As we reach the end of a busy, eventful but ultimately successful first week of term I would like to wish everyone a safe and restful weekend. A reminder that on Monday all students in all year groups need to sign into the register in their Google Classroom each morning. We appreciate the support from families in getting children up and working on time, I do realise this is not always easy. Thank you.
A reminder that through the Unity Fund the school can offer confidential and discrete support to families who are struggling financially. If you are struggling in any way please contact us and we will do our best to help:
krobinson@archbishopholgates.org
gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
We have had a number of questions about the best place to try to find stationary resources to support learning at home. I hope the information below might be helpful. These are of course just recommendations . Links to the Amazon site are included but these items are likely to be available in supermarkets.
Exercise book(s): Students do not need a separate exercise book for every subject whilst working at home. Amazon have lots of options to ‘bulk buy’ if you have more than one child. If your child prefers to work on paper that is fine.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=a4+exercise+books+lined&crid=TTSV9M2XT6E1&sprefix=a4+exercise+books%2Caps%2C152&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_1_17
Student stationery pack:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-Helix-Maths-Set-Storage/dp/B000J66XPG/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=students+maths+equipment&qid=1609928541&sr=8-6
Maths equipment:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-Helix-Maths-Set-Storage/dp/B000J66XPG/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=students+maths+equipment&qid=1609928541&sr=8-6
Highlighters:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=highlighters&crid=1ZM51NXXRPJCW&sprefix=highlighters%2Caps%2C162&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_1_12
A letter has been sent to all families who are Pupil Premium, highlighting the offer of increased mobile data. If families have any questions about this please contact school.
Critical Workers
If you are a Critical Worker (CLICK HERE for who qualifies) and you need your child to attend school during Lockdown, we are asking that you inform us about when you need your child to be in school.
It would be very much appreciated if you can tell us:
- What you need until February half term as soon as you can
- If you need to change your requests at all
To inform us of what you require, please:
- Email- lashcroft@archbishopholgates.org
- Telephone: 01904 411341 (and ask to speak to Miss Ashcroft)
Those students in years 7, 8 & 9 who are in school have been provided with a small Pop-Up-Library in their classroom.
We are reading every day and hope those of you who are working from home are making time to read also. Each week Mrs Short will share here recommendations with families. Here are our first set…
Y7 – Recommended read this week is an extract from Louis Sachar’s Holes, a heart-warming story about a young boy who is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention centre in Texas, after being wrongly accused of theft. You can read an extract by clicking on the link
Y8 – The following link is an extract from Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, this week’s recommended read for year 8
Y9 – Year 9 recommended read this week is an extract from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – extract (documentcloud.org) click the link to access.
We have several copies of all of these available in the library. If you are in school and would like to borrow a copy, please email me smurphy@archbishopholgates.org or just ask me when you see me..
Yrs 10 & 11 – Recommended read this week is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, an epic tale of a young man’s desperation to create life. Read an extract here from Chapter 5, where Victor Frankenstein’s creation finally comes to life!!
https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/128/frankenstein-or-the-modern-prometheus/2295/chapter-5/
6th Form – Interesting article form the guardian about self-care during testing times.
Head of Year updates – It’s Mrs Avey and Y11 today…
Welcome to the last day of the week – and what a week it has been with lots of change and adaptation.
Our year group community has left the building, yet, as you have heard earlier in the week, the vast majority are continuing to attend school and are receiving provision in line with their individual timetables. This includes, not only live teaching but registration, well-being resources, a chapel service, a year group ACW and other form time activities – as normal a school week as possible – thereby maintaining structure and our Year group community.
PE lessons today are not being taught live via a google meet, but there are resources in the PE classroom available to all and I would advise that during this hour Y11 step away from ALL screens and get some fresh air as they have been sitting for the rest of the week hunched over a computer. As highlighted in Mr Daly’s parent bulletin yesterday, the DFE have communicated that the current intention is to use a form of teacher assessed grades to assess young people in the summer, now that exams have been cancelled. As soon as we receive more information we will be sure to communicate to parents and students. We remain confident that our students will not be disadvantaged by this and are heartened by the mature, conscientious and focused way Y11 students continue to access their online learning and live lessons – it is this commitment to their studies that will allow students to meet their potential in the summer. In the meantime, we continue to teach our full programmes of study in all subject areas and look forward to supporting the progress of Y11 through lock-down and beyond.
We know that some of our students have been preparing for BTEC examinations in January and February. I can confirm that BTEC examinations have been cancelled. Students will still receive qualifications in their BTEC subjects and live lessons continue to run for all students as they focus on completing their assignments to the highest possible standard.
Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship focuses on the question of How can we have Hope for tomorrow? This is especially relevant as not all students return in person to school this week. The Biblical story of Jesus healing the woman with severe bleeding enables us to look at how for some people hope for the future can come from faith.
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller; blind and deaf American author, disability campaigner and lecturer