V O L U M E 7 , I S S U E 1

THE Q.E. NEWS

QEHS

Morton Terrace

Gainsborough

Lincolnshire

DN21 2ST

Telephone Number:

01427 612354

Fax Number:

01427 612856

Email: office@qehs.lincs.sch.uk

Website:

www.qehs.lincs.sch.uk

Twitter:

@QueenElizHigh

Article by

Mr D Allsop, Headteacher

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6

Welcome to this, the first newsletter of our

new academic year.

We have enjoyed welcoming our new Year 7 and Year 12 students into the QEHS

community. We recognise how daunting starting a new school can be, and have put

many support mechanisms in place to make sure our new students settle in quickly.

We were thrilled with the launch of our

QEHS App on the App Store and Android platforms. This has been an exciting and

unique project for this school and we are grateful to Kal Group, based in Marshall’s

Yard, for all their help and support. Having an internationally renowned App writing and

marketing company on your doorstep is fantastic. The Year 8 students who wrote it

are delighted with the result and our visit from Melvyn Prior of Radio Lincolnshire was

an amazing experience for the students who took part. Although it is aimed at Year 7 induction, anybody can download it for free.

Our Junior Presentation Evening on 8 September was a great success and my thanks go to all involved. Guest speaker Stephanie

Mapplebeck, 2011-12 Head Girl, gave us an inspirational talk and our new Head Boy, Tom

Brogden and Head Girl, Poppy Dennison, showed they will be true ambassadors for the

school in the year ahead.

Our GCSE and A level results days in August showed that the hard work and dedication of

our students and teachers have again been rewarded with many outstanding results. A

number of our students have worked through very difficult personal circumstances and it is a

great credit to them when they achieve their personal aspirations. More on exam results

from Mr Russell later.

The best establishments always aspire to improve, and at the start of this new academic

year, we again turn our focus to our new School Improvement Plan (SIP). This has been

ratified by our Governors and will form the basis of our drive for further improvement throughout the coming months. This year, we

continue to focus on improving student

performance through a range of objectives; being clear about our expectations,

encouraging student responsibility and providing supportive feedback and targeted

mentoring. The SIP is a working document, which is regularly scrutinised and updated by

both leadership team and Governors.

We were delighted to recently welcome visitors from a school in Guadeloupe. A

tour by our Sixth Form team was followed by visits to English, Geography and Spanish

lessons. The Battlefields trip again visited the battlefields of France and the graves of

our Old Boys who lost their lives in the two wars. It was lovely to receive an email from

a member of the public commending our students on their exemplary behaviour and

attitudes. At the time of writing, the Iceland trip is preparing to leave and by the time this newsletter is published they will have

returned, having had the experience of a lifetime.

Parents will soon be receiving a letter about

the launch of our new school charity –

QEHS Foundation (Gainsborough). Indeed

by the time this newsletter is published the

letter may well already be with parents. At

a time of reducing government funding and

increasing costs, the contributions to our

charity have been a vital part of the support

we have been able to give individual

students and the wider student community.

Going forward, the charity fund is likely to

be needed more generally to support

learning across the curriculum and therefore

will remain a vital part of our available funds.

I thank those parents who have supported

this charity in the past, and ask that all

parents please consider making a

contribution to the charity in the coming

year so that we can continue to enhance

each and every student’s educational

experience.

Welcome by Mr Allsop

QEHS Choir on Tour

As a ‘hard core’ Disney fan I was ecstatic at the chance to go to Disneyland Paris to sing with the QEHS Choir, so after

months of practising, and a trial run at The Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations in Beckingham, we left for Paris, squealing with

excitement, and returned back 3 days later with new friends, fantastic memories and lots of over-priced Disney

merchandise.

On 18 July 2016, QEHS’ Choir set off for Paris to sing at Disneyland, an opportunity many of us had never even

considered as an option, let alone a reality. At 3 o’clock in the morning, 31students and 4 teachers met outside QEHS

questioning why they were awake at such an hour. After clambering on the bus and

deciding 3 o’clock was the one time where being unsociable was not only allowed

but encouraged, we were well on our way to France. By 5 o’clock that day we were

enjoying a bus tour of Paris, including a pit stop at the bottom of the Eiffel tower,

and although it was over 25° and we had no air conditioning on the bus, that was

still one of my favourite parts of the trip. As I had never been into Paris before, I

enjoyed the beautiful buildings and sights the city had to offer. After a long day of

travelling, we were treated to a beautiful meal (in an air-conditioned room, thank

goodness!) at a small French restaurant just a 5-minute walk from Le Louvre. After

our meal, we headed to the hotel to get some sleep, before Disneyland the

following day.

I woke up at 7:30am on Tuesday 19 July feeling like a small child on Christmas

morning. After breakfast, we hopped on to the bus, much more alive than the

previous morning, feeling slightly hyper. After many Disney songs, a few musicals and

the odd pop song, we arrived backstage at Disneyland, making us all feel rather

important and almost like V.I.Ps. A quick light and sound check with a short run

through, then we went backstage awaiting our cue. Once we’d started singing, I

didn’t feel nervous, which for me was a big thing because I get very nervous about

singing in front of people. My favourite thing about singing on the Disney Stage was,

while singing Your Song by Elton John, I looked at a couple in the audience, they

looked at one another grinning from ear to ear, the man whispered something in

her ear and she looked at the choir and smiled, she then turned to her partner and

kissed him. The couple stayed for our whole set and smiled and clapped happily

after every song. Knowing that they’d enjoyed our set felt really nice and made

travelling all that way completely worth it. But, before we knew it, we’d sung

through all 5 of our songs and had finished the show.

But, the day wasn’t over. By 1 o’clock we were in the main Disney Park enjoying

rides, meeting the characters and acting like small children all over again. But the

real fun for me was the parade; watching it brought memories back of childhood

when I visited the Park with my Dad as a young girl, or at least that’s the excuse I’ll

use for why I cried. Being told I was more excited to see Elsa than the 9-year-old

girl standing next to me, definitely put things in perspective for my friends, I think.

At 11 o’clock at night, QEHS Choir met for the last time in the central plaza, with

Aurora’s Castle towering over us we waited anxiously for the fireworks to begin.

Tears, laughter and lots of singing later, my friends held hands and quite literally

skipped out of Disneyland, having just had one of the best days of our lives.

The next day we awoke not quite as bright and early as the previous two mornings.

Thirty-one miserable-looking children moped downstairs after breakfast to begin the

long journey back home. But, the journey home allowed us to form close bonds with new friends and remember that

time when ‘Amy cried watching the parade’. I can honestly say I have never laughed so much as I did on the way home

from France. But, for me the journey home was a reminder that all things must come to an end so you can enjoy

reliving the memories.

Overall, I think most of us powered through the three days on pure adrenaline and excitement, mixed with a lot of

sugar. But we’ve all come away with a fantastic unique experience and new friends that I would do anything for. I will

remember this trip for the rest of my school career and most likely my life. I’d like to thank all the members of staff

who made it possible, not only by giving up 3 days to come on the trip, but also in organising it. I’d like to give a special

thank you to Mr Corner for all time spent rehearsing and arranging the pieces we sang in Disney.

By Amy Leek (10S)

Stavros S Niarchos

25 July – 1 August 2016

On the 25 of July 2016, a group of students from Queen Elizabeth’s High School boarded

the Stavros S Niarchos Tall ship for a 7 day sailing voyage. Our voyage took us from

Sunderland to Ipswich, through rain, wind and sunshine. We made lots of friends and had

the experience of a lifetime.

The first day was hectic and exciting. We boarded the ship at approximately 2pm, along

with 20 other people and the teachers who had kindly accompanied us (Mrs Haldenby and

Miss Lowe). The day was filled with lots of new technical terms, worse case scenarios talks

and new people. We were introduced to all the crew, who were lovely, and got to know

the people in our watch (the group we were to spend the majority of our time with,

including doing chores and climbing with). At night we played games and did a quiz, before

retiring to our cabins below deck. The cabins, which at first felt cramped and

uncomfortable, soon became as familiar as home. The second day was just as exciting, but

much more tiring. We learnt all the basic skills needed to climb the rigging, set the sails and

to pack them away. Even though the ship wasn’t yet moving, it was still amazing and a little

terrifying to be up the mast, on the yards where the sails were. After lunch, a two course

meal consisting of soup and lasagne, we set sail. As we left the port, to our amazement, one

of the deckhands began playing the bagpipes from up the mast. We sailed through the

evening and eventually went in to port at Blythe.

The next few days were a mixture of sailing, chores and climbing, accompanied by delicious

food. We began to make lots of friends and going up the mast to set or pack the sails wasn’t

as scary anymore, but still just as exhilarating. Luckily, we only had a few night watches, as it

was cold and always exhausting to be up at 4am until 8am. Around the middle of the week,

we anchored just off Scarborough, where we saw an amazing sunset. The next day, we were

allowed to go to shore. Here we played at the amusements, bought rock, chips and more

supplies of sweets. Eventually a small group of us sat on the beach eating our sandwiches. At

this point, a swarm of seagulls swept down and stole the sandwiches out of our hands! We

all screamed and ran for shelter. It was hilarious, we couldn’t stop laughing. We went off the

ship once again during the week, but this time we had to return early as it poured it down

with rain!

At the end of the week, we were all very tired, but we’d had a great time. There were lots

of brilliant photo opportunities and we showed them all in a photograph competition at the

end. Although we had done lots of climbing and setting of the sails, we only travelled 3 miles

without the engine on. It had been windy, but in the wrong direction! As a final skill, on the

last day, we had a rowing competition and all the watches took part. Many of us got wet, but

luckily nobody capsized! On the final night, the crew held a talent show, where people sang

and danced, but mainly made us laugh. Overall, the trip was amazing, and something I would

definitely do again. It allowed us to be independent, meet new people and to learn the skills

of a working ship. We were pushed to our limits, but enjoyed every minute of it, except

perhaps cleaning the heads (toilets)!

By Audra Morris (10A)

16 Go to Cham

Sixteen Year 10 students were missing at the end of

the school year in July, as they participated in the latest

German Exchange, with our partner school Joseph-von-

Fraunhofer Gymnasium in Cham, Bavaria. This was the

“return match” after their German partners had visited

QEHS at the end of Term 4.

The group experienced many aspects of local life:

there were organized group visits to Regensburg,

Nuremberg and the Bavarian Forest, where students

could try out the waterslide and two toboggan rides

and end the day watching a display of glass-blowing

(with Iris doing the interpreting!), and a civic reception.

The host families also arranged events: as well as the

usual parties, trips to the outdoor pool etc. Jack found

himself being whisked off to the Allianz Arena to watch

Bayern München beat Manchester City, Laura and

Jordan had a day in Munich, Tyler was allowed to drive

a tractor, whilst Bella found herself – warmly wrapped

up - at a dawn piano recital, which took place on the

top of an old Cold War listening post, on the Czech/

German border! There was also the SMV-Tag (a day

when the school council arrange a school fete) and

being the judges for the school’s annual English reading

competition for their Y6 students.

It seems all the students found the experience a

positive one, judging by their comments on a wide

range of things that had made an impression on them:

the beautiful scenery, the different types of houses, the

(sheer quantity of) food being offered, and Brezen are

now a great favourite of many, and the friendliness of

their hosts – including Dr Balk, the Headteacher, who

cancelled afternoon classes for his students so that they

could do more with their QEHS partners. By the end

of the 12 days, all the students had made new friends,

and were much more confident about using their

German: time will tell how much their language skills

have improved, but they all now have their own expert

on hand.

The students were a pleasure to be around, and their

behaviour was commented on very positively by BA

cabin crew, the German immigration officials, the staff

at JvFG and the host families. Indeed, several students

have already been invited to return and I believe plans

are already being made for further visits. On a

personal note, this was my last Exchange with QEHS

and my thanks go to all concerned for making it such an

enjoyable event. Ich wünsche euch alles Gute in der

Zukunft!

By Mrs Pearson

Sporting Success

After the impressive performance of the British

Gymnastics team at the Rio Olympics, QEHS were

delighted to hear of the recent achievements of two

of our own gymnasts who have just joined school in

7A. Joshua Goodman-Dight and Stanley Cropper

both competed in the East Midlands Regional Team

Selection Competition in September and were both

successful in gaining a place on the team, Joshua

awarded a silver and Stanley a bronze medal. They

will now both be competing again in November at

the National Finals in Birmingham alongside the other

3 members of the team. Well done boys, and good

luck from all of us at QEHS!

By Ms Turnbull

Sunday 30 October

Year 8 footballers are the finest in a Futsal tournament full of finesse

Last July saw the first QEHS Spanish futsal tournament. In an

attempt to take language learning outside the classroom I thought

that I could share with my students my passion for indoor football

as a fast paced, intense and fun activity in which communication is

key. If I look back to my own school days in Spain there would

definitely be an abundance of fond memories of lunch breaks and

after school sessions spent playing fútbol sala as we used to call it

then. Learning can take place in many different forms and after the

exam season this year it certainly seemed as a good opportunity to

leave the pressure for results behind and try something different.

The difference to the students taking part was going to be that they

had to communicate to each other in Spanish while playing. They

were allowed to use their names and were taught a set of basic

commands to be used during the match, but more importantly they

were going to be penalised for using English too often. My fantastic

team of Year 10 helpers were extremely dedicated to recording

words and phrases in English that teams were producing during the

games and after the final whistle we could surely notice the

disappointment of those teams awarding goals to the opposition

because of the amount of English spoken. Overall it proved to be a

very good tournament with plenty of skills on show and great team

spirit being displayed although the truth is that unfortunately it

could only be offered to Years 7 and 8 boys due to organisational

matters. Also, I have to take this opportunity to thank Mr Burge in

the PE department for his assistance with all the equipment.

Hopefully this year will see the second edition taking place with

more students and girls teams involved as well.

By Mr Fortis

Athletic Bilbao: the winners! (Zac McLoughlin, Henry Sly, Ellis Clayton, Alex Bursnell, George

Moralee, Ryan Blanchard and Louis Crosby)

Parentmail is the usual method for communications from

school to parents/carers. This includes consent forms and

booking instructions for trips, all letters and other important

information.

If you are unable to access the system please refer to the email which was sent at the beginning of September

to the email address that you supplied to the school. The email gave a link and instructions about how to re-

connect or how to register if you are new to the school.

If you did not receive this email please check you SPAM folder as it may have been filtered.

If you think we might have the wrong email address for you please contact the school and we can check our

records are up to date.

If, after you have followed all instructions on the email, you are still unable to connect please ask your son/

daughter to contact the school office and we will try to resolve the problem so that you do not miss out on

receiving important information.

Visitors from Guadeloupe

QEHS was pleased to welcome two visiting teachers from schools in Guadeloupe

in early October. The visiting teachers came from the largely French speaking

island in order to gain experience of high performing schools in the UK. They

were hugely impressed with what they saw at QEHS, in particular they commented

on how at ease the students seemed with their learning and how imaginative the

teachers were in finding ways to challenge students and to encourage them to

explore and develop their learning. The teachers took

part in Spanish, English and geography lessons and students

were keen to take the opportunity to quiz them on

Guadeloupe and in particular on the impact of Hurricane

Matthew. The teachers left to visit Gainsborough Old Hall

before returning to Guadeloupe via Paris.

By Mr Kingdom

HOUSE ACTIVITIES FOR TERM 2

Thursday 3 November (all day) Senior Badminton

Friday 4 November (lunchtime) Senior Badminton Finals

Wednesday 16 November (all day) Inter Badminton

Thursday 17 November (lunchtime) Inter Badminton Finals

Friday 25 November (pm reg, P5 and P6) Cross Country

Thursday 1 December Public Speaking in the Library, parents welcome

Juniors 4pm Seniors 6pm

Monday 12 and Wednesday 14 December Junior Rugby and Junior Hockey

Monday19 December (Periods 1-5) Chess

World Champions!!

Congratulations to Georgina Tomlinson (13C) who recently took part in the World

Interclub Youth Lifesaving Championships in Eindhoven. Georgina qualified fastest in the

heats of the 12.5 meter Line Throw in a time of 14.99 seconds and then went on to win

the final in a time of 14.38 seconds. So Georgina and her partner Hannah became World

Youth Champions!

Georgina also competed with Jake Hammond (13D) in a team of four in the simulated

emergency rescue competition where they came second in their heat to progress to final

out of 54 teams.

10th overall in the final which for a small team from Retford and District Lifesaving club is a

great achievement.

Well Done!!

Term 2

Senior Badminton

Thursday 3 rdNovember – All Day

Friday 4 th November - Finals - Lunchtime

Inter Badminton

Wednesday 16 th November – All Day

Thursday 17 th November – Finals - Lunchtime

Cross Country

Friday 25 th November – Registration and P5,6

Public Speaking

Thursday 1 st December - afterschool

Junior Rugby – Hockey

Monday 12 th and Wednesday 14 th

December

Chess

Monday 19 th - P1-5 incluiding Lunchtime

Term 1

Inter Netball – Football

Thursday 22nd and Friday 23

rd September – Lunchtime

Junior Netball – Football

Monday 5th and Tuesday 6

th October – Lunchtime

House Drama Rehearsal Day –

Tuesday 18th October

House Drama

Thursday 20th October – After School

Term 3

Art Event Starts

Inter Rugby & Hockey

Monday 9th and Thursday 12

th January

Senior Rugby & Hockey

Monday 23rd and Thursday 26

th January

House Music Rehearsal Days –

Tuesday 31st Jan and Wednesday 1

st Feb

House Music - Thursday 2nd February

After School

House Art - Hand in Day

Monday 5th February

House Cooking – Lunch and P5

Tuesday 7th February

Term 5

Junior Table Tennis – Lunchtime

Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th April

Term 6

Junior Cricket – All Day

Wednesday 14 th June

Finals P3 and 4 Thursday 15 th

Junior Rounders P1-5

Wednesday 14 th June

Inter Cricket – All Day

Monday 10 th July

Finals P5 and 6 Wednesday 12 th July

Inter Rounder P1-5

Monday 10 th July

Senior Mixed Rounder P1-5

Thursday 14 th July

Sports Day – Monday 17 th July

Pre Sports Day - P1

Main Sports Day - PM

House Events 2016-2017

Term 4

Inter Table Tennis – Lunchtime

Thursday 23 rd and Friday 24 th

February

Senior Table Tennis – Registration and P5,6

Wednesday 8 th February

House Swimming – P1-4

Friday 17 th March

Senior Football – Netball - Lunchtime

Monday 20 th March and Thursday 23 rd

March

QEHS Goes Digital

You have probably read in local media or heard on Radio Lincolnshire that QEHS has completed a unique

project for helping new Year 7 students make the transition to secondary school. Each year we work with

around 50 feeder primary schools so most of our new Year 7s are coming from schools which are much

smaller than QEHS! Added to this they have up to 15 new teachers to get to know, new subjects,

homework and just generally increased responsibility for themselves. Each year 180 new students go through

this process and the vast majority of them fit into QEHS quickly. However, we were looking for a way to

make this induction process smoother for our new students.

At the same time, Ms Muir and I were creating and delivering a new course for Year 7 students with the aim

of allowing them to make the most of what QEHS has to offer. Amongst other things, it covers how to be a

good scholar, how to create and deliver arguments, how to research and present your findings and asks the

students to reflect on their year to give advice to incoming students the following year.

This led us on to thinking whether we could write an App for new students rather than print off a series of

booklets. Some research led us to Kal Group, based in Marshall’s Yard, who are a local firm producing Apps

and other digital media worldwide, including China. The MD met me in school and we agreed to work

together on what we think is a unique collaborative project.

The competition amongst the Year 7s was fierce and the six finalists had to pitch their ideas to the Chair of

Governors, Kal, myself and the Head Girl. The ultimate winners were the Elgar team and they then spent

half a day with Kal at their offices before spending the summer holidays finalising the details and content of

the App.

The finished product is great and has

already been downloaded over 160 times.

Year 7 have told us they have found it

really useful and many of them have already

earned hundreds of ‘virtual merits’ in the

game element of the App. QEHS students

and staff were on Radio Lincolnshire a

couple of weeks ago talking about the App,

and I was extremely proud of how calm our

students were when there was a

microphone around!

We hope to further develop this project

with the current Year 7 towards the end of

the year again and look forward to what

they can add to the App.

By Mr Allsop

Musical Success

Congratulations to Garna Wallace (8A) for success

in his ABRSM music exams. He passed

Violin Grade 4,

Piano Grade 3

Music Theory Grade 4.

Well Done!

Absence Reminder

Could we please remind parents to let us know each day a

student is going to be absent from school.

Most parents seem to have got into the habit of leaving a

message on our answering machine system or passing on a

message to reception.

Thank you!

Junior Presentation Evening

Welcome to a new academic year but lest we forget the fantastic achievements of

last year’s Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 students. The junior prize giving evening was a

unique experience for all as this year we moved our venue location and celebrated

this annual event in the Activities Hall. This meant we could invite more guests than

in previous years to celebrate the achievements of our fantastic young people.

David Holmes, our Chair of Governors, hosted the event with his usual good

humour and pertinent views on education, society and of course our school and our

successes. We were fortunate that Stephanie Mapplebeck agreed to be our special

guest and as an old girl she felt especially honoured to be asked.

Stephanie graduated with a first class honours degree in Biological Sciences and now

works as an Analytical Chemist in Newcastle. Stephanie addressed the audience at

the end and gave an inspirational speech which was clearly written to enthuse and

uplift this year’s winners.

One of the many reasons I love working in education is that you get a chance to

meet former pupils who have gone on to lead successful and interesting careers.

Stephanie was also Head Girl at QEHS and was given the task of showing me round

as a prospective Deputy Headteacher back in 2012.

I was delighted that our paths could cross again at this high point of the academic

year. The evening was enriched further by our wonderfully talented musicians ably

supported by the Music department.

Well done to all our prize winners and musicians and a big thank you to parents,

carers and extended family who continue to support our young people each and

every day.

By Mr Allan

Renewable Energy Presentation to Year 13 German

QEHS A2 German students had the pleasure of welcoming Mr Dirk Terjung to their German lesson on Friday

14th October. Mr Terjung has worked for many years within the renewable energy sector, linking both the

UK and Germany and educating on the issue. Year 13 have recently been covering the topic of environment

and Germany’s leading role using renewable energy as part of their A-Level studies. The group were treated

to a presentation delivered of course entirely in German by our expert, discussing climate change and the im-

portant role renewable energies have to play in providing a sustainable future for our planet. Students then

had the opportunity to ask Mr Terjung further questions on the topic and his opinion on other important cur-

rent affairs such as the migration crisis and Europe . Mr Terjung closed with a very powerful quote on the

future of our planet.

Wer soll es machen, wenn nicht wir?

Wann soll es geschehen, wenn nicht jetzt?

(Who should do it, if not us? When should it happen, if not now)

Many thanks for your visit Mr Terjung and we hope to welcome you again soon!

By Ms Turnbull

Well done from all the Design & Technology staff!

For more examples of the finished work please visit our Twitter page @AlevelProduct

By Miss Spencer

Over the last few weeks the AS Product Design students were given the project

entitled ‘Value Added’ the idea behind the work was that they buy a product and

develop it in some way to add value.

The product the students purchased (in pairs) was a LACK Table from

Ikea. They had four weeks to come up with the ideas and create what

would hopefully fulfil the brief.

On Thursday 6th October they presented their finished ideas to the rest of the

group and members of the Design & Technology Team and put their work on

display for fellow students and colleagues to see. The work was a great

success and students received some excellent feedback.

Young Lifesaver of the Year — Jake Hammond (13D)

Jake has been named as National Young Lifesaver of the Year 2016 by the Royal Life Saving Society. The Young Lifesaver Award is given to an individual between the ages of 14 to 24 who has demonstrated outstanding personal leadership at a branch level. The National Honours Committee chose Jake as the stand out candidate for his branch.

Congratulations on your success Jake!

What should students be doing at home

to support their learning?

Occasionally I hear students say things such as they had ‘no homework last night’. This tells me that those

students do not understand how they should be using their time outside of the classroom to support their

learning. As they move through the school, students should have more and more ownership of their

learning and this independent work at home is crucial if a student is to make the most of their potential.

All of our students are intelligent and the difference between doing really well and struggling is often the

attitude and approach of the student, rather than their ability. So below is some general guidance on what

students of any age should be doing if they find themselves with ‘no homework’ of an evening:

1. Read through your exercise and/or note book and highlight key points from the last few

lessons. You should also re-read feedback and guidance given by your teacher in the past

2. An imminent test or exam is not the time to start revision; it should be an ongoing process.

Therefore students should make revision cards/mind maps/notes or whatever method they use

to revise as they go along

3. Look ahead in the text book or on the internet at what you might be studying in forthcoming

lesson

4. Read around the subject you are studying at the time. Students in the 21st century have access

to a wealth of information, both in books and on the internet to support their studies

5. Read the news, either online or in newspapers & magazines, and think how your current

studies link to the news stories. RE, History, Geography and Science are normally obviously

linked to most current affairs stories. However, techniques used in the presidential debates in

the US are great material for applying things you learn in English

6. When watching TV, think how music is being used or what drama techniques the actors are

using. If watching sport, identify where the sportsmen and women are using the skills you are

learning in PE

7. Listen to an internet radio station broadcasting in the language you are studying

8. Even if you haven’t been set one, try writing an essay around a topic you are studying at the

moment in any subject. The act of writing it will be great preparation for real essay

9. Re-do worksheets from previous lessons or look in a text book for further questions on what

you are currently studying

10. Write out a list of questions for your teacher outlining what you don’t understand.

By Mr Allsop

The PTA held its AGM on Tuesday 20 September, and it was very nearly the last one…

Over recent years, the PTA’s numbers have been depleted due to pupils finishing at the school and

few new members joining. This year saw four new members attend the AGM, but not enough to

make up the numbers of those who have left. We were, however, grateful for this new support, but

when it came to electing committee members, we struggled. I was nominated and elected as Chair

for the third year running and Bridget Carline and Simon Taylor as Secretaries. However, when it

came to appointing a Treasurer, there were no volunteers, so the decision was almost made to fold

the PTA as it cannot exist without a Treasurer. Thankfully, Sarah Harper stepped up in order to save

the PTA.

I hope you are aware of the valuable contribution the PTA makes to the school? You will have seen

us selling refreshments at parents’ evenings and other school events, and I’m sure you all enjoyed the

New Year 7’s barbecue too. All of the money we raise from these events and our ever-popular quiz

nights goes towards paying for 'non-essential' items that benefit as many students as possible, but

which can’t be paid for out of school funds. The most recent project we funded was the sheltered

seating area off the upper school library corridor, providing a beautiful and much needed seating area

for students to eat their lunches. The next project we’ll be funding has been requested by several

teaching staff: a large dictionary for most of the classrooms in the school, to help enhance literacy.

Being a member of the PTA isn’t a huge commitment. The more members we have means the less

each member has to do. Meetings are once a term, at the most. Most of the other activities involve

serving refreshments at school events, including 11+ practice and exam days.

We appreciate that, due to the large catchment area, it can be hard for parents to travel to and from

the school in the evenings, which is why it has been proposed that we hold next year’s AGM on an

evening when students have to be at the school (such as the Languages Disco), so parents would

have to travel there anyway. This was suggested by a new member – you can see why we need fresh

blood!

Other initiatives are being explored to increase membership and raise funds, but in the meantime, if

you think you could spare an hour or so, once or twice a year, we’d love to hear from you:

email qehspta@qehs.lins.sch.uk or sclack@me.com and someone will be in touch.

Thank you.

Please, please don’t assume someone else will do it – we really do need you.

Sallie Clack

Chair of the PTA

TGA and QEHS Sixth Form Mentoring

Around 15 Sixth Form students have volunteered to take part in a pioneering mentoring scheme with TGA Year

11 students. The first meeting took place at the start of October, and the mentoring will continue during the

2016/17 academic year. We hope that the TGA students will have the opportunity to improve their GCSE

grades and visit College House at QEHS, and that the Sixth Formers will develop many personal skills which will

be of benefit to them in the future. As many A Levels are now only examined at the end of Year 13, it will give

our students the opportunity to review some of the topics that were covered at the start of their A Level

courses too.

By Mr Dawson

Musical Success QEHS ran another very successful day of ABRSM music exams at the end of Term 6.

Harvey Elliott Firth 8S passed Grade 2 Clarinet, Kavya Jayaweera 9C passed Grade 2 Piano, Sam Hattersley 11C passed Grade

2 Piano, Natalie Gabrawi 11S passed Grade 3 Alto Sax, Sarah Percival 9D passed Grade 4 Clarinet, Eve Bailey 10B passed

Grade 4 Guitar, and Courtney Baldwin 13D passed Grade 5 Flute.

Seven students passed their exams with Merit: Georgia Hollis 10D, Grade 1 Oboe; Charlotte Betts 9A, Grade 1 Piano; Sophie

Leighton 11S, Grade 3 Flute; Eve Bailey 10B, Grade 3 Singing; George Murch 10B, Grade 4 Alto Sax; Josie Foster 9B Grade 4

Flute; and Lawrence Hepton 12B, Grade 5 Tenor Sax.

Three students passed with Distinction: Max Coup 8C, Grade 1 Alto Sax; Amy Rose Richardson 9S, Grade 2 Piano; Lily Car-

line 8S, Grade 6 Flute and Grade 6 Singing.

A special mention goes to Eve Bailey and Lily Carline for successfully taking two exams in one day!

Well done to all!

Our Houses

We all know our 6 houses: Austen, Brunel, Churchill, Darwin, Elgar and Scott. Knowing who your house is named after can be quite insightful considering they were chosen for their work in the arts, sciences and politics

and each one holds a different step in future careers....

Jane Austen is a world renowned English author who lived in the late 1700's to the early 1800's.

Despite her work being centuries old, her 6 books still have millions of fans all around the world translated into multiple languages. The works of Jane Austen express her view points on love,

loyalty and relationships in the period she lived in, pushing past the boundaries set for women in

Georgian times.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel was an inspiring engineer. He lived at the time of Britain's Industrial

Revolution and was one of the most versatile and audacious engineers in the 18th century. Brunel is probably best remembered for his construction of a network of tunnels, bridges and viaducts

for the Great Western Railway.

Winston Churchill is famous worldwide for being the British prime minister that led us to victory in WW2. He was famous for his inspiring speeches that gave hope to the British people in a time of crisis. Considered by many as the greatest Briton who ever lived, Winston was thought to be a

great military strategist. He won the Nobel prize for literature and had a passion for art and history.

Charles Darwin is also a very well remembered figure, following a lifetime of exploring. Darwin

made his mark on biological advances, defining the Theory of Evolution after years of travelling and studying species all over the globe. In 1859, he published On the Origin of Species that

presents his views on the process of natural selection that was first condemned by the Church

and frowned upon by society.

Edward Elgar was a British composer. After his father taught him the basics of Violin, piano and organ Elgar was self taught. Edward's first best-known composition (Enigma Variations Op. 36)

kick-started his career. This led to the first four of his Pomp and Circumstance Marches; the first of these, subtitled "Land of Hope and Glory" became an unofficial second anthem for the British

Empire.

Captain Robert Falcon Scott was an officer and explorer in the royal navy and led two expeditions

to Antarctica. On the second, Scott discovered plant fossils proving Antarctica was once forested and joined to other continents. In 2012, information was found that proved Scott's death in that same expedition was partly down to his base camp team who failed to send him supplies; he died

11 miles away from where the food was sent.

By Arwen Williams 8E

LIGHTS, CAMERA …… ACTION

QEHS views on Sunday Politics Programme

Mr Allsop is interviewed – spot the room?

Recent Government proposals about the potential extension of

grammar schools has put the journalistic spotlight firmly on QEHS.

Several requests to Mr Allsop for radio interviews culminated in a visit

to QEHS on 29 September by the BBC’s political reporter, Sharon

Edwards. The presenter was recording a piece for BBC 1’s Sunday

Politics Programme (Yorkshire and Lincolnshire), to coincide with the

Conservative Party Conference. Ms Edwards was interested in

interviewing Mr Allsop about grammar schools, and what a grammar

school education offers a pupil. Mr Allsop also answered questions on

behalf of the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools, a group of

14 grammar schools from across the whole of Lincolnshire, of which

he has been Chair for the last two years. The interview was aired on

BBC1’s Sunday Politics Programme on 2 October, and was fronted by

Andrew Neil. Ms Edwards does her ‘piece to camera’

Welcome Year 7 to Languages!

Friday night was disco night for all our Year 7s

on 30th September! Year 7 had already helped

with the impressive decorations, preparing flags

and researching hello in languages from all

around the world. Many interesting languages

were researched, including ‘hellos’ from China,

Japan, Argentina and even the Vatican City! On

the evening, there was a high level of excitement

and far too many sweets, as over a hundred Year

7s enjoyed the opportunity to socialise with new

friends. The sixth form linguists also did a

fantastic job of being DJs and playing music in

many different languages. The sixth formers

took the lead, organising games and creating a

party atmosphere! By the end of the evening it

was time to finish with ‘Frozen’ sung in over 40

different languages!

Danke schön! Merci! Gracias!

To everyone who helped, both staff and students

By Ms Turnbull

Experiencing the World of Work

Work Experience Programme for Summer 2017

In the final newsletter of the last academic year, I quoted some of the comments from students and

employers illustrating the value and enjoyment both parties gain from work experience placements.

This year the logistics of the programme will be more challenging for both students and employers as

Year 10 and the Year 12 students who opt to do another week of work experience, will be sourcing

placements in the same week in July 2017. This has been decided upon purely because of the pressure

on the school calendar in this academic year.

Now we do it all again 3 – 7 July 2017

This year’s Year 10 students are receiving regular guidance from Mrs Thorpe in their morning

assemblies and Year 12 received a briefing in an assembly slot and both groups have been given an

information booklet for themselves and parents to guide them through the process. Year 12 block

work experience is again being offered as optional and we hope those who feel they can benefit

from further work experience, will take advantage of this opportunity.

There are a number of considerations which affect funding and also the areas students’ can carry out

their placements, and letters from Mr Allsop for Sixth Form parents and Mr Kingdom for Year 10

parents have already been sent home to explain the position in regard to these elements of the

programme. As in previous years I am sure students will still be able to find worthwhile placements

within these guidelines. The Work Experience process in Year 10 is supported by the Preparation for

Working Life course which guides students through important areas such as writing a letter of

application, preparing a CV and interview techniques. Work experience guidelines are displayed in each

form room and these include details of particular employers, where applications need to be made

through Mrs Thorpe to ensure the students have the correct application forms and contact details.

A number of students have already been to see me for advice or with ideas of their own but only

three Year 10 placements are currently booked on the database! Parents could you please

encourage your son/daughter to start the process of sourcing a placement as soon as possible.

Although the deadlines for handing in placement forms of 10 March 2017 for Year 10 and 31 March

2017 for Year 12 students, are a long way off, the demand for places is as high as ever with over 4500

students in Lincolnshire hoping to do work placements in 2016-17. As the school has a duty of care to

make sure all these placements meet the necessary health and safety requirements, the sooner our

students make contact with prospective employers, the better.

Students at QEHS are asked to try and source placements of their own choosing but they have also

been made aware of the funding and area changes already notified to parents which mean that, in some

circumstances, they need to see Mrs Thorpe before following up a prospective employer. Parental

support would be appreciated in making sure that if a placement is outside the given criteria,

students do contact Mrs Thorpe before accepting such a placement, to enable the process to

run as smoothly as possible.

This year’s work experience cohorts have a lot to live up to, but year on year the comments from

employers continue to reflect the character of our students and I am sure this year’s groups will gain

the same level of benefit and praise from their employers as those in previous years. This comment

from the CBI sums up the importance of the work experience programme for our students:-

“Two thirds of employers believe gaining practical experience of the world of work, is the

most valuable step young people can take to improve their prospects in the future”

By Mrs Thorpe

Battlefields Trip 2016

At the end of September, a group of Year 10, 11 12 and 13 students travelled to the WW1 bat-

tlefields, cemeteries and memorials on the annual battlefields poetry tour. I was highly looking

forward to the eye opening and enjoyable experiences of this trip and it didn’t disappoint.

On the morning of the 28th, we were all fast asleep on the coach and in the afternoon we were

walking on the French soil where our men once fought. It was very emotional to think that that

was where our soldiers once fought for our country, but at the same time you felt so grateful

for what they risked for us. Mr Spooner, the tour guide, explained to us the layout of the trench

system and the geography of it. Along with the maps in our booklet and his knowledgeable ex-

planation, it really helped us to understand where these honourable men were literally fighting.

On the second day, we packed a lot in. After visiting the village of Louvencourt, we visited

Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, where I read my chosen poem for the trip, For the Fallen by

Laurence Binyon. Personally, I really enjoy speaking and reading aloud so being able to read such

an incredible and well-known poem next to a place where heroes are remembered was very

special. What made it even more special was that my Great Great Uncle’s name is recorded on

the memorial. A fellow student also played The Last Post during our small ceremony outside of

the memorial, after other students read the names of the old boys of the school. As the day

went on, we continued to visit other WW1 cemeteries and battlefield sites of the First World

War, such as Serre Road, Thiepval Wood and Ancre Valley.

On the third day, we headed to Ypres in Belgium. After the long bus journey, we carried on our

tour. We first visited Larch Wood where we experienced how close the German and allied

front lines really were-it was truly astonishing. We then headed to Hill 60 where we visited an-

other of one of the, sadly, many cemeteries. Every cemetery which we visited was so well kept,

it pleased me to know that these brave and honourable men were being so beautifully remem-

bered. In the evening, we attended the Menin Gate Ceremony, where 3 pupils laid a wreath of

poppies. Standing under this memorial, names surrounded us making it feel even more surreal

just how many men gave their lives for us.

Unfortunately, day four was our final day. Ms Jones read the poem, In Flanders Fields near to an

old dressing station which was still intact. We then visited several family graves, such as Hooge

Crater Cemetery, which made the trip even more personal and special for those pupils whom

relatives we and they got to remember. After visiting these cemeteries we headed back to Ypres

where we were given free time to visit the many chocolate shops which it had to offer. Sadly,

the trip was almost over and after a few more family grave visits on our way back through

France, we headed back home.

I had an amazing and truly eye-opening experience on the Battlefields trip. To anybody consider-

ing attending this trip in the future, without a doubt I would say to definitely go.

By Emeli Hanson (13E)

Dear Mr Allsop

Re School Trip to Thiepval Sept 2016

I and some friends happened to be present at the above memorial

last Wednesday when your school Battlefield tour was performing

a very touching memorial service.

We were so impressed with it all I wanted to drop you a line to say as

much. The pupils behaved impeccably and we thought taking it in

turns to say the name of a fallen soldier was a nice touch and the

playing of the last post topped it all off very nicely. It was all really

excellent and we agreed it helped make our visit very special indeed.

It made us feel proud to be British.

We were in France primarily to visit second world war sites because

my own father and my friend Rodney's father landed on the beaches

on D-day. I've actually got my own dad's memoirs published and

have since started projects way beyond my original expectations with

various social media. I have also uncovered memoirs of other men

connected to Dad's story. It's been quite a whirlwind for me.

I'm not a historian by profession but I would encourage any of your

pupils to follow what has become a very rewarding activity for me.

Thank you once again for the pleasure we derived from seeing your

pupils' service.

Kind regards

Dear Mr Allsop

Re School Trip to Thiepval Sept 2016

I and some friends happened to be present at the above memorial

last Wednesday when your school Battlefield tour was performing

a very touching memorial service.

We were so impressed with it all I wanted to drop you a line to say as

much. The pupils behaved impeccably and we thought taking it in

turns to say the name of a fallen soldier was a nice touch and the

playing of the last post topped it all off very nicely. It was all really

excellent and we agreed it helped make our visit very special indeed.

It made us feel proud to be British.

We were in France primarily to visit second world war sites because

my own father and my friend Rodney's father landed on the beaches

on D-day. I've actually got my own dad's memoirs published and

have since started projects way beyond my original expectations with

various social media. I have also uncovered memoirs of other men

connected to Dad's story. It's been quite a whirlwind for me.

I'm not a historian by profession but I would encourage any of your

pupils to follow what has become a very rewarding activity for me.

Thank you once again for the pleasure we derived from seeing your

pupils' service.

Kind regards

We were delighted to receive this letter from a tourist who watched the

dedication service we held for our Old Boys at Thiepval memorial on our recent

Battlefields trip.

Wheatsheaf

The stalks of the crop are thin, just like the supplies for those in poverty.

Think about them this harvest.

Poverty is where there is not enough food and water to survive.

Be thankful that you are not in poverty this harvest.

There are many seeds in a wheat sheaf, just like the many people in this world who do not have

enough food.

Spare a thought for them this harvest.

The string tying it together is the connection with people all over the earth by sharing

our produce.

Share some food with them this harvest.

The moisture on the inside of the wheat is a reminder of those who are in

famine because of floods.

Be thankful your harvest has not completely failed this harvest.

The dryness on the outside of the wheat symbolizes the people who are in

famine because of drought.

Be thankful for the rain this harvest.

Famine is where the harvest has failed and there is not enough food to go around.

Be thankful you are not in famine this harvest.

Wheat is food for us to eat.

Be very thankful that you have food to eat this harvest.

By Beth Scott (8C)

Year 8 students have been looking at the meaning

of Harvest in their RE lessons and were asked to

write a poem or prayer that sums up both the

positive and negative effects of Harvest.

Here are a couple of poems we would like to

share with you….

Grapes and Harvest

On the outside, a grape looks simple and pretty, a sweet treat we can look forward to.

On the outside, Harvest is a simple and pretty idea that gives us comfort in hard times.

However, inside this grape is a much more complex layout and the seeds burrowed inside are the life of the fruit.

However, inside the idea of Harvest there is a much more complex and deeper meaning where

we give thanks to God for what our farmers have produced and help those who are in poverty.

A grape on its own is insignificant, briefly enjoyable at most. But when you group these grapes

together, you have a bunch, all with similar purposes.

One person helping people who have no food will do their best but can’t achieve much.

However, if everyone stuck to the true meaning of Harvest, a sense of community grows as

people come together to make the world a better place.

Sometimes grapes taste delicious and they are very enjoyable. But sometimes the juice is sour

and the skin sticks in our throat.

For some people, harvest is an enjoyable time for thanksgiving to God and to farmers and for

celebrating the food they have. On the other hand, there are people around the world who

never have enough and are slowly starving, because of their crops drowning, droughts, wars,

earthquakes or simply not having enough money.

Grapes come in many different colours, shapes and sizes, which makes them unique. But because

they are all serving the same purpose, it means they are together.

We humans are all totally different, but when we learn to put aside our differences and get to

know one another, while united under a common goal, we find that we are all together in this

world and we can all help each other.

And that is what Harvest can teach us.

By Natasha Byers (8C)

Keep up to date with what’s happening at QEHS

follow us on Twitter @QueenElizHigh

P A G E 2 0 V O L U M E 7 , I S S U E 1 KEY DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

TUES 1 NOVEMBER TERM 2 STARTS FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS

Tues 1 November 6th Form Student Finance Talk : 19.00

Weds 2 November 9A, B and C geography trip to Brayford Wharf, Lincoln

Weds 2 November Berlin trip parents’ talk : 17.00 - 18.00

Weds 2 November Piano recital : 18.00 – 20.00

Thurs 3 November 9D, E and S geography trip to Brayford Wharf, Lincoln

Thurs 3 November Senior House Badminton all day

Fri 4 November Senior House Badminton finals : lunchtime

Tues 8 November Senior Maths Challenge

Tues 8 November Year 11 Parents’ Evening : 16.30 – 19.30

Thurs 10 November Y10/11 ‘Blood Brothers’ trip : 17.30 – Grand Opera House, York

Mon 14 November 7A, B and C ‘Aladdin’ production : 18.30 – 20.30

Tues 15 November 7D, E and S ‘Aladdin’ production : 18.30 – 20.30

Weds 16 November Intermediate House Badminton all day

Weds 16 November Sixth Form Open Evening : 18.00 – 20.30

Thurs 17 November Intermediate House Badminton finals : lunchtime

Tues 22 November Y10 artists to Portrait Gallery, London

Weds 23 November 6th form History trip : ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ Nottingham – from 12.00

Thurs 24 Nov to Weds 7 Dec Year 11 mock exams

Fri 25 November House Cross Country : p.m.

Mon 28 November Year 12 and Year 13 Parents’ Evening : 16.30 – 19.30

Thurs 1 December House Public Speaking : 16.00 – 19.30

Sat 10 December ‘Carols for All’ : from 19.00 in All Saints’ Church

w/c Mon 12 Dec Yr 7,8,9,10,12 and 13 current performance and engagement grades

Mon 12 December Junior House Rugby and Hockey : lunchtime

Tues 13 December Year 11 mock exam results

Weds 14 December Junior House Rugby and Hockey : lunchtime

Weds 14 December Ski trip parents’ talk : 17.30

Thurs 15 December Carol concert for parents : from 19.00 in All Saints’ Church

Fri 16 December 6th form Berlin trip leaves (returns Mon 19th Dec)

Mon 19 December House Chess all morning

Mon 19 December Tanzania fundraising event : from 16.30

Tues 20 December 6th form Snow Ball

Tues 20 December LAST DAY OF TERM 2

TUES 3 JANUARY TERM 3 STARTS FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS

w/c 3 January Yr 9 Reports released this week