Attendance. Letters to Parents / Carers. A Prayer for Art

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1 29th January 2016 Issue 199 Dear Parents and Carers, We have had some sporting success this week as teams have gone through to competitions beyond the district. The netball team will soon be competing at regional level and our Y7 boys football team are in the county finals. The latter match will be against St. Bede s Catholic Middle School and we await details of the venue and timing. The sounds of Oom pah pah, that s how it goes have been heard as rehearsals for Oliver! continue. The plans for other aspects of the production are progressing well, so it looks as if we are in for another very enjoyable production. The three nights of performances will be Monday 21 st to Wednesday 23 rd March. We have received a letter from the Borough Council that we have been asked to circulate with you. It concerns the traffic situation at the start and end of the school day and I would ask that you read through the advice it offers. We have been learning a new song in assembly, which has the following words in one of the verses. It sets the scene for our thinking for now and for whatever the rest of the year will bring: Lord, for the years Your love has kept and guided, urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way, sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided: Lord for the years, we bring our thanks today. Timothy Dudley-Smith Rev. Clive Leach Principal Dear Lord, A Prayer for Art Bless all creative and artistic people who, through their gifts, make the world a more joyful and beautiful place to be. Through their work we learn to see more clearly the truth around us. Through their inspiration we can see the awe and wonder in our own lives. Pour your spirit upon them so that their works may be fulfilling to us all. Attendance to Year % Year % Year % Year % Whole school Attendance % Whole School Target % Letters to Parents / Carers Sex & Relationships Education letter ch.uk/parents Amen

2 Charity Week Please note that Year 6 & 8 second Parents Evenings is on Wednesday 3rd February from 4pm to 7pm. Letters have been sent to all pupils. Fish Tank We have a glass fish tank with associated equipment which we no longer require. The tank is 46cm x 25cm wide and 26cm deep We are seeking a donation, which will go to the Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society Week commencing 18th January The following students raised money for Halle Bixby - BEGE Lydia Bicknell - MJDE Natasha Garcia - BCJO Sanaa Shazad - BCJO Ava Crumpton - CAMI Jess Beasley - CAMI Anisah Ilyas - AALY They raised an amazing ! If interested, please contact office@walkwoodms.worcs.sch.uk Top Readers for 21st to 28th January Both receive 10 points for their efforts. Congratulations to: Top Girl (for the third week running!) Enya Hussain Year 5 (BEGE) who read an outstanding 448,961 words Top Boy Liam Gould Year 8 (MPJE) who read an incredible 257,154 words

3 Music News Congratulations to these two boys who both passed their music exams recently: Dylan Baker drums grade 1 Jake Whitehouse guitar grade 3 A few spaces have become available for tuition on drums, guitar, and keyboard. If any pupils are interested in learning to play, please see Mrs Griffiths in the Music Room for further details. Mrs C Griffiths Oliver! News Rehearsals are going well and we are very pleased with the progress! All members of the cast should be practising dialogue and songs at home, as well as here at school. We know that many families are already helping out at home with the learning of lines we thank you for this (in fact, some parents will probably know the lines just as well as their children do by now!). Just a reminder that whole cast rehearsals for Oliver! are taking place in the school hall every Tuesday and Thursday after school. Up until half-term, rehearsals will be from 3.345pm to 4.45pm. After half-term, rehearsals will go on until 5.00pm. There will be an important final rehearsal for everyone to attend on the afternoon of Sunday 20th March, starting at 2pm and finishing at approximately 5.30pm, although we will confirm this nearer the time. Performances are on 21st, 22nd and 23rd March at 7.30pm. We will keep you updated with information via The Insider. The Production Team: Ms T Tomes, Mrs S Barrington, Mrs C Griffiths Jacque et le Haricot Magique! 7C2 French have been having a go at performing and producing Jack and the Beanstalk in French on the green screen! They also have made a big effort to dress up as the characters. Thanks to Miss Owen for letting us produce these videos. Max Parkin, Year 7, CCHU

4 New assessment and reporting: A guide for Parents and Carers We began the introduction of the new curriculum in September 2014 with years 5 and 7, and then with years 6 and 8 in September The introduction of the new curriculum sees the removal of levels, as a way of showing attainment and progress, by the Department for Education. This has led to us developing a new approach to how we assess students at Walkwood. There is no longer a national framework for assessment but we have been working with some of the other middle schools in the area to ensure a more consistent approach to assessment. Our assessment framework has been designed to be in line with the new curriculums age related expectations and new end of key stage statutory assessments. The new curriculum is much more demanding and there are higher age related expectations than the old curriculum. As pupils have had only one or two years, depending on their year group, of this new curriculum there will be some gaps in the children s knowledge that we will have to make up over time. At this stage in the year we would not expect your child to have reached secure in their curriculum stage (eg: Year 5-stage 5), although some more able pupils may have done so. For a child in year 5 their end of year result can be read as shown in this table: Due to the huge changes to the curriculum you may find that in some subjects stages are below what is expected. Although pupils may be behind National Expectations, please be aware that this is a common issue in schools across the country and that we are working on closing this gap and supporting your child with making good progress. We have decided at present to report year 7 and 8 in stage 1 for German due to this being the first year they have ever been taught German. This also applies to French where year 7, for example, would be considered stage 3 as this is their third year of learning French. I will be holding an information evening next half term where I can answer any questions about the changes to assessment and reporting. The date and time will be confirmed in next week s Insider. Miss L Pritchard (Assistant Principal)

5 DATE ACTIVITY LOCATION OPEN TO COST LEADER February Fri 12 Sat 20 Ski Trip Zauchensee, Salzberger Sportwelt, Austria Y7 & Y8 Bookings closed last year Miss Philpotts April Tue 29 Fri 1 May Cricket Tour Bath Y7 & Y8 185 Mr Walsh May Fri 13 Sun 15 Netball Weekend Candover Hall, Shropshire Y7 & Y8 150 Miss Philpotts June Tue 7, Wed 8, Thu 9 (2 classes each day) Tue 21 Wed 22 Tue 21, Wed 22 (3 classes each day) Thu 24 Mon 27 Forge Mill Y7, Y8 zero Mrs Timmins Arts and Theatres London Y8 215 Rev Leach Art Gallery Compton Verney Y6 zero Miss Cowles Outward Bound Brecon Beacons Y5 130 Miss Pritchard July Wed 20 Theme Park Drayton Manor Y8 22 Mr West

6 Monday Before School am Orchestra am (Music Room) CGR Lunchtime pm After School pm Squad Cheerleading 5pm-6pm CPH & GPU Cricket: Year 7 & 8 girls pm Tuesday KS 2 Drama Club (Room 11) JDE Hockey 3.30pm-4.45pm CPH Oliver rehearsals (Hall) 3.45pm-4.45pm Wednesday Silent Reading Club Swap Shop (Room 19) LBA Walkwood Awareness Group (Room 3) STA Basketball Club - Year 7 Boys pm CHU & RMA Cooking club DSL Thursday Choir pm (Music Room) CGR Languages Club 12: pm (Room 10) KSO, MLA & NHU Oliver rehearsals (Hall) 3.45pm-4.45pm Friday Signing club (Textiles room) JHA

7 Date Wednesday 3 February Friday 12 February Monday 15 Friday 19 February Monday 22 February Thursday 25 February Monday 21 Wednesday 23 March Thursday 24 March Monday 11 April Monday 9 Wednesday 11 May Thursday 26 May Monday 30 May Friday 3 June Monday 6 June Thursday 9 June Wednesday 15 June Tuesday 28 June Tuesday 5 July Wednesday 13 & Thursday 14 July Friday 22 July Thursday 1 and Friday 2 September Monday 5 September Friday 21 October Monday 24 Friday 28 October Friday 16 December Tuesday 3 January Wednesday 4 January Monday 20 Friday 25 February Friday 7 April Monday 24 April Monday 29 May Friday 2 June Monday 5 June Friday 21 July Event Y6 and Y8 Parents Evening, pm Parents Focus Group, pm Half Term Parents Focus Group Y5 and Y7 Reports to parents/carers School Production of Oliver! End of Term First day of the Summer Term SATs for Year 6 pupils Sports Day (weather dependent) Half Term Y5 and Y7 Parents Evening, pm Y5 and Y7 Parents Evening, pm Y6 and Y8 reports to Parents/Carers Summer Concert Transition Days End of Term s First day of the Autumn Term Half term End of term First day of the Spring Term Half term End of term First day of the Summer Term Half Term End of term