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News @ The Dixie May 2016
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01455 292244
T here has been a great deal of comment in the press regarding testing in the last few weeks
and as I write this newsletter, external exams have started for our Year 11 and L6 and internal
exams are about to start for years 6-10. Our Upper 6th are in the final week of preparations for
the start of their A2 level exams after half term. Recent headlines in the media regarding testing have
ranged from 'We mustn't hide our children from pressured situations - learning to fail is important',
‘Stop 'after-test parties', Nicky Morgan tells primaries’ to ‘Secret Teacher: Dear Nicky, I cried at the
SATs hell you put my pupils through’ and ‘Sats: pupils in tears after sitting 'incredibly difficult' reading
test.
I am very happy to be the Headmaster of a school in which Year 6 students don’t sit SATS and which
doesn’t confine students’ learning to preparation for one week of tests. Any test of greater significance
for the school than the individual pupil is in my opinion the definition of a bad test and our curriculum
is about far more than just the learning which takes place in the classroom, as the advert at the bottom
of this page reflects. Our aim for Year 6 students is that they emerge from the summer exams feeling
that they were well-prepared and happy; the pressure for high achievement should not be felt by our
10 and 11 year-olds. By the time students reach Year 11 and GCSE exams it is very much our experience
that revision strategies are so finely honed that exams pass without any undue bother. I wish all our
older students well as they make final preparations for external exams.
To help our Year 6 students celebrate the end of their first exam period at the Senior School, on Friday
27 May they worked on a variety of cross curricular activities in preparation for a South American day
at the Junior School. The rota of activities included making Brazilian cookies in HE, replicas of Inca
treasure in DT and in History they started producing their graphic novella based on the explorer Piz-
zaro. Finally, in the afternoon they designed and made Mardi Gras masks in preparation for their day
at the Junior School. Pictures are included on the final page of this newsletter.
Tuesday presentation assemblies highlight the impressive range and quality of achievement at the
Dixie. From Chemistry competitions, Maths challenges, Biology Olympiads, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Climb-
ing, Fencing, Singing, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Music making, Netball, Hockey, Rounders, Tri-
athlon, Athletics, this half term has been another of outstanding involvement.
The GCSE and A level Music Soirees were real
musical treats highlighting the talents of our sen-
ior musicians, but also the tremendous strength
of our music department, the dedication of the
staff and peripatetic teachers and fantastic tech-
nical support.
News @ The Dixie May 2016
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From the
Headmaster
www.dixie.org.uk
01455 292244
PTA Sleepover
Despite what the forty-two Years 6 and 7 stu-
dents may say, the majority slept fantastically
well in the first ever PTA Dixie Sleepover. A
great time was had by all and the wonderful
PTA mums made very careful plans to ensure
that all had as much fun as possible. From
chocolate fountain, candy floss machine, pop-
corn machine, bouncy castle, treasure hunts,
group challenges, BBQ and late night film in
the assembly hall, the atmosphere was defi-
nitely one of enjoyment, despite being held in
school. The hot chocolate and croissant break-
fast got everyone going on the Saturday
morning and by 9.30am everyone had gone
home, presumably to get a good night’s sleep!
I am hugely grateful to Mrs Smart, Mrs Boddy,
Mrs Wilebore and Mrs Harding who slept in
the hall with the students and who cleaned
and tidied on Saturday morning, but also to
Mrs Williams who devised the treasure hunt
and group challenges and Mrs Oliver and Ms
Young who did so much to ensure the event
went off without incident. The Year 8 helpers
were fantastic leaders and were very busy
ensuring that students felt as much at home
as possible.
The next big event in the PTA Calendar, just before the Whole School Sports Day is the Grand Summer
Ball. Over 150 tickets have been sold, but it is not too late to book a table—the closing date is Friday 3
June. On the night there will be separate fundraising for
two charities very close to our hearts— The Richard Mayne
Foundation and the Rob Walton Children’s Trust Fund. Tick-
ets are available from the front office and cost £80 which
includes welcome drinks, a four course dinner, casino and a
live band.
The PTAs in both schools do a remarkable job in raising
funds, but more than that the ’get-togethers’ they organise
are a critical part of school life. We are making moves to
unify the Junior and Senior PTAs to reflect our 3-18, whole
school approach. If you would like to get involved, please
just come along to one of the PTA meetings as advertised in
the school calendar. You would be most welcome.
News @ The Dixie May 2016
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It is very difficult to say goodbye and this time of year always involves doing so more than in the rest of
the year. In our last presentation assembly of the half term we took the opportunity to thank Mr Tyrell
and Kirsten Engfer for all their work with us. This is not the first time Mr Tyrell
has left the school, but on this occasion the bitter pill of ‘goodbye’ is sweetened
by a ‘welcome back’ to Miss Fatima after her maternity leave. We are hugely
grateful for the calm expertise of Mr Tyrell in guiding, amongst other classes, his
Year 10 (above) in Miss Fatima’s absence.
Kirsten has worked in the English Department and also given one to one speaking
sessions to all of our Sixth Form students of German, as well as some students in
Year 11. They have really enjoyed working with Kirsten and have found the ses-
sions very useful in helping them prepare for external exams.
For the Year 11 (below) and Upper Sixth students (bottom) we have greatly en-
joyed scouring our photo archives and had great fun sharing these in their re-
spective last assemblies. A particular thank you to Mrs Scott, Olivia Ward, Jenna
Mihsein and the many parents who provided such fantastic images from years gone by.
News @ The Dixie May 2016
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Yet another outstanding effort was made by our athletes this last half term at the ISA Midlands Ath-
letics Championships who ran, jumped and threw to stunning success. Five athletes were crowned
Midlands Champions and six qualify for the National Athletics at the Alexander Stadium on Wednes-
day 29 June:
Isla Crameri in the Year 7 girls 200m and Long Jump, Nathan Cadman in the Year 7 boys 100m,
Jared Cutler in the Year 8/9boys 1500m with a new PB, Chloe Vinestock in the year 8/9 girls Long
Jump and Theo Sjoberg in the Year 10/11 boys 100m with a PB of 11.9s and Iona Crameri who came
second in the 1500m.
Other highlights were as follows:
Year 7 Alfie Madden 3rd in the Shot-putt, Oliver Crane 2nd
in Discus, Harriet Whitehead 3rd in the Shot-putt
Year 8/9 Katie Mears 2nd in High Jump
Year 10/11 Keiron Green 3rd in Shot-putt, Charlie Jacques
3rd in Long Jump, Abi Hewitt 2nd in 100m, Georgia Ellis
2nd in Shot-putt and 3rd in 800m and Eniola Awodiya 2nd
in the Long Jump. Our Year 10 & 11 girls came home 3rd in
the relay (Abi Hewitt, Georgia Ellis, Shelby Chapman and
Eniola Awodiya).
Also this half term, students have participated in the English Schools Track & Field Cup Athletics
Competition and the Hugglescote Area Athletics – a progressive competition for the County
Schools Athletics Programme. From the Hugglescote Athletics Day we have 13 individual county
finalists and two relay teams— ’a fantastic achievement, our best to date’, commented Mr Field-
ing. County finalists from the boys are: Nathan Cadman (100m), Patrick Martin (300m ), Alex Bran-
kin (300m) , Keiron Green (400m), Oliver Crane (Discus), Alfie Madden (Shot-putt) and Matt Ev-
ans (Long-jump). Girls finalists are:
Isla Crameri (200m), Megan Mears (High Jump), Eniola Awodiya (Long-jump), Harriat Whitehead
(Shot-putt), Chloe Vinestock (Long Jump), Georgia Ellis (Shot-putt ) and Under 13 girls won the
4x100m relay and qualify for the County finals.
News @ The Dixie May 2016
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Our athletics prowess is, I am certain, linked to our on-going relationship with Ian Roberts, England
athletics coach who attended the Dixie earlier in May and delivered a series of masterclasses. Elite
athletes from Years 6-11 benefited from this experience and were able to put his advice into practice
in the athletics competitions.
Year 6/7 were taught the mechanics of throwing activities, with particular focus on the shot-putt; Year
11 IGCSE students were taught the theory of 'acquisition of skill' through the long jump; Year 8 were
taught the sub-routines of the 'Fosbury flop' to develop their high-jump technique, whilst Year 9/10
worked on their relay baton change-overs.
Earlier in the half term, 18 students from the senior school participated in the ISA National Tri-athlon at Lucton School. All those who participated greatly enjoyed the event and did them-selves and the school proud, several students narrowly missing out on medals. The final results were as follows:
Tristar 2 (Boys) 11-12 years: Robyn Thiele 9th, Dan Kennedy 10th, Rio Naik 25th, Joseph Blunt 40th, Ted Davies 42nd, Elliott Breadon 49th.
Tristar 2 (girls) 11-12 years Daisy Wilebore 7th, Emily Cutler 15th, Charlotte Chenery 18th, Keeley Whitehead 27th, Alayna Friston 28th, Millie Gibbons 29th, Eleanor Bee 31st, Maddison Bolsover 44th
Tristar 3 (girls) 13-14 years: Eleanor Partridge 5th
Youths (boys) 15-16 years Mark McCall 4th, Zach Gauhar 6th, Luke Whitehead 16th
All participants were awarded with a certificate in school for their efforts. Well done to all our triathletes and to all who have represented the school so ably this half term.
News @ The Dixie May 2016
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The school’s Astronaut Training Club have been investigating the germination and growth of rocket seeds as part of a project organised by the UK Space Agency and the Royal Horticultural Society. One set of seeds had been on the International Space Station (ISS) for six months and the other stayed down on Earth. We investigated factors such as when germination occurred, when leaves appeared, height of plants, numbers of leaves and how many plants survived from the two samples. We couldn’t determine any obvious differences between our two samples, but we thought the colour of one set of rocket plants was slightly different overall to the other. Our investigation has now finished and our results will be sent to the UK Space Agency to be analysed with all the other results from around the country. We will be informed in the near future which of the two samples of seeds had been on the ISS and what, if any, effect this has had on their growth.
Dr Ketchion says that the astronaut trainees have been very keen and conducted their investigation in a proper scientific manner. Hopefully human kind will benefit from their results when astronauts can grow their own food on future space missions.
Seeds from Space Investigation
I am delighted to hear from Mr Macmillan that girls’ rugby training sessions for all years will
start on Wednesday 8 June and run for four weeks until Wednesday 29 June. Training will take
place at Barton Road after school and will finish at 5.15pm. Please arrange for your daughter to
be picked up from Barton Road. Any students that require a lift back to school will be able to
get one. The wearing of a mouth-guard is not compulsory but is recommended. If you have any
queries please feel free to contact Mr Macmillan at [email protected] .
Dixie Tennis teams have
enjoyed a very strong
season—well done to all
who have represented
the school
Mr Hamson accompanied Jake Redrobe
and Elliott Middleton to the Isle of Man
for a fencing competition, along with their
parents. Jake lost his first five bouts, but
learnt a great deal in a very short space of
time and came back to win Gold! Elliott
Middleton secured the silver medal, com-
pleting a clean sweep for our international
fencing team! Many thanks to Mr Hamson
and the parents who supported the com-
petition.
News @ The Dixie May 2016
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From the Headmaster
www.dixie.org.uk
01455 292244
Our Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme contin-
ues to grow and I am hugely grateful to the
staff who give of their time so freely to ensure
that students have such outstanding opportu-
nities. Next half term we have both the Gold
and Bronze expeditions taking place—and all
in Year 10 are taking part in the Bronze.
Year 7 were champions and Year 8
got the silver medal in the Hinckley
Ladies Junior Netball Invitational
Tournament.
Teamwork was much in evidence as both the Senior and Junior Schools gave amazing performanc-es at the Hinckley and Bosworth Mayor's Service on Sunday 24th April. I was grateful the Dixie parents and siblings were out in force - without us the congregation would have been very small indeed.
At the Dixie we don't like
to count our chickens
before they hatch and a
big thank you to Ollie
Crane for providing us
with some fertile eggs
from his chickens. The
chickens all hatched and
have been returned safe
and sound, but not be-
fore they were captured
on film! What better way
to study growth and de-
velopment than to see it
for yourself?! Year 6 stu-
dents have really enjoyed
"playing" with our chicks
and probably haven't
realised they having been
learning a lot too.
Not only is Mrs Buckell, (former parent and Governor) the driving
force behind ‘Dixie Diggers’ she has also donated some money to the
Science Department, which has been used to purchase equipment
for next year’s Sixth Form practical experiments. (left)
News @ The Dixie May 2016
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From the Headmaster
www.dixie.org.uk
01455 292244
As we approach half-term, there is a great
deal to look forward to on our return.
The Year 5/6 Science Challenge Day (21
June) was such a success last year and I am
certain it will be just as effective this year in
helping our new students make friends and
start to feel at home in the Senior School. I
understand from Mr Kirkwood that the aim
of this year’s Yr5/6 challenge will to be cre-
ate and decorate appropriately a timing de-
vice/clock that will move a marble down-
wards 50cm. Like our Whole School Sports
Day (4th July) it will have an Olympic theme
and is closely followed by our Induction Day
(23 June).
Please put 4th July in your diaries and come
with your picnic tables. I have ordered an-
other very warm day and Mr Fielding, Miss
Dicksee and Mr Vernon inform me that this
year there will be a podium for race winners
and Olympic style presentation ceremonies. I
look forward to welcoming you at Barton
Road and I know that one of the highlights of
the day was the whole school warm up lap of
the athletics track to the Chariots of Fire
soundtrack—be sure to arrive in good time!
Mrs Banton and Mr Dixon are already plan-
ning the Sixth Form Induction Days on Tues-
day 5th and Wednesday 6th July and we will
be welcoming a good number of students
new to the Dixie for these days. The pro-
gramme on Tuesday, which starts at 8.45 am
in the Library, will give new Sixth Formers
the opportunity to meet Heads of Depart-
ment who will talk to you about expectations
for the coming year as well as vital prepara-
tion work to be undertaken in the summer
break. There will also be time to review ca-
reer based targets, spend time in the Sixth
Form House and meet with our current Low-
er Sixth students. This is also an opportunity for our new Sixth formers
to wear business dress.
Wednesday is intended to be a more interactive and informal day, with
a variety of teamwork activities incorporating not only key skills im-
portant for the Sixth Form, but also an element of healthy competition!
Weather permitting, we are also planning a barbecue lunch at Barton
Road Sports Ground so the dress is more casual on this day.
Finally, on the last day of term, you are all invited to the Presentation
of Prizes 2015/6 which will again be held in a marquee at our Barton
Road Sports Ground. This promises to be another great celebration of
the academic year, and I will be delighted to introduce our Guest of
Honour, Mr William Ashworth, District Judge.
News @ The Dixie May 2016
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I have shown prospective
parents around the Dixie in
increasing number this year
(I am delighted that we now
have waiting lists in some
years) and I regularly refer to
our wonderful Sixth Form.
Those who have taken the
opportunity to speak to our
visitors never fail to impress,
are always the most potent
of adverts for the school and
real evidence of the ‘Dixie
Difference’. I am devastated at the thought of the Upper Sixth not being here next year, and the Upper
Sixth of 2016/17 certainly have large shoes to fill. Senior prefects are appointed by the whole school—
each student has a vote, and the votes from students are given the same weight as votes from staff. As
well as writing a letter of application and presenting to the whole school, each candidate is given a pan-
el interview with me, Mrs Banton and the existing Head Boy and Girl. I am delighted to announce that
next year’s Head Boy will be Christian Smaditch, Head Girl: Kate Smart, Deputy Head Boy: Lewie Brooks
and Deputy Head Girl: Eve Webley. Other key prefect posts will be announced on the Lower Sixth re-
turn to school after half term.
Preparations for the second Dixie Alumni dinner to be held on June 25th are now well under way. Tickets will only be on sale until 11th of June or until they are all sold. Ex staff confirmed as attending include Mr G.M. Carter (Music) and Dr Dack (Physics). I am also delighted that amongst the ex-students attending will be Zoe Hildred (nee Green), Mark Pritchard, Suzanna Neville, Debbie Hill and Neil Taylor. We will be supporting charitable causes as part of the evening and Mr Hamson will be selling the first e-edition of the Dixonian magazine for alumni of the Grammar school with news about school developments, recent events, activities of alumni and also what is going on in town. Please register your intention to attend by emailing [email protected] and all details about how to buy tickets are on the website.
All that remains is for me to wish you a relaxing half term and as promised, pictures of Year 6 enjoy-
ing this afternoon’s events are overleaf. Congratulations to those whose exams have finished, and
again, best wishes to those who have external exams to sit in June.
With my best wishes,
News @ The Dixie May 2016
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Huge thanks to Mrs
Scott, Mrs Ennis, Mrs
Malde, Miss Fatima,
Mrs Hannaghan, Miss
Gordon and Mr Tyrell
whose vision and en-
ergy ensured that Year
6 students had so
much fun!