The Elton Times Newsletter No58 — 1 October 2019 Dozens Of Awards Distributed At Our Annual Attendance Celebration Evening Updates From Across Departments Lots Of Sports News As Elton Teams Start The New Term On Top Form The Elton Times Newsletter No 58—1 October 2019 As noted in the previous newsletter, it was With regards to upcoming events, this week sees our important to have a strong, positive start to this new two Open Days (Wednesday and Thursday, 9.15am - term and we have been delighted with the manner 12.30pm) and Open Evening (Thursday, 5.30pm - and attitude of our students on their return. The new 7.30pm) take place. We anticipate very high numbers Year 7 students have been particularly impressive and of visitors and are really appreciative of parental so many staff have commented on their fantastic support in allowing your children to take part in work and behaviour. The new team of Prefects have displays, activities and as tour guides. While we are also been excellent, attending duties and being on lucky to have such a modern school building, it is hand to provide help and support in so many different always the manners and confidence of our actual ways. We are all focussed on maintaining this good students that draws positive comments from the start to the year and appreciate your help in getting visitors and we are sure that this will be the case again the children to school on time and being dressed/ this week. Full details of those open events will be prepared for each school day - it has a really positive provided in the next issue of this newsletter. In the impact. meantime, many thanks for your continuing support and please feel free to contact me at any time It is not just our Prefects and the new Year 7 students regarding any questions or queries about any aspect who have impressed us with their attitude and this is of our school - [email protected] part of a continuing school focus to support Elton students to be really good, genuine young people. The Jonathan Wilton importance of kindness and honesty was highlighted Headteacher in a recent survey which polled over 2,000 adults from across the UK. People were asked a very simple question - What do you think is the main sign of strength in a person? There were various responses but it was revealing that few people thought that looks or physical strength were important. Instead, the top ten answers were as follows: “What do you 1. Admitting you're wrong (53%) 2. Having a positive attitude (52%) 3. Honesty (52%) 4. Speaking up when someone is acting unfairly think is the (51%) 5. Speaking up when people are being mistreated (50%) 6. Apologising when you're wrong (48%) main sign of 7. Being supportive to others (47%) 8. Asking for help (46%) 9. Putting you problems aside to help others (46%) 10. Being patient (44%) strength in a These are all qualities that any school would want to promote and we try to do this as regularly as possible. As mentioned in the last newsletter when reviewing person?” the GCSE results, we are rightly proud of our school's academic record but our primary aim is working with yourselves to promote these crucial human qualities in Elton students. Attendance Awards Hundreds of parents and carers came into school to attend our annual Attendance Awards Evening. The awards were split into two sections, Years 8/10 and 9/11, with prizes distributed for 100% / 99% / 98% attendance and also most improved attendance. This year’s ex-student who attended as guest presenter was Claire Schofield, who currently works at St John’s Primary School in Ramsbottom. She spoke of her memories of being an Elton student and obviously, the importance of a good attendance record. It was a lovely evening which recognised the fantastic efforts of dozens of students. We look forward to further events next year and maintaining our position as the school with the best attendance in all of Bury! Year 7 Big Breakfast Holiday Prize A full English breakfast was served up to seventeen completing several tasks linked to their favorite books lucky Year 7 students last Friday. The Big Breakfast and authors; with one of the tasks encouraging prize was a top reward for students, who were chosen students to join their local library! from each form, for their fantastic effort on the This is the first of many rewards for the new Year 7 summer holiday project. Two students from each students, who have made an excellent start at Elton form were selected for completing their ‘Literacy High School. Watch out for news on Mrs Turbill’s 100 Launch into Year 7’ booklets to an excellent standard. Club prize draw at the end of each term. All students Mr Wilton served up the Friday morning feast to the start off with 100% attendance, 100% punctuality and eager Year 7 students. One student said delightedly, 100% no detentions - they receive a $100 dollar bill, ‘This is the first full English breakfast I have ever had – on which they write one thing they hope to achieve by it’s delicious!’ Mr Wilton and Mrs Turbill praised all of the end of their first year at high school; students who the students for their hard work over the summer remain in the 100 Club will be entered into the prize months and a certificate of effort will be presented to draw each term. So let’s keep up the fantastic effort every student who completed the homework booklet so far Year 7! in reward for their efforts. The initiative was aimed at Good Luck to all students in preparation for the next encouraging students to show a love of reading by Big Reward! Year 11 Art & Textiles The Art Department would like to share some of last year’s excellent work produced by GCSE Art and Textiles students. They all produced imaginative and independent work which show-pieced their creative skills. They were given free reign with regards the use of materials and method of working. (The dress is made up of plastic sewn together! ) They worked on a general theme of ‘Blue Planet.’ We will be holding a celebration evening in the summer term (Thursday 2nd of July 2020) to celebrate the achievements of all year groups within the Art Department. Keep that date in your diary! European Day of Languages In honour of last Wednesday’s European Day of Languages, pupils and the MFL department enjoyed a continental buffet. Pupils sampled an array of delectable delights, including French pastries, bread (le pain), cheese (le fromage) Spanish chorizo and olives (las aceitunas). The pain au chocolats in particular proved immensely popular, despite olives being considered an acquired taste by many! As an integral part of French and Spanish culture, enjoying vibrant and different food in a social way can be really motivating for budding linguists, and we’d like to thank pupils for wholeheartedly immersing themselves into other cultures with curiosity and an appetite for different food. ¡Muchas gracias! / Merci beaucoup! The MFL Department In Geography this week……. Welcome back!!! Keep your eyes open for new and exciting clubs being launched in the Geography department and competitions running with great prizes to be won!!! Welcome To Year 7 At the end of last year, Summer and Ruby both helped to design a ‘Welcome’ leaflet for the new Year 7 students starting at Elton in Geography. They included helpful information about what Geography is like at Elton which has really helped the Year 7s to settle into their new Geography lessons. Thanks for your hard work girls! Iceland 2020 Itinerary for the Iceland trip 2020 Day 1: Day 2: Arrive Secret lagoon Bridge between the Gullfoss waterfall continents Geysir Geothermal Krysuvik Mud puddles Ice cream farm Thingvellir National Park and Mid Atlantic Ridge Day 3: Day 4: Heimaey day with walk Skogafoss waterfall and up to Eldfell Reynishverfi beach Reykjadalur Hike Solheimajokull glacier and Quake Exhibihat glacier walk ShakeHase Seljaklansfoss waterfall Mariuhellar (Lava Cave) and lava centre Day 5—Home Interested in the planet? Want to help your school become more eco friendly? Then look out for information in assemblies about the new Geography eco- group! Ronny will return in the next edition with his holiday adventures!! Ellie's Jigsaw Ellie has a three dimensional puzzle made from cubes. There are six pieces altogether, but unfortunately one has gone missing. All six pieces are different shapes. The pieces fit together to make a 3 by 3 by 3 cube. Here are diagrams showing five of the pieces: Can you figure out what shape the sixth piece is? Is there more than one possible shape that the sixth piece could be? Send your working out and answers to [email protected]. All correct entries will gain an Achievement Point and be put in a hat. The first name pulled out wins a £5 Trafford Centre voucher! Parent Governor Vacancies Due to the terms of a previous members expiring, we have vacancies within the school Governing Body. If you feel that you could make a strong, positive contribution to our Governing Body then nominations are welcomed from parents/carers. Nomination forms can be downloaded through the school website (under the 'Vacancies' section) and must be returned to the Clerk to Governors, Mrs Foster ([email protected]) Deadline for nominations to be returned is Monday 7 October 2019. Year 11 Basketball Our Year 11 basketball team made a winning start to the new term by winning all three games in the first round of the Bury Schools’ Competition.