December 2009 - Prince Henrys Grammar School

in
The
view
Volume 24 Autumn 2009
news magazine of
Prince Henry’s Grammar School
Specialist Language College
German
is great!
Our new second
language option proves
popular with pupils
Proud of the past, prepared for the future

2
Welcome to our
new Headteacher
THIS term, pupils, staff and governors have given a warm welcome to our new
Headteacher, Janet Sheriff. Ms Sheriff joins Prince Henry’s from the former
Intake High School Arts College in Leeds.
She has been busy getting to know every aspect of school life, through
teaching her specialist subject of Geography and attending community events
and extra-curricular activities, among other things.
“My first term at Prince Henry’s has passed so quickly,” agreed Ms Sheriff.
“Since I arrived, I have been really impressed with the hard work and
commitment to the school shown by both pupils and staff.”
YEAR 8 pupils are now the proud sponsors
of Millie, an alsatian cross who lives at the
Dogs Trust in Leeds. Over the past year,
they have raised money for a variety of
charities, and decided to put some of this
towards supporting a local dog in need. The
pupils receive regular updates on Millie, and
are hoping to visit her soon.
PRINCE Henry’s recently achieved Fairtrade
School status in recognition of our efforts to
raise awareness of Fairtrade issues across
the school and local community. We are
now working on our action plan for the
coming year.
EARLIER this term, we were selected to
host a high-profile visit by Dr Carole
Sweeney, Deputy Director of the Joint
International Unit of the DCSF (Department
for Children, Schools and Families), and
members of the British Council. The
delegation visited lessons and spoke to
pupils about our international work as a
Specialist Language College.
Busy first term: Headteacher Janet Sheriff with Helen Winpenny,
Antonia Chamberlain and Bhavesh Bhagwanji, Year 7.
News in brief
Pupils excel
in exams
ONCE again, GCSE pupils excelled
in their exams this year. The results
speak for themselves, with 83 per
cent of pupils achieving five or more
GCSEs at grades A*-C – a record high
– and 63 per cent achieving five or
more A*-C passes including English
and Mathematics. This is a significant
improvement on previous years.
Part of this success can be
attributed to a new ‘Assertive
Mentoring’ programme involving 49
pupils, 84 per cent of whom achieved
five or more A*-C passes. In addition,
31 per cent of grades across the
whole year group were A or A*.
A-level results also came close to
last year’s all time high, with 76 per
cent of grades between A and C. Not
surprisingly, 92 per cent of students
who applied to Higher Education were
successful, with the vast majority
securing their first choice.
Awards for achievement
CONGRATULATIONS to all those pupils in
Years 7-10 who received a Subject, Credit
or Attendance Award in the special
Awards Assemblies. This is, without
doubt, one of the toughest decisions
staff have to make. More than 50
cups and shields were awarded
in the course of the four Awards
Assemblies, plus many
more certificates. Well done
to all those pupils who were
nominated – you had an
exceptional year.
This year, former
student Dr Mike
Thompson, who left
Prince Henry’s in 1984,
donated money
to the school to
encourage students
in Science and
Chemistry. He is now
Head of Chemistry at
Winchester College.
Hard work pays off: Former students Alistair
Whieldon and Chris Bevan check their grades.
Best Year 9 Scientists: Andrew
Straiton and Eleanor Clowes receive
the Dr Mike Thompson Prize.
Travel broadens our horizons
Students win holiday challenge
WELL done to Sixth Form students
Ruth Benson and Jenna
Luxmore who beat more
than 50 teams to win
Leeds Metropolitan
University’s ‘Responsible
Holiday Challenge’.
Sponsored by Thomas
Cook and the Institute
for Travel & Tourism, the
Challenge asked students
to design a responsible
and sustainable holiday
package, creating “better
places for people to live in
and to visit”.
The girls will now
accompany
undergraduate
tourism students
on a field trip to
The Gambia in
February. They
also won £1,000
of resources for
the school.
Experience
in the field
GEOGRAPHY pupils in Year 11 visited the East
Yorkshire coast in September.
While Flamborough Head’s eye-catching
landscape demonstrates the way processes have
created special features, Bridlington’s typical
seaside resort enabled pupils to study the theme
of tourism.
Then, in October, Year 12 AS Geography and AS
Travel and Tourism students supplemented their
coursework with a visit to York.
Curriculum Leader Pat Lewis said: “Geography
is best delivered via fieldwork. By seeing it
or measuring it, or just walking through real
landscapes, it is far easier to understand how the
world works.”
Off to The Gambia:
Ruth Benson and
Jenna Luxmore.
Prince Henry’s flies
the flag in China
Sixth Form start
Europe-wide
debate
OBESITY, smoking and
alcohol consumption are
some of the topics being
addressed by the Sixth
Form during a new twoyear
Comenius Project,
which was launched with
a recent visit to Denmark.
This follows the receipt of
European Union funding
for students to debate
matters which affect their
everyday lives. “It’s an
excellent opportunity
for students to look at
problems faced by their
age group, and to suggest
possible solutions,” said
Alyson Pearce, International
Co-ordinator.
They will also put
their case to our partner
schools in Spain and the
Czech Republic.
WATCHING ‘morning
exercise’, visiting a pagoda
and taking part in an
Olympic-style sports
day were just some of
the exciting activities
experienced by Prince Henry’s pupils during their recent trip to
our partner school in Hangzhou, China.
Our pupils were able to sample Chinese culture at first hand
by staying in their partners’ homes, as well as experiencing a
different school system.
The ten Year 10 pupils will certainly never forget the
breathtaking sights, or the warm reception they were given.
Trip strengthens link with South Africa
IN July, 14 pupils and three teachers
headed for Durban to be reunited with
staff and pupils from our South African
partner school, Earlington.
As well as a weekend safari to
Hluhluwe Game Park, they visited
a cheetah sanctuary, Zulu cultural
village and St Lucia estuary (with its
hippos and crocodiles). During a trip
to Soweto, they were also privileged to
see the homes of Nobel prizewinners
Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu,
who lived on the same street!
However, the group’s lasting memory
of the trip will be the warm welcome
they received during their stay at
Earlington School.
3

Live on BBC TV!
IN October, Politics students
in Years 12 and 13 took part in
a weblink with a school in Gaza
as part of the BBC’s ‘Hungry to
Learn’ feature.
Our students compared a range
of challenges affecting learning
in Otley with their Palestinian
counterparts in Gaza, in
exchanges broadcast live on
BBC World television. Beyond
the considerable cultural
benefits of such an exchange,
students had first-hand
experience of working with a
BBC producer, and gained an
excellent understanding of
the issues involved in
global broadcasting.
The BBC staff were very
complimentary about our
students, who were a credit to
Prince Henry’s.
Weblink with Gaza:
Kieron Mirchandani-
Cooper and Lenja
Rohlfing, Year 12.
Crime busters
Young Citizens’
Panel: Marisa
Ballance, Nathan
Womersley and
Holly Wilkinson,
Year 10.
WORKING in partnership with West Yorkshire Police, Prince
Henry’s has successfully been running a Young Citizens’
Panel for more than three years. The aim of the panel is to
encourage Prince Henry’s pupils to help other young people
in the community to understand the problems that society
faces following acts of crime or anti-social behaviour.
This year, a competition was launched for all Year 6
pupils in the area. The winner, Tegan Hoare from Westgate
Primary School, won an iPod Shuffle and the runners-up
received £200-worth of high street vouchers.
Primary focus on sport
YEAR 12 students who are studying sports at Prince Henry’s
have taken part in the Community Sports Leadership Award.
This improves their ability to lead and coach younger children in
sporting environments.
Led by David Nutt, the Schools Sports Co-ordinator, students
were put through a rigorous programme to develop their
communication skills and to safely organise groups of children to
enjoy physical activities. In the final task, all the students had to
lead two classes of children from Whartons Primary School.
Prince Henry’s will also benefit from their skills as they have to
complete ten hours of voluntary coaching, where they will get the
chance to develop the next generation of sporting stars.
Power pupils
to our
Pupils at Prince Henry’s are encouraged
to take a leading role in school life, the
local community and the wider world
Youthful perspective: Megan Davies, Vaishnavi Khullar
and William Mitchell with the Lord Mayor of Leeds.
International
strategists
THREE Prince Henry’s pupils spent a
day working with the City Council at
Leeds Civic Hall to help plan aspects
of the city’s international strategy
for the coming year.
Megan Davies and William Mitchell,
in Year 10, and Vaishnavi Khullar,
in Year 11, met with staff from the
International Relations Department
to give their opinions on issues such
as the Leeds Breeze Festival and
future plans for new partnerships with
schools abroad. At the end of the day,
they presented their views to the Lord
Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Judith Elliott.
The initiative was part of ‘11 Million
Takeover Day’, an event that aims
to give young people a role in local
decision-making for one day, and
to provide a youth perspective.
Well trained: Emily Glendenning, Head
Girl (far left), and Tom Rowling, Head Boy
(fourth from left), with the Student Council.
Student Council
shapes school policy
IN October, the newly-elected Student Council took part in
a full-day training session to develop their leadership and
discussion skills and, most importantly, their listening skills.
They decided that this year’s three priorities were:
• a social area during poor weather
• more water coolers around the school
• further inclusive, social activities for the whole school
In November, the full Student Council attended an out-ofschool
meeting with the Senior Leadership Team and the
school’s Governors. Head Girl Emily Glendenning said: “We’ve
been well trained, and it’s been excellent to share our ideas.”
Year 8s champion charities
IN the past year, pupils in Year
8 have been taking part in a
range of fundraising activities to
support their chosen charities:
Martin House, Diabetes UK and
the Dogs Trust.
Pupils have been instrumental
in arranging bun sales, a
lunchtime Summer Fair, loose
change collections, talent
competitions, a pantomime and
an evening disco.
They have helped to raise
nearly £2,500, which will go to the
two main charities as well as to
sponsoring Millie the dog (see
‘News in brief’ on page 2).
Financial support: Laura O’Neill,
Jack Jefferson and Beth Bowen,
4 5
Year 8, with a photo of Millie.
Voluntary coaching: Nathan
Rogers and James Tyson, Year 12.

Drama
6
Year 9 stand up for peace
YEAR 9 History pupils
recently attended a
‘conflict resolution’
workshop at the
Royal Armouries.
Speakers included a
Holocaust survivor and
a peacekeeper who
served in Northern
Ireland and Bosnia.
The object of the day
was for pupils to gain
a greater appreciation
of the tragic nature of
conflict and to consider
ways in which it might
be avoided. The trip
was a great success,
with speakers and staff
saying how impressed
they were with the many
thoughtful contributions
made by our pupils.
We hope to organise
similar events in
the future.
YEAR 12 Applied Media students spent
the first few weeks of term making
promotional videos for the Sixth Form.
The films will make up part of their
A-level portfolio.
Students had to work to a brief and
conduct regular ‘client’ meetings
with the Head of Sixth Form, Trevor
Davidson. The work will be used to
show new students what life is like in
the Sixth Form at Prince Henry’s.
Meanwhile, Media Studies pupils on
the BTEC course achieved excellent
results last term with 50 per cent
gaining a pass (the equivalent of four
Cs at GCSE) and 50 per cent gaining a
merit (equivalent to four Bs).
A creative curriculum
AS and A2 Drama and Theatre
Studies students had the
opportunity to take part in
a workshop with the Shared
Experience Theatre Company
and their internationally
acclaimed director, Nancy
Meckler. The students then saw
the Company’s brilliant and
innovative production of Brecht’s
Entertaining, innovative and
professional: A2 devised plays.
Armed, but not dangerous! Sophie Hewitson,
James Drake and Alyssa Nicholson, Year 9.
The Caucasian Chalk Circle at the
West Yorkshire Playhouse.
A2 Drama and Theatre Studies
students presented their own
devised plays as part of their
A-level exam. All three plays
were thoroughly entertaining,
innovative and professional,
demonstrating the individual
talents and skills of the students
and their ability to work together
as a creative ensemble.
Rehearsals will be starting
soon for the next school
musical. This year, we hope to
perform the classic Rodgers
and Hammerstein musical South
Pacific at the end of March. With
a cast of 60, it promises to be a
spectacular production.
Sixth Form on video
THERE are more than
180 million German
speakers worldwide,
and a quarter of all
Europeans speak
German as their first
or second language.
Since the
introduction of
German this term
as the school’s new
second language,
Year 8 pupils have
Arts activities
Sprechen sie
Deutsch?
been listening to
bands Rammstein,
Tokio Hotel and
Cascada, as well as
well as eating Gummi
Bears, Milka chocolate
and Bavarian cheese.
Eighty pupils will be
visiting Cologne next
summer to learn more
about German culture
and to practise their
language skills.
A taste of
Germany:
Taylor
Townsend
and Daniel
Stone,
Year 8.
Community mural: BTEC First Diploma pupils.
THE School of Rock and
Pop recently ran a series of
workshops on performing
music by the Kings of Leon.
Pupils in Years 7 to 9 learned
to play riffs on electric guitar,
bass and drum kit, and were
encouraged to learn the vocals
to the band’s songs.
YEAR 9 pupils were also offered
the opportunity to take part in
an African drumming workshop
with Drums Agogo. They
learned to perform traditional
djembe rhythms and an African
tribal song.
THE talents of the Year 12
Music group are both diverse
and interesting. Moritz von
Zahn from Germany, who is
currently studying
at Prince Henry’s,
has enhanced PHOJO
and the Concert Band
with his trumpeting.
Oliver Wales, a Grade
8 violinist, plays with the City
of Leeds Youth Orchestra, and
Aimee Fisk, a Grade 8 pianist
and singer, plays with the
City of Leeds Youth Jazz Rock
Orchestra and sings with Leeds
Youth Opera.
Curtain up on the life of Henry VIII
IN History, Year 8 pupils have been exploring exciting new
ways of studying the life and times of Henry VIII by preparing
puppet shows detailing his many infamous exploits.
The pupils’ hard work resulted in some outstandingly
crafted puppets and detailed stagework. Ranging from
musical theatre to tragic soap opera, pupils re-enacted
the tribulations of Henry’s turbulent realm. The History
Department would like to congratulate pupils on their
outstanding work.
THE first community-based project of the new BTEC
First Diploma course in Art & Design involved producing
a mural for Otley police station. Staff worked with pupils
on the design stages, and the group visited the police
station and gathered ideas from their own photographs
in and around Otley.
Music maestros
The new ‘Kings of
Leon’: Courtney
Rycroft, Sarah
Skerratt, Katie
Broome and Lewis
Tucker, Year 8.
YEAR 9 pupil Rhiannon Hughes has designed a
sculpture to stand in front of local business Browns
of Bramhope. “They wanted a design that incorporated
the circles from their company logo. I had fun designing
it, and it’s exciting that my design is a real public
sculpture,” said Rhiannon.
HEAD of Art Shane Green has been busy chainsawcarving
a Sculpture Trail for Otley Chevin Forest Park.
The trail consists of nine large-scale wood carvings
documenting the history of this area from prehistoric
man through to Thomas Chippendale and the modern
day use of the Chevin by mountain bikers and walkers.
The trail is the first of its kind in the UK, and has been
supported by English Heritage.
Acting the part: Morag Hockey, Hannah
Patterson and Eva Harding, Year 8.
7

WE ARE A LEEDS INCLUSIVE
Net benefits: Billy
Drake, Conor
Farnaby, Scott
Leonard and Zac
Griffin, Year 7.
Trio play for England
SIXTH Formers Chris Walker, Dominic Barrow and Chris Gemmell, who follow the Advanced
Apprenticeship in Sport Excellence (AASE), have been selected for the England U18s
Conference squad this season. They will now have to work hard and perform well in the
divisional games to be part of the final 26-man squad and represent England U18s in
the Six Nations tournament against schools in Australia.
This reflects the success of the AASE scheme, as players of this quality are choosing
to come to Prince Henry’s to continue their academic and rugby development.
U18 squad: Chris Walker, Year
13, and Dominic Barrow and
Chris Gemmell, Year 12.
Table tennis
timetable
THIS term has seen the exciting launch of
the Table Tennis Junior Development Centre
at Prince Henry’s. The timetable on Monday
evening is:
3-4pm Prince Henry’s pupils of all abilities
and age groups
4-5pm Talented Key Stage 2 pupils from
our primary feeder schools
5-6pm Talented Key Stage 3 pupils from
local high schools
Mr Rider, a specialist table tennis coach,
is on hand to offer tips and improve
pupil performance.
Champion triathlete
YEAR 10 pupil
Euan Hockey
represented
Yorkshire and
Humberside in the
English Triathlon
championships.
The tough course
involved a 400m
open water swim, a
9km bike ride and
a 3km run.
Euan competed
against the best
triathletes in
the country, and
finished ninth
overall. However,
Euan’s team won
the competition, to
take home gold.
Sports in brief
Individual sporting achievements include:
• Lizzie Armitstead, former student – gold medallist in the Cycling World
Championships
• Danny Care, former student – England Rugby Union squad
• Curtis Wilson and Tom Coates – North of England U18s Rugby Trials
• Rachel Till – North of England Hockey
• Tom Coates, Jack Moon, Sam Kerry and Curtis Wilson – Yorkshire U18 Rugby Squad
• Louis Hooper – Yorkshire U16 Rugby Squad
• Josh Atkinson – Yorkshire U18 Cricket Squad
• Alex Metcalfe – Bradford City Football
• Ben Palmer – Leeds United Football
• Tobias Gill, Rhys Williams, Ken Luu, Adam Booth, Luke Cowdell, Declan Jackson and
Luke Freer – Central Yorkshire U15 Rugby Squad
• Hannah Burnham, Helena Drake, Ellie King, Katie Broome, Isabelle Griffiths, Hannah
Brearley, Amy Quinn, Karman Luu, Amy Chen, Seona Brannan, Emily Hawkshaw, Ellie
Barker, Olivia Coyle and Ellie Hargreaves – Leeds City Schools Netball Squad
chartered development c e n t r e
SCHOOL
Prince Henry’s Grammar School
SPECIALIST LANGUAGE COLLEGE
Farnley Lane,
Otley, West Yorkshire
LS21 2BB
Headteacher: Janet Sheriff
Tel: (01943) 463524
Fax: (01943) 850978
Email: info@princehenrys.leeds.sch.uk
Website: www.princehenrys.co.uk
INVIEW
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