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ASPIRE BELIEVE SUCCEED Nailsea School The Nailsea Press

Autumn Term e‐newsletter

inside.... noticeboard: 2 house & sport: 3 student pages: 4 / 5 parent pages: 6 / 9 round up: 10

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Nailsea School ASPIRE BELIEVE SUCCEED

Headteacher: Mr Christopher Wade Nailsea School Mizzymead Road, Nailsea, Bristol, BS48 2HN Telephone: 01275 852251 Fax: 01275 854512 e‐mail: [email protected] Web: www.nailseaschool.com

Congratulations to Molly Chidzey who has became the u13s Bristol County Judo Champion. Molly was unbeaten in all her

matches.

ASPIRE BELIEVE SUCCEED


house and sport the nailsea press

Dragon House Point Leader Board Year 7 Poppy Lloyd Harry Newcombe Year 8 Amy White James McCreanor Year 9 Sophie Fraser Henry Symonds Year 10 Katie Havill Jack Carlton Year 11 Hannah Simms Ethan Hill

Unicorn House Point Leader Board Year 7 Laren Hawkins Jamie Hall Year 8 Rachel Hill George Lilley Year 9 Jessica Turner Oliver Camp Year 10 Lauren Partridge Liam MacGregor Year 11 Ellie Marshall Oliver Cattermole

Phoenix House Point Leader Board Year 7 Eva Seccombe Benjamin Clasper Year 8 Marta Llobet Ayala Ace Espinosa Year 9 Evie Loveridge Stewart Shepperd Year 10 Jade Stone Jonathan White Year 11 Georgie Williams Samuel Cook

Griffin House Point Leader Board Year 7 Iona Cutler William Penney Year 8 Emily Richards Benjamin Richardson Year 9 Chloe Lawrence Ethan Knight Year 10 Melinda Boye Benjamin Fisher Year 11 Anna Richardson Joshua Ham

Sports News Year 10 Rugby vs Gordano by Jack Linzell We started this year off very well by winning our first match on 30th September against Gordano. Even though the pitch was very uneven and we were blinded by the sunlight, we managed to get ahead of Gordano in the first half by scoring 2 brilliant tries and two lovely conversions by Brad Cogan who was very accurate and reliable all afternoon. Unfortunately Gordano scored a try just before half time which meant we would have to work harder in the second half. Fortunately we were now facing away from the sun which meant we could use our kicks to our advantage. In this half we dominated!

We started off slow but then we gradually got better. There were some great tries scored by Joe Collins, Will Allward, Nathan Hall and a few others. The movement and clean lines of running from the backs carved the Gordano defence in two. By the end we had destroyed their midfield by going with the ball carrier and supporting him, getting into our attacking and defensive line straight away and making full use of the width of the pitch. The final result was 43‐10.

6th Form Update

New Year 12s are getting into the swing of their new courses

now. We are delighted that nearly 70% of last year’s Year 11 have

chosen to continue their education at Nailsea. Many are on one of the 32 A Level/Level 3 courses that we offer, and our ground breaking Foundation Year has got off to a fantastic start with 16 students

enrolled on it.

Year 13s are extremely busy, not only with A Level work, but also getting university applications completed. Our Oxbridge

applicants have an earlier deadline to apply by, so they will be the first

applications sent off very soon. Good luck to all Year 13s in this difficult and stressful process.

Year 10 Work Shadowing Day

Wednesday 19 November Please return consent forms by

4 November

Nailsea School Careers Fair

Wednesday 12 November 4.30 pm – 7.00 pm

Talk to representatives from colleges, universities,

apprenticeship providers, local businesses and the public sector Especially suitable for students

from Years 9 – 13


Inspiring Equality by Josh Penney and Ed Bugler You may have thought 29th September to 3rd October was a week like every other, but what you may not have been aware of was that it was Nailsea School's Prejudice Awareness Week. During the week students were given a chance to reflect on the sacrifices made by powerful historical figures in their attempts to inspire equality throughout their communities. October is Black History Month, but why is black history so important? Throughout time, equality has been an issue that has faced people of all races and religions. However, one of the most notable examples is the incredible work done by historical figures in order to fight for equality between black and white people. One of the most famous examples is Martin Luther King Jr, who sought equality through peaceful means, such as his incredibly well known "I have a dream" speech. As a Christian minister, his main influence was Jesus and the Christian gospels, which he would almost always quote in his various speeches and protests. His faith and views were strongly based on the commandment, “love thy neighbour as yourself”. However, many children are unaware of other, equally important members of the age old fight for equality. This year, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of World War II, Black History Month will be focusing on black soldiers during World War II, who gave their lives for Britain, even though they were seen as inferior by most of the country! So in conclusion, make sure you use this month to reflect on the hardships people have felt at the hands of prejudice, and to reflect upon how you treat others in your community. After all, Nailsea School is a strong community, and everyone deserves to be treated equally.


student pages the nailsea press

Artwork of the Fortnight by Cameron Milne

WWI History Trip by Chloe Trickey and Lydia Moore On Monday 13th October, thirteen Year 9 students from Nailsea School went on a history trip to learn all about WWI. When we arrived at the M‐Shed, we had our first conference which was one hour long. The conference was taken by a professor from the University of Bristol. After listening to the lecture, followed by a short break, students could pick the workshop they wanted to take part in. We chose the “War and Conscience” workshop. It was all about why men didn’t want to go to war and how they applied for exemption. They were faced with the Tribunal which we played! It was very interesting and it was quite surprising. The next workshop we chose was the “War and Words” workshop. Firstly an author and war specialist named Jacqueline Wadsworth, talked to us about real life soldiers and the letters that they had written to their family members and the outcomes of them. We then had a poet and ex‐soldier called John Jeffcock talk to us about poetry and the war poems book that he had produced.


student pages the nailsea press

Finally, after another short break, we had a “question time” session where we could ask all the guests that had come to take the workshops, questions. This was very inspiring and extended our knowledge. We could also look around a “Moved by Conflict” exhibition and go to the gift shop. Overall, we learned lots and really enjoyed the day.

Excitement Builds for Bugsy by Will Stannard Rehearsals are well underway for the highly anticipated Bugsy Malone in December, and everybody involved is relishing the challenge. Joel Knight who plays Bugsy sums it up perfectly saying, “It’s great because it’s a kids’ based musical and the majority of actors are kids.” Poppy Morgan said “I was nervous coming into it but everybody’s been so welcoming” whereas Hollie Cox has no such reservations, and is “looking forward to performing in front of everyone”. Darcy, performing in her first ever Nailsea School production says she is “really impressed by the standard of everybody involved”. Joel Rothwell revealed “everybody’s working really hard in rehearsals” and predicted that it’s going to be a really great show. As well as a place for hard work, Rehearsals are also great fun for everybody involved, Georgia going as far as to say “It’s the most fun I’ve ever had making a play”. Choreographer and actress Ashleigh Westgate believes it’s going to be a “gangster experience like no other”, wetting our appetite for what will surely be a brilliant play. Tickets for Bugsy Malone are on sale now from Nailsea School Reception ‐ Adults £8, Concessions £5

6th Form ‘Bosom Buddies’ By Mr Hellier This annual rugby match has been taking place for a number of years now, and is always well supported. This year the chosen charity was Bosom Buddies, a breast cancer charity, to tie in with the local Rugby Club’s Pink Ladies Day charity event. The collections made during the match totalled an excellent £160. The game was hard fought with a number of virtuoso performances. The Year 13 side dominated the first half scoring 16 unanswered points. The half time team talk

Diary of a Deputy Head by Ms Heal My first month at Nailsea school has flown by and I would like to thank all the staff, students and parents for making me feel so welcome. Leaving my previous school after 13 years was always going to be a wrench, but I have definitely made the right decision to join Nailsea at such an exciting time in its development. I have tried to document the many amazing things I have witnessed so far this term on my Twitter feed @DeputyHNailsea, which I would ask you to follow so you can get a flavour of the events that are going on in school. Highlights so far include the amazing performances of students in ‘Live Music Fridays’ which certainly gives all of the audience something to aspire towards and the belief in the ability for all students to succeed and progress, which I am seeing on my visits to many lessons across the school. Students should be proud of their ‘small successes’ such as being on time for school every day, putting up their hand in class, completing their homework, attending an extra curricular club – and it is on these small steps that bigger successes are built. The school vision of ‘Aspire Believe Succeed’ has certainly been evident for new members of staff, like myself, and I look forward to celebrating with students, staff and parents during the rest of this year.



parent pages the nailsea press

must have motivated the Year 12 Team (which also included a small number of Year 11 students) who came back on to the pitch in fine form. By the final whistle the Year 12s had secured a victory over their older counterparts with a score of 31 points to 22. Both teams would like to thank the supporters who turned out for this match, all those who made a donation to the charity, Mr Morris for refereeing and to Nailsea and Backwell RFC for hosting the event.

Former Student Inspires School Council By Mr Hellier Nailsea School are always keen to hear about former students and their success at whichever career path they have chosen to follow. They were extremely happy, therefore, to receive a visit from a Claire Perry MP, the Member of Parliament for Devizes constituency, who returned to her childhood home town to visit her former secondary school. Claire has recently been appointed as the Parliamentary Under‐Secretary of State for the Department of Transport and was invited by the school to come and see what the modern Nailsea School can offer local young people. During the visit Claire handed out Student Council ties in the Griffin House Assembly and spoke to the students encouraging participation in student councils. She then went on to a Student Council meeting, where she told council members about how she became an MP before answering their questions. It was inspiring for them to see that a former pupil of their school had



become an MP, and made them think about their own future ambitions. Claire also received a tour of the school which received a re‐build in 2000. Claire Perry said “I so enjoyed visiting my old school, meeting current pupils and seeing all the new plans coming together. The new buildings are impressive and there is a real buzz about the place with the motto; “Aspire Believe Succeed” really summing up what the school is all about. Meeting my old teacher, Mr Richards, who is now Deputy Head at Nailsea was a highlight as it was his aspirations for me that started me off on my career journey.” Headteacher Chris Wade enthused “It was a huge privilege to welcome Claire Perry MP to the school. Her passion for education and how it can transform lives was clear when she spoke to representatives from the Student Council. She was inspirational in her approach and very keen to maintain the link she has with the school. “




DEN Receives Charity Boost By Ms Hollingdale The DEN (Developing Engagement with Nature) is the latest of Nailsea School’s pioneering projects to provide a holistic education for its students. Through gardening, bushcraft and environmental art activities pupils are given the opportunity to explore new skills, enjoy being active outside, as well as improve on their team building skills and increase confidence. Over a period of just 6 months a plain area in the school grounds has been transformed into a truly individual outdoor classroom area, designed by the students, with living willow structures, recycled tyre planters and a dug out fire pit. There are also plans afoot for a plastic bottle greenhouse, and a mosaic seating area to add even more colour to the DEN. Quick to support this exciting local resource, Nailsea Community Trust have made a fantastic donation of £4,500 to help the project expand. This will pay for much needed tools and plants, as well as a workshop for the community and double gates to the DEN designed by local blacksmith Sam Bailey with students from the school.

Nancy Elliott from Nailsea Community Trust said, "We are very excited about helping this new project get off the ground. We think it is a brilliant opportunity for the young people of Nailsea and the wider community to learn about the natural world that surrounds us, and gain skills that have great value both personally and environmentally. The Trust's Directors have been impressed by the enthusiasm, experience and knowledge that Ms Hollingdale shares with everyone involved in this project. We believe Nailsea School has created a valuable resource and the Trust wishes the DEN every success as it grows and becomes an asset to the whole community." The school welcomes members of the community through their garden gates, whether you would like to hire out the facilities for events or training, or to take part in the community workshops they have planned. There are also ideas for a community beehive being discussed, so if you’ve ever fancied trying your hand at beekeeping let them know! For up to date information or to offer your own ideas for the project visit nailseaschool.com

International School Award Success by Mrs Shoesmith

Nailsea School, along with its partner school Shree Gattu Vidyalaya in India, have both been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of their work to bring the world into the classroom. The International School Award is a badge of honour for schools that do outstanding work in international education, such as through links with partner schools overseas. Nailsea School has been re‐accredited with the ISA for 2014‐17 due to the hard work put into embedding global activities into the curriculum. Examples of the projects we have taken part in include working with our partner school in India where our students and those in India skyped together and reviewed books from the Carnegie Award list. In ICT students worked with schools in France and Italy and investigated the different imagery associated with WWI and produced a symbol which represented all European countries involved in the conflict.



John Rolfe, from the British Council, said: ‘”The school’s fantastic international work has rightfully earned this prestigious award. The International School Award is a great chance for schools to demonstrate the important work they’re doing to bring the world into their classrooms. Adding an international dimension to children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful future careers in an increasingly global economy.”

“The School’s fantastic international work has rightly earned this prestigious award.”


Message from the Headteacher

by Chris Wade


round up the nailsea press

Nailsea School Becomes Dear! by Mrs Hardill & Mrs Taylor We enjoy doing whole school activities at Nailsea School which is why we’re all taking part in a new “DEAR” project. Beginning on Tuesday 4th November, during tutor time, students and staff will......

Drop

Everything

And

Read

The aim of this enterprise is to allow everyone in our school community to read, at the same time, every week. This will be a great opportunity to relax quietly with a book of your choice. A really positive aspect of reading for pleasure means that students are more able to improve potential exam grades and academic

This term has been incredibly busy, with so many activities, trips, and events, as well as a packed curriculum. I think we are all ready for the break. The students have worked really hard this term and I have been so pleased with the smooth start of the Year 7s. GCSE and A Level work has been moving at a rapid pace, with students committing to lessons, revision

sessions and after school clubs wholeheartedly. Our new staff have hit the ground running and made a great impact already. Please spend time over the holiday going through you child’s progress report and get in touch with your child’s tutor or class teacher if you have any questions.

Please also, make your booking for our first Academic Monitoring Day on 25 November (details in the letter sent out yesterday), as this is your opportunity to meet the tutor and discuss progress across all subjects. Have a great half term break.

achievement. It’s our policy that all students have a reading book with them at all times so there’s no excuse! Parents are invited to join in of course, you could choose a time to suit or shadow our DEAR session every Tuesday from 1.40‐ 2.00 pm. Mrs Taylor would be delighted to receive any book reviews you feel inspired to write. To encourage the DEAR project, awards will be given to students who chart the most progress and who are “caught” reading. We are also going to launch this venture with a book themed cake decorating competition between staff, so join us in the Atrium on Monday 3rd November at lunch time to see how “DEARly” staff can design a book cover with icing!

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