Warm Reception - Prince Henrys Grammar School

Ten years at the topAS all of you know, I will be leaving PrinceHenry’s at Christmas after almost ten yearsas Headteacher.My time at the school has been among some ofthe most rewarding and successful of my career. Thepupils at Prince Henry’s have made every day a joy.Their enthusiasm for learning, and their involvementin the many extra-curricular activities, is what makesthe school one of the richest in the north of England.I shall miss the school and the many very talentedcolleagues I have worked with over the past decade,but I know the ideas, experiences and successes willtravel with me to my new post in Kingston upon Hull.I’m also proud of the school’s work with others,often in less fortunate situations, which has receivednational recognition.I would like to wish everyone atPrince Henry’s every success in the years to come.John Steel, HeadteacherLeaving school:Headteacher John Steel.Historic celebrationON July 4th, we held a celebration dinner to mark the 400 years thatthis school has been educating the young people of Otley.Our keynote speaker, Greg Mulholland MP, talked eloquently aboutthe history and tradition of Prince Henry’s.The food was expertly prepared and served by our chef andcatering staff. Many former students and staff attended, and we wereoverwhelmed by the number of compliments we received.As the school celebrates its 400th anniversary,we take a look at some of our outstandingsuccess storiesGlobalrecognitionWITH partner schools in a dozencountries and 15 annual tripsabroad, it is no surprise thatPrince Henry’s recently becamethe first high school in thearea to achieve the prestigiousInternational School Award forthe second time.This has now become adouble celebration, with theannouncement that PrinceHenry’s is also the first highschool in the whole countryto receive the Global SchoolAward at Level 3, anotheraccolade, which recognises ourcommitment to developing aninternational ethos throughoutthe school.Royal visit: HRHThe Duke of Kentopened the newScience building.Pride in ourBuilding for the futureHRH The Duke of Kentofficially opened the HindleScience Building in July.The building is namedafter Walter HargreavesHindle, who was a formerstudent, and whosegenerous bequest hassupported Sciencestudents for many years.The new block housesthe latest technologyand is highly energyefficient, benefitingfrom both solar powerand thermal glassto supplement moretraditional energysources.A new reception areaprovides an excellent environment togreet the many people who visit usfrom all over the world. An extensivedisplay facility also enables us to exhibitour many sporting trophies alongsideexamples of students’ work and giftsfrom our foreign partners.achievementsBiology lesson: StephanieGrange, Year 10, in one ofthe new Science labs.Art awardTHE Art Department recently received the nationallyrecognised ‘Good Schools Award’ for the second yearrunning. The award was achieved at A-level, with particularattention focused on raising boys’ achievement.Curriculum Leader for Art Shane Green said: “TheArt Department recognises that an excellent workingrelationship of mutual respect and a passion for creativityare the main factors behind this achievement andcongratulates all students who make up our A-level course,Chinese exchangeA GROUP of Year 10 pupils recentlyvisited Xuejun High School inHangzhou, our partner school in China.The link was established in 2001.Since then, more than 80 pupils andstaff have taken part in the exchange.Assistant Headteacher Delia Orton,who accompanied this year’s groupwith Trevor Davidson, Head of SixthForm, said: “This unique opportunityallowed pupils to live with a Chinesefamily and take part in a school daywith their exchange partner. We wereable to experience a completelydifferent culture, and the visits to theChina Tea Museum, Tianmu Mountain,Six Harmonious Pagoda and the WestLake were awe inspiring.”both past and present.”4 Creative passion: Sixth Form Art students Andrew5Mulligan, Asis Patel, Alex Lunn and Matthew Johnson.Taste of China: Louise Mitchell, Stefan Epler-Snow, AndrewCook, Alice Humphrys and Rosanna Bellini, Year 10.

Spotlight on Media StudiesPostcard from DurbanPUPILS studying GCSE Geography recently visitedDurban in South Africa.The trip included time working in our partnerschool, Earlington, in the Phoenix township area, anda visit from the Education Minister for Kwa-Zulu Natal.The pupils also did some sightseeing, including tripsto U-Shaka Zulu theme park, Kwa-Marshu (a large ‘blacktownship’) and a safari to the Hluhluwe Game Reserve.Teacher June Brighouse said: “In Kwa-Marshu wesaw at first hand the stereotypical, informal settlement.Our guide stressed that it is the future that is important,rather than the inequities of the past. We saw housesbeing upgraded and new houses being built. At theArt Centre, they invited us to try ‘walky-talky’, astew made of chicken heads and feet. But theywere also working on e-Mac computers. This kindof juxtaposition is evident everywhere.”On your marks!YEAR 8 pupils recently took part in a crosscurricularActivity Day on the theme of the2012 Olympic Games in London.Pupils were involved in designing OlympicthemedT-shirts, sports drinks, nutritionalsports bars and kites, as well as taking part indrama productions.Year 8 will be taking their GCSE examinationsin 2012, so the purpose of the day was to raiseawareness that exam preparation is essential,in a similar way to the athletes who willcompete for our country in 2012.A small group of pupils also designed anemblem that now represents Year 8 (PracticeHonours Great Success).PUPILS taking Media Studies at Prince Henry’shave the opportunity to take part in a variety ofstimulating activities.It is not surprising, therefore, that Media Studiesstudent Rowan Purvis has achieved one of the topten marks in the country for Applied Media A-level.Media Studies pupils, including the 15 studentswho have signed up for the new Film Studies A-levelcourse, now also have access to the new videoediting suite.Meanwhile, GCSE pupils recently spent the dayat the Derek Fatchett City Learning Centre takingworkshops in video production, digital photography,chroma key technology and special effects make-up.Year 11 BTEC pupils are also completing theiranimation project to promote healthy lifestyles usingplasticine models, which will be shown to localprimary schools.Last but not least, Curriculum Leader Sian Ellishas started the CISCO IT Essentials course, run bythe school’s ICT technicians, with a small group ofYear 12 students.Picture of good health: Jordan Brownand Joshua Whitley, Year 11, withtheir plasticine animation models.Love of EnglishliteratureIN September, 21 pupils in Years 7 and8 met the children’s author MichaelMorpurgo at Leeds Town Hall, at anevent celebrating the National Year ofReading. The former children’s laureatetalked about some of his fantastic stories,including his new book Kasper: Princeof Cats. The event, held in the beautifulgrandeur of the Victorian hall, also markedthe opening of Leeds Town Hall by QueenVictoria 150 years ago.In July, more than 30 students studyingAS English Literature spent a day inHaworth visiting the BronteParsonage Museum andwalking in the footstepsof the Bronte sisters.Back at school, thestudents deliveredpresentations toeach other onmodern writersand significantperiods in EnglishLiterature.Climbers rise tothe challengeTHE newly formed Climbing Clubtakes more than 30 pupils to theLeeds Wall each Tuesday evening.They are learning rope workand techniques from theinstructorsand testingthemselves byclimbing theoverhangs.HannahDavidson in Year11 said: “It’s greatfun doing achallenging anddifferent sportwith yourfriends.”Force forpositive changeIN September, Sixth Form studentsAnnabelle Oddy, Emma Eglington andShahnoor Amin accompanied teacherJulia Alltoft to the PeaceJam Global Callto Action conference in Los Angeles.More than 2,000 young people fromaround the world joined six NobelPeace Prize winners at the conference,the aim of PeaceJam being to inspireyoung people in their own projects.Our students were privileged topresent a film made by the PrinceHenry’s Amnesty International Groupto Desmond Tutu.Library aids learningTHE school Library gives pupils theopportunity to explore a wide varietyof interests.More than 20 pupils in Years 7 to 10meet there after school on Tuesdays totake part in the re-launched WargamingClub. Contact Mr Colliard if you areinterested in creating and paintingminiatures used to fight exciting fantasyand sci-fi battles.Chess Club tournaments also run everyInspirational meeting: Shahnoor Amin, Year 12,and Annabelle Oddy and Emma Eglington, Year13, with teacher Julia Alltoft and Rehana Minhasfrom Education Leeds with Desmond Tutu.War games: David Ohren, Scott Mondon, Owain Hughes, LouisTucker and Zack Leather, Year 7, with teacher Ben Colliard.Wednesday lunchtime for pupils inYears 7 and 8.Last half-term, the Information Librarypurchased a wide range of books with amathematical theme, ranging from worksof fiction such as The Number Devil, tothose that may help you to improve yourskills, like Math Doesn’t Suck. If you thinkthat Maths and Literature don’t mix, whynot borrow one of these books and findout for yourself?Science underthe microscopeFORTY Gifted and Talentedpupils in Year 9 took part in ascientific workshop, organisedby the Biology Department.Pupils had the opportunityto develop essential practicalskills relating to microscopy, andto learn about historical eventsleading to the development oflight and electron microscopes.Meanwhile, A2 Biologystudents took part in the annualBiology field trip to Boggle Holeand Robin Hood’s Bay wherethey collected data for their A2statistics module.6 7

WE ARE A LEEDS INCLUSIVESports starsWE are proud of the individual sporting achievements of ourpupils, and former students. These include:• Lizzie Armitstead, formerstudent – three times goldmedallist in the World TrackCycling Championships• Richard Rhodes – selectedfor England U18s rugby squad• Ellie Hargreaves – U14Yorkshire basketballdevelopment squad• Amy Quinn, Karmen Luu,Julia Craggs, HannahBrearley and Alex Parkin –Leeds Schools U13 netballsquad• Ellie Hargreaves, EllieBarker, Ellie Preston andOlivia Coyle – Leeds SchoolsU14 netball squad• Beth Firth and Holly Cooper– U14 West Yorkshire netballsquad• Zoe Coates (U16), EllaRembacken and RachelTill (U14) – selected WestYorkshire hockey squad• Danny Care, former student– first choice scrum half forEngland• Adam Kerridge – U16 Britishkarate (kumite) championNational player:Richard Rhodes,Year 13.Joining the squad: EllieBarker, Ellie Hargreaves,Ellie Preston, Beth Firth andOlivia Coyle, Year 9.Top selection: Zoe Coates, Year 11, andRachel Till and Ella Rembacken, Year 10.Sports in brief• This year’s Sports Prefects are Zoe Coates, Richard Goakes, AndrewMajor, Casey Brownbill, Jo Hargreaves and David Amos.• The Club Captains are Stephen and Stuart Costello (rugby), RiaRembacken (netball), Rianne Woodham (cross-country), Nicc Hewitt(football) and George Huntley (cricket).• Key Stage 4 Dance groups are leading successful Dance sessions foryounger pupils at The Whartons Primary School.• The NVQ rugby team beat fellow ‘Academy’ side Sale 15-13 in anailbiting match.Kitted outTHE Year 10 football team is sporting new kit, thanks tothe generous sponsorship of Jeremy Leeds of the ParksideHotel, who is the father of Year 10 pupil James Leeds.Dean Hyam, manager of the Year 10 football team,commented: “The boys really look the part in their new kit,and hopefully they will have a successful season.”• U13 and U14 netballers have secured their position for the thirdconsecutive year as Leeds Schools Invitation Tournament Champions.• All four rugby teams beat Sedburgh in a recent fixture.• The 1st XV rugby squad drew 21-21 with The Grammar School at Leedsand go through to the next round of the Daily Mail Cup on the away rule.• The cross-country squads started the season well with pupils in Years7 and 8 gaining first or second place.SCHOOLPrince Henry’s Grammar SchoolSPECIALIST LANGUAGE COLLEGEFarnley Lane,Otley,West YorkshireLS21 2BBTel: (01943) 463524Fax: (01943) 850978Website: www.princehenrys.co.ukINVIEWEditorial Co-ordinator: Alison Kilmartin,assisted by Alice Booth.inview is producedby Words&Pictures.Tel: 01943 854800.