News round-up week ending 11 February 2012

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Created on Saturday, 11 February 2012 13:00

It appears that some senior school parents are unaware that a weekly news update is produced and added to the school's website. The bulletins dating back to September can still be found in the news section. http://www.fulneckschool.co.uk/index.php/about-us/latest-news

In order to ensure that you are kept informed, we will now send the news-updates by 'School Post', as well as using the website.

Year 8 Newsroom Project

Twenty Year 8 students spent the week experiencing life as Fleet Street hacks this week as Fulneck's English department staged a successful newsroom project. For the duration of the week the library was transformed into a bustling newsroom with students working in teams to produce rival newspapers.

Niamh Davis, a pupil in 8Pe, explained: "We've spent the past half term learning about how newspapers are put together. It's been really interesting to find out about the different types of newspaper and how they influence the way people think." Ibraheem Ijaz of 8Ph added, "This project has encouraged me to start reading newspapers more regularly.  I've really enjoyed working in the editorial team and researching stories. It's been brilliant!"

CERN

Following a similar visit last year, this week a group of thirteen Sixth Form Physics students and their teachers, took a trip to Switzerland to see the CERN project.  The common feedback from this visit was summarised by one of its participants, though not an 'A' level Physicist, namely Mr Stapleton, former Head of Sixth Form who commented: "If I was surprised by how much I did not know, going around the exposition areas, I was even more astonished to find how little anybody knows about what the Universe is made of..."

Thanks to an Open day in Fulneck, a parent kindly established the link between a full-time researcher at CERN, Dr Mick Storr, and our Physics department. Our visiting party was invited to peep into an impressive new development, the AMS-02 site, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Experiment, an experiment to search in space for dark matter, missing matter and antimatter on the international space station. So, from looking at a tunnel deep down underground, the LHC, we were then gazing at astronauts, floating weightlessly in space, carrying out particle physics experiments.  What a sight!

It is hoped that this will become an annual event on the Calendar for our 'A' level physicists.

House Speech and Drama

'Tears and Laughter' was the theme for this year's House Speech and Drama competition, which took place on Friday 10th February 2012.

Pupils from Year 7 to 13 were invited to perform a combination of comic and tragic drama sketches and to give a speech on the topic, 'What are the ingredients for a happy life?'

The pupils performed in front of the entire Senior School, parents of the participants and a panel of judges.  Mrs Newman and Mr Luckman (the Vice-Principal and Senior PastoralTutor respectively) were ably supported by our external expert judges, Mrs Kathryn Winterburn (a Leadership Coach with the NHS) and Mr Luke James (an up-and-coming professional actor).

Strong drama performances marked the first half of the event, with moving monologues from Elaine Goulbourn, Charlotte Lazenby and Aquila Powell.   Some fine comic moments followed with treats such as My Blackberry's Not Working, the Four Yorkshiremen and the famous Monty Python Argument Sketch.  It was particularly inspiring to see the terrific teamwork displayed by the Griffin actors, as Key Stage 3 pupils, Alexandra Wilson and Christopher Sutcliffe, held their own on stage with Sixth Formers Samuel Lawman and Connor Avery, in their classic Monty Python skit.  Sixth Former Joshua Townend teamed up with Year 7 pupil Isabelle Lawman to deliver a really entertaining (if risqué!) performance involving considerable confusion over a dongle!  The Pegasus actors, Gurbinder Takhar, Lucy Farrar and Miaya Morris, delivered a highly amusing Jerry Springer parody, which they had written themselves.  Year 8 Pegasus pupils, Niamh Davis, Charlie Ellis, and Charlotte Nash, also provided a fabulous performance of the Catherine Tate character, Lauren, meeting the Prime Minister. Phoenix cast members, Max Weatherhead and Christian Avery, were brilliant in their roles as grumpy old professors in the History Today sketch. Last, but by no means least, The Four Yorkshiremen, embodied by Christian Avery (his second part!), Daniel Mohun, Thomas Hobbs and Ryan Watt, provided an hilarious finale to the drama section in this year's competition.

During the second half of the event, the audience was wowed by some excellent, original speeches written by the pupils themselves.   Matthew McMahon gave a rousing oration for Pegasus House; Bianca Rumsey and Eleanor McKenzie spoke very well on behalf of the Griffin contingent; and Phoenix were ably represented by the highly articulate Kara Farrar and Sam Dover, with ideas contributed by Elizabeth Lee.

In the end, after a nail-biting decision-making process for our eminent judges, the winning house was announced... and Pegasus claimed the House Speech and Drama crown for 2012, closely followed by Phoenix, with Griffin close behind in third place.

We must extend a huge thank you to our wonderful Heads of House, Miss Boyd (Pegasus), Mr Potts (Phoenix) and Mr Rhoades (Griffin).  Well done to all the pupils involved for taking part in what was a really memorable afternoon!

Remember, there is still all to play for as we prepare for the next major house event, Sports Day.  The question on everyone's lips remains: 'Who will lift the House Cup at Speech Day?'

Parents' Forum

Mrs Newman chaired the termly meeting of the Senior School Parents' Forum.  All Year groups were represented apart from Years 7 and 11. The agenda included some interesting items: Speech Day, structure of the school day, uniform changes, use of 'School Post', pupil safety, lost property issues, dog fouling on Fulneck and communication procedures. Mrs Newman appreciated the wise and insightful contributions from parents who are helping to shape some major decisions in the School. Minutes of the meeting will be circulated to all parents once they have been agreed by the representatives at the meeting.  Further comments on any of the items discussed will then be welcome.

As the Parents' Forum does not currently have a representative for Year 7, Mrs Newman would like to hear from any mum or dad of a Year 7 pupil who would be willing to join.  The commitment is not onerous, meeting once a term to discuss a range of issues, with a view to moving Fulneck forward.

Netball

U13 v GSAL

Fulneck went to The Grammar School at Leeds to play a friendly fixture against girls of equal ability; it's important for both teams to see how other schools play. Fulneck took the first quarter to warm up but then started to get more comfortable with their playing areas and opposition. All girls played a very quick game of netball which, with more experience, will work in our favour.  However, there were parts where the game was too quick meaning Fulneck were catching the ball off balance, often giving the ball away to GSAL.  This is an area we will work on in practice, and hopefully be able to keep possession when we play against GSAL again.  It was a very close fought contest though with some excellent defending from Niamh Davies.  The final score was 7-6 to GSAL. Well done to all players!