Volume 10 Issue 27 W/C 15 March 2021 Chiltern Hills Academy Chartridge Lane Chesham Buckinghamshire HP5 2RG Telephone 01494 782066 [email protected] www.chilternhillsacademy.co.uk Message from the Principal COVID 19 TESTING - SCHOOL AND HOME TESTING By the end of the week, those students with consent to have a lateral flow test will have had three Covid tests. We have therefore, in the last two weeks, completed 2,100 tests! This is something all secondary schools have been asked to complete in the last two weeks. Students have been amazing in carrying out these tests and have acted in a mature and sensible way as they have been undertaking the test. We move on now to home testing. These kits will be distributed to each student next week. They are in a sealed box with 7 tests in each and a separate instruction booklet. Please follow the separate instruction booklet and not the one in the sealed boxes. Although the test remains optional, we of course hope that you will ensure that your child(ren) are tested twice a week. You will need to register the details with the NHS yourselves. We also ask that after every test completed you use this form: Your child's Covid test result to notify us of the test results, whether the result is positive, negative or void. The link will also be placed on the front page of the school website to make it easy to find in the coming weeks. In addition, should there be a positive test please advise us immediately, using this email address: [email protected] to tell us about the positive test. We will then contact you with the next steps to take. Thank you in advance for using these tests, it does give an added layer of risk mitigation for all of us in the CHA community. Staff have been using the same test kits successfully for the last two weeks. SCHOOL UNIFORM As we returned to school last week, we have given a little flexibility regarding uniform. This week we are ensuring that students are reminded of some of the uniform expectations: • May we please request that students should only wear their PE kit on the days they have a timetabled lesson. • We are aware that hoodies are popular garments out of school but they are not appropriate to be worn with PE kit or school uniform. • Skirt style is a pleated skirt with the length being no more than 5cm above the knee. • Trainers are acceptable for PE days but not to be worn with the main school uniform. With the shops closed and mail order not always an easy option to buy items, if your child(ren) does not have the correct uniform please write them a note that they can show to staff. It is pleasing to see most young people are looking very smart and are correctly dressed. Thank you for your support. CYCLE TRAINING The Bikeability scheme is normally offered in Primary schools to support the safe use of the road on a bicycle. Due to the pandemic, a number of students now in Y7 may have missed this opportunity. The training will take place in the summer term. There is a small charge (£10) for the scheme with the remainder paid through a Government Scheme. Here are the details of the Level 2 training: https://bikeability.org.uk/bikeability-training/bikeability-level-2/ We have offered Level 3 before at this time of year but students need to have passed Level 2 first. The sessions will be held after school (probably on a Wednesday). If you are interested in your child(ren) being involved in this scheme please email Mrs Sanders ([email protected]) to indicate your interest. If we have sufficient interest we will then send you joining details and an application form. RED NOSE DAY – FRIDAY 19 MARCH We will raise money for this charity event by holding a non- uniform day on Friday. Red noses are going to be difficult to wear over our masks this year! Here is a link to the national event information: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/55899823 This year it is about ‘sharing a smile’ - we all need this opportunity during these difficult times. Thank you in advance for ensuring that your child(ren) have £1 to donate as they enter the school on this day. We should be able to raise over £1,000 on Friday. FREE SCHOOL MEALS A reminder that students who are entitled to free school meals, and whose parents/carers had been in receipt of vouchers from Edenred, will now be able to collect free school meals at lunchtimes up to the value of £2.50. Dates for Your Diary Date Event Email address 19 March Comic Relief Red Nose Day - non-uniform day for £1 22 March to 1 April Y11, Y12 and Y13 Mock Examinations [email protected] 22 March Y8 Options confirmed [email protected] 25 March Y10 Parents’ Evening via Schoolcloud, [email protected] 3.45 to 7.00pm 31 March Y7-Y11 Spring Concert, postponed 1 April Last day of Spring term, school closes 1.00pm 2 to 6 April Warsy trip to France, postponed [email protected] 19 April STAFF INSET DAY 20 April First day of Summer term, Y7/Y11 8.40am Y9/Y10 8.45, Y8/Y12/Y13 8.50 20 April Y11 Art practicals 21 April Y11 Food preparation practicals 22 April Earth Day 22 April Y11 Photography practicals 22 April A Level revision Media workshop, [email protected] 12.15 to 3.15pm 22 April Y12/Y13 Parents’ Evening via Schoolcloud. [email protected] 3.45 to 7.-00pm PE—Extra Curricular Activities Timetable Monday 15 March to Thursday 1 April DAY YEAR GROUP ACTIVITY 9 (on AGP) Monday Football 11 (on Field) Tuesday 7 (on AGP) Football 8 (on AGP) Thursday Football 10 (on Field) These activities will take place from 3.00pm to 4.00pm. Students must wear clean football boots for these sessions If your child(ren) does not have a PE lesson on the day, they MUST come to school in full school uniform and get changed at the end of the day into their PE kit. Mr S Falcon Teacher of PE Parent Voice Thank you to all parents who sent feedback regarding parents' evenings. As more online parent/student meetings are conducted over the next few months, further feedback will be collected to help support the school moving forward in ensuring future parents' evenings are efficient and of value. I would now like to invite you to send me your thoughts and suggestions regarding the Chiltern Hills Academy newsletter that you receive via email. The newsletter is an essential part of communication between Chiltern Hills Academy, its parents and students and should inform, remind and connect our school community. Staff work hard to ensure that your newsletter remains relevant, easy to read and informative. Here are some questions that may help you with your feedback: • How useful do you find the newsletter? • Do you feel the newsletter provides you with current, relevant information in an easy to read format? • What features of the newsletter work well? What doesn’t work well? • How can we improve our communication with you and your child through the newsletter? Please do email your thoughts and suggestions to me at [email protected] Thank you in advance for your feedback. Mrs Caroline Mastrorilli Parent Governor Young Enterprise 2021 Happy Hampers Lockdown Hampers Happy Hampers is a Young Enterprise company comprised entirely of Chiltern Hills Academy students in Year 12 who have started up their own business as part of the Company Programme. Happy Hampers assemble luxury pamper hampers and aim to provide a selection of home comforts and treats to enable you to survive the lockdown period. We are developing gift hampers for Easter, Birthday and all occasions. The students would be very grateful for your support. Please follow the links to our website and social media, to view and purchase their products which are now on sale. https://jandrews04.wixsite.com/happyhampersye https://www.ye-tradingstation.org.uk/company/3428 https://instagram.com/happyhamperss_ https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMe6gWt1H/ Mathematics As a department, we have been pleased with how our students have returned to their maths learning. In year groups 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 for the next few weeks we are reviewing everything that was taught online in order to ensure our students are confident with the concepts covered during Teams lessons. With regard to Y11, Y13 and those Y12 students who are taking resits, the focus of all lessons is revision for either their GCSE Maths or A Level/s. HOMEWORK As from this week, all our maths groups should be receiving regular homework. This should consist of an average two pieces of homework a week that take between 20 and 30 minutes. Please do encourage your child/children to complete their homework within the given time frame and to the best of their ability. If your child is struggling to complete their homework do encourage them to speak to their teacher about it – ideally, they should let their teacher know before the homework is due in either in person or via email or Teams. Another way of supporting your child with their maths work is asking them what they did in class and if possible, to explain to you what they have learnt. The more a student recalls of their learning, the more likely it is they will remember it.