Trips, Visits & Events

Spring Fayre

We would like to welcome all stall holders who wish to be part of our Spring Fayre on Saturday 14th April 2012. There will be both a Craft Fayre and a Farmers Market on this day and we would like to invite all stall holders selling produce, hand made gifts and other quality goods to come along and join us. If you would like a stall at either the Craft Fayre or the Market please contact extendedschools@homewood.kent.sch.uk or call 01580 764222.

Careers Fair

On Wednesday 9th November 2011, Homewood School in association with Kent Chamber of Commerce and the Mainstream Group are hosting a Careers Fair giving young people the opportunity to find out valuable information regarding their futures. Nowadays, many bright young people are choosing not to go to university and to start their careers when they leave school. For potential employers, the Careers Fair can be beneficial in a number of ways including the chance to meet potential employees, advertising your organisation and a greater understanding of the range of qualifications available in today's eduaction. The event will be held in the Sports Hall, Homewood School, from 12:15 until 18:30. After 16:00 the fair will be open to the general public as well as any other students. If you are interested in having a stall at the Careers Fair, please contact Mr. Sam West (Principal Teacher of Enterprise).

Midsummer Magic

At the end of the Summer term, Year 7 students and members of staff were invited to attend a special performance in celebration of a term's study of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. This is always a popular Shakespearean play as it contains many features that students can relate to in the 21st Century, telling the story of how young love always wins in the end despite all the mishaps and obstacles encountered along the way, such as sinister fairies and local craftsmen meddling (although not always easy for the eye to see today!)

A true Shakespearean atmosphere was created by the setting, the Octagon stage in the middle of the woods where students were seated on the grass around the stage, imitating the infamous London Globe. The weather proved ideal as dappled sunlight shone on the audience through the trees and hanging fairies could be seen dancing in the breeze. This setting helped to transport the audience to an ethereal world beyond school environment and held students captivated throughout the entire performance.

However, there was an added modern twist with the inclusion of the 'Britain's Got Talent' format (or 'Athens' Got Talent' as the students suitably named it). From the very beginning, a competitive element was introduced, with groups of students performing a presentation of the Pyramus and Thisbe play embedded in Midsummer. Just like Shakespeare's Mechanicals, each group rehearsed with the aim of becoming the winners who are chosen to perform in front of the Duke of Athens.

Rehearsals over, the day of the performance arrived and the actors and actresses were scrutinized by the very forthright Judges who loomed on the tiered, wooden seats in front of the stage. The 'Athens Got Talent' Judges consisted of Mr. S. Graves as sharp-tongued Simon Cowell, Miss K. Millner as Cheryl Cole, Miss C. Thorpe as Danni Minnogue, Mr. P. Hanson as the very-Irish Louis Walsh and Vice Principal, Mr. S. Ridgway as 'The Hoff'. Of course, it wouldn't be the same without the infamous double-act, Ant and Dec who added slapstick and comedy at intervals throughout the play. The three pairs of Ant and Dec provided an ingenious twist by sharing one waistcoat and one jacket, but due to the quick costume changes, each pair appeared more farcical due to their different heights and wrong-fitting jackets! This technique fulfilled its aim of confusing the audience that would have made Shakespeare proud.

Congratulations to the whole of Year 7 who remained spellbound throughout the entire forty minute performance (and who also booed Simon Cowell at the appropriate and well deserved times!); to all of the wonderful actors and actresses who kept everyone captivated throughout; the Art Department who created beautiful props with Year Seven during the Summer Term and a special mention to Ms L. Hayfield and the staff, who made this wonderful performance happen.

Italian Dramatics

During May half term, forty two excited Homewood students and six staff members climbed aboard a coach that would take them on a mammoth trip for Drama, destination the beautiful Lake Garda in Italy. The students were lucky enough to experience Italy's renowned hot weather during a day trip to Venice to paint Venetian masks, a half day trip to Verona to visit Juliet's balcony, a day trip to the fabulous Movieland to be scared on the rides and attractions and a whole week of Drama workshops! It was a jam packed trip that was thoroughly enjoyed by all and created a great bond between all who went. Highlights included the 'staff dressing-up' competition where students were allowed to create a costume for their group leader (a very vulnerable moment for the staff but very entertaining!); the wonderful weather; the fabulous mask workshop and seeing the before and after of Mr Bright as he took the full brunt of gallons of water on the Indiana Jones ride! Many thanks to Miss Hills, Miss Waddell, Mrs MacEnri, Mr Bright, Mr Crittell and Miss Marchant for making the trip run so smoothly and of course the wonderful Homewood students. In the words of a letter from the travel company's managers, they were 'a credit to the school and the community.

Deutschlandaustausch 2011

Homewood’s German exchange ran for the 11th year from 23rd October to the 2nd November. 15 pupils travelled to our partner school in Koblenz, in the Rhineland, and spent 10 days living with a German family and exploring life in Germany. Taylor Toll (D5) reports:

I had a lot of fun on my German exchange. My exchange family were fantastic. We went on a ski-lift to the top of a really big hill in Koblenz. We also went ice-skating and bowling with my partner’s family and friends. On the last day, we went to a zoo and theme park with the entire family. It was amazing.

During our ten day stay, we went to Koblenz for a town quiz, for school and also for shopping. In Mainz, we went to the Gutenberg museum, to see the town cathedral and for more shopping. We also went to Cologne to see the huge, famous cathedral. We went to a chocolate museum to see the outline and the history of chocolate and went shopping again (most of my stay in Germany involved shopping!)

I found the trip very fun and have made some new friends, German and English. If I can, I will go on the trip again and stay with the same exchange family as I did this year. I got loads of gifts from my partner’s family to help me remember Germany. They were lovely presents!

Year 11 & 12 ASDAN Trip to St. Paul's Cathedral

Friends of Homewood kindly contributed funding towards the Year 11 and 12 ASDAN trip to St. Pauls Cathedral on 10th November 2011. The trip was part of the students’  Personal and Social Development Course, studying how child friendly the train journey is, as well as how accessible areas around the cathedral and St Pauls itself were to parents wanting to visit with babies or young children.

The visit was a great success with the students able to see not only the magnificent cathedral and the amazing views of London from the top of the Dome, but also observe, and talk to, some of the anti-capitalist protestors who were camped in tents around the steps of the cathedral. The ASDAN group made the most of the visit and completed lots of work inside and around the outer areas of St Pauls. They were also able to explore the historical sites and other points of interest along the South Bank of the Thames as they walked to Waterloo Station.

A brilliant day, many thanks to the Friends of Homewood for enabling this trip to take place.

Vertical Curriculum Presentation

Back during the Open Evening, you may have seen a presentation on Vertical Curriculum at Homewood. If you missed it, you can now see it in PDF format from the link below.