Enrichment Activities

Excited Year 7 students at Highsted Grammar School had the opportunity on 26 January to take part in a series of enrichment and enhancement activities run by STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Ambassadors from Canterbury Christ Church University. The sessions – designed to encourage students in their pursuit of STEM subjects - included a Sherlock Holmes-style murder mystery, an egg drop challenge and a treasure hunt! 

Shreya J said: “I enjoyed the Ambassador challenge a lot as it was very realistic. Our group did a Sherlock Holmes activity in which we had to solve a ‘murder’ case of a victim called Victoria. It was very engaging and intriguing. The Ambassadors were dressed as characters from Sherlock Holmes stories.”  She added: “Where the victim had died there was blood spattered across sheets of white fabric. It was gory and gruesome but fun. The angle at which the blood spattered told us how the murder took place. There was a footprint detected and we analysed the soil to see what part of the country the murderer came from.”  

Ismay T participated in the egg drop challenge. She said: “My favourite was the ‘new Olympic sport’ – the egg drop. We had to drop an egg from the ceiling and had to slow its progress and prevent it from cracking using only the objects we were given. Our egg – named ‘Eggward’ – survived. We worked well as a team and enjoyed it lots!” Charlotte B, who took part in activities based on a Snow White theme, added: “The tasks were fun and challenging as you had to use your brain a lot. They focused on maths skills, common sense and loads of thinking.”

Assistant Headteacher Sarah Appleton, who organised the event, commented: “It was great to see the students involved in hands-on themed activities, with the Ambassadors dressed as characters!”  

It IS Rocket Science!

Highsted to grow seeds from space!

Students at Highsted are preparing to become space biologists and embark on a voyage of discovery by growing seeds that have been into space.

In September, 2kg of rocket seeds were flown to the International Space Station (ISS) on Soyuz 44S where they will spend several months in microgravity before returning to Earth in March 2016. The seeds have been sent as part of Rocket Science, an educational project launched by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening and the UK Space Agency. 

Highsted Grammar School will be one of up to 10,000 schools to receive a packet of 100 seeds from space, which they will grow alongside seeds that haven’t been to space and measure the differences over seven weeks. The students won’t know which seed packet contains which seeds until all results have been collected by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening and analysed by professional biostatisticians. 

The out-of-this-world, nationwide science experiment will enable the students to think more about how we could preserve human life on another planet in the future, what astronauts need to survive long-term missions in space and the difficulties surrounding growing fresh food in challenging climates.

Mrs McCormick-Clarke, teacher in charge of A level Physics at Highsted Grammar School, says: “We are very excited to be taking part in Rocket Science. This experiment is a fantastic way of teaching our students to think more scientifically and share their findings with the whole school community. Once seeds return from the International Space Station back to planet Earth in March, Highsted will receive the seeds and selected students will take part in planting, nurturing and recording data about the development of the seeds into plants. The data collected by our students will then be shared with the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency.”

Rocket Science is just one educational project from a programme developed by the UK Space Agency to celebrate British ESA astronaut Tim Peake’s Principia mission to the ISS and inspire young people to look into careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, including horticulture. 

Follow the project on Twitter: @RHSSchools #RocketScience. To find out more information on the Rocket Science project or RHS Campaign for School Gardening, please follow this link.

Audience enchanted by emotive poetry and medieval music

The national Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, inspired a 200-strong audience of school children and members of the local community at a special event hosted by Highsted Grammar School on 13^th November.  Accompanied by the musician and composer John Sampson, who complemented the power of the poetry with musical interludes and underscoring featuring a number of early music instruments, Ms Duffy began with a poem from her popular collection The World’s Wife: Mrs Midas.  She then created an emotionally-charged atmosphere with two poems from Rapture, an autobiographical reflection on the course of a love affair from its beginnings to its end. Powerful and poignant pieces from The Bees – Carol Ann Duffy’s first collection of poems as Poet Laureate – included Last Post and Premonitions.  There was also a reading of Mrs Schofield’s GCSE from this collection: a poem that Duffy had written in response to a complaint about Education for Leisure, which had led to its removal from a GCSE anthology.

Highsted student April Jones, 12, who has studied Education for Leisure this year, said: “Hearing about what Miss Duffy thought of this accusation really increased my understanding of what Education for Leisure actually meant - and what it was written for.”  Ayo Adeyinka, 11, added: “I was really excited when Carol Ann Duffy signed my book.  She signed the top of a poem of hers that I was annotating in class, Education for Leisure.  She told me that it was a very good annotation.  This comment made me very happy because I worked really hard on it.”

Sixth former Lara Baker-Harrison was captivated by the emotional atmosphere created during the performance.  She said: “I thought the evening was incredible - throughout the presentation I found myself becoming completely enthralled by the words and music, and truly enchanted by the emotional effect they had.” 

After the presentation, members of the audience were able to chat to the poet whilst having their books signed.  Year 7 student Emily Chapman, 11, said: “I think everyone enjoyed getting their books signed and speaking to the Poet Laureate herself.  The poems made you feel as if you were actually in the scenes they were written in.  I loved having my picture taken with the poet and it was a very enjoyable night.” Megan Yeames-Smith, 11, added:  “The thing I most enjoyed about the presentation was the spectacular poems and how Carol Ann Duffy read them and how John Sampson's music represented her poems. It made the poems feel alive. When Carol Ann signed our books and had a chat with us it made the whole experience more memorable.”

Budding journalist April Jones, who took the opportunity to interview the Poet Laureate so she could write about the event for the school newsletter, enthused: “It felt amazing to meet Carol Ann Duffy and even more amazing to have a book signed by her. She told me that her favourite poem was The Song of Wandering Aengus by W B Yeats. She also told me that she read it when she was twelve and thought that I would like it so recommended it to me as I am the same age now that she was then.”

To read April's interview, please follow this link. 

Inspiring talks encourage music students to aim high 

Highsted music students at the Royal Albert Hall with Kanya King, CEO and founder of the MOBO Awards in 1996 

Twenty-three music students from Highsted were lucky enough to attend a recent conference at the Royal Albert Hall to listen to talks by inspirational women in the music industry.  The event was hosted by Katie Derham, who hosts the BBC Proms, presents on BBC Radio 3 and is a current contestant in the BBC’s popular TV series ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.  The girls had the opportunity to talk to the speakers – who included editors, radio producers, DJs and entrepreneurs – to ask for their advice about how to get into the competitive industry. 

GCSE music student Mai T, who plays flute, piano and electric guitar, said: “I found the trip lived up to its name: it really did inspire me! All the women we spoke to were kind and very passionate about their professions, and it made me think about all the different areas of music that you can go into, not just playing an instrument.”  She added: “I found Sharon Hanley (Head of Communications at BBC Radio 2) very enthusiastic about her job and very supportive of people with disabilities, such as my hearing loss, going into music.”

Sian L, who plays in the school’s rock group, wind band, orchestra and folk group, was particularly inspired by the words of music producer Rita Ray. She commented: “Through the stories Rita shared, we found out about her journey to success through hard work and motivation.”  Shannon B-S, who plays the flute at school concerts and charity events, added: “I loved meeting some really inspirational women during the day, especially finding out what they love most about their jobs and how they managed to get into the very exciting music industry. I found all of the women there very inspirational as they showed me more opportunities that could be explored through music, some that I hadn’t heard of before.”

Arts & Culture Presentations: An evening of poetry and music with Carol Ann Duffy and John Sampson 

Highsted Grammar School is proud to host the first female Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, accompanied by professional musician, composer and actor John Sampson at the first of this season's Arts & Culture evening. (photograph by Michael Moore) 

Dame Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate and one of Britain’s best known and most admired poets, will be presenting a selection of her poetry at a special Arts and Culture evening at Highsted Grammar School on Friday 13 November 2015 at 7 pm.  She will be accompanied by professional musician, composer and actor John Sampson, who has performed with Carol Ann Duffy since 2003, most recently at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2015. To complement the power of the language, John Sampson will perform musical interludes between poetic sections and underscore some of the poems, playing a number of early music instruments including the crumhorn, gemshorn, shalmie pipe, posthorn, Chinese halusi and the tiny sopranino recorder and cornettino. 

Carol Ann Duffy’s work is studied for GCSE, A level and beyond, and she is Professor of Contemporary Poetry and Creative Director of the Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University.  Author of award-winning poetry collections, plays, fairy tales and poetry for children, she writes in an accessible style on topics such as gender issues, contemporary culture and many different forms of alienation, oppression and social inequality. Having been awarded an OBE in 1995 and a CBE in 2002 for services to poetry, in 2009 she became the first female Poet Laureate since the title (which has been held by such famed poets as Tennyson and Wordsworth) was first created for John Dryden by King Charles II in 1668.  

The evening will include an opportunity to purchase books by Carol Ann Duffy and to chat both with the poet herself and with John Sampson during a book-signing session after the presentation.  Book prices range between £8.99 and £14.99 and there will be special Christmas editions available on the night. Tickets, priced at £12 (£8 student concession), are available from Highsted Grammar School:  01795 424223/admin@highsted.kent.sch.uk.  All are welcome.

Highsted girls make a splash!

Thirty Highsted girls from Years 7-13 were lucky enough to visit the Lee Valley Whitewater Centre in Hertfordshire last month as a reward for their keen participation in numerous PE clubs offered by the school.  Not only were they able to watch the World Canoeing Championships, but they also managed to see the GB Olympic qualifying for Rio 2016. As a practical activity, the girls were able to race against each other in a canoe simulation as well as get out onto the water themselves (Miss Donnelly was tipped out of her canoe into the water!)

Highlights of the trip also included the ‘Jump Giants’ trampoline park, with opportunities for students to show off their gymnastic talents, throw themselves in a foam pit and practise basketball and dodgeball while bouncing!  Year 9 student Alice H commented:  “I loved it all – it was such good experience and a great reward for attending all the clubs. I’d like to thank the PE staff for organising the trip!”  Gabby R, also in Year 9, added: “Having a go at the canoeing was a fantastic experience – well worth getting wet!  We had a great time.”

On Thursday 30 April 2015, Year 9 students from Highsted Grammar School took part in a trip to the Science Museum in London. Throughout the day we all participated in many entertaining and educational activities, including an eye-opening experience at the IMAX theatre and a look at the Launchpad.

When we first arrived at the museum, we were put into groups and given the opportunity to browse around the various exhibitions. One student said: “My favourite exhibition in the museum was the one about genes and DNA. There were so many cool activities to do, it was really great fun!”  Once we had finished taking a look around, we all came together to eat. Everyone shared their thoughts on what they had seen and the different activities and exhibitions on show, before moving on to the IMAX theatre. Here, we were treated to an extraordinary 4-D film about what the naked eye cannot see in nature. The 30-minute video explained that there is a whole other world around us that we cannot see, which can only be examined through microscopes and other technological equipment. Many students described the experience as ‘an eye-opener’, and stated that they would definitely go back if they had the opportunity.

The next stage of our visit was the Launchpad - an area where many experiments and activities are available to try. These demonstrations helped us to investigate different scientific topics: for example there was an experiment in which we could change the frequency and amplitude of musical sounds, and then watch as these changed the appearance of the water in a tube through which the music was being played. Another activity that was on display was one in which we had to cycle on a bike in order to create energy for various electrical appliances to work, such as a radio and a TV. Most students said that this was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the day. One participant, Megan H, said of the Launchpad experiments: “It was great to learn in an interactive way with different machines and games.”

Overall, the Year 9 trip to the London museum was extremely successful and enjoyable. It was both an educational and an entertaining experience for everyone involved, and many of us would go again if given the chance.

Engineering the future!

On Thursday 30 April 2015, Year 9 students from Highsted Grammar School took part in a trip to the Science Museum in London. Throughout the day we all participated in many entertaining and educational activities, including an eye-opening experience at the IMAX theatre and a look at the Launchpad.

When we first arrived at the museum, we were put into groups and given the opportunity to browse around the various exhibitions. One student said: “My favourite exhibition in the museum was the one about genes and DNA. There were so many cool activities to do, it was really great fun!”  Once we had finished taking a look around, we all came together to eat. Everyone shared their thoughts on what they had seen and the different activities and exhibitions on show, before moving on to the IMAX theatre. Here, we were treated to an extraordinary 4-D film about what the naked eye cannot see in nature. The 30-minute video explained that there is a whole other world around us that we cannot see, which can only be examined through microscopes and other technological equipment. Many students described the experience as ‘an eye-opener’, and stated that they would definitely go back if they had the opportunity.

The next stage of our visit was the Launchpad - an area where many experiments and activities are available to try. These demonstrations helped us to investigate different scientific topics: for example there was an experiment in which we could change the frequency and amplitude of musical sounds, and then watch as these changed the appearance of the water in a tube through which the music was being played. Another activity that was on display was one in which we had to cycle on a bike in order to create energy for various electrical appliances to work, such as a radio and a TV. Most students said that this was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the day. One participant, Megan H, said of the Launchpad experiments: “It was great to learn in an interactive way with different machines and games.”

Overall, the Year 9 trip to the London museum was extremely successful and enjoyable. It was both an educational and an entertaining experience for everyone involved, and many of us would go again if given the chance.

On Tuesday 30 June, Year 8 students were given the opportunity to participate in an exciting new STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Energy Challenge! Highsted was specifically approached with the offer of the programme which is supported by Shell, with ‘Tomorrow’s Engineers’ (part of Engineering UK) being the national co-ordinating body. The first stage of the programme was an Energiser Event which was run by Nigel Moore from Young Engineers, a UK Educational charity which promotes participation in practical engineering activities to encourage young people to study STEM subjects and take up careers in engineering. This was our opportunity to practise skills which could enable us to become the new engineers of the world! 

The Energiser Event consisted of four 30-35 minute hands-on, practical activities. The first task was to estimate which process used the most energy; this led to further discussion about types of energy, ranging from kinetic to potential. Our leader, Nigel Moore, used a flashing ball to demonstrate the energy transferring. After this we were given a basic windmill, which we then had to upgrade; we were only allowed to use one piece of paper. The aim of this task was to see the highest possible speed at which our new blades could spin. Alexandria P, a Year 8 student who participated in this event, said: “It was great fun trying to beat other groups and see how creative other people were.” Another student, Olivia A, commented: “At first it was hard, then as we started to get the hang of designing and testing out different ideas it became fun and easy to enjoy!”

Our second task was to build a car that we would then race to see whose would reach the finish line first. We all received a basic structure, to which we had to add the axles and wheels. We had to make sure that we positioned them right otherwise it would not work! The capacitor on these lasted for only a few seconds, so we needed to charge them before the race. Unlike the first activity we were allowed as many pieces of paper as we wanted. My group's car design was angled back at the front so as to minimise air resistance. Nigel said this was important in order to avoid any drag; he also came around and gave us tips on how we could help the cars to go faster. Many groups did a fantastic job with the aesthetics on their cars: Ellie M's group had a red car with black spots, and although this was very appealing to the eyes one particular car stood out.... a green crocodile! Unlike any other groups, Libby F's group made their car into an animal: a crocodile with razor sharp teeth and scales down the back. Although it was not first across the finish line, it was first in the competition for most creative design! Well done to all Year 8 students for taking part and thank you to Young Engineers for letting us share the experience!

There will be an opportunity for some of us to complete follow-up activity sessions based around a short Carbon Capture & Storage project (linked to the curriculum) with an expected project completion date of December 2015. Participation in the scheme can lead to a Bronze Crest Award for the winning students, depending on how many modules they complete!

By Olivia (Year 8 Media Leader)

Highsted girls get into the swing of science

On Thursday 30 April 2015, Year 9 students from Highsted Grammar School took part in a trip to the Science Museum in London. Throughout the day we all participated in many entertaining and educational activities, including an eye-opening experience at the IMAX theatre and a look at the Launchpad.

When we first arrived at the museum, we were put into groups and given the opportunity to browse around the various exhibitions. One student said: “My favourite exhibition in the museum was the one about genes and DNA. There were so many cool activities to do, it was really great fun!”  Once we had finished taking a look around, we all came together to eat. Everyone shared their thoughts on what they had seen and the different activities and exhibitions on show, before moving on to the IMAX theatre. Here, we were treated to an extraordinary 4-D film about what the naked eye cannot see in nature. The 30-minute video explained that there is a whole other world around us that we cannot see, which can only be examined through microscopes and other technological equipment. Many students described the experience as ‘an eye-opener’, and stated that they would definitely go back if they had the opportunity.

The next stage of our visit was the Launchpad - an area where many experiments and activities are available to try. These demonstrations helped us to investigate different scientific topics: for example there was an experiment in which we could change the frequency and amplitude of musical sounds, and then watch as these changed the appearance of the water in a tube through which the music was being played. Another activity that was on display was one in which we had to cycle on a bike in order to create energy for various electrical appliances to work, such as a radio and a TV. Most students said that this was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the day. One participant, Megan H, said of the Launchpad experiments: “It was great to learn in an interactive way with different machines and games.”

Overall, the Year 9 trip to the London museum was extremely successful and enjoyable. It was both an educational and an entertaining experience for everyone involved, and many of us would go again if given the chance. 

Emily (Year 9 Media Leader)

Space Camp 2015

Space Camp 2015 took place on the 7 July and we had a very early start to a very busy day! In each lesson we all took part in two or three activities as one team per class. All of the classes were named after successful missions and my class (7.4) was called Discovery. We needed lots of energy for a very busy and exciting day.

As you can see, the first part of the day was called 'Blast Off' and in this session we connected live with the control room through a webpage. During this session, we also went through a PowerPoint and our leader, Mr. Charles, told us some exciting and upsetting stories about what had gone on in the world of space discovery. He challenged us throughout the day to think how science and maths could lead on to incredible careers in space work. Additionally, the whole of year 7 was set the task of trying to attain a score as close to the maximum of 20 points as possible – these scores would be added up at the end. Dr Oguntoye’s last words before we went to our activities were, “enjoy yourselves girls” and I think we all did!

So, Discovery’s first lesson was about advanced propulsion; we did three practical activities. The first task was to build a rocket car. There was a model version that was at the front and in pairs we needed to reconstruct it without instructions! We were given all the correct equipment in a box, including a small cannon/rocket which powered the car forward. After we built our rocket cars it was out onto the tennis courts for Discovery. To test whether our rocket cars worked, we had to line them up along a yellow line and attach crocodile clips to the cannon/rocket to allow the current to pass through. After this we had to stand back at our numbered plinth. There was a short countdown and then we pressed the button to release our cars – nearly all of the rocket cars were successful. Whilst we were on the tennis courts, we were introduced to two more activities by two other members of the team from Space Camp. We rotated around the three activities outside. The first I took part in was to build a tower as high as we could. My group had a lot of initial thoughts about how we would do this but we also had to think about stability. After many attempts and solutions our tower looked like this:

The final activity in lesson 1 was to launch a mini hot air balloon. This activity was my favourite and required a lot of commitment and team work. The group leader lit a small rectangle of wax which burnt and gave the balloon the power and thrust it needed to get into the air. Ours went very high but some landed in trees or people’s gardens!

We went straight into lesson 2: flight school. Jonathan gave us a brief introduction about flying and how it helps if a plane is streamlined. Another essential point he told us was the four forces that planes need to fly, or that affect planes when flying; they are: thrust, drag, gravity and lift. The class was also told how wings function and help planes to soar through the air. Individually, we made our own hooplets which we flew outside and had competitions to see whose went the furthest. Next we split into two and half of us went outside to fly polystyrene gliders. This was extremely good fun but difficult at the same time – unfortunately the weather was not on our side for this activity. Back in the dry, it was time for the final part of the lesson. We made one-straw kites. The kites had a structure the shape of a bird, one straw for stability, two wings for lift and a tail for drag and decoration. The one-straw kites looked like this:

After break time, we had lesson 3: Mars Mission. For the first part of the lesson, we had to design a holder for our egg astronauts. We then had to drop them out of the window on the Second Floor corridor (three storeys up). During this activity, we had to consider budgeting, cleanliness (as rubbish in space crafts is a disaster) and also effective use of resources, all to keep our astronauts safe. Next we had to consider the situation that our astronauts had landed but we didn’t know where, so we needed to make a rover which would take them to their destination. The rover was powered by solar power and had a motor attached so it would move. We were given strict instructions on our resources for this activity. We then checked that our resources worked and as a plenary, discussed the usefulness of some resources which we fitted into a diamond of 16. For example:

During lunchtime we had a professional rocket launch! It was enormously exciting and lots of people in the school turned out to watch the event. One of the leaders had the job of launching each rocket one by one (after our countdown of course) and then we watched the rockets as they jetted off into the sky. There were five rockets in total and they increased in size each time. Luckily there were no mishaps; nevertheless we still took safety precautions.

Our last lesson was called Rocketry and in this session we fired water rockets and rockets using pumped air pressure. We were taught about the purpose and positioning of the fins and cone on a rocket. The cone makes the rocket go faster and the fins give the rockets thrust so it goes straight up into the air. We had to make these rockets ourselves after following the leader’s instructions step by step. The highlight of my day, however, was launching the water rockets! In pairs or threes we filled up a bottle of water slightly and then pumped and pumped and pumped until the bottle could take no more. It fired up into the sky and left us shocked and a bit wet!

To finish the day, we had 'Touch Down' and we discussed what we had learnt and if we had enjoyed the day – obviously we had! Unfortunately, Discovery was not the winning team but I still thoroughly enjoyed the day. I loved the experience and range of activities I took part in; I would definitely do the day again or recommend it to new Year 7 students. To improve the day, I would work in smaller groups and get to know more about the company that came to visit us. 

Ella (Year 7)

Arts & Culture talk 2: Just scratching the surface…

It is not often that one gets the chance to hear about new discoveries straight from an expert involved in uncovering them, but the most recent Arts and Culture talk at Highsted Grammar School on 25 February provided just such an opportunity.  Students, parents and members of the wider community were able to learn first-hand from Dr Paul Bennett, Director of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust, about recent important finds in the Sittingbourne area.

Dr Bennett regaled his audience with anecdotes and information on finds from sites which are now lost under recent developments.  He explained how Sittingbourne was in fact both the centre of a high-status community in the Anglo-Saxon period and a world leader in technological innovation during the nineteenth century.  When building permission was first granted for the Meads area of northern Sittingbourne, it was assumed to be of little archaeological significance since it had been an area of brickearth removal.  However, archaeological investigations financed by a number of the developers have now revealed that the underlying archaeology was still largely intact and included not only a major ‘henge’ structure but also over 200 Anglo-Saxon graves.

The quality of the grave goods (around 2500 different items, including swords, spears, shields, inlaid brooches and glass beakers) indicate that the area was an important ancient settlement with many high-status individuals. Dr Bennett stressed that what has been found so far represents only part of the likely value of the area, and if appropriate investigations can be undertaken on an adjacent site on which there is the possibility of a new community centre being built, these may well reveal even more important finds.

Dr Bennett went on to outline how, after a period of decline, the area’s importance was reinstated in the Victorian era with the extensive development of Sittingbourne Paper Mill.  This was not only a state-of-the-art building, but an innovative manufacturing facility which drew visitors from all over the world who wanted to learn from the engineers involved.  Archaeological investigations of the foundations of the now sadly flattened structures have  shown just how well thought out and carefully constructed they were, representing the kind of building heritage which, elsewhere, has been retained and carefully converted into high-quality apartments in prime locations.  Dr Bennett stressed the value of thoughtful approaches by enlightened and responsible developers and of the unstinting work carried out by volunteers in helping to glean information about our rich heritage before it is lost.

The presentation prompted much interest from the audience.  Enya Williams (18) said: “I found the talk’s focus on Anglo-Saxon and Neolithic archaeology in Sittingbourne intriguing, since I had previously known little about this period of the town’s history. Dr Bennett suggested that this area had been unusually wealthy during the period following the Saxon occupation, and showcased the drinking glasses and beads which had been found in Anglo-Saxon graves which supported his conclusion.  These graves had been situated near previous Neolithic and Iron Age burial mounds, suggesting that the Anglo-Saxons felt a link with their past as people continue to feel today.”  She added: “Since I intend to complete a history degree once I leave school, I found this talk not only personally interesting but a useful introduction to further research on this subject.”

Shauna McLachlan (15) was one of several audience members inspired to take up opportunities offered by the Trust to get involved in archaeology courses and community projects.  She commented: “I really enjoyed the ‘Secrets Beneath the Ground’ talk by Dr Paul Bennett. I learnt about the history of Sittingbourne and its surrounding areas. He told us about the groups working in Sittingbourne and the role of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust, as well as how anyone can get involved in archaeology.  I am hoping I will be able to take one of their archaeology courses soon.”

Dr Bennett oversees archaeological work right across the county and was able to explain how recent discoveries in Canterbury are resulting in a review of many of the ideas on the Roman period of the city. He also reported on how exploratory work ahead of improving disabled access to the cathedral cloister has revealed some of the fourteenth-century tiled floor which has been covered for centuries but which hints at the aspirations of England’s medieval monarchy to rule France: it features the French royal fleur-de-lis, incorporated into the arms of England by Edward III in 1340 after he assumed the title of King of France as nephew of the last direct Capetian, Charles IV.

Anyone who has an interest in archaeology can find out more, both about the recent discoveries and how they can assist, by visiting the Canterbury Archaeological Trust website: http://www.canterburytrust.co.uk/

Arts & Culture talk 1: All you wanted to know about film…

Students and members of the wider community who attended the first talk at Highsted on Wednesday 28 January were able to hear first-hand from film and scriptwriting expert Chris Knowles, who gave a fascinating insight into the many aspects of the Hollywood and UK film industries in which he has been involved.  Among numerous exciting anecdotes, Chris talked about his experience as Assistant Director, Visual Effects on James Cameron's 'Aliens', which was probably the last feature film to rely almost completely on real in-camera effects rather than CGI.  He also explained why, having reached his goal of working with the top Hollywood directors, he later opted to return to a more European style of film-making.

Many of the students attending the talk were keen to hear how Chris became involved in the industry, as they too had aspirations to follow a career path in film.  Emily Crompton, 13, said: "Chris Knowles really opened my eyes about the film industry and how much I would love to be a part of it. My ambition is to be a film director at Hollywood and produce films that win many awards. His experiences intrigued me and made me want to know more about the business. He explained how you should always chase your dream until you have achieved it, and this has really inspired me!" 

Megan Baker, 15, who aspires to a career in either acting or directing in film, added: “If there is one thing I have learnt from this wonderful experience it is that Hollywood isn’t for everyone, but if you don’t try then you will never know if it’s for you.”

Neve re-lives a first: Open day 2014

Year 8 pupil Neve Wickert so much enjoyed her first week at Highsted Grammar School that she volunteered to do it all over again.

On 9 October, as part of the Open Day for Year 6 pupils and their parents, Neve played the part of a new Year 7 student as she re-enacted the voyage of discovery of her first week at the school. Neve explained: “We wanted to present a drama piece showing what it’s like to be a Highsted girl. It highlighted some of the challenges and victories of starting out, as a helpful and humorous piece on what to expect.” The play featured Neve and her new friends in scenes ranging from an encounter with a bearded dragon in a science lesson to energetic involvement in drama and choir activities.

An observant visitor would soon also have noticed that this enjoyment was no piece of fiction: when she wasn’t acting out her Year 7 character, Neve was making the most of the open evening by seizing the chance to sample the activities on offer all over again! Along with enchanted new visitors, she joined enthusiastic fellow Highsted students in getting gothic with Macbeth’s witches, tending tarantulas and cooking up a storm, to name but a few of the vibrant attractions of the evening!

Neve added: “Open evening is when hopeful Year 6 pupils get to step into the shoes of a year 7 and take part in many activities: from baking to business studies there is an activity for everyone.  I found it very helpful as I got to take in the surroundings and experience what life would be like here. Changing school is a big step, but once I had met some of the teachers I realised that there was nothing to worry about. I’m really glad I chose Highsted.”

If you were not able to attend the Highsted Open Day, but still want to find out about the school, just call 01795 424223 to arrange a visit.

Arts Festival 2014: Transformation

During the penultimate week of the summer term last year, Years 7, 8, 9 and 12 worked alongside staff to create and take part in a week long Arts and Cultural Festival with the central theme of Transformation and Metamorphosis.  There were a range of over 20 varying projects offered to students including: Landscaping, Survival, Transforming Street Dance, Latin, Transforming Graffiti and many others.

Over the week, a walk around the school would have found girls from all years working together to create many exciting projects such as: turning a building into a movie theatre showcasing how cinema had transformed; a renovation of an outdoor area of the school; a fantastically choreographed performance of gymnastics and many others.  We also reached out to the community, including local primary schools where students created a piece of theatre to show the transformation from primary to secondary education.  Across the school, leadership skills, creativity, commitment and outstanding contribution within teams were being displayed by every student. 

Throughout the week, many students were also given the opportunity to participate in enriching trips to inform their work within school including: 'The Crystal' in London, Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve and a local Survival Camp.  We also welcomed workshops from experts on Architecture and Creative Writing and were lucky enough to have a visit from Olympic Swimmer Chris Cook!

The work of the students and staff culminated with the Open House and Showcase Performance on the Thursday afternoon, where parents and a number of special guests, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Sittingbourne were escorted by our pupils to witness the many talented displays of work and the dazzling final performance in the main hall.

We would like to thank all of the students who contributed to the week as they have truly helped in creating some lasting memories within the school community.

Enterprise Week 2014

During the Arts Festival, Year 10 took part in the yearly Enterprise week and became budding business women of the future.  After much preparation on their part throughout the year, they began trading in school and the local community.  They baked cakes, washed cars, walked dogs, made jewellery, cleaned cupboards and even made sock monkeys.

All the girls learned how to operate a basic cash book and earned themselves some money through their hard work.  They realised how integral team work was to creating a successful business and managed it extremely well.  The week was a huge achievement and an excellent learning experience for them all.  Well Done!

School Production 2014: Annie!

This year the annual school production of ‘Annie!’ was a resounding success and was received with astounding applause. All those involved must be congratulated immensely on their fantastic acting, singing and musicality. It must be acknowledged that many hours of rehearsals and hard graft was put into the final production. The commitment shown was staggering and the performances on Thursday and Friday were the result; amazing and very enjoyable! It must also be noted that there were participants of all ages and a cast of over 100.

It is very pleasing to see how many enthusiastic actresses there were and how well they cooperated with one another to produce such a captivating night for all. Particular congratulations must go to the two very talented Annie’s: Tierney Sharp (Year 7) and McKenzie Forder (Year 8), both of whom performed admirably. Also to Sameeah Anibaba and Maisy Crunden who portrayed Grace Farell impeccably and Bobbi Nunes’ amusing interpretation of President Roosevelt. Moreover, Elle Bushell who portrayed a highly entertaining version of Lilly and Sian Ayling who performed Rooster must be congratulated on their hilariously evil double act. Georgia Lane and Charlotte Salter-McLean must also be mentioned, as their portrayal of Miss Hannigan was thrilling.

Finally special thanks must go to the orchestra who didn’t get a note wrong, to the backstage team who helped with the slick and subtle scene changes, to the set design team and lastly to the masterminds behind the entire play: Mrs Evans, Mrs Hill, Mr Carvell, Miss Arden and Miss Treanor, without whom none of this could have been achieved. Thank you to everybody that attended and showed warm support for the cast. Both Thursday and Friday night were incredible, to those who were unable to attend, you missed out!

Zara Hance Year 12

Dickens' Bicentenary

In the summer term Highsted students undertake the challenge of our annual school production. Our most recent summer production was ‘Alice the Musical’. Adapted by drama teacher, Gina Evans, from Lewis Carroll’s timeless classic, the story followed Alice’s journey through Wonderland, meeting such characters as the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat. As usual, the show was a huge success and a credit to every student and staff member involved.

This year, to mark the bicentenary of Charles Dickens’ birth, the annual drama production has moved to the end of November. Not surprisingly, the choice of ‘Ebenezer’ as our school musical, is set to be another exciting and successful venture for all Highsted students.

‘Dragon’s Den’

Developing the enterprise skills of students in Year 10 has become an established feature of the wider curriculum for key stage four students. Additionally, every spring term local employers lead a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event to enhance the business acumen of our students. During the day the girls develop a wide variety of skills including team work, problem solving, decision making, researching and testing ideas and practise a wide variety of presentation methods – all under the watchful eye of external experts! This year, the winners of Highsted’s Dragon Den will take their most innovative business ideas to challenge the students from three other schools in the final – Dragon’s Duel.

Activities Week

During Activities Week a number of diverse activities were on offer to our students, all encompassed under the theme of ‘Highsted Goes Global’.

Each house represented a particular area of the world and through a wide range of activities they presented their chosen country’s characteristics to an audience of governors, parents and peers. Talented musicians and dancers performed among an exhibition of costumes, headdresses and artwork. A steel band from Jamaica, a fashion show using traditional ethnic colours and patterns from the African countries, and food and incense from India all contributed to the extraordinary atmosphere in mid-July. Alongside this, the audience was treated to fabulous performances from the Eurovision not-only-Song Contest, limbo dancing accompanied by traditional South American music and a snapshot of the history of East Timor through music, drama and dance.

At the same time, Year 10 students once again demonstrated their exceptional entrepreneurial skills through their highly profitable Enterprise Week. As always, the students brought their own diverse subject knowledge to the various projects and met the new challenges presented to them with enthusiasm and fun. We look forward to next year’s exciting and innovative initiative: Highsted’s Great British Arts festival.

Charity Events

Keen humanitarians, students throughout the school often champion charities close to their hearts, with older students inspiring their younger counterparts to get involved in fundraising activities. Involving themselves in charities on both a local and world wide scale, the girls ensure that they become global citizens, using their education to inform others of the merits of initiatives such as Help for Heroes, Jeans for Genes, the Red Cross, Because I am a Girl, Sense, and many others.

A developing tradition at Highsted, the girls celebrate Fairtrade fortnight with informational assemblies, selling Fairtrade products and learning about the countries and cultures affected by the Fairtrade initiative. Recently, a group of students attended the launch of Fairtrade fortnight and spoke with event organisers, African producers, British shop owners and even managed to get an exclusive interview with comedian Harry Hill.