MANGOTSFIELD SCHOOL BULLETIN
September 29 2017
Headteacher's News
Many thanks to our new Year 7 parents and students who came to our Meet the Mentor Evening last Thursday. We felt it was important to do this quite early on to establish a link with school, hear about attendance and any other issues, and generally get some feedback on how the children are settling in. We appreciate the feedback which we received on the evening as well. Communication is an ongoing priority for us - we have had some issues with Sims, particularly for new parents, which are now resolved, meaning everything, including texts come through. Please let us know if not.
We are tightening up our procedures around Ready to Learn. Clearly put, we are taking a very dim view of defiance in particular, and are going to be more proactive at working with other schools where we find that particular students will not engage with what we are trying to do here, which is to achieve the best quality learning environment to thrive.
Thank you to all of our parent body who support us with our drive to maintain a smart and professional approach to uniform. Trainers, nose studs/rings and leggings/back jeans are not part of our approach to uniform at all. We need to keep it that way.
Again, please support us with ensuring your children have attendance at our target of 97%. There is a tendency in some of our students to have a ‘broken week’, by taking the Friday or Monday off. The damage over a school career in doing this is just enormous and so harmful. I know I must sound like a broken record but is of paramount importance.
Lastly, we are keen to have a dialogue with parents about bike and road safety. I am very concerned at the number of our students who refuse or don’t wear a helmet. We are looking at getting ‘Bike Safety’ in to address this.
Well done to all the students and parents/carers who have logged in so far. For more information please see the introductory letter posted on the website earlier this term:
http://www.mangotsfieldschool.org.uk/docs/letters/Unifrog_Parent_letter_Sept_17.pdf
There are lots of House Points available:
- Every student who logs in earns 1 House Point (awarded to the House)
- Every Y9 student who logs in during Term 1 earns 20 House Points (awarded to the House) for high aspirations as this is not being done in their PSHE lesson). Your mentor will receive an instruction sheet to give you this week.
- Every parent/carer who logs in 5 House Points (awarded to the House)
- The first House to have every student logged in 100 House Points (awarded to the House)
- The first House to have every parent/carer logged in 100 House Points (awarded to the House)
- Every student who completes their Unifrog targets can earn 25 or more House Points (awarded to each student). The targets will be on the website.
http://www.mangotsfieldschool.org.uk/Students/Unifrog/
This page will be updated with and should have all the information you need by Friday 29th September.
Show My Homework
All year groups are strong with only Year 12 being under 50 %. But Year 13 have a huge 96% which has been the best recorded by them. As usual Year 7 and Year 8 are strong. The other year groups are playing catch-up but are still around the 80% mark.
It is close in the race. CHASE is triumphant this week, with Rodway, Siston and Pomphrey snapping at their heels. The numbers are so good for all houses. Well done to all mentor teams.
Departmental News
English
Revision guides priced at £3 pounds each for English Language and Literature texts (‘An Inspector Calls’ and the ‘poetry collection – Power and Conflict’) now available from students’ English teacher!
Maths
We are organising a Year 10 Maths Feast (this is where we invite roughly fifteen different schools to compete against each other in a maths competition, including a team of four from our best mathematicians). This will be in February or March, date to be confirmed!
LRC - Concorde Book Award
Scarlet and Ivy : The Lost Twin by Sophie Cleverly
More of Me by Kathryn Evans
The Bone Sparrow : by Zana Fraillon
Time Travelling With a Hamster by Ross Welford
Generation X by Ollie White
The books were chosen by students in South Gloucestershire and our Reading Group students will bee reading them over the next few months. They will then vote for the winning book on World Book day on Thursday 1 March. The group will also be invited to the awards ceremony, with an opportunity to meet authors and find out which book has won.
If you are interested in finding out more about joining the Reading Group please ask Mrs Wells in the LRC.
Chess Club
School Musical
Rehearsals continue for We Will Rock You.... We are currently making our way through Act 1. There will be a WHOLE CAST run through of Act 1 on Thursday 5th October 3.30-5pm in the hall. All cast MUST attend.
Student Achievements
Football
Ollie Williams Year 8 (Siston 8) is playing for Cheltenham Town.
Rugby
Year 10 Work Experience 9 - 13 July 2018
Work experience for Year 10 students is taking place week commencing the 9th July. We encourage students to begin applying for placements as soon as possible. For more information please refer to the school website under Learning and a copy of the letter home is under parents. Ms Phillips is your contact at school.
Parents' Forum Thursday 12 October 6pm - 7pm
This is an opportunity to hear about school developments and be a critical friend. Last year we discussed homework and reports, and the intention this year is to really push Student and Parent engagement. The topics on the table for discussion this meeting are: Ready 2 Learn, Student Engagement and Fundraising.
Term Dates 2017-18
Term 1
Friday 1 September 2017 to
Friday 20 October 2017
Term 2
Monday 30 October 2017 to
Monday 18 December 2017
Term 3
Tuesday 2 January 2018 to
Friday 9 February 2018
Term 4
Monday 19 February 2018 to
Friday 23 March 2018
Term 5
Monday 9th April 2018 to
Friday 25th May 2018
Term 6
Monday 4 June 2018 to
Friday 20 July 2018
Inset Days 2017 - 18
Friday 1 September 2017
Friday 20 October 2017
Monday 18 December 2017
Tuesday 2 January 2018
Monday 9 April 2018