charters news autumn 2013
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Charters News Autumn Term 2013
This autumn’s production of The Lion, The Witch and The Ward-
robe was brought to life with outstanding imagination and tech-
nical expertise. Dramatic lighting and though provoking sets
transformed the school hall into the mystical, wintery world of
Narnia while the audience, seated ‘in the round’, were enter-
tained by a witty script and a talented cast of pupils drawn from
all year groups.
The unsung heros of the
Dining Hall tempted staff and
students with tasty festive
food and outfits to match the
season.
Ten charming Charters’ Santas joined in a chari-
table dash through Swinley Forest to raise money
for Thames Hospice Care.
Sophie Quirk, year 7, observed, “The Santa Dash
was really funny because everyone was in a San-
ta suit and some of the people running looked
really ridiculous, especially some of the Christ-
mas puddings.”
For term dates see www.chartersschool.org.uk/term-dates
Co-Heads’ Comments by Martyn Parker and Richard Pilgrim
Unity Respect Excellence
All members of the school community –
pupils, staff, governors and parents –
will be united in sharing a common pur-
pose: to achieve their personal best, to
pursue lifelong learning, to develop and
model respect for themselves and oth-
ers and play a significant role in the life
of the local community; and they will be
able to articulate this common purpose
and support each other to achieve
these goals.
Our school will be characterised by posi-
tive, appropriate, productive and warm
relationships strengthened by emotional
and physical resilience. We will encour-
age all members of the community to
reflect on and develop their relation-
ships with each other to promote toler-
ance and understanding.
All members of the school community will
strive to achieve excellence - their personal
best in all areas of school life:
academically, in extra-curricular activities
and through their embodiment of positive
attitudes and qualities.
Key Priorities 2013-14
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
– every student receives clear, relevant
IAG at the appropriate time to enable
effective decisions about their future.
We will provide clear advice and guid-
ance setting out our expectations con-
cerning how pupils should interact with
one another, both verbally and via new
media.
Academic results – the school continues to
set challenging targets and achieves, year
on year, strong value-added results within
the top 10-15% of similar schools national-
ly.
As we come to the end of a busy Autumn Term at Charters, we
wanted to give you some examples of how the Charters com-
munity has reflected the school motto
Unity – Respect – Excellence in its activities and events so far
this year:
Unity
The warm welcome given to Mr Harvey, Dr Green and
Miss Hilderley at the end of their epic cycle ride from
Tirabad to Charters
The spectacular production of The Lion, The Witch and
The Wardrobe, showcasing the talent and hard work of
students, staff and parents
The first alumni events in Summer 2013 for the Clas-
ses of 2001-05 and of 1963
Establishing the Charters’ Friends group
Respect
Curriculum Enrichment Day on planning local cycle-
ways by Year 7 students and presentations to our local
Parish Councils on this subject
Our Information Evening for Parents about drugs
Continuing to make our buildings more energy efficient
Excellence
Examination results to shout about! – Hot off the press
this week is Ofsted’s analysis of the progress our Year
11 students made this summer that rates our perfor-
mance at the 11th percentile nationally
Seven successful Oxbridge candidates
Well done to Year 7 for an excellent first term. Here is
a picture of their individual hands just before they
joined us:
We would like to say farewell and good luck to Miss Byrne (Teacher of Drama and Music) who is leaving us at the end of this term
to pursue her love of teaching musical theatre. We would like to thank her for all her hard work during her time at Charters, and
wish her every success in her future career.
Wishing all parents, students and staff a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year!
And we could go on…… but we’ll leave you to find out about all the exciting activities that have occurred so far this year by reading
on. Instead, we just quickly want to tell you what our main priorities are for the rest of this academic year:
Follow @ChartersCareers on Twitter for latest career opportunities
Outside the Classroom
Dedicated staff and enthusiastic pupils have participated in a
range of events outside of the classroom demonstrating their
talent and ability to the wider world.
In the summer a group of forty students went to Paris on Music
Tour. The pupils worked very hard in the run up to the tour,
spending several weekends at school rehearsing. This meant
that the standard of music making was very high and that pu-
pils were ready to tackle the concerts waiting for them in Paris.
Whilst on tour the group performed four concerts, each provid-
ing different challenges and experience. The week started with
a performance at Euro Disney, where they performed a mix of
secular pieces to a busy audience. The second concert was in
the Luxembourg Gardens, where both tourists and Parisian
locals sat back around the band stand to watch the concert.
Passers-by stopped on their strolls around the grounds to listen
to Charters’ students perform, meeting each rendition with
tumultuous applause.
In between students enjoyed the rides at Disney; a visit to the
Louvre and soaking up the sun on the Paris Plage. But it
wasn’t just the sightseeing that gave them experience of
French culture – they were also lucky enough to perform in two
fantastic French churches.
At Le Madeleine, they performed some wonderful pieces of
music, which were complemented by the stunning acoustics of
the building, to a packed audience, of four to five hundred peo-
ple. One member of the audience enjoyed it so much that he
researched the school’s email address and sent a message
after he returned home all the way from New York to say how
much he enjoyed the concert.
The second church concert was in the under-stated American
church, which, hidden from view of the street, is a lovely se-
cluded church with a beautiful interior. This was the final con-
cert, and for some of the pupils the most enjoyable, as the
standard of performing was at an all-time high.
Kerala, India was this summer’s destination for the World
Challenge group...
Hiking over mountains through monsoon season, volunteering
at an orphanage where students got to put their love of sports
to good use and finally getting to relax in the idyllic surround-
ings of Kochin made for a fantastic trip for everyone involved.
The students were very impressive and took turns leading
from day to day, taking on responsibilities such as organising
transport, food and leading the group.
Although many students found the monsoon conditions a chal-
lenge they also said the views and experience itself was
‘completely worth it’.
An Indian Summer
To find out about the Sixth Form see www.chartersschool.org.uk/6th-form
Meanwhile our Year 12 geologists were in Kimmeridge Bay to
learn about simple geological structures in the field.
Despite storms that week it did not rain although it was very
windy. The beach was accessible as the tide went out and it
was littered with fossils from the very crumbly cliffs.
Students measured strike and dip on an anticline, and looked
at jointing and then the staff barbequed lunch for all.
They also saw some faults. The second one looked like the
picture in the textbook. Hammers were not allowed on that bit
of coast but everyone enjoyed themselves and felt like real
geologists.
Year 12 Geographers had the opportunity to attend a lecture
series at the Institute of Education based on five case studies
from around the world. The keynote speaker was Michael Pal-
in, better known to students’ parents from his Monty Python
days and TV travelogues.
Eminently qualified to speak, as a BAFTA fellow, comedian and
former President of the
Geographical Associa-
tion, he ended the day
with an inspiring and
insightful lecture on
'Brazil' where he told a
story through images
based on his journey
through different regions
in the country.
Outside the Classroom cont’d...
Our musicians weren’t the only group to visit Paris, over half
term 78 Year 8 language students spent three days enjoying
the sights and sounds of the magical French capital.
On arrival they headed to Tour Montparnasse to take photos of
the city from its 210m peak. Then, it was straight to the Tro-
cadero and a pit stop tour of the Arc de Triomphe and the
Champs Elysées.
Our pupils were treated to a food appreciation event in the
evening where they tried snails and some French cheeses. On
the Monday, students were entertained by Astérix and the
Obélix at their theme park and, in the evening, a disco and
activities were laid on by the French animateurs. Finally, they
headed home on Tuesday via a tour of the Stade de France.
A fantastic time was had by all and everyone learnt lots of new
French phrases, even the teachers!
An exciting day experiencing different types of Medieval War-
fare was enjoyed by some gifted and talented year 8 students
at Ufton Court, near
Reading.
Sophie Maher 8S writes,
‘Once we got there the
Ufton Court team taught
us how to make simple
clove hitch knots and
square lashing knots to
be used in making our
giant trebuchets. After
this we had lunch which
we ate in our four
groups so that we could
discuss battle plans.
In the afternoon we
visited Ufton Court Man-
or which was used to
look after priests on the
run once Queen Elizabeth 1 became Queen. It was really
amazing to see where they used to escape down ladders etc.
We also made bows and arrows with twigs and string to look
like the ones they would have used in the army.
Finally, the battle was on! Trebuchets at the ready and water
balloons filled. Luckily, our group was superior and thrashed
the other groups. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and I’m sure
everyone else did to!’
A Rocky Road
A day with Michael Palin
Armed and Ready
For Learning Gateway queries see www.chartersschool.org.uk/gateway
Rotary Club Public Speaking
Testing Times
Nine pupils from year 8,9 and 10, took part in the annual Geo-
graphical Association’s Worldwise Quiz competing against 26
teams from 16 other schools.
The three Charters’ teams which were comprised of one pupil
from each year group faced six different quiz rounds that test-
ed their geographical general knowledge including flags and
Teen Tech
40 music students from Years 9 - 13 went to hear the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall.
The programme consisted of Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony,
Ravel's haunting Le Tombeau de Couperin, and Elgar's famous
Cello Concerto, played by Jamie Walton. Cadogan hall, just off
Sloane Square, is a wonderful intimate concert venue and the
students had fantastic seats, right above the orchestra on ei-
ther side of the stage. The orchestra played superbly well, un-
der the baton of Christoph Koenig
Rob Gray 12LS writes of a recent Biology visit, ‘In biology at
school I always thought mastering the art of using a micro-
scope is a relatively easy task, or so I thought. On a recent trip
to Reading University, courtesy of the biology department, the
dozen or so 6th formers lucky enough to be on this trip were
introduced to the electron microscope that resided deep within
the impressive science department of the university. Capable
of magnifying objects 500,000 times, this complicated and
rather large machine both overwhelmed and fascinated me at
the same time. I was unaware of the long process required to
prepare samples for viewing under the microscope, and I also
learnt about how the microscope works: an electron gun fires
volleys of electrons at the sample to produce an image where
the electrons hit the specimen.
This trip has made me aware of new areas of the subject that I
had little knowledge of previously and I would like to thank the
teachers who organised the trip for the chance to see such
fascinating machine working in real life, a much better experi-
ence than reading about it in a textbook. This was an enjoyable
trip that I have learnt a lot from.’
A Bird’s Eye View
Microorganisms and crystals
capital cities and also their skills with OS maps.
Our fantastic teams finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th and the pupils in-
volved should be very proud of themselves,
The pupils who took part were: Ishan Chawla, Isabella Somer-
ville, Amirah Holmer, Tom Flower, Myles Kearsley, Angel Thom-
as, Sean Frost, Conor Murphy and Henry Roberts.
Best Speaker, Best Team
In the annual Rotary Club Public Speaking competition held at
St George’s School, Ascot, Charters’ students won the prize for
best intermediate speaker: Alix Webster, and best intermedi-
ate team: Piper Barrett, Hannah Heitplatz, and Frankie Killen,
and will now go on to represent the Ascot area in the zone
finals. Congratulations to all who took part.
TeenTech
A day of interactive challenges and prizes for our budding
engineers, whose fantastic teamwork and business plan for a
‘Live Life’ app won special praise from the judges and an
award for best logo design.
Join ChartersConnect on Linkedin, follow us on Facebook or on www.twitter.com@chartersschool
Charters Connect … the alumni society of Charters School
Class of 2001-2005
Just before the Summer holidays former students reunit-
ed and reminisced over drinks and nibbles in the school
library. Tours of the school were available and staff came
along to catch up with their former pupils. It was a great
evening and more are planned for 2014.
If you would like help organising a reunion for your year group, please email cc@chartersschool.org.uk
Now we are 30 ….!
Among the events planned for 2014 is a reunion for alumni who will be celebrating their 30th birthday! So if this in-
cludes you please update your contact details via the alumni section of the school website so we can send you your
invitation. If you need your log in details, email us on our new address cc@chartersschool.org.uk
Whether you left us after Sixth Form or earlier, for those who celebrate the ‘Big Three 0’ between September 2013 and
August 2014, you will be invited to join staff and others from your year group at Charters School on the evening of
Friday 9 May 2014. In the meantime, zoom in on these images to see how many faces you recognise!
Save the date! Friday 9 May 2014
Tirabad Sports Tour
'It was a really great opportunity and really fun' (Rosie Jen-
kinson)
'Fun, exciting and sporty!!!' (Ali Povey)
Year 8 and 9 sporty pupils set off for Tirabad Centre ready for a
week of outdoor adventure and competitive Hockey and Net-
ball fixtures.
The week was a great success with some high class Netball
and Hockey Fixtures played. The students’ behavior was a
credit to the school; as was their sporting prowess. Overall we
had two Netball and one Hockey victory, with two other close
contests which were narrowly lost.
The students also took part in Caving, Kayaking and Mountain
Walking where they really showed their ability to work as a
team. In addition they saw the Scarlett Rugby team play in the
Heineken Cup final; even being part of the pre- game parade
around the pitch!
A great week, well done all! Miss Holt & Mr Hancock
Inter Girls Cross Country Team
Junior Girls Cross Country Team
National Cross Country Finals Success
We are immensely proud of our Inter and Junior Girls’ Cross
Country teams who made it through all the preliminary rounds
to represent Charters in the National Finals.
The girls only realised what a ‘big deal’ the National Event was
when they were given their unique chip IDs. The race itself was
tough! The best 144 girls in England, representing 24 teams,
launched themselves into a 15 minute cross country run. Each
member of both teams ran brilliantly and contributed the the
overall success.
The Inter girls came 10th overall and the Junior girls came 9th
overall in the country. In addition, both teams are the BEST
teams out of those in the South West region. Finally, of special
note Morven Goodrum came 3rd overall, only beaten by girls
who already represent England Schools; a phenomenal
achievement.
If you would like to join the XCountry Club, boys and girls, and
would enjoy going to the Look Out in Bracknell on Mondays in
search of trails to explore, see Dr Green to sign up.
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