On the Wednesday before half term a group of almost 40 Year 9 and 10's set off VERY early, all excited about the Spanish sun, sea and of course the lessons that were awaiting them!
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The destination was Rosas, just north of Barcelona and the rest of the first day was spent relaxing on the beach. Rosas is a lively town and each evening the group were able to stroll along the beach and soak up the Spanish culture.
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The following morning the students had their first three hour Spanish lesson. The lessons were both fun and useful.
The first trip was to the local city of Girond where everyone stolled round the beautiful cobbled panes and took in the view from the amazing chrch which towers over the city.
After the Spanish lesson the next day the trip was to Figueres where they visited the excellent Dali Museum which everyone enjoyed.
The art on display at the museum was vibrant, fun and very different.
The following day saw the final Spanish lesson which everyone found great fun as they were given the task of going into Rosas to talk to residents about the town or Spanish culture - in Spanish of course. The afternoon was spent visiting local villages and beaches.
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The final day was an excursion to Barcelona and the first stop was the football stadium which had everyone, and especially Mr Thorpe, captivated.
In the afternoon the group had a guided tour of the city, strolled around the park, visited the cathedral and were amazed by all the mime artists in Las Ramblas.
Everyone agreed that the trip had a been a great success and a wonderful opportunity to spend time with friends and making new ones, and of course experiencing Spanish culture. All thanks to Ms Romero for organising the trip and to the staff who accompanied the group, some of whom are pictured below enjoying a well deserved glass of blackcurrent squash!
Masterchef Heat
The Thursday before half term was a beautiful sunny day - one of the warmest days of the year! Pity the poor chef school students who were taking part in this term's Masterchef heat - the temperature in the kitchen rose steadily.
We were pleased to welcome Scott Smith, the Head Chef from the Star and Eagle in Goudhurst who had kindly agreed to come and judge the heat.
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The students's task was to prepare a dish for a family garden party. They produced a good variety of dishes, from pizza and spicy potato wedges to cream cakes and fruit kebabs with chocolate dip. They were all mouthwatering! Scott chatted with the students and helped out with some of the trickier tasks.
When all the dishes had been completed the students gathered to be congratulated by both Mr Dorey and Scott. They were both particularly impressed with the way in which everyone had coped with the heat - especially those who have been using pastry as it really wasn't the ideal conditions.
After the students had left the judges continued their deliberations and the winner, pictured below, was announced at a recent assembly.
Michael now goes on to join the winners of the two previous heats in the final which will take place on Wednesday, 13th June. To judge the first ever Bethany Masterchef final we look forward to welcoming back Richard Phillips, chef/proprietor of Thackeray's, who opened the Food Technology centre earlier this year.
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Year 10's Out and About
Just before half term the Year 10 historians visited the Old Operating Theatre at Guy's Hospital as they have been studying medicine through the ages as part of their GCSE course. They then went to the London Dungeons in preparation for their coursework on Jack the Ripper.
The Year 10 geographers recently visited Marden as part of their study of the local area. They are pictured here outside St Michael's church.
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Rocket Launching!
On Thursday afternoons one of the activities on offer is a rocket launching club. Together with the guidance of an army explosives expert, a current parent and the watchful eye of Mrs Digby (who joined in and made her own rocket too- do her tutor group realise this?) the group have assembled their own rockets.....
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..... and successfully launched them from a field on the School grounds as far away from the buildings as it is possible to be.
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Boarders trip to Butlins
On Saturday, 19th May, 27 of our younger boarders enjoyed an action packed day trip to Butlins at Bognor Regis. They spent several hours in the pool, which is one of the largest indoor pools in the south of England, followed by go-karting and fairground rides. The staff all had a good day too and rumour has it that Mr Thorpe had to be dragged away from the rides!
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Sixth Form Paintballing
Almost all the Lower and Upper Sixth took part in a paint balling day near Sevenoaks last Saturday, 12th May. A chance to enjoy the fresh air and sharpen the competitve edge before the onset of exams.
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They were accompanied by some of the Sixth Form tutors and Mrs Gale is pictured bravely preparing to become one of the targets!
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A great day was had by all and was rounded off with a substantial barbeque back at The Orchard.
The winning team is pictured below.
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Canoeing on the Medway
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While the Sixth Formers were charging around the countryside, a group of younger boarders spent Saturday morning canoeing on the River Medway at Maidstone. In the afternoon, they then had the option of swimming or shopping.
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Bank Holiday visit to Dover Castle
A handful of pupils remained in School over the Bank Holiday weekend and the boys staying in Pengelly spent one of the days exploring Dover Castle and its secret tunnels, with their Housemaster, Mr MacDonald. They are pictured here at the Admiralty Lookout with Admiral, Sir Bertram Ramsay.
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Year 9's at Bewl Water
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The whole of Year 9 visited Bewl Water on 3rd May to study why the resevoir was built there, what role it plays in supplying water to Mid Kent and what would be the impact if the dam was raised in height.
The pupils visited the exhibition centre first where there is a model of the resevoir together with some information boards. They then went out for a walk on the dam itself. Despite a chilly May breeze the sun came out in time for some photos.
James Morrissey-Crouch
Memorial Rugby Match
On Saturday, 28th April, a memorial rugby match took place at Bethany in memory of James Morrissey-Crouch, a Year 11 pupil who was tragically killed in a car accident earlier this year. Rugby was one of James' passions and for this reason, members of his year group were keen to organise this special fixture.
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One team was made up of players from Years 11 and the Lower Sixth, our current development squad which will form next year's senior squad. The opposing team was comprised of players in the Upper Sixth who will be leaving Bethany this summer. The match began with a minute's silence on the pitch.
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The match was of a very high quality and was hard fought, however, what stood out was the tremendous spirit of sportsmanship throughout.
The match was narrowly won by the Upper Sixth team but all those taking part thoroughly enjoyed the event, which was well supported by pupils, staff and parents.
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After the match there was a silent auction for a signed Chelsea football shirt, a raffle in which one of the prizes was a signed Chelsea football and there were further silent auctions. The money raised will go to causes chosen by the Morrissey-Crouch family
The whole event perfectly encapsulated James' irrepressible spirit.
John Downton Art Exhibition
The annual John Downton art exhibition took place recently at Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone. Work from schools across the county was exhibited.
This year we were very fortunate to have all six pieces of work that had been submitted displayed in the exhibition. The work had been produced by pupils in Years 10 to 13.
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Easter in Spain for some ....
A group of our A level Spanish students spent a week in Gijon in northern Spain over Easter staying with non-English speaking host families. Mornings were spent at a language academy with non-English speaking teachers! After lunch and siestas they visited the surrounding towns, the aquarium, did some shopping, ate the famous chocolate con churros and sampled the local nightlife.
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It wasn't all fun and relaxation, their teacher Ms Romero, who accompanied the group to her home town, jumped at every opportunity to test the students on their oral presentations!
At half term Ms Romero will be taking a group of 39 Year 9 and 10 pupils to Rosas near Barcelona for a six day language and cultural tour.
... and Easter in the Lake District for others
While some of our students spent a part of the Easter holiday in Spain, another group were in the Lake District for the final practice expedition for their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.
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The group was lucky enough to have excellent weather for the whole of their expedition and they can now look forward to the qualifying expedition for which they will travel to Chamonix at the end of term.
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