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Kathryn Watson wins Evening Gazette Primary School Pupil of the Year Award 2011
Kathryn is Pupil of the Year 2011

Congratulations to Kathryn Watson who won the Primary School pupil of the year award 2011 which was awarded on Tuesday evening at the Gazette Education Awards in Blackpool. Kathryn is involved in a whole range of activities, representing the school in hockey, netball, swimming, cross country and a Lancashire County badminton player! She loves being part of a team and she is always positive and encouraging to her team-mates, playing with a smile on her face win or lose.

 

Her real passion is music, where she is ‘Band Captain’ and accomplished on the flute, piano, guitar and drums- a real ‘one girl band’! She is an inspiration to others, leading the way at school concerts or with the choir at various church performances in the area. She is a keen member of the CCF band (usually only for Secondary pupils) and has played at memorial services on Remembrance Day for the past two years.

 

Kathryn’s effort and achievement with her school work is outstanding. She shows fantastic initiative and recently her interest reading an article in the local paper on the decline in popularity of Cleveley’s High Street led to the class conducting a field trip to ask the public their thoughts on our local town, then letters and a visit to the Wyre Council, who loved our ideas and asked us to present our findings at ‘Wyred-Up’ to 150 businesses! Kathryn was the driving force behind the whole project and showed us all what can be achieved when you take action.  

 

But what really makes Kathryn a worthy winner is the charity work she undertakes and the kindness she shows towards others.

 

This year Kathryn has taken part in the Wyre Light Walk, Illumathon and helped lead school fund raising initiatives such as school cake sales and ‘Music Marathon’ to raise money for Brian House, Trinity Hospice and The Lifeboat Association. 

 

Each Friday Kathryn helps with ‘Cheetahs’ sports club, where she takes part in events with wheelchair bound children.

 

Kathryn is such a caring individual and more than deserves this award! Well done!

Rossall Head Dr Stephen Winkley wins Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Winkley accepting his prize

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To see a video of this year's event please click here...

Lifetime Achievement Award For Rossall Headmaster

Great news for Rossall is that Headmaster, Dr Stephen Winkley has received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to education, in the prestigious Independent School Awards 2011.

 

A former chairman of the Boarding Schools’ Association and one of the most colourful characters in the Independent sector, Dr Winkley is a career educationalist with over 40 years experience, gained at some of the country’s leading public schools. 

 

Award judges described Stephen Winkley’s 40-year contribution to the sector as: “impressive, inspiring and extremely worthy.” And, despite the category being particularly closely contested, the judges were unanimous in their choice.

 

Lured out of retirement, Dr Winkley took the helm here at Rossall School in 2008. In three years he has overseen a major investment programme on campus and been responsible for attracting record numbers pupils from the UK and over 30 countries worldwide. He also steered the school to its first ever pole position in the Lancashire league tables in 2010. In the 1990’s he had a leading role in the Boarding Education Alliance, the organization created to help arrest the decline in UK boarding school numbers, which was also widely recognized as pivotal in helping to change public perceptions of independent education.

 

Throughout his career Dr Winkley has been an outspoken critic of what he describes as: “a ‘one size fits all” national education policy and has been vocal in his support for the return of Grammar Schools, together with calling for the abolition of the target driven culture that has transformed how some schools view the delivery of education to children across the age spectrum.

 

Receiving the award from sponsor, Zurich, Dr Winkley commented: “One always worries that a lifetime achievement award is presented at the end of one’s career, or more worryingly, one’s life! However, I’m delighted that some people think I’ve made a contribution to education over the years. It’s not why I or others got into education, but to receive such recognition is rewarding, especially as I believe there are so many people in education in Britain who are equally long-serving and deserving of praise.”

 

Deputy Head, Anton Maree said: “We’re delighted that Stephen’s work has been recognized, and the award reflects his remarkable contribution to education over the years, including his considerable achievements at Rossall in such a short space of time. I’m sure all staff, pupils and parents will join me in congratulating him for achievement of this honour.”    

Schools Bank of England Target 2 Competition

TARGET 2 North-West Competition on Tuesday 29th November 2011

In these economically changing times many of us think that we could advise the Government and Bank of England on running the UK Economy. Four students from our Economics Department had just that chance. They participated in the North-West heat of the inter schools Bank of England Target 2 competition.

 

After three months of careful preparation the team of economists presented their ideas for taking the UK economy forward in front of a panel of Bank of England specialists. This all took place on a full day of competition at Lancaster House conference centre, Lancaster University. There were seven participating schools each given the opportunity to present their ideas using power point prompts, but then were required to undergo rigorous questioning from the panel of experts.

 

Our team of Liz Nguyen, Anh Phung, Dolapo Onosanyo and Linh Viet were the last team of the day to present yet they gave a fine and confident performance. Their argument was for maintaining price stability and refraining from further Quantitative Easing in the UK. They expressed their ideas coherently and positively showing the panel their knowledge and skills but above all their enthusiasm. Each member of the team fielded the questions admirably, making no mistakes and impressing the panel with their sharp responses and teamwork.

 

Although, the Rossall team did not make it through to the final, narrowly missing out to Stonyhurst College, they were commended for all their hard work and encouraged to compete again. Linh Viet is already planning his team for next year.

Rossall PE dept join in the spirit of the Movember charity event

Movember

Rossall School’s PE department has witnessed some hairy moments in the last month, as teachers entered into the spirit of Movember activity. 

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However, with £300 raised, a close shave beckoned for the School’s top tache wearers.  First in the chair was sports teacher, Nick James, who had his facial fuzz shaved by sixth form student, James Wilson, 18, of Fleetwood, much to the delight of fellow moustache growers, (from 2nd left) director of sport, Mike Park; head of academic PE, Ian Cameron and Sports Teacher, Mike Kelly.

Andy Mitchell with Dolphin winners

Andy Mitchell from Radio Wave with Ella Baxter and Jessica Boyd from winning house "Dolphin"

Sing sing sing
That’s it for another year. The choosing of the songs, the frantic rehearsals including complex choreography, the anxious wait, the pre-competition house rivalry….all the hard work that goes into the annual House Singing competition is over… for now.
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On Tuesday 18th October pupils alighted eight double-decker buses and travelled to the magnificent Grand Theatre in Blackpool for the annual House Singing Competition.
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This year it was decided to open up the competition to a wider audience and we were delighted to welcome 200 parents to experience it with us. Dragon House must be congratulated on starting off the concert with a fabulous rendition of Bruno Mars – The Lazy Song. This started off the other houses with:
·         Maltese Cross – Year 3000 (Busted)
·         Wren – That don’t impress me much (Shania Twain)
·         Lugard – Kids (Take That) with a special appearance from two children from Junior School
·         Spread Eagle – Don’t stop believing (Glee)
·         Puffin – Glad you came (The Wanted)
·         Mitre Fleur de Lys – You don’t know you’re beautiful (One Direction)
·         Dolphin – Bring it all back (S Club 7)
·         Pelican – Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond)
·         Rose – Forget You (Cee Lo Green)
Most impressive was the fact that the pupils chose the song themselves, choreographed the moves and rehearsed on their own. Each member of each house joined in and shouts of encouragement for other houses created a wonderful uniting of the whole school.
During a fraught adjudication process, the biggest cheer of the afternoon was for the Junior School who delighted us with the Mickey Mouse Song and “It’s Time For”. Dr Keeling and Andy Mitchell decided that the worthy winners were Dolphin followed closely by Spread Eagle in second place, Wren in third, MC in fourth and Rose in fifth.
Prizes given were: Lucinda Ross Dolphin – Unison; Taylor Brand Spread Eagle – part song and Mark Williams – solo song. 
See our Facebook page for videos!
Hockey News!

U16s have qualified for the National Indoor Hockey Finals too!
Key victories include a 7-4 win against QEGS Wakefield and a 4-1 victory against Yarm. 

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They join the U18s in the National Finals confirming Rossall as one of the best schools in the country for Hockey and the only school in the North of England to have two teams in the National Finals.

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Goal scorers against QEGS:
Henry Hartmann - 5 goals, Sam Braidford - 1 goal, Dylan Jordan - 1 goal

Goal scorers against Yarm
Henry Hartmann - 1 goal, Dylan Jordan - 1 goal, Josh Williams - 1 goal, Stephen Kane - 1 goal.

Megan wins the Rose Bowl at Fleetwood Music and Arts Festival

Megan with The Rose Bowl Trophy  

Megan’s got talent!

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Rossall pupil Megan McGailey competed in this year’s annual Fleetwood Music and Arts Festival and managed to scoop the overall winning prize, “The Rose Bowl” trophy!

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Having won the judges hearts singing five different pieces, she won two first prizes and one second. Since her first singing experience three years ago, Megan is now an integral part of the school Chapel Choir and also enjoys polishing her skills in singing lessons with Miss Littlefair at school. 

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Looking ahead Megan would love to move into a singing as a profession, singing her preferred type of music – classical and musical theatre. Congratulations Megan!

Visitors to Open Day admire the new aquarium in Biology

To view more images please click here..

Record numbers at Open Day!

This year’s Open Day on Saturday 1st October was the busiest ever! Over 70 families visited us on a beautifully sunny day and enjoyed the displays and activities on show.
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From pets in Biology to learning how to fly in  the IT suite, rugby on the fields and hockey on the Astro, there was plenty going on and it was all deliciously rounded off with a splendid buffet in our newly refurbished Dining Hall.
 
Activities Fair Sept 2011

Student Activities Fair

On Monday 5th September our students were invited to attend our Activities Fair in Big School where they were told about the fantastic range of extra-curricular activities that have been arranged this term.

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As you can see from the picture, the fair was really busy as everyone was keen to sign up for their favourite activities!

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Rossall students have to choose four activities per week, and can do more if they wish!

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This term's list includes:

Sports

  • Debating
  • Drama
  • Languages
  • Chess and Bridge
  • Horseriding
  • and even Cryptography!

For a full list of activities on offer, please click here.....

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Rossall 1st X! plays world famous Lashings X! at Rossall School

To view the gallery of this amazing day please click here..

Lashings

During the Summer Rossall hosted one of the biggest cricket matches:  our 1st XI met world famous team Lashings XI, made up of professional cricketers including the likes of Devon Malcolm, Inzamam Ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq and Lou Vincent to name but a few.

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The Rossall boys gave the professionals a tough challenge, splendid bowling from Luke Williams saw them lose a wicket early but as we finished on 165 we couldn’t quite beat them.

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Congratulations to Luke Williams who achieved 75 runs not out.

Mrs Pryor, Rossall's Director of Studies, runs in the Great North Run

Director of Studies runs for Cancer Research

Director of Studies Mrs Pryor found time in her busy schedule this term to run the Great North Run 2011 on Sunday 18th September.

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Over 50,000 people ran this year and Mrs Pryor managed to finish in 5275th place and was the 582nd woman to finish.

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Congratulations Mrs Pryor!

Guy Emmett catches Freddie Flintoff out! 

Emmett catches Andrew Flintoff out

Teacher Mr Emmett caught out Andrew Flintoff and bowled David Lloyd!

Rossall teacher Guy Emmett lived the dream by playing in a Twenty/20 match at Grappenhall Cricket Club, Cheshire against legends such as Andrew Flintoff and David Lloyd last week.

Almost 2,000 spectators packed the Cheshire ground to watch the international stars of the past take on a Grappenhall Select XI to mark the club’s 130th anniversary.

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The sold-out event raised more than £10,000 for the Andrew Flintoff Foundation and the Candice Roberts Foundation.

There were some memorable moments for the Grappenhall players as they lost to an England XI consisting of Andrew Flintoff, Michael Atherton, David Lloyd, Michael Vaughan, Dean Headley, John Crawley, Graeme Hick, Warren Hegg, Philip DeFreitas and Gladstone Small, despite having bowling legends Wasim Akram and Muttiah Muralitharan on board, as well as former England star and Grappenhall veteran Neil Fairbrother.

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Rossall’s fast-bowler Guy Emmett had particular reason to be pleased with his day’s work, bowling Lloyd for 37 before catching Flintoff on the boundary to huge cheers from the home support.

Mr Emmett said: “It was a dream come true to play against these legends of world cricket. Of course, this day was a similar model to the Lashings Cricket held here in June earlier this year but despite meeting world legends then, I was still a little star-struck.

“Freddie certainly hit the ball hard at me. My nerves were jangling a little but it was nice to hold on to it and it was an absolute pleasure to catch him out.

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“To play against players like these and be able to sneak a ball through against Lloyd was superb and it is the most enjoyable game of cricket I’ve ever played.

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“It was great to play against some of my heroes. I grew up watching people like Michael Atherton.

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“This is also a dream come true for the club because it raised money, profile and hopefully it will inspire a few young players to come down to the club and join up as well.”

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Guy Emmett bowls out David Lloyd

Rossall teacher bowls David “Bumble” Lloyd

  Rossall Pupils Jonathan Chard, Amy Walker, Amberlee Maree, Savannah Burney and Josh Eastham

There's a bright outlook and blue skies ahead for Rossall GCSE pupils: (left to right): Jonathan Chard, Amy Walker, Amberly Maree, Savannah Burney and Josh Eastham

Rossall maintains excellent GCSE performance!

We have increased our overall percentage for GCSE passes this year to a near perfect 99.5% for A*-G grades and also recorded a rise in A* grade passes over the 2010 figure.

88.7% of pupils achieved 5 passes A*-C grades this year, including English and Maths and 88.1% of pupils gained A*-C grades in all subjects. The A*-A grade percentage remained consistent with 42.4% of pupils achieving passes in the two highest grades. In addition A* and A passes in core subjects of Maths and English remained strong.

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Commenting on the performance, director of studies, Gillian Pryor said: “Our students performed well this year, some beyond their expectations; therefore we’re very pleased with the results.

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“Despite popular myth, GCSE’s are not getting easier to pass, and when one considers the amount of extra-curricular activity undertaken alongside their studies by our pupils, their achievements are even more remarkable. This year’s work will prepare them well for A-levels or International Baccalaureate in our Sixth Form next year. And, I expect all of them to maintain their excellent performances.”

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The results provided a sunny outlook for many pupils, not least the local youngsters achieving 11 passes at A*-C grade. Among those 16-year-olds hitting the high grades were boarder, Savannah Burney who impressed with five A* and six A’s; Amy Walker with four A* and five A passes, Jonathan Chard who gained four A* and six A’s; Josh Eastham with one A* and eight A’s and Amberly Maree with one A* and four A’s.

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Savannah was overwhelmed by her grades. She commented: “I wasn’t expecting so many A* grades, but I’m really pleased. I’ll go into my A-levels with more confidence now, and my dream of becoming a Vet is a little nearer, although right now I’m just thinking about tonight’s celebration with my family, before the hard work starts over again in September. Also looking for more sunny days ahead is Jonathan Chard, whose ‘A-Team’ performance of ten A* and A’s out of ten exams will see him going into Rossall Sixth Form with one eye firmly on a university place and a law degree. He commented: I know I’ve exceeded my expectations, and I’ve surprised myself a little, because despite what some people say, the GCSE exams are tough, and studying on a boarding school campus means that there’s always loads of activity going on, which could be a distraction, but for me it adds to the buzz of the place and makes you want to do more.”

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Amy Walker is doubly delighted with her A* and A’s as she’s hoping they’ll turn her into a ‘CSI’! She said: “I want to study forensic science so my passes in Maths and Sciences were important. I did really well and I’m hoping to repeat the performance in A-levels. I’ve also pipped my older brother Scott in the GCSE performance stakes by a whisker. He’s studying for his A-levels here, so I’m hoping for some pointers next year...if he’s still speaking to me.”

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The results for Rossall School are:

 

Twelve Passes: D Liu, D Seow, S Wu.

  

Eleven Passes: M Au-Yeung, G Briscoe, S Burney, K Choong, J Eastham, L Hahn, T Howard, E Huang, D Nguyen, W Parker, E Schofield, A Small, F Standring, L Williams.

  

Ten Passes: C Andrews, C Atkinson, M Bate, L Chan, J Chard, C Chia, N Choong, C England, F Forster, H Fryer, J Guthrie, A Hahn, S Ho, J Lau, D Leung, A Maree, C McGailey, J Morrison, R Rimmer, A Rothwell, O Sandwell, O Sullivan, A Thompson, L Tran, A Travis, A Walker.

 

Nine Passes: J Hughes, E Jackson, L Mcllhargey, A Smith, L Weir.

  

Eight Passes: J Farmer, H Southern, A Wei.

  

Seven Passes: T Dean, G Hayton, J Landmann, C Ronson, H Talbot, M Thompson.

Rossall students celebrate A-level success

Sunny outlook for Rossall A-level students (from front):
Swie Joo Liem of Thornton;
Toby Holder-Williams of Rossall; Alice Jackson of Blackpool and Jake Gartside of Poulton

A* Increases for Rossall School 

More students achieved the A* and A grades in this year’s A-levels at Rossalll. Overall, the school has recorded 92% of students achieving A*-E grades; one percent down on last year’s performance. However, the plus side is an increase in the number of students attaining the highest A* grade, which has risen from 7% to 10%.

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Also on the increase is the number of students achieving A*-A grades. The number has risen from 28% in 2010 to 36% this year, and is viewed as an excellent achievement for a non-selective school, which in stark contrast to many state and independents, encourages students of all abilities to sit the exams of their choice, without cherry-picking students to take only those subjects in which they have a stronger than average chance of success.

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Boarding pupil, Cherry Zhu, was a star performer this year, recording 5 A* passes in Maths, Further Maths, Economics, Physics and Chinese. And, her excellent results have earned the Chinese born student a place at the London School of Economics. For a number of local pupils the future is equally bright, with many attaining A* and A passes in core subjects to earn them some of the scarce university places available to students in the UK.

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One of the top performers was Swie Joo Liem, 18, of Thornton, who achieved 3 A’s in English, Maths and Music, plus a B grade in Philosophy, which she hopes to study at Edinburgh. Her case was cemented further this morning when she learned that she’s also attained a D3 grade Pre-U in Philosophy, which is valued equivalent to an A* pass at A-level.

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Swie Joo, who has attended Rossall for 15 years, is thrilled at the prospect of university. She commented: “I’m not taking a gap year, and that’s not because I’m worried about tuition fee increases, but because I can’t wait to get started on my Philosophy degree. I’m going to be sorry to leave Rossall though because I’ve been here most of my life, so tonight’s celebrations with my friends at school will be tinged with a little sadness.”

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Rounding off her year as girls’ school captain, Alice Jackson, 18, of Blackpool, gained an A in RS, and 2 B grades in Geography and PE, which are enough to get her into Leeds Metropolitan University where she’ll study for a PE degree, prior to a career in teaching. Another long-term student of Rossall, Alice joined the school 11 years ago. She’s a sports fanatic and plays centre half for Blackpool Ladies football team. And, to use a well-worn football cliché, Alice is “over the moon” with her results.

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An A*, A and B in Art, English and History will set, Toby Holder-Williams, 18, of Rossall on the road to Lancaster University and a degree in History, before embarking on a career in the British military. Toby, who is the son of Rossall’s art teacher, Sarah Holder-Williams, is the last of three brothers to graduate from Rossall sixth form and admits to a little sibling rivalry when comes to Art. He commented:  “My older brothers, Charles and Guy, both studied here and we had a bet to see who could get the best grade in Art, because mum teaches it. I’ve just won with an A*, so I’ll be calling in the bet when I phone them both later today, which should pay for my night celebrating the results with all my friends from Rossall.”

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A student with designs on a creative career is Jake Gartside, 18, of Poulton, who proved that you can still achieve your dream without A grades. The student, who joined Rossall 12 years ago, knew the grades needed to get his first choice university place at Huddersfield, where he’ll study product design. However, his 3 ‘B’s and one C grade have left him “speechless.”  

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Commenting on this year’s A-level results, Rossall School’s Director of Studies, Gillian Pryor said: “We are delighted to have recorded significant increases in the numbers of students achieving A* and A grades and this is testament to some hard work from our A-Level students. And, although at 92%, we are fractionally down on last year’s A-E figure, we are still pleased with the sterling efforts of staff and students, many of whom have achieved excellent results whilst managing to balance study with a full programme of extra-curricular activity, so this is particularly gratifying.

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“It is also interesting, but not unexpected to note that students this year are, in the main, opting to go straight to university, rather than take a gap year, which points to some concerns on their part to avoid the increases in tuition fees proposed for 2012.” 

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The full results are:

ROSSALL SCHOOL A-LEVELS 2011

Five passes

C Zhu

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Four passes

V Avagyan, M Chen, B Lau, S Liem, A Nguyen, S Sloane.

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Three passes

C Baxter, C Chen, N Do, M Duongova, E Feng, S Fraser, J Gartside, T Holder-Williams, J Huynh, A Jackson, S Jones, E Kelley, N Lau, H Le, T Lester, K Leung, A Lewis, I Li, S Markbride, J McIntyre, C Metcalfe, M Nguyen, L Nguyenova, A Pham, H Rimmer, S Roschinger, J Schofield, E Taylor, H Tran, M Tranova, K Tung, I Vo Le, C Vu, Z Vu Hoang, J Whiting, J Worsley, T Wu, V Xu, T N Zielinsky.

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Two passes

M Giangova, J Hough, C Nguyen, N Nguyen, A Parfenova, S Rao.

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One Pass

J Strottmann, P Purva

Claire Brodka achieves highest score in IB results

Rossall School’s International Baccalaureate (IB) results best on the Fylde

Rossall School is delighted to announce that 14 of its sixth-form students have passed the demanding International Baccalaureate exams. Hard working student Claire Brodka achieved the schools highest score of 39 out of 45.

 

The international Baccalaureate is a unique educational qualification that is gaining widespread popularity and acclaim.  Instead of a narrow specialisation it embodies a broader approach where pupils experience a wide range of different subjects. Six subjects are studied including English, mathematics, a science, language, arts and a humanities subject. These subjects are bound together by a theory of knowledge course which encourages critical thinking. Pupils also conduct a research project which leads to an extended essay and complete a Creativity, Action and Service programme which involves engaging in worthwhile community based activities.

 

A recent study by the Higher Education Statistics Agency showed that a higher percentage of students with the International Baccalaureate Diploma achieved a first class honours degree at university than those with ‘A’ level qualifications. IB Diploma students are also more likely to be enrolled at one of the UK’s top 20 Higher education institutions and achieve higher salary levels.

 

Claire Brodka summed up her experience ‘the IB was definitely the right choice for me as it made it possible to gain an education that covered the multiple areas of interest to me. The additional challenges such as the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge elements are in my opinion invaluable as a preparation for university. Starting university having already written a 4000 word essay makes it much easier to cope with the demands of further education. I would definitely recommend this course’.

Rossall Prize Day Students with Headmaster, Stephen Winkley

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ROSSALL SCHOOL
PRIZE DAY AND GRADUATION
Saturday 28 May 2011

To download the Prize Day Booklet containing the Ceremony Protocol and a full list of prizewinners, please click here.

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To view a gallery of images of Prize Day please click here......

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Lauren Stephens dances a piece from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Blackpool Winter Gardens

Sweet Treat

Year 8 pupil Lauren Stephens danced the night away performing a piece from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to a wide audience at the famous Blackpool Winter Gardens.

Having danced for 5 years, Lauren was delighted to be a part of “The HITS” show, performed by her dance school, Starlight Stage School in Thornton.

Following a successful audition and countless rehearsals Lauren thoroughly enjoyed performing the show and looks forward to her next one.

Thomas Senior juggling at the opening of Nickelodean Land at Blackpool Pleasure Beach

On the Ball

Talented Rossall pupil Thomas Senior (year 10) was invited to perform at the formal opening of Nickelodean Land at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, a new 6-acre area of the popular seaside venue.

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The invitation followed Thomas' success in the recent Young British Juggler of the Year in Nottingham where he came second in the whole country!

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Juggling has been Thomas' passion since the age of six and last year he decided to take up bounce juggling. His performance wowed the audience and resulted in a fantastic achievement. 

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Thomas practises daily and is already planning a career in circus entertainment.

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Well done Thomas!

Jordan is chosen to represent England at chess

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Jordan Lewis at the Blackpool Chess Congress

Jordan has all the Right Moves

 

He might be a ‘rookie’, but Jordan Lewis has proved that he has all the right moves when it comes to the competitive world of chess, so much so that he’s been selected to represent England at the tender age of eleven.

 

The chess prodigy and year seven pupil of Rossall School, Fleetwood, is likely to achieve success across the board, if his early years in chess are anything to go by .They’ve seen him earn a rating to put him right on course to become a chess grand master in the future and highlighted him as one of the world’s brightest under-15 prospects in the game.

 

The Cleveleys youngster has already represented England in competition in Belgium, and has been invited to join the national team to play against Georgia, in the former Soviet Republic later this year. His tactical nous has already been seen in the British Championships, where, in the final, he lost narrowly to an older and more experienced opponent, but boosted his reputation, which continues to grow with every competition.

 

Jordan was taught to play chess at the age of five, by father, Gareth. He enjoyed it so much and showed such promise that, lessons at a local chess club followed. These were so successful that Jordan eventually started to beat his tutor on a regular basis, so a new chess coach had to be been found to help him develop to the next level. This should help him improve on the rating he currently holds, which is 132, and ensure he climbs the ratings to one day hit the 230 mark that will herald his arrival as a chess grand master.

 

Although already an excellent all round pupil, Jordan’s love of chess has helped immensely in his school work and the youngster has praised the game for improving his concentration. Says Jordan: “Chess is great because it helps with school work and helps with decision-making. It also helps me to concentrate more in class, which means I learn more. One day I hope to be a chess grand master and do it for a living, which would be brilliant.”

 

Head of juniors, Katie Lee, believes Jordan has what it takes to achieve his ambitions, despite his age. She commented: “We always like to nurture talented pupils, although I’m not sure we can help Jordan improve his chess skills too much, as he’s already as good as many of the older pupils in senior school, but we are delighted to see him progressing at such a pace in a pursuit where discipline and concentration are such vital components. However, we can continue to encourage him in other areas of school life, where he’s also proving to be something of a model pupil.”

 

The next move for the local youngster, en route to becoming the Fylde’s equivalent of chess giants Garry Kasparov or Bobby Fischer, will be a short trip to compete in the Blackpool Chess Championships, taking place in the resort in April.   There, Jordan will be up against the best in the area, but will be hoping to keep his opponents in check, as he bids for the local title.  Travels further afield though could have to be put on ice for now, unless the 11-year-old can find a local company to help with modest sponsorship of his travel to compete in international events. 

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Companies interested in helping the Fylde’s brightest chess star achieve his dream can contact Rossall’s Head of Juniors, Katie Lee on 01253 774201.

MADD Night for Donna's Dream House.MADD Night for Donna's Dream House

MADD Night for Donna's Dream House.MADD Night for Donna's Dream House

MADD Night for Donna's Dream House - handing over the cheque for £2000

Click on the images above to see the larger picture

MADD Night at Rossall

Mitre & Fleur-de-Lys performed an evening of Music, Art, Drama and Dance to raise money for Donna’s Dream House in Blackpool.

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The show's venue, Big School, was full to capacity and the audience were treated to such greats as the Timewarp, There’s Nothing Like a Dame, Bad Guys (from Bugsy Malone) and the Blues Brothers.

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Students Toby Holder-Williams and Oliver Cross gave a hilarious rendition of ‘Fatal Beatings’ and Scott Sloane/Sam Butler were brilliant as The Two Ronnies ‘Squash Match’.

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The young Mark Williams wowed everyone present with his vocals and piano playing. Watch out for Mark in the future, he has great promise.

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Parents did not escape their moment on the stage and a particularly memorable performance was given by Simon Hockings, parent of two children at Rossall.

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The evening was a great success and £2,000 was raised for the Blackpool charity.

 
Rossall takes part in Wyre Heritage Weekend 2010

Heritage Open Weekend
Friday 9th September - Sunday 11th September

This weekend we welcomed over 400 visitors to Rossall for the Heritage Open Weekend 2011 which we took part in for the second year running.  Visitors enjoyed historic tours of the campus, a fascinating planetarium show with our resident astronomer Dr Nick Lister, as well as twilight ghost tours on which some people actually saw the famous “black monk” and the “white lady”.
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Everybody who visited had a great time, and were really pleased to have explored inside this “hidden gem” that they drive past every day. If you missed it, don’t worry, due to the success of this weekend we are hoping to take part in it every year so keep checking the website for future events.
Rossall CCF receives the Queen's Colours

Royal Award for Rossall CCF

On Tuesday 29th June Rossall CCF was delighted to accept a new banner to mark the anniversary of the 150th year of Rossall Combined Cadet Force from the Lord Lieutenant Shuttleworth. As Rossall CCF is the oldest in the country this was a very special occasion and spectators were moved at the chapel service that involved the blessing of the banner.

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We are one of only four schools in the country to be awarded a new banner. After the Chapel service the pupils lined the square to greet the parade lead by the outstanding CCF band, who were playing the tune to the Carmen, Floreat Rossallia.

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