From the Head of Secondary 19.01.2024
It’s been a busy week again with a strong focus on our Year 11 students. They started their IGCSE Mock Exams on Monday, and these will run to next Friday. All is going well, thanks to Mr Colbeck and the team of teacher invigilators who have all been trained in how to run the exams in exactly the same way as the actual exams, following the rules as specified by the Cambridge Examination Board. Reports with results will be sent home on 30th January, and teacher / parent meetings will take place on the 6th February.
Over recent weeks Year 11 have been starting to consider next steps after IGCSEs, and to support that process we held two sessions this week for parents and students which were all about the Sixth Form [Years 12 & 13] at KIS, with information about our Cambridge A Level programme. Mrs Colbeck outlined the advantages of KIS as an A Level destination, and covered details about our very generous scholarship programme in addition to giving lots of information about how we support students in selecting courses and universities. Interesting fact: A Levels have been in existence for 73 years and have, through this longevity, proven their worth and high standing in the world of academia. They provide access to universities around the world [as shown by our graduate destinations] and offer flexibility in that students who take A Levels will always, moving forward, have them as a passport to whatever they want to do in the future, facilitating potential career changes. There was more information about the A Level subject selection process for our Year 11 students which will start to gather momentum after the mock exams are concluded.
Next Thursday 25th we look forward to seeing lots of parents in the school hall, meeting with teachers to discuss their Year 9 child’s progress. These meetings are especially significant for this cohort as they are getting close to selecting their IGCSE subjects for Years 10 and 11, and teachers will be able to offer advice about the suitability of a subject choice, in addition to updating parents on their child’s progress.
In major extra-curricular news, our Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award team of students and staff [Ms McPherson and Mr Williams] battled the elements and the environment to complete their 3 day practice AJ this week. It was a challenge as it’s supposed to be, and the wonderful thing is that they all made it into school on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday despite, I am sure, feeling exhausted. Well done to all of them! Read on to find out more from Grace and Pui Mun.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Mrs Margaret Renshaw
Deputy Principal / Head of Secondary
Gold DofE – Practice Adventurous Journey
Day 1: 14th January 2024
The day started really early, much earlier than regular school days as we had to arrive at school by 6:30 AM to catch our coach for the Gold practice in the Kiulu Valley. With much excitement (and yawning), we set off!
“Waking up today may have been more challenging than the walk itself!” – Of course, that was too much of an exaggeration…at least for some of us.
Our campsite on day 1 was splendid as we were surrounded by expansive greenery, comfortable accommodation and the river which flows throughout the Kiulu Valley.
Just before setting off onto our hike, we faced our first challenge – the rain! (terribly dreary) Nonetheless, we continued, and started our first leg motivated.
Unsurprisingly, we made many mistakes including errors in our navigational skills, purpose work, ineffective kit and many more. However, we all appreciated our group’s compassion, perseverance and teamwork throughout all the challenges. And we highly appreciate our wonderful teachers’ (Ms McPherson and Mr Williams) and the valuable support and feedback they provided throughout the day, preparing us for much success in the official AJ.
Later that evening, we rewarded our efforts with some pre-made curry, which we cooked together the day before. Surprisingly, the food was actually scrumptious!
TIP 1: Check your kit lists regularly and ensure you have everything you need in your rucksack! (This includes a sleeping bag, hat and sunscreen.) Missing/inadequate kit will result in FAILURE!
TIP 2: Record your group’s pace during the day 1 of your practice, so that you can estimate your team’s expected arrivals the next day. Remember, you have to be walking, at the very minimum, at least 2.5km per hour (3 km/hr is standard).
Day 2 (15th January 2024):
Day 2 was the most physically challenging practice some of us have ever done. Even though most of our members had the chance to experience the Bronze and Silver AJ, walking 23 KM was no easy feat.
As the day progressed, we also became more proactive with our purpose work, picking up as much litter as we could from the rural environments we were walking through. Hopefully, we will be able to make a larger impact during our official AJ later in the year, perhaps spreading awareness regarding the importance of recycling/trash management to local communities.
TIP 3: Delegate responsibilities early on, such as the leg leader/co-leader, timer etc. with your group beforehand to have an easier transition between legs.
TIP 4: Discuss and liaise with your team and your teachers on what kind of purpose work your team would like to do; make it specific and meaningful.
Us after finishing Leg 4 during Day 2 practice.
Day 3 (16th January 2024):
Day 3 was the last day of our practice journey. Perhaps, the most adventurous one.
After finishing our breakfast with some hearty oatmeal and left-over pasta we made the previous night, there was an informative tent pitching session with Mr Williams and Ms McPherson.
Even with tiring legs and some minor injuries, we started our day 3 practice with positivity and slightly lighter rucksacks. Gentle sunshine and mild breeze cheered us as we started our first uphill in leg 1.
The real adventure started as we continued our walk into Leg 4. Unfortunately, there was a huge landslide in the middle of our Leg 4 so we had to quickly re-route. With much appreciated help from our guide Mr Boy, we ventured deeper into the forest. From crossing slippery stones alongside a small flow of water, scaling muddy uphills and passing narrow passages filled with wonders of nature – they all allowed us to test our tenacity, patience and endurance.
TIP 5: Wear comfortable and suitable footwear – highly recommend wearing “waterproof” hiking shoes, no sports sneakers!
TIP 6: Don’t pack too much food, it would only result in increased food waste and heavier packs. Instead try calculating your group’s caloric requirements (taking the exercise into account) and packing accordingly.
Thank you for reading and to all Year 11 students, hope this motivated you to join Gold DofE next academic year! Good luck, the challenge is worth it!
Written by Grace Lee (Y12) and Kan Pui Mun (Y12)
