Meridian Index

Swavesey Village College

Whilst the summer term seems some time ago, there is much to reflect upon and celebrate.  

Our year 11 students marked the end of their exams and their life at S.V.C. with the Leavers Prom. The arrival of the students seems to attract more spectators each year, with 400 - 500 parents and students outside the College to see them arrive. They were certainly not let down, with numerous limos complemented by a stylishly decorated tractor and trailer, a groovy hippy camper van, an immaculate period vespa, with a few Rolls Royces thrown in. The students look fantastic and both students and staff had a very relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable evening. We wish them every success and happiness for the future.

At the end of term we were delighted to appoint Cameron Scott and Vicky Neal as Swavesey's first Head Boy and Head Girl. The Head Boy and Girl responsibilities will range from leading the Senior Prefects and School Council to representing the student body at various school and Governor events.

Students within the College continued to enjoy considerable success:

• Swavesey Theatre Company production of 'Missing - Dan Nolan' went on to further success at the Cambridge Drama festival : Kate Summers won the best supporting actress across both the youth and adult classes and the College won best youth production.
• The Yr 8 Maths team won the Cambridgeshire Maths Team Challenge beating 40 other schools,
• Our team won the Swavesey Science Challenge - the first time in the competition's 14 year history,
• The Year 7 girls' football team won the Cambs F.A. football tournament.

Science events included

• a Key Skills day for all the Y6 students from the Primary schools
• participating in the 'Express Yourself' national competition held at the Royal Institute in London
• the fourth Community Science Lecture entitled ' Fat - is it in the Genes?'.
• another very successful Science Summer School (on forensic science) for the more able Year 6 students during the holidays.

The Summer term saw a lot of our students out on residential trips, both at home and abroad:

• 134 Y7s on a week activity camp in the Yorkshire Dales,
• 80 Y7s  on a languages trip to Calais
• 50 Year 8s to Germany on the Hostel trip,
• 130 Yr 9s to the WW1 Battlefields of Belgium
• 40 Yr 9 s the Geography department to the Eden Project in Cornwall.
• 40 Yr10 students completed their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award final expedition

Alongside these events, there were numerous other day trips. 

The History Department's V. E. Day archive generated significant interest in May. In conjunction with Swavesey British Legion, year 9 students interviewed visitors to record their own or their relatives' war memories. All of these accounts are now on our website as well as on the B.B.C.'s 'Peoples' War' site.

Other highlights from the term included :

• The Variety Show,
• The Key Stage 3 Drama Club productions of Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night,
• Sports' Day on 6th July included field and track events as well as an inter-form tug o war
• Inter-form Master Chef competition involving separate student and staff teams.
• Primary Schools' cricket festival was hosted by SVC on 6th July

As always it is difficult to do justice to all that is happening in College. This summary gives you a flavour, but the latest events and highlights can be found on the College's website, where there are weekly updates on the 'Newsdesk' : www.swaveseyvc.co.uk

This term

I am delighted to announce that the College now has an Arts Development Manager, Gillian Hunter. This is a new post joint funded by the College and South Cambs District Council. Whilst she will be based in the College, the role involves supporting and developing the arts across our patch. Over the first few months, Gillian will be looking at all the arts groups and events that already take place. She would be delighted to hear from any members of the community who are involved or interested in the arts (gillian.hunter@swaveseyvc.cambs.sch.uk) On .17th October you are warmly invited to an informal launch event at the college 6 - 8pm.

In September, we are beginning a Level 2 BTEC course in Construction. This will provide a genuine vocational course for some of our Y10 students. With BTECs in place, alongside GCSE and Applied GCSE courses, we are in a position to provide an increasing number of students with the right progression routes through KS 4.

Dates for your diary include

• Open Evening is on Thursday 3rd November, followed by Open Morning on 4th November. Any member of the public, as well as prospective parents, are warmly invited to visit the College on our Open Morning. Please contact the College's reception for more information.
• Presentation Evening is on 14th November.
• The Christmas Concert at Swavesey Church is on the 14th December.
• Trips this term include a new History trip at half term for Year 11s to visit Berlin and Krakov.

Pictures telling the stories :
Click on the images to see a larger version

SVC Drama Group	Urach	Y7 Activity Camp	Y7 Activity Camp