Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• BTEC Results

  Fri 08 Mar 2019
  We had BTEC Level 1/2 Creative Digital Media, BTEC Level 3 ICT, BTEC Level 3 Creative Digital Media, BTEC Level 3 Sport, BTEC Level 3 Applied Science results this week and we are so proud of how everyone did :D

  

• BoxLit Theatre – Romeo & Juliet

  Thu 07 Mar 2019

  “BoxLit Theatre reimagines classical texts using a synthesis of film projection, live theatre, evocative music and inventive storytelling. With a pop-up glowing white cube containing a large projection screen and LED lighting, our theatre is self-lit, portable and dynamic. As well as theatres, we tour our shows to site specific venues.” – BoxLitTheatre.co.uk

  With the goal of making theatre accessible and affordable for everyone, BoxLit Theatre brings a new imaginative take to the stories we know so well. Their current production is the famous Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet.

   

  With a background in live theatre, cinema, production, directing and acting, the company is made up of three brilliant artists who have brought the story to life in an abridged 1-hour version. Using only a light box frame, the staging is beautifully simplistic with projections on the back well to assist with storytelling throughout.

   

  Both actors took on many of the characters between them, showing the audience the change through cleverly simplistic costume, change of body language and voice acting. The skill alone to play so many people yet keep it so clear to those watching needs to be high. It is safe to say that Ms Chloe Lewis, and Mr Seb Christophers did not disappoint.

   

  Their stage chemistry was very strong and the physical acting involved throughout the performance never wavered in energy. The staging within the light box, combined with the cinematic use of filmed clips, voice clips and music created a highly charged, exciting yet wonderfully simple version of this beautiful story.

   

  “We make everything ourselves… it’s the beauty of being able to bring everything with you.” The staging light box, costumes and equipment has allowed BoxLit Theatre to bring a new and unique structure of performace to the table and it is even more exciting to hear that sometime in the future they hope to run completely off of reusable energy and be 100% environmentally friendly.

   

  Our Year 11s really enjoyed the performance and we hope it has inspired them further in their study of Shakespeare.

  

• International Women’s Day

  Wed 06 Mar 2019

  On Friday 8^th March 2019, International Women’s Day, 6^th form Students and various members of staff all joined on the ‘Dare to Bare’ campaign. This was inspired by the performance given by Jess Glynne at the BRIT awards. In an empowering moment, Jess, as well as the legion of women, removed their makeup on stage to send a message. This message was to demonstrate to women and girls all over the world that “who [they] are is enough”. Many students came to school bare faced in order to show that they can be confident in themselves even without their makeup.

  Several students brought in bras and children’s underwear for the charity ‘Smalls for All’. This charity collects and distributes underwear to help women and children in Africa. They help those in orphanages, slums, IDP camp and schools; where people who are much less fortunate than us live.

  We also were able donate sanitary products for the charity ‘Porchlight’. This charity helps people who have nowhere to go and no-one to turn to, such as homeless. In their research they found out that 1 in 5 women would be homeless at some point in their life. These women don’t have access to sanitary products so we gathered a mountain of donations that were sent to the Porchlight outreach team the next week.

  On International Women’s Day we realised that it was our duty to help women who are less fortunate than us. Hopefully next year we will be able to do all this and more!

  By Jessica Klemparova and Georgia Graham

  Year 12

  

• International Womens Day 2019

  Mon 04 Mar 2019

  After watching Jess Glynne appear on the Brit awards with a line-up of ladies taking their makeup off in front of thousands it gave Mrs Turney the idea to use this as something we could do within the sixth form and staff to celebrate international women’s day. We even received support from many other young women throughout the school.

  The idea was  for all of us to show that as women our natural beauty does not need to be hidden. Enhancing your natural beauty is something that should be our choice to make us proud of our looks. It should not be based on what the media portrays or pressure from others. Be proud of who you are…….. because everyone is beautiful!

  

• Clay Animals

  Mon 04 Mar 2019

  Miss Livermore’s year 7 classes have been exploring the theme Tone and Texture. This project developed the students understanding of mark-making and using tone to show form.

   

  Each student selected an animal and students completed a series of 2D studies using a range of media, from ink and sticks to collage. We then began planning for a 3D final piece using clay.

  

• Paris Trip

  Fri 01 Mar 2019

  A group of 50 students from year 9 and 10, went a 5 day residential to Paris. During our stay we visited many famous places such as Louvre Museum, Montparnasse Tower, Sacre Coeur, Cathedrale de Notre Dame. Students enjoyed a day at Disneyland Paris where they went on many rides and met famous cartoon characters.  They got to see the famous Mona Lisa painting and very famous sculptures and  tapestries at the Louvre Museum.  On the first day they had a Seine river cruise where they got to see all the famous monuments and buildings. On day three they had Private French cinema screening and activities to complete.

   

  It was a fantastic trip and the MFL department looks forward to the next one.

   

   

  

• FLAME 2019!

  Fri 01 Mar 2019

  On Saturday the 2^nd of March, St Simon Stock staff and students attended Flame 2019, the biggest Christian Youth Event in the UK. This year’s theme was ‘Significance’, which explored the meaning and value in our lives. It encouraged the young people to explore and develop their faith in a thriving atmosphere of over 8, 000 young Christians. Without a doubt, this experience was

   

  one both staff and students will not

  forget. Almost an experience challenging to express. Students were asked to think about their own significance and to stop comparing themselves to others, as we so often do. To ‘Stay in your lane’, and keep our focus on Jesus.

  Jerome year 12:

   

  Flame 2019 offered a fresh perspective for young people in a world where it is easy to feel constrained to measure self-esteem in Twitter and Instagram “likes”, responses to Facebook status updates, and Snapchat conversations. This event helped to challenge the ‘but me’ thinking of our generation, enabling young people to ‘find themselves’ through looking towards others. With speakers like Guvna B and Archbishop Eamon Martin expressing their journey to faith, it was easy to find relatable stories to help make sense of our own experiences and understanding. “Even without the religious element there was some amazing messages which are applicable to everyone”

  Mollie Year 12:

  “There was a sense of community”  that welcomed all who attended, there was music that made us all jump out of our seats and there was a drama performance that made us put our hands on our hearts. We laughed, we sang and we danced the day away. Guest speakers from across the world travelled to preach to us and people travelled from across the country to hear them. The community is vast and we came across people that we knew and have known since childhood.

   

  It was a truly unique day trip and even we were surprised at our experience. We highly recommend that anyone who can, should attend the Flame event for many years to come.

  Miss J Duffy, Mollie McGill and Jerome Harrison