INSPIRING LEARNING
PINNER STUDENTS SPEAK OUT
Hear what we have to say about oracy at Pinner High School
Careers programme at Pinner High School INSPIRING THE FUTURE
Pinner High School science department fizzes with activity EFFERVESCENT ISSUE 11 / SUMMER 2024
Chinese
Chinese@University Fair
On Tuesday, 12 March 2024, we went to a Chinese@University Fair. I found this very useful and interesting, as it allowed me to see what opportunities there are for Chinese after sixth form. First there was a talk, where we heard the experience of some students, one from University of St Andrews, one from University of Cardiff and last but not least a student from Durham University. Then there was time for us to talk to some different universities that offered some form of Chinese degree, including University of Warwick, University of Cambridge, Lancaster University, Chester University, St Andrews University, Durham University, SOAS, University of Cardiff and University of Sheffield. After that we had an authentic meal in ChinaTown, and everyone really enjoyed getting bubble tea. I found out about combining Chinese with other subjects at university, and thought more about how I could use my gap year to improve my Mandarin level.
In July this year, a group of Year 9 MEP students and three teachers will make the trip of a lifetime to China.
Our students will be hosted by East China Normal University in Shanghai and will enjoy daily language sessions with local Chinese teachers, cultural workshops and trips, as well as time to engage with Chinese peer students.
The Mandarin Excellence Programme, and this trip, is delivered on behalf of the Department for Education by University College London Institute of Education Confucius Institute, in partnership with the British Council and the Chinese Centre for Language and Education Co-cooperation, who subsidise the cost of this amazing trip.
The scale of this trip is unprecedented and will involve 62 UK schools and up to 1,500 students and teachers, all hosted by a number of universities across China.
We are sure our students will have a fabulous time and will learn plenty.
2024 Trip to China MANDARIN SPEAKING COMPETITION
On Thursday, 25 March, Jakhavee Karunakaran and I entered the annual Chinese Bridge Mandarin Speaking Competition.
The competition itself was structured into three parts: the first, was to create a speech lasting two minutes long and memorise it. In the second part, I was asked two questions relating to the speech, which I responded to in Chinese. The third part was to create an “on the spot” speech from a stimulus (e.g., “Describe your weekends”), with a planning time of 45 seconds and a speaking time of 1 minute.
Nathan Evans, Y9
I had been working towards this day for the past few months, writing out and memorising my speech and practising my speech making at home and in school. The entire process was very stressful (as I was the last in the running order), although afterwards I felt relieved by how well it went. I now await the (hopefully positive) results!
Jiayu Liu, Teacher of Mandarin
Nathan subsequently progressed into the national final of the Intermediate level of the ‘Chinese Bridge’ Mandarin Speaking Competition, which took place on 9 May at the School of Oriental and African Studies and he competed against 11 other Mandarin students from across the UK. Nathan performed his part flawlessly and delivered his speech with composure and confidence. His Mandarin-speaking skills were so admirable that many teachers and members of the audience later congratulated and praised him. He also made an impression on a journalist from one of the Chinese most prestigious media, XinHua net, who invited him for a short interview.
Oracy at PHS
PINNER STUDENTS SPEAK OUT
employability, and social change, offering free communication skills training to Year 10 students in state schools across London and Essex. Over 30,000 young people benefit from this programme annually.
reflecting her dedication and the skills honed through the Speak Out Challenge.
Students from Pinner High School showcased their oratory skills at the Harrow Regional Final of Jack Petchey’s Speak Out Challenge, a prominent public speaking programme in England. Managed and delivered by Speakers Trust, a leading public speaking charity in the UK, and supported by the Jack Petchey Foundation, this event aims to empower young voices, build confidence, and provide platforms for sharing stories and ideas.
The Speak Out Challenge emphasises effective communication for education,
Sara Dawson, with her speech titled “It’s About Time”, delivered a captivating performance that resonated with the audience and judges. Her message urged listeners to value time, encouraging them to pursue happiness for a fulfilling life.
At the same event, Priya Kaur-Lawley delivered a remarkable speech titled “My Messy Room”. Her eloquent argument advocated for understanding and acceptance of messy rooms, particularly among teenagers, highlighting them as spaces for selfexpression and relaxation. Priya also suggested that messiness could indicate intelligence and potential success!
Sara’s outstanding performance earned her the Runner-Up position,
Ms Woolford, Teacher of English
Inspiring the Future:
Pinner High School Careers Programme 2023/24
This has been a busy year for careers at Pinner High School with our inaugural Careers Fair taking place in February, and Year 10 and year 12 going on work experience for the first time in June. Year 11 have also all received one-to-one careers support to help them prepare for their next steps, and all year groups have received careers education as part of the PSHE curriculum.
Unifrog has been introduced across all year groups and each student has an account where they have careers information and quizzes at their fingertips. This will help them understand more about themselves and their future career and education options.
Our Sixth Form students have learnt about higher and degree level apprenticeships, with a visit from ASK Apprenticeships and many classes have had visits from professionals from the fields of medicine, psychology and engineering. We are always looking for members of the community to engage with our students, so if you would like to share information about your career, please do get in touch.
The Careers Fair in February was the highlight of the year. All students were given the opportunity to attend. Exhibitors commented on how impressed they were with our students, and the feedback from students revealed how valuable it had been. One Year 7 student wrote:
“During the careers fair I learned how to get into the job industries that I like and what I need to do to be guaranteed a job in that particular industry. It was very helpful in many ways. I even discovered some new jobs that I would consider having in the future. The careers fair has helped me figure out what I would like to do for a job in the future.”
We have also recently heard that one of our Sixth Form students has been successful in securing a degree apprenticeship with one of the employers present, which is a further example of how impactful the event was.
All these activities have allowed us to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks set to guide schools in providing outstanding careers education.
Mrs Kabel, Careers Officer
Year10
Work Experience Highlights
June 2024
This is the first year that our trailblazing Year 10 students were given the opportunity to do work experience. They accepted the challenge of finding placements, despite the challenges of current working from home culture of many workplaces and were imaginative in finding their placements.
Two students were proactive in gaining a placement with Volker-Fizpatrick, an engineering firm based at Heathrow airport, during the careers fair at school in February. Their experience involved being based at Heathrow airport and included a trip to see one of the HS2 tunnels.
One student stayed with her grandparents and worked in an artisan forge in Hampshire.
Many students decided to return to their primary school and the overall feedback has been hugely positive, with one school saying the Pinner High School students have “set the standard” for all students returning to primary schools for their work experience this year.
Here is an example of some feedback we have received from the Museum of the Order of St John in Central London.
Is he arriving on time?
Yes, SS has been punctual throughout the week and even early!
Is he completing tasks to a good standard?
SS has been efficient and completed all tasks set to a fabulous level. The team has been greatly impressed with his diligence and passion.
Does he have a positive attitude to the workplace?
SS has been one of the most enthusiastic students we’ve had for a long time, and we cannot thank him enough for his efforts here at the Museum.
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?
We would like to thank SS for his time this week, the team have absolutely loved having him in and would welcome him back at any point! Please pass on our thanks to SS on behalf of the Museum, a truly excellent student who will always be welcome back here to St John’s Gate!
School Trips 2023/24
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, COUNTY HALL
Helen’s Physics Comp Harrow Chess Tournament
Tower
of London
Hillingdon Maths Feast
Design Museum
Metamorphosis, Hammersmith Lyric
ROYAL ALBERT HALL
Jekyll & Hyde, Ryan Theatre
Ski Trip Austria Stratford
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
COMPUTER SCIENCE IN ACTION CONFERENCE
Biology in Action Conference Dr Semmelweis, Hammersmith Lyric Chinese Universities Day Science Museum Brunel STEM taster day
STEM CAREERS, BRUNEL UNIVERSITY
Maths Challenge, NCfG Matilda The Musical, RSC, Cambridge Theatre
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
University of Westminster, Chinese Speaking Competition National Portrait Gallery
HYDE PARK - WINTER WONDERLAND
MANDARIN EXCELLENCE PROGRAMME CONFERENCE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Easy Fundraising HMS MUSIC FESTIVAL
so when you make a purchase online, the brand will donate a percentage of the spend to Pinner High School at no additional cost to you. Examples of participating brands include Amazon, Asda, eBay, M&S, Sainsbury, Tesco, TUI, Boden, Booking.com, O2 and Confused.com. How it works
Download the easyfundraising app on your phone or tablet, click on this easyfundraising registration link or scan the QR code (right) to take you to the registration page. Registration takes 2 minutes and just requires an email address. Funds raised will be used to support with resources for all students across the school to enhance our curriculum. Your support this way is much appreciated.
Community Lettings
If you might be interested in hiring some of our fantastic facilities, please take a virtual trip around our school here:
https://sites.google.com/pinnerhighschool.org/ pinnerspace-lettingsatpinnerhi/home and then browse our lettings portal for prices, terms and conditions etc.
Community lettings not only allow us to share our fabulous facilities with our wider community, but are a vital source of income for our school.
Please feel free to email pinnerspace@pinnerhighschool.org for further information or if you would like to visit us.
PINNER WOOD READING PARTNERSHIP