New arrivals at Oathall Farm mark the start of spring

10th March 2014Oathall
Lambs born at Oathall Farm

Lambs born at Oathall Farm

Spring arrived at Oathall Farm this weekend with the exciting delivery of three newborn lambs.

First to arrive was a ram before there was double trouble this morning in the shape of twins. Two of our students, Tommy Scott and Jake Scovell, were on hand with some much needed assistance, especially with the breach birth of one of the twins.

The lambs’ arrival this weekend gives them a couple of weeks to get used to their surroundings before they are the stars of the show at our Lambing Day on Sunday, March 30. The farm will be open from 12pm-4pm and entrance is free.

Check out the photos – and lots more from the farm – on our Flickr page.

Student judges pick Ruby Redfort as their reading gem

6th March 2014Oathall
Year 7 reading team with Nicola Davies

Year 7 reading team with author Nicola Davies

Forget the Man Booker Prize or the Blue Peter Book Awards, the honour every children’s author wants has been announced today at Oathall.

Our Year 7 reading team has named Ruby Redfort: Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child from a nine-strong shortlist selected by the county’s school library service. Their choice matched those of students from across the county, who also picked the book as the winner of the West Sussex Children’s Book Award.

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Student parliament sits for the first time

4th March 2014Oathall
Meeting in progress on Friday 28 February

Meeting in progress on Friday 28 February

The inaugural meeting of Oathall’s new student parliament was held on Friday 28 February.

The initiative known as Oathall Student Voice (OSV) offers pupils the opportunity to question teaching staff and senior leaders or to make suggestions to improve day-to-day operations in several key areas via termly meetings; these include the school environment, teaching and learning, student support, health and fitness and community engagement.

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Zimbe!

3rd March 2014Oathall
OCC students with Alexander seen centre in orange

OCC students with Alexander seen centre in orange

A group of OCC students took part in a special workshop at Ardingly College yesterday, Sunday 2 March, with renowned composer Alexander L’Estrange.

Alexander’s Zimbe score is a fantastic fusion of traditional African songs and jazz music.

Our musical students will be joining hundreds of others from West Sussex on stage to perform it as part of the Big Sing showcase at the Ardingly ArtsFest in Haywards Heath.

The festival runs from Sunday 22 – Thursday 26 June 2014 and our performance of Zimbe will take place on Wednesday 25 June, find out more here.

 

 

Oathall parliament to sit for the first time this week

25th February 2014Oathall
Oathall's new student parliament.

Oathall’s new student parliament.

Oathall Student Voice (OSV) will officially launch on Friday 28 February.

OSV is about working together to improve the school for everyone.  It enables students to have their views about five key areas of school operations heard:

  • Environment – school grounds, buildings, recycling etc
  • Teaching and learning – comments, suggestions
  • Student support – anti-bullying, buddying
  • Health and fitness – initiatives eg health eating week
  • Community – charity, fundraising activities, enrichment.

It offers a forum for students to ask direct questions to members of staff regarding an idea / issue that was raised in student councils.  It also allows staff the opportunity to respond to the questions and / or formulate and share a plan of action to take the idea/ issue forward to the next stage.

The existing school council activities will feed into the work of Oathall’s new parliament; MPs will represent different portfolios and have a term to work on projects/ initiatives before reporting back at the next sitting of parliament.

Look out for more information and updates soon!

Murder, mystery and suspense in Bognor Regis!

10th February 2014Oathall
Detective Talia is on the case!

Detective Talia on the case in Bognor Regis!

A group of 12 languages students from Oathall Community College took part in an enrichment day with a deadly twist on Thursday 6 February at the University of Chichester’s Bognor Regis campus.

The Year 9 students worked with others from nearby schools to complete a variety of activities based on the theme of murder, mystery, suspense.  The session was organised by trainee languages teachers at the university.

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Our bright sparks light up the stage

31st January 2014Oathall
The Bright Sparks concert on Monday 27 January

The Bright Sparks concert on Monday 27 January

Two Year 10 students from Oathall Community College recently performed on stage with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) at the Royal Festival Hall.

Nathanael Thomas-Atkin and Dominic Clark both play with the West Sussex County Orchestra and they were invited to join the world-renowned LPO for the latest in their series of ‘Bright Sparks’ concerts.

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