Charters News Spring Term 2014
Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) in action at Royal Holloway University Students from Year 9 attended the launch of the STEM Box Challenge at Royal Holloway University of London in February. Groups of 10 students were presented with projects in Computer Science, Earth Science and Physics that they will be working on until June, when they go back to Holloway to present to experts in the field and teams of students from other schools. The students appeared to enjoy the experience especially looking through
doorways into real life laboratories with ‘laser’ and ‘radioactivity’ warning labels on the doors! Pictured are the team who brought back to Charters a seismometer which has been set up to detect earthquakes above a 6.5 on the Richter scale ANYWHERE IN the world – their task is to analyse exactly where it took place.
Co-Heads’ Comments
by Martyn Parker and Richard Pilgrim
Future Admissions to Charters School Charters School is proud of its role in serving the local community. When we became an academy school in October 2012, we became our own admissions authority and we stressed at that time that we had no plans to change the ‘designated area’ of the school. This remains the case.
Once we have further information about the intentions of RBWM in meeting the shortfall of available places, we will invite all interested parties to a meeting at Charters to discuss their proposals.
However, you may be aware that in our local area, the demand for secondary school places will outstrip supply as demographic changes take hold. Discussions across the local authority are taking place as this issue is not solely restricted to Ascot and the Sunnings. You may be interested in the papers discussed at RBWM’s Cabinet meeting last week which raised a number of options. The local authority has a legal duty to provide school places for its residents.
Tirabad Triathlon Extreme Update Dr N. Green
Our expectation is that September 2014’s intake will be the last year in which parents of students from within the present designated area can safely assume to be allocated a place at Charters. The figures indicate an increasing shortage of places reaching a peak in 2019. In response to the projected and anticipated increase in numbers, the Governors of Charters School have expressed their willingness to expand the school, as they feel a moral imperative to provide places for the children in our community. In particular, where families already have children in the school, we would want to be in a position to offer places to their siblings and keep families together. Unfortunately, there is no way that our present buildings and capacity would enable us to accommodate an expansion of the school and increase in numbers. The school has developed a plan to build a new Maths block within the school site to replace the existing Maths terrapins, which would increase the school’s capacity. The cost would be £2 million and the school has already put in a bid to the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund for funding to enable us to complete this building work. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful because in comparison with other schools with inadequate basic accommodation, Charters’ requirements were not as urgent, but we will reapply this year. It must be stressed that these projections do not take into account any extra demand for places resulting from additional house-building or other implications of the Local Neighbourhood Plan within the designated area.
Cycling from mid-Wales to Charters School in the wind and rain seems a long time ago. The next part is now less than two weeks away: The London Marathon. I have finished building my costume and it has been on a test run, only needing a few essential decorations for it to be ready. Your contributions have been great but we are still a long way from our target to help improve the facilities at Tirabad. The Justgiving website (http://www.justgiving.com/ TirabadTriathlonExtreme) has been updated and many thanks to all of you who have already donated. To make life simpler you can also donate using your mobiles by texting to CTTE77 £1,5,or10 to 70070. Recent events including ‘The Hour Challenge’ and ‘The School Quiz’ have also made a big difference to the total amount bringing the amount raised to over £3000. Well done to all of those involved with organising and for everyone who participated. There will be photographic evidence soon of my marathon experience, and if you are either watching on TV or in London on the day you may be able to spot me. Just look out for someone wearing a 7 foot long foam bicycle (I do not think there will be many similar outfits!).
For term dates see www.chartersschool.org.uk/term-dates
Outside the Classroom
lenge and get outside, enjoying time together, getting fit and doing something that is of benefit for the children and for their world.
News from the allotment
Who knows, they may become inspired to follow conservation, ecology or horticulture as a profession!
Spring has finally sprung after a wet, wet winter. The allotment is beginning to come back to life and Gardening Club has begun again, after school on Wednesdays. All pupils welcome. The Horticulture students have completed their official studies and have thrown themselves into a very exciting and ambitious project – creating a wildlife area with a large pond. This involved erecting an area of fencing and we are pleased to report that it withstood all those winds! It is not yet finished, but is already looking impressive. We just hope that whatever pond-life takes up residence will appreciate the effort that has gone into making their new home! This resource will be available to students across the curriculum, and to students from local primary schools as well and our pupils can be very proud of what they have achieved.
Letters to loved ones A big 'thank you' to all the teachers and associate staff who contributed to the Staff Art Project commemorating 100 years since the beginning of World War One. The task involved personalising and decorating a small brown envelope similar to that sent from the soldiers in the trenches back home, and included inside was a contribution to the School's chosen charities: The Alzheimer's Society and Thames Hospice. We are delighted to have been able to make a contribution to these two charities and it is great to see the creative talents of our staff. The framed art work can now be seen in the main corridor.
But the project goes further than this. We are looking across the school grounds to find ways we can encourage more biodiversity. This generation of children across the Western world are spending more time indoors and less interacting with the natural environment. It is believed that this is detrimental to their wellbeing, and there is an increasing energy behind the drive to get children back outside. An awareness and interest in the world around them is crucial to this. There are many local organisations, such as the Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife in Ascot, or Rangers from RBWM and BFDC who organise activities. We hope to be able to keep you informed of what is going on in the hope that some families will rise to the chalFollow @ChartersCareers on Twitter for latest career opportunities
Charters Connect …
the alumni society of Charters School
Becky Partington: designer Charters 1992 - 2010
Currently in my last year studying fashion at Kingston. My project was the successful winner of the Evans, ‘The Cut Project’ due to my development of the story 'the girl who travelled the city by a balloon'. It was based on the views a girl would see from a balloon in New York. The prints were an abstract take on buildings covered in balloons. The project was open to both second and third years, I was still in my second year when I entered beating the third years. I'm now in the middle of final collection and the future is hopefully to be successful enough to get into graduate fashion week this June. Becky started with a year's Art Foundation course at Kingston University followed by three further years studying Fashion.
We are always interested in news of former students. Please contact us on E: cc@chartersschool.org.uk
Isobel Hambleton: research in Atlanta and Cambridge
Congratulations to Isobel (Charters 2002-2009) who has secured a combined Master and PhD scholarship to Cambridge University in Inflammation, Infection and Immunology. Isobel was one of five students selected from over 3,000 applicants. Currently in Atlanta, USA, as a part of her course, she met ex-president Jimmy Carter at a function for Bobby Jones Scholars.
Helen Schesinger (Slater) TV and Stage Actress In the mid 1980s, Helen Slater became one of the first Charters’ pupils to study at Oxford University where she read English. Her career developed onto the stage and screen and she adopted the surname Scheslinger to avoid confusion with another actress. She has many credits to her name having worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the BBC , in the West End and on the silver screen. Familiar work includes Merlin as Befelen; The Bill; Holby City; The Way We Live Now and The Crucible.
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Now we are 30 …! Whether you left us after Sixth Form or earlier, for those who celebrate the ‘Big Three 0’ between September 2013 and August 2014, you are invited to join staff and others from your year group at Charters School on the evening of Friday 9 May 2014. Invitations have been posted to your last known addresses; please let us know if you can come and if you’re planning to bring a guest. E: cc@chartersschool.org.uk In the meantime, zoom in on these images to see how many faces you recognise!
Save the date! Friday 9 May 2014
If you would like help organising a reunion for your year group, please email cc@chartersschool.org.uk
Outside the Classroom cont’d... Careers Fair
Singing at the Royal Albert Hall Willlam F. Taylor 10S
In the early hours of the 11th March, 26 Charters Choir members with Mr McKenna and Mr Stephenson made their way to Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, to take part in a performance of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” alongside the BBC singers, Berkshire Youth Choir and Orchestra and over 1,500 others from schools throughout Berkshire.
Charters annual Careers Fair is supported by a wide range of employers, colleges and training providers who each help those students who are choosing their own study options, to make informed decisions for the future. Please click on the link for more information and photos.
Speak Up!
After rehearsals in the morning we made our way to our places in the choir stalls in the Royal Albert Hall which was full of both performers and audience members full of anticipation, and, as the conductor lifted his baton, an unnerving silence descended over the crowd, broken by the famous sound of the timpani that marked the beginning of the first movement- “O Fortuna.” After what seemed a very short time, we were once again singing this movement which indicated the performance was drawing to a close and with the sound of the orchestra, choir and (heard above everything else) the timpani still fresh in everyone’s minds, the concert was over to enthusiastic applause from the audience. It was an experience that will be remembered for the rest of our lives.
Piper Barratt, Hannah Heitplatz and Frankie Killen represented Ascot in The Rotary Club Public Speaking Zone Final on Thursday 27th February. Although they didn't make it through to the next stage of the competition, they performed at a very high level, facing stiff competition. Their commitment and focus was excellent and they were superb representatives for Charters. To find out about the Sixth Form see www.chartersschool.org.uk/6th-form
Training with Rion Pierre
Skiing in the USA Becky Oates 11H
In February half term, 44 of us were lucky enough to go on the annual ski trip to New Hampshire. After a full days traveling, we woke up on Sunday ready for two days skiing at Wildcat Mountain, followed by four days at Attitash. Throughout the week we enjoyed many different excursions out in the local area, namely the high school basketball and ice hockey matches. It was good to see David improve the UK/USA relations with his smooth talking to one of the school cheerleaders. It was a full day everyday with other trips in the evening to the cinema, shopping and the old school bowling alley with disco lights. The snow was fantastic, the instructors were awesome and we had some spectacular skiing during the week. Many falls obviously occurred and the traditional “Stag of the Day” was a highlight every evening. Some stand out winners were, Flora (or is that Dora?) for wiping out an entire family and Flossie for falling off the side of the mountain. There was no question that the week was tiring and the small delay at the airport didn’t help, but all in all it was the best school trip we’ve ever had and I’m sure none of us will forget the memories. Hear, hear! Year 9 students enjoyed an inspirational talk and athletics training session from Rion Pierre, former Chelsea FC & England Schoolboy football player, now one of the UK's fastest sprinters. He described his transition from football to athletics and is hoping he has done enough to be selected for the Commonwealth Games this summer. At the same time a film crew were on site making a video of Charters School for the Sainsbury's School Games. They seized the opportunity to record parts of Rion's training session with the students as part of the footage.
Tom Evans (9H) said "we had an enjoyable and informative session with Rion; he gave us techniques for warming up all parts of the legs and taught us a better way of springing off the starting block. It was fun and will encourage me to do more running". Amber Thorington (9A) said "it made me aware how hard it must be to train to Rion's level. It was exciting to meet such a high level athlete".
For Learning Gateway queries see www.chartersschool.org.uk/gateway
Working in Spain Ten of our AS Spanish students took part in the established work experience programme during February half-term. They worked for various employers in different locations around Segovia in north eastern Spain, making their own way to work each day and reuniting each afternoon or evening to socialise. We asked them for their comments and have included some of the responses here and others can be viewed on our website by clicking on the link here. “At the start of the week I found it quite difficult to understand the customers, but after the first couple of days I found it a lot easier. I liked the independence of the trip, and think that it has improved my Spanish a lot.” Emily Sloane “I found that by the end of the week my Spanish was so much better as I had got used to the accent and started to pick up on a few of the mannerisms and idioms which the people used.” Erin Maher “Working in Segovia was a once in a life time opportunity and I highly recommend going on Spanish work experience, if you have the opportunity; not only did it improve my verbal understanding it also gave me a large confidence boost in speaking the language. “ Gianluca Greenwood “In Segovia I worked in a bilingual nursery for 0-3 year olds. I am sure it improved my Spanish and it was a lot of fun working with children.” Jasmin Wade
Olympic led Regeneration
Year 12 Geographers went to East London in early March to investigate urban rebranding. The sun was shining bright as we travelled over the Thames in the Emirates Skyline cable cars. Students completed fieldwork in Canning Town, Stratford and Canary Wharf to assess the success of retail and sports-led regeneration. We managed to fit in a visit to Westfield shopping centre and took in the views of the Olympic Park. Students will use the data they collected in their upcoming summer exams.