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• School Visit to Adventure Oakhampton

  Thu 16 May 2024 M Sayer

  This week we visited Adventure Oakhampton and participated in various High Ropes activities.  The boys enjoyed the activities and rose to the challenge as seen in the photographs below. Our boys were exceptionally well-behaved, and their staff were impressed with their engagement in the activities. Well done!

  

• Parliament Visit

  Thu 02 May 2024 V Collinge

  Visit to Parliament

  Last week we were lucky enough take 12 of our boys up to London for the day. We won some supportive funding for the trip from the educational branch of the Houses of Parliament, allowing us to catch the train up to the city and experience a morning in the Palace of Westminster and an afternoon of museum trips.

  After a quick walk around London in two separate groups, staff and students came together to take a tour around the Palace. We were able to experience the grandeur of the building and follow the path the King takes when opening Parliament each year. We entered both the House of Lords and the House of Commons, and learned what it takes to gain a seat in each. Our educational tour guide explained how laws are made, and described the history that has led us to the government as we now know it. We were even able to see the royal outer-chamber and the throne designed by Queen Victoria herself. After our tour we then took part in a hands-on educational workshop where the boys learned about how different groups of people have influenced government over the years, and reflected on what we might do for a cause close to our hearts.

  After our tour, the two groups separated again for the remainder of the afternoon. One group went to the Natural History Museum where they investigated exhibits of dinosaurs and creepy-crawlies – after investigating the excellent food on offer at the café!

  The second group went to the Science Museum, where we saw fantastic displays of aeroplanes through the ages; a space themed exhibit; and a range of hands-on activities about technological advances over the years – including games and quizzes to play that allowed us to reflect on “what it means to be me”.

  It was a brilliant day for all involved, and our Marland boys conducted themselves with politeness and respect throughout. Well done!

  

• World Book Day

  Wed 20 Mar 2024

  To celebrate World Book Day on 7th March students were taken out to swap their World Book Day vouchers for a free book. While we were out we collected lots of new books for our library. In the morning the whole school also took part in a fun interactive live quiz during their reading lessons. Group B were the triumphant winners with a score of 18 out 20!

  

• Budding journalists: Marland students take on BBC Young Reporter!

  Wed 20 Mar 2024

  Students in Key Stage 3 have had the opportunity to experience being journalists in their English lessons this term. We have been taking part in BBC Young Reporter and they have each chosen topics which interest them and written news story proposals to send to the BBC. They have conducted surveys, staff and student interviews and internet research. We have had some really interesting and varied topics including: Skate Molton, movies and why people are not going to the cinema as much, youth vaping and racism. This has been a really valuable experience and many students have really risen to the challenge.

  

• PSHE and Outdoor Ed collaboration – Careers in Nature!

  Wed 28 Feb 2024 V Collinge

  Before half term a group of our year 8 and 9 boys had the brilliant opportunity to find out about career opportunities with the National Trust. The National Trust carry out work all over the UK in maintaining our areas of national beauty and heritage, and in finding chances for the public to engage with nature. The boys met two rangers – Amy and Finley – at Headon Mouth Valley, where they had a brilliant careers talk all about a day in the life of a ranger. The boys had the chance to look at some pictures of the work National Trust rangers do, learn about how they carry out their conservation work and discussed ways into this career after school. They looked around the visitors centre and went for a walk down the Headon Valley, and even managed to have a stone skimming competition! Our boys were exceptionally well behaved, and both rangers were impressed with their maturity and engagement. Well done!

  

• Dental Health Visit

  Wed 17 Jan 2024

  This week we had Lorraine (Lolly) Bradley from Torrs Park Dental Practice visit the school. She delivered three sessions on dental health and how to look after our teeth, and both staff and students learned a lot. The sessions were really hands-on, giving the boys chances to identify different types of teeth, brush some giant “teeth”, and feel the sensation of both electric and sonic toothbrushes! We discussed the importance of flossing and brushing, how to look after our gums, and what happens when our teeth come into contact with sugars and acids. The boys were really engaged and asked lots of questions – meaning we discussed everything from brushing our tongues, to what braces would be like, and even how in the old days poor people would sell their teeth to the rich! A fantastic morning – thanks Lolly!

  

• North Devon Football Tournament Winners!

  Thu 02 Nov 2023 A Bright

  In the first annual football tournament at Sandymere, a squad of pupils went to represent the school. 

  Having had success in other tournaments, the boys were feeling confident. During the tournament the boys competed in 4 competitive group matches, winning 3 and drawing the other, this took the boys into the semi-finals as group runners-up (on goal difference!). In the semi-finals the boys battled hard and came through with a 3-1 success, taking them into the final against On Track - the team they drew against in the group stages. This was a fiercely contested game, with both sides creating chances, and it was Marland that came out on top, with a fine 2-0 win. 

   

  Marland Captain Henley Jackson was awarded the Player of the Tournament trophy. 

   

  All credit to the lads that participated, they were respectful and worked hard for each other throughout the day, representing the school superbly.

  

• London Trip 2023

  Fri 13 Oct 2023 V Collinge

  London Trip 2023

   

  6 of our boys had an amazing opportunity to visit London for the day this half term, to see some historical sites before heading out for dinner.

  We caught the train from Tiverton Parkway to London Paddington, and from there we hopped on a tube over to the Tower of London. At the Tower of London, we were lucky enough to have a private educational tour of some of the most famous sights – including the castle that William the Conqueror built, and the spot where the famous Anne Boleyn had her head chopped off! We heard some fascinating facts and ghastly ghost stories and then went to take a look at the crown jewels.

  After visiting the Tower of London we walked past the London Eye to the waterfront, where we had a spooky interactive experience at the London Dungeons. The boys were fascinated by the storytelling and scary experiences and were able to link our learning from the Tower to the stories being told in the dungeons. We witnessed witchcraft trials, had a close shave with Sweeny Todd and even spotted the infamous Jack the Ripper before eventually being ‘hung’ for treason!

  With the cries of prisoners still ringing in our ears, we then caught the bus over to a Japanese BBQ restaurant, where the boys were able to cook their own dinner. Alongside some tasty rice and noodle dishes, a selection of marinated meats were brought to the table for us, and the boys were able to BBQ these over grills in the middle of each table. The boys did us proud with their manners and social skills towards each other and the restaurant staff.

  After dinner, we walked back to Covent Garden. We watched an amazing street performance of a man juggling knives on a series of balance boards and then headed back to Paddington Station for the return train home.

  All the boys were engaged, polite and wonderfully well-behaved throughout the whole day, and they did themselves and the school proud.

  

• Thanks From Fremington Community Pantry

  Fri 21 Jul 2023

  Thanks to Sally, our spare lunches have been taken and donated to the Fremington Community Pantry.  Below is a screen grab from the pantry thanking the school.  Well Done Sal

  

• Holsworthy Food Hub Leaflet

  Wed 19 Jul 2023

  For your Information:  Holsworthy Food Hub Leaflet