Weekly information - Thursday 13th February 2020
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All - Cashless Catering Consent Form
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All - Message from Staffordshire Safeguarding
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All - Message from the Head Teacher regarding School Values
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All - Bugsy Malone rehearsals during February half term
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All - Safer Internet Day Resources
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All - Volunteers needed for Employability Skills Workshop.
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All - Aerosols
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All - Travelling to school by car
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Y7 Parents Evening - 3rd March 2020
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Y7 - Religious Studies Field Study Visit to Coventry Cathedral March 2020
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Y7 - Maths Test
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Y7 - World Book Day
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Y8 - PGL Trip
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Y10 - Health Roadshow information for Parents
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Y10/11/12/13 - Health Roadshow
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Y11 - Exam Preparation (including Easter Revision Programme)
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Y11 - GCSE English Revision
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Y11 - GCSE Food Prep & Nutrition deadlines
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Y12 Apprenticeship & Higher Education Evening
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Y12 - University Taster Days (Oxbridge candidates)
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Y13 - Pickerings Solicitor Apprenticeship Scheme
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Y7 - Y10 Uniform Feedback
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Y11 & Y12 Uniform Feedback
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All - Snow Closure Procedure
As a school, our preferred method for students to pay for items in the canteen is to use a biometric facility (their fingerprint) as this eliminates the need for them to carry cash or remember a PIN code and is the most secure method for them to pay for items in school. We need written consent from a parent/guardian to store your child’s biometric information and we are currently reviewing our records to ensure they are up to date regarding parental consent. Once given, consent will apply throughout your child’s time at John Taylor High School but can be withdrawn at any time in writing.
We would like a parent/guardian to complete the online form for each student using this link https://johntaylorhigh.schoolzineplus.co.uk/form/20 before half term (Friday 14th February) please to indicate whether or not you consent to your child using the biometric system, even if you have previously signed a paper form for this. We require a form to be submitted for every student.
Kind regards,
Mr J Twynham
Deputy Head of School
We have been made aware this morning by one of the high schools in Staffordshire that there is a concern regarding Instagram and a bogus modelling agency grooming children.
West Midlands Police have advised that students at a number of Secondary schools in our area have been contacted by a bogus modelling agency called Starlett or Scarlett Bookings Agency. Initially they request photos of the child in their favourite outfit, then a bikini shot and finally they ask for a naked photo so that they can analyse their body type coupled with threats if they are not forthcoming.
Please ensure you are aware of what your child is accessing via Instagram and we strongly advise parents to check their child’s mobile phone and social media accounts.
As previously shared in the end of Autumn term letter, you will be aware that we are currently reviewing our whole school Vision, Mission and Values. There have been working groups made up from students, staff and governors who have been working on this since September 2019. We would like to provide parents the opportunity to engage and contribute to the core values element.
We have created a Microsoft form which shares potential key values which have been suggested from the working groups. If you wish to contribute, please click on the link to the form below and choose which you feel are the 3 most important key values for our school community at this time.
The deadline is the end of the school day on Friday 21st February.
Regards
Mrs K Cochrane
Head of School
Full cast rehearsals for Bugsy Malone are scheduled for Wednesday 19th February and Sunday 23rd February (during the half term holiday). Both rehearsals will take place from 9.30am - 3,30pm in the school hall. Please encourage your child to attend if at all possible.
Safer Internet Day is Tuesday 11th February. Please find attached materials to support this year’s campaign.
On the 2nd March 2020, our Year 10 and 12 students will take part in employability skills interviews as part of their Careers Programme at John Taylor High School. This is a vital step in our students journey towards employment and this for many, will be their first ever interview with a professional. The aim is for all students to gain an insight into how they should prepare for an interview as well as conduct themselves during the process.
With over 300 students to interview, we need lots of people to interview the students and for that reason we would like to invite parents and friends of the school to volunteer their services for the day.
The interviews will take place in the training centre from 9.30 am until 3.40 pm with a break for refreshments at 11.10 am and lunch at 1.10 pm. Tea, coffee, biscuits and a buffet lunch will of course be provided for all those who volunteer on the day.
We would be delighted if you could join us for the whole day however if you cannot attend for the whole day then we would be more than happy to welcome for either the morning or the afternoon if preferred.
Please contact me via my email [email protected] if you would like to volunteer.
Kind regards
Mr C. Knight
Please could all parents and students be reminded that aerosols are not permitted to be brought into school. Students who bring deodorant to school are reminded that they must be of the roll-on variety.
Please could we ask parents and carers to be mindful of other road users when dropping their children off or collecting them from school? We would also ask that children are not dropped off by car within the school grounds but arrangements are made to do this at a safe place away from school.
A reminder that the car park in front of Barton Library is for the use of library patrons only. We have been made aware that it is being used by some sixth form students during the day, and at the start and end of the school day by some parents, making it inaccessible to library users. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Year 7 Parents Evening is scheduled for Tuesday 3rd March 2020. Your child will be given a paper booking sheet by their form tutor which they will then use to book 5 minute appointment slots with each member of staff. Please make sure your child knows what times are convenient for you to attend. It is advisable to leave 5 minute gaps between each appointment to ensure you can move between different rooms.
Please could all parents pay and consent for the RS trip to Coventry Cathedral using Parent Pay as soon as possible (deadline Fri. 22nd Feb). Please see attached letter for further information regarding this trip and when your child will be going.
Kind regards, Mrs Walker.
All Year 7 students will have a maths test in their lesson on Monday 2nd March. They have been provided with a revision list by their teachers to assist them in preparing for this.
World Book Day is fast approaching and we are looking forward to seeing as many of our Y7 students and staff dressed in book character costumes to help us celebrate the day.
Y7s will be having a slightly earlier lunch on 5 March, to enable them to participate in a wide range of book related games and competitions to mark the day. We will have a number of our older students acting as World Book Day Ambassadors, also in costume, to help Y7s with our celebrations. There will be prizes for the best costumes in each house and an overall winner in Y7, plus the best staff costume and our best World Book Day Ambassador costume.
We look forward to working with our students to celebrate this important day in the book calendar.
Many thanks for your support.
A reminder to all parents of students attending the PGL trip to Boreatton Park in July 2020. Please ensure medical forms are completed and returned to either Miss Sears or Miss Simnett by the 14th February. Additionally the second payment for this trip needs to paid via parent pay by 20th February. If there are any issues please contact Miss Simnett or Miss Sears via e-mail – [email protected] or [email protected]. Thank you.
Year 10 Students will be taking part in the Health Roadshow organised collaboratively between John Taylor High School, Patient Partnership Groups and Surgeries from Alrewas, Yoxall and Barton. The Health Roadshow will complement the PSHE Curriculum in school covering topics related to Drugs, Consent, Bereavement and Healthy Living. Year 10 students will be informed by their tutors whether they are taking part in the workshops on Wednesday 26th February or Thursday 27th February.
As part of the organised event for Year 10 Students, we are also offering students in Upper School and Sixth Form the opportunity to visit stands during lunchtime on Wednesday 26th February or Thursday 27th February. Presenting stands include St Giles Hospice, SARAC, Burton Albion Community Trust, YMCA, First Aid (CPR), Sepsis awareness and more.
Wednesday 26th February- Year 11 and Year 13 Students
Thursday 27th February- Year 10 and Year 12 Students
Please encourage your child/ children to attend on their specified date.
As we near the exams there are a number of important initiatives for you to be informed of.
Lunchtime and after school revision sessions
Many of our subjects are now offering lunchtime and after school revision sessions. More will start after half term. As with the Easter programme, not all subjects will feel it necessary to offer these sessions. It must be reinforced that any revision session offered in school should be considered as an added extra; the bulk of revision will always be completed independently by students outside of school time
If students have questions about these sessions, they should see their subject teachers. Some students will be invited specifically to attend certain sessions. This is because their teacher believes that they would really benefit from attending. Please support us in encouraging them to attend.
The current revision timetable can be viewed below:
We will be running a programme of Easter revision sessions for selected subjects. Those that choose not to do one will be completing sufficient amounts of exam preparation during their curriculum time. We will be publishing the timetable for this after half term.
Revision Incentive Scheme
Students are now able to collect 'Revision Incentive Scheme' card from the Upper School Office. Every time they attend a lunchtime, after school or holiday revision session they will collect a staff signature to confirm their attendance. If they complete the card, they can exchange it for a reward of their choice.
'Study Hall'
After half term we will be offering students the opportunity to study with friends in the LRC after school. We have offered this 'study hall' in previous years and it has proved very popular and very productive. Not only does it mean they can access resources within the LRC, including the computers, they are able to create study groups with friends which research shows can be a productive method to include as part of their revision programme. The 'study hall' will finish at 4.30pm and be held on a Tuesday and a Thursday evening in the LRC.
Online Revision resources
As a reminder, please remember that all students have access to both Century Tech and GCSEPod which are valuable online resources to support revision. Many students also use free online resources such as Seneca Learning and BBC Bitesize. Please consider asking your son or daughter to show you how these work and encourage them to think about using them.
Top tip - Revision timetable
Many students have created and been using revision timetables for a number of weeks. However, we are aware that many have not! The first step to creating an effective revision programme is to ensure their weekly revision time is efficiently planned. This ensures appropriate coverage of all subjects. Ask your son or daughter to share their plan with you. If they do not have one, then consider taking time to create one with them. The document below is an example of how you could organise this:
Year 11 are now beginning a detailed programme of revision for their English Language and Literature exams. Students will also have a series of mock exams on their literature texts over the next term.
Please refer to the schedule attached for details.
***GCSE FOOD PREPARATION & NUTRITION****
NEA 2: British Cuisines
35% of your GCSE
Deadlines
Section A: 15.11.2019
Section B: 13.12.2019
Section C: 17.01.2019
Section D: 24.01.2020
Section E: 14.02.2020
Dear Parents and Carers
Year 12 Apprenticeship and Higher Education Evening February 26th 5.45pm to 8.00pm.
The Apprenticeship and Higher Education evening is an important event to support Year 12 students' Post 18 applications and we strongly recommend that all parents and students attend. It will take place on Wednesday February 26th, 5.45pm to 8.00pm. The evening will start in the Hall at 5.45pm and workshops will commence at 6.00pm, 6.30pm, 7.00pm and 7.30pm and will last approximately 20-25 minutes.
Please select 4 workshops from the following list by completing a short survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JTHSHEApprenticeship before Thursday 13th February. If you have not considered the apprenticeship route, I strongly recommend that you select at least one of the workshops on this pathway to explore this further before you rule it out.
- Using Unifrog to research apprenticeship and university opportunities. This is a practical workshop and parents will be provided with a login for this software during the evening. For further details visit www.unifrog.org.uk.
- Learning about Degree Apprenticeships first hand from a recent graduate on the Nestle Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship - Elizabeth Hendon
- Exploring Apprenticeships and learn from the experiences of a first-year Legal Apprentice
- The University Central Admissions Service (UCAS) and choosing a university/course
- Writing a Competitive Personal Statement
- Introduction to Student Finance – Delivered by Loughborough University
- Supporting your child in applying to Oxford or Cambridge University.
Once you have selected your preferred workshops, a timetable for the evening will be e-mailed to you and a copy will be provided on arrival.
The Sixth Form Team look forward to working with you on this evening.
Applicatons are currently open for the Sidney Sussex College (Cambridge) subject taster days. These target Year 12 students who are interested in applying to either Oxford or Cambridge Universties. Please see the information below for further details. If any students choose to apply, please let Mr Brackstone know.
Sidney Sussex Yr12 Subject Taster Days 2020
Applications now Open
Dear all,
Applications are now open for the Sidney Sussex Subject Taster Days, which will be happening in March 2020.
If you have students in year 12 thinking of applying to Oxbridge or other selective universities to study any of the subjects listed below, then we would be really grateful if you could pass the information along to them so they can consider attending.
This year we are running Taster Days in:
- Physics, Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Taster Day (Saturday 21 March)
- Modern/Medieval Languages; Human, Social & Political Studies; Law; English Literature (Saturday 28 March)
Taster Days offer students a snapshot of what it is like to study a subject they’re interested in at the University of Cambridge. On these days you will get to meet current undergraduate students to find out what college life is like, and you will attend academic sessions delivered by our academics and sessions geared towards applications delivered by our admissions team. Days will last from 10:00 to 15:00, and, aside from travel costs, the day is free to attend with lunch provided to attendants.
Applications for these are open until the beginning of March, and students just need to fill out the application form on our website to register.
PICKERINGS SOLICITORS
SOLICITOR APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME
Pickerings Solicitors is a leading law firm within the Midlands area and provides a comprehensive legal service for business clients and private individuals. We operate from one office, which located on the outskirts of Tamworth. From here we serve clients throughout the Midlands and beyond.
We are delighted to announce that, for the first time, we are offering a Solicitor Apprenticeship Scheme starting from September 2020. This Scheme will suit academically able and highly motivated school leavers who wish to qualify as a solicitor but would prefer to combine study with on-the-job training.
The Scheme will run for six years, at which point the successful apprentice will qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. All study fees will be funded by the Company.
It is a combination of work and self-study; four days per week in the workplace and one day per week study leave. The study element will be run in conjunction with the University of Law in Birmingham and during the process the apprentice will gain a law degree. It is by no means an easy option since additional self-study will be required.
This Scheme has the advantage of allowing the apprentice to qualify without incurring student debt as they are earning throughout the process. The other major advantage is that the apprentice gains practical on-the-job experience and skills throughout the process.
The minimum academic requirement for applicants is as follows:
3 x A Levels, or equivalent (grade C or above), excluding Critical Thinking and General Studies. One of these A Levels must be in an essay-based subject since an excellent command of written and spoken English is essential; and
8 x GCSEs or equivalent (grade C/level 4 or above). A minimum of grade B (level 6) in English Language and Maths is required.
We are also looking for individuals with good team-working skills, the drive to succeed and the ability to build good working relationships with clients and colleagues.
We regard our people as our greatest asset and are committed to providing equal opportunities throughout employment. We expect our staff to provide the highest possible standards of client care, and to be friendly and approachable whilst delivering expert legal advice.
In return, we are offering a competitive benefits package including:
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a starting salary of £16,000;
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4 weeks paid holiday per year increasing to 5 weeks after twelve months’ service;
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statutory bank holidays and
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a contributory pension scheme.
To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter to [email protected]
In your covering letter you should clearly explain why you want to become a solicitor and the skills you possess that will enable you to succeed on our Solicitor Apprenticeship Scheme.
For further information or an informal discussion please contact our HR Manager Carolyne Browne on 01827 317054.
Closing date: 31st March 2020
Please see the attached letter with regards to the school uniform. We would welcome as much feedback as possible.
Please see the attached letter with regards to the school uniform. We would welcome as much feedback as possible.
Very occasionally, during periods of difficult weather, we have to make the decision to close the school. Please read the attached letter for important information and details of our how we communicate a closure to parents/carers. Thank you.