Parents' Newsletter July 2009

PARENTS‟ NEWSLETTER JULY 2009

Bishop Vaughan Catholic School Newyddion Ysgol Gatholig Esgob

Year 11 Ball at Manor Park in Clydach

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SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES 2009-2010

PLEASE NOTE: Whilst the school understands the difficulties with holidays, we would remind you that breaks should not be booked without the Head approving the time off first. Please write requesting permission to the Headteacher and Not Head of Year or Tutor.

Dates for your Diary

The full academic year school calendar is available to view on our website, alternatively parents can collect a paper copy from the school‟s main office. Last day of term is Wednesday 22nd July 2009, school closes at 3.25 pm. First day of the new term for years 7, 10 and 12 is Wednesday 2nd September all other years return on Thursday 3rd September. Year 6 Open Evening is being held on Thursday 15th October 7.00 - 8.30 pm Ski trip information evening for parents is on Thursday 22nd October 7.00 - 8.00 pm

HALF TERM HOLIDAYS

Term Term begins Begins Ends Term ends

Autumn 2009 Tuesday

1st September

Monday

26th October

Friday

30th October

Friday

18th December

Easter 2010 Monday

4th January

Monday

15th February

Friday

19th February

Thursday

1st April

Summer 2010 Monday

19th April

Monday

31st May

Friday

4th June

Wednesday 21

st July

INSET DAYS

Tuesday 1st September 2009

Friday 2nd

October 2009

Thursday 22nd

October 2009

Friday 23rd

October 2009

Monday 4th January 2010

Monday 19th April 2010

Monday 28th June 2010


School Uniform

Years 7-11

Pullover: burgundy, v-necked with official school logo.

Tie: years 7-11 official school tie in appropriate house colours. To be purchased from school at a cost of £7.00

Socks: with trousers, dark-coloured or white

with skirts, standard grey or white

Tights: should be flesh-coloured or medium grey, plain and seamless.

NB socks or tights MUST be worn.

Blouse/Shirt: plain light blue, standard school style. Not denim or fashion.

NB During the summer term only light blue polo shirt with school logo, may be worn.

Skirt: mid-grey in material and standard design, standard knee length (knife or box pleat permitted).

Trousers: dark grey or black and standard design NOT fashion or jeans. No denim, leather, flares, corduroy etc.

Shoes: black, dark brown or dark grey with flat or low heels. Ankle boots may be worn in winter and sandals may be worn in the summer, provided they conform to the above regulations.

Trainers are not permitted. Felt/fabric shoes in any colour are not permitted.

Outer Garments: pupils may wear mackintoshes, coats, anoraks or cagoules. However, all outer garments, of whatever type, must be plain, dark and single coloured. Anoraks or cagoules must not be too long, too short, “bomber jackets” or denim type.

A luminous reflective strip is permitted and parents/ guardians are strongly advised to consider this.

No logos, writing, patterns of any description should be present.

Denim is not allowed.

Baseball caps are not permitted in any circumstances.

There is no necessity for anorak hoods to be worn at school.

Jewellery: A single sleeper or a single stud of minimum size in the lobe. No other piercings are permitted. A medallion or chain may be worn if discreet. It must be removed for PE/Games. All other jewellery is forbidden.

Make-up/Hair Dye: Make-up is forbidden as are visible tattoos and piercings of any kind. If hair dye/highlights are used they should be a natural colour with no extreme contrasts. No designs to be shaved in the hair. No „skinhead‟ type haircuts.

All items of clothing should be clearly marked with the pupil‟s name.


School Uniform

Sixth Form Uniform

Pullover: navy, v-necked with official school logo.

Tie: sixth form official school tie

Shirt/Blouse: plain white, standard school style (not fashion)

Skirt: navy blue, knee length

Trousers: navy blue, standard design. No denim, leather, flares, corduroy etc.

Socks: with trousers: dark coloured, or white with skirts: navy blue or white

Tights: plain, seamless, navy tights may be worn.

Shoes: dark coloured with flat or low heels. Ankle boots may be worn in

winter and sandals in the summer. Trainers are not permitted.

Topcoat: dark blue/black/grey – single coloured only.

No logos, writing, patterns of any description should be present.

Denim is not allowed.

Baseball caps are not permitted in any circumstances.

There is no necessity for anorak hoods to be worn at school.

Jewellery: A single sleeper or a single stud of minimum size in the lobe. No other piercings are permitted. A medallion or chain may be worn if discreet.

It must be removed for PE/Games. All other jewellery is forbidden.

Make-up/Hair Dye: Make-up is forbidden as are visible tattoos and piercings of any kind.

If hair dye/highlights are used they should be a natural colour with no extreme contrasts. No designs to be shaved in the hair. No „skinhead‟ type haircuts.

All items of clothing should be clearly marked with the pupil‟s name.

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Eco-Committee

International

Green Flag

Awarded to

Bishop Vaughan!

Green Flag Assessors visited school on Friday 3rd

July to meet the Eco-Committee and to take a look at the sustainable practices being intro-duced. They were very impressed by the committee and paid particular atten-tion to the way in which each House met regularly to work on their individ-ual projects.

The assessors were treated to a presentation by four year nine pupils –

Stephanie Duffy, Weronica Picewicz, Jamie-Jade Richards and Jain Fiona. They then made a tour of the school, visiting year 7 pupils in ICT who were busy making power point presentations on „Recycling‟. At the end of the visit they took a stroll down to our future „garden area‟ to see how our new trees were getting on and to discuss future plans for the site.

A tense time followed while the assessors discussed what they had

seen, finally delivering the good news – we had achieved Green Flag status!! Well done to the many pupils who have participated this year and a big thank you to the staff who have helped and supported their pupils along the way.

Can you help? We have a green flag but no flag pole!! If you can help

us to acquire one and erect it, please contact Mrs Mayne at school.

Thank you.

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Eco-Committee

More than 200 plastic bottles were collected and recycled as a result of the prize draw, devised by the Eco-Committee in an attempt to increase plastics recycling at school. In the light of it‟s success, the competition will be re-launched in September and will run throughout the year. Prizes will be drawn once a month.

S C H O O L T R A V E L P L A N

Safe Routes to School – Survey of parents‟ views

A school travel plan is being produced to try and improve the journey to and from our school. It is hoped that the travel plan will address as many concerns as possible, including pedestrian safety and the problems of car parking and congestion. There may be money available to make some improvements. To access funds we need to find out about the problems people have travelling to and from school, then we can make a detailed case for changes backed up by facts and figures. The ultimate aim of the School Travel Plan is to create an environment that encourages more people to walk to and from school, and to improve the journey for those who use cars or bicycles. Please help us by completing the School Travel Questionnaire. This can be found on moodle.bishopvaughan.swansea.sch.uk then select XX Parental documentation from the course categories. Simply complete the form online, by the end of August.

Thank you.

Mrs A Mayne

Bottle Draw Competition Winner! Luke Murrells Year 9.

CONGRATULATIONS!


St. Fagans History Trip

Year 8 pupils enjoyed a long-awaited trip (it had to be postponed due to February‟s severe weather) to St. Fagans National History Museum. As a result of visiting the original buildings from different historical periods that have been re-erected at the open-air museum, pupils gained an insight into how life in Wales, both at work and at home, has changed over time

Highlights included observing a wattle and daub demonstration at the Celtic village, St. Teilo‟s Church, the Rhyd-y-Car cottages, the farmyard animals, and the freshly baked St. Fagans bread!

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Young Enterprise 2008/2009 Young Enterprise 08/09 The company directors of “Bishop Vaughan Enterprises”, incorporating “KaM” and “Green Treats” both achieved their UK Young Enterprise qualification, with a credit grade. This is a very valuable asset to their CV‟s, and worth approximately, twenty UCAS points. We wish them well for the future. The company liquidated in May, and shareholders received half of their initial investment. Young Enterprise 09/10 The Young Enterprise scheme will be open to Yr 12/13 students, Yr 10 Business Studies students and those students on the Welsh Baccalaureate course, from September. We look forward to another successful entrepreneurial year. Catherine Wynne (Business Studies Teacher and Young Enterprise Link Teacher)

Year 11 Ball

Year 11 celebrated the end of an important stage in their lives with a formal prom at the Manor Park in Clydach. Staff and pupils thoroughly enjoyed the occasion and staff at Manor Park were extremely complimentary about the mature attitude of our students and the convivial atmosphere. The standard of dress was so high that it made the choosing of Prom King and Queen very difficult. Eventually the honour was bestowed upon Joe Phillips and Jessica Robinson. We are looking forward to seeing you all in September. Mrs Spencer and Mr Jenkins

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Year 11 Ball Continued

UK Junior Mathematical Challenge The Mystery Prize at the Bank of England Christmas Party was a pile of crisp new £5 notes, numbered from 659384 up to 659500. What was the value of the prize? A £116 B £117 C £580 D £585 E £1420 The solution can be found on page 28

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Jumping for Joy

Year 13 enjoyed an end of year celebration at Sketty Hall. The evening was a great success with nearly all the year group and large number of teachers attending.

We wish all our students every success in their examinations.

Year 13 Ball

Mr Jenkins will go to any heights to get the perfect picture or could it be that they drove him up the pole?

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Year 8 Rounders Tournament The BTEC Sport course requires the students to complete a unit of work on sports leadership and one of their tasks is to organise a sporting event from start to finish. The year 10 group decided to organise a rounders tournament for year 8 pupils. They designed posters to advertise the event and invited each tutorial to enter a team. They were also responsible for organising the equipment, umpiring and scoring duties. The competition ran smoothly with some very competitive games but with 8.1 being the final winners. Congratulations to 8.1 and well done to the year 10 BTEC group on a successful tournament. Sporting Achievements Congratulations to Nia Palla, Gabriella Cirrilo, Sean White and Kieran White on being selected for the County athletics team.

News from the Sports Desk


BAY BOOK AWARD 2009

For the past few months a group of us in Year 7 have been reading a selection of books short-listed for the Bay Book Award. These were: „Just Henry‟ by Michelle Magorian, „The Savage‟ by David Almond

„Cosmic‟ by Frank Cottrell Boyce and „Lost Riders‟ by Elizabeth Laird. Every Thursday Lunchtime we met to discuss our thoughts and feelings about the books. Although we found something to like in all of the books, there was no doubt which one was our favourite. We decided overwhelmingly in favour of voting “Just Henry” as our overall favourite. It really is a very emotional book which took us on a rollercoaster of emotions which is full of twists and turns and certainly gave us a lot to think about. In one of our meetings some of us became „stars‟ as we were filmed giving our opinions on the books by a representative from the Library Service. This was both exciting and nerve racking, especially as this was to form a „Vox Pop‟ at the award ceremony. Then on Tuesday July 7

th, armed with arguments to support our favourite book and eager to

argue our case, we went with Miss Lewis to the Award Ceremony which was held in the Taliesin at Swansea University. There were well over three hundred pupils and teachers from Swansea and Neath and Port Talbot participating in the event. There were three categories: the Picture Book Award, the Junior Award and our category, the Senior Award. During the morning we were treated to a very entertaining performance from a group of boys from Mynachlog Nedd Junior School. It was a first class performance prepared with the help of Theatre N‟an Nog Although this was a very difficult act to follow, Michael Harvey, a leading contemporary Storyteller, successfully managed to keep us all spellbound with his mesmerising and very humorous story telling. Throughout the morning we were shown several examples of the „Vox Pop‟ extracts filmed in schools. Then it was down to the main business of the day – the debate for the winning book. It was a very lively debate and very interesting to hear what others had to say as well as getting our own points across. This was definitely our favourite part of the day as everyone was so honest in their opinions and held nothing back! It was finally time to cast our votes – a secret ballot of course! After lunch we headed back to the Taliesin eager to hear the results. We were devastated when our choice „Just Henry‟, not only didn‟t win, but came last! For once in our lives we were speechless!! The winner was Frank Cottrell Boyce‟s „Cosmic‟. Although not our first choice, we would still recommend the book. It is an entertaining, exciting adventure story full of humour. It was a wonderful day - very interesting and enjoyable and definitely worth the months of reading in preparation for it. It was a shame that we were only allowed to take two pupils but we couldn‟t have managed without the help of all the other members of our Reading Group. We would like to thank Annie Bass 7.2, Ivy Davison 7.3, Francesca Hutchins 7.3, Bethany Sudnik-Brown 7.3, Me-gan Williams 7.3, John Dodd 7.4, Victoria Sayers 7.5, Rebecca Smith 7.5, Jessica Sullivan 7.5, Rhiannon Absolom 7.7, and Liam Rees 7.7 for being part of our Reading Group. Katie Davies 7.6

Lauren Morris 7.7

English Department News

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The Times Spelling Bee Semi-Finals and BBC Radio Wales

Congratulations to Josh Morgan, Niamh Provan, Gabriel Cura and Shauna McCabe all in year 7, who took part in the semi-finals of the first Times national schools‟ Spelling Bee Championship in Cardiff. We did extremely well by coming third in what proved to be an exciting and inspiring experience for everyone involved. The day was made even more special by a visit to BBC Radio Wales where Josh and Mrs Servini were guests on the 'Jamie and Louise' show. The Times Spelling Bee aims to discover the country‟s best young spellers and make spelling fun for children of all abilities. A hundred schools went through to the semi-finals and ten went through to the Grand Final on Tuesday 23 June at the Odeon West End in London‟s Leicester Square. More than 750 schools from as far north as Scotland and south to the Channel Islands took part in the local heats of The Times Spelling Bee. For more information and a chance to practise your spelling skills visit: www.timesspellingbee.co.uk. Thank you to all the pupils, parents and staff for their involvement and dedication. We look forward to next Year‟s competition! The Writers‟ Club The Writers‟ club has been going strong with some wonderful imaginative poetry and stories produced. Pupils have also entered a writing competition and we hope to be involved in many more. New members are always welcome in Room 34 every Tuesday at 1.30.

Happy Spellers

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English Literature and Language Conference

On Thursday 18th June, a group of A Level English students attended a conference held at Swansea University. The day provided students with an insight into the skills required for the A2 course. Students were given an opportunity to experience a number of lec-tures covering pertinent topic. The day also allowed students to gain an insight into Uni-versity life as well as offering some useful advice about creating the perfect Personal Statement!

“It was an enjoyable day overall with the many interesting lectures. The most interesting in my opinion was based on Geoffrey Chaucer‟s poem „The Merchant‟s Tale‟ as the skills learnt will help me in my own studies of Chaucer. The day gave me an insight into university life as an English student and the opportunities that will be available to me.” Nicola Mulrine Year 12

English News

RE News – Year 9.4 Retreat

Congratulations to the pupils who were confirmed by Bishop Tom Burns on 17th June in St. Joseph‟s Cathedral.

Amberleigh Arnold Caitlin Dorrell-Hunt Joshua Bass Lauren Morris Lorna Cozens Calum Palla John Dodd Leah Palmer Thomas Evans Bethan Raven James Gregory Anya Alowinski Matthew Hope Mollie Wright

On 29th June, 9.4 went to the Retreat Centre in Llanelli. It was an extremely enjoyable day and as well as learning loads we had lots of exercise at lunchtime. The theme of the day was teamwork. We played lots of games that improved our teamwork: Jockey Says, make words from the letters and getting the right number of people in a group first and pretty picture. At lunchtime we were released(!) and had freedom in the park to play what we wanted. All the boys and some of the girls played football, this went well with the theme as we split up in teams and worked together. When we got back from having our lunch and playing in the park we all sat in a circle and had a little book each for our classmates to write a message to tell us what qualities they like about us. After writing in our classmates books we headed off into the church and we each found a place on the floor that we could relax in whilst listening to our teacher giving a meditation so we could relax and forget our worries. On the way home on the bus we were given books to read and have a chat with our friends. We got back to school at 2.45 so we had half hour left of school. As it was such a nice day and the sun was out we all sat on the grass to talk to our friends and wait for the bell to go. I really enjoyed the day and I can‟t wait for the next retreat we go on. Morgan Hannah

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As part of their assessment programme, Year 7 recently had to creatively express the Biblical story of creation. We had a number of innovative home works! 7.7 thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and eagerly presented their home work on Thursday. The photographs are a selection of different expressions of creation and include a model of creation where the tree in the middle even has a little pot of soil so that it can be watered!

From mobiles to daily calendars to shoe boxes and “Muuuuumm my sister has used my basket ball for her homework!!!” and even beautiful paintings the students had some wonderful ideas.

Year 7 – RE Assessment Creation

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In the Welsh Secondary schools team championship held in Merthyr Tydfil on March 7th, the school team finished third out of six behind Monmouth and Kings Monkton. (It was noticeable that there was only one other non independent school in the competition and their team finished last!) In the West Glamorgan secondary Schools League the school A team finished first out of seven teams and the school B team finished third. Olchfa school were second.

In the West Wales (adult) Club League Bishop Vaughan Squires won Division Four, and there is a good chance that Bishop Vaughan Monks will finish second behind them. School A team: Sam Young, Sam Pritchard, Alwin Thomas and Jack Brenton Bishop Vaughan Squires: Ivan Remot, Alwin Thomas and Jack Brenton with help from others. Bishop Vaughan Monks: Ivan Remot, Nicholas Hughes, Gabriel Cura with help from Kynan Eastwood (ex St. Joseph‟s Clydach and Gabriel‟s young brother Michael.

—

The school team won the West Glamorgan Secondary Schools Championship ahead of Olchfa Comprehensive School. The school B team came third in the same league. The school team came third in the Welsh Secondary Schools Championship behind Monmouth and Kings Monkton independent schools. In the West Wales (adult) League Bishop Vaughan Squires won Division Four and Bishop Vaughan Monks came third, one point behind an adult team from Briton Ferry. The Squires were also runners up in the fourth division cup competition, losing 2½ - 1 1½ to Upper Killay Kites. Sam Pritchard was chosen to represent Wales in matches against two English regions at under 14 level played in Monmouth at the end of May. After two long matches we drew against England. Well done Sam. Jack Brenton and Alwin Thomas have been chosen to play in the same competition at under 12 level. Jack has also been chosen to represent Wales in an international under 12 tournament between the four home countries, to be held in Glasgow at the end of July. We wish them well. Four Bishop Vaughan pupils played an individual tournament known as the British Land UK Chess Challenge, held in Birchgrove Comprehensive School on May 9th. They were Sam Young (Year 11), Ermia Moghadasi (Year 8), Nicholas Hughes (Year 8) and Jack Brenton (Year 7). Sam, Ermia and Jack scored four points, or more, out of six to qualify for the final stages of the competition to be held in Oldham in July. This is a truly nationwide competition, with an estimated 70,000 players initially entering in schools all over the U.K. Our three representa-tives have thus done extremely well to reach the group of the last thousand or so players left in the competition.

Chess Club

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Three girls from different schools were chosen to take an engineering course at Swansea University for six Saturdays; seven girls from Bishop Vaughan went to Swansea University: Ananya George 9.6, Cailtlin Griffin 9.7, Cristiana Felicio 9.6, Esther Ntanganika 9.7, Martha-Rose Hale 9.7, Jamie Richards 9.5 and Joy Mbaulu 9.6. We went from January 31st until March 31st, we did different activities each week. The first week we did the Stuff of Life (Structure of DNA), we got DNA out of strawberries and bananas. The se-cond week we did Ice and Oceans (Glaciology, Climate Change and Sea Level Rise) we made our own glaciers out of glue and borax. The third week we did CSI: Swansea (Forensic Inves-tigations). Then the fourth week we did Human Computer Interactions (Computer Science and Photo Story Editing). The next week was Bridging the Gap (Structural Engineering). We split up into different groups then using different materials, we build bridges; we put weights on them to see how strong they were. The last week was The Sky‟s the Limit (Rocket Science) we divided into groups then built rockets. On graduation day, we were presented with certificates and t-shirts. They have us snacks at the end of each session. While we were there we learned more about engineering and its branches - different types of engineering.

Discover! Saturday Club

Request for Donations of Old Guitars If you would like to donate an old guitar either nylon or steel string, pupils will make good use of them. Knocks, dents and scratches are fine. No strings are OK. If you are unable to bring the instrument to school, please contact us. Many thanks Mr D Crudge, Senior Tutor

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Once again Bishop Vaughan performers took to the stages of our feeder primary schools to give them a taste of what music and drama they could get involved with at the school. The performances this year were the most diverse that we‟ve ever had, ranging from orchestral pieces, through to a dance dedicated to Michael Jackson. There were numerous pupils

who had never publicly performed prior to this tour and they demonstrated professionalism and complete dedication to the tour and the rehearsals leading up to it. I would like to thank all pupils and staff who took part and committed so much of their free time. It was an extremely enjoyable two day tour and I look forward to the same enthusiasm next year! Miss James

Primary School Tours

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International Day Y7 pupils will experience food, music, crafts and sports from around the world on International Day (16

th and 17

th July). While half the year group enjoy their History/

Geography field trip, the remaining pupils will enjoy a continental breakfast then choose activities to take part in. The aim is to broaden pupils‟ awareness of other cultures and of course to have fun! More details and photographs in the next news letter.

Assist Course Over the last two weeks, roughly 30 Year 8‟s had the chance to become peer supporters. On the 15th and 16th of June. Ms Wilshire and the peer supporters went to Manor Hotel to be trained up for our role at school. We were told to deliver the message of how bad smoking is and tell our year group in our school facts about smoking such as that there are over 4000 chemicals in a cigarette and 60 of them can cause cancer. Nasty! After the training, we were told to memorise our facts and record our conversations about smoking in a „diary‟. After a week, we had our first follow up session and we played a couple of small games to get our memories jogged. On July 2nd we had our second session and now the peer supporters are going to deliver the message to all of Bishop Vaughan‟s Year 8‟s. After our time as peer supporters is complete, we will be able to kick back and know that we have influenced many Year 8‟s to stop smoking or not to try it. Remember we are here to talk to. We are NOT the smoking police. Corey Edwards 8.5 As part of the Welsh Assembly‟s Dynamo project both Sian and myself go out into the local schools and colleges and give talks about what it is like to run your own business. The idea is

to plant the seed of thought in the young people‟s mind that one day they might want to work for themselves.

My advice is always the same, find something you enjoy and you feel passionate about and go for it. Set your targets high, open your horizons and make it happen. Don‟t let people put you down, focus on your own talents and skills and believe in yourself.

I have probably done over 40 talks and this week I had the absolute pleasure in speaking a Bishop Vaughan Catholic School in Swansea. The pupils, the staff and the project coordinator were all fantastic and I left the school in awe of how simple courtesy and good manners makes such a difference. It is all too easy these days to point the finger at young children and highlight their shortcomings but my overriding impression when I was driving away was that this school, these children are doing it right. They have the X factor.

To be honest they made my day. Ian This letter was received from Mr Ian Hindle.

Year 7 & 8 News

Letter of Praise for Bishop Vaughan Pupils


Year 10 GCSE geographers recently carried two full days of fieldwork as part of their GCSE studies. The first visit took them to Llanelli to compare the shopping facilities in the Town Centre with the new Trostre Retail Park. Pupils carried out pedestrian counts, tallies of services and asked shoppers their own range of questions. Everyone enjoyed the day and quickly got over their fears of asking questions to shoppers. One lucky pupil even had the pleasure of getting John Hartstone's autograph! Lunch in Macdonalds was a pleasant surprise to many. The second visit was to Pwll Du Bay on the Gower where pupils analysed the beach deposits, studied evidence of erosion and sketched the beautiful Bay. For many pupils it was their first visit to the area as to reach the beach involves a long walk along the cliff and headland. This time the lunchtime break saw an impromptu game of football and a boulle challenge to the teachers. The staff would like to thank them all for their efforts and good behaviour during the two days - roll on Year 11.

Geography News

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Classics Competitions

Congratulations to the following Year Eight pupils for their successful entries in this term‟s Classics Competition:

Joint First Place: Corey Shepherd Papier Maché Bust of Caesar Thomas Lloyd-Reed Replica of a Roman Death Mask Second Place: Beth Abbott & Jessie Goodwin Mosaic-decorated Casket Third Place: Katherine Morris Illustration of the Minotaur Highly Commended: Imene Guemar Greek Vase Mosaic Alex Murley Illustration of the Minotaur Ermia Moghadasi Map of the Bay of Naples Abigail Griffiths Illustration of Medusa Vanessa Ho Map of the Bay of Naples Luke Cardone Illustration of the Colosseum Connor Lewis Illustration of a Roman Soldier Commended: Carys Jones, Emily Draper, Natalie Harris, Chishala Chabu, Naomi Jones, Mich-ael Johns, Cassie Rees, Daniel Beech, James Hughes, Rhys Bevan, Lauren O‟Sullivan, Sam Seabourne, Lauren Stephens, Ryan Kent, Marc Williams.

Debating Workshop Have you ever been labelled a chatterbox? Been accused of being

argumentative? Got too much to say for yourself?

If you can answer „yes‟ to any of the above questions, we need you! We will be holding a debating workshop on 10th September, where a representative from CEWC, the Council for Education in World Citizenship, will be training pupils in

debating skills and explaining the structure of formal debates. Primarily aimed at pupils considering careers in law, or those seeking to develop interview skills in preparation for university applications, all pupils are nevertheless welcome to

apply to join the workshop. See Mrs. Pole in C7 for details.

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Enrichment Opportunities FairEnrichment Opportunities FairEnrichment Opportunities Fair

On Friday 4th September, all Sixth Form pupils will visit an Enrichment Opportunities Fair, held in the Main Hall. There are many opportunities available to pupils at every stage of their education in the school, and the Sixth Form years provide the chance to take a leading role in the provision of these activities and/or to participate at a more senior level. As well as providing support to younger pupils, proving excellent role models and taking an active role in school and parish initiatives, pupils will be taking on personal development roles that will aid them in their applications to universities and employers. Examples of some of the activities to which they can „sign up‟ are shown:

Pupil Support GroupPupil Support GroupPupil Support Group

From September, Sixth Form pupils will be offering a „drop-in‟ advice facility for all pupils. Designed to meet the needs of

individuals, support can be offered for pupils needing to complete homework, for those wishing to talk to an older pupil about such

concerns as workload or bullying issues or simply those in need of a friendly ear. All pupils involved will be trained in providing

guidance and peer mentoring. Details of location will be circulated in September. It is anticipated that the facility will be available

twice a week, in lunchtimes, and those of you who would benefit from the homework support on offer are particularly urged to make

use of the help that Sixth Form are offering!

Sixth Form Groups and

Opportunities

Liturgy Group

Debating Society

BVS Fund- raising Group

A wide range of sports activi-

ties

Young Writers

Eco Committee

UCAS Support

Sessions

Reading Group

Discussion Group

Young Enterprise

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Inklings Calling all would-be journalists! Writers needed for a Sixth Form News Group. You will produce a brief but regular news sheet keeping Sixth Formers informed of current activities, news items that relate to them, important deadlines, etc. The name is borrowed from a pretty influential literary circle of friends (prize for the first one to discover who they were!).

See Mrs. Pole for further

details.

Common Room

Over the summer, the Common Room will undergo extensive refurbisments. Pictures of the newly decorated room and its facilities will be published in the next newsletter!

UCAS Support

Pupils requiring help with their online UCAS applications can email bvs6th-

[email protected] for advice over the summer break. Support sessions will be available in lunchtimes next term.

Details to follow.

Pilgrimage

Two current Year 12 pupils, Jack Hannah and Ben Sharif, will be

travelling to Lourdes this summer, providing 24-hour care for those

pilgrims in need of it. Ben and Jack have not only

volunteered to give up their spare time to support others but have also worked

tirelessly to raise the funds for their journey, with ventures such as the

Trainer Day and the Talent Show. We wish them all the best in what we hope

will be a rewarding experience for them.

Trip to Glamorgan University

On Thursday 9th July, Year 12 pupils attended a „Futures Day‟ at the University of Glamorgan. Pupils were given the opportunity to take a tour of the facilities and accommodation and to attend subject talks in their chosen fields. The visit was considered a great success and it cer-

tainly provided insights into courses and into the university as a whole.

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Visit to Oxford University

On Wednesday 1st July at 7am, five of us, along with Mrs. Pole, met up with other members of the Sixth Form

Consortium, and travelled to Oxford University. After arriving in Oxford, we made our way to Jesus College, which was recommended to us due to its connections with Wales. We went on a quick tour of the college including seeing typical student accommodation. We then went to the picturesque Brasenose College. Again current students at the college gave us a tour and we were given the opportunity to ask any questions about life as a student. We made the short journey up the High Street to University College. Here we were given a taste of university life by being shown the library, Chapel and dining hall. We then went to one of the largest colleges- Christ Church. Christ Church has produced thirteen Prime Ministers including Anthony Eden and Sir Alec Douglas-Home, scientists such as Albert Einstein and Robert Hooke and other famous people such as Lewis Carroll and David Dimbleby. To eat our lunch we sat within the Tom Quad of Christ Church in the blazing Oxford sun whilst greatly appreciating the beautiful architecture of the historic site. We were given a tour around the beautiful college. In particular the Cathedral and the gardens were magnificent to see. We also saw the staircase and Great Hall which were featured in the Harry Potter films. Finally, at 3pm we made our way to St. Peter‟s College where we were given the chance to have „Tea with Tutors‟ and the opportunity for yet another tour. We left Oxford around 5pm and arrived back in Swansea at just after 9pm. This trip was a fantastic opportunity not to be missed. We saw the beautiful University of Oxford, tested our map reading skills (with some difficulty!) and made friends with people from other schools within the consortium. Emily Frost

The day began with an early start outside the Glyn Vivian art gallery. Our consortium bus, already filled with Olchfa and Gwyr school students, picked up the BVS students for the 2 and a half hour journey to Oxfordshire. Fortunately, the glorious weather followed us to Oxford allowing us to witness the beautiful architecture of the city in all its splendour. Our first college visit of the day was Jesus College. Known for its links with Welsh colleges and Sixth Form‟s, it seemed an apt starting point for our group. A current student then gave us a tour of the college and its facilities. We were also showed the permanent accommodation provided by the college. Unlike other universities, most Oxford colleges offer their students permanent accommodation for the duration of the course. This is a great help for students as it saves worrying about finding a place to stay outside of the university. The day continued with a visit to Brasenose College, the oldest college that we visited that day. Brasenose was not a particularly large college and this resulted in a very apparent close knit community between the students. Our tour guide informed us of all the traditions of the college including the Ale Verses. This is a centuries old tradition dating back to the days in which all colleges brewed their own ale. Each year, on Shrove Tuesday, an undergraduate would write a few verses in praise of that year‟s newly brewed ale. This custom was revived in 1909 despite the brewery being demolished ten years previously and continues until this day. The ale, however, is no longer home made. Following on from Brasenose, we visited Christ Church College. This, by contrast, was an enormous College, with particularly striking architecture. Its architecture inspired many scenes from the Harry Potter film adaptions. Christ Church is also famous for its male choir. On leaving the grounds, a friend and I both agreed that Christ Church‟s stunning structural design allowed it to stand out far more than any of the Colleges we visited that day. Ben Sharif

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The Oxford University Open Day took us beyond the confines of the websites and prospectuses giving a rare opportunity of first hand experience of the place. Physically entering the yards, bedrooms, libraries and bars in the colleges meant we could absorb the unique atmosphere of the student life, which most of us are hoping to be joining soon in universities across the country. Not knowing what to expect when we first entered Brasenose college, I quickly found out – to my delight - that all the students were very down-to-earth, friendly and approachable. They offered a more reliable view of student life and also of the courses, so different from the usual, though equally useful, information passed on to sixth formers by the visiting speakers. The enjoyment of the visit was increased by the characteristic collegiate nature of Oxford University. Having visited five colleges (Jesus College, Brasenose, University College, Christchurch and St. Peter‟s), I could clearly see why Oxford is renowned for its distinctive atmosphere. The students we met clearly showed their dedication to their individual colleges, yet they did not appear removed from Oxford University as a whole. Every college differed in size, age and layout, which suggested the opportunity for every student to find an environment most suited to them. The Open Day was an amazing opportunity to come into touch with the micro societies that form at Higher Education institutions and they are one of the things looked forward to by prospective students. It was not just the information we obtained in the responses to our questions, but rather from the casual observation of the students‟ interactions with their friends, lecturers and even trainers (rowing, of course!). The brief visit to the university was very helpful in realising that studying is not solely about the degree we will be obtaining; it is equally concerned with the environment in which we have to live for three years. Oxford made it seem much more relaxing and enjoyable than I have imagined! The main centre of the non-academic life there appears to be the societies, which are widely varied, ranging from sports to drama. The whole experience was enhanced by the burning sun, which brought out the characteristic yellow hues of the 16th century buildings. The heat induced us to take a break on a shaded bench and simply to soak up the flavour of the place. Aleksandra Rydzewska

Five inquisitive and ambitious Bishop Vaughan pupils set foot into the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It was a hot July morning, but we were all eager to explore the vast richness of such a historic town. At once, the architecture leapt out at us, as we marvelled at the town's ancient colleges. Jesus College was the first visited, and immediately we realised why the university is world-renowned: it was the profound sense of academia that united all the students. Each college occupies a remarkably small area in the town, and there is a very close proximity between all the halls. It suggested the feeling that everyone knew everyone, with a powerful sense of intense and concentrated study being the binding force between all the students. Clearly, each student was dedicat-ed to becoming a master of their field. Christ Church's Great Quadrangle most accurately painted the picture of the Oxford experience, with its emerald field of perfectly tended grass surrounding the fountain. A hallowed feeling was experienced as we visited Christ Church Cathedral. As the centre point of the college, there an amazing sense of history, as we gazed towards the wonderful-ly arrogant ceiling, and listened to chilling harmonies of the organ. Christ Church was notably a favourite among us, especially as the halls resembled something of a certain fictitious school of wizardry! So much was here for us to see, and many days could have easily been spent exploring all the town had to offer. Brasenose College and St. Peter's College were two more colleges that we visited, and even from our small sample of colleges, we realised that each and every building possessed its own unique qualities and character. The town itself oozed charisma, and could just as easily be famed for tourism as for its academia.

The University of Oxford is world-famous for academic excellence. But despite such vigorous and demanding courses, students still gain a sim-ilar university experience to that of any other student, only with that added feeling of fierce tradition. The opportunities for potential applicants are boundless. Academic merit is essential, but a burning passion for a cho-sen subject is paramount. Jack Hannah

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Could both parents and pupils be aware that the children should carry their bus pass with them at all times. Pupils

could be asked at any time whilst travelling on a school bus, to produce their bus pass as evidence that they are allocated a seat. If pupils have misplaced their bus pass please contact the school office who will organise a replacement. Also pupils are not allowed to travel on any other bus other than the one that is printed on their bus pass. On several occasions lately pupils have tried to travel on different buses. e.g. to go over to a friends place after school. This is not allowed and the drivers have the right to refuse entry to pupils who are not allocated to their bus. It is parents‟ responsibility to collect their children and take them to alternative venues after school.

Bus Passes

Parking Outside Bishop Vaughan

A letter has been received from the School Community Police Officer asking us to pass on the concerns of local residents in relation to parking and vehicles causing obstructions outside the school from 3 o‟clock every afternoon. Police Officers will be patrolling regularly outside the school to take positive action regarding any vehicles which are parked in contravention of road traffic legislation.

Mobile Telephones If pupils have mobile phones they should note that they are not to be switched on or in use inside the school. This includes the build-ings, playground and playing field areas, before, during and after the school day. Mobile phones are to be kept out of sight, either on the person or in the school bag. The school can take no responsibility for any loss or theft of mobile phones. Parents and guardians are asked not to contact their children by phone or text du-ring the school day. If an emergency message needs to be conveyed the school office will take the call and pass the message on. Similarly if a pupil needs to make an emergency call home he or she just needs to approach the office. Failure to comply with these rules will result in the phone being confiscated and kept in the school office for collection by a responsible adult. Any pupil using a mobile phone to record sound or video in school faces the likelihood of exclusion.

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Parents/guardians Please be aware that the school cannot supervise pupils arriving before 8.40 am.


Pupil Information If any details have changed, please write or email into the school office so that our records may be updated. This includes any change to address, contact telephone numbers (especially mobile telephone and emergency contacts), place of work, doctor, or any new medical conditions which we should be aware of.

Could you please pass onto the school any relevant email address that we could use to contact you.

School Website The school website has been redesigned and has a new address:

www.bishopvaughan.swansea.sch.uk

Lost Property

Once again this term, a very large number of coats, jackets and other items of school uniform have been handed in, together with various other items including door keys. None of these articles are labelled and cannot, therefore, be returned

to their owner. If your child has lost any item, please tell them to come and check with Mrs Goodhead. If these items are not claimed by the last week of this term, they will be given to a charity shop as there is no room to store them. Lost property is available for checking at break and lunch-time. PLEASE LABEL ALL CLOTHING! Please label all items of school uniform so that they are easily returned if given in to lost property.

PLEASE NOTE!!!

Mrs Goodhead is a First Aider NOT a nurse - therefore injuries incurred at home should not be sent to her the following day. If your child has an accident in the home/out of school please seek medical advice.

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P a g e 2 8 B i s h o p V a u g h a n S c h o o l N e w s l e t t e r J u l y

Bishop Vaughan Catholic School Mynydd Garnllwyd Road

Morriston, Swansea SA6 7QG

Phone: 01792 772006 Fax: 01792 790565

E-mail: [email protected]

www.bishopvaughan.swansea.sch.uk

Savings to get you “On Yer Bike”

Bikes4School Bikes4School is a great new scheme, designed to get more children and their parents on their bikes. It will enable pupils and their families to benefit from huge savings on the cost of bikes and cycling safety equipment. Meanwhile, the school will benefit from regular quarterly payments from Bikes4School, which are directly related to the value of orders received, to spend on whatever they wish. All you need to do is log onto the website www.bikes4school.co.uk and enter our school code which is Y2K5Y to get a bike, safety gear or clothing at a 10% discount, while the school gets 5% back of the purchase from Bikes4School.

Maths Challenge Solution is The essential numbers are the last three digits 384 to 500. The answer is 500 minus 383 = 117 £5 notes. So the answer is C £580.

http://www.bikes4school.co.uk/

Documents

Parents' Newsletter July 2009