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SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT TABLES 2007

Yesterday the Government published the annual School Achievement Tables for all schools in 2007 which give details of the `value' schools add to their pupils during the time they attend secondary school. These tables can be accessed on the DCFS website by anyone interested.

Results day last August
pupils celebrate their success

I am delighted to report that our value added score is 1008.5, which is a very encouraging achievement especially given that this year there were almost no GNVQ qualifications taken at our school, a fact that we felt may have reduced our score. Any score over 1000 is positive and our particular result places us in the top tier of Essex schools. Also, for the first time, our Key Stage Three to Key Stage Four Value Added measure is very good. I would like to thank everyone for working together to secure success so effectively.

Finally, you may like to know that our Local Authority target for 2008 is 64% 5 A* - C. This will be a very challenging target to achieve, given that we no longer run the Science GNVQ course. However, we are confident that we will be able to achieve it as the current Year 11 are very focused and well on track to meet their targets.

STAFFING

Although it is early in the year, we have already started our planning for staffing for the next academic year in September to ensure we recruit the very best teachers. I am delighted to say that, currently, we are fully staffed with subject specialists for all areas next year. However, we have recruited an additional Design & Technology teacher, Maria Wright, who is currently training with us. This will allow us to maintain our small group sizes in D & T and provide additional support in an area which is notoriously difficult to recruit in. I will, of course, keep you informed of our staffing situation as the year progresses.

You may also already be aware that Anne Wimpenny, who is currently an Advanced Skills Teacher in Geography, has taken over running the Geography Department from Mrs Davenport and I know Anne will do a superb job. However, I would like to pay tribute to Jane Davenport for her outstanding work as Head of Department at Sweyne Park, during which time the results have improved year on year. I am delighted that Jane will still be teaching for three days a week with us, rather than retiring fully!

TOILET REFURBISHMENT

As I mentioned in a previous Sweyne Park Times, this term we will be starting the lengthy task of completely refurbishing all the pupil toilets in the school. This re-fit is long overdue and is the main area for improvement highlighted by pupils and parents in last year's School Development Plan questionnaires. Work will begin initially in completely re-building the toilets in the main corridor, for girls and boys, and we expect the work to start at the end of this term, having now finalised details. Work will then continue on a rolling programme for the remainder of the year to improve the other toilets.

TEXTILES

Seventy Year 10 and 11 pupils visited the Clothes Show Live event at the NEC, Birmingham, just before Christmas.

The trip was a reward for the GCSE groups, and also provided an opportunity to see famous faces, catwalk fashion shows and find out information about college courses.

Everyone enjoyed the trip; it was well worth the hours spent on the coach!

YEAR 10 TEXTILES IMPRESS MP MARK FRANCOIS

Emma and Lucy impressed Mark Francois with their portfolios of work showing the trialling and modelling work they have been doing as part of their Textile GCSE course.

He thought their work and presentation was outstanding.

RESISTANT MATERIALS


A newer and more advanced version of 2D Design has been installed on the school system. It is currently used in year 9 to produce professional quality CD covers and to allow Key Stage 4 pupils to accurately make dimension nets for their major coursework models. The new version allows bitmaps to be inserted and has a whole range of new associated features. Images can also be rendered using a range of surface colours and textures, giving a realistic finish.

Thank you to Technology group 7q Te3 for their comments made at the end of their first module in Resistant Materials.

FOOD

The aim of the new Food Competences scheme, due to begin in September 2008, is to help children and young people to develop their skills and knowledge to make and implement healthy food choices. I am pleased to say that we cover most of the competences already. Our pupils learn about diet and health and are aware that consumers have different requirements. They are taught how to prepare and make recipes using fresh ingredients, and understand the need for food safety to prevent food poisoning. We have introduced more practical lessons into Years 7, 8 & 9.

Year 7 now enjoy making the following recipes:


Pasta Neapolitan	Pizzas	Rice or Pasta Salad


Vegetable Kebabs	Flapjacks	Jam Tarts

Year 9 now learn how to make Shortcrust pastry and choose what to make out of it from mince pies to turnovers.
	Mince Pies	Turnovers

To encourage pupils to achieve their best during a practical lesson, we award a "Chef of the Week" certificate

WANTED

Recipes using mainly fresh ingredients that can be prepared cooked and served in less than 30 minutes! Do you have a family favourite?
Any odd plates/dishes/glasses to serve and photograph food on.
Cake tins, any shape or size.
Unusual pastry cutters etc.

If you would like to see photographs of food products that our pupils have cooked, go on the Internet to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrs_j_harper/

ENDYMION SPRING

By Matthew Skelton

Blake discovers an ancient, dusty book on the library shelves when it draws blood, as he runs his fingers along the old library shelves. What is this mysterious book and why can only Blake read its blank pages? Why are others searching for this book and its powers for themselves? One of the 6 short-listed Essex Book Award books _ will it be the winner?

SHORT-LISTED FOR THE ESSEX BOOK AWARD 2007/8

YEAR 7

"TALK ABOUT BOOKS"

Our Reading Group now meets every FRIDAY morning registration in the Library. New members welcome! We are setting up the Sweyne Park Book Award- which book should be on the shortlist? Nominate your favourite book!

Mrs Waghorn


March sees the start of the local Book Festivals, and with 2008 being the NATIONAL YEAR OF READING, there is the very first ever Basildon Children's Book Festival running from 23rd February to 12th March.
	Jacqueline Wilson will be appearing (tickets from Waterstones, Basildon) as will G P Taylor, Francesca Simon, Anne Fine, Michael Rosen, Jeremy Strong and many more! Tickets are available from the Towngate Theatre check out www.basbookfest.co.uk. Be quick tickets will sell out fast! Or pop along to the Eastgate Shopping Centre on Saturday 23 February for lots of book trails, storytelling sessions, competitions, author readings and more!

Essex Book Festival includes the likes of Bernard Cornwell (author of Sharpe novels), Joanna Trollope, Suzi Quattro, Fay Weldon, Lesley Pearce, Louis de Bernieres and more throughout the county's libraries.

Locally, we have Minette Walters at the Mill Hall, Rayleigh on March 10th, Pat O'Keefe at Rayleigh Library on March 17th. and Sam Hayes at Hullbridge Library on March 18th.

Tickets can be ordered via the Box Office on 01206 573948 or at www.essexbookfestival.org.uk