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woodrushstar @woodrushhigh.worcs.sch.uk
Issue 32 Easter 2017
Plus... PE Success
Aspire Achievements
Students back in time
Dear Parents and Carers, Welcome to the Easter edition of the Star. It has been a very busy term for all here at Woodrush and I am sure our students and staff are looking forward to the Easter break. Since returning after Christmas our students have been working hard, making great progress towards their targets and participating in many enrichment activities and extra-curricular visits.
Contents 3 - Science 4-5 - ASPIRE 6-7 - English 8-9 - Teaching School 10-11 - Blists Hill Victorian Town - Harry Potter Night 12-13 - Young Poet Laureate 14-15 - National Theatre Connections - Guess the Song 16-20 - World Book Day 21 - Celebrity Mashup 22 - What Career Live Show - Quiz Answers 23 - Revision Conference - Maths
As the summer exams approach, our KS4 and KS5 students are becoming more focussed on their preparations. All students have completed another set of pre-public examinations (PPEs) and our year 11 students have participated in an exam revision and stress busting day, as well as a mock results morning and motivational talks. It was really pleasing and encouraging to see many students have made significant improvements during the March round of PPEs. To help our students prepare further, many will be attending Easter school during the second week of the holidays. Furthermore, this term our students have been involved in a huge number of enrichment and extra-curricular activities. Year 10 took part in an Aspire morning focussed on first aid and life-saving skills, where all of our students were given CPR training on mannequins provided by the British Heart Foundation. These students were also lucky enough to have the opportunity to talk to the CEO of ‘giffgaff’ who supported our school Enterprise day. Other fantastic enrichment activities have included: the World Book Day celebrations, Young Poet Laureate and opportunities for our drama students to work and perform with the National Theatre. Finally, we are very proud of the sporting achievements of our students this term. Both KS3 and KS4 girls became the Redditch district champions for badminton. We also had a number of champions at the district and county level cross country. Interhouse sport has been popular this term, with many more students taking part. We wish all our students, parents, carers and staff a safe and enjoyable holiday and look forward to seeing all our students back in school on Monday 24th April.
24 - PE 25-28 - Woodrush Community Hub RUSH Active Gym
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Ms N Rancins Headteacher
Science
British Science Week British Science Week this year took place from the 13th – 17th March. As an event celebrated across the country Woodrush had to get involved to celebrate and highlight the importance and uses of science as well as just how amazing it is. To celebrate each lunch the science teachers put on activities for the pupils. The dissections proved particularly popular with pupils across all of the year groups coming to watch the different animal parts get dissected. Other events included ‘Citizen science - help the penguins!’, ‘Crazy Chemistry’ and ‘Motors and magnets.
Electron Microscope Challenge All these images are from an electron microscope. In form pupils guessed what they thought each was as part of British Science Week. Congratulations to Miss Hills form who won – what do you think they are?
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Answers on page 22
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Year 8 Innovation Day Year 8 students were given the opportunity to delve into their creativity and explore ideas for innovative inventions. They researched different industries and constructed ideas of how the world could be 25 years from now. Each form consisted of teams which investigated what transport, housing, entertainment, holidays, fashion and jobs would look like in the future. After refining their ideas and pitch, students had the opportunity to impress a member of the Senior Leadership Team who then scored them on their innovation, research, visual presentation and oral presentation skills. 8E2 were the winning form with the highest amount of points, however it was Cadbury that won the top spot of the day with the highest amount of points overall. Fantastic work Year 8!
Year 10 Enterprise Day Year 10 students put their business heads on and took inspiration from entrepreneurs to revive a business which had previously gone into administration. They started off the day by researching the different companies and constructing a business plan with a flagship item for the brand. The visitors we had in school were blown away by our students’ creativity, perseverance and teamwork. Mark Stansfeld, the chairman of Giffgaff, discussed with the students how they planned to resuscitate their chosen business whilst experts in the financial sector, Ross Bennett and Sarah Bennett, quizzed students on their creative and marketing phases. Each team had the opportunity to showcase their ideas and unique selling point to a member of the Senior Leadership Team and the winning teams from each form were awarded prizes which were kindly donated by local businesses. Cadbury were the big winners of the day walking away with the maximum amount of house points but 10B2 deserve a special recognition for scoring the highest points out of all groups. Well done young entrepreneurs!
Wythall Carnival Competition 2017 Design a COVER for the Carnival Programme
Theme – Carnival/Country Fayre Size – A4 Media – Painting/Drawing/Digital Deadline – Thursday 27th April (hand in to your Carts Teacher) Winning design will be chosen by the ‘Wythall Carnival Committee’ 4
Year 11 Exam Revision and Stress Busting Day All Year 11 students took part in an exciting and informative day which focused on their preparation for their summer exams. They began the day by planning a revision timetable so that they could utilise their time more effectively leading up to the exams. The students also had the opportunity to identify what factors contribute to stress and how best to deal with situations that may lead to stress. Students were then presented with a carousel of revision tips from a range of teachers from different subjects to demonstrate a multitude of methods on how to revise. They were then given the opportunity and the tools to create their own revision resources. Students also looked at how to make marginal gains over the next term to ensure maximum performance over their most crucial year yet. Keep working hard Year 11.
ASPIRE Morning 27th January All students take part in ASPIRE Mornings once every half term. Many topics including citizenship, careers and wellbeing are covered in these sessions. In January, Year 10 students primarily focused on first aid and explored what to do in scenarios that required potential lifesaving skills and knowledge. Miss Taylor led the CPR training which provided students with the opportunity to practice their chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on mannequins provided by The British Heart Foundation.
Celebrating Black History To celebrate Black History Month in February, a competition to highlight the prominent characters who have contributed to Black history was launched through ASPIRE. This was a fantastic opportunity for students to utilise their research and creativity skills. There were outstanding entries from all houses but there could only be one winning house which was Eliot who bagged points for the most amounts of admissions along with the most artistic entries ranging from a rap song to stunning illustrations depicting BeyoncĂŠ and Miss Integration. What an exceptional effort displayed from everyone who took part.
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English Collaborative Writing To help move more able Year 6 pupils from ‘working at the expected standard’ to ‘working at greater depth within the expected standard’, a collaborative writing workshop between a group of 8 Woodrush pupils and Year 6 pupils from Hollywood Primary School was set up. Before the first session, a group of four Year 8 pupils were chosen to lead the workshop. Time was set aside for planning and preparation; this provided them with both a challenge and a sense of responsibility. During the first workshop session, pictures of Victorian children, toys and other such items were used as inspiration. Pupils were divided into two groups each with two Year 8 pupils who worked with four Year 6’s. Each group used sugar paper to plan the basic plot of their stories; the older pupils encouraged and posed pertinent questions, supporting the younger pupils to use their imagination to devise interesting narratives. Time was given to both groups to share their work, praising positive points and inviting recommendations to improve their stories. The second workshop session was spent typing up each story where each Year 8 pupil worked with two Year 6’s, sharing their ideas and skills to produce high quality writing. Although pupils had not quite completed their stories by the end of the second session, they were completed during class time. The end products were judged by the pupils’ peers to showcase superior writing skills and to add a competitive element to the task. Comments from Year 6 pupils: “Best English club and a good experience for secondary” “I thought it was an amazing opportunity to work with Y8 children.” “I enjoyed working with the students and it really helped me with my creativity.” “It was great and really helped me to learn how to use my imagination in stories.” Comments from Year 8 pupils: “I was impressed that they know more grammar vocabulary that we did at that age.” “I found it interesting to see how they thought about the story and what they had learnt.”
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Noah’s Struggle by Abbie and Abbie-Lou’s group The wind rushed gracefully through Noah’s dark, brown hair. Thick, black smoke filled the air as he quickly cycled home in time for his dinner, when the wheel of his bike caught on a stray rock. Taken by surprise, he was thrown off the bicycle and fell flat on his face. He heard quick footsteps gradually getting louder among the bustle of the market. When he turned to get up, he laid eyes on something shiny jutting out of a small pouch. As he stood up with the pouch in his grip, he encountered a policeman watching over him. “I’ve found the thief!” the policeman shouted, waving towards Noah accusingly. “What? Me? No!” he stammered, starting to push himself off the cobbled ground. “I was just…” “Save it for someone who cares! It won’t be anyone where you’re going!” Another police officer appeared. Without hesitation, Noah took off, dropping the pouch with a clang. Not realising he was running straight into danger, he shoved someone to the side, making them topple over into a police officer. He couldn’t give a second thought-he was shoved into the horse-andcarriage and taken away. Soon after, he had been placed in a factory, accused of the theft of the pouch of jewels. “Get to work! You’ve been put here for a reason!”
bellowed the factory owner. “Yes sir,” Noah replied in a quivering voice. The factory was run-down, dull and dirty. There was nothing to it but work. His fingers were crippled and blistered; the skin on his palms was peeling away, revealing his flesh beneath. He woke up cold, and went to bed cold. Day after day, his belly would rumble and his heart would ache with loneliness. Noah would work until exhaustion, and sometimes even illness. Today was no different-or so it seemed. He rose like any other normal day, and worked without hassle. This was until Mr Oliver made an annoyed glance at Noah. He was puzzled for the rest of the day, but dismissed it as his imagination. Laying his head down on the rickety, uncomfortable mattress, he heard heavy footsteps approaching the cramped room. Some of the boys’ heads popped up at the sound; most of them trembling in fear. Noah carefully lifted himself up, eyeing the rotting wooden door anxiously. With a crash, the door swung open, revealing an angry Mr Oliver. He was wearing a rich, luxurious outfit. “Noah?” Mr Oliver scanned his eyes around the room until they fell on Noah. “Get over here! And I mean now, boy!” “But.. but I haven’t done nothing!” Noah countered. “It’s not what you’ve done boy: it’s what your wretched father has done! He’s going to cost me a worker,” snapped Mr Oliver.
The factory owner explained to Noah what his father had done. He was proving Noah’s innocence by claiming to be a witness. While Mr Oliver was furious, Noah, on the other hand, was thoroughly delighted. Maybe his father really did care about him… even after all these years! Noah woke up surprisingly happy; the news of the previous night still hadn’t properly sunk in. He started the day off as usual, and with every passing second he was beginning to doubt the authenticity of Mr Oliver’s claim. Why would his father try to get him back when he didn’t look after him before he was put in the workhouse? He was slowly losing all of his newfound hope. There was a tap on his shoulder just as the day was drawing to a close. His heart raced. Tears ran down his face. Noah recognised the pale face and the short, stubby beard: it was his father. “You remember me, don’t you?” “Of course I do, dad, but I never thought I would see you again.” Noah’s eyes were glazed with tears. He hadn’t spoken of his dad for years. “I never thought I would see you either, but here we are.” Noah’s dad gave him a tight hug and whispered in his ear, “No more working for you. Let’s get you home where you belong.” Noah realised at that moment that the bond was never lost between them.
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English
Going back in time... a trip to Blists Hill Victorian Town, Iron Gorge On Tuesday, 13th December, a select group of Year 8 students went on a trip to Blists Hill: a realistic replica of a Victorian Town. These students were rewarded for their fantastic efforts whilst studying A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which was set during the Victorian Era. The students visited an array of Victorian– style shops such as: the bakery, the tailors, the chemists, the printers and the butchers. The interiors differed greatly from the modern counterparts we know today such as the sweet shop where a shop keeper measured out old-fashioned sweets from behind a counter. “It was fun and I learnt a lot of facts about how Victorian people lived,” a year 8 student who participated in the trip informed us. Overall, the trip was exciting and informative and contributed to our understanding of the context of ‘A Christmas Carol’. By Tom and Abbie-Lou
Muggles and wizards from local primary schools apparated to the Woodrush Hub for an evening of magic and mayhem. Our second Harry Potter Night was organised by members of the youth committee and book club, who prepared a variety of activities and invited a magician to entertain the younger visitors. On arrival the Sorting Hat allocated all wizards into one of the four Hogwarts Houses, they then had ten minutes to dress the professors using a variety of craft materials. Points were awarded for the best dressed professors. Throughout the evening the wizards competed for further house points by taking part in the quizzes and games; Slytherin were the worthy victors.
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Young Poet Laureate The stage is set. There’s jitters in the air as Woodrush’s three shortlisted poets prepare to showcase their work to an eager audience. They arrived just a little after 12, at the Hive, here in Worcester. Warmup exercises soon commenced and renditions of their pieces were heard one by one to help quash any last minute bouts of stage fright. But, we are getting ahead of ourselves. Felix and Amayah, friends from day one, both applied hours before the deadline. Each too shy to tell the other that they’d received the same fateful email, on the same Friday, at the beginning of January to say they’d done it – to say there were contenders for that final prize. Matthew was similar, a brave year nine student who was ready to showcase his 21st Century musings to the world. We arrived four hours before I was due to see my brother, Felix, take to the stage. Was I nervous for any of them? No. Was I sweating with anticipation to see them perform? Yes. We were sat on the back row when Spoz launched into the room, ready to try and steal the show with his wit, charm and sense of humour. But, alas his poetry was no match for the 15 young hopefuls who added their own teenage flare to each and every performance. Their first poems were
centred around the theme of ‘messages,’ which each of these youngsters adopted in their own unique ways. Felix was up first with a poem that sent emotional shockwaves through the audience (I would know I cried) he came out as a strong trans teenager, but someone who still struggles to find an identity in amongst the mismatched pronouns of the world. The applause was tremendous, wolf-whistling, cheering and clapping from the Wythall Massive ensued. Matthew was only a few performances after Felix and there was still this wave of excitement over what Woodrush would bring to the table next. His message was one of poignancy about how the world had mistreated him prior. It was a bittersweet reflection on how we have to protect ourselves from the cruel vulgarities of the world. Amayah made us wait until the very end to hear her message about father which again received a tremendous wave of support from the crowd. An interval followed shortly before their second free freestyle piece was to be heard. Felix was first up and needed no introduction. His was about love. Short and sweet, he left the stage as quickly as he came. Amayah again left us waiting on tender hooks for her poem “Welcome to our society,” which was
an ode to welcoming outsiders into our flock. The judging panel then went away to deliberate on who would be crowned Worcestershire’s Young Poet Laureate for 2017. Each of the 15 finalists were brought in (some agonizing minutes later) and were presented with their own certificates and then for the awards. While Woodrush didn’t scoop any winners, Oakley was crowned as the poet laureate with Felix Haynes and Jodie Mae Young coming second and third respectively. However, our own Felix was ‘highly commended,’ by the panel. And, after the awards were given photos were papped and Spoz the host congratulated all three on their poems and implored them to carry on writing and prepare for next year’s competition. I am sure we can all agree to encourage this crop of talent to pursue their poetry further in the future. (Article written by former student Hope Brotherton)
Word Up 2017 Late last year budding poets aged 13-19 were invited to workshops to prepare entries for Worcestershire’s Young Poet Laureate competition. The workshops, which were provided by the public library, considered the use of language and imagery as well as giving tips for finding an individual voice and hints for performance. Of the seventeen students who took advantage of this opportunity, three were selected to perform their poems at the final in January.
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Welcome to Our Society...
The Wall
Welcome to our Society, I hope you like your stay. I wanted to tell you a few things about my experience before you choose to go away. I might go a little astray but that’s okay, listen carefully anyway... Chapter one; They could tell that i was different, but i never wanted to become insignificant. I used to think sometimes that i was depressed, but it turns out I was only a little stressed, In this cold wide world it was like a contest. Even when I small I was very wise, Turned out it didn’t matter about my Size. At a very young age I realised people liked to throw you to the dirt. All because they were deeply hurt. I don’t think they realised that when they crossed the line it could cause an attempted suicide... I have girl friends that hate their weight, and boy friends that cant finish what’s on their plate. Nowadays nobody accepts friendly hugs, the only things they want to accept are unfriendly drugs, I used to sit in my house wishing i could escape, but they were the days Mommy started talking about rape. Be Careful she told me, but I was always a little dareful. I rememeber the day i found out people could be gay. But I thought the world was black & white. Straight or single? The young girl down the road, everyone would ignore her feelings, their attention was all set on the big brother who turned out to be drug dealing. It was ashame when they found her hanging from the ceiling. However I was the only one who could hear her internal squealing. Now I find her family kneeling trying to find some instant healing, all because they couldn’t except her decision making. She was gender fluid but they didn’t know how to cope. They thought she was in the park sniffing coke, but she was only sneeking around trying to hide her girlfriend. I could take you round the bend but ill stop. In this cold cold Society, where everyone is misjudged, A lot more youths have gained anxiety, because they banned variety. Each night, I sit and wonder, what I could do to help? But the only cure for this is self help. This is my society. I hope you liked your stay. Welcome to Our Society...
I build the wall with letters, I build the wall with words, The wall protects people from knowing that I’m hurt, The wall I build I don’t intend, But it grows and grows and never ends, This wall I’ve built I can’t break down, So I smile and hide my frown. This wall that surrounds me, This wall that will never let me free, I built myself unintentionally, The wall I hide behind this mask i put on, Saves people on the outside from what I have become, I don’t like this wall I hide behind, It makes me nervous makes me cry. I knock it down I see the sky. I’m free at least I think, Another wall I am on the brink, Of crying so I build another, Blocks out people from what’s under, What is under I don’t know, It’s my mind messing with my flow, Is it that I am just misunderstood, Well I don’t know but my eyes flood, With tears and my mind with fear, All I want is for these walls to dis-app-ear (The dashes are pauses)
Amayah S
Transform I am the broken transformer you forbid your kids from playing with Because I am transgender Because my short hair doesn’t hold the female pronouns it should Because the binder I use to compress my chest compresses my heart and soul instead. I am a broken transformer Trying to find a safe place in a world where we are judged on our height, size and race. Where women are paid less than men, but what if the roles were reversed instead? I am a broken transformer. And I won’t take your hate for much longer. I’ll stand for those don’t have a voice Whether you join our army this is your choice. Because we, we are worthy.
I go to school another day, The skies are cloudy The skies are grey, I hear insults from these ‘friends’, These cuts that pain me will they ever end, These razor blades that I feel, These mental cuts seem so real, I go home to the media, And see the dream they portray, My self-esteem I can feel it starting to decay, I fall in this hole and there I hide, I dig and dig and here I reside And hide these feeling inside, Inside my feelings cry and try to break free, This affects me mentally, I free these thoughts and it feels great, It happens again is this my fate, TO repeat this loop over and over, I hope for luck a four leaf clover, Any luck in this nightmare, I am trapped in a snare, I dig in this hole that I reside, But I am digging up this time no longer trying to hide, I am free of this loop at last, But I still remain in a mental cast, I try to recover from this injury, Finally I am free, Just at school in history. Matty H-P
Felix B
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‘Three’
Woodrush High School Presents:
by Harriet Braun
Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th April VENUE:
Warwick Arts Centre
It’s a long, hot summer. Six teenagers are in various states of lust, longing and unrequited love. A boy has a crush on the girl next door; only she’s going out with the school heartthrob. Two teenagers meet for a blind date but they’re both thinking about someone else. A shy girl with a secret makes friends with the most popular girl in her class. Only these are love stories with a difference: thanks to the inner voice trailing around after each character, we get to hear what they’re all saying and thinking. Fortunately there’s a narrator to keep us all on track, but there’s a small problem: our narrator would much rather be on reality TV…
Contact the Miss Hemsley or Miss Dyer on 01584 823777 for more information on how to book tickets.
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Photo credit: Kjpargeter Freepik.com
On the 29th of March, a number of Woodrush students from years 9-12 performed in ‘Three’ by Harriet Braun at Woodrush High School as part of National Theatre Connections – a nationwide celebration of new plays for young people.
In 2017, National Theatre Connections is working with up to 260 youth theatres and schools to stage 10 newly commissioned plays, adding to the 150 + plays the National Theatre have commissioned for young people since 1995. All the companies will transfer their production to one of 28 Connections ‘Three’ is one of 10 brand new plays written especially Partner Theatres across the UK. for Connections by a selection of the best playwriting talent in the UK. The play centres around the idea of Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre, said: love and self-understanding… ‘Connections is at the heart of the National Theatre’s “It’s a long, hot summer. Six teenagers are in various work for young people and one of the most exciting states of lust, longing and unrequited love. A boy has and important projects we do. We think it’s vital that a crush on the girl next door; only she’s going out young people, wherever they are in the country and with the school heartthrob. Two teenagers meet for a whatever their future path, have a chance to get blind date but they’re both thinking about someone involved in theatre.’ else. A shy girl with a secret makes friends with the most popular girl in her class. Only these are love The show was incredibly well received and we are stories with a difference: thanks to the inner voice looking forward to our next production date at the trailing around after each character, we get to hear Warwick Arts Centre on Easter weekend where the what they’re all saying and thinking. Fortunately cast and creative team will take part in a series s of there’s a narrator to keep us all on track, but there’s workshops with professional theatre companies and a small problem: our narrator would much rather be directors, will stay overnight at the university and will on reality TV…“ also perform at the venue National Theatre Connections is one of the world’s If you would like to book tickets for the event please largest celebrations of youth theatre. Plays are contact Warwick Arts Centre for more details commissioned for and about young people, from some of the best contemporary playwrights, and Suitable for ages: 13+ performed by schools and youth theatres all over the UK and Ireland. Connections is produced by the National Theatre, supported by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and by a number of individuals, trusts and foundations. The first 10 words have been given for 5 songs that were number one in 2016. Can you guess what they are? 1.
For all the times that you rain on my parade
_____________________________________________ 2.
Once I was seven years old my momma told me
_____________________________________________ 3.
Baby I like your style, Grips on your legs, Front
_____________________________________________ 4.
I met you in the dark, you lit me up
_____________________________________________ 5.
Call it love and devotion, Call it the mom’s adoration
_____________________________________________
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The Quiz
Once again we celebrated World Book Day with the inter-house literary quiz. With each house entering a team of six knowledgeable readers and the audience selected from the top readers in each English set, the hall was buzzing as Shaun and Holly, our Head Boy and Girl, ably assisted by Mrs Bevilacqua stepped up to host the morning’s entertainment. All the teams romped through the first round on childhood favourites, but Eliot and Brindley soon took the lead as the contest progressed to rounds on illustrators, book and authors. Likewise, Eliot and Brindley were neck and neck on the lively audience participation questions. The final two rounds saw Brindley take and maintain the lead. The Brindley team, who each received a £5 book token, were delighted to be crowned the champions!
Library Treasure Hunt
World Book Day has been celebrating books and reading for 20 years. This year, our first as an integrated school and public library service, we wanted to do something to involve the wider community. Coppice Primary and Woodrush High School book clubs spend time exploring the books that define them as readers and interpreting them creatively. Year 11 book club students opted to work with younger and older members of the community. Some of people chose the books that inspired them to read alone, whilst others haven chose books that have shaped their view of the world. This project created a real energy, vision and enthusiasm for sharing their love of books. Book club enjoyed creating their displays so much that they devised a treasure hunt to encourage others to look at it and vote for their favourite piece. The winning display was Bag End, the home of Bilbo Baggins; Rosemary received a £5 book for this amazing recreation of the Hobbit home, complete with audio recording of the opening pages of the book.
Student Librarians Book Bonanza
The student librarians, who were keen to get books in to the hands of more people this World Book Day, came up with the idea of holding a book tombola at lunch time. Students with winning tickets could choose from a selection of books. The money raised from this event was sent to the Story Museum in Oxford which aims to inspire a love of stories, for their power to educate and enchant, in future generations.
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Literacy Leaders
On Thursday the 2nd of March 2017, the amazing world of books opened as we celebrated World Book Day here at Woodrush. As this year is World Book Day’s 20th anniversary, we encouraged students to do ‘something booky’, whether it was getting involved in a competition or helping to promote reading. Many competitions were held and lots people got involved. One of our competitions was decorating our form doors. We had to do it in the style of a chosen author from a given list, featuring authors such as: Michael Morpurgo, David Walliams, and J.K. Rowling. Even the teachers joined in on the fun, dressing up as a variety of book characters. It was great to see all of the departments coming together; for example, Science recreated the magical world of Harry Potter, whilst the English department took a more academic approach, focusing on Steinbeck’s classic novella, Of Mice and Men. People seemed to really enjoy the day with the events and activities going on in the library, providing entertainment to all, in and out of lessons. Overall, the day was a huge success and we look forward to doing it again next year. There were loads of fantastic entries to all the competitions - congratulations to all the winners! We found it extremely difficult to choose between the entries. Thank you for taking part. The Literacy Leaders.
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Reading can make a huge impact on that grade and others: if your child spends just 20 minutes of their day reading, they might earn thousands upon thousands more later on in life.
World Book Day The Importance of Reading: KS3 Persuasive Writing Competition 1st Place: Cadbury House Dear Readers… How would you feel if your child was completely uneducated? Did you know that only 20.7% of young people read daily outside of school? How would you feel if it was your child not maximising their full potential? My classmates and I are writing this to try to explain why reading is so important and also enjoyable. Reading can completely change a young person’s future. It can decide whether they get a good job that will help them live a comfortable life or a job which will mean they can hardly put food on the table for their loved ones. Did you know that 25% of girls and 33% of boys did not get an A*- C grade at GCSE English in 2015? Being an adult, you know how hard it is to find a job that you enjoy – imagine how much harder it would be to find one without a good grade in arguably the most important subject 18 from the rest.
A lot of the time we hear people say that reading is boring and we can understand why some people might think that spending 20 minutes of your time doing something you don’t find enjoyable might seem like an eternity – but reading doesn’t have to be boring at all! If you think that reading is boring, then maybe you just haven’t found the right book for you yet. We love football and recently one of our group members, who up until now thought reading was really boring, found a biography of his favourite player and has not been able to put it down since! This goes to show that no matter who you are, if you find a book on something you enjoy, we can almost guarantee that you would enjoy reading. Reading can also expand the mind and imagination of the reader, plus improving their speaking and general people skills. Now we don’t feel that 20 minutes of your, or your child’s day is too much to ask to be rewarded with all of the benefits we have mentioned. In fact we feel it is a small ask – 20 minutes is not a very long time and once you have found a book that you enjoy, 20 minutes can feel like 5! Please encourage your child to read – you could be helping to make the next generation the smartest yet. Help your child today. Robert N, Jake C and Jacob H (8C1)
2nd Place: Eliot House Dreaming With Your Eyes Open. Reading - what exercise is to the body, reading is to the mind. It is the key, which can open all the doors in the world; it lets you escape to a place where you belong. Your very own world is right in front of you, a place where dreams become realities. All young people around the world can have access to a world of imagination, just waiting to be found within the right pages. The best thing about reading is that you make the choices. What does Charlie Bucket in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ look like? Well, that’s for you to decide. Getting away from everyday life is important for young students, to be set free and experience life changing events. Where will books take you? When young people are older, they may not have the chance to experience things - they may not be able to see the places the desire. Maybe nothing can get them there, except a book. Young people may also be finding things tough at school and at home, whether that be bullying or personal matters. Reading is like a hand that reaches out to everyone, giving them support, confidence and help when they need it. These have been things that have happened to even us. No matter what is worrying you, help can always be found in the friendly pages of a book.
Moreover, reading expands a young person’s vocabulary, which helps them when they come to writing. Many people enjoy creative writing and believe that there is no such thing as not enjoying reading. It is their belief that you just have to find the right book. Which book will you choose and where will it take you?
3rd Place: Brindley House How Often Do You Read? Only 61% of young people say that they have a favourite book. This is just under two thirds. Why is this number so low? |Reading is an essential part of a young person’s core learning and allows their imagination to run wild. Today I would like to share with you the many benefits that come with reading. Firstly, reading will help improve linguistic skills. It enhances a person’s language skills and broadens their vocabulary. This not only helps them when reading higher level books, it also aids them in writing and even everyday conversations. Improving dialect can even assist in crucial things such as applying for a job. Secondly, reading stretches the mind and actually makes you smarter – it’s scientifically proven! It can improve your academic performance overall, not just in English. It can give you a big boost in every subject. Reading for just twenty minutes a day can actually challenge
your brain enough to give it the exercise it needs. Thirdly, it can help with destressing and relaxing the mind and body. When you read you can escape from the stress of the world. It’s like teleporting into another dimension and having a quick break from your normal life. It can add a sense of adventure to your life, when you really need it most – all while relaxing in comfort and never even having to leave your house! Many people even find it easier to fall asleep after twenty minutes of reading at night. You don’t realise it, but you are actually letting go of all the tension in your body. To conclude, personally I find that sacrificing even ten minutes of your day for these rewards is well justified. The relaxation and knowledge you earn from reading is far more than you would ever expect. So pick up a book and read – it’s worth it! Abbie-L C (8B1)
3rd Place: Brindley House Why Should You Read? Discover. Imagine. Read. Everyone can enjoy reading, even if they don’t know it yet. If you think you don’t enjoy reading it’s probably because you haven’t given it enough of a chance, maybe you haven’t put in enough time or you haven’t found the right book genre for you. There are over 35
genres to explore in the world of books – so you can’t possibly say you don’t like reading when you haven’t spent enough time finding the right book for you. There are genres like Fantasy – with magic and fairies; Horror – with jumps and scares; Action – with fighting and crime; Adventure – where you can explore the wonders of the world through books, and so many more. Over 20 books were published every hour in 2013 – maybe you haven’t found the right book for you! Reading can help you in many ways. It helps you academically, by improving your creative writing, spelling and grammar. It also improves your memory and your knowledge. Reading can also help by passing the time. If you are bored and not allowed on your phone or Xbox – try reading a book for an hour, or even less, reading for half an hour a day will make a massive difference. If you are waiting to go out and are really excited, but still have an hour to go before you leave – read, read, read! Get your nose stuck in a book and explore another world. Let your imagination run wild and free! I’ve always liked reading, but when I discovered ‘The Witch of Turlington Academy’ – I found my favourite genre: Fantasy and Magic. I can never understand when people say “I don’t like reading” or “I’d rather watch a film!” – Because, believe it or not, if you look beyond the pages, you’ll see a new world – a picture in your mind t h a t
makes you feel as though you were actually in the book. Don’t judge a book by its cover!
them. If every child without a book was given one, the world would surely be a better place.
Abigail S (8B1)
In conclusion, I think it is vital that you should read books and they can improve you in many different ways. Books shouldn’t be taken for granted as people all over the globe haven’t got access to books the way we are lucky enough to. I think that not only should you not take books for granted, you should also enjoy them whilst you can.
4th Place: Lanchester House Beneficial Books Why are important?
books
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Many children around the world have access to books – not only can books provide you with entertainment, they can give you physical, mental and psychological benefits too. As you may know, books are mainly associated with escapism or helping you to relax, however there is also evidence which shows that it can also increase brain function. Additionally, books have been proven to improve concentration and give people a better understanding of spelling, punctuation and grammar. It also supports young people in preparing for and taking their GCSEs and other exams. Some unfortunate young people don’t get the chance to experience the pleasures of books and reading. Young people should cherish their books and not take them for granted. Just imagine how it must feel having to live your life without the fulfilment of books.
Heather J (7L1)
Holly’s Story: This is a story based on my experiences with reading. School can get tough sometimes, especially when you’re different to the rest of your class. People can make you want to escape, to be alone in a world of your own. But in that world, you are not alone. That was when I started reading, all kinds of books. I felt accepted and confident, I had comfort and advice. The amazing ‘Harry Potter’ series took me to those places, written by my idol. I thank JK Rowling for helping me, along with thousands of others. There’s nothing like the feel of paper brushing through your hands, full of adventures and stories alike.
Holly W (7E1)
I believe that every child should have access to books, so that they can feel what it’s like to enjoy
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World Book Day KS3 Persuasive Writing Competition Winners Rosemary’s Story: I have always been bullied, up until now, in secondary school. I have always felt different from everyone else. I’m not like most people though, because I get bullied because of my unusual hair colour Strawberry Blonde. I’m not sure why, but people don’t seem to understand. They call me things like “Ginger” or other stupid things. I don’t think that they realise that what they say really hurts. The worst thing is that when I think I’ve heard it all, someone comes back with another remark. Through all this I’ve never found hope, but for Jacqueline Wilson and her amazing ‘Hetty Feather’ series, which helped me and my confidence tremendously. I found out that it’s good to be different. I not only thank my idol but also my dearest friends Lily, Emily and especially Kiya, who has helped me through everything.
Rosemary H (7E2)
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World Book Day Book Door House Competition During the first week of March, as part of the Woodrush World Book Day celebrations, students were challenged to decorate their form-room doors using a popular author as inspiration. From Jacqueline Wilson to J.K. Rowling – students from Years 7-10 created some original and imaginative art-work to celebrate the writers who have inspired them!
1st Place: Eliot House 8E1’s Jacqueline Wilson Door
2nd Place: Lanchester House 8L1’s Roald Dahl Door
3rd Place: Cadbury House 8C2’s J.K. Rowling Door
4th Place: Brindley House 7B1’s Martin Handford Door
Some of the other amazing authors who inspired form-doors around school included: David Walliams
C.S. Lewis
Roald Dahl
P.L. Travers
CELEBRITY 1
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16 Celebrities have been stitched together. Can you work out who has been stiched with who? Write your guesses below 1) __________________ 2) __________________ 3) __________________ 4) __________________ 5) __________________ 6) __________________ 7) __________________ 8) __________________ Answers on Page 22
Harry J Yr12 Digital Drawing Final Piece inspired by ‘Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley
BTEC Art & Design Extended Diploma
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What Career Live Show Struggling to make a decision about what to do after school? Should you go for an apprenticeship or University? Do you want to work in an office or with your hands? It’s difficult decide on career choices and University options when you don’t really know what’s out there. On Friday 3rd March, 44 pupils from Year 10 and Year 12 made their way to the NEC to visit the WhatCareer/WhatUniversity Live exhibition to talk to people from industries as diverse as leisure and tourism to engineering as well as public sector employers like the NHS, MoD and the Armed Forces. They also had the opportunity to talk to University recruiters and training providers as well as take part in CV writing workshops and employability seminars.
Electron Microscope Challenge Answers
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1. Snowflakes 2. Pollen grains 3. Dust mites 4. Split end of hair 5. Spider silk 6. Bateriophage (virus) 7. E.coli (bacteria( 8. Egg and sperm cell 9. Shark skin 10. Frog’s tongue
CELEBRITY ANSWERS 1. Chris Hemsworth & Kendall Jenner 2. Harry Styles & Margot Robbie 3. Jennifer Lawrence & Jamie Dornan 4. Justin Bieber & Emilia Clarke 5. Michelle Keegan & Channing Tatum 6. Ryan Gosling & Rihanna 7. Ryan Reynolds & Taylor Swift 8. Zayn Malik & Nicole Scherzinger
1. Love Yourself - Justin Bieber 2. 7 years - Lukas Graham 3. One Dance - Drake 4. Say you won’t let go - James Arthur 5. Rockabye - Clean Bandit
Revision Conference Revision Conference On 5th and 6th January 2017 all of our year 11 students took part in a Revision Conference where they were given the opportunity to create their own bespoke revision timetables using a guide created by Miss Price and Mrs Cassidy. Students were able to identify their own subject focus points and timetable in their personal revision sessions around their commitments outside of school. There were also discussions regarding different revision techniques which students fed back that they found really beneficial. This is being followed up in an Aspire day on 14th March which will consist of Exam & Stress Buster Workshops, a ‘Revision Techniques’ carousel session, subject specific advice & support and the opportunity for students to create their own resources. Please encourage our Y11’s to continue using these resources at home!!
Maths
UKMT Senior and Intermediate Mathematical Challenge Back in November some year 11, 12 and 13 pupils were invited to take part in the UKMT Senior Mathematical Challenge. Well done to James A and James S from year 13 who achieved silver certificates and to Arvin M, Georgia B, Annalisa L, Alex H, Ben F and Joshua B from year 13, Adam H, Vinnie B and Faris A from year 12, and Stephen B from year 11 who all achieved the Bronze certificate. More recently some year 9 and 10 pupils took part in the UKMT Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. Well done to Fran W from year 10, and Sam P and Matthew H-P from year 9 who all achieved Silver certificates and to Alex P, Shae C and Dan H from year 10, and George F and Oliver H from year 9 who achieved Bronze certificates. An extra special well done and good luck to Alex W from year 10 who not only achieved a Gold certificate but also took part in the next round and is awaiting his results.
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Woodrush High School PE Hall of Fame
Redditch District KS4 Girls Badminton Champions Lucy Emma Rebecca Alissa Casey
Worcestershire School Games Badminton Finals KS4 Boys: Stephen B, William B, Cameron G & Chris M KS4 Girls: Lucy F, Emma D, Rebecca S & Alissa D
Redditch District KS3 Badminton Champions Katie Katie Brooke Holly The team won the competition without losing a single game in each of their matches. Well done a great team effort!
Worcestershire School Games Badminton Champions!! Congratulations to the KS3 Girls: Katie A, Katie A Brooke M & Holly T.
2017 Inter-house Girls Football Results
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Massive Congratulations to Chris M who won the Inter boys race. Chris led from start to finish. This win means that he has now been automatically selected to represent Hereford & Worcester at the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships which takes place at Norwich in March.
2017 Inter-house Boys Badminton Results
Herefordshire & Worcestershire County Schools’ Cross Country Championships* Junior Girls: Amber D-D Inter Boys: Chris M Luke W Inter Girls: Leah S Congratulations to the following students who represented Redditch District Schools at the Herefordshire & Worcestershire County Schools’ Cross Country Championships
Worcestershire Cross Country Invitation Well done to Drew F and Henry F who represented Redditch District Cross Country Team Henry won the 2.5km race and has been invited to progress through to the National Schools Cross Country finals.
RUSH Active Rush Active into Curriculum: Born To Move Fitness Classes Rush Active Gym Experience PE Btec Boost Fitness Module with Rush Active Rush Active have been busy linking in with the School Curriculum this Term.
Born To Move Fitness Classes in Year 7 Our Rush Active Fitness Instructors, Mel and Stella launched the brand new Les Mills young people’s programme ‘Born To Move’ to Year 7 groups. Year 7 really enjoyed taking part in the new Fitness Craze – they completed a variety of different exercise to music which enabled them to increase their fitness levels, as part of their Health Lifestyles Unit of Work.
Year 11 – Rush Active Gym Experience We have given the opportunity for all Year 11 students to have a 6-8 week trial period in the Gym prior to being able to join as a member when they turn 16 years old, and have left mainstream education. Within the 6-8 week trial programme, students are treated like a member of the public, going through the full membership joining process, including understanding the key documents: Terms and Conditions and Health Declaration, plus undertaking a Full Induction Process: Cardio, Resistance Machine/Weights, and Functional – with the aim to encourage a healthier lifestyle, and also confidence within a Gym setting. Year 11 students have enjoyed having a trial of the Gym, and have gained a better understanding of how to use the Gym safely and effectively – they are looking forward to opportunity of joining in the near future.
PE Btec Boost – Rush Active support Year 10 students Fitness Unit As part of Btec Year 10 PE, this has been the first year that we have been able to support with the Fitness Unit, with our Rush Active Gym Personal Trainers and Fitness Instructors supporting the students learning in a Gym environment. Within a 6 week programme, working alongside our Rush Active Personal Trainers and Fitness Instructors, students have been able to gain a better understanding of how to use a Gym facility, perform safely on each piece of equipment, and construct an exercise programme to achieve fitness goals. Students have had the opportunity to apply the skills learnt from their Btec PE Course, practically within the operation of Fitness and Leisure.
BGSA National Milano team finals - under 13 girls Saturday 11th March - Fenton Manor sports complex, Stoke The team came 3rd in the West Midlands region out of a total of 26 teams in the under 13’s girls category - unfortunately no overall medals but a huge achievement !
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Editor:
Miss C. Hempson BSc, PGDipEd
E:
woodrushstar@woodrushhigh.worcs.sch.uk
W:
www.woodrushhigh.worcs.sch.uk
Headteacher: Ms N Rancins BSc (Hons) grad Inst. P, PGCE, NPQH Woodrush High School, An Academy for Students Aged 11-18, Shawhurst Lane, Wythall, Worcestershire B47 5JW T: 01564 823777
F: 01564 820092
© 2017 Woodrush High School. The Woodrush Star is published by Woodrush High School We often use pictures, names and videos of students for publicity purposes in our weekly Friday newsletter ‘The Woodrush Branch’, and our magazine the Woodrush Star, we like to acknowledge and celebrate our students’ achievements, resulting in photos and names of students being printed. If you would prefer your child’s name/image not to be used for such purposes, please contact the school and the necessary arrangements will be made. Design : Paul Mitchell MA www.pmdesign.co Printed : www.supaprint.com