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LETTER FROM THE HEADTEACHER
I am writing this newsletter on Induction Day. 196 students from 20 feeder schools have joined us for two days of action packed activity. It has been a wonderful experience to see so many eager, bright and inspiring young people. This marks the end of a very busy year which has seen the number of events and extra curricular activities grow to a very high level. We have also produced more brochures and booklets for parents than ever before and we have seen the school roll grow to over 900. We are now officially full for September!
In order to improve communication in our expanding school we have installed messaging screens around the school in order to pass daily information to staff and students.
For parents of students in Years 7 and 10 we have registered with a company called Parentmail. This means that all communication with home can be via e-mail. We are trialling this system and would welcome any comments you may have.
We are also reorganising some form groups in Years 9, 10 and 11 in order that we can have staff who will act as academic mentors to students in these year groups. This will mean that any student who is underachieving or who needs extra support will be identified and given extra help.
I am in my eighth year at Le Rocquier and I have seen the migration from the old school to the new school and I have seen student numbers increase by over 200 in the past three years. This school is full of amazing students and hard working staff and, when I see students graduate at the Le Rocquier Prom each year, I feel very proud to be Headteacher of such an amazing school. Thank you so much for your support this year. Wherever you are spending the holidays, have a wonderful break.
Richard Rolfe
EXAMINATION RESULTS
Examination results will be released on Tuesday 24th August 2010 from 10.00 to 12.00am. This is mainly a day for Year 11 students who will come into school to receive their final subject grades. For students in Years 10 and 9 module results will be sent out by post on the same day. If any student in Year 9 or Year 10 needs their results for a particular reason then they can collect them before 12.00am on Tuesday 24th August.
T Balston Examinations Officer
DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD
ROYAL VISIT — 30th June
On June 30th the students in the Year 10 summer expedition groups were introduced to the Earl and Countess of Wessex at Grand Vaux Youth Centre. The Earl managed to speak to most of the students and asked several questions about their expedition and progress within the award scheme. The Earl of Wessex has now formally taken over from his father, The Duke of Edinburgh, in running the award. The students displayed their maps, rucksack equipment, tents, cookers and the Youth Service bicycles. They were all a credit to the school and their families.
PE DEPARTMENT NEWS
Year 7 Rounders
With a slow start to the season, the Year 7 rounders team progressed extremely well, showing great skills at the Jersey School’s Sports Tournament beating local schools such as Les Quennevais, Haute Vallee and Grainville and just missing out to JCG by 1 rounder. The girls have worked very hard, training most evenings and competing on a weekly basis. This has helped them to develop their individual skills and to work successfully as a team. I am very proud and pleased with their performance this year and look forward to the coming years. Well Done!
Year 8 Rounders
The team had a good start to the season beating Grainville and Haute Vallee but unfortunately our batting let us down. Fielding skills certainly improved and, as a result, we made things very difficult for JCG losing to them by only 1 rounder. On the day of the tournament the girls took some time adjusting and we suffered some injuries. Students showed perseverance which paid off as toward the end of the match there were some fantastic big hits, especially by Casey Lodwidge and the fielding was quicker and more effective. The girls have certainly improved and shown commitment to training. Well Done!
Year 9 & 10 Rounders
It has been a mixed season for the Year 9 and 10 rounders team. We started off the season well by beating Grainville, but unfortunately results didn’t go our way for the following games. Each member of the squad has come on immensely and, with our toughest games towards the end of the season against JCG and Beaulieu, we only lost marginally. The team has gelled together and now work for each other as a team. A good finish to the season girls. Well Done.
Athletics
Another busy athletics season has come to a close and seen a number of outstanding performances from our students taking part in both the boys’ and girls’ school cups, as well as the individual championships.
Our boys were particularly successful this year at the individual Island championships, with 11 boys making 16 appearances in finals between them and ultimately providing 2 champions and 5 members of the Jersey squad which travelled to Guernsey to successfully defend the Inter-Insular title.
The girls also had a good year, with notable performances from Catherine Billington (Year 7) in the 800m and 1500m at both school and Inter-Insular level.
Special congratulations must go to Yuri Pereira from Year 7 who smashed the Jersey shot putt record for his age group which had stood for 25 years, by over a metre!
LE ROCQUIER SPORTS DAY RESULTS
Sports Day was held on 16th June 2010 at FB Fields. The weather was sunny but very breezy. There was an excellent atmosphere from those taking part and spectators.
Year 7 Sports Day winners: Asia House
Year 8 Sports Day winners: Europe House
Year 9 Sports Day winners: Africa House
Victor Ludorum Award: (Best male athlete) Harrison Franklin who won the 100m (with a new school record of 11.44secs,) 200m, long jump and relay.
Victrix Ludorum Award: (Best female athlete) Audrey Bois won the 100m and 200m races and the high jump.
Overall Inter House Trophy -
Interhouse competitions run by the PE department throughout the school year and Sports Day.
Results were: Europe 2172 points, Americas 2149, Asia 2052, Oceania 1956, Africa 1658
YOUNG CARERS BBQ WITH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND MRS RIDGWAY
The Young Carers group were invited to Government House for a summer BBQ last week. The sun was shining and we all had a fantastic time. All the students behaved excellently. They had a tour around the grounds of Government House and some boys were even chased on the lawn by the Governor’s dog Willoughby!!
RETURN TO SCHOOL
We look forward to welcoming students back to school on Thursday 2nd September. School will be closed to students on Thursday 9th September due to the International Air Display. The last day of the autumn term is Wednesday 15th December. Half term week is Monday 23rd October to Friday 29th October inclusive.
YEAR 7 VISIT TO FRANCE
The majority of Year 7 students went to Saint Malo on 22nd or 24th June for a one-day trip. Both trips were very successful and despite the number of students taken, everything went really well. Students had a pleasant day; they had a little “Carnet de Bord” (Travel Journal) that they could use and fill in. They were also given the opportunity to buy some goods in French shops and practice French in a real-life situation. Due to the wonderful weather, we also had the opportunity to go the beach!
Students who helped out during the day and who completed their “Carnet de Bord” were given house points and there was a prize for the two students with the highest scores.
The students were very well behaved and I think they benefited from this experience. We hope to be able to repeat the visit next year! Mr. Collong
DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD
Bronze Expedition (Summer) – July 3rd and 4th 2010
19 students in Year 10 successfully completed their expedition training for their Bronze Award on the weekend of June 12th. They then went on to complete their qualifying expedition on the weekend of July 3rd. Students involved in the award are Harry Morton, Anton Arthur, Kallum Le Marchand, Devon Potter, Kieran Le Lievre, Ryan Videgrain, Donna Hamon, Andrea Dos Santos, Demi Cawley, Karen Lange-Smith, Eleanor Camsell, Cristiana Marques, Lee Le Clercq, Kelly Coughlan, Bethany Martin, Lauren Matthews, Craig Megaw, Jake Ropers and Gilberto Abreu.
Bronze Expedition (Winter)
6 students will be involved taking part with the Island Award Centre in September. They will complete their expedition in late November. The six students are Amy Matthews, Ciara McDonough, Harley Brennan, Katherine Leighton, Jason Dias and Jonathan Rolfe.
Year 9
Students going into Year 10 in September 2010 will be invited to take part in the award scheme next term. Places will be limited to 21 (Summer 2011) and 6 (Winter 2011). I really recommend your son/daughter taking part in the scheme. Places will be allocated on merit. Mr Varley-Best
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
This term has been busy from an International perspective. As well as the hugely successful Le Roc Carnival, the school celebrated International Day on 18th June. Students dressed up and participated in a range of internationally themed activities, in order to learn more about the cultures and lifestyles of other countries.
In early June Year 7 students were pleased to welcome their pen friends from Tremblay, France. They spent the day completing activities designed to encourage conversation in both languages. Unfortunately, the weather was not kind to us so our planned rounders competition didn’t take place but all the students joined in with activities led by both the French and English staff.
Students in Key Stage Three have worked on a World Cup project in French and all students were encouraged to enter a competition to learn more about the African continent. Congratulations to Chris Minier (Y7) and Karen Lange-Smith (Y10) on winning!
This week, we will be hosting a group of Spanish students from Zaragoza, who are coming to school to meet those students who are studying Spanish in Year 10.
If any parent is willing to share their experience of living or travelling abroad, or is linked with any international project, I would be grateful if you could contact email me
Mrs Dicker
For the fourth successive year all the students in Year 9 have followed a carnival-themed cross-curricular scheme of work culminating with a live performance to showcase their work. This year the students worked on a theme of “animals”. Students worked on projects in Product Design, Art, ICT and English. As well as the subject specific tasks, students worked on other Carnival related projects such as music and dance creation with volunteer teachers from subjects as diverse as Science and Languages.
The main aims of the project were to improve on the skills students will require in the real world of work i.e.
* To facilitate group work (not in friendship groups)
* To get the students to take on roles of responsibility and leadership
* To create real products to a specification with tight limitations on time and recourses available
* To encourage competition between groups
* To take students outside of their comfort zones
I am pleased to say that all of these aims were achieved and the year group excelled in terms of organisation and behaviour. All the work that they and their teachers had put into this project over the preceding three months really showed in the final performance. Each group represented a different animal classification with dance costume and large king and queen creations.
This year students in Years 7 and 8 got more involved in the Carnival as supporters. They produced their own t-shirts, flags and banners and really got behind the carnival players.
The t-shirt designs, the huge costumes, the music and poetry were all excellent, but the short dance pieces the students had put together to personify their animal classification were the thing that met all of the five main aims the most (especially in terms of stepping outside their comfort zone). Well done! Mr Ali.
The PTA is happy to report that our ever-popular car boot sales have achieved a new milestone with the BIGGEST EVER EVENT having taken place on Saturday, 3rd July 2010, at which 90 stallholders took part! As you can imagine, the school site was positively ‘heaving’ with activity and PTA members were kept busy organising stallholders and meeting the parking needs of visiting customers (plus gym club and football participants). The next car boot sale will be 24th July and thereafter on 7th August, 4th September and 2nd October. Don’t forget there’s no need to book in advance to have a pitch for your stall – all you have to do is turn up on the day, though preferably not before 7.30 a.m!
The 100 Club continues with monthly prizes of £50. The draws for July and August were made recently and prizes were won as follows – for July: £50 – No. 7 – Diane Bowen; and for August: £50 – No. 18 – Kay Viney. Congratulations to them and thank you to all 100 Club members for taking part – whether parents, relatives or friends, past pupils, etc. We have recently invited you all to renew your subscriptions for the 2010/2011 school year. Don’t forget it’s only £1 a month up to the August school year-end. Application forms are available at PTA events and from the school office. Don’t forget, you can have more than one membership (many do), and you’ll earn a higher level of membership of the PTA accordingly: so why not get at least one for each member of the family!
Two teams from the PTA took part in the St. Clement Annual Quiz on Thursday, 20th May at St. Clement Parish Hall. It was a great fun evening and, although the PTA didn’t come away with the trophy, both teams did commendably well.
Meanwhile, our other ‘tried and tested’ fund raising activities continue, including –
The FALLES GARAGE PETROL DISCOUNT SCHEME, which is alive and well - although in need of even more support from you all! Don’t forget that the school benefits from the discount on cash sales at the Longueville Road and Airport Road Garages – you have to get your petrol somewhere, so why not from Falles, benefiting the School at the same time! PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU MUST ASK AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE AND TELL THEM THAT IT’S FOR LE ROCQUIER SCHOOL!
The PTA has its own C.I. Co-Operative Society share number (313660). Please use this whenever you can – even if it’s only once or twice a month. Every little helps, and it’s all for the benefit of the children at the school.
We are always on the look-out for other ideas (old or new!) to raise money and we would be pleased to hear your suggestions………
The success of the PTA’s fund-raising efforts over recent years has seen the purchase for the school of various important items of equipment. Funding is always required to improve the educational ‘product’ for students and your help towards this aim is essential. Work continues on the final landscaping and remaining external works and, in particular, we look forward to the completion of the environmental ‘outdoor classroom’ area adjacent to the Sports Hall!
Please do all you can to support the School and its PTA. You are an integral part of the ‘Student/Parent/Teacher’ triangle and we very much hope to see you at forthcoming events. In particular, the PTA’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, 7th October – in conjunction with a ‘Year 7 Target Setting and Settling-In Evening’ - and this will be an opportunity to thank outgoing members for their help and encouragement over the previous year, and to welcome new members who wish to support what we do in a practical way.
May I take this opportunity to wish you a great summer holiday and look forward to your support throughout the hols (car boot sales carry on regardless!) and in the new School Year. Peter Monamy, Chairman |
