Summer 2012 - Parklands High School

Parklands
GAMBIA
Here is a photograph of the
sponsored students at one of the
schools we are helping (Anglican
Mission Senior Secondary School
in Farrafenni). They are wearing
the Gambia bracelets, which were
organised by one of our Year 11
classes. Our year 11 pupils have
been selling them at the past two
markets and thought it would be a
nice idea to send some to Africa
too.
Learn | Respect | Aspire | Achieve
Summer 2012 Newsletter
Message from the Head
Welcome to the last edition of our newsletter for the academic year 2011/2012. This is a
bumper issue which brings home to me the enormous range of activities which take place at
Parklands over a term.
Thanks again for the many fund raising efforts that are still going on around school for this
cause. It is great to see so many staff and pupils getting so actively involved and being so
creative in their ideas. The total raised so far is over £6000!!
Mr J. Chapple
The Olympic torch day was a once in a lifetime event made even more special when Helen,
the Olympic torch bearer, came into school so that pupils and staff could have their photograph
taken with her.
We are also delighted to have received acknowledgement from the Schools Network of the
significant improvement in our GCSE results over the last three years together with a logo as
evidence of this, a learning excellence award from the Local Authority and the Artsmark Gold
award.
Year 11 enjoyed a wonderful prom night and are now having a well-earned rest before
collecting their results in August. I look forward to sharing the good news with them.
Congratulations go to Mrs Aspinall and Mrs Batson who were both appointed as assistant
headteachers.
We are saying goodbye to a number of colleagues: Mrs Winter, Mrs Chester, Miss Coady, Mr
Trainor, Miss Doyle, Miss Booth, Mr Beniston, Mrs Tansey, Mr Horner, Mrs Keeble and Mr
Patel.
On Tuesday 27th March the Mayor of Chorley, Pat Case, visited Parklands High School. The visit
gave the Mayor the chance to see the art work Year 8 pupils have been completing for the
Healthy Streets Project. The project had over 180 posters created within Year 8, each with the
objective to promote healthy and safe streets, sustainable transport and improve quality of
life; giving the streets back to communities. Of all the posters created, sixteen went into the
art gallery, while all Year 8 pupils voted for their favourite which will be displayed in Euxton
library. The Mayor was able to view the gallery and speak to the artists to ask about their
inspiration.
Finally I would like to thank all parents and carers for the tremendous support they have
shown the school over the last year. I wish you all an enjoyable Summer break.
Mrs. C. Hollister, Headteacher
Congratulations! As we met the Let’s Get Cooking activity requirements
for the first year and followed the Let’s Get Cooking guidelines for
running a healthy cooking club, our club has qualified for Let’s Get
Cooking accreditation.
See Mrs Brookes for details on how to get involved next term!
The day the Olympic Torch came to Parklands!
Lancashire Book of the Year Award 2012
Bali Rai visits Parklands!
On Monday 18 June, thirty year 9 pupils were given a treat when author, Bali Rai, visited Parklands
to speak to them about his career and experiences as a writer. Here’s what three pupils had to say
about the visit:
‘Spending time with the author Bali Rai was very interesting
as he was down to earth about the topics which he writes
about. He writes about teen issues, which was very suitable
for our age group. He also explained what it takes to become
an author. He explores multi-cultural societies in his work
and was very truthful about many things, which a lot of people
would be afraid to write about. Surprisingly, I had a lot of fun
just listening to someone talk for an hour and I hope we get to
do it again in the future!’
On Friday 25 May, I had the pleasure of accompanying two year 9 pupils, Frankie Kaufmann
and Isobel Dimmer, to the final judging of the top ten shortlisted books, which took place in
one of the committee rooms at Lancashire County Hall. Both pupils had an opportunity to
express their views and opinions on the books and helped to vote for an overall winner.
This was a vital stage in the last nine months of the process, after more than 130 books were
read and evaluated in order to get to this point. The pupils also had the opportunity to meet
the author Adele Geras, who chaired the meeting.
Frankie reflected on his experience of the judging panel and says:
Georgia Collier
‘Meeting the author Bali Rai was definitely a great experience for the class. He not only
told us about his books but also a bit about ourselves and how it doesn’t matter where we
are from or if we are geeky or popular, it’s who we are and we should be proud of that. This
was a great message to put across. His books also carry a similar message and are based
around teenagers and things that could happen to any one of us because of these things.
I think that his books are good and definitely worth the time it takes to read them.’
Heather Hough
‘On Monday 18 June, I sat and listened to the author, Bali Rai, talk about his books, his
inspirations for his books and his experiences whilst writing. I found the whole discussion
really interesting as Bali told us about how he would begin to write a book and would use
simplistic and very real scenarios about teenage life to grasp his audience. I personally
like reading more fictional books, but as I can relate to some of the storylines he talked
about, I was very intrigued about some of his books. I found out that writing a book is a
lot harder than it looks. Bali Rai told us he spent many months in the persona of a
completely different character. He also gave us a sneaky warning about online social
websites, such as Facebook. By the end of the discussion I was completely enthralled by
everything and impressed at all the different genres he had written. Thank you very much!
Marika Lomax
The pupils welcomed Bali Rai, asking lots of questions, and many bought signed copies
of his books to take home and begin reading straightaway. Bali Rai’s ‘Killing Honour’ was
on the Lancashire Book of the Year Awards long list and there are copies of this, and other
titles, in the library if you want to give them a try.
‘The Lancashire Book of the Year Award judging was a great experience for me. Seeing and hearing the
views of so many different people on books that I had also read was very interesting. I liked how the
final three books were voted for before the winner was chosen. It took a lot of debate before we could
finally choose a winner.’
After much discussion, and some changing of opinion, the eventual winner was Chris Higgins
with her novel He’s After Me and pupils were present when the news was passed to Chris’
publisher in celebration!
On Saturday 30 June we were all invited to an awards
ceremony at Lancashire County Hall, to meet with the
winning author, as well as some of the other shortlisted
authors, such as Joseph Delaney and Zoe Marriott. Both
Frankie and Isobel were invited to share their thoughts
in the council chambers, in front of an audience
consisting of other pupils, parents, teachers and county
councillors. There was even a live web link set up and
running during the ceremony! Isobel was also selected
to present Chris Higgins with her award.
Both pupils were fantastic ambassadors for Parklands and the commitment that has been
shown during this process. They were praised by teachers from other schools and members
of the library team for their confident and mature contributions to the awards ceremony and
I was extremely proud!
Happy reading!
Miss Doyle
DON’T FORGET!!
All lockers must be emptied at the end of term to allow
for cleaning and movement.
Any items left in lockers at the end of term will be disposed of.
Copies of the top ten shortlisted books can be found in the school library, so why not do as
the organisers of the award suggest and jump in and read some of them for yourself and let us
know if you agree!
Thank you to everybody who has taken part in the process this year...we can’t wait to get
involved again!
Miss Doyle
John Stroud
As most of you know we have a memorial garden in school dedicated to ex-pupils of our
school who have lost their lives in conflict serving their country.
One of those pupils was John Stroud who attended Parklands from 1973-1977 and was
killed along with 12 others on HMS Glamorgan just two days before the end of the Falklands
War in 1982. Tuesday 12 th of June this year marked the thirtieth anniversary of his death.
Miss Partington and I were honoured to represent school at a special memorial service
held at Dunscar War Memorial in Bolton. John’s family moved to that area after John had
left Parklands. His wife, Jean Stroud-Mort campaigned for several years to have John’s
name added to the memorial.
STEM Challenges
Year 8 pupils took part in the IET Faraday Challenge Day which give students the opportunity
to research, design and make solutions to genuinely tough engineering problems.
The teams had to design and build a rehydration station which could be used to provide
drinks for athletes during a Race Walk. Students had to produce a promotional video for
their product and be interviewed by our panel of engineering experts on the science, technology,
engineering and maths in their designs. They did all of this in just one jam packed day.
The winners took home a £20 Amazon voucher each and a trophy for the school. The top three
teams from across the UK get an all expenses paid trip to the National Final in June 2013 to
compete for a cash prize of up to £1,000 for their school.
The ceremony was well attended by serving and
ex-members of the Royal Navy, local council
officials, representatives from Brownies, Cubs,
Guides, and Scouts, as well as local primary and
secondary schools and ourselves. Also on parade
were the Chorley Royal Navy Sea Cadets which
John used to attend before he joined the Navy.
We were surprised but very proud to see two of
our younger pupils there, Jake Buckley Y7 and
Josh Reeves Y8 as part of the cadet company.
Prayers, poems and hymns all formed part of the moving
ceremony which was concluded by the Last Post being
played, a two minute silence and the laying of wreaths
by all the representatives. The first to lay a wreath was
John Paul Stroud, John’s son who was only 8 months old
when his father was killed. Mr Stroud said “I felt proud
of my dad, I always feel very proud of him. My mum has
always told me a lot about my dad. She tells everyone
about him.”
Miss Partington and I were then invited to accompany
the cadets to another private ceremony held in a nearby
churchyard where there is a dedication stone to John
who was buried at sea. Again we listened in silence
while the Cadets paid their own dignified tribute to
John by playing the Last Post.
We hope that Jean Stroud Mort will be able to come
into school and see our memorial garden in the near
future to see how we remember all those who have
made the ultimate sacrifice.
Designing and building a car which could withstand a head on collision was the challenge
facing our Year 8 pupils. The forms competed to see who could build the best structure out of
recycled materials that would safely carry two un-boiled eggs. All teams were encouraged to
plan, create and construct the entire project independent of their teachers.
The activity was part of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) initiative that
demonstrates the links between core subjects and related classroom learning such as
knowledge of shapes, measurements, weight and numeracy.
8K were crowned overall winners with 8A close in second. 8D’s wonderful Cinderella creation
won the most creative design category.
In September we are launching a new initiative of Learning Ambassadors: a group of 40
pupils who will be contributing to teaching and learning across school. The selected pupils
of all ages spent their first leadership training day working to create a charity event to
increase literacy across the world in the Go Global Event. Many of the pupils were so enthused
by their plans that we could be seeing them take shape next year. Look out for more details
of the Learning Ambassador programme and their work in the next newsletter.
Cheerleading competition
This year the National School’s Cheerleading Competition
was held on Sunday 24th June at the National Cycling Centre
in Manchester. This year we entered five teams into various
categories and had been training hard from September.
We were really excited to be taking a squad of 62 pupils
with us this time, especially as we had also now recruited
five boys!!
Throughout the day of the competition all the pupils worked
extremely hard both on the floor competing and in the
stands cheering for all the other competitors. We had a
number of coaches approaching us after performances to
offer praise for both our choreography and execution of
our routines. We even had a coach from Maximum Cheer,
who compete to an extremely high European standard,
approach and ask our boys to go train with them, a fantastic
opportunity!
When the award ceremony came we were extremely nervous as the standard of the competition
this year had been so high. However, like last year, we did extremely well!!
KS4 Cheer team – 1st Place, National Champions
KS3 Pom team - 1st Place, National Champions
KS4 Pom team – 2nd Place
KS3 Cheer team – 3rd Place
KS4 Street Cheer team – 4th Place
A massive thank you to all the staff who attended: Mrs Haslam, Mrs Chester, Ms Williams, Mr
Betney and Mr Milton for giving up their precious time and not forgetting the fantastic bunch
of pupils who took part and were brilliant ambassadors of the school: Ravi Dhar, Stephen
Ramsay, Freya Clack, Josh Rawsthorne, Shaun Brown, Caitlin Ross, Caroline Lenardy, Rosie
Keane-Jolly, Adam Fraser, Kain Horsfield, Kyle Haydock, Stacey Nowell, Nicole Renwick, Rachel
Harding, Niamh Graeme-Grimshaw, Nathan Lawton and Charlotte Watkiss.
Mrs Fairhurst Intervention Manager
TOWER WOOD
On Friday 20th April, 17 pupils from Years 7, 8 and 9 and 6 staff set off for the annual residential
weekend to Tower Wood Educational Centre in Windermere. Everyone, it seemed, had packed
for all weathers, as the forecast was wet, cold and windy but this did not seem to dampen
anyone’s enthusiasm.
Upon arrival, we were met by Bec, one of our instructors and they were sent to unpack, make
beds, explore the house and grounds and to be kitted out for our activities of gorge scrambling,
rope work and tree climbing and finally, kayaking. Tea was served at 5.30pm and a hearty
feast was tucked into by all as the cooks catered for everyone’s needs and there was ample
food and drink for all. A game of Headers and Footers took place in the grounds which had
them working in pairs, using their memory skills, cementing teamwork and sportsmanship
in the group. This tired most of the group and they headed into the house for supper and
settling down for the night, aware of the early rise on a Saturday morning (7am!)
After a hearty cooked breakfast and packed lunches made
(in itself a task for some) we headed off for a morning of
gorge scrambling in the beautiful, scenic Langdale Valley.
We were joined by our other instructor Natalie, and kitted
out in wetsuits and waterproofs, tackled the torrent of
water speeding its way down from the hills. Mr Milton
and Ms W illiams also bravely volunteered to go in with
the groups. As you can see from the photographs, the
group rose to the challenge and displayed good
sportsmanship, communication skills and excellent
teamwork. After our lunch we headed back to the Centre
for an afternoon of tree climbing and rope work. This, for
some, was probably the hardest challenge, as a few of
the group did not like heights but all took part, with lots
of encouragement from their team. After tea, the group
continued with their fun-packed activity schedule by
taking part in a mini Olympics with Mr Milton and Mr
Betney, followed by two quizzes, two games of pass the
parcel with forfeits and the highlight of the evening, games of chubby bunnies. This entailed
volunteers placing a marshmallow in their mouth and repeating “chubby bunny” with the
marshmallow firmly remaining in the mouth as they said it. This caused lots of laughter as
the more marshmallows placed in the mouth, the more difficult it became to say “chubby
bunnies”. Not to be outdone, Mrs Haslam and Mrs Fairhurst joined in the game but the out
and out winner with a whopping total of 9 marshmallows was Nicole Renwick!
Sunday morning came round far too quickly but the
weather stayed kind to us and we went out on the
Lake to do some kayaking. There were a lot of
volunteers to jump off the jetty at the end of the
activity, a popular pastime by all those taking part
in the water sports. After lots of mugs of hot
chocolate, teas and coffees, it was time to
distribute certificates and thanks to our hosts for
a fun, action-packed weekend before heading back
home.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all members of the squad on their
performances. I was so extremely proud of each and every one of you! You have worked so
hard over the last year to get to the standard that you are at and you deserved every single
trophy that you brought back to Parklands!
I would also like to thank, on behalf of the squad, the members of staff who have helped us
out in any way this year, particularly those that came along to offer their support at the
competition, sponsored Poms and made us sign boards.
Finally we would like to bid a sad farewell to our nine Year 11 squad members who have
now left. We hope you all continue to Cheer after you have left as you are all extremely
talented. Cheer practice will not be the same without you all! My final thank you goes
specifically to our captain Alice Sofield, who has worked so hard with the squad this year,
helping with choreography, coaching the younger teams, conducting warm ups, ensuring
everyone is present and on time as well as being a fantastic role model. Whilst we are
extremely sad that she has to leave us, we are very excited about our new Captain Chloe
Whiting taking up her position. She has extremely large shoes to fill but I have no doubts
that she will rise to the challenge!!
Nurture Group
DIABETES UK - OLYMPIC TORCH DAY
The alarm went off at some ridiculous time in the morning and after a couple of minutes the
realisation set in that today was the day and we did actually have to be in school before
7.00am! Yes, seven in the morning.
When we arrived we found the fields already starting to fill up with sports people, musicians,
dancers, dj’s and a Burger Bar! The red, white and blue theme seemed to be everywhere well done all you Parklanders who joined in!
By half past seven we were all involved in a pretty major Zumba Session and the cobwebs
had truly been blown away.
The Olympic Torch procession arrived spectacularly at about ten to eight, paused and then
moved across to Woodlands. We had a fantastic view of the torch and Helen, the relay
carrier, from our prime position on Southport Road.
After this we all joined in a spectacular disco/dance/zumba/party/giant photo session until
school began at its normal time - well almost(ish).
By break we were hungry again and our cake stall in the Main Hall was super busy. My mum
had delivered trays and trays of homemade cakes, biscuits and cookies and soon Zoe and I
needed help from Jack Sutcliffe, Francesa Davies, Steven Halliwell, Masa Khawaja, Kathryn
Hopley and Willow Boardman-Owen (all from Year 10 - thanks!) to deal with the queue.
The Intervention Team supports pupils in school through a number of ways.
This term we have been running a Year 7 Nurture Group. The group follows a 6-8 week
programme which covers improving self confidence, team work, orienteering through Astley
Park and communication skills.
We sold everything, absolutely everything and counted out the takings with enthusiasm.....
At the end of the programme the pupils celebrated with a party and were awarded a
certificate of merit
We had chosen Diabetes UK as our charity to support because my family have been affected
by it for years now and I know that a number of other pupils and their parents also have to
deal with the condition on a daily basis here at Parklands.
Well done to all who took part.
Mrs Fox, Mr Milton & Mr Betney
Just to remind you, the money goes towards medication and vital research for a cure.
In total we raised £293.27 which will help diabetics across our area.
Year 10 Hospitality BTec
After a year of heat in the kitchen and the pressure in the classroom, the year 10 have
successfully completed their Hospitality BTEC. Celebrating in Royal style, the group hosted
a Garden Party in the pupil social area.
At the end of break we were all surprised and
delighted when Helen, our local Olympic Torch
carrier was able to come into our Hall and
allow pupils (and staff) to have their photos
taken with the actual, real, genuine Olympic
torch!
The pupils, who thrive under pressure, showed an outstanding amount of skill in their
kitchen teams producing a fabulous range of buffet delights.
A massive thank you to Sophie Fellows who took her role as coordinator to another level
by arranging the decorations and the entertainment! Great fun had by all.
We are really grateful for this chance and we
took over 200 photographs in about 45 minutes
- Gosh, were we late for period 3! Still - you
don’t get to hold the Olympic Torch every day!
A massive congratulations from Mrs Sawyer!
Once again a massive thank you to everyone
who helped with the organisation of the day
which went extremely well.
Zoe and I are very grateful for all the help and support over these busy weeks of planning a particularly big thank you to Mr Trezise who has been helping us through all the stages and
shouting very loudly with the microphone when we needed publicity.....
Pip Climpson & Zoe Johnson - 7A
Learning Mentoring
Parklands would just like to say a huge thank you to Everton Williams from SkillForce who
has been attached to the school as a Learning Mentor for Year 7 pupils since January of this
year. He has been working with pupils as part of an Early Intervention initiative and has
been a valuable asset and staff member of our Pastoral & Progress Team.
Pupils have been engaged in work to enhance their low self esteem, concentration in lessons,
organisational skills, their behaviour in and out of the classroom and general attitude to
learning and progress in school. A variety of activities has been carried out and each pupil
has had a report written about them following their hourly meeting with Everton every week.
Pupils have really engaged and benefitted from the support, advice and techniques provided
and feedback from them all has been very positive.
We are sorry to see him go as he has been a welcome visitor and an integral part of our
team. He has been a friendly face to many as he has walked through our school. We wish
him luck as he ventures on to new high schools in the Chorley area and look forward to him
visiting our school again.
Natalie Fairhurst
Intervention Manager
Mr. Betney
Scores a Try!
The Great Britain Teachers Mens
Rugby League team took on the
Rochdale Hornets U23s side at
Spotland in what was the first test
ever for the TRL against a team
from the professional ranks.
Hornets fielded a strong young
side with several first team
squad players and the difference
in speed, fitness and power was
clear to see. Despite the
difference the Teachers held the
Hornets for the first twenty
minutes and were unlucky not to take the lead themselves on two or three occasions.
However on 25 minutes the Hornets broke the deadlock and as fatigue set in they ran in a
further three tries. The fact that they were close range efforts up the middle emphasised the
differences in power. At half time it was GB TRL 0-22 Hornets.
Again after the break the TRL started brightly and made the Hornets work hard. After 20
minutes of the second stanza, they actually lead the half 6-4 after a fantastic try out wide
from Mr Betney of Parklands High School, converted by Tim Hartley.
As the half progressed though, again the superiorities the Hornets had took their toll and
they ran in a further 5 tries, which was harsh on the fabulous effort from the Teachers outfit.
The final try was a well deserved effort from centre Craig Farrell, leaving the final score
Great Britain Teachers 10-56 Rochdale Hornets U23s.
The Learning Mentoring Group, out with
Everton Williams orienteering in Astley Park.
The BIG Health Test
Stationery Shop
The Reprographics Department at Parklands has recently
launched a stationery shop, where pupils can purchase
pens, pencils, rulers, maths sets and so on at incredible
prices!
The shop is open for business on Monday and Wednesday
in the Resources room.
We also have a number of Parklands plastic drawstring
bags, as seen in the photo opposite - ideal for PE kit or
swimming - for just £1.
Come along and see what’s available, or let us know what
you would like to see stocked!
Following the completion of ‘The Big Health Test’ twelve
pupils successfully completed the two weeks of healthy
eating and filled in pre and post questionnaires. The results
are very positive showing that 100% of pupils who ate a
healthy snack every morning believe that the test will improve
their diet in the future. Before the test only 34% of participants
felt awake in the morning and by the end of the test this was
at 83%. Before the test 50% of participants felt awake after
lunch but following the healthy eating this was at 92%. The
test was a great success with all credit to those pupils who
came in early to take part. Hopefully it will be an even bigger
event next year!
Mr. Betney
Let’s Get Cooking with Balshaw Lane Primary School
Year 7 and 8 members of our Let’s Get Cooking Club enjoyed practical cooking sessions over
2 weeks when they invited some Year 5 pupils from Balshaw Lane Primary School to join
them. Parklands pupils had a great time passing on their cooking skills to the Year 5s - all
making home-made ‘Perfect Pizza’.
7 trees have been dedicated by the Parklands High School Community, to commemorate
people and events that have shaped their lives. Here are some examples of the dedications
that have already been made:
•
DUCKY’S BARMY ARMY 2007 - 2012
•
THE ECO-PREFECTS. WITH PRIDE AND GRATITUDE FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
From Mrs Vause and all the eco-coordinators.
•
Mum; you will forever be in my heart. Hannah Palmer Yr 7
•
“FOREVER AND ALWAYS” -10P
•
In memory of Dylan. “Every moment
spent with you is a moment I treasure”.
Love from your form 2009 - 2011
•
Laurence Heaps. Parklands’ groundsman
from 1946 to 1981.
There are still some legacy trees available.
For more information about dedicating a
tree contact Mrs Vause in school.
Calling all ECO-PARENTS!
Do you work in a job that deals with
sustainability on any level?
Do you work in a garden centre?
Do you have an interest in eco-action or
gardening?
If so, we’d love to hear from you. Please
contact the eco-prefects via Mrs Vause.
Alex Garforth Year 8, Enters Junior Masterchef 2012
We have a celebrity chef in the making in Year 8 - Alex Garforth has entered
Junior Masterchef because she loves to cook and likes to experiment with
different flavours. Her Mum tells us: ‘She’ll try anything and everything with
food!’
Alex has been successful so far; she was chosen to take part in an audition at Manchester
where she cooked Spaghetti Napoli with a Red Wine Jus which the judges stated as ‘excellent’
and ‘very tasty’. If she continues her success the next stage is London to cook for John Torode
and Sarah Tunstall! We’re all excited and waiting to hear Alex’s results on 9th July - Good Luck
Alex!
CHEERLEADING AND GYMNASTICS SHOWCASE
On Wednesday the 13 th June we held our second annual Cheerleading showcase. This time
we were also excited to have an additional piece from Mrs Verinder’s Gymnastics club to
open the display. The aim of the Showcase is to allow parents the opportunity to see the
competition routines that we will be taking to the National Schools Cheerleading competition
in Manchester. The Showcase went extremely well and included two Cheerleading routines,
two Pom Dance routines and one Street Cheer routine. The feedback from the audience was
excellent and all squad members thoroughly enjoyed their performances!
We also managed to raise a fantastic £160 for the squad from the showcase so a huge thank
you to anyone who made donations on the night, it is much appreciated and all goes
towards purchasing kits and equipment for competitions and training.
Cheerleading Coaches!
On 28 th May, ten pupils from years 8 and 9
attended a special sports day event at Euxton
Church of England Primary School. They spent
the day coaching Cheerleading to year 6 pupils
from four of the local primary schools. The
session involved a zumba style warm-up,
followed by a dance to ‘It’s Peanut Butter Jelly
Time’ and a brief section on a basic stunt. All
these sections then came together to give each
school a short cheer routine that they could take
back to their school and develop. All the pupils,
both boys and girls thoroughly enjoyed the
session and said they would love to do it again!
At the end of the day the Parklands Cheerleaders
then performed for the primaries some of the
higher level stunts that they could do. Both staff
and pupils from the primaries were extremely
impressed with our cheerleaders!
Pupils involved:
Laura Halliwell
Marika Lomax
Emily Barclay
Gabby Blundell
Toni Goldie
Hannah Foster
Steph Gregson
Jade McDonnell
Megan Kirkham
Ella Henderson
Well done to you all!
If you are interested in following the progress of the squad you can follow us on Twitter at
@PHSFusion
Cheerleading will open again to all pupils in September. We love to see lots of new faces so
come try it out!!!!
Miss Marr
Congratulations to 19 Year 10’s who have successfully completed their
Bronze Duke of Edinburgh expedition recently! Well done to you all!
Vertical Tutoring
Thanks to the successful trial of two vertical tutor groups, the overwhelmingly positive
feedback from both pupils and parents, and following a huge amount of research into the
benefits, I am delighted that we are moving to a whole-school vertical tutoring and house
system from September 2012. In a nutshell this means that all tutor groups will consist of
approximately 5 pupils from each year group, who will come together for morning registration
and whole-school and house assemblies. Tutor groups will be placed in one of five houses
called Europe, Asia, Africa, South America or Australasia, and pupils in each tutor group will
choose a country as the name of their tutor group. So, in the house Europe we could have
tutor groups called Germany, Spain, Italy and so on. As Parklands is an outward-facing
school, we feel this way of naming houses and tutor groups will further broaden our pupils’
knowledge and understanding of the wider world.
Each house will have a House Progress Leader (HPL) who will work alongside other members
of staff to ensure every child’s educational and social needs are met. As pupils in each year
group experience different things at different times – for example Year 9 pupils going through
the GCSE option process – we believe this new system will provide much more targeted
support, as each HPL will only have about 45 pupils to liaise with, as opposed to our current
system of the Progress Leader being responsible for about 220 pupils in one year group
alone.
Further benefits of this new system are as follows:
•
Year 7 pupils will experience a smoother transition to Parklands as older pupils
will address any worries or concerns they may have about being at high school
•
Older pupils feel more protective of younger pupils and behave more responsibly
•
Siblings will all be in the same house, so parents or guardians will have one single
point of contact
•
Morning registration activities will build on our emphasis on teaching & learning,
with literacy being a key focal point throughout the year
•
Peer mentoring and peer tutoring can happen on a daily basis, enabling pupils to
assist one another with any personal or academic concerns they may have
•
Year 11 pupils will have a weekly 1-2-1 conversation with their form tutor regarding
their progress in their final and most important year of their school life so far
•
All pupils will set and then review on a fortnightly basis targets they have set for
themselves
PROM
Rivington
Barn
Class of 2012
We understand that any change can lead to anxiety and unease, but we firmly believe that
vertical tutoring can only have a positive effect on pupil outcomes.
Below are some comments from pupils in our trial vertical tutor groups, which we hope will
highlight the positives of this change!
Chelsea
Before joining a vertical tutor group I was in a form which I liked. However, by joining a
vertical tutor group I have realised that I have made friendships that I couldn’t possibly have
done in my old form. For example, I feel more comfortable talking to pupils in lower or
higher year groups about school work. This is extremely beneficial for me as I am learning
about what to expect in my last year of high school. I felt nervous at first about talking to
pupils from other year groups. This is because I never thought I would have anything in
common with them. But it was easier than I thought, because we did have things in common!
I am grateful for this experience and I am happy that I joined this tutor group because I have
met some amazing people. We are like a family now!
4th July
2012
Jack
When I first walked in I recognised a few people from other year groups and there were
some others from my year who I was friends with. For the first few days I stayed in the group
of my year but then we started to branch out. I became friends with people from other years
and they helped me with my homework and guided me on how to tackle revision. They also
helped me with some problems in my work, but they were there for emotional support as
well. Now I have friends throughout all the years and I am more confident.
Keir
On my first day I was worried about getting along with others, mainly the older year groups.
But I soon found out that everyone felt the same and we were all in the same boat. We
realised that we can all get along! I now really like VT as older years can help younger years
with problems.
Head Boy - Jack Sutcliffe
To me this role holds an unimaginable amount of pride. However it really was the incredible
community of Parklands that has fuelled my passion for this school. And I am so proud and
excited about representing every single pupil at Parklands at all the various events in the
coming year. Wearing the red tie really means a lot to me and I will make a solid promise,
not to let anyone involved with Parklands down over the next year.
Jack, above, seen with Francesca Davis, Head Girl,
Steven Halliwell, Deputy Head Boy and Masa Khawaja, Deputy Head Girl
Drama Club
At 3 o’clock every Wednesday I run my own
drama club and it is something that I enjoy so
much. There are around 20 key stage 3 pupils
who consistently attend and we have come to
know each other very well. I have the task of
planning every session and delivering it which
to me is what I want to do in my later life. It is
something that gives me a buzz and is
something that I look forward to every week. I
have acted as a mentor to the pupils and they
seem to be enjoying the activities I have
delivered. As a GCSE Drama student, this subject is something I am very passionate about
and I really hope I have swayed some of the members into taking drama for GCSE. I think the
pupils are very talented in drama and we have just started working on a play which will
hopefully be shown to an audience in the future.
Jack Sutcliffe
Charlie
I was nervous at first. All I did was sit with the other people in my year group, but as a few
days passed the other people in my year group and I started interacting with people from
other years. This was a good choice, as now the older pupils can help me and give me
support as I start my GCSEs.
Harry
On my first day it was strange meeting people I didn’t know. But I did make new friends
quicker than the blink of an eye! And across all years! It’s really good to know people from
all years, they can help you with your homework and they can also give you help and support
if you are struggling with anything!
Gina
I had been with my previous form group for 3 years; this was a good form group, but I would
never go back to it after experiencing vertical tutoring. Everybody else in VT was feeling a bit
nervous too, but this feeling went quickly because VT is so great, and far more beneficial
than the previous year group form!
ABBIE BROWN: HAIRDRESSING
In September 2010 Abbie Brown commenced a National Vocational Qualification in
Hairdressing with Runshaw Training. Abbie spent 3 days in school studying for her GCSE’s
and then every Thursday and Friday she worked at Gallery Hair in Chorley where she gained
valuable experience into the world of Hairdressing. Abbie also attended College 1 day per
month to gain the underpinning knowledge in her chosen NVQ.
All High Schools in Chorley and South Ribble placed pupils on the programme and Abbie has
been successful in gaining the accolade of ‘Student of the Course’.
Abbie is to attend a Celebration Evening at Runshaw College on 28th June 2012 where she will
be presented with her award.
Abbie now wishes to go further in her chosen career by applying for an Apprenticeship in
Hairdressing.
Lit in Greece, the Olympic Flame represents
peace, unity and friendship. The Olympic
Torch is making its way across the UK on a 70day journey bringing the excitement of the
Games to everyone before it finally reaches
the Olympic stadium.
Despite the early start, Parklands High School
embraced the passing of the Olympic Torch
with pupils, parents and staff involved in a
plethora of activities including zumba,
cheerleading, football and rugby. We also
had a surprise visit from the torch bearer,
Helen Clarke who gave up an hour of her time
to have pictures taken with pupils and staff.
Mrs Hollister, Headteacher, said: “ This is a
once in a lifetime opportunity and we are so
proud that our pupils, parents, staff and
feeder primary schools were able to share
and celebrate this momentous occasion”.
ADRIENNE BERRY: YOUNG APPRENTICE IN
MULTI SKILLED HOSPITALITY SERVICES
In September 2010 Ade commenced a Young Apprentice in Multi Skilled Hospitality Services
with Runshaw Training. This is a level 2 qualification and is equal to 5 GCSE,’s A* - C. Ade
also was successful in gaining her level 2 qualification in Customer Service, Food Hygiene
and a Health and Safety qualification.
Ade has been spending 3 days in school studying for her GCSE’s and then 1 day at Runshaw
College, Leyland where she studied the theory side of her qualification and then 1 day a
week she worked at Parmesan and Pepper Italian Restaurant in Chorley where she gained
valuable experience and also put into practice the theory she had learned at College.
All High Schools in Chorley and South Ribble placed pupils on the programme and Ade has
been successful in gaining the accolade of ‘Student of the Semester’. She will receive her
award at a Celebration at Runshaw College, Leyland on the evening of 28 th June 2012.
Well Done Abbie and Ade!
French Exchange 2012
Au Revoir!
Whilst everyone in the UK celebrated the Jubilee under rainy skies, 35 pupils from Parklands
High School headed for warmer climes. The students spent 12 days on an Exchange visit to St.
Rémy in Burgundy where they experienced life first hand living in a French household as
well as attending lessons at Collège Pasteur.
It only seems like yesterday when I had my first job interview 38 years ago at a school in Preston called Parklands
High School (yes, there were 2 Parklands!) where I spent 14
years teaching French and Spanish.
They also visited places of local interest including a chocolate makers, a Chateau and
Abbey, a tour of Chalon sur Saône, Les Hospices de Beaune and shopping in Dijon.
The last 24 years have been here, Parklands (Mark 2) and
how things have changed! One of the great things about my
job has been that I have been lucky enough to take parties
of pupils abroad. I always feel we have a special bond from
then on after being together 24/7 and away from the confines of the classroom.
Party leader Janet W inter, International Co-ordinator said: “We are proud to have had this
link which has lasted 24 years and over 1000 families have taken part. There is no better way
of improving language skills and discovering a different culture”. The finale of the trip was
a 2 night stay in Paris, including a day in Disneyland to celebrate the 20 th anniversary of its
opening.
I am looking forward to more travel when, in November, I am spending a month touring the
Far East - going to China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand.
My message to you all (I sound like the Queen!) would be to ‘make the most of every
opportunity, don’t waste a second of your time and if in doubt, go for it!’ (as long as it’s
safe). After all, you only get one shot at your time in school.
My very best wishes to you all. Good luck and take care, lots of love, Mrs Winter.
Viva Espana!
8C were in fine fiesta mood when they
celebrated the end of their Spanish
studies course with typical dishes of
tapas, tortilla espanola, paella and
sangria (non-alcoholic of course!)
Not ‘adios’ but ‘hasta la vista’.
Mrs. Winter
The French Exchange was amazing; the family I stayed with was amazing and I miss them
loads. I miss all the friends I made and I’d recommend it to anyone who wanted to go on it.
Matthew Birbeck
It was a great success! I found many friends and fantastic opportunities for a new dimension
and outlook into the cultures and bearings of this modern linguistically developing world.
Anas Hatab
I really enjoyed the French Exchange. I made some new lifelong friends from France and I can’t
wait for them to come to England. Learning and experiencing their culture was amazing.
Jenna Harrison
Bolton Wanderers Enterprise
takes on the “Toon”!!!
An early start for the Enterprise Academy Coordinator Chris
Nicholson, one team of five pupils from Parklands High School,
Chorley who had recently completed the Enterprise Academy
Certificate in Business and Enterprise, Mr Rimmer and two
apprentices from Bolton Wanderers Community Trust at 8am
on Friday 27th April 2012.
Leaving Bolton on a cold but bright morning we headed North
on the M6 looking forward to a challenging day at Newcastle
United Football Club’s recently renamed Sports Direct Arena,
where we were to meet the Newcastle United Foundation
team who were hosting an enterprise challenge day. The day
had been organised very well I must add by Gavin Ferry from
the Newcastle United Foundation.
After a long but enjoyable journey thanks to the selection of
songs supplied by Rachel from Parklands High School we
arrived at the Sports Direct Arena which to many pupils’
surprise is situated in the middle of Newcastle town centre,
this is very different from our own Reebok stadium. It is a
large imposing stadium and can be seen from across town;
you get an exceptional view while crossing the River Tyne and
I can imagine it is quite exhilarating walking here on match
day with the Toon army in full voice.
Primary School Football Day
Parklands High School hosted its first Primary School Football Training Day on Thursday 21 st
June. The day saw 10 local primary schools head down to Parklands for a fantastic day of
football. Each primary school was assigned a Parklands pupil who acted as a team manager
throughout the day. The pupils then spent the morning following a carousel of coaching
activities which were delivered by coaches from Bolton Wanderers, a link that has been
developed this year; that has also seen Parklands pupils completing the Football Enterprise
Course. In the afternoon pupils were able to showcase their new skills in a mini Euro
Championships. It was a fantastic day and not even the bad weather could dampen the
children’s enthusiasm. It is hoped that this will be the first of many Primary School
Competitions that the PE department will run.
Once we worked out where to park in the stadium we made
our way into the main reception and were welcomed by a
lovely lady who directed us to the sixth floor in the stadium,
yes the sixth floor - twice what we have at the Reebok and
they had more floors above that one. Many of the clubs had
been there for a while and these weren’t just clubs from the
North East; Tottenham, Fulham and Arsenal had all sent
teams up all together on the train that morning and they got
there before us. Other clubs in attendance were Hull,
Middlesborough, Blackpool and Sunderland who had all
brought one or more teams. The room on arrival was awash
with different colours from the Premier League and
Championship clubs.
Sam from Newcastle welcomed us and gave us a pack which
had a quiz section and which Matty was keen to start. We
found ourselves a table in the suite and admired the view of
the pitch from our sixth floor perch. Blackpool had arrived at
the same time as us and after a short break Sam took the
team and us on a tour of the stadium. We got to see the
famous “Owr Box” owned by Alan Shearer the Newcastle
Legend and Match of the Day regular.
The group were taken up to the highest reaches of the
stadium where we had the chance to take some pictures and
Year 7 Football
The year 7 football team have performed exceptionally well this year and have surpassed
all expectations by reaching two cup finals. The team coached by Mr Brierley have played
some excellent attacking football. The first of the two finals was the Chorley Cup. This game
was played at Charnock Richard Football club and saw the boys come away victorious, much
to the delight of Mr Brierley. This game was closely followed by the Hospital Cup final, a
game which the team were unfortunate to lose. A big congratulations must go out to the
boys who have performed exceptionally well all year.
Valencia kids
It was a fun and once in a lifetime experience. I would love to go again! Kyle McGuigan Y10
I really enjoyed it; it was such an experience to meet the famous footballers. It was really
worth the wait! Vanessa Scott Y9
It was a great experience, seeing all the players, watching the academy train. My football
improved so much with the help of the Valencia FC coaches. It allowed me to get to know all
the pupils from the other years in school. The quality of football was amazing and I am now
a much more matured player. Tom Miller Y8
Valencia was possibly the best experience of my life. I learned and improved so much from
5 days of football due to being helped by professional coaches. It was hard to acclimatise to
the training at first but I soon got used to it. The evening activities where really good too
because every night we did something different. Elliot Preston Y8
I would love to go again, it was the best memories ever! Katie Holding Y8
look out across the Newcastle landscape where ‘on a good day you can see the sea, on a bad
day you can see Sunderland’ - not my joke.
We saw the main entrance where many a signing, selling and sacking of players and managers
has been announced to the waiting press. The tour wasn’t all fun though as the Newcastle
team had set a tour quiz with images for the pupils to complete on their way around the
stadium. After looking in on the home and away changing rooms and looking down on pitch
side for some more photos we made our way back up to the suite ready for the next challenge.
In the suite the Newcastle team had the next challenge ready to
go, the pupils had to build a stadium from paper supplied,
although being enterprise it wasn’t that simple. Each team had
to sell parts of their stadium to members of the Newcastle
foundation team for money. The better the deal, the more money
they were given. This gave Cameron a chance to talk some more,
not that he ever needs an excuse but he hurried off trying to sell
the rights to your stands and pitch. We had a couple of offers but
with the recent events at the club in mind one of the Newcastle
staff offered the team a substantial amount to sponsor the pitch
in honour of Fabrice Muamba which we thought was very nice of
them. We also ended up with a UNICEF stand so the stadium
turned out to be somewhat of a charity base. There was a last
minute run to the end and Jess was frantically gluing things
together ready for the final whistle with Ben using his amazing artistic skills to colour in
between the lines to get the stand ready for the final judgement. While all this was going on
Matty was furiously trying to finish the quiz sheets and get them handed in on time.
All the hard work was done and we were able to relax and wait for the judges to mark the
quiz sheets and compare the stadiums and the amount of money each club had collected.
After a little deliberation the results were in, with a drum roll from all the teams, the club’s
top three from each event were announced. Bolton had made it into 2 of the 3 categories so
we knew we had a chance of appearing in the final 3. So in reverse order the winning teams
were, drum roll please………………
3rd Parklands High School, representing Bolton Wanderers
2nd Andrew Marvell Business & Enterprise College, representing Hull
1st Islington Arts and Media School, representing Arsenal
Boys Badminton Lancashire Schools Champions
Parklands High School Year 9 boys badminton team were recently crowned Lancashire
Champions. The team consisting of Jackson Burgess, Jack Neil-McKenna, Ethan Smallwood,
Daniel Acton and Henry Sofield competed in both singles and doubles events at the
competition. Each victory was awarded points which were accumulated to achieve a
team score. They boys played exceptionally well and came away with a fantastic team
victory.
Big congratulations to all the teams who won and all the teams who took part. A big thank
you to all the Enterprise coordinators who brought teams to the event and all the schools
who allowed their pupils out of school to take part in the event. Finally but by no means
least a huge thank you to Gav, Sam and the rest
of the Newcastle team for organising the event
and hosting us in such a fabulous way. The day
was a great experience both for myself and for
the pupils, teachers and apprentices who all
came from Bolton Wanderers.
Mr Rimmer, Parklands pupils and BWCT apprentices
at the Sports Direct Arena.
Day 4
BATTLEFIELDS 2012
The History Department took 47 Year 10 pupils to France and Belgium in April to visit the First
World War Battlefields. In total we were away for 7 days. This year we visited new sites such
as the newly built Fromelles Cemetery and took part in the Platoon experience, where
pupils were assembled as part of a Battalion and tracked the experience of a real platoon.
I would particularly like to commend Lieutenant Halliwell, who did an excellent job at
leading the platoon.
We also enjoyed a day in Bruges and this complemented the more serious moments of the
trip.
I’d like to thank all the staff for their hard work. This included Mr Crook, Mr Chapple and Miss
Partington. Plus our excellent guide “Uncle Dave” - A.K.A Mr Hitchen. A great time was had by
all and we are currently planning next year’s trip for Year 10.
Day four was the day all the pupils had been waiting
for - Match Day! Due to injuries depriving the girl’s
team of some of its key players it was decided that
the remaining fit girls would play with the boys
and they were absolutely fantastic. The pupils were
all able to apply the skills they had learned over
the previous 3 days into the matches. The year 10
team managed by Mr Duckworth played a tough
game and after some questionable refereeing
decisions went in 2-0 behind at half time. However
after a stellar team talk the boys played
fantastically well with 3 second half goals allowing
them to claim a memorable 3-2 victory.
Unfortunately the Year 9 team managed by the
mercurial Mr Brierley lost their game 4-1 to a very
strong Spanish side, but there were some
outstanding performances most notably from
Vanessa Scott who put in a Woman of the Match
performance. The year 8 team were rocked by a freak
injury to goalkeeper Ross Trueman who broke his
wrist in the warm up. Not to be deterred they
managed to claim a brilliant 5-3 victory in an end to
end game that could have gone either way, scoring
some fantastic goals with some notable
performances from Captain Harry Miller and Alex
Huggan. The afternoon consisted of another
training session and that evening the pupils
attended the Valencia derby between Valencia and
their local rivals Llevante which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Day 5
The final day brought to an end what had been a
fantastic tour. The pupils had one final training
session which was followed by a presentation.
However unbeknown to the pupils the Valencia 1st
team players were also at the training ground. This
gave our pupils the opportunity to meet some of La
Liga’s star players with the pupils getting as many
items of clothing signed as possible. That afternoon
the party spent some time in Valencia city centre
before the exhausted group made the long journey
back to Parklands.
The tour was a fantastic experience which I can
guarantee the pupils involved will have some
fantastic memories of and will talk about it for many
years to come! Mr Higham and the other members
of staff would like to thank the pupils who behaved
exceptionally well and were a credit to their School.
Valencia Football Tour
During the Easter Holidays 39 Parklands High School pupils accompanied by 5 members of
staff set off on a once in a lifetime football tour to Valencia, Spain. The pupils spent the
duration of the tour training at the Valencia FC state of the art training facilities being
trained by the Valencia FC academy coaches; played a game against Spanish opposition and
undertook a number of excursions. Pupils were not only able to train, but eat and live like
a professional footballer for the duration of the trip.
The Valencia Diary
Day 1:
Setting off from Parklands High School at 03:30 hours on the Friday, pupils caught a flight
from Manchester to Alicante and then took a coach journey to Valencia city centre. Upon
arrival the pupils barely had time to unpack before they were off down to the training ground
to meet the Valencia coaches and undertake their first training session. The first evening’s
entertainment being a football quiz.
Day 2
It was an early start the next day as the four teams: years 8, 9, and 10 boys and the year 9 girls
team were taken down to the Valencia FC reserve team stadium for a full photo shoot. This
was followed by a full days training; sessions in both the morning and the afternoon, with
specialist sessions for the goal keepers. That evening pupils had dinner at Frankie and
Bennies and this was followed by a game of laser quest and they returned to the hotel still
full of excitement and energy.
Day 3
Day three was another early start and consisted of a mornings training session. This session
was then followed by a visit to the famous Valencia beach front where pupils spent time
burying each other in the sand, sun bathing and trying to swim as far out to sea as possible.
After a couple of hours soaking up the sun and with Miss Marr’s tan adequately enhanced
the pupils boarded the coach and headed off for a tour of Valencia’s famous Mestallia
Stadium. This gave pupils the opportunity to sit in the director’s box, visit the trophy room
and look through the changing rooms, some even managing to take a quick lie down on the
physio’s bench. This was then followed by a very long visit to the clubs shop (all pupils
taking full advantage of the free name printing and having the biggest names possible on
their shirts!). The party then made their way back to the hotel for dinner and then spent the
evening at Heron City, a local leisure complex where pupils were able to relax and take part
in bowling, visit the arcades and shops and even try out their Spanish with some of the
locals.
The reason I will always remember the Battlefields trip is because it has changed the way
I look and think about things. It gave me an
insight into how many people were actually
affected by the First World War. I don’t have a
favourite moment because every second was
enjoyable however sad at the same time.
Menin Gate really opened my eyes and I think
everyone got upset that night.
Emma Day
For me the best moment of the Battlefields
trip was Menin Gate just because it brought
everyone together and it was amazing to see
everyone stop and take a few minutes out of
their life to remember everyone who had
passed in the war. It was one of the best
experiences of my life.
Meg Bradshaw
My favourite part of the Battlefields was seeing all of the graves and realising the scale
of the war, which numbers cannot do. The
thing I will always remember is standing at
the Menin Gate, listening to the ‘Last Post’,
and thinking of all the people who died.
Jonah
My favourite thing about the Battlefields trip
was going to Menin Gate, mainly because it
really opens your eyes about how many men
died in World War 1. My other favourite thing
was visiting Bruges; it’s a historical and beautiful city and was great fun. I would love to
revisit the Battlefields again!
Mollie Morgan
My favourite thing about Battlefields was finding out about everything that happened to
the soldiers including trench warfare and the
brutality of war. I also enjoyed going around
Bruges, because it was a fun day and good
weather. I shall always remember Battlefields because I learnt a lot about WW1
which helped me a lot with my History work.
Robert Eastwood
I think it’s difficult to pinpoint my favourite
part of Battlefields, because the whole trip
was absolutely amazing. If I did have to pick
a ‘best part’, it would be the Menin Gate visit,
where we watched the ‘Last Post’ being
played. It was so emotional; it was sad and
also quite ‘nice’ in a way. After the whole
trip, seeing the vast numbers of those who
died, it was an amazing closure to the trip,
and it felt as though they were at peace and
that we truly remembered their efforts. At this
point too, I got to see my great-grandad’s
name, which was incredible, as I was the
first in the family line to go and see him and
pay tribute to him.
Fran
The reason I will always remember the Battlefields trip is because it changed how I looked
at things. The few days we spent in Belgium
humbled me, especially the two visits we
made to Tyne Cot cemetery where there were
12,000 graves and out of them, 9000 were unknown. Also, when we saw the 15 year old
soldier’s grave, which made me realise that
it could have been one of my classmates.
Going on the Battlefields trip made me
realise how horrific WW1 was and how many
lives it affected. It made me grateful for the
life I have.
Ellie Bradshaw
German Castle Trip 24th - 29th June 2012
Yes, the journey was long but it was certainly worth it! Our week staying at our partner
school’s castle called Burg Bischofstein was fantastic! We had a very busy week visiting lots
of places of interest whilst basking in hot temperatures and the burning sun! The area of
Germany we stayed in is called the Mosel Valley, which is famous for wine making. Naturally
we had to visit a vineyard and sample their various wines! We also visited the city of
Koblenz, the towns of Cochem, Boppard, and Rüdesheim where we went up a cable car to
enjoy the panoramic views of the countryside! Mr Mitchell, Miss Greaves and our new
Languages teacher, Miss Rooney, had a fantastic time eating the most delicious German
cakes! Sometimes two pieces per day...........
Kieran Smith
The trip was a great opportunity to try to improve my German speaking skills, improve my
knowledge about the History of Germany and make lots of new friends. We also had a lot of
sport going on back at the castle which we stayed in. Miss Greaves led a zumba session and
we played a volleyball tournament and football regularly. Overall, this was a brilliant trip
that will be unforgettable, and I would highly recommend it.
Kimberley Taylor
My favourite part of the trip was going swimming, visiting the vineyard and tasting the wine!
And going shopping in Cochem! I was proud of myself for trying to speak German too.
Emily McKenzie
When I went on the German castle trip I learnt lots of new skills, like improving my German
language skills and making new friends. I had a great time at Burg Eltz as I learnt new facts
about the castle and I enjoyed the visit. I also enjoyed it when we went to new places like
Cochem and Koblenz, as we learnt more about German culture.
Leah Jefferies
Throughout the week we went to many places, like swimming, the vineyard, many different
towns, a boat trip, Burg Eltz and a few more! My favourite part was the wine tasting! It’s a
really good trip and I would recommend it to you. It’s really fun and a good experience.
Gaby Blundell
As we approached the castle we were all shocked due to the huge hill we had to climb, but
we all laughed about it and helped each other up. All the activities we did, like the boat
trip, castle tour, shopping, going on a ski lift and swimming were really enjoyable. I would
really recommend the trip to anybody. It’s a great opportunity. And you get to live in a castle
for a week. I left the trip with absolutely amazing memories and with new strong friendships.
Following our return to Parklands, the Head received a telephone call from Ian Short,
the coach driver from Travellers’ Choice, complimenting the pupils on their fantastic
behaviour and respectful attitude. He had a fabulous time and felt he was on holiday too! Well done everyone!