News@Com - Spring 2022

NEWS COM

@CombertonVC & @CombertonSF

www.combertonvc.org & www.combertonsixthform.org

The Magazine of Comberton Village College ISSUE 59, SPRING 2022

GREASE SPECIAL — PAGES 14 & 15

Great show of support

COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

On the 18th March, Comberton Village College offered students the option to wear non-uniform in support of Comic Relief, raising meaningful amounts of money on Red Nose Day for those in greater need of support. At this time, there were also significant developments in Ukraine and therefore the college decided to give families the option to donate to either Comic Relief or the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine appeal. Students were encouraged to consider wearing blue and yellow on the day, displaying unity and support for Ukraine during these extremely difficult times.

We are really pleased to see so many students engage in the event, with a number opting for yellow and blue as themed colours. We were thrilled by the generosity of the families and staff within our community, who collectively raised £5,140.29 for the DEC Ukraine appeal and £2,397.92 for Comic Relief. This is a fantastic amount of money from a single event and we are so pleased to have surpassed our original combined target of £5,000. Thank you to everyone who supported this event, by contributing towards the two charitable causes.

Old show — new ideas!

Year 7 and 8 marked National Careers Week by trying out a game that was a hit long before they – and their parents – were born!

On two separate days they were joined by a group of volunteers from Form the Future to learn more about the world of work. In sessions of ‘What’s My Line’ – based on a TV game show that started in the 1950s - they were challenged to find out what each of the volunteer professionals does for a living. They asked a series of well thought-through questions aimed to bring them closer to guessing the profession correctly. Though the session is designed to feel like a fun and easy-to-play game, it also provides an opportunity to let young people know about what jobs and careers are out there. This enables them to expand their horizons and potentially inspire them to aspire toward a goal throughout their educational journey. Tabitha (8V) said: “On 23rd February, we had some special visitors for our Year 8 Careers Day. “Apparently the title (What’s my line?) comes from an old TV programme where a panel have to guess the guest’s profession by asking them questions. “The event was a good chance to learn about a variety of jobs – some I had never even heard of before, and practise being Sherlock Holmes.

“We managed to guess the jobs of our guests correctly – a photographer, recruitment consultant, marketing manager and a charted surveyor, although there was some confusion when we first thought the financial controller was a chef. “I felt inspired by the photographer, who got to travel all around the world and was clearly very talented. “It was useful to find out how they each came onto their chosen career paths. For some it was quite an elongated route, whereas others had been doing it their whole lives. “The event did its job – to make me think about my future career, and get a better understanding of what degrees will be needed depending on the job. “I think our teachers also wanted us to consider that not everyone can become a pop star and so we will pretend to like maths and work hard to pass our GCSEs!” English teacher Hannah Compton said of the Year 7 event: “This was an excellent experience for the class; they were really engaged and interested by all of the speakers and have clearly got a lot out of the morning.” And one of the volunteers commented: “The students were a credit to the school, and it was all so brilliantly organised at your end. I’m really pleased I had a chance to join in.” Form the Future is a social enterprise based in Cambridge, connecting schools and businesses. Thank you to the volunteers for spending time with our pupils.

GUESSING GAME: Students asked questions to try to work out the volunteer’s profession.

q Bore Holes Relocated— 3 q New Heating System is Good for Planet — 3 q Read Books, Eat Cake — 4 q Fascination with Maths — 4 q Four Earn Top Jobs — 5 q Meat-Free Trial — 5 q Products put to Test — 5 q Amazing Art on Display — 6

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Contents

q Young Chef Reaches Final — 7 q Trust News — 8 q Sixth Form — 9-12 q MFL News — 13 q Grease Special — 14 & 15 q Welcome Return of Live Productions — 15 q In the Field — 16 q DofE Learning Curve — 16

q Panathlon Champions — 17 q Leaders keep Games on Right Track — 17 q Turning on the Power — 19 q Lots of Options— 19 q Leaders Bee Praised — 19 q Girls Reach Semis — 20 q Swinging into Regionals — 20 q Smashing It — 20

Bore holes relocated

COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

Comberton’s Ground Source Heat Pump project has secured section 73 planning approval, to relocate approximately 50% of the boreholes to a less disruptive area of the school campus.

The drill team are expected to have drilled 50% of the required boreholes by the end of March, which will then see the two machines, currently located at the front of the school, move to the rear overflow parking facility. The move to the rear location, rather than drilling across all front parking capacity at the front of Comberton Sports and Arts, has been part of our ongoing plans to mitigate against further disruption to the school’s operation.

The original planning application was proposed under extremely difficult deadlines, which allowed the school to proceed to grant stage — securing the £1.9 million of decarbonisation funding from central Government. The overall project of £3.2 million will see the school move away from oil-fired boilers across the campus, to having heat energy from the ground as the main supply for warming the buildings around the school. The on-going Ground Source Heat Pump installation continues to progress and is very much on schedule. The installation of the primary heat loop has been completed and plant rooms are being converted from oil fired boilers, to become ‘Energy Centres’ supplied by a temporary heat supply — until the ground source system is fully operational. The project’s aim is to reach expected decarbonisation levels by the October 2022, through

the introduction of this system. We are very grateful to Cambridge County Council, as well as the main contractor — Bouygues Energy and Services — for their support in developing the educational opportunities within the college. Currently we have maths and geography projects which are being developed for the benefit of students currently attending Comberton Village College. These projects are being integrated into the curriculum to feature as meaningful green energy case studies, which will also have catalogued photos of the progress of the project. We understand the project has inspired a number students into the field of engineering and therefore the Senior Engineer Tom McGrath has kindly offered to give students an insight into the industry and the work he completes. Sean Sycamore, Deputy Principal

New heating system is good for the planet ALL CHANGE: Heat exchangers (left) are replacing the large red boilers.

Ground Source Heat Pump The Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) project is a big step forward taken by Comberton Village College to make their heating more sustainable. Heating in buildings and industry creates around 32% of the UK’s total emissions, so it’s a massive problem to solve in making the planet alive and well for my generation and all those after. As a school, CVC is very conscious of the environment and the need for huge change to protect it as much as possible, with a thriving Green Group, environmental lessons each term, and having declared a climate emergency in November 2020 and taken many actions to lessen the school’s carbon footprint. Since the industrial revolution, the world has been burning more and more fossil fuels which have then released carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and caused extreme weather, especially an increase of heat. At the same time, humans have been destroying places like rainforests, which soak in the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, and killing many species. Mostly due to climate change and humans’ actions, up to 150 species go extinct every single day. To prevent the world overheating and weather becoming too hostile to possibly even support life, we need to cut back our carbon emissions and our impact on the environment now, before it is too late. In a joint effort between CVC, the Cam Academy Trust, Cambridgeshire County Council and Bouygues UK, a low carbon heat network is being installed around the CVC site. It works using a ground source heat pump, which gets heat from ground loops from 60 boreholes. It then heats water to 65 degrees, which is then delivered around the site via a network of pipes to heat the college. The water is then re-heated and used again. This is really good for the environment as it is a much more sustainable heating system than the main ones used — gas, coal, and electric. As it uses energy taken from the ground to heat the school through water, it has minimal emissions compared to the burning of fossil fuels for heating, which obviously has a massive carbon footprint. I first heard about the GSHP project in an email sent to all pupils and parents/carers detailing what it was and with a link to a video explaining

NEW VENUE: The drills will move to the rear car park

it in more detail. We were also educated about it in form time. As a CVC pupil, I am overjoyed with the Ground Source Heat Pump project as it will make CVC more sustainable and have less of an impact on the planet. I feel strongly that all businesses should take inspiration from CVC in making their heating more sustainable — everyone has a duty to try to stop the worst effects of climate change. This is especially clear for schools, educating the very people who will be affected by everyone’s actions in aiding or preventing global warming. The GSHP project is also incredibly useful as a tool for learning for all kinds of subjects, and it is planned to be incorporated into our curriculum in many ways. It opens up a whole world of possibilities - we can discover how it works in Science, compare its environmental impact with other types of heating in Geography, use the data from it in Maths, take inspiration from its design in DT, and the list goes on! It is also of a lot of use in the school community as a starting point for talking about climate change and what we can do to help. Freya (8N)

WORK IN PROGRESS: Drilling is on-going at the front of school.

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Read books, eat cake! COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

The school library has been marking two major reading events this term.

World Book Day fell on Thursday 3rd March, marking the start of Reading Month. We supplied every student with a special token, which many of them chose to exchange for one of the exclusive World Book Day publications in the library, a book for them to own and keep. Many others chose to use theirs towards other titles at book shops and supermarkets locally. We also played host to the English department’s World Book Day Bake-Off competition. Students were encouraged to bring in decorated cakes and confections using books as their inspiration. As in previous years the competition was stiff, with some amazing contributions from across the yeargroups. The winners were: Molly (10M) for her Paddington themed cupcakes Ben (9M) for Hansel and Gretel’s cottage Lizzie (7I) with another fairytale cottage Maya (7N) for her “The Little Prince” cake

They each won a Waterstones voucher, generously donated by the English dept. We have started preparing, with the English dept, for the CILIP Yoto Carnegie Book awards - the UK's longest running children's book awards for outstanding writing, which is judged by librarians. They have recently released this year’s shortlist and Mrs Peck, Mrs Stanley and Ms Richards will be running an informal lunchtime reading group for interested students (Year 8 and above) to discuss these titles in the weeks leading up to the final. We hope this group will join other reading groups from local secondary schools to discuss the books and watch the announcement of the winner livestreamed in June. We’re very pleased that this local Carnegie award event can take place again this year, following a twoyear break, as it’s always a fun day and gives our keenest readers the opportunity to meet students from other schools and discuss some of the best teen literature published in the last 12 months. Hilary Spargo, Librarian

FROM DARKEST PERU: Paddington cupcakes were among the winners.

Fascination with maths leads to gold

DELICIOUS DESIGNS: The winning cakes from the book-themed competition to mark World Book Day.

The Intermediate Mathematical Challenge is a 60-minute, multiple-choice challenge run by UKMT (United Kingdom Mathematics Trust). It encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems. The top-scoring 50% of participants are awarded Bronze, Silver and Gold certificates in the ratio 3:2:1. The 2022 award thresholds are: Gold 81+, Silver 65+ and Bronze 50+. In addition, around 1,500 of the very highest performers are invited to take part in either the Cayley, Hamilton or Maclaurin Olympiad and around 8,000 to take part in either the Grey or Pink Kangaroo (based on school year). In England & Wales, Year 11 students with a score of 117+ qualify for Maclaurin Olympiad, Year 10 students with a score of 111+ qualify for Hamilton Olympiad and Year 9 and younger qualify for Cayley Olympiad with a score of 101+ I took part in the IMC last month, and scored 124, winning a Gold Certificate. I therefore also qualified for the Hamilton Olympiad on 17th March. The Hamilton Olympiad is a two-hour challenge comprising six problems requiring full written solutions. Each question is worth 10 points. The highest-scoring participants receive Certificates of Distinction and Merit. Further, the top 20 scorers receive a gold medal, the next 30 a silver medal and the next 50 a bronze medal. Medallists are also awarded a book prize. Following this, I have been invited to a residential summer school where 48 students from the top 1.5% of IMC performers are invited for a five-night programme. It aims to promote a love of problem-solving and develop mathematical abilities. Mathematics has always fascinated me. There is a unique thrill in taking a

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seemingly simple problem, exploring its true intricacies with a range of approaches, and finally cracking it with a beautiful new insight. Olympiad maths has allowed me to develop consistency and perseverance but has also made me a more creative thinker. Moreover, it has also allowed me to meet some amazing people who share my love of maths! Aditya (10I)

GOLD MEDALLIST: At the UKMT Intermediate Challenge.

Four earn top jobs

COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

Comberton’s newest team of head prefects have successfully negotiatated their first hurdle — selection.

The quartet of Emily, Krisha, Charlie and Diya will take over from the current team after Easter, having being selected from a 10-strong shortlist of Year 10 applicants. Here they describe the process: The application process began with us filling out forms outlining our achievements and any previous leadership experience. We also wrote NEW TEAM: Comberton’s latest quartet to be chosen as the head letters to Mr Law, explaining why we would be suited to the role. prefects. From the application forms and letters, ten candidates were shortlisted to make to the school, and how we would respond to challenges in the role. for interviews. The next day, all 10 shortlisted pupils met in Mr Law’s office and we were given The first interview began with each of us giving a five-minute presentation on a letters offering us the role of either head or senior prefect. topic we felt passionate about. Krisha spoke about the benefits of learning We have all learnt so much from the application process. The interviews taught us Sanskrit, Charlie spoke about musical theatre, Emily spoke about new technology a lot about communicating with adults in a formal setting, and the presentation in athletics, and Diya spoke about Bharatanatyam (a type of classical Indian aspect developed our public speaking skills. This should stand us in good stead dance). Following our presentations, we were asked some questions by Ms for our time as head prefects and for the more distant future. Quick, Miss Segal, and the current Year 11 head prefects. All four of us are very excited to begin working with each other and the extended Then each of us had our second interview: these were of a more formal style. The prefect team. panel comprised Mr Law, Mr Knight, Miss Segal, and a Governor. We look forward to launching the prefect process to the rest of Year 10! We were asked questions about our reasons for applying, changes we would like

Comberton trials a day without meat

Comberton this week held its first Meat Free Monday – and the school’s Eco Group are hoping it will be the first of many. They will seek feedback from students about how they found the plant-based menu choices served by the college catering team and what impact it had on them. Students bringing their own food were asked to consider choosing vegetarian alternatives on the day. More than 3000 UK schools and a growing number of universities, restaurants, businesses, and celebrities are already involved in a movement that should have a substantial longterm positive impact. Launched in 2009 by Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney, the aim of Meat Free Monday is to condense some complicated issues into one simple and effective message: to ask people to have at least one plant-based day a week to help protect the planet and our future.

There is increasing evidence to suggest that the

growth of global animal agriculture is having

alarming environmental consequences.

Products put to test

SUSTAINABLE LIVING: KS3 designs.

CHOICES: But without meat!

Year 10 Engineering Design students have been testing vacuum cleaners as part of their product studies. Dyson kindly loaned them an engineering box and students conducted their own independent product tests and experiments to compare and contrast the performance and design of different vacuum cleaners. They also carried out product disassembly tasks, using specialist tools to take apart part of the Dyson DC39. They were able to closely study the components and further discover their functions and how they work. In KS3 DT, students have designed a sustainable living space, from reused shipping containers. They worked collaboratively in small teams and modelled some super, creative architectural solutions.

Some of the world’s leading scientific and public authorities, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme and World Health Organization, endorse meat and dairy reduction as an effective way of fighting climate change. The recently published governmentcommissioned National Food Strategy states: “If all public caterers moved to having even one meat-free day a week, this could reduce meat consumption by 9,000 tonnes a year, saving over 200,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.” By taking part in Meat Free Monday for one academic year, it is estimated the college community could collectively save approximately: l 1.5 million bathtubs of water l 6000 tennis courts of forest l 868,720 car miles of greenhouse gases

TESTING TIMES: Vacuum cleaners under scrutiny.

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COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

Amazing art on display WIDE CHOICE OF SUBJECT MATTER: Eleanor (11R) chose a skull while Charlise (110) opted for living creatures.

Our GCSE Art students have really excelled again this year, despite all the obstacles in their way over the past two years. Many of them will be going on to study art and photography-related subjects at A level and we wish them the best of success! Here is a selection of the amazing work they have

WORKS OF ART: By (above, left) Sam (11R), (centre) Maria (110), (right) Charlotte (11V), (far left) Rylan (11M) and Marlyn (11B).

ON DISPLAY: GCSE work is now available to view at various locations around the school.

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Young chef reaches final

COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

Springboard’s FutureChef is a schools-based programme that supports the development of key life skills while inspiring young people to pursue an exciting career within the world of hospitality.

he could complete the dishes in the two hours he would have on the day of the final. The National Final is a huge event attended by many top chefs, industry experts and sponsors. It last ran two years ago, just before lockdown, when Comberton Village College They support students to build industry based culinary skills and knowledge, as was represented by Megan (now in year 12 at Comberton Sixth Form). well as linking them with industry professionals. It was a huge accomplishment for CVC to represent the East of England again, The FutureChef competition is the biggest school culinary competition in the UK, especially as the 12 finalists came from more than 13,000 participants. and this year Comberton Village College has once again had great success. Hotel accommodation was provided by Marriot Hotels and the wonderful We started the competition in the autumn term, when two school heats were held. celebration dinner at the Berkley was a glamourous affair, with the immaculate Due to Covid restrictions at the time, these were held in the Year 10 and 11 and delicious dishes designed by Shaun Whatling, the Berkeley’s executive chef. Hospitality and Catering lessons. Brian Turner CBE, the British chef and household name, spoke about the We took two winners, one from each heat, to the local finals, held at North Herts achievements of the finalists as well as the competition. College in Hitchin. He has been involved with Springboard and FutureChef from the competition’s Daisy (year 10) and Daniel (110) managed to quell their nerves and both inception and talked about how the programme is vital for educating young people produced excellent dishes, and following judging from a team of professional about nutrition and getting them into the industry. chefs, Daniel was named the Cambridgeshire winner! Daniel spoke to Anthony Marshall, executive Chef at London’s Park Lane Hilton One of the judges on the day, Robert Pearce, Executive Head Chef at Orsett Hall and throughout the meal Anthony was very interested to hear from Daniel about Hotel in Essex, was particularly impressed with Daniel and offered to mentor him his experience of the competition and gave him some great tips, as well as through the next stage offering him work of the competition. experience. As he had seen Daniel The following day was working, he was able to an early start. The provide really helpful participants were guidance as well as coached to Westminster helping him refine his Kingsway, where they dish for the East of started to realise the England Regional Final, enormity of their which took place at achievements. They Peterborough Regional had lots of photographs College. taken and were briefed By then, Daniel was by Brian Turner and the becoming accustomed team of 12 high profile to the intimidating judges including Brian professional kitchen Mulcahy, Steve environment, which is Munkley, Jeanvery different to cooking Christophe Novelli, at home or in school. Dominic Teague and Daniel had practised his FutureChef winner dish, and had his 2020, Jodie Cochran. timings, quality controls Then they entered the and contingencies well kitchens to set up their planned. workstations with their He had an excellent mentor chefs nearby to cook, completing in offer last minute advice good time, working and help settle nerves. EFFORT AND REWARD: At the Springboard FutureChef national finals. cleanly and producing And then they were off! an immaculate two course meal for two including a dish of tomato linguine with a An anxiety inducing two-and a-half-hour wait followed for Daniel’s teacher, his butterflied king prawn and a parmesan crisp, followed by a cold lemon souffle with mum and his mentor chef’s sous chef Shay (who had stepped in to help Daniel palmier biscuits. set up). He received excellent feedback from the judges, who applauded the dishes and Springboard had invited industry specialists and those offering career his kitchen organisation, and was commended for coming to the aid of a fellow opportunities in, so this was a welcome distraction, as well as an excellent contestant who had burnt her hand and needed assistance. opportunity for networking — developing plans for future trips and industry It came as no surprise that he was announced as the winner, which took him into alliances for the Food and Nutrition departments and its Hospitality and Catering the National Finals at Westminster Kingsway College to face the 11 other finalists students. from all over the United Kingdom. After what seemed like an eternity, the dishes from the competitors started to Daniel received a tight brief, with very specific instructions and a limited shopping appear, and very quickly we realised that the standard was incredibly high, with basket of ingredients, from which he had to produce a two-course meal for four plate after plate of immaculately presented, technically challenging dishes! people. While the judging was taking place, Brian Turner addressed the audience, and we This year, for the first time, time was set aside for a butchery element, where the were introduced to three FutureChef alumni who discussed their experiences of finalists had to portion a whole chicken into 10 component parts.These would then the competition and how it had opened doors into the culinary world for them. be used as the main protein element of the meal. The brief also directed the Their experiences and careers to date were incredibly exciting, and really brought finalists to make panna cotta, although the contestants were allowed to home the achievements of all the finalists, and how doors to this exciting industry personalise these with additional flavours, accompaniments, and decorative are now open for them. While Daniel wasn’t placed, his achievement was enormous; he had offers or elements. work experience or apprenticeships from top chefs, he’d cooked a really complex, At this stage, the professional relationship between Daniel and his mentor technically excellent meal for four people under the intense scrutiny of 12 became invaluable, as Rob contributed ideas for the development of Daniel’s incredibly well-regarded chefs, and we are so proud of his achievement. dishes. He left with an armful of prizes including £100 cash, courtesy of Worshipful He gave up much of his time and resources to support Daniel in his preparation Company of Cooks, a personally embroidered apron from Russums, a for the finals, including several trips for Orsett Hall for Daniel, and trips to commemorative plate, a commemorative medal from the Craft Guild of Chefs, a Comberton for Rob. personally embroidered chef’s jacket and skull cap, and Wellocks 60th Year Daniel’s chosen dishes were very complex and included a wide range of culinary Anniversary Cook Book from produce supplier Wellocks. techniques, demonstrating enormous skill. With the support of his teacher, mentor, parents, extended family, friends and Emily Goodson, Head of Food & Nutrition local butcher, he practised over and over again to refine his skills, and to ensure

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Working together! THE CAM ACADEMY TRUST NEWS

New sixth form to build close links

Planning has begun in earnest for the potential opening of a new Sixth Form at Cambourne Village College from September 2023.

This will happen next year as long as we receive final confirmation from developers and planners that the necessary new facilities can clearly be completed within the required time frame. Fundamental to the approach taken with the new Cambourne Sixth Form will be a close partnership with Comberton Sixth Form. This is important and makes a great deal of good sense, because of the relative geographical proximity of the two Sixth Forms. It can mean that students at both Sixth Forms can benefit as the provision at both Sixth Forms can potentially be available to students regardless of which Sixth Form is attended. This will build on, and take much further, some of the partnership work that has been in place this school year between St Peter’s and Comberton Sixth Forms, enabling some courses to be accessed by students at St Peter’s that are run out of Comberton. Effective IT use, partly enabled through lessons learnt about this through the pandemic, has enabled this to take place.

PREPARING FOR A SIXTH FORM: The first phase of building designed originally as a sixth form is set to be extended before the post-16 facilities open.

Primary partnership to realise mutual benefits

One of the fundamental purposes of having a Trust of schools is to gain benefit from working in close partnership and collaboration with each other. We are all better off by doing this compared to each school ploughing its own furrow. Some of the Trust’s primary schools are beginning to work in particularly close partnership to realise mutual benefits. The West Villages Partnership (made up of Offord, Everton Heath and Gamlingay Primary Schools) has recently confirmed the appointment of a Partnership Head, Shelley Desborough, who will help to lead the three schools into a much closer way of working that allows staffing capacity and expertise together with other resources to be shared effectively across the schools. Moving forward, the Trust is looking to work with both Hartford Infant and Preschool and Hartford Junior School to support more integrated working between the two schools to ensure the best possible use of resources and a seamless educational experience for pupils who progress through these schools.

Focus on environment PARTNERSHIP LEAD: Shelley Desborough (right).

The Trust now has a section clearly identified in its development plan named as ‘Demonstrate proactive leadership in the area of sustainability and the environment’. Across all our schools we recognise the fundamental importance of environmental education for all pupils and seeking to make all our facilities as environmentally friendly as possible. A member of the Trust Board now has a named responsibility in this area. The Ground Source Heat Pump project at Comberton Village College continues to progress and remains on schedule. The project has quite rightly attracted considerable press and media interest given its scale and significance. The plan is that by the end of September, the school will be able to move over to ground source energy for its heating and no longer have to use oil for this. The benefits of this on several fronts are very clear. The Trust has funded some development work from staff in the area of environmental education. We hope that this can help to support and encourage further developments in environmental education for pupils in all schools in the Trust.

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DRILLING: At Comberton.

The power of IT

The Trust’s IT strategy pre-dates the pandemic. We have held a view for some time that it is crucial that we seek appropriately to harness the power of IT to strengthen the education process in our schools as well as to ease and improve administrative functions. The pandemic accelerated this process and enabled school communities to be much clearer and more confident in the various possibilities. Several of our schools have significantly developed the use of personal IT devices (iPads) during this school year. This has been aided by the Department for Education’s scheme in providing devices for schools. Schools also purchased iPads and devices have been rolled out using a financial package for families to make them as affordable as possible. The Trust is also providing iPads for staff in some schools . We hope this rollout will strengthen learning and improve access to educational resources for all pupils. We also want to continue to look to develop further possible uses of IT where appropriate. For example, we are interested in the possibility of piloting the use of Apple watches to strengthen Physical Education possibilities.

For the latest job vacancies across the Trust go to www.catrust.uk

Starting to plan ahead

SIXTH FORM

Year 12 students took the first steps towards planning for life after sixth form as they attended the college’s annual Progression Conference in early March. Designed to offer an introduction to post-18 choices, students attended a special series of talks and activities that highlighted the range of possible pathways and opportunities available to them, from university and apprenticeships to gap years and routes into employment. Alongside individual conversations with academic tutors, students also had the opportunity to attend

live talks from expert guest speakers in a range of fields. Guidance on university applications came from Mike Nicholson, Director of Admissions at the University of Cambridge, who offered valuable insights into the application process based on his many years of experience in this role. For those considering alternative pathways, a team of speakers assembled by local organisation Form the Future was on hand to give students a flavour of the range of opportunities available in terms of apprenticeships and school leaver programmes, with contributions from apprentices in law, construction and cyber security.

Students also had opportunities to begin or extend their research and planning into possible next steps, with additional input available for those considering competitive applications for Oxbridge or other early entry courses. Having been obliged to deliver this as a virtual event last year, it was great to experience at first hand the buzz of activity and excitement that this day traditionally brings, and staff are now looking forward to working closely with Year 12 students in the coming months to build on their initial research and help them plan for the future with confidence. Stephen Leggott, Deputy Head of Sixth Form

Funded play project benefits linguists

Comberton Sixth Form’s students with a love for learning languages and experiencing different cultures have relished the benefits of an Erasmus+ funded project. It was in 2020 that the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Department was successful in securing a Language Erasmus+ Project Grant from the British Council and European Commission. This was the second project approved in recent years, following the success of the Teaching and Learning Programme (TLP) which was interrupted by the challenges of COVID-19. The project, entitled ‘Aquellos Días Azules’ (Those Blue Days), is based around a play set in the beginning of the 20th century whose main characters are the Spanish poet Antonio Machado (who was in the exile in France at the time), Oscar Wilde (Ireland) and Emile Zolà (France). Juan Fran, the lead teacher in our PLAY IS WORK: Students work partner school, Colegio María Rosa Molas (MMRM), wrote the multilingual play with actors from CVC and MMRM for the purpose of this project. Year 12 and 13 students from Comberton Sixth Form have been collaborating synchronously and asynchronously with students from Colegio Madre María Rosa Molas in Zaragoza, Spain. The project culminated in a week at Colegio Maria Rosa Molas where our fantastic cohort of actors and translators worked together with the Spanish students to prepare the final performance in two and three languages. Project leader Paula Vázquez-Valero said: “I cannot put into words how amazing our Erasmus exchange visits have been, and what a fantastic impact both projects are having on our students and staff involved. “The projects are not only enabling our students to improve their linguistic skills, but they are also developing their ICT skills and genuinely fostering a love for cultural differences and tolerance. “During their visit to Zaragoza, our students spent most of their time at the Spanish school collaborating and sharing ideas in Spanish, English and French. They also got to experience school life first hand and undertook a number of day trips to emblematic historical or geographical places. “As a school, we are so honoured to have been given the opportunity to deliver these projects, which is a testament to the MFL Department’s mission to take languages outside the classroom.” Aaron (13MR) and Megan (13PV said: “Having just returned from our trip to Zaragoza, courtesy of Erasmus+ (and the hard work of our teachers), we are sure that that we will never again have an experience quite like it. “Since September, we have been working hard on our project

'Aquellos Días Azules' (ADA), focusing on the translation, creation, and interpretation of a multilingual production. This involved many workshops and Zoom calls, as well as forming relationships with the international students. The Spanish students visited Comberton in December to focus on the text we will use for the production we would perform in our leg of the trip. Needless to say, there were challenges on the way. “Firstly, the script was immense. In our first rehearsal in England, it took almost an hour to just read through, which was resolved by the idea of cutting the production into bitesize scenes and activities to ensure the target audience (Year 11 and 12 students) could access both the language and the ideas explored in the play. “It resulted in smoother drama and a better understanding of the text. Upon arrival we were made very welcome on the production. and got right into the action by writing a final scene of the play this tested our knowledge of the themes and deepened our roles as characters and actors. “Following that came group rehearsals and lots of work getting into character. We were all exhausted by the end of rehearsal, but it was enriching to interact and plan a drama piece using foreign language skills. “On Friday, we performed our sections of the play to different classes of Spanish students in Year 11 and 12. A lot of us felt quite nervous about performing, let alone in a language that isn't our mother tongue.” n Turn to Page 11

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Marks of success! SIXTH FORM

Students gave it their all for the Chemistry Olympiad, the toughest challenge a chemist can undertake.

This year’s competition attracted 8668 students from 750 schools – an increase on last year. There were bronze, silver and gold awards up for grabs and 64% of the students, who took part received awards. At CVC we had 10 students involved with nine gaining an award and one missing out by a single mark. Questions covered topics such as E10 petrol, a grade of petrol which contains up to 10% renewable ethanol (a biofuel). Other questions covered the quantitative chemistry in lateral flow tests and explored a technique which allows vaccines to be stored at room temperature. Congratulations in Year 13 go to Adam (13JM) and Alfie (13JD) for achieving gold putting them in the top 9% of this year’s cohort. Emma (13PG), Emma (13JM) and Michal (13IW) achieved silver with Marcus (13IW) collecting bronze. Also taking part were some very brave Year 12s and congratulations go to Tresa (12RAJ), Georgia (12SC) and Josh (12WD) who were awarded bronze with Emily (12SA) just missing out by one mark. Adam said: “I found the Olympiad challenging but enjoyable. The question on cubane was particularly interesting as it involved drawing many different structures of related compounds.”

Race to solve unusual problems fast

Five students represented Comberton Sixth Form at this year’s Cambridge Chemistry Race. They were among 60 teams from across the country taking part in the event at the University of Cambridge’s Chemistry Department earlier this term. Chemistry Race is an international competition that originated at the University of Pardubice, Czechia, but the Cambridge version is a new competition for three-five sixth form pupils. The teams race against each other to solve unusual chemistry problems. These are marked by examiners in real time and a live leaderboard is on display. Whoever gets the most points within the time limit wins! All non-electronic resources are allowed, since

AWARDS: Some of Comberton’s students with their certificates.

the problems are set to test understanding of principles, rather than knowledge. Chemistry-themed prizes (including the legendary beaker mugs) are awarded to the best three teams. One of Comberton’s team, Tresa (12RAJ) had this to say: “I had an absolute wonderful time at the Chemistry Race 2022 which was full of challenging questions and incredible motivated people. “The organising team were excited and helpful while the competition took place and students discussed questions and raced to the marking posts. “The day started off with a talk on the origins of the chemistry race by Jan Hrubeš, one of the

Discovering bioscience

INSIGHT: Biology students hear from bioscientists working at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge.

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founders of the Czech competition Chemiklání. “We were given an insightful look at the start of the Chemistry Race and were welcomed enthusiastically by the organising team. “After a few technical setbacks with the audio, the lecture theatres got started with the competition and there was a variety of fun and intriguing chemistry questions. “It was fun to use skills learnt in chemistry lessons and apply them to unfamiliar situations. “At the end of the race there was a prize buffet for the top three teams and participation awards for all sixth forms. “Overall, it was a brilliant experience and one that I would enjoy taking part in again next year!”

On 11th March, Year 12 Biologists had the unique opportunity to attend a talk by researchers from the Babraham Institute. Many of us thoroughly enjoyed the compelling picture of the work of a bioscientist, thanks to the Hawkins Lab team. Our visitors work in the signalling department of the Institute, researching the role of enzymes and other proteins in the formation of cancer. Their presentation offered a fascinating description of their work on PIP3 and its effects, as well as explaining how researchers work. Biology students were shown the variety of information sources, from cell cultures to real patients, as well as the different graphs and trials that the lab creates. PIP3 is a phospholipid with three phosphate groups in its head. The formation of PIP3 from PIP2 (another type of phospholipid) is catalysed by the PI3K enzyme, which is activated by a conformational change of a protein in the cell membrane. After PIP3 is produced, proteins within the cytoplasm bind to its head. This process is linked to cell growth. One of these proteins is PLEKHS1, which the Babraham researchers discovered was associated with cancer growth. Their experiments suggested that PLEKHS1 forms a positive feedback loop with PIP3, leading to uncontrolled cell division — cancerous cells. Alongside this discovery, the scientists also found that PTEN (an enzyme that turns PIP3 into PIP2) could help to prevent cancer because of its role in stopping cell growth. These revelations have helped to kickstart the development of new drugs to prevent and treat cancer. It felt a little strange seeing how we could understand the concepts before us; things I wouldn’t have fathomed knowing five years ago. The experience acted as a signal, revealing the crossroads we stand at; a realisation that a career in this vital research is truly on the horizon. I’m sure that many students left the Lecture Theatre with new knowledge and fresh thoughts about their place in the future of science. Eleanor (12PG)

SIXTH FORM

First-hand experience

TEACHING ENGLISH: To youngsters in Spain.

OUT AND ABOUT: All students also enjoyed sightseeing trips.

As part of the Spanish Teaching Leadership Programme (TLP), some Year 12 and Year 13 students had been carefully planning and delivering Spanish lessons to Year 7 and 8 students.

The Erasmus+ funding gave them the opportunity to experience teaching English as a foreign language first hand in our partner school in Zaragoza. One of those involved, Bethan (13PG), said: “I took part in TLP before going to Spain. We had been teaching after school Spanish to an enthusiastic group of year 7s and 8s on topics such as pets, school subjects and food. “This prepared me for helping in English lessons and even leading a lesson on sports in our partner school in Zaragoza, Maria Rosa Molas. “We got to meet lots of different ages of students, and it was great to practice our Spanish and help with their English! “My favourite part of the trip was the day in Madrid where we got to learn lots about the culture by visiting museums and eating lots of churros! “A massive thank you to Señorita Vázquez, Mrs White and Ms Dunn for organising it all and feeding us so many LOVING IT: Students enjoy time away from their main focus of the trip to Spain. bocadillos!”

Funded play project benefits linguists n From Page 9 “However, they were a huge success and, along with the materials we had prepared — PowerPoint presentation and Kahoot quizzes to check understanding of the context of the performance - the younger students did not only enjoy the performances but also learned from us the historical background of three European playwrights and the key sociocultural issues that surrounded their lives: LGTB, gender roles, Antisemitism and Spanish Civil war, among others.

“As students on this trip, we learned a great deal of useful skills ranging from public speaking, bettering our Spanish speaking abilities, but furthermore we gained friends for life in Spain. We will, for definite, visit again in the foreseeable future.” Tom (13JM) added: “We performed to students from the college, and showed them the many positive experiences and opportunities we had gained from taking part. Aside from our drama and teaching projects, we were able to observe a number of lessons in the sixth form and were particularly entertained by the passionate

On 1st March the Year 12 French class, accompanied by Mrs White and Mrs Gillings went to see the French singer Barbara Pravi perform at the Cadogan Hall in London. We left straight after school finished to catch the train to King’s Cross. Before the concert we met some of the former CSF A-Level French students for a meal and they shared their experience of A-level French and life at university. The concert was beautiful and emotional as well. It was a late night but so worth it. Tired and sad that the moment was over, Mrs Gillings interviewed us in class the next day…. Meilleure chanson? Mes Maladroits et Voilà parce que l’ambiance était électrique et elle a joué du tambour sur scène. Qu’est-ce qu’elle portait? Au début elle portait une jupe noire avec une cape noire et des hauts talons verts à paillettes ! Elle les a quittés parce qu’elle avait mal aux pieds! Commentaires sur le restaurant? C’était hyper-cool et la nourriture était

incroyablement délicieux. Meilleur moment de la soirée? Quand elle chantait les premiers mots de la chanson « Voilà » et sa façon de danser. Ah! Mais aussi le fait que Barbara Pravi a répondu à nos messages personnels sur Instagram! Barbara Pravi, elle est comment? Elle est une femme libre et énergique qui chante de son cœur. Elle est inspirante car elle raconte de vraies BIG NIGHT OUT: In histoires. Comment avez-vous voyagé? On a pris le train de Royston pour King’s Cross et puis on a marché sous la pluie car il y avait une grève mais on s’est amusées. Pour retourner on a pris un taxi du théâtre à la gare de King’s Cross et

philosophy teacher! “We were also luckily able to visit Madrid by train, which was a great day where we visited museums and Retiro park. “The week ended on a high as we watched Real Zaragoza play SD Amorebieta at the Romareda stadium, where we enjoyed the excitement of a late equalizer for Zaragoza. “In whole the trip was a great success in practising our language skills and in making many good friends, who we hope to visit again soon!”

Concert is beautiful and emotional

London, or students and staff. on est arrivées à la gare 2 minutes avant que le train soit parti! Derniers commentaires? C’était un des meilleurs moments de nos vies! Georgina (12HH) and Olivia (12PV)

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Experts give criminology insights

SIXTH FORM

Earlier this term Year 12 and 13 psychology and sociology students took part in an online criminology conference, some joining from home and others in the Sixth Form lecture theatre. They heard talks from a range of experts, such as Prof David Wilson discussing serial murder, Dr Emma Kelly discussing working in the police force, Prof Simon Winlow talking about the connection between men and violence and Dr Graham Hill on the use of offender profiling. It was disappointing we didn’t get to go to London to hear the talks in person due to Covid, but great that we still got to hear about a wide range of fascinating topics.

Shining a light . . .

JOINING IN ONLINE: Students at the Criminology Conference.

Sixth Form student Sarah has already raised more than £300 for an organisation that has helped her — and would love to raise more.

Eat cake!

GIVING BACK: Sarah is raising money for a charity that has helped her.

More than £300 was raised for two charities thanks to a giant bake sale in the sixth form. Held on Comic Relief Day, that charity will share the proceeds of the sale with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal for Ukraine. A total of £303.94 was collected on the day so each charity will receive BAKE SALE: For charity. £151.97.

Top 20 nationally

Sixth former Freddie stepped up an age group in a national shooting competition — but still recorded a top 20 finish. The Year 13 student was 17th overall in the senior age group at British Shooting’s Schools Pistol championships earlier this term. He qualified for the national finals after finishing as runner-up in the East of England regional round. Freddie said: “It was great fun, and I came 17th in the country, which was great! Last time I came eighth, but I was in a different age category. It was a big step up, but I found it very enjoyable.”

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The Year 13 student was born with hydrocephalus — where fluid builds up in the head and can affect the way the brain works — and turned to Shine for support. Shine, which is funding almost entirely by donations, provides specialist support for those affected by hydrocephalus and/or spina bifida and their families. Now Sarah is determined to give something back to the charity and started fund-raising to coincide with Hydrocephalus Awareness Week earlier this month. “This charity has done so much for both me and my family over the years and this is why I’m organising some fund-raising,” said Sarah. “I was born with hydrocephalus and had my first of eight brain operations when I was eight weeks old. “My hydrocephalus caused damage to my brain, which resulted in my having a left-sided hemiplegia (celebral palsy). At the time the doctors didn’t know what quality of life I would have as my brain scan was so bad. “My family were told only time would tell if I would meet my developmental milestones at all. It has results in me having a visual impairment, a leg length difference, problems with my balance, coordination and motor skills, epilepsy and anxiety. “My disability and difficulties are lifelong ones, but this will not stop me from living life to the full and achieving my goals.” Hydrocephalus is not only something babies are born with, although one in every 1000 are affected by it. It is the most common reason for a child to have a brain operation but, as a result of injury or infection, anyone could be affected by hydrocephalus at any point in their life. If you would like to donate to Sarah’s appeal for Shine, please go to www.justgiving.com/csfshine-fundraiser

Sports leaders impress

This has been an exciting half term, as we have launched a new Sports Leadership programme for Year 12 pupils during their Wednesday Enrichment sessions. We have a brilliant group of keen Year 12s who have signed up to be in our first cohort. After spending a few weeks learning some key leadership skills, the group were straight in to running their first PE lesson with Year 3 pupils at Meridian Primary School. The pupils have been into Meridian for several weeks leading up to until the Easter holidays. After this, they will be assisting Year 5/6 pupils from Coton Primary school with their summer athletics programme. Miss Kingston would like to say a huge well done to everyone involved. You have been so polite, mature and confident in leading the pupils and you have built really positive relationships.

LEADING

THE WAY:

Year 12s

new sports leaders.

Leaders enjoy teaching

COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

A group of Year 9 pupils has been out and about teaching in primary schools again this term.

They have been teaching the second of the three lessons they need to complete as part of their Language Leaders Award. Here Abigail (9T) and Avigael (9V) review their experience: “We taught Year 5/6 at Barton Primary about Easter, focusing on vocabulary but also mentioning a few ways people celebrate Easter in Spain. “They were excellent students; they behaved extraordinarily and most gave their all, participating in all the activities. “They engaged amazingly with our lesson, the majority of the class raising their hands to give answers whenever they could. “They could even remember perfectly the vocabulary we taught them from last term. “We loved their enthusiasm for the lesson and their exceptionally high amounts of participation. “They were a wonderful class to teach and we can not wait until we get to teach them again!”

Insight into life as a ‘Third Culture Kid’

Comberton’s Chinese GCSE Club were given an insight into life as a ‘Third Culture Kid’ by a student at Comberton Sixth Form. ‘Third Culture Kids’ are those who have spent a significant part of their first 18 years living outside their parents’ culture or country of origin due to their parents working or training. Belinda (13RAC) is one of these and she gave a presentation to club members, who are learning Mandarin. This was part of Belinda’s EPQ qualification for which she has also written a book — ‘My Life as a Third Culture Kid’. Belinda, who is also studying for A Levels in Art and Design, Graphic Communication, and Psychology, said: “I speak Mandarin and English, but I do not know which one is my first language. I do not know which language I spoke in first, but I did learn to write in English first then Mandarin.

Club restarts

The Japan Club has restarted and will run biweekly. Members have recently been in communication with our sister school in Kobe and the students of Kobe University Secondary School (KUSS) have been sending our students written and video messages presenting different aspects of Japanese Culture. Comberton students will be meeting every other week to reply to all the lovely messages sent by KUSS. Students at both schools will have the rare opportunity to learn about each other’s culture, language and customs communicating via our new CVC-KUSS Anglo-Japanese portal. If you are interested in joining or contributing, please contact Mr Winter.

BACK IN TOUCH: Japanese pupils messaged Comberton partners again.

Testing times

ENTHUSIASM: For the lessons prepared by Year 9 Language Leaders.on’

“I would say the difference between learning to write in a Chinese language and English is that it is completely different. “English works with learning the alphabet, then spelling to make words, while Mandarin works by learning the pronunciation 'alphabet' first, then writing the Chinese characters. “In Mandarin children start with writing common sections involved in Chinese characters, to move on to more complicated characters. IN PERSON: In summary, Chinese characters take longer to learn to reach a Chinese certain level of vocabulary.” Club members Belinda’s talk was just one of the activities for the 20-strong club hears members, who are led by Jennifer first-hand Wan, a Sixth Form Cabin TA who about is also a qualified teacher. growing As well as learning the language up in a in two groups — intermediate and culture advanced — they also enjoy that is other activities including not their celebrating Chinese New Near parents’. earlier in the term.

Marketing works!

International Leaders have been working in groups to lead different clubs. One of these is the very popular Film Club and Language Projects Coordinator Adina Hategan said: “I was very impressed with the students who

are leading this club and by their promotional skills! “They managed to attract lots of students and they come every week. “Last year a teacher from the department organised a similar club, with less success.”

FINALISTS: Comberton’s trio.

Three Year 7 students were today representing Comberton at the regional finals of a national competition. Balint, Maya and William, all from 7N, won the school round of the Spelling Bee challenge after learning 150 Spanish words and translating, in a minute, the most words of the 26 competitors. For the regional round — the final step before reaching the national finals in the summer — the trio have had to learn a total of 200 words.

PLENTY OF TAKERS: For Film Club organised by International Leaders.

Sharing ways to help

Language teachers Clare Allinson, Adina Hategan, George Waine and Additional Language Coordinator Sue Spencer ran an online workshop for twenty members of staff at fellow Cam Academy Trust

school St Peter’s. The topic was supporting newlyarrived speakers of an additional language. We discussed how best to support recently arrived Afghan students.

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Grease gamble pays off COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

This time two years ago we were preparing for our sell out production of ‘We Will Rock You’ with an audience of 1,200 people.

Twenty-four months later we found ourselves back in the Performance Hall...but this time without an audience. Putting on a production this year was always going to be a gamble, with so many unpredictable outcomes but the cast have worked relentlessly (and against the odds) to create yet another spectacular show. Even with the production starting on the back foot, with a two-month delay, it did not dampen the spirits; in fact, it’s probably created an even more energised approach to putting on the production as we were determined to overcome every obstacle that has been put in our way. From the absence of staff and students at rehearsals, the compulsory use of masks, to the removal of a live audience, we knew deep down that Covid was not going to get the better of us. Standing in the Performance Hall dotted with 1970’s

THE SHOW MUST GO ON: Comberton’s musical production of Grease was livestreamed due to Covid.

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teenagers just before we went live was one of the most surreal theatrical experiences any of us may ever have. A nervous and eerie silence fell among the cast and crew until the countdown was announced. We certainly all had our own expectations of the familiar teen love story that was about to unfold on stage, yet we soon realised that this performance was going to offer so much more than we were anticipating. Led by Danny (Scott 13SC) and Sandy (Liv 12KS), the cast effortlessly commanded the audienceless stage, guiding the plot between energetic musical numbers to tell the story of a summer romance that becomes strained with the onset of the school year. Alongside the two main characters Rizzo (Millie 13JD) and Kenickie (Dan 12WD), both punctuated the musical with comedy, yet also delivered moments of the show with fantastic dramatic tension. With the Pink Ladies appearing with brazen sassiness and the T-Birds bringing the boyish playfulness the cast as a whole displayed a huge dramatic range with their respective characters; bolstered by an energetic ensemble, they created a show that was bouncing

from the very first note to final cast cheer of celebration. The performances would not be possible without the dedication of so many people behind the scenes and yet again we have called on the support of parent volunteers who joined the production team, exstudents to help with the technical design and numerous local companies to help us create this unique theatrical experience. Streamed from three cameras by students who thought they were going to be helping with props backstage is just another example of how exceptional this group of young people are. We worked them relentlessly over 12 weeks and they never once moaned, and the success of the show is entirely down to the commitment and dedication of every member of the cast and crew. In short, Grease was a feel-good spectacle that was about as over the top as a musical should be, and thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish…let’s hope next time we can have audience! Jez Frost, Head of Drama

COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

PULLING TOGETHER: The cast of Grease triumphed over adversity to stage the show.

‘Walking on a tightrope’ “For most of the show we felt like we were walking on a tightrope just waiting to find out how this show would be played out. “Although there was the initial disappointment when we found out that the show would be performed through a livestream with no live audience, there was also an immediate sense of determination where we knew that it was going to be a unique and difficult process, but it would be worth it. “I will always remember being stood by the side of the stage as we watched the crew count us down in silence for when we went live on the opening night as the Pink Ladies and I stood together in a group looking at each other in fear not really knowing what we were about to walk into. “Doing Grease was an incredible experience that was incredibly tough at times but allowed us to share our passion and determination when it came putting on the show!” Liv (Sandy)

“How was Grease? All I can say is, Boola Boola! “With 12 weeks to put on Grease, we were never certain that the show would go ahead but that didn't stop the huge collective effort from the entire cast. “We started wondering how we would remember the nonsense words in ‘We Go Together’ and with three weeks to go, we were just as nervous. However, in seven years of doing shows at Comberton, I knew we could always pull it together at the final moments, but I have never been prouder of the cast thanks to their sheer dedication in the last couple of weeks running up to the show. “Grease 2022 was one of the best experiences of my life and holds many fond memories that I will take with me into the future.” Scott (Danny)

Welcome return of live production

On Thursday 17th March 170 GCSE and A level students from across the Trust came together for the first face to face event for three years. With many of the students studying the play ‘DNA’ by Dennis Kelly as part of their course, it was an exceptional opportunity to welcome Quirky Birds Touring Theatre Company to the CVC to perform their production of it. The performance was impactful on so many levels, not just in preparation for the students’ summer exam but it inspired the students and renewed their hope for the arts as we emerge from all of the restrictions. The conversations that followed the production and a 45-minute Q&A with the director and actors were nothing less than buoyant excitement and sheer joy of seeing live theatre in a restriction free(ish) environment, which reignited our students’ love and appreciation of everything they have missed. They also posed challenging questions to broaden their understanding of the play and had the opportunity to hear about the experience of touring with a young cast. The play itself is a powerful comment on teenage behaviour and COURSEWORK: Students from several Trust schools watched the relationships, which was presented through a combination of theatrical conventions and techniques. production then had the chance to ask questions.

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In the field COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

RIVER WORK: Students get hands-on in the water.

On Monday March 21st Year 11 geography students had the privilege to take part in a field trip to Epping Forest.

We undertook this field trip to enable us to answer questions from the GCSE Geography paper 3, which is about fieldwork. Epping forest is in Essex and we spent most of the morning in the forest preparing for the field investigation. We also answered exam-style questions and did a risk assessment. Once we were prepared for the fieldwork, we went to Debden Brook, which is a small river in Epping Forest where we investigated how the river characteristics change downstream. The question we were prepared to investigate, and answer, was ‘How does the velocity, depth and width of Debden Brook change down the

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river?’ To answer this question, we had to go to different sites of the river. We used systematic sampling to decide, as we found easily accessible points of the river in the upper, middle and lower course. At each of the three points, we went into the river and used a tape measure for the width, a metre ruler for the depth and for the velocity we had to use a stopwatch to measure the time it took for a cork to travel one metre. After we recorded the results, we analysed the risks involved in the experiment and the bias that could have affected the results – for example there were three trolleys in the river! By calculating a mean result we were able to conclude that velocity, depth and width overall increase down the river. Alice (11B) and Giulia (11N)

TAKING A BREATHER: One group enjoys a rest stop, knowing exactly where they are!

DofE learning curve

On Friday 18th to Sunday 20th March, forty-eight Year 10 pupils allowed staff to accompany them on a practice expedition for their Silver Duke of Edinburgh award. The pupils started their trip to with a warm-up hike of four km, which meant they could acquaint themselves with the weight they would be carrying on their back for the next two days — tent included! The routes were based around the picturesque villages and countryside near Grafham Water. The group showed great resilience and commitment over the two days, improving their navigational skills, learning campcraft and persevering when blisters prevailed. Despite somewhat chilly nights,the weather during the day was beautiful. We remain hopeful that the sun will be this kind during the qualifying expedition in July. Well done everybody!

COLD NIGHT FOR CAMPING: Students woke to frost on the ground during their practice expedition.

County champions!

Round-up of the latest news from the South Cambs SSP

Comberton are the Panathlon champions of Cambridgeshire. The team of Year 8 students based in The Cabin won the title at the County Finals at St Ives last week. They saw off South Cambs’ other heat winners, Impington, as well as the best

It all stacks up . . .

BEAMING: Members of the Comberton team celebrate.

teams from Huntingdonshire, Fenland, Cambridge, East Cambs and Peterborough to win the title on March 24th. Their success follows victory in a qualifying round earlier in the term at Cambourne Village College. In total 11 teams from six secondary schools — the others were Melbourn, Cambourne, Linton and Swavesey — took part in the two qualifying competitions of the KS3 Panathlon Challenge Xtend competitions. The Comberton team was Alfie (8B), Anna (8R), Jamie (8E), Zach (8T), Thomas (8T)and Frankie (8E). Panathlon is a national charity which gives thousands of young people with SEND the opportunity to take part in competitive sport. The pathway begins with local events, leading to county, regional and finally national finals at prestigious Olympic and Paralympic venues. Pupils competed in a variety of adapted sports, including boccia, basketball, target practice, bowling and kurling and although only the winners went on to the county finals last week, the Melbourn team had a brilliant time. Primary schools have also been getting involved in the Panathlon Challenge and 13 schools have taken part in multi-skills events with teams of 6-8 participating in a carousel of inclusive activities including boccia blast, new age kurling, basketball, parachute popcorn, precision beanbag and skittles. At each activity schools had the opportunity to gain points for their school. Congratulations to Steeple Morden and Bar Hill Primary schools, who managed to accumulate the highest scores, and were presented with the gold medals. They went forward to represent South Cambs at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough School Games Disability & Inclusion Festival, where Steeple Morden finished second to Nene & Ramnoth School from Wisbech.

Year 10 members of the Leadership Academy pupils have discovered new sports this term — they are now experts in Sport Stacking! They received specialist training from Di Baker, where they practised all the different games and activities with the stacking cups. They have since led two different SCSSP festivals in Sport Stacking (one that was aimed towards Primary school students, and one that was aimed for ear Y7-9 Secondary school pupils with SEND. The sports leaders showed excellent patience throughout both events. A particular metnion to Hannah (10I), who managed to build some really positive relationships with pupils and adapted the games where needed.

Leaders keep the games on right track

There was an action-packed day of hockey as the South Cambs School Sports Partnership welcomed 40 teams to their annual Year 5/6 Quicksticks Hockey competition earlier this month. The Comberton Leadership Academy pupils had a big task on their hands as they were umpiring all the games that took place across the day. Fortunately, they had been building up to this as they had done lots of practice during their Leadership lessons! On the day, they did a superb job of keeping the games under control. They were clear and confident with their decisions which helped the tournament run smoothly. Alongside this, they did a fantastic job of supporting and encouraging the teams. Well done everybody. With so many entries the event, held at the University Sports Ground on Wilberforce Road, Cambridge, was split into morning and afternoon competitions. Teams from the 22 schools taking part were organised with their A teams playing in a ‘Cup’ competition and B and C teams playing in a ‘Plate’ competition. Teams then played in a round robin format, playing all the other schools in their pool in 10-minute matches. There were plenty of competitive matches and close-scoring games in the ‘Cup’ competition as the 4-a-side teams, made up of two boys and two girls, gave their best effort to do well for their school. In the morning it was Fen Drayton who beat Meldreth with a golden goal after a 11 draw. The final of the second ‘Cup’ competition, played in the afternoon, was won by Histon Brook, 4-1 against University of Cambridge Primary. In the ‘Plate’ competitions meanwhile, Bassingbourn B beat Meadow B and Histon Brook edged out Coton. There was also recognition on the day for those teams who had taken part in the

STACK EXPERTS: Students demonstrate the skill.

‘Spirit of the Games’ and demonstrated good teamwork and honesty in their performances. The winners were Pendragon, Cottenham, Bar Hill and Meldreth, who were all nominated for being supportive of their teammates and the umpires, and showing great teamwork and fair play towards other teams. Claire McDonnell, South Cambs SSP Partnership Development Manager said: “It is great to be back running events like this and seeing the fun and enjoyment it brings to the children. “They have missed out on competitions like this over the last two years; they were so excited to be there and to be representing their schools, playing with their friends, and developing those social connections. It was such a positive day, all played in really good spirits.” More information on hockey in the local area can be found on the SCSSP website, http://www.scssp.co.uk/information/community-club-contacts/

UMPIRING ROLE: For Comberton’s Leadership Academy.

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Turning on the Power!

COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

Sixteen lucky Leadership Academy pupils had the opportunity to be part of the Powerhouse Games event hosted by Lady Cavendish College.

The Powerhouse Games is an incredible sports day like no other, where pupils take part in adapted games such as boccia, sitting volleyball, new age kurling and walking football. Comberton pupils were teamed with Cambridge University students, and some SEND students from Castle School. They mixed together to make teams that included everyone. A particular highlight was watching everyone take part in the world’s largest game of sitting netball — a game which is more tiring than anyone could have imagined. A big thank you to the founder and organiser of the Powerhouse games, John Willis, who invited us to attend this event.

POWERFUL MESSAGE: From Games organiser John Willis.

Lots of options

Players share passion PASSION FOR FOOTBALL: Comberton’s new ‘Activators’.

This term saw a group of Year 9 students, passionate about football, sport and engaging more girls in physical activity, step into their roles as Youth Sport Trust — Football Activators. This is part of a programme called ‘Barclays Game On’, encouraging more girls to start playing football. The group were selected due to their enthusiasm and energy for sport, their football experience, ability to lead and organise and to inspire others. They attended their first session run by the Game On team, the ‘Inspire’ Launch Event. This was a live event hosted by women in sport and some top professional female footballers, past and present. The girls were set short tasks to consider who their role models were, how they could become role models themselves, what they wanted to achieve in their school and some ways to achieve it. The girls had some fantastic ideas and finished the event feeling motivated to start putting these into action! We have many girls at Comberton who enjoy playing football and some who really excel in their sport. Our aim is to get more involved in football outside of lessons and provide more opportunities to do so. Watch this space.

There have been more than 20 extra-curricular clubs on offer this term, ranging from basketball to yoga and everything in between! With many different clubs for each year group alongside fixtures, it has certainly been busy. It has been a joy to see our girls football clubs growing and we are extremely privileged to have so many talented students! The under-13 girls football squad has been steadily growing since January and we regularly have 20-25 girls attending training each week. They have recently had several games, one in the under-14 Sisters in Sport Cup against Samuel Whitbread Academy, with others against Cambourne Village College and Melbourn Village College. Regardless of the score and result, the girls have always sought to play their best and bring a real determination to their game. The Year 7 and 8 basketball team recently played a really exciting game against a strong Cambourne team. There were some fantastic skills on show. Comberton went on to win the game by nine points, which showed how close it was! Climbing club and badminton/table tennis club remain extremely popular for all age groups, with lots of fun to be had at both. After the Easter break, the extra-curricular opportunities will change slightly, with lots to look forward to including, athletics, rounders, cricket, and swimming. More information to follow.

Leaders Bee praised after tournament!

OFFICIATING: Sports Leaders organise the

results as well as umpiring matches.

STANDING TOGETHER: Comberton and Cambourne basketballers.

The second round of the Bee Netball league was hosted by Comberton on Tuesday 15th March. It was fantastic to see how the Year 5/6 pupils had progressed in their netball ability since the first round in October. The weather was on our side and the afternoon was a brilliant occasion for the pupils to be out in the sun enjoying competitive sport together. The matches were expertly umpired by our Sports Leaders, who received some really positive feedback from the primary schools. One primary staff member commented: “can I just take the opportunity to thank everyone for the tournament. Our children didn't do particularly well,

but have come back really happy to have competed and they enjoyed the session so much. “Little things such as some of the sports leaders commenting on the children's good footwork really helped to boost them when they felt a little bit down about losing a match, so please let the sports leaders know how much they are appreciated too.” We are so proud of how professional the sports leaders have been, and it has been brilliant to see their improvements too since the first round in October. Coton 1 took top spot from Meridian 1 with Coton 2 third of the nine teams. Well done to all involved.

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Girls reach Cup semis

COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

The under-15 girls football team have had a phenomenal season and demonstrated determination, tenacity, excellent skills and teamwork in pursuit of national glory.

The squad of 15 has consistently performed to an exceptional level, winning six consecutive games to reach the semi-finals of the ESFA Nationals School Cup Under-15 Girls Competition before agonisingly losing out in a tough game in Hull. They really racked up the goals within those games, scoring 48 goals and proving convincingly they were the team to beat. The girls beat schools including Etonbury Academy, Neale Wade, Haslingden High School and Redbourne Upper school, with teams coming as far as Manchester. The team trained hard, afterschool and during lunchtimes, with Mr Asensi running tough training sessions and putting them through their paces. The team gained in strength, both in their physical and mental performance. They practised corner and throw in routines named Delilah and Shelley to throw off the opposition in true ‘Coach Carter’ style.

Their commitment took them through to round eight, the semi-finals, against South Hunsley School, in Hull. After a brutal three-hour drive, the team played as hard as they could, with a crowd of 150 South Hunsley students watching on. The game was incredibly tight and the positivity and grit of the Comberton players really shone through. Unfortunately, South Hunsley School just gained the lead and won the game 3-2. Whilst the Comberton students were understandably disappointed, they finished the game and day as a team. The whole school are incredibly proud of their achievements, becoming one of the top four schools in the country for Under-15 girls’ football. We will continue to play games for the rest of the season and will be more than ready for the Under-16 competition next year! Thank you to all staff and parents for their support over the course of this national cup journey! Team: Jenna (9C), Gwen (10T), Hannah (10I), Maddie (10N), Olivia (10V), Liv (10M), Alessa (10E), Aliyah (9O), Holly (10T), Chloe (9N), Hannah (9O), Sophie (10I), Izzy (10B), Abigail (10E), Summer (9E).

Trio swing into regionals LAST FOUR: The Comberton squad who reached the semifinals of the national cup.

RUN HALTED: A Comberton tackle ends an opposition attack Picture: Year 10 GCSE photography student in the ....

At the recent English Schools Golf Championships Comberton entered a number of students into both the boys’ and girls’ Cambridgeshire round. The competition took place at the tricky Cambridge Country Club. With the weather conditions not making it any easier for players, it was impressive how well all the students did. Olivia (10B), Elizabeth (8M ) — playing with home advantage — and Oliver (10M) have all secured their place in the regional final and Callum (10O) also helped the Comberton Village College team win the Cambridgeshire schools overall gross score team event. It is always great to see our students competing in events like these. We wish them luck (and better weather) in the next round and hope to see some of them at the national finals in the summer.

EYES ON THE

PRIZE: Comberton students focus on

qualification.

Smashing it!

BEST BATS FORWARD: The under-15 team are into the county final

The under-15 girls’ cricket team are back in the Lady Taverner’s Competition. Two years ago, they made a great start to this competition which sadly came to an abrupt holt due to Covid. They are now back with a bang as they have already won their first round of competition, meaning they have qualified for the County Finals. The first round saw Comberton face St Bede’s and North Cambridge Academy and Comberton made their mark with some outstanding scores. There is tough competition in the County Finals, as they will face The Leys and The Perse. Wishing you all the best of luck for the next round!

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