December 2024
Over the course of the week commencing 18th November, all of Year 8 got the chance to visit the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth as part of their History studies. This visit slotted in perfectly to the work they are doing at present on Tudor England, and more specifically, the reign of Henry VIII.
As well as seeing the ship itself, students were able to study many of the artefacts 'up close', marvelling at the superb state of preservation of everything from combs and shoes, through to the remains of the ship's dog!
The students also got the chance to experience what is was like to dive down to the Mary Rose through the '4D' cinema experience, and undertook a workshop, where they either planned out Tudor military strategy and acted out the role of a Tudor gun crew, or got a gory insight into Tudor medicine.
This was a superb opportunity to visit a world-class museum right on our doorstep, bringing local (and national) history alive, and supporting our learning in the classroom. It also helped shed some light on the lives of ordinary people in Tudor times, something that helps to give a richer view of what the past was really like.
My thanks must go to the many members of staff who helped make the visits such a success, and to the pupils for their behaviour, which was often praised by museum staff and members of the public.
Justin Barnett, Head of Humanities
Our Debate Club recently took part in a Debate Competition and Joel Blamire (12 Wilson) shares his thoughts on the event.
“On Monday the 11th of November our Bishop Luffa Debate Team departed from Bishop Luffa to Christ Hospital to debate on the motion “the house would ban facial recognition in public.” Our team delivered incredible speeches, and did the school proud. Our team consisted of nine students, however we had only three that were allowed to speak during the debate. These three students were Rupert Reddington (12Otter), Ginny Yonge (12Story) and Ella Blamire (9Ridgeway).
Unfortunately, we didn’t get through to the next round, however we are massively proud of the team, and all its members, and we hope to win next year!“
Our special thanks goes to Joel for his strong leadership and hard work in getting the team ready. Joel, it has been a pleasure to see all your skills come to the fore and infectious enthusiasm at work
Mx G Thomas, School Librarian and Ms F Langstone, Teacher of Law
Congratulations to all students who were involved in our Drama Club performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in November, as part of the Shakespeare School Festival. It was a wonderful celebration of Shakespeare with a lovely Key Stage 3 company directed by Sixth Formers El Kiryzan and Tabby Cooper.
Thank you to all parents and friends who came to support at both the school performance and the professional performance at The New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth along with other schools.
Nicky Furnell, Team Leader of Drama
Congratulations to Solomon Sutton (11Ridgeway) and Megan Crow (8Burrows), who have won DressCode’s Summer of Code competition!
Their innovative coding projects impressed the judges, earning them each a fantastic tech prize and recognition among entries from across the UK and Ireland. This achievement showcases their creativity, skill, and passion for computer science.
Well done, Solomon and Megan—you’ve made us all proud!
Mrs Helen Williams, Team Leader of Computer Science
Our students had the opportunity to visit St John's College, University of Oxford and this is what they thought of the day.....
"We were recently given the chance to visit St John’s College at the University of Oxford. It was a great experience and gave us the opportunity to learn about life at university and at Oxford specifically, for example the collegiate system. We spoke to students currently studying at the university and got to ask questions about the application process, and their first year at Oxford. It was a really informative day and gave us all much more insight on our possible post-16 options. We had a tour around the college and got to have lunch in the dining hall and look around the Laudian Library and the Old Library. We also went to the Natural History Museum and were given a presentation on insects - and got the chance to hold live Madagascan cockroaches. We all had an amazing day and really enjoyed the experience." Eva Herilhy (11Otter)
“My favourite part of the day was the Q&A with current Oxford students because I got to ask any questions that I had about the university and the application process in a way that I wouldn’t have had without this trip.” Maria Coutinho 11Otter
“I found the day very insightful because we got to learn not only about current life at Oxford but also about the vast history of the university.” Maria Hawkes (11 Sherborne)
“The day made me consider Oxford as being one of my possibly options for the future, especially learning about the increasing number of state school students attending the university, but also because I really loved the atmosphere.” Tom Vosper (11 King)
The recent Bishop Luffa Careers Fair was a great success, bringing together students, employers, colleges, and universities under one roof. The event aimed to inspire and inform students about a variety of career paths, further/higher education opportunities, and vocational training options. With a buzzing atmosphere and a variety of engaging activities and equipment for the students to handle, the fair gave students the opportunity to envision their future with confidence.
A diverse range of industries was represented by employers such as Lockheed Martin, NHS, Pallant Chambers, Market House Dental Surgery, Creations Hair and Beauty, Taylor Wimpey, the Armed Forces and many more. These employers showcased their organisations, providing insights into job roles, work experience and apprenticeships. West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service joined us for the first time, bringing along equipment and uniform for the students to try out and midwives from NHS Portsmouth University Hospital encouraged students to try on a 7 month fake pregnancy bump, with students commenting on how heavy and uncomfortable it was! Representatives from colleges and universities including Cardiff, Sussex, Bath and Sparsholt offered detailed information about courses, entry requirements and student life. Students across all year groups actively engaged with exhibitors, with exhibitors commenting on how polite they were and how insightful their questions.
One highlight was catching up with Freddie Laing, Zak Leahy and Sebastian Cunningham who were representing Rolls Royce. Having joined Rolls Royce after GCSEs at Bishop Luffa, they are months into their apprenticeships, having enjoyed team building, college lectures and time at the plant in their individual departments. They advised students about recruitment processes and progression within Rolls Royce and were all thoroughly enjoying their apprenticeships.
We would like to say a huge thankyou to all exhibitors who attended. We are always happy to hear from organisations who can offer employer experiences to students, such as work experience, employer talks, attendance at the careers fair – if any organisation would like to be involved in future careers events, please contact Mrs Hopp on hoppa@bishopluffa.org.uk
Mrs Angie Hopp, Careers Coordinator
On Tuesday 3rd December, Year 13 Economists visited the Bank of England Museum in London. Such a museum is obviously highly relevant to their studies, and as well as touring the museum (and agreeing that the gold bar they were able to try and lift was indeed valuable and indeed heavy!) they were fortunate to attend a presentation by a member of the museum’s staff. The talk outlined the Bank’s history, and its role in the economy, including such complex topics as Quantitative Easing, and Tightening.
In an ever changing economic situation, such a visit really helps students to visualise some of the institutions and strategies that are used to influence the economy, and which have a significant impact on everyone's lives, whether we realise it or not.
My thanks go to Mrs Grove for organising the logistics, to Mr Luff and Mrs Gleeson for accompanying the trip, and to the students for their good behaviour.
Mr Justin Barnett, Head of Humanities
Recently Ivy Revill (8Andrewes), Reuben Revill (8Burrows) and Indigo Clark-Lyons (8King) took part in the Stonepillow Fashion Show. It was a great night raising money for the charity and our students created their own costumes in an after-school club 'Sleeping bags to Glad rags'. Congratulations on all your hard work.
Miss Melissa Witherow, Team Leader of Textiles
On 27th November, thirteen of our A Level Computer Science students had the privilege of attending the Computer Science in Action event at the Emmanuel Centre, London. This engaging and interactive day featured talks from leading academics and industry experts, offering students an exciting insight into the latest advancements in technology and computer science.
The event began with a thought-provoking session by Professor Matthew Leeke, exploring the evolution of computers and how foundational concepts taught in GCSE and A Level Computer Science underpin today’s cutting-edge supercomputers. Dr. Emma Byrne then delved into the complex world of large language models (LLMs), examining how these powerful AI tools are built and the ethical challenges surrounding them.
The importance of good software design was highlighted by Paul Curzon, who shared fascinating examples of how thoughtful programming can prevent human error and save lives, particularly in healthcare. Students were also captivated by Amber Shand's inspiring talk about her unconventional path into the tech industry. With no formal computer science background, Amber learned to code and became an award-winning software engineer, proving that a successful career in tech is accessible to anyone willing to take the leap.
The day concluded with Dr. Kate Devlin’s exploration of AI in our daily lives, sparking meaningful discussions about how AI affects and relies on us, even when we don’t interact with it directly. Students also enjoyed interactive polls, quizzes, and a special workshop designed to boost their exam success.
This inspiring trip left our students motivated, curious, and eager to apply their knowledge as they continue their journey in computer science.
Mrs Helen Williams, Team Leader of Computer Science