PRODUCT DESIGN
NEW MACHINE INSTANT HIT WITH STUDENTS
Many students across both KS3 and KS4 have used the Product Design
department's new Laser Cutting machine and found it a real "WOW!"
experience. Students draw out the shape of the components they need
using a Computer Aided Design (CAD) package on the PC and the laser
can cut them out of a card or acrylic sheet to an accuracy of one
hundredth of a millimetre, all before your very eyes! The software
is licensed to enable students to use it on their PC's at home and
the laser machine will also etch pictures onto the surface of project
work. The only problem to date is the queue of people waiting to
get on it! I'm sure it will be on many students' Christmas wish
lists this year!
Mr Westmancoat
BUSINESS STUDIES
Ten Year 10 Business Studies students were selected to represent
Priesthorpe in the Inter Schools Stock Market challenge held at
Leeds Civic Hall. Students worked in teams and had to buy and
sell stock and try to be the most successful company on the day.
They had to listen to news updates, monitor the value of stocks
and decide where they should invest their £35,000. Despite
making over £140,000 we still did not win but both teams
had an enjoyable, if exhausting, day.
Year 12 GCSE Business Applied students visited Gregg's bakery
in Bramley as part of their unit on developing a new product.
They were given a tour of the factory and set the challenge of
designing a new healthy sandwich range for the company. The group
have carried out extensive market research and will be putting
their proposals to Gregg's Product Development Team in March.
Who knows, maybe you will see their Hot Chicken and Low Fat Bacon
Mozzarella Melt in stores next winter!
Year 12 GNVQ Business students have been working with Asda, Pudsey,
on a Customer Care module which involved a talk by Asda's Events
Co-ordinator on the needs of customers who shop at Asda, as well
as how Asda rewards and trains staff in delivering good customer
service.
RAISING BOYS' ACHIEVEMENT
The Working Party has been looking at how it can raise the achievement
of all students in school. The focus
this term has been on Year 11. Following the mock exams, forty-two
of our Year 11 students have had their photo taken and displayed
on our Achievers Board. It is hoped that by Easter an even greater
number will get their photo displayed, showing that in five or
more subjects they are achieving at or near their Target Grades
and they are consistently working hard.
In March photos were taken of all Year 10-13 students who were
nominated by departments as being excellent role models. Their
photos will be displayed in subject areas or the OLC later this
term, to encourage others to follow their lead.
Mrs Marsden
EVENTS
RACIAL HARMONY DAY 21ST MARCH
Priesthorpe celebrated a Racial Harmony Day on 21st March. Most
of the events took place in the OLC. Pupils made friendship bracelets,
took part in making a video, attempted to play the Dhol drums
with the help of experts and generally gained a better understanding
of each other's customs. Staff were clad in the 'colours' of a
particular country to enhance the atmosphere!
Mr Saimbhi
PASS CENTRE
ACTIVITIES
Mr Jenkins has been running the annual Easter Egg Run during the
four weeks before Easter. If pupils on the game don't get sent
to Referral or Isolation and attend school regularly they receive
a well earned Easter present. There are thirty pupils taking part.
We wish them good luck in improving their attitude towards school!
PSHCE
'RUSH' REVIEWS
Year 10 watched a docudrama by Class Act, entitled Rush. The name
gives away what the story is about. The scenario follows a young
man named Scott and his progress, struggling in his world, which
revolved around Ecstasy. His story starts with a scene revealing
his family problems. His dad is an abusive drunk, who feels his
'junkie' son should leave his house. We find out he started on
drugs to find an extra 'kick' in life that was not alcohol. He
has been used by a big time dealer, Trevor, to give out drugs
for him. His sister got some great results and wanted to celebrate.
She asked for some E's and Scott did not hesitate to give her
some. Now she lies comatose in hospital.
Scott is presented as a young man who is having a good time trying
new things. However, we do start to see that on the contrary he
is in fact, a lonely, broken, man with a self imposed addiction
that's stripped him of friends, family and life. He knows himself
what the drugs do; yet he continues. The positive points cloud
his judgement to the point of denial.
The workshop influenced me in a positive way, even though I never
had intentions to become involved in drugs. It did reassure me
that my decision was correct.
The messages in the play, that drugs are addictive and harmful,
were positive. The play started with the suggestion that drugs
make everyone 'sorted', however it progresses to show the opposite,
that drugs take away your friends, your family, your ambition
and your life. I think the change of message is reflective of
reality.
Remember: One extra Buzz could cost your life.
Emily Corcoran 10E
On Tuesday 15th November Year 10 were privileged to watch a truly
meaningful play. The play was about a young teenage boy who took
and dealt in drugs.
One day when his sister was having a celebratory party for passing
all her exams, she decided to take an E from her brother. Unexpectedly
she took a turn for the worse. Later that night she was lying
in hospital fighting for her life.
The play gave the message that not everything you take is what
you think it is. Anything can be added to drugs to make them even
more dangerous.
The play influenced me both positively and negatively because
when he described the effect of the drug he made it sound really
good. Also he showed the bad effects of taking drugs, which worried
me. The play was performed by the Class Act Drama Company. The
play was 'Rush'.
Remember: The first dose of a drug could be your last.
Tanya Cooper Year 10
The drugs Scott takes are E and Acid. He thought it was better
than drinking because it made it seem that the world was his and
everything seemed perfect. He was the hardest and the clever one.
But it doesn't end up like that at the end. He's the one who influences
people taking drugs but he had no idea and he's now the weakest
and not so clever after all.
Scott's risks are brain damage and also losing his family and
friends as well as his own life. If he keeps on taking drugs he
won't get far in life and he thinks he's the greatest but he isn't.
I believe Scott's sister will survive for now but won't concentrate
on school work. She won't get out more so her well-being will
deteriorate and she won't be that clever any more because the
drug will take the best part away from her brain and she will
think people talk bad things about her behind her back, so she'll
lose some self-esteem.
As for Geordie the Drug Dealer I believe it was daft of him and
stupid, not very clever selling drugs to others. What's the point
of making someone's life miserable forever?
Hayley Simpson 10S
'Rush' is a story about a man called Scotty who grew up with his
father who was an alcoholic and was violent towards his mother.
He was then found by Trevor, a drug dealer and due to his family
problems and his insecurity he was easily introduced into drugs.
After getting brilliant grades in her exams Scotty's sister wanted
him to hook her up with ecstasy. Since Scotty had had no problems
with them after taking them for two years he gave her one without
thinking. She had a horrible reaction to the ecstasy and ended
up in hospital with organ failure.
Scott is presented as quite a nice guy who has had it hard in
life. This is shown when he has arguments with his dad and when
we're told his father beats his mother. He is also presented to
be ignorant to the fact that drugs have different effects on different
people and that they will eventually cause him harm.
At first it seemed that the messages in the play were the wrong
ones, especially when he was on Ecstasy talking about how it made
him feel "I'm on top of the world; everyone in the world
is sorted". The message was quickly changed however, when
his sister ends up in hospital on life support after taking Ecstasy
for the first time.
It was an interesting exercise at the end for the audience to
decide whether Scott was 'guilty' or 'innocent'…. The decision
was split which I thought was a lot better than him being found
innocent. If this happened the audience would have got the wrong
message and maybe think that it is easy to get away with doing
drugs.
Michael Ford 10Ba
