We are delighted to welcome back staff and learners to school following the half term break. Year 11 and 13 learners are in the middle of their exams and it was perhaps fitting that the citizenship exam should be today as we unveiled our new ‘Book Hub’ boxes in the Learning Resource Centre. 

 

Avid followers of this blog will recall that in April, I outlined the efforts of four of our year 11 learners who presented to Batley Multi Academy Trust Heads to establish a Book Hub so that learners could donate unwanted books for others to take home and keep and of course take some new exciting reading material for themselves. We will be swapping boxes with other Trust schools to try and provide a variety of materials over this half term and beyond. A similar idea had also been championed by our year 9 Kings Trust finalists who also focused on literacy. It is fantastic to see the level of importance our learners have placed on literacy and the simple pleasure associated with reading a good book. 

 

The points below summarise the information shared with learners this week. 

 

Key Learning & Personal Development Topics

• D-Day Remembers (6th June 1944): This week, learners are discovering the historical importance of the D-Day Normandy landings. They are learning how this huge, complex military operation marked a major turning point in World War II, leading to the liberation of France and the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany.
• Celebrating Community Values: The school community extended its warmest wishes to all families who celebrated Eid al-Adha over the half-term break. In school, learners are exploring the values of this festival, focusing on trust, kindness, charity, and caring for those who are less fortunate.
• Word and Idiom of the Week: To build vocabulary, learners are exploring the word “falter” (meaning to lose strength or momentum) alongside the idiom “fall at the final hurdle” (meaning to fail near the end of an attempt).
• Job of the Week: This week’s featured career is a Herpetologist (a scientist who studies reptiles and amphibians). To pursue this path, learners are reminded that achieving a Grade 4+ in English, Maths, and Science is essential, alongside developing teamwork and resilience.

 

Attendance & Homework Reminders

• Attend and Achieve: There is a powerful link between high school attendance and exam success. The school target for every learner is 98%. If there are any underlying issues impacting your child's attendance, please reach out to their group tutor or Achievement Leader so the school can provide support.
• Uniform Check: As the new term begins, all learners must return to full school uniform, which includes wearing their ID badges at all times.

 

Year Group Specific Notices

• Year 7: The ParentPay portal for the upcoming Alton Towers visit will be opening in the next few weeks, so please monitor your account to finalize arrangements. Form group 7EAT took the top spot for attendance before the break at 98.75%. Learners have also been issued a "Form Champions" challenge to earn extra group points this week.
• Year 8: Form tutors have selected individual "Form Champions" who will spearhead weekly challenges for their tutor groups. This week's objective is a personal challenge to secure the highest number of positive points.
• Year 9: This is a pivotal final term for Year 9, packed with core subject assessments, a rewards visit, parents' evening, and graduation events. GCSE option choices have now been finalized; due to the complexity of the scheduling process, these choices cannot be moved or altered.
• Year 10: As learners enter their final term of the academic year, they are being encouraged to step up as school leaders. Official mock exam dates will be confirmed soon; in the meantime, learners should actively prepare and organize their study materials.