EcoSoc members visited The University of Exeter, Tremough Campus on Wednesday 10th November as part of our research looking at plastics in gull pellets.  

Harvey Parker (year 10), suggested that we should look at gull pellets to see if there were any plastics in them.  Harvey’s idea has resulted in our research project working with The University of Exeter.

We are working with Prof. Jon Blount and some of his undergraduates to identify the type of plastics in gull pellets.  We found plastics in gull pellets collected from sites in Coverack.  FTIR spectroscopy was used to determine the type of plastic in the pellets, which identifies plastics by the wavelength of reflected light and matching them to known patterns. Plastics in the pellets were found to be polyethylene, which is a plastic commonly used in single use items.

This work was filmed by the BBC and featured on Spotlight News.  Please click on the video below if you would like to see the recording.

On Monday 4 October TV Chef and restaurateur, John Hooker, visited our Year 11 Catering students to mark the opening of our new food technology and catering rooms.  John, who owns the critically acclaimed Cornish Arms in Tavistock, was very impressed with our new facilities.  He talked to the students about the opportunities available in the industry, his own journey and also about the importance of learning the key life skill of being a good cook.

“There is a place for everyone in the industry, it doesn’t matter if you are working in a burger van or a 3 Michelin Star restaurant, the key is to source good ingredients and focus on cooking them well. By working hard and focusing on doing things well you can deliver the customer a wonderful food experience.”

We would like to thank John for taking the time to drive down and visit us.  It is much appreciated.  The students got the chance to show off their bread baking skills and to get some tips from one of the best in the business.

Despite the Covid restrictions Mullion School managed to put on a hugely successful Team Event Sports Day. Sports Day is a really important part of the school calendar here at Mullion and we were determined we should be able to provide a worthwhile opportunity for our young people even with Covid restrictions in place. Mrs Bunyan devised an inclusiveTeam focussed solution to replace the traditional Athletics based day. It was a fantastic event and all pupils and staff had a great day!

It was a really positive morning on Results Day at Mullion School with students in good spirits as they came to collect their grades and to see their teachers.  Over 80% of students achieved higher grades in both English and Maths.  Stand out performers were Carys Carpenter with seven grade 9’s, Sebastian Travis with six grade 9s, Emilia Arden-Wiles and Tristan Shanahan-Mallows with five 9’s and Ben Roskilly and Elizabeth Goodwin who both achieved four GCSEs at grade 9!

Headteacher Wayne Randle said, “We have had such a good morning with lots of happy faces as the students have done really well, with so many of them getting both English and Maths and securing their places on their chosen college courses.  We are very proud of them all as they have shown true resilience and determination in such difficult times and it is only right to celebrate their achievements.  I also want to thank the staff of Mullion School for all of their hard work, dedication and passion in what has been a really challenging year.  Congratulations to the young people for doing so well and we wish them all good luck for the future. I am tremendously proud of them all.”

We are pleased to announce a full refurbishment of our Food Technology room, and as you can see it is looking great. Catering and hospitality are key industries in our part of the world and at Mullion we are proud to have invested in what we see as a vital pathway for our young people.