LAR  NEWSLETTER 

31/01/25 , Module 3

Holocaust Memorial Week

This week, our school is marking Holocaust Memorial Week, a time to reflect on the atrocities of the Holocaust and honor the victims and survivors. Through special assemblies that will take place next week hosted by the History department and tutor discussions, students are learning about the history of this tragic event and its lasting impact on the world. It is a crucial opportunity to remember the importance of standing against hatred, prejudice, and discrimination, and to promote empathy, understanding, and respect for all. We encourage our school community to engage with these important lessons and to reflect on how we can contribute to a more compassionate and inclusive world.

Kent Teacher of the Year 2025 Nomination Form

We believe that everyone working in the education system plays a vital role in shaping the future of our children. From the dedicated teachers who inspire and educate, to the support staff who keep everything running smoothly, we recognise the hard work and dedication of each and every person who contributes to our schools.

That's why we're excited to invite you to make your nominations for Kent Teacher of the Year 2025 awards. The deadline is Friday 28th February 2025

Please use the link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWUFCIRZCn5Y_sNVy0kAE2wZh3KwXSFUaCYNtkTz1O0GHg_w/viewform

Year 8 Parents Evening

If you have a child in Year 8 haven't already booked in to speak to their teacher, please do so via school cloud. There are limited appointments left so make sure to do so. This is taking place on Thursday 6th February at 3:40pm - 7:10pm. All appointments are virtual.

MyChildAtSchool Users

We've noticed that some parents haven't activated their MCAS account. This is very important that you do so to ensure you are up-to-date with what's upcoming in the academy, your child's detentions, if we need to close the school etc. If you're struggling to do so then please contact your child's college so we can arrange to get this set up for you.

Detentions

If you need to check when your child has a detention, this can be found on the 'My Child at School' app under 'Detentions'. This will say how long they've got and if any detentions for the next day. If you need to move the detention due to a medical appointment then please can we ask that you email your child's college with notice and provide the medical evidence. 

We're excited to share highlights from our recent GCSE art trip to the London Science Museum! This experience helped our students meet the key assessment objective of recording observations through photography and sketches.

Focusing on technological and scientific objects, the museum's astounding collection showcased the milestones of human innovation. Our students captured some fantastic photographs, serving as crucial primary sources to inspire their final pieces. We can’t wait to see how these experiences transform into their artwork!

Well done to Year 10 for getting the highest Sparx Maths homework in the Trust. Also a massive well done to both Year 7 and Year 10  for getting the highest Sparx Reader scores in the homework completion. We are so proud of each and every one of you, keep up the good work!

Congratulations to our Y7 castle competition winners. We had some outstanding entries both virtual and physical. Well done to you all!

1st place: Bobby R  (7T2)

2nd place: Daniel T  (7K2)

3rd place: Ben J  (7A2)

Best virtual castle: Jake S  (7K2)

Friendship Group is a weekly intervention run for 35 minutes, at Form Time. It is a small group, consisting of eight children. The aim of the group is for all students to gain a better understanding of friendship dynamics and what makes a good friend. This is the second module that this group has been meeting and we have covered various topics such as: 

• Positive and negative characteristics in friendships, 

• The different ways we can communicate with each other 

• The role emotions can play within friendships. 

The anticipated outcome is for the students to understand why friendships are important throughout their lives and how they can make and sustain healthy friendship choices. This intervention has already made a massive impact on the students' social lives, as it gives them the confidence and skills to make and sustain friendships outside of the intervention. Additionally, they have formed a strong sense of community within the intervention, as they work as a team through open discussions and worksheet activities.

Careers Week in secondary school is an exciting opportunity for students to explore various career paths and gain valuable insights. Last week Year 9 students heard from a Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) from Kent Police about the various roles. Year 8 had a talk from a Managing Director of a local Electrical company. Year 7 will be introduced to the field of coding analysis in IT, which will take place during the last week of term. Additionally, The Education People spoke to Year 10 students on their next steps, helping them prepare for Year 11 and future career decisions. Last week provided a mix of inspiration and practical advice to support students in thinking about their future aspirations.

Online Safety Tip for Parents:

Set up screen-free zones and times in your home, e.g: during meals or before bedtime. 

This helps young people develop healthy tech habits and creates opportunities for family conversations about their online experiences.

Tiktok:

With 22% of its billion-strong userbase being between the ages of 13 and 17, the popularity of TikTok among the younger generation is indisputable. Providing entertainment in the form of a stream of short-form video content while allowing its users to post videos of their own on the app has skyrocketed to prominence over the last few years, becoming a fixture in young people’s digital lives. 

Of course, with a platform as popular and gargantuan as TikTok, it can be intimidating trying to figure out how best to safeguard children and young people using the app. That’s why we’re releasing our brand-new guide to TikTok, detailing the main online safety concerns and suggesting strategies to reduce these risks for the app’s younger users. 

Please see below the link:

https://nationalcollege.com/guides/tiktok?utm_campaign=WakeUpWednesday&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8hEZI-Yztu2a7eFjKgvVGXppHk7LU-hRoR2NDIyHyI4GZQWny5hs5DoEMyuY9IPproVhp77gw-N5R6DKLw0eoHA0GwN9RqpyuNQX2WJDQmI5wmhRYK752psMcchDlQcPKJ0uw8&_hsmi=102632217&utm_content=102632217&utm_source=hs_email