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Educate educatemagazine.com
The Magazine for Parents and Pupils May – August 2010
Get on board Be creative Notre Dame’s ArtsBus rolls into town
INSIDE Winds of Change The future of education
+ Developing your child’s character
FREE Sponsored by
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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
Latest report from Ofsted: ‘ 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.’
Telephone 0151 722 1561 to view the school
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Educate Contents Welcome... 70 My school days Rising star, tennis ace Ken Skupski
News 12-14 Schools go green
Features 08-10 The building blocks of character Developing your child
20-21 Meet the Headteacher Anne Pontifex, St John Bosco Arts College
24-27
16-18 Pupils get frugal
29-32 High-tech ArtsBus unveiled
34-36 Sports Relief at Childwall College
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38-39
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Meet the Deputy Headteacher Gary Evans, West Derby School
Exhibition highlights talent
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53
Dear Educate Help & Advice for parents
Grease is the word
Easter chicks!
55 42-43
Launch of Notre Dame ArtsBus
Our day out Local attractions put to the test
57
45-48
59
Apprenticeship News Helping children plan for the future
Goodison here we come
62-63 Come on England Football goodies for all the family
Our focus group for this issue debates that now we have a new government in power, what opportunities are there for new apporaches to providing children with the best education possible. We have all the latest school news from primary to secondary, showcasing schools, teachers and students achievements, talents and events.
Events
Winds of change Thoughts shared on education policy
Welcome to the latest issue of Educate where we talk to The Times writer and child psychologist Professor Tanya Byron about how parents can help their child to become their happiest and most successful selves.
Blackmoor on the catwalk
Educate meets up with the teachers, Anne Pontifex of St John Bosco Arts College and discusses the benefits of BSF. We also chat to Gary Evans of West Derby School on how his desire to enter the teaching profession came from his old French teacher. We get behind England’s bid for the World Cup with the pick of World Cup and football themed goodies.
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Finally, we interview Liverpool Davis Cup tennis player, Ken Skupski, one of Britain’s rising tennis stars.
Keep on running
65 Viewpoint Hopes for the future of education
Many thanks
66 Book Review Jennifer Dobson recommends
68-69 Where can we go? Out and about in Merseyside
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 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.
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Get on board. Be creative. The journey starts here.
TO BOOK YOUR SESSION ON THE ARTSBUS CALL 0151 263 3104 OR VISIT WWW.ARTSBUS.CO.UK
Hire rates available on request. Sponsorship opportunities available. Notre Dame Catholic College for the Arts - Bringing Art to the Community
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What is the ArtsBus? The ArtsBus is a mobile arts centre and approved Apple Training Centre operated and run by Notre Dame Catholic College for the Arts. It reects a commitment by Notre Dame to make art and learning available for all in your community.
What can it be used for? Photography sessions
Accredited courses, including Apple ICT and Creative and Media Diploma
Podcasting
Interactive musical instrumental tuition
Film and animation
Business team-building workshops
Live broadcast opportunities
Get-away-from-it-all mobile Conference Space
Creative writing - including script-writing and poetry courses
Music, Drama and Dance workshops
Music software and composition workshops Visual arts sessions
Fitness sessions - including Wii, Tai Chi and Jazzercise
Outdoor performance opportunities
Health and Well-Being sessions
Recording studio use
Meet the artiste – talks, lectures, performance
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Woolton
Junior School Out Lane, Liverpool L25 5NN
Worried about your Child’s education? Do you recognise any of these problems? Counting on fingers when adding up Difficulty with subtraction • Can’t grasp times tables • Little interest in reading Finds reading hard • Poor spelling Poor handwriting • Poor concentration
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 C.E. Primary School Woolton Road, Liverpool L16 0JD Open Afternoon and Evening for prospective parents and their children The pupils and staff are delighted to invite prospective parents and their children to an
Open Afternoon and Evening on Thursday, 17th June 2010
Please contact school on 0151 722 1553 to confirm which session you would like to attend. If these dates are inconvenient please contact school to make an alternative appointment with the Head Teacher. The school will be open from 2.00pm - 3.00pm and from 6.00pm - 7.00pm
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Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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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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For further details, contact the Headteacher: Mr P Stewart on
0151 709 2572
Fax 0151 707 8942 email: stvincentdepaul@merseymail.com
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Developing Character
The building blocks of character
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Every parent wants their child to grow into a well-adjusted, happy and successful adult, but an emphasis on the need for good exam results and a CV listing prowess in extracurricular activities is not the straightforward passport for success it seems. Developing your child’s character and their sense of self is crucial if you want them to be happy in their own skin and succeed to the best of their ability. Educate interviewed The Times writer and child psychologist Professor Tanya Byron, Chancellor of Edge Hill University – a renowned hub for teacher training and child development – about how parents can help their child to become their happiest and most successful selves. Recent articles in the national press have highlighted reports in the child psychology area, which show that strength in character correlates to a good life and a good society. This broad summation of the research emphasised that attributes or character traits such as emotional control, empathy, application to task, a sense of personal responsibility and an ability to defer gratification amount to what we may define as a strong character. The conclusion is that we may expect a person with these attributes fully developed to make a valuable contribution to society and aspire to earn a comfortable living – no matter how their other personality traits, interests, and types of skills may set them otherwise apart. Professor Tanya Byron clarified what is meant by character: “That’s to say, someone who has a sense of themselves in a way that is realistic - a strong sense of identity which doesn’t depend on external factors such as how they look, what they wear, or how much money they’ve got. That’s the base rock of character, and then you look at other aspects of ability. ” Concerns about the disparity between young working class men’s levels of achievement at school and their job prospects, as compared with their more privileged counterparts, have taken stock of how self-confidence, ambition,
motivation and nerve is often lacking among these communities, where male role models are often few and far between. Where circumstances differ, and parents are able to bring up their children in a stable environment; developing their sense of right and wrong, of appropriate behaviour for various contexts, a sense of achievement and responsibility, their empathy and their understanding of deferred gratification, the impact on the children is significant. As a result of these efforts made at home, these children are better prepared to approach the challenges of school and their working lives with a set of realistic expectations about the world – and the knowledge and security within themselves to enable them to cope with whatever life deals them. Professor Tanya Byron continues: “In this culture, we think that you measure ability through educational attainment but actually if you look at some of the most successful entrepreneurial people we have around us at the moment in society, most of them didn’t necessarily achieve highly educationally.” This is not to say that academic success is not a valuable contributing factor in young people’s life chances, but that the target-driven system with SATs exams at primary level is not conducive either to learning or to encouraging children to realise their full
potential. She added: “The education system which is built around targets and testing takes a herd mentality towards children. I think that schools are grossly under resourced in terms of helping children with special educational needs. It’s not that the kids aren’t really bright, they just don’t learn in a conventional way. That sort of stuff makes it difficult for children to have a sense of success, and then they’re particularly vulnerable to our celebrity culture, with its highly eroticised images of women and the expectations associated with that. Boys are vulnerable in the education system, because at the primary level – which is highly feminised – 13 per cent of teachers are male. We need a gender balance and there are rising rates of single parent families for boys who don’t have a male role model around in their life, or not very much.“ Schools do have a role to play in helping children to develop their full potential as human beings, but the overwhelming conclusion drawn from research is that the primary responsibility must begin with the parents when the child is in its earliest stages of life. Simple, primitive human bonding between mother and child is vital to establishing the basis for communication as the child grows. Maintaining eye contact with a baby, singing to him or her, and talking to children about all manner of
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things and not simply issuing instructions are being found to have a substantial impact on a child’s first impressions of the world and his or her own place within it. Put simply, if a child is not spoken to, consulted, or made to feel that his or her opinions and feelings are valuable to his or her parents, then how can we expect him or her to understand or engage in their schooling or any other activities? By calling for parents to look at their role in developing their child’s character, no professional is suggesting that all children are the same or that there are any rules to result in a line-up of well-behaved, socially aware and high-achieving children. Every child is different, and developing character is not about suppressing individual personality traits – rather it is about enabling each child to develop his or her unique set of skills, beliefs and values, to their utmost. In an increasingly celebrityfocused culture, where ‘success’ is viewed not as an enjoyment of the rewards of hard work, the experts are finding rising rates of mental health problems among young people. Professor Byron commented: “In a celebrity culture, where there is this idea that anyone can be famous, we have sort of lost what it is to be successful. Real success isn’t linked to transient markers like how well your name is known by the public and how often you’re in the newspapers – but that’s the kind of image children are peddled and it sets up difficult expectations for young people. How we can counter that and get them to think more strategically, more realistically - not just what’s attainable, but also what’s real – is what will help our children.” Of course, parents who are determined to do the best for their child may like the idea of signing up for all manner of music lessons and sports outside of school. While these skills are useful and your child may make friends and enjoy the activities, there is a danger among what psychologists refer to as ‘helicopter parents’ – that is, they hover around too much – to over plan each day, leaving no room for real play. From her research, Professor Byron argues that real play is crucial to developing character and life skills: “I don’t think children have the opportunity to be bored any more and boredom is a really important construct. If you’re bored you become selfreliant, as you have to rely on yourself, your own creativity and your own thoughts. Sometimes it’s from not knowing what to do that some of the most incredible things are done. I can remember as a kid, Sunday
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“A fundamental component of character is the ability to look after yourself, to be still, quiet, and to think, and I think we need to let our kids be a bit more bored sometimes” Professor Tanya Byron, Chancellor of Edge Hill University was the most boring day on the planet. All the shops were closed and nothing happened, and so me and my sister used to do all sorts of things. I think that now there is so much around to entertain children and give them stimulation, but a fundamental component of character is the ability to look after yourself, to be still, quiet, and to think, and I think we need to let our kids be a bit more bored sometimes.” Indeed, academic research is finding more and more that the idea of allowing a child to play, without being overly restricted by risk, is crucial to the development of selfesteem and well-being, without which a child’s chances of achieving at school and finding a place in society are limited. The early years conference held annually at Edge Hill University last year took ‘Playfulness’ as its theme; this year ‘Let Me Be Me’ is lead in to the discussion. An emphasis in education on real play, set apart from multimedia games and
Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
distractions and the trappings of a celebrity-focused culture, is the bedrock to building character in young children, and the stable mental health and happiness of other young people as they grow and develop, preparing them for the world of work. The critical skills possessed by robust and healthy adults who are able to look at the celebrity culture in the newspapers and on television and make discerning judgements about what they see – and not feeling under pressure to conform to body types, fashions and behaviours - need to be valued by parents and fostered in young children. Professor Byron continues: “Character comes from who you are in terms of your belief systems, your ability to empathise with others and your ability to critically evaluate your world, so that when these messages are peddled at you, you have a capacity to take a step back and look at them, and reflect on what they really mean.”
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A new platform for learning with Merseytravel Educational Resources
PLATFORM
CALLING AT
Each guide plays a part in the curriculum of the school as well as offering pupils useful skills and knowledge for life’s journey ahead.
To order the education pack call 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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Primary School News
Going green Schools ‘growing’ interest in the environment
Councillor Mark Dowd, children from Christ Church School Pupils from Christ Church School, Bootle became ‘railway children’ to brighten up Sefton railway stations – and increase their awareness of the environment. The youngsters are being encouraged to grow trees and shrubs from seed, and then plant them in and around the stations to provide an attractive area for local people using the rail network. In a pilot scheme 30 children from the school travelled to the National Wildflower Centre where they had an educational session with Richard Scott from Landlife about seeds, trees and shrubs before collecting and planting various seeds. Some of the seeds are now big enough to plant out at Bootle Oriel Station, with the remainder due to be planted. Chris Murphy, from Merseytravel’s Corporate Partnership Team said, “Christ Church are the first school to become involved in the project, we hope that it is a success and that we can roll the project out across Knowsley, St Helens, Liverpool and Wirral.” 12
A reminder to be kinder!
Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
Proud Headteacher Ruth Braithwaite has presented Bedford Primary School pupil Melissa Simons, age 10, with the school’s annual achievement prize the Alaa Ali Award. The special award commemorates a former pupil Alaa Ali who sadly died five years ago but whom the school has never forgotten. Every year since losing their much loved pupil, the school presents the award to an outstanding member of the school who best represents what it is to be a shining example to others as Alaa did. Melissa was chosen for the award for her friendly, hard working and consistently kind nature both in and out of school; on receiving her award Melissa commented that “she has been told what a kind and caring girl Alaa was and the award will sit on a special shelf in her bedroom and will always remind her to try her best to be the same kind of person”.
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Primary School News
Enterprising sign up Game is just the business
Liverpool Compact in association with Educate Magazine and 24 other businesses recently launched the Liverpool Primary Enterprise Board Game. Liz Roberts, Business Engagement Manger, Liverpool Compact, said: “The game has been produced to give Primary aged children the opportunity to engage in a high quality, real life, work related activity. “In the game pupils will learn how businesses work, demonstrate essential enterprising skills, develop financial capabilities and the knowledge of customer/supplier relationships”. The event saw pupils and teachers together with business partners getting to grips with the ins and outs of financial enterprise in a fun yet business like manner.
A pyramid performance More than 6000 children across Merseyside went on an Egyptian adventure - without even leaving their schools! They all took part in Ancient Egyptian Adventure – The Secret of the Jewelled Heart, an ambitious collaboration between National Museums Liverpool and theatre Hope Street. Actors performed the atmospheric show to children inside a ‘pyramid tomb’ stage set, as part of a day of ancient Egyptian activity. The theatre and museum worked together to find new and innovative ways of exciting young people about ancient history and museum collections. The response from schools has been exceptional with teachers saying the unique approach had ‘a positive and educational impact’, was ‘visually stunning’, ‘outstanding’, and of being ‘completely gobsmacked’. Thrilled by the popularity of the programme, Carol Rogers, Executive Director, Education, Communities and Visitors at National Museums Liverpool said: “National Museums Liverpool is delighted to have delivered a really exciting schools’ museum programme in partnership with Hope Street Ltd. Find Your Talent has enabled us to develop a new outreach approach, which we hope will encourage schools, pupils and parents to continue to visit our fantastic museums on a regular basis.”
Pipped at the post A football team from a primary in Huyton has scooped the runners up medal in the English Schools national soccer tournament. The lads from St Aidan’s school were pipped at the post by a preparatory school from the South, based on the number of goals scored in all the games. They had not lost a game in the contest and were even on goal difference with Lancing College Prep, so the organisers resorted to counting the number scored by both teams throughout. “The fact that they had not been beaten but were runners up was hard to take," said head teacher Moira Kenneway. “But the boys received lovely FA runners up medals and have had an experience they will never forget. “They were all great ambassadors for Knowsley and the 50 strong bus full of supporters showed how fabulous and supportive our families are.” The contest was played over the bank holiday weekend and the lads intend to try again next year.
St Aidan’s Primary School Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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Primary School News
Mosspits own Jonathan Ross Film critic Jamie a web success When Mosspits teacher, Alan Harbottle decided to form the Mosspits Film Club little did he realise that he would have a budding Jonathan Ross in the club. Year 6 pupil Jamie Samuels wrote a review of the film ‘Hairspray’ which was submitted by the school to the FilmClub national website and was selected as one of seven reviewers of the week. Jamie received a goodie bag from FilmClub, which is funded by the DCSF and introduces pupils to films from every era and corner of the world. Alan Harbottle, said: “We have over 110 pupils in the Mosspits Film Club and pupils meet every Thursday after school to watch a particular film, the pupils then review the film and discuss any issues that may arise. “The pupils also have the
opportunity to watch documentaries as well as films and we are very proud of Jamie as being one of thousands to have their review recognised”. Jamie’s review of Hairspray included: “This film highlighted, albeit in a lighthearted manner, segregation in 1950's America. Black people were allowed to entertain in nightclubs and other venues but in certain states were then not allowed to have a drink afterwards. The film was entertaining, and I liked the personalities of characters, and plot. This film is very watchable. My favourite character is Tracy, because she never gives up, even when times are hard, I disliked Penny Pingleton, she was a bit too dramatic. All and all this film is great fun to watch, even though there are serious themes underpinning the film.
Teacher Alan Harbottle with film critic Jamie Samuels
Emmaus welcomes Shanghai mascot School get a special visitor The children of Emmaus Primary School, Liverpool have spent a week studying Chinese culture, from its fashions and stories, to traditional dances. As part of the week’s events Haibao, the mascot for the Shanghai World Expo 2010, visited the school and the children helped to decorate the character. Teacher Rebecca Rogan, said: “The children loved the whole thing, Haibao means ‘Treasure of the Sea’ and the children chose the Liverpool skyline as their own Treasure of the Sea, the Mersey, they also chose purple as it is the same colour as their school uniforms. “They really enjoyed trying on the clothing, and just learning about another culture that’s so different to their own.” Rebecca hopes to be joining a group of 15 teachers from the Liverpool area, who will be flying out to see first-hand how education is handled in a Chinese school. 14
Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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Clarendon College
Giving your child the freedom to learn and develop to their true potential We are a small independent school in Liverpool, providing high quality education for children from pre-school right through to GCSE level. Pupils 3-16, no more than 14 children per class. From ages 3-5 FREE child places still available! Our Nursery class offers Montessori education in which children learn in a prepared environment allowing them to develop at their own pace and giving them confidence in their own abilities thus ensuring, early goals are achieved. Infants and Juniors follow the National Curriculum. Senior children pursue GCSE courses. Before and after school supervision is available. There is after school tuition to prepare children for the Secondary Education exams (open to all school children). Contact us today to find out more about this proven teaching method which has been successful the world over.
OPEN DAY 23rd JUNE 2010 2.00-7.00pm
For a prospectus or more information on this unique local independent school Telephone: 0151 494 2094 Mobile: 07952 441 886 Clarendon College, Garston Old Road, Liverpool L19 9AF
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Primary School News
Pupils get frugal School celebrate VE Day
Rations and ration books were the order of the day with Year 6 pupils from Rice Lane Junior School. The pupils have been studying the life of Liverpool children during World War II and looking at the hardships families faced during the blitz. The children experienced life living on rationed food and read accounts of what it was like to be evacuated. As part of their lessons they also visited the Imperial War Museum. The children rounded off their course with a special VE Day event, which involved them dressing up as soldiers and evacuees, and they even had a Winston Churchill. The lunch consisted of jam butties and spam.
Proclamation of delight
Staff and pupils alike are celebrating at Barlow’s Lane Primary School, after recently receiving an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted school report. Headteacher, Mrs Jan Taylor was over the moon after the report in January, she said: “The report stated that as a whole, the school was held in high regard by the community and that staff, governors, parents and pupils share an enriched curriculum and an excellent partnership, which we regard as a key element in our school. “The report also commented on our pupils exemplary behaviour, politeness and how they are accepting of the views of other of which we strive for at Barlow’s. “It is also gratifying that we have such strong support of our parents and carers, saying that their children enjoying coming to school, we are delighted by the report and to celebrate the school produced a banner proclaiming to the community our delight”. 16
Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
Kirkby school celebrates outstanding Ofsted A school for children with a range of special educational needs has been highly commended following a recent Ofsted inspection. Knowsley Northern Primary Support Centre, Northwood, Kirkby, was described as an ‘outstanding and inclusive school’ by the inspectors. The report says that, “the outstanding work done in lessons is very effective in aiding the development of pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy. These skills will help pupils to be very well prepared for moving on to the next stage of their lives.” Also in the report, the inspectors commented that, “the school meets the educational needs of pupils very well and provides exemplary care and support. Pupils are keen to attend. Their outstanding behaviour shows how well they appreciate the facility.” Headteacher Amanda Nicholson says, ‘I am really thrilled to have received these excellent results from our recent Ofsted inspection. The staff and governors work extremely hard throughout the year to provide a positive learning environment for our pupils and encourage them to do their best. The children are very well behaved and achieve fantastically in school, despite the many difficulties they have to overcome. I am very proud of them.’ The report highlights the positive atmosphere that is created in the school environment. “Classrooms offer bright and attractive environments that greatly encourage learning. Pupils gain great benefits from the shared experiences that they have in classes.” “Pupils, staff and parents and carers agree that behaviour is outstanding and this is because the calm atmosphere fosters very good relationships between all.”
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Primary School News
Edward is the guv! Honour after 69 years unbroken service
The Lord Mayor of Liverpool has honoured a Liverpool school governor - for 69 years of unbroken service. Edward Burke, 87, has received an award for ‘Meritorious Service’ from Lord Mayor Councillor Mike Storey for almost seven decades of service at All Saints Catholic Primary School in Anfield. He is believed to be the longest serving school governor in England and Wales. Edward began his service at the school in 1941, working as a fire watchman as German bombers pounded the city. He fought in the war and was wounded in Italy, but has continuously served on the
school’s governing body. Ned says education has changed immensely during his time as a governor. He said: “In those days teachers did not change schools as often and did not have the same stresses that they have today. “There’s a lot of extra work they have to do. Then it was just running the football team or the cricket team, but that was voluntary. “Now, they have all this other stuff to do, and the same goes for school governors as well.” But he said that when parents got involved with their children’s’ schooling,
it made all the difference, and urged more to take it on. He added: “It’s all about the satisfaction of knowing you are doing your best for the children and setting higher standards of education than we had.” All Saints Catholic Primary School head Jeremy Barnes, said: “Ned is very astute and up-to-date with all the latest educational issues. “He’s a great friend of everyone at All Saints and an extremely loyal and interested governor. “The children love him.”
No more empty chairs Children at Linacre Primary School in Bootle have been working very hard on an attendance project called ‘The Empty Chair’. The aim of the project is to raise children’s awareness of the importance of coming to school everyday and making them realise that if they are not in school then they cannot be taught and as a result will not learn. Based on a project created by Beaufort Park Primary School in Liverpool 8, the children have certainly embraced the project and now know ‘An empty chair, an empty chair, you
cannot teach an empty chair!’ As well as having lessons focussing on what their aspirations for the future are and as a result why they need to come to school, every class designed an empty chair. The chairs will now stay in each classroom as a focal point for teachers to refer to for good or poor attendance and to reinforce the reasons why children should come to school. The children were also given the opportunity to write poems, design posters or write stories about coming to school and having good attendance. Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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Primary School News
Gold for Mosscroft Top spot for primary school
Key appointment for local head
Headteacher Jill Albertina (centre) and Deputy Headteacher Penny France with proud Mosscroft pupils Staff and pupils at Mosscroft Primary School, Huyton are celebrating after being recognised as one of the nationally top 100 primaries at Gold Key Stage 2 for the second year running. Deputy Headteacher, Penny France said: “Not only are we one of the top primaries nationally, but we far exceeded Government and also are own targets. “We are set targets based on progress and attainment for the forthcoming academic year and for the second year running we exceeded these targets and received a certificate from the DCSF marking this achievement”. Headteacher, Jill Albertina, said: “We are delighted at the news. It’s all about high expectations and the staff and pupils strive to exceed these targets. “The pupils are very proud of their award, they know that it is down to hard work, not only by the teaching staff but also by themselves. We continually inform the pupils on their progress and on how well they are doing. “The pupils are also very proactive and it’s not all about academic results, they recently raised money for Haiti with an own clothes day, a disco and cake sale, these events were organised by the pupils themselves, it shows how sensible and mature they are, and we are very proud of them all”. 18
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The headteacher and staff at Freshfield Primary School have been selected for a top role supporting schools in challenging circumstances. Vin Osbaldeston has become one of only 75 headteachers across the country to be appointed in the latest recruitment round by the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services to the prestigious role of National Leader of Education (NLE). It also means the school is now designated a National Support School (NSS). To mark the occasion Vin was invited to an event at the National College’s Learning and Conference Centre in Nottingham for a formal induction and training for the role they will play in raising standards. NLEs use their success and professionalism as school leaders, along with the staff in their school – designated a National Support School - to provide additional leadership capacity in struggling schools. The deployment is tailor-made to suit the needs of each school in challenging circumstances. The type of support provided is flexible and can involve NLEs becoming acting or executive headteacher of the client school or schools. They also have responsibility for helping to grow the next generation of NLEs and National Support Schools.
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Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions that you will have to make as a parent or carer. The Choice Advisory Service can support and inform you through this period. Call 0151 225 6030 or log on to www.liverpool.gov.uk Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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Meet the Headteacher Anne Pontifex, St. John Bosco Arts College
Around £350m will be spent on the transformation of 24 Liverpool schools over the next decade as part of the “Building Schools for the Future” programme, the largest school building project the city has ever seen. St. John Bosco Arts College in Croxteth will be among the first schools to benefit from the next wave of funding, as part of a £20m development. For Anne Pontifex, headteacher for the past six years, the project represents a promising future for the all girls’ school.
Foundations for the future Together with neighbouring Archbishop Beck, St John Bosco will be the sample school for the citywide rebuilding project, with work scheduled for completion in 2013. Anne, who arrived at the school as deputy 10 years ago, is thrilled at the prospective benefits. She commented: “It’s so exciting. We’re at the stage of concept drawing and they’re talking about a theatre to seat 800 people, state of the art science labs and wonderful wireless ICT facilities. There will be fantastic food-tech facilities, whereby the kitchens are camera-ed up so that the pupils can follow the teacher on the TV. It’s all really exciting, stimulating stuff.” The work will see the school extended and partially rebuilt, with its entrance moving to Storrington Avenue. The plans to develop the two north Liverpool schools represent a welcome boost, not just for the institutions themselves, but also for the wider communities beset by trouble in recent years. The proposed theatre will become a permanent base for a 20
community theatre group, while other multi-use areas will be accessible to local residents. Anne said: “It’s an opportunity for us to breathe some fresh chances into the communities of Croxteth and Norris Green. They’ve been a little bit neglected in the past. Some of our parents may have had a poor educational experience in the past, if perhaps the schools weren’t what they should have been. We’re hoping that this new building will give an opportunity for our parents to attend classes. We’re already running mother and daughter classes and primary classes in dance, art and ICT.” Anne was drawn to teaching through her love of PE and, as a catholic, was enthusiastic about the prospect of joining a school with a catholic grounding. Such enthusiasm has been carried into her daily work during her six years as head, which has been reflected by the school’s ever-improving status. “I think the school is doing really well at the moment. It’s on a real upward trend and it has been for the last six years. I just think that by giving
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the children first class facilities and 21st century opportunities it can only go from strength to strength. We’ve become a specialist arts college and our results have improved dramatically in that time. More importantly, when we talk to our children and parents they’re saying it’s a great place to come to and a great place to learn.”
“
It’s an opportunity for us to breathe some fresh chances into the communities of Croxteth and Norris Green
”
Truancy rates have fallen during Anne’s tenure, while exclusions have virtually been eliminated. New technologies have also been utilised to encourage strong performances among the pupils. “We’ve given every child in the school an electronic notebook. Every child now has one of them to take home for homework. The notebooks are the
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by Johnathan Kearney
way forward. These children aren’t going to go into careers that perhaps people of my generation thought they’d go into. They’re going to go into careers that haven’t been invented yet.” The Liverpool-native made the switch to the Croxteth school following her time as a deputy at Manchester’s Chorlton High School, a fellow specialist arts college. Anne believes all aspects of school life have benefited since the awarding of the specialist arts status in September 2004. “We’ve done a number of projects that link dance and science together, such as explaining how key cells work. There have been dramas based around CSI crime scenes and we’ve done a number of modern foreign language activities whereby the children have filmed and then present their films back and then they analyse that.” Last year the school were also given the opportunity to work with the English National Ballet on a production of ‘Sleeping Beauty’. So impressed were the world-renowned ballet company they invited St John Bosco pupils to perform with them at the Royal Albert Hall in July. From there some of the girls will be selected to dance at a special event in Shanghai. Despite reaching an international audience, St John Bosco’s success has very much been grounded in the local community and the school itself, which was described by Ofsted as “an oasis for young people”. Anne added: “I think the main things are listening to young people’s concerns, offering first class
teachers and having boundaries for all so we all know the direction that we’re going in and were we want to get to. We put on Saturday classes, holiday classes, after-school classes and breakfast classes. If you want the opportunity to improve your work it’s there for you. We’ve done a lot of mentoring and a lot of work with our parents and we run a year 10 and 11 success evening, were we’ve said if we work in partnership, these are the kind of things that would help your daughter to be a success.”
Pontifex File Born: Liverpool, 1960 Education: St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Penketh; English Martyrs High School, Warrington; City Of Leeds and Carnegie College of Physical Education; MA Education Management, University of Manchester Career: Meols Cop High School, Southport; Chorlton High School, Manchester
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Tuesday 6th July - 7.00pm Headteacher: Mr P Dickinson Director of Music: Mr B Hicks
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College supported by Partner Primary Schools
t: 0151 525 6326 e: b.hicks@archbishopbeck.liverpool.sch.uk www.archbishopbeck.com Cedar Road, Liverpool, L9 9AF
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Focus Group
With a new government in power, the opportunity for new approaches to providing children with the best education possible is a hot topic for politicians, schools and families. We sat down with headteacher at Bellerive FCJ Catholic College, Sister Brigid Halligan, deputy headteacher at All Saints Primary, Tony Jackson, and a professor of politics at Hope University, Bill Jones, who shared their thoughts on what the new government could mean for educational policy. Our debate took place in a private dining room at Liverpool Hope University’s Childwall campus, a renowned centre for teacher training and pastoral formation alongside academic study.
Winds of change Educate’s roundtable How are schools implementing government policy already, and what possible changes could be set to impact on what’s happening in our schools? TJ: Our school is a brand new £8million building, amalgamating three primary schools onto one site, and we’ve seen many changes in the set-up. Our previous headteacher was part of the primary headteachers steering group and his real thrust was to see the Rose report implemented, giving teachers more freedom in the classroom and how they teach. The word on the street is that Labour largely supported this report, while the Conservatives dismiss it and want to see more subject-based rather than topic-based learning – but the latter is more effective in getting children to learn across the disciplines. BH: At Bellerive Catholic College, we try to combine new thinking with keeping the basic tools of the central curriculum, as we feel it’s very important. For Years 7-9 we put emphasis on giving them the tools to move forward. At Key Stage 4 there is more variation of what we can teach, and we’re working on preparing to deliver the diplomas – although there is still some uncertainty surrounding them. We need the curriculum to meet the needs of all, academic and BTEC
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students, but all pupils have to keep on with the other basic subjects to be well prepared for the competitive world of work. I’m also concerned about the amount of time we spend ticking boxes for external analysis. I think government policy has moved too much responsibility beyond education onto the schools – it’s as though the schools are now seen as the hub for everything that the child needs. No teachers object to being held accountable, but the boxes asking to be ticked aren’t associated with teaching and learning. I’d like to see a modified OFSTED inspection that concentrated on children’s learning and development. We need to put education back into the hands of people who are in schools. TJ: I agree. The government is putting too much onto schools, and I wonder if that’s because schools do things very well – and putting children’s centres into schools recognises that. Someone said on a course I attended recently that the jobs our reception class will do in the future, haven’t been invented yet. We need a creative curriculum, and we need to allow teachers to move in that direction. BJ: I’m coming at it from a different angle because I don’t teach in the primary or secondary sectors, but we’re talking as if it will be business as usual; asking will the
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Rose report be implemented and so on. As a result of the recession, we will see cuts which could be as much as 10 to 15 per cent in the public sector, a wage freeze for teachers, and you can imagine the chaos and impact on staff morale. We could see ourselves going back to levels of funding complained about in the 1990s, and the additional funding fed in by Labour could well be stripped away. On the plus side the infrastructure has been improved and there are many new schools which can’t be taken away. Are there external factors creating problems for children of school age in society? BJ: Our education system is desperately unequal with very well-funded prep and secondary schools, but only seven per cent of students go to these schools – before going on to dominate all the power centres of society. Other children get a poor deal in terms of life chances by comparison – their parents don’t or can’t buy them those opportunities. There are a million young people aged between 16 and 24 who fall into the category of NEETs – with no education, employment or training. The future jobs will go to those with skills – but how can those who seem so resistant to education take this
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Tony Jackson, deputy headteacher at All Saints Primary
up? The SureStart initiative which wants to replace the parenting that hasn’t been done in underclass communities, and arguably there are a few of those in Liverpool, may also be cut which is even more worrying. I don’t want to be negative, but I can see dark clouds on the horizon for the public sector and for education. What we’ll see is a growing gap between the state sector, which is going to be less well funded than in the past decade, and the private sector going on to produce much better qualified students who will go on to take the jobs. Michael Portillo on the radio said he had come to realise that growing economic inequality had now become a threat to the democratic system in this country. Are class sizes at primary level important? TJ: Yes, I think they are the single most important factor to a better education. There is a critical number of around 18-20 children, and with anything less than that a teacher can really work their magic. I can’t complain about it, because the average is a figure in the twenties and we don’t have a problem. It makes a huge difference when the teacher can then spend more time with the children. Are class sizes a factor at secondary school, and how do schools teach across the subjects to different ability groups? BH: I think that a lot depends on what is being taught and the nature of the pupils is more important at that level. We find that we set children in certain subjects, and we keep some very able children alongside some that are not so able to present the latter with a challenge – as success breeds success. They need some praise and encouragement. Staff might disagree with me, but I don’t think we have a problem in our school with the class
Bill Jones, professor of politics at Hope University
Sister Brigid Halligan, headteacher at Bellerive FCJ Catholic College
sizes. We don’t want the least able children doing every subject together or they don’t see what a challenge and achievement is about. The difference between a Grade C and a Grade D at GCSE is massive in the job market because the former is seen as a good grade – and it influences all their opportunities in life.
“It’s simplistic to suggest that female teachers all behave one way producing one result, and that male teachers produce another” Tony Jackson How can parents take responsibility for giving their children the best education possible? BJ: Researchers say that some children are never spoken to, or read to, and that this has an impact on their development. Is there truth in that? TJ: Definitely. It’s in the spoken language and time given to children by parents. Most of the language they receive seems to be instructional – ‘Sit, do, stand, go’ - and that’s very limited. How much of it develops their vocabulary and mental capacity? The bombardment of the media, the television and all of these things prevents parents from engaging with their children during their crucial formative years. There’s an excellent book ‘The Toxic Childhood’ by Sue Palmer about the relationship between mother and
child at a young age, including eye contact, and simple communication of that kind. A lack of that sort of contact is correlated with an increase in autism in the English speaking world. The old wisdoms, and the role of grandparents, has been disregarded in the UK in a way it hasn’t in other cultures – where they don’t share our problems. BH: Yes, the role of the extended family is important. TJ: Simple things like prams with the baby facing outwards, or putting children in bouncers, or watching the television, have become the norm – and they’re affecting normal child development. BJ: The government’s SureStart scheme was designed to inject some of the parenting into centres. Lots of underclass kids don’t get any endorsing language used in conversations with their parents and carer – but middle class families do. Those children are able to go to primary school and swim in that water, but their underclass counterparts struggle, and the gap that exists at the age of five or six gets wider and wider as they grow up. You see in the secondary school the resultant attitude that education isn’t for those pupils – because it hasn’t been. How can you combat this cultural, deep-seated problem? Have recent government recommendations on pastoral and support staff been a success? BH: The government wanted to remodel the workforce in schools, but there are aspects of that which I haven’t adopted in our school. Essentially this was to see support staff take on many of the roles that teachers are doing – and that was educational policy which all the parties seemed to subscribe to, to some extent. I’m not convinced of it. I decided to leave teachers in pastoral posts at the school,
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Focus Group because the teacher is trained to understand the various aspects of the development of the young person. If you have teaching assistants in the classroom, you also need to look at the reason for that. If it’s a child with a style of problems not related to learning then it’s a great support for the teaching staff. However, for a child with learning difficulties, it’s a fine line between having someone to help them and keep the class together, and the problem of taking away the individual child’s opportunity to learn independently.
“Studies show that ability is spread across the classes and just as many working class kids are as clever as those in private schools” Bill Jones
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Is funding for schools critical to the decisions made by senior staff and how the schools are run? BH: I think that whichever party takes charge there will be reductions, but there is also a decline in the population of children at school age at the moment so we can’t say that a lack of funding is necessarily motivated by politics. One of the challenges facing education nationally is that we need to pay more attention to white working class children, who have fewer safeguards built in. In schools we monitor all classifications of pupils for progress. The boys seem to be even more disadvantaged than the girls, and that’s something that needs to be taken account of. Parental support for their child’s education, and parental influence on a child, at all stages of its development, is crucial because if you ring a parent and say someone isn’t making progress, etc, an awful lot depends on the parent’s reaction and what they do then. Most parents value education highly and want their children to succeed. For those parents who have had to work hard themselves or have come here from other countries, this is even more the case, and they are delighted to take advantage of our education system. For those who don’t always have a good understanding of what will be in the long term interests of their child, there’s a problem. Of course we want children to be happy, but we also want them to finish school and be able to take their place in society and to make a valuable contribution. TJ: It’s a strength of the primary system that there is support from the local community who attend. BJ: Yes, the sense of community, of belonging and being a stakeholder is important. TJ: For working class families, I’d like to flag up that there is a gender issue and poor parenting has drastic socio-economic effects. The girls in a family are sometimes more
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resilient, for whatever reason, but for the boys it causes real problems and they can be disruptive at school. Whether a male role model in school can turn around some of the problems with boys who struggle with the primary system I don’t know. When there are generations of families without a male role model, then of course it can be damaging to boys. All of the teachers receive the same training, and it’s simplistic to suggest that female teachers all behave one way producing one result, and that male teachers produce another. Teachers have to meet TDA standards, and it’s very clear what is expected of teachers. A lot is down to the individual teacher of course, and their personality and strengths – and children flourish when the teacher is allowed the flexibility to adapt the curriculum to the children’s needs and bring the subject to life. To give teachers more control in the classroom would be a good thing.
“We try to balance the demands of school league tables with doing the right thing for children” Sister Brigid Halligan How do your counterparts in Europe operate? BJ: At one stage in France it was said that at any time of day, the minister of education could point to exactly what the children would be learning in the schools. There’s nothing like that over here – and it seems such a straitjacket on education. Do you find that’s the case? TJ: The whole culture of education puts a lot of pressure into streamlining schools and staff. I have mixed feelings about targets, because I’ve seen it work well and I’ve seen it not work well. BJ: Ultimately, is uniformity having the biggest influence on schools or is it down to how good the teaching is? TJ: I hope it’s down to the individual teaching. What concerns me is the amount of children not studying science – and the effects for future generations. Now that the emphasis is on subject-based rather than topic-based learning there’s less opportunity to combine an interesting topic with literacy, numeracy, science and so on.
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Do league tables add to parental pressure on schools, and does this help keep up standards? BH: I think that science is something that league tables have affected in secondary schools. We’re all familiar with the core subjects taught to bright pupils, but the BTEC equivalent subjects which are also ranked in the league tables, are pushed by schools and the result is that core academic science courses are neglected at the expense of these BTEC project-based qualifications. The league tables have blurred the edges of what we’re measuring. If you enter the same student for at least two BTEC types of courses (say ICT and science) then you can count eight qualifications achieved – as opposed to the number of GCSE subjects which they might otherwise attain. There’s also been a huge drop in students taking languages as, while it used to be compulsory to study at least one modern foreign language, some years ago that requirement was removed to give students as much choice as possible. Subjects like the humanities, which are needed for a well-rounded general education, are also being dropped by students- but if that happens, how can we expect them to study law and politics later on? In secondary school, we struggle to get the balance right for young people. I’m not against league tables as we do reasonably well out of them, but I do think the schools are being pushed in the wrong way. This is a hard thing to have to say but I don’t feel we should be measuring all schools in the country using the same yardstick. It isn’t a level playing field. Our school has a wide mix in its intake – like many schools – and that’s a good position to be in. However, because of how schools have grown to be where they are today you have an inequality in the intake, based on a selective process at age 11 or other factors, and the level of achievement of the young people at that age across different schools shows great disparity. Even in the state sector you’re creating a two tier system. What about parental choice in deciding which schools their children attend? BJ: That’s more to do with the distribution of wealth in society. Those that are able to often move into the catchment areas of the good state schools, and that happens across the UK, with house prices rising in those areas. It’s all to do with social inequality being reflected in the educational system, and that system reinforcing that inequality among parents. The end result is a deeply
divided society, at variance with the whole idea of democracy. It’s a subversion within the political system of the social and economic system.
“Michael Portillo on the radio said he had come to realise that growing economic inequality had now become a threat to the democratic system in this country.” Bill Jones What can we learn from European other models? BJ: I am familiar with the Swedish and German systems, and in Europe generally they don’t have big private educational systems. The state system is so good no one thinks they need to set up the equivalent of Harrow, Rugby or St Paul’s. I’m sure we do produce outstanding people in the best public schools, but so does Germany and Sweden without that sector. Why can they do it with their society and we can’t make our state sector as good as theirs? TJ: It’s cultural differences rather than the actual education provision. BJ: In Brazil, where children live in terrible poverty, they are desperate to learn. Here we have so many opportunities but children don’t want to learn. The figures from organisations trying to get children from lower socio-economic backgrounds have struggled even with government money to counter this disinclination to learn. Compare that with the third world where children are desperate for education. Teachers have a higher status in Europe and they are paid very well. In the UK, it used to be the case that teachers were respected – but that isn’t the case any more. I’m not saying that society is broken, that’s overdoing it, but there is a deficit regarding social attitudes towards education. Studies show that ability is spread across the classes and just as many working class kids are as clever as those in private schools – but why is their cutting edge so blunted by social experience? BH: On the attitudes of people in other countries – I spent some time at schools in China and India and the average class size
in China was 55, but the children were getting on with the work, and what struck me was that the parental hopes and expectations had communicated themselves very successfully to those children. Those children felt privileged to be in that room and they were learning ICT, with Windows in Chinese, and books by Cambridge University Press, some in English, and I thought that class of 55 was less trouble than 15 over here. I had a similar experience in India, where there was terrible poverty in the streets but you went into the schools and felt rejuvenated. By contrast, we have tremendous resources in the UK. I put it down to parental expectations, and I think governments have made the same mistake saying to parents, ‘What do you want? You should complain,” and so on. They never say sufficiently that they too have a shared responsibility, that they must do their bit to convey to their child the privilege that we have in this country. We’ve got almost everything you would wish for to create an equitable society, but we cannot get people to want or to appreciate that. BJ: There are so many opportunities and ways to lead the horse to water, but it’s getting it to drink. It’s a poverty economically and poverty of expectations, and our culture has pushed that. In the States, we’ve seen so many films and books on how behaviour is so bad that they have to ask parents not to let children come to class with guns. BH: Society is at risk if we don’t change our attitudes. Money helps, but it can’t do that. There is something about attitudes to the role of adults, parents and teachers, and how young people need to appreciate that. Children need to learn to listen to teachers and to each other, and to be respectful. Some of those gifts have been lost – look at the things that are said to and about our politicians in the news and you can see where the respect has been lost. We need people to be treated with more respect.
Panel Credentials All Saints Catholic Primary is an amalgamation of three schools now on one site in a brand new £8million school. Bellerive FCJ Catholic College has pupils from across the city, Wirral, St Helens and Knowsley, with 45 feeder primary schools. A superb three course lunch was enjoyed by our panel, courtesy of Hope University’s excellent catering team.
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Secondary School News
Bosco plan for the future A new hub for learning St John Bosco Arts College for Girls, Liverpool have released their plans for the future development of the college under Wave 6 of the Building Schools for the Future programme. The scheme will see St John Bosco building a new performing arts centre and two-storey building with 'learning hubs.' Heather Duggan, Assistant Headteacher and co-ordinator for BSF at St John Bosco, said: “This is a great opportunity for us all and we are looking forward to the challenges ahead. “We will have a 50% new build at the college giving us a chance to open a new extension and also a new entrance to the college, this will make us more visible and accessible to the community. “We will also be building a new auditorium where we will be able to hold theatre, dance and music performances with an artist in residence area. Outside we will open up the front
with landscaping, which we then can use as outdoor classes, we are also building an amphitheatre to showcase the work of the students. “We are also investing in the technological aspects of education, all our students will receive a netbook and will be able to access their schoolwork from home or wherever they are”. The college also want to involve the community as much as possible, Heather said: “We want to make the college as accessible as possible to the community, we will be holding shows and exhibitions and have a community arts-worker, engaging the community in all our events. “We will still be holding onto our Salesian ethos, after all we are immensely proud of our pupils and of what we have here, we have something special at this school, but this gives us the opportunity to look forward to the challenges ahead and know it is not only for us, but for all of the community as a whole”.
Heather Duggan, Assistant Headteacher and co-ordinator for BSF
Clapperboard Film Project Star-struck over actors visit Year 10 students from Archbishop Beck working with Clapperboard on a film project, were extremely fortunate when actor Jody Latham (Shameless, Spooks and Hell’s Kitchen) popped in to deliver an acting workshop. AST Emma Griffiths, who is coordinating the project said: “The students were immediately star-struck, but felt privileged that such a prestigious and ‘down to earth’ actor came and gave them some useful advice and tips in preparation for the film they will be producing. “Jody’s charismatic personality and passion for acting really inspired the students. They listened attentively to Jody and had the opportunity to work alongside him in some of their scenes, he gave the students constructive feedback which was greatly received and appreciated.” Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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Secondary School News
2010 Entrants to the Liverpool Performing Arts Festival, with Headteacher Designate, Mr Tim Alderman.
All’s well that ends well Gold again at the Liverpool Festival St Julie’s Catholic High School in Woolton has repeated last year’s gold rush by securing two gold medals at the prestigious Liverpool Performing Arts Festival, 2010. The annual festival draws thousands of performers from across the North West in a competitive spectacle of music, speech, drama and dance. This year the competition was held at St George’s Hall and St Julie’s entered 37 pupils in the drama categories. Year 7 once again gained a gold medal in the ‘Shakespeare’ category for their performance of scenes from Macbeth. At the other end of the age range, Year 12 students won ‘Group Acting’ gold for their gripping performance of scenes from ‘Salt of the Earth’. Strong performances also secured a bronze medal for Year 10 pupils Niamh McCallum and Isabella Richardson for their duologue performance of scenes from ‘Top Girls’. Sue Doherty, Head of Expressive Arts, said: "I’m delighted that we have sustained our success in this prestigious and competitive Liverpool Festival, and the prizes are a reflection of the huge amount of preparatory work that the students have undertaken. This year’s 30
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standard has been very high from all schools and it is particularly pleasing to win awards across such a wide age range, from Year 7 through to Year 12.” Tim Alderman, Head Teacher Designate at St Julie’s, said: "I have been
following the many successes of the students very closely and this is another example of the great talent that is characteristic of the students at St Julie’s. They are a great credit to their parents and teachers”.
World Cup teaching initiative kicks off A set of teaching and learning materials for Key Stage 3 students based on the theme of the 2010 World Cup has been launched at Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) with the help of St Benedict’s College in Garston. The football themed initiative is the brainchild of former Merseyside Teacher Phil Freeman who believes the excitement that surrounds this year’s World Cup will create ideal learning opportunities for pupils. Six books and interactive CDs have recently been published, each covering different areas of the curriculum including, English, Maths, Science, Food Technology, Geography and Performing Arts. The hope is that schools will use the materials as part of an end-of-term cross-curricular project during the tournament in June and July. To celebrate the launch, students from nearby St Benedict’s College in Garston who have been piloting the initiative, attended the Airport to display some of their work, and give a short performance of music and dance from the specially written one-act musical, ‘Own Goal’ which tells the story of a young South African footballer, which is included in the Performing Arts pack.
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Secondary School News
New ArtsBus takes to the road Investing to improve access to creative technology Notre Dame Catholic College for the Arts in Everton has unveiled a hightech ArtsBus to provide a mobile centre for creative training and performance to every child on Merseyside. With a recording studio, software for interactive musical tuition and a performance centre the college’s ArtsBus offers the opportunity to bring cutting edge technology to anyone, anywhere, providing there is a parking space. The bus has already been booked for an education and arts conference in Warwickshire in 2011. Children and adults, who might use the bus as part of evening classes or community projects will be able to record and edit music, produce podcasts and animated film, broadcast a radio show or experience working in a TV studio. The bus can deliver workshops in a variety of creative arts including Creative Writing, Visual Arts, photography, film, poetry, song-writing, radio and TV. Accredited courses will be part of the remit of the ArtsBus, particularly in the field of the new Creative and Media Diploma and ICT courses at Notre Dame. Director of Arts at Notre Dame College, Lesley Bentley, along with her colleagues, provided designers with a
clear brief of what they wanted to use the ArtsBus for, and what technology they wanted on board. “We want to make arts and culture accessible to every pupil on Merseyside and across the UK. Art is for everyone and should not be exclusive. Every child should be able to explore every element of culture and every community should have access to arts provision. Creativity and a desire to learn shouldn’t just exist
in school hours in a classroom, this is something everyone should be able to explore”. The ArtsBus was launched at Isla Gladstone Conservatory in Stanley Park with celebrations involving over 250 children from Notre Dame’s Primary Outreach programme, Your Arts alongside musicians, dancers and dramatists from the college’s MAT Company.
Marathon Challenge Pupils fundraise in memory of coach driver The boys at West Derby School wanted to share the experience of fund raisers running in the marathon by raising money for an international charity which helped some boys and staff who were stranded in Austria in December 2009 after the death of their coach driver whilst on the autobahn. Over 200 boys volunteered to take part in the West Derby Marathon Challenge in order to raise as much money as possible to support such a great cause. The boys ran in teams of up to 13, completing the 26 marathon miles between them by running 2 or 3 miles each. Each boy collected sponsorship money for the Red Cross. Up to now over £2000 has been donated and collected in. Each runner received a medal and there were both individual and team prizes for the best team time and the best fundraisers.
Pupils from West Derby collected money enroute Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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Secondary School News
Belvedere Pupil Wins Athenaeum Award
It all adds up for Merchants Clean sweep for pupils It all adds for Merchant Taylors’ maths students but they say the Government can’t count. All 56 boys who sat the new IGCSE exam, one year ahead of schedule, gained A* and A passes. However as the Government refuses to recognise the international qualification the Boys’ School has been penalised in the recently published league tables. Maths Teacher Mrs Peacock, who specialises in the IGCSE, said: “The international qualification is far more challenging than the ordinary GCSE and prepares students much better for university. I am delighted that our boys have performed so brilliantly this year to produce a 100% clean sweep.”
Headmaster Mr Cook said: “Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School is among many of the country’s top schools to recognise the added value of the IGCSE, which particularly stretches boys’ learning. All the country’s top universities including Oxford and Cambridge recognise and value this qualification but the Government will not.” All the successful 56 boys will now study maths and or further maths at A Level with many hoping to study one of the most demanding subjects in the curriculum at university and beyond. Mr Cook said “We are delighted that our boys continually seek the toughest subject which tomorrow’s employers want the most.”
Nneka Cummins The Belvedere Academy are celebrating after winning the prestigious Athenaeum Award for the second year. This year, despite countywide competition, the Award was won by student Nneka Cummins This top literary competition is run by the Liverpool Athenaeum in conjunction with the Daily Post, Radio Merseyside and Liverpool City Council. Open to writers aged between 16 and 19, entrants were invited to write about how a soldier from today might interpret Wilfred Owen’s Great War poem, Dulce et Decorum Est. Nneka’s short story Forever at War, about a soldier returned home from Iraq, took the top prize of £1000 at a special ceremony in the Athenaeum. Nneka was awarded £100 for the school library and a year’s honorary membership of the Athenaeum. Her story was published in the Liverpool Daily Post and will be broadcast on Radio Merseyside.
Archbishop hands on Archbishop Patrick Kelly was on-hand recently for the official opening of the new All Saints’ Centre for Learning, Knowsley. The new development is designed to meet the local community’s educational needs and provide a basis for a whole range of local facilities. “Today marks only the end of the beginning for All Saints’ Centre for Learning,” said Archbishop Kelly. “A beginning that has seen the Archdiocese and Knowsley Council work together in genuine partnership to provide a wonderful education opportunity for the young people of Knowsley, and a resource for the wider community.” All Saints is just one of seven new Centres for Learning, which Knowsley Council have introduced to the area since securing £150 Pictured are the Archbishop of Liverpool with Cllr Ron million in government funding to replace all 11 of its’ high schools. Round and students Adam and Jenny 32
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St Margaret’s C E High School Aigburth Road, Liverpool L17 6AB “Achievement by faith and work” - the key to St Margaret’s success
OPEN EVENING
For September 2011 prospective Year 7 pupils and parents on THURSDAY 1st JULY 6.00pm to 9.00pm Admissions information presentations will be held in the school hall at 6.00pm, 6.30pm, 7.00pm, 7.30pm and 8.30pm
• 150 boys accepted into Year 7 from the Liverpool Diocese (Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley) in September 2011. • Continued for 2011 entry – 15% of boys selected by examination held in September 2010. • Year 9 National Curriculum Test results are well above national averages for boys in English, Mathematics and Science, maintaining excellent performances in the three core subjects. • Over 85% of boys gained five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to C in 2009. • 96% pass rate at Advanced Level in our £1m co-educational Sixth Form Centre. • £1.5m Design Technology and Humanities Teaching Suites. • £2m Cricket and Sports Centre open for all our students. • St Margaret’s is a Technology & Language College, a specialist school, providing excellent facilities including 250 networked computers giving all students internet and e-mail access. • Entrance Exam Sat 25th Sept 2010
www.stmargaretshigh.com
"Students feel that the whole ethos of St Margaret’s offers something which ‘will be with them for life’. In a safe and secure environment they are challenged to aim high regardless of their starting point.” National Society Statutory School Inspection of Anglican Schools
“Attendance is high, students show enthusiasm in lessons and their behaviour is exemplary.” Ofsted
COME AND SEE WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOUR SON Visiting the school ‘at work’ is the best way to find out what makes St Margaret’s that bit special. Tours of the school will take place on Mon 13th , Tues 14th, Wed 15th, Mon 20th, Tues 21st, Wed 22nd, September at 9.30am Contact the school on 0151 427 1825
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Secondary School News
Sports Relief at Childwall College Competitive fun raises hundreds of pounds
Generous staff and students at Childwall Sports College raised hundreds of pounds for Sport Relief recently through a variety of sporting activities. The PE faculty at the Sports College
led a series of activities such as “Beat the Goalie”, a dance competition in addition to a basketball competition between staff and students. Headteacher, Dewi Phillips, said: “Staff and students at Childwall Sports
College had a superb day with all members of the school community playing their part in raising hundreds of pounds for charity. The generosity of all our students is quite outstanding.”
Kids can do it Parklands cook up a storm in competition Recently over 120 esteemed guests attended a gala dinner at the Bluecoat, Liverpool. The difference is the kids were doing the cooking – not the usual chefs. Pupils from Parklands High School in Speke were the recent winners of Can Cook’s Schools Competition which brought together 16 schools from across Merseyside to battle it out and become the city’s aspiring master chefs. After grappling through four exhausting cook-offs at the state-of-the-art Can Cook Studio, Parklands School has been crowned the reigning champions of the competition and cooked for over 120 Liverpool VIPS, including members of the council, radio stars and local journalists. Robbie Davison, who established Can Cook, a cookery school with a difference said: “The achievements and unrivalled commitment of the young people who have represented Parklands High School is just stunning. Week in week out, these pupils have created exquisite three course dinners in a restaurant environment to impress a set of judges – and what a brilliant job they have done.” “The schools competition is just one of the activities we do as this month we launch our summer calendar of evening and weekend cookery courses for adults. After all, if the kids can do it, so can their parents! ” Left: The winning Parkland students received a standing ovation for their food
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Secondary School News
I’m every woman
Victoria and Olivia receive their award from Richard Paton, President Liverpool Law Society and Mike Storey, Mayor of Liverpool
Public Speaking Success School dominates competition Congratulations to Archbishop Blanch School Year 11 students Victoria and Olivia who won the Liverpool Law Society Merseyside Schools Public Speaking Competition, held at Liverpool Town Hall in March. In the competition's three-year history, this is Archbishop Blanch School's third time of reaching the final and the second time the school has won the trophy. The team gave a 10 minute presentation on the subject "16 is too young to vote at a general election". The girls successfully defeated teams from three other Merseyside schools Belvedere, Caldy Grange and Liverpool College - who had made it through to the Merseyside final. Archbishop Blanch School Sixth Form debating team also won through to the Northwest Regional Finals of the Debating Matters Competition at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. Although the students have not progressed to the national final, the judges for their use of logic and their tenacity commended them, and Year 12 student Emily was awarded the prize for Outstanding Individual Contribution.
Holly Lodge Girls’ College in West Derby, recently held an 'Inspiration and Aspiration’ day to help celebrate International Women's Day. The event was held during the school day and involved the whole of Year 9. The idea behind the day was for the sessions to include guest speakers and workshop activities. For the workshops the students were split in to smaller groups and paired with an 'inspirational' woman to work on an activity. This allowed the students the opportunity to work in a more informal setting and speak and ask question to their 'inspirational' woman. The idea behind the event is to encourage the students to think about different career options and different opportunities, which they can access. The day included many 'inspirational' women who could relate to the students and who are in varied professions. The idea is to inspire the students and get them to think about roles and job opportunities they wouldn't normally think about.
Facing up to online dangers A new Facebook campaign has been launched to encourage young people to ‘Think Before You Post’ with a key focus on educating pupils, parents and teachers about how to use social networking sites safely at home and school. Gateacre Community Comprehensive School in Liverpool is working in partnership with e-safe education (www.esafeeducation.co.uk), the UK’s first company to offer forensic monitoring as a ‘managed service’, to launch this campaign. The scheme aims to educate parents, students and school staff about responsible use of ICT and ultimately make the internet a safer environment. Parents and schools are invited to join in the discussions on Facebook site ‘Safer Web’, Twitter site #saferweb or visit: e-safe education.co.uk for expert advice.
The school uses e-safe to help safeguard children in the digital/online world. The system monitors and identifies incidents involving pupils or staff and notifies the school accordingly upon discovery. Experts at e-safe education protect staff from exposure to this disturbing material, using their skills to form an unbiased and professional view on the level of risk different content represents. Gerard Lonergan, Headteacher at Gateacre Community School, said: “We are delighted to work with e-safe education on this campaign to help give important e-safety advice to the wider community. We feel that social networking skills are increasingly valued by employers and we want to encourage our pupils to continue using sites such as Facebook whilst being educated about the risks.” Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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School News
Green light for Liverpool Building for the future Liverpool’s biggest ever school rebuilding programme has been given the go-ahead. The government has approved Liverpool city council’s proposals for ‘Wave 6’ of the Building School for the Future programme. The £350 million plan will see 24 Liverpool secondary schools being rebuilt or refurbished, in five phases by 2017. Former Liverpool City Council Leader, Cllr Warren Bradley, said: “Building Schools for the Future is a once-in-ageneration opportunity, and I’m delighted the government has given our plans the go-ahead. It’s great news for Liverpool and paves the way for us to transform education at every secondary school in the city”. Liverpool’s Wave 6 proposals, which are
due to be completed between 2014 and 2017, include the refurbishment of St John Bosco Arts College for Girls; and the establishment of an all-boys Catholic academy at De La Salle High School. It also includes a new school building, on a new site, for Archbishop Beck Catholic College, Walton, which will include a multi-million pound sports arena. It will also see the co-location of city centre school Archbishop Blanch High and St Hilda’s High at the Innovation Park on Edge Lane. Also included will be the establishment of Shorefields Community Comprehensive, Dingle, as a charitable trust school, supported by private sector education specialist Mouchel and Mathew Arnold Church of England High School. The scheme will also see the
West Derby School
refurbishment of Notre Dame Catholic College, Everton Valley. In addition to the 24 schools which fall under Wave 6, there will also be a new joint faith academy in South Liverpool, with New Heys Community Comprehensive, Allerton merging with St Benedict’s Catholic College, Garston, on the site of St Benedict’s, this will be supported by Enterprise plc and the University of Liverpool, the new business and enterprise academy with a Christian ethos will be the first of its kind in the country.
A business education
Silver Bluebell
Smooth transition back to study
What an uplifting success story, Bluebell Studios on Heathfield Road, Wavertree will be celebrating its Silver Jubilee this year. The business started on 1st May 1985 in the Welsh Chapel on Auckland Road, moving across to Heathfield Road in 1990. The Studios now house Bluebell Dance & Drama Academy, Bluebell Nursery School, Bluebell Fitness Centre, Perfect Parties and several other small business offering Music, Salsa, Personal Training, Yoga and Pilates. It is a well-established, family run business that has grown and evolved over the years. Carol Talbot (MD) said: “Throughout our journey we have been helped along the way by our parents and families, their involvement with all of our productions and events have given Bluebell the friendly, family oriented atmosphere that we have today. “We are thrilled to be working with the second and in some cases, third generation of the same families here at Bluebell. Without everyone who uses and supports the studios we wouldn’t be where we are. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all of their love and support over the years.” In celebration of achieving their 25 year anniversary Bluebell Dance and Drama Academy will be holding an extra special production at the Philharmonic Hall on 10th October, and are also hoping to organise a Ball early next year – watch this space!
Returning to work is not always easy, especially after a career break. One way to help smooth the transition back into work is the acquisition of new skills, whether you wish to return to prior employment or move to pastures new. Liverpool Business School at Liverpool John Moores University can help returners to work get an advantage through flexible attendance on its prestigious MBA in Executive Leadership programme. Take mother of one, Claire-Louise Ramsey for example. For many years, Claire-Louise enjoyed a challenging and successful career as a Senior Manager in the Medical Sales industry. However, realising that it was time to realign the priorities in her life, Claire-Louise quit her job in 2008. From this arose the opportunity to return to study. Claire-Louise says: “The MBA at Liverpool John Moores University was exactly what I was looking for: a high calibre, well-regarded management programme which, essentially, would fit around my childcare commitments. I attend class every Tuesday and Wednesday, and having a fixed class schedule helps me to plan my time effectively. It also means that I am able to carry out freelance work on a part-time basis. “I find the course both challenging and
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rewarding. In only a short while my approach to study has become more structured, and I have already developed the ability to analyse key business concepts from a range of perspectives, which will be invaluable for my professional development. “I see this as an investment in myself and my son’s future. I am a firm believer that where there’s a will, there’s a way - if studying for an academic qualification to complement my professional experience will help boost my earning potential, then it is most certainly worthwhile.” Liverpool Business School, working in partnership with the Chartered Management Institute, offers the MBA in Executive Leadership with Chartered Manager Status. For further information on the programme please contact our Admissions team on 0151 231 3999 or at BLWadmissions@ljmu.ac.uk
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Gateacre Community Comprehensive School Arts and Humanities Specialist College
“Specialist status has also brought about a rejuvenation of the school’s enrichment activities, especially in the arts, educational trips and visits. This is having a positive effect on students’ levels of motivation.” “Students enjoy school…”
“Specialist status is also helping to revitalise the after school enrichment activities in sport to add to students’ acquisition of healthier lifestyles.” Ofsted inspection 2007
Grange Lane, Gateacre Liverpool L25 4SD Tel: 0151 428 1569 Fax: 0151 421 1349 Email: gateacre-ao@gateacre.liverpool.sch.uk
MEMORABLE PHOTOGRAPHS MAKE PIECES OF ART FROM YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORIES
We will design an individual montage for you. A great way to showcase and display your photographs in the home. See something different each time you look at the picture. Simply send your digital photos by email or we can scan traditional photos. Canvas or framed prints available in various sizes. TO PLACE YOUR ORDER OR FIND OUT MORE VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.MEMORABLEPHOTOGRAPHS.CO.UK Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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Meet the Deputy Headteacher Gary Evans, West Derby School
A deputy at West Derby School for the past two years, Gary Evans’ desire to enter the profession charts back to the inspiration of his old French teacher. He is now hoping the imminent move to a brand new school building can inspire the success of the pupils at West Derby.
French connection I meet Gary at his office in the Quarry wing of the school, for which he oversees key stage 3 pupils. Among the typical stacks of files and folders, the room is adorned with Everton greats of the past and images of his cherished Goodison Park. For a man who started school life at Gwladys Street Primary School, just yards from the grand old institution, it represents an obvious passion – something which is reflected in his work. Gary arrived at West Derby from Wigan’s Pembec High School and has been a language teacher for the past 16 years. Although he originally coveted a career as a doctor, his flair for French prompted him to pursue another vocation. “I had an inspirational French teacher, who was a French native. He was brilliant. I was quite a shy, retiring kid in school and he gave me loads of confidence in this foreign language. When I went into A-Levels French was a natural choice. I was already thinking of going to university to study language. Really from the age of 16 onwards I knew I wanted to do languages and I’d decided there and then that I wanted to 38
be a teacher. I never wavered from that choice.” With the school split into two separate sites, Gary’s responsibilities as a deputy head revolve around the dayto-day running of the site which houses pupils through to the end of year nine, a set-up which will come to an end in September when the school will be unified under one new building on West Derby Road. Along with pastoral and data work, one of his primary duties includes monitoring the school’s sophisticated pupil tracking programme, which was awarded special praise following the latest “outstanding” Ofsted inspection. “We just don’t let anyone get through the net. It’s a case of identifying them early and making sure they do what they need to do. It starts as soon as the boys arrive in year seven. We have a lot of literacy and numeracy intervention groups. One change we brought in last year was to take a little bit of time out of the languages curriculum in the lower set to provide more literacy time. That’s been really successful. Another initiative we brought in was to have teaching staff deliver literacy and numeracy support periods. The main
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work in terms of examination results is with year 10 and 11 and it is literally regular meetings, pinpointing which boys are under-performing and dragging them up to the standard they need to be at.” The attention to the core subject areas is reflected in the schools status as a specialist in maths and computing, which the school has held for the past four years.
“
Every room will have state of the art ICT facilities
”
“We focus on literacy and numeracy so that the maximum number of boys achieve their C and above in English and Maths when they leave school because they’re the qualifications that will get them somewhere when they leave. It’s not at the expense of other subjects. I’m a linguist, so I wouldn’t want to say we downgrade other subjects. We have an intake which is
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by Johnathan Kearney
around about a year behind were they should be in terms of literacy and numeracy. If we just didn’t do anything we wouldn’t get the results that we get, so as soon as they arrive in year seven we get baseline data so we know the reading ages, the spelling ages and so on. Anyone who needs that extra help gets it.” Already well equipped with ICT facilities, the school’s reputation as an ICT specialist will be further enhanced with the move to the new site. On schedule for a September opening, the new school will be housed on the land adjacent to the Peter Lloyd Sports Centre, incorporating the Ernest Cookson specialist school as part of a £27m development. “We struggle now because we don’t have projectors in every room, or interactive whiteboards. I think we have six in the whole school. In the new school they’ll be in every single classroom and staff are getting trained for that now. They’re really looking forward to it because they’ve seen the potential that this equipment has. Even the old fuddy-duddies like me! The ICT in the new building will be just unbelievable. Every room will have state of the art ICT facilities.” The 12,000 sq m facility, which will signal the end of the original ‘50s buildings on Quarry Road and Bankfield Road, will accommodate a swathe of new facilities, including a new public library and a state-of-the-art IT suite. Other changes will come in the form of a re-design of the school badge and uniform. For a man who follows the mantra of “nothing but the best”, Gary is already sensing the anticipation
among teachers and pupils alike. “They’re starting to get excited now. We’ve started having assemblies were the assistant head for Building Schools for the Future has been going in showing them photos and taking them round the building. We’ve had quite a lot of boys on the student council from all the year groups actually go and visit the site and they’re asking a lot more questions than they were two or three months ago. I’m really excited by it just because of the opportunities it brings to the school.”
Evans File Born: Liverpool, 1970 Education: Gwladys Street Primary School, Liverpool; Page Moss County Primary School, Huyton; Bowring Comprehensive School, Huyton; Knowsley Central Tertiary College, Huyton; BA Hons, PGCE, University of Portsmouth Career: The Bankfield School, Widnes; Pembec School, Wigan
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Help and advice
Dear Educate
*******************************************************
My daughter is 10 and will be going away on her first school trip soon. I’m happy with the teaching staff taking the children and the arrangements, but it’s the first time she’ll have been away from us for more than just an overnight stay. What can I do to prepare her so that she has a good time? It’s always a little daunting for parents to know that their child is going to be going on their first school trip. By encouraging her to want to go in the first place you are already on the right track. Talking about it with her as the time draws near will help her to know that you are excited and happy for her. You could discuss what she’ll need to pack, which case to take, and discuss the kinds of activities on the itinerary together. In terms of the practicalities, most schools will have a meeting for parents, so if you have any questions or concerns about any of the arrangements raise it with the teachers so that your mind is at rest. If there is no meeting planned, you could meet the teachers responsible after school to get any information you need to make sure you are well prepared. Make sure that as she boards the coach and waves goodbye, you are smiling and waving to her, and it will all feel like an adventure for her - even if you are still feeling a little bit worried inside. The first school trip is an important experience in a child’s young life, and one you’ll both always remember, so just remember to let her enjoy it.
Are there any activities I could do with my young children to entertain them over the summer months? I have two daughters and a son with just a few years between them, and I need to find ways of keeping them all entertained without spending a lot of money. If you’re going to be spending time together at home over the summer, then outdoor games in good weather, walks to the local park, visiting friends and neighbours are all good ways to keep children of different ages busy and active. Parents are bombarded by the media into thinking that they need to spend a great deal of money on holidays and days out throughout the school holidays to keep their children entertained, but it’s simply not true. There is a significant body of research which now suggests that children who see their schedules packed with activities and who are not allowed to simply play, often become incredibly stressed out and don’t build up the vital life skills of being able to entertain themselves. It can be useful to set them constructive tasks to complete, perhaps helping you with some gardening by doing small and simple tasks like watering plants, or helping to wash the car. Indoors, you could set them the task of filling a scrapbook on a
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particular theme, collecting postcards or pictures from magazines, or drawing a series of pictures to go in it. This could be something all the children could work on together. Give it a family theme, related to a holiday or day trip you have all shared, and the children will know that you too will value the end result.
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My eight year-old son received a new games console for his birthday a month ago, and now I can’t get him to play with anything else or even to play outside in the warm weather. He becomes very engrossed in the game, and doesn’t seem to want to speak to us or do anything else; he prefers to spend all of his time in his room in front of the TV screen. What should I do? The novelty of a new games console should soon wear off, but it’s true that many parents face a similar problem with young boys and teenagers who prefer to play electronic games than games outside. I would suggest moving the games console and TV downstairs and out of the bedroom to put it in an environment where he has to engage with the rest of the family. This will also prevent him from playing at night, when he should be sleeping. It may also be a good idea to restrict the amount of time allowed on the console each day to just half an hour or so. Try inviting some of his friends over. Don’t directly discourage them from playing on the consoles, but by incorporating a mealtime and discussion at the table into the activities you may be able to inspire them to want to play outdoors. Another tactic would be to make sure he attends a youth club or joins in the school football team after school, or take him swimming to distract him and show him that there is more that they can enjoy doing than playing on computer games.
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The Perfect Family Trip
With the six week break of summer holidays fast approaching there’s a lot of free time ahead to plan for. Children should have days to simply do their own thing, get bored, relax and just hang out with their friends and play, but no school holiday would be the same without the odd day out thrown in. We tasked four families to test out local attractions and give us their verdicts.
OUR DAY OUT The Al-Hadithi’s
Port Sunlight Museum & Garden Village
1. One website has details on both the village and museum. A quick Google search will find it. 2. Heritage in a beautiful village. Sense of plenty to do and see. 3. Road, rail or bus. There are two stations nearby, Bebington and Port Sunlight, both in walking distance. 4. Leave the car at home, the trains leave every 15 minutes from Liverpool Central. 5. You’ll want to spend as much time outdoors as indoors so if it’s wet bring a brollie. 6. Designing soap packets, as well as a dressing up box. A vintage bus takes you around the village on event days. 7. Gardens are stunning and well kept.
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Perfect planning Great expectations Are we there yet? If we went again Top tip What there was to do – hands on 10/10 Could do better Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun Short changed or value for money What the kids said What the parents said Come rain or shine Smiles all round Learning zone Greeny points Food glorious food Retail opportunity Anti climax Tell a friend
8. Museum could be bigger 9. With the museum, workshops, tea rooms
19. It was a great day out with plenty to do. 20. Lovely village, lots to do, easy to get to.
and the village you can easily spend a whole afternoon. 10. £9.99 for a family ticket (based on 2+2). 11. The vintage bus was definitely a big hit! 12. It’s all about the cakes at the Edwardian tea rooms. 13. Mix of indoor and outdoor things to do. 14. There’s enough to do so you don’t get bored. 15. Good way of learning about Merseyside history. 16. Bus or train is the easiest way to get there. 17. Newly opened Edwardian tea shop above the Museum, plus the village takes part in an annual food festival 18. No gift shop in Port Sunlight Village would be complete without Sunlight Soap!
Wouldn’t hesitate!
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The O’Brien’s
Martin Mere, Burscough
1. Key information highlighted in one colour. Easy to find out everything you need to know to plan your trip. 2. No frills website so could be underwhelmed before you visit 3. Ticks all boxes from car, train, and bicycle to on foot! 4. Would plan to be there for longer - it offers a true full day out. 5. Adventure outdoor play area first and let the kids go wild before embarking on a walk around the centre with a promise to go back at the end.
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6. Hand feed birds, pond dipping, indoor craft activities, trail quizzes, bug hunts and during summer holidays specially themed events. 7. Baby ducks everywhere! 8. Really can’t think of any. 9. A full day out. 10. Not the cheapest on paper but spend the day and do everything on offer making the most of the adventure play area and you would be hard pushed to find better value for money. The educational value and contribution to conservation you are making should not be forgotten. 11. When can we go again? 12. The original twitters are the best. 13. Always pack a kagool – but with indoor craft activities, a really good cafe and bird hides all around the centre there is plenty of cover on offer. 14. Definitely smiles all round. 15. It would be hard to surpass the educational value – the centre is a hive of wildlife activity with interesting facts and information provided throughout. 16. With its close proximity to 3 railway stations and a 2 ml trail along footpaths from Burscough Bridge Interchange and even the signs made from recycled plastic you would struggle to find a greener attraction. The centre also sits on 2 cycle routes and if the journey from home is too far there is the option to hire bikes locally and cycle part of the journey. Added greeny touch reduced admissions if you travel there without your car. 17. Homemade and healthy grub or take a picnic. 18. The shop can easily be avoided if you don’t want to spend but it is a great place for interesting and different gifts both for adults and children alike and it also has a great stock of garden feeders and bird food. 19. Lives up to its billing. 20. Highly – it is far more than a place for the serious birdwatcher.
The Ormesher’s Knowsley Safari Park
1. Interactive with a fun zone for kids. 2. Plenty of animals to see. 3. Follow the elephant signs, couldn’t be easier by car. 4. Would buy an annual pass it offers excellent value for money. 5. Don’t forget to play the free audio tour as you drive around the park.
6. From creepy crawlies to big cats the park has it all. The baboons definitely like to be hands on so watch your car! 7. Up close and personal with the lions plus the sea lion show is a must see. 8. Cars and baboons don’t mix so be warned and take the safe route option. 9. Safari drive approx 1hr - 1.5hr but with all the other attractions it’s a full day out. 10. £48 for two adults and two kids. Price inclusive of guide, audio tour, sea lion show, bug house and animal farm. 11. Thumbs up. 12. It’s a jungle get me out of here – whilst in the baboon enclosure! 13. Literally you are under your own roof so rain proof. 14. Fantastic fun for all the family. 15. Exciting and educational it combines both brilliantly. 16. It is a car trip but the park itself is a beautiful green, open and natural habitat for the animals. 17. Value for money cafe or picnic near the giraffes. 18. All parks seem to come with a pricey souvenir shop, Knowsley is no different. 19. Yes so much so we bought annual passes. 20. Go go go!
The Barnet’s Wheel of Liverpool
1. Google "Wheel of Liverpool" - the quickest way to get to the relevant part of the site. 2. Does what it says on the tin - great ride, great views in prime waterfront location. 3. Easy to reach and the kids can see it from a distance! 4. Twice is recommended, one day drip and one night ride. 5. Wrap up! It can be breezy up there. 6. Just sit back and enjoy the view. 7. Reaching the top, "you can see our 'ouse from 'ere!" 8. Only for those with vertigo. 9. Around 15 minutes. 10. £18 for two adults and two kids. 11. "That was cool!" 12. "Phew". 13. Much more to see on a bright, clear day.
14. A bonding experience in a private gondola.
15. Good for iconic building spotting and views of the Welsh hills. 16. Central location easy to reach by train to James Street and by buses. 17. Cracking array of eateries in walking distance of the Albert Dock and right outside Pizza Express. 18. Snapshot of the happy riders available to buy at the end of the ride. 19. Yes, panoramic views of Liverpool. 20. Already have.
The Lawrence’s
Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Widnes
1. Enough information on directions and what to do when there. 2. As expected but over too soon. 3. Easy to find by car with alternative routes provided on website. 4. Go during school holidays to see one of the special events running. 5. Coincide the visit with something else in the area and make a full day of it. 6. Hands on activities a plenty which the boys loved especially using chemicals! 7. Glass elevator lift was wonderful just like from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 8. A little dated in parts. 9. Did everything in two hours including some things twice. 10. £15.95 for a family ticket (based on 2 + 2). 11. Can I have a chemistry kit? 12. Still using the soap the boys made. 13. Could go in any weather. 14.. Boys loved the hands on experience which gave Mum the chance to enjoy panoramic views from the observatory. 15. Laboratory setting very like school with plenty of learning resources for children and adults alike. 16. Don’t have to travel by car but not sure how easy train and bus routes are. 17. Good basic food with a quick and friendly service. 18. An educational one with lots of books and science related toys and things to make. 19. Too short a visit would like to have been there longer. 20. Visit during the holidays the events programme sounds exciting.
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Easter chicks!
St Charles Primary School
Schools ‘cracking’ Easter Schools in Merseyside recently enjoyed an egg-citing time with one of the great traditions of Easter - the Easter Bonnet Parade. Pupils from Ranworth Primary, St Charles Primary, Sacred Heart Primary and Greenbank Primary had a ‘cracking’ day as they paraded their various headwear much to the delight of pupils, teachers and parents. “What a colourful way to celebrate easter”, commented one of the parents, “It was great to see allthe hard work by the children and parents”. Ranworth Primary School
Greenbank Primary School
Sacred Heart Primary School
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Apprenticeship News
Parents urged to consider apprenticeships for their children Helping children plan for their future Parents are being urged to look beyond the traditional academic routes and consider valuable vocational learning opportunities, such as Apprenticeships, when helping their children plan for their futures. In Merseyside last year, only 11% of young people who continued studying after the age of 16 opted for an Apprenticeship, with 85% staying on at sixth form or studying at a further education college. Maureen Evans-Olsen, Learner Service Manager at the National Apprenticeship Service, has spoken about how many parents tend to overlook Apprenticeships when advising their children about the future, despite their proven value and increasing popularity with employers and young people. She said: “Many parents remain focussed on ensuring that their children follow traditional academic routes such as A-levels and university. Often knowledge of the possible progression pathways may be limited and some parents may see class room based learning as the best spring board to forging a successful career. A lack of understanding of the Apprenticeship structure and progression opportunities can hinder parents from offering the most up to date information to their children. “Education and training in the UK is changing to ensure that every young person has a high-quality curriculum that will help them achieve their potential, whilst also supporting their progression at 16 and later on into skilled employment. The starting point is the concept of a broad 14–19 entitlement to the right learning opportunities, and the right support to achieve and progress. Learning for young people will lead to qualifications from one of four routes, one of which is an Apprenticeship.” Maureen was keen to highlight the advantages of Apprenticeships over traditional academic routes. “Apprenticeships offer young people the opportunity to learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills, gaining qualifications and earning money at the same time. Apprentices do real jobs for real employers so they earn while they learn and as a consequence are not left with the burden of a high amount of student debt.”
Mo Evans-Olsen
“
Apprenticeships offer young people the opportunity to learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills, gaining qualifications and earning money at the same time
”
She added: “In the current climate I know many parents are worried about the opportunities that will be available to their children after they finish their education or training. An Apprenticeship not only trains young people in the skills employers want, it also opens up further career and learning options. They can carry on working, do more advanced training or even go on to higher education. “Figures show that over 50% of apprentices remain in full time employment after they have completed their framework and many go on to further training and development. Those individuals who opt to follow the further
education route have to begin their job search once they have completed their studies and have no guarantee of finding suitable employment. There is no set rate of pay for apprentices, however all employed apprentices must receive a wage of no less than £95 per week and a recent survey showed that the average wage per week for an apprentice is now around £170 and in some job roles around £210 per week. As skills develop, pay will increase accordingly. An apprentice will receive the same benefits as other employees such as pension contributions, holiday entitlement and further subsidies where they exist. Maureen was keen to highlight how Apprenticeships can help young people pursue a career in a wide range of subjects, and that they can be a valid route to higher education. She said: “Apprenticeships are commonly associated with learning trades such as hairdressing or plumbing, but there are over 190 Apprenticeship frameworks available including subjects that can lead to careers in jobs that many people believe are only accessible through an academic route, such as accounting, marketing communications and teaching through a class room assistant Apprenticeship. After completing an Apprenticeship individuals are able to demonstrate to employers that they have skills, qualifications and attributes that make them good employees. Many employers offer apprentices further opportunities to progress to higher education and provide additional help and support, which increases the chance of promotion and will often be accompanied by a pay rise. Maureen recommends that parents visit the National Apprenticeship website at www.apprenticeships.org.uk <http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk> . Through the website learners have the opportunity to search and apply for Apprenticeship vacancies and once registered they can set up alerts for specific vacancies which will offer a clearer picture of the opportunities available to them. For more information about Apprenticeships visit: www.apprenticeships.org.uk or call 08000 150 600.
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Young Apprentice wants others to follow A St Helens apprentice has urged parents to consider Apprenticeships as a viable alternative to traditional academic routes for their son and daughter. Michael Freeman, 19, from Prescot works as a mechanical engineering apprentice at Pilkington Glass, St Helens. Having decided not to stay in full time education and knowing he wanted to move into the world of engineering, Michael decided an Apprenticeship would be the best way for him to get into his preferred profession. When he left school in 2006, Michael wanted to gain practical on the job training and also have the opportunity to learn by attending college one day a week. He said: “When it came to me leaving school I decided that full time education was not going to be for me. I wanted to do something that was more hands on which would give me more practical experience and grounding in the engineering industry. “It is one of the best decisions I have ever made as it is given me the opportunity to learn on the job, whilst gaining qualifications at college, so in many ways I have had the best of both worlds. “I would seriously urge anyone considering an Apprenticeship to go for it as the opportunities you get are priceless and will benefit you for years to come in your chosen career.” The Pilkington Glass Group has had a long standing commitment to developing apprentices and Keith Arnold, a site engineering manager at Pilkington’s explains how they have made a valuable contribution to the organisation: He said: “Quite simply apprentices are the life blood of not only our business but to the industry as a
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whole. Our business is full of people from top to bottom who have come through the Apprenticeship route as it is the perfect learning ground. “We believe that apprentices are the future and we invest a large amount of time and care into our selection process as we want to find people with the enthusiasm and drive to succeed as well as giving people opportunities and a platform to make something of themselves.” Mark Donnelly, North West Employer Services Manager for the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “Michael is a shining example, he
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highlights the benefits of Apprenticeships for both businesses and the development of young people. “Apprentices receive the training they need through approved training providers and colleges, while the employer gains a new member of staff who will grow and develop along with the business.”
For more information about Apprenticeships visit:
www.apprenticeships.org.uk or call 08000 150 600
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An Open Letter to the Parents of Merseyside’s Young People WE VALUE OUR APPRENTICES As major employers, with the support of trades unions, we are asking you to consider an Apprenticeship to kick-start a successful career for your son or daughter. The future of our organisations will be greatly influenced by the quality of the new staff that we take on now. Young people deserve the very best start to their careers. This can often mean that an Apprenticeship is the right option both for us and for talented and motivated individuals with good GCSE results. We pay our apprentices, support and mentor them with off-the-job and work-based training to gain the skills and experience that the modern world demands. Apprentices aged 16-18 initially work towards gaining an NVQ Level 2 and a recognised technical qualification. In many cases, they will have an opportunity to progress to a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, officially recognised as equivalent to two ‘A’ levels. They can go on to higher level qualifications, including University entrance, and better paid jobs. There are over 190 Apprenticeship Frameworks in the private, public and voluntary sectors. You can get more information online from the National Apprenticeship Service, through schools or Connexions. We urge you, as parents, to look at the hard facts based on the achievements of thousands of Merseyside apprentices. Help your young people to earn while they learn!
Kellie Rixon Alternative Hotels Group
Dean Royles NHS North West
Neil Scales OBE Merseytravel
Dave Eva TUC unionlearn
For further information please visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk This advertisement was placed by the National Apprenticeship Service with support from the European Social Fund.
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Three members of Bosco staff are now CEOP trained. CEOP stands for Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP). It is a multi-agency service dedicated to tackling the exploitation of children. Three of our staff are now qualified Ambassadors and as such are offering our schools the opportunity for staff and pupils in North Liverpool to become aware of e-safety. The centre is currently offering free sessions for both parents and teachers from our primary and secondary schools. The workshop will focus on e-safety. This will inform teachers, support staff and child protection officers on what they should look for and how to prevent incidents. For schools that are interested, we can run a 45 minute workshop presentation, this could be incorporated into your inset days as we can visit during school hours or after school. The prize was a Dell Note Book. The Schools did not need to attend the centre to enter the The Centre is also offering schools the opportunity to bring in classes to the Centre for a competition. half day session. Presently we are offering Choosing the winner was extremely difficult as workshops for groups at Key Stage 2 and Key the standard was so high. We came to a Stage 3. It is recommended that the teacher bringing the group studies the information that we decision that Rice Lane Juniors stood out from will be using at the time of booking, some of the the rest. clips may be upsetting for some students but all We would like to congratulate both Olivia information has been approved by the child Mackay and Sophie Goll both in Year 6 for their safeguarding boards for children of this age. work and effort. If you would like to see the winning entry, you can visit our website on www.boscoclc.org.uk.
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Untitled by Lauren Williams, All Saints Catholic High School
Exhibition highlights talent An exhibition of 71 works from talented young people was on display at the Walker Art Gallery and the World Museum recently. The exhibition ‘Reclaim Your Space’ gave emerging artists from local schools an extraordinary opportunity to exhibit alongside the likes of Monet and Lowry. A number of styles and mediums had been chosen by the young artists to express their outlooks, interests and concerns. Works in watercolour, acrylic, photography, collage, mixed media and even recycled materials featured. Helen MacBryde, Communities Manager at National Museums Liverpool, said: “This opportunity highlighted the talents of young people from across Merseyside and reflected the creativity, skills and diversity of the next generation of artists. We’re delighted to see their work displayed in our venues alongside the masters and hope this will encourage them and others to develop their creative talents.
Louis Foster of the North Liverpool Academy
Pop Art Montage from Debi Robinson of the North Liverpool Academy
Pupils from Archbishop Blanch School
Jodey Muller, Shannon Morris and Antonia Kelly from St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School
Abbie Halman from All Saints Catholic Centre for Learning
Untitled by Lewis Gwynne of Newstead Centre
Untitled by Abigail Holman of All Saints Bobbie Friar, Michael Holliwell, Jackie Hingira, Jack Westhead of St Cuthberts Catholic Community College
Layers by Jodey Muller from St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School
Rihanna Pop Art by Jessica Williams (15) of North Liverpool Academy
My Journey and Liverpool by Sally Carson (17) of Archbishop Blanch School
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Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be in your element Calderstones Specialist Science College has excellent facilities including 15 Science Laboratories, extensive Sports provision, Art rooms and Drama facilities. Our exam results are amongst the best in Liverpool and we always aim to offer each pupil as many opportunities as possible both inside and outside the classroom. For a prospectus call 0151 724 2087 or visit www.calderstones.co.uk
CALDERSTONES SCHOOL A Specialist Science College Harthill Road, Liverpool L18 3HS Tel: 0151 724 2087
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Grease is the word Dazzling performance Pupils from Calderstones School, Liverpool have excelled themselves with their recent production of Grease. Building on the success of last years performance of Bugsy Malone, the school wanted something extremely challenging and with its range of songs from romantic to boisterous, its tricky dance numbers and staging, Grease was the unanimous choice. This brought together a wide range of people from the school community pupils, teachers and support staff - into a team with their focus on generating a dazzling production. The end result was a marvellous and truly professional production that had the audience spellbound throughout and finished on each night with a well deserved, thunderous round of applause.
Natalie Gornell and Renos Georgiou
Danny Zuko – Renos Georgiou Sandy Dumbrowski – Elise Larkin Frenchy – Natalie Gornell
Niamh Mecer
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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
ES
T
A H QU'IL
BON
LE BON DIE U
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Launch of Notre Dame ArtsBus New mobile arts centre The ArtsBus, operated by Notre Dame Catholic College for the Arts, was welcomed by Liverpool’s arts, education and business sectors at a launch event at the Isla Gladstone Conservatory. Over 250 children from Liverpool who take part in the colleges primary Outreach programme entertained the specially invited guests, including musicians, dancers and dramatists from the college’s MAT COMPANY. The high-tech bus, which operates as a mobile arts centre, will launch to the public at the opening of Notre Dame’s Summer Arts Festival on 28 June.
The ArtsBus outside the Isla Gladstone Conservatory in Stanley Park Left: Bishop Tom Williams with Notre Dame Head Christine McCann Below Left: Phil Stewart, Head of St Vincents Catholic Primary whose pupils took part in the launch with Elizabeth Macfarlane, National Specialism Coordinator for Visual Arts and Media at the Speciaiist Schools and Academies Trust Below: Gordon Ross Director of Creative Universe Ltd with Jonathan Dickson Head of Liverpool Music Support Service
Karl Smith, non-Executive Director Liverpool PCT, Notre Dame head Christine McCann, Liverpool City Council Director for Children, Adults and Family Services Stuart Smith, Director of Arts at Notre Dame Lesley Bentley
Stuart Smith, Director for Children, Adults and Family Services at Liverpool City Council officially launches the ArtsBus
The Chinese Dragon was led around the Conservatory grounds in Stanley Park
Pupils brought 2.5 metre puppets that added to the carnival feel of the launch event
Notre Dame Catholic College’s Business Manager Simon Holden, Assistant Headteacher Andy Rannard and Ged O’Driscoll, Head of Year
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Blackmoor on the catwalk Pupils strutt their stuff Pupils from Blackmoor Park Junior School, West Derby recently strutted their stuff on the catwalk in a fashion show to help raise funds for the school. Blackmoor Parents and Teachers Association organised the show in association with Clotheshorsekids and helped to raise over £370 for the school. The whole evening proved to be a big hit with everyone. Headteacher Mr Davies, said: “The event went really well and was enjoyed by parents and children alike, the children really enjoyed being models for the night”.
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What’s your next step? Liverpool is committed to providing all young people with education and training opportunities that make the most of the resources and talent in the city. For you this will extend the opportunities available for your future. This will include: Explore the three progression route areas of vocational/apprenticeship, diplomas (as they become available) and academic learning to find the best learning style at a level that suits you!
Vocational Courses You may want to choose a vocational course if you have an interest in a particular area of work or have a career path in mind like music, business, health and social care or sport. These courses can prepare you for work or university. Some, like NVQs or City and Guilds, are very practical but other courses like BTECs and (Applied) A levels involve more study. You can study at school, college or with a Work Based Learning provider - there will be something to suit you whatever your GCSE results.
Apprenticeships and Young Apprenticeships You may think of applying for an apprenticeship if you would like to combine work and training. Apprenticeships are available in most jobs e.g. engineering, retail and office work. You need to speak to your Connexions Personal Advisor who can tell you about vacancies and help you to apply. If you’re not certain which job you want to do you may be interested in an e2e programme which can help you to build your confidence and gain new skills.
General Academic Courses You may be interested in an academic course if you want to carry on studying a broader range of subjects which will keep your options open for longer. You can choose A levels or the International Baccalaureate and will be able to study completely new subjects like psychology and law. You can study at school or college. The schools in Liverpool and the college work closely together so they can offer you the combination of subjects you choose. You will need good GCSE results for both of these programmes.
Diplomas The biggest innovation in the curriculum in many years is the government's flagship Diploma programme. Diplomas are a form of applied learning designed with businesses and will involve applying learning in a real working environment very often out of school and with a business - 'bringing learning to life'. They are available in 8 areas from this September - for a full list see the i-chooseliverpool web-site.
Money To Learn Money matters are important to consider as you plan your future. The 14-19 Partnership is here to support learners who need additional support or who are from households on free school meals to enable them to achieve and ‘narrow the gap’ with the achievement rates of the rest of the learners.
the what why when where how of finding your way… For more information on how the 14-19 Partnership can help you
www.i-chooseliverpool.org.uk Improving life opportunities for all our young people through improving Curriculum opportunities • Impartial advice and guidance • The quality of provision
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Goodison here we come
Alsop Hig h School
All Saints High School
Football challenge Young people from 22 schools in Liverpool and Knowsley recently teamed up to take part in an anti-guncrime seven-a-side football tournament organised by Merseyside Police. The Matrix Challenge Shield is part of an anti-guncrime initiative put together by the Force's specialist Matrix team. The day saw 15 boys teams and 12 girls teams taking part in the tournament. The contest involved over 350 children, aged between 11 and 13 years, and the games took place at the Soccer Centre on Walton Hall Avenue. The three group winners and the best overall runner up on each day qualify for the semi-finals and final to be played on 21 May at Everton Football Club. All the children who took part in the tournament received participation medals trophies will be awarded in May. The day saw some excellent footballing skills and entertaining football from all teams. The tournament saw Calderstones, Christ The King Centre For Learning, Broughton Hall and St Julies progressing through to the next rounds at Goodison.
Calderstones School
Broughton Hall
ning Christ the King Centre for Lear
Kirkby Sports Colleg e
St John Bosco Arts College
St Edmund Arrowsmith
Shorefields High School
St Julieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s High School
North Liverpool Academy
Notre Dame College
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Liverpool College HMC Independent School Girls and Boys, Ages 3-18 We would be delighted to arrange an individual visit for you and your family to show you what Liverpool College has to offer.
OUR ANNUAL YEAR 5 ACTIVITY AFTERNOON WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY 23RD JUNE For further information please contact Sally Loveridge : Telephone - 0151 724 4000 ext 228 E-Mail â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sloveridge@liverpoolcollege.org.uk www.liverpoolcollege.org.uk 60
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Runners from Notre Dame College
School’s keep on running Teams battle for titles Round three of the Merseyside Schools Midweek Cross-Country League, took place at Sefton Park, Liverpool recently with James Barrington (Archbishop Beck), Daniel Jarvis and Matthew Byrne (both St Anselm’s) the individual winners in boys Year 7, 8 & 9 and 10 & 11 races respectively. In the two junior races, St Margaret’s finished top in the team event, with St Anselm’s taking the honours in the senior. At the same Sefton Park meeting, Zoe Tynan (Calderstones) was first in the Year 7 race, with St Hilda’s taking the team event. Isobel Perez (King David) and Sacred Heart were similarly successful in Year 8 & 9. St Julie’s claimed a winning double in Year 10, with Rebecca Donoghue leading the Woolton school home.
Ready for the off
Runners from Gateacre Comprehensive School
Some course-side coaching Winner of the Boys race Matthew Byrne of St Anselm’s School
Winner of Year 7 race Zoe Tynan of Calderstones Archbishop Beck runners
Team St Hildas
The girls from Bellerive FCJ College
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5 2
1
3
4
Come on 10
Celebrate and get behind England as they bid for world cup victory with our pick of world cup and football themed goodies.
12 11
1. Union jack tankini Matalan, £6.00
5. Official England phlat ball M & S, £9.50
2. UNION JACK CUSHION NEXT, £12.00
6. World cup England nodding dog, Halfords, £4.99
3. World Cup England megaphone Halfords, £9.99
7. England gazebo B & Q, £14.98
4. Go England whistle charm necklace Accessorize, £8.00
8. FOOTBALL BBQ TESCO, £15.00
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7
6
8 9
England 15
16
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9. England garden gnome B & Q, £9.98
13. Official England 4ft football table, Next, £99.00
10. Union jack swim shorts Matalan, £3.50-£4.50
14. Match magazine W H Smith, £4.99
11. England face paint set Accessorize, £4.00
15. England inflatable chair BHS, £15.00
12. Pack of 2 world cup England bands, George Kids, £2.00
16. England beach towel BHS, £10.00
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Archbishop Blanch CE High School A Technology College Training School Applied Learning School Mount Vernon Road, Liverpool L7 3EA email: admin@blanch.org.uk tel: 0151 709 1452 website: www.abblanch.com
Apply for a place on your daughter’s aptitude for Music or Art
OPEN EVENING FOR YEAR 7 ADMISSION 2011
MONDAY, 5TH JULY 2010 at 6.00pm “Good transition arrangements enable year 7 pupils to settle well” Ofsted 2008
A VERY WARM WELCOME AWAITS YOU “Every child has a gift or talent given to them by God and it is our purpose to discover and develop this to the full” Jane Griffiths, Headteacher
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Viewpoint
What are your hopes for education under a new Government? With spending on education being one of the thornier issues awaiting the new government we ask what are the hopes for the future of education
Dewi Phillips
Julia Shaw
Dewi Phillips, Head Teacher Childwall Sports College The future belongs to those who are educated for it! This has been the watch word for all at Childwall Sports College and it has served us well over the past few years to remind us that there is nothing more important for the future success of our country, than for all our youngsters to be educated in readiness for what continues to be a rapidly changing society. Our politicians must commit themselves to providing opportunities for Lifelong Learning for all our citizens to ensure that everybody plays a full and valuable part in the life in each and every community. There are still too many youngsters who do not have the opportunity to learn from opportunities provided outside the main stream curriculum. Politicians must continue to invest in and must ensure that there are appropriate pathways for all our students especially in the run up to the Raising of the Participation Age (RPA) which will affect the current year 8 students at all our secondary schools. Julia Shaw, School Governor The Blue Coat School, Liverpool Given all the uncertainties we face from the creation of this coalition and where budget cuts have to be made to tackle the massive deficit, we are fortunate that a clear commitment has already been made to invest an EXTRA ÂŁ2.5bn in the education of over one million children who currently face the greatest challenges in their backgrounds. This will, we hope, cut class sizes, offer more one to one tuition and provide 'catch up' lessons so that the gap between the quality of education for rich and poor children is narrowed.
Funding is going to be a recurrent problem for education ministers including staffing, buildings, equipment and innovation. We asked our panel about what stance the new Government should take and what they would like to see as their priorities, if any, for education.
Avis Gilmore, Regional Secretary, North West Region NUT Having had the mantra of Education, Education, Education lead to the introduction of academies without any accountability to the community they serve one of the hopes for education under the new government must be that they leave education alone as it seemed an impossible hope that they will be returned to the integrated comprehensive education system we need. Hopefully the policies can be implemented on funding schools to support disadvantaged pupils, slim down the curriculum testing and reform Ofsted. Avis Gilmore
Dr John Cater, Vice-Chancellor Edge Hill University My first hope would be that the incoming government sustains and develops what has been achieved in the past decade. According to OfSTED, the current generation of teachers are the best-trained ever, school buildings have improved and, however intractable it may appear, there have been advances in pupil attainment. In higher education, more and better qualified students are obtaining places at university and, in time, they will help improve the competitiveness of the UK in the global market. But the banking crisis has already seen threats to, and cuts in, investment in education. My hope is that the new government continues to value the importance of education to the long-term future of our economy and society, at a time when unemployment is rising.
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
Dr John Cater Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils
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Book Review
In association with
by Jennifer Dobson
5-8 Years I Believe in Unicorns by Michael Morpurgo – £4.99 This is a magical tale, beginning with a boy called Tomas who hates books and stories. Forced to visit the library he is drawn into listening to talks about unicorns set against the backdrop of war torn Europe. This tale explores the power of stories… Doctor Proctors Fart Powder by Jo Nesbo – £5.99 Sometimes what every reader needs is a book that will make them laugh uncontrollably! Doctor Proctors Fart Powder tells of Nilly, Lisa and of course the Doctor getting up to mischief and making, as usual! Nesbo at his finest. Jamie and Angus Together by Anne Fine – £4.99 This is a truly beautiful tale of friendship between a boy and his cat, which both realise that playing isn’t fun unless there doing it together. Delightfully illustrated and gently reassuring. Once best friends, always best friends…
9-12 Years Fiction The Last Ghost by Helen Stringer – £8.99 Belladonna’s first adventure is a well written tale of a teenager and not a normal one at that! She can see ghosts and lives with two of them that happen to be her parents! Enchanting and fast paced. An author to watch out for. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart – £6.99 It’s been a year since the Mysterious Benedict Society were last together but now Mr Benedict has a special surprise for the children in honour of their one year anniversary. Not that anything ever goes smoothly and soon the children begin another great journey. Stewart returns with magical adventures once more! Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore – £6.99 A beautiful tale set in a Victorian type setting best described as memorable, delicate and ethereal. Telling of beautiful exotic Nimra whose dream of performing has always gone down the poverty path, until she meets a mysterious man, Mr Parry. Evil times and fairytales combined. A Wonderful tale.
Teenage Fiction Blood Ninja by Nick Lake – £11.99 Young Taro is living the simple life of a fisherman until his best friend is attacked by Ninja’s in their humble village. Luckily he is saved by a mysterious Ninja but fatally wounded he must choose between death or becoming a vampire. Entertaining, vampire, Ninja’s and sword fighting. Could you ask for more? Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones – £12.99 When Andrew Hope’s magician grandfather dies and he is left the house, all he can remember are the stain glass windows in the kitchen door and vegetables that were completely inedible growing on top of the garden shed. Nothing is simple. A young boy turns up at the house looking for safety and a strong connection becomes apparent between the two boys. Magical and mysterious! Luke and Jon by Robert Williams – £6.99 Jon is massively strange. He wears 1950’s clothes and has a twitch. The kids at school pick on him but then Luke discovers his secret. A coming of age novel about family bereavement and emotionally acute. A fantastic debut!
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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LIVERPOOL MUSIC SUPPORT SERVICE ES
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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NOTRE DAME CATHOLIC COLLEGE FOR THE ARTS
Let’s make some noise The Liverpool Music Support Service have been providing music education in the city for over 40 years. With our expert instrument and vocal tutoring, free instrument loans and a wide variety of exciting performance opportunities, we encourage young people to make music together and, in turn, help to nurture some of the finest young musicians in our city. We’d love to hear from you.
To hear more contact us on 0151 264 6622 or email musicservice@notredame.liverpool.sch.uk www.liverpoolmusicsupportservice.com
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WHERE CAN WE GO? Your guide to what’s happening out & about in Merseyside
Not to be d misse
Cirque Du Soleil Saltimbanco
The Hobbit
Echo Arena Liverpool 26th-30th May 2010 Tickets £40
Liverpool Empire Theatre 8th-12th June 2010 Enjoy the sights, sounds and excitement of the best selling fantasy novel ever written, in this fresh spectacular live theatre production with sparkling new magical effects - perfect for Hobbit fans both young and old. Bilbo Baggins, a quiet and contented Hobbit, has his life turned upside down when he is chosen by Gandalf the Sorcerer to join Thorin Oakenshield, exiled king of the Dwarves, on his quest to reclaim their kingdom and treasure. A frightening but magical journey - a journey from which they may never return. The adventurers battle through the Misty Mountains, wind, rain, hail and thunderstorms, narrowly escaping Trolls, Goblins, Wolves and Giant Spiders. Finally Bilbo alone must face the guardian of the treasure, the most feared dragon in all Middle Earth - Smaug ... Join them as they travel "there and back again".
Classic Cirque at its best, Saltimbanco is a thrilling and kaleidoscopic celebration of awe inspiring artistry and agility. It features breathtaking acrobatics and unbelievable athleticism during solo spotlights and epic ensembles. From the seemingly impossible balancing, jumping and spinning during the Chinese Poles or the Russian Swing to the gravity-defying Bungees and Trapeze, the crowd pleasing Juggling and Acrobatic Bicycle, to the celebrated and very unique Clowns. Technical expertise and extravagant design are woven together by uplifting spectacular costumes, amazing lighting, humour and enchanting music and magic.
Liverpool city centre will be transformed into a celebration of all things powerful as The Strand is opened to the public and a selection of the world’s finest vehicles sprint up the 500m strip. Salthouse Dock will host Jet Ski stunt displays, Power Boat & Hovercraft racing, whilst the Breitling Wing Walkers take to the skies, unveiling their new livery and wowing the crowds with their awesome formation flying aerobatic display. Free event 68
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FUTURE EVENTS
Liverpool Pageant of Power Must The Strand, Liverpool See Tuesday 25th May 2010
Downy Duckling Week
HUB Festival 2010
Saturday 29th May Sunday 6th June Martin Mere, Fish Lane, Burscough 01704 895181
29th-30th May Otterspool Prom Liverpool Free Event
Visit the duckling nursery and see the cute sights of young ducklings and goslings. See the whole egg to duckling process watching chipping eggs, new born ducklings. Also plastic duck races - For £1 purchase your own duck, customise it with felt tips and bring it along to the race at 3pm to throw in.
You’re invited to the UK’s biggest and best, award winning urban youth festival; skaters, b-boys, bgirls and bands will take over Otterspool Prom for a bank holiday weekend of rockin’ out to some sweet beats, chillin’ with your mates and having an allround amazing time
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FILM REVIEW
GAME REVIEW
Iron Man 2
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
Rated 12A Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke, Don Cheadle, Samuel L Jackson
Available on PLAYSTATION® 3, PSP®, XBOX 360® and Wii
Verdict: ★★★★✩ By Lucy Jackson
Verdict: ★★★★★ By Andy Kelly
Having recently watched Iron Man 2, I was pleasantly surprised that it has remained in keeping with its first instalment, as some sequels tend to fall flat and disappoint. Although I enjoyed the first film more, Robert Downey Junior has the ability to draw you into the character of Tony Stark once again and provides another charismatic performance. This film is every young boy’s dream with fighting robots, gadgets galore and bad guys you love to hate, such as Ivan Vanko aka Whiplash (Mickey Rourke), lightning-striking his way onto the screen. However, this is also one for girls who like their comic movies and enjoy watching feisty, female characters standing their ground, even in high heels. Iron Man 2 introduces Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), as well as Don Cheadle replacing Terrence Howard in the role of Tony Stark’s best friend, Jim Rhodes. This is one for everyone; a storyline about love, friendship, trust and overcoming your inner demons, as well as fighting your enemies. The film allows you to watch each of the main characters develop throughout, as well as packing in fun action sequences and special effects. Watch out for Iron Man’s first appearance, entrances do not come much better than this.
Everything fans love about the World Cup has come to life in spectacular detail, including confetti rain, streamers and fireworks—just like the official tournament. I felt as though I was carrying the hopes and dreams of a nation into battle against fans from rival countries, from the group stage through the knockout rounds to the chance to be crowned 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa champion. You are also able to manage nations that failed to qualify for South Africa this is the chance to replay and re-write history, all 199 national teams that took part in qualification rounds are featured, plus also are all 10 official stadiums that are to be used in South Africa and stadiums from each qualifying region. The basic gameplay works similarly to FIFA 10, but with a new penalty shootout system and new adapted features for the high altitude South African stadia, that accurately simulate the effects of fatigue. With crowds and fans replicated as realistically as the players themselves this has all the features of the regular FIFA games with all the atmosphere of the greatest show on Earth. Definitely a must for the serious gamer and if England fail to win the World Cup, at least you have a chance of winning it.
Lord Mayors Pageant
5th June Liverpool City Centre Free Event The Liverpool Lord Mayor’s Pageant winds its way through the city centre each June. The mayor’s horse-drawn carriage is followed by a host of carnival floats, marching bands, cheerleaders and hundreds more costumed performers on foot.
Liverpool Triathlon
27th June Liverpool City Centre Free Event
Greato one t h watc
Participants in the UK's newest major triathlon swim, bike and run whilst taking in Liverpool's World Heritage Sites, including The Liver Building, Albert Dock, and the brand new Liverpool Echo Arena. Swim takes place in Queen's and Wapping Dock.
Knowsley Flower Show
Plantastic!
Sunday 8th August 11.00am - 5.00pm Court Hey Park, Huyton 0151 443 5619 Free Event
Until 5th September World Museum Liverpool William Brown Street Tel: 0151 478 4393 Free Event
The North West’s biggest free flower show with more than blooms. Includes falconry displays, guided walks, craft demonstrations, dog obedience, arts workshops and circus skills, fairground rides, plus the Youth Arts Friendship field with live music, dance and activities
Discover the secret world of plants in Plantastic!, an interactive exhibition for all the family. Younger and older visitors alike will be entertained and astonished by a magical realm of giant leafy canopies, massive seed pods.
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My School Days Ken Skupski – British Davis Cup Tennis Player
My School I attended King David High School, Liverpool from primary school through to sixth form before heading to the States on a tennis scholarship at Louisiana State University (LSU). My Favourite Teacher My favourite teacher was Mr Johnson. He was very good at getting the kids to get their work completed as well as enjoy their time in lessons. He unfortunately passed away soon after I left. Were you streetwise or a bit of a geek? I felt like I was part of the trendy groups in school but I also had a geeky side. I probably had the best of both worlds.
My Favourite Childhood Singer/Band I was a big fan of all music but Elton John was and still is a legend!
My Favourite Extra-Curricular Activity I didn't really have much time for extra curricular activities due to my commitment to tennis. I would help tutor younger kids from the lower years if they needed me but that wasn't very often. I quite liked showing them how to do certain things because it gave me satisfaction that they were learning. Do you remember your first school crush? I cannot remember my first crush in school but I did have a big enough crush on one of my teachers that I ended up taking business studies in sixth form to make sure I was seeing her on a daily basis. Her name was Miss Jones. My Favourite Book My first book was James and the Giant Peach. I cannot remember anything about it but I really did enjoy reading it. School Dinners I love my mums food and she made an awesome packed lunch. My Ambitions at School Make sure I gave my best and gain the grades I needed to go to university.
Tennis player, Ken Skupski has been described as one of Britain’s rising tennis stars and holds the distinction of rising higher through the rankings than any British player who began the year without an official ranking. After leaving King David High School, Ken spent four years at Louisiana State University (LSU) in New Orleans before moving back to his “beloved” Liverpool. Ken recently represented Great Britain in the Davis Cup match partnering Colin Flemming and was described as being a “shining light” after his winning debut against Lithuania also claiming Britain's first Davis Cup doubles win since 2007.
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Top of the class. Outstanding.
Taster Day for year 5 pupils Tuesday 6 July 2010 Bellerive is a popular and oversubscribed college, admitting Catholic girls from across the city. It has been nationally recognised as a high achieving school and was graded â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Outstandingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the most recent inspections. This taster day is an opportunity for year 5 pupils to visit and experience sample lessons, activities and lunch in our dining centre. This shortened, but highly enjoyable day, will help parents decide on their choice of school for 2011.
Please email: tasterday2010@bellerivefcj.org or telephone 0151 727 2064 for an invitation for your daughter to attend, giving name, age and current school.
Bellerive FCJ Catholic College Specialising in the Sciences, Maths, Computing and Applied Learning Headteacher Sister Brigid Halligan FCJ MSc OBE, Windermere Terrace, Sefton Park, Merseyside, L8 3SB Call 0151 727 2064 or visit www2.bellerivefcj.org
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An all-round education Our curriculum is designed to ensure everyone reaches full potential. We have made outstanding progress, being identified as ‘in the top 10 most improved schools nationally for 5 A*-C grades with English and Maths’.
Archbishop Beck Where only the best will do Open Evening Thursday 23 September 6pm – 8pm
Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College Cedar Road, Liverpool, L9 9AF Telephone:0151 525 6326 ADVEN IAT
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www.archbishopbeck.com