newsletter - Pershore High School

Corbett’s ColumnAttendance/HolidaysWe continue to be concerned by the number ofholidays that are taken in term time. Whilst fullyunderstanding the financial motives for this, it doeshave an impact on attendance. There is, perhapsunsurprisingly, a direct connection between attendanceand attainment. If your child does not attend regularlythen there is less chance of them reaching their fullpotential. It is misleading to think of attendance levelsin the same way as examination results. In anexamination, 80% would be a very pleasing result,but in relation to attendance, this represents missing40 days of full time education a year, a day a weekand almost a full year over their four years (8 to 11 atPershore High School). It might be stating the obvious,but in order for your child to achieve the highestpossible grades they must be in school.Parents’ PanelThe Parents' Panel is well establishedand held its second meeting of theacademic year on 1 st December.The agenda included new OFSTEDrequirements and our engagementwith parents and carers, theeffectiveness of Governorsand possible new approaches tohomework. Should you be interested in joining theParents’ Panel, please contact me.Please see page 2.Details of Governor ElectionFollowing the recent Parent Governor election,Mrs Felicity Ash has been appointed. She attended herfirst meeting on 2nd December.A Governor Email Contact on WebsiteLearn2A new Governors’ website has beendeveloped and is being launched inthe New Year. Further feedback willfollow in the next edition of thenewsletter.Learn2 lessons, focusing on developing the skillsrequired to become an effective learner, have beensuccessfully introduced since September with Year8. Students have considered what good learning lookslike, reflected on how they learn best and developedtheir ability to learn in different groupings. Next termstudents will focus on understanding how teams canbe an effective part of the learning process. Learn2lessons highlight not only what (the content) is beinglearned but how (the process) and why (the benefits)with students encouraged to apply the principlesdeveloped through Learn2 across all of theirsubjects.3Late busIt is unfortunate but inevitable that there will be certainoccasions when the Wednesday and Thursday afterschool bus service gets certain students home laterthan we would want it to. I apologise when thishappens, but it is caused by the driver having to coverthe full extent of our very large catchment area, and istherefore unavoidable.Year 11 Mock ExaminationsOn Monday 7 th December, Year 11students began a two week periodof mock GCSE examinations andcoursework catch up. This is a keyperiod in their final year of study andthey will be formally presented with their results ina special assembly on the afternoon of Friday 15 thJanuary. At the recent Parents' Panel, I was asked toclarify key dates for the remainder of the year and canconfirm that external examinations in some shape orform (listening, speaking, practical or written) takeplace at various times between January and the endof June - the idea of a discrete examination period isvery much a thing of the past. Presentation Eveningis at 7.00pm on 24 th June, and the Year 11 Prom isjust over a week later on 2 nd July.Good luck to Year 11 with their 'mock' results, as wellas Years 12 and 13 who have also been hard at workbeing examined in their A level subjects. I must alsobe careful not to leave out Year 10 students who willreceive the results of November modularexaminations after Christmas.Bus Bay and Car ParkI fully appreciate the difficulties and inconveniencecaused to parents and visitors by our inadequate busbay and car parking facilities. Although I am pleasedto report that Worcestershire County Council doeshave a plan in place that will come to fruition in thesummer, we have to cope with the current layout fora few more months yet. As the safety of your childrenis our major concern, I have had no alternative but toprohibit vehicular access to the school site (otherthan to coaches and registered public hire vehicles)between 3.00pm and 3.45pm. I trust that you willunderstand the reasons for this and support theseactions until the new layout is in place.CoatsFollowing a recent telephone query from a parent,can I please confirm that it is perfectly acceptableand indeed recommended at this time of the yearfor youngsters to wear coats on the way to and fromschool. They will then be expected to remove themonce in school.May I close by wishing youall a happy Christmas anda peaceful New Year.Clive Corbett

“Through the Chair……………….!!!”… your Chair of Governors shares some thoughts on School Governance and Governors!‘School Governance’ is concernedwith overseeing and steering theSchool towards sensible andreasonable outcomes that arewithin its resource base to achieveand which are in the best interestsof its students and the localcommunity.The Governing Body of a schoolis made up of a diverse group ofpeople drawn from the localcommunity, the parents of thestudents and representativesfrom business and other localorganisations who have an interestsuch as colleges and universities.The Government has been verykeen to encourage this diversityof membership in an attempt tohelp schools to develop morerelevant education experiencesthat will equip young people forlife and work.Rule number one to rememberabout any Governing body is thatits members always actcollectively – never independently.However, since it would be difficultfor Governors to meet togetherevery time they have to agree ona decision they have the power todelegate some decision-making.This works through certainsub-committees set up for thepurpose who report back to thewhole governing body on thedecisions they have made on theirbehalf.Perhaps more significantly,the Chair of Governors has adelegated responsibility torespond on behalf of theGoverning Body when thecircumstances call for it. Again,it would be unwieldy for everyGovernor to have to respondindependently every time therewas a question raised. So, tomake things more stream-lined,the Governing body delegatespower to the Chair to respond ontheir behalf. In turn, the Chair isaccountable to the whole body fortheir actions. (If an individualGovernor does take ‘unilateralaction’ on any issue then it isdeemed to originate within thewhole governing body.)The Chair is effectively the ‘leader’of the Governing body and shouldbe able to help it identify prioritiesand steer its members towardssensible goals and outcomes.The Chair needs to establisha close and viable workingrelationship with the Headteacherand Senior Management Team –something that I am pleased tosay works very well at Pershore.The Chair also has a responsibilityto ensure that each member of theGoverning body is encouraged tomake a contribution to its debateson the basis of their expertise andbackground knowledge. It is myfirm belief that all members of thegoverning body should be able tomake a real contribution to thedevelopment of the school. Thiswill depend on how well they canbe involved and motivated byidentifying projects and issues thatwill prove stimulating for them.We have recently been debatinghow this process can be mademore effective. In the New Yearwe intend to embark on a pilotproject to assess how Governorscan make their contributions morerelevant to the current schoolpriorities and ways of working.As Chair of Governors at PershoreI have been very conscious of theneed to try and get everyonefeeling involved. Our recent effortsto bring the workings of theGoverning Body more in line withthe way that 21 st centuryorganisations should operate hasresulted in setting up a newwebsite area where Governors willbe able to share ideas, downloadinformation and participate in anongoing dialogue with each otherand eventually with the school andparents.4We also need to remember thatGovernors are volunteers whogive their time to the job at thecost of other things they could bedoing…..but, Governors are therebecause they have an interest inthe school and its young people.On occasion, being a Governorcan be very demanding of yourtime and this has been increasingof late as the Government (andnow Ofsted) have seen fit to putmore pressure on Governors tobe involved in the schools towhich they are attached.Nowadays, School Governance isbecoming more high profile andvisible and because of this yourschool Governors are keen toknow what other ‘stakeholders’think they should be focussingon?We now have an area of theSchool Website dedicated toGovernors and we want to startusing this as a forum for increasedGovernor activity. If you are aParent, Teacher, Support Staff,Student or other member of theschool community please do nothesitate to make your views onSchool Governance known tous. It is only through an activedialogue that Governors cando the best job they can for theschool.You can contact any Governorthrough the Clerk to theGovernors at Pershore HighSchool.Rob PhillipsChair of GovernorsNB: Over the next few months,we will be publishing profiles ofall your Governors in the schoolnewsletter.

Friends of Pershore High SchoolThe Friends of Pershore High School needs YOUR help….Over recent months we havehelped the school, and, therefore,your child/ren by purchasing awide range of items including:● £2000 towards the new minibus● £200 towards Youth Award –ASDAN● A spirometer for biology● A storage shed for technologyequipment● Autistic Spectrum DisorderSpecific resources includingBaby Belling Cooker and a GiantFloor Cushion, DVD copier forEnglish, Stage make up andequipment for Dramaand much, much more.A large part of our fundraisingcomes from our 100+ Club whichhas been successfully run byMrs Sandra Bird for several years.Sandra has informed us that shewill definitely be resigning from thisposition next summer and so weneed someone to take on her role.We will also be needing a newTreasurer at that time, so maybethis could be an opportunity for youand a friend to get involved withthe work of the Friends.Without your help we will not beable to continue to run the 100+Club – don’t forget all the profits gostraight back to the school and therest in prize money to the luckywinners.Why not take this opportunity tojoin the 100+ Club – look out forthe yellow form included in thisnewsletter.If you want to find out more pleasefeel free to contact Sandra on01905 391469 – I know she willbe happy to hear from you.100 CLUBOCTOBER/NOVEMBERWINNERSOctober£60 No 43 Taber£40 No 165 T Cole£20 No 228 Herdman£10 No 75 P ColeNovember£60 No 44 Sprott£40 No 212 Faizey£20 No 146 Loxley£10 No 170 FowlerQuiz and Auction of PromisesThis popular event will take place on Friday, 5 th February 2010.Teams are limited to 6 players and the cost is £1 per person.Please bring your own refreshments.We need offers of “promises” so rack your brains and see if you can come up withsomething that others will pay good money to have a go at or purchase.Some suggestions are:● Tickets for events (last year we had 2 tickets for the Cheltenham Gold Cup)● Meal vouchers● Beauty treatments/massage/hair etc● Hampers of luxury foodstuffs● Weekend awayetc.To book a table please complete and return the reply slip below.Quiz and Auction of PromisesPlease return to Student Services in an envelope marked for the attention of:The Friends of Pershore High SchoolI would like to book a table of 6 and the name of my team is ………………………………………………………...…..I enclose £……………I can offer the following auction “promise” ………………………………………………..…...Name………………………………………………………………….……... Child’s Tutor Group………………………….5

PHS Students have their sayA group of twelve teenagers have got together toaddress problems affecting youngsters in the town.The newly formed Pershore Town Youth Councilcame together for their first meeting a few monthsago and is already making inroads in improving lifefor younger people. Alec Smith was elected YouthMayor and Emma Hawtree, Deputy Youth Mayor.The Mayor of Pershore, Chris Parsons, came upwith the idea and he was adamant that the youth ofPershore should have a say in what happens in thetown and approached Mr Corbett.Following a vote throughout the school, the YouthCouncil now hold meetings which are open to thepublic, and agendas are posted on the notice boardsat the Town Hall and at the school to maintain aclear and transparent democratic process.This year the Youth Council have organised a majoractivity to brighten up Christmas for the residents tomark the switching on the Pershore Christmas lights.Other ideas include putting up a notice board in townto deal with youth matters to keep everyone updated.There are also plans for a music festival in the spring.Mr Corbett is very proud of the achievements of thestudents in becoming involved within Pershore.Re-dedication of Roll of HonourFormer students of Pershore HighSchool who sacrificed their lives inWorld War II were remembered ata ceremony on Tuesday, 10 thNovember.The re-dedication of the Roll ofHonour was started in 2002 afterveteran and former student RayHeeks discussed the idea withClive Corbett following the school's70 th anniversary.Mr Heeks, who is a member ofPinvin Royal British Legion, saidthat he came to school with allthose who were on the list and thatmany of them were his pals.Pictured: PHS students Katie Baston and James Manning, and from left, standard bearer and chair of Pershore RBL PaulLewis, Clive Corbett, Mayor of Pershore Chris Parsons and Arthur Young from Pershore & District RNA.Tree Planting in Memory ofthe late Dennis AskewA tree has been planted in the school grounds inmemory of former PHS teacher, Dennis Askew, whopassed away last year.Mr Askew retired on 19 th July 1991 after 17 years atPHS as Head of Environmental Studies.He contributed enormously to the rich diversity of ourschool grounds, and in particular the splendid naturereserve.Pictured with Mr Corbett and Mr Booth, Mrs Askewthird from the right.6

ArtYear 12 Art Visit to the Regal Cinema, Evesham - Monday 23 rd NovemberEvesham's status as a cultural hubwas further galvanised by a Year12 Art visit to the Regal Cinemain Port Street. Disused andforgotten, the cinema is in theearly stages of a lengthyrestoration back to its former glory.Students visited The Regal inorder to create valuable resourcesto support their AS work, basedaround the theme of Archive.Once beyond its shabby exterior,the students were transportedback in time, surrounded bydecorative architecture andparaphernalia ranging fromoriginal fittings and equipmentfrom the 1920s, to remnants of itsfinal days way back in the 1980s.The restoration manager was ableto provide an overview for thefuture of the cinema (as acommunity arts venue) and alsoexplained the purposes of muchof its vintage equipment –highlights particularly being theoriginal projectors and electricitygenerators which looked asthough they had been takenstraight out of Back to the Future.Students had free access to allareas of the cinema and were ableto photograph and make drawingsof everything that it had to offer –from its vast seated auditoriumcomplete with worn seats anddecaying paint, to the faded gloryof its 1920s fittings…and muchmore besides.Photograph by Andrew Price, Year 12The restoration of the cinema isa long term project, but it is wellworth a visit to take a glimpse at arapidly disappearing architecturalhistory. Its patron, AlistairMcGowan will perform there inDecember and it aims to showWorld Cup football on the bigscreen next Summer.Drama and Performing ArtsWorcester Swan TheatreA meeting was held last week giving outinformation to anyone in Year 9, 10 and 11 whowished to take part in the Worcestershire TheatreFestival, to be held on the first weekend in March,2010. The play chosen is a Mark Wheeler playcalled 'Hard to Swallow'. A number of studentsfrom all the year groups showed an interest andwill be involved as long as they can commit to theperformance date and the (mainly lunchtime)rehearsals after Christmas. Please put a mark inyour diary – 6 th or 7 th March and I will confirmwhich day and times nearer the time.Year 10 GCSE Drama PantomimesOh no they're not…!Oh yes they are – back again.Both groups have workedextremely hard for the pastfew months to produce fun and laughter for allconcerned. Please support them by joining us onTuesday 15 th December at 7.00pm, in the Studiofor only £2 (for two). This year's shows are Aladdinand Robin Hood.Year 13 A2 Practical ExamsYear 13 worked very hard during and after schoolon their A2 Drama and Theatre Studies practicalexams. The Studio was open to the public onThursday 10 th and Friday, 11 th December.FAMERehearsals are going well, withsome fantastic dance routinesalready taking shape thanks toEmily Dickenson and Vicky Shone.Please ensure this show is even better than WWRYby ensuring you attend ALL rehearsals afterChristmas, and that all lines (songs too) are learnt.Then it will be GREAT!All the staff in Performing Arts wish youall a Merry Christmas and an injury-freeNew Year (we need you all in one piece!)7

EnglishPoetry and Pies'Friends, Romans,Countrymen, lend me yourears….'The highlight of the EnglishDepartment's year is ourbi-annual celebration of poetry(and pies).Students from Years 12 and 13come along to an informalpoetry sharing evening – wherethey can read or just listen.It's a great event and we allenjoy this 'bring and share'event enormously.English Homework at Key Stage 3 (Years 8 and 9)As you are no doubt aware, oneof the school's main priorities is todevelop students' learning skillsand encourage all students tobecome resourceful learners.In accordance with this aim, theEnglish Department has reviewedthe nature of English homeworkat Key Stage 3 (Years 8 and 9).A recent Ofsted documentsuggested that homework:' …..needs to be used to promoteindependent learning. The aimshould be to give students theopportunity to spend time oversomething which will run alongsidethe curriculum but will notnecessarily be tied to it '.Students will be encouraged tolearn independently and carryout research topics for homeworkwhich complements workundertaken in the classroom.A homework diary entry thereforemay appear on a weekly basis as:'Continue with personal readingor research for project'.However, students will havereceived beforehand a detailedoutline of tasks to be completedby a given deadline culminating inan assessed unit of work. Therewill of course be times when morespecific homework tasks are setbut for the most part homeworkwill take this form.We hope that you have foundthis information helpful and youwill support us by encouragingyour child to read widely andrecord his or her findingseffectively.Please contact the Head ofDepartment if you have anyconcerns relating to your child'shomework.Mrs IddonHead of EnglishYear 10sYear 12 and 13Are very busy with bothwritten and Speaking andListening courseworktasks at present.This, when addedtogether, willform 40% of theiroverall grade forEnglish Language,so it is worth allthat hard work –keep it up Year 10.Are just completing their internal assessments.This will give an indication as to potential finalgrades, letting students know what level they arecurrently working at. Generally speaking though, theemphasis at this time of the year is upon courseworkcompletion. As ever, the exam boards are keen forpupils to do as much wider reading as they can,improving their understanding of texts and theircomparative skills further.Not long to go now, keep up the hard work.Year 11sCurrently, most Year 11s are on study leave,having taken their English Literature (orLanguage) mock exam. The Literature examcovers one question on their set text (e.g. OfMice and Men or Lord of the Flies) as well as onequestion on Literature Poetry.The poetry section isoften the hardest elementof this exam; wherestudents only haveone hour to write acomparative essay onfour different poems.The mock result willthen be used to highlightcertain areas to improveon before the summer.8

Modern Foreign LanguagesThe MFL Department would liketo congratulate all the studentswho took part in The Festival ofLanguages at Prince Henry's HighSchool recently. Special mentionmust go to the Year 8 studentswho wrote and performed aversion of Little Red Riding Hoodin German, coming third overall inthe competition. Katie Bastonwrote the version and she wasjoined on stage by Alice Lees,Nat Dufton, Laura Pugh andCourtney Way. There was also apresentation in German by HenryAmphlett and Fred Badham. Welldone to all those that took part.Two Language Clubs will bestarting next term which willcelebrate all things culturaland European. Spanish Clubfor all Years 8 and 9 will be onWednesday lunchtimes in Room18. M.Pollet will be running the"Revue Parisienne" which willinvolve a wide variety of activitiescentred around life in France.Look out for the flyers.In our ongoing mission to turnPershore and its feeder schoolsinto mini linguists, Mrs Rosehas been continuing to run theLanguage Leaders Award.This has involved Mrs Rose,Mrs Loxley and a group of SixthForm students going into First andMiddle schools in the area andoffering a variety of languagebased activities. This term hasincluded teaching beginnersGerman to Year 3's in Defford,Christmas activities in Inkberrowand German lessons on the topicof clothes. This was taught by theSixth Formers to groups of Year5/6 students in Abbey Park andDrakes Broughton.Mr Kemp,Head of Modern Foreign LanguagesLanguage Leaders Award WinnersThree Pershore Sixth Formstudents have achieved LanguageLeaders Awards. Throughout theyear Elliott Bear, Nathan John andHannah Redgewell taught avariety of high quality ModernForeign Language lessons inseveral First and Middle Schoolsin the school pyramid. Their workculminated in organising andrunning a competition for teamsof Year 7 students from PershoreHigh School's three feeder MiddleSchools, where the Year 7students needed to demonstratetheir skills in Modern ForeignLanguages.Mrs J Rose, AST for PrimaryModern Foreign Languages, said:“The three Sixth Formers werevery impressive to work with anddemonstrated leadership skills andprofessionalism throughout thecourse.”This year we have five moreModern Foreign LanguageLeaders, who are already teachinglessons to students in some of ourfeeder First and Middle Schools.GERMANEXCHANGE 2010Auf geht’s nachBad Neustadt!Are you any or all of these:sociable, sporty, adventurous,a good communicator, and inYears 9, 10 or 12?Would you enjoy a week offschool, travelling abroad andmaking loads of new friends?Have you ever wondered what itwould be like to live as part of adifferent family for a few days?Are you curious to find outhow people in other Europeancountries live their lives?2010 will see the 19th SchoolExchange between PershoreHigh School and the Werner-Siemens-Realschule in BadNeustadt, Germany.Interested? See your Germanteacher or Mr Crouchley forfurther details.10

The Hampton CentreSponsored Walk Raises £60 for Animal HospitalOn one of our last mild, dry, autumn days, Base staffand students walked three laps of the school field toraise money for St Tiggywinkle’s Wildlife Hospital.Those of you who were gazing out of the windowtoward the field during lesson time on November 9 thmay have noticed Base staff setting a new fashiontrend by tucking their trousers into their socks orCharlie Brown capturing the whole event, at very closerange, on digital camera. We will not mention HarryWilliams TRYING to take a short cut. Oops, we just did.The idea to raise funds towards the rescue andrehabilitation of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife wasinspired by Taylor Griffith who wanted to be involvedin some kind of charitable work. Taylor particularlylikes hedgehogs and this event allowed everyone inthe Base to be involved (including parents) throughsponsor collection, learning about fund raising,designing posters, taking photos and the all importantteam effort, ‘taking part in the walk.’Well done to:Taylor Griffith, Abi Palmer, Harry Williams, CharlieBrown, Simon Farrell-Adams, Matthew Ash and ofcourse, Base staff.* * * * £60 will fund the care of one hedgehogfor a year * * * * *A ‘HUGE’ thank youto all those whosponsored this cause.MathematicsSave Money and SucceedFollowing the success of last year’s amazing calculator offer, we havenegotiated another excellent deal for students at Pershore High School.Your child needs his or her own scientific calculator to succeed.Calculators vary tremendously and borrowing one at the last minute canbe disastrous. Doing a calculator examination without one is like doingthe pole vault without a pole.At PHS, we recommend a good quality scientific calculator. This will cost£8 in Tesco. However, we can sell them to students for just £5.In addition, the Mathematics Department has a variety of revisionresources and equipment available for students to buy - just bring themoney in to your maths teacher or to Miss Morgan in Room 29.Scientific calculator - £5Revision Guides- £2.25 or £2.75KS3 Workbook with answers - £2.25KS4 Workbook with answers - £3.25 or £3.75Other equipment - pens, rulers, protractors– prices vary from 5p to 30pGCSE Mathematics Practice PapersWe are selling six complete GCSE examination paperswith solutions for just £2.50.Just bring the money to your Mathematics teacher andpick up the pack.Want to improve yourgrade in Maths?Did you know we subscribe towww.mymaths.co.uk?Login is 'pershore' - passwordavailable from your teacher.The website has a huge numberof interactive online resources tohelp with revision. You can raiseyour Key Stage 3 level or GCSEgrade if you use the boostermaterials. There are boosterpacks for Key Stage 3 studentsto help them achieve a level 4,or raise their level to 5/6. Thereare also booster packs forstudents wanting to improve theirGCSE grade from D to C, C to Band A to A*. There are onlineworksheets which give instantfeedback on all topics on thesyllabus as well as plenty ofuseful and fun games to helpimprove your mental arithmeticskills.If you havenot alreadystartedusing thiswebsite forrevision,start today.11

PhotographyYoung Photographer ofthe Year 2009Sixth Form Photography student,Vanessa Poludniak, pictured left,is celebrating success aftercoming second in the YoungPhotographer of the YearCompetition 2009, organised byHereford College of Art.Vanessa won second prize incategory two (16-19 years) andwill be awarded £100 cash.Her work will also form part ofan exhibition at Hereford Collegeof Arts and she will be given theopportunity to exhibit work aspart of the Hereford PhotographyFestival 2010.Miss BakerScienceATTENTION:YEAR 10 &11GCSE SCIENCEREVISION GUIDESThe Science Department will be sellingGCSE revision guides at thereduced price of £2.75. There are twobooks available, one for Year 10 and onefor Year 11,or three books if you arestudying separate sciences.Simply give the correct amount of moneyor a cheque made payable to‘Worcestershire County Council’, toMrs Schaathun in S11 or Mrs Tarring in S10.(In a sealed envelope with your name andtutor group on the outside please)Buy early beforestocks run out.12

Year 5 Community Pershore Pirate Science DayFor one week only this December,Pirates took over the Sciencedepartment. Over three days190 Year 5 students from ourfeeder middle schools visitedthe school to solve the mysteryof where Captain Cathode, thePirate captain of the PershorePearl, had buried his gold. Justbefore the Pearl went down afterhitting a reef, Captain Cathodesent a video recording, a treasurechest containing valuable cluesand a treasure map showing agroup of five deserted Islands,on one of which he had buriedhis golden treasure.The students had to use theirscientific skills to work outwhether is was the Isles ofPancreas, the Adrenal Isles,the Island of Thyroid, the ThymusIsles or the Pituitary Island.The pupils learnt a number ofnew scientific skills over the day.How to lift and identify lip prints,how to carry out scientific teststo identify three mystery whitepowders, which metal was usedto make the key to unlock thetreasure chest, what therelationship is between heightand foot size, and how to usechromatography to find out whattype of plant grew next to theburied treasure. By putting allthese clues together they wereable to identify the correct islandand get to share in the goldburied there.The pupils worked in groups ledby their own Pirate captains;Barbossa, Jack Sparrow, LongJohn Silver, Pugwash andBlackbeard. These were ourvery own sixth formers who werepivotal in making the days suchgood fun whilst learning a greatdeal about Science.Pictured above: Sam RileyCaptainPugwash13

SportSports Leaders Award WinnersA number of Pershore Sixth Form students took partin a Skills of Leadership course, which involved tenhours of voluntary service in Sports Clubs in theCounty and they have achieved Level 2 in the SportsLeaders Award.The students also organised and ran a Sports Festivalat Pershore High School for over 200 Year 7 studentsin July. The following Year 13 students are listedbelow:Luke AlexanderLiam BlondonAdam GordonGeorgina HaleStephanie HolmesRussell StockMelissa ThorndikeRyan UpfieldJoshua WalkerLeonie YarnoldSamantha YarnoldMr Corbett said that he was very proud of yet anotherexample of commitment to others outside school time.The South Worcestershire School Sports Partnership (SWSSP) Leadership Academy2009-10The Leadership Academyselection started in Octoberwhereby Leonie Yarnold, JoshWalker, Andy Geoghegan, AlecSmith, Molly Browne, Lizzy Davis,Adam Calvert and Esther Chidlowattended the Leadership AcademyCounty Launch. The Launchincluded representatives fromschools across the whole countyfor them to be acknowledged asexcellent leaders from theirlocal area. The day includedinspirational presentationsincluding examples of leadershipinterventions and sportingexcellence as well as practicaltraining to enhance the youngleaders' knowledge andunderstanding of the types ofskills and abilities they woulduse within festivals and events.To ensure the LeadershipAcademy is sustainable a furthernine PHS students have beeninvited to be part of the SouthWorcestershire School SportsPartnership (SWSSP) LeadershipAcademy. These include HannahChidlow, Becky Dawkes, JadeGiles, Fiona Hartley, Beth Marler,Marcus Bailey, Martha Browne,Alex Dowson and Zac Reid.All 17 PHS representatives willjoin students from Prince Henry'sHigh School, Evesham HighSchool and South WorcestershireCollege to form the SWSSPLeadership Academy.This is a fantastic achievementas these students have beenselected due to their strongleadership skills, commitment andvoluntary involvement in schoolfestivals and events. The SWSSPLeadership Academy will act as astepping stone for these studentsto enhance their leadershipcapabilities, knowledge andexperiences and encourage themto transfer these skills from schoolbased events into the communityand into future employment.Students with the SWSSPLeadership Academy status willbe recognised by organisers forthe London 2012 Olympic Gamesif they wish to signup to volunteerat this prestigious event.14Alternatively all employers,not just those in the sportsindustry, will acknowledge thatthose involved in the SWSSPLeadership Academy comprisestrong leadership qualities, theability to work well within a teamand with people of all age groupsas well as possessing excellentcommunication skills.Well done to all of you who havebeen selected.Miss Christian(PE and SchoolSports Coordinator)

New Members WelcomeThe numbers attending the Club have grown again this term with many new members joining. The main YouthClub for those aged 13+, run by Worcester County Council Youth Team, meet on Tuesday 6.00 to 8.30pm,Wednesday 6.30 to 9.00pm and Thursday 3.30 to 6.00pm. The 9 to 13 Club, run by volunteers, meet onalternate Mondays 6.30 to 8.00pm. The newly formed Pershore Sea Cadets also now meet at the Centre andare seeking new recruits.New Facilities and ActivitiesThe facilities and activities offered have also been expanded. A giant screen and projector now provides acinema and the music room, with electronic drums, guitars and recording equipment is being updated. Archeryand water sports continue to be very popular. All local schools have now experienced bell boating, organisedby Andy Train, and canoeing is expanding with BCU Paddle Sport courses being offered next Easter. Archerycourses are also being offered next term. Other equipment available includes an Internet Café, PS3, Wii, tabletennis, pool table, and multi use games area.Further informationPlease contact Alex Mellor, PRYC, King George’s Way, Pershore. WR10 1QU Tel:-01386 554713.Email alex.mellor@pershoreyouth.org OR visit our website:- www.pershoreyouth.org.ukIn addition, the notice board in Chapman Court, nearest to Asda, is to be used as a Youth Notice Board..15

Year NewsYear 8Well done to Year 8 on theirrecent Progress Reviews.So many of you are working hardand achieving exceptional results.Merit MarksOnce again well done and pleasekeep coming to the office to getyour planners signed.Year 9Well, here we are again.I have ordered my goose,Christmas isjust aroundthe cornerand the firstterm of theacademic yearis behind us.As a YearGroup wehave amassed720 meritmarks, 76 Gold referrals, 7Bronze, 4 Silver and 2 Goldawards, and as I write this morecontinue to come in. The majorityof Progress Reviews were verygood and a pleasure to read.Where there were too manyconcerns expressed by teachers,the students have been placed onreport for the coming half-term.I sincerely hope that the messageof ‘need to do better’ will getthrough and those falling short ofexpectations will put things right tomake the most of their education.I hope everyone enjoys theirChristmas break and comesback safely in the new year withrenewed vigour and zest.Don’t lookback withregret; lookforward withenthusiasmanddeterminationto be the bestyou can.The totals at present are:8A 500 8B 3908C 460 8D 3108E 490 8F 4408G 410 8H 4208I 240Top students are:Ashley Biggam 8I 80Katie Baston 8E 70Year 10As we come to the end of a longand very busy term, I would liketo congratulate Year 10 for alltheir hard work and effort thisterm. Mrs Cookson-Smith and Iwere delighted to see so manyexcellent progress checks; a hugeamount too of hard work is goingon.The end of term cinema trip is justa few days away and it is nice tohave the opportunity to rewardso many of the students for theirpositive approach to school.Mrs Poulton and I had thepleasure of taking a group of Year10 Textile students to the ClothesShow at the NEC on the 8thDecember. They all thoroughlyenjoyed the trip and werehopefully inspired by the catwalkshows for their future design work;not to mention the chance to doa 'bit' of shopping.Well done and thank you toFrankie Jones, Leah Martin,Charlotte Rushen, ClaudiaWhitty and Jenny Fox for raising£30 for Children in Need byspending the day dressed intheir pyjamas.I would like to take theopportunity to say goodbye toAward SchemeSome students are alreadyachieving Bronze awards, so pleasecheck with your tutors whichcategories can be signed off.And finally,I hope you allhave a HappyChristmas .Year 8 have settled in and I amreally very pleased with you all.Huw EvansRaising money for Children in NeedStephen Wilding who has been10I's tutor since Year 8. He hasbeen a fantastic tutor who hasalways looked out for his tuteesand been a valuable asset tothe Year Team. I wish Stephenand his family good luck in theirnew life in New ZealandCongratulations to GeorginaHarper (10A's tutor) who gotmarried on the 12 th December.We wish you all a very MerryChristmas and a Happy,Prosperous New Year from allthe Year 10 team.Gayle McPhersonPaul WatsonYear 10 Textile students visit to the Clothes Show at the NEC16

Year 11 NewsGirlguiding WorcestershireI have recently been selected by ’GirlguidingWorcestershire’ to go on a trip to India next year.We will spend a week at one of the Guiding WorldCentres, Sangam, and then a week sight-seeing.For this amazing opportunity I need to raise £2255.Therefore, at lunchtimes I will be selling handmadebracelets outside the main hall, so please comealong and take a look. Jo Hartley, Year 11Chloe Bitcon has also been selected to go to Mexicoas part of the same venture. She will also be workingwith Jo to raise funds for the trip.Good luck to you both.We hope that you all havea very Happy Christmas and arestful break, ready to returnrefreshed in January.Good luck with your mockexams.Mrs Higginbothamand Mrs TaylorKEY YEAR 11 DATESMonday 4th January► Term startsFriday 15th January► Mock results issuedThursday 21st January► Parents evening 4.30-7.30Friday 19th March► Final HPV vaccine for girlsFriday 26th March► Progress Check issuedWednesday 21st April/Thursday 22nd April► GCSE Art examsWednesday 19th May► Final assemblyThursday 20th May► Study leave begins17th May - 28th June GCSE Exam periodWednesday 30th June/Thursday 1st July► Sixth Form Induction DaysFriday 2nd July► Year 11 PromPershore High School'sChristmas LunchRoast Turkey with all thetrimmings & hot puddingVeggie option:Christmas spring roll with chestnutsOnly £3.00* Monday, 14 th December - Year 9* Wednesday, 16 th December - Year 8* Thursday, 17 th DecemberYears 10/11 & Years 12/13(12 – 1pm lunch)*PRE-PAID TICKETS ONLY:The W Factor is back for yet another successful yearof searching for gifted and talented youngsters withinWychavon. Applicants must be between 11-18years of age and live within Wychavon.If you think you are talented in any of thesecategories, then why not give it a go and apply.● Singing ● Painting● Dancing ● Film● Acting ● Circus Skills● PhotographyWinners get the chance to receive further training aswell as the opportunity to perform/exhibit at Party inthe Park and other up-and-coming events.Auditions:1 st February 2010 – Salwarpe Village Hall3 rd February 2010 – Blackminster Middle School4 th February 2010 – St. Barnabas Middle School5 th February 2010 – Bredon Village HallIf you are interested in applying and require anapplication form contactAmandine on 01386 565497 or emailamandine.rich@wychavon.gov.uk17

Student NewsDaniel's follow-up book publishedSixth Form student, Daniel Hart, could soon befollowing in the footsteps of the likes of JRR Tolkienand Terry Pratchett after putting the finishing touchesto his second novel. Daniel is about to release TheStar of Tamathiel, a sequel to his first book Tamathiel,a fantasy adventure about five children who aretransported to another world to do battle with theforces of evil.In The Star of Tamathiel, the plot is based around asearch for a series of artefacts which can be used todefeat the two remaining dark lords who have begunto attack the earth. The battles not only take placebetween armies of good and evil in both worlds, butalso within the characters as they battle forces ofdarkness within themselves.The Star of Tamathiel forms part of a trilogy that hastaken Daniel about a year and a half to write and itshould be released by Christmas. Daniel is alreadyworking on the third instalment and hopes to go onto study English at University.Mr Corbett said: "It is wonderful that Daniel is able tofind time to write as well as complete his school work,and we are very proud of him." For more informationabout the book, visit tamathiel.com.Will goes to ParliamentWill Goodenough recently joinedmore than 40 other secondaryschool children with differenthealth conditions as they putquestions about health supportat school to a panel of politiciansat a Question Time style eventat Parliament.Their aim was to try and changethe current post code lotteryaffecting support for sick childrenat school.Year 11 student Will has a noncorrectable heart condition calledHypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome,which means that the left sideof his heart is severelyunder-developed.Golden JoyBBC newscaster and The PoliticsShow presenter Jon Sopel chairedthe panel, comprising of MPs andshadow ministers.The event, organised by healthcharities, aimed to give 40 childrenwith health conditions the chanceto put questions to a panel ofpoliticians.Will said that it was important forhim to be at the event as it will givehim and many other children thechance to let the people in powerknow what needs to happen toimprove the lives of all schoolchildren with health conditions.He said that his experience atschool had been good and that hisparents have to attend meetingsat school and also make specialplans for his education.There was double delight for Amy and Ed Surmanwhen they won gold medals at the British IndoorRowing Championships at Birmingham NIA.Year 9 student Amy took part in the Women'sJunior 14 category and she won gold in the teamevent, and came fifth in the singles event. Amy'sbrother Ed, a Year 11 student, took part in theMen's Junior 16 category and he also won goldin the team event, and came fifth in the singlesevent.Mr Corbett said that he is always in awe of thededication and commitment that is required bystudents to succeed at this level, and he isastonished at the way these activities are fittedin so successfully into schoolwork and othercommitments.18

Operation Christmas ChildPHS students have made sure that disadvantagedchildren in some of the world's poorest countrieshave a Christmas to remember. The studentscollected more than 100 gift-filled shoeboxes forthis year's Operation Christmas Child appeal.The boxes are distributed by volunteers for aidcharity, Samaritan's Purse, to poverty stricken andorphaned children in Africa, Eastern Europe andCentral Asia.Assistant Head of Sixth Form, Emma Bliss, saidthat students had extra incentive to fill as manyshoeboxes as they could, as they could earn pointsfor their houses. She also said that the supportand generosity shown had been fantastic.Pictured right: Students with some of the gift-filledshoeboxes.International TaekwondoCompetitionYear 13 student, Mark Adams, has beenselected by the Independent TaekwondoSchools organisation to represent Englandat aninternational competition in Scotland onSaturday, 13 th February.International Guiding VisitAlice Hulbert and Kathryn Cobain have beenselected to represent Worcestershire on aninternational guiding visit to Switzerland in August2010.They will spend twoweeks there and arelooking for any supportthat might help themto pay the £1,200individual costs.House ActivitiesHouse activities have been fiercely contested thisterm, and it remains tight on the leader board.Fridays have seen students taking part in penaltyshoot outs, cake decorating, quizzes, Jenga,tug-o-war and weightlifting. The Children in Needfundraising was a particular success where over£500 was raised in a single lunchtime.The crowning glory was the Operation ChristmasChild Appeal where students and staff donatedmore than 100 shoeboxes! Well done to all.From front coverPershore’s newly formed YouthCouncil organised a Christmascelebration based around theswitching on of the Christmaslights. The event began withcarols from PHS orchestra andFather Christmas arrived with hisreindeer later in the afternoon.Broad Street was packed withyoungsters eager to stroke thereindeer and speak to a very jollySanta.Children from Holy RedeemerSchool were given the honourof switching on the lights, as afirework display filled the skies.Chris Parsons, Mayor of19Pershore,thanked theYouth Councilfor organisingthe bestswitch-on ever.He also thanked the Rotary Cluband all those who supported it.

Chess ClubMonday and Friday lunchtimesin room 39Prizes for anyone beating Mr Segarat chess before Christmas.He needs the practice.Draughts and other games, like theJapanes strategy boardgame GoThere is also mathematicshomework help.Just come along.EVERYONE ISWELCOMEMr SegarSTAFF INTERNAL TELEPHONEExtension NumbersPA to HeadteacherMrs. A. Davenport 256Deputy HeadteacherMr. P. Hanson 227Deputy HeadteacherMr. A. Nockton 224Assistant HeadteachersMr. G. Booth 229Mrs. I. Forbes 337Heads of YearYear 8 - Mr. H. Evans 235Year 9 - Mr. P. Watson 254Year 10 - Miss G McPherson 271Year 11 - Mrs. J. Higginbotham 235Head of Sixth FormMr. J. Howell 253Assistant Head of Sixth FormMiss E. Bliss 240Sixth Form Support OfficerMrs. Jo McKenzie 240Business ManagerMr. Russell Dalton 265Attendance AdministratorMrs. Julie Hyde 323Student ServicesMrs. Emma Pleciak 330Reception 0School Uniform VouchersAn allowance may be availablefor essential school uniform.In the most recent financial year,the essential uniform allowancewas available only for a limitedrange of items.Grants are considered only forchildren from the date they wouldstart school under the CountyCouncil’s standard admissionspolicy and later when they moveon to each stage of schooling.The second part of the acceptancecriteria is that the child/childrennamed have to be starting ortransferring to a new school.A maximum of two vouchers perchild will be supplied. The valueof the vouchers varies slightlydepending on what the voucher isfor and the age of the child/childrenconcerned. The vouchers can beexchanged for school uniform inapproved stores. A list of therelevant names is supplied withthe vouchers.The scheme is subject to revisioneach year.Applications for assistance shouldbe addressed to:The Education Welfare Service,Worcestershire County Council,County Buildings, Bewdley Road,Kidderminster, DY11 6RQ.For enquiries please contact01562 757651\ 757652 \ 757653and ask for clothing grants.December 2009 Newsletter Reply SlipParent(s) please sign, as requested, and ensure that this reply slip is returned to Student ServicesReception not later than 7th January. There is a prize for the first drawn out.Signed…………………………………………………………………………...………………… Parent/GuardianStudent ……………………………………………………….……Tutor Group ………………………………THE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER PRIZE DRAW WINNER IS DOMINIC COBBOLD, 8F20

Friends of Pershore High School100+ CLUB£60 £40 £20 £10TO BE WON EACH MONTHJoin our successful 100+club for just £2 per month and help thefriends with their fundraising.Money raised helps all departments within the school including TheHampton Centre.On the reverse of this leaflet is a form to complete and return tothe school office clearly marked for my attention. You can eitherpay £2 per month by direct debit or by an annual cheque for £24.You will then be included in the draw and allocated a number at theearliest opportunity.The winning numbers are announced via the School Newsletter andare also published on the school website(www.pershore.worcs.sch.uk)Thank youSandra Bird100+club Promotion Officersandrabird@salegreen.com

Friends of Pershore High School100+ ClubApplication FormTo join the 100+ Club please complete the following form in BLOCK CAPITALS and return to the school inan envelope marked for the attention of Sandra Bird, 100+ Club Promotions OfficerNameAddressTelephone NumberE-mail addressStanding Order Authority:BankBranch AddressBank Sort Code - -Account NumberCommencement datePlease Pay:Pershore High School Association 100+ ClubLloyds Bank, Evesham (Sort Code 30-93-11)Account Number: 7183032For office use onlyRef:(to be quoted on all payments)The sum of £2 (two pounds) on the first day of the month until further notice.Alternatively, you can pay by cheque: I wish to join the 100+ Club and enclose my cheque for £24 made payable to "Friends of PershoreHigh School"Signature ........................................................................................................................................... Date ………………………T:\ADMIN\Students\Y7 transfer\09\PHSA 100 Club.doc