South Africa, flying and sporting successes...

Listen

Cricket Tour of South Africa

Josh Thompson in Year 11 had the wonderful opportunity to spend 18 days in South Africa with Devon Cricket recently and here he tells us all about his incredible trip:

Our tour started with a coach ride up to Heathrow Airport, followed by a further 19 hours of flying across 3 flights, to finally touch down in South Africa at Skukuza Airport in the Kruger National Park. During our stay in Skukuza, we stayed in the Kruger Gate Hotel in chalets of 4s and 5s. The successful tour started well as we won our first two games. The first, a good game against Nelspruit High School who not only gave us a good game also gave us a good welcome to South Africa. In between our first game and the second, we played golf on the wildest golf course in the world, Skukuza Golf Course which is in the middle of the bush. Our second win of the tour came against the Johanne Rudolph Academy. In between the cricket and other activities, we went on many game drives and managed to see all the big five including buffalo, elephants, rhino, lions and leopards. The highlight of these drives being the sighting of a leopard feeding on a kill we had spotted days before hand. Unfortunately, this rounded off our time in Skukuza and we had to reluctantly leave for our next destination.

After another 3 hour flight, we landed in Cape Town Airport and then we travelled by minibus to the Protea Mowbray Hotel where we stayed for the next 9 days. On the same day we arrived, we visited the first of 3 beaches before playing a day-night game at Milnerton High School where we played the U18 Western Province Development team. This was the only game we lost on the tour, however, playing our first day-night game with Table Mountain in the background was an unbelievable experience. We played 3 more games of cricket during our time in Cape Town, one of which a two day game at The Vinyard Oval where unfortunately we lost the second day due to thunder and lighting storm with the result ending in a draw. This game was played against the U18 Western Province Cricket Team which included two South African U18 international players. We went to another two beaches, both with Table Mountain views, and had a boat trip to Seal Island. We played another two matches and won both. The first played against a Township team, this was played at Somerset West Cricket Club and the other an invitational XI, played at a newly built ground called Rondbosche Cricket Club which is built at the foot of the mountain range. This made for an unbelievable background.

During our stay in Cape Town, we had the privilege to tour around some of Newlands (the national cricket stadium) and went on the pitch to walk around and to take some photos with Table Mountain in the background. Our tour ended with a meal at the Western Province Cricket Club where everyone that had helped us during our time in Cape Town came along. The next morning, we had to get up early and we were able to go up Table Mountain before having one last meal at the V and A Waterfront, where we went to most nights for dinner, before going to the airport to fly another 18 hours on two flights. Our amazing tour ended with a very tired coach journey back to Exeter where we all went home with family for the first time in 18 days.

Touring South Africa was fantastic and we made memories that will live with me forever.

It is an incredible achievement for Josh and this certainly was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  We are very proud of him.

Flying high!

Many of our activities are planned weeks in advance but we really had to put the “adapt and overcome” into practice when we were given an opportunity of 4 flights with about 22 hours’ notice. The cadets were ecstatic and got their paperwork turned around overnight. Friday dawned a little cooler than recently but the air was clear and there was very little wind. A perfect day for flying. A brief jaunt up to Boscombe Down and the 4 cadets went through the tried and tested routine training before each flight. As it was 4 first timers, it was done with interest and excitement in anticipation of what the afternoon had to bring.

The first cadet took off on time and had a great flight taking control of the aircraft and chasing the clouds and going around them. After the flight, the first comment was “I didn’t realise how much of the time I would be flying the plane”. Next up also took control of the plane and focussed on straight and level. Not so easy when you are in a 3 dimensional space with the air moving in different directions to you. The third flier had a moment of patience as his aircraft was found to have a loose antenna. A new aircraft was readied and away he went to go and take on a role. He came back buzzing having had a great flight. We saved the best until last with comments from the pilot afterwards such as natural aptitude and should look at being a pilot seriously. The final flight saw the cadet take charge of the aircraft during a role which was the culmination of a flight where every hurdle set by the pilot was cleared easily. Just a quick reminder this cadet was on his first Air Experience flight.

Needless to say, their bus ride home was filled with swapping stories of an amazing afternoon. They are amazing cadets and it is a real pleasure to share their adventures. They can’t wait for the next flight.

  

Effort Boards

Another cycle and another set of effort grades.  We are very proud of all of the hard work undertaken by our girls and boys.  Well done on an amazing first quarter!

Mr Hadley’s Product Design lessons

Year 12 A Level Product Design students have been designing, modelling and constructing prototypes of virtual reality (VR) headsets. The products use pre-made lens components built around a smartphone capable of playing VR enabled video content. They worked scientifically by collecting and implementing anthropometric data (human body measurements) to create ergonomically designed headsets. These have been developed over the last few lessons with designs continuously improved and modified in light of user feedback.

As you can see from the photos, the brief has attracted a broad range of creative responses which are currently being developed into their final products. Attention to detail has been key when considering surface finishes and inclusion of additional features such as adjusting focal length and accessing the phone.

House News

This week’s featured house is Harrison.
The timing is perfect as, for the first time ever, the Year 7 students in Harrison have achieved the highest total number of house points. When Miss Risk emailed Mrs Hosking, their head of house and Miss Felton, their house captain, to inform them of the victory, both were delighted. Harrison students have been celebrating their victory this week.

Miss Risk spoke to four students from 7H: Toby Howell, Archie Harman, Mollie Hollomby and Maria Nihtyanova and here is what they had to say:

It feels really nice to be winners and that we are one of the first houses to win in the year. We all have lots of house-points; most people in our group have over a hundred already!

Harrison is a great house to be in as we have really good people in our group. We all get on well as a team and there are funny people who make us laugh. We love our house colour as orange is really positive.

Our motto is Be Courageous and there are lots of people in Harrison who show courage. We made a real effort to sell poppies over the past few weeks to raise money for our house charity, the Royal British Legion.

Miss Felton our tutor is really nice; she explains things well and encourages us to join in with sports. Mrs Hosking is lovely and we really like the way she wears orange accessories when she visits to present the certificates on Friday mornings.

Some of us were not originally meant to be in Harrison but we are happy where we are and would not want to change things.

Year 9 Sport Science

This week students have been researching and creating a player profile of an athlete of their choice. They have to research all the relevant medical information before they then identify the specific components of fitness that this athlete requires and also help them be successful. Students then list the athlete’s strengths and weaknesses before talking about what tests they would carry out with the athlete based on the components they identified. They then explain how to carry out all these tests after taking part in them themselves.

Wednesday’s practical lesson saw students taking part in the sit and reach test, looking at their flexibility. They then started to work on improving the components of fitness they identified as they needed to or would like to improve.

Science Club

Year 7s and 8s have been busy in Science club with Mr Hanley, Miss Sykes, Miss Stoyle and Mr Spittle since the start of term, carrying out various Biology and Chemistry experiments. Each week has been a different focus, from showing how we get different colour fireworks and explosions using hydrogen to dissecting mammalian eyes and hearts, as well as learning about polymers and how they work! The students have been loving carrying out experiments which will link into the learning they are doing in class.

Year 7 B Team Football vs Taunton

Our B team had their first game of the year on Monday in the National cup. They started the game really well, taking the lead going into half time. The second half the opposition made a few changes and put a player on upfront, which completely changed the game. Their Centre Forward scored 4 goals in the second half and was a real handful. Our boys continued to work hard to keep themselves in the game but unfortunately didn’t have enough to get the win. Taunton Academy ended up winning the game 5-3.

TA Goal scorers: Sonny C, Harry P and Zak H

Year 7 Football vs Brixham

Our year 7 A team smashed their way into the next round of the National cup with an emphatic win against Brixham College. The result on the day was 12-0 to TA. Here are some of the best goals of the day. They will face St Peters in the next round.

TA Goals Scorers: Stanley A, Lee S x2, Max M x4, Keano O x2, Vinny S, Brodie D and Zak H

Post 16 Football vs Coleg

The Sixth Form continued their winning streak with a strong performance vs Welsh team Coleg. The boys put in a solid performance and thoroughly deserved their 5-1 win.

TA Goal Scorers: Tor Swann x2, Charlie White, Ben Hopkins and Tom Burt

Year 9 Football vs Newton Abbot College

Our Year 9’s struggled to break down a strong Newton Abbot College team, with conditions being very muddy, wet and cold, the style of football was always going to be against our usual playing style. Newton scored a very early goal which unfortunately was enough to take them through to the next round.

Year 7 Rugby

The year 7 rugby team travelled to Paignton on Tuesday for a 12 aside game in perfect rugby conditions! The year 7’s were also playing in the football national cup so even though the squad was depleted, we produced a very strong performance. The game was very evenly matched and finished 15-15. Well done to all involved.

Students of the Week

Year 7 – Alex Moss and Robyn Higgins

Year 9 – Amy Harrison and Noah Butler

Year 10 – Alice Holt and Woody Ronson

Year 11 – Jeb Wheatley and Lilly-Anne Winterton

Sixth Form – Sebastian Grute and Finley Paull

House Stars of the Week

Year 7

Brunel – Alfie Speed

Christie – Sydney Summers

Darwin – Lily-Rose Garbett

Fawcett – Emilia Warner

Harrison – Blake Young

Kitson – Tyler Evans

Nearne – Macie Robinson

Pengelly – Jack Hornbrook

Year 8

Brunel – Liam Anthony

Christie – Josh Henderson

Darwin – Ethan Piri-Sadigh

Fawcett – Connie Kinghorn

Harrison – Larna Waller

Kitson – Adam Copping

Nearne – Layla Broadway

Pengelly – Orley Copeland

Year 9

Christie – Daisy Faulkner

Darwin – Lucas Berry

Fawcett – Arisa Bejdo

Harrison – Owen Waller

Kitson – Jessica Mitchell

Nearne – Noah Butler

Pengelly – Lyra Bowstead

Homework Stars of the Week

Year 7

Brunel – Sienna Welsh

Christie – Thomas Cox

Darwin – Kaitlyn Jarvis

Fawcett – Ethan Greenwood

Harrison – Toby Howell

Kitson – Aiden Hooper

Nearne – Harry Pudney

Pengelly – Finley Dawson

Year 8

Brunel – Nicholas Heale

Christie – Kiewl Mortimer

Darwin – Jason Mewett

Fawcett – Leela Cartwright

Harrison – Roxy Johnson

Kitson – Lora Cadman

Nearne – Maja De Carvalho

Year 9

Christie – Dean Conway

Darwin – Jessica Nicholson

Fawcett – Amy Harrison

Harrison – Austin Howell

Kitson – Aliyah Smith

Nearne – Colby Britton

Pengelly – Anthony Hewitt

Sparx Leaderboards

Reading Plus

Power Up!