The Chelmer Valley Weekly Bulletin
16th February 2024
Social Media
As a school we share your concerns about social media and the impact it has on our society and our young people. We obviously undertake work at school in educating students about social media and the issues it causes. It is a considerable focus in the news at present, being recognised for the negative impact it can have. Whilst many of our young people are very sensible when using their phones and various social media apps we would urge you as parents to monitor what your children are undertaking on their phones and other devices and ensure that the sites and APPs they are accessing are appropriate for their age and that they are using them correctly. There is guidance and support on our website and below are links you may find supportive. Should you have any questions or are unsure, please contact us at school and we will do our best to help.
UK Safer Internet Centre https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/social-media-guides
Internet Matters UKCIS https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/ukcis-social-media-guide-for-parents-and-carers/
NSPCC https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/social-media/
INSTAGRAM Safeguarding in Schools
In addition the 2 Johns, who will be joining us in June, have a Facebook account that you can follow for up to date guidance and advice. The link for this is facebook.com
Year 9 Preferences Process
A polite reminder that Year 9 preferences need to be submitted by Friday 23rd February 2024. The forms can be found on the school website. Please ensure the correct pathway (A, B or C) has been selected.
Year 9 DTP MEN ACWY Vaccinations
Year 9 students have all received a paper copy of the consent form for the above vaccinations (there is no online version). Please complete the form and return it to school by the deadline of Wednesday 28th February 2024.
The vaccinations will take place on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th March 2024.
Stationery
The school requires students to be fully equipped for all lessons. Black and green pens, pencils, highlighter, ruler, scientific calculator, geometry set, coloured pencils, small glue stick and eraser should all be included in your child’s pencil case.
Year 10 Work Experience
There are still some students that have yet to find a placement. We are hopeful that by extending the deadline to 1st March 2024 that this will give the students time over the next few weeks including half term to approach companies and secure a placement. Thank you to the parents and students that have be in contact with Careers with an update of where they are up to. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you need any further guidance and advice. Contact ashea@chelmer.essex.sch.uk
Year 11 Mock Interview Day
On Thursday 7th March, our Year 11 students will be taking part in our Mock Interview Day. The students will attend school on that day dressed for an interview. They will meet business owners and employers for a1:1 interview. They will have their CV reviewed and feedback given.
Mock Interviews offer a fantastic opportunity for our students to have a realistic job interview with industry professionals. At CVHS every Year 11 student will have a 15/20 minute interview and will receive feedback on their interview. We will try to match students to areas of interest, this will give students the opportunity to speak more generally about their strengths and skills. However this won't always be possible and depends entirely on the take-up of Interviewers. Preparation is key to the success of the mock interview activity. Students have been preparing CVs in advance of the interviews and been taught about how to carry out a successful interview through their Personal Development lessons through tutor time last term.
Give An Hour
If you are a business owner, employer or employee and would like to make a difference to the future career choices that a young person makes please get involved in Give an Hour.
There are so many ways you can support our school, whether that be in person or virtually. Sharing your career journey can be powerful. Your insights, unique industry knowledge and experience can make a difference to the options a young person considers for their future career.
You could be the role model who changes a young person's life, just by showing what is possible.
As part of our careers programme, we offer a core set of employer engagement opportunities throughout each academic year. We would like to increase the number of opportunities, afforded to our students. We welcome support from a variety of employers and are always looking to develop our links further. We are consistently seeking to enhance our programme and employers are a vital aspect of this work and can contribute significantly to developing our students further.
See link below for more details or to sign up.
Here are some of the future events we need help with:
Mock Interview Day - 7th March
Vocational Day - 11th March
Work Experience - 20th May - 24th May
Year 12 Mock Interview Day 13th - 14th June
Year 12 Careers Day 13th - 14th June
Whole School Careers Fair (tbc)
FAME Jr
We have been amazed at how many have signed up to be involved in our production of Fame - over 140 students! This week we have run 4 days of auditions and are in the process of doing callbacks for singing roles, so once these are complete, we will be able to do the very difficult task of deciding who is being cast in the roles. Congratulations to everyone who auditioned, it takes a lot of courage, and we were impressed with the amount of talent we have in the school.
The first FAME Jr rehearsal will be on Wednesday 28th February. This will be after school until 4.15pm for All Cast - main parts and ensemble. More information will be given out during this session.
Drama Notices
MonoSlam - Year 9 students
If you have been spoken to about taking part in the MonoSlam event on Wednesday 27th March, I am running the first rehearsals on Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th February after school until 4pm in ED2. You only need to attend on one of these days.
You should have your script to look over during half term, so please come to the rehearsal with some performance ideas. You do not need to have memorised your lines but familiarising them would be helpful.
Glee Club Challenge - Grand Final!
Our talented Glee Club will be performing at the Indigo at the O2 in the Jack Petchey Grand Final on Sunday 28th April. It promises to be an entertaining evening and it is such an exciting opportunity to perform on such a large stage. Our students have performed incredibly well to get this far in the competition!
If you would like to attend, tickets go on sale on Monday 19th February. These can be purchased directly from the venue.
Year 8 Natural History Museum Trip
The Science Department are planning to take Year 8 students to the Natural History Museum in London on Monday 29th April 2024 and Tuesday 30th April 2024. Please refer to the letter sent home and confirm attendance of your child via Google form by Friday 1st March 2024. In order for this visit to take place we will need to seek a contribution of £16.50 per student payable via Wisepay (final costing will be made when numbers are confirmed).
History Trip to Krakow
Please could your child bring in their Passport and Global Health Insurance Card to the Humanities Office on Monday 26th February ready for the History Trip to Krakow.
Iceland Trip 2024
Please could your child return the completed green consent form together with a copy of their Passport and Global Health Insurance Card. We require the passport details by Friday 8th March to complete the booking form from the Tour Operator.
KS3 History - House Competition
What's Been Happening This Week in Tutor Time?
This week in tutor time our students in Years 8 – 10 have been continuing to look at the 5 Ways to Wellbeing related to the elements of connect and give.
Year 8 – Lack of respect - the consequences
Year 9 – Standing up for those who need us to
Year 10 – Choosing your focus – see the best in people
Please click here for a link to the school website where these presentations can be viewed.
The Year 7 students have continued with their Transition support programme which will run until February half term, this is to support them with all the changes they are currently facing. Year 11 have been focused on personal revision, using strategies previously learnt.
📚 English Wall of Fame Work of the Month 📚
After studying the plot and language of Hamlet, we used our descriptive writing skills to create an evocative character portrait of King Hamlet's ghost, from the perspective of Hamlet meeting him on the battlements for the first time!
Congratulations to Ella for her evocative, haunting description of King Hamlet that used sensory language really effectively. She captured big and small details of the scene in a really vivid way and crafted an effective scene that really sticks with the reader.
As I stood on the high, stone cold battlements of the castle I felt a chill run down my spine. Although I was alone, I felt that someone or something was watching me. Suddenly, in the corner of the room, I saw a mysterious figure standing, watching as still as a wall. It was a ghastly, pale, GHOST! I fell back in surprise “Am I dreaming?” I thought to myself. Suddenly the ghost started moving towards me.
I could smell cinnamon and sweat coming off this terrifying figure, he was tall and old wearing a crown. As he got closer I realised. My father! My dead father! How? What? When? Questions were running through my mind.
Everything was the same except he had blood all over him but the shine in his eyes had faded.
By Ella Hilling (7B3)
🎨 Art Department Work of the Week 🎨
Congratulations to Isabella Greenway 8H for winning Art Work of the Week with her portrait inspired by African art and Picasso - we loved the bold use of colour and pattern!
Art Club
Sessions will start on Tuesday 5th March 2024.
Year 10 Art Trip to Tate Britain - 20th March
Students are now able to pay for the trip on Wisepay. The trip is to introduce their coursework theme and allow students to research original artworks.
Year 7 Art Trip to William Morris Gallery - 7th June
Students can now register interest for the trip to William Morris' house for a day of practical printing and exploring the original designs. To learn more about the design and print process.
📷 Photograph of the Month 📷
It was so lovely to see all of your wonderful responses to our Photography Competition, titled Lights. It was a tough decision but I am very pleased to announce our first winner for the Spring Term is Charlie M in 7C. Charlie shows a successful and interesting image with slow shutter speeds. Very well done!
To see the winning photograph and take part in our next competition, please see below.
PE Extra Curricular Clubs
**Please Note there will be no Year 7 Boys Football on 27th February and
no Year 8 Boys Football on 29th February due to fixtures**
PE Fixtures - w/c 26th February 2024
Please Note:
- Fixtures are subject to change.
- Students must check the team sheets on the notice boards in PE to check team and confirm timings.
Unfortunately we are no longer able to have parents come into school to watch their children in sporting fixtures. We appreciate this is very disappointing for both students and parents, however, we must adhere to the stringent safeguarding guidance given to us. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Board Games Plea
The Student Council have identified that students would love a wider choice of board games, including playing cards and chess sets, to play at break and lunch time in the Library.
If you have any appropriate board games that you no longer want, we would love to give them a new home.
Please can you drop them into reception for Mrs Dineen.
Prayer Space
English GCSE Clinic
The English department are running an English Clinic for Year 11 students every Thursday after school from 3.15pm to 4.15pm in N3.
If you have an English problem or you are finding an aspect of the course challenging there will be a member of the team on hand to help you with your needs.
Mathematics Past Papers Booklet
The completion of past papers is a great way to revise for the upcoming maths examinations next summer. To aid this the Maths Department have produced a booklet of past Maths papers for all Year 11 students to use in and out of the classroom. To cover the increased cost of printing a payment of £5 is requested towards the cost of photocopying these.
Payment can be made via your child’s Wisepay account. If your child is in receipt of the Pupil Premium there may be some financial support to fund this – please get in touch to let us know if you are able to part-fund or require assistance with the full amount.
Thank you for your continued support and we wish your child every success in the forthcoming examinations.
Mr Curd
Maths Clinic
Sixth Form students are still running a Maths Clinic every break time in N33.
If you are in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 and are stuck on your homework or a question, please come and see them, they will be glad to help. A member of staff will be present to supervise.
Maths GCSE and A-Level Revision Sessions
Year 11 Revision Sessions run on Wednesdays after school in N3. They enable access and help with online resources. All Year 11 students are welcome, from 3pm to 4pm. Any person causing disruption or those not working will be sent away.
Year 12 and Year 13 students continue to meet in N33 every Wednesday after school from 3.15pm to 4.15pm.
Scientific Calculators
A scientific calculator is a necessary item of equipment for school. Casio FX83 approved for all exams are available on Wisepay for you to purchase for your child. They are priced at £9.50 which is a saving on most on-line sources.
Revision Guides & Workbooks
All Revision Guides and Workbooks as mentioned in previous Bulletins are still available to buy via Wisepay.
Looking Ahead.....
Monday 19th February to Friday 23rd February 2024 - HALF TERM
Monday 26th February to Friday 1st March - WEEK B
Monday 26th February - Back to School for all students
Tuesday 27th February to Thursday 29th February - Year 11 GCSE Music ensemble performance
Tuesday 27th February - National Reference Tests (selected Year 11 students)
Thursday 29th February - Year 12 Chemistry in Action
Friday 1st March to Sunday 3rd March - Year 11 History trip to Krakow, Poland
About Us
Letters sent to Parents/Carers can be found on our website here:
https://www.chelmervalleyhighschool.co.uk/310/parentmailletters-sent-home
Email: school@chelmer.essex.sch.uk
Website: www.chelmervalleyhighschool.co.uk
Location: Court Road, Broomfield, Chelmsford, UK
Phone: 01245 440232
ONLINE SAFETY GUIDANCE FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
Please follow this link for information on supporting parents and carers in keeping their children safe online.
REMOTE LEARNING
For further support with remote learning please visit our school webpage for lots of information https://www.chelmervalleyhighschool.co.uk/1992/students-working-at-home
TOP TIPS FOR STAYING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
The Top tips for staying emotionally healthy during self-isolation include using the NHS 5 ways of wellness which can be accessed here.
E-SAFETY NEWS & INFO
The school website features an E-safety News & Information widget, which you can find under our quick links on the home page as well as under Safeguarding. This will enable you to keep up to date with the latest stories regarding E-safety. https://www.chelmervalleyhighschool.co.uk/317/e-safety
KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE ONLINE
Netware is a parents’ guide to the social networks children and young people use. Stay up to date and keep your child safe in today’s digital world. https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/