THE NEWS MAGAZINE OF FALINGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL Record performance


WELCOME to the autumn edition of Footlights. It seems that every year, I congratulate our leavers on a record performance. This year is no different, with eleven of the key indicators of success going up and only three going down. A record-breaking 68 per cent of students achieved the coveted 5+ A*-Cs. Elsewhere, our new teachers have settled in well and we are all looking forward to our new building. Work begins in earnest in July 2012. The builders and architects will be showing off their plans to parents and students over the coming year.


Robin Lonsdale, Headteacher


New school will build on our strengths


THE plans for our new school are nearing completion, and the builders are set to start work next July.


The school will be served by an almost wholly new building, costing in the region of £17 million, and groups of students have been heavily engaged in giving their thoughts on the scheme. Year 8 Peer Mentors have met with architects and planners, while Mrs Brown’s Citizenship group has been working on plans for the external learning and leisure spaces with Carillion’s landscape architects.


David Chaloner Eco warriors


FALINGE Park High School is working towards becoming an Eco-School.


A committee comprising 16 students was formed at the beginning of November, and students have been elected to act as chairperson, treasurer, secretary and marketing manager. They will be putting up a noticeboard in school to enable them to share their work with students and staff, and they are aiming to visit other schools in the borough to see what they have done to gain Eco-School status.


The committee has 20 volunteers, who will be helping them to achieve their aims of making the school more sustainable for the future. They would also welcome the input of parents and governors. If you are interested, please get in touch with Miss Zwarts.


Anna Zwarts HRH visits FPHS


IT is not often that a member of the Royal family visits Rochdale. It is rarer still when they come to Falinge Park High School. However, on 17th November, His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester visited our new ICT building, to provide encouragement for young people who are thinking of going into the construction industry. Teams from large employers were there, and met with 40 of our pupils, who may be among the architects, civil engineers and bricklayers of the future. Before he left, the Duke unveiled a plaque in celebration of our new school building.


Robin Lonsdale, Headteacher 2


Spirited artists


DURING the summer term, all students studying RE at FPHS were invited to enter a national competition called ‘Spirited Arts’, which encourages creative teaching in RE. Students had to design a mosaic, 3-D model or drawing on a variety of themes including ‘where is God?’, ‘journeys’ and ‘spiritual words’.


Creative spirits: Lahreb Shafique and Henna Ali, Year 10 with Leah Topping and Elise Hill, Year 9.


From more than 600 entries, eight pieces of artwork were chosen to represent FPHS. Congratulations to Nina Moutinho, G8; Leah Topping, P1; Henna Ali, C5; Elise Hill, L5; Monwara Begum, P11; Monsur Mohammed, P1; Ansa Saleem, G7; Lahreb Shafique, C8; and Zaakiayah Begum, P11, who all won a goody bag.


Emily Clark


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