newsletter
Nov 2002
Dear Parents,
With the first half term recently behind us, I feel that now is a good time to write to you and inform you of the latest developments in our school. We are now the proud owners of new and improved Drama and Music facilities, a new sports complex, an outdoor multi-use sports area, a new library area, a new independent work area for sixth form study and brand new canteen facilities (including a cashless system). These are truly things to be proud of.
However, I have spoken to staff and students in this school and highlighted the importance of the activities that go on inside our brand new buildings. From my brief time here at Rhiwabon I can tell that our school is far more than a building.
During my first few weeks in post I have made every effort to be out and about in school, meeting staff and students and have been impressed with the learning atmosphere and ethos which exists in all of the classes which I have visited. I have also observed several staff teaching and have not yet failed to be impressed by the quality of input that your son or daughter is receiving within our classrooms.
As part of one of our school goals of community outreach, I have also made several visits to neighbours in our local community to introduce myself and talk about the school. In a similar vein I have also visited several local primary schools to meet with Headteachers and talk to Year 6 students about the prospect of joining us in September.
By the time you read this newsletter, you should have received a copy of a letter distributed to pupils that I have received from Martin Jones the MP for Clwyd South to do with Child Tax Credits. My impression is that it would be useful for you to find the time to read this and to see if your family would qualify for the support as outlined. There is a phone number at the foot of the letter for you to contact should you need any further clarification.
New School Canteen
As I am sure your son or daughter will have told you already our canteen is now cashless. This means that the swipe cards now in the possession of all our students can be used on a daily basis, either at break or at lunchtime to order food. The system is working well at the moment but obviously relies upon our students bringing in the cards every day!
Here at school we believe that the system encourages greater self-responsibility and it also appears to have been well received. I have attached a specimen menu and pricelist to the back of this newsletter.
Should you wish to receive any further information on our cashless system, please contact Vanessa Heritage Smith at Wrexham Schools Meals Service on 01978 297491.
Peter Shaw
Headteacher
Twifu Mampong is in Central Region, Ghana. It is a remote rural area where the supply of electricity comes and goes, no newspapers are available, and the population is made up of farmers growing crops such as maize, plantain, cocoa, palm fruit, cassava and bananas. It is a poor area. Whilst people have food, there is little money. Because of this, the school fees at Happy Field School are about £3.50 per term, rather than the £20 recommended by the government. These fees cover the low wages of the teachers and basic equipment such as chalk and blackboards. Children pay for their own equipment and there are no teaching or learning resources, like books. Paper is in short supply. Many children are kept at home to work rather than be educated. The 230 pupils are taught by 5 teachers and currently there are two volunteers at the school, one from the UK and one from the US, both of whom are there for just a term.
In Twifu Mampong, it rains every afternoon at the moment, this means that, as the roof is not waterproof, nothing can be left in the school. Children must carry the small amount of equipment, on their heads, from the Headmaster’s house each morning. Other basic problems include the lack of a large cooking pot to enable all food to be cooked at once!
The school is very grateful for Ysgol Rhiwabon’s financial help: our money goes a long way in Ghana. So we will be able to provide a waterproof store to allow children to leave equipment in the school overnight, doors will be provided for the buildings to allow security, privacy and a better learning environment. The school would like to have some basic training books for the teachers and educational materials for the pupils
In fact, our efforts raised more than the school had hoped for, the £307 we have sent will provide more than the list above. How will we know that the money is well spent? Well, we have a contact with one of the volunteers, my son, and he will oversee the work. He will send some photos and we should have some communication with the children in the school. It will be nice to know that all of our money has gone directly to a needy cause. Below are excerpts from a letter from the Headmaster.
‘We are very grateful to you for your financial aid. May God richly bless you, because not all people have such wonderful generosity……
Not alone will the children benefit, also the entire community and the country…..’
Jonas Asante Tusume
(Headmaster)
If any of our sixth form are interested in volunteering at Happy Field School, as part of a gap year perhaps, see me, I can help with arrangements. Many organisations charge big fees to organise placements. Direct volunteering would avoid these costs.
Mark Leather
Assistant Headteacher
Year 8 had a spectacular start to Science in September with a visit from Techniquest's Starlab. Starlab is a portable planetarium and, once inside, pupils enjoyed a trip around our Solar System and were treated to an early night as the lights went down and the stars came out!
Part of the show enabled us to see a speeded – up version of how the constellations appear to move across the sky at night. It was altogether an unforgettable experience which we are grateful to Wales Science Year for funding.
Claire Dillamore
Acting Head of Science
During the school's Numeracy Week (4th – 8th November) a numberof activities took place.
On Monday and Tuesday, Paul Godding, a numeracy consultant, involved pupils from the junior schools and our own Year 7 in mathematical games and puzzles. The sessions were interesting and enjoyed by everyone.
During morning registration countdown competitions with cash prizes were enteredinto enthusiastically by pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9.
We are grateful to Hafod and Dee Valley Lions Club for their sponsorship.
Departments across the school highlighted the importance of numeracy during the week.
Julie Griffiths
Head of Mathematics
The General Teaching Council for Wales has awarded £500 to our Sociology Department.
We hope the funds will give a boost to our hardworking students and give us an excellent start to the new academic year (from whatever perspective – positivist or interpretivist).
Anna Aylward
Teacher of Sociology
The new sports complex is now being used fully during school time. It has proved a major benefit to the delivery of the PE programme. The facilities include new sports hall, new aerobics studio/seminar room, new changing rooms and a floodlit outdoor playing area. The improved facilities have also meant an increase in extra curricular activities offered.
There is, of course, an afterschool bus which runs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from school at a later time than normal which will enable your son or daughter to stay to take part in an activity and then still return home safely. This bus is designed for the use of all students attending extra curricular activities and not just those taking part in sport.
Clubs currently taking place include all age groups and cover the following sports: netball; football; gymnastics; rugby; badminton and volley ball.
Further details are available from the PE Department.
A Curriculum Development Centre for Physical Education has recently been established at Ysgol Rhiwabon. This is an initiative funded by the Sports Council for Wales and is designed to improve sporting participation and opportunities. We are currently working closely with local primary schools, sports development officers and leisure services in an attempt to maximise provision for young people in the area.
Our football teams have started the season very successfully and Years 7, 8 and 10 remain unbeaten at the time of writing. Recent games have been against Grango, Bryn Offa and the Groves.
Several boys have been selected to represent the area teams.
Recent matches have been played against St Josephs and Penley. Lucy Jones, Year 11, has been selected to train with the Welsh Netball Future Players Initiative. This could lead to a Welsh trial. We wish Lucy well and will monitor her progress carefully.
Lucy Jones, Kylie Jones and Beth Pritchard have been selected to represent the area. Lucy and Kylie have been selected for the North East Wales Squad.
Ted Partridge
Head of PE
Wayne Greenshields, 13LL, has been nominated for the Lions Club International Youth Award by the Hafod and Dee Valley Lions. The award is given to somebody working in the community to benefit others.
Three representatives of the Club, Mr Graham Jones, Mr Keith Samuels and Mr Wyn Tunnah, visited Ysgol Rhiwabon recently to meet Wayne.He has been nominated because of his work for charity.
Wayne has raised funds by staging a teachers v students football match, as well as other events in his local area. If Wayne is successful in the first round he will win cash from the Lions Club and be put forward to the next round of the competition.
Ros Dean
Talking Newspaper Co-ordinator
Year 11 pupil, Paul Roberts, is riding high through his achievements in motorcross.
Paul Roberts, from Cefn Mawr, has been so successful in competitions for his own age group that he has been upgraded from Inter Juniors to Juniors ahead of his age.
Paul has been interested in motorcross since the age of seven but has been racing for just six months. In ten races he has won three trophies and been in the top six every time. He rides a Yamaha 125cc which he bought locally and maintains himself with spare parts from specialists 'No Limits' of Rhos.
At the moment Paul has no specific aims other than to enjoy himself and compete in more events.
John Hotchkiss
Assistant Headteacher
Over the past month the A/AS Level Geography class has been visiting the Afon Eitha river that runs not too far away from the school. The group was collecting information for a case study that we needed to complete. This of course meant that some pupils had to get into the freezing cold water! But for some reason there seemed to be a shortage of volunteers. Eventually John Jones, Chris Jones, Nia Roberts (at a push) and John Barclay stepped forward, foolishly.
The first trip to the river was a bit of a failure, the flow meter broke and the water level was very low, however both the second and third visits to the river were a lot more "entertaining". The river level was high, extremely fast and very cold for our volunteers to venture into. Nia, despite repeated warnings of a slippery bank still managed to slide with her usual grace under the murky depths up to her chin. John Barclay after several "glorious" attempts of trying to exit, finally did so in an appropriate manner by breaking off a branch of a nearby tree and hopping across onto the bank. Chris while measuring the depth of the water did so using his body as a yardstick, luckily escaping with his hairstyle intact. Even Mrs Cahill managed to get her feet wet, though not as much as her volunteers we noted! Overall it was a fun and valuable experience which helped us in our study of a local drainage basin.
Christopher Jones
12JG
On November 13 – 15th, forty eight pupils from Years 7 - 9 entertained audiences at the Stiwt Theatre Rhos with three outstanding performances of the gangster musical "Bugsy Malone" by Alan Parker and Paul Williams. The talented performances of all pupils were well received each night by audiences clapping and cheering for more.
Congratulations to all cast members who gave of their time daily after school and during half term, and to all behind the scenes who made this show a success. Well done everybody!
Trinity College – London
Congratulations to Ceri Jones, Year 11, who passed her Grade 4 clarinet exam during the Summer term. Ceri receives extra tuition from the County Peripatetic Music Service and had been working hard preparing for the exam with Mr Dave Thomas, our woodwind tutor.
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
The following pupils took their exams on 4th July and all passed successfully:Jessica Davies and Anna Chung, Year 9 – violinHoward Jones, Year 10 – Eb BassMatthew Taylor, Year 8 – cornet.
Next term will see the long awaited start of Keyboard Club, to be held after school on Tuesdays until 4.00 pm. Those pupils who have keyboards at home or are expecting one from Santa are welcome.
Please join up in the New Year.This term has seen the start of Year 7 Drama Club led by members of the sixth form theatre studies group. If you haven’t joined, don’t worry, there is still time. Drama club is held on Wednesdays at 12.35 pm in the Drama Studio.Attention to all pupils who would like to get involved in our annual Carol Service at St Mary’s Church on the 18th December. Auditions will be held soon for the choir and small acting roles. Our performance this year will include extracts from the musical play "A New Star" by Gareth Glyn. For further details please see Mrs Parry or Miss Davies.
This term we have visited Theatre Clwyd to see a fabulous production of 'Silas Marner;' The Gateway Theatre, Chester to see a not so fabulous 'All that Loving Stuff' (hey, that’s theatre!), and a great performance of 'Be My Baby.' Thank you to Mrs Jones and Mrs Beaton for driving the minibus.
I started playing the cornet when I came to Rhiwabon a year last September. I have a lesson weekly with Mr Atherton who is a really great teacher. When he asked me if I wanted to try my grade 2 cornet exam, I was a little worried because of the work I had to do and that I would have to play in front of a stranger. For the exam, I had to prepare three pieces, my favourite was "Tuxedo Junction" because it's a jazz piece, I also had to practise scales and arpeggios and complete some aural tests.The exam was held in Wrexham. I was very nervous at first but was made to feel at ease because the examiner was very friendly and helpful. I think I did quite well on most things. I am glad that I did the exam because it has given me something to aim for and helped me improve my standard of playing.
Matthew Taylor, Year 8
Ann Parry,
Head of Expressive Arts
We are pleased to inform you that the new library facility at Ysgol Rhiwabon is nearing completion.The architects and builders have created a large and bright space which is furnished to a high standard, providing a modern and comfortable environment for pupils and staff.
We have been very fortunate to receive generous funding from the Kathleen Davies Trust which has enabled us to improve greatly the book stock, as well as other library based resources. We now have an enviable supply of new fiction and non-fiction which will help our pupils in their search for books needed to further their studies.
The new library will also provide increased I.T. facilities for pupils to use in their own time outside lessons such as at breaktime, lunchtime and after school on specified days. Ysgol Rhiwabon pupils will have the opportunity to complete homework, carry out research tasks related to areas of study or read with concentration in pleasant surroundings.
We are very fortunate to have the support of Mrs N Richards, our new Library Assistant, who was appointed at the start of term. Mrs Richards has a wealth of experience having worked in Wrexham's public library for 16 years. She is looking forward to helping pupils and staff make the most of this wonderful new facility.
As well as the purpose built library, we have a new adjoining study area for the sole use of sixth form students. With their own I.T. facilities and plenty of room for private study, our older students will be able to consolidate their study by working in this wonderful environment. Time tabled private study sessions will take place here with a register of attendance being kept by the library assistant.
Another new exciting development is the installation of a state of the art book keeping and security system for the library. All library books and resources have been processed by the Eclipse computer system with all details being available at the press of a button. Staff and pupils at Ysgol Rhiwabon will have the pattern of their right index finger registered by the system which will allow for instant recognition. The benefits of this sophisticated computer system are too numerous to mention here. The system is currently being used by a number of schools in the area. It has been passed by the Data Protection Authority and the information retained can in no way be used for any other purpose.
The new library will provide all who use it with a peaceful and relaxing environment in which they can concentrate and work without distraction. High standards of behaviour will be expected at all times and the need for a courteous approach towards other library users will be of paramount importance.
We ask that pupils remain patient for a short while longer while we complete the final arrangements. We can promise it will certainly be worth the wait!
Lynn Lloyd
Head of English
Please find below a copy of the normal items offered in our canteen plus a price list.
Could I take this opportunity to remind you that cheques are still accepted for the cashless system and are a very convenient, easy and safe way to pay. Should you require any further information with regard to our cashless system, please contact Vanessa Heritage Smith at Wrexham Schools Meals Service on 297491.
There are currently job vacancies available for relief catering staff in all of the Wrexham area. If you are interested, please contact Jane in the first instance, on 297486.