N E W S L E T T E R No. 246 15 June 2012 - The Perse School

N E W S L E T T E R No. 246 15 June 2012Dear ParentsThis has been a busy week with pupils in Years 7-10 receiving feedback on their summer exams, pupilsin Years 11 and the U6th continuing with public exams, and L6th formers benefiting from the first of twouniversity admissions preparation days. It has been known for students to drop down a few gears postexams, but it is important that everyone maintains their efforts until the end of term. The importantoutcome of internal exams is not the mark gained but the lessons learnt, and in particular how toimprove subject knowledge and examination technique for the future. Once the exam feedbackprocess is complete there is still much to be done with overseas trips (Year 8 to France, Y11 toSweden), the Music Competition, the Spanish Exchange, Y11 Careers placements, L6th universityopen days, and the post examination resumption of sports fixtures. This is also the time when free fromthe confines of exam specifications, teachers will encourage pupils to undertake independent learningactivities and fieldwork (the Year 8’s were investigating whether Cambridge is a clone or home towntoday).The Perse is an ambitious school and does not stand still. I am pleased to be able to update you on anumber of improvements and new initiatives.This summer will see the completion of two major works currently in progress - the upgrading andextension to the Outdoor Pursuits Centre by the Luard Road entrance, and the construction of a fullsizedall weather pitch on the Porson Road playing field to be shared between the Prep and the Upper.Other works that will be undertaken at the Upper School over the summer include: improvements to theMacfarlane Grieve building to create a new meeting/seminar room; installation of the Public Artsculpture at the front of the school; completion of the new fencing and security systems; upgrading andrepositioning of older sports and book lockers, and the addition of more bag racks; the separation ofweight training facilities from the fitness suite to create more training space; and refurbishment ofclassrooms.We have also submitted, or are about to submit, planning applications to extend to the Margaret Stubbsbuilding to create a modern pavilion and build additional netball and tennis courts which can also beused for informal play.From September 2012 the Perse will be introducing a new House System as a vehicle for enhancedextra-curricular competition and to create further opportunities for pupil leadership within the School.Pupils in Years 7 to 11 will be allocated to one of eight houses, and Sixth Form are encouraged to applyfor membership if they would like to become involved.For the academic year 2012/13 there will be competitions in shooting, public speaking, generalknowledge, maths, science and a variety of music, sporting and drama events held largely duringregular lunchtime slots. The competitions are designed to be inclusive and house points will be awardedto reflect not only the widest variety of talents but also for participation.Current pupils will be told which house they are in on Thursday 28 th June, and they will compete inthese houses for the athletics competition on Thursday 5 th July.The Houses, and the Heads of House are as follows:Northwold Yales Mr P AndersonPendeen Dragons Dr K NicksonGonville Griffins Dr M LimMecklenburgh Unicorns Mr B ParkerLithburn Eagles Miss K Rich*

Bateman BullsGlebe FalconsLangdale LionsMr J Young*Mrs J GemmellMiss J Clarkson* Miss Rich and Mr Young will join The Perse staff in September from King Edward’s, Bath and TrinitySchool, Croydon respectively. We congratulate Miss Smith on her marriage and she has become MrsGemmell.Pastoral support and academic monitoring will remain the primary duty of the form tutor supported bythe Head of Year and Head of Section.We are reviewing our approach to both Digital Literacy (software skills) and Computer Science. Wewant our pupils to have both the application skills and underlying scientific and mathematical knowledgeto succeed in an increasingly hi-tech world. We are very pleased to announce that, from September,we will be offering students an opportunity to improve and certificate their Digital Literacy skills with anup to date and industry-valued range of certifications provided by Microsoft, Adobe and others. Theschool will provide access to independent e-learning resources for these courses and has registered asa Certiport testing centre in order to offer, for a subsidised test fee, regular online testing opportunities.We will be encouraging students to look to achieve at least one certificate a year in their e-portfolio.I congratulate the following who have been elected to the roles of Head of School and Senior Prefect.They will lead a team of 50 prefects, who supported by Mrs Hague and Mr Kinsey perform an array ofimportant pastoral, extracurricular and administrative tasks. The prefects are a key part of the 11-18glue that binds the school together, and the examples they set and the care they show towards youngerpupils are central to our pastoral provision.Heads of SchoolJamie GardinerEloise WilsonSenior PrefectsLesley ArendsAoife CantrillHugh ChatfieldTheo ClarkEmilia DemetriadesAlex FanourakisRoshan ForouhiLizzie GauntFinally we wish our Junior General Knowledge team well as they depart for Hereford Cathedral Schoolto defend their title as National Champions. The team did very well to beat Dulwich by 860 points to590 in the inter-regional round.Yours sincerelyEdward ElliottValeteWe say farewell to the following staff at the end of the 2011-12 academic year. Dr Christopher Pyleleaves to become Headmaster of Lancaster Royal Grammar School; he is the seventh Perse teacher tohave secured a headship in the last seven years. Mr Stephen Kern, Dr Bill Stevenson and Mr DavidDaniels retire after 34, 23 and 22 years respectively of exceptionally distinguished service. MrGraveston is also retiring from full time teaching, although we hope to see him refereeing future rugbyfixtures. Mr Kyle McLean is returning to his home in New Zealand, Mr O’Grady is becoming aprofessional musician, whilst Miss Hunt leaves us to study for a PGCE. Best wishes to all.

I am sure you will all join me in wishing Mrs Pullen, Head of French, well. She is away from schoolreceiving treatment for cancer. During her absence, Mrs Bousquet will cover many of her classes. Wealso wish Miss Phemollant and Miss Lanagan well as they commence their respective periods ofmaternity leave at the end of term.SalveteWe welcome the following new members of the teaching staff who will join The Perse in September2012.Miss Jane Aston is joining the Mathematics Department after graduating from Trinity College,Cambridge. She has spent the last year working on her Masters of Mathematics which has involvedcollaborating on a project to create interactive A level Mathematics resources with the University ofLeicester.Mr Guy Couper-Marsh is joining the Biology department from the King’s School, Ely where he iscurrently teaching Biology, Physics and Psychology. He graduated from the University of Aberdeen andspent six years as an officer in the Royal Engineers before entering the teaching profession. He will beteaching Biology and assisting in the school’s CCF.Dr Greg Davies is joining the school as the Head of Mathematics from RGS, Guildford. He graduatedfrom the University of Durham and completed his PhD at the University of Oxford. He will lead theMaths department and contribute to the games and outdoor pursuits programme.Miss Alice Ford is currently completing her English Language and Literature degree at Keble College,Oxford. She has a keen interest in Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama and she has extensivedebating experience through the Oxford Union. She will be teaching English, Drama and girls’ sport.Mr Matthew Fox recently graduated in Geography from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. In the pasttwo years he has worked as Church Assistant and been a leader on numerous Lymington RushmoreChristian Holidays. He will be teaching Geography and assisting in the school’s CCF, Duke ofEdinburgh Award Scheme and the games programme.Dr Holly Hedgeland is currently teaching Mathematics at Winchester College and she will be joining theMaths and Physics departments. She graduated from Downing College, Cambridge and completed herPhD in Surface Physics. She was a Teaching Fellow at Robinson College and is a qualified rowingcoach.Miss Philippa Mitchell has recently graduated from the University of Bath in Coach Education andSports Development and she is currently completing her PGCE before joining the PE and Gamesdepartment. She is a National League and West of England hockey player and she has played netball,squash, cricket and tennis to a high standard.Mrs Sarah Owen is currently teaching Mathematics at Longsands Academy, St Neots. She graduatedfrom Queen’s University Belfast and completed her PGCE at the University of Cambridge. She is aqualified swimming teacher and former competitive national and international club level swimmer.Ms Alice Pinches is joining the Mathematics Department from Luckley-Oakfield School, Berkshirewhere she is currently Head of Mathematics. She graduated from the University of Wales in ComputerSystems and she will be teaching Mathematics and helping to develop our Digital Literacy andComputer Science courses.Miss Katherine Rich is currently teaching History and Politics at King Edward’s School, Bath and shewill be joining the History department. She graduated from the University of Birmingham and completedher Masters of Contemporary History at the University of Bristol. She has run numerous overseashistory trips and she is a fitness, gym and dance enthusiast.Miss Chloe Riley has recently graduated from the University of Warwick and she is currently completingher PGCE in English and Drama at the University of Cambridge. She plays competitive league netballto a high standard and will teach English and Drama and games.

Mr Liam St John is currently teaching at Prior Park College, Bath and he will be joining the PE andGames department as the Head of Rugby. He graduated from the University of Loughborough and herecently completed the RFU Level 3 coaching qualification. He will take responsibility for developingrugby alongside teaching PE and games.Mr Ben Wingfield is currently teaching at St Edward’s School, Oxford after recently graduating fromUniversity College, Oxford where he was an Organ Scholar. He is highly qualified in playing the pianoand the flute and he has directed several musical stage productions including West Side Story. He is amulti talented musician, singer and performer and he will be joining the Music department.Mr Jon Young is currently teaching at Trinity School, Croydon. He graduated from Jesus College,Cambridge in Economics and spent some time working at Lloyds TSB and with the Treasury SelectCommittee as an Economics Specialist. He is a joining the Economics department and he will also beteaching Mathematics, basketball and football.We are also currently recruiting for a School Counsellor to further strengthen our pastoral provision, anOral Language Teacher for French and a part time teacher of Art and Design.Speech Day – Saturday 30 th JuneParents are reminded that Saturday 30 th June is Speech Day. All pupils in Years 7, 9 and Lower Sixthare expected to attend together with all prize winners and performers. Pupil registration will occur at9.50am and pupils are required to wear full school uniform. Parents are very welcome. The Hall doorsopen at 9.30am and seating is allocated on a first come first served basis. Prizegiving starts at 10.30and will finish around 12 noon. The formal proceedings are followed by a drinks reception andbarbeque on the school field. There will be no parking in the school grounds.Sun screenEd WisemanA reminder that pupils should use sun screen during summer months, when outside. Pupils shouldbring in their own sun screen and be responsible for its application - they were made aware of this in anassembly before half-term. Please see the attached notice for further information.Madingley Road Park and Ride – School ShuttleHelen ParkhouseThe School is considering running a Minibus Shuttle from the Madingley Road Park and Ride Site to thePrep and Upper Schools from September 2012.The Service would run each morning, Monday to Friday. As with the other ShuttleServices run by the Perse, Parents would be asked to book a term at a time, and asmall charge would be made for the service (currently £25 per child per term).The provision of this service is dependent on a viable number of pupils using it. If you would beinterested the service please would you register this interest by contacting Helen Parkhouse – AssistantBursar by Friday 22 nd June 2012. Many thanks.e-mail: assistantbursar@perse.co.ukPhone: (via the Upper School Switchboard) 01223 403800CateringMel Challis

A special lunch was provided to the pupils as they finished for half term and Jubilee celebrations. Theservery was covered in bunting and union jack flags. Battered fish and British Bangers with chips wereserved from our own takeaway, wrapped in paper with Queen of Puddings served for dessert along withstriped red, white and blue jellies and themed yoghurts with crowns on top.English and DramaChris GreenPlease join us for our final production of the year: the Summer Drama Soiree (Jubilation!) - Friday 15June at 7.00pm in the Lecture Theatre. Some tickets will be available on the door. Refreshments will beserved.MusicCongratulations to the following pupils on their achievements:Gavin RichardsAlex Scott (Year 9) on winning a place in the prestigious Britten Sinfonia Academy;James Keeling (Year 9) on receiving a Highly Commended Award for his composition in the 13-15 AgeCategory of the Cambridge Young Composer of the Year competition.William Aitchison (Lower 6) for performing an excellent recital of Bruch, Beethoven and Bach in theDepartment this week.It is always a pleasure to hear of pupil achievements outside of the School – please do continue to keepthe Department informed.We welcome Mrs Helen Norman to the role of Music Administrator. Helen joins us from the PelicanSchool and I am delighted to welcome her to the Department – she is likely to be your primary initialcontact point into the Department when emailing/telephoning.There are a number of events taking place in the final three weeks – in fact there are eighteen separateevents/functions between now and the end of term for which music will either be fundamentally involvedor be playing a role.The main forthcoming performances are the Music Competition (Tuesday 19 th and Wednesday 20 thJune, with a prize-winners’ concert at 7.00pm on the Wednesday) and then two Year 7-10 concertsprimarily for ensemble music (Part I on Tuesday 26 th June and Part II on Monday 2 nd July). Full detailsof all these events have been circulated to all Year 7-10 parents and you are of course warmly invited.Daniel Jackson in Year 10 will be giving a lunchtime recital in the Music Department at 1.20pm onTuesday 3 rd July.I hope to welcome you to a musical event during this half of term.Forthcoming EventsJun Sa 16 10:00 Public Art Workshop with Andrew Tanser 'Carving'.Mo 18 WEEK BYear 11 Careers Experience Placement WeekYear 8 & 9 Team Maths National Final13:00 Pelican Sports Day - reserve day (at the Upper)14:00 New Prefect Training19:00 Iceland Trip Briefing MeetingTu 19 09:00 Perse Music Competition - Year 7 and 8 inc evening concert14:00 HPQ Presentation14:30 Spanish Exchange16:15 Public Art Workshop with Andrew Tanser 'Soap Stone carving'.17:30 Addenbrookes Garden Party - Wind Band 2 members performing offsitetbcWe 20 09:00 Perse Music Competition - Year 9 and 1011:30 Year 11 Book ReturnsTh 21 Year 11 Career Placements05:00 Year 8 French Trip

Health and SafetyExecutiveKeep your top onHealth risks from working in the sunKEEP YOURTOP ONHealth risks from working in the sunAdvice for outdoor workers from theHealth and Safety Executive and the HealthDepartments in England, Scotland and WalesThis is a web-friendlyversion of leafletINDG147(rev1), reprinted03/07Advice for outdoor workers from the Health and SafetyExecutive and the Health Departments in England,Scotland and WalesA sunny day makes most of us feel good, but too much sunlight can be hardon the skin. It is not simply sudden exposure while on holiday that is harmful.Even a tan that has been built up gradually can be harmful to health. A tan isa sign that the skin has been damaged.The problem is caused by the ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight. People whosejob keeps them outdoors for a long time, such as farm or building siteworkers, market gardeners, outdoor activity workers and some public serviceworkers could get more sun on their skin than is healthy for them. Suchpeople can be at greater risk of skin cancer. This leaflet provides some basicinformation to help you protect yourself.What are the dangers?In the short term...sunburn can blister your skin and make it peel, but even mild reddening is a sign ofskin damage.In the long term...too much sun will speed up the ageing of your skin, making it leathery, mottled andwrinkled, but the most serious effect is an increased chance of developing skincancer.Abnormal reactions to sunlightSome medicines, contact with some chemicals used at work (such as dyes, woodpreservatives, coal-tar and pitch products), and contact with some plants, canmake your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Your works doctor or family doctorshould be able to advise you further. Take this leaflet with you.Who is at risk of skin cancer?Some people are more liable to skin cancers than others. People with white skinare at most risk. Take particular care if you have:■■fair or freckled skin that doesn’t tan, or goes red or burns before it tans;red or fair hair and light coloured eyes;1 of 3 pages

Health and SafetyExecutive■a large number of moles - 50 or more.Workers of Asian or Afro-Caribbean origin are less at risk, but they should still takecare in the sun to avoid damage to eyes, skin ageing and dehydration.What can I do to protect myself?Even if your skin is not fair and freckled, you should still be particularly careful whileyou are working out of doors in the summer in the three or four hours aroundmidday. The sun is most intense at these times. Even on cloudy days, UV can filterthrough.Some Dos and Don’ts to avoid the dangers are:■■■■■Do try to avoid the mild reddening which is a sign of skin damage as well asbeing an early sign of burning.Do try to work and take your breaks in the shade if you can - this will reduceyour risk of harming your skin and also help to keep you cool.Do continue to take care when you go on holiday - your skin remembers everyexposure.Don’t be complacent; get to know your skin’s most vulnerable areas (eg backof neck, head) and keep them covered.Don’t try to get a tan - it’s not a healthy sign. It might look good but it indicatesthat the skin has already been damaged. A suntan does not eliminate the longtermcancer risk which is associated with prolonged exposure to the sun; norwill it protect against premature ageing.ClothingCover up. Ordinary clothing made from close-woven fabric, such as a long-sleevedworkshirt and jeans, will stop most of the UV.Wear a hat. A wide-brimmed hat will shade your face and head, the areas whichsuffer most from sunlight. A safety helmet will provide some shade for the head.A hanging flap can protect the back of your neck.Keep your shirt or other top on, especially while you are working around midday.Don’t be tempted to leave it off, even if your skin tans easily and does not burn.SunscreensHats and other clothing are the best form of protection, but sunscreen creams andlotions can add useful protection for parts of your body that are not easy to shadefrom the sun. Look for a sun protection factor (SPF) rating of 15 or more as itprotects against UVA and UVB.Read the supplier’s instructions on how it should be applied. Don’t forget thebacks of your hands.Check your skinThe first warning sign is often a small scabby spot which does not clear after a fewweeks. Look for changed or newly formed moles or any skin discolouration. It isnormal for new moles to appear until you are about 18 years old. As an adult youKeep your top on2 of 3 pages

Health and SafetyExecutiveshould pay particular attention to any growths which appear on the face, especiallyaround the nose and eyes, or on the backs of the hands; you should show yourdoctor any moles which change in size, colour, shape or start to bleed.If you notice any of these signs consult your own doctor, or your works medicaldepartment if you have one. Show them this leaflet and explain that you have anoutdoor job.Fortunately most of these signs will be harmless, but medical checks may beneeded to be sure. Even if a spot is cancerous, simple modern treatments canusually cure it and most don’t spread to other parts of the body. The smaller thespot the easier it is to cure. So don’t put off going to the doctor when you knowyou should.If you have any kind of medical check-up tell the doctor that you have an outdoorjob and ask if there are any suspicious signs on your skin.Don’t delay. If you think something might be wrong get it looked at quickly.More information on sun protection is available on Cancer Research UK’s Sunsmartwebsite www.sunsmart.org.uk.For information about health and safety, or to report inconsistencies or inaccuraciesin this guidance, visit www.hse.gov.uk/. You can view HSE guidance online andorder priced publications from the website. HSE priced publications are alsoavailable from bookshops.This leaflet is available in priced packs of 20 from HSE Books,ISBN 978 0 7176 1578 0. Single copies are free and a web version can be foundat www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg147.pdf.This leaflet contains notes on good practice which are not compulsory butwhich you may find helpful in considering what you need to do.© Crown copyright If you wish to reuse this information visitwww.hse.gov.uk/copyright.htm for details. First published 6/98.Published by the Health and Safety Executive INDG147(rev1) 09/113 of 3 pages