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Engineering course a Resounding Success
Year 11 student William Parker, has been learning how Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects can open the door to a wide variety of career options. The four-day residential course was organised by The Smallpiece Trust, in partnership with Lancaster University.
The course began with a Freshers' Fair, where the forty-seven students aged 16 and 17, selected the courses they wanted to study and joined one of three Lancaster University Colleges. The students then spent four days taking part in a combination of presentations, workshops and practical ‘design and make’ projects.
During the week students looked at a variety of issues in Biological Science, Computing, Engineering, Maths, Physics and Psychology, focusing on solving the ‘problems of tomorrow’ from solar flare weather warnings to crop protection and the safe de-commissioning of nuclear waste sites. Each project was designed to challenge the students academically and to build on their team building, communication, time management and problem solving skills. Students produced academic posters and presented their findings to academics and VIP guests at a drinks reception on the final evening.
As well as working on the design, build and test elements of the projects, the students developed life skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving, time management, finance and presentation. During the social programme students had the opportunity to win points for their chosen college and took part in a film night, pub quiz and sports competition. The week culminated in a formal dinner and disco where students and supporting organisations had the opportunity to socialise and share their experiences of the week.
Fred Binley, Head of UK Student Recruitment & Outreach said ‘Welcoming 50 university students of the future on to our campus has been a great start to the summer here at Lancaster. We’ve really enjoyed working with The Smallpiece Trust to make this event happen and I hope the young people have a feeling for what it’s like to live, work and study at a top ten university.’
Spokesperson for The Smallpiece Trust, Gemma Murphy added, “We are delighted that this course is sponsored by Lancaster University. This jam-packed programme of activities has given the students a taste of university life and a genuine insight into the real-life challenges faced by engineers in a variety of different sectors.”
The STEM Experience course is run by The Smallpiece Trust, in partnership with Lancaster University, and is part of an ongoing programme of residential courses to help young people aged 13 to 18 learn and develop skills in engineering, design, technology and manufacturing. Through running residential courses and STEM enrichment days, The Trust has reached out to 17,677 students across the UK in the past year.
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Fundraising for Rossall World Challenge 2012
As some of you may know, a small group of 6 at Rossall School are embarking on a one month expedition to Mexico and Belize with World Challenge in July 2012. The expedition is split into 4 main features: Acclimatisation, Main Trek, Project, Rest & Relaxation.
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For the expedition, we will be trekking up 3500m mountains through the rainforest seeing the ancient Mayan ruins and other astonishing sites along the way, getting a taste of the culture and history. The expedition will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and will build skills in many areas including leadership, teamwork and independence. The entire trip is decided by the challengers, and only the challengers: every little detail such as budget, travel, accommodation is managed by the team.
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The expedition is expensive and as individuals we have to raise a large amount of money to pay for the expedition. We have come up with many different ideas and ways to raise the money needed.
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The community project side of the expedition is what I would like to talk to you about. We do not find out what our project will be until summer next year, but here are a few examples of the possible projects we will be doing; building schools, renovating orphanages, teaching English etc etc. and you can be a part of it and help!
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I have made a 'Spend and Raise' webshop, the link is below. Now I know how many people do online shopping, and as it is in the run up to Christmas, people will be doing it more and more. All you simply need to do is go to the 'Spend and Raise' webshop, which has links to 1000's of online retailers, and choose the retailer you want to shop at (ranging from electricals, to concert tickets, to high street clothes stores, to travel.. absolutely anything!) and whatever you subsequently buy on that website, a commission of up to 12% goes towards our cause.
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It is of no cost to you, you can simply 'shop til you drop' and at the same time, raising money for Rossall World Challenge! All the money raised from this webshop will be going towards the community projects we do, so you can help improve the lives of the locals in Belize!
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I hope that you will join our cause, your help will be gratefully recieved. The more people we can get to do this, the more money we can spend on community projects. Please spread the word!
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You can find our webshop at http://www.spendandraise.com/rossallworldchallenge/.
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Happy shopping and thank you for your support!
Jonathan Chard
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Rossall teacher and Fives coach Tom Root, proudly displays the national trophies watched by the school’s ‘fantastic fives’ champions, left to right: Luke Williams, Christopher Metcalfe and Jack Morrison.
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Success in the Palm of their Hands
World heavyweight boxing champion, David Haye may have made a decent fist of his assault on the world title by beating Russian giant, Nikolai Valuev, but nearer to home several pupils at one of the region’s leading independent schools have also had a hand in a major sporting triumph that sees a national title coming to the North West for the first time.
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Thankfully there wasn’t a broken hand in sight as pupils from Rossall rose to the top of the pile in the National Fives Championships, taking the Open Competition title and also winning the U-15 trophy, with impressive victories over some of the most competitive schools in the one of the country’s oldest sports.
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Over 100 schools entered this year’s event and in the Open competition, the Rossall pairing of Christopher Metcalfe, 17, and Luke Williams, 14, went through all stages unbeaten, winning their group and dropping only five points before a quarter final victory against Oundle School 1, followed by a comfortable win against St Olave’s 3 of London in the semis. In the final, Metcalfe and Williams met last year’s champions, St Olave’s 1, running out 15-7 winners, following some excellent points-winning shots from both boys. Their victory sees the trophy coming to Rossall for the first time in the school’s history.
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In the U-15 national competition, Luke Williams featured again, this time paired with partner, Jack Morrison, 15. Their final opponents were St Olave’s U-15 first team who made a tight match of it before some neat, cross-court shots from Williams enabled Rossall to claim a 15-11 victory and a second piece of silverware.
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In a busy competition for Williams, he also reached the final of the national U-15 singles, losing narrowly to first seed, Weston, of Wolverhampton Grammar School, 15-13. Metcalfe also came close in the Open singles, falling 15-12 at the semi final stage to eventual winner, Hewlett of St Olave’s.
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In the U-13 age category, Rossall’s Tom Morrison and Harry Andrews, both 12, reached the final of the plate competition, showing a promising future for the ancient sport of Fives on the Fylde Coast.
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School Fives coach; Tom Root believes that Rossall’s emergence as a national force is down to the enhanced facilities at the School, where eight fully covered courts have been refurbished, giving the school the largest facility of its kind in Britain.
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Says Root: “Fives is a fantastic sport, which for the uninitiated is similar to squash, with shots being played with the hand rather than with racquets. Along with its close companion, Handball, it’s becoming increasingly popular amongst school children in both independent and state schools, so much so that we plan to run coaching courses here at school.”
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Rossall Fives, which is an amalgam of Eton and Winchester Fives, has been played at the school since Victorian times and is a great spectator sport as well as fiercely competitive and demanding. Now, with more doubles and singles players donning the special padded gloves and taking to the school’s refurbished courts it is conceivable that the Rossall will be a regular challenger for the national title.
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Added Root: “To win in one national age group is good, but to win in two and have finalists in the singles and junior pairs this year is testament to the potential here at Rossall for years to come. Our next goal will be the world championships, which will be an even bigger test for our boys, but one they’ll relish, as nothing seems to faze them, which is why we’ve won our first titles so convincingly. Our progression is great for the school and I hope it will help to inspire more children from across Wyre and Fylde to consider playing Fives.”
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