NEWSLETTER - Cherwell School

The Chicken Project
in South Africa
The Chicken Team attended the 6th International iNet Conference
in Cape Town, South Africa. iNet is the international arm of the
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, and is concerned with
improving global education, the title of the conference being
‘Excellence and Equity’. Schools from across the world were
asked to attend and present their methods of improving global
education, and The Chicken Project represented The Cherwell
School. We were joined by the Headteacher and Deputy Head
of The Gcato School, which provided an excellent opportunity to
gain feedback on The Chicken Project so far. You can contact
The Chicken Project at: chickenproject@cherwell.oxon.sch.uk.
During the visit we met representatives from many other schools
and learnt about their methods of improving education through
a partnership. We heard speeches from the Premier of the
Western Cape, Helen ZIlle, and both the heads of education
of South Africa and Mauritius. This has helped the project gain
international recognition, and we are hoping to expand The
Chicken Project as other schools carry out the project with
their links around the globe. We also gained a new honorary life
president, Professor Yong Zhao of Michigan State University.
He is a distinguished professor in the field of education and
globalisation. He is helping with the development of the future
of the project; please see his online blog for his Chicken Project
updates. (http//:zhao.educ.msu.edu).
At the beginning of the conference the chicken team greeted
the international delegates, helped at the iNet desk, recorded
keynote speeches, and held interviews with those who attended.
On the last day, our presentation was well received, further
investment gained and the partnership with The Gcato School
strengthened. We would really like to thank all those people who
made the trip possible by sponsoring the team, in particular the
Mary Luis Trust and Cherwell’s PTA.
What’s in store
for the Chicken
Project?
This term we have
recruited 18 team
members to carry out
the next stages of our
work. We will start to
raise funds for the
second phase of the
project, which we hope
to implement at the start of next academic
year. We have several Chicken Project events and fundraisers before
the end of term! We have been asked to produce an article for the iNet
newsletter, The Financial Times and to speak at a Specialist Schools
and Academies Trust training day and an Oxford event called “Every
Chicken Matters”. We are working with a charity called Siren which
may publish the project to use with Ugandan schools. Exciting times
for the project are ahead – thank you so much for supporting this work.
Julie Stuart-Thompson
Gospel Choir
Appearance on BBC Radio
On Sunday May 9 th , the Cherwell School Gospel Choir achieved
world-wide fame! We were honoured to be the special guests on
The Urban Gospel Experience with DJ G on BBC Radio Oxford, a
weekly show which reaches all corners of the globe. Nicknamed
‘the biggest praise party in town’, it was a fantastic opportunity to
show off our skills as we appeared on the radio for the very first
time, singing four of our songs live on air.
The studio was quite small, but we had enough room to get
clapping/clicking and get into the songs. A few people were
interviewed by DJ G about the choir and singing in general. We all
had an amazing time and I think I can say for everyone that it was
well worth doing. Lucy Britton, Year 8
New fund-raising CD
Since the radio show the Gospel Choir have been
busy preparing to record a CD. A BBC sound
engineer came in for a day to record the choir,
which was hard work in a sweltering room with
windows closed to keep out noise from the
road and the birds! The result is a CD of five
fantastic sounding songs.
The CD is on sale now, priced £4, from
reception (south site) or the school office (north
site). All the profits will be split equally between Gcato School and
ROSY (Respite nursing for Oxfordshire’s Sick Youngsters)
Mr Ireland
African Drumming
A group of Year 9 students, accompanied by two Year 10
students, took a quick bus ride and stroll to the Pitt Rivers
Museum, where we met with Isabel, a professional musician who
gave us an impeccable presentation on African percussion. We
were shown many interesting instruments like the thumb piano,
wooden xylophone and Kura. We were also taught two African
pieces containing African elements such as call and response,
syncopation and polyrhythmic patterns. The pieces were
performed well, with a Cherwell twist! It was impressive to see
some of the Year 9s take up the challenge of leading the complex
rhythms. We swapped halfway, so we got a different aspect
of the music as well as improving
our range of drumming and
playing techniques. It was very
enjoyable and informative, and I
am sure it helped thoroughly for
the African music unit. We hope
this trip will continue for the years
to come.
Anna Czepiel & Leo Balknill
(Year 10)
Cherwell Gospel Choir
Sold in aid of Gcato School in South Africa and ROSY
(Respite nursing for Oxfordshire’s Sick Youngsters)