Year 7 had an incredible week for both credits and attendance! We are very proud to see students pushing themselves to work to the very best of their ability in all subjects and we know that this will only continue.
Every week we celebrate these successes during our FAB Friday assembly which is led by both Miss Marshall and Miss Barker. It is our favourite time of the week! It always makes us smile hearing the students congratulate each other on their bronze/silver badges as well as their kindness to others.
Thursday's assembly was led by Ms Docherty this week, and it focused on Holocaust Remembrance Day. This is a very thought-provoking topic and Year 7 listened both maturely and carefully. Many students choosing to find out more information in their following Philosophy and Ethics lessons. During our Personal Development lesson, we have continued to focus on Careers. This week, students created a CV for their ideal job. It was great to see students applying so much creativity to the task and it was even more exciting to hear students talking about their future aspirations. We have some budding actors, doctors, bakers and astronauts... (to name a few) in the Year Group.
Below you can see some impressive French work from Miss Marshall's lesson. Year 7 have now settled into their new MFL groups after the rotation and as you can see their work is incredible!
Keep it up Year 7!
Head of Year 7: Miss B Marshall
Assistant Head of Year 7: Miss H Barker
This week Year 8 were inspired by their tutors on Monday and many of our students have received their Bronze Awards for achieving over 400 credits. We also celebrated Chinese New Year with a spectacular Lion Dance performance and some students took part in ‘Make A Wish’ activity too. Tuesday, we had an assembly from Ms Docherty on the Holocaust as Friday 27th January is National Holocaust Day. Well-being Wednesday looked at issues surrounding gambling, how prevalent it is in the media, how accessible it is and the obvious effects it can have on mental health. On Thursday, we read In the Sea There are Crocodiles which covers the theme of being a refugee and on Friday we celebrated all of our successes this week with a Fab Friday assembly from Miss Jordan, huge well done to those students that were nominated for awards by their tutors or received a prize for attendance.
Year 8 continued their thoughtful reflections of the Holocaust during Philosophy and Ethics lessons; listening closely to the fascinating testimonies of survivors. We look forward to inviting members of the year group to a Holocaust Memorial Centre in April. Further information to come.
Keep up the good work Year 8!
Head of Year 8: Mr D Mordue
Assistant Head of Year 8: Miss L Jordan
Well done Year 9 for another fantastic week. This week as a year group we have achieved 5655 positive points. Students are continuing to work hard in lessons and we continue to receive positive feedback from class teachers. On Monday, during tutor time, we celebrated Chinese New Year with students learning about the new year and celebrations including foods which are eaten and students were also able to participate in a ‘Lion Dance’ during lunch time. Many students have also taken part in our ‘Make a Wish’ activity (see photos).
Students also continued to work on their careers focus during the Personal Development Period this week. This week was focussed on ‘Key Stage 4 Options’. We shared key information with students about the Key Stage 4 options and we hope this will help to inform them in making their option choices.
It has been great to see so many students signing up for our ‘options taster sessions’. This will allow students to learn more about specific subjects, before making their option choices. Students are speaking positively about their option choices and it has been great to speak to students about this process and also support them in chooses the right courses for Key Stage 4 Options. Over the next half term there are a few key dates to support students in making their Key Stage 4 Options Choices:
On Friday, we celebrated the achievements from this week, with our Fab Friday celebrations. Well done to the following students who were recognised this week:
Positive Behaviour Points:
Attendance Prize Draw
Home Learning:
Well done to the following students who have achieved ‘Bronze Award’ for achieving 400 positive points this half term:
Fantastic work from the following students who have achieved ‘Silver Award’ for reaching 600 positive points this year:
We are so pleased to also announce our first 'Gold Award' winners, who have achieved 800 points! Well done!!
Head of Year 9: Miss I Sheldon
Assistant Head of Year 9: Miss A Lloyd
This week in their Sociology lessons Year 10 have continued their learning in the Household and Families unit; looking closely at Marxist, feminist and functionalist views on the family. This led to lively debates about Young and Wilmott's concept of the 'symmetrical family' (the idea that both parents in the family take joint responsibility for the domestic side of family life) and whether this is something we see within our own families. In their Cambridge National lessons, students have been completing coursework where they are reviewing their practical skills in their chosen sport. They have also shown great focus in their practical lessons where they have been applying and refining key badminton skills
Three of our Silver Duke of Edinburgh Ambassadors (Oliver C, Ella L and Niamh O'B) delivered a charming presentation at our staff briefing on Monday to share information about the Duke of Edinburgh programme and ask staff to volunteer their time to support the weekend training and expedition sessions. I'm sure they persuaded many staff to support the hundreds of students taking part in the Bronze, Silver and Gold programme this year – I am certainly looking forward to camping in the Peaks with Year 10.
Head of Year 10: Mrs L Munro
Assistant Head of Year 10: Miss C Thomas
A busy half term continues for Year 11, following the successful Careers Fair, we have had excellent attendance at our Parents' Evenings. This has been an invaluable opportunity for parents and staff to discuss how best your child can be supported this year.
This week, the Year 11 Achievement Team have been meeting 1-1 with every student in Year 11 to offer academic and pastoral support and guidance as we approach the summer exams. The Year 11 Team will be supporting our students with the areas identified following these meetings. One area that we will be focusing on is supporting students with revision strategies and to create a clear revision timetable of 2 hours a day to support their studies (please see example timetable).
Week beginning Mondays 6th February and 20th February are the next round of Year 11 mock assessments. Students have their timetable for w/b 6th February and will soon been provided with the timetable for w/b 20th February. The 11.2 reports were shared with parents electronically and at Parents Evening. Students have also had a version of the report on page 63 of their planner. Please use this information to focus their revision timetable as we approach the mock assessments.
Please do not hesitate to contact your child's tutor to seek any support for their academic studies or pastoral support. We are cognisant to ensure students feel this balanced support throughout Year 11.
Head of Year 11: Miss L Hughes
Year 11 Achievement Leader: Mr R Wickens
Ex St Peters students from Toot Hill school, Art Ambassadors and current St Peters students have been attending art workshops as part of a collaborative project with St Peters Primary School to create imaginative art work. This week three previous St Peters students, Evie F, Gabriella C and Ruby W from Year 10 have been working with Mrs S Gray and Ms H Timmins, also a previous St Peter's student to paint and collage the student's art work onto the wall in their hall, to create an innovative map of East Bridgford.
DofE Ambassadors
Ella L, Niamh O and Oliver C from Year 10 were successful in their applications to become our first ever DofE Ambassadors. As bronze graduates and current silver participants they are in a great position to help shape DofE at Toot Hill, both now and into the future. They have already presented to the teachers at briefing, provided advice and guidance on the best location for the DofE notice board and acted as positive role roles for DofE around school. Their next projects involve interviewing DofE participants for this bulletin, providing student voice on a range of topics and helping to the manage the DofE board which will be a hub of communication, something they all mentioned was necessary whilst on interview. Well done and thank you for all your efforts so far!
Photos of the Week
This week I am going to focus on the skills section. Students can choose from a number of different categories including performing arts, life skills and music, plus many more. Ching Yi is looking after her pet guinea pigs, Meghan C is practicing her drawing in the creative arts section, and Ellie E is improving her blending and colouring skills. Well done to you all, keep up the great work.
Assessor's Reports
The quickest and easiest way to get an assessor report is to send this link to your child's assessor https://www.dofe.org/assessor/. As soon as I receive the report from the assessor, I can sign it off for your child.
Useful DofE Links
Click on the relevant link for Skill, Physical & Volunteering ideas, a DofE Activity Log or a DofE Assessor Report.
Dates for Your Diary
FAQ's – see www.toothillschool.co.uk/dofe
Mr Tinsley
mtinsley@toothillschool.co.uk
Next week is Reading Week which means that reading for pleasure will be a whole school focus.
The Learning Lounge is offering the following activities at lunch time. In a change to the original schedule, our visiting author, Jamie Russell will be in school on 7th February instead of the 1st February.
The Learning Lounge will be launching a competition for National Storytelling Week. We are asking students to write a mini saga in a hundred words; we have given a starting sentence and a grid to fill in a hundred-word story. Entry forms can be collected from the LL issue desk and the closing date to hand them in is Friday 24th February. Winners will be invited to choose any book from the book fair arriving the following week. We are looking forward to reading some brilliant mini sagas!
Toot Hill School
Train to teach with the Nottinghamshire Torch SCITT