Ysgol Stanwell School Sporting Excellence School Productions Clubs & Activities Contents Greetings from the School School Calendar 2016/17 School Trips 2016/17 Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme Eco-Schools Department News Year Group News 100% attendance pupils Take 3 Greetings from the school Dear Parents/Carers, It gives me great pleasure to look back on this Autumn term and I hope that you will en- joy reading about the many achievements of our pupils in this newsletter. Regular read- ers of our website and twitter updates will know that Stanwell pupils are involved in an astonishingly wide range of activities that encompasses music, sport, drama, charity fundraising and community involvement. The beneficial impact of their extra-curricular activities is considerable, helping to shape them into mature and responsible citizens of the future. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking the committed staff, parents and members of the public who make such activities possible. School highlights this term include our superb senior production ‘West Side Story’ and our Sports Award ceremony, both of which showcased the talents of hundreds of pupils. On behalf of the governors and staff, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2017, Yours faithfully, Derek Jones, Headteacher. School Announcements The date of 2017 PTA quiz will be Friday 27th January. Please come along and join in this popular and fun event that is always a highlight of the school year. The max- imum number of members per team is 6 and entry costs £8 per head to include a buffet supper. Wine, beer and cider can be purchased on the night to accompany your meal. Please telephone main reception to book your team’s space, we look for- ward to seeing you there. Parents and pupils are reminded that Wednesday 4th January will be the first day of the Spring term for pupils as Tuesday 3rd January is an INSET day. CALENDAR FOR 2016/17 September 1 Thursday INSET DAY 2 Friday INSET DAY 5 Monday FIRST DAY OF TERM FOR PUPILS October 18 Tuesday OPEN DAY - Half Day 21 Friday LAST DAY OF HALF TERM HALF TERM 31 Monday FIRST DAY OF TERM November 1 Tuesday Year 13 Parents' Evening 8 Tuesday Year 7 Pastoral Evening December 16 Friday LAST DAY OF TERM CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS January 3 Tuesday INSET DAY 4 Wednesday FIRST DAY OF TERM FOR PUPILS 24 Tuesday Year 9 Parents' Evening 31 Tuesday Year 11 Parents' Evening February 7 Tuesday Year 12 Parents' Evening 14 Tuesday Year 11 Options Evening 17 Friday LAST DAY OF TERM HALF TERM 27 Monday FIRST DAY OF TERM March 7 Tuesday Year 10 Parents' Evening 21 Tuesday Year 8 Parents' Evening April 4 Tuesday Year 8 Options Evening 7 Friday LAST DAY OF TERM EASTER HOLIDAYS 24 Monday FIRST DAY OF TERM May 1 Monday Bank Holiday 9 Tuesday Year 7 Parents' Evening 26 Friday LAST DAY OF TERM HALF TERM June 5 Monday FIRST DAY OF TERM 4 Tuesday NEW YEAR 7 PARENTS' EVENING 19 Wednesday LAST DAY OF TERM FOR PUPILS 20 Thursday INSET DAY 21 Friday INSET DAY Proposed Overnight Visits 2016‐ 2017 This is a proposed list of overnight trips for the next academic year. There may be some changes to it but you will be notified accordingly. Year Group Subject Destination Date Key Stage 4 Art Rome 16th to 20th February Key Stage 4 Business Studies Paris (Business Studies and IT Conference) 25th February to 1st March Year 12 Careers Birmingham, What Live Careers Fair 3rd March Key Stage 4 Drama London 26th & 27th January Key Stage 4 Duke of Edinburgh Award Vale of Glamorgan ‐ Practice Walk 12th February Key Stage 4 Duke of Edinburgh Award Silver Award ‐ Practice Expedition 16th to 18th March Key Stage 4 Duke of Edinburgh Award Silver Award ‐ Assessed Expedition 23rd to 15th March Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Award ‐ Practice Expedition ‐ Group 1 11th & 12th May Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Award ‐ Assessed Expedition ‐ Group 1 17th & 18th May Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Award ‐ Practice Expedition ‐ Group 2 25th & 26th May Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Award ‐ Assessed Expedition ‐ Group 2 15th & 16th June Year 10 Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Award ‐ Practice Expedition ‐ Group 1 29th & 30th June Year 10 Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Award ‐ Assessed Expedition ‐ Group 1 3rd & 4th July Year 10 Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Award ‐ Practice Expedition ‐ Group 2 13th & 14th July Year 10 Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Award ‐ Assessed Expedition ‐ Group 2 17th & 18th July 6th Form Duke of Edinburgh Award Gold Award ‐ Practice Expedition 31st March to 2nd April 6th Form Duke of Edinburgh Award Gold Award ‐ Practice Expedition 21st April to 23rd April 6th Form Duke of Edinburgh Award Gold Award ‐ Assessed Expedition 10th to 14th July 6th Form Duke of Edinburgh Award Gold Award ‐ Assessed Expedition 17th to 21st July 6th Form Geography Fieldwork 2nd & 3rd February Year 13 Geography London 10th February Year 10 Geography Fieldwork 22nd & 23rd June Year 8 Geography Bristol Zoo 1 day May / June There will be many other day trips taking place during the next academic year and you will be notified accordingly via your child. If you wish for your child to attend a trip but feel that there are financial difficulties preventing your child from attending please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Year Tutor to discuss a payment option. Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme Miss H Jenkins This year has seen a very successful celebra- tion of the Duke of Edinburgh Award in Stanwell and the school has taken on their own direct licence for the Award. This has been the first year for the introduction of the bronze award to Year 9 with 180 pupils tak- ing up the opportunity. Year 10 students are currently also enrolled onto the bronze Award with another 172 pupils enrolled. Year 11 students are participating in the Sil- ver award but it is hoped by the Award The following young leaders then attended in Scheme that in two years the Silver Award November a celebratory service for the Dia- will be completed in Year 10 with the aim of mond Anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh reducing some of the pressures around their Award scheme in Westminster Abbey. They external examinations. Year 12 students are were: currently enrolling on the Gold level of the Award. Ffion Blunsdon, Rowena Cameron, Mat- thew Dawson, Georgia Howe, Catrin Jones, A number of the silver and gold participants Megan Jones, Seren Marsh, Elizabeth last year also undertook a Young Leaders McCulloch, Callum McSorley, Eva course over two weeks and have since been McWilliam, Chloe Parselle, Emily Skinner, building up their community hours to suc- Kiyan Tavanaie and Rose Wilcox. They cessfully com- were an absolute pleasure to take to the service plete this and were a credit to themselves and the school. award. These They thoroughly enjoyed the experience which pupils were they shared with HRH Prince Edward, HRH then part of the Prince Philip and the Queen! visit that HRH Prince Edward made to the school in Sep- tember. They were involved in the running of a number of team building activities for the current bronze participants. Prince Edward took part in some of the activ- ities and followed the pupils’ instructions. “celebratory service in Westminster Abbey” Eco-Schools Mrs J Laity From the beginning of the autumn term, Eco Open evening—a range of interactive ac- Stanwell Committee members have been tivities were on display in F26 throughout busy preparing for an assessment in January the evening. From making a wish for the 2017. Hopefully this will result in Stanwell ‘Eco Tree’ to sorting recycling/non recy- becoming a prestigious Platinum Award cling items in the correct bins, to an in- School. This is an award achieved in recogni- formative quiz on ‘what do you know?’ tion of schools showing a high degree of The committee members organised and ran commitment in supporting the environmental the event in a mature and positive way. initiatives outlined by Keep Wales Tidy and Professor T. Hazell — a visiting speaker the Eco Schools scheme. This award will cel- attended an Eco Stanwell meeting and ebrate the hard work, dedication and enthusi- shared his concerns about the level of air asm of pupils, and staff at Stanwell over the pollution created around Stanwell (and last six years. Leading the committee this around many other schools ) at the end of a year are a number of students who must be school day. This is of particular concern commended for all the successes the school during the winter months when parents/ has achieved to date; Robert Brown carers collect pupils and park around the (Director) , Michael Conway (Secretary), main entrance in cars with the engines left Emily Geen (Publicity Officer), Iman Haq on to keep themselves warm. The students (Treasurer). were informed this is not only breaking the law but causing an alarming amount of ex- haust emissions to enter the air at this time of the day. Eco – week 2016. The theme for Eco week this year was recycling. Following the news that: “One in seven tonnes of recy- cling rejected in some Welsh council are- as ends up in incinerators or landfill .” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-38000367) The committee decided to promote and encour- age the school community to recycle more ef- The large committee of 25-30 pupils from fectively. most year groups meet weekly to discuss During a number of environmental issues both within school and presentations organ- the wider local community.