TAHS Weekly Newsletter.
This week we have so many familiar faces returning for face to face sessions. Mrs Dodd and I have been able to chat with so many as we welcomed them through the school gates and into their classrooms. We know that all the strategies we have put in place is helping to reassure those that may have entered the school with anxieties! Having that two and half hours in front of their class teacher is so valuable as we have not seen any of them, other than on live lessons, since 20th March.
In order to further support them further we are encouraging all Year12 students to log into Unifrog and start working towards completing their competencies and lastly they will need to have started writing their personal statements. All of support needed is on the Unifrog platform which they all have access to!
Full details are in this document:
Mrs Walton has sent a message and link to all Yr 12 students via Insight regarding nominations for Senior Prefects 2020/2021.
‘Please put forward your nominations of upto four students from current Yr 12, who in your opinion would be most suitable for the following positions of responsibility.
The Senior Prefect role includes representing the school and the Sixth Form at certain functions, supervising and monitoring prefects on duty, coordinating leavers/day/Hoodies/Book, organising fundraising activities, being or organising guides for visitors to the school, representing the school during open evenings, liaising with the Head and Deputy Heads of Sixth Form amongst other leadership roles.
You cannot nominate yourself!
The deadline for Yr 12 students to submit their responses is Wednesday 24th June.’
All students who are successful will be part of our Student Leadership Team and will be required to fulfil specific duties throughout Year 13.
Derby University Information
https://www.derby.ac.uk/open-days/
Year 8 Transition
I hope that you have all had time to watch our Transition presentation this week. If you haven’t then I have added the link for you to click on.
It is 28 minutes long, if you would like to skip through the Heads of House until you see yours then that is fine.
As well as the presentation we have been working on the teaching sets over the last few weeks. We hope to get these letters out to you by the end of the next two weeks.
Next week I will be sending an assembly to the Middle School so that they can forward it on to you, this will allow your child to be able to participate in some PSHCE activities.
Please visit your Middle School Website for further information on how you can purchase your child’s school uniform.
| Week Commencing | Event |
| 14/06/2020 | Pastoral Transition Presentation |
| 22/06/2020 | Mrs Rudge Assembly |
| 22/06/2020 | 4 week programme of LORIC Assemblies sent by Mrs Young |
| 29/06/2020 | Mr Godwin SEN Presentation |
| 06/07/2020 | Head of House Assembly |
| 06/07/2020 | Two day timetable of lessons |
| 06/07/2020 | Mrs Rudge Assembly 07/07/2020 |
To complete our introductions we have Miss Jones and Miss Arbery.
Miss Jones is our Head of House for Whitmore and Miss Arbery is our Student Support Assistant for Whitmore.
Hello, I’m Miss Jones and I am Head of Whitmore House. I teach Physical Education and have worked at Thomas Alleyne’s since 2004. In Whitmore we have an experienced team of form tutors working with myself and Miss Arbery. The pastoral team will be working closely to ensure that both you and your parents have lots of support during transition and all your way through school life. I am looking forward to meeting you all
Hi, I am Miss Arbery and I am the student support assistant for Whitmore House. I started at Thomas Alleyne’s in September 2019 and during my first year I have been made to feel very much a part of the TAHS community and I hope that you will feel a part of it too.
As part of the pastoral team my job is to make sure you enjoy your time at TAHS and provide support when you need it. Most of the time you will find me in the Whitmore office working alongside Miss Jones. The Whitmore office door is always open, if you need a chat, 5 mins to yourself or have any issues. Parents/carer’s I am also at the end of the phone or an email if you need anything.
Have a lovely summer and I very much look forward to meeting you all soon as you begin your journey at Thomas Alleyne’s.
There is no doubt that this year’s transition will different but we are working to ensure that we meet the needs of all students. We will keep you informed of activities and events, let you know when we will be sending communication and endeavour for your child to know who their Head of House, Student Support Assistant and in time who their Form Tutor will be. At this time, we cannot guarantee that your child will meet their pastoral support team in person before the end of this academic year, but we will ensure that they will have the opportunity to put a face to a name and listen to their team and how we can support them.
We are working collaboratively with your Middle School to ensure that we know as much about your son or daughter as possible, that we answer all the queries that come to us and that we help to make all the Year 8 students feel part of the Thomas Alleyne’s community.
If you have a query about the transition process at Alleyne’s then please contact me on younge@tahs.net.
Learning at Home
Home support page on the school website
Located at www.thomasalleynes.uk click on “Teaching & Learning ” Top menu, then click on “Home Learning” left side menu
quick link.
http://www.thomasalleynes.uk/page/?title=HOME+LEARNING&pid=209
Additionally, you can contact our IT support team directly by sending an email to schoolitsupport@tahs.net requests for username information and password resets can be sent to this email address or other IT questions.
English Students of the Week
We were absolutely delighted to welcome Year Ten back to English lessons this week. You worked really well and it was lovely to see you so enthusiastic about returning. We look forward to seeing the rest of you over the coming weeks.
Science News
This week’s Science and Animal Care Students of the Week have been selected by Mrs North.
Year 9 Science
Hannah, Eloise and Finlay have been chosen for excellent commitment to their Biology studies.
Year 10 Animal Care
James and Luke have been chosen for fantastic coursework on Animal Accommodation.
Year 11 Science
Evie, Caitlyn, and Kerys have been chosen for their excellent bridging work in preparation for the Forensic Science course.
Well done!
Elkes News
It’s been a busy week for our year 10 students and staff getting back into school. Teaching English, I feel lucky to have been able to spend time with one of my year 10 groups, as well as seeing so many other students coming in for their face-to-face sessions, and am not mentioning exclusively Elkes pupils, as everyone I’ve seen has taken to the changes really well and deserves recognition for their approach. It’s been a lot for them to take in, with site changes, social distancing, hand sanitising posts, one-way systems and so on, but everyone I’ve worked with has taken to the differences with maturity and resilience, and the sense of enjoyment of spending time with their classmates was clear. We reflected on how each of us has been getting on since March, and talked about how best to manage our work and wellbeing both in school and remotely from now on. No doubt the year 9s will follow in their footsteps when we’re allowed, but I’m already looking forward to seeing 10U3 next week!
Mr Parker
Orme News
This week I have been reflecting on the fact that whilst many of our students are starting to find a little more normality with their return or impending return to school and lessons, many are still experiencing much of their teaching, socialization or just life in general through a virtual format. I can understand how frustrating it must feel to have to continue working in this way and that motivation can be difficult to maintain when it seems like the most impressive achievement of the week was removing the “are you still watching” alert from Netflix, (which pops up rather judgmentally asking if you’re still plonked on your couch like a koala after a particularly heavy meal) or maybe just making sure you aren’t caught wearing the same clothes for three zoom/teams meetings in a row. I do however think it’s important sometimes to pause and recognize how much you have all achieved in this time. To adapt to a very new way of education in such a short space of time and produce the consistency of work I have seen is very impressive.
To those students still waiting to return, or frustrated at the not yet having a clear idea of return, think back over what you have already accomplished and what enabled you to achieve so much, staying connected and keeping structure in my day have certainly been the only way I could have managed to keep focused and productive during this time. As we continue to develop resources, ways of working and connecting as a school community I would ask that you all have some patience with yourself, it may seem strange to ask this but whilst we are able to be patient with the situation around us it is easy to forget that we should be giving that time and allowance to find our feet in this way of working.
I want to finish by mentioning a few students from Orme who have consistently shown this patience and resolve to their work over the last few weeks; Joseph, Ella, Thomas, Lara, Milly, Eloise and Benjamin. I could fill this page with names of students that have impressed me with their resolve and commitment to continuing to progress and work. Well done to all of you in Orme house for staying patient and keeping connected.
Torrance News
Both last week and this week in the RESPECT programme, we have been focusing on Healthy Routines. I know, from speaking to many parents and students themselves, that routine is something that many of us have struggled with over the last few months. Whether your alarm clock has ended up being set for slightly later each day, or PE with Joe that you started off with so well is now just a different memory, I think there are many people who would agree that keeping in a good routine during lockdown has not been an easy task. I hope that as you reflect on your own routines through the RESPECT work over these two weeks, that you find it useful to help you formulate a plan for getting back into a better routine if you need it. Remember to set yourself achievable goals, be proud of yourself if you achieve them, but resolve to try again tomorrow if one day doesn’t work out as you planned.
As always, me and Mrs Collier are really proud of our students and are enjoying hearing from you. We are only at the end of an email if you need us: wrightl@tahs.net and collier@tahs.net
Whitmore
This week I have enjoyed the routine of working in the key worker school Monday to Wednesday and remotely on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday I attended a virtual meeting with the Burton and Uttoxeter Schools Mental Health Support Team. They spoke a lot about anxiety for both staff and students as we return slowly to a new normal. My favourite graphic from the presentation is below.
If you need any support please email jones@tahs.net and arbery@tahs.net
Mental Health
Burton and Uttoxeter Mental Health Support Team in Schools have launched social media pages on facebook and twitter
https://www.facebook.com/BurtonUttoxMHST/?ref=py_c
https://twitter.com/burtonuttoxmhst?lang=en
The team are still open and taking on new referrals! The team are all working remotely and we are carrying out sessions over video and phone. We work with children and young people to deliver low intensity therapy sessions based on CBT. If you feel that your child would benefit from this service, please get in touch with your Head of House.
PE Department
Students have continued to do a range of physical activities including a range of challenges we have set on insight.
With the slight relaxing of lockdown it has been great to hear of students engaging in socially distanced football with each other and cricket bubbles starting up.
Reminder BTEC work and resources for Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 are on Microsoft Teams. Well done to Year 11 and 9 students who are completing bridging work for their courses in preparation for September. We have also received some excellent coursework pieces from Year 10 and 12.
While you have a little more time available why not get a qualification to benefit you in the long run – see the links below for free Football and
Cricket Courses available online.
http://www.thefa.com/learning/courses/fa-playmaker
https://www.ecb.co.uk/be-involved/officials/find-a-course/scorers-count
https://booking.ecb.co.uk/c/express/911c7453-1d2a-45d1-9ab3-6ccd86e666b8
https://booking.ecb.co.uk/c/express/f34d46f4-afe5-4459-94d7-4ab66ab0235c
From Saturday National School Sport Week begins virtually! Students have been sent information on insight.
National School Sport Week at Home: Thomas Alleyne’s High School backs campaign to ensure no child misses out
Thomas Alleyne’s High School is preparing to join the Youth Sport Trust and Sky Sports to help young people and families up and down the country engage in a week of virtual sporting challenges.
With young people set to miss out on a school sport day this summer, the Youth Sport Trust’s annual National School Sport Week campaign is this year being opened up to parents and families and reinvented as National School Sport Week at Home.
Taking place from 20 to 26 June 2020, the UK-wide campaign will give families, communities, schools and sports clubs the chance to capture the enjoyment, competition and camaraderie they have been missing out on during weeks of school closures and social distancing.
Thomas Alleyne’s High School will be taking part in the week by sending out information on how you can take part and challenge yourself at home!
Miss Arrowsmith said:
In previous years National School Sport Week has seen thousands of schools join in a week-long celebration of school sport and Physical Education, and their important role enhancing young people’s wellbeing.
This year, Sky Sports has teamed up with the Youth Sport Trust to supercharge the campaign, helping to inspire families across the country to take part. This builds on a long-term relationship between the broadcaster and charity.
Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive Ali Oliver said:
“The Youth Sport Trust is thrilled to see supporters like Thomas Alleyne’s High School backing National School Sport Week at Home to ensure no child misses out on their school sports day this summer.
“Right now, young people are missing their friends and missing the sense of connection they get through sport. Sport has such a crucial role to play in promoting young people’s wellbeing and this has never been more apparent than it is now. After weeks of isolation we hope that YST National School Sport Week at Home 2020 can help bring families, communities, schools and sports clubs back together.”
Anyone can register to take part and will receive videos and activity cards to help them plan a series of challenges across the week for their families, neighbours, friends or colleagues.
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Year 9 Into Business – The Apprentice Challenge
We would like to say a massive well done the year 9 students who have started the bridging activities for GCSE business.
They were asked to research their target market and design a brand of ready meals. The quality of the work so far has been exceptional. We would like to say well done to all of you who have submitted and here are some examples of their work!
Florence W, Luke N, Bertie I , Grace I, Katie B, Sylvia S, Luke C, Jed F, Joseph H, Harry B, Lucy O, Finlay T, Georgie F, Holly A and Amelia C
We look forward to seeing more of you submitting your fantastic ideas!
Well done!
New Life Outdoors
Our six new pigs on the farm, out for the first time and are loving it.
Links
Thomas Alleyne's high school 