Vocational Wednesdays

As part of their personalised timetables, a group of the Morris House pupils attend a vocational provision at the Routes Skill Centre.

Steve teaches them a number of different areas of construction, all as part of their Level 1 Multi Trade Construction qualification. 

The boys learn the basics of tiling, brickwork, plastering and plumbing, and more. 

The course lasts 4 years, and goes towards their Laser Learning Employment & Progression Qualification - which can be carried on in their next stage of education.

The set up in the workshop replicates that of a real work environment, so the pupils learn a work ethic as well as skills to set them up in a job, and the scenarios are realistic for training purposes too! 

Easter fun!

Before breaking up for the holidays, everyone enjoyed some whole-school Easter fun! Pupils were sent on an exciting egg hunt around the school grounds, where they searched for paper eggs containing general knowledge questions linked to their learning.

Once they found an egg, they had to solve the question and present both the egg and their answer to Mr. Penfold and Mrs. Kinder. If they got it right, they earned a real Easter egg to take home — a sweet reward for their brainpower!

Well done to all the pupils who took part and made the event such a success!

VAWG film project with Yellow Door and Solent University

As part of the PSHE curriculum, a group of pupils from 4PR, 4CM, and 4NA have taken part in an extension project focused on learning about Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), in collaboration with Wayne from Yellow Door and Solent University.

Thanks to the success of this initiative, exciting links have been made with the Solent University Film Department. They have been working with our pupils to develop a script for a short campaign video, exploring the impact of VAWG on our community from a teenage perspective. The pupils have shown incredible honesty in sharing real-life experiences, and it has been inspiring to witness their growing awareness and changing mindsets.

Yesterday was a particularly exciting milestone, as the pupils visited the University studio for the first script read-through. Donna, Fergus, and the team were amazing — warm, supportive, and full of creative energy. They worked closely with the pupils, discussing ideas, refining the script, and even admiring Wayne’s acting skills!

Pupils had the opportunity to explore all aspects of film production and got hands-on experience using the camera equipment. We are incredibly grateful to Solent University for this amazing opportunity and look forward to seeing how the project continues to develop.

Watch this space!

 

GCSE Cookery Practical

 Last week the year 11  boys made the final part of their practical cookery exam. The brief was to make a starter and main course for a vegetarian adult. All the boys did really well and as you can see from the photos their presentation was also really good. Ollie even made his own pasta using the pasta machine.

Well done boys we are very proud of you-just the final written exam to do now!

Year 8 English

  Hobbies 

This half-term the year 8's have been completing their third and final entry level paper on the topic 'Hobbies'. They have explored and shared a variety of their own hobbies, as well as tried ones they have never considered doing before. On Fridays all year 8's have participated in using their lessons to try new hobbies and say their thoughts on them.

The hobbies they have tried are: 

- Learning a new language with Duolingo. 

- Pilates 

-Puzzling

-Scratch art/Diamond Art

Longdown Activity Farm with 3NT

 

On Monday 3NT spent the day out in the sunshine at Longdown Activity Farm. Throughout the day they had the opportunity to take part in hands on learning as they got to know the different animals that live on the farm.  

The day started with seeing who was brave enough to put their hands into the chicken pens and fish out as many eggs as they could find. Very brave efforts from Will and Oscar, well done boys. 

After viewing the guinea pigs in their home they then had the opportunity to get up close and personal with one and hold a little chick. Well done everyone for being so careful in looking after the newborn animals.  

The boys also had the opportunity to feed the kid goats (above), adult goats and calves. These youngsters were super keen for their milk but allowed the boys to give then a stroke afterwards. As we moved around the farm the boys were learning lots of facts about the animals they were feeding, which also included the birthing cycle of a cow. Did you know that cows don't actually have 4 stomachs, they have 1 which is split into 4 sections!

Once all the feeding was done, pupils got some free time to go on a tractor ride, use the peddle go-karts and play on the trampolines. Well done 3NT on a brilliant day out. 

3DRB Blue Influencer Scheme

 The 'Blue Influencers Scheme' aims to help young people create deep, lasting and meaningful connections with the natural environment through their local blue space. The Earnest Cook Trust awarded 3DRB with  a grant to allow them to create their own environmental project. 

Amy from the Wessex River Trust presented a range of projects to the class and it was then their decision to decide which one they wanted to proceed with so they could make a difference to their surrounding environment. 

In school pupils started to learn about the geography of the river and what inhabits them. As you can see below the group created a giant river in our school hall. 

 Once they had labelled the different parts of the river they got to meet some freshwater invertebrates. 

The class decided that they would like to look after their local waterways and do a series of river cleans to reduce the amount of pollution. Their first session was a visit to Tanners Brook. To start with pupils explored the life under the water. They were catching small fish and invertebrates (creatures without a backbone). 

Pupils then continued their work at Lady Lakes-Winchester, before a final return to Tanners Brook. Pupils used their grant to buy waders, litter pickers, waterproof long gloves and magnets. Each session the boys cleared at least two black bin liners of rubbish from the rivers. Well done 3DRB.