Highclare School
2018
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
SPRING ISSUE
Welcome to the Spring edition of the Headmaster’s Termly Newsletter A warm welcome to this term’s newsletter. As you can see in this edition, packed full with ‘deeds not words’, it has been another brilliant term for Highclare School. But rather than looking back over this superb range of activity and enrichment, I thought I would look ahead to some very important events coming up during the forthcoming summer term. It’s that time of year again when the process of academic assessment – especially that related to public examinations (GCSE and A Level) – takes centre stage. There is a lot riding on the outcome of these assessments which, not surprisingly, often trigger enquiries by parents about how they can best help at home. The candidates themselves respond impressively well to the advice, tasks and guidance* provided by subject teachers (much of which is published in the relevant sections of Highclare Virtual, our VLE) and also the cultural ambition embodied in our Take Charge initiative, so my focus in this piece is on what parents can do to more effectively support, at home, the achievement of successful outcomes. I don’t claim to be expert in this field but I do prefer to rely on those suggestions proven by research evidence rather than by anecdotal opinion. It is also important to point out that there is no definite, one-size fits all type of solution that can be picked ‘off the shelf’. What must happen is that each candidate finds his / her own way by adopting a series of actions most likely to lead to success for that particular person. So, in the spirit of embracing parental enthusiasm to work with us at home, I set out my personal five-point plan, which I believe will help parents to make a positive difference:
1 First of all, adopt a non-intrusive and supportive presence by finding ways to be helpful and not taking over the process or nagging. 2 Before your son/daughter gets anywhere near any revision, try to make sure he / she eats breakfast. It is proven that skipping this key meal has a large and detrimental impact on attention levels and the ability to recall information – which, obviously, is counter to the aim of the exercise. 3 Create an environment at home, in a quiet corner of the house (not closedoff in a bedroom) that is comfortable and free of distraction. For the avoidance of doubt this means that the mobile phone / tablet etc should be put away out of sight (and, therefore, out of mind) and music should not be playing. This latter point may be controversial but it is proven that information recall is better when done without music. The presence of music in this process has a negative impact. Even though some candidates can cope with music better than others, the impact is always negative. 4 Encourage a revision strategy that starts well before the examination itself, because we know that the act of committing something to memory takes a long term. This time should allow the spreading out of tasks – spacing – that allows the process of forgetting and then re-committing the material to memory, which is a process that is proven to be dynamite in terms of effectiveness. Revision is also most effective when it is based on a proactive process such as answering questions, self-testing and, even, teaching someone else. 5 Help them to build, into their daily schedule, sufficient time for leisure activity such as exercise, a breath of fresh air or catching up with friends and, most importantly, make sure they get plenty of good quality sleep. Preparing for assessments is a very demanding process for which batteries must be recharged. I hope this helps. Please do not hesitate to contact me or anyone at School if you would like to discuss anything further. The very best of luck to all Highclare pupils in their forthcoming assessments. Both Sarah and I wish you a restful and peaceful Easter break. Best wishes Dr R Luker - Headmaster *See also a very helpful guide for parents on GCSE revision published on Highclare Virtual by Mrs Healey, Deputy Head of Senior School
2018 National ISA Swimming Finals On Sunday 21st January 6 eager Highclare pupils travelled to the London Aquatics Centre, home of the 2012 Olympic swimming pool to compete in the 2018 National Swimming Finals. Through outstanding individual performances and exciting races all pupils returned with medals, amassing 5 gold, 4 Silver and 2 bronze between them. Swimmers from U3 & U5 were also part of the triumphant Midlands Senior team, pipping second place by just 3 points! A special mention to Alexandra Bartley, Harriet Gordon & Adin Kamingira our U5th pupils who through hard work, dedication & discipline have now qualified for the national finals every year of their school career. Congratulations to our Junior and Senior Swimmers who competed. You represented the school and yourself exceptionally with exemplary behaviour and attitude. We are very proud of your achievements.
Senior School News U3 enjoy a brief History of Music at Birmingham Symphony Hall On Friday 2nd February U3 pupils travelled through five centuries of music in sixty minutes in a concert given by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at Birmingham Symphony Hall. Presented by animateur Tom Redmond (fresh from the BBC’s Ten Pieces) and conducted by the CBSO’s associate conductor Michael Seal, the programme included Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, Mahler’s Symphony No.5, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and much more! A fantastic morning was had by all.
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U4 Religious Studies Hindu Temple visit U4 visited the Balaji Temple in Tividale, Oldbury, as part of their learning about the religion of Hinduism. The Balaji Temple is a Hindu place of worship built in the style of the most visited Shri Venkateswara Temple in Andhrapradesh in India. It is also the largest temple of its kind in Europe and is set in 30 acres of land. During the trip we learnt many interesting facts about Hinduism, including important stories about the different gods they worship. Our guide took us round the main temple and the various shrines around the temple. It was a successful and rewarding morning for the pupils, allowing them to experience the curriculum in action.
Geography In Action U5 Geographers took the classroom outside whilst investigating the environmental impact of redevelopment in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter this term. It is always fantastic to experience a geography case study so close to home and it was an excellent day of study with some great results to analyse.
L4 and A Royal Audience with Queen Elizabeth I at Tutbury Castle On 15 January the L4ths were invited to a royal audience with Queen Elizabeth I. They listened to fascinating stories of both her childhood and reign as Queen, even having the opportunity to hold a real Tudor execution sword. Queen Elizabeth I tested L4’s history knowledge and was so impressed with a particular answer of Shini’s that she won a year’s free pass to visit the castle. After lunch we were given the opportunity to explore the castle grounds. This involved games of hide and seek and much running up and down muddy castle embankments. A good day was had by all and we returned to school a bit muddy but with some great memories of the day.
U4 Peer Mentors We are delighted to announce that the very first U4 Peer Mentors at Highclare Senior School have been trained and took up their positions of responsibility during the week commencing 29th February. Through their conduct these pupils are hoping to help U3 and L4 pupils who might need someone a little older and more confident to talk to. Whether it be helping with organisational skills, advice on joining clubs or just wanting to talk to someone who knows the school rules and expectations, these pupils will be available to lend a friendly ear. Pupils at Highclare are encouraged to actively discuss and offer opinions about issues affecting themselves, their school and community and the world at large and we hope the addition of U4 Peer Mentors to the school community will support and strengthen this ethos.
Bears made with love for Buddy bags charity Pupils in U3 and L4 have started a knitting club at the Senior School with Mrs Cassell. The bears which the pupils are making will be donated to one of our chosen school charities, Buddy Bags. This charity provides a bag containing pyjamas, a book and a bear to children of all ages who are taken into emergency care, and so have none of their own possessions with them. We hope that our bears, made with love, will help to provide comfort to these children.
GCSE Science Live
Lancaster House Logo design You may remember in the Autumn HTN that after a house vote, Lancaster changed their mascot from a sheep to a wolf. Following this decision, we then had a house competition to design a new logo which reflected the wolf theme.
Highclare School GCSE Science pupils travelled to Birmingham Symphony Hall this February to attend exciting lectures by a group of prominent scientists. Five great scientists, Prof Robert Winston, Dr Kate Lancaster, Prof Steve Jones, Prof Andrea Sella and Prof Lucie Green, all delivered inspiring talks on nuclear fusion, the sun, strange ice, genetics and human fertility. The pupils behaviour was excellent and they all found the day useful for their upcoming GCSEs. It was very inspirational to see a range of modern day scientists talking about their passions and areas of expertise.
I am very pleased to announce that the chosen winning design was by Lizzie Pulley in U4R. Lizzie has also spent some time tracing her hand drawn design in Serif DrawPlus to make it into digital format. Lancaster House also held a bake sale in February which raised over £67. This money is going to be used to purchase a new mascot and also to give our support to the UK Wolf Conservation Trust based in Berkshire. We hope to make a visit to this trust in the near future and see the wonderful work they are doing with wolves. Mr Sneary Head of Lancaster House
LAMDA examination results are loud and clear!
Higher Tour Visit Senior School As part of an initiative run by a charity called The Message, a Christian charity that engages with young people on issues such as self-esteem, hopes, self-belief and aspirations, Highclare School enjoyed a visit from a Manchester based band called Twelve24. They ran workshops throughout the day for all year groups on raising students’ self-esteem. All students enjoyed the hour long sessions, which included a talk and the band playing their music to the students, with lots of audience participation encouraged! They even led a whole school assembly, whereby some brave students volunteered to dance with the group. All in all it was an excellent day enjoyed by all the students.
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The LAMDA examination results are in and Highclare School pupils have achieved phenomenal grades, attaining a 100% pass rate and seeing the highest rate of distinctions achieved for years.
World Book Day
34 Senior School pupils and 69 Junior School pupils from Highclare School took part in the recent LAMDA examinations, comprising of a wide range of performance based disciplines, including Group Acting, Solo Acting, Public Speaking, Mime and Verse and Prose Recital. In all 100% of pupils passed, with 32% obtaining a Merit and 64% of pupils achieving a Distinction – this is a grade of 80% and above, outstanding results! A special mention goes to 5 of our L5th and U5th pupils, who further gained bronze medals in these examinations, a fantastic attainment which in addition to evidencing their individual excellence has accrued all-important UCAS points. Lamda has proved an immensely popular extra-curricular activity at Highclare School, allowing pupils to grow in confidence, develop their individuality and nurture relationships with pupils across year groups. It is proven to positively impact a pupil's ability to participate in debates and enhances presentation skills within other subject areas, all of which has resulted in a massive uptake of the LAMDA course in recent times.
As well as the addition of 50 Penguin classics to our library collection, including Austen, Wells, Dickens and Shelley, this term we celebrated World Book Day with a few literary quizzes in aid of our school charities. We had many entries for our World Book Day quizzes devised by our librarian team around the themes of authors, books and film. Congratulations to our prize winners, Jodie Andrews, Laiba Ehsan and Ruby Newman and runners up Safa Ali, Jodie Andrews, Veronica Ansell, Seb Hoffman and Lois Onoro.
Mrs Ashley Hall BEM, Head of LAMDA said, “These are fantastic results and I am delighted. In Highclare Senior School alone we have seen an over 40% increase in pupils achieving a distinction grade and a 100% pass rate. In Junior School over 70% of pupils achieved a distinction, outstanding results for pupils of such a young age. I look forward to continue celebrating these results with the pupils."
Junior School News Putting Maths Skills to the Test The Junior Schools have been putting their maths skills to the test through a number of challenges this term. Junior Life Skills day was tremendously successful, enjoyed by Highclare pupils across all year groups. This year the itinerary integrated many essential life skills involving money and finance, through guest speakers and classroom activities. It proved a successful and enjoyable day.
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Congratulations to the J4 pupils who recently reached the final of the KES Borcherd Shield Maths competition. As well as taking part in a maths quiz that included a tough maths relay, they also put their mathematical strategies to the test followed by Dr Steckles demonstrating how he made amazing shapes with smoke. We are always delighted to celebrate our pupils’ academic successes and look forward to reporting on many more throughout the school year.
Arts Recital J3 and J4 musicians and LAMDA pupils took to the stage to perform to an audience of friends and family in the Arts Recital Evening this term. The evening was amazing, all performances were outstanding and it was great to see that so many pupils took part. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all. We had music from baroque right up to some more well-known pop music. It was lovely to showcase the LAMDA; there was poetry reciting, drama and composed drama by the pupils. Congratulations to the performers and thanks to them for a wonderful evening of music and drama.
Life Skills Day On 25th January Junior Schools immersed themselves into learning about Life Skills. With many different age appropriate activities including a visit from a paramedic and his ambulance, First Aid lessons, money handling, learning how to cross the road safely and staying safe in your home, the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves whilst learning essential life skills. We thank all involved for their time and enthusiasm.
Stretching Maths Skills
Safer Internet Week J6 enjoy their weekly maths extension group, where their maths skills are stretched. A particularly interesting class involved a timed 2 cube challenge, the winner of the challenge being the first to make 1 cube using 27 smaller cubes (9 each of 3 different colours) without having 2 of the same colour in each row and column. The second was to use 27 cubes ( 3 each of 9 different colours) but this time no 2 cubes of the same colour could be in the same row, column or face!
Highclare Junior School pupils took part in Safer Internet Week this term. Lots of e-safety lessons took place over the week including assemblies based around keeping safe online. Children designed informative posters, sharing some important esafety tips, and had a return visit from Hector, an animated dolphin who helps them to stay safe if they encounter any problems online at school.
Cinderella and Rockerfella J3-J6 children from Highclare St Paul’s put on a wonderful Junior School production of Cinderella and Rockerfella this term, a fantastic performance which was enjoyed by all. Cinderella and Rockerfella is a pantomime with a twist and allowed all of the children to showcase their talents, from prop design and stage setting to impressive acting and singing. All of the children gave of their best, with some impressive solo singing in a show filled with humour and laughter. We are so thankful to the supportive staff who allow our pupils to shine and well done to all children involved - we are so proud of how you performed in all of the shows.
What a (k)night it was!
Oh, what a Knight, oh, what a night indeed! Two nights in fact. The Highclare Woodfield Junior production this year was a fantastic success. The children excelled themselves throughout the performances and displayed their talents in a variety of different roles from music technicians and back stage handling of props to our singers, actors and musicians. The acting was magnificent and the signing from the J3 and J4s was super too. Children from across the juniors demonstrated tremendous confidence and talent to give a performance that had the audience laughing and cheering. A huge credit goes to those children who were stand-ins due to illness and injury! A massive thank you needs to go to all the staff for supporting and encouraging the children to have the confidence to show off their talents.
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Young Voices 2018
British Values Week 2018
British values week was another busy week at Highclare Junior Schools. Through a wide variety of activities including PE, assemblies and classroom fun we learnt all about British Values including respect, tolerance and the national anthem, read Shakespeare, looked at the flags of the British Isles, learnt about famous British landmarks, democracy and manners to name but a few.
Year 5 and 6 pupils recently joined over 6000 children at the Genting Arena, Birmingham to take part in Young Voices 2018. It was a fantastic opportunity for pupils and staff to perform a diverse range of songs as one single choir at an international venue. Rehearsals started at 2pm with lead conductor David Lawrence and several guest artists putting pupils and staff through their paces, learning dance moves and perfecting songs, all in preparation for the 7pm performance for family and friends. Listening to thousands of children, including our very own pupils, singing united with a full 7-piece live band in unison with an amazing light display made for one of the most magical and memorable musical experience imaginable. Highclare pupils behaved impeccably throughout the day and we are all still tapping our toes and breaking out into dance, especially to the pop medley!
Honesty is the best Policy In PE we have been looking at honesty for British Values Week. During dodgeball J3 and J4 talked about honesty. We played a game with no referees, relying on the pupils' honesty to walk to the side if caught out, even if no one saw them. It was a fantastic example of actions speaking louder than words.
Junior Sports News
Netball
Tri-Golf J1& J2 have been embarking on a new scheme of work around Tri-Golf. This involves concentration, taking turns and lots of success. Professional golfer Adam Mason from The Belfry golf club came in to inspire J1& J2 students in their lesson time. We might even have some future professionals within Highclare Junior schools.
Cross country U10 & U12 ISA regional Bedstone cross country (Jan 2018) Well done to all our young athletes from Highclare Junior School who competed in the @ISASportUK Midlands Cross Country Championships at Bedstone College this term, a testing course for all and some fantastic results achieved. Both Highclare girls U10 and Highclare boys U10 were victorious in their age group, an impressive achievement, with both Tiffany and Hugh achieving gold medals. A special mention to Tiffany, whose gold medal finish ensured Highclare School girls U10 pipped Malvern St. James to the post following a tie on points, a real nail-biting end to the competition. U9 and U11 girls and boys invitational event at Mayfield (Mar 2018)
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U9 boys- overall 2nd Hugh Mason-Williams 1st Finley Pike 7th Adam Colloby 8th Oliver Hoe 13th Jacob Lisseman 14th Gohar Ayyub 18th U9 girls- overall 1st Tiffany Latham 1st Madison-May Price 6th Daisey-May Price 7th Esme Karakaya 8th Anaya Kaur 9th Amelie Leffler 10th
U11 boys- overall 1st William Stead 1st Eliott Baker Ratcliffe 2nd James Marrett 4th Joshua Jones 8th Harry Taylor 12th U11 girls- overall 3rd Chloe Pike 8th Liberty Mckenzie 9th Gabriella Jones 18th Sophie Waldon 19th
U10 girls v Hallfield (Jan 2018) The girls in J5 were all given the opportunity to represent the school and all played exceedingly well in this home fixture. The final score was Highclare 2 Hallfield 7. U9 girls A & B v Hallfield (Feb 2018) The standards in this game were extremely high. It was clear to see that all the girls had picked up the positions incredibly quickly in lesson time. All the girls in J4 were chosen for this fixture. U11 A & B v Lichfield Cathedral School (Feb 2018) In a very tough fixture the A team were unlucky not to quite steal the win. The final score was 5-3 to Lichfield Cathedral School. U9 v Lichfield Cathedral School (Feb 2018) The Highclare team were incredibly strong and dominated the game from the very start. The team work was excellent and everyone followed instructions very well. The final score was 4-3 to Highclare Junior Schools. U8 v Lichfield Cathedral School (Feb 2018) This was the first fixture for the U8 girls and they all performed very well, remembering what areas of the court they can go into and showing some truly fantastic passing. The final score was 6-0 to Highclare. U11 v Tettenhall College (Mar 2018) A very strong Highclare team was dominant at the start and at half time we were drawing on 2-2. Unfortunately due to some tactical changes from Tettenhall the game finished 7-4 to Tettenhall College. U11 and U10 girls v Grace Dieu (Mar 2018) The girls played some fantastic netball and were really able to demonstrate good movement into space, sticking with their markers and not being afraid to send a long ball. It was a valiant effort by the Highclare teams, narrowly missing out on a victory.
Swimming ISA National Swimming Gala at The Olympic Pool, London (Jan 2018) Congratulations to Hugh Mason-Williams and Daisey-May Price on their success at the ISA Swimming Gala at the start of the year. Hugh achieved 2 Gold Medals and Daisey-May a silver. Fantastic achievements at a national competition.
Hockey Tag-Rugby U8 boys v West House Prep (Mar 2018) Both teams played some fantastic tag-rugby and really showcased what they had being practising this Autumn term. They were 2 very close games, in which the U8A drew 11-11 and U8B lost 7-6, after being in front for most of the game but missing a few chances to go further ahead. U9 boys ISA regional tournament at Stafford Prep (Mar 2018) Postponed U11 boys ISA regional tournament at Princethorpe (Mar 2018) U11 Tag Rugby at Princethorpe 10-8 win v Stafford prep 10-7 win v St Peter’s kettering 1-5 loss v Akeley wood 6-8 loss v Mylnhurst 4-8 loss v Old Vicerage
Multi-Sports
Finished 7th out of 10
U11 and U10 boys v Lichfield Cathedral School (Feb 2018) Both team were playing against very strong opposition, who practise hockey in their Autumn term. We played some really good hockey at times with the U11 drawing 2-2, after having led 2-0 and the U10 losing a very tight game 3-1. U9 A &B boys v Lichfield Cathedral School (Feb 2018) Both teams played some really good hockey against strong Lichfield Cathedral opposition. U9A were keeping the score tight until the last 10 mins, when the opposition showed their superiority and Highclare ended up losing 7-0. U9B played a superb game, coming back from being 1-2 behind to end up winning 3-2.
U8 girls and boys multi-sports festival v Dixie Grammar (Mar 2018) 70 children combined their talents during a recent multi-sport afternoon with Dixie Grammar. The children split into 8 teams and had a fantastic time completing eight different activities, learning new skills, demonstrating strengths and making lots of new friends.
Infant News Reading, Writing and Arithmetic in Reception Reception children have been busy this term developing the 3 R’s in a variety of interesting ways. They have had great fun investigating shapes this term, using printing techniques to investigate the names of and relationships between 2D and 3D shapes. J2 and Reception came together this term to share their love of books. The J2 reading buddies had the opportunity to read a book of their choice to Reception. J2 relished the responsibility of reading and Reception very much enjoyed listening as they love stories.
Chinese New Year To celebrate Chinese New Year, Reception class were visited by three Chinese guests. The children learnt why the Chinese New Year is celebrated and about some of the traditions. The children tasted Chinese dumplings, used chopsticks, dressed up in traditional clothes, sang the New Year song in Chinese with musical accompaniment on a Chinese guitar called a p’i-p’a. The children also tried to dance a dragon dance. After a lovely afternoon the children took home goodie bags which included fortune cookies. At lunchtime the whole school enjoyed a Chinese themed meal prepared by our catering team.
Keep Calm and Yoga During British Values week Reception were learning about some of the things which are known to be typically British. A class favourite was the opportunity to take part in a “Keep Calm and do Yoga’ lesson where we depicted yoga postures to represent some of the things we had been learning about including Big Ben, a cup of tea and the queen sitting on a throne.
Reception Fly High at RAF Cosford Highclare Reception R recently wrapped up warm and braved the cold weather to experience their current topic of ‘Transport’ first hand at the RAF Cosford Museum. Highclare School trips are not only a fantastic opportunity to learn more about different topics in a fun environment but are always a wonderful resource intended to enhance further learning opportunities within the classroom. Reception pupils wanted to convey their favourite parts of the trip and they have done so through a writing opportunity with their teacher once back in their classroom. I think you’ll agree it sounded like a thoroughly enjoyable day! Firstly, we were able to see the enormous planes and learn about what makes planes fly and what they look like inside and out. They are enormous!! We had the privilege to sit in a fighter jet and pretend to be pilots. We moved the pedals and controls and made parts of the plane move!! As part of our topic, we learnt what happens when you go on holiday. We had made a passport at school so we were able to board the plane. We also had our passports and luggage checked and went through a security scanner. Some of us dressed as the pilot and some as air stewards and stewardesses handing out food to the passengers. It was a very fun trip and we can’t wait to carry on our topic back at school.
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J1 Mother’s Day Assembly J1R and J1P worked together to produce a fantastic Mother’s Day Assembly, which they performed at both Highclare St Paul’s and Highclare Woodfield. The children spoke confidently and sang beautifully – there was not a dry eye in the house!
Having an ‘Ice’ time J1 love Science and are finding their latest topic super interesting! They recently watched a video about icebergs and talked about how ice is formed. They then explored the properties of ice, such as whether it floats or sinks and whether it is transparent, translucent or opaque. They tested what happens to water when ice is dropped into it and pushed under it. They loved asking lots of questions and discovering lots of answers.
J2 Science Great Fire Of London at Highclare Junior Schools J2 have learnt about The Great Fire of London this term. With the Freshwater theatre company they experienced the London of 1666 as they recreated life in Pudding Lane, became the fire as it grew and spread and debated the rebuilding of the city. But they agreed that the best lesson of all was when they recreated Pudding Lane with their own houses and watched it burn down.To close their exciting history topic on The Great Fire of London they set fire to one house and watched how quickly the fire spread from one house to another. Soon all of their model houses had burnt down, just like the real fire. “The houses burnt really quickly because it was windy.” Jessica Kellett “The fire spread fast because it was a dry day.” Ben Brooks “The houses were very close together so the fire spread quickly.” Sophie Crisp
Pre-School Pre-School Theatre Treat at Birmingham Town Hall On Friday 12th January 2018, Pre-School 2 pupils from Highclare St Pauls and Highclare Woodfield travelled to Birmingham Town Hall to see a live performance of Stick Man by Julia Donaldson. After a healthy snack, we settled into our allocated seats. The view was perfect. Three actors entered and retold the Stick Man story with music and rhyme. The performance was entertaining and at one point the actors ran around the audience as the characters chased Stick Man. We even tried to catch the huge beach ball which floated into the audience. Back at school we made our own stick men and grouped small sticks into bundles to help us with our counting. We loved the performance so much, we decided to perform our own version for our parents.
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Kingsbury Water Park Although wet, Pre-School 2 pupils ventured into the woods again at Kingsbury Water Park and had a wonderful time taking the classroom outside. Wearing their Highclare waterproof coats, wellington boots and high visibility vests, they were prepared to learn outdoors in all weathers. Warming themselves by the campfire, digging for treasure, finding worms and being creative with bark rubbings kept little minds and hands busy. After lunch we all made our very own Stick Man to take home.
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Sports Results January – April 2018 Swimming ISA National Swimming Gala (London, Jan 2018) Congratulations to our 4 swimmers who qualified to represent the Midlands at this prestigious national event assisting the senior Midlands team to overall victory. Well done to: Alexandra Bartley - 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze Adin Kamangira - 1 gold, 1 silver Harriet Gordon - 1 bronze Jodie Andrews - 1 gold, 1 silver
Friendly Swimming Gala (King Edward's School, Feb 2018) Our Year 7 girls participated in a friendly swimming gala against Edgbaston High School and King Edward's School. This involved both an A and B team and for several swimmers it was their first experience of a competitive gala. Although both teams finished 3rd overall, the girls were still smiling at the end and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere. A Team: Ruby Edmonds, Ruby Newman, Veronica Ansell, Isabel Masaun B Team: Alice Griffiths, Ava Johnson, Sophie Watkin, Kitty McCallion-Bowen
Cross-Country ISA Midlands CrossCountry (Bedstone College, Feb 2018) Just one word is needed to sum up the course this year MUD! Well done to all of our runners who completed an extremely muddy course at Bedstone. Some also had to contend with sleet and snow while they were running, so all were very pleased to finish and earn a welldeserved hot chocolate. Special congratulations go to Caitlin O'Connor and Daniel Hurst who both won their respective races to earn a gold medal. They both, along with Jack Newman, qualified to represent the Midlands at the National event at Princethorpe College on Saturday 3rd March, which unfortunately had to be postponed due to bad weather. Individual Results U14 Girls 17th Jodie Andrews 36th Ruby Newman 58th Sashanna Grant 62nd Shini Adebayo 65th Veronica Ansell 72nd Megan Lozneanu 74th Megha Bodhani U14 Boys 38th Sam Harvey 39th Colin Mbengo 53rd Sydney Miller-Hope 88th Harry Stephens 90th Cameron Tuck 93rd Lewis Smith 97th Sebastian Hoffman 101st Ibraheem Hussein
U16 Girls 11th Jocelyn Thomas 19th Sophie Smith 31st Olivia Keene 37th Skye Langford-Brown U16 Boys 10th Jack Newman 15th Jeevan Degun 47th Toby Walton 58th Piers Robinson 60th Harry Mills 65th Simran Bamra 69th James Griffiths 90th James Gibson O16 Girls 1st Daniel Hurst O16 Boys 1st Caitlin O'Connor 14th Archie Cleaver
Netball
Sports Hall Athletics
U14 ISA Netball Tournament (Malvern St James, Feb 2018) Results – finished 5th out of 12 teams A valiant effort by the U14 team. We drew a tough group where we played the eventual winners and runners up in the early rounds. The girls played some impressive netball at times and improved their skills and teamwork as the tournament progressed. Results Lost 7-11 v Twycross Lost 4-10 v Dodderhill Lost 4-11 v Tettenhall Won 14-2 v Bowbrook House (Friendly) Won 11-1 v Arnold Lodge Won 8-1 v Arnold Lodge (Friendly) Won 6-3 v Heathfield U14 Team : Jessica Davis, Scarlett Dunne, Kia Weekes, Anya Korpal, Lizzie Pulley, Nellie Gwaza, Sophie Smith, Madison Ealing, Kitty McCallion-Bowen
Two evenings were spent at Arthur Terry School competing in the Sutton Schools Sports Athletics competition. All Year 7 and 8 pupils who took part had prepared well and gave of their best in their individual field and team track events.
Yr 7/8 Sutton Schools Mini League (Jan/Feb 2018) Drew 3-3 v Plantsbrook Lost 1-2 v Sutton Girls B Lost 0-10 v Sutton Girls A Won 3-0 v Bishop Walsh Won 3-0 v Fairfax U13 Team: Madison Ealing, Olivia Hill-Longstaff, Nanette Moyo, Alice Griffiths, Ruby Newman, Lori Welsh, Jodie Andrews, Kitty McCallionBowen, Ava Johnson
Year 7/8 Sutton Schools Sports Hall Athletics (Arthur Terry, Jan 2018) Year 7 Girls Team - 4th out of 6 teams Alice Griffiths, Jodie Andrews, Ruby Newman, Lori Welsh, Veronica Ansell, Kitty McCallion-Bowen Year 8 Girls Team - 5th out of 6 teams Sinifesimi Adebayo, Sashanna Grant, Aimee Reid, Olivia Hill-Longstaff, Madison Ealing, Megha Bodhani Year 7 Boys Team - 5th out of 5 teams Sebastian Hoffman, Salif Kamara, Sydney Miller-Hope, Shaye Bailey-Stewart, Amaan Hoq, Lewis Smith, Matthew Foletti Year 8 Boys Team - 3rd out of 5 teams Cameron Tuck, Harry Stephens, Colin Mbengo, Leon Nupa, Samuel Harvey, Malakai Florey-Meah, Christian Kalavanas
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Hockey
Football
U13 Sutton Schools Hockey League (Wyndley, Feb/Mar 2018)
ESSFA League Results
Both the girls and boys teams have enjoyed their 4 weeks of league matches. The pupils have all grown in confidence and skill and have really enjoyed the experience. A big thank you to the girls and boys who have given up their time each week to umpire. Results Girls Drew 1 – 1 v Fairfax 1 Lost 0 – 1 v Sutton Girls 3 Lost 1 – 2 v Sutton Girls 2 Lost 1 – 5 v Sutton Girls 1 Drew 2 – 2 v Plantsbrook Drew 1 – 1 v Sutton Girls 3 Lost 0 – 1 v Sutton Girls 2 Won 2 - 0 v Sutton Girls 2 Lost 0 - 4 v Sutton Girls 1 Drew 0 - 0 v Bishop Walsh Drew 0 - 0 v Sutton Girls 3
Boys Drew 0 – 0 v Plantsbrook Lost 0 – 1 v Holte Drew 2 – 2 v Plantsbrook Lost 0 – 1 v Fairfax Lost 0 - 1 v Bishop Walsh Drew 0 - 0 v Plantsbrook Final Results Girls Boys
Finished 5th out of 8 teams Finished 5th out of 5 teams
Girls Squad: Madison Ealing, Emilia Hupfer, Lina Bouden, Sashanna Grant, Nanette Moyo, Ayisha Iqbal, Ruby Newman, Alice Griffiths, Ava Johnson, Lori Welsh, Veronica Ansell, Kitty McCallion-Bowen Boys Squad: Leon Nupa, Malakai Florey-Meah, Christian Kalavanas, Elliott Mcloskey, James Pearson, Summi Ud-Dean Umpires: Caitlin O’Connor, Jeevan Degun, Piers Robinson, Jessica Davis, Safa Khan, Lizzie Pulley
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Rugby Results U15 Won 20 – 19 against St Georges (friendly)
U12 Played 2, 7th out of 8 teams Lost 0 – 2 against Stockland Green U12 Team: Haider Mukhtar, Sebastian Hoffman, Shaye BaileyStewart, Charlie England, Amaan Hoq, Matthew Foletti, Ibraheem Hussein, Emre Karakaya, Salif Kamara, Joven Chang, Harnekh Johal U13 Played 3, 5th out of 8 teams Lost 0 – 4 against Hodge Hill U13 Team: Harry Stephens , Malakai Florey-Meah, Leon Nupa, Cameron Tuck, Colin Mbengo, Samuel Harvey, James Pearson, Elliott McLoskey, Summi Ud-Deen, Christian Kalavanas, Harry Abbot, Sunjeev Bamra U14 Played 3, 3rd out of 8 teams Won 3 – 0 against Saltley U14 Team: Joseph Walford , Charlie Savage, Ethan Thorpe-Brown, James Griffiths, Toby Walton, Faizan Mir, Louis Hughes, Andrew Evans, Kian Bhanabhai, Joe de Waele, Samuel Flinders, Ben Bonner, Jack Newman U15 Played 3, 4th out of 6 teams Won 1 – 0 against St Georges (friendly) Lost 0 - 2 against Saltley U15 Team: Piers Robinson , Harry Mills, Bhargav Venna, Jeevan Degun, Jorsh Johal, William Dawson, Luke Dowling, Edward Williams, Kadir Abdul, Joe Walford , Charlie Savage, Ethan ThorpeBrown, James Griffiths
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Sixth Form News Sixth Form Enrichment Fortnight What a fantastic array of activities Highclare Sixth Formers have experienced during our recent sixth form enrichment fortnight. It was a busy fortnight with a plethora of opportunities for students to develop their communication, life and leadership skills as well as thought provoking talks on topical subjects. Daniel Hurst, L6, took part in this rewarding experience and here are some of his thoughts. Over the last two weeks, the Sixth Form attended a series of enrichment sessions on a varied range of topics. Both years took part in different activities presented by guest speakers, ranging from the National Citizen Service, Aston and BCU universities on applying and choosing the right university, to sessions delivered on mindfulness and how to improve our self-esteem and confidence, to name just a few. All the sessions enlightened us on specific topics, and many of us began contemplating whether to do things that we had never thought about before - from opportunities available if we take a gap year, to
whether we should consider degree apprenticeships after A levels. We enjoyed a visit from the army, who set us various challenges and encouraged us to work as a team. Personally, I found the talk from Project Trust explaining the concept of a gap year interesting. Previously I had never considered taking a break from education, but now I understand the benefits involved with it far more. Overall, the past two weeks have been a success and I look forward to taking part in enrichment again next year.
Cranedale A level Geography Fieldwork 2018
Tower of London Sixth Form Trip in the Snow
Fieldwork forms an integral part of the A level Geography course and in our pupils' eyes it is one of the best and most memorable aspects of our course. This year’s L6 were delighted to take part in a residential course based at the specialist Cranedale field study centre in North Yorkshire.
On one of the coldest days of the year the Upper Sixth History group set off for a visit to the Tower of London as part of their A level studies on the Wars of the Roses. Although it was cold they really enjoyed touring the tower and its battlements in the snow as everything looked even more impressive than usual. They were able see the sites where many of the events they have studied occurred as well as viewing the crown jewels. We followed our tour of the tower with lunch in Oxford Street, a visit to Trafalgar Square, a peek at Downing Street and a visit to the Natural History Museum. We ended our day with some much needed hot chocolate and cake before returning home to Birmingham.
We spent most of our time at the coast! This meant a day in Scarborough investigating lived experience of place and artistic representations, as well as a day at the spectacular Selwicks Bay, Flamborough Head where we investigated sediment size and learnt about the formation of the landforms. We completed the trip with a visit to the moors where a study of two adjacent drainage basins helped to bring our Water and Carbon topic to life. Pupils will be using skills gained on the course for their own individual projects and will discover, once examinations commence, that their knowledge and understanding has greatly improved due to their experiences.
Hairspray Highclare Senior School’s production of Hairspray recently took an excited audience back in time to the Baltimore of 1962 through an evening of wonderful singing, dancing and acting. The cast have been working tirelessly to perfect their roles and their hard work was clear to see as the show was fantastic. A huge congratulations must go to all the students, parents and staff who have contributed so much to all aspects of the production. It was a tremendous success and we are all still tapping our toes to the wonderful show tunes!
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Highclare Ski Trip 2018 Twenty-five very excited Highclare pupils and four equally excited members of staff recently spent February half-term living by the school motto ‘Actions Speak Louder than Words’ whilst mastering the beautiful slopes of Flachau, Austria during Highclare’s annual ski trip. Pupils and staff settled into the resort quickly and skis and boots were fitted on arrival to ensure all abilities were ready to hit the slopes with no delay. With six days of ski lessons and après-ski activities planned pupils and staff really were on the precipice of a fantastic experience. We witnessed some spectacular skiing from the experienced ski group, their amazing skiing abilities really allowing pupils to explore the mountain range, have fun skiing in the forest and put their skills to the test on the competitive day 5 race day! It was a pleasure to see the beginner skiers making such fantastic progress so quickly and by day 3 they had left the nursery slopes to discover the beautiful Austrian mountain ranges. Despite aching muscles they were able to confidently ski red runs by the end of the week. Even on the most tiring of days Highclare pupils and staff kept busy of an evening, experiencing Austrian curling on the rink in Radstadt, a trip to the nearby Therme Amade baths with outdoor sub-zero swimming, flumes and even a laser disco in the pool and rides on the 1,100m LuckFlitzer alpine roller coaster. The trip proved to be hugely enjoyable and we would like to thank the Highclare pupils for their excellent sportsmanship and behaviour. It was an incredible week, developing new skills, experiencing different cultures and truly making actions speak louder than words.
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Highclare School Open Events Spring 2018
Join us for our Reception Coffee Mornings Tuesday 17th April - Friday 20th April Last few 2018 Reception places remaining (please call Admissions for an appointment)
Highclare School Actions Speak Louder Than Words
If you would like to sponsor the Headmaster’s Termly Newsletter call 0121 373 7400 or visit www.highclareschool.co.uk