In FocusThe news magazine of Spen Valley Sports College

Issue 4, Autumn 2009

Learning First

4An eye for design

Champion swimmer 8

2 In Focus

caption please

Autumn term 2009Half term: Monday 26th October to

Friday 30th OctoberLast day: Friday 18th December

Spring term 2010First day: Monday 4th JanuaryHalf term: Monday 15th February to

Friday 19th FebruaryLast day: Thursday 1st April

Summer term 2010First day: Monday 19th AprilHalf term: Monday 31st May to

Friday 4th JuneLast day: Monday 20th July

Dates to rememberMay Day: Monday 3rd May 2010

Training days: Friday 27th and Monday 30th November 2009Monday 22nd February 2010

Term dates 2009-2010

AFTER leaving Spen Valley in 2006 to join Huddersfield New College, the following students have gone on to study degree courses:• Jenny Hawkins, Applied Criminology,

University of Huddersfield• Elizabeth Hubbard, Law & Criminal Justice,

Leeds Metropolitan University • Monisha Mahi, Business Management,

Coventry University • Tahir Majid, Public Services, Manchester

Metropolitan University• Natalie Penn, Hospitality & Business

Management, Leeds Metropolitan University• Lubna Qadir, Business Management,

Bradford University • Gabrielle Tattersfield, Sport, Health

& Exercise, Leeds Trinity & All Saints University College

they now? Where are

WELCOME to the fourth edition of Spen In Focus, in particular to the parents of Year 7 students who are new to our school.

We are looking forward to an exciting year at Spen Valley. Over the past six months we have increased the number of teachers at the school so that students learn more effectively. We continue to improve the fabric of the building; our newly fitted

ICT suite has been completed and three additional classrooms are about to be

installed. Both of these developments will improve the provision for our students.This year, the school will be inspected

by Ofsted. Although the new inspection framework has ‘raised the bar’,

in terms of judgements upon all schools, we anticipate a very

positive report.

An exciting year aheadAn exciting year ahead

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IN September, the school welcomed several new teaching and support staff, many of whom have been appointed due to the growth of our curriculum provision.

These included Agnes Chan, Deborah Bird and David Long (Maths), John Greenwood and David Lynn (ICT), Rebecca Pyrah (Science and Maths), Edwina Foley (Science and Food Technology), Craige Clarke (GTP) (Science), Sacha Hateley-Lowe (GTP) (PE) and Jenny Savage (GTP) (English). Marie Harrison has been appointed Teaching Assistant (Maths), Lisa Hepworth, Teaching Assistant (Nurture) and Emma Brocklebank, Teaching Assistant.

Staff news

WE are delighted with this year’s GCSE results, which

are the best in the school’s history. A total of 66 per

cent of students achieved five or more A*-C grades

(an eight per cent increase on 2008), and 37 per cent

achieved five A*-C grades including English and

Mathematics (compared to 26 per cent in 2008).

More students achieved A* and A grades,

and there were some outstanding individual

performances, including Jasmine Kennedy, who

achieved 12 A* and three A grades.

Our targets for 2010 are challenging, but

realistic. We are aiming for 75 per cent of students

to achieve five A*-C and 50 per cent including

English and Mathematics.

Exam excellence

AS part of our drive to raise the profile of the House system in

school, new ties incorporating the House colours were introduced in September.

The ties also include the school badge, giving a more corporate feel to the uniform.

The Student Council looked at several designs by our uniform supplier, Rawcliffes. The ties still differentiate between Key Stages 3 and 4, and there is a separate design for prefects. As there are now 12 different ties, the school supplied each student with a new tie, free of charge, to avoid confusion.

Because students can be identified more easily, they can now go to lunch in House groups, which is much fairer than the old system where Key Stage 3 students had their lunch after students in Key Stage 4.

Positive outlook: Headteacher Toby Eastaugh with Sarah Jane Pollard and Rachel Hall, Head Girls in Year 11.

The ties that bind: Alicia Kemp, Year 8 (Redgrave House), Annabel

Hawksworth, Year 9 (Radcliffe House), Hamza Razzaq, Year 10

(Holmes House) and Danny Mott, Year 10 (Coe House).

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3In Focus

4 In Focus 5In Focus

OVER the next three to four years, a huge amount of thought will go into planning our centre for learning. We plan to form a working party with representatives from stakeholders, students, parents, governors and staff who will support, and make contributions to, the process.

In June, eight of our students were selected to work with the Sorrell Foundation to help design our future Learning Centre. They travelled to Somerset House in London, where they had the opportunity to work with professional architects. During their visit, they toured the South Bank, looking at ways in which light and space have been used in other famous buildings, after which they had an aerial perspective from the London Eye.

Back in school, the students presented their vision to the other students in assemblies, and listened to their views via questionnaires and an online forum. Their feedback was presented to the architects during a visit to the Galpharm Stadium, to enable them to draft a ‘Pupils’ Design Brief’.

A new centrefor learnin

gThe proposal to expand Spen Valley

Sports College to accommodate 1,200

students has now been confirmed

THE annual prom took place in May at the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield. Ninety students were joined by 40 members of staff to celebrate the end of Key Stage 4.

Students arrived by various methods of transport, ranging from a stretch limousine to a ‘playbus’!

Head student Jasmine Kennedy kept everyone entertained with her ‘quiz’, and Mrs Horton and Abigail Hirstle were awarded a prize for ‘the funniest moment’.

Hayden Fox and Taslima Shaikh were crowned Prom King and Queen, and were joined on the dance floor by the rest of the students for the remainder of the evening.

Silver service: Diane McConnell and John Wintersgill with Finola O’Driscoll and James Yeung, Year 11.

atleisureLearn

Prom-goers have a ball

25 years...25 years...

7In Focus6 In Focus

IN March, students and staff from the St Anthony’s RC Basic School in Ghana visited Spen Valley.

The Ghanaian students stayed in the homes of our students, attended lessons and assemblies, and took an active part in school life.

The visit opened the eyes of students to issues beyond their own communities in both Africa and the UK, strengthened the relationship between the two schools, and provided the impetus to foster further international links in the future.

Warm welcome to Ghanaian students

DURING Challenge Week in July, students once again enjoyed a wide range of activities, including camping in Fan Wood, an Army-based team-building exercise and how to construct a dry stone wall.

Challenge Week continues to provide exciting opportunities for our students to learn in new and different ways and, in the coming year, students will be given the opportunity to

plan what they would like to do next summer.

Q. Have you always wanted to work in a school?Diane: Yes, since the age of five.John: No, it was the one job I vowed I’d never do! My parents were teachers, so it was like being at school 24 hours a day. However, I decided there were worse ways to make a living.

Q. Why did you choose to work at Spen Valley?Diane: I came here as a supply teacher in 1984. John: In 1981, I applied for a job at Liversedge Secondary School. In 1993, Liversedge and Heckmondwike Secondary School merged to become Spen Valley High School.

Q. Have you always had the same role?Diane: No. I became a full-time Maths teacher, then Head of Maths, and then Head of Upper School (Key Stage 4). I then became Assistant Head and then Deputy Head.John: I started off teaching Geography and PE, then became Head of Geography, then Head of Year 10, then Head of Upper School, then Key Stage 4 Manager. I was also Careers and Work Experience Co-ordinator. Now I work as a Learning Mentor.

Q. Has Spen Valley changed since you started working here? If so, how?Diane: The school building was tiny compared with the size it is now. We had no ICT facilities, only two telephones, and no photocopiers. John: The school is now twice as big and the facilities for teaching and learning are fantastic.

Q. What do you enjoy most about working at Spen Valley?Diane: I still get a kick from knowing that my students have learned something new thanks to me. The staff are also amazing. John: Working with very funny, very intelligent and very talented members of staff.

Q. What has been your most memorable moment at Spen Valley?Diane: A boy said there was a bat under his desk. I ran into the next classroom and refused to come back until the caretaker had removed it!John: Attending the funeral of an extremely talented and popular Year 11 student. It’s something I hope I never have to do again.

Q. If you had the opportunity to restart your career would you still choose Spen Valley?Diane: Definitely. I don’t think there’s a school like it. John: Well, I’m still here after 28 years, so the answer must be “yes”.

Deputy Head Diane McConnell and Learning Mentor John Wintersgill have both worked at Spen Valley for more than 25 years

Spen Valley Sports CollegeRoberttown LaneLiversedgeWest YorkshireWF15 7LX

Tel: 01924 325676Fax: 01924 325679Email: office.spenvalley@kirklees-schools.org.uk Website: www.spenvalleysportscollege.co.uk

UP-AND-COMING tennis player Harry Edwards, Year 10, is ranked number seven in Britain in his age group, and also plays county cricket for Yorkshire.

Harry started playing tennis at the age of seven, and has been selected for national squad training at Loughborough University.

“I train around 25 hours a week,” explained Harry. “School allows me to attend training camps and tournaments, and emails me work, which I complete in my spare time.”

In the short term, Harry hopes to take part in the world Under 18s tour. Long term, he hopes to be among the top 100 ranked men’s players in the world.

Harry courts success

Invitation to No 10Invitation to No 10

SWIMMER Matthew Johnson added to his impressive list of achievements earlier this summer when he was invited to meet the Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street

and to visit the site of the 2012 Olympic village in London.

Inspired by his visit, Matthew went on to crown his summer with ten gold medals, a host of British records at this summer’s national age group swimming championships, and three gold medals at the UK student games in September.

Q. When did you start playing cricket?At the age of nine. I attended a local community club linked to Liversedge Cricket Club, where a new girls’ team was created, and I was made captain.

Q. What is your greatest achievement?Playing for Yorkshire in the semi-final of the national cup last season.

Q. How often do you train?Every Friday and before matches with Yorkshire.Q. How has playing cricket developed you as a person?It has made me more confident.

Q. What is your advice for other young people?Go for it! Hard work brings great rewards.

Cricketer keeps one eye on the ball

Trophy triumph for rugby squad

Produced by Words&Pictures. Tel: 01943 854800.

YEAR 10 student Emma Bolt plays cricket for Yorkshire and is

captain of the West Yorkshire representative team.

THE Under 13 Rugby League squad had a fantastic start to the season, finishing second in the Spen Valley School’s Partnership Festival.

Then, for only the second time in the school’s history, the squad progressed to the quarter finals of the National Cup, facing champions Hessle, but

losing by only one try. After training hard, the

squad then reached the semi-final of the Kirklees Cup, again coming second by one try against Honley.

Their hard work and commitment was finally rewarded when they won the Dennis Trotter Memorial Trophy, beating St John Fisher’s in the final.