During the day at Leeds Metropolitan University, we had to do 2 challenges. The first challenge (The Salter’s Challenge) was set as a murder mystery. We also did such practical experiments as same tests and non-metal experiments to help us work out the name of the salts. For the second challenge (The University Challenge) we had to make as many dyes as possible. This involved us mixing different rocks together then adding water to make the colours. The second challenge we had no teachers help and this was a benefit as Miss Hall wouldn’t help us in the first challenge and some other schools the teacher helped. The afternoon comprised of an arts and craft session to chill out from the morning’s hard work. Then we went to the Sports Hall where we saw a camera which slows down your movements. This is used by many sports persons in order to improve their technique. There were many cash prizes to be won from the morning’s activities. During the award ceremony to our shock we won first prize of £100 for the University Challenge. We were over the moon as we didn’t expect to win.

On Friday, 30th November 30 Year 8 students had a pleasant change from their normal English lesson.  Instead of studying WW1 poetry they were treated to a lecture/demonstration, performance and workshop  led by Year 12 dance students based on one of the poems both groups had studied.

This collaborative  project allowed Year 12 students the opportunity to perform and demonstrate  their work as well as teaching small groups. Year 8 saw another dimension to their study of WW1 and had the fun of a workshop as well as providing Helen Win?eld [dance teacher] with “experts” for her Y8 dance lessons.

The newly formed peer mentors, who are volunteer sixth form students, are offering support to our younger students. They are acting  as  mentors,  buddies  and  support agents  to  help  solve  problems  that  a younger students thinks they cannot share with  staff.  They  have  received  training from ‘Child Line’ experts and are giving academic  advice,  dealing  with  bullying problems,  being  ‘agony  aunts’  to  the school. Barry dropped in to publicize the team and offer his support. He said that he was on  the end of bullying at  school (?) and it’s great that younger students have some one to turn to.

Yorkshire-based  artist  Ashley  Jackson, one  of  the  country’s  leading  landscape watercolourists,  and  sculptor  Graham Ibbeson, whose work  includes  the Leeds Millennium  Sculpture  at  the  bottom  of Eastgate  and  the  Miner’s  Memorial  in Barnsley, discussed their work with the art students at Ralph Thoresby High school. The  pair  then  officially  opened  the dedicated  art  wing,  which  incorporates it’s own sculpture terrace.

The  event  was  organised  through  Keith Madeley,  the president of The Yorkshire Society, of which Ralph Thoresby School is a proud member.