I hope families enjoyed World Book Day today, I know that we had fun in school with some really good costumes on show!

As we get ready for the weekend we do so whilst really looking forward to welcoming all our students back to school on Monday. As ever I will be down on Hull Road from just before 8.30am and cannot wait to welcome everyone back…

We also had another successful day of COVID testing in readiness for the return to school on Monday. Once again we tested over 700 students in the period from 8am to 5pm and look forward to the end of tomorrow when students will have had two tests each. With one day to go we have not had a single positive case and very few invalid results, both of which are encouraging. I would also draw families attention to the letter sent out today in terms of the options for a third test should families want this. Any questions please contact school as usual.

Years 7 to 11 Chromebook loans over Lockdown
We are all very excited at school at the prospect of all students being able to attend from Monday.  As such we need all the Chromebooks that we have loaned to students returning to school in order that they can aid learning in school as normal from Monday’s return.  These are those Chromebooks that we have loaned over the Lockdown and not those that we issued at the start of the academic year.

As outlined in the email yesterday we are asking that all parents/carers return these to reception tomorrow (Friday 5th March), between 8.00am and 3.30pm.  There will be a member of staff in positioned just outside for you to deposit them with.  We really need them returning tomorrow in order that we can clean them to be ready for Monday.

If tomorrow is not possible (apologises for the very short notice), please can parents/carers return them on Monday 7th March to the Year 10 social area between 4.00 and 6.00pm.  If this is not possible students will be able to return them at breaktime on Monday 7th March in their social areas (however, we need this to be an absolute last resort.

PE kit
Every student in all year groups will need indoor PE kit plus either their AHS hoody or reversible rugby top. If students are in year 7 and year 8, they will also have one swimming lesson this half term. The details of this can be found on their P.E. Classroom and also their year group Classroom.

Teacher assessed grades
Thank you for your patience over the last week as we have finalised our plan for teacher assessed grades.  As you will appreciate, it is important to have everything in place before we outline to students exactly what is expected of them, Ofqual guidance for Heads of Centre was released on Monday, meaning we are in a position to give an interim update before we return to school:

We will be completing assessments in Year 13 and Year 11 in May to provide a final opportunity for students to demonstrate progress towards their final grade. This will provide a further piece of evidence for teachers awarding the final grade; these are not terminal assessments.  These are one piece of evidence that will help inform teachers and contribute to students’ final grades.  It is therefore expected that both Year 11 and Year 13 students will return to school full time and be working hard to prepare for these assessment.

Year 13 Students

  • Teachers will award grades taking into consideration a range of sources. These will include:
    • Year 12 and 13 interim data
    • Year 13 winter mocks
    • Any NEA/coursework
    • Outcomes from the Year 13 May assessment week
  • BTEC students may have slightly different arrangements due to the variations in course structures and requirements. We are still awaiting final confirmation from Pearson but these will also be teacher assessed grades.
  • Year 13s will sit one paper in each of their subjects. Each paper will be 90 minutes long and will assess topics identified as a priority by the Head of Department. The details of topic areas will be shared with parents and students on Monday 15th March.
  • Students will only be assessed on topic areas they have been taught.
  • The Year 13 assessment week will take place from Friday 30th April until Friday 7th May, inclusive.

Year 11 Students

  • Teachers will award grades taking into consideration a range of sources. These will include:
    • Year 10 and 11 interim data
    • Year 11 winter mocks
    • Any non-examined assessment (coursework)
    • Assessment work produced throughout Year 10 and Year 11 (for example, progress checks in your assessment books)
    • Outcomes from the Year 11 May assessment week
  • BTEC students may have slightly different arrangements due to the variations in course structures and requirements. We are still awaiting final confirmation from Pearson but these will also be teacher assessed grades.
  • Year 11s will sit one paper in English Language, English Literature, Maths, Science, (two for Combined Science and one each for Triple Science) History, Geography, RE and MFL. Each paper will be 60 minutes long and will assess topics identified as a priority by the Head of Department. The details of topic areas will be shared with parents and students on Monday 15th March.  These assessment will take place in the Sports Hall in examination conditions, with the provision of extra time for any student who is entitled to it.
  • Students will only be assessed on topic areas they have been taught.
  • The Year 11 assessment week will take place from Monday 10th May for Ebacc subjects (listed above) plus RE.  Any subjects in addition to those listed will have assessments taking place in the week commencing 17th May (these subjects will be confirmed shortly)

What happens next?
We will be writing to Year 11 and Year 13 parents on Monday 15th March with a detailed timeline and plan. This letter will outline:

  • The specific topics and areas to be examined in the May assessments for each subject area
  • Details of stand-down arrangements
  • An overview of our QA process and the evidence sources we will use to award the final grade

Teaching from March 8th until the assessment period, including any homework, Easter homework and revision tasks, will help prepare students for these final assessments.

Please see the summary images provided by Ofqual which summarise the assessment arrangements for 2021:

GCSE, AS and A Level Qualifications
You can access more information here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/how-qualifications-will-be-awarded-in-2021

Vocational Qualifications

Elevate Education’s Parent Webinar Series
We’re pleased to announce that parents of AHS have access to Elevate Education’s Parent Webinar Series this year. Elevate works with our students, delivering high impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation.

The next webinar is Tuesday 23rd March 6pm – 7pm and is on technology and focus. The webinar will focus on overcoming reliance on technology, how students can use technology productively to enhance their learning, and practical strategies for reducing procrastination and increasing focus.

Registration is essential and is free for parents of our school.

You can register by clicking here or going to https://get.elevatecoaching.info/uk/register

The webinar is run live online from 6pm – 7pm where the presenter will share Elevate’s key research and skills and will conduct a live Q&A so you can ask them questions directly.

Should you have questions or would like to contact Elevate directly, their details are listed below.

📞 01865 987 732

✉️ ukcoaching@elevateeducation.com

Reading  recommendations from Mrs Short…
Y7 – Seven ghosts by Chris Priestly (Genre Horror. Colour Purple. Level 4.5. Quiz Number 237347)
Jake enters a story competition and as a result is invited to look round a large stately home. They are told the stories of seven ghosts which is spooky enough without their tour guide acting very strangely.
You can read the first chapter by clicking on the link below. There are several copies available in the library.
https://www.barringtonstoke.co.uk/books/seven-ghosts/

Y8 – Cow Girl by G.R.Gemin. (Colour Black. Level 3.6. Quiz Number 228992)
If Gemma ever stops to think about it, she knows hiding a load of cows from Cowgirl’s farm on a housing estate is a bit mad. After all, Cowgirl’s a weirdo and the estate is no place to bring up a cow. But it’s exciting, she loves it and knows it’s making things better. Can the feeling last?
You can read the first 24 pages by clicking on the link below. Several copies are available from the library.
https://nosycrow.com/blog/cowgirl-by-g-r-gemin-shortlisted-for-the-ukla-book-award/

 Y9 – Smart by Kim Slater (Purple. Level 4.7. Quiz 227854)
A homeless man has been found murdered and no one cares apart from Kieran. He is determined to find out what happened. Kieran struggles to fit in, but has an amazing ability to draw.
There seems to be dangerous secrets everywhere, not just outside but under his own roof. Will he get to the bottom of the murder?
You can read the first 13 pages by clicking on the link below. There are several copies available in the library.
http://www.worldbookday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Smart-Chap-1.pdf

KS4 – Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Approaching loss and grief with sensitivity and emotional intelligence. Alice Sebold’s bestselling novel also presents one of the most fully realised evocations of heaven in contemporary literature. The heart- breaking tale of a girl in the afterlife unable to let go of the temporal realm, The Lovely Bones is a thoroughly engaging and rewarding read. (Waterstones) You can read an extract here:
https://www.bookbrowse.com/excerpts/index.cfm/book_number/1057/the-lovely-bones

It was made into a film in 2009 rated PG-13.

KS5
This weekend will see the airing of the highly anticipated Oprah Winfrey interview with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. So much has been written about their situation and decision to ‘step back’ from the Royal family. Many articles currently circulating comment on perceived institutionalised or systemic racism within the royal family and the British Press. The following is an article from the New York times exploring some aspects of this..
ttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/opinion/sunday/meghan-markle-prince-harry.html–

Head of Year update – Mrs Avey and Year 11
Of key interest to Year 11 parents will be the information in the bulletin regarding GCSE and A Level assessment and grading.   I would also like to take the chance to say that we (the Year 11 team) are very much looking forward to welcoming back on Monday  our year 11 students. We are delighted with the way that the very vast majority of students engaged with our online learning provision and look forward to seeing them make further progress over the coming weeks and months.  Whilst lock-down has not been an easy experience for any one, there is still plenty of time for students to return to school ready to try their best, make the most of all opportunities and work towards securing the grades that they aspire to for their GCSEs.

You will be aware, as they are too –  as information has been placed on their google classroom – that they will be in their year bubble based in the science department, as they were last term. They will also be required to wear masks in lessons and when travelling around school and socialising inside. As well as continuing to work towards informing Teacher Assessed Grades, they will be compiling their contribution to the year book – which we very much look forward to reading. The deadline for returning the year book and hoody order is this Monday 8th March please. Forms can be returned via email to mmennell@archbishopholgates.org or can be handed directly to one of the pastoral team on Monday morning.

Student Wellbeing – Feel-Good Friday

Collective Worship
As we move through this half term and the Christian season of Lent we are continuing with our Pilgrim Pathways theme.
Going on a journey can be a great transforming experience, but it can also be difficult. It can be physically tough and sometimes even difficult mentally and emotionally. The key item on our pilgrimage this week is a first aid kit.

Friday – Jesus said, “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.” – The Bible, The Gospel of John 10: 10