Headlines December 2013

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Awards Evening The class of 2013 returned to receive their certificates, awards and prizes and enjoy a reunion with friends and staff. This was the first reunion in the new school and it was a fitting environment in which to celebrate such great success. It was a delight to see them all again, chat over old times and discover what they are doing now.

Amongst our guests were, Chair of Governors, Councillor Stef Nelson, one of the first Head Boys of the Grange, Mr Alfie Neild and recently retired former science teacher, Mr Paul Spracklen. Returning for one night only was former Progress Leader of the class of 2013, Mr Rob Higgins who left in the summer to take up a new post as Assistant Headteacher at Bluecoat School in Oldham. Our guest speaker for the evening was Mrs Mary Murphy, Principal of Cronton Sixth Form College and Riverside College.

Award Winners Hilda Clare Award Anne Walker Award Betty Rose IT Award ICT Prize Graphics Prize Resistant Materials Prize Catering Prize Sadie Gates Award Child Development Prize Dave Walker Drama Award PE Prize Clare Sports Award Art Prize Music Prize Gordon Hughes Music Prize History Prize Geography Prize French Prize Statistics Prize Spanish Prize Science Prize English Prize Drama Prize Muriel Preece English Prize EBacc Achievement Award EBacc Effort Award Bibby Effort Award Pat Withington Progress Award Alfie Neild Award Knowelden Award Progress Leader Award Head Teacher Award Mathematics Prize Pilgrim Science Prize General Studies Prize 100% Attendance 100% Attendance

Jasmine Crawford Joel Mathurin Lewis McAllister Hayden Hodgson Natasha Crowley Connor Hope Kirsty Yates Lara Houghton Kayleigh Baxter Kieron Barnes Todd Avis Matthew Dunbabin Bethany Rogers Bethany White Emily Harrington Emily Harrington Anna Johnson Anna-Louise Timms Anna-Louise Timms Liam Kolender Luke McGarry Ritchie Redmond Ritchie Redmond Lauren Sutherland Leanne Rigby Ryan Bellfield Jamiee Allen and Adam Main Natalia Cieslak Callum Colquitt Reece Moore Jack McAdam Amy Pinkney Amy Pinkney Amy Pinkney Amy Pinkney Anna Johnson Liam Kolender

The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.

The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.

July 2013 Issue

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

House Event 5: Subbuteo Tournament The house system held a ‘small’ football tournament with a variety of year 9 and 10 students this term. The Grange Subbuteo Football Tournament was held in the English Faculty Stadium. Students from all four houses took part in the competition with each house playing each other. Two stadiums were created in the English wing with seating provided for supporters.

The players took to the pitch to the tune of Match of the Day and set out their teams in a variety of formations. The first matches played out over the 5 minute halves were both draws and giving each house their starting point. Game Two began with a flurry of goals on both tables and the second half saw more of them with Priory and Castle turning out as the victors in those games.

To the final game with it all hanging in the balance, the tension throughout the stands was palpable. The whistle went to kick off the first half. With teams so evenly matched it was hard to make a breakthrough and honours even at halftime. As the second half wore on, Castle took the lead on one pitch and on the other table Brindley scored. Although there were valiant comebacks on both tables when the final whistle went, it left Castle House undefeated in first place to lift the cup. Priory and Brindley claimed joint second, followed by, Bridgewater in 3rd place.

The event sees the overall House scoreboard as Priory 1st, Castle 2nd and Brindley and Bridgewater joint 3rd. Thanks to all who took part or supported the event especially Mr Burton for his outstanding commentary skills.

The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.

Headlines

GRANGE SCHOOL Children in Need 2013 Monday 11th November – Friday 15th November

In November, staff and students got very involved in the annual Children in Need appeal and, throughout the week, many and varied

Finally, staff and students paid a staggering £364.08 to see Taylor (The Assassin) Goodall take on Mr Rodriguez for one minute, demonstrating her exceptional Taekwondo skills in the Sports hall during Friday break. It was supposed to be Mr Carney but he sustained a serious injury walking over to the event!

competitions and activities were organised….

A big ‘thank you’ to the many staff and students who were involved during the

Rebecca Bellamy and Chloe Sloan in Y11 produced and sold Pudsey Key

week and helped us to raise

£1414.80

in total.

Rings which realised a total profit of £138.57.

We look forward to Sports Relief on Friday 21st March 2014!

Mrs Croft and her Y8 students made their own cakes and sold them at break and lunchtime throughout the week raising £156.48.

For the second year running Miss Ellis and her form raised a massive amount of money £196.20 from their sponsored event.

Miss Atkinson organised a very successful raffle of

a

signed

MUFC

football

raising

a

magnificent £335.10.

The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Visit to Simonsfield

Christmas Carol Concert

Tuesday 10th December Staff and students from The Grange School visited Simonsfield Care Home in Boston Avenue to deliver a Christmas hamper and Christmas cards. The event was jointly organised by our SEN and music departments. Year 11 students designed and made the individual cards and put together the hamper. Our music students and staff provided the entertainment with series of musical interludes during the visit which the residents enjoyed and participated by singing along with the carols. Students then chatted with the residents while handing out the hand made personalised Christmas cards.

On Thursday 12th December we held our Christmas Carol Service at St Andrews, Grangeway. The students’ performances rose to the occasion magnificently. Those involved were: Abbie Griffiths, Alisha Nuttall, Alisha Parr, Anthony Goble, Belinda McCashin, Beth McComish, Cameron Sherman, Chris Keoghan, Courtney Abbott, Demi-Lee Rogers, Jade Ryder, Kimberley Beech, Lauren Hoyle, Leah Drinkwater, Leanne Burns, Lily Gaynor, Luke Eaton, Megan Hutton, Natasha Preston, Paige O’Sullivan, Ruby McAdam, Ryan Harper, Sam Peters, Shannon O’Reilly, Tricia Mann and Tony Allford.

The evening was very well attended by family and members of the community who all joined in to add to the cheery, festive atmosphere which was evident to all.

The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.

GRANGE SCHOOL

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Anti-Bullying Ambassadors National Anti-Bullying Conference 2013 As part of The Grange School’s involvement in Anti-Bullying Week 2013, twelve of the school’s Anti-Bullying Ambassadors attended a trip on Thursday 21st November to the DW Stadium in Wigan along with 300 other young people from the North of the country.

Upon arrival the students were issued with their own ambassador t-shirts and requested to sign an anti-bullying pledge wall created by Facebook UK and The Diana Award. The wall was then given to HRH The Prince of Wales the following day, which he also signed himself.

The day began with anti-bullying champion Alex Holmes leading the day and inspiring the students with a question and answer session with a panel including members of the youth board, the Policy and Programme Manager from Facebook UK and Staff from NSPCC Childline. The debate was chaired by Charlene White from ITV news. The students then participated in two workshops for the remainder of the day.

The Grange students produced a wonderful piece of graffiti art with an anti-bullying message, which will be on display in school. After lunch, and a musical performance by new band Rixton, the students participated in Dance, Music or poetry sessions led by well-known artists. During the Music session, students wrote a chorus to their own song and performed it, with Rixton, in front of the rest of the delegates at the conference. Students who selected dance also had the opportunity to perform their work with one of the participants from X Factor’s Code Red group.

At the end of the day, there was a huge balloon release in the stadium with pledges attached to the balloons.

Hundreds of different coloured balloons were sent into the atmosphere much to the delight of all the students.

Throughout the day the students were filmed in their activities and a DVD was made and produced by The Diana Award to mark the wonderful contribution of the young people. This will be on the Anti-Bullying Ambassadors website.

Members of the press were present throughout the day from CBBC Newsround, ITV Granada and Channel 4 and a news article was made surrounding the event and televised during the regional news on Friday evening!

The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.

Headlines

GRANGE SCHOOL

Students Take the Lead in Literacy Last month we informed you about The Grange School Literacy

The first of the Grange School Reading Mentors will

Leadership initiative. Mr Simpson has now formally launched the

commence training in January 2014. The Grange is

scheme by way of a week of Literacy-themed assemblies. Literacy

proud to be a reading school. If you’d like some

Leadership roles are now available for students at three levels;

guidance on how to read with your child, please visit

bronze,

the following link:

silver

and

gold.

Promotional

banners

are

displayed

prominently around school to remind our students of this fantastic opportunity to take on a leadership role within the school and make a real difference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p--tMO6Ks4 Here you’ll find a short instructional video, produced by the Grange featuring our Head Boy Tony Allford

We are proud to announce that a group of year 10 students have

and Head Girl Georgia Worswick, packed with help-

become the first to be awarded their bronze Literacy Leadership

ful hints and tips about conducting a guided or

award. Congratulations must also go to Amy Dignall

paired reading session.

(10HES) for becoming our first Silver Literacy Leader. Amy achieved this feat by producing a Literacy-based resource which helps students structure their answers to

We would ask that you actively encourage your child

six-mark questions on the ICT Unit 1 GCSE paper. Well done, Amy!

to ‘Take the Lead in Literacy’ as we look to build on

Amy’s resource will be added to the Literacy Toolkit soon.

the initial success of the Literacy Leadership scheme.

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GRANGE SCHOOL

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The Grange Factor 2014

Christmaths Puzzle

The Grange School (Primary) were crowned as the winners of the first heat of The Grange Factor 2014 hosted by The Grange School (Secondary) on 27th November 2013!

The Grange will now be in the final of the Grange Factor 2014 along with the eventual winners from the second, third and fourth heats.

The Grange Factor competition consists of a number of events loosely based upon Television’s ‘The Krypton Factor’ in which Year 5 pupils from Runcorn Primary schools compete for the Grange Factor Trophy. This is the second year of the competition and will be held on an annual basis Each school selected four year five pupils to represent them in The Grange Factor which pitted the contestants against each other in both physical and mental challenge similar to those featured on ITV’s ‘The Krypton Factor’.

Answer to last months question

The Grange, Gorsewood and Runcorn All Saints battled for a place in the final by competing in four events. Again, amongst the challenges were; a general knowledge quiz, making the tallest tower from spaghetti and marsh mallows, an observation game and a puzzle round.

The Grange were ultimately crowned winners of the first heat after a tough close contest where the lead changed hands a number of times after each round, the contestants from the three schools are to be congratulated on their knowledge and exemplary conduct. The competition will resume after the Christmas break with further heats taking place on the 15th January 2014, 26th February 2014 and 19th March 2014 and the final following on the 14th May 2014.

3

/

0 1/ 1

Finding two numbers with a difference of 3 was the trick to solving this puzzle!

Did you figure out that some of these numbers were actually bigger than 9?

The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.

GRANGE SCHOOL

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Goodbye and Good Luck Farewell to Mrs Cathcart, formerly Miss Yan, who is leaving us to begin a new career in Manchester with her husband. Mrs Cathcart joined The Grange in 2005 as Curriculum Leader for Humanities which was later expanded to include Modern Foreign Languages as well. Mrs Cathcart has brought history alive for many Grange students and she has also been a popular and effective Progress Tutor.

Miss Hignett also leaves us to take up a different pathway. Since joining us in 2006, Miss Hignett has played her part in the significant improvements in English and literacy at The Grange. As a Progress Tutor too, Miss Hignett has made a valuable contribution for the benefit of her students.

Mr Stott has spent 16 years at the Grange starting as an IT Technician and working his way up to become IT Network & Projects Manager. His contribution to the development of a sophisticated IT infrastructure has been considerable. Mr Stott is moving on to take over as the strategic I.T Manager at Upton-by-Chester High School.

I would like to thank them all for their hard work and dedication and to wish them well for the future.

Mrs McBride begins maternity leave at the end of term and I wish her well and look forward to her return next year.

Thank you for your continued support and on behalf of all the staff at the Grange may I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas Term Dates Finish

Return Christmas 2013/2014

Thursday 19th December

Monday 6th January

Spring Half Term Friday 14th February

Monday 24th February

Easter Holiday Friday 4th April

The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.

Tuesday 22nd April