Month: February 2024

Year 6 Explore Harry Potter!

Year 6 had a fantastic time exploring the Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden. The first part of their afternoon was spent discovering how maths plays an important part in many of the jobs associated with movie making. They got to see some of the real props from the movies and find out how they were made and the special effects used to bring the sets and characters to life. The character of Hagrid was then explored in more detail and a focus on the use of scale factors brought to life as Year 6 designed and scaled their own movie props. They were then let loose in the studios and could explore all of the different sections of the tour and witness more special effects. These included green screen broom flying, levitating cakes, the goblet of fire spitting out the chosen ones for the Triwizard tournament and the invisibility cloak. There was just about time to fit in a wand masterclasses and the making of a howler. It was then on to Gringotts bank and Diagon Alley and trying out the butter beer. All of the students were impeccably behaved – unlike the Weasley twins who were last seen flying around the great hall, letting off fireworks. Great work Year 6.

Year 11 and Sixth Form Finance Talk

Year 11 and Sixth Form students were fortunate to participate in a finance talk led by Mr. Brown from Eight Wealth Management. Throughout the session, they delved into various aspects of financial literacy, gaining valuable insights into budgeting, income, and expenditure management. Mr. Brown provided practical guidance on navigating personal finances, emphasising the importance of establishing a sound financial plan.

The discussion extended to concepts such as National Insurance (NI) and taxation, offering students a foundational understanding of these essential financial matters. While touching upon these topics, Mr. Brown expressed his intention to delve deeper into them in future sessions, ensuring that students receive a thorough comprehension of the subject matter.

Additionally, for Sixth Form students, Mr. Brown outlined plans to explore household budgeting, particularly in preparation for university housing arrangements. This tailored approach aims to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively manage their finances as they transition into independent living.

Overall, the finance talk provided an invaluable opportunity for students to enhance their financial literacy and develop essential money management skills.

Wendy and Peter Pan 2024

In the thrilling culmination of the half term, the stage of Alton School was graced by the final performances of our Senior School Production of “Wendy and Peter Pan.” This rendition brought laughter, adventure, and heart to the audience, with its perfect blend of comedy, daring sword fights, and drama.

The resounding feedback from our audience was a testament to the outstanding talent and dedication of our remarkable cast and crew. We commend each member for their exceptional contributions in entertaining our community.

Special recognition is due to our director, Mrs. Regan, whose vision and leadership brought the magic of Neverland to life on stage. Her unwavering commitment and creative insight were instrumental in shaping the success of the production. We extend our deepest gratitude to her for her tireless efforts and invaluable guidance.

Additionally, we express our appreciation to Dr. Shahov for his exceptional direction of the musicians, whose melodies added depth and emotion to the performances. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, a team of dedicated set designers worked tirelessly to create the backdrop that transported audiences to the fantastical world of Peter Pan.

Furthermore, we extend our thanks to our Sixth Formers for their initiative in running the interval snack stall, raising funds to support our school community.

The success of “Wendy and Peter Pan” would not have been possible without the collective efforts of our talented performers, dedicated staff, and supportive community. Together, they have created memories that will be cherished for years to come, reminding us of the transformative power of the arts in our lives.

Year 8 and 9 Maths Challenge with Amery Hill

Dr Lynch and the Maths curriculum group hosted an exciting team-based Maths Challenge for year 8 and year 9 pupils from both Alton School and Amery Hill School, on the afternoon of Tuesday 23 January.  Eleven teams of four, with two year 8’s from one school and two year 9’s from the other, took part in three fun rounds of challenging Maths puzzles.  The first round was a crossnumber, like a crossword but with numbers instead of words, with half of the team only seeing the down clues and the other half only seeing the across clues.  The second round was formed of three shuttle mini-rounds, with the answer from one question, solved by one half of each team, needed to be able to solve the next question, solved by the other half.  With bonus marks for solving the questions quickly, the pressure was on all pupils for both accuracy and speed.  The final relay round involved pupils working in pairs again, having to quickly walk to collect each question for their partner pair, sat in a different location, to solve.  It was wonderful to see pupils from different schools enthusiastically working together, giving each other help and encouragement, in order to solve lots of tricky, but fun, Maths problems.  In third place were Ben and Emelia and two year 9 partners from Amery Hill; in second place were Amelia and Jessica and their partner year 8’s.  The eventual winners were Holly and Freya, along with two year 9’s from Amery Hill, who were each awarded a trophy to take home.  All participants will be given a certificate and were awarded credits for their energetic engagement.

Careers Fair 2024

Students throughout the school thoroughly enjoyed the careers fair and spoke to more than twenty representatives from a diverse range of industries. Years 10 to 13 also really benefitted from their talks on apprenticeships vs degrees and personal career pathways. There was a real buzz in the Sue Kirkham building throughout the afternoon and a huge thank you to all volunteers who helped to support for the benefit of the students.