message from the headteacher - the blue coat school · returning to! we hold these exams so early...

Newsletter of The Blue Coat School 29 March 2018

Message from the Headteacher We finished the spring term with 2 reflective and engaging school services. Due to the rise in student population at Blue Coat, we now have to split the Easter service into a junior and senior service. Both were really enjoyable for pupils and staff and were a wonderful way to end the term.

The start of the Easter holidays indicates that we are already two thirds of the way through the 2017/18 academic year. When the pupils return for the start of the summer term, they return to what are a couple of key months for every year group. Hopefully, they will also return to some much better weather, after what we had to endure last term!

We had a very successful Year 7 Parents’ Evening last term, where the focus was very much on how the pupils had settled in and the progress they were now starting to make. This term, the focus for Year 7 is building on those successfully established learning behaviours and developing strategies to prepare them for their end of year assessments. Over the next few weeks, we will also be starting our preparations for the induction of our next cohort of Blue Coat students, and we will

The Blue Coat School �1

Key Dates

School Closes to Students

Thursday, 29th March

School Re-Opens to Students

Monday, 16th April

Year 10 Exams Commence

Wednesday, 18th April

Year 11 and Year 13 Photographs

Friday, 20th April

Gold DofE Practice

Saturday, 21st April - Monday, 23rd April

Year 12 Parents’ Evening

Wednesday, 25th April

The Blue Coat School | Proud to be part of the Cranmer Education Trust


be asking for Year 7 volunteers to help support the Year 6 pupils on their induction day and evening.

Year 8 completed their option choices prior to the holidays, and when they will return they will find out the subjects they will study at GCSE. This is an exciting time for the pupils, and it signifies how far into their journey and time at Blue Coat, that they already are!

Year 8 pupils also have the fantastic Battlefields trip to look forward to. We have completed this educational visit for many years now, and it is always remarkable to notice not only the knowledge and understanding that our pupils return with, but also the increased confidence, independence and maturity the experience of travelling without family members develops.

When Year 9 return, they will start to get to grips with their GCSE courses. So far Year 9 have studied a transition curriculum that has focused on developing the skills they need for GCSE, whilst also giving them the opportunity to be creative, and focus on the really interesting and enjoyable topic areas in their chosen subjects. During the summer term, the pupils will start to focus on the topics and areas of study that will be relevant to their GCSE examinations. The Year 9 pupils also have the Duke of Edinburgh expeditions to look forward to. Throughout the year, they have been completing their physical, skill and volunteering challenges, and the expedition marks the culmination of the Award. We are the largest provider of the Duke of Edinburgh Award in the North West, and this Award is so important because it equips the pupils with the essential skills, confidence and character traits, that they will need in later life.

The Year 10 pupils who have chosen to continue with the Duke of Edinburgh Award also have their expeditions to look forward to, as they work towards their Silver Award. The start of the summer term also signals the start of the Year 10 examination period – which is a treat the pupils always enjoy returning to! We hold these exams so early as they mark the start of the preparations towards Year 11. The experience of completing the exams and the feedback that the pupils get from them, provides the platform and areas of focus in which they must consolidate their learning over the summer term. If the pupils can do this, they will ensure that they start Year 11 on a really strong foundation, and will be full of confidence for the year ahead as a result.


Girls’ Netball

The Year 8 netball teams have had yet more achievements within the authority. The ‘A’ team came 2nd in the Oldham Schools ‘A’ Rally, only narrowly missing out to an impressive Saddleworth team on goal difference.

The ‘B’ team are the Oldham Schools ‘B’ Rally Champions, having beaten everyone in their group convincingly. The team played incredibly well and deserve every recogniEon for their achievements. Special menEon must also be made to the amazing parental support throughout this year and at the tournament.

Boys’ Basketball

The Year 7 boys have won the Oldham Schools Basketball CompeEEon, something that was last achieved 15 years ago in 2003! They were fantasEc throughout the whole tournament winning all their games whilst maintaining respect for their opposiEon. They won the final 32-‐6 and will now look forward to defending the Etle next year.


Prior to the Easter holidays, we had a very successful and enjoyable ‘What Next Week’ for our Year 12 pupils. During this week, the pupils got to explore all the different opportunities and routes available to them once they have completed their A-Level studies. This term, the pupils get to follow this up with work shadowing, and they will also start the processes of finalising their thoughts, plans and destinations, for life after Blue Coat. The pupils also have their Year 12 exams towards the end of the term. It is vital that they prepare thoroughly for these, as these exams will provide the benchmark that will enable them to check their progress in relation to their desired ‘post-Blue Coat’ journey.

For Year 11 and Year 13, the summer term is the real ‘business end’ of the year, and they will sit their GCSE and A-Level examinations. Supported by staff and parents, the pupils in both year groups have worked incredibly hard throughout this year, and hopefully they will achieve all the success that they deserve in their final examinations. We wish them all the best in the build-up to the exams over the next few weeks, and in the examinations themselves. They also have their Leavers’ Prom and assemblies to look forward to, which give them the opportunity to reflect with pride and with fondness, on their time at Blue Coat.

As you can see, it’s going to be a busy term! In addition to all the above, there will also be numerous extra-curricular activities, house events and whole-school events that the pupils can take part in. This month’s newsletter gives a very brief snapshot of some of the opportunities that the pupils had chance to take part in last term. As always, I would encourage our young people to immerse themselves in as many events or facets of school life as possible. Learning occurs in many more places than lessons alone, and taking part in additional activities not only helps our young people learn and develop, but it also means that they enjoy themselves whilst they are doing it! These additional activities are often the places in which the pupils develop the curiosities and passions that they will take with them into later life. They also provide the opportunities for our young people to develop the personal skills and character traits, that will enable them to mature into the well-rounded individuals, that we will all be proud of in the future.

As always, thanks for your continued support over the last term. I hope you all enjoy the Easter break.

Mr R. Higgins Headteacher


Work Book Day

To mark World Book Day Blue Coat held its first Big Book Quiz for three teams of Year 7 and Year 8 pupils. Team members had to read at least one book from a list of four to take part in the competition, which involved working together to answer some very tricky questions on the books. Congratulations to the winning team 'Xtravaganza'

Geography Fieldwork

It’s fair to say the right decision was made to reschedule the field trips due to the arrival of the ‘Beast from the East'. It certainly wouldn’t have been as successful in the snow!

The trips may have been a little damp but all students across both days had the opportunity to experience the Lake District with a boat trip across Windermere, and a couple of hours spent in Bowness analysing the impacts of tourism on this settlement. The trip allowed students to experience first-hand the impact tourists have on Bowness, and to see the facilities available for both, as well as gaining experience at data collection.


[BLANK] - National Theatre This year’s National Theatre Connections performance was the exceptional [BLANK] by Alice Birch. A co-commission with Clean Break, this play is about adults and children impacted by the criminal justice system. It's about what life is like when adults feel absent from it. We created a powerful piece which hints at the cyclical nature of violence and the impact on the women themselves and their families. The result was amazing, and the acting was outstanding!

Tom Mansfield, a Director from the National Theatre came to watch and chatted to the cast, Mr Price (the technical expert) and Directors after the performance. He wrote the following Show Report:

“This is a compelling production of Alice Birch’s play, with a real sense of integrity in its dramaturgy. In discussion after the performance, your company mentioned that you’d had two key spines to the production – the character, Jade, who smashes up the chip shop and then goes missing. The second being a broader thematic thread of ‘children having to step up’ due to the absence of parents due to imprisonment, addiction or mental illness. It’s a highly effective combination which stays true to the multi-faceted nature of Alice’s play and gives the audience a through-line to follow.”

The rehearsal room is now busy preparing for the transfer to HOME Theatre Manchester on Thursday 29th March when we perform again to the general public at the Manchester Festival.


“Murder Mystery”

Over the last 2 weeks Key Stage 3 students have been working hard to achieve points for their respective Houses by solving the mystery of the missing comb.

4 suspects, Mr Mkandawire, Mr Luscombe, Miss Grice, and Miss Carroll were caught, and the evidence collected.

Each team had to solve pieces of the puzzle to work out who committed this heinous crime.

Our students rose to the occasion, deciphering a ransom note written in a foreign language, analysing evidence in a forensic workshop, and even presenting their case in a mock courtroom.

Over 108 students across the year groups took part, marking the event as a great success. However, what was more of a delight was seeing our young students’ resilience at work as they combined their skills and worked together to try and solve this tricky challenge.

Please see the flyer at the back of the Newsletter.

Newsletter of the Blue Coat School 29 March 2018

Physics Olympiads Our most daring Physicists sat their Physics Challenge papers at GCSE and A -‐Level last month, with some very good results. CongratulaEons to Rehman Amjad, Harry Kelly and Archie Taylor for their Silver Awards (top 8% in the country) and Dan Chadwick, Ed Rawson, Brandon Hall and Fahaid Rahman for their Bronze Awards (top 18% in the country).

At GCSE level, James Goddard, Max Leigh Buaerworth, Rachel Diamond and Josh Bull also got their Bronze Awards (top 18% in the country). But congratulaEons must also go to all the others who got commendaEons. Preparing for the paper was difficult, but it will surely help them all in their Summer exams.

Physics OutreachCould I really do this for life?! That was the quesEon Astrophysicist Laura Driessen (@AstroLauraD) asked herself on a high school summer course in Australia. She was good at physics and she loved astronomy, and thought how cool would it be to do something I love, as a job?

Laura talked about her travels around the world, both as part of her physics career and for leisure, and she was adamant that you don’t need to be some odd genius to be able to do it.

Students had the opportunity to play with several interesEng physics demos and even tried to look for the stars, although it was cloudy. Some students said they saw stars in the EEhad Stadium……… Hmmm.


Caving

About 25 members of Blue Coat staff (teachers, support and TAs) had an outing to Alderley Edge for a bit of an adventure in the caves by the Wizard car park. Sadly, we didn't happen upon the treasure, but a good time was had by all. For those of a literary persuasion, Alan Garners Weird Stone of Brisingamen is based in that area.

Futures Exhibition

Our Futures Exhibition was a real opportunity for students in Years 10 - 12 to start to look at the opportunities and pathways that await them beyond Sixth Form. With over 25 providers, ranging from the BBC, Nursing, IT companies and universities, the students engaged avidly with the providers to gain a better understanding of what they could aspire to be in their future careers.



Visit by Julie Hall (RIBA)

Year 13 Psychology and Sociology students had an inspiring talk from Julia Hall (RIBA), Head of Design for Security (GMP Crime Prevention Team). Ms Hall outlined how her department advises house builders and councils on how to “design-out” crime. Her talk highlighted clear aspects of both Crime topics in Sociology and Psychology, enabling students to see how the theory in these subjects is applied in real life.

Corpus Christi Science Prize

Two Psychology students a re cur rent ly wr i t ing essays for the Corpus Christi Science Prize.

This is a very challenging competition as it involves students independently researching degree level academic literature.

This year’s task asked students to respond to a series of questions about t h e p r o c e s s e s a n d e x p e r i e n c e s o f h o w memories are formed.

Debate Club

The Debate Club continues to grow in numbers and profile and we’ve had numerous lively and interesting debates this term. The most recent debate was on the existence of God which, unsurprisingly attracted a big crowd who witnessed some very high level philosophical and moral discussion and debate.

The team defending God’s existence eventually won out, despite some intelligent critical analysis of their arguments from the opposing team and audience members.

Our next debate will be on the future of socialism, particularly relevant at a time when the Labour party is being led by someone who does subscribe to socialist values and ideas. This also links well with the current Year 13 Government and Politics syllabus which looks at the main political ideologies which have defined the last century. Hopefully this will a chance for some of those students to demonstrate what they have learnt this year.


Berlin Trip On the 17th of March this year, a group of 50 students from Year 10 and 5 teachers travelled to Berlin for the weekend. We visited many historical and cultural sights including Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial, The Berlin Wall Memorial and the Reichstag. This is what some of our students wrote about the trip:

We got to use our German skills to buy clothes, ask for directions and buy food. We got to try some traditional German Cuisine and looked at some German architecture as well as exploring the German culture. On the second day we went to Checkpoint Charlie, a former original border crossing between East and West Berlin. In the museum there were interesting facts about how people tried to escape, which was very educational, and I learned lots from this. We then visited the holocaust memorial which was very hard hitting and emotional. (Jake - Year 10)

Afterwards, we headed to the Reichstag, which is the German government building, and we went to the top of the glass dome, from where we had an amazing view - for me the highlight of the trip! (Jay - Year 10)

Es war sehr schön und prima! I loved Germany, as it allowed me to develop new skills, such as independence and confidence, as well as a greater appreciation for the people of Germany and German history. It improved my language skill, and I now feel more comfortable talking to people in German, as well as listening, which should help me when I get to my exams. It was nice to visit the shopping centres such as KaDeWe, even though it was very expensive there! We went to a lot of the sights, like the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag Dome, as well as Boulevard Unter den Linden. This helped to expand my knowledge of history, which can help me in my lessons, as it can give context to the information I am taught. Moreover, free time allowed us to experience some of the German culture and food, like Currywurst, which we all enjoyed. We had lots of fun there and I hope I can go back one day! Dankeschön. (Rose - Year 10)


French & Art Trip

On Saturday 24th March a group of 41 students and 4 staff started our French adventure on the Eurostar. Arriving at the Gare du Nord we caught a very busy metro train across Paris to our hostel.

We started our evening by the beautiful Hôtel de Ville, then went onto the iconic Notre Dame cathedral, then had some free time on the left bank in search of a good value meal , ranging from 3-euro burgers to snails!

Sunday was a packed day, taking in the incredible art in the Musée d’Orsay; crossing the Seine and adding to the souvenir padlocks on the pedestrian bridge; having lunch in the Louvre area, overlooking the Arc de Triomphe then strolled down the Champs Elysées. The evening found students discovering the Rue Mouffetard area’s shops and ended with an amazing night-time view from Trocadéro of the Eiffel Tower lit up and sparkling.

Our last morning started at the other side of the Eiffel Tower in beautiful sunshine, where we took around a thousand photos! We then walked to the chic Passy area for lunch before heading back to the hostel for our bags and starting the long journey back. After covering around 20 miles on foot over the 3 days, everyone was exhausted, but returned with memories of a happy, relaxing and fun trip where much was learnt about culture and language.



Chaplaincy

Our communion services were quiet and reflective and focused on the phrase "Love always Hopes", taken from our school verse for the year.

Students in all form groups have been challenged to complete the 40 acts over lent. These simple tasks challenge us to consider how we act towards others, being more selfless in our actions. During Holy Week we will be remembering Jesus' arrest, trial, crucifixion and resurrection in our Easter services, considering how Jesus' sacrifice on the cross can turn our brokenness into beauty.

Palm Sunday at RCCG

Five Year 13 RS students joined in with the Palm Sunday Service at the RCCG Jubilee Church in Manchester this Sunday. We visited to h e l p g a i n a b e t t e r understanding of charismatic churches , the i r s ty le of worship and the differences with CofE services we may be used to.

However, being a part of the service was more than simply a learning experience, we w e r e m a d e t o f e e l overwhelmingly welcome and it was a real joy to be there.

Resurrec;on through Art Well done to the Year 8’s for their fantastic efforts for the Resurrection through Art Project. We had some outstanding and unique designs this year. They were extremely thoughtful, and the students had clearly spent a lot of time and effort in creating the pieces.

We had a range of sculptors, cakes, paintings and drawings. They resemble the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and the importance of this within the Christian faith.

The work will be on display for the Easter service to enable students, staff and visitors to look at the fantastic work produced.

Certificates have been given out to individuals within classes who have gone above and beyond for this. Well done to all who took part!

Anti-Bullying Poster Competition

This year as part of the anti-bullying/cyber-bullying and staying safe online curriculum, a Year 7 poster competition was held to summarise the key points learnt. The pupils had to follow certain criteria to be in with a chance of winning. Out of the 265 entries, picking the winner and two runners-up was a mammoth task. It was decided, independently, that Daisy Hopkins of Birley 7 was the overall winner, with Tilly Buckley and Charlotte Beresford-Hallam coming 2nd and 3rd respectively.

message from the headteacher - the blue coat school · returning to! we hold these exams so early...

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