Message from the headteacher . . .

A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR SWR!

15 July 2016

Dear Parents,

In this, the last newsletter of the year, it is appropriate to reflect

on what has been a very successful year for the school. The

outcome from the Ofsted inspection earlier this year was well

overdue recognition of the excellent teaching and outstanding

progress made by students at the school. All of us who have

been at the school for a period of time have known what a good

school SWR is - both in terms of academic achievement and also

pastoral care. The Ofsted report was a validation of the

commitment and effort from staff at the school in ensuring that

our students are given the opportunity to be the best that they

can be. It is incredibly gratifying that, with the support of their

parents, they have done so and continue to do so.

The GCSE results in 2015 were excellent and the expectation is

that the current Year 11 students will do even better this year.

In 2015 the progress made by students at SWR was amongst the

best in Gloucestershire and I am confident that in 2016 we will

see further improvement. The attitude of our students to the

GCSE examinations this summer has been exemplary; they have

worked very hard and have been well prepared for their exams

and deserve to be successful. GCSE results day is Thursday 25th

August and Year 11 students can collect results from 10.00am

onwards. Year 10 science results are available from 11.00am

onwards.

The year has drawn to a close with a very successful week of

activities and trips during the first week of July. With Year 10 on

work experience and two residential trips this was a very busy

week for all those involved. Year 10 students have been involved

with their Duke of Edinburgh practice expedition and their

assessment expedition is taking place in the final weekend of this

term. We said goodbye to Year 11 at their Prom, which was

held at The Barn at Berkeley. Almost all of the year attended,

which speaks volumes about their cohesiveness as a year group

and their positive relationships with each other. The school

production of ‘Bugsy’ has involved over 50 of our students and I

am sure it has been as enjoyable to watch as it has been for the

cast to perform and prepare for. Involvement in events such as

these is an important part of their education and I am grateful

for the time and energy that staff put into supporting

extracurricular activities. . . . to page 2

Page 2

. . . from page 1

The interviews for Head Boy and Head Girl have been

completed. We had a very strong field for both roles and

interviewed nine students. I am very pleased to inform you that

Anna Chappell and Toby Clifford have been appointed as Head

Girl and Head Boy, and Maisie Geers and Oisin Hayden-Burrell

have been appointed as their deputies. The quality of the

applicants this year was outstanding and it was not an easy

decision to make. I know that our student leadership team will

be excellent ambassadors and role models for the school.

There are a number of points of information for parents with

regards to the start of the new school year. There is an inset

day on Thursday 1st September; the first school day for Year 7

and Year 10 is Friday 2nd September; and for Year 10 this will

include their GCSE Induction Day. Years 8, 9 and 11 will start

on Monday 5th September.

You will be aware that we have made some changes to the

uniform for September, principally with regards to the school

skirt. Details about the uniform and how to order items of

uniform for the new school year are on the school website.

Could I also take this opportunity to remind you of our policy

on piercings. We do not allow students to have piercings other

than for an ear stud and the best advice I can give is that if you

are going to allow your son or daughter to have a piercing

other than in an ear, please do so at the start of the holiday.

This will give time for piercings to heal prior to the return to

school in September as they will not be allowed to wear any

jewellery in these piercings when at school. Could I also

remind you that Summer uniform is worn until the end of

September.

Teaching staff leaving us at the end of this year include Mrs

Lomas, who is retiring after 15 years teaching at the school. Mr

Farr is also a long-serving staff member, having taught at the

school for 13 years. We are also saying goodbye to Mrs

Manser, Mr Staynings, Mr Regan and Miss Hancock. There are

two support staff leaving the school at the end of this term -

Cilla McKecknie, from Support for Learning and Barbara

Roberts, our German language assistant.

A number of new staff will be joining the school in September.

Mr Mills will be joining the school as Head of PE, Mr Dillon as

Head of Music and Mrs Eveleigh as Second in English. In

addition Mrs Bendle and Mr Nelson have been appointed as

teaching assistants and they will start at the school before the

end of the summer term.

I would like to end by thanking staff, students and parents for

their support during my eight years at the school, which have

been the most enjoyable and rewarding of my teaching career. I

am incredibly proud of the achievement of staff and students

and it has been a privilege to be the headteacher of such a

wonderful school.

I hope that you and your children have a very enjoyable and

relaxing summer and I look forward to hearing about the

continued success of the school and that of individual students

in the future.

Steven Mackay, Headteacher

Andrew Moyce Award winners - 2016

Former SWR student Andrew Moyce was remembered at an awards ceremony earlier this month. Andrew died in 1991 at

the age of 15 and each year Year 10 students nominate their peers who they feel should receive recognition for their

endeavours.

Pictured above are the Andrew Moyce Award winners for 2016 with Roz Goodwin (Chair of governors) and Stephen Hirst

(Chair of the Resources Committee). From left: Fin Fowler, Luke Moss, Hamish Bide, Leon Raath, Anna Chappell, Gesney

Dancey-Smith and Toby Clifford.

Page 3

Finery and Fun at

the Prom!

Page 4

It is said that in Iceland all four seasons

can be experienced in just one day and

to pack clothes accordingly! Having

visited this amazing country for the first

time just two years ago I certainly

agree.

However, what I can say about this

year’s SWR trip to Iceland is that it was

daily sunshine, exquisite blue skies, very

warm days and not a drop of rain (or

snow or ice!) Add to this the incredible

scenery, a geography textbook coming

alive plus impeccably behaved and

enthusiastic pupils – what more could a

geography teacher ask for!

Our field trip to Iceland over the May

Bank Holiday weekend began with a

wonderful journey, courtesy of Rover

Coaches to Birmingham

Airport and Iceland Air to

Reykjavik. Here we were met

by our guide Pedur and driver

Magnus – and a rather fancy

coach with monster truck

wheels, which could only

mean some exciting off-

roading at some point!

After a tour of Reykjavik city

(not much bigger than Stroud

and heated entirely – and

sustainably – from

underground geothermal

heat) and ‘eat as much as you

could pizza’ for tea, we headed to our comfortable hotel for

the first night.

Iceland has a population of just 320 000 people, though during

the peak summer season this increases considerably with

tourists from all around the world. Over the next four days

we travelled west along the famous Route 1 which loops

round the whole of the country, each day jam-packed with

exciting scenery, a million photo opportunities and a chance

to really get stuck into understanding the incredible physical

geography of this unique island in the middle of the north

Atlantic Ocean.

It is of course growing in size every year as it lies on the

boundary of two of the earth’s tectonic plates, with half of

the country on the North American Plate and half on the

Eurasian Plate. We visited a

magnificent gorge where a bridge

spans the two sides and nearby were

some of the smelliest mud pools and

steam vents I have ever encountered

where gaps in the earth’s crust allow

the sulphur-rich layers under the crust

to reach the surface. We also saw the

magnificent Stokur geyser which every

seven minutes erupts a huge cascade

of water and steam 20 metres into the

air at a terrific speed.

Other highlights of the trip included a

hike up part of Vatnajokull, Iceland’s

largest glacier, complete with crampons

and ice picks; swimming in geothermal

pools of 40 degrees and a dip in the

adjacent icy lake; and of course the

icebergs at Holm Lagoon, black sand

beaches, ‘moonlike’ lava-covered

landscapes, active volcanoes (but

conveniently asleep whilst we

were there) and numerous

stunning waterfalls.

Five days was not enough

time and I would fully

recommend this trip to

anyone who wishes to see the

earth at its most beautiful and

dynamic. We are already

planning our next school trip,

so look out for details in

September.

This was a joint venture with

Marling School, which allowed

our small group of pupils the opportunity to make the

journey, and we’d like to thank them for their collaboration

and the new friendships that were made. Thanks also to the

office staff for all their help in organising the trip.

• Mrs Jones, Geography

ICELAND! . . . a land for all seasons

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David paddles to success! David Mason in Year 8 is making

waves in the world of canoeing

and has just been promoted to

Division 2 in the kayak K1

slalom. He also competes in

Division 3 for C1 slalom.

David belongs to Stroud Valley

Canoe Club and Wye Dean

Canoe Club and also trains with

Cheltenham. He travels all over

the South, Midlands and Wales

to slalom events.

“I kayak virtually every week. At

the moment I practise for slalom

kayaking at least three times a

week, travelling to Cardiff White

Water Centre straight after

school on Tuesdays, Symonds

Yat on Wednesdays and Capels

Mill Stroud Canal on Saturdays,

unless it is a competition weekend,” he says.

PTFA calls for

show help . . .

Volunteers are needed for the Tetbury

Classic Vehicle Show on Sunday September

4. The show is run for charity and will be

supporting Allsorts, a local centre for

children with learning and physical difficulties,

and SWR’s PTFA.

Last year the car show committee donated

£2 000 to the PTFA – which was used to

purchase a wide range of new equipment.

On a two-hour rota the PTFA will be serving

drinks, cakes and sandwiches and, with in

excess of 1500 visitors expected, we are

likely to be very busy.

The show is from 11am to 4pm, but our rota

starts at 9am, so any help you can offer will

be much appreciated.

If you are able to help please contact Jo

jo.brown23@btinternet.com.

Page 6

Out and about in

Activities Week

From football and fishing to design and textiles.. . . these were just some of the

events enjoyed by our students during Activities Week this month. Others spent

a morning learning how to become a news reporter, while the more energetic

volunteered to help with maintenance at a wildlife rescue centre! A huge

thanks to all staff, especially coordinators Mr Wagner and Mrs Townsend, for

all their hard work in making the week a success.

Page 7

The Science Department wishes to say an enormous thank-

you to the PTFA – and all who support their hard work – as

funds raised by them have provided us with eight amazing

new light microscopes!

The microscopes, which complement our existing ‘well-

used’ set, have already massively enhanced the learning

experiences for many of our Year 7s while studying ‘cells’

and ‘unicellular organisms’.

The sheer delight of being able to clearly see the minute

detail of plant and animal structures, and of watching

unicellular euglena whizzing around, was evident by the

gasps and smiles on so many faces.

We’re now looking forward to the enhanced microscopy

opportunities for all year groups in the months and years

ahead.

• Dr Pullin

Discovering science in

Cheltenham . . .

A total of 31 students in years 7, 8 & 9 attended the

Cheltenham Science Festival in June. They all had a

wonderful time and were extremely well behaved.

Several students excelled in eight of the activities set out

in the 'Discovery Zone'. They also attended two group

sessions: 'Topolgy', the study of shapes in science; and

'Under Water' where they carried out pond dipping and

studied the organisms they had collected.

• Mrs Copcutt

We can see clearly now – thanks to the PTFA!

Josh Blake, Rebekah Simkins, Ryan Howe and Zion Raath

look at euglena with the help of the new microscopes

Honours for Ellie Lockett

Congratulations to Ellie Lockett (class of 2010) who has

achieved a first class honours in her chemical engineering

masters degree from Sheffield University.

Her mother Sally commented: “We are all very proud and wish

to express our thanks to the teachers from SWR who started

the journey with her. She has already been offered a job with

Price Waterhouse Coopers in London.”

Head Girl and Boy appointed

Congratulations to the following students on their

appointments:

Head Girl: Anna Chappell; Deputy Head Girl: Maisie Geers;

Head Boy: Toby Clifford; Deputy Head Boy: Oisin Hayden

Burrell; Senior Prefect: Anouk Whiting-Ferrolho.

Cirencester car share help

needed for Spanish student

The Cirencester-based host family of a Spanish student who

will be joining us in September are seeking help with car share

arrangements to and from school.

If any parent in the Cirencester area can help with transport,

please contact Estel Font on 07880581485.

DON’T MISS THE BUS NEXT THURSDAY!

Please note that on the last day of term next

Thursday (July 21) buses will leave school at

1.20pm.

Page 8

Sir William Romney’s

School, Tetbury

Lowfield Road

Tetbury

Gloucestershire

GL8 8AE

Telephone: 01666 502378

Fax: 01666 505864

Email:

admin@swr.gloucs.sch.uk

Website:

www.swr.gloucs.sch.uk

Editor

Peter Harvey

p.harvey@swr.gloucs.sch.uk

Do you have some news?

All contributions are

considered for inclusion in this

newsletter.

Please email the editor

Inset Day Reminder . . .

Please note that following the Inset Day on Thursday, September 1, it will be Year 7 and 10

students only on Friday, September 2.