Ryedale School has re-opened after the summer holiday break and the pupils are settling down nicely. For students in Years 10 and 11 managing workload and staying motivated is vital. These students have recently benefitted from an inspiring talk.

On September 17, Year 10 pupils were instructed to go to the drama studio after they had registered and when they walked through the doors to the studio they all were greeted with a very warm welcome from a man called Andrew Bernard. Throughout period one, Andrew, or Bernie as he liked to be called, gave a talk about his life as a teenager and what he got up to before and after his higher education.

He was just the sort of person that the Ryedale pupils liked: funny, witty, enthusiastic, engaging and also persuasive which gave him the honour of being “Ryedale’s Best Speaker” according to Emily Thomas. But it was not only Emily’s attention that he managed to retain, everyone had smiles on their faces and they were all getting involved.

Bernie gave a presentation on how to revise and the key areas for success. On one of the slides was an acrostic poem setting out the keys to success:

• Learning mind set and to be engaged in your revision and the subject you were studying.

• Attitude and how you behave towards getting on with tasks.

• Understanding about yourself and everything going on around you.

• Noise and how you should always turn off any music or get rid of any distractions such as family and technology.

• Caring about yourself and what you want to be when you are older.

• Habits such as relying on social media when you get home or delaying work until the very last minute.

Bernie allowed Year 10 an insight into what could happen to you if you don’t start working hard to achieve your goals. He told them that when he was young he cared more about spending time with his friends rather than achieving high grades for his A-levels and therefore closed most of his options, this was a warning to everyone.

During period two, Year 11 also got the chance to meet Bernie and were just as impressed as the Year 10s, it was definitely worth the hour.

Report by Mhairi Maxwell

 

Team celebrates hockey success

SITTING on the bus, my fellow team mates and I questioned tactics as we drove to Lady Lumley’s School, in Pickering, where our hockey district tournament would be held, writes Ella Turnbull.

Nerves were setting in as we realised the monstrous task ahead of us. In total we played three matches, all high pressure and intensity; two wins sandwiched an unfortunate loss.

During all of the matches we played as a team, securing wins with goals from Amelia Redshaw and Niamh Wragg, and crucial saves from goalkeeper Ellie Crowther. We came away from the tournament proud and pleased with our performance.

Our physical education teacher Jenny Green said: “The girls played some great hockey throughout the tournament and their team work and effort could not be faulted.”

 

Career options

MORE than 200 students and their parents attended an event at Ryedale School to showcase career options in the area.

Ryedale District Council and NYBEP (North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership) organised the event to help young people understand what is available locally within Ryedale businesses.

Local employers, training providers and 23 colleges, took stands to provide information about career pathways such as A levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses and how they can interlink and lead to industry recognised qualifications.

Corey Derbyshire, from NYBEP, said: “It is so important for young people and their parents to fully understand the pathways they can choose at 16, to make informed decisions about their future.

“We are working closely with Ryedale District Council and Schools in Ryedale to offer a range of opportunities for well informed and inspirational interactions between Educational Providers and Employers to support Young people in making these important choices.”

Young people attending the event said they found it useful in deciding their futures.

“I found the evening very useful; it was really helpful to be able to speak to staff from different sixth forms,” said Eddy Hughes, a pupil at Ryedale School.

Councillor Linda Cowling, Leader of Ryedale District Council, said : “Events like this really help our young people to make important decisions about their future.

“As a Council we are passionate to prioritise our work linking local schools with employers training providers and colleges.”

More careers events will be held at schools around Ryedale and young people should contact their school for further details.

 

New starters find their way around the big pond

By Anna Bailey, Emma Audsley, Laura Dangerfield, Amber Clarkson and Lorna Lee

MOVING up to secondary school can be a challenging experience for the young student. From being a big fish in the smaller pond of primary school, they become small fish in a pond that is considerably larger. To find out how this affects them, we interviewed some of our new Year 7s to find out how they are settling in at Ryedale School.

How is Ryedale School different from your primary school?

The primary school I went to was very different. Not only were there just 60 pupils, it only had four proper classrooms. When I came here everything seemed huge. Now I have a timetable to follow, and bells to direct us to the next lesson. There was nothing like it at primary.

How did you resolve any worries you had about starting Ryedale School?

I was a little bit scared at first, particularly about getting lost. When we had induction day it really helped, but there were still a lot of places I hadn’t been. On the first day we were allowed to leave form and find any classrooms we didn’t already know the location of, so that sorted that.

What was your first day like?

Fantastic. I met my new teachers and my form tutor, and we spent the first hour of school sorting letters and other necessities. In form we wrote our worries on slips of paper and gave them to our tutor to read. He then told us how to resolve them. We had early lunch because it was our first day.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned at Ryedale School so far?

I’m really enjoying PE, and probably the most interesting thing we’ve learned so far is how to do a rugby tackle. We weren’t allowed to do proper rugby at primary school and it’s really fun, provided you do it safely, of course. I also like science – we’re doing a topic on particles.

Do you feel like you have settled in at Ryedale School?

Yes. Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly I already feel like a part of the school. I’ve made lots of new friends who are in my form or classes so I have someone to share the experience with. I like the new curriculum and I feel as though I’ve settled in very well.

Finally, what is your favourite thing about Ryedale School and why?

I like the fact we get lots of different lessons. Each one is a new experience and we get so many of them. Everything we do here is so different and more advanced than primary school. There are many more opportunities, like extracurricular clubs for example. Secondary school is exciting.