Christmas 2009 - Newbattle Community High School

N E W B A T T L E C O M M U N I T Y H I G H S C H O O L
Christmas 2009
Issue 11
Newbattle News
Return to school Wednesday 6th January
Newbattle Healthy Hearts Day A Huge Success
Our ‘Healthy Hearts Fund Raising Day’
held on Wednesday 7th October
proved to be a day to remember.
Health and wellbeing across learning is
at the centre of our Curriculum for
Excellence. It was therefore great to
see our pupils and staff enjoy keeping
fit whilst raising much needed cash for
our school fund and a variety of charities.
The day started with a 10,000 metre
sponsored walk/run round Easthouses
and Mayfield Parks. On a beautiful
autumn day participants took on board
a range of health messages as they visited
the various check points. Walkers
were provided with much needed refreshments
as they made their way
round; free milk was provided courtesy
of Robert Wiseman Dairies and fruit
from SCOTMID.
On returning to the school grounds
participants were faced with another
physical challenge. The army had installed
an assault course and climbing
wall with nearly everyone enthusiastically
rising to the challenge. Special
mention to our Depute Headteacher,
Mrs Watson who made it to the very
top!
Activities continued with a staff v pupils
football match with the pupils recording
a narrow victory. Others participated
in a football tournament run
by the SFA with another group enjoying
dance. UNIQUE - our own care
health and beauty salon - provided
treatments whilst a team of artists created
some amazing face paintings. The
Main Hall provided the venue for a
rock concert with the school’s ‘Electro
Circuit’ topping the bill. A wide range
of food stalls and side shows complemented
the event adding to the strong
health messages and total cash raised
on the day.
There are more pictures on page 2.
Currently the totalizer is sitting at
£8,500 with the target being that we
will raise £10,000 in total.
Thanks to all in our community who
have dug deep to support our efforts.
Contents
Page
Healthy Hearts Day 2
Newbattle Enjoy Dana Experience
Strictly Newbattle
Xtra Time
Fashion House
Tomorrow’s Scientists
Science
Christmas Songs At Dobbies
Newbattle Sports Ambassadors
Please Sir Call for Linesman
Celebrating Success
Science Stars
Former Pupils
Attainment and Achievement
Garden of Remembrance
3
4
5
6
7
8
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Our School of Ambition
Our School of Ambition

Page 2
Check out our website at www.newbattle.org.uk
Newbattle News
Check out our website at www.newbattle.org.uk
Healthy Hearts Day Pictures
Pupils and Staff enjoying the health and wellbeing message on the 10,000 metre sponsored walk. Even Spiderman and Batman took part!
Pupils versus Staff football match - a highly competitive game resulting
in the pupils winning 5 - 4 .
Pupils reaching dizzy heights on the army climbing wall.
Some pupil comments on Healthy Hearts Day…
“It was a good idea because it kept us healthy and it helped raise
money for the school.”
“It was healthy, fun and you could walk with your friends.”
“The pupil versus teacher football match was good.”
“It gave us a break from working whilst raising money for the school.”
Teachers being ‘splatted’ in the face and face painting: both popular
activities and both with spectacular results!
“It was so good I think we should have another one next year.”
Your Newbattle Community High School...

Page 3
Newbattle News
Newbattle Enjoy DANA Experience
Callum Gilzean
Ryan
Somerville
Newbattle Under 15 football squad
returned from Denmark having enjoyed
a highly successful trip to the Dana
Cup, which is the second biggest Youth
tournament in Europe with 90 sides
from 17 countries playing in our agegroup.
Our team, the South East region champions,
emerged undefeated through two
warm up matches against a Lebanese
Under 16 side and an Illinois State Select
side before starting the tournament
with the game that all the players had
been eagerly anticipating since the draw
was made - a match against Interclubes,
a Brazilian regional side who had
reached the Final stages of the Gothia
Cup the previous week.
Newbattle were not overawed by their
opponents. The game was evenly
poised when, with fifteen minutes left,
Ryan Somerville scored. He may never
have scored a simpler goal, but no one
involved with Newbattle will ever forget
this one, as it proved to be the decider.
Not many Scots teams have
beaten Brazilians, and this was no fluke
result.
There was still a lot of work to be done
in what was a quality group. Next day,
Newbattle drew 0-0 with a very physical
Runar IL from Norway. This left
them needing a win in their final group
match against Bergen side Trott to win
the group trophy. This was achieved
when Somerville collected a pass from
his captain Callum Gilzean inside the
area and scored from 12 yards in a
game which Newbattle dominated.
Newbattle now faced a highly competent
side Gneist IL who had won their
group with a 15-1 goal record. The
Norwegians had the bulk of possession
but as the game settled Newbattle
looked the more dangerous side and
with 13 minutes to go Allan Hay scored
the winning goal.
The Newbattle run came to an end in
the last sixteen to Hamburg side
Aschenburg. The Germans were a top
quality outfit, who eventually reached
Our School of Ambition
the final. The Newbattle boys left the
field beaten and with heads held high
having gone further in the tournament
than IFK Gothenburg, Ipswich Town,
Histon, Cruz Azul and Rosenberg, an
amazing achievement.
The Newbattle squad :
Back: D Liddle, A Elliot, A Hay, B
Young, R Somerville, S Currie, C Ramsay,
K Hill Front: J Chisholm, A Henderson,
C Gilzean (Captain), T J Dickson
(voted Player of the Tournament), D Wilson

Page 4
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Newbattle News
Check out our website at www.newbattle.org.uk
Strictly Newbattle
On Thursday 3rd December,
Newbattle saw one of its
most unique and spectacular
school productions ever,
which firmly put the spotlight
on the teachers as well as the
pupils!
Strictly Newbattle, hosted by
Mr Sangster and Miss Henry
involved sixteen members of
staff, who gave up their own
time over two months to
learn a dance routine from
scratch, with the support of
two professional instructors.
by Zola Williamson 2AM
Mr Turkington &
Mrs Knox:
Rumba
The Winners
Mr Baxter & Miss Reynolds: Salsa
Mrs Hannan, Mr C Mitchell,,
Mr Moore, Miss Wanstall
The Judges
Pupils were involved in the marketing, filming,
lighting and music of the show —including the
Tequila band featuring Sam Wylie (S5), the
Dance Academy (S2/3) and Craig Halliday (S5),
who performed a great solo of ‘Last Request’ .
Everyone worked their socks off and performed
brilliantly . The eventual winners were Mr Baxter
and Miss Reynolds who performed a salsa. Everybody had a
great time and over £1100 was raised for BBC Children in Need.
“I have been to almost every school show over the years and this was the best yet!”
Audience member
Pudsey Bear thanks
Mr Taylor for our
£1100 donation
Mr Porteous &
Miss Parsons:
Quickstep
Mr Mitchell &
Miss Carruthers;
Cha Cha Cha
Back Row: I. Gillespie (Group leader) C Galloway,
B Williams, S Duncanson, G Locke
(former Hearts Skipper), C Gow, B Adams,
C Smith (SFA Staff Coach)
Front Row: D Moffat, J Power, J Hodge,
S McKay, C Forbes
Mr McRobbie &
Mrs Grieve:
Jive
Xtra Time
Mr and
Mrs Hogg:
Waltz
Newbattle Community High School is
taking part in the Heart of Midlothian
Education and Community Trust Xtra
Time programme.
Xtra Time is a motivational and a volunteer
development driven programme
targeted at S4 and S5 Christmas school
leavers. The group of 14 students are
currently working their way through
the SFA’s Early Touches and Coaching
Young Footballers Certificates under
the guidance of SFA staff coach Chris
Your Newbattle Community High School...
Mr Docherty &
Mrs Heneghan:
Seroc
Mr Watkins &
Mrs Bennett:
Tango
Smith.
The students have been joined by former
Hearts skipper and Scottish Cup
winner Gary Locke.
Gary said “…it is absolutely fantastic to see
young people enthused about coaching at such
an early age. Hopefully the Xtra Time programme
will assist these guys in becoming
actively involved in coaching in their community
and, you never know, they might just have
a hand in helping Hearts stars of the future.”

Page 5
Newbattle News
Check out our website at www.newbattle.org.uk
Fashion House
Christmas Songs At Dobbies
Tomorrow’s Scientists
Responding to the current credit
crunch, which is affecting everyone
in the community at the moment, the
girls in the Fashion House Peak Performance
group have been making
their own cosmetics and beauty
products. Uniquely all the ingredients
for their products are found in the
average family kitchen. Products include
face packs made with bananas,
oats, honey and yogurt, and a Sugar
Bath Scrub, made from granulated
sugar and olive oil. The girls have
had great fun making the products
and trying their finished results. It is
intended that when we have completed
the testing of our products, we
will be able to put a recipe book together
which the girls can take home
with them.
Previously the group have looked at
the changing fashions through the
forty years that the school has been
open. We are also looking forward to
working with the other departments
in the school to produce the end-ofyear
show.
The Music Department has enjoyed
a successful start to this academic
year. Firstly, Steve McKenna of Real
Radio hosted a variety show in the
school where dance and music
groups were featured. The winners
on the night "Electro Circuit" went
through to the national final with 11
other schools, and came a very respectable
4th. A huge thanks and
well done to everyone who participated
in this event. It showed how
much fantastic talent we have in the
school!
Primary 7 pupils from the local primary schools experienced a taste of science
during a recent visit to Newbattle Community High School. They carried
out an investigation to put metals into a ‘League Table of Reactivity’.
When asked what aspects of the visit they enjoyed they all agreed that it was
fun to carry out experiments using a bunsen burner!
Pupils Elliot and Rachel said they loved watching the demonstration of potassium
reacting with water.
Although attending University may seem
like a daunting prospect, we have both
participated in two summer schools during
our time at Newbattle. The most recent
being at The University of St. Andrews,
courtesy of the Sutton Trust,
where we studied both Mathematics and
Physics. After taking these opportunities,
we were eager to learn more about the
scientific world. In S4 we also attended
The University of St. Andrews for a
Chemistry Week where we were able to
interact with many other students and
carry out several experiments. This, combined
with our most recent endeavour at
Science in S6
St. Andrews, has fuelled our desire to
delve deeper into the complex yet intriguing
science of our universe.
Stephanie: “Studying Advanced Higher
Chemistry in my final year at High School
has encouraged me to apply for University
courses such as Chemistry with Pharmacology
at St. Andrews, and Immunology
and Pharmacology at Aberdeen. I
have always been fascinated with how
things work, why they work and what
makes them work, therefore I have chosen
to further my knowledge in a scientific
subject.”
Our School of Ambition
The weeks leading up to Christmas
see pupils participating in events
such as singing Christmas songs at
Dobbies, our annual Christmas concert
and a rhythm and blues band
performance at the switching on of
the Mayfield Christmas lights.
Next year we hope to have fund raising
events such as a battle of the
bands and Feasting With Music. We
look forward to seeing as many pupils
and staff participating as well as
involvement from the wider community.
Have a happy festive season.
by Dale Wylie 6M and Stephanie Clason 6L
Dale: “Whilst also studying Advanced
Higher Chemistry, as well as Higher
Physics, I have decided to go into the
field of Physics at world renowned Universities
such as St. Andrews or Edinburgh.
My thirst for knowledge in the
Sciences has always driven me to learn as
much as I can about these subjects, and I
encourage YOU to do so too!”
Throughout our high school career, we
have always been inspired by the wonders
of science, and we hope that we have
sparked up the potential scientist within
you too!

Page 6
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Newbattle News
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Newbattle Sports Ambassadors at the UK School Games
“Please sir call for
linesman”
The weekend of the 4 th -6 th
September saw the UK School
Games held in Cardiff, with 1600
pupils from all four home nations
competing in sports such as
Swimming, Gymnastics, Athletics
and Volleyball over four exciting
days.
The UK School Games is a multisport
event for the UK’s elite young
athletes of school age. It is organised
by the Youth Sports Trust as a build
up to the London 2012 Olympics
and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth
Games. The games were run exactly
like an Olympics with an athletes
village and all teams in national kit.
Included in the competitors were
Midlothian students, including
Robyn Russell 3CM, a Newbattle
High pupil who represents Scotland
at gymnastics. As part of the
Scottish team, Robyn won a bronze
medal in the team competition.
Newbattle High was also one of only
two schools in Scotland (the other
being Islay High School) who
supplied two S5 pupils as volunteers.
Our two S5 Young Ambassadors of
Sport – Gemma Love 5BL and
James Tannerhill
with Sally Gunnell
James Tannerhill 5DM - joined a
team of sixty pupils from all over the
world, who assisted in the running of
the games. The volunteers were
there to assist and ensure the smooth
and professional running of the
Games in a great spirit of
competition and co-operation. They
had the opportunity to work with
young people from Africa, the
Middle East and South America in
the Athletics and Volleyball events as
part of the British Council’s
International Inspirations project.
Gemma and James worked daily
from 6.30am to 9pm and earned
great praise from the officials and
staff from the Youth Sports Trust
who ran the Games.
Both pupils had a wonderful time in
Cardiff finding time to visit the
Welsh Parliament, the Millennium
stadium and Cardiff town centre.
During the Games, Gemma was
asked to interview Olympic gold
medallist Denise Lewis on her
Heptathlon success, before Gemma
was herself interviewed by Channel
4! James got to meet Sally Gunnell
the 400m hurdles gold medal runner.
Gemma Love
with Denise Lewis
When Geography
Teacher Mr Moore
turned up to watch
the match between
Dunfermline Athletic
and Airdrie
U n i t e d , h e
watched as referee
Anthony Law injured
himself and
had to be carried
off East End Park
just three minutes
into the game. Assistant referee
Bryan Broadwood took over but
there was no fourth official to take
his place.
An appeal was broadcast asking if
there were any qualified referees in
the crowd, and up stepped Mr
Moore.
He was swiftly
whisked away
into the changing
rooms and
emerged 15
minutes later
clad in black,
holding an orange
and yellow
flag ready to
take on his biggest challenge.
“I normally referee kids and juvenile
games and have run the line in junior
football but this was a huge step up.
The pace of the game was something
else and high concentration levels
were needed at all times, I couldn’t
switch off. It was a dream come true
for me running the line in front of
the North West Stand where I have
watched Dunfermline since I was a
child. The sense of elation I felt running
out of the tunnel and getting a
standing ovation from the home
support was immense.”
“My message to all students at Newbattle
High would be to seize an opportunity
if it presents itself”
Your Newbattle Community High School...

Page 7
Newbattle News
Check out our website at www.newbattle.org.uk
Celebrating Success
In this issue, we continue our regular feature where we celebrate the successes of our pupils both within and
outside of school. If you are aware of any achievements that you think we should know about, contact Mr D
Watkins at the school using the contact information on the back page.
Alexander Duff 1FP has qualified to play for the
Scotland Under 12 team in Table Tennis, and was only
beaten in the national finals by the current British
Champion - Well Done!
Callum Duncan 2HP is a solo drum player and part of a
band. Before the summer, he came second in solo events
at competitions held at Craigmount High and Peebles
High; and third in a competition held at George Watson’s
School. He also came first in drumming and bass section
as a member of his band at a competition held in
Bathgate.
Connor McNealis 2HP is a skilled judo player, who has
participated in the Scottish Judo championships and many
other competitions.
Stuart Duncanson 6P played as part of the Lothian
Schools Seniors county football squad in their 6-1 Senior
National trophy win over Perth & Kinross on Tuesday
29 th September 2009.
Rory Maciver 3AM and Thomas Cordery 3KL were
selected for the East & Midlothian Under 15 county
football squad that played Edinburgh in the Under 15
National Trophy at Bonnyrigg on Monday 5 th October.
Calumn Bertram 6M achieved a bronze medal in the
Senior Boys’ event at the Midlothian Secondary Schools
Cross Country Championships on Tuesday 6 th October at
Gore Glen Park.
Bruce Lean 3HP was a winner of the 'Young Writer
Competition 2009' held during the summer holidays;
beating over 35,000 entries from pupils across the
country. Bruce’s poem “The Prison” was entered by Miss
Munro, his English teacher. Well done, Bruce!
Science Stars
Former Pupils
This year the Science department have launched a new
positive reward system called “Newbattle’s Science
Stars”. Each month every teacher in the department will
select one pupil who has been outstanding. They can be
rewarded for excellent work, fantastic answers in class,
great effort with homework or for going over and above
what is expected of them in Science lessons.
When a student becomes a Newbattle Science Star, their
name will appear on the Stars’ Notice Board. They will
also be rewarded with a certificate and a special Science
postcard will be sent home to notify their family of their
achievement.
This month’s stars were Darren McCraw (1FP), Rachel
McIntosh (1DM), Khloe Hodge (2KL), Sophie Alexander
(2CM), Lewis Bruce (3HP), Thomas Thomson
(3GP), Hayley Duncanson (3AM), Kieran McInulty
(4GP), Lyndsay McGregor (4JL) and Liam Caw (5FP).
Well done!
Former pupil, Sandra Flannery (née Higginson) (left
Newbattle 1975), has had a successful career teaching
Modern Languages. She now teaches French and Spanish
at George Watson’s College with a promoted post in
Guidance.
Former pupil, Gavin Suttie (left Newbattle 1986),
moved into sales on leaving school and then got Marketing
qualifications at Stevenson College. His career direction
changed in 1996 when he joined Northants Police
and while he didn’t intend to be a police officer he now
feels it is the job he was destined for. So far, Gavin has
had the opportunity to work on some excellent investigations
and has had four commendations. He is now a Detective
Sergeant working in CID.
Former pupil, Caroline Gilmour (left Newbattle 1996),
achieved an honours degree in Accounting at Napier
University and has been working in the financial services
industry. She has also continued on a musical path, having
just recorded her debut album ‘Someday’ which was
funded by a successful Edinburgh businessman. Caroline
has set up her own music management company
called Eclectic Therapy Music Management and holds
the position of Music Director at the company.
Our School of Ambition

Check out Your our Newbattle website Community at www.newbattle.org.uk
High School
Attainment and Achievement
More About Exams …
The 2009 SQA Exams leave us with a lot to be proud of. We
saw continuing improvement in many of the national target
categories. A notable achievement was an increase in
students gaining five or more General Awards by the end of
S4 – this against a Midlothian decrease in this measure. We
were pleased that the boys did as well as the girls! We are
gradually improving with Higher results although we still
have a way to go – significantly though, we continue to see
more of our students leaving with 5 or more Credit/
The garden area in our lower playground
had fallen into disrepair after a
contractor had dug it up to fix a
blocked drain. Thanks to the support
of Councillor Wilma Chalmers and
work carried out by Midlothian Council’s
Commercial Services we now have
a lovely garden with bench seating in
the middle of our playground.
Garden Of Remembrance
It was decided that we adopt the area as
a ‘Garden of Remembrance’, for all
who belong to the Newbattle CHS
community. On Thursday 19 th October
Mr David Hogg (former PT Modern
Languages) conducted a short dedication
service at the school. In his address
he said “Gardens are, of course,
places of real beauty and peace. In the
book of Genesis the Garden of Eden is
a symbol for God’s love and hope for
the world.”
We were all saddened recently by the
sudden death of Mr Robert Clark
(former PT Chemistry) and last year
when Ms Margaret Mackenzie (former
Modern Languages teacher) died.
Trees were planted in their memory
during the ceremony. An Acer was
chosen for Mr Clark. The word Acer
Intermediate 2 qualifications which will provide them with
much improved prospects in the job and further education
markets. A true highlight was the Advanced Higher results
with ALL candidates passing at this challenging level and
some really good grades as well – well done to the Art and
Design department and their students.
Our invigilation team report superb behaviour, manners and
effort from the candidates – well done all!
The Prelim season is about to start and before we know it
we will be into the 2010 SQA Exams – the cycle speeds on.
By G Moffat DHT
in Latin means ‘fierce’. We of course
know he was the gentlest of gentlemen,
but he was always fierce in his passion
for science and chemistry; and for education
in its broadest sense.
A Rowan tree was chosen for Ms
McKenzie. The Rowan is held in especial
esteem in the Scottish Highlands
and Margaret’s family come originally
from the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides.
The Rowan’s constant presence reassures
a household and Margaret’s was
always a reassuring presence here.
It was fitting that Mr Clark and Ms
Mackenzie, two very loyal and dedicated
teachers were the first to be honoured
in our ‘Garden of Remembrance’.
Values For Life
Trust – to feel confident and secure by building relationships based on honesty and fairness
Respect – to be considerate of the needs, wishes and feelings of others as well as your own worth
Perseverance – continued determination to succeed and never give up in spite of difficulties
Responsibility – making informed decisions and being accountable for your own actions
Humour – maintain a positive outlook on life even in the face of adversity
Focus – concentrate fully on the task in hand and avoid distractions
Newbattle Community
High School
64 Easthouses Road
Dalkeith
Midlothian
EH22 4EW
Telephone 0131 663 4191
Fax 0131 654 2611
Email newbattle_ hs@midlothian.gov.uk
Website www.newbattle.org.uk
Return to school Wednesday 6th January 2010
Your Our Newbattle School Community of Ambition High School...