Headteacher updates

Headteacher Update
I would like to start this update by congratulating students on the extremely positive start they have made to the online learning that is in place for this half term. We are very pleased at the way the very vast majority of students have responded to this challenge and very much appreciate the help and support from parents with this. The arrangements for year groups are summarised below:

Years 10, 11, 12, 13:

• These students we will receive live online teaching in line with their normal timetable, it is the expectation that all students attend these lessons.  The link for live lessons will be available via Google Classrooms.  Instructions for conduct in online lessons will be made clear to students at the start of each lesson.  Please note, as part of our safeguarding arrangements, we would ask wherever possible in live lessons that students have their cameras turned on.

Years 7, 8, 9:

• These students will access resources on Google Classrooms, included pre-recorded materials and narrated lessons.  Teachers will be available online during each timetabled lesson to answer questions and support students. This was something that was utilised well yesterday.

A reminder of the expectations for each day are included below (these have been sent out previously and are also on the school website) but as ever If any children are struggling with devices to access online learning, please contact school so that we can support you, we have dedicated IT support available in school. You can do this by texting or emailing us at:

reception@archbishopholgates.org

We will review these arrangements at the end of next week and as always seek to deliver education of the highest possible quality.

Guidance for students who are accessing remote learning from home
For the vast majority of students who are working from home, it is very important that they are following their school timetable and maintain routines, both for their own well-being and to ensure they remain ready for when they do return to school after half term.  Students do this online using their Google Classroom.

Before 8.30
Get prepared for your school day.

• Have breakfast
• Wash/brush your teeth
• Get dressed
• Prepare your working area

8.30 to 8.50am
Go to your Year groups classroom and join.  You need to every day then:

1. 1. Complete the register for today, by clicking ‘Yes’.
   2. Read/do the ‘Head of Years’ notices.
   3. Complete the suggested Wellbeing Resources.

As you will be aware after yesterday our pastoral staff will be contacting any student who has not logged on and registered for the start of the school day. We will continue to do this each and every day to ensure that we are supporting all families to access learning.

8.50 to 3.10
Complete your lessons, following your normal school timetable and the normal school day times.

Guidance for students who are attending school
The government guidance is extremely clear that if at all possible students should remain at home and engage with their learning this way. However where this is not possible provision is available in school for students of front line critical worker families and those students who are vulnerable is some way. These students are working in IT classrooms and will access the work provided on Google Classroom in exactly the same way as those working at home. The conduct and effort of those students who were in school yesterday was exemplary. If you would like to request a place in school please do so via the electronic form that can be accessed either by the link below or via the school website.

https://forms.gle/Cvo41M44foj5PQhy6

All students must arrive at school between 8.30 and 8.45 as normal.  Breakfast Club will be running as normal from 8.00.  On arrival, students must go to:

Minimising the risks
We would ask that all students who are in school follow the schools ‘Code of Responsibility’ (as normal), ensuring that:

• If you have symptoms, you stay home and get tested
• Socially distance.  Stay 2 metres wherever you can
• Clean hands
• Catch it, Bin it, Kill it
• Wear a face covering
• Outside of school – stay safe

Look after your Wellbeing
By following the school day and keeping to normal routines as best as possible students are starting to look after your own Wellbeing. Further information on effective  ‘#Selfcare’ principles can be found in the helpful document attached.

Self care

Students can also access Kooth, which is an online wellbeing community and can either be downloaded free of charge as an App or can be accessed through the website (https://www.kooth.com) – everything is heavily monitored to ensure the safety of all young people. It has a variety of different functions which young people can choose to access from discussion boards and magazines which are written by young people, to personal goal setting, journals and mood tracking features. There is also the opportunity to speak anonymously to speak to trained professionals about anything that may be bothering them however big or small. This fantastic video explains how the online community works click to watch the video. Kooth is designed for young people but their company website (https://www.koothplc.com) provides information for parents/carers and has a facility to ask any questions.

In addition well-being resources are available online for each year group and families should not hesitate to contact their Head of Year or Pastoral Support worker if they need any further assistance.

Free School Meals
I am pleased to inform families that supermarket vouchers will continue to be provided for families who access Free School Meals. This will be done with immediate effect and distributed in the same way as during the previous lockdown. For the small number of students in school who are eligible for Free School Meals money will automatically be added to their accounts as normal. Again if you have any questions or need further support please contact reception who will be happy to help.

Head of Year Updates
We have decided that we will include an update from one Head of Year each day of the week rather than include them all in the weekend bulletin for families. Today we have the latest update from Mr Avery and Miss Clarke who lead Year 9:

The schools may have shut but as ever we soldier on, trying to give the best possible education to our students regardless of the circumstances. The timing of this most recent lockdown was disappointing for many reasons, but particularly for year 9 who were beginning to adapt to the demands of GCSE and making significant progress. Despite this most recent set back, I feel the students in Year 9 are in a far better position now than when lockdown was first upon us last summer. The students are far more comfortable using google classroom, having become used to the platform while completing homework over the course of the year. The students of year 9 will benefit from the teacher narrations that accompany the lessons. We are hoping this allows students to overcome any barriers to their learning, and provide more clarity from the teacher about what they should be doing. Finally, we are offering the students the opportunity to contact their teacher to ask for further assistance with their work, with teachers at their desks during the hour of the lesson to answer any question a student may have. By offering all of these measures, we are hoping to make life and home learning a little easier on the students (and also the parents!).

 I would like to take this opportunity to remind parents that the students of year 9 are expected to register each morning by 8:50am. They can do this simply by clicking ‘yes’ on their year group classroom. This is to inform us that they are ready to go with their learning, and will also allow them to follow their school timetable and access the teacher assistance I highlighted earlier. It’s also very important that we keep the students in good routines, which will allow for their transition to be much smoother when school re opens and students return. Through the year group classroom students can also access important materials I will share with them, such as key messages, acts of collective worship and the all important wellbeing resources.

I reserve my final messages for the students of year 9, who I could not be more proud of. Whether you are in school as children of key workers, or working at home, I have been really impressed with how you have adapted to the online learning platform today. To say you have been resilient in trying circumstances would be an understatement, and I often think we can learn a great deal from you all. As Tolstoy said in War and Peace “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time”, and I promise we will see a return to normality soon. In the meantime, it’s important you take care of yourselves both mentally and physically, so please make sure you are taking regular breaks and exercising as often as you can. As always, myself and Miss Clark are here if you need us – all you need do is ask!

I look forward to speaking to a number of parents over the coming weeks, but in the meantime if you would like to enquire further about any of the systems we have in place, please feel free to contact me on navery@archbishopholgates.org

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.

Thought for the day
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” – Archbishop Desmond Tutu

I hope all students have another safe and productive day of learning and I will be in touch again tomorrow.

Kind Regards

Andrew Daly

Dear Parents and Carers,

Please forgive this message late in the evening but I thought families would welcome a brief update on the announcement from the Prime Minister this evening.

I will write in further detail tomorrow but I think it’s important for all families to know that:

1. Whilst we have worked incredibly hard since September to keep our school safe and have been looking forward to welcoming students back to school, we do recognise that this is a necessary step to help combat the rising number of Covid-19 cases across the country.

2. Schools are now closed with immediate effect for all students apart from those who are vulnerable or children of key workers. It is likely that this will last until at least February half term. During this time lessons will be delivered online as previously outlined in letters home, summarised below:

Years 10, 11, 12, 13:

• • These students we will receive live online teaching in line with their normal timetable, it is the expectation that all students attend these lessons.  The link for live lessons will be available via Google Classrooms.  Instructions for conduct in online lessons will be made clear to students at the start of each lesson.  We would ask wherever possible in live lessons that students have their cameras turned on.

Years 7, 8, 9:

• These students will access resources on Google Classrooms, included pre-recorded materials and narrated lessons.  Teachers will be available online during each timetabled lesson to answer questions and support students.

We will review these arrangements at the end of next week and as always seek to deliver education of the highest possible quality.

3. The Prime Minister outlined that exams will not take place in their current format this summer. It is vitally important that I stress that at this moment this does not mean that examinations have been cancelled.  We currently have no further information than what was given tonight by the PM, we await further guidance of how students will be accessed in the summer and in the meantime it is essential that we continue to deliver the planned specification in each subject area and that our students continue to work in a conscientious manner.

I realise that this is an extremely unsettling time for everyone connected to school but especially those in examination years. As soon as we have further clarity we will pass this on to families.

In the meantime myself and everyone at Archbishop’s remain absolutely committed to supporting every student and every family in every way possible. I will, just as I did during the last lockdown, communicate on a daily basis, providing as much information and support for families as possible.

Kind Regards

Andrew Daly

Dear Parents and Carers,

On Thursday we wrote to families explaining the way that we will support the learning of all students during the phased return to school.

As a reminder, Year 11 and Year 13 students will return to school on Monday 11^th January and for all other year groups the return date is Monday 18^th January. From Tuesday 5^th January the only students in school therefore will be those that fall into the vulnerable or key worker categories and who have requested a place via the online application form. During this time Years 7 to 9 will access their lessons via Google Classroom and Years 10 to 13 through live teaching.

We are now in a position to be able to share the plan for Lateral Flow (LFT) testing in secondary schools in York. Over the past year there have been many occasions when I have felt proud to be part of the York Education Community and today represents another example of this. Working in partnership with my colleagues on the York Schools and Academies Board I am pleased to say that we are in a position to announce a co-ordinated approach for all secondary schools in the city. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the very significant efforts from the Local Authority, Public Health York and both the University of York and York St John in making this possible.

Below is the full statement being shared with families in all secondary schools in the city but in summary it is explaining that:

a.  Two dedicated school testing sites will be set up at the University of York and York St John for any family who wish to have their children tested before they return to school.
b. That this will allow schools to concentrate on setting up on site contact testing areas to respond to any confirmed cases of Covid 19 from when students return to school.

Plans for Lateral Flow Testing (LFT) testing in secondary schools

Following the announcement on 30^th December delaying the full opening of secondary schools, the City of York Council’s public health and education teams are working with the York Schools and Academies Board to develop plans to offer LFT for staff and pupils to support the phased return to school from 11^th January 2021. Whilst testing remains optional the Department for Education has made it clear that there is an expectation that all secondary schools should promote and encourage LFT. 

In York the plan being developed to support secondary schools, their staff and pupils, will involve the offer of testing from two dedicated school testing sites at the University of York and York St John University.  The York St John site will be open only for children in exam year groups (Year 11 and Year 13) from 4th – 7^th January 2021. This will support their return to school from 11^th January. Both testing sites will be open for all secondary aged children from Friday 8th January to support the full return to school from 18^th January 2021. Parents/carers can book a time for a test using the following link:

https://www.york.gov.uk/SymptomFreeCOVIDTest

Bookings can be made for the York St John site using this link from 2^nd January, bookings will open for the University of York site from 8^th January 2021.

Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or carer when they visit the University testing sites. Children will be required to attend the testing centre twice in a period of 3-5 days prior to their return to school and the results of the tests will be shared with the child’s school.

If a child tests positive they will be required to take a PCR test and to self –isolate until the result of the test is known. If the PCR test is negative the child will be able to attend school from 11^th or 18^th January dependent upon the return date for their year group.

If a child has tested positive in the 90 days prior to 4^th January then it is not necessary for them to have a test if they have completed their isolation period and they should not be booked in for a test if they have not completed their 10 day isolation period.

During week beginning 4^th January on site contact testing areas will be set up at each secondary school. From week beginning 11^th January these testing areas will provide capacity to test children daily for a period of 7 days if they are confirmed contacts of a child who has had a positive Covid test. This should help to reduce the need for whole bubbles to self-isolate so preventing further disruption to the children’s education. School staff will also be provided with testing kits by their school to allow them to take a twice weekly test. The tests are optional and require consent to be obtained before being administered. Schools will provide a copy of the Covid 19 testing privacy statement which provides details about how personal data will be used, stored and when it and how it will be disposed of.  The personal data collected from school staff, students, parents and carers will only be used for the purposes of testing and consent can be withdrawn at any time.

The tests for children will be supervised by public health trained staff. Members of school staffs will be asked to use self -administered tests. If a child or member of staff has a positive result from a lateral flow test they will be asked to take a PCR test to confirm the positive result. Children/staff testing positive will then be required to self -isolate for 10 days. The school will contact the parents/carers of close contacts and will offer them the opportunity to have a daily test in school or to self-isolate if they do not want to be tested.

The co-ordinated city approach to testing will ensure that schools are supported to make testing available to all staff and pupils from 4^th January 2021. The use of the two central testing sites will allow all secondary age children who want to have a test to have been tested prior to their return to school. It also means that the tests will be administered to appropriate clinical standards, overseen by the City of York public health team.

The introduction of lateral flow testing in schools is an additional layer of preventative response to Covid19, but it is important to continue to maintain the other control measures that schools have had in place since March 2020. In York, schools have been very successful in implementing their prevention response and, as a result, school attendance has remained consistently above national averages throughout the pandemic. It is essential that schools continue to implement these measures and to see LFT as an additional tool in the armoury in controlling the spread of the disease.

HANDS, FACE, SPACE remain the essential elements to effective infection control.

As secondary Headteachers we are fully supportive of this two fold approach that will further support the extensive existing measures that have been in place in schools for many months and which have proven to be highly effective in York schools. This support from Public Health will allow schools to continue to provide high quality education provision for students from the 5^th January whilst at the same time putting in place manageable in school testing arrangements that crucially should allow more students to remain in school rather than having to self-isolate for 10 days once they have been confirmed as a contact. At Archbishop’s our plans for developing this provision and for facilitating regular testing for staff are at an advanced stage and we are confident that these will be fully in place for when Year 11 and Year 13 return to school on the 11^th January. We will share fuller details of how exactly this will work over the coming week.

A reminder that school is open on Monday for staff training and as such colleagues will be available to answer any further questions families have either in terms of the city wide testing arrangements and the online education provision being provided.

In the meantime I would wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Kind Regards

Andrew Daly

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope everyone has had a happy, safe and restful Christmas break. Many thanks for all the kind messages of support at the end of last term, they were much appreciated and I look forward to sharing some of the positive sentiments expressed with staff when we return to school on Monday.

Please accept my apologies for interrupting you at this time of year but I thought it would be helpful to briefly remind families of the arrangements for the start of term and how we will be managing the changes announced by the Secretary of State for Education yesterday.

Whilst we were very much looking forward to welcoming all students back in to school after the Christmas break, this is not currently possible given the national picture.  All schools have been working hard to have contingency plans in place should a situation like this arise. We will provide further detail on Monday but at this point the key information families should know is outlined below:

Student return date and how they will access learning
Students in Year 11 and Year 13 who were expected back in school on Tuesday 5^th January will now return to school on Monday 11^th January. Students in these year groups will instead receive live online teaching next week in line with their timetable.

Students in Year 10 and Year 12 who were expected back in school on Monday 11^th January will now return to school on Monday 18^th January. Students in these year groups will instead receive live online teaching for these two weeks in line with their timetable.

Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 who were expected back in school on Monday 11^th January will now return to school on Monday 18^th January. Students in these year groups will access their work on Google Classroom in line with their timetable, either through pre-recorded or narrated resources. Teachers will also be available online during the lesson to answer any questions and support learning.

This means that only students who are vulnerable or whose parents are key workers will be in school for face to face education from Tuesday 5^th January. These students will be working in IT classrooms and will access the work provided on Google Classroom in exactly the same way as those working at home. If you would like to request a place in school please do so via the electronic form that can be accessed either by the link below or via the school website.

https://forms.gle/Cvo41M44foj5PQhy6

Examinations in vocational subjects for Year 12 and 13 students will go ahead as currently planned. Students sitting these exams will receive contact from the Post-16 team early next week.

Further information for those accessing learning at home
Access to an electronic device – As a school we have worked extremely hard over the last year to ensure that students can access learning from home. During the lockdown before summer we were able to loan out a large number of devices to families and since this time have prioritised the use of our Catch-up funding to further support this provision for families. If you need further support in this regard please contact school on Monday.

Documentation already received
Prior to Christmas we wrote to all families with information in terms of our expectations around online learning as well as our Google Meet code of responsibility and parent and student guidance around how to access and use Google Classroom.

• CLICK HERE to read the updated version of the Google Guide for Parents and Students – KS3, 4 and 5.
• CLICK HERE to read our Google Meet Code of Responsibility that all students must follow

Expectations for students working from home

In order to support students with their learning and to help with their Wellbeing, all students must follow a ‘normal school day’.  We have produced a document (CLICK HERE to read) that explains the timetable students must follow.  This includes activities that need to be completed before lessons start at 8.50am.  We would like to thank parents/carers for their support in ensuring their children have routines and structure to their day that will long term help them best.

• CLICK HERE to read the latest guidance on expectations for students who are working from home.

Additional support
As well as the daily ‘Head of Year’ notices each student who will be working from home for more than one week (not Y11 and Y13) will receive a keeping in touch phone call from their form tutor at some point during this time.

1. Further information for those students who are vulnerable or whose parents are key workers and who will be in school
   – These students will come to school at the normal time each day, wearing full school uniform and with all their usual equipment for a normal school day.
   – Students will be greeted on arrival at school and directed to the computer room where they will be completing their Google Classroom work. Their Head of Year and Pastoral Support Worker will be there to welcome them.
   – Arrangements for breaks and lunchtimes will be as normal for each year group. Food will be available but families might consider bringing a packed lunch.

Monday 5^th January is a staff training day so if families have any questions or require any additional support please do contact school and we will be glad to help. I will write again on Monday with additional information including an update on testing in schools but in the meantime I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, I know I’m much more hopeful for the year ahead.

Kind Regards

Andrew Daly

As we begin the last week of term I would like to thank all families for their ongoing support since September.  I would like to wish you all a happy and safe festive break, something that is much deserved this year for all of us!  This is a really important chance for all our students to relax and recharge after all their efforts over the past 14 school weeks.  We look forward to a successful final week and then welcoming all students back on Tuesday 5 January for the start of the new school term.

As we prepare for the end of term it is also important that all parents and carers are clear on Coronavirus reporting arrangements for the Christmas holidays.  The Department for Education published new guidance last week which requires schools to be contactable for the first six days of the holidays to assist in the contact tracing of any confirmed Coronavirus cases within school.  We will be sending a separate and important letter explaining what to do if your child contracts Covid after school has closed.  However, in summary, this will be saying that up to and including Christmas Eve, it is vital that you let school know if this happens as we may well need to contact other families.

Christmas arrangements in school
We continue to do all we can to ensure that the end of term is a cheerful and festive one for students and staff.  This feels more important than ever this year.  As you are aware, the Ice Rink arrived on Friday and was very much enjoyed by students in Year 7 and hopefully by other year groups this week.  A reminder that students are taking part in this reward activity in their existing bubbles and within all the necessary Covid secure arrangements.  As well as the Ice Rink, students and form tutors have been busily decorating from rooms last week and I look forward to judging them over the coming days.  I’ve included a brief overview of the week below:

Ice Staking and non-uniform/Christmas jumper/accessory days
Monday – Y10, Tuesday – Y11, Wednesday – Y8, Thursday – Y9, Friday – Y11 who missed their slots due to mock exam catch up

Other Christmas ‘events’ this week – please let me know if I’ve missed any…

• Christmas Themed Wellbeing Activities
• Living Stones Cairn

Tuesday – Best decorated form decision
Wednesday – Christmas Dinner and music
Thursday – Christmas DEAR, Staff Christmas video in afternoon registration
Friday – Sixth Form dress down/Christmas jumper day.  Also for main school…

Uniform

• Staff to wear Christmas jumpers and festive accessories
• Students in full school uniform (but are encouraged to ‘bling’ their uniform with festive accessories)

Period 1  – P1 teachers will show the Christmas Service, followed by Christmas News
P2 & P3   – Departmental Christmas Fun lessons
Afternoon registration – Form parties and fun
1.10  – Year 7 and Sixth Form leave
1.15  – Year 8, 9, 10 and 11 leave

We have also been working with our primary schools on a Christmas song and so far we’re up to over 270 children involved…

A copy of this week’s Pathfinder newsletter is available on the MAT website at: https://pathfinder.academy/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Pathfinder-Weekly-Newsletter-11.12.20.pdf

Student Wellbeing
“Daily writing became not only therapeutic but motivational.”

Suzi, a woman who struggles with anxiety, talks about the activities she performed each day this year that made a difference in her post, which can be found on the Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/how-i-learnt-to-focus-on-self-care/

Suzi found that writing things down (in particular) has really helped her manage her mental health and says:

I remembered reading advice on building self-esteem in times of depression by writing down the accomplishments you have made in the day and using this as motivation. Adding this to my morning routine built on my self-care. I would write down the exercise I had done, what breakfast I had eaten, vitamins I had taken, little things.

Slowly this list started to grow, adding what I had achieved at work, my hour outside if I’d been for a walk or gardened and added in goals and affirmations on post Its. This exercise helped me be mindful of my self-care and focused on living in the present, which gave me comfort as I was slowly able to build myself back up after months of feeling anxious. 

Daily writing became not only therapeutic but motivational, which is when I started using writing and pictures for my wellbeing-based Instagram with the goal of helping just one other person.

There is an abundance of evidence that proves how writing down how we’re feeling, and especially focussing on the positives in each day, can really help lift our spirits and help us feel more buoyant.

Why not encourage your child to keep a gratitude journal by getting them a pad and pen as a stocking filler for Christmas – you could even write the first entry for and let them know what it is about them that you’re grateful for!

Coping with Christmas
As we enter the Christmas period and all the excitement it brings, it’s important to remember that the holidays also bring a lack of structure, which some young people can find challenging (and may find more challenging than usual after a unsettled year). Read how Rebecca (aged 20) copes with the lack of structure during the Christmas holidays here, where she also shares some ‘tips’ on how she gets by: https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/how-to-cope-with-the-lack-of-structure-at-christmas/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2bW-p5yx7AIVVe7tCh2LmAHrEAAYAiAAEgJi1vD_BwE

Head of Year Awards

 Head of Year updates
From the Year 7 team…
I can’t believe we are beginning the final week of term. I believe this has been the most monumental transition the students could have possibly faced and I truly couldn’t be prouder. Friday was really the pinnacle of the year so far and truly showed what an outstanding year group they are. The day went without a hitch and the students spent the day smiling and laughing.

Here are some highlights:

Skating Awards:
Best Skater: Elysia Aylett
Most Falls: Jacob Ripley
Best Helper: Callum Cowling
Most Brave: Kiki Braidley
Funniest falls: Libby Lynch
Most Christmas Spirit: Caspar Farrell
And Best Skating Advice: Noah Smee-Brown 

Well done to our Students of the Week:
7Cm: Mary Cornforth
7Cy: Alice Driscoll
7CAd: Josh Adams
7Bl: Megan Boddy
7Hf: Bianca Amihaiesi
7Hv: Lysander Illing-Ahmed
7Gr: Teegan O’Neill
7Cmp: James Cartmail
7Mr: Dec Dalgleish
7Nth: Tom Gibbins
7Wno: Jason Xia

Well done to our Head of Year Awards:
Jess McDonald 7 CMP – Well done for truly living the school values. You are kind, hard working and a really valued member of the school community. Keep it up, Miss Kincell.
Kira Precious 7Cm – Well done for showing your initiative and inspiration! Your drive for your future is thoroughly outstanding- I wish we could bottle it- keep it up. Miss Kincell. 

Key notices:
Last Day of School: Friday 18^th Year 7 will finish at 1.10pm. they should wear school uniform but Christmassy accessories will be encouraged- sparkly bobbles, earring and funky hats will all be welcome on the last day

Bewerley Park Upcoming Payment. The final payment for Bewerley Park is due Monday 1 February 2021, this will be the remaining balance of £110. If you have any concerns or issues with this please contact main reception and ask to speak to the finance team or the Year 7 team. A polite reminder, as outlined in the previous letter, regarding potential cancellation and refunds: If the Department for Education make the decision that residential trips cannot go ahead, you will receive a full refund. If the Department for Education advise that the trip may go ahead but you choose you prefer for your child to attend, you will not receive a refund. There are currently no more places available.

And Finally: Have a wonderful, safe Christmas. We sincerely hope you enjoy seeing more of your family under the new guidance and we look forward to welcoming students back in January refreshed and excited for a new term and new year.

From the Year 8 team….
Well, we have finally reached the end of the first term since we returned back to school in September. I don’t know about you, but I feel that the time has absolutely flown by! Year 8 have coped well with the challenges that this term has brought, and can hopefully look forward to some normality and stability in the near future.

For the students that ventured onto Black Square on Friday, they will have noticed that the Christmas Elves have been and set up an ice rink for students as a reward for their efforts this term! A reminder that Year 8 will have their day on the ice rink on Thursday 17^th December. Form tutors should have shown the students the period of the day when they will be going onto the ice, and we hope that they have a wonderful time! Students that do not wish to go onto the ice rink itself can still head down to black square to sit, relax, and spend time with their friends whilst enjoying a wonderful hot chocolate! Those that do wish to go onto the ice rink must have parental consent, and this can be done either via the link in the email letter, or by sending your child with a note giving consent into school and handing it to their form tutor. Finally, students must also bear in mind the instances of poor conduct and behaviour may result in them losing the privilege of going onto the ice rink.

This week’s Act of Collective Worship is, of course, centred around the topic of Christmas, and in particular what Christmas means to me. First and foremost, Christmas to me is a time of relaxing and recuperating after an extremely busy and challenging term. This is something I have strongly advised for the students as well! They need to make sure that they come back to school in January refreshed and re-energised. Second, the food is certainly something that sticks out in my mind at Christmas time! Whilst we should all certainly enjoy our Christmas feasts when the time comes, the students have been told to spare a thought for those less fortunate than us during this festive period. Thirdly, we will discuss the importance of spending time with family. Despite the fact these are difficult times and restrictions mean that we may not see as many people as we wish during this festive period, the students have been encouraged to cherish every moment I spend with their families during the holidays. Finally, we consider the importance of gift giving and how, big or small, it really is the thought that counts!

As part of the Collective Worship, I also played the students the latest John Lewis Christmas advert from this year. The message of ‘Giving Love’ is one that particularly resonates with me, and spreading positivity is something that I have spoken to the year group about frequently throughout the course of this academic year. We really do want to finish this term on a high, and take that positivity into the Christmas period. This sentiment is also beautifully exemplified in Act 20:35 when it says “You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus. ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

If you have any issues regarding your child in Year 8 that you wish for me to be aware of, please do get in contact with me at aarthur@archbishopholgates.org, or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) at rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!

From the Year 9 team..
As the term draws to a close the students seem ready for a break, with a few tired smiles greeting me each morning on their way into school! Despite this the students continue to work hard and seem to be looking forward to the Christmas events we have planned for them next week. The year group is abuzz with the prospect of ice skating on Wednesday, and it was really nice to see how excited the students were when the ice rink arrived on Friday. I am really pleased they will be taking part as a form group, and I am sure the hot chocolate that will be provided will warm the students who just wish to spectate. I have had many enquires as to whether I will be taking part (although I strongly suspect this is because the students would enjoy nothing more than seeing me falling over on the ice!), I remain undecided on this matter! Please remember that in order to take part parents need to have filled in the consent form ( a link can be found below), if there are any problems with this please ring reception or write a letter and we can fill in the form in school. Please also remember when skating on Wednesday it is non uniform day for Y9, and they should dress in appropriate clothing for cold weather!

Ice Skating Consent Form Link – https://forms.gle/mBTpRrfgHL7xveGn8

Despite huge improvements, as we enter the last week of term I would also like to take this opportunity to mention school uniform. Despite the vast majority of students abiding by the school uniform code, there are some students who are challenging this. Please can you take some time to make sure your child is coming to school in the correct shoes, trousers and with no makeup or jewellery. As part of the uniform expectations we are also requiring students to have a mask to wear on the corridors in school, so a polite reminder to provide your child with this before they leave for school.

As always I am available to discuss the progress and wellbeing of your child, so please feel free to contact me on navery@archbishopholgates.org should you have any questions.

To finish I would like to say a huge thank you to parents who have supported us in returning the students of Y9 to full time education this term. It has been a really successful transition from  lockdown and the summer holidays, and the support we have received is much appreciated. On behalf of myself and Miss Clark we wish all our parents and students a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

From the Year 10 team..
Thank you so much for encouraging your sons and daughters to step outside of themselves and think of others this Christmas season; we raised just shy of £94 on the Y10 Bring a Coin to School day for Young Minds. It is a great charity and the cash donation will be very welcome. All of us have mental health and at some stage in our lives will need the help and support this type of charity can give.

You will receive the Y10 interim data this week and again the Pastoral team will be offering face to face drop in sessions in the Y10 common room for any of you who would like a more in depth discussion about how we can work together to support your child’s learning. These appointments will not be until the New Year, January 2021.

I wish and yours a healthy, happy holiday season and look forward to a new year when we can hug our friends and family once more.

From the Y11 team…
This last week of this Christmas term marks the end of a very intense half term . All our students, including those who are still completing their mock exams this week, are warmly welcome to enjoy an hour on the ice rink installed on ‘black square.’ The year 11 allocated day is Tuesday. For those students still sitting exams this week, they will be skating on Friday during P3.Please ensure that either a paper consent form or an on line one has been completed if you wish your child to take part. For all students, Tuesday will be a non- uniform day but instead they will need to  be suitably attired for the skating. Those choosing not to skate may support their peers from the side lines with a hot drink and encouragement. Our annual festive form competition which usually takes place in assembly cannot unfortunately go ahead this year. Instead, form tutors are carrying the baton for their forms and the outcome will be revealed on Thursday during PM registration. On Friday, P1, our students will have a slimmed down, videoed Christmas service with their teaching group before enjoying some final Christmas fun.

From the Post 16 team…
Year 11 Parents
Monday 14^th December was the official deadline for Sixth Form applications. However, due to the pressure of mocks and the busyness of the end of term, we will accept applications for the rest of this week. We really would encourage parents and students to submit an application, even if their child’s future progression plans are not yet confirmed. We can continue to provide information and guidance to any student who requires it. Please contact mwilliams1@archbishopholgates.org to discuss Sixth Form in greater detail if needed.

Year 13 Parents Evening: Final Reminder
Due to current restrictions and to ensure the safety of all involved we will be holding this as a virtual event with appointments running from 3.45pm – 7.15pm. We would encourage your child to be with you for your appointment.

Your son/daughter will make appointments in the usual way, using the attached appointment sheet and booking an appointment slot with their subject teachers in lessons over the next two weeks. The subject teacher will use your son/daughters school Google Account to create the online appointment. This is the same account they use to login and see their homework on a weekly basis. On the evening itself you will need to log in to your son/daughters Google Account and use Google Meet to complete the video conversation with the subject teachers. As on all Parents’ Evenings appointments will be limited to 5 minutes. If you need any help with this please email parentsevening@archbishopholgates.org .

COVID 19
I would like to thank all families for their support during this week as we have had to ask several students to self-isolate. This is something we really don’t want to do. However, it is clearly unavoidable in the current circumstances. We look really carefully at who we have to send home and follow the guidance closely. I have really appreciated the support of families as we have had to send students home during such an important part of the term. We will continue to keep in touch with all students who are at home and they will continue to be invited into live lessons and all resources will be available on the google classrooms. Students still isolating on the final day will be invited through Google Meet to join in the form group activities. I’d also like to thank parents for supporting and reminding their children that it is imperative they follow government guidelines both inside and outside of school.

January assessments
A reminder that Year 12 will sit in class assessment from January 18^th January. This is an important opportunity for students and staff to see how well they have settled into new subjects and provide any further intervention, if needed. Students will have further details about the specific details of each in class assessment during lesson times and there will be a two weeks of preparation leading up to these exams.

Festive Form Room Competition
We are pleased to announce the winner of the festive form competition is 13Da. With their beautiful science Christmas tree, home-made wreath and various handmade decorations, this was the eventual winner. However, the competition was fierce with Mr Gladstone’s classroom resembling the Blackpool illuminations!

Care for the elderly
The Sixth Formers have loved writing Christmas cards and creating a hamper to donate to the residents of Grimston Care Home. It has been lovely to read all the thoughtful messages of hope provided at such a difficult time.

Christmas Ice Skating
A reminder that Sixth Form students can still sign up for ice skating slots after school all this week. They should ensure they have the google permission form signed to be able to go on the ice. 

Sixth Form Dress Down Day
Friday 18^th December will be the Sixth Form Dress down day. This has been planned by the Student Leaders to raise funds for the AHS “Unity Fund”.

Key Dates and reminders

• The deadline for applying to the York Hospital Trust shadowing programme is the end of Monday 14^th December.
• Year 13 Parents Evening is Wednesday 16^th December
• Final day of term is Friday 18^th December, leaving at 1:10pm
• UCAS External deadline is Friday 15^th January. However, we must receive applications internally before this.

Year 12
Thank you messages from Miss Cox:

I would like to thank all of the amazing year 12 students who have put so much effort into their student leader applications – they’ve been a pleasure to read and interviews will take place next week and after Christmas.

All of the hard work that Mrs Hopkinson and the Business Studies team have put in to organising the unity fund  hamper collection and raffle tickets…. And then you all for your generosity.

To those people being proactive and taking the opportunities available to develop new skills, e.g. for the Career Ready recruits, the Nestle Masterclass attendees etc.

Everyone who has fully embraced the enrichment programme; from making a different to the school community, sharing your creative flare to running around and joining in with the team sports or sharing your opinions in debates and film. Also, thanks to those of you who have taken the time to complete your academic reflection logs and share your diverse findings.

 Head of Year Award

Aycan Akarsu: for being really resilient and doing it with a smile on her face

Will Hyde: for consistently being positive, helpful  and polite to staff and peers 

Shout Outs

Ellie, Hannah and Jack in Miss Daswani’s Civil War class on some fantastic sources essays. Well done on your hard work this week

Charlie Fortes for showing a massive improvement in effort this last week. Miss Cox

Charlie Moss, Maddie Hatch, Evin Blundell – A superb start to English Language – your effort has been exemplary and you’ve all made such fantastic progress so far and produced super assessment pieces! Mrs Holmes

Ben Gilroy – Fantastic result in big Chemistry unit test Dr Osman)

I would like to give a shout out to Gabby Moore, Fin Tait, Abbie Harwood, Sean Bazira, Grace Edmondson and Holly Allison for being so diligent with their self-isolation work and contributing so well to today’s Google Meet lesson.  Especially for Fin for contributing such a stirring sound track at one point to energise the lesson! Mr Williams, Biology

Year 13
Thank you to message from Mr Charlton:

Thank you to all Year 13 students who have contributed to the Christmas effort in Sixth Form, in particular the business students and their unity fund hamper drive. However, everyone has played apart in making the Sixth Form feel like a happy and festive place; we definitely all need this. I’d also like to thank Year 13 for continuing to work hard after their mocks and for ensuring the momentum is kept going, even though everyone is tired. Finally, I’d like to say a big thank you to all the Year 13 form tutors who have worked extremely hard to complete UCAS references for all their tutees. As the deadline approaches, we encourage all students to have their applications submitted by the end of term to ensure form tutors and the Sixth Form team have enough time to check everything before the final deadline of 15^th January.

Head of Year Award

Josh Morritt – For an excellent attitude to his learning despite significant discomfort – superb resilience – Mr Charlton

Kate Coupland – For continued academic excellence and mature approach to her studies – well done! Mr Charlton.

Shout Outs

To all the students who have sat interviews this week – you have been a credit to yourselves and the school – well done! Mr Charlton

Y13 English Language – a really impressive first term of Y13. Thank you for being such a lovely, engaging class to teach! Mrs Holmes

Louisa Atkinson – great attitude to learning and positive attitude – Miss Holmes

Oliver Bonarius – for hard work in Business, well done – Mr Charlton

Maia Green – Superb productivity and developing an exciting and unusual project in Art – Mr Nicholson

Alfie Ingram – For sustained focus on developing his painting skills, great work! Mr Nicholson

Roxy Wilson – great attitude to learning and positive attitude – Miss Holmes

Katie Fearnley, Maia Leites & Hannah Dalgliesh – For being open to feedback & prepared to give their own time to receive it, a superb attitude to learning – Mrs Armes

Faye Saunders  for being really proactive with EPQ – well done! Miss Balmer

Frank Hudson – great attitude to learning and positive attitude – Miss Holmes

Dan Onyett – great attitude to learning and positive attitude – Miss Holmes

Carissa Jones – For her proactive attitude towards UCAS and arranging mock interview – Mr Charlton

Collective Worship
This week our form tutor collective worship is again using material produced by The Archbishop of York Youth Trust and Prayer Spaces In Schools, aided by Archbishop Stephen. It’s entitled Sacred Spaces at Advent. This week we’re looking at both The Wise Men and also The Holy Family.

• Thought for the Day – “When Christ entered our world, he didn’t come to brighten our Decembers, but to transform our lives.” – Rich Miller, Christian Author
• Thought for the Day – “Love came down at Christmas; Love all lovely, love divine; Love was born at Christmas, Stars and angels gave the sign.” – Christina Rossetti,19th century English poet
• Thought for the Day – “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” – Hamilton Wright Mabi
• Thought for the Day – “Mankind is a great, an immense family… This is proved by what we feel in our hearts at Christmas.” – Pope John XXIII, Former head of the Catholic Church
• Thought for the Day – “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.” John 13: 34-35, The Bible

As we race towards the end of term, I am pleased to report a successful first week of Y11 mock exams.  I would also like to take this opportunity to thank families of those students in Y11 who have been isolating for the positive feedback about the support and learning that has been provided during this time.  This is very much appreciated.  We also look forward to the small number of Y11 students who will be returning back to school on Monday.  We also look forward to Y13 Parents’ Evening in the final week of term, an opportunity to reflect on what are an excellent set of mock exam results, similar to any normal year and testament to the efforts of both students and teachers during the period of lockdown from March to June, the transition meetings in July and the excellent progress made since September.  Of course, we have more to do, but students are in a place to do extremely well.

We are also very proud of the efforts of our students across all year groups, the very vast majority of whom continue to reflect the values of the school in all they do.  I also appreciate that this has been a long term and students are beginning to tire as we head towards the Christmas break.  However, over the last two or three weeks we have, uncharacteristically for AHS and perhaps reflective of the stresses in society, had a small number of fights, mostly after school.  I need to take this opportunity to reinforce that this is completely unacceptable and won’t be tolerated.  Anyone who deliberately starts a fight with another student will be excluded from school, will be referred to the police, as well as having a parental meeting with me.  Equally, anyone found encouraging or filming such inappropriate actions will also be in significant trouble.  Such behaviour is not in keeping with the values of the school and will not be accepted.  I appreciate the support from all families with this matter and we will be reinforcing this message with all students in our Acts of Collective Worship this week.

Christmas Plans..
I am pleased to report that our festive plans continue to progress well.  Our Christmas lights are up at the front of school and I am delighted to say that we (thanks to parental support) managed to secure match funding for the money raised for the Unity Fund from the Christmas Raffle.  A reminder that if we can support families in any way at this time of year, please do not hesitate to be in touch.  Contact details are below and will always be treated in an anonymous and discrete manner.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

A reminder that we still have our JustGiving page to raise funds for the Unity Fund.  The link can be found below.  Thank you.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/AHS-Unity-Fund

This week sees our best decorated form room competition, as well as the beginning of our Christmas Rewards with the arrival of the Ice Rink at the end of the week.  All families should have received an email/letter about this on Friday and if you have any questions please contact school.  A brief summary is provided below:

Ice Rink Use:
Friday 11 December Year 7
Monday 14 December Year 10
Tuesday 15 December Year 11
Wednesday 16 December Year 8
Thursday 17 December Year 9
Post 16 each evening from 3.10-4.00pm

– Students will have their Christmas Accessory/Jumper non uniform day on the day that they are ice skating.
– Students will skate in form groups (two at a time) over an hour slot.  They will leave lessons to do this.
– The Ice Rink will be on Black Square accompanied with music, lights and snow.  We will also have hot chocolate and benches for those who either don’t want to skate or are resting.
– We have external staff, external first aid plus the Head of Year and other AHS staff in attendance.
– All parents need to fill in an online permission form to allow students to take part.  We have already had over 700 families do this since Friday afternoon!

A copy of this week’s Pathfinder newsletter is attached – the online version is available here: https://pathfinder.academy/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Pathfinder-Weekly-Newsletter-4.12.20.pdf

Student Wellbeing
In the final two weeks of this half-term, we’re hosting ‘PSHE News Fortnight’, which sees students focus on news stories and information relevant to their personal, social and economic development during form time. These stories and activities are differentiated by year group and past ‘themes’ have covered: diet, exercise, first aid, mental health and drug misuse. Why not ask your child what they’ve been learning about during ‘This Week’s News’ in form time?

How to Foster A Growth Mind-set
– Young people who have a growth mind-set as opposed to a fixed one, are better able to cope with disappointments, bounce back from setbacks, stay resilient and learn from mistakes.
– Those with fixed mind-sets tend to give up more easily, believe they can’t get better at something (and are unwilling to try), and find dealing with disappointments harder to navigate.
– You can help foster a growth mind-set in the way you talk to, and praise, your child. To the left is information detailing what the research tells us, how to praise teenagers and how to encourage them in such a way as to help foster a growth mind-set.
– You can learn more about growth mind-sets here: https://www.mind-setworks.com/science/ and even take part in the Mind-set Assessment to see which category you fall into!

Furthermore, you can watch a video, which outlines the theory, which was first posed by Carol Dweck here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyIF5VUOJc0

Feel Good Friday

Our daily dose of wellbeing kicked off again after half-term and here’s this week’s ‘Feel-Good Friday’ quote we’re sharing with KS5 to help them reflect on how to get out of a ‘funk’ and back to feeling their best, as well as some questions to consider:

Questions:

• Are you able to bounce back when you’re in a ‘funk’?
• What have you felt in a ‘funk’ about this week? Would applying these steps have helped?
• What feel-good activity will you do today/this weekend?

Head of Year Awards

 Library Newsletter December from Ms Murphy
I’m delighted to see that most of you have now completed your accelerated reading test. I have a copy of your results which will make it much easier for me to select a book for you if you are unsure about what to choose.

Don’t be surprised to see me in your classrooms this week delivering books. I’ll look at individual results, and if I’ve got a book that I think you’ll enjoy I’ll get it to you.

The colour coding on the selection sheets on your classrooms will now make more sense. The most popular books in the black section (0-3.9) are;

Dirty Bertie

Dirty Bertie is just, well, dirty. He has dreadful habits but that’s what makes him so funny.

Those of you who are in the purple range (4-4.9) read a lot of Jacqueline Wilson.

Jacqueline Wilson has sold over ten million books! She writes about children and how they live. She’s not afraid to write about difficult subjects, and does so with a sense of humour.

Christmas Reads
There have been many books written about Christmas or with a Christmas theme. One of the most popular is A Christmas Carol (6.7 Blue)

“Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it.”

A Christmas Carol has been made into film many times, from a terrifying black and white movie, to a very funny Muppet version. If you think the book might be a tricky read, follow the link for an audio version. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07l9rkl  You could always borrow the book and read along as you are listening to it. There are several copies available in the library.

Please email me with your favourite Christmas book and we’ll find out what the most popular one is.

Finally, when we are able to use the library you’ll realise that we do many things as well as borrowing books. Normally in December we would be looking at a Kindness Advent Calendar, and giving them out along with our Christmas cards. So you don’t miss out on this I’ve given each of your tutors a copy of the 2020 Kindness Advent Calendar to display on your form notice board. I also emailed a copy to your tutors so if you would like a copy please ask them to print one out for you.

Head of Year Updates
From the Year 7 team…
I will begin again by reiterating my message from last week regarding Wintery conditions. Please make sure your child has plenty of outer layers to keep them warm- coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and ideally umbrellas. Whilst there are places for them inside we know that fresh air is really important, in terms of both Covid safety but also just getting some time outside after long periods of lockdown. At the minute we thoroughly understand that whilst we are all in the same storm, we most certainly are not in the same boats. If you are struggling at all, and worrying about ensuring your child has enough warm clothes, please do not hesitate to contact us.

All things Christmas

We think it is really important that we try to give the students as much Christmas joy as possible, as it truly will be an unusual one for all of us this year.

We are doing the following:

-Competitions for the best decorated form rooms, this will include lots of non-purchased items such as paper chains etc but all donations welcome. If you have any spare baubles, tinsels, basically just any odds and ends that sparkle, anything would be greatly appreciated!

-Cards to be sent out to the local community, all Year 7 students will write a kind message and this will go to various people in the community who may not receive many Christmas wishes.

-Christmas Jumper/Accessories Day, we love to celebrate and dress up so will be having a Christmas jumper and accessories day. If your child would like to participate but you are unable to purchase any -Christmas activities please do let us know and we will ensure they are able to take part and twinkle with everyone else!

-Secret Santa, lots of forms choose to do a secret Santa so as to not encourage to buy lots of presents for each other and worry about this. However if your child would like to take part but is unable to purchase a gift for their chosen person, please let us know and we will support them in doing this.

-The Ice Rink- wow! This is an AHS first and maybe a school first in general. We want the students to have a memorable Christmas for the right reasons. We are hiring an ice rink, students will take part in this one form group at a time and if they would prefer not to skate, they can watch from the sides with a hot drink.

Year Group Focus
This week I have been focusing on the benefits and dangers of social media. Social media has become an integral part of many people’s life and is becoming ever more prominent in the lives of young people. Whilst in many ways we are so lucky to have this platform which can be sued for good, it is imperative we teach young people how to use it effectively and as adults we monitor it regularly. Evidence has shown social media can have a profound impact on the brain, a study by UCLA found that the same brain circuits that are activated by eating chocolate and winning money are activated when teenagers see large numbers of “likes” on their own photos or the photos of peers in a social network. It is also proven that the more time spent on social media,. The more likely a young person is to suffer from sleep deprivation and have an adverse impact on their relationships and social life.

As such, I have focused our assembly on the benefits and dangers of social media and form tutors will be reiterating this again throughout the week. We would appreciate if these conversations could be repeated at home. Whilst bearing in mind the following age criteria for the following social media platforms, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok all have a minimum age of 13 and Whatsapp is a minimum age of 16. Therefore illustrating that students in year 7 are recommended by the company themselves not to access these platforms.

As Head of Year, I would like to outline what is not allowed by us as a school community. We do not allow mass group chats- including tens of people in the year group or across the year group. These can exacerbate issues and broadcast sensitive information. We do not allow phones to be used in school under any circumstance, if a students needs to contact home or has any concerns, they can speak with main reception, or the Year 7 team and call home. And we take very seriously any recording, distributing or simply saving any sensitive or violent data such as fights on phones.

Well done to our students of the week this week:

7Cm: Hollie Smith

7Cy: Marley-Jay Farrar

7CAd: Neve Wilson

7Bl: Grace Smith

7Hf: Charlie McGovern

7Hv: Jacob Fletcher

7Gr: Oliver Hall

7Cmp: Dexter Wright

7Mr: Ryan Thompson

7Nth: Amali Estabrooks

7Wno: Annie Stephenson

And a huge well done to our Head of Year Award Students:

Lois Miller for bringing in a huge bag full of donations for the 12 days of Christmas collection.

Chloe Slater for being kind, helpful and just being consistently recognised by teachers as living the school values.

Key notices:

Students must all have face masks. If a student doesn’t have a mask, they will need to purchase one for £1.50, this will be charged to their wise pay account which can be paid for later.

Christmas Ice Rink. This is a reward for good behaviour and reaching the merit quota, currently all students in school have met this quota which is incredible, however attendance will still be at the school’s discretion. If a student’s behaviour does not warrant reward or we believe they may not be able to take part sensibly or safely they will not attend, this will be at the Head of Year’s discretion.

Bewerley Park Upcoming Payment. The final payment for Bewerley Park is due Monday 1 February 2021, this will be the remaining balance of £110. If you have any concerns or issues with this please contact main reception and ask to speak to the finance team or the Year 7 team. A polite reminder, as outlined in the previous letter, regarding potential cancellation and refunds: If the Department for Education make the decision that residential trips cannot go ahead, you will receive a full refund. If the Department for Education advise that the trip may go ahead but you choose you prefer for your child to attend, you will not receive a refund. There are currently no more places available.

From the Year 8 team…
As Christmas fast approaches and the calendar year begins to draw to a close, there is a natural instinct to want to look back and reflect on the year we have just had. However, I recently came across a quote that really resonated with me which said “there’s a reason the windshield is bigger than the rear-view mirror. Where you’re going is so much more important than where you’ve been”. Never has a sentiment been more true than this one right now. The year 2020 has been a challenging one to say the least, and most will quite frankly be glad to see the back of it! However, we are nearly there and a hope for a better future is certainly on the horizon. As part of the Archbishop Holgate’s School ‘Journey’, Year 8 are focussing on ‘Opportunities’ – however as I have mentioned in previous bulletins, these are somewhat limited due to the current situation we find ourselves in. But, as the ‘vaccine cavalry’ appears to be coming over the crest of the hill in our battle against COVID-19, we hope to open up more ‘Opportunities’ as the weeks and months progress. Students should be keeping their eyes out for these and taking up as many opportunities as they can. The biggest upcoming opportunities relate to Year 9 Options, which will also soon be upon us. It would be hugely beneficial to begin conversations around specific subjects that students in Year 8 enjoy, and what path they wish to take as they move through their education towards young adulthood.

As you will probably be well aware by now, there is a lot of excitement around school at the prospect of the Ice Rink that students will be able to use in the final week of the term as their Christmas Reward. Year 8 have had an excellent first term, returning in trying circumstances and always ‘rolling with the punches’. Year 8 students have also been collecting merit stamps in their planners all half-term, which is wonderful to see, and this free event is recognition of all their hard work this term. Year 8’s allocated day for the Ice Rink will be on Wednesday 16^th December and they will be going on the ice rink in form groups – we are all very much looking forward to this event. Whilst everyone is currently allowed to be part of this event, poor conduct in school may result in students being removed from this experience. If this is the case, myself or Mr Deamer will contact parent’s regarding this, but we very much hope this will not happen and that all of Year 11 can enjoy and end to the term in high spirits with their friends.

If you have any issues regarding your child in Year 8 that you wish for me to be aware of, please do get in contact with me at aarthur@archbishopholgates.org, or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) at rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org.

From the Year 9 team…
As we reach December and the nights draw in quickly, I find myself reflecting on the academic year so far. In doing so I really begin to appreciate the challenges the students (and staff!) have had to overcome. For the first time students have been required to wear masks in corridors and around school, have been ‘zoned’ in one area of the school and have probably never washed their hands as much as they have had to in recent weeks! In thinking about this I am filled with a sense of pride in what they have achieved, and how they have overcome the ‘new normal’ to carry on stoically with their education. This was highlighted in the recent parents evening, where the feedback from teachers and parents was extremely positive.

I have been delighted recently with the attendance of Year 9, with the half term average over 95%. This is again testament to the hard work and dedication of the year group, and highlights their eagerness to make up for lost time during lockdown. As this year is their transition to GCSE students, it is really important that the students continue to attend school in order not to fall behind in their studies. Homework completion rate is very high in the year group, which is important as a study from the EEF recognises this can add months of progress onto a students learning. However should your child still be experiencing a few issues with this, please feel free to contact me. Also, should your child not have access to a computer at home, I would recommend the purchase scheme through the school, where students are given a laptop which they pay for over a period of time. If this solution is not suitable, then homework club is on offer Monday-Thursday for Year 9 students in IT2.

I would also like to take the time to address school uniform. The vast majority of our students are consistently in line with our school uniform, policy, however in recent weeks there is a minority of students who are beginning to slip a little. I would like to politely remind parents that students should not wear trainers to school (even if black) and jewellery and make up is not allowed. We will continue to challenge students on this matter, and any repeat offenders may face an after school detention. I would also like to politely remind parents about the importance of providing your child with a facemask before coming to school. This is now a requirement for all students, and is a key part of keeping us safe in this difficult time. Students are able to purchase a good quality, reusable mask from reception for £1.50.

As we approach Christmas I am excited about all the fantastic activities we have planned for the students as a reward for their hard work and dedication in this difficult time. Although we are unable to go to Meadow Hall this year, I am hoping the students still feel like they have something special to look forward too.  As the week goes on more information will be published about this, but I am expecting the students of Year 9 to be very excited about what will be on offer – watch this space!

If you have any issues regarding your child in Year 9 that you wish for me to be aware of, please do get in contact with me at navery@archbishopholgates.org.

It’s been a good half term for Year 9 so far– long may this continue!

From the Y10 team…
Christmas Comes to Team Ten
Many thanks to the Business Studies Two Breakfast Club Crew who have been working this week to create a festive ambience in the Harris block. The tree is up and trimmed, the star is hanging and flashing its lights. It’s a most wonderful time of the year. The Breakfast Club Crew are also ensuring that all the rooms in the Harris block are toasty warm and fully ventilated each morning ready for a day of concentrated learning. And how lovely is it for your young people to be taking responsibility for their learning environment.

The Twelve Days of Advent boxes are in each tutor room with some of them overflowing with chocolates, stuffing, mince pies, napkins, biscuits and the like; collection will be on December the 11^th so if you would like to contribute more then please do. There is also going to be a “Bring a Coin to School” Day on Thursday 10^th December for Y10. It isn’t a non-uniform day though ~ sorry. Last year this day raised enough money to buy a toilet, clean water and some seeds from Oxfam, but this year we’d like the money to go to Young Minds; a charity who support young people with their mental health. If students can bring in a coin (any sized coin from 5p to £2) or a note and there will be a bucket available as they enter the Harris block to pop it in.

Well done to the 116 Year Ten students who are on 100% attendance; ‘tis the season of coughs, colds and other assorted sniffles so well done for being so resilient. Only ten more sleeps until the holidays ~ we can make it.

Each week a few of the Y10 students are nominated for a Head of Year Award and I would love to award this over the next two weeks to Y10 young people who have been active in their community. So, if your child has been doing someone’s shopping regularly, dog walking for someone who is having to shield or raising money for a local charity or something else which is helping people in their local community, then please email me and let me know so we can celebrate their community mindedness. 01904 411341 or reception@archbishopholgates.org. Thank youFrom the Year 1Christmas Comes to Team Ten

From the Y11 team…
The Year 11 Team have been really pleased with the way students have conducted themselves during the mock exams.  The students have met the demands of the exam hall exceptionally well, with very few incidents of unfocused behaviour.  It was clear by the end of last week that students were tired, but remained positive overall about how the mocks were going.  This week sees the continuation of these mocks and we are confident that students will continue to put forward a good account of themselves.  We look forward to welcoming back students who have been isolating for the previous two weeks and reassure these students that they Year 11 Team are here to support them upon their return.  Students should still be following their revision timetables at home and revision continues in lessons, students also still have access to P6 session taking place to support their revision. As always, we thank parents for their continued support.

We would encourage anyone who wants a place at the Sixth Form to return their application form as soon as possible. The deadline is Monday 14^th December to help us structure the timetable and ensure the best possible fit of subjects. We would recommend students still put in an application, even if they are currently unsure as this can be reviewed and changed later in the year. The important part is the first step! If you have any specific questions about our Sixth Form, including Post 16 life, curriculum or opportunities, please do not hesitates to contact Mr Williams.

From the Post 16 team…
Mock Assembly and support meetings
It has been a pleasure to see how well students have responded to their excellent mock results and have used these to focus on their next steps. It has also been really helpful to meet with several students and their families to discuss their next steps. Each of these conversations are individual and we genuinely want to find the best path for each student; this will look very different for every student. We will continue to meet students and families over the next few weeks. If we you would like a meeting, please contact swalton@archbishopholgates.org who will organise a meeting with a member of the Sixth Form Leadership team.

Year 13 Parents Evening
Due to current restrictions and to ensure the safety of all involved we will be holding this as a virtual event with appointments running from 3.45pm – 7.15pm. We would encourage your child to be with you for your appointment.

Your son/daughter will make appointments in the usual way, using the attached appointment sheet and booking an appointment slot with their subject teachers in lessons over the next two weeks. The subject teacher will use your son/daughters school Google Account to create the online appointment. This is the same account they use to login and see their homework on a weekly basis. On the evening itself you will need to log in to your son/daughters Google Account and use Google Meet to complete the video conversation with the subject teachers. As on all Parents’ Evenings appointments will be limited to 5 minutes. If you need any help with this please email parentsevening@archbishopholgates.org .

Christmas in the Sixth Form
The excitement builds in the Sixth Form block. As we left the building on Friday night, the forms were coming towards the end of decorating their “Festive form rooms”, ready for judging next week. Many of these rooms look like a tinsel explosion; I look forward to sharing these photos and the winner in next week’s newsletter!

Sixth Form on ice
Sixth Form students will have the opportunity to sign up for an ice-skating slot after school in the final week. There are several slots available for students to book onto. These sign up sheets will be available in the library next week and it will be a first come, first served basis for each slots (although there are enough slots for everyone) across the week. Students will also need to collect a consent form from the Sixth Form library and return this if they wish to skate.

Christmas card cheer for the elderly
A reminder to donate any boxes of blank Christmas cards you don’t need. We need 300 cards to write to the elderly in some local care homes. We will be sending these in the final week so please send any Christmas cards you can donate by Wednesday 9^th December.

Sixth Form Dress Down Day
Friday 18^th December will be the Sixth Form Dress down day. This has been planned by the Student Leaders to raise funds for the AHS “Unity Fund”.

Sixth Form Head of Year Awards

Year 12

Grace Pickering – for being consistently awesome in and out of lessons! Great job J

Shalom Ogbemudia – for doing consistently well in science with lots of shout outs!  

Year 13

Bobby Lamb 13Yg – For being so engaged in all subjects. Your contributions and valued and you deserve your excellent mock results! Mr Charlton

Emily Etty 13Sl – Outstanding mock results for an outstanding student, congratulations! Mr Charlton

Student Shout Outs
It is a pleasure to see such a huge list of Year 12 and Year 13 Shout Outs. This reflects the amazing effort of students as they fully engage with all aspects of Sixth Form life. Keep it up!

Year 12
A massive thank you and well done to Mabel Carrington, Aidan Clarke, Maddy Hatch, Hannah O’Connor, Greta Pranulyte, Chloe Rowan, James Saunders and Hannah Sivro Williams for their contributions to the Minster filming. They were all superb actors and so incredibly supportive of each other when filming. Miss Darlinton

Marta Garofalo, Oliver Pugh, Izzy Lofthouse, Shalom Ogbemudia – Worked exceptionally hard for the bonding assessment, all got A* (Mr Thompson)

Hannah Townson– Politics work is really sophisticated, clearly lots of effort and time spent on it. Well done, Keep it up. (Miss Kincell and Miss Gavin)

Y12 Chemistry:  Anna Pattichi, great questions (in both real and virtual classrooms!) (Dr Osman)

Shalom Ogbemudia – Awesome Biology 1st assessment!! (Mr Lever)

Abbie Kilvington, Jemma Blanchard & Kayleigh Coates for fantastic child development work (Mrs Kitney)

Camron Carter, Alix Colin, Ben Gilroy, Isaac Hill, Luke Hindle, Frank Hudson, EJ Marchment did amazing in their Computer Science assessment. (Mr Appleyard)

Year 13
Chloe Greaves – for her positive attitude in form. Always full of energy – Miss Balmer

Maia Leites –  for very impressive draft of NEA in English Lit – there is method in the madness! Miss Metcalf

Sophie Eastwood –  for really turning a corner in geography and achieving such a superb grade in the recent mocks – Ms Ramsay

Bobby Lamb for always being so engaged in geography. Your contributions and always valued and you deserve the excellent mock result – Ms Ramsay

Louis Cameron – for smashing the mock in geography and showing me what you are truly capable of. Keep it up Louis, I have very high hopes for you – Ms Ramsay

Edith Pearse –  for gaining such an excellent grade in the recent mocks, I know you always put a lot of hard effort into your studies and it is clearly paying off. Ms Ramsay

Amelia Barber – for always being a reflective student who listens carefully to feedback and always works hard to make improvements to their work – Ms Ramsay

Tom Harvey – I am proud of you Tom for the grade you achieved in the mock. With even more focus and revision, just imagine what might be possible. Well done. Ms Ramsay

Josh Morritt – You should feel proud of your mock result Josh. You are really getting to grips with the ‘analyse’ 6 markers, well done – Ms Ramsay

A huge well done to Joe Pipe and Bobby Lamb for a fantastic linguistic research presentation: informative and thoroughly entertaining too! Mrs Edmondson

Joe Pipe – Y13 Chemistry – positive attitude, hard work, great mock result. Dr Osman

Congratulations to Miss Daswani’s history class on your fantastic Mock results. Your efforts and hard work have paid off! Very proud of you.

Enrichment and Career Opportunities
Year 12 Enrichment
This continues to go well and students are really engaging with a range of activities. Of particular note was the fantastic progress made by students in the Arts Awards and the amazing school contribution made by the Green Leaders on their litter pick!

York Hospital is offering a fantastic opportunity to students interested in studying Medicine at University
They are running a shadowing programme where we would like to offer students the opportunity to meet with medical and multidisciplinary staff to gain an understanding of the role of medical staff within the NHS.

The programme will run for half a day a week from Wednesday 20 January – 24 March 2021.  The sessions involve virtual meetings with consultant medical staff from a variety of specialties, patients and multidisciplinary staff to get a wider view of medicine.  Topics covered include surgery, radiology, the essence of being a doctor, guidance on applications to medical schools and many more subjects.

This is a fantastic opportunity for students interested in Medicine, providing a very different experience to put on UCAS application forms and develop new skills.

There are 12 places on the programme.  Students must be 17 during the academic year 20/21, be attending a state 6^th form school/college in York and commit to attending all nine sessions.

Information on how to apply is on the https://www.foyh.org.uk website and applications should be submitted to Stephanie Neale on 6fsp@foyh.org.uk  by 14 December 2020.

 Support Available for Students
Support  available in the following areas:

• Exploration of gender identity and/or sexuality, supporting children & young people to feel confident and proud of their identity
• Emotional health and wellbeing support for LGBTQ young people
• Empowering families to support children and other family members around their identity
• Restorative sessions for young people who have themselves used discriminative language or engaged in homophobic, biphobic or transphobic (HBT) bullying.

If you feel you’d benefit from this support, email or speak to a member of the Sixth Form leadership team.

As ever, please do not hesitate to contact any member of the Sixth Form team.

Collective Worship
This week our form tutor collective worship is using material produced by The Archbishop of York Youth Trust and Prayer Spaces In Schools, aided by Archbishop Stephen. It’s entitled Sacred Spaces at Advent. This week we’re looking at both Mary & Joseph and also the Shepherds.

Quotes
Thought for the Day – “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” – Deepak Chopra, Indian-American author
Thought for the Day – “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:14, The Bible
Thought for the Day – “Be still. Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity.” – Lao Tzu, 5th C. BC Chinese philosopher
Thought for the Day – “Nothing in all creation is so like God as stillness.” – Meister Eckhart, 13th C. German theologian and philosopher
Thought for the Day – “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.” – Psalm 62:1

As we approach the end of November and the last three weeks of term I think it’s worth pausing to consider how well schools in York have done to limit the number of Covid cases compared to many other places nationally. I am absolutely certain that this could not have been done without support from families and this partnership work is something that we should be very proud of as a city. In terms of Archbishop’s I am pleased to say that confirmed cases in the school are among the lowest in the city for both 11-16 students with 2.76 infections per 1000 children (compared to 7.12 as a city) and 16-18 with 6.31 infections per 100 children (compared to 12.18 as a city). It should of course be noted higher rates in areas may well coincide with community clusters although colleagues in the York public health team have confirmed that there is little evidence of transmission in schools. In the weeks to come schools will continue to work hard to minimise risks in school whilst at the same time striving to ensure that students receive the best possible education.

Supporting the School Community – The Unity team…
At this time of year we would usually hold our School Christmas Fayre to raise funds to support the Unity Fund. Unfortunately this has not been possible this year but we look forward to this returning next year. In its place on Friday we held our Christmas Bake-Off and staff raffle and I am delighted to say that we raised over £1500 to support the Unity Fund which is amazing. We also has some special guest judges for the day…

From the Unity team…
As you will  be aware the School Christmas Fayre was unable to go ahead this year. We normally hold this on the last Friday in December, which of course was last week. The Christmas Fayre is not only a great community event, but provides the Unity Fund with their main source of income. Not to be deterred, the unity team decided to go ahead with a very scaled down version in the staffroom, creating a one day only pop-up-shop.

The fun started with the arrival of all the entries for the Bake-Off icing competition. Each department were asked to ice a cake depicting their department, still with a Christmas theme. They were amazing and were auctioned at the end of the day and sold between £10 and £37.50 each.

The shop itself sold goods, all donated by staff and their families. The Unity team accepted donations in many forms from sweets and chocolates that were rewrapped in Christmas packaging, Nanna’s Knits, handmade cards, handmade baby clothes to pieces of original artwork.

The school association make up gift hampers  for raffle prizes, which as usual, looked amazing. The shop had a steady stream of customers all day, and the along with the raffle and cake auction managed to raise £1,500.

The Unity Team are delighted with this total, and said that how delighted they were on so many levels. The generosity of staff on terms of donations and purchases, that every department got involved, again in terms of making purchases and baking. We had fantastic cakes from the science technicians, cleaning team, office, and curriculum departments. It’s really good to see the whole community being able to join in with us to do something together.

We will use the money raised to purchase supermarket vouchers for some of our families to spend on their Christmas groceries. Many of our families will benefit from the 12 Days of Christmas Hamper Appeal that is being launched in school this week, but there will be some families in more need than others. How lovely that we can offer some of those families both a hamper and a voucher. So a huge thank you from the Unity Team.

A reminder that we still have live our JustGiving page to raise funds for the Unity Fund. The link can be found below. Thank you.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/AHS-Unity-Fund

Christmas at Archbishop’s
As outlined last week we really do want to try to safely celebrate the festive period in school and also find a way to reward students for their considerable efforts since September. In lieu of our usual rewards trip at this time of year we have decided that we will give all those students who want to and have permission from parents to have period out of lessons and experience our Christmas Ice Rink and accompanying festivities during the last week of term. This will be completely free and of course has been subject to a very through investigation of the necessary control measures. As such I can confirm that:

Organiser safety precautions include:

• Social distancing will be in place in the queue. Spacing will be clearly marked according to Government Guidelines.
• Hands to be sanitised before entering skate change area.
• Mask / Face cloths to be worn within government guidelines.
• iSK8 Staff to be wearing face coverings and gloves
• iSK8 Staff will have temperature taken at the start of each day, these will be logged.
• Strictly only skaters to be allowed in the skate change area.
• All skates to be sanitised before each use.
• Sanitiser stations will be available on entry to ice rink.
• Barriers and skate Aids will be sanitised.
• Benches and surrounding area will be sanitised frequently
• At present the rink is calculated to allow 3m2 per skater, this is subject to Government guidelines.

School safety precautions

• Event first aid cover available rink side throughout the day
• Number of students limited to 30 on the ice at any one time
• Students to sanitise/wash hands before  handling boots
• Students to be released from class wearing face coverings
• Students will be taking part in this activity in year group bubbles (for the most part form groups)
• Face coverings to be worn at all times during the event

Further details will follow this week.

Student Wellbeing
Each week we share some ‘Wellbeing News’ with students during Form Time. Here’s one of this week’s news stories, along with the accompanying questions for students to discuss…

Could your temper be down to restricted sleep?
We all know a bad night of sleep can leave us feeling a little groggy. However, new research has found that a lack of sleep can not only leave you feeling tired the next day, but can make you angrier, too. 

A study published in the American Academy of Sleep Medicine analysed the diary entries from 202 college students, who tracked their sleep, daily stressors and anger over one month. Initial results found that participants experienced more anger on days following less sleep than usual. 

Zlatan Krizan, a professor of psychology at Iowa State University said, “The results are important because they provide strong causal evidence that sleep restriction increases anger and increases frustration over time. Moreover, the results from the daily diary study suggest such effects translate to everyday life, as young adults reported more anger in the afternoon on days they slept less.”

Of course, there are plenty of little things which can help promote a more restful night’s kip. Some of these include stocking up on essential oils (which promote relaxation and so help you drift off a little easier). There are also practical things which can be done before bed, such as having a bath and limiting screen time.

For those who really struggle to drift off, there are a number of tried and tested methods experts recommend, including warming your body and using an eye mask to block out any light or distractions.

Questions:

1. Are you more moody or angry when you’ve had less sleep?
2. Why do you think you become more angry?
3. What does this teach you about lack of sleep?

Thoughtful Thursday
Our daily dose of wellbeing kicked off again after half-term and here’s this week’s Thoughtful Thursday ‘Research Bite’ we’re sharing with KS5 to help them reflect on how to be more grateful…

Head of Year Awards this week…

Head of Year Updates
From the Year 7 team…
I hope you are keeping safe and well and looking forward to the end of lockdown.

This last week in school we have started to see Year really starting to become more mature and it’s really clear they are starting to thrive and become responsible young students, adapting to life in secondary school and adapting to life alongside Covid restrictions. As the weather starts to get cooler, please make sure your child has plenty of outer layers to keep them warm- coats, hats, scarves, gloves. Whilst there are places for them inside we know that fresh air is really important, in terms of both Covid safety but also just getting some time outside after long periods of lockdown. At the minute we thoroughly understand that whilst we are all in the same storm, we most certainly are not in the same boats. If you are struggling at all, and worrying about ensuring your child has enough warm clothes, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Library Newsletter
We are so glad that you are all reading a lot of books even though you haven’t been able to wander round the library to choose a book in the usual way. As Miss Murphy spends time in the Y7 area at break and lunch many of you request books that I then deliver to your classroom, usually at form time. If you are struggling to think of something to read, don’t forget to look through the sheets on the notice board in your form room that are designed to give you lots of ideas. You can request a book by putting a tick next to the one you fancy reading. However, you can always tick the ‘wild card’ option at the bottom of the page if you trust Miss Murphy (an absolute expert) enough to select one for you. Hand the sheets to your form tutor, English teacher or Miss Murphy. We’ll get your choice to you as quickly as possible.

Returns
We have a large amount of books overdue. Although we don’t mind if you need to hang on to them for a bit longer then the due date, we sometimes worry that books are languishing at the bottom of bags, or under beds. Remember, you never get into trouble for a late return, so don’t be nervous about bringing something back that is overdue. Feel free to hand books back when you see Miss Murphy at break and lunch, it will also be a good time to request another one at the same time.

Book of the Week  is Dreaming the Bear by Mimi Thebo – This is a beautifully written book, but it might bring a tear to your eye. It’s engrossing and perfect if you like stories about animals. We have a few copies available in the library.

“When I get up, there’s nobody home. Even Mum has gone out. The note says, ‘I have to check my emails. I’ll snowmobile to the melt line and be back soon. XX Mummy’. And I think, ‘Good. I can feed my bear…'”

Darcy’s life was never exactly simple, but it was about to become a lot more complicated. Recovering from a distressing illness in her parents’ cabin surrounded by looming pine trees, Darcy spends most of her days alone, warming herself by the log fire. That is, until she ventures into the woods hours before a heavy snowstorm, and finds herself face-to-face with a grizzly bear. Their encounter takes a surprising turn when it flourishes into a warm and caring friendship. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the snowy Yellowstone National Park in Montana, the book inspires compassion and friendship, sensitively focusing on how the seemingly impossible can become the achievable.

Again, we have a set of book club questions for this book. Let me know if you would like a copy of them.

Top Readers
Well done to 7WNo who have not only borrowed the most books this week, but have also got involved in Miss Metcalf’s book club. We have purchased more copies of The Murder’s Ape and will deliver them to your classroom.

This is the first week we haven’t had any book reviews! All loaned books now have a bookmark inside that has the space on it for a sentence or two, if you would like to let us know what you thought of the book, good or bad. Just leave the bookmark in the book when you return it.

Well done to our Year 7 students of the Week:
7Cm: Emma Guarino
7Cy: Evie Simpson
7CAd: Mohammed Almasari
7Bl: Felix Lovett
7Hf: Angus East
7Hv: Danuli Jayawardena
7Gr: Nicole Fountain
7Cmp: Destiny-Marie Smith
7Nth: Travis Cram
7Wno: Lily Subritzky

Well done to our Head of Year Award Students:
1. Angela Hettiarchchige – Thank You for your very generous contribution to the Christmas Shoe box appeal!
2. Alyssia Eylett – Well done for volunteering to be a part of the antibullying team. What a great way to live the school value of compassion!

Key notices:
– Students must all have face masks. If a student doesn’t have a mask, they will need to purchase one for £1.50, this will be charged to their wise pay account which can be paid for later.
– Bewerley Park Upcoming Payment. The final payment for Bewerley Park is due Monday 1 February 2021, this will be the remaining balance of £110. If you have any concerns or issues with this please contact main reception and ask to speak to the finance team or the Year 7 team. A polite reminder, as outlined in the previous letter, regarding potential cancellation and refunds: If the Department for Education make the decision that residential trips cannot go ahead, you will receive a full refund. If the Department for Education advise that the trip may go ahead but you choose you prefer for your child to attend, you will not receive a refund. There are currently no more places available.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns.

From the Year 8 team..
We are now more than halfway through the second half term of the year, and Christmas seems just over the horizon. Now more than ever, Year 8 need to maintain a keen focus on the impact of kindness, compassion and positivity, and how we can spread this throughout school. As I stated earlier in the year, this echoes the words of Proverbs 16:24 which says “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body”, as well as “A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger” from Proverbs 15:1. Year 8’s must continue to spread as much positivity around the school as possible – it is always lovely to see Year 8 students in high spirits on duty in the year group’s zone every morning. Whether this be a kind word to a fellow student, a ‘Thank you’ to a teacher at the end of a lesson, or even something as small as smiling at someone – we are all keen to make sure we approach the festive period and good cheer and in high spirits despite these difficult times. Year 8 must continue to live by the age old adage of: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!” – I very much hope that students heed these words, and do not involve themselves in unkind behaviour in school that will spread negativity to other students and staff as we move into the final stages of this term.

This week’s Act of Collective Worship focuses on ‘Freedom of Speech’ as we cover the overarching topic of ‘Democracy and the rule of law’. The key message we are trying to get across to students is that free speech is an important part of our society, and something that is not a given if we look at some societies in the past. However, ‘freedom of speech’ does not mean ‘freedom from consequence’. Students must understand that whilst they are free to say what they like, that there may be consequences to certain actions they take or certain things that they say. This sentiment is echoed in Romans 2:11 when the Bible states “God doesn’t have favourites” – that our speech must not be used to tear down other groups, but to raise people up equally. We must call out Hate speech and make sure we promote positive words that build one another other up.

If you have any issues regarding your child in Year 8 that you wish for me to be aware of, please do get in contact with me at aarthur@archbishopholgates.org, or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) at rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org.

From the Year 9 team..
With November nearly behind us and with another good week under their belt, morale seemed to be quite high in Y9 this week. Although this could also be to do with the success of parents evening on Wednesday, where it was so nice to hear how well the students of year 9 were progressing in their studies. Having been through their report data, it was clear to see that the students of Year 9 are working very hard in their subjects, and making that transition to becoming very promising GCSE students. I know the written reports from form tutors and SLT were very complimentary, and I am delighted the hard work of the students is being recognised by teachers and parents.

I was also pleased with the way the evening was run, and in a new experience for us all the ‘virtual parents evening’ ran very smoothly indeed. The feedback from parents has been very pleasing and I know many of you were delighted to meet your child’s teachers from the comfort of your own home and a cup of tea in hand! We are always welcoming of constructive feedback, and should you have any ideas on how the evening could have been improved please feel free to contact myself or the school with any suggestions you may have.

I would also like to take this opportunity to mention school uniform. Despite the vast majority of students abiding by the school uniform code, there are some students who are challenging this. Please can you take some time to make sure your child is coming to school in the correct shoes, trousers and with no makeup or jewellery. As part of the uniform expectations we are also requiring students to have a mask to wear on the corridors in school, so a polite reminder to provide your child with this before they leave for school.

As always I am available to discuss the progress and wellbeing of your child, so please feel free to contact me on navery@archbishopholgates.org should you have any questions.

From the Year 10 team..
We have had another great week in Y10; another forty break time tokens have been handed out, three young people receiving the Head of Year Award and eleven more Students of the Week. We have also had one tutor group achieve 100% attendance ~ which in a time of colds, coughs and tummy aches shows incredible resilience.

Curriculum wise it has been a couple of weeks of assessments for your young people with a data drop due on the 7^th of December ~ where hopefully their effort, work ethic and positive attitude will be reflected in their grades and lead to a more relaxed holiday for you all. The final couple of sessions of covid catch-up take place, after school from 3.10pm – 4pm, in the next two weeks: Monday for Science, Tuesday for Mathematics and Thursday for English.

Christmas is nearly upon us and as it is the season of giving, as well as receiving, we are going to again have a “Bring a Coin to School” day in Y10. Last year saw the year team ~ students and staff ~ raise enough to buy clean water, seeds and a toilet at https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/shop/oxfam-unwrapped?

This year, we’d like to have another “Bring a Coin to School” day on Wednesday 9^th December. So, whether it is 5p or £2 it’d be great for everyone in Y10 to join in, with the money going to Young Minds to support young people with their mental health.

As ever please do stay in touch via phone (01904 411341), email reception@archbishopholgates.org or (masked) face to (masked) face and one of the Pastoral Team will be available for you. J

From the Year 11 team..
Year 11 have continue impressing senior members of staff with their levels of maturity, politeness  and conduct in their follow up IAG meetings. Year 11 have also been impressing their subject teachers with their commitment to  revision for the mock exams and this was highlighted in the weekly Act of Collected Worship which featured many messages of encouragement, belief and support from staff to their students.

 Information regarding the logistics of and the conduct expected in the exams was made clear to the students. It was made clear that it is  vital that students  are on time to school in the morning as well as having all the equipment needed. They have been given their candidate numbers- which they will use in the official exams in the summer – and thus they are set to go. Each morning during the exams, they will receive instructions for the day so that they do not have to worry in advance about any logistics. There is no doubt that this is a daunting time for them – especially as it is their first real experience of how public exams are conducted –  but as highlighted last week, this is learning experience for students and an indication to staff of where they need to go next and they enable us to refine any further support they might need to make the progress we know they are all capable of.

The importance of sleep was stated in the ACW too and cannot be stressed enough. Our students were reminded teenagers at this age should ideally be getting 8-10 hours per night. Anything less can reduce concentration; lead to poorer memory; reduce alertness; shorten attention span and reduce decision making skills to name a few.  None of which we wold like to see over these next two weeks.

The year 11 team wish our students the best over the next two weeks and we remain available to  support students in any way we can, and appreciate parents’ continued support in return.

From the Post 16 team
Year 11 Sixth Form Applications
Please remember to hand in Sixth Form applications to Year 11 form tutors. The deadline for applications is Monday 14^th December. All students have had their IAG meetings. If a student missed this meeting, we will try to rearrange these in the coming weeks. If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me.  

Year 13 Mock Results and next steps
On Monday 30^th November, Year 13 will receive their mock results. A copy of this report will be sent home via the student and they will also get their own personal copy. I continue to be really impressed by the hard-work and commitment of Year 13. For many, these mocks will be a reflection of their diligence and should provide a confidence boost as they enter the vital final full term of study after Christmas. Inevitably, the mocks provide an opportunity to reflect and consider what their personal priorities are. During form time next week, students will complete a reflection process. This is really important as it allows students to honestly identify their strengths and areas for development whilst creating a plan for after Christmas. We will also be providing a range of supportive strategies to help students further. These will include:

• Parent and student conversations with myself, Mr Charlton or Mr Daly where necessary. We will be contacting parents shortly to arrange these meetings.
• A 1:1 meeting with a member of the Sixth Form Leadership team if needed
• Pastoral interventions and support
• A comprehensive P6 timetable starting in January 2021
• Extra revision and study skills session in the build up to the March mocks
• Ongoing support from all class teachers and Sixth Form tutors

I want to reiterate that we are rally impressed with Year 13 and hope they continue to work with purpose and focus throughout the rest of the year.

We also have Year 13 Parents Evening on the horizon (Wednesday 16^th December). This will be a vital opportunity for you and your child to discuss their individual progress and next steps with their subject teachers. I will also be available on this evening for further support and conversations where needed. Further details about how to make these remote appointments will be sent out later this week. If you have any questions about the process in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Mr Charlton.

Christmas in the Sixth Form
We were delighted by the incredible response of the Year 12 and 13 forms. They provided a huge amount of gifts and food for the Unity fund hampers. This will make a big difference to those in need within the community.

The following Sixth Form events are also coming up:

• Form room decorating contest will start on Friday 4^th December.
• The huge “whole Sixth Form” Secret Santa has been launched.
• Care in the community Christmas card challenge
• Sixth Form Christmas jumper/pyjama/cosy/comfy clothes day is on Friday 11^th December. This has been organised by the Sixth Form students.

Year 12 Updates and Shout Outs
Head of Year Awards
Frank Hudson–  being really generous in the Unity Christmas box donations J
Brent Mellows – for being really mature and proactive in engaging with home learning.

 Career Enrichment Opportunity:
Nestlé Employability Masterclass

Wednesday 9 December – 2pm (Virtual session via Microsoft Teams)

Nestlé are one of the biggest employers in York. This session will help to build your confidence and help prepare you for employability.

Nestlé are currently recruiting for Degree Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships and also for their Graduate Schemes so the session will be invaluable for anyone interested in these opportunities. However, the session will contain lots of advice for anyone looking for a job role, apprenticeship or graduate scheme with any employer. Helping you to understand your options.

• Gain insight into Nestlé culture, values and opportunities
• Learn about the Nestlé application process and recruitment
• How to prepare for a strength-based interview
• Virtual interviewing tips
• Meet one of Nestlé’s current apprentices who will share their experience & journey
• Opportunity to ask questions!

If Year 12 students would like to take part in this as an alternative to their normal enrichment activity, please can they let Miss Cox know by the end of Monday.

Career Ready programme
Our Career Ready students joined their first virtual workshop on Wednesday, this was focussed around ‘Knowing Yourself’ and a really positive first step to enable them to reflect and plan, acting on the advice of experts in a range of fields. Well done

Environmental Leaders – for already taking action!
Eldho Alias, Elin Alias, Isaac Ampomah, Oliva De Souza, Alice Dungey, Will Hyde, Jess Merrington, Grace Pickering, Daisy Taylor – Consistently excellent performance in all aspects of Business – well done! (Mr Charlton)

12NC – for giving generously for the unity fund, special shout out to Alex P! (Mr Nicholson)

Will Hyde – awesome attitude to learning. Don’t know how else to phrase it! (Mrs Hopkinson)

Shalom Ogbemudia – working really well in Chemistry, model student (Mr Osman).

Excellent effort and some interesting topics investigated in the Independent Academic Enrichment – Aliya Georgi, Caitlin Harrison, Grace Pickering Izzy Wright, Kayleigh Coates, Luke Hindle, Millie Stevens

Year 13 Head of Year Awards
Siobhan Osman 13Sl: For continued academic excellence and mature approach to her studies – well done! Mr Charlton.
Amy Birchall 13Bm: For completing her UCAS application incredibly early and receiving an offers from her 1st choice universities within 24 hours! Mr Charlton

Year 13 Enrichment Opportunity:
We are very excited to announce an upcoming live broadcast for football fans everywhere! Please join us for England football Manager and author of Anything is Possible, Gareth Southgate, and Youtube gamer and entertainer, Sharky, to talk about Gareth’s England football career and insight – all in partnership with Penguin Talks!

Date: Tuesday 1^st December

Time: 16:00 – 17:00

Speakers: Gareth Southgate, England Football Manager and Sharky, Youtube Gamer & Entertainer

Year Group: KS4 & 5 / S4 – 6

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

In this event, England football Manager and author of Anything is Possible, Gareth Southgate, is joined by Youtube gamer and entertainer, Sharky, to reflect on the experiences and lessons of Gareth’s career. He will share how young people can thrive and make the most of their lives, by being brave, being kind and following their dreams.

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship explores the idea of being ready for Advent. It reflects on how we can lead lives that are so busy we fail to notice things that are important. It encourages us to consider how we can prepare to celebrate the coming of Jesus.

Quotes
“Advent is a journey towards Bethlehem. May we let ourselves be drawn by the light of God made man.” – Pope Francis
“It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.” – Pope Benedict XVI
“Advent increases our hope, a hope which does not disappoint. The Lord never lets us down.”- Pope Francis
“Advent is meant to do this to us…to refresh us and make us healthy; to be able to receive Christ in whatever form he may come to us.” – Mother Teresa of Calcutta
“Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus!” – Neal A. Maxwell

We have four weeks of the school term remaining before we break for the Christmas holidays. During this time we will continue to do all we can to ensure that the learning experience in school continues to be the very best that we can provide in the current circumstances. I continue to be hugely impressed with the positive attitude and determination of almost all our students, and grateful for the support and understanding from families as we continue to work together. As I do at this time each year I have been meeting students in Y11 to discuss their preparations for the mock examinations and their plans for next year. So far I’ve chatted to two of the three forms I’ve been allocated and the experience has been fantastic, students keen to do well and appreciative of the support being offered. These meetings have provided yet another vivid reminder of the importance of schools remaining open at this time and I remain absolutely resolved that at AHS we will collectively do everything possible to support all the young people in our care. I also look forward in next week’s bulletin to give details of the ’12 Days of Christmas’ we are planning for students, staff and the community.

Pathfinder Newsletter – Is attached as usual and is available on the MAT website here: https://pathfinder.academy/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Pathfinder-Weekly-Newsletter-20.11.20.pdf

Student Wellbeing
The Mental Health charity MIND has lots of information on its website, which young people can access to help them when they’re struggling with their mental health. As the days grow shorter, the nights longer and the weather colder, looking after our wellbeing is incredibly important.

MIND has really clear explanations of what wellbeing is, why it’s important and what can affect it, as well as some tips on how young people can help look after their own wellbeing here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/for-children-and-young-people/looking-after-your-wellbeing/

• Students simply click on the tip for more info, like so:

What to say when your child is struggling with their mental health…
It can be really hard to talk to young people sometimes! We might not know what to say, worry we’ll make a situation worse or fear they won’t talk to us at all.

The NHS has some great tips on how to talk to teenagers here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/talking-to-your-teenager/

It also offers a page dedicated to what to do if you’re worried about your teenager: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/worried-about-your-teenager/ as well as advice on how to cope with your teenager (who, let’s face it, may prove challenging at times!) here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/coping-with-your-teenager/

Movember
Hi everyone,  I hope you are all doing well.

Just to introduce myself my name is Mr. Stevens and I have a variety of roles at AHS, one of them being a pastoral worker for Year 10 and I am writing this in the hope of raising some money for Movember this year.

There are eight male members of staff who are putting themselves through growing a moustache this month (we look like a bad boy band gone wrong!!) in the hope of raising awareness for prostrate and testicular cancer also men’s mental health and the prevention of suicide.

The reason I am so passionate about this is since working in a pastoral care role it has come to my attention how many boy’s and young men suffer with various issues surrounding mental health, which I wasn’t fully aware of before due to the lack of communication between men on such issues. I also worry about my own mental health having to deal with over 300, 14 to 15-year olds on a daily basis!!

Emails to staff and a PowerPoint has been delivered to the students in school, please hold conversations with your children on the awareness and importance of these issues. I would also like to inform you all that help is available in school for any worries that any of you may have.

Due to covid it is a struggle to do cash donations so please donate to the following link if you can, (I’m looking it as buying a pint for Movember as I can’t go the pub).

https://movember.com/m/14469518?mc=1

Thank you all very much,

Head of Year Awards
The following have been nominated for the Head of Year Award this week – a bumper week this week!

Head of Year Updates
From the Year 7 team…
I hope you are all keeping well and safe. This week we have seen some absolutely outstanding behaviour, so much so I have been even more proud than usual to be the Head of Year 7. This week we have had so many worthy nominations for the Gold Award that I couldn’t nominate my usual two, and had to choose 5! Whilst this is very uncommon practice, I think it’s absolutely appropriate and a little joy at the minute never hurt anyone!

Well done to our Students of the Week:

7Cm: Kira Precious
7Cy: Nathan Smith
7CAd: Ava Gane
7Bl: Laura Hazelwood
7Hf: Sienna Parkins
7Hv: Ala Elgabou
7Gr: Alfred (The Great) Davies
7Cmp: Jessica McDonald
7Mr: Flynn Rowland
7Nth: Tommy MacDonald
7Wno: Annie Stephenson 

Well done to our FIVE Gold Award students.

1. Dec Dalgleish – Well done for your fund raising for Children in Need.
2. Anya Atkinson – Well done for your outstanding contribution to the Christmas collection.
3. Oliver Meakin – Thank you for contributing to the school community.
4. Mark Hazzard – Thank you for contributing to the school community.
5. Tom Cain – Well done for playing The Last Post on Remembrance Day.

In the spirit of giving and spreading I would like to firstly say how impressed and humbled we have been by the immediate donations we have seen to support our Christmas Hampers and Food Bank Donations. We are asking for the donations for non-perishable food and sanitary products such as shower gel, tooth brushes, deodorants etc. Any donations would be gratefully received.

I would just like to remind parents of our new homework system whereby if a student does not hand in a piece of homework they will receive an after school detention the following day. As a whole, the majority of students have adapted absolutely brilliantly to the new system and are taking it in their stride. For those who are still getting used to the new pressures of secondary school organisation please remember there is lots in place to support them. Such as:

– A summary sheet provided with each piece of homework outlining the task, how long it should take (roughly) and when it is due.
– An information sheet which includes the key information to complete the homework- in case of missing information in their class book.
– A document to support with structure where appropriate(I.E a writing frame)
– Homework should never require, the internet, use of a computer of specialist material.
– Homework club every day Monday-Thursday in MA7 with a supporting member of staff.

Library Newsletter Issue 7
Top Readers
Congratulations to 7Bl who have borrowed the most books again, but you have 7Cm snapping at your heels as they only borrowed one book less! 

Book Club
We still have some book club books available. Book clubs are a great idea as you get to read a variety of titles. If a small group of you want to set up your own book club and take it in turns to choose what to read, then you might be pleasantly surprised at what someone else has picked. I’m part of a book club and have read some fantastic stuff and been introduced to new authors as a result of someone else’s choice.

Some of the book club book titles are:

Holes by Louis Sachar: Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention centre for a crime he didn’t commit. Why hasn’t Camp Green Lake got a lake? Why do they have to dig a hole every day that’s five feet wide and five feet deep?

Small Steps by Lois Sachar: Armpit and X-Ray reunite, but does this mean trouble for Armpit? Find out in this fast-paced adventure story.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Lot’s of you have borrowed this already which probably means it’s a good read. (I might borrow it myself this weekend!)  Percy Jackson, Half boy. Half God. All hero.

We are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen. Stuart is geeky, Ashley is super cool and popular. What will they make of each other when their parents move in together?

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns or queries.

From the Y8 team..
This week marks the eleventh since we have returned to school, and also we approach the final week of the national lockdown. It goes without saying that this has been a difficult time for everyone, however the development of vaccines in the fight against COVID-19 bring with them significant hope that 2021 will bring with it a return to normality. Whilst this feeling of hope provides comfort to many, there are still significant challenges that were are being faced with, both inside and outside of school. I recently came across a quote from writer Vivien Greene which very much resonated with me in the current circumstances. She said “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Whilst times are extremely tough at the moment for everyone, it is about making sure the we make the most of the opportunities we are presented with, and live our lives to the fullest. Students in Year 8 should be embracing every ‘Opportunity’ that they have placed before them, in line with their stage of the AHS Journey. Students should be ensure they are soaking up every ounce of knowledge they can take from their lessons by focussing hard in lessons. This way, it will ensure the experience of school will be as rich and full as possible – we don’t not have to travel back far in time to see how difficult life was in the first lockdown when school was closed for the vast majority of pupils. We must make the most of what we have, whilst maintaining hope for a brighter tomorrow.

This week’s Act of Collective Worship focuses on ‘Making the Right Decisions’. Students are faced with decisions every day; some of these are small and inconsequential, and others have a more significant impact on their lives. Of course, we understand that young people will make the wrong choices sometimes and this is an important part of growing up and maturing. However, in this Collective Worship we focus on how students can ensure they make, more often than not, the right decisions that will ensure they get the most out of life. Students must also look to ensure that when they do make a bad decision, they learn from it to make sure it does not repeat itself. This is no better exemplified than in the word of Basketball legend Michael Jordan when he said “I’ve missed more 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

If you have any issues regarding your child in Year 8 that you wish for me to be aware of, please do get in contact with me at aarthur@archbishopholgates.org, or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) at rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org.

From the Y9 team..
It’s hard to believe that next week marks the half way point in this half term, time seems to be passing very quickly this year. Despite the ongoing challenges facing Y9, it is clear to see that they continue to work hard and make the best of the situation. As part of their AHS journey, the students have a clear focus on ‘understanding ourselves and others’. As part of this, the students will be focussing this week on ‘making the right decision’ within school. According to the university of North Carolina, the average student will make 35,000 decisions a day (form conscious to subconscious decisions) and the message this week will be encouraging students to make the right decision the majority of the time. As this point in their education I feel this is an important message for students to hear, as they mature they start to formulate their own ideas, opinions and decisions and it’s important they continue to reflect on how to express these appropriately.  

 I am really looking forward to welcoming many students and parents this week to Y9 parents evening. Despite the format being a little different this year, I am sure the opportunity to speak one to one with your child’s teacher will be gratefully received. As Head of Year 9 I am more than happy to speak to any parent who would wish to have a conversation about their child’s progress, to arrange this please feel free to contact me on navery@archbishopholgates.org Due to current restrictions and to ensure the safety of all involved we will be holding this as a virtual event with appointments running from 3.45pm – 7.15pm. We would encourage your son/daughter to be with you for your appointment. Your son/daughter will make appointments in the usual way, using the attached appointment sheet and booking an appointment slot with their subject teachers in lessons over the next two weeks. The subject teacher will use your son/daughters school Google Account to create the online appointment. This is the same account they use to login and see their homework on a weekly basis. On the evening itself you will need to log in to your son/daughters Google Account and use Google Meet to complete the video conversation with the subject teachers. As on all Parents’ Evenings appointments will be limited to 5 minutes. If you need an help with this please email parentsevening@archbishopholgates.org . There are also some instructions on the school website as well if parents need guidance: https://archbishopholgates.academy/parents/parents-evening-information/

From the Y10 team..
I spent a very pleasurable afternoon on Wednesday wandering around the Y10 block and dipping in and out of some of the classes taking place. I learned the importance and need for good detectives in History, the causes and effects of the York floods (including personal testimony from one of our students whose house was flooded) in Geography, how the education structure could be biased in Sociology and I wish you could see your children working in such a calm, considered and focussed manner despite the miserableness of lockdown 2, uncertainty over Christmas and anxiety about family and friends. Your children are amazing.

 Last week was our anti-bullying week supported on Monday with the wearing of odd socks, on Wednesday with our Act of Collective Worship reflecting ways to be kinder and nicer people and also with the Y10 students signing an anti-bullying pledge. I reflected with the students on Wednesday that I hope, in twenty or thirty years’ time, when their children are at secondary school that  there is no need for an anti-bullying week. It would be great to imagine a future where your grandchildren will never be on the receiving end of verbal or physical abuse either face to face or via social media. We maybe all need to reflect on the manner in which we speak to people and on the consequences of our actions.

 Christmas will be upon us soon (four weeks or twenty days until the holidays ~not that I am counting!) and our focus tends to be on other people at this time and how we can make life better for those around us. The old adage of “it is better to give than receive” is never more true than during such a difficult year. The school is running a “Twelve Days of Christmas” where we are asking each tutor group to donate twelve items over twelve days which can then be given to a local family in need; items from boxes of chocolates to stuffing. So please remember to pop an extra item in your supermarket shopping trolley. Thank you.

 As ever, if you have any queries, issues, complaints or compliments then do contact the Y10 team on 01904 411341 or via recetion@archbishopholgates.org  

From the Y11 team..
The Year 11 team continue to be delighted by the mature, positive way the very vast majority of our Year 11 students consistently conduct themselves.  Over the past few weeks, students have had their Independent Advice and Guidance meetings with Mr Daly; Mr Green Harding (Deputy Head); Mr Williams (Head of Sixth Form) and Mrs Kitney (Head of Vocational Learning).  Student feedback from these meetings has been excellent and all the senior staff involved have been very impressed with the meetings that they have conducted.  Hopefully,  the students have found it helpful to discuss their future pathways and also have the opportunity to offer feedback on how they feel the year is going thus far, in addition to highlighting what future support they think might be helpful.  Lots of students have raised that they look forward to P6 starting in English, Maths and Science, this will start from January 2021 and, in the meantime, we strongly encourage all students to access the option subjects P6 that run each week.

 In form time, students continue to have time put aside to complete revision timetables and access a range of revision strategies that might be helpful. Students should all be clear on what content they need to cover in each subject area and have an outline version of a revision timetable that they are putting into practice.  To aid revision, all subjects will begin two-weeks’ worth of revision in lessons and homework during this period will also focus on revision.  Miss McDermott has spoken to all students about how they can plan for the mocks and also to highlight the importance of revising little and often in ‘chunks’, returning to content frequently to aid retention.  Attached to this newsletter is a summary of strategies and ideas that parent’s might find helpful as they support students with their revision at home.

 We are aware that this is a potentially worrisome time for Year 11 students.  We are confident that our students will acquit themselves well in the upcoming mocks, but also want to reassure students that these mocks are simply used to help us understand where they need to go next and refine any further support they might need, in order to make the progress we know they are all capable of. The Year 11 team (Mrs Avey, Mrs Mennell, Miss McDermott) remain available to support students in any way we can, and appreciate parent’s continued support in return.

 From the Sixth Form team…
Year 11: Sixth Form applications
It has been a real pleasure for the Senior Leadership Team to meet all of year 11 throughout this week to discuss their progress and ambitions for next year.   A reminder to all our Year 11 students to get their Sixth Form applications in as soon as possible. Forms should be handed to their form tutors. Further course guidance can be found here:

https://archbishopholgates.academy/sixth-form-open-evening/

Attendance and COVID 19
Thank you for the proactive attitude towards COVID 19 from students and parents. Please continue to isolate if you demonstrate the symptoms of COVID and get a test as soon as possible. However, if students are showing symptoms of illnesses such as a common cold, we’d ask you send students in to maintain high attendance where ever possible. 

Christmas in the Sixth Form
The number of donations sourced by the Sixth Form has been phenomenal. We are having one last push for these: please provide any gifts, toiletries or sealed Christmas food products if you can! 

At this difficult time, we hope to provide some festive cheer throughout December for the Sixth Form. Here are some of the things we’ve got planned from our 12 Days of Christmas plan:

-Form room decoration competition 

-Form group Christmas number 1 challenge 

-Care in the community: Sixth Form Christmas Cards s

-Christmas accessory day

More to follow!

Signing in and out
A reminder that all Sixth Formers must sign in and out in the Sixth Form library if they are leaving site. Students should also remember they should currently only leave site with one other person, in accordance with government COVID regulations.

Discretionary funding and Access to devices
A reminder that we can provide financial support to families who need it. Please contact either Mr Williams or Miss Walton for further details. Equally, we can provide support to access electronic devices for Google Classroom if this is a barrier.

Year 12 Updates:
Students were really positive in engaging with their first week of enrichment; the Green Leaders have already taken action, our sports students burnt some energy and didn’t complain about the rain.

Our students demonstrated high levels of independence and maturity in their academic enrichment, topics include; ‘the impact of film’, ‘fighting for this earth’, ‘machines trace back to mythology’ and ‘how social media manipulates our emotions’. We’re looking forward to listening to the debates, creative choices and political film analysis next week.

The first Career Ready workshop is on Wednesday 25h November 2.00pm in L18. There’s still 5 slots available if you are interested. Please get in touch with Miss Cox if you ‘d like further information.

Gold Award Winners

EJ Marchment –  representing AHS by being part of the student panel for open evening

Gaurie Sunil – representing AHS by being part of the student panel for open evening

Shout Outs

Emily Barnes – doing brilliantly in Politics, working really hard and excellent scores in her essays (Miss Gavin)

Gaurie Sunil – showing a real passion for politics, working brilliantly and having a really good awareness of contemporary political issues. (Miss Gavin)

Grace Pickering – doing fantastic in H&Sc (Miss Gavin)

Taylor Barrett Goodwin – 10/10 in H&Sc, working really well (Miss Gavin)

Daisy Taylor – absolutely amazing in health and social care and creating model answers (Miss Gavin)

Jemma Blanchard – working hard in Childcare and exceeding deadlines. Always conscientious and hardworking. (Mrs Dobson)

Lucy Austin – for attempting to get free KitKats off Nestle on behalf of the class and treating us all anyway when they were too stingy to send us any. Many thanks, (Dr Paul)

Connor Simpson- working really hard in Sport. Keep it up!! (Mr Goldsmith) 

Gaurie Sunil – positive and proactive approach to studies in Chemistry. (Mr Osman)

Oliver Pugh – quietly diligent work in Chemistry. (Mr Osman)

12bMe1 have made a fantastic start to their A-Level media studies, and have kept this up. Well done. (Mr Shaw)

Well done to Charlie Moss on a superb Civil War sources essay. (Miss Daswani)

Holly Allinson – Always brilliant in Biology, always looking to go above and beyond. (Mr lever)

Year 13 Updates:

UCAS NEXT STEPS
Many of you have begun to receive offers, and for some you’ve had a reply from all 5 choices. So what happens next???

Over the coming weeks, you will continue to receive decisions from the universities/ colleges you have applied to. These will either be:

• A conditional offer means you still need to meet the requirements – usually exam results.
• An unconditional offer means you’ve got a place, although there might still be a few things to arrange.
• An unsuccessful or withdrawn choice removes that option, but you could add more

I know some of you have received all 5 offers already. Once you have, you need to make your final choice but there is no rush! If you have an unconditional offer, you can select it now to confirm your place. If your offers are conditional on exam results or other requirements, you can pick two so you have an extra one as a back-up.

Firm acceptance – this is your first choice.

• If it’s an unconditional offer, the place is yours! So that course provider will expect you as their student.
• Or if it’s conditional, the place is yours if you meet the offer conditions. So just in case you don’t, you can pick a second offer as a backup – your insurance acceptance.

Insurance acceptance – the back-up choice to a conditional firm acceptance.

• If you’re choosing an insurance, go for something with lower offer conditions – make sure it’s somewhere you’d still be happy to go to though. That way, if your results are lower than expected, you might still meet the conditions at      your insurance choice; then you’d have your place confirmed there.

The deadlines to make this decision depends upon the date you receive your last offer. Please see the table below.

Please speak to Mr Charlton if you have any questions or email mcharlton@archbishopholgates.org

Gold Award Winners

 Jake Baxter , Amelia Barber, Olivia Stevens – For their fantastic help at the Virtual Sixth Form Open Evening! Well done –  Mr Charlton and Mr Williams

Shout Outs

Hannah Dalgleish – A superb exam response to Paper 2 Question 4, demonstrating a genuine flair for editorial writing and an excellent command of the English Language to produce a piece worthy of publishing! Mrs Holmes

Reece Ware – For working very well in Media Studies, his use of media terminology is consistently excellent – Mr Shaw

Enrico Miller – for making an excellent revision tool on the 1850 compromise – Miss Daswani

Leighton Wheatland – for excellent effort in his Unit 4 Business work – Mrs Hopkinson-Kearney

Emily Brown, Hannah Dalgliesh, Joe Pipe, Katie Fearnley – for being great ambassadors and role models at Unity Choir on Friday afternoons – Mrs Newton

As ever, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Sixth Form Leadership Team.

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship explores the importance of empathy by asking: How do we make sense of our own feelings and the emotions of others? The Biblical story of Jesus’ friend Lazarus is looked at, in particular people’s responses to his death.

Quotes

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” – Plato – Greek philosopher, 4th C. BC

“There is a nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy and a grace in forgiveness.” – Anonymous

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” – Mother Teresa of Calcutta – 20th C. Catholic nun and humanitarian

“Empathy is a special way of coming to know another and ourselves.” – Carl R. Rogers – 20th C. American psychologist

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.” – The Book of Isaiah ch43: v2 – The Bible

As we continue the journey through the second national lockdown, it is more important than ever that we continue to work effectively together as we have done over the past months.  If there is anything school can do to support, please do not hesitate to be in touch.  I have included, once again, details of the AHS Unity Fund below and I am pleased that families were in touch last week in terms of support for the AHS Hoodie which students are now able to wear in lessons.  We continue to have the highest possible standards for student conduct and behaviour and the vast majority of our young people rise to meet these consistently.  Parental support is absolutely vital to this and we are grateful for the ongoing efforts to work together, particularly with issues such as students bringing face masks to school as part of their equipment and wearing these consistently around the building.

AHS Unity Fund
Contact details are below and will always be treated in an anonymous and discrete manner.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

Wellbeing
Christmas
I look forward to next week sharing plans with families as to how we intend as a school to ensure that the festive period is celebrated in school. There are lots of things that we don’t currently have control over but I feel that we are in a position to ensure that students, staff and where possible families do have a positive Christmas experience at school. We are also looking at how best to reward young people for their excellent efforts this term.

Student Wellbeing
Each week we share some ‘Wellbeing News’ with students during Form Time. Here’s one of this week’s news stories, along with the accompanying questions for students to discuss…

Finding a parking space in a packed car park, leaping onto a train a split second before the doors close and leaving work early have all featured on a list of the top 50 feel good triggers.

However, researchers who carried out a study of 2,000 adults found that nothing could beat a good night’s sleep for producing happiness.

Receiving a compliment, good weather at the weekend and finding money you had forgotten about in your pocket also appeared high on the list.

Samantha Clarke, spokesperson for BPme, which commissioned the survey, said: “BP’s Feel Good Index shows that it is the little things that go a long way to boosting our wellbeing and mindset. In a world where we are becoming increasingly isolated with technology, the Feel Good Index shows that small moments and human interaction help to boost our happiness and can make everyday a little better.”

Questions:

1. Do you feel happy after a good night’s sleep?
2. Why do you think sleep came so highly valued?
3. What ‘little things’ make you happy?

 Wonderful Wednesday

Our daily dose of wellbeing kicked off again after half-term and here’s this week’s Wonderful Wednesday ‘Research Bite’ we’re sharing with KS5 to help them reflect on how people around the world stay positive…

Fantastic half term DEAR activities
Both Miss Short and I have been incredibly impressed with the quality of the work and ideas that have come from our half term DEAR reading. We would especially like to congratulate the following students.

The following students engaged extremely well with the HT1 DEAR time activities and will receive a certificate and a book token:

Amy McGrath                    9SMr
Callum Miller                     7CMp
Hannah Birkinshaw          7Mr
Olivia Barton                     10 RMe
Sarah Norman                  8Pi
Loic Clegg                          7Mr
Paula Sola Farrus             9Hu
Cindy Xia                           8MDn
Matthew Lilley                 8WBn
Thomas Iddon                  7Cy
Erin Barratt                      8Di

The following also engaged well and will receive a certificate:

Ian Kim                               8ABt
Thomas Leonard              8MDn
Lois Miller                         7NTh
Gracie Briggs                     8Pi
Blane Wright-Smith        7Mr
Alex Phillip                        7Mr
Lucas Brannan                 8WBn
Holly Hunter                     7NTh
Mo Boudjema                   9Emi
Evie Price                           7Cy

We are now already looking forward to the response from the festive DEAR texts we are preparing.

Head of Year/Gold Award this week..

Head of Year Updates
From the Y7 team…
I want to begin by reiterating my message last week that we are so grateful that students remain in school, where they can learn, socialise and have some semblance of normality in safety. As we are once again in lock down I thought I would share some wisdom I gained last time:

• Try to see it as gained time, learn something new, or just catch up on much needed relaxation- a film with the family, a puzzle or a board game.
• Remembering that getting outside (other than just school) is important, especially in Autumn, vitamin D and fresh are essential.
• Although tempting, try not to spend too much time on devices, too much screen time is bad for you, and can make it difficult to sleep.
• Stay in touch with family members, luckily most students can see each other at school but will be missing family. Again, whilst zoom and facetime are wonderful- why not send something heart felt. Last year’s Year 7s loved posting letters to each other.
• Read, read, read. Our students found reading lots so important during the last lockdown, to keep their minds and imaginations engaged but also to provide brain space from the currently very unusual world. Please see below our library bulletin and see Ms Murphy or your form tutor about choosing a book!

Library Newsletter
Fantastic Year 7 book reviews:

Georgina Richardson read Winter Storm by Andy Briggs. She would definitely recommend it, especially if you enjoy something set in the future with lots of ‘tech.’ She also enjoyed Sherlock Holmes Death Cloud by Andrew Lane. A must for anyone who likes Sherlock and his mysteries.

Aya Harper read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K.Rowling, she said “It gives us a better view of the dangers of the wizarding world, and how powerful they can be.”

Holly Hunter thought that Frankie Peaches and Me by Karen McCombie was very interesting and she liked the characters in it. She also liked Geek Girl by Holly Smale as she thought the character was a bit like her!

Grace Smith enjoyed War Horse by Michael Morpurgo but warns it has a sad ending.

James Philip enjoyed The Maze Runner by James Dashner he found it exciting with lots of twists.

Hannah Birkinshaw read Clover Moon by Jacqueline Wilson, she really liked the plot and found it very interesting.

Book of The Week
As this week we have been remembering all those who have fought for our country, the book of the week is War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. (Level Green) You can read an extract from the book by opening the link below.

https://d3ddkgxe55ca6c.cloudfront.net/assets/t1326799067/a/10/f6/war-horse-extract-913923.pdf

Community News
Acomb, Tang Hall and York Central libraries will stay open during the national lockdown for pre-booked appointments only. Opening hours will be 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday.

During this period:
*You may collect pre-ordered books. Reserve online or phone the library.
*You may use public PCs for a maximum of one hour. PCs must be pre-booked through our website or phone the library.
Please be aware that drop-in browsing is not permitted during the lockdown. You can also visit our online Library at Home through our website. Choose from free E-books, E-audiobooks, E-newspapers & magazines, Local History resources, and our Autumn programme of free online events and activities for all ages.
Full information at www.exploreyork.org.uk/explore-during-lockdown/

Top Borrowers
Congratulations to 7Cm who have borrowed the most books this week, and a huge thank you to 7WNo for submitting the most book reviews.

Well done to Noah Smee-Brown, 7Mr, who is our top borrower so far.

Happy Birthday ‘His Dark Materials!’
Many of you will have read Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. What you may not know is that the first novel in the series, Northern Lights was written 25 years ago! We have a few copies in the library (level 6.2, colour Blue) The novels follow Lyra and Will as they travel through a series of parallel universes.  Those of you lucky enough to have access to BBC iPlayer, can watch the series on TV.

Key Messages:

• Facemasks are an essential part of school uniform. If students do not have one they will need to purchase them from reception and this will be charged to their wisepay accounts.
• Please send any activities you have taken part in for Children in Need or Remembrance Day, I would love to celebrate them next week in the bulletin. Please send these to akincell@arhcbishopholgates.org

Please all stay safe, and please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything you need.

From the Y8 team…
As the nights draw in and the temperature begins to drop, it is great to see a large amount of positivity amongst Year 8 in what are very trying circumstances. As an English theologian once said, “the night is always darkest just before the dawn”, and whilst we have endured, and are still enduring, some very difficult circumstances at the moment, it is important that we maintain and spread positivity, and look forward with hope that a new day will bring new opportunities and a steady return to normality. At the beginning of the year, I spoke to the year group about the power of positivity, and how individual acts of kindness, big or small, can have a significant impact on the people around them. This has never been truer than at this precise moment in time. It is great to see students in school in a safe and COVID secure environment, learning and reaping the rewards of what education brings. Staff in school are working tirelessly to make the student’s experience in school as enriching as possible, living into being the words of John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

The school day has changed considerably for Year 8 since the beginning of the year. We have gone from only English and Maths lessons being taught in different groups, to students in different classes within the Year 8 zone, to opening up specialist teaching classrooms to allow students to experience subjects like Art, Technology, Music, Food and ICT in a specialist environment more conducive to effective learning. The biggest change this half-term is the changes to the school day that mean Periods 2 and 4 are no longer split. These changes that have occurred in stages over the past 9 weeks are evidence of the school’s continuous commitment to ensure the experience for students is as enriching as possible despite the current restrictions we find ourselves in.

Alongside a drive to ensure that students have the most rewarding experience possible in school, safety is of paramount importance to us during this difficult time. We have introduced a one-way system on the corridor of the Year 8 Zone to minimise students crossing each other between lessons. There is the mandatory wearing of facemasks when moving between lessons, which on the whole is being diligently observed. Students are getting into good routines of wearing facemasks when moving between lessons, and staff are thorough in making sure this is observed throughout the school day. Students without masks, as I mentioned in previous update on the Parent Bulletin, are being directed to reception where facemasks are on sale for the price of £1.50. These are cloth facemasks that can be washed and reused again and again. We have also encouraged students, if they feel they may lose or break their facemasks, to have £1.50 in the bottom of their bag so they can buy a new facemask from reception should they need to. These measures, along with the regimented washing and sanitising of hands intermittently throughout the school day are just some of the steps we are taking to ensure students are safe during these uncertain times.

This half-term’s Act of Collective Worship schedule is very busy for Year 8 and rich in variety. Last week, as I mentioned in the last entry to the Parent Bulletin, students were encouraged to consider about their future aspirations, and how through hard work and dedication, they could reach their goals. As a school, we endeavour to ensure students aim high and work hard to reach their potential. Following on from this, this week’s Collective Worship centred around the theme of remembrance. Students were encouraged to consider the idea of sacrifice, and the importance of remembering the sacrifices that have been made throughout the last century to ensure we enjoy the freedoms we have today. Moving forward in Collective Worship this half-term, students will consider themes centred around issues including bullying during Anti-bullying Week, where Year 8 specifically will consider why people bully. Further into the future, students will also consider the theme of ‘Democracy and the rule of law’, with Year 8 focusing on the important and complex issue of ‘what is freedom of speech?’ As you can see, the Act of Collective Worship program is carefully designed to cover various different topics to get students thinking about key issues that have a real impact on their everyday lives.

If you have any issues regarding your child in Year 8 that you wish for me to be aware of, please do get in contact with me at aarthur@archbishopholgates.org, or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) at rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org.

Despite these been trying times, it is very important for students to continue to remain positive within school and make the most of the wealth of ‘Opportunities’ placed before at Archbishop Holgate’s School.

From the Y9 team (Mr Daly this week)…
We are in the process of collating Year 9 Reports ready to share before the upcoming Parents Evening on Wednesday 25^th November. Form tutor comments are now completed and members of SLT have spent the weekend writing their leadership comments. I have been extremely impressed with what I have read with the vast majority of students having settled back into school well, evidenced by strong scores for effort, behavior and homework. This has been reinforced by countless comments from form tutors about all the positive ways students are contributing to the school community even within the current restrictions.

We enjoyed a successful electronic Y7 Tutor Evening and are carefully planning to make sure that the online Parents Evening for Year 9 via Google Meet goes as smoothly as this. Over the next week or so your children will be making appointments as normal with their teachers and we will send home instructions about how parents can access the evening.

It is good to see students making the most of this transitional year and seeing positive comments about the new Arts Award that allows all students to continue to access Music, Food, D&T, Art and Languages regardless of whether they picked these subjects for GCSE.

From the Y10 team…
I’m not sure about you but I cannot quite believe where this year has gone, while each day has passed quite slowly, we are now only five weeks away from the Christmas holidays. And I have taken my decorations down from the attic and am considering whether it is too early to put them up. Is it ever too early to sit in the evening by the light of twinkling fairy lights and the smell of a cinnamon candle? Maybe if we did it all year, life would be calmer.

Last week was relatively calm in Y10 as we imbedded the new reward and sanctions system. It was delightful to hear from the canteen that just shy of fifty Y10 tokens were put through the tills. Up to two tokens per week are given by the tutors and pastoral staff to deserving Y10 students for a range of reasons from helping new students settle into the year group to volunteering to read items of news or the thought for the day. Fabulous. Our sanctions system has been tweaked and we now have added in lunchtime detentions; this means that our Y10 students who choose to arrive late to school, acquire three codes or who make poor choices and decisions do not have a clash after school between their Head of Year detention and attending period 6 catch-up sessions. All other misdemeanours, failure to complete homework or misbehaviour,  result in an after school detention until 4pm.

Covid curriculum catch-up sessions (or period 6) continue until the final week of term in the core subjects. Monday is science, Tuesday is Mathematics and Thursday is English. I would suggest that you and your child look at the programme on offer in each subject, as published in this bulletin, and decide whether they should to attend. All sessions are now open sessions and therefore anyone may attend. After the Christmas holidays there will be a programme of catch-up sessions after school for the option subjects. Although currently Mrs Conway is kindly giving her time on a Friday after school to help the Graphics GCSE students.

Our Y10 Team is expanding as we welcome Mrs Allatt, Mrs Smith, Miss Halifax, Miss Allatt, Mrs Tomlinson and Miss Smith to our social time; they are available at lunchtimes should there be any queries, complaints, issues or compliments from the Y10 students. I expect all my colleagues to be shown the deference they deserve and would ask you to encourage your young person to reflect on the manner in which they sometimes choose to speak to staff.

As ever please do contact us on 01904 411341 or via reception@archbishopholgates.org if you would like to talk. Thank you.

From the Y11 team…
Preparations this week continue for the mock exams –  which begin on Monday 30^th November –  with a focus on revision in lessons. Revision timetables are complete and our students  should be now working from these to help organise their time. Covid restrictions have necessitated an intricate examination  plan. To simplify the procedure  and to  help reduce any  unnecessary stress for our year group, all students, when the exams start,  will be collected daily  from a central point. Thus they do not need to worry about finding their exam room. As ever, the pastoral staff are available for any necessary support this week.

From the Post 16 team..
Open Evening
We hope lots of Year 11 families tuned into our Sixth Form Open Evening. If you were unable to view the presentations or would like further information, please check out our Sixth Form Open Evening website: https://archbishopholgates.academy/sixth-form-open-evening/ The range of presentations, videos and prospectuses will offer lots of guidance about courses an how to apply. Year 11 students were given application forms on Friday. These should be returned to form tutors by Monday 14^th December.

Mock Exams
Well done to all of Year 13 for a positive approach to the mock exams this week. We appreciate how difficult these can be and I was pleased to see them approach these with such a positive mind-set. We will be giving students mock results on Monday 30^th November. During this time, we will work with individual students, identifying next steps and plans to ensure maximum success in the coming months.

Parking
A reminder that students are unable to park on site. Furthermore, it is important they follow local restrictions. Parking is not allowed outside of the Badger Hill shops and Badger Hill is permit parking only. Wherever possible, we would also students either walk, cycle or use public transport.

Christmas Project
This is a project led by our Year 13 Business students.

Sixth Form are supporting the AHS Unity Fund.  Since 2018, the AHS Unity Fund has offered small acts of kindness to those in need within our school and the wider community.

Coronavirus has intensified the needs of student and their families so we are hoping to help as many people as possible!.

SO THIS IS HOW YOU CAN HELP!

We are asking for small donations to help families in need, including:

1. Unopened toiletries products:

• toothbrushes/toothpaste
• body wash
• deodorants
• shampoo/conditioner etc

WHERE TO DONATE? – there will be a donation box in every form each Monday to Thursday

ALL donations must be received by the 24th NOVEMBER so they can be quarantined.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING 🙂

External Enrichment Opportunities

BBFC: Film Making
We have been made aware of an excellent British Film Institute to deliver the BFI Documentary Academy 2021. This exciting online course offers masterclasses with OSCAR and BAFTA winning filmmakers, practical skills workshops and support in the production of short documentary films. Course alumni have further opportunities for additional work experience and training. We are looking for young people across the UK with a passion for documentary film, no educational qualifications are required. If students wish to apply, they can either do so online here: https://form.jotformeu.com/203093229685359 or should see Mr Williams.

Industrial Cadets Week from the
“Insight into University” is a comprehensive on-line course allowing students to experience STEM studies at university and the career opportunities that these subjects lead to.  It will provide access to information on university and student life, STEM projects and activities set by leading UK universities and global STEM companies, first year undergraduate lectures, live interactive sessions with academics, admissions tutors, employers and current students.

Whether students are interested in life sciences, chemistry, engineering, physics, computer science, sustainability, aerospace, built environment or maths we have something for you.

With specially developed content and live sessions from universities including Cambridge, Lancaster, Sheffield, Bolton, Liverpool, Coventry, Kent, Edinburgh and companies such as BP and GSK, as well as many, many more.

On successful completion of the course students will receive a Silver Industrial Cadets award and be in a position to make a more informed decision for their UCAS application.

The course will run from mid-June to mid-August and can be completed flexibly to fit around other commitments and study at a pace that suits individual circumstances.  The course is open to all students age 16+ and it suitable for all academic abilities, with activities that cover different levels of advanced study.   All that is required is a genuine interest in STEM subjects and inquisitiveness about what the future can hold for them and how they can help get themselves there.

Students can apply on our website from Monday 16^th November 2020: www.etrust.org.uk

There is a £50 fee but we can support students application through the discretionary fund if needed.

Year 12
Enrichment Sign Up:

A final reminder that all students should have signed up for their enrichment choice through google classrooms. Enrichment will take place on a Wednesday P5 and will commence once we have everybody’s choices. We will continue to expand our enrichment menu as and when the Covid 19 situation changes.

This week’s Head of Year award go to:

Connor Simpson – Excellent effort in psychology, working hard and doing extra work

Ariadne Wright – for representing sixth form and being in the Art Dept Open Evening Video

And this week’s teacher shout outs go to:

• 12C/Re1 you are all working so brilliantly and impressing me with your effort and independent thinking skills, well done (Miss Harper)
• Y12 English – Ellie Willcox for always going above and beyond in every piece of work, amazing effort.
• Chloe Harwood for some fantastic pieces of high-effort and high-grade homework.
• Maddy Hatch for always being so conscientious and positive – you are making fantastic progress
• Fin Tait for integrating seamlessly into English Literature, working hard and making great contributions from the start. (Miss Chambers)
• Ben Wedge & George Mortor wrote exceptional first 25-mark essays in civil war, both showing amazing effort as well. (Miss Allard)
• Shout out to 12C/TS1 – great teamwork and creativity shown in lessons so far. I’ve also been really impressed with the mature handling of difficult topics in our set text, Racing Demon. (Miss Darlington)
• I want to shout out my amazing 12C/Hi1 for their terrific efforts recently. Before half-term they shined extremely bright completing a 90-Question (particular shout-out to Erika, Tom and Fin for their high scores) and then creating some terrific timelines during the break. Couldn’t be happier with their efforts! (Mr McFarlane)
• Aycan Akarsu – review of sketchbooks in art – great (Mr Nicholson)
• Abbie Kilvington – Childcare – gets on, works hard, exceeds deadlines. (Mrs Dobson)
• Grace Pickering H&S – full marks, extra reading, over and above (Miss Gavin)
• Marta Garofalo – biology, doing really well, reading around topic – exemplary lab book. (Mr Lever)
• Jessie Howarth – media, excellent media analysis and use of terminology (Mr Shaw)
• Jessica Merrington  – working very hard and producing some fantastic work in A-Level Media Studies (Mr Shaw)
• Jasmine Hunton and she’s working really hard and is clearly revising her travel and tourism topics.  Really impressed (Mrs Kitney)
• Mr Skelton’s Applied Law class (12B/ Al1). Excellent attitude towards their preparation for their first mock assessment, making great use of the new chrome books!

Year 13
Gold Award Winners
Emma Gilyeat 13Sl – For completing her UCAS application incredibly early and receiving offers from all her chosen universities! Great work
Amandi Silva-Kalinga 13Da – For continued academic excellence and mature approach to her studies – well done!

University of Hull Webinars
Do you need help:

1 – Writing your personal statement?

2 – Making Choices –Choosing Your HE Path?

3 – Applying to University through UCAS?

If so, these webinars might be helpful

Apprenticeship Opportunities
Garbutt & Elliott are seeking motivated and enthusiastic candidates to join their Audit team in the role of Audit Assistant. Applicants must have a desire to attain the AAT qualification, which will be completed under an Apprenticeship with full study support provided.

The role will commence in September 2021 and interviews will be held in January/February 2021. If interested, please follow the link below:

https://www.garbutt-elliott.co.uk/careers/aat-apprentice-audit-assistant/

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship focuses on the question of how do we know we are loved? And includes a moving word piece titled ‘Identity’. We will reflect on self-esteem and feeling secure.

Quotes

• “My great hope is … to try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.” – Maya Angelou – 20th C. American poet, writer and civil rights activist
• “Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly.” – Leo Tolstoy – 19th C. Russian writer
• “The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves – or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” – Victor Hugo – 19th C. French poet and writer
• “The more we love, the more love we have to offer. So it is with God’s love for us. It is inexhaustible.” – Mary C. Neal – Christian orthopaedic surgeon
• “Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.” – David Wilkerson – 20th C. American Christian writer

I’m pleased to report a successful first week back with the new break and lunchtime arrangements for Y7 helping to remove the need to split Y8 lessons during periods 2 and 4.  I know that this has been well received by both teachers and students.  As I keep stressing, we are striving to keep things as normal as possible for students and next week is a busy one with the beginning of Y13 Mocks, Y12 Enrichment starting and Y11 students benefiting from the Sixth Form Open Evening on Wednesday, followed by 1-to-1 meetings for all Y11 students.  These are all key next steps for our older students AHS Journey.

We also continue to try to support families in any way we can.
As you are aware, the AHS Unity Fund is available to offer assistance where possible for anyone who is struggling to afford uniform and other essential items.  At present, there is a requirement for schools to have windows and doors open to ensure adequate ventilation.  As such, we have the school heating on constantly to ensure most areas have a suitable climate for learning.  However, we have advised students to either wear additional layers of clothing or their AHS Hoodie if they are cold.  At present school coats are not allowed to be worn in lessons and we cannot allow other types of hoodies or jumpers to be worn.  As such, if families do not have an AHS Hoodie and feel they need support to buy one, please do not hesitate to contact the Unity Fund via the email addresses below.  Any contact with school will obviously be treated in an anonymous and discrete manner.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

In terms of Free School Meals applications, we are continuing to trial our own system at AHS which we hope will be quicker than also involving the Local Authority.  If you wish to make an application, please follow the link below:

https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims

We are also delighted to inform families that the council has taken the decision to fund food vouchers for the Christmas holidays and to provide for children eligible for free school meals over the half term holiday.

Pathfinder Newsletter
A copy of this week’s newsletter is attached as usual and the online version is available here: https://pathfinder.academy/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Pathfinder-Weekly-Newsletter-6.11.20.pdf

Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter 6.11.20

Student Wellbeing
The Young Minds website contains a section on where to find help: https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/looking-after-yourself/

This is really helpful for students and parents, as it helps them understand how and where to access urgent support, what feelings and symptoms are associated with specific life events, which can help young people feel less isolated and reassured that what they’re experiencing is normal. It also explain what medications are available and what they’re used to treat.

As parents/guardians, you may also find this section useful in understanding more about what your child is experiencing.

Thought-Provoking Tuesday
Our daily dose of wellbeing kicked off again last week and here’s this week’s Thought-Provoking Tuesday Quote that we hoped might motivate students in KS4, along with some thought-provoking questions:

• Do you agree with this quote?
• Why is it hard to stand up to those we care about?
• What are we afraid of?
• Why is it important to speak up when you need to?
  

Maths Week England 2020
Maths Week is a grassroots movement to share the joy of mathematics with everyone. It launched in 2019 with a vision to provide young people in England with a positive image of mathematics, and to contribute in a small way to changing the national attitude towards this vital and beautiful subject.

At AHS, we will be sharing some challenges and competitions via our Twitter Feed (@AHSMaths1) as well as encouraging our pupils to look at different workshops that are being offered throughout the week (all online). For more information please visit www.mathsweekengland.co.uk.

I would like to highlight a Family Scavenger Hunt taking place on Saturday 14^th November (10am-5pm), designed for families of all ages to participate in. Please note that while free to enter for anyone who is registered from Maths Week 2020, it is being run by an external agency, Living Maths.

Your family will have to work as a team to accomplish various tasks.  Some might require some artistic skills, some might involve culinary skills and some will involve literary skills.  There will be some Maths knowledge too.  Creativity and originality will be rewarded with bonus points.   You will be able to see what your competition is doing so that you know what you are up against.   Bonus missions will be inserted at random times.  Be prepared for an abundance of laughter and an appreciation for how silly your family members can be.  Tasks will earn you points if they are completed.  Creativity will be rewarded with bonus points.   You have the duration of the Scavenger hunt to complete as many tasks as possible.

What better way to spend a Saturday in Lockdown with your family? To sign up, click here.

 Main School Head of Year Awards this week

Weekly updates from our Pastoral Teams…
From the Year 7 team…
A very warm welcome to Half Term To, we are thrilled to welcome back the students amongst a very unusual and uncertain back drop. We are very proud and grateful to be able to provide stability to our students and hope school continues to be a beacon of normality, and also very importantly an opportunity for communication, engagement and socialisation. 

The first half term of year 7 illustrated the outstanding calibre of students we have had join us, they took the first steps of the journey in their stride and made an excellent start to the year regardless of the world outside. Behaviour and overall attitude to learning has been outstanding, with a total of 247/302 students receiving not a single behaviour point and 287 students received under 3.

Well done to our highlighted to us this week have been:

7Cm: Phoebe Riley-Ennis
7Cy: Evie Price
7CAd: Krystian Gierucki
7Bl: Lizette Shapley
7Hf: Aden Smith
7Hv: Elisabetta Micheli
7Gr: Tayla Langham
7Cmp: Brooke Watson
7Mr: Isaac Richardson
7Nth: Sarah Wadsworth
7Wno: Mark Hazzard

 And well done to our gold awards:

Ava Welsh – For helping other students in her class and living the school values.
Kiki Braidley –  For showing Compassion and helping others in her year.

It is very exciting that I am now able to announce the start of our next fantastic way to ‘join in’ – The Bright Sparks Challenges.
This half term, we continue to seek to ways to extend students’ learning beyond the curriculum, with our ‘Bright Sparks’ Learning Challenges.  These challenges will be set every half term and will cover a range of skills, subjects and learning styles.  Students in Year 7 are invited to complete up to three challenges, with the winner achieving a £10 voucher and being invited to breakfast with Mr Daly. We hope our young people will enjoy the challenge of learning in a different way and the freedom to structure their work however they choose.  The new challenges are available on Google Classrooms, The school VLE, on Twitter, the notice board, in the Library and via form tutors. There will be a prize for the form with the most entries.  Students are welcome to submit their entries ASAP before the end of term.

Another way to join in is to become an accelerated reader.
Accelerated Reader is a computer program that helps teachers manage and monitor children’s independent reading practice. When finished, your child takes a short quiz on the computer (Passing the quiz is an indication that your child understood what was read). We recognise that reading for pleasure can look and feel different to reading which focuses on developing a full range of reading skills. Consequently, the Accelerated Reader scheme can run alongside the pupils’ own free choice from the range of books in the library. Teachers are spending a great deal of time at the moment, and over the next few weeks, explaining the system and assisting children to make appropriate book choices. We run a competition each week, the student in each from each week is mentioned in assemblies and receives merits.

Key notices:
– In line with government guidelines face masks are compulsory in communal areas of school where social distancing is not possible but not classrooms.
– Year 7 no longer receive a 24 hour grace period to hand in their homework, if a homework is not handed in they will receive an after school detention the next day.

From the Year 8 team…
This week we welcomed Year 8 back into the routine of school life at AHS. I am pleased to say, with the new lunchtime arrangements, this has left students with a smoother running of the Year 8 school day, and they are certainly reaping the benefits of this in the classroom.

In this week’s Act of Collective Worship, Year 8 were given the opportunity to consider the importance of ‘Aspirations’, and how crucial it is to aim high and work hard towards achieving your goals. A mantra that we live by at AHS is the idea that “Your present circumstances do not determine where you end up, they simply determine where you start.” This is never more true than when discussing aspirations, and we would always encourage students to aim high and have high expectations of themselves. In Year 8, their focus on the AHS ‘Journey’ is ‘Opportunities’, and there are a plethora of these within school to help students to aim high and work towards their goals. The extra-curriculum programme is up and running in Year 8, and we encourage as many students as possible to get involved in different activities taking place around school. Further to this, between December and February, the GCSE Options Process will begin for Year 8, where they will be making crucial choices that will determine the direction they take through the rest of their time at Archbishop Holgate’s. As previously mentioned in the Parent Bulletin, there will be an entire programme of informative materials and events that will be distributed to students and parents during the course of the options process, however now might be a good time to discuss with your children their dreams and aspirations and how they might be able to achieve them. We also discussed how dreams and aspirations can change over the course of time, so regular discussions about these kinds of topics will help students to formulate clear goals in their minds, and as a school we will always set high expectations to ensure these goals are achieved.

As always, if there is an issue with your child in Year 8, please contact myself and/or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) on aarthur@archbishopholgates.org and rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org, and we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can.

From the Year 9 team…
Despite it being the first week back and inconsistencies in the weather this week, morale in Year 9 seems to have remained high. The students have continued to work hard In their lessons, and attendance has been very impressive at 96% for the week. I have been fortunate enough to have a sneak preview of the Y9 report data, which will be coming home to parents in the coming weeks. From this it is clear to see that students are continuing to make impressive efforts toward transitioning to GCSE students, and behaviour and effort is very strong across each class.

We continued our focus on positivity this week, with the Act of Collective worship being based on Ambition. In the assembly students were informed of inspiring examples of ambition from across History, including lading a man on the moon, Roger Bannister running a 4 minute mile and the work of Marie Curie. The students were given the message that although they may not know where their future will take them, they need to aim high to achieve great things. As the famous saying goes “out of little acorns do mighty oaks grow”. I have also been very pleased to have discussed the US election with many of the students this week, with many having a well informed and keen interest in the outcome.  

As we approach memorial Sunday I was really proud to see the effort by students In Year 9 to mark the occasion appropriately. Imogen Price, Eva Van Der Zee and Anna Tarn  (with a special mention to Evie Price in Year 7) stayed behind after school to plant poppies in the spiritual garden. Prior to doing this, the girls spent some time with Mr Nihill looking at the memorial in the Chapel, of the former Archie’s students and teachers who lost their lives In the Great War. This is a wonderful example of Compassion, that is inspiring to the rest of the year and epidermises the absolute credit the students are to this school. Well done!

As always, should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me on navery@archbishopholgates.org

From the Year 10 team…
Welcome to Lockdown Part 2, as we try to navigate the next few weeks I would like to remind you that the pastoral team are at the end of the phone or email and if you feel like a chat, or a whinge then please get in touch. I am, as ever, impressed by the fortitude shown by our Y10 students as they steer their way through this stage in their lives.

One of the habits I picked up during the last lockdown was trawling social media, and occasionally I would find something to lift the spirit. The following letter from the Archbishops of York and Canterbury does offer us a glimmer of hope:

Dear Friends,

These are deeply challenging and difficult times for us all. When we are surrounded by fear and suffering, it can be hard to feel hopeful. This coming winter feels like it will be longer and darker than usual.

There is a story in the Bible where Jesus and his disciples are caught in a storm. The disciples are understandably terrified as the wind and waves threaten to overpower them. ‘Why are you so afraid?’ Jesus asks. This year, we too have been caught in a storm which often feels overwhelming. And yet we can look to Jesus, in the boat with us, who calms the storm and comforts us in our fear.

We are writing to share our belief that whoever you are, and whatever you happen to believe, you are loved by God. Beyond measure. We also want you to know that we are praying for you, particularly asking that Christ’s love will comfort us, calm our fears, and lead our nation and our world through this terrible pandemic. Starting this week, we have asked every church to pray each day at 6pm. We invite you to join with us. You’ll be able to find simple resources on the Church of England website and social media channels.

There are three other responses that we want to encourage everyone to consider –

First, let’s be calm. By only buying what we need and not hoarding, or by reaching out to our neighbours as we did during the first lockdown, we can be stronger together in ways that are impossible if we go it alone. When things go wrong – as they always will with such complex challenges – let us look for good and right ways forward together.

Secondly, let’s be courageous. There are many reasons to be fearful at the moment, but the story of Christ calming the waves calls us to give our fears to Jesus and have faith in Him. The British willingness just to get on with things is one of our very best characteristics – let us not be paralysed by fear. We will all need each other’s courage in the months to come.

Thirdly, let’s be compassionate. So many of us are holding so much pain – our own and the pain of those we love. We will need to be gentle, kind and patient with each other. In the first wave we showed we are a nation of compassion and kindness. Let’s dig deep and keep that love for our neighbours strong in this second time of struggle.

Even though there is much darkness around us, there are also many points of light in the weeks ahead.

This Sunday is Remembrance Day. As we remember the courage and sacrifice of those who gave everything for this nation in war, we are also reminded of the possibility for hope after destruction, of new life after suffering. In the coming weeks, there are great religious ceremonies. For Hindus, Sikhs and Jains there is Diwali, the festival of light. Sikhs will celebrate the birth of Guru Nanak. The Jewish community will observe Hanukkah. Many Muslim communities have just celebrated Eid-e-Milad, the anniversary of the birth of Muhammad.

Soon it will be Christmas. At his birth Jesus was also called Emmanuel. It’s a word that appears in lots of carols. It means ‘God is with us’. And this is the message of Christmas: in Jesus, God is with us, sharing our darkness and our struggles, bringing comfort and joy. It is the source of our hope. As the Bible says: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5) Let us shine in the darkness of this winter.

May God bless you and keep you, and all those you love.

The Most Revd & Rt Hon Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury 
The Most Revd & Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York 

From the Year 11 team…
Year 11 were  busy creating  their mock revision timetables in form time last  week whilst this week tutors will  be guiding them through a number of different revision techniques where hope fully they will find a method or two which suits their own particular learning style. The key phrase they will  be hearing a lot is,  ‘little and often’ as research demonstrates this is the best way to commit information to memory for longer. Interestingly last week, year 11, after a brief run down, voted as if in the American Election. I have been impressed by the level of interest they have shown beyond the classroom  and the maturity of their observations.

Sixth Form Virtual Open Evening
We look forward to welcoming all families to the Sixth Form Open Evening on Wednesday 11^th November. This will be an opportunity to hear about our curriculum provision, enrichment opportunities and how the process of applying for Sixth Form places work. We have two sittings, at 6:00pm and 7:30pm which you can join on the night. If you would like to submit a question in advance, please use the following link to register your interest and questions here: https://archbishopholgates.academy/

After this evening, all students will have a 1:1 meeting with a member of the Senior Leadership Team to discuss their plans for next year and offer information and guidance as to their next steps.

From the Post 16 team…
Students who have been in Isolating
I’d like to thank all families for their support during the challenges we have faced when case of COVID 19 have been identified in the Sixth Form. We understand how stressful this is for students and families and do everything we can to ensure only those students who have been a potential contact are asked to isolate. If we do have to make the difficult decision to ask students to isolate, please remember they will be able to access their lessons for the length of their isolation. They will be invited, through google classrooms, to join their lessons live. The google meet facility will allow them to see the teacher’s PowerPoints and resources whilst listen to the content of the lesson. Lesson resources for those in isolation will also be placed on the Google Classroom. If students need a short term loan of a device during this period, we will be able to provide a Chromebook for those self-isolating, which will need to be returned once the students are back in school.

Face Coverings
The wearing of face coverings in schools has now been made mandatory for all, except for students who are exempt for medical reasons. Therefore, it is essential students always have at least one facemask with them at all. Reusable face coverings are available to purchase from the Mrs Walton throughout the day if needed.

National Restrictions in Public Places
We have reminded students about the importance of adhering to the government restrictions from Thursday 5^th November.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

In particular, students need to be mindful that the new government guidelines state “You can exercise or visit outdoor public places with: the people you live with, your support bubble, when on your own, 1 person from another household. You should also minimise time spent outside your home” This means students should leave site in accordance with this rule, and we do not expect to see groups congregating, of any size, outside of school. This includes when students leave site use local facilities such as shops or take-away food facilities.

Sixth Form DEAR time
This week’s DEAR time (Drop Everything And Read) explored the article “It starts with action” by Marcus Rashford and linked into the debate and discussions held in form time linked to Parliament Week. These are really important sessions as it allows students to explore a range of texts whilst broadening their cultural experience and perspectives. Debate and discussion are at the centre of these activities each week. 

Year 12 Updates:
Our Act of Collective worship this week focused on methods to stay positive and well during lockdown. Students are clearly benefitting from being in Sixth Form but we understand the need to stay at home at other times can be challenging. The collective worship explored positive strategies to maintain a health body and mind during the next month, including breathing exercises, exercise ideas and relaxation strategies.

Students will have the opportunity to make their first set of Year 12 Enrichment choices. Whilst we have been able to provide a range of enrichment opportunities, despite the restrictions we face, these will be even broader once we are in a position to lift the restrictions. We will expect all students to take part in some form of enrichment each half term, whether this is in school or virtually. Students will have the opportunity to change their enrichment choice each week. The current offer includes:

• Debate club
• Green Leaders
• Historical/political film club
• Outdoor sports
• A range of independent courses, including MOOCs, Open Learn and Future Learn.

Students will learn more about these options in collective worship and form time over the next week.

Rewards and recognition
This week’s Head of Year Awards were awarded to:

Connor Simpson – Excellent effort in psychology, working hard and doing extra work
Ariadne Wright – for representing sixth form and being in the Art Dept Open Evening Video

And this week’s “Teacher Shout Outs” are:
12C/Re1 you are all working so brilliantly and impressing me with your effort and independent thinking skills, well done (Miss Harper)
Y12 English – Ellie Willcox for always going above and beyond in every piece of work, amazing effort.
Chloe Harwood for some fantastic pieces of high-effort and high-grade homework.
Maddy Hatch for always being so conscientious and positive – you are making fantastic progress
Fin Tait for integrating seamlessly into English Literature, working hard and making great contributions from the start. (Miss Chambers)
Ben Wedge & George Mortor wrote exceptional first 25-mark essays in civil war, both showing amazing effort as well. (Miss Allard)
Shout out to 12C/TS1 – great teamwork and creativity shown in lessons so far. I’ve also been really impressed with the mature handling of difficult topics in our set text, Racing Demon. (Miss Darlington)

Year 13 Updates
Year 13 mocks
This week sees the start of a very busy period for Year 13. In the build up to these mocks we have taken time to remind students of strategies to ensure they remain healthy, both physically and mentally, during periods of increased stress and anxiety. When students have a busy day with multiple exams in, we will ensure they have time for an adequate break both between and after the exams. Students all have an individual exam timetable to use. 

Year 13 UCAS deadline
It is great to hear so many offers already coming through from UCAS. Please remember the internal deadline for UCAS application is Friday 13^th November. Please see Mr Charlton for any assistance.

Rewards and recognition
This week’s Head of Year Awards were awarded to:

Kiki Hall 13Da                    For completing her UCAS application incredibly early and receiving offers from all her chosen universities! Great work
Maia Leties 13Da              Outstanding effort with half term homework revision for English Language and an excellent French Mock!

And this week’s “Teacher Shout Outs” are:
Harriet Watkins and Ella Walker did a “geeky Chemist chat show” video with us for the Sixth Form Open Evening, they did a great job. Dr Osman
13CRe1 – Philosophy – Hard work, resilience despite the pressures of the pandemic and overall an excellent attitude to learning. Mr Bryan
Alfie Ingram for being in Art Dept Open Evening Video. Mr Nicholson
Mrs Harvey’s Textiles class are doing superby! They listen to advice, think independently, complete work on time and are very focused in lessons. I have been super impressed with them all! Mrs Harvey
Bobby Lamb – outstanding effort with half term homework revision for English language! Amazing.  Mrs Edmondson  

Next Steps:
Nestle Academy are holding Virtual Open Evenings next week for students who aren’t looking to go to university. Find out more here: https://www.nestleacademy.co.uk/apprentices/higher-apprenticeships-l4-6/

More information is available on their website:

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship focuses on the question of how do we know we are loved? And includes a moving word piece titled ‘Identity’. We will reflect on self-esteem and feeling secure.

– “My great hope is … to try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.” – Maya Angelou – 20th C. American poet, writer and civil rights activist
– “Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly.” – Leo Tolstoy – 19th C. Russian writer
– “The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves – or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” – Victor Hugo – 19th C. French poet and writer
– “The more we love, the more love we have to offer. So it is with God’s love for us. It is inexhaustible.” – Mary C. Neal – Christian orthopaedic surgeon
– “Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.” – David Wilkerson – 20th C. American Christian writer

I hope everyone has had a restful half term and that students in Year 7 to 10 enjoyed the break from subject homework and the focus on our DEAR reading texts and optional activities linked to this.  I have asked Mrs Short to pass me any completed pieces of work to have a look at.  Whilst Year 11 and 12 will no doubt have been busy with homework and Year 13 preparing for their mocks next week, I hope that there was some time for relaxation also.

We look forward to welcoming back students across all year groups on Monday and are excited at the prospect of another busy and successful half term. I know this remains an anxious time for families, especially after the message from the Prime Minister on Saturday evening but I would like to reassure families that from our point of view school life will continue as normal unless we are told otherwise from the Government. As such I thought it would be good to start this bulletin with a focus on two key areas, our ongoing focus to keep both staff and students safe and further small changes we are making this half term to further enhance the learning experience that our students are benefiting from.

Covid-19 – Ensuring the Safety of Staff and Students
As we consider the ongoing national picture, I remain thankful that when we were planning our return to school for September, we adopted the cautious approach that we did.  The decision to comprehensively zone the school and make our bubbles as secure as possible is something that will continue to be of benefit moving forward.  There is no doubt that this places extra pressure on teachers who would have to move classrooms up to five times a day, but this extra effort has allowed us to do everything we can to make our school as secure as possible.  I very much appreciate the efforts of staff and also the mature way students are supporting us with these arrangements.

We also continue to look at any small thing that can provide another marginal gain.  For example, over half term we have invested in a wider gate and additional pavement space at the Black Bull entrance where I do a duty each morning and evening.  On top of the staggered arrival times this will now further reduce any potential pressure points on arrival at school.  We have done the same thing in terms of the pavement from the car park to reception.  We have also purchased a covered outside seating space which will give more seating for those students who get food from the Year 10 catering area.  This will hopefully arrive for the start of December.

We are also continuing to ask that every student, member of staff and visitor continues to follow the schools COVID-19 Code of Responsibility (see below).

It is very important that all students bring a mask with them every day.  We have re-useable masks for sale from reception for £1.50 which can be paid for either by cash on the day or via wise pay.  Please can all parents/carers ensure that their child has a mask for school every day and is following the government guidance on how to wear and look after it.  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own#how-to-wear-a-face-covering.

York is currently in ‘Tier 2’ of COVID restrictions.  We need all our students and families to follow the restrictions of Tier 2, including:

• you must not meet socially with friends and family indoors in any setting unless you live with them or have formed a support bubble with them. This includes private homes, and any other indoor venues such as pubs and restaurants
• you may continue to see friends and family you do not live with outside, including in a garden or other outdoor space – when you do so you must not meet in a group of more than 6
• visiting indoor hospitality/leisure/retail settings is restricted to one household – for example, 2 households must not meet in these settings (unless those two households are in a support bubble)
• people should only travel for essential reasons
• you can still go on holiday outside of your area, but you should only do this with people you live with, or have formed a support bubble with (dependant on any local restrictions in the area you are visiting)
• people can play a team sport only where this is formally organised by a sports club or similar organisation, and sports-governing body guidance has been issued
• people should not attend amateur or professional sporting events as a spectators

https://www.york.gov.uk/news/article/358/council-responds-to-being-placed-in-tier-2

Ventilation
The government advice on minimising the risk of COVID has recently changed to highlight the importance of ‘ventilation’ in schools.  As such wherever possible windows and doors will be open in classrooms.  We are as a result leaving the heating on all the time.

We are asking that students where appropriate wear base layers under their school uniform.  In classrooms, they will not be allowed to wear coats or jumpers that are not either the official school jumper or hoodie.  They should wear their official school jumper and may choose to double up their school jumper, with the  schools Hoodie.  https://keal-teamwear.com/schoolwear/archbishop-holgates/school-uniform/ahs-two-tone-hoodie

We know this is not ideal and will do everything we can to keep the school as warm as possible.

Maximising opportunities for learning
As a school we now benefit from having three catering areas. As a result this will allow us to move from three break and lunch sittings to two from the start of this half term. This will have the very significant benefit of removing split lessons for Y8. Previous to half term both period 2 and period 4 were impacted by a split lesson.

Y10 Culture trip
Fifteen year 10 students embarked on the first culture trip of the year on the last day of half term. Due to the restrictions and uncertainty of Covid the trip was planned for York. It was a major success as we walked into town visited ‘The Chocolate story’, did a ‘Ghost walk’ and ate street food in the market. The weather didn’t always stick to the script but apart from that it was a great day. I received an email from the man who took us on the Ghost walk in which he said,

‘Thank you for bringing your pupils on our Ghost Walk. It was a pleasure to take them around York. They were extremely well mannered and attentive. They were inquisitive and polite when asking questions. A credit to the school and yourself as their teacher.’

A man at a food van also went out of his way to get my attention to tell me how polite and well behaved they were. I am really proud of them and look forward to the next opportunity to take our students out for the day. Mr Stevens, Cultural Experience Coordinator

Year 11 Mock Examinations
Preparation for the Y11 mock examinations begin after half term. Students will have a full revision programme in all of their subjects to ensure they are thoroughly prepared for these and our use of the Sports Hall and full examination timetable will endeavour to give students a full and realistic understanding of how these exams will run in the Summer.  The DFE and Government are currently committed to a full session of Summer exams going ahead, albeit with the majority of exams taking place on a delayed timetable, starting from the 7^th June.  The Letter that went home detailing changes to the GCSE exams is re-attached to this bulletin, as is the mock exam timetable that parents should have already received.

On their return to school, students will also begin their revision skills programme in form time.  Of utmost importance to this process is making a coherent and well-planned revision timetable.  Students need to map out their time to ensure they plan adequate revision, but they also need to ensure that protect time for relaxation, hobbies and spending time with their families.  The booklet attached is the booklet that students will work through in form time, this includes form tutor session to guide them through the production of a revision timetable.  Students will also receive personalised examination timetables, similar to those that they will work from in the Summer.   Parental support at this point is crucial, please encourage your child to complete their homework each week (contacting school if they need support from homework club or with a device to access online homework); attend all the P6 session they are able to and commit to a pre-planned revision timetable in the run up to the mocks.  These preparations will make all the difference and help boost your child’s chances of success.

In order to support Y11 students in their mock preparation, P6 continues in the option subjects until Christmas.  In the post-Christmas period, these sessions will switch to focus on English, Maths and Science and we have an additional series of mock exams planned in these subjects in prior to February half term.

‘Top Tips’ when supporting your child’s revision:

• Discuss your child’s planned revision timetable with them, spending some time looking through the booklet they have worked on in school.  Talk to them about their areas of focus and help them check they have mapped in time for each subject
• Encourage them to break up their time – they should not spend all day revising but try to plan in productive, manageable chunks.  They need to include regular breaks and time away from their revision
• Help your child to be productive by timing their revision periods and consider encouraging them to hand their phone over so they can be fully absorbed in the task at hand.  This can help with productivity and use of a timer helps to give a clear end point
• Once they have revised a topic or area, encourage them to spend ten minutes with you reviewing what they have studied and going over the key points, this can help with retention
• If your child is using flashcards or summary sheets, use these to spend 10 minutes quizzing the on key information.  Low-stakes testing can be a helpful way of remembering things over the long term.

Student Wellbeing
The Young Minds website contains a blog (https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/) where students can search for topics of interest that may be affecting their mental health. This is really helpful for students, as it provides a safe space where they can access the stories of young people just like them, who have experienced what they’re going through. As parents/guardians, you may also find this useful in understanding how your child is feeling.

The website also has a Parents Helpline, where you can access confidential advice via the phone, email or webchat: https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-helpline/

Mindful Monday
Our daily dose of wellbeing begins again this week and here’s Monday’s Mindful Quote that we hoped might inspire students, along with some questions for consideration:

1. Why is it important to accept what you can’t change?
2. Why is it important to not dwell on the past too much 

The Pathfinder Newsletter is attached as ever for parents to see what is going on across our family of schools. The online version is also available here: https://pathfinder.academy/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Pathfinder-Weekly-Newsletter-23.10.20.pdf

Head of Year Updates
From the Year 7 team…
We are delighted to announce that over the coming weeks we will be launching Accelerated Reader for Year 7. Students will complete their STAR reading test during one of their English Lessons which will then allow us to guide each individual student on which books they should be reading and targets for progression. We will then encourage (with your support) students to use their own time to complete the quizzes for the books either at home, at homework club or in the Year 7 library. Class teachers will monitor their class progress and hopefully we will see the kind of accelerated progress that we have over recent years.

It was also great to have the opportunity for form tutors to meet with parents electronically before half term in our first electronic tutor evening. It is good to hear that the very vast majority of young people are enjoying life at Archbishop’s and have settled in well to their new environment. As ever please continue to communicate any feedback or issues that you might have and one of the Year7 team will get back to you.

From the Year 8 team…
Hello all! Myself and Mr Deamer are very much looking forward to welcoming Year 8 back to school after half-term. I very much hope the students are returning relaxed, refreshed and raring to learn. The new half-term brings with it further adjustments that will hopefully improve the Year 8 experience in school. First of all, due to adjustments to the lunchtime programme, Year 8 students will no longer have split lessons Period 2 and Period 4. Breaktimes and lunchtimes will return to roughly normal times for Year 8 (before the pandemic hit), with breaktime being from 10:50 to 11:10, and lunchtime being from 1:15 to 1:45. This should greatly improve the learning experience for Year 8 through avoiding disruption to their lessons, and will be a much welcomed change to their school day. A further change for Year 8 is to the detentions system. Whilst Head of Year and Homework Detentions will still run after school until 4pm, detentions for lates to school and poor behaviour in lessons are now moving to lunchtime. These will occur initially in ML3 before students are then taken down the Hall to purchase and eat their lunch.

Now that we are establishing firmer routines within the school day, there will be a big push on homework completion this half-term. It is important, with GCSE options looming just around the corner, that students get into good habits with completing homework. If students need support, Homework Club will be running after school from Monday to Thursday in the Year 7 Library. Students are welcome to come along, and if you feel there is an issue with your child’s homework completion, please contact my self and Mr Deamer using the contact information below, and we can arrange for your child to attend homework club.

Finally from me, as we see the national picture develop in terms of the coronavirus pandemic, may I take this opportunity to again stress the importance of students wearing masks when moving around the school building – to and from break and lunch, and when students are moving between lessons. We stress with students the responsibility of individuals to keep themselves and other people safe, and it is vitally important that students have a mask with them in school every single day, and that they wear it in the aforementioned circumstances. We have begun to sell re-usable masks in reception for a small price of £1.50, and these can be purchased with cash, or the cost can be added to the student’s Wisepay account. It might be a good idea to ensure students have a spare £1.50 in their bags just in case they forget or lose their masks. The procedure this half-term will continue to be that students will be directed to reception to purchase a mask if they do not have one on a morning – this is vitally important for the safety of the students themselves, and other members of the school community.

As always, if there is an issue with your child in Year 8, please contact myself and/or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) on aarthur@archbishopholgates.org and rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org, and we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can.

From the Year 9 team…
I hope all the students in Y9 have managed to have a well earned rest over half term, and are looking forward to coming back to school on Monday. Last half term I could not have been more proud of the students In the year group, who consistently displayed a mature, resilient and focussed attitude toward their learning. I was delighted that attendance was averaging around 95% in the last few weeks, and fully expect this to continue when we return next week. The students have made an excellent start to their options subjects, with many pleased to be learning about a subject of their choice.

As a year group, the focus for this half term is continuing the excellent start students have made to the academic year, and to build on the positive attitude they have shown toward their studies. With this in mind, the students will transfer to a new discipline within their Arts Award qualification, and expectations are high after some amazing work prior to half term. The feedback from students has been extremely positive, with many expressing gratitude at being able to continue with arts based subjects they may have had to leave behind after selecting their options.

Now students have had chance to settle into the new systems and structures in school, we will begin to raise expectations in other areas. The homework completion rate in year 9 has been pleasing so far, however there is room for improvement. I would like to remind parents that through the new Google Classroom platform, students are able to contact their teachers to ask for support with their homework, and moving homework online should allow students to keep all their homework in one manageable space, keeping them well organised. A mobile phone is not a suitable tool to use to complete or access homework on Google Classroom, and any parents who are struggling to provide IT equipment for their child can contact school, where we may be able to assist with this issue. The second focus will be on uniform, which was beginning to become a problem toward the end of term. I would like to politely remind parents that students should not be wearing any jewellery to school (apart from a single set of plain studded earrings), and items will be confiscated from students until the end of the day.

I hope the half term break has re energised all, and I look forward to updating you on the progress of Year 9 in the coming weeks. As always if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me on navery@archbishopholgates.org.

From the Year 10 team…
In many ways I wish I had written this yesterday as I spent a very warm sunshiny autumnal day walking through woodland enjoying the colour, sights, sounds and smells and taking a break from the craziness; today Storm Aiden struck (who needs a roof on their shed anyway?), the sun didn’t get out of bed and Boris announced a second lockdown. I am looking forward to getting  back to a Y10 normal on Monday ~ masks on and ready to learn.

Life in school remains the same next term as last term:

Homework is set on the google classroom and all students are expected to access the appropriate technology in order to complete it; homework club, after school until 4pm, is available Monday to Thursday in Business Studies 1 with Mr Allcock and on Friday with Miss Turvey, for those who would prefer to work in school.

The only jewellery allowed is a single pair of small plain stud earrings (in the ears) and a watch. All other jewellery will be confiscated. It is a minority of students who feel this is unfair and continue to attempt to flout this rule and I would advise that they channel their energy into learning rather than showing off their latest Pandora purchase.

To remind you the school uniform has not changed from last year. Black trousers, or knee length skirt (not body con) worn with tights, white shirt, tie and school jumper (not PE hoodie) and shoes (preferably waterproof ones!). Again, the minority of students who choose occasionally to contravene our uniform policy will be provided with appropriate clothes by school.

Curriculum catch up classes continue until Christmas in the core subjects: science on Monday, maths on Tuesday and English on Thursday, until 4pm.

I was hoping for a positive end to my note to you, but it is half time and Ireland are losing the rugby! If there are any problems or issues then please do contact school 01904 411341 or email reception@archbishopholgates.org  

From the Year 11 team…
We are looking forward to welcoming back our year group and hope that they have all had a good rest. It’s a busy half term coming up  with, as you know,  mock exams beginning at the end of the month – Monday 30^th November. Classes will have at least one more week of ‘syllabus lessons’ before staff focus on revision in their lessons in order to help best prepare our young people. Form tutors will be providing revision support and helping them compile a revision timetable and as well as a number of useful techniques. Many of our students may be anxious as this will be their first experience of the exam ‘systems’:  lining up; using the exam seating plan; sitting in the exam room ( sports hall) being with official invigilators etc. Please be assured, we are well versed in introducing students to the procedures and we will endeavour to make the whole process as smooth and straight forward as possible for them. We are very proud of the way our year 11 have conducted themselves over the first half term and are quietly confident that this high standard will continue over this next one.

From the Post 16 team…
For Year 11 Parents
Sixth Form Virtual Open Evening:
Deciding which Post-16 course to study is not easy.  We would therefore like to invite you to our Virtual Sixth Form Open Evening with your son/daughter where we can offer our support, advice and guidance through an increasingly wide range of subject choices.   

 You will be given the opportunity to view a range of videos from subject leaders, outlining course specific information such as entry requirements, assessment criteria and content included within the specification. You will also be able to access our 2020 Sixth Form Prospectus. The Sixth Form Team, members of the Senior Leadership Team and Sixth Form students will provide an insight into individual subjects, Sixth Form life and the recruitment process.  There will also be a talk from Mr Daly and Mr Williams: the talk will cover our curriculum offer, structure of the Sixth Form and Higher Education and enrichment opportunities. 

 Please register your interest on the school website here:

https://archbishopholgates.academy/sixth-form-virtual-open-evening/

From the Director of Sixth Form
I hope everybody has had a restful break and is ready and refreshed for the term ahead. I took time over the holidays to reflect upon the previous half term and everything we learnt as a Sixth Form. At the forefront of my mind was how committed and dedicated our Sixth Form students are. Despite the challenges faced in society, they are working exceptionally hard and want to be physically in Sixth Form and in lessons. Attendance was excellent and families have worked proactively to ensure all students are in school when it is safe to do so.

Furthermore, I spent time thinking about how COVID 19 has not diminished the ambitions of our students; more students than ever before have put in a competitive UCAS application and even more students than in previous years are applying for university. This is really pleasing-students are focusing positively on their next steps.

Finally, I reflected upon the importance of partnership and the triangulation between staff, students and parents to ensure everyone is safe. Students have accepted the changes we have had to make and the impact this has on their Sixth Form experience with good grace. When we have needed to make difficult decisions, parents and students have been extremely supportive. For this, I am very grateful.

As we move into the build up to Christmas, we will be reminding students about the importance of the following:

• Hygiene routines, including the use of hand sanitiser and regular hand-washing.
• social distancing both in and outside of school 
• Masks or forward facing lessons when social distancing is not possible
• The need to self-correctly if identified as a contract.

Year 13 Mocks will be taking place from Monday 9^th November. These are a really important set of mocks for Year 13 as it will allow teachers to offer targeted support and intervention for students who need it. It will also allow students to experience a full exam experience, in the exam hall, for the first time since Year 11. Unless students are self-isolating, it is essential students attend every lesson in the run up to the mock period.

Live lessons for students self-isolating
We have been trialling live lessons for students who have been sent home to isolate. Sixth Form teachers will send students an invitation through google classrooms, using the Google Meet facility. They will be able to view the same powerpoint as used by staff, see their classroom teacher and listen (and contribute) to class discussion. The classroom resources for self-isolating students will also always be shared on the classroom for students who are self-isolating for COVID 19.

Year 12 Enrichment
We aim to launch our Year 12 Enrichment Programme this half term. This will be slightly different due to COVID 19 restrictions but are looking at various ways to offer an effective enrichment programme on Wednesday afternoons. More to follow shortly!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself or the Head of Year 12 and 13.

Mr Mike Williams

Year 12
We are pleased to welcome students back and hope everyone had a restful and productive half term. Students are now familiar with their courses and continue to develop confidence in their knowledge. This term will see  a focus on skill development and preparation for the assessments in January. The form programme still includes all of the things students love; Wellbeing, University Challenge, The News etc. but will have a new keen focus on developing critical reading, literacy and analysis skills.  

 Some exciting opportunities coming up –

York Next Steps, where students can get a fell for university life, develop study skills and gain support on decisions or their futures with lots of opportunities to experience life as an Under-Grad and all that the City of York has to offer. Visit their website for more information: https://www.york.ac.uk/schools-and-colleges/post-16/next-step-york/  

Career Ready – for the students who are unsure on their future career path, are not feeling like they’d like to go to University and want to experience direct support, workshops and talks from business professionals to fully understand the opportunities available in traineeships, internships and apprenticeships. Visit their website for more information: https://careerready.org.uk/ 

Cameron Little  for excellent contributions in lessons and for submitting a cracking essay. (Mr McFarlane)

Phoebe Wallis for fantastic notes and brilliant articulate source analysis in Civil War. (Miss Daswani)

Hannah Sivro-Williams for accurate and detailed application of research methods and sharing model answers in psychology (Miss Cox)

George Atang excellent lesson work, homework, SFS work and attitude in History lessons (Mr Knox)

Choe Harwood & Brad Lightfoot  (Mr Lever)

Myrddin Wardman & Gaurie Sunil – Both being permanently polite and positive all half term. (Mr Osman)

Ben Gilroy & Hannah Martindale (Mr Nicholson).

John Smallwood-Thompson & Ellie Wilcox (Mr Shaw).

Isaac Hill (Miss Gavin)

Izzy Lofthouse (Miss Gavin)

Year 13
It is a busy half term for Year 13!

Next week sees the start of the Year 13 mocks which students have been revising for both at home and in school. I have attached the mock timetable for your information again. As these are the first exams Year 13 have sat since Year 11, thought it would be useful to provide the following tips for exam success.

1: Start revising early and ensure you have a manageable revision timetable which builds in lots of rest and relaxation periods.

2: Know what type of learner you are. Trial and error will lead you to identify what works best for you: colour coded spider diagrams; look, cover write; visual representations; teaching others etc.

3: Identify your most effective times and plan to work then. Are you a morning bird or a night owl? This will help you work smartly.

4: Be strict on yourself-remove the distractions. Keep electronic devices in a different room or, if you need music to work to, temporarily disable social media apps which will distract you.

5: Practise, practise, practise: Don’t forget to bring your revision together and keep practising application of your knowledge to exam style questions.

Year 13 Form Prizes

Finally, a huge well done to the following who were nominated for the end of half term form tutor shout outs!

13Sl – Jamie Belt and Emily Etty

13Da- Mia Fairburn and Katie Machen

13Bm- Daisy Pearson and Jess Bone

13 Ala – Katie Fearnley and Ben Morritt

13Ha – Alfie Ingram and Joe Pipe

13Yg/Gl – Josh Morritt and Alex Hill

12&13Db – Dylan Bloomfield

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship is entitled It Starts with Action and reflects upon the themes being explored in this year’s UK Parliament Week. Our daily quotes are on the theme of what the bible has to say about our deeds.

Quotes

• “Let us not love in words or talk but in deeds and in truth.” – The Bible, the gospel of John 3:18
• “I can do all things, which God has called me to do, through Him who strengthens and empowers me” – The Bible, the letter to the Philippians 4:13
• “So, whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” – The Bible, the letter of James 4:17
• “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only”- The Bible, the letter of James 1:22
• “And Jesus said to him, ‘All things are possible for one who believes.” – The Bible, the gospel of Mark 9:23

As we begin the final week of half term I would like to thank all families for the continued support and the way you have worked in partnership to help make the return to school successful.  These are challenging times and the way staff, students, parents and carers have responded has been fantastic, thank you.  There are, of course, things that we need to continue to develop, but the zoning of school has proven effective and as the half term has progressed, has allowed us to begin to offer some of the extra-curricular activities and after school support that the school is renowned for.  After half term, whilst maintaining our ongoing focus on the safety of students and staff, we will look to do more of this.

On Friday, we had a follow up conversation with the regional Public Health team following up on the two reported cases at our school.  This included a discussion of all the measures we use to identify contacts, our strong provision for hand hygiene and cleaning and the way we communicate with families.  There was also discussion about how we had zoned the school and acknowledgment that zoning was the best way of limiting transmission and, while not all schools can do it, it does help prevent larger numbers being sent home.  In summary, the call was a very positive one, concluding that our deployment of the system of controls are effective.  Whilst we know that we will more than likely have others cases within our community, this feedback is encouraging.

As we did last year, we will not be setting subject homework for Y7 to 10 over half term.  Instead, we will be focusing on voluntary tasks linked to the DEAR texts students have been reading in form time.  Further details of this are included below from Mrs Short.  As you might expect Y11 and 12 will still be receiving homework and Y13 have mock exams to revise for!

I’d like to take this chance to wish you all a safe and enjoyable half term when it arrives.

Drop Everything And Read this half term..
The final week of the half term sees the return of our form Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) time to introduce students to a text to read over the half term. This half term is slightly different due to year levels not being able to access the library to borrow books. With this in mind, form tutors will introduce students to an extract from a novel. Each novel has been carefully selected for the year level and I hope your child enjoys reading through the text. Students will then have a choice of tasks to complete over half term based on their reading.

Year 7 will be reading an extract from Saroo Brierley’s autobiography ‘Lion, a Long Walk Home’. An inspiring story of a young boy who becomes lost at the age of five and doesn’t find his way home until 25 years later. The book is available to buy from sites such as amazon but is also available at WHSmith and other bookstores. In 2016, the story was made into an Oscar winning film starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman. It is available on amazon prime and Netflix and is definitely worth a watch!

Year 8 will be reading an extract from John Boyne’s ‘The Boy at the Top of the Mountain’. The story focuses on a young boy who, after being orphaned is sent to live with his Aunt. His Aunt is a housekeeper at ‘The Berghof’ Hitler’s home during WWII. Many will be familiar with Boyne’s previous bestseller ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, this story tells a different perspective but is no less tragic and moving. As with the other texts, the book is available to buy on Amazon and from various bookstores.

Year 9 will be reading an extract from Li Cunxin’s autobiography ‘Mao’s Last Dancer’. A captivating story of a young boy living in poverty in communist China. At the age of 11 he is selected by Madame Mao’s representatives to train an a ballet dancer. He is desperate to do well and wants to be successful but pays the high price of having to leave his beloved family and country. In 2009, the story was adapted for the screen and remains a very popular film. It is available on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Year 10 will study an extract from Doris Pilkington’s ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’, A biographical account documenting a period in history which hugely impacted the indigenous population in Australia. For decades, indigenous children in Australia were forcibly removed from their families and sent to live in camps hundreds of miles from home. It was enforced by the British authorities who believed that these children should be stripped of their indigenous heritage and be forced to learn white European culture. Rabbit Proof Fence is the story of three of these children who escape one of the camps and follow a rabbit proof fence hundreds of miles to return home. The book is available to buy on Amazon and was made into a film in 2002. The film is available on Amazon prime.

I believe that each of the texts chosen for half term reading gives an insight into interesting historical events and other cultures. I encourage you to ask your child about their reading and support him/her in completing the activities. If you have the opportunity to read the text or watch the film, I  would welcome your thoughts.

If you require any further information, please contact me at eshort@archbishopholgates.org

Supporting  Families
As we approach the half term break please remember that the school has the AHS Unity Fund  and if f you are struggling to afford uniform and other essentials there may be assistance available. Any contact with school will obviously be treated in an anonymous and discrete manner.  If you feel that you need support, please do be in touch with school via the emails below and we will do our best to help.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

In terms of Free School Meals applications we are now trialling our own system at AHS which we hope will be quicker than also involving the Local Authority. As you if you wish to make an application please can you follow the link below:

https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims

Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter
Is attached as usual.

Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter 16.10.20

Student Wellbeing

The last few weeks have seen us flag up the NHS’ website: Every Mind Matters, which contains an array of information designed to help young people manage their mental health. The website contains a section on how parents can help young people with their mental health, which can be accessed here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/childrens-mental-health/, for as the website states:

With nationwide and local restrictions being regularly reviewed, they may also have to deal with self-isolating because of an outbreak in school or another period of school closure, or have worries about getting or passing on the virus. It’s still uncertain what further changes we all may face.

Feelings like these will gradually ease for most, but there are always steps you can take to support them emotionally and help them cope with problems they face. There’s also further support available if you feel you or they need it.

Additionally, the website also contains information about your physical health. Take the ‘How Are You’ quiz here for a free personalized health score: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/how-are-you-quiz/

1. ‘How Are You’ is for over 18s only and is only designed to point you in the right direction. It’s not a medical assessment – if you’re worried about your health you should speak to a health professional.

As we’ve discussed previously, here at school, we’re also keen to promote positive mental and physical health in our students, and really want to emphasise how good wellbeing can help them remain resilient and calm. We’ve tried to incorporate some evidence-based research into the information we’ve provided and thought you might be interested in the following regarding motivation and gratitude:

From the Year 7 team…
First of all I must begin with an apology, as last week we had some wonderful Students of the Week and Head of Year Awards and I did not include them in my bulletin.

A huge congratulations to last week’s Students of the Week:

7NTh – Krissy Watson
7WNo – Ben Hyde
7Gr – Ruby Cooper
7CMp – George Dodsworth
7Cm – Poppy Sullivan
7CAd – Emily Nelson
7Bl – Brandon Kovacs
7Hv – Chloe Slater
7Cy – Aya Harper
7Hf – David Wood
7Mr –  Jessie King

 And congratulations to our Head of Year Awards:

Well done to Thomas Graham, Emily Nelson and Edward Shakeshaft for helping out at our Open Evening and doing such an amazing job on Camera! Well Done!

We have had another wonderful week in Year 7, they have really started to find their place and get involved in the wider curriculars of the school. Remember our extra-curricular Timetable which I’m sure you’ll notice has a big focus on Year 7! I was delighted to last week meet our Year 7 orchestra, and this week our Year 7 choir- who you may have had the joy of listening to on our virtual open evening.

We have worked incredibly hard to start our clubs after school, and make sure we do so whilst still adhering with current guidelines. However, as I’m sure you can image this is not possible during the school day with the new staggered timetable. However, I am so happy to finally announce the Year 7 library will be open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Here students can borrow books, make book marks, play game, do puzzles/word searches etc, or just somewhere to have a breather. We understand it can be difficult for some students to attend clubs after school but we request that you really encourage your children to attend if they are able as extra-curriculars are an essential part of Year 7 life. (NB: there will a change to the timetable next week, you will be updated with this).

Extra Curricular Timetable  

KEY: ART/CRAFTS/TEXTILES, DRAMA, MATHS, MFL, MUSIC, SCIENCE, SPORT

We are consistently working hard to give students the transition they deserve and build in additional opportunities for making new friends and bonding with their forms. To honour this, on Thursday in form time students will have a form quiz in groups. They will be in groups of four (grouped by their form tutor) to encourage friendships and confidence building. All grouping formations will adhere to Covid Guidelines.

I am going to thoroughly enjoy our final week with reflection, thinking about the year we have had, and the trepidations regarding returning to school. I will be thankful for this week and the entire term, truly grateful that we have been able to give the students the education they deserve in a safe, warm and welcoming community. 

Congratulations to our Students of the Week:

7Cm: Caspar Farrell
7Cy: Thomas Iddon
7CAd: Alex Sinaga-Jones
7Bl: Scarlett Shaw
7Hf: Amira Logan
7Hv: Angela Hettiarachchige
7Gr: Rosa Gladwin
7Cmp: Poppy Keogh
7Mr: Matthew Martin
7Nth: Liam Dobson
7Wno: Lily Subritzky

 And a huge congratulations to our Head of Year Awards:

 Noah Smee-Brown –  Well done for always living the school values, having a positive attitude and really getting stuck in to extracurricular clubs! What a great start to your academic journey at AHS!

Sophie Beard – Well done for being a really compassionate member of the school community and always going the extra mile to help others!

Key messages:

Face Masks: Students continue to do an excellent job of adapting to the new normal. As of now, students will not be provided with masks by school but can purchase them from reception for £1.50. Your child can purchase a mask and this can be charged to their wisepay which can be paid afterwards.

Homework: After half term students will no longer have 24 hours grace period. This means, if students do not have their homework (for whatever reason) they will receive an after school detention in MA1 the following day 3.10-4pm. They are no longer able to bring their homework the next day to avoid detention.

I hope you all have a lovely break, stay safe and we can’t wait to welcome you back! As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to kind.

From the Year 8 team…
Greetings all! This week has been an excellent and settled week for the year group, and it has been lovely to see Year 8 students return to some specialist classrooms for their Art, Music and Technology classrooms. My thanks go to all the staff that have made this possible, and have enabled Year 8 to have a rich and fulfilling curriculum despite the regulations we currently have in school at this moment in time.

Health and Wellbeing was the focus of this week’s Act of Collective Worship for Year 8 – something that is incredibly important at this challenging time. We began by discussing physical wellbeing and the importance of exercise and nutrition. Despite the fact that it may not always be as ‘social’ of an experience as it once was, Joe Wick’s PE lessons each morning throughout lockdown proved that getting exercise in the comfort of your own home can be achieved, and be a regular part of a healthy daily routine. Nutrition was also a key focus of the message, focussing on the staples of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as drinking lots of water to stay alert and hydrated! All of this feeds nicely into the final key message, related to Mental Wellbeing. We try very hard to focus on this every day, where students from 8:30-8:45 are given the opportunity to start the day with some activities that include mindful colouring in. We also encourage students to not let problems fester and become more of an issue over time – it is important to talk about issues either at home or with someone in school. The Year 8 Tutor Team are truly excellent, and if students need somebody to talk to, their form tutor (alongside Mr Deamer and myself) are always happy to help. Ultimately, a focus on general physical and mental wellbeing is crucial to a child’s overall health and happiness, echoed in John Chapter 1, Verse 2 “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”

Finally from me, as we see the national picture develop in terms of the coronavirus pandemic, may I take this opportunity to stress the importance of students wearing masks when moving around the school building – to and from break and lunch, and when students are moving between lessons. We stress with students the responsibility of individuals to keep themselves and other people safe, and it is vitally important that students have a mask with them in school every single day, and that they wear it in the aforementioned circumstances. We are now beginning to sell re-usable masks in reception for a small price of £1.50, and these can be purchased with cash, or the cost can be added to the student’s Wisepay account. It might be a good idea to ensure students have a spare £1.50 in their bags just in case they forget or lose their masks. Students will be directed to reception to purchase a mask if they do not have one on a morning – this is vitally important for the safety of the students themselves, and other members of the school community

As always, if there is an issue with your child in Year 8, please contact myself and/or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) on aarthur@archbishopholgates.org and rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org, and we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can.

From the Year 9 team…
The students carried on stoically this week, despite seeming a little tired. This is unsurprising, considering this is the longest stint they have had in school for over 6 months. However the students  have been working hard and there was plenty of smiles around the corridors and classrooms, another testament to the positivity and resilience the year group has shown. I have been delighted with attendance this week, with 96% of students attending school for the full week. This is so important as the students continue to adapt to the return to full time education.

In collective worship this week we focussed on the idea of tolerance and acceptance in society, as part of our ‘Understanding Ourselves and Others’  school journey. We discussed how intolerance toward other cultures and beliefs made our societies weaker, and investigated reasons why intolerance still exist in some sections of society. I was delighted how the students reacted to this, and seemed to understand the important role we all play in embracing different cultures and creeds. I also reminded the year group that we are carrying on the positivity challenge, where we give an act of kindness to another and then ask them to pass it on to somebody else.

It is nice to see the students continue to enjoy their option subjects, with many embracing the opportunity to study a subject of their choosing. Drama and Business Studies in particular seemed to be generating much positivity from students in Year 9. I have also been pleased to help a number of students swap their option subjects this half term, if they have felt their original choice was not the right one. However I would like to politely remind parents that the deadline for any change is half term, as students would have too much to catch up on after this date.

As always, any questions or queries please feel free to contact me on navery@archbishopholgates.org.

From the Year 10 team…
I was sent the following definition via a FB feed: coronacoaster (noun) ~ the ups and down of a global pandemic. One day you are loving your bubble, doing work outs, baking banana bread and going for long walks and the next you are crying, drinking gin for breakfast and missing people you don’t even like. At the moment, Year ten are doing superbly; attendance has improved to 95% across the year, homework is being completed on the google classroom and the curriculum catch-up lessons after school in science, maths and English are well attended. But, tiredness (and its friend grumpiness) are creeping in. So, all of us, (staff included!) need to dig deep in the well of personal resilience and maintain sight on half term. Five days, 25 lessons. We can make it.

It was lovely to see some of you face to face in the recent drop in sessions and please do contact any one of the Y10 team with your ideas of how we can work together more effectively and constructively. One idea which came forward was the suggestion that instead of the appearance of arbitrary sanctions, we explain the reasons behind our requests to the students. So, the main request that we have to make of your young people is that their verbal responses are polite in both tone of voice and words used; this is because we are preparing our students for life outside of the cosy cocoon of school and once in a work place, university or apprenticeship they will need to work with a variety of people and an array of situations and courtesy will take them further in their life choices.  In a world where we can be anything, we need to be polite and be kind.

I am delighted that the first student of the week certificates, nominated by the form tutor, are being awarded and the Y10 snack tokens are being given out to Y10 students who go that extra mile. I wish you all a restful, reduced r-rate, recuperative half term and please do phone (01904 411341) or email (hturvey@archbishopholgates.org or reception@archbishopholgates.org ).

From the Year 11 team…
The year 11 IAG day held on Friday appears to have been a great success. Five different subjects were sampled by each student and there was pizza for lunch! Lots of our cohort looked almost unrecognisable in their ‘civvies’: so grown up and mature – which was, in turn, reflected in the behaviour and attitude in the classrooms. Well done to them and we hope that they found the day informative and began to offer some clarity in their ‘next steps’. Today, the year 11 will also be issued with their first interim report which contains grades reflecting effort, behaviour and homework as well as their target grade and likely grade. More explicit information will be included in the report envelope.

From the Post 16  team…
As we enter the final week of the half term, it is important to reflect on our achievements in these challenging times. I’m delighted by the fact that we have managed to provide and maintain a full and uninterrupted curriculum for all Post 16 students; this has been enhanced further by the addition of Google Classrooms. Furthermore, the attitude and commitment of both Year 12 and 13 continues to impress all staff who teach or work with the Sixth Form students. This is testament to their desire to study and progress. This has been highlighted by the number of competitive entries made by students this year and the encouraging news as offers from university start to fly in. Students are excited and encouraged by the opportunities that lie ahead. Finally, the Sixth Form continues to be a happy place where students are able to have a sense of normality and focus on their learning and future steps.

 As ever, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Mr Mike Williams, Director of Sixth Form

Sixth Form IAG day
Friday 16^th October saw Year 11 become Sixth Formers for the day. This was a great event and students were able to sample a range of lessons and experience Sixth Form life. This is the first step in our Post 16 transition process. Students sampled lessons in a range of subjects, engaged with a competitive round of University Challenge and were treated to a pizza lunch! We will follow IAG day up with students, providing 1:1 interviews for all students to discuss the next steps.

We look forward to welcoming all Year 11 families to our Virtual Sixth Form Evening on Wednesday 11^th November. Please visit our website to register your interest for the open evening:

Year 12 Updates
Head of Year Awards
Marcin Czechowski – For leading by example and taking responsibility in form, adapting well to the extra demands of double business and being proactive in researching progression options/ UCAS.

Kayleigh Coates is working extremely hard in HSC across all units. She is handing in homework that is brilliantly detailed and is contributing excellently to classroom discussions!

Student Shout Outs
12Lv form group for adapting well and getting involved in form time, particularly Marcin, Tarik, Livi and Phoebe for showing maturity and enthusiasm when leading sessions. (Mr Lever)

Annie Toy for being proactive in maths, working hard and acting on feedback (Mrs Price)

12A Sociology for gaining confidence in the application of sociological perspectives, in particularly Jessica Turton, Tilly Wilson-Moss, Hannah Townson, Alex Kemp and Will Frost for excellent contributions in lesson. (Miss Cox)

12C Applied Psychology – Well done to the whole group for working hard in lessons and developing effective evaluation and application skills. A special shout out to Abbie Harwood and Amy Rochester for working hard to catch up after a later start to the course.  (Miss Cox)

Erika Goyes Nervaez: Amazing engagement with Year 12 law. Keep it up!

Jacob Watkinson: Really positive and contributes fantastically to lessons. Mr Skelton.

Year 13 Updates
Star Lesson!
What’s Gender Dysphoria? The psychology students can tell you. They showed excellent knowledge and values when applying their learning to the case of Caitlyn Jenner. Well done Y13 Psychologists

Head of Year Award Winners
Adam Hunter 13Ha – For outstanding effort and commitment to his studies, especially Biology.
Liv Teasdale 13Ha – For continued academic excellence and mature approach to her studies – well done!

 Student Shout Outs
Joshua Maughan: Working so hard on his coursework preparations, doing lots of reading and his responses to feedback are excellent.

Kiki Hall: Impressive attitude and work ethic. Well done!

Josh Morritt: Commitment and hard work in all his subjects. Keep it up!

UCAS – Competitive Admissions
20 Applications sent to study at Oxford & Cambridge University, or to study Medicine, Veterinary or Dentistry – well done!

Congratulations to the 6 students who have already received university offers! Everyone else considering university please get your Personal Statements to your form tutor asap!

October ½ Term Virtual Work Experience
We have limited availability for some virtual work experience during half term. If you’re interested please get in touch asap.

Year 13 Mock Timetable
A reminder that Year 13 mock revision will start on Monday and will continue for two week’s worth of lessons:

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship is entitled Harvest Thoughts and reflects upon the meaning and purpose of celebrating Harvest. Our daily quotes are on the theme of providing for others.

Quotes

• “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” – The Bible, The book of Genesis ch 8, v 22
• “Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor.” – The Bible, The book of Proverbs ch 22, v 9
• “When I give food to the poor they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food they call me a communist.” – Helder Camara, Archbishop of Olinda and Recife, Brazil from 1964 to 1985
• “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” – Mahatma Gandhi, Indian campaigner for independence
• “For a community to be whole and healthy, it must be based on people’s love and concern for each other.” – Millard Fuller, Founder of the charity Habitat for Humanity which builds houses for those in need

I thought I would begin this Parent Bulletin by reiterating to parents how positive the first five weeks of term have been and how much pride we all take in seeing students back in school, enjoying being with their friends and getting back into the habit of learning. On Friday morning I watched two of our new staff (both NQT’s) with their Year 7 and Year 8 classes and whilst the quality from both teachers was really good the thing that struck me most was the way the children were interacting in the lesson and how almost every student was keen to contribute and enjoying their learning. This is why it’s so important that our children are back at school.

Friday also saw our second confirmed case of Covid when we were informed by parents that their child, already at home, had tested positive. I thought I would take this opportunity to offer some further thoughts on this. As parents are aware the letters that are sent home when there is a confirmed case are based on templates given to us by Public Health and these need to follow a very specific and formal format. I realise that many parents would like more information, but we are not allowed to share any more than we currently are. I would however, like to take this opportunity to remind parents that the school continues to do everything possible to minimise the transmission of COVID-19 within the school, ensuring the safety of all students and staff and subsequently limiting the number of children we need to send home. We have worked extensively on our systems and structures, including bubbles, zones, handwashing, changes to the school day, face coverings and the Code of Responsibility in order that in the event of a member of the school community contracting COVID-19, we minimise the risks to others and limit the possible transmission and hence the need for people to self-isolate.

Our systems and structures allow us to quickly and effectively identify potential close contacts, for example anyone who has spent more than 15 minutes within a 2 metre radius of a positive case. Within the classroom, static seating plans help to reduce the numbers of contacts created within each classroom which has put us in the fortunate position of only needing to send home small numbers of children as opposed to entire year bubbles as agreed with the local health protection team. Outside the classroom we work with teachers, Heads of Year and transport companies to identify further contacts which may exist within friendship groups or buses.

Our staff continue to operate using the 2 metre rule, teaching from the front of the classroom and only move around the classroom when necessary to ensure effective teaching and support for all students and, where appropriate, with additional protective measures such as face coverings. We have worked extensively on our systems and structures to support our aspiration to safely maintain education in school for as many children as possible. The systems we have adopted allow us to minimise contacts and securely identify potential close contacts.

We are the biggest school in the city with over 1700 students and it is almost inevitable that there will be further confirmed cases in our community in the weeks to come and as such it is important that we continue to consider each situation individually. I do need to reiterate that once a case has been highlighted to us, we work with Public Health to ensure the safety of our students and staff and to identify who may be a possible ‘contact’. This means that there may be an incident that requires a small number of students to self-isolate or a more widespread closure within a year group but this will only ever be a last resort. I refer you back to the first paragraph and my responsibility to ensure that as many students as possible can continue to be in safely in school and we are maximising learning for those not directly affected. I promise families that this is what we will continue to aspire towards

We do ask that all our students and families do everything they can to minimise the risk outside of school of contracting COVID-19, following the latest government guidance including:

• Following the Rule of 6
• Face Coverings
• Handwashing

If you or your child is showing symptoms:

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Please self-isolate and get tested by visiting: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/get-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/

This week also saw our first Virtual Open Evening. Whilst we would always prefer to welcome families into school we have been extremely heartened by the fantastic response we have had to were able to do on the evening. Indeed much of what was produced will also be relevant to current parents, for example the virtual tour and curriculum and pastoral videos that were created. All these can be accessed via the following link:

https://archbishopholgates.academy/open-evening/

The Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter is attached as usual to give you an insight into life across our ten schools.

Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter 09.10.20

Student Wellbeing
The last few weeks have seen us flag up the NHS’ website: Every Mind Matters, which contains an array of information designed to help young people manage their mental health. We thought it was worth highlighting the section on low mood this week, given the days are getting shorter, the sky getting darker sooner and the weather more bleak at

times. Feeling low is a part of all of our lives at some stage. Everyone feels upset, sad or disheartened from time to time, but for some of us it can be a real problem. The good news is that there are things you can do to improve your child’s mood.

Everyone feels low or down from time to time. It does not always mean something is wrong. Feeling low is common after distressing events or major life changes, but sometimes periods of low mood happen for no obvious reason. Young people may feel tired, lacking confidence, frustrated, angry and worried. But a low mood will often pass after a couple of days or weeks – and there are some easy things you can try and small changes you can make that will usually help improve a teenager’s mood. If they’re still feeling down or no longer get pleasure from things for most of each day and this lasts for several weeks, they may be experiencing depression, in which case they should contact their GP. You can find tips and videos to help manage low mood here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/low-mood/

Feeling low yourself? The infographic below may help you decide whether it’s simply an instance of low mood or depression, whilst you can take the NHS’ self-assessment test to see if you need further support here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mood-self-assessment/

As we’ve discussed previously, here at school, we’re also keen to promote positive mental and physical health in our students, and really want to emphasise how good wellbeing can help them remain resilient and calm. Each day focuses on a different aspect of wellbeing, with ‘Feel Good Friday’ aims to set students up for the final day of their school week and the weekend ahead. Last week we asked KS5 students to consider how they planned to recharge their batteries and posed the following questions, along with the quote below:

• What do you plan to do this weekend to help you ‘recharge your battery’?
• Why is it important to take time out to recharge?
• Do you schedule in enough ‘feel-good’ activities into your life?

Weekly updates from our Pastoral Teams…
From the Year 7 team…
Dear Year 7 families,

I hope you have all had a restful weekend as we start to revel in some of our more cosy weather, warm fires and all things pumpkin spiced!

I am really proud to say I feel I can openly say that Year 7 have really settled in, six weeks into term and students are following the new school systems, adhering to high and stretching expectations and having lots of fun.

However, please know, we understand that there are students who have arrived from primary schools on their own or just with a couple of friends and support with transition in the current climate has been especially pertinent. I am delighted that we have finally been able to begin our additional transition opportunities for these students. Once a week over the next few weeks students are having ‘invite only’ events in the Year 7 library to help students mix with other ‘singletons’ across the year group who they won’t have had the opportunity to meet yet. If your child has not yet been to the library or not yet had their invite- don’t worry, it is on its way! We are staggering these invites as to ensure the room is not too crowded and we will be continuing to host such events over the coming weeks.

We have worked incredibly hard this year to Support Year 7 in their transition. If you are interested in hearing some of their opinions (and some Year 8s) please watch our live recording of the open evening where you can hear about transition from the students themselves. Please following the link: https://archbishopholgates.academy/ There are also lots of excellent subject specific videos and videos from Heads of Year which can inform you more about Year 7s overall journey. I think this page is fantastic for Year 7 parents too!

The library truly is a hub of joy and reassurance for our Year 7 students and Ms Murphy is thrilled to welcome everyone back! Please read the Library Newsletter regarding getting books.

Y7 Library Newsletter Issue 3

Lots of you have started to borrow books from the library which is brilliant. Please keep your requests coming by either using the request sheets on your form notice board, or email me smurphy@archbishopholgates.org I’m also happy to receive emails from your tutors/teachers and parents. The books will be delivered to your form room as quickly as possible.

Author of The Month

Author of the month is Adam Blade. He is best known for his Beast Quest and Sea Quest series. Adam creates mythical beasts, some based on his exotic pets, a tarantula called Ziggy and Omar the monkey. When Adam was a boy his dad had an ancient sword and shield that he was fascinated by. The shield, sword and his pets are inspiration for his books. (AR reader colour codes are purple and green)

Book of The Week

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Half boy, half God. Percy found out about the strength of his powers when he accidentally vaporized his teacher! The God Zeus thinks Percy has stolen his lightning bolt. An angry Zeus is never good. (AR reader colour is purple) You can read an extract by clicking on the link below.

https://www.betterreading.com.au/review/extract/swords-monsters-and-angry-gods-read-an-extract-from-percy-jackson-and-the-lightning-thief-by-rick-riordan/

Congratulations to 7Bl who borrowed the most books last week, and sent me a book review. There are book review templates on your notice board, so it’s nice and easy for you to write one. Hand any completed reviews to your form tutor, or to me when I come to your form delivering books.

Key Messages:

Bewerley Park: The Trip is changing to July. If your child has a place, you should have received a letter, and a text message about this and your opportunity to withdraw your child’s place and receive a refund by Monday 12^th October. If you have not, please contact main reception as soon as possible. If you child does not yet have a place and they would like to go, there will be opportunity for this and you will receive correspondence regarding this soon.

Masks: Overall, students are doing an outstanding job of bringing and wearing their masks. They have shown so much resilience to ‘the new normal’. Students are expected to bring their own masks each day otherwise they will receive an ‘e’ code. 3 ‘e’ codes will receive a detention. If you are unable to provide your child with a mask, ask them to speak to their form tutor, Miss Greenhalgh or myself and we will provide them with one.

Homework: Students have genuinely been amazing in adapting to the new challenges of secondary school and completely homework. After half-term students will no longer have the ’24 hour grace period’ where by if they forget their homework they have until the next day to bring it in and not receive a detention. If a student does not bring their homework (whatever the reason may be) they will have an afterschool detention the following day 3.10-4pm.

I hope you are all keeping well. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.

From the Year 8 team…
Greetings all! This week has seen adjustments to the Year 8 timetable, allowing for more smaller and more varied classes, particularly in technology. As I mentioned last week, this is all designed to ensure that students have a rich and full experience in school in spite of the current restrictions in school. In the second phase of changes, students as of Monday will have some room changes that will allow students to be taught in specialist classrooms in subjects such as Art, IT and Food. In the longer term, we are also looking to adjust the lunchtime routine to ensure students in Year 8 do not have a split lessons in Periods 2 and 4 due to catering arrangements. This should have a significant positive experience on Year 8s in school, and more information will be forthcoming about these adjustments.

This week’s Act of Collective Worship was centred around tolerance and inclusion, evoking words from Atticus Finch in ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ when he says to His daughter Scout “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb in his skin and walk around in it.”  Our greatest strength against prejudice and discrimination is is compassion and understand towards those who are different from us. As a school, we encourage students to live by the mantra of “Love thy neighbour” and “treat others how you yourself wish to be treated”. Through living out our school values of Compassion and Justice, as well the British Values of Mutual Respect and Tolerance, we endeavour to create a warm and tolerant environment for all.

As always, if there is an issue with your child in Year 8, please contact myself and/or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) on aarthur@archbishopholgates.org and rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org, and we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can.

From the Year 9 team…
This week has been another busy time for Year 9, as the students continue to build on the excellent start they have made to the year. Last week I challenged the year group to carry out one random act of kindness toward another person, and it has been lovely hearing about this from the students this week. I was even lucky enough to find a bag of Haribo ‘tangfastics’ in my office – my favourites! I am hoping this is part of the kindness drive and not an attempted bribe by one of our Y9 students!

 As part of our collective worship this week, I wanted the students to focus on celebrating success, which I feel is an important message at this time. We looked at all the amazing achievements that the world is accomplishing in this difficult period (ranging from ending the threat of wild polio in Africa to the banning of plastic straws in Britain) and linked this to the excellent start Year 9 have made. I sent a request to teachers of year 9 for some positive words about the year group and was inundated with responses, all of which were shared with the students in assembly. It really was quite humbling to hear how well they are all doing.

As we approach next week I am full of optimism that the year group will respond well and carry on with the excellent start they have made to the year.

From the Year 10 team…
I would like to reiterate how delightful Y10 are being and how resilient; it may only be the start of week six, but the summer holidays feel a lifetime ago and we still have two weeks until half term! The weather has turned, and in spectacular style this afternoon  with that hail storm, so it might be time to get the waterproof coat out and use it.

If I were to recap about the basic expectations then I would mention jewellery and mobile phones. And it is no to both. If we see either, then the item will be taken from the Y10 student and handed in to reception for collection at the end of the day; or collection by a parent if it is the third time the item has been removed. When you check you young person’s mobile phone please could you ensure that any photos or videos which have been shot in school are deleted.

Just a reminder that there are two drop in sessions on offer to Y10 parents who might want a (masked) face to (masked) face conversation about anything pertaining to Y10 ~ attendance, curriculum, reward trips ~ or just a chat. Tuesday 13^th October 4 – 6pm and Thursday 15^th October 5 – 7pm. Please telephone reception (01904 411341) or email reception@archbishopholgates.org in order to book an appointment. It is important that you book as covid restrictions means we cannot take walk-ins!

And finally, we welcome Miss Short into the Y10 team as our SLT support, as she is mainly based in the Harris block, and we say goodbye and thank you to Miss Hollinger as our SLT support as she is geographically located near Y8 so has gone to join that team. Any concerns, critiques or compliments please send them my way hturvey@archbishopholgates.org   

From the Year 11 team…
Another successful week from year 11 students last week with a welcome break from the rigours of a timetable mid- week. The P6s on offer were well attended and homework club is staffed and up and running. To further facilitate the smooth running of this, it  has been moved, beginning this week,  to a fully equipped computer room which will hope fully encourage even more students to attend. We also have reinstated compulsory homework club for the small few who need this extra support, and are closely monitoring the data to see where we may need to offer this to others.   As we start to prepare students for the mock examinations, taking place at the end of November, the completion of homework becomes ever-more important.  Please encourage your child to set aside time for homework each week, check their planner with them and ask them to make use of homework club if they are struggling to work at home.  Linked to this, more details will be sent home to parents this week from the curriculum team, regarding the government’s changes to exam specifications for the 2021 GCSE Examinations.  Teachers have been busy compiling data for a year 11 interim report last week and so that data should be with you in a couple of weeks’ time.

Finally, our whole school community have done a brilliant job at working to keep each other safe and masks have become an essential school uniform accessory.  Almost all students are remembering to bring them and put them on before entering the school building. If they don’t have one, they collect one from reception before they enter the school  building proper.

From the Post 16 team…
As we approach the final two weeks of half term, it is important to reflect upon the successes and challenges we have faced in the current situation. Both Year 12 and 13 have impressed me immensely with their maturity and commitment to both their study and return to full time education. Whilst things can still be challenging, they are embracing the opportunities to be in the classroom, learning and engaging with their teachers and peers whilst still preparing for their important next steps. My number one priority is to ensure all students can learn and are able to fulfil their potential in a safe and happy environment. By working collaboratively, we have been able to achieve this. As things get increasingly busy for both Year 12 and 13, I try to use this bulletin to offer key updates to parents whilst highlighting various enrichment and career opportunities which might be of use.

 As ever, I am happy to speak to any parent or student who has any questions or concerns.  Mr Mike Williams, Director of Sixth Form 

Sixth Form Open Evening

Our Sixth Form open evening will be taking place on Wednesday 11^th November for all prospective Year 11 students who wish to join us in September 2021.

IAG Reminder:

Please remember Year 12 and 13 will be studying from home on Friday 16^th October to facilitate our Year 11 IAG day. All work will be given in advance on google classrooms.

PSHE Fortnight

The next two weeks will be PSHE fortnight across the school. Year 12 will be engaging with important issues surrounding drug misuse. Year 13 will be exploring the stigma associated with mental health and wellbeing within society. These activities and discussions will take place throughout form time for the final two weeks of the half term.

Year 13 mock timetable amendment

We apologise for the error in dates on the Year 13 mock timetable published in this week’s newsletter. I can confirm that Year 13 mocks will commence on Monday 9^th November and a copy of the timetable is available:

Year 12 Updates:

Lots of great teacher shout outs this week! See the list below…

Media Studies:

Jessie Howarth For consistently working hard and making a really good start.

Isaac Ampomah for showing a real passion for the subject. It’s a pleasure to see!

Jess Merrington for hard work, excellent focus and enthusiasm.

Business Studies

Taylor Goodwin-Barrett for being lovely and working really hard in Business Studies.

Alice Dunghey for an excellent transition in double Business Studies – great commitment.

Year 12 Opportunity:

Next Step York applications are live!

We are delighted to now be open for applications for Next Step York!

Year 12 students can make their application via the Next Step York website: https://www.york.ac.uk/schools-and-colleges/post-16/next-step-york/

If you would still like more information regarding this, please contact either Mr Williams, Miss Cox or our careers advisor, Miss Robinson.

Year 13 Updates

In Partnership with Penguin Talks: How to be a climate optimist with David Wallace Wells, Author and Deputy Editor, New York Magazine & Lily Cole, Environmental Activist, Model, Actress and Filmmaker

Date: Tuesday 13^th October

Time: 17.00 – 18.00

Author and deputy editor of New York magazine, David Wallace-Wells, joins environmental activist, model, actress and filmmaker, Lily Cole, to discuss climate change and COVID-19, choosing optimism and what we can do to create the future. Be sure to have your questions ready or pre-submit them to inspiration@speakersforschools.org

Click this link to join: https://secure.kinura.com/penguin/ and the broadcast will go live at 17:00pm on Tuesday 13^th October. The link provides a secure platform for students to type in questions and this will be moderated by Penguin staff. Only the speakers are visible and have their microphones on as it is a one-way streamed broadcast.

Design your work life from Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

Bill and Dave are bestselling authors of the book; Designing Your Life and have also written, Designing Your Work Life which this talk focusses on. The book has a focus on how readers can organise themselves through journaling and design thinking.

Bill is Executive Director of the Design Program at Stanford University and Dave is lecturer in the Product Design Program at Stanford, a management consultant, and a co-founder of Electronic Arts. Bill and Dave discuss their big ideas, identifies key dysfunctional beliefs for young people, refer to important research findings on early adult success and lay out how to go forward to design your life and career.

You can watch the talk here: https://www.speakersforschools.org/vtalks/designing-your-work-life/ 

Student Shout Out

Congratulations to George Harrison 13Ala for securing a highly sought after Virtual Work Experience placement at BP over October half term.

Virtual Fair UK University and Apprenticeship Search: 14^th October

We are encouraging students to take part in the UK University & Apprenticeship Search Virtual Fair on Wednesday 14 October (12:00-18:00). The event features over 90 universities, colleges, and apprenticeship providers from around the UK along with 10 interactive webinars, and is aimed at years 11-13 and parents to provide you with all the information you and your child need to make informed decisions about their post-18 options. Students, parents and carers simply need to register online at: www.ukunisearch-east.vfairs.com

Students and parents can chat directly with a mixture of Russell Group, red brick, and modern universities from around the UK to find out invaluable information about courses, modules, life at university, and discover what admissions tutors are looking for in UCAS applications. Attendees can also speak to colleges and local and national companies about their apprenticeship schemes, alongside being able to speak to universities about the degree apprenticeships they offer.

10 interactive webinars will run throughout the day on a variety of university and apprenticeship topics such as UCAS Personal Statements, Student Finance, and Apprenticeships. The webinars  are run by university and apprenticeship professionals who will also host Q&A  sessions after the presentation. All webinars are recorded so if you miss one you can stream the webinar 24/7 on the fair website until Wednesday 28th October. You can view the webinar timetable and presenters list using the link below: www.ukunisearch-east.vfairs.com/en/webinar-timetable

Register in advance to receive a free event guide which will explain how the day will work and how both yourself and your child can make the most of the exhibitor interactions. The event guide will also contain lots of articles on topics such as student finance, UCAS applications, extra funding, personal statements and apprenticeships.

Collective Worship
This week are making use of new material created by the Church of England for UK schools. We will be explore the key question of why we belong together, featuring input from the Campaign to End Loneliness. For us to grow as people we need to be part of connected communities

Monday – “It is important to find a place where you feel trust, you feel belonging and stability.” – Bojan Krkic, Spanish footballer. Born 1990

Tuesday – “We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we all belong to one human race.” – Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations

Wednesday – “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” – Mother Teresa, Catholic nun and missionary

Thursday – “The best of community does give one a deep sense of belonging and well-being; and in that sense community takes away loneliness.” – Henri Nouwen, 20th C. Dutch Catholic priest and writer

Friday – “Belonging. Togetherness. These words are as complicated and confusing as the word love. It’s probably all the same thing. Or it would be if we let it be.” – David Levithan, American young adult fiction author

Headteacher Bulletin
I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. At the start of term I spoke about ‘September never being more important’ and I’d like to start this bulletin by thanking staff, students and parents for working together to make the first month of term a successful one. Of course there are things we still need to improve but the positive attitude across school has allowed us to begin extra-curricular activities, homework clubs and Period 6 teaching to support a successful return to school. The next step in this process will begin on Monday where we are now in a position to build in additional classes into the Year 8 curriculum to reduce class sizes and to allow more technology classes to be taught in specialist classrooms beginning this week with ICT facilities and then in a further week access to other classrooms including Food, Art and Music. The curriculum change for Year 8 does not affect the English or Maths setting or the nurture group (all other classes remain mixed ability).

Virtual Open Evening, Wednesday 7^th October
Whilst we are disappointed that we cannot welcome families in person to Open Evening this year we have worked extremely hard to ensure that the virtual experience is as good as possible. As well as live sessions with myself, Miss Kincell and some of our younger students Wednesday will see the launch of both our new school video and a comprehensive virtual tour of the school. Every department in school and each Head of Year have also created videos for the evening. All these things will be accessible from the homepage of the website. We look forward to seeing those of you with younger children at either 6.00pm or 7.30pm. If you know anyone else who might benefit from attending please pass on this invite. Thank you.

Please also remember that due to the planned Open Evening Wednesday is a training day do students will not be in school.

Face Coverings
We have been delighted that all students who should be wearing a face covering are doing so. I appreciate the support with this endeavour. Whilst disposable masks are clearly acceptable students may benefit from wearing re-useable face coverings.  They fit better, are less likely to break and are better for the environment.

The following sites provide good guides to making your own, if this is something you are interested in doing.

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/52630243  (also included in the News for students this week)
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVAJdaMfgZI

Student Wellbeing
The last couple of weeks have seen us flag up the NHS’ website: Every Mind Matters, which contains an array of information designed to help young people manage their mental health. We thought it was worth highlighting the section on sleep this week, given that some students seem to struggle with their sleep more than others. You can find tips, videos and places to access support if your child is struggling with their sleep here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/sleep/

We’re also well aware that some of you may be feeling anxious at present and wanted to share this resource with you, which may prove useful in helping you identify strategies to help you cope:

As we’ve discussed previously, here at school, we’re also keen to promote positive mental and physical health in our students, and really want to emphasise how good wellbeing can help them remain resilient and calm. Each day focuses on a different aspect of wellbeing, with ‘Thankful Thursday’ encouraging students to practice gratitude and appreciation. We’ve been asking those in KS3 and KS4 to consider what they’re grateful for and why. Last week, we also invited Year 7 and 8 students to consider this quote:

Weekly updates from Heads of Year

From the Year 7 team…
This week we have started to see some semblance of normality and it has been thoroughly welcomed. It has been wonderful to see our students starting to take part in extra-curricular clubs and even socially distanced singing. Extra-curricular activities are such a significant part of Year 7 and it has been wonderful to see students thriving.

Here are some student enjoying socially distanced choir:

And here are some of our students enjoying Rugby training:

I am also absolutely delighted to announce that as of the week commencing Monday 12 October, the Year 7 library will be open every Wednesday and Thursday. Here students can borrow books, interact with friends, relax and have a wonderful literary space of their own. Ms Murphy has done an excellent job of supporting students in getting books virtually and is delivering them to form tutors. If your child does not have a book or would love to read more please ask them to speak to their form tutor and Ms. Murphy will be more than happy to oblige!

As if like magic, a year has already passed since you and your families joined us for our open evening. Wednesday 7 October will be our virtual transition evening, if you have children in year 6, or relatives’/friends’ children are in year 6 please direct them to our extensive virtual transition evening. More information can be found here: https://archbishopholgates.academy/virtual-open-evening/

 A huge well done to our Students of the Week:

7Cm: Kira Precious

7Cy: Anna Roberts

7CAd: Hannah MacFarlane

7Bl: Aditi Panchal

7Hf: Eda Ali

7Hv: Cowen Mason

7Gr: Charlie Hallam

7Cmp: Sam Skelton

7Mr: Faith Lister

7Nth: Charlie Blades

7Wno: Georgina Richardson

 And an enormous congratulations to our Hoy of Year Awards:

Sam McBride – For being kind and helpful. Thank you for living the school values!

Evie Price – for always offering to help wherever you can. Thank you for living the school values!

 Key points to note this week:
-Students must wear masks, and bring their own. We have supported students last week but from now on will need to provide their own. If you need support with this, please ask your child to speak to their form tutor. If you child is exempt from wearing a mask, please write a note in their planner.
-The vast majority of students will never have to worry about this, however it must be made clear- due to the new structure of the day, there is no time for sanctions during the day I.E detentions. All detentions will take place after school. A curriculum detention is 3.10-3.45 and Hear of Year or Homework Detention is 3.10-4pm.
-Students have made an excellent start to their homework routines, however I would always encourage attending homework club. Here a member of staff can support students and it means they can go home feel accomplished and done for the day.

 I hope all students have a wonderful week. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Year 7 Team.

From the Year 8 team…
At the end of another week at Archbishop Holgate’s School, there is some exciting for Year 8 as we approach Week 5. As of Monday 5^th October, Year 8 will be undergoing some timetable changes. This has occurred to make room for additional, smaller class sizes in technology, opening up access for some classes into IT rooms and other specialist facilities. The change, which will not affect English and Maths groups, is representative of the school’s strenuous efforts to ensure students at Archbishop Holgate’s have a broad and varied curriculum in spite of the new COVID regulations now in operation in school. Students should now have their new timetables, and will follow this schedule as of Period 1 on Monday morning. They must ensure they have all the necessary books and equipment with them, including their PE kit if they have this lesson on Monday.

This week’s Act of Collective Worship had a keen focus on the impact of kindness, compassion and positivity, and how we can spread this throughout school. This echoes the words of Proverbs 16:24 which says “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body”, as well as “A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger” from Proverbs 15:1. I ended the Collective Worship by setting the year group a challenge for this week – to try and spread as much positivity around the school as possible. Whether this be a kind word to a fellow student, a ‘Thank you’ to a teacher at the end of a lesson, or even something as small as smiling at someone (which, granted, can prove difficult when wearing a facemask on the corridors!). I have asked staff around the school to send me their positive stories from Year 8 so I can present these back to the Year Group in a future Act of Collective Worship, and show them how much positivity they have created with their kind words and encouragement. This message was also paired with the notion of “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!” – and I very much hope that students also heed these words, and do not involve themselves in unkind behaviour in school that will spread negativity to others.

As always, if there is an issue with your child in Year 8, please contact myself and/or Mr Deamer (Pastoral Support Worker for Year 8) on aarthur@archbishopholgates.org and rdeamer@archbishopholgates.org, and we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can.

From the Year 9 team….
As the nights grow a little darker and the Autumn weather is upon us, I am delighted to report this has been another excellent week for Y9 students. As I have stated in previous correspondence I have been very pleased with the start Year 9 have made upon returning to school, and I am confident this will continue as we progress into the Autumn term. One of the most pleasing aspects of the return to school, is how well students have adapted to the new measures we have in place to reduce the risk of Covid 19. The students have responded well to being in their ‘bubble’, with many commenting how much easier it is to get to lessons when they are just next door! 

Despite the obvious changes to the school routine, we have strived to continue providing the best opportunities and education for our students. The extra-curricular timetable is now available for students, and despite the reduced number of clubs running after school, I sincerely hope Year 9 students make the most of this opportunity.

Despite this incredible start, I confess I find myself a little concerned with the attendance of the year group since the return to school. I would like to politely remind parents that if your child attendance record is below 95%, they are attending school less than the average child across the country In this uncertain time it is understandable that parents may want to keep students at home at the sign of a slight cough or cold but we need to keep in mind the three main symptoms of COVID 19:  a new and continuous cough, a high temperature and a loss of taste and smell. If your child exhibits the aforementioned symptoms, please ensure you keep them at home and get a test as soon as possible. However, where a student’s symptoms do not fit this profile, we would encourage parents to make sure their children are in school so that they do not miss out on invaluable time in education.

As the new Head of Year 9, it has been excellent to see how students continue to live the school’s values of Justice, Compassion, Forgiveness and Trust into being every single day. This has been the main focus of our Acts of Collective Worship each week, with the most recent focussing on being kind and positive with each other. In year 9, our school journey focuses on ‘Understanding Ourselves and Other People’ and with this in mind I have challenged Year 9 to do something kind for somebody else over the next few weeks, and in return ask them to pass on that act of kindness to another person. By doing this, I hope to continue the positive atmosphere in the year group, while supporting each other through these difficult times.  

If you have any issues regarding your child in Year 9 that you wish for me to be aware of, please do get in contact with me at navery@archbishopholgates.org.

It’s been a very strong start for Year 9 so far– long may this continue!

From the Year 10 team…
Having held a couple of conversations with parents this week I realised that you are now responsible for a teenager who may not be very communicative at home, so a few reminders: 

• Students are rewarded for good work, effort and achievement with merits, student of the week certificates, vouchers for snacks at break time and the Head of Year Award. There will also (covid permitting) be a series of reward trips on offer throughout the year.
• Students receive sanctions for being late to school, disruption, defiance or three codes, in the form of an after school detention; codes are given for forgetting equipment (including reading books and face masks), chewing, incorrect uniform/jewellery, late to lesson. Students who chose not to return to their teaching room following a removal or who choose to be disrespectful spend 24hrs reflecting on how they could make better choices.
• Homework for every subject is set on the google classroom; any student who chooses not to complete it will receive an after school homework detention. All Y10 students have been given the opportunity over the past two weeks to use the two computer rooms at their disposal to iron out any google classroom issues they may have. There is a homework club which runs every night in Business Studies until 4pm (including Friday). If there is a problem or issue with your son or daughter accessing google classroom at home then please contact school as soon as possible and we will work together to resolve the issue.
• Curriculum catch-up classes take place on Monday for Science (invitation only), Tuesday for Maths (invitation only) and Thursday for English (all welcome); these classes finish at 4pm. Last week we had an amazing 133 students attend English P6.

You will be receiving a settling in report so that you know how your child has settled back in to school life; we appreciate that having had 174 days away from school that there may have been concerns, but as resilience is one of the aspects of the Y10’s journey I hope that the past four weeks have settled any trepidations.

As ever, thank you for your support.

From the Y11 team…
Having just completed a 4^th week at school, the year 11 have well and truly found their feet. Many of them are choosing to attend the p6’s on offer. Google classrooms for homework have been up and running and all students have now got access and can seek help if still needed. An extra quiet space for completing homework after school is being staffed from today, and students are welcome to come down to the year 11 Social Area where there will be computer access available, if they wish to stay in school for this extra hour.  Assembly last week focused on the importance of homework as,  ‘Completion of homework at secondary level can add on an additional 5 months progress onto a child’s learning.’(EEF, 2016).

From the Post 16 team…
Enrichment Opportunities: NCS
In October half term the NCS local delivery partner, NYBEP Ltd, will be providing a programme with an exciting range of activities. This includes visiting local escape rooms and other team building exercises. Workshops covering well-being, communication skills, enterprise and employability skills.  They’ll get to plan and deliver a social action project that can assist in the country’s response to Covid – 19 and really get to grips with what’s going on in their local community. NCS this autumn is being planned in accordance with all government Covid-19 guidelines.

As NCS is government-funded, we usually ask for a contribution of up to £50. To make sure that everyone can get involved this autumn, NCS is free.

Year 12 Reminders
Each week, Year 12 students are completing their transition module during Thursday form time. This is a key session which allows students to develop independent study skills. The session foci are:

• Starting your Sixth Form Journey
• Planning your personal journey
• Time management skills
• Study skills
• Resilience and growth mind-set
• Working with teachers
• Personal reflection

This programme is key to support students with the transition to a more independent method of study. We will be supporting Year 12 students to make the most of their independent study time and will monitor students use of Sixth Form Study, library and resource centre. This is important alongside students work at home and on google classrooms.

Year 12 Shout Outs

• Well done to Ariadne Wright for this amazing piece of homework! Mr Nicholson
• A huge well done to Miss Harper’s and Mr Bryan’s RE class for a fantastic start to A Level and some brilliant first essays!  Miss Harper
• Well done to Ewan Wilkey for being supportive of peers and getting involved in form Dr King
• Good job to John Thompson Smallwood for getting involved in form and doing really well in Media Mr Shaw
• A massive well done to Fin Ensor for ‘doing it right always’ & working hard in Biology
• A massive well done to Jacob Watkinson for ‘being consistently good in his approach to sixth form’ Mr Lever
• Good job to Connor Simpson for doing great in media and being really confident in his use of key words Mr Shaw

Year 13 Reminders
Students should remember to use their study periods effectively and start preparing for their mock exams, scheduled to start on Monday 9^th November. Each subject will outline to the class the specific expectations and requirements for the exams. We will be providing guidance for all students on how best to prepare for these exams in the coming weeks during form time and collective worship.

Year 13 Shout Outs

• Shout out to Arlo, Ollie and Daisy in 13a History. Impressive contributions and retention. Great start to A Level Coursework. – Miss Daswani
• Well done to our Yr13 Single Business class, working incredibly hard on their Ratio Analysis skills – Mr Charlton

Virtual Regional Events and UCAS updates
Autumn events will be taking place virtually, allowing students from years 11-13 to explore their post-18 options from the safety of school or home. Students will be able to visit exhibition stands and chat to representatives from a wide range of universities including Russell Group, red brick, modern, and specialist universities, along with local and national apprenticeship providers and colleges. There will also be 10 live webinars on a wide range of topics such as UCAS personal statements and apprenticeships, followed by Q&A sessions.

To find out more simply visit: https://www.ukuniversitysearch.com/blog/post/autumn-activities

Event Dates:

14th October – 12:00-18:00 – East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber

21st October – 12:00-18:00 – South West, West Midlands, and Wales

4th November – 12:00-18:00 – London, South East, and the Home Counties

11th November – 12:00-18:00 – North-East and North-West England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland

Library Newsletter – National Poetry Day Special!
Normally in the library this week we would be taking part in poetry workshops. One of the favourite parts of my job is seeing what you can create, so….

HOW TO WRITE A HAIKU – A simple poem of three lines, the first must contain five syllables, the second seven syllables, finishing with a third of five syllables. See my attempts below, I’m sure you can all do better!

The first line has five.                                         Starting a new school           

The second is the longest.                                 The rules to remember are

Last line ends with five.                                      Wash hands, wear mask, ENJOY!

I will be overjoyed of you sent me a poem in October, either by email, or hand in to your form tutor, doesn’t need to be a haiku if you would rather write something longer. We have a great selection of poetry books in the library you can read for inspiration. So, please email me smurphy@archbishopholgates.org with any requests for books and/or poems that you have written.

Some of the funniest poetry books are;

Beware Low Flying Rabbits by Roger Stevens

Behind the Staffroom Door by Brian Moses

Pants on Fire by Paul Cookson

Two books that tell a story through verse are;

Rebound by Kwame Alexander. (Level 4.3 Purple) It is a stunning coming-of-age novel in verse about basketball, family and staying true to yourself. A historical fiction novel in verse that was shortlisted for a Carnegie Medal.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. (Level 4.3 Purple) You can read a small sample by clicking here. https://www.overdrive.com/media/3249545/long-way-down

The big news this week is that I have been in touch with York Explore who are celebrating National Poetry Day throughout the whole of October and November. I think it would be really exciting if our school were to be part of this by sending in poems that reflect lockdown. If poetry is not your thing, they would also like doodles/artwork. The details sent to me from York Explore are below. I’ve highlighted in RED the bits I found the most exciting.

Thursday 1 October is National Poetry Day and Explore York Libraries and Archives will celebrate it in a very special way. Explore is launching a project to help everyone to make sense of the very strange year that 2020 has become by asking people in York to send in poems and drawings that will be used to create a lasting record of what has happened in our lives. The project is called World Turned Upside Down 2020 #haiflu edition.

Taking inspiration from spoken word artist Liv Torc’s phenomenally successful pandemic poetry initiative, Project Haiflu, and local community artist Stephen Lee Hodgkins interest in York’s printing heritage, Explore is asking people in York to send 2 haiku or #haiflu on the topic of no news and strange news, but with a flavour of lockdown. If people prefer to portray their thoughts and feelings visually they can send in a doodle or cartoon instead.

Throughout October and November, Explore is hosting free online haiku workshops with local poets Janet Dean and Penny Boxall, and doodle workshops with Stephen Lee Hodgkins. The first two workshops will be on National Poetry Day itself. At the beginning of November there will be an exclusive online talk and poetry show – Haiflu Ever After – with Project Haiflu originator Liv Torc.

After 30 November the deadline for submissions, 20 pairs of #haiflu and 20 doodles which reflect York’s Coronavirus experience will be chosen to be included in a book. Artist Stephen will create a 20-page limited edition chapbook printed in the traditional way on handmade paper. Each of the contributors to the final piece will receive a copy, a copy will be given to every library in York and one will be lodged in our archive alongside the original World Turned Upside Down Chapbook from 1820.

People can find full details and more information about how to get involved in the project on Explore’s website www.exploreyork.org.uk  and book the workshops on their Eventbrite page

Explore has also made a short film about the project, which will be posted on their YouTube Channel at 11 am on National Poetry Day 1 October.

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship is entitled Working for Kindness and reflects upon acts of kindness done during the recent lockdown. Our daily quotes are also on the theme of kindness.

Quotes for each day

• “If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.” – Bob Hope, Hollywood actor
• “Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up.” – Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights campaigner
• “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” – Author Unknown
• “Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” – Seneca, 1^st century Roman philosopher
• “Kindness, like a boomerang, always returns.” – Author Unknown

Headteacher Bulletin
I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend and that you find the information in this bulletin useful. We are working very hard to try to ensure that school feels as normal as possible for students. Hopefully this bulletin will offer a flavour of this.

Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter
Is attached as usual to give a sense of what is going on in our nine primary schools.

Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter 25.09.20

Archbishop Holgate’s Breakfast Club
A reminder that Breakfast club opens each day at 7:45 to 8:30 in the main school hall. There is no charge for this club and all students are welcome. Please be assured that our social bubbles are maintained at all times.

Student Wellbeing
Last week, we flagged up the NHS’ website: Every Mind Matters, which contains an array of information designed to help young people manage their mental health. We thought it was worth flagging up the ‘Your Mind Plan’ section, which allows young people to answer 5 questions before offering them bespoke ‘Top Tips’ and advice on how to take care of themselves. Students can access the plan here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/your-mind-plan-quiz/

Furthermore, the Anna Freud National Centre for Families and Children has produced a series of expert podcasts to help parents understand and manage child and family mental health problems. The series, Child in Mind, contains 20-minute episodes, which focuses on an important issue in child and family mental health with an expert and a young person or parent. Click here to find out more: https://www.annafreud.org/parents-and-carers/child-in-mind/

This website has been highlighted to our SENDCO by the Autism Team. It’s dedicated to well-being and they will eventually be putting their parents ‘Ascend’ course online. This course is usually offered by CAMHS offer for parents of students with Autism. You can check for updates here: https://www.recoverycollegeonline.co.uk/

As we’ve discussed previously, here at school, we’re also keen to promote positive mental and physical health in our students, and really want to emphasise how good wellbeing can help them remain resilient and calm. Each day focuses on a different aspect of wellbeing, with ‘Wonderful Wednesday’ considering how amazing the world we live in, and the species that inhabit it, are. Indeed, meeting people from different countries and cultures helps us think about things from a different point of view.

Last week, we asked students in Years 7 and 8 to choose a country and explain why they’d really like to go there – what do they want to see, do, experience in that country? We also asked students in Years 12 and 13 to consider these benefits of travel and identify the benefit they thought was most important and why.

All things Library
Whilst it’s frustrating that our new Library and Resource Centre cannot currently be accessed by all students (it’s being used by Post 16) I am pleased to say that the Year 7 Library is up and running. Please see the first Library Newsletter below from Miss Murphy:

The Year Seven library is now fully stocked with books that are available for you to borrow. You are all on the library system which means we are able to loan out items directly to you. The books can be in your possession for two weeks and then you can either return them or ask for an extension. Check out your classroom notice boards, as posters detailing how to borrow books will be appearing shortly, along with some information sheets about popular books within each genre. Hopefully these will help you decide on something to read. There are also some book review sheets that I’d love you to fill in as it’s always good to get recommendations. Read below the review from a Y7 student about the book Holes, I’ve included a short extract:

Holes Louis Sachar (Level 4.6 Purple) I would give this book nine out of ten. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Zero and Stanley when they ran away. I also enjoyed the other story within it and wondered how the two stories would turn into one.

Stanley was not a bad kid. He was innocent of the crime for which he was convicted. He’d just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It was all because of his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather!
He smiled. It was a family joke. Whenever anything went wrong, they always blamed Stanley’s no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather!

If you have an idea of what you would like to borrow, an author you like or a genre you are interested in, but feel you can’t wait until your library induction, simply email me and I will get the book to you as quickly as possible smurphy@archbishopholgates.org

 All things reading from Mrs Short
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr Seuss
I’m delighted to see that most of our students have a reading book with them every day. This is important for DEAR time and for the start of lessons. Students in years 7 and 8 have a box of library books in their form rooms and are welcome to use these if they don’t have a book from home. Please encourage your child to have the same book with them each day. At the moment, borrowing from the library is difficult because we need to maintain our year level bubbles, but, we still want students to have full access to all our wonderful books. All students can email smurphy@archbishopholgates.org to request a book or ask for recommendations and the book will be delivered to the student’s form room. Or students can speak to their form tutors about borrowing books. All returns can be brought back to form rooms. The year 7 library is a wonderful resource that we hope to be able to open up to year 7 students in the near future, please see the year 7 library newsletter for more information.

Accelerated Reader
As you may already know, we have the excellent Accelerated Reader programme in school. Accelerated Reader helps both teachers and librarians monitor student’s independent reading. The education endowment Foundation states; ‘A study found that Year 7 pupils who were offered Accelerated Reader made 3 months’ additional progress in reading compared to other similar pupils. For pupils eligible for free school meals the figure was 5 months’ additional progress’.   We will be launching Accelerated Reader for both year 7 and 8 students after half term, further information to follow over the coming weeks.

Election of Parent Governor
Ballot papers have been sent home this week.  Please complete the ballot form and return in the envelopes provided by 10.30am, Tuesday 29 September.

Head of Year Awards this week

Weekly updates from our Heads of Year
From the Year 7 team
I hope you are all keeping safe and well.

We have had another excellent week in Year 7, it is so wonderful to watch them increasing grown in confidence and start to join in more and more. 

This week in particular it has been so pleasing to see students attending so many extra-curricular clubs, this is a fantastic way to join in and make friends. We are sorry that we don’t yet have our extensive extra-curricular time table up and running but the clubs running at the moment are very exciting. There are a variety of PE club such as badminton, football and rounders, music clubs such as band rehearsals, music tech club and choir via zoom and then curriculum and interest clubs such as History film club, Eco club, and zoom book club. I’m sure you’ll agree there are some very exciting options on there and mixture of something for everyone.

I will continue on the topic of ‘Joining In’  as that is Year 7’s stage in their ‘AHS Journey’. This week our assembly focused on building social skills and ‘What is Friendship?’. We discussed what it meant to be a good friend and how important compassion, honesty and loyalty are through the story of a dog names Arthur who found new owners through showing them lots of love, companionship and loyalty. Miss Greenhalgh has commented on how much kindness she has seen at lunchtime on the field and how many new friendships groups are starting to form. I also know that some students are still finding their way on their AHS path and still looking for those AHS friendships, my best advice would to go to as many clubs as you can and ‘join in’.

Our special Head of Year Awards this week go to:

– Faith Lister: Well done to Faith for thoroughly living the school value of Justice, and being a great friend. Keep it up, Miss Kincell.
– Christopher Barnard: Well done for being polite and supporting your teachers and peers. Keep it up, Miss Kincell.

These students will receive a certificate and £5 Amazon voucher.

Our Form Tutor Awards go to:

– Tom Cain 7Bl
– Joshua Rhodes 7Cm
– Yoonroh Lee 7Cy
– Ava Clarke 7CAd
– Efe Akgul 7WNo
– George Chapman 7NTh
– Kelsey Hazel Gr
– Sam McBride 7Hv
– Ellie Rawling 7Mr
– Ruby Holland 7Hf
– Claudia Ackerley 7Cmp

All of these students will receive a certificate.

 Key notices for this week:
It is now expected that all students should have a face mask at school for the times when they cannot social distance.

Students should attend homework club 3.10-4pm in MA7 so they can stay on top of their work. If students miss a homework they have 24 hours to complete it, if they do not they will receive an afterschool detention.

We do not allow physical play at break and lunch time, E.G play fighting/contact sports, we call this our ‘Hands off Policy’. This is a long standing Year 7 rule, and not Covid19 related.

I look forward to the upcoming week with this lovely year group.

If have you any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

From the Year 8 team
Greetings all. As we continue to navigate through these troubling times, it has been wonderful to see how resilient and adaptive students in Year 8 are. This week, we have moved to a system of compulsory mask wearing  between lessons, on the journey to and from break and lunch, and in inside areas where it is difficult to socially distance. It has been wonderful to see how students have adapted to this, and I thank you for support in making the first week of the new rules a success. We are urging students to take responsibility during these times for their own safety and the safety of those around them. I would also like to stress that, whilst the move towards mask wearing in these contexts is important, that the zoning of the school and the regular washing/sanitising of hands is the most critical way of students remaining safe in our day to day lives during this pandemic.

May I also take this opportunity to thank the Year 8 Pastoral Team during these trying circumstances, who strive every day to make sure students feel welcome and settled. These times have brought with them added pressures on students and staff, and we are all working very hard to ensure students are happy and safe in school. The pastoral team have certainly stepped up to help deal with issues in school, and their care and professionalism is very much appreciated.

Finally from me, attendance will need to be a big focus for Year 8 during the forthcoming weeks. With the exception of the three symptoms of a new and continuous cough, a high temperature and a loss of taste and smell, we would encourage parents to make sure their children are in school so that students do not miss out on invaluable time in education. If your child exhibits the aforementioned symptoms, please ensure you keep them at home and get a test as soon as possible. Outside of this, can we please ensure that students are attending school as they would have been before these trying times began; if you feel they would have been well enough to have come to school prior to March 2020 when this all began, then please ensure they are coming to school now. Staff are working as hard as always to deliver a rich and engaging curriculum that they will reap the benefits from for years to come.

As always, if you have any concerns regarding your child in Year 8, please contact me on aarthur@archbishopholgates.org. Please be patient and rest assured that we are dealing with your requests as quickly as we can.

From the Year 9 team
I have been delighted to see Year 9 continue to settle into school this week, with the students working hard in their lessons. It’s quite inspiring to see how the students continue to show reliance and positivity, despite the challenging situation we are currently in. This week has seen the launch of the extra-curricular timetable, which offers Y9 the opportunity to expand their education and experiences away from the classroom. Clubs this year will run after school in the Year 9 area, and I encourage our students not to be held back by circumstance but embrace the opportunities that are offered to them.

This week we have adopted the policy of compulsory mask wearing between lessons, in line with government guidance. The students have responded really well to this, understanding the responsibility we all have in reducing risk and keeping each other safe. Form tutors can provide masks in an emergency, but we ask that parents continue to support this by checking your child has a mask before departing for school. I would also like to stress that, whilst the move towards mask wearing in these contexts is important, that the zoning of the school and the regular washing/sanitising of hands is the most critical way of students remaining safe in our day to day lives during this pandemic.

I would also like to address the issue of attendance in school this week, which saw a number of students absent due to cold like symptoms. In this uncertain time it is understandable that parents may want to keep students at home at the sign of a slight cough or cold but we need to keep in mind the three main symptoms of COVID 19:  a new and continuous cough, a high temperature and a loss of taste and smell. If your child exhibits the aforementioned symptoms, please ensure you keep them at home and get a test as soon as possible. However, where a student’s symptoms do not fit this profile,  we would encourage parents to make sure their children are in school so that they do not miss out on invaluable time in education.

Finally, homework has begun to be set for Y9 students using the new Google Classroom platform. I would politely remind parents that students who do not have a device at home can purchase one through the school, or students can attend homework club 4 nights a week to access IT equipment.

As always, Miss Clark and I are happy to address any concerns or questions you may have and please feel free to contact us on navery@archbishophlgates.org.

I am very proud of the start Year 9 have made, and I know they will continue to shine as we progress into the Autumn term.

From the Year 10 team
It was lovely to see so many students at the English covid curriculum catch-up classes on Thursday after school, but there is always room for any more who would like to attend. However we do understand that home circumstances may preclude some of the Y10 students from attending on a Thursday. Maths and Science catch-up classes will be by invitation and take place on Monday and Tuesday nights. All homework is now set on the google classroom and the tutor team are busy during afternoon registrations trying to iron out any problems and issues with accessing this. Mainly the Y10 students forgetting their passwords!  If there are access issues at home then please do remember that Y10 students are welcome to use the school computers in Business Studies 1 from 3.10pm until 4pm every night.

Thank you for your support in ensuring that all Y10 students have a face mask; although it does sometimes feel like we are in the Silence of the Lambs movie as the whole of Y10 walk towards me from the front field each morning. Hopefully a vaccine will be developed soon and we can get back to a version of the “old” normal. You will be receiving a subject based settling in report shortly so that we can keep you informed as to how Y10 are doing with their studies, where we can highlight and celebrate excellent progress and effort and put in support for any who need it.

As ever please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have concerns, critiques or compliments.

From the Year 11 team
Year 11 continue to impress with their return to school, displaying good manners and a positive attitude to learning.  They are enjoying their newly revamped common room and  it has been lovely to hear so many members of staff speaking highly of their conduct, with one staff member telling me she looks forward to her duty with them on a lunch time.  I was also encouraged to see so many Y11s take advantage of History P6 this week, showing a commitment to their learning and a willingness to make the most of the opportunities we have.   Lots of subjects will begin their P6 sessions over the following weeks, the Year 11 Team will write to parents giving details of these next week.  We would definitely encourage students to take advantage of these sessions where possible, as the additional time with their teachers will help them to consolidate their knowledge and provide effective revision.

From the Sixth Form team
Three weeks in and things are now picking up pace in the Sixth Form. Year 12 course choices are settled and students are making good progress in these subjects. Year 13 are currently working well either completing essential coursework or preparing for the up-coming mock exams. It is exciting to work with the competitive entries and watch a considerable number of students apply for Oxbridge or competitive courses. As the momentum builds across the year group, it is vital that students attend every lesson in order to establish and maintain the essential skills required for Post 16 Study. Equally important is the maximising of independent study during free periods. If any student needs further support with how best to use non-contacts, the sixth form can offer further advice on study methods.

General Notices

Attendance
As the autumn term progresses, it is inevitable there will be periods of absence for some students. However, I would like to stress the importance of excellent attendance. Students will significantly under-perform if they are not in school. We appreciate the complexity of the current situation but ask students to make every effort to be in school when it is safe to do so.

Please remember the government guidelines. Students should isolate and seek a test if they present the following symptoms:

• A dry, persistent cough (this is different to the cough associated with cold symptoms)
• A fever or high temperature
• Loss of taste or smell

If you child has a normal cold, please send them to school.

Homework expectations
Homework assignments and essays will now have been set and submitted. I would like to remind parents and students of the following:

• All students should submit their homework on time.
• Students who fail to complete their homework or fail to complete it to the expected standard will be expected to attend Sixth Form detention after school in the Sixth Form library.

If a student continues to fail to complete homework, necessary supportive steps will be put in place.

The following locations are available in the Sixth Form after school for independent study:

• The Sixth Form library
• The resource centre
• The café

Site access
The new gates will be in operation from next week. This means that students will need to plan when they leave site, ensuring they return for the final 5 minutes of each period, break or lunchtime when the gate will be opened for them. This is to further enhance the safeguarding of the entire school.

Student vehicles
Unfortunately, we are unable to allow Sixth Formers to park their cars or mopeds on the school site.

Year 12
Year 12 are working hard and lots of staff are commending them for recognition. See this week’s Year 12 shout outs below:

Year 12 Shout Outs:

• Well done to the following students for a great start in A-Level German! Ellie Wilcox, Marta Garafolo, Aliya Georgi, Sophie Conlon and Lucy Austin. Miss Dixon
• Shout out to all the Year 12’s that did a resit of their baseline maths assessment on Thursday. They have all shown great resilience and most pupils improved their scores by around 20%. Mrs Price

HOY Awards

• Molly Baker 12Lv: For excellent progress in all her subjects
• Jay Richards 12BKi: For showing maturity and being proactive asking for help via Google Classrooms.

Career Ready

We would also like to remind students about the “Career Ready” programme which is aimed at students who do not want to attend university. Final interest for this needs to be registered with Miss Cox by the end of the week.

Year 13
UCAS Dates
Students should continue to submit their personal statements to their form tutor for support and checking. We published the full list of UCAS dates in last week’s main newsletter but the most pressing dates are here for your reference. It is vital Year 13 students meet our internal deadlines to ensure staff have sufficient time to support with applications.

 Year 13 mocks
A reminder that Year 13 mocks will take place on the week commencing Monday 9^th November. Students will have a two week revision period preceding these mocks and will be informed about the specific requirements of each subject in the coming weeks. We will give further details and the exam timetable soon.

Year 13 Shout Outs:

A huge well done on a fantastic start back to your History A Level. I have been incredibly impressed with your commitment and resilience starting back this year. In particular a well done to Arlo, Enrico, Ollie and Daisy for some fantastic analysis and contributions in lessons. Drawing in your year 12 knowledge nicely too. Fab stuff. – Miss Daswani

HOY Awards

• Madia Harvey 13Bm: F or continued outstanding effort and preparation towards her studies
• John Li 13Yg/Gl: For continued academic excellence and mature approach to his studies

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship is entitled Fighting for Justice and is inspired by the life and work of Simon Wiesenthal. Our daily quotes are all on the school value of Justice.

“Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice.” Albert Einstein; German-born theoretical physicist

In addition to the Newsletter this week and my Monday bulletin to parents, I wanted to take this opportunity to write and give you an update on both attendance at school and the work of the Unity Fund at Archbishop’s.

However to start with, I would like to thank families for their ongoing support in ensuring that the start of term is calm, safe and successful.  This has included, this week, the transition to wearing face coverings inside the building where we cannot socially distance effectively.  I am pleased to report that the vast majority of students are now wearing face coverings and actively supporting this whole school push.  Please remember if there is a genuine reason why your son or daughter cannot wear a face covering please contact your Head of Year.

Attendance
We really hope that the return to school for your children has been successful and that they are happy to be back in classrooms and seeing their friends again.  From the school’s perspective we are delighted to have everyone back and proud of the way we are working together as a school community.  As you would expect my dual focus at present is ensuring that we are doing everything possible to make sure our school is as safe as it can be and linked to this supporting families to feel confident to send their children back to school.  As you know, since the government announced the return to school for all students, we have put in place a wide range of measures to minimise the risks of Covid-19.  These include: the bubbling of Year groups, zoning year groups, hand washing, enhanced cleaning, face coverings and not allowing anyone onto the school site with Covid-19 symptoms. Whilst we cannot promise that someone connected to school will not catch Covid-19, I can say whole heartedly that school has done everything possible to ensure that it is a safe environment for all our students.

As such, I would stress the importance of children being in school unless they are displaying symptoms of Covid-19.

I hope the information below and the attached correspondence from the NHS relating to Test and Trace will provide helpful information to families.

NHS

Differences between a cold, flu and Coronavirus
As the weather changes and we bring together our students, the normal colds that are experienced each year are starting.  It is very important to recognise that not everyone who has a cough is displaying Covid-19 symptoms. As a result we are asking that all parents/carers read the BBC article (and watch the video included) entitled ‘Covid symptoms: Is it a cold, flu or Coronavirus? (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54145299).  It explains:

“If you have a cold or flu you may well have a cough, along with other symptoms.

Flu usually comes on suddenly and sufferers will often experience muscle aches, chills, headaches, tiredness, a sore throat and a runny or stuffed nose, along with the cough. It feels worse than a heavy cold.

Colds tend to develop more gradually and are less severe, although they do still make you feel unwell. Along with a cough, there may be sneezing and a sore throat and runny nose. Fever, chills, muscle aches and headaches are rare.

A Coronavirus cough means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing fits or “episodes” in 24 hours.

If you usually have a cough because of a long-standing medical condition like COPD, it may be worse than usual.

You should get tested for Coronavirus if you develop a new, continuous cough.”

Concerns over your child’s safety
We understand that you might have concerns over your child being safe in school.  However as a school we have done everything possible to alleviate this risk. Even in the current circumstances It is important that your child attends school. You need to read very carefully the government’s guidance and the measures we have put in place to minimise risks (https://archbishopholgates.academy/covid-19/).  If you are still concerned, please contact your child’s Head of Year to discuss your concerns.  We will do everything we can to help you feel better and more confident in the measures the school has in place.  We ask that all parents continue to work with school and do not keep your child off for illnesses that you would normally send them to school with.

Procedures for absence
If your child is too ill to attend school, you must inform school each day, by either:

• Phoning 01904 411341
• Emailing reception@archbishopholgates.org
• Using the school app

Please help by contacting school by 8.30am each morning, this will save us from having to contact you (which we have to do under our safeguarding procedures).

Attached is a simple flowchart to help you decide if your child should attend school.

If you have any questions, please do contact your child’s Head of Year.

Unity Fund Update
We have had a number of new parents to school ask about the Unity Fund we refer to in our bulletins.  Hopefully the information below from the team should help to explain its origin and purpose:

In October 2018 three members of AHS decided to fund raise, so that they could offer small acts of kindness to those who not only attended the school, but also to the wider community. The whole school got behind them, and AHS has its first school Christmas Fayre. With a mixture of outside stall holders, school run pitches and a pop-up café staffed by the school association, the sum of £1,600 was raised, which in turn was priced matched by Aviva.

Initially small sums no larger than £50 were spent on items such as pencil cases, maths equipment, reading books, shoes and even haircuts. The local foodbank was given a boost, in terms of money, plus liaising with the team so that the school could provide items not readily donated such as toiletries and washing powder. Small community events were funded, coffee mornings for the elderly to combat loneliness, and an EAL afternoon tea to enable those parents who might struggle due to a language barrier come together, make friends and meet staff.

Since the corona virus hit, it became apparent that the needs of students and their families were of a more serious nature. Families who were coping, suddenly found themselves struggling financially through no fault of their own. The term ‘Working Poor’ became a reality for a lot of our families, so we advertised to parents that there was a small amount of money available for those in need. Requests came in immediately by those struggling to feed their families, and realising the Unity fund was about to run out of money, the team needed to think about how to raise funds quickly during lockdown. A Just Giving Page was set up, initially only viewed by staff. However, staff sent details about how to donate to their friends and families, and soon lots of people from our wider community helped out, including former pupils. We are incredibly proud of the community support we received here.

The Unity Fund has now changed from offering treats and rewards to providing basic needs. We now have a toiletry bank in school. Students in need are given a drawstring bag with items tailored to them, and can return the bag with a request for extra items when the toiletries run out. We can’t kit out full uniforms, but we can provide help to purchase some of it in terms of vouchers. There is also a small amount of donated uniform items available in school. The Unity Fund can top this up when stocks run low, as well as sending out pleas to parents reminding them that we can rehome unwanted, good quality uniform. The great thing about Unity Fund being run ‘in house’ means that we can make sure that families not only get the help they need, but quickly.

In short, a fund set up to enable us to offer random acts of kindness has become more than that. It is, and will continue to be a lifeline for those who need it. Please ask for help if you need it, the majority of requests are met. All requests are treated with the greatest confidence and we aim to get back to you within three days wherever possible.

The Unity Team led by Katie Robinson (Office Manager), Karen Cobb (Food Technician) and Sara Murphy (Librarian) are immensely proud to be part of a school community who unite in doing what they can to help each other out in times of crisis, but are also proud of the fact that parents trust the school enough in times of vulnerability, to be able to come forward and ask for help. If you would like to donate a small amount to the Unity fund, you can do so using the following link (Put  link here) Every penny donated will go directly to helping those in need, namely, The Working Poor.

If you feel that you need support, please do be in touch with school via the emails below and we will do our best to help.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

As outlined earlier it’s important to that we try our get to get an appropriate balance at this time, one that allows students to have the most normal experience possible, enjoying being in school and benefiting from high quality teaching. Hopefully this bulletin will give you a sense of how we are trying to do this. I have also attached the Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter so families can see what is going on across our schools.

Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter 18.09.20

Supporting  Families
Please remember that the school has the AHS Unity Fund  and if f you are struggling to afford uniform and other essentials there may be assistance available. Any contact with school will obviously be treated in an anonymous and discrete manner.  If you feel that you need support, please do be in touch with school via the emails below and we will do our best to help.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

In terms of Free School Meals applications we are now trialling our own system at AHS which we hope will be quicker than also involving the Local Authority. As you if you wish to make an application please can you follow the link below:

https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims

Student Wellbeing
We appreciate the positive feedback we are receiving about the well-being resources we are using at the start of each day. We will continue to do this as well as including relevant information in this bulletin.

 Our students are now heading into Week 3 of a 7 week half-term and will be starting to feel the full effects of being back at school full time! Navigating so many changes – adapting back to ‘academic life’, getting to grips with different structures within school, new health and safety measures both in and out of school, as well as hearing news reports about rising coronavirus cases can all lead young people to feel anxious. With this in mind, we thought it was worth flagging up to parents/guardians that the NHS has a website that can help: Every Mind Matters. As this organisation acknowledges:

“It’s fair to say 2020 has not exactly been easy, and many of us are feeling uncertain or anxious about the future. But there’s loads of things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing, and taking any time you can for self-care is massively important, especially now.

Knowing what steps we can take to support our mental wellbeing can help us feel better, sleep better and have better relationships with the people around us – and that goes not just for today but for the future too.”

The Every Child Matters website contains some self-care videos, which parents/guardians might find useful to look at alone, or with teenagers, in order to help them manage their mental health. These videos contain all sorts of tips on exercise, sleep and how to take care of yourself on social media. There are also links which signpost where those who are finding things particularly hard, or who have additional needs, can find support with the issues they’re facing. These videos are located here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/youth-mental-health/

Additionally, the organisation also offers the following ‘Top Tips’ to those who want to support young people with their mental health:

• Allow and encourage them to talk about their feelings
• Help them manage unhelpful thoughts – i.e. reframe their thinking and/or help them to put things into context/see the bigger picture
• Encourage their interests – hobbies and activities are great ways to encourage mindfulness, as we tend to ‘get lost in the moment’ when we’re doing something we enjoy and forget about our worries*

*At school we’re launching our Extra-Curricular TT this week and, whilst it’s predominantly aimed at Yr7-9 for now (and is reduced because of Covid), there are still a range of activities for students to get involved with. We hope to be able to add to this further after half-term and will keep everyone updated – you and your children – regarding what’s on offer. We strongly encourage our students to get involved in these activities where they can to help bolster their mental wellbeing!

As we’ve discussed previously, here at school, we’re also keep to promote positive mental and physical health in our students, and really want to emphasise how good wellbeing can help them remain resilient and calm. Each day focuses on a different aspect of wellbeing, with ‘Thought-Provoking Tuesday’ considering how we can motivate and inspire ourselves.  Sometimes we’ll read something that has a profound effect on us; it really makes us think and reflect. And, inspirational/motivational quotes can be great things to read and think about whenever we need a boost! Here is this week’s quote that KS5 students will be asked to consider, as well as some questions for them to answer:

• Who do you try to impress? Why?
• Where does this pressure to impress come from?
• How does working to impress people make you feel?
• Why might your time and energy be better spent trying to make something of yourself?

Extra-Curricular information
Even in the current climate we still want where possible our students to be able to access extra-curricular opportunities. At the moment the staggered school day, with lessons going on at all times, makes it impossible to do any extra-curricular activities at lunchtime. Instead we have put together a range of activities for after school. These are outlined below and in the attached extra-curricular timetable. We look forward to seeing students here.

AHS Extra Curricular Timetable AUTUMN TERM

Below is more detail around the music provision in place. The Music team have worked incredibly hard to ensure all health and safety measures have been met.

Extra-curricular Music timetable 2020 21

Period 6
An important part of our Catch-up plan is giving students as much access to additional teaching and learning as possible. We have for many years run Period 6 for Y11 and Post 16 students but this year are expanding this to Y10 also. We have made the decision in the first instance for Y11 to focus on their Option subjects that have less taught time and for Year 10 to benefit from additional Maths, English and Science. This additional input from their teachers will be valuable to students as they continue with their GCSE studies.

For Year 11, period 6 is now running in a range of subjects as detailed below:

*Rooms for engineering and music will be confirmed in Monday’s Year 11 notices.

For Year 10, English starts this week on Thursday (24^th September) after school and is open to all students. Details of Maths and Science will follow shortly.

Rewards
I’m pleased to say that the Head of year Awards have returned. This week’s winners are:

Updates from Heads of Year
Please find below the weekly update from each Head of Year.

From the Year 7 team
We have had another wonderful week in Year 7, the students are really starting to settle in and become part of our community. It is so wonderful to start to see students coming out of their shells and show their personalities. However, I must say this is still within the remit of outstanding behaviour, it is my absolute pleasure to walk around the Year 7 block. In the Year 7 block, not only does it have excellent facilities but it is an utter delight to see children learning and thoroughly thriving in the classroom. It is absolutely evident that students are thrilled to be back in school and teachers are overjoyed to be back doing what they love. This culminates in smiles, hard work and exceptional outcomes.

What I am most proud of this week is the embodiment of the values I am seeing at break and lunch times. It is clear that some students have picked up their routine more easily than others and the comradery and team week in supporting each other has been phenomenal. Students are so rarely lost or alone because there is always a compassionate child ready to support them.

In addition to this, I love to reward excellent behaviour. Each week we present Form Tutor Awards, they receive a certificate and two stamps and the Head of Year Awards, they receive a certificate, £5 Amazon voucher and two stamps.

Our Head of Year Awards this week go to:
Cream Sunrtornaswet: Well done for consistently going above and beyond to help your teachers, always living the school value of compassion and all round illustrating excellent behaviour. Keep it up, Miss Kincell.
Tameem Alrehaily: Well done for taking care of a new student, you have thoroughly lived the values and shown how our school community works. Keep it up, Miss Kincell.

Our Form Tutor Awards go to:
7Gr – Alfred Davies
7Hv– Ava Welsh
7Cmp– Morgan Foster
7Cm– Natalie Bowler
7Bl– Grace Smith
7Cad– Riley Mulhearn
7Mr– Rhys Hutchinson
7Hf– Ben Wells
7Cy– Libby Lynch
7Wno– Avra Wright
7Nth– Holly Hunter

 Miss Greenhalgh’s Lunch time Superstars- our Pastoral Support Worker Miss Greenhalgh has been so impressed with the excellent behaviour she has seen on the field and sense of community so she would love to reward those who are showing the school values. Whenever Miss Greenhalgh is happy with what she sees you will receive a token, when you collect three you will receive a voucher for a free snack at break.

 This week in assembly we have focused on ‘The AHS Journey’. The Year 7s are the start of the Journey- J. The J in Journey means joining in, and we want Year 7 to join in as much as they can. We understand that they can’t ‘join in’ in the way they usually would be able to, and we really sympathise. But we want to keep encouraging that the way to ‘Join in’ is to chat to ‘a friend you haven’t met yet’, say hello to someone you haven’t spoken to yet. That is my challenge for everyone this week, say hello to someone new and ask about their week and first couple of weeks at school. If you do this, tell your form tutor and ask for a stamp.

Key notices this week:
Bewerley Park- all students who would like to go on the Bewerley Park Residential should have now handed in their consent form and paid their deposit. If you have any concerns about this please don’t hesitate to contact us.

 Alongside familiarising students with routines and expectations, we also have a key focus on ensuring that children feel safe and secure in school under the current circumstances. In line with government guidance, we are now asking students wear face coverings during indoor lesson transitions. This is to complement the already rigorous system of hand washing and sanitising that has been embedded into the daily routine of the school.

As always, if you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards, Ashleigh Kincell and Lauren Greenhalgh

From the Year 8 team
Greetings all! Year 8 have now completed their first full week in school, and it has been wonderful to bring back some semblance of normality with students back in the classroom making good progress. The Year 8 Pastoral Team, along with staff all across the school, are working very hard to ensure students are back into good routines and meeting the basic expectations of the school. I am delighted to say that the majority of students have settled in well, and are enjoying being back in the classroom after a six month hiatus.

Alongside re-familiarising students with old routines and expectations, we also have a key focus on ensuring that children feel safe and secure in school under the current circumstances. In line with government guidance, we are now asking students wear face coverings when out in corridors. In particular, this should be done on the RE/MFL Corridor between lessons and going to and from break and lunch. This is to complement the already rigorous system of hand washing and sanitising that has been embedded into the daily routine of the school.

In other news, next week’s Act of Collective Worship has a key focus on ‘Social Skills’, particularly how to cope when friendships go wrong. This is a perfect example of how we hope to, through a student’s progress through the ‘AHS Journey’, foster life skills that will help them both in and out of school. This Collective Worship is designed to promote the virtues of patience, tolerance and inclusion, whilst harnessing the skills of conflict resolution when things do go wrong within friendship groups. This echoes the words of Peter Chapter 3, Verse 8, “…all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other as brothers. Be kind and humble.”

However, if students are really struggling in school with any issues, they can speak to their form tutor, myself or Mr Deamer as the Pastoral Support Worker, and we can offer help and support to resolve issues in school.

As always, if you have any concerns regarding your child in Year 8, please contact me on aarthur@archbishopholgates.org.

Best wishes, Mr Arthur and Mr Deamer

From the Year 9 team
‘In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity’ Albert Einstein. I feel this quote by Einstein fully reflects the attitude shown by year 9 In their first full week back at school. The enthusiasm shown by the students toward their subjects  (new and old) has been really wonderful to see, and Miss Clark and I have been overjoyed to hear the extremely positive feedback we have received from their teachers. The Year 9 focus of the school journey is ‘understanding yourself and others’ and already the year group have begun to display this by supporting each other as they settle into school. This week many of the students have begun their ‘Arts Award lessons’ which is an excellent opportunity to keep studying and enjoying aspects of the curriculum they may not have been able to take with them into their transition year. This week I witnessed some excellent musical creations and some wonderful culinary skills, although the unwillingness to share the lemon tarts with their Head of Year did not go unnoticed! I hope the students continue to enjoy these lessons, and I’m sure they will continue to make the most of this excellent opportunity.

The Year 9 Pastoral Team, along with staff all across the school, are working very hard to ensure students are back into good routines and meeting the basic expectations of the school. With this in mind I would like to politely remind parents of the expectations around school uniform. Students must not wear any jewellery while in school (apart from two plain studs in ears) and skirts and trousers must be in line with school policy. For further clarification on this matter, please see our school website or feel free to contact myself or Miss Clark.

Alongside re-familiarising students with old routines and expectations, we also have a key focus on ensuring that children feel safe and secure in school under the current circumstances. In line with government guidance, we are now asking students to wear face coverings when out in corridors. This is to complement the already rigorous system of hand washing and sanitising that has been embedded into the daily routine of the school.

I’m sure Year 9 will continue to turn challenge into opportunity as we progress through the year, and once again I congratulate them on the excellent start they have made to the school year.

Mr Avery and Miss Clarke

From the Year 10 team
How lovely are your young people. I have been incredibly impressed and humbled by the compassion, care, camaraderie and cooperation of our Y10 students at the start of this very strange academic year.

The energy, positivity and humour that is being shown as we meander our way through government edicts, tweaks to the school day and staff running between classrooms, makes me proud of each and every one of them ~ and I hope you, in turn are incredibly proud of the way your children (teenagers!) are coping. 

There are a few minor teething issues which we need to tweak and your help in doing this is much appreciated; so, a reminder:

1. Uniform skirts need to be knee length and not body con please
2. Ideally masks need to be worn in the Harris block corridors during changeover of lessons
3. All detentions are after school until 4pm, for missed homework, lateness to school and choosing to be defiant or disruptive. Please support this.

The good news it that our Covid Curriculum Catch-up Classes are beginning this week. Hurrah. On Thursday the English department will begin these sessions, followed later in the term by Maths and Science with options subjects looking to do something in the new year.

There is a computer room (Business Studies 1) available until 4pm after school for any Y10 student who would like to complete google classroom homework (or any other homework) in school. Please do email or phone in and let us know if there are bumps in the road with the google classroom homework.

And if any of you can think of a catchier name than “Covid Curriculum Catch-up Classes” then there is a box of chocolates in it. As ever, any questions, queries, critiques or compliments then please phone (01904 411341) or email (hturvey@archbishopholgates.org)

In line with government guidance, we are now asking students to wear face coverings when out in corridors. This is to complement the already rigorous system of hand washing and sanitising that has been embedded into the daily routine of the school.

Miss Turvey, Mr Stevens and Mrs Stead

From the Year 11 team
We have now had our first full week of school and the vast majority of our cohort have continued to impress. I know that the good weather helps, but I very much enjoy the mornings where our year group enter by our exclusive  entrance enabling those of us on duty to speak to as many of them individually as possible. It also provides an opportunity  for us to answer and questions or queries they may have before school. I have been delighted  with the politeness and social maturity  most of them are showing.  The old ‘Gold Award’  has been renamed as the ‘Head of Year award and it was award in the first week to Benji Sellers and Lily Doyle. In our ACW we looked at a clip with the title  ‘Walking on Water’ and how that could possibly be achieved, and the consequences of that – some very amusing- and linked it to the year 11 context of believing in yourself, focusing on yourself and seeking help when needed. Next week , form tutors will deliver a specially prepared power point  referencing our IAG day – preparation for 6^th form choices and then they will pick their taster sessions on the Wednesday. There were numerous positive comments from staff this week and I’ve picked one to finish with: A great start from my group learning the tricky topic of circle theorems. As always, they are a pleasure to teach.

In line with government guidance, we are now asking students to wear face coverings when they are on the Science corridors. This is to complement the already rigorous system of hand washing and sanitising that has been embedded into the daily routine of the school.

Mrs Avey, Mrs Mennell and Mrs Hirst

From the Sixth Form team
Sixth Form continue to work hard and settle back into Post 16 study. The Sixth Form leadership team have met with lots of students in both Year 12 and Year 13 to ensure their progression routes are right for them, and they have the best chance of succeeding. Students should now be settled in the correct classes and we will only make subject changes in special cases. It is important all students remain committed to their current choices and we will support students where individual issues arise.  

Students are forming strong relationships with form tutors and there have been some excellent form contributions, including lively University Challenge events each Friday. Students are also enjoying our new well-being materials in morning form time. Students are now entering forms from 8:30 and must be in form time by 8:45. Time keeping and punctuality has been excellent so far.

Both Year 12 and Year 13 collective worship focused on our collective responsibility as a Sixth Form to keep everyone safe. We discussed our responsibilities to make choices, be aware of our surrounding and the complex range of feelings and attitudes in this difficult circumstances.

We also discussed practical arrangements in Sixth Form. We are continually reflecting upon what we can do to improve our working environment. It is important Sixth Form students do the following:

• Move in groups of six or fewer when they are not on the school site. At the end of the school day, students should avoid gathering in larger groups.
• Wear a face covering in corridors during lesson movement, break and lunch. This is currently strongly recommended.
• Increasing indoor social space. As of Monday, we will be opening several classrooms within the Sixth Form bubble for students to use at lunchtime and break time. These will have a maximum capacity appropriate for the room size and students will be asked to leave if they are not respecting this. Students will also need to ensure they take responsibility for the tidiness of these rooms during this time.

Many students have started to purchase Chromebooks through our school portal. We would encourage families to make the most of this. The portal for purchasing Chromebooks can be found here https://ahs.store.academia.co.uk/, which includes Frequently Asked Questions and more details about how the system works.  In short, it allows parents to purchase for their child a device using a range of options, including the option to pay the cost over a period of time.   We will also arrange delivery to school to save parents a charge for delivery.

Finally, I would like to give parents advanced warning about our upcoming IAG day (Information, advice and guidance day) for Year 11. This will take place on Friday 16^th October. This is a really important day for Year 11 students to sample Sixth Form life. Due to this, we traditionally give Year 12 and Year 13 an independent study day at home to facilitate this. All work for this day will be set on Google Classrooms. Further information will follow in due course.

As ever, if you have any concerns or queries, please do not hesitate to contact either myself, Miss Cox or Mr Charlton directly.

Mr Mike Williams (Director of Sixth Form)

Year 12
We’ve had a fantastic week in sixth form this week. I’m proud to celebrate this week’s Head of Year awards – Lucy Austin and Peter Macfarlane who have both settled in really well, representing sixth form in filming showing a commitment to sixth form community and values. I also had a lovely discussion with Miss Daswani about how well the 12C History class are doing. Feedback from form tutors and teaching staff has been really positive. Google Classrooms are up and running, which means we can be much more interactive in SFS and in the personalisation of homework – if your child would like to take advantage of the Chromebook Scheme, please ask them to come and see us for more information. The big push this week is students taking responsibility to protect themselves and others by following the safety measures in place, (i.e. hand sanitation, social distancing when possible and wearing face coverings in corridors) and following the Government guidelines outside of school, especially the rule of 6. We are excited to be planning for the IAG and y11 taster days to really showcase what sixth from can offer – more information to follow in future weeks.

Miss Cox, Head of Year 12

Year 13
All students have been working on a personal statement over summer and will develop this with the assistance of their form tutor and the wider sixth form staff. We encourage all students to complete a UCAS application as they consider the options available to them. For students considering applying to Oxford or Cambridge university, or courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary, please note that these have much earlier deadlines and completing their application needs to be a top priority this half term. The school deadline for registering for Oxbridge tests is Friday 25^th September. It is vital you see Mr Charlton next week if you are intending to apply for either Oxbridge or Cambridge. You will need to provide:

• Name
• DOB
• Email address
• UCAS Number
• Test requested
• University, Course & College if applicable

For other students considering university as a progression route we are delighted to promote ‘Meet the Russell Group’, a virtual event in association with UK University Search, on Wednesday 7 October, 12:00 to 18:00. We encourage students to access this event after school where they will have the opportunity to explore all 24 Russell Group universities and chat directly to their representatives and ambassadors. Register here:

https://russellgroup.vfairs.com/en/

We will of course continue to share resources and information on other progression routes, and encourage students to maintain an update to date CV and covering letter to assist with apprenticeship and employment opportunities.

 To keep up to date with all Sixth Form news please follow @AHSSixth_Form on twitter.

Mr Charlton, Head of Year 13

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship is entitled ‘Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow’ and is inspired by a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt. Our daily quotes are linked to the theme of ‘Living in the Present’.

“One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.” – Michael Cibenko

Thank you – I would like to begin by thanking parents, students and staff for the combined efforts to make the first two weeks of term the success they have been. I appreciate the support that school is receiving and the calm, cautious and collective approach the school community is taking at this time. As a school we are striving to ensure that:

– School is as safe as possible for staff and students and that systems and structures will limit the impact of any potential Covid cases
– Within this context students have the most normal experience possible, enjoying being in school and benefiting from high quality teaching

Achieving both these things is important and we are working extremely hard to ensure we achieve this balance. Families will receive two bulletins today the first dedicated to ongoing safety measure and the second including our plans to safely begin extracurricular activities and intervention plans to help students catch up and get ahead. Parents would expect no less from our school.

Control Measures – In terms of the control measures school has put in place to ensure we are Covid Secure (shared in the bulletin last week) I am confident these are strong and robust. These include the zoning of school, extensive hand washing, monitoring movement between lessons, staggering break and lunches and ensuring that all specialist classrooms are timetabled with sufficient time to clean thoroughly between use. Myself and colleagues have spent all of the first two weeks monitoring and adapting these arrangements and whilst there are still some small areas to further develop all the planning we have put in place over the past months is paying dividends. One example would be our ability to safely provide all children in school with the opportunity to have hot food twice a day. Indeed I’ve had many conversations with students who are asking me to retain the break and lunch arrangements once we are through the current situation!

I would refer parents to an extract from the latest correspondence sent out by CYC. We believe we have done all this and more.

York schools are now at the end of the second week of the new term.  The council, multi-academy trusts, schools and colleagues in Public Health are working together to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infection and it is really pleasing that the proportion of pupils who are back at school in York is higher than the national average.

 It is important to remember that, because all schools are different in terms of their size, the nature of their buildings and their locations, the measures they take and the procedures they operate under vary quite widely. However all schools are implementing protective measures which are set out in national guidance, especially high standards of hygiene and cleaning. Pupils are encouraged to thoroughly wash their hands on a regular basis and to make use of sanitiser which is provided. Schools have introduced extra cleaning routines, including of contact surfaces and things which are regularly touched such as door handles

Face Coverings – However I have spent a great deal of time over recent days reflecting carefully on the one area where we could achieve greater compliance, that being wearing face coverings at appropriate times. Over the last 10 years as Head of the school I have prided myself on always following guidance and the importance of individual choice. However, I find myself challenged in this regard at the moment. As a school we have followed the advice from Public Health York to ‘strongly advise’ the wearing of face coverings in communal areas where social distancing is not possible. However because the element of choice is there and perhaps because of the success of our other control measures  many students are not choosing to wear a face covering. Talking to students both in Y11 and Post 16 during the week they are very politely telling me that they will wear a face covering but only if we tell them that they must do this.

As such I have concluded that if there is something more we can do as the confirmed number of Covid-19 cases both locally and nationally increase then we should. Therefore:

I am writing to inform parents that unless there are specific reasons why individual students cannot wear face coverings we are now asking them to do so in communal areas of school.

Information specific to each year group is included below the general rule from Monday whilst inside is:

In terms of specific year group information regarding their zones of school:

Year 7:       On the corridors of the Maths building
Year 8:       On the corridors of the RE and MFL corridors
Year 9:       On the corridors in History and Technology
Year 10:     On the corridors of the English block,
Year 11:     On the Science corridors
Post 16:     On the corridors in the 6^th Form building

Students should also wear their masks on the way to break and lunch when inside the building or when they are unable to socially distance and in social areas unless eating or facing forwards. Heads of Year will walk through the finer details with their year groups at the start of next week.

This view is supported by the most recent communication from Public Health:

Finally, a face mask is essential equipment for young people of secondary school age. They must be used on school and public transport,  in shops and in other public buildings. All secondary schools have adopted the strong recommendation from the council’s Director of Public Health that pupils should wear face coverings in communal areas of schools – essentially this means anywhere inside school buildings except classrooms and at any time other than when eating.

On Monday and Tuesday next week form tutors will explain this further to students and class teachers will remind students at the end of each lesson to put on their masks as appropriate. I know also that Miss Kincell and Year 7 is beginning a competion in terms of facw mask design, it is things like this that will help this to be a normal part fo life at school. As such I would be grateful if you could reinforce this message with your children and ensure that they have a face covering with them each day. As ever if you have any questions please contact school. Also if there are specific reasons why your children should not wear a face covering please contact your child’s Head of Year by phoning 01904 411341.

I appreciate your support with this matter. Please could you ensure that your sons and daughter have a face covering with them each and every day.

Code of Responsibility – On Monday we are launching our Code of Responsibility with our staff and students, which aims to simplify what everyone can do to minimise risk.  We are asking that all members of our school community support each other by following these principles.

Attendance – The last 2 weeks have shown very clearly the benefit to our students of returning to school.  It is wonderful to see them learning, smiling and socialising again.  We recognise that sending your child to school can be worrying at the moment, but must stress:

• We are doing everything we can to minimise the risks of COVID-19 within the school and the local community
• If we do unfortunately have a case, our prime concern will be the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our school community.
• Your child is benefiting from being back at school, not just academically, but socially and mentally.  We are doing everything we possibly can to support them.
• Students who are not in school, will find the return harder and potentially will suffer more in the long run.

Making the decision if your child should attend school is difficult at the moment.  The easy method is to ask yourself, would you have ‘pre-COVID’ sent your child to school if they had a cold or felt under the weather.  If so, they should be attending.  Working out the difference between a normal cold and COVID is worrying many of our parents.  The BBC has made a very helpful article entitled ‘Covid symptoms: Is it a cold, flu or coronavirus? (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54145299) .  It is not unexpected that we will all have a cough over the next few months, so correctly identifying the difference between the common cold and COVID is very important.

We do ask that:

• If your child has COVID symptoms, they stay at home, get a test and you inform the school.
• If you are worried and anxious about sending your child to school, you are honest and speak to your child’s Head of Year.  We understand your concerns and it is easier to help if you talk to us.
• If your child has an illness, you MUST contact the school EVERYDAY your child is absent.

We hope the following flowchart helps:

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask. I would reiterate that we are enjoying having students back at school and seeing them benefit from engaging again with school life. This will be the focus of the second bulletin today.

Collective Worship
This week our Form Tutor Collective Worship is entitled ‘Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow’ and is inspired by a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt. Our daily quotes are linked to the theme of ‘Living in the Present’.

“One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.” – Michael Cibenko

I hope families have enjoyed the weekend after the first week back at school for all students.  I imagine that there were lots of tired students (and staff) on Friday evening!  I’m incredibly proud of how both students and staff responded throughout the week and adapted to the changes that have needed to be put in place to ensure the school is safe and secure, but without losing its sense of warmth and community.  Last Monday I spoke to staff about turning the challenges we face into opportunities and how a positive approach in all areas will make a real difference and bring with it a real sense of reward.  I’ve attached below one of the slides I used to stress the importance of this.

In truth, the main objective last week was to do everything possible to ensure that when students left on Friday they felt happy and positive about their week.  I have to confess that I achieved nothing in the way of ‘real work’, simply walking around and around school being positive and looking for areas that we could improve further.  There is certainly more we can do and lessons we can learn from last week, but overall I am very pleased with how things went, a reward for the months of planning previously.  I’m looking forward to reinforcing these positive messages in Chapel over the next two weeks.

Covid Secure School
I have attached a summary document for your consideration that highlights some of the protective arrangements we put in place prior to the start of term.  Some of these will require further tweaks over the coming weeks, but the majority of what we planned worked as expected.  I was especially pleased with the zoning of students, the extensive hand washing we were able to maintain throughout the week, as well as the staggered breaks and lunches which in all honesty were possibly better than our previous arrangements with food served for all year groups twice a day with much reduced queues and more extensive social spaces.

Protective measure @ Archbishop Holgates

No matter how much we plan there are always things that you don’t think about.  For example, Y11 have the majority of their lessons in Science classrooms and I had not considered the impact on their posture of sitting on stools for five hours a day.  I spoke to Y11 students on Friday to tell them we have ordered new stools with backs that should rectify, all be it at a cost, this issue in the next fortnight.  The drift in on a morning has worked well, but from Tuesday will be amending slightly the finish times to allow for a greater stagger.  To these ends we will have Y7, 9 and 10 leaving at 3pm and Y8 ,11 and Post 16 at 3.10pm.  The main change is really in terms of Y10 and given their proximity to the Black Bull gate they can be off site quickly.  Last week when they were leaving at 3.10pm they were actually exiting at a similar time to Y8 who were released at 3.05pm!  We have also realised that following the summer building work the majority of Bike Sheds (all colour coordinated per year group) are at the back  of school so it makes sense for all main school bike riders to enter via the Black Bull gate.

I would also remind families that Public Health York are strongly advising the wearing of face coverings for staff and students in communal areas where social distancing is not possible.  I would like to reiterate that this is a good idea, especially in certain areas of school where corridors are less wide.  Our teachers will continue to teach from within their zone at the front of the classroom wherever possible, whilst given the different nature of their role, School Assistants are being recommended to wear either a visor or clear face mask when working closely with children.

A reminder that the main school drive is shut at the start and end of the day for vehicles to safeguard pupils moving on and off the site.  No vehicles are to move along the drive between 8.25 and 8.55 and then again from 2.55 and 3.20.  This includes staff, parents and visitors.  (The only exception is taxis picking up students.  These will arrive before the drive closes, can wait outside post 16 and then drive slowly down the drive).  I appreciate your ongoing support with this matter.

Student Wellbeing – Mrs Lambert
This week will see students navigate their first full week of school and hopefully they’re back into the swing of things already!  As we mentioned last week, every day students will get to focus on as aspect of wellbeing, differentiated for each key stage.  Today’s focus is all about mindfulness.

Being mindful means that the mind is fully focussed on what you’re doing.  Often, our minds ‘take flight’, meaning we lose focus and become engrossed in obsessive thoughts about something that’s already happened (and that we can’t necessarily do anything about) or worrying about the future.  This makes us anxious.

Mindful activities help us to focus on the here and now, because they encourage us to get lost in what we’re doing.  Remember when you were small?  You’d often spend ages drawing a picture or colouring in.  You were being mindful without even realising it!  To help all students become more mindful, those in KS3 and KS4 have activities, as well as a quote, they can complete and reflect on in their Wellbeing Booklet, whilst KS5 students have a quote to discuss with their peers.  Here is the KS4 quote from today; we hope it might help you become more mindful also!

Supporting Learning through Google Classrooms and Chromebooks
As you will be aware, during the period of lock down we used Google Classrooms as the main platform for the delivery of online learning.  Whilst it was a steep learning curve, we are really pleased with the provision we managed to develop and feel convinced BY the substantial benefits that Google Classroom can bring.  Whilst we will obviously work extremely hard to keep the school open, Google Classroom would be the platform we return to, should any year group or full school closure be necessary.  The Department for Education have been clear that we must have an online curriculum ready for any child who is self-isolating or shielding to access and again for this we will use Google Classroom.  With this in mind, we have moved the setting of homework for Years 9-11 to Google Classrooms.  In order to make sure all students in these year groups can access Google Classroom for their homework, we have the following provision:

1. All students who are in receipt of the Pupil Premium will receive a device from school.  This will be on loan to the student for their time at AHS.
2. Homework clubs will run for all year groups, with devices available for students who need them.
3. We have worked with a partner to set up an IT Portal, where parents can purchase a Chromebook using a monthly payment system (more details below).

The portal for purchasing Chromebooks can be found here https://ahs.store.academia.co.uk/, which includes Frequently Asked Questions and more details about how the system works.  In short, it allows parents to purchase a device for their child using a range of options, including the option to pay the cost over a period of time.  We will also arrange delivery to school to save parents a charge for delivery.

Weekly updates from each Year team
From the Year 7 team..
Miss Greenhalgh and I are absolutely thrilled to have finally met our new year group.  We were promised an outstanding cohort by Year 6 teachers and we have not been let down.  We have spent so long anticipating this past week and I can honestly say I am so proud to be their Head of Year- the maturity and living of our school values this week, especially within a challenging climate, has been phenomenal. 

Our attendance last week was 99.3%, this is an absolutely outstanding attendance and has utterly illustrated how much our students have enjoyed school.  I stand every morning 8.15-8.45 welcoming every student, every morning I have been met with smiles, excitement and with every passing day less and less nerves!  As such, each Year 7 student is going to receive a positive stamp in their planner and I hope this trend continues. 

This week I can honestly say students have worked so hard to meet our expectations and live our school values of justice, compassion, forgiveness and trust. However, moving to secondary school means learning lots of new rules – and at the moment we have even more than usual.  I have told students this week they need to simply follow my two golden rules:

1.  Always be kind
2. Always try your best  

This way, whatever happens, as mistakes sometimes occur, we can always help them to fix it.  I have chosen to focus this week upon the importance of kind words and not saying anything unkind.  I focused upon this in assembly, it’s very important to us that students have a sense of community and a sense of team work within their year group. 

Each week we announce our Head of Year Awards, these students are in the bulletin, on the achievements wall and receive a £5 amazon voucher.  Our students this week are:

– Edward Shakeshaft 7Cy : Congratulations to Edward Shakeshaft for Winning the Transition bake off with his delicious caramel cake!  Hopefully we might get a slice next time? 
– Dec Dalgleish 7Mr: A huge well done to Dec Dalgleish for an excellent first week, but especially for his outstanding work outside of school, helping to raise £4,462 for York Against Cancer and being featured in the York Press.  What an incredible illustration of our value of compassion.

As of next week students in each form will also receive the form tutor award each week. 

Key points to note this week:
– Students will begin to receive homework this week, they have a split timetable so will get half of their subjects one week and half the next.  I recommend students always attend homework club Monday-Thursday 3.10-4pm so they can complete their work on the day.
– Students riding bikes need to enter school from the Black Bull entrance please.
– If your child is Pupil Premium and they have not yet received a stationary pack please ask to speak to Miss Greenhalgh (she is in front of the maths block, and on the field every day).
– A polite reminder about earrings.  There should be one single stud in each ear.  They must be small, completely plain silver or gold, no crystals or diamonds etc. 

Overall, I couldn’t be more pleased with the behaviour and attitude of Year 7s last week and I can’t wait for the rest of the year.  Keep up the excellent work. 

From the Year 8 team…
It has been wonderful to welcome Year 8 back into school this week.  Whilst the current circumstances may feel a little strange, it is heartening to see so many students happy to be back in school and progressing with their learning.  Students in Year 8 are getting used to the new routines and settling in nicely after such a long time away.  Whilst this is the case, we are fully aware that some students may need more help and support to aid in their transition back to school.  I would strongly encourage any Year 8 students that are unsure about anything to speak to their form tutor, or come and find myself or Mr Deamer (the Year Group Pastoral Support Worker) and we will be happy to help.  Our office is on the end of the Year 8 Zone next to the stairs to the Technology Corridor.  Further to this, if you have any issues with your child in the year group and wish to speak to me, then please contact me on aarthur@archbishopholhgates.org.

Now that students are beginning to settle into the routines of the new school day, we can begin to focus on other fundamentals of school life.  Students in Year 8 will begin receiving homework from their subject teachers from next week – this will be an excellent opportunity for students to start the year in a positive routine.  If students need any help with organisation we are happy to help, or if your child wishes to attend Homework Club, then this is something I would strongly encourage.

Have a lovely weekend and we look forward to greeting Year 8 for their first full week back in school on Monday.

Mr Arthur, Acting Assistant Head and Head of Year 8

From the Year 9 team..
It’s been exciting and a relief to welcome back Year 9 this week, and wonderful to see so many happy faces around the year group.  While the current circumstances may feel a little strange, I am pleased to see students have settled in well to their lessons, displaying an eagerness to make up for lost time! However, I am aware that not all students will have found the transition back to school an easy one, and I would like to re-iterate that students are welcome to speak to their form tutor, myself or Miss Clark (Year 9 Pastoral Support Worker) should they have any anxieties while in school.

As we enter the first full week back, the focus for Year 9 will be on settling into school routines and expectations.  Student attendance, effort and time keeping has been exceptional so far, and we fully expect this to continue next week.  As you will be aware Year 9 students will be set homework from Monday, with the work being set on Google Classroom.  Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please feel free to contact either myself or Miss Clark. Homework club will be up and running next week, and we encourage students to attend this in order to keep themselves organised with homework.

Should you wish to speak with me about your child’s return to school, please feel free to contact me by either ringing school or on navery@archbishopholgates.org.

Mr Avery, Assistant Head: Student Support and Head of Year 9

From the Year 10 team…
It has been wonderful to welcome back Year 10 to school after such a long time away.  It has been a real pleasure to see so many happy faces around school, and I think it’s been a relief for both teachers, parents and students to have some normality back.  Despite the strange circumstances, and the new ‘ year group zones’ around school, it has been commendable the way Year 10 have transitioned back to full time education.  Their attendance, behaviour and resilience has been superb, and it’s been notable so many of the students are working hard to make the best possible start to their GCSE studies.  However, I am sure not all students have found the return to school easy, as great change can offer significant challenge to all of us. Therefore I’d like to offer a reminder that students who feel any anxieties at school can speak to their form tutor, Miss Turvey or Mr Stevens (Pastoral Support Worker) about any concerns they may have.

Next week is the first full week back for Year 10 students, and a wonderful opportunity to build on the excellent start they have made.  Homework will now begin to be issued to students through Google Classroom, and homework club will be back up and running to help students remain organised with this.  Homework is vital to the success of students at GCSE, and should you have any concerns or questions with this, please feel free to email either Miss Turvey or the subject teacher.

Thank you for your ongoing support with the students return to school, and please feel free to contact Miss Turvey either by phone or on hturvey@archbishopholgates.org with any questions you may have.

Mr Avery, Assistant Head: Student Support

 From the Y11 team…
Year 11 have made a fantastic start to their new year last week.  It was wonderful to see them all again and displaying such positive attitudes.  They appear to have quickly adapted to their ‘bubble’ and routines are falling into place.  The slow ’drift’ into forms on a morning has allowed extra time with form tutors which is helping to restore and strengthen relationships.  They have been making good use of the newly furnished’ funky’ common room and a member of staff has already commented that they were,’ delightful! Sensible, mature, polite, sitting distanced and no rubbish!’

I am also delighted to report that in response to feedback that many of them are finding it extremely uncomfortable sitting on stools, we are investing in high-backed stools to support their backs.

We are half way through a full week and have already had our first ACW ( Act of Collective Worship) ( Assembly in old money) where the focus was on the journey over the next year.  Whilst it will continue to have its challenges and will certainly not be linear, I hope that the students were reassured that they will get all necessary support.  The Year 11 pastoral team is now situated in an office close to them all, so they will have easy access to us.  I look forward to an equally successful second week.

Mrs Avey, Head of Y11

From the Post 16 team…
I am delighted with how the Sixth Form has conducted themselves throughout the first week.  All the teachers I have spoken to have expressed how much they have enjoyed being back in the class and teaching post-16 students.  Students have been engaged, focused and keen to learn.  Year 12 students are showing enthusiasm and commitment to their studies.  Where there have been questions or issues regarding course choices, they have approached this maturely and practically.  They have also adapted to independent study well and are utilising their free periods effectively.  Year 13 are already well under way with their studies.  The Thursday afternoon UCAS sessions during form time has put university applications at the centre of students minds.  We will be meeting all competitive admissions students over the next week to ensure they have meet all deadlines as highlighted by Mr Charlton.

Our wider curriculum programme has been lively in the last week.  Students really enjoyed their first University Challenge and competition is already hotting up.  We have also started our transition unit in Year 12 and our progression unit in Year 13. Students have also welcomed the familiarity of form time activities such as Mr Daly’s news and the weekly Thought for the Day.  We will be commencing our collective worship this week.  This will be conducted in a manner to ensure students can gather together, safely and in smaller groups, to take part in an important moment of quiet and collective worship.  Form time continues to be an important moment in the week where students can continue to come together in a community.

I will be sending out information regarding how to purchase a Chromebook to all Sixth Form students later this week.  This is a great opportunity and will benefit all students.  They will be able to use these during study periods to access Google Classrooms and independent study set on here.  If students decide not to purchase a Chromebook, they can still access these on their own devices or use computers within the Sixth Form block.

Finally, Year 13 students who do not have a lesson Monday Period 5 and Year 12 students who do not have a lesson Wednesday Period 5 can go home after PM form time.  Students must remain in school until 3.10pm on the other days.  Students are welcome to stay in Sixth Form and study in either the Library or Resource Centre after school.

Mr Williams. Assistant Head: Director of Sixth Form

What a great start to the year, the Year 12 students have been an absolute credit to our Sixth Form.  They have been mature in social times, actively engaged in lessons and have been really positive with each other – showcasing the true values of AHS. It’s been a real pleasure to see the Sixth Form Centre and the brand new Resource Centre come to life with the positive buzz of our students.  We look forward to seeing you all bright and early on Monday morning for our first full week.

Miss Cox, Head of Year 12

I was pleased to welcome back our Yr13 students last week and was delighted with their conduct and efforts in all areas of sixth form life. They have settled in well and I am looking forward to working closely with them this year to help them secure their first choice progression route and excellent subject outcomes.

 All students have been working on a personal statement over summer and will develop this with the assistance of their form tutor and the wider sixth form staff. We encourage all students to complete a UCAS application as they consider the options available to them. For students considering applying to Oxford or Cambridge university, or courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary, please note that these have much earlier deadlines and completing their application needs to be a top priority this half term.

We will of course continue to share resources and information on other progression routes, and encourage students to maintain an update to date CV and covering letter to assist with apprenticeship and employment opportunities.

Mr Charlton, Head of Year 13

Maths Update (Homework)
It’s been fantastic to welcome back all our students, and in particular to welcome the Year 7s into the Maths block.  They clearly are very impressed with Archbishop’s newest wing and appreciate having such a modern base for their year-group bubble.  As we begin setting homework next week, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share a few reminders.

Y7-10: Students are given a weekly ‘Consolidation Homework’.  This is made up of 10 questions (plus one Problem-Solving question) based on work covered last year.  The aim is to support retention and recall of the key skills vital to success in Mathematics.  To support them, all students are given a help-sheet at the beginning of each term with reminders about how to tackle each question.  If your child requires further help, they will also get a sheet directing them to Hegarty videos for each question (Y7 teachers will be giving out Hegarty Maths log-ins to students and explaining how it works next week).

Y11: The focus for the Y11s is exam practice.  Every month they will be given a full exam paper to complete (this will cover two weeks’ homework).  They are encouraged to use revision guides, online support and personal notes to help them, it is not to be done in exam conditions.  In the remaining weeks they will be given a shorter exam paper with just questions from the start of the paper.  This is to help them practise the easier questions where the key is to avoid silly mistakes.

All our students are encouraged to start their homework early so they can seek support from staff (in person or via Google Classrooms) well before the hand-in date.  If you have any questions please do get in touch.

Library Books
Thank you to all those who have returned library books borrowed prior to summer.  If you still have books at home please could you return them this week, no one will be in trouble for a late return!

Staff Quote of the Week
From my Chapel for the next two weeks…

Collective Worship
This week our form tutor collective worship is called ‘It’s Boring!!!’.  The theme for our daily quotes is Stillness.

Monday – “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”
Deepak Chopra, Indian-American physician and alternative medicine practitioner

It was good to welcome Year 7 and 12 back to school this morning.  I hope that when they return home they are able to talk about their really positive first day of term.  Of course, if there are any issues at all, please do not hesitate to contact school.  The email addresses below should be helpful:

akincell@archbishopholgates.org  (Head of Year 7)

aarthur@archbishopholgates.org  (Assistant Head Pastoral Care Year 7 and Year 8)

acox@archbishpholgates.org  (Head of Year 12)

mwilliams@archbishopholgates.org  (Director of Post 16)

reception@archbishopholgates.org
Tel: 01904 411341

Tomorrow we welcome all other year groups back into school.  Below we have included a welcome from each Head of Year, but a reminder that specific instructions for each year group about their return to school can be found on the website via the following links:

https://archbishopholgates.academy/covid-19/ – This link takes you to both general and then year group specific information about practicalities of the return to school.

https://archbishopholgates.academy/supporting-our-students-emotional-health/ – This link gives you information around our plans to support students’ emotional health when they return.

Please be reassured that senior staff will be available on arrival and throughout the day to support students in any way necessary.

Year 8 welcome from Mr Arthur
Welcome back to AHS Year 8! I very much hope you are excited and raring to go with regards to returning to school. Myself, Mr Deamer (your new Pastoral Support Worker) and your new form tutors are very excited to meet you and get going with your new school year.

It will certainly feel strange returning to school after (for some of you) 174 days! We completely understand that there might be some apprehension about what school will look like and how things will work. Just to reassure you, a lot of work has gone into not only make the school as safe as possible, but that your time in school is as enriching as it possibly can be. Should you have any concerns in school, you will of course be able to speak to your new form tutor, Mr Deamer or myself.

When you return to school, you will be starting the next stage of the AHS Journey which is ‘Opportunities’ – as a school we are working very hard to make sure you have as many opportunities as possible despite the current circumstances we find ourselves in. Furthermore, Year 8 is a very important year as we begin to think about GCSE Options for Year 9 and beyond. This process will take places between December 2020 and February 2021, but you can certainly be thinking about which subjects you would like to take and asking questions of your teachers about the kinds of things different subjects offer at GCSE. This can help to form great discussions with your family at home about what you enjoy, your hopes for the future, and what options might be the best way to get there!

I’m sure you will all have lots of questions when you return, and the first two lessons on Wednesday will be an extended form time in which you can ask them and hopefully have them answered for you. Due to the year group being ‘zoned’ around the school, your form room will be in a different place this year. On Wednesday morning when you arrive to school, whether from the main entrance or the Black Bull gate entrance, you will be directed by staff down a specific route towards the Year 8 outside social area. You can arrive any time between 8:30 and 8:45. When you arrive at the Year 8 outside area, you will be directed to wash your hands thoroughly. Then you can enter the main building and head upstairs to the Year 8 Zone where the RE and MFL classrooms are. Your form rooms will be open from 8:30 and your form tutor will be waiting to greet you. You will have been written to with information about who your new form tutor is and where your form room is. You may have even seen the welcome posted by your new form tutor on Google Classroom just before the Summer Break! Information about tutor groups can also be found on the school’s website for you to have a look at. However, if you don’t have this information, don’t worry. Just make your way to the Year 8 outside social area and myself and Mr Deamer will help you get to where you need to be.

I’m sure it will be a relief to finally get back into school and into a more ‘normal’ routine. We very much look forward to welcoming you back to Archbishop Holgate’s on Wednesday morning. Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer break!

Year 9 welcome from Mr Avery
Hello Y9, I hope you have had a restful and enjoyable summer, and I am sure you are all welcoming a return to school and a bit of normality! Miss Clark and I are really excited to see you all, and we are very interested to hear all of the exciting things you did over summer.

The last few months has been a very strange time for all of us, and it would be completely normal if you were to be feeling a little apprehensive about your return to school. However I’d like to re assure all of you loads of measures have been put in place to make school as safe as possible, and your lessons and form time will feel very much the same as it used to. Should you have any worries while in school, Miss Clark and I are more than happy to talk with you, or in the first instance you may wish to speak to your form tutor who would also be happy to chat things through.

Year 9 sees the beginning of your ‘transition year’ to becoming GCSE students, and presents you with lots of exciting opportunities. You will begin to study the subjects you have selected as part of your options, and it’s important to know that the students who achieve the best possible grade in Y11 are the ones who work hard at the beginning of their journey in Y9. On the topic of journey’s your school journey will continue to play an important role in your education this year. In Year 8 you will remember the focus was around ‘opportunities’ and in Y9 you will now focus on ‘Understanding Yourself and Others’. Throughout the year we will focus on this in a variety of ways including character and culture lessons, Industry day, cultural trips and visits to other cities and through form time activities.

Another exciting development this year is the introduction of the Arts Award. If you feel a bit sad at leaving behind some subjects you could not fit into your options then fear no more! The Arts award will allow you to spend two lessons a week studying Food Technology, Art, Music, Languages and DT. The course is designed for you to learn even more about these subjects but also to be fun and engaging. The lessons will focus more on the practical work and will ensure you still have access to all the creative subjects at school!

I’m sure you will all have lots of questions and the first few hours of Wednesday will answer those questions in extended form time. Due to the year group being ‘zoned’ around the school, your form room will be in a different place this year, and we all need to meet on Black Square between 8:30 and 8:45am to wash hands stagger into form. You will have been written to with information about your form tutor and form room, but if you don’t have this information don’t worry, just make your way to black square and myself and Miss Clark will tell you where to go.

I’m sure you are all feeling excited about a return to school, and we are all looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday. Until then stay safe and enjoy the end of your summer break.

Mr Avery and Miss Clark.

Year 10 welcome from Miss Turvey
We are looking forward to catching up with all of you and finding out your lockdown highlights. The Y10 Pastoral team of Miss Brown, Mr Bryan, Mrs Dugdale, Mr Gibson,  Mrs Hopkinson Kearney, Miss Hollinger, Mr Mansfield, Ms Metcalf,  Miss Montagu, Mr Pennock, Mrs Robertson, Mr Limbert, Mrs Stead, Mr Stevens, and Mr Williams (from science) shared some of their highlights from lockdown as spending time with family, going out running, long walks with the dog, learning to play golf and gardening.

 Last week I watched the film Invictus which stars Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, but tells the real life story of Nelson Mandela, the then President of South Africa, and his drive and ambition to successfully unite a country behind a sporting event of the Rugby Union World Cup. Despite having spent 27 years in prison during the apartheid regime in South Africa, Mandela never gave up hope and he used as his inspiration this poem: Invictus By William Earnest Henley. The Invictus Games, organised by Prince Harry,  are also based on the ideas expressed in the poem of never giving up, working hard to achieve your dreams and aspirations and facing your fears head on and never letting outside influences or your own internal doubts defeat you.

 In essence being resilient, which is the next step of your AHS journey.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning’s of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul

I look forward to celebrating your many successes and helping you learn from your failures. Miss T.

Year 11 welcome from Mrs Avey
Mrs Mennell, myself and the whole of the year 11 team are very much looking forward to welcoming our year group back into school! We feel extremely lucky and delighted  that our team of tutors has remined the same. In this new and challenging return to school, to have this degree of consistency and support for our cohort is brilliant. All the team know their tutees really well, have built up strong relationships with them over time and we think that is a fantastic advantage as we move forward into year 11. We are also delighted to welcome Ms McDermott, our deputy head for Teaching and Learning, whose expertise and knowledge  in this area is going to be invaluable in this exam year, as well as Mrs Hurst who will offer further pastoral support. We do indeed feel very optimistic about the year ahead.

Of course, the year 11’s have already demonstrated their increased maturity and commitment to their studies when the vast majority of them were able to attend for their day per week last half term. They were a credit to themselves and to you. I am hopeful that the return this week will be equally as impressive and will set the tone for a positive, hardworking, successful year where we will see them continue to develop into well rounded, responsible and caring young people who achieve the successes I know they will deserve. It is no surprise therefore that the AHS journey, year 11 is as you can see, fittingly  titled ‘Next Steps’ . They are ready for the steps that this year demands and we will do our utmost to support them with this.

The organisation of the school day and building will be different in some regards to what the year 11 experienced in the summer. It still remains important for students to wash their hands regularly, use the sanitisers before entering the classroom and at the beginning and ends of breaks, as well as maintaining social distancing where ever possible. In addition, the year 11 will be in a contained bubble primarily in the science department. Some specialist teaching will take place in other areas of the school which will be cleaned before and after school. Students will be welcomed from 8.30 onwards – tutors will be in their rooms ready to greet and welcome their students –

with the official start to the school day being 8.45am. As it is the start of a brand new school year and the whole of the school population will be returning, it is essential that basic expectations such as punctuality, attendance, wearing of the correct uniform and commitment to studies and good behaviour are met. The time will pass very quickly and there will not be a moment to spare.

 There are many unanswered questions as yet regarding what exams will look like next year. I want to impress upon our young people that we do not want them to worry about the unknown. It is our job to take that worry away and to deal with what ever arises. I want to impress upon our year 11 that they need to trust their staff. We have brilliant staff and leadership at AHS and we will all work tirelessly to  ensure that all our young people will receive everything they need in order to succeed in the summer.

We are all looking forward to what we believe will be an excellent year. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact either myself, Mrs Mennell or Mrs Hurst.

 Best wishes, Mrs Avey

Welcome back to all Year 13 students
Myself and the rest of the Sixth Form team are delighted to welcome back Year 13 after the summer. I am personally very excited about leading the Sixth Form this year and have been incredibly impressed by the maturity and focus shown by Year 12 throughout lockdown. Whilst there will be challenges this year, I feel Year 13 are in a very good position. They will make excellent progress in their final year and will fulfil their potential.

It was a pleasure to meet with many students and their families through zoom in the final week of term and have the opportunity to discuss progression into Year 13. It is important to remind families that we are in a unique position in Year 13 as we have not sat any formal mock exams yet. Mock exams will be taking place in the autumn term and more information will follow on this shortly. This means that we have had to work with each student individually to identify what the correct pathway is in Year 13. Many students will be picking up the EPQ in Year 13 and I am sure they have spent time over summer preparing for this appropriately and getting on with the necessary research. I look forward to hearing from Miss Balmer about how each of these projects are progressing. If a student wishes to make further changes to their curriculum pathway, it is important they come to speak directly to either myself or Mr Charlton and we will discuss this with them and parents to ensure this is the right decision.

Year 13 is clearly an important year. It marks the end of the AHS Journey and much of this term’s form time activities will be spent preparing for “Your future”. We will be liaising with families and students about UCAS requirements in the coming weeks and will support all students to get to their chosen destination after sixth form, whether this is university, an apprenticeship or employment. For those students wishing to make a competitive entry for medicine, dentistry, Vetinaray sciences or Oxbridge will need to be mindful of the early October deadline for these entries. Naturally, all students undertaking these pathways will be supported throughout the coming weeks.

Things will feel a little different but we are pleased to be able to offer a full time curriculum with no compromises to teaching and learning. The Sixth Form are a contained bubble including the main sixth form building, the geography block and the new resource centre. Some specialist teaching will take place in other areas of the school which will be cleaned before and after school. It is important student wash their hands regularly, use the hand sanitiser before entering the classroom and maintain appropriate social distancing whether possible.

Students are welcome to come into form from 8:30 onwards and take part in our whole school well bring programme. Sixth Form officially starts at 8:45. Other changes to the school day will be outlined during the extended Form time on Tuesday. Further information was given at the welcome interview in the summer and are on the school website.

Finally, I would like to remind Year 13 students that they must attend Sixth Form full time and are not, at this point, allowed to leave at P5, even if they are free. This privilege is reviewed later in the term. We will be working with students in Year 13 to ensure they are not at any disadvantage and will be offering extra support through Period 6 throughout the term. Students in Year 13 should make the most of their study periods and free periods. I look forward to seeing them working hard in the brand new Year 13 resource centre.  

As ever, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to either contact myself or Mr Charlton.

Mr Williams, Assistant Headteacher: Director of Sixth Form

Welcome back Year 13,

I am pleased to welcome back Year 13 after the summer break and am excited about leading Year 13 through this important year of study. I will work tirelessly to support them in achieving excellent academic outcomes and securing a place on their chosen progression route next summer, whether that is a place at university, securing an apprenticeship or entering the world of work. All students should have produced a first draft of a personal statement over summer and will work alongside their form tutor in the coming weeks to fine tune.

In previous years, Year 13 students always comment on how quickly this year passes, and I expect this academic year to be no different. It is of upmost important that our students start the year quickly and are proactive in speaking to staff if they feel that they are struggling or becoming overwhelmed. We have excellent pastoral systems in place in what is an academically demanding year and my door is always open to students for support.

As ever, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to either contact any of the Sixth Form team.
Mr Charlton

Thought for the Day
This week our daily quotes are all related to the Christian Value of Hope, exactly right for the start of term.

Wednesday 9 September – “Life with Christ is an endless hope, without Him a hopeless end.” Anonymous

We look forward to welcoming Year 7 and Y12 students tomorrow morning. Whilst most of this bulletin is directed at families in these year groups I would draw everyone’s attention to the attached document ‘Guidance for return to school for all students’. This document has been shared previously but the most up to date version is attached for convenience. A reminder that all our key back to school information is available on the website via the links below:

https://archbishopholgates.academy/covid-19/ – This link takes you to both general and then year group specific information about practicalities of the return to school.

https://archbishopholgates.academy/supporting-our-students-emotional-health/ – This link gives you information around our plans to support students emotional health when we return.

The main school reception is also now open as normal.  Please contact them via email or telephone:

reception@archbishopholgates.org
Tel: 01904 411341

For Year 7 and Year 12 you will find below welcomes from the Head of Year followed by practicalities for the first day back. Please be reassured that senior staff will be available on arrival and throughout the day to support students in any way necessary.

Year 7 welcome from Miss Kincell
Dear all new Year 7 students and families,

A really warm welcome to all of our new students and families, I have spoken with all Year 6 teachers at your primary school and can tell already that you are going to be a wonderful year group, and I sincerely look forward to getting to know each and every one of you.

I am genuinely so sorry about how Covid19 has impacted transition this year but I can thoroughly guarantee it has been our absolute priority to ensure your start to your journey at Archbishop Holgate’s School is as safe, welcoming and exciting as ever. I know the very unusual circumstances have made an already significant event in your lives even more nerve wracking, but please be assured- we are all here to support you every step of the way and we are absolute experts in helping Year 7s settle in and feel welcomed in our school community.

If you need anything at all, or you have any worries please speak to your form tutor, myself or Miss Greenhalgh our pastoral support worker and we will do everything we can to help you. My office is on the first floor in the maths block, or you can find Miss Greenhalgh in there too, in the intervention room (on the ground floor of the maths block) or on the field every lunch time.

I hope you have the most amazing first day- make sure if you see me, you come to tell me all about it!

Here at Archbishop Holgate’s we know school is an all-encompassing entity, it is about an outstanding education but also the development of social skills, extra-curricular activities understanding how to contribute to the community and be an upstanding citizen and ensuring that each part of your time here is significant. This is why we call it the ‘Archbishop Holgate School Journey’, each year group has a focus and in year 7 the focus is ‘Joining in’. this can look like all sorts of different things, but first and foremost it is trying your best in lessons, getting to know your form members and form tutors. Soon this will look like, attending homework, extra-curricular activities and school trips such as the residential to Bewerley Park.

Here are some of my top tips for a great first day:

Year 7 First Day Top Tips

• A good night’s sleep. It is recommended that students aged 11-12 should be getting 9-11 hours of sleep per night. This is essential for your first day (and every school day), you will be very busy and probably have a longer day than usual, so will need lots of energy.
• A good breakfast. A big adjustment for Year 7s is often the longer day and later lunch. Have a really good breakfast, with slow burning long lasting energy such a porridge, cereal and bananas. Remember breakfast club is open from 7.45am in the main hall, is completely free with no booking required.
• Arrive between 8.30-8.45 and go straight to the maths block and to your form room. Don’t worry there will be LOTS of staff and signs to help you and your form tutor will be waiting to welcome you.
• Always have a snack at break. You can bring your own or get one from the lunch hall (usually 50p but free for one item on Tuesday).
• Bring your essential equipment. You need: pencil case, pen, pencil, ruler, rubber and pencil sharpener. You do not need any specialist equipment (calculator, maths set etc). Pupil Premium students have packs of stationary waiting for them. Your form tutor will explain where to get these from on Tuesday.
• Bring a water bottle. You can purchase drinks in school, but drinking plenty of water is good for your health so the more the better.
• Do what makes you feel safe. If bringing your own hand sanitiser and a face mask helps you to feel more secure then please do so. But remember- we have hand washing stations at every entrance to the buildings, we have hand sanitisers at the entrance to every classroom and masks are only permitted in communal areas such as the corridors, not classrooms.
• Wear the correct uniform as outlined in the transition information. If you have any issues with uniform please call school and ask to speak with Lauren Greenhalgh.
• Call Teachers ‘Sir’ or ‘Miss’. You will get to know your form tutor and class teachers very well, but we have lots of staff so don’t worry about learning everyone’s names. Sir/Miss is very polite and is what we are referred to by students who don’t know our name.
• Use reception when needed. In the unlikely event you need to call parents, you must go to reception and they will call them for you. Do not use your own phone.
• Don’t use your mobile phone. We understand that many students like to bring mobile phones to communicate with parents regarding travel to and from school. However in school they are strictly prohibited. Put it on flight mode, switch it off and leave it in your bag. Ensure any smart watches are unpaired/notifications switched off.
• Ask for help. We know that joining secondary can lead to lots of questions and worries but rest assured- we are absolute seasoned pros at ensuring Year 7 students feel part of our community in no time! You can ask the following for help:

–Your Form tutor
–Miss Kincell
–Miss Greenhalgh
–Main reception
–Any member of staff wearing a blue lanyard
–An older student in a blue jumper

• Remember there is nothing that can’t be fixed. Let’s face it, it’s a big day and you (and your parents) probably have a lot on your minds- it’s not the end of the world if something is forgotten or something doesn’t go to plan. Speak to your form tutor, Miss Kincell or Miss Greenhalgh and we will help you!
• Always try your best and live the school values. Our school values are justice, compassion, forgiveness and trust. I always say if you have tried your best and you have lived the school values you really can’t go far wrong!
• The ‘J’ in the Archbishop Holgate’s Journey means ‘Joining in’. Remember to chat to people in your form and those around you. I know it’d hard to believe- but everyone feels just as nervous as you and are hoping someone is brave enough to come and say hello!
• Don’t be scared, be excited! Try to turn those nervous butterflies into excited ones, you are about to begin one of the most exciting and fulfilling journeys of your life. We can’t wait to meet you!
• Please could parents just receive:

Best wishes on the first steps of your journey,

Miss Kincell

Year 12 welcome from Mr Williams and Miss Cox
Myself and the rest of the Sixth Form team are looking forward to welcoming all the Year 12s into the Sixth Form on Tuesday. Whether they are a returning student from our Year 11 cohort last year or are joining us from another school, we will do everything we can to ensure a successful transition into post 16 education.

This is an important step for all young people; Year 12 are entering the penultimate stage of their AHS journey. As we progress throughout the year, we will reflect upon the focus of “examples to follow”. This has two key elements. Firstly, Year 12 provides a sustained opportunity for personal reflection and identification of people, ideas and professions which inspire us as individuals. This, in turn, leads students to follow in their footsteps and develop personal passions and ambitions as they move into the final stage of Year 13. This will help students as we ask them to consider “your future” throughout Year 13.

However, Year 12 are also firmly at the centre of the whole school community; we will look to them to become “examples to follow” as they become student leaders and school captains, providing the role models for the rest of the school. There will be lots of opportunities for leadership, starting this half term.

Myself and other members of the senior leadership team were extremely impressed by the maturity and focus shown by all students during their meetings in the summer. They are clearly excited to start their courses and we are sure they are going to be fully committed to all aspects of Sixth Form life. If students in Year 12 are struggling in anyway, it is important they come and speak to either myself or Miss Cox (Head of Year 12) as soon as possible do we can ensure they are on the correct pathway.

To ensure students maximise their potential, we have the highest expectations and standards in Sixth Form. As such, we expect all students to attend full time and minimise opportunities in all lessons and study periods. Time will pass very quickly and there isn’t a moment to spare.

We have an excellent enrichment programme for all of Year 12 which will commence from October half term. Until October half term, Year 12 are allowed to go home on a Wednesday P5 for private study unless an alternative is indicated on their timetable. Arrangements will change again at half term. Equally, students are welcome to stay and use our brand new resource centre for private study during this hour. Students are expected to be in school at all other times.

We are excited to be able to offer a full time curriculum, despite the challenges presented by the current situation. We will spend Tuesday morning orientating students with both Sixth Form study expectations and the necessary health and safety procedures needed for all in school.

The Sixth Form are a contained bubble including the main sixth form building, the geography block and the new resource centre. Some specialist teaching will take place in other areas of the school which will be cleaned before and after school. It is important student wash their hands regularly, use the hand sanitiser before entering the classroom and maintain appropriate social distancing whether possible.

Students are welcome to come into form from 8:30 onwards and take part in our whole school well bring programme. Sixth Form officially starts at 8:45. Other changes to the school day will be outlined during the extended Form time on Tuesday. Further information was given at the welcome interview in the summer and are on the school website.

I am personally excited for what I know will be an excellent year. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact either myself or any member of the Sixth Form team.

Best wishes

Mr Williams, Assistant Headteacher: Acting Director of Sixth Form

A welcome from our new Head of Year 12
I am very much looking forward to joining the Sixth Form Team at Archbishop’s as the Head of Year 12. I have taught sixth form students for the past 11 years and absolutely love being in the classroom. I’m passionate about Psychology and take a lot of pride in inspiring a love of learning in students. I understand the academic and personal demands of sixth form, the challenges of our students and the important things to focus on. I believe in working hard whilst taking care of yourself and I’m keen to promote a positive wellbeing in those around me. My door is always open and I’m really excited to get to know each and everyone of the amazing students that I have heard so much about.

Miss Cox, Head of Year 12

Year 7 first day practicalities
First day at Archbishop Holgate’s School (Tuesday 8th September)
On the first day of school (Tuesday 8th September), Year 7 students will enter school from either the Main School Drive or the Black Bull Entrance.  They need to arrive between 8.30 and 8.45am.  We would politely ask that no parents enter the school site and they are thoughtful and considerate when dropping off their children.

Year 7 will then walk up the path (maintaining social distance where possible) and go to the handwashing facilities at the front of the Maths block.

They will then need to wash their hands before going to their form rooms.

There will be lots of staff available to support students in finding their form rooms.

During the day
Students will complete a range of activities to prepare them for the start of school.  This will include:

• An assembly with Mr Daly (Headteacher) and Miss Kincell (Head of Year).  Please note, this will be a socially distanced assembly (about a third of the Year group at any time).
• A range of Form Time Activities
• A tour of the whole school
• Break and lunch arrangements demonstration
• Lessons
• Biometrics for paying for food

Lunch and breaktime
We have not been able to set up the students Biometrics before September, therefore the school will provide free snack at break and a free lunch on the first day only, for those students who do not have their own.

At the end of the day
School will finish at 3pm and students will exit from either the Black Bull or Main Drive.  We politely ask that no parents come onto the school site and arrange meeting places beforehand.

Year 12 first day practicalities
First day of 6th Form (Tuesday 8th September)
On the first day of school (Tuesday 8th September), Year 12 students only will enter through the main entrance to the Sixth Form block.  They need to arrive between 8.30 and 8.45am.  We would politely ask that no parents enter the school site and they are thoughtful and considerate when dropping off their children.

Year 12  will walk up the path (maintaining social distance where possible) and go to the hand washing facilities at the front of the Sixth Form block.

Sixth Form students should sanitise their hands before entering a lesson. These are located at the entrance to each classroom.

They will then need to wash their hands before going to their form rooms.

During the day
Students will complete a range of activities to prepare them for the start of school.  This will include:

• An assembly with Mr Williams (Director of Sixth Form) and Miss Cox (Head of Year 12). Please note, this will be a socially distanced assembly (about a third of the Year group at any time).
• A range of Form Time Activities
• Break and lunch arrangements.
• Lessons from P3 onwards.

Lunch and breaktime
Arrangements for break time will be outlined during the first day. Students will be able to either purchase food or should bring their own food with them.

At the end of the day
School will finish at 3:05pm and students will exit from either the Black Bull or Main Drive.  We politely ask that no parents come onto the school site and arrange meeting places beforehand.

We will provide similar information for other year groups on Tuesday.

The weekend before the return to school always brings with it a combination of nerves and excitement whether you are a student, parent or member of staff! I hope the correspondence we have sent (both before and over summer) detailing our preparations for our full return next week have helped to some extent in this regard. I will write home each day next week, starting on Monday with a reminder of the specific instructions for Years 7 and 12 for their return on Tuesday. However the particular focus of this bulletin is to say that we are very much looking forward to seeing students next week and to reassure you that as the banner below states students will receive a very warm welcome…

A successful return
We are very aware that many students, especially those in younger years, will not have been in school for a number of months and for those joining us in Year 7 they are starting an entirely new school. As such we realise that things may seem strange at first and our primary objective is to re-establish relationships with students and helping them to feel safe and happy at school. This is one of our strengths as a school community and my message to staff colleagues on Monday will be to reinforce the power of positivity and that September has never been more important. Central to this will be ensuring that our school values of Justice, Compassion, Forgiveness and Trust continue to permeate all areas of school life each and every day.

Student Wellbeing @ AHS
We understand that routines have been disrupted, that students have had to work more independently at home and they have missed out on seeing their friends and taking part in all of the activities that school provides. With this in mind (and as we all adopt a ‘new normal’), we have further enhanced our tutor time which we view as the ‘sixth lesson of the day’ to include a Form Time Wellbeing Programme (for the first half term initially) to help encourage students to reflect on their wellbeing.

Each morning between 8.30-8.45am (as students ‘drift in’), they will be warmly welcomed by their form tutor and then focus on a different wellbeing activity based around one of the following themes:

• Mindful Monday
• Thought-Provoking Tuesday
• Wonderful Wednesday
• Thankful Thursday
• Feel-Good Friday

For KS3 and KS4 forms, these activities have been designed in booklets that students will complete. The booklet is split into the five sections above. There will be a PowerPoint slide that contains information about each activity too.

KS5 students will have access to slides also, but instead of booklets, they will take part in discussions with their fellow classmates instead.

Additionally, students will also have access to ‘Wellbeing News’, as part of our normal Weekly News cycle which is now entering its eleventh year!. This will focus on different stories about wellbeing that have reached the media and students will discuss their views with their peers.

A key part of a successful return to school after this extended break will be around successfully supporting the wellbeing of our students both collectively and individually. The link below gives further information around our plans to support students emotional health when we return.

https://archbishopholgates.academy/supporting-our-students-emotional-health/

Introducing the Arts Award…
I’m please to update families on an exciting new development in the AHS Curriculum for September 2020 will be the introdcution of the Arts Award in Year 9. As a school, we are passionate about ensuring students have as enriching of an experience as possible, and the Arts Award will certainly contribute to breadth and depth of the Archbishop Holgate’s Curriculum during this important transition year. Despite the impact of COVID-19, staff are working hard to ensure this programme is as enriching as possible, and will focus on developing creative, practical skills in Art, Music, Food, Technology and Modern Foreign Languages. Not only should this be a fun and engaging experience, but we aim to ensure that every student in Year 9 completes the year with the Silver Arts Award.

We hope you are all as excited as we are to get this up and running in September – the Arts Award is certainly an excellent way to help students in Year 9 to develop at their stage of the Archbishop Holgate’s School Journey in ‘Understanding themselves and others’.

New Library and Resource Centre
I am delighted to say that the new building has been successfully handed over to us. There is much to be excited about here – the new Library and Resource Centre is going to be an excellent resource that once Covid restrictions are lifted the entire school will benefit from.

Poverty proofing our school 
As a school, we are fully committed to removing all barriers. Income and personal circumstances should never be a barrier to learning. We are really aware of the challenges people are facing at the moment.

To address any hidden gaps, we completed a whole school Poverty Proofing audit which provided strategies and suggestions for what we can do to ensure everyone has equal opportunity at school and ensure nobody is disadvantaged due to their circumstances. We will be acting on this report throughout he school year.

Below is what we can do, in the short term, if you are struggling in any way.

Pupil Premium and FSM (Free School Meals)
As we return to school, we’d like to remind parents about the support available if you are struggling as a family.  People are often eligible for Free School Meals and don’t realise it:

We explain more on our website here: https://archbishopholgates.academy/coronavirus-free-school-meals/

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

Income Support
·         income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
·         income-related Employment and Support Allowance
·         support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
·         the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
·         Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
·         Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
·         Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any
benefits you get)

Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.

Due to the current situation, your circumstances may have changed. Please apply for FSM through the council here:

https://www.york.gov.uk/SchoolMeals

Accessing FSM will allow your child to receive a range of support, including meals and help with uniform. It is an extremely discreet process at Archbishop Holgate’s and no child can be identified as free school meals by any other children.

You may also be entitled to Pupil Premium and not realise it. This is money we use, within school, to support your child in a variety of ways. Your child is eligible for PP if you have any of the following:

• If you are currently FSM
• If you have received FSM at any point in the last 6 years.
• If a parent is serving in the forces or receives a pension from the Ministry of Defence.

Pupil premium allows us to support students with trips, revision opportunities, enrichment opportunities and additional academic intervention within school. Again, it really is worth taking up if you are eligible. You can find out more about PP here: https://archbishopholgates.academy/our-school/disadvantaged-students/

Are you struggling but not eligible for the above?
We actively try to remove all barriers and understand that people’s circumstances change all the time. If you are struggling, please talk to us. We can provide short term and long term support, whether with uniform, food or advice on external services.

If you require more information, please contact either Mr Williams (Assistant Head) or your child’s Head of Year or Pastoral Support Worker (PSW).

Please remember that the school also has the AHS Unity Fund  and if f you are struggling to afford uniform for next year there may be assistance available.  Any contact with school will obviously be treated in an anonymous and discrete manner.  If you feel that you need support, please do be in touch with school via the emails below and we will do our best to help.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

Thought for the Day
This week our daily quotes are all related to the Christian Value of Hope, exactly right for the start of term.

Monday 7^th September –  “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” Dale Carnegie

Thank you for your continued support, we are looking forward to next week!

I hope families enjoy the last week of the summer break and that your sons and daughters are looking forward to returning to school next week. I know that both my children who are moving into Year 12 and Year 9 are more than ready to get back to school, resume their learning and see their friends.

As promised I am writing today to remind families of our arrangements for the full return to school next week and to reassure both parents and children that we have real confidence in the plans we have put in place over a number of months. I will also use this correspondence to provide an update on the position of Public Health York in terms of face coverings, something that has been prominent in the press over recent weeks.

As families are aware we have throughout this period remained fully complied with all government guidance in terms of ensuring the safety of our students and staff. At the end of this correspondence I have included a reminder of the systems of control that DfE have asked us to follow and how we have responded to each. This includes but is not limited to, extensive hand washing stations at key arrival points for each year group, sanitiser stations outside every classroom, clearly defined zoning across school to ensure minimal contact between bubbles, a carefully planned school day with separate breaks and lunches and provision for a staggered end to the school day and managed start with a 15 minute window for students to enter their form rooms. In addition we have employed a number of extra cleaners, some of whom will work throughout the school day and we have published comprehensive guidance to both staff and parents.

I am extremely proud of the efforts of staff, both before and during the summer to ensure that school is ready to welcome back all students next week. A reminder that for ease of use two useful starting points for more specific details for families are:

https://archbishopholgates.academy/covid-19/ – This link takes you to both general and then year group specific information about practicalities of the return to school.

https://archbishopholgates.academy/supporting-our-students-emotional-health/ – This link gives you information around our plans to support students emotional health when we return.

The main school reception is also now open as normal.  Please contact them via email or telephone:

reception@archbishopholgates.org
Tel: 01904 411341

As a city we have worked together collectively throughout this crisis. This includes schools, Local Authority, Multi Academy Trusts and Public Health England. In our most recent meeting on Friday afternoon a representative from Public Health went through all the issues around face coverings, procedures for what to do if someone becomes ill during the autumn term, and the things we can do to help prevent any further spikes in Covid-19 infections in York. It was also good to hear that relatively speaking colleagues consider York to be in a good position at the moment with the rolling seven day infection rate at 7.1 new cases per 100,000 (15 cases in the week to 25 August). Whilst this is encouraging news it is vital that we all remain vigilant and there is no room for complacency of any kind. I am sure this is what informed the latest advice from the government around different scenarios for school opening depending on their local context.

Indeed York’s Director of Public Health will shortly be making recommendations to all secondary Headteachers regarding measures we can take to further strengthen the comprehensive arrangements that are already in place. She will ‘strongly recommend’ students wearing face coverings ‘in corridors and communal spaces where social distancing cannot be maintained’. Whilst not compulsory wearing a face covering in certain circumstances will be accepted normal practice in our schools. Indeed the most recent correspondence schools received is included below:

As of Tuesday 25 August, the government has changed its position on the wearing of face coverings in schools. The new guidance, when published, will state that face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils in secondary schools when moving around the school, such as corridors and in communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain. However this will at the discretion of the school and not mandated except in those local authority areas where are local lockdown restrictions. It will not be necessary to wear face coverings in the classroom where there are already measures in place to reduce the risk of spread of infection. In secondary schools across York, the council’s Public Health and Education services will be supporting the wearing of face coverings in communal areas. As always it is important that we all continue to wash our hands regularly and keep a social distance of 2m where possible, or 1m with extra precautions e.g. wearing of face coverings, avoiding face to face contact, improving ventilation.

As schools it is really important that we continue to be guided by information from Public Health and we will continue to adhere to this in the weeks ahead. A reminder that this latest position ‘strongly advises’ the wearing of face coverings ‘on corridors and in communal areas where social distancing cannot be adhered’. We also accept that this is guidance rather than a mandate and as such there will not be punishments issued for those students whose families choose not to ask them to wear a face covering in these circumstances. Of course wearing a face covering for students coming to school on a bus, whether a school bus or public transport is compulsory.

In terms of face coverings/masks, these need to be plain or patterned with no writing on them. When they return to school next Tuesday or Wednesday, please can you ensure that your child has a small plastic bag to keep their face covering in when they are not wearing it.

As ever your cooperation is very much appreciated as we look to collectively support a successful return to school in the safest possible circumstances for our young people and staff.

I will write again to families at the end of this week as this correspondence is already lengthy enough but to conclude I have reattached key details about start times, uniform and the Unity Fund that were issued last week.

Monday 7 September – training day for staff
Tuesday 8 September – Year 7 and 12 only for important in-school transition.  Year 7 to arrive from 8.30 for an 8.45 start in the new Maths Block.  Year 12 to arrive for an 8.45 start in the Post 16 Block.
Wednesday 9 September – will see the full return of students in all other year groups.  All form rooms will be open from 8.30 to 8.45 to allow a staggered entry to school.

Uniform for September
A reminder that our uniform supplier Keal Teamwear are currently taking all uniform orders over the phone or online.  They assure us that they have a good supply of jumpers and ties at present.  You can contact them via:

Tel:      01904 624497
Email:  enquiries@keal-teamwear.com

A reminder that we do not specify where school trousers are bought given the vast array of prices and styles, but ask that they do conform with the uniform guidelines.  Details around trousers and the rest of the school uniform can be found via:  https://archbishopholgates.academy/parents/school-life/school-uniform

AHS Unity Fund
Please remember that if you are struggling to afford uniform for next year there may be assistance available.  Any contact with school will obviously be treated in an anonymous and discrete manner.  If you feel that you need support, please do be in touch with school via the emails below and we will do our best to help.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

Covid-19 Systems of Control and AHS Response
We are following Public Health advice to minimise risk as far as possible.

1)      Minimise contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend school.

We will continue to remind students, their families, our staff and any visitors that they must not attend our site if they or someone in their household has symptoms. This will form a key part of our communication and form time information at school.

2)      Where recommended, use of face coverings in schools.

The wearing of face masks is ‘strongly advised’ but not compulsory in corridors and communal areas of the school.

3)      Clean hands thoroughly more often than usual.

We have installed additional wash hand stations and hand sanitising units in school.  Students will be required to wash their hands prior to entry to the school and will be reminded to wash or sanitise their hands regularly throughout the day.

4)      Ensure good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach.

Tissues will be available in all classrooms and lidded bins are also in place.

5)      Introduce enhanced cleaning, including cleaning frequently touched surfaces often, using standard products such as detergents and bleach.

We have increased our cleaning regime and will have cleaners on site throughout the day.  Cleaning products will also be available in each of our classrooms.

6)      Minimise contact between individuals and maintain social distancing wherever possible.

We have worked hard to support this control measure by creating year group zones, providing segregated entrances and staggered break and lunchtimes to reduce any risk as far as possible

7)      Where necessary, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

PPE will be available where appropriate.

Headteacher Update 
I hope everyone is having a restful summer and looking forward to returning to school in September.  I know that we are very excited to welcome back all our students and have worked extremely hard to ensure that their experience will be as normal as possible whilst making sure that we have put in place all necessary safety arrangements.  I thought it might be helpful if I wrote to families at the start of both this week and next to remind you of key information about the start of term (much of which was shared in July) and how best to contact school if you have any questions over the next two weeks.

The main school reception is now open as normal.  Please contact them via email or telephone:

reception@archbishopholgates.org
Tel: 01904 411341

For ease of use two useful starting points for more specific details for families are:

https://archbishopholgates.academy/covid-19/ – This link takes you to both general and then year group specific information about practicalities of the return to school.

https://archbishopholgates.academy/supporting-our-students-emotional-health/ – This link gives you information around our plans to support students emotional health when we return.

I thought it would also be helpful to remind families of the start of term dates for each year group:

Monday 7 September – training day for staff
Tuesday 8 September – Year 7 and 12 only for important in-school transition.  Year 7 to arrive from 8.30 for an 8.45 start in the new Maths Block.  Year 12 to arrive for an 8.45 start in the Post 16 Block.
Wednesday 9 September – will see the full return of students in all other year groups.  All form rooms will be open from 8.30 to 8.45 to allow a staggered entry to school.

Breakfast Club
I am pleased to inform parents and carers that our Breakfast Club will be operating from Wednesday 9 September.  The club is open from 7.45 to 8.20, Monday to Friday, and open to all students in Year 7 to 11.  Measures have been put in place to ensure Breakfast Club can operate within Government guidelines and adhere to social distancing.  For more information please contact Reception (01904 411341).

A Level and GCSE Exams
There is no doubt that the exam period this year has been very challenging with all the uncertainty around how results would be awarded.  I would like to thank students, parents and staff for the way everyone has worked together to manage this period and support all the young people receiving results.  I’m proud of how our school community has responded during this time.  To some extent we were shielded on A Level results day in comparison to many schools up and down the country due to the very strong past performance of the school, but there were still some upset students who had received results that were well below what they might have achieved.  We of course did everything we could to support these young people until the awarding process was amended at the start of the following week.

As a result of greater clarity we had a very positive GCSE results day followed by two days of excellent transition meetings with Year 11, the vast majority of whom are staying at Archbishop’s next year and who have been able to access courses of their choice.  We also wish those who are going to College or starting an apprenticeship all the best for the future and look forward to hearing about their future success.

Our results are once again excellent at both Post 16 and GCSE, maintaining our embedded trend of very high achievement.  We have however (like many schools in the city) made the decision that in this year of unprecedented upheaval we will be focusing on the achievements of our students and supporting their next steps rather than stressing school specific results or headline figures.  This was reflected in what we sent to the York Press last week:

I remember how difficult it was when myself and my colleagues in the Year 11 team spoke to the year group for the final time before lockdown.  We saw it dawn on the student’s faces that despite all their hard work, they might not actually get to actually sit their GCSE exams.  At the time we reminded them (just as we did Year 13) that the measure of their success and development is much more than examination results, that both individually and collectively they have consistently embodied the school values and that they are young people of considerable character.  While all of this remains true, I am delighted and relieved that they will now be appropriately rewarded for their efforts and move forward with both the qualities and qualifications for the next stage of their own personal journey.

BTEC Results
Of course not everything has been resolved around examination results with students still awaiting their BTEC results.  This is as a result of Pearson taking the difficult decision to withhold and reissue BTEC results in the interests of BTEC learners and to ensure fairness for them following Ofqual’s decision to award centre assessment grades for A Levels and GCSEs.  Their priorities are to deliver fair outcomes for BTEC students in relation to A Levels and GCSEs and to ensure that no student is disadvantaged.  We are assured that we will have all these updated results by Friday 28 August and will issue these to students as soon as we receive them and no later than Tuesday 1 September.  I apologise for the uncertainty this is causing, but hopefully the end outcome will now be the correct one.

Uniform for September
A reminder that our uniform supplier Keal Teamwear are currently taking all uniform orders over the phone or online.  They assure us that they have a good supply of jumpers and ties at present.  You can contact them via:

Tel:      01904 624497
Email:  enquiries@keal-teamwear.com

A reminder that we do not specify where school trousers are bought given the vast array of prices and styles, but ask that they do conform with the uniform guidelines.  Details around trousers and the rest of the school uniform can be found via:  https://archbishopholgates.academy/parents/school-life/school-uniform

AHS Unity Fund
Please remember that if you are struggling to afford uniform for next year there may be assistance available.  Any contact with school will obviously be treated in an anonymous and discrete manner.  If you feel that you need support, please do be in touch with school via the emails below and we will do our best to help.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

School Buildings
The summer has been extremely busy and I’m delighted to inform families that students will be returning to facilities that are even better than ever.  Despite many obstacles our ambitious new build project and internal renovation programme will be finished on time.  In September students will benefit from:

– New Library and Resource Centre
– New Maths Block
– New Inclusion Centre
– New Y11 Catering and social space (giving us three catering facilities)
– New Fitness Suite and Changing Rooms
– Significant improvements to the swimming pool area including new roof and painting of the pool, surrounds and changing rooms
– Resurfaced tennis courts and new fencing
– New electronic gates at the front of school
– New block of 12 unisex toilets
– New Food room
– New Science Laboratory
– Two new IT suites
– Additional classrooms for PE, RE, MFL and History
– New medical room and improved office and meeting facilities
– Full decoration of 8 other classrooms

I hope to be able to share pictures of some of these facilities next week.

A reminder if students have some spare time…
A reminder of the voluntary extracurricular activities that are available for students to complete if they wish.  The ‘Activities Menu’ for Year 7-9 are linked to the relevant stage of the AHS Journey and can be accessed via Google Classroom.

Kind Regards,
Andrew Daly

Headteacher Update
In the bulletin yesterday we included a reminder about uniform for September.  Please remember that if you are struggling to afford uniform for next year there may be assistance available.  Any contact with school will obviously be treated in an anonymous and discrete manner.  A final reminder this school year about the AHS Unity Fund designed to support those experiencing hardship at this difficult time.  If you feel that you need support, please do be in touch with school via the emails below and we will do our best to help.  This may be more important than ever with the summer break approaching.

gstainsby@archbishopholgates.org
reception@archbishopholgates.org

Year 10 Update from Miss Avey
I know that I am not the only one who cannot believe that it is the end of term and year this week and indeed, at the time of this reaching you, half of our cohort will have already had their last day.  We have chatted about it as they arrive for their last morning or during break and we are all in agreement that it is hard to encapsulate, in words, our feelings.  It is very anti-climatic and  low key.  Ironically, it is going to be an unusually long summer break – 7 weeks – and we hope that all our students get well rested, unwind, relax, have fun and find enjoyment.  As a school we are conscious that Year 10 have worked hard in lock down and remain grateful for the significant levels of parental support that has been so important in guiding students through their home learning.  As it is a significantly long break, we are conscious that many Year 10s may wish to continue their learning throughout the summer and we do want students to have opportunities to maintain their good study habits, have access to tasks that will aid their retention of key content and leave them feeling well prepared for September.  Consequently, summer homework  has been provided by some departments.  We do, however, completely respect a parent’s right to support their child by managing their workload throughout Summer as they see fit and there will be no behaviour penalties, from school, for failure to complete Summer homework.

It is with pleasure that I pass on the final shout outs for this year whilst also reiterating how proud I am of all my students for how well they have coped during this unprecedented year.  Well done from your teachers to :

Tala H; Ben H; Ashleigh R; Evie H; Mathew B; Harry C; Tome F; Elliott L; Charles T; Fin W; Jonny D; Ila B; Luke J; Libby E; John M; Tommy N; Kian O; Earl J; Yonese L; Harvey W; Reece T; Annabel F; Ben So; Elliott W; Natasha P; Sophie War; Kirsty H; Charlotte W; Emily J; Niamh M; Katie R; Josh R; Phaedra W; Amber A; Petr C; Jess F; Hannah K; Katies S; Eve Y; Charley C; Emy- Mae O’d; Sophia M; Mia R; Jonathan W; Sam H; Mia H; Emma L; Izzy F; Benji S; Reg R; Ava D; Maisie C; Max M; Grace M; Maggie W; Peter C; Rowan F; Isla L; Billy H; Joe M; Nicola N; Aimee R; Ivy T; Alice W; Lento Y; Jonathan W; Chole F and Bailey W.

The final words I am leaving to the Form Tutors of Year 10, as I would normally in an end of year assembly.

10Cr have been a fantastic form group.  I’ve really missed their exuberance during the closure and I can’t wait to see them all back together soon.  I hope they maintain their humour and sense of camaraderie into Year 11.  Have a fabulous summer.’ Miss Cooper

10ACo – Well done on another fantastic year.  You have all worked so hard, especially given the circumstances.  I am so excited for us to continue with the final stage of our journey next year.  Have a lovely Summer, stay safe and speak to you all soon.  Miss Cooper

10Dn – I can’t believe another academic year has come and gone.  I am proud of how you have handled this strange and difficult year and it’s been lovely to have some really good chats with you on the phone.  I have missed you and I can’t wait for September, when I get to see you again.  Miss Darlington

10 SMf – In an extraordinary year and the circumstances it has brought us – 10SMf have consistently made me incredibly proud through their exceptional resilience and work ethic.  Each and every member of the form has applied themselves tremendously to the tasks set out in front of them – unwaveringly dedicated to improving themselves and committing everything they have to the responsibilities that come with GCSE.  It has been a fantastic year getting to know this form and the amazing characters within it.  I cannot wait to push on with this journey alongside you all in Year 11.  I am now excited for the summer and a well-earned break for you all!

10ZDa – Well done guys on keeping so resilient through these strange times.  You have done so well and we are so proud of you!  I have missed our Friday Quiz time in particular.  I look forward to seeing you all in whatever capacity after the Summer holidays.  Get some rest over the break and I hope you manage to see your friends and family.

10Ap – Mr Appleyard here.  I’ve missed you guys over the last four months and looking forward to seeing you all in September when you will all be big Year 11s!  Fun time Friday, your continued music history education and Newsround debates to look forward to when I see you all after summer.  Take care of yourselves, have a great summer and I’ll see you in IT3 in 7 weeks. J

10Ob – What a year, I can’t believe it’s over and I’ve not seen you since March.  I hope you’ve all kept yourselves busy aside from all the Google Classroom work you’ve been doing.  Hopefully this is heading towards the end of it all now and you can enjoy your summer.  As the legend Frank Turner says “But I don’t want spend the whole of my life indoors Laying low, waiting on the next storm.  I don’t want spend the whole of my life inside, I wanna step out, and face the sunshine.”

10Lp – “Well done to all of you for your achievements in school this year and your resilience throughout lockdown.  Looking forward to further success in Year 11.  Have a fantastic and safe summer!”  From Miss Redman and Miss Leplâtre

10DCl – Even though it feels like a lifetime ago now, it has been great this year to see you all striving for success in Year 11 and maturing into great young adults.  Well done for all your hard work both in school and during lockdown, I know that you’ll reap the benefits of it in Year 11!  The talent and dedication of our tutor group never ceases to amaze me, and I look forward to seeing more of them in Year 11!  Stay safe this summer, and enjoy a very well earned break. Mr Clements

10Hm – Well done for powering through what has been a very strange end to the year!  While it’s certainly not what any of us had planned, I know that many of you have learnt new skills, enjoyed more time outside than you might have done otherwise and some of you have learnt to slow down a little and take time to look after yourselves whilst managing your school work.  You’ve shown super resilience and maturity throughout this time.  Now we’ve reached the final week of term, I’d just like to wish you all a lovely summer and hope to see you refreshed and ready to go in September!  Mrs Holmes and Ms Evans

Year 10 – All our very best wishes for a well-earned break.  See you as Year 11.  Mrs Mennell and Mrs Avey

Here is a playlist for the whole AHS Summer Concert for the four videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnu3JY_YC5XQV-3TiA81HYviAmy8l7Seb

From Miss Gray in Science who has contributed every week since lockdown began…
‘Excellent presentations from the Year 12  Biologists. Outstanding work.’ – Mr williams and Mr Lever

‘Superb Year 8 project from Miss Gray’s group.  Thank you so much.’’ – Miss Gray

‘Fabulous idea from Reuben Stockdale (7CMp) for a science project:  Our first idea for our science project was this.  We were going to put one of my cats who is really scared and one of my friend’s cats who is really brave in rooms with a different amount of people in the room with them.  We would then video them and see what they would do differently.  – Mr Evans

‘For excellent project work: Year 7- Tilly Charlton, Ethan Jones;  Year 8- Josh Botha, Matthew Brown, Ben Slack  Year 9- Brandon Tasker, Parish Edge, Chloe Rouse, Izabel Burton, Chloe Finch, Olivia Grant.’ – Miss Day

Ideas for the holidays…
https://theschooltrip.co.uk/free-kids-summer-activities-2020/ this has a list of at least 30 places you can find fun and education activities for children of all ages (each option states which key stage group it is aimed at) which can be downloaded for free.  Options include Disney, English Heritage, a number of English Museums, Theatre groups and many others.

https://www.persil.com/uk/dirt-is-good/games/summer-holiday-activities-kids.html  Persil has a list of summer holiday activities/idea/challenges for younger children.

Staff quote of the day – Problem Solving and Progress
“Progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” – George Bernard Shaw

Thought for the Day
This week our daily quotes are all pieces of scripture on the theme of Compassion and link with our whole school act of Collective Worship on the same topic, created using material from the Church of England.

Thursday 16 July – “I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it.” – Thomas Aquinas; 13^th C. Italian friar, philosopher and priest

Headteacher Update
In the coming days we will be writing home individually to each year group to give specific details about the start of term but I thought it would be helpful to remind families of the following key dates:

– Year 13 Results Thursday 13 August, appointments have been arranged to ensure appropriate social distancing 
– Year 11 Results Thursday 20 August appointments have been arranged to ensure appropriate social distancing
– Year 11 1-to-1 transition Meetings Thursday 20^th, Friday 21st August and Tuesday 25^th August by appointment to ensure appropriate social distancing

– Monday 7 September training day for staff
– Tuesday 8 September, Year 7 and 12 only for important in-school transition. Year 7 to arrive from 8.30 for a 8.45 start in the new Maths Block. Year 12 to arrive for an 8.45 start in the Post 16 Block
– Wednesday 9 September will see the full return of students in all other year groups. All form rooms will be open from 8.30 to 8.45 to allow a staggered entry to school.

Pastoral Transition and Activities Menus update from Mr Arthur
At 8:30am on the morning of Monday 13^th July, a pastoral switchover took place on Google Classrooms. Year 7, 8 and 9 forms have had their names changed to their for September 2020, and a message has been posted from their form tutor from September 2020. We very much hope this will help students to prepare for returning to school in September, and it also gives any new form tutors an excellent opportunity to introduce themselves!

I would also like to highlight to you that there is a feedback sheet that has been posted as an assignment on each tutor groups Google Classroom page. The feedback asks students to write down their hopes and fears for the new school year, and any questions they might have when returning to school. This will provide us as a school with a valuable insight into what students are concerned about or any questions then have before returning in September. We will look to create a FAQ section for the parent bulletin with any common fears students might have, and answer these as best we can in September.

Finally, the Activities Menus have been posted for students to use in the last week and over the summer. This has been a great endeavour from the staff who have contributed work and activities to this, and I very much hope students enjoy completing these activities in the final week and into the Summer break. There are also printed copies of each year groups resources in the Geography classrooms at the front of school this week (next to the Sixth Form Building) – if your child has issues accessing Google Classrooms or would prefer the resources as a printed pack, please feel free to come into school and collect one for your child. If you are unable to do this, please notify reception (notify them to direct this to Mr Arthur) or the relevant Head of Year, and I will try and make sure a pack makes its way out to you.

We wish everyone a restful summer break, and we look forward to seeing everyone back in school in September!

A final hello from Miss Turvey to Y9 Parents, Carers and Guardians,
This is it; Ça y est; das ist es; eso es todo. Our seven week summer holiday begins on Friday 17th July. And while I appreciate that the rigours of everyday life may not alter that much for us in our individual circumstances, I hope that you all find the time, space and decent weather to have a restful and relaxing holiday time. Having once lived in Barbados, I can confirm that our eastern seaside town (Scarborough) deserves its moniker of Scarbados! And someone did once try to convince me that Bridlington is like Barcelona. Whether you holiday at home, by having a few day trips out, booking a local campsite or venturing abroad wearing your face masks, have a lovely time. We are not setting specific homework for your young people to complete over the summer, but if at any stage they claim they are bored (or are getting under your feet and doing your head in) then there is work accessible in the google classroom.

However, while we are not setting your young people any homework, I am going to set you some homework (I know it’s cheeky!)…it would be incredibly fantastic if you, as parents, carers and guardians, could spend the last week of the summer holiday getting your children “school ready”; that is early nights, decent amount of sleep, early mornings, breakfast, clean school uniform, stationery all bought, school bag ready, shoes bought etc. My body clock will be shot to pieces by the end of the summer holidays, so I know I will need to spend a few days practising getting up at 5.30am ….otherwise I won’t make it in on time on Wednesday 9th September! Also, if they are going to get extra piercings, dye their hair or shave their heads, please could you do it in the first week of the holidays so that after seven weeks, they come back with a natural hair colour and with the ability to remove extra piercings. The school website has details about what is and isn’t acceptable in terms of school uniform, shoes, jewellery etc. Thank you.

As we lay Y9 to rest, I am looking forward to Y10 and our new common room, new routines and new stage of the AHS journey, where we look to our Y10 students to be Resilient and Responsible. I will be back in school, on and off, from week four of the holidays onwards so if you have any queries, concerns or just want a chat then please do email and I will get back to you; hturvey@archbishopholgates.org

Stay safe, take care and virtual hugs to all. Miss T.

Uniform for September
A reminder that our uniform supplier Keal are currently taking all uniform orders over the phone or on line. They assure us that they have a good supply of jumpers and ties at present. You can contact them by:

Tel:      01904 624497
Email:  enquiries@keal-teamwear.com

A reminder that we do not specify where school trousers are bought given the vast array of prices and styles but ask that they do conform with the uniform guidelines. Details around trousers and the rest of the school uniform can be found via the link below:

https://archbishopholgates.academy/parents/school-life/school-uniform/

New library and resource centre
As we know the summer holidays are a perfect opportunity for a big clean out at home, please could you keep our school in mind if you come across any used or unwanted books? We open the doors to our brand new library and resource centre in Sept 2020, and could really do with as many books as possible. We will happily take both fiction and non-fiction, a range of genres and can accept books that are well-used or brand new. As always, we could do with more classics/young adult fiction and students have asked about more historical fiction.

If you are happy to donate, please bring you books to main school reception FAO Hannah Woolerton/AHS Library. We will happily take books throughout the whole autumn term and beyond.

Many thanks,

The library team

A thank you from the Music team
A really big thank you to all the students who have taken part in the ‘Lockdown’ Music Concert. It’s been truly wonderful to have so many students participating in this and to see that Music Making has continued at home during these very different times.

Here are parts three and four of the AHS summer concert for inclusion in the bulletins and Google classroom notifications
https://youtu.be/YsRZSchYAnY

https://youtu.be/hJwdw0zV2Ik

End of Term Maths Round-Up
Y7-10 Hegarty Work
As we approach the end of this disrupted and surreal school year, it is important that we acknowledge the incredible efforts of our students.  They have engaged with the Hegarty Maths work fantastically and since lockdown began, students have collectively:

• answered 321,897 questions
• watched 2373 hours of tutorial videos
• and spent 9132 hours learning maths on the website

Well done to everyone!

This brilliant resource is available to all of our students, all of the time. There is no need to wait for the teachers to set tasks. A student can identify a topic they’re struggling with, find for the relevant video (just use the search bar to look for the topic) and complete the online quiz.  Up top of this, the ‘Fix up 5’ and ‘MemRi’ tasks are a great way of keeping your maths revision ticking over.

a-bit-of-maths-each-day-summer-boost-foundation-tier

a-bit-of-maths-each-day-summer-boost-higher-tier

Year 10  – It has been a joy to see and teach the Y10 students over the last six weeks.  The lessons have gone extremely well and the students have thrown themselves into their learning. To continue their hard-work all the Y10s have been given a ‘Little Bit of Maths Everyday’ Calendar to complete over the Summer holidays.  These are designed so that they can regularly practise exam type questions in manageable chunks. It’s up to pupils how they tackle these, they can do one question per day, or tackle a handful every week.  These are attached in case any other students would like to give them a go.

Year 12 – The Y12 cohort has been equally impressive in their dedication, engagement and determination to make the best of these difficult circumstances.  They have completed topics, performed well in assessments and maintained regular contact with teachers.  This proactive attitude is sure to pay dividends next year when normal lessons start again in Y13.

Each class has specific work to do over the Summer, the details of which has been uploaded onto the Google Classrooms.  Everyone has been asked to do a series of mini-assessments on Dr Frost, so we can see that students are keeping up their maths practice over the Summer.

Year 11 & 13 – We would like to wish our Y11 & 13 pupils all the best for their next steps (and look forward to seeing the majority of our Y11 students back in 6^th Form from September).  It has not been the end of this crucial stage of your education that we expected, but you have worked extremely hard for many years at Archbishop Holgate’s School and the lockdown cannot change that. See you on results day.

Staff quote of the day – Problem Solving and Progress
“Progress is not enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be.” Khalil Gibran (Lebanese-American author, poet and philosopher)

Thought for the Day
This week our daily quotes are all pieces of scripture on the theme of Compassion and link with our whole school act of Collective Worship on the same topic, created using material from the Church of England.

Wednesday 15^th July – “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness.” – Psalm 103:8, The Bible

Headteacher Update
I thought we would start the bulletin today with details of some of the extracurricular activities that have still been possible over recent weeks, as well as a reminder that instead of Enrichment Week, we are devoting this final week of term (and the summer for those who want to) to our ‘Activities Menu’ for Years 7 to 9.  These are linked to the relevant stage of the AHS Journey and can be accessed from Google Classroom.

Year 12 are also having their own form of Enrichment Week, starting both the the UCAS process and EPQ. For UCAS students are registering with UCAS, considering what they might look for in a university place and budgeting whilst at university. Students considering Apprenticeships are having an introduction to them and what they should consider whilst seeking apprenticeships.  For EPQ students are having an introduction to the research process and a taster of questions they may consider for their essay.

Alongside this we are meeting with Year 12 families to talk about progression plans for the year ahead and beyond, as well as reflecting on recent forecast grades.

‘Virtual’ Sports Day 2020
Thank you to all those who took part in the Virtual Sport Day last week.  We hope you all managed to have some healthy competition within your household.  In school, we had some amazing performances on our Virtual Sports Day LIVE on Friday.  It was so fantastic to see everyone encouraging each other to get the best score they could.  Nobody managed to beat Mr Goldsmith in the Plank but Laura in Year 8 and Chloe in Year 9 came very close indeed.  The best thing about the day was the positive attitudes and smiling faces, as you can see from Faith’s Shot Put attempt!

The results are in!

Congratulations to the AHS Virtual Sports Day Winners 2020…FOSS!!  Hopefully next year, we can all be together again for our usual Sports Day.

AHS Summer Concert
Here are the first two links for the school summer concert.  These two videos last about 30 minutes each!  We will then send out parts 3 & 4 on Wednesday or Thursday.  I hope you enjoy them…

https://youtu.be/NHxi5ApYK7U

https://youtu.be/ZSbPU2zGWk8

Hello to Year 8 from Mrs Edmondson
Well, after what has been the most difficult and strangest year, we are nearing the end and the finish line is in slight!  Both Miss Clark and myself have really enjoyed inviting a few Year 8s in to school over the last couple of weeks for some support sessions on google classrooms or just to have a ‘chat’.  I wish I would have been allowed to see them all.  One of my highlights of this final week though, has been watching the AHS Summer Concert via ‘You Tube’.  Not just for the Year 8 students who had contributed to this, but all of the students who participated.  They were phenomenal and so talented.

Something I have also really enjoyed over the last few months is my weekly quizzes and our Friday Riddle Challenges. I have been putting these on the Year 8 google classroom with many of the children getting involved; however, they have been just too good and I have struggled to find ones challenging enough for their ‘sharp’ brains.

I hope both the children and parents alike manage to get some calm and relaxation time over the summer break and I would like to take this final opportunity, as I will be handing over the Head of Year role to Mr Avery in September, to say thank you for your support over the last two years.  I am immensely proud of their journey at Archbishop’s so far, and I am confident they will continue to progress and develop into well-rounded individuals who achieve what they are capable of.

Mrs Edmondson

Acts of Collective Worship
Here are the two acts of collective worship for this week ahead on the theme of Compassion.  With the introduction and goodbye filmed in front of our school values poster in the Chapel.

Primary Pathfinder ACW
https://youtu.be/WLNMkLZ6EIk

Secondary AHS ACW
https://youtu.be/Jj47op4lPGI

School Cleaners
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Staff quote of the day – Problem Solving and Progress
“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable.  Every step towards the goal requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle, the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” – Martin Luther King 

Pause for Thought  – Sunday 12 July 2020
Welcome to this week’s short chance for reflection.

On Saturday I visited somewhere that I have not been to for more than four months.  It wasn’t the pub or a restaurant or the gym.  It was a place of worship.  I decided, somewhat on impulse, to go to York Minster.  I had discovered earlier that at 5.30pm there was a socially distanced service of Evening Prayer and so I decided that I would seize the opportunity that presented itself.  The chance to engage in worship was lovely, but my going was as much about visiting the space, as it was about what I was going to be doing there.

Having lived in York all my life there is a familiarity about York Minster which feels very comfortable.  I know it well from working there as a tour guide, from organising our school Christmas Carol services, from participating in worship on a multitude of occasions, and even from galloping round the North Transept at several harvest barn dances!

Our worship on Saturday took on an altered dimension to that which I have previously engaged in.  As one might expect we were socially distanced, with a substantial gap between each row of chairs.  Also, we did not use service books and instead accessed the words for our worship via our mobile phones.  But there was more that was different.  Due to the massive restoration work taking place on the organ there is a huge amount of scaffolding on the central Choir Screen.  Therefore, to avoid this visual distraction, our seats were turned round 180 degrees and we found ourselves facing the West doors rather than the East End.

This in itself added a new dimension to worship.  As we sat in our seats there was the opportunity to gaze upon the West window and the beautiful ‘Heart of Yorkshire’ at its apex.  Normally this window receives a passing glance as I enter, but yesterday I had the opportunity to gaze upon it with the benefit of time and peace.  The time I spent in the Minster was at one and the same moment a return to the familiar, but also a chance to look at my surroundings through fresh eyes.  I am expecting that this might be the case with a few places I will return to over the summer.  As much as I have loved walking and cycling round York, appreciating what is on my doorstep, I’m looking forward to going back to places that matter to me.  These may be churches, old buildings, landscape.  I am hoping that I might look at them through fresh eyes and with a deeper appreciation.

This weekend should have been the culmination of a week spent in Taizé, France, with a group of young people from school and many others from across Yorkshire.  There is so much that I have missed about not being able to be there this July, many different aspects, but at the forefront is the place itself.  The opportunity to inhabit the space for a few precious days.  I have missed spending time in the large modern church, and also the small medieval one, the woodland prayer walk, the lake, the meadow.  All of them have a sense of special-ness to them.

Many people say that there are so-called ‘thin places’ in our world.  Places where the gap between the physical and spiritual, between the everyday and the numinous is somehow lessened.  Places like York Minster and Taizé.  In these thin places it is argued that we can be more connected with God.  One of the challenges of lockdown is that the majority of us have found ourselves geographically confined.  It has certainly been wonderful to explore our world via the internet.  Many museums and galleries have had a massive increase in visitors to their websites as people explored their collections virtually.  York Station even had a goose nest webcam!  However, the virtual world is no replacement for physically inhabiting a space.  Sadly, through the internet we are deprived of experiencing the feel, the temperature, the smell, the blend of sounds, that come from actually being physically present in a location.  The internet is an amazing tool that can make us more connected to the rest of the world, but at the same time we can be less connected.

So, I pray that over the summer holidays you get the chance to go and physically inhabit some space that matters to you . To go somewhere you can perhaps experience the divine or God or simply connect with the less tangible, but still very real things of life.  It is very easy for us to be human doings rather than human beings.  But it is vitally important for us to ‘be’, as much as life demands that we continually ‘do’.  I hope that over the coming weeks you can experience the sense of being back in a space that matters to you, or even discovering a new one.  I hope that you can spend some time somewhere that speaks to the deeper you, to the soul, to the essence of your being.

Thought for the Day
This week our daily quotes are all pieces of scripture on the theme of Compassion and link with our whole school act of Collective Worship on the same topic, created using material from the Church of England.

Tuesday 14 July – “God has a loving, tender hand, full of sympathy and compassion.” – D. L. Moody; 19^th C. American evangelist and hymn writer

Headteacher Update
I hope everyone had a good weekend as we begin, what would be, the last week of the normal school term.  I will, as usual, send a bulletin each day this week as there is still much to share at this busy time.  Over the summer break these bulletins will pause although I will write home if something significant changes.  In September we will bring back our weekly Newsletter which goes home each Thursday showcasing everything that is going on in school.  However, following lots of positive feedback from parents I will also send a Headteacher update on a Monday so that all parents are receiving two communications from me each week.  Obviously, with all your children back in school in September, you will also be receiving plenty of feedback from them!

Message from the Prime Minister to Y11 and Y13 students
In case you missed it the link to the message from the Prime Minister is below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-WsDuO6Gmw

Pathfinder Weekly Newsletter
Is attached as usual for your information
Pathfinder-Weekly-Newsletter-12.06.20

Google Classrooms in September for Y9 to Y11
Parents in these year groups will receive an individual letter this week, but I also thought it was worth including in this bulletin.  We think the opportunities of ongoing online learning to supplement high quality teaching and learning in school are really exciting.  Post 16 students already benefit from this type of learning and in time we hope to extend this to Y7 and Y8.  However, in September, our focus will be Y9 to Y11.

The lockdown period has brought multiple challenges for all us.  As a Headteacher, I found myself leading a school under circumstances that I could not have anticipated, facing very different obstacles to those that Headteachers usually face.  What has, however, remained consistent throughout this period is my pride in the way our entire school community have pulled together – to educate, to care for students, to support each other and to overcome the many challenges we have all faced.

Like all of you, I have been humbled by the way our young people have adapted.  I receive multiple examples each day of students creating superb work and despite the numerous challenges there are many who have enjoyed the academic challenge of learning at home and the potential it brings to extend learning beyond the curriculum.  For both students and staff, our move to Google Classroom is one that has helped to highlight the potential of such a platform and how it might complement our outstanding teaching in the classroom.  Indeed, I have been amazed at how proficient both staff and students have become with this tool in such a short period of time and feel it offers significant potential moving forward.  The government have asked schools to develop contingency plans, so if another local or national lockdown were necessary, school would be ready to deliver online learning to students immediately.  This, along with our experience of the benefits of online learning has made us think very seriously about how we incorporate Google Classroom into our return to school, especially in terms of home learning.  Some of the benefits of Google Classroom include: 

• Google Classroom works on any device and platform – Windows, Android, Mac/PC, Laptop, Chromebook, Tablet and smartphone
• The platform allows teachers to support students more easily with their homework – teacher narration can be accessed from home so they are receiving the same guidance with their homework as they would receive in lesson
• Students can get help and support from staff and fellow students outside their normal lesson window
• It allows students to hold resources for all their subjects in one place
• Google Classroom certainly supports students with their homework – they can’t lose the resources or forget the hand in date
• Online resources support students who are ill / absent from school and prevents them getting behind in their learning
• And we are looking at providing parents/carers with an email summary of their child’s Google Classroom activity

Our students and teachers have embraced the Google Classroom platform during lockdown and we feel that this has been a huge learning experience that we wish to continue and build on.  It is important that we continue to maintain a remote learning environment which students are familiar with to allow learning to be extended if necessary.

In addition to using Google Classroom to make our curriculum entirely ready for online learning, we are also planning to incorporate it into homework for all students in Year 9-11.  Whilst maintaining the same principle of the current homework policy, which focuses on ensuring that students have all the information needed in one place to complete homework, from September we will now ask teachers to set all homework for Year 9-11 using Google Classroom.  We have a clear plan in place for offering further training and support for both parents and children, including a parent information evening (as soon as government guidance permits); Google Champions for individual students and a series of videos and guides for parents on how to use some of the functions of Google Classroom.

Furthermore, the use of Google Classroom in Upper School (Year 10 and 11) will play a key role in the catch-up plan for these students, allowing us to set central revision work and catch-up resources for students to work through.  As part of this, we are planning to offer an extension to the school day for Year 10 and 11 students.  Year 10 will be welcomed to Period 6 in English, Maths and Science and also have access to a ‘prep’ period for silent study and Year 11 will access Period 6 in the Ebacc and Options subjects, with the same access to an additional prep hour.  For many of our students, this extension to the school day will provide vital catch-up and our online curriculum will make this productive and focused.  Please note, students will not be required to bring devices into school, we have trolleys of Chromebooks available to use during the prep period.

We have been accessing Google Classroom throughout the last four months so are aware that many families have their own devices that they will continue to use in September.  However, I must stress that as a school we will continue to work with families on an individual basis to ensure no student is disadvantaged.  Students who are eligible for Pupil Premium will be provided with a device.  Students are eligible for Pupil Premium if they have received FSM at any point from September 2014.  If your household circumstances have changed, you may now be eligible for FSM.  You are eligible for FSM is you receive any of the following or your gross income is no more than £16,190:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

We appreciate that some families may not be eligible for government support, but are still struggling financially.  If you are in this position and feel that you need to purchase a new device, the school will work with you to do so.  The cost of a device can be spread out through the Pathfinder broker scheme on a flexible payment scheme.  This is intended to spread the cost of purchasing a device.  However, if you feel you are unable to commit to a payment plan, we ask that you contact us directly and we will work with you discreetly to find a solution.  We are committed to working with all families to ensure every student has access to a device at home.

We are really confident of the benefits of Google Classroom and feel that this move to increased online provision will only serve to benefit both our young people, their families and our staff.  We will be using Google Classroom as our homework platform and in school will continue to deliver lessons as we have done previously.  As such, students will not need these devices in school.  We are excited about welcoming students back in September and look forward to online learning being another area of the Archbishop’s curriculum where we can continue to excel.

Post 16 Updates from Mrs DeLashley
GCSE and A Level Results Days:
Parents were sent a letter on Friday outlining the format of both GCSE and A Level results days.  Due to continued social distancing and government guidance, the format of the day has been altered slightly since the first communication regarding results day.  In your letter you will have been allocated a time slot during the morning to collect results as well as guidance on where to go.  For Y11 students, this letter also includes details of your scheduled transition meeting to confirm subject choices and discuss progression plans.  Please check the appointment and get in touch prior to the end of next week should you need the time/day changing – Mrs Walton  swalton@archbishopholgates.org

Y11 to Y12 Transition:
You will have received an email last week with some transition videos to support you and your son/daughter over the coming weeks.  Please take a look and do let us know if you have any questions.  We look forward to seeing you on results day and the transition meetings that follow on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 August.

Y12 Enrichment Week:
An email was sent last week as a reminder of next week’s Enrichment Week for Y12.  Please take note of the activities set out for your son/daughter remotely via Google Classroom over the course of the week – there are no lessons in school.  You will also see the three tutorials talking you through the UCAS process and student finance.  Should you have any questions about any of the details please do get in touch – Mrs De Lashley  fdelashley@archbishopholgates.org

Y12 Forecast Grades:
You have been posted a letter containing forecast grades for each of you son/daughters A Level subjects.  We have not issued BTEC forecast grades as students will receive a predicted grade from Pearson this August.  All details regarding both qualifications are contained within the letter which you should receive over the weekend.  We look forward to discussing the contents in next weeks’ progression meetings.  If you have not received a Zoom link for your progression meeting or need to change the time/day of the meeting please get in touch as soon as possible – Mrs Walton  swalton@archbishopholgates.org

A final hello to Y7 before summer from Miss Kincell
I hope you and your families are well in our final week of term.

Well, what a year it has been!  I am so proud to have called you my year group, we have had some wonderful times, here are my favourites:
The first day – Seeing you all in your new shiny uniforms, all sheepish and nervous.  I love thinking back to this, and comparing you all now to such characters, who have thrived and flourished.
Bewerley Park – Learning so much more about you all, how brave you all are and how much you support and encourage each other.
Christmas Party – All your crazy dancing and sequined outfits… and I will never forget the appearance of the incredible (w)rapping Santa!
STEM Day – What a wonderful opportunity this was to see you all holding snakes, and all things creepy, but also engaging with business ideas, team building activities and lots of chocolate!

Please remind me of your favourite memories.

Then, obviously the strangest thing happened, the strangest event we have all probably ever experienced.  Your Year 7 was cut short and I didn’t get to enjoy more of these wonderful opportunities with you all.  But, as always- you have all been incredible, and you have all dealt with very different circumstances very well and I have been so proud of you all.  I read a quote: ‘We are not all in the same boat, we are all in the same storm’.  And this has been really evident through this time, the pandemic has had very different consequences for everyone, but the sense of community has been outstanding.  Well done to everyone for getting through this and helping each other in lots of different ways.  I thought it would be lovely if we could end the year spreading positive messages, please send me positive messages or quotes for me to share on our twitter so we can start the Summer on a high!

 hen you arrive in September, school will be different, but what won’t be different is the way we prioritise you, and put your health and safety first.  There will be uncertainty, and plenty of nerves I’m sure, but what I am certain of is how much we are looking forward to seeing you all again!  Your new Head of Year will be Mr Arthur and your new Pastoral Support Worker will be Mr Deamer, both of whom are really talented pastoral leaders who I’m sure you will all adore.  Next week you will start to be virtually introduced to your new form tutors who are so excited to meet you all.

 A Message for Form Buddies:
Hi everyone, thank you so much for your hard work so far in helping to ease in our new Year 7 students – your kind messages on the website have been really appreciated by the Year 6s and their families.  However, in September your role will be quite different to what we expected, and I’m not entirely sure what this will look like yet as you will all need to remain in your Year 8 ‘bubbles’.  Once I have further clarification I will work with Mr Arthur to communicate with you all.  I hope you all have a lovely Summer.

Remember a lovely way to spend some time reflecting in the week is our poignant collective worship led by our school Chaplain Mr Nihill.  There will be a weekly video posted to: Archbishop Holgate’s Music & Media YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM-6pPHkcEY0kiGOeEvAkTA

Thanks for a wonderful year, best wishes,

Miss Kincell and Miss Greenhalgh

Wilberforce Trust (flyer attached)
The Wilberforce Trust provides services to people in York, young and old, who have sight and hearing loss.  Times are tough at the moment so we’re approaching you to ask your help in spreading the word.
Syncing Flyer 4

Lip Syncing is a big deal with young people at the moment and taking part in the challenge should give them something positive to help with the boredom of lockdown.  Further details can be found here:  https://justgiving.com/campaign/thatsyncingfeeling

I’ve also included a link to one video so you can have a good laugh!
https://youtu.be/N2Sr3gncn4g

Science Updates from Miss Gray
‘We enjoyed hosting the Y12 Physicists in school yesterday.  It was just so nice to see pupils working hard at socially distanced, safe practical work.’ – Miss Gray

‘Jack Farrow (Y9) has got a FANTASTIC test result for his end of term Science assessment.  Well done Jack.’ – Mrs Freeman

‘Grace Morris (9N1) has been a model Science Student right through lockdown.  Fantastic application and creativity.’ – Dr Osman

‘Fantastic project work by Dan Real.’ – Mr Evans

‘Excellent project work from Y9’s Brandon Tasker and Parish Edge.’ – Miss Gray and Miss Day

‘Emily Etty has been working fantastically well in Chemistry.  She’s hit every deadline with great quality work and is smashing the past papers.’ – Dr Osman

‘We are so pleased with our Y10 Triple Group and their End of Year assessments – some outstanding answers.  A particular mention to Evie Hayes, Ila Bhattacharye, Reilly Adams, Emma Beale and Eve Young.’ – Miss Gray and Mr Thompson

‘Fabulous investigation by Kate Newton into extracting DNA strands from strawberries using her families gin supply!  Brilliant science work Kate.’ – Miss Gray

School Cleaners
Required as soon as possible
£9 per hour
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For more information visit: www.archbishopholgates.academy/staff/vacancies/

Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.  Enhanced DBS check will be required

On this day in History
On this day in 1985 the ‘Live Aid’ concert took place. After seeing BBC news reports of the African famine Bob Geldof and Midge Ure from Ultravox wrote the song Do They Know It’s Christmas to raise money for the crisis. Mr Geldof went on a crusade to attract other stars to the cause. Wembley was packed with a crowd of 72,000, and TV pictures were beamed to over 1.5 bn people in 160 countries in the biggest broadcast ever known.  Live Aid eventually raised £40m. Half of the money was spent on food and half on long-term development. Bob Geldof was given an honorary knighthood in 1986.

One for Y10 crime and punishment students! On this day in 1955 Ruth Ellis was hanged for the murder of her partner David Blakely. The trial and punishment of Ruth Ellis became notorious as she was the last woman in England to be executed. The case played a major role in the death penalty being abolished in Britain, as many felt Ellis punishment was unfair, due to her experiencing years of domestic abuse from Blakely. The death penalty in the UK was suspended in 1965 and permanently removed in 1970. 

Staff quote of the day – Problem Solving and Progress
“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning.” – Benjamin Franklin

Thought for the Day
This week our daily quotes are all pieces of scripture on the theme of Compassion and link with our whole school act of Collective Worship on the same topic, created using material from the Church of England.

Monday 13 July – “The purpose of life is not to be happy.  It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson; 19^th C. American writer, lecturer, philosopher, and poet

Headteacher Update
Yesterday we shared the rationale behind our plans for September and an indicative outline of how we will potentially be zoning the school at the start of term. As part of this we are also producing individual maps for each year group which will go home as part of a letter next week.  I’ve attached the draft Year 7 map as an example.  These indicate the two entrances to school, the route to the appropriate hand washing stations, arrival points (in this case the Maths Block) as well as routes to the Main Hall and PE and the appropriate social space.  We hope that families will find these useful.  As ever, any feedback is much appreciated.

Hello to Year 10 from Mrs Avey
In our penultimate week at school, I would ordinarily be holding an end of year Act of Collective Worship when we would come together as a whole year group and reflect upon and celebrate the year.  Photographs, illustrating our successes and undertakings would be compiled on a power point  and  set to music.  The hard part would be actually limiting the number of images I could use in the allocated time.  Congratulations and special mentions would be delivered from all the teachers of the Year 10 groups, the highlights of the year would be recapped and enjoyed again and each form tutor would write their own personal message to their form.  I believe that it is normally an experience which is enjoyed by all.  Reflecting over the year, a highlight for me has been the mature behaviour and positive work ethic of the year group.  I have said it many times, but I am very proud of this group of young people.  Never before in my teaching career has being on duty been such an enjoyable experience – even if they do occasionally need reminding about picking up their own litter from the table.  (I hope that when they get into their newly furnished and extended common area next year they won’t need the same reminders!)  My year group’s willingness to learn, and effort applied in lessons was fantastic and as such, I continue to have great faith in the success they will achieve next summer.  Beyond the curriculum there were many sporting successes for the school netball and football teams.  The football team were maintaining a strong defence of their title of County Cup holders and the netball team – which is one of, if not the strongest netball team in the history of AHS since 1985 when it stopped being a boys’ grammar school and became comprehensive – were unbeaten.  ‘We Will Rock You’ was heavily supported by our year group both on and behind the scenes, whilst in bands, choirs and orchestras we were strongly represented.  Many in Year 10 are continuing with their DoE adventure whilst others have baked and ‘created’ in support of charities.  A Careers’ Fair was attended and elicited compliments a plenty from the stall holders as did the Business Enterprise Initiative which our teams took part in.  What a pity we were stopped so abruptly in our stride.

Names which may have featured include those whose names have been passed to me this week.  Once again, I emphasise that this list is not exhaustive. Congratulations to: Luke J; Sophie Wat; Aimee R; Katie S; Emma B; Inez K; Emy Mae O’d; Jamiee C; Lily D; Sydney S; Marcus W; Bailey W; Harvey W; Harrison C; Regan R; Josh R; Aaron L; Libby E; Jae H; Jess C; Cole G; Lento Y; Eve Y; Evie H; Reilly A; Hannah K; Claudia R; Abbie D; Jonathan W; Leoni H; Joe M; Jamie B; Beth G; Will L; Jess S; Maddie W; Alex C; Alex W; Jonny D; Joe D; Jack S; Dimitri G; Earl J; Yonese L; Sandy H; Fran K; Callum F; Peter C; Jake F; Daisy H; Kirsty H; Jess M; Adam P; Arthur S; Olivia S, Olivia M; Charles T; Matthew N; Sonny S; Pippa S; Holly T; Ben A; Ellie W; Joe S; Maggie W; Caitlin Lee ; Ben A ; Matthew B; Ben  B; Orla D; Hannah R; Fenton G; Jocelin L; Sophia Mc; Victoria M; Josh O’N; Natasha P; Kyla B; Charlotte W; Amber A;  Robyn D; Emma Leo; Mia R;  John M and Ivy T.

This year’s journey has focussed, as you know, on the core attributes of responsibility and resilience.  Never has a time existed so overtly where a whole year group has had to develop and utilise these characteristics.  I hope if nothing more, our students come to value all the lessons which we strive to teach them in school, not just the ones explicitly taught in lessons, and that they were able to perhaps apply, in some measure, resilience and responsibility.

With one more week to go after this, Mrs Mennell, myself and the present Year 10 teaching staff look forward to welcoming them all into school one more time next week to conclude the end of Year 10.  As always, should you require any support or information, please do not hesitate to be in touch.  Best wishes, Mrs Mennell and Mrs Avey

Parent Support – Who to contact for support
Over the past few months we have been updating our school website and are interested in feedback from students and parents.  Today we are asking for feedback on our ‘Who to contact for support’ page.  This can be found at: https://archbishopholgates.academy/parents/supporting-our-students/supporting-our-students-who-to-contact/

This has been updated for September and includes each year groups pastoral team, including their Head of Year, Pastoral Support Worker and Form Tutor.  It also explains that to contact any of your child’s pastoral team, you email reception@archbishopholgates.org or phone 01904 411341 and ask to speak to your child’s Head of Year, who will be able to support you.

If you have any ideas on how we can improve this page please email Mr Furniss directly at dfurniss@archbishopholgates.org.

VACANCY – Archbishop Holgate’s School
We believe that our school is a really welcoming place to work and somewhere people can have a real sense of community. This is absolutely the case in terms of our cleaning team which is really well led by Mrs Smith.  We now have the opportunity to appoint new members to this team and are offering increased flexibility around hours which would for instance allow parents to drop their children off at school before coming to work.

School Cleaners
Required as soon as possible
£9 per hour
Permanent, Part Time (25 hpw), Term Time Only

For more information visit: www.archbishopholgates.academy/staff/vacancies/

Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.  Enhanced DBS check will be required

From Miss Robinson – Careers
NCS have launched their ‘Keep doing good’ Programme
If your child is in Year 11 and looking for something valuable to do over summer ‘Keep Doing Good’ is an amazing opportunity to support York and help tackle community issues that already existed or have emerged due to COVID-19.  Through ‘Keep Doing Good’, students will be given the platform to volunteer a minimum of 16 hours of their time with NYBEP and local partners and collectively make a positive impact in the York area.  To find out more please visit: https://wearencs.com/keep-doing-good

North Yorkshire Police ‘Lifestyle 2020’ project has been launched!
The Summer challenge is open to all 8–18 year olds who are resident in York or North Yorkshire.  Your mission, should you choose to accept it: get together with up to six of your mates – either virtually or in person (adhering to social distancing guidance) – think up a project between you and then do it!  Your project could benefit your street, your community or your environment.  It’s entirely up to you.  It just needs to make a difference in your community.  To find out more visit
https://northyorkshire.police.uk/what-we-do/public-campaigns/lifestyle/

Year 11 Careers Feedback
We are delighted with the positive feedback we have received from our Year 11 students and parents who have taken part in the remote careers meetings with David Keeton.  We hope this service has allowed our students to make some informed choices about their future goals, despite school having to close in March.  We are pleased to announce that due to popular demand this service will continue in September, and we hope our students and parents will continue to make good use of this excellent opportunity.  Should parents have any questions regarding this, please contact the school’s Careers Advisor, Sarah Robinson.

Accelerated Reader: Star readers this week!
A huge well done to the following KS3 students who have all completed at least one quiz this week.  With the summer holidays rapidly approaching, now is the ideal time to ensure your child has a book to read for pleasure whilst they are off school. Please do get in touch with either Miss Woolerton or Miss Murphy, our wonderful librarian, who can sort you out with some reading material if you need it.  Finally, please keep an eye out for our fantastic ‘Bookopoly Reading Challenge’ which will be coming out to students next week.  Happy reading!

Year 7 – Bethany Stimson, Erin Barratt, Miles Hall, Lucas Whatling, Abigail Bowling, Lucas Brannan, Erin Childs, Alyana Veldhuizen, Luca Vicari-Lowson, Ian Kim
Year 8 – Grace Pendlebury, Pujani Perera, Annalise Hare, Xander Hudson, Imogen Price, Paula Sola Farrus, Zahra White, Rosie Davies, Mia Attwood, Lila Yengle Duncanson

VTALK Opportunities from Mr Charlton
Here is next week’s full VTALK Schedule.

HOW TO JOIN THE VTALKS

• Join 10 minutes before the VTALK to be ready
• You can join without needing an account – Watch how here
• For full speaker descriptions visit the VTALK Schedule here

VTALK LIBRARY & MORE

• Watch pre-recorded VTalks from our library here
• Please see our Schools Guide here
• Below my signature is more information on the SFS activity sheet
• The colour codes can be found under my email signature below

This day in History
On this day in 1940 the German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, mounted a series of attacks on shipping convoys off the south-east coast of England – sparking what would become the Battle of Britain.  Following the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) from Dunkirk, Adolf Hitler had Britain in his sights.  On 16 July 1940 he ordered preparations for the invasion of Britain codenamed Operation Sealion.  Britain retained naval superiority and Hitler knew that an amphibious invasion would be made easier if Germany could establish control of the air in the battle zone.  The bravery and skill of the RAF meant ultimately the operation failed, which marked a pivotal turning point in WWII.

On this day in 1985 the Greenpeace flagship ‘rainbow warrior’ was blown up in Auckland, New Zealand.  A couple were charged with arson and murder and further investigation revealed that both the accused – Major Alain Mafart and Captain Dominique Prieur – were French secret agents.  It was believed this attack was in response to Greenpeace activism against French nuclear weapon tests.  The French Government tried to deny their involvement and a major cover-up ensued.  By September the French defence minister, Charles Hernu, had resigned and France paid New Zealand $7m compensation.

Staff quote of the day – Problem Solving and Progress
“A problem is the chance for you to do your best.”  Duke Ellington

Thought for the Day
This week our daily quotes are all pieces of scripture on the theme of Vulnerability and link with our whole school act of Collective Worship on the same topic, created using material from the Church of England.

Friday 10 July – “There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community.” – M. Scott Peck; American psychiatrist and best-selling author

Saturday 11 July  – “When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable.  But to grow up is to accept vulnerability.  To be alive is to be vulnerable.” – Madeleine L’Engle; American writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry

Sunday 12 July  – “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage.  Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.” – Dr Brené Brown; American professor, lecturer and author

Headteacher Update
Tonight was the final set of form tutor zoom meetings for the new Year 7 students. I’d like to thank all parents for their support with this online transition and also to the Year 7 form  tutors, Miss Kincell and Miss Greenhalgh for all their efforts over the last few weeks. Despite the challenges, the transition for students seems to have worked well so far.

Planning for September
We are carefully progressing our planning for the full return to school for all students in September. As part of this we are sharing manageable amounts of information each day before pulling this together into a detailed year group specific letter next week.

It’s important to stress that we are excited to welcome all students back to school and very pleased that the government have confirmed this is the case.  We are currently making plans that allow us to do this, whilst fully meeting all government guidelines.  As part of this we are planning the following:

• All students follow a full timetable which includes all subjects
• For some practical subjects, students in Years 7 and 8 will focus on theory lessons in the first half term
• Students will be in year group bubbles (Year 12 and Year 13 will count as one bubble). Students will not mix with students outside their year groups.
• Year 7 and 8 will be taught in their tutor groups for all subjects, other than Maths and PE (Yr7) and Maths, English and PE (Year 8).  Students will stay in the same rooms for the majority of the school day and will have separate year zones
• Years 9- 13 will each have their own zones.  Students in these zones will move around a little more, to allow them to access specialist teaching rooms such as IT, Food, Textiles and DTE.  These classrooms will be thoroughly cleaned and we are confident we can ensure adherence to all Health and Safety Guidance
• We have worked hard to ensure that we plan within the usual school day which we have succeeded in doing. We have also managed to have staggered breaks and lunches for all year groups. We will follow the planned timetable and usual length of day, just in different classrooms and with different breaks.
• We will have an extended entry to school with form rooms open from 8.30am to 8.45am to allow a steady arrival into the building and a phased end to the school day. This will allow buses to arrive as normal. Year 7 and 9 will leave at 3.00pm, Year 8 and Post 16 at 3.05pm and Year 10 and 11 at 3.10pm.
• Each year group will have a dedicated entrance to school and route around school. There will be enhanced cleaning stations at all entrances into school and outside the catering facilities. Outside each classroom will be sanitisers.

The above plan allows us to comply with all government  and Public Health England guidance.  If the situation improves, we also have a full ‘normal’ timetable ready to go – including all practical subjects, our full extra-curricular timetable and students moving freely around the building.

I am going to resist the temptation to add further detail at this point and will add to this over the coming days. In the meantime I have included a draft outline of how the school will be zoned for the first few weeks of term.

Y7-9 Activities Menu
A reminder that in the final week of term, rather than being set work by their individual teachers, students in Years 7-9 will be provided with an Activities Menu on their Year Group Page of Google Classroom. This will contain a variety of activities under the following headings…

• Subject specific tasks
• Videos to watch and Listen to
• Activities that are ‘Just for Fun’
• Summer Projects that may take a bit of time to complete

Each of the Year group pages contains boxes with activities related to your child’s specific stage of the Archbishop Holgate’s School ‘Journey’. These are ‘Joining In’ for year 7, ‘Opportunities’ for Year 8, and ‘Understanding Yourself and Others’ for Year 9. First and foremost, students must ensure they are logged into their Archbishop Holgate’s Google Account to access these materials. Each box on the menu contains a short description of the activity with a link to the required materials. All students will need to do is click the link which will take them to either the website or the resources they will need to complete the activity. Students can then download any documents they need in order to complete them.

For students who do not have access to a computer or the internet, paper copies of the Activities Menu will be made available in school for students to collect. These can be collected from Sixth Form Reception. Year 10 students will continue with their ‘Blended’ Learning of time in school and activities on Google Classroom set by teachers for the remainder of the term.

We hope your child enjoys these activities and that you all have a wonder summer break! We are all very much looking forward to welcoming your children back to Archbishop Holgate’s in September!

Support for parents
Over the past few months we have been updating our school website and are interested in feedback from students and parents.  Today we are asking for feedback on our ‘Support for parents’ page.  This can be found at: https://archbishopholgates.academy/supporting-our-students-support-for-parents/

We are very interested to hear about the type of support parents are interested in finding here and of outside agencies that you know are good and you think other parents would benefit from knowing about.

If you have any ideas on how we can improve this page please email Mr Furniss directly at dfurniss@archbishopholgates.org.

Big Bang Digital 2020 from Mr Evans
The Big Bang is back – and this time, it’s digital! Meet the inspirational scientists, healthcare professionals, engineers, technicians and students doing incredible things during lockdown. This is a free online event day that celebrates their achievements, hears about challenges, innovation and collaboration, and explores some upsides to lockdown. Tuesday 14^th July

Announced line-up:
The worldwide race to develop a vaccine (GSK)
The environmental impact of staying at home (Plastic Oceans)
Keeping the water flowing
(Thames Water)
Designing a social distancing lanyard (RS Components)
Feeding the nation (Harper Adams)

Spread the word
Help inspire the scientists and engineers of the future. Add details to whole-school communications, share on social (#BigBangDigital) and with your colleagues, SLT, careers co-ordinator, friends and family.

www.digitalbigbang.co.uk

New Archbishop of York
Bishop Stephen Cottrell will be confirmed as the 98th Archbishop of York at 11.00am on Thursday 9 July 2020, in a service broadcast entirely via video conference due to the Covid-19 restrictions.

You can view the service on the Church of England website at:
www.churchofengland.org/aby98

The service will include music, prayers and readings as well as an address by Bishop Stephen. Young people from across the north of England, including from Archbishop Holgate’s, will read a letter written by the medieval religious scholar Alcuin of York.

Taizé.
This week a group of us from Archbishop Holgate’s should have been joining the Yorkshire Schools Pilgrimage to Taizé. There, with 3 coaches of our fellow Yorkshire pilgrims, we would have joined thousands of other young people from Europe and across the world. Every year this trip has been a great blessing to those students who have been fortunate enough to go. Sadly the coronavirus pandemic has meant that this has not been possible.

Below is a link to one of the chants used at Taizé, being sung by 50+ young adults from across the world during lockdown. It gives you a flavour of the reflective worship offered there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us-v4slsUX4 

This day in History
On this day in 1982 a Michael Fagan broke into the Queens private chambers at Buckingham Palace. The Queen was only able to raise the alarm when he asked for a cigarette. She calmly called for a footman who held the intruder until police arrived. The incident happened as the armed police officer outside the royal bedroom came off duty before his replacement – apparently out walking the dogs – arrived. Michael Fagan was not charged for trespassing in the Queen’s bedroom since it was then a civil offence and proceedings would have compromised the Queen’s position as head of state!

On this day in 1984, York Minister was badly damaged in a fire. Shortly after 0200 BST the alarm was raised and 150 fire-fighters from across north Yorkshire spent two hours bringing the blaze under control. The massive fire devastated large parts of York Minster causing an estimated £1m damage. Strange theories ranged from UFOs to Arson, but North Yorkshire Fire Brigade’s report to the Home Office confirmed that lightning was the most likely cause. There was also criticism that smoke detectors had been set too low in the roof to provide early warning of the fire. Afterwards £350,000 was spent on installing modern fire alarms.

Staff quote of the day – Problem Solving and Progress
“We can’t solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.” – Albert Einstein

Thought for the Day
This week our daily quotes are all pieces of scripture on the theme of Vulnerability and link with our whole school act of Collective Worship on the same topic, created using material from the Church of England.

Thursday 9^th July – “Courage is vulnerability. Vulnerability is courage. Like shadow and light, neither one can exist without the other” – Wai Lan Yuen; best-selling author

Headteacher Update
Over the past two days we have confirmed important dates around both Post 16 and GCSE Results and the start of the next academic year.  A reminder that these are:

– Year 13 Results Thursday 13 August by appointment
– Year 11 Results Thursday 20 August by appointment
– Year 12 1-to-1 Induction Meetings Thursday 20 and Friday 21 August

– Monday 7 September training day for staff
– On Tuesday 8 September, Year 7 and 12 only for important in-school transition
– Wednesday 9 September will see the full return of students in all other year groups.  

The school day in September is likely to look a little different with students working in ‘year group bubbles’ in specific areas of school.  In the bulletin tomorrow we will provide a visual presentation of what this will look like along with an explanation of how we intend to stagger break and lunchtimes each day.  However, broadly speaking, students will arrive and leave school as normal and will follow their normal timetable, all be it in potentially different rooms.  The safety of all our students and staff will continue to be paramount, in line with the necessary Government guidelines and other risk assessments, all activities will be organised accordingly.  Clearly, we are also missing the wide range of extra-curricular activities that are an important part of the AHS Journey.  In addition to the timetabled day, we are also finalising plans for provision in these areas, considering how best to continue to offer students the best we can from September, working within the safety guidelines.

Each year group will receive a detailed letter next week containing all relevant start of term information.

Examinations for Summer 2021
We have been pleased to receive assurances about the examinations for Summer 2021.  Ofqual have provided initial information regarding how examinations may be changed to allow students, whatever their circumstances during lockdown, to achieve according to their ability in their 2021 qualifications.  Ofqual are currently running a consultation and we will let you know any further details as they become available.  We are confident that students at Archbishop’s will be able to continue with their broad range of subjects and we will support them in all ways possible to help them achieve and succeed.

Hello to Year 8 from Mrs Edmondson
Year 8 continue to impress both Miss Clark and myself in these final weeks of the academic year.  I was very proud to get an email from Miss Lawrenson this week, flagging up lots of Year 8 children who were ‘going the extra mile’ with their work in Design and Technology.  A huge well done to all those listed below:

Equally, there were nearly 60 students who have completed every single ‘Hegarty’ Maths weekly session since school closure, showing commitment and resilience across the year group. 

Next week, students will get the chance to try new and different activities and information will be shared via their Google Classrooms regarding the new academic year in September; lots of exciting and important information.  As always though, if you or your child need advice or support, please do get in touch with either myself or Miss Clark.

Mrs Edmondson

Hello to Year 9 from Miss Turvey
Welcome to the penultimate parental message; I know we have been in lockdown for 16 weeks, but bizarrely I feel as if this year has slipped away from me.  I don’t wish to make any of you feel old, but in 8 days’ time your babies (and, they once were babies) are going to have completed Year 9 at secondary school.  I look forward to welcoming them all back on Wednesday 9 September 2020 (assuming there are no localised spikes or changes of mind by the government).

There will be some changes to the year team in Year 10; Mr Rimmer and Miss Robilliard have successfully found jobs elsewhere, Mrs Beard and Mrs Armes have been seconded to a different year group.  So, we welcome Mrs Hopkinson-Kearney, Mr Avery and Miss Hollinger to the year team, as well as Mr Williams (Science) who takes over 9JRi for them to become 10Wa and Mrs Robertson (RE) who takes over 9SRo who become 10ERo.  Mr Stevens, Mrs Stead, Mr Pennock, Mrs Dugdale, Mr Bryan, Ms Metcalf, Miss Brown, Mr Limbert, Miss Montagu, Mr Gibson, Mr Mansfield and myself remain with the year group.  Yay!  And we get a lovely year area for break and lunch.  I have already planned where to put the Christmas tree and twinkly lights.

 As I drove to school this morning (Tuesday) I was musing about what I might say to you all and reflected back on the energy, enthusiasm, hope I had on 20 March when the lockdown order came: Week One, lockdown has begun…I could read a book, learn to cook, plant some veg, cut the hedge, mow the lawn, stay up until dawn, tidy my hovel, write a novel, get myself fit…or just sit.  Week two to fifteen, an increasing frustration with a nation, who on a Thursday clap their appreciation, but when the sun is out have no resistance and can’t social distance, nature has thrived and we have survived, but it is week sixteen and I am ever so keen for the “new normal” to start and for us to no longer be apart.

Thank you for your support by phone, by email, by letter and in person.  Stay safe and take care.

Social Media and Online Safety
Over the past few months we have been updating our school website and are interested in feedback from students and parents.  Today we are asking for feedback on our ‘’Social Media and Online Safety’ page.  This can be found at: https://archbishopholgates.academy/supporting-our-students-social-media-and-on-line-safety/

With our students using social media and being online on a frequent basis, this is a very important area for everyone to understand.  This site provides an explanation around the different platforms that the students use and provides parents with helpful advice.

If you have any ideas on how we can improve this page please email Mr Furniss directly at dfurniss@archbishopholgates.org.

Weekly Acts of Collective Worship
Here are the two acts of collective worship for this week ahead on the theme of Vulnerability. With my introduction and goodbye filmed in the school chapel in front of the Africa banner.

Pathfinder Primary ACW
https://youtu.be/ItVB4R7BmJ8

AHS Secondary ACW
https://youtu.be/CC7xzsmvJ-I

Virtual Sports Day
This is the time of year when the PE department are usually busy running a wide range of fun Healthy Week activities for everyone and, most importantly, running Inter house Sport Day.  We are very sad that we can’t run this amazing event this year, so we have decided to run a Virtual Sports Day that lasts a whole week!  In each student’s Google Classroom there will be a link to a PowerPoint that shows the 10 different activities that we are using this year.  They are all activities that you can do at home so everyone can get involved.  They have the whole week to practice and then they will have a Google Form to fill in on their Google Classroom to let us know what their best score was.  It would be great if you could have a competition between yourselves at home and get the whole family involved.  If you are happy for them to video or take a picture of themselves taking part, then they can post it in their Google Classroom or on Twitter.  Don’t forget to tag us @AHSPhysEd.  We will also try and get some of our staff to take part and see if you can beat their scores!  You don’t need to take part in every event, but the more you do, the more points you earn for your house!  All results need to be in by 3pm on 10 July.  If you are part of the key worker group that are in school on Friday 10 July then you should come to school in your PE kit so that you can take part in the events at school. Good luck everyone.  Results will be announced on Monday 13 July.

 Staff quote of the day – ‘Acceptance’
“Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.”– Cherokee Proverb

Thought for the Day
This week our daily quotes are all pieces of scripture on the theme of Vulnerability and link with our whole school act of Collective Worship on the same topic, created using material from the Church of England.

Wednesday 8 July – “We’re never so vulnerable than when we trust someone – but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy.” — Walter Anderson; 20^th C. American painter and writer

Headteacher Update
I am pleased to confirm that families will receive a letter this week detailing the format of results day (A Level Thurs 13^th August and GCSE Thurs 20^th August). Students will be invited in during the morning by appointment to ensure social distancing guidance is adhered to and that your safety and that of staff in school is ensured. We are delighted that we get to see you all over this period. Year 11 students will also receive details of their individual transition meeting appointment. These are taking place Thurs 20^th, Fri 21^st and Tues 25^th August to discuss progression plans for Sixth Form and beyond. Please note that individual BTEC unit results for other year groups (Year 9,10 and 12) will be emailed home rather than being collected in school. Subject teachers will discuss these further in September.

Uniform for September
A reminder that our uniform supplier Keal are currently taking all uniform orders over the phone or on line. They assure us that they have a good supply of jumpers and ties at present. You can contact them by:

Tel:      01904 624497

Email:  enquiries@keal-teamwear.com

A reminder that we do not specify where school trousers are bought given the vast array of prices and styles but ask that they do conform with the uniform guidelines. Details around trousers and the rest of the school uniform can be found via the link below:

https://archbishopholgates.academy/parents/school-life/school-uniform/

Student Support
The following link from Barnardos provides useful resources for children, teenagers and families struggling with anxiety or their wellbeing in the current climate.
https://www.barnardos.org.uk/support-hub/emotional-wellbeing

AHS Journey Challenge Week 14
This is the final AHS Journey Challenge of the school year! This is after 14 weeks and 98 individual challenges! Has anyone managed to do all 14 weeks? If so, that’s amazing. Please do get in touch to show us! Next week, Mr Arthur will be sending out summer journey challenges as part of your enrichment programme.

Even though you are currently not at school, you will continue to develop and grow as an individual. Your AHS journey has not stopped! Each week, we will send you things to think about yourself and set you challenges to share with others and others in the year group. This is optional but we would love to hear from you all!

	Personal Reflection	AHS Journey Challenge Week 1
	Although this has now finished, the Glucksman museum provided daily activities you can join in with at home. The Glucksman contemporary art museum in Cork, Ireland proposed a new art activity each day based on their collection. These are really fun and easy to do. Have a go and get creative at home! http://www.glucksman.org/events	Start the discussion on the Year 7 classroom. Email these to Miss Kincell at: akincell@archbishopholgates.org
	Covid 19 and lockdown has provided the perfect opportunity for lots of people to become more concerned about the environmental impact our day to day lives have. Many people don’t want to return to the levels of pollution, as an example, which were seen pre-lockdown. This is still a perfect opportunity to make a difference to the environment. Raising awareness about environment and sustainable development issues means discovering nature and understanding how ecosystems work. Although as yet you can’t put on your hiking boots and head off to explore, these virtual exhibitions are sure to arouse your curiosity – and your family and friends’ curiosity too. Organized by the Museum of the Earth in New York state, the virtual exhibition “Bees! Diversity, evolution, conservation” https://www.museumoftheearth.org/bees/  invites you to explore the wonderful world of bees from their origins to their contribution to agricultural production. Inspired by the work of Bernie Krause, an American musician and bio-acoustician who has collected close to 5,000 hours of sound recordings of wild natural habitats, “The Great Animal Orchestra” is amazing. The website is in French but you can still find your way around.  The sounds are amazing and incredibly calming. Presented to the public in 2016 by the Cartier Foundation, the installation is now available online. https://www.legrandorchestredesanimaux.com/fr	Start the discussion on the Year 8 classroom. Email these to Mr Edmondson at:aedmondson@archbishopholgates.org
	As we ease out of lockdown, it is important to remember the impact this has had on our lives. For some of us, we might not have left the house for several weeks. Our homes will be all we see. Some people have loved the opportunity to spend so much time at home. Others have felt trapped and really struggled. Check out “CoronaMaison (CoronaBuilding)”. This is an invitation to draw the ideal place to be quarantined in. Artists and non-artists are invited to participate in this collaborative drawing game. The single rule is to download the template of the room so that all decorated rooms seem to belong to the same building: CoronaBuilding stands for a virtual place where we all “live together”. http://www.coronamaison.fun/ (Click on GB for the English version).	Start the discussion on the Year 9 classroom Email these to Miss Turvey at: hturvey@archbishopholgates.org
	Big History examines our past, explains our present, and imagines our future Journey through nearly 14 billion years of history in this self-guided, six-hour version of Big History. You’ll find every chapter full of great activities to keep you entertained and test your learning. The videos provided are fascinating and feed into so many subjects you may or may not be studying now. History, geography, science, PSHE and even general life lessons! https://www.bighistoryproject.com/home	Start the discussion on the Year 10 classroom. Email these to Mrs Avey at: davey@archbishopholgates.org
	I’ve discovered this up-lifting youtube channel “SoulPancake”. SoulPancake was created for the joy spreaders, deep thinkers, and change makers of the internet. It explores what it means to be human. There are loads of fascinating videos exploring contemporary issues but providing a positive spin whilst posing big questions you might never have considered! In particular, check out the “Black Lives Matter: Reflections on Racial Justice” thread. https://www.youtube.com/user/soulpancake	Start the discussion on the Year 10 classroom. Email these to Mr Arthur at: aarthur@archbishopholgates.org
	At first, I thought this was for younger children. But it really is fascinating for everyone. The site “The Kids Should See This” is a rabbit hole of amazing videos on nearly every topic. Watch people doing what they love and see these experts bring joy to others in the subjects they love. From advice on social distancing from an astronaut to following the flight of a bald eagle. I also recommend hitting the “Random!” link-you never know what you might learn.	Start the discussion on the Year 10 classroom. Email these to Mr Charlton at: mcharlton@archbishopholgates.org
	Talking Shorts Talking Shorts, an online film magazine dedicated to short films, initiated the My Darling Quarantine Short Film Festival. They presented a weekly programme with seven short films related to the theme dystopia, after which the audience could vote for their favourite film.The interviews provide online links to watch these films and spark discussion. There is also lots of advice for people who are interested in creating their own short films! https://talkingshorts.com/	Start the discussion on the Year 10 classroom. Email these to Mrs DeLashley at:fdelashley@archbishopholgates.org

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Hello and welcome to all of our Year 7 students and families from Miss Kincell
I sincerely hope you are all well and starting to enjoying seeing more of your families, friends and visiting your favourite venues or activities. These last few months have really highlighted to us all the significance of the NHS in our lives, and I think it has been wonderful to see so many people supporting our health service and frontline workers, through raising/donating money or applauding on a Thursday evening. What has been your favourite celebration of the NHS?

 In order to develop these services, medicine, and the technology used, consistent scientific advancement has been absolutely essential. We have seen this really specifically with the speedy development of Covid specific vaccine and medicines.

 During this time, our year 7 students have worked incredibly hard to show their scientific flare, creating independent projects on a subject of their choice, some of whom have decided to base their projects on the coronavirus. It has been wonderful to see such a variety of interesting subjects, but also the key life skills that this project has promoted, independence, research, imagination but most importantly a love of learning for the pleasure of learning.

 A Huge well done to the following students on their projects, I have yet to see all projects, so if you have sent yours and it is not on the list please make sure I have seen it, it has been my pleasure to see some of your wonderful work! I have only included a small selection of links and images but would love to see more. Please make sure you email these to me or tweet them to AHS_Year7KL. Well done to:

 Karissa Lam – Decaying fruit and veg
Liv Hardy – Corona Virus
Erin Barrat – Insect Eyes
Alisha Plummer – Butterflies and moths
Harry Glaves – Supernovae
Thomas Leonard – Vehicle Investigation
Luca Vicari-Lawson – Investigation into rust
Holly Chapman – Bacteria Growth
Lily Sellars – Breeds of dog
Emily Hawksworth – Application of Pressure
Oscar Rosen – Investigation into Bread
Kathryn Seavers – Space and solar system
Matthew Lilley – Gravitotropism
Harley Young – Covid-19
Mirela Iordache – Wild Animals
Tilly Charlton – Local Environment
Arien Murray-Kydd – Wolves in Scotland
Lucas Brannan – Food
Poppy Vint – Space
Erin Childs – Space
Chloe Bushnell – Space
Marco Been – Antibiotic resistance
Kayhan Donnelly – Homemade Lava lamp
Abigail Bowling Periodic Table Biscuits

Ben Subritzky: Solar Orrery and cooking eggs in a solar oven

Dylan Barratt, Reuben Stockdale, Henry Wardman – helicopters in a box (with a great supporting interview)
https://www.wevideo.com/view/1753492961

 Thank you for continuing to support the school community through these difficult times, please remember we will always support the families in our community the best we can. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can do to help.

 And for a time of peace and reflection in the week, don’t forget to join our collective worship led by our school Chaplain Mr Nihill. There will be a weekly video posted to: Archbishop Holgate’s Music & Media YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM-6pPHkcEY0kiGOeEvAkTA

 I hope you are staying safe and well, please do stay in touch and please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can do to support.

 Kind regards, stay safe, Miss Kincell and Miss Greenhalgh

SafetoNet
The SafeToNet Foundation has announced it is providing one million free-for-life licences of the SafeToNet mobile safety app for UK families in order to help keep the nation’s children safe online.

SafeToNet, the first cyber safety app of its kind, provides a safe and practical solution to online safeguarding whilst always balancing the privacy rights of the child with the primal need of a parent to keep their child safe. Its award-winning technology uses artificial intelligence and behavioural analytics to safeguard children online in real-time, as they use their mobile device. Educating children ‘in-the-moment’, it acts as a safeguarding assistant that contains an intelligent keyboard to detect threats such as bullying and sexting as they happen and helps prevent children from sending harmful outgoing messages before any damage can be done. The app’s AI-driven software runs only on the device and fully protects the privacy rights of the child as it never lets anyone see what the child is typing or what they are seeing.

To find out more visit: https://safetonet.com/foundation/covid/

Library Newsletter Issue 9
Very exciting news! Cressida Cowell of How to Train Your Dragon Fame is hosting a virtual Summer Camp, along with Liz Pichon (Tom Gates) David Almond (Skellig/Slog’s Dad) and Eoin Coffer (Artemis Fowl) to name but a few.

 To watch Summer Camp, see the full line-up and daily schedule of events, visit: www.childrenslaureate.org.uk

It starts on Monday 6^th July with a peek into the notebooks of author/illustrators, and you are invited to submit your own work to sit alongside that of Michael Morpurgo and Anne Fine plus many more.  For further details, visit: booktrust.org.uk/childrens-laureate-magic-ideas

If you work is showcased, don’t forget to let me know!

There is a second virtual event this week on Thursday 9^th July, 7-8pm. Authors Aloud UK are hosting a free event with William Hussey and his editor Stephanie King, to celebrate publication of his new book Hideous Beauty. To reserve a place email: events@authorsalouduk.co.uk

William Hussey is an award-winning author of books for children and Young Adults. As a gay man and a visiting author, he has spoken to hundreds of LGBTQ+ students worldwide. Hearing their stories of modern intolerance, prejudice and the tragic consequences this has can lead to, inspired him to write Hideous Beauty.

Hideous Beauty is the story of a whirlwind romance between two boys who seem polar opposites but who find peace and strength in one another.

News from closer to home now. We received a mass of book parcels this week containing about 1,500 books for the new library. I, Mrs Breare, Miss York plus any member of staff that came near the library all got ‘stuck in’ to prepare them for the shelves.

As you can imagine I’ve really missed all my monitors and student helpers this week, as we normally get overly excited about receiving new books and make a production line to put in date stamps, add genre/accelerated reader stickers and finally put them through the heat press. We have bought dust jackets for all the standard sized paperback books, as they are much quicker to put on, and those of you who kindly spent your lunchtimes backing books using the heat press will remember that the machine has certainly seen better days!

Again, another reminder for those of you who wish to borrow books to read over the summer, please email me (smurphy@archbishopholgates.org) and I will put something together for you to collect from 6^th form reception before we break up. I have ordered more copies of our last two ‘book of the week’ books as they were both so popular, so anyone who would like to borrow a copy of Lightening Mary, The Fault in Our Stars or both, please let me know.