Polesworth Matters

Dear All

We have had a fantastic week at Polesworth! I had the opportunity to meet some wonderful individuals via Meet the Head; year 13 have submitted their UCAS applications and we hosted our most popular Post 16 Open Evening.

I want to say a special thank you to the year 12 and 13 students who volunteered their time to support departments and staff in advertising their subject areas. The feedback we have received is phenomenal. Prospective students and parents were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, knowledge and energy of the staff and current students. We are now receiving Post 16 applications and Mrs Munn is starting to interview prospective students.

Next week is our annual school production. The Addams Family is due to hit the Polesworth stage on Tuesday 21st January to Friday 24th January - so come and be razzle dazzled by the show stopping spectacle of the year.

Looking ahead, year 8 students now need to be starting to think about their option choices and an important date for your diary is 13th February as this is Year 8 into 9 Information Evening. Parents and students are welcome to visit departments, speak to staff and speak to students currently studying that subject. I would encourage all current year 8 students to attend this event.

Headteacher

Headteachers Message Wishaw Cricket Club Rewards i Children and Family Centre Drop In The Addams Family In Police Cadets PE News this Contact Details Governor Vacancy issue

January February

21st- School Play - 4th Parents Evening 4

24th The Addams Family

22nd- 23rd Year 9 injections 5th Y11 Photographs Key Dates for Y11 ONLY - Out of Deadline for Prefect 24th 17th January2020 7th

January / Uniform (in aid of Prom) applications — February

30th ELD Day 2 7th Out of Uniform Issue 271

Often rewards are overshadowed by misbehaviour and we really want this not to be the case at Polesworth. We are always eager to consider the best ways that we can reward our students and our Student Voice is currently reviewing our system and looking at how we can improve what we do to celebrate our students. Currently, we have a number of systems in place. We have a Praise text that is sent home on a daily basis and postcards that are sent regularly by various departments to celebrate success. We have students nominated on a regular basis to Meet the Headteacher and other members of the Leadership Team. We also make celebration phone calls and send emails to students who have made good progress, who have excellent attendance and who have shown excellent attitudes and behaviours towards learning. We also have an annual Presentation Evening and termly celebration lunches. One of our most popular rewards is our point system! Students are given merit points for a wide variety of positive behaviours such as helping others, good homework, a high standard of class work and for displaying effective attitudes and/or behaviours towards their learning. Students can cash in their points to purchase numerous rewards such as vouchers for Costa Coffee, footballs, jump the dinner queue vouchers, stationery, vouchers for cakes and food from the canteen and a non uniform day. Students can also save their points and use them to get money off their Year 11 Prom ticket or Leavers’ Book. Here is a reminder of how students can access MyChild and cash in their points.

Firstly log in to My Child through the school website. This will take you to the school shop shown below. Then click on Behaviour (in the bar at the top of the page) and three icons will appear. Click on the Cash in icon (second image below).

You will be taken to a page that shows the points you have already cashed in and the points you have available to cash in as below. Click on the green ADD button.

You will then be taken to the screen below that shows you available points and items in the shop that you can use your points to purchase (see below).

You will notice that the products that you have enough points to purchase have a green Cash in box next to them as below. If you want to cash in your points for one of these products – click on the Cash in green button.

The following screen will appear. Click Ok if you want to continue or click cancel if you have changed your mind.

You will be taken back to an earlier screen and will notice that the product you have purchased appears in the cashed in list (see below). You can now click the green ADD button to purchase more products or log out.

PE News

ALL Years Extracurricular Clubs - January 2020 anyIf pupils want helpto clubsthe with justturn upand help out.

Why not use the fitness centre at the sports centre at lunchtimes or afterschool?

Before

School Lunchtime After school

7.50- 1.15 – 1.50 3.05 – 4.15 8.25

Activity Activity Venue Activity Venue

Monday Volleyball Sports Hall Yr 7 Indoor Football Sports Hall

Yr 8,9, 10 Football-after 1/2 Field term Badminton Sports Hall

Tuesday Badminton - Staff & Gym Dance Students welcome Sports Hall (challenge a member of staff!!)

Handball Rugby - after 1/2 term Field

Wednesday HIIT Fitness Training Gym Interhouse Indoor Football Sports Hall

CNSS catch up I5 Netball - Girls Y 7-9 Sports Hall

Thursday Dance KS3 & 4 Gym Netball - Girls Yr 9-11 Sports Hall

GCSE Catch up I5 Hockey - Boys and Girls Sports Hall

Friday Dance Company - when Dodgeball Sports Hall

needed Gym

Governor Vacancy

Birchwood Primary School are seeking to recruit quality Community Governors to join their Local Governing Body. We are looking for people who have the skill to act as a ‘critical friend’ and ask challenging questions about performance and use their skills and experience to support the school in addressing its aims. You will be involved in creating and developing a strategic plan for the school, setting and agreeing its objectives, and monitoring and evaluating its success by focusing on progress and outcomes. Your role will also include collectively allocating and controlling the school budget as well as being influential in the appointment of staff. If you are over 18, able to commit approximately 10-15 hours per term to the role we would be delighted to hear from you. You do not need to be a parent of a student at the school. No prior knowledge is needed – training and support is offered and available to all new and existing governors. This is an extremely rewarding role, one which holds great importance within our school and trust. If you feel that you have skills which could be transferred to help make a real difference to childrens’ lives, please contact us for further information.

The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 31st January 2020, 12pm. For further information please contact: Mrs Julie Woodward, PA to the Executive Director Community Academies Trust, Dimbleby House Stoneydelph Primary School Crowden Road Tamworth B77 4LS Telephone: 01827 702216 [email protected]

YOUTH WINTER CRICKET COACHING 2020 WITH WISHAW CRICKET CLUB Based on Church Lane in Wishaw, Warwickshire, we are a local, family orientated club that have built our foundations on playing the game of cricket in the intended spirit of the sport. We play competitively, entering 3 adult teams playing in the Warwickshire Cricket League on Saturdays, and utilise our Sunday team to incorporate a good balance of experience and youth development for the enjoyment of all. Our thriving youth cricket section has provided us with the ambition of coaching and supporting young people to play cricket and most importantly, have fun! The club is affiliated to the Warwickshire Cricket Board with a number of ECB qualified and experienced coaches. The club already has a successful junior section, last summer running junior teams at U9, U11, U13 and U15 level. However, we are always looking to attract more junior players to the club, and we are offering a unique opportunity for children, both girls and boys, to come and try out cricket at our Junior Winter Cricket Academy. The Academy will run for 9 weeks and will be held on Sunday mornings from 9.30am to 10.30am for younger players and 10.30am to 11.30am for older players. The venue is Sports Centre at Wilnecote School, Tinkers Green, Wilnecote, Tamworth. The first session will be Sunday 26th January 2020. We are looking for children of all abilities, whether they have tried cricket before or not, ideally aged 6 to 15, though other age groups will not be discounted. The sessions are run by qualified coaches and all necessary equipment is provided. Cost will be £4 per child per week with the first ‘taster’ session free for new participants. I would be grateful if your school could support this initiative by publicising the details of our Academy in school and in your newsletter to parents. Parents can contact me for further information and to register their child by email: [email protected] or phone: 07890 138062. Many thanks in advance for your support. Kind regards, Steve Hern For and on behalf of WCC

Warwickshire Police Cadets is a volunteer scheme for young people who wish to be part of a year programme that offers an opportunity to gain a practical understanding of policing and develop their spirit of adventure and good citizenship. Recruitment is currently open from 1st January to 29th February 2020, the application form can be downloaded from website, under the cadet tab. To apply to be a Warwickshire Police Cadet you must live in Warwickshire and be aged 13 to 16 on September 1st 2020. The aim of the scheme is to support Warwickshire Police's strategy of engagement with young people throughout the force area. Cadets support local policing priorities through volunteering, working with partner agencies and positive participation in their communities. They take part in a variety of activities including self-defence training, marching, fitness, team building, role playing and Outdoor events. Cadets can gain an insight into police life through talks by guest speakers from different departments and agencies and by taking part in local community policing events. Police cadets are a family where discipline, friendship and team work are all important. If you become a police cadet, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that as a young person you are making a difference to your community and developing yourself for any future career. In return we ask you to commit to attend the weekly meetings and commit to voluntary hours per quarter. We have two units in Warwickshire, one in that covers and one in which covers South Warwickshire. The cadets have 2 sections, one junior section for Cadets aged 13 to 16 years. The senior section is for cadets aged 16 to 18 years, you would apply to become a senor cadets if you’re currently a year 11 student and would be a cadet for 2 years. Why not attend our recruitment drop evening on 29th January 2020 at Holiday Inn Express, Bermuda Park, St David’s Way, Nuneaton, CV10 7SD between 18.30 and 20.00 hours. This is an opportunity for students and parents to find out more about the scheme, meet the leaders and some cadets if who wish to attend the recruitment drop evening sign up to the event on our Facebook Page. Seniors Cadets aged between 16 – 18 years old meet every Thursday evenings in Nuneaton between 6.15pm and 9.00pm, we also ask that you do 5 hours volunteering per month. Junior Cadets aged between 13 - 16 years old meet every Tuesday evening in Nuneaton between 6.15pm – 8.30pm. To apply to be a Warwickshire Police Cadet you must live in Warwickshire and be aged 13 to 16 on September 1st 2020 You can contact us at [email protected] You can also follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/warkscadets or Twitter @warkscadets .

Library

Opening times: Letters

Monday–Thursday: 8.15am – 4.00pm Think you’ve missed a letter from school? Friday: 8.15 am – 3.30 pm Our letters—including Trip letters— can be found on our Students and Staff may use the facilities before and after website under the School Life section. school, or during break and lunchtime for book selection, research or for a quiet place to sit and do homework. Alternatively, there is a broad range of magazines and Lost Property newspapers, chess and Sudoku and other games to challenge the little grey cells! See Student Services where all In addition to the Library is a dedicated Sixth Form lost property is kept. Also be area. This is a quiet study area which is available for Year aware there will be a display of all 12 and 13 students to use during their free periods. lost property at each Parents’ Evening .

Don’t forget, you can Parent Pay Shop check all term dates Parent Pay Shop items available to purchase are School on our website - Ties, Revision Guides, Calculators and Art Supplies. www.thepolesworthschool.com Click on www.polesworthschool.com and then click on the shopping trolley.

@PolesworthSchl The Polesworth School - Official Contact Us

The Polesworth School Road Dordon Tamworth B78 1QT

Telephone Number :01827 702205 Fax Number : 01827 702206

School email for general queries : To inform us your child is absent : [email protected] [email protected]

Opening Hours Monday to Thursday: 7.45 am to 4.45 pm Friday: 7.45 am to 4.15 pm