July 2010, Summer Newsletter
Dear Parents, Guardian and Carers,
I’m delighted to enclose the fourth newsletter of the year. It gets bigger every year – which is both a reflection of everything that is going on in school – and the extent of challenges and issues that education faces. I hope you find it interesting and helpful – parents do often refer to bits that they have read, so we press on in our efforts to involve and communicate with all our parents.
The first section celebrates events, successes and achievements since Easter, through some of the big events of the year; Special Week, the Normandy Expedition, Founder’s Day and our end-of-term service will happen in the very last weeks, and I’ll report on these in September. The second section of the newsletter is about developments for next term – what will be new and different (a new approach to homework; electronic reporting to parents; changes to the House systems; thinking about and seeking your views of Academy status). The third deals with the practicalities of the end of this term and the start of next; and the fourth concludes the newsletter by celebrating the contributions of staff who are moving on, and in particular three members of staff who are retiring this summer after a long and profound contribution to and impact on Blue Coat and the experience of young people here. I also include the terms and school holiday dates for next year, and details of school uniform, now available at Monkhouses, our suppliers (3-5, King Street, Oldham), for replacing/stocking up for next term!
Thank you for your continuing support, and in particular for the very positive and encouraging comments you included in the parental survey we carried out this year. Your feedback indicates that you consider the following to be the relative academic strengths of the school:
• Religious Studies
• Sociology and Politics
• PSHE
• Food Technology
all of which received ‘outstanding’ scores. Your feedback on the academic areas for improvement relative to the highest scoring subjects was that these departments you still considered good – just not quite the best! This is positive and helpful information for us as we focus on areas where we can improve.
You gave the following as the school’s relative strengths:
• Developing moral values
• School discipline
• Control of bullying
• Community spirit
• Exam results.
The relative weaknesses were:
• Computer access – which nevertheless received a ‘good’ judgement when our survey results are compared with other schools.
• Careers advice - which nevertheless received a ‘good’ judgement when our survey results are compared with other schools.
• School communication - which nevertheless received a ‘good’ judgement when our survey results are compared with other schools.
Overall feedback from parents about outcomes for young people in Being Healthy, Staying Safe, Enjoying and Achieving, Making a Positive Contribution and Economic Wellbeing was that you thought the work of the school was outstanding. Thank you for your confidence – it all helps us to redouble our efforts to try and make the provision even better!
Thank you to all those who bought a copy of the 175 Anniversary booklet. The History Department has raised £210 so far for Haiti – and there are still copies available! (Perfect reading for a summer evening!)
Sport – The Interhouse Competition has been the closest for years! Prior to Sports Day and interhouse athletics there were only four points difference between the front runners, Lord Mothersill and Birley Hall, with Rountree Wrigley close behind. On the day, Lord Mothersill edged ahead.
Congratulations to all competitors, to the PE department, and to the Heads of House who make this competition possible and enjoyable.
Boys’ sport¬ - Football - The football teams had a fantastic 09/10 season. The years 7’s have been the most successful team by reaching both the league and cup final and narrowly losing to an outstanding Failsworth team in both. The year 8’s had a great draw on the last day of the season to avoid relegation and stay in the premiership. The year 9’s had a very strong end of the season and reached the playoff semi finals, which bodes very well for 2010-11. The year 10’s also reached the playoff semi final and had an excellent cup run. The year 11’s had a difficult season but team spirit and individual performances were excellent.
In every year group there are several individuals representing town team and a couple of individuals even higher.
Rugby - In Oldham, rugby league has had a difficult season due to several schools withdrawing from competitions. However the Year 10’s reached the quarter finals of the Oldham Schools Cup. The year 11’s lost in the semi final and the Year 9’s were Oldham Champions for the second year running. Rugby will run better next year and more fixtures will take place.
Basketball - A difficult season for the basketball teams due to some tough league draws. However, every league game was played and in the Ball Hall Rallies the year 7’s and the year 9’s both came runners up.
Girls’ PE - Netball - The Year 7 squad has reached the Oldham Plate final, as did the Year 9 squad who unfortunately lost to Crompton House after a good match.
Swimming - We entered the ‘A’ league swimming gala in March. The Year 9, Year 10/11 and 6th form teams all finished 3rd overall, with the following individual results in the finals:
Robyn Wilcha 3rd Yr 7 breast
Jessica Willis 3rd Yr 8 fly
Emma Clark 1st Yr 9 back OLDHAM CHAMPION
Jessica Coburn-Wade 1st Yr 9 freestyle OLDHAM CHAMPION
Danielle Howe 3rd Yr 10/11 back
Hannah Thompson 2nd 6th form fly
Jenna King 2nd 6th form back
Lydia Hewitt-Lee 3rd 6th form freestyle
Athletics - In the Oldham Schools field championships, two pupils came 1st in their events, making them Oldham Champions:
Megan Gaunt (Yr 8) in the Javelin
Emma Peters (Yr 10) in the Long Jump.
Sophie Lomax (Yr 9) also gained a bronze in the long jump.
In the Oldham Schools track championships, the Yr 9 squad won overall, an immense achievement, with the Yr 8 girls finishing in 3rd. Notable individual achievements were:
Lucy Vernon 1st Yr 8 - 200m
Katie Zelem 1st Yr 9 - 1500m
Emma Peters 1st Yr 10 - 1500m
Sophie Lomax 2nd Yr 9 - 200m
Hannah Goddard 2nd Yr 9 - hurdles
Hannah Toal 3rd 3rd - 800m
Some of our track and field medalists were chosen to represent Oldham in the Greater Manchester Athletics Championships. Emma Peters won the 1500m at the competition and has the qualifying time to go to the National Finals.
Congratulations to Megan Gaunt who represented Team Oldham in Girls’ football at the Greater Manchester Champion’s Challenge 2010 – the team finished overall second.
Our gifted and talented pupils have also supported primary schools in their competitions as part of the Schools’ Sports Co-ordination Programme led by Mrs Davies-Capper, and 4 sixth-formers officiated at the Derker Games. Another benefit of this development programme has been the ability to bring in external coaches, which has led to the development of a very successful badminton club.
New development – AM-Mayhem! – This is a fitness club which over the year has had seven staff members and 22 students attending from across the school. They meet early on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and follows Swedish Fartlek training, which involves both sprinting and “active rest”. This term Team AM-Mayhem of 6 pupils alongside Mr Webb and Mr Westwood participated in their first ever fell race – the “Wharmton Dash” – one mile straight up and 1 mile back down Wharmton Hill just outside Uppermill. They won the team prize – congratulations! – and attracted the attention of a lot of clubs for the way they outperformed many experienced fell-runners.
Duke of Edinburgh Award – There are now over 100 students taking the Bronze Award supported by 10 staff and 8 gold students. Their ‘service’ activities have ranged from producing a video for the RSPB to working with local primary schools. Students have taken up Kayaking, windsurfing and sailing: 12 have passed their scuba-diving test and are now ready to take their open water qualification; 10 have done a cycling expedition, and many of our students are now lead climbers. Silver and Gold awards continue with 104 and 37 students taking part in each. The silver expedition to Matlock in Derbyshire will be the biggest ever run by Blue Coat and is also the biggest in the North West; the gold award students have returned from a very successful weekend practice expedition in the Yorkshire Dales and are now preparing for their week-long, wild-camping assessed expedition to Keswick in the final week of term.
Music - We had a very successful Easter Concert this year and excellent results for the ABRSM exams – 100% pass rate, 15% Distinctions, 50% Merits, 35% Pass. Congratulations to - Rebecca Maxwell, who has been accepted at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music for September, 2010, to Rowan Anderson who is a member of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain and Jonathan Beilby on his excellent achievement in Grade 7 Flute.
Drama – This was another action packed term for Drama and Theatre Studies. Year 12 spent a day at The Coliseum Theatre Oldham for their AS practical Examination. The two group performances were outstanding, and the monologues and duologues were meaty and of an excellent standard. Year 12 students went to the Royal Exchange Theatre to see A Comedy of Errors. Year 11 students participated in a Billy Liar Workshop led by Coliseum staff as part of their exam preparation.
Gifted and Talented students from Years 9-12 participated in 4 hours Physical Theatre workshops with the nationally acclaimed Frantic Assembly, an amazing experience for our students. On the following Saturday Blue Coat Drama Department hosted Teacher training for many of the drama staff in the borough, again with Frantic Assembly - this was a huge success.
Finally to end a successful year Students from year 7 and some Gifted and Talented Year 8’s and 9’s, put on their own version of Silent Movies for parents in a two-night spectacular.
Our Specialism: Developments in Science - This has been a very busy year for Science in Blue Coat School as we continue to provide opportunities for our students to experience Science in its broadest context.
Forensic Science is a real area of interest for young people, many of whom are considering entering this field as a career, so it was not surprising when our Year 8 Forensics trip was heavily oversubscribed. Thirty of our students donned their white coats at Manchester University, to explore the mystery of the body in the bog. Students listened attentively as they learned about the science of DNA fingerprinting. Since this is a complex area, the students had a lot of questions. The facilitators commented that they had rarely seen such interested and well-behaved young-people. The students then got their fingers wet by trying DNA fingerprinting for themselves. There was also time to have a good look around the University museum, which the students enjoyed immensely.
Our Year 12 Applied Science students spent a day at Robinsons Brewery as they explored the science behind making beer. This is always a very popular trip and this year’s was no exception. Blue Coat is one of the most successful schools in the country for Applied Science and extra-curricular opportunities such as this are part of this success.
Finally, as we round the year off, a group of our students will be attending a talk at Bolton School by the Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sir Harry Kroto. He discovered a novel form of carbon called Buckminsterfullerene, which has a potentially enormous range of application, from superconductors to novel drug-delivery systems. Hopefully, he will prove inspirational to our students, potentially inspiring a future Nobel Laureate.
One of the highlights of the year is our annual Science week which is always popular with the students (and staff). This year, we revisited a few old favourites as well as trying some new ideas. For us, one of the central purposes of Science week is to provide the students with life-long memories, showing them that science is about excitement. We started the week with our Ice-cream workshop, in which Year 9 students made ice-cream using liquid nitrogen. This is always a very popular event and this year was no exception. We also opened this to our Year 7 students and their parents in two after-school sessions. Again, student (and parent) enthusiasm ran very high indeed. We followed this with a whole day of science illusions for our Year 8 students. A guest speaker astounded everyone with a dazzling array of mind-bending experiments, including making a test tube (literally) invisible. Again, the students were talking about that for weeks after. Later on in the week, the Chemistry department ran a whole day of spectacular flash-bang demonstrations in the hall for every student. Oohs and aahs were set to maximum as fireballs and explosions filled the air (and Health and Safety was given its ultimate test!)
We rounded off the week with our old favourite, Rocket Day (in fact two days). Starting with a seemingly random array of old cardboard boxes and tubes, the odd bit of sellotape and plenty of imagination, our Year 7 students built their own rockets, which were then launched on Oldham Edge (much to the shock of our Year 11 boys who were taking part in cross-country at the time). Students love Rocket Day, as witnessed by our Year 9 students who asked if they could repeat the day that they took part in two years ago.
Science Club has had a successful year, focusing on electronics. The students are currently building miniature insect-robots which will sense light and move towards it. Although this may sound slightly bizarre, the students are developing the skills which will allow them to approach much more practical applications.
Our students are committed to their success in Science. This is evident in the very large numbers who attended revision classes during the holidays. Dr. Donnelly ran two full day sessions for the year 12 Biology students during the Easter holidays, with over thirty attending both days. Mrs. Harrison ran a morning session for Year 12 Chemistry for over 20 students and Mrs. Wood and Mr. Keane ran sessions for the Year 12 and 13 Physicists which were very well-attended. Mr. McGuinness has run twice-weekly lunchtime revision sessions for the Year 11 students throughout the last year. The numbers of students who attend these revision sessions is a testament to their commitment and will be reflected in their exam results.
Developments in maths
Achieving our best – Booster sessions on Saturday mornings were well attended by pupils who worked with staff on numbers, algebra, shape and handling data. We have also organised three days of training to help prepare students who are applying to Oxbridge or other prestigious universities to study mathematics or mathematical based degrees. The first, on Thursday 24th June was on Preparing for Mathematics at Oxbridge and led by Peter Mitchell, who has run similar events at Blue Coat for a number of years. This event, which focused on the preparation needed for such applications in terms of their UCAS application, interview preparation and Oxford examination papers and included mock interviews, was also attended by students and staff from Stockport Grammar, Manchester High School for Girls, Cardinal Newman College, Holy Cross (Bury), Oldham Sixth Form College, North Chadderton and Our Lady’s. We really are on the map now as a centre of excellence for mathematics, and it was very well received. The two follow up days will be held in the Autumn and Spring terms and will be concentrating on the STEP (Sixth Term Examination Papers) for Cambridge and Warwick Universities.
Laticszone is a trip for 80 of our year 7 and 8 pupils in sets 2 to 4 as a reward for consistently working to the best of their ability and includes 40 Year 6 pupils from our primary specialist partners, Buckstones and Mayfield. The aim is to make maths more exciting and hands on through a football theme, a maths treasure hunt around the stadium and interactive activities using ICT, which will be planned and led by the staff at Laticszone. Our maths department also led a maths challenge.
In Years 7 and 8, 49 students in total received a certificate for the Junior UKMT challenge. Congratulations to William Evans and James Pheasey in Year 8 and Chanteloise Akroyd and Voirrey Baker in Year 7 who received a Gold certificate. Special mention to Voirrey Baker who came 'best' in the Junior Challenge, and was only 2 marks away from qualifying in the Olympiad.
25 Year 9 and 10 pupils received a certificate for the Intermediate UKMT challenge. Well done to Elizabeth Leason and Kurtis Jones in Year 10 who came joint first, both receiving a Silver certificate, and to Emma Peters in Year 9 who also received a Silver certificate.
For the Senior UKMT challenge Lucy Drain, George Hulston, Andrew Madden, George Lund, Elizabeth Sloane, George Broadbent, and Jack Dyson all received a Bronze certificate, with Lucy Drain achieving the highest marks.
Club Activities - Model Flying Club runs every Tuesday lunchtime. We’ve had another successful term building and flying model aircraft. Congratulations go to our champion model flyer, Stephen Lynch, well done!
Engineering Scheme for KS3 and KS5 - Year 12 students completed their project working with ATi. Their task was looking at the best product for delivering water samples to be monitored for hazardous chemicals without getting blocked by solid materials. The 5 students gave a confident presentation to assessors made up of Engineers from other companies and received very positive feedback for this and also their report. Their findings have now been used by Severn Trent and Thames Water to be used with their sewage works and their success reported by the Oldham Chronicle.
This year we are also running the Engineering Scheme on a smaller scale with the year 9 students through Go4SET. This is a ten week project working with DCT Civil Engineering Ltd and investigating water efficiency within school. The project involves a company visit, a presentation at Liverpool University and writing a report of their findings. Cash prizes are available for the best reports and presentations. During this timescale, pupils are given a greater understanding of how companies work and look at relevant issues in today’s society.
Joint development – Maths and Science
G&T Summer School - This year the Science Department is joining the Maths department to run a joint Gifted & Talented summer school for years 6 to 8. Pupils from partner primary school will join Blue Coat students as they embark on a ‘Forensic Science & Crime’ themed week. They will extract and bottle their own DNA, learn to decipher codes to solve Maths logic puzzles and they will work on an Astronomy project – building their own solar system and investigating the scale of the solar system.
Languages and Art – A new development
On Friday 11th June, a group of 48 students from Year 10 and 12 went to Paris for the weekend. The trip was a joint French/Art project, and was a first for us as we travelled by Eurostar and then métro. The students did different activities according to what they study; here are two accounts from student perspectives.
Grace McAleer-Ryder, Year 10 French student:
On the first evening we visited Rue Mouffetard. It was an idyllic setting for a place to have dinner. I was surprised at the sheer range of restaurants, and how beautiful it was to sit outside and eat amongst the many local people and cobbled streets. The next morning we visited the Notre Dame; again, a really beautiful structure. Shortly after we visited the Pompidou centre which was lovely as we travelled all the way to the top, overlooking the Eiffel Tower and the rest of Paris. As lunch time approached we were given free time to wander around the local area and visit shops and have some lunch. We then went on a Cruise trip of the River Seine which was a wonderful opportunity to look upon Paris' many structures and best of all the world famous Eiffel Tower. Following this we had dinner and free time in Montmartre looking upon Paris from a high altitude like before. The next morning after a long but fantastic weekend we visited L'Arc De Triomphe and after that had a walk down the second widest boulevard in Europe, L' Avenue Des Champs-Élysées , where it was very pleasant to take a relaxed stroll amongst many designer stores.
I have found that my French communication skills have improved greatly, and listening to local Parisians also improved my listening skills. It has helped me to understand the culture of France as well. To gain good grades in a language it is key that you visit that country itself and gain a whole lot more knowledge even from a short weekend break. Overall this trip was extremely worthwhile, and I would recommend it to all.
Alice Murphy, Year 12 Art student:
Whilst in Paris we visited a number of art galleries. The first was the Pompidou centre which was an amazing opportunity for me as it allowed me to witness Lucian Freud’s work, which I have always taken an interest in, and which has greatly influenced me in planning my future projects in art. Our visit to the Musée d’Orsay allowed me to experience some of the world’s greatest art by artists such as Picasso and Monet. This museum in particular enabled me to explore the brush strokes, techniques and media of art work and what impression they give. This was in more traditional art, whereas the Pompidou centre focused more on modern and contemporary art.
I found the trip very useful as it has helped to give me inspiration to begin my second year of A-level with a fresh source of ideas and a clearer understanding of what level my work should achieve during my A2 course. Because Paris is such a beautiful city, full of culture and holds such artistic license, it is a perfect destination for an art trip such as the one we took. The architecture of the city is incredibly diverse and gave me particular ideas for a topic for my year 13 course, and I did some observation drawings at the site; the Notre Dame particularly interested me and has greatly influenced me in planning my current topic for my EPQ. In all I greatly appreciated the experience of the Paris trip and if it is an event that I can take part in in future then I will be first in line.
Languages and Media - During the first half of the Summer Term, one group in Year 8 followed a different scheme of work in French and German lessons. They helped to devise, plan, shoot and edit a 5 minute film as part of the Greater Manchester Film Festival. The whole film is in French and German, with English subtitles and will be available for all to see via Bloodle shortly.
Religious Studies - Miss Young’s debating club involving some very dedicated and intelligent Year 10’s continues every Friday discussing a range of current religious and ethical debates. A selection of year 9s were involved with Miss Hall in the making of a TV programme for Teachers TV about the Holocaust which can now be viewed online at www.teachers.tv/videos/timeline.
English - The term has seen the return of the Carnegie book shadowing. Our school librarian, Mr Protheroe, buys multiple copies of the shortlisted titles for the Carnegie children’s book award and the pupils read them, vote for their own winner and take part in on-line forums to discuss the merits of each text. This stimulates and encourages a love of reading, something we are always keen to develop.
The BCBC, Blue Coat Book Club, led by Mr Groves for staff and sixth formers has continued to meet this term, discussing novels by Dodie Smith and Salley Vickers. This has been a very enjoyable and successful venture, again encouraging a love of reading and it has been very interesting to hear people’s different views and opinions of the texts under discussion.
Stories are also very much a part of the department’s contribution to Special Week; Ms. Astbury has booked several sessions with a professional storyteller. His enchanting stories have captivated the pupils in the past and we are very much looking forward to working with him again this year.
Food Technology - On 20th and 21st July, Mrs Penn, Mr Kessell and Ms. Greer are taking 14 students to MMU for a Big Cook Little Cook Food Technology production event. This is a very exciting opportunity for our GCSE students that will help them enhance their practical skills and give them experience of working in a professional kitchen environment and serving paying customers.
Family members and/or friends of the students have been invited on 21st (at a small fee!) to enjoy the fruits of the students’ labours in the University Training Restaurant. The students involved will make a 3 course menu produced with the finest ingredients that will have a Brazilian Brasserie theme. It's the start of a summer school initiative from our links formed this year with MMU and should be a really special couple of days.
New development – Robot Club - At Robot Club, we take the Mindstorm NXT2.0 programming lego brick and some lego and build a robot. We program the robots using PCs and download the code into the brick. We then set the robots free to follow their programming. (You can see example videos on the Robot Club Course on Bloodle).
Robot Club is currently only available to KS3 pupils- we are hoping to extend this when we buy more robot kits. Robot Club is a great way to learn about programming and robotics, using the same equipment used by undergraduates.
Robot Club, a challenge. Come and have a go if you think you're smart enough!
Worship and Chaplaincy - During the Easter holidays, a group of year 7 and 8 students produced a radio show on a Manchester based Christian radio station “Refresh FM”. They provided listeners with entertainment, reflection and thought-provoking conversation, as well as playing some good music.
Students have enjoyed a range of assemblies from senior staff, visitors and other students on themes such as integrity, fear, courage, love and guilt. Form worship continues to use the model of circle time to explore the theme of the week in more detail, and form groups have been able to discuss faith related issues that are important to them.
New Generation, the school’s Christian Union continues to meet on a weekly basis. Students have enjoyed a variety of activities from games to bible studies, allowing them to explore the themes of the week in more depth. The Salt Cellar Youth Project run a drop in session on Monday lunchtimes called ‘Escape’ which continues to be well attended.
Plans have begun for the end of year celebration service to be held in Oldham Sports centre on the last day of term. We will worship as a whole school reflecting on the year gone by, and the year to come using the key verse for this year: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).
The Houses & Years
Birley Hall - Pupils from Birley Hall 7-9 enjoyed a fantastic day out at Alton Towers, conquering their fears on the new ride Thirteen and turning their stomachs on Air and Nemesis.
Clubs during social time continue to prove popular; our House Captains have handed over the reins of film club to a group of trusty Year 7’s, whilst Wii sports club entertains those with a competitive spirit. We’ve been delighted to see a range of excellent form assemblies, with pupils leading the worship of the entire House with humour, compassion and courage.
Well done BH7 who organised a fundraising event raising £35 by decorating eggs and selling homemade cakes.
Lord Mothersill House - Since the Easter holidays, Lord Mothersill KS3 students have held a 'Purple Day' on behalf of the Lavender Trust at Breast Cancer Care and in addition, a cake sale. We were very pleased with the result as over £300 was raised and we have now received a letter of thanks and a certificate of appreciation. Since 2002, Lord Mothersill House has raised nearly £7000 for this worthy cause.
Activities such as pool, Wii club and Film club have continued on the landing thanks to our House Captains Thomas Parsons and Jasmine Hall in Year 13 and Rob Smith and Thomas Hodgetts in Year 12. The House Captains have been outstanding in their willingness to support and guide our KS3 students, giving up their time for a homework support club and film club and leading 2 full house assemblies between them, and this was marked at a final assembly when they were presented with a silver salver engraved with thanks for their outstanding contribution to Lord Mothersill House and a voucher for them to spend.
On Saturday 10th July, 64 students will celebrate another successful school year at Lightwater Valley Theme Park accompanied by Mrs McNeill, Mr Hall, Mr Westwood, Miss Wallis, Mrs Dilkes and Mrs Wood.
Rountree Wrigley - Over the summer term, RW students have been discussing how they might make communal areas on the landing more attractive and so as part of a key stage art competition, the boys in particular have submitted some excellent pieces of graffiti art which could be used to liven up the toilets. The prize is to be shared by a Year 8 and a Year 11 student.
The RW After School study Group has now come to an end for this year and Mrs Darne has been proud of the efforts made by the students in Years 7, 8 and 9, involved in the project. Similarly I have been delighted by the commitment of KS4 students to share their subject expertise with younger students and feel sure that we have some excellent teachers in the making.
The last social event of the year will be the annual RW trip to Blackpool on the 10th July and we intend to take 60 plus students and 5 members of House staff to share in some end of year fun.
Year 10 - Four students attended the 'Fusion 2010' one week residential course over Easter fortnight and represented the school at this Oldham-wide initiative. Talia Burlison, Sian Montgomery, Sam Christie and Kristian Porter are now all 'Fusioneers' and have been invited to attend future meetings of the group, which discusses community cohesion and celebrates diversity. There are plans in Year 11 to use their experience during a whole year group 'Fusion' activity.
Approximately 120 students and a large number of pastoral staff attended the Year 10 social event at Werneth Cricket Club where they celebrated the end of Year 10 exams and looked forward to the following week's Work Experience placements; students attended a fascinating variety of workplaces.
Year 11 - Year 11 spent their last weeks in school working intensively to prepare for their GCSEs, finishing coursework, racing to complete syllabuses and planning revision. They responded magnificently, putting in many extra hours at lunchtime and after school. A big thank you must go out to all the staff who have supported them during their studies, and have willingly given up so much extra time to ensure the students reach their potential. It’s a real testimony to the school and its ethos, when there are regularly sixty Year 11 students (the vast majority of their own free will!) still here at 5.00pm most nights, putting in the work.
The leaving process at Blue Coat is always something special, and this year was no different. The students were exceptional and a real credit.
The Leavers’ Assembly was a heady mix of tears and laughter. A media presentation, put together by Chris Taylor took us on a photographic journey through their time together in Key Stage Four. Taylor Jankovic and Rachel Graham sang “The Climb” and very poignantly, Mr Gadsbey, who retires this year, read “the Charge”, lines that have been read to every leaving Blue Coat student since the school’s foundation.
The Leavers’ Ball was held at the Rochdale Town Hall and was a wonderful evening with the students again conducting themselves brilliantly. As usual, they arrived using modes of transport that ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous! They all looked stunning and danced the whole night entertained by a live band and DJ. Sixty staff attended, reinforcing the special relationship that exists at Blue Coat.
The Class of 2010 are a very special group of people and already the school seems a lot smaller, and also quieter!, without them. We have loved every minute working with them, and we wish them all the very best for the exams and beyond.
Sixth Form - Year 13 left after a funny and moving final assembly, and a wonderful and special ‘prom’ at The Midland Hotel, Manchester, attended by over 30 staff.
Year 12 are now back in school and have been hearing about exciting opportunities available to them. They can apply to complete the EPQ, be a Senior Student, go on the Lessons from Auschwitz project, attend university summer schools to name a few.
Year 12 are busy making an early start to UCAS applications in an attempt to beat the increasing competition for HE places. 10 students are taking part in a trip to Oxford and Cambridge University Open Days.
Practically all Year 12 students have organised a placement themselves for their work shadowing and are looking forward to this invaluable experience.
Congratulations to Ellie Horsfield, Jessica Hannington, Joshua Blake and Sean Neild who led a presentation on Philosophy for Children which they have been running in primary schools at a recent meeting of secondary headteachers, the police and community groups – they were very impressive and their commitment and enthusiasm has inspired many other schools to join the project.
Whole School – Buildings and Building Schools for the Future
Having commissioned our new boilers last autumn (and benefitted from a 10%+ reduction in heating costs despite one of the coldest winters we can remember), the big projects this year have been the submains. We also need to do extensive work to the roof of the main listed building and were disappointed that Oldham did not receive any of the LCVAP funding for capital projects in the Voluntary Aided schools. Using our own capital funding from the budget we will be repairing the rain water goods, replacing some of the upper-storey windows, and starting to install fire-breaks in the 176 year old roof space. These are financially challenging times.
Fingers are crossed across Oldham for Building Schools for the Future. The Council has announced its preferred bidder and is pressing on to achieve financial close before the Autumn Spending Review. The first wave of building will involve putting North Chadderton on one site, amalgamating the two Roman Catholic schools on the former Radclyffe site (thus freeing up the Our lady’s site for the new EACT Academy which will replace Grange School), and building the new OASIS Academy which brings together Kaskenmoor and South Chadderton schools. We are in the second wave, along with Crompton House and Hathershaw schools, and the completion of the Academies programme with the building of the Waterhead Academy which unites Counthill and Breeze Hill.
The Governing Body is following the process closely. All our schools need capital investment, but the political and economic context has shifted.
Friends of Blue Coat: Our grateful thanks to Friends of Blue Coat for all their efforts and support of the school. This year Friends have agreed to fund;
• The art commission to celebrate 175 years,
• An accelerated reading project for the Library,
• A new rosewood digital piano,
• Ten tents for D of E.
New/developments next year
Congratulations to our Senior Students 2010-11, appointed following application and panel interview. School leaders will be:
Head Boy Joshua Blake
Head Girl Mary Brock
Deputy Head Boy Robert Smith
Deputy Head Girl Ellie Horsfield
House Captains (BH)
Bilal Hussain
Charlotte Hamer
House Captains (LM) George Lund
Elizabeth Sloane
House Captains (RW) Joshua Blood
Lydia Hewitt-Lee
Senior Students; Lexi Barratt, Joshua Blake, Joshua Blood, Mary Brock, Charlotte Hamer, Jessica Hannington, Lydia Hewitt-Lee, Sophy Hitchen, Ellie Horsfield, Kathryn Hughes, Bilal Hussain, George Lund, Helen McGartland, Amy Morgan, Sean Neild, Cavan Simmonds, Elizabeth Sloane, Robert Smith, Jessica Stenhouse, Sophie Trueman, Daniel Wild and Katherine Wood.
Highly Commended; ; Gabriel Dixon, Charlotte Drew, Jack Dyson, Rachael Ellwood, Sophie Hall, Jennifer Harrison, Samantha Hawkins, Bethanie Henderson, Amy Hughes, Rebecca Kershaw, Jennifer Robinson, Tehmina Raza, James Taylor, Lucy Trewinnard, Lucy Tunn and Bradley Wolstenholme.
Houses and Years – Next year, pastoral care of students and oversight of their whole progress will be led by a Director of Learning for each year, who will work with form tutors and heads of department. The first point of contact for parents is the subject teacher or head of department if the concern/query is related to progress in a particular subject. For all other issues – attendance, welfare, general progress, the form tutor is the point of contact, and the Director of Learning may be involved in this.
Directors of Learning are as follows:
Year 7 Mr Brough Year 8 Mrs McNeill
Year 9 Mrs Darne Year 10 Mr Clewer
Year 11 Mr Groves Year 12 Mr Oakes
Year 13 Ms Elliott
We have moved to this arrangement after much thought and soul-searching. The main reason is that we believe it will help us to offer a better, more consistent and more focused quality of care and support to young people. It’s also an arrangement that students wanted, as the survey of pupils’ opinions last year demonstrated clearly. Another decisive factor was the impact of the Achievement for All pilot across Year 7 this year which focused on improving the school’s engagement with parents of children with particular learning needs. This, of necessity, cut across Houses, and would have been very difficult (and expensive) to organize on a House basis.
Nevertheless, Houses have been a key part of the experience of Blue Coat for many years, and we do not want to lose the benefits that vertical groupings can bring in a school – the sense of family and community and belonging, and the basis for healthy, friendly competition. So the Houses will stay in the names of the forms. Year 7 Getting To Know You will be organized in Houses. House Coordinators will work with heads of department to ensure that sport and other school competitions are based on the House arrangement. Houses will underpin the Christmas Fayre and will contribute to charitable activities and fundraising. Worship will, as at present, be organised through Years, Houses and the whole-school.
The aim is not to lose the House system, but to preserve and strengthen the benefits it brings to school, whilst clarifying and simplifying systems for pastoral care and progress.
Reporting to Parents
As of 2010, parents will be able to access information about their children’s progress electronically. Parents will receive a user name and password which will give them access to their child’s details and progress on the school’s Management Information System. You will be able to check quickly that your son/daughter is in school, the marks/grades they have received for the big pieces of work that are set and contribute to their overall levels, and whether any positive (or negative) comments have been made in the course of the day. Further details will follow in the new term.
Homework
Both parent and pupil questionnaires reflected our experience in school – that homework is inconsistent and needs a radical rethink. Curriculum and setting arrangements are so complex that the homework timetable for a year group was becoming a work worthy of entry for the Mann-Booker Prize. The net result was difficult for students to manage and very difficult for parents – and tutors – to monitor.
So there is to be a new approach, and a new homework diary to help pupils plan and parents monitor. When this arrives at the start of next term, please could you support your child’s learning by monitoring the homework set for each subject over the fortnightly timetable. If your child should receive an hour of Greek per fortnight, and no homework is recorded against Greek, something is wrong. Either it’s not being set (in which case please contact the teacher or Head of Department), or your child isn’t doing it (in which case contact the subject teacher or form tutor if it looks as if quite a bit of homework isn’t being properly recorded). (PS – Greek is one of the few subject that actually we don’t offer. I give it as a hypothetical example, purely so as not to have any of my heads of department pursuing me with a heavy object…).
Becoming an Academy?
One of the first acts of the coalition government was to invite all outstanding schools to be the first to convert to a new generation of Academies, and the Bill to enable this conversion is currently going through Parliament.
There are important differences between the existing Academies (Mark 1) and the new generation (Mark 2). Existing academies have typically replaced schools that were judged to be underachieving. They needed a sponsor, and many of the sponsors have come from outside education (though the Church of England also sponsors academies).
The new academy status is to be opened up to all schools – primary, secondary and special. In the first round it is being offered to “outstanding” secondaries and primaries, mainly to enable the Department for Education (DfE) to manage the process. New academies do not need an external sponsor. The decision is taken by the governing body which submits an Application to Convert. The process involves setting up a company limited by guarantee to be the Academy Trust, with Articles of Association and Objects which are the advancement of education. The members of the company are decided by the governing body, and it is the members, subsequently, who appoint the school’s governors. The actual composition of the governing body is a matter for agreement with the Secretary of State, but there is no reason to suppose this could not reflect the current composition of the governing body, with Trust members having a majority of one, and remaining members representing the different stakeholder groups – parents, staff, the diocese, the deaneries, the Local Authority.
Like existing academies, the new ones are legally independent schools which are funded directly by the DfE. This means that the element of the school’s budget which is currently top-sliced by the Local Authority will largely go directly to the school (‘largely’ because the LA continues to have functions which need to be funded). They are their own Admissions Authority, but as Voluntary Aided schools already have this power, this would not be change for Blue Coat. The Academy Trust is the employer of staff who would have to be TUPE’d, after proper consultation, to the new academy to ensure continuity of service. The National Curriculum is not compulsory in an Academy, and some of the Mark 1 academies have significantly altered the curriculum offer to improve standards. As a high-achieving school, that would not be the case here, and we would maintain our existing specialism in Science and Maths.
What is crucial for Blue Coat is that the Christian and specifically Anglican ethos of the school, which is so central to our identity, is maintained. The Bill states that existing characteristics such as faith designation are not altered by conversion to an academy. A linked concern is our relationship with the Henshaw Trust, which owns the land and the buildings and currently appoints the majority of governors to preserve the ethos of the school. Governors would need to ensure the continuation of that relationship and clarify that, should government policy ever change in the future, the land and buildings revert to the Trust. Many schools with an historical foundation (and also with the stewardship of listed buildings) are in the same situation as Blue Coat and are pressing hard for clarity on this. The Secretary of State is clear that ‘one size fits all’ is not the expectation, and that strong, successful schools will be able to use academy conversion to preserve and strengthen their identity – so we would still be “The Blue Coat School, Oldham.”
The implications for a school which is part of a BSF programme becoming an Academy – and the implications for the LA programme – are matters on which governors have sought clarification. Again, this is an issue which affects many schools. The response for the Academies Division indicates that this is legally manageable and not detrimental.
The governors’ main concern is our young people, and the staff who educate and care for them and provide the service that enable the school to run efficiently. Precisely because of that, the governing body’s view is that academy status is something that we must seriously consider. Academies are now all–party policy. There is a seismic change taking place; it began under Labour and is gathering pace under the coalition, now linked to a philosophy of smaller government and greater freedom, not just for schools that were struggling, but for schools that are strong. Governors are aware that this is the start of a new era, and that by exploring this option we are flexing with the times.
We also face a period of austerity; governors would not be fulfilling their responsibilities if they did not consider the financial issues which would arise from direct funding from the DfE. This is not a re-run of the Direct Grant, schools which received additional funds to lever them out of their Local Authorities; there are no additional funds – simply a portion of what is currently top-sliced, but it is significant. The other part of coalition policy is the pupil guarantee, which will mean that schools with a higher proportion of more disadvantaged children will receive additional funding.
Registering an interest in converting to Academy status was necessary to access the information. It is the first step in a complex process. Governors have contacted the Local Authority and the Diocese to ask their views and there will be a meeting shortly with the Henshaw Trust. I am informally consulting with staff, and inviting your views. The next stage – if we go there - would be making an application to convert, which would enable the school to access a grant which would help pay for the legal and financial advice we would need. The grant is not available however unless a school is serious about the process, negotiations and ultimately the level of responsibility required and demonstrates this by making an application to convert. It is a challenge.
Governors’ view is that we will not understand the full implications until we get into the detail and that detail itself will not be clear until the Bill is passed in July. To understand the implications of policy we would have to apply to convert and obtain legal advice. But before we make any decision about any steps, governors are inviting all our stakeholders to express views and any concerns they might have, so that we have a clear and comprehensive list of what we might need to resolve.
If you would like to express your views, please send these by post or e-mail, c/o, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by 9.00am on Tuesday, 13th July, marked “Academy Conversion – Parental Views”, so that we are clear that it is our parents who are responding. Please could you give the name of your son/daughter, their date of birth and their current form. I’m afraid that governors will not be able to respond unsigned/anonymous comments. We look forward to hearing from you.
END OF TERM ARRANGEMENTS
Wednesday, 14th July is Founder’s Day. Students need to arrive by 9.45am looking their smartest, ready for our walk together through Oldham. Please could all students wear white blouse/shirts on Founder’s Day. This is a half day holiday for students, who will be dismissed at 12.30pm. There will be no breakfast club on Founder’s Day. (Those children on Free School Meals will be provided with a packed lunch).
Thursday, 15th July will be an earlier dismissal at 2.30pm, to enable staff to pull together the threads of the term, particularly after Special Week. Special buses have been organised.
Friday, 16th July – last day of term. We will all be going to the Oldham Sports Centre for a final service of prayer and thanksgiving, as a community. Students will be dismissed at 1.30pm. School buses have been arranged.
NEXT TERM
School opens for all pupils on Tuesday, 7th September, 2010 at 8.45am, with the sole exception of Upper Sixth/Year 13 who will return on Wednesday, 8th September.
The term and holiday pattern can be found in the newsletter, a full calendar of events will be issued early in the new term, and will also be on the school website.
MOVING ON
This summer sees the retirement of three very long-serving members of staff – Assistant Headteacher Mr Gadsbey, (36 years service), Teacher of PE and Dance – Mrs Davies-Capper (37 years service) and Mr Garvey – Network Manager (11 years at Blue Coat in a working career of 47 years). We will also lose Mr Greenhalgh, teacher of RS and formerly Head of Birley Hall House, who was seconded to the Senior Leadership Team for 2009-2010, who leaves us after 8 years to become an Assistant Headteacher at Tottington High School and Mrs Cullen, Senior Technician in Science, who is leaving us after 11 years to become County Welfare Officer with Manchester F.A.
We also thank colleagues who have been with us for not quite such a length of time, but who have contributed fully and generously to young people’s education and the wider work of the school:
Mr Hamer (Science)
Mrs Cockburn (Geography)
Mr Westwood (Music)
Ms. Bromwich (Music)
Ms. Marr (English and MFL)
Ms. Norbury (Learning Manager)
Mrs Hibbert (Senior HLTA)
Ms. Beaty (Teaching Assistant)
Welcome to Miss Greer, who has joined our Learning Mentor Team and Mr Loveridge, our new Assistant Network Manager.
Congratulations to Mrs Anderson, who has been appointed to the permanent post of Assistant Headteacher, and to Mrs Devine (2i/c Social Science), Miss Sunderland (Director of Learning for PSHE), Miss Pollitt (Director of Learning for Citizenship), Miss Woodcock (2i/c Art) and Ms. Young (2i/c RS).
Mr Gadsbey, Mrs Davies-Capper and Mr Garvey have all, in very different ways, had a major impact on school, both on what we can offer for young people, and on the support for staff. Mr Gadsbey, an inspirational Head of House, went on as Assistant Headteacher to completely (and very successfully as our recent independent audit shows) revitalise and reorganise careers and enterprise education. His championing of vocational education has opened up opportunities for students in College and in more vocationally oriented provision in school which has transformed the experience of many students. And his performances in the school pantomime – indeed, in any social gathering – are the stuff of legend. He is irreplaceable.
Mrs Davies-Capper, formally Head of Girls’ PE, and for a period Head of PE, has latterly been our School Sports Coordinator, developing on behalf of Blue Coat and Oldham a new and exciting provision for children in local primaries – and giving our students the opportunities in leadership that this opened up. Her work has enabled us to bring other sports and coaches into school, which has created different opportunities for our young people. She will be missed not just by her many colleagues and friends at Blue Coat, but across our family of primary schools and the town.
Mr Garvey came as a technology technician, and was drawn into the development of our ICT network. It is hard to remember what it was like in 2000; now we expect ICT to work like electricity and water – we are as bereft if it does not! The amazing thing is that here our system very rarely lets us down – and if it ever does, Mr Garvey and Mr Hawes work through the night to get it running again. Not only has Mr Garvey’s work helped transform the school – in the training and support he has given to staff (some of whom were not children of the digital revolution) he has helped transform people, skills and confidence. His emphasis on the school’s priority – the students – has been a model to all. He too will be sorely missed.
Finally, thank you again for making it so far! Thank you for your continuing support, and the trust and confidence you show in our work. Together, we really do build the future, in faith, with vision, through nurture and above all, with hope.
We hope you have some happy and relaxing family time in the coming weeks – and look forward to September!
Yours sincerely,
Julie Hollis
Headteacher
