Weekly Message – Issue 18

Credit averages for this week: 

Year 7:  5.0         Year 8:  3.9         Year 9:  9.0         Year 10:  3.0         Year 11:  2.6

The school has been buzzing this week with so many activities taking place and with so many visitors coming into the school, offering pupils insight and the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding as they prepare for future learning and next steps.

We also welcomed a local primary school Headteacher to school on Wednesday to visit, in their lessons, pupils in Year 7 who had transitioned from his primary school. The reactions from them, and not just Year 7, were magical, demonstrating the positive relationships that build and the impact teachers have on the lives of young people and were testament to the pupils’ primary school experience at this particular setting.

As the cold snap is set to continue, we ask parents and carers to encourage pupils to wear coats to and from school – pupils know that they can wear their outdoor coats over their blazers (not instead of blazers) when making their way around school and along corridors, taking them off before they enter classrooms. We thank parents and carers for their support in this matter.

Enrichment Day

Tuesday’s Enrichment Day was a resounding success with pupils learning an assortment of important and crucial life skills. It is in recognition of the significance of a young person developing these wider skills that we choose to extend the curriculum with time dedicated to our Enrichment Days. Our aim is to help our pupils make informed choices and develop into well rounded and active members of the community. Pupils went home on Tuesday feeling reflective and inspired.

Year 10 Mock Interview Day 

On Wednesday, 40 various employers, from local businesses, Further Education Colleges to the Marines, conducted ‘mock interviews’ with our Year 10 pupils. Some preparatory work ahead of the day enabled pupils to benefit fully from the experience of a formal interview. Smartly dressed and geared up to impress, pupils responded to a variety of interview questions and have commented on how the experience has given them more confidence ahead of their first ‘real-world’ interviews. The opportunity to ask questions to local employers was also invaluable as they prepare themselves for employment.

Coming up this week ……

Year 11 Catering Exam 

We wish Year 11 pupils the very best as they complete their practical Catering Exam on either Monday 28 January 2019 or Tuesday 29 January 2019.

Year 9 Careers and Guided Choices Evening

Pupils attended a Guided Choices Assembly on Wednesday where the process was explained as well as what each Key Stage 4 course offers pupils. The Year 9 Career and Guided Choices Evening for pupils, parents and carers will take place on Tuesday 29 January 2019 between 1600 and 1930.

A letter has been sent to all parents and carers detailing the arrangements [link]. In summary:

• 1600 – Post 16 Providers will be available to visit and speak with in the Exam Hall
• 1630 – Representatives from all subject departments will present individual displays of all the courses available
• There will be three presentations delivered by Mr I Hudson (Assistant Headteacher) and Mrs G Harrison-Jones (Headteacher) about the Guided Choices process – parents and carers are invited to attend one of these presentations at either  16.30, 17.30 or 18.30
• The Guided Choices Handbook will be available on the evening and via the website prior to the evening.

The Headteacher’s blog contains more informal reflections and is available here:
https://camsheadteacher.wordpress.com/

Key Dates

Puzzle Corner