MVC NEWS
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The News Magazine of Melbourn Village College, an Academy of the Comberton Academy Trust
More GCSE art work — Page 6
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Wheely good news The whole community is set to benefit from Melbourn Village College’s new top-of-the-range minibus. The 64-plate Ford Transit, with full Melbourn livery, was recently delivered to the college as part of a twoyear lease deal secured through its membership of the Comberton Academy Trust. A similar bus has also been secured for the new secondary school at Cambourne which, along with Comberton Villabge College and The Voyager Academy make up the schools in the Trust. The new-model Ford Transit minibus replaces the 1997 vehicle which was traded in for £1,500! Melbourn Principal Simon Holmes said: “It’s fantastic to have this new minibus which will not only benefit our students, but the pupils from our feeder primaries and local community groups as well.”
ON THE ROAD: Melbourn’s new minibus.
Why we back homes plan Melbourn’s Principal says the proposal for 200 new homes in the village would benefit all the college’s students.
And while Simon Holmes sympathises with local residents, the majority of whom oppose the plans, he said the college would not be acting in the students’ best interests by responding negatively. He believes that the development would potentially increase the number of students at the college — and that crucially this would benefit those already there. However, nearly 1,500 residents — 86% of those who responded — opposed the major development off New Road, in response to a public consultation. Mr Holmes said: “There has been some misinformation concerning the college in that people were saying that we are full, which we are not. “The college is funded according to the number of
students. Put simply, each additional student brings £4,000 of funding per year to the college. If, for example, an additional four children came into our Year 7, the classes would increase by one each, and yet would still be in the low 20s on average. Since no extra teachers would be needed there would be very little additional cost to the college. “Therefore, the additional £16,000 would benefit all the students, new and existing. If this were replicated across the college then the additional income and benefit for existing students could be significant with no detriment to their education. Whilst I fully understand the concerns and views of Melbourn residents, our first responsibility is to our students and having been asked to take part in the consultation, the college must therefore support a development which would benefit them.”
SUPPORT: Simon Holmes believes new housing in Melbourn would benefit the college’s existing students.
Former students look at MVC through lens
The finishing touches are being made to two teachers who taught me by their first names. new films for Melbourn Village College. Being allowed in the staff room was weird A short insight into life at college should be too. available to view on the website “But it’s also been really good filming in a www.mvc.org.uk before Christmas while an school for the first time. The buildings are extended version to show to parents, pupils easy to make look good and the lessons we and prospective pupils and on the screens have filmed have been interesting and around the school will be up and running in interactive. the new year. “We like doing different films and we’ve Both films are being made by two former enjoyed being at Melbourn. We’d definitely Melbourn students, Rachel Clarkstone and like to do more films in schools.” Tom Norris, who, with Jack Joy from Harlow, Jack, 22, who attended Cambridge Regional set up As A Button Productions in Shrepreth College, added: “It’s not that long since we’ve two years ago. been at school so we haven’t forgotten what It is their first venture into educational filmit’s like and can still relate to the pupils, making although they have worked on especially Rachel and Tom as they were at LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: The making of Melbourn’s new Melbourn.” projects such at the UK Festival Awards — video. The trio are hoping their film will lead to which involved filming at both the Leeds and further work at the other academies in the Comberton Academy Trust, of which Latitude festivals — and for major company, Greenwich Leisure, among others. Melbourn is a member, as well as other schools in the area. Tom, now 24, said: “For me the strangest thing has been going back and calling
q Caring and Sharing — Page 3 q Chain Reaction — Page 3 q Better Together — Page 5 q Primary Pupils Travel Back in Time — Page 5 q Spreading Christmas Cheer — Page 6 2
Inside this Issue q Flower Power — Page 6 q A Celebration of Ages — Page 8 q Record-breakers Back — Page 7 q The Art of Success — Page 8 q Global Outlook is Key — Page 9 q Deeper look at Maths and Puzzles — Page 10
q ACTivities — Page 11 q CAT News — Page 12 q Looking into William’s Rule — Page 13 q q SCSSP Update — Page 14 q Sports Round-up — Page 16 MVC News
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Caring and sharing . . .
The Comberton Academy Trust is one of only seven groups of schools nationally that have been working with educational experts at the Centre for British Teaching (CfBT) in co-creating and piloting a school-based peer review system.
CfBT have used their extensive experience of the educational sector and international research to develop a framework for reviews which schools will be able to purchase in the future. The criteria used align with OFSTED where relevant, but extend beyond this in terms of the aspects which contribute to successful education. As one of the original pilot organisations, CAT senior staff have contributed to that framework and received training as peer reviewers. Over the past year teams of senior managers, led by a Head of School, have visited each CAT school and conducted a review of various aspects of their practice. Evidence has been gathered from a range of sources including exam data, lesson observations and meetings with staff and students. OFSTED-standard criteria have been used to feed back findings to staff and governors and the whole process has been extremely valuable in moving all the schools forward, with schools offering support to each other in their own areas of expertise. In addition to the benefits for the school being reviewed, the experience of finding out about how a
CLAIRE COATES: The Cambourne Head of School led the team visiting Melbourn.
school works has led to each team taking back ideas to their own school. For example, MVC’s effective use of Go4Schools in providing assessment data to parents and the way that SEN provision and intervention is mapped have led to these systems being adopted at other Trust schools. MVC has also benefitted in a similar way, with senior staff bringing back ideas from the reviews of the other schools. MVC had their review in October and found the whole
experience particularly useful. The visiting team, led by Cambourne Head of School Claire Coates and assisted by senior staff from Voyager and Comberton spent two days at the college. Their report, presented to Governors at the college, confirmed the high quality of provision in areas such as English and Maths and the positive views of the students. The report stated that: “Members of the pupil panel, and all other students spoken with, are proud of their school and very loyal in the way they present it to visitors. “The pupils spoken with appreciate the range of cultural and sporting opportunities that are on offer to them.” The team were also impressed by the strength of community evident within the college: “In the assembly viewed, and through conversations with staff and students, it is clear that MVC has strong moral purpose. “Students report that there is very little bullying and that ‘this is a very caring school.’ “Support systems for students are strong and wellplanned; vulnerable students are cared for very well.” Melbourn Principal Simon Holmes said: “The major difference for me between this review and an OFSTED visit is the feeling of co-operation and support. “Difficult and challenging questions were, quite rightly, asked, but at the end of the process there is a willingness to work together to help move the college forward. “This sense of mutual support is one of the main benefits of joining the Trust.”
MVC students set off a chain reaction
Nobody minded too much as they had all enjoyed big day where each school’s link in the chain is Students from Melbourn started a chain reaction building it — and it marked a successful farewell around the Cambridge Guildhall in the name of set off by the previous one and each offering is science and technology. for Science Technician Mandy Curtis, who has judged. Although the judges were impressed by The Year 7 and 8 members of the college’s run the weekly club for the past four years. the Melbourn build, it didn’t win. @STEMClubMVC (Science, She has now moved on to the Cambridge Technology, Engineering and Science Centre, a link which came about Maths) were competing in the through her involvement with STEM club annual Chain Reaction at Melbourn. competition — and this year it “Over the last few years, we have taken part in several competitions, attended the was Melbourn’s creation that the Big Bang fair at Duxford, carried out Mayor of Cambridge used to start investigations into the effectiveness of the ball rolling. hand washes, the effect of different fizzy The pupils had spent weeks drinks on mentoes and used chocolate to discussing and building their part measure the speed of light, and much of the machine, deciding whether more!” she said. “I have thoroughly Newton’s Cradle or a swinging enjoyed it and I think the students have ball would be the best start, too. whether to incorporate a marble “It is with very mixed emotions that I have run and whether squash balls left MVC to work more days at the would stay on their runners long Science Centre, but I will always look enough to counter-balance the back on my time at MVC, and especially bung balanced on the see-saw. It all came together in time for the FIRST LINK IN THE CHAIN: Melbourn students with their creation. STEM club, with great fondness.”
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Better together
LEARNING FRENCH: Foxton pupils with Veronique Sanders.
Primary school pupils and Melbourn Village College are benefitting from a range of new links across the curriculum.
Staff organised by the college are working with students at a number of Melbourn’s feeder primaries in art, maths and French as well as many PE opportunities through the South Cambs School Sport Partnership (see Page 14). At Hauxton and Barrington, art teacher Nick Juett has been using a variety of techniques to enthuse pupils and has reported that the knowledge he has gained is helping shape the Melbourn curriculum. Rhian Bateman, who has a Year 5/6 class at Hauxton, said: “ACTIONart has already inspired the children in my class to produce some excellent pieces of art. “The children enjoyed the challenge to engage with a task initially designed for Year 9 students at Melbourn. “The children loved meeting a ‘real’ artist and are enthusiastic about our upcoming projects. “As a teacher in a local priamry school, it is great to develop this link with MVC and it has provided the opportunity to plan class and whole school projects with an experienced artist and art teacher.” It is a similar story for languages where Veronique Sanders is helping Fowlmere, Foxton and Barrington
meet the now-compulsory requirement of teaching a foreign language in primary school. In a venture funded jointly by Melbourn and the primaries involved, she is teaching French in all three schools on a weekly basis. Barrington are also among the schools whose most able mathematicians are being stretched by extra sessions in an other Melbourn-led initiative called ‘Explore Maths’. Sue Southward, who works for the Comberton Academy Trust, is also helping push the boundaries at Harston & Newton, Melbourn, Thriplow, Hauxton and Meldreth. She has been working mainly with Year 6, but also some Year 5, on problem-solving and investigation. Some of the solutions the children have come up with have been sent to the NRICH website, run by Cambirdge University, and they are waiting to see if they will be put on-line. WORKS IN PROGRESS: Youngsters involved Currently each school gets a block of three one-hour in ACTion Art get their creative juices weekly visits twice a year and there are plans to flowing. invite all those involved to a special event at get a better experience as we know the areas they Melbourn in the summer term. have already covered. “ Melbourn Principal Simon Holmes said: “We are Other feeder primaries wanting to get involved with any learning which areas the primaries are strong in and of these initiatives are invited to contact Mr Holmes at we are adapting our curriculums accordingly. Having MVC. involvement at primary level means our Year 7s will
Around 130 youngsters were transported back in time for a taste of life 50 years ago. The nine and 10-year-olds from Melbourn’s feeder primary schools spent a day at the college for a themed 1950s event. The event was spread over two days to accommodate all the Year 5 children from Melbourn, Meldreth, Barrington, Harston and Newton, Hauxton, Fowlmere and Foxton primary schools. They looked at rock and roll and jazz during work in the dance and music departments, while drama were focusing on key events of the 1950s, including sweet rationing, Sir Edmund Hilary’s Everest conquest and the Queen’s coronation. The art activity was based on the artist Victor Vasarely and the Art Movement Op Art. The pupils worked with watercolours and had the opportunity to design their own example of Op Art. Half the children attended on each of two days, but after the final day all were invited to perform and show off their work at a special gala evening for parents.
their primary schools, parents and themselves. For most, this was their first time experiencing a secondary school environment, but this didn’t seem to faze them. “The step up to a secondary education is often a daunting one, but days like this can make that process easier. It was great to give these young pupils a taste of secondary education and the great opportunities that will be provided. “Melbourn is a school that takes pride in knowing each of its students and events like this are vital in starting off that learning process, and connection between school and student.” The successful Year 5 event followed on from a well-received Year 4 day earlier in the term where youngsters from the same schools took part in a range of activities, including creating a mood board based on a popular William Blake poem, an introduction to algebra and learning how to greet each other in a variety of languages.
Primary pupils travel back in time . . .
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FOCUS: Year 5 students concentrating.
Melbourn’s Primary Co-Ordinator, Kelly Coghlan, said: “All the pupils were fantastic and a credit to
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Spreading Xmas cheer
Melbourn students have helped to bring Christmas cheer to families and the elderly in some of the poorest corners of Europe.
The school joined forces for the first time with Link To Hope, a charity which initially worked only in Romania, but is now committed to rebuilding lives and communities in Moldova, Albania and Ukraine as well. Staff and pupils collected more than 30 shoeboxes not just for children, as another high-profile charity does, but for families and elderly people, who are increasingly being left alone as their children move to try to find work. Family shoeboxes are given to those who often have to choose between buying food or fuel at Christmas with presents a low priority or distant dream. Many of these families do not have running water, heating or electricity and the whole family lives in one or two rooms. These boxes include toiletries, sweets and chocolate, games and toys, solar powered and wind-up calculators, torches etc, first aid, sewing and small tool kits as well as hats, scarves and gloves. Elderly shoeboxes are similar but target the older generation with suggestions including candles, reading glasses playing cards and dominoes and sensory items like a small wind chime. “We wanted our students to think about the whole community, not just one section of it, which is why we liked the idea of helping Link To Hope,” said organiser Marta Gunner, the Head of Humanities at Melbourn. “This was an excellent start, and we are looking forward to next year where we are aiming to exceed this total. We would like to thank Country Gardens and the businesses within it who helped advertise and collect boxes for us as well as everybody who donated a box.”
BOXES OF HOPE: The shoeboxes full of gifts bound for Eastern Europe.
Flower power!
POPPIES IN PRODUCTION: Melbourn students and members of the Royal British Legion make poppies together.
A commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One was marked by a collaboration between Melbourn students and the Royal British Legion. A group of students, working in conjunction with the RBL, ensured more than 150 poppies adorned the Book of Remembrance table and lectern in All Saint’s Church, Melbourn, on Remembrance Sunday. Some students spent a day with the RBL creating poppies, while others were made in Art, Citizenship and RE lessons. The poppies, painted, paper and knitted, were combined with those made by the RBL to create a display reminiscent of the Tower of London art. Marta Gunner, the teacher in charge of the charity projects, said: “There was a lovely community feel to this project, with those students involved
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Hats off to knitters
Over the past weeks, a dedicated band of students from across both key stages have taken up their knitting needles or have learnt how to knit to produce hats for Innocent Smoothies. This is in response to their Big Knit campaign in support of Age UK. Every smoothie that is sold with a hat generates a 25p donation to Age UK’s ‘Spread the Warmth’ campaign which is then used to help the elderly by funding befriending visits, emergency winter care, hot meals and a variety of other services. Between these novice knitters and their families, a collection of 30 hats have been produced using a variety of stitches. Such is the enthusiasm for this new skill, that the group is to transform into a Craft Club, working on different projects both for charity and for themselves over the year. Marta Gunner, who oversees the group, said: ”I am very proud of these students and their dedication in learning a new skill to help others. “I am looking forward to continuing to work with them and any others who are interested on different projects over the coming year.”
RED REMEMBRANCE: The poppies at St Andrew’s Church, Melbourn.
working with the ladies’ division of the Royal British Legion. “And with the help of Miss Heeks in the Art Department, I feel the students really understood what we were commemorating.”
HANDS FULL OF HATS: Year 7 students with some of the Innocent Smoothie hats.
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A celebration of ages
PARTY TIME: Staff and students at the Boxing Day lunch.
Christmas came early for more than 150 older people and students at MVC.
In fact, it was a month early, which meant the latest Celebrating Ages meeting was the Boxing Day lunch on Wednesday November 26! Celebrating Ages is a collaboration between the college’s Food Technology Department, catering staff, the ACT project and Melbourn Parish Council. Melbourn residents aged over 60 are able to put their names down for the get-togethers which take place two or three times a year. And once they have been to one event, they receive a personal invitation to the next one.
Already this year they have had a World War I commemoration and a tea party and last month young and older got together for a traditional post-Christmas lunch. Students in Years 10 and 11 welcomed their guests and served cold cuts of meat, roast potatoes and bread and butter as well as mince pies made by pupils in food technology lessons and a miniature Christmas cake each. With backing from the Music Department, the afternoon was rounded off with community carolsinging. Ann Woods, Melbourn’s Head of Food Technology,
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD: D of E participants cook dinner on Trangia stoves.
Expedition is a success
A dozen Melbourn students completed their assessed expedition for their Duke of Edinburgh bronze awards earlier this term. The Year 11 participants were the latest contingent from the college to benefit from Melbourn being part of the Comberton Academy Trust as they joined more than 150 Comberton Village College students on the expedition to the Chilterns in Buckinghamshire. Melbourn joined the Trust a year ago but joint DofE expeditions have been on-going for three years, allowing Melbourn students to participate alongside Comberton, who refuse to restrict the numbers who take part and offer free places to those on Free School Meals. The students were all bleary-eyed before they even started with their first night’s sleep constantly interrupted by a building alarm going off regularly throughout the night, but spirits were still high. After a rainy start on Saturday, Sunday’s weather was much nicer, and the students were pleased to start the second day of hiking if only to warm up. They were very relieved to limp (in some cases) up to the finishing point on Sunday, and they showed real strength of character to keep going all weekend under challenging conditions, which included cold rain, lack of sleep and some minor injuries. Amelie Bowers, one of the DofE co-ordinators at Melbourn, said: “They should definitely be feeling proud of their accomplishment, and should be congratulated too on their exemplary behaviour and attitude throughout the weekend. They are a real credit to Melbourn Village College and the Trust.”
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said: “This is our first Boxing Day lunch but the third year we have been running this project with the Parish Council. “We try to have different themes so as well as the First World War one in the summer, we’ve had a cream tea and another time we had sandwiches and cakes on stands. “We can cater for around 160 villagers over the age of 60 and we are always fully booked.” Principal Simon Holmes said: “These events are a fantastic way of bringing our students and the local community together to share an experience and build understanding and respect.”
Record-breakers return
The Class of 2014 celebrated record achievements at their recent Presentation Evening. An impressive 76% of the year group achieved at least five A*-C grades, with progress rates in English and Maths both above 80%. Students received GCSE certificates and subject prizes to reward their hard work over the past five years. In a first for the college, the governors’ prize for achievement was split three ways — Lucy Hanlon, Eliie Dixon and Mia Brown sharing the honour as all they swept the board with A*s in all their GCSEs. In his address to the year group, Principal Simon Holmes told the students to be proud of their achievements, but also to remember all the other skills they had learnt during their time at the college. To succeed, he told them, they needed to: “work hard, think inside and outside the box, and know when to follow or rewrite the rules”, citing examples such as the Dyson vacuum cleaner and the changing world of music formats, form vinyl through CD to virtual. The formal part of the evening ended with a celebration of the World Challenge trip to Ethiopia which a number of the year group undertook. An experience which, according to Mr Holmes, “had enormous value in shaping the young peoples’ lives but which could never be measured by raw exam results. It is these experiences and skills which will enable the students to succeed in whatever career or path their results open up.”
BACK TO SCHOOL: Former students return to collect their GCSE certificates.
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The art of success
MVC had a very creative GCSE exhibition in which the excellent work of art students was displayed to both the moderator and the public.
A selection of the work was then put on display at Melbourn Primary school. The work was both creative and skillful and represented the very best of art students' creative output. As a school we take great pleasure in showing off the work of all individuals taking GCSE art and are very proud of all the students' hard work and dedication. Sarah Heeks, Art Teacher
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Global outlook is key Melbourn are waiting to hear if they have achieved an International Schools Award for their multi-national work.
The college has just applied for the Intermediate Certificate with a view to developing to full accreditation level over the next couple of years. Success for Melbourn and Cambourne Village College, who have also just applied, will mean all the academies of the Comberton Academy Trust will have some level of ISA accreditation as Comberton have the full level and Voyager were recently awarded Foundation level. Applicants have to evidence all the international work they undertake and there is no shortage at Melbourn. Possibly the more extensive is the on-going Common Territory project, the 5m Euro ACT initiative. This is an innovative cross-border collaboration between a dozen leading arts and education partners from France and England of which MVC is the only school. It has already enabled Melbourn students to go to the World War One battlefields and take part in a variety of musical concerts in France at no cost. Students were also present at a ceremony in Picardy where a new rose to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of World War One was unveiled. A Rose of Peace is now growing a Melbourn. Melbourn’s languages department has established exchanges and visits with Modellschule and Gesamtschule, Bad Hersfeld, Germany and students have also undertaken immersion, as well as work experience trips to Cantabria, Spain, in conjunction with Comberton. Melbourn also has a newly-developed link with the Collège Angèle Vannier in Brice-en-Coglès, near Rennes. In addition students have had the opportunity for other overseas visits to Ethiopia, Belguim and Austria, all of which can be evidenced to help with the award application. Assistant Principal, Regina Lawrence, herself a languages teacher, said: “At Melbourn Village College we expect every student to learn to take his or her place as a responsible citizen in our local and global society. As such, we are currently seeking to become an ‘International School’. This is a highly regarded achievement and would be in recognition of the wide variety of opportunities open to the students.”
A deeper look into maths
Able mathematicians from Melbourn have been flocking to lessons on Saturdays this term. An unprecedented number of Gifted and Talented students in Year 8 have attended Saturday morning lectures run by the Royal Institute at the University of Cambridge. Topics have ranged from chaos theory, origami and the mathematics of music. Head of maths John Holder said: “These sessions enrich students’ understanding and appreciation of the wider applications of the subject and I hope will stimulate them to want to study maths at a higher level.” Melbourn have also been running a Year 7 Booster Maths Project and it will continue tthis school year to provide extra support for students aiming to improve their core maths skills. Mr Holder said: “Thank you to all the Year 7 students taking part in this programme. Thank you also to their Year 11 buddies for helping out. “This project will continue throughout the year providing a little extra support for our Year 7 students; hopefully to enable them to accelerate their progress.
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INTERNATIONAL TRIPS: To Ethiopia (above) and the World War One battlefields are evidence of Melbourn’s global outlook.
Solving puzzles with a little ‘magic’
TEA AND PUZZLES: Teamwork is key to finding the solution.
Earlier this term the Mathematics Department hosted an evening with the Happy Puzzle Company for students in Years 6-8 and their parents. During the session participants were shown optical illusions, magic ‘tricks’ with handcuffs, and had the opportunity to tackle a number of
challenging puzzles. Finally they were shown how to balance 12 regular nails on top of a single nail mounted on a plinth. Quite some feat. All those who attended had a very enjoyable time and we look forward to hosting a similar event in the future.
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INTO THE LIGHT: Students at Tine Bech’s lighting design workshop at Comberton.
Animals went in two by two Rehearsals are under way for an ambitious international performance of a Benjamin Britten opera — starring students from Melbourn Village College and three of its feeder primary schools.
four Southend YMCA young people as The Gossips, as well as professionals opera singers as Noah and Mrs Noah. Musicians from the Orchestre de Picardie, one of the lead partners in the ACT project, will be joined by a French youth orchestra. The South Cambridgeshire students, aged 10-15, will spend a week in The 27 Melbourn pupils, along with 17 HEAD France in early January at the end of from Foxton, Harston & Newton and START: which Noye’s Fludde will be performed Hauxton Primary Schools are making Foxton in Amiens and Compiegne. up the cast of animals going into Primary The English performances will take Noah’s ark. They will be joining School place at Comberton Sports and Arts French counterparts to perform pupils Performance Hall — Britten was keen Noye’s Fludde, a one-act Britten work on that performances should be held in opera written largely for amateurs, their headhalls and community spaces — in especially children. dresses early March. It is due to be performed in two with expert Following auditions in the autumn, the countries next year as part of the ACT help from English cast spent their first rehearsals project, a cross-border cultural Lucy experiencing workshops with both the heritage and educational exchange Griffiths director, Amy Lane, and lighting programme between 12 arts and and Jo designer Tine Bech, from the education partners from France and Dungate. University of Creative Arts. England and backed by the European The students are also making their animal headdresses and are working with Regional Development Fund. another ACT partner, the Royal Opera House Education Team, to help realise the The opera, based on the biblical story of Noah, the ark and flood, will see six designs. soloists from Melbourn taking roles as Noah’s sons and their wives. They will join Bryony Graham, Melbourn VC’s Arts Development Manager, said: “The ACT project is truly an amazing project that Melbourn Village College is immensely proud Musicians from two French to be part of. orchestras were at Melbourn this “Putting the idea of community at the heart of term performing to the community the project, we and our partners are interested and working with students at the in learning with and from each other about our college thanks to the ACT project. differences and similarities, exploring our culture and heritage together and using the Three strings players from the arts to create inspiring shared experiences for Orchestre de Picardie and two from all involved. the Orchestre Symphonique de “Being involved in the ACT project’s Bretagne presented an evening of production of Noye’s Fludde is set to be an chamber music at the college in extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime experience for November in a free concert. many of our students. Guests were treated to “There is a lot of hard work to be done by Mendelssohn’s String quartet No 2 everyone. It is exciting and inspiring to learn in B flat major Opus 87 and together in this way – this is partnership Mozart’s string quartet No 4 in G working at its best.” Minor K516. For more information about Melbourn Village They also worked with more than 90 College and the ACT project visit students, holding open rehearsals, www.mvc.org.uk/ACT-A-Common-Territory or workshops and Q&A sessions http://act-acommonterritory.eu/ EXCLUSIVE CONCERT: For Melbourn students. during their week-long visit.
French musicians share their work
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A symbol of identity The Comberton Academy Trust has a new logo to start the new year.
It has been designed by Comberton’s Head of Art and Design Greg Dean, who also designed the logo for Cambourne Village College, Comberton Sixth Form and Voyager Sixth Form as well as revamping Comberton’s logo. He explained: “When the Comberton Academy Trust began I received an email that asked me to stick the school logo next to the name. By lunchtime! “This rather hasty logo stood for a while and was appropriate given that the first schools to become part of the Trust were very much 'Comberton'. “As the Trust grew, however, it became clear that simply having the CVC logo next to the name was less appropriate due to the evolving relationship of the Trust and its schools. “The new logo aims to provide a flavour of the Comberton brand while also projecting some different values. The three heads are now overlapped and reshaped into crescents, hopefully reminiscent of both the Comberton Sixth Form and Cambourne logos.
Working together
Students from all four schools have been part of a new way of working together. It is designed to create the conditions for meaningful discussion and deep conversations, both by creating games to structure deep engagement in a marketplace of ideas and in the Space for Dialogue alternative to conference. At a series of cross-Trust events facilitated by URock Arts practitioners (dance theatre and creativity) young people experienced partnership working, co-creating a sustainable model to allow them to work out what the meaningful questions are, as well as finding answers to the questions that are meaningful in their lives in school. Implicit in that is improving their confidence and risk-taking as they are being challenged beyond their comfort zones in new settings. This is being supported by Norfolk and Norwich Festival Bridge and the model is being used in schools across Norfolk. Students from the Trust are designing and running a student-led consultation event with health service, local authority and business leaders in Peterborough. There will be a chance for students from Trust schools to also roll this out, inviting students from their primary schools to participate in their own event. One participant said: “Head Teachers should know that students can take control of their learning and do it effectively. Seminars and conferences like this are useful for building teamwork, life skills that can be transferable in the rest of your life.” Another commented: “When we work together we can create ‘life as a subject’ – students writing the curriculum,” while a third said: “Lessons with an octopus would be swimming, but how would you understand the teacher?”
TEAMWORK IS KEY: Games with meaning for students from all the academies of the Trust.
Driving a hard bargain
“The position of this new shape is placed to suggest sails along the top of the logo. This provides the idea of the movement and direction that the Trust provides. The position also suggests the over-arching nature of the Trust. “The logo has been through many designs over the last few weeks but we have finally ended up with something that everyone appears to be happy with. Luckily I hadn’t agreed to finish this one by lunch!”
Moving on
Partnership Leader Rosalind Scott is leaving to pursue her political ambitions after four years in the Trust promoting inclusion and partnership working. She will continue to work with all four schools, coordinating schools-led partnership for school improvement and leadership development with the CfBT Education Trust. Rosalind would like to thank all staff, students and their families and say how much she has enjoyed all the opportunities and the joy of working together. She said: “I firmly believe a school is at the heart of its community and now I am ready to take on a different role in my local community, as a politician.”
Trust ideas go global
Rainbow Home and School is an anti-bullying initiative funded by the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship programme of the European Union. The best practice of Trust students in preventing bullying has been celebrated and acknowledged at a conference in Brussels. Two films made by students were premiered to an audience of educators, activists and MEPs and the ideas are to be taken up across organisations from countries as varied as Bulgaria, Basque Country, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK. Voyager Academy students have designed and started a programme
where students, families and school can really work together. They are taking their film and programme into the primary schools before transition. As one student remembered: “The first day it was like you were an ant, something small, and walking around with giants!” Comberton Village College shared their experience of Pupils’ Equal Opportunities Means Learning for Everyone, PEOPLE People, in peer support and restorative practice. Students explained their passion for equality and respect for diversity and difference.
NEW WHEELS: Cambourne’s minibus
Two new top-of-the-range minibuses have just been delivered to the Comberton Academy Trust. The 64-plate 16-seat Ford Transits have been given the livery of Cambourne and Melbourn Village Colleges after Finance Manager Mark Norman secured a very attractive two-year lease deal for the new model. He even managed to get £1,500 for each of the old buses — Melbourn’s 1997 vehicle and a Comberton hand-me-down which has served Cambourne since it opened in September 2013.
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CENTRAL ROLE: Using a pipe cleaner ‘person’ to help voice feelings.
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Looking into William’s rule Year 7 have been studying King William II.
Who is that? You might well ask - an obscure king to many and overshadowed by his famous father William the Conqueror but an interesting man in his own right and certainly an interesting point in England history. He ruled the nation from 1087 to 1100. Daniel Pattman found William II worth studying because he sent forces to deal with his brother Robert but didn’t kill him although his brother had plotted to take England from William then failed in the attempt. Megan Thrower commented: “William II was a really clever king who knew sneaky ways to win battles just like his dad, William of Normandy.” Millie Rowland felt that “I think William II is interesting because he went to war with his brother just to prove he was more important; that is the reason William the Conqueror left the crown of England to him.” Nick Taylor said: “William II was good at defeating his enemies and killed them very effectively.” Faith Crockford added:. “It was all battles it seems during his 13-year reign. William certainly had his father’s taste for warfare. His war with the Scots saw the death of King
Malcolm III of Scotland whom he came to hate with a vengeance. “With his brother Robert of Normandy also under control no one else dared rebel against him. “Perhaps more controversially William II stole money from the church and this forced his archbishop to travel to Rome to seek an audience with Pope Urban II. During his absence William confiscated the archbishop’s lands and property. His reign ended with a hunting party in the New Forest. The king and a Norman knight, Walter Tirel, were alone when an arrow from Tirel’s bow struck William and killed him. Daniel Pattman felt this was most likely a deliberate act as it led to another member of the hunting party, William’s brother Henry, taking the throne as King Henry I a few days later. These were dangerous but interesting times and sometimes it’s those lesser known historical figures that are worth looking at. Faith Crockford, Daniel Pattman, Megan Thrower, Nick Taylor and Millie Rowland, Year 7 Historians.
MUCH ADMIRED: The pots and planters at the front of Melbourn Village College.
Attractive additions are a blooming hit!
Students get a sneak preview
HONOURED: The Melbourn students who went to King’s College chapel for the Carol Service rehearsal. Eight Year 10 and 11 students were fortunate a lone choirboy singing ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ and the soloist is not chosen enough to visit King’s College Cambridge last until the day of the service. The congregation week to see the rehearsal for the worldfamous Carol Service, traditionally broadcast also have the opportunity to sing along and Christmas Eve and watched around the world join in with the true Christmas spirit. by millions. One student said “it was a lovely atmosphere On the day of the broadcast hundreds of and the building was amazing and very people will queue for hours to get a seat in decorative.” the chapel for this traditional service which Victor Wainwright, who accompanied the has taken place for nearly 100 years so our students, commended them on their students were very privileged to be able to be behaviour and on how respectful they were part of such a historic event. during the service, joining in and singing out Since 1919 the service has always begun with loud when required.
Staff, students and visitors to Melbourn Village College have been greeted by a selection of colourful planters and pots. Originally borrowed to complement the large fushia pot planted by site supervisor Irene Bloomfield 16 years ago and brighten up the entrance for Open Evening in October, they proved such a hit that they have stayed put – with Mrs Bloomfield now taking over their care as well. Country Gardens initially lent them to the college and later sold them at trade prices, the first act in a burgeoning partnership which also saw Melbourn students invited to participate at the Shepreth centre’s Christmas launch. Family and friends were also able to drop off Link to Hope shoeboxes there. Future projects with the centre are planned, including working closely TREE OF HOPE: Melbourn’s tree at with a student gardening club and work experience for Year 10 the Meldreth Festival. students.
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WILLIAM II: A Norman king killed in the New Forest and the subject of Year 7 history studies.
Decorations raise cash for charity
As part of our Christmas celebrations, Melbourn Village College presented a tree at the Meldreth Christmas Tree festival. Entitled 'Tree of Hope', the decorations were reminiscent of traditional trees with personalised wooden decorations engraved by our deputy head girl, Georgie Bull. These have been sold on behalf of Cancer Research.
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Ace coaches’ national call Round-up of the latest action from the South Cambs SSP
Four teenagers have been chosen for the Youth Sport Trust National Talent Camp 2014 at Loughborough University from 19-22 December.
Liam Hunt, Harmony Hennessy and Laura Mott from Comberton Sixth Form and Jack Bevis, from Hills Road Sixth Form College, were chosen after being recognised as talented young coaches through their involvement in the County Young Coach Academy (CYCA) programme and the local Leadership academy programme before that. They have shown huge commitments to their sports of swimming, athletics and football undertaking countless hours of voluntary coaching in community clubs and demonstrating the drive to push themselves further. The National Talent Camp is a unique four -day residential, bringing together 350 of the most talented young athletes, coaches and officials from across England. The camp will see 200 coaches, 100 athletes, and 50 officials participate in a multisport, multi-role camp, to increase individual aspiration and ambition, and develop empathy.
CHOSEN: The Comberton Sixth Formers. Through the camp, young people will be stretched and challenged to be ambitious and achieve their sporting best. Claire McDonnell, Manager of the South Cambs SSP and the CYCA said, “I am absolutely delighted for them, it is such an exciting and unique opportunity. I would have loved to have had something like this when I was their age. They have
Coton top it
all put so much into their leadership, coaching and volunteering work over the last few years they utterly deserve this. I know they will have a great time, it will be four long and testing days but they will learn so much from it. It will definitely be worthwhile.” The Youth Sport Trust said: “Working with National Governing Bodies of Sport, sports coach UK and Sports Officials UK, the camp, which is funded by Sport England, and presented by Loughborough University, will offer our most promising young coaches, athletes and officials the opportunity to learn and share valuable experiences in their pursuit of sporting success. “The seven NGBs who will each have a range of young coaches, athletes, and officials representing them at the camp include athletics, boccia, cycling, football, swimming, table tennis and volleyball. Throughout the camp, young people will be actively encouraged to dream and be ambitious on where their talent can take them, develop a holistic view of their own performance and understand how they will deliver when they are back in the environment of their own sport.“
Change for good
The Change 4 Life club at Meridian Primary school is Coton Primary School claimed run before school on a Tuesday and has targeted a their place in the mix of children who lack a bit of self-confidence, who Cambridgeshire & Peterborough need help focusing, who can’t access other out-ofSainsbury’s School Games school sports or who are learning about teamwork. Spring Finals by winning the South Cambs SSP ‘Small A typical meeting sees the the children gather in the Schools’ tag rugby competition hall in their school uniform and trainers to do a warm Schools in the South Cambs area in some style. up, followed by some dynamic stretches to wake are celebrating after being Their mixed team of Year 4, 5 their bodies up. They then discuss what exercise WINNERS: Coton pupils recognised for their commitment to and 6 pupils played five, and they had done in the previous week to help them PE and school sport. won five matches, scoring 18 tries along the way. More than 250 become healthier. A homework task might be to try Ten schools have received School children took part in the event at Melbourn Village College with 10 and think of healthy food that they like. Games Mark accreditation as part of schools competing in the new ‘small schools’ competition, open to Games follow to increase heart rates and boost a national scheme run by the Youth schools with fewer than 120 pupils in Key Stage 2, and another 12 teamwork before a cool down and discussion about teams in the open competition. Both competitions were split into two Sport Trust. Those schools that the importance of stretching muscles after exercise. pools with teams playing each other and the winners of each group allocate two hours a week to Participants are those who wouldn’t necessarily mix progressing through to a final, which saw Coton edge Fowlmere 3-2. in the classroom or playground. Asked what they curriculum PE, demonstrate a high Both finalists will represent South Cambs at the Cambs and liked best about C4L, one said: “working together level of involvement in inter-school Peterborough Sainsbury’s School Games Spring Finals. with different children and becoming a team” All were competitions, develop young leaders In the open competition Steeple Morden beat Harston & Newton 6-2 to smiling and succeeding and it set them up for a and show a commitment to the reach the SSP finals on March 5 at Swavesey Village College. better day at school development of school sport across Organiser Claire McDonnell said: “It was a fantastic afternoon of If you would like to run a club in your school or would their school and into the community rugby. Congratulations must go to all of the players who took part as like to attend a deliverer’s workshop on January 8 are rewarded. well as the leaders from Melbourn Village College and Comberton 2015, 4-6:30pm at Comberton Village College, you Sixth Form who did a great job in officiating.” Comberton Village College and can find further details here at www.scssp.co.uk Harston and Newton Primary School achieved the gold standard, with Melbourn Village College among A record number of primary schools from across South Schools FA under-11 football competition for small schools, those recognised with silver Cambridgeshire took part in the district round of the English girls’ teams and an open 7-a-side. accreditation. The competition, organised by South Cambs School Sports Claire McDonnell, manager of the Partnership, attracted 35 teams. In the small schools South Cambs School Sports competition, last year’s runners up Harston & Newton qualified Partnership, said “I’m delighted that from Pool 1 ahead of Meldreth and in the final they came up against Elsworth, who scored a’golden goal’ in extra-time to these schools have been recognised snatch victory. and rewarded for the commitment to Ten teams contested the girls’ competition with Histon & the development of PE and school Impington and Coton topping the groups. Last year’s county sport and I hope they will inspire champions from Histon edged a competitive final with a single more to apply for similar awards in goal to reach the county final for the second year running. the future. It’s fantastic that Harston Swavesey and Willingham made it to the final of the 13-team & Newton have been able to open event with the former winning 2-0. maintain the gold standard they The three winning schools now represent South Cambs in the achieved last year; they are one of a County Finals in January where they will compete against the handful of schools in the county to ON THE RUN: Action from Meridian (blue) other districts’ winners for the chance to reach the ESFA against Jeavons Wood. achieve this level of award.” regional finals.
On the mark
Three teams win through to county round
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District title for Year 9s Leading the way
LEARNING: Members of the Leadership Academy in training. TOP TEAM: Melbourn’s Year 9 won the District title.
A last-minute converted try won Melbourn the Year 9 District rugby title.
They beat Linton 14-12 to earn a place in the county championships, where they will play Peterborough side Nene Park Academy in the first round. Melbourn, who had finished fourth and third in previous two years, took the honours after Dylan Miller’s last-gasp try, which Stuart Dingwall converted with the final kick of the game. The final had see-sawed with Harry Gee’s try, also converted by Dingwall,
giving Melbourn the lead. Linton levelled with a well-worked try down the wing then took the lead in the second half, scoring early but crucially missing the conversion. Then Dylan made the break and although he was tackled half a metre out, his managed to stretch his arm and the ball over the line to level the match. Stuart’s conversion sealed victory. Earlier Melbourn had eased past Netherhall then Parkside to set up a semi-final against Chesterton, who they beat 28-7 to seal their final spot.
The new cohort of sports leaders started their year with a conference at Comberton Village College with more than 60 sports leaders from other schools. They had an introductory meeting then went outside for practical sessions in netball, hockey, rugby and football to equip them to officiate in up-coming South Cambs School Sports Partnership (SCSSP) festivals. The sports leaders have also had opportunities to help the PE staff at lunchtime clubs and after school fixtures. They have helped run Melbourn Primary school clubs and the SCSSP tag rugby festival. We have also run after-school
Hot competition for top spot
competitions at MVC for High Five netball A teams and an indoor 5-aside football competition. The netball B-team competition had to be abandoned due to poor weather conditions. The leaders will continue to help run, organise and officiate in many other events next term. They have made an excellent start to the year and have logged many volunteering hours on the on-line passport. Alderney Smith applied to be a Young Ambassador and represented Melbourn at the county conference at the end of term. Fiona Humphrey, PE Department
Darwin and Franklin are neck and neck after this term’s inter-form sports competitions. After the cross-country, following competitions in hockey and rugby, Darwin, with 39, are just one point clear of Franklin after each house collected two victories. Year 7 and Year 10 went to Darwin with Franklin taking top spot in Years 8 and 9. Newton are currently third, 10 points behind the leaders with Lewis a further four behind.
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BATTLING IT OUT: Action from this term’s inter-form events.
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