19 minute read
Top Of The Class
SCHOOL NEWS
TEAM GB ATHLETE VISITS THE MARCHES SCHOOL
Advertisement
Team GB athlete Adele Nicoll visited the PE department at the Marches School, Oswestry, to share her experience as an elite performer.
The shot put star gave the Year 8 and 9 students a taster training session and then discussed her career with the students, which proved an engaging and inspiring experience.
PUPILS CREATE LOGO FOR ARTS FESTIVAL
Students from Sir John Talbot’s School in Whitchurch have helped design the Caldecott Arts Festival logo.
The logo was created by Roisin Porter and Damica Mason, and students from the school will also have their designs featured on parts of the festival website.
The logo and other designs will be used to promote the new arts festival, which will take place on 19th March 2022. It is inspired by artist and writer Randolph Caldecott, who lived in Whitchurch in the 1860s.
BRONZE AWARD SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS
Boarding School of the Year 2021
“We are absolutely thrilled”: Moreton Hall takes top prize at the Independent School Awards
Moreton Hall has been named Boarding School of the Year by the prestigious TES Independent School Awards 2021.
After a tumultuous school year, Moreton Hall was chosen from more than 400 entries across the country as an exemplary example of traditional boarding school excellence for its breadth and depth of activities and dedication to its pupils and local community.
Mrs Sylvia Grace, current teacher and housemistress at the school and former head of Moreton Prep, was also awarded the TES Lifetime Achievement Award for her significant contributions to education and teaching excellence.
The TES judges said: “Moreton Hall wowed judges with its commitment to its students and the wider community,
“It’s all down to the sta – they exemplifying the best of the boarding sector and managing the difficulties have been of the pandemic with aplomb.” amazing” In the past year, despite the pandemic and national lockdowns, Moreton Hall has continued its standard of excellence and to innovate on behalf of its pupils. George Budd, principal of Moreton Hall, says: “We are absolutely thrilled with this award, especially after such a year of upheaval and uncertainty. It’s all down to the staff – they have been truly amazing.”
Moreton Hall students
An amazing 46 Coleg Cambria students are celebrating after achieving their bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards in the same week. There are more than 180 youngsters at Coleg Cambria participating in the programme. “We are so proud of all the participants for developing a range of skills such as map reading, teamwork, problem solving, first aid and route and meal planning as part of the expedition,” says learner experience and enterprise manager Rona Griffiths.
SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT AT RYDAL PENRHOS
A Rydal Penrhos student has secured a notable achievement in a prestigious national science competition.
Kevin Farrell, a Year 13 pupil Award-winning scientist Kevin Farrell and deputy head boy, recently sat two papers as part of his participation in the British Biology Olympiad, an advanced problem-solving competition for A-level pupils. Topics like biochemistry, genetics, human anatomy and ecology made appearances, some of which Kevin says he was “happier to see than others”. The sixth-former attained a silver award from the competition, which represents a significant achievement. Liam (front) with his partner Felix
SAILING INTO SUCCESS
ARydal Penrhos pupil has sailed through to a fantastic finish at the RS Feva National Sailing Championships.
Liam Farrell, who is a Year 9 pupil at Rydal Penrhos, paired up with Felix Stewart at the UK RS Feva 2021 National Championship, which took place from 29th May to 1st June and featured some of the brightest young prospects from across the country.
Out of 85 pairs in the competition, Liam and Felix ended with a superb fourth-place finish – just one spot away from the podium.
Liam has been part of RYA Cymru Wales sailing squads for several years and was recently selected to the Royal Yachting Association’s Regional Training Group – Feva (North) squad, for their 2020/21 winter coaching initiative.
WREXHAM GLYNDWR VICECHANCELLOR HONOURED BY LEARNED SOCIETY OF WALES
Professor Maria Hinfelaar, vicechancellor and chief executive of Wrexham Glyndwr University, is among the new entrants to the Learned Society of Wales’ Fellowship. She is being recognised for her outstanding and sustained contribution as an educational leader.
She joins 44 other new Fellows, all of whom share a link with Wales, its universities or intellectual life.
Professor Hinfelaar says: “I’m thrilled and honoured to be elected as a Fellow with the Learned Society of Wales. The Society promotes engagement with the world of learning and research, which is very much a part of what we deliver at Wrexham Glyndwr.”
Election to the Prof Maria Hinfelaar Fellowship takes place following a rigorous examination of each nominee’s achievements in their field. The new Fellows include academics from Welsh, UK and overseas higher education institutions as well as individuals who a play a significant role in Welsh public life.
Online sensation The Doodle Boy has joined a Shropshire college on an art scholarship awarded by renowned artist Joe and Charlie Charlie Adlard.
Joe Whale, from Shrewsbury, has taken his place at Ellesmere College, which is the Artsmark Platinum awarded school.
Joe, 11, was dubbed The Doodle Boy for always doodling in class and became a social media sensation when pictures of his sketch books were posted on Instagram. He now gives online advice and tutorials through his social media platforms, has appeared on US TV and is having his first book published this autumn.
Charlie Adlard, the former Comic Laureate known for The Walking Dead comics, says: “I am delighted to see Joe win the scholarship – he is a prodigious talent.”
THE HEAD’S COLUMN
Abberley Hall’s new headteacher, Jonnie Besley, talks treehouses and children’s mental health
More schools are embracing the Forest School movement and seeing the positive impact of outdoor learning, and I am delighted to say that Abberley is at the forefront of this. Our pupils enjoy endless hours learning in nature, from lessons in our treehouse classroom, to learning wilderness and survival skills in the grounds. We need to build resilience in our children so they grow up equipped to deal with the reality that life is not always easy – and that it’s OK to fall, get up, dust yourself down and carry on.
The world of education is waking up to the importance of getting young people outside, where they can be healthier in body, mind and spirit. Nothing captures the magic of childhood like a treehouse: ours is a space to relax, imagine and escape, making it a vitally important tool for focusing on children’s mental health.
Tennis programme wins top award
Ellesmere College has won the Education Award (School/School Provider) for the Midlands Region in the 2021 LTA Tennis awards and progressed to the national award finals.
The school has long operated a pathway to elite coaching programme at its LTA-approved state-of-the-art tennis centre, which was adapted to become Covid compliant over the past year.
As the Covid restrictions are lifted, the college will resume its highly successful community programme including links with local schools and clubs.
Ellesmere College’s tennis coaching team REASEHEATH’S HI-TECH MILKING SYSTEM SETS THE GREEN STANDARD
Reaseheath College’s new automated robotic milking system and its data hub are delivering training in cuttingedge green technology.
The Lely Astronaut A5 has two robotic milking stations incorporating sophisticated data processing, which deliver highly accurate readings in areas such as feed intake, milk yield and individual cow health to a connected data hub. This innovative approach that enables lecturers to provide training in digitalisation, robotics, sustainability and data-driven dairy management to students.
ADVENTURES BEGIN AT MORETON HALL
Moreton Hall has launched a new Moreton Adventure programme, led by newly appointed head of adventure education Dave Humphreys, an experienced leader and coach in a wide range of activities. Pupils in Year 7 and Year 8 can enjoy taster paddlesports sessions, while older students develop their skills through the progressive pathway o ered by the British Canoeing Paddle Awards. Rock climbing is also planned.
SCHOLARSHIP SUCCESS FOR SOPHIE
A veterinary nursing student has secured the Harper Adams Club Animal and Veterinary Sciences Scholarship. Sophie Cummings (pictured) impressed judges with her passion and focus for her studies on the BSc (Hons) degree. She says: “The scholarship will enable me to enrol on post-qualifi cation courses where I can specialise and pursue my passion for emergency critical care and anaesthesia. Receiving this award fi lled me with immense pride.”
WREXHAM GLYNDWR LECTURER APPOINTED TO CRIMINOLOGY PANEL
A Wrexham Glyndwr University lecturer has been appointed to an expert group that sets the academic standards for criminology.
Dr Sarah Dubberley (pictured), senior lecturer in criminology and criminal justice at the university, has been appointed to the QAA Advisory Group for the subject, setting the academic standards students must meet to gain their qualifi cations. Sarah’s appointment is recognition for the department, which features high in national rankings for student satisfaction and teaching quality.
PUPILS COMMIT TO GOING GREEN
Abberley Hall has taken the fi rst steps to becoming an Eco School by appointing a committee of pupil representatives.
Eco Schools is the largest environmental schools programme in the world, engaging millions of children in 64 countries.
The Abberley Eco Committee was formed with two pupils from each year after candidates submitted letters detailing the reasons they would like to join. One read: “Our planet is precious and we must protect it. It makes me feel sad to see litter on the floor.”
ART PROJECT HAS WINGS
Children at The Firs Prep School in Chester have been working hard on the creation of a special art project called “Angel Wings”.
The project, designed to help the children rebuild their school community after the pandemic, was led by the school’s head of art, Sarah Bettany. “While each feather is beautiful on its own, together as a collective they are much more beautiful and make a stronger impact,” she says. “This project became a celebration of our full Firs family reunited.”
STUDENT HAS HER EYE ON THE BALL
A Shropshire student has begun training with the England netball team after being picked to join an elite camp.
Ella Maltby (pictured), who is in Year 12 at Ellesmere College and also plays for Manchester Thunder Under-21s Superleague netball squad, is also due to have a trial for the England Roses Academy.
Ella says: “It means a lot to me to make the squad because it’s been a dream since I fi rst started playing netball and hopefully this opportunity can open some new doors.”
DERWEN COLLEGE OPENS ON-SITE CHARITY SHOP
Derwen College in Gobowen has opened a new charity shop o ering pre-loved bargains to shoppers and work experience to students with special educational needs and disabilities.
The Vintage Advantage is now open, selling a range of second-hand clothing, accessories, homeware and books. Students on the specialist college’s retail and enterprise pathway helped sort, price and display goods, and will be able to practise their sales and marketing skills with customers. The shop was opened thanks to support from Steve Morgan Foundation and the Community Foundation for Sta ordshire and Shropshire. In support of the government’s initiative to help pupils following the disruption to their learning due to Covid-19, Thomas Adams School is delighted to be offering a summer school. From 9th to 13th August, the incoming Year 7 intake will have the chance to meet new friends and teachers, take part in activities and become familiar with the school environment.
The summer school will provide support with the transition from primary to secondary school, which can be challenging for some pupils, and is expected to be even more so this year. It will also provide additional support with literacy and numeracy skills to pupils and offer sports and team-building activities around the theme of “chocolate”.
Find out more at www.thomasadams. net/summer-school-2021.
Thomas Adams students
Harper Adams makes the top 30
Harper Adams University has been announced as one of the top 30 institutions in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2022.
The guide also rated Harper Adams first in the country for its level of spending on student facilities such as careers, health and counselling and sport services, and joint first for its graduate prospects being “on track” – which measures how well recent graduates feel their current activity fits with their career plans. Overall the university – which also retains its position as the highest-placed modern university – rose 13 places to 28th in this year’s guide, which ranks 130 universities across the country.
Harper Adams’ vice-chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn, says: “It was great to see Harper Adams climb up the Complete University Guide 2022 and into the top 30 institutions in the UK.” He adds that the achievement is “a testament to the hard work of our staff and students and the high quality of the education that we provide”.
Harper Adams has risen 13 places in this year’s guide
The development of new facilities at Birchfield School, near Albrighton, is well under way following a huge investment programme that will extend senior school provision up to age 16.
The school recently joined the St Philips Education Group, enabling the expansion of the senior school as part of a £500,000 investment. Birchfield is currently recruiting for Year 7
Impressive new school facilities
in 2021-22 and will be able to welcome its first Year 9 cohort in September 2023. Headteacher Sarah Morris says the school is seeing an increase in interest from parents from across the region, helped by a restructuring of fees to ensure a Birchfield education is affordable to more families. “It’s an exciting year for Birchfield and we look forward to welcoming even more pupils in September who will be able to enjoy a first-class private education with our amazing new facilities,” she says. For more information, visit Pupils at Birchfield www.birchfieldschool.co.uk.
“The plans are part of a £500,000 investment” Amazing new facilities
MEET THE HEAD
Christopher McAllister, headmaster of Tettenhall College, a day and boarding school near Wolverhampton, shares his thoughts on his career, his family and the challenges he’s faced in his role
Making an impact within a new community and getting to know the neighbourhood is a difficult undertaking, let alone during a global pandemic. Headmaster of Midlands day and boarding school Tettenhall College, Christopher McAllister, speaks to Shire on starting a new life in Tettenhall with his family and what it takes to lead a school through a pandemic.
Where are you from and how long have you been teaching?
I was born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, and I have very happy memories of growing up in the North East. Early in my career, I accepted a posting with the Ghanaian Education Service, under the auspices of VSO. After spending two years teaching English in West Africa, I returned to the UK and have now been teaching for more than 20 years.
Christopher McAllister
Tettenhall College’s beautiful surroundings
Becoming the headteacher of a school during the height of a global pandemic must have been a difficult. How did it affect the beginning of your journey?
What encouraged you to go into education?
Education is a pivotal part of life and establishes a solid foundation on which to prosper. It’s a privilege to be part of a child’s education – it shapes their future and I also get to work alongside fantastic colleagues. I’m fiercely ambitious for every single child in our school, whatever that means for them.
I’d always had a keen interest in teaching, however my two years in Ghana hugely impacted my educational philosophy. I believe that students should be outward facing and embrace the wider world – when we are able to do so again, of course!
You lived in Ghana. So, you’re somewhat of a traveller?
Oh yes, I adore travelling. Travel and food are my true passions Christopher and his wife Victoria beyond the school gates (preferably at the same time). I feel that immersing yourself and getting to understand different cultures is chicken soup for the soul and really develops a person. I’m lucky to have experienced a huge amount of travel through work – although I rarely get to see much of the destinations, I do get to meet wonderful parents and pupils from Mexico to Oman and China to Nigeria. It was certainly a testing time. I wasn’t able to get to know the community and interact with people nearly as much as I would have liked – it’s something I’m very keen on. I discovered early on that the school is very much a part of the community and I’m motivated to foster and develop that. Moving directly into the village itself was non-negotiable for me, and my family love it here.
“I discovered early on that You’re somewhat of a family man. What does your typical weekend look like? the school is I am indeed! My children William very much and Lydia, who attend the school, part of the have been busy exploring the local community” parks with my wife, Victoria. They love being in the countryside. We recently recruited an additional family member, Pedro the rabbit, who seems to love the house.
I met Victoria when I returned from teaching in West Africa, and discovered that she had taught in Ghana too, albeit at a different time. We connected on our mutual interests of travel and education.
My weekends are currently dominated by our house renovation, which has been underway since we moved to Tettenhall. I’m somewhat of a handyman, so it has keeping me busy to say the least!
Set in a beautiful 33-acre site that’s filled with woodland, sports pitches, historic buildings, a full-scale theatre and outstanding educational facilities, Tettenhall College welcomes day pupils alongside its a vibrant and cosmopolitan boarding community. A limited number of places remain available in some year groups for entry in September 2021. For more information, visit www.tettenhallcollege.co.uk.
R&D TAX RELIEF
Rebecca Jones
Research and development tax relief is a useful scheme for companies, as Rebecca Jones from accountancy fi rm DRE & Co explains
For every £100 a company spends on research and development (R&D), it can save £24.70 of corporation tax at current tax rates. To qualify, the company must be subject to corporation tax, any group structures need to be taken into account, and it must be carrying out activities directly attributable to R&D.
What counts as R&D?
R&D is deemed to have taken place when a project seeks to achieve an advance in overall knowledge or capability in a field of science or technology. Some examples of qualifying activities include:
• Software development • Engineering design • New construction techniques • Bio-energy • Clean technologies • Agri-food industries • Life and health sciences
Although companies in these sectors typically carry out R&D activities, many other industries do so too, which is often overlooked. The costs that typically qualify for R&D relief include:
• Direct and externally provided staff • Subcontracted R&D • Consumables, software, trials and prototyping • Independent research costs
The ability to more than double the tax relief for the tax-allowable costs associated with a project is a compelling reason to take R&D tax relief seriously. For companies that have yet to generate profits from their research, the further feature of R&D relief to surrender your claim for a refundable tax credit will provide a much-needed cash flow boost for your project. Making a claim for this relief isn’t a task for the faint-hearted. At DRE we can help. Before you start a project, it’s worth having a preliminary discussion to see if a project is likely to qualify and then organising the paper trail to facilitate a successful claim.
R&D relief can help fund projects
Call us today for a free initial consultation Call us today for a free initial consultation Call us today for a free initial consultation
We are able to provide assistance with:
Self assessment
Accounts preparation VAT Returns
Limited company audits Tax planning Making Tax Digital HMRC enquiry investigations Business & fault reviews Divorce & separation agreements Corporate sales and purchases Business planning Financial services
We are able to provide assistance with:
Self assessment Accounts preparation VAT Returns Limited company audits Tax planning Making Tax Digital HMRC enquiry investigations Business & fault reviews
Divorce & separation agreements We are able to provide assistance with: Corporate sales and purchases Business planning Financial services
Self assessment Accounts preparation VAT Returns Limited company audits Tax planning Making Tax Digital HMRC enquiry investigations Business & fault reviews Divorce & separation agreements Corporate sales and purchases Business planning Financial services
Visit our website at www.dre.co.uk
Visit our website at www.dre.co.uk
Oswestry
01691 654353
tax@dre.co.uk
Oswestry
01691 654353
tax@dre.co.uk
Oswestry
01691 654353
tax@dre.co.uk
Visit our website at www.dre.co.uk
Shrewsbury 01743 241581
Shrewsbury@dre.co.uk
Ludlow
01584 875715
Ludlow@dre.co.uk
Newtown
01686 626534
Newtown@dre.co.uk
Wrexham
01978 310600
Wrexham@dre.co.uk
Knighton
01547 528383
Knighton@dre.co.uk
Shrewsbury 01743 241581
Shrewsbury@dre.co.uk
Shrewsbury
01743 241581
Shrewsbury@dre.co.uk
Ludlow
01584 875715
Ludlow@dre.co.uk
Ludlow
01584 875715
Ludlow@dre.co.uk
Newtown
01686 626534
Newtown@dre.co.uk
Newtown
01686 626534
Newtown@dre.co.uk
Wrexham
01978 310600
Wrexham@dre.co.uk
Wrexham
01978 310600
Wrexham@dre.co.uk
Knighton
01547 528383
Knighton@dre.co.uk
Knighton
01547 528383
Knighton@dre.co.uk
Academic excellence in a caring environment
Why choose us?
Wide choice of subjects –A Level and BTEC Excellent pastoral care Extensive bus routes and train links Outstanding post-18 advice and guidance Fantastic facilities in a rural setting Set within a 30-acre campus Supervised study hub sessions Daily access to a tutor Great range of enrichment activities Full and weekly boarding available Adams House - state boarding A home away from home
Come and take a look for yourself individual tours can be arranged
Telephone: 01939 237000 or email: enquiries@thomasadams.net
