JULY 2014

SUMMERHILL SCHOOL

SCOOP

Dear Parents This has been another very pleasing year for Summerhill School, with success in many areas of school life. I am very delighted to report that Summerhill has recently gained a significant national award: The Quality in Careers Service Award, as validated by the DfE. There is an article on this on page 13. The assessor stated that there is “gold standard and then there is the Summerhill standard beyond that!” My thanks go to all the staff involved in this achievement. Our aim is that Summerhill students develop the qualities and qualifications they need for their future: excellent careers provision will help them to make the right choices along the way. Success within the school continues at all levels: our sports teams have done brilliantly this year, the Year 7 and 8 teams swept the board at the recent Dudley Book Quiz event and the Year 8 Charity Week raised thousands of pounds for local charities. The recent induction days for our incoming Year 7 students went very smoothly, thanks in part to the excellent organisation of the new Head Girl and Head Boy team of Megan and Stephen, who organised teams of senior students to great effect. This is Summerhill pastoral care in action!

INSIDE SCOOP:

At the end of a school year I can look back with pride in the way staff and students have held onto our core values as a school: the importance of hard work and courtesy, a broad taught curriculum which encourages a range of skills, a huge range of extra curricular activities designed to engage students in their learning (such as trips and visits, music, sport and drama) and the pursuit of high academic standards. We have done this for many years now and we will continue to do so. Term begins again for students on Wednesday 3 September, but in the meantime I wish you all a restful summer break.

Mr B Warren Headteacher

• PARIS AND NORMANDY TRIP

• SKI TRIP

• SPORT ACHIEVERS

• PLUS MUCH MORE

PARIS AND NORMANDY TRIP

Waking up at 4.00 am isn’t usually the best start to a morning unless you’re getting up to go to France for a week with your friends. As we got to school the excitement was growing and the coach arrived soon after. And what a coach…luxury…. and Jim the driver who was great all week. We travelled to Dover, stopping off at the services for an early breakfast. Jim managed to get us on an earlier ferry so we didn’t have to wait long. We boarded the ferry at 10.00 am which was about 2 hours earlier than planned but we were on our way to France. A beautiful day and a calm crossing were just what we wanted. Time to explore and buy some food but before we knew it we were there and the call came to meet so we could get back on our coach.

FROGS’ LEGS!

La France….voilà…ooh la la !! Calais …..Amiens… l’Autoroute…..et Paris !! We travelled to our hotel and because we were early we were able to check in and then go and play on the field. Dinner was self service and plenty of it. We went into the classroom after dinner and looked at our workbooks to see what we were doing the next day. We had to be down for breakfast at 7.30 am but soon tucked in to cereal, fruit, croissants, orange juice and hot drinks. The first day we went to the Sacré Coeur and our first chance to use our French as we wandered round the old artist square of the Place du Tertre. So French and quaint ..people being drawn or painted, the café serving coffee and pastries.

SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE PALATABLE

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PARIS AND NORMANDY TRIP As we came back to the Sacré Coeur we saw the procession for Palm Sunday and remembered how important this day was. On to the Place de la Concorde and lunch in the Tuileries Gardens. A walk up the Champs Elysées looking at all the fabulous shops and, for the boys mainly, the PSG shop. We enjoyed the Disney one and the fashion shops. The places were amazing and interesting but so expensive. At the Arc de Triomphe we looked down the Champs Elysées and could see the Eiffel Tower.. it’s so big. Dinner back at the hotel and time to fill in our workbooks. The second day was awesome as we climbed the steps of the Eiffel Tower and went on the River Seine on a boat. So many bridges and one with padlocks all over it. We were sad to leave Paris but we packed our cases and got ready for Normandy. Day 4 was travel day but the coach journey was good because we stopped for a picnic lunch and got to watch a DVD and sleep. Normandy was much calmer but the weather was brilliant all week. The 360° Cinema and the Museum in Arromanches made us think about the D Day Landings and this all came back to us last month when we watched the 70th Anniversary on the television. It was sad when we went to the American and British cemeteries and saw all the names and how some came from where we live. At the end of the day we had a greater understanding of the sacrifices made by our brave servicemen at that time. The second day in Normandy started with a visit to the Bayeux Tapestry and the other invasion in 1066. We were each given a picture and we had to find it on the tapestry. Free time in Bayeux for shopping followed and then on to a Boulangerie where we were entertained by Eric the Dutch man who started by playing the drums and making us listen to him in French. All of the instructions were in French but we got it and started to make the dough for the bread. Whilst our bread was baking we went to see his animals, horses, goats, dogs and ducks. It was a fabulous experience and we all came away with our baguettes…some of us couldn’t resist eating them. The Château du Baffy where we stayed was incredible. We were served at the table by waiters and even got to try frogs’ legs and snails and nearly everybody tried them. We were able to dress up for dinner and the gardens were huge to play in. There was a football pitch and we could sit out and have drinks and use our

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PARIS AND NORMANDY ? TRIP

phones and ipads if we wanted. We played bingo and did quizzes in the classroom. The last day arrived and we sadly had to pack our cases. Time for a last photo outside the Château then off to Caen…but not before we got the chance to do some shopping at a huge Hypermarket. On the ferry we had our own lounge and some of us went to the cinema and others , mainly the boys, built Lego models. Before we knew it Porstmouth was there and a beautiful week in France was coming to an end. Tired and sleepy we arrived back at Summerhill at 1.00 am but still had time to tell our parents about the trip. Thanks to Mr Bratt for his organisation and talks, Mr Walton for his help and photos, Miss Bentley for helping us to enjoy every minute and Mrs Jones for her support, first aid and making us feel guilty when she got up every day to go for a run !! Thanks to Jim the driver because he was awesome. This was a trip I will never forget. Merci, La France et merci Summerhill. Emily Dunn-Bartlett 8E

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PARIS AND NORMANDY TRIP I liked the sights all around Paris and I loved Normandy… the Château was so old but beautiful. The food was delicious. I loved the bread making at the farm ( I also liked playing with the dog there) I didn’t really like the travelling because it was such a long way ! Eve

The gravestones in the Cemetery because of the way they were set out.. it brought home the impact of so many people dying for us. Sophie

Mitchell The thing I enjoyed most was being with my friends for a week and going to different places. I loved climbing the Eiffel Tower and looking at the view. It was awesome. I learnt a lot about the War too and how big a role France played in it. What impressed me too was how many steps there were up the Eiffel Tower. The ferry back was luxury..just like the coach. Emelia

I learnt that the French don’t have garlic hung round their neck…and the thing I enjoyed most was the WW2 stuff because of the history behind it.

The best part was the Château du Baffy. It was fancy and huge. I liked the WW2 stuff too because it was fascinating. The part that impressed me most was how big the Eiffel Tower is and how big France is. My classic moment was in the Citroen shop seeing the Formula 1 car and the Citroen Diamond 9 which is a Sports Car. I liked the ferry too because I got to watch a film.

Luke

Chloe I really enjoyed the French trip this year as we got to see all the fun landmarks. I learnt a lot about the Normandy beaches .. it was frightening to realise how many people died at that time. The frogs legs and snails were delicious. Ryan

I learnt about the D Day landings, the eternal flame at the Arc de Triomphe, the sewers in Paris and much much more. The funniest was when we were eating our lunch in the Tuilleries gardens and a flock of birds scared the boys. I would love to go again, I tried frogs legs and enjoyed them. I loved the Château as the rooms were lovely and clean and the beds comfy. I liked the classroom sessions because I met new people and made friends. I loved getting stuck in to make the bread and the man made us speak French. Holly

I loved the trip. It was full of different experiences. I was impressed with the French coast and I tried to imagine the landings. It must have been scary. The ferry crossing was much smoother than I imagined…. not so in 1944. France was fun and showed me a different part of Europe. My favourite…. making real French bread.

Joe

I loved it all but the funniest was the lights on a timer..they kept going off !! Great opportunity to try frogs legs and snails. The ferry was amazing…you could see for miles.

I realised how important food is to the French. I found the bingo games funny in French, German and Spanish !! I loved Paris and the Eiffel Tower.

What impressed me most were the fabulous buildings in Paris, the Eiffel Tower (669 steps!!) I really enjoyed every moment of the trip. Seeing Paris on a River Cruise was incredible. The Château was like something out of an old film. So much space to run around in. At night we filled in our books, played bingo and on the last day went to a boulangerie and that was different to what I usually have on my sandwiches.

Mark

I loved going to Paris on Palm Sunday…the calm, peaceful procession and people singing. I was impressed by the alignment of the war graves and surprised at the number of fields they took up !! There was more to do on the ferry than I thought and the French bingo at night was fun.

Mollie Toby

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SPORTS ACHIEVEMENT It has been a fantastic year of sport in the PE Department. Congratulations to all of our teams and athletes who have achieved outstanding success. Mr Weston ALEX HUNT - DUDLEY SCHOOLS SHOTPUT CHAMPION

CAMERON BROWN - DUDLEY SCHOOLS JAVELIN & DISCUS RUNNER UP

JOE WHAPPLES - DUDLEY SCHOOLS LONG JUMP RUNNER UP

TOM & GRACE SLATER - DUDLEY SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS

TOM PARTRIDGE - DUDLEY SCHOOLS 800 METRES CHAMPION

YEAR 7 DUDLEY SCHOOLS FOOTBALL LEAGUE & CUP WINNERS

YEAR 7 & 8 DUDLEY & STOURBRIDGE CRICKET LEAGUE WINNERS

YEAR 7 DUDLEY SCHOOLS GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY WINNERS

YEAR 7 RUGBY TOURNAMENT RUNNERS UP

YEAR 8 DUDLEY SCHOOLS FOOTBALL 5-A-SIDE CHAMPIONS

YEAR 8 RUGBY TOURNAMENT RUNNERS UP

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SPORTS ACHIEVEMENT

YEAR 9 RUGBY TOURNAMENT WINNERS

YEAR 10 RUGBY TOURNAMENT RUNNERS UP

YEAR 11 DUDLEY SCHOOL FOOTBALL CUP CHAMPIONS & 7-A-SIDE CHAMPIONS

GOING FOR GOLD You know who you are A massive thank you to all Summerhill students, from Years 7 to 11, who have given up their own time to help with primary sports this year. Without your assistance, these competitions would not have been able to take place. This year we have hosted the following events for local primary schools: Gymnastics; Dance Festival; Cross Country; Athletics; Tag Rugby; Netball; Swimming. You never know what opportunities will come your way. At 11.00 am on Sunday 13 June 2014, I stood on the hockey pitch to play in a World Cup Final. I started playing hockey at the age of 13 and have continued to play ever since. This season, England Hockey introduced an Over 60s Women’s team, and I just qualify! It was a great honour to be selected to go to Rotterdam, Holland, to play in the Masters Hockey World Cup. We played six games over seven days, in temperatures of 30 degrees. It was hard, but great to be playing the game I have enjoyed for so many years, at such a high level. The final was against Australia and we had managed a 0-0 draw against them earlier on in the week. Unfortunately, they proved too strong for us and we lost 0-3. However, I was not too disappointed and was very happy to receive a silver medal. It was a fantastic opportunity to represent my country and I would like to thank Mr. Warren and the rest of the PE department for allowing me to attend a ‘once in a lifetime event’. Mrs Guest

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GIRLS FOOTBALL LEAGUE WINNERS

RUGBY ROUND UP Year 7

Year 8

Twenty five students have attended training sessions which started back in October 2013. The squad have trained well and this was highlighted with some very good performances throughout the season, in the three competitions they have taken part in.

The Year 8 team have made great progress as the season has progressed and this was reflected in their excellent performance in the Dudley Schools’ Tournament where they finished Runners Up. Competition Results

The season ended with the team coming Runners Up in the Dudley Schools’ Tournament where they performed well and should be congratulated on their achievement.

V V V V V

Competition Results V Haybridge V Redhill V Ridgewood

Won 15 - 0 Draw 10 - 10 Won 25 - 0

Cameron Brown Ned Buckley Sam Chambers Jay Cooper Joe Cooper Jack Hicklin Daniel Jones Tom Lacey

Won 10 - 5

Final V Redhill

Lost 15 - 5

Played 10

Kieron Osborne Dylan Ralph Tom Slater Bradley Smith Lewis Smith-Janssen Daniel Tennant Aaron Winmill Josh Yates

Won 6

Drawn 2

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Won 4

Drawn 2

Lost 4

The following have been selected for the Black Country Schools’ Squad. Joe Cooper Ethan Lowe Devon Maduagwu Tom Taylor Joel Whitehouse

Playing Record Played 9

Ethan Lowe Devon Maduagwu Max Mulligan Kyle Peters Oliver Siviter Tom Taylor Joel Whitehouse

Playing Record

Players Who Represented The School At The Dudley Competition Lewis Bladon Sean Emms Joseph Hankon Rhys Harper Alex Hodgkiss Isaac Hoult Elliot Malpass Jake Morris

Draw 5 - 5 Draw 5 - 5 Won 10 - 5 Won 15 - 0 Lost 20 - 0

Well done to the following students who played at the tournament:

Semi-Final V Hagley

Earls High Windsor High Arcal Redhill Hagley

Lost 1

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RUGBY ROUND UP Year 9 Rugby

Year 10 Rugby

Another very good season for this team with over 20 players representing the school. The highlight of the season was winning the Dudley Schools’ Competition which was played at Old Halesonians Rugby Club.

The Year 10 team have made great improvements as the team has gone on. Over 24 players have represented the team and the highlight of the season was finishing runners up in the Dudley Schools’ Competition.

Results

Results

V Redhill V Kingswinford

Won 17 - 0 Lost 10 - 0

V V V V V

Semi final V High Arcal

Won 19 - 0

Dilhan Akarca Callum Arthurs Edward Baker Jack Bailey James Barton James Butler Lewis Dolan Alex Emms Tom Evans Alex Filgate

Won 17 - 0

Well done to the following who were in the team that day. Lewis Brown Alex Craig William Dodd Christopher Earnshaw Jack Evans Adam Hunt Alex Hunt Matthew Lavender Liam Meanock

Charley Osborne Elliot Rix Lewis Skeet Harley Taylor Jake Taylor Liam Walton Rhys Westwood Joe Willis

Won 7

Drawn 1

Lost 2

Alex Hunt is in the Worcestershire Academy. Alex Hunt and Jack Evans have represented the Black Country Rugby team.

SUMMERHILL SCHOOL SCOOP JULY 2014

Luke Hale Daniel Ludlam Brandon Morgan Ashley Neale Mitchell Rose Tom Simmonds Harry Slater Sam Taylor Morgan Thatcher Jack Wilkinson

Tom Evans, Dilhan Akarca and Mitchell Rose continue to represent The Black Country Schools’ Team.

Playing Record Played 10

Won 15 - 0 Won 10 - 0 Won 15 - 0 Draw 0 - 0 Draw 5 - 5

Well done the following who took part in the competition

Final V Kingswinford

High Arcal Hagley Wordsley Windsor Haybridge

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BLACK COUNTRY GAMES NEWS Tag Rugby On 20 May, myself and 8 girls from Year 7 played Tag Rugby in the Black Country Games. Hagley and Summerhill represented the Dudley area. We took the minibus to Halesowen RFC where there were teams from all different areas of the Black Country. In our matches, we drew with Moreton School, Wolverhampton, beat Oldbury Academy but lost to Walsall Academy. This gave us 2nd place in the section. We then had to play against Our Lady & St Chad for 3rd place, which we won. It was a great experience to play against other teams and we made lots of new friends. Hopefully, the team can play again next year and do just as well, if not better. Holly Hughes 8L

GYMNASTIC NEWS For the first time the Summerhill Gymnastics Squad qualified to represent Dudley at the Black Country Games in June. Five gymnasts, two from Year 9, two from Year 8 and one from Year 7, set off to Walsall ready to perform their sequences. We were able to have a short practice whilst the primary schools were performing and then it was our turn to perform on the vault. Some girls did a through vault, whilst others did a straddle vault. Then came the time to perform our routine on the floor, there were a few wobbles, but everyone did well. At the end of the competition, while the judges were adding up the results, we were treated to a floor display by firstly a primary student from Wolverhampton and then our own Lilly Powell entertained us all with a series of cartwheels, leaps and somersaults. The results were announced and we were pleased to discover that Summerhill had attained sixth place out of nine schools. This was our first year of high level competition, so we hope we can qualify again next year. Team: Mia-Starr Bradley-Inchley, Becky Parker, Evie Ferguson, Molly Grove and Lily Powell

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PROM 2014

PROM 2014 At

Blakelands Country Hotel

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Careers & Connexions update The Careers Department at Summerhill School has had a busy year in 2013-14. Not only have we had record numbers of pupils attend external work experience placements, and a high number of those attending two or more various placements, we have also been successful in being re-awarded the Quality Award for Careers at Gold Standard, the only school within this area to hold the award at Gold! This award is a huge achievement and took a lot of hard work and dedication from the department. The Quality Award in Careers is awarded by Prospects Education Ltd. who assess the standard of a school’s careers provision for all students and finds out how well the programme supports students in school in planning for their futures. It also takes into account the views of parents/carers and external providers (such as Dudley Connexions) who work with Summerhill School to ensure that our information, advice and guidance for our students regarding their future careers and education options is always outstanding and up to date. The final assessment visit also involved a panel of students from Years 7-11 who gave their opinions on careers lessons and information in school. This panel were applauded by Prospects for their excellent input and mature approach on the day, and their views were taken into account in the decision to award Summerhill School the Gold Standard. Miss Downs was commended for her dedication to Careers in school and the thorough approach of the department, a case study has also been submitted to Careers England to highlight the good practice at Summerhill School. This year, across Years 9-11, the following numbers of students have received one-to-one careers guidance or small group work sessions with Anna Rice from Connexions in school; Year 11- 101 students seen, Year 10 – approximately 25 students seen, Year 9 – approximately 20 students seen (Year 10 and 9 students seen a number of times each for intensive support for careers and mentoring/pastoral support). A number of parents/carers of Year 11 students also accessed one-to-one appointments with Anna in school to help and guide their children. Anna Rice works closely with students in school throughout the whole year, their parents/carers, teachers and teaching assistants who support them, and the local colleges to make sure that everybody progresses to a college/training/or apprenticeship option that they are happy with when they leave Year 11. During 2013-14 we have also put on the following successful events in school; Post 16 day in school for Year 11 students (students access a carousel of different providers throughout the day, and have a 16+ pathways assembly from Connexions), 16+ evening for parents/carers with in depth careers talks from Miss Downs and Anna Rice, and then a chance to speak to providers and employers at their stands, Mock Interviews for all Year 11 students from the local FE Colleges (Dudley, Halesowen, Birmingham Metropolitan College, previously Stourbridge College), Year 9, 10 and 11 assemblies on options at 14, options at 16 and the new Dudley Connexions website (www.connexionsdudley.org) which provides our students with useful careers research tools such as ‘KUDOS Inspire’ (skills & qualities careers matching programme), ‘CV Creator’ (to write and present your own CV document) and ‘Careerscape’ (A-Z careers job profiles, video clips of various professionals and individual case studies of jobs). These tools are invaluable to our students to help them to carry out the necessary research to make their careers decisions. All students Years 7-11 have been given passwords to log in to the website which they can also use at home with parents/carers. Please contact Miss Downs in school if you would like any further information. There is also a parent/carer log-in available, again please contact Miss Downs or Mrs Pegg if you would like to use this facility. Our outgoing Year 11 cohort have been the first to use the new ‘UCAS Progress’ college and sixth form online application system- with great success. School have worked closely with colleagues at UCAS and

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Careers & Connexions update Dudley Connexions to ensure that all support for the system is provided to students and parents/carers. This is a fantastic opportunity as it allows our students a chance to experience the system ahead of making University applications when they reach Year 13. The current Year 10 group will have an assembly regarding UCAS Progress when they return to school in early September and parents/carers will be given more information on all available pathways for their children as they prepare to leave school at the 16+ evening in October 2014. Parent/carer careers appointments are also available on request, or by appointment to view and use the Careers Resource Centre in school. Connexions Dudley will also be available in school on GCSE Results Day (Thursday 21st August 2014) to answer any exam or college related queries that outgoing Year 11 students may have after receiving their results. Please also feel free to use the Connexions website or phone the service on 01384 811400 if you have any difficulties throughout the Summer. Connexions will be in touch with some students in the Summer and new term in September to ensure that they have successfully started at college or apprenticeships and that all is going well. Lastly, please see the school website for information on the school Careers Policies and also for direct links to useful careers websites including; ‘ICould’, Careers Camel, UCAS Progress, Careers England, National Apprenticeship Service and Careersbox.

SUMMERHILL AWARD

Summerhill is delighted to announce that it has recently been awarded the above award at Gold Standard. To quote just some of the glowing comments in the assessor’s report: • CEIAG and other opportunities for work-related learning meet and far exceed statutory duties frameworks and Ofsted guidelines. • Access for all students to quality work experience opportunities and multiple opportunities to be inspired by employers is a major strength of the school. • The school is a beacon of good practice. Our photo shows Headteacher Ben Warren receiving the award from Sue Thacker, with Summerhill staff Jo Downs and Philippa Pegg in attendance, alongside Anna Rice our careers advisor.

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SKI TRIP

During the first week of the Easter holidays a group of sixty Year 10 students were taken to France on a ski trip. We departed on Saturday 12 April from Manchester Airport and returned on 19 April. We stayed in the resort ‘Alpe D’Heuz’ in a hotel called ‘Hotel Beausoleil’. The weather was beautiful and definitely not expected; it was sunny every day, which was good when looking at the extraordinary scenery that surrounded us.

another 2-hour ski session in the afternoon. During the break times, both at lunch and at night, we were given free time which enabled us to either stay in the hotel or go into the town. On our first night of evening entertainment we had a ‘town trail’, which gave us knowledge of the town so we had an idea of where everything was. Each night we had some good evening entertainment, which was arranged by our rep Daisy. Our hotel was excellent, the rooms were big and comfy which was a nice reward after 4-hours of constant skiing. Every student improved hugely from day one to day six and it was great coming back having completed a level within skiing. Overall the ski trip was a success and enjoyed by everyone involved. Emily Neale 10U

We had some great experiences especially towards the end of the week such as going up to higher than 3000ft in the mountains and seeing Mont Blanc, which is the tallest mountain in Europe. We were very lucky with the choice of hotel as we were able to ski right onto the slopes rather than having a coach journey every morning. We had a daily 2-hour ski session in the morning, which was followed by a 2-hour break for lunch and then

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SKI TRIP On the first week of the Easter break, sixty students and seven members of staff ventured to ‘Alpe D’Huez’ for an adrenalinefuelled week of skiing. Our journey started at 6.00 am when we travelled from Manchester to Grenoble airport; and begin our ascent 2600m up the French Alps to ‘Hotel Beausoleil’ which was at the base of a mountain range with a back drop of snow covered ski slopes. We were all put in groups with our expert French ski instructors who taught us new skills and techniques. We skied four hours a day, having lessons in the morning and afternoon. It was a fantastic feeling going down the slopes at high speeds especially when you didn’t fall over! After a day of skiing we had free time to relax or visit the town. We experienced drag lifts, chair lifts and cable cars which took us to the different levels and ski runs depending on our ability. During the ski break we were taken 3200 metres to the peak of the mountain, there were lots of photo opportunities of the spectacular views. In the evening we had different activities such as ‘town trails’, ‘bumboarding’, ‘crêpes evening’, ‘disco’, ‘high ropes’ and in my opinion the most exciting the ‘Xfly’ (see picture). At the end of the week we were assessed on our skiing skills and presented with award badges.

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Following a week of practising our skiing with many falls and tumbles, I think I can say for all who went on the trip we had the best time and would do it all again! Thanks Mr Cox and team. Lorna Wright 10M On Saturday 12 April the Summerhill 2014 Ski Trip set off for a week long holiday in Alpe d’Huez. We arrived at The Hotel Beausoleil after taking a two hour flight to Grenoble Airport. Our first day began with breakfast in the hotel, before boot and ski fitting. Then we began our first of 12 two hour skiing sessions. Next was a hot lunch at the hotel, a small break and then back onto the slopes for the afternoon session. Once the day’s skiing was over we were free to go around the local town or stay in the hotel and use the various facilities, such as the pool tables and many seating areas at reception. Tea was served around 6.30 pm leaving time for evening activities. High ropes, a crêpe and ice-cream parlour, zip wire, crash mat jumping and bum boarding were all activities we did throughout the holiday. Overall the holiday was a great success, accompanied by perfect weather and conditions, allowing beginners and advanced skiers to progress, whilst having fun. George Cann 10S

SKI TRIP After a long day of travelling both by coach and plane, we arrived at the hotel. Once we had settled into our rooms and unpacked, it was time to be measured for our ski equipment. When we had finished, we enjoyed some free time, a meal and then we were off to bed as we had an early start. On the first day we were put into groups, depending on our skiing ability. Each day we had two sessions of skiing with our instructors, with a hot lunch and time to relax in between and as the week progressed, so did our skiing. There was plenty of snow to be able to ski but as the weather was unexpectedly warm, the town had almost no snow at all. This meant that exploring the town in the evening was easier than expected. Our evenings were spent engaging in various activities, these included: bum boarding, a disco, a town trail, the high ropes, a crêpe evening at the local crêpe parlour and the zip wire with a leap of faith. Overall, the ski trip was a brilliant experience full of laughter, aching muscles and memories which we will remember forever. Holly Bagnall 10R

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JUNIOR MATHS CHALLENGE In May, 4 Year 8 students entered the UK Junior Mathematics Challenge. This annual competition takes the form of a multiple choice test, which aims to promote mathematical dexterity, independent thinking and problem solving skills, giving students the opportunity to compete against students from other schools across the UK. Below is a question from this year’s challenge: Q. In the division calculation 952473 ÷ 18, which two adjacent digits should be swapped in order to increase the result by 100? a) 9 & 5 e) 7 & 3

b) 5 & 2

c) 2 & 4

d) 4 & 7

In an excellent display of mathematical prowess, 25 students gained recognition for their success. Eight students, James Hill, Alexander Day, Aaron Huntley, Callum White, Xander Harrison, Tom Partridge, Robert Oakley and Aaron Bishop, each gained a Gold Certificate. Four students, Joseph Freeman, Benjamin Clouds, Oliver Kennea and Oliver Badger, each gained a Silver Certificate. Thirteen students, Benjamin Healy, Daisy Dent, Joshua Magee, Lauren Millward, Billy Marsh, Cory Plant, Morgan Dalloway, Eve Tranter, Sam Chambers, Rebecca Manning, Eve Ferguson, Connie Hough and Todd Smith, each gained a Bronze Certificate. Huge congratulations to all students who achieved a certificate, the Maths Department are delighted with the success of these students.

OUR NEW HEAD STUDENT TEAM

KARATE KID ETHAN DONATI On Saturday 17 May Ethan Donati 8S represented England in the British Karate competition in Glasgow, Scotland. Unfortunately he did not win, but he won 3 fights and lost in the Quarter Finals against the Scottish Champion who went on to win the competition out of 80 people in his category.

Our new ‘Head Student Team’

Head Boy: Stephen Allen Head Girl: Megan Hill Deputy Head Boys/Girls: Ryan Brookes, Jenny Hales, Jacob Parker, and Katherine Strachan

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In the whole competition, 3000 competitors took part. It was his first time ever going to the British competition. So next year we hope for a win from Ethan. Sam Chambers 8S

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TRIP TO BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN COLLEGE On 26 June, Year 8 whole school gifted and talented students went to Stourbridge College, to take place in a Big Bang STEM trip. There were 6 activities that we could do. The first was the battery/ motor making. We had to see what happens when we put a screw on a magnet, then attach it to a battery, and use a wire to send an electric current through the magnet and the nail. When we did, the magnet and nail started to spin round really fast until it came off the battery. The second thing we did was that we went into a finger printing place. We made a keychain with our fingerprints on it, and we got shown a video about how they use fingerprints to identify dead bodies. The third thing we did was investigate bugs and things like that. We had to pick out some bugs from some leaves and look at them under a microscope and we also used a microscope to see the scales on a butterfly’s wing and the eyes of a dragonfly. The fourth thing we did was investigate pressure. First we skewered a balloon with a kebab stick and then we used a fizzy tablet and water to make a kind of rocket. The fifth thing we did was looking at how fast bacteria spreads and we did this by using some hand cream that

glows under UV lights to use as bacteria and so we can see how quickly it spreads. And lastly we went to a maths area where there were lots of different activities. There were so many we could only choose one and I chose the rubix cube table where we were given a rubik’s cube and we had to complete it… let me tell you it was insanely difficult and I just ended up randomly turning the sides… but that taken into account it was by far my favourite station to go to! EMILY WHITEHOUSE 8E On Thursday 26 June I went to Birmingham Metropolitan College. Here we did loads of fun activities all day long. The day started with us making a motor in the physics zone. To do this we used a battery and attached a screw on the end of it, the screw had magnets on the head. We then held a wire on the top of the magnet and on the battery. The screws were spinning round really fast and eventually shot off. That was awesome! After that we did forensic science, here we made a key ring with our finger print on and watched a tsunami video and how they take peoples fingerprints. When that lesson ended we moved onto biology, here we were looking for bugs and used a microscope to see if the insect had scales. We then moved in the next room where we dropped a tablet into a container of water, put on the lid and waited for it to shoot

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up in the air. Our group’s went that high that it hit the ceiling. Shortly after we used some glitter bug potion that we saw how many germs were on our hands when we held it under a special light. Then we made hexaflexagons out of paper, this is a fun activity where you twist the paper in a special way and different colours appear. The trip was amazing! CHLOE DOWNING 8R When we went to Birmingham Metropolitan College in Brierley Hill to do various activities. Some of the activities were making a motor, looking for insects, building a tower out of marshmallows and spaghetti and putting our fingerprints on a key ring. Our favourite part of the day was pressing our fingerprints onto a key ring and we got to keep it. We also enjoyed finding insects and looking through a microscope to see a butterfly and a dragonfly. This day was fun and educational! Charlotte Hall 8S and Chloe Tongue 8M

TRIP TO BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN COLLEGE workshop, which was all about fingerprints. We used ink to make our own fingerprints, and got to make a key ring with a fingerprint in. After we completed this, we were shown another way to make fingerprints. This was using a special type of brush which spurted out and sucked up magnetic powder which showed fingerprints up.

Our day at Birmingham Metropolitan College: When we arrived at BMETC, we were given a goodie bag provided by the college. Then we divided into groups and each group was given different activities to complete. Our group started off with the maths activities. Elisha and I picked an activity where we had to build the highest tower out of marshmallows! Mrs Ames joined us in this activity! Mine fell over quite a lot, but Elisha’s was quite sturdy! After the maths activities we moved on to a different workshop and did some physics. We used a battery, a wire, a magnet and a screw to make a motor. The aim of the activity was to get the motor going fast enough to get the screw to fall off the battery. Also we balanced a small bouncy ball on top of a big ball and dropped them. This made the small bouncy ball fly up and hit the ceiling. This was a fun activity. Next we moved on to another

We then moved onto another activity where we looked at different insects under a microscope and hunted for insects in piles of leaves. Lucie and I found a devil’s coach horse beetle in the leaves and look at it under the microscope. We also looked at several different types of bee’s, and even a dragonfly under the microscope! It was a very interesting activity. After this, we moved on to an activity called balloon kebabs. We had to push a skewer through a balloon without it popping. The trick was to slowly twist the skewer into the balloon adding more pressure each time. Next, we did an activity where we placed a teaspoon of water into a black container and then quickly placed a white tablet in it and put the lid on. We placed the black container on the floor, and after a couple of seconds it flew up off the floor and the lid burst open. This was a funny activity. Our last activity was based on bacteria. We covered our

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hands in a slimy substance called ‘glitter bug potion’ and then placed our hands under a UV light. If our hands turned white or had white patches on it meant we had bacteria on our hands. We then washed our hands thoroughly and were amazed when we found bacteria still on it. Over all, our day was fun and interesting. Lucie Penn 8E and Elisha Nicoll 8m.

FRENCH COOKING

On 30 June 2014, Mme Howarth planned and organised for both of her French groups to go to the D &T Food Technology rooms so that they could explore a variety of cultural dishes. We mainly focussed it on our French influences, and the main food that was crêpes, French pancakes. We were told to work in pairs and we had to go and buy our own ingredients, almost like a proper cooking lesson at Summerhill School. It lasted two periods, with the classes missing RE and ICT, but the teachers were very understanding and Mme Howarth admitted that it was a lovely way to end the school year. Mrs Curtin also helped out by supervising one of the cooking classrooms. French toast, eggy bread and tomato quiche were all made during the two periods, alongside crêpes. From 9.05 am – 10:45 am, the French students had an endless amount of fun and learnt information about different French foods. Everyone took pleasure in testing some of the tasty treats! Overall, everybody enjoyed taking part in this fun activity which ended the school year at Summerhill perfectly. Dan Yates 9M Happy Cooking! Over a matter of weeks we used our knowledge of French foods that we have learnt throughout our time at Summerhill and research to concoct a recipe in which made on Monday 30 June. Harley and I decided to make crêpes as we thought simplicity was the key to French cooking. On the Monday morning the two groups combined into two cooking groups to cook. Everyone had

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brought their ingredients which were key as it would save time which was precious as we only had two lessons. The basic ingredients for crêpes are flour, milk,sugar and eggs. To be adventurous I decided to make my own chocolate sauce because it was simple and I had plenty of time in the lesson to finish. Overall the morning was a success and I am really appreciative of Madame Howarth letting us do this lesson. Thanks! Alex Johnson 9U and Harley Taylor 9M The French cooking experience was really enjoyable, it was a good lesson and it really brought out the inner chef in everyone! Some really creative and inventive dishes were made. I really enjoyed the lesson and the best part was getting to try our French inspired dish. It was great to see what other people were making as well, looking at all the different dishes people had found. It was fun yet educational; Madame Howarth must have put a lot of thought into it. All in all it was a great success and I really enjoyed it, I hope the other years get a chance to create some French dishes! I made crêpes topped with cinnamon and sugar – they were delicious! My first crêpe was a disaster, but they got better. I added a unique twist to my crêpes by adding a small amount of vanilla extract to the batter, it really worked. I’m definitely going to use my French recipe again to make the crêpes because it was really nice. Phoebe Hulme 9E

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FRENCH COOKING On Monday 30 June, a cultural inspiration reached Summerhill School. Every student created a dish which brightened the eyes of our French teacher Madame Howarth. The majority of the students created a masterpiece of a crêpe while some students used their innovative minds to create an interesting and scrumptious dish. We tried to create a unique twist on a crêpe while adding a sweet supplement of vanilla essence. Unfortunately we used a bit too much of the essence and the crêpes tasted stronger than expected. We ignited the gas and poured the scrumptious liquid into the shining shimmering pan. It had the most intoxicating smell you would ever experience. As it started to cook we decided to flip the dreaded pancake. Dylan attempted to do this and failed miserably so we tried to attempt a second try but to no avail. Becky could not flip the pancake either. This seemed like a dreaded day for our pancakes but we were wrong. As the time ticked on, we improved our skills so much that even Gordon Ramsey would have looked at our skills and said ‘Ooh la la!’. We flipped and we flipped and we created a mountainous pile of pancakes. This was really amazing and educational and we thank Madame Howarth for giving us this culinary insight into a French baker’s life. Becky Woodhouse 9L and Dylan Dowlut 9E On Monday 30 June our first two periods involved cooking French foods in our food rooms. We decided to make crêpes. We got a recipe from the internet for the French crêpes. The ingredients

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included flour, eggs, milk, sugar and butter. We took golden syrup and sugar for our toppings. Madame Howarth showed us how to make the first crêpes so we knew the correct techniques. We poured some oil in the pan and heated it until it was hot enough. We then poured the mixture in and twisted the pan so it ran to all sides to cook. We made sure that the crêpes were thin and crispy before we flipped them over. We made a pile of 7 crêpes altogether. After we ate them we cleaned up the mess we left over from cooking them. It was very different from our usual lessons because we were doing practical work involving French cooking. Caitlin Hackett, Liv Bishop and Jess Rogers 9R On Monday 30 June Madame Howarth, accompanied by her two year 9 French groups went to do some French based cooking. There was a large variety of dishes prepared, including tarts, quiche, French toast, and omelettes, but the most popular being crêpes. We had the double lesson to complete our recipe making multiple amounts of our dishes, to share with the rest of the class. The best part was eating our food that we had prepared, to see if we were successful with our cooking. Personally our favourite was the crêpes, because we could fill them with cream, strawberries and chocolate which made them delicious!!! The whole experience was utterly amazing and tasty, and we thoroughly enjoyed it! Taryn Wilkes 9S, Chloe Walker 9S and Emma Fellows 9U

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CHARITY SUCCESS FOR SUMMERHILL STUDENTS

In March, Year 8 students put on their enterprising hats to organise and deliver the coveted annual ‘Charity Week’. Rather than going out at break and lunch times for some well-deserved relaxation between lessons, the committed students instead lined the corridors and halls with a variety of charity fundraising stalls and activities. Year 8 student Dan Jones said of the Charity Week: “it was good because it gave us a chance to raise money for good causes and allowed us to be creative. For example, we used Minecraft to raise most of our money.” The students’ effort and creativity was met by the generosity of the wider school, as together students managed to raise over £3000 for their chosen charities. This money was presented to representatives from the charities in a recent

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assembly; Chicks, RNLI, Acorns, Promise Dreams, Macmillan, RSPCA and Air Ambulance were delighted to receive their share of the spoils at £450 each. Contributing to great causes isn’t the only benefit to be gained from Summerhill’s Charity Week. Year 8 student Ellie Dando cited the value of “learning to be sociable with new people from across the school”, and added that in addition to raising money for charity, students were able to “learn and think about business”. With learning a routine occurrence at Summerhill School, Charity Week offers an extra spark the spirit of altruism in the young minds of Kingswinford. Mr A Davis

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D & T BIAD TRIP

Birmingham Institute of Art and Design The purpose of our trip to the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design was for us to understand the depth of detail and amount of time that is placed into graduates’ work, which would then enable us to understand how high the quality of our GCSE work needs to be to get good grades at the end of the GCSE course. At BIAD, there were projects based around three D&T fields - Graphics Design, Resistant Materials and Textiles. At the institute, we found that all of the work produced by the graduates was defined and explained down to every last detail, and that as a D&T designer all products that you create must be unique and creative. This was not surprising as these projects were the way that students were promoting themselves to try and get a job! What I and a lot of other students on the trip found useful and gained out of the trip the most was that for our GCSE projects, we need to explain about each of our design choices in a substantial amount of detail, and that the products we produce must be unique and original to achieve a high grade! Throughout our venture around the institute, we were given questions to answer such as, “Which product is your favourite? Why?” and, “What design have you found the most unique” Why?” These questions ensured that we held a good memory of the trip so that we could include features of the products into our own GCSE products. There were many outstanding designs in all three areas of the institute, but my favourite designs were: Graphics Design - A small model of the station for the HS2 train station with small people to add dimension and a sense of reality to the model. Resistant Materials - A desk-like product that could be opened up to reveal a combination of kitchen facilities, such as a sink and a washing up area. Textiles - Many dresses and t-shirts based around tropical wildlife and botanical plants. Jack Bramley 10M

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YEAR 10 WORK EXPERIENCE

booking their holidays. I also learnt some basic administration skills. I gained a lot of independence by getting to work myself and being punctual. Taylor Wood 10U

I went to Eastfield Primary School. I found the place myself. The highlight of the week was teaching a group of Year 6 students how to read and write. The skills I learnt were to be confident and independent. I benefited from my time at work as I have become more outspoken and independent. Dominic Small 10H I had two work experiences. The first was at Russells Hall Hospital. I found the placement myself. The highlight of the week was seeing the premature babies. The best thing about the week was sorting the patient records. The skills I learnt were punctuality and better communication skills.

My second placement was at Mary Steven’s Hospice. I went in person to ask for a placement. The best thing was using the tagging gun and pricing sticker gun. Work experience prepares you for life after school and college and it’s nice to talk to other age groups. Emmy Jancso 10E I went to Thomas Cook and I found the placement myself. The best part about work experience was being independent and seeing what potential life is after school. I also learnt skills which involved organisation and gained confidence by talking to customers while they were

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I went to the Blue Cross Rehoming Centre. I selected it from the school database. I worked with dogs and cats and the main highlight of my week was walking the dogs. The placement improved my communication skills with other people and it was good to learn about working life. I really enjoyed it there. Jordan Tranter 10S I went to Lunn Groves Solicitors. I found the place myself. The best thing about being at work was meeting new people and learning so many varied skills such as using the Land Registry. It is good to experience work so you know what is expected of you and the skills you can use. Jessica Hicklin 10U

YEAR 10 WORK EXPERIENCE

I went to Wombourne Veterinary Centre. I found the placement on the school database. The best thing about my placement was watching operations. I watched many speys and I also saw a dog’s heart! I also enjoyed being in on the consultations with the vet. (The vet was very, very nice!) The part I least liked was watching the animals being put to sleep and the owners upset. But this is a crucial part of the job which I had to experience to find out if I want to follow this career. I have learnt that teamwork is most important in this job. I liked being independent by catching the bus and making my own way to my placement. Sophie Wyld 10U I went to O’Dwyers Builders. The best bit of the work experience was using the digger! I learnt to work as part of a team.

On my work experience I went to The Beauty Box which is a salon in Kingswinford. I found it on my own. The highlight of my week was dying my boss’s hair and tinting her eye lashes and eyebrows. It was a very social environment and my confidence, when accompanied by adults, has improved and I can now work on my own initiative. I have now got a Saturday job there and I want to be a beauty therapist. Megan Thurley 10U I went to Think Creative Studio in Kinver. I found the placement myself and I gained lots of important skills such as communicating with people I don’t know and, because of the tasks set, I was forced to be creative. Owen Bullock 10E

Liam Simms 10E

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I went to Rachel Dixon’s School of Dance. I chose the placement myself. My favourite part of the week was when I got to work with the youngest students as I’ve always wanted to work with children. I feel I developed my conversational and communication skills and also I developed my self-confidence. I think it’s important to develop those skills, as they’re skills that could be used in every day life. Emily Pritchard 10E

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BOOK QUIZ The annual Dudley Schools’ Literary Quiz final took place on Wednesday 4 June and what a final it was! Years 7 and 8 teams each romped home with the winning trophy for their year. Year 9 fought a very close knit battle, narrowly missing out on victory to Redhill. The Book Quiz was fun but difficult. I enjoyed reading the books and answering the questions though the best part was probably the biscuits. It was an experience, but as I had done it before I knew what I was doing. I found out that not reading the books properly would have an impact on the prospects of the Quiz but I DEFINITELY read all the books. We had fun in our team and we won but it was close, the gap was only about 2 points. Antony Neale 8L

Year 8 Winners

Year 7 Winners

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Year 9 Runners up - by only 2 points!

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GOODBYE & GOOD LUCK TO THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF STAFF Mrs Bibby-Jacobs Mrs Bibby-Jacobs is leaving Summerhill for a well deserved promotion to a Head of Department post at a school in Wolverhampton. She leaves with our thanks for her contribution to the Languages Department and with best wishes for the future. Mrs Whalley Mrs Whalley is retiring after many years service to Summerhill School. In her role as Special Needs Coordinator she has cared for and looked out for the interests of generations of special needs students at the school. We wish her a long and happy retirement! Mr Whalley Mr Whalley has been semi-retired for a number of years now, but has worked part time over the last few years to bring his range of practical craftsmanship skills to the Design and Technology Department. We wish him all the best for his retirement. Ms Bond Ms Bond is leaving Summerhill for a well deserved promotion to a school in Birmingham. In her time here as Head of RE she has revolutionised the department, not least by introducing a GCSE qualification in “Philosophy and Ethics” which has caught the interest of many students. We wish her all the best for the future. Mrs Penn Mrs Penn has played a key role in the life of the school over many years: organising “Maths Mazes” fieldtrips, supporting Choral Society tours, acting as front of house for school productions and being on the staff committee. She has even taught a number of students who are now members of Summerhill’s teaching staff! We wish her all the best. MS REX Ms Rex has been a teaching assistant for the past three years and quickly became a valued member of the department. Her engaging personality has facilitated good relationships with both students and staff alike. She has selflessly given of her own time to help students during lunchtimes and after school sessions as they struggled with their organisation and research, especially in History. MRS BROOMFIELD Mrs Broomfield has worked as a Teaching Assistant for the last ten years and has developed close working relationships within the department supporting both staff and students. She has an engaging personality which draws students to her through her endeavours to enable them to gain knowledge and enjoyment from all subject areas. She has carried out her responsibilities in the department admirably ensuring resources have been readily available.

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PRIMARY SCHOOLS DANCE FESTIVAL Church of the Ascension and Fairhaven schools took part and performed a dance routine, choreographed by us, the Year 10 GCSE group. During our dance lessons we created a dance routine in pairs. All of the routines were developed and perfected. Then for 5 weeks, each Friday morning all of the pairs went to a Primary School and taught the routine; Emily Pritchard and I went to Ashwood Primary School. The experience of teaching was great, and I thoroughly enjoyed teaching the children our dance routine. After practising for five weeks, all the children from the Primary Schools that had been taught came to Summerhill. Everyone performed their routine with the Year 10 GCSE students who taught them. The children were great and performed the dance with big smiles on their faces. All of the Year 10 dance students really enjoyed the experience to teach, and we would like to thank Mrs Hodges and Mrs Guest for organising the event. Emma Law 10M

Friday 18 July

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Celebration Assembly Consolidated day – students leave at 1.00pm Thursday 21 August GCSE results day Monday 1 September CPD Day – school closed for students Tuesday 2 September CPD Day – school closed for students Wednesday 3 September Start of school for students Year 7 - Registration – 8.50 am Years 8 - 11 - Registration – 11.00 am RE trip - ‘Wicked’ (pm) Monday 8 September Year 7 CATs tests during this week Monday 22 September Parents’ meeting for Iceland Trip – 7.00 pm Tuesday 23 September Year 11 Science Controlled Assessment Unit (CAU) Wednesday 24 September Year 11 Law Trip to Houses of Parliament Friday 26 September European Day of Languages Year 11 Geography Coursework trip (1/2 year group)

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Monday 29 September Wednesday 1 October Thursday 2 October Friday 3 October Monday 7 October Tuesday 8 October Thursday 9 October Monday 13 October- Friday 24 October Monday 13 October Tuesday 21 October – Thursday 23 October Friday 25 October Monday 3 November

Year 11 Geography Coursework trip (1/2 year group Open Day for prospective parents Open Day and Evening for prospective parents Students in for late registration 10.45 am Year 10 Nature in Art trip Year 10 Business Studies trip to Cadbury World Year 11 Business Studies trip to Cadbury World Enrichment Day (1) Target setting meetings for 2 weeks – 2.30 pm finish for students 16+ Evening 7.00 pm Year 11 Mock Interviews Autumn Concert – School Hall – 7.30 pm School ends for staff and students Start of term for staff and students