Blog week ending 18th November

Last week all of our students were engaged in Learning Beyond the Classroom trips and experiences.  I am a huge advocate of Learning Beyond the Classroom days and the invaluable connection they provide between the lessons that happen in school and wider opportunities for learning.  Students visited KidZania in London, The London Eye on the Southbank, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park and Colchester Zoo.  The trips provide exciting, immersive life-experiences, expose the students to new environments, potential career pathways as well as supporting their personal and social development.

Research supports the view that educational trips have a positive, lasting impact on students’ education and career because trips make them more engaged, intellectually curious and interested in and out of school!

As you can see from the below photos students really did take full benefit of the opportunities available and enjoyed every minute!

Students who opted against going on the London Eye walked along the Southbank visiting some of the attractions along the way.

Students were very excited to bump into YouTuber Faze Jarvis who seemed to be a big inspiration to students with an ambition to become content creators and YouTubers.

Year 10 students interested in accounting or working in business were given the opportunity to take part in a KPMG Work-Ready workshop.

They learned about emerging technologies and how they are impacting the world of work, and they then considered a real KPMG client brief and worked in teams to create an innovative solution to present back to the group.

During this workshop students developed their core transferable and employability skills, with a particular focus on problem solving, creativity and speaking.

Comments from students:

I came into the workshop thinking it was going to be boring but I learned how to talk confidently Infront of people and how to pitch. This really helped me because I learned that in interviews you will need to be able to present yourself to people. My team did really well and came second! - Samantha

I enjoyed it and I found out how to deal with clients and solve the problems that the clients had such as a way to get people to recycle more Coca Cola bottles and how to deal with the personal data being leaked. - Freddie

Comment from the presenter;

I just wanted to get in touch and say another massive thank you for welcoming us into the school to deliver our KPMG Work-Ready workshop. A huge thank you for your support in organising the day. We loved working with your students on this programme – we’ve had nothing but glowing feedback from Sam who facilitated the session. I hope that your students enjoyed it as much as we did.  

Mr Bailey, Head of Drama recognises the value of regular and meaningful trips to help students appreciate their studies from a different and more active perspective.  Regular trips to the Theatre and special in-school screenings galvanise students’ understanding and appreciation of the creative arts and the potential careers that the industry offers. 

Students in Years 8, 9 and 10 had the pleasure of watching a live theatre rendition of Blood Brothers at The Orchard Theatre Dartford on Thursday 10^th November. The production was awe-inspiring and moving, telling the story of twins separated at birth finding their way back to each other through daily toils and tribulations. This trip most certainly sparked a passion for the theatre for those in attendance, which will strongly influence the work they do within our Drama curriculum.

Students across Years 9, 10 and 12 had an amazing opportunity to visit the Victoria Palace theatre to see Hamilton the musical. The performance and cast were absolutely incredible, telling the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and helped shape the very foundations of the America we know today. Students were lucky enough to also attend a post-performance Q&A with members of the Hamilton company, showcasing all the roles/careers theatre can offer. 

VOTE FOR FLOURISH! NEWS JUST IN!  We are delighted to announce that Student Leader, Flourish of Year 10 is running as a candidate in the Kent Youth Council Elections 2022.  Flourish plays an active and extremely positive role in school life and is an ideal candidate to represent the views and needs of young people across Dartford.  To read Flourish’s manifesto and to cast your vote please click here

Pictured, Flourish with Dartford MP Gareth Johnson.  I will include more information in my next blog!

The Food Technology classrooms have been responsible for a range of delicious aromas around school!  Our Year 8 students have been perfecting their cutting skills as well as learning the science of puff pastry in the preparation of apples puffs.  As you can see from the below photos .. the baking and sampling went rather well!

Year 10 GCSE Drama students had a great time exploring the emotions presented on our new Trestle masks this week, altering their physicality to suit the expressions. Students went around the new building to find interesting locations to create performance. 

Year 7 and 8 students had a great evening watching the National Theatre production of Treasure Island in our drama studio. Much fun, and popcorn, was had by all.

Our Year 12s took part in a ‘Ready Steady Cook’ challenge.  The challenge forms part of the SL6 Enrichment activities.  In groups of 3, 6 teams were assigned a protein and a carbohydrate to create a meal from. Standard cupboard condiments and vegetables were also available for the team to barter for.

Team 1 created rice with chili con carne.

Team 2 made a bolognaise sauce with fusilli pasta and a side of homemade chips.

Team 3 created an Asian inspired chicken noodle dish with a chickpea four batter for the chicken

Team 4 cooked Cornish pasties with homemade pastry

Team 5 created a vegetable pasta bake with cheese

Team 6 made a chicken and rice dish

All teams worked well together and practiced safe knife skills and good food hygiene. Year 12 were even shown how to put on a wash of their dirty towels and aprons. 

Team 2 took home the victory with very well-seasoned fries.

A big thank you to Miss Clayton for helping assist with this experience. 

Who wants to train with Charlton Football Club?!  CFC have teamed up with Play Place to provide football training sessions after school on Wednesdays from 2.30pm – the sessions are conmpletley free of charge and open to all students.  Play Place visit our school every Wednesday offering fully supervised activities including archery, computing, scooters, tennis and now first class football training!!

Please join me in congratulating Sammy H of 8C who recently travelled to Italy to compete in the European Karate Championships.  Sammy's team Won gold in the team Kata and Sammy went on to win gold in his individual kumite (fighting).  We couldn’t be more pleased for him, or more proud of his achievements!

Forthcoming dates;

Year 9 Parents’ Evening – 1^st December

Non uniform day (further detrails to follow) – 16^th December

Christmas Lunch (further details to follow) – 15^th December

Governors meeting – 29^th November

Best wishes,

Gavin Barnett