News Archives
December 2006
Poetry Please
Poetry Please was another fabulous evening in which students from across the year groups recited and performed their chosen poems to an appreciative audience of fellow pupils, teachers and parents. This is the third consecutive year for Poetry Please and the standards of performance were truly excellent with competition for best performance of the night extremely competitive.
The evening opened with an engaging paired performance by Lucy Hull and Bethan Elliott-Stubbs reciting ‘The King's Breakfast’ by AA Milne.
Then the competition really got underway with strong performances from pupils from our visiting Primary Schools. The winners of the Primary category were:
1st: Shannon White from Abbey School
2nd: Rosie Elphick from Abbey School
3rd: Harriet Bultitude from Motcombe School with a reading of her own poem.
In the Year 7 category a huge variety of poems were performed, but Lucy Coulson came first with her perfectly timed reading of ‘Jabberwocky’ by Lewis Carroll.
In the Year 8 competition a vast array of talent was on show. Of particular note was Tom Stevens singing his own poem. Judging was very close, yet Frances Bathurst's performance of ‘Warning’ won through.
The Year 9s were not to be out done and Lucy Hull's performance of Pam Ayres’ classic ‘I Wish I Had Looked After My Teeth’ was humorous and entertaining, delighting both judges and audience alike.
Yet an overall winner had to be decided and a very worthy one too; Frances Bathurst with her performance of ‘Warning’. This demonstrated Frances's ability to capture the voice and mannerisms of a woman much older than herself and the judges commended her on this.
Thus the evening was concluded. However, our thanks and appreciation must go to the judges, to Alex Negre and Tom Whitfield for their musical interlude, and all the parents and staff who attended. However, our biggest thank you goes to all the students who auditioned, practised and performed; they were brilliant and made the evening a memorable event.
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October 2006
Shaftesbury School Chaplaincy Team
Shaftesbury School and the local church are developing their partnership with the launch of a school chaplaincy team.
The team will continue the excellent work of leading assemblies and supporting RE teaching across the school, but hopes to work alongside the school staff to maintain a Christian presence at open events, and will set a higher priority for supporting the school in prayer. The church has links with support networks which can provide assistance to students with particular needs. The team also has members with particular skills of listening and mentoring which the school may choose to call on.
The Revd Clive Thomas, vicar of St Peter’s Shaftesbury, has responsibility in the Shaston Church of England Team for Shaftesbury School. “Chaplaincy is about ‘being there’ for others. As a team of chaplains we can offer the school so much more than as visitors and governors. We hope that students and staff will recognise us as friends and colleagues with a commitment to the school, its students and staff.”
Headteacher David Booth commented: “Our partnership with the local churches is well established, highly valued and has made a powerful contribution to the work of the school. The Chaplaincy Team development adds another dimension, strengthening the pastoral support for the school”.
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Successful Students Receive Awards
A group of students involved in the Damilola Trust Respect Your Life Not a Knife campaign took advantage of the visit from Garth Crooks to launch their Pledge Wall. Garth Crooks was the first to sign the wall, followed by David Booth and Chairman of Governors Chris Brickell.
The Damilola Taylor Trust, set up in memory of the boy who was stabbed to death in Peckham in November 2000, has asked schools across the country to sign up to a pledge wall. The campaign is supported by the government and the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, and aims to try to turn the tide on weapons being carried by young people.
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March 2006
Shaftesbury School Wins Sports Innovation Award
Shaftesbury School has won a national Sports Innovation Award for promoting global learning through sport. Mr Booth and Mrs Hollands-Smith received the award from sponsors Sky and athlete Dame Kelly Holmes at the Youth Sport Trust’s Sports College Conference.
The award is given in recognition of the work the school is doing through its International Comenius Project. Comenius Projects are funded by the British Council and their purpose is to bring together teachers from European countries to share best practice and develop new ways of working.
Amanda Hollands-Smith, Director of Sport, said: “We are honoured to receive this award because it recognises what can really be achieved when schools from different countries with diverse education systems work together. Through a common desire to do something about the declining levels of fitness in young people, teachers from six European countries have been challenged to share practice and look at innovative ways of engaging students in personal fitness monitoring. The award recognises the value of this work and acknowledges the effort of teachers and students in the six partner schools”.
The school is working very closely with the partner schools in Ireland, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Finland focussing on promoting fitness in young people. The project is sponsored by Polar Electro, manufacturers of heart rate monitors, which are being used by students in lessons. Staff and students from all of the schools meet regularly to assess progress and plan for the future.
Over the next 12 months, Mrs Hollands-Smith and her students and staff will be producing a handbook for teachers which will provide lesson plans and guidelines on developing fitness programmes in schools, and Shaftesbury School will host an International Class in 2008 when the focus will be on watersports at the 2012 Olympic venue in Weymouth.
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December 2005
Rag Day 2005
A hugely enjoyable day was had by all on Wednesday 14th December, when sixth form students hit the town for their annual Rag Day. Students in fancy dress visited businesses on the industrial estates and Shaftesbury High Street collecting money for Dorset Air Ambulance and Msaada.
Back at school, events included a Sixth Form Slave Auction, kissograms, leg waxing (for the boys!), an eating competition and editions of The Generation Game where students could cheer on their favourite members of staff as they were put through their paces by a Brucie-style compere.
The total raised at the end of the day was £2,250, far exceeding previous Rag Day totals.
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November 2005
Shaftesbury Wins International School Award
David Booth recently attended an awards ceremony at the British Council where he received the International School Award on behalf of the school from newsreader Anna Ford.
Shaftesbury School is delighted to have been awarded International School status, which is granted in recognition of the School’s curriculum-based international work. During the past year, events in school have included an International School Week, where students covered all things international, from Roman Numerals and Indian Dance, to German and Cantonese cooking.
Activities Week in June this year saw the students preparing Spanish and French banquets, making Spanish costumes, playing boules, studying Picasso’s Guernica and Spanish poetry as part of a creative writing session, and learning to salsa.
The School has developed links with schools in Italy, Finland, Ireland, Portugal and Germany as part of a project, funded by the EU, to explore ways of motivating students to develop their fitness. Students and staff have visited most of these destinations over the last 12 months.
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September 2005
Evening of Achievement
On 20th September Shaftesbury School held it’s annual Evening of Achievement, celebrating the many achievements of students during the last academic year.
In addition to over 200 prizes awarded by year group for excellence in all subjects across the curriculum, the Foundation Governors awarded Ruth Henry for her outstanding success at GCSE, and Neil Robinson and Luke Foster for their performance at AS and A2 levels respectively. The Foundation Governors Cup for the Champion House was awarded to Sanderson House, and was collected by House Captain Hassan Mehmood and Head of Sanderson House George Lee.
Prizes were awarded by guest speaker, Billy Kelly. Mr Kelly is the Chairman of Msaada, a local organisation set up to help the victims of the Rwandan genocide to rebuild their lives. Staff and students at the school are actively supporting Msaada. The organisations work concentrates on education, training and livestock development to help those in need to develop skills which will allow them to live independent, meaningful and productive lives.
The evening was punctuated with musical performances by students. Charlotte Hewett sang “Ave Maria”, accompanied by Alex Negre on keyboard, and Victoria Riley sang “Summertime” accompanied by Tom Whitfield.
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July 2005
'Reading the Ruins' - Shaftesbury Young Writers
On 4th July, Shaftesbury School Young Writers embarked upon what is to be the first of many ‘creative’ trips.
Old Wardour Castle, close to the neighbouring town of Tisbury, became their first source of inspiration. Our budding young writers toured the castle, adopted a stone and explored different writers’ styles.
Even now their creative talents are being tested to the full as over the summer holiday they each endeavour to produce a piece of descriptive writing entitled
‘one story, one stone’
Look out for the full ‘Reading the Ruins’ montage in the next issue of the school magazine ‘Aspire’.
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June 2005
Students wrap Bishop to rid world of Poverty
As the leaders of the world’s richest countries gathered in Scotland for theG8 summit, and Live8 is just around the corner, Year 8 students did their bit to rid the world of poverty during a visit from the Bishop of Sherborne, the Rt Rev Timothy Thornton.
The Bishop visited during a World Studies lesson, where Geography tutor Caroline Noyes discussed the background to the Make Poverty History campaign and the causes, effects and solutions to world poverty – Fairtrade, dropping the debt, Live Aid in 1985 and Make Poverty History.
The students then showed their understanding and support of the campaign by wrapping the Bishop in white bands, the symbol of the campaign.
He then explained the church’s involvement in the campaign through Christian Aid and the fact that by its belief in trade justice and Fairtrade the church was very much behind the campaign. He then took part in a question and answer session with the students.
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June 2005
Shaftesbury Fairtrade Launch
On Friday 11th March, Shaftesbury Fairtrade Group launched Shaftesbury’s bid to become a Fairtrade Town in School. As part of their Active Citizenship Programme, the school intends to fully support the Fairtrade bid. Staff, students and the community were involved in many events throughout the day. As it was also Red Nose Day, there were lots of big hairdo’s and fancy dress amongst students and staff who were having fun whilst learning about the importance of Trade Justice.
A schedule of workshops throughout the day included presentations from Sally Tagg, recently returned from Ghana where she spent time in a Fairtrade village, Peter Radford representing Tearfund on Clothing and Trade Justice, Anne Jennings from the Co-op on the Co-op’s role in Fairtrade, and Wendy Martin-Edwards, a Body Shop At Home representative, on community trade.
Shaftesbury’s mayor, Lester Dibben, and town councillor Joseph Pestell attended the Action Aid Coffee Morning, which marked the start of the day’s events, and chatted with staff and students before attending a presentation by Arthur Simmonds, Chair of the Shaftesbury Fairtrade Group on Fairtrade Bananas.
The school also launched the Young Co-operatives – a group of students who will see the school become a Fairtrade School as part of the school’s business and enterprise department. They will also work in partnership with the Fairtrade Group to produce a Shaftesbury Fairtrade Directory.
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January 2005
National Holocaust Week
Several significant events in January were held to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. The 27th January 2005 marked the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet Troops in 1945.
On Friday 21st January, Mr Walter Kammerling, who survived the Holocaust when his parents put him on the Kindertransporten from Vienna in 1939. spoke to sixth form students during assembly. Kimberley Nash and Kasper Knaack, who visited Auschwitz in October last year as part of a project organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust, also spoke of their experiences.
Year 8 Students worked with Kimberley and Kasper on the Diary of Anne Frank, and put up a display of their work at Shaftesbury Library.
On Holocaust Memorial Day itself, the School held a Commemorative Service in the School Hall to join with the church and the community to remember the Holocaust and all who suffered as a result of Nazi persecution. During the evening Kimberley and Kasper spoke movingly of their thoughts and feelings about the Holocaust together with a local man, Peter Rutter, who is a Quaker and represented the Liberators. Readings from staff, students and clergy, together with the lighting of candles, laying of stones and prayers from the Ven Alistair Morgan, Archdeacon of Dorset, completed a very memorable evening.
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Diana Memorial Award
Seven students have received the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Award for their outstanding contribution to the school and community.
Hayley Maidment, Marcus Perry, Julian Shepherd, Ben Batten, Rosie-May Stonier, Aaron Gilbert and Michael Alderson were chosen for the award for their part in the Sunshine Healthy Living Arts 4 Life project. The project involved a short film, entitled ‘Sex Actually’ which they wrote, produced, performed and filmed, with professional support.
It was shown to Year 9 students at a presentation ceremony, attended by Tessy Ojo of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Award. The project is part of the Sunshine Healthy Living Project, which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund. It is run by Salisbury District Council, Artcare and the Wiltshire Youth Arts Partnership in conjunction with Wiltshire County Council Youth Development Service.
The film is of high quality, and will be shown to a range of young people across Dorset and Wiltshire to educate and inform them about sexual health issues.
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December 2004
Olympic Flag Visits Shaftesbury School
Shaftesbury School was the venue for a visit from the Olympic Flag in December. Students and staff signed the flag to register their support and help to promote the London 2012 Olympic bid.
If London is selected for the 2012 Olympic Games, Weymouth would be the venue for the sailing events. Our School could potentially play a significant role in the event, by helping to host a national team’s training camp.
David Franks, County Sports Officer at Dorset County Council, brought the flag into school, where the Mayor Lester Dibben and Mrs Dibben, Col Michael Oliver, Chairman of North Dorset District Council and David Booth joined together for a signing session with staff and pupils.
The visit formed part of a two-month tour by the 10 metre by 12 metre flag across Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. It will be handed to members of the International Olympic Committee when they visit the UK in February to inspect facilities and to assess public support.
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Awards for Peer Counsellors
A group of student volunteers have been awarded certificates and badges for successfully completing their initial training as counsellors for a Listening Service for their peers.
The Listening Service is one of only a very few similar schemes in Dorset, and started last year at Shaftesbury School. Run for the school by Connexions, its aim is to provide positive influences for young people who may need a little extra attention or support. Students are trained to offer help and support to fellow students with adult supervision.
Dinah McAlees, the tutor responsible for student participation said “For many young people, having an older student to talk to and spend time with – someone who can provide encouragement and friendship – can help them to cope with the stresses of student life and therefore achieve well, rather than dropping out of school and failing to succeed. It is proven that students involved in these programmes are less likely to experiment with drugs, be physically aggressive or skip school”.
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November 2004
Bob Walter, Conservative MP for North Dorset, visited school in October as part of Local Democracy Week. He spent an hour with Year 10 Historians for a question and answer session and was asked for his views on a range of issues from fox hunting to the Iraq War and obesity.
He explained how parliament worked, and talked them through his day-to-day duties. He later said that he was impressed with the students’ bright questions, and said that these sort of events were an important way of engaging with the voters of tomorrow.
The event was part of the MPs in Schools project, which aims to establish links between MPs and young people, and help students learn how government works and learn about democracy.
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Students at school recently took part in the ‘I’m A Councillor Get Me Out Of Here’ project. This was a national interactive event encouraging debate between young people and councillors. The three members, Toni Coombs from Verwood, Susan Jefferies from Corfe Mullen and Les Ames from Weymouth each published a 200-word manifesto on www.bigvote.org.uk where they then answered questions from young people who were voting for the councillor of their choice.
The three councillors came to school in October for a live debate with the students. Each councillor had a few minutes during afternoon assembly to put their case for the vote, followed by a question and answer session with the students. The final vote took place on Friday 22nd October, and Councillor Toni Coombs was voted the ‘Youth Champion’.
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Shaftesbury School was officially relaunched as an 11-18 school at a ceremony in September attended by Duncan Goodhew MBE. The ceremony formed part of the annual Evening of Achievement. It began over in E Block where the Mayor, Lester Dibben, councillors and Directors of Bluestone, who refurbished the building, were given tours by students of the new facilities, seeing the ICT suites in action and a demonstration of dance in the Memorial Hall. David Booth was presented with a slate sign carrying the school’s motto ‘Adspiramus’ which will soon replace the old School House sign at the entrance to the building.
Following the Evening of Achievement, where nearly 100 students received awards for their achievements over the past year from Duncan Goodhew MBE, the school’s Olympic Torch, carried in the 1948 Games by old boy Duncan Vaughan, was carried into the hall by torchbearers representing each of the houses – Redgrave, Sanderson, Thompson and Owens. Duncan Goodhew then officially opened the new Shaftesbury School and a grand firework display followed which the whole community could enjoy.
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July 2004
Student Fashion Show Raises Money for Charity
Year 9 students from Shaftesbury School visited Castle Hill House residential home in Shaftesbury to present a cheque for £600 raised at their recent charity fashion show.
The school, in conjunction with Castle Hill House, hosted the fashion show. In addition to money raised from ticket sales, the Royal Chase Hotel donated a 3 month membership to their leisure facility which was auctioned during the evening. A total of £900 was raised, with the remaining £300 being donated to the RSPCA, a charity chosen by the students.
During their visit, the students chatted with residents and entertained them with two songs performed by Rosie Dalton and Charlotte Hewett.
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Shaftesbury Sports Partnership Lottery Windfall
Shaftesbury Sports Partnership, which includes all state primary and secondary schools in North Dorset, has been awarded £76,000 of lottery money to promote out of school activities.
Shaftesbury School and Sports College is at the centre of the project. It is one of four sports college partnerships across the South West to be awarded the money, which will be spent on nine projects over the next three years. Graham Jones, partnership development manager at the school said “The money will be used to improve sporting chances and opportunities in all schools”.
There are nine separate projects planned over the next three years. These include Tag Rugby and Multi Skills clubs for children in primary schools, and a Healthy Living project aimed at students who are overweight and take little or no exercise. The funds will also pay for each secondary school to purchase £2500 of indoor athletic equipment, to enable to schools to host clubs to which they will invite young athletes from the feeder primary schools.
Anyone interested in supporting the setting up of these projects, either as coach or assistant are invited to contact Graham Jones on 01747 853031.
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March 2004
Music for Primary Schools
Pupils at Shaftesbury Primary School enjoyed a visit from ‘A’ Level music students whose aim was to share their passion for music with younger children. Lead by Neil McMullan, they demonstrated a wide range of instruments from tuba to cornet and electric violin.
They then conducted an informal quiz for the younger children to see if they could recognise which of the instruments was playing the melody in a selection of children’s popular tunes. They also demonstrated ‘programme’ music – whereby the music tells a story.
The visit to Shaftesbury Primary School is part of the School’s endeavour to improve extra-curricular and performance activities in schools within the community, and to re-establish a tradition of music-making.
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The Band of the Hussars and Light Dragoons
The Band of the Hussars and Light Dragoons from Stanley Barracks in Wareham spent a day at Shaftesbury School, working with 28 of its music students as well as with a further 16 students visiting from St Mary’s School.
The day began with a presentation from the band, lead by bandmaster Glen Jones. In addition to traditional marching music, the musicians demonstrated other styles in their repertoire, including Dixieland Jazz, Big Band, ‘fanfare’ and pop. The band also fragmented into smaller sections, including a brass quintet that played classical music.
The students then had the opportunity to work with musicians from each section of the band. The band and school instrumentalists rounded off the day with a concert in the school hall for staff and students.
Neil McMullan, Head of Music, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with an army band in school. The students were particularly impressed with the musician’s versatility and the band’s range of styles”.
As well as encouraging young people to perform with their instruments, the band uses these occasional school concerts and workshops to promote recruitment.
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Maths Success for Shaftesbury Students
Congratulations to the Year 9 and 10 students who are celebrating top results in the UK Intermediate National Maths Challenge.
39 Shaftesbury pupils took part in the challenge in February. They had to complete a multiple-choice paper containing 25 questions in one hour. Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates were awarded to 13 of the top students. Four received the Gold award, representing 10% of the school’s participants. Only 6% of the 181,000 examinees nationally received the highest award.
Of the top students, Sam Ho, Raymond Leung and Simon Mudd have been invited to compete in the next stage of the competition, the European Kangaroo, which means that they are among the top 1500 pupils nationally in their year group.
Silver award winners were: Andy Vyse, Ricky Corbin, Ben Yorke and Sam Crocker. Bronze awards went to Kim Harvey, Leo Arnold, Ben Hardiman, Greg Wareham and Tike Smith. Ruth Henry was the fourth Gold Award winner.
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New York Trip for Drama Students
11 students from the Sixth Form embarked on a five-day trip to New York in February, to see a production of Phantom Of The Opera as part of their Drama course.
The students are currently studying the English theatre producer and director, Peter Brook. Acknowledged as an innovative, unconventional and sometimes controversial director, Brook maintains that audiences across the world are different and produces and directs his plays accordingly. The trip was for students to see first hand this theory put into practice. It was also of course an opportunity to broaden their horizons generally.
During the trip the group saw street theatre, visited Times Square, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, and sampled many different kinds of foods - everything from Mexican to Big Mac. In addition to their memories and lessons learned, two students and Di Sumner, their tutor, returned home with a drawing of themselves done by a street artist.
The trip was a huge cultural as well as educational success, and Ms Sumner is keen that it should become an annual event. She said, “The students were a credit to us. The trip was a truly inspiring experience”.
There is currently an annual London residential trip, which will now form part of year 10 and 11’s GCSE course. (December’s trip took in the contrasting productions of We Will Rock You and Woman In Black).
Comments on: The Play
“On Friday night we went to see the Phantom of the Opera in the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. The theatre was very modern compared to English and European theatres. The play was amazing. The best thing was the music. A live orchestra performed under the stage. The rest of the play was funny and scary as well as touching. After the play we were picked up in a limo and driven back to the hotel.”
Kasper Knaack
Year 12Comments on: The Experience Overall
“ Going to New York was a great experience. We had a lot of cultural experience, as well as educational, and we also had a great time.”
Toni Day
Year 12Comments on: The Food
“In New York everyone had such a great time. Every morning we went into a diner for breakfast and everyone was really friendly…..”
Hannah Price
Year 12
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February 2004
Half Marathon Debut Ends in Success
Shaftesbury School student Mark Hardiman, aged 17, completed the Blackmore Vale Lions Half Marathon on Sunday in a very respectable 1 hour 57 minutes.
The 13.1 mile course is described as ‘undulating’ with a very challenging hill at the end, and despite this Mark finished in good time and ahead of many experienced adult runners.
Mark started running last September as part of his Sixth Form Additional Studies, and now runs regularly 3 or 4 times per week. He had no previous running experience, and this was his first half marathon. He aims to complete a full marathon within a year.
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January 2004
Full of Christmas turkey, 31 intrepid skiers comprising staff and pupils set off on 27th December 2003 for the high-level Italian resort of Courmayeur.
The whole week was blessed with superb sunshine and deep blue skies enhancing the most stunning scenery in Europe – near vertical slopes and the huge glaciers of Mont Blanc.
The skiing conditions were perfect, and with the help of some brilliant instructors everyone made great improvements with their skiing, and had a hugely enjoyable time.
Bookings are now being taken for the next trip, departing Easter 2005.
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Shaftesbury School "Transformed", says Ofsted
Shaftesbury School and Sports College has received a clean bill of health from government inspectors following a critical report four years ago.
The Ofsted team, who visited the school in November, found that the school had been “transformed” despite large debts and recruitment problems. They praised the work of the head teacher David Booth, his Leadership Group and the governors. The quality of teaching had “much improved” and the school now provides a “sound education” for its students.
The report gives Shaftesbury School a much-needed boost as it prepares for enlargement and reorganisation in 2004. It highlights the following successes:
- Students at all levels have performed well in their examinations in 2003, particularly 14 and 15 year olds whose results were above the national average.
- The students obtain better results than would be expected from their standard on entry.
- The Sixth Form, which operates in collaboration with Sturminster Newton High School, is “a particular strength of the school”. Students’ achievements are good and they are well placed to move on to higher education or their chosen career.
- In national comparisons, Sixth Form standards are “average to above average” and teaching is “good or better”, helping students to achieve well.
- Boarders “achieve as well as, and sometimes better than, other pupils”.
- The school’s forward planning is “bold and exciting” and if its aims are successfully implemented the school should achieve it’s new Mission Statement, namely “to provide high quality opportunities to empower every individual to realise their aspirations”.
David Booth said, “We are delighted that our efforts to transform the school have been recognised by Ofsted, and we are committed to improving still further as we approach the reorganisation in September 2004”.
For a summary - click here.
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December 2003
Residential Home Commissions School Art
Year 13 Students from Shaftesbury School today presented three paintings to Castle Hill House residential home.
The distinctive and colourful paintings are of well-known local scenes, including the town’s picturesque Gold Hill. They were commissioned by the Residential Home, and were created by Rebecca Harris, Kate Bauman and Eleanor Flatman, with help from other members of their year group.
Ron Panton, a resident of Castle Hill House, saw examples of some of Shaftesbury School students’ work exhibited at the Abbey in Park Walk. He was so impressed and decided that something similar would brighten up the residential home where he and his wife Eileen live.
He met with the students to discuss their ideas, and liked their work so much that instead of just one, he commissioned three paintings. They will be hung on an outside wall on the patio where his wife and other residents will be able to enjoy them from the comfort of their rooms.
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Shaftesbury School Rag Day
Students of Shaftesbury School’s Sixth Form hit the town on Wednesday 17th December, collecting money for charity. As part of their annual Rag Day, the students donned fancy dress and descended on factories and businesses on the industrial estates.
A record total of £1575 was raised on behalf of CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood) and local hospice Naomi House. Students sponsored three of their tutors, all going by the name of Smith, and identified as “New” Smith, “Happy” Smith and “Grumpy” Smith, to wear dresses for the day.
Other events included a Cream Cracker eating competition won by student Jack Cole, a sponsored beard shaving and leg waxing, and two editions of The Weakest Link. The two lucky winners were Mrs Armitstead (Head of English) and Miss Sumner (Head of Drama). Students bid at auction for teachers to be their “slaves at lunchtime” and Miss Sumner fetched the highest bid – of £10 – and her task was to clean a student’s car.
The Rag Day Ball held on the previous Friday was very well supported, featuring live music from Opposites Attract.
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Shaftesbury School Wins Gold at Sport
Shaftesbury School has this week won a national award for sport from Britain’s top sports development agency. It is one of only 10 schools in England to receive the Sportsmark Gold.
The Gold Award, from Sport England, has been presented to Shaftesbury School, Dorset’s first Sports College, for its “outstanding commitment to school sport provision”.
Headteacher David Booth said “News of this latest award has given the school a real sense of achievement. PE and sport has always had a high priority in our school but this recognition by Sport England gives us something special to celebrate”.
Shaftesbury has long been known as a specialist sports college. All students do two hours sport per week; students in year 10 and 11 work towards a GCSE in PE. 50% of students regularly attend a sports club before or after school, or at lunchtime. This year a record number are taking coaching courses.
Sports Leaders (mainly sixth form students) regularly assist local primary schools with lunchtime activities, and help pupils from Yewstock Special School to develop their skills in indoor athletics, using specially adapted equipment. In 2002 they organised a mini Commonwealth Games event, and a mini Olympics is planned for 2004.
Shaftesbury’s old boys include Duncan Vaughan, who carried the Olympic Torch to London in 1948.
For further information, contact Sara Broome at Shaftesbury School on 01747 854498 or Sarah Smyth, Sport England Communications Manager on 020 7273 1590.
Notes
- Sportsmark and Sportsmark Gold Awards are for all schools with secondary (Key Stage 3 and 4) aged students.
- Sportsmark is awarded to schools that have effective policies and practices for the provision of a well-balanced physical education programme; for developing an out-of-school-hours programme that offers a range of opportunities to students and for enabling young people to move from school sport to their wider community.
- Sportsmark Gold is a higher award to schools that take their commitment further and can demonstrate an outstanding commitment to school sports provision.
- Sport England is the country’s leading sports development agency and distributor of lottery funds to sport.
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April 2003
Students and staff at Shaftesbury School joined forces in a "marathon" week of fund-raising in April 2003. The aim was to collect £2500 for the charity "Dreans Come True", in order to provide a local 5-year old boy called Tom, who suffers from Leigh's Disease, with a specially-adapted computer. By the end of the week, this target had easily been hit.
The students arranged many events themselves, such as all-day football tournaments, a Talent Show, dances and cycle rides. Sonia Ashworth, in Year 9, raised over £100 by having all her hair shaved off. More than 200 students attended a Charity Rock Concert featuring student bands. Many teachers were involved in the Staff Panto "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Trainers", written by Head of English Jane Armitstead, and played to packed houses! The week was rounded off with an evening performance by GCSE and A-Level Music students, also featuring a specially-commissioned performance of Brazilian percussion by Year 9 students led by guest musician Felix Gibbons.
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It was announced in April 2003 by the Independent Schools' Adjudicator that re-organisation of schools in the Shaftesbury area will go ahead from September 2003. This means that existing First Schools for 5-8 year olds will become 5-11 year old Primary Schools, and that, from September 2004, Shaftesbury School will become an 11-18 Secondary School (no longer a 13-18 Upper School).
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