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Jubilee kitchen opening

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Published: Thursday, 07 December 2017 20:35

Written by Mrs J Baker

A brand new Food classroom at Dane Court Grammar School was opened by Chetna Makan, the 2014 British Bake Off semi finalist on Thursday 7 December 2017.

Dane Court Grammar School celebrated 60 years this summer.The school was officially founded in 1957 and was, until 1980, designated as a selective Technical High School rather than a Grammar School. In 1957 the girls were educated in the east wing, studying subjects such as Biology, French, Dressmaking and Institutional Management. Boys were educated in the west wing, studying subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Woodwork and Metalwork.

Today Dane Court students have the opportunity to study a wide curriculum including all three Sciences, Food, Computing and Design and at least two different foreign languages. The Jubilee Kitchen was created to mark the jubilee year of the School.

Food is studied by all students throughout years 7, 8 and 9 and is available as an optional choice at GCSE level. As from this year students are able to study Food Science and Technology as a Group 4 science option in Year 12 and 13 as part of the International Baccalaureate. A Level Food has been discontinued in England and Wales this course is now unique. Dane Court is one of a very small number of schools in the world offering academic study of food at Key Stage Five.

The school is grateful to Darren Ellis of Kentish Projects, who project managed the new kitchen and to Joe Baker of Enys Surveying for creating the original design; Jamie Gardiner for supplying and fitting the kitchen; Chandlers; South East ME; Dry Construction Ltd and Speciality Breads for their work and generous support.

A tree for our sixtieth

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Published: Wednesday, 06 December 2017 19:03

Written by Mr A Fowler

As the rain cleared on 1 December 2017, in National Tree Week, our students planted a tree to mark the school’s sixtieth anniversary. Andrew Fowler, Headteacher, invited Roy Copper, Chair of Governors, and Paul Luxmoore, Executive Headteacher of the Coastal Academies Trust, to help plant the tree. He then invited Dane Court students to complete the planting by shovelling in a spadeful of earth.
Mr Fowler told the students, “A tree symbolises life; an oak tree symbolises long life. The tree that we are planting today could live for 200 years. It will be growing here long after you and I have gone, and long after these buildings have disappeared. We have chosen to plant a red oak because its green leaves in the summer and its red leaves in the autumn remind us that we also change as we grow. Look after this tree! In years to come, you will be able to point it out to your children and grandchildren, and tell them, ‘I planted that tree when I was at school’.”
The Red Oak tree (Quercus rubra) was supplied by Top Branch Tree Services, whose managing director, Joe Weitzel, is a former student from Dane Court. Joe was very enthusiastic about planting the tree at his old school. He admitted that, as a student, he was fascinated by trees, and that he would have wanted to be involved in the whole planting process. Roy Copper commented, “You never know what seeds have been planted today in the minds of our students, and what they may dream of doing or becoming in the future.”

Japanese Culture - Sushi Production

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Published: Sunday, 03 December 2017 13:21

Written by Samantha Lau and Marisa Marley

Following a practical activity in their Japanese Culture lesson, sixth form students Samantha and Marisa tell us about the art of Sushi making.

Sushi is an important and well known part of Japanese cuisine. Specially prepared with vinegared rice and using a range of ingredients such as uncooked fish, seafood and vegetables. Sushi can be prepared and presented with a diversity of styles, for example, onigiri; a ball of rice shaped like a triangle and wrapped in nori (seaweed).

During our Year 13 Japanese Cultural lesson we have been introduced to making sushi by our teacher, Miki Sensei. Many of us have not made sushi before or even tried it! So we began the lesson by watching a clear demonstration as she talked us through the process step by step. To save time she had already prepared the sushi rice, toppings, seasoning mix, cutlery and makisus. A makisu is a mat woven from bamboo and cotton string, specially made for rolling sushi.

Making Sushi

1. First, the rice should boiled until cooked then placed into a tray or mixing bowl.
2. Next, add the sushi seasoning mix into the rice and mix well.
3. Place a sheet of nori on the makisu with the shiny side facing downwards, the rough side facing upwards so the rice can stick better.
4. Cover half the sheet of nori with a considerable amount of rice and spread with your fingers. The rice is sticky so it is best to use some cold water to soak your fingers in before spreading.
5. Puff it up with your favourite toppings! Place them in the middle of the rice, covering from both ends.
6. Now the challenging part… Lift up the end of the makisu closer to you with your thumbs whilst placing your fingers on top of the toppings. Slowly lift up and roll it over the toppings and ensure the rice sticks. Keep rolling while pulling back the makisu so it doesn’t become part of your sushi!
7. When the roll is finished, let the roll sit on top of the edge of the nori so it doesn’t unroll.
8. Place the sushi roll onto the chopping board and cut into pieces (sizes depend on your preference).
9. Add soy sauce and/or wasabi (optional).
10. Enjoy!

Additionally, we made special origami boxes out of beautiful origami paper following clear steps written and drawn out kindly by Miki Sensei. Most of us either ate or discarded the ends of the sushi roll as it doesn’t look as appealing, then we put the rest of our sushi in box with cling film to take home.

Reflections
Some students discovered that they did not like the taste of sushi but it’s the process of making it that counts! Overall the class enjoyed the process of making the sushi and boxes, also the outcome of them trying sushi for the first time was great! Some students really enjoyed the lesson and it even encouraged them to make sushi outside of school to bring in for lunch.

It was a really valuable experience and enjoyable lesson, not to mention learning things within Japanese culture in all our other lessons were great too. The course as a whole teaches you a few beneficial phrases if you were to ever go to Japan, also things you should and should not do in Japan which would make your way around much easier and simpler. It is definitely a recommendable course and worth partaking in.

Table tennis teams top the board

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Published: Friday, 24 November 2017 21:11

Written by Mr R Pugh

Tuesday 14 November 2017 - Kent Schools Team Table Tennis Tournament held at the Medway Park Sports Centre.
Two years ago, Dane Court returned from this event with one gold medal and two bronzes which was an achievement that would never be easy to exceed but such is the strength of Table Tennis at the school across the age range and with both boys and girls that this year amazingly all 4 teams took home medals to record by far the most success out of any of the 21 competing schools.

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