Eastbury Community School, Hulse Avenue, Barking, Essex IG11 9UW

Tel: 020 8507 4500 / Fax: 020 8507 4501 E-mail: office@eastbury.bardaglea.org.uk / www.eastbury.bardaglea.org.uk

Attendance Office: KS3: 020 8507 4529 / KS4: 020 8507 4527

"The only

person who is

educated is

the one who

has learned

how to learn

and

change." --

Carl Rogers

Thought of

the Week

Mr Dickson

Headteacher

Issue 8

March 2017

@ eastburyschool

EASTBURY BECOMES A LEADING

EDGE SCHOOL

I am delighted to report that Eastbury has

been invited by the SSAT (Schools, Students

and Teachers network) to become a

„Leading Edge School‟ for achieving some

of the best public examination results in

the country at both GCSE and A Level. I

would like to thank all the staff who have

worked so hard, and continue to do so, to

support students in making excellent

progress.

A WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITIES

I would like to thank all the staff who are

giving up their time to provide many

exciting opportunities for our students.

Please visit our website regularly to see the

vast range of opportunities we provide for

our students. This newsletter provides many

examples of the activities we have been

involved in recently.

JULIUS CAESAR

Rehearsals are well under way for this

prestigious performance. A group of our

students are performing with local primary

school children in a production of Julius

Caesar on the Barbican Pit stage on

March 21st. Our students have worked

hard with the Royal Shakespeare

Company in directing themselves and

primary pupils to put on this prestigious

event. I would like to thank all students,

Ms Ark, Mrs Fox and all English staff for their

hard work. I am looking forward to the

performance. Unfortunately tickets are

extremely limited and are by invitation only

however we will publish pictures in a later

edition of in the newsletter.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY -

MARCH 8, 2017

I would like to thank Megan Greet and

Jaspal Jhita for organising a lot of activities

which will help all students to learn about

the massive contribution that women have

made to society and in all our curriculum

subjects.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR

DIARY

I look forward to meeting with parents and

carers at our evenings, it is essential that all

you attend; both evenings begin at 16:00.

Year 7 Parents‟ Evening – Thursday March

9th 2017

Year 8 Parents‟ Evening – Thursday March

23rd 2017

YEAR 10 EXAMS – MARCH 27TH

2017

A reminder to all year 10 students and their

families. Students now nearly a third of the

way through their GCSE courses. Important

exams take place at the end of March

UPCOMING EVENTS

9 March 2017 Year 7 Parents’ Evening

14 March 2017 Y8 Shakespeare

23 March 2017 Y8 Parents’ Evening

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

Dear Parent/Carer

Please find this link to an updated draft of the

school‟s Anti-Bullying Policy (found on the

school website: Home, About us, Policies). I

would appreciate any comments/questions

you may have about the policy in order to

ensure that it is as comprehensive as possible. I

thank you in advance for your continued

support.

Rebecca Lastiotis - Assistant

Headteacher, Attendance and Child

Protection Lead

ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

EFL FINALS

(Provisional Start date 27th March) to check current

progress and identify any gaps in learning.

Successful students always take these exams

seriously and put in a lot of revision to find out what

they have really learnt. If full revision has taken

place it also gives students an opportunity to „learn

from their mistakes‟; and teachers can find out

what needs to be taught again to those

experiencing difficulties.

Please use the revision Tips in this newsletter and ask

for support if you need it.

ONLY 30 SCHOOL DAYS

Year 11, 12 & 13 Public GCSE & A Level Exams begin

after the Easter holidays. There are only 30 school

days until the first exams. Make sure you know your

exam timetable and join the vast majority of

students who are now revising and preparing.

Please use the revision Tips in this newsletter and ask

for support if you need it.

EASTER HOLIDAY

Please note this holiday is later this year and we

break up at 15:05 on Friday 7th April (Holiday

Monday 10th April – Friday 21st April).

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

REVISION - Y11 GCSE‟S COMMENCES MAY 2017 Please utilise all revision materials and resources supplied by your class teachers.

Think back to your revision session with Tim Foot in the library and the methods advised in assembly.

As you all know, I have flash cards in my office for you to collect.

Let someone know if you are struggling

Just start if you haven‟t already – you‟ll feel

calmer and more in control of your own

success

Turn your phone to airplane mode – Lock

away distractions

Don‟t just read your notes; test yourself or a

friend („heads up‟ with flash cards)

Do lots of practice exam papers

Use your phone productively; voice notes,

Apps, internet

Mix up your study method (watch videos,

podcasts, mindmaps etc.

Talk through what you've learnt (use your

family & friends)

Find the right environment to revise – no

excuses !

Eat healthily & don‟t go to sleep too late

FLASH CARDS AND MIND MAPS These revision techniques improve your work ethic as you gradually become an „Independent Learner‟.

Getting started is the hardest obstacle. Why not get together with some friends, decide on a subject/

topic and JUST START to compile your revision notes.

Do more than just read notes & attend lessons!

Reading = you remember 10%

Saying and doing = you

remember 90%

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

ROLE OF THE PARENT

It can be very simple and rewarding for a parent to assist

their child‟s learning and ensures that revision is taking

place at home. Here are some tips on how you can

become involved in your son/daughters revision:

Help them work out how much time they have,

being realistic.

Get them to take into account their ideal time of

day to work – work out when they will revise.

Break the terminology down so it seems

manageable. „Revising for GCSEs‟ can sound like

too much hard work, but „Revising key French verb

endings‟ sounds manageable.

“It’s what parents do [with their child], rather than who

they are, that counts”

Sacker (2002)

ASSISTING WITH REVISION

The secret to doing well in exams lies in planning. You

can help your child to create a clear revision plan and

method of studying that will make them feel in control of

their work.

Tips for revision planning:

work out a revision timetable that includes each

subject

break revision time into small chunks - hour-long

sessions with short breaks at the end of each

session often work well

make sure your child has all the essential books and

materials

buy new stationery, highlighters and pens to make

revision more interesting

time your child's attempts at practice papers

ALL ROUND PARENTAL SUPPORT

The best way to support your child during the stress of

revision and exams is to make home life as calm and

pleasant as possible.

Make sure there are plenty of healthy snacks in the fridge

and try to provide good, nutritious food at regular

intervals. Encourage your child to join family meals, even

if it's a busy revision day - it's important to have a change

of scene and get away from the books and computer for

a while.

Try not to nag or make too many demands on your child

during exam time. Arguments are counter-productive

and will only add unnecessary stress and distract from

revision.

It's important to get a good night's sleep before an exam,

so discourage your child from staying up late to cram.

And make sure he or she eats a good breakfast on the

BRIBES, TREATS AND REWARDS

Bribery is not a good idea as it implies that the only

worthwhile reward for hard work is money and that you

don‟t trust your child to work hard.

Encourage your child to do well for his or her own sake

rather than for money or to please you.

Explain that exams aren't an end in themselves but a

gateway to the next stage of life - to another Key Stage

or to GCSEs, A levels, university, college or work.

Make sure your child knows you're interested in their work

and that you'll be proud if they do well.

The end of exams can be celebrated with a treat that

everyone can look forward to, such as a meal out or a

trip to the cinema.

HOW CAN I HELP WITH REVISION AS A

PARENT?

5

Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

WHAT IS REVISION?

Revision means to actively look back over your work on a

regular basis to ensure the following:

To remind you of things you may have forgotten

Make links to other learning so you understand the

bigger picture

To reinforce your learning so it stays remembered

To show what you don‟t know

Check that you have an understanding of all topics

WHAT TYPE OF LEARNER AM I?

There are three different types of learners and to understand how to best revise you must first of all understand what

type of learner you are:

Auditory Learners (Hearing): Auditory learners would rather listen to things being explained than read about them.

Reciting information out loud and having music in the background may be a common study method. Other noises

may become a distraction resulting in a need for a relatively quiet place.

Types of revision activities that will suit an auditory learner: Make up mnemonics or rhymes, Create a podcast and

listen (GCSE POD), Test yourself or friends, be the teacher – teach someone else something you‟re revising, Raps,

rhyme, chants and verse, dramatic readings or Music for energising, relaxing visualising and reviewing.

VISUAL LEARNERS (SEEING):

Visual learners learn best by looking at graphics,

watching a demonstration, or reading. For them, it‟s easy

to look at charts and graphs, but they may have difficulty

focusing while listening to an explanation.

Types of revision activities that will suit a visual learner: use

post-its and stick on wall, summarise notes, highlight or

circle important information, use a traffic light system to

indicate progress in learning and action points, draw

diagrams, pictures, mind maps, collage and keywords

displayed around the room.

KINAESTHETIC LEARNERS (TOUCHING):

Kinaesthetic learners process information best through a

“hands-on” experience. Actually doing an activity can

be the easiest way for them to learn. Sitting still while

studying may be difficult, but writing things down makes

it easier to understand.

Types of revision that will suit a kinaesthetic learner: Make

your own PowerPoint, Create your own revision cards,

Act topics out, Play a revision game on BBC Bitesize/use

SAM learning, Design and build activities, gestures or

movements to demonstrate a concept.

REVISION EXPLAINED

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

ORGANISING YOUR TIME

Half the problem with revision is down to organisation. Plan and organise what you are going to

do and what you need to be successful.

Set a definite time for revision where you will start & finish

Keep revision sessions to a reasonable length

You can listen to music when revising but don’t let yourself become too distracted

Find a place to work which suits you – is it a calm well lit

environment

Have you got everything you need to revise – pens, paper,

revision cards, folders, highlighters, revision guides etc.

On your workspace have everything that you need but no

more so you can avoid distraction

Do have breaks but keep them short.

Keep hydrated – your brain function will suffer if you don’t

have water regularly

An effective revision session might be divided up into 40

minutes revising, 10 minutes testing, 10 minutes resting.

You can vary this depending on the activity

Everybody gets nervous and worried about exams but you can reduce your nerves by using the

following tips:

Be prepared – if you know you’ve worked hard and revised you will be less stressed

Talk to people – family, friends and teachers

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness – it is a sign of maturity

Be positive. Visualise yourself being successful. Being negative makes you worry more and makes you less

enthusiastic about working hard

Exercise is a great way of dealing with stress as it relaxes you and keeps you calm

Eat properly and keep hydrated

COPING WITH THE STRESS OF EXAMS

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

EASTBURY COMMUNITY PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

Huseyin Soybir

Students and staff were invited to respond to the theme of “BEAUTY” here are the results. Well done all who took part!

Idrees Mehboob

Dana Jones Leah_Blewitt

Staff

STAFF ENTRIES

Staff

Staff

Staff

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

Mariam Saeed

Vusal Dilayev

Sandy Whitaker

Leah Blewitt Vusal Dilayev Vusal Dilayev

Leah Blewitt Jheel Kumari

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

WINNERS - WELL DONE

Destiny Bongale

Izabela Yun Hei Wong Leah Blewitt

Meherun Soud

Spring Term Art and Photography

Competition!

Open to ALL year groups & Staff!

Photography- Respond to the word „Reflection‟. Take a photo on

your phone or camera. You can edit the composition and colour

with filters and Photoshop if you wish.

Either email the photo to Miss Higginson (JHG) or upload to the

VLE. (creative arts – Art and design - student storage – phy

competition)

Artwork – Using any art style or material you like, create work

responding to the word „Reflection‟. The actual work must be

handed in to Miss Higginson (RA2) with your full name and tutor

group on.

The deadline will be the 24th April – your tutors and art teachers

will remind you. Prizes to be won!! Explore your creativity this

term!

Ra‟Eessah Ali-Malik

Destiny Bongale

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

Jheel Kumari

YEAR 7 WERE INVITED TO REDESIGN EASTBURY ART DEPT

TWITTER LOGO, HERE ARE THE RUNNERS UP AND WINNERS!

WELL DONE!

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

O n 23 January 2017 the following amazing

Y12 students blew me, and several

members of the science community, away.

Aylin, Daniel, Martynas, Jorgen and Dorjan

were absolutely superb ambassadors of our

school and indeed the state sector, as they

represented us at the Royal Society Partnership

Conference.

It was an absolute delight to see them grow in

confidence and excel amongst a sea of

students from public schools that have prior

experience of smaller research conferences.

Several fellows of both the Society and UCL

and Cambridge universities were particularly

impressed by the postgraduate level work that

the five of them had produced and during the

poster reception, there was a constant crowd

at their stall. The students were one of 3 groups

given special mention & airtime in the closing

remarks and awards speech by Professor J

Hough FRS.

As a result of their work, we have been asked

to work with Faulkes Laboratory to train

students in other schools to use the most recent

data from the Gaia probe to identify previously

unknown supernovae and Simon Cane of UCL

has asked the students to link them with a PhD

student to support them and invited them in to

use the observation instruments at the

university.

Dr Becky Parker of IRIS has asked for our

research/a piece on the project and

experience as a teacher to be included in an

article they are writing for TES paper and our

research poster will be displayed at the

Amazing Atmospheres launch at the Eden

Project in March.

If you see them around, please do

congratulate them – we went there pretty

nervous (myself included!) and they really

shone.

Ms M Greet

BRAIN DAY - MARCH 2017 An half day introductory tutorial in neuroscience. The day was held at Eastbury Community School

on Wednesday, 1st March and was presented by Dr Guy Sutton - Director of Medical Biology

Interactive, Honorary Consultant Assistant Professor, University of Nottingham Medical School.

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Eastbury Community Newsletter—Issue 8, March 2017

YEAR 12 ACADEMIC YOUTH CONFERENCE

O n Thursday 23rd February, 18 Year Politics

and Sociology students attended an

academic youth conference in East London

where they got to engage in workshops with

other sixth form schools from around the

country on the topic of Global Unity. 10 schools

and around 350 students attended the

conference. They watched panel speeches

around the sensitive issues surrounding current

political and social issues, such as Brexit, the

refugee crisis, Islamophobia, gender inequality

and mental health.

The panel consisted of notable speakers such

as Anna Horsbrugh-Porter, a former BBC foreign

correspondent, Ife Grillo – who is the World

Debating Champion through Debate Mate

and others too.

By the end of the day students were incredibly

moved, motivated and inspired with the

understanding that change does not always

have to be global but can be local and that

change begins today, not tomorrow! Students

took part in workshops about life after 9/11,

Destructive Leaders, Life in Auschwitz and also

Social Active Change and many more.

Muhammed Shoaib asked a great question to

the panel about our current political stance on

the refugee crisis and the recent uprising of

concerning right wing ideologies. Mustafa

Abdulrahman was selected as one of 5

students from the entire 350 students taking

part, where he had to deliver an improvised

speech to the conference. He delivered his

speech on mental health with great

confidence and really displayed fantastic

public speaking skills, along with passion,

determination and strength!

This is an amazing achievement as only 5

students were selected based on their

performances and their inputs throughout the

day. All in all, it was a great day!