Polesworth Matters Dear All This has been a rather more eventful week at Polesworth than usual. Year 11s have completed their pre-public exams and they now await results. They have approached these exams in an extremely mature way and my advice would be to use the outcomes to target particular topics in need of further attention. There is still plenty of time. On Wednesday we initiated our lock-down procedure. This was due to a person being on site who had not signed in but who is involved with the new block that will house Science and Design Technology. My thanks go to staff and students for the way in which they responded and to all stakeholders who have provided constructive feedback. Where appropriate and necessary we will be actioning relevant adaptations. Our main priority is the safety of all on site and during a lock-down communication will be maintained via our website. Thankfully this lock-down did not require police presence but if it had please be aware that the police then take control of all communication from the school and we are guided by them. Thank you to all those who offered support and thanks for making what is ultimately a difficult but necessary decision. On Thursday we held our own General Election and we await the results with anticipation. As we enter the final week of this term I want to take this opportunity to thank all staff, students, parents and governors for their support, and on behalf of the school I wish you all a peaceful, joyful and wonderful Christmas and New Year. With very best wishes for 2020! Headteacher Headteachers Message News from Music and Drama Teaching Internships Children and Family Centre Drop In Sixth Form Open Evening Letter i The Addams Family Early Finish Letter GCSE History and Classics Sixth Form Open Evening In Science Masterclass S8GLV this All Years Extra Curricular Sports Clubs PE News issue Contact Details PE Student of the Term December January Early 7th Students return to school Lunches in 13th Out of Uniform January due 13th GCSE Dance Workshop to exams Key Dates Deadline for UCAS 15th UCAS Deadline 13th 8th for applications 13th December 2019 — December 15th Early Finish 1.10pm / January 10th Break up for Christmas 14th 20th 15th Post 16 Open Evening Holiday Issue 269 We are now accepting applications for paid Internships to try out teaching for summer 2020. With our paid try out teaching Internships, you’ll be able to experience the teaching profession, gain new skills and be paid for your time. So, if you’re an undergraduate on a STEM related degree and are interested in teaching secondary maths or physics, then the Teaching Internship programme could be for you. Internships will take place during June and July 2020 and last four weeks. As well as The Polesworth School, there are opportunities in schools based in Tamworth, Atherstone and Nuneaton. Our Try Out Teaching Internship Programme is aimed at people with the potential to teach maths and science. It doesn’t matter if your degree is not in these subjects, but if you have an A Level in either, or if your degree has a significant element of statistics, science or number work, you could be eligible. You will receive a Bursary of £300 per week during your internship, and the opportunity to work alongside teaching staff and pupils in an outstanding school. Your internship will put you in the driving seat to make an informed decision as to whether teaching may or may not be the career for you. There is no commitment to train to teach following the internship, this is merely an opportunity to try it out for yourself. You will be provided with a subject buddy and a professional mentor during your time with us. Together you will build a relationship that will help and support you You will have the opportunity to start building up time in a school environment and begin collecting the evidence you will need as you start your teaching career. You will be offered an induction into the school life and be invited to work with your own tutor group, alongside the existing Tutor. This is what last year’s interns had to say about it: I was a bit reluctant at first to apply because I wasn’t sure what I would be doing during the Physics internship. My degree course is Health and Safety Management and although I have an A level in Biology I wouldn’t consider myself knowledgeable enough to teach! But I was wrong. I found that teaching is really about communication skills, relationship building and self- confidence. My mentor at Polesworth, actually said ‘teaching is 90% personality’. During the internship I spent a lot of time watching brilliant science teachers. I couldn’t believe how diverse each hour of the day could be; one hour I could be supporting Y7 learning about energy transfer and the next hour I could be helping Y12 Biology carry out experiments on plants. I was given the opportunity to plan and teach a lesson myself. I was apprehensive but I had a planning meeting with my mentor and she helped me to select the activities and sort the resources. I chose to teach a lesson on disease as it a Key Stage 4 topic that I was both confident and interested in. The lesson went really well; my mentor said I had real potential. This has led to a real dilemma because I never really thought that teaching was an option for me and now it could be. I had a genuinely wonderful time. I had underestimated how enjoyable and exciting teaching could be. The Science Department at Polesworth were brilliant and really welcoming. They made me feel part of the team. My initial worries about subject knowledge can be resolved too. In actual fact there are lots of ways that subject knowledge can be developed before you start teacher training (that are funded too!). I originally found the Polesworth Internship via the university that I attend. From when I first read the brochure on the internship, I knew that I had to take part. The chance to explore my ambition to become a teacher was a chance that I couldn’t pass up. During the internship I was guided by my experienced mentor and fully immersed into teacher life. I felt welcomed from minute one and was encouraged throughout the internship to take on responsibility and work to the best of my ability. I completed group tasks within lessons, marked end of year tests, taught my own lesson and even ran in the teacher 100m relay on sports day! This internship went above and beyond my expectations and gave me a real insight into the day to day life of a teacher and the workings of a school. This internship confirmed that I do indeed want to be a teacher and I shall be returning to the Polesworth School in September 2020 to complete my teacher training. This internship allowed me to explore teaching as a career, and I would recommend anyone wishing to explore teaching to undertake the internship with the Communities Academy Trust Teaching School. Should you decide that teaching is for you, we will support you along every step of the application process. You will be in an excellent position to be considered for School Direct vacancies in maths and science within our partnership of schools. If you are interested, visit the website https://catteachingschool.org/paid-internship- programme/ and complete the application form. Or, if you would like to pop into school for a visit or a chat, do please contact Michelle Borders, Teaching School Coordinator, [email protected] who will be delighted to hear from you. Our ref: SLT/MUN/RS December 2019 Headteacher: Mrs Maura Favell BA (Hons), MA Deputy Headteachers: Miss Jo Howell Mrs Alexis Rickus Mr Chris Quinney Dordon Rd. Dordon, Tamworth, Staffordshire B78 1QT Tel: (01827) 702205, Fax: (01827 702206) Email: [email protected] Website: www.thepolesworthschool.com Dear Parents and Year 11 Students It gives us great pleasure to invite you to our Sixth Form Open Evening for Parents and Year 11 students on Wednesday 15th January at 6.00pm in the Hall. The purpose of the evening is to inform you of the many courses and opportunities available at The Polesworth School Sixth Form @ Tomlinson Hall. There will be 2 presentations in the Main School Hall at 6.00pm and 6.45pm which should last approximately 40 minutes and will provide an overview of how we operate in the Sixth Form, entry requirements and our expectations. The rest of the time is an opportunity to visit departments, gather subject specific information and ask questions of teachers, subject leaders and A Level students. A programme for the evening will be available on the night. I would be most grateful if you would return the slip at the bottom of this letter to your son/daughter’s tutor by Wednesday 8th January 2020. The window for applications is now open; our online application form can be accessed via the ‘About Us’ link at www.tomlinsonhall.com. The deadline for applications is Friday 6th March 2020. We look forward to seeing you. Yours sincerely Mrs L P Munn Director of Post-16 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sixth Form Open Evening – Wednesday 15th January 2020 Please complete and return this slip to your son/daughter’s tutor at The Polesworth School. Student's Name: ………………………………………….……….………. Tutor Group: ……………………………… *I/We *will/will not be attending the Open Evening on Wednesday 15th January 2020.