them develop technically and more importantly see them mentor and lead each other. To work with talented athletes is great but to work with amazing, enthusiastic young people is even better.

We have the same group of committed, talented, experienced cricketers that were joined by girls that were new to the sport and that have flourished into fine cricketers. Both teams played some outstanding cricket in the county round of the Lady Taverners competition.

The U13 girls had won two games and lost one and the U15 girls had won all three games. I was confident that both teams would have qualified for the regional phase of the competition and from then on maybe another trip to Middlesex was on the cards?

The girls were extremely committed to the cricket programme throughout the indoor season and showed real togetherness and character at all times. One of our aims for the season was to improve our running in between the wickets and I feel we have made real progress in this area with less run outs and more rotation of the strike.

Again, I don’t think I can highlight anyone individually in terms of performances because every single girl has been fantastic in both age groups but I must say thank you to Holly Rider and Carly Chisolm for organising the girls. I continue to admire this group of girls when it comes to displaying commitment and determination on the cricket field. Thank you to all the students that have given up their time this season. I hope that you continue to enjoy your cricket during lockdown in the garden and look forward to seeing you develop again next season! • Mr Elliott, PE Department

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First of all I would like to thank Mr Elliott and all the staff who have supported us and made all the matches and fixtures possible.

I know all the girls who have attended the weekly sessions on a Wednesday have found them incredibly helpful and are thankful to Tom and Mr Elliott for them.

Our team is new this year; likewise lots of the members are fairly new to cricket. We have all improved massively together as a team. We have won matches and lost matches but the spirit in the team bus is always amazing! I look forward to next season not only for the fixture but training as well. Well done girls!

Carly Chisholm, Year 8

Charlie’s Madrid Tour with the Junior Premier League Representative Team

Never have I had a feeling of excitement anywhere near to this before; after all, a once in a lifetime experience like this might never fall into my lap ever again. I could feel my stomach churning with nervousness “Will I play well?” “What will happen?”

Real Madrid’s training ground was pleasing to the eye, from modern buildings and pitches to old, bronze statues of famous footballing stars. The training was no different, world class coaches and staff pushing us to our limits.

We played a local Spanish side and I was given the amazing opportunity of captaining our U12’s team to a 7-0 win. I also scored two goals in the last five minutes of the game as our coach decided that as we were 4-0 up he would swap the centre backs (my usual position) with the centre forwards. In the training sessions that followed this match the Madrid Coaches nicknamed me “Crouchy”.

We visited Atletico Madrid’s new stadium (only two years old), The Wanda Metropolitano, to watch them play in a real game. The atmosphere was incredible; whenever they scored the stadium would fill with coloured lights.

You could feel the floor shake when the crowd went ballistic.

Finally, on our last day we visited Real Madrid’s stadium, The Santiago Bernabéu for a stadium tour. It was so big, that it took two whole hours to complete the tour. In the end, it was a great experience – thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way. • Charlie Seymour, Year 7

Louis aims high at Reading FC My son Louis Bissessur, in Year 8, was scouted by his football club to go on trial for Reading Professional Academy at the end of last year.

He began his trials, but obviously this had to stop due to the ongoing lockdown. He will resume these trials when safe to do so and we are hopeful he will be successful and that he might be offered a professional contract in future. • Lisa Clayton

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3 Fall Dance Company visit Back in February, our Year 9 and Year 10 GCSE Dance groups were offered the exciting opportunity to work alongside the dancers of 3 Fall Dance Company from the University of Chichester.

Over two days, the dancers created a new piece of choreography which they performed at the Arlington Arts Centre, alongside the University students for an evening performance. The Sixth Form dancers were also treated to a contemporary dance technique workshop with the University students, followed by a Q&A session about life as a dance student at the university.

During the two days, I was delighted with the hard work and sheer enthusiasm of our students who were not used to such intense rehearsal.

The piece they created was so polished and I was extremely proud of their live performance. It was such a great opportunity for them to work at a higher level, to be pushed by the university students and to be included as a curtain raiser within the evening show.

It was a real experience and a treat, for students to also see live contemporary dance that evening and a real accomplishment for many pupils, for whom this provided their first chance to perform live in a theatre. So many parents spoke to me at the end of the show and were so impressed with the achievement of our dancers in only two days. Well done to everyone who took part! • Mrs Mawazini, Head of Dance

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Year 7 – one year on...

We catch up with three students on how their first year has been

Maria Hosseiny Although moving from primary school to secondary school is a big change, Park House has helped me settle really well.

I have now found my passion for sports – Netball, Hockey and Gymnastics are my favourites. I have also experienced outstanding teaching in every lesson. Somehow, these teachers make learning fun! My favourite part of the day, is Tutor. Tutor is a lesson in the mornings where you go for register at 8:30 for 35 minutes, just before our first lesson. This class is also a time where you can complete unfinished work, catch up with friends, and talk to your teacher if any worries are bothering you.

Another of my favourite classes is FoodTech, as we get to cook delicious meals every week. So far, I have made: pizzas, scones, fruit crumbles, carrot muffins, bread, fruit salads, and other delicious meals. Even with this worldwide pandemic, Park House has not failed to continue giving support to us students and has provided all our online lessons.

Overall, my experience at Park House so far, has been amazing and I can’t wait to spend the next seven years at Park House, wondering where it will take me, whilst spreading my wings and flying high.

Harry Jacobs Year 7 at Park House has been an amazing year. My first week was very different to what I was used to. I came from a small village school with only 140 students so it was a big step up for me.

But all my new teachers, my Year Head Mr Jones and new friends have helped me through the year. Park House has given me much more confidence and I have learnt so much.

Park House has given me so many new opportunities. There are loads of different subjects I had never done at primary school. My favourite subject has been PE, and with all the after school sport and enrichment clubs this year I have tried many new sports which I have enjoyed. My biggest achievement has been making the school rugby team.

This year has gone very quickly, I look forward to spending many more years at Park House School.

Klara Bennett I had a humongous jump from a local school to getting up to go on the bus for 40 minutes. For me it wasn’t getting bus that was hard but rather the fact I had to get up so much earlier each day!

But, it was worth getting up 40 minutes later and a lot more to go to Park House.

I have met some really amazing friends that I can trust and look forward to making fun memories together.

At the start of the term I wasn’t a big fan of English or Maths but my teachers Mr Gook, Mrs Kirby and Mr Thorne have helped me and encouraged me and now English and Maths are amongst my favourite lessons along with PE, Art and Design and Technology. There are also very many different afterschool activities!

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Art in the time of a pandemic During our period of absence from school we have been so impressed with the art and photography our students have created. As teachers we’ve looked forward to the emails coming in after a lesson, or files that are shared in OneDrive and Teams. The contact with our students and their amazing work has really made us smile. Here is a selection of just some of this fantastic work in lieu of our annual Art Exhibition. Wish we could show it all. Well done to all of you artists and photographers. We so look forward to seeing you all again in person, in September.

• Miss Suchanova, Mrs Hicks & Mrs Waddell EVIE SKERRY YEAR 7

FINDLAY MOUNT YEAR 7

LOTTIE HOLMES YEAR 8

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AMBER KARASINSKI YEAR 8

OLLIE GLOVER YEAR 8

OWEN FIDLER YEAR 8

BETH KING YEAR 9

LARA HOWARD-GREEN YEAR 9

FREYA ILLENDEN YEAR 10

MOLLY LEFEVER YEAR 10

BEN HENSBY YEAR 10

LIBBY BULL YEAR 12

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New defibrillator boxes Back in February, we were extremely lucky and grateful to receive two new, safer and more secure defibrillator storage boxes to replace the rather worn, old ones we had.

The defibrillator machines can be accessed by anyone needing them when the school site is open. The new boxes were given to us free of charge by AEDdonate. These improved boxes have been installed with heaters in them to prevent the defibrillators becoming damaged by damp or frost. They also have internal lights.

One defibrillator machine is in a new box installed on a wall outside the Maths block facing the 3G pitches and the other one is installed outside the medical room. The expensive devices themselves can be life saving if someone has a cardiac arrest. If a defibrillator is needed, the person collecting it would need to call 999 – ambulance, and the code to unlock the box and advice on how to use the defibrillator will be given.

We may well need two new actual defibrillators in 2021 as our current two although now safely stored, are nearly ten years old. We will soon be looking at ways to fund these new life savers.

Finally a big thank you Jamie Richards at AEDdonate for the two new boxes and for all his help and advice. •

Tilly designs winning logo...

My daughter, Tilly Gomer-Walker, in Year 7, recently won a competition for her logo design for an agriculture online show.

The show happened online in response to the cancellation of all county shows, with the idea to help promote the farming industry, boost morale within it, and also raise some much needed funds for a chosen selection of farming charities.

The show has so far raised over £15,000 for charity. You can see Tilly’s original drawing above the final digital adaptation for the website. • Sarah Gomer www.onlineagshow.co.uk

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What a picture...

Lockdown has been a bit of a struggle for most of us not being able to go and see our friends or family. I found it hard because I was not allowed to go and see my pony, Badger.

But, during this time, I got inspired by taking photos and ended up doing a photography course with my dad.

Here are a couple of photos that I have taken. • Elinor Hewitt, Year 10

Tired eyes...

Pain and exhaustion Sadness and tears I love my patients And I understand their fears

Love and devotion Caring all day My arms are around you Please fight this today

I’m not going anywhere I’m crying for you This virus is evil And I’m fighting too

You are back with the living!

My smile brings more tears My tiredness goes quickly As I shake all the fears Beth King, a Year 9 Art student, has completed this painting of a nurse whilst working from home during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Beth said: “I haven’t been able to see my grandma for quite a while now, so to be able to reflect on the current situation and appreciate the work of the NHS, she asked me to paint a picture of a doctor or nurse to go along with a poem she wrote.”

I thought this was a really lovely idea and her grandma’s poem, Tired Eyes, is testament to the hard work that all of our NHS workers are doing at this time. The care and dedication of these people is second to none.

We all wish life would go ‘back to normal’ and all of us staff are missing our students and colleagues but we need to follow the lead of our masked warriors to ensure this will happen sooner rather than later. Thank you to Beth and her grandma for this beautiful reminder. • Mrs Hicks, Art Department

I won’t leave your side Until you can walk away And a part of my heart Will go with you that day

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If it can make someone else smile...

While stuck at home, Aston Howse, Year 8, recently cleared out his bedroom and left books, DVDs, toys, football boots, trainers and games outside our house for other people to take for free.

His motto was “if it can make someone else smile it is worth giving it away.”

In total 80 items were taken from the front garden and it was a great pleasure for Aston and I to watch people be so appreciative and smile taking the items during this tough time. Some children would jump up and down after taking the item. People would stop and wave at us thanking us through the dining room window where we were working.

One lady even saw us on our daily exercise and said what a brilliant idea it was. She then added bunches of flowers for people to take. It was our ‘positive’ window and Aston enjoyed seeing how many items had gone and what they were.

Aston has also won a trophy for Newbury Athletics (that he cannot collect until after the lockdown) for becoming the boys club championship cross country winner. • Natasha Watkins

£895 raised for local NHS by Nia and Ella

Nia Evans and Ella Matthews, both Year 11, decided to do a half marathon on their crosstrainers together in May to raise money for the local hospital, raising £395 over and above their original target of £500. • Jennie Evans • justgiving.com/fundraising/cross-trainer-marathon

Amilia helps and entertains family and friends During lockdown I have donated to Colonel #run5donate5 Tom Moore and have been helping with the Hungerford isolation group, shopping for vulnerable people. I have also been helping my mum cook food for my Nan and we have been visiting her to take food, clean her house. I have also been playing the flute for her as she loves listening to the sound it makes. As a family, we have also been entertaining our friends with dance videos. • Amilia Dornan, Year 7

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Maria’s music keeps neighbours’ spirits high Aside from all of her studies, Maria Naylor, Year 9, has been playing her flute in the garden to entertain the neighbours whilst we have been in lockdown. It has been especially well received by those who are self-isolating in our street and they frequently comment on how uplifting it is to hear Maria play. • Jonathan & Elizabeth Naylor

Lowri steps up to help family and community Like everyone else, Year 11 student, Lowri Thomas has missed her Park House friends very much. What would we all have done without FaceTime or similar?

Her Berkshire Maestros clarinet lessons continue – by Zoom, of course! In addition to her GCSE Music studies, Lowri was working at home towards her Grade 5 Theory of Music (a prerequisite for taking the higher practical music grades), and she took the theory exam just days before the ABRSM cancelled all exams. The result came through recently, and she passed well (just missing out on a Merit).

With my wife Helen being the Registered Manager of a care home in Wallingford and therefore very much on the frontline, Lowri has stepped in and proven herself very capable in the kitchen – I’m pretty hopeless in that department, so it’s a good job! There has been plenty of cooking and baking going on. And, of course, there are our many pets, including the four rescued greyhounds she tends to daily which will help her in her plans to study Animal Management at Sparsholt College from September.

What Helen and I are most proud of Lowri for, however, is what she has been doing for several weeks for the local community. I am a parish councillor in Shaw-cum-Donnington, and a joint initiative between the parish council and St Mary’s Church in Shaw (known as ‘SAFE’) started a few weeks ago, with the help of the One Stop convenience store in Kiln Road. Three times every week, we receive grocery orders for local residents who need to self-isolate, either due to their age or to underlying health conditions.

Lowri and I then go to the One Stop to collect the groceries and take them to customers. It goes without saying that we wear PPE – my car is full of gloves, hand sanitiser and face masks (especially necessary whenever we deliver to the more frail customers).

Once the groceries have been handed over, we usually have a chat. For some, this may be their only contact with the outside world, other than via the phone or computer. We stay at least two metres back from their doorsteps. Of course, unfortunately, this is now accepted as our normal way of communicating face-to-face.

Back in the car, Lowri then helps me sort out the paperwork, so that we can keep track of all of the transactions. It’s been difficult to see when the current situation will end for some of the more vulnerable residents – we could be doing these shopping errands for some time yet. I am very grateful for Lowri’s help, as are the customers, of course. The above photo was taken on Good Friday, en route to an elderly customer. • Glyn Thomas

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Niamh joins the NHS frontline...

I thought I should let you know about my Year 13 daughter, Niamh Dorrington’s lockdown efforts. I am very proud of her and think Park House should be proud that the school contributed to the young adult she has become.

On the day the government announced schools were to close and exams were to be cancelled, Niamh immediately applied for a health care assistant job at Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust.

She was successful in her application and began working in the Emergency Department at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital in mid April, just as Covid-19 was reaching its peak. She has been working 12.5 hour shifts (including nights) sometimes in resuscitation and often with suspected Covid patients.

She has a university place to study nursing in September next year and will have gained a lot of experience working as a health care assistant by the time she starts her degree.

She also managed to get a marvel headband to attach her face mask to, to help save her ears getting sore! • Claire Harvey

Everybody needs good neighbours Laura Sheldon has been helping Neighbourcare by delivering prescriptions for Woolton Hill and Kintbury Surgeries.

Twice a week since lockdown we have navigated the country lanes and local villages taking vulnerable patients their medicines so that they can safely shield at home. • Hermione Sheldon

£317 raised for Daisy’s Dream Thank you so much for the wonderful donation of £317.14 from the Park House Christmas Jumper Day. As a small, local charity we receive no government funding, so rely on the support of our local communities to raise the funds we need to continue our valuable work with families facing or following bereavement. Your donation is enough money to help us provide five one-to-one sessions for a child or young person who needs our help. Please pass on our thanks to the students and parents of Park House for their support. • Vicky Maunder, Fundraiser

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The power of parent poetry One of our parents, Joanne Charlton, whose son Sean is in Year 8, has found writing during these stressful times to be therapeutic. Here is a selection of her recent work inspired by the events of lockdown...

Test and trace, come on let’s see your face

Captain Tom Moore

Sick of being sick and tired

You travel through the veins of people that don’t deserve it

Served as a Captain in the Second World War

Anyone else sick of being sick and tired?

Lurking, skulking, there you are, there you sit

He pledged to walk 100 laps of his garden to raise money to help this country again

The news is full of Covid-19

Test and trace, come on let’s see your face

He walked and walked and on his target he began to gain

You’ve scared people out of their skins A whole new way of life for us begins Test and trace, come on let’s see your face

You’ve taken thousands before they should have passed A deadly pandemic you’ve been classed Mourning , grieving , tears and wailing Yet spread, spread, spread for you is just plain sailing Test and trace, come on let’s see your face

With hardly any facts we can glean

His family set him a target of a thousand pounds That he smashed after several rounds On and on Tom walked, raising thousands and then millions He walked alone, no magical pillions

Or it’s about a black and white divide Which makes you lose friends if you’re not on their side Schools not reopening until September at the earliest Dark deep clouds at their burliest Folks still scared to see their loved ones

His walking was to celebrate his 100 years of life

For fear of this virus that everyone shuns

100 happy years , done in war and strife

It’s hard to remain upbeat

He’s shown huge grit , strength and determination already

When you feel that life is a cheat

Schools are closed, children not there learning

Never mind, I sigh as I go to bed

They’re sat at home, for their friends they are yearning

The millions he has now made is ready

You don’t discern whom you take

To help those carry on with his good work

For others you don’t forsake

To help find this virus that does lurk

To rest my weary head Another day will dawn Hopefully good news will spawn

Test and trace, come on let’s see your face He has now been knighted

Until such time We will one day catch you out Eureka we will shout

The country he has united I shall continue to climb Arise Sir Thomas Moore

Then this world will be free From your deadliness we cannot see We are coming for you

For you are a hero, that’s for sure

The stairs that life puts in front of me day by day And wish for an end of this misery, come what may

We will hunt you down So come on test and trace, let’s see your face

21

Park House School Association At the PHSA AGM last September we rather unexpectedly agreed to take on the role of Chair as a shared role, after a few years of Derek Peaple and Teresa Jones kindly undertaking the role.

portal allowing all our September Year 7s to get to know the school before September. It’s great to know that all the donations and contributions to the PHSA allow us to help everyone in the PHS Community.

Neither of us had done anything like it before, but we left the meeting as Joint Chair and Joint Secretary. We both went home wondering what we had let ourselves in for...

As for many, COVID-19 has put paid to our planned events this year, but discussions are taking place already for events we can hopefully run next year.

Although we needed to cancel the Easter raffle, we donated all our chocolate eggs to the wonderful NHS staff at Reading hospital as a ‘thank you’.

As children grow older, parents generally go back to work, if they have not done so before, and therefore the pool of parents able to take on these roles is much smaller than in primary schools. This is quite understandable, but what we have found is that the support we do receive from parents and carers is fantastic.

People have helped out by joining the 200 Club, serving and buying refreshments at school parents’ evenings and concerts, filling up the Bag2School bin, shopping through Amazon Smile, as well as running a raffle at the School’s performance of Grease. We have also had support from small businesses in the area such as NuMee and The Highclere Redhouse Pub, for which we are extremely grateful. All this and more has allowed us to buy various things for the school this year; a camera, an iPad, a green screen for media, sewing machines and a number of books for different departments.

One of our biggest contributions this year has been to the virtual induction

Now more than ever, all schools need financial and practical support from parents and carers, and if that means spending a couple of hours making teas and coffees one evening, or spending £1 per month on the 200 Club, then that’s what we will do and luckily there are other parents at Park House who do that too.

All parents and carers are automatically a member of the PHSA so anyone can help in as small or as large capacity as they wish. We really do need, and appreciate any help, especially to assist us in continuing to help the school.

So, with 2020 being such an ‘interesting and challenging’ year, we’re looking forward and hopefully the next school year will be a little more ‘productive’ for all of us. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and keep safe everyone! • Teresa Crocker and Kathryn John – Joint Chair

parkhouseschool.org/Our-Community/Park-House-School-Association-PHSA

22

Without sounding too repetitive…

Hello Housemates!

What a crazy few months this has been! I never could have imagined that from my initial note to you all about being an inspiration and staying positive, we would grow and develop an “In-House Activity” movement that would consume almost every aspect of lockdown life.

For some of you, the in-house activities have been a creative oasis in the otherwise darkened lockdown desert. An outlet for fun and a break from online learning, home chores and, supporting your friends, family and loved ones (albeit virtually in most cases).

I cannot express enough how proud, pleased and thrilled I am with each and everyone of you, and have never been happier to see my email inbox filled to bursting point with notes and pictures of your superb attempts at these activities.

My creativity and ingenuity for coming up with these events has been stretched at times. But, thanks to Park House staff and the wider community, I feel we have managed to invent and share some of the most exciting and creative ideas possible. So, here are just some of the contributions over what has arguably been one of the most challenging times in a generation. • Mr Marshall

Weekly Activities Plant the future

Grow something

Stop Mugging Me Off

Create your own recipe for a microwave mug cake which includes at least one *special* ingredient.

Floaters

Build something that floats which can hold the most weight.

All dressed up with nowhere to go

Create a costume of a Famous Figure using items you find in your room.

The 26 Challenge

Dream up and complete an activity based around the numbers 2.6 or 26!

Let's Go Wild

Write an inspirational rap, poem or song.

Fill 'er Up

Invent the world’s best sandwich filling and give your new creation a name.

Balancing Act

Make the tallest structure out of household objects.

Nailed It

Set up an accuracy throwing challenge then make the shot.

Picture This

Take the best photo of something 'in-action' without using filters or effects.

Wood Craft the community

Create a 'stick-art' picture to inspire

A night at the movies

Re-create your favourite scene from a movie.

23

2020 Sports Personalities of the year Sports Awards Go Ahead Despite Lockdown Our annual Sports Presentation Evening went ahead on June 25, albeit in a very different format, as we decided that the show must go on despite social distancing and lockdown restrictions.

Sports Presentation Evening is one of the most anticipated days in the sporting calendar with students looking forward to getting their glad-rags on and enjoying inspirational talks from elite sportspeople, devouring pizza, dancing the night away and the lucky ones being presented with “most improved” or “player’s player” trophies for their school sport. The highlight of the evening is always the presentation of the school’s “Sports Personality of the Year” Awards, where a boy and a girl from each year group are presented with a large trophy naming them as the student who has embodied the school sporting values the most over the preceeding year. Past winners include England and Bath Rugby Union Player Jonathan Joseph, England U20 rugby players Cara Brincatt and Carys Cox, U20 500m European Finalist Izzy Fry and GB Bobsleigh stars Annabel Chaffey and Codie Burnett.

This year, with school buildings having limited access and large social gatherings postponed, unsurprisingly our usual event had to be cancelled.

This didn’t sit well with the PE Department. However, we wanted to celebrate the efforts and successes of the students, and so a plan was made to run a “virtual” Sports Presentation this year. During the week preceeding the scheduled Awards night, PE staff took it in turns to release videos of them presenting awards from their own homes with each year group receiving their own virtual ceremony. Awards were presented and achievements celebrated.

Throughout these virtual ceremonies teasers for the “Big” Awards were left with students told to tune back in on Thursday 25 June for the main event. This culmination of the awards evening was to be different.

Izzy Rider with Mr Peaple and PE staff.

Rory Dunbar watching his congratulatory message from Jonathan Joseph

24

Students would normally have been on the edge of their seats as nominations were read out for each year group’s Sports Personality and anticipation would build further as they awaited the name of the winners to be announced, with the room rising to applaud the deserving winners. An idea was formulated to make the winners feel appropriately celebrated for winning this year. Our awards went on the road!

A presentation party headed from school in convoy to go door to door delivering the awards to the winner’s homes. The presentation team consisted of Headteacher Derek Peaple, Head of PE Dan Tree, Head of Girls PE Emma Rowland, Head of KS3 PE Paul Holland, as well as PE Teacher Nick Sutton and Teresa Jones from the school office as our official photographer for the day.

The surprise on student’s faces as they opened their front doors to the sight of trophies and their Headteacher and PE staff was a picture! Each winner had a personal message from either Jonathan Joseph of England Rugby, Lauren Bell and Katie Cross from England Cricket or Laura Malcom from England Netball while we presented them with their trophies on which their names are engraved. The main trophy remains on display in school and a small replica was given to each as a keepsake.

The final award was a new one and was very sentimental for Headteacher Derek Peaple, who retires this summer. He has gifted a shield “The Derek Peaple Award” to the PE Department to be issued annually to the student who has best personified “Leadership through Sport”. A fine legacy for a man whose headship has embodied that very principle. The first recipient of this award was the fantastic Rory Dunbar who has given so much time and effort to lead sporting activities for students for younger age groups and in primary schools – a fantastic role model and so deserving of this award. • The PE Department

Izzy Rider – Year 7

Leon Taylor Year 7

Charlotte Brown Year 8

Samuel White – Year 8

Holly Rider – Year 9

Keir Sherlow – Year 9

Amber Alsbury – Year 10

Rory Dunbar – Year 10

For Leadership Through Sport Trophy

25

Charlotte and Elizabeth

in the swim of things I started swimming for Newbury District Swimming Club when I was 8 and began competing in external competitions at the age of 9.

Every week I swim for 10 hours over five days and an do hour of land training as well. This includes doing some early mornings which normally involve getting up at 5:30am and being in the water at 6am.

So, whilst some of you are asleep or eating breakfast, I’m in the pool!

Most sessions involve swimming around 5000m or more. I normally train early mornings and late nights at Northcroft and at the weekend I also train in the 50m pool in Aldershot. Over the four years I’ve been competitively swimming, I have achieved 29 gold, 20 silver and 16 bronze medals.

As a club, we compete throughout the year at various galas to reach time standards (these are based on age, stroke and distance). When we reach the required times we can qualify to compete at County (Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire), at the higher Regional (South East region) and National levels.

These all have annual championships held at different points in the year. For the last three years I’ve qualified for County Championships, held at Wycombe each January.

This year I swam in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke – achieving Silver medals in the 50m and 200m and Gold medal, becoming County Champion in the 100m event. For the last two years I have also achieved qualification times to compete at the Regional Championships in all three breaststroke events. This year, I’m hoping to make a final or finish in the top ten for the region. • Charlotte Browne, Year 8

Elizabeth Dudman, Year 7, qualified for the South East Regional Swimming Championship that were due to be held at The K2 Olympic sized long course (50m) swimming pool in Crawley in April and May 2020.

Elizabeth qualified in the 12 year old age group – the first time that she was old enough to qualify for the competition. She qualified in five races, 50m Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 50m Butterfly, 200m Butterfly and her favourite race, the 100m Butterfly.

She has already competed in a major competition this year at the Hampshire County Championships in February for the second year and won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. Elizabeth raced her last race before lockdown on 14 March at the London Olympic pool and broke her personal best time for the 100m Butterfly long course by three seconds and won a gold in her age group.

Elizabeth trains with Basingstoke Bluefin Swimming club five times a week and has been swimming competitively since she was 9, most of her friends would not know that she swims so much as she is very modest about her achievement and commitment to the sport.

During Lockdown she has been training in her small pool in her back garden and land training with her squad via Zoom, she has even tried open water swimming as she has been missing swimming so much.

Her ambition is to get to the National competition by the time she is 14 and one day represent her country at the Olympics. • Lesley Dudman

26

Keeping the cycling dream alive during lockdown...

It’s been a while since my last article about my cycling passion. I wanted to write how cycling has kept me focused during lockdown, and how I have adapted to the challenges of training, and keeping the momentum during lockdown and these very unusual circumstances.

As you can imagine the change in my plans for a summer of racing most weekends, and a couple of weeks in Holland competing in two European tours was the biggest disappointment to me. I had made so many friends and my parents purchase of a Motorhome/race bus meant I was really looking forward to the summer race season.

My club Avid Sport immediately got to action, organising regular calls on Teams, where we were set a weekly task. Some of these tasks were fun like putting on a piece of clothing in an awkward way, or mastering a bunny hop. We also had weekly quizzes which were a mix of school subjects or general cycling knowledge. These became the norm for the first two months of lockdown. I am also lucky to be part of British Cycling Talent Development, where we are organised into regions, and meet once a month as a big group of girls & boys (there are about 100 of us in the UK), and then in our regional breakout groups of 10.

We usually have a guest speaker and discuss how to safely continue to ride a bike in these challenging circumstances.

This is where I gained some independence, as I was tasked to plan rides on my own, where previously I had ridden in groups.

I have become used to riding on my own and have enjoyed the time to reflect while doing so.

My club coach very quickly developed an individual training plan for me, and we have weekly calls on Teams to discuss how my progress is going.

I recently went to Goodwood to try out my new Time Trial bike, which was great fun. I also took part in a British Cycling promotional video to demonstrate how returning to coaching can be done safely. It did seem a little odd washing my hands and bike several times and standing behind a cone during feedback from the coach, but it was so nice to be back in a coaching session, even if it did mean a trip to Bristol.

I am now able to safely plan and ride routes of 30 miles or more, and I feel my fitness has improved. I have also implemented my riding schedule around schoolwork, so I have some structure to the day.

Now that time trials are going to start running from the first week of July, I am looking forward to riding my first 10-mile road time trial solo. I have a time to beat from my practice around the Goodwood circuit, but this didn’t take into account any road hazards.

I am really grateful to the support from British Cycling and also to my club and coach from Avid Sport. I feel I have their support has given me the incentive to continue to work hard on my training. Hopefully with all the extra hours of training focusing on riding harder for longer will pay off when we can race again.

• Georgina Pasmore, Year 9

27

Rushall Farm Just before school closed and lockdown started, a group of Year 8 students along with the Geography staff managed to get in a day at Rushall Farm.

The day was split into two so students got to look at both the farm and the river. Looking around the farm was a good chance for students to learn the ins and outs of a working farm and to understand a bit more about where their food comes from. The highlight for many of them was certainly getting to cuddle a newborn lamb and seeing cows, chickens and pigs.

A tractor and trailer took students on a ride to the River Pang where they tried out some river fieldwork techniques and surveying.

Students measured the width, depth and speed of the river and then used the results gathered back in school to conduct some data analysis. They also had a chance to use a sweep net and see what creatures they can catch from the river. This year the river was a little bit tricky as it was so fast flowing we could not use the actual river itself bute used the flooded section instead!

I hope that as we get back to more normal school life we will be back at Rushall Farm the same time next year. • Katherine Bunn, Geography Teacher with thanks to PH6 student Niamh Dorrington for many of the photographs

28

When we went to Rushall Farm. We went in the river and caught some little fish with our nets. It was great fun indeed!

Then we did an investigation on the river flow using an orange and poles to see how long it would take for the orange to reach the other side. We also got to see lots of animals, such as cows and sheep and a really big bull. I liked the bit when we got to pet the lamb – it was very cute. I enjoyed all of it but my favourite was seeing the animals. This fitted in with our Geography lessons because we got to look at the river flow. Saffron Robinson

29

Science trips to Bayer and RAL Before lockdown we took 29 Year 7s to extract DNA from their cheek cells in order to make some unique jewellery at Bayer’s BayLab in Reading.

This was a fantastic opportunity for them to experience and explore Biology, using equipment and resources that we couldn’t hope to have in school. We really appreciated the staff at Bayer for their time and expertise. We also took Year 12 physics students to the Particle Physics Masterclass at RAL (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory) in Didcot where they had the chance to do take part in some Large Hadron Collider data analysis from proton collisions at CERN. • Mr Miller, Science

Animal behaviour studies at Marwell...

In February, the Psychology Department took a number of our students in Years 10 and 12 to Marwell Zoo for a post-16 animal behaviour conference.

The students took part in numerous activities during the day including a rat study and a data collection task in the park. They were then able to consolidate their understanding of how and why animals communicate which will be very useful when they study this topic in more detail in the future. Well done to all the students involved who applied themselves admirably throughout the day. • Mr Elliot, Psychology

30

Homework to inspire...

During lockdown students have been continuing to do set work and in many cases going above and beyond what we expect from them. We are proud to share just a few examples of our students’ submissions. As you will see, food has often played quite a part as it has for many of us during these strange and almost surreal times... Ŧ Ū Ūĸç IŁĀŘ ŦŮŬŪ ĸç IŁĀŘ ŦŮŬŪ Ñ Ñć°ìĊÑÊ ÊĔÄýÑÊ ßĔĩ ĊÑ°ĩĀŘ ŧ Ê°Řį t ć°ìĊÑÊ ÊĔÄýÑÊ ßĔĩ ĊÑ°ĩĀŘ ŧ Ê°Řį

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Findlay Mount, Year 7 This is a particularly outstanding piece of work by Findlay. I am currently conducting an extended period of research into Space exploration with my Year 7 students and Findlay submitted a video he

produced with his dad’s helping hand to edit the video. It’s exceptionally good including the mindmap he used to help create it – a work of art in itself. • Mr Stoneman – you can view the video here: vimeo.com/428983264/e9ef12cbac

Patrick Thorpe, Year 10 – heart diagram made from clothing for PE

Jack McCormack, Year 10 – lung diagram made from sweets for PE

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Jack Bone, Year 9 – made this amazing model of Twickenham Stadium for D&T

Elise Sherlow, Year 7 – produced a very thorough, illustrated study on witchcraft for English

Ed Kirby, Year 7 – Year 7 students were asked to make a 3D paper eye and label it as part of their work on light and optics, but Ed took it one step further to do a dissection of an actual pigs eye!

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Science students have been exploring everything from sedimentary rock and moon phases to material reactions using chocolate, vinegar and more while working at home...

Charlie

Jonah

Rebecca

Modern Foreign Languages students learnt Spanish and French while making paella, churros, alfajores and croque monsieur amongst other tasty offerings!

£1,600 raised for Westberks Foodbank!

Romany Taylor is currently at Inkpen Primary School and will be joining Park House this September. She has recently completed a sponsored event in aid of Westberks Foodbank which involved her walking a four-mile loop to the top of Combe Gibbet from our house in the village every single day during the whole of June. We set our sights quite low on how much she might raise because of the current financial climate but she has now raised the amazing total of £1,600! On the evening of her last walk, she was met by the people who run the Foodbank as well as a few villagers who offered their, encouragement, congratulations and thanks. • Mark Taylor

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Thank you to Mrs Morgan and students for putting together this delicious spread!

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Thank you for the days...

Time has come to say a fond farewell to an outstanding Headteacher, a man who during his time at Park House was determined to push students and others into the spotlight. Now it’s his turn, albeit briefly...

Whether entertaining us in costume as part of the Christmas Revue each year; organising cultural exchanges with schools in South Africa, Mongolia, Japan and even Iraq, or introducing students to a cast of sporting and cultural heroes at Prize Giving and other events, Derek Peaple always maintained the school’s aim that students should achieve their own Personal Bests and he has sought to recognise and reward each while leading the school with a values-led ambition.

Those values of Friendship, Respect, Excellence, Determination, Inspiration, Courage and Equality have been shown by Derek himself as he has overseen

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what has become a caring community of students, staff, parents, carers and friends of the school. A community which has been keen to support local and national charities as diverse as Cats Protection, the Fair Close Centre, Race4Life, the 401 challenge, Macmillan, Children in Need and numerous others besides.

Derek, as you’d expect, pushed academic rigour – organising student visits to Oxford University for example – but alongside that, he championed and supported students’ cultural and sporting interests; drama productions, dance festivals, art exhibitions, music recitals, football and rugby academies, athletics, girls’ rugby... ...we can’t tell the whole story here but you can read more in back issues of Personal Best. Derek, we wish you, Jackie and James your best futures.

You will be missed. • From all of us at Park House School, July 2020