GEOGRAPHY

Year 7 - students are learning their way around! As well as developing their map skills they are looking at the local area and will be doing some environmental fieldwork later in the term.

Year 8 - are currently working on their weathering posters. They have been out and about around school looking at the effects of weathering on our environment.

Year 9 - Brazilian Carnivals, beaches and sunshine are on the agenda as Year 9's work on their South America projects.

GCSE - Year 11 students have just returned from the North York Moors and Robin Hoods Bay on their residential fieldtrip. Some excellent work done - and they all managed to stay dry!

6th Form - Year 12 will shortly be visiting the East Yorkshire Coast and Leeds City Centre as they work on their 'A' level course.

Year 7 Pupils' Impressions of Geography:

In Geography I like looking at maps. They interest me because you get to look at places you live in and where you would like to live. It helps you learn where you live and what roads are near you and so on. We have learnt about 6 figure grid references which I didn't understand at first but I got the hang of it eventually.
Amy Mitchell 7B

In Geography I like map skills, working out four grid references and then if you want a challenge, six grid references are the thing!
Charlotte Powell 7B

Open Evening
Come and take part in the range of activities taking place in the Geography Department. Map puzzles and place name quizzes are on offer - and don't miss the live volcanic eruption blowing its top every half an hour!

Extra Curricular
Year 11 - every Wednesday until 4.00pm - come to Room 22 for help with GCSE Geography coursework. Come for the whole session or just drop in to ask for help.

Welcome - to Miss Savage, who is working in the department while Mrs Carr is on maternity leave.

ENGLISH
Creative Writing
A group of sixth formers meet regularly to experiment with writing poems and prose in a wide variety of styles. If any sixth formers would like to join the group, we meet on Thursdays in Room 2.
Miss Stein

Year 7 & 8 Book Club
Year 7 and 8 Book Club started this September and is growing in popularity weekly! Pupils have been taking part in book related quizzes and competitions, stretching their reading skills and enjoying weekly instalments of Lemony Snicket's first book from his series of Unfortunate Events. We are hoping to visit the theatre next half term too. Book Club takes place in the OLC every Thursday from 3.15 to 4.15pm.
Miss McNeil and Mr Stewart

HISTORY IN ACTION
Year 10 are embarking on their GCSE project on Calverley Church, researching at first hand the historical perspective of this local landmark. The school has enjoyed an excellent relationship with the church and its Vicar since 1987. Students have the opportunity to practise skills of on-site investigation, evidence-seeking, photography, sketching and prove their theories of its origins - Saxon, Norman or what? A spin-off visit to Adel Church (solidly Norman) reinforces what they have learned about this type of Architecture.

The Department has welcomed three new staff this year:
Mr Ellis - from Tavistock College
Mr Walton and Miss Lewis from Leeds University.
All are newly qualified teachers
Open Evening on October 13th will be a History 'fest' in the Drive Block. Come and see our……

Plus...
Our 'Trip to the Trenches' is on again for July 2005 for Year 9 students. We plan to visit on 7th - 9th July. It's our fifth visit. We will be staying at Le Chateau D'Ebblingham, St. Omer, France. At the time of writing we have only 15 places left out of 45. It is a very popular trip! We visit the Menuir Gate, the Thiepval Memorial, Flanders Field, the Cloth Museum, Lochnagar Crater and run through the actual trenches! The trip is organised by NST Travel in a luxury bus in superb accommodation - all rooms ensuite - with activities arranged nightly by the staff. If you would like to go - bring your money NOW. £40 deposit to secure a place then £200 by next Easter. It's ace!
Mrs Hart

MUSIC
Congratulations to:
Matthew Heald VI former who passed Grade V percussion
Ailsa Corey-Jones passed grade II percussion
Joanne McKay passed grade II flute.

Pupils recently visited the Leeds College of Music to listen to a concert of traditional Chinese music played by four performers playing stringed instruments.

A large group of pupils from the school wind band have planned a social evening at the Grand Theatre Leeds to see the show FAME.

Wind band rehearsals continue after school every Wednesday until 4.00pm. Preparations are now in hand for some local church events as well as the traditional Christmas concert.

Many pupils in Year 7 have taken up a musical instrument including the clarinet and dhol drums.

Mr Atkins
Head of Music

6TH FORM AIM HIGHER…….
Peer Mentoring

Several Year 12 students attended a Peer Mentoring Course at Wortley CLC on Thursday 7th October. According to 12C girls the experience was a very useful exercise in evaluating the role of a Mentor. The course content was extremely varied, beginning with a starter exercise of counting to ten in Japanese to help them empathise with students who find learning difficult. Practice interviews highlighted the skills of effective eye contact and assuming a positive attitude. Jason Tatersall, the deliverer of the course, kept them entertained throughout the day! They will be linked to students in the lower school through either Gifted & Talented or Heads of Year.
Emma Lee, Saba Mir,
Sarah McKinlay 12C

The Aim Higher Post 16 Roadshow took place on 11th October for Post 16 advanced students. The topic was higher education and represented an important opportunity for students to begin thinking about their future. A unit was on-site to advise the 80+ students about their options for the future and how they can target them.

As part of Aim Higher twelve Year 9 students took part in an event at Headingley Cricket Club for Construction Week. The students learnt about the reconstruction of a community after a natural disaster called 'Hurricane Mitch'. They performed excellently and won a prize. They were a real credit to the school.
Mrs Bentley
Aim Higher Administrator

MORECAMBE BAY

As part of our induction of new 6th Formers we did our annual jaunt across Morecambe Bay. The weather was excellent and the students enjoyed the exercise (I don't think) and the trip afterwards to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The staff were in a panic as representatives from Leeds City Council accompanied us to ensure we were safe. We received a glowing report and hopefully we can walk across the sands with the Queens Guide for the next 20 years.
Mr Hollis

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