2012 Summer Newsletter

Wade Deacon High School

July 2012SUMMER NEWSLETTER

OUTSTANDINGSECONDARY SCHOOLOF THE YEAR

Mrs Wright celebrates award win with Ben Smith, Daisy Gibbins,

Eleanor Oulton & Jordan Wilson.

Foreword

Mrs P A Wright

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Summer Newsletter 2012 © Wade Deacon High School. All Rights Reserved02

Mrs J A Gormley

Wade Deacon Strikes Gold Again!

One of the privileges of being a Head of School is to be able to reflect back over the academic year and appreciate the exceptional work and commitment of members of staff, pupils and those who work in partnership with us in the community. What better way to end the year, than to be informed that Wade Deacon has been awarded the ArtsMark Gold Award yet again. This award is for exceptional performance and achievement in the Arts across the school and within the community. Other golden opportunities and successes come to mind: our partnership work with schools, such as our local primary schools, Everton F.C. and other local organisations; the frequent educational visits to theatres, regional places of interest and other countries such as India, Ghana, China and our developing links with Germany, France and Oman. The success of Wade Deacon’s debating team has astounded many people as they soared to the top of the Manchester Urban Debate League to achieve the top, golden position and our dance and sports’ teams have, yet again, excelled in competitions.

Going for Gold 2012-13!

As Head of School, my responsibility is to reflect, but also to look forward and think about how we can continually strive to achieve our vision of Exceptional Values; Exceptional Learning and Teaching; Exceptional Achievement. One exciting development for 2012-13 is the opportunity for pupils from all year groups to not only access free 1-1 or small group music lessons as part of their curriculum, but to take part in extra-curricular sessions either after school and/or on Saturday mornings. Musicians from the community will work with our pupils to develop skills in vocal coaching for singing in a rock band, playing in a rock band or being part of the technical side of the band; singing in a choir and playing in different types of orchestras. Our aim is to ensure that pupils have many golden opportunities to express themselves musically, both individually and through collaborative performances and to enjoy the experiences! So, if you have a potential or budding musician in your family, make sure that they let us know!

We are confident that this year, the pupils at Wade Deacon will achieve exceptional results. I would like to thank you for your continued support in your child’s education and for your partnership with the school. On reflection, this year has been a golden year. Here’s hoping that there are many more to come!

It is excellent to see Wade Deacon High School going from strength to strength and all credit should go to Mrs Gormley and the staff. This term we have won the “Times Educational Supplement” Outstanding Secondary School of the Year award.

In April 2013 we will move into our fabulous new building with state of the art facilities. The building programme is progressing well and on time. In the Autumn term we will become an Academy with a newly formed Trust. The new building will offer fantastic opportunities for all young people, staff and community which will be further enhanced through our new status.

I believe that success inside the classroom and in external examinations is due to many things. These include quality teaching, excellent relationships between staff and pupils and the superb opportunities we offer pupils, some of which are outlined in this newsletter. The opportunity to participate in trips and visits, sporting events and a wide range of extra-curricular activities engenders confidence, self-esteem and motivation which are channelled into pupils’ academic achievement.

I am sure you will enjoy reading our Summer Newsletter which conveys to you some of our achievements and the exciting events that have taken place this term.

Mrs P A Wright OBEExecutive Headteacher

Mrs J A GormleyHead of School

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03Summer Newsletter

Wade Deacon High School has been named TES Outstanding Secondary School of the Year! The school beat off stiff competition from across the country, but judges were impressed with Wade Deacon for seeing challenges as opportunities, and turning them into successes!

Executive Headteacher Mrs Wright said “To win this award is an amazing achievement and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of our school. The award confirms the excellent work of everyone at the school in enabling our pupils to achieve their full potential and recognises our continued ‘Commitment to Excellence’.”

Wade Deacon has worked with schools locally, regionally and nationally. Staff have presented at The School’s Network regional sessions and have supported schools that are facing specific challenges. As a National Support School, Wade Deacon has worked to share best practice with partner schools locally and across the region. Currently the school is supporting another secondary school which has a “Notice to Improve” and can already demonstrate good progress.

There has been a strong focus on developing international links and addressing the Global Dimension within the school curriculum. Wade Deacon already had strong links with schools in China but, over the past twelve months, these links have expanded to include links with schools in India, Oman, The Gambia, Japan, Serbia, Slovakia and Germany. These links have enabled pupils to have direct experience of other cultures.

This award further underscores the findings of OFSTED, who inspected the school in late March 2011. The school was judged to be “Outstanding” in every single area with no areas for improvement.

Above all this award recognises that the ethos of Wade Deacon is to challenge every member of its community to fulfil, or hopefully exceed, his or her potential. The pupils can certainly articulate this ethos which makes the school a vibrant, thriving and exciting learning community.

The award was sponsored by OCR and presented to Mrs Wright by Rob Brydon.

Mrs Gormley & Mrs Wright meet Alistair Campbell.

OUTSTANDINGSECONDARY SCHOOLOF THE YEAR

School’s Arts Marked with Gold!

Staff & pupils worked incredibly hard to achieve Artsmark Gold success!

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Summer Newsletter 2012 © Wade Deacon High School. All Rights Reserved04

For the second time Wade Deacon High School has achieved the prestigious award of Artsmark Gold conferred by Arts Council England.

The award recognises the school’s outstanding commitment to all facets of the Arts including Drama, Art & Design, Music, Dance and Creative Writing. These have been recognised strengths of the school over many years.

Assessors praised both the quality of our written submission and the expertise and enthusiasm shown on the assessment day saying that our school “demonstrated an excellent commitment to providing high quality Arts’ provision across the curriculum”.

Mr Mealey, who coordinated the application, praised the tremendous team effort that went into achieving the award: “The Arts at Wade Deacon are thriving thanks to the dedicated and gifted team of teachers that we have plus the enthusiastic pupils who are inspired by them every day. Our assessor was overwhelmed by what she saw, praising the learning outcomes in all arts subjects. On the day, everyone pulled together to showcase the outstanding work that goes on day in and day out within our Arts’ faculties.”

Artsmark Gold comes on the back of two hugely successful arts events in school; namely ‘Got to Dance’ and ‘The W Factor’ which were both praised by the Artsmark Assessor.

School’s Arts Marked with Gold!

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05Summer Newsletter

There are too many good memories to name just one! Elizabeth Earle

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Wade Deacon High School06

Connagh Grace faces the cold of the Ardeche River.

Amy Goulding tackles the climbing wall.

Pupils prepare to go Cliff Jumping.

Preparing for a long cave trek!

The boys have a go at some Archery.

On the 1st June, 40 pupils from Year 8 set off for an adventure of a lifetime to the Ardeche, France. This Alpine region of France is renowned for its array of watersports and exhilarating outdoor activities. On arrival the pupils were quickly met with the reality of camping and the challenging activities that were scheduled for the week ahead. The two-day Ardeche Descent was the first activity that the group took part in. Pupils worked in pairs in open kayaks to make their way down 24km of the Ardeche river. Along the way, pupils got the opportunity to go cliff jumping, kayaking through twenty four rapids, river trekking and enjoyed an overnight stay at a bivouac sleeping under the stars. The adrenaline filled activity was an incredible experience and, possibly, the highlight of the trip. Throughout the stay pupils got the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities: high ropes, mission impossible, canoeing, rock climbing on the gorges, river trekking, archery and many more. When the sun was out they enjoyed free time by the pool or playing rugby against the campsite staff. On one of the days the group visited the Orgnac caves and a local town to experience some French culture and cuisine.

Every member of the group had an incredible time in France. On departure, the group was very reluctant to head home but, reflecting on the week, it definitely was a once in a life time experience.

French Adventure!

I liked France because I got to spend a week with my friends and take part in exciting activities.

Megan Lunt

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07Summer Newsletter

Walking on water, on the River Trek.

The girls participate in a new found sport, Ninja!

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The end of the debating season saw Wade Deacon pupils top of The Manchester Urban Debate League in their first competitive year. This is an outstanding achievement.

Excellent performances by all of our teams in The Debate Mate Cup, held at Manchester University, also earned high praise from judges. In the end of year awards presented at the competition, Joshua Degruchy from Year 9 was named ‘Most Improved Male Debater of the Year’ with Elle McLoughlin, also from Year 9, coming runner-up in the ‘Best Female Debater of the Year’ category.

Pupils showed off their debating skills in front of parents and teachers in a Show Debate held in May which clearly demonstrated how far they have come in such a short time.

Sarah Harding, our Debate Mentor from Manchester University, said of our pupils: “Having worked with Debate Mate for many years and coached a number of schools, Wade Deacon pupils are simply the best. In formal debates they articulate themselves extremely effectively and work tremendously well as a team which, ultimately, leaves opposing schools speechless! They have been a pleasure to work with.”

The Debating Society will begin again in September recruiting from Years 9 and 10. Any pupils interested in this opportunity should see Mr Mealey for further details.

PUPILS TOP URBAN DEBATE

LEAGUE

On 29th May a group of Wade Deacon pupils visited Liverpool University to experience what life is like at a major British University. Their day included a tour of the main campus, sessions on student finance and social activities in Liverpool. Finally they enjoyed a lecture from one of the University Professors who showed pupils the impact of liquid nitrogen on life, including their school ties.

LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY VISIT

Mr Mealey & the Debating Society

Cooper Davis & Jack Gilhooley

The university P r o f e s s o r demonstrates the effects of liquid nitrogen on a school tie.

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09Summer Newsletter

“Being 16” and “Living in the UK” were the themes for our March Citizenship & Enterprise Days.

Emma Walker, from the Young Apprentice, shared her current business initiatives with Year 11 pupils. They were suitably star struck! Sabirul Islam who, at the age of just 21, has made his first million from his award winning books left them all feeling inspired. This was especially relevant for Year 11s facing the challenge of examinations!

Year 10’s focus was Motivation. Workshops delivered by John Moores University encouraged pupils to ‘make their future selves’ using pipe cleaners and sticky tape! Mr Motivator fitness sessions also formed part of the day’s activities. Gold medal winning Paralympic swimmer, Fran Williamson addressed the pupils giving a snapshot of her amazing achievements.

For three days in June, the theme for Year 10 was Healthy Eating; The Media & Body Image and Culture & Identity with pupils hearing of the personal experiences of many outside speakers. Rachael Johnston shared her personal struggle with anorexia, whilst Leo Gormley, who featured in Channel 4’s ‘Beauty & the Beast’, informed us of how he is treated by society, having suffered over 90% burns to his face and hands. Tom Fitzsimons told of how alcoholism had cost him his family.

Ruth Callender from Year 10 clearly enjoyed the programme: “The activities were both enjoyable and relevant for us. We are at the age now where body image is important to us, but this was really put into perspective when we consider the difficulties that some people have to live with every day. Understanding this definitely helps us to be more aware and be better citizens.”

The themes for Years 8 and 9 included Family, Religious Tolerance and Preparing for the Future. The highlights included a presentation from Carl Hopkins from Channel 4’s ‘Secret Millionaire’ who revealed the secrets of his success. Shari Royle shared her story of life threatening personal injury and triumph. Liverpool FC gave a taster of Paralympic football to all our Year 8 pupils. Amber Dwyer from Year 8 loved the activities, saying: “We take so much for granted in our lives. The people we have listened to have shown that nothing should stand in our way if we are determined to succeed.”

Citizenship & EnterpriseSophie Cox & Rachel Donnelly

play Paralympic football.

Emma Walker inspires Year 11 pupils.

Holly Renoldson Daniel Rogers &Sam Griffiths

National Costume Fashion Show.

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At the end of June, Year 10 pupils put down their school bags and headed off into the big wide world (well...for a week at least!) for their Work Experience. Organised in conjunction with The Education Business Partnership, pupils were encouraged to arrange their own placements with virtually every pupil doing so, making their experience much more relevant and meaningful.

Placements, as always, were imaginative and diverse allowing pupils to learn new skills in completely different environments such as construction, medicine, engineering, retail and animal management to name but a few.

Mrs Healey who leads the Careers’ Education Faculty at school was thrilled with the way the pupils embraced the ethos of Work Experience Week. “Our pupils represented Wade Deacon superbly as ever during their work experience. The feedback that we have received from employers has been overwhelmingly positive in praising our pupils’ impeccable manners, hard work and excellent communication skills.”

Benjamin Naughton who organised his own placement at Widnes Model Shop said “I really enjoy model car racing, so to have the opportunity to get involved behind the scenes was great fun. Meeting customers and helping with their enquiries has really improved my confidence. The employer treated me like part of the team which really meant a lot.”

Many pupils have now started part time work at their placements which is testimony to how impressive they were.

Pupils excel at Work Experience

Abigail Collier helps out with pupils at Farnworth Primary.

Ben Hoos & Ben Naughtonat Widnes Model Shop.

Callum Howden with Richard from White Moss Nursery Garden Centre.

Charlotte Knez

Evie Scwartzman, Ruth Callendar, Jordan Hughes,Megan Yates & Alyshea Heaney at Boots.

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11Summer Newsletter

By Georgia Bolton & Elisha Harris

Earlier this year, Miss McPoland created a poetry competition that would be judged by her. The winners would get the chance to be published. We thought, ‘Why not try? After all there was a prize!’

A short time after we entered our poems, out of the blue, our English teacher told us that we had won a prize. At first we were apprehensive but then we were informed that we were going to have our work sent off to an international poetry competition and have the chance to be published in a book. In addition, we got some charming chocolate! However, the competition was fierce; we were competing with other schools across the globe, including schools from Kenya, Costa Rica and Belgium!

After weeks of waiting on tenterhooks, we were finally sent the books. We, the teachers and our parents were all proud! When we were handed the books, we felt the smooth, white covers and once we opened them, we were astonished to discover our poems! They were printed professionally in a book that would be distributed world-wide and would soon be read by hundreds - if not thousands, or maybe even millions!

UK MATHS CHALLENEGE

INTERNATIONALPOETRY COMPETITION

Many of our Year 8 pupils enjoyed success as they received certificates after having taken part in the National Junior Maths Challenge run by the UK Mathematics Trust. As part of the Year 8 curriculum this year, students have been given the opportunity to take part in lessons designed to improve their teamwork, communication, problem solving and thinking skills. The nature of the activities enabled students to work both together and individually to generate a method to solve a problem. Our pupils did well; 40 of them gained certificates. 3 pupils received the highest award of a Gold Certificate, 10 received Silver and 27 gained Bronze. A special mention must go to Daniel Powell and Matthew Sampson who jointly achieved the ‘Best in School’ certificates. The Mathematics Department would like to congratulate all who achieved a certificate, and also all the students who took part in the challenge. Well done!

Two of the questions from this year’s UKMT Junior Challenge.Answers can be found on Page 26.

Jack Gatcliffe & Olivia Barber with Mr Steel, two of the Year 8 pupils to receive certificates.

Beth Roberts, Chloe Jack, Georgia Bolton & Elisha Harris.

April is delighted to be sorted into ‘Gryffindor’!

“You’re a Wizard, Mr Campbell”

The boys catch the night bus!

Pupils wander down Diagon Alley. Jodie, Lauren & Sarah practise some charms.

The girls are impressed by the Wooden Bridge. The boys partake in some Wizards’ Chess.

Pupils get an insight into Dumbledore’s office.

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Wade Deacon journeyed into the world of magic in June when 151 pupils descended upon the Harry Potter film studios. Travelling by traditional muggle-coach, they were sorted into houses and taken through the Great Hall into an amazing behind-the-scenes experience. They came face-to-face with magical creatures, visited Dumbledore’s office, the Gryffindor common room and many other famous sets. Highlights included a trip down Diagon Alley and the Quidditch flying experience. The pupils were overjoyed at having the opportunity to fly over London in a computer-simulated experience.

Whilst they returned with their pockets much lighter, the day was a hugely enjoyable event for both staff and pupils. Miss Bird and Miss Griffiths, trip leaders, both praised the pupils for their exemplary behaviour.

Miss Bird said, “It was a moving experience to see so many pupils collectively overwhelmed and excited. The impact this has made on their appreciation for filmmaking and narration is priceless.”

Miss Griffiths said, “All the pupils were a credit to the school. We showed Hogwarts how to be outstanding!”

The Making of Harry Potter!

Pupils wander down Diagon Alley.

The boys partake in some Wizards’ Chess.

Pupils get an insight into Dumbledore’s office.

The group in Hogwarts’ Great Hall!

Pupils gather in the Ministry of Magic.

Matthew Geraghty & Lewis Bates compare

their hands to the cast of Harry Potter.

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13Summer Newsletter

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‘Topping Out’ and Moving ForwardWe are beginning to see our new building take shape after the traditional topping-out ceremony was held on site in May. The ceremony marked the highest point of the building being completed and included the bedding of the last block of masonry.

This is a significant milestone in the £25.3m construction and redevelopment of the historic Wade Deacon High School which is due to open to pupils in April 2013.

Much of the structure of the new building is now in place. The building contractors report that the project is exactly on target for completion next year. The post-tension frame of the main new building, which sits directly behind the existing school, has been completed and a waterproof membrane has recently been erected to link with the new sports facility. This will contour and construct the roof.

The frame of the new sports hall has been constructed. Cladding to three sides and all internal block work has been completed whilst external brickwork is being constructed. The project will also include an upgrade to all the sports pitches.

Following the recent consultation process, the Governing Body has approved the decision to convert to an Academy. The Secretary of State for Education has issued the formal order for conversion and the process to convert is scheduled for completion during the autumn term 2012.

Executive Headteacher, Mrs Wright, completes the final block of masonry, watched by Jonathan Kirby, Jake Boughey, Daisy Gibbins, Anna Brooks, and Chair of Governors, Mr Woodroofe.

An open plan Learning Resources Centre at the heart of the school links the retained building with the new clusters.

The vast interior of our new six court Sports Hall.

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15Summer Newsletter

Walton Hall was the scene of a ghostly Murder Mystery English Revision weekend for Year 10 pupils this May.

English Faculty staff took on the role of characters from the fictitious St. Cake’s school with its Headmaster (played by Mr Mealey) being murdered by a poisoned bon-bon within the first hour! Pupils then had to use their questioning skills to interrogate the other characters; analyse written evidence and evaluate a series of clues to determine the dastardly killer – correctly identified by one team only as the beastly Fifi, the French teacher (played by Mrs Roberts).

Having spent a ‘restful’ night at The Daresbury Park Hotel, pupils then returned to Walton Hall for a day of revision activities continuing the Murder Mystery theme. This was excellent preparation for the English examination which took place during the following week.

Miss Ward, Leader of English praised everyone involved in the event: “The weekend allowed our pupils to focus on the key skills required for success in their English examination. The Murder Mystery theme provided the weekend with a dramatic twist giving pupils the opportunity to revise and enjoy themselves at the same time. We are sure that this will have a marked impact on their results.”

DIAL WDHS FOR MURDER!

VINCI Construction UK, the main contractors for the new school, has launched a safety campaign for school pupils in the North West.

As part of their commitment to continuous improvement in health and safety, the contractor has enlisted the support of young people to design creative, attention grabbing posters which promote safe practices so site workers can return home unharmed to their families at the end of the day.

The campaign is being judged by a panel from VINCI Construction along with UK Health & Safety Inspectors and learning instructors from the projects. The winning poster will have a strong and clear message about working safely on site and will be nationally displayed on VINCI Construction’s UK’s projects nationwide.

Ms Philbin, Art Teacher, said: “The Children’s Safety Poster Competition Campaign enables children to think about safe behaviour on a construction site and how they can promote it. The campaign has a personal touch for pupils as it made them reflect on how they would feel if they found out their parent or carer was seriously injured which, I believe, creates a strong message for people who work in the construction industry.”

VINCI POSTER COMPETITION

The winning poster designed by Jade Vanezis.

Pupils work on their designs for the VINCI poster competition.

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Wade Deacon’s Year 10 GCSE Drama pupils have been hard at work making links with two of our local Primary schools.

Our Year 10 pupils devised and led a two hour Drama skills workshop for over 80 Year 3 and Year 5 pupils from St. Bede’s and Farnworth Primary schools.

During the workshops, the primary pupils were encouraged to think creatively and use their imagination, especially through the technique of Physical Theatre. The second half of the workshop required both Wade Deacon and primary pupils to work together to create and perform a piece of ‘Stimulus Drama’. The workshops were great fun and really showed how pupils, regardless of the age gap, are able to work together. The workshops also developed the leadership and explanation skills of our Year 10 pupils.

Following these two workshops, our Year 10 GCSE pupils are now hard at work creating a performance for both year groups, which will be shown at the end of the school year, when we welcome these schools back to Peelhouse Lane’s Bridge Theatre.

News of our Year 10s fantastic work has also spread. We have been invited to perform the finished piece at Our Lady’s Bishop’s Eaton R.C. Primary School in Liverpool. Leader of Standards & Achievement in Drama, Mrs Goulding commented: “This project is a great opportunity for our pupils to develop their performance skills for a very specific audience. It is also an excellent chance for our pupils to work within the community and show off their performance skills. The pupils have found this project a challenge but working with the younger pupils has been an extremely rewarding and educational experience for us all. We are looking forward to the final performances at the end of term.”

THEATRE IN EDUCATION

Colomendy

Leah Clarke & Jess Plumpton

Eve Connors conquers the climbing wall.

Timmon Whitby, Connor Stockdale & Jack Turpin

Pupils approach the cave!

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17Summer Newsletter

ColomendyIn June, 249 pupils from Year 7 attended a three day residential at the Kingswood, Colomendy Centre in North Wales.

Over the three days, pupils took part in more than 10 practical activities such as Low Ropes, Caving, 3G Swing, Jacob’s Ladder and Europe’s highest zipwire.

The theme for the Year 7 Residential was based on the Olympic Values of Excellence, Respect and Friendship. This epitomised the trip.

Year 7 Progress Leader, Mr Campbell, said “The pupils were a credit to themselves and their families throughout the trip with their excellent behaviour, effort and teamwork.”

Alysha Shepherd

Anderson Johnson, Rob Hankey, Will Standish, David Evans & Ben Walsh-Dennett

Ready to jump!

Pupils showing team work on the balancing beam.

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Year 8 English pupils’ assessments were given a fresh audience this term when their short stories were collated into a booklet to be sold in charity shops across Widnes. The short stories, penned for the pupils’ writing assessments, were set under Runcorn Bridge and demonstrated a range of unique imaginations combined with a superb ability to craft and shape the reader’s response. Miss Bird was overwhelmed by the quality of their work, “As soon as I read them, I knew I couldn’t be the only audience for these stories.” The class decided they’d like to re-draft them for charity. “Their enthusiasm was outstanding and it is a pleasure to see their fantastic imaginations being shared across the local community for such good causes.”

All pupils were issued a free copy of the book to take home. One parent said, “It’s a brilliant idea. I’ve read the stories and they are an insight into their world. The common theme seems to be fear of their perfect lives being taken away from them, and a general love of roast dinners!”

Copies of the book will also be available from reception at both campuses.

Parents came back to school in April to experience life behind a modern school desk. Members of 8L1B treated their parents to a taste of English lessons, teaching them how to analyse a text in detail and craft their writing. The lesson took place in the WOW room, where parents were immersed in the scenery they then wrote about. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed disciplining their parents and rewarding their careful answers with sweets.

Miss Bird, who organised the session said, “The experience was fantastic for both pupils and parents. It was a delight to see pupils teach their parents new terms, such as grandiloquence; it gave them a massive confidence boost.”

One parent said, “The whole experience was extremely memorable and very enjoyable. Thank you for giving us a chance to see what they are learning.”

BACK TO SCHOOL

On Tuesday, 19th June a group of Year 9 pupils on the school’s Gifted and Talented register visited Carmel College. The aim of the day was to provide the pupils with an opportunity to experience a typical day in Further Education as well as undertaking a range of challenging and stimulating subject based activities.

The pupils could choose from Geography, Business Studies, History, Music, English, Art, Modern Languages, Maths and Science lessons. All members of the group enjoyed the day, gaining an insight into the differences between school and college, as well as enhancing their awareness and knowledge of the subjects they chose.

Dr Jackson, Leader of STAM, felt that it was a well organised and thoroughly enjoyable day which was both valuable and worthwhile.

GIFTED &TALENTED

WRITING FORCHARITY

Dr Jackson & pupils outside Carmel College.

Parents get stuck into the work given to them by their own children!

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19Summer Newsletter

Wade Deacon’s School Council has been exceptionally busy and successful again this year! Ninety two pupils, from all year groups, have been involved in contributing to various task forces such as: Standards and Respect; Healthy Schools; Communication; Teaching and Learning and Communities and Charities.

Our Year 11 pupils were awarded the prestigious ‘Active Citizenship Award’ for their work with the Royal British Legion and have been engaged in fund raising for the charity ‘Soap Box’, as well as drawing attention to the work of Amnesty International.

From promoting high standards around school to writing letters to Gok Wan regarding the media and body image, pupils in Year 7 have been industrious all year. They have also written to Her Majesty the Queen, congratulating her on her Diamond Jubilee.

Year 8 have been equally diligent, becoming green fingered, as they have been sowing vegetables and considering healthy eating options within school. Additionally, they are currently engaged in supporting disadvantaged children in India through fundraising and collecting sports clothing for distribution to those in need. The group also recently enjoyed a wonderful Indian Workshop at St. Bede’s Junior School.

Year 9 have led the much acclaimed ‘Teacher Appreciation Week’, as well as organising highly successful cake sales and classroom activities to promote the work of Halton Haven.

Always seeking to strengthen our teaching and learning, Year 10 pupils have been involved in departmental based discussions across faculties.

As always, our pupils have shown the highest levels of commitment to School Council work and have given freely and generously of their own time. Additionally, the contribution that members of staff who work with the School Council in order to guide and facilitate the task forces has been remarkable! The excellent Year 10 and 11 London trip to the Houses of Parliament and reward celebrations were only made possible because of their commitment. Wade Deacon’s School Council really is a healthy, committed and robust partnership which ensures the pupils’ voices are heard.

SCHOOL COUNCIL

Government in waiting? Council members enjoy their visit to the Houses of Parliament.

Year 8 Council representatives share a wonderful Indian workshop at St. Bede’s Primary School.

Students in the Year 11 Community and Charity Task Force celebrate their ‘Active Citizens Award’.

Practically perfect: Year 7 put the finishing touches to their letter to Queen Elizabeth.

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The performers were so talented, I’m sure there’s a West End Stage with their name on it out there! Teresa Delaney

Susan, played by Nicola Hamlin, gives her young admirer, played by Jack Boyd, a dressing down.

Colin, played by Matthew Smith, shuns the romantic advances of Linda, played by Jessica Thickitt and Jackie, played by Korinne Rainford.

Ronnie Schofield, played by Andrew Dixon, takes the pupils on their day out.

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21Summer Newsletter

Oscar Winning PerformancesWade Deacon pupils left audiences wanting more after their successful run of performances of Willy Russell’s comedy ‘Our Day Out’. The pupils played to packed houses each night in The Bridge Theatre and audiences were bowled over by the talent they witnessed. Year 11 pupil Victoria Waterhouse commented: “I had a fantastic time preparing for this performance, which was a brilliant end to my school career at Wade Deacon.”

The highlight for many came just before the interval when live animals appeared on stage! Assistant Headteacher, Mr. McGee exclaimed: “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! People say that you shouldn’t work with either children or animals, and there were both, in front of me!”

Our Day Out follows the hugely successful 2011 performance ‘Goodnight Mr. Tom’, and demonstrated, once again, what a talented team of performers we have in our school across all year groups. Everyone involved in the performances, and those who were lucky enough to get a ticket, were extremely proud of all that was achieved.

When can I audition for the next production?Suzanne Vanezis

Mr Briggs, played by Matthew Dixon, coaxes Carol, played by Tabitha Wise, away from the cliff face.

“The penny chews are ten pence in this gaff... what a larf!” Jessica McCarthy, Jasmin Johnson & Laura Parkins. Making the most of the “boring” journey.

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Over the Easter holiday pupils from Years 9, 10 & 11 travelled to China to continue the school’s cultural exchange which has been on-going since 2008.

During the trip, pupils enjoyed the thrilling cityscapes of Shanghai. A six hour drive into the interior of China to Tongling in Anhui Province allowed pupils to meet up with friends from No.12 Middle School, our partner school, where they sat in on lessons and of course, signed countless autographs! Days were spent sampling the culture of this area, experiencing traditional Chinese dance and music, as well as a memorable visit to the city’s Culture Pavilion with its spectacular mix of ancient and modern. Our pupils were enthralled!

PUPILS ENJOY CHINESE VISIT

Two of the evenings in Tongling involved our pupils dining with families from No.12 Middle School. It was here that pupils could experience the real China and its people. It was also a chance for pupils to practise their Mandarin!

The final part of the trip took pupils to Beijing; one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the world. The pupils had guided tours around The Temple of Heaven, as well as The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. The highlight of the trip, however, was a visit to the breath taking Great Wall of China; something that was as spectacular as it was awe-inspiring. On the last night the group went to one of the most famous theatres in Beijing to see an unbelievable acrobatic display.

Callum Jones, from Year 10, said of the trip: “This was my first experience of China and its people but hopefully not my last. We all had a wonderful time and saw the most amazing sights. China is a fantastic mix of ancient and modern and the people are so friendly and generous of spirit. It’s an experience that we will remember for all of our lives”.

Mr Robinson & Mark Taylor on the Great Wall.

Finn Oldfield, Tabitha Wise & Harry Pugh on the Great Wall.

Temple of Heaven, Beijing.

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23Summer Newsletter

In April, during the Easter break, teachers visited the Maharaja Aggarsain Adarsh School and Mount Abu School in Deli, India.

It was wonderful to exchange ideas and experiences about education with such knowledgeable staff, governors and pupils and to discover how our respective cultures impact on learning and teaching. Members of the School Council gave enlightening presentations about the work that they do around ecological issues and charitable works, such as supporting a local orphanage. We learned how diversity is not just tolerated but celebrated in Indian schools and that we share a similar vision of Community Cohesion.

Technology offers us great opportunities to maintain and strengthen bonds between our schools and we have been in regular contact since our return. Already, we have exchanged details of cultural traditions and celebrations as part of a wider project to educate one another’s school communities about our cultures. Additionally, our School Councils have pledged to work together and foundations are firmly in place. We very much look forward to nurturing these partnerships further in the next academic year!

International Dimension

VISIT TO INDIA

As Wade Deacon is strongly committed to developing and enhancing International Links, we were asked by the British Council if we would be interested in submitting a bid to link with teachers and schools in Oman. Along with staff from The Grange and St Chad’s, our local partner schools, Mrs Wright and Mr McGee visited Oman earlier in the year.

Whilst we were in Oman, we worked on projects to develop subject links between Wade Deacon and Omani schools. we also learned a great deal about each other’s education systems and priorities.

In all, it was an extremely successful visit. Representatives from the Omani schools will visit Halton in September to plan the next stages of the curricular links.

VISIT TO OMAN

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DanceOn Tuesday, 29th May the Brindley hosted the ‘Halton Dance Extravaganza’. We had over 120 pupils from Years 8-11 performing in the competition and every pupil performed exceptionally well. Wade Deacon were very successful on the night securing many first and second place positions. The results from this night are as follows:

NetballThe Year 8 girls’ netball team have had an exceptional year this year. They have only had one defeat in their entire season which, unfortunately, resulted with them just missing out on winning the Halton League and securing runner up position instead. This did not dishearten the team though. They went to the Year 8 Tournament and won every game, making them the Year 8 Halton Tournament winners.

KS3 Solo Halton Dance Competition (1st place)Abbi Gilbert.

KS3 Duet Halton Dance Competition (Runners up)Nicole Hulme & Elin Peters.

KS3 Group Halton Dance Competition (Runners up)Divas’ Mash up Years 8 & 9.

KS4 Solo Halton Dance Competition (1st place)Rachel Myler.

KS4 Duet Halton Dance Competition (Runners up)Lucy Barker & Jemma Latta.

KS4 Group Halton Dance Competition (Runners up)Gone Ga Ga Year 10.

KS4 Group Halton Dance Competition (1st place)Horror on the Dance Floor Year 11.

Overall Group Dance Champions of HaltonHorror on the Dance Floor Year 11.

Year 10 pupils enjoyed a motivational boost during a series of assemblies this term given by guest speakers from all walks of life who gave presentations about their own lives and experiences.

The aim of the assemblies was to focus on people who have faced challenges and obstacles in their lives but with determination and drive have overcome them to achieve success, fame and fortune.

Pupils heard from Chris Arnold, Damian Hughes, Andrew Bernard and Sue Wakeling whose lives have all been changed radically by circumstances beyond their control – whether that be surviving The Hillsborough disaster in the case of Chris Arnold or overcoming testicular cancer for Andrew Bernard. However, it is the very nature of these challenges that provided the catalyst for their lives to change and take on a more meaningful direction.

Follow up work in Tutor Groups involved pupils challenging themselves about potential obstacles in their own lives - for example a lack of self confidence that they believe might stand in their way. Groups of pupils will now be mentored by representatives from our Careers’ Service who will attempt to break down these barriers leading to the success that all of our pupils deserve in the future.

Mrs Healey, Leader of Careers could clearly see the value in this event: “We are always looking to excite and motivate our pupils to want to achieve in their lives and part of this is for pupils to consider what may potentially stand in their way. Bringing in people from outside to relay their own experiences affected our pupils greatly, creating a real buzz in the Year Group. Our speakers really communicated with our pupils who have gained so much from listening to their amazing lives.’”

PUPILS INSPIRED BY

MOTIVATIONAL MENTORS

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25Summer Newsletter

Sky Sports Living Initiative

20 Year 9 Girls have been selected for the Sky Sports Living Initiative. This project is about inspiring our pupils to stay involved in sport and to try a range of activities both within school and the local community. The pupils had a visit from Natasha Jonas, a GB boxer, who will be representing GB at the London 2012 Olympics. During this visit they had the opportunity to discuss ideas on how our project will run and also to ask Natasha any questions. Natasha also led a boxing session with one of our Year 8 girls’ PE classes.

This is a fantastic opportunity for all that are involved and we are looking forward to our second Sky Sports visit from an Olympic athlete in the new school year.

Sport

FootballThe 2012 girls’ football campaign has been the most successful in recent years. On Wednesday, 16th May, the U14 squad reached the Cheshire Cup Final. The girls demonstrated enthusiasm and determination against a strong Poynton High School side but were defeated 2 – 0.

The Years 7 and 8 team also won the Halton league with a fantastic unbeaten record throughout the school year. The commitment of all the girls involved in football this year has been outstanding and they are very deserving of all their success this year.

Year 7 boys have had a fantastic year as a newly formed team. They have trained exceptionally hard since the start of the year. Their hard work paid off with them reaching the Carnegie National Schools Semi-Final. Unfortunately the boys were defeated in this game and narrowly missed out on a chance to play at Wembley. Reaching the last four schools in the entire country is a great achievement.

Rugby

The Year 10 girls’ team has also made exceptional progress this year. They reached the National Schools final tournament and displayed exceptional effort, spirit and sportsmanship. The team comprised of talented players from both Years 9 and 10. The girls were defeated in the semi-final by our North West rivals Hollinworth, narrowly missing out on a place in the finals. This is an exceptional and well deserved achievement. It is a great credit to all the girls involved. They are now ranked third best in England.

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SportSport Relief

MileOn Friday, 23rd March, Wade Deacon held a ‘Sport Relief Mile’ event where everyone involved completed a mile of the Wade Deacon track in fancy dress. Bucket collections were made in the week running up to this event whilst cake sales (kindly donated by the Wade Deacon canteen and Miss Rouski’s Year 10 class) and other activities helped to raise more money on the evening. There was a fantastic turnout, with over 300 pupils and staff attending. In total, we raised £705 which was a fantastic amount of money for a great cause.

Olympic Torch Relay

On 31st May, 20 of our Year 10 pupils were selected to help run the Primary Schools Olympic Festival at the Ted Gleave Sports Ground. They also got the opportunity to see the Olympic Torch pass through Widnes. The pupils were exceptional on this day, devising and leading their own sporting activities to groups of 20 year 6 pupils, despite very wet conditions.

Answers from page 11.1) D 2) D

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27Summer Newsletter

Term Dates 2012 - 2013

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Black blazer with blue trim and school badgeBlue/Black Tartan skirt

White shirtSchool tie

Plain black V neck jumper (optional)Sensible plain black shoes

Plain white socks (no ribbons/bows) or navy blue tights.

Black blazer with blue trim and school badgeBlack trousers

White shirtSchool tie

Plain black V neck jumper (optional)Black shoes

School Uniform from September 2012

BOYS’ UNIFORM

Any hair accessories (hairbands, clips or bobbles) must be black, navy blue or white.Jewellery should not be worn.No badges are to be worn other than those issued by the school.

More detailed uniform guidance can be found in the Uniform Policy, available on the schoolwebsite; www.wadedeacon.com

GIRLS’ UNIFORM

2012 Summer Newsletter

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