DECEMBER 2004
HEADTEACHER'S INTRODUCTION
As the year draws to a close it is an excellent time to reflect on the many achievements and activities which our pupils have been involved in. As you will read, the various departments have described some of their highlights, both in and out of the classroom.
We have an excellent new building (The Drive Block) and early in 2005 we take possession of a new suite of state of the art changing rooms. Our next task is to improve our parking facilities for staff, parents and visitors. It is a huge area but starting next week we will gradually tarmac the whole of it. Each year we set aside money to improve our facilities. We are part of the Building Schools for the Future programme and much of the old part of the building will be refurbished and remodelled to a very high specification. As that is some time in the future we will continue with our own programme of renovation. As I'm describing site issues it seems appropriate to update you on the gas leak. We have heat to the whole school but are still without gas in some labs, technology rooms and to the Drama hut. I must apologise for the disruption and thank you for your patience. The engineers will have completed their inspections and restored gas to the whole site by the time we return in January.
This has been a very long term but the next is very short. Parents may be interested to know that by 2006 we may have a new school year with more even division of terms. The government is currently consulting Local Education Authorities on a six term year, each of about six or seven weeks in length. The main change appears to be that the summer holidays would start in mid July rather than late and we would have two weeks holiday in October rather than one. Good Friday and Easter Monday remain bank holidays but may be outside of the school holidays. I will update you when I know more.
My letter requesting volunteers to a school governor was unproductive. If there is a parent who would consider such a role, which is vital but not desperately demanding, PLEASE GIVE ME A RING.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. School will finish at 2.20pm on Friday. It has been an excellent year and I'm sure that 2005 will be equally successful.
Thank you for taking the time to read this introduction and the excellent
Newsletter which follows.
Clive Pickles
Headteacher
CURRICULAR MATTERS
BUSINESS
Year 7 and 8 Drama groups, Year 9 Art groups and Year 10 Business Studies
groups have been involved in National Enterprise week. This involved
redesigning and renaming an existing Cadbury's chocolate bar and producing
an advert for it. In Drama, pupils have produced videos of their adverts.
Cadbury's have provided numerous prizes which will be awarded before
Christmas once all entries have been judged by the Managing Director
of Fantastic Designs. Well done to all!
Year 11 Business Studies students have been on a trip to Cadbury World
to find out about the different methods of production and issues surrounding
quality and stock control. They are now using the information in their
production coursework.
Mrs Marsden
FOOD TECHNOLOGY
Year 7 have participated in the Tropical Chocolate Novelties Scheme.
This is very popular for many of us who enjoy chocolate! This is what
we did.
On Your Marks, Get ready - EAT!
We took the chocolate out from the moulds we made in Technology et voila!
Our chocolate was finally ready. At the beginning of the term we were
introduced to food evaluation. This is when we tested food. We tried
three scones and made brief notes about each one's texture and price.
When we had finished connoisseuring our scones, we did a brief evaluation
of the scones we ate. The following week we tasted three different types
of chocolate; white, milk and dark.
Not only did we learn how to evaluate and taste scones and chocolate,
we learnt about the correct way to use utensils in the kitchen. We did
basic evaluations using proper describing words to tell people what
the texture etc were like. Some of the words we used were, flimsy, tasty,
creamy, bitter and so on.
Practice Makes Perfect…
Well maybe not in some cases! The next thing we had to do was plan what
chocolate - again white, milk or dark - would melt best in a choice
of the Bain-Marie, Microwave and the basic plate on saucepan method.
We took turns from our tables to use the methods listed above. Then
we began to plan out all the items we needed to use on the day and what
we needed to do.
The following week we gave the chocolate an evaluation of how well the chocolate turned out so we had a clear vision of what we needed. (It was a real shame we didn't eat the chocolate though!)
Chocolate, Glorious Chocolate …
The day had come when we had to melt the chocolate. All of us brought
out our aprons and chocolate, then continued with the method we had
chosen. Since we weren't a lazy class we then had to (of course) do
the washing up.
The next lesson we received our finished product. We took the chocolate
out from the moulds we made in Technology. Our chocolate was finally
ready. Even though it had bloom on a few of our chocolates, it didn't
matter because after all we're not celebrity chefs!
Epilogue…
The next project is a cheesy potato bake (which of course includes cheese
and potatoes).
Joanna Pedder 7G
Yummy Yummy Chocolate
This term has been OVER-FLOWING WITH FUN FUN FUN!
We have been making the most DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE moulds, with the chocolate
of our choice, professionally made by the class 7A1.
There were so many. Flies, butterflies, diving water beetles, bees
and many, many more. All tropical style. Fantastic!
Jessica Townsley
Years 10 and 11 raise money for Children in Need
In the week before Children in Need day the Year 10 Manufacturing group
and the Year 11 ASDAN pupils worked with the Food Technology department
and the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sikh Temple to raise money for Children
in Need. 
One of our Teaching Assistants, Mrs Rauni, came and worked with the
Manufacturing group, teaching them how to make Samosas and Pakoras,
and then the Charity Committee from the Sikh Temple made Pakoras for
us to sell on the actual day.
The pupils were very pleased with their efforts, learning new skills
and adventuring outside their usual range of food products. School as
a whole enjoyed both the fruits of the amateurs' labours as well as
the experts' offering. We would like to thank the gentlemen who cooked
for us from the Sikh Temple and helped us to such an excellent total
- a little over £112!
Mrs Rayner
