Well done to all our Year 10 triple biologists, who recently gave up two of their lunchtimes to take part in the 2022 Biology Challenge. They all did very well, but a particular mention to the following students:
Silver Award
Abi Norris and Charlotte Douglass
Bronze Award
Freya Fairhall, Saranya Lister, Amy Adams, Joanna Grayson, Emily Shaw, Rebecca Gee, Maja Pickering, Sofia Henderson, Venus Sahan and Olivia Hick
https://presdales.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Header-biology-Copy.jpg600760Presdales Schoolhttps://presdales.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/presdales-school-logo.pngPresdales School2022-06-17 09:48:182022-06-17 09:48:18News from Biology …
On Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th June parents, friends and staff were delighted to attend an enjoyable Afternoon Tea prepared and hosted by our Year 10 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition students. It was lovely to be able to welcome visitors back into school. Working under strict exam conditions the students baked all morning producing delicious breads, cakes and scones. We are delighted to report that our students coped really well working under the intense ‘Bake Off’ pressure. Their freshly baked products were finished and presented to a professional standard along with homemade preserves. The whole group were justly proud of their fantastic results and received extremely positive feedback from our guests on the day for their fabulous food.
Once again a special thank you goes to the Art Department for the loan of the student artwork and to Mrs S Eyre and Mrs A Wall for setting the lovely scene in our Afternoon Tea room.
This Wednesday, the Year 7 Robotics Club travelled to RAF Honington to compete against other schools in a number of challenges with a Lego Mindstorms robot which they have spent the past months building and programming.
They had a fantastic day learning about engineering opportunities within the RAF and competing in a number of challenges against other schools, including winning first prize in the challenge to present and explain their robot design to a panel of RAF engineers.
Congratulations to Anna Stichbury, Scarlett Mills, Hollie Adkin, Amelie Langford and Molly Price on their fantastic achievement.
https://presdales.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/STEM-HEADER.jpg600800Presdales Schoolhttps://presdales.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/presdales-school-logo.pngPresdales School2022-05-13 14:22:252022-05-13 14:22:25Year 7 Robotics Club
Well done to year 7 mathematicians Lara Adam, Maisie Bevan, Amy Richardson and Jasmine Sims who came 7th in the Final at Marriotts School in Stevenage.
There were 4 tough rounds including a Memory Round where two of the girls described a hidden poster for the other two to recreate it!
They really enjoyed the challenges!
Thanks to Mr Macrae for taking us in the minibus.
Mrs Share
https://presdales.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Logo-Header-Maths-Copy.jpg524800Presdales Schoolhttps://presdales.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/presdales-school-logo.pngPresdales School2022-05-13 09:07:262022-05-13 09:07:26Year 7 Herts for Learning Maths Challenge Final
Presdales DofE Silver Practice Expedition (21st -23rd April)
Wow! Just Wow! What an absolutely fantastic experience this was. When I drove up to the start location (slightly delayed having been caught in the early morning rush hour!) I arrived to see a sea of Presdales students, all brightly coloured in their high vis jackets, waterproofs and fleeces, ready and waiting in their teams, eager to get started with their first day on expedition. The weather was perfect, and the fresh morning air was filled with the buzz of excited chatter and laughter as participants compared equipment and tested the weight of one another’s backpacks. After registering the teams, they were met by their instructors who handed out tents, stoves and maps and briefed them about their routes for the first day. Before we knew it, the teams were waving goodbye and setting out into the woods!
The first day was long and tough with unexpectedly warm weather and strong sunshine which added to the challenge. Groups were reminded regularly to reapply sun cream and hydrate but all reached the finish with flushed faces (some more so than others!) and in need of a sit down in the shade! The wind started to pick up and participants were tasked to building up the camp and cooking their suppers on their stoves. For some, this was their first experience of camping and cooking in the outdoors but they learnt quickly with the guidance and support from instructors and from those who had done their Bronze last year.
The hot food and drink as well as removing their heavy boots gave some participants a second wind and soon there were games of volleyball and rounders happening on the field. Koa, the Gold Retriever, invented her own game of stealing all of the tennis balls and thoroughly enjoyed making the year 10s chase her to get them back!
By sundown, the day’s exertion was taking its toll and participants began peeling off to snuggle down in their tents. All was quiet by 10pm and the camp looked magical with the 50 orange tents glowing in the moonlight under the stars.
It’s safe to say here that 06:30 wakeup call was unpopular. Camping with 3 to a tent is never particularly comfortable and the lack of a good night’s sleep combined with the chilly morning mist and aching bodies made it even tougher for the participants to leave their sleeping bags and begin building down the camp. Despite this, by 09:00, participants were smiling again and kitted up and ready to set out on day 2.
The second day pushed participants further as they were required to navigate themselves from checkpoint to checkpoint over a distance of approximately 18km. Instructors remained at a distance to give participants more independence and to build on the skills that they had learnt the previous day. All took this challenge in their stride and groups began flocking into the 2nd campsite as early at 15:00!
Dorney Wood Campsite was stunning with forest, fields and an impressive firepit which felt more like an amphitheatre! Students pitched their tents and cooked supper with more confidence that night and by 20:00, it was time for the bonfire!
All 72 participants gathered in their groups around the campfire and it was moving to see them all happily discussing the day’s events whilst warming themselves and toasting marshmallows. Harry and Steve, two of our instructors, provided the night’s entertainment by playing Eric Clapton on the guitar and telling ghost stories. It truly was one of the best nights on expedition we have ever had and any of the instructors said the same.
The final day began bright and early and participants were up and out with speed, eager to reach the finish line! It was wonderful to see the emotional reunion at the finish location as the parents arrived to bring the participants home and although it was sad it was over, we were all ready to get home for a shower and good night’s sleep!
I’d just like to finish by saying that it was thanks to the students that this expedition was such a success. Although they were separated into expedition groups, there was a real feeling of togetherness, warmth and respect which isn’t always seen on large expeditions such as this one. Every student looked out for those around them and were ready to stop for a break, offer help and share the load wherever it was needed and I felt proud of every single one of them.
I am really looking forward to the qualifying expedition in July and hope that the students are too.
Miss Haywood
https://presdales.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_4714-Copy-2.jpg600800Presdales Schoolhttps://presdales.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/presdales-school-logo.pngPresdales School2022-04-29 11:56:112022-09-27 12:31:12DofE Silver Practice Expedition
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