News

04 Feb 2012

Dimension Days at Notre Dame are days with a difference. For many students the normal timetable is suspended and they get the opportunity to experience a different range of activities, to learn in new and varied ways - and hopefully have an educationally transcendental experience!

The latest Dimension Day took place on Thursday 2 February. Year 7 students worked in teams designing and making dresses out of recycled materials as part of their Ubuntu lessons while Year 8s focused on Fairtrade, creating products and packaging to enhance their learning in Kairos lessons.

For Year 9, Thursday was a Retreat Day delivered by the Religions Studies department. This allowed students the time and space for reflection and, at its heart, featured a Mass celebrated by Father Dennis.

Key Stage Four students used the day for extended learning in their ‘short-fat’ GCSE courses, enjoying the opportunity to spend a full day on a specific aspect of coursework or exam preparation. For ND Sixth students it was, perhaps disappointingly, business as usual!

Headteacher Fiona Hutchings, who led the Year 7 students in their fashion designing, said, ‘It was a tiring but very rewarding day. The students really enjoyed the opportunity to immerse themselves in learning. I’d like to thank all the staff and students for their commitment to Dimension Days – they are a valuable part of education at Notre Dame’.

Watch The Birdies!

01 Feb 2012

The green-fingered students of the Notre Dame Gardening Club have not been lazy over the long winter months. Instead, with the ground too muddy and wet to work on, they've been busy making bird boxes during their weekly sessions.

Working with staff they have spent time designing, making and painting some very colourful additions to the school landscape. These have now been placed in trees near the school allotment and it is hoped that the students will all soon be able to 'watch the birdies' as they get busy with the spring planting.

Chinese Tastes at Sister J's

27 Jan 2012

The Chinese New Year was welcomed in in style at Notre Dame earlier this week.

Sister J’s, the school canteen, was festooned with paper dragons and lanterns and the main menu featured a whole selection of Chinese dishes. Students and staff could choose from one dish or enjoy a selection of tastes, all served in Chinese take-away cartons by staff dressed for the occasion.

Catering Manager at Sister J’s, Caroline Smith, said, ‘It was a great atmosphere – and we sold out. The students and staff clearly enjoyed the food and we’re looking forward to staging other special events later in the year”.

From the Senior Student Team

27 Jan 2012

It’s that time of year again where Christmas feels like a distant memory and we are settling into the New Year. Back to school and back to the old routine, fresh faced and ready for the next term. Maybe you made a New Year’s resolution? Well, instead of making the resolutions we break year after year, why not set yourself a goal, a target, something you hope to achieve in the next year? It could be an award you hope to acquire, a grade you wish to receive or even just to read a book. The coming year is the chance for a new start where we can all accomplish something and make changes for the better. Welcome back everyone to the New Year.

Feathery Friends

20 Jan 2012

On Moday 17th January Russ from Plympton Owls visited the Notre Dame Monday After School club. He brought with him seven owls including Tawny, Barn and African Eagle Owls.

Millie and Alex in Year Ten were his assistants for the hour. Other students got to hold and fly them using baby chick legs as bait. By the end of the hour even the students who were nervous at the start were holding them and growing in confidence.

Saving Lives for Lepra

05 Dec 2011

At a time when money is tight, generous Notre Dame students have raised £4000 for Lepra Health in Action, a total that will help cure 160 people of leprosy.

Lepra is a charity working to treat leprosy and restore health, hope and dignity worldwide by bridging gaps in health care and poverty. Leprosy is a curable disease but many people who contract it find themselves suffering from isolation as people shun them because of the disease.

Lepra was chosen by students at the school to be supported during the autumn term. Student Lucia Auguste, the leader of the students’ charity Make a Difference group explained how the decision was made: ‘The school gets lots of requests from charities and we decided to look to support one main charity at a time and make a big difference’.

Lepra’s local representative Barbara Tinsley visited the school and spoke about the work of the charity and explained their ‘£25 can save a life’ campaign. She then set the school the challenge of raising enough to cure 100 people. It was one that students responded to with real passion, taking an envelope home, talking about the disease and getting family and friends to donate.

Barbara said, ‘I have been amazed at the response. The students have really taken the work of Lepra to their hearts. The total raised is more than I would ever have expected’.

Headteacher Fiona Hutchings said, ‘The key to success was knowing that just £25 could cure someone – everyone felt that they could contribute to making a real difference. I am really proud of our students’ efforts and would like to thank everyone - parents, grandparents, friends - who donated’.

Speaking the Language!

29 Nov 2011

Two Notre Dame Sixth Form students will be enjoying a real chance to put their language learning to practice early next year with a 3-day visit to Strasbourg.

Students Ciaran Curtis and Lydia Keogh will join 22 other students from the South West on the trip to the home of the European Parliament. They were selected after an interview for the Euroscola programme for which they researched and presented in French a topic based on the European Union.

As part of the visit, Ciaran and Lydia will spend a day at the European Parliament and be involved in discussions and debates about European issues. They will also work with students from other EU member states.

Languages teacher Carole Slade said, ‘I am extremely proud of Ciaran and Lydia. This is a fantastic opportunity for them to see how the EU actually works and to really put their language talents to work.’

Diggin' Up Gardening Ideas

29 Nov 2011

Early in November, members of the school Gardening Club visited 'Diggin It' at Devonport Park.

All of the grils and staff had a good time looking around the complex, investigating the secret garden, seeing plants growing in different envirnments and picking vegetables. For lunch the group made pizzaz using the picked vegetables and cooked them in an 'octopus dome oven' - with very tasty results. After lunch they spent some time making dreamcatchers.

Liz Harris, the school's Gardening Club coordinator, said, 'The day got a big thumbs up from all the girls and certainly gave us ideas for our own school garden which we hope to put in pratcice in the spring'.

Sparkling!

14 Nov 2011

The school held two sparkling Awards Celebrations earlier this month to recognise the many achievements of the past year. The theme for the events was 'rising to a challenge' and both guest speakers - former student Marie Barnes and David Wells from Plymouth Diocese - reflected on different ways to achieve this. Headteacher Fiona Hutchings recognised many students and staff who had risen to challenges over the past year and awarded the first Rising to The Challenge Award to those staff behind the school's Christrian musical drama 'Seven Last Words', which was premiered last Easter.

The Key Stage 3 Awards Celebration saw a host of students receive 'Head, Heart, Hands' awards from their Houses whilst others were recognised for their work by subjects. Key Stage 3 students were also the winners of major whole school awards, with Jade Abbot receiving the Megan Humphrey Award for Sporting Endeavour and Lucy Fowell gaining one of the special Sisters of Notre Dame awards. She received the Marie Rose Julie Billiart Award for Commitment to Women's Place in Society. Another Sisters of Notre Dame Award, the Dorothy Stang Award for Care of the Environment, went to Rachel Bailey-Lewis, Martha Harvey, Emily Trevarthen, Sophie Tucker and Paris Westmore for winning the local Go4Set eco challenge.

As well as 'Head, Heart, Hands' and subject awards, Key Stage 4 and 5 students were also recognised for their examination success with many students returning to collect certificates. Amongst the school awards, The Father Keith Mitchell Award for Communication went to Talia Winn and the Claire Payne Award for Vocational Studies to Lauren Marshall. Of the Sisters of Notre Dame awards, the Mary Linscott Award for Education went to Kirsty Nicholls and the Francoise Blin de Bourdon award for Friendship to Mary Buckley. The Maria Antoniazzi Good Samaritan Award went to a group who raised funds to go to Tanzania and work on a range of local community projects. They were staff member Helen Ambrose and students Eleanor Duggan, Devon King, Lizzie Berna, Miriam Jarvis and Charlotte Donoghue.

Remembered

14 Nov 2011

The whole Notre Dame community came together on Friday 11 November to mark Remembrance Day.

A two minute's silence was observed as part of a whole school assembly which included readings and prayers. A powerful and moving occasion, it saw students place poppies on a simple wooden cross which will remain on display throughout November as a reminder of the sacrifices so many have made to ensure our peace.