Bedrock – May

Apologies for the brief *hiatus*in your monthly word delivery: I’m sure it was an *ordeal* not having the update….We remain as *dedicated* as ever to lifting our students’ vocabulary in *increments* until it’s consistently out of the *ordinary*. We don’t want students to be *discreet* or *temperate* in their vocab usage, and *solitary* examples of practice will not embed learning, so keep practicing!

As we enter the final term of Year 9, we’d love to see as many Bedrock points as possible. This brilliant system is only used in Year 9, but the benefits of regular practice and vocabulary building will be felt through Years 10 and 11 and beyond.

Bedrock Stars: April

April’s Bedrock stars are:

Katarzyna T (a whopping 232 points in April!)

Caitlin J (138)

Dylan R (118)

Credits and English Department treats are on their way to these three students.

Rotary Club success

You may remember a few Roundups ago, we mentioned that we had entered 20 students into the Uttoxeter Rotary club competition. We are pleased to reveal that 4 of our students were awarded prizes, including cash awards.

Intermediate age group:

– Oscar S was awarded 3rd place

Senior age group:

– Aminah K was awarded 3rd place

– Evie H was awarded 2nd place

– Evie N was awarded 1st place, and will have her entry forwarded to the West Midlands round. 

We highlighted Evie’s story and Oscar’s poem in a previous Roundup, and they’re included here again. Evie’s story focuses on the effect of family conflict, and how challenging it can be to find “Peace” when your family is in turmoil. Oscar’s poem explores how to define peace, using some stunning imagery.

Evie: It’s quiet here. Sometimes too quiet. You know what would make it better? Your ridiculous piano playing. There is a piano in our new house: it’s like it was made for you. Mum cried when she first saw it, but she plays daily now. I taught her the first song you learned: I think she believes it will bring you closer, so I don’t discourage it.

Oscar: 

Peace.

It chooses when to come to us;

finds us in the quiet moments.

Peace is the first breath of a deep sleep,

respect from your elders,

the velvet caress of a blanket.

All students who entered will receive a certificate from the Rotary Club, and Evie’s story will be forwarded to the regional finals: good luck, Evie!

Revision sessions – English

Revision sessions in English are running every Tuesday and Thursday: all are welcome!

Revision Tip

Literature – open your anthology at a random page. If it’s a power and conflict poem, map out or write as many comparisons between the poem you’ve selected and another poem of your choice (just one). Think meanings, methods, and poets’ message.

If you’ve opened it at a poem from the other cluster, treat it as an unseen. How can you analyse the poet’s meanings and methods? What are they trying to achieve, and how do they do it? Think about tone and topic, looking particularly at verbs and adjectives, but also pronouns and imagery.