TESTBOURNE NEWS

 

TESTBOURNE AWARDED PERFORMING ARTS STATUS

The big news this month came via the Monday morning telephone call informing us that our bid for specialist status in the Performing Arts had been successful.   This was the result of countless hours of hard work, bid writing and fund raising, and it was a great relief to hear that we were one of six LEA schools to be awarded specialist status in this round of bidding.   61 of the 71 secondary schools in Hampshire are now specialist schools and it is important that Testbourne shares in the benefits that this can bring in terms of funding, facilities and expertise.   This would not have been possible without the generosity and fund-raising efforts of many members of the school and local community.   Our thanks go to everyone who contributed to this magnificent effort. There are certainly exciting times ahead.

MAKING POVERTY HISTORY

The term has also been packed with a wealth of hard work, events, activities and successes.   Pupils have been doing their bit to help make poverty history ~ organising a moving lunchtime event, complete with video footage, readings, drama, dance, prayers and music, including a performance by a hastily assembled staff rock group.   As well as acutely raising the consciousness of many pupils about the causes and effects of poverty they raised £847 towards the building of a school in Africa.   As one of our pupils who helped organise it said, “Although it was a lot of hard work, it was fun and exciting to be working together to make a difference in the world”.

AND MORE BESIDES . . .

Different groups of pupils have also had the opportunity to take a German trip down the Rhine, climb the Eiffel Tower and visit a French Science park, re-enact the Battle of Cheriton, have a taste of Army life, learn about the Holocaust at the Imperial War Museum, win a gold medal in the Hampshire Girls' Tag Rugby Championships, win an inter-school Design and Launch a Rocket competition, be selected to take part in the Hampshire Book Award, coach pupils from the primary schools in the skills of Asian dance and drumming and host a celebratory performance, take part in the mini-marathon on Sports Day dressed as Heroes or Villains ~ and get really good results in their KS3 Maths and Science Tests!!

It is no wonder we all need a holiday!   We look forward to bringing you more news from Testbourne when the next school year begins in September.

From September we will need additional Learning Support Assistants ~ full or part-time.   If you are interested please send us your details in writing and we will contact you.                     Hilary Jackson

 

Country Matters

“ Weather or not”

You have probably noticed that harvest time is here again, the time of year when farmers frantically watch the weather forecast, constantly cursing because whatever it is it is never quite right!   Too dry and hot and the grain becomes pinched. Too wet and cold and it can become black and start to grow in the ear (not their ear you understand but the corn's ear!).

The whole purpose of harvest is to bring in the grain at the best possible time and at the optimum quality level to achieve the highest prices. All the work and preparation during the year has lead up to this moment, and unfortunately the “Great British Weather” that can ruin your summer holiday, can have the effect of literally washing out a farmer's income for the year!

Cut the grain too early and it may not be quite ready, meaning it is too small or still green, Leave it too late and you risk the weather changing and missing your chance. Farmers are given pretty stringent quality standards to achieve to receive maximum payment for their grain.   It takes a very savvy farmer to be able to grow the perfect grain.   They are expected to keep the protein or nitrogen levels in the grain below the maximum limit, but above the minimum. They do this by applying the correct amount of fertilisers. They also do this to ensure the grain grows large enough to avoid receiving claims for the “screenings” (the percentage of small grains) being too high.   They also have to cut the grain at the right time of day to keep the moisture below 15%.   If it is higher, they have to dry the grain before putting it into store to ensure no mould begins to grow on it.   This is will also reduce their profits as drying grain is expensive.

If the farmer gets any of the quality standards wrong he has claims made against him, which reduce his payment.   Agriculture is a very marginal business in the current climate, and farmers are struggling to make any profit year on year.   Therefore any deduction in price can mean the difference between breaking even and losing money.

So, whilst you enjoy your summer holiday, either in Britain, or in the sunnier climates abroad, spare a thought for the farmers, who are getting up at day break to start working and not finishing until after dark – all to bring you that pint of beer or that loaf of bread!!                                                      Country Bumpkin