October 2017
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Frederick Bremer News October 2017 What a fantastic start to the academic year! I would like to welcome the class of 2022 and our new staff who have recently joined us, as well as our older pupils and staff. I’m excited to announce that we are the first school in the borough of Waltham Forest to receive the Young Carers Bronze Award. I would like to thank Ms Davies, the School Counsellor and Family Support Coordinator, and Ms Jill Ennis from London Borough of Waltham Forest Young Carers Project, without their help we would not have achieved this award. I would also like to thank all our staff for all their hard work to make sure that all our young carers achieve their full potential. A huge congratulations to Mrs Turner and 9 of our pupils past and present who were nominated for a Jack Petchey Award. They received their awards at the Walthamstow Assembly Hall earlier this month. We had a terrific Open Evening with so many great activities going on throughout the evening. We hope all those that attended had an awe-inspiring experience. We have also been celebrating Black History this October with great activities and influential role models including Olympic Medallist Asha Phillip. Additionally our Year 11s attended Progression Evening, where colleges and Sixth Forms could explain courses and offer prospectuses. Last but certainly not least, we have had our best GCSE results ever. The class of 2017 outdid themselves with all their hard working, reaping some outstanding results. 72% 9-4 (A*-C) in English Language 79% 9-4 (A*-C) in English Literature 62% 9-4 (A*-C) in Maths 17% of all GCSE results were grade A+/7+ We also had a few of our current Year 10s sit their Spanish GCSE with a total of 71% A*-C (9-5) 43% A-A* (9-8) We hope that our next half term is as successful as this one has been. Ms Smith Headteacher Follow us on twitter: @FBSchoolE17 Facebook @frederickbremerschool Website: www.bremer.org.uk Attendance Matters Many of you will have received an e-Postcard congratulating your child on maintaining 100% attendance in these first few weeks of the new academic year. The chart below shows the impact attendance has on a child’s final GCSE grades in English and Maths. As you can see, pupils with above 95% attendance scored significantly higher than those with below 80% attendance. It is important that all parent/carer(s) work with the school to ensure a high percentage of attendance. As stated under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996, it is the legal responsibility of all parent/carer(s) to ensure their child attends the school at which he/ she is registered, regularly and punctually. The very positive news is that the school’s attendance is on the verge of 95% for the term and heading towards our 96% target. Thank you for your support in achieving this. Follow us on twitter: @FBSchoolE17 Facebook @frederickbremerschool Website: www.bremer.org.uk Banned Items Reminder We have recently changed our banned items policy, which majority of pupils are taking to with ease. We would like to use this time to remind you of these changes, to see any amendments in the future please see our website for up to date information. As we are a caring school, there are certain items that we do not allow onto the school premises for Health and Safety reasons and / or because valuable teaching time can be lost when items are misplaced. We request that Parent / Carers ensure that the following items are NOT brought into school under any circumstances. We, therefore, do not accept responsibility for any missing or stolen items that are listed below. Confiscated food and drink will be disposed of. Pupils will be sanctioned for bringing these items into school and WILL have them confiscated. We operate a Red bag policy for confiscated items. Mobile Phones (Pupils are permitted to use the phone in the school office in an emergency) Music devices and earphones Large amounts of money (no more than £10) Expensive ICT devices NB: Possession of some of these Electronic equipment including portable games consoles items may incur a more serious Fidget spinners– will be permanently confiscated sanction including permanent Cigarettes, E-cigarettes, lighters and matches exclusion Stink bombs Lasers of any description Chewing gum Energy drinks (Red Bull, Monster etc.) Knives, screwdrivers, tools or items that may cause harm. Tattooing ink or needles In addition, pupils are not allowed to: Wear excessive jewellery or body piercing (please see the uniform guide) Buy or sell items to other pupils Lend or borrow money Play penny up Either on school premises or travelling to and from school Parents/Carers will be allowed to collect the item as follows: Day Confiscated Day Available to Collect Mon-Thurs Friday Friday The following Friday We thank you in advance for your support in ensuring our pupils meet all expectations. If you have any questions with regards to the Behaviour Policy, please refer to the school website or kindly send me an email. Read Write Fresh Start- Congratulations Year 7!! Congratulations to the first set of Read Write Fresh Start graduates who have passed their Set One Sounds with flying colours!! Read Write Fresh Start is an intervention that will help to improve the literacy level of our pupils and its clearly working. The scheme is delivered in bite-sizes with pupils getting the basics of phonological awareness through Set 1, Set 2 and Set 3 sounds. All of these pupils have mastered the Set 1 Sounds!!!!! ‘I like sounding out the words,’ said Alex. ‘This group is fun!’ added Kai. ‘I like at the end we all choose a song to sing, which is fun,’ commented Al-Ameen. It is a real commitment on their part to attend this intervention after school. Keep it up!! Follow us on twitter: @FBSchoolE17 Facebook @frederickbremerschool Website: www.bremer.org.uk We would like to thank all those who donated or helped collect supplies for those effected by the tragic events that occurred at Grenfell Tower. We have received letters thanking us for our donations from both Oxfam and The KC Foundation. Follow us on twitter: @FBSchoolE17 Facebook @frederickbremerschool Website: www.bremer.org.uk Parliament Visit On Wednesday 11th October, 25 of the highest-achieving Year 9 pupils experienced a rare insider’s look into the home of British democracy, the Houses of Parliament, complete with a full guided tour and special workshop on representation and voting. Pupils were welcomed into Parliament on a Wednesday, when Prime Minister’s Questions takes place, and pupils were keen to try and spot some of the many other famous MPs around! Pupils were led around the famous building, getting to visit the Queen’s Robing Room and the House of Lords as well as bumping into a number of MPs from around the country. They then took part in a special workshop where they were able to understand first – hand how democracy works, by being placed into constituencies, creating their own political parties with slogans, writing a manifesto and voting for the party that they felt best represented them. The day finished off with the pupils choosing their own Prime Minister, a very respectable position! All in all, this was a huge success for Year 9, and, as well as gaining an insight into democracy, pupils were shown that a career in politics is not as impossible as it may have seemed before their visit. Follow us on twitter: @FBSchoolE17 Facebook @frederickbremerschool Website: www.bremer.org.uk Progression Evening We held our annual Progression Evening for Year 11s last Thursday 12th October. Over 20 providers came to present to our pupils. Providers ranged from Independent Sixth Form Schools to Apprenticeship Providers and Further Education Colleges. Presentations were also held in our school hall discussing the application process for sixth form and support that the school can offer. “I left with three different prospectuses for colleges that really suited my interests. I am now planning my applications.” Fabian We would like to thank all the providers for coming to this event. Also a big thanks to administration and support staff, Senior Leadership, the PTA and our attendees for making Progression Evening such a wonderful event. Miss G Ray- Careers and Progression Leader Follow us on twitter: @FBSchoolE17 Facebook @frederickbremerschool Website: www.bremer.org.uk Duke of Edinburgh Thirty-six Year 11 FB pupils are on-track to achieve their D of E Bronze Award having successfully completed their assessed expedition. Pupils set off from either Epping or Theydon Bois Stations and navigated across Epping Forest to their campsite. They camped, cooked their own food and navigated back to the starting point. At the end of their expedition the pupils were tired but delighted to have passed the test. Mr. Larkin commented ‘The pupils were an absolute credit to themselves, their families and the school’. The school is pleased that over 50 Year 10 pupils have put themselves forward for this years D of E programme. Follow us on twitter: @FBSchoolE17 Facebook @frederickbremerschool Website: www.bremer.org.uk Year 7 Creative Curriculum – Specialist Music School As part of Music in Secondary School’s trust the Music department now has its 4th Specialist Music School, with 50 pupils now specialising in or learning a second instrument. The pictures are of pupils now in their 3rd week of learning. The specialist school is part of the creative curriculum, which is designed to allow pupils to engage in project based learning in a specialist environment.