Art/Art Textiles Summer Exhibition 2014

The Art Department Summer Exhibition opened on June 25^th. This was an exciting event, with a range of outstanding pieces of artwork in both two and three dimensions. The range of materials and techniques created a diverse and stimulating show.

 The event was a huge success and both staff and students have thoroughly enjoyed preparing and presenting the work. Work is already underway in planning for next year’s Art exhibition, which will form a central part of the school’s Arts Festival in 2015.

Tucasi Issues

We have received this message from Tucasi

"Please be aware that there is currently an issue with the www.scopay.com website. Any online users attempting to access the site at the moment are likely to be presented with a maintenance message or simply fail to access the login screen. This is an unexpected event and our website hosting company are urgently investigating.

We apologise for any inconvenience that it may cause to schools or parents. Thank you for your patience, we will advise you as soon as we have confirmation that the matter has been resolved."

 

We recommend students top up with cash at the machines until this issue is resolved. Please note that the canteen is aware of this issue and no student affected will be refused food/drinks.

End of term arrangements 23rd July 2014

On Wednesday 23^rd July students will be leaving school at 12.05pm.

They are to attend lessons 1,2 and 3, return to their tutor base before being dismissed at 12.05pm

Students will not have a lunch break on that day

Letter to parents of our Year 6 students

It was a real pleasure to meet the Year 6 students again this week. Their attitude and commitment to learning shone through and we certainly saw some very happy faces during the many activities held throughout the day. I hope your child/children enjoyed their Induction Day with us and that they were full of exciting stories about their day at Winston. I believe we are about to begin working with another fantastic year group.

I would like to take this opportunity to clarify a couple of points:

Firstly, all Year 7 students are required to attend a full day of school on their first day, Wednesday 3^rd September 2014. This means that they will finish at 2:55pm with everyone else. Please note that this is contrary to the information in the Induction Pack as this was printed a number of months ago.

Please also be aware that your child/children need to bring either dinner money or a packed lunch with them for their first three days of school, during our registering process. It may be the case that your child will be in the first group of students, who are registered on day one. If this is so, then you will either be able to top up their account on line or your child/children can put money in our ‘Tucasi’ machines in school. However, if they are in the second or final group then they may need to keep cash with them throughout this process. £2:50 is enough to purchase a meal.

However, if your child/children is eligible for free school meals, then they will be taken care of, they will receive a meal in the usual way and so this process will not affect them.

Dates for the diary:

Uniform sale in school on Thursday 10^th July 3pm – 5pm 

Parent’s information Evening on Thursday 18^th September 5:50pm – 6:30pm

We very much look forward to meeting all the new Year 7 Winston students, in September.

Yours sincerely

Mrs J Mellor

Assistant Head teacher

Script to Stage Workshop with Year 10

Director of ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ in Script to Stage workshop with Year 10 students.

Katie Lewis, who is currently directing ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ at the Ambassadors Theatre in Woking, was the guest of the Drama Department on June 18^th when she led a Script to Stage workshop for students currently studying Drama in Year 10.

The two hour workshop explored the rehearsal process, focusing on text from the script of ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ as well as character analysis, acting techniques and issues behind staging such a major touring production.

The workshop was followed by a visit to the Ambassadors Theatre later on the same day for the students to watch the evening performance of the play.

Duke of Edinburgh Expedition

One slightly damp Saturday morning in early May, 70 or so students of Winston Churchill School had willingly got out of bed (!) to walk 15 miles across the glorious countryside of the Surrey Hills for their Duke of Edinburgh Award Expedition, and were assembled in their groups to be sent off into the wilderness. The clouds were slightly ominous, but the atmosphere cheerful! Mr Cumner gave us a quick briefing of where we were going and what the milestones were, and checked the route that had been planned out previously by us in our groups, and then we were off. 

As soon as we started walking the clouds seemed to clear and the sun came out, and we all regretted wearing waterproofs! Fuelled by an almost constant mix of chocolate and trail mix, we made it to the first checkpoint within an hour where teachers waited to greet us and make sure we all got through safely. At the second checkpoint there was an hour long stop, which meant we could eat our lunch in the sunshine and catch up with our friends in other groups. About four hours later, most of us were at the campsite, feet aching bags suddenly 10x heavier than they had been at the first checkpoint. However we soon had the tents up and after a bit of a rest we set up the meth burning stove for dinner. Most of us made camping ready meal equivalents, self-heating meals that you added water to (the evening’s entertainment!) or pot noodles or super noodles, ones you added boiling water to and a sachet of flavouring which turned them a radioactive shade of yellow! Lights were out by ten. 

 The next morning we woke up a bit grumpier than we had been the previous night and had a brioche or a pot of porridge for breakfast. It was a bit more challenging to pack our bags, but everyone was ready by about 8:30. After doing jobs around the campsite, we washed up our stoves and got ready to leave.   After a hard morning’s walk we were at the final checkpoint by 11-12 o’clock which was earlier than expected and were more than ready to go home for a long hot shower and lunch! 

All in all it was a great experience which I think all students should have and I want to thank all teachers who made it possible!  

I want to thank the all teachers involved, in particular Mrs Sweetman, Ms Sigrist, Miss Perkins and Mr Cumner, who make it possible.

Katy Holt
 Year 10