Private School News

JAMES ACCEPTED ONTO NATIONAL TALENTED ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME – FOR SECOND YEAR RUNNING

Nottingham High School pupil and national relay orienteering champion, James Taylor, 18, has been accepted for the 2009/10 Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme, (TASS), for the second year running.
James is one of twenty one British orienteers to be awarded TASS this year – a Government funded programme that represents a unique partnership between sport and higher and further education institutions. The programme facilitates a service provision for talented athletes that are committed to combining their sport and education.
James will receive a comprehensive package of support including strength and conditioning physiotherapy, lifestyle support, screening and participation in a medical scheme as well as access to coaching, sport science, nutrition and psychology services.
“This is a fantastic achievement for James,” said Kevin Fear, headmaster at Nottingham High School. “He has also just returned from another training session with the Great Britain squad coaches as part of the World Class Programme where he excelled once again. We are very proud of him.”

TALENTED TRENT COLLEGE STUDENT AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLARSHIP

A talented Design and Technology student from Trent College in Long Eaton has received a prestigious scholarship for his outstanding work.
At an awards ceremony hosted in London by the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Adam Clarke was awarded an Arkwright Scholarship for Design and Technology.
The Arkwright Trust was founded in 1990 and supports young people during their A Levels by awarding £250 a year to assist with the purchase of materials and books. Scholars are selected following a rigorous selection process comprising an application, interview and Arkwright Aptitude Paper. During the interview, students presented their GCSE project work to a panel of interviewers and discussed their commitment to design, engineering and technology.
With almost 800 applications submitted for the Scholarship this year, and only 249 awarded, Adam certainly impressed the judges. He is studying A Levels in Design & Technology, Maths, Physics and Chemistry, and will carry his ‘Arkwright Scholar’ status with him into University.
The Scholarships are supported by individuals, companies and the Services, including Rolls Royce, BT and the RAF. Adam’s scholarship is sponsored by the ECA/MA Stothers Educational Trust and he was presented with his award by Iain MacDonald, Head of Education and Training at the Trust.
James Prince, Adam’s teacher, said: ‘We are delighted that Adam has been awarded this prestigious accolade. He has certainly worked hard to achieve it and wish him every success for his future studies.’

SUNDAY TIMES RANKS NOTTINGHAM HIGH JUNIOR SCHOOL AMONGST THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY

Nottingham High Junior School is the highest ranking independent boys’ junior school in the East Midlands according to the recently published Sunday Times top 250 Preparatory Schools league table.
Not only has the school been ranked 20th in the UK, up ten places on last year, but it is the 3rd highest ranking independent boys’ junior school in the country.
The table has been calculated using the aggregated scores of pupils achieving Level 5 in English, Maths and Science at Key Stage 2 in their Standard Assessment Tests (SATs)
“This is a fantastic achievement for the school,” said Andrew Earnshaw, headmaster at Nottingham High Junior School. “The result is testament to the hard work of both our staff and pupils. We now look to continuing our success this year and hopefully climbing even higher in the next league table.”
In addition, Nottingham High School was ranked 102nd in the top 425 independent secondary schools.

TWO DIVERSE AUTHORS IN TWO DAYS

Two celebrated authors, Mark Wagh and Beverley Naidoo, have recently visited Nottingham High School as part of its ‘Year of Reading’. This initiative is designed to engage with boys of all ages at the school, exploring reading habits, preferences, philosophies about reading and its importance.
Nottinghamshire County Cricketer, Mark Wagh was well received by boys from across the year groups when he joined them at lunch to discuss and share his thoughts on his book ‘Pavilion to Crease…and Back’.
Pupil, Luke Robinson said, “I enjoyed listening to Wagh’s account of the process of writing such an honest and frank book. Wagh spoke of his satisfaction in producing a piece of work that represents all of his cricketing knowledge and recommended the enjoyment of writing as well as reading.”
Beverley Naidoo’s novels draw on issues connected with Racism, Apartheid and Asylum-seeking in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and the United Kingdom; ultimately, she is eager to reveal the contexts of her work through a child’s perspective and their friendships.
In preparation for Dr Naidoo’s visit, all year nine boys read her Carnegie Medal Winning novel, ‘The Other Side of Truth’. The day consisted of a presentation in the morning and a writing workshop in the afternoon for year 9 and aimed to develop creative and personal writing skills which the boys will be able to utilise, not only this year, but also as they approach their GCSEs. Year 13 students also engaged in an informal talk and reading by Dr Naidoo, who then went on to chat with many boys, from across the school, during a busy book signing.
Beverely Naidoo proved herself to be as dynamic and interesting a speaker as her books are thrilling and varied; a huge number of boys were inspired to speak to her in person about her incredible life and books. Dr Naidoo warmly commended the boys on their creative output at the close of the workshop.
“We always try and build in author visits into the school year as part of the drive to promote reading, said Kevin Fear Headmaster at Nottingham High School. These two particular visits, part of our Year of Reading which was launched in September 2009, have been very well received. Similar exercises, planned for the coming months, are all aimed at challenging stereotypes linked to reading and about who might read what. We hope the year’s events will help equip the boys with the skills to proceed successfully in their academic careers and beyond.”

CHEMISTRY WEEK AT TRENT COLLEGE

Students from Trent College in Long Eaton have been taking part in food related activities as part of national Chemistry Week, stimulating their interest in science, and their taste buds!
Themed weeks are organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) every two years to promote a positive image of Chemistry. Talking about how Trent College have been involved this year, Head of Chemistry, Dr Carrie-Ann Wakerley, said: ‘Chemistry week is designed to promote the chemical sciences and show how much impact they have on our everyday lives. This year the theme is “food” so we have tried to relate the chemistry that the students are studying to food topics and have a lot of fun in the process.’
Trent College students from all age groups took part in a range of food related activities throughout the week. Year 8 Chemistry Club made gelatine air fresheners and extracted iron from cornflakes, Sixth Form students made plastic from potatoes, extracted limonene from oranges, and made ice cream with Year 5 pupils from Trent College’s Junior school, The Elms, all of whom thoroughly enjoyed tasting their finished product!
As well as conducting experiments of their own, students from the Year 9 were entertained by Graeme Jones, award winning Chemical Ecologist who is a senior lecturer at Keele University. Dr Jones’ passion for his subject emanated during his interactive and fragrant lecture ‘Sex, Flies and Smelly Sticky Tape’, where he talked to students about chemical attraction in the insect world, let them smell some potent ‘pheromones’ and encouraged them to dance like molecules!
A SENSE-ATIONAL photographic display from the Royal Society of Chemistry completed the information available to students about this fascinating subject.

NATIONAL SUCCESS FOR YOUNG NOTTINGHAM MUSICIANS

Success beckons for Nottingham High School pupil, Jake Hinson, age 14, as he prepares to battle it out in the final of the Nottingham Young Musician of the Year, a national competition being held at the Djanogly Recital Hall, Lakeside Arts Centre, University of Nottingham on Sunday 8 November.

Jake, who plays clarinet, secured his place in the final after winning the woodwind class in the competition. He then went on to win the semi final, beating over 115 of the most accomplished musicians of all ages from across the region in the process. Jake will be the only woodwind player competing in the final for the national title of Nottingham Musician of the Year.

“I am really looking forward to taking part in the final, said Jake. “I came third in the competition two years ago and I hope to do even better this year.”

In addition, fellow Nottingham High School pupil Matt Glendening, age 11, secured a place in the semi final in the same competition by winning the junior piano category.

“These are fantastic achievements for Jake and Matt – they are both excellent musicians,” said Kevin Fear, headmaster at Nottingham High School. “We are all very proud of them here at the school and I would like to take this opportunity to wish Jake the very best of luck for the final.”

The biannual competition is broken down into three age groups – junior, intermediate and senior, and its categories include, brass, woodwind, piano, voice and strings.

Matt is also to be awarded the Nellie Greenhill Memorial Prize by the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music after achieving the highest scoring distinction at grade seven piano taken in Nottingham in the last 12 months.

DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS IN HI TECH COMPETITION

Nottingham High School pupils Anthony Brown, 16, and Adam Robbins, 16,have both secured places at the final of the National Science and Engineering Competition following their wins in the Midlands regional final of the competition.

The competition is open to 11-18 year olds in the UK who have completed a project in any aspect of Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths.

Adam Robbins designed a fishometer – a device that fits in the lid of a fish tank to automatically control the temperature and lighting, and also feeds the fish. He said; “I have learnt an enormous amount through my work on this project in my design technology lessons and Young Engineers club. I hope to develop the idea further by allowing users to monitor their fish remotely over the internet.”

The second winning project, created by Anthony, was a wireless house key that is controlled by a special hand held remote.

“Many congratulations to Anthony and Adam, said Paul Gray, head of design technology at Nottingham High School. “I have been hugely impressed with their deep understanding of the latest high technology and innovative ideas. With their effort and enthusiasm each thoroughly deserves their place in the competition and we wish them luck.”
Nottingham High School’s entries will now be judged at the National Science and Engineering Competition which will take place at the Big Bang Science Fair in Manchester next March, where the boys will each be hoping to be crowned ‘UK Young Engineer of The Year.’

Nottingham High School will also be sending four more young technologists to the national final after it also won the prize for the best Young Engineers Club in the Midlands.

The competition is led by the British Science Association, an organisation supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Science.

TRENT COLLEGE STUDENTS VIEW GLOBAL WARMING IN GREENLAND

The issues surrounding global warming are an ever present feature in today’s news bulletins, with footage of how rising temperatures, melting sea ice and crumbling glaciers are dramatically changing the landscape of the northern hemisphere. A group of Year 12 students from Trent College in Long Eaton recently had the chance to experience these scenes for themselves, during a month long expedition to East Greenland.
When most sensible people were looking forward to a few weeks lying on a sunny beach after a hard term, 12 students, accompanied by three teachers, embarked on a 26 day arctic expedition to the Angmagssalik area of East Greenland. In a vast glaciated wilderness with rare opportunities for contact with other humans, the group completed their journey in three tiring and demanding phases, all the while carrying their climbing kit, food and essential equipment. With permanent daylight the group could explore the landscape to its full potential, undertaking 12 and 13 hour mountain ascents, rock climbing and gathering data for the research aspects of the expedition.
Reykjavik provided a colourful and vibrant stop on the return journey home, with a chance for the group to regain the weight lost over the previous month and re-acquaint themselves with civilisation and luxuries, such as flushing toilets! With mostly perfect blue skies days throughout, the photograph opportunities were fantastic, providing many lasting reminders of this challenging and awe inspiring journey.
Trent College’s Expedition leader Paul Saville said: ‘The expedition was a huge success, and it is testament to the courage and determination of the students that we achieved all our objectives. Being away for such a long period of time tests character and a team’s ability to work to their full potential. From a student’s perspective it was an amazing opportunity to spend time in a real and savage wilderness where the population could not be further removed from what they are used to.’

‘FANTASTICAL’ AUTHOR VISITS TRENT COLLEGE

Students from Trent College in Long Eaton were treated to a fantasy this week, with a visit from children’s author Sam Enthoven.
Sam writes books for 11-15 year olds, which he describes as ‘fantastical action thrillers’. His passion and energy for his work certainly made him an inspirational speaker for Years 7, 8 and 9 at Trent College, as well as Year 6 pupils from the College’s junior school, the Elms. Sam’s third book, ‘Crawlers’, is due for release in 2010, and students enjoyed hearing about how he became an author, the inspiration behind his ideas, as well as listening to readings of his action packed first book, ‘The Black Tattoo’. There was also a very long queue of students eager for Sam to sign their copies of his books!
Trent College is fortunate to have strong partnerships with a number of speakers from the literary world, including authors, playwrights and editors. The College is also committed to promoting the importance of a lifelong interest in reading, and as such plans are currently underway to expand the library facilities available to students.
Trent College’s old dining room will be transformed into a new library which will support teaching and learning in all its forms for everyone in the school community. Consequently, everyone who will be using the library; students, teaching and support staff, have been involved in the planning process. The new library will be in keeping with the traditions of the school, preserving the beauty and original features of the old dining room, whilst meeting the demands of a 21st Century student with the inclusion of the latest technologies. It is intended that the new library will be an imaginative and visually engaging space, which will facilitate a love of literature amongst those who study there.

TRENT COLLEGE SWIMMERS LEARN FROM THE BEST

A former Trent College student and International swimmer has returned to the College to share her skills with younger students.
Emma Bird, 18, left Trent College this summer after completing her A Level studies. She is now taking two years out of education to pursue her swimming career, before progressing to University. Emma has an illustrious track record; representing Great Britain at Junior, Youth and Senior Level, and she has been selected to swim for the GB Senior Team at the European Short Course Championships in Turkey this December. Her travels this year will also take her to Dubai to participate in a training camp, and to Holland with England Talent Development to prepare for the Commonwealth Trials in 2010.
Emma took time out from her training this week to return to Trent College in Long Eaton and impart her knowledge to Year 7 students. She encouraged the students with her top tips for perfecting her predominant stroke, the breast stroke, and was very impressed with what she saw!

NEW STATE OF THE ART SIXTH FORM CENTRE OFFICIALLY UNVEILED

Nottingham High School’s new state-of-the-art Sixth Form Centre and dining hall has been officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Sir Andrew Buchanan and School Captain, James Taylor.

Governors and staff as well as other VIP guests were invited to the event which included an opportunity to take a tour of the new building.

The £4.5m centre is located in the West Quad area at the heart of the school site and boasts spacious and modern facilities for both senior school and sixth form pupils.

A 400 capacity dining hall for the senior school including new kitchen facilities is situated on the ground floor, whilst the sixth form centre occupies the first and second floors and includes a brasserie and large, bright social areas for the Sixth Formers to enjoy.

With the new centre being at the heart of the school, sixth form students are able to play a key role in school life and also provide an inspiration to younger pupils – a key requirement when the design for the new centre was originally conceived.

“We are extremely proud of our new sixth form centre and dining hall and wanted to have a special event to mark the official opening,” said Kevin Fear, headmaster at Nottingham High School. “Our students will be able to benefit from first class facilities, significantly enhancing their experience at the school.”

Photo: (L-R) Kevin Fear, Headmaster Nottingham High School, Sir Andrew Buchanan, Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, James Taylor, School Captain

NINE YEAR OLD FROM NOTTINGHAM BECOMES NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPION

It has been a busy summer for Nottingham High Junior School pupil Michael Fletcher, who returns to school a national chess champion after being awarded the title of Under 9 Champion, out of 67,000 entrants, at the prestigious British Land UK Chess Challenge – the largest school chess tournament in the world

Michael, representing Nottingham High Junior School, won his U9 section in the Northern Gigafinal in Oldham. In addition to being presented with a trophy by Grandmaster Stephen Gordon, he also gained an automatic qualification to the final stage – the Terafinal at Warwick School.

Michael became one of the last 66 players left in the Terafinal and in round five, with an English Chess Federation (ECF) grade of 104, found himself facing Ankush Khandelwal from Nottingham High Senior School who had an ECF grade of 211.

Once the progressive scores were worked out, the title of the U9 Champion 2009 went jointly to Michael and fellow player Matthew Wadsworth from Berkshire.

“This is a remarkable achievement for Michael,” said Andrew Earnshaw, headmaster at Nottingham High Junior School. “Needless to say, being awarded the top Under 9 prize, out of 67,000 entrants is some going. Michael is a great ambassador for the school and I speak for everyone here at the school when I say we are very proud of him.”

“We are absolutely thrilled with what Michael has achieved,” said Michael’s mother, Linda Fletcher. “He’s always had great fun playing chess since we gave him a set for his sixth birthday; but, it wasn’t until he joined Nottingham High Junior School that it really took off for him. It’s a great testament to his school that he’s been able to go from strength to strength and long may it continue as he has hopes of becoming a Grandmaster!”

NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART SIXTH FORM CENTRE AND DINING HALL READY FOR STUDENTS AT NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL

Work has been completed on a new £4.5m state-of-the-art Sixth Form Centre and dining hall at Nottingham High School.

The scheme has been designed by Nottingham architects maber and constructed by Derby based contractor G F Tomlinson Building and representatives from all parties involved in the development gathered to celebrate the handover of the building to the school.

Located in the West Quad area at the heart of the school’s buildings, the centre boasts spacious and modern facilities for both senior school and sixth form pupils. A 400 capacity dining hall with new kitchen facilities is situated on the ground floor, leaving the current dining hall for junior school pupils. The first and second floors have a coffee bar and large, bright social areas for the Sixth Formers to enjoy. A bridge also connects the social area to the library.

The roof itself is an eye catching feature. Enclosing the West Quad, it is covered in translucent cushions, similar to those used on the Eden Project. Perimeter glazing between the existing high level walls and the underside of the new roof allows it to visually ‘float’ above the new walls, allowing plenty of natural light into the complex and creating a pleasant learning environment for students to study in relax in.

The materials for the new facilities include timber wall panelling, glazed balustrades and a striking white painted mezzanine, which both contrast with, and complement, the existing buildings.

To ensure that the new development is as environmentally friendly as possible, the enclosed quad maximises the opportunities for natural light and natural ventilation. It also has under floor heating which is able to run at a lower water temperature than more conventional radiators and long life construction materials have also been used.

“The completed building looks fantastic,” said Kevin Fear, headmaster at Nottingham High School. “The centre offers our pupils the best possible facilities alongside our excellent teaching resources. This is an exciting time for the school.”

Simon Middlecote of Maber said: “This has been a great project to have been involved in and we are really pleased with its finished design. As a practice we have a lot of experience working on projects in the education sector and feel proud that we can add this development to our portfolio. The centre provides students with first class learning facilities in a modern and fresh environment.”

Stuart Lawrence, director and general manager of G F Tomlinson Building commented: “G F Tomlinson are delighted to have been part of such a unique and prestigious project at Nottingham High School. The scheme required great care due to the interface with a live occupied school environment and the detailing of the scheme, particularly the roof construction. We have extensive experience in the education sector and are happy to utilize this to provide students with a state of the art facility that all the school can be proud of.”

NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS EXCEL IN EXAMS

Nottingham High School has an excellent reputation for delivering outstanding results at GCSE and A Level and this year has been no exception.

At A Level, for the first time a 100% pass rate was achieved, with over 82% of the grades being A or B. 43 boys got three A grades or better. Of those, 11 got four As, five got five As and one boy – Ted Pynegar – got six As! Ted is now set to continue his academic studies at Cambridge University, where he is going to study Natural Sciences.

Likewise at GCSE a 100% pass rate was also achieved with 30% of the boys gaining at least 10 A* and A grades. Pupil Kyle Lam, 16 gained 12 A* grades while fellow pupils Jethro Waldron, 16, Marcus Burton, 16, and Michael White, 16, all gained 11A* and A grades.

In addition to its outstanding academic performance, the High School has also produced many sporting success stories. Alex Monk, 16, who gained 8A* and 2As in his GCSEs and is now staying on to study his A Levels at the school, is a member of Derby County’s youth squad, and he will be combining his lessons with training sessions at the club.

Headmaster, Kevin Fear said “I am thrilled with our superb A Level and GCSE results. They are richly deserved and are very much a result of the partnership between the boys, their parents and our dedicated staff. I would like to congratulate them all.”

NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS GIVEN INSIGHT INTO WORLD OF BUSINESS

The whole of Year 10, along with 8 members of staff, at Nottingham High School have taken part in a Business Dynamics conference intended to equip the boys with an insight into and understanding of the world of business.

The day involved two practical workshops, for which the boys were divided up into teams. The first task was to build an eggcup out of cardboard, whereby the boys had to ‘buy’ the materials they needed by negotiating prices with the course organisers. Once the eggcups were built, they then had to try and sell them. The second task involved designing and building a miniature fairground ‘white knuckle’ ride out of cardboard and sellotape. A marble was then placed on the ride to see if it could run the course and to see which marble rode for the longest time. In a third session the boys had to review four CVs and select two for interview.

The boys were marked by a panel of judges who were looking for evidence of teamwork, delegation, creativity and enterprise skills.

“We have held similar conferences in the past and they have always proved extremely successful and popular with the boys, this year being no exception,” said John Lamb, senior careers adviser and head of year 11 at Nottingham High School. “The day provided the boys with a great opportunity to learn about the basic workings of the business world and helps stand them in good stead as they move onto A-Levels, university and beyond.”

CHANCE OF A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR BOYS FROM NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL

16 boys from Nottingham High School are about to experience the trip of a lifetime with a 28 day expedition to Siberia.

The trip, organised by World Challenge, will give the boys a unique opportunity to explore the wild, unpopulated and remote areas of the Altai region in Siberia. Beginning with a day long expedition on horseback which will give them a real insight into the area, the boys then spend an exciting day rafting. This takes them to the start point of the main 12 day trek to the Beluhka range of mountains where they also get the chance to do a spot of ice climbing on the Akkem Glacier.

During the second phase of the expedition the boys will be working at a local school in the Altai region, where they will be improving the play area at the school, and helping out in the classrooms teaching English. The aim is also to forge links between the Siberian school and Nottingham High School that the boys will build on once they return home.

After all the hard work, the boys will have the chance to enjoy some cultural rest and relaxation in Moscow where they will be able to soak up the sights and learn about Russian culture before coming home.

The boys, who are all in years 11-13, were responsible for raising the funds for the trip themselves. These have included taking part in a sponsored 15k fun run, as well as various individual tasks such as car washing, grass cutting and weekend jobs.

“This is a fantastic opportunity and I speak for both myself and the boys when I say we are all really looking forward to it”, said Ian Thorpe, a design technology teacher at Nottingham High School, who is organising the expedition. “They will have the opportunity to experience a unique culture that is completely different to our own as well as seeing some fantastic sights. It really will be a trip of a lifetime.”

NOTTINGHAM HIGH JUNIOR SCHOOL PUPIL WINS PRIZE IN NATIONAL ANIMATION COMPETITION

Nottingham High Junior School pupil Tom Walton, 9, has won the ‘Best Human Interest’ category in the 2009 UK Schools Computer Animation Competition after creating a one minute film about the Twin Towers.

Tom attended the Schools Computer Animation Festival and Awards Ceremony at The Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester where, along with 40 other prize winning students, he received a certificate and an Amazon voucher.

After the prize giving ceremony, all finalists and their guests were able to enjoy a Winner’s Lunch.

Tom’s film was chosen from over 800 applicants and was created at school using the Storytelling Alice software. However, so great was the motivation and enjoyment in creating the films, Tom and many of the boys at the school continued to work on their films at home.

“I was so excited to be invited to attend the awards ceremony in Manchester”, said Tom. “Although I knew I had won a prize, until I got there I did not know where I had been placed so it was a complete surprise to find out that I had won the ‘Best Human Interest’ category. I got my idea for the film during a brainstorming session in one of the ICT lessons. I knew the film had to be good technically, but also needed a powerful historical story. The tragedy of 9/11 seemed to be perfect and would educate boys who were too young to understand the horrific day, including myself. So I researched the facts, found music inspired from the tragedy and set to work using the characters and scenes available.”

“This is a fantastic achievement for Tom,” said Anthony Simpson, a teacher at Nottingham High Junior School. “Tom was up against some tough competition with over 800 entries and to be invited to the prize giving ceremony is no mean feat in itself. Actually winning this award is just the icing on the cake and I speak for everyone at the school when I say we are all very proud of him.”

MP OLIVER LETWIN VISITS NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL

Conservative MP Dr Oliver Letwin has visited Nottingham High School to give sixth form pupils an insight into the world of politics.

Now chairman of the Policy Review and of the Conservative Research Department, Dr Letwin held a question and answer session with the pupils and staff and discussed the parliamentary system.

Arguing that the UK system of Government is not sufficiently accountable, Dr Letwin also highlighted his party’s belief that there is a current decline in local Government power and put forward suggestions as to how his party would tackle this issue. In his words, shifting power ‘downwards and outwards’ would benefit local communities.

When asked by Nottingham High School headmaster, Kevin Fear, what the Conservatives would do to tackle the current debt situation, Dr Letwin said that they would aim to change the whole framework of public services, giving parents, pupils, patients and other service users more power and choice, in order to make public services accountable, more contestable and more efficient – in essence ‘more for less’.

“This was a great opportunity for the boys to get a real insight into politics and they asked Oliver some really insightful questions,” said Peter Cramp, head of politics at Nottingham High School. “We have organised similar visits in the past and they have always been met with great enthusiasm by both pupils and staff. We definitely plan to host more of these talks in the future. Oliver gave a valuable and interesting speech regarding the aims and workings of the Government and we were delighted to have him as our guest.”  

SCIENCE SUCCESS AT NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL

Science pupils at Nottingham High School have been celebrating after winning an array of awards in the first round of the International Chemistry Olympiad and the British Biology Olympiad – a national competition from which to select a team for the International Biology Olympiad.

Star pupil, Ted Pynegar, 18, gained a gold certificate in both biology and chemistry, the first gold in chemistry for four years, and received a special prize in recognition of this performance. Ted’s accomplishment in the biology competition also led to him being selected as one of four students, from over 1800 that entered, to represent the UK in the International Biology Olympiad in Japan this summer.

The International Chemistry Olympiad, run by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), saw over 2000 pupils take part nationally and involved a challenging written test of chemical knowledge, designed to stimulate debate, raise awareness of chemistry and help develop some of the skills required for university. In addition to Ted, Nottingham High School pupils Wenhao Li, 18, William Gee, 18, and Kieron Kumar, 18, walked away with silver awards.

For the British Biology Olympiad, 10 year 13 High School boys took part in round one of the competition which, like Ted, saw Richard Cassidy, 18, and Wenhao Li, 18, win gold. In addition, Simon Durrant, 18, Nick Johal, 18, and Craig Woods, 18, all gained silver while Ayan De, 18, won bronze. Having performed exceptionally well, Ted and Wenhao were then selected for round two of the competition at Birmingham University where they joined young biologists from across the UK. The three day event involved undertaking a series of theoretical and practical tests. From this stage, Ted was selected to represent the UK in Japan.

Gold, silver and bronze medal winners have been invited to receive their medals from Professor Steve Jones at Imperial College London in June.

“These are high profile competitions that attract a lot of tough competition and the boys have done both themselves and the school proud,” said Kevin Fear, headmaster Nottingham High School. “Ted in particular performed outstandingly and now faces an exciting challenge at the International Biology Olympiad. He is an asset to the school and we wish him and the rest of the UK team good luck in Japan.”

“I never imagined that I would get as far as I did in the Biology Olympiad competition, but now I have it really is a dream come true,” said Ted. “I am also interested in Japan as a country, so I am really looking forward to the international competition there in July.”

NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL PUPIL MAKES ENGLAND U16 INDOOR CRICKET SQUAD

Nottingham High School Pupil Anuj Dal, 12, has been selected to join the England U16’s Indoor Cricket Squad.

Invited to attend the U16 trials after having played in the National League Indoor Games at the U19 level, Anuj’s performance took the selectors by storm and led to his inclusion in the squad.

Anuj will now have the opportunity to be trained by an international coach over the next few months and, if he continues to impress, has the opportunity to represent England at the U16 Indoor Cricket World Cup which is being played in Australia in October.

Scott Boswell, director of cricket at Nottingham High School said, “This is a fantastic achievement for Anuj and we are all very proud of him. It’s particularly exceptional because he is still only 12 and half years old. The next few months are going to be very exciting for him.”