Inclusion Corner Newsletter – Issue 3
In this half term’s Inclusion Corner Newsletter:
- Celebrating SEND at AHS
- SEND Spotlight – Dyslexia
- Post 16 and Post 18 options
Coronavirus: information and advice
SCHOOL IS OPEN
We want to continue to reassure parents and carers that school is open as normal. We are monitoring the situation and are following guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care, Public Health England and the Department for Education.
Latest advice
We expect all children to attend school if they are well and do not have the symptoms below:
- a high temperature
- a new continuous cough
However, if a child is well but a family member in the same household has these symptoms, following the government’s new guidelines, the entire household must stay at home for 14 days. Please contact school in the usual way if your child is unwell or will not be attending school due to one or more family members who are displaying symptoms.
If your child is currently off school either with symptoms themselves or because a family member in the same household does, they must not return to school until 14 days have passed since the first person started with symptoms.
For guidance on self-isolation, please visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Pre-existing or long-term health conditions
If your child or someone in the household suffers from a pre-existing or long-term medical condition which makes them more vulnerable, we recommend that you contact your GP or health care professional for advice and update school as appropriate.
Preventing the spread of infection
There are simple steps that you can take to protect yourself, your family and others:
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub available to buy in most supermarkets and community pharmacies.
- ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’. Catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue ensuring the nose and mouth are fully covered to prevent any spray escaping. Dispose of the tissue as soon as possible in the bin and wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand rub to kill any germs.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home and work environment.
Supporting our Students and families
‘You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house.’ 1 Peter 2:5
In our school community we are all living stones’, each one uniquely gifted. At Archbishop Holgate’s we support every student on their unique journey through life. Below are links to the different types of support on offer:
External Support
The following websites are really helpful resources for students and parents/carers:
The Yor-OK website is designed to support parents, carers, children, young people and anyone who works with children, young people and families. If you are not sure where to find information or answers to your questions contact York Family Information Service on 01904 554444; TEXT ONLY 07786202241 or email fis@york.gov.uk and an Information Officer will try and help you.
York’s Local Offer provides families, professionals, children and young people with Special Educational Needs, information regarding education, post 16 options health services, SEN guidance, parent and carer support, ideas for activities and events in York, money advice and information on Education, Health and Care Plans. The site aims to be easy to use and useful for anybody who is involved with Special Educational Needs.
York Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) provides information, advice and support to:
- parents
- carers
- children
- young people (up to the age of 25)
They provide free special educational needs and disabilities support:
- over the telephone
- during home visits
- through SEN and disability support meetings
Are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online?
Make a report to one of CEOP’s Child Protection Advisors
Newsletter 368
In this week’s Newsletter:
- Year 11 Parents’ Evening – Wednesday 22 January, 3.15pm
- Message from Head of Year 8
- Science Week 2020
Recommended Reads
Recommended Reads
Our school library is well stocked with a range of fiction and non-fiction texts. All students in Y7 have completed a library induction lesson with our librarian to ensure that they understand how to use the library and associated resources effectively. We actively encourage students to check out books regularly, whether this be from the school library or one of the excellent libraries in the city.
Where can I get books?
Acomb Explore
Acomb Explore
Front Street
Acomb YO24 3BZ
Bishopthorpe Library
Main Street
Bishopthorpe
York YO23 2RB
Clifton Explore
Rawcliffe Lane
Clifton
York YO30 5SJ
Copmanthorpe Library
Village Centre
Main Street
Copmanthorpe
York YO23 3SU
Dringhouses Library
Tadcaster Road
Dringhouses
York YO24 1LR
Dunnington Library
The Reading Room
Church Street
Dunnington
York YO19 5PW
Fulford Library
St Oswald’s CE School
Heslington Lane
Fulford
York YO10 4LX
Huntington Library
Garth Road
Huntington
York YO32 9QJ
New Earswick Library
The Folk Hall
Hawthorn Terrace
New Earswick
York YO32 4AQ
Poppleton Library
The Village
Upper Poppleton
York YO26 6JT
Rowntree Park Reading Cafe
Rowntree Park Lodge
Richardson Street
York YO23 1JU
Strensall Library
19 The Village
Strensall
York YO32 5XS
Tang Hall Explore
The Centre @ Burnholme
Mossdale Avenue
York YO31 0HA
Top Tips
- Make books a part of family life; let your child see you as a reader
- Join and visit your local library
- Let your child choose what they want to read to help them develop their own interests.
- Read about something they’re interested in.
- Get comfortable, make sure your child has somewhere comfy to read!
- Ask questions to keep them interested in the story: ‘Where did we get to last time?’, ‘Can you remember what’s happened so far?’ and ‘What do you think will happen next?’.
- Read whenever you get the chance – Have a book with you for any time your child has to wait, like at the doctor’s or the dentist.
- Understand that book covers are important. If books are attractive children will want to read them.
- Don’t assume that just because you enjoyed the book – they will.
- Look out for books that have won awards.
Summer Reading Challenge
- Summer reading challenge letter
- Reading Passport Log Presentation
- Reading Log Passport
- Trip Advisor Review
- Recommended reading list for Year 7
- Book Trust Recommended reading list
- Recommended reading books for children: schoolreadinglist.co.uk
- BCC 100 Novels that Shaped Our World
- https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/reading-spine – Pie Corbett’s recommended reading lists for Year 7-9.
Where can I buy books?
Fossgate Books
36 Fossgate
York YO1 9TF
The Little Apple Bookshop
13 High Petergate
York YO1 7EN
Oxfam Books
46 Micklegate
York YO1 6LF
69 Low Petergate
York YO1 7HY
Waterstones
15 Coney Street
York YO1 9QL
A Well-considered Curriculum
A Well-considered Curriculum
The curriculum at Archbishop Holgate’s school has been developed to ensure that subject specific skills and knowledge are mapped and sequenced across the Key Stages with all aspects of the National Curriculum being covered.
All students have the opportunity to develop an understanding of a broad and rich curriculum in Year 7 and 8 all of which cover the national curriculum before students embark on a purpose-built transition year that provides personal development and cultural opportunity. However, given the impact of Covid-19 on students new to the school, we have made the decision to return to picking options subjects in Year 9, whilst retaining the benefits of the model outlined above.
The benefit of a transition year
The whole school curriculum has been created to include a transition year (Yr9) which is core to facilitating the development and mastery of key skills and knowledge that underpin higher order concepts within KS4 teaching alongside character development, curriculum enrichment and opportunity to address cultural gaps due to social disadvantage.
In Year 9 students will select from a vast and diverse range of subjects (Engineering, Business, Drama, Sociology etc) and different qualification types in order to keep their curriculum broad, inspiring and ambitious.
As part of the transition year all students in Year 9 will complete the Arts Award through their continued engagement to the creative practical based subjects (this qualification runs from Yr7 to 9). Personal development is rooted in the Yr9 curriculum through character and culture lessons, curriculum enrichment opportunities and creative arts & STEM enrichment trips to external organisations/providers across the country.
Curriculum enrichment and personal development
Personal development is key to the whole school curriculum intent. Opportunities for character development exist at all stages in the school. Some examples include:
- Cross curricular enrichment days
- Employer involvement
- Subject visits – domestic and international
- Guest speakers
- Careers week
- Competitive essay competitions (RE, History and Politics)
- National competitions (Griffins nest, tenner challenge etc.)
- STEM events
- ISSP masterclasses, summer school, summer debates, lectures, Latin and Astronomy
- Character and culture lessons in Yr9
- Skills-for-life embedded in curriculum
- Mental health champions
- Young leaders
- Cultural opportunity projects
- Transition year enrichment projects
Curriculum Design
Curriculum Design
The National Curriculum has been used as a starting point for the construction of the whole school curriculum. The National Curriculum provides the benchmark and leaders have crafted a curriculum that far exceeds it in breadth and ambition, we are particularly proud of their subject linked extra-curricular.
All subject leaders have identified and mapped the key skills within their subject discipline to ensure progression across the medium and long term curricular. Opportunities for extra-curricular activities in subject areas are identified in the department intent documentation and ensure that engagement with a subject extends beyond the classroom.
The whole school curriculum has been constructed to include a transition year (Year 9) which is core to facilitating the development and mastery of key skills that underpin higher order concepts within future KS4 teaching. Alongside this, lessons to aid character development, curriculum enrichment and opportunity to address cultural gaps due to social disadvantage are mapped into the year, leaving us with an exceptionally rich, varied and dynamic curriculum offer.
Personal development is rooted in the Year 9 curriculum through character and culture lessons, curriculum enrichment opportunities, ICT, PSHCE and creative arts & STEM enrichment trips to external organisations/providers across the country. The Year 9 transition year enables us to offer a varied programme of enrichment that aids students’ personal development, as well as significantly underpinning their understanding of British Values, our school values and cultures other than their own.
As part of the transition year all students in Year 9 will complete the Arts Award through their continued engagement to the creative practical based subjects (this qualification runs from Yr7 to 9).
We are proud that we have constructed a curriculum that prioritises personal development alongside academic development.
Given the impact of Covid-19 on students new to the school, we have made the decision to return to picking options subjects in Year 9, whilst retaining the benefits of the model outlined above.
Curriculum Intent
All students have the opportunity to develop an understanding of a broad and rich curriculum. Students joining Year 7 start their academic journey through studying 14 different subjects which starts to cover aspects of the National Curriculum.
Curriculum Intent
All students continue their broad and rich curriculum through deepening their understanding of the 14 subjects studied. Students will build on and develop the key skills within each subject area as sequenced by subject leaders. Within this year students will cover all aspects of the National Curriculum.
Curriculum Intent
Personal development is rooted within this transition year. The transition year also facilitates the development and mastery of key skills that underpin higher order concepts within future KS4 teaching alongside character development, curriculum enrichment and opportunity to address cultural gaps due to social disadvantage. Students will study x12 subjects within this academic year with student having opportunity to study new subjects available to them. Students continue their engagement with creative practical subjects through the completion of the Arts Award.
Curriculum Intent
The KS4 journey begins for students as formal GCSE teaching starts and study skills are fostered through a robust programme of study. All students will study a minimum of x9 full GCSE qualifications, with the more able studying more. Curricular is planned with the intention of developing robust disciplinary knowledge and facilitating an appreciation of the demands and rewards of academic rigour.
Curriculum Intent
The KS4 journey continues for students as they continue their GCSE studies in the lead up to the summer GCSE examination period. A full study skills programme is delivered to students to ensure that they are fully prepared and successful in their examinations. Pastoral and academic intervention is offered to ensure that students are successful in securing their intended progression routes.
Weekly curriculum time allocations
| Subject | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art | 1 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Design and Technology | 1 | 1 | – | – | – |
| English | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| MFL | 2 | 2 | – | – | – |
| Food Technology | 1 | 0 | – | – | – |
| Textiles | 0 | 1 | – | – | – |
| History | 2 | 2 | – | – | – |
| Geography | 2 | 2 | – | – | – |
| ICT | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Maths | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Music | 1 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Core PE | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| RE | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| PSHCE | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Science | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Option 1 | – | – | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Option 2 | – | – | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Option 3 | – | – | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Character | – | – | 1 | – | – |
| Intervention | – | – | – | – | 1 |