END OF SUMMER TERM 2013 NEWSLETTER

Transcription

1 END OF SUMMER TERM 2013 NEWSLETTER July 2013 Dear Parents and Carers As I reach the end of my 33rd Summer Term in teaching I have, inevitably, been reflecting on my time in Bexley. Some of you will have known me as an Art Teacher at Howbury Grange School, before I joined Erith School in 1985 as a junior post holder, in what was then the Woodwork and Metalwork department. I gradually worked my way up through the ranks ; Head of Craft, Design Technology, Assistant Head and Curriculum Deputy. I finally became Headteacher in 2009 on the retirement, after 20 years, of my long serving predecessor, Toby Hufford. Erith School was one of the first converter Academies in October The school has served the local community for over 100 years and so we did not consider changing the name but we did change our titles, hence my final designation as Principal. As a person whose parents were manual workers, and the first person in the family to go to University, I have always believed that all children, whatever their background can achieve their goals in life. In addition to the school providing good teaching and a full range of educational opportunities, your role as parents is vital in supporting and encouraging the youngsters. It has been a pleasure to meet so many of you over the years, doing just that. In my 28 years at the school I have inevitably seen enormous changes in the education world, some good some bad. People outside education often comment, when I say how big the school is, how on earth do you manage with all those teenage kids? I can always honestly answer that it isn t the pupils who cause you the most stress! What does not change is the enthusiasm, the curiosity, the emotions and the humour of the children and it is those qualities which I will miss the most. Thankyou for your support over the years and best wishes for a happy holiday and a very successful new school year in September. Yours sincerely Mrs J Turner Principal

2 IMPORTANT INFORMATION For the new School Year IMPORTANT DATES FOR NEXT TERM The term will begin with two Staff Training Days on Tuesday 3 rd and Wednesday 4 th September. THEREFORE, THE FIRST PUPIL DAY WILL BE: THURSDAY 5 TH SEPTEMBER 2013 On this day there will be a staggered start for all the different year groups. This will be as follows and pupils are required to go to the following locations at their respective start times: TIME YEAR GROUP MEETING POINT - LOCATION 8.30 am 7 Sanctuary (Entry through the Limewood Gates) 9.15 am 8 Sanctuary 9.15 am 9 Central Playground am 10 Sanctuary 10.00am 11 Main Hall 12.30pm (Selected) 12 To help with Year 7 pupils The pupils will be joined at the meeting points by the Head of Year/Deputy Head of Year and Form Tutors. Once called to order they will proceed to one of the two halls accompanied by their Form Tutors for assemblies Lessons for all Post 16 (Yrs. 12 and 13) commence on Monday 9th September 2013 to allow time for course registers and timetables to be finalised following the summer results. Some Year 12 students will be assisting the Year 7 pupils at the start of term. Year 12 Students will, by appointment, be attending Enrolment interviews on Wednesday 4 th, Thursday 5 th and Friday 6th September. They will be advised of their interview appointment times. On all other days, all pupils will arrive in good time for school at the normal start time of 8.30 a.m. Work Experience for new Year 11 (Current Year 10) The new Year 11 pupils, (currently Year 10), will be on Work Experience for 2 weeks commencing Monday 9 th September to Friday 20 th September. They will return to school for their debrief and presentation of certificates on Monday 23 rd September If there are any urgent enquiries over the Summer Holiday concerning Work Experience please either workexperience@erithkent.sch.uk or telephone the school on ( ) leaving a message for Mr Harrison (Assistant Principal) or Ms Alsop (Head of Life Skills Faculty). Year 11 will also have their school photograph taken at 9.15am pm on Friday 6 th September and they are expected, as ever, to be in perfect school uniform.

3 SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES FOR Autumn Term 2013 Tuesday 3 rd September Friday 20 th December 2013 Half term Monday 28 th October Friday 1 st November 2013 Spring Term 2014 Monday 6 th January Friday 4 th April 2014 Half term Monday 17 th Friday 21 st February 2014 Summer Term 2014 Tuesday 22 nd April Friday 18 th July 2014 Bank Holiday Monday 5 th May 2014 Half term Monday 26 th Friday 30 th May 2014 Training Days Tuesday 3 rd September 2013 Preparation for the new school year Wednesday 4 th September 2013 Teaching and Learning Training 3 Other Training Days to be confirmed OTHER IMPORTANT EVENTS FOR THE AUTUMN TERM 2013 Day Date Event Wednesday 18 th September 6.00pm Year 9 Trip to Bowles Parent Information Evening Thursday 19 th September 7.00pm Presentation Evening Thursday 26 th September Yr 7 European Breakfast Friday 27 th September Yr 8 Girls HP Vaccinations Week Commencing 23 rd September Harvest Festival Week Wednesday 2 nd October 6pm Open Evening for Recruitment 2014 (Pupils dismissed 1pm) Thursday 3 rd October 6.30pm Yr 10 Work Experience Parent Information Evening Friday 4 th October Open Morning Year 7 September 2014 Friday - Sunday 4 th -6 th October Yr 9 Trip to Bowles (PE Activity) Tuesday 8 th October Open Morning Year 7 September 2014 Thursday 10 th October Open Morning Year 7 September 2014 Thursday 10 th October 6.30pm Yr11 Parents Exams Information & Preparation Evening Wednesday 16 th October Open Morning Year 7 September 2014 Thursday 17 th October 3.30pm Year 7 Parents Meet the Tutor Tuesday 5 th November 6.00pm Post 16 Recruitment Evening Thursday 7 th November 4.00pm Yr7/8 Phonics Group Parents Evening Friday 15 th November Yr 8 Girls HP Vaccinations Saturday 23 rd November 1 st Erith School Admissions Tests for Yr 6 pupils entry in 2014 Wednesday 27 th November 4.00pm 6 th Form Consultation Evening Saturday 30 th November 2 nd Erith School Admissions Tests for Yr 6 pupils entry in 2014 Thursday 6 th December 5.00pm Year 10 Parents Consultation Evening Friday 6 th December 6.00pm 1 st Rotary Christmas Walk (Provisional) Tuesday 10 December 4.00pm School Carol Concert Friday 13 th December 9.30am Choir singing at Bluewater Friday 13 th December 6.00pm 2 nd Rotary Christmas Walk (Provisional) Tuesday 17 th December 6.00pm 3 rd Rotary Christmas Walk (Provisional) Friday 20th December Last Day of Autumn Term

4 ERITH PUPILS QUALIFY AS MEMBERS OF MENSA! We are very proud to announce that three Erith School pupils have recently been accepted as members of MENSA, the High IQ Society. The required score to be accepted into the Society is the average IQ score being 100. Rebecca Gray, Year 11, achieved a score of 155 which puts her in the top 1% of the population; Chloe Roebuck, Year 10, achieved 154 and Charlie Sherwood, Year 12, achieved 152, putting them both into the top 2%. Congratulations to Charlie, Chloe and Rebecca on their magnificent achievement! MOLLY BROWN WINS STUDENT OF THE YEAR AT Bexley College Celebration of Success Award Ceremony 2012/2013 Erith School is incredibly proud of those pupils who attend Bexley College; learning different trades, construction, hair and beauty and childcare. However the school is especially proud of those pupils whose hard work has been recognised by the college as well. On Thursday 11 July Miss Alsop attended the Bexley College Celebration of Success Award Ceremony 2012/2013. Waiting with bated breath our very own Molly Brown was called to the stage. Molly s hard work had been recognised and was awarded the Complementary Curriculum Student of the Year. Well done Molly, we are so thrilled for you. WINNER OF: WILSON JONES ANNUAL GUESS THE FRUIT AND VEG COMPETITON JODIE COOMBES VICTORY AT A CAKE DESIGN COMPETITION IN BRIGHTON On 16 th May 2013 Jessica Lowe 8 Pine, correctly guessed ALL of the exotic fruit and vegetables in the basket and won the basket and all of its contents to share with her family at home. Well done! On the 18 th of May I entered my first sugarcraft competition. I started sugarcraft last July and it takes place once a month at Charlton House. Each month I learn a new skill, new ideas and suggestions for decorating cakes: modelling, royal icing work, crafting sugar flowers, among others. I really enjoy taking part in this activity so I decided to enter the competition. I had never seen the standards as I am very new to this activity so I did not expect anything more than to collect ideas for next time. I was amazed to hear I had won the competition! My cakes (which were decorated to the theme of Mad Hatters Tea Party ) had also been graded Gold! Overall the day was a great success and I look forward to the next one in two years time. Jodie Coombes 10 Pine

5 JACK PETCHEY AWARD WINNERS 2013 : Report by Mr Lucraft A big well done to all the Jack Petchey Award Winners that attended the Bexley presentation evening at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford on Tuesday 18 th June. Throughout the year the award winners have been nominated to receive an award for their achievements inside and outside of School. The award winners have all received a 200 cheque to spend on a project or item at school and will each receive a certificate and pin badge in recognition of their achievements on celebration afternoon. Leah Saunders Leah s award is for her continual commitment to extra curricular P.E. She is an extremely strong football player who regularly scores more than one goal in a football game. She is always polite and friendly and is an excellent role model for others to follow. She is always on hand to help organise the team and never fails to turn up to a training session or to a game. Leah always gives 100%. Matthew Chappell Matt has won this award due to his hard work and commitment in refereeing school football matches. In his own time Matt worked hard to achieve his referee s award and since gaining the qualification he has voluntarily refereed many school football fixtures and each time he has been thoroughly professional and effective. He is a highly committed student who fully deserves this award David Tode David has been consistently brilliant in Drama in terms of his unwavering enthusiasm and passion for the subject. He has been fully committed throughout the course, and gone above and beyond in extracurricular projects related to Drama. He is always respectful to others, and willing to listen and try out other people's ideas. He is a talented performer who always works so hard in everything he does. He is a mature and considerate young man who has a bright future ahead of him. Moses Aregbesola Moses achievement within Athletics and sport this year has been exemplary. His attitude and behaviour around school sets a fantastic example to others in his peer group. He is a talented Athlete and regularly trains and competes at Bexley Athletic Club in sprints. He is also a representative on the school Basketball and Handball teams and always volunteers to help coordinate and organize the teams before matches. Moses is a great role model to all pupils around school and fully deserves this nomination Benjamin Fudge Ben is a hard working, enthusiastic and committed student. He always works hard in lessons and is always very polite and well behaved. His commitment to extra curricular activities is fantastic, he regularly attends after school clubs and always gives his best effort. He is a talented sportsman and plays Tennis outside of school to a high level. He plays on the school Basketball team and regularly helps with organizing players for fixtures. Ben is a fantastic role model and an inspiration to those around him. Dan Dowling Dan has been nominated for this award due to his excellent commitment to his BTEC studies. Dan volunteered over 150 leadership hours during his Community Sports Leadership Award. He was the lead coach for a language and football scheme run by Arsenal Football Club at a local primary school. He has gained qualifications in quick cricket umpiring, rounders level 1, handball level 1 and football level 1 and has used these qualifications countless times volunteering during school lessons and events. Dan is an excellent example of a young leader and all staff who work with him comment on his professionalism and his ability to work well with young people. Charlie Cattell Charlie has made huge strides in the subject of drama. In a class where expression was sometimes difficult Charlie blossomed and went on to become the most successful boy in the class. His confidence was not high two years ago but since then his constant hard work and extra rehearsals he attended meant he was able to put in a performance of the highest quality when the external examiner visited. Also his written work was something he struggled with yet he never gave up and showed complete commitment and focus when doing it. All in all Charlie is a young man who can be very proud of his achievements. Sophie Crowe Sophie is an all round superstar. Sophie is involved in the year 9 Netball Team, Football team and the Athletics team. She attends every training session and always gives 100%. Sophie can always be relied on by her team mates and sets a good example for others to follow. Jake Hawkins Jake from the very start of the course has given his 100% effort. Scoring the highest scores for his exam units he did us proud with his final performance, taking on a challenging role. Jake's passion has carried through the two years consistently and his entertaining performances will stay with us always. Congratulations to all award winners! Who knows, next year s award winner could be you! JACK PETCHEY AWARD WINNERS 2013 THROUGH THE ATC (Air Training Corp) Reported by Flt Lt Andrew Kelleher FMAAT RAFVR (T) Megan Kelleher, has always striven to uphold the values and aims of Corp. She is active member of the cadet training team, passing all her knowledge on to the junior cadets and ensuring that they achieve their goals. She is an excellent role model to the other cadets within the squadron. She takes part in all the squadron fund raising events.. Neil Thomas (Ex Erith) has been with the squadron for just under 7 years and has grown into a confident individual. He highly regarded by his peers and members of staff. He is now passing on all the knowledge he has gain to the junior members of the squadron, ensuring that they get the best experience from whatever they do.

6 Hat-trick of British Champs from Crayford Weightlifting Club The club is no stranger to success having produced two Team GB competitors at last year s London Olympics, Zoe Smith and Jack Oliver and it looks as if the next generation of Europa youngsters could well go on to match those high standards judging by their success at the British championships. Particular attention must be given to three of our own pupils who put in outstanding performances, all three setting personal bests in at least one discipline. Liam Green (Year 10) triumphed in the 62kg category lifting 77kg in the snatch and 85kg in the clean and Jerk. He then attempted 100kg which he missed by the smallest of margins only failing the jerk by less than an inch. This gave him a combined total of 162kg 25.5 Stone!!! Nathan To (Year 10) was next on to the platform in the 56kg category. Nathan lifted 62kg in the snatch and then followed with 77kg in the clean and jerk which gave him the runner-up spot with a 139kg total 22 Stone!! What makes Liam and Nathan s achievements even more remarkable is that they still have another two years in the competition and have their sights clearly on the the European Junior Championships as well as the Junior Commonwealth games. Possibly as exciting as the club s recent success at the contests was the chance for the boys to train at Europa later in the week with eight-time World Strongest Man competitor and two-time podium finisher Terry Hollands. (For more information on Europa, or to join, speak to Mr Culley, PE Department at school) Luke Livermore (Year 12) the veteran of the club having started lifting at the end of Year 9 then began defending his title in the 94kg category. He began with an impressive 95kg in the snatch and then recorded the heaviest lift of the competition with 128kg clean and jerk. He later narrowly missed 135kg (21.2 Stone!!!!) with his final attempt This gave him a total of 222kg 35 Stone!!!! This sets Luke up well for a chance to compete at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 on the Gold Coast of Australia, as if he needed any more motivation! Liam Brockbank Wins the Kent Junior Longbow Championships 2013 Sixth former Liam Brockbank has become the Kent Junior Longbow Champion for Liam took up archery at the age of seven and represents Lamorbey Park Archers, where he is currently Junior Captain. The Kent Longbow Championship was held in Vigo in May and Liam top-scored in the junior competition with 218, more than 50 points ahead of his nearest rival. He is now looking forward to the challenge of moving into senior competition next year CONGRATULTIONS TO OUR STAFF.. We have congratulated two more members of staff who have worked for Bexley for 20 years. Mrs Yvonne Nicholls who is in charge of our Year 7 Transition Group and leads on our Rights Respecting Schools project and Mrs Kay Paterson our School s Finance Manager. The Awards were presented by Mr Friend, our Chair of Governors and Mrs Turner School Principal. Well done to you both!

7 THE GENEROSITY OF ERITH SCHOOL PUPILS KEEPS ON GOING (SUPPORT FOR CHARITIES) Money Raised on Mufti Day 28 th March 2013 Bexley s women Aid and Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance were chosen by Student Voice as the two charities to donate the money raised on Mufti Day which took place on 28 th March They each received 550. The Director of Bexley Women s Aid, Claire Johnson was presented their cheque for 550 by Mrs Turner, Principal, in appreciation of their education and prevention workshops which they delivered to our Year 7 and Year 8 student s, within PSHEE lessons. BTEC HOSPITALITY GROUP DONATED MONEY TO BREAST CANCER HELP FOR HEROES Raised Raised DRAMA GROUP DONATED MONEY TO SCOUTS ASSOC Children in Need Raised Raised ERITH PUPILS IN THE ATC DONATED MONEY TO Erith cadets together with Flt Lt Kelleher helped to raise funds for the Mayor of Bexley s chosen charity, Help for Heroes. They were part of the Uniformed Services day at Bexleyheath. The event raised 2,600. All the cadets (except for 2 of them) are Erith pupils past and present

8 The Thames Festival Rivers of the World Project Update On June 24th visiting artist Ms Bonfield visited some of our Rivers of the World team to produce a fabulous 'time line' mural of the local area. Each pupil had a road name and history to consider, using local history kindly produced for us by Bexley Archivist Simon McKeon. Students illustrated road names with historical references, and joined the theme to our Pirates and Robinson Crusoe work that we have enjoyed working on previously. The children and I were really engaged and interested in how and why certain road names gained their titles, things you would never know when walking past these signs normally. Ms Bonfield scanned work as we progressed into 'Photoshop', allowing pupils to see their work progress, and commented that the work created was of a highly professional calibre. We are really looking forward to seeing it printed and hung in the school. Well done team! Ms Carey, Creative Arts Faculty Food experience- As part of our project with Rivers of the World, in conjunction with the British Council, four of the team were selected to work with Ms Carey and Mr Hobbs, School Catering Manager to create some delicious and healthy recipes from our partner school in Dubai! Mr Morad, one of the Dubai teachers, has been in regular contact with Ms Carey to exchange ideas and recipes that are traditional from our respective countries. Mr Morad attempted to make Cottage Pie, roast dinner and 'Toad in the Hole' with his pupils, while we made two Arabic dishes: Maho Halwa which is a type of fudge, and Shisk Taouk, chicken mixed with courgette, carrots and tasty spices. Megan Masters wrote: Making these dishes was different as the food was traditional food from another country and I have never tried it before. Other young people would have enjoyed the food we made, however, I think because it has a different name and it s from a different country, this may put them off. It would be a good idea if there could be tasters around school, or possibly an evening when people can come and try all different foods from the menu to encourage them to try new, healthy and more unusual meals. I really enjoyed the experience and hope that I and other people will have opportunities to do the same thing. I would like to do something similar again and work with the staff in the kitchen and around the school. UNICEF: Rights Respecting Schools Initiative Update Mrs Y Nicholls RRS Co-Ordinator writes: The past year has been very busy but productive. Both Student Voice and The Rights Respecting Working Party have met regularly to move the school forward toward the UNICEF Level 1 and to promote 'The Rights of the Child'. Throughout the year everyone has contributed to fund raising events for charitable causes; we have worked to improve the Sanctuary; We have participated in many other extra curricular activities including having a voice at the G8 Summit via the 'IF' project, participating in assemblies about 'Anti-Bullying' campaigns, Drama productions, School Sports, trips and visits and of course our everyday lessons which incorporate many elements of the Rights Respecting ethos which is continually being developed throughout our school Earlier on in the year all staff participated in Rights Respecting Language training as part of a whole school Staff Development day, giving everyone the opportunity for reflection, future planning and preparation. More recently the whole school community had the opportunity to help with the development of our new 'School Charter' which encompasses our current school policies and pledges and underpins our values at Erith School. It has been accepted by our Governors and will be in place for September.

9 YEARS 8, 9 & 10 GO TO LAKE GARDA On the 23 rd March, the PE Faculty took 54 pupils from Years 8, 9 and 10 to Lake Garda, Italy. They completed a six day sports tour playing local teams from Italy and an International state select team from Virginia, USA!! The pupils played their hearts out against very tough opposition. They gave exceptional performances and did Erith proud! Many new friends were made and they earned a lot of respect everywhere they went through their exemplary conduct and attitude. Well done to all those who participated. YEARS 7 & 8 GO TO PARIS 43 Y7&8 pupils have thoroughly enjoyed embarking onto the three day residential trip to Paris organised by Mrs Baker from the MFL faculty. The visit was packed with exciting visits including climbing to the top of the Eiffel tower, stopping at the Arc de Triomphe and going on a boat ride on the river Seine. Pupils were thrilled to go on the amazing rides at the Parc Asterix and have come back full of lovely memories; a few Y7 approached me already asking if they could sign up for the same trip next year!!! YEARS 7, 8 & 9 GO TO BARCELONA The Erith School Spanish Trip went to Barcelona from Saturday 27 April to Friday 3 May. Pupils were from Years 7, 8 and 9 and accompanying staff were Mr Thomas, Mrs Allen, Mrs Rosato and Mr Jackson. During the course of the trip the pupils gained a deeper understanding of the Spanish language and culture and visited several important sites, such as the Nou Camp football stadium in Barcelona, the Dali Museum in Figueres and the historic town of Girona. There was also time to visit the Port Aventura theme park at Salou

10 Gifted & Talented (Mrs A Wright Gifted & Talented / Teaching & Learning Coordinator) G &T Links with Primary Schools Links with local feeder schools are an important part of our transition for Years 6 into 7. The More Able and Talented afterschool clubs are a great opportunity to raise the school profile and introduce Year 5 and 6 pupils to Erith School. Invitations to the clubs were sent out to all the schools in Bexley Borough and we have had an overwhelming response. Over 115 pupils attended classes in Speaking and Listening, Tennis, Resistant Materials, Textiles, Food Technology and ICT. These initiatives have significantly improved our More Able and Talented pupils' confidence and ability to relate to those around them both now and in their chosen career path. Mrs A Wright G &T Science & Technology Challenge Day On Monday the 24 th June Year 9 pupils attended the Bexley Gifted and Talented Science & Technology Challenge Day at Greenwich University and prizes were presented by the Deputy Major of Bexley. Erith performed well in the four set challenges: E-fit facial recognition, Bridge building, Football Robot building, Racing Car building. All teams were judged on team work, communication skills and the success of their outcomes. Out of the four events, teams with Erith pupils, won two of the four tasks and the overall winning team also had a representative from Erith School. Well done to the following pupils: George Adamou (9 Rowan), Samuel Busuttil, (9 Spruce), Simon Dos Santos (9 Spruce) Ryan Hayes (9 Spruce), Daniel Robins (9 Pine), Matthew Fox (9 Spruce), William Shaw (9 Pine), Samuel Downing (9 Spruce) Special Congratulations to: Sophie Hooton (9 Rowan) (Task winner), Sian Black (9 Rowan) (Task winner) Macauley White (9 Pine)(Task winner and overall winner)

11 YEAR 7 at London Zoo Some Year 7 pupils went to London Zoo on Thursday 23 rd May It was amazing. We saw so many different animals. We watched the penguin show, but one of my favourite parts was when we went into the butterfly tent. We saw the largest butterfly in the world there. Another favourite of mine was when we went into the Meerkat tunnels and we all popped up in the Meerkat home. It was an amazing experience and I would love to do it again! Isabelle Bromfield 7 Pine Year 9 at The Royal Society s Annual Summer Exhibition The Royal Society invited a group of pupils to attend the Society s Annual Summer Exhibition. This was a great opportunity for pupils at Erith School who were developing an interest in studying Science at a higher level to meet with real life scientists working at the cutting edge of scientific research. There were more than twenty exhibitors with displays on subjects such as Applied Quantum physics, designing antiviral antibodies, using plants to solve the energy crisis. The group had a chance to meet and talk to scientists working at the CERN laboratory in Switzerland looking for the elusive Higgs Boson. There was an equally interesting presentation on using the Cosmic Microwave Background to inform us more about the early life of the Universe shortly after the Big Bang. Hopefully the Royal Society will continue to invite the School to their future Summer Exhibitions and, one day, we get to meet a former pupil working there as a scientist of the future One Mile Challenge This half term Erith School held a One Mile Challenge event. This began as a fund raising activity in aid of the Aspinall Foundation but escalated to a challenge involving all Year 7, 8 and 9 their PE lessons. Pupils ran or walked twice around the perimeter of the field. More competitive pupils raced to the finish but all involved completed the challenge whether by walking, running or a combination of the two. Many pupils raised money for the foundation through sponsorship; one year 7 raised over 200. This together with some of the money from the end of term mufti day will be used to help send a family of gorillas back into the wild. Year 12 Biology A' level group spent a week in Norfolk to gain the practical skills necessary to design and carry out their own ecological investigations. This will assist them to tackle a number of examination questions. Olamide Fagbemingun said I learnt a lot about how succession changes the environment Hayley Highman said I learnt about the various species of plants and grasses and how to use a T Bar for soil compaction. 6 th Formers Biology Field Trip to Norfolk

12 FOOTBALL The Girls U14 & U16 Fleet Cup Winners On Thursday 18th April Erith School took part in the annual 'Fleet Cup' entering girls teams in both the Under 14 and Under 16 category. The tournament was held at the Dartford Goals Centre and was run by Ebbsfleet United Ladies Football Team with over 20 teams from across Kent taking part. The Under 16's were looking to beat their performance from last year when they lost in the final to Leigh City Academy in Dartford. It was a very busy day of fixtures and both of the girls teams did extremely well in the group matches to secure a place in the semi - finals. Unfortunately, the Under 14 girls narrowly lost in their semi - final but the Under 16 girls played a fantastic game, beating last years winners to book their place in the final. This was a tense encounter as they had to play St Simon Stock Catholic School from Maidstone who they had lost to earlier in the day in the group stages. The Erith girls went 3-1 down and with just 5 minutes to play they managed to score two amazing goals to draw the game 3-3 and take it to a penalty shoot-out. The girls managed to hold their nerves and win the match without having to take all of their penalties. A brilliant performance and thoroughly deserved. Well done to all the girls involved in both teams - they were an absolute credit to the school and we look forward to defending the title again next year. The girls who took part were: U14 - Leah Saunders, Amy Nash, Holly Uren-Stephenson, Lillie-Mae Allison, Jessica Lowe, Breon Grant. U16 - Casey Beattie, Ocean Rolandsen, Saffron Smith, Sophie Crow, Ellie Jeffkins, Jemma Witchlow, Shae Ludlow, Ellie York, Anais Ali. Miss South - PE Department. The Boys Yr 8 Boys Win The North Kent Cup U 14 North Kent London Champions A massive well done to the year 8 boys football team who won the North Kent Cup. They played extremely well and beat a very strong Wilmington Grammar school side 4-1 at Dartford stadium in the final. Congratulations to the entire team on several excellent performances this year and although all of the players have had a great season, Matthew Neary's 3 goals in the final and Taylor Costello's outstanding captaincy throughout the season need a special mention Six Year 9 Erith pupils represented North Kent in the London Cup Final vs. Redbridge on Monday 8th July at Chigwell School. North Kent beat tough competition on their route to the final including Camden and Islington and South London. The boys went 1-0 down very early on in the game but fought back and won the game 3-1 in normal time. Jordan Phillips, Luke Bresnahan, Billy Reavill, Patryk Smereczynski, Ryan Tatters, all played their part in the game with Ryan Catmull scoring the 3rd goal. Tennis Tournaments This year we had 3 very successful tennis tournaments. The Year 7 tournament had a large amount of entrants with 30 and culminated in Adam Doran winning the final 15 points to 4 The Year 8 title went to Jack Haining who won the final 15 points to 7 having battled through 5 rounds and 31 other competitors to get there. The Year 9 tournament saw 14 strong players battle it out with Jake Pettitt eventually beating Luke Turner in a close final.

13 Year 7 and 8 Girls Netball Teams On the 3 rd of July, both the Year 7 and 8 netball teams attended a Kent Emerging Schools Netball Tournament at Rainham Girls School. Both teams played in a series of matches against different schools all across Kent. All of the games were played in good spirit, with all of the girls showing excellent determination. The Year 7 team came in 12 th place overall and the Year 8 s in 4 th place. Both teams showed excellent game play and are now very excited to start league matches again in the winter season next year! Sports Days - 9th & 10th of July The sun was shining and the atmosphere was electric as two days of intense athletic competition took place on the school field for the Junior and Senior School Sports Days. There was a great turn out with every single tutor group from Year 7 through to Year 10 represented. Over 400 pupils took part in the events and there were some outstanding team and individual performances. All those involved performed and conducted themselves excellently and the spectators from all year groups during the finals in the afternoon behaved impeccably. Special thanks goes to all staff involved in the organisation and running of the two day event and to all Year 7, 9 and sixth form students who were involved in officiating the events. Well done and thank you to all involved. Records Broken Skye King ran a fantastic time in the Year 7 Girls 300m. Sky broke the previous record of and set a fantastic time of Alexa Hussey broke the Year 7 Girls shot putt record by a whisker with a throw of The previous record of 6.71 was set in Ronnie Shakpoke in year 7 set new records in the year 7 boys 100 and 200m events. Ronnie ran a time of in the 100m final beating the previous record of set in His 200m time was beating the 33 year old previous record of 28.1 set in 1980 an amazing set of performances from Ronnie. In year 8 there were three records broken. o Moses Aregbesola set new records in the high jump and the 100m with a jump of 1.55m and a simply amazing time of 11.64in the 100m. The high jump record of 1.50 had stood since 2001 and the 100m record of was set in 2007 which Moses eclipsed. o Emmaunel Oshinowo set the 300m record, as this is a new event for the age group, with a time of o Christian Russell in Year 10 set a new school record in the boys high jump with a jump of The previous record of 1.68 was set in 2005 by Tobi Alabi now a league footballer

14 Erith pupils help Bexley succeed at the London Youth Games 2013 Erith School pupils were again heavily involved in the London Youth Games, representing Bexley Borough in a range of sporting events. The London Youth Games are Europe s largest annual youth sports event held at the famous Crystal Palace Sports Centre. Over 100,000 young participants aged 7-18 from hundreds of school and clubs in 33 London boroughs competed in 30 sports across 25 fantastic event days across the year. Special congratulations to Shaun Mupfururirwa (1 st Place) and Aliyah Hussain (3 rd Place) who both medaled in the Adaptive Rowing and the boys and girls from Erith School who were involved in the Indoor Rowing and Girls football who both came 3 rd overall. Bexley finished in 5 th Place overall, a full list of all of the pupils that competed from Erith School will be available in the next newsletter. Year 7 Sporting Achievers Elleanor Cole (7 Rowan) won Katie Jeffries (7 Teak) and Eliza Lawrence (7 Holly) Rosie Arrowsmith (7 Holly) Synchronised Swimmer of the Year (for the greatest improvement, dedication, punctuality etc.). She swims with Erith and District Swimming Club 3 times per week. Her training includes completing 60 lengths to warm up! She also has to do land training and exercise to learn her routine. run for Bexley Athletics Club. Both girls took part in the Virgin Mini Marathon in April. They also took part in the recent Swanley Relays Tournament and they both were in the relay team that came first in the 800 metres. Katie was also in the relay team that came first in the 1500 metres. represented Bexley in the Topper Sailboat Fleet at the London Youth Games 2013 on 22 nd June 2013 to compete against different London Boroughs and came 6 th in her Fleet. Bexley came 3 rd out of 32 London Boroughs and Rosie received a Bronze Award Erith Pupils Tackle Wild Rapids On The Olympic Course On Monday 8 th July eight Erith School pupils travelled to Lee Valley Water Centre to raft on the Olympic White Water Course. Liam Green, Ocean Rolandsen, Oliver Poole, Leia Brasnell, Nathan To, Amy Butterworth, Jordan Lewis and Bradley Mehmet were selected for their dedication to P.E. and Sport. Lee Valley hosted the 2013 Schools Festival where pupils could take part in activities such as tennis, hockey, rafting and cycling. Pupils were kitted up, safety briefed and then tackled the challenging Olympic White Water Course! During the day pupils were also lucky enough listen to an inspiring talk from Canoe Slalom Duo Olympic Gold Medallists Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott as well as Maria Miller, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

15 Creative Arts Day Friday 5 th July This year s theme was Equality: Inspired by people who fight for their rights, such as Malala Yousafzai and the Rights Respecting Schools Initiative. 80 Year 8 pupils took part in workshops in Art, Music, Dance and Drama. Pieces produced in the workshops were performed at the end of the day. Our judges Mr Burcombe, Mrs Nicholls and our Governor Mr Hyde awarded 22 prizes. Terrence Omorodion and Ellie Martin were awarded top boy and girl. The standard of the performances were exceptional and the Creative Arts Faculty were very proud of the quality of work produced and the maturity of Year 8 pupils. Well done Music Showcase at the Orchard Theatre On 23 rd April Our School Choir took part in the Secondary Schools Music Showcase at the Orchard Theatre accompanied by Mrs Viligiardi They performed two songs Drop in the Ocean and Lean on Me to a packed audience. The event was to showcase the talent and abilities of pupils within Bexley Schools. The mayor was present and was the MC for the event. The pupils overcame their fears of stage fright and sang beautifully. Erith School Choir performed extremely well and did themselves and Erith School proud. It was a pleasure to take them and show off their talents 'The 39 Steps' Year 10 GCSE Drama students On Tuesday 3rd July 65 Year 10 GCSE Drama students went to watch 'The 39 Steps' at the Criterion Theatre in the West End. It was a very positive experience and another opportunity for the current cohort in year 10 to engage in live theatre. They will now be writing a review on their experience which will count towards their final exam. Meghan Goodeve from The Courtauld Institute of Art inspires our Year 10 Meghan Goodeve from The Courtauld Institute of Art's Widening Participation Programme, came into Erith School on 3 June 2013 to work with all three Year 10 GCSE art classes. Meghan delivered a one hour work shop on Curatorship to introduce our pupils to careers that can stem from art and history of art. Sophie Woodhead in Year 10 said I learnt that doing an Art History Degree can lead to a job as a Curator. I think that job is very skilful and I did not know that type of job existed before. I was also amazed that Meghan showed us a photo of people from her degree course and all the different jobs they do. It has inspired me into looking at working in this area. Year 11 GCSE Art trip to see the Roy Lichtenstein exhibition at Tate Britain Year 11 pupils had a fantastic time at this free exhibition and many of them were enthused about the art they saw in preparation for their art exam.

16 MITIE APPRENTICESHIP WORKSHOPS On Wednesday 10 July, a group of year 10 pupils participated in an Apprenticeship workshop organised by Mr Harrison and Mitie who specialise in strategic outsourcing and energy services. The pupils experienced a taster in painting and decorating; they were advised on how to give a good interview and learnt about different interview techniques. They also gained knowledge of the apprenticeships that are available within the construction industry. The pupils were enthusiastic and enjoyed the experience. Thank you to all involved for being good ambassadors for the school ***************************************** YEAR 10 ENTRPRISE DAY: BTEC WORKSKILLS Yet again, an excellent day for those year 10 pupils who took part in our fourth Enterprise Day this year. Working carefully with fellow classmates; pupils are partway to achieving their BTEC Workskills qualification. Topics included managing your health at work; pupils developed an understanding of work/life balance and the importance of staying healthy at work and maintaining a healthy working environment, not only for themselves but others as well. Pupils were also able to explain the role of a trade union and how and why they protect employee s rights. Together pupils also discussed their responsibilities at work and realised that they are not much different to their responsibilities at school. Pupils were informed of sources of help that are available once they join the world of work. CAREERS EVENING 8 TH July On 8 July 2013 Erith School hosted its first Careers Evening. It is Erith School s priority to ensure our pupils gain the independent advice and the best possible knowledge and outcome for their future. 35 different organisations were represented; including the Army, construction, local colleges, NHS, financial institutions, hair dressers, Bexley Council, Universities, Ambulance Service, RAF, property services, apprenticeships, London Underground and hospitality. The Event was open to all year groups An impressive 265 visitors attended overall and over 50 ambassadors were present. The next Careers Evening has been calendared for March This will give the opportunity for Y11 students and 6 th Formers to attend. ********************************************************* YEAR 9 & 10 PSHE DAY Year 9 and 10 pupils have been hard at work during their Personal, Social, Health And Economic Educational lessons. At Erith School we ensure that pupils have the knowledge and understanding for them to achieve economic well being. Pupils spent time calculating and demonstrating their good mathematical skills, they learnt how to read their payslip, how to calculate their tax and identified ways in which to manage, invest and save money. Both year groups have also been involved in a Sex And Relationship Workshops presented by Linda Essam Oxlea Nurse. She provided an interesting insight into how relationships can develop and the need for respect towards each other.

17 BEXLEY SCHOOLS MATHS OLYMPICS AT ERITH This year Erith School expanded the Maths Olympics Event to involve Year 7 pupils in five other schools across the authority. Through a gruelling selection procedure of puzzles and problems, each school chose 8 of their best "mathletes" to send to Erith for the Grand Final hosted in the sports hall on 2nd July. The teams from Blackfen, St Catherine's, St Columba's, Coopers STC, Hurstmere and Erith battled through 4 rounds to decide who would take the gold medals this year. The 8 pupils of Erith's 7 Teak streaked into an early and commanding lead which they did not relinquish. Megan Cramer, Kejsi Barci, Mary Onu, Keira Trezies, Charie Brocklehurst, Toby Branwhite, Jack Meagher and Harry Robins blitzed through mental arithmetic problems, a university challenge style buzzer round, worked out answers under pressure through the stacatto crack of bursting balloons and displayed great dexterity and spatial awareness in the giant tangram puzzle round. "...it really helped me develop my mental mathematics skills. I mostly enjoyed the buzzer round, but winning was the best part!" Kiera Trezies "I learnt how to answer questions under pressure." Kejsi Barci ERITH SCHOOL PUPILS IN THE ATC (AIR TRAINING CORP) 1579 (Erith) Cadets visit Manston Airshow`s Education Day Cadets from 1579 (Erith) Squadron Air Training Corps visited the Education Day at this year`s Manston Airshow. This event is the first Airshow to be held at Manston in over 20 years. The day before the airshow opened to the public, the cadets took part in the airshows Education Day". They learned about different career opportunities within the Military Services and were able to talk to veterans of past conflicts. The day started with a short presentation from staff of the Spitfire and Hurricane Museum. Cadets were then able to speak veterans of the conflict and were able to handle some of the artifacts from the museums collection.one of the highlights of the day was a guided tour of the only remaining Avro Vulcan that is flying in the world. Vulcan XH558 know as 'The Spirit of Great Britain' which has been restored by the "Vulcan to the Sky Trust". The highlight of the tour was meeting various members of the crew who took part in 'Operation Corporate', now known as the Falkland Islands Conflict. The cadets were also able to speak staff from DFTDC Manston and try on some of their equipment. The day ended with visits to the both the Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum and Manston Museum Cadets: Megan Masters, Jessica Kelleher, Jemma Witchlow & Tharung Thayaphran speaking to World War 2 Hurricane pilot Neville Croucher. FS Megan Kelleher, CPL`s Alex Currier, Ben Ridley and Cdt Richard Deane talk to Lancaster Bomber pilot and wireless operator Gerry Abrahams. Canterbury & Erith cadets meet Vulcan Pilots Martin Withers DFC & Barry Masefield who took part in Operation Corporate.

18 BEXLEY CARNEGIE MEDAL EVENT Pupils from our Reading Club were taken to Townley Grammar School for the annual Bexley Schools Carnegie medal event. Each school gave a presentation on the shortlisted book of their choice; individual pupils then voted for the Bexley winner and listened as the national winner was announced at the end. Our pupils were excellent representatives of Erith School as they gave our presentation on Wonder by R.J. Palacio, which became the Bexley Schools overall choice. The national winner this year is Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner. Copies of all of the shortlisted titles are available in the school library. LONDON SOUTH BANK UNIVERSITY YEAR 10 SUMMER SCHOOL London South Bank University opened its gates to promising Year 10 pupils from around the country. Nicole Brownfield, Rebecca Sweeney Madison Davenport, Anita Sangha and Lucy Ann Rushton were successfully enrolled onto this project and completed their week long course from 8 th 12 th July. All 5 girls took on the challenging topic of marketing as this was an area of interest for them all. During the mornings the girls who were all in different groups sat through lectures and completed tasks all structured to broaden their knowledge and understanding of marketing, in the afternoon they were able to let their hair down slightly, and participated in a variety of activities laid on by the university, these included bowling, martial arts, circus skills, Zumba and many more including trips to two of London s famous museums. In true Erith style all girls received congratulations for their participation throughout the week and for their exceptional effort. Nicole, Madison and Rebecca all picked up special congratulations for outstanding contributions. Further to this in spectacular form Nicole, Lucy and Anita were all part of a marketing group who one first prize for designing a product which was commemorative of the birth of the royal baby a night light, which formed silhouettes of London s iconic features whilst playing a melodic version of the national anthem. A truly unforgettable experience was had by all, Nicole said we all had the most amazing time, met new friends, learnt so much and had so much fun, we loved the university and we cant wait to go back for the reunion we all now want to go to university when we re older and London South Bank is top of the list. YEAR 10 BUSINESS GROUP AT COLCHESTER ZOO On 15 th March, Mr Flanagan accompanied the Year 10 Business students, visiting Colchester Zoo to gain an insight into how this type of business operated. They looked at areas such as marketing, customer services, finance and recruitment. Their research has been very useful to their coursework.

19 Year 9 and 10 Trip to Greenwich As part of our research for our controlled assessment we went to Greenwich to carry out our questionnaires, land use maps, tax disc survey and pedestrian count. The main point of this was so that we could have current accurate information as evidence of our hypothesis. My group had most of our tasks and surveys around the Cutty Sark, Greenwich market and Greenwich Park.. For me the best part of the trip was being able to talk to different people about Greenwich. One retired gentleman spoke of his childhood there and the various jobs he had had in Greenwich. Personally for me I found this gave me an insight of what Greenwich means to local residents as well as tourists. Charlotte Scott, 9 Rowan 6 th Form RE Stop Day A 6 th form Student writes This movie has taught me several important life lessons, which can be applied to virtually all aspects of one s life. Firstly, this film teaches that animals deserve kindness and compassion, as well as the right to be allowed to exist peacefully. Secondly, religion is to be tolerated and acted upon not mocked. People have the right to believe in what they want, therefore religion should be treated respectfully, as it is the foundation for millions of lives. Thirdly, it is important to not take everything negative personally. Many people suffer on a daily basis yet they don t choose to sit idly and pity themselves, but instead seek a solution and reconciliation. Fourthly, perseverance is key to all difficult situations in life. Sometimes things are arduous for a reason; to be able to understand what it is you ve gained or to be able to appreciate what it is you ve learned. Lastly, we have the power to decide whether or not our experiences are possible or negative. If we choose to look at the positives, we can take away a lesson, and learn. Year 7 Trip to Chessington For some of the year group, it was the first time that they had visited Chessington World of Adventures. The weather was perfect for the day and the M25 was kind to us and we did not have too much traffic. The park was not busy so we had time to go on plenty of rides including Bubbleworks, Vampire and Dragon Falls. We enjoyed the independence of being allowed to go around the park in groups of 4 or 5, then meeting up with our Form Tutors at the end of the day and we appreciated the trust that we had been given. It was a great day out with friends and teachers and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day. We can t wait to go again next year. (7 Pine) Year 10 Trip to Thorpe Park On the 21 st of June, even though it was a very cloudy start, more than two hundred Year 10s boarded coaches to Thorpe Park for the pastoral trip. The clouds cleared as we were arriving. The rides were amazing and we enjoyed a really successful, safe and fun day.

20 THE BASICS The current School Handbook including the school rules and procedures is on our website: Expectations for September Over the past year we have let you know about the progress we have made toward the Unicef Right Respecting School award. We now have our first, very straightforward, Pupils RRS Charter. This marries up completely with my basic expectations for the pupils in September and will be available on our Website and in our Handbook UNIFORM STANDARDS Overall these have continued to be quite good. A big thank you to parents who, day in day out, support the school by ensuring that their sons/daughters are appropriately dressed for school. Unfortunately some of those pupils who have the correct uniform choose to wear it incorrectly e.g. sloppily tied ties, shirts out and so on. A lot of time can be wasted setting proper uniform standards each lesson. Please reinforce this message at home. We do our best to make our uniform rules crystal clear by publishing the details in the original Admission Pack which all parents must sign before a child is admitted, in our Handbook (available on the website) and in the pupils Contact Book. There are also reminders in each End of Term Newsletter. However, some pupils still appear in non-uniform items and a few parents get upset because they have spent money on non uniform items which are then banned and /or confiscated. Please refer to the uniform rules before you buy. If in doubt phone the Year office! WANTED SCHOOL UNIFORMS HAS YOUR CHILD GROWN OUT OF HIS/HER SCHOOL UNIFORM OR IS HE/SHE LEAVING SCHOOL THIS YEAR? WOULD YOU PLEASE DONATE UNWANTED ITEMS TO OUR NEARLY-NEW UNIFORM STORE? WE PARTICULARLY NEED BLAZERS AND TIES FOR BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS Please contact Mrs. Joyce Webb at the school address or just send the items into school. THANKYOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND GENEROSITY PLEASE - NO UNACCEPTABLE HAIRCUTS Please make sure that any holiday haircuts and colouring will not cause problems for your child at the start of the term! We usually waste about a week and a half sorting out all the unacceptable hairstyles which have been done in the holidays. We are a conventional school with high standards of appearance, behaviour and uniform. Our pupils must take pride in their appearance and in their membership of Erith School. This is what uniform standards are all about. The school will decide what is appropriate. LOST PROPERTY Parents are reminded that lost property is retained at Reception for a period of four weeks only, and then disposed of. Pupils may make enquiries about lost property at Reception - BUT NOT DURING LESSON TIME!

21 BANNED ITEMS Our school's rules clearly set out the list of banned items. These include jewellery, MP3 players/i-pods and mobile phones. NO MOBILE PHONES SCHOOL POLICY Pupils have been informed of the Governors Policy in assemblies and parents have been informed in Newsletters, for many years. Across the country lessons have been disrupted by telephones going off; intruders have been apprehended on site who have been called to the school to cause trouble; pupils have rung each other in lessons; photographs have been taken to use on internet websites; telephones have been stolen, damaged and for some, large, unauthorised bills have been run up. They have been used to glorify both pain and violence and of course are used in serious bullying cases. PLEASE BE AWARE CYBER - BULLYING IS A CRIME Pupils indulging in this will face serious consequences MOBILE TELEPHONES ARE BANNED AT ERITH SCHOOL CONFISCATED ITEMS INCLUDING MOBILE TELEPHONES ARE ONLY RETURNED TO PARENTS BY APPOINTMENT AFTER AT LEAST ONE SCHOOL DAY. Pupils must understand that this delay in returning the confiscated item is a punishment. Please contact the relevant Deputy Headteacher, in the first instance to arrange collection (Mr Bryce Years 7, 8 and 9 and Mrs Allen (Years 10, 11 and Post 16). Should a mobile telephone be brought into school a second time, it will be confiscated and may not be returned until the end of term. Where a pupil needs to be contacted urgently, by a parent in an emergency, the School Switchboard (on ) will take a message. Where a pupil needs to contact home in an emergency, they can again go through the Year Office. HOLIDAYS IN TERM TIME It is a myth that parents are entitled to take their children out of school for a holiday, during term time. Holiday Request Forms are not issued. Your son or daughter cannot learn if they are not in school! No leave of absence will be authorised during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances does not mean: 1. The opportunity for a cheap flight. 2. A pre-booked family holiday. 3. A longer than usual family holiday. 4. Trips away with members of extended family. This is in line with national regulations If you wish to request leave due to exceptional circumstances, you must make your application in writing to Mr Lloyd at the earliest opportunity. He, along with other members of Senior staff, will consider your request and inform you in writing as soon as a decision has been reached. Please be aware that if a request for leave is not granted, any absence from school during the requested period will be recorded as unauthorised. Please be advised that, if unauthorised absence is taken, it will be recommended that appropriate penalties are served to the responsible parents/ carers. This penalty notice will be issued by the Local Authority and a penalty notice of 60 paid within 21 days or 120 paid within 28 days has been set by the Department for Education. Penalty notices (fines) may also be issued to each parent who fails to ensure their child s regular attendance at school. The same financial penalties as above apply. As supportive parents/ carers you understand that consistent, uninterrupted schooling plays a key part in your child fulfilling their potential. Your cooperation is very important.

22 PUPIL ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL Parents are reminded that we have a DEDICATED TELEPHONE LINE FOR THE REPORTING OF FIRST DAY OF PUPIL ABSENCE This is an answer-phone service only. Please do not use this number for leaving any other messages or general enquiries. Please bear in mind that any time lost through absence will affect a pupil s progress in school. Absence should only be a last resort for illness, approved medical appointments or for compassionate reasons discussed with the Head of Year. FREE SCHOOL MEALS We have sent home letters reminding you of your rights concerning Free School Meals. If you think that you might be eligible and have not yet contacted Mrs Evans, in the School General Office, please do so as soon as possible. This is so that should you be entitled, your child can receive their free meals without delay and that the school can access the additional Pupil Premium to support your son or daughter in school. The original letter can be viewed on the School Website School Fund Academic Year 2012 / 2013 At Erith School we are committed to creating the best learning environment possible for our pupils. As you are aware, schools request that families contribute a certain amount to the School Fund, usually on an annual basis per child. Many schools are currently requesting an annual amount in excess of or even per pupil, but at Erith School we are acutely aware of the economic pressures currently facing family budgets and would ask that you make a welcome and valued contribution of 5.00 per annum, per child or 8.00 per annum, per family. Therefore if you have more than one child attending Erith School, your contribution will remain at a fixed annual cost of The Government provides funds to schools for the basics, such as buildings, teaching staff and essential resources, but there are many extras that your children need every day in school; extras such as up to date IT resources, musical equipment, sports equipment, arts resources, technology equipment, minibus maintenance. These are the facilities that enhance your child s education and help us to provide a more diverse range of enriching opportunities. This coming year we are particularly focusing on environmental developments recommended by Student Voice. By you contributing to our School Fund we will be able to continue to offer the extra resources to your child/children. Of course, if you are able to contribute more than the requested amount, the school will benefit all the more. Please be assured your contribution will make a real difference to your child s experience at Erith School and will enrich and enhance the opportunities available to them. Your School Fund contribution should be made by cash or a cheque made payable to Erith School and returned in an envelope clearly marked School Fund Finance Office and handed to Form Tutors no later than Friday 4 October 2013.

23 Congratulations to the following Top Girl and Top Boy from each Form group for the Academic Year ASH BEECH CEDAR ELM Year 7 Karina Jhamat Rosie Jarvis Sabrina Hajdari Sara O'Brien Ishara Herath Harry Sweeney Aaron Beckett Marvis Evbuomwan Year 8 Kaitlyn Boxall Mollie Rundle Rebecca Richards Ellie Oakins Jamie Pinner Jasse Evbuomwan Kieran Deyes Joshua Crowhurst Year 9 Nicola Corley Aaliyah Bishop Kimberley Stephens Rochelle Beeson Jack Anderson Jamaal Brook Morgan Chambers Michael Akintomo HOLLY LARCH MAPLE OAK PINE Year 7 Lacey Foster Daisy Cadman Kira Reeve Natasha Badhan Bethany Hall Christopher Smith Lewis Randall Liam Kuch George Green Archie Hobbs Year 8 Leah Saunders Georgia Chambers Abbie Dubens Martha Ehikioya Callum Phillpott Siddiq Ayinde-Usman Bill Brooks Shane Smith Year 9 Rio Davie Alayna Mills Angela Quilala Sophie Peel Callum Page Leslie Stuchbury Ethan Thomas Oliver Burgess ROWAN SPRUCE TEAK WILLOW Year 7 Melanie Stephens Sara Bushiqi Mary Onu Chenise Nibi George Piper Adam Doran Arpit Badhan Ben Middleton Year 8 Amy Honour Ketlin Berberi Ellena Matthews Megan Read Ben Osborne Brandon Sehmi Masum Uddin Matas Petkevicius Year 9 Megan Smith Jessica Kelleher Adaugo Okoronkwo Raegan Hallinan Patryk Posuniak Nathan Beale Jagdeep Khaira Callum Sahota

24 A Message from Our Chair of Governors; Mr David Friend. Dear Parents / Carers The last time I wrote my piece for the Newsletter it was cold, winter seemed to be hanging on forever and we were looking forward to Easter. Now we have temperatures in the 30 s and a holiday in this country doesn t seem so bad. Long may it continue. We are fast approaching the end of term which sees the retirement of our Principal, Julie Turner. It is sad to see someone of Julie s experience leave us but when you consider her track record I think you will agree she has earned her retirement. She joined Erith School in 1985 from Howbury Grange. Her subject is Art of which she has a wealth of experience. She rose through the ranks at the school becoming a Deputy Head under the leadership of Toby Hufford in 1992 and Principal in She has spent 33 years in education 28 of which has been at Erith School. She is going to be a hard act to follow. We all owe her a great debt of gratitude and we thank her for all that she has done for the school. Next term we welcome Brian Lloyd as Headteacher. A man the Governors believe is well fitted to take on the mantle and take the school forward. He is not new to the school as he was head of PE for 6 years from 1991 to He is a very experienced leader who has spent a lot of time in the school this term meeting staff and pupils and making sure he is ready to take on the role from day one. The Governors and Julie Turner are convinced he is the man for the job. I feel confident I can recommend him to you. The Governors also wish to say a big thank you to four other members of staff who are also retiring this year: Joan Mongon, 32 years in teaching, 28 years at Erith School and was appointed as Assistant Principal in 2003: Alan Fitzsimons, 33 years in teaching, 24 years at Erith School and became Head of Curriculum Support in 2009; both outstanding Leaders. Sue Philpott 23 years in teaching, all at Erith School and who will be very much missed by the Design &Technology Faculty and Carol Dobson; 28 years in clerical positions, 9 years at Erith School in the General Office and has been a very valued member of the Support Staff. All will be missed and have done more than their fair share to enhance the school during their time with us. From left to right Joan Mongon Assistant Principal Sue Philpott Teacher of D & T Julie Turner Principal Alan Fitzsimons Head of Curriculum Support Carol Dobson Member of the General Office A date for your diaries. Wednesday 25 th September 2013 at 7 pm. A chance for parents and staff to hear from someone who knows the pros and the dangers of the social media as it effects young people. I think you will be interested in what you hear on that evening. The Governors of Erith School wish you all warm and sunfilled happy holidays David Friend Chairman of Governors