July 2014 www.darlandschool.co.uk

Aspire, Apply, Achieve Ymgeisio, Gweithredu, Cyflawni

Issue 27

The GriffinThe GriffinThe Griffin

A Message from the Headteacher As we approach the end of term, it is timely to look back over a momentous year for Darland High School. In the Autumn term, the school was inspected by Estyn and the resultant recommendations in the report have dominated the work of the staff in the months since. It has been pleasing to be able to report back to parents in our termly update meetings on the significant progress already made to meet our objectives, which centre around improving the quality of the learning experience for our students. With the unrelenting focus on what happens in classrooms, it is all the more heartening to recognise that there has been no diminution in the number of school events and extra-curricular activities which have taken place in the last 7 weeks. This copy of the Griffin is bursting with stories of visits, trips and school events, all of which testify to the vibrancy of life in Darland. I was especially pleased for instance, with the high number of awards we were able to present at our Awards Evening, attended by the deputy vice chancellor of Glyndŵr University. This event highlighted the emphasis we place at school on recognising achievement. Next week, we say goodbye to a number of staff, several of whom have spent most of their teaching careers at Darland: Mrs Thomas (Welsh department), Mrs Roberts (Technology) and Mr Noble (Special Needs) are all retiring. They have provided outstanding service over many years at Darland (teaching many parents of current students!) and we wish them a long and happy retirement. We also say farewell and thank you to a number of other staff who are leaving us to further their careers in other schools: Mr Robinson (Science), Mr Prestidge (Science), Mrs Vyas-Adams (RE), Ms Mari Evans (Welsh). Finally, a number of Teaching Assistants are leaving us to train to become teachers, namely: Miss Millington, Miss Braisdell, Miss Grant, Miss McCormick. All these people have touched the lives of Darland pupils in many ways and we hope they take with them, fond memories of the school community. In September, we welcome ten new teaching members of staff to Darland and I will be writing to parents in September to formally introduce them. My I wish all Darland students and their families, a restful an enjoyable summer break.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Friday 18th July - School closes for the summer holidays 2.30pm

Monday 1st September - Training Day Tuesday 2nd September - Training Day

Wednesday 3rd September - School opens Wednesday 10th September - Year 7 School Photographs

Thursday 11th September - Year 10 Parental Guidance Evening Friday 26th September - Charity Day - Whole School Sponsored Walk

Wednesday 1st October - Year 7 Settling in Evening Thursday 2nd October - Open Day

7th/8th/9th October - Year 7 trip - Why Chester? Thursday 9th October - Skills Plus Evening

Friday 17th October - Year 11 Life Skills Morning Wednesday 22nd October - Year 8 Girls HPV Injections

Thursday 23rd October - PTA Halloween Disco Friday 24th October - School Closes for half term

TRAINING DAYS 2014/15 - 1st September 2014, 2nd September 2014, 28th November 2014, 13th April 2015, 20th July 2015

YEAR 8 OUTDOOR ED 1st, 2nd and 3rd July 2014

Excitement filled the bus park when the whole of Year 8 embarked on their Outdoor Education trip to Llangollen. Everyone went for a minimum of one day however, there was an optional second activity day meaning some would have to camp overnight at Valley Crucis Abbey, Llangollen.

After setting up camp, they were all geared up for the nine mile walk which included a climb up Dinas Bran where they ate lunch admiring the breath taking views. Back at camp under sunny skies, they enjoyed a fun filled but relaxed evening with bbq food cooked by Mr Campion, thanks Sir! and even a guest appearance from Harry the hedgehog who visits us every year.

As day two dawned, students opted to participate in various activities which included canoeing, underground caving, climbing and mining. Staff and members of the public were equally impressed in the behaviour and enthusiasm of all of the students. Well done Year 8!

“BILLY ELLIOT” and “LES MISERABLES” WEEKEND June 2014

Years 10 and 11 had another amazing London theatre experience recently. 40 students and four members of staff once again went down to London to experience the razzle and dazzle of the West End. Billy Elliot and his family and friends danced their way into our hearts leaving some audience members in tears, as Billy read a letter from his mother who had died. Later, the “Les Mis” performance was equally amazing, although for the first time in its thirty year history, the staging failed. Despite the best efforts of the engineers, the “show” was turned into the O2 concert. The cast sang their hearts out and it was inspirational. Even better, on our return, we all received a full refund so a free “Les Mis” concert, what a bonus! Sunday was spent in Oxford Street and many students returned to the bus with their exclusive purchases from the wide variety of stores found in the capital. Even the staff opened their moth protected wallets and a spending spree finished the weekend beautifully. Unsurprisingly, hotel staff complimented Darland students on their excellent behaviour and mature attitude. A good time was had by all. What a send-off for Year 11, many of whom had been on every annual London trip since Year 8.

These are the days worth living... These are the years we’re given…

These are the moments… These are the times...

Year 6 Transition Day July 2014

On Thursday 3rd July we extended a warm welcomed to our new Year 6 students who came into school full of enthusiasm and excitement ready to take part in a day of fun filled and action packed taster lessons and activities. The students were met by our Year 10 Prefects and placed into their new form classes ready for September and due to the enlarged intake this year we are pleased to welcome even more Year 6 students. The fun began with Year 6 experiencing a wide variety of taster lessons ranging from maths, English, French, science and humanities to art and PE. The key objectives of the day were becoming familiar with the new environment, having a taste of the Year 7 curriculum, meet new friends and of course having fun. Students were each presented with a copy of “Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea” by Michael Morpurgo to enjoy over the summer holidays. In the evening parents were provided with an opportunity to meet their child’s form tutor and ask any questions relating to all aspects of life at Darland. The new Year 7s were unanimous in their enjoyment of the transition day and are all eagerly awaiting September 3rd,When they can wear their new uniform with pride and a new chapter in their life begins.

CLASS OF 2014 CROSS LANES PROM

On Thursday, 25th June, our Year 11 students were in a mood to celebrate. Not only had they completed their GCSEs but the annual Year 11 Prom took place at Cross Lanes Hotel. All the students had gone to great lengths to dress smartly for the event with the ladies opting for a whole range of colours with blues being particularly popular, whilst the men looked like James Bond replicas with their grey and black suits. Some opted for colour coordinated ties, to match their partners’ dresses whilst others opted for the bow tie. All in all , a good night was had by all. The students conducted themselves in an exemplary manner, and as the photographs confirm , everyone had a great night, well done Year 11!

On Friday, 27th June, a group of Year 7 and Year 8 students from the Communication Centre headed out on a fantastic, fun filled trip to the Cheshire Ice Cream farm and the Candle Factory. In the morning the students had a great time testing out their skills on activities such as mini golf and quad biking before sampling some of the delicious, locally produced ice cream. Thumbs up was given by all! Then onto the candle factory where everyone, staff included, had a go at making their very own candle. Lots of fun and laughter and lots of very successful candles were taken home. The day was rounded off by a short walk into the Cheshire countryside where Mr

Noble led a discussion into how the traditional local industries such as farming had diversified into tourist attractions in order to continue to be profitable in the modern world. A tired, but happy group then made their way back to school and everyone agreed it had been a great day enjoyed by all.

A TASTE OF CHESHIRE LIFE

AN EVENING CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT

On Thursday, 26th June we celebrated the achievements of students from all year groups and recognised the contribution made by members of the school and the local community to enriching life at Darland at our glittering awards ceremony. Students were awarded in each subject, for 100% attendance in the current academic year, most achievement points attained throughout the year, and one student from each year group for their outstanding effort. Of particular note was the special award presented to Year 11 student Thomas Booth to recognise his 100% attendance record over the 5 years at Darland. The AAA (Aspire, Apply , Achieve) trophy this year was awarded to Year 7 student Madeline Evans. The community awards were chosen from nominations made by the school community. Many thanks go to Professor Peter Excell, Dean of the Institute of Arts, Science and Technology, Glyndŵr University for his inspirational speech and for presenting the awards.

DARLAND’S GOT TALENT EXTRAVAGANZA

Key Stage 3 and Key stage 4 students enjoyed demonstrating their varied and spectacular talents to parents, staff and their peers alike at our Performing Arts Evening. The variety of acts was staggering, from a handel aria, dancers, gymnasts and rock bands to the latest street dance moves. The confidence of the performers testified to the hard work that the students had put in on the days leading to the performance. Well Done everyone!

Watch out for the next Performing Arts showcase event in the Autumn term.

ACTIVE SKILLS DAY

Developing skills through Active Learning

Darland’s Active Skills Day, took place on Monday, 30th June and was for students in years 7, 8 and 9. Normal lessons were suspended and students were able to join in a wide variety of workshops, trips and activities designed to be fun and engaging which were run by a number of our own staff. Included in the programme, the students were given the chance to prepare a 2 course meal in ‘Junior Masterchef’, found out ‘Who Done it?’ in CSI Darland, making 3D fish in art and designing moving dragons in D&T. In addition Year 8 students took part in an outdoor education trip to Llangollen, Year 7 students visited Loggerheads on a combined geography and maths trip and Year 10 were out of work experience. A day to be proud of with everyone in the Darland community sharing their skills and talent.

YEAR 10 WORK EXPERIENCE

30th June - 4th July 2014

All students in Year 10 have successfully completed a one week work experience placement. There was a diverse range of placements from hairdressing to retail, education, and the media industry. Darland students proved to be excellent ambassadors and the work experience reports from local employers have reflected the positive attitudes and excellent impressions left by our Year 10 students. Many thanks to all employers who supported this vital learning experience and Well Done Year 10.

COMMUNITY LIAISON Without the support of the wider and local community, schools are not always able to provide students with the necessary resources to aid their learning. We would like to thank the managers of Indigo Jones slate works in Caernarfon, Tree top Adventure in Snowdonia and Boulders Indoor Climbing Centre in Cardiff for their support in providing literacy resources for September. These companies were eager to assist develop the most important literacy skill in our students, by sending resources to Darland High School free of charge. Thank you once again.

YEAR 10

STOCK BROKER CHALLENGE

One of the things that we keep hearing about is that young people often lack the basic financial skills needed in life. Two events that have been held this half term have shown that students in Darland are bucking this trend. Year 10 enjoyed a ‘Stockbroker Challenge’ event. Students were put into teams to trade on the stock market. They were initially given £100,000 to trade with. Students comments reflected both how much they had enjoyed the activity and how demanding the day’s event really was. All teams made a profit. This is a first , as usually some companies go bankrupt, even when this event is carried out by adults. Even more remarkably, the winning team made a profit of over £500,000!

“Students were a real pleasure to be with and a credit to the school” - Rona Griffiths, Coleg Cambria

DARLAND’S DEN

Year 9 students were divided into 18 teams. Each member of the team had a specific role e.g. MD, accountant, sales etc. They were given a loan from the ‘Darland Bank’ of £100 (interest being charged at 10% every 15 minutes). They carried out market research, bought resources from the Darland Depot, made prototypes and gained sales contracts with shopkeepers. Products were then made and sold. Tim Penn from Signature leather gave the students an insight into the reality of being an entrepreneur . The top 3 companies were invited to make their pitch to ‘Darland Den’ to decide who would be the best team of the day.

“We really enjoyed the financial day as we learnt skills needed for the business world. We appreciate being given this opportunity as we know these skills will help us in the future”

Students from 9BR

YEAR 3 A CENTENERY DAY

On the 5th of June, we invited Year 3 pupils from the feeder Primary Schools to our World War One Centenary day to commemorate the troops that sadly perished. The aim of the day was for pupils to gain an understanding of the soldiers’ experiences during the war. A number of our feeder Primary Schools (The Rofft, Park CP, Holt and St Peter’s) joined us to pay tribute. All of the pupils experienced three workshops that expanded their knowledge of World War One. Our first workshop involved pupils looking at a famous World War I artist – S. Lowry. During this workshop pupils had lots of fun learning the techniques of charcoaling and made their very own version of an S. Lowry. During the next workshop pupils enjoyed handling a number of artefacts from World War One. Pupils were able to familiarise themselves with the equipment used by the soldiers, view different types of medals and were able to dig up some artefacts from a mock trench. Very exciting indeed! The third workshop was a presentation delivered by Mrs Gray and Miss Griffiths on the significance of World War One. They were even privileged to have a visit by three Tommys (Luke Griffith, Matthew Hodson, Matthew Jones) telling the pupils about their life in the trenches. After this pupils wrote post cards and made commemorative messages on poppies each of which carried a message. As the day drew to an end it was sad to see the Year 3s leave, but they all went away with an understanding of the soldiers’

experiences. Mrs Gray and Miss Griffiths are looking forward to more World War One Centenary projects next year. If anyone is

interested in joining us then please contact Darland High School.

SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS

P.E. DEPARTMENT NEWS

SPORTS DAY Wednesday 26th June

Sunny skies and blazing heat set the scene for our annual whole school sports day which took place in an atmosphere of tremendous team spirit as enthusiastic athletes representing their forms were cheered on by their supporters. Outstanding effort was rewarded as several records were broken. Congratulations to all who took part and many thanks to the staff who helped to make the day run smoothly. After much number crunching, the forms with the highest score was revealed in a special assembly. Congratulation to the 2014 winning forms who are as follows: 7 Iolo 1, 8 Gelert 2, 9 Arthur and 10 Llewelyn. Following a competitive school sports’ day, various athletics teams attended events at Queensway with our Year 8 boys - 2nd, Year 10 boys - 2nd, Year 8 girls - 2nd and Year 10 girls - 3rd.

Three teams qualified for the North East Wales Championships, with Year 8 boys - 4th, Year 10 boys - 3rd and Year 8 irls - 3rd. Both Year 10 boys and Year 8 girls just missing out on the national finals. In addition Darland teams finished in the following positions in the Wrexham League U14 and U16 level. U14 boys 3rd, U14 girls 1st, U16 boys 2nd and U16 girls 1st. As a result a number of students were chosen to represent North East Wales in the national finals in Cardiff with Christian Smith winning his event. Well done Chris - a fantastic effort and congratulations to everyone involved.

TENNIS ROUND UP In the North East Wales tennis finals, Darland achieved 2nd place in each of the U13 and U15 matches.

ROUNDERS Well done to both Year 9 and Year 10 rounders teams who were successful in winning the Wrexham Area Rounders Tournament on Wednesday, 9th July. All years won their matches against Rhosnesni whilst Year 7 and Year 9 were also successful at Morgan Llwyd. Congratulations to all who were involved.

INDIVIDUAL SPORTING SUCCESS Congratulations to Cameron Evans of 7 Gelert who is currently playing his third season with North East Wales Cricket. Well Done Cameron!