NORTHFIELD SCHOOL & SPORTS COLLEGE

NEWSLETTER May 2012

Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome to this month’s newsletter. Our Year 10 and 11 students are working hard to prepare for their GCSE examinations. I am very pleased with how well staff are preparing students for their exams and the mature way in which our students are coping with the stress and strain of examination preparation. Staff and students are working long hours to prepare with after-school classes taking place every day. Indeed, members of the RE department recently opened the school on Sunday to prepare students for their exam. I suppose if ever there was a subject that should have a Sunday School its RE. I hope that the results in August reflect all this hard work. At least the Year 11 students will have a chance to let off some steam at the Prom on the 11th of July.

Parental QuestionnaireIn our recent questionnaire, a small number of students expressed a concern about school meals. I am delighted to inform you that the school has responded to these concerns by significantly improving the meals offered on our Marsh House Avenue site. As a result now all of our students can now have a wide selection of top quality meals.

Over 1,200 students now use our facilities every day. To relieve the congestion on our Thames Road site, we have opened a sandwich bar which has proved extremely popular. I am sure that you will appreciate that to avoid wasted food and keep costs to parents as low as possible the school is unable to offer a full variety of menu throughout every lunchtime. However, there is always sufficient food to feed all of our students. It may be that some meal choices run out, however to offer the full menu to all students all of the time we would have to significantly increase the price of our meals. When you consider that we were able to offer a two course Christmas lunch for £1.80 our catering staff do an incredible job.

Student ReportsA few parents shared their ideas of how the school could develop its electronic communications. As a result of this we have established an IT working party of interested staff to develop our website to include improved information sharing, examination preparation and advice to parents. The school’s current reporting system relies upon hard copies of subject reports being taken home by students. I would like to move to a system that allows parents to receive student reports electronically. We are currently looking at different systems for doing this. In order to facilitate this move and to reduce the amount of paper involved in our current reporting system, we will be providing parents with a new reporting system from this term that provides parents with the same amount of detail about their child’s achievement but in a more concise format. Holidays in Term TimeWith the holiday season rapidly approaching can I once again ask that students are not taken out of school for vacations? Several schools now do not authorise such absence. Holidays in school time account for the largest percentage of student absence.

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This year student will leave for their summer break on Thursday 19th July 2012 and return on Tuesday 4th September.

Next year Stockton schools break for the summer vacation on Tuesday 23rd July. I intend to use this day and Monday the 22nd of July as staff training days. Therefore students will break for next summer on Friday the 19th of July 2013. It may be that by doing so parents can book holidays earlier than other Stockton schools.

I appreciate that it may not always be easy to make students’ medical appointments out of school times. However, I am concerned at the numbers of students who miss half and whole days for medical appointments. I would ask that wherever possible that students return to school after medical appointments.

Her Majesty’s JubileeThis week, we have been celebrating her Majesty’s 60 year reign. Students have been, studying Queen Elizabeth II’s reign in all subjects creating fantastic art work, singing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ and waving union flags in assemblies, as well, as purchasing ice creams from Dixie’s Ices (you try explaining how to convert contemporary currency into pounds, shillings and pence without feeling your age!). Ever adventurous, our Year 9 students have set themselves the task of wearing red, white and blue to create a ‘human union flag’. You will have to check our website to see if they were successful. I expect Mr Beddow and Miss Cook to become Sir Beddow and Dame Cook of Billingham for their efforts during Jubilee Week.

The School GamesNorthfield will host the inaugural opening day of the School Games on the 11 th of July. Over 500 Competitors from the Teesside LA’s of Stockton, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Darlington, Redcar and Cleveland will compete in a wide range of sports. Celebrities and VIPs will attend the opening ceremony and the event will be covered by local and possibly national media.

Anti-Bullying/Princes Diana Award  As you will be aware Northfield School and Sports College has received national awards for its work on Anti-Bullying. This month, the school’s work was once again recognised at a national level with the school being nominated for this year’s Princess Diana Award. A film crew from Google visited the school to talk to students and film them at work. Our Anti-bullying Team was invited to Google’s London offices for an Anti-bullying Ambassadors showcase and the Princess Diana awards ceremony. I am delighted to inform you that not only did we win the school award but Year 11 student Alexia Yannouli was awarded the individual student award. Congratulations to Mrs Lucas for her tireless work in this area.

Cyber Safety WeeksAs mentioned in my previous newsletters, I know that many of you share my concerns over the misuse of the internet and social websites. I’m pleased to inform you that all students will receive advice and training on cyber safety throughout next half-term with assemblies on the topic taking place between Monday the 2nd of July to Friday the 13th of July.

If you would like the school to offer you an opportunity to receive training or advice on Cyber safety please contact Mrs Lucas at the school. If there is sufficient interest I would be more than happy to arrange an evening session for parents and carers.Safer School Day – Tuesday 17th JulyDue to the success of last year’s Safer School Day, we are again inviting staff and students from primary schools to join representatives from the Police, Fire, Ambulance and RNLI services as well as the Mayor, and other VIP’s for a day of celebration and

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awareness raising activities. Last year we were fortunate enough to receive visits from the Police Dog Handling Unit, fire tenders and the Air Ambulance. I’m sure that there will be equally memorable visitors this year.

Northfield’s Budding PicassosWhenever I visit Art classes and look at the displayed work of our students I am always impressed. Indeed I’m so impressed that I feel that our students work should be viewed by a wider audience. With this in mind the Art Department will be turning our Hall at Thames Road into an Art Gallery throughout the week commencing the 9th of July. The gallery will be open to the public from 6.00 pm on Friday the 13th of July. I hope that you will be able to visit and view the fabulous art work on display and meet some of the artists.

Year 11 Prom 11th July This year’s prom will take place on the 11th of July at Wynyard Hall. Approximately 300 students and staff will say farewell in style. This year, I have extended an invite to parents to join us before the prom begins to take photographs and to see the splendour of so many fashionable frocks and suits. The students certainly deserve their big evening.

Norway ExchangeThe English leg of our annual Norway Exchange takes place after half-term. Students and staff from our sister school in Tananger will visit lessons as well as local tourist spots. Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the exchange.

Important Dates for your DiaryMonday 4th June to Friday 8th June – Half-term Holiday

Monday 11th June Norway Exchange Week

Thursday 14th June Year 8 Parents Consultation Evening

Thursday 28th June Year 11 Leavers Assembly 7.00 pm

Monday 2nd July to Friday 13th July – Cyber Safety Weeks

Thursday 5th July Year 10 Parents Consultation Evening

Wednesday 11th July School Games

Wednesday 11th July – Year 11 Prom Wynyard Hall

Thursday 12th July Year 6 New Intake Parents Evening

Friday 13th July Art Exhibition open to the public

Monday 16th July to Thursday 19th July – Activities Week and Year Rewards Assemblies

Tuesday 17th July – Safer Schools Day

Craig WalkerHeadteacher

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