Newsletter Issue 8
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Dear Parent/Carer PARENTS’ NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 8 March 2011 SAM LEARNING - 24/7 SUPPORT FOR SUBJECTS The school has recently purchased a licence for SAM Learning. This is an internet based service which is now available free for Bradon Forest students and Miss Maunder, Deputy Headteacher, has recently launched this in the Year 10 and Year 11 assemblies. It will be launched to Years 7, 8 and 9 after the Easter break. There is a direct link on the Homepage of the Learning Platform to the SAM Learning homepage www.samlearning.com The SAM Learning website contains a wealth of information for parents. Subjects include Applied Science, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Design and Technology, DiDA, Drama, English, English Literature, French, Geography, German, History, ICT, Leisure and Tourism, Maths, Media Studies, Music, Physical Education, Physics, Religious Studies, and Science. The introduction below gives an outline of access arrangements: Introducing the SAM Learning service As a school we are always looking for ways to extend our students’ learning. Part of our revision and support programme will now involve the use of SAM Learning, a unique online service that covers all subjects. SAM Learning has a proven track record; studies have shown that using the service helps lead to better examination results. Access details Students are able to access the service at anytime and anywhere. It is available to them in school, but also at home, in the library and community centre. All they need to do is visit the website and enter their unique login details. Website address: www.samlearning.com Centre ID: SN5BF User ID: Date of birth followed by two initials: first name then last name. Example: 010896DJ is the User ID for David Jones born 1 August 1996. Password: Initially same as the User ID, Learners are encouraged to change this to something difficult to guess. It is advised that students keep a record of the access details in their homework book. How to get involved All students will be taught how to use the service and you might wish to ask them how it works. The service enables homework to be set and marked which means that you can easily monitor the progress of your child. We hope that your child is able to take full advantage of SAM Learning and thank you in advance for supporting the initiative. NEW UNIFORM PRICES ATTACHED : The updated uniform price lists and order forms for Key Stage 3 and 4 are now available on the website www.bradonforest.wilts.sch.uk under the ‘Welcome to Bradon Forest’ button - Section 1 Prospectus, General Information and Admissions. SAINSBURY AND TESCO VOUCHERS : We would be very grateful if you could please send any vouchers you collect into Student Services or to Mrs Davies. Thank you. BON VOYAGE – BRADON FOREST INDIA TRIP Over the Easter break, our India link students with Mrs Shelley and Miss Beet travel to India with staff and students from St Laurence School, Bradford on Avon, to visit our link schools as part of our joint British Council ‘Connecting Classrooms’ project. This is a fantastic experience and we look forward to hearing about the group’s time in India and sharing their adventures and some photographs via the newsletter and assemblies. The itinerary below provides a flavour of the trip and a look at the map of India gives an indication of the distances the group will travel between the link schools! Saturday 16 April Depart London Heathrow 10.00 pm Sunday 17 April Arrive Delhi 11.00 am Travel to Agra Spend overnight in Amar hotel Monday 18 April Visit Taj Mahal Travel to JNV Karnal Spend overnight in JNV Karnal Tuesday 19 April Travel to Shimla Spend overnight in Fagu Snow King hotel Wednesday 20 April Travel to Manali Spend overnight in Manali Heights Hotel Thursday 21 April Sightseeing in Manali Spend overnight in Manali Heights Hotel Friday 22 April Travel to JNV Mandi Stay overnight in JNV Mandi Saturday 23 April Travel to JNV Chandigarh Spend overnight at Hometel Chandigarh Hotel Sunday 24 April Travel to Delhi Spend overnight in Qutab Residency Hotel Monday 25 April Depart Delhi 1.15 pm Arrive London Heathrow 5.55 pm PRIMARY LIAISON NEWS ISSUE 10 The tenth issue of our Primary Liaison News is currently being distributed via our Partner Primary Schools. It will be available shortly via the ‘Welcome to Bradon Forest’ button on our website: http://www.bradonforest.wilts.sch.uk/ This edition highlights a range of projects and support for our Primary Partner Schools including the terrific article below on a project with Peatmoor School: Is it a bird, is it Superman? No, it’s a Spitfire Members of our Technology team have been helping Peatmoor Primary School with a large scale project. Mr Parkinson, our Technology technician, together with teacher Mrs Carson, have built an amazing skeleton of a Spitfire plane (pictured right). Mrs Carson will be working with the Year 6 pupils every other Friday afternoon to bring the plane to life. Using the theme of recycling, they will first cover it in chicken wire, then papier mache and various recycled decorative materials to display in their main hall. The ambitious project links in with the pupils’ current work on World War II. We are very much looking forward to seeing the finished project, but in the meantime, are also hoping Mrs Carson will provide us with regular updates! “Can I just say how fantastic Mrs Carson is? She is so enthusiastic and just brilliant! Mrs Carson and her team are doing such a great job for us.” Mr Henstridge, Headteacher. JAPANESE DISASTER FUNDRAISING Since the recent earthquake and tsunami that affected northern Japan, Simon Taylor, our Japanese support teacher, and Mr Winward, Deputy Headteacher, have kept in close contact with our Japanese families and Honda to offer support. A group of mothers, via Honda, are working with Simon and our Japanese students to raise money for the Japanese Tsunami appeal with a cake sale that will take place on Friday, 1 April 2011. The group is also offering pre-ordered sushi lunchboxes for staff to buy. These will contain six different types of sushi, including salad and egg, tuna and sausage and a piece of karaage (Japanese fried chicken). Stop press: The terrific response from staff on the first day the ‘sushi’ e-mail went out meant that no more orders could be taken and that pre-orders of sushi alone are set to make £100 for the disaster fund. Photographs and a report will appear in the next newsletter. - 2 - MATHEMATICS NEWS Mathematics Revision for Year 10 Modular Students: On Tuesday 22 February 2011 (during the break between Terms 3 and 4), 50 Year 10 students attended a morning revision session from 9:30 am until 12:30 pm with Mr Widdop, Mr Duncan, Mr Thomas and Mrs Henly. This was in order to prepare as fully as possible for their first modular mathematics examination on 1 March 2011. Many thanks to parents for transporting the students to and from school and to the members of the Mathematics teaching staff for giving up their time for this valuable study day. UK Maths Challenge: On Thursday 3 February 2011, our most able Mathematicians in Years 9 and 10 undertook the UK Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. This is a one hour examination which challenges students to use efficient and carefully thought out techniques in order to complete unusual and challenging Maths problems within the given time. We are very pleased to report that the following students gained the awards as listed. Well done to all involved. Certificates will be handed out to students during the end of year awards assemblies. YEAR 9 YEAR 10 SURNAME FORENAME AWARD SURNAME FORENAME AWARD Ishida Takumi GOLD Hill Joshua GOLD Pettit Joseph SILVER Hannay Robert SILVER Jones Ben SILVER Mander Tina SILVER Dusting Kirk SILVER Somal Marrick SILVER Smith Oliver SILVER Steadman Hope SILVER Whinfrey Polly SILVER Green James BRONZE Richards Bethany BRONZE Hudson Iona BRONZE Gunton Elliot BRONZE Looker Jake BRONZE Curtis Hannah BRONZE Majdabadi Yalda BRONZE Bradley Adam BRONZE Sharp Elliott BRONZE Mills Robert BRONZE Tindall George BRONZE Stewart Joanna BRONZE NEW YORK TRIP Forty students in Years 10 and 11 took part in a visit to New York during the recent break between Terms 3 and 4. They visited the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, The Rockefeller Centre, Central Park, Wall Street, South Street Seaport and Ground Zero. They also saw a Broadway show, Spiderman, and visited Times Square. The group had a superb time. They ‘experienced’ using the subway system and also had time for some shopping on Fifth Avenue and at Bloomingdales. “It is always a real pleasure to take Bradon Forest students abroad and it was a privilege to see the students experiencing and enjoying the ‘Big Apple’. A stand out moment for me was when the group spontaneously broke into song in the middle of Times Square! The group also showed compassion at the 9/11 exhibition at Ground Zero; we all had a few tears hearing about individual stories of courage and bravery. It was a real honour to be there with them.” Miss Cole Many thanks to Miss Cole, Mr Wright, Mrs Shelley and Mr Vizor for organising the trip. - 3 - LIBRARY LEARNING CENTRE NEWS Scholastic Book Fair Thank you to everyone for your wonderful support of our book fair during World Book Day week. We made over £650 in sales of books, posters and stationery! Our sales were so high that we will now get over £500 in free books for the school library! We are delighted, and look forward to choosing lots of new books.