Welcome back! The Year 7 pastoral team cannot believe that we are in the final half term of Year 7, time flies when you're having fun!
This week during tutor period students have had an assembly from Mr Mordue on appropriate use of social media and how we can all use it to be more supportive of one another. On Well-Being Wednesday students looked at the role of a young carer, Thursday there were interesting discussions around the role of parliament and then on Friday students listened to part of a podcast on LGBTQ issues.
As the weather (hopefully) warms up over the next few weeks we still have high uniform expectations and students must always wear their blazers until given permission to remove them in class, could we also remind students to bring a water bottle to school that they can refill at break and lunch times to remain hydrated.
This week there have been three new starters from the Ukraine and it has been lovely to see how welcome they have been made to feel. As always, the year group continue to make us proud with their empathy and supportiveness towards others.
Support link: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/sex-relationships/healthy-relationships/
Visit the NSPCC for support with talking about difficult topics: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/talking-about-difficult-topics/
Head of Year 7: Mr D Mordue Assistant Head of Year 7: Miss L Jordan
Well done Year 8 for a fantastic start to the half term. This week Year 8 students have achieved 2815 positive points. It has been great to see students achieving our Star of the Lesson award and making a positive start to their lessons. In English, it has been great to see students continuing to engage in their work on ‘Animal Farm’. Students will complete an assessment in English, the week beginning Monday 20 June 2022. This assessment will be focused on ‘Animal Farm’ and students are spending time in lessons linking the text back to corruption and abuse of power. This half term in Maths students will be covering a range of topics including ratio, factorising algebraic expressions and translation, rotation and reflection. We continue to be impressed with the work which is being produced in lessons, well done Year 8.
Our Personal Development Curriculum has also covered a range of topics this week. On Thursday, we are completing a Citizenship unit. This unit covers the role of voluntary groups and public institutions, along with money management and the nature of laws. Our Wellbeing Wednesday focus is ‘Place and Planet’. Topics covered this half term include, healthy eating, the impact of a calm environment on our wellbeing and the importance of the NHS in keeping us healthy. We have also shared attendance information with students this week. Tutors have shared students’ Year to Date attendance and also a target attendance for students to achieve by the end of Year 8. Every student has a different target, based on their current attendance. We will be including rewards in our End of Year Achievement Assembly for students who achieve their target attendance. Please contact your child’s tutor, if you have any questions about your child’s attendance.
Well done the Year 8 boys who represented school in a Cricket Fixture on Wednesday. We were impressed with how well students represented school, in a very competitive match. There will be lots of opportunities to represent school in our summer sports fixtures and we are encouraging students to speak to their PE teacher if they would like to be involved in this. Our Extended Study provision also starts next week and we will be sharing the Half Term 6 timetable with students at the beginning of next week.
Finally thank you parents/carers who attended the T and S Band online Parents Evening on Thursday. Teachers had lots of positive feedback to share with parents/carers and also provide a progress update as we approach Year 9. We have our second online Parents Evening for H Band students on Wednesday 15 June 2022. Please contact your child’s tutor if you have any questions about this.
Well done Year 8, a positive first week back. Keep it up.
Support Link: https://www.sja.org.uk/get-advice/
Visit the NSPCC for support with talking about difficult topics: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/talking-about-difficult-topics/
Year 8: Miss I Sheldon
It has been wonderful to see our Year 9s back after the half term break, for their final half term of Key Stage 3. The vast majority of the year group continue to represent us impeccably, wearing the correct uniform and arriving to lessons punctually. Our drive on attendance means that whole-year-group figures are continuing to increase, and we are confident that this will continue throughout the last half term. The students, from the graphs in their planners, know how much attendance affects overall achievement, and it is pleasing to see them recognise this in their efforts to attend each day.
Through tutor time and assembly, we have emphasised the importance of coming to speak to us if there are any barriers to them attending each day as we are here to help and support in any way we can.
It has been a pleasure to visit many lessons this week; from Bunsen burner experiments in Science, to cricket in PE and reincarnation in Philosophy and Ethics to paper manipulation in Fashion and Textiles. Students have been engaged and ready to make the most of their final weeks of learning in Year 9.
Several subjects have in classroom assessments this half term; results of which will feed into the decisions around tiering in Year 10. Please support your in child in having time and space to revise as necessary and contact your child's teacher if you have any questions.
Support Link: https://www.sja.org.uk/get-advice/
Visit the NSPCC for support with talking about difficult topics: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/talking-about-difficult-topics/
Head of Year 9: Mrs L Munro Assistant Head of Year 9: Miss C Thomas
A huge welcome back to Year 10 following half term.
It has been wonderful to see how quickly our year have settled into their learning routines. Year 10 have been working hard to ensure that they have their Work Experience placements sorted with Mrs Farmer and are preparing for their upcoming assessments starting week commencing Monday 20th June 2022.
I am very pleased to be back as Head of Year and want to say a huge thank you to Mr Wickens and the year team for everything they have done for Year 10 in my absence.
Head of Year 10: Miss L Hughes
A huge welcome back to Year 11!
We now only have a few weeks left of the academic year. Again. we must congratulate our students for pushing through another very busy week of exams straight after half term. We are incredibly proud of their resilience to tune back in after the week break, they have all returned focused and with a positive mind set which is great to see. As a result, we have no doubt that Year 11 will continue to work hard and continue their efforts with revision.
In exciting news, students now can purchase leavers hoodies. These are available for £16.25 and can be ordered directly from the online shop. Unfortunately, there is no facility for any order to be accepted within school.
If you wish to place an order, please go to https://shop.dactylpublishing.com/hoodies
In the yellow bar where it states, ‘Enter Your School Code' type 40A61F and click ‘Go!’
This facility will close at midnight on Friday 24th June 2022 and there will be no facility to accept late orders.
Year 11 Pastoral Lead: Miss B Marshall Year 11 Achievement Lead: Miss P Gordon
Over the next two weeks all Year 9 Bronze DofE pupils will be taking part in their Qualifying Expedition. This is a bit like an exam and is an opportunity for the pupils to demonstrate their navigation, map reading and camp craft skills under the watchful eyes of independently appointed DofE assessors. The sun is shining today, and we hope all pupils have a great experience!
As it is now four months since the Bronze and Silver DofE launch, all students should already be in the process of, or getting ready to, ask their assessor for an assessor's report. You can use an electronic assessors report or an assessor's report card (included in your welcome pack - download a copy here).
Our DofE researchers Jessie H and Lucy W from 10.10 have again been out interviewing students, and this week we hear from Year 9 student Sally A. Sally has done an amazing job with her skill, physical and volunteering activities and has already organized her assessor's reports - well done!
Why did you decide to do DofE?
Because I like the outdoors and camping, especially with friends.
What activities are you doing?
I have completed all my activities. For volunteering I helped with sports clubs at St Peters Primary School. For skill I did piano lessons, and for physical I did hockey.
How prepared are you for your expedition?
I am well prepared, with all the correct equipment. I have sorted out the clothes I am taking and the food I will have.
Why would you recommend DofE to a Year 8 student?
It is a great opportunity and experience, it gets you out and active, and you can have fun with friends.
Dates for Your Diary
Friday 10th - Saturday 11th June 2022: Bronze DofE Qualifying Expedition Option 1
Friday 24th - Saturday 25th June 2022: Bronze DofE Qualifying Expedition Option 2
Friday 24th June 2022: Deadline for the penultimate Silver DofE Payment
Friday 15th - Saturday 16th July: Silver Practice Expedition
Autumn 2022: The launch of Bronze DofE for the new Year 9s, Silver DofE for the new Year 10s and Gold DofE for Toot Hill College students
FAQ's – see www.toothillschool.co.uk/dofe
Mr Tinsley
mtinsley@toothillschool.co.uk
Toot Hill School
Train to teach with the Nottinghamshire Torch SCITT