high school musical - Shelley College

VOL 01.12.10

minerva

THE NEWSLETTER FOR SHELLEY COLLEGE

In this edition…

Shelley Podcast Energy Awareness Course Good Food Show Geologists on Arran The Clothes Show Kitchen Sink Science ... and lots more!

high school musical

VOL 01.12.10

Thank you for your support this term. It has been a busy and very productive time for us and I think there is a very positive atmosphere in the school. There have been some wonderful highlights to look back on as we approach the New Year. The school production of “High School the Musical” has just finished and received rave reviews from all those who watched. Well done to all the cast, backstage workers and the staff. The presentation evening at the Galpharm was also a huge success, made particularly memorable by the speech given by Terry Clark, one of the last surviving servicemen who fought in the Battle of Britain. Terry’s recollections of the friends he lost in action and his insistence that he was simply doing his duty, was both inspiring and humbling to those of us there. Elsewhere, there have been numerous sporting successes and inspiring science events to entertain and educate our students. My congratulations go to all the students involved and my thanks to all the staff and volunteers who make such activities possible. We are obviously going through times of great change at the moment. The government has announced new policies and budgets are likely to be tighter in the future. However, we are well placed to thrive at Shelley College because of a number of factors. For example, proposals to change the way school league tables are compiled will simply highlight that far more of our students take a balanced set of subjects than is common in other schools. The School Sports Coordinator scheme is likely to be scrapped and I know you have been asked to support a campaign to ask for this decision to be reconsidered. However, we will do our utmost to keep this valuable work going. I will be in a better position to inform you of how we will continue to respond to changes early in the New Year. This version of Minerva is wholly electronic for the first time and we are also making more use of technology to keep in touch through Parent Mail. We experienced one or two problems as we moved to this system but I have now started to hear positive comments about how much better it is than a traditional letter. Please let us know how you are finding it. Two teachers will be leaving us this term for pastures new. Mrs Tipler has been at Shelley College for 10 years and during her time taken on responsibilities within science, G/T co-ordinator and finally co-opted on to the senior team responsible for Teaching and Learning. She has demonstrated tireless dedication to the teaching profession and as an outstanding teacher with extremely high standards will be sadly missed. Mrs Tipler will join the senior team at Ossett High School to become Director of Sixth form. We wish her every success in her new role. Mr Taylor also leaves us to take up a similar role in Sheffield and leaves us with our very best wishes. ‘I have enjoyed my 4 years at Shelley College and especially working with the staff and pupils within the Moral Philosophy and Ethics’ Department. It has been a pleasure to have been involved in some many changes within the department and the school. I wish all students and staff every success for the future.’ As I write this we are starting to turn our attention towards the end of the year and I am very much looking forward to my first experience of the Christmas Showcase. I do hope you have a wonderful Christmas and wish you health and happiness for the New Year.

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minerva Presentation Evening 2010

Year 9 Students 2009/10 Most Improved Student Seth Stanley Academic Excellence Ellie Hick Highest Academic Achievement James Garlick Headteacher’s Sunshine Award Jade Cotton Governor’s Student of the Year Award Daniel Akroyd

Year 10 Students 2009/10 Most Improved Student Jade Archer Academic Excellence Lizzie Killick Highest Academic Achievement Jacob Woodward Headteacher’s Sunshine Award Jane Khalaf Governor’s Student of the Year Award Sofie Armitage

Year 11 LEAVERS 2010 Paul Tobin Award Krysia Kubinski Most Improved Student Charlotte Thomas Academic Excellence Caitlin Pritchard Highest Academic Achievement Jade Armitage Headteacher’s Sunshine Award April Livesey Governor’s Student of the Year George Lane

Terry Clark Yorkshire’s only survivor of The Battle of Britain As Churchill said after the Battle of Britain, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” These days the few are even fewer and in Yorkshire there is only one, Mr Terry Clark, DFM. Terry Clark, 91, from Wheldrake, York, joined the Auxiliary Air Force at the age of 19, training in Surrey and on the Isle of Man. “The station commander signed my log book but nobody said whether I’d passed the course,” he says. “I assume I must have done because they sent me off to join 219 Squadron, a Blenheim fighter unit based at Catterick.”

By 1940, the storm clouds of war were gathering during the nation’s darkest hour as Hitler readied his troops for Operation Sea Lion – the invasion of this country. The British Expeditionary Force was evacuated from Dunkirk in June, then, ten days later, Paris fell and the way seemed clear for Germany to turn its attention on these shores. But first, Hitler needed air superiority and he ordered the total destruction of the RAF. So began arguably the most decisive campaign of the war. By day, Spitfires and Hurricanes valiantly battled against German fighters, but Hitler’s plans also included a bombing war of attrition – even before the Blitz began in September. Mr Clark’s job was to defend York and the surrounding airfields from the tyranny of the Heinkel. Mr Clark and his squadron mates spent much of the Battle of Britain quietly playing pontoon as they waited for a call to arms. But the eerie silence was shattered when the phone rang; it was the signal to scramble. A couple of flicked switches fired up the Blenheims and within minutes crews were airborne. “I think the Battle of Britain proved to be the turning point of the war,” says Mr Clark. “But at the time we were unaware how vital it was to win. Then Churchill made his famous speech and we realised what it all meant.” During the summer of 1940, the RAF proved itself unbeatable and because of The Few, like Mr Clark, this year marks the 70th anniversary of Hitler’s shelved invasion plans. It was Britain’s finest hour and for his wartime bravery, Mr Clark was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal, which to this day he wears with pride alongside five others, including the rare Battle of Britain medal and clasp; all bear testimony to his courage. But he insists he is not a hero. Like most war veterans, Mr Clark frowns on the ‘H’ word and says he was just doing his bit for King and Country.


Open Evenings Sixth Form Open Evening On Thursday 25th November Shelley College hosted a successful 6th Form Open Evening for Yr11 students. Over 300 people attended the evening including lots of students from Shelley, Barnsley and Wakefield. Both talks with Mr McNally and Mr Hewitt were well attended and generated much discussion amongst the audience. Departments put on fantastic shows of work with information about courses and were fabulously supported by Shelley Sixth Formers who yet again showed what wonderful ambassadors they are for the college. The race is now on to complete applications before the 10th December deadline.

Welcome to the Shelley ‘pods’ bringing you new broadcasts created by our very own resident podcasting team. New Headteacher John McNally’s first podcast interview. The podcast is the first produced at the school. Teacher, Cherie Dignan, said: “Connor and Sam wrote and performed the script themselves as part of their ICT enrichment classes. Next year, the students plan to make more podcasts and cover many more topics in and around school. We are extremely proud of this first podcast and see it very much as the start of something big.”

pictured are Joshua Senior and Daniel Blackburn helping in Biology

Year 8 Open Evening On Thursday 30th September Shelley College hosted their first Year 8 into Year 9 open evening, which was an overwhelming success. Over 200 parents and students attended the event to hear a welcome address from Mr McNally, pastoral information from the Year 9 office and curriculum developments from Mr Harrington. All subjects were represented on the evening and put on a fine display. Current Year 9 students were on hand to guide parents and were highlighted as a strength of the school on the evaluation forms as

being ‘outstanding role models for the school’. The science department delighted their audiences with screaming jelly babies, cannon fire and methane bubbles!

Y13 Progression Module Students Graduate Over the course of Year 12, thirty-one students embarked on the Progression Module and Wednesday 3rd November saw these students receive official recognition for their achievements during a special Progression Module Graduation Ceremony at St Paul’s Hall at the University of Huddersfield. The students were smartly attired and after the ceremony, during which they were presented with a scroll, they were invited to a buffet reception. The Progression Module is a formal programme of study which gives Year 12 students the opportunity to investigate and research progression routes - primarily into Higher Education. The students had to complete four units of work centred on their personal strengths and weaknesses, research into possible universities and courses, the financial aspect of going to university and self-development skills such as delivering a presentation and having a mock interview. Through completing this module, that is run through the University of Huddersfield the students have gained 30 UCAS points that are recognised at the following universities, Leeds Metropolitan University The University of Huddersfield, Leeds Trinity University College, and Bradford College. Through the completion of this module they also conducted thorough research that enabled them to get ahead of the field when completing their UCAS applications. The students gaining this qualification were:

Safeguarding, Child Protection and Support All students at Shelley College are safeguarded through our Child Protection policy. Students have a range of support mechanisms available to them if they have any issues or concerns they wish to discuss, or simply to seek advice. Such support includes: • Form Tutor • Subject Teacher • Mrs K Whitaker - Senior First Aider • Student Manager / Head of Sixth Form • Mrs J Williamson & Mr D Wadsworth (named staff for Child Protection)

Amy Andrews; Jessica Bedeau; Joseph Black; Francesca Blacker; Daniel Booth; Lucy Clayton; Hannah Collier; Helena Covell; Luis Dignan; Emma Fisher; Lucy Halstead; Christopher Hogg; Bethany Jackson; Matthew Kenworthy; Mark Langdale; Feena McLoughlin; Daneka Mellor; Olivia Newman; Rebecca Nichols; Bethany Pearson; Gareth Price; Kathryn Radley; Alexander Rollins; Joel Sanderson; Kendal Smales; Sameena Kauser; Sophie Strickland; Erica Taylor; Megan Tinsley; Sarah Todd; Veronica Weed.

Congratulations to all of them!

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VOL 01.12.10

Phoenix Dancers

minerva Christmas Showcase This is the first time Minerva has been able to feature acts from our Christmas Showcase. The Thursday evening performance to our community, sixth form students proved to once more be a huge success. There were 22 acts in total ranging from our cheerleaders, lots of bands, our jazz group, talented musicians, singers, dancers (ballet and street), gymnasts and our cast of High School Musical not to mention our very own staff act. Our PTSA provided refreshments during the interval and a raffle to raise funds for our Positive Behaviour programme and our three chosen charities this year which are Kirkwood Hospice, NSPCC and Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Congratulations to Jess Dunhill, Lauren Clifford, Charlotte Kitchen and Jodie Hart who have succeeded in their audition to work with a group of Kirklees students in partnership with Phoenix Dance. Phoenix perform nationally and our Shelley girls have already attended workshops throughout their half term holiday and been to watch Phoenix in rehearsal. We look forward to seeing them perform at Lawrence Batley Theatre next year.

Symbiosis for Science The Friday morning performance for lower school was also a tremendous occasion to celebrate the end of a very busy term and a great introduction to Christmas 2010!

A very creative link has been established between Science and Dance, Mrs Gregory’s Year 10 Dance students have choreographed a short dance routine which is entitled Fusion. The dance attempts to explain how a fusion reaction occurs in the Sun. Students have studied the science involved and created dance moves to visualise each step involved. Students will present Fusion at our next Cafe Scientifique in the Altitude Building in the New Year, pictured are some of the students involved.

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The Shelley College production of . . . Based on the Book by David Simpatico Original songs by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil; Ray Cham, Greg Cham and Andrew Seeley; Randy Peterson and Kevin Quinn; Andy Dodd and Adam Watts; Bryan Louiselle; David N. Lawrence and Faye Greenberg; Jamie Houston. Music adapted, arranged and produced by Bryan Louiselle. Based on a Disney Channel Original movie written by Peter Barsocchini

On behalf of the Shelley College Drama and Music Departments, along with the students, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for attending our production of High School Musical.

Special Thanks To… Musical Director and Piano Mr Platt Percussion David ‘Dangerous’ Rogers Bass Peter ‘Slick Fingers’ Kiely Guitar Ben ‘The Ston’ Stonehouse Percussion Ashley ‘Bongo Magic’ Long Choreography Miss Ruddick Courtney George Costume Jodie Lancaster Stage Management and Lighting Lydia Noble Other Stage Management Josh Hadfield- Miller James Garlick Jake Woodward Hair and Make-up Chessy Hollingdale Laura Hatfield Emily Parkinson Ellie Williams Directed by Mr Stead Miss Bennison This amateur production is presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD on behalf of MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL of NEW YORK.

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minerva

VOL 01.12.10

WE DID IT!

Energy awareness course During February half term next year , Year 12/13 students have the opportunity to be one of 12 to take a course to help provide energy advice in the home.

Shelley College retains our prestigious International EcoSchools Green Flag Award.

This course is run by National Energy Action and leads to the City and Guilds Qualification in Energy Advice. The course is funded by Kirkburton Parish Council and Kirklees Council through the European Social Fund project, ‘Skills for Climate Change’ and will take place at Shelley College. The commitment would be 3 days training during the day followed by a half day exam and a practical exercise. There would be revision and reading of course materials required which will be provided in advance of the course. The qualification will be of particular interest to students who might want to pursue a career in energy efficiency advice or renewable energy. There are also a number of companies who would be interested in offering work experience to students who successfully complete the course. To get more information on the course online you can check the National Energy Action website http://www.nea.org.uk/energy-awareness-617 or email Mrs Lumb at [email protected] More reasons for considering this FREE qualification offered for the first time at a school in Kirklees:

Since 2008 when we first received our award we have been working really hard and are very proud of our achievements. These include establishing paper recycling, developing our wild life garden at the back of school and raising the profile of renewable energy at our STEM Community Conferences and Cafe Scientifiques. Our Sustainability Week in July 2010 focussed on a range of activities to promote reusing items instead of sending them to land fill. Over the coming year we hope to install water fountains in each social area and PE so that students will bring in their own water bottle to refill. We made a start at recycling plastic bottles too. School Council will be purchasing a new secure and dry storage area for bikes to encourage more students to cycle to school. Mr Wilde, our eco assessor, was very impressed with the information presented by students from the E-team, School Council, our Sixth Form Management Group and some of our Year 11 citizenship students. All presented a compelling case for our re-designation. We now have two more years to reduce our carbon footprint and become a more sustainable school.

• The course is due to go onto the QCF thereby allowing candidates to accumulate points towards a higher level qualification • The course offers accreditation in its own right (City & Guilds 6176/01 after successfully passing exams) • The training prepares candidates with life-skills essential to young people moving away from home and living independently for the first time • The government is predicting a massive up-turn in job opportunities in energy efficiency and renewable technology employment • The C&G’s 6176 qualification is already highly acknowledged and recognised by organisations in the energy efficiency arena and is a requirement for advisors in the industry • Many students doing environment degrees attend NEA’s training and use the information as evidence and as part of, bigger university projects

pictured are Mr Scott (Environment Officer) and some of the members of the E-team

E-team - Introducing the New Team !! Our Objectives for Next Term

Ella McBride – Chair (Yr 11) Kayleigh Wood – Vice Chair (Yr 11) Adam Barnett – Publicist (Yr 11) Steph Merritt – Publicist (Yr 11) James Stafford – Active Member (Yr 11) Alex Squires – Active Member (Yr 11) Kailem Andrews – Active Member (Yr 10) Jasmine Andrews – 6th Form Representative Mrs Lumb – Supervising Staff member

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Please contact us on school e-mail if you want any information…

Objectives achieved!!! • Water Bottle recycling Introduced • Perfumery Plans

• Further use of all recycling methods • Present our ideas in assemblies, tutor time and on the Life Channel • Begin setup of our French Perfumery • Do outdoor work such as re-planting and hedge trimming • Formulate short-term and long-term plans for the grounds to encourage sustainable curriculum links

Feel free to pop in on one of our sessions to see what we’re all about…every Monday from 3pm - 4.30pm in H81


Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering

Drax Power 2010

Congratulations to the following catering staff who successfully passed the Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering exam during the summer holiday.

Year 12 Applied Science students visited Drax power station in October to kick start their ‘Investigating Science at Work’ portfolio. They had carried out preparatory work to identify which types of science are used in the generation of electricity. The visit helped to put these ideas into context and give an idea of the scale of operations.

Gail Gibson, Sheryl Thomson, Beverley Eastham, Glenys Mellor, Shirley Bottomley, Mary Gill, Rose Hall, Sonia Booth, Andrea Watson, Deborah Smith, Janet Burgess, Angela Cowling and Omer Koltuk.

During the visit all students developed an understanding of the importance of Health and Safety on site, wearing hard hats, high visibility jackets and ear defenders whilst touring the site. The boiler house was fantastically noisy, with 36 tonnes of coal being pulverised every hour by huge steel balls to feed the furnaces. We also had a special tour of the ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ labs, where samples of materials from all parts of the site are tested for quality and to check for hazards. Here, we learned how the flue gases are tested to ensure they meet minimum standards for their sulfur dioxide content, to meet legal requirements. This also provided an opportunity to find out more about the staff who work at Drax; their roles, responsibilities and qualifications. Finally we visited the control room, where specific software and hardware are used to keep all the generators working at maximum capacity and meeting the changing demands of consumers. Students are now writing up a report which ties together the scientific, safety, commercial, legal and ICT elements of Drax’s operations, as well as their effects on the community.

Cliffe House 2010 – so good we went twice! The Year 13 Applied Science ecology field trip to Cliffe House is now well established. The course proved so popular this year that the group was too large for the venue and had to be split into 2 visits; one in summer and a second in the autumn. The summer group were lucky and carried out their field measurements in warm and dry conditions, but the autumn group were less fortunate. The weather was wet and windy but the students still collected accurate data with admirable enthusiasm. This year’s star wildlife attraction was not something we went searching for; rather it found us! The eyed hawk moth caterpillar (pictured) dropped out of a tree and on to a student. After the initial shock, this gave us a great opportunity to consider adaptations – this caterpillar synthesises its specific shade of green from the chlorophylls and other pigments consumed from the food plant, ensuring the best colour match against the background. This visit supports the Ecology, Conservation and Recycling portfolio, and involves a study of all aspects of a woodland habitat, from measuring soil composition to carrying out humane mammal trapping. This allows students to investigate the relationships between organisms and their environment. They are now estimating populations of different species from this diverse habitat, developing their understanding of how the non-living parts of the environment have profound effects on the wildlife we often take for granted.

Year 12 and 13 visit to the Good Food Show In November year 12 and 13 Food Technology students went on a day trip to the Good Food Show at the NEC in Birmingham. The students were able to sample a variety of different foods which ranged from scallops marinated in orange and juniper to buffalo burgers and cheeses sourced throughout the UK, from Orkney to Cornwall. The students were able to enjoy fantastic, festive foodie entertainment and see live demonstrations from the country’s top chefs. One of the highlights of the day was the live show in the super theatre. Hosted by Ollie Smith the show gave students the chance to watch and learn from top chef Gary Rhodes as he produced amazing festive dishes, which consisted of slow roast belly pork and a rice pudding made from Arborio rice which is generally used in a traditional Italian Risotto. Gordon Ramsey was making Christmas dishes whilst James Martin was creating delicious desserts and Rachel Allen Tasting the Difference at Sainsbury’s, showcasing some of their new and improved product ranges. James Martin and Brian Turner were on hand to sign books and have photos taken. All the students had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed themselves....and yes....James Martin looks as good as he does on the television. Mrs C Jones

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Media Trip On the 21st of October, a group of year 12 and year 13 media students set off to York, with the intention of capturing some exclusive footage of the historic city. Arriving at York at around 10.30am, the students – accompanied by Media teachers Mrs Holgeth and Mr Briggs, prepared for a day of filming.

minerva Shelley College Art Visit to Yorkshire Sculpture Park, November 2010

After a brief discussion of meeting times and places, students were allowed free roam of the city. Many students planned their own filming schedules after emailing and telephoning different attractions, thus allowing them to effortlessly capture their footage and move on to the next location efficiently. In between filming, students were allowed to peruse the various shops and sometimes stop for a bite to eat. At 2 o’clock all the students met on the steps of York Cathedral, which was the highlight of the day’s filming, as it is very exclusive and is difficult to obtain permission to film there. All students were permitted to enter the Cathedral free of charge, and were even guided down to the undercroft, an underground crypt with various exhibits on show. The trip was very beneficial to most students as the footage obtained during their stay will be used for their practical projects – which contribute a large percentage towards their AS/ A2 level. By Grace Booth

Geologists on Arran On the Saturday 16th October, the Year 13 Geologists arrived on the Isle of Arran (the geologists paradise), western Scotland after a 6 hour drive and a ferry journey. That evening after a hearty meal and a game of darts the team had an early night to recuperate from our tiring journey, although this was interrupted by the loud groans of rutting stags. The next day after a bowl of warming porridge we headed out into the field to witness some of the extraordinary sights which make Arran a ‘wonderland for geologists’. Assisted by a field guide and Miss Payne, the whole team began to bring theory to the field and interpret the landscape through a geologist eye. The following two days continued to expand our knowledge and allowed us to see things that could be found nowhere else in the British Isles. On the Wednesday we departed from the island and began the journey back home sampling a Scottish breakfast on the ferry and wishing we could have stayed another day to view more that the island had to offer. The whole trip was “a fantastic experience and an eye opener” allowing us to put theory into practical context.

Grant Richardson

Shelley College Year 13 Applied A Level Art and Design students were selected by the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield to take part in a ‘Take over’ day on November 12th 2010. Commentary by Amy Sellers Year 13: This wonderful opportunity gave me and the rest of my group the unique chance to look ‘behind the scenes’ at the Sculpture Park and to gain a deeper insight into how the organisation really works. Firstly, we were introduced to two members of staff; a Curator and an Education Manager. We were given a tour of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, starting with a brief introduction to the organisation, a tour of the Underground Gallery where the David Nash exhibition is on display, and then a cross country Land Rover tour up to Longside Gallery and Workshops. Having had lunch we then worked with Mr Hoyle and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park team to come up with a new scheme for ‘Friends of YSP’ to suit and support a younger audience. We all felt privileged to be given the opportunity to feedback our thoughts and views to such a major creative organisation, and to support them in understanding what students, children and young adults may want and need. The day overall, gave me a lot more knowledge and understanding of YSP than I previously had and I learnt a lot about the professional practice and behind the scenes work of the organisation. I wouldn’t have been able to do this simply by visiting, so it has been an amazing and highly valuable opportunity. I found the fact that we were all able to put our own ideas forward to the organisation has also been inspiring. We gave our thoughts and ideas towards the Young Friends Scheme, and I hope that the Yorkshire Sculpture Park will start this scheme in the near future. This exciting opportunity has also allowed me to build upon my knowledge and understanding of professional Art and Design practices which will support my Advanced level course at Shelley. We all had a fantastic inspiring day, and I will be keeping in touch with the Yorkshire Sculpture Park to see the results of the contributions that we made. Amy Sellers, Art & Design Applied A Level Student A great day was had by all, and I hope that Shelley students can maintain this link in future years to support all our students! Mr Hoyle, Art Department.

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Towton History trip - 2/09/10 On a sunny Saturday morning a group of year 12 change History students arrived at college bright and early for a day of visiting battle fields and hearing stories of the wars of the roses from Mr Briggs, Mr Miller, Miss Lovelady and Miss Ramsay.

RYLA Three students this year took advantage of residentials sponsored by Denby Dale Rotary Club. Year 11 students Adam Barnett and Stephanie Horrocks in the summer set off from South Shields to Dunbar on The James Cook yacht. The 5 day adventure was at times very tricky, with cramped sleeping conditions, the smallest kitchen ever and getting to know a way around a boat! The highlight of the trip was the wild life seeing dolphins, whales and luminescent plankton. Year 13 student Hayley Akroyd attended a week long leadership residential at Hebden Bridge over the summer. The week was jam packed with a variety of challenges such as building a zip wire to cross a 50 foot ravine, orienteering and canoeing. Denby Dale Rotary Club has agreed to sponsor up to three students this year too. Applications for the RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) is open to any Yr 12 student who would like to improve their leadership skills. As the interview process was postponed by the snowy conditions the interviews will be rescheduled for January. Further students will still be considered but they should register their interest with Mrs Lumb by Friday 7th January 2011 by emailing: [email protected] Students in year 10 will be invited to apply for the sailing residential next year. Information about the selection process will be published in our daily student bulletin.

Setting off to Sandal Castle, just a few minutes away from college, students visited the site of the Battle of Wakefield where the famous Richard Duke of York was murdered in battle by the Lancastrian forces. After numerous failed attempts to stop off at a local fast food restaurant, the group journeyed on to the site of the bloodiest battles ever to be fought on English soils. The Battle of Towton was the site where thousands of Lancastrians and Yorkists alike were slaughtered whilst heavy snow was falling. The day as a whole was enjoyed by all and really benefited the students who are learning about the War of the Roses, as it gave a visual link and explanation behind some of the key battles. A big thank you to Mr Briggs who gave his day up to explain the history behind the wars; to Miss Ramsay who drove us all in the minibus to each site and of course the History teachers who organised the trip.

Shelley Students Reach for the Stars! This term saw the re-launch of the Shelley College Astronomy Club. The group met on the 11th of November for its first observation. With telescopes and binoculars serviced and readied for viewing of the planets Jupiter and Mars, a huge bank of cloud and rain enveloped the skies forcing the group inside. Undeterred by this, and ably led by the resourceful Dr. Marchesini, the students went on to build their own telescopes from two strategically positioned lenses, testing them on the illuminated mobile classrooms! They were also trained on an incredibly useful piece of sky-mapping software and were trained how to find and observe the International Space Station. All in all, this was a productive evening (despite the lack of sky to look at) and a big thanks go to Sam Gill, George Lane and Gareth Price who gave up their precious time to assist with the session. Later this year the club will be planning their observation of the Lunar Eclipse in January. If you are interested in joining this club then please e-mail Dr. Marchesini or Mr. Beaumont.

Children in Need

On Friday 19th November the Sixth Form students chose to come into school in fancy dress to help raise money for Children In Need. All students paid £1 each whilst also collecting more money in buckets at break and lunchtime. There was a fancy dress contest held in the Altitude Building at lunchtime, judged by an expert panel of Mr Hewitt and Mrs Blackburn. The winners were divided up into male and female with the girls competition won by the Blue Smurfs- Grace Jordan, Abigail Fields, Claire Hill Demi-Lea Taylor and the boys winners were the Sumo Wrestlers Matthew Gaskell, John Kenyon, Luke Taylor. All proceeds from the sixth form went towards Shelley’s overall figure of £1530.57

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Stem Once again this year students in Year 9 are busy getting to grips with a STEM challenge. As the school was preparing this term to re-designate for the International Green Flag status as a Eco School, the STEM team of teachers that’s Mrs Lumb, Mr Turner, Mr Bardsley and Mr Tsiga thought it would be a good idea to compliment the STEM activity with a theme from the Eco School criteria. Last years STEM students in the summer term built a working model of a wind turbine so this years challenge was to look specifically at the design of wind turbine blades. The actual challenge is to build a wind turbine using only recycled materials!

minerva Kitchen Sink Science: Kitchen Sink Science was a huge success on Saturday 16th October 2010. Over 50 families took part in a variety of hands-on experiments ranging from making lava lamps to launching alka selter rockets. Each family toured six laboratories which hosted each experiment. Our year 9, 10 and 11 science ambassadors were outstanding and a credit to the school. In our evaluation feedback students were praised for their scientific knowledge and confidence. Mrs Lumb (Assistant head teacher) who co-ordinated the event said “ The event promoted family learning and the wonder of science, several families said they would be rushing to the shops to purchase some of the ingredients to try at home!” Our next event takes place at the start of National Science and Engineering Week on Saturday 12th March with a space and physics themed concoction of experiments to provide families with a taste of space

Creative designs include the use of bicycle wheels, plastic bottles and aluminium cans! Each group will present their design to a panel of judges who are STEM ambassadors, studying or working in the field of STEM in the new year. Pictured are students busy in the workshop creating their turbines blades.

Antoine Lavoisier

Our first STEM Community Conference took place on Monday 27th September from 6.00 pm -7.30 pm in the Altitude Cafe. This academic year the focus will be on celebrating the achievements in Chemistry in preparation for the International Year of Chemistry in 2011. Our special guest was Antoine Lavoisier. Our visitor Antoine Lavoisier was born 26 August 1743 and came back to life to tell us about his amazing discoveries. He was known as the father of modern chemistry. He stated the first version of the law of conservation of mass, recognized and named oxygen in 1778 and hydrogen in 1783, he abolished the phlogiston theory, helped construct the metric system, wrote the first extensive list of elements, and helped to reform chemical nomenclature. He discovered that, although matter may change its form or shape, its mass always remains the same. During the day Antoine popped into science lessons to share with students how he made those discoveries.

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SENIOR MATHS CHALLENGE The following students were involved in the UK senior maths challenge and gained the award, bronze, silver or gold.

Gold William Senior Silver David Price, Rachel Hayes, Jonathan Kaye, James Hanwell and Freddie Stower Bronze Matthew Ellis, Peter Hunt, David Lee, Rachel Adams, Ben Swift, John Kenyon, Chloe Newton Mann, Matthew Kenworthy, Stephen Wroe, Tim Cox, Connor Joyce, Chris Smith and James Evans

This is a national maths challenge, which sixth forms all over the country take part. There were 95,750 enties from 1978 centres.


SPorting Success As part of the intra-school competitions held during lunchtimes over the past term the following groups were victorious;

9MBA won the 5-aside football competition

9SBR won the netball

Ladybird FC won the 6th form 5-aside football

Year 10 students Helen Phillips and Rebecca Garforth were selected to represent

Shelley College in the English Schools Pentathlon competition. The Yorkshire regional event was held at John Charles stadium for sport in Leeds. The competition involved the athletes from across the County competing in a 100m swim and a 1000m run. Overall Rebecca finished 8th and Helen finished 3rd. Both successfully qualified for the next stage to be held in Manchester and will now go on to compete against other athletes from across the North of England in the new year. The girl’s football teams at Shelley College have got off to a cracking start! The U15 team have been competing in the West Yorkshire League and have won three games out of four with some great scores. The U15 team has also been very successful in the English Schools Cup Competition and are through to the fifth round. Watch this space! The U16 team have had some great performances too. They made it through to the West Yorkshire Cup semi-final but unfortunately after such a gritty performance they didn’t make it through to the final losing to Mirfield in a tightly matched game. The JAE (Junior athlete education) is an initiative that

has been set up by Kirklees and the School Sport Partnerships for elite athletes.

Cricket

The objective of the programme is to give support to elite performers in Schools across Kirklees. Each student on the JAE programme at Shelley College has to be assigned to a teacher who will act as a mentor in School, the mentors are chosen by the student.

The year 9 cricket team had an excellent season by reaching the final of the Yorkshire cup, played at the New Rover CC, Leeds.

Although they lost to a strong Richmond side in the final, they produced some excellent cricket throughout the competition. To qualify through 7 rounds of matches and to come 2nd out of 120 Schools throughout a strong Yorkshire County is an excellent achievement.

The year 10 cricket team had another successful season.

They won the Huddersfield Schools under 15’s league by beating Royds Hall, Honley, King James and Holmfirth.

A mentor’s role is to support the student with any problems they may have particularly within the school environment. Students will have regular meeting with sports co-ordinator Mr Morris who will provide addition support.

Up the Rugby Ladder

Lewis Workman and Danny Grainger have both taken a step up the Rugby Union ladder this season. They play for local clubs and have been nominated for county trials. Lewis has been selected to represent West Yorkshire while Danny waits patiently for the snow to disappear and allow his trial to take place.

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VOL 01.12.10

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Sports Hall Athletics Competition On Tuesday 16th November Shelley College hosted a sports hall athletics competition for the Kirkburton and Scissett pyramid year 3 to 5. Over 300 pupils from 15 schools from the Newsome Schools sport partnership took part so the competition was split in two sessions. The first session included 8 Schools and the second involved 7 different schools. The events involved competitors taking part in the field events such as long jump, standing triple jump, chest push, vertical jump and speed bounce. The other participants raced in the track events in individual and team races. SESSION 1 RESULTS 1st Flockton 2nd Cumberworth 3rd Thurstonland 4th Grange Moor 5th Denby 6th Kirkburton 7th Birdsedge 8th Farnley Tyas

274 points 270 points 254 points 244 points 232 points 180 points 168 points 132 points

SESSION 2 RESULTS 1st Shepley 2nd Skelmanthorpe 3rd Shelley 4th Kayes 5th Highburton 6th St. Aidan’s 7th Emley

306 points 264 points 262 points 258 points 222 points 218 points 194 points

Congratulations to Flockton and Shepley First Schools for winning their respective sessions and well done to all participants who demonstrated a high level of determination, skill and enthusiasm and must be commended on their efforts.

After successful applications, 8 students from Shelley College have been invited to join the newly formed Kirklees Leadership Academy. The aim of this group is to develop high quality sports leaders which is a part of the legacy of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Academy has been developed by the four Partnership Development Managers whose role it is to develop PE and Sport in all state schools and colleges in Kirklees. The young people range from 14 to 18 years and have all shown considerable talent and commitment to volunteering in their own schools / colleges. Having previously attended the academy launch at Huddersfield Town Hall, the young people recently attended a second training session at The Zone Sports Centre where they undertook team building activities and worked with their mentors to plan the year ahead. All of the young people will have the opportunity to gain a number of qualifications during their time in the academy, such as first aid, safeguarding children, leadership awards as well as coaching badges in a variety of sports. In return, they will volunteer to help with the organization and running of a number of sports activities both within their own School Sport Partnership and in Kirklees events. It is also anticipated that the young people will also get involved in community sports clubs and events. As part of the Schools Sport Partnership programme, Shelley College sports coordinator Mr Morris delivered a young leaders workshop at Kirkburton Middle School.

Many thanks also to Mr Morris and the sports leaders from Shelley College who organised the event.

The money was kindly funded by the School and Reach Out Kirklees. Most of the weight stations were sold and replaced by eleven new cardiovascular stations. These include cross trainers, steppers, spin bikes and cycle bikes. The fitness suite is open to students and staff both at lunchtimes and after schools.

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Gilthwaites Boys Teams unbeatable!

The weather was rather more kind when over 250 year 3 and 4 youngsters raced around a challenging course at Shelley College. Again, a wonderful team of young leaders from the College ensured that the course was well marked, the runners had someone to follow and the results were given out correctly!

In the boys races, Gilthwaites First School took both individual and team honours. The year 3 girls race was won by Lepton CE school, and Rowley Lane took the team title. Shepley First School won the year 4 girls race and also won the team event. The individual winners were as follows; Boys year 3 winner - CAMERON BRANFORD (GILTHWAITES FS) Girls year 3 winner - MIA GREEN (LEPTON CE) Boys year 4 winner - ARRON SMITH (GILTHWAITES FS) Girls year 4 winner - ELEANOR HOYLE (SHEPLEY FS)

Over 34 pupils took part in two sessions of theory and practical work on how to be a quality young leader. The training involved pupils understanding the qualities of a successful leader as well as having the opportunity to lead groups of pupils in a range of activities. The successful young leaders will now have the opportunity to work with clubs in and out of school as well as helping with festivals and competitions throughout the Shelley area.

Shelley College Cheerleaders have had another brilliant

term of rehearsals, practices and performances! They have been extremely fortunate to receive sponsorship from Turner Price which has bought them a fantastic new kit! They have showcased their talents at the school production of ‘High School Musical’ and impressed the audience with their routines! Congratulations to all the new cheerleaders’ for learning and performing new skills, and to the older students in the squads for taking on leadership roles and supporting the team. They would like to say huge thank you to Turner Price for developing the profile of the squad.

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To encourage students to improve their fitness levels a £2000 refurbishment of the fitness suite has taken place this half term.