Kes goes spotty and raises 2, for children in need

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1 The King Edmund School A Business & Enterprise and Applied Learning Academy DECEMBER 2012 KES NEWS Kes goes spotty and raises 2, for children in need Two Year 11 students, Head Boy Harry and Head Girl Christy, organised a number of events at school in November in aid of Children in Need and turned the school spotty. Students donated 2 in order to not wear uniform for a day and donate 1 if they wore something spotty - even some staff joined in with the theme. In keeping with a long standing school tradition, part of the role of Head Boy and Girl, along with the help of their Deputies, is to choose and fundraise for two local or national charities. Some of the activities they organised included a student, Leuan in Year 12, shaving his long hair off and cake and hot dog sales. Their efforts have meant that the school has raised more than last year.

2 senior leadership team update Jonathan Osborn, Headteacher As we approach the end of the Autumn term, the pace is unrelenting while the mornings and evenings grow ever darker, school events and milestones come thick and fast. If you were fortunate enough to come to one of the three evenings of the Dance Production, you will have experienced a genuinely outstanding show. There were many times that I forgot I was watching an event where school students were participating, so high was the standard of performance. As I have said before, it isn t simply about those who are outstanding performers, it is about all the students who want to take part (both boys and girls) who rehearse and practise for many weeks. The thing I take away from an event like this, more than anything, is the exuberance and sheer enjoyment on the faces of all those performing. Although thank-yous are made at the end of each performance, I would like to express my sincere thanks again to Miss Gatford, and all the members of the Creative Arts team, for their efforts in making this excellent show so memorable. Following on from something I wrote about in the last issue of KES News, we held an evening for parents on Internet Safety on Tuesday 27 November. Feedback from many parents at the evening was that the content shared by two members of the Police On-line Investigation Team (POLIT) was incredibly useful. Parents were shocked by much of what they found out, but it has equipped them to more effectively parent their children and help them be safe in a key area of their lives. If you have any further feedback on the evening or other comments you would like to offer, we would love to hear them. I was thrilled by the KES response to Children in Need Harry, Christy and the whole prefect team did an excellent job in organising events and ensuring we surpassed our total from last year. Leuan Pinnock deserves a special mention for allowing his hair to be cut off apparently, this is the first time it has been short since very early in his time at primary school! In the last issue of KES News I said that we would announce the outcome of the Parent Governor election in this issue. The ballot closed on Friday 7 December, but as we go to press we have yet to hold the count of votes, to which the candidates are invited. This means that I will write to parents, probably early in the New Year, to announce the results. On that note, may I wish all KES students, parents, staff and all others linked with the school, a very Merry Christmas. We look forward to seeing you all in the New Year. Martin Haynes, Deputy Head, Curriculum We are reaching that stage in the year when Year 9 students need to start thinking about the GCSE subjects they would like to follow next academic year. Although the Government is being somewhat prescriptive about the courses students should follow (for example the EBacc route: English, Maths, Double Science, History or Geography and a Modern Foreign Language) there are still some decisions students will need to make, albeit on a more limited scale. To help with this decision making process, each student will be given a Key Stage 4 Course Guide and recommendations from the school. I will also be speaking to all students in an assembly and inviting both parents and students to an Information Evening on Wednesday 30 January. Many of our Year 12 and Year 13 students will be sitting very important unit examinations in January and should be using the Christmas holiday as an opportunity for some intensive revision. Some of these examinations contribute a considerable percentage towards a final grade and should be treated accordingly. I want students to have an enjoyable holiday but they do need to use their time wisely. Finally, I am pleased to announce that the Enterprise Passport Scheme, in which students are encouraged to develop entrepreneurial skills, is going well. Year 8 are the current champions with 89 bronze, 13 silver, 10 gold and 2 platinum awards. Well done to them. Wishing you all a peaceful Christmas. 2

3 senior leadership team update Staff Sue Nichol, Deputy Head, Pastoral and day-to-day END OF TERM ARRANGEMENTS FRIDAY 21 DECEMBER School will close at on the last day of term and the contract buses will leave at There will not be a late bus. The Spring Term starts at the normal time on Monday 7 January. We are sorry to say goodbye to the following staff at the end of term: Mr Alan Rhodes Having suffered a serious illness last term Alan has decided to take early retirement. He has been a valued member of staff for over ten years and as well as teaching Mathematics, he also contributed greatly to the Duke of Edinburgh work within the school and will be very much missed on the expeditions. Fortunately Alan s health has recovered considerably since the summer and we wish him a long and happy retirement. Mrs Kelly Joslin Having stepped down from her role as Director of Business after the birth of her son, Kelly has decided to be a full-time mum to her young son Dean as he grows up. Kelly has worked at KES for three years and we wish her every happiness in the future. Miss Kelly Jenkins Although Kelly has only been teaching at KES for a term on a temporary basis covering a maternity leave, she has made a considerable contribution to the school in that short time and the Creative Arts Faculty will miss her input. We wish her luck in the future. Mr Graham Cook Graham has been part of the back room support as a Lab Technician in Science at KES for an amazing 32 years and in that time he has only had a total of 12 days off sick, the last time being in This attendance record alone bears witness to the very loyal and dependable colleague that Graham has been and he will be sadly missed not just in the Science areas but around the school in general. Graham actually turned 80 in October so he has more than earned his retirement: it is thoroughly deserved. We are proud to have counted Graham as a member of KES and wish him the very very best in the future. Mrs Alison Pankhurst Alison has been part of the Learning Support team for 6 years and has made a difference to the lives of many of our youngsters with particular learning needs as she has supported them both in lessons and within Learning Support. Alison is moving to another post and our best wishes go with her for the future. Mrs Gillian Gates Gillian joined the school four years ago to the new role of Attendance Officer. In that time she has developed this into a vital and extremely proactive role which has seen the attendance figures at KES improve year on year. She has worked tirelessly but with empathy and understanding with parents and students and become a valued member of the front office team. We wish her all the very best as she leaves KES and thank her for all her work in the development of this area. We are pleased to welcome Mrs Quinn back to the Creative Arts Faculty after her maternity leave. Can I personally thank all the parents who attended the POLIT evening regarding safety in the virtual world. I know it was a powerful and enlightening evening, the police officers who delivered the talk were extremely impressed not only with the number of parents who came, but also with their interest and interaction. It is clear that KES parents have gone to the top of their list when it comes to caring parents. A reminder that Santa should not be buying body piercing vouchers for anywhere but the lobe of the ear as students are not allowed anything more than one plain stud in each lobe. Any other piercings would not have time to take in just two weeks and need to wait until the 6 week summer break. Similarly Christmas hairstyles need to be back to normal for the start of term. Wishing all parents a very happy Christmas and New Year. 3

4 Heads of year update Year 7 As the festive season rapidly approaches I would like all Year 7 students to reflect on their first term at KES. Already they have had the opportunity to experience many new things on offer here, and I hope they have enjoyed each one. I hope they have a restful holiday and come back in the New Year ready to make the next term equally as successful, if not more. If things haven t gone as well as they could, I would encourage students to think about ways they can improve in order to make 2013 a fantastic year. Merry Christmas! Natasha Jenkins, Head of Year 7 Year 8 Year 8 students have continued to show great maturity and independence throughout this term. While many helped the Year 7 students settle into life at KES, others have excelled in sporting and academic achievements. The students have also continued to gain signatures from members of staff for their Enterprise Passports and I d particularly like to congratulate Dione Coffey (8CS) and Elizabeth Humphries (8BE) for being among the first students at KES to achieve their Platinum awards. In addition I was extremely pleased with the generosity of the students regarding the recent shoebox appeal in aid of the Christian charity Operation Christmas Child. Years 7 and 8 collected over 80 boxes, with 8CS collecting the most. I wish you all a peaceful Christmas and a very healthy and happy New Year. Delia Webster, Head of Year 8 Year 9 We are coming to the end of the first term of the year and generally I have been very pleased with the work ethic of the students. I have had the pleasure of giving out certificates to many students highlighting a range of good work. I regularly go into classrooms to see how the students are working and on the whole the students are fully engaged in the lessons and if this continues they will be successful in school. In the new year the students will be given information on their options so they need to be thinking about what options they would like to take for their GCSEs. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a peaceful and relaxing Christmas and New Year break. Tom Hickey, Head of Year 9 Year 10 Year 10 spent a day off timetable preparing for life in the workplace. They were dressed very smartly and approached the day with great maturity. Each student had an interview with a business as a practise for a real life situation. Many thanks to the businesses but also to Mrs Maslen for coordinating the day. Mrs Maslen is also collating the work experience visits, well done to all of you who have arranged your own placements but there are still a large number yet to have a placement confirmed. Placements must be organised as a matter of urgency. I wanted to say a big thank you to Miss Cash who has been covering for Mrs Quinn`s maternity leave. Miss Cash has been helped out by Miss Jenkins and together they have done a fantastic job. I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and can really enjoy being together with your families at this special time. Emma Cooke, Head of Year 10 Year 11 Thank you to those of you who have sent back the reply slip from the prom letter sent out last month. I would like to make it very clear that attendance at the Prom is not a right and will be dependent upon good behaviour, attendance and punctuality. With the exception of extenuating circumstances we expect all Year 11 students to maintain a minimum attendance of 94%. This would amount to a maximum of 10 days absence between September 2012 and June If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact myself as soon as possible. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas break and I look forward to seeing the students in 2013 when they will need to be the most focused they have ever been as we approach their final examinations. Sarah Stone, Head of Year 11 Sixth Form As the autumn term draws to a close, it is a time for us to reflect and celebrate the achievements of our students, which have been many. Academically, students generally approached their mock exams seriously. We really do appreciate the support that parents and carers provide by encouraging students to commit considerable effort to their revision. The real exams will be upon us shortly, so it is important to keep up the good work. We would like to make it clear that students will be expected to attend school throughout the exam period and that there will be no study leave. Any account of the term s highlights would be incomplete without the mention of the dance production, in which many of the Sixth Formers took a lead role. We are delighted that Hannah Gardiner s impact on the Performing Arts department has been recognised by her being awarded the Jack Petchey Award, of which she should be very proud. Other individual contributions included Leuan Pinnock s haircut which raised money for the Children in Need event and left him unrecognisable! Those students who have completed their UCAS forms are now beginning to receive offers from universities. A few students are still in the final stages of completing their forms and are urged to address this as a matter of urgency. Finally, we should like to wish you all a very happy Christmas holiday. Julie Green, Kate Booker Head of Year 12 Head of Year 13 4

5 FACULTY FOCUS ON languages Year 11 Controlled Assessments I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all Year 11 students of French for their hard work in completing their speaking controlled assessment in the last few weeks. It was pleasing to see so many of them perform well. The students will next be preparing for one of their final writing controlled assessments of the course. More hard work and dedication is needed to ensure their success for this. Trips to France It is has been overwhelmingly pleasing to see such a positive uptake for both the Year 7 day trip to Boulogne and the residential trip to Paris. Both of the trips are now fully booked and it has been a shame to have to turn away students due to restricted numbers. Thanks for your continued support with the trips. Year 7 Achievements I would like to congratulate many of the Year 7 students who have achieved merits and credits from their Modern Languages teacher or myself in the past few weeks. I have been extremely pleased with the number of students who are making positive contributions in lessons and I am slowly running out of credit stickers. Keep up the good work. English and French Update Matthew Williams, Head of Modern Languages Year 9 have completed the Gothic Literature module and are starting their reading tasks based on the novel Yankee Girl, which poses some very challenging issues that Year 9 are enjoying greatly. As part of the gothic module, they studied The Woman in Black and were offered the superb opportunity of seeing the theatre adaptation at the Palace Theatre as part of a school trip. The students were suitably terrified. Year 8 have just completed The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, again posing some very challenging issues; all the English teachers were very impressed to see they handled it in such a mature manner. They are now starting a new module on narrative writing focused on mystery. Year 7 are reading Boy by Roald Dahl; a novel they all enjoy, especially when they are able to design their own disgusting sweets just as Roald Dahl did although some of the designs were very gruesome! Year 11 have just completed their speaking and listening assessment based on the novel Of Mice and Men, in which they performed a short dramatic piece, developing their chosen character from the novel. This was very successful and a great opportunity for members of the English department to see the dramatic talent we have in the school. Year 10 completed their first controlled assessment on Of Mice and Men in October. They successfully undertook a two-hour formal assessment and impressed all their teachers with their mature attitude. Sixth form students will also be enjoying a trip to the theatre, as they will be watching a performance of One Man, Two Guvnors at the Haymarket theatre in London, in support of their study of farce. Some of the sixth form students have offered their thoughts on their new schemes of work at Key Stage 5: We are given the opportunity to experience language and literature on a level we never knew! - Sian The independence we get in A Level English is good, yet we get help whenever we need it. - Nikita It is safe to say that we really enjoyed reading The Catcher in the Rye the heated class discussions were great! - Becky We analyse such a variety of texts - it is really interesting. - Hayley 5

6 FACULTY FOCUS ON creative arts The Creative Arts Faculty aims to provide a creative arts education that inspires an appreciation of the arts. Making each of the creative arts subjects accessible to all is key to the faculty s success and we offer a wealth of courses that enrich our students knowledge of the Arts and develops their skills. Whether it is studying painting, performing drama pieces, composing music or choreographing dance, we hope to build their self belief and give them the skills needed to express themselves in a confident manner. Outside of the creative arts curriculum we regularly organise trips for students to broaden their awareness of the Arts. By enriching their knowledge we hope to enable students to engage more fully in lessons and apply their findings to their own work. Recent visits included Sadlers Wells Theatre, Tate Modern and Rayleigh based recording studios. KES is extremely lucky to have such a wealth of talent. Over the years the faculty has become renowned for their portfolio of work. Dance productions, Art Exhibitions, Plays and Music competitions are just some of the activities that we undertake. One of our favourite times of the year is the Cliffs Awards evening in July. It fills us with pride to showcase all of the students hard work and celebrate their accomplishments. Congratulations to all the Art students who have worked very hard over the past few weeks in preparation for their Art exams. Some very dynamic and adventurous pieces were produced and we are looking forward to displaying the work. Well done to all! Green Fingers Janine Foakes, Head of Art and Acting Director of Creative Arts Faculty Arts Award This year has started with a bang with more students than ever applying for Arts Award. Arts Award has inspired the students at KES to develop their arts and leadership talents: it s creative, valuable and accessible to all year groups. Our mission this year is to achieve gold with more students entered in all categories. The Creative Arts Faculty wants to deepen their engagement within the arts, build creative and leadership skills and achieve a national qualification. So many students have started their training already by learning new art forms including performing arts, visual arts, literature, media and multimedia. The award builds confidence, helps young people to enjoy cultural activities, and prepares them for further education or employment. There is still time to join and enjoy the fun. Art Club This term in Art Club we have focused on the weather, producing pieces of work to reflect the seasons. We have been experimenting with print making and have produced a collaborative piece of work. All students used individual polystyrene prints to create one large piece of artwork. The students really enjoyed learning a new skill and have found it very rewarding to create a large, group piece. We are currently sculpting plaster of Paris Christmas decorations and are excited to see the outcomes. The Drama department have been astounded by the amazing model gardens produced by Year 7. The students had been learning about various drama techniques, such as body as prop, through studying the story of The Selfish Giant. For their final piece of homework for this project, the students were asked to create models of the giant s garden. However when these models were handed in, the Drama department was blown away by the outstanding effort and quality. These are absolutely fantastic! I ve never given out so many As! said Miss Lister. Media Moguls of the Month The Media Department would like to say a big well done to Michael Bailey and Alec Hitchman in year 13, for their fantastic and very professional coursework. Both Michael and Alec have been researching, planning and creating sports pages for a tabloid and broadsheet newspaper as part of their coursework. Their final products are absolutely brilliant and Miss Lister and Miss Nduka are extremely proud. Well done boys! 6

7 latest news KES Singing Group In the run up to the busy Christmas season both KES Band, Singing Group and the new Rock Choir started by Miss Tofts have started rehearsing hard in preparation for upcoming concerts. In November, the Singing Group kicked off the concert season by singing Perfect and an Oasis medley in the Dance production. Although it was a busy and exhausting schedule of four performances in three days, the students put on a fantastic performance with many positive comments from both staff and parents. Special mention should go to Rebecca in Year 8 and Michelle in Year 11 for solo spots in the Singing Group numbers. Solo vocal talent from Louise in Year 12, and a guitar/ukulele duet from Joshua and Shona in Year 12 rounded up this year s contribution to the show. The Music department is now in full swing in preparation for the forthcoming December performances. As well as our usual Christmas concert at KES on the 19 of December and the Carol Service on the 18 of December, students from Years 7 to 10 have asked to put on an extra concert in conjunction with St. Nicholas Church in Great Wakering on the 12 of December. There will be a variety of both Christmas and non-christmas pieces on show, and with around fifty students contributing their musical talent all three events look to be an excellent way to round off the term. The Music department is very grateful to all students who are involved and new members of the ensembles are always welcome. Singing Group rehearses on Tuesdays, KES band rehearses on Thursdays, and Rock Choir on Mondays. Year 11 Art trip to the Tate Modern During half term a group of Year 11 Art students visited the Tate Modern. On a very cold day they walked along the Embankment and sketched as they went along. Students also experienced Borough market, where they were able to take in all the different culinary delights. It was an opportunity for the GCSE students to develop their first hand research and produce some great observational drawings. The students behaviour was impeccable and they seemed to really enjoy the diversity of the work exhibited. Year 12 and 13 Theatre Visit to Sadler s Wells - Yasmin Vardimon s new creation of Freedom Year 12 and 13 travelled to London by train and underground to see a contemporary dance choreographer Yasmin Vardimon. The performance was highly creative and experimental and required the students to be mature and open minded. All students who attended were fantastic, they approached the performance with imagination and presented themselves with professionalism. I would like to thank them for their positive approach to using the London trains and underground. All students enjoyed the performance and were discussing their interpretation of it on the journey back to Rochford, it left us thinking what are we trying to find FREEDOM from? KES Christmas Card winner Each year Mr Osborn invites students to design the school Christmas card. Students were encouraged to produce a Christmas card illustrating the school s ethos, whilst also promoting this fun time of year. We are pleased to announce that Shannon in Year 7 was the lucky winner and her card will be sent to over 300 people. Congratulations too, to all the other students that worked so hard on their designs. With over 400 entries it was a difficult task to choose just one winner. 7

8 latest news DANCE through the decades KES Annual Dance Production A massive thank you goes to all the students involved in this year s production of Dance Through The Decades. As always it was a very busy 10 weeks and all those involved in the production worked hard to create a fantastic show. The school has recieved very positive and encouraging feedback about all students achievements in this year s production. There were approximately 200 students involved from Year 7 through to Year 13. There are some students who deserve a special mention for their creativity, commitment and energy. Hannah Gardiner and Zoe Harrision for choreographing the Year 7 dance. Hannah for all the extra times she has stayed behind at school to support others and implement her creative vision. Zoe for assisting with the editing of music. Adam Mayhew and Rianna Ellis for choreographing the Year 8 dance. Louise Hall and Daisy Lowe for choreographing the Year 9 dance and co-choreographing with me the final performance of the evening, Kriss Arkell for her leadership and creative skills with the Year 11 group dance and Jessica Day and Rebecca Mayhew for their tap choreography. Also a big thank you to Sam Blyth for working on sound and James Coubrough, Liz Wood, Rachel Cutler and Paige Amber for working on Front of House. This was the last Dance Production for many of the Year 13 students, several of whom have been involved in all of KES productions since Year 7, many achieving principle roles. A huge thank you goes to those students - they are a credit to the school and we wish them the best of luck for the future. 8

9 LATEST NEWS Southend United Football Club helps students to read The KES Reading Champions Group recently wrote to Southend Football Club to ask if they would be able to provide some support to Year 9 boys to help inspire and encourage them to read more. Southend United accepted the request and are now providing two Apprentice Coaches, Mike Finneran and Jared McCracken, both 18, for two hours each Friday to listen to Year 9 students read. They are providing the coaches free of charge because of the great letter they received from the Reading Champions group. Boys are strongly influenced by role models present in their lives. Having a sportsperson talk about why they love reading can be incredibly inspiring and motivating for a sport-loving reluctant reader. In November six Reading Champions from Rochford Primary visited KES to meet the coaches. Mrs Jan Grover, the Literacy Development Officer, has been working with Rochford Primary to help the students to develop and sustain an interest in reading. The boys also completed a quiz using books from the library and had the chance to explore the library and the Reading Renaissance classroom before returning to their school. A similar visit was undertaken by St Teresa s primary school the following week. Geography trips A group of Year 8 students visited Hanningfield Reservoir and took part in orienteering activities and learnt all about sustainability. Another group of Year 12 students took a trip to London and visited the Thames Barrier and Natural History Museum. They learnt about the role of the Thames Barrier in preventing flooding and visited the Earth Sciences exhibits of the Natural History Museum. Maths trip to London Fifteen students from the Sixth Form attended a series of talks at the Institute of Education in London. It was a very enjoyable and enlightening day with talks on Turing and cryptography, intuition and logic, topology, smoke rings, networks and the wisdom of group decisions. These talks have sparked some interesting conversations about Mathematics since our return, and we look forward to next year s lectures. Senior Maths Challenge 2012 Our Year 12 and Year 13 students recently took part in the Senior Maths Challenge. The results of this are: Best in School and Best in Year 12: Alex Broad Best in Year 13: Harri Donaie Silver Certificates: Harri Donaie, Alex Broad and Jamie Phillips. Bronze Certificates: Zachary Bastow, Beth Harris, Stephen Woollard, Zac England, Liam Ankin, Morgan O Neill and Daniel Martin. Congratulations to all who have received certificates in this national event. 9

10 LATEST NEWS Mock interview days Year 10 students recently took part in the Mock Interview Days organised by Enterprise in Education. During the first part of the morning they took part in a quiz to increase their awareness of employment requirements and interview skills. The students also had to complete an application and CV to prepare for the interview. The interviews were conducted by a range of business guests from local companies including RBS, BT, Hockley Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Rochford District Council, Olympus Keymed, First Data, Federation of Small Businesses, UK Power Networks, Essex Police, Basildon Print and two of our own Governors. All business guests were very impressed by our students and said the standard of students they had seen was excellent. Each interviewer selected their best student of the day and then presented them with a certificate. Christmas Business and Enterprise day Years 1 and 2 from Holt Farm Primary School recently attended KES to take part in a specially themed Christmas Business and Enterprise day. The students made Christmas trees from old magazines, snow globes, wrapping paper, Christmas Cards, note books, post it notes and decorated candles. All the students had a fabulous day of creative play. The KES Sixth Form Year 12 CACHE students assisted with the preparation and the running of the day. All of the items the children made were then sold at their Christmas fair, on their own stall. November s English Experts Some students will have received a postcard thanking them for their hard work in English this month; congratulations to them. The winners for November who each received an English Expert certificate were: Year 7 - Maddy, Rosie, Jordan Year 8 - Lily, Ray, Sydney Year 9 - Ingrid, Katie, Tom Business Brain of the month November s winners of Business Brain of the month were Megan in KS4 and Megan KS5. 10 Geographer of the Month Year 7 Callum Horncastle Year 8 Rosie Parks Year 9 Callum Lawrence

11 LATEST NEWS Jack Petchey Achievement Awards Ten of our students were invited to The Mill in Rayleigh for the Jack Petchey Awards evening. Throughout the year staff and students nominated other students for their special achievements inside and outside of school. The evening was a chance for us to officially recognise their achievement with a representative from the Jack Petchey Foundation and other representatives from the community. Each student has had 200 to spend on a wide range of projects or items in school, which included a sports pack to use with the young carers group, football shirts and a dance trip to see a West End production. On the evening each person was presented with a medallion to keep as recognition of their award. The next round of nominations will start again in January. The students who received awards were: Bekki, Michael, John, Ben, Anthony, Faye, Hannah, James, Jack, Hannah. Visit to the Holiday Inn at London Southend Airport Year 12/13 BTEC Hospitality students recently visited the newly opened Holiday Inn at London Southend Airport to gain an insight into the running and organisation of a large chain hotel. The students were given a tour of the accommodation and restaurant facilities by the sales manager. Students were impressed with the standard and range of facilities on offer and a couple of Year 13 students are planning a return visit to discuss career options with the Sous Chef. The Eight Brained Alien Recently Year 7 students were busy practising their Opening Minds skills. Students were asked to practise being resourceful, by designing and building their very own Eight Brained Alien. In doing this they were asked to use resources they could find at home. The results were fantastic and we all enjoyed looking at each other s work. This activity also allowed the students to use their reflective skills, as part of each presentation required students to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their work. Learning Support Assistants complete CLIP course to better help dyslexic students To better support KES s dyslexic students, ten Learning Support Assistants attended and completed a CLIP (Cumulative Literacy Intervention Programme) course in association with Dyslexia Action. The course has enabled these staff to help students by taking them back to basics and providing them with multi-sensory learning skills. The Learning Support Assistants said We worked very well together on the course and supported each other throughout as the course was very intense. The concept of this style of learning has proven to be beneficial and enjoyable for stduents with literacy difficulties and it is great that KES students will now be able to benefit from this way of learning. 11

12 LATEST NEWS Operation Christmas Child Students in Years 7 and 8 managed to collect over 80 shoeboxes filled with toys and gifts to help under privileged children around the world through the Operation Christmas Child charity scheme run by the Samaritan s Purse. Parent and toddler Christmas Party The Christmas parent and toddler party was organised and run by the Year 12 and 13 CACHE students on Wednesday 27 November. The event took place in the school s main hall which had been decorated with handmade Christmas decorations and a Santa grotto created by the students. The hall looked very inviting and tables were laid out with creative activities for children to do. Each activity was supported by two students and there was also a large area of floor toys for the younger children. Over thirty children aged from a few weeks to four years old attended with their parents and spent a couple of hours making Christmas cards, drawing pictures and icing biscuits to name but a few activities. Towards the end of the session the children, parents/carers and students joined together for a sing song before the arrival of our special visitor Father Christmas. Each of the children met Father Christmas (Mr Osborn, the Headteacher) in his grotto and were given reindeer food to put out on Christmas Eve before bedtime. Father Christmas was very jolly and we were really grateful that he could visit us at this busy time. A lovely morning was enjoyed by all and a big thank you to all those who supported the event. Look out for our next event on 1 July - a teddy bears picnic. Pensioners Christmas Party The annual Christmas tea was held in December in the school s main hall for older adults from our local community. A group of Year 10 students and members of Mrs Marchant s Health and Social Care classes helped plan and organise the event, ably assisted by the Hospitality students. Guests and helpers were all entertained afterwards by a variety of music and dance students, celebrating some of the school s best work this year, along with traditional Christmas Carols. Transport was provided by volunteer staff members and a good time was had by all. 12

13 LATEST NEWS Drama s Star of the Month This half-term the Drama department has begun a new rewards initiative which celebrates the hard work of students in each year group. A capital experience In November eight of our sixth form personal finance Career Academy students visited Brewin Dolphin the prestigious investment firm in London. Brewin Dolphin had organised some really worthwhile sessions for the students. They were able to talk to two post graduates who were just completing their first year on a special training programme. They also received a talk from two other young employees who had joined the company through a completely different route with regular A Levels. The two young ladies had joined Brewin Dolphin as temps in the accounts department and after proving themselves have now started on a four year programme to become fully qualified accountants sponsored totally by Brewin Dolphin, proving that career paths come to us in many different ways. After lunch the group then travelled to the Royal Festival Hall for an introduction to the fantastic opportunities offered by the Career Academy. There were 1500 other students there and they were all given inspirational talks by Tori James and Action Jackson. Tori Jones is a member of the first all-female group to trek to the North Pole and the first Welsh woman to climb Mount Everest. Both Tori and Action Jackson gave inspirational speeches to encourage the students to believe anything is possible if you work hard enough for it. Each month s stars are nominated by the staff within the department. The reasons for nominations can range from excellent quality of homework, perseverance in lessons or showing excellent leadership, creativity or acting skills within their lessons. Each student receives a positive letter home, a certificate and a place on our star board. This month s stars are; Year 7 Jake Sweeting. Nominated by Miss Jenkins for his consistent excellent contributions in lessons. Year 8 Devan Reid. Nominated by Mrs Turner for his excellent characterisation skills. Year 9 Hal Davidge Nominated by Miss Gatford for his demonstrating an excellent level of creativity within lessons. Year 10 Zak Rubertazzi. Nominated by Miss Gatford for his consistent hard work and effort within lessons. Year 11 Alex Conway. Nominated by Mrs Turner for the excellent quality of her homework. Year 12 and 13 Paige Amber. Nominated by Mrs Turner for the excellent quality of her practical and written work. Sociologist of the Half term Congratulations to the following students for their continuous hard work and effort. In recognition of their commitment to Sociology, they have been awarded the accolade of Sociologist of the Half Term : Year 10 - Aiysha Conteh, Year 11 - Emily Skelton Year 12 - Rachel Manning, Year 13 - Kate Ruston and Charlotte Holt. ARD Mission Event - Opening Minds Recently, to mark the end of the first module of Opening Minds ARD, Year 7 students took part in a special event known as the ARD mission. This day involved students being off timetable to take part in specially designed activities that would test the skills learnt in Opening Minds. On the day students were invited to dress up as Men in Black agents and completed tasks that tested their resourcefulness, receptiveness, resilience and their use of some of our thinking tools. Students really did themselves proud and the day finished with many students receiving certificates in recognition of their hard work. The students are now encouraged to use the skills they have learnt in Opening Minds to help them in all of their other lessons at KES. 13

14 sports headlines District cross country competition The District cross country was held on Thursday 22 November at Gloucester Park Basildon. The KES teams were strong and performed extremely well. There were some individual great performances from many of the students. As a whole school we have just a couple of club runners and with this in mind the results are amazing and every person who competed should be proud to have been part of this successful team. Year 7 Girls 3rd overall Georgia Goble 3rd Charlotte Brooks 4th Shannon Newman 18th Amy Wood 19th Charlotte Welham 20th Denika Cooper 21st Olivia Blower 33rd Nicola Outhwaite 41st Kelcey Tipper 54th Boys Year 8 and 9 Girls 3rd Overall Rebecca Mead 9th Callie Clarke 21st Chloe Gilligan 32nd Lauren Mitchell 37th Jasmyne Head 47th Neve Barr 57th Chloe Callahan 60th Ellise Johnson 61st Yvette Church 66th Senior Girls 3rd Overall Annabel Mathews Smith 3rd Maddy Goward 5th Christy Fawcett 16th Leah Tiffen Eckersall 18th Bethany Warrington 19th Megan Jackson 26th Vicky Fortescue 25th Liz Hall 29th The Year 7 boys achieved an overall team finish of third place. Reece Bennett ran well to finish 6th, with Callum Horncastle 8th and Cameron Hardingham 13th in a race of over 100 competitors from Castle Point and Rochford. In the Intermediate boys race, a wonderful effort from all students but in particular Eben Rowledge (2nd), Dexter Goward (10th), Jonathan Neave Houghting (16th) and Zac Churn (20th) saw the KES team home, also in 3rd position overall. In the senior boys competition, Charlie Marden ran excellently to finish in 15th position. Well done to all students who represented the school. The junior and intermediate teams have worked very hard in training and as a school we are becoming a dominant force in cross country events. Training continues for the whole squad and anybody who would like to improve their fitness should come along every Friday from 2.15pm 3.00pm. Badminton National Cup 1st Round KES entered the Badminton National Cup 1st round at Deanes School in November and although they didn t qualify the students played very well and there were some close matches against some very good players. A special mention goes to Jordan Faulkner-Walpole who won three of his four matches. The following students took part: Junior Boys - Year 8 and 9 Tom Baker, Connor Atay, Jordan Faulkner-Walpole, Mathew Smith Senior Boys -Year 10 Owen Butler, Rhys Howse, Will Simpson, Jack Seaton Senior Girls - Year 10 Samantha Smith, Louise Bunce, Jodie Billet, Kelly Castle NPower football competition BOYS RESULTS BASKETBALL Year 7 19 NOVEMBER - CORNELIUS V KES WON DECEMBER - FITZWIMARC V KES A TEAM - LOST B TEAM - LOST Year 8 13 NOVEMBER - KES V DEANES WON Player of the match: Tom Baker GIRLS RESULTS FOOTBALL Year 9 3 DECEMBER - ROMFORD V KES LOST 4-1 Player of the match: Emily White HOCKEY Year 9 26 NOVEMBER - KES V SHSG WON 2-1 Player of the match: Abbie Rex In November eight girls from various year groups took part in the NPower football competition organised by Southend United. The competition was a 6-a-side competition with only a squad of eight allowed. All teams were entered into two leagues with the two winning teams from each league playing to determine the over-all winner. The league that the KES students compted in was the strongest league out of the two and the players had an excellent start by winning the first two matches 1-0 and 7-0. Unfortunately they lost the last game which meant KES came 2nd in their league and did not make the final. The students were a credit to KES. 14

15 school information Library The winners and runners up of the library competition A Letter Home are: Year 7 Year 9 Winner - Belle Bird 7BK Winner - Beth Livingstone 9BS Runner Up - Megan Davis 7AK Year 8 Year 10 Winner - Finlay Higgs 8CE Winner - Matthew Spencer 10CS Runner Up - Cameron Butcher 8CK Runner Up - Victoria Humphries 10AK Each winner will receive a 10 Waterstone voucher and the runners up will each receive a 5 Waterstone voucher. Students in Year 7 should now have received their free book from the Bookbuzz scheme. The last Chess club for this term is Monday 10 December but will start up again after school on Monday 7 January, when we will start the first stage of The Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge All students are welcome to attend chess club regardless of their level of expertise. Please can I ask parents to encourage students to return their library books on time, if a student has lost their book they are required to pay for the replacement. Please encourage your child to read at least 20 minutes a day. KES runs a regular Homework Club that all students are able to attend if they wish. It is in D3 from 2.05pm to 3.30pm every Monday to Thursday. Lost Property Could all parents please ensure that students possessions are clearly labelled, including PE bags, as well as their actual kit. There has been an increase in labelled items going to lost property, which has been great as it makes it so much easier to reunite a student with their possessions. At the end of each half term, due to storage limitations, any unclaimed lost property is bagged up and sent to local charity shops. Students should see Mrs Zekai in the Lost Property Office situated in the gym corridor to recover any lost items. The office is open during 1st break, Monday to Thursday. Registered charity no Post Adoption Parent Support Group Do you sometimes feel like no one understands what you have been through or the current challenges you are facing? Would you like to meet other parents who share similar experiences in a safe, nurturing environment? The Post Adoption Parent Support Group s primary aim is to encourage families to support each other. The group is facilitated by a combination of a Family Support Worker, a Post Adoption Team member and an Educational Psychologist. Join us for a cup of tea and a chat at Downhall Primary School, Brooklyn Drive, Rayleigh, SS6 9LW on the following Thursday mornings from 10am to 12noon: 24 January, 28 February, 28 March, 25 April, 23 May and 27 June Please note parking is restricted in the surrounding roads so you may need to allow extra time to find a space 15

16 Hair& Beauty Training Salon The King Edmund School TREATMENTS AVAILABLE Head Massage 3 / Tanning 5 Eyebrow Shape 3 / Eyebrow Colour 3 Blow Dry 2.50 / Blow Dry with Straightening 3 Shampoo and Set 2.50 / Cut and Blow Dry 3.50 Cut and Set 3.50 / Quasi Colour 8 Permanent Tint: Roots from 10 / Full Head from 15 Woven Highlights from 10 / Perm from 10 OPEN DAILY FROM 8.30AM TO 2PM, TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY If you would like to make an appointment, please call , extension 3238, or send an to hair_beauty@kes.essex.sch.uk If you are interested in being kept up to date with the treatments we have available please provide your name and address and either post this form back to us or drop it in to the School s main reception. Name.. The King Edmund School Hair and Beauty Training Salon Vaughan Close, Rochford, Essex SS4 1TL Whilst every care will be taken and students are fully supervised, clients should be aware that all services are provided by students undergoing training. Registered company The King Edmund School For Child Protection Safeguarding purposes, students full names cannot be published with their photographs in this newsletter. This newsletter is intended for the sole use of students and parents of The King Edmund School. We very much hope that others will enjoy the opportunity to read it and learn about the activities at our school, but it may not be further distributed or reproduced, in part, or in whole, in any way, without the written permission of the Headteacher. The King Edmund School, Vaughan Close, Rochford SS4 1TL. Telephone