Woodrush Star Summer 2017

Humanities Trips!

Year 11 Prom!

Issue 33 Summer 2017

Geography Residential!

Careers Fair!

@woodrushhigh

woodrushstar @woodrushhigh.worcs.sch.uk

Woodrush wishes you an enjoyable summer!

Dear parents and carers,

Contents 3 - ASPIRE, Maths 4 - History 5 - Geography 6-7 - Drama 8 - Year 11 Prom 9 - Sixth Form 10-11 - DT 12 - Music 13 - TSA 14-15 - Science 16-17 - English 18-20 - Library 21 - PE 22-23 - Train to teach 24-25 - Get Ready Woodrush 26-28 - Hub

The summer term is always a busy one and this year has been no different with our year 11, 12 and 13 students all sitting their final examinations and students in the other years completing their end of year tests. We are really proud of everyone’s hard work and dedication and we are looking forward to their success as we await the results in August. We would like to say goodbye and good luck to all of our year 13 students who are now moving onto the next stages in their education or employment. They have been a pleasure to teach and will be greatly missed. We are delighted that many of our year 11s will be returning to join us next year in the Sixth Form, but for those who are not remaining with us, we wish them all the best of luck for the future.

Both year 11 and 13 have celebrated their time at Woodrush at their summer proms, which were a wonderful way of saying goodbye and marking such a special occasion. The year 11 prom was a lovely evening and the weather held for the year group as they spent the night dancing away at The Lake at Barston. Likewise, the Sixth Form ‘masquerade’ prom was well attended by both year 12 and year 13 students and was held at Birmingham City Football Ground. Students and staff enjoyed being in such a famous venue for our celebrations, especially the Birmingham City fans!

Students in the rest of the school have also been very busy with ASPIRE this term. Year 8 chose their GCSE pathways and had the chance to learn about the vast array of careers which are available to them. Students from all year groups took part in our mock general election, the school held a very successful careers fair, year 7 learned about puberty and year 9 about global inequalities and fair trade.

Additionally, there have been a variety of trips offered to all of our young people this year and these are greatly enjoyed by those who attend, with options across the different subjects to ensure there is something available to all. As always, our students are a credit to the school and we have received lots of wonderful feedback about their conduct on these visits. We have been extremely pleased with the uptake of extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities this year, with over 70% of students taking part.

As well as all of our other achievements, we have had an exceptional year for sport. More students than ever have performed amazingly well at county, regional and national events in a wide range of sports.

We have also seen fantastic contributions from those students in creative arts who have showcased their talents in a number of evening events this term.

Careers Day In May, year 10 had an ASPIRE day which was focused on life after Woodrush. During the day students had the opportunity to investigate the options open to them when they finish their GCSE’s and look in more detail at what is offered by colleges, universities, apprenticeships and traineeships.

In the afternoon we held a careers fair where students from years 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13 had the chance to speak to over 30 exhibitors from leading companies and employers, as well as universities, local colleges and training centres offering apprenticeships and traineeships.

It was a fantastic event and a great opportunity for students to explore opportunities for their futures.

Maths In Maths this year we had a competition to raise the aspiration and attainment of our Year 11 boys. A series of strategies were put in place including a league table. The prize for the highest achievers plus the biggest ‘improver’ was a Go-Karting trip. Well done to Stephen B, Chris M, Will B, Cameron G, Jack D, Ben F and Robbie B for winning the prize and being particularly competitive on the track!

In April 30 pupils from years 7 and 8 took part in the UKMT Junior Mathematical Challenge. Between them they gained 7 Silver and 7 Bronze certificates. Well done to Chloe H, Daisy D, Nithusha S, Katie F, Abbie C, Morgan B, Tom S, Luke T and Lily T in year 8, and Carter W, Owen R, Jake P, Max B-L and Alex J in year 7.

Mrs Bullivant

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the students, staff, parents and carers for all their hard work this term and this academic year and we look forward to our young people returning after a restful break on Wednesday 6th September. Please refer to the website for the arrangements for this day.

From myself and all of the staff at Woodrush, have a wonderful holiday

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3

History

Geography

Year 7 Medieval Day Experience Year 7 went to Worcester Cathedral in term 2 to take part in a ‘Medieval Day Experience’. In the cathedral and the surrounding gardens the pupils took part in a range of activities including; Tudor family history, a falconry display, Tudor games, medicine and music and a detective task where pupils saw the real tomb of Prince Arthur (Henry VIII brother). The pupils fully immersed themselves in all activities and they thoroughly enjoyed learning through experience. All pupils displayed excellent behaviour and other schools commented on the positive attitudes of our pupils too.

Well done Year 7! Mr. Reece

Year 10 Visits to the Carding Mill Valley As part of the year 10’s course for GCSE Geography they have to complete a physical and human fieldwork element that they can then use in their examinations next year.

On Tuesday 21st and Thursday 23rd March, 30 students each day carried out a river survey in the Carding Mill Valley in Shropshire. The students were looking to see if there are any downstream changes in the stream from close to its source to where it leaves the Long Mynd Hills on its journey to the River Severn.

Students took measurements at 9 different sites looking at how: the width and depth changed; the velocity of the river changed; and how the particle / stone size changed downstream.

Year 8 Imperial War Museum North

Year 12 and 13 Visit to Dorset

A group of Year 8 students went to the Imperial War Museum North this term to develop their understanding of war and conflict in the 20th Century and its impact on civilians. The museum included large exhibits such as sections of twisted metal from the collapsed World Trade Centre in New York, a Harrier Jet, an atomic bomb, a World War I cannon on wooden wheels and a World War II tank. The pupils also got to talk to an evacuee from World War II and watch a presentation on the impact of war in the 20th Century on children. The museum plots a timeline of exhibits across the century, ranging from gas masks in World War I all the way up to videos that give advice to civilians about what to do if an atomic bomb is dropped near your city.

On the 7th and 8th of March nine year 12 and 13 Geography students visited Poole and Studland as part of their A-Level courses. The information they collected will be used to complete parts of their courses.

We also had time to have lunch outside BBC/ITV Media City at Salford Quays and a quick photo shoot outside Manchester United Football Club. The latter must have been a curse as the motorway traffic on the way home was pretty awful. :-) Mr. Reece

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On the first day the students visited the town of Poole to look at how shopping environments have changed as a result of urban regeneration in the town. The town is going through a huge amount of regeneration as it moves from having a central focus as a port, to being an area attracting new people who work in neighbouring towns and cities. Our students wanted to look at whether people

thought regeneration of the town sand dunes there. The students and shopping centre had had a studied whether plant succession positive or negative impact. was taking place along different transects of the sand dune, and Students completed land use what impact human intervention surveys, to see how shops change had had on it. Luckily we avoided from one end of the town to the the showers and completed our other, environmental surveys to data collection. look at which areas were perceived to be better than others, and lastly Before the long journey home we questionnaires to seek local and had a walk to Studland Point to visitors views on regeneration. look at the famous landmark of ‘Old Harry’s Rocks’. The students The evening was spent in Swanage could see the landform in real life YHA where a highly competitive after studying its formation back game of monopoly took place in school. as well as a short visit to the ‘two penny slots’ on the seafront.

Hopefully the students will now go on to use all their information to The second day saw the group gain great grades in their summer visit Studland Bay to carry out exams. Good luck! a Succession Survey on the

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Drama

The Play That Goes Wrong @ Birmingham REP

My Warwick Experience

by Maci G A select group of talented Woodrush actors and stage crew returned from residential at Warwick Arts Centre during a successful festival weekend with National Theatre Connections.

13 students have spent the majority of this year rehearsing for their Connections project; a performance of a brand new play with the support of the National Theatre. We have had the opportunity to work with professional directors and workshop leaders from the National Theatre who have given our pupils such amazing support and feedback throughout the process.

Students performed their work at Warwick Arts Centre in late April on the Saturday night of the festival to a full house. They were given their own area with access to the backstage but what seemed to be the highlight for them was the iconic ‘lightbulb movie star mirror’ in the dressing room!

The show was extremely well received by all, with our pupils receiving praise from other students and professionals throughout.

On the evening of the festival, Warwick Arts Centre hired a DJ, dimmed the lights and put on an evening of fun and dancing for the young people where all the different companies taking part in the festival had the chance to meet each other through their mutual interest in acting and theatre.

Our Connections company have been amazing during this entire process, behaving impeccably on the residential and showing enthusiasm and positivity throughout. I am incredibly proud of their achievements. Well done!

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On Saturday 29th of April I arrived at Warwick University for a drama trip. Overall, it was a great weekend; my favourite part was probably watching all of the other performances because each one was different and entertaining in its own way.

On the Saturday we performed our play ‘Three’ by Harriet Braun which went great, however it was quite hard for me because I joined last minute and only had a few weeks to learn everything including lines, scenes and just getting to know my character. But in the end I think I did quite well. I also think that all the other cast members did extremely well and we all put on a great show.

Even though it was hard work, I’m glad I decided to go and I hope we can do something like it next year because it was an amazing experience.

the On the 20th June, 9 Drama department took the year formance of and 10 GCSE classes to see a per chief Theatre ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ by Mis and the Birmingham REP. r, The Cornley Polytechnic Drama “Now in its third catastrophic yea ts, rder mystery, but as the title sugges Society are putting on a 1920s mu tle against all odds to bat thespians ne pro ntide acc The es! do .. ng. everything that can go wro !” call, with hilarious consequences make it through to their final curtain t. Our eccable comic timing throughou imp h wit le, sty in otic cha is w sho This award winning ld in fact see some of silly nature of the play and we cou k, stic slap the d oye enj y ghl rou students tho cal style one day! and evaluating them performing in a similar theatri conventions of the play, analysing the lore exp to nce erie exp this and We will now use Students must attend live theatre SE GC , rse cou ir the of t par As s. exam. We set and performance choice experiences in the year 11 written se the on ed bas ns stio que r we must be able to ans lots to talk about! know that this play will give them

Year 11 GCSE Drama Exam Drama students At the beginning of May, our year 11 GCSE provided completed their final performance exam. OCR nge’ as students with a stimulus on the concept of ‘Cha of Franz Kafka’s well as an extract from Berkoff’s adaptation lored Berkoff’s ‘Metamorphosis’. From this, our students exp maintains that every unique theatrical style ‘Total Theatre’, which of Total Theatre is aspect of theatre must have purpose. The aim e an overwhelming to create extreme moods to give the audienc ze them. experience and to shock, amuse, scare, or ama ormances that were The pupils drew upon this well, creating perf e so that the focus minimalist, with bare stages and little languag on all the effects or remains on the physical movement and not developed were the creation of a scene. The pieces that they and exploration excellent, with some brilliant characterisation r results and of emotion. We wish them all good luck in thei congratulate them on their work!

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Birmingham higher education exhibition

After months of planning, preparations and pedicures, the Woodrush High School 2017 Year 11 Prom took place on Thursday the 11th May at the Lake at Barston Golf Club and Restaurant. All year 11 students were invited to take part in a night of celebrations and remembrance of the 5 years they have spent at the school and reflect on some of the fantastic friends and memories they have created.

The night began with the students arriving at the venue from 6.00pm -6.30pm. As anticipated all Year 11’s had really put the effort in and looked extremely smart and well dressed, as well as, rocking up in some very extravagant transport. Some even taking to the skys to make an entrance: At 7.00pm, it was time to go in to the venue and enjoy the night. The night started with students being given the chance to take friendship group and teacher photos and moved swiftly on to the buffet being opened at around 8.00pm.

From 9.00pm onwards DJ Mikey B (the chosen DJ for the night) cranked up the music and the dance floor really started to get going. It was fantastic to see the year group enjoying themselves and letting their hair down after a year of hard work and dedication. After dancing the night away until around 11.00pm there was a small interlude to announce Prom King and Queen (Will B and Ellie Kay-D) and to keep up tradition with their first dance, which was well supported by the year group. This then led the party to continue right through to 12.00pm and the last songs being greeted with some cheers and even some tears.

On the whole the night was a great success and all students that attended were a credit to the school and themselves with their impeccable behaviour being recognised by the venue and their staff. So to finish a massive well done and congratulations to the year 11’s on a hugely successful and enjoyable evening.

Mr.Taylor

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Taster Days On Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th July we were joined by our potential year 12 students for next year. The students participated in taster lessons in the subjects they were applying to take giving them a taste of studying at A level or Level 3 BTEC. Students also participated in team building sessions, tours of the hub facilities, opt in sessions in the hub, an information carousel led by current year 12 students and listened to the potential head boy and head boy speeches.

“UCAS exhibitions are a unique opportunity for students and anyone supporting them to explore the wide range of opportunities available after school or college, all in one setting. Whether they’re interested in applying to university or looking at alternative options, they’re sure to find something that appeals to them!”

We look forward to welcoming them on Wednesday 6th September for our induction days.

That’s how the event was sold to us and that’s exactly what we experienced. On their first day back in school after their AS exam leave, nearly thirty of our year 12 students travelled for the morning to the NEC, Birmingham, for a Higher Education Convention. The event gave students the opportunity to visit a huge market-place of stands from all the UK’s universities to collect information about undergraduate courses, to talk to university staff about choices and options for after the Sixth Form and to explore the opportunities higher education has to offer. Our year 12s came back laden down with university prospectuses, a wealth of possibilities for their future study and a handful of freebies (pens, stress balls, inflatable beach balls, even portable phone chargers!). A very successful morning and an event to be recommended!

Miss Hollingworth (Head of year 12)

Mr. Cooper

Hopefully the days have given the students an insight into sixth form life and the demands involved and gave them an opportunity to meet the staff teaching their subjects and discuss the subjects with current students.

Goodbye Mrs Snell I am really sad to be leaving Woodrush this summer as it has been part of my life for almost nine years.

I started working at the school in November 2008 and I have enjoyed every minute...taking on different roles from a teaching assistant, through joining the Cover Team and most recently my role as a KS5 progress leader at Woodrush Sixth Form and ‘filling in’ as a maths teacher, I can honestly say I have created a lot of memories in and outside of the classroom.

I will miss everybody at Woodrush, but mostly my Cover Ladies and my Sixth Form Team – it has been an absolute pleasure working with you all and I wouldn’t have be able to survive this year without your support; you are truly inspirational and most of you have become my dear friends…and as much as it is heart breaking for me to be leaving, I know you’re excited for me to be moving on to a full time teaching position elsewhere.

There is one last special message from me and it is to all of you in Year 12 (almost 13)…I am really proud of you all and what you have achieved this year and I am really sorry to be leaving you half way through your sixth form journey, but I am so proud of how you’ve grown over the past year and I am absolutely certain you’ll smash your A-levels! Remember to look after each other, keep the common room tidy and don’t forget the silent study room is called ‘silent’ for a reason! P.s: It closes at 5pm!

So, thank you for everything Woodrush, I had a ball!

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Product Design

Outstanding extended written work in Design and Technology!

Another strong showing from our GCSE Product Design group.

A combination of sustainably sourced materials used.

Pupils have been really enjoying descriptive writing tasks in DT. Pupils had to describe in writing a piece of equipment or item they use everyday, without using drawings!!

The pieces of work were fantastic, detailed and very articulate.

Many pupils were initially surprised that we were doing a piece of extended writing in Design and Technology.

Clock by Harry M

iPhone dock and amplifier by Lewis G

iPhone cradle and amplifier by Jessica H

One of the key skills as a designer is to communicate the idea – after completing the task many of the pupils were proud of the work they had completed.

‘Skate Storage’ by Joshua D

BTEC and GCSE Engineers Functional Storage by Symphony T

Joe’s Amy by Joseph T

Product Design Outstanding work completed for ‘A’ Level Coursework by pupils of Woodrush.

Superb quality pieces of work by our Year 12 and 13 pupils using sustainable and reclaimed materials.

Well done you have worked incredibly hard on these products!

Well done to our BTEC Engineers! Working hard and accurately creating their desk top lamps.

Textiles Outstanding Work!

Year 9 Bag Project The year 9 textiles group have worked extremely hard to create their bags. All pupils have explored and experimented with a range of techniques to develop into their final bags, including dying fabrics, screen printing, sublimation and heat press and embroidery.

Desk lamps and multi-functional table (‘AS’ and ‘A’ Level Product Design)

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Music ‘Popular Music through the Ages’ On Thursday 25th May, the BTEC Music group (Hollie, Casie and Sophie ) put on their final concert at Woodrush. ‘Popular Music through the Ages’ was a culmination of the final 2 units of their 2-year BTEC level 3 course. As part of their ‘music project’ unit, they had to organise every aspect of the event from start to finish, each having to demonstrate that they could take on an individual role and also work successfully as a team to put on a public music event. The organisation of the night was a real credit to them and everything ran smoothly. In addition to organising everything, the 3 students were also the main performers on the night and performed a range of pieces that they had been working on for their ‘Pop Music’ unit. They performed songs from the 50’s right through to present day and also showcased compositions that they had written in the style of each era studied. The girls were ably assisted in the concert by a range of other musicians; a number of amazing soloists, GCSE ensembles and Woodrush Voices, all who performed pieces through the era’s.

The talented BTEC trio really shone in this, their final Woodrush concert, and we will be sad to see them go.

Woodrush Teaching School Alliance Research Event On Wednesday 23rd June we held a research event to share all of the research that staff had conducted during the year.

We were delighted to be joined by Dr. Deborah Outhwaite from Warwick University who talked to us about the benefits of carrying out education based research, how to go about research and shared some of her own experiences.

Staff shared results from action- research that they had carried out during the year, for example taking learning outside of the classroom, raising attainment, strategies they had used for revision and with A level groups. We also had a number of staff share research from their Masters in Education, National Professional Qualification for Middle Leadership and also one member of staff shared some research they have conducted as part of their Doctorate in Education. Many members of staff were able to share their experiences of being part of a research project with universities e.g. a literacy project with Birmingham University and a science based project focusing on teacher training with Nottingham and Birmingham universities.

It was a great opportunity to bring staff together to share results and give ideas of research that can be carried out in the next academic year.

Goodbye Mrs Sheppard I joined Woodrush just over 7 years ago as Head of Creative Arts and have been Assistant Head for the last 5 of those years. During that time, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching music, art and drama and have loved working with great teams of staff and students to put on our concerts and school productions – The Wizard of Oz, Hairspray and The Lion King. It takes huge commitment, hard work and dedication to make projects like this happen, and I would like to thank all the staff and students that have willingly given their time and talents over the years. I’ve also enjoyed some great times with Faye, Kay and the youth centre team, working on projects like ‘Youth’s Got Talent’ the ‘World Cup and Olympic festival’ and ‘Slave to Fashion’ to name but a few. In my role as Assistant Head, I have loved working with Woodrush staff who are some of the best teachers that I have ever had the privilege of working with. In September, I’m moving on to take up a new post as Deputy Head in Cheltenham. I’m really looking forward to this exciting, new challenge but will be taking a whole host of wonderful memories, friendships, experiences and learning from my time at Woodrush. I wish you all every happiness and success for the future.

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Mrs Sheppard

Goodbye Miss Bowen I didn’t know what to write without being cheesy, so apologies in advance. Working at Woodrush was my first school related job, and I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I have done. Alongside working with some brilliant staff members and some quirky and unforgettable pupils, I’ve had the pleasure of working after school doing both dance and drama clubs. Sadly, (sort of) I have to leave to study my PGCE in Secondary Drama at a different school. I’ll miss working with the pupils and listening to their weird, wacky and wonderful stories and achievements. I’ve had many highlights while I’ve been here including getting annoyed at the latest ‘crazes’, which, thanks to them I now hate water bottles! I’ll miss pretty much all of Woodrush but I’m so happy I got the opportunity to work here and gain a lot of experience.

Miss Bowen

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Goodbye Mr Bryant Engineer your future day Coppice Transition Sixth form field study On the 3rd April, Miss Hempson and I took our year 12 students to Wythall park to conduct some field studies as part of their assessed practicals for biology A level.

Our field study included comparing trampled and non-trampled areas to look at the effect of humans on the environment. Students used quadrats to sample the areas and used keys to identify the species of plants found. We also carried out a transect of an area to see the effects of humans over a habitat.

In the afternoon we returned to the classroom where we analysed our results, carried out statistical tests and graphs and made conclusions from our studies.

This June, the science department were very happy to have two classes of year 6 students from the Coppice attend taster lessons. On Wednesday 14th students came into the department, some for the very first time looking rather anxious, not quite sure what to expect. Students were given a brief safety tutorial for how to remain safe in a science lab and were then given a range of forensic investigation activities to solve. The mystery of ‘Who killed Ms. Hollingsworth’ was soon underway and I am pleased to say that many students solved this for us. Was it Mr Roberts, Ms Hempson, Mr McDowell or Mr Ellis? We will not tell you the answer, but the investigation of fingerprints, blood spatter and fibers confirm that the culprit is fleeing to Australia this year!

Miss Hollingworth

Goodbye Miss Hempson The 4 years, 5 including my PGDipEd, I have spent at Woodrush have absolutely flown by, and I am proud to have been part of Woodrush and in particular Team Science which are easily the best department – not that I am biased. I am certainly going to miss the staff and the students at Woodrush but I am also excited to my new role as Curriculum Leader for Science at my new school on the other side of Solihull. I will take a wealth of experience and memories with me and I don’t think anywhere could have better prepared me than at Woodrush. I will miss you and Woodrush will always be special as my first school but it is time now to move on. Leaving also makes this my last ever edition of the Woodrush Star – it has been a great experience to find out more about what is going on in the school and all about all of the other wonderful things you take part in, in and out of school. Good luck to everyone, staff and students, in their futures and 14 importantly, have a wonderful 6 weeks off to be ready and recharged come September.

On Wednesday 29th March I took 13 year 10 girls to an ‘Engineer your Future’ event at Birmingham University. The aim of the day was to encourage girls to go into careers in engineering and other STEM related careers.

The girls met different engineers, found out what skills they had for different STEM careers, made robots, created an alternative fuel and heard about different engineering careers.

They also received a goody bag for attending!

Miss Hollingworth

I’ve got to be honest; I have very mixed feelings about leaving Woodrush.

On the one hand, there’s a lot that I will miss: I’m sad to say goodbye to my form, especially before they finish year 11. There are so many students who I have loved teaching, who I won’t see through until their exams. The Science teachers at Woodrush are my friends and it’s a privilege to see them every day – I’m sure I’ll stay in touch with them but I’ll miss them day-to-day.

On the other hand, I am really excited to start my new job. I am going to be working part time as a church youth worker. That means that I will be writing talks and Bible studies and planning games and activities for people aged 11-18 at my church. I’m also looking forward to going back to university and studying Theology (basically studying God, from a Christian perspective). I love learning new things (that’s why I’m a teacher!) and I’m very passionate about my faith as a Christian and telling others about Jesus, so this is a really great opportunity for me.

There are so many highlights to my time here at Woodrush, so perhaps I can list a few: • When Mr Deare set the fire alarm off with the toaster.

• Mr McDowell’s many Irish ‘sayings’ that I’m pretty sure he makes up on the spot.

• A certain person in my year 10 physics never being satisfied with any of the answers I give. The constant question ‘why!?’

• A year 7 student’s rap about photosynthesis which was both hilarious and educational.

• The number of times I’ve quoted song lyrics in my lessons without students noticing. (e.g. ‘it’s going down, I’m yellin’ timber’, ‘my name is no’ and ‘I still haven’t found what I’m looking for’) • Lots of ‘lightbulb’ moments where students have understood really difficult things that I have taught them.

• A certain year 13 student constantly seeking my help with Phsyics and calling me ‘Bossman Bryant’.

• Being told by last year’s year 8 that I look like the kazoo kid, then finding out that I actually do.

• Students believing that I actually dated Taylor Swift.

And that the song ‘15’ is about me.

• Seeing the amazing results that students from my classes have achieved, and seeing what they have got up to after they have left Woodrush.

Thank you to everyone I have taught – you have been a pleasure and I hope that you’ve enjoyed it. Give everything your best shot, ask questions of the world and be ready to listen to the answers.

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English

Rosemary H 7E2-

Abigail S 8B1-

SurpriseWinter’s going away now, He’s pulling his white blanket of snow, Now spring can step forth, Winter’s had his show,

I lay in my back yard Grass tickling my toes, Wondering what spring will bring This year, before it goes.

Now spring has arrived again, She’s with her daisy cloak, That will blanket the fields in colour, And beckon outside the town flock, You’ll see the glisten in their eyes, That smile from ear to ear, Because now they can go outside, Now that spring is here, A sea of daffodils will pop up, As if out of thin air, They’re simple yet so beautiful, That’s spring’s golden hair, New life begins in spring, Newborn lambs on every farm, The little touches make it wonderful, Spring is a time to be calm, We’re coming up to summer now, spring is coming to an end, but then, what’s that? Snow in April, they’re surprising us again!

Beautiful blossom will bloom on trees The sun will light the sky, Chicks tweeting in their nests Singing a lullaby.

The tiny strands of emeralds Softly dancing in the breeze, Flowers like a rainbow It’s a special sight to see.

Heather J 7L1Winter has faded Spring has sprung Daffodils have sprouted And blue tits have sung Flowers are in blossom And trees are in bloom Roses will be budding And smelling of perfume But spring will soon go It won’t last forever Everything will change And so will the weather

Mother’s day is special With all those hugs and kisses, Where we celebrate the importance of moms What a brilliant day this is.

The resurrection of Jesus plays An important part in spring With Good Friday and Easter And the joy and love it will bring I lay in my back yard Grass tickling my toes, Remembering what spring has brought This year as it goes.

Readers Commentary Poetry

Creative Writing

• Surprises by Rosemary H (Year 7) We loved the use of personification and vivid metaphors; it really allowed us as readers to picture the scene. The poem had excellent rhythm with powerful descriptions and a clear structure.

• Daisy D’s Spring!

We loved the use of imagery; it really allowed us to picture the scene. We also like the use of similes and metaphors. It was very sophisticated with complex adjectives and adverbs that really helped to develop the scenery.

• What Spring Brings Abigail S (Year 8) This poem had a very clever rhyme scheme and remained focused on the topic of spring. The voice was consistent throughout and the scenery was described excellently; we really got a feeling for the setting.

• Heather J (Year 7) We thought the use of rhythmic structure was very effective. We also really liked how the words chosen were all associated with the same semantic field ‘spring’. We also really like how the poem was 16 of presented (it was very artistic!).

• Paige C’s Spring!

We thought the use of adjectives was excellent and created a spring-like atmosphere. It also created excellent vivid imagery.

• Lily T and Melissa D’s Spring!

We really liked the varied sentence structures; it made the text more interesting to read. It also created a vivid atmosphere and picture.

It’s taken a while, but finally we have decided upon a winner for the Literacy Leader’s Spring Creative Writing and Poetry Competition.

For those not in Years 7 and 8, the competition required applicants to write either a poem or a piece of creative writing inspired by the season ‘Spring’. We can honestly say, there was a fantastic range of entries and it was clear that a lot of time and effort had been put into writing them. Ultimately, it came down to which students were most creative and used an effective range of language devices to add flare to their piece. We would like to take chance to say well done to everyone who entered, they really were great, as well as to congratulate the winners.

Spring -by Paige C The malachite-green field seemed to be covered in a bright sheen under the dawn moon and birds chirped atop the blossom covered trees, blessing the spring morning with their melodious tune. The morning dew glistened on the vibrant green leaves and a carnival of scents blew in the air. Ghost like clouds danced slowly across the silky blue sky, carrying an airy, warm, drizzling rain with them.

It cleansed the land and banished the strangling coldness and stunned silence of winter. Versacepurple crocuses seemed to glow before our eyes. The jewel-green grasshoppers bounced atop the grass like leggy trampolines. In the stony verges, Raphaelred valerian sprouted from between coal black cracks. Spears of morning light suddenly drenched the farthest corners of the meadow with the golden

magic. What a blissful sight that the eyes should fall upon. The murmuring wind whispered through the silent meadow as a clan of yolk-yellow ducklings swam across the sparkling neon river. The fresh smell of pollen tingled in my nose and prickled my skin as I inhaled the delicate scent of daffodils. The burst of fleshy red roses littered the sidewalk and attracted the attention of almost everybody in the meadow. However, there was just one flower that was so wondrously exotic and delicate to the touch that made the meadow as magical as could be – the orchid. Beautiful as ever, standing to attention. My, what a wonderful sight that the new season of spring blessed the earth with.

Creative Writing 1st place – Daisy Year 8 2nd place – Paige Year 8 3rd place – Melissa and Lily Year 8 Poetry 1st place – Rosemary H Year 7 2nd place – Abigail S Year 8 3rd place – Heather J Year 7

Spring – by Lily T & Melissa D Spring. That time of year where flowers start blooming and baby animals bounce through the meadows. Leaves blow on trees making everything colourful and splashed with green. The smell of flowers, yellow and blue, fills the air. A sense of new hope fills your mind – the harshness of winter has disappeared, replaced by a warm breeze, a reminder that summer is soon on its way. A baby lamb runs through the grass, that spring in its step only found in creatures new to this world, with so much to explore. The sun sets in the distance filling the sky with oranges and pinks galore. You remember that old saying – “red sky at sight, shepherds’ delight.”

Hayfever kicks in, making you sneeze and sniff but nothing can steal your mood as you know the best time of year will soon begin. Spring sunshine comes with spring showers, creating a beautiful rainbow across the bright blue sky.

…Spring – By Daisy D Spring is my favourite time of year. You wake up in the morning sweetsounding songs of the birds and the tickle of sunlight that escapes your curtains. The lush green grass acts as a carpet for hundreds of flowers that are scattered everywhere in sight. New born chicks run around playfully, tripping over themselves as they get familiar as they get familiar. Children run around collecting dandelions and daisy whilst the sun smiles over them, its rays spilling over the emerald green grass. The birds suddenly seem to come to life as they gracefully glide up in pale blue sky. Everything seems to wake in spring. That’s why it’s my favourite time of year.

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Worcestershire Teen Book Award Fourteen year 8 students, who had been avidly reading the six books shortlisted for this year’s Worcestershire Teen Book Award, were invite d to attend the awards ceremony at County Hall.

This was their opportunity to discover which book had been voted overall winner by the young people of Worcestershire. The books range d from the darkly humorous Death or Ice Cream by Gareth P Jones, to the realism of the impact of radicalisation on the life of a Muslim family in Alan Gibbon’s The Trap.

There was indeed something for everyone, and predicting the results was impossible. The winne r, with 26% of the votes, was the thriller Lying about Last Summer by Sue Wallman.

Several book-related activities took place prior to the announcem ent of the results. Quiz teams from the eleven schools attending the event were tested on their knowledge of the six books and their authors. The Woodrush team were triumphant, winning a selection of books to share. In addition the audience were treated to readings from Young Poet Laureate finalists, Felix and Matty. The author Sufiya Ahmed gave an informative talk about the issue of forced marriage which was the inspiration for her book Secrets of the Henna Girl. Our book loving students thoroughly enjoyed the morning and the opportunity to read a wider range of genres that taking part in the award gave them.

Student Librarians In our first full year offering an integrated library service with Worcestershire County Council all our students have benefitted from access to a wider range of resources, none more so than our newly recruited student librarians. Throughout the year they have been undertaking a training course preparing them to assist other students to use the library more effectively: from locating and reserving books, using non-fiction to promoting reading for pleasure through the use of displays and book recommendations. We have been lucky enough to team up with Wythall’s partner library in Alvechurch to offer a series of workshops for students from both Woodrush and Alvechurch middle school.

The year culminated in the Great End of Year Student Librarian Challenge, designed to test the skills acquired in a series of fun and challenging activities. Congratulations to the ten students who completed the course and have now been given a regular time to volunteer in the library at break or lunchtime.

Are you up to the challenge?

Wythall Library and The Reading Agency are delighted to present the 2017 Summer Reading Challenge.

Launching in libraries across Worcestershire on Saturday 24th June, the Summer Reading Challenge is a national campaign designed to encourage children aged 4-12 to keep reading over the summer holiday break.

This year’s theme is Animal Agents - a whole host of clever creatures, ready to solve all kinds of crimes!

Once signed up you’ll receive incentives after each book read and if you complete the challenge you’ll get an invitation to our Grand Medal Ceremony in the autumn.

Think you’re up to the challenge? Sign up at Wythall Library from Saturday 24th June. All children registered get to take part in a character treasure hunt around the library and collect an Animal Agent activity pack.

Worcestershire County Libraries are also continuing their successful partnership with The National Trust site Croome Park, offering FREE family tickets to all participants of the Summer Reading Challenge and their families. There are 3 special SRC themed days – the launch day on Saturday 24th June, Wednesday 26th July and Wednesday 23rd September.

The challenge finish date is Saturday 23rd September.

For more details on the reading challenge and children’s events over the summer please speak to a member of staff at Wythall Library or like our facebook page to keep up to date with all the latest news.

Volunteers required!

Are you aged 12-24? Looking for something to do over the summer? Why not become a ‘Reading Hack’ volunteer. Volunteering at Wythall Library is a great opportunity to gain valuable work experience whilst encouraging younger children to read and help library staff run the SRC activity over the summer.

Interested? Pick up an application form from a member of staff at the library.

Book Fair When the half price book fair came to Woodrush, there was a fantastic selection of titles to suit all tastes. All year 7 and 8 students were given the opportunity to browse, purchase books and stationery and enter a competition to win the book of their choice from the selection on offer. Five lovely book prizes were given away. With the commission earned from sales, members of book club were able to select some great new titles which are now 18 available to loan from the library.

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P.E Well done to the following students who were selected to represent Redditch District at the Herefordshire and Worcestershire athletics championships:

Did you know that Wythall Library has a range of ‘Shelf Help’ books to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people?

The booklist of 35 titles aimed at 13 to 18 year-olds provides support and advice on common mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, OCD, eating disorders and stress.

All of the titles, which include self-help guides, memoirs and fiction, have been chosen by young people and endorsed by experts. The books are designed to provide practical guidance and helpful strategies to young people and their families experiencing such things as bullying, exam stress, self-esteem issues, gender identity, body image and much more. They also highlight young people’s experiences of living with conditions such as autism, OCD and eating disorders.

Feedback from students who have already utilised the books was resoundingly positive with many saying they would seek out books to help them again should they require it.

Worcestershire’s Reading Well for Young People books were funded by Public Health Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Transformation fund. The collection is part of the Reading Agency’s scheme ‘Reading Well for Young People’ and is an extension of the ‘Books on Prescription’ collection for adults.

Wythall library customers can access a range of ‘Books on Prescription’ designed for adult readers who are in need of support on topics such as depression, anger, self-esteem, divorce and separation, and bereavement. We stock a specialist ‘dementia’ collection to support people of all ages, including child-friendly guides to help those with relatives affected by the condition.

Library staff are available to make recommendations or signpost families onto other relevant support networks.

Remember, library membership is completely free and provides access to a wealth of information in the library and online. For more information on what your public library can do for you visit www. worcestershire.gov.uk/libraries Please note that Wythall Library is an Autism and Dementia friendly environment.

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• Cameron C (1st place 200m and 2nd in 4x100m relay) • Ben G (2nd place 300m) • Henry F (2nd place 1500m) • Oliver D (long jump and 2nd place in 4x100m relay) • Luke P (300m) • Freya T-S (javelin)

Events

Year 7

Year 8

100m M, Karnell B, Lewis

B, Jamie D, Oliver 200m L, Tyrese C, Cameron

C, Thomas H, Jacob 300m R-F, Pierce G, Benjamin

B, Harrison P, Luke 800m F, Henry F, Sam

F, Drew H, George T, Ethan 1500m N, Robert Relay M, Karnell B, Lewis

B, Jamie D, Oliver

L, Tyrese C, Cameron

R-F, Pierce G, Benjamin Long Jump F, Hency D, Oliver B-L, Max Triple Jump H, George Javelin M, Christopher C, Cameron Discus B, Harrison G, Benjamin

M, Karnell H, Jacob 100m B-P, Evie M, Megan G, Lucy 200m D, Hannah H, Soraya S, Evie 800m B, Grace B, Fabienne

H, Emily B, Morgan 1500m H, Lydia G, Tilly Long Jump B, Grace H, Soraya High Jump G, Lucy D, Hannah Javelin H, Emily T-S, Freya

C, Lucy Hartnett, Danielle Discus C, Andonia B, Jessie C, Lucy Shot E, Lily M, Megan B, Lola

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Come and find out about exceptional opportunities to train as a teacher on school based programmes in high performing primary, secondary and special schools.

This is your opportunity to drop-in and discover all you need to know about school-based programmes and meet representatives from the schools providing teacher training in your region.

Saturday 30th September 2017 Event start 11.00am

Event close 12.30pm

Free advice event at The Guildhall Worcester WR1 2EY

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T. 01564 820 099 E. info@woodrushsportscentre.co.uk www.woodrushcommunityhub.co.uk Shawhurst Lane, Wythall, B47 5JW

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