Aspire Summer 2018
Summer issue of the Coombeshead Academy Aspire.
Summer issue of the Coombeshead Academy Aspire.
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Coombeshead<br />
Academy<br />
ASPIRE<br />
Inspiring Excellence<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2018</strong>
CONTENT<br />
01<br />
02<br />
03<br />
04<br />
09<br />
10<br />
11<br />
13<br />
INSPIRING EXCELLENCE<br />
Welcome from the Headteacher<br />
ACHIEVEMENT<br />
Ten Tors<br />
ENGLISH<br />
Devon County Show / London Trip<br />
EXPRESSIVE ARTS<br />
Devon County Show / London Trip<br />
PRIMARY LIAISON<br />
Aesops Fables<br />
TECHNOLOGY<br />
Coursework Projects<br />
HISTORY/SOCIOLOGY<br />
In-class Debates<br />
DINING HALL<br />
Culinary Experiences
Welcome to the summer edition of the<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> magazine, I very much hope that<br />
you enjoy reading about all the wonderful<br />
opportunities available at Coombeshead<br />
Academy and the incredible success that<br />
takes place at the school on a daily basis.<br />
As Headteacher at the school, I am<br />
immensely proud of the comprehensive<br />
education that our children receive<br />
through the support of our outstanding<br />
teachers, support staff, our parents and<br />
the children themselves. We continue to<br />
inspire excellence.<br />
Inspiring excellence is not simply a<br />
strapline, it is not simply something that<br />
is seen in aspects of the school, inspiring<br />
excellence is something that is demanded<br />
of each and every one of us in every<br />
corner of this great academy.<br />
We continue to demand high<br />
expectations of everybody to ensure that<br />
not only academic outcomes continue<br />
to rise but as students develop within our<br />
school system, they can ultimately leave<br />
with confidence and with experiences<br />
behind them that have shaped them<br />
and their personality allowing them to be<br />
successful contributors to society in the future. Embedded within our values of academic achievement, positive attitude, community,<br />
enrichment and endeavour, students at Coombeshead Academy not only experience outstanding teaching but invest hugely in<br />
the school community and our local community ensuring a positive contribution takes place from the minute they walk through the<br />
school doors as an 11 year old in Year 7.<br />
I believe passionately in the comprehensive state school system and believe that the education and opportunities on offer here<br />
easily rival that of any school from any sector in our local community and nationally.<br />
I use a quote with our students that sums up the ethos and aspiration that we hold for every child at our school “Success is never<br />
final, failure is never fatal, its courage that counts”.<br />
Should you wish to take the opportunity to visit the school and see for yourself and share in the daily successes and see the courage<br />
and resilience developed within our students then please do not hesitate to contact us at the school to arrange a tour at your<br />
convenience.<br />
Thank you for taking the time to read our <strong>Aspire</strong> magazine and I hope you enjoy sharing in the excellence that we stand for at<br />
Coombeshead Academy.<br />
Andrew Hulbert<br />
Headteacher<br />
WELCOME<br />
1
Ten Tors <strong>2018</strong><br />
Coombeshead Academy students started training for the Ten<br />
Tors Challenge in October 2017, completing one walk a month<br />
up until Christmas to give the students as much experience as<br />
possible of walking in the tough terrain on Dartmoor.<br />
As a school we encourage students to do the challenge as it is<br />
an opportunity to develop invaluable life skills for the students<br />
and helps them to learn that they are able to achieve far more<br />
than what they first thought, especially by working as part of a<br />
team.<br />
By February <strong>2018</strong> Coombeshead students started camping<br />
and learning about their camp craft. In preparation for the<br />
challenge they aimed to do five day-walks and five weekend<br />
camps, although this was challenging due to the adverse<br />
weather conditions. The students overcame the freezing winter<br />
temperatures and snow, showing resilience and dedication by<br />
completing a hike on one Sunday, despite the previous evening<br />
temperatures being below zero with fierce wind chill.<br />
Coombeshead students continued to learn valuable lessons<br />
throughout the months of training and successfully completed<br />
a 35 mile hike whilst also preparing for summers exams. Their<br />
remarkable commitment ensured that they completed this<br />
incredible challenge.<br />
Well done to the 3 Year 10 and 3 Year 9 students for their<br />
incredible hard work throughout the months of preparation<br />
and successfully completed Ten Tors at 16.40pm on Sunday. The<br />
team work and determination of the Coombeshead students<br />
really shone through. The whole school is extremely proud of<br />
the team and they look forward to the event again next year.<br />
ACHIEVEMENT<br />
2
ENGLISH<br />
A Level Theatre Trip<br />
Twenty Sixth Form English students enjoyed a<br />
modern production of their set text ‘A Streetcar<br />
Named Desire’ by Tennessee Williams.<br />
For those who were due to take their final A<br />
level exams, this was a fantastic opportunity to<br />
approach the production with a critical view<br />
to apply in the summer exams.<br />
We even managed to take a Year 11 student<br />
who will be joining the course next year.<br />
A highlight of our annual theatre trip to The<br />
Bristol Old Vic was a visit to our favourite<br />
restaurant for lunch to make sure we all<br />
had enough energy to take us through the<br />
performance!<br />
Many thanks to Ms Faull for organising the trip.<br />
Carnegie Shadowing Winners!<br />
A selection of Year 10 students had the opportunity to<br />
attend the Carnegie Shadowing day at Stover School<br />
on the 14th June.<br />
Each school was allocated a Carnegie shortlisted book<br />
which they interpreted and performed in The Jubilee<br />
Hall at Stover.<br />
Students had the exciting opportunity to meet Mitch<br />
Johnson, author of ‘Kick’, and were given some advice<br />
about how to fulfil a career as a writer.<br />
After the performances, each school from surrounding<br />
areas voted for the performance, which most made<br />
them want to read the book. Coombeshead Academy’s<br />
dramatic performance achieved the most amount of<br />
votes and won the shadowing event.<br />
A fantastic achievement for the students involved.<br />
Well done Year 10!<br />
SPORT, CONFERENCE & FACILITY HIRE<br />
@ COOMBESHEAD ACADEMY<br />
SPACES TO HIRE FOR ALL OCCASIONS<br />
PLEASE PHONE: 01548 855261<br />
Email: reservations@educationsouthwest.org.uk<br />
3
Rocking the Devon County Show!<br />
The Coombeshead Academy Soul Band and<br />
Folk Group wowed the crowd at one of Devon’s<br />
highest profile events on Thursday 17 th May.<br />
The ensembles were invited to play at the<br />
prestigious event by the Devon Music Education<br />
Hub and managed to fit the event into their<br />
already packed performance diaries.<br />
Upon arriving at the Exeter Westpoint Arena,<br />
the students were thrilled to discover that they<br />
were due to perform on the big main stage to a<br />
large audience.<br />
As the time ticked just passed lunchtime the<br />
food court was already busy just as the Soul<br />
Band started their performance.<br />
As they started to play even more people<br />
gathered to enjoy their lunch and more<br />
importantly, to enjoy the music.<br />
The Soul Band performed a 25 minute set which included some old soul classics and also soul versions of current pieces of<br />
contemporary music.<br />
The Coombeshead Academy Folk Group<br />
followed on from the Soul Band and continued<br />
to impress and amaze the Devon County Show<br />
audience. Performing original renditions of<br />
contemporary classics, the seven folk musicians<br />
filled the stage with great live music.<br />
Many members of the public commented on<br />
how professional, talented, and pleasing to the<br />
ear both bands were, with some even making<br />
the mistake in thinking they were listening to a<br />
recording!<br />
The students were a credit to Coombeshead<br />
Academy and really enjoyed the experience of<br />
performing for such a large audience.<br />
The talented young musicians at Coombeshead<br />
continue to challenge the distinction between<br />
‘school group’ and ‘professional working<br />
bands’.<br />
EXPRESSIVE ARTS<br />
4
Dazzling Music and Drama Trip to London<br />
Expressive Arts students at Coombeshead Academy had a fun<br />
filled and educational two day trip to London. They started<br />
their adventure by seeing the breath-taking 42nd Street at<br />
the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Students were amazed by the<br />
precise routines and sceptical set design.<br />
Meanwhile, Music BTEC students saw a live performance of Les<br />
Miserables, commenting that they were speechless because it<br />
took them on a real ‘emotional roller-coaster’. The BTEC music<br />
students were then mesmerised by Phantom Thread at The<br />
Royal Festival Hall, experiencing the power of what London<br />
Contemporary Orchestra can bring to cinematography. The<br />
film has been nominated for 6 Oscars, including director Paul<br />
Thomas Anderson and composer Jonny Greenwood, the<br />
guitarist from Radiohead.<br />
Afterwards, the Coombeshead students were fortunate enough<br />
to witness the incredible talent and vocal performance of the<br />
Dream Girls cast, drawing most students to tears. One student<br />
commented that ‘Dreams girls was moving and powerful, it<br />
was extremely hard hitting and made us all cry.’<br />
The next day the Coombeshead Drama students attended<br />
a fantastic Commercial Dance Workshop at the famous<br />
Pineapple Dance Studios with Jessica Mason, an ex<br />
Coombeshead student who now performances on Celebrity<br />
Cruises.<br />
Meanwhile the Music students composed their own scores<br />
using the latest Apple Mac software, in a music tech workshop,<br />
at the St Luke’s Centre which is part of the London Symphony<br />
Orchestra. One Music student said that the workshop was<br />
‘interesting and informative.’<br />
To end their career inspiring trip, they visited The New London<br />
Theatre and were dazzled by talented young performers<br />
playing live Rock and Roll music, including an electric guitar<br />
backwards! A Coombeshead student commented that ‘It<br />
was the best child cast I have ever seen, they were insanely<br />
talented and made us all wish we were in a rock band’.<br />
All pupils felt extremely privileged to have the opportunity to<br />
take part in this wonderful experience which allowed them<br />
to witness the workings of the professional performing arts<br />
industry. The trip inspired, motivated and enthused students to<br />
follow their dreams.<br />
Year 13<br />
Performance<br />
Exam<br />
The year 13 Component<br />
two performance exam<br />
took place on 7 th March.<br />
The students worked<br />
endless hours to perform<br />
their own interpretation of<br />
‘Dancing at the Lughnasa’<br />
by Brian Friel.<br />
57
DMEH Ten Pieces Orchestral Extravaganza<br />
On Friday 9 th March at the Great Hall Exeter University, members<br />
of our Bushell Youth Community Orchestra were involved in a new<br />
initiative ran by Devon Music Education Hub. We spent the afternoon<br />
rehearsing alongside another 300 local Devon young musicians to<br />
produce a mass orchestra where we performed three pieces of<br />
music together. This was supported by professional musicians from<br />
the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.<br />
We began preparing for this project after Christmas and we were<br />
visited in early February by the BSO associate conductor, Will<br />
Goodchild who ran one of our rehearsals as part of the project.<br />
The performance started at 7.00pm to a packed audience in the<br />
Great Hall, Exeter University and involved performances from the<br />
huge mass orchestra as well as the Devon Youth Symphony Orchestra<br />
and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.<br />
The Bushell Youth Community Orchestra is an independent<br />
orchestra that is funded by the Devon Music Education Hub. We run<br />
development groups to help young people improve their practical<br />
skills and eventually progress onto our orchestra. We currently have<br />
over 50 young local musicians who are involved in the orchestra and<br />
they are from various different schools in the local area, including –<br />
Coombeshead Academy, Teign School, Blackpool Primary School,<br />
Ipplepen Primary School, Moretonhampstead Primary School,<br />
Doddiscombsleigh Primary School, Chudleigh Primary School, Rydon<br />
Primary School, Canada Hill Primary School and Abbotskerswell<br />
Primary School.<br />
We rehearse every Tuesday evening between 3.45pm – 5.15pm at<br />
the Bushell Theatre, Coombeshead Academy.<br />
If you are interesting in joining our orchestra or development groups,<br />
please contact: andrew.tyner@coombesheadacademy.org.uk<br />
Folk Group at Abbotskerswell Fireworks Display<br />
In November, Coombeshead Academy Folk Band were invited to perform at the Abbotskerswell Fireworks Display. The pupils<br />
performed two 30-minute sets of old classic and contemporary folk songs to a very large crowd. They were very well received<br />
with members of the public saying what a great performance they had produced. The organisers also expressed a huge<br />
amount of gratitude to our pupils and commented on how well they performed.<br />
A big thank you to the performers from the folk group and the commitment they continue to show.<br />
86
GCSE Blast Event<br />
with the Bournemouth Symphony<br />
Orchestra<br />
Our year 11 GCSE Music group were very lucky to be offered free tickets to a GCSE Music<br />
presentation by a chamber ensemble from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. The<br />
event was presented by leading conductor and music educator, Patrick Bailey. We listened<br />
to performances of GCSE Music set works and Patrick gave an insightful and important<br />
discussion on each piece of music. We travelled by mini bus to Tor Bridge High School in<br />
Plymouth to watch a variety of pieces which were composed by:<br />
Bach Haydn, Dvorak, Copland and The Beatles<br />
The aim of the visit was for our pupils to experience live performances and in-depth discussions<br />
over the pieces of music they have to analyse and understand for their GCSE Music course.<br />
They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were taken aback by the style and technique<br />
shown from the performers and the informative and laidback approach from Patrick Bailey.<br />
Some of the comments made by our pupils included:<br />
Learning the historical context as well as listening to the music helped to develop my musical<br />
knowledge.<br />
It was really interesting to hear different styles of music, ones that I am not that familiar with.<br />
Orchestra for All!<br />
On Thursday 24 th of May, Coombeshead Academy musicians were invited to an Orchestra workshop day at KEVICC. The workshop<br />
was led by an organisation called Orchestra for All who focus on developing both young musicians and helping new teachers to<br />
improve their ensemble direction skills.<br />
Eight students from Coombeshead Academy attended with Music teaching staff, Mr Procter and Miss Hignett (from Teign School)<br />
who spent time developing their conducting skills.<br />
The day itself was led by Bob Pepper MBE, who is an Associate Head teacher at Dame Alice Owen’s School and has been a music<br />
educator for 40 years. The day was extremely great fun and educational.<br />
7
BTEC Music Performance<br />
On Wednesday the 23rd May, Coombeshead Academy held a wonderful Post 16 BTEC Music Performance Concert<br />
in the Bushell Theatre.<br />
This was an opportunity for all Year 12 and 13 BTEC Music students to perform their music coursework they had been<br />
working on for their assessments. The standard of the performances were excellent and the audience were very<br />
impressed with how professional the student’s were. There was a great turn out from parents and fellow students<br />
helping to support and encourage the students involved.<br />
8
Aesops Fables<br />
The Year 8 Coombeshead Academy Theatre in<br />
Education company has toured around local Primary<br />
schools with the production of ‘Aesop’s Fables II.’ We<br />
visited St Catherine’s, Bovey Tracey, Abbotskerswell,<br />
Ipplepen, All Saints Marsh, St Joseph’s and Highweek<br />
primary schools between 12th to 15th June.<br />
The play focused on four of Aesop’s fables, which<br />
included Belling the Cat, The Lion in Love, The Boy<br />
Who Cried Wolf and The Fox Without a Tail. The<br />
students played a variety of extravagant characters.<br />
The performance included songs, adapted by the<br />
students, and exciting dances, as well as lots of<br />
audience interaction.<br />
The Primary school children were extremely<br />
enthusiastic to be involved in the performance,<br />
making decisions and informing the cast on what<br />
to do on stage, with lots of them calling out, ‘he’s<br />
behind you!’<br />
At the end of the performances the Primary school<br />
children’s responses were extremely positive, with one<br />
student not wanting us to leave, and the suggestions<br />
for improvement from many were to ‘add another<br />
fable’.<br />
The Coombeshead students have been extremely<br />
committed, bringing imaginative ideas and<br />
energy to the making of the performance. The<br />
students produced a very polished and enjoyable<br />
performance, which was of a high standard and one<br />
of which they should be very proud!<br />
Meriel Hughes (Drama Teacher)<br />
The touring show has been an amazing experience.<br />
One of my favourite parts was when we had just<br />
had a great show, we were on our way back in<br />
the mini-bus and we were all singing ‘the wheels<br />
on the bus’. I really enjoyed was seeing all of the<br />
children’s faces in the shows.<br />
In the show I played two characters; my first<br />
character is an ‘Auntie’, I really enjoyed playing<br />
her because she is very bossy. My second<br />
character is ‘Vickie is Snicky and Sly’ and at the<br />
end I was the one who found the tail.<br />
So, if you go to Coombeshead then do the touring<br />
show because it will make your year.<br />
Rosie<br />
PRIMARY LIAISON<br />
I have really enjoyed my experience of the<br />
touring show because not a lot of schools have<br />
this opportunity. I really recommend coming<br />
to Coombeshead Academy because of the<br />
opportunities teachers give you. I played the ‘Lion’<br />
part in the ‘Lion in Love’. I really loved my part<br />
because it was challenging but also really fun! The<br />
audience was really engaging when we wanted<br />
them to be. Overall, I would do it all over again!<br />
Olivia<br />
I am part of the Coombeshead touring show. I think that<br />
the touring show is a really good experience and a great<br />
way to build your confidence, because you are performing<br />
in front of crowds of students every day of the week.<br />
My favourite part about the show are the children’s<br />
reactions when they get asked a question or we<br />
go down to the audience in one of the songs.<br />
Charlie<br />
The touring show was an incredible experience. I had one of<br />
the best weeks of my entire 13 years, everyone was kind and<br />
we all thoroughly enjoyed every second. This performance<br />
gave me a lot of life experience and made me appreciate<br />
things a lot more. Thank you so much Coombeshead for<br />
giving me this amazing opportunity, it was a completely<br />
phenomenal and unique experience.<br />
Hollie 9
Coursework Projects<br />
From last September, all pupils studying<br />
GCSE Resistant Materials or Graphic products,<br />
worked hard to complete the coursework element<br />
of their exam. They had to produce an in-depth<br />
design portfolio and a finished artefact. Projects<br />
were many and varied, including a toy trolley,<br />
childs’ DVD rack, Serpents Twist roller coaster<br />
entrance, tractor tools accessory box, horse<br />
accessory box, games console and DVD holder,<br />
Samurai roller coaster ride entrance, Pirate ship<br />
play area and many more. The outcomes were high<br />
quality and displayed a wide range of skills and<br />
knowledge.<br />
Special mention must go to the students who<br />
attended all the after school workshops and<br />
lunchtime sessions and worked especially hard<br />
to ensure their product was made to the highest<br />
quality possible.<br />
A fantastic collection of well made and interesting<br />
products. Well done Year 11 Design and Technology<br />
students!<br />
TECHNOLOGY<br />
10
In-Class Debates<br />
Year 8 History students studying World War I carry out a<br />
class debate (Boys verses Girls), considering whether Field<br />
Marshal Douglas Haig was a butcher or a hero at the Battle<br />
of the Somme?<br />
HISTORY & SOCIOLOGY<br />
Battle of Hastings<br />
re-enactment<br />
Who should be King?
WWI Trenches<br />
Year 8 History students studying World War I<br />
carry out a class debate (Boys verses Girls),<br />
considering whether Field Marshal Douglas<br />
Haig was a butcher or a hero at the Battle of<br />
the Somme?<br />
Many thanks to parents and family for any<br />
help given.<br />
Sixth Form Sociology<br />
Year 12 students presenting summaries of Phenomenology<br />
and Ethnomethodology; two approaches to understanding<br />
arguments about how society is socially constructed.<br />
Year 13 pupils preparing an essay plan examining the impact<br />
of new media technologies such as social media, virtual<br />
reality and computer games on individual behaviour and<br />
societal institutions.
Culinary Experiences<br />
This is my fourth year at Coombeshead Academy and I am always<br />
looking at ways to move the catering forward.<br />
Having come from a mainly hotel background where I achieved AA<br />
rosette standard, before moving to the care sector and achieving<br />
‘fame’ as a competition winner, I came to school catering. And I am<br />
glad I did, I love this job! It is a great opportunity to educate young<br />
people in the vastness of culinary delights.<br />
I am always looking at what new culinary experiences I can bring to<br />
the students.<br />
In the past three years we have tried many different things, from<br />
themed days to speciality taster days. These have included:<br />
• Chinese New Year week – Chow mein, Duck and Hoi Sin sauce<br />
Wraps, Beef in Black Bean sauce<br />
• Spanish day – Paella, Artichokes, Chorizo<br />
• American day – Jumbalaya, Gumbo, Grits<br />
• Mexican day – Fajita, Burritos<br />
• Curry weeks – Australian Red Crocodile Curry, Thai Red and Green<br />
Curries, Brazilian Chicken and Spinach Curry, Malaysian Rendang<br />
and Massaman Curries, Moroccan Lamb and Lentil Curry,<br />
Japanese Katsu Curry, Caribbean Goat Curry<br />
• International day – Escargot, Sushi, Caviar and Halloumi<br />
• Burns night – Haggis (this was piped around the dining-room before<br />
being ‘addressed’ and served)<br />
What’s next ?<br />
It always amazes me what our students will try.<br />
When we had the snails I thought a few dozen would be enough…..boy was I wrong! Long after they had all gone I still had<br />
students asking me if they could try one. We should have ordered ten dozen!<br />
Obviously I cannot do all of this alone and it would only be possible with the fantastic team of catering staff I have. Two of my<br />
team are training to become qualified chefs and we have a kitchen culture of learning all the time. How school catering has<br />
changed!<br />
So, the Coombeshead catering team welcomes new cuisine and what it may bring in terms of culinary excitement.<br />
PAUL EVANS<br />
E.S.W. CATERING OPERATIONS MANAGER (NORTH HUB)<br />
CHEF MANAGER COOMBESHEAD ACADEMY<br />
DINING HALL<br />
13
Coombeshead Academy<br />
Coombeshead Road<br />
Newton Abbot<br />
TQ12 1PT<br />
Tel: 01626 <strong>2018</strong>00<br />
Email: welcome@coombeshead.com<br />
www.coombeshead.com