Weekly information - Wednesday 18th September

Please join us to explore the fantastic opportunities in our Sixth Form at the Post 16 Open Evening on Thursday 17th October. To provide everybody with the opportunity to listen to the Director of Post 16, Mrs Spencer and her students, there will be two presentations this year at 6.30pm and 7.30pm. Free tickets will be available to book on Eventbrite to ensure that everybody has a seat available. Please ensure that you have booked one ticket per seat required https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/john-taylor-high-school-sixth-form-open-evening-presentations-tickets-73117760189 .  In addition to the presentations, you will be able to visit each department to discuss courses available, entry requirements and extra-curricular opportunities. If you have friends with children who are also looking at Post 16 institutions they are most welcome to attend also.

A reminder to all parents that the next PTA meeting and AGM will take place this Thursday, 19th September, starting at 7.00pm in the Training Centre.  Everyone welcome.

50_50_PTA_Letter_Sept_19.pdf

May we ask parents/guardians to be aware of a message that has been shared with all our pupils this week.

It is extremely important that students do not bring magnets into school under any circumstances. This includes magnet balls, as illustrated, which are currently very popular.

The reason for this is that a current student wears a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) which is a mechanical pump enabling their heart to maintain the pumping of blood around their body, ultimately preventing heart failure.  

Magnets can prevent the device from working and this would have serious consequences.

Medication

If your child has a medical condition that requires medication to be kept in the First Aid medicine cabinet , please print the “Student Medication Parental Agreement” form from the school website, complete and send in to school with the medication. We will not hold any medication in school without a signed agreement.

You should also inform the school immediately if your child’s medication changes or is discontinued, or the dose or administration method changes.

Care Plans

If your child has a medical condition that requires an Individual Health Care Plan, or an existing care plan needs updating, please contact the first aid department.

If your child already has a care plan this can be viewed on their Go4Schools dashboard.

If the Care Plan needs updating, either:

• Print out Care Plan from the Go4Schools dashboard, make any amendments required and return paper copy to First Aid or via email to [email protected]
• Request a new blank form from [email protected]

Crutches/Wheelchairs/Arm Casts/Slings

If your child will be coming into school on crutches, in a wheelchair or has an arm cast/sling please inform first aid at the earliest convenience. A risk assessment will need to be completed prior to your child’s return to school.

A decision has been made to allow students to wear smart patent school shoes. The uniform policy and guidance, available on the school website has been updated.

If you have a child at primary school you may want to take advantage of Aldi’s Kit for Schools promotion.

 Just visit: https://www.aldi.co.uk/kitforschools for more information.

At John Taylor High School the PE department offer a wide range of extra-curricular sports clubs. These included both recreational activities as well as team practice sessions. Please access the document below to see the current offer:

A reminder that BTEC Applied Science revision guides are available to purchase on Parentpay or by  cash (£8) from school.

GCSE FOOD PREPARATION & NUTRITION

**Upcoming information & deadlines**

NEA 1

15% of the GCSE

Theme: Raising Agents

How it's assessed.

Electronic report (1,500–2,000 words) including photographic evidence of the practical investigation.

DEADLINES.

Section A: Research (6 marks). Due 20.09.2019 by 3:40pm

NEA 1 investigations exam: 24.09.2019 9am-1:10pm

Section B: Investigations (15 marks) 18.10.2019 by 3:40pm

Section C: Analysis & Evaluation (9 marks) 25.10.2019 by 3:40pm

Pupils have been sent an email with regards to current information from the Joint Council  for Qualifications, which relates to their new and existing GCSE, BTEC, Cambridge National and GCE courses.  This is important information and can also be found on the John Taylor website underneath the Exams tab

GCSE Science revision guides

As you are aware, your child is now studying GCSE content in lessons. It is recommended that your child has a revision guide to support them with the GCSE Science content and to help them prepare for end of topic assessments throughout the year. There is an opportunity to purchase the following CGP revision guides at a discounted price on ParentPay available from today until 25^th September. Your child should be aware of which route they are following and only the relevant revision guides should be made avalible to you on parent pay.

This doesn’t mean that other revision guides aren’t suitable should your child prefer them. As long as they are accredited by AQA exam board and are for the correct science route (separate or combined) then it will be a useful resource.

Please note: The strict deadline for ordering will be Wednesday 25^th September.  We do not hold a stock of revision guides.  Once the deadline has passed, an order will be placed with our supplier, and distributed to students once they have arrived into school. 

Mrs S Abbott, (Assistant Curriculum Area Leader in Science)

PE KIT: Students who cannot take part in PE need a written and signed note from a parent or guardian to excuse them. They will still be expected to change into their kit and will receive a PE strike if they do not bring this. If at any point a student forgets kit for PE and can change, they will be expected to borrow kit and will still receive a PE strike.

If they have a serious injury and they physically cannot change because of a cast/support for example, this should be detailed in the letter from home and therefore no PE kit strike will be issued. 

Thank you.  PE DEPARTMENT

We've launched the Accelerated Reader scheme with our Y7 students this week in assembly.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the scheme, all Y7 students will be given a range to read within to help improve and challenge their reading.  Once they've finished reading a book, whether it's one from the LRC, the public library or one of their own books, they should log on to Accelerated Reader and complete a short quiz on that book.  Quizzing can be done in school, or from home up until 4:30 pm during the week and during school holidays.  

Students scoring 100% on their quizzes receive a house merit.  Two or more 100% scores in one week will be praised via a WOW email to parents.  We have also have a leaders and chasers board in school and a Y7 leader board for number of words read per form.  Our word millionaires will be treated to a rewards trip in July and Hot Chocolate with the Head.

We hope you will encourage your child to continue to enjoy their reading and talk with them about books they've read and would recommend to others.  Happy reading.

 Mrs Collier, LRC Manager

All Y7 form groups will receive a training session on Go4Schools and Unifrog.  The sessions will be held during morning registration on either 19th or 26th September.

The session will ensure pupils know how to access these platforms.  We would ask parents to please support the use of these at home.  Thank you.

A further reminder that this trip is compulsory for all Y7 students.  Many thanks to those parents who have already paid via ParentPay.  Would those who haven’t yet paid the £15 contribution towards the trip, please do so via ParentPay by Monday 23rd September.  Any queries, please contact Miss Bale, Head of Year 7.

Further information regarding the trip will be forwarded to parents in the near future.

Thank you for your support.  We’re sure it will be a great day!