Denefield Christmas Card Competition

This year’s Christmas card competition was a huge success, with Mrs Shaw receiving an incredible number of entries showcasing the creativity and festive spirit of our students.

The designs were filled with vibrant colors, imaginative themes, and plenty of holiday cheer, making it a difficult task to pick the winners!

The winners and runners-up of the competition had their entries printed and then delivered them around the neighbourhood.

 

The Runner-up entries are as follows:

Key Stage 3 - Bella Charles

Key Stage 4 - Rory Handley-Archer

Key Stage 5 - Evelyn Lockhart 

 

The winners are as follows:

Key Stage 3 Winner - Rusne Prosser 

Key Stage 4 Winner- Lily-Mae Basden

Key Stage 5 Winner - Lewis Hanson

 

 

Denefield Science Poster Competition

This term another exciting interhouse competition was the Denefield Science Poster Competition which celebrated the remarkable contributions of scientists throughout history. Students were tasked with creating visually stunning posters on black sugar paper, showcasing a scientist’s biography, key achievements, and societal impact. Entries also highlighted CHARACTER values and featured creative designs with diagrams and illustrations.

This was not an individual challenge in fact it was a tutor group challenge, with seven tutor group entries from Norcot, five from Langley, five from Kentwood, and four from Sulham.

Mrs S McHugh, Deputy Headteacher, was invited to judge the entries and she announced the winners as follows:

First Place: Norcot (N-LAN) - Scientist: Mary Maynard Daly

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Second Place: Kentwood (K-BIE) - Scientist: Mary Anning

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Third Place: Sulham (S-RES) - Scientist: Alice Roberts

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Fourth place: Langley (L-MSH) - Scientist: Linda Buck

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Congratulations to all the winners! 

We are thrilled to share the outstanding results of Denefield students in the 2024 UK Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge. This internationally recognised competition tests students' problem-solving and computational thinking skills through engaging and challenging tasks. Over 50 countries and thousands of students take part each year, making it an impressive platform to showcase young talent.

This year, our students excelled across all categories, with an incredible 29 students achieving Gold Certificates, placing them in the top 10% nationally.

1. Zakir Islam
2. Shayan Aslam
3. Dom Wisniewski
4. Elsie Hollands
5. Harry Emmott
6. Syed Ayaz Al Mahmud
7. Luke Green
8. Jimmy Howroyd
9. Carys Jones
10. Lucia Stonham
11. Adam Wilson
12. Janey Barlow
13. Phoebe Clayton
14. Elizabeth Haggard-Somerville
15. Karina Kelly
16. Ashton Simmons
17. Samuel Miller
18. Toby Hardy
19. Zac Venter
20. Percy Brown
21. Freddie Chothia Braine
22. Eliza Brackley Manley
23. Thomas Dainton
24. Oscar Edgington
25. Victor Richards-Gutierrez
26. Pavel Robinson
27. Markos Small
28. Jonah Dunford
29. Adam Cserfalvi-Young

The following students from different year groups received Merit and Distinction and were placed in the top 10% at Denefield.

Juniors (Year 7)

• Harry Emmott – Best in School
• Luke Green – Best in School
• Carys Jones – Distinction
• Dom Wisniewski – Distinction
• Zakir Islam – Distinction
• Syed Ayaz Al Mahmud – Distinction
• Shayan Aslam – Distinction
• Jimmy Howroyd – Distinction
• Elsie Hollands – Distinction
• Arlo Driver – Distinction

Intermediate (Years 8 and 9)

• Thomas Dainton – Best in School
• Lucia Stonham – Distinction
• Toby Hardy – Distinction
• Pavel Robinson – Distinction
• Ashton Simmons – Distinction
• Adam Wilson – Distinction
• Janey Barlow – Distinction
• Elizabeth Haggard-Somerville – Distinction
• Karina Kelly – Distinction

Seniors (Years 10 and 11)

• Jonah Dunford – Best in School
• Adam Cserfalvi-Young – Distinction
• Marcel Dezon Torres – Distinction
• George Franks – Distinction
• Jasper Brown – Distinction
• Marley Chohan – Distinction
• Greg Dahroug –Distinction
• Geny Fedoseev – Distinction
• Joe Otty – Distinction

This success reflects our students’ incredible talent in computational thinking. Congratulations to everyone for their hard work!

Year 9 Ypres Trip

Our Year 9 students recently took part in a History trip to Ypres, organised to deepen their understanding of World War I. This unforgettable journey allowed students to reflect on the sacrifices made during the World War I and to explore key historical sites. 

Over three days, students visited the Passchendaele Museum, Lochnagar Crater, Thiepval Memorial, and Beaumont Hamel-Newfoundland Memorial, among other significant locations. They also attended the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate and toured the Wellington Quarry, gaining insights into trench warfare, remembrance, and global contributions to the war effort. 

This was a meaningful experience that helped students connect with history in a powerful way. The students shared their personal experience of the trip in this beautiful video, have a look at it by clicking the button below. You can also see more photos from the trip here: Denefield School - Year 9 visit to the battlefields of Ypres

See the video

Year 10 Rushall Farm Trip

Students attended Rushall Farm to complete their Geography fieldwork which forms part of their GCSE course. During the day they visited three sites along the River Pang and took measurements of the river's depth, width, velocity and gradient after being shown the skills by the Rushall Farm staff. Despite the cold temperatures all students made the most of the day and managed to collect a full set of data to be analysed in classrooms in the coming weeks. Students were so organised and worked together so well to get the results needed that some groups even had time for a bit of pond-dipping at the end of the day!.

See more photos

Sixth Form at COP29

The UN Climate Change Conference is one of the world's most important meetings on climate change and is attended by more than 50,000 delegates every year. It includes diplomats, climate scientists and leaders of countries who come together to address environmental challenges. This year COP29 took place in Baku, Azerbaijan from Monday 11 November to  Friday 22 November 2024.

In collaboration with the InterClimate Network charity, Reading Borough Council hosts Reading Schools' Model Climate Conference annually, a local initiative mirroring the real COP. This year, Denefield was proud to participate alongside seven other Reading schools on Tuesday 12 November.

During the first part of the conference, Denefield Sixth Form students represented Nigeria and Brazil and presented opening speeches, put forward the countries' views and negotiated on key issues. 

In the second part, the students raised issues that were close to home and shared their views about climate action in Reading and West Berkshire. The following issues were raised in front of the local decision makers:

- Reading bus prices for young people

- Flats being built in the Reading town centre

- Traffic congestion on the roads

- Closure of shopping places

We are incredibly proud of all our students who represented Denefield at this prestigious event and played an active role in tackling climate change.

Year 11 Tate Modern visit

Our Year 11 students recently visited Tate Modern in London. The trip gave them the chance to explore modern and contemporary art, inspiring new ideas for their own work.

Students enjoyed seeing a wide range of famous artworks, helping them understand different styles and techniques. The visit not only enhanced their knowledge but also encouraged creativity, leaving them excited to apply what they learnt in their coursework.

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Year 13 Wellington Country Park visit

Our Year 13 students visited Wellington Country Park as part of their Travel and Tourism coursework. The main focus of the trip was to explore the park's attractions, to learn about event management and the different career paths in this industry. Students attended presentations on how to plan large scale events and participated in a behind-the-scenes tour of Wellington Illuminova lightshow. The trip proved to be an incredible experience for the students and provided them with valuable insights for their coursework.

See more photos

Denefield Canteen 5 Star Rating

We are thrilled to share that Denefield’s catering team, Harrison Catering, led by Mr T Ellison, has achieved the top food hygiene rating of 5 stars following an unannounced inspection by West Berkshire Health Inspectors on 18 December. The team was highly praised for maintaining excellent standards.

A huge congratulation to Mr T Ellison and his team for their outstanding efforts and commitment to providing a safe and high-quality dining experience for our school community!

Success for Life – Drugs Education

On Tuesday 3 December, the school hosted a site search by RFA Security’s Steve and Luna, a trained sniffer dog. We are pleased to inform you that, once again, no illegal substances or traces of substances were detected, and we can confirm to parents/carers, students and staff that our site was found to be drug-free.

Year 7 students attended an engaging assembly to learn about the dangers of illegal drugs and hear about Luna’s incredible work.  This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to raising awareness about substance risks. 

We are not complacent, however, and we will be conducting more searches in the future. It is also a good time to remind students and parents that vaping and vaping paraphernalia, while currently legal, is not allowed on our school site in the same way that cigarettes and other smoking paraphernalia are banned. Pouches (also called snus) in all forms are also not allowed on the school site.

If you would like more information about drugs, the effects of drugs and the support available for young people you could visit the following links:

- Honest information about drugs | FRANK

- Via: Drug & Alcohol Addiction Charity 

If you have concerns about your child, please contact the school. We have a dedicated team trained to provide welfare support to students coping with a range of issues.

 

Kids College

We are thrilled to have completed another fantastic term of Kids College, where Year 5 and 6 students from local primary schools explored exciting courses in science, technology, and the arts. The courses provided an excellent opportunity for students to make new friends and get a taste of life at Denefield.

A big thank you to all the students, parents/carers, and staff for their support. We hope the experience has helped students feel more confident and excited about transitioning to secondary school.

We look forward to welcoming many of you back next year for more fun!

 

 

Reading College

This term Year 10 started their post-16 options journey, with a presentation from Activate Learning’s Reading College.  They were introduced to the different options, including A- Levels, T-Levels and apprenticeships and the differences between school and college.  Year 10 were really engaged, and it was fantastic to hear them talking enthusiastically about their future afterwards. 

Also that day, Lauren from Reading College assisted a group of Year 11 students with their college applications.  It was really helpful for them to have their questions about different courses answered and to have support through the application process.  Early in the new year, we are hoping to take a small group of Year 11 students to visit Reading College as part of their transition to post-16 education. 

 

Year 9 Careers Workshop

Recently, Year 9 students were off timetable to take part in a carousel of workshops and presentations led by business volunteers from the Army, RAF, Careers in the Arts, Xtrac and HealthReach. 

The workshops aimed at introducing students to different industries and many different careers available. They learned about the idea of transferable skills, apprenticeships and other training routes.

Harry, from Careers in the Arts, engaged the students in coming up with many careers that work in theatres, and in a problem-solving workshop. Xtrac brought a Formula 1 car gearbox with them for the students to learn about all the engineering roles in their industry whereas HealthReach had the students testing each others temperature and blood pressure.

It was an excellent day, and we thank the Education Business Partnership for arranging it for our students.

Adam Dew

Corey Jacobs

Year 10 – Chelsie Chui

Year 11 – Jamey Kirton

Year 10 – Phoebe Foxon

Year 11 – Evie Barrett

Year 10 – Molly Gorst

Year 11 – Micah Burke

Year 10 – Max Harman

Year 11 – Kimmie Whittington

TellMi

All Denefield students have access to TellMi, an online support for their emotional wellbeing. It's safe, secure and available 24/7.

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