Headteacher’s Message Welcome to the final half term of the year. This week, students in years 7 and 8 have been sitting their end of year exams. These assessments are an important opportunity for staff to judge how well students have progressed in their learning in this unusual year. Teachers will be able to adjust the curriculum to take account of any gaps in learning they identify. We have been delighted with the serious and sensible way students have approached their assessments. In any normal year, we would have exams at this time, but given the fact that year 7 students did not have the experience of SATs in year 6, these assessments are part of the process of consolidating learning, and practising skills of working in timed conditions. Next week year 7 and 8 students will be completing the small number of assessments we were not able to fit into this week of exams. Year 9, 10, and 12 students, who are on their exam courses, will be sitting exams in the next two weeks. They will often be in the style of the exam papers they will finally be sitting. For year 12 students in particular, they offer a good opportunity for students to show what they have learned, and will be a key piece of evidence teachers use when deciding predicted grades as part of the UCAS process next year. In lgith of these exams, once again, we will have some changes to breaktimes, as shown below. Year 6 Chenderit will be welcoming Year 6 students next week. Some are invited in on Tuesday and others will be joining us on Thursday. All the students will be getting to know their new tutor, their way around school and hopefully making friends with their peers. The whole Chenderit community welcome them and hope that they reach their full potential while at Chenderit. In my message at the end of last term, I asked parents and carers for their views about our school in order to help governors and school leaders determine our school’s priorities in the future. Thank you to those parents who have contributed so far. If you would still like to share your views, please use the following links to answer our 14 questions, which should take you no more than about 10 minutes. Years 7-11: https://forms.gle/ohmMvZYcGgN43qdR6 Sixth Form: https://forms.gle/fUbLqRhRroJ5obft5 We appreciate all contributions and will share the results with you next week. The links will be de-activated at the close of school on Monday 14th June. I wish our whole school community a warm, sunny and enjoyable weekend. GCSE Latin Opportunity (For Y8 and Y9 students who will be in Y9 and Y10 from September, 2021) Please read the information below and more details about the scheme are available at: https://clasoutreach.web.ox.ac.uk/oxlat#collapse911611 Mr. Williamson (Head of MFL, room 37) can help you with applying for this, and give you an application form, so please come and speak to him or send him an email. Please note: This GCSE course is organised by the University of Oxford and all teaching takes place there on Saturday mornings. Chenderit School does not teach or assess any of the course content. Students can be entered for the GCSE Latin examinations, which they will sit at Chenderit School in 2023. PE We are re-starting our after-school offer next week for school sport and activity. We have had some feedback from students and we are aiming to offer a number of activities for students in each session. We are hoping and planning for a full programme (including netball, football, rugby etc) from September but are only able to offer one after-school slot per year group per week due to our Covid risk assessment. The emphasis is on enjoying activity, or trying a new activity as students have been denied this since the last summer lockdown,. We would also like to engage with students who are not normally active. Example activities include: rounders, tennis, cricket, athletics but we are open to suggestions! We can coach and accommodate a number of different activities per session so students just need to think in advance and we will try to keep everyone happy. Y7 = Tuesday 3.15 – 4.30 outside Y8 = Wednesday 2.55 – 4.10 outside Y9 & 10 (separated & remaining in year group bubbles) = Thursday 3.15 – 4.30 outside We are in the throes of planning a Covid compliant hybrid Sports Day too! We are hoping it will take place on the day ,as calendared (6th July). We will publish details soon! Alfie Briggs - MSUK British Kart Championship Round 2 Congratulations to Alfie (Y8) Last weekend Alfie competed in GYG Karting, North Wales for the first and second round of the National Super One Championship. He had a clean sweep on both days, taking pole position and winning all the heats and the finals. Well done, Alfie. News from the Art Department End of Year Exams This week, students in Years Seven and Eight have been completing their End of Year assessments for Art. Next week, it’s the turn of Year Nine, with Year Ten and Year Twelve assessments in the week after. It’s a very busy time of year! A massive “thank you” to all students for approaching these practical assessments with such diligence and concentration. It has been good to see how students have been using the skills they have learned and practised throughout the year to such good effect. Hard work is always rewarded, and every student should remember that practise is the best way to improve. Please also note that students’ results will not affect groupings next year: we are committed to mixed ability groups at each Key Stage, with every student encouraged to reach their own potential. We want everyone to enjoy art, to be able to develop their skills and to create work that they are proud of. Mr Christy is still hoping that one day a Chenderit student will go on to take the art world by storm, win The Turner Prize or have a solo exhibition at Tate Modern. However good you feel you are at art at the moment, remember that practise will help you become a better artist. If you want to make it in the art world, you need to do three things: You need to aim high. You need to work hard. You need to be nice. New On-Line Exhibition from the Heseltine Gallery While The Heseltine Gallery remains closed to the public, exhibitions have moved on-line. The latest exhibition opened this week and is definitely worth investigating. “Still Lives: Year Eleven Observational Drawing from the Age of Lockdown” reveals an assortment of observational drawings and paintings from some of Chenderit’s Year Eleven students. We are very proud of what these students have achieved. If you get a chance, please do check it out: https://www.theheseltinegallery.org.uk/still-lives The term “still life” has, for these students and many more like them, taken on a new meaning in this last year. Lives have been put on hold, while we await the next announcement or rule change. These students have used that extra independent time available to develop their skills and to practise their drawing. These students have stepped up to the challenge and have excelled. The drawings selected are testament to their hard work and focus. Chenderit Sixth Form Sixth Form Weekly Bulletin Week Beginning: 7th June 2021 Revision hints and tips for Year 12 Year 13 University Applicants Our Year 12 students have their PPEs beginning next We have introduced our Year 12 students to UCAS week. This week in tutor time, we are focusing on how over the past half term, and they are well on their way to revise effectively, and here is a summary of the with their first drafts of their personal statements. strategies we recommend for each of our students to Last week, students were given an assembly to follow: introduce them to the UCAS application process so Completing more practice questions and take they are aware of how to complete their applications. time to understand the feedback Whilst these application forms are live, they cannot Understanding where they lose marks and what submit them until 7th September, so ensuring they take easy fixes can be made the time to complete them now puts them in good Not focusing on “competition” or on how stead to get their applications in early. others are performing Please see the dates below for an overview of the Using exemplar material – how can they gain UCAS application process for your child if they wish the marks? Examiners reports are a useful to go to university in 2022: source of information for this 7th September 2021: completed applications can Avoiding stress and negativity be submitted Organising their equipment and resources – are 15th October 2021: Deadline for Oxbridge, they fully organised for each exam and do they Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry have everything they need? courses Completing smaller chunks of revision – 26th January 2022: Deadline for all complete 30 minute sessions throughout the undergraduate applications to be submitted for day rather than hours at a time equal considerations (applications can be Condensing knowledge down – use flashcards submitted after this, but if courses are full then and mind maps places may then be unavailable). Putting phones away when revising! 5th July 2022: Clearing for 2022 entry opens Please do encourage your child to follow these hints 11th August 2022: A Level Results Day (TBC) and tips to ensure they get the results they deserve in and places released through UCAS Track.