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Lytchett Minster School | Newsletter

W

elcome to the May edition of the

May 2018

The start of the summer term coincides with the

start of the public and internal exam season. I

appreciate that for students and parents this can

be a ‘testing’ time (in every sense of the word).

I would urge students to maintain a sense of

perspective and to adopt a positive approach to

the challenges that lie ahead. Why not see these

exams as an opportunity rather than as a threat?

- an opportunity to show how much you have

learned and understood. A chance to shine!

01202 622413 • www.lytchett.org.uk • /lytchettminsterschool

Andrew Mead Headmaster

If we approach challenges in a positive frame of mind, we are more likely to be successful. That is not to say of

course that positivity should be a substitute for hard work. The two complement each other. A negative approach

to exams and other challenges is not helpful and can lead to anxiety, sleepless nights, poor concentration and

ultimately underperformance.

For some students this is an opportunity for some lastminute.com cramming. For those students who have worked

steadily throughout the year, who have learned from their mistakes in the mocks, attended revision and booster

sessions, the next few weeks will just require a final going over familiar material. All students need to maintain a

healthy lifestyle during the exam period. This includes getting enough sleep (a minimum of 8 hours), drinking

plenty of water, eating food rich in Omega-3 as well as fruit and vegetables, and getting some regular exercise

(even if this is just walking the dog).

As parents, all you can do is be a support to your child; a rock. Exams are exhausting. Your child will need plenty

of TLC and encouragement. They may not show it at the time, but they will be grateful once the exams are all over.

We are very pleased to see that Year 11 (and Year 10) students are making excellent use of our GCSEPod online

revision tool. Over 5,000 revision videos have been streamed in the first few weeks since the launch. I am grateful

to those parents who made voluntary donations to help fund this major purchase. If you would still like to make a

contribution to this appeal, please go to our online payment section of the website and make your donation via

Wisepay.

The summer term has got off to a sunny start. We have been able to re-open the field at

lunchtimes. New benches (cut out of old fallen tree trunks) have been made available for

students by the tennis courts, and the grounds staff have ensured that flowers and shrubs

are as beautiful and colourful as ever. How fortunate we are!

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Music Concert at Lytchett Minster Church

Congratulations to the Senior Band, Choir and the individual soloists for their superb concert at the Lytchett

Minster Church on Saturday 28th April. The highlight of the evening was the choir’s fantastic performance of

Fauré’s Requiem. This is one of the most popular and sublime pieces of choral music ever written. The choir,

under the leadership of Andrew Painter, Head of Music, sang beautifully, with outstanding solo performances from

Rosie Painter (Soprano) and Ryan Simpson (Baritone). The choir was ably accompanied by an orchestra made up of

present and past students and staff of the school. The quality of the music throughout the evening was quite

astonishing, with exceptional solo performances by the students pictured below.

We are very grateful to Jean de Garis for allowing us to use the Lytchett Minster Church, with its wonderful

acoustics, for this concert. Our thanks also go to the PTA for providing refreshments during the interval.

Natalia Broadbent Louie Taylor Ed Painter Sam Goldsmith

(Violin) (Piano) (Baritone) (Piano)

Maddy Cross Ethan Bodman Trinity Evans Taegan White

(Flute) (Clarinet) (Alto) (Soprano)

Millie Hancock Ryan Simpson Rosie Painter

(Flute) (Baritone) (Soprano)

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Rhys Harrison (Year 9)

Congratulations to Rhys Harrison who was recently selected to represent

Dorset Under 18s in the South West Four Counties Championship at West

Cornwall Golf Club. This is a notable achievement in itself for a 13 year old.

The event comprised of a morning Stroke Play round for both the

Individual and Team Stroke Play Championship, which was followed by

three matches to determine the Inter County Match Play Championship.

Dorset retained the Team Shield beating Devon into second place by some

24 strokes. Rhys and Dorset’s Harvey Randall were tied for first place on 69

On 14th April Elliott Lowman competed in the Senior English Karate Championships in Leicester. Elliott had 5 extremely tough fights including the current English champion. He fought round after round displaying skills and techniques of a very high level. Elliott won his category to become English Karate Champion. What a fantastic achievement. Well done!

Student Achievements

Josie Spring (Year 8)

Congratulations to Josie Spring who recently competed in the European

Trampoline Championships in Azerbaijan. Josie came 13th overall out of

70+ participants—this is a fantastic achievement considering that Josie

was one of the youngest competitors in the Championships.

Lily Macbeth (Year 11)

Congratulations to Lily Macbeth (Year 11) who has taken part in a major research project

by Dorset Young Researchers. The students from across the county presented their

research project on the needs of young people in Dorset, gathering pledges of action from

councillors and senior managers including Debbie Ward, the Chief Executive.

We are delighted that Lily was able to take part in this project. She was a great

ambassador for the school and in particular for the young people that she was

representing.

Elliott Lowman (Year 7, Kimmeridge)

to a three hole play-off to decide who would be crowned the individual champion. Rhys won the play-off with a

one under par for the three holes and became the South West Four Counties Champion. Rhys also finished

unbeaten in his individual match play events beating Cornwall and Somerset.

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DofE—Bronze Award (practice) expedition

Congratulations to the 60 Year 10 students who successfully completed their DofE Bronze practice expedition in

Wareham Forest on 27th and 28th April.

We are delighted that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award continues to go from strength to strength at Lytchett. The

award is recognised and respected by universities and employers alike. It provides benefit to the students through

the development of their physical aptitudes and their musical/artistic talents, and also provides benefits to the

wider community through the volunteering aspect of the award.

For many DofE participants the highlight of the DofE programme is the expeditions. The students have to take part

in a practice expedition and if they are successful in this, they go on to the assessed expedition. All those who took

part in the practice expedition on 27th and 28th April completed the route successfully following a rather damp

night under canvas

The leaders commended the teams on their excellent team work and spirit. Our thanks to all the staff and parent

helpers who give up their weekends to support the students completing their expeditions.

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Lytchett Minster School chess team once again competed in the school chess competition for the area. Last year there were only 3 points scored across all the players on both days of the two day event; this year we managed a huge improvement, scoring 9.5. A big well done to all the players who represented the school: Harry Rowbotham (Yr12), Ben Howard (Yr12), Chris Fowles (Yr10), Zack Little (Yr8), Ellis Mann (Yr8), Jonathan Nunn (Yr7) and Alfie Rawlings (Yr7). It’s great to see some of the same players who played in the same tournament last year. Harry, Zack and Ellis competed previously and showed great improvement this year. It also means that Ben, Jonathan and Alfie have been learning from some seasoned players and progressing as a team. It’s only the second year competing so we’re still behind the other two boys’ grammar schools and Highcliffe, but catching up fast. I’m sure the Lytchett team will keep progressing and get an even better score next year.

Lytchett In Bournemouth & District Junior Chess Team Challenge

Please could we remind you that, whilst your child is at school, any contact with them must go through their House

office. It is not appropriate for students to be using their mobile phones to ask a parent to come into school to

collect them. This is a safeguarding issue. If you child is feeling unwell, or needs to contact you for a different

reason, they should go to their House office.

If you need to see a member of staff, please could you contact the school to make an appointment. It is not always

possible to release a member of staff from other commitments if a parent turns up at school unannounced.

Visitors to the school must report to main reception to sign in and to receive a visitor’s badge. It is not appropriate

for parents to go directly to House offices.

Finally, we do appreciate that it can sometimes be very stressful for a parent to have to come into school over an

issue which has upset their child. We would, however, respectfully request that you deal with members of staff in a

calm and unthreatening manner. We are here to help you and to ensure that your child is safe and happy at school.

Visiting the school

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Congratulations to Archie Weedon, who recently came 3rd in the Junior Osprey Sprint Triathlon on the 8th April in Portland. A fantastic achievement! The event consists of the following:

The Swim 300m Pool Swim – 12 lengths of the pool

The Bike 17k Bike – A ride around Portland Island visiting

the Bill and back.

The Run 5k Run – Mainly off road along Hamm Beach to

Ferry bridge and back.

Student Achievements (continued)

U14 Netball

Three Year 9 students from Lytchett Minster School represented Wimborne Netball Club at a Tournament in Salisbury on Sunday 22nd April. They topped their group after the round robin stage and then beat Newbury Blue in the semi-finals. They had to play against a strong WP Blades team in the final, who eventually won the event with Wimborne in 2nd Place. A fantastic achievement- well done girls!

Eve Stickland - C

Bevin-mae White - GA

Lauren Tyler - WA

Congratulations to Julius Williams, who was recently awarded ‘Players’ Player of

the Year U13s’ at the Wimborne Rugby Club U13s awards evening. Julius has also

recently received medals for winning the Dorset Waterfall Cup and the New Milton

and District Annual seven-a-side Junior Rugby Festival.

Well done!

Archie Weedon (Year 11, Gault)

Julius Williams (Year 8, Portland)

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The Year 12 ASDAN group: Wimborne Walk Report On the 15th March 2018, the level 2 ASDAN group went on a walk through the muddy countryside of Wimborne for the morning. We started at Old Road car park and walked to Eye Bridge. In our opinion it was more eventful than enjoyable! Even though we were told by Mrs Sadler that we would be walking through some mud and along the river, the group didn’t come particularly prepared for the walk. We were all wearing sneakers and stylish shoes with jeans and jumpers. We all realised very quickly that wellies would have been a lot more appropriate as it was a mud slide for the entire walk! We walked alongside the river which in reality probably meant the grass wasn’t going to be dry. After dealing with multiple really muddy patches we did come across some straight sections where the mud wasn’t as much of a problem which meant we didn’t want to leave these areas. We found that the muddiest and most slippery areas were the areas where there were gates and stiles as the mud here was particularly thick. However we all had a great time and enjoyed being out in the fresh air. We have been following the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness this year alongside our other subjects. This course has enabled us to gain skills in lots of different areas. We have helped to organise the Sleep Easy; Year 12 and Year 13 students slept in the school grounds to raise money and awareness for Youth Homelessness. We have all gained a First Aid certificate; we followed a two day training course that helped us to learn skills and be able to carry out CPR. We have all done Work Experience once a week since September in various organisations as well as carrying out debates and giving presentations to students in the lower school on different subject areas. We have all really enjoyed the course and hope to be awarded the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness to help us on our next steps either into jobs or continuing in the Sixth Form with A level subjects. Lanni, Harry, Tommy, Joe, Mollie, Beth, Ryan, Dylan, Josh, Lewis

Sixth Form News

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Student Reflections on the Spanish Exchange

The first day, while I was waiting for them in the airport, I was

terrified about how the week was going to go, because I was

having another Spaniard staying with me as well as the one I

originally stayed with in Spain. But the rest of the day, we all really

got on well together and it gave me much more confidence for the

rest of the week.

Monday, the first day at school with them, went surprisingly well

because they all came in in really cute school uniforms and we all

bonded as a massive group over the amazing Full English Breakfast

the school provided for us! We then all went out to the beach to

give them the British experience of fish and chips!

The next day a couple of us went to Bike Night on Poole Quay, followed by dinner at Wetherspoons and going to

the really cute sweet shops, for them to get some souvenirs. Wednesday was probably one of my favourite days

though because we all went to Bournemouth together and we went to the Oceanarium, and there were

PENGUINS!!! We then went to Wagamamas for dinner and I managed to eat with chopsticks! Thursday was just so

warm that we ended up just going to the beach together as a group after school, which was again really fun, and

one of the best opportunities to speak Spanish. Friday was the day that I cried because we had a lovely little

farewell party at the end of the day in the Secret Garden and the speeches brought me to tears.

Saturday we went to Salisbury, and it was such a beautiful city! And it was a great last day for all of us to say

goodbye. The airport was horrible though, because it was awful to have to say goodbye to all to them after such

an amazing week, especially while knowing that I might not see them again. I have made a promise to myself that I

will go back to their town this summer though, and I am convinced that I have made friends for life, ones that I

know I will ever forget. İGracias a todos para una experiencia completamente inolvidable!

Fiona Thorpe

The visit of the Spanish party went really well and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Visits to Bournemouth, Salisbury, Corfe Castle and Durdle Door were all such great moments with so many memories created. Everyone got on so well with each other which was what really made the trip what it was. Despite us ALL being emotional when they left, I have no doubt that we will be returning there in the future to meet up once again. Dene Harper

Sixth Form News (continued…)

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The week was amazing and I honestly wish that it could have

been longer. When they arrived, it was like they had never left.

At school, it was manic as we had to make sure they got to the

right lesson on time but the activities we did after school and the

time we spent as a group was great. As expected, it was sad to

see them go but I have made even more memories and I hope to

visit them during my summer holiday.

Jon Selway

After our incredible week in Jaén in January, it was time for the Spanish students to visit us. We were very excited to see them again and show them our way of life. Throughout the week we did numerous activities from visiting Salisbury Cathedral to going on the carousel at Bournemouth Beach. We had the most British week ever! We had fish and chips about 3 times, a full English breakfast, and a cream tea to top it all off. Everybody got on so well. I will definitely keep In touch with my exchange partner Lourdes, and her friends. Everyone was crying at the airport as we said our goodbyes, proving just how much of a great time everyone had had. I love my other subjects, but one of the reasons why Spanish is so great, is because you really feel like you’ve gained a skill, (even if a basic one so far!), at the end of it, that allows you to go on and have experiences like this and build new friendships. You discover things that tourists miss, and truly experience life as the Spanish do.

Sixth Form News (continued…)

During the week that the Spanish Exchange students came to England, we had the best times together. We have shown them the town we live in, the food we love and also the way we live. It was great to see them all again, the week was full of non-stop laughing and making loads of unforgettable memories, I have made some amazing friends that I will be staying in touch with and I will be re-turning to see them again no doubt!! Hasta pronto. Marcela Woolley The Spanish Exchange has been an unforgettable experience which I thoroughly enjoyed. I think that friends for life have been made and we will all definitely see each other again. I enjoyed showing the Spaniards the English culture as they showed us their culture when we visited them in Spain. The highlight of them being here was when we took them to Sandbanks and had fish and chips as they do not have this in Spain and they enjoyed it very much. I look forward to seeing them all again soon. Charlotte Harvey

I really hope that this exchange becomes a tradition here at Lytchett, and the bond between IES Sierra Magina and Lytchett continues to grow. Thank you to Ms Gomez and Miss Bioret-Harvey and everyone who helped organise this unforgettable experience! Chloe Cole

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Sixth Form News (continued…)

If you wish to share any news/achievements about our 6th form, please email sixthform@lytchett.org.uk

Poland Trip – Y12 After our 4am start we headed to Gatwick ready for our flight to Krakow. When we arrived we had a short journey to the hotel so we could prepare for our guided tour of the city. Everyone was tired and wanted to chill but we headed out for food and some sightseeing. Our first stop was St Mary’s Basilica and grand church in Krakow’s main square. The church had a 13ft altar and a very gothic metal themed decor. We then headed to Wawel which was where the royal palace and cathedral was situated. Our guide showed us the royal tombs and explained the history behind each monarch. Our next stop was the Jewish Quarter called Kazmeirz. Our guide showed us a memorial and gave some key facts about the Jewish community before Nazi occupation. Today there are only 300-500 Jewish people living in Krakow compared to the 70,000 before the war. Only 5,000 returned at the end of WW2. On the second day we visited Oskar Schindler’s factory. There we had a guide who explained the roots of the story and showed us round the exhibition. After our tour we had a short coach journey to the Salt Mines. This was one of the biggest incomes for the last King of Poland and we walked about 3km underground to see the different chambers and chapels of what used to be the mines. Our tour guide was very enthusiastic and kept everyone’s spirits high. On our last day we went to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. This was an emotional visit but one everyone should go and do. “We preserve the past so we don’t let it happen again in the future”. This is something our tour guide said to us as we were shown the barracks and cells. For me Auschwitz was very harrowing but I’m glad I experienced it. I knew about the suffering people had experienced at that awful place and our guide was full of emotion when telling us the history. This made the tour more sensitive and bearable. It is hard to believe how the Nazis got away with such horrendous acts but the remains of the gas chambers and furnaces are there to prove it. This trip was an amazing experience with great friends and fab teachers. Thank you to the History team for organising this fantastic trip. Grace Horton, Year 12

What else is happening in the Sixth Form?

Phoebe French will be completing a ‘Uni Experience’ at Reading University. This month the Psychology department are doing a ‘What I wish a Psychology student had told me in year 12’ event aimed at helping year 12s prepare for their mocks. In October, Y13 students are participating in a trip to the Globe Theatre. They will be watching Othello starring Mark Rylance.

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A Novel Idea!

Ghost Memories,

A thousand memories lie in their mourning sleep,

The mist starts rolling in like waves,

Tears fly from my eyes on Golden Wings,

As I turn my head the sight of the battle field meets my eyes,

A brass helmet sings in the misty silence.

The high pitched scream of a bomb scorches my ears,

The sad song of the nightingale fills the deathly silence,

The trees whisper among themselves,

The looming shadow of a tank makes a tree seem like an ant,

I know that the bell of the church will ring soon and this hellish nightmare will end.

The soft dawn breaks into the darkness,

The muddy ground turns into stone as the frost creeps slowly in.

By Lydia Rose Bugden.

This month’s submission from the library comes in the form of an excellent poem, written by one of our talented

Year 9 students, Lydia Budgen:

Paired Reading

I would like to congratulate the year 7 students who have participated in our paired reading scheme this year. If any students would like to continue reading with Mrs Bossons please could they let her know. Thank you to all of the sixth formers who have helped run paired reading. We could not have done this without you!

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PTA News

The PTA Secondhand Uniform Shop will be open between 3.30 and 4.00 pm:

Friday 4th May

Friday 8th June

We have brand new girls' shirts for sale in the following sizes : Long sleeved - 28”, 38”, 40”, 42”, 44”

Short sleeved - 38”, 40”, 42”, 44” Please note that the short-sleeved shirts mentioned above could also be worn by boys - the only difference between boys' and girls' short-sleeved shirts is that they button up the other way. These shirts are sold by chest size and are

usually sold as one size up from the school blazer.

If you have any unwanted uniform in good condition that you wish to donate please send this in to main school

reception, marked for the attention of the PTA.

Governor News

The Governing Body currently has a number of vacancies.

We are particularly interested in welcoming to the governing body people with the following areas of expertise: education, law, finance, human resources, communication, business, hospitality and marketing.

For further information, or to put forward your name for consideration, please contact Judith Hayward, Clerk to the Governors at: clerk@lytchett.org.uk

Lytchett Minster School has a very friendly and lively PTA Team. They team are always keen to recruit

new members who are willing to join the committee and help out at events. If you would like to find

out more, please contact Louise Christopher (Chair of the PTA) at louise.christopher@sky.com

The PTA is holding a clothes collection to raise money for the school. Any donations can be left at main school reception or at any PTA event up until Wednesday 9th May. We are able to accept any of the following ‘good quality’ items: Men’s, Ladies and Children’s clothing; paired shoes (tied together or elastic band around); handbags; hats, bags, scarves, ties, belts; jewellery; lingerie and socks; soft toys; household linen, curtains, towels, bedding (bed sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers).

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Thomas and

Sarah Smith

Thomas Smith

Year 7 2017

The Smith

Family

As part of our Sunken Garden/Outside Eating Area project, our landscape architect, Nick William-Ellis, has

designed a floor surface made up entirely of bricks – engraved with the names of students/parent/staff/

governors of Lytchett Minster School on them.

We are we are offering parents, students, staff and governors the chance to buy a brick with their name

engraved upon it. This could be a lasting reminder of your involvement with the school. You can buy a

brick with your name on it for £15. The maximum number of lines permitted is two, with a maximum

number of sixteen characters per line:

e.g.

If you would like to order your personalised brick(s), please go onto our WisePay page on our website,

and write the names of the people you would like engraved on it. If you don’t have access to WisePay,

cheques will also be accepted (made payable to ‘Lytchett Minster School’).

Please remember:

£15 per brick

Two lines maximum

A maximum of 16 characters per line

Maximum of 10 bricks per family

Leave your mark at Lytchett Minster School!

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The eligibility criteria for free school meals have been changed.

What are the new eligibility criteria?

Children are entitled to receive free school meals if they, or their parents or guardians, receive any of the benefits

below:

· Universal Credit, provided they have an annual net earned income not exceeding £7,400 (£616.67 per month)

· Income Support

· Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

· Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

· Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

· The guarantee element of Pension Credit

· Child Tax Credit, provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no

more than £16,190, as assessed by HMRC

· Working Tax Credit run-on—paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

I don’t currently claim free school meals—what does that mean for me?

If you think you might be eligible for free school meals, submit a claim to Dorset County Council. This can be done

online at: www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/free-school-meals

There is also a downloadable form on the school website:

www.lytchett.org.uk/wp/2018/04/26/changes-to-free-school-meals

You will need to send the form directly to Dorset County Council. If you require a paper version of the form, please

contact the main school office (please note that if may take longer to process your application if applying using the

paper form). The information you provide will be used to check if you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit and, if

you are on Universal Credit, that your earnings do not exceed the threshold. If you claim Universal Credit, you

earnings will be assessed from up to three of your last Universal Credit assessment periods.

If you are eligible, the school will be notified. Your child will receive free school meals and the school will receive

extra funding.

I am currently claiming free school meals—what does this mean for me?

Most people won’t be affected by the new criteria. If you’re currently claiming free school meals, but don’t meet

the new criteria, your child will continue to receive free school meals until the end of the Universal Credit rollout

period. This will apply even if your earnings rise above the new threshold or if you stop being entitled to Universal

Credit. The rollout period is currently scheduled to end in March 2022.

Once the Universal Credit is fully rolled out, your child will keep their free school meal until the end of their current

phase of education, i.e. primary or secondary.

Where can I get more information?

If you need any further information, please speak to a member of school staff or directly to Dorset County Council

on 01305 221000. You can also visit the free school meal website: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

Changes to Free School Meals under Universal Credit

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Monday 7th May: Bank Holiday

Tuesday 8th May: Year 12 exams start

Tuesday 8th May: Year 8/9 English, Maths, Science exams start

Saturday 12th May: Bronze DofE (Group 1) Assessed Expedition departs

Monday 14th May: GCE and GCSEs start

Thursday 17th May: Hubble Lecture—PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS LECTURE HAS UNFO-

TUNATELY BEEN CANCELLED (we hope to reschedule this for September)

Saturday 19th May: Bronze DofE (Group 2) Assessed Expedition departs

Friday 25th May: Year 11/13 Study Leave starts

Monday 28th May: Friday 1st June: Half Term

Monday 4th June: Year 7 exams start

Monday 4th June: Year 8/9 non-core exams start

Thursday 7th June: Manor Mile

Friday 8th June: Silver DofE Practice Expedition departs

Monday 11th June: Year 12 Work Experience starts

Important Dates

A reminder that short sleeved shirts and blouses are now available on the school uniform website SWI. This is the only change we are planning to make this year with regard to a summer uniform.

We have looked at the possibility of introducing tailored shorts in the summer but have decided against their introduction at this stage. Tailored shorts really need to be worn with light coloured shoes/trainers and socks to look attractive and smart. We are not prepared to change our position on smart black polishable shoes for school, and we also do not want to ask students to wear combinations of clothes that look awful, so we have decided to stay with the long trousers/skirt option.

School Uniform