Newsletter December 2009 (166)
This version is provided for continuity of searchable newsletters on the Therfield Alumni website
for the full pdf version search for July 2009 in the News > Newsletters section of the school's website

Dear Parents

This has been another successful and action packed term. The Year 7s are truly settled in and are already contributing to our community. Thank you to those of you who have supported our many events this term including the Christmas Concert and many fund raising events held by the Trust. We are all looking forward to the coming break and I wish you and your families a restful and enjoyable time over the Christmas and the New Year.
Susan Willman

Ready to Learn

Please make sure that students are equipped properly for School as this has an effect on the class. To have the correct stationary and uniform enables classes to run smoothly and ensures that they are ‘ready to learn’ as they enter the class room. Thank you for your support in this matter.

SEN Department

Dear Parents
The Learning Support Department would like to offer a morning each term where you can make an appointment to meet the SENCO (Miss C Chegwin). Please could you return the reply slip to Mrs J Dwyer in the Learning Support if this is of interest to you.

Student name -

Parent name -

Contact number -

Yes I would like to make an appointment to see Miss Chegwin (SENCO)

Science

Be careful what you say at Break!
Whilst talking to a colleague at the Open University over coffee during the summer I happen to mention to him some of the field work our Therfield 6th formers undertake during their field trip in July. Little did I know that this idle conversation would lead to me giving a lecture at The Natural History Museum in London in front of fifty of the World’s foremost biologists at a special meeting of Orthopterists of the British Entomologists Society on November 4th.

Orthoptera are an Order of Insects known to most of us as Grasshoppers and Crickets. I presented my talk lasting about 20 minutes on how our A level Biology students go to a meadow on Newlands Corner and first collect and mark with green paint 200 grasshoppers before releasing them back into the same meadow. Some 3 hours later we revisit the meadow and collect another 200 (about 15 for each student) and look at them to see if any had been caught and painted previously. (We normally find about 15 had been) By using a simple calculation we estimate that there are about 2500 in our area.

This simple population estimate is used by many biologists to estimate populations of many animals….it is how they can say on television that a Reindeer herd contains 12600 animals or there are 10.000 Elephants in African Safari Parks…… not every single one has to be marked/counted to know how many there are!!

The talk was very well received and I had lots of nice comments made to me by my audience. Many remarked that it reminded them of their school trips and how much fun it was. Did I make any mistakes? well yes; I showed a picture of a grasshopper we had caught and said it was Chorthippus but the chairman, a very illustrious sprightly old gentlemen, said that it was not, it was the Striped Wing grasshopper not the common Meadow Grasshopper!?? Apparently there are 46 types of Orthoptera in Britain. You live and learn!

How important/famous are these people that invited me? Next time you watch an episode of Life with David Attenborough look at the credits. The Academic Consultants from the OU will have Dr David Robinson and Dr Patricia Ash as two of the names. It was David who invited me to give the talk.
Paul Williams - Head of Biology

Biathlon

I took a group of Therfield students to their first ever biathlon, which was part of the national schools regional competition. We had 4 year 7 boys, 2 year 8 boys, a year 9 girl and a year 10 girl.

The biathlon competitions are of extremely high standard – particularly in our region; it is almost exclusively private schools who enter and of course who are able to offer daily training sessions for their biathletes. While some of our students were extremely nervous when they saw the competition, they competed brilliantly and their behaviour was exemplary. There were some fantastic performances and our year 7 boys came 9th in the team competition, which in other parts of the country would have put them in the top 3. Bryony Davies (Y9) put in an amazing run and swim to finish 11th overall. Our 2 year 8 boys were astounding – Peter Cavallari persevered with the run and the swim , finishing with a huge grin and in fierce competition Tobi Warrington came 20th overall. For Holly Stead (y10) the competition was very tough, but again, she gave her all.

All the students swam well – in particular the Bryony and the Year 7 boys, who turned in some fantastic times. They have all really benefited from the swim club Lianne runs.

An absolute star on the day was Alison Davies (y12) who sorted out all the students on poolside, giving them advice, support and calmed the nerves – she was absolutely brilliant. The parents were all extremely supportive and seem really keen to get involved in another one. One father has offered to help (where appropriate) with triathlon coaching and most of the students seem extremely keen to have a go at an aquathlon or a triathlon in the Spring/Summer.

The students involved were: Connor Terry 23rd, Rorie Williams 25th, George Batchelor 33rd, Gregory Askew 42nd (Year 7); Peter Cavallari 37th, Tobi Warrington 20th (y8), Bryony Davies 11th out of 26 (y9) and Holly Stead 18th (y10).
Well done
Mrs K de Ferrer

Maths

Sam Alexander, Chris Cox, Adam Malecewski and Brandon Jensen entered the Mathematics Senior team Challenge at Guildford University. Accompanied by Mrs Foley they took part in Crossword, Relay and General rounds and acquitted themselves extremely well (encouraged by very superior biscuits) for 3 hours! They did not win so will not be going through to final BUT are keen to enter two teams of year 12 and 13 next year so - year 11 watch this space!

Other News

Year 11 Parents’ Evening Wednesday 13th January.
The information letters went out at the end of term and need to be returned by Tuesday 5th January, this only allows one week for appointments to be made and those letters sent out. If your child has misplaced their letter then the information we require is time required, 4-5.30 or 6-8pm, and the name of teachers you wish to see.

Using Photographic Images of Children Consent Form
This form went out to every pupil in the school some while ago but as yet we have had very few back. If your child is involved in activities ie clubs, drama, music groups we need your permission to put photographs on the school website or newsletter etc. and in the local paper. If your child has misplaced their form they can be collected from the School Office.

Uniform Reminder
Can we take this opportunity to remind everyone about school uniform:
• No black trainers
• No hoodies
• Girls Yrs 7-10 logo shirt, Yr 11 may wear shirt and tie
• All should be wearing a blazer.

Please can we ask for your support in ensuring that students are ready for the new term looking smart and in correct uniform – black shoes, not trainers or plimsolls included! Many thanks for your continued support

Raise Funds for Therfield School, Leatherhead When You Shop Online
easyfundraising is a shopping directory listing some of your favourite online stores, including Argos, Next, Amazon, Debenhams, John Lewis, Toys R Us, HMV and over 600 other top name stores. Whenever you shop with any one of them using the links provided on the easyfundraising site, you'll generate a free donation for us of up to 15% of the purchase price every time! It really is that simple! It's completely FREE to register and you won't pay a penny more for your shopping when you use the easyfundraising site. In fact you can even SAVE MONEY as many retailers give discounts, special offers and even 'e-vouchers' exclusive to easyfundraising.

You can shop for holidays, flights, electronics, mobile phones, computing equipment, food, wine, pet supplies, finance, insurance and much more - and every purchase you make will raise funds for us at absolutely no cost to you! All you need to do is register for free at http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/therfieldleatherhead and use easyfundraising every time you shop online. Please Support the school…...

Check out the Free Funds tab and enter competitions to win prizes, free trials or just receive newsletters from companies and they will donate money to the school.

Therfield School Uniform Suppliers

SCHOOL MEALS WEB LINK
www.therfield.surrey.sch.uk
Visit the area of our website to see how you can pay online via a secure link with Surrey County Council. Details of the three week menu can be viewed together with other important information regarding the catering facilities offered to the students. Please also remember to bring in your lunch cards next term, there will not be enough time during the lunch break for the canteen staff to manually input card numbers as this holds up service. If you require a replacement card this can be ordered through the Finance office and will cost £5.00. Mrs. C. Stedman, Catering Manager Email: cstedman@lhead.therfield.surrey.sch.uk 01372 375089

Therfield Trust

A BIG THANK YOU…. to the Therfield Trust who have worked very hard to raise funds for the school. The amount donated to the school in the last year totalled £32,500.

The events held this term include:
• Pamper Evening
• Race Night
• Jumble Sale
• Christmas Fair

Thank you to all for supporting these events.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

4 Jan	2 Mon	Return to School
8 Jan	2 Fri	Y7/8/9/10/12/13 reports home
11 Jan	1 Mon	GCSE.AS.A2 Exams start
13 Jan	1 Wed	Y11 Parents Evening
14 Jan	1 Thu	Y11 Triple Science Bio exam
15 Jan	1 Fri	Exam entries to HV
18 Jan	2 Mon	Y11 Triple Science Chem exam Interhouse Hockey week
20 Jan	2 Wed	Y11 Triple Science Phys exam
24 Jan	Sun	Technical rehearsal (tbc)
27 Jan	1 Wed	Y9/11 Staff Complete Reports
28 Jan	1 Thu	Options Eve
31 Jan	Sun	Technical rehearsal (tbc)
1 Feb	2 Mon	Vision2Learn Healthy Eating Unit 3 (morning tbc 28 Y11 students) Dress rehearsal after school (tbc)
2 Feb	2 Tue	Dress rehearsal after school (tbc)
3 Feb	2 Wed	GCSE/AS/A2 Exams end ‘70 girls 70’ performance (tbc)
4 Feb	2 Thu	‘70 girls 70’ performance (tbc)
5 Feb	2 Fri	‘70 girls 70’ performance (tbc)
6 Feb	Sat	‘70 girls 70’ performance (tbc)

Term Reports

Year 7/8/9/10/12/13 reports home to parents 8th January 2010.

Bicycles

Reminder to parents - Parents sign an agreement that students who cycle to school must wear a helmet , display a number plate and cycle responsibly. Failure to do so will incur points and can result in being banned from keeping bikes safely on site. Anyone who wishes to cycle may collect a pack from the School Office.