Our girls reach the last 16 of the National Cup and lots of Science

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Christmas Jumper Day

The Sixth Form Students have organised a Christmas Jumper Day.  The poster outlines what students need to bring into school in, to support our local food bank, next Wednesday.  Students can wear mufti next Wednesday with a Christmas jumper highly recommended!

Christmas Concert 2018

Rehearsals are well underway for this year’s Christmas Concert which is taking place on Wednesday 19th December at 6pm. As with previous years there are record numbers taking part, this year will see more than 100 students from Y7 – Y13 take to the stage. Tickets are available from Finance at £3 each (performers are entitled to 2 complimentary tickets each). I look forward to seeing you at what is sure to be another fabulous concert from our Music Department.

Chloe Wins Devon Live Community Honours Award

Chloe Martin in Year 10 won the Young Hero Award at the Devon Community Honours Awards.  This is a tremendous achievement and we are very proud of Chloe.  Chloe is a great example to us all; she is a Young Carer for her mum, she cooks at the local community centre over the summer, she is a volunteer play ranger and even works every Christmas to provide a meal for isolated elderly people.  She is an exceptional teenager and very worthy of this incredible award.  Well done, Chloe!

Year 9 Visit to Northcott Theatre

Year 9 GCSE Drama students enjoyed a visit to the Northcott Theatre in Exeter to watch pantomime ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. Much fun and laughter was had by all with all the traditional routines, gags, flamboyant costume, song and dance. The students will participate in a follow-up workshop next week led by a practitioner from the Northcott in which they will learn about the history and techniques of this style of performance.

In Enterprise this week on Twitter

More highlights from a week in Enterprise that has seen Taylor achieve full marks in his online test for his Automotive Engineering, Year 8 exploring structures by testing them to destruction and Year 7 classes developing their practical skills making bug boxes and some delicious fruit salads! Visit www.twitter.com/Enterprise_TA to find out even more with videos of A Level student work, photos of progress in our Lego Robotics and Greenpower Electric Car clubs and some brilliant work in Construction. The Enterprise Twitter account… plenty of great things to see on a daily basis!

Senior Maths Challenge

Sixth from mathematicians received their certificates for excellent results in the Senior Maths Challenge this week. Luke Selley, Tom Gabl, Josh Adamson, Dom Ho and Lewis Rusby received Bronze awards with Kyle Farrell and Jacob Johnson receiving Gold awards. We wait in anticipation for the results of Kyle and Jacob’s second rounds. Well done everyone.

Science

Historic Physics Experiment Conducted at TA

Mr Mellitt’s A level physics class reproduced one of the all-time classic physics experiments this week.  This practical, called Young’s Double Slit, required students to pass laser light through a pair of slits which are only 300 nanometres apart and then take careful measurements of the bright laser spots which occur as a result of a phenomenon known as superposition.  The students then used their results to calculate the wavelength of the laser light waves.

Eureka!

Year 10 science students are currently studying the particle theory of matter which explains why materials freeze, melt and boil. Here students are using Archimedes’ famous method for determining the volume of an object by immersing it in water and then measuring the displacement of water.

Science Club – It’s a Bug’s Life

Last week Mrs Aldworth-Jones’s Year 7 and 8 science club took this amazing photo of a microscopic insect which they found whilst looking at pond water through powerful optical microscopes.  They also got a great image of leaf stomata – the tiny openings in the underside of leaves which allow plants to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the atmosphere.

Magnetic Attraction

Year 13 physics students were challenged to build an apparatus to demonstrate the effect of an otherwise invisible magnetic field surrounding a non-magnetic wire carrying an electrical current. This short slow-motion clip shows the instant when the current was switched on and the wire was jerked forcibly to one side. As every Year 11 will know, the direction of the force can be found using the trusty Fleming’s Left Hand Rule.

Year 10 Chemistry

Mr Gale’s Year 10 chemistry class have been learning about catalysts this week. Catalysts speed up chemical reactions without getting used up, so they are economically very important in the chemical industry.

The photo shows a demonstration of the effect of a catalyst on hydrogen peroxide. It is decomposing at a very fast rate, giving off clouds of steam and oxygen.  Mr Gale must have been thinking of the pantomime season as he told me it reminded him of the arrival of Aladdin’s genie!

Callum Moreton makes senior debut

Callum was signed by West Brom in 2017 just after leaving us and has since then made great progress featuring regularly in their Under 23 team in the Premier League 2.  He has taken a loan move to Braintree Town in the Vanarama National League to gain more experience.  Callum has featured three times for the Baggies this season in Checkatrade Trophy action, but he has welcomed the chance to taste action in the physically demanding National League.

“The loan deal will get reviewed in January when they’ll look at how much I’m playing and how well I’m doing and it will go from there,” he said.  “This is my first loan.  I went from Yeovil to West Brom a couple of years ago and I’ve been playing under-23 football since then but this is my first loan.  So it’s a completely different environment and hopefully, it will help me grow as a player and physically.  I’ve wanted to get out on loan for my own benefit.  Under-23s football is good technically and tactically but it’s nothing like men’s football and when I heard Braintree had come in for me I was very keen to get the chance.”

We wish him the very best of luck on his loan move.

Look out for Koszela on Saturday

After making his Torquay United debut in the FA Cup a few weeks ago at just 16 year s old, Olaf has been selected for the Torquay United Squad for their next cup match against Braintree United on Saturday.  We wish him and the rest of the team the very best of luck.

Team TA Sports Roundup

Football

Under 15 Girls Football – into the last 16 of the National Cup

This was a thrilling tie against Richard Lander School from Truro

It took a long time coming after two postponements due to the weather in Cornwall, but with a change of venue to Torquay Academy, to avoid any more delays, this game certainly did not disappoint. It was clear from the off that Richard Lander were going to be a very different proposition to any of our previous opponents this year.  They clearly had 3 or 4 very good players that caused us problems early on.  However,  as usual, our girls displayed great tenacity and as the game went on it was obvious that we could match their better players all over the pitch. Ocean Latto’s clever distribution to Georgia Davies and Taylor Ford was causing all sorts of problems for the opposition.  When that wasn’t an option,  the ball was held up beautifully by Siana Goddard for Ocean and Taylor and Georgia to run off her and she was also finding ways to hit the target herself.  The deadlock was finally broken deep into the first half when Siana was able to find the back of the net with a great strike of the ball.  Our second followed very shortly when Ocean found Georgia down the right wing who used her outstanding pace to beat all before her to cross the ball to Taylor who placed it in the back of the net. The rest of the first half was a cagey affair with Charlie Moore and Wiktoria Jarosz working tirelessly in midfield to nullify the threat from their numbers 4 and 5.  When they did get through they were met by some great tackling from Emma Harrison and Olivia Foster, who both worked their socks off throughout the game.  Kelsey Cresser was having her usual dominant game, winning every ball that came down the left hand side and playing out from the back with the panache and style we have become accustomed to with her. Gessaley Gutteridge was also working very hard down the right side of the field to stop their very good left winger.

The second half pretty much picked up from where the first half finished; two very good sides playing some great football. With Kelsey taking a knock in the first half which she was unable to run off we made our first substitution.  About 10 mins into the half, she was replaced by Kaitlyn Mortimer who quickly got into the pace of the game.  A little while later Charlie was replaced by Grace Bradbury and Siana was replaced by Leah Harman.  Neither change affected the tempo of the game and we were doing very well to hold onto our 2 goal lead. With the final whistle fast approaching Leah Harman picked the ball up on the edge of the oppositions penalty area and let go with a howitzer of a shot which sailed into the back of the net to secure a great 3-0 National Cup win for the girls. After the game the teachers from Richard Lander School were very complimentary about our girls, they picked out our Captain Ellie Mitchell as being not only an inspirational Captain but also a great goalkeeper.  They proceeded to tell us that this was the first time in two and a half years the their team had been beaten and that they have been the Cornwall County Champions for the last two years. This really emphasises how well our girls played and indeed have played in every game so far this season.

They now go on to play Exmouth Community College in the last 16 of the National Cup. Good luck, girls.

Under 15 Boys

Last Friday saw the Year 10 team take on a strong St Peters Exeter side in round 4 of the National Cup. TA found the first half tough and were 2-0 down at half time. We were then 3-0 down early in the second half. TA then started to rally and two quickfire goals from Kyle Higgins and Reece Shaw which got TA back in the game. We were pressing continuously and creating chances in the final 15 minutes of the game but they were caught out with a sucker punch when St Peters scored on the counter-attack to finish 4-2 winners.

Yesterday the Year 10 team took on Paignton CSC in the second round of the Devon Cup looking to put last week’s defeat behind them. TA started on the front foot but found themselves 1-0 down after a defensive mistake from a corner. We then got back on level terms just before half time when good pressing and pressure from the front three forced the Paignton goalkeeper into a mistake for Kyle Higgins to slot the ball into an empty net. Tactical changes at half time, with a stern word or two and changes in personal saw TA dominate the second half. We took a 2-1 lead when a smart run from Brandon Edwards saw him latch onto a through ball and finish stylishly. TA soon went 4-1 up with two more quickfire goals from Ryley Steele and Reece Shaw before Paignton grabbed a consolation with the last kick of the game.

Under 13 Boys

Year 8s played their opening game of the County Cup with away at Holsworthy, with the boys running out comfortable 7-0 winners. Goals from Finley Wood 2, Harley Sneap, Dan Green, Jack Howlett, Charlie Tout and Isaac Astbury.

Man of the Match – Owen Rose

More Success for Hannah

Saturday evening saw Hannah take part in another of the Wildnight Run series races. The Dark Dart Dash 2K was set in the Dartington Estate and took the runners on tarmac, through muddy fields & had an uphill finish! Hannah was thrilled to take 1st place overall. Great work Hannah!

Students of the Week

Students of the Week this week with me are: Jasper Dommett, Tom Brown, Somer Croft, Jack Bell, Benjamin Woodward, William hall

Principal Certificates

Bronze

 (not in order)

Y7 : Karl McMahon, Hollie Hand, Robin Pightling, Taylor-Ann Floyd, Stevie Wright, Cameron Sengupta, Lauren Major, Shania Blades, Ollie Hill 

Y8 : Grace Cayford, Finlay McClements, Sofia Evans, Maysah Ezzeldin, Sebastian Grute, Max Grimley, Maddie Hele, Ena Brett-Wilson, 

Y9 :Leo Hill, Madison Hole, Taylor Ford, Jayde McAllister, Jake Ellwood, Kelsey Cresser

Y10 : Jasmine Winterton, Tyler Stuckey, Molly Palk

Silver

(not in order)

Y7 : Aleasha Dunford, Ava Mitchell, Jasper Dommett

Y8 : Cody Furze, Elizabeth Cameron, Harley Sneap, Jemima Staples, Boris Pugh

House Stars of the Week

Year 7

Brunel – Klara Cornforth

Christie –

Darwin – Dylan White

Fawcett – Freya Tripp

Harrison – Shannon Adamson

Kitson – Summer Mansell

Nearne – Layla Batten

Pengelly – Coral Rogers

Year 8

Brunel – Ella Sandbrook

Christie – Maddison Watt

Darwin – Josh Furze

Fawcett – Tyler Silvester

Harrison – Sofia Evans

Kitson – Dara Kennedy

Nearne – Olivia Simpson-Lewis

Pengelly – Harry Goodwin

Year 9

Brunel –

Christie – Kimberley Taylor

Darwin – Esther Cox

Fawcett – Chloe Winterflood

Harrison – Kaja Kuryluk

Kitson – Flynn Brown

Nearne – Amelia Bunce

Pengelly – Sophie Kelly

Building Update – What a difference a week makes!

Our dining room extension now has a roof!  Work is forging ahead and in the first week after the Christmas holiday, the building will be made watertight as the sash windows are installed.

The steels for the theatre arrived today.  Next week they will start to be erected and we will get a picture of how the building will look.  It is anticipated that it will take another two weeks after the holidays to complete the structure.