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SUCCESS IN NETBALL TOURNAMENT FOR RGS WORCESTER

March 15, 2007 on 3:57 pm | In 2009/2010-SPORT, Worcestershire

RGS 07 netball web.pngThe RGS Worcester Under 12A netball team continued their unbeaten run by winning the City Schools’ Netball Tournament yesterday (Monday 12th March) at Blessed Edward Catholic High School.

In the preliminary stages the RGS team beat Elgar College of Technology and The Alice Ottley School before drawing with King’s School to go forward to the semi-final. Here, in a well played match, they beat St. Mary’s Convent by 6 goals to 2. RGS met King’s again in the final and took an early lead, maintaining their advantage throughout a tense but exciting match to win by 4 goals to 3.

“It is impossible to single out one person as Player of the Match” said coach Mrs Fran Wootten. “All the girls played extremely well and I think that is why they won – everyone played as a team and it really showed.”

In addition to the above schools Nunnery Wood HS, Christopher Whitehead HS, Bishop Perone HS and The Chantry HS all competed.

photo:left to right front: Coach Fran Wootten, Antonia Burt, Jodie Palmer, Holly Wootten, Chloe Marshall-Walker (back) Fran Short, Ysabel Steggles, Alexandra Subert, Lucy Emms

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Continued 11+ success for Blue Coat School

March 14, 2007 on 4:24 pm | In West Midlands

Youngsters at a Birmingham primary school have had plenty to celebrate following their successes in this year’s 11+ examinations.

In some of the region’s most competitive examinations 33 children gained places at the city’s maintained grammar schools, representing 66% of their year group.

A further 30 places including 3 scholarships were awarded by King Edward’s School and King Edward VI High School for Girls – two of the country’s leading independent schools – whilst Edgbaston High School offered places and a scholarship to all 12 of Blue Coat’s pupils.

Top performer James Kuo gained both an Academic and a Music Scholarship at King Edward’s School – a signal achievement following his recent success as the school’s youngest pupil to gain a Grade 8 with Distinction on the violin.

Located in Edgbaston the 500-strong preparatory school attributes much of its success to small class sizes, setting in English and Maths, and careful monitoring of each child’s progress. And the teaching of reasoning skills – so essential to 11+ success – forms an integral part of the school’s curriculum.

Headmaster Alan Browning explained: “Our favourable class sizes and setting policy enable us to give individual attention to each child’s needs in both of the core subjects. With a talented staff, supportive parents and a good number of able pupils, we’ve managed to produce another crop of good candidates in this year’s exams.”

Despite its success in the classroom, the school offers a broad extra-curricular programme of around 50 weekly activities, in which several children have achieved national recognition over the past two years.

Deputy Headmaster Richard Lynn commented: “Delighted as we should be by our 11+ successes, we concentrate on developing the whole child, both in and out of the classroom.”

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Andrew Auster appointed as founding Headmaster of Haileybury-Almaty

March 14, 2007 on 11:32 am | In Hertfordshire

Haileybury 07 Andrew Auster web.png
The current Headmaster of Orwell Park School in Suffolk, Mr Andrew Auster, has been appointed as the founding Headmaster of Haileybury-Almaty in Kazakhstan.

Haileybury UK, an independent, co-educational boarding school in Hertfordshire, announced the establishment of an offshoot in Kazakhstan in January in partnership with Capital Partners, the real-estate developers with an unusual, holistic approach towards development. Building will begin in May and the new school will open to 640 pupils in September 2008.

Recognising high demand for a British-affiliated educational establishment, Capital Partners is managing the development of a prestigious Haileybury-branded independent school in Almaty. The company’s long-term mission is to create new, sustainable communities worldwide, rather than simply real-estate. Education is a key focus given the crucial link between the presence of good schools and the economic and social prosperity of surrounding communities.

Stuart Westley, the Master of Haileybury, welcomed enthusiastically the appointment of Mr Auster as the first Head of Haileybury-Almaty.

“Andrew Auster has an established record of success in all the schools in which he has worked in both the independent and maintained sectors. Orwell Park School in Suffolk, where he has been the Head since 1994, has strengthened noticeably during his tenure. He is well known to lead from the front by example, he is a man of diverse, Catholic interests and has been a strong supporter of Haileybury during the last decade,” says Mr Westley.

Mr Auster was educated at Solihull School before going on to Durham University where he graduated with a BA Honours in Music, and then on to Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he received a Diploma of Education, with a distinction in Teaching Practice.

He began his teaching career as Director of Music at The King’s School, Gloucester, in 1973, moving on to become Head of Music at Portslade Community College in 1978. In 1982 he was appointed to the post of Director of Music at Shrewsbury School before becoming Headmaster of The Downs School, Malvern in 1989. He has been Headmaster of Orwell Park School since 1994.

Mr Auster is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an Honorary Fellow of the London College of Music.

He is married to Elizabeth, with whom he has three children.

Photo: Andrew Auster

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New Head appointed at Peterborough High School

March 9, 2007 on 2:15 pm | In Cambridgeshire

Peterborough High 07 Head web.pngMrs. Sarah Dixon, who has been Headmistress of Peterborough High School since 1999, will leave the school in July 2007 to take up the position of Headmistress at Northampton High School for Girls. Mr. Adrian Meadows, currently Director of Studies at Peterborough High, has been appointed as Mrs. Dixon’s successor and will take up his position as Headmaster from 1st September.
Mr. Meadows’ role as Director of Studies focused on successfully raising the academic achievement of the school and broadening the curriculum, working closely with staff and girls on more focused target setting. He is a member of the Senior Management Team and also taught Science.

He was educated at Skegness Grammar School, where he was Head Boy. He has an Upper Second Class B.Sc. Hons. Degree in Physics from Manchester University and studied for his PGCE at Hughes Hall, Cambridge. He started his teaching career at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, where he was a highly successful Head of Physics and Electronics as well as a residential boarding tutor, developing his enjoyment of the 24/7 ethos of a boarding school. He moved to Peterborough High School in September 2003 and lives in Peterborough with his wife, Caroline and two year old son, Ben.

Chair of Governors, Lynne Ayres, was delighted to announce the appointment to staff and parents: “Whilst we will be very sorry to lose Sarah Dixon, the governors and I have every confidence that Adrian Meadows will take the school from strength to strength in the future. He came through a rigorous selection process and competed against a very strong field of candidates. It became clear as the process developed that Adrian was the outstanding candidate in every area and the governors unanimously endorsed his selection. Sarah and Adrian are looking forward to working closely over the coming months to ensure a smooth handover in the summer.”

Photo: Adrian Meadows, current Director of Studies, who will become Head in September 07, pictured with his wife, Caroline and son, Ben.

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PETERBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL girls win Oxbridge places

March 9, 2007 on 2:12 pm | In Cambridgeshire

Peterborough High 07 Oxbridge web.pngTwo pupils in Year 13 at Peterborough High School have been offered places on highly competitive courses at Oxford and Cambridge.

Head Girl, Nehaal Bajwa, will need three A’s at A Level to take up her place at Balliol College, Oxford to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics and Emily Craven requires the same grades to read Veterinary Medicine at New Hall College, Cambridge.

Both girls heard about their offers at the beginning of term after they had completed extensive applications and excelled during rigorous selection interviews conducted by admission tutors.

Nehaal and Emily are both studying four subjects at A Level and are now hoping that the hard work they are putting in during their final year at school will mean that the grade requirements are a formality.

Both girls are thrilled to be on their way to the top university courses in their chose fields. For Nehaal, “This course at Balliol was my first choice and I hope it gives me a good foundation for a career in politics”. Emily said “I have always been focused on becoming a vet and it’s wonderful to think that I’ll be amongst the best students and tutors. The pressure is now on to get the grades but going to Cambridge is the best possible incentive”.

Headmistress, Sarah Dixon, is thrilled that the girls have realised their ambitions in extremely competitive areas: “The girls will be going to the best universities in the world, so it is a magnificent achievement and I congratulate them and the University Application Team in school. It is very motivating for all our students to see this sort of success”.

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