December 2018
Headteacher’s Letter News Student Successes Visitors & Events Charity Events
Student Leaders Trips & Visits Subject News & Updates Sports News
Photograph: Year 9 Languages Squad students make crepes
Headteacher’s Letter
“Nothing but praise
3 Headteacher’s Letter 4 News 6 Student Successes 8 Visitors, Events & Performances 13 Charity Events 14 Student Leaders 16 Trips & Visits 18 Subject News 19 Keeping Children Safe and Healthy 22 Subject News 26 World Book Day 28 Sports News
Dear Parents and Carers, As the nights draw in and a very long term comes to an end, it is a real pleasure to look back on all our students’ achievements over the last few months before we look forward to a well-deserved break for eveyone. Our Y11 and Y13 students have completed mock exams this term and experienced a results day, giving them a taste of what they will experience in the summer. Many of our Y13 students have had the added pressure of completing their university applications. We are expecting to send off well over 100 applications, including 8 who are applying for Oxford or Cambridge, which is a Caludon record. They all certainly deserve their Christmas break! We have seen a phenomenal amount of trips going out this term for students from Y7 to Y13. We have been delighted with the amount of complimentary feedback we have had about our students from many different venues, including Hampton Court who had nothing but praise for Caludon students. Our Y7 trip to the Belgrade Theatre to watch the pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, was another successful occasion with impeccable behaviour and much
for Caludon students�
enjoyment. The Y7 students have also rounded off the term with a wonderful Christmas party, where they all sat down together with their tutors to eat a Christmas dinner; join in some seasonal singing and enjoy a range of entertainment, including a magician. The room tingled with excitement at the arrival of Father Christmas and his elves! It was also lovely to see the vast majority of our students in all years graduate for the term, reflecting their hard work and commitment. A record number of selection boxes were distributed and Y8 students enjoyed their tutor group parties. Charity continues to be a lovely part of life at Caludon. There have already been many events,
including Children in Need and Hello Yellow day. It feels as if cake sales have been a constant feature this term! Our Y13 Music students have once again embarked on their charity single project, and have already moved their audience to tears. The term has been rounded off with the wonderful Musical Spin, which showcased much of the singing and dancing talent we are lucky enough to have in our school. It was a real celebration of the work of the Music and Drama departments. It has been a pleasure to meet so many of you at the many parental events we have had since September and thank you for all the kind wishes and compliments that we have received from you. They are much appreciated and make staff and students feel good. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2019. We look forward to welcoming your children back to school on Monday 7th January.
Mrs M Marr Ms A Dudgeon Headteacher Associate Headteacher
3
News Festival of Imagineers In July 250 red hula hoops arrived in the Maths department for our students to decorate. With the help of Y7 and STEM students, all 250 were decorated, returned and in September were to be seen dangling from Coventry Cathedral ceiling (with 750 others). A bit of background… A few months previously, Arup, a company that the Caludon STEM group have been working closely with, asked Caludon to be involved in this year’s Festival of Imagineers. The Festival of Imagineers is a vibrant showcase of local, national and international work at the intersection of art and engineering. Arup had a vision
4
to construct a structure that hung from the ceiling of Coventry Cathedral made from 1000 hula hoops. So Arup set us a mission (along with 3 other schools in Coventry) to decorate 250 of the hula hoops. Despite many setbacks, dedicated workers from Arup spent 15 long hours assembling the structure which had pride of place in the middle of the Cathedral. Ms Reddington, Ms AndersonShore and Ms Collinson, STEM Club
was successful in his bursary bid. Only 15 such bursaries were given across the country. He is now receiving £3,000 a year towards his university expenses. Ms Roberts, Assistant Headteacher James Maddison Former Caludon Castle student James Maddison was selected for the England football squad in October. We wish him every success in his international career!
Cambridge Bursary
Ms Turner, Headteacher’s PA
Sam Johnson, one of our former sixth form students who gained a place at Cambridge University,
MS Society I am Jaisha Chudasama and I am in Y12. I set up a charity event to raise money for multiple sclerosis (MS) as it has a really special place in my heart due to
my dad suffering from it for 18 years, before he passed away in July. I raised over £1300 for this amazing charity called MS society in order for them to find ways for a possible cure, or get new equipment to help out and to prevent it for as long as possible. It gave me comfort doing this charity event as I knew in myself it was for a good cause and it would make certain people really happy - like my mum. She was extremely proud of me, as well as me being so proud of myself, for raising all this money with help from friends! We managed to raise this much money over the course of two weeks. The first week was the week of Wednesday 14th November and I wanted to specifically do something on this date as it was my dad’s birthday, so we did a bake sale and raised over £130. The following week we did a sponsored 3-legged walk; myself and 5 of my friends were tied together in pairs and walked around the school raising awareness and collecting donations from anyone who wanted to offer, as well as all the sponsors we already had. It was so amazing doing what we did and it made me so happy with all the help from everyone who offered it, and who donated, or bought cakes. So thank you so much it really has a special place in my heart and everybody was so supportive and made it so much easier!
5
Student Festival Photo Competition Following the construction of the Festival of Imagineers project in Coventry Cathedral, STEM Club set a challenge for all students in the school, to take the best photographs of the installation. The competition was won by Sienna Smith Y8, whose stunning photographs can be seen here. Ms Anderson-Shore, Faculty Leader of Mathematics
Headteacher’s Tea Party KS4 The Y10 and Y11 headteacher’s tea party was held in October. Students are nominated to attend by their teachers, for a wide variety of reasons, linked to both their attitude to learning and the way they conduct themselves around the school. The following students were invited to attend: Y10 Alfie Stacey Cameron Farthing Chloe Pettitt Connor Moran Delaney Ebanks Erin Mortiboys Georgia Eaton Karissa Patel Lucy Cookson Maria Bijo Megan Bates
6
Millie Connolly Millie Mahoney Natia Okropiridze Riley Turrell Tyrell Allison
Y11 Amber Davis Amrin Dulai Andrada Rosca Georgia Cousins Harry Parsons Harvir Phagura Hoger Muzuri Hollie McFarlane Jade Skelton Lauren McConnachie Nina Thomas Olivia Barker Sam Bestard Sophie Eales Will Single Ms Turner, Headteacher’s PA
Successes Young Engineers
Five Y10 students visited a celebration day for Young Engineers at the House of Commons on November 5 to showcase their winning project from the West Midlands Big Bang Competition. They had won the Midlands stage in June, in preparation for the National Big Bang Competition next year. Their project is based on an ‘EcoHotel’ design; they have developed ideas and a model to turn Caludon Castle School into its very own EcoHotel! As you can imagine, they were very excited and passionate about their project as they presented their ideas in London. Congratulations to: Jake Smedley Millie Smedley Daniel Harrison
Ayomide Akinsinmide Lucy-Mae Jones The date, venue and name of the trip were entirely coincidental! Ms Reddington, Science
Headteacher’s Tea Party KS3 The following students were invited to attend the headteacher’s tea party for Y7, Y8 and Y9 in November. As with the students in KS4, these students have been nominated by their teachers for a variety of reasons. Those selected to attend have all been nominated by more than one teacher. Congratulations to all of them. Y7 Charisma Little Connor Temple Darcie Bridges
Ian Spencer Keira Kandiara Nancy Billing Nishay Solanki Ria Gidda Stephanie Reyes Summer Roper Y8 Abbie Heywood Ashley Ha Cailyn Caka Charley Martin Ehi Eromosele Harminder Gill Luke Redpath Neha Thomas Shane Skingle
Sophie Walker-Nicholls Theo Smith Will Stapleton Y9 Aimard Detubio Caden Hadley Desiree Faith Montes Harry Hiskins Mahsa Haider Melissa James Ria Sharma Sophia Fiddik Sophia Ha Tom Male Ms Turner, Headteacher’s PA
7
Visitors and HE+ This term a group of ten Y12 students have been taking part in the HE+ programme sponsored by Cambridge University. This is the first time we have taken part and the programme is still very new, with consortia being set up at a rapid pace across the country. So far, students have attended the launch event in November and taken part in the first round of masterclasses in early December. Students have now split into smaller, schoolspecific groups and have begun work on a final project and presentation. These range from ‘The importance of poetry’ to ‘Quantum physics’. The group is particularly excited about a visit to Cambridge in March. What is HE+? HE+ is a collaborative project between the University of Cambridge and its colleges, working together with groups of state schools and colleges in 18 regions of the UK. In the 2017-18 academic year, over 3,000 Y12 students, in more than 130 schools and colleges, are participating in the initiative. The HE+ project is unique in that it encourages schools and colleges to collaborate to form regional consortia and to engage their very best students in a sustained year-long programme,
including academic extension classes, subject masterclasses, information and guidance sessions, and a visit to the University. The overall goal of the project is to encourage and prepare more academically-able students to make competitive applications to top universities, including the University of Cambridge. Who is it for? This project is for Y12 students who attend state schools and colleges participating in HE+ and who have the potential to make competitive applications to top universities. Taking part in the project gives students many opportunities to develop their academic skills, understanding, and confidence, while also receiving advice and guidance about applying to higher education. Teachers at schools and colleges involved in HE+ also benefit from a closer relationship with other institutions in their area, and partner together to support students in their preparation for selective higher education.
8
Testimonials Jess Bond, HE+ Coordinator for
the University of Cambridge: “We know that HE+ is helping academically-talented students gain the confidence and the top grades needed to become competitive applicants to selective universities.” Caludon student Simran Rakkar, who is thinking of studying languages at university: “I’m looking forward to the extension classes as a taster of what it might be like to study at university level. I’m also keen to find out more about what studying at university is really like, so the chance to visit Sidney Sussex College is a big plus.” Mrs Slack, HE+ Co-ordinator at Caludon: “HE+ is a fantastic opportunity for local schools and colleges to make a difference for our brightest students by working together and sharing our best ideas. “The practical help and inspiration we receive from Cambridge gives our students the skills and confidence they need to make the best application. It’s very motivating for our students to feel that Cambridge is reaching out to work with and welcome them.”
Events Y10 Higher Attainers Conference For the second academic year, Caludon Castle staff and students hosted a cross-city conference for Y10 higher attaining students. The venue, the Welcome Centre on Parkside, lent a prestigious air to the early November event, with students, their teachers and teaching assistants moving between workshops and talks throughout the day. The event was attended by twelve of our own year 10 students as delegates. In addition, a group of our student ambassadors presented a workshop to the staff present at the event, and two of our post16 students took part in the keynote session for the staff, explaining what it is like to be a higher attaining student, and answering questions about how they
prefer to be taught and what they found useful when they were in KS4. Caludon staff were joined by experts from apprenticeship providers, colleges, universities and employers, to lead workshops aimed at increasing students’ knowledge and understanding of the future pathways open to them, and also increasing their motivation and learning skills. Current university students and apprentices also talked about their experiences. Students commented afterwards that the conference had opened their eyes to new possiblities. Ms Hutchinson, Assistant Headteacher
9
Events and
World Languages Day Week Back in September the Modern Foreign Languages Department embraced World Languages Day with not just 24 hours of fabulous and inspiring activities but a whole week of them! Students across the age range took part in quizzes, assemblies and activities. On the Tuesday of Languages Week, staff greeted students in a wide variety of languages, from Russian to Punjabi. The Languages team hosted a French breakfast, which is always popular - a chance to fill up on croissants and chocolatefilled crepes. Students also took part in a World Bake-Off, bringing in delicacies they had made using recipes from around the world, or representing a variety of foreign locations. Caludon Rocks - in every sense of the word Of particular success was our ‘Rock’ projects. This is a craze sweeping the nation and we at Caludon took it to another dimension – we took it intercontinental. Students in Y7 designed and decorated a rock with a language theme; words like amour (love), la paix (peace), hola (hello). The rocks were then hidden all over Coventry and the local area for others to find, visit our website and then re-hide. So far, our rocks have made it to both ends of Britain, Jamaica and even Australia. Make sure you look out for one on your travels. Merci. Mrs Slack, Rock Co-ordinator
10
Performances Performances A Musical Spin…
For those parents who came into school on the evening of the 18th December, you will know precisely what that means! For those who missed it, and also REALLY missed out, we’ll explain… A musical spin was a kind of fruit machine, loaded up with the best West End musicals of the last thirty years. Every time the wheels spin, the machine stops on a different show. And then…an incredibly talented cast of singers, musicians, actors, and dancers raised the roof off the school hall! What was particularly nice about the evening was the sharing of lead roles amongst a wider range of students. A stunning array of songs and dances were very carefully put together by Mrs Vincent and Miss Lester and the whole evening was a resounding success and a real celebration of our talented students. How they found the energy, after such a busy and long term, we don’t know, but they made a lot of people very happy.
Drama Showcases The Drama department have made real progress over the years in bringing more parents into school, more often, with more professional standards to the work. This term has been a busy one. The Drama Studio, never a large space but with a really intimate atmosphere, has never been busier than it was for the new Y10s’ first assessed performance. The Commedia Del’Arte performances were as rude and cheeky as ever,
the audiences laughed more than ever, and the casts produced stunning work in an exceptionally tight window of time. There are some real talents for the future! Y11 performed their devised work, which forms part of their coursework component, to parents and staff. Again, the quality and originality of the work really stood out. Moderators who watch films of our school’s work, often point out how impressed they are with our students – this work was genuinely innovative this year. Finally, Y13, who have been creating their own devised performances from September, were exceptional this year. They drew upon the works of contemporary playwrights like Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, Mark Ravenhill and Steven Berkoff, but made entirely new work that draws upon the same themes, or contexts. The focus and engagement, and the technical skill were stunning. They will be performing scripted work next term, which shouldn’t be missed, before the final component of the course, the written examination.
Year 7 Pantomime Trip ‘It’s behind you!’ For the rest of the audience at the Belgrade Theatre’s panto, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘it’ was pretty much most of our Y7! It was bright, loud, funny, fast and (of course) very cheesy! Which is what you want from a panto. Mr Holland had a lucky escape from being dragged onto the stage in the slapstick scene which really disappointed the rest of the staff members! Hopefully next year… It was interesting for the students, who have been working on their own panto performances in Drama lessons, to see how the professionals do it. They were all fantastically well behaved and represented our school superbly. Ms DeGroot and Miss Lester, Drama department
11
Trips and Visits Geography Y11 and Y13 Geography students visited Italy in September. Y11 Geography students visited Carding Mill Valley in early October. Y8 Geography students visited London’s Olympic Park in early October. Ms Crickmore and Ms Mallett, Geography
Cambridge University Thirty-six Y12 and Y13 students visited Cambridge University in September, with Mr Srikanthapalan. As a result, we have had a high number of applications to both Oxford and Cambridge Universities, and wish all the students success with their applications. Ms Roberts, Assistant Headteacher
History Y12 students from the History department visited Bosworth Field in October. Y8 students visited Hampton Court Palace in November. Ms Beasley, Leader of History
Drama Y11 Drama students visited the Birmingham Hippodrome in October to see the acclaimed production of War Horse. Y7 students visited the Belgrade Theatre to see a production of Sleeping Beauty in November.
12
Ms De Groot and Ms Lester, Drama
Media Studies Y13 Media Studies students visited the Albany Theatre during the national initiative, Into Film, to watch the film Journey’s End and hear a talk from the BBFC about the process of film certification. The information they were given will be very useful for their forthcoming exams. Ms McDougall, Faculty Leader of Expressive Arts
Health and Social Care Y11 Health and Social Care students visited the Eden House Care Home in early December. They were able to spread lots of Christmas cheer to the elderly
residents and apply their knowledge from lessons in a practical setting. Mr Brown, Leader of Health and Social Care
Sociology Y10 and Y11 Sociology students attended the Criminology conference in Birmingham in November. Ms Gaffer, Social Studies
Business Studies Y13 Business Studies students attended a finance exam booster session at the Vue Cinema in Birmingham at the start of December. Ms Detheridge, Business Studies
Charity events World Mental Health Day Caludon Castle students raised money and awareness for World Mental Health Day by taking part in the Hello Yellow campaign. Some students and staff members wore yellow jerseys or sweatshirts, while others sported yellow ribbon badges. Assemblies were held throughout the week, exploring mental health issues and further raising awareness. A total of £540 was raised from the sale of the ribbon badges, a cake sale and other sources, and donated to Young Minds who support young people suffering from mental disorders. This beat last year’s total. Thank you to everyone who contributed. Ms Chowdhury, Leader of Psychology
Children in Need Day As always, students and staff at Caludon Castle School supported the Children in Need Day, led each year by the BBC. It was a non-uniform day for all - which meant fancy dress for sixth form students, who come in ‘non-uniform’ every day. In addition, there were cake sales and other events, raising £1450 in total.
MS Society A creative and dedicated group of students in Y12 rallied
around a fellow student, Jaisha Chudasama, who lost her father to MS earlier this year. The team of girls organised a cake sale, ran a donation bucket event and even tied themselves together to do a 3-legged walk around school. Their total reached more than £1600 and is still rising. Thank you, and a big round of applause to those who took part, supported their peers and gave back to the community. You should be proud! What is MS? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition which can affect the brain and/or spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance. It’s a lifelong condition that can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild. In many cases, it’s possible to treat symptoms. Average life
expectancy is slightly reduced for people with MS. It’s estimated that there are more than 100,000 people diagnosed with MS in the UK. It’s most commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s, although it can develop at any age. It’s about two to three times more common in women than men. Mrs Slack, Modern Foreign Languages
13
Student Student Ambassadors
During September, applications were invited for the roles of Headteacher’s ambassador and Learning ambassador. The following students were successful, following rigorous interviews with Mrs Mitchell, Mr Moffat and Mrs Marr. Well done to all of them, as they presented themselves and their applications very well. Learning Ambassador: Aimard (AJ) Detubio Millie Smedley Lucy Mae Jones Daniel Harrison Jake Smedley Rhys Brigg Ruben Wade Head teacher’s ambassador: Ayomide Akinsimide Evangeline Morgan Abbie Heywood Tapi Nyoni Ella Carr Mrs Mitchell, Faculty Leader for MFL / Humanities
Learning ambassadors
A new branch of student leadership was created in 2017. Our main aim is to enhance the learning at Caludon by giving a student viewpoint. We all applied and had tough interviews with Mrs Marr who asked difficult questions! We have now delivered learning shops at two teacher conferences, Coventry University and Y10 high attainer conferences. We’ve received excellent feedback and seen some changes
14
in teaching, and our team has grown from five to eight students. We have grown in confidence, numbers and strength and we hope to continue doing so in the future. Millie Smedley, Lead Learning Ambassador
Peer mentoring
Peer mentoring training has continued throughout the term for 18 students from Y9 and Y10, who are now ready to help those in Y7 and Y8. Well done to: Charliese Abbot Josh Adams Esme Bennett Rhys Brigg Erin Curtlin Caden Hadley Tom Male Desiree Montes Sonia Naorozy Michelle Pearson Matthew Rouse Ayomide Akinsinmide Joe Griffiths Daniel Harrison Lucy Mae Jones Jake Smedley Millie Smedley Michael Smith Ms Edwards, Y9 Leader
Y7 Student Leaders
Congratulations and welcome to our new cohort of student leaders. Earlier this term, our Y7 student leaders took part in their first training session which focused around ‘what makes an effective presentation’. In this session, the students worked on developing their leadership skills, including communication and teamwork. Next in line for
Leaders our new student leaders was training on leading visitors on tours of the school and being part of the interview process for new members of staff. This session took place on Wednesday 19th December. Sasha Gudge Darren Younge Aissatou Bambila Nathan Bermudez Marlie Blackstock Kris Patel Lacie Finnie Chris Smith Darcie Bridges Madeline Small Ria Banwait Kiera Landmark Ria Gidda Erin Pearce Ethan Gallagher Amelia Sutherland David Darfour-Boahene Madison Lawrence Lauren Smith Mr Moffat, Student Leadership Lead Teacher
Anti-bullying week
Bullies are able to succeed when people remain silent about what is happening. Encouraging both victims and by-standers to talk about what is happening is the first step towards stopping bullying. In other words, bullying thrives in a culture of silence, so – ‘LET’S TALK ABOUT IT’ This is our new slogan to support Anti-Bullying at Caludon Castle School. Students were introduced to this concept in assemblies and tutor sessions throughout AntiBullying Week, which took place in November. All staff proudly wore bright yellow badges bearing the
new slogan, to encourage students to feel they could talk in safety about anything they were experiencing. Once again students excelled themselves, completing tutor lessons and attending assemblies to raise awareness of bullying and the dangers of so-called ‘banter’. We all talked about it…. And hopefully learned a lot. As always, the week was supported by our brilliant Anti-Bullying student ambassadors, who are also our newly trained peer mentors.
Anti Bullying Week 2018
Let’s Talk about it
Our website has been updated and there are now many new hints and tips for parents regarding bullying and internet misuse. Should you have any concerns regarding bullying, or anti-social behaviour, please do not hesitate to contact a member of staff. You or your child can text 076 2481 0912 or email ben@caludoncastle.co.uk Mrs Edwards, Y9 Leader
15
Trips and Visits Photography: Brandon Marsh Y12 A Level Photography and Moving Image students visited Brandon Marsh nature reserve in December, to take photographs or footage of this post-industrial landscape. They are creating visual documentary essays about Coventry as a contemporary city, and will be contrasting the photographs taken at Brandon Marsh with ones taken elsewhere in the city.
Photography: Burton Dassett Y10 Photography students visited Burton Dassett Country Park in October, to take landscape photographs, concentrating on composition. For many of the students, it was the first time they had visited this local beauty spot, and they enjoyed the views across South Warwickshire from the hilltops. They were able to look carefully at using the rule of thirds, including foreground and background detail, and carying their viewpoints to create more interesting photographs. Ms Hutchinson, Assistant Headteacher
16
Photography: Caludon Park In late November, Y10 photographers walked to Caludon Park, to take photographs inspired by professional suburban street photographers. They then created works combining these with their Burton Dassett landscape images in experimental and creative ways.
Photography: Birmingham Y11 Photography students visited Birmingham to take photographs of the building works within the city centre, as part of their Age: Broken, Mended, Re-arranged project, and to visit the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Ms Hutchinson, Assistant Headteacher
17
Subject News Mathematics Maths in Action On November 14th, 14 Further Mathematics students in Y12 and Y13 attended a ‘Maths in Action’ conference held at the University of Warwick. The day involved talks from a variety of industry experts on different applications of mathematics, including the building of the world’s fastest car, the side effects of medicines, and finance and banking (with a particular focus on the financial crash of 2008). Bobby Seagull was a particularly enteriaining speaker. The students found this to be a fantastic opportunity to see where their studying of maths could lead them, and why the content that they are learning is so important. An inspiring day for all who attended!
UKMT senior challenge At the start of November, 35 Y12 and Y13 students took part in the senior UKMT challenge. This required them to apply their mathematical and problem solving abilities in a variety of difficult scenarios. 20 of these students performed to a high enough standard to receive either a bronze, silver or gold certificate. The highest score was achieved by Michael Prentice,
18
who, along with Arnold Selimi (both Y13) received a gold certificate, as well as qualification for the follow -on round, called the Senior Kangaroo. This took place on the 30th of November. We congratulate all who took part in both events. A sample question from this year’s senior UKMT paper: The positive integer 2018 is the product of two primes. What is the sum of these two primes? A 1001 B 1010 C 1011 D 1100 E 1101
UKMT team challenge On November 15th, Caludon Castle School sent a team of 4 students to compete in the Senior UKMT team challenge, hosted at the University of Warwick. This competition requires students to work as a team in order to answer lots of fiendishly difficult maths problems. Caludon’s team consisted of Brindan Tharmaseelan, Anthony Nghiem (both Y12), Michael Prentice and Catherine Dudley (both Y13). Against some very tough competition, Caludon finished a fantastic 5th out of 16 teams. Mr Riding, Mathematics
Keeping children safe and healthy Family hubs What is a family hub? A family hub is a place where children, young people and their families can go when in need of help and support. The people working in the family hub will work in partnership with you and your community. They will help you find and get help from different services in the area and will be able to give you information, advice and support. Who can access a family hub? There will be a range of services available. Some will be available only to those who have the greatest needs, but there will also be services available to any family, child or young person who needs them (for example baby health clinics and adult education classes). Examples of services offered • Support for young people
aged 11 to 19 (targeted youth support work) • Family support which may be offered within the home • Support to children with special educational needs and their families • A range of child and family health activities including baby wellbeing clinic and C-Card distribution points • Parenting support • Support with managing finances and getting back into work or training. How do I get help from a family hub? Getting help from a family hub is simple. You can walk in during
opening times, which will be widely publicised, you can telephone, or a professional person can refer you. Wherever you live in the city, you will be able to get help from one of our eight family hubs. Four nearest hubs: The Moat Family Hub Deedmore Road, Coventry, CV2 1EQ. Families for All Hub 454 Foleshill Road, Coventry, CV6 5LB. Park Edge Family Hub Roseberry Avenue, Coventry, CV2 1 Wood Side Family Hub Upper Ride, Coventry, CV3 3GL
children from potential online risks including: online payments, in-game chat, addiction, fake accounts and more.
nationalonlinesafety.com/ resources/platform-guides/redditguide-for-parents/ * TikTok (formerly Musical.ly): https://nationalonlinesafety.com/ resources/platform-guides/tiktokguide-for-parents/ * LiveMe: https:// nationalonlinesafety.com/ resources/platform-guides/live-meonline-safety-guide-for-parents/
E-safety National Online Safety is an organisation that provides resources to schools, parents and community groups across the country. You can view or download a copy of the National Online Saftey guide to FIFA from this URL: https:// nationalonlinesafety.com/ resources/platform-guides/fifaguide-for-parents/ This free guide for parents and carers covers what you need to know about the game to help safeguard your
Guides are also available for: * WhatsApp: https:// nationalonlinesafety.com/ resources/platform-guides/ whatsapp-guide-for-parents/ * YouTube: https:// nationalonlinesafety.com/ resources/platform-guides/ youtube-guide-for-parents/ * Reddit: https://
Ms Hutchinson, Assistant Headteacher
19
Keeping children safe Coping with your low mood 9 Common Causes of Low Mood Bullying
Family problems and arguments Falling behind with school work
Loneliness Moving school or home
Physical health problems
Friendship and relationship difficulties
Family history of depression
Traumatic events
Symptoms - Mind and Body Psychological
Physical
Lack of interest and motivation
Frightened, worried or anxious Upsetting thoughts
Aches and pains
Isolating yourself Guilt
Changes in appetite
Self-harm
Sad and tearful
Tired Disturbed sleep
8 Ways To Help Yourself Feel Better
Spend time with a friend
Keep active
Avoid drugs and alcohol
Sleep well every night
Listen to music, draw, read or write a diary
Speak to an adult (parent, teacher or health worker)
Eat healthily and regularly
Plan something to do each day
Places where you can get more help Charities Youngminds.org.uk Youthhealthtalk.org Childline.org.uk; 0800 1111 Samaritans.org; 116123
Books For a list of helpful books: Reading-well.org.uk
Contact a parent, teacher or:
Produced by The Bank Workers Charity in collaboration with Mina Fazel and Tamsin Ford
www.bwcharity.org.uk
Coping with low mood Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, Mina Fazel, has developed this free infographic, shown above, to help young people recognise and improve the symptoms of low mood. Young Minds Crisis Messenger Text YM to 85258 The YoungMinds crisis messenger service provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. Young People experiencing a mental health crisis and need support, can text YM to 85258. For more information https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/geturgent-help/youngminds-crisis-messenger/
Lean One if the issues that has been brought to our notice by outside agencies this term is a potentially lethal homemade drink, sometimes referred to as Purple Drank, and sometimes as Lean. It usually contains a large amount of over-the-counter cough medicine (which contains codeine), but this is mixed with fruit flavoured sweets and fizzy drinks. This highly addictive drink was originally popular in 1990s American hip-hop communities but has now found its way to British school children. There is a high risk of overdose with this drink, especially if taken with alcohol. It can also cause blurred vision, shallow breathing, hallucinations and a slowed heartbeat. The ingredients are all legal, but the quantities taken can be up to 25 times the suggested medicinal dose. Ms Lakin, Deputy Safeguarding Lead
20
C
21
Subject News Languages: Christmas card competition Y7, Y8 and Y9 have been busy designing and creating Christmas cards in French and Spanish to enter a competition at Aston University. The cards need to represent Christmas in their chosen country and contain no English. The winner will receive a prize and be used as the university’s official Christmas card. Fingers crossed that we win! I’m sure you’ll agree the entries are superb. Can you spot yours? Mrs Mitchell, Faculty Leader for MFL and History
Literacy We have had a word of the week throughout this term, with the word being highlighted on our computer desktops and used by teachers throughout the curriculum. Some of this term’s gems have been: complementary, deceleration, vitality, aroma, verify and commemorate. Ms Marshall, English
Deceleration 22
Language Squad On the 4th December, a group of Y9 French students participated in the first ‘Languages Squad’ cookery class. They were challenged with decoding a French crepe recipe and then putting their chef skills to the test as they whipped up a batch in teams. After their hard work, and some Bake-Off-style scrutiny, they enjoyed decorating and eating their traditional French crepes. Y9 had a great time immersing themselves in French culture and putting into practice their language skills, whilst learning something new in a real-life context!
We are looking forward to the next Languages Squad event where we will continue celebrating languages and learning them outside of the classroom. Well Done to everyone who took part! Mrs Mitchell, Faculty Leader for MFL and History
23
Y7 student leader profiles Lauren Hi, my favourite lesson is English because I love writing in general and learning new words. I wanted to be a student leader as it would help me build confidence, meet new people and allow me to be a good role model for the school. In our last training session, we learned about the role of a student leader and we got to make a short presentation about our school. In our next session we will learn how to give tours around the school to visitors and how to do a student panel for staff interviews held by us. I am looking forward to taking on more responsibilities within school during the year ahead.
Madison Hello, my favourite subject is Drama because it is something that I absolutely love learning including all the cool techniques and performing in front of my whole class. I really wanted to be a student leader because I felt it was a job that was important and a great opportunity to take on this role. It is also great because there are so many tasks that you can help with, e.g. interviewing adults, who may want to teach at this school. In my last training session I took on the role of helping create a festive design on a Christmas tree; all the years from 7 to 10
24
are competing to see whose design on the Christmas tree is the best. I also had to present the idea in front of my tutor group so they could help out with creating the Christmas tree.
Nathan My favourite subject is P.E because it can show my competitive side and I love sports. I wanted to be a student leader because I want to represent our school well and show people what Caludon Castle School is all about. Also, I want to grow confidence in myself and be a role model to others. What we did in our last student leader training was to write short speeches with our partner and then share them with everyone else, which allowed us to practise our teamwork and communication skills. I am looking forward to our next student leader training, where we will be focusing on school tours and how to conduct a student panel interview. I am most looking forward to gaining teamwork skills with others and hopefully making ever-lasting bonds.
Ria My favourite subject at Caludon Castle is P.E as I like learning and getting to do many different sports. I am also very competitive. Another subject I am interested in is Science, especially Biology, as I learn
something new every lesson. I wanted to be a student leader as I can be a role model and get to represent Caludon Castle. I enjoyed our last training session as we got to know each other and learn about the different things we will be doing.
Darcie My favourite subjects in school in school are P.E and English as I really enjoy different sports and I love creative writing. I wanted to become a student leader as I love working with other people, experiencing new things and being a role model for other people. Being a student leader, I am most looking forward to showing visitors around our school, being a part of the process in student panel interviews and trying to make the school a happier place. We are very proud of our new student leaders, who have taken on their role with pride and enthusiasm. Mr Moffat, Student Leadership Lead Teacher
Subject News Y9 Food Technology This term Y9 have been tasting cheeses from around the world. Marley would particularly recommend Gorgonzola; he enjoyed the rich, tangy flavour. Connor said he would definitely have garlic and herb goats cheese again, he loved the creamy texture. The blue cheeses were not a favourite with everyone but students were surprised at the range of cheeses available and were all ready to try new things, so well done year 9!
Food Technology: Y6 Open Evening We had a great response to our interactive activities at the Year 6 open evening earlier this term. Parents and students were amazed at the amount of sugar in some of their favourite drinks. Generally the message is to stick to milk or water with these sweet fizzy drinks as occasional treats. We were impressed with how knowledgable year 6 were about herbs and spices and how excited they are to take part in food lessons next year. Mrs Ruddy, Faculty Leader of Technology
25
Events and News First World War Centenary This year saw the centenary of the end of the First World War. Students and staff were engaged in a wide variety of activities to commemorate this event.
assembly commemorating individuals who lost their lives in the Great War, and encouraging others to remember those who died from their own families and communities.
In the photos below you can see 9.1’s very moving
The school’s Remembrance ceremony took place in the
school hall during break time on the 12th November. This is always a very special event, and students throughout the school also showed their respect by observing a two minute silence at 11am on that day. Ms Graham, Assistant Headteacher
Accelerated Reader Y7 and Y8 have read an amazing 2287 books this term, an overall total of 51,438,071 words! Wow! For some good reads over Christmas you might want to follow Y7 and Y8’s recommendations as these are the books that have all been given a **** rating! 1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling 2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul - Jeff Kinney 3. Wonder - R.J. Palacio 4. Stormbreaker - Anthony Horowitz 5. Shoot to Win - Dan Freedman 6. The Scorch Trials - James Dashner 7. Girl Online: The First Novel - Zoella Sugg 8. Man of the Match - Dan Freedman 9. Dear Dork - Rachel Renée Russell
26
Ms Ruddy, Accelerated Reader Programme Lead
Subject News Y13 Art visit the Herbert Y13 Art students were challenged to investigate, explore and form opinions on three pieces of art work created by Turner, Kiefer and Cezanne. Students were taught how to articulate and present their thoughts and opinions by curators and staff at the Herbert Gallery in Coventry. As a result, students expressed imaginative and highly informative presentations in front of the works themselves within the gallery space. Well done and I am extremely proud of you all. Mr Owen, Leader of Art
27
Sports News Y8 football team The Y8 football team have been taking part in the West Mdlands cup. They played against Grace Academy in Solihull in October, and then Lucton Boarding School (Herefordshire) in December, where the boys won 10-0. Mr Cope, Sport & Lesiure
Wasps netball trip On Thursday 15th November the Y7 and Y8 netball team went to the Ricoh Arena to participate in a Wasps netball event. The girls spent time doing various netball
drills on different courts, got to meet the players and had a tour of the changing rooms. Everyone enjoyed themselves and we look forward to participating in more Wasps events in the future. In addition to this trip, both the Y7 and Y8 netball teams have been representing Caludon Castle School in fixtures. So far we have played Foxford School and Ernesford Grange. Y7 result against Foxford -
28
Caludon won 8-0 Y8 result against Foxford Caludon lost 9-7 Y7 result against Ernesford Grange - Caludon lost 6-2
Basketball Y10 and Y11 students took part in a series of basketball tournaments in December. Ms Dawes, English
Y8 result against Ernesford Grange - Caludon won 8-4
Girls football
We have a number of fixtures to look forward to, both before Christmas and in the New Year. Everyone is showing lots of commitment to training and the Sport and Leisure faculty look forward to more success. Well done!
The U15 girls football team attended the Coventry School Games East Football Tournament in early December. They won the competition, and are through to the next round, which takes place in March.
Ms Harborne, Sport & Leisure
Ms Oldham, Sport & Leisure