Misbourne News · Misbourne News Dear Parents I ... by the team of Young Music ... unlikely that there will be suﬃcient to provide interac ve whiteboards, network cabling and

Misbourne News

Dear Parents

I have been very pleased with the way that our new school year has started. Students have been engaged and focussed and tackled more challenging work with relish. Please discuss their new end of year targets with them and support them in at least mee ng their targets, and ideally exceeding them.

I am delighted to report that we not only have a full Year 7 star ng in September, but also a wai ng list. Our predicted Sixth Form numbers are also the highest ever which confirms confidence in our school. This is excellent news.

In discussion with our school governors, we are looking at an ambi ous vision for the next five years. There are currently a number of working groups involving students, staff, parents and governors who are working up this vision. Not only do we want to be the ‘best’ we also want to further develop student leadership and staff development as key components of this vision.

The external examina ons have gone well and I would like to thank all my staff for pu ng in so much addi onal work for the examinees and to the students for their engagement, focus and effort. We await their results with interest.

There have been so many outstanding successes already this half term and I applaud them all. I would like to men on Courtney Harvey, Year 10 who has been named in the England Elite Squad for bowling and also 5 of our current Year 10 students: Ryan Liepa, Connor Horwood, Jodie Crayton, Issy Wendes and John Pearce who were selected for their academic performance to go on visit to Southampton University. Fantas c achievements.

Thank you for your con nued support.

Robert Preston Headteacher

A Message from the Headteacher

Volume 9 Issue 3

MiZfest 3

Senior Leadership

Team

5‐6

PTA Newsle er 7

Year 10 Report 8‐9

Humani es Report 10‐13

Sixth Form 14‐17

Careers 18

Science 19

ICT 20

Modern Foreign

Lanaguage

21

House News 22

Sports Reports 23‐27

Forthcoming Events

28

Inside this issue:

30 June 2014

Thursday 3 July, 9:30 to 10:45am

Places are strictly limited and are available on a first‐come‐first served basis. Please see the school website for more details: h p://www.misbourne.bucks.sch.uk/100/announcements/announcement/69/announcement

FIRST OPEN MORNING FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS

Page 2 Misbourne News

MISBOURNE NEWS

YEAR 11 – LEISURE & TOURISM VISIT TO THE SNOW CENTRE, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD

On Thursday 19 June a group of 25 year 11 Leisure & Tourism GCSE students visited The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead to collect informa on for their controlled assessment. It was a hot day so the lure of a cooler climate and snow, was a welcome addi on to the excitement that was already evident as we reached the Centre. On arrival we were escorted to a conference room where we were able to sit comfortably with our ques ons posed ready to find out everything that we could on how the business was run, current trends within the leisure industry and specific job roles, which were all answered in detail by the Senior Instructor.

We then had an ac vity session booked which included being “ki ed out” in the appropriate clothing and then making our way on to the ski slopes to have a go at sledging, tobogganing and ice sliding. All the students enjoyed this and were very well behaved throughout the ac vity session. This visit enabled the students to not only see and take part in the ac vi es themselves, but to also have the opportunity to ask ques ons that they would have found difficult to find answers to from secondary sources only, and for this reason we are extremely grateful to The Snow Centre for allowing us to do this and for arranging such an interes ng educa onal talk.

All of the students enjoyed the visit and will now have the opportunity to go on to create an excellent piece of controlled assessment work.

Miss Rowe Teacher, Applied & Business

Special Offers on Misbourne Uniform

Mark and Spencer is currently offering free delivery on our bespoke items of school uniform ordered between 20 June and 20 July 2014. To benefit from this you will need to enter The Misbourne’s discount code in the shopping basket page of the website. The discount code box can be found at the bo om le of the page and before you select proceed to checkout. The code for our school is ‐ 0278FP0614

To order bespoke uniform click h p://www.mandsyourschooluniform.com/.

Marks and Spencer is also offering 20% off non‐bespoke school uniform. For more informa on click

h p://www.marksandspencer.com/c/kids.

Page 3 Volume 9 Issue 3

PERFORMING ARTS

Karaoke Friday Karaoke Friday has been a huge success with students from Key Stage 3 showing off their vocal talents each week in the music department. On average at least 50 students have formed the audience to support their friends as they take up the mic to sing their favourite tunes. From Adele, to Jus n Beiber and over to the film Frozen, the students have been entertained with a wide selec on of songs. This club is led by the team of Young Music Leaders.

To the talent of our students for yourself, come along to The Great MiZfest on Saturday 19 July between 2.00pm and 6.00pm.

The music department is offering a new opportunity ‐ Thursday Lunch me Keyboard Club. Students are invited to come along and learn popular songs on the keyboards and develop their skills with the help of the young music leaders.

Keyboard Club

We are fast approaching our fantas c summer fes val ‐ The Great MiZfest, which will be held in the school grounds on Saturday 19 July from 2.00pm to 6.00pm.

The day’s programme is jam packed with tons of exci ng ac vi es and performances and we hope you can join us during the a ernoon.

Fire Engine Funk on Band Ambulance Car Karaoke Finalists Sumo Wrestling Suits Inflatable Slide and Dome Castle Arts and Cra s

Tug‐o‐War Choir Drama BBQ, Bar, Sweets, Cakes Plant Stall Fashion Jewellery Face Pain ng

This fantas c event will raise money for our new building. Bring your friends and family and support this cause to make a difference for our school.

We look forward to seeing you at our celebra on!


SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

Each month, a member of The Misbourne Senior Leadership Team will be wri ng about something rela ng to their responsibili es in school. This month, Debbie Grimsdale, School Business Manager gives us an insight into planning for our new building.

The temporary classrooms down by the coach park have been with us since 2002 and although they have done a sterling job they have been at the end of their useful life for a couple of years. We started working with Bucks County Council on a replacement plan about two years ago; looking at our curriculum, projected student numbers, local demographic informa on and the Department for Educa on’s requirements for school provision.

Last year Bucks County Council confirmed funding for a replacement building and we started to work with them in earnest to begin to scope out our vision. A year or so later planning permission has been granted and the building contract has been out to tender. Bucks County Council will review the proposals offered over the next two weeks and appoint a contractor a couple of weeks before the end of term. The contractor will start work demolishing the link building between the main school hall and The Café during the summer holidays to make way for the new building. The construc on phase will start in mid‐September 2014 and should be finished in me for us to occupy the building from September 2015 when the huts will, at last, be demolished.

The new building will give us eight new classrooms to replace the six that will be removed when the huts are demolished, plus two addi onal classrooms to improve the general provision at the school. The new classrooms will be used by the English department and so all our students will benefit from our new facili es. A new Sixth

Form work area will offer our Sixth Form students a space that is big enough for them all to work when they are not in lessons helping them to develop as independent learners and prepare for university or the work place. In addi on, the new building will extend the exis ng Café and effec vely double the sea ng capacity to allow everyone to sit and enjoy their lunch in a sociable and prac cal environment. When not in use at lunch mes this space will also provide us with another larger space to allow us to be er accommodate larger events such as our annual Careers Fair or Parents Evenings and even assemblies.

The New Building ‐ View from the Sports Hall

Mrs Grimsdale


SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

Bucks County Council is working to a fixed budget and just how far this budget will go is dependent on the outcome of the tendering process.

We hope that there will be some funding available for new desks and chairs but it is unlikely that there will be sufficient to provide interac ve whiteboards, network cabling and sea ng in the Cafe. We have already launched an appeal to raise addi onal funds so that we are able to finish the building to the standard that we expect for your children and so far 20 parents have signed up to contribute to the fund.

We appreciate that all families have to consider very carefully where and how they spend their money but I would ask that you consider dona ng if you have not already done so. Any dona on, no ma er how small, will make a difference to us and ul mately allow us to provide the modern equipment needed to educate all of our students.

Your business, or the company that you work for, might want to consider sponsoring a room or an item of equipment for our new building. We would be happy to discuss specific details and requirements individually and would recognise any support in a suitable way.

For more informa on about how to donate please visit The Misbourne website:

h p://www.misbourne.bucks.sch.uk/41/sponsorship‐dona ons

Or contact me directly at the school.

We will con nue to update you via the newsle er and the school website as the building work progresses and look forward to moving in September 2015.

The New Building ‐ View from the playground


PERFORMING ARTS

Once more Misbourne students travelled to West End of London to enter into a world of pure imagina on. On Monday 9 June, 50 students went with the Performing Arts staff to see the hit show, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, at The Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. The students were enthralled by the young actors in the story, the fabulous set design and the fantas c Oompa‐Loompas.

The experience of live theatre cannot be beaten and although there were some red faces ge ng up for school the next day, we are proud to have given our students an opportunity to see such a great show.

Mrs Appleyard Curriculum Leader, Performing Arts

Misbourne Students Get Golden Tickets

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

On Sunday 22 June a small number of students from The Misbourne school choir joined forces with students from a local singing group, Voice Band, and the Wick Trimmers to entertain the older genera on in Prestwood Village Hall. The audience was treated to a selec on of well‐known songs (from war mes) including 'Daisy, Daisy', 'Bring Me Sunshine' and 'My Old Man Says Follow the Van'.

The choir also performed at a large community concert on Saturday 28 June in Great Missenden Parish Church with singers from Great Missenden Combined School, Voice Band and the Pop Up Choir. Working in partnership with Fiona Firth, the students are contribu ng to this fantas c WW1 Centenary Commemora ve event as part of a whole programme of ac vi es over the weekend.

Colin Veysey, who ran the event, said “they were brilliant . . . There were lots of posi ve comments from our guests, and believe me they are capable of being honest!”

The event raised £131 which will be used to send used microscopes to Africa for use teaching science in schools.

Congratula ons to our wonderful students who have given up their me to rehearsal and contribute to this significant event in the local community.

Mrs Appleyard Curriculum Leader, Performing Arts

Choir in the Community

Some of the Students arrive at The Tea Party: Le to Right:

Katy Lockwood, Lauren Crick, Rosalind Hardie, Jess Hallesy,

Natasha Randal and Catlin Neal


PTA NEWSLETTER


YEAR 10 REPORT

END OF KEY STAGE 3 CELEBRATION

Wednesday 18 June saw over 80 Year 10 students invited to a end an evening celebra ng their success across Key Stage 3.

There were a variety of awards on offer including ones for outstanding progress made in each of the subject areas, for outstanding a tude to learning, for Misbourne Stars and for a endance. Added to this were The Form Tutor Awards, The Head of Year Awards and the Headteacher Award. The dress code was formal and the students all looked very smart and grown‐up.

All the students in a endance received at least one award during the course of the evening. The atmosphere during the ceremony was electric with students cheering on their peers with lots of enthusiasm when they collected their awards. A thoroughly enjoyable evening was had by all. A special men on goes to Hugo Baker who won The Head of Year Award and to Lizzie Barraclough who won The Head Teacher’s Award – well done!

Congratula ons to all the students who won awards – their hard work over the past three years has paid off and they were truly deserving of the accolades they received.

Miss Hill Head of Year 10


YEAR 10 REPORT

TEAM‐BUILDING TRIP

TO LONGRIDGE

On Friday 13 June, 95 students from Year 10 visited Longridge Ac vity Centre to take part in a variety of teambuilding ac vi es. With the students moving into Year 10 and star ng their GCSE courses, this was an opportunity for them to engage with people they may not necessarily have had the chance to in Key Stage 3. Added to this, lots of new students have joined Year 10 over the last few months and this was a valuable opportunity for them to get to know other members of their year group.

The students par cipated in a variety of ac vi es including Dragon Boa ng on the Thames, tackling the Climbing wall and Leap of Faith in the Climbing compound and undertaking problem solving ac vi es alongside the resident geese. Thankfully, the weather was on our side, it was a glorious day and a lot of fun was had by all – including the members of staff trip.

The visit was a great success, and as expected, the students were brilliant.

Miss Hill Head of Year 10


Over the past academic year the humani es department has organised an array of exci ng extra‐curricular trips and clubs. The highlights have included, the GCSE and A Level History trip to Berlin; the Year 8 trip to visit the beau ful Hindu Mandir in Neasden, London and the Year 7 visit to Christchurch College, Oxford where they had the opportunity the ‘Grill the Canon’ with their Ul mate Ques ons. GCSE geography students also enjoyed a visit to Dorset to collect data for their coursework.

In addi on to all these opportuni es, the humani es department has been running a number of catch up and revision sessions both during lunch me and a er school, where all students were welcome to a end to extend their learning. There was a high and regular turnout of GCSE and A Level students, we eagerly an cipate the results days in August to see if the hard work has paid off.

New Academic Year – New Opportuni es

So, what extra curricular ac vi es are coming up in humani es this year?

Wednesday 18 June – Year 11 visit to the Natural History Museum, London where they gathered evidence for and against evolu on in order to recreate the Great Debate of 1860 between Huxley and Wilberforce on the theory of evolu on. See a separate report on page 12.

21‐23 November – Year 9 visit to the World War One Ba lefields. This is a par cularly poignant year to visit, as it is the Centenary of the start the War. This trip really helps students to put into perspec ve what they have been learning about in lessons.

February half‐term 2015 – We are hoping to take A Level geography students to Iceland, where they will visit a number of sites of natural beauty, such as the Blue Lagoon, the Grand Geyser and a glacier, as well as visit the city of Reykjavik. Check the geography no ce boards for more details.

Plus a number of other trips for Years 7 and 8 which are currently in the pipe line. Students should make sure they check the humani es no ce board regularly for more details.

Catch up and Revision sessions:

History ‐ Wednesday lunch me – Miss Birch 402 History ‐ Thursday a er school – Miss Felts 401 Philosophy and Ethics – Thursday a er school – Miss Coleman 405 Geography – Controlled Assessment Clinic – Monday a er school – Miss Keeley

and Mr Williams 803 and 804 The Humani es Team

HUMANITIES REPORT

What’s Happening in Humani es?


HUMANITIES REPORT

Year 8 Visit to the Mandir

On Monday 12 May a group of 60 Year 8 students visited the Mandir in Neasden, London. The Mandir was completed in 1995, with the help of over 100 volunteers, and took a year and eight months to complete, being one of the largest marble temples outside of India.

Upon arrival at the Mandir the students were given the opportunity to look around an exhibi on about Hinduism, which supplemented the scheme of work they had been studying in Philosophy and Ethics lessons. One student stated that this was ‘very interes ng and would help me in my lessons’.

A er this, the students had the opportunity to observe the mul ‐sensory ‘Ar ’ ceremony in which Hindus from the local area meet to pray together. The ceremony is a form of prayer that is used for thanksgiving and gree ng to God. The Ar ceremony can also be called the ‘ceremony of lights’ as candles are lit and waved in front of the images of their dei es to infuse them with their love and blessings. One student remarked that the ceremony was ‘amazing’.

The weather was lovely so the students had lunch and played football in the local park. All in all, the trip was a brilliant day out and the students thoroughly enjoyed their me in the temple.

Miss Birch Humani es Teacher

“I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and learnt a lot about Hinduism”

Stephanie Randle, Year 8.

World War One was called the ‘The Great War’ at the me and one hundred years later, this period of history s ll resonates with people and communi es today. The long‐term impact on society is being

remembered in a variety of different ways between 2014 and 2018 throughout the country.

The Misbourne is no different. We are planning a series of ac vi es to commemorate this historic event through different media in a range of ac vi es. From looking at ra oning and recipes used during this me, to building trenches in classrooms and seeing how soldiers lived and worked in such confined spaces, the students at The Misbourne will be considering a variety of aspects of World War One.

One way in which we would like the school community to get involved and support these ac vi es is by bringing in any memorabilia you may have at home to be used in history lessons and then later in a World War One Exhibi on which will be held in the school. Please contact Miss Birch by email at: [email protected]. Items can be brought to the humani es office for safe keeping.

Watch this space for more informa on about how you can get involved in commemora ng World War One at The Misbourne.

WW1 Centenary Commemora ons The Misbourne Remembers


HUMANITIES NEWS

PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS TRIP TO

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

On 18 of June, Year 11 Philosophy and Ethics students from The Misbourne visited The Natural History Museum in Kensington, London, for a workshop based around the ideas of evolu on and the on‐going opposing opinions of religion and science. Meghan Perrin (11IPA) wrote the following report:

“We arrived at the museum by coach at about 10.25 and were given the opportunity to explore the vast building and all the incredible treasures inside for a couple hours before our workshop began and were able to observe the many brilliant exhibi ons.

Everyone split off into groups to discover the amazing items contained within the architecturally beau ful structure's walls. Personally, I had the chance to experience an earthquake on an earthquake simulator, see some incredible fossils and bones of dinosaurs, various gems and other odds and ends (such as two of Charles Darwin's pigeons).

We met back in the student facility area at 12.10 to start our workshop. First we learned about Richard Owen, the founder of the museums and the man who "invented dinosaurs", and some history of the building. Our guides spoke to us about Owen's work in front of his statue. Then we were taught about Charles Darwin, whose ideas of evolu on opposed the views of many, including Owen. Linking to Darwin was Thomas Huxley, who represented Darwin at the great

debate.

The next part of the workshop involved being divided into four groups, each group given the posi on of either, Huxley, Darwin, Owen, or Samuel Wilberforce (who was a bishop, suppor ng Owen's views against evolu on at the debate). The groups were sta oned around different areas of the museum where we came up with points suppor ng our assigned person's opinion on the topic that was originally argued over at the Great Oxford Debate.


HUMANITIES NEWS

My group was given Richard Owen, and we were based in the sea life area, featuring colossal to scale models of whales and other massive ocean mammals as well as skeletons. It was difficult to come up with points against evolu on, because it is now common knowledge that animals did, in fact; adapt and evolve to fit their environment. This made it quite challenging to create valid reasons why animals didn't all evolve.

When we had collated our points, each group presented their ideas and we, in a sense, recreated the famous debate that took place in 1860, and discussed our theories.

When the workshop had finished, we relaxed on the grass outside the building and admired the amazing exterior while some bought ice‐cream, a few entered the bu erfly tent set up nearby to where we were si ng.

A peaceful end to a lovely, sunny day in London. “

PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS TRIP TO

THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Thomas Huxley

Richard Owen

Samuel Wilberfource Charles Darwin


SIXTH FORM NEWS

YEAR 13 CELEBRATION EVENING 2014

A warm welcome was extended to students, parents and guests of The Misbourne for our annual celebra on of the achievements of our leavers.

The evening began with a video that movingly compared current photos of the leavers with their Year 7 photos taken all that me ago in 1997. Some of them had changed, some of them not that much.

Over those seven years, the teachers of The Misbourne develop bonds with their students and play an important role in their journey toward becoming capable young adults. So it was especially difficult for curriculum leaders and form tutors to choose who to award their prizes to, as they could only choose one each.

Half way through the evening there was a stunning musical performance by the Year 13 BTEC music class. Sam Scholey, Calum Robertson, Pip Marsden and James Bartle appeared on a special video playing ‘God Save The Queen’ on the school field in the style of Brian May on the roof of Buckingham Palace, and then the giant screen rose to reveal the band behind who were joined by singer Paisley Jones who belted out two energe c rock songs for everyone’s enjoyment. It was their best performance yet and we look forward to seeing them again at MiZfest in July.

Spor ng achievements were also recognised, par cularly in the form of a special fundraising football match that took place earlier in the year for the Help the Heroes charity. Organiser Guy Andrews received a cer ficate from the charity for the money raised and all the players stood to receive a round of applause for their efforts. The league‐winning football team players were also recognised.

The four outgoing senior students, Jess Kidson, Sophie Wendes, Fred Piper and Stephen Cox, were recognised for their outstanding contribu on to many aspects of school life over the past year with Jess and Sophie given bouquets of flowers to thank them for their hard work on prepara ons for the Year 13 Prom. Stephen was also praised for his achievement of recently becoming a Queen’s Scout, awarded by Chief Scout Bear Grylls at Windsor Castle and Stephen will shortly be a ending St James’s Palace for his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The Misbourne’s most pres gious leavers’ awards were presented. The Christopher Dalladay award for Music was given to James Bartle for outstanding progress and enthusiasm as an up and coming musician.

Mr Lardner, in a endance with his daughter, spoke in remembrance of former Misbourne teacher Mary Lardner and presented the Mary Lardner award for the best academic progress in the sixth form. This most excep onal prize was given to D’arcy Darilmaz who has achieved phenomenal progress becoming an outstanding young ar st including outstanding grades achieved in her course.

Finally, Deputy Headteacher Mrs Barre presented the Paul Bowden award, in memory of a former student who was tragically killed in an accident out of school not long a er leaving The Misbourne. This award is presented for kindness and generosity of spirit, and it went to Benjamin Locke who has supported both his classmates and his teachers through Year 13 by se ng up study groups and teaching revision sessions. Benjamin received a standing ova on on accep ng this award.


SIXTH FORM NEWS

The prizes were awarded as follows: Art – Alexandra Brazier Photography – Clarissa Parkes Mathema cs – Robert Horne English Language – Zoe Nichols English Literature – Gabrielle Bex Media Studies – Ella Robertson Biology – Arman Azam Chemistry – Rachel Barnard Physics – Oli Clements ICT – Monique Blake Business Studies – Thomas Free BTEC Business – Jack Hollick Applied Business – Megan Froud Health and Social Care – Amina Leone Travel and Tourism – Bethany Warren BTEC Sport – Chelsey Irvin PE – Christopher Tebb History – Benjamin Locke Government and Poli cs – Stephen Cox Geography – Anna Postlethwaite Law – Charlo e Bull‐Domican Philosophy and Ethics – Leah Moy Psychology – Rachel Collins Sociology – Billy Moore Product Design – Jack Tebb Tex les – Sophie Howard‐Sorrell Drama – Leah Moy Music – Sam Scholey Performing Arts – Sophie Wendes 13RCL Form Tutor Award – Anna Postlethwaite 13HHI Form Tutor Award – Guy Andrews 13JRU Form Tutor Award – Ashleigh Mendolia 13NTE Form Tutor Award – Katy Barr 13JGI Form Tutor Award – Emma Greene 13AES Form Tutor Award – Rebecca Ashlee 100% A endance – Pip Marsden, Gabriel Rose,

Alex Crossley, Luke Froud, Christopher Tebb, Joe Burnham and Jack Hollick

A wonderful evening celebra ng a really fantas c year group and it will stay in the memory for a long me.

Mr Dwight and Miss Mellin

YEAR 13 CELEBRATION EVENING 2014


SIXTH FORM NEWS

RESEARCH MATTERS AT

THE BRITISH LIBRARY

On Monday, 23 June, seven Year 13 students, including five comple ng the Extended Project Qualifica on, visited the Bri sh Library in London for an introduc on to research.

This incredible building holds over 45 million books and other documents and readers can summon any document to a reading room in just a 70 minute wai ng me. In total, the library holds over 180 million books and other documents and is

the second biggest collec on of its kind in the world. All published books in the UK are held in its role as a copyright library.

So the opportuni es for research here are incredible – and the students were introduced to some of the treasures of the library, from Shakespearean sonnets to

the Magna Carta and the first Darwinian notes on evolu on, all in specially cased primary sources held in a special room that was controlled for low light and low temperature.

They were also told the story of how prin ng books first became opera onal and the impact this had on distribu ng knowledge and informa on many centuries ago.

The visit culminated in a talk from Bri sh Library researcher Holly Gilbert who demonstrated her work archiving voices, dialects and slang from around the Bri sh Isles in conjunc on with a project with BBC local radio.

Students can apply for a Bri sh Library reading card and access to the reading rooms as soon as they turn 18 and in the mean me can access a wealth of resources digitally on the Bri sh Library website. Inter‐library loans are also available by contac ng Mrs Law in The Misbourne library.

Mr Dwight Head of Sixth Form

Students try out one of the earliest forms of prin ng presses which revolu onised how books were created and distributed.

Bri sh Library researcher Holly Gilbert talks the students through her work archiving voices, slang and dialects from around the Bri sh Isles.


SIXTH FORM NEWS

Last July, 15 Sixth Form students from The Misbourne undertook a World Challenge expedi on to Swaziland in southern Africa. Part of the trip included a number of days working on comple ng founda ons for huge water tanks on a hill above the village we visited, so that fresh water could be provided to the first flushing toilets in a neighbourhood care point serving young children and orphans in need. Mr Dwight recently printed out and posted to the community all the photos our students took on the expedi on to be shared amongst the children and families of the school, and has received this reply from Swaziland:

Le er from Swaziland

On Wednesday 18 June, 23 students from Year 13 visited Bucks New University’s High Wycombe campus for an open day. The aim was to introduce students to the concept of university life in general and also the impressive facili es the university has built up in its drive to deliver state‐of‐the‐art, industry‐connected courses. With the cost of university rising ever higher, applying to a local ins tu on is becoming an increasingly a rac ve idea. The day also aimed to give students a baseline so they could compare other universi es when they visit them.

With its own outside broadcast truck, TV studios and impressive audio and music facili es, the university demonstrated its excellent facili es. Students also a ended seminars with course leaders and academics who revealed their industry experience and connec ons – clearly this is a university focussed on ge ng students into work on gradua on.

All Sixth Formers can visit three open days per year during term. UCAS Apply 2015 opens shortly via the UCAS website and form tutors will be guiding students through the process of dra ing a personal statement and how to apply to university and access student finance.

University Experience Day

Dear Mr Dwight,

Hello there and gree ngs! Thank you very much for the le er and photos which I thank you for very much. I have given those beau ful photos to the kids and the elders. They are all much excited and highly thankful for such gi s of photos.

I’m very sorry to inform you that our community secretary named Sipho Dlamini passed away just immediately a er your departure from us on Christmas Eve of December 2014. Enclosed, please receive his photo circled between the two seated. Please pass the message to your school, leaders, parents, students and World Challenge.

The water reservoir you did at the top camp site is now working with four tanks. At the bo om camp site the water sewerage and the French drain are all working fine including toilets with water flushing. The work you did for us it’s even really admired by the community as the people pass by along the pathway.

I read you are now again on your way to Nepal in the Himalayas for the same help. May God bless you for your help given over there.

Sincerely yours,

Josiah M. E. Dlamini


CAREERS NEWS

Year 13 students were welcomed back to school a er their AS exams with a Careers Day held to help them reflect on and prepare for their future career. The event was organised in response to employers’ comments about students being unprepared when trying to enter the job market and lacking vital ‘employability skills’.

The purpose of the day was to encourage students to focus on your poten al career and help them to:

Prospect ‐ how to go about finding career opportuni es

Prepare ‐ how to prepare applica ons and approach employers, and

Present ‐ how to present themselves on paper, online, at interview and during the different types of selec on processes

During the day students par cipated in a number of work‐shops which were delivered by external organisa ons:

Flying Colours – crea ng an online presence

Barclays ‐ What types of interview might you encounter

Barclays ‐ Promo ng yourself, communica on and presenta on

Chiltern Recruitment – CV and covering le er wri ng

GE Healthcare – Group assessment ac vity

It was the first me The Misbourne had held this event and ini al feedback suggests it was a good star ng point which challenged our Sixth Formers and encouraged them to become more proac ve and think about their future. We already have a number of ideas which will make the day even more construc ve and inspiring next year.

We are very grateful to all the volunteers who gave up their me to support the day, without them the event would not have been possible.

Mrs Hill and Mrs Hillier Careers Coordinator and WRL Manager

Considering Careers


SCIENCE NEWS

How many nerve cells in the slide? On Wednesday 18 June, Dr Durrenberger, research Neuroscien st from Imperial College, came into Science (STEM) club to talk to the students about planning their Brain Study. He challenged them to think about the different variables they needed to consider in their study, such as independent, dependent, and control, as well as one the students were not familiar with, “confounding variables”, which are factors that can affect the dependent and independent variables.

The session kicked off with a presenta on about how brains read op cal illusions ‐ how to count the number of nerve cells on a microscope slide using so ware. All this led nicely into an ac vity where the students had to es mate the number of marbles in a flask using different methods.

Slides of brain ssue were viewed under the microscope, and professional posters of Dr Durrenberger’s work were shown. These posters have been displayed to other scien sts around the world at neuroscience conferences. One of these posters has been donated by Dr Durrenberger, and is now on display outside room 308.

It was evident through discussion with Dr Durrenberger, that recording and analysing the data is going to be more challenging than originally thought, as when ac vi es are being carried out by the students, there is room for natural distrac ons, such as looking at the clock unconsciously, or being disturbed by the grass being mowed outside. To counteract these, the students will need to carry out relaxa on exercises before recording data, to make them ready for short bursts of ac vity to be undertaken. Brain s mula ng stuff.

Ms Kapila Assistant Curriculum Leader, Science

Laboratory Work Year 13 chemistry students started their new course with a bang! They have been working on a teaching resource from the Royal Society of Chemistry to prepare their own sample of salicylic acid – also known as aspirin.

Nearly all of us have used aspirin at some me in our lives, but not many of us know that for hundreds of years a related compound from willow bark has been used to relieve pain and treat fevers. Ancient Asian records indicate its use 2400 years ago. Aspirin’s chemical name is salicylic acid, from the La n word Salix for willow.

Students are gaining a wide range of laboratory skills, which they will be able to men on in their UCAS applica on and interviews. They will send their final samples to the RLC lab to be analysed for purity. RLC sets aside me and resources to help inspire the next genera on of scien sts and

supports “Excellence in Science Educa on”.

The next project for the lucky Year 13 chemists will be caffeine extrac on.

Mrs Collaco Curriculum Leader, Science


FOCUS ON ICT

THE FUTURE OF ICT Computer science is a subject at the very forefront of technology and innova on. Computers are everywhere, and the demand to make them smaller, work more quickly, and be fi ed with new and exci ng so ware has never been greater.

Microso ’s director of educa on, Steve Beswick, says there remains much “untapped poten al” in how teenagers use technology and that students need to be able to leave school with the “appropriate skills” in compu ng and IT that will be needed for the job market.

Similarly, Hugh Milward, director of corporate affairs at Microso , said he “welcomed” the addi on of the compu ng curriculum as “absolutely cri cal” for the success of Britain’s young people. “Digital skills such as coding are being demanded not only by the high tech sector, but by fast growing sectors like media, publishing and finance”. It is es mated around 750,000 digitally skilled workers will be needed by 2017 to sa sfy Britain’s “digital poten al” and compete worldwide.

The Government has focused on this and is driving a move towards compu ng and computer science in schools for all Key Stages. Whilst ICT with coursework and exams including basic knowledge of hardware and so ware are s ll being studied, stand‐alone computer science courses are available from the major exam boards. From September 2014 elements of compu ng should be provided in the curriculum from Key Stage 2 building a founda on for further study.

The ICT Curriculum Area at The Misbourne has incorporated elements of compu ng for a number of years for Key Stage 3, providing lessons in Scratch and Flash from Year 7 upwards. With this movement towards more elements of compu ng, the schemes of work have been updated accordingly, whilst s ll ensuring students have a strong knowledge of Microso programs, Adobe skills and web development. These skills are transferable into Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5.

With the start of our new academic year in June, the OCR Compu ng GCSE is one of the courses now being delivered for Key Stage 4 students. We feel it is a great way to develop cri cal thinking, analysis and problem solving, which can be transferred to further learning and to everyday life. It covers a wide range of interes ng, challenging and relevant topics and we have introduced Python, a programming applica on to support the programming aspects of the course. The course will also count as a science in the English Baccalaureate.

Unlike some schools, we are fortunate at The Misbourne to be able to provide IT and compu ng to all age groups. The results have reflected this focus and have been excellent over the previous years. With the OCR exam board, GCSE level has achieved 100% A*‐C for five years and GCE 100% A‐E for four years. We an cipate that this will con nue with computer science in the future.

Mrs Russell Curriculum Leader ICT

Year 10 students working

on Python


MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

“If only I have taken a language” Why learn a language? Although it can be argued that one can get by without learning a language, anyone who adopts this view is, without doubt, unaware of what they are missing. Learning a foreign language opens doors, enabling you to see the world through different eyes. If you talk to a person in a language he or she understands, you convey meaning, but if you talk in their own language it touches their heart.

Do you love the thought of travel? You can go to any country in the world provided you have the means. However, if you want to really explore a country and find out what makes it ck you need to break through the tourist façade and knowing the local language does just this. It is also surprising just how many problems you can overcome. What great fun it can be to go to a restaurant and be able to order from a local menu. Immerse yourself in the language of the country and listen to the constant cha er of the locals as well as lyrics of their songs. It is now widely acknowledged that learning another language enables children and young people to develop an awareness of different cultures and promotes confidence when communica ng with others.

According to a recent CBI survey, there is a shor all of foreign languages for business. Apparently two‐fi hs of firms agreed it was "beneficial" to have staff with language skills, but currently the country is not producing enough people with foreign‐language skills to meet a growing need. Nearly two‐thirds of about 300 UK firms surveyed by the business lobby group said they preferred staff with language skills. French, German and Spanish were highly prized but Arabic and Mandarin were growing in importance. The CBI/Pearson Educa on and Skills Survey suggested languages were likely to con nue to grow in importance "as ambi ous firms look to break into new, fast‐growing markets".

It is certainly the recogni on of this that has brought about the Government’s decision to make the learning of a foreign language compulsory from the age of seven from September 2014. What will this mean for our children? Students will come into Year 7 with greater subject knowledge, having made substan al progress in one language over a period of at least two years. Many will have a ained the equivalent of a level four in each of the language skills; listening, reading, speaking and wri ng as they embark on their secondary journey.

Last year at the Misbourne, Year 7 students had the opportunity to experience a rolling carousel of languages with taster sessions in French, Spanish, German and Mandarin. In line with na onal trends, the Modern Foreign Languages Department at The Misbourne is delighted with the increased uptake of languages at Key Stage 4 this year and the outstanding GCSE results are to be celebrated with 94% of our students achieving Grade A*‐C in summer 2013. Many thanks to parents who openly encourage and support their children by giving them opportuni es to engage with people from other parts of the world as well as suppor ng them in their revision for assessments.

Mrs D Hill Curriculum Leader, MFL

John Worne, Director of Strategy at the Bri sh Council said: "Money talks, but it's people being able to communicate that makes the world go round."

Year 7 students being introduced to Mandarin

Misbourne students at the Eurostar Terminal depar ng

for the French Exchange Trip


MISBOURNE HOUSE NEWS

The house system has now been in existence for almost a year and the compe ve spirit between the four houses is on the rise.

This term sees sports day become house orientated for the first me in Misbourne history, with students compe ng both for their form and for their house, surely providing more high drama in what is already a favourite day in the school calendar.

Last House Week saw the inaugural House Dodgeball Compe on for years 7 and 8, which was a great success. Up to 16 players on each team competed in five minute games, which were full of excitement, tension and high drama. Some outstanding tac cal and physical play saw Dorneywood take the tle in both Years 7 and 8 – richly deserved as they assembled a mammoth squad and had the whole complement of 16 players for each game they entered, giving them an immediate psychological and physical advantage.

The game of the tournament surely had to be the Year 7 Chequers vs Asco match, which ended up in a 3‐2 victory for Asco , however the real heroes here were the six brave Chequers players, who confronted an onslaught from 16 opponents, whi ling them down to almost even numbers, with several chances of victory in the dying seconds, before finally succumbing to a close defeat.

Final Dodgeball Results

Year 7

1st Dorneywood

2nd Asco

3rd Mentmore

4th Chequers

Year 8

1st Dorneywood

2nd Asco

3rd Chequers

4th Mentmore

Mr M Williams Head of Chequers House

Misbourne House Compe ons

Year 7 Runners‐Up Asco House demonstrate their skills

and teamwork during another epic dodgeball match


On 22 May, 175 pupils from Year 2 at five different local primary schools arrived for the day to take part in the annual Year 2 Games.

The pupils took part in five ac vi es – dance, gymnas cs, orienteering, golf and athle cs and all the ac vi es were led by leaders selected from Year 9.

Unfortunately, the weather turned against us at about midday so we had a slightly longer lunch and the outdoor ac vi es were abandoned for the a ernoon. We set up indoor challenges for the pupils in the remaining hall space, although the gymnas cs and dance carried on. The Year 2 pupils especially enjoyed cheering on the leaders in the spontaneous basketball and gymnas cs displays at lunch me.

The day finished with a ‘mass’ performance of the dance rou ne that had been taught.

The leaders, as always, were incredibly enthusias c and responsible – more so this year as they were rather thrown in the deep end when we had to improvise and entertain 100 pupils in a small space for a session. Their efforts were not unno ced and the primary school staff were very complimentary.

Well done and thank you to all the leaders involved. Thank you also to Mr Tebb for driving Great Missenden School pupils back to avoid the thunderstorms which were very drama c by the end of the day.

Mrs S Lyons Teacher Release ‐School Sports Partnership

Year 2 Games 2014

The weather was glorious for the Primary Tennis Fes val held on the 11 June at The Misbourne.

Li le Kingshill Combined, Prestwood Junior School, Our Lady’s RC and Curzon C of E Combined arrived with 140 pupils between them to take part in a variety of ac vi es to prac ce their tennis skills.

The ac vi es were led by 18 students selected from Years 9, 10 and 11 who are keen tennis players and also have the necessary skills and quali es of confident leaders.

The primary school staff and parents were extremely complimentary about The Misbourne students and it was evident from the level of excitement how much the primary school pupils enjoyed themselves.

Well done to the leaders involved.

Mrs S Lyons Teacher Release ‐School Sports Partnership

Year 3 and 4 Tennis Fes val


SPORTS REPORT

Misbourne on Tour

Sixty‐six students from Years 8 and 9, along with eight staff members spent their half‐term in Salou, Spain on a football and netball sports tour.

Having met at 11am Saturday morning we finally arrived in Salou at around 1.30pm on Sunday, following a mammoth coach trip through France and Spain. We were greeted by two friendly tour operators from Edwin Doran Sports tours and most importantly, the sun! Sunday a ernoon was spent on the beach relieving some pent up energy from the long coach trip (and far too many sugary sweets).

On Monday we went into Barcelona. Driving through some torren al rain we reached the Camp Nou, FC Barcelona’s home ground, and spent the morning on a tour of the extremely impressive stadium. We then moved onto the city centre and La Rambla where students were able to take in the culture and shopping this busy street had to offer. That evening the football A and B teams played against some very tough Spanish opposi on. Both teams lost, but hopefully learned a lot about playing football ‘the Spanish way.’

On Tuesday and Wednesday we got down to business. The boys spent Tuesday morning training at the very impressive Futbal Salou complex, receiving coaching sessions from some highly qualified coaches, including ex professional footballer Wayne Thomas (check out a goal of his on YouTube). The C team played on Tuesday evening in what was a very compe ve game played in front of a large crowd, with The Misbourne barmy army in full voice. They narrowly lost 2‐0, but had many posi ves to take away with them.

The boys then had a tournament on Wednesday a ernoon against other touring Bri sh schools. Again, this was a bit of a learning curve for our boys, playing against teams with players older than ours. We did however hold our own, with all three teams playing some excellent football and the C team winning one game 8‐0 before the tournament was cut short due to a very aggressive storm overhead. We then had a presenta on where the boys’ coaches gave a player of the week for their groups, with Thomas Johnson, Dominic Bingham and Noah Johnson taking the awards.

The girls completed a training session on the Tuesday with some excellent coaches, one of which plays for the Mavericks. The girls were mixed up with four other schools for three hours of training, including a lot of fitness work. The next day, the girls travelled to another amazing sports hall where they trained within their teams for three hours. They all worked hard and developed a range of skills.

It wasn’t all hard work! Water park visit on the Thursday


SPORTS REPORT

We then went to our final spor ng venue to compete in the Netball tournament. The girls were already red from the hard work they put in during the training sessions. Each team played ten matches, which included our teams playing each other. The tournament was run to a ght metable, our captains had to be organised and well prepared prior to each game.

All three captains, Olivia Palmer(A), Issy Wendes(B) and Emma Wendes(C) were very encouraging and demonstrated excellent leadership skills throughout. All three teams worked extremely hard throughout the day. Our ‘A team’ made it all the way to the final. Unfortunately, they lost 6‐1 to a very talented team, who didn’t lose a game all day. There was significant improvement made by all students. The most improved player of the week was Ashlie Queryl‐Jordan.

Well done to all girls for demonstra ng excellent behaviour throughout the tour. The coaches repeatedly told us how impressed they were with our girls’ behaviour and a tude of wan ng to improve. The coaches’ selected one player from each team who they thought had worked excep onally hard throughout the training sessions. Congratula ons to Olivia Palmer, Holly Gannon and Gabbie Fountain who were chosen.

Thursday was spent at AquaPolis waterpark before depar ng the hotel at around 8.30pm. The week had taken its toll on everybody, and the overnight drive was a very peaceful journey. We finally arrived back to school at around 7.30pm on Friday to conclude a very successful trip.

Could I take this opportunity to thank all the staff who gave up their me during the holidays to provide the students with this fantas c experience. I would also like to thank Mr and Mrs Mehta, owners of Costcu er in Prestwood, for supplying the students with some water and squash for the trip. Finally, a big thank you and well done to the students. You represented the school impeccably and dare I say it, the staff enjoyed your company.

Mr Rhodes Teacher, PE

Misbourne on Tour


SPORTS REPORT

Misbourne students were introduced to the game of So ball under the instruc on of Sam Dempster the new Head Coach and Performance Director for Great Britain Baseball.

The students learnt new ball skills and overcame some ini al confusion caused by similari es to rounders and cricket. They all thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to try a new sport.

Coach Dempster served as Assistant Coach of the Senior Na onal Team in 2010. He is the Head Coach at Durham College in Ontario, Canada, and spends his summers working as MLB Envoy to Britain and Europe”.

So ball Skills

On Saturday 16 June, the Buckinghamshire Schools Track and Field Championships were held at Stantonbury School, Milton Keynes. This event a racts the be er athletes from schools across the county. A good performance at this compe on can lead to selec on to represent the county at the Na onal Schools Athle cs Championships later in the summer.

This year we sent three of our junior athletes from Year 8 and 9. Ki y Jones (9LRE) was compe ng against girls a year older than herself, in the 100m and the long jump. Both events a ract a large number of athletes and Ki y ran her 100m in a me of 14.6 seconds which meant she didn’t progress through to the final. In the long jump, Ki y’s best jump was of 4.05 metres, but again the event was won by someone jumping 5.14m. It was great experience for Ki y, who will surely be compe ng again next year.

Ollie Powell (9CBI) was also compe ng against athletes a year older than himself, but in just the single event, the 300m. Junior boys do not now race over 400m. Ollie ran really well and in a photo finish was judged to have come 3rd in a me of 42.5 seconds ‐ a great performance, well done.

Lizzie Barraclough (10DAL) was our third athlete and she chose to compete in the 800m compe on. This was also a popular event, with several heats. Lizzie was able to qualify for the final and complete her race in 2.29.8 minutes, almost 2 seconds ahead of the athlete finishing in second posi on, meaning that Lizzie was declared county champion. Many, many congratula ons to her.

We would like to thank our representa ves and their parents for travelling to the venue and for giving up a considerable amount of their Saturday. We look forward to hearing of their future successes in the district athle cs league and championships, which are held on Tuesday 1 July at Hillingdon athle cs Stadium.

Mr Tebb Curriculum Leader, PE

Athle cs Track and Field Championships


SPORTS REPORT

Amy Wins Again

The Misborne’s very own “Shoo ng Star” Amy Easeman (9CBI) took the Friday before half‐ term off school in order to compete in The English Open at Sputhdown Shoo ng Ground.

We are delighted to report that Amy won the English Open Colts Ladies Compe on. This was an improvement on her performance last year, when she came third, and has put her in a good posi on to make the English team.

To thank the school for suppor ng Amy, her father Phil has donated one hours clay pigeon shoo ng tui on for four people during summer holidays 2014 to the MiZfest Auc on of Promises. The promise includes all gun hire, approximately 40 clays per person as well as cartridges. The tui on will take place at College Farm, Long Crendon, near Thame.

Mr Easeman has also persuaded Kevin Gray, the owner of College Farm, to offer The Misbourne a 25 % discount on all his prices through the summer holidays. This offer is exclusive to The Misbourne ‐ which should be men oned at the me of booking. For more informa on about College Farm visit: h p://www.thecollegefarm.co.uk/.

Billie‐Lisa Rhoades‐Smith (8DNO) is a keen footballer with a promising career in the sport, Billie‐Lisa has wri en a short report about her success so far:

“I started playing football when I was three and I joined a club run by Wycombe Wanderers. It was called Li le Wanderers. I joined Prestwood Colts when I was five and played there un l last June. In June 2013 I le Prestwood Colts when I did trials at the Oxford United Centre Of Excellence. I was successful and gained myself a year’s contract with the club.

I travel to Oxford two or, more o en, three mes a week. I have to go straight from school on training days so I can get there on me. Tuesday training is one hour 30 minutes long and Thursday training is two hours.

I have games either in Oxford, if they are home, or in places like Devon, Somerset, Portsmouth and many more des na ons when they are away games.

I am very happy that I was awarded a renewed contract so I have another year at Oxford.

My aim is to play for the Oxford United women’s first team. Oxford United has been successful in conver ng lots of their top players to the England Camps and Squad. Hopefully that could be me one day.”

Billie‐Lisa Rhoades‐Smith

One to Watch . . .

The Misbourne

Misbourne Drive Great Missenden Buckinghamshire HP16 0BN

Phone: 01494 862869 E‐mail: [email protected]

Mr Robert Preston BA, MEd (Oxon) Headteacher

www.misbourne.bucks.sch.uk

1 July ‐ Year 6 Transi on Day and Evening

2 July ‐ Year 9 Informa on Evening

2 July ‐ Year 12 Founda on Day

2 July ‐ PTA Mee ng

3 July ‐ Open Morning

3 July ‐ Year 6 Games

3 July ‐ Year 8 Informa on Evening

7 July ‐ New Year 13 Work Experience Week Begins

7 July ‐ Years 8 and 9 Visit to RAF Halton (Armed Services Day)

9 July ‐ Sports Day

11 July ‐ Last day of Year 13 Work Experience

16 July ‐ Back‐up Sports Day

17 July ‐ Year 8 Achievement Evening

17 July ‐ Sixth Form World Challenge Expedi on to Nepal departs

19 July ‐ The Great MiZfest

23 July ‐ Term Ends

14 August ‐ A Level Results Day

21 August ‐ GCSE Results Day

1 September ‐ INSET Day

2 September ‐ Students start new term

Forthcoming Events

Term Dates 2013 ‐ 2014 Open on the morning of: Unless otherwise no fied the school

will close at the end of the a ernoon of:

Summer Term 2014 Tuesday 3 June Wednesday 23 July

INSET DAYS Monday 2 June 2014

Term Dates 2014 ‐ 2015 Open on the morning of: Unless otherwise no fied the school

will close at the end of the a ernoon of:

Autumn Term 2013 Tuesday 2 September 2014 Monday 3 November 2014

Friday 24 October 2014 Friday 19 December 2014

Spring Term 2014 Monday 5 January 2015 Monday 23 February 2015

Friday 13 February 2015 Friday 27 March 2015

Summer Term 2014 Monday 13 April 2015 Tuesday 2 June 2015

Friday 22 May 2015 Friday 17 July 2015

INSET DAYS Monday 1 September 2014 Friday 26 September 2014 Friday 28 November 2014 Monday 1 June 2015 Monday 20 July 2015

Documents

Misbourne News · Misbourne News Dear Parents I ... by the team of Young Music ... unlikely that there will be suﬃcient to provide interac ve whiteboards, network cabling and