Headteacher's Bulletin
10/11/2023 - Edition 7
Highlights of the Week
Welcome back to a new half term at Twickenham School! It's been fantastic to see our students quickly re-engaging with their learning and making impressive strides forward. A special mention to our sustainability team for their hard work in beautifying our school environment. They've been diligently clearing and planting winter shrubs beneath the trees in our playground, significantly enhancing our surroundings – thanks to Mr Tabron for leading the students in this.
This week has been particularly reflective as we talked about Remembrance Day. We've been thinking deeply about those affected by the horrifying conflicts worldwide and exploring ways to contribute to a more peaceful and harmonious world.
Anti-Bullying Week 13th -19th November
Throughout the week Anti-bullying sessions will take place during Tutor Time and other key events include:
- Odd Socks Day: On Monday 13th November we're having an 'Odd Socks Day' to celebrate what makes us all unique. Please encourage your child to participate by wearing the most outrageously odd socks and bring a £1 donation for the charity - Anti-bullying alliance .
- Charity Bake Sale: On Friday 17th November we're also hosting a charity bake sale in the auditorium at break time. All proceeds will go towards a this noble cause, so we encourage everyone to bring along some baked goodies and a small amount of money to buy them!
- Student Leadership Opportunity: Students will be encouraged to apply to become an Anti- bullying ambassador for the school. They will be given instructions on how to do so in this week's assemblies.
Notices
Paul Dix Parent Workshop: All parents are invited to join us on Thursday, 16th November from 5 pm to 6 pm in the Auditorium for an insightful workshop based on “When the Parents Change, Everything Changes". This session promises to be highly engaging and beneficial for our whole learning community.
Annie Musical Tickets: The school production of 'Annie' is just around the corner! Tickets for the shows on Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th November are available for purchase via sQuid. Don't miss out on this spectacular performance!
Year 8 - Reading Assessments - You may remember when students joined us in Year 7 we did baseline reading tests and these follow up tests are being run to assess progress. New Group Reading Test (NGRT) is a formative assessment that is used to assess a students’ level reading. Formative means that it does not count towards any final grade or result but is used to find out your child’s current reading age as compared to the national average and allow for identification of students who may benefit from interventions or from being stretched further. These will be held Monday -Wednesday.
Year 9 - Exact Assessments - This assessment consists of 5 components ● Word recognition ● Reading comprehension and reading speed ● Spelling ● Typing to dictation ● Handwriting to dictation. The results of these assessments will be used to determine if any students will need further support as they move forward into their GCSE examination years. Families will be informed if any student is deemed to require additional support. These will be held Monday -Wednesday.
Year 10 & 11 GCSE Physics Masterclass Saturday 25 November 10:00 — 1:00pm Online.
A free 3-hour masterclass that will be an intense workout to practise the physics concepts that students will need to get good grades in their GCSE exams. Please see GCSE Autumn Masterclass — Isaac Physics for more details and apply online by Thursday 23 November.
Junior Astro Challenge For our Year 9, 10, and 11 students, the National Junior Astro Challenge competition will be held on Friday, 17th November, from 3:10 pm to 4:10 pm in F51. This engaging quiz covers a wide range of astronomical knowledge and is a fantastic opportunity for our students. Certificates will be awarded. To participate, please see Ms Babalova, Head of Science, by Thursday, 16th November.
LAMDA Classes: We are proud to offer LAMDA qualifications to our Drama Master Learners and those interested in drama. Classes are held every Wednesday after school and cost £8.50 per week. For registration and payment, please contact Louder Drama directly at hello@louderdrama.com, mentioning 'Twickenham School'. More information is available at www.louderdrama.com.
Free Online Mental Health Advice for Families
Supporting the well being of children has never been so important. To assist parents in doing this, SSS have produced two resources to help families.
- Child Mental Health & Wellbeing - 10 Top Tips for Parents
- Parents' Mental Health & Wellbeing - 10 Top Tips for Parents
Dates for the Diary
· 13 Nov: Odd Socks Day for Anti-Bullying Week (£1 donation)
· 16 Nov: Paul Dix Workshop, 5 pm - 6 pm, Auditorium.
· 17 Nov: Charity Bake Sale, Break time, Auditorium.
· 17 Nov: Junior Astro Challenge, 3:10 pm - 4:10 pm, F51.
· 23 Nov: 'Annie' Musical, 6 pm, Drama Studio
· 24 Nov: 'Annie' Musical, 6 pm, Drama Studio
· 25 Nov: Year 10 & 11 GCSE Physics Masterclass, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, Online
Let's continue to embody our school motto: Aspire, Achieve, and Enjoy. I am incredibly proud of the progress we are making as a school community and look forward to another week of challenge, success, and learning.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.
Jonathon Lisseman
Headteacher
