Yet another action packed week has passed and it is important to highlight the tireless work of staff to make sure a range of activities are organised so well. Following the success of the Year 13 prom we were able to enjoy the Year 11 prom. As always our learners arrived looking very elegant and their conduct throughout the evening was impeccable, all were fantastic ambassadors for the school.

 

On Tuesday, we saw the largest visit in a number of years leave the school, with 500 learners visiting Alton Towers as a reward for their Brilliance Bucket activities. Central to this was of course good attendance and sadly attendance following the visit was far from good at below 90%. As always we review activities and their success. In this case we responded to learner voice, offered a larger visit, but sadly it did not have the impact we would have liked. We will now focus on smaller, more frequent rewards to encourage and recognise the efforts of learners through the year. 

 

Gary Kibble 

 

Information for Parents & Carers

 

 

1. Rewards & Learner Recognition

• Reading Rewards: Teachers award digital ClassCharts rewards for great reading habits or strong vocabulary development. Weekly winners from Years 7–11 get to choose a free book from the school's book vending machine.
• The 5 Cs Achievements: Positive recognition points are heavily tracked across our core values: Character, Creativity, Collaboration, Community, and Connection. Termly prize draws are held for the top 5 learners in each year group, look out for the last one this year as we approach the end of term. 

 

2. Literacy & Learning Expectations

• Word and Idiom of the Week: This week’s focus word is "vigilant" (meaning to keep a careful watch for difficulties or danger). The companion idiom is "on the ball" (being quick to understand and react). Learners are encouraged to use these in classes to earn connection points.

 

3. Extracurricular Opportunities & Clubs

• Community Book Group (Years 7 & 8): This popular group will meet on Thursday 9 July at lunchtime in the Lecture Theatre. This term's book is The Hidden Story of Estie Noor by Nadine Aisha Jassat. Copies are available in Room 92, and a free lunch is provided for participants.
• PE Clubs: All year groups are welcome to join active after-school clubs running from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the Sports Hall. Options include Volleyball and Taekwondo on Mondays, and Mixed Sports and Darts on Tuesdays. (Please ensure learners bring their full PE kit and water).
• Art Club (Years 7–9): Runs on Mondays from 3:00pm to 4:00pm in Room 45. Parental consent must be completed online via ParentPay. A school late bus is available at 4:00 pm for £1.50.