Education News January 2010
Stretch your memory
Hackney Free and Parochial CE Secondary School is looking for memorabilia, stories and former students to form part of its 490th anniversary.
The school said it is particularly interested in old uniforms to display in a Hackney Museum exhibition planned for March.
Head teacher Richard Brown said: “We’ve had a great response: old scarves, ties and other designs we haven’t seen before. We’re particularly interested in getting more old blazers, which were phased out here around 20 years ago.
“One of the reasons for the exhibition is that the school is currently being rebuilt and we want to continue to preserve it’s long history. We’re currently conducting tours of the old site for former students – some dating back as far as 50 years ago have visited to remember their time here.”
Hackney Free and Parochial was founded by the rector of the parish of Hackney, Christopher Urswick, in 1520 and is one of England’s oldest non-fee paying schools. It originally catered for just 12 boys and now serves around 700 young people aged 11-16.
The school’s GCSE results were among the 23 most improved in the Capital in 2009, with the percentage of students achieving at least five A*- C grades, including English and Maths, increasing by nine per cent.
Hackney Free is one of three secondary schools already under construction as part of Hackney’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
The school will be rebuilt on its existing site in Paragon Road over two major stages, to cause as little disruption as possible to lessons. Students will move into the new sections of the building as they’re completed. A third stage will create an external play and sports space and landscaping around the new building.
The superstructure for the first stage is up, and all work is due to be complete in December 2011.
Hackney’s BSF programme has been developed by the Council in partnership with The Learning Trust, and has received more than £160million in Government funding.
It aims to transform all secondary and special needs schools in the borough by 2015.
More information
If you have a story, picture or object linked to the school, call Samantha Robson on: 020 8985 2430. The exhibition is due to open at Hackney Museum on 18 March. For info on BSF visit the BSF page.
25 January 2010
We're mad for it
Hollywood came to Hackney, when the screenwriter of animated film favourite ‘Madagascar’ met with children from six local primary schools, including Woodberry Down.
Mark Burton, who also penned ‘Wallace and Gromit – The Curse of the Were-Rabbit’, participated in a lively event at the Rio Cinema in Dalston on 9 December.
It was part of the Filmclub Close Encounters after-school programme, which aims to encourage links between young people and the film community. Mark spoke to youngsters about his work as a screenwriter, answered questions and showed clips and storyboards from ‘Madagascar’.
Filmclub was founded in 2008 by film director Beeban Kidron (‘Bridget Jones’ Diary: The Edge Of Reason’) and educationalist Lindsay Mackie. It offers state schools free informal screenings, the chance to attend industry events and submit online reviews.
Since its launch, 29 Hackney schools have joined the network.
More information
Filmclub is funded by the Department of Children Schools and Families. To find out more call: 020 7288 4520; or visit: www.filmclub.org
11 January 2010
Hackney life through a lens
A photography competition looking for the extraordinary among the everyday provided some insights into what the borough means to its young people.
Students from Hackney entered the London Legacy 2020 Schools Photography Project, which aims to record aspects of local life.
Participants were given training with industry professionals, and access to workshops and digital cameras to help them capture and respond to issues in their area.
Rosa Levi Smythe, from Haggerston School, won the nature category for her photograph of a dandelion (pictured, right). She said: “I was fascinated by the intense light, I knew it was a dandelion and I thought it looked beautiful.”
Tennessee Watt, also from Haggerston, waited in London Fields for two hours for a subject. The resulting picture won the places category. She said: “I was trying to find something that would be unusual and a funeral carriage came into shot. I took two shots and then it was gone. It made me feel so sad.”
The project was supported by CMS Cameron McKenna and Thomson Reuters.
11 January 2010
Together in electric dreams
A former office worker has made an unusual career change – and landed a job on the London 2012 site in the process.
Kelly Drake swapped the office for overalls to do an electrical installation course at Hackney Community College, which she described as a much-needed career change from administration work.
After securing a position with the site team, she will now help provide electricity to the Olympic Park, which includes running cables and installing temporary lampposts and heating.
Kelly said: “Even though I am filthy by the end of most of my shifts, I absolutely love working on the site. It is quite fulfilling to know that I am helping prepare for such a great event.”
Kelly will continue with her studies at the college while she works part-time on the Park in Stratford.
11 January 2010
Workshop’s healthy message
Pupils from St Monica’s primary school took part in a two-day workshop to promote healthy lifestyle choices.
More than 170 children, aged four to 11, joined in the sessions run by charity Life Education at the Hoxton school on 14 and 15 December.
Among the activities for pupils was an anonymous electronic quiz that addressed misconceptions about drugs and health.
Life Education’s Julia Enright said: “The voting system, similar to that used on ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’, allowed pupils to get answers to questions that some may be nervous about asking in front of a classroom.”
Headteacher, Violet Richardson, added the practical workshop helped the children’s self-awareness and understanding of what it means to be healthy.
11 January 2010
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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