ISSUE 2 29 TH SEPTEMBER

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1 We have had a very busy week with the 6th Form having their team building day and the main Open Evening and Morning. As always the school was very busy on the night with hundreds of visitors, young and old having tours and soaking up the ethos of the school. The science department, as always, was very popular with Mrs Collingridge s pet snake getting a lot of attention. The school teams have had a flying start in all age groups winning matches and early season tournaments which is very encouraging to see. We have just started to enter into the very early stages of discussions regarding the possibility of a 3 or 4G pitch being built on the school. This would clearly help to enhance our facilities and also provide a first class resource for the local community. We will of course keep you posted as the discussions develop. As you know we have been focussing developing a positive mind set when it comes to challenging work with our students. The majority of the students are embracing this I can t do that yet approach that enables them to see challenges through and be successful. Can you please work on this at home so it is being reinforced with tasks set for homework, don t let them give up too easily and use the mindset resources on the school website with them, a link can be found here. Our focus with the students is developing a growth mind set to help them to be more resilient both at school and outside of school so please support us in this. Quite simply as a Year 8 student said to me We have to see challenge as a positive to help us get better at what we do. A challenge that some of a students took on outside of school was the London Shine Walk on Saturday 23 rd September. I would like to congratulate Maddy and George Seaton, Maxwell Coppock and Ruben O Hanlon for walking 13.2 miles through central London over night and helping to raise as part of team Cancerninja s over 20,000 for Cancer Research. A link to their fundraising page can be found here ISSUE 2 29 TH SEPTEMBER For regular messages check our Twitter/ Beaconsfield.School John Fletcher Head Teacher Discovering the Potential in All

2 EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES The whole school had a fantastic day on Tuesday 26th September with a selection of Spanish food, Spanish focus in lessons, staff fancy dress, a photo booth and a house competition. In Food Technology Year 11 also cooked a delicious array of Spanish food and Year 9 made pizza s with Spanish toppings. The HUB provided a wide selection of dishes all day including enchilada s, paella, tortilla s, empanada s and a variety of desserts. YEAR 11 GEOGRAPHY SUSSEX TRIP 94 Year 11 students travelled to the Sussex Coast on Wednesday 19 th September to carry out fieldwork for one of their Geography exams. More specifically, they tested coastal processes and environments at Newhaven, Seaford and Birling Gap, and made observations about coastal management. The weather was great and the students conducted themselves well. OPEN EVENING THANKS Thank you to all students, parents and staff for a successful Open Evening and morning this week. We received many positive comments about the students enthusiasm and willingness to share their enjoyable experiences at The Beaconsfield School, reflecting our school community and atmosphere.

3 ACHIEVEMENTS If you have any information about your child s achievements in extra curricular activities, please do not hesitate to swilliams@beaconsfield.school as we would love to hear about and share their successes. SUPER EFFORTS FOR A WORTHY CAUSE Rubén O Hanlon, (8Mc), Maddy Seaton (9Row), Maxwell Coppock (10Mc), George Seaton (Year 12) and a large group of friends/family completed the London Shine Walk on Saturday 23rd September, walking 13.2miles around London at night. Rubén was the youngest Shiner in the race of 16,000 people and he completed the walk in 4.30 hours. The whole group of friends raised over 20,000 for a charity called Cancer Ninjas. A fantastic achievement. If you would like to add to their efforts or find out more information please click the link below. Go Tri-Athlon Joe Kightley Year 8 CONGRATULATIONS Joe is a member of a local Junior triathlon club. On Sunday 24th September he competed in his second GoTri triathlon, here in Beaconsfield. He had to swim 160 metres of a pool, followed by a 2000m cycle and finally a run of 1600m. He did really well and came 5th in the age group, crossing over the finishing line only two minutes behind the fastest competitor. Joe's verdict was that it exhausting, but brilliant fun. He's definitely got the triathlon bug! The Beaconsfield School ran a Summer Reading Challenge for the new Year 7 students. We asked them to read Wonder by R.J. Palacio, complete an entry form which included a crossword and word search and to write a short review of the book. Lots of staff members also read the book over the summer. All entries we received back were entered in a draw for an Amazon voucher, the draw took place on Friday 22nd September and Phoebe Mellor 7 Mackintosh was our winner. Super work Phoebe.

4 HOUSE COMPETITION We have decided to run a bulb competition which we then intend to plant around the school and bring some spring colour to the school environment. We kindly ask our students to take part, providing an array of different bulbs which we can plant mid October. The more bulbs brought in by the students the more points they will get for their designated house. All students have been asked to bring their bulbs to The Learning Pod where they will be entered on a spread sheet and given a house point (one bulb=1point and a bag of bulbs will be 5 house points). PARENT SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS Thank you to all participants of the Parent Survey in July Of the responses received, 92% of parents said that they would recommend The Beaconsfield School to another parent, this is above the National average of 86%. In addition 92% said that their child is happy at school and that their child is well looked after (on par with National average). Closing Date: Friday 6th October 2017 PiXL EDGE "The Edge: Life is about much more than just results" The PiXL Edge is a framework to develop and accredit students with those personal attributes essential for employability and life. On Friday 22nd September Year 7 listened to a presentation regarding PiXL Edge, we hope they told you all about it. Each student is starting at PiXL Edge Apprentice level. The scheme focuses on five key life-attributes: Leadership (red path) Organisation (green path) Initiative (purple path) Resilience (blue path) Communication (yellow path) Each student needs to achieve 2 credits in each of the five categories. Every activity must be evidenced and signed off by a member of staff. To be accredited with an 'Apprentice' level, students must gain 10 credits in total (2 credits from each category). For more information please visit or

5 HELPING TO DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET AT HOME As you may have read in our last newsletter, we have been working on mindsets in school and would like to help you help your sons and daughters. Please find below some key points in how you can re-inforce the idea that they can learn anything they want through effort, determination, perseverance, relishing challenge and not being afraid to fail. Questions that will help develop a growth mindset: What did you learn today? How did you learn that? What mistakes did you make that helped you learn? What did you do that made you more resilient? What did you do that made you persevere? What did you struggle with today? What little problems did you take responsibility for? What did you say or do to make someone feel good today? What monster distractions did you fight off successfully today? What monster distractions do you need to practice fighting off? Words to try and avoid when giving praise Intelligent Right Amazing The best Better than (another person) Good Very good Give more praise for the process of learning; I love the way you: like doing the tricky things the way you remain calm when things don t go your way just keep on going.you think it out, then use a buddy s brain, then the bits and bobs around you and then and only then do you ask an adult great stuff praise other people when they are successful Keep your focus on what you are trying to achieve; the way you fight off the monster distractions Develop the habit of sharing praise with these ideas in mind: Beautiful Smart Clever Cute Great Fast Best Pretty Quick Lovely You put so much time into You never gave up, even when it got really tricky. I love your resilience You have such a positive attitude did you hear what you said? The progress you have made is great I love the way your take responsibility for That was such a great ARK (act of random kindness) I really admire. You handle that situation really well because. That was such a brave thing to do I respect that so much I love the way you are always so well prepared for. I appreciate how helpful you were to.. REMINDER On 5th October Robin Launder will be coming in to see Year 8 & 9 for a Growth Mindset lesson.

6 REVISITING WORK AND REVISION Exams. No one likes doing them, but we all have to. So what is the best way to revise for a test? The following two links to videos are worth a watch, explaining how your brain works and how to make the most of your revision time. YEAR 11 EXAM BUSTERS - MONDAY 9TH OCTOBER We are offering all Year 11 students the opportunity to participate in Exam Busters a course provided by PositivelyMAD. The Exam Busters GCSEPod workshop is fast-paced, high energy and highly interactive. Students are shown a range of techniques designed to improve memory and build an awareness of the importance of reflective practices. The course will run on Monday 9th October Period 1 & 2 at a cost of 7.50 per student. If you would like your son/daughter to participate in Exam Busters please complete and return the reply slip no later than Monday 2nd October A copy of the letter sent out can be found on the link below. Don t forget to look on our website for helpful hints and timetable templates 1. Get Organised 2. Get Motivated 3. Stay calm 4. Reduce stress 5. Heathy Body and Mind 6. Help children YEAR 10 SUPER SPEEDY STUDY SKILLS MONDAY 9th OCTOBER PERIOD 3 & 4 We are offering all Year 10 students the opportunity to participate in Super Speed Study Skills a course provided by PositivelyMAD - inspiring empowered learning. Students will be shown a range of study tools and techniques that will boost their learning abilities for the rest of their lives not just in school. This will also support all of the Growth Mindset work we are doing in school which you will have spoken about at your recent one to one meetings. The cost of Super Speed Study Skills is 7.50 per student. Payment is through Parentpay no later than Monday 2nd October 2017.

7 COURSES INSPIRE COURSES FOR YEAR 11 If your Year 11 son or daughter is interested in doing STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) for A level please take a look at the list of summer courses all run by the EDT trust. For more information please go to Students will be introduced to Engineering and/or Science through project work to give them a flavour of what to expect at University first year undergraduate level Take part in hand-on STEM projects, lectures and workshops Learn how to manage a project, develop research techniques, problem solving and write reports Hear about University life from lecturers, admissions tutors and post-grad students Meet engineers, scientists, researchers and professionals who ll explain their own achievement Learn to be confident and enthusiastic about their next level of study in STEM subjects PLEASE NOTE ALL DATES ARE PROVISIONAL ONLY, STILL TO BE CONFIRMED BOYS ONLY INSPIRE COURSES FOR 2018 GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY RESIDENTIAL Three days residential would be more relevant to students interested in Broad based Engineering Course code: GCB18 Course dates: 09:30 hours on Monday 25 June 2018 to 16:30 hours on Wednesday 27th June 2018 Cost of course: 230 which includes tuition, accommodation and food for the duration of the course. GIRLS ONLY INSPIRE COURSES FOR 2018 BRUNEL UNIVERSITY - RESIDENTIAL Three days residential would be more relevant to students interested in Broad based Engineering Course code: BRU18 Course dates: 10.30hrs on Tuesday, 24 July 2018 to 16.00hrs on Thursday, 26 July 2018 Cost of course: 230 which includes tuition, accommodation and food for the duration of the course. GIRLS ONLY INSPIRE COURSES FOR 2018 UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTIAL Three days residential relevant to students interested in Material Science Course Code: CDM18 Course dates: Tuesday 7 August 2018 to Thursday 9 August 09:30 hours to 16:30 hours Cost of course: 135 which covers tuition and food GIRLS ONLY INSPIRE COURSES FOR 2018 QUEEN MARY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON NON RESIDENTIAL Three days non-residential relevant to students interested in Bioengineering Course Code: QMU18 Course dates: Tuesday 26 June 2018 to Thursday 28 June :30 hours to 16:15 hours Cost of course: 135 which covers tuition and food

8 HEADSTART YEAR 12 The application process for Year 12 s to register for priority applications for a Headstart course is now open. If your son or daughter is doing STEM related subjects please take a look at the flyer below. For more information and to register go to SPORTING FIXTURES P.E. FOOTBALL MATCHES PLAYED Monday 18th September, Year 7 home game vs CCC, 7-1 loss. Tuesday 19th September Year 8 vs The Chilterns Academy, a great 6-1 WIN. Wednesday 20th September Year 11 vs The Grange, home game, 4-0 loss. Thursday 21st September Year 11 vs M11 loss. Monday 25th September Year 9 vs Misbourne, 6-0 loss. Tuesday 26th September Year WIN against Dr Challoners. Tuesday 26th September Year 10 WIN 3-1 against Holmer Green Wednesday 27th September Football County Cup vs Lord Grey, 3-1 loss. NETBALL A 31-2 away WIN for our Year 11 s against Chesham Grammar School on Wednesday 20th September.

9 I am delighted to let you know that this year your young person has been given the opportunity to sign up to NCS with The Challenge, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for year olds (with capacity for those over 18 on a case-bycase basis) that builds skills and confidence and helps them get ahead in work and life. The Challenge is the country s largest provider of National Citizen Service (NCS), a Government-funded programme that is delivering places across Berkshire and Buckinghamshire this Autumn. We deliver a part-residential programme, broken down into 3 parts taking part in the Autumn half term and following weekends. The Challenge is an organisation committed to inclusivity, and as such the programme we offer can be adapted to meet the needs of participants with a wide range of needs. The Challenge maintains a consistent staff ratio of no less than 12:1 throughout their programme, and can provide full time support for participants with additional needs. In addition there are logistical, linguistic and travel adjustments that can be made. The first part is residential, with all meals, kit and accommodation provided. First, teams of 12 get active by developing their leadership and teamwork skills, create friendships and build confidence by working with some of the best outdoor instructors in the UK. Young people return for part two where they gain new skills in an area they are passionate about, such as art, sport or photography over a 3 day non-residential period. Finally, teams make their mark and have the unique opportunity to design and deliver their own social action project, over four non-residential days. Teams then graduate, receive a certificate from the Prime Minister and can join the graduate programme with exclusive events and opportunities. Each place on the programme costs over 1000 to plan and deliver, but as it is Government backed, all The Challenge asks for is a contribution of no more than 50. I came to The Beaconsfield School on 11 th September for an assembly with Year 12 about the fantastic Autumn 2017 programme. If you would like any more information or have any queries please feel free to get in touch on or by Cameron.smyth@the-challenge.org More information can be found on our website Cameron Smyth, NCS Engagement Coordinator

10 COMPETITIONS

11 You can now use the Schoolgateway app to receive school communications. Download the app via your App store or register online If you enter your mobile number or address it will then send you a PIN to enter to activate your log in. MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA THURSDAY 23rd NOVEMBER 6PM Our Year 11 musicians produce a fantastic Autumn concert showcasing solo musical abilities from various composers including Classical, Soul, Rock and Pop music. Further details will be available soon. SAVE THE DATE! SCHOOL CLOSES ON FRIDAY 20th OCTOBER FOR HALF TERM YEAR 12 & 13 ICT, MEDIA & BUSINESS STUDIES. If your son/daughter would like to attend the Disneyland Paris school trip in February 2018, the deposit of 150 needs to be paid on ParentPay before 30 th September. For more information please speak to Miss Scheffler or Mr Robinson. Key Dates October /10/2017 Year 11 Rotary Club Presentation and PTFA Meeting 05/10/2017 Year 8 & 9 Growth Mindset 07/10/2017 Year 9 Maths Masterclass Wycombe High 09/10/2017 Year 11 Super Speedy Skills/Exam Busters 11/10/2017 Year 7 1:1 Mentor Evening CONTRIBUTIONS We will shortly be writing to all parents to ask if they are able to help support the school through a gift aid scheme. We have made this decision as school finances are becoming increasingly harder. Any donations to help the school would be very much welcomed. 12/10/2017 KS4 Music Extravaganza 16/10/2017 Year 11 and 13 Reports Home 17/10/2017 Rotary Club Interviews 18/10/2017 Rotary Club Interviews/KS5 Welcome Evening 20/10/2017 School closes for Half term / Thorpe Park Fright Night

12 REMINDERS TBS STANDARD EQUIPMENT Thank you to those of you who have been sending your sons and daughters to school so well equipped with full pencil cases. We would like you over the half term holidays to add one more item of essential equipment - a glue stick. Last year The Beaconsfield School spent hundreds of pounds on glue sticks alone, so we are asking you to please pop a glue stick into your shopping basket to become part of students standard equipment. For those who need a reminder, the minimum equipment that a student s pencil case should contain is: Blue or black pens Pencils Pencil sharpener Ruler Eraser Calculator Protractor Glue stick (new next half term) Thank you for your ongoing support. SCHOOL UNIFORM Uniform can be purchased from: The School Shop or on-line via their website: 17 The Highway Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire HP9 1QQ Tel: The school expects all students to wear the correct uniform. Please note for September 2018 there will be a change to a white shirt with a tie to reflect the house of the student. All other aspects of the uniform will remain the same. All items of uniform should be clearly marked with the student s name. SCHOOL SHOES A reminder that school shoes should be: Plain black laced or fastened No canvas or suede shoes Heel no higher than 3cms (for girls) No trainers or sports branded shoes. The following footwear is acceptable. The following footwear is not acceptable. If wearing the incorrect uniform after half term, student will not be allowed in lessons. Thank you in advance for your support. PARKING Just a gentle reminder for parents not to park on the school site as the safety of our students is paramount and we need to allow sufficient room for the coaches to park in their allocated space. If your son/daughter has forgotten any equipment needed for the day please ensure that they are aware you have left it in Reception and that they are to come and collect it at either break or lunchtime.

13 YOUNG CARERS The Beaconsfield School is very committed to supporting our students who are young carers. We have recently partnered up with Young Carers Bucks with the aim of creating a welcoming, safe and fully supportive learning environment within the school for all our young carers. Data suggests that 1 in every 12 secondary school students has caring responsibilities. This may mean that they have to undertake practical tasks at home, such as cooking, cleaning, shopping or emotional support to a relative. Whilst many young carers may not actively provide support; their lives may be impacted resulting in social isolation and a lack of typical opportunities such as having friends visit the home or sporting clubs. We are aware that Young Carers can have a difficult time juggling the demands of home life and education. Lateness, lack of concentration, absence and tiredness can all result in lower grades and opportunities. We also know that by supporting our young carers we can improve their school life. We have embarked on a programme of assemblies and staff training to raise awareness. The next step is to create a group to bring together our young carers on a regular basis. This group will be a student led, fun, safe space for students to meet and socialise with other young carers. If you (or your son or daughter) are a young carer or you think you might be, please speak to Mrs Gattward who will give you more information.

14 SCHOOL COUNSELLING SERVICE Seeing a school counsellor is one level of support that we can offer here at The Beaconsfield School. We have 3 trained counsellors (part-time) which may provide an opportunity for a young person to talk through any concerns they are facing. These cover topics such as stress, relationships, change, loss and distressing, traumatic events. How to make a referral: There are several ways to access this service: a member of staff, usually from the student support team can refer a student a parent can discuss a possible referral with the student support team, usually the Year Leader the student can refer themselves. Should this be the case we strongly encourage students to tell their parents/carers, but if they are not ready to do so this their confidentiality will be respected. How often are students seen and when: Students are usually seen for between 30-50mins each week, during lesson time. The first session is free to assess need and whether the service is indeed suitable. The student will then normally be offered 6 sessions, at which time the case will be reviewed and 6 further weeks maybe offered. If counselling is deemed to be needed beyond the 12 weeks, students maybe referred to alternative support. Cost: The first session is free and then all subsequent sessions are charged at 40 per session. (Pupil Premium students may qualify for assistance). Should your child not receive Pupil Premium funding but the cost is an issue, please contact your child s Year Leader to discuss possible support. Payments can be made via ParentPay. For more information and advice please visit the section on our website: Barnardo s Support 4 Parents WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN? Being a parent is the most important job we will ever have but also the most difficult, with long hours, new challenges every day and no training. No wonder that sometimes parents could do with a helping hand. Barnardo s helps these families with young children by offering support from trained volunteers. What will I do as a Volunteer? Volunteers help in many different ways they may help their family to begin to get out and make new friends at a local Children s Centre or Mothers & Toddler s group. The family may need help because of illness or disability or they may need support to help sort out financial problems or get their children into better routines and encouraging good behaviour. Why should I get involved? Parenting is not easy for anyone but some families are faced with extra problems that make coping with day to day problems difficult. Your help and support can help family to move forward and make changes so that life is a little better and less stressful for children and parents. This would also enable you to gain valuable experience if you are planning to take up a career working with children and families. We will pay your expenses and provide full training and support. Am I the right kind of person to enjoy this work? If you are warm, supportive, reliable and non-judgmental and know what family life is like with young children, then you are the person we are looking for. How many hours a week will I have to volunteer? Volunteers visit the family once a week for 2-3 hours for a time-limited period. This is following a 6 week initial training course of one morning a week. How do I find out more? Please either telephone or Didi.gregory@barnardos.org.uk

15 Book your free place on Bucks largest careers fair The countdown to the Bucks Skills Show 2017 has begun! Get 2017 off to a great start and bring your sons and daughters aged 14+ along on Saturday 14 October. Give them the opportunity to meet over 60 employers face-to-face and discover a career they ll love. Book free places for your family and bring them along to The Gateway in Aylesbury between 9.30am and 3pm. Buckinghamshire s largest skills and careers event is an interactive experience for students led by local and international industries, including high profile keynote speakers from John Lewis to Sky. Get up-to-date news on who s coming: on Twitter and like Bucks Skills Show on Facebook. To book: Simply search for Bucks Skills Show 2017 on Google and click on book free tickets. Register now to secure your place. MEETINGS The next PTFA meeting is Monday 2nd October, 7pm The White Hart, Beaconsfield Old Town - everyone welcome, bring a friend along to join our team, get to know your school a little better and help raise funds to enhance our childrens time at The Beaconsfield School. We always welcome new members and ideas if you would like to be involved please ptfa@beaconsfield.school EVENTS The Christmas Market held on Saturday 18th November, 11am - 3pm, in the School Hall, this is a community event with stalls, refreshments, fun games and activities for all ages. If there are any parents or carers who would like to take a stall please contact us ptfa@beaconsfield.school Don't miss out on a great opportunity for parents or carers to advertise your business to the community in our Christmas Market programme! A5 colour ad only 35! ptfa@beaconsfield.school for details VACANCY for a Stock Room Controller this person would be responsible for the purchasing of bar and tuck shop stock i.e., sweets, wine, beer etc. and stock taking after each event, you wouldn t necessarily need to attend the PTFA meetings, this could easily be done in your own time. If you are interested please ptfa@beaconsfield.school, perfect if you like shopping!