Summer Edition 2017
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SUMMER EDITION 2017 H E A D T E A C H E R N E W S Welcome to the summer edition of our newsletter and the end of another busy year. It has been a wonderful term which has seen our older students tackling revision and completing their exams. They celebrated the end of school with picnics, proms and lots of photographs to aid their memories. Year 9 have moved up to Linnell and we have welcomed our new Year 7 to three induction days. Many of our students have experienced success on the sports field and this will be rounded off with our House Sports Day in the final week at Shobnall and The Community Cup. Our Ofsted visit in May confirmed what we already knew – that Abbot Beyne is a good (if not great) school. The inspection was a rigorous two days, and the resulting Report highlights and celebrates many of our strengths. Our future planning is now focused on making Abbot Beyne even better. This time of year is always tinged with sadness as we say goodbye to staff and students. We wish all our departing staff health and happiness in whatever their future pathway has in store for them. This newsletter also includes some parental information pages which I hope you find useful. Enjoy reading our newsletter, and I look forward to working with you all again in September. EFFORT E Annabel Stoddart TEAMWORKER T R REFLECTIVE I INDEPENDENT C CREATIVE Governor Page – Summer 2017 The school year seems to have passed by quickly and it has been an exciting time. All our efforts have been on focused on making sure that the school environment and teaching is improving so that every student can make the most of their time at school. At the beginning of the year we were a school that had been judged by Ofsted as Requiring Improvement and the Headteacher and I were determined that with the support of all the Governors and teaching staff that judgement would change. Ofsted came, they inspected and it was great to hear that our school was judged as Good across the board. It’s a great achievement for all of us especially the hard work and effort put in by the staff at the school. It’s pleasing to know that the Inspectors were impressed by the culture of the school and the outstanding behaviour of our students. It goes without saying that a good school is also a very big plus for the local community. We are grateful for all the support of the local community and parents and carers. We have been taking stock of where we are and we want to build on the progress so far and move forward. Our ambition is to continuously improve so that we are not just Good across the board but Outstanding. There are challenges ahead – we want to improve our engagement with our local community and parents, we want more engagement and interaction with business and we want some students to improve their attendance levels. We will be focusing on these areas as well as continuing to improve teaching standards. As we come to the end of this school year we can celebrate the many achievements of the school, and the progress made by every student. To our students who are leaving and starting the next stage of their journey in life I hope you have a great start. A thank you to our staff and a restful summer to them and to those students who will be back next year. We also look forward to welcoming our new student cohort in September. Mohammad Haroon Chair of Governors It has been a very busy final term with us saying goodbye to our current Year 9 in Evershed and having our first visits from the new Year 7 students. We have also been visited by Year 4 investigating in science and Year 5 experiencing a variety of Abbot Beyne subjects. All students have enjoyed their time experiencing life at Abbot Beyne. Students have continued representing the school in various sports competitions, including rounders and cricket. As part of our continuing PSHE program all year groups in Key Stage 3 took part in our final Deep Learning Day. Students in Year 7 were focussed on looking at their future aspirations and considering the careers and opportunities that are available to them. Year 8 were focussed on British values and what they mean to us in school and our society. We looked at crime, our values and our ideas towards gender and sexuality. Our British values we focus on are democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith. At this time of year students in Year 9 become anxious about their move to Linnell so they spent part of their Deep Learning Day finding their way around and getting used to their new surroundings. Year 9 were also focussing on democracy and why and how we make laws. This allows all students to understand the processes needed to make a change. Students have been involved in visits to a range of places this half term including an exciting trip to Cadburys World for Year 7 and re-enacting the Battle of Hastings. At this time of year all students have taken exams in all of their subjects, many impressing staff with their work and resilience in completing the papers. This has been followed by all students in KS3 receiving their final two monitoring performance reports showing what progress they have made throughout this year. We were then very lucky to celebrate student successes and achievements in our celebration assemblies which have taken place for each year group. A significant number of students in each year group have been rewarded for their effort, hard work, determination and commitment to their studies. This has been a great time to celebrate with friends and family all of the hard work and achievements of students throughout this year. Congratulations to all students who received an award. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all students for a fantastic school and wish you an enjoyable and relaxing summer break. Come back ready and refreshed in September. MISS J WOOD KS3 PROGRESS LEADER DEEP LEARNING DAY Year 10 have recently taken part in a Deep Learning Day where the focus was on LGBT, extremist behaviour and Money Matters. Students watched a film and discussed issues around LGBT within society. Money matters gave our students the opportunity to learn about budgeting and mortgages. They have also completed their work experience applications, which take place during the last week of term from the 17th to the 21st July. They have had the opportunity to contact their placements and finalise their letters and CVs. We wish all of our Year 10 a successful Work Experience! Year 10 have recently sat their Year 10 Mock GCSEs. This has given them a valuable insight into what to expect and how to prepare for their “real” exams in the forthcoming year. Year 9 have just transferred over to Linnell and are starting to find their way around confidently ready for the start of their GCSEs in September. I am looking forward to seeing them all again in September all refreshed from the holidays! Year 11 have completed their five years at Abbot Beyne School by sitting their GCSE exams and have celebrated their end of term with a Picnic and a Prom at Tutbury Castle. Students eagerly await their GCSE result which will be available on 24th August from 9am at Linnell. Many students have attended interviews and have been offered place for their next step of their journey and all at Abbot Beyne wish them the best of luck for their future, whatever that may be! THAT PLACE ‘That Place’ is a Youth Centre for 14-19 year olds based in Burton upon Trent town centre. Our team are here to promote emotional well-being and positive mental health by offering you choices, information and 1:1 support on issues or problems you may be experiencing. Our centre is comfortable, welcoming and relaxed which will hopefully make you feel at ease when you come and visit us. Remember, although our door is quite heavy, it is always open! That Place, 56 High Street, Burton upon Trent, DE14 1JS Opening Hours - Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm Mrs L Lynch KS4 PROGRESS LEADER & SENIOR ATTENDANCE OFFICER Congratulations to all of the Sixth Form students for surviving the ordeal of both internal and external examinations and for managing to stay smiling most of the time! With the new Leadership Team in place, the organisation of the annual Sports Day and Community Cup seems to be in safe hands and the Leaders have already created a positive impression in House Assemblies and at the recent Year 6 Evening, and our Year 12 musicians have made a valuable contribution to the School Concert. Alongside their studies and many of their extra-curricular activities, Year 12 have now embarked on the process for applying to university and many are attending Open Days and Master Classes as well as organising career-related work experience. It is lovely to work with such a motivated and positive group of young people as they are taking full responsibility for their future success. Finally I would like to wish all of the students the best for the summer examinations and I look forward to the end of term Activity Week and Sixth Form Ball in order to celebrate their successes! Mrs Timson Director of Sixth Form & Assistant Headteacher As part of his PIXL Edge, Zain has written this article……..