Summer Fun atSports Day

Page 18

NEWS

Summer Review 2015

Following the success of our last edition of Oakhill News we have decided to publish the Oakhill News on a termly basis. This is hardly surprising as there has been so much happening both inside and outside of school. The school inspection which took place in January confirmed what we already knew, that things are looking up at Oakhill. The Early Years was rightly identified as outstanding and Teaching across the school was identified as excellent. There were plenty of reasons to celebrate and you can read about the report and our celebratory Animal Olympiad in this issue.

This edition celebrates the daily things we do such as investigations and competitions and it also covers all the significant events such as assemblies, Chinese New Year and St. Patrick’s day. From spider hunting to sail boats and shake shaks , all the way through the school we enjoy learning through a range of active experiences.

One of the highlights of the term for me was judging the Student Council Photography Competition.The photographs were stunning and it really was a very difficult decision that had to be made. We hope you enjoy looking at the main prize-winners but you will also be able to see the other photographs in next year’s Oakhill calendar.

Oakhill has a real sense of adventure and there is nothing we like more than outings and trips. There have been so many trips and it was lovely to see so many extras on the Year 10 History trip to Bletchley Park. Parents, siblings and staff all gave up a Saturday to experience the magic of recent history. The Oakhill family was clearly in action there and also in our whole school Mass and in other events throughout the term.

There is a real energy about the school and you can sense this on our website where the stories are now provided on a daily basis.

I hope that you enjoy looking at our website and through this edition of the Oakhill News. We are now looking forward to an action packed Summer Term.

With every best wish,

Carmel Riley Principal.

Welcome

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“Focusing uponthe needs

of pupils as individuals

is a hallmarkof its ethos.”

“The quality of pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral,

social and cultural development is

excellent.”

ISI Independent Schools Inspectorate Report

February 2015

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Mrs Westwood from Whalley Library visited us to read four stories to the Pre-school and Reception children. Once all four stories had been read the children voted on which story they enjoyed the most. After a very close decision the winning story was ‘Busy Bookshop’ by Campbell books.

The children really enjoyed this visit and our thanks go to the Lancashire Library team. The stories we read were; ‘Rex wrecks it’ by Ben Clanton, ‘Do Dare Duck’ by Joyce Dunbar, ‘Busy Bookshop’ by Campbell books and ‘One To Ten Animal Mayhem’ by Thomas Flintham.

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Whalley Library Visit

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Reception enjoyed a visit to Stonehill Nurseries and Garden Centre, where they learnt about the plants and flowers.

They enjoyed smelling the thyme and hyacinths and even saw a monkey puzzle plant!

The children were kindly allowed to choose four plants which they were then shown how to plant into a pot and take home.

Sniffing out plants

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Spread their wings

Placing Whalley on the mapYear 1 were lucky with the weather when they spent a lovely morning walking through Whalley as part of their topic.

Armed with clipboards and maps they went on an adventure to see what they could find. They followed the map identifying the different roads and kept a careful eye out for shops and landmarks.

Their long adventure finished off with a refreshing drink and brownie at Breda Murphy’s!

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After a busy few weeks in Year 2 it was finally time to let the butterflies fly off to lay new eggs.

The children had watched the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly with great excitement and had learned lots of new information.

It has been an amazing experience and they were a little sad to say goodbye! We took them to the tree outside Mrs. Riley’s office as it was full of flowers so there was lots of delicious nectar for the butterflies to enjoy.

Some children were able to hold the butterflies and put them on the flowers.

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Science week began with the children being visited by Coopers Critters who taught the children (and teachers) lots of interesting facts about the creatures but most of all taught the children to care and be mindful of the living things around us.

Science Week

Day 2 of Prep science week saw the children going out on a bug hunt.

Day 3 of Prep science week was a trip out to Eureka science museum in Halifax. It was an amazing day of discovery and fun.

Day 4 was junk modelling and baking. Mrs Wilson and Mrs Keane became the Mary Berry’s of Prep whilst Miss Ward and Miss Baron were more Blue Peter!

Vanilla cupcakes were on the menu which were made into bug cakes of the future.

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WISE,meet STEM

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Year 10 girls from Oakhill attended an event recently at Johnson Matthey plc. in Clitheroe.

The event was to encourage girls to consider a career in Engineering or Science. WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) hosted the event to demonstrate that women are equally as good or better, than men in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) related jobs.

They had a tour of the site, and had a chance to speak to role models who work in STEM jobs and found out about the different qualifications available.

Year 9 pupils attended the Rotary Club Technology Challenge Day at Hollins Technology College in Accrington. Competing against schools from Blackburn and Accrington they had to design a cable car device to carry an imaginary relief

package across a shark infested gorge after being given only a limited amount of materials. Although they did not win, they enjoyed the challenge and gained skills in teamwork, designing and making.

Teamwork Skills to Avoid the Sharks

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On Bank Holiday Monday, Year 11 Geographers came in for a Revision Day where we blasted through the topics for revision and used some “edible Geography”.

We studied Plate Tectonics with Oreos and used cake to make a limestone landscape. Everyone kept going on the marathon study day and hopefully we will see some great results in August!

Year 7 enjoyed a trip to Manchester University to take part in some Science Week activities.

They got hands on experience with new technology at the Science Fair before taking part in a workshop to explore the jobs that engineers do. The pupils did some chemical reactions to produce wonderful concoctions of colours before the teams presented their solution to a separation process dilemma.

It was a super day for the pupils to find out what university life is about and experience cutting edge Science.

Cutting EdgeScience

Plate Tectonics with Biscuits

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After a wet drive up the M6, we arrived at Water Park in good spirits and ready for action. Year 6 were either ghyll scrambling or sailing. Year 5 also went ghyll

scrambling and year 4 set off across the lake in canoes. Everyone got thoroughly wet and had a great time. Dinner was pizza, wedges and salad followed by chocolate trifle. We all enjoyed a game of aliens which is a good excuse to wear out anyone under the age of 12! After cocoa and a fashion parade of pyjamas and teddies everyone went to bed.

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Years 4, 5 and 6 spent a fun packed week at Water Park, Cumbria. The intrepid children and teachers enjoyed ghyll scrambling, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing to name just some of the activities. Other new skills included sandwich and bed making!

Water Park - Packed Full of Adventure

Day 1

Day 2 Year four had a great day developing their team skills on

high ropes, climbing and problem solving. Felicity turned into Spiderwoman on the climbing wall!

Year 5 rose to the challenge of a medley of activities including high ropes canoeing, orienteering and low ropes. The twins enjoyed their sandwiches (which they made themselves)

Some of Year 6 had a thrilling time on the water when the weather suddenly changed and caught them off guard! The other Year 6 group went kayaking and completed the most difficult high rope challenge impressing the Water Park staff.

Bedroom inspection resulted in great improvements. One person in year 6 (you know who you are) confessed to not knowing how to make a bed. He now can!

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Day 3

Year 4 enjoyed their full day of activities starting with ghyll scrambling (2 mornings on the trot for Mrs H!) followed by climbing outside in the sunshine in the afternoon. Everyone made two ascents of the climb so they could all be employed as chimney sweeps if needs be.

Year 5 journeyed up the lake in big canoes and walked back over a mountain, eating a picnic lunch amongst the bluebells along the way. Then they went out on fun boats for a sailing session. Mrs Livesey got to grips with all the technical aspects of sailing (feel free to test her new found knowledge).Half of Year 6 headed off on a journey day to climb and scramble up Caw. They had lunch in a storm shelter! Upon return, they finished off by using the abseil tree.The other half of Year 6 went kayaking and played water polo. Mr Lowry’s team won! The afternoon was spent on the high ropes. For reaching the top of the pole, several pupils were rewarded with cups of tea and hot chocolate.The highlight of the week was the disco. Mrs Rawlinson and Mrs Hellewell hid in the library to sort out photo downloading and supervise Lego construction!

Day 4

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The final of the BP Ultimate STEM Challenge took place just before Easter. Our STEM group Isabelle, Phoebe and Ruby had an early start to London heading across the city to the Science Museum.The girls presented their investigation, which involved designing a hard hat for hot climates, to a packed room of Scientists from all walks of

life. Our team got pipped to the post by the Wells Cathedral School but all the teams that reached this final stage of the competition were winners. It really was an excellent day and a once in a lifetime experience for the girls. Well done girls we are so very proud of you, you really did show Oakhill at its best.

BP Ulitmate STEM Challenge, the Final!

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All the children from Year 3 to 6 took part in Prep’s annual swimming gala and a great time was had by all with some very close races only decided at the very last second.

It was wonderful to see the grit and determination on display with so many children battling it out.

As always there was lots of friendly rivalry between Martyrs and Scholars with Scholars just taking the lead.

Year 11 pupil, Thomas Hughes won Whalley Golf Club’s Junior Captains Drive In Competition.

Despite horrendous weather conditions, Tom who plays off 36 and has been playing golf for nearly 2 years was victorious over the 9 holes beating around twenty other

players. Thomas started on a handicap of 45 and hopes to get down to 24 or lower before the end of this season.

Fylde Coast 10km

Split Second Swimming!

Thomas’ Handicap Target!

The Oakhill running team competed in the annual Blackpool 10km Run, organised by the Fylde Coast runners. It was a tough, windy day and the team was hard pushed to keep up with the quick pace set by other contestants.

In the men’s category, Daniel Riding came 21st, Jacob McHugh 22nd, Mr Peel 23rd, Jacob Woods 25th and William Singleton 38th. In the women’s category, Georgina Bentley came 20th, Katie Maher 39th and Mrs Hennighan, in her category, came 21st. Everyone ran very well beating their previous records and look forward to next year.

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Oakhill hosted the inaugural key stage one Animal Olympics event for the local Ribble Valley primary schools.

Twelve schools in total participated in a variety of athletic events all of which linked to an animal. We had monkeying around (obstacle course), slithering snakes (hockey dribbling), cheetah sprints and busy bees (target throwing practice). Oakhill entered two teams into the competition incorporating all of our Year 1 and 2 pupils. Both teams performed with grit, determination and great sporting etiquette.

Our Year 9 young leaders ran the event on the behalf of the schools games organiser who remarked that our leaders were fantastic with the children and were great motivators

Year 11 Deputy Head girl, Katie Maher was part of the highly successful team which sealed a fourth successive Northern Counties Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout win against fierce rivals Cheshire at the Arbories.

Katie is also one of the team members of the Lancashire squad that were victorious in the National final against Essex. The team score was 2-0.

This is the first time the under 16s girls have won this trophy.Well done Katie and the rest of Lancashire Under 16s Girls team!

The Senior School made their annual trip to Daisyfield pool in Blackburn for their interhouse swimming gala. Our two houses, Martyrs and Scholars, went head to head in the spirit of friendly competition, with 50 pupils taking part and earning points for their house.

At the end of the heats the competition was very close with 129 points to Scholars and 128 to Martyrs.The finals proved to be very exciting with some very close races, and the event finished with medley and squadron relays, and a Year 11 fun relay involving lilos!

The gap between the houses was widened in the last few relay races leading to a Martyrs victory.

Well done to Martyrs and to all who took part in a very exciting event.

Monkeying around

Down to Penalties

Swimming Gala

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Year Eleven Leavers’ Celebrations began with a prayerful and poignant mass celebrated by Father Leo.

Father Leo spoke about how much we are loved by God and how we should do our bit to live in God’s love.

As an example Father Leo said that we must work hard for our exams and pray that we are asked the questions that we have revised for.

That certainly seemed to be the case as Year Eleven’s first exam was Religious Studies.

The mass was very well attended by parents and grandparents and we wish Year Eleven every success in the weeks ahead.

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So long, farewell…

There was great excitement about the Leavers’ Celebration Dinner which was held at Mitton Hall. We hired a private room and the surroundings were suited to such a well dressed and well behaved group of young men and women.

Everybody enjoyed a lovely meal which was followed by an entertaining speech from Head Boy, Will and Head Girl, Georgina of their descriptions of all the members of staff.

The evening was rounded off with a speech from Mrs Riley about each individual pupil and amusing and sometimes embarrassing photographs of them as youngsters kindly donated by parents.

Everybody was incredibly proud of our pupils and it really was an evening to remember.

Hopefully the pupils enjoyed it just as much as we did.

A Good Luck Mass for Year 11

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Lands End to John O’ Groats challenge 2015This August a group of pupils and staff will be undertaking the ultimate British cycling challenge of the ‘end to end’ route from Lands End to John O’ Groats.

The ‘LE JOG’ route we will be following is 951 miles long and will be completed over two weeks of continuous pedaling!Our daily journeys will range between 60 and 90 miles.Pupils Jacob McHugh, Daniel Riding and William Singleton will be leading the way, joined by Mr. Peel, Mr. Jepson and Mr. Kirkham, making a very diverse team aged between 14 and 68! We will be supported throughout our journey byMr. Singleton’s best tractor and trailer, making for a very unique challenge!

As well as the cycling challenge we have also set ourselves the goal of fundraising £3000 for our three school charities, CAFOD, Macmillan and Rainbows. These charities were chosen this year by our own Senior School pupils and together they serve a huge range of worthwhile causes, from cancer and bereavement support in our own and other local communities, to international aid for those in need elsewhere.

On Sunday 17th May about 500 boys and girls walked 3 miles around Towneley Park in Burnley to raise money for Pendleside Hospice.

Eve and Edward Starkie and Nellie Wilson all took part. They braved a cold morning finishing with a bag full of goodies, picked up along the way, as well as receiving a hard earned medal. They were each given t-shirts emblazoned with Little Hospice Heroes and they all lived up to that.

A much enjoyed morning and well done to all those that took part.

In May, Mr Peel, Mrs Sutterby, Mrs Rawlinson, Mrs Langford, Mrs Hennighan and Mrs Spencer ran the Manchester 10k race.The team had been in training since January and ran in support of the three school nominated charities; CAFOD, Macmillan and Rainbows.

One of the ways of fund raising was for the students to guess the total time it would take the whole team to complete the race in and the correct answer was 6 hours 24 minutes and 24 seconds. This raised £30 which the school council kindly agreed to double.

Along with this and other sponsorship money the team are hoping to raise almost £1,000 which will be split between the three charities. Well done all of you, a great effort.

Cycling the length of the UK for charity

Little Hospice Heroes

10k Achievement

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This term the Oakhill Association organized and hosted “Rollerstrut” - a disco with a difference,as it was on roller skates! Some 50 skaters of all ages and abilities took to their wheels to the sound of a montage of pop party hits for the afternoon.

Even a number of parents were spotted reliving their youth!

Everyone had a great time and on request, a second event is already being planned for the autumn term.

Most staff and pupils look forward to a quieter Saturday after a hard week of work at school.

However, for one Saturday in May by 8.30am treasure hunt clues and teddy bears were being placed around the ground and plants were filling the area outside the Millennium Hall ready forthe annual plant sale.

By midday there were a lot more pupils around the place searching high and low for clues and teddies. Then all went quiet outside for an hour as everyone danced inside the hall to Jedi Disco.

Roll up, Roll up…

Give usa clue??

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Class of 2014/15

Year OneReception

Year ThreeYear Two

Year FiveYear Four

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Year SevenYear Six

Year NineYear Eight

Year ElevenYear Ten

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Independent Catholic Day School and Nursery. 0 – 16 years. Open to all.Oakhill, Wiswell Lane, Whalley, Lancashire. BB7 9AF. Just off the A59.

01254 823546 www.oakhillcollege.co.uk Principal: Mrs C. Riley B.A M.A

AHEAD OF THE REST1:1 iPad teaching in action OPEN DAY THURSDAY 12TH FEBRUARY

ISI Independent Schools Inspectorate Report February 2015

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