Senior Newsletter Fri 13th May 2011

Summer Open Day

Our annual Summer Open Day will take place on Saturday 21^st May, from 10 am – 2 pm.  Let’s show visitors why this is the best school in Sunderland.  Not just because we know it is – our latest ISI report states “Outstanding”!

Getting Down to Business On The Track.

Head of Business Studies, Mr Prior, is competing in the Keswick Long Distance Triathlon on behalf of the Sun City Triathlon Club on Sunday 22nd May. The race consists of a 750 metre open water swim in Derwent Water, followed immediately by a 22 mile bike ride – and then a 6 mile run, taking in some of the fells at Ashness Bridge. Let’s wish him the best of luck!

Music to our ears

Congratulations to the following pupils who have achieved success with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music ... Hannah Munslow – Grade 1 Violin … Sophie Cordery – Grade 2 Piano … Jonathan Peart – Grade 2 Piano ... Rebecca Munslow – Grade 4 Violin.

Uniform Shop Days of Opening The School Uniform Shop will be open from 10.00 am –3.00 pm on the following days during the summer holidays:Week 1 - Wednesday 20^th July, Thursday 21^st July, Friday 22^nd July    Week 2 - Monday 25^th July - Friday 29^th JulyWeek 7 - Thursday 1^st September, Friday 2^nd September

Good Luck!

Our best wishes go to Year 11 and Year 12 who have now begun their Examination Leave.  Year 11 were helped on their way to examination success by the traditional Good Luck Lunch in Langham Tower, complete with delicious buffet, embarrassing photos of the Year Group when they were cute and cuddly primary school pupils and Mrs Wayman’s famous lucky dip bran tub.

A Visit Sparked With Fun!

This week some of our pupils visited Spark FM as part of their GCSE Media Studies course. 

Spark FM is a local community radio station based at Sunderland University. The pupils had the privilege of seeing how a radio station runs on a day-to-day basis, and just how much effort goes into broadcasting each show. We caught up with two of the pupils on the trip, Manisha Kaur and Aziz El Aswad to find out what they made of it all.

So are you regular radio listeners?MK – Yeah, I normally listen to Metro.AE – Yeah, but I normally listen to Capital.

What do you use the radio for?Both – Mainly to listen to music.

So what did you find the most interesting on your visit?MK – It was great to see and get a better understanding of “behind the scenes” work at a radio station, what it means to be “on air 24 hours a day”.Both – We learned about all the technical work that goes behind the live recordings, how each second counts and all the technology behind a radio station.  There was a machine that helps count down, so that the broadcaster speaks just at the right moment.  We also saw how music can be cut to run according to certain timings. The broadcasters are really good speakers, really confident and outgoing - and they are all volunteers

Has it changed your views on radio?MK – Yes, it seems so much fun and interesting, I really want to do some more in-depth work experience there.

So what problems do radio stations have?Both – Spark FM mainly broadcast just in Sunderland but are looking into covering Houghton.  They have lots of paperwork and red tape to deal with, too, like applying for licences.(Mark Thompson) 

The Pupil News Team is ... Sebastian Ward ... Alex Embley ... Mark Thompson.  We are always looking for new news, so if anything interesting happens, do let us know.

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