Greenpower Challenge NE Heat Croft July 2011

Since September a group of dedicated Y7 girls have been building an electric car to take part in the Greenpower Challenge. Greenpower is a national competition that challenges secondary school pupils to design and build electric cars to a strict specification. Cars are then raced over a four hour period at local heats, with the vehicle covering the largest milage being the winner.

Wednesday saw an early start for the team as they headed to Croft with their car for their first race. On arrival the car was unloaded and parked in the pit garage. The car was registered and readied for scrutineering. This turned into a stressful experience as the scrutineers picked up a few technical issues that needed putting right before the team could race. The girls set to with real zeal to overcome the problems, showing great industry and team work. The car was passed to race! As the one O'Clock start approaced the car was pushed on to the grid. Anna Merrell (yes, the Cup Cake Champ) took the first stint driving the car round the 1 mile circuit. Next as the wheel was Isobel Allen followed by Beth Sunderland, Joanna Green, and Georgia Stanway. Rebecca Malone was star pit engineer of the day helping with pit stops and restarting the cars. All the girls performed brilliantly both in their driving and in their technical support of the team.

Unfortunately we had to leave half way through the race due a prior commitement, but the team is now looking forward to the NW heat at Aintree in September.

Creator of the Month

Creators of the month for the Summer term are as follows

Anna Merrell

Fraser Gillen

Courtney Bleackley (Year 10 - Food Technology)

Jodie Ashdown (Year 10 - Food Technology)

Clarence House Cupcake Competition - July 2011

All students in KS3 were invited to enter a cupcake competition organised by Clarence House.  Students were asked to produce design ideas for cupcakes and were then selected to come along to three afterschool sessions where they learnt to bake cupcakes and then learnt methods of decorating their cupcakes.  On the third session our students baked and decorated their cupcakes which were then judged by the Head Chef from Clarence House.  Anna Merrell in year 7 was chosen as winner and wins the prize of a 'Sugar and Spice' afternoon tea at Clarence House with four of her friends.

National Science and Engineering Week - 11th-20th March 2011    

Mr Belsey organised a number of events for National Science and Engineering week.  These included a quiz which went out to all lower school forms and a form challenge.  The form challenge saw each form designing and making their own radio.  Instructions and kits were given out to all participating forms and students are now putting the finishing touches to their designs.  Pictures and winner to follow

Some pupils spent the day at BAE Submarine Solutions where they took part in a range of hands on tasks, spoke with BAE Systems employees and toured Devonshire Dock Hall.  Follow the link for further information and short video showing pupils and BAE employees.

Rotary BAE Systems Technology Tournament - March 11th 2011

We entered two teams in the technology tournament this year; one from the upper school and one from the lower school.  Both teams were asked to design and build a crane and produce a design portfolio to show their developments.  The teams worked hard to produce their final prototype and after testing the results were added up.  Both Dowdales teams won!  This was a brilliant result for all team members which was topped off by Mr Heywood winning the teacher's competition.  Well done to all who attended.

Rotary Chef Competition Final - 16th February 2011

Eve and Matthew attended the final at St Benedict's School on 16th February.  Both cooked their three course meal in under two hours and received excellent feedback from the judges.  Matthew was awarded third place and won £20 and a trophy.  Thanks to Clarence House chef Alan Forsyth who helped the students cook their meal at a practice session before the final.

Rotary Competition - 18th January 2011

Work from pupils entering the school heat is shown below.  Matthew and Eve won the Dowdales heat and will go forward to represent the school at the Cumbria final on 16th February 2011.  Thanks to our judges from the rotary club who made the evening possible and thanks to all students who entered.

  Matthew       Eve

  Eleanor          Lucy  

  Melissa        Madison

Paella Party

Year 7 and 8 students got the chance to bring their parents into school on Monday 22nd June.  Students and parents joined with the languages and DT department to complete a Spanish language and cooking course.  Armed with bags of ingredients pairs learnt the Spanish words for different vegetables and followed instructions in Spanish in order to cook their own Paella.  Games, restaurant vocab and spanish snacks and sangria rounded off the Spanish experience.  

Mr Edwards and Mrs Gibson