Private School News
Want curriculum revision content on your students' iPods? Now you can ... with GCSEPod
Launched at BETT 2010, this new school subscription service enables students to download teacher-written, professionally narrated, audio-visual revision podcasts to their own iPods.
With over 160 hours of the highest-quality revision materials, covering 8 subjects and broken down into easy-to-digest 3 to 5 minute chapters, there has never been an easier way for schools to help students revise using technology they love and typically have in their pocket – their iPod.
With the addition of Maths and the completion of Science, GCSEPod now has over 340 titles, incorporating over 2,000 chapters. Each chapter is brought to life with detailed images and supporting text to compliment the audio. GCSEPod provides instant access to this large amount of learning and revision resources, available to your students, through your VLE or Intranet.
Additionally, there is an exam mapping area, ‘recommended for you’, where students can easily identify what they need to know for up and coming exams. They can either watch the relevant titles online, or download them to their own iPod.
As a teacher, you may well have been asked the question ‘What do I need to know for this exam?’ - Now you can simply point students to a resource that not only tells them, but also enables them to revise for it too.
Give your students a head start – join many other schools subscribed to GCSEPod, and allow your students to use their iPods in an educational way ... and get better GCSE results!
Want to know more? Then simply call or email us:
Contact details:
info@GCSEPod.co.uk
Tel: 0191 2111 999
www.GCSEPod.co.uk
ABTT Theatre Show
The doors for the ABTT Theatre Show at the Royal Horticultural Halls do not open until 16th June but already the organisers are facing the happy problem of ensuring there is enough space for new exhibitors as regulars book bigger stands and commit to additional sponsorship opportunities at the show.
The exhibition is the leading forum for theatre technology and services. Last year it bucked the downturn caused by the financial crisis and presented the broadest range of products and companies in its 32-year history.
Leading companies including White Light, Stage Electrics, Sound Technology, d&b audiotechnik and Zero 88 showed their latest offerings at the 2009 ABTT Show, giving visitors an unrivalled opportunity to see the technologies and products that will help make staging ever larger and sophisticated production possible.
The Show also provides a platform for airing the big issues in the theatre and live performance sectors. Among the most challenging right now is the Digital Dividend Review and re-allocation of frequency spectrum following the switchover from analogue to digital television.
Theatre and live music shows rely heavily on wireless technologies, including radio microphones, in-ear monitoring and mobile communications. There are fears that the re-organisation of spectrum will favour telecom companies and broadcasters, leaving the programme makers and special events (PMSE) sector with a restricted choice of frequencies.
Industry bodies like BEIRG (British Entertainment Industry Radio Group) are concerned that after the final switch-off of analogue in 2012 theatre productions will struggle to find enough spectrum to run the number of radio mics used today. Committed to supporting the industry and as a way of voicing its concerns, The ABTT Theatre Show is offering BEIRG a free platform at the show to highlight the potential problems and discuss what can be done to secure frequencies for PMSE work.
The ABTT is making registering for visitors' badges simpler this year with a new website: www.abtt.org.uk/theatreshow
Registration is free and the new system makes guaranteeing a place at the Show even easier than before. The site also features a blog with updates on the latest news relating to the exhibition, including product launches and new exhibitors.
The 2010 ABTT Theatre Show takes place from 16th-17th June at the Royal Horticultural Halls, Vincent Square, London SW1P 2PE.
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Read&Write GOLD FOR SCHOOLS
Texthelp Systems Ltd, the worldwide leader of literacy software solutions, is committed to enhancing independent and inclusive learning through Read&Write GOLD FOR SCHOOLS.
This award-winning assistive software is designed specifically to address the needs of students with reading and writing difficulties. Read&Write GOLD FOR SCHOOLS’ text-to-speech functionality improves comprehension levels and access to the curriculum for students and contains features such as spelling support, a talking dictionary, word prediction, study skills, a translator tool and a fact-mapper that enables users to produce a visual representation of ideas.
For a FREE demo contact Jenny on Tel: 028 9442 8105, email: j.laird@texthelp.com or Web: www.texthelp.com
GFORCE makes the grade at Terrington Hall
Terrington Hall School in North Yorkshire believe that a good kit is key in creating the correct mindset for sporting excellence, so were delighted with GFORCE Performance Apparel from specialist school manufacturer, Gymphlex.
Terrington Hall chose some of the most popular garments in the GFORCE collection, produced in navy blue with royal blue and gold accent colours. Selected to be used predominately with hockey and netball, the school has chosen the GHS109 shirt and the skort NEK0001 which offers the modesty of shorts with the look of a gym skirt.
Andrew really is a Prince Charming
By Antony Clark
One sunny day before Christmas and before all the snow, a Prince visited our school. I should not make it sound as if this was unexpected: indeed, several weeks were spent preparing for the the opening by HRH, The Duke of York, of two new boarding houses (one for girls and one for boys) and a state-of-the-art Sports Complex.
Princes have a reputation for being charming and, when you meet Prince Andrew, you understand that this reputation is well deserved. Lord MacLaurin, the Chairman of Malvern College, and I greeted him and his entourage on their arrival and showed them the architects’ plans for the development of the new boarding facilities, which are a response to the additional demand for places at Malvern College. The Duke of York met clusters of boys and girls, and staff, on his way to the Houses and, once there, commented on their comfort and en suite facilities. He asked our pupils lots of questions such as ‘Why are you all standing here? Are you waiting or somebody?’ and ‘Why do you enjoy being at Malvern?’ I think our boys and girls stood up to royal scrutiny.
He unveiled two plaques to declare the Houses open and then set off for the new Sports Complex. En route, he joked with members of the CCF, challenging them as to which section was better – RAF, Army or Marines, and then asking our Housemasters and Housemistresses why each thought his/her House was the best. Prince Andrew showed great interest in the Sports Complex – the swimming pool, dance studio, squash courts, climbing wall, shooting range and also the double-sized Sports Hall, part of which Worcestershire County Cricket Club use as their permanent base for winter nets. In a short speech, he praised the school and this, naturally, made him even more popular! After tea, he needed to move on and we made our way up to the helicopter waiting on the Senior Turf. Up it went into the sky; it hovered briefly over Malvern and then whisked him away to his next engagement. At that moment, a cloud descended over the famous hills, but the sun had shone on our endeavours.
Back in the massive Sports Hall, Michael Vaughan, the ex-England cricket captain, was preparing to open the Cricket Centre which houses the most up-to-date facilities in which the humidity in the sub-continent or the roar of a crowd can add to the preparation of top players for a big game. He took a bat and tested a surface and then, in his suit, stroked a few balls into the netting and declared that he was enjoying himself at the crease once again.
Shortly thereafter Dame Kelly Holmes arrived and spoke to some of our athletes and, when we had donned our black tie, we headed down to a glittering banquet attended by Kelly Holmes, Graham Gooch (the leading run-scorer in English cricket), Jason Leonard (the most capped England rugby player), Peter Shilton (the most capped England football player) and several other Olympic athletes. John Inverdale, of television fame, hosted a quiz involving all the famous sporting personalities on a panel, and also spear-headed a raffle which raised funds for a pupil who would not otherwise be able to come to Malvern to do so on the basis of a sports bursary.
The evening was an exciting and happy occasion and ended about midnight. It was the end of a wonderful Friday and, though we had school as usual the following morning on Saturday, the thrill of the visit of the Prince and the other luminaries has lived on
The author is head of Malvern College
Designing the best school theatres
The Theatres Trust is holding a conference on Designing School Theatres on 26 April at The Venue, Leeds College of Music and on 27 April at the Royal Armouries, Leeds. The aim is help schools gain the best theatres they can, to provide theatres and drama facilities that offer students and local communities excellent, high quality theatre and educational experiences. Are you designing a new school theatre or considering co-locating a theatre on your site for public use?
The conference will look at the design of theatres located within secondary schools, academies and independent schools. It will consider the challenges associated with creating theatres that feel and work like theatres whilst also serving a range of educational, learning and community needs, their relationship to other theatres in their cities and towns, and the role they play in shaping the next generation of theatre activists, artists, and audiences.
Contributors include Imelda Staunton; Sid Higgins executive director, National Youth Theatre of Great Britain; Alistair Boag, Director Stahl Theatre, Oundle School; Jill Adamson, chief eExecutive, National Association of Youth Theatres; Lizzie Crump, cultural adviser to BSF, Partnerships for Schools; Mark Foley, Principal, Burrell Foley Fischer LLP; Geoff Halliwell, director, Bond Bryan Architects; Nicoline Harrington, assistant head teacher and director of specialism, Rodillian School Leeds; Oliver Haden, vice principal, The Langley Academy; Sarah Adams, head of drama, The Godolphin and Latymer School; Gail McIntyre, associate director, West Yorkshire Playhouse; Ty Goddard, Centre for School Design, chief executive, British Council for School Environments; Andrew Perry, assistant head (arts), Townley Grammar School for Girls; Paul Durose, chairman, School Theatre Support Group; and Richard Jones, national specialism co-ordinator Music and Performing Arts, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust.
For further information, www.theatrestrust.org.uk, events@theatrestrust.org.uk or telephone 020 7836 8591
Millfield win 10 out of 12 swimming medals
The Millfield Swimming team produced some fantastic performances at the English Schools’ Swimming Association (ESSA) Relays Final held in Coventry last month. The 52nd Annual Team Championships for Secondary Schools event was a highly charged two horse race between local rivals Plymouth and Millfield. Out of the twelve relays, Millfield won five, with one national record performance. The school came second in four of the other relays and third in one more, giving Millfield and outstanding ten out of a possible twelve medals.
The Junior Girls’ Freestyle Relays kicked off the event. Claire Fowlie, Caitlin Brown (both from Millfield Prep School), Evie Edwards and Katie Savage dominated throughout, taking the win by a comfortable margin of 2.09 seconds, in a time of 1.56.98.
The junior boys followed with gallant performances in both relays. Josh Booth, Rio Kurihara (from Millfield Prep), George Mather and James Guy could not be faulted on effort and determination, producing not only a gold winning performance in the Medley Relay, but a national record in the time of 1.59.79. Bringing in George Gallop in the Freestyle Relay meant the boys racked up a second gold medal in a time of 1.49.53
The Senior Girls’ team continued this success in both relays. Lucy Titchin, Liesje van der Velde, Katherine Muller and Kristina Paige were a force to be reckoned with, blowing the competition out of the water in the Freestyle Relay, winning comfortably in a time of 1.52.69. With Abbie Lavallin coming into the Medley Relay the girls continued their domination to take a time of 2.04.72.
Other relays did a fantastic job, showing unfaltering determination and professionalism. Evie Edwards, Vidya Sondhi, Claire Fowlie (from Millfield Prep) and Katie Savage came second in the Junior Girls’ Medley Team; Gaby Read Cayton, Pip Coachran, Abi Houston and Georgina Allin came second in the Intermediate Girls’ Medley Team and fourth in the Intermediate Girls’ Freestyle Team.
With the boys, Michael Thomson, Dacre Capstrick, Tom Ilse and Tom Belich came third in the Intermediate Boys’ Medley Team; Tom Bielich, Dacre Capstick, James Chater and Michael Thomson came fifth in the Intermediate Boys’ Freestyle Team; Bobby East, Tom Litten, Nick Lowe and Tom Green came second in the Senior Boys’ Medley Team; and Tom Green, Nick Lowe, Tom Litten and Jon Lane came second in the Senior Boys’ Freestyle Team.
Forensic science students solve murder mystery
Students turned sleuth as Sutton Valence School became the site of its own gruesome murder mystery. The entire third form at the independent day and boarding school near Maidstone turned crime scene investigators following a bloodcurdling stunt, in which a lab technician found herself stabbed to death in the science labs.
The exercise was set up by Kent-based Schools CSI as part of the county’s Growing Scientists initiative, a three-year plan to encourage more secondary school students to pursue careers in science, backed by the Government’s Independent School State School Partnership (ISSP) funding.
Eight Maidstone schools, including Sutton Valence, are supporting the initiative which has already seen rockets launched from school playing fields. Sutton Valence School Head of Science Simon Hiscocks, who helped to organise a similar project for gifted and talented students at the school two years ago, co-ordinated the day and helped introduce students to the world of science and forensics.
He said: “The CSI day was the next step for our pupils who learned about space and rockets last year. Here, they were able to try their hand at forensics in a contextual setting, instead of just watching it happen in a TV drama.”
More than 80 pupils worked in teams, examining scenes of crime, blood spots, tyre marks, finger prints and fibres left at the scene and piecing together the clues as part of the day’s whodunnit. Many pieces of evidence were ‘bagged’ and returned to the labs for further analysis as the students set about solving the ‘crime.’
In true Cluedo style, the teams assembled at the end of the day to reveal their conclusions and PC Paul Richardson from Kent Police was on hand and ready to pounce should the guilty party be identified.
As the various parts of the puzzle were slowly revealed it was looking ominous for a certain member of staff.…..Realising the game was up, Physics teacher Dr Marc Brown seized a gun tried to flee the scene but was apprehended by PC Richardson.
Finding out what children actually read
A report published this month reveals the reading habits of almost 100,000 children, aged between five and 16 years, in 664 schools who read more than 1,189,396 books. What Kids Are Reading: The Book-Reading Habits of Pupils in British Schools 2010 makes fascinating reading for anybody who has an interest in the literacy of British schoolchildren.
Booksellers, publishers and libraries have data on what books are sold or borrowed but are unable to corroborate if the books have ever been opened, read or understood by the children themselves. The data for this report was captured by Accelerated Reader from Renaissance Learning; web-based software, designed to manage book reading for teachers whilst encouraging pupils to read more books for pleasure through fun, motivational quizzes.
Findings from the report itself have shown that the gap between gender differences in reading is starting to close with boys progressively reading as much as girls, although boys are revealed to be reading books at a much lower level than girls as they get older. The report also concluded that high-achieving children, defined as reading two years above their real age, are not challenging themselves enough when it comes to reading. High-achievers are tending to opt for easier books from Year 5 onwards, resulting in children entering secondary school possessing lower reading ages than they should.
Many of the authors who were at the top of everyone’s reading list during the last analysis in 2008 have dropped significantly in popularity; JK Rowling is one such author. Authors at the top of the list of favourites for the 2010 report include Roald Dahl and Roderick Hunt, with newcomer Stephanie Meyer proving popular with older children.
Felsted School wins international recognition
Felsted School, Dunmow, Essex, has been awarded European Regional Membership of the Round Square international organisation of schools. Its election as a full global member by the European Region Heads will be ratified by a meeting in March 2010 of the Round Square Board, the International Steering Group for the organisation, which includes King Constantine of Greece, Prince Andrew and a number of other notable figures.
This is recognition of Felsted’s international standing as one of only 80 schools around the world in the Round Square organisation, and one of half a dozen schools in the UK, which include the original school founded by Kurt Hahn, Gordonstoun School.
Membership of Round Square affords opportunities for exchanges, trips and activities throughout the year for all year groups in the school. There are also opportunities for older students to engage in combined expeditions or to swap schools and continue their courses for a month or a term. Teaching staff exchanges are also possible.
The Round Square mission is stated as “a worldwide association of schools which share a commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility through service, international understanding, challenge, adventure, democracy, and environmental stewardship”. Their aim is to “inspire students throughout the world so that their generation will strive for new levels of cooperation, communication and understanding”.
