Rebecca Dennis A* A* A B Lancaster University - Mathematics

Hannah Thurlow A* A* A Liverpool University - Mathematics

Alice Lucking A* A A B Birmingham University - Medicine

Christine Duncan A* A A Liverpool University - English

Louise Evans A* A A Manchester University - English & Spanish

Olivia Stowell-Smith A* A A Loughborough University - Sport & Exercise Science

Rebecca Benson A* A B Surrey University - Mathematics

Emily Moore A* A B Manchester University - Architecture

Hannah Simmons A* A B Lancaster University - English

Laura Cook A A A C Liverpool John Moores University - Zoology

WEATHER REPORTWeatherheadHigh SchoolA high performing academy providing excellence for all Autumn 2013

S tudents and staff celebrated outstanding A Level results with 79% of grades at A*-C and

a record 49% A*-B grades. Nearly 140 students secured University places. Mr Dyment congratulated all students on their achievements and wishes them every success in their new adventures at University.

Top Scores for A Level Students

W e also celebrated another exceptional year of GCSE results with 73% of students achieving 5 A*- C grades (including English and Maths). A record

number of 634 A* and A grades were awarded with students securing a 99% pass rate of 5 or more GCSEs. 87% of students achieved A*- C grades in Maths and the success of students achieving the English Baccalaureate was excellent. In addition, 73% of our Year 10 students achieved A*- C in early entry Maths and 82% Year 10 students achieved A* -C in Media.

Mr Dyment congratulated students on their outstanding success and said, “All our students had worked tremendously hard and were rewarded for their efforts. Every child has secured a qualification and many have achieved exceptional grades. I am delighted that Weatherhead is able to provide such excellent teaching that supports students to achieve such outstanding results.”

Tougher Grade Boundaries No Hurdle to GCSE Students

Sarah Houlighan 8A* 6A

Bethany Johnson 7A* 6A

Wynsei Chu 7A* 5A 1B

Grace Blundell 6A* 7A

Emma Watts 6A* 5A 1B

Jaspreet Kaur 6A* 5A 1B

Jodie Oliver 5A* 8A 1B

Eleanor Saunders 5A* 6A 2B

Faye Edwards 4A* 9A

Sam Pipkin 4A* 9A

OuTSTANDiNG SCHOOL, OuTSTANDiNG RESuLTS!

Some of our outstanding students with Mr Dyment

This year’s top performers

A-Level Results Day

110_WR_Autumn13_v6.indd 1 16/09/2013 08:11

A New School Year

2 WEATHER REPORT

“I am delighted to introduce the latest edition of Weather Report. Once again our GCSE and A Level results were outstanding, placing Weatherhead amongst the best schools in England. Equally, the wealth of opportunity and number of activities that our students are involved in never ceases to amaze me. They are great ambassadors for young people today and I am grateful to the staff that organise all the trips and activities. I would also like to extend my thanks to parents for all the encouragement and support given to students.

We celebrate this year our tenth anniversary in our impressive state-of-the art building in Breck Road. It’s a great time and place to welcome our new intake of Year 7 students and their parents to the school. Starting secondary school is an exciting time. In addition to a packed timetable we encourage all girls to get involved in extra-curricular activities - there are plenty to choose from.

I would also like to remind parents that I offer an open surgery for any parent or carer who wishes to see me. Dates of termly surgeries are available on our website along with all the school’s information, letters and calendar dates. Enjoy reading about our school!”

Mr Dyment - Headteacher

Headteacher’s Welcome

New AppointmentsSenior Leadership Team M iss Sullivan has been promoted from Year 7 Leader and has been

appointed Assistant Headteacher - Pastoral. We also welcome Miss Powley who will be the new Assistant Headteacher - Curriculum and Head of

Sixth Form. Mr Wright is currently Acting Deputy Headteacher.

Welcome Evening for New Year 7 Parents and Carers

P arents, Teachers & Friends @ Weatherhead (PTF) invite Year 7 parents and carers to an information evening on Tuesday 15th October. This informal social event will enable new families to the school to meet other parents.

We seek to create a caring and supportive school community for all students and families and hope that you will feel Weatherhead is a welcoming and open place. For more information on Weatherhead PTF please visit our website or contact our Chairman Ann Blundell via email aeblundell@gmail.com

Miss Sullivan Miss Powley

£1,200 PTF fundraising for school refurbishment

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Leading News

3For all the latest news visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

Awesome SSLT! T he new Student Senior Leadership Team started

their year in office on a high note! Having already represented the school at Key Stage 3 Awards

Evening, Open Evening and Induction Day they cemented their team spirit by spending the day learning to climb at Awesome Walls in Liverpool. It certainly proved a challenge but they supported each other well to overcome any difficulties. They also attained a climbing qualification as part of their leadership training. They certainly are a team to be proud of! Awesome SSLT

Student Senior Leadership Team 2013 - 2014 Head Girl Nicole Robson Deputy Head Girl Rebecca Edwards Deputy Head Boy John Buckley Assistant Head Girl Amy Langton Assistant Head Girl Anna Ghader Assistant Head Girl Alex Heron Assistant Head Girl Esther Richardson Assistant Head Girl Georgia Moss

SSLT 2013 - 2014

Term Dates School closes Thursday 17th October

iNSET (Teachers) Friday 18th October

Half Term Monday 21st October - Friday 25th October

School opens Monday 28th October

School closes Friday 20th December

Christmas Monday 23rd December - Holidays Friday 3rd January 2014

School opens Monday 6th January

Dates for Your DiarySports Awards Evening Wednesday 9th October

Settle in Evening for Year 7 Parents/Carers

Tuesday 15th October

Senior Awards Evening Thursday 17th October

Performing Arts Showcase Wednesday 30th October

Year 9 Parents’ Evening Thursday 14th November

Year 13 Parents’ Evening Thursday 28th November

Christmas Concert Wednesday 4th December

Careers Fair Thursday 5th December

Year 12 Parents’ Evening Thursday 9th January

Year 11 Parents’ Evening Thursday 13th February

Year 10 Parents’ Evening Thursday 27th February

Year 7 Parents’ Evening Thursday 13th March

Year 8 Parents’ Evening Thursday 27th March

For a full list of term dates and events please visit the Key Information for Parents and Carers section on the school website!

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Per aspera ad astra! T he Year 7 Latin cohort received a copy of Harry Potter and

the Philosopher’s Stone in Latin to reward and celebrate the completion of their first year of Latin. Taught by the University

of Liverpool, the students undertook a year’s introductory course and will have the opportunity to start GCSE Latin in Year 8.

Celebrating Achievement

4 WEATHER REPORT

KEY STAGE

3

Key Stage 3 Awards Evening

K ey Stage 3 Awards Evening was a wonderful evening celebrating the successes of nearly one hundred students in Years 7, 8 and 9. The girls were rewarded for their

hard work and effort as well as for their academic achievements. A number of students also received special Year Leader Awards. The evening showcased the talent of our Performing Arts students with a Year 8 Dance performance to Seal’s Crazy followed by Year 8 student Rebecca Barrow playing A Whole New World by Menken on the cornet. The evening finished with a solo performance of Adele’s Turning Tables by Jessica Henry, accompanied by Mr Brown on piano. Chamber Choir sang a full repertoire of beautiful pieces as guests arrived and departed from the Theatre. Our guest speaker, Miss Gabrielle Wenham from Atlantic Chambers, gave an inspirational talk about her career as a Barrister and provided the girls with some words of wisdom, encouraging them to work hard, aim high and remain individual. Thank you to all of the staff and students who contributed to making the evening such a wonderful celebration of all that is great about Weatherhead.

Year 7 Latin cohort

Mr Dyment congratulates MENSA students

Award winners

MENSA IQ Tests

G ifted and Talented Leaders, Mr Riley and Mr Stringer, coordinated eighty students from Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 to take MENSA IQ tests. The IQ test is a series of short

tests of verbal, spatial and numerical reasoning taken under a strict time limit of five to eight minutes per test. The girls achieved some phenomenal scores including seven students who attained MENSA membership which place them in the top 2% of the population. Well done to Ellen Brown, Jade Franks, Sarah Jackson, Nicole Marnell, Rebecca Moulesdale and Molly Stafford who were invited for tea with Mr Dyment in recognition of their achievement and to celebrate their impressive MENSA membership.

Poetry by Heart Y ear 10 and 11 students Alex Cooke, Abigail Keane Atkins, Jordan McDonald and Melanie

Squires took part in the Poetry by Heart competition. Launched by Poet Laureate, Sir Andrew Motion, Poetry by Heart is a passionate competition that requires students to

memorise and recite a piece of their favourite poetry. Talented Year 11 student Melanie Squires won a place to represent Merseyside in the National Finals at the National Portrait Gallery, London, in front of a distinguished panel of leading British poets. Melanie recited Oscar Wilde’s Ballad of Gaol and Badly Chosen Lover by Rosemary Tonks. Although she didn’t win, Melanie represented the school and region brilliantly. Melanie thoroughly enjoyed the experience and “regardless of winning or losing - it was the pure enjoyment that made it everything, being surrounded, perhaps for the first time, by kindred spirits”. A huge thank you to Miss Jones for organising this fantastic event and giving students the opportunity to perform poetry. Congratulations to Melanie and all the girls who took part.

KEY STAGE

4

Year 10 celebrate success

Senior Awards Evening will take place on Thursday 17th October!

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Celebrating Achievement

5For all the latest news visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

Students Prove They Are Up for the Challenge

T en Year 12 Chemistry students participated in the 2013 online Cambridge Chemistry Challenge. More than six thousand students entered the competition from 435

UK centres and three international centres in China, Thailand and Singapore. The challenge ran from November to June culminating in a written exam designed to challenge the very brightest students. Each month students were required to complete an online challenge involving problem solving and scientific knowledge. The challenge tested the resilience, ambition and talent of students at the highest level. We were delighted that all our students obtained a mark in the top 50% of all applications and were awarded a certificate for their achievements. Charlotte Burgess, Emily Jones, Khushbu Morar and Emily Xu obtained a mark within the top 20% and received a Silver Award for their success. Congratulations to Charlotte Burgess, Gemma Christian, Rebecca Edwards, Rachel Grice, Emily Jones, Kelly-Ann Lomax, Sarah Mahon, Khushbu Morar, Alexandra Ruse and Emily Xu for taking part.

Year 10 Celebrate Good Times

Y ear 10 girls celebrated the end of their exams with Miss Smith and their form tutors with a non-uniform day, special awards ceremony, celebration lunch in the Upper Common Room and

watched the Grease sing-a-long film in the afternoon in recognition of their exam success. The girls coped with the demands of their trial exams well which puts them in good stead for their GCSEs next summer.

Chamber Choir Taste Success

F ifteen members of the now 30 strong Chamber Choir performed two pieces at the Chester Festival for Performing Arts held at the King’s School, Chester. Chamber

Choir opened with John Rutter’s traditional piece For The Beauty of the Earth followed by a more modern piece Born This Way by Lady Gaga. The Choir sang beautifully and were praised for their sweet sound, well-paced and confident performance and were commended with a score of 85, with judges commenting that it was “a convincing performance both technically and artistically”. The Choir secured the Delia Fitzsimmons Memorial Cup for the second year in a row. Congratulations to Choirmaster Mrs Rees and the girls who took part. Making an Exhibition

of Themselves! E leven of our most talented A level Fine Art and Textiles

students were honoured to have their work chosen to be exhibited at the prestigious

RBA seventh National Students’ Art Exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London. Only three hundred pieces of artwork from across the UK were chosen to be exhibited so for our students this was a real honour. Well done to all the students for a truly magnificent achievement!

Cambridge ChemistsYear 10 celebrate success

Chamber Choir show off their trophy

And the Band Played On...

Weatherhead Jazz Band performed brilliantly at this year’s Wirral Performing Arts Festival scoring 85 out of a possible 100 to take third place, beaten only marginally by three

points by the winning ensemble. Judges were impressed by the Jazz Band’s performance and comments came in that Weatherhead “looked and sounded great” with “a thoroughly enjoyable, well prepared and well played programme” which “had us all tapping our feet”.

Student admires her work on show

110_WR_Autumn13_v6.indd 5 16/09/2013 08:11

Careers & Higher Education

6 WEATHER REPORT

W e are delighted to welcome Miss Laura Smith, Guidance Coordinator to Weatherhead. Miss Smith will offer and provide career advice and guidance to all our students with One-to-One interviews, group

sessions and drop-in sessions and will be based in A024 or F109.

Much support is in place for our students to help them understand the range of opportunities available to them once they have left school. Time is dedicated to careers within PSHCE lessons and there are assemblies, events and Careers Fairs arranged throughout the year to support this. Year 10 and 11 students have an interview to help them to plan, prepare and make choices for their future. To help students and parents in this process a series of useful websites are listed on the school website including Mersey Interactive and U-explore which are particularly useful.

E ach of our Year 10 students enjoyed a week of work experience giving them the opportunity to gain essential skills for the workplace including communication, team work, taking responsibility, using their

initiative and being independent. The girls travelled throughout the North West working in a range of employment sectors including Law, Retail, the NHS, Hospitality, Catering, Administration, Media, Veterinary, Dental, Performing Arts, Real Estate and Education. Our girls demonstrated excellent behaviour and attitude during the week and should feel very proud of their achievements. The feedback from employers was excellent and as a result of their experience a number of students have gained Saturday jobs or enrolled for voluntary work. We are very grateful to staff, parents and local employers who help to make Year 10 work experience such a worthwhile and valuable experience for the girls.

To find out more please go to

www.weatherhead. wirral.sch.uk/school/community/careers

information/

Careers Advice & Guidance

Year 9 Aim High

A s part of our Aim Higher programme all students in Year 9 enjoyed a taste of University when they visited Liverpool

John Moores and took part in a range of activities and tours to help them to understand more about life as a student. They learnt about the choices they can make and the broad range of opportunities available to them in the future. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the experience and gained a lot of information, advice and guidance from the trip. It has certainly motivated many of them to continue to work hard so that they have a good chance of gaining a place at University when they are older. Year 9 enjoy JMU trip

A typical University student

Working 9 to 5

If you own or work at a company

that could offer Work Experience opportunities for students next year, please

contact Mrs Jones or Mrs Bainbridge

at school.

A Taste of Summer

A s an alternative to work experience, ten girls attended Summer Liverpool at the University of Liverpool. Students from schools across

Merseyside attended the residential course which was aimed at raising awareness and aspirations in relation to Higher Education. The girls spent three days attending workshops and taking part in activities delivered by lecturers across a range of subjects. Students stayed in Halls of Residence and spent their time experiencing University life and the challenges that come with it. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are now looking forward to working hard so that they can attend University in the future.

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Oxbridge Eye Opener Through ‘Gifted Gateway’

K ey Stage 5 Gifted Gateway Coordinator, Mr Stringer, took Year 11 students Grace Blundell, Faye Edwards and Sarah Houlighan to the Cambridge University Conference at Everton’s Goodison Park to learn more about

studying at Cambridge. The girls, along with fellow student Jodie Oliver, also attended a residential at St. Peter’s College, Oxford, where they toured the College, experienced a typical lecture and had dinner in the College’s grand dining hall. The trips gave the girls an insight into life at these prestigious Russell Group universities which will help shape their decision about where to study.

Careers & Higher Education

7For further careers advice visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk/schoolcommunity/careersinformation

UCAS Fair

A lmost all of our Year 12 students attended the North West UCAS Fair at the University of Liverpool - a national event attended by every University in the country who provide

workshops, lectures and information about the range of courses available. Students were also able to talk to lecturers, admissions tutors and students about their experiences which enabled them to gain an understanding of the range of courses on offer and the grades needed.

All Work, No Pay

Y ear 12 students have shown their commitment by securing work placements and voluntary work to help them to gain valuable experience and enhance their University applications. Students

volunteered hundreds of hours at local care homes, schools, nurseries, NHS settings, animal care settings and local charity shops contributing to the community and giving them the best chance of being successful in their University applications. Congratulations and well done to the students for all their hard work on top of their A level studies!

Students Take to University Like Water off a ‘Dux’ Back

S cience teacher, Miss Basford, accompanied Year 9 students Caitlin Clarke and Vicky

Cooper to Cardiff University. The girls were invited to attend a residential as part of the Dux Award Scheme which recognises and rewards talented Year 9 students from all over the country. During the day Caitlin and Vicky attended a Science lecture where they carried out experiments, studied chemical reactions and the science of glow sticks and after lunch tried their hand at Japanese. The visit certainly opened the girls’ eyes to the opportunities available to them within Higher Education and how wonderful student life is at Cardiff University. The girls had an amazing time and rated the trip 10 out of 10!

Students enjoy a tour of Oxford

National Citizen Service (NCS)

T hirty Year 11 students signed up for a summer of volunteering and fun with the organisation Catch 22.

The NCS programme is a Government backed scheme aimed at working with young people to provide them with an opportunity to help build up skills for work and life, whilst enabling them to take on new challenges, make new friends and make a difference in their community. It is also a great way to improve their personal leadership skills and add to their CV. The programme involved two residentials to introduce participants to a range of activities and to develop team building skills. The students also spent time planning and delivering a community team action programme which aims to benefit the wider community. Well done to all the girls involved!

110_WR_Autumn13_v6.indd 7 16/09/2013 08:12

Careers & Higher Education

8 WEATHER REPORT

Work Related Learning Day F or those students not opting for University straight away we offer an insight into career

opportunities available after they graduate through our Work Related Learning Day. Students attended a series of workshops run by local employers and University careers

officers on how to set up your own business, how to choose a degree course, apprenticeships, CV writing, interview techniques, plus careers in Science and Engineering. Representatives from local businesses conducted mock interviews with students which was a great success, testing how well students performed under pressure. Students were given feedback from the interviewer to help them to prepare them for real University and job interviews. Thirty companies supported a Careers Fair held that afternoon and attended by students in Years 8, 9, 10 and 12 to provide more information about careers, apprenticeships, training and University. Representatives from a wide range of companies attended including the NHS, Liverpool Galleries and Museums, Nat West Bank, Jaguar and Landrover. The day was a great experience for the students and allowed them to gain valuable information from experts in their field.

Living on the Edge

Y ear 12 students enjoyed a visit to Edge Hill University to take part in workshops about how to apply to University and to write a personal statement. The students particularly

enjoyed the tour of the University and were able to compare a campus University to a city University, like the University of Liverpool. The highlight for many students was talking to the students about what they enjoyed about University life and the courses they were studying.

A number of our students signed up for support programmes including the University of Liverpool Recognise Project, Raising Aspirations with Social Mobility Foundation and a host of summer residential experiences like the Edge Hill University Residential. Students are now busy attending University Open Days to help them with their final decision about where to study next year!

Intromed

T wo keen Year 12 students Emily Jones and Khushbu Morar, who are hoping to study Medicine and Dentistry at

University, attended a five day Intromed course at Wirral University Teaching Hospitals. The girls were given the opportunity to tour hospitals, talk with Doctors and undergraduates, shadow Doctors at work, attend clinics and visit patients. This was a great experience for the girls which has made them even more determined to gain a place at University to study the course of their choice. The scheme, believed to be the only one of its kind in England, is run by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to support teenagers in their decision to become a Doctor. Intromed was introduced in 1997 by Consultant Radiologist Dr Joyce Magennis and has supported more than 1,200 students to date - many of whom have gone on to become Doctors.

We are always delighted to hear from our ex-students!

Have you graduated recently? Are you travelling? Are you in work? Keep

in touch and tell us what you are doing. Send us your news via email to

Mrs Leweson lewesona@weatherhead.

wirral.sch.uk

Students enjoy a workshop

Careers Fair

Higher Education EventsAfter returning to school after their AS examinations, Year 12 students participated in a range of activities in and out of school to help them make decisions about their future.

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LIPA Project

O ver fifty of our Year 8 and 9 talented musicians, dancers and actresses were involved in an exciting Performing Arts project in conjunction

with the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). LIPA tutors worked with the girls within their discipline of Dance, Music or Drama. Students spent seven weeks developing their Dance choreography, devising a Drama performance based on stereotyping and class prejudice and putting together a band. The project culminated in a performance showcase to parents which was well received. Musicians performed Trouble by Taylor Swift and Next to Me by Emelie Sandé and dancers performed to Seal’s Crazy. We are delighted to be one of LIPA’s chosen partner schools within Merseyside and look forward to working with them again next year.

An Eventful Time at Weatherhead

9For all the latest news visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

Performing Arts Mini Showcases

P erforming Arts students continued to wow audiences with mini showcases which took place in the Theatre once a month during the Summer term. Students were able to perform pieces that they had perfected during class as well as during Drama club and extra-curricular Music lessons. The mini showcases will continue this year … watch this space.

Rainforest Roadshow

LIPA project band

Creepy crawly

Rainforest Roadshow masks

T he Rainforest Roadshow returned to Weatherhead bringing the rainforest to life with an animated talk from Amazon

Dave and his collection of giant stick insects, tarantulas and tropical artefacts. The girls learnt about the rainforest habitat and creatures and had the opportunity to taste rainforest foods and hold insects. Dave shared his intrepid travelling experiences with the girls and passed on the skills acquired from the Waorani and Quichua people of Ecuador including how to handle a giant blow dart!

Local MP Visits Weatherhead

Y ear 8 student campaigners had an opportunity to meet local MP Angela Eagle to raise and discuss the issues close to their hearts. The girls are seeking backing to improve Wirral’s parks and protect them

from funding cuts. The group has already been in contact with local councillors and with the local residents’ park committee and valued the exchange with Ms Eagle to understand more about the lobbying process and to discuss campaign developments.

Year 8 students meet Angela Eagle

Mini showcase performance

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An Eventful Time at Weatherhead

10 WEATHER REPORT

Creative Showcase A rt, Design Technology, Media and Music departments joined

forces for Weatherhead’s first Creative Showcase. The school came alive with a showcase of the creative skills and talent

of our students - the standard of work exhibited was amazing. Visitors were able to view GCSE and A Level Art and Textiles work in the foyer as well as horror posters, films and radio adverts in the Theatre. Visitors were also treated to an open air concert in the sunshine on Weatherhead’s Street area with performances by Chamber Choir, Hitting the High Notes students and soloists of Abba’s Thank You for the Music and Penny Lane by Lennon and McCartney. Thank you to staff and students who helped to coordinate the event and contributed work.

Year 10 Media work

‘Stepping Up’ Summer School

F ifty five of our new Year 7 students attended the ‘Stepping Up’ Summer School, designed to aid the transition from primary to secondary school, whilst encouraging the girls to

improve their creative, teamwork, organisational and communication skills. The girls worked in groups and were involved in Drama games, a tour of the school, mini Olympics, creative Maths, introduction to Shakespeare, as well as jewellery and bath bomb making. They also managed to fit in a trip to Chester University and the Chester Roman Experience which included taking part in a Roman centurion foot patrol! The girls had a fantastic week which helped prepare them for starting at Weatherhead.

One-to-One Day & World Arts Day

S tudents in Years 7 and 8 enjoyed a day off timetable taking part in One-to-One and World Arts Day. Year 7 spent the morning

developing their Study Skills and partaking in interviews with their form tutor to discuss their progress and targets. This was followed by well-being activities including Zumba, Circus skills, Drama, Samba drumming, jewellery making and mini Olympics. Year 8 students spent the morning participating in well-being activities and taking part in their form tutor interviews and got creative in the afternoon decorating Dream Boxes inspired by Aboriginal art. For the last session of the day the girls took part in a Fun for Food demonstration run by the school caterer Chartwells which included the infamous Omelette Challenge!

Mini Olympics Omelette Challenge

Dream boxes

Self defence

Summer Schoolers

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Department News

11For all the latest news visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

UKMT Junior Maths Challenge 2013

Y ear 7 and 8 recently took part in the UKMT Junior Maths Challenge, which involved sitting a ‘puzzle Maths’ style paper and competing against students from all over the country. This was

a great opportunity to apply mathematical and problem solving skills that were developed during lessons and certificates were presented to the high achievers. Abbie Lorimer from Year 7 was awarded ‘Best in School’.

Turning the Tables

M aths Teacher, Miss Cook, and a group of keen mathematicians known as the Times Tables Friends organised a Times Table Challenge and Times Tables week

for Year 7 and 8 students. As a result, the girls all improved their times tables and thoroughly enjoyed the lunchtime and lesson activities. Congratulations to Year 7 student Caisey Joy and Emma Smith in Year 8 who took the ‘Times Table Champion’ title for their year groups!

Bom Dia Weatherhead!

W e are delighted to welcome Portuguese teacher Ana Sofia De Matos Ferreira to school who joins us as an Assistant as part of the British Council’s Comenius programme.

Ana will be working with students and staff to develop a greater awareness and celebration of the range of European cultures and traditions we can learn from. Ana Sofia will be working with students in a range of lessons from PSHCE to Humanities - there may also be opportunities for students to learn more about the language and culture in extra-curricular activities. I am sure we will all help to make her feel welcome and we are looking forward to working with her.

Gifted Mathematicians at Weatherhead

Y ear 8 students Talia Bell, Holly Cook, Poppy Heron and Poppy O’Brien represented Weatherhead in the UK Mathematics Trust Team Maths Challenge at Birkenhead School. The team

endured four rounds of challenging questions including a relay where they had to run and answer questions! The girls had been practising hard covering the types of questions that might have come up and were well prepared for the challenge. The girls enjoyed the experience and beat last year’s position.

Mathamagical Visit

E ight Year 10 pupils visited the University of Chester with Miss Gordon. The girls learnt how to apply Mathematics to create games such as Angry Birds and Cut the Rope, card

tricks relying on Maths to appear magical, made a mobius strip, solved problems like an Egyptian and learnt how to juggle!

Skyping with Poland!

Y ear 12 English Language students took part in an English/Polish video conference with students from Lowicz, Central Poland. Comenius Assistant, Magda Salamon, organised the

Skype session with teenagers from her home town. Our students discovered more about learning English as a foreign language and the Polish students enjoyed practising their English and benefited greatly from the experience and the support they received. Well done and thank you to our English Language students who took part.

UKMT Challenge winners

MATHS

ENGLISH

Students prepare for UKMT Challenge

Skyping

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES (MFL)

110_WR_Autumn13_v6.indd 11 16/09/2013 08:12

Department News

12 WEATHER REPORT

National Science & Engineering Week (NSEW)

N ational Science & Engineering Week is celebrated every

year in March and aims to show young people how Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) relate to our everyday lives. Students are encouraged to participative in fun, creative and Science based activities to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. The theme this year was ‘Invention and Discovery’. Our Key Stage 3 students took part in Science themed assemblies and were given the chance to complete a range of exciting activities in lessons including an invention competition.

Robot Wars F our Year 10 students were invited to join forty students

from secondary schools across Merseyside for the MerseySTEM Vex Robotics Challenge held at Deyes High

School, Maghull. The girls-only event, organised to celebrate International Women’s Day, involved students working in teams to build a robot (which they cleverly named the Weather-bot) and go into battle in a Robot Wars style competition. Unfortunately, the group did not win but the Weather-bot was the first robot to be completed on the day, well done girls!

STEM Leaders Award

A group of keen Year 9 students were given the chance to complete their STEM Leaders Award. To achieve the Award, the girls were expected to write a letter of application explaining

why they would like to become a STEM Leader and complete a registration form. Each of the girls interviewed a STEM professional about their job and produced a 650 word report. Congratulations to Agalya Amalanathan, Megan Cockcroft, Rebecca Gardner, Jacey Hesketh and Jessica Hesketh who all completed the Award.

CREST Bronze Award

A fter their end of Key Stage 3 examinations Year 9 classes were given the opportunity to develop their independent enquiry skills and conduct

a piece of scientific research on anything they wanted. Examples included how many elastic bands does it take to explode fruit? Are the soaps that kill 99.9% of bacteria real? Plus a variety of make-up experiments.

Big Bang Fair

T he four winning CREST Award projects were taken to St. George’s Hall to compete in the Big Bang North West. The girls presented their research and explained their

projects to students from competing schools and a panel of expert judges. The competition was stiff and unfortunately the girls did not go through to the National finals. However, they had a great day taking part in the competition and an array of fun scientific activities.

SCIENCE

The Big Bang Fair

Students with their Weather-bot

STEM Leaders

110_WR_Autumn13_v6.indd 12 16/09/2013 08:12

Department News

13For all the latest news visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

STEM Day

O n One-to-One Day Year 9 students had the chance to develop their STEM

skills and were challenged with designing and building a model roller-coaster or marble run! Students worked together in groups turning their design concept into a reality. There were some excellent entries including a ‘loop the loop’ roller-coaster and a roller-coaster that lasted an impressive twenty two seconds. Well done Year 9 - you showed that there are some budding designers, engineers and entrepreneurs amongst you!

T he new Performing Arts GCSE course, which was launched last September, has proved a huge success for the twenty seven girls currently taking the course.

They have had a busy year studying sound and lighting techniques, stage management and front of house as well as improving performance skills in Drama, Dance and Music. They were able to showcase their performance skills and provide technical support at the Performing Arts Mini Showcases, the school production of Peter Pan and the Summer Sizzler.

T he Dance department had a busy Summer term, working hard on performances for the Performing Arts

Mini Showcases, Key Stage 3 Awards Evening and the Summer Sizzler. Dancers from Year 8 and 9 performed a beautiful dance based around the theme ‘Street Life’ to Ellie Goulding’s I Need Your Love (choreographed by Miss Luscombe). Some of our most talented Year 10 and 11 dancers performed to Bruce Springsteen’s Streets of Philadelphia (choreographed by Miss Chappell) based around the negative connotations surrounding gang culture.

Do You Wanna Dance?

D ance students were lucky enough to be invited to attend a Saturday master

class run by practitioners from the Lowry’s Centre for Advanced Training in Dance (CAT). The Taster Workshop was an opportunity for our girls who have a passion and talent for Dance to explore their potential through a practical three hour session with a tutor from the CAT Programme. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the workshop which was particularly beneficial for our exam classes.

Examination Success Grace Blundell Year 11 Grade 6 Saxophone

Tom Brooks Year 13 Grade 8 Electrical Guitar

Courtney Campbell Year 11 Grade 4 Vocal

Georgia Foundation Year 7 Grade 2 Musical Theatre

Shanane Hollingworth Year 7 Grade 1 Vocal

Tamar Lee-Hart Year 13 Grade 7 Clarinet

Ellie McGrath Year 7 Grade 2 Piano

Charley McGuiness Year 9 Grade 3 Vocal

Spotlight on Youth

T alented vocalist Jessica Henry in Year 8 performed Turning Tables by Adele at

the Spotlight on Youth variety show at the Floral Pavilion. Jess joined a line-up of thirty three acts and over two hundred performers from Wirral and the North West. Held every year for over thirty years, Spotlight On Youth has developed into one of the North West’s premier children’s variety shows showcasing talented youngsters from Wirral and beyond. The show raises thousands of pounds for the Mayor of Wirral’s Special Charity Appeal. The former Mayor, Councillor Gerry Ellis, supported three local charities; Birkenhead YMCA, Wirral and North Cheshire Prostate Cancer Support Group and Wirral Guide and Scout Associations.

Students create marble run

Performing Arts Production Team

PERFORMING ARTSMUSIC

DANCE

Follow us on... @WeatherheadHigh

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Department News

14 WEATHER REPORT

Battle of the Atlantic Celebrations

J azz Band were invited to perform a mixed repertoire of new and old favourites to the residents of Mariners Park Care Home, New Brighton. An audience of twenty

five residents, including a group of ex-Merchant Navy Seamen (and their medals), enjoyed the concert to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. The students were a credit to the school, some of them taking time out from their A level and GCSE studies to perform in the concert which was much appreciated by the residents and staff.

Musicians are Note Perfect!

M r Brown and Mrs Rees were delighted that Jazz Band and Chamber Choir were invited to perform at the

Notes for Notes - Wirral Schools’ Music Service concert at the Floral Pavilion for the second year running. The event showcased over 500 young musicians from secondary schools across Wirral with proceeds going to the new Mayor Councillor Dave Mitchell’s Charity Appeal which supports SSAFA Forces Help, Wirral Breast Cancer and Wirral Deaf Children’s Society.

Wirral Schools’ Relay Championships

A strong team of girls in Years 8 to 11 competed in the Wirral Schools’ Relay Championships at the Oval Sports Centre in Bebington. The girls performed well, particularly

Alex Collins, Chloe Eccleson and Taylor Johnson who came second in the 100m, 800m and 300m respectively. Weatherhead finished in fourth place overall in the relay with each year group represented as follows:Year 7 - Libbie Davies, Chloe Filer, Alisha Jones and Lia Metcalf.Year 8 - Georgia Barber, Amy McKiernan, Charley Quinn, Niamh

Rattray and Chloe Swift. Year 9 - Janie Allen, Alex Collins, Chloe Eccleson, Rebecca Gardner,

Georgia Murphy, Jessica Spilsbury and Amy Thompson.Year 10 - Faye Dean, Amber Ledward, Hannah Newton, Megan

Smyth, Sophie Turner, Kyra Woolley and Amy Wyatt.

Keeping Track

W eatherhead students had their first taste of competition when they took part in the Year 7 Wirral Athletics Tournament at the Oval. Molly Banford, Millie Blair, Ella Burns,

Libbie Davies, Lois Davies, Chloe Filer, Faye Jenkins, Alicia Jones, Lia Metcalf, Amy Seabury and Samantha Seabury competed in a variety of disciplines including shot, discus, long jump, 150m and 800m with some great first time scores. The girls loved their first experience of track and field events and hope to continue next year.

Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting!

N ew this year, GCSE PE students were given the opportunity to study Martial Arts within curriculum time. Their hard work was rewarded when they completed their final

assessment in front of an external moderator and achieved outstanding marks. The girls performed brilliantly, showcasing the high level of skill they have acquired in Karate this year. A big thank you goes to Sensei Paul Nolan for his excellent coaching and inspiring programme.

Jazz Band at Mariner’s Park

Jazz Band meet Merchant Seaman

A QUESTION OF SPORT

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Department News

15For all the latest news visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

Trampolining squad

Going for Gold!

W eatherhead girls joined hundreds of students from schools across Wirral to participate in the Wirral

Schools’ Games at the Oval. Amongst the successes were Weatherhead’s Under 15s Football team who played in five games, scoring thirteen goals. Year 9 student Jessica Splisbury was the leading goal scorer of the tournament and was awarded ‘Woman of the Tournament’.

Girls from Years 7 and 8 were delighted to represent Weatherhead for the first time in the Triathlon. The teams comprised Libby Myers, Abbie Lorimer, Abbie Lowery, Katie Mann, Georgia Mercer, Kezia O’Brien, Katie Ross, Ashleigh Watson and Georgia Williams with Year 7 student Katie Mann sprinting home to finish in first place!

Jodie Diamond captained the Trampolining squad comprising Megan Berry, Niamh Caley, Rebecca Chittick, Holly Cook, Aine Corcoran, Hannah Davies, Lauren Hancox, Melissa Whitwell and Emily Williams who finished in fourth place.

Sports Day

T he PE department hosted Sports Day for Years 7 to 9 during the July heat wave.

Each form was allocated a country which the girls then competed under. The day saw a huge amount of talent in each event, with each country cheering and willing on their teams to success. The girls showed excellent sportsmanship as Japan took the title winning with 277 points. Second place was awarded to Australia and Germany came third. The Olympic podium from last summer made a second appearance and was a great addition to the medal ceremony!

Wirral Schools’ Rounders Tournament T he Wirral Schools’ Rounders Tournament is an annual event

hosted by Wirral Grammar School with students from Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 represented. Our Year 7 and 8 students

competed against Birkenhead High School Academy, Oldershaw School, Prenton High School for Girls, South Wirral High School, West Kirby Grammar School and Wirral Grammar School for Girls’ B Team. Well done to Abisaliny Arunprakash, Seliena Clarke, Erin Cuthbert, Lois Davies, Alisha Gibson, Abby Jackson, Hannah Reynolds, Chloe Roscoe, Phoebe Rowlands, Georgia Sprigings, Hattie Townsend and Bethany Ward-Scott.

The Year 9 team, captained by Gemma Moreland, comprised Ellie Ainsworth, Megan Cockroft, Lucy Greer, Chloe Jones, Chloe Kwok, Gemma Moreland, Lucy Seddon, Amy Taylor and Olivia Whetnall. The team competed against St. Mary’s College, Upton Hall School, Wallasey School, Wirral Grammar School for Girls and Woodchurch High School.

Year 10 had two squads competing and played four tough matches against Oldershaw School, St. Mary’s College, Weatherhead High School and Wirral Grammar School for Girls.

Team A comprised Eleanor Cox, Faye Hunter (captain), Molly Evanson, Shannon Gower, Amber Ledward, Shannon Jones, Leah McGinty, Melissa Pugh and Amy Wyatt.

Team B comprised Sophie Cameron, Ellie Greenough, Rachel Holden, Banusha Kugabalan, Jazmine Markl, Charley Miller (captain), Maddie Thomson, Sophie Turner and Kyra Woolley. The girls all played fantastically well and were a credit to the school.

Year 7 & 8 TriatheletesYear 7 & 8 Triatheletes

Sports Day winners

Year 8 Rounders team

Year 10 Rounders squad

Year 9 Rounders squad

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Department News

16 WEATHER REPORT

There’s a First Time for Everything

F ine Art and Textiles students were delighted to display their work in a wide variety of

venues across Hoylake in The Festival of Firsts. Now in its third year, the Festival provides opportunities for creative people of any age from across Wirral to showcase their work in different locations. Ceramics, poetry and photography was exhibited, as well as the artwork from Weatherhead students!

Recycled Art

Y ear 9 Art and Design students completed a recycling and eco-awareness project in the Summer term. The project was run in conjunction with the local council and required girls to team

up with other students to create large pieces of art which were displayed on old blueprints of landfill sites and waste ground. The girls created fantastic pieces using a variety of weird and wonderful resources including fused bubble wrap, melted crisp and sweet wrappers, weaving, printing and painting. The results were displayed locally for all to see.

Weathertots

T he schools’ mother and toddler group Weathertots waved farewell to one of their regular attendees, a local childminder who is retiring and has been bringing

children to Mrs Hearne’s group for almost fifteen years! Our Health and Social Care students who support the group presented her with flowers. Mrs Roden and Mrs Hearne organised a graduation ceremony and leaving party for the tots who were leaving the group to start primary school in September.

Party Politics

A s part of their PSHCE course Year 9 students study politics and

government. To make the topic more exciting, Mrs Moretta encouraged the girls to create their own political parties complete with manifesto and party political broadcast based on things they would change about school. Students watched each of the party political broadcasts over a number of lessons and the year group voted for their favourite. The whole process of putting together a political party, deciding on policies, creating promotional videos and voting dispelled the girls’ preconceptions that politics is boring! The ‘Weatherhead Girls’ Party’ was the overall winner taking the majority of votes with their policies on bullying, free lessons and uniform. Party members Chloe Eccleston and Sophie Ryall were delighted with their win and learnt a lot from the experience.

ART

Year 9 recycled art

Art on Hoylake promenade

Weathertots

HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (HSC)

If any parents or friends of the school wish to register for a place at Weathertots please contact Mrs Roden on 0151 631 4400

PERSONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH & CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION (PSHCE)

Art students in Venice

!

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Trips

17For all the latest news visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

Taking Things to the ‘Art of the Matter

E ight of our talented Year 12 Art students took creative inspiration for their Arts and Textiles exams from a fantastic trip to Venice, organised and chaperoned by

Mrs Freckleton and Mrs Stewart. The trip aimed to stimulate and inspire students’ minds with the rich tapestry of culture, art, architecture and uniqueness of this ‘floating’ city. The group visited all the favourite tourist spots including the Piazza San Marco, Doges Palace, the famous Rialto Bridge, the Galleria dell’Accademia, not forgetting the obligatory gondola ride as well as a Ghost Tour of the city by night to end the trip.

Sutra performance

Art students in Venice

Anyone for Tea?

T he Food department took Year 10 Catering students to the Liverpool Maritime

Museum to experience a traditional afternoon tea in preparation for their coursework which is worth 20% of their GCSE. Students sampled a range of culinary delights and discussed ideas with the chef who came into Weatherhead to review their practical controlled assessments. The visit certainly wet the girls’ appetites and inspired them to create and present their own delicious high tea treats.

In My Liverpool Home A Level Geography students enjoyed a whistle stop

tour of Liverpool as part of their World Cities unit. The group visited Toxteth, Childwall, Calderstones, Allerton

Road, Otterspool, the Festival Gardens, Brunswick Park ending at the Albert Docks and looked into the characteristics, causes and effects of urbanisation. They also looked at the geographic elements of the different areas surrounding the city.

Jamie Oliver Restaurant Visit

F our of our students on vocational courses, Katy Greenwell, Georgi Hayes, Leah Sage and Cheyenne Stewart, were taken to Jamie Oliver’s Italian in Liverpool

One by MTEC to see first-hand how their new found cooking skills could be put to good use. Sharon Plant from MTEC in Liscard is responsible for delivering the Jamie Oliver Home Cookery Course which introduces practical cooking skills and aims to set students up for life. Our girls loved the course and enjoyed the trip to the restaurant even more!

Tripping the Light Fantastic

M iss Chappell and Miss Gould took fifteen Weatherhead Dance students to see Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s, critically acclaimed Sutra at the Lowry Theatre, Salford. The

performance saw Cherkaoui (one of Europe’s most exciting choreographers) collaborate with sculptor Antony Gormley and seventeen practicing Shaolin Buddhist monks from China. Combining elements of Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Contemporary Dance along with a stunning set and beautiful music, Sutra was truly breathtaking.

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Trips

18 WEATHER REPORT

Ferry Cross the Mersey

A group of fifty keen Year 10 Geographers took the ferry to Liverpool’s Waterfront where they carried out their fieldwork into whether tourists visiting Liverpool have a positive impact on the

city. The girls carried out questionnaires, completed environmental surveys, carried out land use surveys, undertook pedestrian counts and completed field sketches before taking the ferry back to Seacombe. The students studied their results upon their return to school.

Year 7 visit the World Museum

All Around the World...

T he Science department took Year 7 girls to the World Museum for a day of hands on Science activities. The day included a visit to the planetarium to travel through the Solar System from the Sun to the furthest reaches of the Universe and to

learn about how our view of the Universe has changed. During the Rock Pool session, girls learnt about the diversity of life within our local shore ecosystems and were able to get up close with some of the local inhabitants, including starfish, crabs and anemones! A How Science Works session called ‘The Invisible Dinosaur’ enabled the girls to look at scientific evidence through the recreation of a fossil footprint and worked out what the creature was really like millions of years ago!? The day was rounded off with an introduction to museum specimens and live creepy crawlies to learn about taxonomic groups including insects, arachnids and myriapods.

Year 8 Performing Arts Residential

S ixty talented Year 8 Performing Arts students with a keen interest in Dance, Drama and Music enjoyed a weekend residential at the beautiful

Ingestre Hall in Staffordshire. During the weekend students enjoyed a creative learning experience in Drama, Music and Dance in a stunning working environment. The workshops were designed to improve the girls’ skills in improvisation, song writing and choreography. The hot weather allowed rehearsals and evening activities to be held outside and a great time was had by all. The students were able to perform their pieces at the final Mini Performing Arts Showcase a few weeks later as well as during assembly and at Key Stage 3 Awards Evening.

Performing Arts students

Year 12 Trip to Liverpool University

M rs Day and a group of Year 12 students spent a day at Liverpool University to hear from Mathematicians who use Maths every day in their careers. The group heard how Maths has been

used in research and creating computer programmes. Did you know that mathematicians are responsible for designing many everyday items including cooling towers, electronically heated aircraft windscreens, non-drip tea pots and a method for filling sausage skins with meat so they don’t burst!? Mathematics is used in important calculations to stop oil tankers crashing into submarines, in cancer research, treatment and prognosis.

It’s Behind You! O ur GCSE Performing Arts

students were lucky enough to receive a backstage tour of

the Floral Pavilion. The tour covered information about the Theatre facilities (including technical specifications and lighting and sound equipment), job roles, how Theatre shows are organised as well as a look at the dressing room facilities, stage space and features of the auditorium. The trip allowed the girls to relate the technical running of the school’s Theatre with that of a professional theatre and provided scope for their portfolio work.

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Trips

19For all the latest news visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

Year 9 Battlefields Trip

T he History department took their annual pilgrimage to the battlefields of World War 1 and Ypres with forty Year 9 students. After an early start on the first day, a smooth

ferry crossing to Calais and a short coach journey, the group arrived in the beautiful Belgian town of Ypres. The day continued with a visit to the In Flanders Field Museum which presents the First World War in graphic detail with the help of interactive installations. The girls participated in the nightly ceremony of remembrance at the Menin Gate, with two students laying a wreath on behalf of the school. The second day included a trip to the Musee Somme 1916 as well as a guided tour of the battlefields of Ypres Salient, the trenches at Sanctuary Wood and memorial cemeteries - a rather sombre and poignant experience for the girls. The journey home gave a chance for the group to reflect on their experiences and brought home the importance of never forgetting the millions who lost their lives in the First World War and wars since.

Year 9 in Ypres

Year 10 Artists Draw Inspiration

Y ear 10 Fine Art and Textiles Students visited the Manchester Museum and

the Whitworth Art Gallery to gain inspiration and ideas for their own portfolios. The Museum (which is owned by the University of Manchester) displays works of archaeology, anthropology and natural history. The group viewed cultural artefacts from around the world and saw works by artists as diverse as JMW Turner, Edvard Munch and Paul Gauguin. Despite it being one of the hottest days of the year, the students were enthused for their upcoming projects and GCSE exams next summer.

The Walker Art Gallery

S ixth Form students Abbie Jones, Rebecca Law, Lindsay McCavish, Emma Minshull

and Katie Usher visited the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool with Miss Robinson. After a guided tour of the gallery (which houses one of Europe’s finest collections of art) the girls delivered a session about their favourite paintings within the Gallery. The Walker is a fantastic venue currently housing Rankin’s critically acclaimed Alive: In the Face of Death exhibition. The day allowed the girls to develop their teamwork skills, build their knowledge of Art and learn a little about what goes on behind the scenes at a major art exhibition. Look out Sir Roy Strong!

We’re All Going to the Zoo Tomorrow

Y ear 8 and 9 students went to Chester Zoo and were delighted to meet new arrivals Eastern black rhino calf Embu and four week old Sumatran tiger cubs. The girls

rode the monorail and the water bus, got their faces painted, bought and wore animal masks and saw as many of the 11,000 animals who live at the Zoo as possible. The bat cave, the orangutan enclosure and the butterfly house were particular favourites! Students enjoy the zoo

Drayton Manor Y ear 10 were treated to a day trip at Drayton Manor Theme Park

in Shropshire. After a two hour coach journey the girls were given six hours to discover the park in groups. Highlights of the

day included the sunshine, the 15 acre zoo (housing over 100 species) and most of the thrill rides: Apocalypse (named as the UK’s scariest ride), G Force and Pandemonium.

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Trips

20 WEATHER REPORT

Read All About It! S tudents from Journalism Club, run by Mrs Joynson and Miss Parkins, worked hard

over the Summer term producing two editions of their newly launched Film Fiesta magazine. Students worked together conducting interviews, typing up

articles and choosing images for the magazine which is available to read on the school website. Our budding journalists are Imogen Cook, Sophie Ellis, Jade Hibbin-Hudson, Niamh Kelly, Kezia O’Brien, Courtney Render, Courtney Robinson, Emma Smith and Chantelle White!

Film Fiesta magazine launch

Offering That Little Bit Extra...

W e offer an extensive extra-curricular activity timetable at Weatherhead and all our

students, particularly those in Year 7, are encouraged to attend at least one club per term. The clubs on offer include drama, choir, orchestra, jazz band, reading buddies, cookery, poetry, gymnastics, trampolining, football, gardening, radio, film, homework, craft, friendship and much, much more.

Extended Schools Programme

W eatherhead’s Extended Schools Programme continues to go

from strength to strength and offers a number of activities to students, parents and members of the local community every Monday evening. This year we have enjoyed classes in Cookery, Latin, English as an Additional Language (EAL), First Aid with St. John Ambulance and Zumba! Classes will commence in October … please look for details on Weatherhead’s website as we may have new classes starting next term.

Check your form room and the website for the full timetable and get involved!!

Weatherhead Extra

London Calling

M iss Elliott, Miss Lambert and Mrs Carney accompanied fifteen Year 12 students

on a jam packed trip to London taking in many of the most famous cultural and historic sights of the city starting with a whistle stop tour of Harrods where the group had the opportunity to buy gifts and experience the amazing food hall. The day continued at a fast pace with a behind the scenes tour of the new BBC building where students had the opportunity to present the weather. The day ended with a hearty meal at the Giraffe Café before a performance of the amazing West End musical Wicked! After a late night and an early wake-up call the group visited Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on the South Bank. Armed with a tube map and their Oyster card handy, students headed off on their own for four hours of ‘free time’. The day finished with a relaxing river cruise down the Thames and a flight on the London Eye.

Croeso i Conway! O ver two hundred excited

Year 7 students made the annual pilgrimage to

the Conway Centre in Anglesey during the last week of the Summer term. Now in its fourth year, the residential is a vital part of the school’s programme of enrichment activities providing the chance for girls to develop new skills. Students and staff enjoyed the heat wave and spent three jam packed days taking part in a variety of activities. The more adventurous students chose rock climbing, the zip wire, canoeing and raft building whilst others took part in arts and crafts, drama and orienteering to name but a few. Leadership and team work were essential as was learning to live and work with friends and peers. As always the disco proved the highlight of the residential!

Some students canoe for the first time

Students go underground

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Charity

21For the most up-to-date Extra Curricular information and timetable visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk/keyparentsinformationforparents/extracurricular

Year 9 complete the Wirral Coastal Walk

Coast to Coast

F orty Year 9 students and 3 members of staff completed the annual fifteen mile Wirral

Coastal Walk. The day began at Seacombe Ferry terminal at 10.00am and after passing through New Brighton, Leasowe, Meols, Hoylake and West Kirby (stopping off for refreshments and ice creams on the way) the group reached Thurstaston at around 4.00pm. The group raised a staggering £2,000 in sponsorship which was donated to the Year 9 nominated charity, Team George. Team George was set up by former Weatherhead pupil, Hannah Cassidy, to raise awareness and support for children, like her nephew George Johnson, who suffer from a rare motility condition which means they cannot eat or drink. George’s Mum, Emma Johnson, came into school at the end of June to receive a cheque for £3,000 which was the total raised by students since September.

Team George cheque presentation

Year 12 Get Packing!

T hirteen Year 12 students have signed up for the World Challenge Expedition in July 2014 to Malaysia. Natalie Abbott, Joseph Atherton, Kate Benson, Olivia Brandwood,

Charlotte Burgess, Erin Courtney, Khushbu Morar, Sarah Noble, Ruth Piercy, Eleanor Raftery, Alex Ruse, Jasmine Williams and Tara Van Woerdekom will spend five days working with a local blind school to renovate classrooms and complete a four day trek through the Cameron Highlands as well as visiting Kuala Lumpur! To help pay for the expedition, students completed a charity bag pack at Morrisons, New Brighton. The students’ next fundraising project will be a staff car wash.

Comic Relief

T he Food department received over fifty entries from all year groups for their Comic Relief themed cake competition. The standard of entries was outstanding and the girls put a huge

amount of effort into their cake baking and decoration. Staff judged the cakes and after much deliberation the winners were Georgia Smith (Year 7), Millie Marshallsay (Year 8), Alex Collins and Jessica Hesketh (Year 9) and Emma Segar (Year 10). After the competition, cakes were offered for sale to staff and students with over £250 raised for Comic Relief.

Red Nose Day cake

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Primary Liaison

22 WEATHER REPORT

Creative Literacy Event

F ollowing on from six weeks of fairy tale themed Drama workshops (run by Miss Elliott

our Media Arts Specialism Manager) over thirty enthusiastic Year 5 and 6 pupils from Mount Primary and St. George’s Primary School filled the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) for an afternoon. Year 12 Literacy Leaders, aided by Mrs Ronan, created fun and challenging activities for the pupils including word searches and describing and creating fairy tale characters. The event was also supported by Year 12 Arts Leaders. The event was a great way for pupils to engage in fun activities whilst developing their literacy skills.

Literacy Leaders

Creative Literacy in the LRC

Artist in Residence

L ocal watercolour artist, Ian Fennelly, delivered two Saturday workshops with pupils from Great Meols Primary

School and Somerville Primary School as well as Weatherhead GCSE and A Level Art students. Ian spent the mornings working with Year 5 and 6 pupils to produce drawings of local landscape scenes and helping to develop them into watercolour paintings. Pupils found the sessions really fun and produced some beautiful work. During the afternoons, Ian worked with Weatherhead’s GCSE and A level Art students, helping them to develop their drawing and painting skills. The students produced some impressive pieces which they can add to their portfolios.

Pupils show off their amazing art work

Weatherhead Bake Off

A Sense of Community

W e continue to offer a varied and rich Community Programme to pupils from our partner and feeder primaries in

Drama, Dance, Music, Media, Cookery, Sport and Art. Staff and students put on activities and events throughout the year inviting pupils into Weatherhead as well as reaching out to primaries. Last year we engaged hundreds of pupils in film making, cake baking, drawing, creative literacy, singing and dancing. Pupils were also invited to attend our school production of Peter Pan and the Summer Sizzler community event. You can keep up-to-date with all our community work by visiting the latest news page on the school website.

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Primary Liaison

23For all the latest news visit www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

Pacific Swing perform

Summer Sizzler The Hottest Ticket In Town!

W eatherhead once again hosted the annual community showcase the Summer Sizzler. Now in its second

year, over 350 students came together to showcase their acts. Choirs from Egremont Primary, Liscard Primary, Mount Primary, St Alban’s Primary, St George’s Primary and Weatherhead delighted the audience with performances of Jessie J’s Price Tag, Penny Lane by the Beatles and New York by Alicia Keys. Year 2 pupils from Somerville Primary danced to Singing in the Rain and the New Brighton Primary street dancers were a hit with their choreography and costumes as well as Dance acts from Weatherhead and Foxfield School. This popular event, which ran over two nights, attracted an audience of six hundred family members and friends. The event was supported by our talented Year 10 Performing Arts students who acted as sound and lighting engineers, back stage crew and front of house team.

Summer Sizzler dancers

The Icing on the Cake!

O ver sixty Year 5 pupils from St. George’s Primary School enjoyed an afternoon of cupcake baking and decorating workshops with the Food Technology department. The mixed group of boys and

girls learnt baking and decorating skills and were extremely creative and made hedgehogs, caterpillars, ghosts and other fancy cupcake designs! Staff and helpers enjoyed working with the pupils who were delighted to leave Weatherhead with a selection of gorgeous cakes to impress their friends and families. We hope to run these baking workshops again next year in what may become the Great Weatherhead Bake Off!

Weatherhead Bake Off

CSLA Festival

E ighteen of our Community Sports Leaders coordinated the CSLA Festival involving over a hundred pupils from Greenleas Primary School and Mount Primary School.

Pupils spent the afternoon working on fun problem solving activities and sporting activities. The pupils were put through their paces on the Astroturf playing a range of games and trying to work out brainteasers. Our CSLA Leaders were great ambassadors for the school and showed off their leadership skills and coordinated the day’s running order and arranged refreshments and prizes for the pupils. The pupils enjoyed their day at Weatherhead and had a brilliant time. Many of them asked to come back next year!

CSLA Fun Day

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Weatherhead High School Breck Road, Wallasey, Wirral CH44 3HSTel: 0151 631 4400 Fax: 0151 631 1805 Email: admin@weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk

Website: www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.ukFollow us on...

Primary Liaison

Pure Theatrics

Year 10 GCSE Performing Arts students visited St. George’s Primary School and Greenleas Primary School to perform their TIE (Theatre in Education) piece to an audience of Year 5 and 6 pupils. The girls

were formally assessed on all areas of the performance including devising of script, characterisation and acting skills under a controlled assessment environment which will form part of their final GCSE mark. The groups performed their ‘friendship’ and ‘stranger danger’ themed pieces brilliantly and the pupils were a great audience and thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. The afternoon also included a question and answer session which allowed pupils to comment on what they liked/disliked about the performance which will help our students strengthen their practical work in the future.

TIE performance

¡Olé! M iss Chappell and Miss

Gould linked with Head of Spanish, Miss Ryan,

to take part in Riverside Primary School’s first ever Spanish Day. Weatherhead’s Dance department led Flamenco Dance sessions for pupils in Year 3, 4, 5 and 6. A smaller group of pupils (two from each year group) took part in an additional workshop with Miss Chappell culminating in a performance in their final assembly. A traditional Flamenco dancer in costume was also there to inspire and educate the pupils. It is hoped that this will become an annual event and will further develop Weatherhead’s relationship with Riverside.

For more information on Weatherhead’s Primary

Liaison, contactMrs Leweson via email

lewesona@weatherhead. wirral.sch.uk

or call 0151 631 4407

W eatherhead celebrates its 10th anniversary this year of the school’s relocation to the Breck Road site. The school officially opened its state of the art building in September

2003. To mark this milestone we invite former students, staff and community members to make contact. Over the course of the year we will be holding celebrations and creating a showcase of Weatherhead’s history and events. We look to our school community - present and past - to help us shape the true picture. Keep up with developments online at www.weatherhead.wirral.sch.uk or contact Mrs Leweson on 0151 631 4407.

In Memory I t is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of our school

caretaker, Mr Roy Nicholson, after a short illness. Roy was a committed colleague and valued member of our team. During the summer we also

received some very sad news that former Deputy Headteacher and friend, Mr Martin Boston, passed away after a very short illness whilst on holiday in Canada. Our thoughts are with Martin and Roy’s family and friends.

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