TAHS Weekly Newsletter.
This week has been successful with our Year 13 and 12 students focused on learning, not only in lessons but also the new systems we have implemented around the school.
Students in both year groups do not need to be on the school site if they do not have a timetabled lesson. If the student does choose to stay on site then there are venues which they can use to study. The Common Room and Study Room are available all day. These areas are set out like classrooms, as per the guidance we have received, which means that the students will be facing forward whilst they are in there. They can access the wooden gym, this also is only available to Sixth Form students. Period 3 they can use the canteen, the Theatre and Ede Studio as lower school will all be classrooms. We hope that you can reiterate the importance of your child following all guidance that we have introduced.
We have ensured that all Sixth Form students are able to purchase food and hot drinks whilst maintaining their bubble. When they are on break and lunch Room 65 is open for hot and cold food. This is a great opportunity and the food will be cheaper than similar food that they could purchase from shops in town.
If your child chooses to leave the school site during a non-taught session then please can you ensure that they understand the importance of social distancing and the purpose of wearing masks. This will not only support the school but also the local community.
As stated previously we are not expecting students to wear suit jackets as part of the current school uniform, notice will be given for when this will change, however we must impress upon them the importance of following all other aspects of the school uniform policy. For ladies they must wear a skirt of a suitble length for school, a blouse, smart jumper and shoes or boots. These are not part of the uniform policy; trainers or pumps, short tight skirts, ‘pleather’ skirts, jeans, t-shirts and hoodies or jumper dresses. Gentlemen can wear smart trousers, shirt, tie, jumper (no obvious branded logo) and shoes or boots. As with the ladies unifom, these are not part of our uniform policy; trainers, hoodies and jeans. Please support us by talking with your child about expectations around school uniform.
Year 13 students should now have ensured that they have updated their Unifrog information with their new academic teachers, this will enable their class teachers to write their subject reference and their form tutor to complete their part of the academic reference. This can be done by logging on to Unifrog and follow the instructions.
All Year 13 students should now have sent their form tutor a copy of their personal statements, this applies to all students including those that have already decided they are choosing another path Post-18. Their form tutor will read this and return it using Unifrog with feedback and amendments.
UCAS is open for applications for competative course such as medicine, dentistry and vetinary and OxBridge applications should also be submitted soon as the deadline for this is only a few weeks away.
Year 12 are currently in their induction phase and teachers are being asked to assess them on certain areas inculding; punctuality, homework, Sixth Form 7 and bridging work. This information will be collated and will be communicated with you.
Over the upcoming weeks I will be providing information on Unifrog for parents which will offer help and support on how to access and navigate this virtual platform.
SKILLS SESSIONS
All Y12 and Y13 students have 3 ‘Skills’ sessions on their 4 week timetable as part of their 6th form pastoral programme. It is essential that they complete this work regarding social, emotional and general health plus citizenship which forms part of their 6th form agreement and our duty of care. Powerpoints and workbooks can be downloaded from Insight or Teams. Any queries, please contact Mrs Dodd or Mrs Bell. The theme of this weeks Skills session was emotional well being.
Office 365 & Insight
More details are to be provided in school but as a reminder all students have office365 accounts and staff are using the teams app contained within for class and homework.
Access via office.com
login: schoolusername@tahs.net eg smithdavid09@tahs.net
Password: as per school login
Insight: thomasalleynes.org
login is the same as the school network
A guide with videos are contained within this presentation and this will be backed up in school.
Pastoral Round Up
A huge well done to students this week for completing their first full week with the new systems in place. We appreciate, particularly for our Year 10 and upwards students, that there has been a lot to get used to and I would like to thank them for acting so responsibly this week. To our Year 9 students you seem to be getting to know the site well now and I hope that you are starting to feel part of the Thomas Alleyne Community.
Elkes News
Having seen most of our students back this week, I’ve been really pleased and impressed at how many have adapted to the changes and systems in place, helping new students find their way, working with us on social distancing and mask wearing, and getting back into good habits in lessons. Hearing from students and parents about the ways our students have coped and in some cases flourished during the pandemic is refreshing and reassuring, and I wanted to give particular mentions to Garrard W, Xanthe, Alfie A and Hannah C (not all Elkes students!) for getting involved in tremendous initiatives like local food banks, youth groups, businesses and family support during recent months, all of whom are great examples of what makes our community so special. I hope you’re all enjoying being back with us, and if we can do anything to make the coming weeks easier, just let us know.
Mr Parker
Whitmore
A busy and tiring first full week back in school. It is always a shock to the system following the summer holidays. It was good to see all of the Whitmore students in with their form tutors on Thursday afternoon for the skills session. Also to see the exotic animals in 10W1’s form room which is based on the farm. The vast majority of our students have made a good impression and have been awarded credits and it was nice to share that information with form groups and put some faces to names.
Miss Jones
Orme News
As we come to the end of our second week back at school and back in face to face lessons I have been reflecting on how the new beginning of a school year brings with it the end of summer, it has been particularly enjoyable this week to see our school community within their year groups enjoying the social time around the school building, the good weather has only added to this as we have been able to enjoy this communal time in outdoor spaces.
As next week also marks the Great British Beach Clean I was reminded how well our students look after the school environment, the privilege of enjoying a clean and pleasant space between periods of work really helps me to maintain a positive and productive attitude, I will let you know how this holds up when grey skies and rain arrive.
I hope that you all take the weekend as an opportunity to further recharge away from daily pressures, I will be heading away from the often-gloomy skies above Stoke on Trent to recharge this weekend and am reminded of some slightly pretentious but certainly relevant lines from Shelly,
“Away, away, from men and towns,
To the wild wood and the downs, —
To the silent wilderness,
Where the soul need not repress its music.”
I hope that Orme students and the rest of the school also enjoy the weekend in your own “silent wilderness” and return on Monday recharged and productive.
Mr Brassington
Contact us on Brassington@tahs.net or Moore@tahs.net
Links
Thomas Alleyne's high school 