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Monday 17th to 28th
Year 10 In-class Assessments
Contact Us
Presdales School
Hoe Lane
Ware
Hertfordshire
SG12 9NX
Tel: 01920 462210
admin@presdales.herts.sch.uk
Books2Africa
On Monday 5th July myself and Mr Spurgeon made our 3rd trip to Canterbury, Kent to take many more boxes of old textbooks and reading books to Books2Africa. It was the final trip in our trusty old minibus as the new one was delivered the next day.
As always it was a pleasure to visit and the team there were most grateful. We were shown around various areas of the centre and it was very busy as they now try to catch up on the backlog of sorting donations and preparing shipments caused by the pandemic and The Suez Canal block.
We look forward to finding out in the future where our textbooks end up and as always I will keep you updated.
Brief information below for anybody who missed previous editions of PressTales.
Books2Africa was founded in 2012 by 4 African students at the University of Kent as a student project (they collected more than 11,000 books in their first year and stored them in their student flat) and they became a UK registered charity in 2013.
This small charity deserves recognition for their work and if you are interested in volunteering or donating then please find more information on their website books2africa.org.
Miss Clarke
News from Music …
Congratulations to the following students who have passed their ABRSM music exams this month:
ABRSM
Talitha Hookway – Grade 8 Flute (Merit)
Olivia Hick – Grade 5 Flute (Pass)
Freya Lund – Grade 8 Flute (Distinction)
Edith Corkery-Schless – Grade 7 Violin (Pass)
Tina Chrysostomou – Grade 1 Singing (Merit)
Saranya Lister – Grade 4 Piano (Merit)
Charlotte Waring – ARSM Diploma Violin (Pass)
Immie Baldwin – Grade 3 Flute (Pass)
Young Fashion Design UK Competition
For the second consecutive year, Presdales students’ designs have been commended in the Young Fashion Designer UK Competition 2021. Students in Years 7-9 entered the prestigious competition, that has become a firm favourite across the nation. This year’s theme was Sustainable Athleisure, with the task being to design and develop a collection of garments suitable for post-lockdown fashion. The work completed by the students in Textiles during lockdown was of an incredible standard and a number of students decided to formally enter their work into the National Competition.
We are delighted to announce that both Lucy Norris and Rosie Westney in Year 7 have received high commendations for their work that they submitted to the competition – which is a fantastic achievement.
I have attached a copy of their work to celebrate their success!
Well done girls – hugely deserved.
Work submitted by Rosie Westney
Work submitted by Lucy Norris
Important Grant Support for Schools (non-Capital Investment Fund Govt Grant)
Whilst Covid 19 has forced a number of grants to be suspended during this academic year, a number of organizations have worked tirelessly to support schools through existing or new grant-giving processes. Presdales has been successful in securing more than £140,000 of this grant funding, 97% of which has been spent on long-term capital investments.
Presdales’ sports provision has benefited significantly. Support from EdufundUK has enabled the purchase of new PE mats improving trampoline and gymnastic safety. Funding from Ware and Hertford Town Councils, the Tappenden Charity and Cllr Kaye assisted with the purchase of netball court floodlighting, the installation of which is now complete. The significant increase in court rental revenue already achieved will have far-reaching and long-term impacts across the whole school.
Further applications to the OSFF have also secured 100% funding for safer, socketed netball posts and new tennis nets and posts. The icing on the cake for the court refurbishment!
Football fever has not been limited to the Euros, as Presdales has seen an increase in its play in school. An application to the Football Foundation for funding for goals was successful but required further top-up funding. Through the Government’s Opening School Facilities Fund, Presdales was able to secure the necessary top-up funding, meaning we now have 100% funded: 11, 9, 7 and 5 a-side goals due for delivery within the next couple of weeks. Football is coming home to Presdales!
STEM has also seen considerable support. In December 2020 Presdales received notification of a successful bid to the Wolfson Foundation for funding to support the refurbishment of its two Chemistry classrooms. Requiring match funding, this is a significant project and within the past two weeks more good news was received: a STEM bid to EdufundUK Ltd had been successful in securing funds for fume cupboards within the classrooms and prep-room, supporting this project further. The support from EdufundUK in this and earlier this year for our Textile department is greatly appreciated.
Other STEM successes saw full funding from the Institute of Physics for a coordinated class set of electrical components improving the teaching and learning of electrical circuits for KS3 students. Also for KS3 learning, the Ogden Trust provided funding for a set of Solar Cars that were used this week for a Year 8 Enrichment Day. This exciting day will become an annual event and provide Science and Maths cross-curricular learning, as well as lots of fun and problem solving.
This has been a difficult year in so many ways but Presdales would like to thank all of the organizations that have been so generous in their support.
