On Thursday 21st March, a group of year 10 students were invited to participate in a Dragon's Den competition. It was held at Calthorpe Park School, where each individual student had to pitch their ideas to the dragons in teams of two or three.

We were up against many different schools including Salesian College, Kings International College and Calthorpe Park.
​
In the morning, we were all gathered in the hall where we had to wait to present our ideas. We were all eager to share and it also meant that we had all morning to prepare for them.

After hours of preparation and waiting, it was finally our turn to present. It was nerve wracking at first but also very exciting at the same time! Not only did we pitch our ideas to the dragons, but also to an audience of business students at Calthorpe Park.

After each pitch, students were asked questions by the dragons about their ideas on the spot but we all managed to respond to them without hesitation which went really well.

At the end, the winners were announced: myself, Nga, and Sumdee won the competition where we asked for £50,000 in return for 60% of our company and got offered investments from all 4 dragons. We chose the dragon who was willing to give the full amount in return for 40% of our company.

The first place prize was a £50 Amazon voucher each. It was truly an amazing experience that helped us develop many new skills. We would like to thank Miss Burrow for supporting us and well done to everyone who participated!
Nga 10V1
 

Morocco was an amazing experience that helped everyone see another side of the world we live in and how it doesn’t revolve around England and our lives as teenagers. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves on this trip and people became closer friends because of it. We learnt so much about the culture and how differently people live their lives in Morocco. Many people found that the way we live our lives is so isolated from the rest of the world.
One of the many fascinating experiences that we had as a group in Morocco was our visit to the town square and what we thought was an average market of plants, foods and spices; however what we think of as a market is like a festival in Morocco. There were dancers, singers, games and even snake charmers! They were so freaky yet fascinating.
Another part of the trip that everyone enjoyed was the food and drinks, a meal that we had frequently was tagine that had meat, vegetables and potatoes; couscous was often involved somewhere in the meal. Morocco is famous for its mint tea and so, with every meal we also had mint tea after, usually with some biscuits that were homemade; they were also delicious!
This was just a preview of what we experienced and how much it made us see the world differently and quite possibly from someone else’s eyes, someone who goes through things that no one of our culture could ever imagine going through. Therefore this was an eye opening experience that everyone thoroughly enjoyed and pretty much anyone would enjoy.
Charlie 9S2

On Tuesday the 26th February, Rainbow club held a cake sale in aid of The Proud Trust.  This charity helps LGBTQ+ young people empower themselves to make a positive change for themselves and their communities.  

February is LGBT History Month and we wanted to raise awareness of LGBT historical prejudice and discrimination.  The cake sale took place during break and lunch and we raised £100.  Rainbow Club would like to thank all students and teachers who made or donated cakes and everyone who helped sell, giving up their time at break and lunch.  Finally, our greatest thanks goes to students and staff at Ash Manor who bought so many cakes.
Thank you.
Alexa Scott

The canteen goes spooky for Halloween. Menu options included MONSTER MASH & MOLDY TOADS LEGS (Veggie Sausage & Mash and Witches green eyed peas), ROTTEN TROLLS EYEBALLS & ENTRAILS (Chicken Meatballs with spaghetti), GHOST & GOBLINS DROPPING PIZZA and MUMMY’S COFFINS (cheesy garlic bread). ​

As 2017 comes to a close Agnes Bailey, Head Teacher at Ash Manor School, completes 100 terms of teaching.

Teaching is a part of the job Ms Bailey really enjoys and as a Head Teacher, she still has a teaching timetable.

To celebrate her 100th term, the Student Senior Leadership Team wanted to find out more about her time in teaching and were given the opportunity to Interview their Head Teacher. Molly, Rupesh, Max and Beth took it in turns to ask the questions.

Their first question was about the changes that had happened during the times she’s been teaching. Ms Bailey started at Kilmarnock Academy at the age of 21 with tons of energy! Back then the belt was still in use for misbehaving students. There has been a transition from the chalk board to smart screens. Agnes described how drawing diagrams on the board could take hours and there was no google! Personally, although she doesn’t have the energy of a 21 year old any longer, being older means she is more measured and takes the time to stop and think things through.

The team were curious about Ms Bailey’s highlights during her careers; one of which was during her time as Head of Maths at a school best not named where the results were so awful no one in her Year 11 class had ever passed a test and that year 12% had achieved an A* - C in maths. Ms Bailey also told a couple of stories about students who literally had their lives turned around which are the student stories all teachers
cherish. Being the Head Teacher of Ash Manor was another big career highlight.

The students were really inspired hearing about how Ms Bailey started her career as a teenage mum, but determined not to let that define her, she gained a maths degree and completed her teacher training. This allowed her to work around her daughter, fitting in marking and lesson planning in the evenings when her daughter was in bed.

​Agnes describes her first term as mental, a roller coaster of emotions. The workload was massive and everything was new; new job, new place, new systems which felt overwhelming but seeing the kids learning made it all worthwhile and motivated her to keep going.

Ms Bailey didn’t consider becoming a Head Teacher until 12 years ago whilst at Brackenhale School where she was told to consider being a Head Teacher and put on the NPQH course (the head teachers’ qualification). At the time the Head she was working for was really inspiring which made a big difference and with her daughter now grown up, she could take more opportunities. Her career path took her to Deputy Head at Raynes Park High School before becoming the Head at Ash Manor School.

The answer to the question what been the most important thing you’ve learned as a teacher came easily – kids come first. Education takes you out of poverty and is critical to future opportunities. The most important aspect of her role as a teacher and a head is to ensure that every child’s education is at least good.

If she had to go back to her first term, her advice to herself would be ‘don’t give up’ and ‘stick to your principles’, advice Agnes follows to this day.

To new teachers starting in the industry Agnes had this to say “It’s the best but the toughest job. If you don’t love it, don’t do it. If you want to succeed; take help, watch and learn from experienced colleagues.” Although, in her own words, Agnes ‘fell into teaching’ the love of teaching has kept her going – for 100 terms – so far!

ENDS

Ash Manor welcomed Fluor to the opening of their brand new science laboratory on Thursday 5th October.

Ash Manor were delighted to welcome Helen Kilbride, Fluor’s Head of Process Technology, along with James Hayward to officially open the laboratory.  Helen has worked for Fluor for 21 years as a Chemical Engineer with experience in Refinery, Petrochemicals and Gas Processing so she was especially delighted to hear that the main discipline being taught in the new lab would be Chemistry.

The facility was completed over the summer break, converting an ordinary classroom into a state-of-the-art teaching laboratory.  This new facility has been fully equipped thanks to a generous donation from Fluor.

The donation has meant that all the workstations have a set of equipment that can be used in a variety of experiments and easily accessed by the students.

James Hayward, Internal Communication and Community Relations at Fluor Limited, said “We are very proud to support and play a small role in the great work that Ash Manor is doing to invest in the future of the students.”

​Helen Kilbride said: “The focus that the school puts on STEM subjects is inspiring and will help provide students with the foundation that they need to become the next generation of engineers and scientists.”

Ash Manor School, with Julia Fairhurst, Director of Learning for Science, have been focussing on driving up science results and developing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education opportunities.  The investment in the new lab and additional equipment to support curriculum work, including light gates and Lego NXT robot kits, also donated by Fluor, have supported the ongoing progress being made in science.
​
Said Julia, “The donations from Fluor have enabled us to buy the additional equipment we’ve needed, which has been fantastic in supporting our students over the last year, and has made a real difference.  We also really value the relationships we are building with Fluor staff to further support our students through talks and challenges.”

Jane Sheridan
Jsheridan@ashmanorschool.com
​Mob: 07950 305955

​Ash Manor School, Manor Road, Ash, Surrey, GU12 6QH
Tel: 01252 353900

​Ash Manor School are delighted to share some of the real successes from the 2017 GCSE results.
In a time of much publicity about the changes to GCSEs and new grading systems being introduced in Maths and English, the results are a real testament to our staff and students.  We have seen an improvement in the basics measure (standard pass – Maths and English) to 61% with an improvement of grades at the top end in both English and Maths.  

We have 12 students who have nothing below an A grade (or equivalent in the new system) and one of these has a full set of A* equivalents with 6 A* grades, an 8 and 9 in English and a 9 in maths.  Our top 10 students have between them 99 top grades (A – A*) but there is much more to the results with many students gaining better than they had expected and progression to sixth form courses being assured.
​
We are immensely proud of our students and we wish them all continued success as they move on to the next stage in their education.

​Twins Phoebe and Ellen Robins – between them they have 18 GCSEs, 15 at grade A* or equivalent and the remaining 3 a grade A.  Fantastic results girls – well done. ​Head girl Shannon Cronin and Head Boy Sam Hymas with 19 GCSEs between them – the equivalence of 8A*’s, 8A’s and 2 B’s.  Well done – two great sets of results.

​Ash Manor School has proudly launched a Combined Cadet Force (CCF) as part of the Cadet Expansion Programme.
​
The CCF is a unique educational partnership that operates in schools across the UK.  Through enjoyable military themed and adventurous activities, cadets have the opportunity to take responsibility, develop skills such as leadership, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance and perseverance.

​The Ash Manor CCF is very proud and privileged to be affiliated to the Grenadier Guards, the first to be accepted by the Grenadiers in 10 years.  There are currently just under 40 cadets.  With Contingent Commander Lieutenant Nick Clifford and SSI Captain Claire Hutton in post, some of the cadets have already had the opportunity to experience their first camp, thanks to the support of the established CCF at Wellington College.
​
Brigadier Matthew Lowe presented the Cadets berets which bears the Grenadier Guard cap badge. The 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards currently based at Lille Barracks, have also been supporting the cadets to prepare for the units drill parade as part of the official launch.

​Ms Bailey, Head Teacher said: “I am incredibly proud to have a CCF in our school and it is fitting that we celebrate this as a community – an extended family – of Ash Manor School, the British Army and the wider community in which we live.

​The opportunities and benefits that the young people in Ash Manor stand to gain through CCF are massive and already I see the changes in confidence, leadership capacity, discipline and attitude that are supporting educating and developing the future in our community”.
 
Lieutenant Colonel NC MacGregor, Colonel Patrick Crowley (ret’d), Mayor Nigel Manning and Guildford Armed Forces Champion Councillor David Elms were also in attendance as well as VIPs from our local community and family of our cadets.

Photos in this news story credited to Stewart Turkington and Cpl van Zyl

​For more information on Ms Bailey's latest update letter, please click the link. If you have any questions relating to the newsletter, please contact the school directly.
​