Headteacher's Bulletin

As the sunshine emerges this Friday afternoon after a rainy week, we're feeling uplifted by the daffodils and the promise of spring. Our students' dedication, our teachers hard work and the diligence and dedication of all our support staff ensure that every student is growing and developing towards success.

Our Year 8 reading ambassadors have been leading the charge in world book week with Twickenham Park Academy, supporting the reading of Year 3 students. The enthusiasm from our Year 7 and Year 8 author assemblies also set the tone for our World Book Day on 7th March, celebrating our love for books. All staff and students are encouraged to come to school in fancy dress, dressed as their favourite book character. If they can bring a copy of the book as well - all the better. It promises to be a great day. There will be a £50 worth of book tokens to be won for the best costumes!

Year 6 school offers go out today and we eagerly await our new students in 2024, we already have a significant waiting list of 360 students.

Thanks to Year 9 parents for your participation in parents' evening although the attendance numbers were lower than we hoped, I don't think the weather helped, your involvement is key to our shared educational mission.

Just a reminder; no student should ever go hungry for lunch, our inclusion team provides lunch tickets for meals up to £2.52 if students do not have enough money on their account.

We wish to inform you of SAFE Day on March 4th, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at safeguarding all students in Richmond and Hounslow from Years 7-13. The project's aim is to provide substance awareness education. On this day, all students across the boroughs will engage in a 20-minute lesson during tutor time. This project, funded by public health, is in response to the tragic losses of young people in Richmond and Hounslow. To ensure the message extends beyond our classrooms, all parents and carers will receive a text message and an email with a link to a short film. This approach is designed to foster meaningful conversations at home about the day's learnings and the critical topic of substance misuse. The importance of these discussions cannot be overstated, as open dialogue between children and their parents/carers is a powerful preventive tool. Following SAFE Day, we'll send a reminder about a free online workshop for further information and support. Your cooperation is invaluable as we work together to protect and educate our children on this vital issue.

A reminder that the deadline for GCSE Options is Monday 4 March. All students have received a code direct to their student outlook account. Students can resubmit if they have changed their mind. If any student cannot access their code they should email Mr Grantham as a matter of urgency.

Some important information about Y11 exams here including the assembly presentation can be found with these links.

The Year 10 mock exams will now run from Monday 17 June to Friday 28 June. Due to adjustments to the exam timetable as a result of covid, the Year 10 mock exams were scheduled to fall extremely early this year. However, now that the threat of covid is substantially lower, it makes sense to ensure that all students have been taught a more substantial part of the curriculum before their mock exams begin. This will also mean more time for revision. Any student with an access arrangement will receive this provision during these exams. The new mock results day will be Monday 15 July.

Our Year 7 girls played Turing House this week, winning by a massive margin of 16-9! They played so well! We look forward to their next game.

All KS3 Core Exams – Maths, English, Science will take place in the sports hall with external invigilators between Tuesday 4 June and Thursday 13 June. This is so that students become increasingly familiar with the process of formal exams. All other exams will take place during normal lesson time between Tuesday 4 June and Friday 21 June. Some exams may be an online assessment, but this will be communicated closer to the time. All students will receive an assembly on revision techniques, along with a revision list for each subject and a personalised exam timetable after the Easter Holiday. Students will not receive access arrangements or teaching assistant support for KS3 exams. For any parents worried about this, please contact the SENCO. There may be days where students have multiple exams. Whilst we appreciate this could be a cause for concern, it also replicates what real GCSE exams are like and our goal is ultimately to prepare students for this eventuality. Finally, are aware that Hajj falls within this window, and wherever possible exams will not be scheduled on these days. Where that is unavoidable due to timetable constraints, appropriate alternative arrangements will be put in place.

The newest edition of TS Spotlight is available to read by clicking here. It covers the big step to ‘big’ school, our approach to the transition process and was written by Ms Thackeray, Assistant Headteacher & Head of Creative and Performing Arts

Actor and Author Joseph Elliot talked to the Year 7 and 8 students this week as part of our World Book Day activities. His enthusiasm for reading and writing captured the children’s imagination. Next week Year 9 will have a workshop with the author Sue Wallman whose book ‘I Know You Did It’ has gone viral on Tic Tok. Year 10 will have a workshop with the author Mike Ryan, who also is one of our dedicated teachers.

Don’t forget - World Book Day on the 7th March - Dress as your favourite book character and donate a book to our school library to earn house points.

Year 11 students had 2 very busy visits on AQA Geography River fieldwork in the River Tillingbourne in Surrey testing out Paper 3 hypotheses. Huge enthusiasm and learning despite the inclement heavy rain and the challenge of taking and putting back on muddy wellies. They are now doing their class write ups of the data collected and reaching their own conclusions.

The Friends of Twickenham School (PTA) are looking for volunteers to help run the rugby days parking at the school. The smooth running of the rugby parking is hugely important as it is the main way that the Friends of Twickenham School raise the vital funds that it needs to support the school and pupils. Sign up here

A fantastic set of results for the Year 9 and 10 Maths Master Learners. 5 Gold, 11 Silver and 4 Bronze metals from the challenge. Big congratulations to Vedayga and Sourayan who will compete in the Olympiad at the end of March.

The latest edition of the extra curricular timetable is now available here. We actively encourage all students to take part in at least one club a term.

Dates for the Diary

4 March - SAFE Day

7 March - World Book Day - Dress up as your favourite literary character

14 March - Y10 Parents Evening 16:00-19:00

18 April - Y8 Parents Evening 16:00-19:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Jonathon Lisseman

Headteacher

Twickenham School

Percy Road

Twickenham

TW2 6JW

0208 894 4503