Schools news (Including biggest ever volunteer effort at Woodfield)

Astley Cooper School provides the Den for Dacorum’s Dragons

Once again The Astley Cooper School was the chosen venue to launch this year’s Dragons’ Apprentice.

The challenge is run by Connect Dacorum and involves schools from the local area competing against each other to raise money for charity.

The hall was filled with over 100 people from neighbouring schools, businesses and charities.

Astley Cooper’s team of three Year 12 students – Kieran Dobb, Charlie Parker and Liam Atkinson – have been teamed with the Pepper Foundation, a charity which provides palliative at-home nursing care for terminally ill children in Herts and Bucks.

Volunteer effort is biggest ever at Woodfield

Around 80 volunteers from hotel and hospitality Hilton Worldwide have worked tirelessly on a series of projects at Woodfield School, which caters for children with severe andcomplex learning difficulties and disabilities, aged three to 19.

The Watford corporate office’s efforts formed part of Hilton Worldwide’s week-long commitment to helping the communities it serves. This year, the company aims to complete more than 3,000 service projects across the globe.

The company’s Simon Vincent said: “It’s been extremely rewarding to see our team support organisations, such as the Woodfield School, which is an integral part of our local Hertfordshire community.

“During our Global Week of Service we aim to build strong, long-term relationships with the communities where we work and live. We continue to be involved in a number of ongoing local projects across the area.”

Woodfield’s headteacher Gill Waceba said: “We are grateful to be given this support from Hilton Worldwide. Woodfield School welcomes local volunteers, but we have never worked with so many volunteers on such a scale in one day.

“Hilton Worldwide’s Watford team braved wind and rain to transform unused areas of the school grounds, enhancing the education of our pupils.”

Charitable endeavours and personal success at Longdean

Longdean School was delighted to welcome representatives from Macmillan Cancer Support, Team Macy, Dacorum Community Trust and WheelPower to receive over £5,200 raised through a whole school eight-mile fancy dress charity walk and Sixth Form coffee morning.

Other student successes which were celebrated included Jessica Stretton’s selection for the Great Britain Paralympic archery team, for which she will be their youngest player, Chloe Orriss appearing in pantomime in St Albans, Bradley Nolan who recently represented England at a motorcross event and seven students receiving their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Bradley, in Year 7 is currently running sixth in the motorcross GT CUP National Championship, against children throughout Great Britain.

He has just won his club championship at Kensworth School Boy Club 65cc level and is first overall.

Bradley will be taking part will be taking part in the GoldenTyre National GT Cup and in the ‘TM of Nations’ 2015.

He will also be attending the TM of Nations 2014 in Holland; an excellent opportunity for him to meet other professional motocross racers from other counties.

Headteacher Graham Cunningham said: “Well done to all the students. They can feel really proud of these fantastic charitable and personal achievements.”

Mr Craker, accepting the cheque for Macmillan, said: “Your students are a credit to their school; if the future of this country rests on their like, we have a good future.”

In other Longdean news, the school has been awarded the British Council’s prestigiousInternational School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.

The feedback from the British Council said: “It is refreshing and encouraging to see the level of commitment and passion that you have dedicated to your international education programme over the years that you have been engaged in it.”

Longdean School’s international work includes embedding internationlism into their curriculum, clearly planning and delivering activities across an extensive cross-curricular platform.

Longdean’s international schools co-ordinator Caroline Hodgson said: “We are delighted to have been successful with our application for the award as it shows how much work the staff and students have, and continue to put in to embed globalised learning across the school.”

A date for your diary at Belswains Primary

At a meeting of Belswains Primary School’s PTA, it was decided to postpone the autumn fair event until November 22, from 1pm to 3pm.

The newly-named Winter Fair will be a similar event, but due to the time of year it will be held mainly indoors and feature attractions like Beat the Goalie, coconut shy, tin can alley and hook a duck.

The event will have more of a Christmas market feel with stalls like jewellery, greetings cards and gifts as well as a café along with seasonal activities as it takes place in the run up to Christmas.