With the new timetable starting a couple of weeks ago and students in Years 10 and 11 starting their new option subject GCSEs and BTECs, let’s find out what students have been studying in the first two weeks of the course.

As sunflowers start to flower in gardens, GCSE Art and Design students have been involved in a painting masterclass based on the work of Van Gogh. They’ve also been developing their drawing and mark making techniques whilst looking at various artists’ alternative ways of working.

Up in RE, Mr Woodward has had students grappling with the Sikh concept of God as both wholly within every aspect of the universe whilst simultaneously transcending its limitations as well as gaining an understanding of the Sikh aim of achieving liberation from reincarnation through attaining Mukti.

Media Consumption has been the focus in BTEC Creative Media, with students creating a ‘Media Consumption Diary’ recording all of the media they come into contact with, e.g. watching YouTube, reading books, playing on computer games and social media. Mrs Knock says that it was quite a surprise to see how much they can consume in one evening!

GCSE Design Technology students are completing a small-skills based practical to recap how to use the tools and processes in DT. Taking a resourceful stance, they are making a desk tidy out of two materials from the scraps boxes which then have to fit to given parameters. They also carried out some primary research in Boroughbridge to help them to decide which theme to tackle in the NEA tasks.

In GCSE Business, students have been learning about entrepreneurial qualities and the five main legal structures a business can have, from sole traders to Public Limited Companies.

The GCSE Geographers have been studying world cities and urban areas as part of the ‘urban issues’ unit with Mrs Bauwens and with Mrs Hardcastle they have been looking into the natural processes that shape coastal areas as part of the ‘physical landscapes’ unit. Their teachers say that they have made an excellent start to the course and really impressed with their positive attitude and organisation.

GCSE Historians have begun by plotting the rise of Hitler with Mrs Town, looking at conditions in World War I whilst Mr Sellers has taken them back to Tudor England, studying Elizabeth I.

In addition to talking about how they use their mobile phones and whether they get on with their brother, our GCSE Spanish students are brushing up their cooking skills in preparation for a ‘Fiesta’. They will be showcasing their Hispanic specialities in the final week of term.

In BTEC Health and Social Care, students have been learning about human growth and development across the life stages. Mrs Godsell-Wright comments that they have started the course well.

BTEC Performing Arts students have taken full advantage of being back in their base by studying DNA by Dennis Kelly. Already they have cast the play and begun rehearsals taking full advantage of the lighting and staging that is available in the Drama Studio. Mr West said “It is very exciting to see the students being so creative with the set, and working under the stage lights of the studio. We have been without theatre for over a year now, and seeing the students get so involved in the process of bringing a script from page to stage is wonderful.”

Mrs Skilbeck reports that ‘Music began with a boomwhacker-tastic performance of our first set work: Toto’s Africa. Playing the opening Riffs helped us to understand how the intro was put together.  We’ve been composing short pieces using Minor Pentatonic scales like the one David Paich and Jeff Porcaro used in the song.’

As you know, having been very fortunate in recent weeks, our bubble finally burst this week as we’ve had to ask Year 8 and some Key Stage 4 students to self-isolate so learning has been taking place in the classroom and in homes around Boroughbridge. I understand how frustrating this is for parents and students and really appreciate your support with this. We’ll look forward to welcoming students back into school.

There was a buoyant atmosphere in school on Thursday following the Euro 2020 semi-final on Wednesday. So, with the Final on Sunday along with the Wimbledon Finals, have a lovely weekend!