Ely College Newsletter October 2017 From the Principal The word I keep returning to when describing our current mood here at the college is buoyant. This isn t a reference to any flooding in the Needhams block, but rather a collective sense of optimism and confidence that pervades the school. Success so often breeds success, and the example set by Year 11 this summer is galvanising us all to strive for ever more improvements. To achieve, to excel, and to be the best we possibly can be. As I write this message to you, we have a group of students in Kenya helping to build a school and learning first-hand about the challenges faced by that country. Here in Ely, we have been hosting the COSMOS team from Cambridge University s Science Centre all week, providing students with fascinating insights into the world of science and technology. Last week, on PLEDGES and Futures day, we welcomed more than 30 local businesses and entrepreneurs into college, and hosted more than 50 local firms and education providers at the Cathedral for our annual careers fair. The opportunities and challenges are many, and I am consistently proud of the conduct and receptiveness of our students at such events. Next month we host our first Parents In The Loop forum meeting of the year (details are in this newsletter). I m looking forward to seeing many of you there to share some of our plans for the year, and give you an opportunity to feedback and quiz the senior team. These were such a helpful and positive addition last year, and I hope that attendance will continue to build in 2017/18. Our recent Open Evening was a fantastic event, with significantly higher attendance than in 2015 and 2016. I have been busily showing around many parents in recent weeks, many of whom have not seen the improvements to the site, and are amazed at the transformations. On 1 st November we will open our doors once again for the Bishop Laney Sixth Form Open Evening. We are very proud to be, once again, offering a programme of A levels, and excited to share our plans for further growth to our fabulous 16-19 provision. Whether your child is in Year 11 or lower down the school, please do come along to find out about what we are offering locally. Open Evening and Open Morning It was lovely to welcome so many parents/carers and children into college earlier this month for our annual Open Evening and Morning. There is always such a buzz around college and these events provide a superb opportunity for us to showcase what we do, our aims and ambitions for the future. If, for any reason, Year 5 and 6 families missed out, then there is still time to come and see us. Please contact the school office 01353 667763 - so a convenient time can be set up. You will be assured a very warm welcome to Ely College! Page 1
Some of you will have seen that the DfE published their provisional school performance tables last week. We were obviously delighted with the significant improvements to our results this summer, and are proud that the outcomes our students secured compare very favourably with all other schools in the area. However, just as important as examination results is ensuring that all students feel safe, happy and secure in school. I want to see more and more students taking part in our extra-curricular opportunities and Session 6 this year. The proportion of students securing their PLEDGE awards is as significant to me as our GCSE and 16-19 results. Please encourage your child to engage with these opportunities. Finally, I d like to extend my thanks to all the parents who support us, to all the brilliant staff who are working hard on your behalf, and to the wonderful students we have here at the college. The weather may worsen and the skies may darken in the coming weeks, but I promise we ll be keeping our heads up! Richard Spencer Principal Page 2
Diary Dates 4 th Oct Yr 11 progression evening 5 th Oct Training Day, school closed MacMillan Coffee Morning Thank you to everyone who supported our recent MacMillan coffee morning - Ely College raised over 700. Tescos kindly contributed and our talented catering students set to work baking delicious cakes which were served to students and staff throughout the morning. Students also received a cup of hot chocolate and were able to take part in games, raffles and tombolas all in aid of MacMillan. 5 th Oct Yr 6 Open Evening 5.30pm 6 th Oct Yr 6 Open Morning 9-11am 10 th Oct PLEDGES day 1 10 th Oct Yr 11 parents evening 18 th - 28 th Oct Kenya trip 23 rd 27 th Oct Half Term 1 st November Bishop Laney 6 th Form Open Evening 6pm 6 th November Parents In the Loop Forum 6pm 13 th November Shakespeare Schools Festival rehearsal at The Mumford Theatre 16 th 18 th November Battlefields trip 5 th December - Yr 12/13 Parents Evening 5 th December Additional Yr 11 science parents evening 7 th December Past Yr 11 certificate presentation evening 8 th December 12 hours of sport 13 th December PLEDGES day 2 13 th December School Christmas dinner Page 3 15 th December Christmas jumper day 1 19 th December last day of term 3pm
The School Day We regularly review both the timings of the college day, and provision over break and lunchtimes. For example, last year we slightly extended morning break (from 20 minutes to 30 minutes) in response to feedback from staff, students and parents that lunchtime was too long. Over the last week we have been trialling a new revision to the college day that we intend to continue with after half term. The new timings restore morning break to twenty minutes in length, and add a five minute movement time between periods 1 & 2 and 3 & 4. The revised timings are set out below. The rationale behind these changes are as follows: 1. Feedback from some students and staff was that break was too long without many structured activities. Some students were becoming bored and listless as a result. 2. The canteen service at break does not require more than twenty minutes to meet current demand. 3. Learning time is being lost in the lengthy time it can take to move from one end of the site to another. The cumulative impact of the time lost is not insignificant. Some movement time will allow for lessons to start on time and run for the full sixty minutes. 4. A five-minute movement time allows for brief access to the toilet and water fountains at key points in the day for staff and students. We will keep this under review and liaise with the student council and parents as we progress through the year. We are committed to ensuring that break and lunchtimes are pleasant, productive and calm periods in the day for all students. Thank you for your support in this matter. Page 4
PLEDGES and Futures Day On 10 th October 2017 we held our first PLEDGES and Futures day for this academic year. Our focus this time was economic wellbeing where students covered a range of topics including; - jobs, careers, and skills for work - entrepreneurship and enterprise - personal finance - preparing for University - National Enterprise Challenge. For the whole day timetables were collapsed and students worked within their year groups and House. Many visitors were invited into college to work with our students. Here are some student accounts of their day Year 7 - The focus of the day was to enhance our team work skills with both friends and colleagues within Houses. At the beginning of the day, students took part in two activities that tested our ability to work as a team, in order to get the work done. For some of the morning we competed in te ams against peers in orienteering. Each team was given a map, and we worked together quite cohesively, navigating around the sports areas. In addition to this, we participated in a construction activity and worked to build the tallest straw tower we could hang a tape roll from! A group of students working on this project commented on the project, we are really enjoying the first PLEDGES day since we joined the college. The activities are fun and we also look forward to the next one. The activity enabled students to compare ideas and ultimately receive a great result from teamwork. Teachers have also found that students teamwork skills are benefiting from the tasks, some, who were running the orienteering, told us, the students have shown some great team-working skills, planning and organising themselves so that they can complete the challenge in the least possible time. We have been really impressed with their attitude and efforts. After a well-earned break, the focus of the day then shifted towards careers. A guest speaker delivered a presentation about her career experiences, inspiring us and giving useful advice on how what they set out to achieve as their job, may not be what they end up doing. Following that, a series of guest speakers came in for a task that the Year 7 s really enjoyed. Students were able to ask a series of Page 5
questions, trying to guess and find out the job of the speaker. Many students participated really well and were interested in the jobs that some of the speakers had. By Aren Clark and Hannah Meek. Year 8 - In the assembly, the students of Year 8 gained an understanding of what enterprise is and what is required to become an entrepreneur. We had a guest speaker from Form the Future who talked about the skills needed to set up a business. The start of the day consisted of getting into groups and brainstorming ideas for a new business. The students felt excited and engaged in the talks from the visitors. A spokesperson from Form the Future hoped the day would inform us about the skills required to build a business and promote it. Throughout the day the we had to come up with an idea to promote. These ideas ranged from Chewable pens to recycling football boots. We feel this activity has improved our leadership and participation skills. As we don t normally do things like this it provided a great opportunity to learn what business is like and how the world works. By Oscar Barter. Year 9 Our first two periods included activities on personal finance, for example taking out loans and the advantages and disadvantages of this. Another activity was reading and understanding a bank statement. Another was analysing fictionary people and how they use their money. It taught us awareness of money and how to manage it. One student said I have learnt how to manage money and how not to go into debt when I am older continuing on to say, I would like to put the skills I have learnt into practice. The purpose of these activities was to help us manage our personal finance in the future. It taught us important life skills for the future which will continue to be used. During periods 3 and 4 Year 9 created a presentation on the various possible ways of paying for things and the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. This gave us an understanding of the choices needed when applying for credit and debit cards and the problems surrounding them. Teachers helped us in this field of work with their experiences of personal finance. During period 5 Year 9 played who wants to be a squillionaire - a game involving quiz questions about personal finance. This helped solidify our understanding of what we had learnt, but in a really fun and dynamic way. By Lillian Seaman and Rose Beckmann. Page 6
Year 10 - For pledges day this year, Year 10 took part in the Ryman Enterprise Project. We were split into teams of about six and then given this year s theme of BACK TO SCHOOL. Within our teams, we had to decide on a project manager who would lead, a team name, a theme for the products to be based around and also a mascot. The goal was to create a merchandise line of stationery for children going back to school. At the end of the day, all the teams had to pitch their ideas to the Ryman team, each group battling to win for a trip to the finals. The National Enterprise Challenge is designed to help young people get the skills needed for work. Students had to work with people they wouldn t normally work with to meet tight deadlines and start to develop skills needed for the world of life. Each year a new challenge is set and over 40,000 people took part across the nation this year. One lucky team from each school will be selected as a winner and go to the finals where, if they win, their products will be sold in Ryman stores with their mascot. By Adam Smeeton and Jacob Bell. East Cambs Careers and Skills Event On Pledges Day, Year 11 and Sixth Form students were invited to Ely Cathedral where the East Cambs Careers and Skills Event was being held. The event brought schools and businesses together to network with each other and learn more about career prospects for when they have left school. Businesses in attendance where LGC, Thurlow Nunn Standen, Shearline, Turners, JDR Cables, Tesco, The Moore Hair Company and many more. Page 7
The event was very successful and feedback has been positive from both students and businesses. Hopefully students found it useful to helping them make decisions with their next steps after leaving school. Year 11 Parents Evening Separate Science Course Thank you to everyone who took part in our recent survey. This has resulted in 89% of parents expressing a preference for a second parents evening dedicated to science, therefore enabling parents to see their child s individual science specialist teacher. We always welcome parental feedback and suggestions and, wherever possible, we do our best to improve and adapt our systems and procedures. Please make a note that the second parents evening for science will take place on 5 th December 2017 parents will be prompted to make an appointment nearer the time. STEM Week We were delighted to host an RAF 100 STEM day through STEM EDT to celebrate 100 years of the RAF. This involved all of Year 9w students. The students participated in activities such as architecture, programming robots and selfpropelled cars. Also this week we welcomed staff from the Cambridge Science Centre into college. All of our Year 7 and 8 students sampled two lessons, one on the evolution of eyes and one on the senses, which included interactive exhibits and the ever-popular wind tunnel! Sporting Success Well done to our Year 7 boys who have qualified for the next round of the football county cup. Ollie Taylor in Year 7 completed the 5k Great Eastern run in 22 minutes 15 seconds. Due to many requests from Year 7, 8 and 9 girls, we will be running a rugby taster session for girls on Wednesday 1 st November from 3.00pm to 4.15pm. Page 8
Duke of Edinburgh Year 11 students recently took part in an overnight expedition along the Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire border. The students had planned and prepared their routes, cooked their own meals and set up camp at Ferrars House, Little Gidding (once a last refuge for Charles I before his capture, imprisonment and execution). Students were navigating and walking considerable distances over open countryside. They did themselves and the college proud and will, of course, enhance their portfolio prior to college interviews as well. Student Medical Appointments Please may we ask for your full support when making dentist/doctor or non-emergency appointments for your child that these are outside of school hours or during school holidays. Should appointments be unavoidable during the school day, then please could these be at the beginning or end of the school day to avoid disruption. Thank you. News from the LRC (Learning Resource Centre) It has been a very busy term in the LRC. We have a new team of Student Librarian s ranging from Year 8 to Year 11. The older, more experienced students help to train the new ones to issue and return books, serve in the school shop and help students find information. Page 9 Uniform Donations On behalf of The Countess Church, Ely thank you for the excellent response to the appeal for old uniform and PE kits. It is now being sorted and sized and will be sent to two schools in different parts of Africa. The jumpers will go to Laos. Any further items, please bring them in to college as soon as possible.
Debate Mate LRC Committee - The LRC Committee has had its first meeting and as a result, has sent out a letter asking for good quality book donations. If you have any good quality books which are age appropriate and published within the last 10 years, which you would like to donate to the LRC, please leave them at the main reception. The Committee will be considering further fundraising activities later in the year. These will include a Scholastic Book Fair at the beginning of December. Further information will follow. Reading Group - Every Monday morning break time, the Reading Group meets in the LRC. Students from all years join together to discuss books and take part in book related activities. So far this term we have created a desert island and students chose one book each they would like to take and one book they would place on a sinking ship. We are currently taking part in a Reading Club bingo. Students have to challenge themselves to complete squares to achieve prizes. Activities include; read a classic novel, read a book over 200 pages, read a book with red on the cover and many more. There is keen competition to see who finishes first. InTouch Communication We use InTouch to communicate with all of our parents and carers. Do let your House office know if you have recently updated or changed your email address. Please may we ask that you do not send a reply email to InTouch. All emails to school should be directed to either the House Office or a specific member of staff thank you. Page 10 Last month a small group of our Year 11 students had the opportunity to attend a Debate Mate workshop in conjunction with MP Lucy Frazer s office. Students spent the day in Cambridge learning how to effectively debate in a formal setting. The day provided a great opportunity for the students to broaden their knowledge of debating. Further students will be taking part in a Debate Mate competition round here in Ely College at the end of half term. Good luck! Kenya Trip Good luck to all our students and staff who safely departed for their trip to Kenya earlier this week. We look forward to reporting all about their adventures in our next newsletter!
Lastly, please update your systems at home to ensure that emails you receive from college don t end up in your spam folders! You will receive emails from: 8734012@capita-intouch.co.uk Please make sure this is added to your contacts list. Community Education Last weekend we ran a series of very successful Saturday workshops. It was a pleasure to welcome over 60 local people into College. We offered a range of courses; Ballroom Dancing, Thai Cookery, Plumbing, Indian Street food, First Aid Training, Paper crafts and Mono Printing. Feedback from all the learners was outstanding. We are hoping to run another day of workshops in the Spring term. Celebrating Success We have recently installed some new display boards in which we can proudly display student PLEDGE achievements. The House boards are starting to fill with photographs of students who have already achieved their bronze awards and one student has gained their silver. Page 11 Do have a look at these when you are next in the Bedford corridor. Shakespeare Schools Festival In just a short time, under the bright lights of the Mumford Theatre, our Youth Theatre students will be taking to the stage to tell one of Shakespeare s most captivating stories. At 7pm on Monday 13 th November, all of their hard work will culminate in a thrilling retelling of The Comedy of Errors: Am I in Earth, in Heaven, or in Hell? Twin boys called Antipholus, from an aristocratic family, and twin boys called Dromio (their servants), were separated at a very young age when a storm wrecked their boat. A grown-up Antipholus and Dromio (who ve lived most of their life in Syracuse) set out to find their brothers. After many years they arrive in Ephesus where they find themselves mistaken for inhabitants of that land. A day of farcical incidents of mistaken identity ensues For tickets to see the retelling of this classic tale, please call the Mumford Theatre on 01223 352 932. Please join us in celebrating our community as we tread the boards alongside other local schools in the world s largest youth drama festival.
Parents In The Loop Forum You are warmly invited to attend our next parents in the loop forum meeting which will take place here in college on Monday 6 th November 2017 at 6pm in our main hall. The topics this time will cover: - Show My Homework - Yr 7 Transition - GCSE new grading system and results - Student Council will talk about the new uniform - Open agenda - At the end there will be an opportunity to see refurbishments to the Bedford building. We hope to see many of you there. Page 12
Parental Points of Contact:. Tel: 01353 667763. Email: office@elycollege.co.uk To report a student absence Absence Line: 01353 667763 First contact - For a practical day to day or urgent response to questions about attendance, uniform, rewards and sanctions, or other logistical aspects of school life, please contact the House Student Support Assistant. For a matter relating to a specific subject (for example queries over homework or progress), please contact the class teacher in the first instance. For a matter relating to the well-being, general progress or behaviour of your child, please contact the tutor in the first instance. Second contact - Should you have concerns about the progress your child is making in a subject that you don t feel can be addressed by the class teacher, please contact the subject or curriculum leader. Should you be concerned about the tutoring or wider progress being made by your child, or you wish to discuss their well-being, safety or potential bullying, please contact the senior tutor for your child s house. Third contact - Should you feel that your concerns or queries have not been addressed adequately, please contact the relevant Assistant Principal or senior leader for either your child s house or the subject/area concerned. Etheldreda House - House Office call: 01353 652873 - House email: etheldredahouse@elycollege.co.uk Student Support Assistant Jean Winters Senior Tutor Christian Cunningham Assistant Principal Sarah Goodey Curriculum Leader PE Jason Coe Subject Leader Art Lisa Edwards Curriculum Leader Technology Victoria Collin Subject Leader ICT Toyin Adegoke Page 13
Turing House - House Office call: 01353 652876 - House Email: turinghouse@elycollege.co.uk Student Support Assistant Louise Youtzy Senior Tutor Sheila Branch Assistant Principal Samantha Haworth Curriculum Leader English Emma Bentley (Mat leave) Curriculum Leader English Nikisha Burke Curriculum Leader Maths Sarah Denney Franklin House - House Office call: 01353 652874 - House Email: franklinhouse@elycollege.co.uk Student Support Assistant Caroline Price Senior Tutor Lynn Anderson Assistant Principal Sally Kay Curriculum Leader Science Sam Craven Curriculum Leader Languages Nicole Ross Scott House - House Office call: 01353 652875 - House Email: scotthouse@elycollege.co.uk Student Support Assistant Nikki Pritchett Senior Tutor Jamie Waters Assistant Principal KJ Norton-Berry Subject Leader Drama Catherine Seymour Subject Leader Music Iain Mann Subject Leader RE Bethea Thompson Subject Leader History Robert Hancock Subject Leader Geography Emily Hill Subject Leader Media Ella Watkins Subject Leader Business Jenny Coggins Special Educational Needs - SENCO Eileen Mullin Assistant Principal Sally Kay Vice Principal Lee Mawby Vice Principal Jay Brown Sixth Form - Sixth Form call: 01353 652877 - Sixth Form Email: office@elycollege.co.uk Sixth Form Achievement Lead Stuart Patman Assistant Principal Adam Steels Year 11 Achievement - Year 11 Achievement Lead Rachael Mustill Extra-Curricular - Head of Extended Learning Andrew Fisher Principal - Principal s PA (Bev Saddington) call: 01353 652815 - Principal s PA Email: principal@elycollege.co.uk Page 14
Welcome to the Year 11 Matters Newsletter October 2017 Welcome to the latest issue of the Ely College Year 11 Matters Newsletter It has been a busy half term for parents. Thanks to all those parents that attended both the Post-16 Progression Evening and the Year 11 Parents evening. It was wonderful to see both events so well attended. The presentation from the Post-16 Evening is on the College website should you need to remind yourself about the UCAS Progress applications. I look forward to seeing many of you again on 1 st November at the Bishop Laney Open Evening. Students have been busy too with lots getting involved in revision sessions at lunchtime and after school. The timetable has been reproduced for you again at the bottom of this section. UCAS Progress A reminder that the deadline for these is 15 December. There will be support for students available to help them complete their profiles and choose appropriate courses. Punctuality Valuable notices are being given to students in Year 11 assembly, am registration and House assemblies. It is vital that students are both present and on time for all these sessions. Youthoria This is a website for 11-19 year olds in Cambridge to support them in their education journey. As well as job vacancies and apprenticeship opportunities, there are sections on current key issues including career advice and mental health support. Revision Assembly Mr Spencer s top tips for revision will be a good starting point for any Year 11 student who has not created a revision timetable or begun to revise for their mock exams yet. Pages 15, 16
Mock Examinations There will be separate communication regarding the mock exams. The key information to note is that they take place between Monday 20 th November and Tuesday 5 th December. If students do not have an exam, they will be expected to attend lessons as normal. The letter includes a summary of all the exams and remind students of examination expectations. PLEDGES Year 11 worked on their personal statements with their English teachers on the morning of 10 th October. They were then motivated by an external speaker who promoted positive study habits and effective time management. The whole year group then spent the afternoon in the Cathedral for the Careers Fair where they were able to talk to lots of companies and other stalls about opportunities available to them If you have any questions about predicted grades, UCAS Progress, Post-16 courses, achievement or progress in Year 11, please do not hesitate to email me rmustill@elycollege.co.uk Pages 15, 16
Welcome to the Bishop Laney Sixth Form Newsletter As we approach half term, it is pleasing to have got to know many of our new students here at Bishop Laney. Many students travel in by train and have come from a range of New Website We are pleased to announce the new launch of our website. www.bishoplaney.org email: office@bishoplaney.org secondary schools, and within these initial weeks, have made some fantastic friendships. During this half term, it was pleasing to meet many of the parents to our new year 12 students, as you visited for our meet the tutor evening. We have recently had our first Pledges and Futures Day which was a huge success. Year 12 started the day with some team building activities, where they had to work in teams to solve and overcome problems which they were presented with. This showed some great team work, co-operation and for some, outstanding leadership skills. Year 13 spent the morning looking at their future options, signing up to UCAS and starting to prepare their personal statements. During next half term, any university applications will be submitted following support meetings and some individual visits to universities. In our next newsletter, we will be in a position to announce our newly appointed Bishop Laney student council. Nominations are currently being taken with husting taking place prior to half term so we are in a position to have a strong student council to take a lead role in the 6 th Form. The Public Service students are enjoying a day out paintballing as part of their adventurous activity unit. Part of the assessment is the planning and organising of the activity, as well as the participation. It will replicate and reinforce some of the activities the services can access and benefit from. We have visits form the Royal Marines and Royal Navy lined up post half term, to give students an insight into the work they do, the skills required and the demands of the job. Attendance reminder! Any Bishop Laney 6 th Form student who is off ill must contact the Bishop Laney team on the morning of their absence. Tel: 01353 652877 Email: office@bishoplaney.org Pages 17, 18, 19 Bishop Laney Sixth Form, Downham Road, Ely, CB6 2SH
During the main school open evening, it was pleasing to have a large number of 6 th Form students helping in departments, or guiding parents and students around the College, including Bishop Laney. The Media students provided some excellent coverage of open evening. The students were highly professional and produced some brilliant photos and videos. All of the students have made an excellent start to the year, the year 13s have created some very impressive film posters and year 12 are in the pre-production stages for their own short film. The Norwich Football Education Programme is growing in strength. Now into its second month of the academic year and into our new Girls Football & Education Programme, the girls have made an excellent start, with their weekly timetable involving an individual gym programme, technical training, fixture support and coaching opportunities. The work rate of the group has been extremely high and the commitment for them to improve has been very evident. Meanwhile in the classroom the girls are studying a variety of Business, Sport and Hair & Beauty. This provides the girls the opportunity to study the course of their choice whilst enabling them to continue with football. Business Mentoring Our year 13 Sport students, successfully organised and ran a number of fitness lessons for a year 7 class, demonstrating their understanding of physical activity requirement and leadership skills. The feedback from the year 7 was very positive. The year 12 sport students have been fantastic and settled well into life at Bishop Laney. They have shown signs of building a strong bond in the group and working well as a collective. The work they have produced across the first four assignments to date has been of a consistently high standard and Mr Coe and Mr Bradley are looking forward to seeing the students embrace their first practical assessment when they begin to deliver coaching sessions Pages 17, 18, 19 Bishop Laney Sixth Form, Downham Road, Ely, CB6 2SH
over the coming weeks. The students are also excited about the debate around ethics in technology that will pit them against one another in a shoot out for victory! Dates to be aware of: Wednesday 1 st November Bishop Laney Open Evening Friday 25 th November Progress Checks sent home Tuesday 5 th December Parents Evening The House Team can be contacted via email: office@bishoplaney.org or via the telephone: 01353 652877. If no one is available, your call will be taken by Ely College s Main Reception. Meet the Bishop Laney Team, from September 2017 Mr Adam Steels Assistant Principal Mr Stuart Patman Progress and Achievement Leader Mr Max Grezio Post 16 Programmes Leader Mrs Belinda Lennon Post 16 Administrator Each student is assigned a tutor who oversees their progress and welfare during their time at Bishop Laney. Our tutors will be in touch over the next week or so to introduce themselves to you individually: Mr J Coe Tutor for BL-JCO Mrs S Collings Tutor for BL-SCO Mrs L Riches Tutor for BL-LRI Pages 17, 18, 19 Bishop Laney Sixth Form, Downham Road, Ely, CB6 2SH
News and achievements from Etheldreda House The first half term is already upon us and Etheldreda students have demonstrated their excellence throughout their first 7 weeks of this academic year by meeting expectations of uniform, behaviour and attitude. As we move into the second term I would like to encourage our students to take pride in the work they do, aim high and continue to celebrate the success that they achieve. This half term we have celebrated success as we made a terrific start to the inter-house competitions by fielding a team for both rugby and netball across the year groups. The year 9 and 10 rugby team for Etheldreda came 1 st and the netball team secured 2 nd place. We are hoping to continue the success throughout the year and try to win the cup for a second year in a row! In addition, we are celebrating students achievements in lessons and those who are starting to achieve their pledge awards. One of our Etheldreda forms have been working hard to raise money for cancer research as part of their pledges. E-JMC worked together to set up a range of fund raising ideas that students were able to engage in on 12 th and 13 th October during break and lunch time. This included activities such as guess the number of sweets in the jar and selling pieces of homemade cake! It is brilliant to hear of the achievements that are gained by our students and we encourage all students to talk with their tutors and let them know of any success that they have achieved in and outside of school so it can be recognised and celebrated. Have a lovely, restful half term break. Mrs S Goodey Mr C Cunningham Mrs J Winter Assistant Principal Etheldreda Senior Tutor Etheldreda Student Support Assistant sgoodey@elycollege.co.uk ccunningham@elycollege.co.uk jwinters@elycollege.co.uk Page 20
Welcome to the Franklin House Page It s been a brilliant half term. Year 7 have settled in beautifully, Year 8 are no longer our little ones and are showing themselves to be thoroughly sensible and lovely, Year 9 are focused on their options, enjoying the greater depth of study that Key Stage 4 brings, Year 10 have taken the lead with PLEDGES points for excellence (across the school and House!) and Year 11 are already talking about revision and setting their targets high. Student Leadership has been a real focus this term. Of course we are honored this year to be the House of our elected Head Boy and Head Girl Adam and Jaden. They have both made fantastic starts to representing Ely College. Most noticeably at the Year 6 parent roadshows, but in all sorts of other ways too, they lead by example and we couldn t be prouder of them in Franklin. We also have our House leaders Ellen Olley and Hannah Meek - who are doing a wonderful job of getting our student council together. Each form has a representative and I m pleased that we have the following students representing their forms: Ethan Saggers, Henry Olley, Harvey Caley, Nathaniel Hagan, Ben Goldsmith, Matt Slane, Robert Brown, Mercedes Martin, Seth Meek, James Lake and Sam Laws. I m also incredibly proud of all of our Sports Captains Jessie Poulter, Daniel Kendall, Josh Bowles, Jasmine Jackson, Rhys Cassam, Hayden Jones and Katherine Causton. It is fantastic to see Year 7s stepping up to the mark so quickly and confidently... They have done a brilliant job so far of ensuring that Franklin has been well represented at inter-house competitions. We had a great first PLEDGES Day recently and I m excited about the plans underway for our next one in December, focusing on our House charity Ward C9 Cancer Trust Unit at Addenbrookes. We are keen to make as much money as possible to help support the fantastic work that goes on there. There will be more information coming out about this nearer the time. I hope you all have a restful half term; our return brings us into November and we re looking forward to seeing what it has it store for us. Mrs S Kay Ms L Anderson Mrs C Price Assistant Principal Franklin Senior Tutor Franklin Student Support Assistant skay@elycollege.co.uk landerson@elycollege.co.uk cprice@elycollege.co.uk Page 21
Welcome to the Scott House Newsletter The first half of term can sometimes be viewed as a bit of a slog for students and staff alike, as the days draw in it can be a little foreboding as well. This half term in contrast appears to have flown by with so much going on, we have scarcely had time to draw breath. Students across Scott House have been involved in a wide variety of activities including the STEM day, Pledges day and numerous Sports activities. I would like to make a special mention to all of the Scott students who supported the College on Open Evening as well. You have done yourselves and the College proud. Well done! I know we are in last place in the House Achievement points table but we are looking to rectify that as soon as we can. We are meeting regularly with the Scott House Council and our House leaders, Eleanor Elsey and Oscar Barter (both S-BTH), to get student input on a range of issues from Pledges Day to Academic Mentoring. Academic Mentoring has taken place for Year 11 and has started for Year 8. As always, we would invite comment from parents. So please email me if you have a query or question about the process or about your child s progress in general jwaters@elycollege.co.uk Student recognition: Oscar Barter (S-BTH) for completing his leadership training for the St. Johns Ambulance Lewis Simper (S-ENO) for being invited on tour with the Cambridge United Academy Eleanor Elsey (S-BTH) for debating with Local MP Lucy Frazer If your son/daughter has done something that you feel should be celebrated on these pages, please do let me know and I will put in the next newsletter. A reminder to all our students: Respect all staff; that includes all teachers, (new and old), support staff, cover staff, the catering team, our site team, visitors etc. If instruction is given by any member of staff it is there for your benefit and to help you and others move forward with their education. Respect is a two-way thing and can and should be earned. However, we expect you to show respect at all times and to act upon the instruction given. My thanks go to all of my Tutors who have worked really hard this term, I believe we are seeing the benefits of the vertical tutoring system in action. It would not be possible without their support. Thank you to Deannah Coletti, our cover supervisor, who has been busy this term. A special thanks to Ms. Nikki Pritchett for all her hard work and support in the House office. As always we are incredibly lucky to have her in Scott House. Dr KJ Norton-Berry Mr J Waters Ms N Pritchett Assistant Principal Scott House Senior Tutor - Scott House Student Support Assistant Knorton-berry@elycollege.co.uk Jwaters@elycollege.co.uk npritchett@elycollege.co.uk Page 22
Welcome to the Turing House Newsletter It hardly seems possible that we are at the end of our first half term! Turing students had quite a surprise when they came back in September; the Bedford block was hardly recognisable. Even the Year 7s could see how different it was from the Open Evening and Taster Days they d had here. For those of us who have been here longer (and remember it as a science block) it was an even bigger change. We have new windows, lowered ceilings, efficient and effective lighting as well as freshly painted walls, new carpet and new furniture. Seeing our blazered students in the building just completed the picture! Given the excellent results achieved by the outgoing Year 11s, it is not an exaggeration to say that, with the uniform the results and the refurbishment, we couldn t have asked for a better start to the new academic year. The inter-house sporting fixtures have begun and Sports Captains have been busy galvanising students to represent their Houses in after college fixtures. This week our year 8 girls won the Netball competition well done, ladies! Pledges - Tutors have begun to report daily the number of students in their form who have completed their Bronze award. It is surprising, however, when speaking to students, how many of them are doing things in the community which would entitle them to awards but are not reporting it. Last time this was mentioned, a few parents let us know of achievements which would accrue pledge points and we would welcome any such information. If a student plays for a football team, swims for the county, dances in local productions or carries shopping for an elderly neighbour, we would like to know because students are often not forthcoming! When applying for sixth forms or for jobs, it will be an important part of any application to demonstrate that college was not just about academics but that awards were given for wide achievement. Parents and carers can look forward to receiving notification of the awards next half term. If you don t receive a letter, it would be worth a conversation! Many will now have met or spoken to Mrs Louise Youtzy, our new Student Support Assistant in Turing House who started in September. She can be reached on 01353 652876. At the end of last year our Senior Tutor joined the Dorset Walk for the second year. It is never too soon to start considering taking part next year. Read the account below. THE DORSET WALK - a view from the pack The Whales Walk is an annual fundraising and character-building event for the Malcolm Whales Foundation (MWF), a charity established by a former teacher Ely College when his father died of bowel cancer in 2008, aged only 55. The Dorset Walk, as it has become known, takes in 40 miles of the Jurassic Coast over three full days of off-road - sometimes cliff-edge - walking, from Weymouth to Studland Bay. What started with 30 students from the school in 2009 has grown in popularity, such that around 150 young people from a number of schools, including Ely students past and present, took part in July 2017, raising thousands of pounds to support other young people recovering from cancer. Pages 23, 24, 25
Sofia Gibbs (T-NBL) and her dad Ben have completed two Dorset Walks, the first in 2016, and again this year, just before the summer holidays. We asked them a few questions about the event, and to share their experiences: Why did you first get involved with the walk? SG: My dad told me about the walk in 2016 so we decided to do it. That year there weren t that many people, but as it was my first long walk, it still felt like a big event, and was a great challenge. It s a great cause with amazing people participating each year. You make friends with many people from other schools and backgrounds. Luckily for us, both years we have been, the weather has been amazing. Not a single drop of rain. I want to continue to do the walk for as long as I can. BG: I was a governor at the school a few years ago, and we were really pleased to be able to support the walk. Challenges like these, especially those which involve the need to raise money for a charity, are really good opportunities for different sorts of learning, out of the classroom. And I love walking, there was a fair chance of sunshine, and the fundraising was for such an important cause! What have been the highlights for you? SG: For me, the best bit is the amazing feeling when you get to the top of a big hill. It s also great on the first day, walking through Weymouth and talking to passers-by about what you re doing. I think everyone feels really proud to see everyone walking as one big group. And at the end of the last day there s a sprint finish on the beach, and afterwards you feel ecstatic. BG: There are many! During both walks, I ve enjoyed meeting representatives from the charities the MWF supports; the people who benefit from the money raised. It s also been a privilege to get to know the student walkers, and see some of them overcome their own personal challenges as the miles take their toll. And what s not to like about spending a sunny day walking by the sea? And what about the less enjoyable parts? SG: The less enjoyable parts are when you are so tired and achy but that s what makes it a challenge. It wouldn t be so fun if the camping facilities weren t nice but luckily, they are. Sometimes you want to give up but you have to remember that you re doing it for an amazing cause and that s what motivates you to carry on. BG: I m not a huge fan of campsites, and although the one we use is a good one with great facilities and loads of space between the noisy (and probably smelly) adolescent tents and the grumpy grown up tents, I d still swap it for any of the Inns which pass by so tantalisingly close along the route. Pages 23, 24, 25
What do you think you ve gained from taking part? SG: I have really enjoyed taking on the challenge of doing a 40 mile walk along the coastline. It can hurt at times but that s what makes you stronger. I ve gained some friendships too, including from other schools, and got to know some of my teachers better. BG: I ve loved the coastline, and am trying to convince my walking friends to join me to do the whole of the South Coast path at some stage soon. So I ve gained a new stomping ground. But more importantly, I ve gained a very healthy respect for the young people who take part in the challenge, and those who take part having battled cancer and who still carry the scars; physical and mental. What has been your proudest moment on the Walks? SG: My proudest moment was when me and my dad got to the top of the highest hill. The views from the top are really worth the effort. BG: Sofia won t thank me for this, but it s probably the fact that I have to keep up with her on the uphill stages rather than the other way round! Just how tough is it? SG: It is quite tough but still do-able. The thing that makes the difference is having a good pair of boots and enough food. It s good to do a bit of training but it s quite hard to train for hill walking in the fens. BG: I do a fair amount of mountain and long-distance walking, but was surprised on our first walk just how uppy and downy the Dorset coastline is. Although the really steep stretches are short, they are pretty hard going. But everyone supports one another, and most of the route is pretty easy going (provided you ve got a decent set of shoes or boots on). And what a fantastic way to earn Pledge Points! Mrs S Haworth Ms S Branch Ms L Youtzy Assistant Principal Turing Senior Tutor Turing Student Support Assistant shaworth@elycollege.co.uk sbranch@elycollege.co.uk lyoutzy@elycollege.co.uk Pages 23, 24, 25