Life at Studley

On Monday we launched our brand new house system with a whole school “house launch” in the sports centre. Our three new heads of house (Mr Willett, Mrs Blackford Taylor and Mr Neal) put together an event full of activities involving staff and students designed to foster a sense of competition and fun, to get students involved and excited about their new houses.

The event included ‘name that tune’, ‘chubby bunnies’, an eating competition and many balloons! Phoenix House were victorious, much to Mr Neal’s delight.

It was the first time in three years that we have been able to host a whole school event, and both staff and students thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Thank you to all the staff and students involved!

Last Wednesday the Year 11 prefect team organised a Year 7 Treasure hunt during form time.

This was an orientation exercise to help Year 7 pupils learn their way around the campus.

Scattered around school were 11 questions and 11 letters.
Pupils had to solve the clues. If they couldn’t solve a clue, the prefects were on hand at each question to give further clues.
The letters were an anagram of ” Studley High”

House points were awarded to all pupils who did well and all pupils received a biscuit prize.

FIRST PLACE: Griffin
SECOND PLACE: Pegasus
THIRD PLACE: Phoenix

At the end of June our cast of students from across Years 7 – 11 (and Mr Rushton!) staged our long-awaited musical, Little Shop of Horrors. The performances took place over four days, to over six hundred people and were a huge success.

Following auditions last September, we were able to cast a very strong team of principals, supporting cast and ensemble and rehearsals began in earnest. Since then, students spent hundreds of hours rehearsing – up to three evenings a week, with additional weekend and holiday slots to ensure that the show was ready for opening night. Throughout the process, our students worked so hard, gave full commitment and their determination to deliver great performances was exceptional.

Behind the scenes, we had a team of students, ex-students and staff who gave their time and energy to complete important roles such as costume, set, lighting design and backstage supervision, all of which helped make the show a real ‘whole-school’ production.
The week finished with an after-show party and awards along with many questions relating to “what show are we doing next?”. Watch this space!

As the weather finally cooled down, Year 10 took to the field to re-enact their own version of the Bard’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Using minimal costumes and props the pupils enthusiastically assumed their respective roles to consolidate their understanding of their GCSE text. The activity also reinforced the idea that Shakespeare’s plays were always intended to be performed to entertain an audience. Well done Year 10.

We recently held a Humanities Careers Fayre. This is the first time we have held an event focused on a subject area. Our aim was to raise awareness of further study, apprenticeships and careers linked to Humanities subjects, in particular History and Geography.

We had a wide range of providers participating, they included – The National trust, Studley Castle, Worcester University, The Albany Theatre, Royal Town Planning Institute, Amazing Apprenticeships, HS2, Aunty Jen productions, Shakespeare’s England and a representative from the Redditch Standard. It was great to see some local and national businesses for our pupils to engage with.

Year 9 and 10 pupils from Studley attended and year 10 pupils from Ridgeway also had the opportunity to come along. They all spent time going a4round the fair and talking to the exhibitors. There may have been one or two freebies given out as well! Pupils gained a lot of insight into what careers are available and we hope this helps them as they start to consider their post 16 options.

Last week we held our final Careers fair for this academic year. Our year 8 and 9 pupils attended and were able to talk to colleges, employers and universities. There was a real buzz around the gym as our pupils talked to the providers. This gave them an opportunity to learn about different careers and pathways.

All pupils at Studley High School have had access to a Careers fair this academic year and we hope to build on this in the future.

This half term, our teacher ‘in the spotlight’ is:

Mr Sidaway – History Teacher

1. Who inspired you to teach?

My inspiration to teaching came from not enjoying my own experience at school and wanting to have the opportunity for students to have a different experience. My Drama teacher in Middle School however was a favourite teacher of mine and I really loved Drama as a subject in middle school.

2. A day in the life of you….
In term time, my day revolves around school. That does not sound very exciting but as I love my job, that is fine with me.

3. Proudest moment….
Proudest moment is either when I was accepted onto my teaching course as it allowed me to start my career or when my niece Evie was born.

4. What is your favourite food (to eat,or cook?)
Favourite food is probably Mexican or Jerk chicken. Mainly most things that are spicy!

5. What is your favourite book of all time and why?

I don’t read as much as I should, but my favourite book is The Rule of Two trilogy. It is a Star Wars trilogy that I recommend to anyone who enjoys Star Wars, set away from the Films and Television. I’m more of a films and video games person. My favourite ever video game is God of War (2018).

6. Who is an inspiration to you and why?
My biggest inspiration in life was my Grandad, he was my hero who taught me most of the stuff I know and was a really strong father figure for me.

7. What is one thing we don’t know about you?
One thing most people don’t know about me is that when I was younger, I wanted to be an actor, but now the classroom is my stage!

It’s been a busy few weeks for the Art Department, with not one but two trips out AND an exhibition!

First of all our year 7 students had a sunny day at Compton Verney Gallery and then last week our GCSE Year 10 Art and Photography students had a day sketching at the stunning Whitley Court & Gardens, and we held a fantastic Arts Exhibition celebrating the work of students in Art, Photography, D&T and Food!

Our students have been rehearsing hard leading up to last night’s ‘Choirs Connected’ performance at the Redditch Palace theatre last night. Well done to everyone for such an incredible performance!

A couple of weeks ago, 60 year 7 pupils went on a trip to Warwick Castle.

It was a fun-filled day, with plenty of activities to enhance their understanding of their recent history study on life in medieval England.

All pupils were able to walk around the walls of the castle and climb the tallest tower in the castle, seeing some impressive views and definitely getting up their step count for the day!

There were also battle skills workshops, falconry and horse shows, trebuchets, a weapon-making walkthrough, and a visit to the Great Hall. A real favourite of the day was the Horrible Histories Maze.

The pupils were all excellent, asking lots of questions to learn more and having lots of fun along the way.

Congratulations to Y8 student Lacey, for her GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE medals in recent races, including relay and 1500 race during a swimming competition at the Wolverhampton County Relay! Amazing result!

Year 7 Residential 6th – 8th June 2022

Our Year 7’s travelled for just over two hours to Trelewis in Wales for their first Studley High School overnight residential.

140 students and 14 members of staff took part in a variety of activities that were designed to not only test but also push them out of their comfort zones.

Many students found an inner drive that they never knew they had and reached the very top of a multi-million pound climbing wall that even skilled climbers found tricky.

Caving offered an opportunity that the students will never forget as they crawled, snuck and squeezed their way through a series of deep underground tunnels, for what seemed like a lifetime for some, before catching a glimpse of sunlight and racing for the finish.

Raft building provided students with a test of engineering as they competed against each other to see who could build a raft that not only had to be fit for water but also carry the whole team.

Canoeing and kayaking saw the students racing to see who could be the fastest through the water, in scenes that could be mistaken for a take of Waterworld. Not all had the poise and balance that was required however, leaving the drying room full of clothing every evening!

Balance was pushed to the very limits through the crate-stacking exercise. Once they got going, they raced to see who could reach the highest point before they came crashing to the floor.

Although nervous going into the activities, their confidence soon grew – demonstrating the Studley values that they have been working so hard on throughout the year. We are looking forward to watching how they push on from such a fantastic start to their life at Studley.

As many of you know, our current Year 11s have faced a challenging year so we were determined to try and make their leaving experience special. With so much uncertainty in education, especially around exams, the year group has focused and shown excellent attitudes towards their studies.

Their level of commitment was also shown in the excellent attendance to revision sessions, both on Saturdays and during the Easter holidays.

Due to overwhelming support from local businesses, we were able to offer prizes to students whose attitude in school and attendance at additional revision sessions was nothing short of exemplary.

We cannot thank the community enough for this!

You can find a list of supporting businesses here: Friends of Studley | Studley High School

Last week Y9 and Y10 Historians travelled to Suffolk to see for themselves what the British trenches of the First World War may have been like. Students were able to listen to expert historians talk about the uniform and equipment of the British army, as well as try for themselves. Many students mentioned how hot, heavy and itchy the uniforms were, and the discomfort soldiers must have felt wearing them in all weathers.

In the afternoon we visited the reconstructed trenches with our guides. Students learned more about hand-to-hand trench combat, the use of poisonous gases, and were even able to experience the sight and sound of a genuine WWI Vickers Machine gun being fired.

This trip supported students’ learning in GCSE History and also in their English poetry studies. We had a fantastic experience!

Y11 pupil, Ella G represented Studley High School and the West Midlands, in the National Schools BSGA Acro and Tumbling Finals last weekend in the Over 14s.

On Saturday 30th April she competed in the tumbling competition. She completed three clean, amazing tumbles and enjoyed every minute.

On Sunday 1st May she competed in the disability Acro pairs with her amazing partner Reuben Bishop. They placed second with an incredible routine taking home a silver medal!

Congratulations for an incredible achievement!

At the end of last term, we finished with an exciting day involving an inflatable assault course as part of our rewards programme.

Throughout the day over 150 students had the opportunity to take part in a series of activities and competitions on the assault course. The successful students were selected by their Heads of House for going ‘above and beyond’ during the Spring Term.

All students that were successful should be incredibly proud of their hard work last term. Well done all!

As part of the house competition last week, Year 8 science had to design an atom.

We had lots of excellent posters, 3D models and of course some amazing cake atoms (which have now been eaten.)

Well done #teamscience!

Year 9 and 10 students completed their Bronze DofE Qualifying Expedition on the 2nd and 3rd April. They set up camp in the Cotswolds, where the weather was luckily dry and sunny, but cold at night! Everyone completed their expeditions in good time and worked well together as a team, to pass! Well done Bronze DofE’ers!

The “History Headline” is a newsletter for parents and carers of Year 11 history students. We would like to keep you updated on the information students are studying in lessons, including questions you can use at home to talk to your child about their studies. It also contains fortnightly updates on the homework due, intervention sessions, updates on forthcoming exams and revision strategies explained.

If you’d like any further information to help you support your child please contact Mrs J Smith – Head of History.

As part of the House competition week, Year 7 pupils designed a poster around the theme of ‘growth’. Some pupils opted for life cycles e.g. butterfly or frog, others looked at the growth of space. House points and chocolate prizes were awarded.
The best 5 will be entered into the STEM national competition.

Earlier this month, Year 7 student Victor F took part in a Taekwondo competition in Coventry, representing Redditch TKD.

Victor had to complete patterns and then went on to sparring. He won double GOLD in both patterns and sparring.

Congratulations Victor!

Yesterday, after school, 60 parents and Year 7 pupils took part in a ‘CSI Mystery at the Manor’.
Using the wonders of science they had to carry out a series of chemical flame tests using a range of chemicals in order to rule out suspects and identify the criminal!

This weekend, Erin A in Year 11 competed in the British Riding Club Winter Dressage Championships at Arena UK. She came 3rd on her lovely horse ” Mr Finntastic.”
Next weekend Erin and Finn will be competing in the Pony Club Intermediate Championships.
With Erin working hard for her GCSE’s this is a brilliant accomplishment as she spends hours caring for her horse. Watch this space and congratulations Erin!

Last week, we dropped off all donations from pupils, parents and staff to Steam Detailing and Valeting, Redditch run by Andrzej Zysk and Katarzyna Tuchowska-Zysk who organised collection as the members of Midlands Polish Community.

They would like to thank for all the donations on behalf of the refugees, people who had to leave their homes and all their possessions.

At the moment Andrzej and Katarzyna are arranging all donations to be transported to the people who need this help. It is really hard as the cost of transport needs to be covered as well.

Yesterday they received another great news – another three vans full of boxes arrived in Lviv, Ukraine.

And there is still plenty waiting to be delivered.

If you would like to help with the cost of transport – please visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/midlandspolishcommunity?utm_term=zqn46549a

Every £1 matters. Thank you to everyone who has donated items to date.

Next week, across most subjects and a variety of year groups, we are having lots of house competitions/activities during lessons. These activities will be completed in house teams, with 20 points given to the winning team in that activity, then 15, then 10, then 5. All the points from all the activities will be tracked and added up to reveal the winning house at the end of the week. There will be a prize for the winning house!

We also have “the hopscotch challenge” happening during assembly time; each form will give 5 volunteers and they will compete against other forms in their house. Then at the end of the week, the winning forms from each house will compete against each other.

Good luck everyone!

This week, the Senior Prefect Team organised an inter house assembly ‘Name the Category’, for Year 7.

Year 7 pupils from each of the four houses had to stand up in front of their peers and guess how many items they could name in the category in 10 seconds.

In the first round Abbey beat Castle and Manor beat Priory.

In the final it was very close, but Abbey were victorious over Manor.
All of Year 7 supported their House with great enthusiasm accompanied by SYD.
Well done Year 7!

Year 7 Historians have been working extremely hard this term on creating castles. In lessons we have studied the changing shape, design and features of castles, including ways in which castles were made more defensive. We then practiced attacking castles using a variety of methods introduced over the Medieval period.

Students were set the task of creating their own castle, using whatever means, methods and materials they wanted to use. The only limit was that the castle designed must be historically accurate, and show their understanding of castle shapes.

The variety and effort we saw from students was AMAZING – ranging from wooden castles to cake castles, all the way through to lego, clay and Minecraft castles!

Our overall winners were Jacob L (Best Baked Castles), Sophie J (Best Drawn Castle), Evan S (Best Computer Castle) and Lucie T (Best Constructed Castle).

Our Overall Winner for Best Castle in any category was Will S, who made an impressive Pez and icing sugar castle using 3372 pez sweets!

Many of the castles are on display in the main corridor.

News on our students who have all been representing their swimming club (Redditch Swimming Club) at this year’s Worcester County Championships:

Over the course of 5 days, they have each competed to an extremely high level, coming away with new PBs (Personal Bests) in the majority of their races, regional qualification times and medals.

In order to compete at these championships, the swimmers had to qualify during the qualification window last year. We are extremely proud of their achievements.

Grace B and Lacey P – both competing at their first County Championships in the 13 years age group. PBs across all of their races. Lacey has now also qualified in both the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke events for the upcoming regional championships later this year.

Evie P-C, competed in the 14 years age group. She achieved PBs in all of her races.

Bradley S competed in the age 15 category. He qualified for 13 events and chose to compete in 9 of them. With a 41s PB he won his first ever County Championship medal in the 800 freestyle event. He also PB’s in 7 of his other events!

Ashleigh G and Abi S competed for the 16 years age group. They both did extremely well. Ash is this years age group champion in all three of the backstroke events and she also medalled in the 50 breast, 100IM and 1500 freestyle.

Abi is age group champion in the 100IM, 100 free, 200 breast and 200IM. She came second in the 200 free. Abi also came away as the overall Senior Champion in the 200IM, senior second place in the 100IM and 200 breast and senior third place in the 200 freestyle.

Finally, Orla P competed in the 14 years age group. She competed in 16 events. She came third in the 400 and 100 freestyle events and the 50 fly. She came second in the 100 Individual Medley and she is the age group champion for 50, 100 & 200 backstroke, 200 free, 400 IM, 100 & 200 fly events.

Orla, Abi and Ash all have regional time ahead of this years West Midlands championships later in the year.

Rachel Power (RSC team manager and committee member)

Well done everyone, some fantastic results and achievements!

This weekend, Maddy A in Year 11, boxed for the English National 70kg Youth title.

This was her first year fighting in the 16 – 18 year old bracket, meaning that boxers must fight for 3 minute rounds rather than 2 minutes previously.

Maddy had to box against her opponent who had the same record but was 19 months older than her. In the first round Maddy gave her opponent a standing count, in the second round the referee stopped the bout with just over a minute remaining of the round.

Maddy won the National 70kg Youth champion title (and is proudly holding the belt below!)

Maddy and her coach will travel to Tamworth this Sunday for a selection camp for the forthcoming Europeans being held in Bulgaria in April 2022.

Well done Maddy!

Well done to our Year 7 and Year 10 Netball teams who played against Henley in Arden School on Tuesday. The Year 7’s narrowly lost 5-4 and Year 10’s won 15-7. Great work team!

The Year 10 Basketball team also progressed through to the SW basketball cup final after a keenly contested tie vs a very good Alcester Academy team. Caleb R scoring the points that made the difference in the closing seconds. Let’s go team!

The Year 7 boys Sports Hall Athletics team competed well in the SW indoor athletics competition finishing 3rd in the district with individual students winning many races.