www.lathomhighschool.org Issue four ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM LATHOM HIGH SCHOOL

WHERE NEXT FOR Y11? 100% of the current year 11 cohort have offers of college places, apprenticeships or employment

WE CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE ANTI-BULLYING MESSAGE Poster winners pick up their prizes LATEST SPORTS NEWS – Primary cross country event is a huge success students and to everyone who has supported them at this stressful time.

I have been extremely proud of the many activities that we Welcome to our have had taking place over the last half term but especially our work with our local primary schools. We now welcome latest edition over 150 children every week ranging from Year 3 to Year 6 to Lathom for classes in a range of subjects including of Lathom Life. Design Technology, ICT, Spanish and Science. It is wonderful to see so many children coming and enjoying life at Lathom alongside our students and we hope to welcome many more in the future. Our last half term has been a real time of focus for many of our students as they have prepared for and started to I hope that this latest edition of our newsletter gives you a take their exams. As I write, there is one week of the GCSE real feel for everything that has been going on at Lathom examinations remaining and I hope you will all join me in over the last few weeks and the very many ways in which we are living our values – Enjoy, Believe, Achieve. As wishing all of our students sitting exams the very best of ever, if you have any feedback for us or wish to discuss any luck. I am confident that their hard work will be rewarded concerns or queries you have, please get in touch or come with another set of outstanding exam results this summer. into school and see us. I would also like to put on record my sincere thanks to all of our staff for their dedication and commitment to the Mrs Galbraith (Acting Headteacher)

Anti-Bullying Campaign 98% of Lathom students go on UpDate to further study

Our anti-bullying campaign is now in full swing. Lathom High school has the highest percentage of Over the past few weeks Mr Niemen who works students that go onto further study, apprenticeships and in our Every Child Matters centre (ECM) has been employment in the whole of . We pride taking assemblies promoting the anti-bullying ourselves at Lathom for preparing our students for ‘Life after Lathom’ and these figures show the hard work and message and sharing his ‘Rap’ with our students; determination of our students to gain extra skills and qualifications to ensure good career prospects. Shut up and listen, I’ve got something to say. Don’t turn around, don’t look away. At Lathom we continually advise our students on post 16 choices and we have a comprehensive support system of You hear with your ears and see with your eyes. impartial careers advice and guidance to help students It don’t take fool to realize. choose the right path. 100% of our current year 11 students have offers of college places, apprenticeships Oppressive, aggression ain’t the way we should go. or employment so they are well equipped for ‘Life after Fighting your brother, “is that all that you know?” Lathom’.

You think that you’re smart the way that you act. I tell you the truth and this is a fact Peter Latham Charity - Bids for Funds

For you to look big, you have to put down Lathom High has been successful in a bid to the Peter Lathom You think you’re a king and your hat is a crown! Charity. This will support a reading initiative which is aimed at our Y7 students in Transition, who are struggling with their You say, “do what I say or I’ll speak with my hand reading and feel that reading is for others. We already have Is it the fittest that survive in this land? a number of E-readers and would like to use this approach to encourage and develop their reading. Many reluctant readers Are you so insecure that you have to attack? are turned off by books but are happy to use a tablet or Why do you use your fists to hit back? E-reader. We really appreciate the funds to support us in this venture. You can’t win with words so you then choose to fight But you are the coward afraid of what’s right.

We each have the right to say what we feel If we’re right or we’re wrong, it’s not a big deal.

But the big deal is this: we must learn to respect. We have two ears to listen and a mind to reflect. Pictured are the ECM team Helen Johnson, Tony And when we see what is wrong we must choose to Niemen and speak out Alison Fairclough. Stop this oppression, stand up and shout! We Offer Attendance Primary ICT

At Lathom we recognise that for students to achieve their full potential Local primary schools Crow regular school attendance is vital. We constantly promote, encourage Orchard and Cobbs Brow have been and support all students to achieve 100% attendance. Displays promoting attending Lathom on a weekly basis the varied attendance competitions are located in the reception area and to take part in specialist ICT lessons. in the main corridor. There is no doubt the many and varied attendance One scheme of work focused on the initiatives assist with creating a healthy rivalry amongst the students children learning binary, another on and their tutors making a very positive contribution towards the school how to write an algorithm. attendance. Throughout the year we have had various attendance initiatives in place and these added incentives have been recognised in The picture shows teaching our latest Ofsted inspection “students appreciate the rewards system in assistant Mr Murray being a place for high attendance and good effort in lessons”. The initiative ran ‘robot’ and following the flowchart from 22nd April – 23rd May and saw 300 students with 100% attendance instructions on making a jam for the half term entered into a prize draw to win a Kindle Fire HD sandwich written by the children and other prizes, congratulations to our winners Jenna Huxley, Jude from Crow Orchard who eagerly Bankier, Clara Hart and Nathan Gallagher. watch on.

Winner Jenna Huxley pictured with her Kindle Fire HD – well done! The next attendance initiative has already been advertised around school and will run from now until the end of the school year with fantastic prizes up for grabs once again. In addition, there will be a prize draw for all of the students that have had 100% attendance since the start of the academic year on September 5th 2013 to win an APPLE IPAD MINI. Make sure you’re in on the last day of term for a chance to win this or one of our other prizes.

CCTV Coverage Increased – During our latest Ofsted Report, inspectors highlighted ‘the school’s work to keep students Trips Section - Lathom Out and About safe and secure is outstanding’. We are extremely proud of this and in our relentless drive to take care of our students we are in Alton Towers Attendance Competition – On Wednesday the 30th the process of expanding our CCTV coverage around school. The April one lucky tutor group beat all the rest in the school CCTV cameras are being installed for the safety and welfare of to a free trip to Alton Towers. The initiative was set up by both staff and students. If you have any questions about the use of our attendance team, each week the tutor group with the highest attendance was given a token to exchange during CCTV within our school please do not hesitate to get in touch. the end of term assembly for prizes. The overall winner of the Alton Towers competition was the tutor group that achieved the highest percentage attendance for all of the Y9 Options Selected - Recently our year 9 students have six weeks. Congratulations to 8H who won the competition and chosen the options that they are going to study for the rest of enjoyed a fun day out to Alton Towers with a massive 98.2% attendance. their time at Lathom. We took the time to catch up with one of our students that has just chosen her options to find out what her Liverpool Cathedral Trip - On Thursday 24th April plans for the future are. 10 of our Y7 students were invited to visit Liverpool Anglician Cathedral. Here students were grouped Name: Becky Iddon with other schools that form the Liverpool Diocese. What Options have you chosen to study? We spent the day looking at women role models and I have chosen to study Art, Food Technology, a particular lady named Josephine Butler. We enjoyed Spanish and Geography. making stained glass windows, taking part in drama workshops and a guided tour of the cathedral. All the What are you most looking forward to? students really enjoyed the day and were an excellent example of how I am really looking forward to Art. I love to draw; polite and courteous our students at Lathom are. it even gets me in trouble sometimes when I draw in the corner of my work in other lessons! Y7 Reward Trips – Since September our year 7 cohort have What do you want to do in the future? been rewarded for their progress, outstanding attitude to After Lathom I want to go on to college to study mathematics and learning and academic excellence with numerous trips out accounting. After this I would like to work as an accountant or a to take part in various activities. Our most recent trip saw maths teacher. 65 students leave school early to enjoy a bowling trip; other trips have included visits to the cinema and Wigan roller rink. How will Lathom help you to achieve your goals? Year 7 students have one more trip to look forward to before the summer Lathom will help me to get the grades I need to get into college - Disney Land Paris on Tuesday 15th – Thursday 17th July. and to reach my dream job.

Lathom Team Up with session recalled “I have learnt two new things that my child likes that I never knew about” another shared “I loved how hands on the Skelmersdale Food Initiative session was, it made making a healthy snack fun and interesting for my child”. We hope to expand the project across more of the On Tuesday 6th May we teamed up with Skelmersdale Food primary schools in the West District over the next few Initiative to deliver healthy food workshops in two local primary months. schools. The workshop was focused on bringing parents and children together to prepare snacks that are really healthy and Children from Cobbs Brow can be eaten as a snack in lunch boxes. The project was set up show off their healthy snacks. to inform parents of healthier options for their children’s lunch boxes with the hope that they would take something away from the session that will become a healthier lifestyle habit.

We spent the morning with the parents and children of Cobbs Brow and the afternoon at Dalton St Michaels. The Dalton children enjoy getting workshops were a huge success, one parent attending the hands on with new foods. SPORTS - @lathompe

Primary Cross Country Primary School Tag Rugby Competition

On the evening of Monday 19th May Lathom High School hosted a Tag Rugby Competition for year 5 and 6 top and are pictured above with their children. Three schools battled it out winners certificates. to be crowned ‘Tag Rugby Champions’ On Tuesday 29th April 10 Primary and it was a very close encounter with Handball Championships Schools attended the annual West lots of talented youngsters showing Since September we have introduced Lancashire Cross Country event hosted their skills. Cobbs Brow came out on Handball to our students and in by Lathom High School. The event was May we qualified to take part in the a huge success with many parents Handball Championships coming down to support and cheer on held at The PowerLeague in Trafford. their child. Each race was extremely We took a mixture of girls and boys competitive with some really determined who competed in the under 13 and performances. Well done to the overall under 15 age groups. The event was boys winners St James’ Catholic a fantastic experience for all of our Primary and the overall girls’ winners students who competed well against Woodland Community Primary. some very tough teams, well done. Question time

Q) When will the questions we wrote on the post cards at the Y6 meet and greet evening be answered? A) Acting head Mrs Galbraith has already visited Crow Orchard, Hillside and Holland Moor to answer all of the questions they had about starting Lathom in September. She will continue to visit the other primary schools over the next two weeks to answer all of your questions.

Q) What prizes are on offer for the next attendance initiative? A) The next initiative started on 2nd June – 18th July and there are loads of amazing prizes up for grabs including a TV, New Look vouchers and Xbox vouchers. There is also going to be a prize draw for all of the students that have had 100% attendance since the start of the academic year on September 5th 2013 to win an APPLE IPAD MINI. WHAT’S COMING UP NEXT? • Monday 9th June, award winning author David Massey will be visiting Lathom to give a presentation on his latest book “Taken” to Y8 students. There will also be opportunity for students to partake in creative writing sessions. • Next parents’ drop in session – Monday 16th June 3:30-5:30pm • Year 11 Leavers Ball – Wednesday 2nd July • Y5 Primary Liasion Day – Friday 4th July • Trips day – Tuesday 15th July • Disneyland Paris Trip for Year 7 If you have any questions about anything that’s going on at Lathom then do not hesitate to get in touch and your question may feature in our next edition. Follow us on twitter: @lathomhs or email me directly: [email protected]