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Dear Parents and Carers,
This is the first of our Half-termly headlines. We wanted to provide an insight into all that has happened this half term and showcase the successes we have enjoyed.
This week we have been raising awareness of Mental Health Week and our Well-being Ambassadors have been running events and activities including mindfulness, a football tournament, board games and a Kahoot quiz. A raffle prize draw took place today too. I’m delighted that over £1000 was raised this week.
This half term students have been involved in a variety of student and staff-led assemblies. Topics include World Religion Day, LGBTQ+ Awareness, Holocaust Awareness and this week: Staying Safe Online.
We are working really hard to improve writing outcomes across the school. In every newsletter we will showcase some student’s writing we are really proud of. Please take some time to enjoy what has been written below.
Our Reading Clubs are going from strength to strength. Seeing our more able KS3 students support some of our less confident Year 5 & 6 students has been a real joy. Please see some photographs below. I myself am looking forward to reading the adventure story Skellig with a group of Year 6 boys after half term. Please take time to visit our Reading platform for access to a variety of reading materials and resources. Thank you to Ms Dickinson for the latest edition of our Reading Newsletter.
Thank you to so many of you who have already attended our in-person and virtual Parents Evenings - we do hope the conversations about your child’s learning and progress have been beneficial. Please note our next Parents Evening has been postponed a week from 1st March to 8th March.
As you will see, it's been a busy half term! Don't forget to follow our social media accounts for photos and updates about our learning adventures next week.
Next week is half term and so we wish you all an enjoyable and restful half term break with your families. We look forward to seeing all students back on Monday 20th February for the second half of our Spring Term.
Kind regards,
Phil Stock Mark Gibbs
Head of School Head Teacher
Events this Half Term:
Year 5 Trip to Waterside Theatre
The Year 5 pupils enjoyed a trip to Aylesbury Waterside Theatre to watch 'Demon Dentist'. The show was amazing and everyone had a fantastic time and represented the school well with their EPIC behaviour.
Everyone’s Talking about Jamie - KS3
We are delighted to have attended Cedars' Performance of Everyone is Talking About Jamie which explores identity and LGBTq+. The performance was outstanding. The opportunity to watch the performance was an extension of our PSHE curriculum during LGBT week.
Well done to all the students involved. It was wonderful to also see a number of our ex-students performing and participating in stage technology.
Number Day
We've been having fun celebrating Number Day and raising money for NSPCC. Here are some of the excellent outfits on display.
MFL Cultural Challenge
It's 'Challenge Time' again in the Languages Department! The KS3 competition for this half term is up in the French and German classrooms. Try to identify the French and German speaking locations. (Clue: they are not necessarily in France or Germany this time.) You also need to see if you can name the French and German speaking artists and paintings for the art challenge. Just put your name and answer(s) on a piece of paper and post them into the boxes at the back of the classroom, or give them to your teachers (Mrs Inns or Mrs Street.) A couple of weeks after half term, we will draw names out of the hat for the prizes. Bonne chance und viel Glück!
Mrs Inns and Mrs Street
Year 7 & 8 War Horse
On Tuesday, 24th January, the whole of Year 7 were treated to the National Theatre's production of "Warhorse". It was organised so the year group were able to watch it prior to lunch and then after the lunch break; therefore emulating a theatre experience with a proper interval.
The "Warhorse" production has received much acclaim and numerous awards since its first premier performance in October. 2007. Therefore, ensuring that our Year 7's were able to watch the recording of the "Live" theatre meant a great deal to us as English teachers, especially as the novel by Michael Morpurgo was studied in the first half of the Autumn term.
The students were complementary and appreciative having been given this opportunity. Various comments were made such as "I really enjoyed seeing the novel on the stage", "thank you for organising this theatre opportunity", "I still cannot believe that Joey was a puppet and not real".
Thank you to both the ICT and Finance Departments in helping to set this up.
Excel Club
Our Excel Club - an additional 30 minute lesson for Higher Learning potential students - has been extremely successful. 30 Year 7 & 8 students have been taught a range of topics from Origami DNA, health and fitness to Profit and loss accounts. We are grateful to our staff for giving up their time to deliver these sessions and of course to the students arriving at 8.25am on a Tuesday morning.
Scholars Programme
Our EPIC Scholars completed their final tutorial with their PhD Tutor from the Brilliant Club. Their tutor was so proud and said they were a credit to Linslade School. She said: "They have been absolutely brilliant and I have really enjoyed spending time with them. Friday afternoons have been a highlight of my week!"
Each student completed weekly assignments culminating in a 1500 word essay titled 'Do we live in a simulation, and if we did, would it matter?'
The students will be attending Cambridge University on 22nd February for their Graduation Event where Euan in Year 8 will be making a short speech on behalf our students.
Writers at Work
Jack - 5amh
Jack - 5amh
Maddie - 5JW
Maddie - 5JW
Maisie - 6SR
Maisie - 6SR
phoebe - 6ET
phoebe - 6ET
Isobel - 7HM
Isobel - 7HM
Isobel - 7HM
Isobel - 7HM
Layla - Year 7
Layla - Year 7
Zara - year 8
Zara - year 8
Jacob - year 8
Jacob - year 8
HARRY - YEAR 8
HARRY - YEAR 8
Perseverance Rover - Maths Homework Project
Maths students had an opportunity to create fantastic models of the Rover Perseverance (Mode B Teaching) and
learn about its mission on the Planet Mars.
Performing Arts
'The Performing Arts Department have had a busy and exciting half term since Christmas, starting with a trip to The O2 where 67 members of the Linslade choir performed in the Young Voices Concert, as part of a choir of 9002 students! It was an amazing experience for them and one that I am sure they will always remember. Rehearsals are in full swing for our production of The Little Mermaid and it was very exciting to get on the stage for the first time. The production will take place from 27th-30th June and details regarding tickets will be available later in the year. There will be a Spring Concert on March 29th where choir, orchestra and solo musicians will be performing and showing how talented our pupils are. Please keep your eyes open for a ParentMail.
Teaching & Learning
We are absolutely delighted with the response from parents following the launch of the HOAP (Homework on a Page) document last month. Parents have told us what a positive difference it has made, in terms of student wellbeing, and how clear it has made expectations for homework. We look forward to embedding this policy over the next few terms.
Over twenty members of the teaching staff took part in our first WOW ('watching others work') week. This involved teachers showcasing some of the fantastic activities, challenges and learning going on in our lessons.We are looking forward to organising another WOW week next term!
Mrs Mead and the Teaching and Learning Group (TLG)
Employee of the Month
Congratulations to Diane O'Neill, our January Employee of the Month! Diane diligently runs our Reprographics Department and works tirelessly to ensure staff and students are well resourced! Thank you for all you do!
Humanitarian Appeal for Turkey and Syria
We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone for your very kind donations to this appeal. We are overwhelmed with the response.
Safeguarding
Food Parcels
Our Pastoral Team are working with the local community fridge and will have food parcels available in school to support families during the difficult current financial time. Please email safeguarding@linsladeac.co.uk if you would like one.
CAMHs
Next term our local CAMHS team will be delivering fortnightly self soothing lunch clubs to students and will also be holding a parents coffee morning to discuss support available. Further information will be sent out next term.
Mental Health and Well-Being Week
This week we are celebrating ‘Be Bright’ with additional well-being assemblies, extra PE, fiddle toy making and our annual raffle! We would like to thank all businesses in the local community that have donated to our raffle and helped us spread kindness to each other.
Thank you to TACTIC and Cedars Pupils for delivering fantastic assemblies this week.
Safer Internet Usage
Many children love using TikTok and Snapchat to watch funny videos but did you know the risks linked to these apps and that these have an age restriction of at least 13?
Sporting Highlights
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