FOCUS

Half-Term Newsletter

Issue 10 - February 2005

 
Dear Parents

Focus newsletter time again! With Easter early this year, it has been a short term, made even shorter by the disruption caused by the snow. Nevertheless, our students have achieved a great deal, and our examination groups are now turning their attention to preparing for the exam season ahead. If your son is in Year 11 you will have received a letter setting out the opportunities we are providing for extra revision sessions, and coursework support. Please encourage your son to make use of these opportunities. We have high expectations of all our examination groups this year, and these last weeks of preparation are the key to their success.

I have been most encouraged by the attendance at our Parents' Evenings this term. It is good to have the opportunity to discuss your son's progress with you and I hope you have found the assessment information you are receiving useful in informing those discussions. We will continue to keep you fully informed about how your son is doing and if you have any concerns, please contact us.

Lenten Appeal week has been a great success. I think we will all remember for a very long time the sight of Mr Pullen and Mr Sanders as the Sex Pistols in Stars in Your Eyes, and the outstanding performance of the Spice Girls, led by Ms Maund and Ms Birchley. Lots of students contributed to the activities in the week, and we hope to have raised a large amount of money for our chosen charities Kent Air Ambulance and Cancer Research UK. Thanks are due to our prefects and the School Council for all their work in planning and supporting activities.

Other successes this term include the outstanding performances of our rugby teams, full details of which you will find elsewhere in this newsletter. Congratulations to all our sportsmen on their excellent achievements.

Finally, can I remind you to order your Centenary ties, and to book your tickets for the Centenary Ball. Order forms can be found at the back of this newsletter.

May I wish you a very happy Easter break.

SJ Lees - Headteacher

FREE SCHOOL MEALS

The Government is changing the income threshold below which you are entitled to claim free school meals. The changes come into force on 6 April 2005.

From 6 April 2005, children whose parents receive the following support payments are entitled to receive free school meals:

* Income Support (IS)
* Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA)
* Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
* Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income, as assessed by the Inland Revenue that does not exceed £13,910 (this threshold has changed)

Children who receive IS or IBJSA in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals.

If you think you are eligible to claim free school meals for your son and are not already doing so, please contact Mrs Howe at the school who will give you further advice.

CANADIAN PEN PALS

The Year 7 boys have been writing to students aged 10 to 13 from Ontario this past year. They have sent two letters and received one back. Sweets have been passed to one another as well. We are awaiting the next batch of letters as they were mailed on Saturday 12 March 2005.

The boys have been very excited about this project. I have been using their skills that they are learning to allow them to write these letters. The first letter was done as a presentation in PowerPoint. It was about themselves, their favourite items and questions for their new pen pals. The second letter was done using Search Engines and Microsoft Word as well as Email as they had to email the letter to me. The next one should be interesting as they will be required to do a survey in Microsoft Excel and send the results to their friends.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean - the students in Ontario have enjoyed British sweets - the chocolate tastes different and there are some sweets like TOFFO that is not available to Canada. There will be opportunities to work with the French department as the school is half-French.

A lot of the boys have been wondering if they can send email - I am going to take this chance to ask all parents if they can send a letter to school with their son giving permission to give out their email address. For security reasons both here and abroad - I would prefer having the parents' permission in this matter.

The boys will be receiving Valentine's Day chocolates soon and Easter Eggs from their pen pals in Ontario. It has been a great experience. I loved watching the expression on the faces of the boys when they received their letters…

If you have any questions, please contact me at the school. Thanks.

From Miss K Rowley - ICT

Lenten Appeal General Knowledge Quiz

Thanks to all students and staff who have taken part this year. Winners will be announced in the next edition of Focus. Easter eggs are prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Students will be informed before the Easter break.

Tesco Computers for Schools
The scheme is running this year between the 7th March and 15th May. More new computers are required for the Library Resource Centre so please keep collecting those vouchers. Donations however big or small are gratefully received.

Sainsbury Active Kids Vouchers
The Library is also spearheading this appeal. Equipment will be for the Sports Department. Collection boxes for both schemes are on the Library landing.

Nestle Box Tops
Please hand these in to me as the scheme is still running.

Your support is always appreciated. Please ask family members and friends to collect for us if possible. Every voucher really does make a difference. Many thanks.

From Mrs LK George - School Librarian

Despite the fact that a trip up to London always sounds appealing, the 6.30am start didn't help fuel enthusiasm. After a time consuming coach trip (mainly due to an accident in the Blackwall Tunnel) psychology, sociology and law students arrived at the Institute of Education primed and ready to go.

The conference started with a shock, when the Scottish and ever enthusiastic Professor David Wilson informed us that participation in the forthcoming discussion may be necessary. Topics of conversation included the Death Penalty and Crime and Punishment in both the UK and the US as a whole. Despite this being interesting, it was nothing on Mr Stafford?Smith's presentation, a famous Barrister, who has recently defended detainees in the high-profile Guantanamo Bay court case. His colourful language and funny anecdotes immediately allowed him to successfully interact with the teenage audience. Our audience was completely captivated at this stage. His topic was the execution of juveniles in the US, which the US Supreme Court has only recently prohibited.

It was however obvious all the way through the morning that the day was angled to persuading youngsters against harsh sentencing and punishment. Mr Stafford?Smith is a defence lawyer whose job is to minimise punishments himself and tried to persuade everyone attending to join campaigns on behalf of specific prisoners who face the death penalty. We saw horrific examples of innocent people on Death Row, who were framed and had little chance of coming back out alive.

The afternoon presented us with another attention-grabbing session. The speakers were Dr Peter Bennett (Governor of Grendon Prison), Dave (the ever re-offending convict) and Paul (the ex-convict, recently released, who still pleads his innocence today nearly 30 years on). The Governor spoke first and told us about Grendon, the only therapeutic prison in the UK, and how it tried to rehabilitate criminals rather than punish them. This was interesting, although the audience was more interested in the two prisoners. Dave told us about his life of stealing and football hooliganism, as well as about his life of rehabilitation. He was, however, travelling with the Governor and hence didn't criticise the prison, rather praised it, showing a different attitude completely to Paul, our third guest speaker. Paul received a life sentence at the age of 15 for reasons he was unclear. It is ironic that if only he had pleaded guilty he would have been released earlier, if only he hadn't let his principles get in the way. He told us about how he had been mistreated throughout his prison life by both 'cons and screws' and gave us a few eye-openers about Grendon, the 'perfect prison' and how there was more drug dealing than the Governor and the current prisoner Dave led us to believe.

The day as a whole was interesting and beneficial, if a bit biased (strong campaign against imprisonment). Much of the information was not strictly relevant to courses, except for A2 Psychology; however it was a refreshing change from boring curricular conferences. An enjoyable day out.

By Edward Haste, Robert Mitchell and Daniel Keenan (Year 12 Students)

· Every Monday from 18 April at 12.30 to 1.30pm in the Careers Library.

· How to get the most out of your Careers Library

· Come along and explore your careers ideas

· Get help on how to use the Careers information

· Receive guidance on how to go about getting the information you want






3 to 6 May End of Key Stage 3 National Tests (Year 9)
6 to 10 June Years 7 to 10 Summer Exams




Examination Invigilators

Are you interested in becoming an examination invigilator?

We are looking for a number of people who would be able to assist in the administration of the public examinations taking place from May through until July - dates to be finalised. The rate of pay will be £5.00 per hour.

If you think this may suit you please send a letter of application along with the names of two referees to Sue Barham, Headteacher's PA at the school address. However, if you feel you would like some more information please contact Sue on 01304 216810.

Well done to the following teams:
Year 7 who beat Sandwich 47-5
Year 8 who beat Sandwich 29-0 and Astor 53-0
Year 10 who beat Sandwich 86-0
Year 11 who beat Norton Knatchbull 50-7

Match reports for the above will be published in the next edition of Focus newsletter.

Unfortunately the Wine and Wisdom arranged for 25 February had to be cancelled due to the bad weather. It has now been rearranged for Friday 22 April 2005 at 7.30pm in the Main Hall of the school. The evening is for teams of up to 8 people and the cost is £3 per person. Please bring your own food and drink. There will also be a raffle and each team is requested to donate a prize for this. We hope to see as many of you there as possible, advance booking is essential (booking form below). We have also arranged sponsorship through Barclays Bank who will match the amount raised.

From Ian Munford - Treasurer


 

LENTERN APPEAL

As usual, Lenten Appeal week proved a profitable and very enjoyable week for all concerned. The week was filled with sponsored events with the money this year going to Kent Air Ambulance and Cancer Research UK.

Throughout the week, there were numerous computer games, darts and other competitions including the inaugural cheese rolling tournament! In addition, several prefects were sponged along with Mr McGowan, although there was one notable absentee in Steven King!

Some of the staff subjected themselves to humiliation in both Mastermind and Stars in Their Eyes. Mr Gaskell maintains his allegations of match-fixing on the black chair, but there was no stopping Mr Haines as he romped to victory with his knowledge of the New Testament. He would not be so successful the following day when he and Mrs Fields attempted to sing 'You're the one that I want' from Grease. Ultimately Mrs Lloyd and even Mr Pullen / Mr Sanders as the Sex Pistols could not keep the prize away from Mixed Spice - comprising Mrs Birchley, Miss Maunde, Dr French and Mr Howarth. The highlight of the week came at the end of this event as all 350(ish) people in the hall (including Mrs Lees) joined together for a rendition of YMCA. This was Team DGSB in action!

Thanks must go to all those who organized or took part in events. It looks as though we have made around £1000, but please bring any outstanding money in as soon as possible.

Thanks again for your support.

Chris Leach
School Council Chairman


The winner of the 'Guess the Weight of Mrs Lloyd in Chocolate Bars' is Tom Landman, who estimated 1100 bars - in fact it was 976!

CENTENARY BALL

On Saturday 16 July 2005 the School will host its Centenary Ball. Members of the Sixth Form, Parents, Old Pharosians and friends of the School are all invited to celebrate 100 years of schooling at Dover Grammar by attending this formal 'Black Tie' (or lounge suits) event. It promises to be a glittering and memorable occasion.

The evening will start at 6.30pm with a Kir Cocktail reception in the Great Hall, accompanied by a String Quartet. A four-course dinner will be provided in the Dining Room. In the Great Hall, festooned in celebratory gold and silver, there will be non-stop music. The nine-piece Kingsdown Band will perform on the Stage, alternating throughout the evening with a disco at the other end of the Great Hall, under the Balcony.

A four-course dinner will be served at 7.30pm. After the meal it is hoped a pair of bagpipers will play from the top of the Tower, beneath the new School flag, during a firework display on the Top Field. The Centenary Ball will end with 'Auld Lang Syne' at 2.00am.

The four-course dinner menu comprises:

· Centennial Cocktail - A medley of melon pieces with grapefruit, orange and grapes in Cointreau.

· Either: Poached fresh salmon fillet or vegetable terrine served with buttered new potatoes and a selection of salads.

· A choice from a selection of sweets.

· Cheese board (Stilton, Brie and Cheddar)

· Coffee and mints.

Each inclusive ticket is £29 per person. A booking form can be found at the back of this issue of Focus and bookings are now being taken.


Centenary ties for students are still available at £5.00 each.

An order form is enclosed on the back cover of this newsletter.