News @ The Dixie Easter 2015

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From the Headmaster

Dear Parents and Friends of the School,

he slideshow I presented at the final assembly of the term containing 180 photos neatly summarised the rich variety of events that have taken place this term. From

Richard III to our school musical Joseph, the Hungarian and French exchanges, Science week, an eclipse, House Cross country, House quiz and Languages Day, the eleven school weeks since we returned in January have certainly been busy. To have managed all this alongside our regular clubs, societies, sporting and musical fixtures is exceptional. With the school minibuses used by the village as a shuttle service, over 30 students volunteering as marshals, the Dixie/Musical Village community choir at the centre of the short service in the square, our great oak doors opened for the first time in years, with the school used as a first aid/lost children centre and with our PTA serving cream teas all day, the school was very much at the heart of the Richard III events. The top of the music school was also the choice location for all local and national media (and Mrs Ennis and our Hungarian visitors!). Many thanks to all of you who volunteered your time on the day and who contributed to its success. It was wonderful to be able to welcome former pupils back to the school – for many it was their first visit for 30 or more years. Ben Payne, Megan Clews and I were honoured to be able to represent the school at the reinterment of King Richard III at Leicester Cathedral on Thursday 26 March.

T

News @ The Dixie Easter 2015

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From the Headmaster

Following the Richard III celebrations, I received this letter from Mr Whitehead, Chairman of the Market Bosworth Parish Council thanking the school for its support.

‘International’ is a key feature of education here and at the end of March a party of 24 students and 4 members of staff visited Dixie as part of our ongoing musical exchange with the Moricz School, Dunaujvaros, Hungary. The party landed at Stansted early on Wed 18 March and embarked on a day long visit to London which included a coach tour of all the main sights. On their second day they toured the school and the town before rehearsing for the first of the two concerts which were the main object of the tour - the ‘Spring Concert’ on Thursday 19 March and Sunday 22 March. The Hungarian group presented an interesting selection of folk songs and more modern vocal pieces as well as performing some traditional dances in their national costumes. On Friday the tour party visited lessons in school and took part in the Languages Day planned for visiting primary school students. Mrs Ennis, Miss Russell and Mr Haddon would like to thank to all those who were involved with this visit, especially the families who hosted students and to Dixie staff members who helped with the concerts and visits. This is the seventh exchange visit between the two schools and some life-long friendships have been made over the last nine years. Many students have already re-visited their exchange partner in Hungary; we look forward to the next official visit by Dixie staff and students in June 2016. Our 18 French visitors from the Institut Emmanuel d’Alzon arrived during the interval of the Sunday concert (!) and enjoyed a week with us which included a visit to Warwick

News @ The Dixie Easter 2015

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From the Headmaster

Castle and Stratford-upon-Avon. Their week with us flew by and we very much look forward to a return visit later in the Summer Term. Many thanks again to all those who hosted students and who helped ensure this leg of the exchange was such a success. Our provision for languages is outstanding. In the state sector languages are very much in decline, but at The Dixie, almost half of our students took 2 languages at GCSE last year, with some students taking 3 foreign languages – French, German and Mandarin at GCSE. Our provision for Mandarin teaching has been recognised in a ‘Confucius Classroom Award’ and we are the only school in Leicestershire to receive this international honour. We are celebrating with a launch event planned for Monday 20 April and I very much look forward to the Dragon dancing and seeing the whole school eating Mrs Mallard’s Chinese menu with their chopsticks! For the other events this last half term, I will keep words to a minimum and instead share with you some of the images, which say more than any words can.

Some schools struggled with

knowing how to handle the

eclipse. At the Dixie, all got a

glimpse. Some even chose

Mr Hamson's preferred

'Head in a box' method for

viewing the phenomenon! It

went so well, we have asked

Mr Hamson to arrange

another one for next year.

The Modern Book of Hours is in Leicester Cathedral is

currently open at the page created by Jess Parkes

representing us all at The Dixie Grammar School.

SENIOR SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY

York House won a hotly contested event which involved over

half the school running. Fantastic effort and congratulations

to all who ran!

News @ The Dixie Easter 2015

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From the Headmaster

It is not just in languages that we ‘punch above our weight’. From tech team, props team, makeup team, band, singers, dancers, actors to Mrs Harland’s band of ‘meeters and greeters’, Joseph was very much a whole school event and a real feel-good spectacle. Well done to all, but particularly to Mrs Ennis, Mrs Kerr and Miss Entwisle. There will be lots of photos/DVDs to follow, all courtesy of the amazing Mr and Mrs Mackley – for now, a huge ‘thank you’ to them for all their fantastic images.

York House Captains Joe Grainger and Naomi Potter receive the trophy

News @ The Dixie Easter 2015

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From the Headmaster

News @ The Dixie Easter 2015

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From the Headmaster

ROCKET DAY!

Moon Rock!

Sixth Form Enrichment

Languages Day

Year 6 Inventions Evening

French

Exchange

visitors at

Stratford-

Upon-Avon

News @ The Dixie Easter 2015

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From the Headmaster

Thurs 16 Apr Term Starts

Tues 28 Apr Experience

the Dixie Day

Fri 1 May Non-uniform

day

Mon 4 May Bank Holiday

Fri 8 May Year 11 last

day in school

Mon 11 May – Fri 5 June

L6 study leave

Mon 18 May Years 6-10

Internal exams start

Fri 22 May U6 last day in

school

Fri 22nd

May Half term

Mon 1 June School starts

Tues 2 June Yr 8 French

trip meeting (1830)

Thurs 4 June Years 6-10

Internal exams end

Mon 8 June – Sat 13 June

Year 10 French visit

to Nimes

Tues 23 June 19.30

Year 10 Parents and Students – careers and the 6

th form

Tues 30 June Whole School

sports Day

Fri 3 July 14.00

Presentation of Prizes

Tues 7 July Strawberry

Prom Concert

Thurs 9 July Term Ends

Fri 10 July China Study

camp departs

Our Under 13 Netball Team finished 5th

out of 14 teams at the ISA Midlands

Tournament.

There has certainly been a great deal

happening outside the classroom, but the

focus for many of our students will now

turn to the external exams later in the

Summer Term. Over the Easter break

revision sessions have been running and

at the time of writing 14 of our L6th

Mathematicians and Year 11 Computing students are in school and working hard.

Work is also progressing on site and the

renovation of the girls’ toilets – top of the list

from the student survey – is well under way.

When we return after Easter, the toilet block in

the playground on the right will be for girls. The

renovation will be finished in good time for

September.

Following much discussion, we have

decided that the summer uniform for

girls will no longer be compulsory. It

will of course still be available from

our school shop and online. Whilst

talking of uniform, may I also take the

opportunity to remind you all of the

need for girls to wear long hair tied back and for boys to have short, tidy hairstyles?

Your cooperation in this is very much appreciated.

We have much to look forward to after our Easter break – not least the Confucius

Classroom launch, Sports Day, Prize Giving, Year 11 Prom, Sixth Form Ball, PTA Grand

Summer Ball, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions (Bronze, Silver and Gold) and and the list

goes on. As ever, please do check the dates to the left of this page and on the website

and get the relevant dates on your calendar.

We have updated the way the calendar can be viewed on the website – in particular to

make viewing and printing it more straightforward.

Year 10 trying out their newly found power poses during their self-esteem workshop !

News @ The Dixie Easter 2015

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From the Headmaster

Thurs 16 Apr Term Starts

Tues 28 Apr Experience

the Dixie Day

Fri 1 May Non-uniform

day

Mon 4 May Bank Holiday

Fri 8 May Year 11 last

day in school

Mon 11 May – Fri 5 June

L6 study leave

Mon 18 May Years 6-10

Internal exams start

Fri 22 May U6 last day in

school

Fri 22nd

May Half term

Mon 1 June School starts

Tues 2 June Yr 8 French trip meeting

(1830)

Thurs 4 June Years 6-10

Internal exams end

Mon 8 June – Sat 13 June

Year 10 French visit to

Nimes

Tues 23 June 19.30

Year 10 Parents and Students – careers and the 6

th form

Tues 30 June Whole School

sports Day

Fri 3 July 14.00

Presentation of Prizes

Tues 7 July Strawberry

Prom Concert

Thurs 9 July Term Ends

Fri 10 July China Study

camp departs

At the bottom of the calendar screen, select

either Senior School Calendar or Junior

School , http://www.dixie.org.uk/sscalendar

and the view is one of a more conventional

online calendar, with an easy-to-print

option:

We are keen to keep improving our website – please do continue to feed back

suggestions for improvement.

Finally, we have just had news that Owen Hills, England U20,

past Dixie student and the man who officially opened our all-

weather pitch was recently selected to take part in the England

Rugby U20 Six Nations tournament during which he received

his England U20s cap. Owen played in the final two games, both

of which England won, including the Six Nations Cup decider

against France. Owen was selected a year early and was the

youngest player in the squad. Owen has recently secured a

fourth year at Leicester Tigers and he is currently waiting to

hear if he has been selected for this years' England U20s Junior

World Cup squad for the tournament that will take place in Italy

in June.

All that remains is for me to wish you all a very happy Easter.

Best wishes,

News @ The Dixie Easter 2015

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From the Headmaster

Sports Results 23 Feb -> 24 March

Day Date Year Group Sport Opponent Result

Mon 23/02/2015 U13's Football Princethorpe Away

Tues 24/02/2015 U11's A Hockey Desford Home W 5-0

Tues 24/02/2015 U11's B Hockey Desford Home W 6-0

Tues 24/02/2015 U12's Hockey Leic Gram Away L 2-1

Tues 24/02/2015 U13's Hockey Leic Gram Away L 3-0

Weds 25/02/2015 U11's Netball St Dominics Away

Weds 25/02/2015 U15's/U16's Netball Bosworth Academy Home W 38-2

Weds 25/02/2015 U18's Rugby Abbotsholme L 46-7

Sat 28/02/2015 U16's Rugby Emerging Schools Away L 25-5

Mon 02/03/2015 U13's Football Grace Dieu Home W 2-0

Tues 03/03/2015 U13's Hockey League Finals Away 3rd of 6

Tues 03/03/2015 U15's/U16's Rugby MBHS Home W 38-27

Thurs 05/03/2015 U12's Rugby Redmoor Home L 25-20

Thurs 05/03/2015 U14's Rugby Redmoor Home L 40-5

Mon 09/03/2015 U13's A Hockey Boys Stoneygate Home L 2-1

Mon 09/03/2015 U13's B Hockey Boys Stoneygate Home L 4-2

Weds 11/03/2015 U16's Rugby 7's Abbotsholme Away L 28-7

Thurs 12/03/2015 U13's Netball ISA Midlands Away 5th of 16

Thurs 12/03/2015 U12s/U13s Rugby Redmoor Away L 40-5

Fri 13/03/2015 U11's Football ISA National Home W 2 L 4

Mon 16/03/2015 U13's Netball MBHS Home W 13-2

Mon 16/03/2015 U11's Netball Fairfield Prep Away W 6-5

Mon 16/03/2015 U15's Football Princethorpe Home W 1-0

Tues 17/03/2016 U14's Football Princethorpe Home L 4-1

Weds 18/03/2015 U11's Hockey Girls Tourn Leic Gram Away L 7-0 L 4-0 L 1-0

Weds 18/03/2015 U11's Hockey Boys Tourn Leic Gram Away L 3-0 L 2-0

Thurs 19/03/2015 U15's Hockey 11-a-side Leic Grammar Home L 3-0

Tues 24/03/2015 U12's Hockey

Tournament Leic Grammar Away

Business Studies Entrepreneurs Give Food!

Four students, Harry Lawson, Chantal Cook,

Alexandra Benbow and Florence Pritchett set

up a manufacturing company producing small

snacks including shortbread and crispy cakes.

Aiming to make as much profit as possible,

costs of production were identified, suppliers

checked and production went ahead from

October 2014. The business proved a huge

success with the ‘Mini Munchies’ selling out of

stock on a regular basis. Overall a profit of

£108 was made. Students were keen to

donate this wholly to a charity which would be

of a local benefit and selected the local

Hinckley Food Bank.