Newsletter - Week ending 5th July 2013
w/b 8th July is week 2
Dear Parent/Carer
The newsletter is written in line with the school improvement plan. The areas in blue are the objectives the school is working towards this year.
Below is a news in brief section which lists the main information points you can find in our newsletter.
A summary of the news this week:
· G & T Literacy day
· Enrichment
· Practicathon
· Y8 sex education
· Recruitment
· Attendance
· Exam results
· Year 6 transition
· Y10 geography trip
· Y9 geography options
· Y10 exams
· SEND donations
· Thorpe Park
· Charity night
· Dates
TL1 Highest expectations
G&T Literacy Day
Last Thursday, 6 Year 9 students participated in planning, organising and delivering a Gifted and Talented Day with 12 Year 5 and 6 pupils from Brooklands Primary School. This day had a strong focus on literacy and consisted of various writing tasks based on what they had seen and experienced at Turnford School that day.
The day was a huge success with the Year 9s impressing the English department as well as Brooklands School’s students and teachers. Please congratulate the 6 Year 9s on their fantastic day: James Dunn, Harry Biswell, Joe Meader, Lucy Reddin, Natasha Mulqueen and Nisha Patel.
Here are a few pictures from the day:
Enrichment
Thank you to Parents who attended our consultation meeting with regard to enrichment. The following was fed back to us which we will take into consideration:
· To try activities out of students’ comfort zone e.g. THFC students not to enroll for football enrichment.
· To try all activities and not be allowed to repeat. This would be in order to widen students’ experience of activities.
Practicathon update
As this is Arts week our students have been working hard and on Thursday 4th July staff were invited to see the drama/dance/music performances that had been created. There were also some brilliant pieces of art work to be seen. Well done to all. The standard was very high and this is raising money for the Lister Magic of Play Appeal.
TL2 Improve the quality of teaching
Re: Year 8 Sex Education
On Friday 12th July 2013 Year 8 will be participating in a Sex Education morning in school. They will attend their usual lesson period 5.
The programme for the day will include information on the following topics:-
· Sexual Reproduction
· Contraception
· Sexually Transmitted Infections and Hygiene
· Appropriate behaviour
If you do not wish your child to participate, or if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Miss K Green, Senior Teacher for Inclusion.
Recruitment
As I reported last week this term has been exceptionally busy with recruitment. I was adamant that I would only recruit quality teachers for Turnford and in some subjects this took quite a few attempts! However I am delighted to report that we are fully staffed and we welcome the new staff for September listed below:
Ms A Sikora – EAL TA
Mr A Williams – TA
Mr D Cook – TA
Mrs S Nicholson – Music
Mr A Kennedy – Law
Mr F Howells – 2nd in Science
Ms B Nee – English/History
Miss S Thomas – Art
Mr M Hampson – SMSC
Mrs S Grant – SMSC
Miss Sophie Murray – 2nd in MFL
Mr R Parma – Science
Miss V Colley – 2nd in Maths
Miss K Graham – Maths
Mr A Sesay - Maths
BA 1 Exceed national attendance
We are clear on this - absence from school has impact! Our highest performing students across the board have high attendance. .
L1 To focus all of the senior and middle leadership roles on an unrelenting shared strategy to become an outstanding school
Exam results days are – AS/A2 and equivalent from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Thursday 15th August in 6th form block.
GCSEs and equivalent on Thursday 22nd August between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the 6th form block.
If your child is unable to collect the results in person they need to either give a SAE into the exams office before the end of term or arrange for someone to collect the results. However, results will not be released without a signed note from your child giving permission for that person to collect them.
Calendar -A calendar for the 2013/2014 academic year will be available with next week’s newsletter.
TL2 Improve the quality of teaching
Year 6 parents
If any of our year 6 parents have started to read our newsletters we have pleasure in reminding them of a few dates:
Monday 8th July 6.30 Transition evening
Thursday 11th July Transition day for year 6 students.
Come into school on Friday 12th July or Monday 15th July for the new intake Head’s coffee morning from 9-10 a.m. for any questions or issues you wish to discuss.
The team have been busy with transition visits to the primary schools and we have a transition evening, transition day and coffee mornings booked in (see above) to help all the Year 6 pupils have a worry free start at Turnford. We look forward to welcoming them to the new HUB in September
Year 10 GCSE Geography Kingswood trip
Thank you to all of you that have already paid your balance in full for this trip. Can I please remind those of you that still have outstanding payments the final payments for this trip are now overdue. If there are any issues regarding this please can you contact me ASAP on Many thanks, Miss Boughey.
Year 9 students who have selected Geography as a GCSE option
You should have received a letter this week regarding your son/daughter’s controlled assessment residential trip to Osmington Bay PGL, Dorset. As I discussed with many of you at the options evening it is an exam board requirement that these students participate in fieldwork to collect data for this report which is worth 25% of their final GCSE Geography grade. This trip will run from 30th June 2014 – 4th July 2014 and will cost £360. If you would like any further information on the location we are visiting please use the following web link: http://www.pgl.co.uk/PGLWeb/individuals/centres/OsmingtonBay.htm. If you have any issues/questions regarding this trip please can you contact me ASAP on Many thanks, Miss Boughey.
Y10 exams
Year 10 French and Spanish exam is on Monday 8th July during periods 3 and 4.
Please make sure your child attends school that day.
BS2 Ensure all vulnerable groups are making expected progress
Donations needed for the SEND Department!
Are you planning to have a sort out during the summer holidays? We are looking for some lego sets to boost the sets that we have already.
Also any DVDs that are suitable for our pupils to watch at lunchtime in ACe would be appreciated. Anything that is a U or PG rating would be fantastic.
Donations can be given into either main or student reception marked Ace. Many thanks. Michelle Tate HLTA KS3
L2 Ensure consistency
We will do our utmost to reply to you within 24 hours to a query. Our best form of communication is email.
Thorpe Park Trip
Please note that students not coming on the Thorpe Park reward trip are expected to be in school. Thank you.
We will be holding a Fundraising Charity Event on Saturday 13th July 2013 starting at 7.30pm. We are raising money for Breast Cancer Campaign as two members of staff here are currently undergoing treatment for this. We are hoping to raise approximately £2,000 for this charity. As you can imagine this is not an easy task, but we hope that with your help this target will be achievable.
The evening will be a concert style event with various acts including singing, dancing and musicians. Tickets will be on sale from 17th June 2013 at £10.00 each. This will include a finger buffet. Please send monies into school finance office clearly marked One Night Only with the Students Name and how many tickets you require .We have had some raffle prizes donated by local businesses if you would be able to supply us with a raffle prize we would be really grateful. We are also hiring out a limited number of tables for £20.00 each, these are for selling goods, i.e jewellery, make up, cards, clothes etc. If you would be interested in hiring a table please contact Mary Dettmar on 01992 308333 x 213.
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Dates
19th July end of term. 12 noon finish
Monday 2nd September Inset day
Term restarts Tuesday 3rd September for new Year 7
Wednesday 4th September all students in school
Tuesday 9th July and Thursday 11th July Sports Presentation Evenings.
6th FORM IMPORTANT DATES (SUMMER TERM)
Date / Event details / Who does it involve?14th June / University convention / Year 12 students are invited to attend their first University experience day at Hertfordshire university
17th/18th June / Year 12 ARD / On this ARD day students are asked to reflect on their year and also to discuss the students’ progress as well as their place in the senior school in year 13
19th June / University Information day / Finance evening / Today students who are interested in University will undertake a series of seminars to discuss their options Post 6th Form
19th June / Year 12 parents HOY meeting (**NEW DATE**) / Parents will hear about the route map to year 13 as well as university, Finance and Apprenticeships – time 6pm
20th June / Survey day / Enterprise day / Politics and voting day for Head Boy / Girl / All year 12 students will complete an attitudinal survey on line in regards to their 6th Form experience to help us better shape their experiences in school as well as hearing from potential head boy and head girl applicants
21st June / Finance (budgets) CV/WEX /Interview preparation day / All students will need to prepare a CV / look for WEX opportunities / and complete a full job interview on this day – feedback to all students will be provided
22nd June / University Open day
University of East Anglia Open / Year 12 students have the opportunity to attend the University of East Anglia Open day (Saturday) - Please get your consent form and £10 to Vanessa ASAP
24th June / Year 13 lessons begin / All year 12 students who successfully graduate to year 13 will begin their lessons as year 13 students on Monday 24th June. Lessons will end on Friday 5th July
2nd July / Induction day for new year 12s / Year 11 students who have applied for our 6th Form will have their induction day today. Parents will be welcome to an evening event to explain the routemap through the 2 years
5th July / Senior School lessons finish / Friday BBQ to celebrate with assembly / football tournament
6th July / University Open day
University of Loughborough / Year 12 students have the opportunity to attend the University of Loughborough open day - Please get your consent form and £10 to Vanessa ASAP
10th July / University Open day
University of Portsmouth / Year 12 students have the opportunity to attend the University of Portsmouth Open day – THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL
15th – 19th July / 6th Form Work Experience week / Students are encouraged to look for part time / summer jobs to develop their final phase in the learn to learn series.
15th August / Senior School results day / A Level results will be available from 10am in the 6th Form.
** Dates are subject to change – please watch regularly each week