The Christ’s Chronicles

Issue 58
23rd September 2009

The newsletter is divided into three sections.

Section 1 covers future events, letters that have been sent out, diary
dates.
Section 2 includes reviews of events, achievements and sporting fixtures
that have taken place in the previous week or weeks.
Section 3 lists standard information that parents may find useful such as
phone number for absences, term dates.

Section 1: School Information

Wednesday 23rd September: school closes at 14.00

Wednesday 23rd September: Between the Locks (Year 9 group) visit
Tuesday 29th September: Open Evening from 18.30-21.00. Year 11 and
Year 10 required to attend.
Wednesday 30th September: school starts at 09.00
Thursday 8th October: Year 10 GCSE art trip to British Museum
Friday 9th October: Year 11 Leisure and Tourism trip to Wetlands Centre
Monday 12th October: Year 11 College Information Evening from 18.30
Information on post 16 choices for parents and students in Year 11

New timetable for school day

All students to arrive at school and be ready for first period at 08.30
Morning break 10.35-10.50
Lunch break 12.50-13.35
End of school 15.00

Winter uniform required: blazer, white shirt and school tie

Extra Curricular Opportunities

This list will be added to during the school year. Music activities are listed
separately.

Day Time Activity

Monday 3.15 – 4.15pm Spanish (after Oct ½
term) Any years (Ms
Bertoncello)

Tuesday 3 .15– 4.15pm Junior Netball Yr7/8

GIRLS (Ms Hicklin)
3 .15– 4.15pm
Knitting Club (Ms Busby
3.30- 4.30pm and Ms Perkins)

Junior Rugby/Football

Wednesday 3.15 – 4.15pm Cheerleading Y7 (Ms

 Farr and Ms Perkins)
3.15 – 4.15pm Drama Y7/8 From 30th
Sept. (Ms Philpott)
3.15-4.15pm Futures Club (run on
either Wednesday or
Thursday) year 8 and 9
Thursday 3 .15– 4.15pm Girls Football – All years
(Ms Hicklin)
3.30-4.30pm Senior Rugby/Football

Friday

Information on Extra-Curricular Music

The following is a list of the main extra-curricular activities (bands start

this week, choir starts next week)

Wind and String Band - Thursday Lunchtime

Brass Ensemble - Friday Lunchtime
Music Technology Club - Thursday after school (you don't need to sign up
for this - just turn up any week)
Choir - Wednesday Lunchtime and Monday 3.15 - 4.30 (you need to
commit to both of these!)
Steel Band - Wednesday after school

There is an increasing number of players of orchestral instruments within

the school and there now exists the potential to develop good quality
ensembles, so, if your son/daughter plays an orchestral instrument, we
need your support to ensure they attend the practices, which will result in
performances in events later in the term! As a parent, your support in
encouraging singers to take part in the choir is greatly appreciated. There
is the potential at Christ's for a truly excellent choir (we have really good
singers in abundance), but what we need is the commitment from the
students. With a good choir, the chances for participation in all kinds of
events/competitions outside school, mini-tours and so on becomes a real
possibility, and would be exactly the right thing for the school at this stage
of its development....

There are numerous informal music ensembles in addition to the ones

listed above, and the music facilities are offered to students in breaks and
lunchtimes and after school - students make sure you ask Mr. Wilson to
arrange this. The department continues to be a thriving place every day
at lunchtimes and after school.

New arrangements for singing and drumming lessons: we have new tutors
for percussion and voice this term, which promises to deliver a more
flexible service suited to the needs of pupils and parents alike. Let us
know if there are any hiccups in the fledgling system, and please get in
touch if you want to know more.

There will also be a rolling programme of music events - watch this space!

Help needed
Is there an electrically-minded parent or friend of the school out there who
would be able to volunteer to do the odd repair in the music department
(power connections to amps and keyboards, for example). The cost of
even the simplest repairs can become quite astronomic!!
Mr. Wilson, Director of Music can be contacted on
pwilson@christs.richmond.sch.uk

School supplies accounts

The school supplies store runs on the basis that parents put money into
their child's account in cash. When the account runs out of credit you will
be contacted and can top it up. We suggest an initial deposit of £2 for
each year your child is due to spend here. Thus Year7 pupils would need a
deposit of £10.
If you wish to open an account for your child please send in a cheque
payable to Christ's School with your child's name, tutor group and
'stationery' written on the back.

Section 2: Events and Achievements

Humanities Day

To launch the new Humanities status students took part in a range of

activities with the theme of global citizenship. The people from Heritage
Ceramics came to deliver many sessions from African drumming, textiles
and story-telling. Students enjoyed the day and now have a better
understanding of what it means to be a student in a Humanities school.

We also have links with 2 schools in South Africa now, watch this space for
further updates on link activities.

Celebrating Humanities Status and Jack Petchey Foundation

Donation

A cash donation from the Jack Petchey Foundation, an organisation which

has already supported school in a number of ways, helped considerably in
our bid to acquire humanities status. We were presented with the cheque
by Rowena Clewlow, the Jack Petchey grants officer and we celebrated the
occasion by raising a special flag.

Yr 10 GCSE Information and Work Experience Evening

This highly informative evening was attended by many parents and

students. The information given by staff outlined expectations and
milestones for the main GCSE subjects. There was also information on the
work experience programme and what needs to be done by mid
November. The staff contact for work experience enquiries is Julia Ralph:
jralph@christs.richmond.sch.uk
The evening finished with a varied programme of workshops designed to
help the students with the transition into GCSE work. Thanks go to staff for
their time in setting these up which were well received by parents and
students.

Would your child like to learn to play the Steel Pans?

This is a FUN FREE 5 week after school course for children aged 8 -12
years
Your child will have the opportunity to make music and learn about how a
steel pan works. Commencing Wednesday 23rd September at 4pm at
Christ’s School Music Centre.
You will need to bring your child to Christ’s for these sessions, with a
snack and a drink.
For more information and to enrol your child/ren on this course please
email
Francesca Greene on fgreene@barnes.richmond.sch.uk
or phone 07999 922138

PTA
Section 3: Parent information
Please note this section will be added to over the next few weeks.

Staff e-mails: please use initial and then surname written as one word
followed by generic ending: @christs.richmond.sch.uk
There is also a quick link via school website

Inset days: 22nd and 23rd October 2009

Half term: 26th October 2009