With the new term starting on Monday, we thought it would be useful for students and parents to know the names and rooms of the new vertical tutor groups. If you would like a more permanent record of this, you can download the information as a separate document here.
Once again THS has had a record breaking year. 60% of students achieved 5+A*-C, an increase from the 59% of 2009. 45% achieved 5+A*-C including English and Maths, up from 39% in 2009. 93% of students achieved 5+A*-G, an increase of 1% on 2009. This is the fourth year in a row that results have surpassed the school’s previous best.
Results were strong across the board with students achieving outstanding results in the physical sciences (two thirds achieving an A or A*); 90%+ in Voc course BTEC and the visual arts continues its strong performance across a range of disciplines (Art & Design [vocational] 100%, Art & Design 94% and Graphic Design 97%). Performance in vocational subjects, such as BTECs in sport (45% distinction) and theatre studies (32% distinction), has been equally strong. Those students who attended Petroc and Exeter College to study Vocational courses or Advanced Level ‘Critical Thinking’ also achieved the highest ever grades for such courses.
Results day is really about stories of individual success. Some students have done exceptionally well, achieving an outstanding collection of A’s and A*s. Other students have achieved results that perhaps do not grab the headlines but are the result of years of hard graft and will open the doors to post 16 college courses or the world of work. We are equally proud of them all and wish them the very best of success in the future.
The first day of the Autumn term is Monday, 6th September. Year 7 will start the day at 9am with their new tutors, all other years should arrive at school for an 11.25 start, again with their new tutors. Rooms and supervision will be provided for students in years 8, 9, 10 and 11 that will have transport difficulties for the later start.
Have a lovely summer and looking forward to seeing you all in September, rested and refreshed.
It has been a rollercoaster ride for THS this year. The year started with some new rooms to house our ever growing student population and another set of improved results. We had the remarkable success of “Oliver!”, which raised our Performing Arts profile onto a new plane. We continued to be successful too on the sports field across a range of sports with ever increasing numbers of students taking part. Students also continued to be successful in out of school activities. Last week, for instance, I was privileged to watch Willowtree’s Summer Concert which featured many of our students.
The cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project has obviously cast a long shadow over the year. Whatever the politics and whatever the future we need to acknowledge the enormous energy and effort that went into the process from staff and students and from the local community who supported us and wanted to be part of the process. We have said all along that we wanted to make use of the fact that our school building is in need of very substantial work to build a facility that would meet the needs of our young people as they face the challenge of growing up in this modern world. We are expecting an announcement in the autumn of any new funding but I have no idea whether we will get any. In the meantime we will continue to work hard to see what we can do with the resources we have.
One massive positive that has come out of BSF has been the continued strengthening of the relationship between the community and the school. I know that we still have a way to go and that sometimes we get things wrong but Governors and staff do feel supported by the town and area.
On Wednesday 23rd June, 'The Doones' (Comprising of Dave Bartlett, Kian Rayment and Ollie Tuck) took part in the Annual Battle of the Bands at The WestPoint Stage in Exeter. The trio smashed the opposition, gaining a respectable second place out of the twelve original competing bands. The other bands ranged from young musicians of Thirteen years of age, to Sixth formers studying music at Academies (men with tattoos and beards…)
It was a long and arduous day, but the trio immensely enjoyed the trip and were satisfied with their performance.
The Doones will be performing in another Battle of the Bands tonight at the Charter Hall, Okehampton.
On Wednesday 7th July, Tiverton High School’s music department held a fantastic summer concert with performances of Classical, Jazz, Rock and everything in-between. The 1st half began with a set of 3 melodic songs from the Gospel Choir, followed by a range of superb solos from students of all year groups which included, Kate Onley-Gregson playing a piano solo “A Song of Erin”, Georgia Miller singing “You Give Me Something” and Leigh-Ann Bates who played her GCSE music composition. The Choral Society also sang 2 enjoyable songs of “Adieu Sweet Amarillis” and “What then is love” with great enthusiasm and accuracy. The brilliant 1st half ended with the talented THS Concert Band playing 4 pieces (Batman, Worried Man, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, and Phantom of the Opera Medley) from their vast repertoire of music.
Ben and Sam kicked of the second half with the fab “Crazy little thing called love” followed by 3 other year 11 Rockschool performance’s from Billie, Ben, Kelsey, Lynzi, Molly and Joe. “Gunslinger” was performed exceptionally by Connor Van Bussel, Tom Nunez, Ashley Pike, Frazer Kerslake and Mark Wakefield. The Doones also performed songs “So” and “A Song about You”, followed by Sam’s Band playing “Poker Face” and “Fat Lip”. Molly, Joe, Ben and Liam ended the incredible 2nd half performing 2 songs “Somebody Told Me” and “Sugar Were Going Down”.
It was a fabulous evening that was enjoyed by all who attended the event, showing off the talent and ability of the students at THS.
Education Secretary Michael Gove has pulled the plug on the plans for our new school. As well as a new school the plans included a new theatre space and sports facilities that would have benefitted the whole area. Local MP Neil Parish had been vocal in committing himself to supporting the project.
It is obviously hugely disappointing news. It will feel to the students and staff that Michael Gove has turned his back on the young people of Tiverton and on their families. He has chosen to spend the limited money available for investing in education on academies and so-called ‘parent supported’ schools. We already have a ‘parent supported’ school in Tiverton; it’s the High School and he should have invested in that!
We had plans for a school that would meet our young people’s needs as the 21st century progresses. This is undoubtedly a massive setback but it will not stop us continuing down the road of transforming our school. We will continue to develop our practice. Whilst we won’t have the buildings we will continue to have a terrific staff, a committed and supportive governing body, the backing of the community and, most importantly, the best set of students on the planet.
Once again THS has had a record breaking year. 60% of students achieved 5+A*-C, an increase from the 59% of 2009. 45% achieved 5+A*-C including English and Maths, up from 39% in 2009. 93% of students achieved 5+A*-G, an increase of 1% on 2009. This is the fourth year in a row that results have surpassed the school’s previous best. 
