Here - St Christopher`s CE High School

St Christopher’s
CE High School
A Church of England Academy
Newsletter
Summer 2015 • Issue 43
Dear Parents
Many of you will have heard me refer to St Christopher’s as a “greenhouse rather
than a hot house” - the idea that school life should provide a range of experiences
which allow pupils to grow as confident, resilient and articulate young adults. Much
of the work for providing these opportunities falls to our ‘directors’.
‘Directors’ are senior members of staff who operate throughout the school, with a
remit which stretches beyond that of a particular subject or cohort of pupils. Their
work is central to the range and richness of opportunities offered to our pupils, and
is most evident during the summer term when the exam season is over and the
school can concentrate on promoting education in its widest sense.
Mrs Litherland acts as our energetic and creative Director of Sustainability. Her work,
which focuses on all areas of ecology, reached a climax for the year last Friday at the
British Gas sponsored ‘Generation Green’ national final. Our Year 8 dance troop
competed against other schools, performing an emotionally charged routine which
was judged in first place! The event, broadcast live in school via St Christopher’s
Radio, has resulted in a £100 000 energy saving grant which will be put to good use.
“We want to share the warm,
welcoming, happy and fulfilled
atmosphere of our High Performing
Church School”
As I write the Eco Conference is in full swing. Over thirty primary schools from throughout East Lancashire have sent pupils to
experience a day of hands-on workshops and activities, all designed to reinforce the message that we are stewards of God’s
world and we have a responsibility to care for our planet. Events on this size and scale are dependent on everyone – teachers,
support staff, pupils and parents – all pulling together as part of a highly effective team.
The final weeks of term are also a busy period for St Christopher’s Director of Spirituality – Mr Pountain. Spirituality Days (offtimetable events) are offered to all year groups, including a highly original day organised for Year 5 pupils from local primary
schools. Based around a key passage of Scripture, the days provide pupils with the opportunity to work with influential figures
in Christian education leading to a period of reflection and a deeper understanding of key themes such as justice and
relationships. Each of these special days ends with a service of Holy Communion led by one of our team of year chaplains. The
Eucharist is celebrated over fifty times each year at St Christopher’s – more than some parish churches!
Mr Smith is our Director of Outdoor Education, a position which involves responsibility for the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Demand for places on the Bronze, Silver and Gold schemes is considerable and I am grateful to Miss Sutton and Mr Unsworth
for assisting with the coordination of the programme and to the large number of staff – teaching and non-teaching – who also
support the expeditions. These outdoor challenges in the wilds of Cumbria, Yorkshire or the Snowdonia National Park provide
a real challenge for our students teaching them the importance of resilience, leadership and team work.
Our recent Awards Afternoons have allowed each year group to showcase some of the musical talent in the year. Miss Davies,
Director of Music and Performing Arts, leads an outstanding range of extra-curricular opportunities which help to maintain the
national reputation that the school enjoys for music and performance. I wish them well for the annual concert tour which
departs on the last day of term. This year the choirs and swing band will perform in Belgium including performances in Ypres
Cathedral and at the Menin Gate. This ‘Memorial to the Missing’ includes the names of soldiers from the Pals Battalions of East
Lancashire. Marking ninety-nine years since the beginning of the Battle of the Somme, this service is bound to be a moving
and memorable for our pupils.
Continued overleaf.
Our final director is Miss Williams – Director of Sport. The PE department continue to work hard to ensure that all pupils have
the opportunity to experience a range of games and sporting activities, and are able to make informed choices about
maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Many pupils have achieved regional and national recognition for their sporting endeavours.
Sporting success has come despite the physical restrictions on space experienced during this term. The playing fields are out
of action until September, as was the sports hall during the exam season, and space on the school yard has been restricted
with the opening of the new Coates Building. It is a tribute to Miss Williams and her team that they have been able to plan
lessons which maximise the limited space available. The school field will have been fully drained by September and we can
expect to see a full programme of home sporting fixtures for the first time in a generation.
Taken together the work of our ‘directors’ ensures that the development of character continues to be a noticeable feature of
a St Christopher’s education.
With best wishes for a restful summer break.
“For to every person who has something, even more will be given,
and he will have more than enough; but the person who has
nothing, even the little he has will be taken away from him.”
Matthew, 25:29
Mr R D Jones
Headmaster
Home, School, Communication
We are committed to doing all we can to ensure good communication between
home and school. We are aware that letters sent home from school do not always
reach parents and also we want to play our part in the “Green ECO” agenda by
reducing our use of paper.
We have in the past asked parents for email addresses, this means that, for example,
whilst you will still receive your child’s annual school report in the traditional way, all
other communication is via email. We are told that this has been very effective and
we save an enormous amount on paper. So if you wish to sign up for this, a quick
email to school will ensure that your details are updated and future communications
will be paper free.
For those parents who are already on the email system, please keep us up to date
with any changes to your addresses by using the same email above.
“St. Christopher's is a Church of
England High School where
pupils and staff work together in
the knowledge and love of God.”
If anyone wishes also to receive a text message about up and coming events please
could you ensure that we have your up to date mobile phone number. Parents
already on Parentpay are automatically included.
Parentpay too is an excellent online facility in school. It means that you can pay for dinner money and trips online taking away
the worry of finding and sending cash into school. Paying this way will prove to be beneficial: you are in control, it is secure,
and you have the peace of mind that your money arrives safely in school. For more information please look on our
website or email school for more information and we will contact you.
Update your details - email any changes to [email protected]
2
St Christopher’s - Bulletin Board
Mobile Phones
Important September Uniform Updates
From September St Christopher’s Main
School will become a mobile phone free
zone. Parents are encouraged to read the
letter from Mr Jones which accompanies this
newsletter and explains the reasons for this
change of school policy and outlines the
sanctions which will be put in place for any
misdemeanours.
Thank you for your support of our high uniform standards. Please be
aware of these points when buying replacement uniform for the
Autumn Term:
MOBILE PHONE
FREE ZONE
Trousers
Must be a standard, classic fit. No slim or skinny styles and no back
pockets.
Years 7, 8 & 9 : Dark charcoal grey.
Years 10 & 11 : Dark charcoal grey or black.
School Bags
Must be able to comfortably fit an A4 file, other books, a pencil case
and lunch etc, keeping it all dry and flat. Fashion handbags are not
adequate for this purpose.
Haircuts
Easter 2016
Parents are asked to note the dates of our
Easter holiday break for 2016 (25th
March - 10th April inclusive). These
were set by the Governing Body and
have been available on the school web site
throughout this academic year.
The holiday dates adopted fall at Easter but
do differ from the ones chosen by a number
of Lancashire primary schools, although not
all. Please contact Mr Jones at the earliest
opportunity if this exceptional situation
causes a particular difficulty with regard to
a family holiday or break.
Extreme hairstyles are not allowed. A No. 2 haircut is the shortest
length permitted. Hair colours must be natural combinations, with no
‘dip dyed’ effects.
Jewellery
Girls may wear a single plain silver or gold stud in the lower lobe of
the ear, although this must be removed for PE. Boys and girls may
wear a wristwatch. For health and safety, no other jewellery may be
worn.
Should you have any uniform queries, please check with your child’s
Head of Year, or Mrs S Parkinson, Assistant Headteacher in advance
of making a purchase at [email protected]
Hello, Goodbye!
A number of teachers are leaving St Christopher’s at the end of this term. All, in different ways, have contributed to
the success of the school and we wish them well.
Mrs R Breckell (TA)
Mrs K Cheshire (Art)
Mr K Caudwell (Geography)
Mr L Jackson (RE)
Miss S Knight (PE)
Mr D Noland (Mathematics)
Miss S Rawcliffe (Mathematics)
Mr N Rigby (Science)
Mr A Waddicor (Science)
Mr C Welch (Mathematics)
We offer a warm welcome to new colleagues who will join us in September.
Mr J English (Mathematics)
Mr D Fishwick (Science)
Mr J Foy (Science)
Mr J Gerrard (Geography)
Mr E Goddard (Snr Assistant Headteacher)
Mr D Kelsall (Mathematics)
Mrs C Murtaugh (Mathematics)
Wedding Bells!
Congratulations are offered to Mr Smith and Miss Rae who are going to be married during the summer
break. The wedding will be a real St Christopher’s event with Cantores Choir providing the music and Father
Lawrence (School Chaplain) conducting the service. We wish the happy couple a long and very happy marriage.
3
Review of the Year for Worship and Spirituality
By Mr C. Pountain (Director of Spirituality)
Jesus is the Centre
This year, Jesus has remained the foundation of everything that we do. Jesus Christ is our motivation, He is
our engine, the very reason why we exist. He is the only reason what we do works. As we move into 2015/16,
we are going to continue to take every opportunity to lift the name of Jesus high, and see what happens…
Routine Worship: (Core Virtues, British Values Extremism & God in the Curriculum)
During the first term, our assembly programme focussed on the all-inclusive love of God, looking at key Biblical passages
alongside ‘British Values.’ We thereby met the requirements of an important government agenda, while at the same time
went to a new level in our understanding of God’s nature, and His plan for our lives. During the second term, we have
responded to the government requirement to ‘tackle extremism.’ We have done this by looking to Jesus, and following His
example of being the right ‘kind’ of extremist, again, using our core virtues to promote extremist love, extremist friendship,
extremist forgiveness etc. Now, part way through the third term, we are systematically using curriculum departments
themselves as assembly themes. So, ‘God & Science,’ ‘God & Maths,’ ‘God & the creative arts,’ ‘God and Technology’ and so
on. We feel this has been hugely successful, and has achieved its purpose in embedding our ethos into our curriculum. The
aim has been to pull staff from the periphery to the core of our church school purpose, at the same time as reminding pupils
that rightly understood, the whole of our lives can and should be an act of worship to our God. We do feel we are achieving
our aim.
We are almost finished with our programme of all pupils receiving a service of Holy Communion in their form, delivered by
their year chaplain. This is in addition to 2 whole year group Communions for every pupil. Alongside a year group Communion
to close ‘Spirituality Day’ for each year group, and taking into account one-off ‘specials’ such as the dedication of the new
aumbry in the 6th form Chapel, this means we have delivered well over 70 Eucharists this year. Significantly more than an
average local church?
Year 7 now have their own specially written ‘Reflection journal’ to enhance their form time worship too. This will be rolled out
to Year 8 for 2015/16.
7 Spirituality Days
Three Spirituality days have taken place during the first term: Year 7 on a ‘With You Always’ theme; Year 8 enjoyed an
uncalendared additional day on a ‘World Faiths’ theme as we seized an opportunity to host some Palestinian children. Our
Foundation scripture was John 14:6. Both of these days took place in October, and then Year 11 enjoyed their ‘Destiny’
themed day in December, so crucial for them to receive the key messages about God having a perfect plan for their lives at
this stage of their school career.
Here is a snapshot of some of the comments from pupil evaluation forms from that first term:
ell prepared.
“Everything was w
because we
g
Nothing was borin
th
d e lessons
could interact an
different.”
were completely
ou for a
“Thank y
l
wonderfu
ay.”
D
ty
Spirituali
“Every
thing w
ent we
all bril
ll. I
liantly
organ t was
ized.”
“I loved
“A very
gh
thou tful day in
general with
good activities.”
“Thank you for a gr
eat day.
And thank you for su
ch a
great message. I re
ally have
enjoyed the day.”
it.”
y.
d toda
“I love ooo much.
o
you so
Thank s amazing.”
It wa
4
“Everythin
g! It was a
prepared a
ll well
nd everyo
ne unders
what was
tood
going o
the import n and understood
ance of th
e day.”
“It was really fun
e
and I enjoyed th
”
y.
Spirituality Da
“I enjoyed the da
y very
much and am look
ing
forward to the ne
xt one.”
the day.
“Thanks for
nt.”
It was brillia
ct day.
“This was a truly perfe
ed
I thoroughly enjoy it.”
ou
“Thank y
o dy
b
ry
to eve
o ne
d
s
a
who h
for
this day
8
r
Yea .”
“I would li
ke to say th
enjoyed ev
at I
erything a
bout it.”
“Than
k you f
or p u
this da
y on fo tting
r us.”
Still to come this year, and taking place as I write, we have a Justice-themed day for Year 9, on 23rd June; Year 10 will enjoy
their day on ‘Relationships and sex’ on 9th July, and the 6th form spirituality day on 15th July, looking at ‘Going deeper with
God,’ will mean that all year groups will have benefited from one of these high quality days. In addition, our 4 th annual
Spirituality day for primaries will take place on Monday 6 th July. The theme is ‘Identity,’ and if previous years are anything to
go by, it will be excellent.
100 years on from WW1
Professional Christian Theatre company, ‘In yer face’ helped us celebrate this significant
milestone reverently on 11/11/14. The 2 hour performance, including time for Q. & A. was seen
by all of our Year 9, 10 and 11 pupils, (+ some 6th formers) and had a huge impact.
Visit of Archbishop of York
7 of our Year 11 youngsters benefitted from a day with Dr. John Sentamu on ‘vocation’ at St.
Michael’s, Chorley in November. In addition to the life-changing information on hearing God’s
call on their lives, our pupils were given a pleasant reminder of the Archbishop’s 2011 visit to
our school to open our 6th form building.
Christmas Services
On Friday 19th December, we gathered the entire school together for the first time since the
Archbishop’s visit in 2011, to celebrate Christmas, and honour 2 long-serving and much loved
members of staff as they retired from teaching: Mr. Whitehead and Mr. Green.
As always, everything was done for an audience of one: Jesus - the reason for the season.
Spiritual Health-check
This took place on Monday 26th January 2015, and was a very positive experience for all involved.
Though not a Diocesan Inspection, this visit will inform the SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican
and Methodist Schools) process. Paul Adnitt, a SIAMS inspector spent a morning in school, speaking
with pupils, staff and chaplains. His 2-page report (e-mailed to all parents) makes encouraging reading.
We are delighted that Mr. Adnitt made reference to the quality of relationships as being a key strength
of our school. We understand this to be our strong relationship with God overflowing into our
relationships with each other. This was one of many identified strengths, all of which make very encouraging reading for us.
The recommended areas for development involve simple structural changes and are relatively easy to implement. However,
we refuse to be complacent, always keeping our spiritual health and vitality at the centre of all that we do.
Easter Services & Good Friday Procession of Witness
On the final day of the 2nd term, six of our seven year groups attended a pupil-led Easter service, with contributions from our
choirs and GCSE Drama group. The service was master-minded by pupils from our Christian Union. The seventh year group
(year 10), as always, benefited from a special Easter Communion service on the final Tuesday of term. This year Bishop Philip,
the new Bishop of Burnley, celebrated for us, and this was immediately after a special service in which he dedicated a brand
new, purpose made aumbry (also known as a tabernacle – used to house the consecrated Communion wafers or ‘host’
between services) in our 6th form chapel. This Easter and always, worship remained at the heart of our Church school.
As is the case every year, parents were invited to join us for the 2015 ‘Churches Together’ Good Friday Stations of the Cross
walk up the Coppice in Accrington. The people of Accrington assembled at the top of Avenue Parade at 11:15am, and our
uniformed pupil volunteers read alternately with Mt. Carmel’s on the way up. This is always a real high point of our Calendar,
and we are looking forward to it again next year.
5
Ongoing work with Primary schools/Christian Unions
For the 6th consecutive year now, we have maintained
a strong spiritual relationship with St. Nicholas’ by
ensuring that some of our KS4 pupils and 6 th formers
deliver a weekly (Thursday lunchtimes) JAM (Jesus and
Me) club for their junior children.
This is always well received by pupils and staff at the
school. Indeed, we have had several requests from
other local primaries to do something similar, but sadly, there are simply not enough
lunchtimes in the week. We have our own thriving Christian Union, as well as 6 th form
‘Questions of Faith’ group to consider.
However, we have been able to resource and support our network of Spirituality Day
primaries with special access to Christian artists, such as a singer whom our pupils
enjoyed hosting in March.
Additionally, we were able to visit All Saints school in Clayton Le Moors with some Year
8 children for a Q. & A. session to support a unit of work on Jesus.
REQM Conference
RESEARCH PROJECT
As a result of our groundbreaking work delivering our
Year 5 Spirituality Day to local
Primary schools, we were
involved in a research project
in partnership with Worcester
University, about ways in
which to roll-out the benefits
to non-church schools.
We presented the results at
the annual REQM Conference
in Birmingham, which was
well received.
The written-up research
can be viewed on the
REQM website:
We are always delighted to widen our local sphere of influence, especially to our
www.reqm.org
feeder primaries, but our primary focus remains on our own pupils.
R.E. News
Update on Hyndburn & Ribble Valley RE Network
The Hyndburn and Ribble Valley RE network that St. Christopher’s leads, continues to thrive, discussing current issues such as
GCSE and A-level reforms. As well as taking time out to share good practice amongst local schools. Most recently, at the end
of June, our Year 7 pupils enjoyed a 'Unity Day' in which five schools collaborated to host an event at Ribblesdale school
around the theme of British Values, and Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural education.
A National Platform
As a department, we are currently going through an exciting time with multiple opportunities to have
an influence nationwide. These opportunities have included several articles that we have either
contributed to, or written directly for the Times Education Supplement, as well as the credible journal
‘REToday.’ We believe this is exactly what we should be doing as an outstanding Church school,
sowing the seeds of the Gospel near and far, and playing our part in fulfilling the great Commission.
6
“Windows of Worth” Year 7 R.E. Conference at Liverpool Cathedral
On Tuesday 28th April twelve Year 7 pupils, accompanied by Miss Diggins and Miss Wilson, went to Liverpool Cathedral to
participate in the “Windows Of Worth” conference which was jointly organised by the Diocese of Blackburn and Liverpool and
the Josephine Butler Trust.
The day began with a short act of worship on the theme “Who is my neighbour?” in which we learnt about Josephine Butler
and her work among the poor and prostitutes in Liverpool. She was horrified at the way these people were treated by society
and used her wealth and position to improve both conditions and the law.
The rest of the (very hectic!) day was spent in a series of workshops. We made a Values Book, which told us more about
Josephine and her work; we met students from Hope University who shared their experiences of living and working in other
countries to encourage us to think about perseverance and respect. We also did dramas based on injustice and values that
were important to us and had a tour of the amazing cathedral building. We just about had time for lunch!
The day ended with everyone coming together again in the Lady Chapel for a short reflection when we were encouraged to
think about how we could follow Josephine’s example and help to change someone else’s life for the better.
All of us enjoyed the day and felt that it was worthwhile. For most people, the best part was looking round the cathedral and
we’d love to go back and explore more.
7
GCSE Art Gallery Visit 2015
Year 10 GCSE Art pupils visited Yorkshire Sculpture Park on Thursday 4th June. Pupils experienced a wide range of
art, recording their thoughts and observations in sketchbooks for use back in the classroom.
The exhibition Henry Moore; Back to a Land, has been especially inspirational for the pupils' current project.
Lookout for images in the gallery pages of the next edition.
Summer
Year 10 - Storytelling Project
ART
Gallery
Year 7 - Identity ‘Shoes’
Year 10 - Storytelling Project
Year 7 - Cultural Diversity
8
Generation Green Award 2015
with our hopes high,
“We stepped off the bus
nt we would show off
waiting to seize the mome
joy when we entered the
our school. We leapt for
tre and we saw the back
Cen
Manchester Arndale
screamed as we were led
of Perri’s glorious hair. I
s view. As the dancers
upstairs out of the judge’
wd went wild, the
cro
entered the stage the
r… a lot of blood,
wa
for
ed
dancers were prepar
put into making the
sweat and tears were
rds. When we started
production above standa
Jordon.”
dancing in front of Perri and
Skye Charnley 8X2
“Before the dance part
of the competition, we
had to design our
own version of an eco-sc
hool. For Example, I ha
d to design the Car
park/Bike Shed. When
we found out we we
re in the finals, we
were excited. Mrs Lith
erland immediately org
anised auditions to
find the best dancers
and urged people to
create props and
posters in a recycled
matter. I provided loo
m
ba
nd bracelets for
the dancers and an eco
-poster. We even consid
ere
d using clothes
made out of bin bags
to reinforce the eco ide
a
bu
t we ended up
using flat caps and
chimney sweep brushe
s
to
show an old
fashioned age of fossil
fuels and then bright gre
en T-shirts to show
the next generation of
renewable energy.”
Liam Savioni 8X2
“We all froze as we entered the studio. Not a pin drop could be heard. Then, all of a sudden Mrs Jukes (the dance coach)
welcomed all of us. Everybody changed into their trainers and PE kit and we began the auditions.
First, we completed a warm up which was led by Mrs Jukes and then she taught us various dance moves, from cheerleading to
hip hop. She watched and chose the most talented 12 dancers and 4 reserves. Over a short period of time, the chosen dancers
completed the dance adding style and attitude. The dancers performed in front of year 8, year 7, Mrs Pollock, Mrs Litherland, Mrs
Morrison and many of the PE staff. Many students and teachers put a lot of effort into creating the props, which included a cloak,
chimney sweeps and outfits for the dancers. Finally, everything was beginning to come together. The day finally arrived when we
would represent and make our School proud, dancing our hearts out to make the most amount of energy. We set off from school
at 9:30 am and arrived in Manchester approximately 10:30. The bus journey felt extremely long, due to many of the boys singing
the whole way there and back.”
Chloe Krupinski 8X2
“After the 3 minute dance we had generated 1518 J of energy. The dancers were fabulous and Jordan and Perri from diversity were
obviously impressed. However, Wellfield came along and beat our energy generation by a mere 42 J. The atmosphere was so tense.
We knew that the artistic element was also assessed and we were clearly better choreographed thanks to Mrs Jukes and the backing
track, created by our students with Mr Hickey was impressive.
The moment came and we were announced winners of £100,000.
The atmosphere was electric and pupils, sixth formers who’d come along to support and the teachers were united in such a
wonderful moment. Knowing the hard work of every member of the class and the massive support team, from Eco group to Mrs
Morrison sorting props and costumes, to PJ and Cameron doing a live broadcast back to school, we were over the moon with our
£100,000 reward. Thanks especially to Mrs Jukes, for her time and energy.
Diversity, saw the amazing team spirit and invited us down to their studios for a visit later this year- watch this space!”
9
Generation Green Award 2015
St Christopher’s School Eco News
On Friday, a talented group of pupils from St. Christopher’s Church of England High
School in Accrington danced their way to a 100,000 pound prize to invest in
environmental projects at the school. The youngsters competed against schools from
across the UK in the dance contest held at Manchester Arndale Centre.
This was part of British Gas’s ‘Generation Green’ initiative, an education programme
which invests in sustainable energy technology in schools. As well as the substantial grant
awarded to the school, the pupils have been rewarded with a day of dance lessons with
Diversity, winners of 2009’s Britain’s Got Talent, at their studios in Essex.
The Accrington school has an extremely dedicated and active Eco Group, who have won
numerous awards since being established in 2007. In July, St. Christopher’s also hosted
their annual Eco Conference in school, an exciting two day event with a range of specialist
guests, exploring issues relating to sustainability and the environment.
Maths Weekend
In May, 20 year 7s went on the Maths weekend to Whitehough
Outdoor Education Centre. They took part in many activities
including a high ropes course, mountain biking and orienteering.
All pupils and staff had a fantastic weekend away!
10
Judo Club News
This year has been another hugely successful one for St.
Christopher's Judo club. Pupils have gained new coloured belts,
and we have achieved 4 medals (2 golds and 2 silvers) at the
Lancashire championships.
Visits from numerous guest coaches and a £500 bursary from Sport
England to help us cover our costs, have contributed to our
club continuing to go from strength to strength. None of this would have been possible without the central contribution of
Mr. Welch, whom we shall greatly miss at our judo club. However, as we look forward to September and beyond, we are
excited about forming new judo links with Mr. Welch's new school, where he intends to establish a club.
History Department News
Battlefield Trip
The History Department left on Monday 13th July for a Battlefield Trip to France and Belgium.
Day One we travelled to Paris, visiting the Eiffel Tower along with a cruise on the River Seine.
Day Two we visited the Somme, including the Accrington Pals Memorial, Newfoundland Park,
Lochnagar Crater, Thiepval and Sheffield Memorial Park.
Day three consisted of a visit to In Flanders Field Museum in Ypres followed by visits to Essex Farm,
Yorkshire Trench, Langemark and Tynecot Cemetary, before attending the Last Post Cemetary at
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, where two representatives from St. Christopher’s layed a wreath in
honour of the fallen troops.
Geography Department News
Field Trip - Sabden Brook
During June 160 Year 10 Geography students went on their GCSE fieldtrip to Sabden brook in the shadow of Pendle hill
- this is a compulsory part of the course and will account for 25% of the marks once written up.
They had some fabulous weather and all had fun measuring the width of the river along its course, the changing depth
and the varying size and shape of the pebbles.
11
English Department News
Kids’ Lit Quiz Heats 2014
On Monday November 17th, Miss Holman, Miss Kelly and Mr Young took 6 pupils from Year 8
to the North West regional heats of the Kids Lit Quiz, an international literature competition.
Our pupils managed to come a creditable 19th and 21st out of 31 teams. Congratulations to
all those who took part!
Lancashire Book of the Year 2015
This year St. Christopher’s has been selected along with a number of other Lancashire schools to take part in judging the
winner of Lancashire Book of the Year 2015. Two Year 9 classes have been chosen to take part and read over 60 books
contained in the long list.
A panel of 4 St. Christopher’s Year 9 pupils met with a panel of 4 pupils from Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School at
Rawtenstall library in November to discuss the books they had read and swap books so each school could read the other half
of the long list. The next meeting with pupils from BRGS took place in January at Accrington Library. The pupils discussed the
other books on the long list and each school compiled their own top 10 short list. The most recent meeting took place at
County Hall on 6 March where our two chosen pupil representatives Anna Greenhalgh and Thomas Mooney had the
opportunity to meet with pupils from the other schools taking part.
The short list of 10 books was announced on 6th March 2015. On Friday 15 May the judging panel of 24
pupils from schools across Lancashire met to discuss the short list and vote for the winning book. Anna
and Thomas also took part in the pupil panel at UCLAN on Friday 25 June where they met some of the
authors and asked them questions. On Saturday 26 June the winner was announced at a special awards
ceremony and all pupil judges were presented with a book and a certificate as a token of thanks for all
their hard work.
Anna Greenhalgh had the honour of presenting Sarah Mussi,
author of the winning book 'Riot' with her award.
English Speaking Board
An enthusiastic group of pupils from Year 7 and L6
have been preparing this term for the English
Speaking Board presentations.
This is a highly-respected, prestigious award which
demands a high standard of communication from
those who participate.
Pupils had to present a talk, recite a poem and read an extract from a novel. Some pupils, also had
to lead a debate on a controversial topic of their choice. Pupils did their presentations in the library,
where we welcomed an outside examiner from the E.S.B. for the day. The examiner said that she
thoroughly enjoyed the day and how she was extremely impressed with the high standard of
presentations.
Pupils will not receive their results until September. However, last year, we had fantastic results
with 6 pupils, out of the 10 entered, gaining Distinctions. The standard this year was extremely high,
so hopefully the results will reflect this.
12
P.E. Department News
Another successful and active summer for St Christopher’s PE Department.
District Athletics 2015
Charlotte Bolton 100m
The highlights of the day were:
Will McMutie is the fastest junior boy in Lancashire, running
the 100m in 12.4 seconds.
Charlotte Bolton is the fastest senior girl in Lancashire,
running the 100m in 12.9 seconds.
James Marchant is fastest senior boy in Lancashire for the
1500m, with an outstanding time of 4 minutes 19 seconds.
Thomas Marchant finished 3rd in the final for the Intermediate
boys in the 1500m.
Lydia Stanfield finished 3rd in the final for the junior girls
javelin, with a super throw of 28.65 metres.
The following pupils
represented Hyndburn and
Ribble Valley in the district
athletics competition on
Saturday 13th June in Wigan.
Congratulations goes to
Charlotte Bolton, James
Marchant, Will McMurtie,
Nicola Moynihan, Ellie Beech,
Chloe McNally, Lloyd Duxbury,
Tom Marchant and Lydia
Stanfield for being selected.
Well done to all of you for all your efforts and achievements.
Triathlon Experience in Healthy Week
Over 100 year 7 and 8 pupils took part in a triathlon experience in St Christopher’s Healthy Week.
Pupils completed
a 50m swim,
a 1000m bike ride
and a 500m run.
Inter-schools Gymnastics Competition 2015
St Christopher's competed in the borough gymnastics competition. In both the team and
individual events. Congratulations to all the girls who took part. A special mention goes to
the two individual competitors who won medals:
Tabatha McInerney Individual event. Gold in the tumble and Bronze in the floor.
Jessica Norwood Individual event. Silver medal in the Vault.
Inter-schools Athletics
Swimming
St Christopher’s were Hyndburn winners
congratulations to all the competitors.
The year 7 & 8 swimming team
competed in the Hyndburn and
Ribble Valley Gala.
The team came 3rd overall.
George Owen 1st in the 1500m
Harvey Maddran 2nd in the discus and shot put
Nicola Moyinhan who came 1st in the 800m
Laura Harvey who came 2nd in the 100m and
3rd in the Long Jump.
Loydd Duxbury who came 1st in the shot putt
Mathew Casper who came 1st in the discus
Thomas Goff who came 1st in the 800m
Ellie Beech 1st with a fantastic 13.9sec in the 100m
Lydia Stanfield who came 2nd in the Javelin
Harry Pilkington who came 1st in the Javelin
Henry Wilkes who came 3rd in the 1500m
Will McMurtrie who came 2nd in the 100m and
3rd in the 200m.
Mia Sheridan Front Crawl and Ben Makin
butterfly came 1st in their events.
Badminton & Table Tennis
Badminton Team Under 14s
Left to right - Spencer Garraghty, Lloyd Duxbury, James Dale,
Thomas Buckley (year 8). Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Winners
U16 Hyndburn Table Tennis Winners
13
Modern Languages Department
French Exchange
On 15th June, 33 pupils from year 7 and years 8 travelled to France
for the return leg of our long-running French Exchange. This year,
pupils were matched up with partners from Collège Jean Macé in
Charleville-Mezières, in the heart of the Ardennes region, and had
already met when the French pupils came to Accrington and stayed
with our pupils. The trip was accompanied by the organiser, Mrs.
Holden, and Mr. Greenhalgh and Mrs. Gerrard from the MFL
Department.
The party flew with EasyJet from Liverpool John Lennon Airport and
spent 9 days in France, during which time they enjoyed a variety of
activities including a visit to Sedan Castle, the Museum of the
Ardennes, trout fishing, and of course Disneyland Paris! They also
had the opportunity to spend time in lessons to experience firsthand what life in a French secondary school is like, as well as
spending time at our other partner school in the town of Sedan,
which is situated approximately 30 minutes from Charleville. Staff
and pupils were welcomed to Charleville in a reception at the town
hall with the Mayor. The pupils were encouraged to use and
improve their French skills through communicating with their host
families, and by completing a series of challenges in a treasure hunt
around the town.
We are delighted that in a climate where most schools’ exchange
visits have long disappeared, ours continues to go from strength to
strength, thanks to the dedication of the staff who give up their
time to organise it, and the co-operation and participation of our
pupils and their parents alike.
We will be launching next year’s French Exchange trip in the new
academic year, so pupils in the current years 7 and 8, watch out for
announcements!
French Pen Friends
Several of our year 7 French classes have been paired up with French pupils from one of our partner schools in France.
The children have been writing to each other, exchanging information in French, with their pen pals replying in English.
We hope that they will now continue to write to each other independently.
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Funding secured for
A-Level students
We are delighted to announce
that three of our A-Level
students have secured funding
through the Accrington Grammar
School Old Boys’ Committee to
further their study of Modern
Foreign Languages. The students
were invited to apply in the form
of a letter to Mr. Geoff Lund, a
former
MFL
teacher and
Committee member, outlining
their interest in studying
languages and their reasons for
applying for funding.
Spanish Exchange Students
All three students wrote very
convincing letters of application,
which were then backed up with
a supporting letter from Mrs.
Wareham.
The successful students were:
Andrew Hurst, who is studying
Spanish and French at A-Level.
Andrew has enrolled on an
intensive summer language
course in Spain, and his funding
will help pay for this.
Eilish Dingle, who is studying
Spanish and German at A-Level.
Eilish will use the money to
purchase resources which will
further develop her knowledge of
both languages.
Jack Brady, who is studying
Spanish and French. Jack is keen
to use his funding to further his
study of Romanian, which he has
been teaching himself in his
spare time.
Mr. Lund, President of the
Committee, was invited in to the
Year 12 assembly on 2nd July to
present the cheques to the three
students.
Congratulations to all
three students!
Our A-Level Spanish students were made aware of the following
article in the Lancashire Telegraph, and as a result at least one
Spanish student will be hosted by a St. Christopher’s sixth
former, Adam Kay.
SPANISH students are looking for British ‘buddies’ as part of an
exchange trip next month. About 50 students from Valencia
and Madrid are looking for host families when they come over
in June. Spanish boys and girls, aged 14 to 17, are looking to
be matched with students in East Lancashire of the same age
groups and with similar interests.
During their visit, the students will accompany the local
youngsters to school and immerse themselves in the British
culture. They will spend between three and four weeks with
their chosen family – which will help to enrich the multi-lingual
experience for both pupils.
It is hoped that friendships and other links will be forged
through the scheme.
Mrs. H. Wareham
Head of Modern Foreign Languages
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Physics Updates
Year 9 Physics Olympics
Amelia Berry, Elisabeth Bancroft, Thomas Mooney and Will McMurtie took part in
the Physics Olympics held at QEGS, Blackburn.
This was an event organised as part of the Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Ogden Trust
Partnership. The event involved completing 4 challenges (which included making a
torch from scratch and a balloon powered car). The team competed brilliantly and
were creative in their ideas. We came 4th out of 9 teams.
“I’ve decided I really like Physics now”
St. Christopher's is the Hub school for the
Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Ogden Partnership.
making physics matter
Prizes
Residentials
William Beavan, Year 12 has received the Sixth
Form Physicist of the Year Award. William was
nominated due to his consistently high
achievement, and excellent attitude throughout
the year. He attended the awards ceremony held
at the University of Manchester on Tuesday 7th
July. He received a £25 book voucher and
certificate.
Sophie Day-Riley who has just left Year 11 has attended
the “Ogden Physics: How the Universe Lives and Dies“
at Villiers Park, Cambridge for a five day summerschool. Sophie had to complete a research project and
attended lectures and workshops given by Cambridge
University academics.
Arianna Wintle in Year 10 received the Year 10
Physicist of the Year Award. She was presented
with a £25 book voucher and certificate at the
Year 10 Awards Afternoon.
Physics Symposium
The Ogden Trust Physics Symposium for A2 students, to be held at University of Cambridge, in
September will be attended by Liv Walthaus. She was awarded one of 25 places. Liv intends to study
Physics at university in 2016.
Sustainable Physics
As part of the Primary Sustainability Conference on 6th July, we were
lucky to have a presenter in from Science Made Simple. Pupils found out
how physics can be used to engineer solutions to problems, and provide
ways to reduce environmental impacts. Along with fifty year 5 pupils from
Primary schools, two hundred and thirty five pupils year 7’s and 8’s from
St, Christopher’s pupils listened, watched and took part in some exciting
physics! The Ogden Trust generously funded the talk.
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Sustainability Conference 2015
- PRESS RELEASE -
Learning for a Brighter Future
An enlightening two-day ‘Sustainability Conference’ hosted by an Accrington high
school attracted groups from other schools across East Lancashire and as far
away as the Fylde coast.
Held at St Christopher’s High School Sixth Form Centre, the conference covered
all aspects of sustainability and environmental awareness, with a series of
workshops and presentations and a busy ‘marketplace’ featuring a range of
informative stands.
Among them was an exhibit hosted by North West-based solar panel specialist
Solarlec, who have installed solar panel systems for schools up and down the
country, helping them to not only become more sustainable in their energy needs,
but also to reap the financial benefits of solar power.
Representing Solarlec at the conference, Antoni Squires reported a very positive
response and a high level of interest in renewable energy both from the pupils
themselves and the teachers and governors attending.
The Mayor and Mayoress of Hyndburn
Coun. Marlene Haworth (centre) and Mrs
Dorothy Berry with St Christopher’s Year
12 pupils Bridget (left) and Freya,
Solarlec’s Antoni Squires and Lancashire
County Council Environment Projects
Officer Fiona Cruchley.
“Some of the pupils already knew a bit about solar power, either from learning in school or from having solar panels at home, but
they were all fascinated by how sunlight can generate free electricity,” said Antoni.
“I was great to see how keen the next generation is on using renewable and
sustainable energy sources and protecting the environment.”
As part of the conference Antoni also led a 20-minute seminar for adults
representing the various schools attending the conference, setting out the
significant long-term cost-saving and ecological benefits of solar power for
schools. As well as slashing energy bills, solar panels can generate and income
stream through the Government’s Feed-in Tariff.
Solarlec schools consultant Antoni Squires
with Year 10 pupils from St Bede’s High
School in Blackburn, from the left, Laura,
Michael, Amy, Emma, Simon and Emily.
“A lot of the delegates were aware of the benefits,” said Antoni, “but not aware that
their school could install a system with no upfront cost, which many had seen as a
stumbling block. The reaction was very positive.”
Antoni’s seminar was followed by one from Dr Morgan Hope Phillips of EcoSchools England, which reinforced the potential benefits to schools of pursuing renewable energy solutions.
Also in the bustling conference marketplace were stands highlighting a wide range
of sustainability issues, including Fairtrade and food production, waste
management and recycling, outdoor environmental education schemes, water
resource projects, nature and wildlife conservation and renewable energy sources.
Around 40 schools attended over the two days from as far afield as Blackpool,
Fleetwood, Lancaster, Preston, Chorley, Ribble Valley and across East Lancashire.
The first day was devoted to primary schools and the second day to high schools,
with activities and workshops spread across both days.
The bustling ‘marketplace’ at the
Event co-ordinator Wendy Litherland, Director of Sustainability at St Christopher’s,
Schools Sustainability Conference at St
explained: “It is all about inspiring schools to take action to improve their own
Christopher’s Sixth Form Centre.
environment and that around them. It’s about giving power to the pupils to embrace
sustainability as the next generation of custodians for our environment and its resources.”
For more information about solar panels and their benefits for schools, business or homes,
visit www.solarlec.com or call 0800 2346616.
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Trashion Show 2015
Trashion Show 2015 was a huge success at the Lancashire Schools Sustainability Conference on the 7th & 8th July.
It was our biggest ever show with 30 Year 9 models taking to the runway. They really were amazing and gave the audience
a spectacular display of eco creativity. This year visiting schools were also invited to participate. The winning primary school
entry was from Broughton Primary School, where they had been inspired by last years show and made a recycled tie dress.
The winning secondary school outfit was from St. Bede's Blackburn. It's wonderful to see that St. Christopher's pupils' have
inspired others to become conscious about waste and the caring for our environment.
Please see our
@StChrisTrashion for more pictures.
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Waste Savers Award 2015
Newground Green
Heroes Awards
On the 9th July 2015, St Christopher's
Trashion Show won the New Ground
Green Heroes 'Waste Savers' Award
at the awards ceremony at the
Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Accrington.
The sixth form Eco team and Year 10
students who have worked on the
Trashion Show collected the award,
after taking part in an Eco quiz (which
we won) and being treated to a
delicious two course meal.
Afterwards there was an opportunity
to dress up as a green hero - we all
enthusiastically participated in this!!
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Working with Primary Schools
Primary Schools F1 Challenge
Sixth Form Product Design students Emma Sutcliffe and Jonathan Lacey
have been supporting one of our intake Primary Schools, Wheatley Lane
located in Fence during their Wednesday afternoon enrichment time to
prepare for their first entry into the F1 Primary School Challenge.
The primary school approached St. Christopher’s technology department
last autumn looking for technical and financial support and Mr Brooks,
Product Design teacher agreed to develop links between the two schools.
Our sixth form students accompanied the primary school teams to the regional final at which Wheatley Lane Primary School
gained first place and Jonathan was part of the entourage for the National Finals at Jaguar Coventry.
The challenge is open to students aged 5-11 years old and involves
designing and manufacturing the fastest car possible emulating the design
and engineering processes employed by real engineering companies, such
as Jaguar Cars. The Jaguar Primary School Challenge is sponsored and
supported by Jaguar Cars who have been a supporter of F1 in Schools since
its launch in 2000. Jaguar understand the need to encourage and motivate
young people to develop key skills needed for companies such as Jaguar to
be successful in producing award winning vehicles.
F1-JPSC offers primary school pupils the opportunity to…
 Take part in a fun hands-on STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering & Maths) activity
 Tackle real life problem solving and learning
 Develop design, manufacturing, team work,
communication & business skills
 Work with Jaguar Land Rover Graduates to
mentor each team and the students
 Win a VIP experience at Jaguar Land Rover
plus other awards & prizes for their school
 Take part in a UK Nationwide challenge
“Encouraging the next generation of Engineers is something Jaguar is extremely dedicated to especially when projects such as
the Jaguar Primary School Challenge develop the same key skills and engineering processes that we look for in our engineers.
The difference is these are primary school students learning these skills from an early age which means the future of
engineering is bright."
Les Ratcliffe - Jaguar Land Rover Head of Community Relations
May Press Release
Pupils from Wheatley Lane showed great drive and design to race into the
national finals of the Jaguar F1 Primary School Challenge.
The children spent weeks working in class and also after school researching,
planning and manufacturing a supercar to compete on the track.
The Year 5 pupils from the school in Fence used computer software/hardware (CAD
CAM) loaned by funds raised by the “Friends of St. Christopher’s” to craft their F1
cars from card, and the two teams – Turbo and Enders – travelled to Liverpool for
the regional finals.
The children were judged on a five-minute presentation, their research and design
portfolio, a pit area displaying their work and each car’s performance on the 20metre racing track.
William
Max
Thomas
Joe
Competition rules stated that both teams also had to obtain sponsorship - from Tharstern Ltd and Ribble Enviro Ltd - to secure funding.
Team Turbo - pupils Max Charnock, William Fish, Thomas McMurtrie and Joe Parker – won the race to clinch a place in the national finals.
Max said: “It's been really exciting and it was amazing watching our cars racing at about 60mph down the track.”
Team Enders - consisting of crew members Grace Brown, Tilly Raine, Harry Saul and Archie Stronach – finished third, but missed on
qualifying by just two points.
Year 5 teacher Mrs Helen Parker added: “We are extremely proud of the whole class, who worked together in teams to
design and make their F1 racing cars.”
“It was hard to choose just two teams to go to the regional finals, but teams Turbo and Enders rose to the challenge and
thoroughly deserved to do as well as they did.”
“We wish team Turbo good luck in the national finals.”
Both teams have been invited to visit Jaguar Land Rover’s production plant at Halewood, Merseyside.
Team Turbo represented the North West in the finals that were held in Coventry, West Midlands.
20
National Finals
The primary school obtained further sponsorship from Holgates Funeral
Services, JLS Trucks Ltd and Mr N Fish to help them market their brand.
Original sponsors, Tharstern Ltd., kindly paid for the coach to Coventry.
On the day – another round of interviews, judging and racing which they
tackled confidently
The primary school pupils also had to complete an ‘additional challenge’ –
they chose to make a pencil case that had to hold 10 crayons securely with
a clasp.
Racing at the event was streamed live so the whole school was able to see
their pre- race interview and cheer them on in the race.
Team Turbo were delighted to win the award for the Best Additional challenge on the day (trophy in picture) as it is the
school’s first year at entering the competition.
Parents of all the children in the class have been invited into the primary school to see the
work/ cars the children have ‘made’.
As an added bonus the winning teams have been invited to visit the Jaguar Production Plant at Halewood, Merseyside.
Foundation Pathways
BTEC Media Studies
Our year 12 Foundation Pathway students visited
Coronation Street in Manchester as part of their
BTEC Media Studies course. It was an amazing day
and fascinating to learn how a programme is made.
We even got to have a drink in the Rovers!
In the Polytunnel with Foundation Pathways
Over the last few months students from Foundation Pathways have been working with Ian and Julie from
Prospects on various projects in the school’s polytunnel.
We have been growing our own vegetables such as potatoes, broad beans and onions as well as a few varieties
of lettuce, radish and herbs together with edible flowers. The students have learnt that a few types of lettuce
leaves can be harvested from the plant, without digging up the whole plant, known as “cut and come again”.
Other skills developed in the projects are team working, organisation, planning and extended communication.
Students have sampled some of the produce they have grown and have also been able to sell some to staff to
raise funds for seeds and equipment for following years
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Prestigiously Successful Former Students!
This summer marks something of a landmark for our school and Sixth Form
when many of our very first Sixth Formers graduate from university; and true
to form, so far, they have certainly not disappointed!
Over the last couple of weeks superb news has been filtering through to us
of their excellent results:
Alys Williams, our first Head Girl of Sixth Form (2011-12) has just graduated from Cambridge (Homerton College)
obtaining a 1st Class degree in English Literature; Holly Binns has been awarded a 1 st Class Honours in Interior
Architecture by Northumberland University; Charlotte Whistlecroft obtained a 2:1 degree in Theology from Durham
University; Katie Ritson achieved a 1st Class in Popular Music from the Royal Northern College of Music; and Liam Stott
has graduated from Lancaster University with 1st Class History degree.
Congratulations and well done to these and to all our former students who graduate this year from prestigious
courses and universities - we are immensely proud of their achievements and so must be their families!
Information, Advice & Guidance
Careers Education
At the end of April, students in Year 11 and the Lower Sixth enjoyed a wonderful day at Durham University, part of the
prestigious Russell Group. We were hosted by St Chad’s College, who provided us with an excellent schedule including
lectures by admissions tutors, subject specific seminars, lunch and college tours with current undergraduates. Coming just
before their GCSE and AS exams, we hope the visit provided some motivation for students to aim high in their aspirations for
the future.
The final half-term of the academic year is an important one for our Lower Sixth students:
A2 courses have started, work experience takes place and the process of applying for
higher education begins in earnest. Our Sixth Form Higher Education Conference at the
start of July was designed to provide students with information and guidance to support
the important decisions they will take over the next few months.
We are delighted that four Lower Sixth students have gained a place on Oxford
University’s prestigious summer school programme, UNIQ. Only 850 places were
awarded from 4,451 applicants which makes it quite an achievement. Stephen Situ,
Andrew Hurst, Adam Kay and Ryan Smith will spend a week at an Oxford College
attending lectures and seminars by University academics and being mentored by current
undergraduates as well as attending careers events, interview and personal statement
workshops and of course, social activities. An additional four students had the
opportunity of a 2-night stay at The Queens College, Oxford as part of the university’s
open day programme. The visit allowed students considering an application to Oxford or Cambridge Universities the chance
to experience first-hand the college environment and provide them with the opportunity to meet staff and students.
Year 9 pupils are currently contacting employers and making arrangements for their work experience placements in February
next year. To support their decision making we were fortunate to be joined by a speaker from the charity Free the Children.
Bilal Khan introduced the Barclays Life Skills programme and spoke about the information and activities available online.
Further details can be accessed at www.barclayslifeskills.com
As Year 9 prepare and look forward to this opportunity, Year 10 pupils have been reflecting on the
skills they developed during their own work experience placements and completing their CV and
Key Skills documents for their Progress Files. Progress Files help pupils identify and value their skills
and qualities, recognise their achievements and use that information to make more informed
choices for the future.
Everyone’s folder will look different and it will change as they add to it and remove things. It is a
mixture of personal information and evidence of progress which might include certificates,
newspaper cuttings, examples of good work, or photographs of experiences and achievements.
Miss D. Sutton
Careers Coordinator
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Information, Advice & Guidance
Online Safety - A Parent/Carer Reminder
“...the technology is everywhere, my children are always plugged
in and they know more about it than I do”
Historically, this has been a common message for a number of years and research
suggests that around 40% of parents overall still feel that their child is more ‘tech
savvy’ than they are (rising to 60% of those with 12-15 year old children).
SOME OF THE
PERCEIVED
RISKS
ASSOCIATED
Online Safety by its nature is a constantly evolving area both in the potential risks it
presents and ultimately the behaviours surrounding it - Online Safety as an area is
fundamentally concerned with behaviours rather than the technology itself and
therefore we need to remain vigilant to the potential risks.
Hints and Tips to Keep Safe Online
Be involved in your child’s online life.
For many of today’s young people there is no line between the online and offline
worlds. Young people use the internet to socialise and grow and, just as you guide
and support them offline, you should be there for them online too.
Talk to them about what they’re doing.
If they know you understand they are more likely to approach you if they need
support.
Watch Thinkuknow films to learn more.
The Thinkuknow programme has films and advice for children from five all the way to
16. Your child may have seen these at school, but they can also be a good tool for you
to find out more about what young people do online and some of the potential risks.
Keep up-to-date with your child’s development online.
Be inquisitive and interested in the new gadgets and sites that your child is using. It’s
important that as your child learns more, so do you. Find out about the apps they are
using and ensure privacy settings are set up on all apps and sites.
Set boundaries in the online world just as you would in the real world.
Think about what they might see, what they share, who they talk to and how long
they spend online. It is important to continue to discuss boundaries so that they
evolve as your child’s use of technology does.
Know what connects to the internet and how.
Nowadays even the TV connects to the internet. Your child will use all sorts of devices
and gadgets; make sure you’re aware of which ones can connect to the internet, such
as their phone or games console. This will affect whether your safety/privacy settings
are being applied.
Consider the use of parental controls on devices that link to the internet, such as the
TV, laptops, computers, games consoles and mobile phones.
Parental controls are not just about locking and blocking, they are a tool to help you
set appropriate boundaries as your child grows and develops. They are not the
answer to your child’s online safety, but they are a good start and are not as difficult
to install as you might think. Service providers are working hard to make them simple,
effective and user friendly. Find your service provider and learn how to set your
controls
Emphasise that not everyone is who they say they are.
Make sure your child knows never to meet up with someone they only know online.
People might not always be who they say they are. Make sure your child understands
that they should never meet up with anyone they only know online without taking a
trusted adult with them.
Know what to do if something goes wrong.
Just as in the offline world, you want to help your child when they need it. Therefore,
it is important to know when and how to report any problem.
For more information, the above sites provide good advice and guidance, or contact Mrs Lines - Senior
Assistant Headteacher in school either by email [email protected] or telephone 01254 355219.
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Year 11
PROM
Mytton Fold
Hotel
8th July 2015
24