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Generations connect through art and kindness
Posted on: 14/05/2020

Generations connect through art and kindness

Since it was announced that schools would be closed for a number of weeks, students at Amery Hill School expressed an interest to be able to help their community, especially those who are vulnerable. Year 8 students had already been forging a relationship with care homes across Alton as part of the ‘Access All Ages’ lottery funded project before the current crisis hit. As schools closed their doors to the majority of students, Miss Rachel Stobbart, Head of Religious Studies at Amery Hill School contacted a number of residential homes and care providers in Alton and asked if their residents might like to receive correspondence from our students. Talking about the project, Miss Stobbart, commented, “We had an overwhelmingly positive response and our students were encouraged to send a letter, poem, story or piece of artwork to a resident living in a care home or being looked after by a care provider. Even if each of us wrote just one note to let someone know we are thinking of them, what a huge difference that could make. Students across all year groups have participated and we have had some lovely feedback from grateful residents.” An incredible number of pieces of artwork have been created, with over 200 pieces alone being sent off by students in Years 7-9.  Zoe Swan, a student in Year 10, painted and wrote a card for the residents of Borovere Residential Care Home. Zoe (photo above) was delighted to have received a wonderful letter of thanks from Borovere resident Mrs Janet Egan. Amery Hill’s Head of Art, Miss Sarah Burrell added “We are incredibly proud of our students. Their kindness, thoughtfulness and creative talent has brought a smile to many people’s faces, including our own. It has been such a rewarding and uplifting project.” Another student Beth Turk sent this message and artwork to Brendoncare’s residents. Hello, my name is Beth Turk, and I am a student at Amery Hill School. I wanted to share with you my newest art project inspired by the work of the artist Emily Blincoe. I took old and new nuts, bolts and washers from my garage. The old ones are all from a 1965 Triumph motor bike that my dad and I are restoring. I designed the picture to have an ombre effect, with the old in the lower left corner going up to the new in the upper right corner. To me it represents how we are all going through quarantine and the coronavirus situation together, and how both the older and newer (younger) people are both at risk, but are working together to help each other out.  My family and I are thinking of you at this time.View Article
Face shields to help NHS Heroes
Posted on: 14/04/2020

Face shields to help NHS Heroes

Many hospitals are reporting that they are just hours away from running out of essential personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to keep nurses and doctors safe from coronavirus infection, as a leaked email from NHS bosses reveals the health service has already run out of some kit. Doctors and nurses have spoken out about shortages to PPE, including visors, masks and gowns, as demand across the country has jumped 2,000 per cent. Design Technology (DT) teachers up and down the country have responded with many schools now manufacturing protective face shields for the NHS, as part of the national effort to increase the availability of PPE for frontline NHS staff. Over the Easter break, teachers at Amery Hill School have designed and started producing a face shield using the school’s laser cutter, with the first 80 face shields produced being delivered to local GP surgeries and Aldershot’s Centre for Health. The design involves laser cutting a polypropylene headband and attaching it to a clear PVC screen. Miss Kate Scott, one of the school’s DT teachers, who has been the driving force behind the project commented, “we have the capacity to make up to 200 face shields a day, with colleagues assisting in the DT workshop to laser cut the headband, shape and cut the visor and assemble and clean the face shield. I have been delighted at how quickly we have been able to respond to help our local NHS heroes. Our next challenge, however, will be to source additional materials to enable us to continue production.” A further 200 face shields have been delivered this week to Frimley Park Hospital’s Stroke Department, Dementia Care, the NHS Covid-19 Response Team and Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in Farnham. Talking about the recent delivery, Mr Simon Cox, Estates Manager at Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice said “the visors and gloves arrived and have gone straight into service on the ward. First reports from the nurses are that the visors are more comfortable than the ones we need to reuse at the moment. It sounds like they are already making a difference and have been a bit of a morale booster. Please pass on our thanks to all the team at Amery Hill School that have made this very special gesture possible.” Personal protective equipment items have also been kindly donated by the school’s Science Department, with 2,500 gloves, 90 pairs of safety goggles and coveralls being collected by Frimley Park Hospital.View Article
Amery Hill School backs campaign #Laptops2Schools
Posted on: 18/03/2020

Amery Hill School backs campaign #Laptops2Schools

“Out of a disaster we can all do something to ensure students don’t suffer unnecessarily.” Those were the words of Ms Lindsey Parslow, chief executive of Business2Schools, which has this week launched a campaign to benefit school children and parents affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The aim of the Laptops2Schools initiative is to get businesses to donate laptops that school children can take home if the schools close or pupils have to self-isolate. Ms Parslow said: “If families have to self-isolate children will need to log into their school’s intranet to complete their lessons and homework. “Most families do not have enough computers for everyone in a household to have access at the same time. Priority will be given to the people in the family that are working. “This will be disastrous for education. Schools are so short of laptops anyway. So if businesses could help us it will mean teachers and children at home can have a laptop sent to them if they need it.” Alton based secondary school Amery Hill is supporting the campaign, having worked successfully with Business2Schools in the past. Headteacher, Mr Steve Mann said, “Self-isolation and imminent school closures are presenting parents, students and the education sector as a whole with unprecedented challenges.  Most schools are not in the position where they can provide spare laptops to students attempting to study remotely and the concern is that students from poorer families might become even more disadvantaged. Any help that businesses can provide to support this initiative will have a significant impact on the education of our young people.” Ms Parslow added: “If businesses can help by donating or by reaching out on social media we can get this off the ground very quickly. Time is not on our side if schools close.” So far, London-based company EFG Private Bank and ESRI UK, in Aylesbury, have donated £6,000 and 57 laptops respectively. Business2Schools is raising funds to afford hard drives and chargers, in case they do not come with the laptops. To donate, visit  Just Giving - click hereView Article
Guys and Dolls
Posted on: 9/03/2020

Guys and Dolls

              Over four fun-packed nights, the latest production of Guys and Dolls at Amery Hill School entertained the audience with musical romantic comedy involving the unlikeliest of Manhattan pairings! The whole production team, from actors, musicians, artists, dancers, technicians and directors, worked incredibly hard to ensure the production was of the highest quality - and it did not disappoint. The orchestra’s characterful music set the scene perfectly and supported the show with skilful musicianship. The dancers entertained dutifully and the main characters were played with bravado, telling the story of Adelaide’s naïve romance with the mischievous Nathan Detroit with real panache. Sky Masterson’s romance with the cautious, religious campaigner Sarah Brown was full of cheek and endeavour and both couples delivered perfect comic timing. The energy and passion on display from the whole production team engaged the audience from start to finish and secured Guys and Dolls as another gem in the Amery Hill School’s production almanac. To view a gallery of photos click hereView Article
Repurposing resources and sustainability - the way forward?
Posted on: 6/12/2019

Repurposing resources and sustainability - the way forward?

Amery Hill School has been the recent and grateful recipient of replacement cupboard/shelving units and desk furniture, thanks to the Business2Schools initiative. Mr Stephen Mann, Headteacher at Amery Hill School said, “As most people are aware, schools up and down the country are not being provided with adequate funding and resourcing, resulting in schools having, amongst other things, to use and maintain dated and tired looking furniture. We are constantly trying to find new and creative ways to reduce the pressures on our budget and therefore a charity like Business2Schools provides an invaluable service which is greatly appreciated. Increasingly our society has created a culture of waste and disposability and that is why Business2Schools is so important in not only reducing this waste but helping to educate future generations about the benefit of recycling and sustainability.” The good quality, second-hand furniture donated by Russell Reynolds Associates in London, will be used to replace all the desks in one of the school’s music classrooms with the remainder being used to help in the refit of one of our technology rooms. The shelving units are going to be used around the school in various departments and classrooms. Mr Mann added, “To have replaced this furniture ourselves would have taken a significant sum out of our budget and to be honest would not have happened in the present climate. Therefore, this has given the students and staff an unexpected lift in helping to create learning environments that are fit for purpose and inspires their teaching and learning.” Business2Schools enables companies to donate unwanted but good quality, high-end items such as furniture and technology to schools around the country. The aim is to help improve the equipment and facilities in schools using the best ethical and environmental way possible, while helping to relieve school budgets.View Article
AltonTown Mayor Opens new Dining Hall at Amery Hill School
Posted on: 27/11/2019

AltonTown Mayor Opens new Dining Hall at Amery Hill School

Amery Hill School is delighted to announce the opening of its brand new Dining Hall and kitchen facilities.  The new building will allow them to provide an ever-increasing number of students with healthy and nutritious meals. After years of planning it has been a pleasure to see the design finally taking shape.  Visually, it is a striking building, with floor-to-ceiling windows making up a lot of the outside walls and as well as providing dining facilities, the room has been designed to be multi-functional, with adaptable lighting and an integrated projection and sound system installed. A significant proportion of the funding came from the Department for Education, Healthy Pupils Capital Fund, as they recognised how the school’s application was based on the school’s philosophy of developing the whole child.  The new dining facilities will help to boost both the physical and mental wellbeing of students, by allowing them to use meal times as an opportunity to share, be social and digest food calmly. This development would not have been possible without financial contributions from The Eggar's Trust, Caterlink and Hampshire County Council and the work of Scope Architecture and building contractors Mountjoy. As part of the build project, the school has considered how they can reduce plastic waste and increase sustainability.  Talking about this aspect of the project, Mr Jon Eacott, Assistant Headteacher and Project Lead commented “Solar panels have been fitted to the roof of the main school building to help provide power for the new building and with increased capacity, students’ main meals are served on reusable crockery, significantly reducing the dependence upon disposable items.”  The opening of the Dining Hall and Kitchen marks the completion of the first phase in an ambitious building programme for Amery Hill, which will over the next few years see the creation of a multi-functional performance space, including a new auditorium as well as Drama and Dance studios. Mr Steve Mann, Headteacher, said: “This is a very exciting time in Amery Hill School’s evolution.  This first phase in our redevelopment provides a wonderful space for all our students to not only eat and socialise in a modern and comfortable environment, but also supports our core values of Opportunity, Progress and Care. I would like to thank all of our partners who have ensured the success of this project, not forgetting the students who have adapted to new routines with maturity during the build.”View Article
Top Performing Hampshire School
Posted on: 21/10/2019

Top Performing Hampshire School

Following the publication of the Government’s secondary schools’ performance comparison tables, Amery Hill School is celebrating another year of academic success, with students exceeding national progress expectations in the Progress 8 measure for the third consecutive year. Attainment for students is estimated to be within the top 20% of schools nationally this year, with high ability students making better progress than national expectations and the best progress for this group in the school since the Progress 8 measure was introduced.  15% of students achieved at least one Grade 9, a grade deemed to be more challenging than an A*, and 52% of students achieved at least one Grade 9-7 across their chosen GCSE courses. In addition, in the critical core subjects, 30% of students achieved a Grade 7 or higher in their English GCSE with success mirrored in Maths where 28% of students achieved this outcome. Equal success was seen at 9-4 (standard pass) with 82% and 80% of students achieving this important milestone in English and Maths respectively. “These results demonstrate the outstanding quality of education that is being delivered day in and day out at Amery Hill. Students of all abilities make excellent individual progress with more post-16 education choices as a result. The publishing of the Government’s secondary schools’ performance comparison tables places Amery Hill School as one of the top performing schools in Hampshire.” Mr Mann, Headteacher. For more information and to compare these results with other schools, the Government’s secondary schools’ performance comparison tables can be accessed via the following link below Secondary schools' performance comparison tables click hereView Article
Team players conquer challenges
Posted on: 17/10/2019

Team players conquer challenges

One of the highlights of the Year 7 transition programme at Amery Hill is the residential team-building trip and this year’s was no exception. Over 160 Year 7 students participated in the overnight residential adventure at the PGL activity centre at Liddington, Wiltshire. It was a great opportunity to test their teamwork and resilience, and to strengthen and broaden their friendships - whilst having a lot of fun. Activities included canoeing and abseiling, as well a highly-entertaining game of 'Ambush', basically, team hide-and-seek, in a forest, in the dark! Talking about the weekend, Progress Leader, Mr Jules Gibson said “There were no complaints about the rain we had - students just got stuck in. Many of them conquered fears, over the course of the weekend, that they never thought they would overcome. It was a really successful trip, and one that will live long in the memories of staff and students alike.”View Article

25 Blog Posts found - Showing 1-9

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