News Archive 08 to 09

GCSE Results August 2009

Consistently good GCSE results were once again achieved by students at Friends’ School, with more grades at A* and A than in previous years. Amongst those celebrating were Amy Branch, Charlotte Dodsley, Will Fawcett and Emma Stanbury, ‘straight A’ students who achieved 41 top grades between them, though the vast majority of students in the year achieved results higher than those expected at the start of the course.

‘We’ve enjoyed the excitement and celebrations that go along with results day,’ said Head, Graham Wigley. ‘They arrive looking anxious, then before we know it there are smiles everywhere. I know that the students themselves are really appreciative of the help and support they have had from their teachers.’

Results at Friends’ continue to be well ahead of national averages with 85% of all grades being A* to C.

Click here to download a summary of our 2009 exam results.

A Level Results August 2009

	Photos showing just a few of our A level students after opening their exam results.

Friends’ School, Saffron Walden’s A level results were excellent this year.  For the fifth year in a row students achieved a 100% pass rate, with 34% A grades, 69% at A or B and 88% at A-C, continuing the school’s consistently strong showing over recent years.

Head Graham Wigley said that the headline figures are all improvements on last year’s impressive results and rival the school’s best ever results from 2007.  He added, ‘Once again our students did themselves and their teachers proud, with excellent grades across all subjects.  It was a pleasure to receive results like this knowing what each set of grades means for each individual student.  I’m delighted that they are able to move on to the universities of their choice, particularly this year which, as the press have highlighted, is particularly competitive.’

Click here to download a summary of our 2009 exam results.

		Year 8 trip to Normandy 29 June to 2 July 09 Click on the photo to see more.

Newsletter Summer Term 2009 Click on the image on the right to download the latest copy of our Newsletter. This is being mailed to all parents at the end of term.

		Sports Day 12 June 2009   Click on the photo on the left to see more.

Notes for New Parents September 2009 - online version of the documents sent to new parents, most of which are relevant to all parents.

Kite Making Some of the boarders with the kites that they made on Sunday 14th June 09

PTA Summer Quiz 16 May 2009

The PTA would like to thank everyone who supported the Summer Quiz on Saturday 16th May 2009. We were delighted to welcome 90 plus guests on the Night and it was good to see so many parents, children and staff at this social event. Andrew Holmes was our Quiz Master for the evening, and as usual, guided us along effortlessly through a very enjoyable evening. Special thanks also to Philip Dant and Richard Twinn for their musical contribution during the interval. We are pleased to announce that we were able to raise a total net profit of £568.56 and this money will be used to help fund an electronic screen in the main school building entrance.

Jo Taylor, Anne, Flynn, Janette Rolls, Susan McGee, Amanda Quill & Kathryn Winfield, PTA. May 2009.

		Year 7 trip to Linton Zoo on the afternoon of Thursday 7th May. Pupils visited Linton Zoo to learn about tiger conservation and to visit the three magnificent Amur tigers that live in the Zoo.

Friends & Families Day 9 May 09 Click here to see a copy of the speeches.

Alex Ruffell Memorial Fund Update on this charity in memory of a former pupil which supports Chidobe Primary School in Zimbabwe. Click on the photo to find out more.

		ESOL Trip to Warwick 2 to 4 May 2009 Click on the photo to see more

		Big Read 1st May 09 Click on the photo to find out why our MP Sir Alan Haselhurst was in school.

Year 9 History Trip to the Imperial War Museum and HMS Belfast April 09.   Click on the photo to see more.

European week of Astronomy & Space Science Schools Day - Friday 24th April 09

		Last Friday a group of Year 10 students attended an event at the University of Hertfordshire to mark the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science. One of the highlights of the day included an illustrated talk by NASA Astronaut Michael Foale entitled ‘A day in the life of an Astronaut’. The group then departed for Stevenage where they were given a guided tour around Astrium, Europe’s established leader in satellite manufacturing.

Another high point was a live demonstration of the Mars Rover (See above photo) currently under development for a mission to Mars in 2011.

The day provided an excellent opportunity to experience the latest developments in space exploration and was enjoyed by all.

Many thanks to Will Mullen for organising this trip.

GCSE Drama Exam Pieces April 09

Click on the images to enlarge

All presentations were extracts for the GCSE practical examination.

		The Avenue - Spring 2009 Click on the image on the left to download our Spring 2009 Newsletter. This was also been mailed to parents.

Activities for Summer Term 09

These are available to all pupils but those in Years 7 to 9 need to choose 2. Please make your choice from the attached spreadsheet and return to form teachers by next Tuesday 31st March (ie before the end of term). Pupils will also be given copies of these sheets in form meetings. Afternoon activities will start on Wednesday 22nd April next term. Click here to download the activities programme sheet.

PTA Update

The current PTA will be standing down with effect from the end of the current academic year. It is pleased to welcome a new member, Kathryn Winfield who joined the Committee quite recently. Along with Amanda Quill, they form the basis of your new PTA committee. If you would like to become more involved in the role of the PTA please come forward – YOUR SCHOOLS NEED YOU! You do not need to dedicate huge amounts of time, just a variety of skills, a good team spirit, some fresh ideas and a few hours each month are all that are needed – it is actually great fun and very rewarding. Why not give it go? Contact us by email (pta@friends.org.uk) or give Graham Wigley a call – we would really like to pass on the baton to people who care about our Schools!

Jo Taylor, Anne Flynn, Janette Rolls, Susan McGee.

25 March 09

		Year 8 History trip to Hampton Court March 09 Click on the photo on the left to see more.

Challenging Prejudice Greg Rattey spoke to Year 9 and the Sixth Form on 16th March about his voluntary work with the Herts Police Consultative Group in challenging prejudice and tackling hate crime.

		Cake stall run by 7x This cake stall raised over £68 for the Brooke Animal Rescue which helps working animals both in the UK and in the developing world. Well done, and thanks to all who helped. www.thebrooke.org

Poetry Soirée March 09 with visiting USA poet Brian Daldorph, where students and staff were invited to share a poem which they had written or particularly liked.

		UK Mathematics Trust Regional Final On Tuesday 17th March 09, a team of four pupils represented the school in the Regional final of the UK Mathematics Trust at the University of Cambridge. The pupils completed a team round, a head-to-head, a crossnumber and a huge team relay race.

U15 Boys' Football Match against Helen Romanes March 09

Photos by Martin Hugall

Non-Uniform Day for Charity 13 March 09

			Photos also show Year 7 pupils drawing masks with charcoal and chalk in an art lesson on this day. Photos by Martin Hugall.

A Visit from Prince Andrew for Friends’ School

Prince Andrew used the school fields as a helicopter landing pad when he flew into Saffron Walden during morning break on Wednesday 11th March. Met by the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Prince Andrew took time out to chat with students and staff, thanking the school for its facility and the warm welcome. The Prince then went on to visit a company on the Shirehill estate, and the Chesterford Research Park. A few of the many photographs taken by staff and pupils are shown below- click to enlarge:

			Photographs by Kirsten Batcheler, Sarah Westerhuis, Martin Hugall, Adam Baker and Elton Hung.

GCSE Options Handbook - September 2009 Please would Year 9 parents return the Reply sheet (rtf format) re. Year 10 Option choices to Will Mullen by 20th March.

'Hollywood and Broadway' - 3rd & 4th March 09

District Hockey Tournament Our U13 team, who were runners up in the Bishops' Stortford and District Hockey tournament last Thursday, when 10 schools competed on our playing fields.

Friends' School Science Festival

Pupils from Yrs 6 & 7 had a hilarious trip to a Brainiac Science show at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge on Tuesday evening. An exploding caravan and microwave were on the agenda as in the popular T.V. show and everyone had a great time.

On Friday, Yr 8 & 9 pupils all took part in a Carbon Challenge workshop when we welcomed BP’s Enterprising Science Roadshow team to Friends’ School. Youngsters answered a series of questions about climate change, carbon emissions and energy saving measures before splitting into three groups to study different aspects of the topic in more depth, finally coming together to present their results to each other. The aim was to raise awareness and help pupils participate fully in reducing our school’s carbon footprint and energy wastage. The team made the learning process fun and pupils produced some good work.

Cookery Roadshow

On Wednesday 25th February, the cookery roadshow 'On your Marks', organised by Chartwells Catering, visited school. Years 5,6,7 and 8 enjoyed a light hearted approach to 'knowing your nutrients' followed by a ready steady cook activity with teachers and pupils involved in cooking a healthy dish using fresh ingredients. The 6th form then had a later session which involved them preparing 3 dishes, Cantonese, Mexican and Balti.

Boarders making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.

Year 9 Religious Studies Trip

		Some of the Year 9 pupils at the East London Mosque on Wednesday. Year 9 visited this mosque as part of their study of the Muslim faith in religious studies. They also enjoyed lunch at a nearby halal (muslim) restaurant.

Year 8 RS Trip to the Hindu Swaminararayan Temple in Neasden in London before half term. The photo below shows Year 8 pupils enacting a puja (worship ceremony) in a religious studies class in preparation for the visit.

Find out more about the temple at http://www.mandir.org

		In the week before half term Year 8 visited the Hindu Temple at Neasden in London as part of their study of the Hindu faith in Religious Studies. ‘It really felt like I was in India’; ‘The patterns on the roof were really beautiful’; ‘The ceremony was intriguing’ - a few of the many comments from the pupils.

Imogen Heap

A challenge from Imogen Heap, Old Scholar and well known musician, to compose the music for a song (The Song That Never Was) that she has written. To find out more about this visit http://www.twestival.fm/?page_id=195

To find out more about Imogen Heap visit her website at www.imogenheap.co.uk and to see photos of her visit to school last summer click here.

International Evening 11th February 2009

Click on the above photo to see more.

'Snow' - Monday 2nd & Tuesday 3rd Feb

Friends' School was closed on the 2nd and 3rd Feburary 09 due to snow and ice making travelling very difficult for many, throughout the region. A special programme was arranged for the boarders who were at school. Many thanks to the staff who came in to help.

Photos by Kirsten Batcheler and Martin Hugall

Where we live This Google map is based on postcodes and does not show exact locations of properties. We hope that you will find this interesting and useful without being too intrusive. Click on the map image on the right to see the full version. January 2009 Many thanks to parent Olly Stephens for his help in creating this map.

Christmas Disco - in aid of 'Quaker Homeless Action'. Theme: Characters from the Movies!

		Many thanks to the Quartet and Sixth Form for organising this event.

Newsletter - Autumn Term 2008 Click on the image on the right to download this newsletter. A hard copy is being sent to all parents in our end of term mailing.

		UK Mathematics Trust Senior Team Challenge On Tuesday 18th November, Joe Bloomfield, Charlie Park, Harry Huang and Callum Moore entered the regional final of the above challenge.

The team were up against strong opposition,but managed to finish a very respectable 14th out of 24 schools. All of the students enjoyed the event and gained great satisfaction answering the tricky problems.

Remembrance Day and White Poppies

We will be observing a 2 minute silence ot the front of the school at 11 am on Tuesday 11th November. Red and white poppies are available from Reception.

Why are some wearing white poppies? Click on the poppies on the left to find out more. Also click here to find out more about the Peace Pledge Union. Their shared belief is that war and violent conflict are neither necessary nor inevitable. Their shared aim is to work towards creating a just world free from war.

A Level and GCSE Results August 2008

Another very good year. To see our Press Statements click here for A Level Results and click here for GCSE results. To see a summary of our results click here.

IMOGEN HEAP pays a nostalgic visit to her old school.

Imogen Heap left Friends' School in 1993, and has since embarked upon a most successful musical career. She paid a nostalgic vist to her old school in August and enjoyed seeing around her old haunts and playing on her favourite piano in the Music School. Imogen's vist was also filmed for a documentary which may contribute to a DVD when her next album is released before Christmas. Imogen plans to publish excerpts from her visit on her blog on You Tube soon.

To find out more about Imogen Heap visit her website at www.imogenheap.co.uk

		A & AS Level and GCSE Art Coursework June 2008 Click on the photo on the left to see more.

Year 8 Trip to Normandy July 2008 Click on the photo on the left to see more.

New boarders

Sports Day June 2008 Lister 733, Mennell 652, Tuke 639 Click on the photo to see more.

Year 10 Geographers visit London Docklands 9th June 2008 Click on the photo on the right to see more.

Year 10 Geography Field Trip to the Lake District Sept 2007   Click on the photo to see more.

Newsletter Summer 2008 Click on the image on the right to see the latest edition of 'The Avenue'.