Newsletter King’s College Alicante
SECONDARY
JANUARY 2014 / SECOND TERM
New Sixth Form Room Message from the Head of Secondary Throughout January many of us think or talk about our New Year Resolutions – those promises we all make so willingly to ourselves after the Christmas period is over and that soon become distant memories as the year progresses. But New Year Resolutions don’t have to be all about eating less, going to the gym more or using your gadgets with less frequency; it’s a great time of year to think about the things we want to change in our lives and to focus on what we can achieve in the future, instead of what’s happened or hasn’t happened in the past. It’s exactly that, that I would encourage all our pupils to start doing if they haven’t done so already. Your resolutions this year can provide an opportunity for you to look at how you can improve your intellectual and academic selves – in short to make sure each and every one of you does your best and achieves your potential. There’s a famous saying that talks about life not
being a dress rehearsal and clearly there is a lot of truth and wisdom contained in that expression. But, fortunately for us all, your school days do give you the opportunity to make mistakes, learn from them and consequently change how you approach challenges you may encounter in the future. They are, in effect, an academic rehearsal in preparation for those final IGCSE or A Level exams. Whatever year you are in and however well you have done, use the feedback your teachers give you, reflect honestly on how hard and consistently you have applied yourself to your studies and make sure that the dress rehearsal to date means you finish the year in the strongest position you possibly can.
Mr. S Wicks Head of Secondary
King’s Group Colour Diplomas We are delighted to be able to present the first ever School Colours Awards in King´s Group. Iara (Y11) and Emma (Y7) were awarded Full School Colours for their magnificent achievements in the fields of Equestrian Event Show Jumping and Table Tennis, respectively. Iara is the current Spanish Individual and Team Gold Medal Winner 2013 in Pony Class C Show Jumping and Emma is currently Spanish Number 1 Girl (U14) Table Tennis Player, representing Spain in the top 16 Invitation Tournament held recently in France. We are extremely proud of both girls and look forward to following their progress in the months and years ahead. Sra Elena Benito, CEO of King´s Group, made the presentations at a special assembly held in school.
Academic Scholars’ Dinner This month, thirteen of our topachieving sixth form students travelled to Madrid for the second annual Scholars' Dinner, hosted by Sir Roger and Lady Fry. The dinner is held in honour of students from all King's Group schools who achieve outstanding GCSE and A Level results. Our students enjoyed some free time to explore Madrid in the afternoon before joining over 200 guests, scholars and their parents for dinner at the Hotel Nuevo Boston. Sir Roger, Chairman of King's Group presented each scholar with a certificate and congratulated them on their achievements.
Scholars’ names: Ernesto, Guillermo, Scott, Juan, Karl, Hazel, Ornella, Carmen, Tara, Claudia, Hana, Paula and Lydia.
High Achiever Awards We are delighted to receive notification from the exam board Edexcel that 4 of our students have been awarded High Achiever Certificates following their outstanding performances in the summer GCSE and A Level examinations. These awards are for attaining the highest marks in subject examinations from over 69,000 entries received from International Schools. Headteacher, Mr Derek Laidlaw, said “ This represents a truly outstanding achievement for the students and teachers at King´s College Alicante. These awards are testament to the exceptionally high standard of teaching and learning at our school.”
The awards are : • Craig Laidlaw (former Head Boy) - Highest International Subject Mark (A Level English Language & Literature) • Mª Carolina Valera Rios – Joint Highest International Subject Mark (GCSE Spanish) • Alexandra Pascenco – Highest Subject Mark in Europe (GCSE English, 2nd Language) • Elisa Chen Yao – Highest Subject Mark in Spain (GCSE Chinese)
Strategy Meeting During August 2013, senior staff from our school took part in the King´s Group strategy meeting held in Ávila. The purpose of the meeting was to establish the future direction of the group as a whole, and to review and develop the Vision and Mission. Also present at the strategy meeting were the Chairman, CEO, Head teachers, Admissions officers and senior staff from all the King´s Group schools as well as the Directors of the support services from Head Office. The outcome of several very successful ´brainstorming´ sessions is that the group now has an updated, shared and very clear direction which will allow each of the schools to develop and improve within the structure of the group. I am pleased to be able to share with you, our renewed Vision and Mission along with a statement from our Chairman, Sir Roger Fry. I will keep parents informed of strategic developments throughout the course of the academic year.
Mr D Laidlaw Headteacher
Our vision is to be at the forefront of British education internationally OUR MISSION is to provide high quality British education that delivers a transformative learning experience to all our pupils. Engaging and effective teaching based on our core values and the best, most up-to-date UK educational practice enables children at our schools to achieve their academic ambitions and lifetime careers. At the same time we nurture their individual talents and emphasise the importance of educating the whole child with attention to their physical, emotional and social development. We are determined to make a positive difference to the future of our pupils and their families, the careers of our staff, as well as contributing to the wider community. “King’s Group has a long and distinguised history of educational leadership. Our company vision and mission are not “beautiful dreams” but a very significant and positive reality that we can all build up.” Sir Roger Fry CBE DLitt Chairman and Founder >> PAGE 3
Inter-School Humanities Competition As most people were winding down on the approach to the final week of term, Humanities were less fortunate. In fact, the faculty was a hive of productivity as 12 of our most talented students were busy preparing for the first inter-school Humanities competition to be hosted by Murcia school in the final week of term. We took 4 students from each year group in Key stage 3 to Murcia where they were put through their paces answering and completing a variety of History and Geography based tasks. Upon our arrival the students were introduced to all of their fellow competitors and were taken on a tour of the Murcia school. Once complete it was on to business and, as we entered the competition room the shiny new Humanities cup was standing proud at the centre of the room. Our students were split in to two teams and thus the competition ensued. The History round opened the contest and the students worked hard answering questions, sorting time lines and closely watching video footage. At this stage of the contest the scores were incredibly close although Murcia were 2 points ahead at the close of the round. Geography came next and again there were pictures to name, flags to label, capital cities to recall and a variety of general knowledge questions thrown in the mix. All teams showed determination and enthusiasm as they crowded round their scribe eager to divulge their answers. The contest was very close and by the end of the second round it was still all to play for as they entered the final challenge a head to head debate against another school. Our students showed expert preparation skills as they split up the roles fairly, some students heading off to find the library and get rooting through the books whilst others
discussed possible arguments and potential questions. After 40 minutes the time for preparation ceased and the debate commenced. Both our teams were exceptional, Ines led her team through a brave argument to defend the idea that Nature is more important than nurture and Alex and Armando were quick to use quotes and facts from their library research to support her points. On the other team Hamish put up a good fight to defend the claim that Nurture was mightier than nature and he was ably supported by the insightful comments of Ellen and Pablo in particular. In terms of team participation, Alicante won the contest with ease. Every students contributed in some way and for this element we were in the lead. As the students headed off to lunch and to build upon their new found friendships the scores were added up. It had been incredibly close all day with Alicante students winning the Geography round and various elements of the debate. Unfortunately the home advantage swayed the final score and Alicante were beaten to first place by just half a point. I am incredibly proud of their performance throughout the day, they secured both second and third place and have left very big boots to fill as we prepare to host the return leg of the contest. I would like to say a huge well down to both of our teams, you were exceptional and next year that cup will be ours! Mrs K Miller
SMUNCH
What is Smunch?
Smunch is a business which we started and run as part of out A level Business Studies course. It is a business which produces and sells cupcakes that raises money for charity. We had a successful bake sale on the 12th December. Our three types of cupcakes were chocolate (Oreo), strawberry, and vanilla which were chosen based on our market research. . Smunch is part of the Achievers International programme. You can find us on the following social networking sites:
Smunch – King´s Cupcakes smunchkingscupakes smunchkingscupcakes
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The Biology students from KCA were joined by students from Muxamiel and they both completed an introduction to Microbiology programme. During the lesson they gained confidence in plating out bacteria taken from a formal known sample, a swab from their mouth and a comparison of washed and unwashed hands. They also successfully completed Gram staining techniques and saw these under powerful microscopes.
Y12 SCIENCE VISITS THE UNIVERSITY OF ALICANTE
20 January 2014
Each January the University of Alicante opens it´s doors to students from the local area who are studying one of the 3 Sciences. The University students are taking exams and as such, the laboratories are not in use. This was the fourth year the university has offered to give school age students the opportunity to carry out work using their facilities, the third year we have taken A level students from King´s College Alicante, and the increasing numbers were quite apparent as they now have to carry out the general welcome in a lecture theatre.
The second half of the morning was given over to Gel Electrophoresis where students gained experience of using a micropipette and had to transfer a biological sample for analysis. They then watched as the sample was separated by passing a current through the gel. The Chemists were taken to the Organic Chemistry building to carry out a synthesis of paracetamol. The theory was discussed beforehand along with a safety talk linked to the chemicals to be used. The pupils were able to use the skills learnt in lessons in much more complex fume cupboards and with more elaborate glassware. The purity of the paracetamol was then tested by finding it´s melting point. The second practical was much simpler, extracting the dye from red cabbage to use as an indicator. Although the method was straight forward, keeping a high degree of accuracy and avoiding contamination made the students more aware of the need for care when carrying out experiments. The two Physics experiments looked at Spectroscopy and Density. The first experiment looked at Spectroscopy. Using diffraction they analysed spectra from two different light sources and calculated the wavelength of different colours. The results were used to predict what element was inside the lamp. The Physicists then investigated the density of a solid and a liquid and from their results predicted what substances they were. The importance of a systematic and tidy approach to experimental work was highlighted. As well as exposure to techniques and more sophisticated equipment, the students also got a taste of being on the University campus and exchanging ideas with likeminded young people from other schools.
Scuba Diving Scuba diving is more than a sport, or an extra activity, it allows you to use your common sense, and your knowledge. Also, when I am at the bottom of the sea, all I can think of is how precious and beautiful life is, especially in the water, where the sunlight is beaming through and the marine life is swimming calmly by. Taking the PADI scuba diving course as part of the Sixth Form enrichment programme was an added pressure for me as a new student at King´s College. At first I was unsure that I could pass or even go underwater without panicking, but when I did dive for the first time it was like a natural instinct, like breathing on the surface.
We also learned what to do when someone is injured or worse, gets ill under water, and the precautions we need to take. For me the most important skill I have learned whilst doing the PADI course, is that I can be calm and sensible even whilst next to a dangerous animal, in my case I was swimming side by side to a Japanese electric stingray, so thrilling!
To scuba dive you need to know the theory and basics. The instructor came to school for several sessions. He would show a short film and then explain anything you did not understand. We made 5 dives in confined water and 4 in open sea and then took a final exam. The first time my classmates and I put on the full wetsuit and jacket we learned about the equipment used for diving. We learned various skills in a swimming pool, for example, how to remove and put your mask back on underneath the water. I found this the hardest to do, although it took me over 5 times I was able to complete the skill. Another skill we learned was to make ourselves neutrally buoyant; where by using an air pump, to remove air or to put air in our jackets, we were able to lift ourselves off the bottom of the seabed and were able to float.
Congratulations to all those who passed the PADI Open Diver Course: Hana, Pedro, Scott, Victor,Kyle Chloe, Carmen and Mrs Messent. And congratulations to Sam in year 13 who has now passed his Adventure Diver Course.
Chloe, Year 12
School Uniform Shop We are delighted to have been able to donate to the charity Nazaret Fundacion last Christmas. Ms Charlotte Hayne, from the school Uniform shop, presented a cheque for â‚Ź419. >> PAGE 7
CASTLE
PROJECT
Following an exciting trip to Guadalest during Trips Week and their studies of the purpose and design of Medieval castles Year 7 were set a homework project where they had to design and make a Medieval castle. The project was formulated to elicit their knowledge about the design and use of the castle, by the presentation of an annotated plan and a model. However they were also required to write a diary of an inhabitant of the castle, to show their understanding of medieval life. Students were given merits based upon their models, which they self assessed. Then they were given a grade level, based upon the annotated plan and their diary. Year 7 responded with models of such high quality that it was extremely difficult for the judges to determine which three models were the best in each class! All students received merits and some also gained positive comments. The diaries were often surprising as students had interpreted the words “an inhabitant� in several ways. One of the most imaginative and detailed was written from the perspective of a spider a These are reproduced here for your enjoyment. Well done to all Year 7 for their excellent projects and their enthusiastic participation!
Mrs J Bowers History Teacher
Diary of Spiky the Spider BY: OSCAR YEAR 7D
Introduction Dear Diary, I am called Spiky the Spider, and how my name says, I’m a spider. I have loads of hairs and I have just moved my house to where the humans call “Dungeons”, but for me, I call it home. I live alone; I don’t have any parents or brothers and sisters. My new web is located at the corner of the roof in the dungeons. I support myself by eating flies that the prisoners bring inside the dungeons. The dungeons are very dirty and there are lots of cells protected by metal bars. The cells are all lined up and they don’t have any sun light they just candle light from the long corridor.
Week 2 I have discovered that the stupid humans don’t know I can understand their language so then I can understand everything the two guards, which are supposed to guard the cells, talk about. The thing I did next was go to where the humans call “The Kings Room” and hears all private conversations, for example, I last heard something about The Queen. Also humans made walls from stone I can sneak through easily without anyone noticing. I think the King is planning something cruel because he mentioned something about kidnaping someone. I will have my eight eyes wide opened.
Week 3
Week 4 Yesterday I found out that the Queen has been kidnaped by the King! I don’t know why but she did not stop crying in her cell in the dungeons. Bravely I entered the cell and she said “Hello little spider”. She picked me up and put me in a corner where she started to talk to me. I felt strange. Does she know I can understand her? Time passed and she kept talking to me. Then I had a great idea: I will respond to her by writing on a spider web that I was making. When I finished the web I started to write to her. I remembered she mention spiders are the best creature in the whole world because if someone breaks their web in less than two minutes it was repaired. The she said that that was a lesson people needed to learn. When the Queen finished talking I felt glad to be a spider.
Week 5 The Queen and I are friends she told me she wanted to escape from the castle and go far away from here. I personally would like to go to another place which is clean and fresh, but here there are lots of flies. But the Queen insisted so much I had to say “yes”. The Queen ordered me to get the key of the cells so the plan was to make the guards come to the cell by the Queen screaming and it worked. While that was happening I went running to the guards room (where they talk) and get the keys. When the guards came back I hid between two rocks in the wall. Then I went with the keys to the Queen cell. The nest thing the Queen and me did was open the prisoners cells the guards went for the prisoners while when run outside without the guards noticing. The Queen and me went through the first window we saw opened and “we are free”, shouted the Queen. We run down the hill and we kept running until we were far away from the castle. Then I had wonderful times with the Queen and catching mosquitos at night! Good bye dear diary, I have an adventure to live.
Now days don’t think I have a lovely life because I haven’t. I have two enemies and a problem. • The rats. They have sharp teeth and like to eat spiders. They are twenty times bigger than me and they attack in groups so it is harder for me to escape. My advantage is that I can sneak into the stone wall so it is impossible for them to reach me. • The king’s Panther. It is the King’s pet. He knows I know something about the Queen and he tries to catch me. I hate the Kings Panther. • My problem is heat. In the dungeons there isn’t any fresh air and it is extremely hot. I cannot change my home because the dungeon is the only place humans do not mind a spider web.
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Key Stage 3 Reward Activity It had been a long time in coming, but Christmas was finally among us all and in Key Stage 3 those most deserving pupils took part in a special, festive activity that called upon their most creative strengths and team work skills. We made Stained Glass Tree Biscuits. Head Chef Thomas kindly provided equipment on a hard day for the kitchens – the last day of school with the much awaited Christmas lunch to prepare for everyone, and selected pupils appeared with aprons and Tupperware to store their wares. Reward pupils were chosen by tutor and Key Stage Leader for consistent hard work throughout term, most positive comments, no negative comments and excellent attendance. Most pupils made it home that evening with edible decorations for their Christmas Trees! Job done. Mrs C Castro Key Stage 3 Leader
Christmas Fair by Santiago, Year 8
The Christmas fair was a fantastic event for the whole of secondary and a lovely day. There were multiple activities which were all fun but certainly “throwing water balloons at the teachers” was the best one! There were not many activities, compared to last year, but the activities were better and more exciting. There were some complicated activities like guessing the teacher from photos of when they were little. It was very difficult but there were clues to help us. There were some that were less exciting like” guess teddy’s birthday” and “ guess how many sweets are in the box”. Another activity was sticking the nose onto the reindeer, whilst blindfolded. The “photo with a friend” was a common activity for pupils as there were lots of photos taken. There was also food and drink for sale. The most popular activity was throwing balloons at the teachers, the only problem for the students was that the teachers could throw the balloons back which hadn’t exploded, so some students also got wet. The balloon throwing was quite difficult but a year 8 student was so pleased that he threw balloons perfectly making some teachers taste the water. They didn’t look happy. In conclusion the Christmas fair was an excellent event and a good way of saying happy holidays to our fellow pupils and was a fun way to raise money for charity.
Mr R o d ge rs A cting Hea d of Ma t h e m at i c s My name is Mr Rodgers and I will be the Acting Head of Mathematics until the end of this academic year. Prior to joining BSA I was teaching mathematics in an inner city school in London. During my career I have had the opportunity of teaching both internationally and in the UK sector. These posts have brought me to countries such as; Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City, India - Mumbai and Mexico - Mexico City. I have also worked with challenging behaviour students in London. Prior to teaching I was as an engineer working in the oil & gas industry. My first degree is in Aeronautical Engineering and I graduated from the University of London with a B Eng (Hons). I am also a teacher of Design Technology. I am delighted to be joining BSA and I have already been warmly welcomed by both staff and students. It is always a pleasure to start at in a new school and in particular at BSA where I have seen almost immediately the sense of community spirit within the student body. I look forward to an enjoyable 2 terms ahead.
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ENGLISH LITERACY BULLETIN BOARD BOOK OF THE MONTH I WISH RAISINS COULD FLOAT BY GERALD WALKER I Wish Raisins Could Float is a quirky short story for middle grade readers, which explores the hardship of losing a pet. While the author, Gerald Walker, has fun with the exploration of his characters, he manages to weave a delicate yarn that displays the hard task of letting go of a loved pet—he also shows something less obvious: dysfunctional families still operate with love. The added visual element of the illustrations provide a little more depth to the pages and help propel the text and the imagination of the reader. This is a book to be enjoyed by kids ages twelve and up, that enjoy a little hint of sci-fi and unpredictable humor.
ID
16 the tea ma for
IMAGINATI
Looking for wa Try Imagination offers online b literacy.
STATE OF DEBATE
CURIOSITIES ABOUT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE The sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” uses every letter of the alphabet! Of all the words in the English language, the word “set” has the most definitions. “Rhythm” is the longest English word without a vowel.
DIOMS (FREE/ÂŁ2.49)
63 traditional English idioms are analysed with comic-style graphics to explain eir meaning. English Idioms Illustrated is enjoyed by English students, achers and enthusiasts alike. The origin and meaning of each idiom is asterfully illustrated and explained by Professor Potts. Download now to see r yourself!
ION SOUP
ays to engage your child with reading? n Soup (http://imaginationsoup.net/) which books and other resources to support
ONLINE ENGLISH
Using your language to persuade http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ ks3/games/english/ It's the year 2020 and JustCo have banned hoodies, and you've just been spotted wearing one. Can you talk your way out of trouble using your English Language skills?
ARTICLES QUIZ
An article is a kind of adjective which is always used with and gives some information about a noun. There are only two articles a and the, but they are used very often and are important for using English accurately. See how you get on with this article quiz: 1. Are you shopping for ___ health club to join so you can get in shape? a. a b. an c. the d. no article is needed 2. Shop wisely! You could end up choosing ___ wrong club and losing more money than pounds. a. a b. an c. the d. no article is needed 3. You may find out too late that ___ health clubs aren't for you. a. a b. an c. the d. no article is needed 4. ___ San Diego fitness experts recommend thoroughly checking out several health clubs before you join one. a. a b. an c. the d. no article is needed 5. First, know what you want and need in ___ fitness facility, and don't pay for what you'll never use. a. a b. an c. the d. no article is needed >> PAGE 13
FORMER PUPILS VISIT
Every year, we invite back former KSA students to visit and share with the Sixth Form their first impressions and experiences at university. This year Marta Signes and Marta Molina came to tell us about studying in Spain. Marta is studying ADE at ESADE University in Barcelona and Maria is studying Industrial Engineering and ADE at Deusto University in Bilbao. Despite studying 2 different subjects in different universities the advice they gave was very similar. They talked about living at university, one lives with her grandparents and said it is an experience she would not change, adding it is always good to feel that you have people who know you already whilst dealing with the unknown world of study and student life. The other student is living in a university dorm house; she says it’s a unique experience having lots of different people around. For most students it is the first time they have lived away from home and you have to be careful with how you spend your time. It is important to know the difference know the difference between the moments to study and moments of celebration and socialising. Both Marta and Maria repeated that the “the most important thing is organization and planning your study well ahead “. As well as advice they told entertained us with some anecdotes about first impressions and trying to figure out how university life works. Looking back on their time at KSA, they both felt that deciding as soon as possible what you want to study and not to leave revision to the last minute were essential. Not doing these two things will only lead to problems and unnecessary nervousness during the real exams in the summer. It is always good to see Alumni return to school and share their experiences, we really appreciate that Maria and Marta back to see us. Later in the year we are hoping to welcome back some Alumni who are currently studying in the UK. We, Year 13, look forward to coming back next year and encouraging the next generation of journalists, doctors, lawyers, economists, engineers and other professionals to achieve a successful career. Rosa Year 13
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the art corner
Nina Year 12
Isabella Year 9
Miguel Year 9
Chiaroscuro Year 9
Alejandro Year 10
Year 10 Lino Printing
Yvanna Building Year 10 >> PAGE 17
New 6 th Form Common Room We are delighted to inform you that our new 6th Form Common room has now been opened. This area is designed to provide our Y12 and Y13 students with a suitable relaxation area at patio and lunchtime as well as a bistro area for eating. In time we will add to these resources to further recognise and support our most senior students. This new facility enhances our new Independent Study Centre, opened last September, and is part of our new developments and on-going investment from King´s Group to accommodate our increasing student numbers in 6th Form.
News From the Library A drawing and writing competition took place on the day of our Christmas book fair. The winners were: • • • • • • • • • •
Manuela (Nursery P) Nara (Reception P) Jimena (1W) Germán (2M) Miguel (3S) Raia (4B) María (5S) Marcos (6G) Justina (7B) Sara (8G)
They all got a free book of their choice from the book fair. Congratulations to all of them and thanks to all the students who participated.
Interview with the King’s Group CEO, Elena Benito To read the full interview which featured in ‘La Razón’ Newspaper please click on the image on th right.
Grease
Important Dates
2 y 3 de Abril
FEBRUARY 2014
3 Feb
Inter School Badminton /
T a b l e T e n n i s T o u r n a m e n t
4 Feb
Y9 Vaccinations
6 F e b
Y10 Parent Teacher Meeting
10 Feb
Trips Week
1 9 / 2 0 F e b
Y7 Parent Meeting
2 8 F e b
School Closed
King’s College Alicante Glorieta del Reino Unido 5 Alicante 03008 Spain Tlf: 965 106 351 Fax: 965 108 096 info.kca@kingsgroup.org www.bsalicante.com