In our latest staff interview, Alfie Year 8, spoke to Mr Clark from the English Department. Mr Clark joined Northgate in September 2023. Here’s what he had to say in response to Aflie’s questions. First up, some ‘this or that’ questions:
Pineapple on pizza – yes or no? No
Maths or Science? Maths
Cats or dogs? Dogs
Vacation or staycation? Vacation
Camping or glamping? Glamping
Home cooked meal or restaurant? Home cooked
Book or film? Book
Message or voice note? Message
Refugee Boy or Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night? Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night
Sweet or savoury? Savoury
Fiction or non-fiction? Fiction
Summer or winter? Winter
What is the best thing about working at Northgate?
My form
Have you had any other jobs apart from being a teacher?
I was a gamer and I worked on a mushroom farm!
What is your favourite book to study in lessons?
1984
Describe Northgate in 3 words
Interesting, amusing, difficult
What hobbies do you have outside of school?Â
I play the guitar, draw and cook.
If you were not a teacher, what job do you think you would have?Â
Librarian
What genre of books do you like to read?
Dystopia
Thank you to Mr Clark for taking the time to answer Alfie’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.
We were lucky enough to welcome author, Sufiya Ahmed, to Northgate in November. Northgate News Team members Lena, Tapiwa and Eloise, Year 7, give us their thoughts on the visit and also interview Mrs Gill, Head Librarian, about inviting authors into Northgate.
‘I felt very intrigued when the author came to tell her life story about becoming an author and it showed us how much work it took for her to become an author.’ – Lena
‘I felt like the author talk was showing how hard you have to work to become an author. She had loads of books declined but then finally succeeded.’ – Eloise
‘I thought that it was a really fun and exciting experience for all the years that saw it.’ – Tapiwa
Now for some questions for Mrs Gill, Head Librarian:
What is the best thing about having authors come into Northgate?
It introduces a new genres and experiences to students.
Can you describe the different workshops/sessions that the recent author Sufiya Ahmed did?
We had a workshop for 6 – form students it was based on criminology and the talks. Year 7 and year 8 talks were about WW2. Year 9 was about forced and arranged marriages, similar to Romeo and Juliet.Â
What type of activities work best when authors come to visit?
If authors talk is interactive means students will participate and if likely fun and engaging.
Who would be your dream author to visit Northgate?
I have so many authors I’d like to introduce to Northgate students.
What advice would you give students if they are thinking about becoming an author?
Read expose yourselves to many situations and carry a notebook to write your ideas and everybody’s story is unique.
We are pleased to introduce our December bulletin. In our bulletin this month there’s updates from the Library, a celebration of our Class of 2024, Northgate marks Remembrance Day and much more.
We hope that you are able to take some time to have a look at all the goings on at Northgate from the last month and enjoy seeing what we’ve been up to. Please share with your friends and family via our Facebook and twitter pages.
Miss Theobald (School Council Coordinator) + Northgate School Council.
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.
In our latest staff interview, Alfie Year 8, spoke to Mr Clark from the English Department. Mr Clark joined Northgate in September 2023. Here’s what he had to say in response to Aflie’s questions. First up, some ‘this or that’ questions:
We were lucky enough to welcome author, Sufiya Ahmed, to Northgate in November. Northgate News Team members Lena, Tapiwa and Eloise, Year 7, give us their thoughts on the visit and also interview Mrs Gill, Head Librarian, about inviting authors into Northgate.
Now for some questions for Mrs Gill, Head Librarian:
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:
