ISSUE 5 OCTOBER 2007

Tupton Hall School, Old Tupton, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S42 6LG Tel: 01246 863127 email: info@tuptonhall.derbyshire.sch.uk www.tuptonhall.derbyshire.sch.ukdesign & print • www.pickardcommunication.co.uk

MentorMatch?Have you ever felt that you coulddo something to help a youngperson make the most ofthemselves and their future? Thenthis could be for you. Become amentor!The Derbyshire Education BusinessPartnership works with local businesses toprovide a mentoring service for youngpeople aged 14-16. Mentors arematched up to youngsters in one of theparticipating schools in the Chesterfieldarea.THS jointly runs the mentoring schemewith DEBP providing some pupils in KS4with an adult mentor to offer help andsupport, during their GCSE years.At THS, we aim to match mentors andstudents during Years 10 and 11.Students are referred by their Head ofYear. Such students often lack confidenceand with support could raise their self-esteem and also do better in their exams.Students find this support invaluable.Mentors and students generally meet foran hour, once a fortnight, during schooltime. This provides an opportunity to chatand build a relationship based on mutualtrust and respect. Mentors find the relationship rewardingand are supported via regular contactwith the school co-ordinator SandraWood, and Mentor Support Meetings. The end of this valuable contribution seesmentors joining in a celebrationevent.This has involved a day trip toLondon, an activity centre and a sessionof ten-pin bowling.So, do you think mentoring is for you? Ifso, please contact Sandra Wood at THSon 01246 863127.

Three Year 10 students participated in anational enterprise competition inconjunction with the National Academy forGifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY). Thisculminated in the ‘Dragons’ Den’ finale atAston Conference Centre on Saturday 14thJuly 2007. The pupils, Adam Baxter, Natalie Kearneyand Robert Clay were given the opportunityto take part in a 10-week business projectcalled The Big Deal. The students were setthe task to work in teams to come up withan original idea that could be implementedon a £500-5000 budget, devise a detailedbusiness plan and prepare a pitch topresent to business tycoons in the Dragons’Den. The teams were allocated business mentorsfrom a range of companies with whom theycould communicate via ‘blogs’ on a securewebsite managed by the educational charity‘The Brightside Trust’.

Over the course of the ten-weeks, the students faced many problems including achange of mentor and a series of modular exams. This, however, did not deterthe team because they were competing for a trip to New York. The team came up with a plan to turned £5000 into £1 million in a year. Theiridea was centred around affordable, prefabricated apartment blocks that wouldhelp first time buyers get their feet on the property ladder. Led by Adam Baxterthe pupils designed a website for their company, organised the building of aprototype model and drafted a business plan and detailed budget. On 14th July, along with 21 other teams, they had to pitch their idea to a panelof judges. Natalie, Robert and Adam gave a comprehensive talk which explainedthe complex budget and the mission statement of the company and gave anevaluation of what they had learnt from the project. They had to think swiftly ontheir feet to answer some grilling questions! Four teams with a mark over 70 were chosen to present in front of the wholeassembly. Our team came fifth with exactly 70 points. So near and yet so far!One of the judges Professor Hooley (Professor of Marketing and Pro-ViceChancellor at Aston Business School and President of the European MarketingAcademy) explained that with additional support from their business e-mentorthey would have easily been in the final four. He was impressed by the timelinessof the idea and advised the pupils to write toGordan Brown PM. The pupils thoroughlyenjoyed the day and made friends with pupilsfrom other schools with whom they havedecided to keep in touch – a priceless prize.

European YouthOrchestraTwo of our VI Form Music students JoannaRynott and Luke Wilkinson were chosen torepresent Derbyshire and perform in a 12day concert tour of Germany and Turkey inAugust. Joanna is the principal violinist at theschool and Luke was our main bass playerfor many years before going to the Universityof East Anglia to study Chemistry. We arevery proud of their accomplishments. LukeWilkinson and Joanna Rynott VI form 2007-8.Luke and Joanna are two of the best musicians in school, in fact in Derbyshire.

National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth

Luke and Joanna on tour with theEuropean Youth Orchestra.

One of our VI form students Robyn Goulding has been awarded the prestigious North East Derbyshire Young Leader of the Year Award. Robyn has been heavily involved in coaching and developing sports for N.E.D and has completed over 100 hours of voluntary work for the Sports Academy.

In October, Robyn will also be one of five Young Leaders visiting Aguda Senior Grammar School in Lagos, Nigeria accompanied by two members of our PE staff. They are presently busy fund raising for the visit. Robyn says, ‘We are all looking forward to working with the students and staff at Aguda on various sports projects.

We cannot wait to make a difference!’

Through school Robyn also took part in the World Challenge expedition to South Africa. Robyn says ‘ I don’t think anyone of us can adequately describe our

experience, so here are a few of the words wecame up with – amazing, beautiful,

breathtaking, heart-warming,

flabbergasting, excellent and

wonderful.’

2007 Examinationresults

A Levels - 97% pass rate Average Points Score - 256

GCSEs - 53% 5A* - C grades94% 5A* - G gradesAverage Points Score - 350+

SATs - % at Level 5 or above4 English - 80%4 Maths - 76.5%4 Science - 74%4 ICT - 82.5%

GCSE Presentation Evening Thursday 8th November

A Level PrizegivingThursday 20th December

Well done to all of our students

Big Deal Competitors – Natalie Kearney,Adam Baxter, Robert Clay (Year 10)

Images from our World Challenge

Expedition toSouth Africa

The BIG DEAL

Young Leader of the Year

Music for theSmiles FoundationIn July 2007 the Music department held a summer concertin aid of The Smiles Foundation.

This charity focuses on developing a stable living environment for thehomeless and poor orphans in Romania. The underlying themes of theconcert were poverty and hope and they were performed though musicensembles and short drama recitals. We raised £650 for the charity andthis was gratefully received by the local ‘Smiles Ambassador’ who toldthe audience about the Foundation’s work. The funds raised supported amission to Romania over the summer holiday.

In October we are hosting a group of visiting artists from Romania whoare linked with the Smiles Foundation. They will perform a folk musicconcert to an audience of our students.

INSIDE: Drama • Rainbows • Enrichment Activities • The Big Deal

Drama Club

The summer term is usually the timewhen Drama club puts on its annualperformance. This year however ithas had to be postponed untilSeptember. Students have beenworking hard on severalperformances all based around aschool theme. The performances areall abridged versions of somepopular plays that you might know,‘Sparkleshark’, ‘Adrian Mole’,‘Teechers’ and ‘Billy Smiff’. Makesure you keep a lookout for theposters advertising the performanceat the start of Autumn term andcome along!

Enrichment daysIn July, during Tupton Hall’s enrichment week, 26 studentsfrom years 10, 11 and 12 spent 5 days in Barcelona. Thegroup, led by Mr Leach, Miss Chadwick and Miss Escasanystayed in a hotel in central Barcelona just 1 minute from thefamous Ramblas. Highlights of the trip included the ‘SagradaFamilia’, the zoo, a cable car ride up to the castle, the NouCamp, home of FC Barcelona and the Gothic Cathedralwhich has white geese living inside it! We also had plenty oftime for some designer shopping, an afternoon by theOlympic pool, and a couple of visits to the beach, whichwere very welcome in the Spanish summer sun.Everyone had a fantastic time and several students havealready asked to be included in next year’s trip. We teacherswere so impressed by how well everyone mixed together andhow much students threw themselves into Barcelona life. Itwas a pleasure to lead the trip. J Leach

For three days in the last week of the summerterm normal lessons were suspended

and gave way to a variety of activities for thewhole school.

This year there were foreign visits toBarcelona, see article above, Berlin and Paris.

There were also several outdoor pursuitsincluding wind surfing, canoeing and

mountain boarding, see pictures below. More sedate activities included fishing, flower

making and Tie die workshops. The vastmajority of the students respond positively and

it’s a great way to end the term.

Flower arranging Fishing

Canoeing

WindsurfingMountain Boarding

Gifted and TalentedSummer school

The Drama department ran a gifted and talentedsummer school for Year 8 students. An actor came intoschool for two days to work with students on devisingskills. At the end of the two days, the students producedtheir own devised performance. Everyone involvedagreed that it was a fantastic two days!

d Christmas Show dPreparations are under way for the 2007Christmas show. The performance will be ashowcase of our finest singing, acting anddancing talents. Performance dates are 5th, 6th and 7thDecember and everyone is invited to comealong.

CHILDREN’S SATISFACTION WITH THE RAINBOW PEER SUPPORT GROUP:I learned new ways to solve problemsI made new friends in Rainbows Being in Rainbows helped me to better understand my feelings I feel less alone than I did before Rainbows

People in my group cared about my feelings and me.My Rainbows group was a safe place to talk about my feelingsI would recommend Rainbows to other childrenI would participate in Rainbows again

Our Rainbows peer support group has been running throughout the year and has helped a number ofstudents cope with their loss.We had our first Celebrate Me Day in June. The group members worked together making bread andproducing their own lunch. During the afternoon the group wrote personalised messages on cards, whichwere then attached to helium balloons. These were then released on the school field. The pupils experienceda variety of emotions and all felt a great sense of calm. The group felt that they had dealt with their grief andhad a warm uplifting feeling when they watched the balloons go.The group members were then presented children with their own Thermo chromic Rainbow mug.

DramaDrama

RAINBOWS peer support group

ISSUE 5 OCTOBER 2007

Tupton Hall School, Old Tupton, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S42 6LG Tel: 01246 863127 email: info@tuptonhall.derbyshire.sch.uk www.tuptonhall.derbyshire.sch.ukdesign & print • www.pickardcommunication.co.uk

MentorMatch?Have you ever felt that you coulddo something to help a youngperson make the most ofthemselves and their future? Thenthis could be for you. Become amentor!The Derbyshire Education BusinessPartnership works with local businesses toprovide a mentoring service for youngpeople aged 14-16. Mentors arematched up to youngsters in one of theparticipating schools in the Chesterfieldarea.THS jointly runs the mentoring schemewith DEBP providing some pupils in KS4with an adult mentor to offer help andsupport, during their GCSE years.At THS, we aim to match mentors andstudents during Years 10 and 11.Students are referred by their Head ofYear. Such students often lack confidenceand with support could raise their self-esteem and also do better in their exams.Students find this support invaluable.Mentors and students generally meet foran hour, once a fortnight, during schooltime. This provides an opportunity to chatand build a relationship based on mutualtrust and respect. Mentors find the relationship rewardingand are supported via regular contactwith the school co-ordinator SandraWood, and Mentor Support Meetings. The end of this valuable contribution seesmentors joining in a celebrationevent.This has involved a day trip toLondon, an activity centre and a sessionof ten-pin bowling.So, do you think mentoring is for you? Ifso, please contact Sandra Wood at THSon 01246 863127.

Three Year 10 students participated in anational enterprise competition inconjunction with the National Academy forGifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY). Thisculminated in the ‘Dragons’ Den’ finale atAston Conference Centre on Saturday 14thJuly 2007. The pupils, Adam Baxter, Natalie Kearneyand Robert Clay were given the opportunityto take part in a 10-week business projectcalled The Big Deal. The students were setthe task to work in teams to come up withan original idea that could be implementedon a £500-5000 budget, devise a detailedbusiness plan and prepare a pitch topresent to business tycoons in the Dragons’Den. The teams were allocated business mentorsfrom a range of companies with whom theycould communicate via ‘blogs’ on a securewebsite managed by the educational charity‘The Brightside Trust’.

Over the course of the ten-weeks, the students faced many problems including achange of mentor and a series of modular exams. This, however, did not deterthe team because they were competing for a trip to New York. The team came up with a plan to turned £5000 into £1 million in a year. Theiridea was centred around affordable, prefabricated apartment blocks that wouldhelp first time buyers get their feet on the property ladder. Led by Adam Baxterthe pupils designed a website for their company, organised the building of aprototype model and drafted a business plan and detailed budget. On 14th July, along with 21 other teams, they had to pitch their idea to a panelof judges. Natalie, Robert and Adam gave a comprehensive talk which explainedthe complex budget and the mission statement of the company and gave anevaluation of what they had learnt from the project. They had to think swiftly ontheir feet to answer some grilling questions! Four teams with a mark over 70 were chosen to present in front of the wholeassembly. Our team came fifth with exactly 70 points. So near and yet so far!One of the judges Professor Hooley (Professor of Marketing and Pro-ViceChancellor at Aston Business School and President of the European MarketingAcademy) explained that with additional support from their business e-mentorthey would have easily been in the final four. He was impressed by the timelinessof the idea and advised the pupils to write toGordan Brown PM. The pupils thoroughlyenjoyed the day and made friends with pupilsfrom other schools with whom they havedecided to keep in touch – a priceless prize.

European YouthOrchestraTwo of our VI Form Music students JoannaRynott and Luke Wilkinson were chosen torepresent Derbyshire and perform in a 12day concert tour of Germany and Turkey inAugust. Joanna is the principal violinist at theschool and Luke was our main bass playerfor many years before going to the Universityof East Anglia to study Chemistry. We arevery proud of their accomplishments. LukeWilkinson and Joanna Rynott VI form 2007-8.Luke and Joanna are two of the best musicians in school, in fact in Derbyshire.

National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth

Luke and Joanna on tour with theEuropean Youth Orchestra.

One of our VI form students Robyn Goulding has been awarded the prestigious North East Derbyshire Young Leader of the Year Award. Robyn has been heavily involved in coaching and developing sports for N.E.D and has completed over 100 hours of voluntary work for the Sports Academy.

In October, Robyn will also be one of five Young Leaders visiting Aguda Senior Grammar School in Lagos, Nigeria accompanied by two members of our PE staff. They are presently busy fund raising for the visit. Robyn says, ‘We are all looking forward to working with the students and staff at Aguda on various sports projects.

We cannot wait to make a difference!’

Through school Robyn also took part in the World Challenge expedition to South Africa. Robyn says ‘ I don’t think anyone of us can adequately describe our

experience, so here are a few of the words wecame up with – amazing, beautiful,

breathtaking, heart-warming,

flabbergasting, excellent and

wonderful.’

2007 Examinationresults

A Levels - 97% pass rate Average Points Score - 256

GCSEs - 53% 5A* - C grades94% 5A* - G gradesAverage Points Score - 350+

SATs - % at Level 5 or above4 English - 80%4 Maths - 76.5%4 Science - 74%4 ICT - 82.5%

GCSE Presentation Evening Thursday 8th November

A Level PrizegivingThursday 20th December

Well done to all of our students

Big Deal Competitors – Natalie Kearney,Adam Baxter, Robert Clay (Year 10)

Images from our World Challenge

Expedition toSouth Africa

The BIG DEAL

Young Leader of the Year

Music for theSmiles FoundationIn July 2007 the Music department held a summer concertin aid of The Smiles Foundation.

This charity focuses on developing a stable living environment for thehomeless and poor orphans in Romania. The underlying themes of theconcert were poverty and hope and they were performed though musicensembles and short drama recitals. We raised £650 for the charity andthis was gratefully received by the local ‘Smiles Ambassador’ who toldthe audience about the Foundation’s work. The funds raised supported amission to Romania over the summer holiday.

In October we are hosting a group of visiting artists from Romania whoare linked with the Smiles Foundation. They will perform a folk musicconcert to an audience of our students.

INSIDE: Drama • Rainbows • Enrichment Activities • The Big Deal

Drama Club

The summer term is usually the timewhen Drama club puts on its annualperformance. This year however ithas had to be postponed untilSeptember. Students have beenworking hard on severalperformances all based around aschool theme. The performances areall abridged versions of somepopular plays that you might know,‘Sparkleshark’, ‘Adrian Mole’,‘Teechers’ and ‘Billy Smiff’. Makesure you keep a lookout for theposters advertising the performanceat the start of Autumn term andcome along!

Enrichment daysIn July, during Tupton Hall’s enrichment week, 26 studentsfrom years 10, 11 and 12 spent 5 days in Barcelona. Thegroup, led by Mr Leach, Miss Chadwick and Miss Escasanystayed in a hotel in central Barcelona just 1 minute from thefamous Ramblas. Highlights of the trip included the ‘SagradaFamilia’, the zoo, a cable car ride up to the castle, the NouCamp, home of FC Barcelona and the Gothic Cathedralwhich has white geese living inside it! We also had plenty oftime for some designer shopping, an afternoon by theOlympic pool, and a couple of visits to the beach, whichwere very welcome in the Spanish summer sun.Everyone had a fantastic time and several students havealready asked to be included in next year’s trip. We teacherswere so impressed by how well everyone mixed together andhow much students threw themselves into Barcelona life. Itwas a pleasure to lead the trip. J Leach

For three days in the last week of the summerterm normal lessons were suspended

and gave way to a variety of activities for thewhole school.

This year there were foreign visits toBarcelona, see article above, Berlin and Paris.

There were also several outdoor pursuitsincluding wind surfing, canoeing and

mountain boarding, see pictures below. More sedate activities included fishing, flower

making and Tie die workshops. The vastmajority of the students respond positively and

it’s a great way to end the term.

Flower arranging Fishing

Canoeing

WindsurfingMountain Boarding

Gifted and TalentedSummer school

The Drama department ran a gifted and talentedsummer school for Year 8 students. An actor came intoschool for two days to work with students on devisingskills. At the end of the two days, the students producedtheir own devised performance. Everyone involvedagreed that it was a fantastic two days!

d Christmas Show dPreparations are under way for the 2007Christmas show. The performance will be ashowcase of our finest singing, acting anddancing talents. Performance dates are 5th, 6th and 7thDecember and everyone is invited to comealong.

CHILDREN’S SATISFACTION WITH THE RAINBOW PEER SUPPORT GROUP:I learned new ways to solve problemsI made new friends in Rainbows Being in Rainbows helped me to better understand my feelings I feel less alone than I did before Rainbows

People in my group cared about my feelings and me.My Rainbows group was a safe place to talk about my feelingsI would recommend Rainbows to other childrenI would participate in Rainbows again

Our Rainbows peer support group has been running throughout the year and has helped a number ofstudents cope with their loss.We had our first Celebrate Me Day in June. The group members worked together making bread andproducing their own lunch. During the afternoon the group wrote personalised messages on cards, whichwere then attached to helium balloons. These were then released on the school field. The pupils experienceda variety of emotions and all felt a great sense of calm. The group felt that they had dealt with their grief andhad a warm uplifting feeling when they watched the balloons go.The group members were then presented children with their own Thermo chromic Rainbow mug.

DramaDrama

RAINBOWS peer support group