Weekly Information - Friday 21st July 2023

Over 1000 students welcomed the return of our annual Careers Fair last Friday and it proved to be a huge success. With over 25 exhibitors and a good mix of employers and education and training providers showcasing their careers, it was fantastic to see all the students across all year groups interacting and encountering a memorable experience. It was a pleasure to welcome a variety and range of sectors to the careers fair providing information and opportunities for all our students.

It was also very pleasing to see former students willing to give up their time to return and offer advice and guidance. Some of our students already work in recruitment and are actively looking for their next apprentice.

The Fair allowed students to experience career guidance from across an incredible range of sectors. Pupils were briefed in advance on how to make the most of attending the Fair and put their Careers Fair Handbook, which included suggested questions, to good effect on the day. The exhibitors were impressed with the focused engagement.

‘It was great that students were so well prepared. I had so many interesting conversations and specific questions.’

We would like to thank the following providers for making this event so successful and we look forward to welcoming them (and more) back next year.

British Army, Burton and South Derbyshire College, Derby UTC, Nestle, Tara, Group, Alstom, Buttercups Training, Cardiff University, Chameleon School of Construction, Dains Accountants, Bangor University, Falmouth University, Juniper Training, Keele University, Luminate Careers Advice, Mors Smitt UK (Wabtec), Aberystwyth University, Norland Nannies, Rebecca Kellaghan (NHS Dentistry), Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Staffordshire Police, Burton Albion Community Trust and University Hospitals of Derby & Burton

Our objective for next year is to increase the number and variety of providers, therefore, if you would like to support this event in the future, please contact our Work-Related Learning Coordinator Miss Amy Spurrier [email protected].

During this year's annual Careers Fair, delegates were asked to nominate students who created the best first impression and asked the strongest questions. These students will receive a letter confirming their nominations next week. A summary of the feedback can be read below. I am sure you will agree that our students have clearly created a fantastic first impression and it is so nice to receive personal feedback.

"It was very clear from the start that Alex will make a great Dentist and he was knowledgeable about the industry. I would fully support his application and I have left my details with the Sixth Form team to provide additional support with mock interviews in the future". 

"Megan communicated very well with original questions that hadn't been provided by the school. Megan had a genuine interest in what we had to offer. She was a pleasure to talk to."

"Jenson and Georgie were excellent and asked some really interesting questions. They were a credit to the school and their families"

"Finn had a really interesting chat about the Fire Service and Careers. He is a credit to the school and his family! Please pass on my comments to him"

"Korbyn was very interested in an engineering role and asked a lot of astute questions. His inquisitive nature will serve him well in the future and he made an excellent first impression. He is a credit to John Taylor and his family"

"Ollie was very polite, asked lots of questions and seemed genuinely interested in a career in the Navy. It was lovely to meet him and he is a credit to his family"

"Jenson really impressed me as he was polite, asked some really strong questions and he was very knowledgeable about his next steps. He is a credit to his family"

"Sara was well presented, asked a range of questions and she was very knowledgeable about the different pathways. She made an excellent first impression and she is a credit to her family"

"Wyatt created a very good first impression. He was confident, asked articulate questions and was very knowledgeable about his next steps. He is a credit to his family."

"Annabelle really impressed me as she was polite, asked some really strong questions and was very knowledgeable about her next steps. She is a credit to her family"

"Ebony created a fantastic first impression. She is clearly very bright and intelligent. She communicated well and asked some great questions. She was well-mannered. Overall she is a very, very promising student"

"Tamsin created a fantastic first impression. She is clearly very bright and intelligent. She communicated well and asked some great questions. She was well-mannered. Overall she is a very, very promising student"

"Alex was a very mature and articulate young man. He asked some very good questions and was able to hold a conversation well. Overall, he is a credit to his school and family"

"Ihsaak was patient, polite and presented as a dedicated student. It was a pleasure speaking with Ihsaak about his future plans and I would like to wish him good luck for the future."

"Arwen was a pleasure to speak with. She demonstrated a level of maturity in her questions and communication that I appreciated. I am sure she has a great future ahead of her"

"Louie was reluctant to start a conversation initially, however, he soon overcome that to show he is a mature, responsible person with a great future ahead of him. It was lovely to converse with him and I would like to wish him good luck in the future"

"Tyler was a confident young man who engaged well with our recruitment team. He asked some excellent questions and he has aspirations to become an engineer in the future. He was a credit to the school and his family and we would like to wish him luck in the future."

"Safi created a great first impression. He asked a range of questions and not just the ones that the school had provided. He was interested and fully engaged. We would like to wish him good luck in the future and it was a pleasure talking to him about what our company can offer."

"Wilfred was really knowledgeable about our products and what goes into building our trains. It was a pleasure to talk to him about the opportunities that our company provides to its employees and we would like to wish him good luck in the future."

"Oscar showed a great interest in planes but he also still had lots of questions about what Alstom did and the different opportunities available. It was a pleasure to speak to him and he was a credit to the school and his family"

A great day was had by everyone!

Thank you for supporting the Work Shadowing Day for students in Year 7, 8 & 9. Work-based learning gives students invaluable insights into the world of work and helps to improve their confidence and organisational skills. The Work Shadowing Day provided students with an opportunity to explore their aspirations and therefore help to signpost them towards a positive and satisfying future. The skills learned in these encounters allow our students to become more self-aware which in turn leads to more self-determination to enjoy and achieve.

As part of this event, students were asked to submit an article or blog about their experience and what they found out about working in that industry. Your child's Tutor and Head of Year have thoroughly enjoyed reading about the wide range of opportunities that our students experienced or researched. 

We would like to share some of these with you below:

Well done to Isabelle, Wilfred, Lily, Amelie, Jacob and Lily.

Ofqual and UCAS have written to students (18th July) who will receive their results on 17 August 2023.

In the letter they outline important information about results this year, the amount of options available to them and what support is there to help them make informed decisions about their future.

A copy of the letter can be read below:

Dear student,

For those of you receiving your results this summer we know you might have questions about how your results are determined, results day, confirming offers and Clearing. Such as, what are your options on results day? What happens if you change your mind about your choices?

Here are a few things to remember:

• Your work is marked and graded by expert examiners. They do not know your name, which school or college you attended, or where in the country you live. Ofqual makes sure that the rules are the same for all students taking the same qualification.
• All students are assessed on the same basis and your grade is determined solely on your work. Whatever your results, you can be confident that it’s no harder or easier to achieve a particular grade in the same subject no matter which exam board’s GCSE or A level qualification you took.
• As you will have been aware from the time you began your course, this year GCSEs, AS and A level grading standards are returning to normal. There is, however, some grading protection built in to the overall national results (not at individual student level), because of the disruption students have faced. This protection won’t boost your marks by whole grades, but it will mean that the quality of work required to achieve a grade is ever so slightly lower than would have been needed before the pandemic (find out more in Ofqual’s grading blog).
• Awarding organisations are aware of the grading approach taken for GCSEs and A Levels and are taking an appropriate approach for each of their vocational and technical qualifications (such as T Levels, BTECs or Cambridge Technicals), given their different structures. For more information see Ofqual’s VTQ grading blog.
• If you don’t get your predicted grades, don’t worry, this happens very often. In 2019 only 21% of accepted applicants achieved or exceeded their predicted grades. Yet 86% of UK 18-year-olds applying to UCAS took up a higher education place. The number of university places available is not affected by the approach to grading. Universities understood what grades will look like overall this year and took this into account when making offers. They also look at the full range of information within the UCAS application, including the personal statement and reference. This year 89% of students have received and accepted an offer from their preferred university, up from 83% last year.
• Once you know your grades, Clearing offers you the chance to re-evaluate your choice regardless of whether you receive predicted, better or lower grades, and there will be thousands of courses available. Last year, 12,000 applicants who did not have a place on results day went on to be accepted onto a course in Clearing. You will also receive an email from UCAS tailored to you, which will clearly outline your next steps and other options you may want to consider.
• You will have plenty of choice for your next steps. Due to an increase in 18-year-olds in the population, there will be competition for higher education places again this year as more students seek to go to university or college – but be assured, there will be many options to choose from, whether exploring an undergraduate degree, thinking about an apprenticeship or employment. Take some time to thoroughly consider all your options – but be mindful that the most selective courses do get filled quickly.

Each year, UCAS supports almost 1.5 million students in making informed choices about their future. To get ahead, research your options well in advance of results day, speak directly to universities and colleges and use the range of personalised tools available on ucas.com to explore all available pathways, including apprenticeships, before making your final decision.

You can also listen to UCAS’ Streetview video series and Clearing Choices podcasts about all things to do with results day, and discover your personalised options in your UCAS account (UCAS Hub) so that you can take control of your future.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Jo Saxton, Chief Regulator, Ofqual

Clare Marchant, Chief Executive, UCAS

#CEOPSummerChallenge

This summer, the CEOP Summer Challenge helps parents and carers to talk more and learn together with their children, through #CEOPSummerChallenge. On Monday 24th July, we will be launching #CEOPSummerChallenge, six weeks of thematic challenges for parents and carers to complete with their children.

The challenge aims to support parents and carers to talk regularly with their children about being online and how to be safer. Each week, parents and carers can choose one challenge (or more if they wish!), from four options per age group, for ages 4 to 11 and 11+. Topics covered in the challenge will be:

Week 1: online security
Week 2: a balanced view of being online
Week 3: sharing photos online
Week 4: socialising online
Week 5: online videos
Week 6: online gaming

Parents and carers can follow the challenge on our Facebook (Click CEOP), where they can look out for posts every Monday.

Dear Parents/Carers,

Following the extended transition period, please be reminded that the new uniform and PE kit become compulsory for all students in Years 7- 11 from Wednesday 6th September 2023. 

Attached to this communication is the Uniform Policy and Guidance for your reference, this can also be accessed on the school website: 

Policies and Procedures - John Taylor High School (jths.co.uk) 

The John Taylor High School uniform plays a valuable role in contributing to the ethos of the school and sets an appropriate tone. It instils pride, supports positive behaviour and discipline, and encourages identity with the school. At John Taylor High School, we take pride in our identity as one community and expect all students to wear the full uniform, wear it appropriately and that this expectation will be supported by parents. Uniform can also be useful to protect children from social pressures to dress in a particular way. 

With this in mind, please ensure that uniform items purchased for September 2023 are in line with the linked Uniform Policy and Guidance. Uniform checks will commence from September and will remain a key feature in our school behaviour and expectations blueprint.  

The school has worked closely with our uniform providers, who are knowledgeable of the policy and guidance and can help you with uniform purchases. The uniform providers details can be found at the end of the policy and guidance attached. Most uniform items continue to be available at other retailers but must meet the requirements of the policy. If you are unsure of any items you are looking to purchase, you may wish to get in touch to prevent a need to replace inappropriate items.  Any current students in receipt of pupil premium funding can request financial support by emailing the appropriate school office.  

Wishing you all a restful summer.  

Yours sincerely 

Charlotte Crutchley 

Head of Lower School  

Assistant Headteacher 

• Thursday 17^th August – Year 13 pupils can collect their provisional statement of results between 8:00 – 12:00 from the main hall.
• Results will also be published on Go4Schools and will be available from 8:00.

• Thursday 24^th August – Year 11 pupils can collect their provisional statement of results between 8:00 – 12:00 from the main hall.
• Results will also be published on Go4School and will be available from 8:00.

• Pupils can nominate someone else to collect their results on their behalf by completing the Statement of Results Third Party Collection Form (link below)

https://johntaylorhigh.schoolzineplus.co.uk/_file/media/575/statement_of_results_third_party_collection.pdf  

If you would like to request a post-result service, such as requesting a copy of your exam script, a clerical recheck or a review of marking, please complete the Post-results consent from (link below) 

22_23_Summer_Post_results_Payment_and_Consent_Form.pdf

22_23_Summer_Post_results_Payment_and_Consent_Form _pdf 129.91 KB

Please return your post-result consent from to Miss Healy in the Data Hub, with full payment (in cash) by the deadline stated. Please see below for further information on the post-result services available, including key dates and fees for both GCE and GCSE post-result services.

The post-results services available to Year 13 are:

• Priority review of marking

This is the same as Review of Marking below but the review is conducted as a priority by the awarding body. This service is only available for GCE A-level qualifications       

• Clerical re-check

This Service will check

• that all parts of the script have been marked
• the totalling of marks
• the recording of marks

• Review of marking

This is a post-results review of the original marking to ensure that the mark scheme has been applied correctly. A marking error can occur because of:

• an administrative error
• failure to apply the mark scheme where a task has only a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer
• an unreasonable exercise of academic judgement

 Reviewers will not re-mark the script, they will only act to correct any errors identified in the original marking

• Access to script to support review of marking

Request a copy of marked examination script to support a Review of marking

• Access to script to support teaching and learning

If you would like to request a post-result service, such as requesting a copy of your exam script, a clerical recheck or a review of marking, please complete the Post-results consent from (link below) 

Please return your post-result consent from to Miss Healy in the Data Hub, with full payment (in cash) by the deadline stated. Please see below for further information on the post-result services available, including key dates and fees for both GCE and GCSE post-result services.

The post-results services available to Year 11 are: 

• Clerical re-check

This Service will check

• that all parts of the script have been marked
• the totalling of marks
• the recording of marks

• Review of marking

This is a post-results review of the original marking to ensure that the mark scheme has been applied correctly.

A marking error can occur because of:

• an administrative error
• failure to apply the mark scheme where a task has only a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer
• an unreasonable exercise of academic judgement

Reviewers will not re-mark the script, they will only act to correct any errors identified in the original marking

• Access to script to support review of marking

Request a copy of marked examination script to support a Review of marking

• Access to script to support teaching and learning

EXAM OFFICE WILL BE OPEN FOR POST RESULTS SERVICES AS FOLLOWS:

THURSDAY 17^TH AUGUST 2023 10:00 – 16:00

FRIDAY 18^TH AUGUST 2023 9:00 – 12:00

MONDAY 21^ST AUGUST 2023 9:00 – 14:30

TUESDAY 22^ND AUGUST 2023 9:00 – 14:30

WEDNESDAY 23^RD AUGUST 2023 CLOSED

THURSDAY 24^TH AUGUST 2023 10:00 – 16:00

FRIDAY 25^TH AUGUST 2023 9:00 – 13:00

 

The annual Alrewas Show took place on the 15^th July and we were delighted to be invited to submit some of our pupils work into the Art Exhibition.

We are very proud of our pupils who won prizes in the 2D category:

1^st prize: Alice R

2^nd prize: Ava B

Highly commended: Amelie R, Arwen G-G and Edie A

Prizes, certificates, and rosettes will be passed onto the winning pupils before the end of term.

We must also pass on huge congratulations to William N from Year 9 who won the top award in the exhibition: The ‘Promising Artist Award’.

Well done to all the pupils whose work was entered, and we look forward to next year’s show!

The next phase of the programme, Next Engineers Academy, is now open and is targeted at current year 10 students entering year 11 in September. 

General Electric Next Engineers Academy is a 3-year programme that is designed to help your students to become an engineer with design challenges and skill-building workshops. Sessions will take place outside of school hours (most likely Saturdays and school holidays) at Staffordshire University Stoke campus.  

We would love your students to become engineers! In fact, if they graduate from the Next Engineers: Staffordshire Engineering Academy and enter higher education for an engineering degree, they will receive approximately £8,000* in financial support for their studies. If they graduate from Next Engineers: Staffordshire Engineering Academy and commit to an engineering apprenticeship at any company in the U.K., they will receive approximately £1,300** to help fund their transportation, books, and supplies. 

Next Engineers Academy is now entering it's 3rd year and this is the last opportunity for students to apply. We are now taking bookings for assemblies with those students in year 10 who you feel would be most suitable for the programme anytime up until the end of this academic year. Students need to be predicted at least a level 5 in maths and be currently taking a science or design technology subject at school.  

Interested students will be sent further information and access to the application form when it is released in the next couple of weeks. Applications then need to be submitted by Friday, 8th September 2023 and we will work with the student and parents/guardians to ensure that the programme is the right fit for them.