Gordano School Newsletter No.15

Gordano School Newsletter

Head’s Blog Our school has been seized by the democratic process with pupils taking part in a mock election last Friday and then much analysis of the real vote this week. It is good to see young people engage so enthusiastically with the world of politics and this is also one of the school’s priorities in our commitment to promote ‘British Values’. Our governors recently approved a statement of British Values which you will find on our website under the ‘school’ menu. We’ve been very busy in other arenas also. I was very pleased to hear that our teams from the Sixth Form both did tremendously well in the Student Robotics 2015 Competition. The Egyptian Team reached the quarter-finals while for the second year in a row Team Aculeus came second overall in this national competition. You will see coverage of this on the website. It was also great to welcome Joelle Taylor as poet in residence at our Poetry Slam last week. This event was part of the ‘Word in the West’ spoken word festival. Our librarian, Sue Chatfield, always seizes every opportunity to promote reading, creative writing and love of literature and she is already getting ready to run the Carnegie Medal shadowing experience later this month when our Year 8 pupils will be reading

No.15 Friday 8th May Attendance Line Year 7-11 - 01275 841374 Attendance Line Year 12 and 13- 01275 841380 attendance@gordanoschool.org.uk Term dates and past newsletters can be found on our website www.gordanoschool.org.uk

https://twitter.com/gordanoschnews www.facebook.com/Gordanoschool

Diary Dates: Wednesday 13th May 2015 Final deadline for Year 8 Options forms (please submit to tutors) Thursday 14th May 2015 Year 9 Progress Evening 4-7.30pm (various locations) Thursday 21st May 2015 Year 7 Celebration Evening 6pm onwards (Main Hall) Friday 22nd May 2015 Last day for Year 13s– Leavers Breakfast Friday 22nd May 2015 Bronze DoE Navigation Training 2.30pm HOLIDAY– Monday 25th May - Friday 29th May inclusive

Gordano School Newsletter No.15

the books on the Carnegie prize short list and choosing their own winner. I wonder if they will reach the same conclusion as the national panel. Our Year 11s are in fancy dress today letting off some steam prior to beginning their exams. They have been a real pleasure to work with and I know that they will settle down over the next weeks to the last crucial phase of their exam preparation. I wish them (and their parents) good luck and steady progress. Gary Lewis Headteacher

Sixth Form Careers update We were delighted with the turnout at April’s Higher Education (HE) Parents’ Evening. The event started with overviews of HE and UCAS followed by a range of classroom-based sessions. This included a large number of former Gordano students now at University and a mini-careers fair for local Universities and colleges providing HE. The rolling sessions on student finance, personal statements, sponsored degrees and taking a gap year were particularly well received and feedback for the evening was very good. Dates for the diary: Monday 29 June—Friday 03 July Year 12 Futures Week Universities, UCAS, Apprenticeships, Employers Careers Fair and a lot of opportunities to fill CVs and personal statements Tuesday 07 July Year 12 Careers in Clinical Sectors Event Gordano School 4-7pm Gordano School will be hosting the North Somerset schools’ event for Year 12’s (medics, vets, dentists and nurses) – please see Mrs Tate for full details As always, please can you ensure that all students in Year 13 & 12 have let Mrs Tate know of their current career plans for Sept-15 and Sept-16 respectively.

Year 8 Options

After a successful Options evening on Thursday 30th April, there have been a number of informative events about subjects on offer to students. Please note that the final deadline for all Options forms to be returned to tutors is Wednesday 13th May 2015.

Gordano School Newsletter No.15

Help needed at Bristol 10k Clic Sargent are looking for Gordano pupils or parents to marshal at the Bristol 10k on the 31st May. The main roles of the marshals are to ensure that the course is clear and to direct runners to their next point on the course. Visit https://www.clicsargent.org.uk/forms/bristol-10k-marshal-form to find out more information and to sign up.

Knitters Still Needed!

So successful was our knitting programme for our twinned school in Kenya (Girango Primary and Secondary School) that we have been asked to provide at least another 150 jumpers – either red or navy blue - for when we return in July this year. This is a huge undertaking and we would love any keen knitters or knitting clubs to get in touch. We also have links with a small orphanage and they would welcome any new clothing or jumpers/cardigans in any colour for their children from 5 – 18 years old. Please contact jfairs@gordanoschool.org.uk if you are able to help.

Portishead Flower Show and Country Fair

Saturday 25th – Sunday 26th July 2015 Pupils aged 16 and under are invited to try their hand at a range of crafty projects at this popular summer event. If you would like to get involved, visit the Flower Show website for a list of Portishead shops that stock the free Show Schedule (these include full details of rules and show entry forms). Entry to the show is free to under 16s if accompanied by an adult. www.portisheadflowershow.com/classes The Show Field, Clevedon Road, Portishead, BS20 7RA

Follow the show on Twitter @Portisheadshow

Gordano School Newsletter No.15

Second Shaun due to surprise Bristol in Summer Trail Following the success of their first creation entitled ‘Out of this World’ Shaun—that starred in the London Shaun in the City trail, Josh and Aimee Williams have been approached to paint a second Shaun the sheep to feature in the Bristol Trail, which will be launched over the summer. Josh and Aimee are very excited, and as before have been very mysterious about their second design. We will update you on information as soon as it is announced.

BTEC Health and Social Care open days The BTEC Diploma Health and Social care group have visited two open days recently. The first visit was to the University of South Wales in Newport for an Early Years taster day. The group was given information on the different Early Years courses that were available and the careers they could lead to, before taking part in two sample seminars. These were active sessions designed to teach communication skills in a practical way. They were also given a tour of the university and were able to talk to

current students.

The group also visited the School of Nursing and Midwifery at UWE for a careers in healthcare

taster day. Students heard about careers in radiography and mental health nursing before

taking part in seminars in adult nursing, child nursing and midwifery. They were able to take

a tour of the fantastic facilities based at UWE

including a fully functioning hospital ward complete

with breathing mannequins and a dummy that could

give birth. The days were both very useful in seeing

the variety of courses and careers the course could

lead to.

Gordano School Newsletter No.15

Gordano School wins Second place trophy in Student Robotics 2015

Two teams of Gordano Sixth formers put their engineering and coding skills to the test in the

2015 National Student Robotics competition.

Two teams of sixth form students built and programmed autonomous robots to take part in

the two day competition against schools and colleges from across the country. The Gordano

teams ‘Egyptians’ and ‘Aculeus’ battled to be placed in the finals over the event (25th-26th

April).

Each team was tasked with the job of building and programming an autonomous robot which

could then in turn capture flags in a large 8x8m arena, pitted against the clock with three

other competitors in each round of the competition. A requirement of the task was for

students to programme their robot using PYTHON, a high level programming language.

PYTHON is easily readable, which makes it a useful skill to learn, and is widely used by many

modern companies such as Google, Facebook and YouTube.

The Egyptians team (Year 12 students) managed to battle their Egyptian themed robot into

the quarter finals, but sadly were knocked out before reaching the semi-final.

Team Aculeus (Year 13 pupils) modelled their robot on a scorpion design, and managed to

finish the competition in second place, losing only to Bishop Wordsworth School from

Salisbury.

This is the third year that Gordano School has entered Student Robotics, however, this is the first time that they have entered two teams. The students involved built the robots in Gordano’s Design and Technology department, mentored by D&T technician Richard Moore, as part of Gordano School’s Sixth Form Elective Program. Both teams did extremely well. The Egyptians are already planning their strategy for the 2016 competition. To find out more, visit www.studentrobotics.org Meet the teams:

The Egyptians: James Cant, Adam Griffiths, Robert Millar, Ryan Skidmore, Callum Wardle

Aculeus: Tom Bath, Ben Heskins, Robert March, Robyn Moore, Amy Tang, Laurence Wellesbury

Gordano School Newsletter No.15

Lunchtime Supervision Gordano School is keen to hear from any parent who could support lunchtime supervision for students in the House areas and canteen whilst students take their lunch break. This role is to help the teachers and cover the lunchtime period across the school site between 12.30 – 1.45pm Mondays – Thursdays and 12 – 1pm on Fridays on a permanent basis. Pay is £7.30 per hour. If you are interested, please email recruitment@gordanoschool.org.uk for an application form.

Fantastic Fundraising for Comic Relief The final amount of money that has been raised by Gordano School for Comic Relief tallied at £2851. Fantastic fundraising to everyone who donated and took part in the week’s

activities.

Scientific Photography club enter Royal Photographic Society competition

Students taking part in the Scientific Photography club have just entered the Royal Photographic Society’s competition ‘international images for science’. The aim of the Scientific Photography club is to give students an opportunity to develop their photography skills, as well as thinking about Science from a different perspective, as the focal point for images.

The students involved researched different ideas and practical activities, before carrying out their plans and photographing the results. They then selected their favourite images to enter, and were among 400 international photographers to compete. The club now wait to hear if there were any successful applicants, who could win a voucher towards photographic equipment and have their work displayed at the British Science Festival 2015.

Gordano School Newsletter No.15

June 2015 is Year 11-13 library book returns month

Deadlines for book returns:

Year 12 – Books to be back by 10th June

Year 11 & 13 – Books to be back by your respective PROM DAY in JUNE

Good Luck to you all in your forthcoming exams!

Important Information

A list of books that you have on loan from the Library will be sent to your student email

account next week. The system is updated daily, so you can always check with us what is

outstanding throughout the month of June. When books are returned they will be re-issued to

students in the following year group.

You can also check your library record yourself:

How to check your library loans at school:

Click on Start

Choose Library

Click on Eclipse.net

Your record details will appear.

Click on Current loans in the top left-hand screen.

ALL LOANS WILL BE DISPLAYED.

Textbooks are expensive to replace.

Invoicing for non-return of books will begin on 1st July and requires a lot of time and effort

on behalf of the library staff. We would appreciate your support to return your books as

soon as you have finished with them, and before the 26th June 2014. (Don’t start work or go

on holiday before you have cleared your library records)

Students wishing to join Year 12/13 will not be permitted to borrow new books until

their Library records are clear.

How to return your books

Go to the library with your book(s), where they will be scanned. There will be a facility to

pay for lost book(s). Cheques to be made payable to ‘Gordano School’.

Any textbook problems can be sorted

throughout the month, along with any other

queries.

If you have any problems or need more help

returning your existing books please make sure

to contact us by email or visit the Library.

Best Wishes

Mrs Chatfield and Mrs Toft

Gordano School Newsletter No.15

Gordano School Mock General Election 2015. And the winner is…

On Friday 1st May, every single pupil in Gordano School had a chance to vote for a political party in the Gordano School Mock General Election 2015. Pupils could vote for any of the five main political parties, or decide not to vote at all. In total, a whopping 1649 votes were counted by diligent students as part of the Potential Programme.

Each of the 75 tutors groups in the school represented an area and constituency. 38 tutor groups all needed to decide on the same political party in order for there to be a clear majority winner. It seems as though Gordano School is fairly representative of the UK with the inability to agree on a majority political party. The closest party to the winning line was the Conservative Party with 36 seats (tutor groups). So, we have a hung parliament! In total, 28% of students voted for the Conservatives, 22% for Labour, 15% for the Green Party, 14% for UKIP, 12% for the Liberal Democrats, and 8% of pupils decided to not vote for any of the above. As part of the whole school event, there were also House Assemblies exploring the importance of voting in elections. Students now have a better understanding of why politics is important, how politics affects young people and how governments are formed. It will be interesting to see how the results from today’s election

tallies up against our student vote.

Sixth Form student gives fantastic performance at World Schools Orienteering Championship

Congratulations to 6th form student Cecilie Andersen who has just returned from the World Schools orienteering championships in Turkey. Cecilie finished 4th in the long distance event, and 11th in the middle distance event. Her England team finished 2nd in an event that attracted 550 competitors from Europe, China and New Zealand. Her two races (5km and 3.8km respectfully) were ran in hot conditions, and this great performance follows on from her win at the British Schools Championships late last year. Cecilie was introduced to orienteering in Year 8 when she attended an extra curricular club that was run by Gordano School.

Gordano School Newsletter No.15

Gordano School Newsletter No.15