The sun shone on Crown Hills on June 23rd, the day chosen for the annual Sports Day. The morning ran smoothly. Field events and 800 metres came first and all augured well for the afternoon’s track events. Sprints events started the proceedings after lunch. With all the razzmatazz of an American football match, the college band burst into life between races, and the carnival atmosphere was enjoyed by everyone.

On Thursday, October 8th 2009, students and staff at the college gathered in the Library to celebrate National Poetry Day by reading aloud some of their favourite poems and even trying their hand at writing a few of their own. The results of some of their efforts will be published in the December Newsletter.

"I think I was far more nervous than they were, according to Mrs. Lawrence I was mouthing each word of their speech, but I didn’t need to worry as they were fabulous,” added Miss Marsh.

Five Crown Hills students have been praised for their work to help improve a Leicestershire beauty spot. Students planted fruit trees in the Orchard Nature Reserve in Anstey. Gavin Fletcher, Senior Conservation Officer at ‘Ground Work Leicester said the work done with Crown Hills over a six month period was “very intense” and designed to teach young people more about nature and the environment as well as give them the opportunity to learn new skills.  

They say that things are never the same when you go back. That was certainly the case for ex-Crown Hills student, Robert Dixon, when he visited the college in September. Robert left Crown Hills in 1970 and eventually moved across the city to the New Parks area where he has lived since. Robert was adept at pointing out the rooms he remembered, what the room was used for and which teacher taught there. He was amazed at how the school had grown and the facilities we now provide, in particular, all the computers to be found in most of the class rooms. Obviously, all the original teachers that taught him have long since retired but he remembered many of them with great affection.

Circus skills involving hoops, balls, feathers and unicycles conjure up a picture of fun-filled activity under the Big Top. Although not under canvas, but back by popular demand after last year’s resounding success, the circus skills company, SPLAT, returned this month, not just to entertain but to train year 7s in the art of juggling and performing. The benefits of this kind of ‘brain training’ can be immense and impact on all areas of the curriculum, both academic and practical. The sight of friends wobbling around, seemingly out of control on a unicycle or pair of stilts, is a great leveler, and it is not unusual for the normally quiet student to shine as success breeds confidence and a new-

It would seem that, despite the opportunity to sit back and relax, play your favourite sport or see the latest film release at the cinema, for some Crown Hills students holidays are still a time to be involved at college. Here we see a group of college students receiving their winners’ prizes for the Library Holiday Competition from College Librarian, Mrs. Joyce Woodcock who said, “Some of the children get bored during holidays and this was an opportunity for them to do something creative with a free choice of subject in either poetry or prose.” The winning entries can be seen displayed in the college library.