TAHS Weekly Newsletter.
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School Lottery
On Monday our first PTA meeting took place. We always welcome new members and we don’t expect everyone to be able to attend every meeting. All meetings take place at 7pm in the school staffroom. If you would like to join us at any future meeting the dates are:
Headteacher blog
We are looking forward to welcoming guests to our Year 9 open evening on 2nd October and to our Year 12 open evening on 8th October. Thank you to all students who have offered to be guides and speakers for the evening.
If you know anyone who has a child in Year 8 or Year 11, who may not be aware of our open evening, please share these dates with them.
This year, we welcomed 10 students from other local schools into our sixth form. They have settled in quickly and suggested that we ask all members of the community to spread the word about what is on offer Post 16.
We are passionate to provide a broad curriculum for our community and the greater the size of the sixth form the broader the range of subjects we are able to offer. If you are prepared to help us promote the school that would be much appreciated.
Assemblies: 30th of September
Assemblies: w/b 8th of October
Mr Hulme will be leading assemblies on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday on the theme of ‘ ‘Truth’ which is the theme for National Poetry Day
Wednesday will be an extended assembly for year 9 only lead by CACH.
Thought(s) for the Week
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
― Mark Twain
“The truth.” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.” J. K. Rowling
I would like to say a big thank you to all those who were able to attended our Year 12 information evening. We feel that it was a huge success and that the information we provided will enable you to guide and support your child through Year 12 and 13. If you were unable to make it then I have sent the power point on Insight as well as attaching it to this document. I wish that we had taken a photograph on the evening but as all of the Sixth Form Team were presenting we were unable to do so.
Again I would like to mention female uniform. There are still some girls that are wearing the wrong dress/skirt to school. It needs to be of a suitable length, nearer the knee than they currently are, they must not be skin tight and they must be a suitable pattern for school. Please can you support us with this.
Over the next few weeks we have various events running at school in the evenings and have asked for volunteers to help. All Senior Prefects should be attending these events, we need Year 12 to be volunteering too. These are the type of events that teachers need support, we can give information about the content and expectations but the students can help explain the courses from their point of view. It is Year 9 Open Evening on Tuesday 2nd October from 6.30-8pm and Sixth Form Open Evening on Tuesday 8th October from 6.30 – 9.30pm. You can help us by asking your child to volunteer but also spread the word about these events.
Today our assembly was about Fairtrade and the importance of it, it resonated with our students as it made them consider about where their product originates from and how ethically they are produced. I would like to think that this will enable them to make more informed choices in the future.
Young Leaders in Service Award
We were delighted to present even more certificates for community service to our Y13 students. Representatives from Uttoxeter Lions attended an assembly to further promote this exciting opportunity for our students to work towards an internationally recognised award. Last year, our students gave 3,200 hours of service to the community which is a massive achievement.
Both Y12 and Y13 can take part. Please see Mrs Bell for further information and get involved!
TAHS Open Evening
Open Evening for Students in Year 8 – 2nd October 2019
We are pleased to invite Year 8 students and their parents to visit Thomas Alleyne’s on 2nd October from 6.30pm – 9.00pm for our Open Evening. This will be an opportunity for you to meet staff and students and visit classrooms and our excellent facilities. We were thrilled that once again our students achieved outstanding results at GCSE and A level this year.
As we have large numbers of parents and students attending the evening, the 30 minute introductory talk by Mrs Rudge and senior staff is delivered on 2 separate occasions. Firstly at 6.30pm and then at 7.30pm. If the talk is already underway when you arrive, please take the opportunity to tour the school first. Our Sixth Form students will be on hand to answer your questions and offer directions.
All teaching staff will be present during the evening to give you the opportunity to meet with them and discuss individual curriculum area work. During this time please feel free to ask teaching staff or members of the senior team any questions you may have.
We realise that this is a busy evening and would like to ensure you have had all your questions answered. Therefore Mrs Rudge will also be offering a smaller, less formal opportunity, to meet with her at your middle school following the open evening. Your sons and daughters are also welcome to attend.
The dates for these events are:
3.40pm Thursday 3rd October – Ryecroft
3.40pm Tuesday 15th October – Oldfields.
3.45 pm Tuesday 22nd October – Windsor Park.
Alternatively, you cannot gain a better picture of the school other than seeing it during a school day. As well as joining us on the Open Evening, if any parents would like to join Mrs Rudge on a tour of the school during Open Week, she will be running sessions on Monday 14th, Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th October at 9.00am. Please telephone our office to book in. Parking is available at the Maltings car park on these days.
An Inspector Calls
There are a very small number of places available on this trip, if you are interested in a place for your child, please email Mr Hollins in the library for a letter.
Year 9 Talk the Talk
On 15th – 17th October, students at Thomas Alleyne’s High School will work with expert trainers from the education charity Talk The Talk.
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 25,000 students in the past twelve months in England and Wales and nearly 80,000 since we first started – using a programme developed over the past six years.
Talk About Communication is an 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.
Pastoral Students of the Week
Pastoral students of the week this week are the ones getting their houses off to a flying start in the credits competition: Sam Archer, Lizzie Shaw, Grace Ingram and Harriet Ekins. Well done!
Sports News
PE clubs next week
Monday – Lifesaving club 3:05-4:15
Tuesday – Girls Football Club 3:05-4:15, U15 football A v Kingsmead County Cup
Wednesday – U14 & U16 Netball at Cheadle 3:05-4:30, Girls rugby club 3:05 – 4:30, U18 Football practice
Thursday – Climbing Club 3:05-4:15, U16 football H v ST Margaret Ward, U14 and U15 v Moorside A
Friday – Badminton Club 3:05- 4:15
Science News
This week’s Science Students of the Week selected by Mrs Evans are:
Year 9
Joe Hall and Abigail Rolf for making an excellent start to Chemistry.
Year 10
Isabel Punchard and Freya Staley for consistently working above target.
Year 11
Evie Latham and Lewis Taylor for excellent first test scores.
Year 12
Aaron Gwynne and Vicky Catterall for making an excellent start to A Level Chemistry.
Year 13
Emily Barton and Laura Simister for commitment to Chemistry studies.
Well done!
INSET DATE OCTOBER 25th & Half Term
Please note that Friday 25th October is an INSET date for staff. The school reopens again for students on Monday 4th November, with half term from Monday 28th October to Friday 1st November.
Coaching for Success
We are very proud of the 24 students who completed the coaching for success course this week. They survived a tough two days in which external coaches from GRIT challenged their attitudes and approaches to everyday situations. They have now been matched up with coaches from within school who will work with them on a regular basis over the school year. The aim is to enable them to achieve their potentials in every aspects of their lives. Both the coaches and students are looking forward to a productive relationship.
Student Council
The first student council meeting of this academic year took place this week and it was great to see so many new members. This year’s student council leader is Ellie Roobottom in year 11 and her first meeting was very lively with many students bursting with ideas and concerns about what the focus of the council should be this year.
These included looking at our school site from toilets to windows, basketball courts to litter bins, looking at rules and procedures from equipment checks to chewing gum, looking at the canteen and the seating areas around school. The group decided their priorities to focus on this year should be to look at the definition of “individuality” in the school aims, non uniform days, contributing to the assembly programme, looking at heating in classrooms and water dispensers and starting with how we can reduce the use of plastic in school.
Our next meeting is scheduled for the 11th November and we are hoping to be joined by some members of Uttoxeter Town Council. If you would like to join us let your form teacher know and if you would like anything raised within the council look for any student wearing the School Council Badge.
Advice for parents/carers from Young Minds
Smoking and Vaping
Could we please remind all members of our school community that Thomas Alleyne’s is a smoke free site. This includes both cigarettes and vaping/e-cigarettes.
The law states,”You must be 18 or over to purchase e-cigarettes or e-liquids in the UK. This legislation came in to force on 1st October 2015 following government policy change. At the same time, it also became illegal for an adult to buy e-cigarettes for someone under the age of 18.”
Therefore if any students are caught in possession of a vape or cigarettes, these will be confiscated and cannot be returned. This is explained in our behaviour policy.
Links
Thomas Alleyne's high school 