Thorpe Park

On Wednesday 6th May, 75 excited students studying GCSE Business and GCSE Applied Leisure &Tourism took part in the last annual visit to Thorpe Park. The trip formed part of their coursework and students attended an engaging and entertaining marketing seminar where they found out information such as the cost of buying the rides and the number of vistors per year to the Park. Luckily for us, the weather had stayed dry and sunny throughout the day, which of course meant lots of happy students going on water rides such as Tidal Wave, Rumba Rapids and Depth Charge. Queues quickly built up for the new ride - SAW which some of our students managed to get onto and survive. Others students however, were happy to just observe their friends drop from a terrifying height of 100ft as screams of terror and laughter filtered through the air. As the day drew to a close, students frantically ran around for one last ride before heading home. Overall, another successful, fun-filled trip for students to look back on when they see the photos in their YearBook 2010.

Mrs Webster

Hove Park dance updates

Hove Park students have been involved with many dance projects this year. At lower school Dance Club has taken off massively with more than thirty regular attendees. A number of students auditioned for a new satellite dance group for 12-14 year olds, an initiative led by The Place, (Contemporary Dance School) in London. Ceris Jones and Steph McMillan, both Year 7, were successful and have been attending the sessions with top dance teachers.

At the Upper School, Year 10 and 11 students recently performed in Let's Dance at the Brighton Dome. The piece, 'Silent Disco', involved a variety of music and dance styles and was very popular with the audience. Jack Arnold's solo was particularly well received. All the students deserve high praise as the dance piece was put together in a very short space of time and their performance was excellent.

Over the Easter holidays, eight students have been working with dancers from the Hofesh Schecter Dance Company and students from the Worthing area, to create a 5 minute piece for the Brighton Festival. It is part of a longer piece in which 10 groups are involved in total. Hofesh Schecter is an internationally renowned choreographer and he has created the music with local bands and will be overseeing the final rehearsals. The final performance will take place in The Dome on Sunday 17th May at 9pm. It is totally free and people just need to arrive in plenty of time to get a good standing position or seat. The students have been working incredibly hard and commited a great deal of time to the project, so the more support the better! They also appeared in The Argus over the Easter holidays!

The GCSE dance students will be doing their External Moderation exam on Tuesday 28th April. This is the culmination of two years hard work. Many of the students successfully showcased their work at a recent dance evening to parents and friends. We hope to get some of the students to perform their own choreographies in future assemblies. The Year 10 Dance students will soon be seeing some work created by Btec Dance students from Chichester College who are touring their dance work. This is a great opportunity for students to see the progression from studying dance at school to college.

We have been up to London to The Roundhouse to watch 'Uprising/In Your Rooms' by the Hofesh Schecter Dance Company. Twenty students from Lower and Upper School thoroughly enjoyed the performance. GCSE students also went to see Rambert Dance Company at the Theatre Royal as part of their course.

Ms Satterly

Swedish Gifted and Talented day

An exciting Swedish Gifted and Talented day is being held at Hove Park School on Saturday 6th June.

This one day event is open to all students in Year groups 7 - 9 (KS3). The day is designed to develop students’ linguistic abilities and transferable language skills in listening and speaking as well as cultural awareness of this often overlooked European country by focussing on the timely celebration of Midsummer.

The Swedish day will take place at our Valley Campus, Hangleton Road from 9.00am – 3.00pm. The event is free of charge for all students who live in the Brighton & Hove area.
For further information contact Ellis Jones on 01227 767700 ext 3260 or Email: ellis.jones@canterbury.ac.uk.

Orchestra & Choir in Brighton festival

On Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th May Hove Park's school orchestra and school choir will be performing as part of the Brighton festival. The groups have been asked to entertain the punters at the Palm Court Cafe (in the Brighton Dome foyer) in the afternoon from 2.30-3.30pm. Both groups will perform a varied repetoire of music and are looking forward to the event. Anyone is welcome to attend either performance.

Mr Miles

Music Conert

On Thursday 19th March some of Hove Parks musicians gathered together to perform the various repetoire that poeple had been working on either with their music teacher as part of a school group or with their instrumental teacher. The choir opened with a very impressive performance of Broken Strings by James Morrison before the flute group in various forms performed several pieces. A collection of solos then followed on keyboard and piano performed by a range of students from some of our most experienced year 10's to year 7's performing for the first time. A violin trio then showed us what they were capable before the orchestra came together and the audience got involved in a version of WE will rock you. The concert was played out by a saxaphone quartet. A big congratulations to all performers and well done.

Mr Miles

Royal Geographic Society

Hove Park has been chosen by the RGS to feature in an online Global dimension project, which will be used by other schools nationally for CPD. Staff and students from Hove Park have been videoed, speaking about their work and perceptions of the Global Dimension and how it has impacted both in school and in the classroom.

Staff interviewed included Jenny Gibson (in her role of Head of Geography and class teacher) Charmian Hartley (International Director) and Bob Hinton (School Governor and Link Interral Governor).

Students who were also interviewed were Sami Zeglam, Jo-Anne Bothwell, James Noble, Nina Bassam, Lewis Rawlinson and Neya Syed. It is very prestigious that Hove Park has been chosen by the RGS to participate in this video.

Interreg IVA update

Having been awarded 1.2 million Euros by the EU in early October 2008 Hove Park is working with four local educational institutions; Blatchington Mill, Falmer, Varndean and City College and three French partners Lycée Les Bruyères, Collège Delvincourt and Lycée Georges Baptiste.
The overall aim of the Interreg IVA project is to support strategic cross-border co-operation and sustainable regional development by forging closer links between educational providers in Brighton and Hove and Haute-Normandie in France.

In Brighton and Hove, the lead partner of the Joint Educational Futures project is Hove Park School and in Seine Maritime the network of schools will be led by the Rectorat of the Rouen Academie in the region of Haute – Normandie.

The project will initially run from October 2008 – December 2010.
So far three successful exchanges between the partner schools have taken place.

Falmer High School with Collège Delvincourt, December 08.

The educational rationale of the project was the Economic and Cultural impact of Tourism. Students gained a huge amount of first hand knowledge and understanding of the tourist industry through the whole experience, e.g. group travel, hotel services, tourist venues, customer service and advertising. Both groups worked in each others schools, creating a website of the work they had done together which included their studies both in London and Paris.

Hove Park School and Blatchington Mill School with Lycée Les Bruyères, December 08.
The educational rationale of this student exchange was to use Business Studies to compare the commercial aspects of Christmas in both England and France. Pupils visited Brighton, Rouen, London and Paris to gather their information and then worked jointly in both schools to produce a Powerpoint. A DVD has been produced showcasing the work done and experience gained in England and France.

City College and Lycée George Baptiste, January 09.
This exchange focused on the theme of entrepreneurialism and enterprise with students investigating cultural differences between French and English cuisine and gastronomy. All the students worked together both in Brighton and Rouen, preparing a Gala dinner which was served to the public from the Gallery Restaurant at City College. Educational visits made included an organic farm and vineyard near Brighton and to a Cheese factory and bakery near Rouen.

Melanie Davies

Swedish day

An exciting Swedish Gifted and Talented day is being held at Hove Park School on Saturday 6th June.

This one day event is open to all students in Year groups 7 - 9 (KS3). The day is designed to develop students’ linguistic abilities and transferable language skills in listening and speaking as well as cultural awareness of this often overlooked European country by focussing on the timely celebration of Midsummer.

The Swedish day will take place at our Valley Campus, Hangleton Road from 9.00am – 3.00pm. The event is free of charge for all students who live in the Brighton & Hove area.
For further information contact Ellis Jones on 01227 767700 ext 3260 or Email: ellis.jones@canterbury.ac.uk.

Swedish G & T

December a group of 25 talented linguists from Year 9 experienced a fantastic workshop all in Swedish! Students learnt how to use their linguistic skills by transferring them to another language which they had never encountered. At the end of the day, students had created an acrostic poem in Swedish and could hold a basic conversation in the language. Students were also given an insight into a European country which is not usually studied in the curriculum. The chance to taste Swedish food, including for those more daring students the dreaded pickled herring, was also offered!

Charity update

Recently Hove Park students and staff raised a phenomenal £1003.87 for the Breast Cancer ‘Wear it Pink’ campaign. Our Children in Need fund raising also topped out at £1516.62. So it was only fitting that this term all at Hove Park embraced the fun of Red Nose Day.

With Red noses on sale, a Non school uniform day and the theme of ‘do something funny for money’ plenty of money was donated to Comic Relief. Highlights had to be the ‘Guess the Flavour’ competition where anyone for 50p can guess the flavours of crisps and Ed Donaldson having his hair completely shaved off!

Many thanks to all involved, this years total was a whopping £1621.45 congratulations everybody.

Billy Elliot

On Thursday 5th March 7O went on a class trip to see Billy Elliot in the West End. The trip was to support Samantha Francis who is currently performing amazingly well as one of the ballet dancers in the production.

The 28 students and 4 staff members all really enjoyed the show. The dancing from the lead character Billy Elliot was truly outstanding and I hope that it has inspired the boys as much as it did the girls.

Mr Daynes

World Book Day

World Book Day, the biggest annual celebration of books and reading in the UK, was celebrated by Hove Park this term.

Events held on the day ranged from a visit by 14 Year 9 students to ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ an adaptation of the classic book by Irish novelist John Boyne. A ‘Guess the Teacher’ competition (where pupils guessed the names of teachers hidden behind a book that offers a clue to their identity) and Year 9 students creating presentations based around reading.

As part of World Book Day Ms Illiffe held a competition for students to create a bookmark promoting reading. The winning bookmark, to be professionally produced, will be used as promotional material for the Valley Library. Inundated with entries the standard was incredibly high, after much deliberation Megan Harman won, she received a gift voucher. As the level of entries were so fantastic we have decided to make another 3 into bookmarks, the students are Lena Ferriday 7S, Lily Russell Newth 7H and Alice Alderson 8R. Thank-you to everyone who entered.

The English Dept & Ms Illiffe

La Polsa

The annual highlight of February’s half term break, Hove Park’s ski trip, was once again an outstanding success.

This Year our budding Graham Bells ventured to La Polsa, high above Rovereto in the Altopiano di Brentonico, Italy. 51 students lead by Mr Streeter experienced the thrills of winter fun in the snow! (Although maybe they should have stayed here in England after our recent arctic weather!)

With many individual achievements highlights of the week were piste based antics, a day trip to Verona, the world famous ‘Disco Bingo’ and the seventies themed last night.
Thankyou to all the students (who conducted themselves impeccably) and Mr Mack, Mr Pulling, Mr Holroyd, Miss Satterly, Miss Greener and Miss Wilson for a top week!

Mr Streeter

Hove Park’s Art Department visited Cornwall’s inspiring Eden Project this March. The 3 day trip gave our students the opportunity to explore the fantastic architecture and plant life of this magnificent project. This visit is to be used as inspiration for drawing and photographic projects throughout GCSE, BTEC and A-Level Art, Design and Photography.

Ms Domaingue

B&H Cup Finals

Huge congratulations to Hove Park’s Year 10 boy’s football team who won this years Brighton and Hove Cup Final beating Tideway 3-1. The game, played at Culver Road (Sussex County football ground), was a testament to all the hard work our boys have put in. Well done to the whole team with special praise to Connor O’Neill who scored 2 goals (one from a free kick!) and Zeki Mohammed who got 1! Not content with winning the Town Cup they also recently beat Ardingly College 4-2 in the County Cup Semi-Final. The final will be against either Downlands or William Parker!

I would also like to congratulate our outstanding Year 11 boy’s football team. Our boys made it all the way to the Brighton District Cup Final also held at at Culver Road but were beaten on the night by Patcham 4-1.

Mr Streeter

BBC Rough Science

Marking the 5th birthday of the Brighton Science festival and to raise awareness of the pending energy crisis Hove Park students entertained a morning of science workshops, rough style!
BBC’s Jonathan Hare of ‘Rough Science’ fame along with Brighton Science Festival’s Richard Robinson held an exhilaration morning of science for Year 9 and Year 7 & 8 Gifted and Talented students.

Our students where tasked with designing a wind turbine that could turn a generator and power such devices as a buzzer, light and radio! There where some wonderful and whacky designs which we’re sure will be used on a grand scale to harness wind power!

Thanks to all the students, Ms Halstead, Mrs Corcoran, Jonathan, Richard and all involved who helped organise this fascinating day. Brighton’s Science Festival was held this year between the 21st and 28th February where Hove Park hosted the Bright Sparks Family Fun Day.


Ms Halstead

Leading World Learning

Hove Park’s 4th annual National Conference, ‘Leading World Learning’, will be held this year on Monday June 29th, 2009 at our Nevill Campus.

The conference is open to all teachers, practitioners & national experts in primary, secondary & tertiary education.

Leading World Learning will allow you to share, update & shape best practice in delivering language-learning & the International Dimension across the curriculum.

For further details contact Lynn Heasman (01273 294976, lheasman@hovepark.org.uk) or visit www.hovepark.org.uk.

Alice in Wonderland

Wow what a production! The stage was set, the lights were low and the audience waited with eager anticipation for Hove Park’s adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic; Alice in Wonderland. From Alice dreaming of wonderland to the Beautiful Flowers and Singing Caterpillars the play was a triumph throughout.

Special praise must go to all the cast who gave memorable (and humorous!) performances (too many to mention here) the amazing orchestra and the talented team of staff who gave up their own time.

Over 150 students were involved on the night and many more helped out with props and sets pre-show. So a big thank to you to you all.

Brighton & Hove Cup winners

A massive congratulations to Hove Park’s Year 10 boy’s football team who won this years Brighton and Hove Cup Final beating Tideway 3-1.

The game played this year at Culver Road (Sussex County Football ground) was a testament to all the hard work our boys have put in. Well done to the whole team but special praise must go to Connor O’neill who scored 2 goals (one from a free kick!) and Zeki Mohammed who got 1!

Sainsbury's active kids

Hove Park is pleased to be taking part in the Sainsbury's Active Kids campaign. This represents an excellent opportunity for us to acquire lots of extra equipment and experiences that we may not usually be able to provide.

Last year, you helped us to collect a fantastic 14898 Active Kids vouchers which meant we could choose some brilliant things! Active Kids runs from the 11th February to 3rd June, so get collecting those vouchers and bring them to either school libraries.

Beijing visits

In January, 25 Chinese Teachers from Beijing alongside our tertiary partner City College came to observe teaching and learning at the Nevill campus. The visiting teachers observed a number of lessons across the school and commented on how friendly and happy our students were who greeted them with a resounding “Ni hao”! They also commented on the wealth of different subjects students could study in the UK and were particularly impressed by Food Technology and boys actually cooking! Many thanks to all teachers at Hove Park whose lessons were observed. Our links with Beijing are now in a stronger position to move forward with a future exchange and curriculum project by the end of the academic year.

Alice in Wonderland

Hove Park’s creative arts department have been working hard organising and adding the final details to our rendition of Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice in Wonderland.

The performance, to be held at our Nevill campus, will be on the 11th & 12th of February at 7.30pm. Tickets are still available from both libraries and only cost £6/£4, grab them while you can and support this great show!

BBC’s Jonathan Hare teaches students

Marking the 5th birthday of the Brighton Science festival and to raise awareness of the pending energy crisis Hove Park students entertained a morning of science workshops rough style!

BBC’s Jonathan Hare of ‘Rough Science’ fame along with Brighton Science Festival’s Richard Robinson held an exhilaration morning of science for Year 9 and Year 7 & 8 Gifted and Talented students.

Our students where tasked with designing a wind turbine that could turn a generator and power such devices as a buzzer, light and radio! There where some wonderful and whacky designs which we’re sure will be used on a grand scale to harness wind power!

Thanks to all the students, Ms Halstead, Mrs Corcoran, Jonathan, Richard and all involved who help organize this fascinating day. Brighton’s Science festival will be held this year between the 21st and 28th February. Hove Park is pleased to host the Bright Sparks Family Fun Day, for further information visit: http://www.brightonscience.com/programme/brightsparks.html