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Telephone: 01304 201151 Absence Line: 01304 200155 Fax: 01304 200152 E-mail: admin@astorcollege.org.uk
the
LINK March 2011
Dear Parents/Guardians It has been another successful and busy term with four British Champions in Powerlifting. A fantastic time was had by all who attended the Connexions National Theatre Production of ‘Too Fast’ by our Year 11, 12 and 13 students in our own White Cliffs Theatre and again at the Chichester Festival Theatre in Chichester. The College raised over £1,200 for Comic Relief and SOS Children’s Villages. The money was raised through a SPUD day but also a large number of cake sales and a particularly impressive Pop Idol/X Factor event was organised by the 6th Form over lunch break. I know that all the performers, staff, judges and particularly the audience had a brilliant time and I would personally like to publically thank the 6th Form for all their hard work. Year 11 do not have long before they sit their final exams and the last Key Stage Review Day was at the end of this month. Please do not be afraid to contact your Director of School, Form Tutor or Subject teacher if you have any concerns over this important period. I hope you will support your sons and daughters by reminding them about revision timetables and all the extra support sessions that are available every night after College, at lunch times and during the holidays. The application process for our 6th Form has begun and please remind your son or daughter to complete their application to me and Mrs Walton. Finally, I am sure we are all pleased with the recent improvement in the weather but can I remind you that full uniform must be worn. This includes: plain black shoes; blazer with badge; white shirt with collar and top button done up; plain black trousers and tie. The College policy on uniform is very clear and with your support I am sure we can avoid the necessity to use any sanctions. Very best wishes. Yours sincerely
Mr E Pallant Head of College
Ceramics After School Clubs
Keep it BLUE
There are lunchtime and afterschool catch-up sessions available during the week for Years 10 and 11. After school between 3.30pm and 5.00pm in Room 53 with Mrs Matthews-Crow.
Unit 7 – 9 Holmstone Rd Dover Kent
Monday, Tuesday and Friday lunchtimes 1.00pm until 2.00pm in Room 53 with Mrs Matthews-Crow.
TEXTILES NOTICE The Textile Department would like to thank all those who have kindly donated resources and equipment. Your kind donations and continued support is always appreciated. Thank you. Mrs Chapman Director of Textiles
TEXTILE CATCH UP Everyday 1525 until 1630
DANCE DEPARTMENT CLUBS 3.30pm until 4.30pm (Years 9 and 10)
WEDNESDAY Rebound Company Class THURSDAY Junior Club Senior Club FRIDAY Boys Club
THIS LETTER WAS SENT TO US FROM BRANDON HIRE. WE HOPE YOU WILL BE INTERESTED IN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF DISCOUNTED HIRE FROM BRANDON WHILST HELPING YOUR CHILD’S COLLEGE AT THE SAME TIME. This letter is to introduce a new way to bring funds into your somewhat depleted school coffers. This will take no time or effort on the schools part and every 3 months an amount of money will be paid into a bank account of your choice (PTA or School). It is very simple and operates as follows:-
Room 69 and 59
TUESDAY Intermediate Club
Tel:- 01304 241622 Fax:- 01304 229301 CT17 0UF
3.30pm until 5.00pm 1.10pm until 1.45pm (Years 7 and 8) 3.30pm until 5.00pm (Years 11, 12 and 13)
We open a special account for staff friends and parents to allow them to hire anything from our company. This will be a cash account and all people that hire will pay for the hire themselves. We will give a 35% discount on any item hired at time of hire. We will credit a further 15% into the account set up for the school to be paid into the nominated account every 3 months. It is that simple. For example if a parent hires a carpet cleaner with a full hire price of say £40.00 for one week, they would pay £26.00 saving £14.00 (35%) plus V.A.T. We would credit the school account to be paid at a later date £6.00 (15%). If hirers from the school hired £5,000.00 in three months they would make a saving of £1,750.00 and the school would make a profit of £750.00 to use as they wish. The more they hire the more the school benefits. This is easily attainable taking into account the size of your school. This is just a small gesture from your local Brandon Hire to help in these hard times. We trust that you will benefit from this over the coming months. We also can offer the opportunity for your 6 th formers to run their own in house store in the school.
Yours sincerely
1.10pm until 1.45pm (All years welcome)
GRANVILLE WORD OF THE MONTH GARRULOUS ALL ANSWERS SHOULD GO TO MRS CHAPMAN, 2 WEEKS AFTER THE LINK IS HANDED OUT. THE CHOSEN WINNER WILL RECEIVE A PRIZE AND CERTIFICATE. THANK YOU.
BIG and SMALL we hire them ALL Chris Goodman Manager
GCSE French Year 11 P&O Languages at Work Project 2011 Students from year 11 will be given the opportunity to take part in this year’s ‘Languages at Work Project’. The project was created 2 years ago in conjunction with P&O Ferries Dover, Aim Higher and the French department. Students have met Tim Whitaker – The Learning and Development Advisor for P&O. He spoke about his experiences of language learning and how beneficial having a second language is. Students were able to talk about their experiences of learning French and why they chose French as an option at GCSE.
ASTOR COLLEGE POWERLIFTING The Astor Powerlifting Team had a successful weekend at the 2011 British Junior Championships held in Solihull, bringing home four first places, two second and third. First places went to Sam Pile in the 53kg Under 16 class with a squat of 135kg, bench press of 70kg and deadlift of 145kg, Daniel Fletcher in the 105kg Under 16 class with a squat of 127.5kg, bench press of 67.5kg and deadlift of 170kg, David Cridland in 120kg Under 18 class with a squat of 175kg, bench press of 110kg and deadlift of 190kg and Andrew Dixon in the 66kg Under 20 class with a squat of 140kg, bench press of 110kg and deadlift of 182.5kg. Second places went to Cameron Keyes in the 83kg Under 16 class with a squat of 160kg, bench press of 80kg and deadlift of 187.5kg, and Jack Long in the 83kg Under 23 class with a squat of 172.5kg, bench press of 140kg and deadlift of 240kg. Liam Wilson took third place in the 83kg Under 16 class with a squat of 160kg, bench press of 90kg and deadlift of 145kg.
AS Level French Students studying and preparing for AS level French have been looking at a variety of data, and presenting their findings to the rest of the group. They are currently preparing important topical debates to discuss for their speaking examination in May.
French Year 9 This term students from year 9 have re-visited their childhood. They have created a piece of writing making comparisons between when they were little...quand j’étais petite and what they are like now...maintenant. This piece of work enabled them to focus of the correct use of verbs and tenses and be creative with their written French in preparation for the continuation of French at GCSE.
The Astor Powerlifting Team were in action again at the weekend taking part in the South East Bench Press Championship held in Sittingbourne. Once again the team did Astor College for the Arts proud, with David "Diddy" Cridland bringing home the best junior award, and Chris Simmonds the best senior award. In the junior category, Liam Wilson lifted 92.5kg in the 83kg under 16 class, "Diddy" Cridland lifted 117.5kg in the 120kg under 18 class and Andrew Dixon lifted 85kg in the 66kg under 20 class. In the Seniors Chris Simmonds had a lift of 180kg in the 74kg class, and Craig Wilson a lift of 105kg in the 83kg class.
IT’S NOT LIKE HE IS GOING TO MISS OUT ON ANYTHING After several false starts and the culmination of many practices, the Year 8 Boys Rugby Team played a friendly match against Dover Grammar School for Boys on Friday 18 March. The final score was Astor 15-25 DGSB. This was an excellent effort as the DGSB team was vastly more experienced than our fledgling team. Jason Penny and Isaac Bryant both scored tries with the third Astor try coming from a guesting player from DGSB.
Sam is in Year 8. His attendance rate is always around 90%. He thinks this is pretty good! So, what does an attendance rate of 90% look like? 90% attendance means that he is absent from lessons for the equivalent of one half-day every week
Sadly, despite an abundance of talent in Year 8 we were unable to field a full team of 12 players for this match.
Mon
Tue
Fri
Absent half a day every week In Year 7 Sam’s 90% attendance rate means that he has missed the equivalent of four whole weeks of lessons in the school year.
We are very proud of you. Report written by Garin Prosser, Year 8
Thur
?
Anyway, those that did play, played a brilliant game to hold them back from getting more tries than this. Lets hope this is the start of some big things for this team. Well done to all the players! Garin Prosser, Jordan Laidlaw, Kallum Tomlinson, Thomas Essex, Oliver Cuss, Isaac Bryant, Jason Penny.
Wed
38 College weeks Sept
July
?
Absent for four weeks
LIFE’S OVER People say it’s wrong Maybe it’s just something that’s meant to be But the process is long But why does this virus affect me. I get bullied at school I get threatened to get killed I even get funny looks when I go to the Mall Why can’t people just stay chilled. It’s like they know But how can they tell I just feel low Why are they taking me to hell. Me and my true friends stay together Maybe life is okay I know this virus is forever.
Written by Chelsea Humphries. This was written as part of a Year 9 PSHE lesson on ‘Creative Response to HIV’.
If Sam continues to attend for only 90% of the time then over five years he will miss the equivalent of about one half of a school year.
Sept
July
Yr 7 Yr 8 Yr 9
Half a year absent from College
Yr 10 Yr 11 How do you think 90% attendance rate will affect Sam’s chances of doing well in school?
Research suggests that 17 days missed from school in Yr 11 equates to a GCSE grade.
Shellie Willis Director of Student and Parent Support
In PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economics Education) all year 10 and 11 students took part in a Porchlight Outreach project, which highlights the issues faced by people that have become homeless.
The Dover Federation for the Arts is involved in a project with schools in Andalucía, Spain, funded by the European Union. The Projects main objective is to raise standards through closer collaboration and better understanding between schools, students and their families. We would like to have a better understanding of the challenges facing young people and their families. In particular we want to help our young people to make a smooth transition between Primary and Secondary education.
The project enabled students to understand what homelessness was, the difficulties that homelessness brings and most importantly, it smashed preconceived ideas on who the homeless are and addressed stereotyping and discrimination. It focused on the idea that anyone can become homeless for many reasons and that young people aged between 15 - 24 were most at risk. It enabled students to understand that homelessness is not just sleeping rough on the streets, but can be hidden- such as ‘sofa surfing’. The students were able to speak to people that had experience of being homeless, as well as experience in helping the homeless. They were able to discuss what it is like, the hardships that may be encountered, problems in finding work as well as finding out about the help that is available to a person that is at risk of homelessness. The sessions conveyed the importance of the work that the charity does and how anyone can help in identifying homeless people sleeping rough on the streets. Useful contacts: PORCHLIGHT SERVICE OUTREACH HELPLINE: 0800 5677699 SHELTER: 0808 8004444
(Mediation for settling family disputes)
Important Dates For Your Diary KS4/5 Review Day Staff Development Day Bank Holiday - Royal Wedding Music Showcase Year 11 Leavers’ Prom Year 11/13 Leavers’ Day Dance Show at 7.30pm Year 5/6 Open Evening (College closes 14.40pm) Sports Day 9.15-12.50pm National Students’ Art Exhibition and Gallery Launch Junior Production KS3 Review Day
29 March 2011 8 April 2011 29 April 2011 5 May 2011 26 May 2011 27 May 2011 23 and 24 June 2011 28 June 2011 13 July 2011 11 to 16 July 2011 7, 8 and 9 July 2011 15 July 2011
Students’ Term Dates
Students’ Holiday Dates
Monday 28 February to Thursday 7 April 2011 Tuesday 26 April to Friday 27 May 2011 Monday 6 June to Friday 22 July 2011
Friday 8 April to Monday 25 April 2011 Friday 29 April (Bank Holiday for Royal Wedding) May Day Monday 2 May 2011 Monday 30 May to Friday 3 June 2011 Monday 25 July 2011 (Summer Break)
CHILDLINE: 0800 1111 STEPAHEAD SUPPORT:
01795 597432
WORLD MATHS DAY
Sixth Formers at Astor College for the Arts, Dover, have been learning about how children in Malawi are being employed to produce tobacco, much of it destined to be consumed by British smokers. Noting that youngsters can be resistant to the usual health messages associated with smoking, the Sixth Formers in Dover have chosen to investigate the impact that tobacco has on children where it is sourced and produced. The students were alarmed to discover that children, some as young as three years old, work
On 1 March 2011, nearly 300 pupils in Years 7 and 8 took on the
every day from dawn to dusk harvesting tobacco leaves. Not only resulting in children being absent from school but also suffering from a condition known as ‘green tobacco sickness’;
world in a competition to answer Mental Arithmetic questions. In
where symptoms include nausea, weakness and dizziness. This is caused by the absorption of nicotine through the skin from contact with wet tobacco leaves - up to the equivalent of 50
total, Astor College pupils answered nearly 5000 questions out of
cigarettes per day.
more than 400 million answers worldwide. For the first time in
The Sixth Formers want to address the little that seems to be being done to protect the child workers health and wellbeing. On Thursday 7 April, the students will be presenting the results
this yearly event, Astor College produced a ‘Human Calculator’ in
of the investigations to year 7 students. They will be challenging the year 7 students to come up with fund raising ideas to sponsor two children in Malawi, to allow them to have a better life
Lorna Pile (8MGB) who answered more than 1 400 questions in a record 24 hours. For her effort, Lorna was awarded with a Platinum Award by the World Maths Day organisers. We all want to say, ‘Congratulations to Lorna!’ and we look forward to another round of World Maths Day competition in 2012.
and move to the ‘SOS Children’s Villages’. The Sixth Formers will help the year 7 students to realise their fund raising plans over the next two weeks. For Information SOS children: Works in 124 countries around the world Runs 500 SOS Children’s Villages and 396 Youth Homes Cares for more than 78,000 children Provides over 100,000 children with an education in its nurseries, primary and secondary schools.