They were both successful, with the A team winning 31 to 10 and the B team 30½ to 9.

Head of PE, Miss Shute said, “Both teams played really well – they looked like they had been in training!”

Nicole and Rowan batted superbly, with the opposition having to put all their players into the deep field to cope with the power of their strikes.

“They were on fire”, according to one of their team-mates at half time.

This was the first match of the season and a great result.

There were some great rounders, great catches and a lot of shouting!

By Student Reporter Nicole T

U18 TENNIS SUCCESS

Team:
Lara G
Emma H
Bella B
Nicole T

Over the course of five weeks, the budding Andy Murrays and Laura Robsons were introduced to this fun mini game where they competed in a series of tennis challenges and matches.

The event was run by Colyton Grammar School’s student Sports Leaders, co-ordinated by Mrs Anne Harris.

All Saints, Colyton, Kilmington, Seaton and Shute Primary Schools took part, with Colyton collecting the most points to become overall winners.

Colyton and Shute, who were runners-up, will represent the Axe Valley area at the East Devon mini-tennis tournament next month.

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The girls were successful in the semi-finals, beating their County-ranked opponents 3-6, 6-2 and 10-6 in the championship tiebreak.

However, in the finals they had to play two senior players, going down 6-3, 6-3.

Isabella said: “We were really pleased that we got to the final and I thought we gave our opponents a good match, even though we were not expected to win”.

By Student Reporter Nicole T

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The team started well with a win against Honiton and then had a close game versus Uffculme, where they could only manage a draw. The final game of the round was against Axe Valley and they won this convincingly. They managed to get the whole team out before the full 21 good balls had been bowled.

The semi-final was against Exmouth and the girls put in some practice before the game. They tried to improve the consistency of their batting and developed the speed of the bowler, backstop and 1st post triangle play. This seemed to make a difference as they appeared a lot sharper and more focused in this knock-out game.

Colyton pulled off an excellent win with some accurate and hard hitting from Evie J and Holly L.

The final saw them against the King’s School and Colyton left their best fielding to this game. There was some quick throwing between the posts and some tactical fielding that prevented the King’s girls scoring full rounders. Rachel I-J made a reaction catch at backstop early in the game, which helped to drive the team on. Ellie M did have a head rush though on her first bat and did a suicide run to second post early in the game!  This was very out of character but it made her team-mates concentrate even more. Colyton kept things tight in the field and maintained their strong batting and won the game with a 5 rounder margin.

Scores
v Honiton       Won 9.5 – 4
v Uffculme     Drew 5.5 – 5.5
v Axe Valley  Won 12.5 – 0
Semi-final
v Exmouth     Won 10.5 – 4.5
Final
v King’s          Won 7.5 – 2.5

Colyton have now qualified for the Devon School Games at Exeter University on Friday 28 June.

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CHINA HAPPY TO EMBRACE LIBERTY
Former Colyton Grammar School student Liberty Brown, from Budleigh Salterton, who is now studying at the University of Durham, has won two prestigious scholarships to study Chinese in Taiwan and Shanghai this summer.

The ‘Huaya Enrichment Scholarship Program’ in Taiwan provides a two month stay, when Liberty will live with a Taiwanese family and attend the Mandarin Training Centre based at Taiwan Normal University in Taiwan City.

The second scholarship is a programme managed by the University of Manchester and based at Fudan University in Shanghai, which features activities to develop language skills and knowledge about the economics, arts and history of China.

Liberty (19) said, “I am really looking forward to being in China and Taiwan, not only to improve my language skills, but to get a real feeling for Chinese culture.”

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PARENTS' ASSOCIATION SILENT AUCTION IS NOW LIVE
Please visit the PA website  to view the range of interesting and diverse lots and enjoy the excitement of bidding for your chosen item.

Lots include a 'Build and Bake' cookery day for two at River Cottage, an animation workshop, short breaks at holiday cottages, a golf round, tuition in German, a Chinese cookery lesson and many more besides!

Please let your friends and relatives know so thay they may also enjoy bidding. 

Your support is hugely appreciated!

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TEAMS COMPLETE 2013 TEN TORS CHALLENGE
Despite the difficult weather conditions, four teams from the school successfully completed the 2013 Ten Tors Challenge, at distances of 35, 45 (two teams) and 55 miles. More details will follow in the end of term Parents' Newsletter.

Also
Megan H walked with East Devon Explorer Scouts and was the first girl to finish the 45 mile event.
Flo W walked with Dorset & Wiltshire ATC 45 miles.
James W walked with ATC 299 Squadron and completed the 35 miles.

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STUDENTS TAKE PART IN MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION
On Saturday 18 May, the following Year 9 students took part in the Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial Competition - Megan S, Kate R, Will N, Sarah U, Jonty EH, Emily D, Adam W, Ellie M, Alfie H, Rosie L, Tom O, Holly L, Molly S, Indea H, Georgia S and Max M.

This was the second round of this year’s junior Mock Trial, and the team performed very confidently after months of preparation. Unfortunately they were not successful this time around, but they have all learnt a lot and come together as a team.

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POETIC SUCCESS
A Year 12 student at Colyton Grammar School, Luke VDB (17), has received a runners-up prize in the Christopher Tower Poetry Competition 2013 with his poem ‘Research’.

This is the second year that Luke has featured in the final stages of the competition; last year he was on the ‘long-list’ of contenders but just missed out on a prize.

The competition is in its thirteenth year and is one of the most prestigious poetry prizes for under 18s in the UK: 614 students entered, representing 322 schools.

Luke, who lives in Chard, was invited to Christ Church College, Oxford, where he was photographed and interviewed in the dining hall, which is used in the hit series of Harry Potter films, to accept the award, along with the other prize-winners.

Luke, the only male in the final 6, received a significant cash prize for his poem.

He said the experience was ‘surreal’, adding that it was “a really good day”.

Eleanor W, Student Reporter

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Y13 STUDENT REACHES NATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION FINAL
Alex H, from Axminster, who is in his final year at Colyton Grammar School, reached the top eight of a National Poetry Recital competition ‘Poetry by Heart’, with the finals held at the National Portrait Gallery at the end of April. 

The standard in this heat was incredible, but Alex emerged as SW champion after his powerful delivery of an extract from Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ and Larkin's ‘Mr Bleaney’.

The regional winners then competed against each other, and although Alex did not win, his performance of ‘Mr Bleaney’ was highly commended by judge and former Poet Laureate, Sir Andrew Motion. 

The standard from all those involved was remarkable, and the competition has done much to raise the profile of, and enthusiasm for poetry among young people.

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Y7 STUDENTS RAISE MONEY THROUGH CHARITY READATHON
English teachers are delighted by the enthusiasm of Year 7 students who have taken part in a readathon to raise money for three very worthwhile children's charities.

The students had two weeks to read books of their choice and received sponsorship from friends and family for the following causes:

CLIC Sargent
Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity
Readwell

Special thanks and congratulations must go to Emily M in 7C who raised an amazing total of £212.

Well done and thank you everyone!

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Y7 STUDENTS MEET CHILDREN'S AUTHOR
Tue 7 May: Year 7 students visited Exmouth Community College,along with several other East Devon schools, to watch a presentation by popular children's author, Chris Bradford, based on his newly released book 'Bodyguard'. The event was followed by a book signing.

Click here to see the Bodyguard cake which was provided by the library staff at Exmouth.

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Now we come to the exciting part as work placements are found and we look forward to our trip in July. The majority of students will work in a German primary school for a week. We will be travelling out to Germany on Friday 5th July and returning to England with our exchange partners on Saturday 13th, so they can spend a week in Devon, going home on Sunday 21st July. Many of our participants have been to Bavaria with us before, but for some it is their first time.

Our students are paving the way, we hope, for many Sixth Formers to come!

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FUND RAISING

Fri 15 March: Donations for non-uniform 'wearing something red' day raised £642.11

Thu 28 March: Teacher Karaoke raised £250.50

Making a grand total of £892.61 raised for Comic Relief.

Thank you everyone!

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COLYTON GOES FORTH
Thursday 18 April 2013

An event called 'Colyton Goes Forth', raised money for our school charity, The Forces’ Children’s Trust.  Many students and staff took part, starting with a medley of songs from Les Miserables, directed by Year 13 student Tom Hunt.  This was be followed by a variety of acts, including song, dance and poetry readings, before the evening concluded with a splendid performance of Blackadder, starring some very brave Colyton staff - Mr Banks, Mr Bush, Mr Gregson, Mr Love and Mr Mansfield. Well done all!

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SENIOR CHOIR ANNUAL CONCERT: HANDEL'S 'MESSIAH'
Exeter Cathedral, Saturday 20 April 2013

This year, in a first for the school, the Senior Choir's annual spring concert took place in Exeter Cathedral!

The choir of over 170 sang Handel’s great oratorio, Messiah, with a specially assembled orchestra of about 20 semi-professional players and four professional soloists.  We were delighted to welcome back two former students as part of the solo quartet – Daniel Rudge [Baritone - CGS 2006] and Josie Walledge [Soprano – CGS 1990].

Current/Former Choristers - why not join our CGS Choir Facebook group?

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RECYCLE FOR SIGHT
Lions International are collecting eyeglasses that are no longer used, for the Lions ‘Recycle for Sight’ campaign.  If you have any at home please send them into school, there is a collection box in the Library. (NO CASES please, we just need the glasses!). You can download a poster here for full details.

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STUDENT ELECTED TO UK YOUTH PARLIAMENT
In January 2013, Year 11 student Hebe Halstead (16) was elected as UK Youth Parliament Deputy representative for East Devon.

Hebe, from Branscombe, was voted for by her peers across the whole of East Devon, and shares the role with a candidate from Exmouth Community College.

As a member of the Youth Parliament, Hebe will meet with MPs and local Councillors, organise events, run campaigns, make speeches, hold debates and ensure the views of young people are heard.

Hebe said: “I’m really proud and excited to be getting involved in politics that can affect young people in East Devon.”

Her politics teacher, Miss Solomon, added “It is great to see Hebe use her Politics A-Level studies to make an impact in her out-of-school life.”.

By Student Reporters Maddie G & Isabella B

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NATIONAL PERFORMANCE TABLES
We have enjoyed success in the National Performance Tables published by the Department for Education on 24 January. At the end of Key Stage 4, Colyton has been ranked as the top school in the country.  The school beat the best State and prestigious independent schools to the top spot. This is a particularly strong result as students at Colyton sit all their exams a year early - at the end of Year 10.

"We are very pleased", said headteacher Paul Evans, who was keen to emphasise that Colyton, whilst being a selective school, does not have the most challenging entrance exam. It takes around a third of the candidates who apply to start in Year 7.

"If I'm honest the most able children in any school will do well. The real challenge is to make the next tier down do well too, and that's what I am particularly proud of here. I have staff prepared to go the extra mile and support the pupils to do well."

The advantage of taking GCSEs in Y10 is that students at Colyton spend three years in the Sixth Form.  Most come out with four A-levels, plus General Studies and Critical Thinking. Mr Evans also said that the three-year Sixth Form enabled the school to deliver a "very much broader curriculum, we are not just delivering the specification. We are very conscious about not being an exam factory. By the time students leave the Sixth Form we have encouraged them to become very individual learners. They are encouraged to read around their subjects and very much to go off at tangents".

Here is the GCSE performance table on the BBC Education website.

The school was also ranked as second State mixed school at A-Level, ranked 12th of all State and independent schools in the country. Mr Evans said, “We are very proud of our students’ successes and that they have been able to secure places at highly competitive universities.” 

Last year fifteen Colyton students went to Oxbridge and sixty-nine went to other competitive courses. One student is now studying at Princeton in the USA, and 13 are off to university later, having taken a gap year.

Here is the A-Level performance table on the BBC Education website.

Devon's Secondary Schools League Tables 2013

Department for Education website

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FORMER STUDENT NEEDS YOUR HELP
Former CGS student, Liberty Brown, is currently in her first year at Durham University studying a four year course in Chinese Studies.  She has applied to win a $10,000 scholarship to allow her to follow an intensive language course arranged by ‘INTO China’ who, with partner universities, provide students with study opportunities at some of China's top educational institutions

She says, "I learn about the culture and history of China as well as the language itself. As a total beginner in Mandarin I am finding the character system and tonal aspect of the language so different to the European languages I have studied.

"Learning Mandarin is challenging but so rewarding. After only a short period of time studying it, I know that I would like to use it in my future career. An intensive language course with INTO China over the summer would be perfect to accelerate my understanding of the language in preparation for the upcoming years.

"With INTO China I would experience the wealth of culture that China has to offer; a culture that is vastly different from the Western society that we know. I would be able to engage in the fascinating customs and traditions of the Chinese people. If given the chance, I would take every opportunity to immerse myself in this exhilarating and colourful country. I want to travel and explore the land and learn more about what it means to be Chinese.

"My course at Durham is certainly enriching and I feel like I am really progressing well, but to be able to build on this and be surrounded by native speakers in the very country that I am spending the next four years studying would be extremely fulfilling and a true privilege."

To help Liberty win this scholarship, please would you 'Like' her Facebook page?

Thank you

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FORMER STUDENT AWARDED OBE
A Colyton Grammar School student from the 1980s has just been awarded an OBE for her services to forensic science, in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.

Cathy Turner, who now lives in Wetherby, Yorkshire with her husband and two daughters, attended the school under the name of Boynton and is remembered by a few of the longest serving members of staff.

She went on to gain a degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Bradford and is now a widely respected national consultant in the field of forensic case reviews or ‘cold cases’.

She was born in Costa Rica and moved to Seaton with her mum, dad and sister in 1972, attending Seaton Primary School and then attending CGS from 1977 to 1984.  The family lived at the 'Seaton Hole' end of the beach on Highcliffe Crescent, and she and her sister spent many happy times rock-pooling and beach combing.

Cathy remembers that she “loved being a pupil at Colyton”, where she particularly enjoyed taking part in musical events.

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