Polesworth Matters Dear All The public exam season is soon to be over and it feels like this year has passed in the blink of an eye. All other year groups will now sit internal exams and I would recommend that students prepare thoroughly for these exams to maximise success. On the 28th June and 5th July we host our annual year 11 and 13 Leavers’ Assemblies respectively. We very much look forward to seeing your fancy dress costumes! On 3rd July we look forward to meeting current year 5 students on our annual Open Evening. Everyone is welcome and this will be a fantastic opportunity to speak to staff and students regarding day to day life at The Polesworth School. And the day after welcoming prospective new students we bid a fond farewell to year 11 students at their Prom. We very much look forward to seeing you on results day and welcoming lots of you back for Post 16 study. Headteacher Headteachers Message Bus Services to The Polesworth School The Voice Y12 End of Year Exam timetable Open Evening Letter i Y10 End of Year Exam timetable Congratulations Music Department News Uniform Sale PE News In Science Club Exam Timetables Scientist of the Month this 2019 Leavers Books Science Stars of the Month issue Contact Details June July 11th Sports Day 17th - Prefect Training 1st Y6 Induction Fortnight 19th 12th Out of Uniform 25th ELD Day 3rd Open Evening 12th Talent Show Key Y11 Prom at Drayton 25th Y12 H.E. Fayre at NEC 4th 13th - D of E Silver Qualifying Dates Manor 15th Expedition 14th June 2019 June/ Year 6 Induction Day and 15th - — 27th 5th Y13 Leavers Day Y8 Jungle Run July Y6 Parents’ Evening 16th Y11 Leavers Day 5th- Y11-13 Model U.N. Y12 Induction Day 28th 7th Conference in Birmingham 16th Issue 252 One of the many things that we pride ourselves on at Polesworth is the excellent relationships that exist between staff and students and also between the students themselves. Our successful mixed aged tutoring system has enabled students from all year groups to get to know each other during a tutor period every day and it has been lovely to see those relationships flourish over the years. But it is through working with The Voice, our name for our school council, this year that I have seen first-hand just how effective it is to have students ranging from 11 years old to 18 working together to help develop our school. The Voice has been running in our school for many years now and after consultation with our students last year, we agreed that it needed a relaunch. This year has seen that relaunch with regular monthly meetings, a clear agenda that leads to concrete actions and newly elected students joining us in October. Since then we have publicised the work of The Voice in tutorial sessions for all groups and members of The Voice have met with representatives of every tutor group to receive feedback from their group about a range of issues they would like The Voice to address on their behalf. As a school we are very proud of the commitment that our Voice members demonstrate, not just attending meetings but also joining working groups to develop policies or to put forward proposals of how to move forward with initiating change. This year The Voice members have helped develop our Behaviour Policy, our Anti Bullying Policy and our Online Safety Policy. They have also helped us with a review on behaviour around the school, both in and out of lessons, and have been key to introducing changes to the way we are training our prefects for next academic year. The Voice have also been part of a consultation on the introduction of our new school skirt and have raised the importance of recycling with us, which has led to ongoing work taking place on increasing the number of recycling bins around the school. They have also been successful in bringing forward the schedule for allowing in-class revision for Year 11s and Year 13s in tutor time and for the provision of an early revision techniques session for those who wanted to start their revision planning prior to the scheduled revision conference. While this has been massively appreciated by many exam students, they may not even now be fully aware that this has been actioned because of the work of The Voice. The start of the Autumn tem will see new elections for The Voice and I hope that lots of students in all year groups, who would like to be involved in developing our school further and being a voice for all students, will consider applying. This is what some of our Voice members have said about what being in The Voice means to them: “I joined The Voice because I like to make new friends and I just want to help the school out.” Year 7 student “I believe that joining the student voice ups your confidence and determination. It is a great experience and I believe everyone should try it.” Year 8 student “[The Voice] gives you a chance to address what you think can help the school.” Year 8 student “The Voice allows you to express your problems with the school, no matter how small that problem is. It is not just teachers that get a say – so do students. Also, the committee are a very nice and friendly bunch of people.” Year 8 student “The Voice is a really good opportunity to build confidence while making new friends and contributing to school improvements.” Year 9 student “One of the most positive reasons about joining The Voice is because of the family we have become and the new faces we see throughout school and in meetings. We help overcome issues like bullying and focus on positive things like being eco-friendly as well as other things we are faced with on a monthly basis. I have helped with elections and parents’ evenings and am slowly moving myself into a higher role within the community.” Year 9 student “The Voice has enabled me to represent other students in the school and to express their views and opinions regularly in meetings. It is a great way to contribute to changes within our school and to make it a better place.” Year 11 student “The Voice has allowed me to express the opinions of the students and to trigger a beneficial change. It’s so empowering and rewarding to be part of actively making the school a better place for all.” Year 12 student As Deputy Headteacher, I am always very proud of the students in our school and none more so than the members of The Voice. It has been a particular pleasure working with them this year; they are supportive of our school while at the same time providing challenge for us as school leaders in justifying our decisions and ensuring we never forget that all we do is for the benefit of our students. Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you and goodbye to Nadia Kurtulus and Tom Foley, our two Year 13 members and ex Head Boy and Head Girl, who are leaving us for pastures new. Their input and support on The Voice has been exceptional and we are grateful for their generosity of time and their positivity. They have also been excellent role models and will be hugely missed on The Voice and in the school as a whole. The Polesworth School sends many congratulations to Year 9 student Abiola Ojeowere on graduating the Warwick University Sutton Scholars programme last Saturday. Abiola began the programme in year 8 attending university lectures in science and technologies, workshops, residentials and numerous challenge activities meeting other students from all over the Midlands. Well done! Scientist of the Month MAY 2019 Year 7 Science Harriet Allen-Roberts Year 8 Science Liam Hopkins Year 9 Science Harvey Atkins Year 10 Science Beth Sweet Year 11 Science Kyle Statham Year 12 Science Harry Hudson Year 13 Science Jack Doak Science Stars of the Month Nominees for Scientist of the month for their hard work MAY 2018 Elisa Watret Ellis Melia Zak Smith Millie Stanley Rhys Oxford Abigail Scrivens-Parry Sophie Rimmer Sophie Law Mia Carefoot Georgia Kermode Holly Baker Carys Jones Owen Morris Alice Smith Tom Stone Amber Newbury William Norbury Adelle Samuels Jamie-Lee Maddax James Smith Sarah Wilcox Beth Wootton Kelsey Roe Lara Lennon Liam kirkham James Hunt Madison Lee Emma Cooper Charlotte Vincent Bus Services to The Polesworth School from the Tamworth Area South Staffs Coach Hire operate two bus services to The Polesworth School from the local Tamworth area. Take the hassle out of the daily car journey to and from school and let your child travel on one of our services. Service 776 Glascote to Polesworth - via Kettlebrook, Two Gates, Dosthill, Wilnecote and Stoneydelph Service 777 Glascote to Polesworth - via Bolehall and Amington Bus passes for the 2019/20 academic year are now on sale! If you are interested in purchasing one please get in touch with us via email [email protected], by phone on 01827 316722 or visit our website www.southstaffscoachhire.com . YEAR 12 END OF YEAR EXAMINATIONS SUMMER 2019 PERIOD 1 PERIOD 2 PERIOD 3 PERIOD 4 PERIOD 5 B Lunch & Periods 4 & 5 FRIDAY 14TH R Early lunch Drama JUNE E 12.10pm RS Week B A K (3 hour paper 12-3pm) B L MONDAY R U Study 17TH JUNE Sociology (2hr) E Psychology Paper 1 (1 ½ hr) N Leave C WEEK A A K H Classic Civilisation Paper 1 (1 ¾ hr) B L TUESDAY R U E Killagon & C Robinson Geography Psychology Paper 2 (1 ½ hr) Study 18TH JUNE E N E Lomas & S King Business Studies Geography (2 hr) Leave WEEK A A C B Oldham & H Hudson Product Design K H B L English (2 ½ hr) WEDNESDAY R U Economics (1 ½ hr) Study 19TH JUNE Chemistry Paper 1 (1 ½ hr) E N Leave A Chemistry Paper 2 (1 ½ hr) C WEEK A Product Design (1 ½ hr) K H THURSDAY B Politics (1hr 25) L PE (2 hr) 20TH JUNE R U Business Studies (1 ½ hr)