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Educate educatemagazine.com
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The Magazine for Parents and Pupils January – April 2010
Fit for work Equipping the future generation
INSIDE Health and wellbeing Simple steps to achieve happiness
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– Is your child thriving in a safe, secure, happy environment? – ‘The relationship between staff and pupils, based on mutual respect and trust, is excellent and pupils clearly feel safe, secure and happy in their lessons. This enriching relationship contributes greatly to the positive learning environment that pervades the school.’ Independent Schools Inspectorate
Open Morning 13th March 10am
Tower College, Rainhill Christian Independent School for boys and girls aged 3–16 Termly Fees £1,630 - £1,917 For more details and /or a prospectus Tel: 0151 426 4333 Or Fax: 0151 426 3338 Visit our web-site on www.towercollege.com Email: towercollege@lineone.net Principal : Miss R J Oxley
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Educate Contents Welcome...
58 Book Review Latest hits on the shelves
Welcome to the latest issue of Educate. This issue we take a look at Liverpool’s year of health & wellbeing and what we can do to make the most of this opportunity to rethink our goals as parents and teachers, and improve life for children and young people.
60-61 Events Guide What’s on around the region
62 Features 08-10 A Healthy and Happy New Year Liverpool’s year of health & wellbeing
20-21 Meet the Headteacher Neil Dixon, St Mary and St Paul’s C of E Primary
My School Days Natasha Hamilton - The spirit of a kitten at school?
Cyber-bullying is on the increase and a growing concern for parents, we look at how the problem is being dealt with nationally and locally and what we as parents can do to help pull the plug.
News 12-14 Pupils trap speeders
16-18
24-27
International ties for All Saints Primary
Fit For Work Educate’s focus group meet over lunch
29-32
47
Notre Dame Rocks
34-35 Meet the Headteacher Pam Jervis, MBE, Principal, Kirkby Sports College
40 Dear Educate Help & Advice
38-39 Swanning around for arts sake
42-43 Students fly high in Knowsley
Our focus group for this issue debates the issues facing our school leavers and graduates as they enter the workforce, are we giving them the right skills for the job . We have all the latest school news from primary to secondary, showcasing schools, teachers and students achievements, talents and events.
52 School success celebrated
Events 47
Educate meets up with the teachers, Pam Jervis MBE who is teaching to inspire the whole community at Kirkby Sports College. We also chat to Neil Dixon of St Mary and St Paul’s C of E Primary School on how he has helped transform the Prescot school.
A wizard of a show
49 Pupils take to the stage
51 Safe in Cyber-Space On line bullying examined
P-p-pick up a penguin
54-55
53
44-45
Off the Wall The art of fashion
57 Viewpoint Mixed sex education?
We go off the wall with kids fashion with this seasons most wanted.
Children unite in song
Finally, we interview Liverpool born actor Les Dennis as he remember his schooldays.
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Published by Mersey Mirror, 36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS. Tel: 0151 709 7567 Fax: 0151 707 1678 Email: post@merseymirror.com Executive Editor Kim O’Brien Advertising Sales Manager Andy Rogers Tel: 0151 709 7567 Advertising Sales Liz Bold, Jo Tait Tel: 0151 709 7567 Photography Tom Murphy Editorial Alan Birkett, Lucy Oliver, Jonathan Kearney Design & Production Mersey Mirror, 36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS. Tel: 0151 706 7411 Email: post@merseymirror.com Distribution Barbara Troughton Tel: 0151 733 5492. Printed by PCP. Educate magazine is published by Mersey Mirror. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted or reproduced without permission. Disclaimer The information contained within Educate we believe to be correct at the time of printing, no responsibility can be accepted for errors or omissions. © Copyright Mersey Mirror 2009.
Many thanks to Bratz (designer childrenswear store) at the Metquarter, Liverpool, our fashion shoot models Olivia & Lawrie and The Noble House Restaurant, Liverpool City Centre, for hosting our roundtable debate.
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The Study Centre aims to provide professional tuition to enhance and enrich your childs educational potential
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e e r F a*l Tri
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Maths and English Study Programmes Kumon can help your child progress with their maths and English studies, boost their confidence and help them shine. Every day Kumon helps children of all ages and abilities to realise their true potential. With over 600 centres nationwide, it’s convenient too. Contact your local Instructor today.
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Woolton
Junior School Out Lane, Liverpool L25 5NN
T: 0151 428 3235 F: 0151 428 9947 E: woolton-ao@woolton-jun.liverpool.sch.uk
Please contact the school to enquire about vacancies for boys and girls ages 7-11
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Childwall have risen to the enterprise challenge to double or even treble the £100 given by The Childrenʼs Society. As expected, our thoughtful children raised a wonderful £1,128.00
Clare House £320 Operation Christmas Child
Just Care £110
The Childrenʼs Society Baptism Service £29
Childwall C of E Primary School Woolton Road, L16 0JD Tel: 0151 722 1553 Fax: 0151 722 4989 6
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Educational Resources
Promoting Sustainable Development
Here to There Pack
8 Doorways to Sustainability The Sustainable Schools strategy is made up of eight sustainability ‘doorways’. Each plays a role in the curriculum and school, but can also have a big impact on the whole community. 'This Education Resource assists Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 teachers in helping pupils tackle some of the complex issues that will enable them to reduce their carbon footprint. Learning about sustainable development can help young people to understand the needs and rights of present and future generations. It should motivate them to change things for the better and equip them with the knowledge, skills and values that are needed to create a sustainable future.
Moving with Merseytravel This pack contains 20 A4 colour photographs relating mainly to local transport issues. There are 60 work cards to support the photographs. The pack is flexible and can be used with children of all age groups within primary schools. The pack is written to support the geography curriculum but has the potential to be used in both Literacy and Numeracy activities.
The From Here to There pack contains 15 photo cards relating to promoting independence skills in the community. The pack is written to support young people with specific needs to access local public transport. A range of key tasks has been identified to use public transport and a step-by-step list of skills to achieve each of them has been provided.
Better for Everyone Pack
How to Make a Bus Journey The How to make a bus journey Booklet has a series of visual drawings to show how to make a short bus trip. There are 9 simple outline diagrams that depict the important steps that need to be taken to make a bus journey. The diagrams are very flexible and could be used to prompt speaking or writing tasks or sequencing activities. Students are encouraged to use the booklet to plan and carry out a journey in the local area by bus.
Inside Merseytravel
City Travel with Merseytravel This pack has been written to meet the requirements of the Foundation Stage curriculum for children aged 3 to 5 years as from September 2001. The pack has 15 colour A4 photographs. In addition 30 different work cards for children to use in the classroom or at home with their parents. The pack promotes the notion that public transport allows people in the local community to get around and travel to different places.
‘Inside Merseytravel’ is a vocational educational pack supporting Business Studies and Leisure Studies for the 14 to 16 age range. It provides two case studies, a public business organisation and an important tourist attraction. Each page of the pack contains upto-date data, photographs and activities about the leisure and travel industry. The tasks and activities support students putting together a portfolio of coursework for specific examinations.
The Better for everyone Pack contains 16 A4 colour photographs relating to local transport issues and services. There are 32 work cards to support the photographs. The pack is flexible and can be used to complement a scheme of work relating to Key Stage 4 Citizenship requirements. The pack is divided into four sections covering the topics; Merseytravel as an organisation, social change, rights and responsibilities and sustainable development. A booklet containing teachers' notes is provided that suggests how the pack may be used in the classroom
Moving with Merseytravel Better for Everyone - Keystage 4 Citizenship From Here to There - Learning Difficulties (Independence in the Community) City Travel with Merseytravel Your Bus and Your Community
In order to obtain the education packs Please contact the Community Links Team on 0151 330 1200 or write to: Community Links Team, Merseytravel, 24 Hatton Gardens, Liverpool L3 2AN
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Health and wellbeing
A healthy and happy new year
A new government initiative is focusing on all round ‘wellbeing’ as a primary consideration in improving lifestyles for everyone – including children and families - across the UK. We’ve examined what will be happening in Liverpool in 2010, and what we can do to make the most of this opportunity to rethink our goals as parents and teachers, and improve life for children and young people in our region. Words by Lucy Oliver Pictures by Lawrie O’Brien (age 6) 8
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Wellbeing is the new buzzword among those in government. Following a recession, when disposable income to spend on ‘attaining’ the trappings of a coveted lifestyle is scarce, simple ways to boost wellbeing in the UK are being promoted. As a result, the Year of Health and Wellbeing is designed to raise awareness about the importance of good health and wellbeing for everyone from public bodies and businesses to local communities and individuals. However, there is much to be said for the very fact that the NEF think tank has categorised five steps to wellbeing, and the impact this could have on the health and wellbeing of future generations. As Nic Marks, founder of the Centre for Well Being at NEF, said at the press launch for the Year of Health and Wellbeing in December last year, the initiative follows not unfamiliar advice, usually espoused in lifestyle magazines.
support. Connections with those met at the bus stop, in the shops, and walking the dog are also important. These simple greetings and conversations build confidence and help children and adults to feel more comfortable in a vast range of social situations – boosting the chances of success in future relationships and careers.
TOP TIPS • Walk the dog together and smile and greet a stranger. • Telephone a family friend and invite them over to lunch. • Take part in the Brouhaha International Samba Parade and Carnival, and bring some colour to the city centre, on 7 and 8 August.
Five a day For those involved in any aspect of community life, at least one of the ‘five a day’ - so named for its similarity to the ‘five a day’ fruit and veg healthy eating concept – is sure to be part of the daily routine. The plan, therefore, is for the new website www.2010healthandwellbeing.org.uk to compile and present listings and information about the vast variety of activities, groups and projects happening across the city, and so to celebrate the efforts already being made in the local community. The ‘five a day’ have been identified as calls to connect, to be active, to take notice, keep learning, and to give. When unpacked, as we’ve done below, they may not be strikingly original concepts – but they are proven to work, spreading joy and wellbeing at the same time. We’ve explored how these ‘five a day’ can impact on our lives, and how to do more of them daily, with your family. See the ‘top tips’ for ideas on things to do together, as parent and child, or as a family.
Connect ‘Only connect!’ wrote E.M. Forster in Howards End, and that timeless call to connect with other people has now been approved by experts as fundamental to human happiness. Children can form friendships quickly and easily at school, and maintaining and nurturing friendships into adulthood provides vital mutual
Be active Much has been made of the call to exercise, and it’s a vital component of the wellbeing ‘five a day’. Too many children are being driven to work by car, and spend their evenings watching TV or playing computer games. For their health and happiness it’s vital that they get outside and get active – and in doing so they’ll probably tick off most of the ‘five a day’ checklist. After school groups, church and community activities are inexpensive ways to keep active and have fun. Many activity groups, and those who advocate cycling/walking to work and schools, have been doing their bit to improve their own health and our environment for some time. Visit www.2010healthandwellbeing.org.uk to see which groups and clubs you could get involved in.
TOP TIPS • Enrol your child for a weekly games or sporting activity. • Walk or cycle to school one day every week. This year’s Walk to School Week takes place from 17-21 May. • Other fantastic sporting events in the city this year include the International Tennis Tournament at Calderstones Park from 16 until 20 June.
KEY EVENT • Don’t miss the Liverpool Little Stars Event at Liverpool Arena on Friday 19 March for ideas to get your family active.
Take notice A respect for the world around us is overlooked when we’re hurrying between school and work, the shops and home again. Appreciating the change in the seasons, the weather, exploring a local park and taking time to reflect on the passage of time is important for mental wellbeing in everyone. For children, it’s a crucial way to learn about life and to develop an appreciation for what’s around them. Spending time together each day to take a walk, or chat about the day, forms strong bonds and helps adults and children alike take stock. The arts are a marvellous way for parents, teachers and children to pause and reflect on the world around us. See if the school will organise a theatre trip to one of the many productions taking place in Liverpool and the City Region, or invite a dance company to lead an afternoon of workshops.
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Health and wellbeing
TOP TIP • Take a walk and look at the changing season - kick the leaves, and splash in the puddles. • Visit an art gallery as a family. Until May this year, The Edwardian Family Album exhibition of photographs runs at the Walker Art Gallery.
DID YOU KNOW… • There are over 400 parks and green spaces in our City Region. That’s a lot of outdoor fun!
Give Volunteering to help others is proven to help those who give of their time and their energy to feel better about themselves and the world around them. Teachers often play a vital role in this, and geography and religious studies lessons can be a useful vehicle. Encouraging your child to take part in charity events at school or at church, and explaining to them why they are raising money, will help them to develop a social conscience and equip them for life. They’ll see how situations can be remedied, and will be more likely to feel ok about asking for help themselves in the future, should they need it.
Keep learning For children at school, learning is a full time occupation, but for parents and adults with jobs and family commitments, taking the time to pursue interests and passions can fall by the wayside. However, children learn from their families, so making the time to focus on your own goals sets an example your children will follow. Taking on something new challenges you to concentrate and direct your energies towards a goal. A new course, a new task at work, or a new hobby will increase your confidence, and promote a sense of achievement. Whether you choose a new training or study programme, or simply build a sense of discovery into your day – from trying a new recipe to learning how to fix something that’s broken, you’ll be increasing your skills, your confidence and your aspirations – for you, and your offspring. Your child will benefit from your new outlook, and will also be likely to follow a similar pattern. TOP TIP • Bake a cake or make a present for a friend together.
TOP TIP • Help out at a local fundraiser by baking cakes to sell or running a stall. Organise unwanted toys and clothes which are no longer needed to take to a charity shop together.
KEY EVENTS • Look out for fun fundraising events for good causes all year long…from The Nugent Car Society’s Lenten (March time) fundraising to the Santa Dash in early December.
Conclusions KEY EVENT • Don’t miss the city’s Salsa Day on 22 July, and get practising now for the Hula Hoop Challenge! • For another learning experience for all the family, visit Tate Liverpool’s Journeys through the Black Atlantic, until 25 April.
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Of course, sceptics will say that the principles advocated in the five a day – essentially, to take an active, thoughtful and considerate view of the world in daily life – is undermined a little just by the very fact that a government initiative is behind the project. On some level, attempting to equate five steps to mental wellbeing with five portions of fruit and vegetables must
Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
fall flat. While the steps in themselves advocate breaking free of the ‘daily grind’ and the mundane, to string them together on a charter and promote them through government initiatives seems to steal the spirit of those communities and individuals who do live by what are, in essence, quite traditional, moral and even Christian values. Others are sure to question what business the government has in this aspect of our lives, and to shake their heads at the proliferating ‘nanny state.’ Yet, while a combination of decreasing expendable income, rising unemployment and data suggesting dissatisfaction prevails – in one of the world’s wealthiest nations ‘research’ into creating and sustaining wellbeing among the general populus has gained backing and looks set to stay on the agenda for some time. According to research quoted in the report, following the ‘five a day’ is said to add more than an extra seven years to your life. Apart from its role in encouraging people to lead healthier lifestyles, by keeping active and giving up smoking, the benefits for mental health are also shown to be significant among people who adopt a more thoughtful, altruistic lifestyle. When healthy habits are established earlier in life, then the benefits multiply. It’s hoped, of course, that more and more young people will choose to eat a healthy diet and avoid smoking – establishing a pattern which will, in turn, result in their own children adopting a healthier approach. Research shows that 50 per cent of lifelong mental illness begins before the age of 14, and also that 50 per cent of ill mental health is preventable. If these simple steps can help children to establish healthy and happy routines and lifestyles at a young age, then these patterns will continue into adulthood and foster a happier and healthier generation. For more information on what is happening throughout the year, visit www.2010healthamdwellbeing.org.uk.
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StCatholic Vincent de Paul Primary School Pitt Street Liverpool L1 5BY “Serving With Love … Striving For Excellence” ❤
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Primary School News
Election fever grips pupils
Isabella Pearson casts her vote Manifestos, secret ballots, candidates and returning officers are part of the curriculum at Evelyn school in Prescot. The election of the school council is taken extremely seriously and both staff and pupils say it is building confidence, determination and communication. Pupils draw up their own election manifestos, which they then present to their classmates. The children vote at “polling stations” in the school in a secret ballot, using ballot papers and boxes. They choose “Wise Owls” and “Eco Reps”, the votes are counted by “electoral officers” and the results are announced in assembly by a “Returning Officer”. Therese Brown, the school’s Learning Mentor, said: ”What’s interesting is, as the process has evolved over the last three years, we’ve had shy and reticent pupils putting themselves forward for election. “It seems to have strengthened their resilience and resourcefulness which are crucial skills for later life.” The “real life” elections form part of the school’s ARCS – A Real-life, Creative and Skills-based curriculum. Pupils and the school council also work with the governors and senior managers on the school improvement plan.
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Go bananas
The pupils of St Patrick’s Primary School, Liverpool are being encouraged to eat more fruit and vegetables. It is all part of BUPA’s ‘Activ-Eat’ initiative, which aims to show local school children the validity of including five fruit and vegetables a day in their diet. St Patrick’s pupils were introduced to some of the world’s more exotic fruits, which they tried in healthy smoothes. They were also presented with pedometers as a way of encouraging them to a more active lifestyle, and challenged to eat a minimum of five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day for three weeks. “ Children learn well when they are having fun, so activities like Activ-Eat that are exciting and interactive are an effective way for children to learn the importance of good health, and how easy it can be for them to be healthy and active,” said Learning Mentor Paula Price.
Green fingers Pupils renovate school allotment
The staff and pupils of St Vincent de Paul Primary School, Liverpool showed what green fingers they have recently, when they renovated their school allotment after vandals damaged it. But the children also demonstrated their ecological awareness by utilizing old car tyres, which had been fly-tipped, for planters. “The children were devastated when they discovered the allotment had been vandalised,” said Headteacher Phil Stewart. “But working in conjunction with Merseyside Police and Tesco, who donated things such as seed for the planters, we’ve been able bring the allotment back to life.”
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Primary School News
Pupils receive their certificate from the Tuebrook Neighbourhood Team
Pupils trap speeders Mini officers conduct speed campaign Mini traffic officers swapped their school books for speed guns to take part in a road safety and speed awareness course with Merseyside Police in Anfield. The children from St Margaret's Anfield CE Primary School recorded the speed of motorists passing their school on Lower Breck Road before creating posters about road safety to educate parents and the wider community about the implications of speeding. The pupils were taught the speed limit outside their school and that motorists flouting speeding laws could be given a £60 fine as well as three points on their licence. Prizes were awarded to two youngsters for their posters, which have been copied and laminated to be put up at the front of the school. The officers have sent letters out to parents informing them of the dangers and consequences of parking outside the school and worked alongside Liverpool City Council to produce a road safety video that saw the children interviewing,
directing and recording footage. PC Shaun Bainbridge, of Tuebrook Neighbouring Policing Team, said: "It is hoped that this campaign will make the community as well as the children’s parents take note and be more considerate when driving. "Through educating our youth we hope that in future they will be considerate road users. The children have really enjoyed the scheme as have the police officers involved." Jan McCallum, the head teacher of St Margaret’s Primary School, said she was delighted with the road safety awareness initiative. She added: “The children were very excited about working on this road safety project with a difference. "The hands on experience using speed guns and working alongside PC Shaun Bainbridge and PC Phil Jones really brought home the dangers of speeding traffic. "Their posters show how important the "Kill your Speed" message is to our young pedestrians."
With flying colours St Mary’s Preparatory School has received its International School Flag, which will shortly be flying outside the school. The children are delighted and were very proud to be one of the first schools locally to be presented with the prestigious award. Mrs Daniels, International Coordinator recently went to London to attend the ceremony for all the International Schools to receive their award. The BBC’s newsreader George Alagiah presented the award which is now on display in the school entrance hall. The award celebrates the school’s involvement in projects with schools across Europe and beyond.
Mrs Daniels, International Coordinator receives the award from George Alagiah
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Primary School News
Growth for local nursery
A traditional Indian Dancer and storyteller joined the young children of St Finbar’s Early Learning Centre, Liverpool recently to celebrate the opening of their newly refurbished nursery. The nursery was first opened in 1976 and has also developed an outdoor learning area, which was opened by Bishop Tom Williams early last year. “The refurbishment provides us with a more richer learning environment,” said Headteacher, Rita Bibby. “The children are delighted with the new provision. It gives them more opportunity to interact creatively with each other.”
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Permanent Secretary David Bell and Executive Director of Children and Family Services, Damian Allen with St Mary and St Paul’s pupils and Head Teacher, Neil Dixon.
One step ahead Trail blazing project gets recognition A trail blazing project to encourage school children to stay on and aim high has caught the attention of the Government. The Aspirations project at St Mary and St Paul’s school in Prescot works to give pupils a taste of what life is like in sixth form and university. The project is ahead of its time and Permanent Secretary David Bell has visited to find out what is being done. “Some pupils have no experience of what it is like to carry on with education after they are 16,” said St Mary and St Paul's head teacher, Neil Dixon. “We have links with Hope University
Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
and we take the children along to meet the students and see what they do. “They see trendy looking students and talk to them, or they see the student accommodation and start to think that staying on can be cool and that it can lead to interesting jobs.” David Bell was once Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools and is now Permanent Secretary for the Department of Children, Schools and Families. As well as the Aspirations project, he saw the mini apprentices programme that gives the children a taste of the world of work and a project to teach the youngest pupils basic sign language.
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Primary School News
International ties School forges links with China All Saints Primary School, Bootle has been enjoying a visit from a group of Children from Bashu Primary School in South West China with their teacher. The school has forged strong ties with several partner-schools across the world, and Mandarin Chinese is taught as part of the school’s curriculum. “Their school is one of the top four performing schools in China,” said Headteacher, Steve Sanderson. “They also laid on their own little presentation for our Opening Ceremony.” The visit is to return the hospitality, which All Saint’s pupils enjoyed on their previous visit to China. Right: All Saints pupils greeting their Chinese visitors
Out of the box A classroom full of chocolate
Year 5 pupils from Springwood Heath Primary School, Liverpool had a wonderful morning recently working on a chocolate project. The project arranged and led by the team at Liverpool Compact had the children working together designing, making and marketing chocolates. Ann Gilmore, Compact Projects Officer, said: “The whole class enjoyed working on the project in different groups and presenting their work to the rest of the class. The only bad thing was that the chocolates were not real so pupils and teachers couldn’t eat any of them!” 16
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Gym team is tops A primary school gymnastics group in Knowsley has been chosen as the team of the year, just months after starting up. The team of eight and nine year olds from Eastcroft Park school in Kirkby has won the Sports Team Achievement of the Year in Knowsley’s Sport and Physical Activity awards. The seven strong team set up at the start of the year and they practice once a week in the hall at the school in Hollinghurst Road. They were helped by the borough’s gymnastics coach Janice Wilson and staff at the school. They were named Knowsley Champions soon after they began and represented Knowsley at the Merseyside Youth Games. Eastcroft Park’s head teacher Julie Withey said: “To get this award is brilliant and is down to the sheer hard work and determination of the children. “They have put so much effort in and most of it has been done in their own time.”
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Primary School News
Oh what a night!
A snowy arrival Pupils create a wintery wonderland
Simon Bradshaw is pictured with pupils from St Columbas Pupils from six Huyton schools took part in an X-factor style awards ceremony at Knowsley Hall recently to celebrate the culmination of a two month long project that has seen them writing and producing their own lyrics, recording songs and directing their own music videos. Six Huyton primaries; Longview, St Aidan’s, Park View, St Aloysius, St Columba’s and Knowsley Central Support Centre all took part in the project. The pupils worked together in a rock band to write and produce lyrics for their song. The project, called ‘Music Marvels’ was developed by MGL, a Liverpoolbased leading provider of ICT solutions for schools and was led by songwriter and artist Simon Bradshaw. Simon has a vast amount of experience working in all areas of the music business and has toured all across the US with Kasabian and the Kaiser Chiefs. 120 parents and staff attended the Awards Ceremony, which was a celebration of the pupils’ work and their successful collaboration.
A blooming tribute A field of hope in support of cancer has being created at a school in Knowsley. Pupils, staff and governors at St Joseph’s primary in Huyton have planted daffodil bulbs that should create a sea of yellow this spring. The children were encouraged to donate £1 each for their bulbs and all money raised will go to the Marie Curie cancer charity for the terminally ill. A volunteer for Marie Curie visited the school to educate the children on the work the charity does, which enabled the pupils to realise how their donation will help people who suffer from cancer.
Snow at Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) is usually greeted with concern by Airport employees, but snow flakes appearing across the front of the terminal building, have been welcomed by staff and passengers as this wintery downpour is all part of an initiative with pupils and teachers from nearby St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School in Speke, who helped to bring a festive feel to the Airport. Every child at St Christopher’s school has made a snowflake and with over 300 now on display at JLA, the Airport will be
rewarding the pupils who made the best two designs with a VIP ‘behind the scenes tour’ of the airport for them, their parents and their teacher. Christina Smith, JLA’s Customer Services Co-ordinator commented: “The Airport already works closely with schools hosting many education based visits, but Staff were also really keen to work with local schools to see if the pupils wanted to help welcome passengers with a festive scene before they set off on their journeys. The work that has gone into the display is just amazing.”
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Primary School News
New school for Kirkby
St Columba’s pupils get a taste of yachting adventures (clockwise) Lisa Pover, Katie Humphreys 10, Lewis Francis 10, Evie Burgess 9 and Louie Williamson 9.
Pupils are all at sea
Champion yachtswoman sails in Round the world yachtswoman Lisa Pover is taking primary pupils in Knowsley on a voyage of discovery. Lisa, who circumnavigated the globe in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, has been meeting with pupils at St Columba’s school in Huyton. The aim is to show the children what life there is beyond the horizons of their daily life and what hard work can achieve. The link up followed a meeting with a relative of St Columba’s teacher Roni Oprey and the pupils are now following this year’s Clipper Race via the Internet. “This is about showing our pupils that there is life beyond Huyton,” said Roni. “Lisa is such a brilliant role model as a real adventurer and she gets on great with the children.” “She talks about what it is like to be out at sea and what sort of equipment 18
she relies on and lets the children try it out.” Staff at St Columba’s are also working to twin with a school in Cape Breton in Canada who also promote an interest in sailing with their pupils.
There was celebration recently when Archbishop Kelly joined the staff and pupils of St Michael & All the Angels School, Kirkby to mark their move into their brand new state-of-the-art school building. The school was formerly Holy Angels Primary School and nursery, which was divided across two sites in buildings that were in need of extensive repair. “We first asked for a new school in 2001,” said Headteacher Anne Coffey. “It’s been a long process and we couldn’t have done it without help from the Capital Bid Fund.” The school community has been completely rebuilt, from the schoolbadge up. “We’ve been totally ‘hands-on’, and even incorporated ideas from the children themselves. It’s been hard work but very enjoyable. We now have lots more space, and they whole school is just beautiful. I’m so pleased for the staff and pupils because they deserve it.”
Faith School break ground The staff and pupils of Faith Primary School, Liverpool recently joined representatives from the construction company, which will build them their new school. The pupils were onhand to witness the groundbreaking ceremony on the project. “We’ve had to fight hard for five years to get the project started,” said Headteacher Sr Moira Meeghan. “This is going to be a school for the whole area. The children are very excited” The new building is to be constructed on the site of the old Campion High School.
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Archbishop Blanch CE High School A Technology College & Training School
Mount Vernon Road, Liverpool L7 3EA email: admin@blanch.org.uk
tel: 0151 709 1452
website:www.abblanch.com
“The Sixth Form is well led and managed, with the Head of Sixth Form building on established strengths to improve, for example, students’ understanding of how they can achieve the higher grades in their examinations”. Ofsted 2008
View our State of the Art Sixth Form Facilities
Sixth Form Open Evening 2010 3 February at 6.30 p.m. “This is an effective sixth form, where students benefit from good teaching and high levels of guidance and support” Ofsted 2008
Religious commitment is not a requirement for Sixth Form entry Archbishop Blanch is a good school, where good teaching and pastoral care of an outstanding quality enable pupils to achieve well. Good collaboration with local schools helps to provide a wide variety of A-level courses Ofsted 2008 Pupils speak positively of the friendliness and approachability of staff, and of how much they enjoy school. SIAS Ofsted 2008
Make new friends at the Year 12 Residential
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Meet the Headteacher Neil Dixon, St Mary and St Paul’s C of E Primary School
Shifting standards When Southport-born Neil Dixon arrived at St Mary and St Paul’s for his first headship, threats of closure loomed for his new charge. Since his switch from St Gabriel’s, Huyton in the Easter of 2003 he has helped transform the fortunes of the Prescot school. When Neil began his stewardship, the Church of England school was suffering from small class numbers and poor results and was struggling to compete with the many good primary schools in the area. The school building itself was relatively unchanged from the 1960s, with its run-down appearance hardly inspiring to young minds. “When I came here the future was very uncertain really. “The Knowsley Schools’ Commission had come out and there was a lot of talk of closures. That all came as a nasty shock. I was interviewed for the job in January and the school’s report came out in February. It wasn’t the best way to start really. There was obviously loads of stuff needed to be done, so it was a big challenge.” The magnitude of the turnaround at the Bryer Road school was no better exemplified by the last Ofsted report, which judged the school as “outstanding”. The 2008 report noted that although the school is “situated in an area of significant social and economic disadvantage... The great majority of pupils make outstanding progress academically... and... Pupils love coming to school, where they feel safe, have great trust in their teachers and take pride in their achievements.” The school has also come on “leaps and bounds” in the eyes of parents. “Thankfully the people who are in the 20
school now are fantastic. The KEA is very supportive and the diocese is very supportive and everyone has pulled together and said lets give it a go. There’s been a massive amount of hard work by everyone, but there’s no magic wand. I wouldn’t say one specific thing has changed. I think one of the biggest things is that we’ve created a culture where there are really high expectations of everything. Some of the children come from really difficult backgrounds so it’s very easy to think to yourself there’s a limit to what they can achieve, but there isn’t. If you’ve got teachers who can push them all the way and give them all these chances and say ‘you can do that’ then you create that kind of atmosphere and the children start to think ‘hey, I’m far better at that than I thought I was’.”
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We’ve created a culture where there are really high expectations of everything
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The growing success of the school has also run in tandem with a more positive outlook for the wider community. “The community as a whole has really come on. The shops round the corner are filled and there’s a lot of work being done in the
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community centre, the new playground and the community garden. The whole community feels like a brighter, more positive place really. There’s a real sense of a community hub here now. You’ve got the church, the community centre and the school thriving and it works well.” Not content with academic success for pupils in the 3-11 age group, St Mary and St Paul’s is striving to encourage pupils into achieving at secondary level and into higher education, breaking the cycle of local children leaving full-time education at 16. This takes the form of the ‘Aspirations Project’, a scheme from which Year five and six pupils benefit from links with Carmel Sixth Form College, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool University and the Liverpool Compact Education and Business Partnership, working with mentors and engaging with enterprise challenges. “We have some of their students come in here every week to work with the children and they act as really good role models because the kids see these trendy 16 and 17-year-olds and they think to themselves ‘they’re still at school but they’re dressed in their trendy clothes and look really cool and they’re still learning’. I think the kids have a preconception of school as dead boring and that you’ve got to be a swot to do well. They see these others and think actually they don’t have to be a swot
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Interview by Jonathan Kearney
because they’re really cool. They like them and they act as really good role models.” It isn’t just the school’s reputation which has been re-built, with the school having undergone significant physical changes over the last few years as a means to improve facilities. Last year saw the addition of a new covered play area for Foundation Stage children, while work on “The Base” – a withdrawing area for children with specific needs – began in January 2010. “We did loads of simple stuff, we got new furniture and new books and things and it sounds really simple and straightforward but if you give the children a new classroom and they think ‘oh this is nice’ then they treat it differently and they act differently and gradually over the last four or five years the school has basically been completely re-built inside and that makes a massive difference to the children. They respond to it and respect it and they want to look after it and that’s nice. We’ve had building work done left, right and centre. When I first came here we had two classes in the juniors and mixed age classes. Now we’re up to proper one class per year group. All the classes are getting fuller and fuller. They’re lovely classrooms and we’ve got all the new technology such as interactive whiteboards, computers and laptops. It really makes a difference.” Neil added: “One of the things Ofsted praised was the work we do with special needs children. We’ve always done a lot of withdrawn support work with them. It boosts their confidence, it gives them the basic skills they need and they’re equipped to go up to the high school able to cope with academic life and go on and get some qualifications. To do that you need space to be able to withdraw those groups. You also need space to be able to withdraw your gifted and talented children and do special things with them.” A school with an above average intake of children with special needs requires a skilled and dedicated staff, with teachers faced with the challenge of setting a workload for growing numbers with a range of abilities. Just as the wider community is thriving, a happy workplace appears evident at St Mary and St Paul’s. “We’ve got a couple of new teachers who’ve settled in really well and we’ve got
another teacher who started off as a teaching assistant about six years ago and did her degree part time. She did a graduate teacher training programme here last year and is now teaching year one. We’ve got a fantastic staff and I hope they feel really valued because they do a brilliant job.” From a state of low class numbers, parental demand for places has brought about the expansion of St Mary and St Paul’s over the last few years. Teachers set high standards and pupils now have high academic expectations for themselves. If progress continues along the same path
as it has for Neil Dixon’s tenure at the school then a promising future is assured.
Dixon File Born: Southport, 1969 Education: Larkfield Primary School, Southport; Merchant Taylors, Crosby; Edge Hill College, BA Ed; Liverpool Hope, Masters Career: Thatto Heath Primary School, St Helens; Liverpool College; St Mary’s C of E Primary School, Salford; St Gabriel’s, Huyton
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Focus Group
For a debate on whether school leavers and graduates enter the workforce with the right skills and expectations, we invited a panel of professionals to lunch. Patrick Kearney, assistant headteacher at Notre Dame Catholic College in Everton was joined by Richard Finch, communications manager at AimHigher – an organisation which encourages children who may not otherwise contemplate studying for a degree at university, to widen their horizons and raise their aspirations. They were joined by managing partner at JST Lawyers in Liverpool, Heather Summers, who is seasoned in recruiting a vast range of staff to work for the law firm in all its facets, from school leavers to graduates, and mature professionals. Lunch was held at The Noble House, a recent addition to the business district in Liverpool, on Brunswick Street.
Fit for work
Are schools doing enough to equip the future generation? Educate’s roundtable In your professional experience Heather, recruiting school leavers at the law firm, do the new recruits have the appropriate skills for the job? HS: IT skills in the modern workplace are very important, as we all know, and we do find that when recruiting 16-18 year olds that their IT skills are excellent. However, the problems sometimes come in the use they make of technology for communication. The younger recruits may type their emails in a form of ‘textspeak’ with popular text shorthand and smiley faces, in the manner they talk to their friends, and that’s just not appropriate for the workplace. We organise an induction process for the staff, so that we can run through with them company policy on emails and communication, so it’s not insurmountable by any means, but it’s a recent phenomenon brought about by
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increased use of mobile telephones and the internet, which we weren’t used to seeing a few years ago. If I were advising schools on preparing pupils for a work placement, I’d recommend a lengthy session on how to engage with your manager, the other staff around you, and with clients. I’d say to address communication skills, and appropriate communication. Is modern technology diminishing children’s communication skills? A recent report stated that teenagers of today have a daily vocabulary of just 800 words, as opposed to 40,000 as should be expected by age 16. HS: If a child has the choice between looking up something like an informative article or news piece on the internet and going on Facebook or MSN, then of course there’s a
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huge temptation just to chat to their friends. Then again, learning how to manage your time is a crucial life skill for any job. PK: Technology gets a bad press when we hear about youngsters with limited vocabularies, or who can’t read and write – but often the stories are exaggerated. Some of our BTEC Travel and Tourism students were at the Albert Dock conducting a survey on visitors to the area, and they worked by collecting the information and sending it back to base on an ipod Touch. One girl used Twitter to speak to people in New Zealand who had visited the Albert Dock and could contribute to the survey. Others in the group used the internet to research the topic before they compiled the presentation together. In this instance the girls used the technology very effectively for their research. The students today are growing up in a different
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Patrick Kearney, assistant headteacher at Notre Dame Catholic College
world – they’re ‘digital natives’ not ‘digital immigrants’ like our generation, and the sorts of jobs which they may go on to do haven’t even been discovered yet. IT skills are becoming more important today, not less important. RF: Yes, when I was 16 there was no such thing as a job designing and updating websites – and yet that’s actually how I spend a large proportion of my time these days. It’s crucial to keep up with the new developments in order to meet future challenges in the workplace and society. RF: Reports like this aren’t helpful. It doesn’t show that teenagers’ actual vocabularies are limited – just that they use certain words every day, and that’s not really very surprising or unusual. There are many contributing factors here other than technology -such as peer pressure not to seem like a show-off or ‘too clever’ – and so the report doesn’t really tell us a lot. What is being done at the moment to help school pupils learn more about the workplace and the sorts of roles they can expect? RF: AimHigher was set up to target students who may not have thought that they could aspire to professional jobs, and to university, and we work with a number of pupils in Years 9 to 11 to give them a taste of the university experience through sessions at the campuses and a residential trip to Oxford University. Depending on their background, they may tell us that they feel Oxbridge isn’t for them – until they go down there on a visit and see for themselves. The government is now looking to push for all pupils to stay at school until they’re 18, or to continue with their training and education in the
Heather Summers, managing partner at JST Lawyers
workplace, which is a great thing. For many of the pupils we see at AimHigher, without encouragement, they would only aspire to attaining lower level skills and jobs. When we talk to primary school pupils about the sorts of jobs they feel they’d like to do, they are very influenced by what their parents do, so if they didn’t go to university then that won’t be part of the pupils’ expectation for themselves. If when they’re older, and they have no experience of working for, say, a
“If I were advising schools on preparing pupils for a work placement, I’d recommend a lengthy session on how to engage with your manager, the other staff around you, and with clients.” Heather Summers
professional law firm, then they may well struggle to understand what would be expected of them there. That doesn’t mean they’re not capable of performing – as Heather says they often have very good skills – they just might not have been taught or learnt yet, enough about the workplace and what else is expected. It needs to be a
Richard Finch, communications manager at AimHigher
long-term programme to be successful. PK: As Heather has said, communication skills are crucial to every job. What we have to understand is that students today are likely to change jobs four or five times throughout their career, and so they need to be more flexible and adaptable to market themselves properly and equip themselves with transferable skills. As a result, the new diplomas are aiming to prepare students to enter the workplace with the skills they need and the right expectations of the job they’ll be doing. The Creative and Media Diploma has been developed hand in hand with employers, so that the students are working towards a realistic expectation of them on the job, and it’s a brilliant scheme. How useful is work experience to pupils? HS: We offer the opportunity to school-age pupils and graduates, as well as professionals of any age wanting to change career and it’s a really good initiative. With graduates who hope to secure a training contract with us, we’ll put them in our busiest department to observe how they handle things. We’re looking for strong teamwork, communication skills, and how they work under pressure, and if they impress us we’ll offer them a job. For school leavers, the experience isn’t as challenging or as interesting, but it gives them an idea of the workplace and how it feels to be part of a busy environment. PK: With many careers, like law or medicine, the only experience pupils have of them is from television, so work experience is absolutely invaluable. If they do decide to pursue a career in that field, then they’re going into it with their eyes opened, and if not then at least they have narrowed down
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Focus Group their decision – they’re not relying on one hour TV dramas for an impression of what it would be like. How far is it the role of the workplace to ensure pupils continue to develop their skills? HS: Our firm, like many others, is very keen to develop staff. We have a full induction for new recruits and we do our best to engage with staff and how they feel about their role in the workplace. It’s interesting for all the staff to sit down together to come up with the firm’s core values and mission statement – it’s then a two way process. PK: Employers do need to take an amount of responsibility, and by offering work placements and coming in to schools on occasion for workshops and to offer advice, we’ve found that they are supportive. There is a widespread emphasis now on lifelong learning and a focus on the transition from school into the workplace, or other stages of learning. What are schools doing to help students prepare for work experience and for the workplace? PK: At Notre Dame, we are a specialist performing arts college, so the pupils take part in music, dance and drama activities throughout the year. The Summer Arts Festival we held, which had over 12,000 people attend last year, is a fantastic opportunity for the pupils, but it’s not necessarily about just turning them into excellent performers – they develop their confidence and creativity. When our pupils go on work experience placements we have very good feedback, which says that Notre Dame girls are at ease in different social situations and able to make the most of the opportunity, and their communication skills serve them well. Society is becoming increasingly reliant on online communications, so being able to interact well with different people is crucial, before you can interact well online. RF: The AimHigher programme, which runs evening and weekend activities as well as summer schools at the local university, asks students to commit to attending and to contribute to what is taking place. In the six years we’ve been working with the schools we’ve seen massive leaps in the confidence of pupils taking part – you can visibly see the difference. One very shy young lad, who was very quiet and withdrawn when we first met him through the scheme, is now about to emigrate to Australia on a working
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abroad programme. Before, he’d never really left Liverpool. That’s our ethos – giving pupils who wouldn’t otherwise get the opportunity, the chance to build their skills and raise their aspirations. PK: Another drive at the moment is to develop leadership at all levels. As part of this process, pupils will need to self-manage on tasks and direct their own work, meeting deadlines. We also have employability interviews where employers come in and assess the pupils in interview on their dress and conduct, and the pupils have the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback. As at AimHigher, what do schools do with younger pupils to prepare them for the challenges of the job market? PK: Our Summer Arts Festival brings local primary school children to the college to prepare for the performances, and to partake in them or watch them. Often, the local primary school partners will visit regularly to use our state of the art catering or performing arts facilities and get a feel for the school, so that when they join in Year 7 they know what to expect. It’s a good induction, and what we call a ‘joined-up’ approach. RF: The most important thing is not necessarily that they have a fixed idea from a young age of what they want to do and work towards it, but that they have the confidence in themselves and the ability to engage with their teacher and pupils and then their employer and colleagues to really participate in what is happening in the office or workplace.
“The most important thing is not necessarily that they have a fixed idea from a young age of what they want to do, but that they have the confidence in themselves and the ability to engage in what is happening in the workplace.” Richard Finch
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TOP TIPS FOR SUCCESS Our panel came up with some top tips for pupils to give them the best possible chance of success when they enter the workplace.
✓ Think about presentation. Dress smartly and present yourself well. ✓ Make eye contact with employers and colleagues, even if you’re nervous. Smile, and be friendly and polite.
✓ Use your initiative. Show that you work well, even if at first you’re only asked to make the tea or fill envelopes, and show off your potential.
✓ Don’t drift along, or leave it to chance - take every opportunity you can to learn about different careers and to find one you think you would enjoy.
✓ Try volunteering at a local charity or organisation to build your confidence and meet new people.
✓ Contact Aim Higher for more information on opportunities to sample the university experience on www.aimhigher.ac.uk.
Critics say that exam pressure detracts from teachers helping pupils to attain important life skills – do you agree? HS: When I was at school there was no coursework, and everything rested on a number of exams. That’s obviously not comparable with a work situation directly, but learning to cope with exam pressure is a very useful skill to then be able to deal with deadlines, and project and time management. PK: The pressure of the exams in the older system is no bad thing, but I do think it is unfair to judge someone by their performance on a particular day. Coursework is a good measure of how a pupil can work on a project to a deadline, or how to make a presentation to an audience – and the use of technology is key here. We need to see it as a tool and use it appropriately – it’s not an end in itself. HS: Just before Christmas, our server went down and so no one in the office could access their computer files or Internet. We were sitting there, at a loss. No one knew
what to do! I do think it’s important to be able to work around problems and be able to cope in those sorts of circumstances.
“The students today are growing up in a different world – they’re ‘digital natives’ not ‘digital immigrants’ like our generation.” Patrick Kearney
What are the challenges to pupils entering the workplace? RF: A lot of the time we find that there are certain professions which don’t encourage
social mobility, including law. A report that came out last year confirmed this, and now we are encouraging employers to give opportunities for work experience to pupils from poorer backgrounds. Often, students from these backgrounds don’t feel comfortable going into a particular environment, and so encouragement from organisations like AimHigher can really make a difference. HS: As the workforce evolves, there will be more and more people working for longer and so fewer opportunities for young people to begin their careers or progress within a company. I think we’ll see more people starting up on their own, and having a trade and a good knowledge of running a business will be an advantage. New types of jobs and ways of working are certainly on the horizon. PK: That’s why schools, employers and organisations like AimHigher need to sit down and put their heads together to come up with the checklist employers need and write the specs for the new diplomas.
Lunch was provided at The Noble House, a recent and welcome addition to the restaurant in Liverpool’s business district on Brunswick Street, where a selection of mixed appetisers was enjoyed, followed by soup and sandwich specials. To book a table at The Noble House, telephone 0151 236 5346.
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Secondary School News
Surefire future Shorefields Technology College has been given the green light to become a National Challenge Trust School, in a move set to dramatically improve attainment and exam results. Children's Secretary Ed Balls approved the National Challenge School Improvement Plan for the Liverpool secondary school, on Dingle Lane, Liverpool 8. Mr Balls, who made the announcement at a National Challenge Regional Forum, said that funding for the project - set to be up to three quarters of a million pounds - will be released immediately from the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Standards Fund. National Challenge Trust status sees schools teaming up with businesses, education specialists and other schools to drive up attainment above the government's National Challenge target of at least 30 per cent of pupils gaining A*-C, including English and Maths, at GCSE level. John Charnock, Headteacher at Shorefields Technology College, added: "We are absolutely delighted with this news. It's a fantastic opportunity for everyone at Shorefields and Mathew Arnold Schools. "This is the result of two years work to get to Trust status and attract this additional support. We are now looking forward to a very bright future for our students, and for the area as a whole." Other partners in the South Liverpool Education Trust are Matthew Arnold Primary School, Liverpool University, Plus Dane and Open the Door Theatre in Education Group. Shorefields officially became a National Challenge Trust school in January 2010.
Ticket to Shanghai Pupils to represent Liverpool Two Year 10 students at Childwall Sports College are delighted to have been selected by the school to represent Childwall Sports College and Liverpool in the Cities twinning arrangements with Shanghai for 2010. Connor Rowan and Emma Lee have been selected from all 200 plus students at Childwall Sports College to be part of the Liverpool contingent which will visit Shanghai during the course of 2010 to cement further the relations with Shanghai and also to aid trade and enterprise between the two cities. Both Connor and Emma are excellent students at Childwall Sports College and both were delighted to be given the honour to represent their school and their families at the prestigious Shanghai Exhibition taking place during the course of 2010. Headteacher, Dewi Phillips, said: “I am delighted that Emma and Connor are to represent Childwall Sports College and Liverpool at the Shanghai Exhibition during 2010. They are both outstanding students who will undoubtedly prove to be superb ambassadors for Childwall and Liverpool in Shanghai”.
Pupils Connor Rowan and Emma Lee plot their route to Shanghai
Musical protégé scoops award James Orrell of St Edward’s College, Sandfield Park has proved himself to be a true musical protégé as at the age of 13, he has become the youngest person ever to be awarded the prestigious Archbishops’ Award in Church Music. James (aged 13) was presented
with his certificate for singing by the Archbishop of Westminster at the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy in London. The qualification was instituted in 1993 and is sponsored and presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of Westminster. Recently, James has already
achieved the RSCM Gold Award, the highest award a chorister can achieve and passed his Grade 8 singing examination with distinction. He is also a very talented pianist and was recently selected as St Edward’s Poet Laureate for this academic year.
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Secondary School News
Notre Dame Rocks! School drums up a challenge The staff and pupils of Notre Dame College, Liverpool were joined recently by Jeff Rich, who is best known as the drummer with rock band Status Quo. Jeff held a three-day residency at the college, which holds College for the Arts status, and took workshops with students from each year. Pupils from local primary schools, as well as pupils from St Vincent’s School for the Blind also joined Notre Dame for the visit. “We’ve been delighted to have Jeff here with us,” said Community Arts Director for Notre Dame, Elaine Neary. “He first visited us five years ago. He gives the students a great insight into what being a rock musician and drummer really means.” But the highlight for the whole college without doubt seemed to have been the ‘drumoff’, between Jeff and Headteacher Christine McCann. “It was incredible,” said Elaine. “The students nearly brought the house down! I think they were amazed to see Christine just letting her hair down, and showing what she can do.”
Send a smile
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Students and staff at Archbishop Blanch School, Liverpool have been hard at work producing surgical gowns to support the CBBC's Blue Peter Appeal Operation Smile 2009. The "Send A Smile" campaign aimed to help provide life-changing operations for hundreds of children with cleft lips and palates in India. Blue Peter aimed to raise the necessary money by using its famous "Here's One I Made Earlier" approach by asking UK children to turn unwanted t-shirts into simple surgical gowns. These gowns are worn by the children undergoing cleft lip and palette operations, and normally cost around £3 to make. In time-honoured tradition, Blue Peter set a target for the appeal: to collect 20,000 gowns within six weeks. If the target is reached, it will pay for an entire two-weeklong medical project in Guwahati, Northeast India, treating hundreds of children.
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Secondary School News
Generous giving at all girls school Pupils raise magnificent sum Year Seven girls from Bellerive School raised nearly £2000 within weeks of starting at their new secondary school! The sum has been presented to Zoe’s Place in a special assembly. This magnificent sum was achieved in just a two-week period. Each girl was given a Zoe's Place envelope, which could be returned to school with their donations. One class invested cash supplied by their form tutor in sweets, which they then sold at a profit. Money was then reinvested and they built up a good profit over the fortnight and learned how to run a business: not quite in the same league as Dragon's Den, but not bad for 11 years old! Another class held a ‘Pink Party’ and invited all Year 7 pupils to attend, with tombola, refreshments, games, quizzes, competitions in a variety of shades of pink, this also raised about £100. The father of one girl manages a social club and raised well over £120 due to the generosity of the patrons, many of whom were our older citizens. The usual cake sales, raffles and ‘guess the name’ also took place Mrs Passey, Head of Year 7, said: “The overwhelming kindness of the girls and their families deserved to be
acknowledged and we have sent a thank you letter to every family in Year 7. “The college has received certificates acknowledging their generous donation and these have been proudly displayed”.
Top prize for teenage tycoons A group of Liverpool’s young entrepreneurs have been rewarded for their clever ideas to make money. Alsop High School in Walton scooped the top prize for the second year running in the special Tenner Tycoon competition. Four of the school’s teenage financial whiz-kids were given £10 each and encouraged to put their business heads on to come up with ways to invest the money and increase its value. The Alsop teens raised more than £1,000 after they set up a business to customise Tshirts and pillowcases with whatever designs their fellow pupils requested such as ‘I love Liverpool’, and they also learnt how to make key rings and sold them on. The event was staged by Stepclever to encourage youngsters to hone their business skills. Stepclever manager, John Anderson, said: “This year has been extremely competitive and
it’s been wonderful to see the pupils work as a team and come up with creative ways in which to increase their cash.” All the schools get to keep the money their team has made. Alsop High donated the majority of the proceeds to Zoe’s Place children’s hospice, and kept a small amount to reinvest in the new-found business.
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Showstopper Performance exceeds all expectations St John Bosco Arts College recently held their annual production Great Expectations. The students had rehearsed and planned and made a huge effort in making this production their best yet.
The production was run over two nights with the Matinee showing to Year 5 and 6 students from linked primary schools. The students showed their outstanding performance skills and created a wonderful atmosphere for the audiences.
Reaping awards It’s been a busy year for awards at the Holly Lodge, Girls' College, West Derby, winning two in the last two months. Holly Lodge, has managed to achieve Green Flag Status once again, one of only a few schools to hold this prestigious status in Liverpool. The Green Flag Award scheme is the benchmark national standard for parks, schools and green spaces in England and Wales. The assessors were greatly impressed with the huge range of activity, which takes place across the school, and were equally impressed with the Eco-Committee students. The assessors then gave the good news that the school was to get their Green Flag Status back! The previous week the school had also been awarded The Food for Life Partnership Award. The new Lottery-funded Food for Life Partnership to become one of 180 Flagship Schools has also selected Holly Lodge Girls’ College and Communities across England that will be recognised as national leaders on food quality and food education.
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Headteacher, Mrs Pontifex, said: “Once again the outstanding performances and professional attitude of the students was commented on and a really enjoyable time was had by all!”
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Meet the Headteacher Pam Jervis, MBE, Kirkby Sports College
A good sport Teaching to inspire all the community Pam Jervis is a teacher who not only instills a sense of passion to education but she leads by example, for not only is she the Principal of the newly opened Kirkby Sports College, she is also heavily involved in school sports. Pam is also attached to the Sport England Lottery Panel and had the privilege to be involved in supporting sport both nationally and regionally – for example the Manchester Commonwealth Games. In addition she was appointed to the North West Regional Sports Board and at present Chairs the Knowsley Community Sports Network. She has spent many years involved in sport education first as a badminton coach and later in her role as a sports college head. At present she is a member of the Sports College Headteacher Steering Group for the 2012 Olympics and the Education representative on the North West 2012 Steering Group. After meeting with Pam you can see how passionate Pam is about the benefits of sport in the widest sense for young people, their families and the community – and for the contribution sport makes to improving lives and for providing inspiration to young and old alike. In 2008 Pam was awarded an MBE, which she said was a great honour for her, “I was very proud to receive it - on behalf of all those people who have made it possible - and with whom I share it.” Pam came to Knowsley in 1986 as deputy head at Brookfield, she later took 34
over the headship after illness to the then headteacher. “I love Kirkby and its people, I even have family here. So when Knowsley decided to transform its education system in their ‘Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme’ we were all asked about which choice we would like to apply for. I had no second thoughts, after ten wonderful years working with the schoolchildren, parents but also the community, I chose Kirkby Sports College.
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We want to find a sport for everybody that they feel comfortable with
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“We were asked to name three centres for learning, and to be honest I only applied for one and that was Kirkby, I didn’t really want to move anywhere else”. Pam’s philosophy is straight forward: “Our school motto is: ‘Inspire, Believe, Achieve’ and we are trying to instill this in our schoolchildren. I am passionate about working with young people and the Kirkby community is a great place to work.
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“I believe people get a lot out of sport, which is why years ago when the government talked about technology colleges I actually went to a meeting and said that someone should be thinking about a sports college and they were really interested with the health, leadership and team building aspects of it. “We have a passion for everyone to find a sport here, it is obviously about the good athletes making progress, but we want to find a sport for everybody that they are comfortable with”. But it not just about sport, Pam is keen to extol the virtues of healthy living, “We have started the Kirkby Sports College Health Club, not just for the students but also for the staff, parents and community. We are getting people to come in and have taster sessions in our gym which will be a really good asset for the community”. To show the spectrum of sporting events the school is involved in they now work with the Everton Tigers Basketball squad, and one of the off-shoots is that they have also formed a cheerleading group who actually performed in front of the Queen last year. The College has also developed a partnership with two schools in Namibia, which is linked to sport. “We are planning
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Interview by Alan Birkett
for about twenty of our Year 11 students to visit Namibia in Easter. It is a project which we call ‘Dream and Teams’ and we have been invited to meet the Namibian sporting hero Frankie Fredericks when we visit Windhoek, the capital city.” The school has looked at the Olympic and Paralympic values and based their own school values on these: personal excellence, respect and friendship, inspiration, determination and courage and equality. When you put these together they spell PRIDE which gives you a sense of feeling to what the school is about and its aims. “We have a saying that we have pride in everything we do and are proud of how we do it. We have in addition introduced ‘Proud Points’ which are similar to credits. “We have also started a house system which is named after Olympians. We had a survey of who we should name these houses after and on top of our survey for staff was Sir Steve Redgrave, and for pupils Dame Kelly Holmes who have both visited the college. “Amongst those named were Tanni Grey Thompson who has trained on our athletics track and Frankie Fredericks. We hold inter-house competitions which gives the pupils a sense of competition, but also incorporated in these competitions we encourage the pupils to get involved in the organisation and management and reporting, it’s all encompassing. “We are one of only 17 schools nationally to be accepted with the ‘2012 Get Set’ network which allows us to use the official Olympic/Paralympic logo”. The College has recently hosted a football tournament involving two teams
from Queensland, Australia, All Saints Catholic High School and their own Year 10 pupils. The College has also set up an athletics club for the local community and hopes to maximise the use of the College and its facilities. Pam is acutely aware of the College’s role in the community, Pam said: “We need to make the College the centre of the community, not only through sports, but also through its availability to community groups and events. It is a great opportunity for us all to connect, we are not just a school, we are here for us all to use and enjoy”.
Jervis File Born: Liverpool Education: St Michael’s, Liverpool, Booker Avenue Junior School, Liverpool, Calder High School for Girls, Liverpool, Quarry Bank Comprehensive, Leicester University and Liverpool University. Career: 1982 Deputy/Headteacher Brookfield Comprehensive, Kirkby, 2009 Principal Kirkby Sports College
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Diplomas in Sefton
Bringing learning to life Engaging employers in the new 14-19 diplomas is essential in enabling us to truly bring learning to life for young people in Sefton. On behalf of Sefton’s 14-19 Partnership, Sefton Education Business Partnership (EBP) is supporting Sefton’s Diploma Development Groups in engaging businesses for the new qualifications. There are a variety of ways in which employers have been involved over the past year. Since Sefton started delivering diplomas in 2008 over 70 businesses have given or offered their support in a variety of ways including • curriculum planning • guest speakers • teacher and student visits • setting project briefs • staff placements • masterclasses • work experience Curriculum Planning In June 2009 the first meeting took place of the Society, Health and Development (SHAD) Diploma Employer Working Group. Members of the group come from the four sectors that this Diploma line covers. The group was formed to enable employers to review support provided to date, to share best practice and to discuss the sustainability of support in the future. At the first meeting it was agreed that a speed career event would be held during September to give the young people an understanding of the careers available across all the sectors. The group supported a speed career event, which was held in September at Southport College and involved 22 business people. Elizabeth Conby, a SHAD student commented: “The career speed event opened my eyes to all the different careers that are open to me as I thought they were not so varied. The event also made me think twice about the career path I wanted to take as there were so many interesting alternatives which I think is a good problem to have, I really enjoyed the career speed event and feel it really helped me to see all the options I have” Professional Development Placements Teachers and lecturers have also been updating their industry knowledge by attending professional development placements. In July, Arvato Government Services hosted a professional development placement for teachers and lecturers preparing to deliver Diplomas in Business, Administration & Finance and Information Technology. Attendees gained an insight into the career opportunities that exist within the organisation and visited the call centre which Arvato operates on behalf of Sefton Council. Again in July teachers preparing to deliver the Creative and Media Diploma visited FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) in Liverpool. They gained an insight into the work that FACT does and how it could be incorporated into the Diploma. STACK, a local IT company providing computer solutions to a wide range of companies, provided an IT teacher from the South Sefton Diploma group with a placement for half a day to showcase the work that they do.
From left to right Peter O’Donnell Community Justice Centre, Samanthan Critchley Sefton Council, Morag Reynolds NHS Sefton, Nicola Hurst Southport College, Gill Blane Sefton CVS and Paula Beasley, Sefton Education Business Partnership. ( other members of the group include John Rossier Sefton Council, Anne Kay HMCS and Jane Wignall HMCS) Guest Speakers and Student Visits Young people have also been gaining an insight into diploma employment sectors by having business people talk to them about their work. Young people studying the SHAD diploma have been hearing from social workers, Sefton Children’s Services employees and NHS Sefton, whilst the Creative and Media students have heard from a theatrical makeup artist, a graphic designer and an advertiser amongst others. Business, Administration and Finance students have been learning more about debt awareness and last term also saw them visit the Santander offices in Bootle. Hospitality Diploma students visited the Hilton hotel in Liverpool to gain an insight into that aspect of the industry. Kevin Kirby (Hospitality Diploma lecturer at Hugh Baird College commented “The students were able to see kitchen and restaurant service in a 4*+ hotel to see the pressures they may face if they choose the hotel route of hospitality. Hilton staff were excellent with the students and staff accompanying them. This has encouraged six of the eight students to stay on and study the Advanced Diploma in Hospitality next year” Project Briefs Many businesses have projects that they are willing to set students, with the opportunity of gaining a solution to a problem or challenge that may be facing. One such example is a small online business setting a project for IT students to create a stock control system. A number of businesses are wishing to gain an insight into how social networking can aid their business, especially through the eyes of a young person. This is an excellent way of giving something back to the businesses supporting these qualifications. In September 2008 we started delivering the Diploma in Society Health and Development. We needed to incorporate applied learning into the curriculum and to that end we have worked hard to involve employers in many aspects of the teaching and learning. This resulted in employers being guest speakers, students going to the work place in visits and specific workshops with employers from the four different sectors; Health, Social care, Children and Young People’s Workforce and Community Justice . We now have excellent lines of communication between the consortia and the employers and this has resulted in some very informative and inspiring experiences for our Society, Health and Development Diploma students. Nicola Hurst – SHD Course Tutor, Southport College
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Secondary School News
Behind the scenes Pupils visit Knowsley Council
Desert explorers Recently a group of students visited Egypt as part of Childwall Sports College’s extensive residential programme. Students had a fantastic time and visited Luxor, Cairo and obviously some of the highlights were a visit to the Pyramids and a trip to the River Nile. Head teacher, Dewi Phillips, said: “Our students at Childwall Sports College get so many opportunities to visit foreign countries. The visit to Egypt was quite outstanding.”
Pupils from All Saints in Kirkby and the Halewood Centre for Learning visited Knowsley Council as part of Local Democracy Week. During their visit, the pupils learnt about the political history of the Borough, were given a tour of the Mayoral Parlour and Council Chamber and found out about the importance of Electoral Registration and voting. The youngsters, who are members of their School Council, also took the opportunity to quiz the Mayor of
Knowsley, Cllr Dave Smithson on a wide range of topics including the roles of the Mayor and Elected Members and how Knowsley’s new Learning Centres originated. Liam Corrigan, 14, a pupil at All Saints in Kirkby. said: “It is a really good insight into what happens inside the Council and I found the visit really interesting, particularly being able to see how the Council makes decisions and I also enjoyed seeing the Council Chamber and the Mayor’s Parlour.”
Youth win again Archbishop Beck College, Liverpool has been celebrating recently after the College Band won top honours at this year’s Southport Festival of Drama & Music. This is the fourth year in a row that the College’s Senior Band won the Festival’s Youth Ensemble section. The Band competed against five other school ensembles and was awarded top marks by the adjudicator, who hailed their performance as: ‘impressive’ as well as ‘exciting and fantastic’. Archbishop Beck’s musician also won in the Woodwind Sections, with Helen Goldsmith taking 1st in the Open Woodwind section: Bethany Mawdsely took 2nd place. 38
Cllr Ken Keith and the Mayor of Knowsley, Cllr Dave Smithson, with pupils from All Saints in Kirkby inside the Council Chamber.
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Secondary School News
Winning post
Swanning around for arts sake School works with National Ballet Following their work with Year 7 last year, English National Ballet is working with students from St John Bosco Arts College for their new project Swanning Around. St John Bosco is the only school outside London to be involved in the project, which involves a performance at the Royal Albert hall. The English National Ballet touring director auditioned 22 students from the college and all those auditioned were accepted onto the project. The students will travel to London to see the Matinee
Performance of Swan Lake, later going on to perform on the stage as the curtain raiser for the main evening performance. As part of this project 2 students from the college will be invited to travel to China with the English National Ballet to work and perform with schools and dancers there. This project is a wonderful opportunity for the students at St John Bosco Arts College widening their horizons and giving them many different experiences.
Shine on Light a Life Appeal raises £1005 St Edward’s College, Sandfield Park, has raised £1005 for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) through their Light a Light fundraising initiative. Over 170 hearts have been hung on the two remembrance trees at the front of the College to remember those nominated by their loved ones. The hearts accompanied by lights will shine in their memory throughout the festive season. CRY is one of the College’s chosen charities and over £14,000 has been raised since 2006 through a number of fundraising activities. Every week eight ‘apparently’ fit and healthy young people die in the UK from undiagnosed heart conditions. CRY, whose patrons include Sir Ian Botham, Sir Steve Redgrave and the actor David Walliams, aims to raise awareness of Cardiac Risk in the Young and offers support to those who have suffered a loss through a network of affected families and counselling. Mr John Waszek, College Principal, said: “St Edward’s College is proud to support the outstanding work of CRY. We hope that these funds can help to reduce this terrible blot on the lives of far too many young people and their families”.
The school community of Archbishop Beck College, Liverpool, gathered recently at Aintree Race Course to recognise and applaud the outstanding achievements of the school’s community over the past year. The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Mike Storey was on-hand to present the awards and spoke in glowing terms about the schools achievements, and his pride at being associated with the Awards Evening. “The warm atmosphere of the awards ceremony was aided by outstanding performances from the College Concert Band, Drama Department and College Dance Ensemble,” said Assistant Headteacher, Bruce Hicks. “Our Headteacher Paul Dickinson also paid tribute to Andy Traynor and Jonathon McGrath who are both recently deceased.”
The wedding planner Congratulations go to the Archbishop Blanch School Year 10 Young Enterprise Team, supported by Mrs Addy, who won the 2009 Liverpool Schools’ Enterprise Challenge run by Liverpool Compact. Gabrielle, Anna, Danielle, Jessica and two Rebeccas were worthy winners, beating off strong competition from secondary schools throughout Liverpool, with their theme of organising a wedding. The girls had to act as facilitators, offering a complete wedding package service from working out the finances to decorating the tables.
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Help and advice
Dear Educate
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I have a two year-old grandson, who is a curious and happy child, but after reading recent reports that more and more three year olds are unable to speak properly I am concerned. At what age should a child be able to speak, and what problems are there in later life if language skills are not developed The report in the newspapers of late did concern parents and teachers across the UK, as poor communication problems at a young age were linked, in the same study, with problems communicating as adults, low self-esteem and even mental health issues. It’s certainly vital to work towards ensuring that all children grow up with the ability to express themselves and deal with a variety of social situations, or it could affect their work prospects and future relationships. As your grandson is just two years old, try not to worry about his development, but do take the opportunity to talk to him – in proper adult language rather than baby talk – and point out objects and people, colours and seasons, in the world around him. This is much more effective in encouraging children to talk than sitting them in front of a TV, and time spent in this way should be restricted. Remember, all children develop at different rates, so don’t worry – but if you are still concerned at a later stage, then speak to your grandson’s nursery or the health visitor.
My daughter has just taken her mock GCSE exams and is worried that she hasn’t done as well in them as she’d like. What could she do to improve her grades before the summer? Is there time to make a real difference? There’s certainly time to make a difference and your daughter’s concern shows that she is keen to improve, which is a wonderful ambition. Speak to her teachers to ask about where she is having difficulty, and speak to her about her own concerns and which areas she lacks most confidence in. See if some extra tuition or additional exercises will make a difference to recap the knowledge she lacks,
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and keep in touch with her teachers on her progress. You may well be surprised at the result, and the boost to your daughter’s confidence. Above all, tell her not to worry about the grades, and just to focus on doing her best. Remind her that in just a short time it will be the summer break, and then the end of school – with a bright future just around the corner.
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My two sons are of primary school age, and with the recent snowy weather they have missed a lot of school. One of them is six and struggles sometimes with his reading, and so I’m worried that with all of the time off school he will fall behind. What can I do at home to make up the gap? The recent wintry weather caused problems for all of us in the UK, and caught us off guard, so try not to worry too much about your sons. Many other children will be in exactly the same boat, and I would be surprised if the schools did not address this issue automatically with lessons to recap things taught just before Christmas, and extra time spent on reading and writing. However, to keep the children occupied when they’re cooped up at home from the snow, rather than sit them in front of the television, encourage them to play games, build and make toys, and paint. You’ll keep them occupied and happy. If asking them to sit down and read to you is met with resistance, then try another technique such as asking them to write a letter to a family member. You could look through cookery books for recipes together, and ask them to read the ingredients out to you. Simple exercises can keep everyone happy indoors, and the children will be developing their skills at the same time.
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Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
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School News
100% pure learning
Towards the end of an activityfull term the Business Administration & Finance Diploma learners from Maricourt High School in Maghull visited North Sefton City Learning Centre to participate in a functional skills experiential learning day. The aim of the visit was for learners to “work in teams to produce a new range of Smoothies and therefore develop their Mathematical, English and ICT skills by doing so.” After some initial research carried out in school, learners used ICT, within strict mathematical and nutritional parameters, to calculate the calories, protein, fat and carbohydrate for each of their drinks and made them from a variety of exotic ingredients. They made further use of mathematics to produce packaging from nets for their products, and their English skills when presenting their product range to their peers and staff. After a tasting session by NSCLC and Maricourt High School personnel it was decided that the winning Smoothie was the very refreshing ‘Tropical Thunder!’ Very positive learner feedback was received from these two events and the many others that have taken place recently and learners are looking forward to an event management day planned at Aintree Racecourse in the Spring term with eager expectation! 42
Flying high College students don cap and gown
Vickey Jones and Karl Kerr, AAT students Students and staff of Knowsley Community College gathered at the Kirkby Suite recently for their annual Celebration of Achievement evening. The ceremony recognises the hard work of students who have achieved at Levels 3 and 4 and provides an opportunity for employers, parents, relatives and friends to join in the celebrations as well. The event is a highlight of the College calendar and was particularly well attended this year, emphasising the diversity of skills and talent possessed by the students and local community. During the ceremony, certificates were presented to students who completed courses in 2009. A number of Special Awards were also given out to achievers
selected by College staff for individual recognition. Degree Level students wore the traditional Cap and Gown, which is an entitlement for those who succeed at this level of study. Frank Gill, Principal, said at the event, ‘ I would like to say a resounding well done to all of this year’s successful students and to wish them all well for their future careers. The majority of these students have made the decision to carry on with their education and training and that should give us great confidence for the future economic prosperity of the area. We are also very grateful to our two guest speakers, Di McEvoy Robinson and Patricia McDonagh for helping to make it such a success.’
Youngsters celebrate 140 years School children from Liverpool sang out for charity at the Metropolitan Cathedral before Christmas as Action for Children celebrated its 140th anniversary with a Christmas carol concert. The fundraising concert featured the vocal talents of local youngsters from All Saints Primary School, Emmaus Primary, St Matthew’s Primary and The Hamlets Preparatory School. There was also a special drama performance by Action for Children’s ARTiculation buddies – a group of youngsters supported by the charity who are taking part in a year long arts initiative. Performing a piece of drama entitled ‘Happiness Counts,’ the youngsters expressed their ideas of what’s important to young people as they grow up and discover their own identities.
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School News
Terriers on Tour Play shows the stark reality of gangs and guns A play designed to show the stark reality of becoming involved with gangs and guns, has been used as part of the English curriculum across Merseyside. The Terriers was first shown to 1500 secondary school children to complement a football tournament organised by the Merseyside Police’s Force Matrix team. The play, which was commissioned by Merseyside Police in 2008, shows the consequences of becoming involved with guns and gangs and the difficult decisions that young people can face. It was written by Maurice Bessman, a local writer, and produced by Miriam Mussa. Thanks to funding secured by Matrix from Liverpool DISARM, Liverpool Unites, Rhys Jones Memorial Cup Trust and Liverpool Football Club the play went to every secondary school across Liverpool and Knowsley. An education resource learning pack, based on the English curriculum, was given to each school. This means students were able to study the play at length, which gave them the opportunity to explore the moral dilemma that some young people find themselves faced with. Chief Superintendent Tony Doherty,
Chief Superintendent Tony Doherty is pictured with the Terriers cast (left to right): Danyl Roberts, Michael Horsley, Natasha Gooden, Chelsea Farrel, Zain Salim and James Johnson who heads up the specialist Matrix team, explained: “The feedback was outstanding and every school asked us how could they get this play into their own school setting so that as many young people as possible could see it. “That was our challenge, and thanks to
the sponsors this play went on tour at schools across Liverpool and Knowsley. Up to 20,000 young people saw the play and got the opportunity to study it as part of their core curriculum using an interactive CD-Rom.
Plea for stronger partnerships National charity Parentline Plus is calling for a stronger partnership between parents, pupils and teachers to tackle bullying in UK schools. The call follows research carried out by Parentline Plus which shows most bullying happens in schools. Of 41,513 calls taken by Parentline Plus during the period October 2008 – September 2009; 1,847 calls (4.4 %) concerned bullying in its various forms. Key findings from Parentline Plus • 84% of bullying occurs in the school environment • For 89% of the cases, the perpetrator was known to the victim • 11% of cases, the callers child is the perpetrator • 69% of the perpetrators come from either the same class or same social circle as the victim in school. • 76% of calls about bullying were from parents concerned about the verbal abuse their children had received, where as 56% concerned physical abuse. • 5.7% of calls were from parents concerned about their child being cyber bullied.
Jeremy Todd, Parentline Plus Chief Executive said: “Bullying in schools is a real concern to families and parents of bullied children often find the situation traumatic and difficult to manage. “Some families may find it difficult to report bullying to the school concerned and parents should contact Parentline Plus, or visit our “Be Someone to Tell” website if they need support. Fostering strong partnerships between parents and schools will ensure that if problems do arise there is already a trusting relationship between teachers and families.” Information if your child is being bullied, can all be found on the Parentline Plus website www.parentlineplus.org.uk with further support available at www.besomeonetotell.org.uk Parents concerned about verbal or physical abuse from their children can call the free Parentline Plus 24 hour helpline, Parentline, on 0800 800 2222 Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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Cyber Bullying
With a prevalence of technologies increasingly available to the region’s youth, so too has “cyber-bullying” become a growing concern. The issue has come to the fore in recent months, with “Stay safe in cyberspace” the subject of last November’s anti-bullying week. Educate looks at how the problem is being dealt with nationally and locally and what parents can do to help pull the plug. 44
Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
Cyber-bullying is a form of bullying via mediums such as mobile phones, email, internet chat-rooms and social networking websites. It may simply take the form of an abusive text or email, or offensive comments on a personal photograph posted on the internet. Cyber-bullying can also promote physical attacks, with the spread of acts such as “happy-slapping” by video message or websites such as YouTube. Far from being a problem of one individual abusing another, cyberbullying has the power to involve large groups, encouraging others to follow the interactive mob mentality. In many respects it is more damaging than established forms of bullying because it is far-reaching and can leave its victim feeling like there is no escape or safe-haven from it.
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According to the Anti-bullying Alliance, the body of organisations behind Anti-bullying week, 22 per cent of secondary school pupils have suffered cyber-bullying. The Department for Children, Schools and Families states that more than a third of 12 to 15-year-olds have faced some form of cyber-bullying. Worryingly, the phenomenon is not just the preserve of older children, with a recent survey revealing 18 per cent of 10 and 11-year-olds had been cyber-bullied. With the majority of children owning a mobile phone from an increasingly young age, and almost all having readily available access to the internet, most children are now vulnerable to cyber-bullying. Christopher Cloke, head of child protection awareness at the NSPCC and chairman of the ABA, commented: "Parents and schools need to be aware that cyber-bullying is affecting younger age groups as more children get mobile phones and have computer access. It is crucial that we ensure they know how to stay safe online, and that their parents know how to help them. Cyber-bullying is an insidious and relentless form of attack that makes children feel constantly frightened, trapped and powerless. It has a devastating impact on the lives of children and young people and leaves them very distressed and, in extreme cases, suicidal.” In December, the Government introduced “Zip it, block it, flag it”, a new ‘green cross code’ for internet safety. This will see internet companies, charities and the Government independently reviewed against standards set out by the newly established UK Council for Child Internet Safety. From September 2011, online safety will be a compulsory part of the curriculum from age 5. Merchant Taylors girls’ school in Crosby witnessed a significant decline in the number of cyber-bullying incidents after pupils were given thought-provoking lessons on the topics of paedophiles and suicide. The pitfalls of meeting strangers on the internet and using social networking sites were also discussed. Schools across Merseyside embraced Antibullying week, partaking in a number of activities and workshops to raise awareness of the problem. Pupils at The Beacon Church of England Primary School in Everton hoped to make a visual impact, as they were encouraged to wear blue for the day as a sign of school unity against bullies. Liverpool’s youth parliament also debated the issue at the town hall. As with all forms of bullying, children may not always be forthcoming in admitting to being victims of cyber-bullying. However, a
number of indicators may arouse parents’ suspicions. Victims will often seem upset after using the internet or their mobile phone. They may be reluctant to view new messages immediately and be secretive and unwilling to discuss their online activity. The child may show unusual signs of stress, acting moody or silent, taking their frustrations out on a younger sibling or friend at school. Victims will often start to make excuses for missing school altogether, generally appear more withdrawn in their behavior and even change their eating habits. Just as the tentacles of technology can have a potentially damaging effect on children, so too can parents utilise it to help prevent cyber-bullying. Without wishing to be overbearing, parents should take an authoritative stance when it comes to their child’s internet use, particularly that of young children. Supervising their safety and the content they are using online could have the power to protect them in the long-run. Parents may even wish to remove the computer from the child’s bedroom and set it up in a communal area of the house. Children should avoid giving out personal details online or otherwise as they can never be sure how these details will be used by others. One of the fastest-growing types of cyber-bullying is stealing someone’s identity and making embarrassing, damaging statements in that person’s name. Care should also be taken when uploading photos, as cyber-bullies will often manipulate photos with the intention of humiliating the victim. Internet chat-rooms are often the starting point of cyber-bullying, but these can still be used safely and securely if certain precautionary measures are taken. Choose chat-rooms with a reputable moderator, in which the rules and clearly set-out. Cyberbullies can easily be banned from chat-rooms and filtered from conversations. Avoid private communications with unfamiliar people and, more importantly, tell children never to agree to meet someone they have been in contact
with online, as they may turn out to be a cyber-bully or dangerous character. If a child is suffering from cyber-bullying then action can be taken. If the bully goes to the same school then that should be the first port-of-call, as schools across Merseyside take the issue very seriously. In more extreme cases, it could be a matter for the police. If possible, it is important to keep a log of evidence, detailing comments made on text messages and online conversations, for example, and the time and date which they occurred. Emails, text messages and online conversations can all be saved, as can the sender’s details and it may be helpful to keep a hard copy of these events. Always report abuse to the people in charge of running websites, blogs, chat-rooms or social networking sites and report offensive text messages to the appropriate mobile network. Tell children not to open messages they suspect to be from cyber-bullies and, to provide them with peace-of-mind, consider a change of email address, profile, password and mobile number. Cyber-bulling may be a growing concern but it is one that is now on the radar of the government and schools across the land. Despite its dangers, measures are firmly in place to help stamp it out.
Links www.bullying.co.uk www.digizen.org www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/bullyproof/ www.bullybusters.org.uk
Top tips • Don’t give out personal details online • Utilise the “report abuse” or “block sender” options on websites • Keep the family computer in a communal area • Keep a record of offensive messages • Inform teachers about cyberbullying at school
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Now available online.
Now, it’s all just a click away. Constantly updated, the online magazine for parents and pupils is packed with all the latest school and education news as well as our comprehensive Merseyside schools directory. Essential reading for anyone in Merseyside who has children of school age and a useful tool for school selection. News and reviews | Interviews | What’s on guide | Events Merseyside schools directory | Competitions | Education & Learning Food & Health | Lifestyle | Shopping & Fashion | Sports | Arts
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A wizard of a show
Dorothy was played by Catherine Anderson
Jack Dodd as the Tinman
Music and drama in Gateacre Gateacre Community Comprehensive School, a Specialist in the Arts, produced their latest spectacular Music and Drama Christmas production 'The Wiz' - an adaptation of the traditional 'Wizard of Oz'. OOver 100 talented students of all ages sang, danced, played music and choreographed the show. Students also worked on lighting and sound, stage management, set, make up and costume design. Collaboratively, the pupils pulled together an outstanding production attended by family and friends, the local community and even the Lord Mayor of Liverpool.
Georgia Bowers as the Lion and Nicola Tune the Mouse Police
Steven Williamson as the Scarecrow
James Kewley (centre) as The Wiz
The Tornados keep the audience entertained
Sarah Kenny as Evillene
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Excellent performing arts opportunities
• Music Scholarships (by application) • Visiting Performing Artistes • Masterclasses - RLPO, Rambert Dance Company, Hope Street Theatre Company • Numerous performance opportunities, local, national and international including annual three week Summer Arts Festival • World Arts, including Gamelan and Taiko Drums • Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music examinations • Dance showcases • Accredited National Arts Award Centre
State of the art facilities including: 500 Seat Performing Arts Auditorium, Drama Studio, Mirrored Dance Studio, Recording Studio, Music Technology Suite and Individual Practice Rooms.
Notre Dame Catholic College for the Arts. The country’s highest performing girls’ school for student progress. Headteacher: Miss C B McCann BA MSc | Everton Valley L4 4EZ | ao@notredame.liverpool.sch.uk For a prospectus call 0151 263 3104 or visit www.notredameliverpool.com
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A carol with a difference Bah! Humbug 200 primary school children from fifteen local schools gave a wonderful, humorous and extremely entertaining performance of ‘Bah Humbug’ for a packed auditorium of family and friends in Notre Dame Catholic College for the Arts’ performing arts auditorium. Each week the children worked towards a performance project of dance music and drama as part of the ‘Young Arts’ programme initiated by Notre Dame. Participants worked with staff and Arts mentor students from Notre Dame to produce an original take on Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. Director of Arts College, Lesley Bentley said: “The students certainly rose to the challenge! It’s wonderful to see these young performers develop throughout the rehearsal period as they grow in confidence. The audience enjoyed the performance immensely – even the scarry bits!
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CALDERSTONES SCHOOL A Specialist Science College Harthill Road, Liverpool L18 3HS Tel: 0151 724 2087
2009 – Best year ever for exam results at Calderstones School Quotes from OFSTED, November 2007: “This is a good school that provides an effective education for its students and enjoys the overwhelming support of their parents”
‘…provides outstanding quality care, support and general guidance for students of all ages’
‘…students from many different faiths, cultures, and social and economic backgrounds work and play well together’
‘…students achieve well and enjoy outstanding care and guidance’
‘…the school has a warm, relaxed atmosphere in which all flourish and feel included’
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Go Go Penguin’s School’s p-p-pick-up a challenge A group of eight Liverpool primary schools held a Penguin decorating day. Over 200 individual works of art animated Merseyside’s streets. Liverpool City Council commissioned the penguins for their Year of the Environment; Go Penguins is the signature event of the city’s festive programme, A Winter’s Trail. Many of the penguins have something to say about climate change – simple, easy to follow hints on how we might all be a little bit greener. The event was held at Gateacre Comprehensive School and involved a number of schools from the schools catchment area. The day included face painting, live interviews on BBC Radio Merseyside and a helping hand from the Lord Mayor of Liverpool! They also invited the public to donate buttons to each school to help create these truly community based and memorable pieces of art, which were displayed in the John Lewis flagship store in Liverpool One.
The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Mike Storey gets a make-over
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School News
Studio blossoms 2010 is a very special year for Bluebell Studios as it celebrates its silver jubilee year. Life began in 1985 as a ballet and dance school opposite Penny Lane and by 1990 it opened its doors over the road in a converted chapel in Heathfield Road. Bluebell Studios continues to be a family run business and in 1990 opened its doors to encompass first class Nursery care and a fitness centre so embedding itself as an integral part of the community of South Liverpool. As you would expect nursery care has changed dramatically over two and a half decades and childcare in 1985 was very much different to how it is today. However Bluebell has thrived and grown over this period. Carol Talbot, the managing director said: “We are thrilled to be working with second and third generations of families here. Without the support and help of our parents and children we would not be where we are today. So a big thank you to all our families. Bluebell owes its success to the commitment of its customers and to the dedication and loyalty of the professional staff who have remained within the business for most of their working lives. We intend to celebrate this momentous year with many special events for our parents and children but we also look forward to the challenges of the next 25 years!”
Apology ‘In the last issue of Educate the name printed of the Head teacher of Holly Lodge was printed incorrectly as Janet Tinsley and is in fact Julia Tinsley, we apologise for this error. 52
Healthy living Students are fit for life
Tower College, Rainhill are celebrating after their recent success in gaining Healthy Schools Status as part of the National Healthy Schools Programme. This scheme recognises the work done in schools in the areas of PSHE, Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Emotional Health & Well-being. Schools must give evidence of the successful implementation of their policies on Special Needs Teaching, Child Protection, Anti-bullying, PSHE, Sex & Relationships Education, Citizenship, Equal Opportunities, Anti-racism, Healthy Eating, Sports & PE, and Physical Activity. Headteacher, Rachel Oxley, said: “Our facility for pupils to become involved in education outside the classroom, in sporting activities and cultural tours, and the support of our dedicated staff in these areas was
praised. The Healthy Schools Forum has also given our pupils the opportunity to become involved in the Youth Parliament and to gain experience in public debates. “It is impossible to quantify the success of the intangible, but the pupils’ behaviour, their treatment of others and their ability to feel secure in the school environment which is shown in their self-confidence and evident happiness in school are obvious to all visitors to school. Our achievement in these areas was also praised by our recent Independent Schools Inspectorate Inspection Team, in November 2008. “Our academic achievement is celebrated each year when our high pass rates in SATs and GCSEs are announced, but we are more proud of the maturity and compassion shown by our self assured young adults who go on to successful futures”.
Youngsters get creative This year Holly Lodge has seen the start of two exciting Diplomas. The Creative and Media Diploma has kicked off to a fantastic start, at Level’s 1, 2 and 3. Level 1 students have been designing their own boutique and accessories range. Level 2 have been working with Visual Artist Dave Bixter and Culture Liverpool to create a new ‘What’s On Guide’ specifically aimed at young people and the Level 3 students have been creating Chinese animations and masks as well as working with the Lantern Company to create some incredible work for the Halloween Celebrations. Student, Maria Paraskeva, said: “Being on the Creative and Media Diploma is such a fun and exciting thing to be involved with! It has allowed me to be creative in my own way and to experience things I wouldn’t have without taking the Diploma”.
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A celebration in song Children unite together Hundreds of children from over 20 Liverpool schools performed as part of the Lord Mayor’s Civic Service at the Anglican Cathedral. Notre Dame Catholic College for the Arts lead the proceedings and the artistic direction was by their Director of Arts College, Lesley Bentley. The highlight of the event was a procession lead by ‘Mother Earth’ and an illuminated, life-sized unicorn, made by the students at Notre Dame out of paper and willow branches, under the direction of creative artist, Rowan Watts. Jeff Rich, drummer of Status Quo provided a rhythmic drive to the communal choir’s singing of an ecological version of ‘Rockin’ All Over the World’. East Prescot Road Nursery sang a tribute song to the world; “We Nearly Forgot to Say ‘I Nearly Forgot To Say Thank You’”
Liverpool Lord Mayor, Cllr Mike Storey with Bishop James Jones
Bernard Lawson, Temporary Chief Constable, Merseyside Police
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Kids fashion makaenss its mark with slog s and logo graphic& tops across hoodies
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1. Miss Sixty metallic lip tee Was £32 - Now £16 2. Guess crystal logo zip jacket Was £68 - Now £34 3. Guess card print skirt Was £59 - Now £30 4. Miss Grant net skirt Was £64 - Now £48 5. DKNY bow pocket Tee Was £33 - Now £24 6. Miss Grant teddy bead velvet hoody Was £66 - Now £46
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boys
1. Diesel appliqué cap Was £15 - Now £8 2. Diesel badge puffa gilet Was £55 - Now £28 3. Diesel wax feel jeans Was £58 - Now £30 4. DKNY NY Hoody Was £51 - Now £36 5. Diesel Wheels 23 Tee Was £29 - Now £15 6. Evisu logo longsleeve tee Was £46 - Now £33 7. Burberry stitch pocket jeans Was £85 – Now £60
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stockists
Bratz, Metquarter, Liverpool Models: Girl - Olivia, Boy - Lawrie Location: Hill Street, Liverpool 8
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CHILDWALL SCHOOL A Specialist Sports College Headteacher Dewi Phillips, J.P., B.A., M.Ed. Fiveways, Queens Drive, Liverpool L15 6XZ email admin@childwallsc.co.uk website www.childwallsc.co.uk
Tel: 0151 722 1561
Ofsted 2009: ‘ This is a school with energy, ambition and high aspirations for its students.’ ‘ Pupils feel safe, secure and valued.’ ‘ There is an impressive range of curricular activities, assemblies and extra-curricular opportunities.’ ‘ The quality of care, guidance and support is outstanding.’ ‘ Pupils thrive in this harmonious community and make good progress in their academic work and personal development.’
To view the School please telephone the School 56
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Do co-ed schools really work?
Viewpoint
Co-ed schools are experimenting with separate classes for boys and girls, does this help pupils concentrate better without the destractions of the opposite sex?
John Waszek – Principal, St Edward’s College I do not believe that teaching boys and girls separately is either necessary to raise academic standards nor is it desirable. Every child is different; we all have our strengths and weaknesses and gifts that a good teacher is able to help develop and thereby bring out the best in each child. It seems to me that single sex classes simply acknowledge teaching which is incomplete. Simultaneously, we need to keep track of how all pupils are developing whilst in school so as to ensure that we are indeed doing the best for everyone. When children leave education and enter the world of work, the notion of the sexes working separately would be nonsensical and I feel the same about our time in school. Debbie Silcock – Headteacher, The Blue Coat School Following the change from all boys to mixed year groups, there has been an improved ethos and a better academic atmosphere. The students enjoy friendships with both genders and there has been very little tension or conflict. In lessons, students are able to discuss freely academic issues and are competitive with each other, with staff ensuring that both genders are equally involved. As individuals, they have respect for each other and are proud of their own and their friends’ achievements, regardless of gender, ethnic or cultural differences. Academic performance and attendance indicates that both boys and girls thrive and enjoy school, so segregation, even for certain subjects, is not something that the Blue Coat School is considering. Diana Johnson – Schools Minister “It is for local authorities and governing bodies, in consultation with parents to decide to create a single sex school if there is a desire among parents. Individual head teachers themselves can decide to make classes single sex within schools, though parents’ opinions should still be sought. While single sex schools can benefit girls’ performance it is difficult to disentangle from social class and there is no conclusive evidence that boys’ exam performance is enhanced in single-sex schools. Single-sex classes have very mixed results – they have not been shown to be the decisive ingredient in lifting boys’ achievement but have, in some cases, improved girls’ achievement.“
A recent report by Mike Younger, head of the education faculty at the University of Cambridge reported that boys and girls are being taught in separate classes as growing numbers of co-educational schools show interest in segregating lessons. They have found that both male and female pupils concentrate better and are less intimidated when taught core subjects without the distraction of the opposite sex. Mike Younger said that separating boys and girls is not a panacea for disruptive classrooms, but can help to raise academic standards in schools, under the right conditions. Could Mike Younger be right and could we see the return of segregated schools?
Tricia Barker – Parent
As a parent I tend to agree, boys will be distracted by girls and girls will be distracted by boys, it has always been that way. The most important aspect is the academic performances of our children, separate classes gives both genders a more rounded education. Boys are more likely to respond to questions without embarrassment and ridicule and to participate without showing off while I think that girls are more hard-working and work better without the boys around. This could just be the current trend of thinking and by this time next year it will be something different, our first objectives should be the childrens welfare and education.
Have your say: To suggest or contribute to a topic for debate in Viewpoint email us at: educate@merseymirror.com or to view our on-line poll visit www.educatemagazine.com
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Book Review
In association with
by Jennifer Dobson
5-8 Years Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear by Andy Stanton – £5.99 Andy Stanton accumulates silliness in this fantastic laughter inducing read! Returning to Mr Gum’s fifth book telling of hot air balloons, sea captains and tall sailing ships, it will have you rolling around the floor with hilarity! Awarded for numerous prizes this book is designed to tickle your funny bones! Get reading! The Kitten with No Name by Vivian French – £7.99 This is a beautiful written, but sad tale about a Kitten who doesn’t have a home or a name to call his own…All he wants is someone to love him and keep him warm… A truly lovely tale by acclaimed author French, with beautiful illustration and a happy ending to please all readers. Ottoline goes to School by Chris Riddell – £8.99 This is the second imaginative story about a young girl and her little hairy friend, Mr Munroe, embarking on their adventures once more. Will Ottoline find out what her special gift could be? And will Mr Munroe expose the spook that is frightening him so much? Enjoy the quirky illustrations too!
9-12 Years Fiction How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell – £5.99 This book is a hit with children and adults alike, imaginative, with off the wall humour, making this book tale great to read aloud! The story begins with a young Viking and sword fighter desperate to be a hero, and then wanders into a dragons cave to find a pet! A uniquely special book now being made into a film. Read and enjoy this delightful caper. The Toymaker by Jeremy De Quidt – £5.99 What good is a toy that will wind down? What if you could put your heart in one? This is an intriguing and atmospheric plot, where the hero Mathias is battling between good and evil, a race to uncover a secret, fast paced and completely thrilling. To be picked up and read for an escape into an imaginary world where the secret is worth waiting for… Seven Sorcerers by Caro King – £6.99 A gripping and sometimes gruesome tale that brings a whole new perspective on the bogeyman. Strange beings immersed in magic and a tale of disappearing brothers and strange lands that are both fabulous and terrible. Truly moving and one to watch out for.
Teenage Fiction The Gates by John Connolly – £12.99 A strange novel for strange young people… Young Samuel Johnston and his dachsund are trick or treating a full three days early of Halloween when they start to notice usual goings on and encounter the gates of hell. This book will create legions of fans as its writings are darkly humorous, and will have you wanting more. Night of the Fifth Moon by Anna Ciddor – £5.99 This book is simply written and charming, telling of a young boy named Ket, desperate to learn the druid’s secret, but five other fosterlings are competing against him six seek the power but only one can be chosen… Set in Pagan Ireland, this story is one of the most unusual and intriguing tales you will ever read!.
Are you a librarian, teacher or purchasing manager? Do you buy books for your business or institution? Waterstones Liverpool offers a comprehensive account sales service. Contact Vic Brazel, Sales Department, Waterstones Liverpool, 14-16 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4DS. Tel: 0151 707 1649
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Where is the best place for school uniforms?
School Connections
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Full Range of School Uniforms & PE Kits From Nursery – 6th Form Extra Large Sizes LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEED Bulk order for schools – Fast turnaround
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Port Sunlight Museum & Garden Village is a registered trademark of the Port Sunlight Village Trust. Registered charity no.1074713. Registered company no. 3719976. By supporting Port Sunlight Museum & Garden Village you are helping to secure the future of this village.
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Events Guide January
February 1st – 6th High School Musical 2 Features all the characters and hit songs from the smash-hit movie. Adult £12.50 - £28.50 Children £12.50 - £20.50 Liverpool Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool 0844 847 2525
18th-19th Strictly Come Dancing 2010 Live! Having entertained more than 500,000 Strictly fans over two sell-out tours, returns to dazzle Liverpool. Tickets £35 - £55 Echo Arena Liverpool 22nd-24th The Moscow State Circus The Moscow State Circus returns to the UK with the award winning show Legenda. Adults £12 - £20 Children £9 - £17 Southport Theatre and Floral Hall, Promenade, Southport 01704 540 454 3rd Historical Cars on our Beaches In the past, our beaches have been the setting for many car trials, find out more with guest speaker Martyn Griffiths. Meet at the Ainsdale Discovery Centre, Ainsdale, 7pm 0151 934 2967 28th-31st Holiday On Ice Presents Spirit An exhilarating fusion of fire, air, earth and water is the theme of the sensational new Holiday on ice production, Adults £14.50 £29.50, Children £10 Echo Arena Liverpool 0844 8000 400
18th-20th Sweet Charity The classic 1960’s musical is of great appeal for the whole family. Adults £7.00 concessions £3.50 LIPA, Mount Street, Liverpool 0151 709 4988
til 23rd The Snow Queen Unique musical version of The Snow Queen builds on the success of the Unity’s most recent productions. Tickets: adults: £9.00/£7.00 concessions, children: £5.00 Unity Theatre, Liverpool 0151 709 4988 24th RSPB Garden Birdwatch Day Liverpool Liverbirds Wildlife Explorers Group for children 6-12 years, with lots of fun, prizes and activities. Sefton Park Palm House, Sefton Park, Liverpool 0151 726 2415
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18th-19th Alice In Dingleland Dingle Community Theatre and their youth group L8 a scousalized pantomime version of Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland Tickets: £4 / £2 concession Unity Theatre, Liverpool 0151 709 4988 20th Dawn Flight Whooper swans have started to arrive back from Iceland and there could be thousands of Pink-footed Geese on the reserve. Tickets: £14.50 Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Fish Lane, Burscough 01704 891220
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March
April
6th Spring Walk Things are starting to come alive again – new shoots pushing through and wildlife emerging. Lifeboat Road car park, Formby, 2pm-4pm 0151 934 2967
5th-6th Easter Animal Magic Family friendly activities all about animal babies! Norton Priory Museum & Gardens, Tudor Road, Runcorn 01928 569895
7th Shiver me Timbers Come and meet a pirate and find out about life on the ocean wave. Merseyside Maritime Museum Albert Dock, Liverpool 0151 478 4499
14th Carnival Crafts An arts and craft session inspired by the colourful world of carnival. International Slavery Museum Albert Dock, Liverpool 0151 478 4499
13th Edwarde Andre, Designer Extraordinaire Discover the original designer of Sefton Park and enjoy a healthy stroll. Sefton Park Liverpool 0151 233 3007
6th Egg Rolling Have a go at egg decorating and rolling. Bring your own hard boiled egg. Prizes for best eggs King George V Playing Field, Huyton 1pm-3pm 0151 443 2431 7th Easter Trail Decorate your own egg – bring a hard boiled egg, them join the egg rolling competition, and if you have time follow the trail! Meet at the Ainsdale Discovery Centre, Ainsdale, 2pm3.30pm 0151 934 2967
12th Bowling Taster Day Compete against your friends or family, or just have a go. All equipment supplied. Jubilee Park Huyton 0151 443 2431
20th Carnival Crazy Celebrate the Aubrey Williams exhibition and take part in a fun filled carnival day. Walker Art Gallery William Brown Street, Liverpool 0151 478 4199
13th April – 30th May Peter Pan: The boy who wouldn’t grow up Escape to Neverland and experience the adventures of Peter Pan and his band of Lost Boys. Tickets: TBA Neptune Theatre Hanover Street, Liverpool 0151 709 7844
18th Family Concert: Food Glorious Food Dave Benson Phillips with special guest Big Bear present delicious ditties and tasty tunes Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Hope Street, Liverpool 0151 709 3789
30th Stand Up Beatles Create your own stand up Beatles character - Hards Days Night, Sgt Pepper, Help - you choose. The Beatles Story Albert Dock 0151 709 1963
29th Swan Lake One of the best known love stories performed by the Vienna Festival Ballet. Tickets: £18.50, £12 under 16 Crosby Civic Hall Back Lane, Crosby, Liverpool 0151 928 1919
14th Mothers Day Concert Give your Mum a treat and let the band serenade you all. Sefton Palm House Sefton Park 0151 726 2415
16th-17th The Tempest Platform 4 present a visually stunning dreamlike performance. Unity Theatre, Hope Place, Liverpool 0151 709 4988
16th-17th The Canterbury Tales A motley group of indivduals gather for their pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral. Liverpool Playhouse, Williamson Square, Liverpool 0151 709 4776
31st Easter Trail The Easter bunny has been getting some practice in before Sunday! Follow his clues and see if you can solve them all. Lifeboat Road car park, Formby, 2pm-3.30pm 0151 934 2967
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My School Days Natasha Hamilton – Singer, actress
My School Broughton Hall High School, Liverpool My Favourite Teacher Oh! that would definitely be Mrs Ball My Favourite Subject at School That would have to be Dance and Chemistry My Favourite Extra-Curricular Activity Yet again I would have to say Singing and Dance school Were you streetwise or a bit of a geek? I worked hard at school and tried to keep out of trouble. I was always in the school plays and shows that would be put on, either singing or dancing. I was deffo streetwise but never allowed to stay out late and spent most of my free time doing my hobbies like singing and running. My Favourite Childhood Singer/Band My favourite childhood band was Eternal, I loved their soulful songs, great voices, 62
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and they always wore really colourful outfits. Also I was mad on Take That. I had their posters all over my walls, ceiling and bed and had the biggest crush on Robbie Williams. Do you remember your first school crush? My first high school crush was with a boy called Richard who went to the boys school next door. He was a bit younger than me and I never had the guts to tell him that I liked him although I think he secretly knew! ha ha My Favourite Book My fave book at school was called ‘To Kill A Mocking Bird’. It has many themes such as, courage, pride, prejudice and selfishness. It’s a really sad story that made me cry lots while reading it. School Dinners I always stayed for school dinners, my mum was a school cook and always brought home my fave, minced beef pie, if there were leftovers in her school! My Ambitions at School My ambitions at school were to be either a singer or spy! Try and work out which is my real job!
Liverpool-born Singer Natasha Hamilton is a past pupil of Broughton Hall School and started singing and performing from the age of 12 in the Starlight Show Group. Natasha secretly wanted to be a spy when she was younger, she joined the pop group Atomic Kitten in 1999. She has just finished starring in the Peter Pan pantomime at the Liverpool Empire Theatre alongside Henry ‘The Fonz’ Winkler and Les Dennis.
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ST MARGARET’S SIXTH FORM
OPEN EVENING Wednesday 3rd March 2010 7.00-9.00pm Admissions Presentation at 7.00pm Come and visit our impressive Sixth Form Centre and see for yourself what we can offer you!
Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding because of the frequent opportunities they are given for reflection and expression. Ofsted
For further information please contact: John Foulkes M.B.E, Director of Sixth Form St Margaret’s CE Sixth Form Centre Aigburth Road, Liverpool L17 6AB Tel: 0151 427 1825 Fax: 0151 427 9430 E-mail: sma_sixthform@hotmail.com Website: www.stmargaretshigh.com 96% Pass Rate in 2009
Once they embark on courses students invariably complete them successfully Ofsted
The resources and facilities for learning are of high quality Ofsted
Students rapidly understand new ideas because teachers present them clearly. Effective questioning and well-sequenced activities enable students to build securely on their previous learning Ofsted
The effectiveness and efficiency of the Sixth Form are good because students’ personal development and wellbeing are outstanding, they are very well cared for and the curriculum is good Ofsted
Attendance is high, students show enthusiasm in lessons and their behaviour is exemplary Ofsted
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