Mr White is spearheading some whole school fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support:
“I had the good fortune to meet up with two of our ex-pupils recently. Both attended the school about twelve years ago and both are progressing extremely well in their careers. We exchanged the usual pleasantries, talked fondly about the past but it was the more recent experiences of one young lady that stuck in my mind.
Parissa Barghchi left school in 2007. Since this time she has enjoyed considerable success in her chosen career but it is her private life that has presented the greatest issues. In 2018, Parissa lost her mother to breast cancer. If this wasn’t enough to cope with, shortly afterwards she was informed that another close family member was suffering from the same condition and very soon afterwards Parissa herself tested positive for the BRCA1 gene which hugely increases the possibility of her contracting the disease. Parissa has recently undergone significant medical intervention to help prevent her becoming the third member of her family to battle this awful disease.
I’m glad to say the prognosis for Parissa and her family is very positive and great thanks must be given to our wonderful health service for this. What impressed me most however is that Parissa is the same bubbly, positive young lady that she always was. She has not let this faze her and now wants to give something back. What surprised me is the manner in which Parissa plans to do this. She was never the sportiest individual in school but she has recently gained entry to the Virgin London Marathon and will be running to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support who gave her such great help during a very challenging period.
I have pledged to support Parissa in her venture and will be running some fund raising events within school. I would also ask anyone in the wider community that either knows Parissa personally, has been affected by similar issues or just wants to show support for a very brave young lady to get behind her if you can. The easiest way to do this is to type Parissa Barchghi London Marathon into Google and choose Virgin Money Giving. You will see Parissa’s individual page, can read more about her and the reasons for this fantastic challenge and hopefully offer sponsorship for the event.
Thank You.
Chris White
Deputy Head Teacher”
On Tuesday 12th March we were delighted to welcome Alessia, an Italian student ambassador from Aston University into school to talk to Year 9 students about the benefits of studying a foreign language.
The event was arranged in conjunction with the University. Alessia is currently studying a Masters in Strategic Marketing Management and through a presentation and question and answer session gave our students a great insight into what doors may open and what careers are available to them if they study a modern foreign language.
With Year 9 about to select their GCSE options this informative and entertaining session has certainly given the students something to think about.
Friday 1st March was national offer day when Year 6 pupils were notified which secondary school they would be attending in September.
Shipston High School can now confirm that all 120 available places for our September intake have been allocated and we are running a substantial waiting list. This is great news for our school and the local community as we continue to strive to provide a safe, supportive and nurturing environment to enable every student to grow personally and academically.
Parents are reminded that the deadline for accepting or declining the offer made is Friday 15th March and that if no response is received by this date the offer will be withdrawn by the Warwickshire Local Authority ready for the first reallocation round which starts on Monday 18th March. Appeals for places should be lodged by Friday 29th March.
If you have any queries about the admissions process, waiting list or appeal system please contact Mrs Alison Punt, Headteacher’s Secretary either on 01608 661833 or apunt@shipstonhigh.co.uk.
Years 8, 9 and 10 have recently all been experiencing practical sessions to help broaden their knowledge of different career paths they may wish to choose:
Year 10 CPR session
All Year 10 students learned how to perform CPR and First aid during a recent Careers lesson. One of our ex-students James Booth, who now works for the Fire Service, came into school and told the group all about his career and showed everyone how to perform CPR, as well as telling them how to use a defibrillator. Everyone in the year had a practical try at performing CPR on the first aid dummies. We are very grateful to James for such an interesting and useful session.
Year 8 Careers Day
On Thursday 14th February Year 8 all took part in a Careers day. Students chose their favourite jobs from a selection of job descriptions and had a try at completing application forms. Following this, they took part in a team activity where they had to invent a future business and present it to the whole year group. This was a really great, fun and educational event which was thoroughly enjoyed by the students whilst providing them with essential skills they will need in the future.
My Hospitality Work Event – Q Hotel Stratford Manor
On Thursday 27th February a group of Year 9 students attended an event at Stratford Manor Hotel aimed at showcasing some of the huge range of careers within the Hospitality industry.
On arrival students were give a sumptuous breakfast and were met by the General Manager, Joanne Hammick who told them a bit about the hotel before watching a film about some of the amazing opportunities within the industry. After a tour around all the different departments in the hotel it was back to a conference room where the Head Chef showed the group how to make their own pizzas, which were then served to them in the dining room for lunch.
Three fascinating and insightful sessions for all students concerned.
