December Newsletter
23rd December 2025
Interview with Stacey McShane– By IG
IG: If you could describe your morning routine as an animal, what would it be and why?
SM: I would be a sloth to begin with because it takes me quite a while to get up in the morning but once I’m up I’m a bit of a meerkat looking around everywhere. I then go out for half an hour’s walk before coming to school.
IG: Who’s more mischievous, your cat or your dog?
SM: My cat. His name is Gizmo. Gizmo is supposed to be a very quiet, cuddly British shorthair that is cuddly. On the contrary, he’s a very noisy, chatty, cheery cat who will climb up on everything. He will also chase everything. He has his own playroom in my house. He learnt how to open the door of the playroom so we had to change the door handle so he couldn’t open the door anymore. He also learnt how to open the food cupboard, so we have a child lock on it.
IG: With dogs you usually would train them to do tricks does your dog know any tricks?
SM: He has received some training as a gun dog so he knows how to retrieve things and bring them back. He is also being taught by one of the pupils in school how to search for things. A couple of weeks ago, we got lots of plastic cups and we put treats under the cups. We then sent him out to search and find the treats under the cups. He’s learning to do spins. However, we’re only slowly getting there with that.
IG: What’s something that students might be surprised to learn you enjoy?
SM: Well, I think most people know I go out running, but they might be surprised to know that I do half marathon running. A half marathon covers 13 miles. I go out on trails into the countryside and run with my dog.
I also do a lot of walking and hiking and over the last three years, I’ve done a significant amount of walking, with the longest walk I’ve done being 35 miles in one day. It took twelve hours to complete.
I’ve done a couple of half marathons so far; one of them was nice, the other was not so nice. I also do a lot of running over a season. Last season for example, I did one race every month from September to March and that’s not including my training. I train in-between.
IG: Do you have any hidden talents we should know about for the next talent show?
SM: Flower arranging. I began doing this about four years ago when I got my own garden. I arrange flowers that I grow in my garden. I do my flower arrangements over the summer. I don’t go and buy flowers; they all come out my garden; Not really something for a talent competition, I guess
Football Coverage
A mix of KS3 & KS4 and staff travelled to Ballerz Indoor Football to experience a game. Teams were split equally but the game was far from close, finishing 10-1. All the pupils thoroughly enjoyed themselves and will be down for another game in 2026.