We’re in the business of learning.....
The Heath
APRIL 2012
‘Going for Gold’ The Performing and Visual Arts Departments have been working hard over the past few months preparing f o r t h e i r A r t s M a r k assessment visit which took place in mid-‐March. Arts Mark is a national accreditation awarded to schools who excel in the Arts. Schools are invited to apply for different levels of the award depending on their Arts i nv o l v e m e n t . G i v e n o u r outstanding departments, The Heath naturally went for Gold!
The visiting assessor was o v e r w h e l m e d w i t h t h e amount of Arts work taking place in school, and also in the local community. She was amazed at the number of clubs, concerts, exhibitions, trips and d i s p l a y s t h a t w e provide for students, and also the quality of our work in and out of the classroom. As well as a huge document of evidence, she visited pupils at work, saw art displays and had a tour of the s c h o o l . S h e w a s v e r y
interested to see how the Arts are integrated into other subjects in school. She also met with staff, governors and a team of outstanding students who all gave fantastic accounts of their experiences of Arts at the Heath. We are very hopeful that our Gold bid will be successful and we will hear from Arts Mark during the Summer Term. Thank you to all the staff and pupils who work so hard to ensure excellence in the Arts at the Heath!
If you know of anything happening in and around our school community, let us know, or if you have any comments about the newsletter email: stewartd@heathschool.org.uk
History Thackray Museum Trip On Friday 3rd March Year 11 pupils studying History GCSE went on a revision trip to The Thackray Museum (Medicine museum) in Leeds. The museum is specifically designed to teach pupils about medicine through time which pupils have to cover in their GCSE examination. It was an interesting and interactive learning experience. It was a brilliant day out and pupils and staff really enjoyed the 19th century street with its filth and smells. Pupils got to follow Victorian characters around the museum looking at their living conditions. We got to learn about developments in public health and surgery watching a clip of an amputation and looking at the horrors of surgery before the development of anaesthetics and antiseptics. Pupils looked at the problems people faced keeping themselves healthy and went to the pharmacy, doctors and the quack to look at the weird and wonderful cures available. All pupils behaved perfectly and showed a mature approach. They were a credit to The Heath School and themselves. Miss G Piggott Head of History
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Year 7 students have been attending STEM club where they have been able to take part in exciting activities such as making lava lamps and making pancakes...over a Bunsen burner! Learning about immiscible liquids and chemical reactions, we made some funky lava lamps. Students then used their skills and knowledge of chemical reactions to make (mostly) tasty pancakes using a Bunsen burner to provide the heat needed for the irreversible reaction to take place. We had some fantastic results which were very enjoyable (especially topped with lemon and sugar) and unfortunately some others that even the nutella couldn’t save! Well done to those who have been attending, we definitely have some budding scientists and possibly a few chefs!
Fun Food Co. Year 9 enjoyed a session with the Fun Food Company which allowed students to learn about d i f fe re n t fo o d gro u p s, a balanced diet and how to cook healthy meals from scratch. Two teams competed against one another headed up by Mr Wade and Mrs Neary, ably assisted by two students per team in a Ready Steady cook themed cook off. Ten frantic minutes of cooking produced some fantastic results with the 'Green Peppers' coming out slightly on top with their delicately flavoured chicken curry. Students got to taste test their peers results and were impressed with quality of the food. The only disappointment was for Mr Wade who was u n a b l e t o t a ke h o m e t h e leftovers due to the success of the taste testing. The event was organised by Mr Cooper who is responsible for Healthy School projects at The Heath, 'it's brilliant for the pupils to see first hand just how simple it is to cook healthy and nutritious meals. Hopefully they had a lot of fun but also learnt some basic skills and the importance nutrition plays in a healthy l i fe s t y l e. We ' re ex t re m e l y grateful to Ian Robertson and Paul Simms from the Fun Food C o m p a n y fo r m a ki n g t h i s possible and look forward to working with them in the future.
Mock Trial Competition The pupils who took part were: Ellie Turner, Jess Marriott, Katie Pearce, Hannah Aspinall, Elle Goodwin, Tom Ray, Samantha Jones, Jess Hancox, Lauran MacDowell, Charlie Pickering, Sophie Jackson, Hayleigh Hesketh, Anastasia Banlin. We all went to an after school club, called Mock Trial competition. We were all assigned a role to take on, some of us where prosecution lawyers, defence lawyers, witnesses, magistrates, legal advisor and usher. In the club, we learnt how the legal system works. A case was presented to us, which we had to act out with competing schools. George Lowe was accused of handling stolen goods, and each witness was given a statement, which they had to learn. Our defence would go against an opposing prosecution team and vice versa. On Saturday 3rd March we went up to Warrington Magistrates Court, the lawyers of each team delivered an Examination in Chief of their witness and also a Cross Examination of a witness from another school. The lawyers, witnesses and all the other roles were marked out of ten by judges watching each trial. Unfortunately we did not win however, considering this was only the second year we have done it, and most of our team was built up with first timers, we did exceptionally well. Whilst taking part in the club and the actual competition, we all got the chance to build on our public speaking skills, confidence and get the chance to work with people that we wouldn’t get the chance to normally, for example we received help from a Manchester based law firm called Heatons. Of course along with having a great time the whole way through. By Jess Marriott, Jess Hancox and Katie Pearce Year 8
Humanities Learn 4 Life Day On Thursday 15th March was a Heath School Learn for Life Day. It was Year 7 Humanities day and the theme was The Native Indians of North America. Pupils had to learn about different tribes who live in the diverse environments of North America. We made totem poles and designed art to show what animals represent ourselves and our families. Pupils had to gather information about family life and produce role plays showing what they had learnt and also told stories that the Native Indians would have used to explain nature and the stars. Year 7 pupils were joined by year 5 pupils from Weston Primary and everyone had a challenging and interactive day. The pupil’s behaviour was excellent and a fun day was had by all. Year 7 pupils comments about the day were; ‘I loved learn for life day. I really enjoyed making totem poles with feathers and sequins.’ ‘I learnt about how American tribes live. It was fun acting and drawing sacred animals.’ ‘The Learn for Life day was good because it was very cultural and gives us more knowledge of how different people live and it was very fun.’
‘Citizenship at The Heath’ This year at The Heath students have continued to expand their ideas and knowledge about their wider community, both on a local and on a global scale. Year 10 looked at the issue of diamond exploitation in parts of Africa and the impact it can have upon children. Known as ‘Blood Diamonds’ students looked at the process from the point of view of child miners and the devastating effects it can have on their lives. Students produced a fabulous array of work ranging from drama pieces and music to poignant poetry, pod casts and media presentations. The whole day was reported on by a dedicated year 10 team who interviewed pupils and teachers and sent their reports to the National BBC School Report site which featured articles, blogs and photos from the day. Year 11 looked at the theme of ‘Speaking up and Standing out’ . They looked at issues surrounding immigration and the challenges those moving to our community might face. They also researched individuals and groups who have spoken out for what they believe in, such as Nelson Mandela and Emmeline Pankhurst. Much of the day focused on the Holocaust which saw students produce work for Holocaust Memorial Day. Work included art work, poetry and project boards. The quality of the work produced was exceptional.
PE News Lunchtime benchball club got off to a flying start, with nearly 30 girls from Year 10 attending. With so much interest, we may have to apply to the Olympic Committee for inclusion in 2016 Olympics! The netball teams have been very busy this year. The Halton league has ended for this year and we are extremely proud to announce that the Year 7 netball team have won the league! They also came 2nd in the Halton Schools Netball Tournament. A fantastic achievement for their first year together . The year 8 team finished 3rd in the strongly contested Year 8 tournament. A brilliant effort all round with all the girls pulling together to provide a great squad of players! The football teams have done us proud this year too. The girls entered the Halton Football Tournament, with the 7/8 team coming 3rd and the 9/10/11 team coming 2nd! The league isn’t over yet – still 1 game to play but both teams are in the running for top places. Breakfast blast is continuing on Thursday mornings. We have a Zumba coach in the gym and various activities in the sports hall. Healthy breakfasts continued to be supplied thanks in part to Kelloggs and their give a child a breakfast campaign. The Heath played host to the Runcorn Primary Cross Country competition this month. 25 year 5 and 6 pupils participated and completed the course, with St Bertelines providing us with the overall winner. A big thank you to the Year 10 leaders who helped with the event – these events cannot go ahead without the help of these fantastic students. The Heath again played host to a primary sporting event. This time it was the very popular speedstacking event. Again, the Y10 leaders were fantastic in their officiating roles for the competition and a big thanks goes to them from the primary schools involved. There has been a tremendous turn out each week for hockey. Mrs Probert has arranged fixtures with schools outside of the Halton area because no Halton schools are prepared to take us on! Keep up the great work girls. During the half term holiday, a group of year 11 students attended a GCSE revision workshop at Burnley FC. The club were fantastic hosts and the boys were treated to a stadium tour and use of the leisure facilities. Thanks to Mrs Sibley for organising the trip and for giving up a day of her half term.
Gifted and Talented Day On Friday 2nd March, The Heath school PE department ran a day for all year 7, 8 and 9 pupils from the Heath and St Chad’s who are on the Gifted and Talented register for PE focussing on improving performances in their respective sports. The day kicked off with a SAQ (Speed Agility Quickness) session at the beginning which was delivered by Darren Hughes, a Liverpool FC academy coach who specialises in the use of SAQ to improve performance. The session involved loads of fun games and races using some of the latest equipment such as speed parachutes, which are attached to the runner to make it harder for them to get to their top speed. Luckily the weather wasn’t too windy so we didn’t have anyone being blown away! The rest of the day was run by Frankie Burrows who has worked with a number of premiership players at Swansea City to help improve their performance using psychological techniques. The group were in a classroom for the first part setting themselves targets in their own sports, for example winning the league or coming first in an important race. The rest of the day was geared towards helping them achieve them using visualisation practices. One of these was public speaking which is not directly sport-‐related, however it aims to boost confidence both in and out of sport. The idea was to get up in front of their friends and talk for a minute about themselves which is a lot more nerve-‐wracking once you are up there! Fortunately the whole group were fantastic and took part, many of them conquering their fear of speaking to an audience. Other practices involved getting themselves into a ‘state’ where they can perform to the maximum of their ability. Ben Leach from year 8 took part in this and focussed on his big forthcoming match for Tranmere against Manchester City. He used the session to learn how to relax himself and focus on his own performance and block out any negative influences. Frankie’s session engaged the group from start to finish and they got a lot from the day. They can now hopefully use some of the techniques Frankie has shown them to improve their own performances and be able to get themselves psyched up before any big performances!
LIPA 4:19 has moved to the Heath! LIPA 4:19, a franchise of The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, has been established in Halton since 2009. This is an exciting move for us as we continue to grow and flourish as an academy, supported fully by the Heath School. We are a part time performing arts academy for 4-19 year olds, and run classes on a Saturday during term time in singing, dance and drama. We have also performed several full scale shows in venues including the Brindley and across Merseyside, enjoyed thoroughly by performers and audiences alike. We also give the students opportunities to take part in performing arts examinations(dance/drama & singing) by accredited boards. For all age groups, classes are fun and stimulating and are carefully designed to reflect the correct stage of performing arts development. We recruit the very best staff and all our tutors have relevant qualifications in their discipline, alongside working in the performing arts profession as artists and performers. We also have a uniform dress code ( LIPA t- shirt and black leggings/trousers). We believe this allows students to focus on classes and friendship without worries or concerns. If you wish to find out more information or wish to apply for a place at LIPA 4:19 at the Heath, please contact: Kate Allerston, Principal of LIPA 4:19 at the Heath 01928 576664 or kallerston@heathschool.org.uk
The Heath - A Specialist Technology College Closure Dates Inset Days
SCHOOL CLOSES
SCHOOL REOPENS TO STUDENTS
Friday 10th February 2012
Monday 20th February 2012
Thursday 29th March 2012
Monday 16th April 2012
Friday 4th May 2012
Monday 8th May 2012
Friday 1st June 2012
Monday 11th June 2012
Friday 5th October 2012
Thursday 19th July 2012
Tuesday 4th September 2012
Monday 22nd July 2013
Friday 19th October 2012
Monday 29th October 2012
Tuesday 23rd July 2013
Thursday 20th December 2012
Monday 7th January 2013
Friday 15th February 2013
Monday 25th February 2013
Thursday 28th March 2013
Monday 15th April 2013
Friday 3rd May 2013
Tuesday 7th May 2013
Friday 24th May 2013
Monday 3rd June 2013
Friday 19th July 2013
Friday 30th March 2012 Monday 3rd September 2012
Wednesday 24th July 2013