Senior student team announced, art, countdown and sport

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Head Girl and Boy and senior student team

This week I have had the pleasure of interviewing our Year 12 students who have applied for our Head Girl and Boys positions.  It is always humbling to spend time with so many amazing girls and boys.  I am delighted to be able to announce the following students have been appointed to our most senior student roles:

Head Girl – Emma Harrison

Head Boy – Ellis Knowles

Deputy Head Girls – Paige Godwin and Hannah Vizcaino

Deputy Head Boys – Alfie Fenn and Igor Sniegocki

Art with Mr Haring

In year 7 students have been studying colour with a focus and exploration of optical colour mixing using pointillism as a painting technique as used by Paul Signac, and Georges Seurat. They will go on to discover the emotional effects of colour and try to understand how colour can impact and influence mood and feelings.

Year 8 students have been designing their own repeating patterns. Prior to this have been looking at North American Acoma pottery designs and also Peruvian Inca patterns. This is a work in progress and I am starting to see some excellent results.

In year 9 students have completed a ceramic project. They have learnt how to manipulate clay and develop this into pinch pots and coil pots. They have been introduced to various decorating processes and techniques such as incised and relief decoration. Their current project is entitled “By the Sea” and they will be exploring Land artists such as Andy Goldsworthy. Torquay Sea front will provide the venue and found objects will be used to make works of art. Work will be documented through photographic recording before being reclaimed back into nature.

Year 10 students are working on the theme of “Hybrids” they have been exploring the strange and fantastical world of Hieronymus Bosh and Vladimir Kush and they have created their own images of hybrid creatures.

Year 11 have been exploring the theme of “Identity” using waste products to create a series of self-portraits. They have studied junk art and also considered the damaging and harmful effects of a throwaway society and in particular the impact of single use plastics.

Years 12 and 13 are involved in their own personal investigations. They are given complete autonomy to explore individual ideas and interests. One student has chosen Decay, Time and Palimpsest. Another has been looking at natural structures in relation to biomimicry in architecture. Another student has been developing a triptych of paintings focusing on the intricate play of reflected light and pattern on water.

I am always amazed at level of creative endeavour and raw talent that emerges from our students. I believe that self-expression should be encouraged at every opportunity because it is such a vital component of, and implicit in the human condition.

House Countdown

Last Thursday saw the grand final of our Countdown competition between Brunel and Christie.  It was held in the drama studio with the whole of 7 B and C, in attendance. Spectators cheered enthusiastically and many had made posters or banners to support their house team.  The teams consisting of Brunel: Amelia Rose, Grace Halsey, Grace Gibbings and Nataliya Spasova and Christie: Miko Piasecki, Isabelle Kelly, Anna Pearn and Lucas Chappell were very evenly matched.

For the first two letters’ rounds the teams were neck and neck. Brunel then drew ahead in the numbers’ round where they were able to exactly reach the target number with superb mathematical skills. Christie clawed back some points in the remaining letters’ rounds but everything was to play for in the final conundrum where the candidates had to unscramble a nine-letter anagram. Brunel emerged as the winners.

I presented the winners and runners up with gold and silver medals and Mrs Haines Brunel House Captain took charge of sweets for the whole tutor group. The House Cup now sports Brunel ribbons and is proudly displayed in the tutorial classroom of 7B.  Mrs Haines and Mr Hills, Christie’s House Captain, sportingly shook hands to show there were no hard feelings (at least until after half-term when our next competition commences!)

Inside Mrs Haines’ Classroom

Food Technology students in KS4 choose the qualification Hospitality and Catering. This is made up of practical cooking, written assignments based on nutrients and a theory examination focused on the catering and hospitality industry. The lessons are therefore made up of theory and practical tasks where they are challenged to complete a dish in a time ensuring all skills and equipment are utilised and demonstrated. The year sevens take Food as part of their Technology subject and they have so enjoyed learning about miss en place, knife skills and bread making. Here are some of the highlights.. not forgetting the yr 11 who have just completed their practical exam.

A Level Chemistry with Mr Gale

Our A-level chemistry students have been learning about how catalysts speed up chemical reactions. They investigated this beautiful rainbow experiment, which changes through all the colours of the pH scale as it gets more acidic. The catalysed reaction took ninety seconds whilst the uncatalysed reaction took nearly an hour!

Mr Hanley’s Chemistry Lesson

In Mr Hanley’s Chemistry lessons this week, 10Q6 and 10T7 have been learning about the ways to test for the presence of certain gases. Students have learned about limewater turning cloudy in the presence of carbon dioxide as well as watching the elephant’s toothpaste experiment to produce oxygen, allowing us to relight a glowing splint. Students also watched as Mr Hanley ignited a balloon of hydrogen to demonstrate the squeaky pop test, creating a fireball!

Junior Gym

This week we launched our new Junior Gym club for students in Years 7&8. We know that our sports centre and fitness suite is an incredible facility for our students and were desperate to encourage even more children to come and get involved in some physical activity after school, so we have therefore decided to open up the fitness suite to the younger years after school for the first time ever.

The response was phenomenal, with 182 students signing up for a session! We have devised a timetable for use of the gym to accommodate all of those who wish to use it. Year 7s are on a Week A (Mon-Weds) and Year 8s on Week B (Mon-Weds). This week it was the turn of Year 8s who all attended and had an hour fitness session with our fitness instructor Mr Edwards, and it was particularly nice to see so many new faces join us for an after school club.

Year 8 & 10 Netball Academy

The Year 8 and 10 Netball Academies were in action too last week, with both teams playing fixtures against Torquay Girls Grammar School.

The Year 8 Netball Academy had a re-match against a stronger TGGS team which led to both teams displaying some high quality performances. TA led the scoreline 8-6 at half time, thanks to excellent shooting performances from both Brooke and Ema as well as Amara and Katie making some strong defensive interceptions. After a tense third-quarter, the teams were drawing at 12-12 but ultimately TGGS ended the final quarter winning 16-14. Overall, the determination and resilience displayed by every member of the squad throughout the entire game shows how well they are all developing as netball players. Well done to Lydia Bevan who was voted player of the match.

The Year 10 Netball Academy showed how well they have developed as a squad through making use of set plays that they had practiced during training. Whilst we were able to feed into the shooting circle on numerous occasions, the final score was 21-4. The girls will now continue to train hard in readiness for our next fixture after half term. Well done to Evie Sutton who was voted player of the match.

Year 8 team: Brooke Tullly, Lydia Bevan, Amber Dicken, Jemimah Jones, Eve Cameron, Amara Phillips, Katie Rowe, Ema Kestell

Year 10 team: Ellie Denby, Mia Denby, Lily Unsworth, Evie Sutton, SKye Warner, Penny Richards, Heidi Wright, Lauren Major

Year 8 Boys Football vs Colyton Grammar

On Tuesday the Year 8 boys played away to Colyton Grammar School in the County Cup. The boys put in an excellent all round team performance and enjoyed their first away trip! The ran out 8-1 winners, with goals from Charlie Green (4) Diego Zulhayir, Sam Alcock, Toby Lee and Charlie Porter.

Player names: Colby Britton, Gregg Hindom, Diego Zulhayir, Austin White, Charlie Porter, Sam Alcock, Albie Baker, Bastian Johns Kuadio, Finley Allnutt, Harrison Hogg, Seth Margetts, Charlie Green, Toby Lee, Thomas Thorner.

U13 Girls County Football Cup

The U13 Girls Football team travelled to Paignton Community Sports Academy to play in the Devon School Games on Wednesday. The talented group of girls played against three other teams throughout the day, beating Paignton School 3-1, drawing to Churston School 0-0 and losing to Brixham School 2-0. This is the first time that the girls have played together in a major tournament so we look forward to seeing how the girls develop throughout the rest of the season. Congratulations to Farrah Ambrose who was voted player of the tournament.

U13 Girls Football Team: Amara Phillips, Lana Northcott, Leela Cartwright, Chloe Hollis (GK), Bella Giffard, Ava Shobbrook, Farrah Ambrose, Gracie-May Tolley, Lizzie Blackmore, Willow Kendall and Tallulah Houlahan

U15 Girls County Football Cup

On Wednesday the year 10 girls took part in the South Devon Football Competition.  The competition was held at Paignton.  The competition was reduced due to the fact teams were unable to travel or attend.  TA went the whole competition without losing a game and now go through to the County Finals at Coach Road in April.  TA drew the first game with Paignton 1-1 with Robyn Mitchell getting the goal.  The second game was a really tight affair, finishing 0-0 with Churston.  The third game TA beat Paignton 2-1 with the goals coming from Ava Mitchell.The final game was against Churston again.  TA only needed a draw to progress however the girls put in an incredibly dominant display running out 2-0 winners with the goals coming from Ava and Robyn Mitchell.

Player names: Heidi Wright, Ellie Denby, Mia Denby, Ava Mitchell, Robyn Mitchell, Emily Tucker, Amy Wilson, Ava Sams, Jazz Povey, Abi Anderson, Maisy Green and Penny Richards.

Cheerleading

Storm Eunice

Unfortunately, we had to close on Friday due to the storm.

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