As we approach the end of the school year, my thoughts have turned to the opportunities our students have been involved in and will be involved in during the year.

In July, students will participate in a World Challenge Expedition to Vietnam and Laos. As preparation for the trip, each person has had to raise £4350.  This has been a great test of the students’ commitment and ingenuity.  Notable fund raising achievements include, Tom Brittlebank receiving a £200 donation from a Young Explorer’s Trust, Iona Barron, the Head Girl,  raising £450 through participation in the Safford Half Marathon and Bea Egerton,  Harvey Grills and Freya Barkas raising over £1000 when they organised a sponsored swim at Uttoxeter Leisure Centre and swam 6377 metres. This is the distance between Uttoxeter and Hi Chi Min City in Vietnam.

In April, the Under 16 Football team reached the final of the prestigious Sentinel Cup Final held at Port Vale FC.  The competition has featured a host of future professionals in the past such as Stoke City’s Ryan Shawcross and Manchester United’s James Wilson. This was the third time in 4 years that the school’s footballers have reached the final and although they were defeated by Biddulph High School, they performed very well and gained a lot form the experience.  Staying with sport, May 2018 saw the Thomas Alleyne’s Girls’ Athletics Team crowned as District Champions.  In addition, one of the school’s Year 9 students and budding sports reporter, Max Hayes reached the final of the Young Blogger of the Year as one of only 10 finalists and he attended a ceremony at the Alexandra Palace in London.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is an exciting programme of activities for young people aged 14 to 24. Thomas Alleyne’s offers the award at three levels: Bronze, Silver or Gold. Candidates select and complete activities in four sections (five for Gold) – Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition and for Gold, a Residential. Participants find themselves helping people or the community, getting fitter, developing skills, going on an expedition and taking part in a residential activity.  Candidates pick up experiences, friends and talents that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

In February, a group of four Year 12 students took the opportunity to visit the Auschwitz Concentration camp in Poland.  Rachel Clemett, Jess Poole, Adam Burrows and Lydia Grocott were able to visit the camp with the Holocaust Educational Trust.  As part of the programme, they were required to share their experiences with other students.  In March the group delivered a powerful series of assemblies to the rest of the school and in doing so they helped the Trust in their mission to educate as many people as they can about what can happen when society turns its back on humanity.

In the 6^th form, Thomas Alleyne’s students enjoy a wealth of opportunities, which support them in planning their future intentions.  One of these opportunities involved Year 12 students travelling to Manchester for a UCAS convention to gather information from over 140 higher education providers.  Students enjoyed the chance to find out detailed information about the huge variety of courses on offer to them.

At the other end of the age group, Year 9 students had an opportunity to take part in the BBC’s annual School Report Day.  This was an event during which students worked together to research and create a news bulletin, which they eventually performed to camera.  Year 9 student Elli Robothan said, “Overall, I had a really fun day and leaned lots of new skills”.

A key priority at Thomas Alleyne’s is working with our Middle Schools.  On that theme Year 7 and 8 students, this year worked with the Alleyne’s business studies department.  The work involved participating in the Ryman National Enterprise Challenge to develop a new concept for Kidzania in London.

Student leadership is an important part of the philosophy at Thomas Alleyne’s.  In February, the School Council held a meeting at Uttoxeter Town Hall during which they met Uttoxeter Mayor Alison Trenery and Borough Councillor Sue Mcgarry.  Students learnt about local democracy and fedback their views on how the town could be developed to meet the needs of young people.

In November 2017, Thomas Alleyne’s was visited by a group of ex-students, who left the school in 1961.  The group enjoyed their visit to the school and the trip down memory lane.  The art department made a lasting impression in that the member of the group, Graham Penning, organised for an award for ‘Original Thought in Art’ to be made available to students at prize giving events.  The first recipient of the award was Livia Robinson, who achieved a grade A* in her GCSE art exam.

I firmly believe that the experiences described above, combined with high academic standards mean Thomas Alleyne’s students are well prepared for their futures.