07-02-2020 For Students & Parents Thank you to all of our parents who have contributed to the curriculum consultation. This ended on 31st January. The vast majority of parents indicated that they were keen for their children to have four options in their KS4 curriculum and would like us to preserve the opportunity for students to make choices in Y8. However, there were some who would Key Dates like to see their children have a longer period of time studying Exams a language and creative subjects. 10 - 15 February - Hall We have devised a curriculum model that meets both of these requests. We plan to allow students in next year’s Y9 to have extra hours in history, LAMDA Exams Tuesday, 11 February languages, geography and the creative subjects whilst still starting their four Dance Studio - Mrs Pearson chosen options. Obviously, all core subjects will be studied in the regular way. The curriculum model has been approved by the Academy Committee Governors Ethos Meeting members and the timetable will be constructed in the early part of the summer Wednesday, 12 February - 6:00 – 8:00pm term. Conf Rm To assist parents to understand the new curriculum model a KS4 Evening will Mission Blue, Charity Mufti Day take place on 26th March. All parents are welcome to attend, but the meeting Friday, 14 February will be most relevant to parents with students in the current Y8 and Y7. Half Term Assemblies are an essential formal process where the year group gets together 17-21 February to share success and important information. As a Cooperative School, we Exams actively encourage student leadership, young cooperative groups and other 24 February - 6 March initiatives. For example, this week two KS5 students have delivered assemblies Sports Hall to promote “Mission Blue” (see poster), an environmental project to reduce Vaccinations plastic waste in our oceans. To raise money for this project there will be a mufti Year 8 girls and then Year 8 BOYS day on the final day of term, 14th February 2020. Students will be required to 2 March - 8:30am – 3:30pm - IC1 wear an item of blue clothing to promote “Mission Blue”, for a donation of £1, Parent Forum which will be used to fund the project. Also using the medium of assemblies, Focused on Apprenticeships four younger students promoted the Tavistock Radio station and encouraged 3 March - 4:00 – 6:30pm - IC - PRU interested students to join their team. This station can be found on our website. Year 12 Unit 1 Theatre Royal During the two weeks either side of half term, year 11 students will take final 4 March - 9:00am – 6:00pm - EPE PPEs (Pre-Public Examinations). All core exams will be in the hall to simulate Drama GCSE summer GCSE examination conditions. Other PPEs will take place in class. Final Year 11 C2 practical The PPEs will be robust with the aim of replicating official examination 9 - 12 March - 9:00am – 12 March, conditions, allowing each student to understand their current attainment level. 6:00pm I hope that their effective Main Hall revision strategies and Vaccinations growth mindset serve 11 March - 8:30am – 2:30pm them well! Please find a I/C 1 and 2 - MHA link below which details some useful revision Year 7 X & A parents/carers evening 12 March - 3:45 – 6:45pm - Main Hall / strategies that are based Refectory on scientifically proven methods of revision and Yr 12 Work Experience retention of knowledge. It 16 – 20 March 2020 is essential that students Year 11 BTEC Dance final recordings revise effectively with 16 - 20 March - 9:00am – 4:00pm - dance guidance from parents/ studio carers. Year 10 Drama MSND Component 3 The resource for revision Exam strategies and ideas can Thursday, 19 March - 9:00am – 3:00pm be found from a quick - EPE search on youtube: “How Year 7 Y parents/carers evening to Study Effectively for 19 March - 3:45 – 6:45pm - Main Hall / School or College [Top Refectory 6 Science-Based Study LAMDA Exams Skills] or clicking the link Friday, 20 March - 8:00am – 5:00pm below: Dance Studio - EPE https://www.youtube.com/ PE House Matches watch?v=CPxSzxylRCI 23-27 March - SHU Mr Stroud Leading Parent Partnership Award A national award for outstanding parental engagement in schools. Tavistock College is aware of the importance of parent and carer engagement. We want the very best for our students regardless of their background and ability. Effective and positive parent partnerships can have very real and lasting impacts on improvements in pupil behaviour, attendance and achievement. We are currently working toward the LPPA and we would like to invite you to complete a very short questionnaire (please see link, below). Your feedback is always greatly appreciated and valued. Thank you in advance for your continued support. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/S69M2DM Guildhall Heritage History Project This term a group of 40 Y7 students are working on a local history tours project with the Tavistock Heritage Trust. This is part of the wider programme to refurbish the Guildhall and promote the historical heritage of Tavistock and it’s wider area. The project will see our students plan, develop, run and evaluate some local history tours for a group of students from Tavistock Primary School. This week saw the first planning meeting for our students where they explored different themes and areas of focus for the historical content, started to research some of the quality factual content they will need to include and began to risk assess and plan for the practicalities of leading part of an outdoor education activity. This project provides a great opportunity for our students to develop and share their own historical knowledge whilst being part of a tangible outcome that enhances the local community and links positively to our biggest feeder primary school. I look forward to updating everyone on the finished project. Mr Ruse A Level Geography Students Occupational Visit the Council Chambers Therapy Students This week our Y12 and Y13 A Level Geography students were hosted Charlotte and Kathryn are Occupational Therapy by Councillor James Ellis at the Council Chambers of Tavistock Town Students from the University of Plymouth who Council. are working at Tavistock College on placement He provided a fascinating talk about the wider role of the council, until Easter 2020. how it fits into the national political structure and the challenges and Charlotte and Kathryn will be working with both opportunities it faces in providing for the people of Tavistock. This talk staff and students to promote mental health and really enhanced the A Level Geography curriculum where students have wellbeing by enabling participation in meaningful to analyse and critically evaluate the work done by various agencies and activities that are fundamental to school life. organisations in solving problems at local, national and global scale. Charlotte is in the final year of The students were then encouraged to take part in a full mock council her BSc (Hons) in Occupational debate where a mayor and deputy mayor were ‘elected’ from among Therapy. Working in various the group and a proposal was then made and debated about whether clinical settings within the NHS, Tavistock Town Council should declare a ‘Climate emergency’ and the Charlotte has experience in town become fully carbon neutral by 2030. Somewhat surprisingly the enabling individuals to be able group voted overwhelming against the proposal. However this was not to live as independently and done on the basis of disregarding the wider climate emergency facing safely as possible. Charlotte has a background the world but on the basis of the financial and logistical implications of volunteering with young people and is in the short term of a town council declaring such a motion. This passionate about promoting positive mental provided a fascinating insight into the world of local politics and its wider health in education. ramifications. We are extremely grateful for the time and expertise Kathryn is in the final year of provided by Councillor Ellis. her Pre-registration Masters in Occupational Therapy. Kathryn has a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and has previous experience supporting young people with complex physical disabilities to access education. Kathryn is passionate about raising awareness of mental health and how it can be looked after for both the students and staff at the College. Both Charlotte and Kathryn are committed to promoting the value of Occupational Therapy in mainstream schools. National Apprenticeship Week Safer Internet Day This week the college celebrated the annual National Apprenticeship Week. On Tuesday 11th February the college Year 10 and 11 tutors have explored a range of resources with their tutor will be involved with the annual Safer groups whilst curriculum subjects have been displaying subject specific advice Internet Day. This day is designed to raise and career paths around the college. Last week a group of 6th form students student awareness around the importance attended the National Apprenticeship Fair at Exeter Westpoint and a large of staying safe online and the potential group of Y10 and 11 students attended an Apprenticeship ‘Big assembly’ to impacts of their own digital footprint. hear individual accounts from current apprentices around the country. This has implications for all aspects of The number and variety of apprenticeships available to our students has grown our students lives, whether that be the hugely in recent years, whilst higher level apprenticeships now provide a viable impact they can have on friends and peers alternative to a University degree in some careers. We are building a fantastic through their online communication to alumni network of students who have gone on to apprenticeships since leaving the impression they can make on future the college with careers ranging from carpentry, marine engineering, business employers when they search their social management, and retail to game keeping.