Battle Abbey School Newsletter - Battle Abbey Independent School

OKLAHOMA REVIEW BY KEVIN ANDERSON
Oklahoma ?? Why are they performing that ? Sure to be a poor choice – one of those really dated
1950s musicals, with guys in cowboy hats shouting whee-haa and girls all looking sweet in
gingham dresses. And it’s only got one song. Don’t think I’ll bother…
Oh, all right then.
Oklahoma !! Sensational show. Loads of really classic music, beautifully sung. Colourful and
gorgeously lit and dressed. Whole thing alive with energy. Unbelievably good dancing: didn’t
realise the School had so much talent. (Hasn’t that Mrs Heasmer made an impact !) And lots of
deep themes and motifs – some of them quite dark – hiding within the plot. For Rodgers and
Hammerstein, read Langridge and Hopkins. Phew, glad I went…
NEWS FROM THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
This term has been the busiest to date. The first modular exams of this academic year took place
for Years 9, 10 and 11 in November. The next round of external exams for our GCSE candidates
will take place on 3 rd, 4 th and 5 th March 2010. All our A Level classes are busy preparing for their
January modules.
Our students were offered a wide range of activities including DNA fingerprinting and culturing
micro-organisms. They have also made bath bombs and soaps that will be auctioned off in
support for the Kenya project next summer.
The state of the art laboratories in the Senior school are in stark contrast with some of the older
buildings in the rest of the school, some of which would perfectly fit in a Harry Potter film.
Pupils from Battle Abbey Prep School enjoyed some wizardry of their own during their visit on
Monday afternoon to the Science labs. The session was lead by the Wizardette and Wizard-in-
Charge, Mrs Dodd and Dr. Demoncheaux. The Prep School apprentices were treated to
screaming jelly babies, had fun burning strips of magnesium, and made some hot ice. They left
looking forward to their next visit in January!
For aspiring scientists at the Abbey, Science club
will start again next term. It will now be on
Thursdays from 1.25 – 2.05. It is open to pupils
in years 7, 8 and 9. For those who can’t wait, try
to complete the Chemistry code breaker
competition included with this information.
Finally, would you like to potentially help the
entire human race over Christmas? Why don’t
you try to spot “Near Earth Objects” from
observations taken by Liverpool’s John Moores
University in collaboration with the Spaceguard
Centre Asteriod Quest? More information at
http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/iya2009/asteroid/
Dr Demoncheaux (Head of Science)
Mrs Dodd (Second in Science)