The Netherhall School and

Sixth Form Centre March 2016

Dear Parents / Carers,

So we’ve come to the end of a short but rather busy half term with lots of highlights to share.

This half term included our annual concert which was entitled, ‘Night and Day.’ We were treated to 2 hours of exceptional performances with students as young as 11 taking their first steps into performing to more ‘seasoned’ musicians showcasing their talents. It’s fair to say that the hair was standing up on the back of my neck on numerous occasions during the evening and we were all stunned with the courage and ability of our students. Thanks as ever must go to Emma Snow, Dan Ecclestone and Pete Glazebrook who masterminded the evening and all of the staff and students who gave their time free of charge to make the evening a success.

Keeping on the theme of performances, on Monday this week, Netherhall Sixth Form Media students took over the Cambridge Picturehouse for our inaugural ‘Oscar’ ceremony! The audience were treated to viewings of the films produced by our students and the excitement of hearing the nominations and winners. I particularly enjoyed the winners’ speeches! The standards on show were incredibly high and it was lovely to hear the congratulations that were repeated to our staff, Kate Anders and the ‘Force Majeure’ that is Brendan Shepherd.

Not content with that, just this week we welcomed the BBC to the school to film our Year 7 students as they received their BBC micro:bits.

These ‘mini-computers’ are being given to each Year 7 in the country as part of a nationwide initiative to develop a new generation of ‘coders’ and they were certainly a hit with our students. Again I’d like to thank all of the students and staff who were involved, particularly Samantha Pascoe and Tom Hunter who stepped up to the mark in great style.

Next term is, of course, dominated by the examination season for Year 11, 12 and 13. Many students will be into the school during the Easter break as staff put on additional sessions to support our students. We wish them all the best for next term. We also look forward to a number of school events: The Arts Festival is always a highlight, also the annual Prizegiving evening which has moved from its usual Autumn term timing, sports day, The Jubilee Cup and the Shakespeare Festival. We look forward to welcoming many of you to these events.

And finally, on a personal note, I’d like to thank you for all the best wishes that have arrived in school following my appointment as Principal at Netherhall. I feel privileged to have this opportunity and am very much looking forward to the years ahead, working with a great staff group to ensure that our students are given the best opportunities to succeed both academically and in a much broader sense of education. We all acknowledge that this is a period of great change in education and we will be ensuring we grasp all available opportunities. At the same time, there is a determination that we will cherish and build on the strengths and traditions of Netherhall, not seek to replace them.

Wishing you all a peaceful Easter break.

Chris Tooley

Principal

Since the new year Netherhall has become part of the Bottisham Multi-Academy Trust, and has appointed a permanent Principal. The Netherhall Governors have been working hard to support these very positive changes, and we're delighted that these have finally come to fruition. One change resulting from joining the Multi-Academy Trust is that Netherhall Governors are now a Local Governing Body, reporting into the Multi-Academy Trust board.

This gives some changes in our responsibilities, the main one being that we will be able to spend more time focusing on quality and standards at the school and less on bureaucracy. This means that our drive to help Netherhall become ever more inspiring, inclusive and individual can move up a gear. In support of this we are delighted to welcome new parent governors Nicky Odgers and Gilles Monniaux to the new Local Governing Body. We are also delighted to welcome Caiti Walter, who is currently our Head of Year 7, as a new staff governor.

Full details of the Netherhall School Local Governing Body and how to contact us can be found on the school website at http://www.netherhall.org/school-information/our-governors/. We welcome your feedback on any aspect of school life.

We are delighted to report that Netherhall has received a Good Schools Guide Award for the following: • Best performance by Boys taking English for Speakers of Other Languages at an English Comprehensive School (Cambridge International Certificate Level 1/Level 2) • Best performance by Girls taking English for Speakers of Other Languages at an English Comprehensive School (Cambridge International Certificate Level 1/Level 2) This effectively means last year's results for our EAL students taking this particular exam were the best in the country across all comprehensive schools. This is testament to the hard work of our teachers, spearheaded by the indefatigable Mrs Greve who has supported and championed these students every step of the way.

The following address provides a link to the relevant page on the Good Schools Guide site:www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/schools/102994/the-netherhall-school

Netherhall receives 2015 Good Schools Guide Award

A group of Sixth From students from Netherhall School have pledge their support to a school in South Africa as they prepare to make a trip to the country.

Around 30 pupils from Netherhall are to head out to South Africa as part of their Geography studies.

The group decided they wanted to help students at a school in the Alicedale township and will be taking stationery and water bottles with filters for them.

They have also raised money to go towards the school.

The head of Geography Miss Toley, said “it was a fantastic effort from the students and their parents.

On Sunday 21st February , Netherhall School hosted, 'The Big Questions' BBC 1's flagship live moral and ethical debate show, presented by Nicky Campbell. Each week, three topics are discussed on the show – these are ethical or moral questions connected to the week’s news headlines.

Netherhall Welcomes International Visitors

These past couple of weeks have seen international visitors come to Netherhall. On Wednesday 2nd March, 35 students from Liège and 3 of their English teachers spent a day with us. St Veronique school prides itself on having an English immersion centre within the school. Those students who select English immersion learn all of their subjects in English with the exception of Religious Education and Mathematics. The students enjoyed guided tours around the school, a French exchange lesson and they learned to bake scones and muffins together. All of the guest students enjoyed afternoon tea and lively chatter with their peers at

Netherhall. The students were sad when they had to say farewell to their new friends. As they left, one of them commented that Netherhall was 'a really exciting school with lots of interesting subjects.'

Just 6 days later, on Tuesday 8th March, we welcomed 17 students and 2 teachers from Humlebæk Lille Skole in Denmark. Lille Skole literally means “little school” and these 17 students comprised an entire year group. Indeed the number of students in their whole school is fewer than the number in one year group at Netherhall. Despite the shock of being surrounded by so many people, the Danish students loved their visit and were impressed with what they saw and experienced. Particular highlights for them included the quality of our Arts provision, the chance to sample the food in our canteen and some even had a go at a Biology exam! Our Year 11 students, who acted as hosts for the day, did a superb job representing the school.

Both of these visits are the latest in longstanding partnerships. As a school, we really value these opportunities for cultural exchange. Our pupils gain an insight into what goes on in other parts of the world and we get to share some of the wonderful things that we do here at Netherhall.

A Huge Thank You And Congratulations on such a brilliant concert! Students and staff worked very hard, and should be really proud of the very entertaining programme they produced. The music was fantastic and the technical team and stage crew made the concert look and sound very professional.

Thank you to staff and parents for the continued support of our young musicians. There have been some wonderful messages:

"Another fantastic display of the musical talent at the school tonight. The eclectic mix from Adele, Amy Winehouse and Lynyrd Skynyrd to Annie, Les Mis and James Bond was great. Excellent singers, musi-cians and light & sound crew...well done Netherhall”

“It was an eclectic concert with an opportunity for the most talented, and those on the way to becoming more talented, to showcase their music.” Mrs Snow

“Another fantastic display of musical talent at Netherhall” Night and Day Concert 2016

The purpose of the Languages Day was to tell us about the importance of languages in the world, and how they help us to become global citizens. We tried a variety of new languages - Japanese, Portuguese, and Chinese - as well as doing a session of French or German. It was very interesting to experience techniques for practising pronunciation, using grammar and learning vocabulary, and to understand where the syllables originate from in Japanese. We did some fun activities and I was surprised how different Japanese and Chinese are! We were also introduced to how University life works for students: more homework and fewer lessons, lectures, and the question of managing your lifestyle. Overall it was a very enjoyable and educational trip and it gave us a chance to try something new! Thank you Downing College! By Dayne and Zinia.

Year 9 Languages Day at Downing College

Pupils across Cambridgeshire took a step towards becoming digital pioneers on Tuesday 22nd March thanks to the launch of a landmark technology initiative.

Year 7 students from across the region were finally able to get their hands on

pocket-sized BBC micro:bit computers as around one million of the devices were dished out across the country.

The miniature computers can become anything their owner wants – from fitness trackers to smart watches – and were created with the help of Cambridge technology firm ARM.

And experts from the company were on hand at The Netherhall School yesterday to help introduce its students to the devices and explain how they work.

Bee Hayes-Thakore, director of marketing programs at ARM's Internet of Things, explained the arrival of BBC micro-bits followed the release of the BBC Microcomputer in the 1980s.

She said: "One of the first real successes of ARM was our processing technology going into the BBC Microcomputer and a lot of our engineers learned their coding skills with it.

"The micro:bit is 70 times smaller but 18 times more powerful – the development has been a very interesting journey and we have been able to do something really unique with this process."

Students will be able to learn about coding their micro:bits in the classroom, after which it is hoped they will continue to develop them on their own through the micro:bit website.

Tom Hunter, head of The Netherhall School's Science Faculty, said the children had picked up how to use the micro:bits in no time at all.

He added: "They really took to it and the progress they managed to make only in an hour from getting the things shows they really ran with them.

"We are coming into a world where increasingly automation is going to play a part and if we don't teach children this from a young age then we aren't serving them well.

"This sort of project acts as a way into programming and it allows them a route in – it's the pathway that we are looking at for our students.

"We will teach them the basics and then they will take it from there."

Want to know what your child has been up to in English recently? Read the blog englishwithmrshayward.wordpress.com to find out! Recent publications include: year 9 work on 'The Simpsons', year 12 writing about unrequited love and 7SATURN's descriptive rocket launches. View, comment and follow. Ms Hayward

BBC Micro:Bit Launched at Netherhall

News from the Inclusion Faculty

Netherhall receives 2015 Good Schools Guide Award

Netherhall has received a Good Schools Guide Award for the following:

•Best performance by Boys taking English for

Speakers of Other Languages at an English

Comprehensive School (Cambridge International

Certificate Level 1/Level 2)

•Best performance by Girls taking English for

Speakers of Other Languages at an English

Comprehensive School (Cambridge International

Certificate Level 1/Level 2)

This effectively means last year's results for our EAL

students taking this particular exam were the best in

the country across all comprehensive schools. This is

testament to the hard work of the indefatigable Mrs

Greve who has supported and championed these

students every step of the way.

The following address provides a link to the relevant

page on the Good Schools Guide site:

www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/schools/102994/the-

netherhall-school

Outstanding Achievement

Mrs Davenport was recently presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award at the Cambridgeshire County Council Children’s Awards in St Ives.

Mrs Davenport was nominated for the award for her work with Looked After Children here at Netherhall. Her nominee commented

“She’s encouraged me and has comforted when I’m sad and she has believed in me! She’s the best teacher in the world.”

Congratulations from all at Netherhall.

WILD MILE for GOSH The Year 10 Vocational Studies group have been busy organising WILD MILE this term. As part of their course they are studying a unit on ‘Planning an Event’ and were given the brief of organising a charity fundraiser. The group have come up with the idea WILD MILE, which will include a non-uniform day for the whole school and for all students in Years 7, 8 and 9 to complete a one-mile course around the school field. This will take place on Tuesday 10th May 2016. The students can complete the mile in any way they choose including running, walking or crawling! Students are being asked to gain sponsors, with all money raised going to Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. The students have designed posters, sponsorship forms, press releases and assemblies and been involved in all aspects of the event. Fancy Dress is optional and refreshments will be available for students

at the end of the mile!

________________________________________________

Our Trip to Caythorpe Court

On Friday 11th March, a group of students went to Caythorpe Court on two mini buses driven by Mrs. Davenport and by Mr. Crick.

When we arrived we had a quick tour of the PGL centre before heading into the dining hall for dinner. For dinner, we had Britain’s’ favourite dish, fish and chips, but there were other options like sweet and sour chicken with rice and a salad bar was also on offer with fruit and bread. After dinner we headed back to our dorms and had a game of Frisbee where we split into two teams and worked together to win. Then our ‘Groupie’ called Guy set us a challenge, which involved being given laminated cards with a hint of where we had to go in the campus. After we got the card, we had to go all around the centre to try and find the picture shown and take a copy of the photo on our phones and run back to outside our dorms where Guy was waiting with the next cards. Unfortunately Mrs. Davenport and Guy picked us on as they teamed up and gave our group the hardest pictures just because we were the eldest on the trip.

Saturday was kicked off with an early start with breakfast at 7:45. Breakfast consisted of bacon, sausages, scrambled egg, beans, toast and a range of different cereals. After breakfast, we were taken back to our dorms to get ready for our first challenges of the day. My group’s fist activity was trapeze, and although most of us climbed to the top and jumped, some were frozen to the pole. The next activity was the giant swing where two people would hang from their harnesses and be pulled to the top by their other team mates. Once at the top or wherever they felt comfortable, we were told to pull a chord that was in between you and a partner. Once that chord was pulled, you dropped and flew through the air. When it was Mrs. Davenport and Ms. Dixon’s go, I’m pretty sure the whole centre would have been able to hear their screams.

Mrs. Parker then arrived just in time for raft building. Bribes were given out to the team that

could get her in the lake. Of course, everybody wanted her. Luckily she chose our team ‘Parkers’ Princesses’ were our names. Also on our team was Miss Dixon, and we worked together to try and push Mrs. Parker in, however it failed and some of our teammates fell in instead. So the second time we tried, we still sank and whilst pulling our raft on to the sandy area, I decided to push her in again. I cornered her with the raft and the edge of decking area and slowly pushed it further and further until eventually Mrs. Parker fell in.

After a wet and muddy trail back to our dorms, we went for dinner, which was also very tasty. Everybody went to bed shattered ready for what tomorrow would bring.

Sunday was just as action packed as Saturday with us all taking part in Abseiling, Aeroball, Vertical Challenge and Fencing. All of these activities were enjoyable and new experiences, which were fun to take part in. Before we left we had a big roast beef dinner. When we had all finished, we got packed and straight on to the mini buses ready to go home.

I as well as many others had so much fun on this

trip and would definitely recommend it to anybody

who was invited, it’s a trip to remember and also

made us bond better with the other students as

well as the staff (Mrs Davenport, Miss Dixon, Miss

Walsh and Mr Crick) who joined us on this amazing

trip.

By Leia

Netherhall Inclusion is on twitter

Follow us

@NethSenco

Well done to the Year 8 boys finishing an excellent season of

hard work, commitment to training and team work to become

winners of the A team tournament and runners up in the B team

tournament.

Well done to all involved; this season has seen the pupils grow

not only in terms of their technical skills and techniques but also

grow in character, determination and willingness to learning and

develop as a team.

A Team: Danny Prince Jones, Alfie Lawrence, Collins Nwakor, Freddie Owers, Nat Baxter, Isaac Thorogood

B Team: Poyraz Cimen, Jonny Risdon, Robert Livesey, Jack

Watts, Noah Healey Dilkes, Maksymilian Starnawski

The national girl’s initiative to raise participation levels of girls in sport #Thisgirlcan goes from strength to strength in the school, with the increase in the number of girls attending extra-curricular PE clubs evident

and having an impact on increased extra -curricular success.

The year 10 girls entered their first indoor cricket tournament this year having trained over the course of the term, and finished runners up in the tournament beating several local schools along the way narrowly losing to the Perse in the final. This success has meant that they qualify to represent Cambridgeshire at the regional finals in July. Well done to all the girls involved #thesegirlsreallycan

Year 10 team Molly White, Anna Kanz, Emma St Johnston, Jade Palmer, Lizzie Wray, Jasmine Rapley, Imogen King, Claudia Casciano, Holly Northfield

Year 8 District Football Success

The Year 8 A and B team competed

in the District Tournament on

Monday 21st March.

Lots of goals were scored during the

tournament, along with some

antastic interceptions. The A team did

extremely well against some tough

competition from other schools and

the B team finished top of their

league to go on and win the B team

tournament. Well done to all the girls

involved!

Year 10 Girls Cricket Success

Year 8 Netball

Tournament

English Schools Cross Country Championships

On Saturday the 5th March 2016 in Nottingham on a day where the weather was highly changeable; Jordan Wood and Marcel Lewis represented The Netherhall School in cross country against the best 500 runners in England for their respective age categories. They earned the right to compete at this event having progressed through 5 challenging rounds which required both physical and mental capacity to overcome the tough individual nature of cross country. The English Schools cross country is a highly prestigious event with Paula Radcliffe previously winning the event. On the day both Netherhall pupils competed well and managed the exceptional achievement of finishing in the top 100 pupils in their age group; with Marcel finishing 76th and Jordan 82nd out of approximately 500 runners from across all counties in England.

Well done to both boys, The Netherhall school and PE department are extremely proud of your commitment and achievement, and look forward to next year’s cross country.

The hoodie company has set up an online shop for purchase of a leavers hoodie. The school does not make any money from this and we do not handle the finances; everything goes through the company itself. Your shop is now open here - www.leavershoodies.com/shop/nss There are three colours to chose from and for £20 the student can have an appropriate nickname as well. The closing date to Sunday 17th April 2016. These hoodies will be treated as uniform and the closing date has been chosen to get delivery in time for the last few weeks of school. Mr Ward / Head of Year 11

Year 11 Hoodies

YEAR 11 GCSE CATERING PRACTICAL EXAMS

The year 11 Catering students produced some fantastic dishes for their GCSE Practical exams. The theme was

International Cuisine. Well done to all the students involved. Mrs Duncan

A free 10 week adult course (2 hours a week)

Starting Tuesday 19th April 16

At: Netherhall School. 7-9pm

Queen Ediths Way, Cambridge CB1 8NN

Please call 01223 699410 to book a place or find out more information

Suitable for ALL parents. We look forward to seeing you there.