Newsletters

NEWSLETTER 10 - 10 February 2023

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Dear Parents and Carers,

The last two weeks have seen a number of successes for our sports teams – well done! Although it is more about taking part and representing the school than the winning. It is great to see so many of our students involved.

It was wonderful to see so many parents attend our Supporting for Success evening last Thursday. We know that working in partnership is the best way to support your child, and we hope that the resources provided will kick-start some revision for their second set of Year 11 Mocks which start on Thursday 2nd March.

Whilst it might seem a long time off, Term dates for 2023/24 were agreed at the Board of Governors meeting this week and are now available on our website. Whilst these largely follow the term dates set by Wiltshire Local Authority for their maintained schools, as a community Academy we are free to determine our own dates, and there are some differences. To avoid our school year resuming on Friday 1st September and term 2 being 7 ½ weeks long or returning to school as early as 2nd January, the October half-term will only be 1 week long in 2023. Please do check the website for a printer friendly version of the term dates.

Despite this term being relatively short I know many staff members and students are feeling just as tired as they do after a long seven-week term. Whatever your plans for next week I do hope you find the time and space to relax and recharge.

Please remember that we have an INSET day on Monday 20th February, so school is closed to students (except Yr11 Geography students who are on their GCSE Field trip). I look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday 21st February.

Very best wishes

Mr M Woodville
Headteacher

 

 

 

 


Dates for the Diary

TERM 3 HOLIDAY
0:00am – 0:00am
From 13 Feb until 18 Feb
13
February
TD DAY
All Day
20
February
Year 11 Interviews
0:00am – 0:00am
21
February
Year 12 & 13 Mock Exams
0:00am – 0:00am
From 21 Feb until 01 Mar
21
February
Year 11 Interviews
0:00am – 0:00am
22
February
Yr8 Maths Careers Project
All Day
23
February
Year 11 Interviews
0:00am – 0:00am
23
February

Latest News

09 Feb 2023
Pancake Day - Tuesday 21 February 2023
Celebrating on Tuesday 21st February 2023
Read more
09 Feb 2023
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio and the Meningitis ACWY vaccinations delivered at school ​​​​​​​
Dear Parent/Guardians of Year 10 and 11 Students 
Read more


Dear Parent/Carer,

The School Aged Immunisation Team have now finished visiting all schools to deliver the nasal flu vaccination.  The flu season continues until the end of March, and we continue to see high levels of infection and hospital admissions as a result of the virus.  This year the vaccine is an excellent match to the circulating virus, and it remains of benefit to your child, their family, and the community in which they live, to receive the vaccination throughout the flu season.

If your child has not yet received the flu vaccination, and you would like them to be vaccinated, please use the link below to book into a community clinic in your area. https://schoolimms.hcrgcaregroup.com/flu/2022/bookbanes

If you have any queries or would like support, please contact our Immunisation SPA on 0300 247 0082 or email on vcl.immunisations@nhs.net


Singing Lessons

Are you interested in having singing lessons? The Music department has a new singing teacher starting next term.

If you are interested in having lessons or finding out more information then please email me. nmaguire@jogschool.org


Children's Mental Health Week

Year 8 tutor time session on Wednesday 8th February 2023

On Wednesday during tutor time, our Year 8 students focussed on the theme of making meaningful connections to support their mental health, as part of Children's Mental Health week.  Students took part in a range of activities including ...

  • looking at how to connect safely online
  • exploring the different ways we feel connected, or disconnected, and considering how we can make new connections
  • coping with disconnection and difference and helping the students to consider their own friendships and relationships

Our students were also shown an assembly on the above themes which we hope they found informative.

You may find the link below useful when supporting your child at home.

https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/families/

The Year 8 Team.


Ten Tors Trip to Dartmoor

On Friday 27th January we took 25 students down to Dartmoor for our first time (this year) of experiencing the terrain and hostile weather of Dartmoor. It didn't disappoint - on Friday night temperatures dropped to -3C and students were forced to quickly get their tents up and get into their sleeping bags to fend off the cold.

On Saturday, after a wonderful fry-up from Bill, the more experienced 45-mile and 55-mile teams set off unaided on a 20-mile route encompassing river crossings, marshes, the dreaded Dartmoor tussocks and a few snow and ice-covered military tracks thrown in for good measure. The 35-mile team broke into 2 groups (one group worked on navigation with Iain Richards and the other joined Mrs Brooks and myself for a 15-mile yomp up several tors. We all returned safely, enjoyed a freshly made chilli and most students (and staff!) were quiet and asleep by about 9pm. A few students struggled with injuries which unfortunately ruled them out of Sunday's hiking.

On Sunday the weather was a challenge, windy, cold and drizzly and visibility was very poor. Both groups had navigational difficulties which had to be corrected and despite the conditions it was an excellent learning day for both groups. Both groups managed to get double figure miles in on Sunday and overall the weekend went really well.

A huge thank you to volunteers Bill Smith and Iain Richards and of course Mrs Brooks too. We couldn't do this without you!

Please click here for some wonderful photos of the expedition.


Ed in Year 7 competed at the South West Cross Country Championships at Blaise Castle near Bristol. He did incredibly well running 2.440 km in 8.07. He came 48th out of 65. This means that he's the 48th fastest Yr 7 boy in the whole of the South West Region for XC. 

He came 8th in the team for Wiltshire. Which means if they were going to nationals he would have made the team, but seems like they don't hold nationals for Yr 7.

To come this far is just amazing! A massive well done to Ed, we are very proud of you.


The A Level Berlin Trip –  February 2023

I think I speak on behalf of all 20 students who attended the Berlin trip when I say it was an absolutely fantastic and enriching experience. Spending 4 nights in the heart of the city enabled us to experience German history and culture first-hand, supplementing our Democracy and Dictatorship A-Level module. Not only did we go to visit the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, which was simultaneously chilling and insightful into the realities of the Nazi regime, but we also went to countless memorials and museums throughout our trip, both celebrating the lives of Holocaust victims and highlighting the horrors of their persecutors. 

Our tour around the city included visits to organisations such as the Topographie does Terrors, the Museum of German Resistance to Nazism, and the Wannsee House - the location at which the orchestration of the Holocaust itself took place. Furthermore, a guided tour took us around the most famous sites in Berlin; the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and of course, the Berlin Wall, to name a few. Not to mention that throughout the trip, we enjoyed lots of lovely meals, bowling, and incredibly efficient public transport!

Unfortunately, Mr Gray didn’t quite beat his bird-watching record of 43, but did manage an impressive 41! Overall, the Berlin trip 2023 was an incredible experience - it immersed us A-Level History students in the realities of what we had only experienced through textbooks.

A massive thank you to Mrs Addecott and Mr Gray is in order, who not only put huge amounts of time and effort into the trip, but who used their expertise, natural curiosity, and hilarious company to make the experience just that much more fun and valuable to us all!

Ruby Taylor - Year 13

Please click here for more photographs of what our Year 13 students experienced.


Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase

by Jonathan Stroud

When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .

For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.

Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead, she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.

Set in a city stalked by spectres, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again . . .

Shamelessly using the brand-new Netflix series of these books to ‘relaunch’ them in the library. Delighted the books will bring into the spotlight, they are fantastic and a fab mix of fantasy, horror, mystery and the paranormal, everything that most of our students like! It’s the sort of book that’ll keep you reading well into the night….but you’ll want to keep your light on….

Happy Reading!

Mrs Bruton




Announcing a new after-school club on Tuesdays called “The Island” held at the Holy Trinity Church Centre on the island roundabout near Trowbridge railway station. 

It’s for Years 7-11 between 3pm and 4.45pm where you can get free drinks and snacks, play games including table tennis, on Xbox and board games. 

It’s a place where you can just chat with friends or shelter from horrid weather before going home.  See the above for more details and how to register.  Also, speak to Mr Heard in DT if you want more information.




Do you have a student aged 13 or over who is interested in radio presenting and production?  If you do, Warminster Community Radio are running a production and presenting course at their studios at the Civic Centre in Warminster from Wednesday 22 February from 7pm to 9pm.  No fee is charged, but they do require you to become a member at a cost of £15 per annum.  If you are interested, please email management@wcrfm.org.uk