Sixth Form Celebration Evening, Carnegie and Snowdon
Sixth Form Celebration Evening
On Tuesday evening we celebrated the achievements and successes of our wonderful Sixth Form students.
Students from both Year 12 and Year 13 were voted for by their teachers to be awarded Subject Awards and by their tutors for a Form Superstar Award. In addition, Effort Awards were presented to students who achieved a ‘perfect’ effort score this past Cycle. Please see below the successful nominees:
The evening was well attended by family and friends who shared in our delight in celebrating these truly exceptional young adults.
Sutton Trust Success!
The Sutton Trust champions social mobility from birth to the workplace through programmes, research and policy influence. The Sutton Trust’s UK Summer Schools programme offer students the chance to attend a residential summer school at a leading university and experience student life. Costs are covered by the Sutton Trust so they are free for the successful applicants and you are 4x more likely to be offered a space at a Russell Group university after attending the programme!
This year the following students were fortunate enough to be offered a place onto the programme:
Furthermore, Tyler-James Nunn has been accepted to attend a summer residential at a top US University this summer through the Sutton Trust programme.
These students will get so much out of these opportunities and I can’t wait to hear all about their experiences when they return to school in the Autumn.
DofE Gold Team tackle Mt Snowdon via Crib Goch
Between the 26 and 29 May, the DofE Gold team, along with Adventure Academy Staff, travelled to the Snowdonia National park to experience hiking and scrambling in the mountains before heading off for their final qualifying expedition in the Lake District at the start of July. For the Gold team this would be the first time climbing to over 3000 feet in the UK.
After a long journey into North Wales, the group set up camp at the foot of the first day’s mountain – the bleak and imposing Tryfan. At 918m this mountain is one of the most recognisable peaks in Britain with a classic pointed shape and rugged crags. With the weather gods smiling brightly on Snowdonia, Saturday morning saw the group hike and scramble up the side of Tryfan – a precarious ‘path’ known as the Heather Terrace leading to a classic Grade 1 scramble up North Gully to the peak in time for lunch. The journey back down the mountain took in the beautiful mountain lake “Llyn Bochlwyd” which provided a much needed respite in the heat and sun, and an opportunity to cool down the feet! After a relaxing evening resting up at the campsite playing cards and dodging the midges, it was early to bed in preparation of an early start on Snowdon.
For those in the know, Crib Goch (the Red Ridge), is the most challenging of the main routes to the summit of Mt Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales and England. A gut-wrenching, adrenaline fuelled Arete and knife-edged ridge, it is a true mountaineering route that is not to be taken lightly. Llanberis Mountain Rescue warn quite simply ‘the route up Crib Goch and along the ridge is extremely dangerous and should not be attempted by novice walkers’.
With this introduction the Gold Team and staff left the campsite at 7am, parked the minibus at the iconic Pen-y-Pas carpark and began the journey up Mt Snowdon. Initially via the rugged Pyg Track, the team then branched off right over a style onto the path to Crib Goch, the start of the 3,028ft grade 1 scramble to the top of the ridge. For the next few hours the group experienced some of the best grade 1 scrambling in the country with exhilarating views and sheer drops on both sides of a narrow ridge that, at some points, was less than 12 inches wide! Even with 5 highly experienced members of the Adventure Academy staff to hand to provide support, guidance and safety cover, the Gold team needed to draw on reserves of strength, stamina and bravery to complete this iconic and most challenging route. A well-deserved rest at the top was followed by a long descent via the Pyg Track, trying to avoid the crowds heading up the track and the Miners path to the summit. A long, successful day was capped by a well-deserved pizza in the local town of Betwys-y-Coed and a good night’s sleep before packing up and heading back to Torquay on Monday morning with memories to treasure. Well done to all.
Carnegie Event
Devon School Library Service organized an event to celebrate the Yoto Carnegie Awards 2023. The Carnegies are the UK’s longest running and best-loved awards for books written for children and young people. Students from Y8 and Y9 travelled to Stover School to share their presentation on a book chosen from the shortlist with reading groups from other schools in South Devon.
They chose to present their thoughts on ‘Medusa’ by Jessie Burton and got some positive feedback from author Chris Vick (who was shortlisted in 2019 for ‘Girl, Boy, Sea’). It was a fantastic experience for the students, who worked very hard to put together their speeches. Well done to the dedicated readers: Sophia Burnham, Ivy Hodgson-Hunt, Agata Sadlik, Daisy Hellier, Lena Galazkiewicz, Rayhan Shamim, Kacper Drygiel, Lola Benney and Miley Soby.
There will be more events like this planned in the future, so keep your eyes peeled for the chance to join Miss Jelbert’s reading group next year.
With Author Chris Vick.
At Stover School.
Agata and Ivy.
English with Mr Dickin
This week, year 9 have started working on their GCSE speaking and listening exams. Whilst the qualification doesn’t count towards their final grade, students will receive a separate certificate that goes alongside their English GCSE, being awarded a ‘pass’, ‘merit’ or ‘distinction’. Students have an opportunity to create a speech on something that they are passionate about.
Topics so far include ‘the value of the NHS and free healthcare’, ‘why football is the most important sport in the world’ and ‘why Greek Mythology is still relevant today’. Students are starting to feel nervous at the prospect of talking in front of their peers but fortunately, all students have been really supportive of one another and they have been nothing but encouraging.
Year 7 Geography students with Miss Fannon
In Miss Fannon’s Geography class this week, students have been investigating about microclimates and where would be the best location in school to place a swimming pool! They have had practice at using digital thermometers, anemometers and Met Office data to help them complete their write up and findings. In the picture above Caleb and Ollie are completing their methodology in preparation for data collection in the next lesson.
Here Jazmin is considering how ‘aspect’ and ‘space’ might influence the choices she makes about where to locate the swimming pool.
Year 13 Last Geography lesson with Miss Fannon
Year 13 had their last ever Geography lesson on Monday this week in preparation for their Paper 3 exam. They have worked so incredibly hard for two years now and they will certainly be missed! It has been an absolute pleasure to teach them!
Here Alfie and Antonia are sharing revision notes for Paper 3
L-R: Emma, Leah, Tilly and Isabel- completing Paper 3 preparation just before their last ever Geography exam!
7T5
Heston, Brandon and Charlie are showing the great work they did in Miss Nash’s class where they mapped the worlds different climate zones. They have been able to identify these and link them to different ecosystems such as tropical rainforest, hot deserts and polar regions.
Year 9 Hospitality and Catering
The Year nines have been working incredibly hard on producing tasty and nutritious food for an assignment based on the dietary needs of an older adult. They discussed what dishes would be suitable and then produced a tasty and delicious spaghetti bolognaise followed by a fruit tart in their next practical lesson. The task was challenging but managed very well as they were able to demonstrate a range of skills in the preparation and production of the pasta and sauce followed by the real attention to detail in the creation of the pastry and presentation in the fruit tart.
They are becoming our Torquay Academy Master Chefs!
U15 Netball Academy
The U15 Netball Academy have been training hard this week, with an S & C session on Wednesday and a tactical / game play session on Friday, which is all in readiness for the World Netball School Games next week at Loughborough University. They will be facing teams from all over the world with schools in their pool coming from Dubai, Scotland and North England. Keep your eyes peeled on Team TA’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages for regular updates on how the girls are getting on!
Rugby Success
Year 8 pupil Louis Tillen, was awarded the Exeter Athletic Rugby Club U13’s Parents Player of the Year trophy, on the weekend, at the clubs annual end of season awards ceremony.
Louis has had an incredible season, picking up a player of the year award for the 4th time in 10 years of playing.
This season has seen Louis playing in an international tournament in Portugal, and his team finishing runners up in the Devon cup.
Louis strong point is defence, making multiple fearless tackles every game, but is also one of the teams to try scorers, getting in the score sheet most games with his blistering pace!
Well done, Louis!
Students of the Week
Year 7 – Scarlett Connolly and Ollie Payne-Stanbury
Year 10 – Oliver Huxtable and Kasha-Lily Borge
House Students of the Week
Year 7
Brunel – Euan Miller
Christie – Jamie Tully
Darwin – Ava Luker-Hulme
Fawcett – Toby Hamilton
Harrison – Archie Harman
Kitson – Scarlett Hill
Pengelly – Adalynn Abraham
Year 8
Christie – Frankie Skelly
Darwin – Emilia Hunt
Fawcett – Halayna Hussain
Harrison – Blayre Holden
Kitson – Laura Cadman
Year 9
Brunel – Bastian Johns-Kouadio
Christie – Kodi Wilson
Darwin – James Billingham
Fawcett – Martina Vijayakumar
Harrison – Toby Forrester-Finney
Kitson – Ava Shobbrook
Homework Students of the Week
Year 7
Brunel – Ruby Chamberlain
Christie – Bella Horton
Fawcett – Sean Canham
Harrison – Molly Hollomby
Kitson – Archie Somerset
Pengelly – Sienna Wilschere
Year 8
Christie – Scarlett Huxtable
Darwin – Tegan Ross
Fawcett – Charlie Wise
Harrison – Kelsey Drew
Kitson – Olly Payne
Year 9
Christie – Alfie Mahoney-Billis
Darwin – Cerys Lowe
Fawcett – Ellie Roberts
Harrison – Kayden Whittred
Kitson – Jessica Mitchell
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