Keeping in Touch Lees Brook Community School’s Newsletter for Parents

A Founding Member of the Northworthy Trust

Dear Parent April 2018

Keeping in Touch Welcome to the latest edition of the Keeping in Touch newsletter, it’s finally the summer term and it’s lovely to have some sunshine at last!

Year 11 I want to start with a well done to the Year 11 students, the year group as a whole are working exceptionally hard towards their upcoming examinations. There were a large number of students in school over the Easter holiday and Year 11s regularly attend additional study support sessions before school, after school and during most lunchtimes. I need to also add a big thank you to the staff, who give up so much of their time to work with the students.

Snow days I must mention the snow days that we have at the start of March. It is the first time during my 3 years as Headteacher that I have shut the school due to bad weather, however on this occasion I did not have any choice. It is always a difficult decision as I am very aware of the loss of learning time, especially with the GCSE examinations being so close, however the safety of staff and students is paramount. I want to thank our site maintenance team for the amazing job they did during those days and their continual work on the school grounds.

Cycling We are still monitoring the behaviour of students cycling to and from school at the moment. As you may be aware, the Derby Evening Telegraph used the letter I sent home regarding cycling to create a newspaper article about this a few weeks ago. I will only ban bikes as an absolute last resort, however I have to consider the safety of all students in school and the motorists in the area.

Books Well done to the library team who organised so many events for World Book Day: a total of £935.00 was raised through the non uniform day. This money has already been used to purchase new books for students – I have already seen students reading the new books during DEAR time after lunch (Drop Everything and Read.)

Many thanks to anyone who bought books from the Book Fair that we had in school, there were some excellent titles on offer for the students. I am pleased to be able to tell you that the sale of the books generated over £200 fore th school to spend in the library, 40 new books have already been added using this money.

Dress code I have attached the dress code for your information, please be aware that this must be followed at all times. A particular issue at the moment is trainers being worn; trainers (including plain black ones) must not be worn to school. Please remember that skirts must not be more than 2” shorter than above the knee, not tight or made of a stretchy material. I am happy to check any item of uniform before you spend any money on clothing. Please do not let your child tell you that it will be acceptable as it is what everyone else is wearing.

Please be aware that students are also not allowed piercings apart from ear piercings and need to be wearing the correct colour tie and school blazer in school at all times. Staff will allow students to take blazers off in lessons as the weather becomes warmer.

Parent Governor We have a vacancy for a parent governor in school, if you are interested in the position, or would like more information, please contact Chris Taylor, Clerk to Governors ([email protected].)

Exam Invigilators We are looking for more exam invigilators to work in school, if you would like more information, please contact Chris Taylor, Exams Officer ([email protected].)

INSET Days As soon as the calendar has been finalised for 2018‐2019, I will send it out. I can confirm that the school will use Thursday 6th September and Friday 7th September as INSET days, so students will return to school after the summer holiday on Monday 10th September. A reminder as well that the final INSET day for this academic year is on Friday 22nd June. The Yr 8 parents evening that was cancelled due to snow will now be on Tuesday 8th May. Parents will be able to book appointments online from Monday 23rd April.

End of Year Examinations Please find information below regarding the upcoming GCSE examinations. Please feel free to contact your child’s form tutor or subject teacher if you have any concerns.

KS3 Year 7, 8 & 9 examinations will start week beginning Monday 30th April and continue until Friday 11th May. These examinations will be conducted in a variety of ways. Some of these will happen in the classroom; however the majority will take place in the Sports Hall in formal conditions. Staff will be supporting students over the coming weeks to help them prepare, however additional revision at home will be needed.

Year 10 End of year examinations for Year 10 will start week beginning Monday 11th June and continue until Friday 27th June. All of these examinations will be formally taken and will review the learning and achievement of your youngster during their first year of their GCSE studies. Through experience, students who do well in examinations start their revision early and we would advise that Year 10 students start to plan revision into their after school routine over the next 2 months.

Year 11 Over the next month Year 11 students will be completing controlled assessments in a variety of subjects, which contribute to the final grade for their GCSE’s & Vocational qualifications. The majority of the final examinations start week beginning Monday 14th May and continue until the final exam which is Friday 22nd June. We wish all Year 11 students the best of luck and urge them to continue to revise and attend any study support opportunities that are on offer over the next 2 months to make sure they are as fully prepared as they can be.

All the examination timetables are on the school website.

Safeguarding Informative leaflet regarding Internet Safety for Parents The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), an advisory body set up to promote children's safety online, has published guidance for parents and carers whose children use social media. The leaflet outlines risks around what children could see or do on social media, who they could meet and how this could affect them. It also sets out practical tips for parents to help their children stay safe, and lists questions to encourage children to ask themselves when using social media.

Child safety online: a practical guide for parents and carers whose chilldren are using social media, GOV.UK (Adobe pdf file)

New School Mini Buses As a school we have had winter and summer fairs for many years now, the money raised at these events has always been kept separate and saved to buy new school mini buses. Obviously without the mini buses we would not be able to get our students to eventts/fixtures around the city. Last week, I used the money saved from the winter and summer fairs to buy two new mini buses for the school. I am looking forward to the new mini buses arriving into school and being used by the staff and students.

Congratulations During the Easter holidays, Isobel Goodwin (Y10) was given the chance to go to Miami, Florida to play football for the Derby Regional Talent Centre U18's. Isobel played against 4 universities and scored an impressive 6 goals. This was an amazing opportunity and something she hopes to pursue in the future. Well Done Isobel.

Finally a huge congratulations to Mrs Palmmer‐Blount who participated in the European Masters Indoor Athletics Championships and won a silver medal in the 3000m! She was only pipped to the gold in the last 20 metres!

School Goodbyes Sadly, we are saying goodbye to three members of staff, Sarah Collins has left us after 12 years at Lees Brook, Chris Fearick, who started his career with us in 2013, is moving on to a new teaching post and Richard Willan is leaving Derby after working at Lees Brook for 114 year to relocate to Scotland with his family. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours.

Best Wishes

Zoe House Headteacher

LEES BROOK COMMUNITY SCHOOL UNIFORM

EXPECTATIONS OF SCHOOL UNIFORM

The school’s uniform policy is designed to encourage a purposeful and effective climate for learning. It is expected that all 11‐16 students wear full uniform at all times, unless directed otherwise by staff. All students should be smart, take pride in their appearance and dress appropriately within the ethos of a formal, academic working environment. All students should be aware that they represent the school when wearing the uniform both in and out of school.

Wearing clothing that conforms to the uniform is a condition of admission into the school. Please do not allow your youngster to tell you that any of these can be compromised. It puts the school in a difficult position when we have to ring home and ask for an item of uniform to be replaced.

BLACK BLAZER

The black uniform blazer with the school logo on the pocket must be worn at all times. It must be clean and smart. Damaged blazers must be repaired or replaced. Jumpers and cardigans are not permitted.

WHITE SHIRT

A formal style white shirt with a stiffened collar must be worn under the blazer; it must be plain white with no logo of any kind. Shirts must not be see‐through or tight fitting. Collars must not be worn up around the neck; shirts must be tucked into skirts and trousers all the way round and not just tucked in at the front. Coloured T‐shirts must not be worn beneath the shirt.

SCHOOL TIE

The school tie in the correct year group colour must be worn in a smart manner at all times. Ties must not be decorated with badges, pins, clips etc. If a student forgets their tie, they must borrow one from the school until theirs is replaced.

Year group colours: Year 11 – Blue, Year 10 – Red, Year 9 – Silver, Year 8 – Gold, Year 7 – Green.

BLACK SKIRTS

Skirts must be plain black and of a formal cut. They must be no shorter than 2” above the knee, not tight and made of a stretchy material. Ankle length skirts are not permitted for safety reasons.

BLACK TROUSERS

Trousers must be plain black and full length. Jeans, tracksuit bottoms and leggings/jeggingsare not permitted (trousers with studs on will be classed as jeans).

BELTS

Belts must be black with a standard buckle.

SHOES

Shoes must be of a formal style and plain black(the rim around the shoe must also be black). Boots*, canvas shoes, trainers or trainer type shoes will not be permitted. Heels must be no higher than 3 centimetres.

*Boots can only be worn when there is snow or ice on the ground.

SOCKS

Black socks must be worn with trousers. White or black socks,plain black or flesh coloured tights (patterned tights are not permitted) must be worn with skirts.

OUTDOOR COATS

Outdoor coats must be smart and a dark colour; not display any offensive logos and taken off in all lessons. Less formal items, such as hooded tops and tracksuit tops are not permitted.

BAGS

Bags must be big enough to hold an A4 folder. No offensive slogans, symbols or badges on bags, books or folders.

HAIR

Extreme hairstyles or coloured hair are not permitted. In certain lessons, long hair must be tied back for health and safety reasons.Shaved patterns and tram lines are not permitted.

MAKE UP

A minimum amount of make‐up is allowed eg light foundation and mascara. Students will be told to remove excessive make‐up. Lipstick is not permitted.

NAIL VARNISH

Only neutral or clear varnish is allowed. Nail extensions are not permitted.

JEWELLERY

Only one pair of modest sized ear studs and a wrist watch are allowed. A letter from parents requesting permission is required for any medical or religious items. All jewellery must be removed for PE lessons.

BODY PIERCINGS

No body, tongue or face piercings are allowed even if they are covered with retainers or plasters.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS 2017‐2018 ACADEMIC YEAR

THE SCHOOL YEAR Summer Term Monday 9th April – Wednesday 25th July Half Term Holiday Monday 28th May – Friday 1st June May Bank Holiday Monday 7th May

STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING DAYS INSET Day 5 Friday 22nd June

EVENTS AND MEETINGS Year 11 Subject Evening Monday 16th April Skills Academy Student Progress Evening Monday 30th April Key Stage 3 Exams Monday 30th April to Tuesday 8th May Year 8 Subject Evening Tuesday 8th May GCSE Examinations Tuesday 15th May to Friday 22nd June Year 10 Trial Exams Week commencing Monday 18th June to Friday 29th June School Sports Day Monday 2nd July Year 10 (X Band) Work Experience Week Week commencing Monday 9th July Year 10 (Y Band) Work Experience Week Week commencing Monday 16th July Form Tutor Evening – Years 7 to 10 Thursday 19th July GCSE Exam Results Day Thursday 23rd August

Please find below some information and images from activities that have taken place in school

Year 9 Graphics Project Huge congratulations to Lucy Proudler, Natasha Neale, Ben Furner, Catherine Ward, Megan Devlin and Amelia Jackson on being awarded Instax Fujifilm Digital cameras and goodie bags for their excellent efforts in a Year 9 Graphics Project and huge congratulations to the overall winner, Emily Reynolds. This was a national competition and the Technology faculty are extremely proud of their achievements.

Derbyshire Cross Country Coaching Weekend ‐ 3rd December 2018 Jack Surgay and Cameron Nightingale took part in training sessions and were team captains in the relay competition. The boys also got to train with international athlete Ben Connor who raced for Great Britain.

Y7 Football ‐ National Cup ‐ 4th December The Year 7 football team have been fantastic in this year’s National Cup ‐ competing against other schools across the country. They made it all the way to the final 32 teams in the country and lost out to a close fought match with John Port School at Moor Farm. Both teams were the last remaining schools from the Midlands and did incredibly well to make it that far!

Y11 Mock Interviews ‐ Monday 8th January In January, Year 11 students had a short productive interview with a member of the senior leadership team (SLT) about their trial exams. Students opened their results and were interviewed about the trial exam grades they achieved. Feedback from the interviews was positive, with a clear message; revision in all subjects is vital for the summer exams! Well done to all the Year 11 students that took part in this process, the SLT were pleased with all youngsters’ maturity and approach when asked challenging questions. Y11 CV Workshop ‐ Wednesday 10th January On Wednesday 11th of January the entire Year 11 cohort worked on improving their CV's alongside local employers. Each class had one or more local employers that had volunteered their time to help students improve the quality and content of their CV. Although students had already created their own CV's they got direct feedback from people in industry, providing them with guidance on how to produce a CV that helps them stand out from the crowd.

The employers were very impressed with our students, describing them as 'well‐prepared and very mature' and 'very easy to work with'. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the employers for their time and effort. The opportunity to engage with employers from the real world is a valuable experience for our students and hopefully makes the prospect of leaving education and entering the world of work less daunting. I would also like to thank our students not only for their impeccable behaviour, but the active role they took in the process and the effort made.

Lees Brook Gymnastics Team Once again, the Lees Brook gymnastics team have been successful in the competitions they have entered. On Friday 12th January, six Year 7 students and two Year 9 students entered the Derby City Schools gymnastics competition held at Mickleover Gymnastics Club. They performed a body management routine, two vaults and a floor routine to music. Lees Brook completed a clean sweep in the Level 1 competition. Results: 1st place ‐ Eleanor Cook, 2nd place ‐ Aleah Boot and 3rd place ‐ Aimee Kydd. Congratulations also to Tanesha Miller, Lily Grange, Abby Howard, Eleanor Vallance and Jessica Murtagh.

On Saturday 3rd February, six Year 9 students represented Lees Brook at the East Midlands Schools Milano Team Championships in Stamford, Lincolnshire. Results: 2nd place ‐ Rosie Smith, Millie Flewitt and Emily Roberts, 4th place ‐ Lucy Clarke, Jade Wilson and Eleanor Cook.

Rosie, Millie and Emily will represent Lees Brook and the East Midlands at the National Finals in March.

Students get an insight into the Rail Industry ‐ Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th January On Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th January during morning lessons students in Year 9 took part in a workshop about the Rail Industry facilitated by a Learn by Design – a company who use a range of innovative and creative methods to engage and motivate learners. The Workshops were broken into three separate one hour sessions in a rotation format.

Session 1 looked at the breadth of the rail industry and included a segment called ‘Meet the Engineer’ where the students were able to question a Young Ambassador from ‘Young Rail Professionals’ about working in the industry and how you become a Rail Engineer. The students used Quizdom handsets to log their answers to those questions. After each question, they looked at the answer data to see if they had answered correctly and why they chose a particular answer. They were then provided with the correct and more detailed answer. They finished the session by doing a simple circuit board challenge to light a bulb to demonstrate signalling.

Session 2 was all about innovation and use of technology in rail industry. The students were given an information card about one particular area related to the rail industry and challenged to design an app that could assist this area. They were provided with an A3 template to help prompt their design. They then presented their designs to each other. Several pairs of students were chosen then to present their design to the rest of the group.

Session 3 looked at the other skills you need to work in the rail industry and how to get them. This was delivered through a facilitated group discussion, followed by a teamwork robots based activity. This was followed by a short reflection about what skills they used in that activity, how they could improve or better utilise their skills to improve the outcome and which skills relate to the rail industry.

The Team Leader from the company, Bob Boyd, who is a former Headteacher and has worked with young people all over Europe, was high in praise about our students. He said that the groups on both days were some of the best he had seen, he thinks that staff at the school have done a very good job with them!

As a result of taking part in the Workshop a small group of Year 9s who really excelled at the workshop will go on to take part in an iRail showcase event at Pride Park in March.

Year 9 students attend iRail Event at Derby Conference Centre and Bombardier ‐ Tuesday 13 March Five Year 9 students represented the school at the East Midlands iRail Challenge at Derby Conference Centre and Bombardier Rail Works on Tuesday 13th March. The five students were selected for outstanding work following workshops about the rail industry ran by Learn by Design at the school in January. During the morning the students visited Bombardier and saw the production line for the rail carriages that will be used in the new London Cross rail development. They also had a look inside the workings of a mobile maintenance train that repairs rail tracks in the East Midlands area. In the afternoon they took part in a Team Challenge to build a model rail bridge against over 20 other competing schools. Although they did not win the challenge, they did receive a trophy for being one of the teams in the final. They also were able to get advice and guidance about professions in the rail industry from exhibitors who were present at the event.

Year 10 Nottingham University Campus visit ‐ Wednesday 17th January In January a group of 30 Year 10 students spent the day at Nottingham University as part of a raising aspirations and widening participation event. All students took part in a number of problem solving activities and heard from undergraduates about what university has to offer. Our students were also given a guided tour of the Nottingham campus and had lunch in the refectory and restaurants.

The day was a really good opportunity to see what Higher Education is like (both the academic and social side) and students who took part felt it was a really positive experience. Some students had not considered going on to university but found the day informative, and in nearly every case, said it was a realistic prospect now that they had seen what working towards a degree was like.

Lots of credit must go to all students who attended; they were positive, asked lots of questions and lecturers commented on the impeccable behaviour and attitude of all those who took part.

Thanks to Mrs Hatton, Miss Kendall, Mrs. Wilsoncroft and Mr Brown for accompanying the students.

‘A Christmas Carol’ at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon ‐ Thursday 19th January In January a group of Year 10 and 11 students saw a production of a Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the RSC. Students enjoyed seeing the novella brought to life and commented on the way it was staged by the director.

As the text is one that all students study for their GCSE Literature examination, the students and staff who saw the play felt it was useful for revision and a good opportunity to see live theatre in a world‐famous venue.

Thanks to Mrs Hatton, Miss Mellor, Mr Bartlett and Mr Walsh for accompanying the visit.

Derby City Indoor Sportshall Athletics Champions ‐ Wednesday 24th January Congratulations to the Year 7 boys and Year 8 boys and girls teams who have qualified for the County Sportshall Athletics final in Chesterfield in March. Well done to the Year 7 girls’ team who came in 3rd position. We wish them well for the next round! Well done

Stargazing Live 2018 ‐ Long Eaton School ‐ Wednesday 24th January Students who attended Stargazing Live 2018 at Long Eaton School enjoyed the talk from Dr Helen Mason who has worked with NASA and the European Space Agency. She talked to students about some features of the Sun (viewed in microwaves through to gamma rays!) and how solar flares could impact planet Earth. They also got a tour of the observatory at Long Eaton School and were able to see the different types of telescopes that they use over there.

KS3 History of Music Trip ‐ Birmingham ‐ Tuesday 30th January A thoroughly enjoyable and educational trip to Birmingham Symphony Hall on Tuesday 30th January to go and see The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra perform music from all musical periods live on stage, with the firm favourite composer of this show amongst pupils being Vivaldi's Four Seasons. This trip was in collaboration with one of our other schools in The Northworthy Trust, The Long Eaton School. All pupils behaved impeccably and demonstrated their developed knowledge at the end of the school day when they were given a worksheet to fill out and the task to write a review based on this musical experience, many expressed their new found appreciation for different classical styles of music.

Lion King ‐ London ‐ Wednesday 31st January 50 students from Year 9 went to see the Hit Musical ‘Lion King’. They were amazed by the set, costume and talents of the performers. They were seated in the stalls where all of the large animals go past in the aisles to bring the show to life. Some were emotional as the plot unfolded, and there was singing on the way home!

Students travelled there by coach with a short walk to Bella Italia where they were given a two course meal before going on to the matinee performance. All students’ behaviour was exceptional and they made all the teachers very proud. It was a joy to take the students out to such an amazing experience.

A Year 9 student commented 'Overall it was a very enjoyable day and would definitely recommend going next time around also thank you to all the teachers who took us and made sure we were safe while we were there'.

County Schools Cross Country Championships Congratulations to Jack Surgay and Cameron Nightingale who represented Derby East at the County Schools Cross Country Championships at Tupton Hall School.

It was a high class field in tough conditions. A huge well done both boys.

On Friday 2nd February the Mathematics Faculty took part in NSPCC Number Day. Number Day is a national fundraising campaign that gets students involved with mathematics while raising money for the NSPCC. We had an interform quiz, a number themed baked sale and a number hunt on the mathematics corridor at lunch. Student ambassadors collected money during form time. We raised £131.70 in total and the day was a great success.

Rolls Royce Mathematics Tutoring During this half term members of staff from Rolls Royce have been delivering free mathematics tuition to Year 11. The Rolls Royce employees have been really impressed by the dedication and hard work shown by students. We look forward to seeing the results of all their hard work in the Year 11 exams.

Repton Mathematics Masterclass During the Autumn term the Mathematics Faculty nominated our most gifted Year 9 mathematicians for positions in the Royal Institute Mathematics Masterclasses. Elouise Gordon‐ Stables, Sam Gaskill, Aimee Kydd and Jan Rzepa all gained places on the programme. Throughout the Spring term students attended sessions at Repton School on a Saturday. The Royal Institute Mathematics Masterclasses are series of workshops which are led by experts from industry, academia and education. They offer students in‐depth investigations of topics in Mathematics combining theory with interactive exploration. Students have already explored the mathematics involved in a Rubik's cube and how mathematics is essential to the pharmaceutical industry.

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme The Duke of Edinburgh award scheme will be in full swing during the coming months as we move towards spring and the nights continue to get lighter. This year, we have our first ever Silver group and a record number of 83 students working towards their Bronze Award.

Bronze Award In addition to the Peak District Expeditions, students are required to complete three other sections themselves: Skill, Volunteering and Physical, which has to be for approximately one hour per week, over a course of 3 and 6 months. There has been some excellent work from students, including developing cooking skills at home, volunteering with the PDSA and working with the Young Victims service, ‘Got your Back’, to name but a few. We are very impressed with students’ enthusiasm and commitment in working towards their Award.

Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Practice Expedition group 1 Before Easter, our first group of Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh students completed their practice expedition in the Peak district. Students began their expedition near Ilam in Dovedale and navigated 11k to a campsite where they pitched their tents and cooked their evening meal. Students were up at 5.30am the next day, to pack away the camp and begin day 2 of their expedition, where they had to walk a further 8km to their final destination near the Manifold Valley. It was excellent to see students working so well in their teams and supporting each other.

Our second Year 9 group of the year will be going out on their practice expedition in two weeks time.

Silver Award After all successfully completing their practice expedition in Hathersage, students are busy planning for their assessed expedition, which will be taking place in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean. For this, students are required to walk for three days and camp for two nights. Their expedition will be taking place in July.

Duke of Edinburgh Awards Evening Earlier this month, we had our D of E Awards Evening to celebrate the success of those students who completed their D of E Award last year. The Mayor of Derby, Councillor John Whitby and the D of E Central England Director, Jackie Bull, attended the evening to talk about the award and our students’ achievement. We would like to congratulate the 67 students who achieved their award last year. Not only does the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award develop young people to be well rounded individuals, it is also highly regarded by colleges, universities and employers.

Saltmines Theatre Company ‐ Friday 9th February The Saltmines Theatre Company were in school presenting to Year 8 & 9 students the negative issues that surround the internet, social media and the impact they can have. Performers commented on our students’ exemplary behaviour throughout the performance and workshop.

Skills Swap Day ‐ Derby University ‐ Tuesday 13th February 22 Year 8 students had a fantastic day at Derby University investigating how gender stereotyping can influence people’s job choices.

During the day the students took part in 4 workshop activities around jobs that are either traditionally male dominated or female dominated. The first workshop introduced the students to gender stereotyping and they had to produce a list of ideal qualities for a candidate who wanted to be a nurse or a photographer. Students then had to present their ideas to the rest of the group.

The next workshop was an engineering task where students had to build a spaghetti tower to hold up a marshmallow. This encouraged the students to question why engineering is a male dominated profession. Just before lunch the students debated why teaching is a female dominated profession and how we could encourage men to become teachers.

The last workshop looked at issues with global warming and how this had caused problems with the melting glaciers in Nepal. Students had to produce a poster on the causes, effects and possible solutions to the problems.

It was an amazing day with lots of different activities that the students really enjoyed and learnt a lot.

Y11 Motivation Afternoon ‐ Tuesday 13th February Year 11 took part in a Motivation Afternoon in school. The first session was led by teachers ‐ Mr Gates, Mr Kershaw, Mr Walsh and Mr Geary. Their talks were about the paths that led them to where they are now and the backgrounds they came from. The second session was given to guest speaker Andy Cope, an inspirational speaker and Doctor of Happiness. He got students to reflect on their personalities and choices in life. The purpose of the event was to make sure students knew about the importance of the GCSE exams and how it could change their future

Derbyshire School Book Awards ‐ Long Eaton School ‐ Wednesday 14th February Some of our students attended the Derbyshire School Book Awards at Long Eaton School. It was a really good afternoon. Our students were very confident when giving their presentations and were the only group to perform some drama. They also raised their hand to ask/answer questions more than the other schools who were there. We were very proud of them. They particularly loved speaking to the author. At least three of them took the opportunity to pitch their story ideas to him!

They are an excellent group of students. There are regularly 18‐20 in attendance which is great for a once‐a‐week book club.

The Great British Spring Clean Project ‐ Chaddesden Ward 15 Year 7 students took part in the national Great British Spring Clean Litter Pick to Keep Britain Tidy on Friday 9th March in the afternoon. Students volunteered for this community opportunity to tidy up the Chaddesden Ward. The Year 7s spent time cleaning up and down Morley Road to Chapel Lane. The national campaign encourages local councils, residents, community groups and schools to band together to clean up their local area. Councillor Sara Bolton, Chair of Chaddesden Neighbourhood Board also joined in some of the events on Friday afternoon.

Lees Brook continues to actively be involved in positive events in the local community. The Year 7s did a fantastic job and were steadfast in their efforts to make a difference in the areas surrounding the school. Several full bags of litter were collected. All the students appreciated the support and friendly smiles from members of the community who passed them as they were picking litter. The students commented how great it felt to put a smile on people's faces and show a true representation of how fantastic Lees Brook students aspire to be. Mr Kershaw (Assistant Head teacher and Head of Year 7) was very proud of the effort and commitment of all the students involved.

Simply Seasonal receive Young Enterprise Award

Students from our Year 9 Enterprise Company ‘Simply Seasonal’ have taken part in two major events during the past month. On Wednesday 28th February they spent the day at Derby INTU Centre as part of the South Derbyshire Young Enterprise Programme Trade Fair. They set up a stall in the main concourse, selling Bird Boxes to the public. They did extremely well and sold all their stock by 4pm in the afternoon and took sales of £124.00. Three of the students also took part in a presentation in front of a panel of Business people and were complimented for their success.

On Thursday 15th March the company took part in the South Derbyshire Young Enterprise Showcase Final at Derby University. The students ran a stall in the Atrium area of the University, took part in interviews with Business people and did a presentation about their business to an audience of 150 guests in the evening. They were the youngest group of students taking part and they received a plaque and framed certificate for showing the ‘Best Team Work’ out of the competing schools.

Book Week With the snow disrupting our various celebrations, students had a fantastic, extended experience of Book Week in the weeks leading up to the Easter Holidays.

There were a range of activities which students got involved in, including a non‐school uniform day, with the opportunity to dress up as a character from a book. A Mr Men form quiz, a Where's Wally hunt around the school and finally a Scholastic Book Fair.

Students made great use of all events, with excellent attendance at the book fair, where as a result of the amazing student purchases, the school was given 40 titles from Scholastic! These exciting titles will be coming to our shelves soon! In addition to these new books, the money raised from our non‐school uniform day has funded the purchase of around 200 new books, all of which are popular teen fiction books aimed at stretching and challenging our youngsters.

A big thank you to all of the students and staff that have supported and got involved in the book week activities, we hope you enjoy the books that have been purchased for you!