Headlines 2013

Happy New Year!

In a recent email to me, Carol said “Working with both the staff and students at The Grange has been an absolute pleasure for me, I certainly I hope you and your family had a good holiday. This year will bring its believe that even if just one student has been able to relate and take away usual mix of opportunities and challenges and in particular 2013 will be anything from the presentation sessions that were given then it has truly significant year for the Grange as we move into our new building and our been worthwhile visiting the school.” current one, which has served us so well for over 50 years, will be In just 3 years since the Trust was set up, Carol has advised 25,706 people demolished. from 241 UK towns and cities; she has even received interest from 38 other New Year Honour countries too.

Congratulations to Carol Highton on receiving an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List. We were delighted for Carol that her tireless Typically, Carol is determined campaigning and support for victims of loan sharks has been recognised so to continue her good work; “Every chance that I get I will appropriately and deservedly. continue with my campaign to Sadly, her good work was prompted by the suicide of her son and former raise as much awareness and student of the Grange, Brian Shields, who became a victim of loan sharks. to educate the public both young and old about the perils of getting involved with illegal Since September, Carol has been working money lenders and also the with our students every week during many other bullies who prey PSHCE lessons helping to raise their on our society.” awareness about money management and the dangers of borrowing money from loan sharks. During the summer term also, Carol was a regular visitor to school and In the photograph above, Carol Highton receives a cheque for money brought in the Olympic torch that she raised by students for her Charity, The Brian Shields Trust. carried during the Halton leg of the relay.

If you would like to know more about Carol’s work please visit her website, Carol was also our guest speaker at the The Brian Shields Trust at www.tbs-trust.co.uk Awards Evening in November.

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

January 2013 Issue

Safer Internet Day Safer Internet Day is celebrated around the world as an opportunity to promote the safe and responsible use of online technology. This year it will take place on 5th February and this will be the tenth anniversary of the event.

Dates for your Diary Tuesday 22nd January:

Y10 & 11 Biology Exam

Thursday 24th January:

Y10 & 11 Chemistry Exam

Thursday 24th January:

Y11 Parents’ Evening

Friday 25th January:

Y10 & 11 Physics Exam

The theme for Safer Internet Day Monday 4th February: 2013 is Online Rights and Responsibilities with the slogan “Connect with Respect”.

Thursday 14th February:

Y10 DTP Vaccinations Y10 Parents’ Evening

In school we have planned to run Safer Internet assemblies for all year Friday 15th February: groups which will be followed up in curriculum time with a more detailed examination of the issues and strategies to enable us all to enjoy the Monday 25th February: internet safely.

Wednesday 27th February: Further information and advice can be found at the following web sites: Thursday 28th February: www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-and-resources/parents Monday 4th March: www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/ Thursday 14th March: The Learning Gateway As announced last year, we will not be issuing mid-year paper reports to Thursday 21st March:

Break for Half Term

parents and carers this year but instead would encourage your use of the Friday 22nd March: Learning Gateway instead. During Parent’s Evenings last year, Miss McGuffie and Mr Buckley were present to demonstrate the use of the Wednesday 27th March: Gateway.

Thursday 28th March: If you are unsure how to use the Gateway or unable to access it, please Tuesday 16th April: contact Miss McGuffie at the school.

Red Nose Day House Event

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

Pupils return to school Y11 Maths Paper 1 Exam Y8 Parents’ Evening Y11 Maths Paper 2 Exam Y9 Parents’ Evening Y8 Pathways Evening

Inter House Swimming Gala Break for Easter Pupils return to School (new building)

January 2013 Issue

Uniform and Appearance

Students must also attend school with a sensible hairstyle, which is not extreme or which includes unnatural, bright colouring or outrageous hair School uniform plays a valuable role in contributing to the ethos of our patterns. Jewellery is not allowed with the exception of a watch and one school and sets an appropriate tone. It instils pride; supports positive beplain, small stud earring in each ear; no other jewellery or piercings are haviour; encourages students to identify with the school and ensures that allowed. pupils of all races and backgrounds feel welcome. School uniform protects students from social pressure to dress in a particular way; nurtures The uniform for Physical Education is: cohesion and promotes good relations between different groups of students.  A navy, red and white round neck T-Shirt  Navy blue shorts Boys School Uniform is:  Navy blue socks  Trainers, but not canvas type shoes (E.g. Converse)  White shirt (stiff collar)  House Tie (clip on) The PE uniform can be purchased exclusively through the school office.  School Blazer (blue with badge)  School Jumper (navy blue with badge), which is optional  Black Trousers (must be plain, not denims, jeans or cords) S  Black shoes (plain, leather and polished) Girls School Uniform is:       

White shirt (stiff collar) House Tie (clip on) School Blazer (blue with badge) School Jumper (navy blue with badge), which is optional Black skirt or Pinafore dress Black shoes (plain, leather and polished) White socks

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

January 2013 Issue

Building Update As the work on the building has progressed we have lost further car parking spaces. This will inevitably cause inconvenience to visitors and particularly parents and carers who attend parent’s evenings. Please accept my apologies for this; I trust you will understand.

Graduation Criteria Out of hours

Vivos

Attendance

Progress

BRONZE

3 hours

100

95% in any period

SILVER

6 hours

150

95% in any 2 periods

Reach target in English & maths plus 6 other subjects

GOLD

12 hours

200

95% at the end of period 3

Reach target in all subjects

Reach target in any 5 subjects

Community/out of hours criteria The focus is on school organised activities. Examples include: Form Reps, School Council Reps, School Sports Teams, Choir, School Performances, House competitions, Library helpers, Peer mentors, Open Evening/ Parents Evening/Induction Evening helpers, Enterprise, Form Competitions, CLUBS – sports, gardening, HW, music, cookery, ICT. Merits This remains unchanged.

Attendance criteria Each of the three periods has been extended to 12 weeks follows: Period 1 4th September 2012 – 30th November 2012 Period 2 3rd December 2012 – 15th March 2013 Period 3 18th March 2013 – 28th June 2013 An absence of 3 days in any twelve week period remains within the 95% threshold.

Attainment We have included English and Maths in both Silver and Gold Graduation levels.

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

January 2013 Issue

Post 16 back at the Grange

Prestigious Universities Programme

After a ten year absence, the sight and sound of Sixth Form Students will be back at The Grange from September 2013. The venture is in partnership with Cronton Sixth Form College and together we will be offering two courses from September and looking to expand in the future.

The courses on offer are Computing & IT and Business both of which are Level 3 BTEC Extended Diplomas, equivalent to three A levels and studied over two years.

As our current Year 11 cohort draw ever closer to their final exams, a number of our students are determined that their academic journey should lead on towards a place at Oxford or Cambridge University. To this end, we took 14 of our high achieving students over to Cronton Sixth Form College to attend a lecture by one of Oxford University’s admission tutors. They listened attentively to what life at Oxford is like and took heed of advice on how to successfully apply to one of the many colleges.

In our new building there is a purpose built sixth form centre which includes classrooms, common room, tutorial rooms and a Learning Resource Centre.

I am delighted to be working with Cronton Sixth Form College to provide our students with an opportunity to continue their education at the Grange campus. The College has enjoyed great success in recent years and its reputation continues to grow not just locally but nationally. I am confident that together we can provide the highest quality of teaching and accommodation. Further details will be sent to prospective students and an information evening will be held at school in the near future.

Changes to Dates Please note the following changes to important Parent’s Evenings in the school calendar: Year 10 Options Evening: Year 8 Options Evening: Year 9 Parents’ Evening:

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

Thursday 7th March 2013 Thursday 14th March 2013 Thursday 21st March 2013

February 2013 Issue

LPPA Recently we were visited by an assessor for the Leading Parent Partnership Award (LPPA). The LPPA is a framework  to enable schools to work towards improving their engagement with parents and carers for the benefit of learners. I am very happy to report that based upon the evidence presented, the assessor was satisfied that we had met the criteria and was pleased to award the LPPA to the school.  The accompanying Report contained glowing testament to the hard work of all involved: 





representatives had a clear understanding of how their own and other parents were involved in the school, and the importance of the contribution they were making.

The learning Gateway is proving to be a developing valuable aid to staff & parents. Staff are gaining insight into how communication with parents can develop as parents also learn to access this for information about many aspects of their child’s school life.

The increasing & accessible range of communication strategies utilised by the school to develop a more open and informed approach was praised by parents.

 Parents reported that action was now usually often taken very quickly The very positive leadership and management of the Head of School to address issues they raised. and LPPA Coordinator had enabled all key partners to contribute to the further development of parental engagement in the school, using the LPPA framework as a tool to support the process. The school has Fairtrade fortnight genuinely sought to engage parents including the hard to reach and has made good progress which is on-going. This process has been As a school we will be raising awareness about world wide further supported by the very active involvement many staff including organisation, Fairtrade, during the annual fortnight beginning on all the SLT have with parents.

25th march. Fairtrade is about trying to alleviate poverty and create conditions for sustainable development for economically Students had high aspirations and stated they were well supported by disadvantaged producers and workers. staff personally & academically. The involvement of parents in target setting meetings and other activities such as Springboard was viewed During this fortnight, Mrs Hughes and Mrs Simpson will be serving drinks as very helpful. and selected foods which all carry the Fairtrade mark and these will be held

in room 201 on Tuesday 26th February and Tuesday 5th March during Consultation with parents about specific school policy and practice lunchtime. was ensuring that parents’ views were being heard. Pupil

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

February 2013 Issue

House Events

So far this half-term Mr Murray has hosted a Science Quiz during which students were challenged on a wide variety of science topics. Brindley took This half-term has been yet another successful term for The Grange first place, second place went to Castle and joint third were Priory and Houses, with exciting activities being held and many students participating. Bridgewater. The Heads of House held a Wii Mario Kart competition for Year 10 which saw Brindley with yet another win; Bridgewater coming in Thinking back to the final day of term before Christmas, we saw a hugely second; Priory, third and Castle, fourth. successful Game Show Marathon held across all year groups. Coming in first was Bridgewater, followed by Priory, then Brindley and Castle. Thanks Next half-term’s activities will include a quiz delivered by the Humanities department and the annual Swimming Gala will be held at Kingsway to everyone for taking part.

Leisure Centre, Widnes on the 27th March with a total of 81 competitors selected across years 7, 8 and 9. Letters will be on their way home over the coming weeks.

As part of school fundraising for Red Nose Day, the Heads of House have entered themselves into the Superstars challenge where staff members will be voted for by students to take part in physical Challenges against each other.

With plenty still at stake, the overall scoreboard is currently: 1) Brindley 2) Bridgewater 3) Priory 4) Castle My thanks go to all participants and event organisers and for the ever exuberant Heads of House.

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

February 2013 Issue

The Grange Factor This month saw the launch of the Grange Factor. Based upon the successful TV game show, The Krypton Factor, teams from local Primary Schools compete to become Grange Factor Champion. The Krypton Factor was a game show which ran on ITV from 1977 to 1995 and was revived for a two series stint in 2009. The show tested both the mental and physical abilities of the contestants through a series of tough challenges.

The Brian Shields Trust Amongst the challenges for the Grange Factor were; a general knowledge quiz, a speed stacking race, an observation round and a puzzle mimicking Last month I wrote about Carol Highton’s work to the style of the original Krypton Factor show. raise awareness about the perils and dangers of borrowing money from money lenders. Carol and The first heat was contested by pupils from Moore, Gorsewood and the her daughter, Katie, have been visiting school Grange Primary schools. The competition was close with all three schools since September delivering a very powerful managing to win at least one of the four events but it was Moore Primary presentation about the possible consequences of school who eventually came out on top and secured their place in the final. money lending and the impact it can have on There will be three more heats in the coming weeks before the final in those who fall prey to the lure of sometimes illegal lenders. which one school will be crowned as The Grange Factor Champions 2013.

Sadly for Carol and her family, her son Brian Shields, fell victim and tragically took his own life. I attended the final presentation Carol and Katie gave to a group of year 9 students recently and I was moved by what they said. I am extremely grateful to them both for providing such a valuable input to our PSHCE curriculum and raising awareness in such powerful way.

Carol is holding a fundraising event for the Trust on Wednesday 27 th February 2013 at the Ferry Boat (Wetherspoons) starting at 8.00pm. There is free entry and entertainment with raffles and auctions taking place during the evening. Please note that unaccompanied children will not be admitted.

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

February 2013 Issue

Sky Sports Living I was delighted to welcome Neil Danns our Sky Sports Living for Sport Mentor. Neil represented his county as a footballer, but it was skateboarding that led to him becoming a top athlete.

Miss Ellis is coordinating the programme at school and had identified her Y7 Girls Gym Club as the focus group for Neil’s mentoring. Miss Ellis commented that “they are working towards a performance and they are very talented plus motivated to get involved! If we can sustain their involvement in sport and support their pathway to excellence I believe that the project will be a success. Sports acrobatics is something that I have wanted to develop in school for a long time and felt that this was the perfect opportunity.”

He was invited to take part in his first major competition aged 17 and won his first British Championship aged 22. Neil was soon repeatedly winning European and British titles, whilst travelling the world representing the UK. Neil retired from skateboarding in 2005 and today runs Team Extreme, the UK’s only professional BMX team, alongside fellow Athlete I look forward to Neil’s contribution over the next few months.

Mentor Mike Mullen.

New Build Update Talking about his role as Athlete Mentor The new building has really taken shape and you can now clearly see what Neil commented: “My main aim as will be the impressive front reception. It is hard to believe that the time has Athlete Mentor for Sky Sports Living for nearly arrived for us to move in.

Sport is to share with the students the ways in which I set goals, motivate myself and the experiences I have had travelling the world and competing in my sport. I think it is also important to share the setbacks and the sacrifices I had to make to pursue my sport as life isn’t always easy and I think a lot of the students today will identify with that.”

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

February 2013 Issue

Important dates for your diary

New school uniform

From September 2013 we are planning to introduce a new school uniform Thursday 14th February 2013: for students in years 7 to 11. We are also planning to secure funding so that we can offset the cost and therefore provide the uniform free of charge Friday 15th February 2013: to all those students who are currently in school and who will still be with us in September.

Monday 25th February 2013:

Y10 Parents’ Evening

The main change is to the colour of the blazer from navy blue to grey. The Thursday 28th February 2013: house tie will have a background colour change too, from blue to black with the house colour stripes on top. Bridgewater house will be changing colour Thursday 28th February 2013: too, from white to yellow.

Y11 Maths Paper 1 Exam

Following a request by several students, Jessica Main currently in Y10, presented a proposal to me and the School Council to change the colour of the girls socks from white to black. This was approved and so will be included as part of the new uniform.

The PE uniform remains unchanged.

During parents evenings a sample blazer and other items will be available for inspection. Any comments can be made via email to newuniform@thegrange.com

Finish for Half Term Pupils return to school

Y8 Parents’ Evening

Monday 4th March 2013:

Y11 Maths Paper 2 Exam

Thursday 7th March 2013:

Y10 Options Evening

Thursday 14th March 2013:

Y8 Options Evening

Thursday 21st March 2013:

Y9 Parents’ Evening

Friday 22nd March 2013:

House Events for Red Nose Day

Wednesday 27th March 2013:

Inter House Swimming Gala

Thursday 28th March 2013:

Finish for Easter Break

Tuesday 16th March 2013:

Pupils return to school

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

February 2013 Issue

Leading Parent Partnership Award Presentation Following the announcement of our success in achieving the LPPA it was fitting that I was able to hold a presentation ceremony last week and invited members of the Parent Forum Janet Keatley, Lisa Jameson and Tan Roberts to receive the award from Helen Lennon who acted as our LPPA advisor and who is Headteacher of St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School in Warrington. Also pictured with me are Mr Gill and Mr Beard who have been key in bringing together the Parent Forum and achieving the award.

Fairtrade As mentioned in my last newsletter, Mrs Hughes and Mrs Simpson organised sampling sessions during Fairtrade Fortnight which clearly went down well with our students!

Enough food for everyone if…

MND charity week Head Boy & Head Girl Richie Redmond and Amy Pinkney are coordinating efforts to raise money for their chosen charity Motor Neurone Disease. The events will take place during the final week of term, 25 th March – 28th March and include: stocks, treasure hunt, dodge ball, coffee mornings, mile run, speed stacking and a raffle for a chocolate hamper just in time for Easter!

Thanks to Mrs Simpson who had this really good idea, Year 8 got involved in the national ‘Enough food for everyone if…’ campaign. The campaign raises awareness of food shortages and widespread hunger throughout the world and aims to remind the government that it has promised to act on this issue. As part of the day the pupils participated in a number of sessions which highlighted the main reasons for the widespread hunger and also looked at the reasons Christians get involved in campaigns like this.

Sessions were led by the Rev Docherty from St Andrew’s Church, Luke Wilkinson from Young Life Runcorn, and John Griffiths from Christian Aid, as well as teaching staff. All pupils engaged with and enjoyed the different activities. ‘I have learnt so much and have been really shocked at why some people in poor countries don’t get enough food. It’s so unfair,’ said one year 8 pupil. At the end of the day, the pupils wrote messages to David Cameron on paper plates explaining why they think it is so important and asking him to act. They all wrote passionate messages which we will send to him and hope that they will make a difference.

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

March 2013 Issue

Grange Factor The inaugural Grange Factor consisting of a number of events loosely based upon Television’s ‘The Krypton Factor’ in which Runcorn Primary schools have been competing for the first time this year. The Krypton Factor was a game show which ran on ITV from 1977 to 1995 and was revived for a two series stint in 2009. The show tested both the mental and physical abilities of the contestants through a series of tough challenges.

Each school was asked to select 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 ‘The Krypton Factor’. Amongst the challenges were; a general knowledge quiz, a speed stacking race, an observation round and a puzzle round mimicking the style of the original Krypton Factor show.

The schools who have participated in the heats are: * The Grange, * Daresbury * Gorsewood, * Astmoor * Moore, * Weston * The Brow, * Halton Lodge * Runcorn All Saints, * Woodside * Holy Spirit, The final will be contested by: Moore

Runcorn All Saints

Weston

The Grange

And will be held in the new purpose designed Grange School building on Wednesday 1st May 2013.

Heat 1

Heat 2

The competition has been extremely close over the four heats with all schools managing to win at least one of the four events. The school team with the most points in each of the four heats was presented with an engraved glass trophy to keep and certificates for all contestants.

The final will be contested by the Four Heat winners, where a school will be crowned as The Grange Factor Champions for 2013 and will be expected to return next year to defend their crown as champions. The victorious team will win a large engraved glass trophy which will be presented after engraving to the winning team in their own school, a £100 of vouchers and individual winners’ certificates

Heat 3

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

Heat 4

March 2013 Issue

New Building

This old building of ours has served many generations so well and no doubt will remain a special memory for so many of us who have had any Like everyone else I have watched the development of the building from association with it. I know that for some the thought of losing this old the outside and I have been impressed with the look and the quality of the building is difficult but I can assure you that once our new school is emerging school and the surrounding grounds. On Monday 11 th March I complete and you get to see inside and all the wonderful facilities it has, went inside the new building for the first time. most of us will wonder how on earth we coped with the old building.

I spent over three hours examining every room, office, stairway and Information about the move and how that will impact upon students and corridor and I must confess to feeling assured that we have a new school parents/carers will be made available to you before the Easter holiday. building that is of the highest quality. I was very impressed with the space, the amount of natural light, the clever technology to keep the building at the correct temperature and the energy saving devices that will conserve resources and save money.

A lot of the furniture was stored in the school hall waiting to be moved into classrooms. Some of the classrooms have already been furnished but the transparent, protective wrappers remain in place for the meantime. I also went behind the scenes and looked at the impressive kitchen that will cater for all the students, staff and visitors at break and lunchtime. My final visit was to the energy centre that housed the boilers and the massive water cylinders and all the heating and ventilation controls. Overall, it is without any doubt a very impressive endeavour and I am really looking forward to moving in at the start of next term.

During the course of my tour I bumped into two former students of the Grange and spent a short while catching up. It seems that there are quite a few former Grange students who have found employment on the site which seems rather fitting.

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

March 2013 Issue

House activities So far this term the house system has seen a competitive humanities quiz where year 11 and 10 historians played against each other testing their knowledge of Britain, landmarks, celebrity historians and staff qualifications. The atmosphere was energised as every point counted. The final result saw Bridgewater claiming victory with Priory a close second, Brindley ranked in third and Castle came fourth.

Important dates for your diary Wednesday 27th March 2013:

Inter House Swimming Gala

Thursday 28th March 2013:

Finish for Easter Break

Tuesday 16th April 2013:

Pupils return to school

Tuesday 23rd April:

Y11 Photographs

Monday 6th May:

Bank Holiday

Friday 24th May:

Break for Half Term

Monday 3rd June:

Return to School

Important Notices Please note that on Tuesday 16th April when we return after the Easter Comic Relief fund raising efforts ran last week with each of the house Break, all pupils are to return to the old school building as usual and will captains and staff members from each house pitching themselves against then be escorted over to the new school in their form groups. each other for comic benefit. Students voted for the teachers they wanted to see compete against each other in events such as single wicket challenge, press ups, speed stacking, space hopper, stare offs and shuttle Year 11 Exam period begins week commencing Monday 13th May. All runs. pupils have been given their own individual exam timetable. Should you Finally this half term, on the 27th March sees the annual House Swimming require another copy then please do not hesitate to contact the school Gala. With it set to being the biggest and best so far with the most office. competitors and varied races. Family spectators are more than welcome to make their way to Kingsway in Widnes from 1-3pm to lend their support and cheer on the competitors.

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

March 2013 Issue

Moving School The move into our new building went so much better than I thought it would.

There were a few minor glitches but on the whole, given the size of the task, I was extremely pleased and grateful that all the planning and preparation had paid off. By 11.00am on the first day back, students were ready to resume their normal timetable.

making the move so successful. Their responsible and mature approach was a significant factor for which I am grateful and so proud.

The new building is impressive and inspiring; I feel fortunate to be able to work in such an environment and so pleased that we are able to offer to our youngsters a facility that compares favourably with any The first week went quickly and remarkably, everyone seemed to settle in the country. in and find their way around school without too much trouble. There was some congestion at lesson changeover and break but as the days went by We are planning to run a number of events in the near future that will staff and students found better ways to navigate around the building. give parents and other members of the community the chance to come We welcomed a number of guests early and see for themselves. in that first week including Gerald Meehan, Strategic Director, who commented upon the smooth transition evidenced by the calm and industrious atmosphere around school.

In the third week I visited each of the year groups in their assembly to thank the students for the part they played in

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

May 2013 Issue

Grange Factor Champions Crowned Runcorn All Saints, Moore, Weston and The Grange Primary Schools contested the first final of the Grange Factor after coming through a series of hard fought heats during the previous term. The Grange Factor, in which Runcorn Primary schools competed for the first time this year, consists of a number of events loosely based upon Television’s ‘The Krypton Factor’.

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 challenges. In all, eleven local primary schools battled against each other in the heats to try and reach the final by competing in four events, amongst the challenges were; a general knowledge quiz, a speed stacking race, an observation game and a puzzle round.

The line-up for the final was set to be a challenging encounter in the new building. As pupils and parents arrived for the final they were given a brief tour around the new building before taking their seats in the auditorium. When parents and supporters were settled, the contestants were introduced to a Rocky fanfare and rapturous applause. As the tension mounted the competition got under way with Round 1 with pupils having to complete a jigsaw on large interactive TV screens. Round 2 was the Speed Stacking round which resulted in some absolutely phenomenal times, especially from Moore. Round 3 saw all contestants view 4

different film trailers and had to answer questions from their observations. This was a particularly hard fought round with teams dropping points and picking up additional points from other teams.

Round 4 tested contestants’ general knowledge and with the scores very close was crucial to the outcome.

While scores were checked and added together I thanked the contestants for their exemplary conduct on the night and for their competitive spirit.

There was a final twist to unfold as The Grange and Moore tied for first place! A tie break situation, so one student from each team stepped forward to battle it out using the interactive TV screens and a different jigsaw. After a short but tense contest the Grange were victorious. The final result was: 1st The Grange 2nd Moore 3rd Runcorn All Saints 4th Weston

I presented certificates to the participating teams and The Trophy to the winning school along with £100 worth of vouchers. Each contestant also received a shoulder bag with school supplies as a reward for getting to the final. The three other schools will each receive gift vouchers for reaching the final.

Invitations will be sent out to schools who wish to contest The Grange Factor 2014 in September as The grange attempt to defend their crown.

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

May 2013 Issue

House Events The first House event in our new building was the Music Quiz which ended in a tie for first place between Priory and Castle. Congratulations to all who took part and thanks to the Music Department for hosting the event.

The second event organised by our outgoing Head Girl, Amy Pinkney, was the House netball which was a roaring success.

The Heads of House would like to offer many thanks to Amy for organising the Key Stage 4 Netball Tournament. The event was well supported by both staff and pupils. The tournament was run as a round-robin event, with athletic talent shown by all of the competitors, including Miss Crozier and Mr Milne (although it was odd that Castle’s nets kept moving).

Future House Events Chess Tournament for Y9 Getting Jig-E with it! For Y7 The Grange Athletics Championships.

The tournament progressed to a final between Priory and Brindley, who both fought well to a golden goal situation. Priory scored within seconds We are all getting rather excited by this latter event as we plan to take of the start of golden goal, which was a fitting end as Amy is in Priory over the Stobart Stadium for the day. Watch this space for more details!

House.

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

May 2013 Issue

New Head Boy and Head Girl Congratulations to Tony Allford and Georgia Worswick who were elected Head Boy and Head Girl for 2013-2014.

Dominic Currie and Rebecca Ledward were also elected as their deputies.

The remaining candidates, Jordan Ellis, Connor Moorst, Hannah Burke, Carly Fisher, Beth McComish and Jessica Main, will form the Senior Students Representatives Group.

Ritchie and Amy along with their Senior Student Representatives have set a very fine example this year and I wish to thank them for their hard work, drive and enthusiasm.

Free Family IT Course I am delighted to announce that, in partnership with Cronton Sixth Form College, we are able to offer exclusively to parents and carers of Grange students, a six week, free, IT course. Places are limited to just 16 and allocation will be made on a first come first served basis. Should the course prove popular then we will look to repeat it in the future.

The outgoing Head Boy and Head Girl, Ritchie Redmond and Amy Pinkney, ably assisted by their deputies and Senior Student Representatives, Please see the advert on the back page for more details. organised and conducted the secret ballot. Every member of staff and The Grange Learning Gateway student was able to cast their vote as individuals or as a block vote in form groups.

Unfortunately we are currently experiencing some problems gaining The election result was announced access to the Grange Learning Gateway. Rest assured that these issues after school on Tuesday 7th May in a are being worked through and that we should have it back on line soon. packed hall consisting of staff and students. The following day, the new Head Boy and Head Girl were introduced to the School Council and so their work began. I am looking forward to working with Tony and Georgia and the Senior Student Representatives over the next year.

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

School Telephone Numbers School Telephone Number:

01928 562660

Pupil Absence Line:

01928 562663

May 2013 Issue

Year Five Pupils Visit State of the Art Science Labs Recently two Year Five classes from the school visited The Catalyst Museum in Widnes to broaden their knowledge of science.

Important Dates for your Diary

Friday 24th May:

Finish for Half Term

Monday 3rd June:

Pupils return to school

Thursday 13th June:

Years 4 & 5 Open Evening

Head of Science Faculty, Mr Davis, was keen to show off the new state of the art science laboratories within school and open them to younger pupils to use. So Mrs Wood and Mrs Coleman brought their classes to Mr Davis’ laboratory to experience a lesson making their own slime using Borax and PVA glue.

Tuesday 25th June:

Grange Athletics Championships

Monday 1st July:

Y6 Induction Day 1

Tuesday 2nd July:

Y6 Induction Day 2

Monday 15th July:

Y10 Graduation Afternoon

The lessons supervised by Senior Lab Technician, Mrs Ashbridge, was a huge hit and the pupils left to return to their classrooms covered in and carrying the slim they had made as a souvenir of their visit and as a present for parents at home.

Tuesday 16th July:

Y9 Graduation Afternoon

Wednesday 17th July:

Y8 Graduation Afternoon

Thursday 18th July:

Y7 Graduation Afternoon

Friday 19th July:

Finish for Summer Term

While at the Museum they participated in a number of activities run by Novatis. One of the activities involved making slime. The pupils enjoyed the hands on experience and asked whether they could replicate it in school.

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

May 2013 Issue

May 2013 Issue

Mosque Visits

Grange Athletics Championship

Year 9 students visited the Islamic Centre and Mosque in Didsbury, Manchester. Seventy five students and seven members of staff visited the Mosque over three days in May as part of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Arriving at the Mosque, the students all expressed surprise as the building is in an old converted church and does not have the dome and tall towers normally associated with Islam. This immediately challenged the students’ perspectives of what they thought they already knew about Islam.

This year’s Grange Athletics Championship will be held at the Select Stadium in Widnes on the 24th June. All students will be transported over to the stadium in preparation for a 10am start to a fun-filled and enriching day.

Whilst at the stadium, students will participate in a number of activities including: track and field events; kurling; table tennis; photography; gym cardio quest; spin classes and be inspired by motivational speakers.

The staff and volunteers at the Mosque were extremely welcoming and taught the students and staff a great deal about Islam. “It was a good experience to learn about other religions,” said one student. The visit helped to eliminate preconceptions some students had about the religion; “I learnt some interesting things and a lot of it has surprised me” said another student. All students thoroughly enjoyed the visit and gained a valuable insight into the religion from the experience, which has become all the more relevant in light of the recent, disturbing events in the news.

workshops tumbled and the MFL classrooms fell unceremoniously to the floor, a new vista opened up. Work will continue at a pace now and the changing landscape will soon become familiar to us once again, albeit in a different form.

We would like to invite all parents and carers to join us and experience our takeover of the Select Stadium. Events and extravagant opening and closing ceremonies will take place between 10am and 2pm.

Further The students listened to a detailed presentation about the Islamic faith, details will be made available closer to the day. learning about the beliefs and practices of Muslims. They took part in a I can see for miles question and answer session with Muslims from the Mosque during which they asked some very intelligent questions. They then had a tour of the Our landscape is changing yet again as Mosque around the prayer hall, washing area and women’s area, and were work on the demolition of the old building given a demonstration of the washing and prayer rituals. started this week.

As the D&T

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

June 2013 Issue

Liverpool University Visit

Maths Boot Camp to boost success!

Last month, 40 conscientious Year 11 students committed themselves to completing a “Maths Boot Camp”, in order to prepare for their Maths GCSE. Students were selected to participate in the week-long study session to revise important topics, develop exam techniques, and boost confidence ready for the exams. Students gave up their May Bank Holiday to come into school, and it was a sacrifice that our determined students were more than happy to make. Some students were even happy to stay after school each day for some additional support.

Back in February, I had to nominate two pupils for the DUX Award event where high achieving pupils have the opportunity to make a one Day visit to a Russell Group University to increase awareness and lift aspiration.

Russell Group Universities are the country’s leading establishments and they attract candidates of the highest quality who have achieved excellent results at both GCSE and A level. These are often referred to as Red Brick Universities due to their buildings and architecture and have built superb reputations over a great many years.

At the end of the week, all students were asked to sit a mock GCSE exam paper. The results from this test were very promising, and the majority of students taking the course made very good progress. Mr Liptrot, the new Curriculum Leader for Maths, would like to thank every Year 11 student who committed to the boot camp. Revision opportunities for the exams are Both candidates, Jamie Evans and Aaron Owen, were successful in available to students throughout June 2013, students can ask any member earning a place to visit Liverpool University of the Maths department for more details. on the 12th June. Along with Mrs Thomson, they were treated to sample lectures in Singing Success both Law and Science and were provided with an informative and expansive tour of the Congratulations to Bethany White, Alisha impressive campus. Along with the valuable Nutall, Natasha Preston and Lily Gaynor who academic programme, the boys had the have passed their Vocal Grade 5 Exam with opportunity to work alongside current Distinction, which is equivalent to GCSE undergraduate students, gaining a further Grade C. understanding about life at a University.

The day was an absolute success in raising awareness for both boys and they conducted themselves impeccably. Well done.

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

June 2013 Issue

Exams Article For many students and their parents and carers, the exams season is often fraught and tense. It is a busy time of the year too for those staff who organise and run the exams here and the dedication and care they take in making the experience for the students as calm and stress free as possible deserves high praise.

Mrs Hudson is our Examinations Officer and she has a team of trained Invigilators who help her manage, administer and supervise the exams.

have been delivered. The exam papers are stored in a secure, lockable cupboard in the exam room. Only the Examinations Officer has keys to the room and the cupboards inside this is to keep the papers secure which ensures the integrity of the exam. The safety of the papers is paramount and each year the school is subject to an unannounced inspection from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). The Inspector arrives at the school and checks all documentation relating to the exams, policies and exam rooms. The JCQ Inspector has the authority to arrive at any time during any exam season without forewarning.

A report is issued after the inspection, which we always pass with flying colours!

After each exam Mrs Hudson checks the attendance register against the number of papers ensuring candidate details match those held by the The Examinations Officer’s job is a busy, all year awarding body. She then parcels the papers up ready for Parcel Force to round affair, not just in the summer. The whole collect them and deliver them to the examiner. process of exams starts in September every year when each awarding body is told of the school’s Mrs Hudson has a team of ten invigilators who intention to enter candidates for exams and distribute and collect the exam papers during the estimated entries are submitted. exam, they keep the papers secure and ensure the exams run smoothly.

At present, exams are held in November, January, March and summer (May/June) with controlled assessments arranged before each exam When the students’ results arrive at the centre Mrs Hudson prints reports which inform them of their achievements. The team season. of invigilators come in on results day in August to issue their results to It is the responsibility of Mrs Hudson to ensure entry deadlines are met and them. The last part of the exam process is the receipt of exam certificates coursework marks are sent to the moderator on time followed by the which takes place after results day. Mrs Hudson takes delivery of them sample coursework. and checks they are correct. She then arranges them in folders ready for When the exam papers are delivered at the school Mrs Hudson checks the Awards Evening when the certificates are presented to students. Mrs Hudson and her team do a great job supporting students and staff in such correct papers have been received and she also checks enough papers an important part of school life; well-done team!

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

June 2013 Issue

New Subjects Mr Downey, Deputy Head of School, wrote to you recently to advise that we were advancing the school timetable this half term in order to allow students to have a full year of study as Y11 on the new option subjects they had chosen for their final year at school. As a consequence, we also decided to promote the other year groups so that, Y7 became Y8 and Y8 became Y9 and so on.

Students received their new timetables and very quickly got on with the business of learning. It never ceases to amaze me just how adaptable to change our youngsters are provided the reasons are explained.

Graduation The dates for graduation this year are as follows:    

Y11 (formerly Y10): Y10 (formerly Y9): Y9 (formerly Y8): Y8 (formerly Y7):

Monday 15th July 2013 Tuesday 16th July 2013 Wednesday 17th July 2013 Thursday 18th July 2013

Further details will be sent out to parents of successful Graduates nearer the time. I always enjoy the ceremonies very much as it gives me the opportunity to join with you in celebrating our youngsters’ achievements over the past year. It is a great formal occasion and gives the students a huge sense of pride. Their involvement in the pomp and splendour of such a grand ceremony is an important part of broadening their experience and fashioning their character. Guest speakers, platform guests, parents, carers and family all add to the occasion and make it a memorable one for all involved. I look forward to seeing you there.

Our “new” Y11 have also begun their one year courses and amongst them are four brand new offerings to students at the Grange. This year we have been able to offer the following in addition to our usual diet of subjects; Farewell astronomy, business studies, computing and travel and tourism. We hope to be able to expand this list next year if possible.

After 11 years of dedicated service to the Grange, Miss McGuffie our Office and Information Manager is leaving us; she will be missed. Miss McGuffie has been successful in gaining a promotion to another school and I wish her success in that new and exciting role and would like to express my thanks for her dedication, hard work and contribution to our improvement over those years.

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

June 2013 Issue

House Roundup The day consisted of a variety of sporting activities on the wonderful i-pitch This year has been an exciting one for all of the House Leaders. The including a host of athletics events, penalty taking and of course the egg Grange House system has been bigger and better than ever before with and spoon and space hopper sprints! Inside the stadium itself, the gym was each department running its own House competition and the emphasis given over to a marathon cardioquest activity. being taken away from just sports and physical activities. The wider range The sports hall hosted indoor archery and 16 and variety of activities has meant that more and more of the students and table tennis tables with around 70 students staff have been able to take part and show off their strengths, as well as competing at any time. All-inclusive events helping out in the competitions no matter where their interests lie. A huge such as New Age Kurling and Botcha were thanks must go to all of those students who have risen to the challenge and presented in the glamorous surroundings of taken part in any of the competitions and thanks to all the staff who have the Bridge and Karalius Suites. put on activities that have ranged from the more traditional sports to chess tournament and quizzes.

Meanwhile the executive boxes in the stadium were filled with students listening to fantastic inspirational speeches from Halton Disability Highlights of the year include the Year 11 Netball Tournament which was Partnership's Mark Eccleston and Mike Pilling and Liverpool Ladies organised by our 2012-13 Head Girl, Amy Pinkney. This was a storming Football Star Natasha Dowie who had flown in from Dubai the previous success and Mr Milne and Miss Crozier seemed to have had more fun than evening. at any other point during the last three years. We stepped into the 21st Century as we did away with the old cardboard boxes for the LogoBlock The Mayor, Council Members, Stadium staff, parents, Faculty staff and and replaced them with touch screen technology and Gettin’ Jig-E With it. students all commented on how thrilled they had been to be involved in such a magnificent event. After a close competition with results shifting the The biggest event of the year, and perhaps in the lead throughout the day, Castle came out victorious after an amazing school’s history, was the Select Sports performance in the relay races.

Spectacular. The entire teaching faculty and student body of The Grange School were transported to the Select Stadium to take part in the largest whole school Competitive House event ever staged. The stadium opened it’s doors and provided the complete facility for the school.

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

July 2013 Issue

The table of events won by each house so far is as follows:

Bridgewater Successes: - Year 6 Kurling - Year 11 5-a-side - Game Show Marathon - Humanities Quiz - Logo Block - Getting’ Jig-e With it

Brindley Successes: - Year 6 Penalty shootout - House Countdown - Science Quiz - Mario Kart - Logo Block - Chess - Cookie Decorating

Castle Successes: - Kendo - Swimming Gala (Joint Winners) - Logo Block - Music Event - Select Sports Spectacular

Priory Successes: - Wii Bowling - Bop it - Swimming Gala (Joint Winners) - Music Event - Netball

With everything to play for, all students will be involved in the last day’s activities, so watch this space.

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

July 2013 Issue

Enterprise Day Our Year 10 students showed themselves to be budding entrepreneurs in a very successful Enterprise day held in school on 27th June. After an introduction in the hall, they divided into groups for form business to design and make prototypes of products which would encourage young children to eat healthy food. The market research was done at break with our own students, and they then had to create the publicity, decide on pricing and pitch their product to a teacher and a volunteer from industry - a mixture of The Apprentice and Dragons’ Den! After much discussion and negotiation the businesses decided on their products which ranged from Super Smoothies served in special containers to appeal to young children, to a playground which gave out fruit as a reward for completing the activities and plates which had a secret compartment with a small toy as a reward for healthy eating. Competition to be the winning business was fierce and there were prizes for the best teams plus the best innovators, team leaders and team members. Our students took on the challenge with enthusiasm and showed themselves to be excellent communicators and negotiators as the teams worked together to find solutions and develop their ideas. The enterprise skills they displayed on the day will stand them in a good stead when they leave us for the workplace or college.

New School Uniform Uniform plays an important role in setting standards and creating a positive and professional impression. It is also a key factor in establishing a sense of community and identity with school.

I am a keen advocate of school uniform and I expect all pupils to comply and for parents/carers to support me and my staff by ensuring their children come to school in the correct uniform.

The uniform is straightforward and so it is always very disappointing when a few parents/carers each year do not co-operate fully and buy items of clothing that do not meet the requirements. In particular this applies to shoes.

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

July 2013 Issue

Uniform List: Boys School Uniform is: - White shirt (stiff collar) - House Tie (clip on) - School Blazer (grey with badge) - School Jumper (black with school name) which is optional - Black Trousers (must be plain, not denims, jeans or cords) - Black shoes (plain, leather and polished) - Black socks

Girls School Uniform is: - White shirt (stiff collar) - House Tie (clip on) - School Blazer (grey with badge) - School Jumper (black with school name) which is optional - Black skirt/trousers/pinafore dress - Black shoes (plain, leather and polished) - Black socks

The Uniform for Physical Education is: - A navy, red and white round neck T-shirt - Navy blue shorts - Navy blue socks These items can be purchased exclusively through the school - Trainers, but not canvas type shoes (e.g converse)

Appearance Students must also attend school with a sensible hairstyle, which is not extreme or which includes unnatural, bright colouring or outrageous hair patterns. Jewellery is not allowed with the exception of a watch and one plain, small stud earring in each ear; no other jewellery or piercings are allowed. Hair bands if worn, must be simple and plain.

Blazers, sweaters, ties and P.E kits are available from the school shop throughout the summer holidays Shirts, trousers and skirts are purchased elsewhere but I would urge parents/carers to buy functional and cost effective items rather than expensive brands that usually only last as long as a non-branded product.

For the new Year 7 students starting in September 2013, the uniform can be purchased at cost but for older students who are currently in school, the cost of the replacement blazer, tie and sweater will be free of charge.

Please make sure you take along your certificate which was included with a previous letter, which entitles you to the free uniform.

School will be open for uniform purchases every working day (except Bank Holiday) between 10:00am—2:00pm.

Please ensure that you clearly label uniform and P.E kits.

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

June 2013 Issue

Cronton Visit

Sports Leaders lend a helping hand

As our Year 10 have become Year 11, their focus is increasingly on their next steps after The Grange. At the beginning of June, we took the entire Year Group over to Cronton College for a ‘College Taster Day.’

Recently, five of our Sports Leaders were asked to help Mr Bradshaw and other staff at Halton Lodge Primary School organise and run their Sports Day. Mr Bradshaw wrote to me and praised Callum Watts, Louis Young, Owen Crothers, Chloe Gresty and Louise Graven for their contribution saying that “...they were brilliant! Polite, hardworking and have a go.”

Students were able to experience a number of different subjects with particular highlights including photography, wheelchair basketball, motor mechanics, animal management and media make up. The event was a Such was their contribution that Mr Amesbury, Head Teacher at Halton huge success and students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity, as you can Lodge also passed comment: clearly see in the photographs.

“I thought I would just thank you for sending five helpers to our Sports Day. There will be further opportunities available to students and parents to The young adults you sent behaved impeccably all day and allowed the explore possible ‘next steps’ in their education with our ‘Passport to The events to run smoothly. At a time when pupils are often castigated for their Future’ event coming up in the new academic year. behaviour, your pupils bucked the trend! They were polite, courteous, wellmannered and willing to do any activities asked of them. I really cannot commend them highly enough. I have thanked them, but can you also pass on my thanks to all at The Grange who are obviously doing a fantastic job in producing such fine individuals.”

Well done to all and a big thank you to Halton Lodge for their comments and for providing our young Sports Leaders with the opportunity which they so obviously enjoyed and gained useful experience.

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

July 2013 Issue

Grange School commended for rapidly improved GCSE results We recently received national recognition from SSAT (The Schools Network) for achieving some of the fastest improving GCSE result nationally. They said: “Successful schools like The Grange understand the value of data in helping to ensure all young people perform to the very best of their ability.”

We are one of the top 20% of schools nationally for improving our GCSE results year-on-year from 2009 to 2012 by at least 17 percentage points overall. SSAT - the representative body for schools, ranked schools according to how much progress they made during this period. The award is only made to schools that have shown continuous improvement over that time.

An impressive fact not recorded by this award is that since 2006, GCSE results have improved year-onyear by a staggering 31%. I believe that shows consistency and sustained improvement that bodes well for our future. Very few schools nationally could boast better and in Halton we stand alone in being able to make such an impressive claim.

Sue Williamson, Chief Executive of SSAT said:

Parents and carers can give their views of our school any time of the school year and at the time of a school inspection using an online questionnaire called Parent View.

When our school is notified of it’s next Ofsted inspection, parents will be invited to give their views about the school to inspectors using the Parent View online facility, as this has replaced Ofsted’s paper questionnaire.

Please make sure we have your most up-to-date contact details.

Please register with an e-mail address and a password at http:// parentview.ofsted.gov.uk Once your login has been activated, it only takes a few minutes to complete answers to 12 short questions about aspects such as bullying, the quality of teaching, level of homework etc.

Your views are important in helping inspectors make a decision about our school, and to help us know what is going well and what could be “The Grange School should be congratulated for their stunning achievement… it improved. If you do not have a computer or an e-mail address or if you has proved to be one of the best schools in the country at improving GCSE outcomes for their students. There is plenty that other schools could learn from The would like help to use Parent View, please come into school and ask at Grange’s success. These results are testament to the commitment and hard work of reception. the students, teachers and leadership team at The Grange and a vindication of their belief in high expectations, good teaching and ambition for every young person.”

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

July 2013 Issue

Induction Days On the 1st and 2nd July we greeted our new Year 7 students as they arrived at school for their Induction Days.

The two days were packed full of learning, fun and gave a taster of new and exciting times ahead. The first day started with an assembly, during which I welcomed them to their new school as “Year 7”. The youngsters were then introduced to their Progress Tutors by Mrs Foster. We were fortunate enough to have some former students return to us and help the newcomers around school and in their lessons. During the two days the soon to be Grange students took part in numerous lessons getting a taste of what life will be like in Year 7 in September 2013. Lessons pupils participated in included: English, Maths, Science, Modern Foreign Languages, P.E, Design or Food Technology, House Activities and The Mayor’s Award.

In their initial assembly Mrs Foster gave them a challenge of making five new friends by the end of the day, and in the assembly at the end of the school day, ALL students informed Mrs Foster that they had done this.

An extremely successful induction evening was had, where parents came for a tour of the school which they were all impressed with and even had some parents asking if they could come back to school! Following an address from myself and Mrs Foster, the parents and carers then had the opportunity to meet their child’s Progress Tutor.

The second day involved more learning and also a House Activity. Each form was told which House they were going to be in and then the competition which was New Age Kurling, began. I have never met such an enthusiastic year group and the competitive spirit between them all was unbelievable. The team spirit between them was equally fantastic and the support they were giving each other was lovely to see. It was a close call but in the end there can only be one winner and that was Priory House.

The Mayor’s Award is being delivered for the first time in Halton by Catch 22 and is being piloted in September in The Grange School. The Mayor’s Award is similar to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award but for students in KS3. The day finished with an extremely positive assembly where all the Over the two days, all of the students took part in practical activities, students agreed that they had had a brilliant time and couldn’t wait to join making bicycles out of newspapers and other more physical activities. Our us in September. thanks go to Barry Selby and Dave and Luke Achilles from Catch 22 for providing the activities. Barry commented about how good the students were and said: “We thought the sessions went very well and we collected 87 feedback cards from the young people saying they would like to be involved in the Award in September. That’s a fantastic response and we look forward to delivering the Mayor’s Award to these young people in conjunction with The Grange School in September”.

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

July 2013 Issue

Summer Showcase ‘Shows Off’ the talent of Grange students On Wednesday 10th July, a packed auditorium of almost 200 parents, family and friends attended the inaugural show in our new building and It was not just the facilities that were fantastic, the students of The Grange were too; in fact, they outshone the impressive accommodation!

their exploration of the GCSE examination test. Along with the performances, the audience was treated to a Summer Style inspired Buffet including Pimm’s for the adults, which was prepared by Mrs Knight’s GCSE Catering classes. There were finger sandwiches, quiches, sausage rolls, olives, Eaton Mess, fruit tartlets and even profiteroles. No surprise then, that Mr Washbrook spent a lot of time greeting parents around the buffet table!

The Summer Showcase brought together over 100 students from across The Grange School to present performances of music, gymnastics, dance and drama. What was even more special was that youngsters from the Junior School had been working closely with students from the Secondary School since June on a selection of pieces. All of the rehearsals took place in the various ‘extra-curricular’ clubs during the six weeks leading up to the Showcase Evening.

As we saw, all of those involved worked incredibly hard to get the performances to the exceptional standard on the night. It certainly bodes well for the months and years ahead, Mr Washbrook, who produced the show and deserves a special mention for his efforts in putting the whole event together, said: The wide variety of items on the night included solo recitals and choir pieces, to the rock band’s own composition, not to mention the KS2 Violin group who performed over five extracts of music. There was a Pirate Dance including Year 5 and Year 6 which had been choreographed by the Year 10 GCSE Dance class, Hip-Hop and Gymnastics routines. Finally, there were performances of Drama from the GCSE classes demonstrating

“On behalf of the PE and Creative Arts Faculty, I would like to thank the students, staff and guests in making the evening so memorable.

If you did not get to see this year’s Summer Showcase, make sure you do not miss out on the next performance at The Grange.”

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

July 2013 Issue

Also leaving at the end of term are the following staff: Thank You and Goodbye Each year we say goodbye to a number of staff as they move to pastures new. To each of them I extend good wishes for the future and sincere thanks for their contribution to The Grange.

Mr Spracklen started teaching at The Grange in in 1978, whilst Mr Tust joined him in 1980. Both have taught Science throughout their time although Mr Tust has for some years now, proven to be equally at home in a Design & Technology workshop as he is in a Science laboratory. Mr Spracklen has demonstrated his versatility too, as for several years, he has been responsible for the school’s LSU. Both Messrs Spracklen and Tust have decided to hang up their lab coats for the last time and I wish them both well in their retirement and express my gratitude for their dedicated service to The Grange over many years.

Mr Higgins joined us in 2001 and quickly made his mark and became a Progress Tutor. He has secured a promotion to Assistant Head Teacher at the Bluecoat School in Oldham.

After nine years of service to the school, Mrs Hudson leaves to join the staff at Lymm High School as Examinations Officer.

Mr Washbrook who was appointed to the staff at The Grange in 2007, is casting his net further afield as he flies off to become Head of Drama at Al Yasmina International School in Abu Dhabi.

Mrs Hughes has gained promotion after four years of learning the craft of the classroom at The Grange. She is joining the staff at Bridgewater High School as second in the Maths Department.

Miss Quigley joined the staff in 2011 as a newly qualified teacher and is now returning home to Ireland to spend time with her family before travelling to South America to use her skills and knowledge as a Spanish teacher teaching English to the Spanish speaking locals.

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

July 2013 Issue

Autumn Term 2013 The new term begins for all students on Wednesday 4th September 2013.

Year 7 start at 8:30am and Year 8 - 11 will start at 10:45am.

And finally‌ Term dates 2013 - 14 Return Finish Wednesday 4th September 2013 Friday 18th October 2013 Half term break Monday 28th October 2013 Friday 19th December 2013 Christmas break th Monday 6 January 2014 Friday 14th February 2014 Half term break Monday 24th February 2014 Friday 4th April 2014 Easter break Tuesday 22nd April Friday 23rd May 2014 Half term break nd Monday 2 June 2014 Friday 18th July 2014 Summer break

We have had a very successful year but without your support, achieving the standard we do would be so much more of a challenge. There is still more we can achieve and we are determined to continue making improvements to our school for the benefit of the young people who study here. There is a great deal of which we can be proud and I would like to thank parents and carers who have paid compliments to the hard work of students and staff throughout the year which gives great encouragement to us all.

Thank you for your continued support and on behalf of the staff and Governors may I wish you a pleasant and enjoyable summer.

INSET days (staff only, closed to students) INSET day 1 Monday 2nd September 2013 INSET day 2 Tuesday 3rd September 2013 INSET day 3 Monday 21st July 2014 INSET day 4 Tuesday 22nd July 2014 INSET day 5 Wednesday 23rd July 2014 Bank Holiday (closed to staff and students) Monday 5th May 2014

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

July 2013 Issue

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Welcome Back A new year offers so much promise, a new beginning and a chance to start over again. With the right mind set and a positive outlook, this year could prove to be a better year than the last. This at least is what I hope everyone sets out to achieve. The students have made a good first impression, returning to school looking resplendent in their new uniform. I would like to thank parents and carers for ensuring that our students look so smart.

You may have heard or read in the press recently that students who were in year 11 last year now have to stay on in education or workplace learning this year and further, that if they failed to achieve a grade C or better in English and Mathematics, then they would have to continue studying these subjects. This will continue to be a requirement for all students.

Success in examinations is important but school is about so much more.

We aim to help youngsters build character, self-belief and confidence; to have acceptable standards of behaviour including good punctuality, honesty, integrity and good manners amongst many other qualities.

Without your help and support however, we would not be able to enjoy the success we do and so it is very important that we work together for our mutual benefit and in the best interests of the young people.

I have spoken to all our students through assembly and expressed my delight that the class of 2013 have set new records for examination results at the Grange. I have challenged each year group to continue this trend.

The success of our students clearly reflects the quality of education we provide so the more success this school enjoys the more success each and every individual student achieves and the better chances they will have

I look forward with great hope and optimism to another successful year, reassured that over the past few years the reputation of this school has been enhanced significantly and knowing that I can rely upon the support of parents and carers.

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

Record Results For the eighth consecutive year, our students have produced the best set of results ever achieved at the Grange. Despite the upheaval of the move into the new building at Easter, students and staff worked tirelessly and skilfully to ensure that disruption to learning was minimised and so enable yet another record breaking year. What makes this set of results so special is that that for the very first time, results have risen to above the national average in the overall measure of 5 or more GCSEs at grade C or above including English and Mathematics.

Congratulations to the class of 2013.

There were many individual successes as every single Grange student gained at least one qualification and almost half of all students gained at least one of the top grades of A*/A but perhaps the highlight was the 11 A* Grades achieved by Head Girl, Amy Pinkney. Other top performers included Emily Harrington (5A* & 6A), Chloe Funival (5A* & 4A), Luke McGarry (5A* & 4A), Anna-Louise Timms (4A* & 8A), Reece Moore (4A* & 6A), Jack McAdam (4A* & 8A), Sophie Blackmore (3A & 8A), Leanne Rigby (2A* & 8A) and Hannah Smith (10A).

Our headline figures are listed below. 

61.4% 5A& - C English and Mathematics



59% 5A* - C English and Mathematics GCSE ONLY



65% A* - C English and Mathematics



43% A* - A Grades



96% 1 A* - C



42% 8 A* - C English and Mathematics

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Early Success

Even Earlier Success

Congratulations to our current Y11 who, as Y10 completed their first set of option subjects in the summer. Already 127 of the 150 students in this year group have secured 5 or more GCSEs; 138 have at least 1 grade C or better and 47 have at least 5 grade Cs or better. There are 27 students who have performed at the highest level securing at least 1 A*/A grade, 6 who have at least 3 A*/A and 2 who have amassed a collection of at least 5A*/A.

Congratulations to Jasmin Worswick who, as a Year 7 student, achieved a Grade A in GCSE French. Jasmin is the youngest ever Grange student to gain a GCSE qualification and to do so at the highest level is a tremendous achievement.

All of these results are banked and with at least 4 more grades to come at the end of Y11 the potential for this year group is huge. I wish them every success in their endeavours.

Before joining the Grange, Jasmin and her family lived in France for three years and so we thought she would have a good chance of passing her GCSE at the ripe old age of 12 years; we were all delighted when it turned out that she had achieved a Grade A. Well done Jasmin, we are very proud of your achievement.

Leah Nelson, Keeley Warburton, Taylor Goodall, Morgan Dowling, Abigail Anderson and Joshua Gates.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Inter House Football Competition Tense, nail biting, electric! Such was the atmosphere in the Sports Hall recently as the 5 a-side House Football teams assembled to compete for the honour of the Houses!

Each House team worked hard to score and take the upper hand first.

Some excellent defending from Alex Edwards meant ‘Mighty Milne Machines’ were able to hold onto the lead and beat Bridgewater.

Meanwhile, Priory defeated Brindley to make it through to the final. In the third place play off Brindley beat Bridgewater losing out to a more skilful team.

Meanwhile, Castle and Priory went head to head and after several goals to either side, Lewis Halpin scored the vital goal to secure victory for Priory.

Well done to all those who played and a big thank you to the excellent referees, Mr Downey and Mr Hutton.

1st Place - Priory House 2nd Place - Castle House 3rd Place - Brindley House 4th Place - Bridgewater House

Team Members were: Bridgewater: Connor Igoe, Jordan Jones James McNamee, Liam Fry and Matthew Brown.

Brindley: Tyler Kneale, Liam Baines, Kaylin Martin, Connor Lindsay, John Brown and Stevie Andrucci.

Castle: Alex Edwards, Kyle Wright, Thomas Schofield, Jaydn Dunbebin, Callum Francis, Owen Crothers and Joe Clayton.

Priory: Daniel Griffiths, Tahsin Chowdhury, Shane Bruffell, Lewis Halpin, Ben Freeney and Declan Hodgson.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

New Staff Each year we welcome a number of new staff to The grange and this year I am delighted to introduce the following:

Mr Denton (Deputy Head of School)

Mrs Mogg (Assistant Curriculum Leader for Mathematics)

Mrs Courtier (Modern Foreign Languages)

Mr Rodriguez (Physical Education)

Miss Rowe (Mathematics)

Miss Simms (English)

Miss Way (Modern Foreign Languages)

I wish them all success.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

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Attendance The financial incentives to take holidays in term time are often significant but the disruption to a child’s education far outweighs any discount that might be gained. This is why I will always refuse any request for holidays in term time except for the rare case when there are exceptional circumstances.

At school, staff and students work very hard to make the most of the time available in order to maximise potential. Even then, it always seems like we need more time in order to get the best possible results for each student. Staff and students often create extra time by using school holidays to run and attend extra classes. During the summer break recently, some staff put on additional classes for their students. Most use half terms and the Easter break in the same way.

Given the importance of school, the qualifications that can be gained and the extra mile we go to benefit students, any absence is frustrating but it is very disappointing when parents and carers take students out for holidays during term time.

If parents and carers subsequently ignore the refusal of consent to take a holiday in term time, then a penalty fine will be issued by the Local Authority. This year the fine has increased to £60 per parent per child. This would mean for a family of 1 child a fine of £120; for a family of 2 children, a fine of £240 and so on. Further, if the fine is not paid within 28 days then it would double! Court proceedings are likely to follow if the increased fine is not paid within 42 days.

(This is in line with other Halton schools and Government policy).

Notification of Student Absence I would like to remind parents and carers about our policy with regard to contacting the school if your child if going to be absent.

Parents and carers are responsible for making contact with the school by 9:00am to inform about any student absence. If the absence is likely to be more than one day, I ask that you update us every two days about your child’s illness and when you might expect them to return.

Please note, where a student is absent from school without a valid reason being provided, for five days or more over a term or academic year, with an overall attendance of 90% or less, a Penalty Fine will be issued by the Local Authority.

Please work with us to prevent this from happening.

From September 2013, any absence lasting for five days or more will require medical verification. This does not mean obtaining a ‘doctors note’ instead evidence could include a medical appointment card, medication packet including your child’s name, etc. If unsure, please contact Mrs Talbot. If this isn’t provided , the absence will be ‘unauthorised’.

We look forward to another year of excellent school attendance for our students and I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the attendance target for every pupil of 95% or above. Remember, many achieved an attendance of 100% last academic year.

Please support your child’s education by ensuring good attendance.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Augmented Reality The Grange school is all about preparing our students for the 21st century and we're embracing the very latest 'Augmented Reality' technology to bring our school marketing to life.

What is Augmented Reality? Put simply, augmented reality or AR, enhances the real world with a layer of digital information.

This allows our prospectus, newsletter, banner or even our school logo to come to life using a FREE APP and the camera on your smartphone or pad with video, music and motion graphics.

Over the coming months you will see more examples of AR appearing around the school. In the meantime you can get a sneak preview right now in 3 easy steps:-

1.

Download the FREE ‘ar people’ app (apple and android)

2.

Hold your smart phone or tablet over the picture to the right

3.

Watch it spring to life!

4.

Once loaded, tap the screen and the clip should run on your device.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

The Grange Nursery New Look Website There has been some concern that a recent OFSTED report on a local Pre-School setting referred to our Nursery. This is not the case, our Nursery is thriving.

The Nursery continues to provide high quality care and education for our three and four year olds.

Same address, different look. I hope you find it more informative and easier to navigate. www.thegrange.com

We have a few places remaining in Nursery this September, and if you know of anyone who is looking for Nursery provision, please encourage them to contact our Nursery team on 01928 562 660.

Facebook

We have recently created a Facebook account. You can find us by searching Facebook for The Grange School, Runcorn or by clicking on the Facebook icon in the top right hand side of our website.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

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Term Dates Finish

Important Dates Return

Autumn Half Term Friday 18th October

Monday 28th October

Thursday 26th September

Christmas 2013/2014 Thursday 19th December

Year 11 Parent Progress Meetings

Monday 6th January

Thursday 3rd October

Spring Half Term Friday 14th February

Monday 24th February

Year 9 Parent Progress Meetings October

Easter Holiday Friday 4th April

Tuesday 22nd April

May Day Bank Holiday Friday 2nd May

Tuesday 6th May

Summer Half-Term Friday 23rd May

Monday 2nd June Summer

Friday 18th July

Tuesday 2nd September

Inset Days Monday 21st July 2014 Tuesday 22nd July 2014 Wednesday 23rd July 2014

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

Tuesday 8th October Open Evening

Thursday 10th October Year 11 Post 16 Futures Event

Thursday 17th October Year 7 Settling in Parents Evening

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Obituary It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of Mr Gordon Hughes, Head Teacher at The Grange Comprehensive School from 1973 to his retirement in 1991. In retirement, Mr Hughes was a regular visitor to The Grange and in April 2012 he visited to have a look at the progress of our new building.

Representatives from The Grange attended the funeral service which was held on Tuesday 17th September at Walton Crematorium and the Salvation Army Hall in Warrington.

Our thoughts go out to his family.

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

The

GRANGE SCHOOL Open Evening

Headlines

For the first time we hosted Open Evening in the new building and it proved to be a great venue for just such an occasion!

The evening began in a packed hall where I delivered the opening address before inviting prospective parents and their children to visit the faculties in their respective wings of the school. Staff had been busy in preparation for the event and school looked very smart.

There was a lot to see and to talk about as every aspect of the school’s operation was on display. I am very grateful for the time parents from the School Forum and former students of The Grange had given to attend the evening and present their perspective of life at school.

Staff from the school kitchen prepared samples of typical school meals, which went down a treat, especially the cheese flan it seemed!

This of course is a one-off event but parents who were unable to attend, or who would like to visit again, are very welcome to contact school to make arrangements. I look forward to welcoming our next cohort of Y7 in 2014.

Sixth Form Partnership For over 12 months now we have been collaborating with Cronton College to plan for the reintroduction of post-16 provision at The Grange. We are able to offer exclusively to our current Y11 two courses of study at The Grange campus from September 2014.

Both courses are Level 3 BTEC Extended Diplomas, equivalent to three A levels and studied over two years. The courses are Computing and IT and Business.

There was a great deal of interest at the Post-16 evening and further details will follow.

The atmosphere was buzzing with so many hands-on activities organised throughout the faculties, which clearly captured the imagination of our visitors, both young and slightly older!

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

Th

October 2013 Issue July 2013 Issue

The

GRANGE SCHOOL

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Post-16 Futures Evening This event was aimed at students in Y10 and Y11 and their parents. The central hub of the school was packed with stalls from local providers presenting their offerings post-16.

In the hall itself, students and parents were able to listen to a 20 minute presentation on tips for revision and goal setting.

Prestigious Universities Programme

In one of the wings of the school a Connexions Advisor gave an informative presentation, including careers guidance.

All students then took part in typical AS level classes in either Physics, English or History.

As part of the Prestigious Universities Programme, 43 year 10 students visited Cronton Sixth Form College on 16th October. They were provided with an insight into life at the country’s most prestigious Russell Group Universities. Advice was given about the most desirable A level choices and grades to be achieved in order to earn places at such Universities.

Feedback from Cronton staff was extremely positive and they commended our students on their maturity and conduct. Special praise was given to the students within the English lesson, as they provided verbal and written responses of a very high standard. A profitable and worthwhile morning for all!

With the Raising of Participation Age legislation affecting students who will now have to remain in full-time education or training until 18, this event was an excellent means by which our Y10 and Y11 students could begin to plan for the next stage of their education.

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

October 2013 Issue

The

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Computer Savvy

Sign up now for a taster session in January!

Taster session: date and time will be in next Newsletter

I am pleased to be able to offer parents and carers the opportunity to enrol on a six week IT course held at The Grange, completely FREE of charge!

Six week course starts: date and time will be in next Newsletter

The course is designed to equip parents and carers with the know-how that will enable them to provide safer and more effective internet and IT use for their children at home in support of their school studies.

Tea and coffee provided

  

Keeping your children safe online Accessing resources to help your children with their learning Getting started with computers Week 1

How to use a Windows computer. Accessing the internet. Using search engines

2

Opening and using e-mail accounts, staying safe and keeping your children safe online. Anti-virus protection. Understanding web browsers.

3

How to use Microsoft Office—Word, PowerPoint & Open Office (free version)

4

Educational resources to support your child with numeracy and literacy

5

Educational resources to support other subjects such as science, ICT, art, music

6

Accessing Government Agencies online, including tax, DVLA, TV licensing and the new benefits system

Location: The Grange School

House Events Yr 9 Blockbusters - The latest event was based on the popular game show Blockbusters.

Teams of year 9s had to answer general knowledge questions and make their way across a board. Round one saw Bridgewater and Castle play. Castle won as the students began to understand the tactical nature of the game. Round two saw Brindley meet Priory. Lewis Millett from Brindley opted to go out on his own. Priory’s Joel Graham and Jennifer-Leigh Roberts answered correctly with a fast food based question however, Lewis won. In the first final, Bridgewater played Priory. After some confusion, Priory answered a Star Wars question incorrectly. Third place went to Bridgewater. The final game saw Brindley play Castle. Brindley changed tactics and the Brindley boys played right across the middle, finishing with a question on American politics, to take the game!

Brindley 1st

Castle 2nd

Bridgewater 3rd

Priory 4th

Overall it has been a successful start to the year and the current rankings are:Priory 1st

Brindley/Castle 2nd

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

Bridgewater 3rd

October 2013 Issue

The

GRANGE SCHOOL

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What Are We Reading?

I am currently re-reading my favourite book of all time, ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’ by Robert Tressell. I first read it in my early 20s and I remember a mix of emotions stirred up by this lengthy novel.

As I read the book I was at times sad, angry, mildly amused but always eager to turn to the next page to learn more about ‘Frank Owen’ who reminded me so much of my dad and who, like Frank, was a painter and decorator and shared Frank’s world view of life.

A book about a painter and decorator hardly sounds like the stuff of legend but believe me it’s a great read and a classic.

Miss Bate is reading ‘Dance with Dragons’ from the Game of Thrones series. Set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, the battle for the Iron Throne has really got me hooked!

Terry Pratchett ‘Going Postal’ - This is a brilliantly funny and insightful book. It’s based in a fantasy setting but also deals with a real world issue and makes clever points about modern life. When I was younger, one of my favourite books was ‘Danny the Champion of the World’ by Roald Dahl Mr Downey Mrs Stagg’s favourite books are: Harry Potter (I would love to be a witch!)

Twilight; a fabulous love story I remember my Dad reading Treasure Island and Children of the New Forest to me when I was younger. It’s great to escape into a book! Mrs Stagg

Jasmine Worswick is reading ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne Brandon Dobson is reading ‘Treasure Island’ by Robert Louis Stevenson Georgina Page is reading ‘Skulduggery Pleasant - Kingdom of the Wicked’ by Derek Landy Ellie Reynolds is reading ‘The Taming of the Tights’ by Louise Rennison Ryan Green is reading ‘Skulduggery Pleasant Mortal Coil’ by Derek Landy Aggie Randles is reading ‘Missing’ by Meg Cabot Amelia Leather-Batty is reading ‘Knocked Out by my Nunga Nungas’ by Louise Rennison Nicole Bundred is reading ‘Jane Blonde - Twice the Spylet’ by Jill Marshall

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

‘Noughts & Crosses’ is one of the best books I have ever read, said Mrs Foster. Malorie Blackman is a fantastic author and I really enjoyed reading the whole Noughts & Crosses series. For me, the hallmark of good fiction is when you care what happens to the characters. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to like them. But if you care what happens to them, you know the author has done a good job of bringing the characters to life. Mrs Foster

September 2013 Issue

The

GRANGE SCHOOL More What We Are Reading

Headlines

One of my favourite books of all time is ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee. I’ve read it many times. Scout’s first day at school still makes me laugh out loud while Reverend Sykes telling Scout to ‘…stand up. Your father’s passing’ still brings a lump to my throat.

It’s such a rich, powerful and beautiful story.

I am reading about Michael Palin’s journey across Brazil. He visits many contrasting places in terms of both environment and cultures. He starts his journey in the North, in the remote mountains and forests of the Lost World on the border of Venezuela, and finishes in the South at the legendary Iquacu Falls on the border with Argentina.

I love the book ‘Charlotte Street’ as it is based on the themes of hope and fate.

Mrs Hughes

I’m really enjoying this book because, as well as describing the magnificent scenery (with being a Geographer, this really interests me), he also meets many interesting characters which adds to depth of his experience.

I love all of the Famous Five books by Enid Blyton – I was introduced to these books by my mum; she gave me her childhood copies to read. My children have also grown up reading the same copies. I also loved ‘Heidi’ by Johanna Spyri, given to me by an Aunt. I loved escaping into a foreign world. Mrs Marshall

I usually read sporting biographies or travel books where people describe the feel of the place rather than just what it looks like. I would certainly recommend ‘Brazil’ by Michael Palin. By Eddie McGovern aged 52 and 3/4s.

I liked Roald Dahl books, particularly Danny the Champion of the World. The Dahl series was read to me in junior school and I enjoyed the way they were delivered by my teachers. I was given a set of his books for a birthday by Mrs Murray but Danny was the one with the bent corners and broken spine. I loved these books as they were easy to read and entertaining. As an adult, I bought the same set for my sons and they always asked for them to be read. Mr Milne

I’m reading ‘Four Kings: The Last Great Era of Boxing’ by George Kimball. Kimball, Norman Mailer and Hunter S Thompson are my favourite American sports writer. Kimball died recently and I regard this book as part of his writing legacy. He was so close to the game, the fighters and the fights that his opinions and recollections are invaluable. One reviewer described ‘Four Kings’ as ‘an epic poem of a book’. I think this is a fitting metaphor!

When I was younger one of my favourite books was ‘The Snow Goose’ by Paul Gallico. I was also a big fan of Ray Bradbury’s short stories. Mrs Shargool

I’m also reading ‘A Disaffection’ by James Kelman. In fact, I’m reading it for a second time!

One thing I love about this book - aside from the deep sense of character - is in the experimental language; it’s written entirely in a broad Scottish dialect. I also admire the Joycean stream-of-consciousness and the fact that it’s hilarious. Nothing much happens in the story but a good writer can create something exceptional out of the seemingly mundane.

Mr Simpson

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

October 2013 Issue

The

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

What Some of Our Staff Are Reading Mr Warburton is reading ‘Down Under’ by Bill Bryson Mr Talbot is reading ‘Wolf Hall’ by Hillary Mantel Mrs McMullen is reading ‘Scar Tissue’ by Anthony Keidis Miss Hignett is reading ‘Two for Joy’ by Helen Chandler Mr Patterson is reading ‘Inferno’ by Dan Brown Miss Ellis is reading ‘Touch and Go’ by Lisa Gardner Miss Owen is reading ‘The White Hotel’ by D.H. Thomas Miss Romat is reading ‘The Prisoner of Heaven’ by Carloz Ruiz Zafon Ms Shuker is reading ‘The Art of Fielding’ by Chad Harbach Mrs Leadbetter is reading ‘A Week in Winter’ by Maeve Binchy Mr Beard is reading ‘Toby’s Room’ by Pat Barker Mrs Shargool is reading ‘Age of Miracles’ by Karen Thompson

Drugs Awareness Education Student safety is of paramount importance to us and therefore we invest heavily in ensuring that all of our pupils have the tools at their disposal to make the correct decisions, principally through our PSCHEE programme in Drugs Education. Additionally, we use a well renowned dog training establishment, Specialist Dog Services, to come into school and deliver assemblies about how they use dogs trained to sniff out illegal substances; then, on a regular basis, the company are invited into school to complete a sweep. Both parents and students have reacted positively to the use of this company and feel it is both educational and acts as a deterrent.

Have you tried any of our Augmented Reality (AR) Videos yet?

The Grange School does not charge you to view our Augmented Reality Videos but your network operator may charge for the amount of data you use. Please check with your provider.

Follow these three easy steps to watch the English AR:1.

Download the FREE ‘AR people’ app (Apple and Android)

2.

Hold your smart phone or tablet over the English icon picture opposite

3.

Watch it spring to life!

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

October 2013 Issue

The

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Raising Aspirations in Mathematics

At The Grange School we are committed to raising the aspirations of our students in order for them to achieve the very best they can achieve. The Maths department has started to encourage this in Maths lessons by asking students to consider what and where they aspire to be, and consider how Mathematics can help them reach their goals.

Soon, every classroom in the Maths department will house an ‘aspirations tree’, showing what all of our students are working towards and how the school can help support with this.

In addition to this, the Maths department is looking at bringing people from a variety of different industries and careers to The Grange, to showcase exactly how much Maths is used in many jobs. As part of this process, we will be continuing to develop our strong links with Cronton and Riverside College.

Some of the quotes from our aspirational students include: “There are a few options I’d like to consider, and a grade B in Maths would really help” “I have done a good job in Maths, and I know that I am working well” “I want to be a midwife, but know that I need to achieve my expect2ed grade in Maths” “I want to be a lawyer, and want to get the highest Maths grades I can to help me with this.”

“I need to improve my attitude and do my homework to help me achieve my very best” “Maths is so important to every job now. I am going to work hard to get the best grade I can” “Maths is so important to every job now. I am going to work hard to get the best grade I can” In the meantime why not have a go at the following maths puzzle. The answer will appear in next month’s newsletter.

We will continue to inform you in future editions of the newsletter on how students are continuing to aspire and how they are working towards reaching their ultimate goals. For more information, please contact Mr Liptrot (Mathematics Faculty Leader) at school.

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

October 2013 Issue

The

GRANGE SCHOOL Term Dates Finish

Headlines Important Dates 2013

Return Autumn Half Term

Friday 18th October

Wednesday 13th November Grange Factor Heat 1

Monday 28th October

Christmas 2013/2014 Thursday 19th December

Monday 6th January

15th November Children in Need Charity Event

Spring Half Term Friday 14th February

Monday 24th February

Thursday 21st November Awards Evening

Easter Holiday Friday 4th April

Tuesday 22nd April

May Day Bank Holiday Friday 2nd May

Tuesday 6th May

Summer Half-Term Friday 23rd May

Wednesday 11th December Grange Factor Heat 3

Monday 2nd June Summer

Friday 18th July

Wednesday 27th November Grange Factor Heat 2

Thursday 12th December PE&CA Christmas Showcase

Tuesday 2nd September

Inset Days Monday 21st July 2014 Tuesday 22nd July 2014 Wednesday 23rd July 2014

Wednesday 11th - Wednesday 18th December Year 11 Mock Exams

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

October 2013 Issue

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Remembrance Service Like so many schools across the country we commemorated the brave sacrifices of our armed forces over the years through assemblies and at the Remembrance Service in Runcorn on Remembrance Sunday. Poppies had also been on sale and as usual, our student, staff and many visitors contributed to the appeal by donating a sum in exchange for a poppy.

Head Boy, Tony Alford and Head Girl Georgia Worswick accompanied by Mr Downey, Mrs Rutter and Mrs Hall laid the poppy wreath at the cenotaph along with other schools and organisations from Runcorn.

Reach for the Stars Exciting

times

for

the

GCSE

Astronomy

group!

On the 4th October, the group visited Jodrell Bank to see the world famous Lovell telescope at close quarters. The day was very much hands on, with the students completing a workshop on the electromagnetic spectrum and attending a presentation inside the inflatable planetarium.

Top fact: The 4th Doctor Who (Tom Baker) died after falling off the Lovell telescope!

Eight of our astronomy students also acted as guides at the North West Astronomy Festival. Aside from their duties, this gave them opportunity to attend lectures by eminent astronomers on the more unusual features of the Solar System’s moons and the size and scale of the known universe. They also got to handle meteorites from the distant regions of space and sample astronaut food.

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

Year 11 Maths Camp At the beginning of November, 30 Year 11 students packed their bags and went on a weekend to Colomendy Activity Centre, in North Wales, to help them prepare for their GCSE Maths. The party was led by Mr Liptrot, the Curriculum Leader for Maths, with support from Mr Burton, Mrs Stagg, Miss Antwis and Mr Craven.

During the weekend, students participated in a number of Maths workshops which were designed to help them further understand topics needed for their exam. During their recreational time, students were treated to some of the activities that Colomendy had to offer, which included building a shelter in the woods and being guided through an obstacle course blind folded! We even made friends with a Russian School and received an invitation to their disco.

At the end of the weekend, students were asked to complete an exam paper to show exactly what they had learned during the weekend. A significant number of students had improved their grade and all students said they found the trip to be beneficial to their understanding of Maths, raising the aspirations of the students who attended.

“It helped me to learn new things about maths and gave me a chance to do things that were fun.”

“The weekend was beneficial for my maths; I learned how to do a few A* questions and use formulae.”

“I learned how to use a calculator in much more detail.”

“I found this weekend very helpful in getting help with specific subjects.”

“The trip has helped me understand parts of maths that I could not understand before.”

“I am proud of all of the students who gave up their entire weekend to participate in some extra Maths study” said Mr Liptrot, Maths Curriculum Leader. “We received some fantastic feedback from the students, who were all eager to repeat the weekend again in the future”.

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

It was helpful, the way that the teachers helped me.”

I was able to answer exam questions I didn’t think I could!”

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Maths Puzzle of the Month The answer to last months puzzle.

We can solve this problem using algebra (in particular, simultaneous equations – Grade B) Firstly, let’s assume the boy is B and the girl is G. We can set up the following equations: G + 2 = 2(B – 2) G + 3 = 3(B – 3) We can rearrange these equations to make the girl’s age (G) the subject of our equations.

G = 2(B – 2) - 2 G = 3(B – 3) - 3

Now that we know the boy’s age, we can substitute the value of B into any of the equations from the start. Let’s use the first equation: G + 2 = 2(B – 2) Substitute B = 6 so that we now have: G + 2 = 2(6 – 2) G+2=8 G = 6 The girl is 6 years old!

Because both of these equations represent the girl’s age, we can make them equal to each other.

2(B – 2) - 2 = 3(B – 3) - 3 From here, we can multiply out the brackets, then rearrange the equation to find out the boy’s age (B).

2(B - 2) - 2 = 3(B - 3) – 3 2B – 4 – 2 = 3B – 9 – 3 2B – 6 = 3B – 12 B = 6 The boy is 6 years old!

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

This Month’s Maths Puzzle

Sports Stars The Sainsbury's School Games Kitemark is a Government led awards scheme launched in 2012 to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community.

We achieved the Bronze Award and four sports students went to the awards ceremony at Halton Stadium. The Worshipful Mayor of Halton, Cllr Margaret Ratcliffe presented the certificate to our four sports ambassadors, Taylor Goodall, Danny Griffiths, Owen Wright and Mark Dicken.

Answer in next month’s edition.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Inspired Responses This term in Art, we have been fortunate enough to be involved in a KS3 Art project named ‘Inspired Responses,’ working with Visual Artist, Claire Weetman and in conjunction with The Brindley.

The project aims to inspire young people through extra-curricular workshops run by established local artists, introducing them to new techniques and materials, beyond the curriculum.

Year 7 and 8 students have so far attended two 90 minute workshops with Visual Artist, Claire Weetman, who grew up in Runcorn and studied Art at Liverpool John Moores University. Claire will return at the start of December to see how the students have progressed in creating their own works of art using the techniques learnt and inspired by Claire’s visual creations.

During the first session, Claire set up an exhibition of her own Art work in the Art department and invited students to analyse the work and discuss their responses. Students were delighted to explore examples of Claire’s Art and came up with thought provoking and insightful comments.

The second session focussed on using new materials and techniques Students used the architectural photographs they had taken to create stencils to which they applied a graphite powder background. They then used the graphite powder, cloths and erasers to experiment with this medium under the guidance of Claire and Mrs Cavanagh!

They then created stills for a stop motion animation by adding lines and marks to indicate flow and movement. They achieved this by setting up a camera and tripod looking down onto a table. The students then took photographs of their drawings at regular stages throughout its production. This has resulted in a series of photographs that have been made into an animation to be exhibited on TV screens at The Brindley as part of the exhibition.

Students will now develop their own project based on the architecture of the school building and the flow of movement around the school, inspired

by Claire Weetman.

This will culminate in an exhibition in the gallery at The Brindley during January, which will be available for the general public to view.

For more information on Claire’s work visit: http://www.claireweetman.co.uk/

It was also an opportunity for students to explore the school building and photograph interesting architectural features, capturing light and movement at the same time.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Parent View

Blood Brothers On the evening of the 31st October, 96 year 10 and 11 Grange students travelled to Liverpool’s Empire Theatre to watch Willy Russell’s award-winning

Parents and carers can give their views of our school at any time of the school year and at the time of a school inspection using an online questionnaire called Parent View.

musical ‘Blood Brothers’. Mrs Johnstone, played by Maureen Nolan, was downtrodden yet feisty; the twins were hilarious and tragic in equal parts and the narrator was ominous and sinister. When watching ‘Blood Brothers’,

When our school is notified of its next Ofsted inspection, parents will be invited to give their views about the school to inspectors using the Parent View online facility as this has replaced Ofsted’s paper questionnaire. Please make sure we have your most up-to-date contact details.

it’s best to have your handkerchiefs ready whether for tears of laughter or sadness and this year’s performance didn’t disappoint! The students who attended were brilliant and a credit to the school. I am grateful to the staff who accompanied the students and in particular to Ms Shargool who

Please register with an email address and a password at http:// parentview.ofsted.gov.uk. Once your login has been activated, it only takes a few minutes to complete answers to 12 short questions about aspects such as bullying, the quality of teaching, level of homework, etc.

organised the very successful event.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

Literacy Toolkit We are delighted to announce that this term sees the official launch of The Grange School Online Literacy Toolkit. This is an online resource which parents, carers and pupils are able to access via The Grange School homepage. Expect to hear more about the Literacy Toolkit in the near future.

How will you take the lead in literacy?

The Grange strongly believes that all students in the school should be leaders in some aspect of school learning. We want our children to take responsibility for their learning and thereby contribute to the school community. We are therefore proud to announce our Literacy Leadership Team initiative.

Literacy Leadership roles are available for students at three different levels, bronze, silver and gold. The Literacy Leadership Programme is certificated and recognises pupil achievement and contribution to the wider school community. For the bronze award, pupils pass a skills test which allows them to assist teachers in lessons across the curriculum. For the silver award, pupils will create a resource for the school’s online Literacy Toolkit for use in classrooms or by individual pupils or staff. For the gold award, pupils will teach aspects of literacy to their own or other classes, across subjects, using resources they have created.

It is also possible for pupils to ‘Take the Lead in Literacy’ by becoming a Reading Mentor. Potential Reading Mentors will undergo thorough training in how to lead effective guided and paired reading sessions. This will allow them to assist our year 7 and 8 students during their reading lessons. Mr Simpson will announce the scheme to students in assemblies during the week beginning Monday 18th November.

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

GRANGE SCHOOL

Headlines

House Activities Year 8 House Pool Competition What a night! “Breath taking” commented Cameron White, one of the many spectators who turned up in their droves to watch the Year 8 Pool Competition which was held in the ‘Crucible’ (English wing).

Round Two saw an excellent performance from Priory’s Dec Preston and Cobi Campbell securing an early lead from Castle’s Tyler Freeney and Owen Dark. Some spot on shots from Tyler gave ‘Preston the Potter’ a run for his money but consistent play from the Priory players finally secured the game and allowed Owen to return to reading his Harry Potter book (to pick up potting tips?).

Round Three was the play off for third place. The decision was taken to limit the play offs to 10 minute games to draw the competition to a close and the winning team would be the one with most balls potted. The Brindley team was an all-girl team of Georgina Page and Kira McGoverin who played fantastically well but couldn’t quite match the expertise and skill of Tyler Freeney and Brandon Dobson (Owen had got to a particularly exciting part of his book) .

The final, between Bridgewater and Priory was a tense affair. Some amazing pool shots from Calum Quick and Jack Simpson from Priory meant they took an early lead; James Jones and Alex Brizell played brilliantly and the game was ball for ball with 3 minutes to go! Then, the calm nerves of Calum Quick meant he potted 3 balls in a row and with time against him, Alex couldn’t quite manage a comeback in time! Priory won by 2 balls!!

Round One was between Bridgewater and Brindley Danny Newby playing for Bridgewater won the toss and elected to play first; Rob Lingham his co- player potted the first colour and the competition began! It was a tense competition with Bridgewater taking an early lead and the game started to look like a run away for the 2 Bridgewater players, but the Brindley team of Georgina Page and Ben Green slowly but surely started to pot their colours until finally Danny Newby potted the winning black ball and Bridgewater’s success was secured!

Well done to all the teams who managed to play well and in a sportsmanlike way despite a rather wonky pool table and the supporters who added to the atmosphere. Thank you to Mr Willmot for refereeing and Mr Burton for his amusing commentary.

Well done to Priory – 1st, Bridgewater – 2nd, Castle- 3rd and Brindley – 4th and Owen Dark who read 100 pages of Harry Potter!

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