Chronicles March 2009 Medium

RODBOROUGH CHRONICLES VOLUME 5 ISSUE 2 PAGE 1 OF 28

Really Sensational RS Factor! Inside this Edition 1

Y7 Poetry P3 Praise from SSAT P4

Twelfth Night P5

War Horse P5

GCSE Poetry Live! P6

Work Experience P7 In Memoriam P8

Duke of Edinburgh P8 Maths Challenge P9

Crowds flocked to our first RS Factor Final, braving atrocious

weather conditions in their eagerness to witness the intense competition between the seven solo and five group finalists. The buzz that had been palpable through school since the semi-finals rose to a crescendo of excitement as the audience took their seats in the packed hall, exacerbating the nerves of those about to perform.

Chennai Boxes P9

TV Stars P10

New Teachers P10 Forensics Week P11

Jazz at Festival P12 Y7 Shakespeare P12

Miller Drama trip P12

RS Factor judges; Miss Spencer a.k.a. Sharon Osbourne, Miss Stirling a.k.a. Cheryl Cole and Mr Armstrong Harris a.k.a. Simon Cowell amused the audience with their often cryptic judgements, the bluntness of „Cowell‟ being foiled by smoother words from „Cole‟ and „Osbourne‟.

Annie! P13

World Book Day P13 Language Revision P14 Mayen „09 P17 Holocaust Memorial P18 Winter Sports „09 P19 Gym & Dance „09 P20 Sports Coordinator P21-22

The quality of the acts surpassed those of the semi-final, with more polished performances all round. Many acts had put a great deal of thought into their costumes and dance routines, adding extra dimensions to their performances.

Sports Ambassadors P22 Girls‟ Cricket P22 Y9 Rugby P23 Netball Roundup P25

The judges didn‟t have the final say, however, as each and every member of the audience played their part in deciding the final placings by voting for their winning solo and group acts. This kept the tension going right up to the end, rewarding Maybe; Laser Vision and Flossie Hunt as section winners. Knowing that their success was judged by their peers as well as the „judges‟ made victory even sweeter! Matt Schouten found himself the only male solo vocalist up against talented performances from Becky Wilson, Lauren Jordan, Poppy Jackson, Deanna Walker, Florrie Campbell, Kate Amy and winning soloist, Flossie Hunt. Duos; G Two, Casey & Fallon and The Noel Coward Tribute Band battled in the same class as bands; The Alfies and section winner Maybe; Laser Vision. Huge thanks are due to Mrs Yeadon & Miss Moyler, our judges and sponsors.

Basketball P26 Girls‟ Football P22-27 JSLA Update P27 Comic Relief P28

Dates for your diary 02 Apr Last day of Term 1pm

07-09 April Berlin Trip

20 Apr First Day of Summer Term

25-26 April D of E Bronze W/E

28-30 Apr GCSE French Speaking Exam

30 Apr Junior Maths Challenge

2-4 May D of E Silver W/E

12 May–22Jun written GCSE Exams

25-29 May Half-Term

25-31 May Jazz Band Austria Tour


Keep Collecting Please… Thank you for supporting the school by collecting vouchers from companies supporting schools. Schemes such as these have enabled the school to „purchase‟ a wide range of additional books, sporting equipment and computers in the past – broadening the educational experience for all our pupils. The graphics on this page represent a number of the schemes running at present:

… and help Rodborough online too!

www.buy.at/Rodborough Remember to use the buy.at webshop so that the School can earn commission on your online shopping. So far, we‟ve earned £54 commission from your shopping. All you have to do is access the shop's website through www.buy.at/Rodborough (add this to your bookmarks). Simply click on the company that you wish to shop with and you will automatically be redirected to their website. The company will then pay the School a commission fee, e.g. Play.com will make a contribution of 2%. It won’t cost you a single penny more.

Over 150 companies are listed with Buy.at including: Amazon, B&Q, BangCD, BBC Shop, BT, Butlins, CDWow, Country Holidays, Dreams , ELC, Eurocamp, Expedia, Game, HMV.com, Lovefilm, Marks and Spencers, Next, Play.com, Sky digital, Snapfish, Thorntons, Ticketmaster, Waterstones and many others. There are also catalogue companies (such as Kays), insurance companies (e.g. Zurich and Prudential) and mobile phone providers (e.g. Carphone Warehouse, Nokia and T-Mobile) and many more.

http://www.buy.at/Rodborough

http://www.buy.at/Rodborough


Year 7 Poetry Competition (You can find more brilliant poems on the Y7 English area of the website) To where the wind had swept by Oliver Hoade

Through the woods the wind had swept And through the darkness she had crept

Alone for centuries she had stood

Like a statue guarding that empty wood She lay there on that stone alone Her usual face now white as bone

Then one day a century later

She got up in search of someone who'd cater For days and days she searched that wood

Knowing that she finally could Find a place she could call home And not just stand there all alone

Suddenly she'd found what she'd been looking for A great big wooden rusty door

She knocked on the door with her small white hand The door creaked open to a metal land

They said she was the one The one who'd bring back the sun

She got thrust about the village that night People saying she'd bring back the light

All the next night she lay there awake Wondering what may be at stake Maybe she'd have a beast to slay

She'd find all out that very next day

A black cloak she'd wrapped herself in And a coat of armour made out of tin

She trudged to war that day Heading to where the mountains lay

To where the wind had swept To where the wind had swept

To there now she crept

The forest by Megan Hurley

The forest was silent, silent like water, Never sound for my ear to hear,

The forest was silent, silent like fear, The air as cold as hardened mortar,

The forest was silent, silent like mussels, The stream gurgled, swallowing stones,

The forest was silent, silent like the moon, I feel the wind on my skin, how it moans

The forest was silent, silent like water

Spring Will Never Last...by Emily Canton

The tranquil landscape withered Its mysterious beauty ignored The spindly saplings shivered

As the sunlight poured

The distraught icicles wept The solemn sun glared with scorn

After all the time he'd slept The memory had worn

Spring time has come Winter has passed

Although the bees will hum Good things never last

Angry Seas by Olivia Coleman Inside the cabin Cocoa in hand

Listening to the music played by the band

Outside the wind howls Foul voice through the storm

And in the air rain is born

Tiny daggers rip the air

Trying to penetrate window and door Meanwhile waves beat the shore

Riders on white horses rear up before us Foaming mouths

High as the clouds

Foamy water beats the side Rolling us backward and forward

Whilst in the sky black ink stains twist and curl towards us

Forks of lightning grope towards us Spearing the sky

Coming down from so high

We roll into the harbour Safe and sound

Welcomed by the warm golden glow of the town

Hope by Caleb Rowan

Hope fades as the day wanes, and the shadows deepen.

Who now do I turn to As my resolve weakens?

The path is veiled from my eyes, and the course not clear.

I still move blindly forward, hoping the end to be near.

And yet I feel within me there will be light ahead.

I have now hardened my resolve, and all despair has fled.

For dreams of moonlight do hearken, And I sang and my voice rose high And I no longer wish to ever die,

But to see the flower bloom


Celebration Recognisises the Most Improved Schools press release from SSAT

Specialist schools and academies that have significantly improved their GCSE results have been recognised by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust at a celebration dinner in London. Rodborough Technology College has been recognised with this accolade for the second year running. All 587 schools that met at least one of the criteria detailed below were invited to attend the event, which was held at the Royal College of Physicians on Monday 23 February. Thirty of these schools have also been recognised as the top most improved schools in a number of categories such as specialism, academies, regions and year on year improvement. Sir Mike Tomlinson, chief Advisor of London Challenge, was the guest speaker and joined Sir James Hill, Chairman of the SSAT, in presenting the awards.

Corinne Nolte Press Officer

Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) Rodborough has been recognised for the following improvements: 10% point or more improvement from 2005 – 2008 in achieving 5+ A*-C GCSEs, with year on

year improvement 10% point or more improvement from 2005 – 2008 in achieving 5+ A*-C GCSEs, with year on

year improvement including English and Maths

New System Proves Popular Reporter Francesca Fotheringham

Anxious Year 11 students lined up in the main hall, waiting to be given an envelope containing their results. Previously, the results of the GSCE Mocks had been given to students by their teachers in lessons. This year, however, students were presented with them in the same way that they will receive the real results in August. Many preferred this system as it allowed them gain an immediate full picture of their achievements.

Overall, despite being somewhat nerve-racking, the change in the reporting of the mock exam results seemed to be popular and is likely to be repeated next year.

“I would like to congratulate these specialist schools and academies for their continued success in raising GCSE results. Their efforts and achievements will mean more young people will have received good qualifications and had their opportunities widened.”

Elizabeth Reid, Chief Executive of SSAT

“If every young person is to receive a world class education then we must set world class standards that challenge every school to improve year on year.” Elizabeth Reid, Chief Executive of

SSAT

Mock GCSE Results


Twelfth Night Reporter Matt Smith

Drama students from Years 10 & 11 travelled up to London‟s West End for a performance of Shakespeare‟s Twelfth Night. Set during the 16th Century on the Mediterranean island of Illyria, this Shakespearian comedy follows Viola a woman who, typically of Shakespeare, dresses up as a man servant and has many humorous encounters with the Duke Orsino. Lady Olivia and Viola begin to fall in love with each other. The fact that everyone believes her to be a man is a matter which only complicates the interweaving love circles – adding to the humour. Derek Jacobi, who many might recognise from „Gladiator‟, played a wonderfully pompous Malvolio, creating an enormous presence on stage as the much hated head servant in Olivia‟s household, producing laughs with every move. Without prior knowledge of the play, the language was sometimes difficult to understand and the plot difficult to follow. However, we all found the production highly entertaining and a great introduction to Shakespearian comedies.

War Horse Reporter Rachel Eyles

Last year the National Theatre‟s production „War Horse‟ was a tremendous success, bringing both soldiers and animals to life. Could this year‟s re-staging conjure the atmosphere and command such praise this time around?

Year 9 travelled to The National for the performance which is taken from the book of the same title by Michael Morpurgo and follows the story of Joey, a young boy‟s beloved horse who is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France at the beginning of The Great War.

Joey is soon caught up in enemy fire and taken on an extraordinary journey through the battlefields. His adventures see him serving on both sides until he finds himself injured and wandering in no-man‟s land. Owner, Albert Narracott, (Kit Harington) enlists at the age of 16, setting off to France with the express purpose of finding Joey. The production was brought alive by the creativity of the Handspring Puppet Company. The puppets do not aim for perfect realism but with their captivating wooden framework, translucent fabric skins and great mobility, they somehow capture the very essence of everything equine. The play, however, is much more than a puppet show; the director‟s powerful adaptation of Michael Morpurgo‟s novel wisely disposes of Joey‟s narrative voice from the book and expresses the story through dialogue and emotional song among the human characters. It also expertly captures not only the mysterious and extraordinary relationship that can exist between humans and animals but also the dreadful terror of war which is told through the eyes of many relatable characters. Images and key moments from this moving performance will stay with those who attended for a long time. Photograph National Theatre Edited by Catriona Campbell

photograph Wyndham Theatre


GCSE Poetry Live! Reporter Francesca Fotheringham

In February the Year 11 students had a once in a life time opportunity to attend the 10th year of GCSE Poetry Live! This successful event allows students to experience the GCSE poets performing on stage. The explanations and insights that the poets give into their motivations and inspirations for their poetry, together with background information about political or social conditions at the time the poems

were written really helped us to put the poems into context. Highlights of the day included Simon Armitage, whose dry sense of humour entertained the audience, Gillian Clarke, who encouraged students to respond personally to the poems and popular John Agard, who performed a number of his new poems in addition to an unforgettable performance of his signature poem „Half-Caste‟. In addition to hearing six of Britain‟s most respected poets we were also treated to an appearance from the Chief Examiner for English from the AQA exam board. He was able to offer guidance in attaining the highest possible grades and reminded us all of the pitfalls, stumbled into by thousands each year, of failing to answer the question and failing to plan. The day boosted the confidence of many students who had previously found the study of contemporary poetry challenging.

Images from GCSE Poetry Live!

Offer extended into 2009


Year 11 Work Experience Reporter Callum Dziedzic

On the 9th of February 2009, our Year 11‟s embarked on their work experience gaining valuable knowledge that would help them in later life. The praise goes to Mrs. Scholey for organising and scheduling the busy and insightful week. Work experience follows work shadowing undertaken in Year 10, although many chose a different profession or workplace. Most found that they benefited greatly from the experience as it gave them a chance to see whether that particular job was for them, letting them test the water, so to speak. More testimonials appear in the Careers area of the website.

I worked with Guildford

Borough Council in the Parks and Countryside department.

This involved going to different areas of woodland

around Guildford with Countryside Wardens. As the work experience was in the Winter season, the Wardens were clearing areas including coppicing and creating glades because this cannot be done

in the summer when birds are nesting in the trees. I helped with this work, felling small trees and clearing gorse. I

also helped the Warden based in the Chantry Woods to check on the six highland cows which are kept to

manage the grassland. I found my week really enjoyable and I learned a great deal about recognising different species

of trees and managing different types of

woodland. SM

I spent the week working at

Stepping Stones Nursery, in

Milford, which teaches 2-5

year-olds the basic skills and

life lessons they need for

when they get older, from

learning manners to being

able to count from 1-10. I

discovered that planning

children’s activities takes

thought and consideration,

as they need to be

encouraged to be as adept in

one area as they are in

another. Working together in

a team is important and the

child’s interests must come

first in every action EH

For my work experience I worked at Sysco, an audio and visual engineering company. I have considered this as a

future career as it was a fun experience and I could see

myself pursuing this type of job in the future. OM

I worked for the week at a small local TV,

graphics and animation company called Beaucroft.

I learnt to use various pieces of equipment and

software involved in creating films and TV

programmes. It was all very enjoyable and I got a

great deal out of it experience-wise. GP

Throughout my time at Guildford

hairdressers, Harringtons, I really enjoyed working with the people and got to know them well. I really enjoyed learning the techniques of washing hair

and also being in a working environment really helped me to

see what it would be like if I went into full time work. FH

My work experience was brilliant; I worked at

Warner Brother's UK Gaming

Department. This involved me travelling to London every day. I was given many jobs while I was

there and, overall, this has helped me decide what to do later on in life. JW

I went to Gartrac Ltd, who specialise in rally car

fabrication. By the end of the week I could mig-weld mild steel 20-16 gauge to a reasonable standard. I can

also do a reasonable level of basic metal work. I enjoyed

being in the working environment and among

adults. DB

My work experience at Fleetcroft Guitars was fun and satisfying. I would recommend this placement to anyone who is interested in guitar playing. A certain amount of skill and competence in guitar and music is required for

a student to get anything out of this placement. GH


Memorial for Tom An appeal by former pupil Vicky Grove

Tom graduated with a 1st Class Degree from Surrey University

Following the sad news of the passing away of former Rodborough pupil Tom Asdell, we would like to take this opportunity to pass on our support and sympathy to his family and are pleased to publish this appeal from his friend and fellow Rodborough pupil, Vicky Grove:

As you may already be aware Thomas Asdell passed away in January. In memory of the kind, unbelievably intelligent young man who was an inspiration to us all I've decided to run the London Marathon for both Help For Heroes and for Thomas's chosen charity – The Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital Charitable Fund. Thomas, an ardent Dr Who fan, lived with muscular dystrophy all of his life and for the last 10 years the Royal Brompton provided him with essential equipment and support, both of which increased his quality of life. Along with the love and support of his family, this charity enabled Thomas to lead a somewhat 'normal' life despite his condition and allowed him to achieve so much in, unfortunately, so little time. Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It‟s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospital Charitable Fund gets your money faster and, if you‟re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation. You can donate online at my fundraising page http://www.justgiving.com/inmemoryoftom Thank you

Celebrating Duke of Edinburgh Success Reporter Mrs L Yeadon

Successful Duke of Edinburgh students attended a celebration evening at Charterhouse recently and were presented with certificates to mark their achievements. Rodborough pupils formed the largest cohort of graduates, once again, with 76 students completing their award during the 2008-2009 season. 21 of these were at Silver level and 55 at Bronze.

Enthusiasm for the award is as high as ever with 88 students currently signed up to work on their Bronze award and around 20 moving on to Silver award during the 2008/2010 season! All Year 9 pupils have already spent a day learning vital First Aid Skills. Good Luck to you all, and many thanks to my regular D of E team; Mrs Bullen,

Miss Moyler and Mr Edwards and to the small army of staff who find time to walk, checkpoint and camp for the many expeditions through the year.

http://www.justgiving.com/inmemoryoftom


Rodborough Sails through Maths Challenge Reporter Jason Bowen

Rodborough has, yet again, put its strongest Maths students through a test paper provided by the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT). Established in 1996, the UKMT is a registered charity, its aim being to support and advance children‟s and young people‟s skills and abilities in Mathematics. The UKMT sends out national test papers for 11-18 year-old UK students. Last year, over 600,000 pupils from over 4,000 schools took part in the challenges set by the UKMT. This year was no less fruitful.

Rodborough put 90 of its pupils through the 25-question paper. The questions ranged in difficulty, 10 out of the 25 with penalties for wrong answers! Average scores were 52% for Year 11, 50% for Year 10 and 37% for Year 9. There were several prizes for the high achievers in the test. Some even led onto other challenges, some of which are international. There are three main certificates awarded to participates, bronze, silver and gold. Rodborough managed to reap 29, 17 and 8 respectively. Overall, the highest scoring pupil was Nicole in Year 10 who scored an amazing 86 points. Three skilled mathematicians; Olivia Nunn, Andrew Cameron and Nicole Browning even managed to get onto the next stage, the strangely named Grey/Pink Kangaroo – an hour long, multiple-choice paper originating from Paris. Good luck to the three of you in the next round. The medal boundaries and qualifying marks for the UKMT are as follows:

Bronze/Silver/Gold 39/51/66

Kangaroo Yr 9 66

Kangaroo Yrs 10/11 77

Olympiad Yr 9 83

Olympiad Yr 10 90

Olympiad Yr 11 99

Year 8 Shoebox Chennai Challenge Reporter Jake Jagger

For the past couple of weeks our form, 8FS, has been collecting gifts to send to the boys in Chennai, India for the charity Chennai Challenge. After watching the Senior Six‟s assembly about these boys in the run up to Christmas, we thought about how they probably wouldn‟t receive any presents because either their family had died or were too poor to afford gifts.

We decided that we would dedicate our assembly to this and convince the rest of Year 8 to help so that people in need could have a better life. We didn‟t have to spend much money as one of the presents that the boys most wanted were toothbrushes and toothpaste. We were really pleased when every Year 8 form filled at least one shoebox each. Well done Year 8!


Rodborough welcomes two new Maths Teachers Reporter Jason Bowen

Arriving in the middle of a school year is quite a challenge for a couple of teachers who have to get accustomed rather quickly to the school and all the students. Both teachers, who arrived on 5th January, are now settling into their new posts. Neither was new to the game of teaching and both were eager to get started. I interviewed them both and they seemed quite pleased with their new jobs. Mrs C. Dockar comes from London and has seven years of teaching under her belt. She has travelled far and wide to use her teaching skills from North Yorkshire to France. She has even taught in the famous St. Peter‟s, one of the oldest schools in the UK – a private, co-educational boarding school. Her aim? To try and get pupils to find the fun side of maths. How do you get pupils to see maths as fun? I try to use analogies that are from real life. For instance, in algebra, I have a clever equation to work out people‟s ages. What do you think of the school so far? I like it. I find the majority of children very interesting with a good sense of humour. Is there anything you would change? No, nothing really. With the elections for the senior six coming up, do you have any advice? Yes, try finding a healthy balance between doing the best for the school and the best for the pupils.

Miss A. Collins is an Australian teacher who was in the business for five healthy years Down Under

before deciding it was time for a change. Rodborough is her first school in the UK. She has some good ideas, though she was left quite mystified when a grey squirrel started scurrying around outside! What can you do for the school? I think I have a different style of teaching; I work with the students rather than against them. I want to help students find a love for maths. Is there anything you would change? More after-school activity. Perhaps Student vs. Staff matches. What have you learned since coming to the UK? English people can‟t do Australian accents! What do you think of the school so far? I‟m really enjoying it so far, the students are keen to learn and the staff are friendly.

Year 9 TV Stars

On Thursday 26 February, a film crew representing DCSF visited Rodborough to make a short film for educational professionals and teachers about some of our curriculum changes. They interviewed these Year 9 students about a piece of work they were doing in the Skills Centre with Miss Harding. They were a credit to the school as their lesson was filmed and they were put on the spot by the director‟s questions!

Image from www.titanhitours.co.uk

Image courtesy of RSA Films Ltd


Reporters; Katie Baxter, Megan Gray and Annie Simons

Malcolm Rose, the popular teenage author, visited our school on

Tuesday 10th March. He gave the Year 7s an inspiring talk, spreading over two periods, about forensic science and his career as an author or, as he likes to call himself, “a professional daydreamer”. He has written a lot of books involving medical science, as he trained as a chemist. He has written titles such as “Kiss of Death” (one of the Booked Up reads for 2008), “Framed” and “Lost Bullet”.

He started off the session with an investigation involving a dead body lying on the LRC floor. Slowly he revealed a series of clues, like fingerprints, fragments of clothing and samples of handwriting that we had to piece together.

He also discussed his different types of books – thrillers and mysteries. He revealed his secret annoyance at the phrase “it‟s grim up north”.

He also told us about how he had managed to get his own back by writing about the “horrors of the south” in his best-selling series, Traces. He read a thrilling extract from his book, “Lost Bullet”, the second in the Traces series. Year 7 thoroughly enjoyed his visit and would like to thank him for giving up his time. We would also like to thank the library staff for organising his visit.

What’s the Solution? Reporter Alex Newell

In our Science lessons this week Year 7 have been conducting forensic tests on a crime scene. By the end of the week we hope to have found out how the boy died. So far we have tested the soil, finger-prints and hair. We‟ve had great fun trying to

work out the identity of the culprit, which should become clear when we manage to work out how the boy died. Thank you to the Police and the Science Department for organising this investigation.

“Everyone has a

story in them and

the best thing that

you can do is to

write it down NOW”

Malcolm Rose,

Rodborough School,

10 March 2009


Jazz Band plays Godalming Music Festival Tom Simons, Music Correspondent

On Wednesday 4th March 2009 Mrs Yeadon took the school Jazz Band to the Borough Hall to compete in the annual music festival. Four of us remembered playing in the Hall at nursery school a few years ago so it was strange to return! We opened our set with Green Onions, went on to Watermelon Man and finished with Caravan. Solos from Chris Owers, Brad Hayes, Michael Austin, Chris Ford and Tom Simons were backed up by a really tight performance by the band. The judges gave us a good score and some useful comments, but we were pipped at the post, by just a single mark, by Godalming Sixth Form College‟s Jazz Quartet!

The Jazz Band last summer at Secretts

The band would like to thank Mrs Yeadon – yet again! – for arranging the performance and sorting out all the gear. Look out for future performances as we build up to our May Half-Term tour to Austria.

Year 7 Theatre trip to A Midsummer Night’s Dream In January, Year 7s travelled to the Novello Theatre in London to see the Royal Shakespeare Company‟s production of A Midsummer Night‟s Dream. This modern adaptation was the first Shakespeare experience for many pupils. This is what they thought:

A View From the Bridge at Duke of York Theatre

Hayley Atwell and Ken Stott in

A View from the Bridge

50 lucky Year 10 students travelled to the Duke of York‟s Theatre to see Arthur Miller‟s play, A View from the Bridge, starring Ken Stott. After an interesting coach journey we settled into our front row stalls seats and the evening just got better and better. The play was simply brilliant – engagingly and movingly performed throughout. Seeing the play on stage will really help with coursework as the superb acting really brought the characters alive. Thank you to the English department for organising this for us.

“The part of the play that

I most enjoyed was the

part of the wall where

they had to talk and kiss

each other through it.

That was really funny.”

Sophie

Photograph: RSC

“I found this Shakespeare play fantastic. It was very well

performed and the night turned out to be really good. It

made me laugh and the comedy timing was perfect.”

Melissa


Annie! Reporters: Emma Stanley-Clegg & Lauren Cole

We are pleased to announce that our 2009 summer production will be Annie. This heart warming musical, following the fortunes of orphan Annie, was written by Thomas Meehan with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. This is a lively and entertaining show and the production team have been overwhelmed with the pupil response so far. After a very difficult job for the Drama and Music departments, the show has been cast and rehearsals will soon be under way.

The publishing of the cast list was greeted with much excitement, with students flooding to the Drama & Music notice boards to discover whether they had been successful in landing their chosen parts. A huge proportion of pupils from years 7-10 are involved on stage and there is still the opportunity to volunteer backstage.

The lead roles this year are: Annie Lucy Jacob (Year9) Miss Hannigan Emma Stanley-Clegg (Year 10) Oliver Warbucks Thomas Rathbone (Year 8) Grace Farrell Hayley Toms (Year 9) Rooster Ryan Donaldson (Year 10) Lily St Regis Francesca Davis (Year 9) President D Roosevelt Tom Simons (Year 9) Congratulations to everyone who auditioned and we hope to see as many people as possible at the performances on the 9th, 10th and 11th of July at 7:30pm in the Main Hall. Information about tickets will be available at a later date. If you would like to help out with the production in any way please contact Mrs Bearman or Mrs Yeadon at the school. Particular help is needed with costume making and any help, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated. Photographs from „Annie‟ at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham 2003 and „Annie‟, 1982 Film

World Book Day Reporter Mrs C Howick

We have celebrated World Book Day 2009 in a number of different ways. Year 7 enjoyed a visit from Malcolm Rose, a popular author of teen fiction, who spoke to all members of Year 7 about Forensic Science, and about how he writes his popular Traces series. World Book Day is also a brilliant time to own new books as each Rodborough pupil is entitled to a specially commissioned £1 book voucher. W H Smith, Godalming, kindly provided a huge selection of titles for the in-school bookshop and LRC staff were inundated with streams of pupils eager to spend their vouchers, either by using them to discount a book by

£1, or by swapping them directly for one of the many special £1 World Book Day titles. If you haven‟t collected a book or a voucher yet then dash along to the LRC while stocks last!

More information about World Book Day can be found at www.worldbookday.com

Look out for our charity book-swap day next term …

http://www.worldbookday.com/


First Aid Hero! Reporter Mrs C Howick

Many of you will have seen Year 7 pupil, Lorin Adams, appear on BBC‟s Newsround last week. Lorin, a St John‟s Ambulance Cadet, was relaxing at home with his family when a friend of his brother‟s sustained a horrific injury to her face and neck caused by flying glass. When faced with the „horror movie‟ scene of blood, Lorin calmly fetched his first-aid kit, donned his latex gloves and took control of the situation.

He checked the major neck wound for obvious signs of broken glass before applying a sterile dressing with pressure. He instructed his mother to stop rubbing the victim‟s other injuries in case glass remained in the wounds and, realising that the bleeding was uncontrollable and that time was of the essence, advised his mother that there was no time to call an ambulance. Keeping calm he supervised the short car journey to his local emergency medical centre, maintaining pressure on the wound throughout the journey to lessen the blood loss. By arrival at the local emergency medical centre Lorin had managed to keep the bleeding under control and was praised for his swift actions and good judgement. Without Lorin‟s help the victim could have bled to death before an ambulance arrived. Well done Lorin. This is a great example of why all of us need to keep up our first aid training! http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7960000/newsid_7961000/7961027.stm (check the link for mor information)

Year 11 Language Revision Days Reporter Mrs C Howick

Year 11 students of German and French had the opportunity to travel to Westminster for a full day of revision for their chosen language. They joined with students from many other schools at the unusual circular auditorium where two lively presenters helped them to tackle such knotty problems as grammar, Murder at the Carnival, looking at the language of advertisements and ending with games of Family Fortunes. A feature of the French day was the memorable rendition of „joyeux anniversaire à Matt‟ by several hundred GCSE students to mark Matt‟s 16th Birthday!

Year 11 French Students relax next to the Thames

Fine weather for both trips allowed the students time to enjoy the park next to the Thames during their lunch breaks and the welcome opportunity to chat to one another in English! Asterix Cartoon by Marshall Coope, Year 7

Music Success Congratulations to the following students for their recent Music Examination success: Michael Austin - Grade 5 theory Olivia Nunn – Grade 8 Piano

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7960000/newsid_7961000/7961027.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7960000/newsid_7961000/7961027.stm


Year 9 Visit Ypres & the Somme Reporters James Ventress & Kate Amy

At six in the morning on 28th of February, many tired Year 9 kids and some even more tired teachers boarded the coach for the Ypres battlefield in Belgium and the Somme battlefield in France. As soon as we met our guides we knew it was going to be a very interesting trip. Our arrival in France had a dramatic start when the coach bumped into a passing lorry and a window was smashed. Reacting quickly and efficiently, the problem was soon sorted and we were on our way into Ypres for the first day of our weekend trip. Whilst travelling, the guides filled us in with the details of the weekend ahead of us.

Photo James Ventress

Our first destination was a cemetery for predominantly British soldiers, just outside Ypres. Its overwhelming scale gave us a real understanding of the enormous loss of life involved in the war, and opened our eyes to how serious and meaningful the weekend would be. We also saw the efforts made by the War Graves Commission to provide a grave of some kind for everyone who died. After a quick go at finding relatives, we boarded the coach once more and headed for Langermaark, a German cemetery. Here we were told of the huge number of German war casualties and the differences between British and German cemeteries, where thousands upon thousands of German soldiers were all buried together in one huge grave, in accordance with the Germans‟ strong belief that the soldiers had died together and should, therefore, be buried together.

Photo James Ventress

Our next stop was a Canadian memorial where we learnt about gas attacks. Later in the day, came our first chance to wear wellies! It was our visit to the trenches at the Passchendael Museum. Here we gained an insight into what it would have been like for both the German and British sides. We visited some unfilled German trenches, walked through them and saw what it would have been like to be a German soldier looking down on the British troops from higher ground. We were introduced to the weapons used in trench warfare and were told about sniper fire and how easy it would have been to shoot at someone from the opposite trench.

With three cemeteries under our belts it was time to relax, so we booked in to our hostel and toured the local chocolate shops before boarding the coach once more to attend the incredibly moving Last Post ceremony at the famous Menin Gate. A lucky 3 were chosen to lay our wreath in front of the hundreds of people who had gathered for the ceremony. The buglers played their eerie yet beautiful tune, the wreaths were laid and a prayer was said.

The Menin Gate (photo www.greatwar.co.uk)

By this time we were ready for our dinner, at the Vivaldi Restaurant, and a good night‟s sleep at the hostel. After our early start the following morning, we travelled to the Somme battlefields to look at the fields where so many British soldiers lost their lives and where there are still many unexploded objects lying around! We then went to the Newfoundland Park, which is a memorial to the Canadians who lost their lives in the war and on to the Thiepval Memorial which was huge and very impressive. With all our visits behind us and with plenty to think about, we started our long coach journey home ready for school the next day! We would like to thank all the teachers who went with us and the guides who answered all our questions and kept us interested even though we were very tired!


Congratulations Bethan! a letter from the Surrey Schools Athletic Association

Dear Mr Smith, It is with great pleasure that I am able to write to you with news of one of the biggest National Championships of 2009 involving an athlete from your school. The English Schools Cross Country Championships brings together elite athletes drawn from each of the 46 counties across England. I am pleased to inform you that the Surrey Team for the 2009 English Schools Cross Country Championship to take place in Loughborough on 21st March will include Bethan Hubbard (Inter Girls) from Rodborough. With only 8 athletes per age group selected from across the whole of Surrey, I am sure that you will agree that this selection is indeed a great honour to both the athlete and the school. As Surrey Boys Team Manager, can I thank you in advance for your support and once again congratulate your school and Bethan on her sporting excellence. Yours sincerely,

J Manson Surrey Boys Cross Country Team Manager We would like to introduce our new cartoonist, Marshall Coope, from 7LM. Marshall has been drawing cartoons for several years and has used his penguin characters to

capture the mood of our RS Factor finals: Look out for more cartoons in this and future editions of The Chronicles

Rodborough Judged ‘Outstanding’ Representatives of Surrey County Council visited Rodborough last week to analyse our recent performance data. They were pleased to report that our improvements in GCSE results and contextual value added scores place us in Ofsted‟s „Outstanding‟ bracket for achievement. These figures are the result of a great deal of work by both staff and pupils, working together to achieve realistic targets. You know what your targets are. You know that, with support, you can reach them. This endorsement from Surrey County Council proves that this support is in place for you, so take control of your future and work to the best of your ability!


It‟s 3am on Thursday 5th March as 26 excitable yet mildly apprehensive Yearr 10 students embark upon the great crusade that is the German exchange trip to Mayen.

With phrase books and an already expertly honed vocabulary at the ready, the pupils went on their cultural charm offensive with aplomb and professionalism beyond their modest years. As a group they experienced such wonders as the “dark, moist and secretful” Mayen slate museum, St Clemens Parish Church with its twisted spire, the famous “Deutsche Eck” in the wonderful city of Koblenz; where the River Mosel meets the Rhine and the political behemoth of Germany that is Bonn.

Yet again, the tradition of eating a disgraceful amount of ice cream was once again adopted with gusto to the delight of the cheerful and welcoming café manager. This set the tone for what was a tremendously enjoyable, fulfilling and successful week, one that has made an indelible impression on us all. Strong bonds and friendships were made (on the most part!) with our European counterparts.

As we said our goodbyes with a heavy heart, we were safe in the knowledge that we would be left with the cherished memories of the days we spent in Germany. Here‟s looking to the return leg in September. Until then, Auf Wiedersehen!

Reporter Mr J Barber


Holocaust Memorial Reporters Liam Cole & Red Covacic

For our Year 8 RE assessment we have been making Holocaust Memorials. This had our imagination whirring to excel in this task. We had what seemed to be thousands of different styles of memorials, and with most, it was very clear that a lot of planning and good ideas had been incorporated.

The end results were extremely good. As well as a model to hand in, we also had to fill in a question sheet. These questions ranged from what a German would think and what a Jew would think of the Memorial. The marks for these assessments were very good and both RE teachers were very pleased with all the pieces of work. We talked to one artist, David:

A selection of these poignant and thought-provoking memorials will be displayed at Godalming Library from the 7th to the 17th of April. Don‟t miss the opportunity to see what the Rodborough students have achieved. Photographs and footnote by Jason Bowen


Ski 2009 Reporter Mr B Farrell

This year‟s Ski and Snowboard trip proved more popular than ever. Over ninety Rodborough pupils and staff made the twenty two hour coach ride to Austria during February half term. Upon arrival in our resort, just outside Innsbruck, we were greeted by some of the best snow conditions in years. The powder was extremely thick on the first day, so thick in fact that Mr Farrell and Mr Pearce were almost buried in it. Bright blue skies soon turned to total whiteouts and by the second day the visibility was unbelievably poor. Fortunately the snow was so deep and fluffy it meant that falling over was not a problem, nor was it painful. This was one of the reasons that, apart from a couple of bumps and bruises, everyone came home with limbs still attached.

The blue skies returned by the middle of the week and the Rodborough Team were desperate to ride the fresh stuff. Unfortunately we had to wait, four and a half hours in fact, while diggers and snowploughs cleared the road to the glacier that had been covered by five metres of snow from a controlled avalanche that morning. During the wait one of our coaches were treated to a rap by Mr Pearce on the mike and a rendition of „Magical Trevor‟ by Mr Short.

Throughout the week our pupils excelled themselves. On the slopes the rate of improvement displayed by both the skiers and snowboarders was staggering. Our reputation on the mountain was further enhanced this year as the instructors haggled amongst themselves for the opportunity to work with a Rodborough group. During a trip to Innsbruck the female owner of a large sweet shop (affectionately known as „The Gummi Bear Lady‟) remarked on how well behaved our school party was in comparison to certain others!

As the week came to an end it was time to issue a few awards to those pupils who had displayed exceptional qualities both on and off the Glacier. The awards were:

Long service and good conduct – Gwyn Hockridge Perseverance – Tom Watts 13th Member of Staff – Dan Ferguson Bravery – Micaela Grammer Screamer of the Week – Sophie Marshall

Top boarder – Mark Evison Most improved boarder – Katherine Murphy Most Improved skier – Jess Collett Top Skier – Dom Ryder Legendary Status – Bertrand Henry Lamond

Our thanks go to Mr Lee for investing many an hour of his time to ensure this year’s trip was one of the finest yet.


Gym & Dance Extravaganza Reporter Miss G Horne

This was our second Gym & Dance Show, and it was bigger and better than last year. Over 100 pupils took part from Year 3 up to Year 13s from Godalming College. Our 3 Junior Schools, Busbridge, Chandler and St Edmunds were joined by guest Secondary School, Glebelands, as well as two acts from Godalming College. There was tremendous variety this year with acts including Hip-Hop, Cheerleading and some fantastic Gymnastics routines. Well done to all who took part. Your months of training and hard work certainly paid off!

“This was my first Gym & Dance show and it was really fun and cool! It was well organised and we worked really hard on it. I really want to take part next

year and I think the new Year 7 in September should get

involved too!” Kate Fifield


Years 3&4 Gymnastics Reporter Miss G Horne

With the help of some talented gymnasts from Rodborough we ran the Year 3 and 4 Gymnastics Competition at The Edge Sports Centre, Woolmer Hill. Five of our local Partnership Junior Schools took part. Alex Bradbury, Joshua Walker and Katie Luff did a fantastic job of warming up the 50 eager children so they were ready for the competition.

They also helped with the organisation of the event and made sure everything went smoothly with the different apparatus. Talented Rodborough Year 7 gymnasts, Georgie Major, Helena Sharp, Holly Phipps and Portia Nunn also were a great help at the event. Their performance, „Vampire Gymnastic Routine‟, rounded off the event and deeply impressed the younger pupils.

St James‟ School, Elstead, won the Boys competition and Waverley Abbey were the victors in the Girls‟ competition.

Dance Session Year 3-Year 6 Earlier in the term many Year 3 to Year 6 children from The Chandler School and St Edmunds joined with the students from Rodborough for a Dance session. This proved very successful and, as we have come to expect, our Rodborough students‟ leadership skills shone through.

Gifted & Talented Academy

Gifted & Talented children from our local Junior Schools now meet at Rodborough on Monday evenings to take part in such sports as Hockey, Rugby, Cricket & Trampolining.

Year 8 District Netball Tournament Reporter Miss G Horne

Our Year 8 netballers recently travelled to their District tournament and worked really hard throughout the afternoon. The A team won several matches and the B team finished joint first overall which was great work. Well Done!


Sports Ambassadors Letter from Waverley Sports Development Officer

Dear Mr Smith

I just wanted to let you know of a major success for two of your students. I recently came to the school to speak with the sports ambassadors, Michael Jansen and Katherine Sharp, to ask for their assistance with a funding bid to help support the delivery of the Surrey Youth Games 2009. I found them to be extremely helpful and enthusiastic about the project and in fact, they gave up their lunch break to help me. I am pleased to say that we have received £5,000 worth of funding from the Youth Opportunities Fund. Approximately 250 children across Waverley will feel the benefit of this injection of funding, including other students from your school. This is really fantastic news, I knew this was something that we could ask your school for help with - and I purposefully chose to work with your students, it turns out I was well justified in doing this. Thank you very much for the continuing support of Rodborough. Please also pass on my thanks to Miss Horne for organising it, and in particular to Michael and Katherine for their assistance. All the best,

Christina Hales Sports Development Officer Waverley Borough Council, The Burys, Godalming, Surrey. GU7 1HR

Year 10 Girls’ Cricket Tournament Reporter Miss C Shephard

Not content with one new sport (basketball) the ever adaptable Year 10 girls tried their hand at indoor cricket. Following two sessions with Surrey‟s Cricket Development Officer it was time to test their new skills at a tournament. Building heavily on the skills learned from Rounders, a more familiar sport, they triumphed in their first game against Broadwater. Losing their second game by a nail-biting four runs turned into their favour, handing them the tournament title on run difference.

Fun Friday

Reporter Miss G Horne

Children from The Chandler School came to Rodborough on their Fun Friday for a taster Trampolining session, which they really enjoyed. In addition to the elementary moves, many students progressed to more complex moves including adding front jumps to their routines.


Year 9 Rugby- George Abbott Tom Simons – Rugby Correspondent

The Year 9 Rugby team remained unbeaten in their fifth match of the year with a very convincing 45:7 victory over George Abbot. The Rodborough pack dominated the first half securing fast ball for the backs to show off their moves. Will Johnson scored early in the first half. Tom Simons then scored from a pickup from the back of a solid Rodborough scrum. Nick Gee finished the half with two great tries crashing through George Abbot‟s defence. Rodborough were able to continue scoring in the second half, despite losing Will Butterfield to injury, with Greg Lyall skilfully weaving his way from long range in his first match. After a long stint defending in our 22, Rodborough broke away, knocking down many defenders on the way to Tom Simons‟ 10th try of the season and second of the match. George Abbot scored next but, for them, it was too little too late. Nick Gee then finished the game in style completing his hat-trick after a flowing three-quarter attack passing down the line and has promised to bring drinks for the team for the next match! Rodborough performed very well with great debut performances from Max Signorelli and Greg Lyall. James Berry kicked five conversions from all angles, and George Stow, Alex Bunney and Connor Carpenter, amongst others, displayed great power. Unfortunately, St Peter‟s were unable to make the journey to Fortress Rodborough, having heard of the power of the pack and guile of the backs, so the Year 9 team finished the regular fixtures unbeaten and, as top of the league, will host a home semi-final match in the next few weeks. The whole team are thinking of Connor Carpenter who has broken his arm whilst foolishly playing the Round Ball Game, and we wish him a speedy recovery as we need his delicate soft hands and subtle skills!

Football Mania ‘09 Reporter Miss C Shephard

Lianne Sanderson, Chelsea Womens‟ Captain and striker, visited Rodborough and, with the help of JSLA students, coached 125 Years 7 & 9 girls. Inter-House 6-a-side tournaments ran all afternoon alongside Lianne‟s skills sessions.

The Football mania afternoon was a huge success with the girls receiving top quality coaching and signed photographs from Lianne Sanderson as well as the opportunity to play against other houses in the 6-a-side tournament.

The afternoon was made possible by the hard work and dedication of the JSLA leaders who took on roles of team managers, coaches, referees and score collators and collectors. Thank you all for your help and to Lianne Sanderson for spending her valuable time with us.


Girls’ 6-a-Side Team through to Surrey Finals! Reporter Miss C Shephard

This is the first year that Farnham, Waverley and Guildford Girls‟ 6-a-side football tournaments have been held. These tournaments have been a real celebration of the continued rise in popularity of the sport, with around 15 teams represented, many of which were new to Rodborough. Sixteen of our strongest Year 7 players represented Rodborough but, despite playing very well in all their games, were unable to make it through to the finals. Our U14 girls are showing great promise. The „B‟ team drew 2 of their 4 games against other schools‟ „A‟ teams, whilst the our „A‟ team played some magnificent passing

football to win all their 4 group matches to reach the semi-final, where they played Guildford County, the score of 2:1 winning them a place in the final. A close goalless final against Farnham Heath End School was forced into extra time. A clever flick and a header goal won the game for Farnham Heath End, leaving the Rodborough team runners up. Whilst they were unlucky not to win this tournament, the reserve title has handed them an entry ticket to the Surrey Finals in April, against the district‟s winning 6-a-side teams. Good Luck Girls!

U14 Girls Football Semi-Final Success Reporter Miss C Shephard

Our U14 Girls‟ side have won all their group matches this year, beating Woolmer Hill, Guildford County, Glebelands and Broadwater, to secure their place in the semi-finals away against Woolmer Hill. After a nervous start, playing far from their best, Rodborough conceded a goal to Woolmer Hill finding themselves 0:1 down at half time. The second half had a much better start with midfielders sending some lovely balls through Woolmer Hill‟s defence to speedy forward, Ellen Macnally, who was able to even the score by the end of the second half and force the game into extra time.

Restarting play with all guns blazing, Rodborough put pressure on Woolmer Hill at every opportunity. Despite several good opportunities, goals remained elusive. With only 3 minutes of play remaining, Ellen Macnally pounced on a ball in the penalty area and slotted it home, leaving a couple of minutes of nervous play with Woolmer Hill‟s attempt at drawing even thwarted by a fantastic covering tackle from Venetia Cook. As we go to press the girls are looking forward to their final against George Abbot School, Guildford. Good Luck – Play Well!

County Netballer

Reporter Miss Shephard

Deputy Head Girl, Charlotte Ward’s Netball training during her time at

Rodborough has really paid off as, in addition to playing for

Rodborough’s Year 11s Charlotte is now a member of the Surrey County

team. Well done, Charlotte, and best wishes for the future.


Netball Roundup Reporter Miss C Shephard

For Year 10 girls, keeping hold of their 2008 District Netball Champions title into 2009 formed

the focus of their season. The practice matches all went well with no concessions and their training matches v Year 11, together with weekly mixed gender training toughened and further developed their game.

County Champions 2009 When it came to tournament day, having surveyed the strong field and good turnout, it was obvious that retaining the title was by no means assured! With the teams split into two groups Team Rodborough dominated their group with four wins and a draw. Exceptional shooting from Chloe Harding and Sophie Major kept the goals coming in leaving the team with a comfortable goal difference and securing the easier semi-final opponent Guildford County, who had been placed second in their group. Dispatching Guildford County comfortably 7-4 was their entry ticket into the final against the tipped team, Howard of Effingham, a team the girls had never previously played. It soon became apparent that the team tactics of Howard of Effingham mirrored those of

our own Year 11 team (thank goodness for those training matches). Rodborough disrupted Howard of Effingham‟s play with excellent defence, marking the players from behind and stopping their use of overhead dodges. The teams were evenly matched and had everything to play for. In a nail-biting match the scores were even at 2-2 forcing the game into extra time. Rodborough‟s tight marking frustrated the Howard of Effingham forwards whilst Chloe and Sophie‟s superior shooting saw Rodborough score two more goals bringing the final score to 4-2. This was a fantastic tournament to end the girls‟ committed season, retaining their District Netball Champions title. With no „B Team Tournament‟ this year, our second team, ably captained by Jess Waters, played against all the other „A Teams‟. They played well in all their matches but lack of team match practice proved costly losing them goals against more experienced sides. Their attitude and commitment, however, is an example to all.

Our Year 9 girls also had their sights fixed on becoming District Netball Champions after finishing

runners-up for the last two years. Practice matches early in the season had gone well, including one game where they won 49-0! They just hoped that they now had the extra form needed to take the title. All the strong teams had turned out to the tournament, which would have no semi-finals. Everything hung on winning the group. The first match for the „A Team‟ was against their old rivals Guildford County, who have pipped them to the title for the past two years. The girls lost their composure, panicked and failed to produce their best play, devastatingly losing this important match. The pressure was now on to win every other game in the group and hope against hope that Guildford County slipped up. With play improving with every game, the girls‟ confidence and composure returned. Frankie Davis and Amy Fifield‟s excellent shooting kept the goals coming and, by the end of the tournament, Rodborough had added four wins and a draw to their score line. Guildford County were unstoppable, however, winning all their matches to retain their County Champions status. Anxious analysis of the results tables put the smiles back on our girls‟ faces as they had done enough to retain their runner-up status. Not to be outdone, the „B Team‟, captained by Emma Berrill, also played really well to finish reserve champions in their „B Tournament‟. Good luck for next year, girls. Keep up your hard work and positive attitudes and go for fourth time lucky!


Year 10 Basketball Debut Reporter Lila Flint Roberts.

On the Wednesday, 15th of January, with only four training sessions under our belt, the newly formed Year 10 basketball team set off to our first match (which also happened to be a tournament) at George Abbot. We arrived a little apprehensive, but full of team spirit as usual. The team consisted of Chloe Harding, Harriet Standing, Melika Jackson, Louise Rose, Katie Welsh, Nikki Browning and Lila Flint Roberts. We arrived slightly late, so barely had time to warm up, before we were straight on for our first match against George Abbot. We knew they would be „the team to beat‟ so after Miss Shephard delivered her team talk and tried to convince us that basketball was “just like netball” the match was off to a flying start. In the first half, we were slightly unnerved by the 6ft player from George Abbot, so we focused on our defence and were pleased with the half-time score of 0-0. When the subs came on, however, the gloves came off and we changed our focus to attack with Louise, Chloe and Lila soon scoring valuable goals.

Experienced George Abbot, however, were just that bit more prepared, finding holes in our defences. The end score was 12-5 to George Abbott, although this did not down hearten us in the slightest! We were all psyched up for our next match against Broadwater. With a few alterations to the team, we were ready for our second match. We recognised a few familiar faces from netball, so we knew who were better at shooting and who the better defenders were. This played to our advantage and, following fabulous goals from Chloe, Melika, Lila and Louise, we were 6-2 up by the end of the first half. Brilliant defence from Nikki and Katie in the second half limited Broadwater to 3 further goals whilst our high quality scored us another 3 goals, ending the game on a high for us, with the score 9-5. After congratulating Broadwater, we were straight on for our last match, against Guildford County. With our hopes high for second place, all our efforts went into this last match! As soon as the whistle blew, we moved forward as a unit and made many snatches from Guildford County. By the end of the first half, we were up 5-1, with some stunning goals from Louise and Melika and, some quality defence from Harriet and Katie, we were ready to finish County off! The second half started from our back line and, after some confusion from a member of our team as to which way we were shooting, we were rearing to go! With some fabulous interceptions from Nikki, and amazing running from Chloe and Lila, the match ended on an extremely satisfying score of 13-3, Rodborough had won second place at our first tournament! We were unbelievably happy (as was Miss Shephard), and the bus ride home was full of up-beat team spirit.

Waverley and Ash Tournament Reporter Miss C Shephard

With their first tournament under their belt, the team were ready to compete in the Waverley and Ash Partnership Tournament. This tournament built on the skills learned at the previous one, with the girls developing and improving with every match played. The training between tournaments was proved to be effective early in the first game of the tournament giving the Rodborough girls‟ confidence to storm their game against Woolmer Hill, winning by a commanding margin 30-2. The next game was against the more experienced Broadwater side and, working well with the forecourt press, our girls soon took the lead. Running down the clock, Rodborough snatched another goal on the counter to win 14-4. The final game, against Glebelands, also saw the girls dominating their opposition. The final score of 14-4 in their favour securing the title of Waverley and Ash Champions. The hard work of these girls and their receptiveness to new experiences has reaped benefits as several members of the team have, on the merits of their play at this tournament, been invited to attend County Trials. Good luck girls.

The Debutants


Girls’ Football at Thomas Tallis Reporters – Ellie Wyithe & Melika Jackson A minibus full of excited Year 9 and

10 girls headed to Thomas Tallis School in the East of London on Monday the 15th December. Due to Miss Shephard‟s eagerness and lighter than imagined traffic, we arrived 30 minutes early so headed to a local park. After a quick warm-up we hopped back in the mini bus to Thomas Tallis School where the presence of policemen around the grounds made us a little uneasy! Our minds were, however, put to rest on the football pitch where we met the home team and realised how friendly the girls were. They played a great, fair game of football, which we all thoroughly enjoyed! Our team played really well and, even after being two goals down at the end of the first half, never gave up and fought on to the end. Unfortunately, the final score was

6:0 to Tallis but, after all, it‟s the experience that counts! We were all really proud of ourselves for reaching the fifth round of the Under 15‟s National Football Competition and would love to have another go next year! We all benefited from the matches and it was really interesting to visit Thomas Tallis School, it being so different from Rodborough. A special thanks to Miss Shepherd for organising all our matches and to Mike Payne for driving us all up to London! Footnote from Miss Shephard This was the first time that Rodborough girls have entered the U15 National Cup. They have benefited enormously from playing the wide variety of teams from different environments. All our games have been against schools from Greater London and we were lucky to draw two home games, two byes and, our final game, an away at Lewisham. I‟ve been very proud of our girls, who have played well throughout the series. It has been their attitude, however, that has impressed me most. They have maintained discipline at all times and demonstrated exceptional levels of fair play. Well done girls. You are a credit to the school.

JSLA Update Reporter Miss C Shephard

Our JSLAs will soon complete their leadership training and have started to tot up their leadership hours to discover whether they will graduate with Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards. They have been an enormous help to both Rodborough and the local community by helping to run SSCO events and after school clubs.

They are busy as ever and will soon be organising inter-tutor sports events and summer sports. It will soon be time for the Year 9s to enrol on this popular and valuable course. Look out for more information in assemblies or you can ask me for more details.


Comic Relief @ Rodborough Red Nose Day 2009

Rodborough has been alive with fund-raising ideas over the past week or more. Monies are still coming in as we go to press with an impressive total of more than £2,500 banked so far. Please look on the website where we will post our final totals as soon as we have them. Until then, here are some photos of some of our fund-raising fun.

Documents

Chronicles March 2009 Medium