Two of our Northgate News Team members, Morganne and Colette, Year 9, recently interviewed Mr Collyer, who joined Northgate in September. Mr Collyer teaches in the Maths Department. Find out what he had to say in response to Morganne and Colette’s questions below.
Did you have a teacher at school who really inspired you?
Yes, a maths teacher, who was my mentor. He had great relationships with students and sorted out behaviour.
If you were not a teacher, what job would you like to do?
I think I would work in IT because I really enjoy computer programming and music
Describe Northgate in 3 words
A community, competitive, inclusive.
What is the best thing about being a teacher?
The relationships with students and getting to know them.
If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would It be?Â
Peace is Free by Blackstone Cherry
If you didn’t teach Maths, what subject would you teach?
I would teach music.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
For a long time, I wanted to be a musician.
Do you speak any other languages and is there a language that you would like to learn?
I know a bit of French as I lived in France for a while. I also love Spanish.
What is your favourite animal?
Dogs are amazing.
What is your favourite chocolate?
Diary milk
What topic in Maths do you enjoy teaching the most?
Non-linear graphs such as quadratics and cubics.
Now for some quick-fire questions:
Tea or Coffee? Coffee
Book or movie? Movie
Comedy or drama? Drama
Reality tv or documentaries? Reality TV
Voice note or message? Message
Hiking or biking? Biking
Being famous or being rich? Being rich
Snowman or sandcastle? Snowman
Theme park or water park? Theme park
Autumn or Spring? Spring
Thank you to Mr Collyer for taking the time to answer Morganne and Colette’s questions. We always look forward to finding out a bit more about our teaching staff and support staff at Northgate. We look forward to the next interview.
Two of our Northgate News Team members, Harry and Riley, Year 8, recently interviewed Mrs Norman, who joined Northgate in September. Mrs Norman is Second in Department in Modern Foreign Languages. Harry and Riley, both summarise their conversations below.
‘Hi, my name is Harry, and I found out some facts about one of my French teachers, Mrs Norman. Mrs Norman also speaks fluent Spanish and lived in Spain. I asked Mrs Norman to describe Northgate in 3 words and she picked organised, inclusive and aspirational. I think that does sum up our school. Mrs Norman is tone deaf so she does not like music – wow. For her GCSEs she picked French, German, Business Studies, History and Drama – I think they’re good choices. Mrs Norman thinks we should study French as it grows our brain and makes us think more logically. To round of the interview, I asked her to give me a fact about herself and she told me she was allergic to crab – that’s an interesting one! Thank you for reading my side of the interview with Mrs Norman.’
‘Hi my name is Riley, and I interviewed a French teacher called Mrs Norman and found out some facts about her. Mrs Norman lived in France for 6 months. One of the reasons that she came to Northgate was because it seemed very organised to her. I asked her what her favourite chocolate bar was and she said it was a Dairy milk chocolate bar with crunchy pieces! I asked her, apart from French, what were her favourite subjects at school and she replied with History and Drama. I found out that she didn’t know what she wanted to do as a profession until the age of 24. The last thing I found out that one of her hobbies outside of school is that she is a kayak instructor – who would have guessed? Thank you for reading my side of the interview.’
Thank you to Harry and Riley for interviewing Mrs Norman, and obviously Mrs Norman for taking the time to answer the questions. It is also so interesting finding out a bit more about the teachers and support staff at Northgate, including some really random facts!
Thursday 14th November saw our Class of 2024 return for their GCSE presentation evening. A chance to celebrate their achievements and catch up with those who have gone on to different Sixth Forms or colleges. The evening was organised by Mrs Bone and commenced with words from Heads of School, Mrs Galley and Dr Hone. They reflected on the student’s achievements and resilience, particularly as they did not have an easy KS3 with home learning due to the Covid lockdowns.
GCSE certificates were awarded by Head of Year, Mr Guy. Progress award certificates were also awarded to students that had made exceptional progress from their starting points, by Mr Hambling, Unity Education Trust CEO.
Congratulations to the following who received progress award certificates:
The keynote speech came from Dr Tim Kinnaird, formerly a doctor and paediatric consultant, BBC MasterChef finalist and now owner of Macarons & More. Both of Tim’s children attended Northgate and he spoke about their memories and their fondness of the school and their teachers. He gave some words of wisdom from his old school friends too – some of which were rather random!
Then came Subject Awards, presented by Dr Tim Kinnaird. Each Head of Department, alongside their department, nominated a student who they felt deserved their Subject Award. The student’s results were considered in the process, along with their attitude towards learning, enthusiasm and engagement. For some, it was the huge amount of progress they made compared to their target grade. Each winner collected their trophy and certificate.
Congratulations to Our Subject Award Winners:
Fine Art: Everlyn Davis
Religious Studies: Mya Dennett
French: Blake Barley
History: Tamzin Makcrow
Physical Education: Eliza Adcock
Design Technology: Hugo Hardy-Johnstone
Photography: Tallulah Wray
Textiles: Jasmine Markwell
Dance: Paige Barber
English Literature: Poppi Sexton
Geography: Yanis Boulbadaoui
Mathematics: Christopher Tooley
Food & Nutrition: Joshua-James Lacey
Spanish: Emmanuel Milne
English Language: Corey Read
Science: Poppy Lister
Computer Science: Jack Snowling
Music: Megan Davis
Graphics: Bambi Cardew
Then an extra special achievement was recognised. A prestigious certificate that recognises our students’ incredible achievements in GCSE Photography was awarded to a number of students. The Royal Photographic Society, an esteemed organisation with a rich history of promoting excellence in photography, awards certificates to students who have shown exceptional skill, a profound work ethic, and commitment to artistic expression.
We celebrated these students not only for their accomplishments in photography but also for their dedication and integrity. The Royal Photographic Society certificate is a mark of distinction, honouring their work which reflects hours of thoughtful effort, perseverance and a willingness to experiment. Mrs Wright from the Art and Design Department was on hand to present these certificates, the first time this affiliation has occurred.
Congratulations to:
Everlyn Davis – Megan Davis – Amy Dennis – Drew Lawrence – Lottie Lodge – Jasmine Markwell – Maddie Woods – Tallulah Wray – Bonnie Wyatt
Mr Guy, Head of Year 11, spoke about his time as their Head of Year at Northgate. He mentioned how much he misses the group and how well they coped with the ups and downs of their time at Northgate. He congratulated them all on their achievements over the five years and wished them well in their futures.
The evening also acknowledged the Year 11 Leadership Team for their outstanding service to the school. Dr. Hone and Mrs. Galley presented Head Teacher’s Awards to:
Head Boys: Emmanuel and Owen
Head Girl: Poppy
Deputy Head Boys: Blake and Hugo
Deputy Head Girl: Abigail
The final awards of the evening were special prizes presented on behalf of Dereham Lions, Tim Kinnaird (former Chair of Governors), Governors and Trustees, and were presented by Mr Alan Jones, Chair of Trustees. They celebrated extraordinary contributions, progress, and character:
Contribution to the Community: Christopher Tooley
Dereham Lions Club Prize for Services to the School: Corey Read
Governors’ Prize for Personal Progress: Hattie-Mae Gibbons
Trustees’ Award for Resilience: Yanis Boulbadaoui
Tim Kinnaird Award for Integrity: Daniela Matavele
Special Recognition Award: Amelie Cox
A wonderful evening to celebrate a fantastic group of students. Congratulations to the Class of 2024. Thank you to all the teaching staff and support staff as well as parents and carers who supported them throughout their 5 years at Northgate. To the Class of 2024: Congratulations on your incredible achievements. As you step into the next chapter of your lives, we hope you carry forward the lessons, friendships, and memories from Northgate with pride and confidence. The future is bright, and we are excited to see where your paths lead.
Before October half term, a number of our Year 9s visited Cambridge as part of their fieldwork element in Geography. Â They were deciding which area of Cambridge they liked best based on surveys of environmental quality, sounds and smells of five different areas. There were lots of interesting conversations in their groups about what makes a good place.
Two of the students, Poppy and Colette, tell us about the experience.
‘We went out for the day and did some field work which was writing some observations of the places we went to in Cambridge. I enjoyed the trip personally, especially when we got to the market and had food and there were all the different buildings and different foods that I could smell.’ – Poppy
‘During the trip we went to several different areas in Cambridge. My favourite was King’s College as the building was really interesting to look at! We had the opportunity to look around the area we were reviewing, we looked for graffiti, how busy the place was, what it smelled like, how safe you felt in the place and what variety of shops there were. It was really cool to see the sights of Cambridge and would recommend it to future Year 9!’ – Colette
We have lots of extra-curricular activities available for students to choose from at Northgate, one of which is the Orchard Committee, who meet on a Thursday after school. Ava, Year 7, joined the Orchard Committee in September and as part of her role in the Northgate News Team, tells us about it below.
Why did you want to join the Orchard Committee?
I joined because I like wildlife and nature as I do scouts, so I wanted to help out in different places
What have you done so far?
We have made planters, and collected and stratified seeds (eg. Field Maple and Horse Chestnut)
Do you have any advice that you think will be of use as an Orchard Committee member?
Some advice would be to always try your best – you won’t be judged. You could also be committed and come every week.
Why do you think it is important for students to work outside and be with nature?
I think it’s important as a lot of students are normally glued to their phones, so it would be good for them to go outside and work with nature. It’s also quite calming.
Is there anything in particular you are looking forward to doing as an Orchard Committee member?
I’m looking forward to watch all the seeds grow into plants as it would be fascinating to watch life grow.
What is it like working with students from other year groups as part of the Orchard Committee?
It’s good as we barely see other years as they’re normally in their area or at the cafeteria at lunch or break. It also gets everyone involved.
What do you like most about The Orchard space that you have seen so far?
The thing I like the most is the green space as it helps the environment and boosts my wellbeing.
Why do you think others should get involved in the activities at Orchard Committee meetings?
I think they should get involved as the activities are fun and physical so it will never get boring.
Would you recommend the Orchard Committee to you friends and if so, why?
Yes, as it would be nice to have new members to expand the Committee and our Orchard.
If you are interested in getting involved as an Orchard Committee member, please come along to MA6 after school on a Thursday or speak to Miss Theobald. As well as a whole range of different activities and jobs to be completed throughout the year, the Orchard Committee also works towards different awards schemes with The RHS, Woodland Trust and RSPB. Get involved and feel like you can make a difference in The Orchard.
Tapiwa and Eloise joined Northgate as Year 7s back in September. They decided to join the Northgate News Team and are looking forward to writing all sorts of articles over the coming months. Their first task was to talk about how it has been, settling into Northgate. Here’s what they had to say:
What were you most nervous about when you started high school?
Tapiwa: I was probably most nervous about if I was going to make new friends or not.
Eloise: I was nervous about quite a lot like being late to class or getting detention.
What has been your favourite subject so far and why?
Tapiwa: My favourite subject so far is PE because we got to do football and learnt how to play netball.
Eloise: My favourite subject is probably drama because it was really fun and I used skills I never thought I had.
Why did you want to be part of Northgate’s Team Councils?
Tapiwa: I wanted to be part of the School Council because I could help the school out.
Eloise: I wanted to be part of the Northgate School Council because I never had to the chance to be one in primary school so I wanted to see what it felt like and be part of the community.
Have you joined any clubs yet and if so what?
Tapiwa: Yes. I have joined football club.
Eloise: No not yet, but I will if any of them catch my interest.
What are you most looking forward to over the coming year at Northgate?
Tapiwa: I am most looking forward to the school trips.
Eloise: I am looking forward to participating in activities and going on every school trip that takes my interest.
How would you describe Northgate in 3 words?
Tapiwa: Fun, serious and exciting.
Eloise: Welcoming, Fun and extraordinary.
What has been the best thing about Northgate so far?
Tapiwa: The best thing so far for me has been the school meals on Fridays.
Eloise: The best thing for me has been enjoying lessons and getting to know my classmates better by also having a laugh.
What advice would you give someone in year 6 about joining high school?
Tapiwa: Don’t be worried. Northgate is a safe place to learn.
Eloise: Northgate is a welcoming place. Don’t be scared. It’s fun.
Two of our Northgate News Team members, Morganne and Colette, Year 9, recently interviewed Mr Collyer, who joined Northgate in September. Mr Collyer teaches in the Maths Department. Find out what he had to say in response to Morganne and Colette’s questions below.
Two of our Northgate News Team members, Harry and Riley, Year 8, recently interviewed Mrs Norman, who joined Northgate in September. Mrs Norman is Second in Department in Modern Foreign Languages. Harry and Riley, both summarise their conversations below.
Thursday 14th November saw our Class of 2024 return for their GCSE presentation evening. A chance to celebrate their achievements and catch up with those who have gone on to different Sixth Forms or colleges. The evening was organised by Mrs Bone and commenced with words from Heads of School, Mrs Galley and Dr Hone. They reflected on the student’s achievements and resilience, particularly as they did not have an easy KS3 with home learning due to the Covid lockdowns.
The keynote speech came from Dr Tim Kinnaird, formerly a doctor and paediatric consultant, BBC MasterChef finalist and now owner of Macarons & More. Both of Tim’s children attended Northgate and he spoke about their memories and their fondness of the school and their teachers. He gave some words of wisdom from his old school friends too – some of which were rather random!
The evening also acknowledged the Year 11 Leadership Team for their outstanding service to the school. Dr. Hone and Mrs. Galley presented Head Teacher’s Awards to:
