Newsletter
Uxbridge High School
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
It is a pleasure to introduce our second electronic newsletter, which offers a flavour of the events and successes of our students throughout last term. I am particularly delighted to be able to showcase some examples of our students' outstanding academic work.
The summer term brings our main exam season and students in every year group are being focused and prepared for them. Your support at home in ensuring that your son or daughter is completing work set and preparing thoroughly for the tests and exams is essential. I would encourage you to visit the Show My Homework section of the newsletter which provides invaluable links to student resources.
In addition to this newsletter, I would like to remind parents of the wealth of information on our website and live Twitter accounts for which the links can be found below.
I look forward to welcoming you at a forthcoming school event during the summer term.
SHOW MY HOMEWORK
Show My Homework is a simple online calendar showing homework information, deadlines and attachments for students. As a parent you can check how much homework has been set, take part in the tasks set and also see if your child has submitted homework on time. As we approach the exam season departments are uploading past papers and useful revision guides to help students with their revision. You can access our Homework Calendar by visiting the link below.
More information can be found on our website by clicking on the link below, including details on how to download the SMHW app.
AWARDS EVENING
We had a very successful Awards Evening at Brunel University's Eastern Gateway Lecture Theatre. Each curriculum area nominated students in 3 areas; progress, achievement and effort and curriculum leaders then presented the awards to the winners. There were also a number of special awards given out including The Jamal Salandy Arts Award, The David Burrows PE Award and also the Design and Technology Award.
As well as the prize giving there were a number of performances from the music and drama departments. The jazz ensemble performed their 'Jazz Blues' piece and the drama club presented their interpretation of Prospero's speech from Shakespeare's The Tempest.
Congratulations to all awards winners and thank you to all governors, staff and parents who attended the event.
WORLD BOOK DAY
During World Book Week, students from across the school took part in Drop Everything and Read (DEAR).
BARCELONA TRIP
The trip to Barcelona was a once in a lifetime experience. The city was absolutely beautiful. The culture was unbelievably amazing. The people were very polite. Every day was something new. A group of year 10 students, including myself, travelled to the second largest city in Spain to experience the daily life of the Spanish people and visit the extraordinary tourist sites that were available. As our trip progressed we had the opportunity to sit two language lessons at International House Language School, which gave us the chance to be taught by native Spanish speakers. However the best part of the trip was visiting places such as Park Güell, Camp Nou - The Barcelona Football Stadium, and the famous La Sagrada Familia. In between our visits to these attractions, we had some fun doing activities such as bowling one evening, where even Mr Brooman and Miss Goddard let their hair down and decided to join in our games. One activity that we enjoyed was the famous Barcelona shopping district, which had all of us very excited. For the majority of the trip we walked to most of our destinations, however for some occasions we used the public transport. Luckily that gave us opportunities to practice our Spanish skills and socialise with the local people. Overall, this trip not only helped us to improve our Spanish but also for the group to become a lot closer. The city is an unforgettable place, the majority of us found it hard to leave. Although it was only a 4 day trip, we got to experience a lot of new things. Sadly, it came to an end very quickly. A huge thank you to the languages department for organising this trip but also to Mr Brooman and Miss Goddard for putting up with all of us. This is one trip I will never forget!
By Sarah M, Year 10.
YEAR 7 HISTORY STUDENTS IMPRESS DR GOLDBERG!
As part of their history enquiry, Year 7 students in Mr Poole's classes were given the task of writing an email (in an essay format) to Dr Jeremy Goldberg, a specialist medieval historian at the University of York. He was incredibly impressed. He is a world-leading expert on Britain during the medieval period, and to have our students forge a network with a top university academic has issued them with both aspiration on attending a top university, and is adding to their networking development.
Please read Dr Goldberg's response below:
Dear Mr Poole,
Thank you for the essay. I was impressed by how well written and clearly argued it is with an introduction and a conclusion. The question of how far England was changed by the Conquest is one historians continue to debate. It used to be the case that people thought the Conquest made huge changes. More recently people have tended to suggest that more aspects of English (or Anglo-Saxon) ways of thinking and doing things lived on after the Conquest. Your essay nicely points to some aspects of this in talking about houses and clothing. It is worth remembering that the number of Normans who came over at the Conquest was very small compared to the total population. Most people continued to speak English (or an early version we call Old English) rather than the French of the lords and knights who accompanied William, though some French words like beef and mutton came to adopted into English. (The English raised the cattle and sheep, but the Norman lords and knights often eat the meat and so used their own words for cattle and sheep -- boeuf and mouton -- to describe the meat.) Many of William's followers who chose to settle in England married local women and so would have had to learn English and probably learned a lot about English customs and traditions from their wives. Their children would have been as much English as Norman.
As you have argued in your essay, the coming of the Normans did also make some big differences. One of the most long-lasting was that because William gained the throne by right of Conquest, he was able to impose the idea that all land belonged to him as king. He rewarded his lords and knights by giving them land, but the understanding was that the land was not entirely theirs. They were what are called tenants, but instead of paying rent, they were required to fight for the king. This readiness to fight was important immediately after the Conquest as many of the English did not like having Normans ruling them. The Normans built numbers of castles that helped them keep control and to scare off Englishmen from attacking Normans. They also built big churches and cathedrals -- much bigger than the old Anglo-Saxon buildings -- that were designed to impress.
I hope you have all enjoyed learning about the Normans. Did you know that the Normans travelled widely and that England was not the only place they settled in? The Normans conquered Sicily, the big island at the foot of Italy, and for a time ruled a community in which different groups, Christians, Jews and Muslims all lived together in friendship. They even for time tried to settle in Arabia -- I imagine Normans riding around on camels!
I wish you all success in your continued ventures into the past
Jeremy
MATHS CHALLENGE
Congratulations to the following students who received gold, silver or bronze certificates in the UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge:
Rajan Bhatoy
Sian Ayres
Keilan Piper
Sameer Farooq
Samir Garnie
Morgan Welsh
Mia Donoghue
Sabrina Szarszon
Alex Old
Amin Narimani
Shabab Abedin
Aaron Parmar
Jonathan Cooper
Arshiya Inayat
Ian Estrabo
Joshua Moules
Patrik Limani
Numair Hoque
A special congratulations to Joshua Moules, Shabab Abedin and Rajan Bhatoy who were received the highest marks in their year groups!
BRILLIANT CLUB
A number of students in Year 9 have been selected to be part of the ‘Brilliant Club’ in recognition of their continual hard work throughout school. On 22nd February, students visited Keble College of Oxford University, in order to gain an insight of what university life is like at Oxford University and to appreciate the hard work that it takes to become an Oxbridge graduate.
Students embarked on a tour around the college, viewing the amazing architecture and various halls, libraries and study rooms, whilst also gaining further knowledge of how they could potentially become a student of the prestigious university. They attended various skills sessions in which the students learnt new transferable skills which they can now apply to their studies here at UHS, enabling them to make further progress in lessons.
The next step for the students is to meet with their mentor, a PHD student currently studying at the University.
JACK EVANS AWARD
Congratulations to Marie Cullen who was awarded the Jack Evans award by the Uxbridge Rotary Club. Marie was nominated for this award for her hard work in supporting others both in and out of UHS.
Within school, Marie is a Vice House-Captain and as part of that role has made a positive contribution to house assemblies. She is striving academically and is also an active member of the school netball team and football team.
Outside of school, Marie is involved with Charity work for Alzhemiers UK. Every summer holiday Marie and her family run a cake stall in Yiewsley High Street to raise funds. Furthermore, every half term Marie dresses up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast and provides face painting for children to support this work.
Marie is keen to pursue a career in Medicine and as a result, she researched the Royal Volunteering Service and now volunteers every Saturday at Hillingdon Hospital providing a trolley service on the elderly care unit.
Marie was presented the award by the Mayor of Uxbridge.
THE STUDENT VIEW
THE TEMPEST
SPORTS NEWS
London Mini Marathon
Congratulations to Abdi Hamud in Year 7, who came 14th out of 172 under 13 boys in the London Mini Marathon. He completed in a time of 17:32!
Football
Football teams in Years 7, 8, 9 & 10 all made it through to the borough cup quarter-finals.
Year 9 & 10 were knocked out, while Year 7 & 8 made it through to the semi-finals. An under-strength Year 7 side were unlucky to lose 1-0 to a last-minute free-kick, while Year 8 won a thrilling game 4-3 on penalties, having been 4-4 at the end of normal time. Year 8 will play the final in the first week back after Easter.
UHS hosted the 7-a-side borough football finals for Years 7 & 8. Both Uxbridge teams won their semi-finals, making it through to the final where both year groups took on Bishopshalt. Year 8 were unlucky to lose 3-1, while Year 7 dominated to win the tournament in style!
Basketball
Year 8 made it through to the borough cup final, where they played Haydon. A fantastic game saw them narrowly lose 29-27. Great effort boys!
Rugby
Both Year 7 & 8 attended Hillingdon Abbots Rugby Club for the borough rugby finals this past week. Year 7, despite having very little playing experience, showed lots of potential to only narrowly miss out on the semi-finals. Year 8 lost one group game, to go through as group runners-up, before being narrowly beaten 4 tries to 3 in the semi-finals. With the 3rd/4th play-off finishing 2-2, they finished tied for 3rd.
Sports Clubs
We have had a range of PE clubs on offer for students this term. Year 7 & 8 girls' boxing with Miss K has proved popular and is likely to continue next term. Lunchtime girls' cricket with Middlesex CCC has also been very successful, with a friendly fixture played against Queensmead and a number of girls joining local cricket clubs. Brunel Ducks Basketball Club have offered Year 9 & 10 boys the chance to develop their basketball skills every Monday after school, while the Yr 7 & 8 football teams have been involved in training every Thursday afternoon in the build-up to their participation in the Juliana Malden Football Tournament in Holland this May.
SAFETY AT UXBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
As a school, we welcome the support of our local police through our dedicated Safer Schools Officers and we are working with them to emphasise the importance of personal safety. In support of this, there will be a ‘security arch’ on the school site, for one day this term.
We will also be introducing the students to a police security dog to further raise awareness regarding security. The school is currently holding assemblies to re-cap on the importance of safety and safeguarding to students and to whom they should report concerns of any type. During these assemblies, students will also be reminded of our behaviour expectations both in school and in the wider community, particularly on buses and in Uxbridge Town Centre.
Keeping Uxbridge High School a safe environment for all who work, and or study here is our top priority and any situation where a person's safety at Uxbridge High School is compromised will be addressed with severity.
UNIFORM
Our uniform must be purchased direct from our uniform supplier, Sportswear International and can be delivered direct to your home or to school. Uxbridge High only holds a very limited stock and does not have uniform for trying on purposes. Please find the link below for their website.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Monday 1st May - Bank Holiday; Tuesday 2nd May - Year 8 Parents' Evening; Monday 8th May - Year 8 HPV Injections; Thursday 25th May - Year 7,8 & 9 Sports Day; Friday 26th May - School finishes for Half Term; Friday 26th May - Sixth Form May Ball; Monday 5th June - School opens for new Half Term; Friday 30th June - Staff Training Day; Thursday 6th July - Year 11 Prom; Thursday 20th July- End of term.
Year 8 Parents' Evening
Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 05:00 PM
Uxbridge High School, The Greenway, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
RSVPs are enabled for this event.