Thought for the Week

Dates for your diary

4th October 6.30pm Year 9 Open Evening TAHS

10th October Year 12 Open Evening TAHS

17th October Year 5 Open Evening Ryecroft Middle School

18th October Year 5 Open Evening Windsor Park Middle School

19th October Year 5 Open Evening Oldfields Middle School

19th October TAHS SEN parents evening

Head Teacher’s Blog

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Enrollment for Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award is now open. Forms and information letters can be found in the homework section on Insight.

Year 9 Talk the Talk

On 2nd,3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th October Year 9 students at Thomas Alleyne’s High School will work with expert trainers from the education charity Talk The Talk. The company will work with 2 groups on each day. Each group will be based in a separate room.
Talk The Talk’s mission is to improve students’ communication skills to enable positive interaction in all life situations.

Talk The Talk has trained over 12,000 Year 9 & 10 students in the past twelve months in England and Wales and nearly 50,000 since we first started – using a programme developed over the past five years.

This exciting and engaging master-class in essential speaking and listening skills within a creative classroom environment teaches students how to use persuasive language techniques to get ‘their message’ across. The day highlights and nurtures employability skills, interview techniques and key presentation skills. Via numerous speaking opportunities, students are coached and supported throughout the day to deliver a structured two-minute presentation, on a topic for which they have a genuine passion, to their peers.

There is no doubt that grades open the door to opportunity for our students. But when they walk through that door – it is a completely different set of skills. We are striving to ensure that all young people are suitably equipped with the essential tools and skills to communicate confidently in a variety of situations – both within school and in their lives beyond.

Young people are reluctant to stand up and speak out. They are reticent in voicing their thoughts and opinions due to the fear of being wrong or being ridiculed by their peers. One of the keys to the success of the Talk The Talk programme is breaking down these barriers by creating an environment of mutual respect with a supportive ethos within the classroom. When students stand up and voice their opinions, share their thoughts and present their ideas – they are applauded by their peers and congratulated by their workshop leader and school staff alike. We demonstrate that speaking out is not a ‘life or death’ experience – but one that we CAN do – and one that is no way near as daunting as we might think.

Richard Hull – Director – Talk The Talk

“The evidence points very persuasively to a highly successful intervention, in particular for shy and reticent students, helping to increase their skills and confidence.”
Professor John Macbeath – Cambridge University

“There is overwhelming support for the effectiveness of the Talk The Talk project…”
NET – National Education Trust

Student Teachers?

It has been excellent to see year 12 students leading the learning at the start of lessons just four weeks into their A Level studies.  Well done to a number of students in a range of subjects who are contributing to student leadership across the school.

Numeracy Problem

Complete the problem below, bring your completed answer to your maths teacher.

Parents/guardians – ask the students how they would go about answering this question, although there is only the one answer, there different ways to get to it.

Next week we are holding our Year 12 Parents Induction Evening on Thursday 5th October at 6.30pm in the theatre. The 6th Form team find it very beneficial to meet the parents in this informal environment. During the presentation, Mrs Dodd will be explaining the educational process and the pastoral support that is available to Year 12 students over the next two years. The focus of the presentation is to address issues raised by parents. This will be an opportunity for you to get an insight into life in our 6th Form, the expectations that we have of our students and for us to answer any queries that you may have. Primarily this is a parental event, students may attend, but most of the information I will cover formed part of their Year 12 induction. We look forward to seeing you there.

This week in form we have been pushing the urgency of Year 13 students to be working on their personal statements in preparation for their upcoming application to University, Apprenticeships or the world of work. I would hope that you continue with these conversations over the weekend and upcoming week. This will allow all staff involved to be able to spend time supporting them which should enable them to complete them sooner rather than later. The deadline for the UCAS application process is the week before Christmas. All teaching staff are currently inputting their tutor and subject references, which are also required to support the application.

The assembly this week, led by Mrs Dodd, was about making the days count from now until the end of the academic year for Year 12 and Year 13. All students have already had 90 hours teaching at school and there are 124 days left until Year 13 leave. It is important that all students make use of their time in school, as it is all valuable. We expect students to be in school from 8.40 until 3.05, we do not expect students to be wandering into town during their non-contact periods as we expect them to utilise break and lunchtime for this. We encourage all students to be using their non-contacts to complete work outside of the lesson, this can be super-curricular activities, wider reading, homework and also further research on their chosen subjects. We will be carrying out spot checks to ensure that this is happening.

We have also asked in any Year 12, who have ambitions of being a Senior Prefect, would like to volunteer on Wednesday 4th October at the Year 9 Open Evening. I’m sure many of remember looking round the school and we want our new Year 9 students to have a feel for the ethos and vibe of the school and our 6th Formers really help us to achieve a positive outcome.

ICT & Computing

This week the students of class 10B Animal Care had a thoroughly enjoyable lesson on how to worm and then halter-train lambs.  The experience was made memorable by some of the lambs being very stubborn indeed and requiring plenty of gentle persuasion!  The purpose of the activity was to train young handlers and select suitable lamb side-kicks in preparation for the Staffordshire Winter Show at the Staffordshire County Showground later this year.

This week’s Science Students of the Week selected by Mrs Faizey are:

Year 9

Summer Hibberd and Dylon James for making a very good start in Chemistry

Year 10

Molly Coxon-Pinney and Isaac Pattinson-Lycett for making a superb effort in every lesson

Year 11

Jordan Elcock and Sophie Howe for persistent effort in Science

This week’s Year 11 Environmental Land Based Science Students of the Week selected by Mr Gilson are:

George Whitehurst and Hayden Hatton for continued effort and attending coursework catch-up sessions to finish their coursework

This week’s Year 10 Animal Care Students of the Week also selected by Mr Gilson are:

Lorten Fleming and Rachel Spence for excellence inside and outside the class room

Well done!

 

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News from PE

U14 football v Cheadle

On Thursday evening Thomas Alleynes yr9 boys began their high school football career. On a lovely warm evening the boys were able to go through a long warm up to prepare as they waited for their opponents. The first game for us is always challenging as our opposition schools have been playing together since yr7. The 2 teams were evenly matched and played some good football. Cheadles tactics were more direct and their long balls held up in the lush turf to create goals with indecision at the back for Alleynes. Jed Brunt who was given the honour of captaining the side scored a sublime goal with his left foot curling the ball past the outstretched keeper. George Twigge then prodded home from a Callum Stockbridge strike. Final score Thomas Alleynes 2 Cheadle 3.

Man of the match- Callum Stockbridge
Team Whitehead, Hooker-Myles, Ball, Evans, Van Hoek, Stockbridge, Jakes, Kenny, Mangon, Brunt, Hocking, Cope, Twigge, Fountain, Clarkson.

Year 10 Football

Last Thursday saw the year 10 football team have their first outing of the new season.  A familiar team lined up against a well organise De Ferrers side.  The game was a well fought contest with De Ferrers coming out on top with a 3-2 win.   The next game is a home fixture against Westwood on Tuesday 3rd October.

Year 11 Football

Thursday night saw the year 11 team open their campaign of the new season against Cheadle High School.  Led by Archie Whitehead, in central midfield the boys made an excellent to the game.  Some very good football led to the first goal with Jay Ratcliffe scoring after a number of well played passes.  Alleyne’s second goal came very soon after, with right back Brad Cope, player of the first half scoring from a deflected shot.  The first half saw the team in total control of the game.  Unfortunately the second half did not have the same result.  starting sprightly Alleyne’s were awarded a penalty thanks to the dramatics of Robbie Minshall.  Whitehead step forward to take the spot but missed!  From that moment on Cheadle took heart from the miss and began to dominate the game.  Alleyene’s dropped deeper and deeper into their half and conceded to quick goals.  A third goal for Cheadle struck with 10 minutes to go was too much for the battling year 11’s. despite a change in formation the score remained at 3-2 at the final whistle.  Next game is away to Pingle on Tuesday 3rd October

Leadership

Big thanks to Joe Lobosco, Josh Owen and Owen Carrington for refereeing school football this week.

Fixtures – Team Lists linked below

Year 10 boys Rugby have their first match of the season on Wednesday 4th October at home to John Taylor 4pm Kick Off.

Year 11 boys have a County Cup Rugby match on Tuesday 3rd October at home to Westwood team below- Kick off 3.30

Girls Rugby practice is on Thursday after school, new players welcome.

Don’t miss our school quiz night

6th October. £20 for a table – up to 6 people on a table.

Tickets from school reception or a member of the PTA team or simply contact Ella at halle@thomasalleynes.uk.

Tickets selling fast!

History

Geography Musings

News From Art

After school art club is being used by all years to develop their skills, complete homework and refine their coursework.

Great to see year 9 and the new year 10’s hard at work. We have awesome students who work very hard- keep going everyone! (see photos of our students at work). Art Club is available to 4pm Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs and Friday- check with your teacher when they/ other art staff are available. Although we love to see eager students, please can we remind you students should not be staying behind after school without supervision.

Year 11- Dates for Diary

Very shortly, in November, the Year 11’s will be undertaking a 10 hour mock exam for their Art GCSE. This will be undertaken under strict Controlled conditions in the art rooms (no phones, no talking etc). This will give them an understanding of what they can/can’t do in the time allocated and the amount of preparation required for sucessful exam, in addition, the work done will also be supporting their art coursework.
Mr Robinson’s Class Mock Exam: Monday 20th and Tues 21st November in the Gallery
Mrs Derby’s Class Mock Exam: Monday 20th and Tues 21st November in the

Art Exam Parents Evening and on 9th January 2018 6pm Ede Studio

In preparation for the GCSE Art Externally Set Task (exam) we will be first releasing the exam papers at the Art Exam Parents Evening and on 9th January 2018 6:00-6:30pm in the Ede Studio. We will have exams from previous years on display and talking about the assessment objectives that students will be expected to cover as this is the first year of the New Specification. Students and their parents should attend if possible, letters will be sent closer to the date.

6th Form Art/Photo Visits to Botanical Gardens and Calke Abbey

Our A Level Art /Photography students have spent 2 days out at Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Calke Abbey this week. Providing much need inspiration from the exhibits, artifacts and locations. the work created on the days will be used as part of their coursework development over the next few weeks. We will post more images in next wees newsletter

Art Dept Instagram

We regularly update the school Facebook and twitter feeds with images of students work- but also if you wish to see just the art dept images, feel free to follow
tahs.art

Old Art/Photo Work Collection Date

Old year 13 Fine Art/Photography/Applied Art and year 11 GCSE work can be collected on Wednesday 11th October 2017 between 3:30-5:30pm as previously noted. Mr Robinson and Mrs Derby will be around to help

However, Old Y11 Art GCSE work can now ALSO be collected on TUEDAY 17th October 2017 3:30-5:30pm Mrs Cornell will be available.

If you cannot come in person to collect your work, please send a note with a family member or friend to collect on your behalf.

Please note that some work will be retained by the Art Department for the impressive displays in the art rooms and around school. Also the AQA exam board may have requested examples too.

Any work NOT collected or on display will be disposed of- Don’t miss out!

A Warm Welcome

We would like to welcome Mr Beeley to TAHS who will be working in the History and Geography departments. Mr Beeley is an experienced Humanities teacher who we look forward to working with for the rest of the year.

Pastoral team – Students of the week

Links