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Dover Grammar School for Boys

THE "FIRST THURSDAY" NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER JUNE 1997 No. 38

GOVERNORS

We warmly welcome Mr John English who won the election to fill the parent governor vacancy on the Governing Body. John attended DGSB from 1966 to 1973 and is a Housemaster at The Duke of York's School. He has already expressed an interest in joining the Admissions and Community Committee and the Finance Committee.

We thank Revd. Nick De Keyser for his interest in serving as a parent governor which enabled an election to take place. Our thanks go to all the parents who cast some 350 votes for the two candidates which reflects a healthy level of interest and care for the school.

The next meeting of the Governing Body will take place on Monday 23rd June at 7.00 pm.

Robin Terry - Chairman

LENTEN APPEAL

The Lenten Appeal held last term was as successful as usual and the total raised (£1714.33) has been divided equally between the three charities chosen by the School Council. The charities are:

The Celia Blakey Day Centre at William Harvey Hospital, Ashford - a day centre for cancer sufferers.

The Meningitis Trust; and

Global Care - dealing with refugee and orphaned children in Rwanda.

Already representatives from the William Harvey Hospital and the Meningitis Trust have received their cheques from Antony Hook, Chairman of the School Council, and have spoken in assembly. Global Care, as it is based in Coventry, has not yet been able to send a representative to the school in person, but will be sending material for a display of their work.

SCHOOL VISITS

As the weather gets better there have been a number of educational visits to places relevant to the curriculum:

All Year 8 forms have visited Deal Castle as part of their work on "The Making of the United Kingdom";

All Year 10 and Year 12 geographers have undertaken fieldwork in a series of study days in the local area (3 days for Year 10, 5 for Year 12);

Years 12 and 13 Sports Studies students visited the new Sports Science Gallery at the Science Museum in London;

Year 12 students of Ancient History visited the Roman town of Caerleon, South Wales;

Year 12 French students spent a day in France visiting a biscuit factory and the Blockhaus Museum at Eperlecques;

and a number of pupils attended a performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S TRIP TO YORKSHIRE - Friday 25th - Sunday 27th April

As we arrived in Yorkshire we saw the terror that was Roseberry Topping. It would be an awesome feat to reach the summit and we all knew it wasn't going to be easy.

We set the tent up in failing weather and slept soundly. In the morning we ate well on bacon and eggs and then prepared for the long trek ahead.

In the picturesque countryside we witnessed the spectacular views and wonderful historic scenery. Captain Cook, a fellow explorer, had grown up in the area and at the half way point we saw the monument to his life. The easy bit was over, the weather closed in and we navigated our way home. After the eight miles of hiking we were all pleased to put the local ice cream to the test.

That evening we played football with our re-inflatable John Champion Matchday football. Cooking in the wild was hard and pasta was on the menu.

We survived the home journey without incident and were all heartily looking forward to doing it again in two weeks.

Max Adlam - Year 10

DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S EXPEDITION TRAINING - Llangenny, Black Mountains Friday 9th - Sunday 11 May

After a six hour drive in a rather cramped minibus we arrived at our campsite in Llangenny, a small village built along the banks of the Gwyne Fawn River.

After pitching our tents the campsite became the venue for the D of E World Cup Final which lasted about an hour and a half, finishing in pitch darkness. The match was followed by Welsh chips.

The following morning we all woke early, cooked breakfast on our stoves and prepared ourselves for the day ahead. We set out at 11.30 am, in pouring rain, from Crickhowell car park and made our way through woodland and fields to Table Mountain, where we stopped for lunch, accompanied by a family of sheep. From then on it was uphill for two and a half kilometres over sparse rocky ground, dotted with peat bogs, until we reached the summit of Pen-Cerrig Calch where we stopped for one of our many photo shoots. The hardest part of the walk was over. The rest was relatively flat but the ground was rough and hard going on the ankles. The scenery from there was superb. Despite frequent showers visibility was good and we could see for miles in every direction.

Already, some of our group were tiring, so we slowed the pace and made our way at a steady speed along an exposed ridge for about an hour, to the summit of Pen-Allt Mawr, at 719 meters. Half an hour later we reached the half way mark and then made our way back along the foot of the mountains we had previously climbed. It seemed like hours to get back to Crickhowell but at 5.30 we stumbled back to the mini-bus. It had been an exhausting day, but everyone had enjoyed themselves and were satisfied after completing the thirteen mile expedition.

That night, football wasn't on the menu. We all ate our sausages and beans, enjoyed hot showers and then went for a drink, non-alcoholic of course! It was then back to the tents for a solid night's sleep.

The following morning it was teeming down. Everyone stayed in their tents until the last minute but the craving for a cooked breakfast was just too much. In twenty minutes the tents were down and everything was crammed into the mini-bus. We returned to Dover wet and tired but happy and looking forward to our final expedition.

Michael Crebbin - Year 10

Thanks to Mr Ritson and Mr Duke who organised and led these two expeditions.

YEAR 12 FRENCH 'A' LEVEL GROUP TRIP TO FRANCE - Friday 16th May

In the morning the group visited the Blockhaus in Eperlecques. This was a last minute decision as the original plans fell through at the last minute. We were not too excited at the thought of seeing a concrete block. However, on arrival we were struck by the size of the building. We were taken round by a guide who gave us a lot of information in French and made the visit very interesting.

Eperlecques was chosen as a site to build this launch base for V1 and V2 rockets to bomb England. It was to serve as a factory for the production of liquid oxygen fuel and the assembly of V2 rockets. Fortunately the Germans fled Eperlecques in 1944 because of the impact of Allied bombing. They were worried about the compressors exploding. We were also impressed by the effort made to turn this concrete monster into an historical museum with the help of modern technology such as commentaries in different languages at the touch of a button, sound effects etc.

After a quick packed lunch we drove back to Calais where we were expected at the Belin biscuit factory. We were greeted by a gorgeous smell of cookies and a lot of white gowns and caps. We had to dress up, and were relieved that nobody had a camera. After a description of the Belin chain of companies we were taken round the factory whilst tasting the biscuits being made and having explained the workings of the factory.

Our guide was a lady who had just finished her shift but offered to stay on to take us round. She was most enthusiastic and entertaining. It was actually very interesting even if at times a difficult listening comprehension exercise, especially with the background noise of the machines.

At the end of the tour, we were all presented with a carrier bag full of different packs of Belin biscuits.

All in all, although we had not been entirely sure what to expect from this study trip with a difference, turned out to be a very worthwhile exercise.

Mrs M Hargrave

MUSIC - CHORAL CONCERT

On Wednesday 25th June at 8.00 pm the School's musicians will be presenting a Choral Concert in the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Charlton, Dover.

The programme to be sung by the School Choir on this occasion will present a selection of popular choral music. Two modern pieces by Vaughan Williams, O Clap Your Hands and Five Mystical Songs, will be paired with two well known works from the classical period, Mozart's motet Ave Verum and Haydn's Maria Theresa Mass. Between the choral items the School Brass Ensemble will perform instrumental music by the Renaissance composer Gabrieli. The School Choir will be joined by Guest Soloists, the Organist will be David Harding and the concert will be conducted by the School's Director of Music Richard Davies.

Admission will be £3.50 for adults and £2.00 for students and senior citizens. Tickets will be on sale at the door on the night and are also available in advance from the School (Tel: 01304-206117).

Please make this concert known amongst family, friends and others who may be interested. You are warmly invited to attend and we hope you will be able to join us.

The next musical event after the choral concert will be the Concert of Music for a Summer Evening on Wednesday 16th July at 7.30 pm in the School Hall.

PFA

The next PFA meeting will be held on Tuesday 17th June at 7.30 pm. Any new members are welcome.

200 Club

Results of the 200 Club for May are:

£25 Mrs A Stewart (114), £15 Mrs M Hargrave (134) and £10 Mrs J Beech (183).

CCF

Kent School's Rifle Association Meeting - 10th May

The School's CCF participated in this year's KSRA Meeting at Hythe Ranges. Cadet units from all over Kent took part in a shooting competition. Despite a wet day and unfavourable conditions for shooting, our team did extremely well with Cpl Parmenter and L/Cpl Lee receiving runner-up medals for their efforts in the two-man team.

Shooting

There have been numerous shooting dates over the last month. Cadets travel to Hythe Ranges for shooting and are allowed to fire a variety of weapons on the 100, 200 and 300m ranges.

Firstly there is the Cadet General Purpose rifle, which is similar to that used by the British Army, apart from the fact that it is single shot and has different sights. Secondly, there is the LSW (Light Support Weapon) which allows for firing in semi-automatic or automatic mode.

There is also the opportunity to fire various other sporting 0.22mm rifles and pistols, all under careful adult supervision.

Also available to the cadets is the use of the Electronic Target Range (ETR) where scoring is done automatically.

Connaught Barracks - Friday 23rd May

On the last Friday of the half term cadets were taken up to Connaught Barracks for the evening.

3-Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, were kind enough to allow us the use of their assault course, shooting range and Small Arms Trainer.

Cadets were exhausted after completing the assault course at the Barracks which included scaling a 12ft wall - not an easy job for the small Yrs 8 and 9 cadets.

One group of cadets were extremely fortunate enough to be allowed to make use of the £750,000 Small Arms Trainer (SAT) at the Barracks. This facility allows cadets to fire real SA80 (British Army) Rifles which have been adapted to shoot 'laser rounds'. Cadets choose from a range of scenarios, from night attacks to river ambushes, and then shoot at a huge video wall.

The SAT Trainer is akin to the 'Quaser' game - only a lot better. It's an extremely enjoyable activity playing in one of the most expensive video games around. The facility allows cadets to improve their rifle skills in complete safety.

Folkestone Cadet March - 25th May

On 25th May a group of cadets completed a gruelling 25-mile walk around the Folkestone/Hawkinge area. The walk was a sponsored event to raise money for the Contingent.

The cadets did well and were in good spirit, managing to storm the course in 7 hours.

Before they went home to burst their blisters, each cadet received a certificate and medal for their achievement.

Recruiting

On 14th May the CCF held a recruitment campaign at the school.

If any pupil from Yr 8 or above is interested in joining the CCF then they should return a completed application form to the CCF HQ.

To find out more about what the CCF has on offer there are posters and displays on the CCF noticeboard on lower corridor.

Further information, or an application form, can be obtained by visiting the HQ during break/lunch-time.

Forthcoming Events

Mitu Islam - Year 12

SPORTS NEWS

Sports Day - Wednesday 2nd July

It has been decided to see whether there are enough parents who would like to take part in a Parents Race on Sports Day as we know this is a popular event in other schools.

The proposed race would be a simple 100 metre 'sprint' to be held as the last event of the morning session at 11.20 am. Competitors, like all other parents and friends, would be very welcome to remain at school for the whole of what, we hope, will be a very enjoyable day.

If you are interested please let Mr Grant know, via the School Office, as soon as possible.

Cricket

Year 8 - On the first day of this half term Year 8 competed in a closely fought cup game against Dane Court. After losing the toss we were forced to bat first and without our regular openers our chances looked slim. These early doubts soon were forgotten when we reached 71 with the loss of only one wicket. This was mainly a result of some fine batting and quick running from Daniel Hogg and Chris James. However, this good platform wasn't capitalised on and the loss of several quick wickets left us on a total of 94. Our fielding matched our early batting performance with a good catch from Jason Laird and quick run out from Chris James. Despite tight bowling the opposition total was helped by a number of quick singles. These gradually mounted until the opposition needed only one off the last ball. The batsmen were committed to run whatever the shot. Even though the ball was missed the resulting throw from the wicket keeper glanced off the stumps failing to remove the bails. The scores were level but Dane Court had won with the loss of fewer wickets. The blame was placed on the heavier bails which were being used because of the wind!
Mr J Duke.

Year 9 XI Cricket - We played Brockhill in the 1st round of the County Cup competition and the team played well to win by a creditable 8 wickets.

In the second round of the Cup we came up against a strong Norton Knatchbull team who had a very strong bowling attack and we were well beaten by 120 runs.

The weather has caused two friendly inter school matches to be cancelled, one against Astor, the other against St Edmund 's, Dover. One of these at least it is hoped can be re-arranged.

Year 7 XI Cricket - A keen squad of players has emerged through a number of practices and our first match was against Sir Roger Manwood's away, quite a close game ensued and we failed to make their total in a 20 overs match by 12 runs.

In our second match against Norton Knatchbull we lost to a competent team by 4 wickets.

In the County Cup Competition we played Harvey GS and lost after an interesting match by some 5 wickets. We hope to re-arrange our match against St Edmund's, Dover which had to be cancelled due to rain.

Mr M Grant

Kent Schools Swimming Championships

The following boys competed in the above Championships:-
Dean Scoggins (8SW)
Shaun Friend (7G)
Adam Patterson (7W)
Mark Gaunt (10P)
Mark Beaumont (11CA)

Shaun Friend won a silver medal in the Junior Boys 100m Freestyle and Mark Gaunt won a bronze in the Intermediate 200m Individual Medley. Both boys go through to swim for Kent Schools against Surrey Schools in June. Shaun & Mark have also won gold medals, as follows, in the East Invicta Swimming Championships -

Shaun won the 11/12 years 100m Freestyle and the 11/12 years 200m Intermediate Medley and

Mark won 15/16 years 100m Butterfly, Junior Boys Open 100m Butterfly (16 & under) and the 15/16 years Boys

100m Freestyle. He was also selected to swim for Kent in an inter-county competition at Crystal Palace during May.

Tennis

The DGSB tennis team (Russell Trewartha, Michael Crebbin, Kevin Doughty and Kemal Ozkoruyucu) progressed to the next round of the Kent County Inter Schools Competition. Having beaten Archer's Court School by 5 matches to 1 they now meet St Edmunds in another away fixture.


Mr N Boardman.




Table Tennis
Enrolment forms have been issued to all who participate in table tennis for 'A Table Tennis Special' to be held on Saturday 28th June at the Channel School Sports Hall, Park Farm Road in Folkestone. This event is being organised by The Rotary Clubs of Shepway in association with Folkestone & District Table Tennis Association. The finals will be held on Saturday 19th July at the Folkestone Sports Centre Open Day. If you are interested and have not received an enrolment form please contact Paul Skelton in the Workshops.

SPORTS FIXTURES

Cricket (Spectators always welcome)

Thurs. 5th at 2.45 Yr 10 XI -v- Norton Knatchbull (A)
4.00 Yr 8 XI -v- Norton Knatchbull (H)
Tue. 10th at 4.00 Yr 8 XI -v- Astor (H)
4.00 Yr 10 XI -v- Astor (A)
Wed. 11th at 4.00 Yr 7 XI -v- Astor (A)
4.00 Yr 9 XI -v- Astor (H)
Thurs. 12th at 2.00 1st XI -v- Sir Roger Manwoods (H)
Tue. 17th at 1.30 Form Cricket 8SE -v- 8SW
4.15 Yr 10 XI -v- Sir Roger Manwoods (A)
Thurs. 19th at 4.15 Yr 9 XI -v- Sir Roger Manwoods (H)
Sat. 21st at 10.00 Yrs 7, 8 & 9 XIs -v- Egg Buckland College Touring Team (40 overs per match per innings)
Mon. 23rd at 4.15 Yr 8 XI -v- Sir Roger Manwoods (A)
Tue. 24th at 11.45 Form Cricket 8D -v- 8R
Wed. 25th at 2.00 1st XI -v- Dane Court GS (A)
Fri. 27th at 1.30 Form Cricket 7G -v- 7W
Mon. 30th at 1.30 House Cricket 9 Channel -v- 9 Castle

Athletics

Wed. 11th at 2.00 Powell Trophy Yrs 8, 9 & 10 at DYRMS. Finish approximately 4.15 pm.

Michael Roberts, Year 10, will be representing the South East District in the 3000m at the County Athletics Championships on Saturday 14th June to be held at Deangate Athletics Track, Isle of Grain.