Winter 2010 Issue 1 'Latest news and views from Hetton School’
H E T T O N S C H O O L T W I T T E R T A N Z A N I A T R I P R E S P E C T C H A R I T Y D A Y
Inside this issue: Meet the teachers; The school council; Headways - Our sixth form; Hetton in the community
Year 11 Work Experience
Hetton’s gotthe X Factor
Author Johnny O’Brien
visits Hetton School
From the editor:Hetton Headlines aims to
bring you all the latest news
and views from Hetton
School. Our aim is to inform
you, our school community,
of what is happening at our
school.
In this issue, you will read
about our fundraising for
charity – such as the
collection of over 100 boxes
to donate to Operation
Christmas Child – as well as
views from students; teacher
interviews and what’s
coming up in the school. I
hope you find it both
informative and entertaining.
I’d like to thank students;
teachers and community
members for their help in the
production of the magazine
and also extend a big thanks
to parents for supporting
school events such as
charity fundraising and
events such as The X
Factor.
If you have any comments,
please direct them to me at
school or via
Mr. A. Hindle (Editor)
The students:
The production of this
magazine owes a great debt
of thanks to the many
students who have written
articles. Above are members
of Year 7 who have
interviewed staff and written
articles throughout the
magazine:
From the HeadteacherI am very proud to introduce our first ever issue of Hetton Headlines. As Icome to the end of my first term as the new Headteacher of Hetton School Iam able to inform students, parents, governors and members of thecommunity that I like what I see. Hetton is a school of professional and ablestaff who work together with a student cohort that is invariably polite, co-operative and hardworking. Further, I have received positive commentsabout student conduct in the community during the school day. My job is tomake Hetton an even better school than it already is.
Our aims at Hetton are simple – to provide outstanding teaching andlearning leading to high achievement for all. In addition,
I believe that learning is paramount and is the reason our studentsattend school and this should not be disrupted by others
Students should enjoy being at school, both in and out of lessons
Students should also get involved in the vast amount of extra-curricular activities available to them and have a voice in how theschool is run
I expect all of our students to achieve their potential – both in termsof exam grades and personal development
I will ensure that we set challenging targets for each individual andprovide the guidance and support needed to fulfil potential
I will strive to ‘personalise’ what we provide to students during theirtime at Hetton
I have recently conducted ‘Ofsted style’ surveys of both parents andstudents and the results are encouraging. For instance, 91% of parentsstate that their child enjoys school and 90% agreed that we meet theparticular needs of their child. 83% agree that this school helps them toprepare for their future and 81% that they learn a lot in lessons. However, Istill aim for 100% in all areas!
Hetton School is very much part of the local community. The success of ouryoung people can only be achieved by all of us working together –students, staff, parents, governors and the wider community. I hope thatthis magazine will give you a flavour of what goes on at Hetton School –something that we can all be proud of. I look forward to us working togetherin partnership to ensure the very best for the students of Hetton School.
P. Keay
Headteacher
Mr. Keay (centre), staff and students welcome visitors from our partner school in Harbin, China
The SchoolCouncilElected studentsthroughout the school takepart in regular meetingswith senior staff helping tomake decisions that affectthe whole school. Recentdiscussions have led to anincrease in bins throughoutthe school; a non-uniformday taking place forChildren In Need andCouncil members areelected by fellow membersof their tutor group torepresent them in thediscussions. If you havesomething you need toapproach council membersabout, take a look at thelists of members, I’m surethey’ll be happy to help.
Mr. P. KeayHead Teacher
Mr. C. KnowlesDeputy Head
Mr. P. HoweyAssistant Head
Mr. M. LawAssistant Head
Mrs. P. MouldHead of Bowes
Mrs. M. DiazHead of Neville
Mrs. V. OsmondHead of Lambton
Mr. D. BrandAssistant Head
Lucy and Zachwere elected asHead Boy andGirl for the2010-11 yearby studentsin Year 11
followingsuccessful applications to
become school prefects. Hands-OnHetton found out the role included;how things were going and foundsome surprising results.
How does it feel to be headboy/girl?
Lucy – really good, I’m enjoying thechance to meet loads of interestingpeople.
Zach – it’s an incredibleresponsibility. Although my role ishard, it’s enjoyable.
What has been the highlight of theyear so far?
Zach – being a part of the Youth
Parliament for Sunderland has beena real highlight.
Lucy – the free cake at meetings isgood! Visiting the Council Chamberswas good.
Anything nerve-wrackinghappened?
Lucy – reading a speech to a hall fullof parents at the Year 6 OpenEvening was tough.
Zach – every chance I get to speakis nerve-wracking – the YouthParliament was hard.
Has anything surprised you aboutthe role?
Zach – Everything about the role isenjoyable. I know I sound like acliché! If you decide to go for the roleof prefect, definitely try to becomeHead Boy.
Lucy – I didn’t realize quite howimportant the role was, it is however,really enjoyable.
Who’s who at Hetton School?
H e t t o n ’s H e a d B o y a n d H e a d G i r lYEAR 8 & 9
8B1 STUART PEARSON
8B2 ROY SMITH
8L1 AMY SAVAGE
8L2 ANNA BLYTHE
8N1 EMMA TURNBULL
8N2 JAMES HINDS
9B1 LAURA STEPHENSON
9B2 STEPHEN GRAHAM
9B3 IAIN MCKINNON
9L1 BRADLEY GLAVE
9L2 HOLLY GARDNER
9N1 NIKKI FINCH
9N2 MICHAEL LEE
YEAR 10 & 1110B1 JACK FRIBERG
10B2 STEPHEN GRAHAM
10L1 SOPHIE BROWN
10L2 RYAN WOOD
10N1 GARETH SMITH
10N2 LINDSEY STEPHENSON
10N3 SARAH JANE BROWNSWORD
11B1 GEORGINA REAY
11B2 RACHEAL SHORT
11L1 KIERAN MARRIOT
11L2 ZAC BURNSIDE
11N1 TOM WILKINSON/
KELLY STOREY
11N2 LUCY WHELAN
the ultimate adventure!In Summer 2012, a group of students fromHetton School will take part in the ultimateSchool trip. As part of the World Challenge,students will head for Tanzania taking partin a major community based project.
World Challenge provides educational expeditions inthe developing world which teach life skills andexpand minds outside the classroom
Hetton Headlines caught up with the group leader,Miss Paget, to get all the information on what’s goingon.
Why was the decision made to head to Tanzania?
To be honest we selected Ghana as the first choicebut then because of the climate with the summer sunbeing over head in the northern hemisphere wedecided to select a country south of the Equator.
Tanzania was chosen as it is not a big touristdestination like countries such as South Africa andKenya and we thought the students would get a realAfrican feel if tourism was not prominent. To add tothis Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in theworld and 80% of people work in agriculture and if wewanted to make a difference to anyone then it wouldbe the poorest.
What will you be doing when you’re there?
When we are in Tanzania we will do a sustainableproject and we have chosen to work mainly withschools and communities as opposed to the
environment becauseeducation in Tanzania islimited for many.
What’s education like inTanzania?
The law provides for 7 years of compulsory educationthrough the age of 15; however, education was notfree on the mainland or in Zanzibar. Fees werecharged for books, enrollment, and uniforms, with theresult that some children were denied an education.
The Teacher Fundraiser – Mr. Johnson.
am undertaking a challenge to help raise funds forthe Tanzania trip. This will see me cover the distancein miles between Sunderland and the capital ofTanzania, Dodoma, by way of cycling, rowing andrunning.
It is 4992 miles between the two places so this is aconsiderable distance to cover, and will take manymonths to complete. I would be really happy toreceive sponsorship from anyone who can help.
I came up with the idea of the three forms of transportbecause of the different land that has to be crossed toreach Tanzania from Sunderland.
Our transport system offers both good running andcycling opportunities, and Africa would offerchallenging mountain bike terrain. Also the Englishchannel and the Mediterranean have to be crossed sohence the rowing element.
It’s important that we helpour pupils raise themoney for their visitbecause it is a once in alifetime opportunity formost of them. They will getto see and work withchildren from othercultures, where life ingeneral is a lot different andbasic than what they will beused to.
The students – fundraising activities:
Hetton Headlines asked JaiYoung and Holly Gardnerhow they were going aboutraising funds and what theyare looking forward to inthis once in a lifetime trip.
Holly – we’ve been sellingdrinks and snacks at schoolevents and filling smartietubes with 20 pence coinsas well as themedevenings, bag packing andwashing cars. It’s a heck ofa challenge but it’s goingwell.
Jai – I’m really lookingforward to seeingsomewhere so different toHetton and having thechance to really helppeople from a differentculture.
Holly – Spending time withthe children in Tanzania isgoing to be great as is thesafari element of the trip.
Jai – I think it’ll be aphysical challenge but I’malso looking forward tothree weeks of somethingcompletely different.
With thanks to Miss Paget, Mr.Johnson, Mrs. Chalk, Jai Youngand Holly Gardner.
Hetton School Trips
Hetton Headlinesbrings you a guide tosome of the manyschool trips available inthe next year. As wellas Tanzania, featuredelsewhere in themagazine, students fromthe school will be given chance to visit otherforeign countries.
Milan Trip
Next yearin Mayhalf-term,the P.E
department of Hetton School are planning to takethe year 8 girls hockey team and the year 8, 9and 10 boys football teams to Milan, Italy, wherethey will take part in sport related activities.
The trip costs £600 and includes the expenses ofthe coach, a flight to and from Milan, a room in ahotel for 5 days, a visit to the San Siro footballstadium, as well as visiting the water-parks andtime for shopping for gifts and souvenirs.
New YorkTrip
Theschool isplanning atrip toNew York,
next year, in October. They are taking about 40children from year 8, and 10 and will be goingwith the R.E department.
They will be going to a variety of places includingCentral Park, The Hard Rock Café, The Statue ofLiberty, Ground Zero, and an amount of varioushistorical museums.
The cost is quite high at £900 for five days butthe children will experience the very essence ofNew York City.
The transport will be a simple plane and a coupleof busses to transport us out and about aroundNew York. There will also be time for giftshopping while there.
By Amy Savage and
Shannon Cunnington
How can you helpwith thefundraising?The Tanzania team arerunning a series of events toraise money for theexpedition. Support forevents is always appreciated.This is what we have comingup in the next few months.
Saturday 29th January –Curry Night with Karaoke inHoughton Rugby Club.
Saturday 26th February –Race Night at the New Inn,Hetton.
Saturday 12th March – BagPacking at Asda inSunderland from 11am-3pm.More details will follow nearthe time.
Sunday 27th March – Abseilfrom the Transporter Bridgein Middlesbrough. I amwaiting to hear from WorldChallenge about howparents/friends can sign up.
Saturday 30th April – BagPacking at Asda in Seaham.The time is yet to beconfirmed. More details willfollow near the time.
To get more informationabout the fundraising events,get in touch with Miss Paget,Mrs Chalk or Mr. Johnson.You can also email us [email protected] we’ll be happy to helpyou out.
Johnny O’Brien visits Hetton School!Johnny O’Brien, an up and coming author whose first book takes the reader back to theFirst World War. So what better way for Mr. Hindle’s Year 7 and Mrs Keep’s Year 10 Englishgroups to commemorate Armistice Day than with a visit from him in the library?
Johnny enthralled us with a reading fromhis novel but the best was yet to come!Having given us his childhood memories ofhis grandfather’s house, sliding down theroof and sticking his foot in the gutter toprevent him falling off! He then gave us hisaccount of searching through the atticwhere he stumbled upon a “smellycupboard”. Inside he found First Warmemorabilia that belonged to hisgrandfather: a citation for his braverysigned by Winston Churchill along with hismedals, a telescope, a German Army hatand a stuffed rat! These were theinspiration for Johnny’s debut novel, anadventure with a twist of sci-fi. A “What ifnovel”. It took him 3 months to write “Dayof the Assassins”, a publisher loved it andthen he had to re-write it! “Being able towrite is important,” he told us, “and I justdon’t mean creatively. You also have to beprepared to re-write.” - a sound messageto all our pupils.
And then, Johnny’s memories came to life.He had already shown us how big a shell
was with the able help of (name). Then,from his bag, Johnny produced the writtencitation, the medals, the telescope and theGerman army hat that he had found in hisgrandfather’s cupboard all those years ago.He even had the stuffed rat although it hadto be treated with care.
Next, a question and answer time and ourpupils, with impeccable manners, asked anexcellent collection of questions. Welearned that rats were big in the SecondWorld War because they fed on corpses,eight million died during this war. We alsolearnt that Johnny earns 50p for each bookthat is sold so he writes part-time and stillhas a proper job! And what’s his properjob? Well, Johnny trains dolphins!
At the end of the session, Johnny signedbooks, (and various pieces of paper), thenwent on his way back to Peebles in theScottish Borders, the starting point for eachof his novels.
Mrs. Keep
Five facts youperhapsdidn’t knowabout HettonSchool Library!
1.You can borrow bookson your Library card fortwo weeks. Pop in onelunchtime and chooseyour favourite.
2.The Library has arange of magazines aswell as books that youare welcome to come inand read.
3.We have over 8000books in stock for youto choose from.
4.The Library has bookfairs where you canpurchase a great rangeof books to keep.
5.The Library is a greatplace to go to findinformation for projects– it’s much easier tolook in a book than totrawl through theinternet looking forwhat you want!
Prom Fashion Show and ExhibitionTuesday 1st February 2011 (Hall & Crush Hall)7.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m.Fashion Show -Prom dresses/SuitsHair and Beauty Spray Tan Nail ArtPhotography Florist ShoesLimos/Cars Suit Hire RaffleAccessories JewelleryRefreshments Yr 11 only Raffle (not to be missed)All you will need for that special night!
H e t t o n S c h o o l P r e s e n t s
Entrance £1.00 - TICKETS ON SALE - OR PAY ON DOOR(All proceeds go towards production of Yr 11 Yearbook)
The church burntdown in Hetton-didn’t it?I have heard this so many timesand always reply, “Actually weare alive and kicking and wouldlove more people to come andjoin us in what we are doing!”
We are now one parish covering Hetton, Eppleton, Easington Laneand Moorsley/Peat Carr so we thought it made sense to be active inboth places where we have buildings, in “the Lane church”- St.Michael & All Angels, Easington Lane and in what used to be the oldchurch hall “The Hetton & Eppleton Community Hall”. The brilliantthing about having the hall is we can have Messy Church- every firstand third Sunday at 4pm. We cook and we create with paint, glue,clay, beads, wood, cardboard, string, play-dough... you name it, if it’smessy we’ll give it a go. The next Messy Church is on December19th and everyone is welcome!
On December 19th at 10am there is a Christingle/Nativity with Carolsup in Church on the Lane. On Christmas Eve at 4pm Carols, mincepies and mulled wine in the hall.
We have links with the Air Training Corps, with each of the fourprimary schools, we run a lunch club in the hall for the elderly. Wehave a toddler group and really enjoy celebrating Christmas withCarols! The real “church” hasn’t burnt down and is actually busyhaving fun!
Anyone wanting to know more call: 0191 5173102
Reverend Ann x
Dancingthe nightaway!T ‘n’ T Schoolof Dance is runby sisters Trishand Trina. Theyrun the danceclasses at StNicholasChurch Hall on
a Wednesday and Friday evening.
They also teach at Hetton School onWednesday after school for pupilsinterested in Street Dance and Hip Hop.The sessions always prove popular andgive a real fun feeling to exercise.
They are highly creditable and charge onlya small fee for their classes. The dancegroup itself have been given opportunitiesto show off their skills at Her Majesty’sTheatre and the London Palladium – achance that not many people get. So, ifyou have a bit of free time, pop in afterschool and visit St Nicholas Church Hallfor an experience you’ll never forget.
By Zoe Leggoe - Year 11.
Community Focus
Year 7 Skipping to RaiseMoney for Heart Health!Once again, as part of their Health RelatedExercise Module in PE, all of the Year 7pupils took part in a Skipping Event. Thereasons for doing this are two-fold: first of all,and perhaps most importantly, they learnabout how important it is to look after theirhealth by keeping active on a regular basis,and in particular their heart health – the mostimportant muscle in the body! They learnabout the kinds of activities that enable theCardiovascular System to keep strong andhealthy.
The PE Department thought that it would bea good idea to incorporate this work with aSponsored Skip in aid of the British HeartFoundation. The BHF does so much goodwork to try to promote and prevent heartdisease in the UK through extensiveresearch. Many of the lifesaving equipmentwe see around the medical centres andhospitals moreover, is actually funded by theBritish Heart Foundation, such as defibrillatormachines.
The Year 7 pupils did not take long to rise tothe challenge of trying to raise as muchmoney as they could after completing theirhour long skip and they have managed tocollect in the amazing amount of £1862!
Miss Ravera
What willthe
raise intuition fees
mean for us?Recently, the Government haveannounced plans to treble the tuitionfees payable by students to up to £9000 per year from 2012. This may affectstudents who hope to go to University,especially working and middle classfamilies that could be forced out ofeducation.
The Government have made no plansfor supporting students from low income
backgrounds into higher education,therefore students hoping to go touniversity have no option but to choosebased on the price of the degree ratherthan the quality of the course.
My attitude has changed to going toUniversity as I not only have no time tosave for higher education, I’m alsoconcerned about having at least £27000 of debt when I finish. The rise infees will make me think twice aboutgoing. Can I afford it? Students havebeen in the news protesting about thefees, not always in the correct manner.
Our country needs well-qualified peoplefor important jobs, the rise in tuition feesmay make this a real issue for futuregenerations.
Georgina Reay - Year 11.
Based at the City of Sunderland College – BedeCentre, Headways is the first choice destinationfor students after completing Year 11.Students who achieve the entry requirements of 5GCSE’s at A*-C (one of which must be English or Maths)have the option of plenty of courses to choose from.From Chemistry to Computing; Mathematics to MediaStudies, there’s a course to meet any student’s careerchoice.
There’s also the added bonus of daily free buses from theHetton area and seeing friendly faces that may havetaught students in Year 11. At present, Mr. Liversidge andMr. Hindle both teach at the College for part of the week.
Here are a few good reasons to join us! :
An impressive 99% pass rate for A-levels and BTECNationals – the highest in the City
We offer 35 different A-Level subjects.
Our excellent league table performance…top in 2 out ofthe 3 categories in the City
We offer outstanding support to students…this washighlighted in our recent Ofsted report
665 of students who left us in 2009 are now at University
So, what’s Headways like? We spoke to former headgirl of Hetton School, – Maxine Richardson.
Why did you choose to go to Headways?
I chose Headways because I felt an immediateconnection on the open day, I also knew it hadassociation with Hetton school which made me feelsecure in the choice I made after 5 great years.
What did you enjoy about Year 12?
Each individual is given the responsibility to keep up todate and attend lessons, this is in preparation to later lifewhich I think helps everyone adjust as young adults andnotice the massive contrast from comprehensive.
What have you gone on to do in Year 13?
In year 13 I’m doing Media, Sociology and Film Studiesand thoroughly enjoying them all. I just have to workextra hard to achieve best grades possible.
What makes Headways such a good place to study at?
Headways/Bede is a great place to study because youare able to adjust from a teenager to a young adult. Thestaff is really supportive of the subjects you choose.
What memories do you have of Hetton School? Is thereanything you really miss?
My favourite memory was being voted as Head Girl 2008-2009, it was a great achievement and I was delighted tobe an ambassador for Hetton School. I miss Hetton ingeneral and not seeing as many of my friends.
What plans do you have for the future?
Hopefully in the future I will attend University and do adegree in Social Work, hopefully ending up with a job asa social worker.
Is there any message you’d like to send to the HettonSchool students thinking about College?
Carefully look through the prospectus and choose yourcourses wisely and finally enjoy year 11, because it reallyis the best year of school.
So, how can I find out more about Headways and theCity of Sunderland College?
Speak to Mr. Liversidge at Hetton, the link teacher toHeadways.
Visit City of Sundeland College Open Day on 26th
January or 9th February.
Have a look at the City of Sunderland Website,www.citysun.ac.uk
Speak to your teachers at Hetton who will tell you moreabout Headways.
On Thursday October 14th, some ofHetton’s bravest souls sang their heartsout on stage all in hope of that important‘yes’ call from Simon, Louis, Cheryl andDanni. (well Mr Willson, Mr. Howey, Mrs.McKeown and Mrs. Diaz – all with ratherfetching masks of their X-Factor judge!).
Egged on by hundreds of screaming fanswith banners and posters pushing fortheir favourites, the contestants excelledthemselves. From Pixie Lott to a finalgroup rendition of Queen, the variety ofartists kept the crowds well entertained.The event had joint winners of the £50prize – Laurin Wardle (with her renditionof ‘Man Who can’t Be Moved’ by TheScript) and Bethany Waters (‘I’ll Never
Forget You’ by The Noisettes). They bothnow go into the Sunderland final of‘Search for a Star’. Highly commendedwere Georgina Reay and JordanAnderson. Jordan entertained theaudience massively by leaping off thestage and singing amongst his fans.
The evening was put together by thecreative talents of Miss Miller and MissDuff with refreshments, chocolate andsnacks sold in aid of the Tanzaniaproject. A shattered Miss Millercommented ‘What a fabulous night! Thetalent this year was unbelievable and Iknow the judges struggled greatly todecide on the winners. Well done to allthe acts!’
Hetton’s Got the X Factor
HEADWAYS – Hetton’s Sixth Form Centre
What’s On - Spring Term 20114th January INSET Day – School closed for pupils.
28th January Yr11 Reports Issued
31st January Yr11 Parents Evening
1st February Leavers Ball Fashion Show Exhibition
3rd February UK Maths Challenge (Yr9/10/11)
7th February Yr9 Reports issued
10th February Yr7/8 School Photographs
18th February School closes for Half Term.
4th March Yr8 Reports Issued
12th April Parents Forum
15th April School closes for Easter holidays
Hetton’s Charity Day
On Friday November 19th, staff and students joined togetherin an effort to raise funds for charity. Hetton’s Charity Day hadthe intention of raising funds for four charities – The FreemanHospital Teenage Heart Unit; Senior Citizens Christmas Party;The Great North Air Ambulance and BBC Children in Need.
All kinds of activities took place on the day, from a non-uniformday for students to a staff charity raffle. Years 7 and 8 studentstook part in a disco while boys higher up in the school tookpart in a charity leg wax. Cake sales took place in the Libraryand Megabytes during the day. The whole day was a greatsuccess with people dipping deep into their pockets.
The School Council will meet to decide how the £1200 raisedwill be split between the charities.
Pictures: Students enjoying the non-uniform day, Megabytes CakeSale and Charity leg wax in the school hall.
Do youtweet?We do!‘What are you doing?’ A simple enoughquestion, and one that is the startingpoint for the social networking/microblogging site ‘Twitter’.
Twitter allows family, friends, co-workersand organisations to stay connected viamobile texting, instant messages, or on theweb. In other words it offers an easy way tostay connected with the people in your life.People can respond with short messages or"tweets" that are under 140 characters tokeep their friends, family or anyoneinterested, updated on their latest interestsor everyday happenings. By default, yourTwitter profile is public and all your updatescan be seen by anyone.
At Hetton School we are beginning to useTwitter as an additional way ofcommunicating with students, parents andanyone with an interest in our school. Inanswer to the question ‘What are youdoing?’ we respond with tweets aboutupcoming events, news from our work inschool, thanks to staff and students orinteresting developments. Our tweets havealready developed a following with a wideaudience including teachers and leadersfrom other schools, education journalists,Hetton students and people from the localarea.
Getting involved couldn’t be easier.
1. Go to Twitter.com. Click on the "Jointhe Conversation" button.
2. Create an Account. Provide your fullname, preferred username, passwordand e-mail address. Remember that theuser name is what people will see withan "@" symbol in front of it.
3. Search for @hettonschool and clickthe ‘Follow’ button.
Why not check out our conversation andreply with your own thoughts. We monitorreplies to exclude any offensive ordangerous comments, but welcomethoughts, ideas, questions and feedback.
Mr. Knowles (Deputy Headteacher)
Year 7 students working on anElection Campaign for the 1066Election. They had to createspeeches, posters and a rallyfor who they felt should replaceEdward the Confessor in 1066.(left - top)
Canvassing for the 1066Election.(left - middle)
Students work on the history ofslavery. Year 9 prepared postersto raise the issue of slavery.This is the work of DominicLobban, Laura Stephenson,Amanda Anderson andAlexandra Dawson.(left - bottom)
So, could you save theworld, if you really had to?Could you escape from acar crushing machine withseconds to spare,complete an SAS trainingcourse, dive throughfreezing undergroundwaters in pitch darkness,parachute out ofaeroplanes over
London, shoot yourenemies, tussle with man-
killing jellyfish, and more?
Alex Rider can. But only because he has to. It isn't adeliberate career choice, exactly.
Only after his uncle, Ian Rider, dies mysteriously ina car crash, does Alex begin to ponder the identityof the man who had looked after him since he wasorphaned as a baby. Alex's preliminaryinvestigations, which scared the life out of me, soondraw the attention of his uncle's former employers -none other than MI6. They've got a proposition forAlex:
'...The timing couldn't be better. You'll be able tomeet Herod Sayle, keep an eye on him and tell uswhat you think. Perhaps you'll also find out what itwas that your uncle discovered and why he had todie. You shouldn't be in any danger. After all, whowould suspect a fourteen-year-old boy of being aspy?'
Looks like a deal is about to be struck. Alex caneither go and rot in the nearest orphanage, or hecan just do this little job for MI6:
If it’s a fast-moving rough-and-tumble spy storyyou're after, with crazed arch-villain in search ofworld domination - or worse - then this is for you. Iloved it! All the realism of a James Bond adventure,and no more improbable for having a teenage hero:
'Just remember, Alex Rider, you're never too youngto die.'
I rate this book 10/10.
By Matthew Barker - Year 8
Excellence in Achievement -History This Term
Mr P’s Prize Puzzle Corner: Question 1(a)Can you place the numbers 4 to 9 into the empty circlesso that each side totals 17?1a 1b
Question 1(b)Can you place the numbers 1 to 9 into the circles so thateach side totals 20?(Note 1, 2 and 3 do not have to be in the corners)
Question 2Last week Mr P sold a selection (ie. more than 1) of 2-digit PRIME numbers on E-Mathsbay.
Mr P decided instead of telling the buyers how manynumbers he was selling and what their values were, he’dgive them some clues:>
a. The sum of the digits in each number is a 2-digitprime number.
b. The sum of the original numbers is also a primenumber.
c. The sum of the digits of clue (b) is also a primenumber.
Your job is to find out:
(a) How many PRIME numbers did Mr P sell?
(b) What is definitely the value of TWO of the numbersMr P sold.
Have a go at the puzzles, and email your answers [email protected] or bring them into school on apiece of paper for the attention of Mr. Hindle. Thecompetition is open to adults and students. Deadline forentries is Monday January 10th. The prize is a £10 voucher.
Excellence inAchievement - English
Book in the Alex Rider series
T r a m p o l i n i n gC l u bEvery Wednesday night from3.30-4.30pm a trampoliningsession tkes place in thegym. It is open to both boys and girls and is available to allyear groups.
We asked one of the members (Jessica ) about trampoliningand why she does it.
What do you like most about trampolining?
I like doing my favourite moves which are: swivel hips andback drops. It is fun and something different to do on aWednesday evening. It gives me an hour of really good andenjoyable exercise.
Who do you recommend it to?
Anyone! It is really friendly, well organized and really fun.Anyone can take part and I guarantee you’ll really enjoy it.
In the recent Sunderland Schools Trampolining Competition,Amy Golding from Year 9 came 3rd . She was selected fromthat to represent Sunderland in the Tyne and Wear Finals.
We look forward as a school to building on this success andseeing many more students attending the club. Come along,you’ll love it!
By Olivia Wallace - Year 7
E c o C o m m i t t e eThe Eco Committee is a small group who care about Hetton School. We started about ayear ago. We meet every Thursday and Friday lunchtime in Miss Paget’s room.
Last half term 15 pupils from Hetton School came in to school from 10-3 for three days tohelp design two gardens. Our first garden was the memory garden. The memory garden is asmall garden which we have made to remember the teachers and pupils that have passedaway during the years.
The other garden was the science garde . The science garden is a garden that attractswildlife. The science garden is on the way to science so if you walk past please have a look.In the garden we have a seat with flowers and pebbles The three days was a huge successas we got lots of work done. The committee did an environmental audit of the school andimplemented a few small-scale projects and last summer they were successfully awarded theSilver Award.
Hetton School has been recycling for quite a while now. Most classrooms have bins forpaper and cardboard. The Eco-Committee has moved the recycling efforts on a little and theyhave been collecting ink cartridges.
£1000 has been awarded to the group from Gentoo and the Key Fund to help with the allotment. Finally, if any pupil wouldlike to help with the Eco Committee please see Miss Paget.
By Sam Blacklock - Year 10
CheeryChopsticks!Now into its third year,Japanese Club run byMr. Hindle continues toattract students from
Years 7 to 11 to take part in all things weird andwonderful from the far East. Highlights include tastingthe ever-popular Pocky – available in a variety offlavours from banana to chocolate.
Finding out about the fantastic culture – from how tobow correctly to using the right phrases to make agood impression, we also consider the latest issuesfrom Japan and its similarities and differences to theNorth East. Chloe Greenwood commented, ‘I’ve learnta lot about a different culture from the club and how weall need to make an effort to understand each other’
A few examples of Japanese language:こんにちは Konnichiwa Hello すみません Sumimasen Excuse me私の名前は Watashi no namae wa My name is…
Japanese Club meets on a Wednesday at 12.30 in A6.
Tom Littlewood (10L1), Chloe Greenwood (10N1),Leanne Woods (10B1)
Hetton SchoolNorth RoadHetton-le-HoleDH5 9JZ
Contact us: Tel. 0191 5536756Fax. 0191 5536760Web. www.hetton-school.co.uk Email. [email protected]. http://twitter.com/hettonschool
RESPECT!The posters are in everyclassroom and aroundschool, every student has acopy of the new RESPECTguidelines. Hetton Headlinescaught up with Mr. Keay tofind out the thinking behindthe project.
“Giving and receiving respect is something thateveryone understands as an idea. Everyone wants tobe treated well but sometimes we forget to treatothers equally well. As the new Headteacher ofHetton School, I wanted everyone, staff and studentsalike, to be reminded of this. For instance, I wouldnot expect a student to treat a fellow student ormember of staff poorly. Similarly, I expect that mystaff treat all students with respect. Having consultedboth staff and students, a list was drawn up of thebasics that we expect from all students.”
“The RESPECT posters are one way to achieve this.Staff and students can use the posters as a reminderand a point of reference (both in and out of lessons)of what we expect from our students at HettonSchool. I do not like long lists of rules – this postercovers most of the important issues that weencounter on a daily basis in schools – being smart,being on-time, having the correct equipment,expecting rewards (or penalties!) and so on. Aboveall, if every student tries their very best all the timethen this is a recipe for success. If we respect eachother then we can all focus on what is reallyimportant – outstanding teaching and learningleading to high achievement for all.”
Question theTeacher!
Do you have a question you’d really like to aska teacher? If so, get in touch with the staffinterview team via the school magazine email.We’d be delighted to help!
This issue, we really wanted to find out whoinspires our teachers. So, we asked themwhich superhero they’d like to be and foundsome quite strange answers.
Mr. Smithson BatmanMr Busby BoltMiss Duff Stretch IncredibleMr. Hudson WoodyMr. Hindle BananamanMr. Barker The Lone RangerMiss Paget Spider WomanMr. Keay Doctor WhoMr. Tose Spider Man.Miss Miller Cat Woman.Mr. Knowles Mighty MouseMiss Lysiak Wonder Woman.
By Olivia Wallace - Year 7
Getting nervous about your optionswhen you get into year nine? Here is a small insight into the Pathway Bapproach of your options, also known as‘Diploma’ or ‘BTEC’ at Pallion or Harraton centre.
When you think of diploma for the first time youthink this is really going to be hard, and I’m notgoing to deny that it is a very hard pathway.However, there are many good reasons to takethis pathway, such as:
• At the end of this two year course you get aqualification equivalent to 8.5 GCSEs
• No matter which course you take you will betreated with a great deal of respect by the staff.For example: more responsibility, moreindependence.
• The standard of teaching is highas the staff will treat you like
an adult – you have tobehave like one.
• Instead of just sitting in aclassroom for the wholelesson you can do a lotof practical work.
• You may get the chanceto visit employers andget to learn the way inwhich they work.
With the many differentcourses available you
should be able to findthe course that is right
for you and hopefullyyou will get taughtyour dream job.
Liam Clark – Year10
Do you think that Textiles is for girlsand all about making dresses? This year students from Year 10 have been completing a new andexciting project that combines advances in technology withfashion, and could land a lucky student with a £1,000 cash prize,an all expenses trip to London courtesy of Draper’s magazine,and a placement with a top London based design company.
Their task is to design a new container made from a variety of‘smart’ materials. Smart materials are textiles that adapt to theenvironment around them and think for themselves. The studentscan choose from smart materials D3o, E paper, Q.T.C., and textiles
lights.
D3o is an amazing substance; when it movesslowly it is loose and fluid, but on impact itbecomes solid. It has been used as a shockabsorber in the clothing of motor cross bikersand snowboarders
E-paper is set to revolutionise how we readbooks and magazines. It looks like a clear sheetof plastic but contains thousands of particles thatink and electric current travel through. Thisenables the sheet to display page after page ofbooks and magazines, without the need of paper.
Q.T.C. (quantum tunnelling composite) is asubstance that allows electricity to becarried through the yarns of fabric whenpressure is applied. The molecules insidethat substance conduct electricity when aforce is applied. You might have seen thisused in the design of jackets for skiers andsnowboarders that allow the wearer tocontrol the features of their I-pod from theoutside of their jacket.
With the use of Textiles lights, developed bybig electronics company Philips, light cannow be shone from garments to create anamazing display. Rihanna recently wore atextiles lights dress for a performance on tour.
It has been up to the students to imagine howthey could combine these Smart materialswith fastenings to create a new fashionable
container to be sold on the high street. The students were givenfive themes to choose from; rock steady, sugar and spice,intergalactic, jungle boogie, and the Olympics 2012.
The imagination of the students has been incredible, and theyhave worked as a team to adapt and improve their range ofdesigns. They are now at the stage of modelling their containers,using computer aided design to refine their designs and createprints for the inside of their containers. All students will submit thefive best pages of their portfolio to Draper’s magazine, and theircontainers will be completed using textiles lights and asublimation printer to create their own printed fabric.
Our aim for the project was to help students realise that textiles isnot just about fashion - you’ll learn skills that will aid you in otherareas, including interior and product design. The studentsinvolved will also be able to use their portfolio in the future toshow their skills. They now have awareness of advances intechnology and consider sustainability when designing, somethingthat they will need to consider in order to compete in today’sdesign jobs market.
Miss Blackie
Experiencing theWide World of WorkYear 11 took part in Work Experience inlate October, ‘Hello Hetton’ took theopportunity to catch up with somestudents in some very interesting roles!Hands-On Hetton caught up with someYear 11 students to find out all abouttheir experiences.Jamie Lowes –PBL PRINT (1)Jamie had the chance to oversee how abusiness works. From the order comingin; the graphics team work on theproduct; the actual printing of themagazines and leaflets and the deliveryof the product to the customer. A realhands-on week of seeing how businessworks. Jamie commented ‘I enjoyedseeing how a product went from anidea; to being produced and sent to thecustomer’Caitlin Jeffery – Murton Primary School (2)Caitlin spent the week working withYear 3 students, helping them to makethings and displaying their group work.She found the whole experience fun. AsCaitlin said ‘It gave me an insight intowhether I’d want to become a teacher.The great news is I enjoyed it and I’dreally love to become one.’
Rachel Short – Murton Primary School (3)Rachel spent a frantic week workingwith Year 5. She had the opportunity towork with large groups of students.Rachel felt the responsibility of lookingafter such a large group was reallydaunting for any teacher. ‘It gave me alot of responsibility, showing just howmuch work a teacher does!’
Georgina Reay – Seaham Hall Hotel (4)Georgina found the week extremelyrewarding but very tiring. From workingon the hotel reception to showingpeople around the Spa, she was keptbusy each day. Her favourite part beingworking in the restaurant seeing peopleenjoying themselves. ‘I found workingso many hours was really eye-openingas I felt so exhausted.’
21
3 4
Mr.
Knowles
How did you come to be at Hetton School?
I am originally from the north-west, but came to thenorth-east at the age of 18 to attend NewcastleUniversity and have never gone back. Hetton is thefourth school I have taught at.
Tell us a little about your background.
I come from Bolton and am a keen follower of BoltonWanderers football team.
What is your role within Hetton School?
I am Deputy Headteacher with responsibility forachievement and development of the school. I step upto lead the school when Mr. Keay us not in.
Who is your idol?
Lance Armstrong because he has overcomeeverything in his path in order to become successful.
What is your favourite animal, TV Show and Book?
Giraffes are my favourite animal, as they always pickleaves from the tops of trees! I enjoy watching‘Spooks’ and my favourite book is ‘The Power of One’by Bryce Courtenay.
Mr. KeayHow did you come to be atHetton School?
The governers choseme for the role, I alsochose Hetton School. I
find it a really friendly school, with the potential to bean outstanding one.
Tell us a little about your background.
I am from Merseyside originally but came to Universityin Newcastle. I’ve worked at six schools in the area. Ilike the area so much, I never moved away.
What has impressed you about Hetton School?
There are some great students, it’s just a shame aboutthe buildings. Most of the classrooms look quite good,after all it’s the students and teachers that make theschool what it is.
Who is your idol?
I particularly admire a footballer for Liverpool calledKenny Dalglish. Also, the best ever Liverpool manager,Bob Paisley, who was born in Hetton!
Do you have a message for the students?
What’s important to me is fairness and respect foryourself and others. If everybody tries their very best,as Headteacher I can’t complain.
What is your favourite animal, TV show and book?
I own a black rabbit but don’t really have a favouriteanimal. My favourite TV show is Neighbours, althoughI’m not fond on admitting it. A favourite book would be‘The Time Traveller’s Wife’
G e t t o k n o w y o u r s t a f f !A regular feature in our magazine will be to meet the staff of Hetton School. In this issue we interview a variety
of staff, both old and new, to find out their favourite animals and what they think of the school.
Hetton School Health and Fitness CentreHetton School Health and Fitness Centre is a busy community facilitywhich is located behind the main school on North Road in Hetton Le Hole. We offer an array of diverse leisure and sporting facilities as well as ample free car parking to the front of the building.
We have a 22 station air-conditioned Fitness Suite
A large outdoor floodlit Astro-Turf; a multi-use games area: this facility is simply the best in the area.
Sports Hall: This superb area with versatile flooring is very popular.
A Dance Studio for hire which is an excellent space with comfortable flooring, a mirrored wall and air conditioning.Outdoor Football Pitches: We offer a well maintained outdoor grass pitch for hire.
For bookings enquiries please call Louise on 0191 553 6756 or email [email protected] For all
MissDixon
How did you come to be at Hetton School?
I am from Hetton. My whole family is from hereand I am very happy to be back here teaching. Ican’t wait to teach my nephew when he comes tothe school!
Tell us a little about your background
I used to come to Hetton School and was taughtby some of the teachers who are here now.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
I never saw myself as a teacher, I really wantedto become a Vet.
Who is your idol?
My Mam is my idol.
What is your favourite animal, TV show and Book?
My favourite animal is a cat. I have had a pet onesince I was 18. My favourite TV shows are‘DesperateHousewives’; ‘Lost’;‘Scrubs’ and ‘Friends’.My favourite books are‘The Kite Runner’ byKhaled Hosseini and ‘AThousand SplendidSummers’ by thesame author.
Mr. Keep
How did you come to be at Hetton School?
I’ve taught History here for 16 years now, although I amoriginally from Lancashire.
Tell us a little about your background.
I was born in a sleepy little town in Lancashire calledOrmskirk. Miss Ravera and I went to the same PrimarySchool! I went to secondary school in Lancaster andworked for the Government in Liverpool for a while. Itook time to travel and pursue my interest in music. Imoved to the north-east and met Mrs. Keep a few yearsafter becoming a teacher.
What has impressed you about Hetton School?
The friendly atmosphere and feeling of community. Itwas unique in all the schools I had taught in. Whilst thelast few years have been tough, Mr. Keay and Mr.Knowles have been astute in picking up the qualities thatmade Hetton an outstanding school and are determinedto succeed in exceeding the former glories.
Who is your idol?
I don’t really idolize people, but have people I admireand respect such as Ross Noble, Eddie izzard, RobinWilliams, Groucho Marks and of course Mrs. Keep andour assorted offspring!
What is favourite animal, TV Show and Book?
The hairy toed sloth… such a pointless creature! I enjoy‘Spooks’, ‘Mock the Week’ and ‘Grand Designs’ amongstothers. My current favourite book is anything by connIggulden, Stieg Larsson or Matt Beaumont.
DO YOU NEED A SOLUTION TO YOURCHRISTMAS GIFT PROBLEMS?
A GIFT VOUCHER FOR HETTONSCHOOL HEALTH AND FITNESS CENTRE
COSTS £20 AND GIVES ONE MONTHSUSE OF OUR FITNESS SUITE!
Call us now on 0191 5536756 for more information
Fitness Suite Membership Charges 2010-11
Individual Gym Membership £20 (12 month contract)£25 (no contract)
Couple Gym Membership £35 (12 month contract)
£45 (no contract)
SPECIAL OFFER: 3 Months Membership for a £50one off payment or an Annualmembership for a one off paymentof £200!
other enquiries please call the Community Manager on 0191 553 6756 or email [email protected]
WORD SEARCHSANTA ELFSTOCKING MARY PRESENTS TREERUDOLF STARJESUS LIGHT
You are in a snowstorm what do you do?A) Run away.B) Laugh nervously and put goggles on.C) Make light and go straight on.
You are making a Nintendo DS and are stuck, what do you do?A) You ask your friend and he will happily help.B) You make magic and sprinkle it over the DS and it will make it-
self magically.C) Smash it with your hoof (hand).
You’re decorating your tree, what do you put on it?A) Small toys.B) Candy Canes and magic dust.C) Apples and carrots.
What is your favourite food/ Drink out of the choices?A) Candy Canes and chocolate milkshakesB) Pie, Cookies and milk.C) Carrots, apples and spring water.
Mostly A Mostly B Mostly CYou are an elf You are Santa You are a you are if you are in a reindeersometimes situation you you are nervous about just laugh about fearlesscertain things, it and push it and you areespecially the aside. very Curious Ice Queen.
By Neryce Rodgers and Jennifer Hart
Year 10 students preparing for OpenEvening. Well over 100 families attended.
The Autumn Term in Pictures
Year 10 Engineers ‘built a buggy’ each a
s
part of a visit from the Army. The winners
were Stephen Harrison and Lewis Warne.
China Week – students lea
rn more about
China as part of o
ur link with Harbi
n, China
Fundraising for Tanzania –Halloween Celidh
Events and Support available in school
Year 7 Sponsored Skip for TheBritish Heart Foundation.
