Voices Issue 85 - Rooks Heath College

Issue 85
March 2015
www.rooksheath.harrow.sch.uk
Headteacher’s Comment
The highlight of this term so far has been the excellent production of ‘Ghost.’ Students and staff worked tirelessly over a
short period of time to produce a very professional and polished production. It was so pleasing to see so many people
contributing.
Rooks Heath is now 40 years old in its current form. This is a cause for a whole college celebration. I am determined that
everyone should take part. With this in mind, I have chosen a day trip which promises to be educational, fun and
enjoyable. Years 7 – 10 will be going to Butlins in Bognor Regis on Thursday 25th June. This trip will require only a small
donation as we hope to raise a large amount of money through fund raising. I am keen to stress that none of the costs
will come from the college budget. Year 11 will have their ‘Prom’ subsidised, Year 12 will be invited as helpers on the
Butlins trip and Year 13 will have their boat trip subsidised. This enables the college to say a massive thank you to our
students for everything they do. More details and further information about the
celebrations will follow in due course.
John Reavley
Thank you Angels!
PSE Days
As part of our “40
Years of Rooks Heath”
celebratory year, we
are running a whole College trip to Butlins, Bognor
Regis in June 2015. This will be a unique learning
opportunity which will no doubt remain with
students for the rest of their lives. There will be a
variety of organised and exciting activities for
students to participate in as well as the chance to
challenge individual boundaries. During the
coming months we will be organising many events
to fund this unique experience.
In late January this academic year, both Years 10 and 11 were taken
off timetable for a day so they could take part in an exciting PSHE
(Personal, Social and Health Education) day. The students had the
opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding of various
subjects included in the PSHE curriculum throughout the day. We
were very lucky to have some volunteers from both the ‘Space
Project’ and ‘Ignite’. Both of these groups work with young people
to provide support and education on what can sometimes be
sensitive but vital subject areas.
In a conversation with Mr Nurmohamed from
Angels (the uniform supplier on Rayners Lane), we
were talking about the trip and what a fantastic
opportunity this is for students. Mr and Mrs
Nurmohamed immediately offered to contribute
to the fundraising. Angels has been a regular
supporters of the college over the years, so this
wish to help was very much appreciated although
not at all unexpected. I would therefore like to
thank Mr and Mrs Nurmohamed for their very
generous donation towards our fundraising
efforts.
Mrs J Wright
Director of Business
The students spent the day in their tutor groups to provide an
environment for learning which was both safe and productive. As
well as the outside agency speakers, there was also a member of
the Rooks Heath teaching staff in each session. The sessions
delivered involved Drugs Education, Sex and Relationship Education,
Internet Safety and Self Esteem and Self Confidence workshops. The
feedback from the students was very positive and the day was
enjoyed by all involved.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the students for
their excellent behaviour during the days and also to the outside
agencies for their vital role in delivering the sessions and to all the
staff who helped in the smooth running of both of the PSHE days.
There is also a PSHE day coming up for the Year 9s on the 11th
March.
Ms J Austin
PSHE Coordinator
Year 12 & 13 Students Learn How to Snowboard!
In December 2014, Year 12 and 13 BTEC Level 3 Sport students
learnt how to snowboard as part of their practical unit at Hemel
Hempstead Snow Centre. Here students learnt how to snowboard
on a 160m slope maintained with a perfect snow surface, which
gave students that ‘Alps’ feel.
All the students passed their recreational level award and can now
snowboard in their spare time as well as use it as part of their
Diploma in Sport. Although there were a few bruises, everyone left
the slopes with a smile on their face and the Year 12s are looking
forward to returning next year to complete their advanced course.
Mr B King
PE
Rooks Heath is 40 years old! In fact there have been schools
on this site for many, many years (since the early 1900s?) but
Rooks Heath High School started in 1974 when the London
Borough of Harrow changed to comprehensive education and
Roxeth Manor Girls School merged with Roxeth Manor Boys
School. Eastcote Lane Secondary School was here before A
block was built as the new Roxeth Manor school. Many things
have stayed the same but much has changed! The school is
much the same size, although it did reach 1111 students,
compared with the current 1070. Until recently, we only had
Years 8-11 instead of Years 7-13.
In 1974 there was an invisible line just outside what is now the
staffroom and was then the library. Boys had to stay one side
and girls the other. It was the most popular part of the school,
despite the two head teachers having their offices in what are Eastcote Lane Senior Boys’ School Prefects, 1949
now AG13 and AG15! Staff too were divided, with staff for the
girl’s school having their staffroom in AF7, Ms Wright’s
classroom, and the men were in AF16, Mr Parker’s office. In
those days there were no E or J blocks and C block had not
long been built. However, we did have D1 – D13 and the
canteen was in D block. Teachers had a separate dining room
and had waitress service! Some of the subjects have changed
but the majority are the same, even if the style of teaching is
very different. Technology subjects have changed the most
from things like Cookery to Food Technology, and Woodwork
to Resistant Materials. Computers were a distant dream and,
Rooks Heath College
in fact, calculators were only just being introduced in Maths Rooks Heath High School
lessons. The number of teachers hasn’t changed much,
although some titles have changed. However, we now have
about 64 associate staff instead of no more than 6 back then.
People often talk about how behaviour has got worse but it is
much the same now as it was then. However, boys were
sometimes ‘caned’, hit with a stick, instead of being excluded
and even girls were known to get the slipper from the Head of
PE.
Ask your parents, as many of them will remember Rooks Heath
as it was then. Some of the older staff may have even taught
them! Mr D Parker, Deputy Head.
DID YOU KNOW..?
Rooks Heath College was featured on a real life
remake of The Simpsons Intro.. You can watch it here:
https://vimeo.com/16932235
Eastcote Lane Senior Girls’ School Choir, 1947
An interview with… Mr Parker
allotment so that gives me some physical
activity beyond sitting behind a desk all day.”
Mr Parker went on to say that students have
become “undoubtedly better,” so much so,
that some have gone on to study at Oxford
and Cambridge.
On a more personal note, we discovered that
Mr Parker’s all time favourite film is ‘2001: A
Space Odyssey.’
On 4th July, we (English prefects) interviewed the
prodigious Mr Parker about work, film and…
Switzerland.
Throughout Mr Parker’s 40 years of excellent work in
Rooks Heath, our school has changed hugely. Today,
you will find out exactly what Mr Parker had to say.
We all know the obvious - the education system has
changed along with the curriculum and our buildings
have become more modern. What you didn't know is
that when Mr Parker first started at Rooks Heath as a
Geography teacher there were no computers at all. He
stated that “the most advanced thing we had was
electrical calculators!”
Despite all the changes, the one thing that has
remained the same is the friendliness of everyone
within the school. “The best thing about working at
Rooks Heath is the friendships; everyone is warm and
even the students I like to call ‘rogues’ are very
pleasant.”
We went on to ask him what the most significant
change over the years was He said: “The change that I
particularly like is that there are better facilities for the
students than there were in the past.”
We then asked: “What would you like to see change?”
“I would definitely like to see more new buildings and
most importantly, we need to improve the student
toilets!”
Starting work at 6.45am and finishing at 6.00pm, it’s
astounding that Mr Parker has time for anything other
than the students! However, he does find the time. “I
love my music. I have a very wide taste and I think I
could listen to music my whole life. I also have my own
Finally, we reach Switzerland… not literally of
course, but you may be intrigued to know Mr
Parker’s favourite holiday destination is
Geneva, Switzerland. “It is a beautiful place
and my friend lived there. In fact, his flat
overlooked Lake Geneva. I’ve enjoyed skiing
there; it really is a beautiful place.”
Last but not least, we, as a school would like to applaud Mr
Parker on reaching forty whole years with us.
Congratulations! Edited by: Nathan, Samantha and Laura.
GCSE Music
On Tuesday 20th January, a band called ‘Victoria’ came in to
perform for students who have instrumental music lessons and
GCSE music students. They performed several songs including
their new single ‘Into the Wild.’ They also had a question and
answer session afterwards with the elective music students. It
was a brilliant opportunity for the students to see a band
perform live on stage as their performance assessment is
coming up soon!
Students were
told about an
exciting
competition that
the band were
running, where
students could
upload their own
version of their
new single. A
band made up of
Year 8 students
took up this challenge! They rehearsed every lunch time and
then recorded their vocals and instruments in the studio
before sending their track off. It was a fantastic experience for
them to be able to record in the studio..
Ms N Christensen
Head of Music
Sixth Form English Literature
Visit to the Jewish Museum
On a chilly morning on December 9th2014, a
group of eager AS and A2 students met at
Rayners Lane station to embark on a trip to
Camden to visit the Jewish Museum. This trip
was kindly organised by Mrs Corzberg who had
arranged for us to attend an important
workshop conducted by Diane Samuels, the
author of the play ‘Kindertransport ,’ a text we
have been studying for a major piece of ‘A’
Level coursework. Ms Sams and Mrs Sims also
accompanied us on the trip.
As we arrived at the museum, we were guided
to a large room in which we met a kind, smiling
woman who turned out to be Diane Samuels
herself! She encouraged us to form a circle
and as we sat down she asked us all our names
and commenced the workshop. Diane Samuels
talked extensively regarding ‘Kindertransport,’
and was happy to answer all our many
questions. She shared her own thought
pattern and reasons behind many aspects of
the play and in turn encouraged us to take a
more in depth approach at our own analysis of
the plot and protagonists through discussion
and role-play. At the end of the session, Diane
Samuels thanked us all for coming, even
though we were more grateful to her for her
personal insights and knowledge which helped
us understand the text from a different
perspective – that of the author! Just before
we left to break for lunch, some of the group
who had actually remembered to bring their
texts were lucky enough to have their copy of
the play signed by Diane Samuels. It was a
unique experience to actually talk to the
author of a text we were studying, and we
once again thanked Diane Samuels for her
insightful and enjoyable workshop.
After a short exploration of Camden, we
reconvened at the Jewish Museum in the
afternoon to admire the museum's many
artefacts and relics mainly collected from the
Second World War. We were also fortunate
enough to have the chance to talk to a Jewish
woman who was a child at the outbreak of
World War 2, and was separated from her
parents in an effort to keep her safe. She
shared some personal and touching accounts
of what it had been like growing up in an era
surrounded by war. All in all, this was a very
informative and beneficial trip and it was really
helpful in giving us the motivation to start our
coursework, as we now have a more holistic
understanding of the play.
Ava (Year 13)
On Friday 23rd January, our AS Business Students competed in the
annual Rooks Heath Dragons’ Den Challenge. The challenge involved
creating a new product and pitching for an investment from our dragons
Mr Wright and Miss Smith. All five groups worked incredibly hard and
came up with amazing ideas such as trainers with changeable skins, a
Bluetooth coffee machine, a portable projector and an interactive phone
cover display. Our winning team were ADAI who created an innovative
breathalyser car key. Congratulations to them! As a result of the Dragons’
Den enterprise challenge, six lucky students have been selected to
represent Rooks Heath and take part in a regional enterprise Business
and Accounting BASE Event at Chartered Accountants Hall, London, on
4th March. Look out for an update on how we get on!
Ms Y Taha
Business Studies
My Story of Britain
Last term, GCSE
Photography
students opened an
exhibition entitled
‘My Story of Britain’
in
the
College
Reception.
‘My
Story of Britain’
showcased a series
of photographs created by our young students to reflect
their perception and representation of what they believe
to be British culture, ways or rituals.
The project was introduced by one of our American interns
Gabby Pallotto, Connecticut USA. She was struck by the
reality of multiculturalism in Britain: ‘As an American
teacher coming over to Britain I had many ideas in my head
of what Britain was going to or supposed to look like. I
wanted each pair of students to start with their initial
reaction to this question: “What does it mean to be
British?”
Despite the busy schedule of their coursework projects,
students enthusiastically undertook the ‘My Story of
Britain’ project. From their initial response they looked at
artists such as Martin Parr, a British photographer who is
internationally known for his innovative and ‘in your face’
approach to photography through which he represents
British culture.
His series on Brighton was particularly useful at helping
them develop their own style as well as explore some of
their own cultural practices in this country.
‘I wanted them to think about what they truly thought it
meant to be part of the culture they live in…’
For 6 weeks, they researched, shot, reviewed and reshot,
in studio and on location, including a trip around the
local area where they learnt valuable techniques such as
Street Photography and how to photograph total
strangers with their consent. Working in pairs, each
group completed a sketchbook full of prints and critical
writing on techniques, context and practices.
The result was a beautifully curated exhibition by the
students. The staff
and parents were
invited to the Private
View
and
their
reactions were very
positive. ‘I had a look
at the exhibition, it
was brilliant!!!! What
great
work!
Très
Bien!’ commented Ms
A Madlani later. The photographs have now been
shipped to Connecticut, USA for a second exhibition
organised by Gabby Pallotto.
Mr K Kunakey
The Art department has
been running Saturday trips
for GCSE students to allow
them to widen their
contextual reference and to
enjoy our big city which has
so much to offer. The best
thing about it is that most
of it is for free! Students
have visited the Victoria
and Albert Museum, Tate
Britain, Tate Modern, The
National Gallery and The Portrait Gallery. Students take part in
activities which they can then include in their sketch books to gain
extra marks. We aim to take 10 students twice a term to visit sites
and galleries in London. The next trip is on Saturday the 21st of
March to The Museum of London.
5 lucky students have been taking part in Saturday workshops at
The Victoria and Albert Museum. They have been going every
Saturday since October, working with a range of artists and doing
some wacky and fun activities as well as visiting other art galleries
and museums. Their work will be exhibited in London in June,
which will be a great addition to their CVs. The programme will
run again next year so let Miss Hargrave know if you are
interested. Miss I Hargrave, Head of Art
A Level Business Students Visit Capgemini
th
On Thursday March 5 Miss Melhado
and
Mrs
Quantrell
will
be
accompanying seven sixth form female
Business Studies students to Capgemini
PLC Headquarters in Holborn, where,
in a relatively informal setting, a VIP
speaker will share her perspectives on
being a woman in the working
world.
The guest speaker is Nicky
Morgan who is the Minister
for Education and for Women & Equalities. This event is
being held by Capgemini PLC to mark International
Women’s Day. Other invitees include all Capgemini
employees. This is a wonderful opportunity for female
Business Studies students from our school to meet with
other working women, learn from their experiences,
develop an understanding of Business Studies in action and
take part in an Q&A session with the esteemed guest.
Mrs R Quantrell, Head of Business Studies
Rooks Heath Debating Society
Trip to the Royal Albert Hall
This
year
sees the start of
the
Urban
Debate League
with the Debate
Club. We had
our first round
on 20th January
at
Preston
Manor
High
School
where
six
schools
competed. 22
students from Years 7-10 competed and the results were
published last week; we are ranked 19th nationally and
13th in London. A really fantastic achievement! The
motions debated were 'This house believes parents
should have access to their childrens' social media
accounts' and 'This house would allow people to sell their
organs’. The next round is Tuesday 3rd March and the
top scoring teams will be invited to the final.
On 14th November we took 25
students and staff to the Royal
Albert Hall to see Russell Brand
read his new book, 'Tricksters
Tales' with live illustrations from
Chris Riddell and a live
orchestra. The tickets were free, courtesy of Debate Mate.
Three Year 13 students also had the opportunity to
perform on stage with Russell and spent the day with his
team preparing for their performance. Everyone had a
great time and received a free copy of his new book.
Ms R Plant, English
In addition, 5 students attended the launch of the Debate
Mate Graduate School on Wednesday 19th November, at
Nomura Bank. The launch was an opportunity to find out
about everything the Grad School offers, as well as seeing
a show debate from some of their top speakers and to
hear a few words from the Minister of Education, the Rt.
Hon David Laws MP. Now a small group of Year 10
students attend the Graduate School every Saturday
morning at the Debate Mate offices in Southwark. The
feedback from students has been that they feel they have
learnt so much and the opportunities are fantastic.
Ms R Plant, English
20 enthusiastic students, the first class
to study GCSE Economics at Rooks
Heath College, visited the Houses of
Parliament, where the economic policies
they were studying were carried out (or
not!) by politicians. They visited
Westminster Hall, built under William
the Conqueror, that witnessed the
bestowing of the death penalty on the
unfortunate Charles I and recently
welcomed Barack Obama before
shuffling into the House of Commons.
This is the place with green leather
benches that you catch so often on the
news, where politicians try to save or
spend the taxpayer’s money and where
new laws are passed and the ‘ayes’ and
the ‘nays’ are counted. Strangely, there
is only room for 427 members of
parliament, when 650 are elected! We
also popped into the plush and heavily
gilded House of Lords and the House of Commons Chamber. When we next
see the journalists interviewing politicians in front of statues of Churchill,
Attlee, Lloyd George or Thatcher we will proudly say, I was there. And as
Frank Field, Labour MP, and Bob Stewart, Conservative MP, wandered past I
could have sworn they waved and said, “Look forward to seeing you here in
a few years’ time!” Mr S Bliss, Economics
GIRLS
We hosted the Borough Basketball Tournament in February
and entered two teams in the Under 14 competition and one
team in the Under 16 competition. All teams played very
well and as usual we were winners in both the Under 14 and
Under 16 competitions. The other team in the U14
competition came third.
The Year 8 and Year 9 netball teams have made a good start
to their netball season by winning their matches against Park
High. Year 8 won 8-5 and Year 9 won 12-2.
BOYS


Under 14 basketball squad: Jessica, Deanna, Nuha,
Peyashi, Eva, Sonya, Izzy, Elaha, Paige, Kitty, Amoy,
Oliwia.
Ms G Williams, Head of PE
Year 13 Particle Physics
Masterclass 2015
A Level students Sarangan, Abbas, Nicholas,
Sulaxan and Sujeethan visited the ISIS
research centre at the STFC Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory near Oxford.


The Under 14 Volleyball team are Borough Champs!
The Year 9 Basketball team are Borough semi-finalists.
They lost to Harrow High in the final. The Under 16
boys basketball team have just qualified for the final
against Whitmore.
The Under 16 Badminton finalists lost to Park High and
John Lyon, placing 3rd overall.
The Under 14 and Under 16 Table Tennis teams came
3rd in the Borough.
Year 12 Physicists Visit the Spiders
Spider silk has a very high tensile strength for its thickness and
scientists are investigating potential uses. As part of their
coursework the students were lucky enough to have a lecture
about and a tour of the spider laboratory.
Above are the students with their guide Dr Beth Mortimer (back left
of the picture) and yes they are in the Zoology department. Just
goes to show that you can find physics everywhere. As an added
bonus the students were also given a tour of Jesus College Oxford.
Analysing real data from
the Large Hadron Collider
Ms H Hare
Science
Their guides were Adam and Ben, two first year undergraduates. As
people might be a bit scared, we haven’t included spider pictures.
Ms H Hare, Science
Year 8 students were given the opportunity to visit a church in the
local parish. The Reverend Lyndon North greeted us with a broad
smile at St Andrew’s Church located on Malvern Avenue, South
Harrow. Students were given a worksheet to fill in which
accompanied the visit and were able to explore the different
areas and artefacts of the church. Reverend Lyndon gave a
guided tour explaining the history of the church, and informing
students about the role of the church in the community and the
many services it provides to the members of the parish. The hour
finished with a lengthy question and answer session to round off
the visit. As we left, Reverend Lyndon rang the church bells to
signal our departure. What a fantastic farewell!
Ms Madlani, RS teacher
The Centre of the Cell
On Wednesday 4th February,
Year 7 students visited The
Centre of the Cell with Mr
Miranda, Ms Janagan and Mr
Pitchforth. The Centre of the
Cell is based at the
Whitechapel Campus of
Queen Mary University and
is the first science education
centre in the world to be
located
within
working
biomedical
research
laboratories. The following is
an account of the day written
by some students who went
on the trip.
‘When we walked out of the tube station at Whitechapel, I
felt like an ant in the crowd. The buildings I could see were
gigantic and the place was crowded with lots of people who
were all walking in different directions. When we arrived at
The Centre of the Cell, I could see two huge buildings
attached to each other with a long bridge. We walked in
and took a seat while we waited for the instructor and
scientist to arrive. The whole building was new, bright and
colourful. When the instructor and scientist arrived, they
briefed us on what we were going to do. They also asked us
questions to find out what we already knew about cells, the
types of different cells and how they work.
We then followed the instructor into the other building
through the bridge. As we were walking we saw the
laboratories and the scientists working underground, but
we had to be super quiet so that we did not disturb the
important scientists at work. We then walked into a large
room. It was ruby red and very bright. We took our seats
and looked up to see huge screens which played a video
about cells. What we all enjoyed the most was when the
screen showed images of the audience waving and making
silly faces.
Then the nucleus began to open. It was amazing because it
took a long time to open which created suspense for us as
we wanted to know what was inside! When it finally
opened, we were amazed. Inside, there were touch screen
games where we learnt things that were beyond our
knowledge and lots of interesting facts. There was this one
really funny game which showed how cells evolved over
time. It was funny because you had to take a ‘selfie’ of your
face and then your face was shown on a cartoon body as
you aged. It was even more funny when Mr Miranda did it!
We then watched another video about researchers and
how they work to discover more about cells. Did you know
that if you are in the sunlight too much you can get cancer
because it is not good for your cells? We then looked at
samples of organs from our body including lungs, half a
brain, kidneys and skin that were grown in the laboratory.
After lunch we visited the gift shop where people bought
some souvenirs like bouncy balls, magnetic pens, teddy
bears and flashing yoyos.
Sadly, our day came to an
end but we will treasure
this experience; it really
was so much fun. If you
ever get a chance to visit
the Cell then don’t miss
out!’ By Praniya, Divya,
Sarah & Tarini (7 Violet)
GHOST: THE MUSICAL
Building on the success of the
school
production
of
Les
Miserables last year, BTEC
Performing Arts presented ‘Ghost:
The Musical’ this year. Ghost tells
the tragic story of Sam and Molly,
who are overjoyed at the purchase
of their first apartment together.
They really feel that they can start
living the dream, until one night
when their world is turned upside
down.
‘Two BTEC Performing Arts classes
came together to perform Ghost:
The Musical. It required a lot of
hard work, dedication and
perseverance. Not only was this a
College production, the Year 10s
and 13s were being examined for
their performance. We spent
hours rehearsing, often staying
behind late after school.
We put on a matinee performance
for students from Heathland and
three evening performances open
to all. Although the majority of the
cast was very nervous, including
me,
I
thoroughly
enjoyed
performing each time. It was a
great opportunity for me as it was
the first time I had ever performed
in front of a large audience. After
each show, teachers and visitors
would come up to congratulate us
for all our efforts and hard work
which was an amazing feeling.
Roche (11 Red)
It was a very challenging experience
but definitely worth it. Yagmur
What an experience! As a first time combining
the college production with a curriculum
assessment, this was a huge challenge for me. The
students put in a lot of hours and there were
some incredibly talented cast members. My
favourite moments were dancing in the wings and
the pride I felt seeing some students who had
never performed on stage. Building confidence,
offering opportunities and creating memories is
what education should be about. Ms Daly
Ghost was a fun musical. I enjoyed
the singing and dancing. Sophie
Being a part of this production
was tiring, stressful and hard
work. But it all paid off for an
amazing outcome! I also
enjoyed
learning
the
extremely catchy songs. Noah
So much fun. A great
mixture of amazing friends,
amazing teachers and an
amazing musical. James
I really felt the discipline
in Ghost, which I know
would be much more in
the
Performing
Arts
industry. Chloe
Comic Relief is around the corner and plans are being made to raise a tonne of money once
again. Six days of fundraising start on Tuesday 10th March. Details to follow.
During the first two weeks of the Summer Holiday, Rooks
Heath was buzzing with excitement as a group of 37 Rising
Year 7 students assembled for themed days filled with
activities. Although nervous at first, our Elevate students soon
made friends and excelled in everything ranging from music
to short film making. For the second year running our
students graduated with smiles on their faces, feeling at home
and ready to begin a successful journey here at Rooks Heath.
Monday, Week One was the Induction Day, where our recruits
took part in team challenges such as a treasure hunt around
the whole school using a map and code breaker. It was a race
to see who could solve the challenges first. Tuesday, Week
One was Dragon’s Den Day where one of Rooks Heath’s
Business studies teachers gave our students a task to create
an invention. The winners then received more points for their
team. Wednesday, Week One was About Me Day where
students shared their interests with each other and had tasks
to help build confidence and self esteem. Thursday, Week
One was Masterchef Day where the students had to design
and cook their own fairy cakes. They then presented their
best cake and promotional material to the judge’s table
where Ms Christensen and Mr Mahon could assess their
handy work. Friday, Week One was Horrible Histories Day
where Ms Nash and Mr McEwen taught our students some of
the myths and legends from history. Some groups even acted
them out.
Monday, Week Two was Mastermind Day with fun quizzes to
test our students’ knowledge. Someone had even murdered
the Head Teacher and our teams of crime scene investigators
had to work out who it was. Tuesday, Week Two was Weird
Science Day, where students were able to get up close and
dissect an animal heart. Some loved this, some wanted some
fresh air. Wednesday, Week Two was Sports Day where the
students spent the morning earning points for their teams
through various sports day challenges. Some teachers were
more competitive than the students! There was even a big
BBQ to finish the day as a celebration. Thursday, Week Two
was Character Day, which was filmed with a screening of the
film ‘Frozen’ with popcorn and some drama games. Friday,
Week Two was Graduation Day, where 80 plus family
members came to see the students perform for the first time.
I was so impressed with the standard of performing. Their
short films were screened and the awards were given out
after a very successful fortnight.
MUSIC: Each form group were given a music lesson each
day where they had to attempt the challenge of creating a
successful Rock Band in two weeks. There were songs that
could be seen as quite a challenge such as ‘Happy’ by
Pharrell Williams and ‘Money on My Mind’ by Sam Smith.
With hard work from both the students and Ms
Christensen, we were very impressed with the results. Not
only could they create successful groups with other
students they had just met, but they could perform in
front of a large audience after only eight 45 minute
sessions. Lots of the students enjoyed their music lessons
so much, that they have continued their chosen
instruments in lessons here at Rooks Heath. There will
definitely be some very talented performers here in the
years to come.
FILM: As with music, each form group had the
opportunity to create a short film from their chosen
genre. Unsurprisingly, a lot of our students decided that
horror would be the genre that they would like to
attempt. All of the students worked through initial design
concepts, script writing and even filming and directing.
Some of the students who enjoy drama even saw their
opportunity for their moment in the spotlight and became
the stars of the film. Even Mr McEwen made a fantastic
zombie.
SPORT: Of course with all of these lessons, there needs
to be time for a bit of friendly competition. Every day was
filled with exciting sports and games. Students learnt the
values of team work and how a drive to succeed can really
pay off.
SUCCESS: Every year we continue to build on the success
of our previous graduates. The data recorded from our
2013 graduates shows that all students are meeting their
targets across the curriculum. It also shows that a strong
majority are also exceeding their targets, which is
incredibly pleasing. This indicates that the Summer School
has a real positive impact on students’ learning.
Mr C Ring
Shakespeare Buzz!
Students get the Shakespeare buzz as they act and
create their own Shakespearean world – not sure about
the wig, though! From group posters to paired
performances, 7R brought the Elizabethan era alive and
straight to Rooks Heath’s doorstep.
Miss L Wright, English
Year 7 Film Club
In the spirit of The
Oscars that took
place at the end of
February,
we
thought it would be
a good opportunity
for the Year 7s who
attend the Film
Club to give you an
insight into what
we do.
This club takes place every Wednesday after school.
Recently we have watched some of the old films that Mr
Sharp made with previous 6th Formers. This gave us
some ideas and direction for future projects. The next
thing was to enter a film-making competition against
other schools. Firstly, we decided on a theme for the
film and after a long and hard brainstorming session we
finally agreed on two possible ideas. So, to decide on
the winning theme, we all had to write a script on the
two themes and then present them to the rest of the
club. As you can imagine, the theme chosen was
“Thanking the Teachers”.
Accelerated Reader Programme
Students from 7
White are turning
into avid readers
with the help of
our Accelerated
Reader
programme! By
enrolling them on
this
course,
Rooks
Heath
allows them the
opportunity to have a specialised reading programme, tailored
to each individual, which allows both the teacher and student
to track progress. Competition gets fierce as students reap the
many rewards of following the programme, such as golden
lunch tickets and certificates! Miss L Wright, English
We all thought thanking teachers was a good way to
express how we feel about them and to show them our
appreciation for all they do for us. We also got a chance
to use video and digital camera equipment during the
sessions. We have learnt about the different camera
shots and techniques to produce a good video. The next
step to our film adventure is to audition for the parts
and start making the film. Film Club is open to all Year
7s so if any of you would like to join us, we would be
more than happy to welcome you.
Remember it’s every Wednesday after school at 3.10pm
and it finishes at 4.30pm in MG2. LIGHTS, CAMERA,
ACTION!!!!!!!!! By Aamani (7 Blue)
Safer Internet Day 2015
At Rooks Heath College we
are committed to ensuring
that our students know how
to equip themselves when
using technology. It is a big
part of our lives and we teach
them how to use the internet
safely and responsibly.
We celebrated Safer Internet Day on 10 February 2015 with
the students taking part in a quiz during registration. The
strapline for the campaign is “Let’s create a better internet
together”.
Internet safety is very important because you never know
who is out there and what they may do. For example, if you
have lots of photos on your account and forgot to put the
settings to private, anyone can see them and anything else
you have on your profile.
13 BTEC Applied Science
Year 13 BTEC
Applied
Science went
to Northwick
Park hospital
to see the
equipment
used for all
different
types
of
scans.
This
was
really
interesting and helpful for our assignment because we got an
insight into how the equipment works and how much it costs.
I really enjoyed this trip and was very grateful that I got the
opportunity to go to Northwick Park hospital and get a
private tour of the different wards. Nafisa (13 Green)
Some tips we recommend are:
 Always use the internet responsibly
 Set your account to private
 Don’t accept requests from anyone you do not know,
even if they are your friend’s friend
 Never give your password to others
 Never arrange to meet up with someone you have met
online without taking a responsible adult with you
 Do not put other peoples pictures up without their
permission
 Be careful what you post as it will be there forever
 Always install anti-virus software on your computer
This advice is from two year 9 students –Mahin and
Rischidaran (9 Orange)
Scan the QR code to take you
to the thinkuknow website to
find out more about staying
safe when online.
In July 2014, a group of GCSE French students visited Paris, accompanied by
Mr Kunakey, Ms Grover, Miss Clancy and Miss Caullet. All the students
were waiting eagerly (some sleepily) by the school gates at 5.15am in the
morning. We reached Dover for our ferry by 8am and then sailed away to
France!
Our first stop was in Arras; an old town in Northern France. We went up the
Bell Tower of Arras, classified as part of the world inheritance of humanity
by UNESCO. Then we went down in the underground caves and tunnels
which were used by soldiers during the war. After exploring, we continued
on with our journey to Paris where we enjoyed a nice dinner after checking
in, and relaxed in our rooms for the rest of the evening.
On day 2 we visited Parc Asterix, a French theme park full of rides and
attractions which the students thoroughly enjoyed! After a fun-filled day,
we stopped at a local hypermarket for some shopping.
On day 3, we embarked on a coach tour of Paris and saw all the main
landmarks of Paris. We then visited The Eiffel Tower where we went up to
the 2nd Floor to see the beautiful views of Paris. For lunch we enjoyed a
picnic at the foot of The Eiffel Tower. We then made our way to Calais to
catch the ferry, arriving back in London at midnight. We all had a great time
and are looking forward to the next trip!
Madame Caullet
‘My favourite part was
going up The Eiffel
Tower!’ James, 11 Indigo
‘In my opinion, this trip
was amazing! What a
wonderful experience it
was. I extremely enjoyed
Parc Asterix and the
weather was marvellous.’
Anuradha, 11 Indigo
‘The French trip was so much fun! I
especially enjoyed the theme park;
I think everyone did. I speak French
so I loved translating for people
and helping them to improve their
French. I had a wonderful time.’
Janet, 11 Orange
‘Really enjoyed my time in
Paris and Arras. I found it
hard to believe how we fit so
much into just three days!
Would definitely recommend
this trip to other GCSE French
students.’ Harry, 11 Orange
‘The trip to France was a
wonderful experience for
everyone! We had a blast
at the theme park and I
particularly enjoyed the
visit to the historic town
of Arras. We went on a
tour that was in French!
It was a worthwhile
experience and I would
love to do it all over
again.’ Filitsa, 11 Red
Thank you from our UConn interns… “2014 Fall”
Heath I worked with eight Year 7 students on a project I
titled: Guide to Living in London. Though the purpose of each
lesson was to focus on one aspect of British culture, we also
talked about working together in a group and respect for
others. It was nice to be able to spend time with these
students in a smaller group. I have had the pleasure of
working with such great teachers and staff here and will use
what I have learned here to enhance my teaching practice!”
For a number of years Rooks Heath has hosted Graduate Interns
from the University of Connecticut in the USA. This constitutes
the International Professional Experience component of their
Master of Arts in Education at the University of Connecticut.
Here are some comments about their time at Rooks Heath:“We are very sad to see our time at Rooks Heath College come to
an end. From day one we were welcomed with open arms by the
entire staff and school community. There was never a time where
we felt alone or unsupported in our endeavours. Throughout the
term we each took a different path to explore various parts of the
education system. In the end, every ounce of effort we put into
our work at Rooks Heath has been repaid tenfold by the students
and staff with whom we have worked so closely.”
Gabrielle Pallotto- “During my experience at Rooks Heath I have
made immense gains in my professional life. I am a certified
primary teacher in the United States but had made a conscious
decision to be placed at a secondary school during my abroad
internship. Half way through the autumn term I wanted to
implement something of my own into the classroom. I created a
project called My Story of Britain. This project allowed creativity,
exploration and passion to shine through the students’ work. I
was extremely impressed by the GSCE Photography students with
their final products, which were displayed in an exhibition for the
school to see. They should all be very proud of their work. I know I
certainly am! I will never forget my experience here because of all
that it has taught me. I can only hope I will end up working for a
school with as much sense of community and support as Rooks
Heath.”
Caitlin Gallagher- “Coming from a primary school background in
the States, during my time at Rooks Heath I wanted to engage in
lessons that otherwise would not be possible. Each morning I
started my day off with 7R and this was an amazing experience. I
got to know more about these students each and every week and
this was especially helpful when I taught a few of their maths
lessons. Working with these students has definitely made my
time at Rooks Heath that much more enjoyable. Religious Studies
is not taught in the states so I was extremely interested to
observe a few lessons and was impressed by how students engage
in such meaningful discussions. I learned so much teaching 7G’s
Religious Studies classes and will definitely take what I have
learned back to the States. During my last six weeks at Rooks
Laura Knox- “This semester I worked with the Sixth Form
students on a variety of different levels. I implemented a
leadership programme I developed back at UCONN to three
different classes of Year 12 students that met once a week.
The purpose of this programme was to help my students
enhance their leadership skills and to get them talking about
social justice through a variety of different workshops. During
the programme, my students took on the task of creating a
video that was an artistic expression of social justice that they
called “#IAmMore”. The purpose of the video was to send an
inspirational message to their peers on the importance of
overcoming any oppressions, stereotypes and labels they
may experience. My students took their leadership skills to
the next level as they helped me lead an assembly to all of
the Year 12 students on the topics of privilege and
oppression. I was so proud of all of their hard work and all
that they accomplished throughout the course of the term. In
addition to working with the Year 12 students, I was also a
resource for Year 13 students in regards to helping them with
their personal statements. At the end of the semester, I
taught two fitness sessions to the Sixth Form students as
well. This experience has helped me grow both professionally
as an educator and personally as an individual. I am so
thankful to have been given this opportunity and feel so lucky
to have been a part of the amazing Rooks Heath family.”
Giana Ferreira- “My experience at Rooks Heath was
unforgettable. In the United States I am a certified primary
teacher but decided to work in a secondary school this term
because I had heard nothing but great things about the
school. When I arrived at Rooks Heath, I really wanted to
work with EAL students, since both of my parents are
immigrants and I felt a connection to the department. I had
such an amazing time working at Rooks Heath this
term. Thank you Rooks Heath for a wonderful experience.”
Jillian Linares- “Working at Rooks Heath was all I could have
hoped it would be. Working in the English Department
enabled me to observe so many talented educators in my
field, expanding my abilities as a teacher. I couldn’t have
asked for a more rich teaching and learning opportunity. I’m
thankful to have taught such a diverse group of capable,
motivated and talented students who have set the bar high
for what I expect my future students to embody. Rooks Heath
truly creates a united community, which undoubtedly
promotes a comfortable atmosphere for its students. I’m
honoured to have been a part of such an encouraging, caring
and meaningful community.”
From all of us... Thank you Rooks Heath for all you’ve done to
make this experience unforgettable!
Diary Dates
Thursday 19th March
Year 8 Consultation Evening
Thursday 19th March
BBC News Day
Friday 20th March
PTFA Quiz Night
Tuesday 24th March
Year 7 Consultation Evening
Monday 30th March - Friday 10th April
Easter Break
FREE SCHOOL MEALS - CLAIM YOUR ENTITLEMENT AND HELP US CLAIM MORE FUNDING
Some of our students are already able to benefit from their daily £2.29 Free School Meal allowance. We would like to ensure though
that everyone who is entitled has completed a claim form, even if you don’t think your child will use the allowance. By making a
successful claim, your child is able to take advantage of this allowance, and the funding we receive from the government to run the
college is increased. When you apply for and receive your Free School Meals entitlement, your child could receive other financial
support, such as bursary grants in the Sixth Form and reduced fees at University. It is never too late to apply for Free School Meals. If
you think you might qualify, please read and complete the Application Form found on the college website:
http://www.rooksheath.harrow.sch.uk under PARENT LINKS.
Please fill in all the relevant information, failure to do so may delay your application, and then ask your child to bring the application to
the college office. If you would like help with filling the form in please do not hesitate to call 020 8422 4675 and we can book you an
appointment with a member of the Finance Department and go through the application together.
இலவச பாடசாலல உணவு - உங்கள் ககாடுப்பனவுகலை கபற்றுக்ககாள்வததாடு தேலதிக நிதியுதவிலை
அரசாங்கத்திடேிருந்து கபற்றுக்ககாள்ை எேக்கு உதவி கசய்யுங்கள்
எேது ோணவர்கைில் சிலர் இலவச பாடசாலல உணவுக்கான தினசரி ககாடுப்பனவு £2.29 ஐ ஏற்கனதவ கபற்றுவருகிறார்கள்.
இந்த
ககாடுப்பனவிற்கு
தகுதிைானவர்கள்
உறுதிப்படுத்திககாள்ை விரும்புகிதறாம்.
உங்கள் பிள்லை இந்த ககாடுப்பனலவ
அலனவருதே
விண்ணப்ப
படிவத்லத
பூர்த்தி
உபதைாகப்படுத்தாது என்று நீங்கள் நிலனத்தாலும்
கசய்துள்ைார்கள்
கூட,
என்பலத
விண்ணப்ப படிவத்லத
பூரணப்படுத்தி அனுப்பவதன் மூலம் இந்த ககாடுப்பனவின் தேலதிக நன்லேகலை உங்கள் பிள்லை கபற்றுக்ககாள்ை முடியும்.
அத்ததாடு எேது பாடசாலலலை நடாத்துவதற்கு அரசாங்கத்தால் வழங்கப்படும் நிதியுதவியும் அதிகரிக்கப்படும்.
இந்த
இலவச
பாடசாலல
உணவு
பாடசாலல
உணவு
ககாடுப்பனவுக்கு
விண்ணப்பிப்பதனாலும்
அதலன
கபற்றுக்ககாள்வதனாலும்
உங்கள்
பிள்லைக்கு கல்விக்கான ோனிைம், குலறவான பல்கலலக்கழக கட்டணம் தபான்ற சலுலககள் கிலடப்பதற்கான வாய்ப்பும்
இருக்கின்றது.
இந்த
இலவச
ககாடுப்பனவுக்கு
விண்ணப்பிப்பதற்கு
இன்னும்
காலம்
கடந்துவிட
இல்லல.
உங்கள்
பிள்லை இதற்க்கு தகுதிகபறும் என்று நீங்கள் நிலனத்தால் எங்கள் பாடசாலல இலணைதைத்தில் இருக்கும் விண்ணப்ப
படிவத்திலன வாசித்து பூரணப்படுத்தவும். எேது பாடசாலல இலணைதை முகவரி - http://www.rooksheath.harrow.sch.uk
தைவுகசய்து
ததலவைான
அலனத்து
விபரங்கலையும்
பூரணப்படுத்தவும்,
தவறின்
உங்கள்
விண்ணப்பம்
ஏற்றுக்ககாள்ைப்படுவதில் தாேதங்கள் ஏற்படலாம். பூரணப்படுத்தப்பட்ட விண்ணப்பங்கலை உங்கள் பிள்லைகள் மூலோக
கல்லூரி அலுவலகத்துக்கு அனுப்பி லவயுங்கள்.
இந்த விண்ணப்பபடிவத்லத பூர்த்திகசய்வதில் உங்களுக்கு ஏதாவது உதவி ததலவப்படின் 020 8422 4675 என்ற இலக்கத்ததாடு
கதாடர்புககாண்டால்
நாங்கள்
நிதித்துலற
உறுப்பினர்
கசய்வதற்க்கான உதவிகலை கபற்றுத்தருதவாம்.
ஒருவலர
உங்கதைாடு
கதாடர்ப்புபடுத்தி,
விண்ணப்பத்லத
Calling All Alumni!
We would love to hear from ex-students of Rooks Heath College. Where are you and
what are you doing now? Do you have any memories of your time at Rooks Heath?
Please get in touch with us and share your stories. You can email us at:
[email protected]
பூர்த்தி