Dear Parent/Carer Although the weather has been a little kinder to us this term compared to the same time last year (remember the snow in March?), rain was a constant niggle for much of the first half-term. The early days of spring have been a welcome relief with sunshine and blossom as we head towards a very late Easter break. As usual, nothing has dampened the enthusiasm of both staff and students, to create exciting and adventurous opportunities to extend and deepen a range of learning experiences. You cannot fail to see this in this informative edition of the Caludon Spring Update.
Some additional points I would like to share with you are:
School finishes as usual at 3.00pm on Friday 11 April.
School opens to all students, as usual, at 8.45am on Monday 28 April.
The school gates close every morning at 8.45am. After this time students will have to report to reception where they will be registered as late to school.
Our school website and VLE are regularly updated and you will find all recent letters and communication on these. Very helpful for those of you who have forgetful sons or daughters!
I offer my thanks to all staff at Caludon who work tirelessly to provide a stimulating learning environment for our students. My thanks go, also, to our governors who provide valuable support and challenge to Caludon so that we continue to be successful. I cannot forget our young people, the overwhelming majority of whom, engage with, and value, their lessons and teachers. Finally, I thank you as parents and carers who support us to be the best we can be for your children. In particular, I value your help to ensure that standards of uniform and presentation show the pride that our students should have to be a member of the Caludon Castle family. A reminder of the school uniform can be found on the back page of this update and also on the school website. Have a safe and restful Easter break.
Mrs M Marr Headteacher
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Salad - AKA no Pens Day - Wednesday Caludon Castle was excited to announce the second SALAD day this academic year to help students in promoting their skills to communicate and articulate themselves effectively. SALAD, which stands for Speaking and Listening Active Development, is a concept we have trialed previously to great success. We ran our second event on Wednesday 5th March 2014. Staff and students alike enjoyed the variety of activities they were able to participate in - video diaries, carousels, court trials and much more were on the menu! This year the session ran within regular timetabled lessons. Staff have had inspiring ideas presented from across faculty areas to ensure students have a variety of activities to enjoy in their future lessons. Sonia Hammersley Strategic Leader for Inclusive Literacy
Year 9 Geography trip to the Natural History Museum
On Thursday 6th February 2014, a group of Caludon students travelled to London to visit the Natural History Museum. The Year 9 students travelled with 5 members of staff from the Geography department, and concentrated on the ‘Volcanoes and Earthquakes’ gallery in the museum’s ‘Red Zone’. This linked directly with our school topic, ‘Restless Earth’. While we were there, we took part in a workshop about volcanoes and earthquakes and how they happen. A student and one of the staff also took part in an experiment to see how earthquakes are measured, by jumping heavily on the ground to measure the strength of the vibration. Also, we had fun on the earthquake simulator, and we then had some free time to look around the museum, and to see some of the other galleries. All students and staff had a very enjoyable and informative day. Written by Jonathan Letts, 9.6
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Head Teacher’s Tea Parties
This term Year 9 have provided the catering for Mrs Marr’s celebration tea parties, where students are nominated by staff to celebrate their achievements. The students in Mrs James 9C/Tf1 group have made a variety of dishes to be served at the events, presented them and served at the tea party. They have used a variety of their skills to make savoury dishes such as; pizza, cheese and onion triangles, quiche and sausage rolls.
The sweet dishes they have made and decorated have included pavlova, chocolate shortbread, cake bars, scones and muffins. The whole group contributed to making the dishes and great team work was evident during the practical sessions. A small team of students were responsible for presenting and serving at the tea parties. The feedback from the guests (and staff) at each tea party was very positive. So well done Year 9!
Year 9 Project- Layered Desserts Year 9 Food Technology groups have been working on a project called Design and Make a Layered Dessert. The design brief required them to design a product suitable for a single person household, which could be batch produced for sale in a supermarket. The groups have carried out extensive research which has included making a range of products to extend their practical skills. Students have designed, planned and made their desserts to answer the design brief. The standard of finished products has been exceptional this year. The students have included a range of methods, processes and techniques in their designs and many have executed these with skill and precision. Students who deserve particular mention are: Emily Tallis, Nitish Pathak, Sarah Evans, William Hall Bailey Wigget and Grace Tranter whose final products are pictured.
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FutureChef 2014
Following Bethany Mason’s success in the local final of the FutureChef competition in November, she prepared for the Regional Final which was held on January 25 th 2014 at University College Birmingham (UCB). Beth practised her menu numerous times at home and in school with Helene and Mrs James to perfect her meal, even timing to the exact minute how long it would take. Beth worked calmly in the very hot kitchens at UCB on the day of the competition and, despite the pressure of working amongst 7 other students from different schools in the West Midlands, produced her menu to a fine standard. The chefs who judged the competition said that the standard of meals produced by all the students was exceptionally high and keeps on improving year on year. Although Beth did not win the regional final, the Technology Faculty are immensely proud of her achievements. Well done Beth! Watch out for FutureChef 2015! We hope that Beth and Helene Cure will mentor students entering the competition next year so we can reach the regional final for a third year in a row. Mrs James Teacher of Technology.
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STEM Club spring update 2014
As the spring term draws to a close the STEM Club reflects on what has been a busy term. We kick started the new year by celebrating the success of one of our teams at the First Lego League competition, which took place on Wednesday 18 December at Loughborough University. The team won the Core Values trophy for demonstrating their gracious professionalism, high quality work, unqualified kindness and respect for other teams and competitors. The trophy is proudly on display in the school trophy cabinet near reception...take a look! If you remember back in the autumn term the STEM Club was applying to be one of 25 pilot schools to be involved in the Elite Engineering Programme (EEP). Unfortunately, despite a strong application, we weren’t successful on this occasion. Undeterred, we have been invited by the EEP to apply again in September when they will be opening up the project to 100 schools across the UK. January saw the launch of the Science Fair project. STEM members were set the challenge to conduct a scientific investigation, carry out a research project or to come up with a solution to a problem. We had a fantastic selection of projects ranging from ‘What makes the sky blue?’ to ‘Do girls learn faster than boys?’ The STEM Science Fair took place on Tuesday 4 March when we welcomed teachers, parents and governors to join us to view and vote on the inspirational projects. The overall winner was Khalil Ismail for his project on biometric scanning. Khalil, along with the top 6 projects, was invited to attend the Ogden Science Fair. The Ogden Science Fair was held at Warwick University on Thursday 20 March. There were over 150 projects being presented at the event from 10 schools across Coventry and Warwickshire. The students ranged from Key Stage 1 children up to, and including, Key Stage 3 students. Our congratulations go to Muhoortha Thuraivan for winning second prize for her research project on DNA. Thomas Killestein did a fantastic job as key note speaker at the event. He had the challenge of presenting to an audience as wide ranging as reception children to university research scientists and undergraduate students. No small task! Tom’s lecture on behalf of the Institution of Engineering and Technology can’t go without a mention and was well attended by staff and students from Caludon. The lecture held at Coventry University on 13 March, formed part of a programme of events during National Science and Engineering week. Tom presented with exceptional clarity and maturity and must be commended on being part of such a prestigious event. And finally, Year 7 students look out for the STEM Team coming into assembly in the summer term to explain about the recruitment process and to encourage you to apply to be part of STEM at Caludon. Don’t miss out! Miss Miller On behalf of the STEM Team
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Year 8 Geography Home learning project on Antarctica Below is a review of the work that was completed by Year 8 geographers along with a few pictures of their projects. Over the last few weeks students in year 8 have been working on a Geography project based on Antarctica. The project included carrying out various tasks like creating a news report on how climate change is affecting Antarctica and a fact file on one of the animals that live there. The project was enjoyable as it allowed creativity when doing tasks like a 3D model of Antarctica. It also helped us to learn more about the most southern place on the planet. This included facts like Antarctica is the coldest and windiest place on earth and has ice that measures 3km thick. By Michael Prentice
The Antarctica Geography project was very interesting as I learnt things that I didn’t know before, including the fact that you could go on cruises to Antarctica. I had to think really hard about how to build my 3D model of Antarctica, however I eventually came up with the idea of using polystyrene to outline the shape of Antarctica. I also used the internet for a lot of my research, but also found a book called ‘Frozen planet’ very useful in adding further details. By James Friday Year 8
Year 8s have been furthering their learning on their recent ‘Ice Age’ topic by undertaking further study at home on Antarctica.
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The Geography teachers were overwhelmed by the quality of work produced and some of the work is currently on display in the reception area so please come and have a look! Here is what two of our year 8 students had to say about the project:-
“I enjoyed doing this Geography project because there was a good balance of creating and writing things. Also learning new and interesting facts throughout the project. One of my favourite tasks to complete was the animal profile. You can let your imagination run wild!”
By Catherine Kenny
“I really enjoyed doing this Geography project because there were many interesting tasks to complete, such as producing an animal fact file. I very much enjoyed this because I have a passion for animals and found out lots of new information. During the project I learnt lots of amazing facts about Antarctica that I didn’t know before, such as: the Antarctic ice sheets are 14 million square km. This project allowed me to use my creative and artistic side in producing a 3D model of Antarctica and also use my computer skills in producing a brochure. “ By Caitlin Pearce
Mrs Flippance KS3 Leader of Geography
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Stepping Up Event March saw the Careers and Science staff team up with Inspiring the Future to run its second Stepping Up event as part of the national apprenticeship week. Stepping Up events are aimed at students who might have an interest in vocational qualifications. Around 40 year 10 students were given the opportunity to work with around 20 local training providers and businesses to find out more about applying for apprenticeships, jobs and college courses. The event started with some team building exercises including students and their mentors building towers with nothing but spaghetti and marshmallows! Students then worked in teams to answer industry based interview and C.V. questions which had been prepared by the mentors. This was followed by some interview analysis and an opportunity for students to find out about individual sectors and courses from the mentors. The feedback from the mentors was excellent with many commenting on how impressed they were with the attitude and engagement shown by the students. A big thank you also to the Science team who organise the students before the event. The careers team will be partnering up with Inspiring the Future in the coming year with more events, so watch this space. Mr Handy - Leader of Enterprise, Enrichment and Employability
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Caludon Castle students apply themselves to success! Thursday 20 March saw the finals of the Challenge IT competition hosted by Coventry University and attended by schools across Warwickshire and Leicestershire. Caludon Castle School was represented by Year 8 students, Luke Sedgebear and James Cousins, who made it to the finals with a travel app they had designed. The showcase event demonstrated the passion and enthusiasm that had gone into every team's projects and following the presentations by each group, Luke and James were judged the winners for the Mobile or Web App Design Category. Their app allowed users to combine data from existing databases online in order to provide suggested routes for users from A to B, utilising any combination of modes of transport that the user nominated. "I highly enjoyed it. It was the best day of Caludon so far!" - James Cousins Mr Fitzjohn Subject Leader of ICT
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English Literature Year 13 Trips As part of their A2 English Literature course students travelled to The Tobacco Factory in Bristol on a Saturday to see their set text ‘As You Like It’ by Shakespeare. The production was an interesting experience in terms of the minimalistic use of props and staging, as well as being in the round. Students were intrigued by the dual playing of roles, and the mixing of costume which seemed to transport us to the era of World War I. Recently, another fascinating trip saw Year 13 have a private lecture by a Professor of Shakespeare studies at The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford, which allowed students to experience a University style lecture, and explore their ideas in more depth with a leading expert. Laura Wightman Strategic KS4 Leader of English
Geography Year 7 Trip to Cadbury World
The Geography department recently took 100 year 7 students to Cadbury World to support their learning on their recent food and farming topic. Students had been learning about the different industries with a focus on the primary and secondary industries. They learnt about the journey of a chocolate bar from bean to bar and about the different people and countries involved in the process. Lucy Allden from 7.1 writes, “when we arrived we got free chocolate. Then we went through an exhibition about the Aztecs which gave us lots of facts. There was also a lady who explained how the Aztecs lived many years ago and how cocoa became so important. We learnt about the history of Cadbury and how it developed from a small tea shop into a TNC (Transnational Corporation). The best part was when we watched a lady make chocolate the old fashioned way. We also learnt about all the different companies owned by Kraft foods (who own Cadbury) and we were surprised by how many there were.” Mrs Flippance KS3 Leader of Geography and Lucy Allden 7.1
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Iceland Comenius trip to Blรถnduos 24th-28th march 2014 At 4.30 on a cold Monday morning, a group of 4 excited Year 9 students met in the school car park ready for a long journey to Iceland for the penultimate Comenius trip. Miss Ayre and Miss Blud accompanied them on their adventure. After a long and exhausting journey, all arrived safely to Iceland at 3pm and were quickly joined by groups from Portugal, Spain, Belgium and Germany. We began with a dip in the Blue Lagoon a volcanic heated pool created partly from the geothermal power station to recover from the journey. The three and a half hour bus journey north to Blรถnduos unfortunately washed away all the relaxation, but we arrived at 11pm in good spirits and settled into our pretty log cabin. The next morning we had a shock - the view was incredible! We were located right beside the river, surrounded by snowy mountains, within easy walking distance of the school - our first destination. We were enthusiastically welcomed into Blรถnduoskoli (the local school) by our hosts and spent the morning being shown the wonders of the small, isolated town. They have just 880 people living in the town, but they still have a police station, hospital and 2 petrol stations. The school, which takes students from age 6 to 16, has approximately 170 students, but this varies from year to year. The community are very proud of their town, with everyone offering to show the visitors something exciting - the waffle factory owner, the mountain rescue team, the women's college, the textile museum, the tapestry artist and even the salmon museum. We were very much struck by the closeness of the community - the students that showed us around were welcomed by name by the locals. Jack was greeted as a long lost son in the Waffle factory, where the owner is the head of his host family! In the afternoon, another new experience! Icelandic people love to 'swim'. When they say swim, we would say lounge, as really they just sit in geothermally heated pools. Heaven. Then, Harun and Jack went to the school football practice with their hosts. Football seemed to unite the boys and they were quickly mixing brilliantly with the students from other countries. More new experiences were to come in the evening, as we were treated to 'fun the Icelandic way' at the Kvennaskoli (women's school). We were fed delicacies including shark, sheep testicle and 'head cheese', then treated to an Icelandic singsong, including Eurovision classics! The teachers were brave and tried all that was on offer (although no seconds were requested) but the British students weren't quite brave enough and stuck with the smoked salmon.
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The next day was a full day on the bus - visiting a hydroelectric power station, a fish leather shop, a famous turf house and a landfill site. We learned that Iceland is a very recently developed country. Just 100 years ago they all lived in turf houses and lived tough, harsh lives. Since then they have rapidly developed into a highly technological and Eco friendly nation, although staying true to their traditions. That evening students spent time with their hosts and host families and even had time to go to a disco with all the other students. All were made to feel very welcome and felt part of the family and the community immediately. The family that were hosting Hima said the next morning that they love her because "she is so chatty"!! On Thursday morning both students and teachers had an Icelandic lesson from the students of Blรถnduoskoli. They even taught us the words for Batman and Superman, although we couldn't pronounce any of them very successfully! It was then time to share the work that we had been doing at home! All the countries shared their thoughts on recycling and the way that recycling works in their country. Our students ran a quiz and showed videos of Caludon staff discussing recycling, which were very popular. Hannah was particularly complimented by staff on her clear and easy to understand presentation style which all nationalities found easy to follow.
The highlight of the recycling conference was Belgium's contribution - a recycling board game like trivial pursuit! Students had great fun learning moire about recycling all over Europe and gained an insight into similarities and differences in different countries. In the afternoon, students had a chance to be creative by decorating rocks in the Icelandic way this became rather competitive, but it was obvious that the students were very much enjoying mixing between countries rather than sticking with their own groups.
Typical Icelandic weather
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Finally, it was time to leave! Over the 3 days in Blรถnduos our students have grown from a shy English group who stuck together to a fantastically international bunch who mixed with all other nationalities easily. They were even overheard practising their Spanish. It is obvious that all the Comenius students, particularly their hosts, were sad to see them leave. It is a 4 hour drive to Reykjavik from Blรถnduos on the public bus so we were prepared for an exhausting journey. We drove through fog, blizzards and icy roads, arriving at our overnight apartment after midnight. Time to catch some zzz before another 3.30-4am rise to catch the bus to the airport. So, exhausted but exhilarated, we arrived back in the UK, ready to tell everyone how wonderful Iceland is! "The best thing was the disco because everyone got together and had a good time"- Harun Shaju. "I really enjoyed spending time at the school and with my host family because I've made some great new friends." - Jack Beavis. "It was great experiencing the different cultures and seeing the similarities and differences between them". Hima Shaju. "It was exciting meeting people from around the world and finding out how they do things differently". Hannah Curtlin. "I don't like shark but I love Iceland". Miss Ayre. "I've never been in such a safe place that you do t have to take the keys out of your car and it's still there"! Miss Blud. If you would like to know more about Iceland, Comenius, or our fantastic trip, please visit the Comenius board outside S13, or speak to Miss Ayre, Miss Blud, Jack Beavis, Harun Shaju, Hannah Curtlin or Hima Shaju. We will be happy to tell you EVERYTHING, so make sure you have lots of time. Mrs Blud - Teacher of French Miss Ayre - Teacher of Science
Hima with her
At school
Our cottage
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At the hydroelectric power station
Recent Drama Trips The Drama department has have been very busy this term ensuring there are lots of opportunities for the students to attend theatre trips, perform assessed performances to a live audience and to be part of enrichment clubs. All of these great prospects are to enable the students to enhance their learning within the subject and beyond. As a department we aim to plan and deliver the best experiences for the students. Thank you to Team Drama for the enthusiasm and dedication you always provide to the department and give to our students. Ms Gallagher Subject Leader Drama Blood Brothers
86 students, who are studying Btec Acting and Drama GCSE in year 10 and year 11 went to the Belgrade Theatre on Wednesday 5th February 2014 to watch ‘Blood Brothers’ written by Willy Russell. The legendary production tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences. The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True. Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi-award winning Blood Brothers, and Bill Kenwright’s production continues to enjoy standing ovations at every devastating performance. No wonder Blood Brothers is now ‘The musical for all time’. “We went to see Willy Russell's "Blood Brothers" which was directed by Bill Kenwright. We saw the play at the Belgrade theatre in Coventry on the 5th February. The play is based on a book, and stars Sean Jones, Mark Hustio and Maureen Nolan. The play was very good and I would go and see it again. I think drama trips are very useful and it helped me gain understanding of the drama type and gave me new skills and ideas for things like props and lighting.” Katie Scallan Year 11 Drama Student
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Year 12 & 13 A-Level Theatre Studies students have also been busy visiting productions at the theatre including: Opera North, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Warwick Arts Centre present: Tiger Lillies:
Lulu - A Murder Ballad by Martyn Jacques
The Tiger Lillies’ genre-defying brand of other-worldly vocals and unnerving performance style has carved them a unique niche in the cabaret and music theatre scene. After a sell-out run of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at the Southbank Centre, the cult creators of the award-winning Shockheaded Peter now stage another adaptation of a macabre classic. The band’s flamboyant live performance is enhanced by large-scale virtual sets that create an immersive and richly atmospheric environment. Across the performance, the ballad of Lulu unfolds as an uncompromising musical and visual melodrama.
The production was truly cutting edge; some of the students were confused by the challenging way the story was told. There was no acting as such, rather songs, dance and storytelling. What this meant though, was that we were able to discuss, in detail, what makes a performance theatre, or dance.
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A Frantic Assembly and Theatre Royal Plymouth production, in association with Curve Leicester
The Believers by Bryony Lavery
“Name one certainty… one sure thing, one thing you truly believe…”
Two families are flung together on a night of cataclysmic weather. Bruised, tired and seduced by the flow of alcohol, they wrestle with their differences until, suddenly, the unthinkable happens. Something unbelievable. As their versions of what happened begin to fall apart and their perspectives become clouded by suspicion, they turn on each other in a desperate fight to understand the truth. Frantic Assembly and Bryony Lavery follow the success of their previous collaborations (Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout) with this thrilling and highly visceral exploration of love and loss. Frantic Assembly creates unforgettable theatre. Vivid and dynamic, with a unique physical style, the company has built an enviable reputation as one of the most exciting companies in the country. “Wikipedia definition of the word "belief;" the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition to be true. One thing I know for sure is, The Believers will possibly be the best piece of debuting theatre this year and I feel privileged to have been able to have seen it. The way the designers worked collaboratively on the production, including set, lighting and the general concept of the performance was magnificent and I definitely felt that each aspect of the performance, was treated with the same respect as the acting, which is how every production should be.”
Matthew Whale Lighting technician for Performing Arts.
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Filter and The RSC present Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
For their exam in June, Year 13 students write a comparison between a modern production of a Shakespeare play and the way the same play would have been performed in Shakespeare’s era. Two worlds collide in Filter’s explosive new take on Shakespeare’s lyrical Twelfth Night. Olivia’s melancholic, puritanical household clashes head on with Sir Toby’s insatiable appetite for drunken debauchery. Orsino’s relentless pursuit of Olivia and Malvolio’s extraordinary transformation typify the madness of love in Illyria: land of make-believe and illusion. This story of romance, satire and mistaken identity is crafted into one of the most exciting and accessible Shakespeare productions of recent years. Experience the madness of love in this heady world where riotous gig meets Shakespeare. Assessed Showcases Year 11 Btec Acting
Year 11 Btec Acting students had worked very hard on their themed assignment ‘Belonging’. They showcased their their great work during January 2014 to an invited audience. As a department we are exceptionally proud of the way our students continue to push themselves further with each project. Last years BTEC results were outstanding, it looks like we may even surpass them this summer!
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Year 10 Drama GCSE Year 10 Drama GCSE students were able to showcase their incredible Commedia Dell Arte scripted performances to an invited audience. For a first time performing to an audience (for nearly all of the students) the work was exceptional. When the Y10s perform again, during the summer term, it will certainly be worth coming along. Keep you eyes on the Cally Update for more info!
Year 13 A2 Original Devised Performance
“As part of our A2 coursework we were tasked to create our own devised performance ‘Perception’, we decided that our stimulus would be The Complete Works of Samuel Beckett. As a group, we put forward our own original ideas surrounding different types and aspects of mental illness and how it can impact upon someone’s view of society, and vice versa. Our performance took place on the 27th of February and was seen by various members of both staff and students and the feedback we received was extremely positive, therefore re-affirming our own views on how the performance went. Our initial style revolved movement and a very un-naturalistic type of acting; this was because we wanted to symbolically represent the abstract mind that a mental illness can create and how the perception of the world can be inverted”. Gerogia Nicholls, George Wills, Sophia Siddiqui, Becky Bourke & Rajan Seni
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Enrichment opportunities Drama Club
Since the end of February Miss Morrison and a team of helpers including Miss Dutton, Miss Pender and Miss Warde, have been running Drama Club on Tuesday nights. Drama Club caters for a wide range of participants – the majority being KS3 Caludon students. Members also include Y6 pupils from Ravensdale Primary School and Richard Lee Primary School, as well as a handful of Y10/Y11 students who take mentoring roles within the group. Drama Club has continued to welcome new members throughout this term and promotes an encouraging, positive atmosphere. Drama Club offers an opportunity to improve acting skills, learn new performance techniques and most importantly gain confidence and build friendships. The group has so far participated in workshops including movement, improvisation and devising skills and are looking forward to experimenting with mime and puppetry before the Easter holidays. The group is working towards a devised drama piece based on the Arabian Nights stories that will be performed during Caludon’s Arts Week. If you would like to come along and be part of the Key Stage 3 Drama club it takes place on Tuesday after school 3.15 - 4.15 in the Drama studio. Anyone in year 7, 8 or 9 is welcome!
Miss Hannah Morrison Graduate Learning Facilitator
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KS3 Dance Club
KS3 Dance club has been running now for a full term. In this short time we have had some fun, created an Attraction style shadow dance for the charity single Someone and had some workshops led by Toyin Thomas, Lauren Sheridan and Sophia Siddiqui. Our aims are to put together a dance showcase for the arts festival in summer term for parents, friends and family to come and see. This will be a mixture of dance styles and will include the dances we have been doing in the club as well as a chance for individuals to show dances they have been working on outside of school. If you would like to come along and be part of the Key Stage 3 Dance club it takes place on Wednesday after school 3.15 - 4.15 in the dance studio.
Anyone in year 7, 8 or 9 is welcome, no experience needed. Hopefully see you there Miss Tara Pander Drama Teacher
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Philosophy Day On Wednesday 12 March 2014 Caludon Castle School held its first ever Philosophy day. It was a huge success. The event was attended by all of our year 12 and 13 Philosophy students along with nearly 100 other A level Philosophy students from across Coventry and Warwickshire. Professor Quassim Cassam from Warwick University kicked off the afternoon with an inspiring lecture on Personal Identity. Students considered what we really mean by our identity. Is it physical (are we defined by what we look like) or psychological (we are who we think we are)? The students loved this session, were really engaged in the intellectual discussion and commented on their evaluation forms that they wished they could have spent longer weighing up the conflicting theories postulated by Professor Cassam. Breakout sessions followed, led by undergraduates from Warwick University. Topics included Utilitarianism and Batman, Descartes Dream argument and Existentialist ethics. Again the feedback from students was very positive – they wanted longer sessions and more sessions. Although rather more prosaic, the final section of the afternoon provided students with useful tips about how to put what they had learnt about Philosophy into a practical context and about how they could structure a body of information into essay form. Despite essay writing and exam skills not being as exciting as the other topics, student feedback suggested that this final session was also very worthwhile – vital, in fact, for their forth coming A level exams. The overriding and unequivocal response from students and staff alike was that they had a great time and want to do it again. Richard Knight - Leader of Personal and Social Development Faculty
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‘The Gallery’ The Visual Arts department is extremely excited to announce that our new Art Gallery is underway. We have posh new doors which now create a designated space for us to professionally display all of the outstanding work that our students create.
We have already turned the back of our classrooms into gallery walls and these are regularly curated to exhibit the best work of our students. This has been extremely successful and students have been inspired to see such high quality and diverse pieces of work being produced. It has allowed lower school students to really grasp just what they will be capable of achieving in a few years’ time and has raised the students expectations even higher.
“It’s good because it’s bright, something different and a great way to see other peoples work” Hope Horgan (Year 9) Artwork displayed on the gallery walls is a very prestigious honour, and we would like to congratulate those students who have already made the walls! We look forward to announcing the opening of our new gallery and ask students to keep an eye out for opportunities to submit work and attend gallery private viewings once we are up and running.
Mrs Town - Leader of Art
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Languages Department
On Wednesday 12th February, 12 year 9 students went to Warwick University to take part in a Widening of Languages Participation Day. This was a great opportunity for students to not only see what careers they could do with languages, and mix with linguists from other schools, but also to present a business idea to French, Spanish, Italian and German speaking business investors. The day started with a brief presentation from the trip organiser, Emma Mort, to explain the students’ mission for the day! Immediately they were thrust into action, teaming up with students from other schools who spoke different languages with only an hour and half to prepare their pitch, which they would present to foreign investors later that afternoon. The Caludon students showed extreme enthusiasm, maturity and confidence and this all paid off when one of the teams, including our very own Rihon Scullion, Jay Cranston and Daniel Cooper received the runner up award from the foreign investors. They had been impressed by their team’s organisation and use of visuals in order to create a convincing presentation in all four languages! The day was also an eye opening experience for all the students to see where a language could take them in life. We heard from a careers advisor, a business expert and degree students, all from the University who made a convincing case to take languages further. This most certainly had a real effect on our tremendous students, who represented the school in an exemplary manner. The day flew by and Caludon students had taken both confidence and new language and communication skills from the experience and a most enjoyable and useful time was had by all. Nick Herlihy - Spanish Teacher
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Music Department
Saturday 29th of March, the moment 7 sixth form music students had waited for, for months, had finally arrived, the official release of ‘Someone’! In the summer of 2013 the students discussed their possible modules for the following academic year and the obvious choice was the ‘Major Music Project’. Music teacher Mr Stokes then pitched the idea of writing a song to raise money for charity, the chosen charity being the Neonatal unit and University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) after Chair of Governors, Mark Friday’s son was born in the unit at 14 weeks premature. 3 band members, Georgia, Harry and Lewis were also taken round the unit by members of staff, which really pulled at heartstrings.
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By September the song, ‘Someone’, had been written my Mr Stokes and band teacher Tim Bowes and it was time for the band, One Step Closer, (the band is made up of keyboardist Harry Smith, bass player Scott Kettell, drummer Jack Foreman, guitarists Hisaan Shah and Lewis Raishbrook and singers Rebekah Bourke and Georgia Nicholls,) to learn the track. They were then taken to Southfield Studios in Coleshill to professionally record the track, where they also had meetings with a professional graphic designer to decide on their, logo and official artwork to promote the big event! The £5, 3 track CD the students had created, which is still available to buy, features the original single Someone, starring a hospital staff choir. It also showcases The Belles of the Three Spires version of the song and then One Step Closer’s own rendition of ‘Wonderful World’. After weeks of constant promotion and rehearsal, the big day arrived in Broadgate Square, the band performed a 30 minute set, as did The Belles of The Three Spires, who then joined the band on stage for the end release of Someone. The afternoon saw 20 sixth form students in ‘One Step Closer’ t-shirts informing passers-by of the event and handing out free balloons to children, CD’s were sold and a raffle drawer for all the generous gifts the band had been given by various companies such as Storksak and West Midlands Safari Park for free! Not only were the band playing to a crowd of 100’s, they also appeared in the Coventry Telegraph and ITV Central News and later that evening. The day could not have gone better for all involved and not only was the sun shining, they managed to raise over £1000 for the charity! The single ‘Someone’ is available on iTunes for 79p and CDs are still for sale at £5 from the Music department, all proceeds going directly to the neonatal until at UHCW. Georgia Nicholls Year 13
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Sports Relief On Friday 21 March, all of our Year 7 students took part in the Sports Relief mile to raise money for Sport Relief. The Stig, Clowns, Ninja turtles, Batman and many more characters were in attendance, as students took the opportunity to dress up for the occasion. £118 was raised and the students had lots of fun in the process. Ms Oldham– Leader of Sport and Leisure Faculty
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Language Department Northern France trip 3rd-4th April 2014 After the teachers nearly missed the bus (through no fault of their own), the year 7 trip to France went ahead as planned. 19 excitable year 7 students boarded the bus on our journey down to Folkestone. After crossing the channel via the Eurotunnel we had some free time in Boulongnesur-mer to practise some French and buy souvenirs. Then off we went to the first visit of the trip to a French confiserie (sweet shop) where students saw how soft and hard sweets are made. Some of them even had a go at filling the sweet moulds which impressed the rest of the group. Brindan Tharmasee commented, "My favourite place was the sweet shop because it showed that it was easier to make the sweets than I thought. I thought it would be a big factory and a long process but it was really easy!" Holly James added, "I really enjoyed having a go at making the sweets myself as it was fun"! After stocking up in the shop the next part of our journey was to Nausicaa sea life centre where we saw fish of all shapes and sizes, sharks, sting rays, giant tortoises, sea horses, iguanas, crocodiles, seals and even penguins! Tom Ward said, "My favourite place was the sea life centre because I saw some fish that I didn't know existed!" Hannah Harvey said, "I really liked seeing the seals swimming underwater at the sea life centre". After a quick look in the gift shop we left in the direction of our hotel just outside le Touquet. We checked into our rooms, had dinner and then spent the rest of the evening playing cards and board games. The next morning after a "comfortable night's sleep" according to Aaron Sahunta, and a traditional French breakfast of bread and croissants, we set off to our next stop - a Chocolaterie- one of the only ones like it in France. Students saw how a variety of chocolates are made from real cocoa beans and cocoa butter and even got to taste them, miam miam! Grace Howarth said, "it was great to see how real chocolate was made at the chocolaterie". Next, we had a bit of free time in the small town of Le Touquet. A nice stroll along the beach front and 'un peu de shopping' allowed us all to work up an appetite to eat our beautiful French baguettes for lunch. Finally it was on to the traditional boulangerie, there are only a few of its kind in France and people come from miles around to stock up on bread for the week. The baker works 18 hours a day, 6 days a week. Harman Kaur said, "it was interesting to find out that they only use 4 ingredients in the bread; water, flour, bread and salt," and George Best added, "the pains au chocolat were really really really good and Bruno the baker was funny"! Lewis bird enjoyed his stay and said, "it was a really good experience for my first trip abroad". A great time was had by all and we hope to return to France again soon. Quotes from the teachers... “Comment dit-on 'please and thank you" en français? - Miss Blud. “Oh no, I got the mustard sweet”- Mr Herlihy. Miss Blud Teacher of French
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Sports and Leisure
Proposed new kit The Sport and Leisure Faculty is very excited to reveal our proposed new sports kit for September 2014. Following lengthy discussions, and much research on kit styles and colours, the Faculty, along with the Sports Ambassadors, favoured the following range. Both staff and students feel this new range of kit will give Caludon Sport and Leisure Faculty a smart image to represent our outstanding school. Students have modelled the proposed new kit to governors and students, and feedback so far has been very positive. The proposed new kit would initially be compulsory for Year 7 students only in September 2014, with the proposal then to have all students wearing the kit for September 2015. Most Coventry schools have changed their PE kits over the past few years and we feel it is essential to allow our students the same opportunity to have an improved look. Further information we follow to all parents during the summer term, but if you do have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Oldham from the Sport and Leisure Faculty.
Ms Oldham - Leader of Sport and Leisure Faculty
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Spring Term Football Update. The spring term has seen three teams reach the semi-finals of the Coventry schools cup knockout competition. Unfortunately, the Year 8 team who are holders of the competition bowed out at the quarter final stage earlier in the term with defeat against Grace Academy The Year 7 team (pictured) scraped through their quarter final tie at Finham with a 2-1 victory, both goals coming from captain, Mitchell Gibson. They will now face Woodlands for a place in the final.
The Year 10s have had a good run and will play Stoke Park in the semi-final after beating Grace Academy in the last eight with a last minute penalty from Anil Kandola in a 3-2 win. The Year 11 team find themselves pitted against Cardinal Wisemen in their semi-final, after a 3-1 victory over Cardinal Newman in their quarter final, Tobe Kalu produced a match winning performance. Unfortunately the Over 15s (Sixth Form) bowed out of their quarter final, losing 3-0 to Blue Coat. We wish the all of the teams the best of luck and hope to have some Caludon Castle representation in the finals nights at Copsewood after Easter for the 7th year running. Thank you also to the following staff who have run training and organised fixtures for the following year groups.
Year 7 - Mr Shepherd Year 8 – Mr Kemp and Mr Herlihy Year 9 – Mr Elkin Year 10 – Mr Reynolds Year 11 – Mr Frankish Post 16 – Mr Shepherd
Mr Sheperd Assistant Leader – Sport and Leisure
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Uniform and Equipment Checklist Years 7-11 September 2014 Please ensure correct uniform is worn at all times and correct equipment is taken into school. A list is provided below Blazer
Black
Badge
Caludon badge
Trousers
Black: No jeans, corduroy, stripes, slits or excessively narrow legs; no decorative belts
Skirts
Plain black, knee length and of plain design and shape. Not low-waisted, skin tight, ra-ra or frilled
Socks
Plain black – not patterned
Tights
Plain black or neutral
Shirt/Blouse
White with collar that can be buttoned at the neck and long enough to be tucked in
Tie
Clip ties or approved school sport elite ties.
Shoes
Flat, plain black shoes or trainers. No boots, flip flops, backless shoes, or coloured laces or soles.
Bag
Practical, strong and big enough for all equipment and resources to be brought to school
In addition if required: Pullover
Plain black ‘V’ neck only – no sweatshirts, hoodies, cardigans, zip tops
Scarf
Not football club or similar
Outer coat
Raincoat, overcoat, plain, dark – jackets/coats to be big enough so that blazers can be worn underneath. Jackets are not to be worn as substitutes for blazers. No denim, leather jackets with studs or hooded/sweatshirt style. Plain black leather jackets are allowed.
Jewellery
One pair small studs (one in each earlobe). No body, facial or mouth pierced items. No other jewellery to be worn.
Make-up
No eye make-up, mascara, blusher, eyeliner or lipstick. A subtle application of concealer is allowed. No decorative acrylic or nail extensions/nail polish allowed.
Hair
Extreme hairstyles in terms of style are not acceptable. Large hair accessories are also not acceptable. If hair is coloured it must be in a natural colour (not an extreme shade). A plain dark ribbon/headband is acceptable.
Basic equipment Every student is expected to provide the following basic items of equipment for every lesson: Student planner, pencil, eraser, black or blue pen (and a spare), ruler, calculator – for some courses you will need a scientific calculator You may find it is useful to have a prittstick, a set of highlighters, a French/Spanish dictionary and an English pocket dictionary.
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