News round-up week ending 17 March 2012

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Created on Saturday, 17 March 2012 11:31

Local MP inspires aspiring Sixth Form Student Leaders

Stuart Andrew, Pudsey's local MP, met with our Lower Sixth students on Friday 16th March to share his own experience of politics and provide an insight into community leadership.
He outlined how he had progressed from being a committed charity fund-raiser all the way into the House of Commons, with a range of fascinating anecdotes along the way.

The Lower Sixth students, the majority of whom are applying for posts of responsibility for the academic year 2012-13, were keen to learn from Mr Andrew about what makes a good leader and why it is important to play an active role within one's own local community.

Following Mr Andrew's presentation, students then spent over half an hour posing a variety of complex and taxing questions to the MP, on topics as wide-ranging as the deployment of troops to Afghanistan to the scandal over MPs' expenses.They were keen to understand why university tuition fees have been raised, and also why the cost of public transport cannot be more heavily subsidised by the Government.

Mr Andrew commented afterwards:"I am hugely impressed by the breadth and depth of the students' questions, as well as by their knowledge and understanding of current affairs.It is always a pleasure to come to Fulneck!"

Year 10 Coastal Study Day

Thirty-four Year 10 Geographers spent a long day exploring the Holderness coast of Yorkshire on Monday 12th March.Beginning at Flamborough Head, they calculated the height of the cliffs using their mathematical knowledge of Pythagoras' theorem.Beach profiles were measured using home-made clinometers, before taking a trip at low tide into a magnificent area of chalk caves and arches.They also enjoyed a picnic in the balmy afternoon sun, before boarding the coach to Spurn Point, a place of contrasts, where the chalk was replaced by glacial deposits and then sand, which had been deposited over thousands of years.They battled against the incoming tide to measure the speed of longshore drift, which they estimated as being up to six metres a minute!The data they gathered will be used in their upcoming controlled assessment work.

Junior Maths Challenge

Four students from Years 8 and 9, Matthew Hemmins, Dennis He, Naomi Calvert and Laura Wilson Green, took part in the UK Junior Maths Challenge on Tuesday 13 March, hosted by Bradford Grammar School.Competing against 22 teams from the region, they had to complete four rounds.Scoring a high mark for the first group round, their confidence was boosted and they worked brilliantly together on the cross number and were one of the higher scoring teams for this particular section.In the following relay rounds they performed well and all their efforts allowed them to be placed in a respectable 8th position in the competition.

Solar Car Challenge

On Wednesday, two teams of students represented the school at Leeds Metropolitan University.The challenge was to build model solar-powered cars.Fulneck was competing against four other schools.The Upper Sixth team of Sherman Zhang, Abi Wilkinson, William Sutcliffe and Kishan Patel achieved first place; the Year 8 and 9 team of Christian Avery, Christopher Beck, Naomi Calvert, Johnny Marsden and Nizam Ul-Haq, came a close second.None of the other schools managed to finish their cars in the time allowed.

Key Stage 3 Pupil Council

This week KS3 had their Pupil Council meeting with Mrs Newman and Mrs Bassi.The representatives from each Form had put forward lots of interesting agenda items for discussion.

The pupils asked for a wider variety of extra-curricular activities after school; they have been asked to go back to their Forms and put together a list of suggestions that we can look at.

Possible future changes to uniform were discussed as it is likely that the Junior School will change their uniform in 2012.The question is, do the senior pupils want the new uniform to continue through?Discussion on this topic is ongoing.

An interesting debate took place about the make-up of Forms/Tutor Groups and whether we should look at vertical tutor groups (mixed age) to allow older and younger pupils to get to know each other and help each other with various stages of school life.

Various catering issues were discussed and resolved - it was explained to the representatives that we cannot give chips every day at lunch and we cannot serve sugary drinks.The Catering Manager has strict 'healthy school guidelines' that she must adhere to, to ensure the diet for pupils is balanced and healthy.Unfortunately, it is clear that many of our pupils would prefer more unhealthy options for lunch!

Other items on the agenda were:more trips in school time (more discussion needed); a request for football goals on the playground (this was agreed); a request for better classroom furniture (this is being upgraded on a rolling programme).
Following the meeting, the representatives will feedback to their Forms and discuss some of the issues further with Form Tutors.

Chocolate-making Workshops

This week our Year 8 students, under the direction of Ms Calzado, learned how to make chocolate truffles.The eager chocolatiers made little gifts for Mothers' Day using ganache and Belgian chocolate.The pupils really enjoyed the experience and made lovely presentation bags as treats for their mums.

Easter-egg Raffle

Anyone going into the School's Reception Office cannot fail to have noticed two huge chocolate eggs on display.These are the prizes for a Charity raffle being held to raise money for the Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice.Tickets cost £1 and the draw will be held on Friday 30th March.

Super League Trip

Around 50 day students and boarders headed over the Pennines this week to watch Leeds Rhinos take on Salford City Reds in the Stobart Super League.Fulneck students have been regular attendees at Rhinos for some time now and talks have already taken place between staff and the club about establishing a Supporters' Association at the school.Since the end of last half-term, some Senior School students have also commenced training for the School's first-ever rugby league team, with some high profile fixtures already in the pipeline.
In addition, several Fulneck staff members have also signed to play the 2012 season with Leeds Akkies RLFC, with Mr Heaton, Mr Potts and Dr Sykes all scheduled to take part in an over-35s' curtain-raiser ahead of next week's game at City of Salford Stadium.

A limited number of places are still available on the coach for the trip.Any interested students should contact Mr Thomas or Mr Needham.

Netball

Senior Netball v Woodhouse Grove

The Senior Netball Team played against Woodhouse Grove on Wednesday 14th March.This was probably the warmest day of the year so far but all the girls played extremely well from start to finish.Georgia Dean played well as GS having previously played GK in other matches.Both defence and attack had to play their best throughout the match as it was goal for goal for the full half hour.The final score was 6-6.Well done to all girls who played.

Football

U13 v Read

Fulneck bounced back after their loss to Rishworth with an impressive display against a good young Read side.This result means Fulneck need to win their final game against Hipperholme to win the league title.

Read took a shock lead then Matthew Hemmins opened the scoring after a neat finish from an Edmund Okpala cross after only eight minutes.Matthew Hemmins then returned the favour after a good neat through-ball found Edmund Okpala, who neatly beat a defender and rounded the keeper to smash a right-foot shot into the bottom corner.Read got back into the game and scored through their impressive centre midfielder.Fulneck stretched their lead once again.Edmund Okpala forced a corner after some good play down the right- hand side.Matthew Hemmins then struck an excellent corner and Jorge Bentley leapt the highest to head past the stricken keeper.Read bounced back into the game with a vengeance and scored to make it 3-2 to Fulneck at half time.

The Okpala-Hemmins partnership was working well up front as Fulneck stretched their lead further with another neat goal from Matthew.Edmund flew down the right-hand wing and as everybody thought the ball was going out, he carried on and executed a well-hit cross to Matthew, who struck the ball hard and low with his right foot to finish.Read then scored two goals to bring it back to 4-4, building the tension to a really nervous finish.

Fulneck then upped their game and finished off with two excellent goals to claim victory.Jorge Bentley grabbed his second to form another well-taken Hemmins corner then Edmund Okpala sealed the game after executing a carbon copy of his first goal to leave the keeper stranded.

Final Score – Fulneck 6 - Read 4
Scorers – Matthew Hemmins 2 Jorge Bentley 2 Edmund Okpala 2
Man of the Match – Matthew Hemmins
Game stars – Edmund Okpala Jorge Bentley Kelvin Odunuyi

U15 v Rishworth

Fulneck were very unfortunate not to come away from Rishworth with a win after spending most of the game in front, despite going two goals down in the first 10 minutes.
Fulneck began the game under some early pressure with the defence having to adjust to Rishworth’s strong attacking midfield. However, on the counter attack, Fulneck proved to be deadly and were extremely unfortunate not to go 1-0 up as Derrick Kwan missed an open goal after the Rishworth keeper fumbled the ball. As pressure built on the Fulneck defence, a goal-line stop from Tom Hobbs fell to the feet of a Rishworth player, who then drilled the ball into the bottom- left corner to lead 1-0.

Fulneck almost struck back soon afterwards but Derrick failed to make the most of a one-on-one opportunity with the Rishworth keeper.They were then punished for their missed chances by a great individual effort from the Rishworth midfielder, going 2-0 down in the early stages of the first half.

It seemed not to be Fulneck's day as another chance opened up, this time for Russell Pritchard.Hasn had different ideas as he fired a shot past the Rishworth keeper from the middle of the box, kick-starting the Fulneck fightback.

An outstanding save from Matthew McMahon kept Fulneck in the game, diving to his left and pushing the ball onto the outside of the goal post.Derrick Kwan finally got himself on the score sheet with a sublime finish from an almost impossible angle, bringing the scores to 2-2 before half time.

Fulneck began the second half under some early pressure but a great counter attack, beginning with Russell Pritchard to Hasn who brilliantly slid the ball past the keeper's left, put Fulneck in front 3-2.

However, Fulneck's chances dried up and pressure from Rishworth was building up, drawing the scores level at 3-3.
As Fulneck appeared to be holding on for a draw, a soft penalty given to Rishworth provided them with a perfect opportunity to take the lead. However, a great penalty stop from Matthew McMahon only allowed Rishworth to score moments later from the edge of the box, putting the final score to 4-3.

Final Score – Rishworth 4 - Fulneck 3
Scorers – Hasn Abdulfatah (2) Derrick Kwan
Man of the Match – Matthew McMahon
Game Stars – Hasn Abdulfatah Russell Pritchard