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The annual Whickham School Art exhibition takes place on Wednesday 2nd July from 7-9.00p.m. in the Main Hall and The Art Department.
The exhibition showcases some of the superb art, ceramics and textiles work produced by our students over the past year. We hope to include an on-line record of highlights from the exhibition soon.
Whickham School and The Rotary Club of Whickham Clavering will be awarding a new Community Award to be presented at September’s Prize giving.
Nominations are invited from staff, students or members of the community for individuals or groups of students who have made contributions to the local, national or international community through particular projects or exceptional actions.
The winner(s) will receive a salver and vouches to the value of £100.
Nominations should be sent to Mr Crane at Whickham School by 7th July including the name and year group of the individual or group and reason for nomination.
Include your own name and contact information on the nomination.
Whickham School was delighted to host double Olympic gold medal winner, Dame Kelly Holmes, as she arrived on the school field by helicopter to celebrate national schools sports week.
She arrived at 9.30a.m. and was greeted by Mr Morrison, Mr Hopper and many of our student Spots Leaders, including our Gateshead Sports Ambasadors
Whickham School was hosting the mini-games, which involved year 6 children from our cluster primary schools. The games were led by our own year 12 Sports Leaders, whilst other events such as softball and rounders were led by year 10 and lower school sport leaders.
Dame Kelly spent time with every group, extending her stay by over half an hour, to ensure that she visited all competitors and sports leaders. She was remarkably approachable, participating in activities and talking to our students.
This was a remarkable celebration of sport for Whickham School and our cluster primary schools, leaving students with unforgettable memories of the day they met and participated with one of our greatest Olympians.
Year 12 students are now beginning the important process of choosing the universities they would like to study at to pursue their Higher Education interests.
Time will be provided at school and Gateshead CLC to provide the information and guidance that will support this vital process. Copies of the key information and guidance on personal statements can be downloaded.
Download Personal Statement Advice (Word: 24KB)
Thursday 29th June
The annual Whickham School band Concert took place last Thursday at St Mary’s Church in Whickham. An uplifting programme of music was performed to an appreciative audience.
The Gateshead String Quartet supported the band and farewells were said to those year 13 students leaving the band to pursue higher education.
The band also paid thanks to Peter Bell, our peripatetic brass specialist who was retiring after 15 years of excellent service.
We would like to pay special thanks to St Mary’s Church for their support.
30th June – 4th July
All year groups are participating in an exciting and varied range of sports to celebrate National Schools Sports Week. Activities include karate, rowing, golf, mass aerobics and a Tour de Whickham Cycle ride.
The full programme is listed below and culminates in sports Day at Gateshead stadium on the 4th July. We hope all students can get involved at some point.
The Rich Experience days for year 8 proved a big success. The entire year group had two days working in groups developing creative thinking and team skills. All students participated in off-site trips, either to The Centre for Life or Gateshead CLC to make documentaries.
Three groups produced some wonderful banners celebrating the Olympics whilst others produced an international buffet that was enjoyed by students and staff. Many thanks to the students and staff for all their efforts in making the event such a success.
Find attached a copy of the Headteacher’s latest newsletter, along with important information on changes for the year ahead.
Year 8
25th and 26th June
Later this month, we will hold our first Rich experience days for year 8. The entire year group will participate in a range of cross- curricular activities on an Olympic theme. Activities will include ‘Beat the Cheats’ sports drug testing, documentary making, cultural festivals, banner design a food festival amongst many others,
Students will get the opportunity to participate in activities both on and off-site and we look forward to sharing some of the highlights on the website later on.
To help us to measure the efectiveness of school sport we would like all students to complete a survey.We would like you to answer the questions as honestly as possible to give us an accurate response.You should only include sports you have participated in this academic year.
To complete the survey, go to www.press-tracker.co.uk
Click on member login.
The URN is 108404.
Username is the same as your school username.
Passwords have already been issued.
If you need any help, please see MrCaughey in the PE Department.
Year 6 pupils will soon begin the transition process that will help to welcome them to Whickham School in September. Pupils will have their own Taster Day on the 30th June where they will sample a range of lessons whilst parents are invited to their own welcome meeting on 3rd July.
We look forward to meeting our new year 7 pupils and parents in the coming weeks.
Download Transition Activities Information
Year 13 students spent a weekend in London watching Shakespeare as originally intended in the authentic setting of the rebuilt Globe Theatre. After a fascinating tour of the venue, students stood in the open to watch a dynamic performance of King Lear.
Their experience was heightened as prior to the performance they had ‘adopted’ an actor who had corresponded with the group on the rehearsal process from page to stage.
The school’s examination success in recent years has been helped by the intensive revision sessions that have carried on in many cases right up to the day of the examinations themselves. This year a similar programme has been planned to help year 11 maximise their revision and receive support and advice so that their knowledge and skills are as fresh as possible as they enter the exams.
A copy of this year’s revision timetable is attached that covers the period for the vast majority of students, with the exceptions of those not sitting or re-sitting particular modules or with examination clashes.
Mr Walton, Mrs Murray and the rest of the Year 11 tutorial team gave a fond farewell to Year 11 on Thursday 15th May, ahead of their intensive period of special revision sessions and public examinations.
In a warm, good humoured and emotional occasion, tutors delivered a series of reflective speeches before a series of special awards were presented for a wide variety of contributions to the year group.
We wish year 11 the best of luck in their examinations and look forward to seeing them at the Leaver’s Ball in July.
On Tuesday the 6th May the school will host a visit from Chris Ryan, who will be talking about his life and experiences as an SAS soldier and a writer. He will also be discussing his new novel, Vortex.
Chris was born and grew up in Newcastle and random house are delighte dto launch his new book on home territory.
Good luck to Year 9 as they prepare for the SATs in the week beginning the 6th May. These National Curriculum Tests mark the culmination of their Key stage 3 work and with a positive approach and full attendance they can build upon the significant successes of recent years.
Year 7 and 8 students experienced their annual visit of a host of hissing cockroaches, giant snails and millipedes, corn snakes, rare frogs, tarantulas and other creatures as part of the zoolab visit. They learnt about the biology of the animals and their habitats and the threats they face in the wild.
As you may know, a number of schools will experience partial or complete closure on Thursday 24th April as a result of industrial action. Whickham School will be open for all pupils on Thursday.
A small minority of classes may have slight timetable changes and the students affected will be notified directly by letter. For all other students, school will be open as usual as we prepare for the busy assessment period ahead.
The school is now fully open for all students. The fire damage has not halted events and a full range of activities have taken place, from a highly successful school production to Visiting study skills seminars for all year 11 and visiting theatre companies to all of year 9. Students in years 9,11, 12 and 13 have got down to their preparations for the important examinations that will take place in the summer term.
The fire-damaged block will be demolished over the spring break. Representatives have been on site arranging the delivery of approximately 12 temporary classrooms that will be installed over the summer term.
Please note this demolition work will not prevent any of the proposed activities taking place at school over the spring break. Please follow any movement guidance or restrictions to ensure safety on site. The Spring Sports Camp will take place in the first week. Many subjects have organised revision or coursework activities and these will go ahead.
In the long term, the damaged block will be rebuilt and we are continuing to explore the best architectural options for the future development of Whickham School.
May we thank all parents, students and colleagues for their continued support. We hope all members of the school community have an enjoyable spring break and that students return refreshed ready for the important examinations that lie ahead.
The school will be open for all students from Monday 31st March, with years 7 and 8 returning. Heating has returned to our buildings and rooming reorganisations have taken place to accommodate all our students.
Representatives from the Local Authority have been on-site for much of the week. It is likely that the severely damaged block will be demolished over the Spring Break. A number of temporary classrooms will then arrive in to alleviate some of the present pressures on space.
In the long term, the damaged block will be rebuilt and we are currently exploring the best architectural options for the future development of Whickham School.
We have had numerous offers of sympathy and support from the Local Authority and neighbouring schools and organisations that have been welcomed in this difficult week.
May we thank all parents for their patience and support. With the full school returning on Monday, we look forward to a productive final week of term that will continue to prepare students for the important examinations that will occur in the summer.
Monday 7th - Friday 11th April
After the success of last year’s sports camps, another varied week of sports activities is planned for the first week of the Spring break. Please contact Mr Stevenson in the PE department at school for further information
Wednesday 2nd April
The year 8 Parents’ Evening will go ahead on the above date. Please come along and discuss your son or daughter’s progress with subject teachers. Tutors and Heads of Year. Appointments can be made when your child returns to school on Monday 31st.
Wednesday 25th Friday 27th March 7.00 p.m.
The show will go on!
Mr Pickering has collaborated with students on an original adaptation of The Beggar’s Opera. The story concerns the lives and loves of a group of criminals in London during the 1700s when crime was rife, morality lax, punishment hard, and the law as pliable as your purse. Our hero (or villain?) is a highwayman with a weakness for the ladies, and our villains (or heroes?) officers of the law with a love of money. The problems: those of marriage, property, wealth, fidelity and how to make the best of the situation.
Please come along and support what promises to be an original and distinctive production.
Tickets cost £4 for adults and £3 for children and senior citizens.
As you may well know, one of the school buildings here at Whickham was set on fire on Friday evening. The police and fire authority suspect this was done deliberately.
The block affected houses our music rooms and important communal areas including the Staff Room, Library, Lecture Theatre and Sixth Form Common Room. In addition, there has been an impact on the school’s gas supply and heating system that despite all our efforts has left parts of the school well below acceptable levels for students and staff.
It is with great regret that school will only remain open for years 9 –13 for the rest of the week. Years 7 and 8 should not attend for that period but return to school on Monday 31st March.
We are confident that the school will be back to something approaching normal by Monday 31st March. We realise this will cause inconvenience to you all and hope you can understand that the school was left with no real alternative.
Please consult the website for further information.
A full copy of the Headteacher’s letter to parents is attached.
Thursday 13th March
Years 10 and 11
To recognise the achievements of the many students who have represented Whickham School and Sports College in a wide variety of sports, a special presentation evening will be held at Blaydon Rugby Club at 7.00p.m. on the 13th March.
Newcastle Falcons rugby star Ollie Phillips will be presenting the awards and a buffet and disco will be provided for all those who attend.
Tickets are priced at £4 for adults and £3.50 for students and are available at break times from the PE office. Please come along to a celebration of sporting success and achievement.
The Parents’ Forum is open to ALL parents of Whickham School students. It provides an opportunity to explore a range of issues relating to many aspects of school life. Parents raise the topics they wish to discuss and these issues form the focus for the meetings. We often invite experts to provide wider awareness that enables parents to explore issues in a thorough way. We have recently explored how issues such as whole school ICT and the website, sex education, drugs and alcohol education and social inclusion are approached in school.
The Parents’ Forum meets on the second Monday of each half term between 5.30 and 6.30p.m. Any parents who would like to attend should telephone Alison Patterson on 0191 4960026-ext-221 and leave their name and the name of their son or daughter. They will then receive a copy of the next agenda and a warm welcome at the meeting.
The next meeting is on Monday 10th March.
Year 9 Information Evening
Thursday 6th March 7-8.00p.m.
Year 9 students are about to start the important process of choosing the options for the range of courses they will be following in year 10. Parents are invited to attend their own evening detailing the options process and the opportunities available to students at key stage 4. Year 9 student s will receive their own presentation earlier that school day.
The school library became the focus for more creativity once again with an African drumming workshop led by Arts Isiziba. Three groups of year 8 students experienced a performance by the workshop leader, Fanuel, from Zimbabwe.
He provided fascinating stories that described how each rhythm had developed. Each student was then given his or her own drum and the opportunity to play and perform their own rhythms.
Students thoroughly enjoyed the illuminating and expressive experience that added to the multi-cultural arts activities provided by Mrs Dollan and Mrs Howells.
A small video of Fanuel’s performance can be found below.
Year 9 Parents’ Evening Wednesday 12th March 4-6.30p.m.
This will take place on Wednesday 12th March between 4.00p.m. and 6.30. As well as providing important information on student progress, there will be options to discuss possible with subject staff and staff representing options new to years 10 and 11.
The final date for the return of options forms is Monday 17th March
On Friday 25th January, Year 10 English Students attended the prestigious North East Book awards at The Sage. The students had established their own Book Club and had read all 6 of the titles nominated for the prize. Many of the authors were in attendance and the students themselves voted for the best book of the year.
Craig Hinds and Daniel Hinds of year 10 won prizes as best reviewers for their reviews of Frozen Fire and The Innocents.
Whickham School is developing links as part of the Extended School’s Programme
By 2010, all schools will offer access to the core offer of extended schools as part of the Every Child Matters agenda. Within Gateshead, extended services are being developed in "clusters" made up of a group of primary schools and one secondary school, with the clusters named after the secondary school in that cluster
Please read the attached letter and web link for more information on developments in this important area.
Congratulations to 17 students in year 10 who were presented with their food hygiene certificates in assembly before half term. This is an industry standard qualification that must be held by anyone working in a professional kitchen, covering everything from food storage to the prevention of food poisoning.
The students completed the course as an important prelude to their GCSE Catering course, ensuring safe practices were adopted from the start. They achieved a 100% pass rate.
Due to the very significant amount of curriculum change that is to be planned for September 2008 (Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and post-16), the Department for Children, Schools and Families has granted all schools in England an additional training day to be taken before the end of the summer term. The most appropriate time for this is felt to be 20 March 2008, the day before the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. As a result the school will be closed to students on that day.
Thank you for your support in ensuring that uniform standards in autumn were consistently high. We would like to maintain these standards this term and we would like to remind you of our rules on coats and shoes that can be found in written and visual formats on the parents’ section of the site.
Congratulations to our Year 12 debating team who won the first round of the prestigious Debating Matters competition run by the Institute of Ideas, beating Church High in the final debate. They now progress to the Northern Regional final at Newcastle University later this term
May we wish happy new year to all students, parents and staff in what promises to be a successful and rewarding year ahead. 2007 ended in a celebratory mood with an uplifting carol service and a highly entertaining student –led production of Cinderella. Both events were extremely well attended and we would like to thank the wider members of the Whickham community for their continued support.
2008 begins with a curriculum focus as students face important internal and external examinations and begin subject option processes in years 9 and 11. A range of support and guidance will be provided as we steer students to further success in 2008.
Good luck to our Year 13 students as they sit a mixture of new A2 modules and re-sit AS modules this month. A copy of the timetable can be downloaded below
Parents are cordially invited to the Community Carol Service that will take place on Tuesday 18th December at 7.15 p.m. The service will offer a celebration of Christmas with readings, dramatic performance and a host of carols and musical items performed by the choir and school band.
This is a special occasion in the school year and we hope that you can share in this event.
Just five weeks after the triumphant performance of We Will Rock You, Whickham students will once again foreground their performance skills with a festive production of Cinderella, running from December 12th – 14th at 7.00p.m. in the Main Hall.
This production is particularly special as it has been produced and directed by the students themselves and promises to offer an entertaining combination of comedy, drama, dance and music. The students are performing an additional performance for local primary school children.
Please come along to what promises to be a lively and entertaining evening.
In January, year 11 students will begin the important process of exploring their post-16 options. The school will provide two evenings to offer support and guidance on the wider aspects of the Sixth Form, along with more specific guidance on particular subjects and courses.
Monday January 14th
Sixth Form Parent’ Information Evening
Tuesday January 22nd
Sixth Form Subjects Evening
Please come along to explore the opportunities on offer and the wider range of course and options available to Sixth form students.
Whickham students continued their residential experiences with an activities week in the Lake District. 36 pupils accompanied by Mr Hollier, Mr McGonnell and Mr Hollier, took part in activities to develop self-confidence and team building skills through activities such as rock climbing, canoeing, and raft building. A highlight o the course was a mini-expedition with an overnight cap in the mountains. One group managed to navigate their own way to Red tarn, just below Helvellyn. After pitching their tents in very strong winds, the group then scrambled their way across Striding Edge to the summit of Helvellyn…after the wind had subsided.
The students even managed to befriend a lost dog that was grateful reunited with is owner the next day. Well done to all on a challenging and rewarding week. The attached pictures capture some of the activities.
As part of our commitment to safeguarding students on-line, we are becoming aware of the problems caused by cyber-bullying. We would like to share the following tips from the anti-cyberbullying code to offer advice on what to do in the event of threatening or abusive text messages or seeing nasty comments about students or friends on a website:
1.Always respect others- always shows respect tom people and be careful with what you say on-line or what images you send. Always ask permission before you take a photo of someone.
Never forward on a nasty message or picture about someone else.
2.Think before you send- think carefully as what you say or share can be made public quickly and could stay online forever.
3. Treat your password like you toothbrush –Don’t let anyone use you password. It is good practice to change them on a regular basis. Only give your mobile number or personal website address to trusted friends.
4. Block the Bully – most responsible websites and services allow you to block or report someone who is behaving badly.
5. Don’t retaliate or reply! Replying to the bully, particularly in anger, is just what the bully wants.
6. Save the evidence- learn how to keep evidence of messages, pictures or online conversations as they can be used by your school, service provider, mobile pone company or even the police to investigate the cyberbullying.
7. Make sure you tell – you have a right not to be harassed and bullied online.
There are people that can help:
Tell an adult that you trust who can help you to report it to the right place or call a helpline like childline on 0800 1111 in confidence.
• Tell the provider of the service and check their websites on where to report
• Tell your school- your tutor or Head of Year can help.
• If you see cyberbullying going on support the victim and report the bullying
Main Hall Thursday 8th November 3.30-5.30
Now that your child has completed the first half-term, we would like to offer you the opportunity to come into school to meet the Form Tutor for a brief discussion on how your child has settled in. Students are welcome to join their parents/carers at the meeting and refreshments will be available. We hope this will help to develop links and dialogue between pupils, parents and the school.
Your child should have received a letter with a reply slip. We would be grateful if these could be returned to the Form Tutor, along with the approximate time when you hope to attend. Year 7 team leaders will also be available.
Mr Pickering and colleagues from the drama department have just returned from a drama trip to London’s Theatre land, involving more that 40 students. Highlights of their trip included the musical version of The Lord of the Rings but they also saw the National Theatre’s highly acclaimed and innovative production of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse.
Whickham students once again rose to the challenge of charity week with energy, enthusiasm and humour. Activities ranging from the variety show to the battle of the bands, and the fashion show to teacher sumo did much to capture the imagination of students and raise a significant amount of money for the Josie Groves Leukaemia appeal. Many thanks to the students and staff who organised such an impressive range of events and those who supported the activities.
One of the highlights of the week was the tug-of-war event that saw the might of Newcastle falcons take on the combined force of Whickham School.
It’s not every day that you get the chance to bid for the signed shirt of an England rugby player who participated in the rugby world cup. As part of the charity appeal, bids are invited for this unique piece of sporting memorabilia, with all proceeds going to the Josie Groves Leukaemia appeal.
The show opened on October 30th to an enthusiastic response from a packed audience. This was a high-energy show, charting the rise of the Bohemians as they tried to rescue rock from the restrictive control of the Killer Queen. The show combined some excellent singing and dancing, with witty comic interludes and a high sense of drama and action. Queen songs were integrated into the story with imagination and humour.
Congratulations to all the students and staff for another memorable school production. The show ends its 5-night run on 3rd November so snap up any remaining tickets swiftly.
Students in Year 11 will be sitting GCSE English examinations in November. The two examinations take place on the mornings of Monday 5th and Thursday 8th November. The coursework deadline has now passed and many parents will have met with English teachers at the recent Parents’ Evening, to discuss students’ targets, progress and general attitude in the build up to the exams in November.
English teachers are working hard to ensure that students in Year 11 reach their potential. Another significant factor in their success, of course, is parental involvement. The continued support of parents can help to ensure that students commit to thorough revision in the next few weeks. We can’t stress enough the importance of gaining a good grade in this vital core subject; it is unquestionably a springboard to success in the future. Success in November will have the added benefit of boosting students’ confidence as well as decreasing some of the pressure on the summer exams.
Students’ revision should now be well underway and should continue through the half-term break. After the half-term break, we have a senior AQA examiner coming into school to work with groups of students. With the determination of everyone involved and with parents’ added encouragement, I hope we will see some positive results. In the meantime if you have any questions, please contact me here at school.
Dan Crosland
Head of English
Useful Revision Links for GCSE English:
A Level English Language Study Days at Sheffield University
The English Department is committed to enriching the educational experience of students studying English subjects in the sixth form. We are therefore delighted to be able to offer English Language students in Years 12 and 13 places on excellent Study Days at the University of Sheffield on Tuesday 13th November (Year 12) and Wednesday 21st November (Year 13). The days are geared specifically towards students studying A Level English Language and are closely tied to the exam board’s Specification.
The days boast some renowned speakers, all language experts in their own fields. We are certain that students will gain some extremely invaluable insights. (To view the specific itinerary and topics for each day, please click on the links below). We have managed to secure funding to cover the cost of transport to Sheffield which means that the only cost is the fee for the day itself which is £13.00. In order to allow time to travel down to Sheffield, the coach will depart from school at 7am prompt and return to school at approximately 7pm.
Students have already received letters and we would be grateful if parents could complete and return the tear-off slip, along with payment, as soon as possible so that numbers can be finalised. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Whickham School Fund’ and returned to the Finance Office at breaks or lunchtimes.
Dan Crosland
Head of English
October 15th – October 19th
This year, the Y12 Charity Week programme is proud to support the Josie Groves Leukaemia fund. Josie’s courage and conviction was an example to many young people and by contributing to charity week you can play your part in making a significant impact on the lives of teenage cancer patients.
There are many ways for students to get involved, including teacher sumo, a fashion show, variety show and the ever-famous House Party!
A magazine has also been produced and by purchasing a copy, or supporting any of the other activities, you can play your part in contributing to an enjoyable and valuable week of activities.
A full programme of activities can be downloaded below.
This notice gives additional information to the notice sent to you on 3rd October 2007 and provides further information about the processing of pupils’ personal data by the other organisations mentioned in that notice.
Whickham School processes personal data about its pupils and is a “data controller” in respect of this for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. It processes this information to:
• support its pupils teaching and learning;
• monitor and report on their progress;
• provide appropriate pastoral care, and
• assess how well the school as a whole is doing.
This information includes contact details, national curriculum assessment results, attendance information, characteristics such as ethnic group, special educational needs and any relevant medical information.
October 30th – November 3rd
Rehearsals are well under way for this autumn’s school production, the highly successful West End musical, We Will Rock. The show is the result of a unique collaboration between Queen and Ben Elton, and takes some of their classic rock into a futuristic world where rock music is no more and a hero is sought to bring its return.
The show promises a highly energetic mixture of drama, music, and dance along with some audience participation. Get your tickets early for what promises to be another memorable school production.
Thank you for your support in ensuring that pupils have started the new school year wearing correct uniform and maintaining the standards that are such an important part of school life here at Whickham. As you know, considerable time was invested in the summer term in ensuring that all students arrived at school in the correct uniform. Throughout this term, we will continue to monitor standards of dress to ensure that all students consistently meet uniform requirements.
Examples of our school uniform are available from this website and a copy of the Headteacher’s autumn uniform letter is available to download.
Even by the adventurous standards of Whickham School’s programme of international visits, this summer’s World Expedition to India established a new level of challenge.
Eight students accompanied by Mr Golightly flew to Delhi and then continued their journey by bus to Manail in the north of India, before continuing on to Leh in the Himalayas. A vital few days were spent acclimatising to the altitude and heat, before travelling by jeep to a small primary school in Shay village.
Once there, they spent a week painting the school and adding educational murals to the walls. Their contributions were greatly appreciated and they received formal thanks from local politicians and community leaders.
The team then progressed to the Zanskar mountain range, coping with altitude sickness and tiredness as they scaled heights of some 16.900ft over a ten-day trek. Their exertions were rewarded with some memorable views and a remarkable sense of personal achievement.
At the end of the expedition, the students enjoyed a well-deserved period of rest and recreation in Delhi, including a trip to the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.
Whickham School students are celebrating the most impressive set of examination results in the school’s history across all key stages. At KS3, pupils achieved an average level 5 and above percentage of 87%, with record figures of 89% 5+ in Mathematics and 90% 5+ in English. On average, 51% of pupils achieved level 6+ across all three core subjects, reflecting significant accomplishment for pupils of all abilities.
At Key Stage 4, students once again performed at record levels with 86% achieving five 5 A* - C, the highest figure in the school’s history and a 2% improvement on last year’s figure. Such consistent levels of attainment were achieved through the shared commitment of students and staff, reinforced with valuable parental support.
Three of our GCSE students achieved 10 A* grades and one student achieved 11 A* - a remarkable individual achievement.
At KS5, students achieved a pass rate of 99%, a 4% improvement whilst an impressive 43% of students achieved A or B grades a 7% improvement on the previous year. Amongst this collective success, there were some remarkable individual achievements. We are delighted that the vast majority of students achieved their first choice university place.
Congratulations to all our students on their collective success
After a restful summer, no doubt students will be eager to participate in a variety of after-school sports activities. The PE Department will be running a wide-ranging sports programme from Monday 17th September using our extensive sports facilities. Trampolining, football, dance, hockey, basketball, tennis and other sports will be available. Download the attached document for a full timetable of events and see Mr McConway in the PE Department if you have any questions.
Please find download below:
We would like to welcome all new pupils who will be arriving at Whickham School in September. Through Mr Morrison’s visits to local primary Schools, our taster Day, subject visits and a host of other events, we hope that many of you have already had a positive introduction to the school.
A leaflet is provided at the end of this article that offers further information on year 7 at Whickham. Information on uniform is available elsewhere in the Parents’ section of the website.
We wish all our prospective pupils a happy summer break and look forward to seeing you all in September.
In June, Mr Morrison wrote to all parents with guidance on school uniform requirements at Whickham School.
A copy of that letter is included to download here to remind parents of the uniform requirements here at Whickham, along with visual guidance on items that are acceptable, and those that are not.
A number of order forms are also attached to enable you to order the relevant items of uniform.
Downloads
Dress Code - Acceptable Standards (PDF:175KB)
A Level P.E. Order Form 2007 (PDF:85KB)
Years 10/11 P.E. Shirt Order Form 2007 (PDF:72KB)
Following the success of Easter’s Sports Camp, Whickham School and Sports College are delighted to offer a Summer Sports Camp to run for the first two weeks of the summer holidays. Pupils will be able to participate in a wide variety of sports and take full advantage of our high quality equipment and facilities with the benefit of specialist coaching.
Our Easter Sports Camp involved pupils from year 1 all the way up to year 8 and they valued the opportunities to participate in a range of activities. The camp will run from Monday 23rd July until Thurs 2nd August (excluding weekends) and pupils can attend for one or both weeks.
If you would value an active start to the summer, please download the permission letter below.
The last sports day for Mrs Doherty was her final public farewell!
After 22 years of teaching with a break to raise her family Mrs Doherty is retiring. Her teaching and love for sports has encouraged students to proceed in a range of activities. Her teaching in lessons has made students learn about the sport being taught whilst enjoying the lesson. Finally her last sports day approached and she was awarded with a bouquet of beautiful flowers. She appeared thrilled with her gift and she also received a warm cheer from the crowd.
We asked Mrs Doherty her highlights of working at Whickham School and she said, “ My satisfaction is bringing athletes and cross country runners through the school and finally helping them reach county level. I also enjoyed promoting enthusiasm in students for a variety of sports. I will miss working with the children and being part of a professional, supportive and enthusiastic PE department?
Goodbye Mrs D we wish you all the best for the future!
As another successful year draws to a close Whickham Sixth Form is turning its attention to enrolment. Over 200 students have indicated that they wish to enrol in August and 2007 promises to be an exciting time for the sixth form.
Whickham Sixth Form prides itself on helping all students achieve their potential. Year 11 students and parents from Whickham and beyond have already had discussions on course selection to ensure that students receive the best advice to help them make choices on the most appropriate courses for study. Further support will be provided at enrolment day itself when those important course choices will be finalised, providing options that engage and challenge and provide opportunities for further success. Even at this early stage, it may be useful for some students to research university entry requirements to address future aspirations.
Sixth Form enrolment takes place between 10am and 1pm on Friday 24th August, the day after GCSE results day. Staff will be available in the main hall to enrol students and discuss options. Please bring along a copy of your GCSE results.
The links below provide further information on the extensive curriculum on offer, entry requirements and the wider life of the Sixth Form. If there are any queries regarding the Sixth Form please do not hesitate to contact Mr Turnbull on 0191 4960026 Ext. 236.
On Tuesday 15th May students and teachers came together for a celebratory assembly to bid farewell to year 11 ahead of their busy period of examinations. Fab Flournoy, the highly successful coach of the Newcastle Eagles Basketball team, came in to present Records of Achievement to the packed audience of year 11 students.
After the more formal presentations from Mr Morrison and Fab Flournoy, tutors gave a series of witty and emotional speeches that reflected their five years with their groups. Mr Ward and Mrs Macpherson rounded – off the occasion with a series of ‘alternative’ awards, in an afternoon full of emotion and good humour.
We wish our students every success in their forthcoming examinations and hope to see them again at the year 11 prom on the 29th June.
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David Miliband
Recent visit of David Miliband to the school
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