Winter 2015

Futures AwardKickboxing

Armistice DayHouse Competitions

FundraisingSwimmingClubs FairRugby

The Marches School Morda Road, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 2AR

T. 01691 664400 E. admin@marchesschool.net W. www.marchesschool.co.uk

Sarah LongvilleExecutive Headteacher

WelcomeFROM THE HEADTEACHER

ParentPay - Our new online payment serviceCOMING SOON

We are pleased to announce that we will shortly be accepting payments online for items such as dinner money and schooltrips. Using a secure website called ParentPay you will be able to pay online using your credit or debit card. ParentPay will beour preferred method of making payments to school.

What are the benefits to parents and students?● ParentPay is easy-to-use and will offer you the freedom to make online payments whenever and wherever you like,

24/7.● The technology used is of the highest internet security available ensuring that your money will reach school safely

– offering you peace of mind.● Payments can be made by credit/debit card or also through PayPoint.● Full payment histories and statements are available to you securely online at anytime.● Your children will not have to worry about losing money at school.● Parents can choose to be alerted when their balances are low via email and/or SMS text.

What are the benefits to our school?The more parents that use ParentPay, the greater the benefit is to our school.  You can help us reduce workloads for all staff,creating more time to lend to educational support and the smooth running of the school.  Using ParentPay also ensures that allfinancial transactions are safe and secure - helping us to remove costs associated with us having to manage cash securely onthe school premises.

How to get started with ParentPay…We are aiming to go live with this on the Monday 1st February. More information will follow.

This half of the Autumn term has certainly been abusy one, with staff and students working hard toachieve their personal best in all that they do. Weinvited a number of external visitors in this term,who were given the task of checking standards.Overwhelmingly, our external reviewers statedthat the students and staff have fantasticrelationships, which has led to a purposefullearning environment at the school.

Every day at The Marches I am given reasons tofeel extremely proud of the school and the peoplewho make it such a great place to be. Just a fewweeks ago, during the period of bad weather, Iwas made aware of four Marches students - BethRoberts, Emily McDade, Luca Hazell and ChantelWhitbread – who helped a lady who had fallenover by the park, as they made their way intoschool. They offered to assist her and wanted tocheck that she was alright. It is heart-warming tohear of such acts of kindness and reiterates to usall that educating young people is not just aboutpassing exams; it is about preparing students tobe good, honest citizens who will flourish inmodern society.

As always, the Christmas Fayre and CommunityCarol Service offered up Christmas Cheer inabundance. It was fabulous to see St Oswald’sChurch packed full of parents, students andmembers of the local community, enjoying themusical and theatrical performances delivered bythe young people of Oswestry and beyond.

As you will already be aware, there have been some staffing changes at TheMarches this term. In order to ensure a sustainable future for the AcademyTrust, this term marked the beginning of a transitional year at The MarchesSchool, the lead school within the Trust. The transition involved Mrs Pearson,previously Deputy Headteacher, taking on the role of Associate Headteacherat The Marches School.

This change to staffing arrangements is essential to enable the appropriatestrategic capacity across the Trust and ensure standards remain high.

As Executive Headteacher, I will continue to have overall responsibility for thesuccess of both schools but, as Associate Headteacher, Mrs Pearson is nowcarrying out the day-to-day operational running of The Marches School andthe duties that this involves. We are passionate about ensuring that thestudents in our learning community havethe best opportunities, which means I willremain very active and visible within TheMarches School.

Mrs Pearson and I can both be contactedby email if you have any queries or mattersyou would like to discuss.(headteacher@marchesschool.net) .

May I take this opportunity to wish you avery merry Christmas and a happy newyear.

www.marchesschool.co.uk

Winter 2015 | 1

News

On Wednesday 11th November, students andstaff gathered around the memorial garden fortwo minutes of silence to commemorate thosewho lost their lives in the two world wars andall later conflicts. The head boy and girl laidthe Year 7 wreaths in the garden.

Amy Rowley, a Year 11 student, was recently able to put into practicethe lifesaving skills she learnt whilst completing her work experienceplacement at the Orthopaedic Hospital.Students are encouraged to experience the ‘world of work’, where theypartake in a one-week placement in Year 10. The school’s extensivebusiness network ensures that students are found placements relevantto their interests and career aspirations and this forms a crucial elementof their learning development. Amy’s interest in healthcare led to hersecuring a placement at the Orthopaedic Hospital.When Amy’s grandmother recently lost consciousness, after choking onsome food, Amy quickly responded and followed the steps she hadlearnt at the hospital, as part of the first aid training. Because of this fastaction, Amy was able to bring her grandmother back to consciousness.

ARMISTICE DAY

WORKEXPERIENCE

FUTURES AWARDThe Futures Award, which is endorsed by BT andsponsored by TARA Professional Recruitment, TheBritish Ironwork Centre, Oswestry Town Counciland Rybrook Shrewsbury BMW launched this term.Students are making great progress in completingtheir Futures Award booklets.

MARCHESTRAININGMarches Training is now in its fourthyear of delivering First Aid courses tothe community, schools andbusinesses. They offer affordablecourses for those needing to achievethe First Aid at Work qualification.Individuals can study the three dayinitial qualification which lasts forthree years; this can then be followedup with a two-day refresher course tocontinue the qualification.

Danny Ward, who carries out thetraining, has extensive experience indelivering First Aid and Health andSafety and uses his knowledge tomake his First Aid courses lively,realistic and memorable.

www.marchesschool.co.uk

2 | Winter 2015

School Trips

Forty-five Year 6 Primary School pupils from Oswestry,Whitchurch and surrounding areas were given theopportunity to visit the UK’s top University on Thursday 22nd

October, as part of The Futures Award.The trip to the University of Cambridge was designed toignite the aspirations of Year 6 pupils. The award aims toencourage pupils to begin thinking about their ambitions forthe future and to be inspired by the possibilities available tothem, as well as supporting their transition into Year 7.During their visit, pupils attended a lecture on ‘Hot and ColdMaterials’ which included an experiment with liquidnitrogen, attended a talk on University Life, enjoyed a fulltour of the College grounds and asked undergraduatestudents questions in a ‘Q and A session’.

Miss Buckle

Recently, Year 11 students spent the day at NorthShropshire College attending taster sessions, samplingcourses and getting an insight into college life.

CLUBS FAIR

On Wednesday 25th November we hosted a Clubs Fair in theschool Sports Hall and Gym from 11:00am - 4:00pm. On theday, clubs from around Oswestry set up stalls and “have a go”activities which were visited by primary school pupils fromWhittington, Meadows, Cockshutt, Ellesmere and Trefonen andYear 7 students from the Marches. The clubs in attendancewere: Oswestry Golf Club, Oswestry Rugby Club, BorderCounties Gymnastics, MD Warriors Martial Arts, OswestryTaekwondo, Oswestry Olympians, Table Tennis Club based inLlansilin, Morda and Criftins, TNS Football, Hula Hooping andMulti Skills. This was an excellent opportunity for local sportsclubs and organisations to promote their facilities and providedboth primary pupils and secondary students with a chance togather information about the clubs on offer to them.

Miss Scott

The event was a roaring success. The girls wereexcellent, fully immersing themselves into what the dayhad to offer, from matching puzzles with fish, tobalancing paperclips and solving historical problems withbinary. The feedback was positive and it was great to seea real focus on what had been achieved within Mathsand Science by women. Hopefully this has inspired thestudents for the future.

Mr Lane

CELEBRATING WOMEN IN MATHS

COLLEGE>>>LIFE

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

www.marchesschool.co.uk

Winter 2015 | 3

Fundraising

On Friday 27th November, staff and students supportedMovember with our very own Movember Day. To raisemoney for the cause cakes were sold at breaktime,moustaches were painted on faces, the school held anon uniform day and a number of staff dressed up asthe 118 118 characters. Over £1000 was rasied.

Staff competed against the Year 11 Netball team on the14th November to raise money for Children In Need.They raised £36.14 by allowing students to watch thegame at lunch time.

On Friday 9th October, three Marches students attended MordaPrimary School Market, with a stall to sell a range of culinarydelights. The students, Lauren Kynaston, Jessica Wadey andGemma Owens sold Marches Chutney, Autumn themed fairy cakes,fresh eggs, windfall apples together with felt brooches and purses.

Two Year 8students,AaronWood andJackFortes, whohave an idea foran after school NerfGun club have beenraising funds for the club. On13th November they sold cakes at breakand within 5 minutes they had sold out! They raised £75.66.

CHRISTMAS FAYREOn Saturday 28th November, staff, students, parents, localbusinesses and members of the community packed out TheMarches School Hall for the annual Christmas Fayrecelebrations! Members of the local community sold crafts andfestive products and there were a wide range of gifts andChristmas decorations on sale. The school was delighted toreceive some amazing raffle prizes for this year’s event,including a Linx Tablet kindly donated by Microplus Computers.Altogether the event raised £580 for Oswestry Guide Dogs.

MOVEMBER

MORDA MARKET

www.marchesschool.co.uk

4 | Winter 2015

SportOn Wednesday 21st October, The Marches Schoolhosted a Year 8 Boys’ Rugby Tournament alongside aschedule of activities which have been taking placeacross the duration of the Rugby World Cup to increaseinterest and participation in Rugby.

The Marches invited a number of schools currentlydeveloping their Rugby to take part in the tournament.Teams from The Marches, Corbet, Thomas Adams,The Grove, Hadley Learning Community and TelfordPark schools all competed to win the trophy but it wasThe Marches team that triumphed and in the end wonthe tournament.

RUGBY TOURNAMENT

FIRSTLESSON

FREE

Tuesday7:00 - 8:30PM

Friday6:00 - 7:00PM

07324 364 018

RUGBY DEVELOPMENTAT THE MARCHESThe Marches School has seen a fantastic increase inparticipation in rugby following its Rugby World CupWeek. Sam Hodgeson from Oswestry Rugby Club,commented, “The increase in uptake from young peopleinto rugby, especially girls’ rugby, has been fantastic andis testament to the work carried out at the school”. Healso gave brilliant feedback about the Clubs Fair and thework that Sport Oswestry has done to bringing clubstogether. Well done to everyone involved.

Mrs White, Business and CommunityDevelopment Manager

www.marchesschool.co.uk

Winter 2015 | 5

NETBALL

The Marches School Swimming Squad recently travelled toMoreton Hall to compete in the North Shropshire SwimmingGala. The day was awash with success, with the Marchessecuring top position in the Under 13 Girls’ competition.On Wednesday 18th November, 25 students went toMoreton Hall to represent The Marches School in the NorthShropshire Swimming Gala. There was a high level ofswimming at the gala and each student put 100% effort intoevery race they completed.The U15 Girls’ and Boys’ teams were also successful, bothgaining 2nd place with the U19 Boys’ team coming 3rd andthe U13 Boys’ and U19 Girls’ both finishing in 4th place.

Miss Suckley

On Wednesday 14th October, The Marches School hosted theNorth Shropshire Netball Tournament. Netball teams joined TheMarches from Adcote, The Grove, Corbet, Lakelands andThomas Adams Schools.Both the Under 13 and Under 15 Marches teams were crownedchampions of the tournament, with each team winning all 5games.

Miss Scott

Richard Jandrell, a Year 9student, recently became double National

Champion at the WKA (World Kickboxing Association)British Nationals held in Birmingham. Richard walkedaway from the event with not only one but TWO titles –Semi-contact and continuous.Richard has been competing since the age of 5 andtrains up to 5 times a week with his instructor, 3 timesWorld Champion, Brian Nelson.

SWIMMING GALA

Tuesday 20th October marked the last of the sailing sessionsheld by the Shropshire Sailing Club enabled by becoming anofficial RYA OnBoard club for The Marches students. Tocelebrate their success and all they have learnt through thescheme, the students, along with their families and the sailingclub, gathered together for an awards ceremony where theywere presented with Stage 1 ‘learn to sail’ certificates. KatieWalker, a Year 8 student from The Marches who wasinvolved commented, “I enjoyed the sailing opportunity, it wasreally fun. I learnt how to sail and I learnt about the differentparts of the boat which was really interesting. This opportunityhas increased my confidence and now I’m excited to move onto the second stage of learning to sail with my friend”.

SAILING OPPORTUNITY

6 | Winter 2015

www.marchesschool.co.uk

House NewsEXTRA-CURRICULARHOUSE COMPETITION

Over 840 designs were entered for the annualhouse Christmas card competition. Well done to allof the finalists… a lot of work went into theirdesigns! The winning design and the four runners-up are shared with friends of the school on ourChristmas card.

Top Designers1. Hargreaves - Katie Harrison2. Stephens - Martyna Szurmiej3. Whittaker - Melissa Chapman4. Bonington - Sophie Mackey5. Mallory - Ellie Burnett

Miss Ford

CHRISTMAS CARDCOMPETITION

Thewinningdesign!

STUDENT LEADERSHIPAs your student leadership group our main aim is to improvethe school for you. Recently we held the first ‘StudentParliament’ meeting. The aim of ‘Student Parliament’ is toallow students from all the different year groups to sharetheirs and others opinions and suggest ideas. Thesemeetings are run by the Student Leadership team so we canuse what was said during ‘Parliament’ and act on it.We used our first meeting to ask students what they thoughtabout our ‘inspirational quotes’ idea. We have decided onthree quotes that will be put on the outside of schoolallowing everyone to see them. We have decided to haveinspirational quotes around school as we believe it willimprove general morale around school. We thank allstudents for their input on this.We are also looking at investing in ping-pong tables to beaccessible by all students during social times; this isbecause it has been said to us that a lot of students do notfeel as though there are enough activities to partake induring break and lunch so our solution is to invest in ping-pong tables. We chose these as they are easy and simple touse.As your leadership team we want you to know that we wantto hear your opinions. So students either find us and talk tous, or share any concerns with your form captain to bring toour parliament meetings.

DominiqueLaundy

This term, students have been battling against staff in aBBC-style, general knowledge Eggheads quiz. Organisedas a House competition, teams have been put to the testto try and win points for their house. Teams were puttogether after all students took part in a 25 multiple answerquiz. The names of the top 5 students in every academicmentoring group were put forward to their House Leaders,who selected 5 students to represent them in a team.These selected students then went on to play against theformidable staff ‘Eggheads’ in assemblies.The competition was well supported by all the students butBonington took the top spot by beating the staff 7 – 5.

Before October half term students did their bit byattending as many extra-curricular activities as theycould, to see which house attended the most. It was aclose-fought competition, with record breaking numbersof students at extra-curricular clubs. Bonington were thewinning house with an emphatic win, followed byStephens, Hargreaves, Mallory then Whittaker. Malloryonly came 4th by 1 person attending 1 more club thanWhittaker. Mr Deery is continuing to encourage studentsto attend as many extra-curricular opportunities as theycan during the rest of the year.

Mrs Heighway

Winter 2015 | 7

InformationMESSAGEFROMTHE CHAIR

www.marchesschool.co.uk

KEEP UPTO DATE

Facebook/MarchesSchool

@MarchesSchool

SPRING TERM TRIPS

TERM DATESSpring Term 20164th January – 24th MarchHalf Term: 15th February – 19th FebruaryEaster Holidays: 25th March – 8th AprilPD Day: 22nd February

Summer Term 201611th April – 22nd JulyHalf Term: 30th May – 3rd JunePD Days: 25th July, 26th July

Liverpool Art Gallery - 11th JanuaryPlaces of Worship Trip - 18th - 20th JanuaryInternational Netball Series - 20th JanuaryWashington, Philadelphia and New York - February Half TermValencia Trip - 11th - 15th FebruaryGeography Fieldwork - 19th MarchMorocco Training Weekend - 19th MarchSki Trip USA - 26th March - 1st April

The Friends of The Marches (FOM) supported our first majorevents on the 27th and 28th November respectively. On 27th

the FOM supported the running of the Marches Movies, whichis fast becoming a popular event for students and people ofthe local community alike. The FOM will be working with JoWhite and the school in continuing to grow this event withmovie nights throughout 2016. Please watch the schoolwebsite for further details!

The FOM then supported the annual Marches ChristmasFayre on the 28th November, with a Santa’s Grotto and aBottle Stall. Both these stalls and the fayre as a whole werevery well supported, and we would in particular like to thankparents and staff for their kind donations for the bottle stall,and Father Christmas and his elves for giving up their time tosupport us!

We will in 2016 be consulting with the Student LeadershipGroup to identify potential projects for the FOM to supportwith the funds generated from events.

The next committee meeting of the FOM will be on 11th

January 2016. If you would like any further information on thework the Friends of the Marches are doing to support theschool or would like to become involved please contact me atjames.richards34@yahoo.co.uk

Wishing you a very happy Christmas and 2016.James Richards – ChairFriends of the Marches

A representative from NCS visited theschool at the end of November. Followingthis, recruitment reached a new high thisyear with 17 students signing up. TheMarches School is well on the way toretaining the Champion School status.

NATIONAL CITIZEN SERVICE

WATCHOURNEWVIDEOScan the adjoiningimage to watch ournew Sixth FormVideo on ourYoutube channel.

Ladder for Shropshire visited our Sixth Form this term to talk aboutApprenticeships. Students learnt about the benefits of Apprenticeshipsand how Ladder for Shropshire can help them in finding the appropriatetraining provider to suit their chosen career path.

On the 30th November, Years 12 and 13 Sixth Form students attendeda careers workshop at the LinkedIn Head Office in London arranged byour Alumni partners Future First.

On 17th November, Years 12 and 13 studentsvisited Warwick University on a Chemistrytrip. The talks covered topics including:

● The wonders of element 6, carbon(the different structures and forms ofcarbon from nanotubes andgrapheme to Bucky Balls).

● Green batteries in 3D (newtechnologies allowing rechargeablebatteries to become better and moreenvironmentally friendly).

● From breaking bad to making good(looking at the chemistry behindBreaking Bad and how it compares toreal pharmaceutical drugdevelopment).

● World War Flu (development of auniversal flu vaccine).

Mr Moffatt

CHEMISTRY TRIP

“I feel I have learnt a lotmore about professionalnetworking and finding

alternative career paths fromthis experience at LinkedIn. Inow feel a lot more confident

about my future jobprospects.”

Clodagh Marston, Year 13 “This trip has been amazing.It has shown me a whole

new way of researching anddiscovering job opportunities

and is something I wouldlove to get involved in.”

Nathan Hughes, Year 13

“It was a very usefultool that I feel I canuse to aid me whensearching for a job

later in life.”

Holly Hutchon,Year 12

Claire BuckleAssistant Headteacher:

Head of Sixth Form

WelcomeFROM THE HEAD OF SIXTH FORM

NEWS INPICTURES

The A Level Law students recently visited London and the Houses ofParliament in order to gain a better understanding of Parliamentary LawMaking. This never to be forgotten experience afforded the students theopportunity to sit in both the House of Lords and the House of Commonswhere we witnessed a lively debate on Devolution. Following our guided tour ofParliament the students received training on law making at the brand newParliament education centre and met with our local M.P. to discuss matters ofLaw making that effect both the student body and the local community.

Mrs Vicars

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

It is such an exciting time in The MarchesSixth Form at the moment. Our secondcohort of Year 13 students have completedtheir UCAS applications and offers fromsome of the finest institutions in the countryare rolling in. I am confident that theextensive support students received fromour higher education team, all the visits totop universities and their extensive workexperience will ensure institutions aredesperate for Marches students to studywith them.

What is really special this year is theamazing buzz around Sixth Form created bythe diverse future careers students areexploring. Clearly the focus has been on theUCAS process for many over the last coupleof weeks and their pride in their applicationsand offers is tangible. Year 13 aredetermined to achieve their full potential thissummer and take up their University offers,whilst Year 12 have watched the processclosely and are visibly inspired and excited

about their turn to apply in the next academicyear.

Key Stage 5 Mock exams will take placeimmediately after the Christmas break. SixthForm students are making the necessarypreparations to enter the exam period withconfidence. They recognise that thoroughrevision at this halfway point will pay dividendswhen they enter the summer exam season.The Sixth Form Common Room is looking veryfestive and the last few ‘Fun Fridays’ of 2015have been incredible, with the inter-formkaraoke competition being a particular highlight!

I know 2016 will be an auspicious year for allassociated with The Marches Sixth Form and Iwould like to take this opportunity to wish you alla very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

EXCHANGE STUDENT

Winter 20156

NEWS

LinkedIn TripApprenticeships

Parliament