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Calder VI Archive

Successful Dance Auditions l Year 12/13 Drama Performances 2007 l Great North Run l Elections for Head Boy and Head Girl 2007 l Will Breckin l A2 Biology trip l National Coal Mining Museum


2006/7

Successful Dance Auditions

Dance School

Katie Allcott and Michael Kitchin (pictured above), both aged 17, attended an audition on Saturday 9 June for a Foundation Course at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. Eighty people aged 16-21 auditioned for this course and only 6 were successful.

Firstly, they participated in a contemporary class with a professional dance practitioner, followed by a creative workshop. Shortly afterwards all candidates performed a solo to a panel of judges. The group was short listed to 27 applicants who performed their solo again. Certain applicants were sent to see a physiotherapist then onwards to an interview to be offered a place. Both Katie and Michael received a place.

Katie and Michael said “We’re overwhelmed and thrilled to be offered such a life changing and amazing opportunity. We will be very sad to leave Calder Vl, and have made many friends over the years. With the support and guidance of everyone at Calder High School we feel we have developed the right qualities and skills to rise to this fantastic challenge.”

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Year 12/13 Drama Exam Performances

On Wednesday 25 April, the A Level Drama groups presented two very different theatrical experiences, hoping to impress their external examiner. The Insect Play by Capek was performed by the AS Drama group. The script is a social comment on the world using insects to highlight people's habits, lifestyles, failings, hopes and dreams which the students portrayed through a Berkoff-style of physical theatre. All the students involved worked extremely hard to produce a super interpretation of this lesser-known physical play. (Photographs of the performances by Mike Barrett of frogsdesign)

Insect Play Insect Play

The A2 Drama group peformed their interpretation of the famous play/novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". As part of their exam the students had to cut the script to focus on one particular theme. The group chose to use the theme of 'power'. They worked hard to produce a truly captivating piece of drama, which not only challenges the view of society, but the role that we play within it.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

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Deborah Bates, Year 13 PE student, runs Great North for Diabetes

Deborah Bates
"I took part in the Great North Run 2007 mainly because when I was younger I told my dad one day I would run it with him. I never believed I would actually do it until I found myself applying this time last year. I chose to run for Diabetes UK because two close family members are sufferers and I wanted to run for a charity that was as significant to me as it could be. I managed to raise nearly £200 and I really enjoyed the experience and guess what - I am already looking at doing more events!!!"

Anyone wishing to add their donation to Deborah's fantastic fundraising effort can contact Deborah in school via the Calder VI office or Mary Smith on 07970 734639.

 

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Elections for Head Girl and Head Boy 2007/8
After a closely fought campaign, the results of the election were:

Head Girl: May McQuade
Head Boy: Toby Cryne

Deputy Head Girl: Bridget Holtom
Deputy Head Boy: Jonathan Galloway

Election winners Pictured: Bridget Holtom, Toby Cryne and May McQuade

Job Descriptions: Head Boy and Girl l Deputy Head Boy and Girl

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Calder Students' AS Media courswork is "an example of excellence"
The radio adverts produced as coursework by Mr Middleton's AS Media group have been singled out for a special mention by the examining board, the OCR. Senior Examiner Julie Goodwin intends to use our students' work as examples of the high quality the Board expect. Ms Goodwin said: "We don't get much quality radio work so other schools will benefit from hearing these".

Congratulations to the students and to Mr Middleton!

Mr J Baker

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Gibraltar Point: A2 Biology Fieldwork Visit
On the Beach

In March the A2 Biology group went on a field trip to the Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve and field study centre close to Skegness. This residential visit took place over 4 days. The students had the opportunity to learn ecology and sampling techniques in sand dune, pond and salt marsh environments. They then used these skills to complete an individual investigation which will be used as the coursework element of Unit 5: Environment.

Sampling
Razwan sampling, using a quadrant
Taking measurements
Patrick, Tom and Tom look at sand dune succession

The week was very enjoyable for all as the students' behaviour and attitudes were exemplary, the sun shone and the food and hospitality provided by the centre was exceptional. Well done to all concerned!
Miss C Tilly

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Will Breckin: "Triple Threat"!

Calder VI student Will Breckin has won a place at Britain’s most prestigious college of musical theatre, the GSA Conservatoire at Guildford where he will study for a three year honours degree in musical theatre, following in the footsteps of past graduates such as Michael Ball, Bill Nighy, Brenda Blethyn and Celia Imrie.

Will, 17, from Mytholmroyd, was selected as one of just 30 successful performers from more than 2,000 who auditioned for places  His winning audition routine included This Is the Moment (from the musical Jekyll and Hyde), Mack the Knife, and a monologue from Death of a Salesman.

He began his stage career at Hebden Royd Primary School as Steerforth in the Year 6 production of David Copperfield. At Calder High School he has appeared in The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, and played the title role in Oliver, and he is currently studying A level drama.

He has performed with the Calder Valley Youth Theatre, the Hebden Bridge Light Opera, Halifax Light Opera Juniors and Halifax Amateur Theatre Youth. He starred as Marius in Les Miserables and Wild Bill Hickock in Calamity Jane, and last season was voted the region’s top junior male performer. His vocal coach is locally-based former Opera North singer, William Hill.

The GSA trains students in three disciplines to produce “triple threat” performers who have the necessary requirements for the musical stage. “A triple threat performer is someone who can act, sing and dance - sometimes all at once,” said Will.

His dream is to play the title role in The Phantom of the Opera on the West End stage. As GSA graduates are currently starring in Spamalot, Les Miserables, Wicked, Avenue Q, Phantom of the Opera, Porgy and Bess,  and at the National Theatre, he is well on the way to achieving that dream. “It is almost impossible to find a West End musical that doesn’t have GSA graduates performing in it,” Will said.

He has recently released a CD of songs from his favourite musicals. Titled This Is the Moment, it costs £7, with a percentage of the proceeds going to a nursery in Peru where his brother Ed, a former CHS pupil, has worked as a volunteer. It can be ordered by calling 07988 210244.

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National Coal Mining Museum AS Geology Trip

Wesley down the mine

In January the AS geology group went on a fieldtrip to the National Coal Mining museum near Wakefield. This trip was as part of a unit they are studying on Environmental and Economic Geology. The group took a trip down into the mine and was given a guided tour around the mine finding out how mining is done and learning about some of the machinery used and the dangers faced in the coal mines. After the tour around the mine, they had time for a quick look around the museums and then the undoubted highlight for Year 12 student Wesley Downs was meeting Colonel the Pit Pony - one of the last remaining Pit Ponies in the country. The trip gave a useful insight into how long wall mining is done and the geological conditions needed for mining to take place.

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