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Happy New Year!
I do hope you all enjoyed a relaxing and
rewarding festive season and are looking
forward to the new school term.
A new year heralds new resolutions and new
opportunities. For me, it heralds my final
two terms. It was never going to be an easy
decision to make: it has been a huge privilege
and a great pleasure to be the Head of Ilkley
Grammar School for (almost) the last 12
years. But time flies and the years advance
and with a big birthday over Christmas I have
decided the time has come and I will retire
on August 31st.
I might still feel there are a few tricks in the old dog yet, but I believe the time is right – for me and for the
school. It’s a great opportunity for IGS (and that is you as parents, the staff, governors and students) and for
whoever is fortunate enough to follow in my footsteps – a new pair of eyes, a new energy, a new future.
I’ll wish you all the very best – but not quite yet! In the meantime there’s quite a bit of business to be done…
We have a diary packed term ahead of us with our Year 11 trip to Munich, Year 10 and 11 parents’ meetings,
Drama Residential and the School Production, Parent Information Evening, PTA Quiz Night, Learning
Community Day, Spanish Exchange to Madrid and visits back from Spanish and French exchange students!
Buckle up…it’s a full-on 13 week ride!
Headline 10 January 2013
Page 2
Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Some of you may be reading Headline for the first time this week; we have increased our distribution to include parents nominated as priority 2 on the annual data collection sheets. This means more you will be in the communication loop regarding all things school related.
Congratulations Well done to all our Year 11 students who re-sat or sat their English Language exam in November and who collected their results yesterday. We know both they and our English Team worked very hard in the run up to these exams, particularly as it is this result that counts for the school in the 2014 performance tables, although individual students can still re-sit in June. The results were out-standing: 88% have now achieved A* - C grades (already a significant 11% improvement on 2013) and this could grow further as we still have some students sitting English for the first time in June. We can now look forward to some excellent GCSE results overall in August, and I know you as parents, like us, will do all you can to support and celebrate your child or children as they face the second hurdle, the mock exams, next week.
Year 11 Mock Exams Year 11 start their mock GCSE examinations next Monday January 13th. These run across two weeks and students remain in school, except for the afternoon when they would be having double PE. X Band will leave school at 12.00 today January 10th and Y Band next Friday, January 17th. With the Sports Hall out of action on these two days, it was felt to be more appropriate to give students an afternoon’s study leave. These exams are very important preparation for the final May and June public exams as well as indicators of achievement, and we look to you to help us and your child in ensuring they take them seriously, revise properly and attend fully. We realise this is a stressful time, however, and do want to work together so students can feel confident and supported, as well as challenged to do their best.
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Attendance Measure Our first week back has shown some outstanding attendance – with 4 tutor groups achieving 100%. Well done to 7HED/KE, 7PB, 8MWC and 10ACD.
Pupil Premium The Pupil Premium is a government initiative designed to target resources on those pupils deemed eligible for funding. Specifically, the Pupil Premium money is provided for those students who have been on Free School Meals (FSM) at any point over the past 6 years (Ever6) or those children who have been looked after continuously for at least 6 months (CLA).
From April 2014, schools in England can receive the Pupil Premium for children adopted from care, or who left care under a Special Guardianship Order on or after 30 December 2005. Schools can also claim the Pupil Premium for children who left care under a Residence Order on or after 14 October 1991.
The Pupil Premium is to help schools raise the attainment of students and close the gap with their peers. It is paid to schools in respect of pupils deemed eligible in Year 7 to Year 11. The Government has extended the coverage of the Pupil Premium in recognition of the traumatic experiences many adopted children have endured in their early lives and a realisation that their needs do not change overnight.
To enable your child’s school to claim the Pupil Premium, you will need to inform the school about your child and provide supporting evidence, for example, show the school the original Adoption (Court) Order. You will need to self-declare before 16 January 2014 which is the date schools complete the annual School Census. This will then trigger the payment of the Pupil Premium to the school from April 2014. As a school we appreciate sharing such information with us is sensitive, but should you wish to explore Pupil Premium further please contact Mr Calvert, the Assistant Headteacher who responsible for Pupil Premium and safeguarding and he will be able to answer any questions you have. Any information shared will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
7HED/KE 7PB 8MWC 9JLF 10ACD 11JCT 11LSL
% Attend 100 100 100 99.1 100 93.1 93.1
0
20
40
60
80
100
Att
en
dan
ce P
erc
en
tage
Tutor Group
Best Attendance Tutor Group 6-10 January 2014
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Here is a link to a document from the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, which answers most Frequently Asked Questions http://www.baaf.org.uk/res/financial-uk#pupilpremium. Mr Calvert can be contacted by email [email protected] or via telephone 01943 608424.
Did you know? Just registering your child for Free School Meals means that the school gets extra money? Register now to make sure we don’t miss out. Our new cashless catering system means that those students entitled to Free School Meals are allocated the funds directly to the student’s Parentpay account. If you get any of the following support payments your child may be entitled to receive free school meals and then the school will also be given money to further support your child:
Income Support Income-based Jobseekers Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum
Act 1999 the guaranteed element of State 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
To apply for Free School Meals, click the link below, or alternatively contact Mr Calvert at school and he will arrange for a form to be posted to you and if you require more support, get someone to help you fill it in. If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact school or click here for frequently asked questions.
Election of Parent Governors: Nominations There are two vacancies for parent governors to serve on the Board of Governors of Ilkley Grammar School. We are very keen to encourage parents or people with parental responsibility of registered students to nominate themselves to fill these places. Details of what you will need to do to be nominated are given at end of this letter.
Parent governors are elected by and from other parents and are vital to our Board of Governors. They share equally with other governors the responsibility for carrying out the Board’s wide range of responsibilities. Governors do not run the school day to day, as their role is at the strategic or policy-making level in the school.
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
You do not have to be an expert on education to be a school governor and we value the experience that all Governors bring to the role. We would particularly welcome parents whose expertise would benefit our Learning and Teaching committee. If you join our Board of Governors, you will serve for a four-year term and you can continue to the end of the four years even if your child/children leave the school. Being a governor does take up time. There are a minimum of four Board of Governors’ meetings each year and Governors are expected to be a member of at least one committee, which meets each half term. You will need to set aside time to be able to be an effective governor: time to prepare for meetings, for visiting the school, undertaking and updating training.
Who can be a Parent Governor?
All those who have parental responsibility and are over the age of 18 are eligible to stand for election, including parents who work at the school provided that they work for less than 500 hours per year when they are elected.
There are some circumstances that disqualify an individual from serving as a school governor. If you wish to stand, you will be asked to complete a self-declaration of eligibility form to state that there are no reasons for being disqualified from serving as a governor and provide evidence of identity and address if required.
There is also a restriction for Academies that individuals who have an association with local Government (i.e. elected counsellor or an employee) cannot exceed 19.9% of the Board. If you have an association with local Government, please speak to our Clerk to Governors prior to making an application.
Process for Nomination
If you are interested in becoming a Governor, please contact our Clerk to the Governors.
Contact with the Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Governors will be arranged to discuss the role and expectations of a Governor at Ilkley Grammar.
You will then complete a nomination form, which must be supported by a parent of a student currently at the school (not including anyone to whom you are closely related).
If the number of nominations is the same as or less than the number of vacancies, all candidates will be elected unopposed.
If there are more nominations than vacancies, an election will take place. If you are interested in standing, or would like to find out what being a Governor is like at this school, please send your contact details to our Clerk to the Governors via e-mail to: [email protected] . The closing date for declaring an interest in becoming a Governor is 23rd January 2014.
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Sharing Success Congratulations to Matthew Postlethwaite (12SSM) who has been selected for the England Rugby North U18 Squad. Congratulations to our 1st XV boys’ rugby team who played in the 5th round (highest position in this competition any Ilkley team has achieved) of the NatWest Vase on Wednesday at Dame Allan's school (Newcastle). The boys played well (with a few injured players missing) but unfortunately the final score wasn’t in our favour DAS 33-3 IGS.
Well done to Anwen Smith (11ISR) and Aimee Turnbull (11ISR) who have been invited to support a group of young disabled skiers on a skiing weekend to Scotland. Both Anwen and Aimee have completed their bronze and silver Duke of Edinburgh awards.
Anwen Smith
Aimee Turnbull
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
…IGS SPORT…IGS SPORT…IGS SPORT…IGS SPORT…IGS SPORT…IGS SPORT…IGS SPORT…
B AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS AND FIXTURES
MONDAY 13 Jan
Y9/10/Sen XMAS NETBALL! (SHR/SMB) SpHall 3-4.30pm Street Dance -All ages (JW) Gym 3.15-4.15pm Y7 FOOTBALL (PLB) School Fields 3-4.30pm
TUESDAY 14 Jan
U19 Boys’ Football v St. Mary’s (A) (PDH) U18 Hockey v BGS (A) (JH) U16 Boys’ Hockey Trials (SW) BR Astro 3.30-4.30pm Y7/8 NETBALL (SHR) SpHall/Cts 3-4.30pm Y9/Sen HOCKEY (JH) BR Astro 3-4.30pm Sports’ Leaders- Pool (PLB) 3-5pm
WEDNESDAY 15 Jan
U13B Netball Emerging League @ UAK (SHR) Y10 Boys’ Football v St Mary’s (A) (SP) U14 + U15 Hockey v BGS (H) (JH) Bradford Schools’ Cross Country @ Northfield (SMB/MWC) Depart 11.40am Girls’ Synchro (Mrs Gooch) Pool 3-4.30pm Y7 Boys’ + Girls’ DODGEBALL (PLB) Gym 3-4pm
THURSDAY 16 Jan
Y8 Basketball CV1 @ Beckfoot (SP) Y7/8/9 Boys’ Rugby @ Hipperholme & Lightcl’ (ACF/BC) Depart 12.15pm Y9 BASKETBALL Club (SP) SpHall 12.10-12.55pm (*week B only) Y9 NETBALL Club (SHR) SpHall/Cts 3-4.30pm Y9/10/11 BADMINTON Club (AJH/KPC) SpHall 3-4.30pm Y7/8 HOCKEY Club (AJK) BR Astro 3.15-4.30pm Sports’ Leaders- Pool (PLB) 3-5pm
FRIDAY 17 Jan
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Congratulations to Alice Bullock (13JES/JLI) and Helen Robinson (13DN) who have been successful in the Young Writers’ The Power of Poetry competition.
Alice Bullock Helen Robinson
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Even though school has been closed during the
Christmas break we have been in the news!
Christmas Jumper Day
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Review of the Year 2013 To finish off a bumper year of activities our Year 9 trip to Belgium made the Review of the Year in the Gazette this week!
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Northern School of Contemporary Dance Workshop
The Northern School of Contemporary Dance visited IGS this week and held a workshop for students interested in dance. Two dance artists delivered a challenging, exhilarating and inspirational two hour workshop for 17 of our students. The students, from Years 9-12, worked exceptionally well together to create some brilliant contemporary dance movement. They kept up with the quick pace of the professionals and literally threw themselves into it. Even if they have got a few aches and pains now I'm sure it was worth it! 8 of the 17 students were picked out by the dance artists to have superb talent. They have been invited to an Open Day and auditions to the Yorkshire Young Dancers training scheme. Congratulations to these 8 students and good luck if you pursue the training further! Watch this space!
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Keep on Running! While most of us are struggling to stop finishing off the Christmas cheese and wine and convince ourselves that they have eaten their final mince pie, Tim Milburn (Key Stage Leader) has taken on a rather more impressive challenge. Tim will be running in the London Marathon in April for the charity Get Kids Going! The Virgin London Marathon is one of the great British sporting events, combining elite athletics, mass participation and record-breaking fundraising in one race. The course is a grueling 26 miles 385 yards long, passing through the streets of London from Blackheath to the famous finish line at The Mall.
Get Kids Going! is a National charity which gives disabled children and young people - up to the age of 26 years - the wonderful opportunity of participating in sport. They provide them with specially built sports wheelchairs so they can take part in; athletics, marathons, tennis, skiing, rugby, sailing, boccia, basketball, sledge hockey, table tennis, fencing, shooting, archery and powerlifting. Get Kids Going! inspires British disabled youngsters to compete in sporting events, from start to paralympic level, by giving them sports grants to help their;
training, physiotherapy, travel, competition fees and design and development of sports wheelchairs. The cost of a bespoke sports wheelchair is about £4000, a lightweight manual wheelchair is around £2500 and an annual sports grant costs on average £2500. If you feel you can contribute to Tim’s fundraising efforts then please visit his ‘Just Giving’ page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TimMilburn or follow him on Twitter on @GetTimGoing.
Next Week’s Menus: Eat, Learn, Live
There is also a range of cold meals, sandwhiches and pizzas available every day and remember the meal deal is still only £2.15. This inlcudes a hot meal and a pudding or drink. The same price covers a choice from the cold selection and a juice and a small dessert.
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Ilkley Grammar School PTA Our next PTA meeting is on Tuesday 21st January. We welcome all new members to our PTA – so join up and join in! The remainder of the meetings are due to be held on: Wednesday 12th March, Tuesday 29th April and Wednesday 11th June. Meetings start at 7pm and are held in the Lower Library in school. If you can’t make our meetings but would like to be included then email [email protected]. Watch out, too, for our 2014 Car Boot Sales: provisional dates are Sundays 6th April; 18th May; 22nd June and 20th July. You can follow the PTA on twitter @IGSPTA
GCSE Overview It is important for students, staff and parents to have the overview of what GCSE commitments Year 11 have over the next few weeks. We have provided them all with this information in the form of a bookmark for their planners. Please see the calendar below.
He’s Behind You! The Upstagers Pantomime has been a fixture of the calendar at The Kings Hall in Ilkley for 26 years and the 2014 production of Snow White is due to open on the 24th January and run to the 1st February with both matinee and evening performances available over the course of the run. The show is a fun filled, traditional pantomime with lots of jokes, songs and dancing and the chance to boo, hiss and cheer. The show has 12 Ilkley Grammar School students in the cast ranging from Year 7 up to Year 12 and as well as entertaining the people of Ilkley and the environs Upstagers aim to raise some money for local charities.
Tickets can be booked online at http://upstagers.org.uk/boxoffice and students of IGS can use a special discount code when booking a ticket. Simply book tickets online for the evening performances on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th January and quote the promotional code IGS50-PANTO at the checkout page. This will get you 50% off all tickets booked for these shows. John Clark from Upstagers has been impressed with the dramatic talent coming from the school this year and told the school, ‘IGS is providing the biggest number of cast members by far but the talent, commitment and work ethic of the students, who have been rehearsing since October, is a credit to them all. Let’s hope plenty of the school staff and students and their families get to see the show and have some fun.’
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Former Student Looking to Kickstart Film Career Jonny Hughes, who finished at IGS 2011, studied ‘This is England’ as part of his Media A-Level … now he’s got backing from much of the cast of the hit film and TV series for his current film project, and is looking for additional backing through the project financing site Kickstarter. The likes of screen legend Peter Fonda (Easy Rider), acclaimed director Ben Wheatley (Kill List, A Field in England), and composer Clint Mansell (Black Swan) have agreed to help promote the venture. Jonny, who will be DP (Director of Photography) on the 20-25 minute short film, budgeted at £4000, describes it as, ‘A Man, Sinking is the story of Matthew, a recently released ex-convict. He turns to diving as a means to support himself and is the perfect candidate. He's hardened, expendable and he needs this job. But down there, in the infinite expanse of darkness, his past waits for him. Each dive brings us closer to the truth. Matthew must reconcile with his past and accept his fate, whatever it may be.’ You can find out more on Facebook (Facebook.com/AManSinking) and Twitter @AManSinking, with the Kickstarter page (where Jonny and his production team are endeavouring to raise the £4k budget) at kickstarter.com/projects/71256076/a-man-sinking-short-film.
Career of the Week: Ecologist The Work: ecologists study the relationship between plants, animals and their environment, their work ranges from balancing the needs of the environment to coming up with ideas for land management. Your tasks could include: carrying out fieldwork, surveying and recording information on plants, animals and environmental conditions, researching the impact of human activity (like housing and intensive agriculture) on the environment and on climate change and building computer models to predict the effects of development or climate change.
Entry Requirements: to do this job you will need to be able to understand data, have good presentation and report writing skills and be able to project manage tasks. You would normally need a degree or postgraduate qualification in a subject such as Ecology, Botany, Zoology, Biology, Environmental Science or Geography. See www.ucas.com and carry out a course search for more detail.
Training: it is important to continue developing your skills throughout your career. The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) offer a range of professional development courses. The Field Studies Council and the Botanical Society of the British Isles also offer a variety of training courses.
Pay: starting salaries can be between £20K and £27K a year. With experience this can rise to between £35K and £40K a year. Consultant ecologists can earn over £40K a year.
Further Information: Cieem, British Ecological Society, National Careers Service.
Post 16 News Cambridge University Subject Master classes: available in the following subjects - Theology &
Religious Studies & Philosophy, Law, Genetics & Biochemistry, Geography & Land Economy and Psychology. Dates available in February, more information at http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/events/masterclasses.html
French & Spanish Film Clubs: a chance for students to improve their language skills. Films showing every Monday and Tuesday lunchtime in N4
UNIQ Summer Schools: applications for Oxford Summer Schools open on Friday 7th January and close 24th February. More information from www.uniq.ox.ac.uk
Deloitte opportunities: read more about Deloitte’s post school opportunities: ‘Brightstart’ and ‘Scholar Scheme’ http://mycareer.deloitte.com/uk/en/schools
Sutton Trust Summer School: Find out what university life is really like with a free week-long introduction. More information http://www.suttontrust.com/students/uk-summer-schools/. Closing date 10th March.
Headline 10 January 2013
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Email: [email protected] @ilkleygrammar
Term Dates SPRING TERM 2014
Monday 6 January Re-open Friday 21 February Close
Half term holiday: Monday 24th February – Monday 3rd March Monday 3 March Training Day Tuesday 4 March Re-open Friday 11 April Close
Easter holiday: Monday 14th April – Friday 25th April SUMMER TERM 2014
Monday 28 April Re-open Monday 5 May May Day (School closed) Friday 23 May Close
Half term holiday: Monday 26th May – Friday 30th May Monday 2 June Re-open Thursday 24 July Close (1.15pm)
Summer holiday: Friday 25th July
Dates for the Diary
January Monday 13 Year 11 mock exams start Tuesday 21 PTA Meeting 7pm Thursday 23 Year 11 mock exams end Friday 24 Year 11-12 Taster Day Wednesday 29 Parent Information Evening Friday 31 Year 11 Munich Trip departs
February Wednesday 5 DT Challenge Evening Thursday 6 Year 12 Geography Trip Friday 7 Year 12 Geography Trip Closing Date for Post 16 applications
Get in touch and stay in touch! We would be interested in any feedback on these bulletins. Also, if you would like further information on anything within them or, wish to request other information items, please get in touch! It is really important we can stay in touch with you; if you need to change your contact details please email [email protected] or contact the school office.
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01943 608424
Website: www.ilkleygrammarschool.com
@ilkleygrammar
