#TCCLife Issue 4 April 2025

#TCC
Life
Issue 4: April 2025
Cover photo: Thurston Sixth
Panama Expedition 2025 (page 8)
Celebrating life across the Thurston Community College and Thurston
Sixth community
Welcome Year 6!
We are welcoming nearly 300
Year 7s in September. Find out
more about joining us on page 4.
Challenges Abroad
Thurston Sixth students had an
incredible time in Panama. Read
all about it on page 8.
TCC rocked you!
Student News take a look back at
our sell out 2025 whole College
production on page 6.

Welcome!
from the Principal
Maéve Taylor
Like the calendar
year, school years
follow a traditional
pattern; times when
we say hello, times
when we say
goodbye, times when
we look back and
sometimes when we
look forward to the
future.
This Spring seems to be especially sunny and
welcoming and I feel that this mood is reflected
in our latest newsletter; one in which we see the
warmth of Panama and read of the symbolic
rainbow in Ypres. Looking back on the fabulous
We Will Rock You show, made me wish we could
enjoy this all over again, and whilst I am starting
to feel sad about saying farewell to our Year 11s
and Year 13s we celebrate all that they have
brought to the College and then get excited
about welcoming in our Year 6 families!
The recent focus on Mental Health and
Wellbeing acknowledges that we will all have
times where life can feel challenging but there
are many ways in which we can focus on
positives and keep well, and of course this is
important all year around.
So much more than we could capture in this
newsletter happens every week in the College
and we hope you follow us on our social media
platforms to keep up to date with the music,
sports, visits and other events taking place.
We would like to wish everyone a restful Easter
break and send our best wishes to all of our
students in Years 11 and 13 who will sit their
GCSE or A level exams in the Summer term. We
know they have worked hard up to this point
and with a positive attitude they should achieve
success this year.
Key Dates For Your Diary
What’s happening at TCC?
Thursday 03 April 2025
Year 6 Welcome Evening
Friday 04 April 2025
Year 7-13 Reports Published
Year 8 Rainbow Day
Monday 07 April - Friday 18 April 2025
Spring Holiday
Monday 21 April 2025
Bank Holiday - Easter Monday
Tuesday 22 April 2025
Students return to College
Wednesday 30 April 2025
Year 11 Music Exam Performance
Monday 05 May 2025
Bank Holiday
Tuesday 06 May 2025
Year 11 Dance Exam Performance
Tuesday 13 May 2025
#TCCTalk!
Monday 19 May - Friday 23 May 2025
Year 10 Work Experience
Friday 23 May to Sunday 08 June 2025
Year 12 Challenges Abroad Visit to Thailand
Monday 26 May - Friday 30 May 2025
Half Term Holiday
For events taking place further ahead
visit www.thurstoncollege.org/calendar
Photo: World Book Day at TCC
In this issue…
Welcome Year 6 4
Looking back at our 2025 whole College production 6
Our Year 12 exhibition to Panama 8
Visiting The Battlefields: Our Year 11 trip to Ypres and The Somme 14
British Science Week: Celebrating STEM 17
Wellbeing at TCC: How we celebrated Mental Health Week 18
Meet Mr Costa: A Student News feature on our Lead Mental Health Practitioner 19
What would you like to see in future editions
of our #TCCLife Newsletter? Email your
suggestions to admin@thurstoncollege.org.
Don’t forget to follow us on social
media to stay up to date with all
things TCC and Thurston Sixth.
2 3
Photo: World Book Day at Thurston Sixth

Welcome Year 6
News from our Transition Coordinator
Spring Term brings a very busy
and exciting time for the
Transition Team: National Offer
Day on 3 March means that we
now have lots of excited Year 6s
preparing to say farewell to their
primary schools in the not-sodistant
future and looking forward
to being warmly welcomed to our College.
As part of my role, I have enjoyed visiting as
many of our local primary schools as I can to talk
to our new students, share key details about TCC
and continue in my aim to turn those natural
nerves into eager excitement. On those visits, I
have also been meeting with lots of our local Year
6 teachers to find out all of the details which help
us to create such a smooth transition for the
students, their families and staff.
Here at TCC, we are now preparing to welcome
our new students in lots of different ways over
the coming months:
Welcome Evening is 3 April 6-8pm and provides a
perfect opportunity to share key information and
allow students and parents to meet for
potentially the first time.
meet their tutors and begin to sample some of
our TCC lessons.
As well as all of these Year 6 activities, we were
delighted to welcome some local Year 5 classes
to join us for some British Science Week fun and
are preparing to launch our next Year 5/6
competition, this time focused on arty skills.
During the summer term, we'll then be excited to
send out invitations to primary schools to join us
for the matinee performance of the KS3
production, 'Annie'!
Mrs Webdale
Transition Coordinator
WATCH: A Day in The Life of a Year 7 at TCC
www.thurstoncollege.org/transition
TCC Tuesday Club
Be sure to book your child’s place(s)
at one of our Tuesday Club sessions
as soon as possible to avoid
disappointment. Tuesday Club runs
on 29 April, 6 May, 13 May and 20
May and offers your child the
opportunity to try up to four taster
lessons/activities.
This year’s sessions are:
• Philosophy: What makes us 'us'?
• History: Dig School
• Student News: Breaking News - Lights,
Camera, Action!
• PE: Varied (Sporty) Sessions!
• English: Eager Explorers of English
• Languages: J'adore le francais/me
encanta el espagnol
• Design Technology
• Science: Sharpening Your Science
Practical Skills
• Art: Origami Magic
Book now!
www.thurstoncollege.org/tuesdayclub
TCC Tuesday Club starts at the end of April and
offers fun sessions to Year 6s allowing them to
meet each other and sample some of our
subjects as well as meeting our staff.
WATCH: #TCCTransitionTalk
www.thurstoncollege.org/transitiontalk
www.thurstoncollege.org/transition
July 9 and 10 will see our Year 6s join us for their
transition days and evenings where they can
Year 6 Team Building Day in September
Meet the Year Team
4 Year 5 Science Week activities at TCC
5
Mrs A Baker
Head of Lower School
Mrs R Harper
Head of Year
Mr J Moore
Student Support
Manager
Mrs B Hope
Year Administrator

TCC rocked you!
Looking back at our 2025 whole College production
A different
perspective…
Last half term, many students at Thurston
Community College performed a musical named
“We Will Rock You” which was set in a dystopian
future where Rock and Roll was banished and in
which the protagonists of Galileo and
Scaramouche discovered their purposes with
the help of new friends had to find the
legendary “Axe” to rebirth Rock and Roll and
defeat the evil Killer Queen. As the news team,
we were able to get access to see the show and
this is what some of the team had to say.
“I really enjoyed the musical numbers utilised
within the show and how the cast performed
them excellently, it really was impressive to see
fellow students perform at this high of a level. I
thought that the rock element of the costume
choice really added to the musical and gave it a
more vibrant and explosive look. Personally, I
think that my favourite scene was the hospital in
which Galileo and Scaramouche first met; I
again thought that the singing was excellent and
that Scaramouche’s part was especially
impressive. Overall I had no critiques about how
it was done and really liked watching it. I hope
that in the future they can continue to do these
performances to such a great level and will
definitely look forward to the next one!”
Flynn, Year 10
characters and how far the leads had come
since the beginning, really portraying characters
with all their personalities. I love how the Killer
Queen was presented and her vocals were
immaculate as well as Galileo’s and
Scaramouche’s. Tech crew did a great job of
getting the set on and off stage between scenes
and the crew in the box did great work with the
lighting and tying the whole show together. The
audience was very lively in the last show, really
adding to the special feeling of the last show. All
of the ensemble did great with the dances and
singing. My favourite part of the show is at the
end where the Killer Queen was defeated and
the Bohemians had won the battle of bringing
back rock and roll. There was only one small
issue for me where there were moments in the
show where the lighting was very bright white
and often shining into the audience. Apart from
the small lighting issue the show was very well
done, the set was amazing and the performing
arts staff and cast did a great job of bringing the
show to life and I definitely can’t wait to see
what’s on next year!”
Evelyn, Year 10
Noah in Year 10 was part of the
production’s live Pit Band:
“Being part of the pit band for Thurston
Community College’s production of We Will
Rock You, is not just about playing music - it is
about being part of something bigger. While
the audience sees the actors, we are the
engine that keeps the show moving and that is
what keeps us going throughout.
Throughout the endless and tiring rehearsals,
pushing through, but knowing the light at the
end of the tunnel is going to be worth it. Having
taken part in last year’s performance, again in
the pit band, I know how rewarding it can be. In
the end, whether you are on the stage or on
the pit band, being part of a show is an
experience to be remembered. What makes
this performance different to last year, is all the
music is familiar. It is enjoyable playing songs
that we already know. We already knew the
rhythms and found it a little bit easier to learn
the tracks. That’s not to say it was easy and Mrs
Stephens occasionally needed to bribe us with
biscuits to get through the harder sections of
the score.”
“The show was an epic watch. The cast was very
lively and produced a great performance! The
songs were very enjoyable and the pit band did
incredibly well to produce that for the show. I
loved watching the show as I got to see one of
the very first shows and the last and it was
amazing to see the development of the
Overall, the musical had very positive responses
which, if the detailed accounts from two of our
student news representatives had not already
shown, represented the sheer level of
professionalism, thought and training put into
the show. It truly was an exceptional
performance and we all here at Thurston are
very proud of how well our peers have done. We
really hope that everyone loved and enjoyed it
as much as we all did and if you want to see
more or missed this one, look out for the lower
school’s production of ‘Annie’ in June, for which
auditions are already underway.
Thomas S: Senior Student News Reporter
6 7
TCC proudly presented
The Musical by
Queen and Ben Elton

Challenges Abroad
Our Thurston Sixth expedition to Panama
During February of this
year, a group of twenty
students from Thurston
Community College’s
Sixth Form embarked
on a five-thousand mile
trip; all the way from
our small Suffolk
villages, to the beautiful
country of Panama. Admittedly, none of us were
truly aware of what to expect when we arrived,
but we were pleasantly surprised by its natural
beauty and the significance it holds on the
world's shipping industries, through the use of
the Panama Canal.
Panama City
Panama City is a vibrant metropolis, united by
both old and new. Standing in the middle of the
city's bay, we were surrounded by an incredible
skyline, of which consisted of towering
skyscrapers, standing proudly upon the
glistening water - and to the left of us, the
beautiful colonial buildings of the Casco Viejo
district.
Our group spent the first day exploring both the
‘New City’, as well as the ‘Old City’, allowing us to
further our knowledge when it came to the
economic and architectural developments of the
country. Our first stop was the Panama Canal,
deemed to be one of the most fundamental
engineering achievements in history, whereby it
allows both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans to
connect, changing global trade routes forever.
We were taught about the past, the present and
the future expansions and evolution of the canal
and were even lucky enough to experience the
ten minute process of a cargo ship entering and
exiting one of the canal's twelve locks.
We then continued onto Casco Viejo, also known
as the ‘Old City’; a historical district which truly
captures the country's vibrant community
culture and its affluent heritage. Wandering
down the winding cobbled streets, we were
welcomed by warm rays of sun and a joyous
atmosphere created by the locals, providing a
strong sense of safety. Our group were lucky
enough to explore the buzzing plazas, where we
were introduced to a national dance performed
by the Diablo Sucio (a person dressed in a devil
costume, which often comes out during time of
celebrations or festivals) as well as street
vendors who introduced us to Panamanian
sweet treats and dishes. We also spent
time in souvenir shops, purchasing
trinkets and allowing the few Spanish
speaking students to interact with locals
and build their confidence when using a
second language to communicate with
others, something which was carried on
throughout our trip!
Pedasi
After our first weekend exploring
Panama City, we travelled south of
the country to a small coastal town
called Pedasi. Situated directly on
the Azuero Peninsula, we were surrounded by a
picturesque landscape, with colours so vibrant
that it was as if our eyes were permanently
tinted with an enhanced saturation filter. Our
mornings here consisted of voluntary work at a
small conservation project, Pro Eco Azuero;
whereby we helped with the reforestation of
jungles and shrubs in the surrounding areas
through nurturing saplings and preparing them
in order to be planted in the coming months.
Our afternoons, on the other hand, were spent
immersing ourselves in Panamanian culture:
learning traditional dances, the painting of
Diablo Sucios, Spanish lessons and litter pick
walks to the local beach. We were all equally
surprised by the natural beauty this town held,
and how welcome we were made to feel by local
individuals, however it was soon time to move
on…
El Valle De Anton
Our final week in Panama was spent in the town
of El Valle, situated in the crater of an extinct
volcano. We soon realised this was far more of a
tourist destination, with local markets and shops
scattered along the main roads, along with
restaurants where people were given the
chance to explore Panamanian dishes for
themselves. We spent our first day climbing a
mountain, called ‘La India Dormida’, which stood
at an altitude of a whopping 3150 ft! Although
this was tiring for us all, the final view was so
worth the hike we had endured and an
experience we will collectively treasure together
forever. Our mornings here were spent down at
the local plaza, running summer camps for
school children ages six to eleven, with an aim
to teach them about the process of recycling.
This was an amazing experience for both us as
students, as well as the school children, as we
watched them interact with others - and as their
confidence grew, so did their English skills,
leaving us feeling immensely proud of ourselves
by the end of the week as we were able to see
the impact we had on the community. After
lunch, we were often given free time, which we
used to explore what the town had to offer. We
visited a range of places, including fresh fruit
markets and cafes where we often stopped for a
sweet treat.
Now back home in England, our trip has come to
an end, however each one of us has returned
with our own stories to tell, along with
memories and bonds that are bound to last a
lifetime. Panama is truly an amazing country, full
of life and such a strong sense of community. As
a group, we would strongly encourage you to
take part in a Challenges Abroad Trip if you are
ever given the opportunity, it really is a life
changing experience that we are so grateful we
could be a part of.
Darcy
Year 13
8 Josias Rodriguez 9

10 11 Josias Rodriguez

Josias Rodriguez
12 13

Community Advertisement
Visiting The Battlefields
Our Year 11 trip to Ypres and The Somme
As we stood on the plinth of the Thiepval
Memorial, looking at the colossal columns that
record the names of 72,000 without a known
grave, a rainbow appeared. Cutting through the
dark clouds, it reminded us of the other side of
the scales: the men who survived and came
home - the ray of light in the gloom.
There are thousands of books and movies
about the Great War of 1914-18, and they
mostly focus on the mud, blood and trenches.
The fact that 87% of all men who fought
returned home is almost lost amongst the gun
smoke.
Our trip aimed to show Year 11 that medical
advances in those four years meant that men
who were wounded had a pretty good chance of
survival. From our base in the beautiful town of
Ypres we explored sites in both Belgium and
France to gain a deeper and more accurate
understanding of what it meant to fight in the
war. Of course, we visited trenches and
battlefields, but we also stood where the
Christmas Truce football match was played and
marveled at the ingenuity of the combined fork
and spoon given to troops.
In battle, preserving life is just as important as
taking it. The medical bunkers at the Ypres
battle site called ‘Essex Farm’ and the hospital at
Lijssenthoek showed us the lengths that doctors
and nurses went to so that men could literally
‘fight another day.’
For Thurston students, on a rainy day in
February, it was easy to imagine the awful
conditions that men faced on the frontline. It
was harder to see the rainbows on a battlefield,
but it is definitely worth the effort - light and
hope existed everywhere, even on the Somme.
Mr Watkin
Visit Leader
14 15

British Science Week
Celebrating STEM
British Science Week took place from 7 - 16 March this year. A ten day celebration of science,
technology, engineering and maths; Science Week is the perfect opportunity to spark excitement
around STEM subjects. In school, students enjoyed lunchtime activities at the beginning of the
week, followed by two science themed educational visits towards the end of the week. We were
also delighted to welcome students from Thurston Primary Academy to help mark the occasion
too!
Your advert here!
Email admin@thurstoncollege.org
for more information
16 17

Wellbeing at TCC
How we celebrated Mental Health Week
Meet Mr Costa
A Student News feature on our Lead Mental Health Practitioner
For the past 11 years,
Children's Mental Health
Week has been raising
awareness of the
importance of young
people’s mental wellbeing.
This nationwide initiative
encourages open
conversations, spreads
awareness, and raises
funds to support vital
services for children’s mental health.
At Thurston Community College, we embraced this
year’s theme, "Know Yourself, Grow Yourself," by
organizing a series of activities designed to
promote self-expression and emotional wellbeing.
Students participated in arts and crafts, journaling,
positive affirmation poster-making, and
mindfulness colouring sessions. These activities
provided creative ways to explore emotions,
develop self-awareness, and manage stress.
Additionally, our student ambassadors played a
vital role throughout the week, leading discussions,
supporting activities, and helping to create a
welcoming space where their peers felt
comfortable talking about mental health.
In addition, we introduced a non-uniform day to
encourage students to embrace their individuality
and personal growth. This initiative reinforced the
importance of self-care and self-reflection, helping
students discover new ways to support their
mental health.
We are grateful for the enthusiasm and
participation from students and staff alike. Mental
health and wellbeing remain a priority at TCC, and
we encourage everyone to continue these
conversations beyond this special week.
Mr Costa
Lead Mental Health Practitioner
Have you read our latest
safeguarding blog?
Titled “Netflix Adolescence - a window
into our latest safeguarding
challenge”, Our latest safeguarding blog,
written by the College’s Designated
Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Ford, centres on
the very real subculture which underpins
the new four part Netflix drama.
Containing helpful advice on how to keep
your child safe, this blog is updated with
topical information; a must read for
parents and carers in our College
community and beyond.
Read on at
www.thurstoncollege.org/safeguarding
Safeguarding during the Spring Holiday
Please note that College telephones, general emails, and contact forms will not be monitored
during the spring holiday.
If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, please visit www.thurstoncollege.org/
safeguarding for information on the appropriate agencies to contact. In an emergency, always
dial 999.
As you now know - earlier this term, we
celebrated Wellbeing Week at TCC; Mr Costa and
the Wellbeing Team arranged a week of
activities for students to boost morale and
mental health. In the Wellbeing Hub on Monday,
they played uplifting music; Tuesday brought
arts and crafts to chill and have fun. On
Wednesday, students journalled to express their
feelings and emotions; Thursday, saw the
excitement of a treasure hunt with Charlotte
from the Mix and on Friday, the Wellbeing
Ambassadors organised a non uniform day to
support wellbeing and comfort. The aim of our
Wellbeing team in this week was to increase
awareness of mental health issues making sure
it's at the forefront of our wellbeing team and
staff's minds.
We caught up with Mr Costa,
Lead Mental Health Practitioner
at TCC, to find out a bit more
about his role; this is what he
had to say: “My role is to provide
direct support to students, foster
a positive mental health culture
within the school, and connect
families with external services to
ensure the wellbeing of our entire school
community. As the key link between external
mental health services, such as the Mental
Health Support Team (MHST), and our in-school
support network, I work closely with students
referred by our Student Support Officers and
Heads of Year. Through tailored interventions -
including low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy (CBT) and solution-focused approaches
- I equip students with effective coping
strategies to manage their challenges. In
addition, I lead group workshops, whole-school
initiatives, and awareness campaigns to
promote emotional resilience and mental
wellbeing across the college. Collaboration is at
the heart of our approach. I work alongside the
Designated Safeguarding Lead and other key
staff to take a holistic view of each student’s
needs, ensuring that both their emotional
wellbeing and safeguarding concerns are
addressed. This coordinated effort allows us to
provide comprehensive and continuous support
for every student who needs it. At the core of
our framework are our Student Support
Managers, who serve as the first point of contact
for students facing mental health challenges.
Additionally, students can access the Wellbeing
Hub, a dedicated space offering a range of
support services, including:
• 1:1 mentoring with our youth worker from
The Mix
• Small group workshops focused on building
confidence, resilience, and emotional
regulation
• Drop-in sessions for guidance, advice, and
immediate support
• Peer support through our Wellbeing
Ambassadors, who play a vital role in raising
awareness and fostering a culture of
openness and mutual support
Our aim is to ensure that every student feels
heard, supported, and empowered to navigate
life’s challenges with confidence. If you would
like more information about the Wellbeing Hub
or the support available, please feel free to
reach out.”
We feel that Mental Health Week was highly
valuable for many students in our college to
help them and support them and will truly be
very helpful for the wellbeing of all of us, staff
and students alike.
Jasmine B - Deputy Head of Student News
Thomas S - Senior Student News Reporter
Our Student News Team produce regular videos,
articles and occasional live broadcasts! Check
out our socials to see more of their work.
18 19

#TCCLife
Celebrating life at TCC and Thurston Sixth
Issue 4: April 2025
www.thurstoncollege.org