Brighouse High School
Easter 2018
News Bulletin
Dear Parents/Carers, I am writing to inform you of an important change to the leadership structure of Brighouse High School. As part of the Governorâ€&#x;s Succession Plan for Headship, Mr Richard Horsfield has been appointed to the post of Associate Headteacher / Headteacher Designate from April 2018. Mr Horsfield will work alongside Mrs Cresswell in leading the school from the start of the Summer term. The phased plan for succession at Headteacher level will be over 4 academic terms, culminating in Mr Horsfield becoming Headteacher in September 2019. It is envisaged that Mrs Cresswell will retain an executive leadership role with the school beyond that time. Mr Horsfield has worked at Brighouse High School since 1997. He has held significant and successful posts as Head of English, Assistant Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher with responsibility for Curriculum and Assessment. His vision and values align fully with those of Brighouse High School and Governors are confident that they have secured a high quality leader who will build on the achievements and reputation of the school. A recruitment process to appoint a new Deputy Headteacher from September 2018will take place in the Summer term. Iâ€&#x;m sure that the community of Brighouse High School would like to join with Governors in congratulating Mr Horsfield on his appointment and offering him their ongoing support. Yours sincerely, Jim Jones Chair of Governors
Dear Parents and Carers Welcome to the Easter edition of the news bulletin which reflects on and celebrates the achievements of a busy Spring Term at Brighouse High School. The term has certainly been marked by the challenging weather which meant we lost some valuable learning time. I would like to thank all families for your support during the snow days It is never easy to make the right decision on such days but safety always has to be paramount and hopefully the decisions that were made were for the best in ensuring everyone stayed safe and learning was disrupted as little as possible. The difficult weather led us to have to postpone the annual German Exchange visit and also the Duke of Edinburgh Silver expedition. I am pleased to be able to say that both events have been rearranged. The Duke of Edinburgh trip will take place in April and we will welcome visitors from Ludenshied in June. Fortunately many other trips and visits were not disrupted by the weather. During this half term we have had a fantastic ski trip to Pila in Italy, a memorable visit to the Battlefields led by our History team and a hugely successful sixth form visit to the USA. As this letter is being written our Year 8 and 9 football teams have embarked on a 3 match tour of Italy taking in the sites of Venice. You can follow the course of the trip on Twitter and a full report will appear in the Summer bulletin. It has been pleasing to note the events and achievements relating to core subjects of English, Maths and Science this term. The Reading Leaders scheme has been a great opportunity for older pupils to train to support the improvement of reading skills amongst some of the younger year groups. The work and dedication of the Leaders was described as „inspirationalâ€&#x; by the representative from Beanstalk, the company supporting the project. Our Maths department, as well as focusing on preparation for important GCSE and A level exams, has been entering teams in a range of Maths challenges. Special note goes to Morgan Prescott who achieved a Gold certificate in the UK Intermediate Maths Challenge and to Harvey, Joshua, Joseph and Sam who entered and won the Further Maths Challenge at Trinity Academy in Halifax. The enjoyment of Science was also celebrated in a successful science week earlier this month. Pupils had science themed assemblies and took part in a range of challenges and activities. It has been fantastic to see pupils getting involved in learning beyond their classrooms and achieving such excellent results. You can read more about all of these events in the bulletin. The bulletin contains some important information about succession plans for leadership at Brighouse High. Hopefully parents and carers have seen the letters sent via pupil post. But just in case any letters have not made it home successfully a copy of the letter is in the bulletin. Parents and carers with daughters please note that we have also included an important reminder about the uniform change to pleated skirts from next September. As we approach the Easter break our Year 11 and 13 students are preparing for the challenge of exam time. Many of them have signed up to attend revision school on 11th, 12th and 13th April and a number are attending special exam
conferences on 16th April. Any parents or carers who would like more information on how to support their son or daughter at this important stage should refer to the „Countdown to examsâ€&#x; sections of the website or refer to the main exam board websites which all offer advice to parents. We return to school for the Summer term on Tuesday 17th April. I would like to wish all pupils, their families and the wider community of Brighouse High a very happy Easter break and look forward to continuing to work with you all next term Yours sincerely Liz Cresswell
IMPORTANT CHANGE TO SCHOOL UNIFORM FOR GIRLS FROM SEPTEMBER 2018 From next September we will introduce a pleated skirt to replace the current uniform skirt for girls. Trousers will remain as an alternative option but straight/ A line skirts will not be allowed. The change to uniform has been discussed with pupils and approved by Governors and should ensure that girls have a smart and work like uniform going forwards. The new uniform skirt will be compulsory for all year groups. From January onwards uniform suppliers will stock the pleated skirts so that if new purchases need to be made from this time onwards the appropriate skirt can be bought. From September 2018 all girls will be expected to wear the new style skirt (or trousers). Any families who have difficulty meeting the cost of new uniform may seek financial assistance by contacting the pastoral team at school. Thank you to parents, carers in anticipation of your support for this change. E Cresswell Headteacher
Volunteer It Yourself!!! Brighouse High pupils and DIY retailer Wickes undertook a “Volunteer It Yourself” project in February 2018. VIY combines volunteering and DIY by challenging young people to learn trade and building skills, on the job, by committing to fix local schools, youth clubs and community centre buildings in need of essential repairs. Our young people underwent a one hour health and safety workshop, followed by ideas and planning workshops. Thirty, Brighouse High School pupils were offered the opportunity to become VIY participant and to be mentored by professional tradespeople, who also volunteer their own time. The scheme is funded from the Careers & Enterprise Company and in partnership with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP‟s), VIY ran Mentoring Programmes in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham & Nottinghamshire, Leeds City Region, Sheffield City Region and Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire. VIY will be working with six schools in each LEP area, engaging 30 students per school (from Years 8-10). The pupils decided upon designing and making park benches for their peers to use during breaks and lunch times and we are delighted to say that additional seating is available for each year group within the school. Students learned about skills development and job/career opportunities in the building and construction sector, develop wider employability skills such as increased self-confidence and teamwork, and gained on-the-job experience volunteering and working alongside their mentors on a community building project.
Performing Arts Department Music Drama Dance The spring term sees the department head into the performance exam season and weâ€&#x;ve not been disappointed with the quality and professional attitudes displayed by our students throughout this period. As the focus turns to written exams in the Summer Term there will still be coursework to finalise and preparation for the Summer Soiree on Thursday 5th July, the Wind Band Primary Tour along with our Music Trip to Germany which departs on the 14th July. There certainly is plenty to be excited about when we return. Miss R Venus. Black Dyke Brass Band Workshop – Thursday 22nd February
During half term, a free workshop for young brass players was held in school. 120 pupils of all grades from across West Yorkshire came along for the full day workshop which was followed by a performance from players from Black Dyke Band who are based in Queensbury. The Black Dyke Band had recently returned from a tour of China and the tutors for the day were Richard Marshall (cornet), Katrina (baritone), Brett Baker (trombone) and Phil Goodwin (tuba). They worked alongside teachers from Calderdale Music Trust and Bradford Music & Arts Service. The evening saw the Black Dyke Band perform the Yorkshire Area Championship piece which the band went on to win just a week after the workshop, theyâ€&#x;ll represent Yorkshire in the National Championships at the Royal Albert Hall in London in October. It was a fantastic opportunity for the students to be tutored by and hear the members of one of the worldâ€&#x;s most famous brass bands. To accommodate all abilities the students were split into two bands with the first band being made up of players who had been learning for just six months up to around grade 2 standard and them the second band was constructed of players form around grade 3 standard upwards. Well done to everyone involved on a fantastic musical day. A Level Drama Exam - Wednesday 14th March
Our Year 13 A Level Drama students transformed the sixth form studio into a Northern pub set in the 1980s as they performed their chosen extracts from their set text Two by Jim Cartwright.
These performances were part of the practical examination in „Performing Live Theatre‟ and was attended by an external examiner who had driven up from Nottingham as well and an audience of sixth formers and parents. Having family and friends in the audience really helped to boost the groups confidence as they immersed us into their performance, serving us drinks and performing at tables around us. The audience were put through a spectrum of human emotion, showing off life in a working class town through intimate insights into the lives of the colourful pub regulars. Jack Grady and Lucy Duncan were the pub Landlord and Landlady, bantering and bickering their way through what at first seemed like a typical night in a 1980s pub. As the group multi-role played some of the characters, Jack switched to perform a monologue of an old man who visited the pub to take quiet comfort in the memory of his late wife. Harley Kinear introduced us to „Maudie‟ and Ami Teal played „Moth‟ as Maudie came across as a gullible lover. Ami also performed as Mrs Iger alongside Jack as Mr Iger who makes it apparent that she likes to be in control. Lesley (Ami) was the long suffering girlfriend of the manipulative Roy (Harley) with Harley later playing a young boy who goes in to the pub to look for his father after being left outside on the step with a coke and a packet of crisps. The ability of the performers to switch from bawdy humour to heart wrenching tragedy in the change of a jacket or hairstyle was simply amazing and the quartet created a performance that flowed effortlessly. Congratulations to the students on a fantastic performance. GCSE Drama Exams - Monday 19th March On Monday 19th March the Year 11 Drama class performed our scripted pieces for Unit 3 of our exam. For the last couple of weeks during our lessons we have dedicated all our time and effort into making our performances amazing for when the examiner and the audience of parents/carers came in to watch us deliver them on stage! The script we performed on was called DNA by Dennis Kelly and it is about a group of teenagers who do something really bad to a classmate of theirs called Adam who ends up dead, or so they believe, and when they try and cover it up but in doing so end up framing an innocent for what happened and later discover Adam is indeed alive and the group doesn‟t know what to do. When we were given the script we had to decide if we wanted to do a monologue and duologue or a large group scene depending on the numbers in the groups we were put in. The whole thing was completely nerve racking and quite scary when it came to performing it on the stage in front of the examiner but overall it was a great experience and we all really enjoyed performing and we all did so well when it came to the exam, well done to everyone who took part. Also well done to the group who did a „The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time‟ you did brilliantly too!
Finally a big big thank you to Mrs Harrison, Mr Hornsby and the Sixth Formers that supported us through the exam and helped us to do such an amazing job when we finally went up on the stage!! Thank You ď Š Jamie Beck-Capper 11I BTEC Evening of Dance and Music – Thursday 22nd March
On Thursday 22nd March, the Performing Arts department held their annual BTEC performance night in the school hall. This was an opportunity for students from years 10, 11 and 12 to showcase their Music and Dance talents in front of an audience. For the year 11 and 12 students in particular, it was an important evening as they were being filmed for part of their BTEC qualifications. The night was started by the Year 12 musicians who played two songs, Don't Look Back in Anger and Valerie. The ensemble was both professional and entertaining as they performed for the audience. After the music it was the dancers turn to entertain. There was a variety of dance styles on offer from lyrical and contemporary to street and freestyle. The concert finished with a dance off between the Year 11 dancers who had performed in the evening. The students did extremely well all evening especially considering there were a couple of technical hitches with the speakers and the recording devices but everyone remained professional throughout. We are already looking forward to next year when students from other year groups will also be invited to take part in the evening. Well done to the Year 11 dancers who helped to organised the event.
Instrumental and Extra-Curricular Provision Well done to all the students who have recently received their ABRSM or Trinity exam results, our music tutors have been very impressed with the standard and there have once again been some amazing individual results. Good luck to those taking their exams in the summer. Instrumental lessons provided by Calderdale Music Trust still prove to be popular in school and extra-curricular sessions are always well attended. Extra-curricular sessions are held during lunchtime and after school across the Performing Arts department and there are no additional costs to attend them. Students also earn RESPECT points for each session they attend and extra RESPECT points are awarded for students who perform or help out at concerts. Students may also book to use the music rooms after school for their own band rehearsals if they wish Performing Arts Department Diary Dates 2017-18 Music Primary School Tour Wednesday 20th June Summer Soiree - St Martin‟s Church, Brighouse Thursday 5th July – 7pm Music Tour to Germany 14th- 18th July
Performing Arts Enrichment Timetable 2017-2018 Lunchtime
1.30 –2.05 Monday
Tuesday
3.10 – 4.10
Choir (F15) BTEC Dance Workshop (G16) String Group (F16) BTEC Dance Workshop (G16) Guitar Ensemble GCSE (F16) Composition(F15)
Wednesday GCSE Drama
Workshop (G15) GCSE Music Theory (F16)
Wind Band (F15) Cheerleading (G16)
Keyboard Club (F16) GCSE Composition(F15)
Thursday
Friday
After School
Year 7 & 8 Drama Club (G15)
Music and Drama rooms may also be booked for rehearsals, please see a member of the Performing Arts staff to do this.
Year 9 History Battlefields Tour On 16 February 39 year 9 students and 5 staff boarded an overnight ferry to Belgium to embark on a three day tour of the First World War battlefields of Ypres and the Somme. What followed was an extraordinarily thoughtprovoking and emotional trip, as students found themselves in the boots of British 'Tommies', learning about the experiences of the many men who fought and died in the trenches. Our tour encompassed visits to several museums in France and Belgium, and several war cemeteries, including Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest cemetery for Commonwealth (and thus British) forces to be found anywhere in the world. At the German Cemetery at Langemark, students were able to see the stark contrast between the stately, dignified environment of Tyne Cot, and the sombre, austere atmosphere of a cemetery built on enemy territory. There were opportunities for students to explore preserved trenches, and to stand in the remains of the trench from which the Bradford Pals launched their attack on the German front line on 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. At Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, which bears the names of over 70,000 soldiers who died on the Somme but have no known grave, we laid a memorial plaque, and at the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate two of our students laid a wreath on behalf of Brighouse High School. We were delighted to provide three of our students with the opportunity to visit the graves of, or locations associated with, their ancestors who perished in the war. This proved to be an especially humbling and moving experience for all. Of course, during our trip, we also found time for some fun! In Ypres, for example, we were sure to visit an incredible chocolate shop, and whilst in the Somme, we practised our bowling skills. Some were better than others! All in all, the trip proved to be an invaluable learning experience, complementing and broadening students' knowledge and understanding of the First World War. We hope to do it all over again next year!
UK Intermediate Maths Challenge A number of Year 10 students recently took part in the UK Intermediate Maths Challenge and the maths department is pleased to announce that the following students received certificates as follows:- Bronze - Ella Birkbeck, Mackenna Ashton, Madelein Partland, Hannah Smit, Amy Dalbi, Madisyn Pett, Harvey Rayner, Thea Walwyn, James Shaw, Dylan Metcalf and Lucas Kenncallyteal. - Silver - Joshua Scott, Joseph Shaw and Corra Clarke. -Gold - Morgan Prescott Special mention needs to be given to Morgan, who achieved a Gold certificate and is one of only two students to be going onto the Pink Kangaroo round in eight years. Unlocking Potential Scheme In the latest stage of their project with the Unlocking Potential scheme in conjunction with AQA and The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, Siobhan Skudder (year 11) and Jasmin Brook (year 10) had the unenviable task of pitching their idea for a social action project to four AQA "dragons" in the hope of receiving funding. The girls performed brilliantly, showing off their superb presentation skills and providing answers for even the trickiest of the dragons' questions. We now look forward to moving towards the planning stage of their "Stress Less Fest" in the summer term along with their athlete mentor Jenny Wallwork, a former international badminton player. Laura McGregor, AHOY Year 11
Ski trip to Pila, Italy This year we saw the ski trip venture to the Aosta Valley in Italy. We have previously skied Courmayeur and Champoluc, but this was the first time we has skied the resort of Pila. The snow this season had been excellent, which made for fantastic skiing for all abilities. The first day saw all the groups find their ski legs and allowed the complete beginners to get to grips with the snow and equipment. Very quickly the beginners were comfortably flying down the blue runs and the more experienced groups were improving their techniques. The Après ski took us to the Bowling alley and the Pizza parlour with some hair raising snow tubing thrown in as well. By the end of the week the students (and staff) were exhausted but full of stories and a sense of achievement. We are looking to launch our 2019 ski trip very soon, where a visit to Andorra may be on the cards.
Further Maths Support Programme On Thursday 15th March, 2018, a team of four Year 10 students entered the Further Maths Support Programme (FMSP) Year 10 Maths Feast, held at Trinity Academy, Halifax. The team of Harvey Rayner, Joshua Scott, Joseph Shaw and Sam Story attended after-school sessions every Wednesday from Christmas in order to prepare, and they were rewarded when they jointly won the overall competition, beating 9 other teams (which were from North Halifax Grammar School, Cathedral Academy in Wakefield and Trinity Academy among others). The students won two of the four rounds outright and scored very highly in the other two. The competition was organised by the FMSP who are part of the Department of Education and aim to support and promote the study of Maths beyond GCSE. As such, the tasks involved the team tackling problems which included topics such as calculus and decision mathematics, areas of Maths which are introduced and developed further in both the A Level Maths and Further Maths courses which we offer in our Sixth Form here at Brighouse High School. Considering they had never met these topics before, they took them on in superb style and really shone with their answers. Overall, the group had a great day and showed magnificent teamwork and determination and thoroughly deserved their success! Well done!!
Science week 12th to the 16th of March Loads of exiting fun and learning opportunities for KS3&4 at lunch time: including; The Van-der-Graff show, Make bath bombs & slime, panning for gold, dissect a fish Making ice cream using dry ice, The Wiz Bang Chemistry show and Bee keeping.
In the the highlight of the spring term has been without doubt the success of the BHS Reading Leaders Scheme. Those involved have continued to show commitment, have over-come challenges and created a great team ethic in line with our RESPECT policy at Brighouse High School. We met again with Rachel Owens from Beanstalk who was really impressed with the excellent attitude of students and readers alike.
‘One to one reading leaders sessions are a great opportunity for students who are tutoring and the students who are being tutored. It helps students who aren't as confident in reading as they are
able to build their confidence and improve their reading skills and it helps the leaders too as the leaders are able to build their own confidence as they know that they have helped others. Without it, both the reading leaders and the one who is being tutored would miss out as it is such a great idea. „ Pupil Response OUR TWITTER PAGE - @BHSLMH
All our activities are now reviewed on out HUB TWITTER page @BHSLMH There are some excellent recommendations for reading materials and activities in the local communities based on a LITERACY theme.
Classics in the LMH – This year we have started to look at Ancient languages within the LMH. During the summer term, able linguists in Year 8 will be given the opportunity to study Latin at lunchtimes and after school. We have enjoyed lots of Ancient texts in our Reading Workshops.
KINDLES and AUDIO BOOKS. We have invested in a number of new digital resources this year to celebrate reading at BHS The HUB has been filled with lots Curriculum focused activities in 2018. During the Charity Days our talented musicians set up their instruments and the singers sang for a variety of fundraising activities.
ICT Coding Club A team of pupils from Brighouse High School reached the finals of the West Yorkshire Police „block the Web Monsters‟ e-safety campaign. The pupils all meet regularly at the school‟s coding club. Led by teacher of ICT Mr Wall, the team designed an app downloadable by QR Code to raise awareness of the issues around e-safety. The app focused on phishing and identity theft and briefly covered the other types of risks too. The pupils wrote all of the content themselves. The team designed t-shirts and presented a slick presentation of their ideas to the judges. We are very pleased and proud to report that Team Koala came seconds; a fantastic achievement for the pupils.
Sixth Form Trip to America 2018 San Francisco – Los Angeles – Las Vegas WOW! What an amazing and memorable trip! San Francisco was our starting point where we visited the federal prison on Alcatraz Island that lies in the chilly waters of California‟s San Francisco Bay. This gave students the opportunity to see the place that housed some of America‟s most difficult and dangerous felons during its years of operation from 1934 to 1963. Alcatraz was then followed by a scenic and informative coach tour of the city seeing sights such as the Golden Gate Bridge and views from the famous Twin Peaks. Evenings included popular restaurants at Fisherman‟s Wharf.
Next stop was Los Angeles where we enjoyed a full day of action-packed entertainment all in one place at Universal Studios. This included thrilling theme park rides and shows, a real working movie studio, and Los Angeles‟ best shops, restaurants and cinemas at CityWalk. On the way to our final stop we had a quick stop at Calico Ghost Town. This is an old West mining town that has been around since 1881 during the largest silver strike in California. Our final stop was in the state of Nevada where we relished in the vibrant sights of Las Vegas. Rides on top of the Stratosphere, walking down the strip, Bellagio Fountains and the Luxor exhibitions were all enjoyed. We also experienced a trip to the Grand Canyon and had the opportunity to walk 4,000 feet above the Grand Canyon on the horseshoe-shaped glass bridge whilst taking in the spectacular views.
Overall, an incredible time was had, giving us all amazing memories that will last a life time. Sixth Form looks forward to doing it all again in two yearsâ€&#x; time!
Groupcall Xpressions App View your child‟s information on your mobile phone! An exciting new service is now available for parents to ensure communication between the school and yourselves is easier and more effective. Groupcall Xpressions is a new service created by the award-winning school communication company Groupcall Limited. The app is completely free of charge to you and can be installed on your mobile phone or tablet. It currently supports both Apple iOS and Android devices (with Windows mobile to follow) and you‟ll be able to see information for your children. What do I need to do now? Please ensure we have your correct mobile number and email address on our school database to ensure you can use the new app as soon as it is available. To update your details, please inform the school office in writing. You‟ll need to make sure you keep these details up to date in future to maintain access to the service. What happens next? In the New Year we will let you know how to install the app and login in order to get access to your child‟s information. Once installed and set up you will be able to see the following information: Free messages sent by the school delivered directly to the app Attendance records and absences Timetable School calendar Notification timeline for all of the above. Later in the year we plan to develop the service to also include the following: School reports and tracking Behaviour and achievement points. Issue Number:
E-safety Factsheet for Parents Positive and Negative Aspects of the Internet: Positive aspects of the Internet and Apps: • Great for research and creativity • Cheap or free communication and collaboration • Easy to create and publish content and get it noticed •
Great for children to develop future job skills as fun hobbies
Negative aspects of the Internet and Apps: • Cyber bullying and the lack of appropriate rules • Online privacy and personal information and the increasing likelihood of being hacked • Reputation management and „digital footprint‟
•
Introduces children to the world of commerce and business
•
Sexting, grooming, pornography and inappropriate material
• •
Encourages creativity and individualism Children feel they have „ownership‟ of the Internet
• • •
Illegal downloads and copyright infringement Spam, phishing, viruses and malware Children lying about their age to get onto social networking platforms with a 13+ age limit Pressure to respond to comments 24/7
•
The positives need to outweigh the negatives in e-safety education: The best outcome regarding e-safety incidents, cyber bullying and online harassment with school-aged children is always to persuade the pupils to see the consequences of their actions and remove the material of their own accord. It is important to promote positive digital citizenship and ensure that children treat peers with respect. Much better outcomes are seen when children decide for themselves what is and is not appropriate and self-regulate their actions. Schools and parents have a huge role to play in providing this guidance first, rather than imposing rigid rules and sanctions as an initial measure. Minimum age limits: Most social networking sites and apps are based in the US and under privacy laws in this country, you have to be 13 years old to register. There is no legal violation if you use these sites or Apps, if you are under 13. The only rule you are breaking is the terms and conditions set up by company that owns the site or App. Many children and young people have become savvy to this and use sites below the age of 13. The important issue around this is that they can then put themselves in potential danger as predators can target them when using this sites/Apps. With the development of video streaming and photo Apps, children need to be aware of the pitfalls Also, parents need to be aware of back channeling which is when conversations take place along side an activity e.g. playing video games. Statistics: Social Networking Use • • •
Facebook now has 1.55 billion active users. 2.9 billion Google searches are made every day. 2.7 million blog posts are published every day. Source: https://hostingfacts.com
• •
Instagram has a much younger audience, 39% of its UK users are aged 16-24. 64% of Instagram users are female vs 56% of Facebook users. Source: http://www.rosemcgrory.co.uk/
•
60% of Snapchat‟s users are 13 to 24 years old. Similarly, 63% of its audience are 18 to 34-year-olds Source: (Snapchat).
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Issue Number: 4
E-safety Factsheet for Parents • •
YouTube has over a billion users–almost a third of all people on the Internet–and every day, people watch hundreds of millions of hours of YouTube videos and generate billions of views. Once users are on YouTube, they are spending more time per session watching videos. On mobile, the average viewing session is now more than 40 minutes Source: You Tube
Sexting • • • • • •
Six out of 10 teenagers say they have been asked for sexual images or videos 40% said they had created a sexual image or video, and about a quarter said they had sent one to someone else by text. Of those who had sent an image or video to someone else by text, 58% said the image had been sent to a boyfriend or girlfriend, but a third said they had sent it to someone they knew online but had never met. About 15% said they had sent the material to a stranger. Of those who said they had sent a photo to someone, 20% said it had then been shared with other people, while 28% said they did not know if their picture had been shared with anyone else. More than half (53%) of those questioned said they had received a sexual photo or video, a third of whom had received it from a stranger. Source: NSPCC/Childline
Online behaviours • • • • • •
One in six 12-15s and one in ten 8-11s who go online say they have seen something online in the past year that was worrying, nasty or offensive Three in ten 12-15s (28%) said they knew of someone who had had any of a range of negative experiences asked about, including online/mobile contact or conduct, in the past year. Around one in 12 12-15s (8%) say they have been contacted online by someone they do not know and one in eight (13%) know someone this has happened to. Two per cent say they have seen something of a sexual nature, either online or on their mobile phone, rising to 5% saying they know someone this has happened to. Only one in ten 8-11s and 12-15s say they have personally experienced any kind of bullying in the past 12 months, including face to face. Some older children (12-15s) do have knowledge of potentially risky behaviours, for example one-third of Internet users know how to delete their browsing history. Source: OFCOM, 2015
Childrens Internet Use • • • • •
12-15s now spend nearly three and a half hours a week more online than they do watching a TV set. Tablets are now the device most often used for going online among all age groups except 12-15s. 12-15s in 2015 are most likely to use their mobile to go online; seven in ten 12-15s now have a smartphone. The majority of children aged 5-15 live in households with access to on-demand services. 12-15s who watch both TV and YouTube content are more likely to say they prefer to watch YouTube. Three-quarters of 12-15s have a social media profile. Facebook continues to dominate as the main network of all children, but imaged-based apps are growing in popularity; increasing numbers of children have a profile on Instagram or Snapchat. Source: OFCOM
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Issue Number: 4
E-safety Factsheet for Parents Parental Concerns • •
A quarter of parents of 5-15s are concerned about the online content their child is exposed to. One in five parents of 5-15s are concerned about whom their child is in contact with online
•
A third of parents of children aged 5-15 are concerned that their child may be giving out personal details to inappropriate people.
• • • •
Around three in ten parents of 5-15s are concerned about online bullying. A quarter of parents of 12-15s are concerned about their child sharing inappropriate or personal photos or videos online. One in four parents of 5-15s are concerned about their child seeing content which encourages them to harm themselves. One in eight parents of 12-15s feel they don‟t know enough to help their child manage online risks. Source: OFCOM
Key tips: • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Know what your children are doing online. As they get older, ensure that they become more resilient to the pressures associated with the Internet Be aware who your children are talking to online. Make it clear that people that they don‟t know are strangers Explain why your children should not give out personal details online. Emphasise that having many different „followers‟ or „likes‟ does not necessarily make them popular Explain to your child that nothing is private on the Internet – anything can be copied, whether it be private pictures, comments or messages. Point out that your child should always consider what an employer or partner might be able to find about them on Google in 5 to 10 years‟ time. Avoid replying to junk, spam or phishing emails, or opening attachments which might contain viruses or malware. Make sure that children become better critical thinkers and can evaluate content on the Internet such as propaganda. Ensure your child does not meet up with online friends. Creating a positive environment where your child can be open and inquisitive and feel confident discussing their online experiences, whether positive or negative. Teach your children how to block and report any behaviour or content which makes them feel uncomfortable. Investigate ways in which you can set parental controls on devices and home broadband
Useful links: • • • • •
www.thinkuknow.co.uk www.internetmatters.org/ www.commonsensemedia.org/ www.childnet.com/ www.e-safetysupport.com
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Minor sickness and School attendance. A guide for parents/carers Introduction Brighouse High School is proud of its student‟s attendance and punctuality. Good attendance and punctuality supports good progress and achievement. Outlined below are some of the reasons why full attendance is important. Why is high attendance important to my child's education? As a parent/carer you want the best for your children. Having a good education is an important factor in opening up more opportunities in adult life. Did you know that: A child who is absent a day of school per week misses an equivalent of two years of their school life. 90% of young people with absence rates below 85% fail to achieve five or more good grades of GCSE and around one third achieve no GCSEs at all. Poor examination results limit young people‟s options and poor attendance suggests to colleges and employers that these students are unreliable. Poor school attendance is also closely associated with crime a quarter of school age offenders have truanted repeatedly. At least 1 million children take at least one half day off a year without permission. 7.5 million School days are missed each year through unauthorised absence. All absence at any stage leads to gaps in your child‟s learning. This in turn can: Mean that they fall behind in work. Affect their motivation. Affect their enjoyment of learning. Lead to poor behaviour. Affect their desire to attend school regularly. Affect their confidence in school. Mean they miss out on the social life of school and extra-curricular opportunities and experiences. Affect their ability to have or keep friendships. Recording your child‟s attendance Schools must take an attendance register twice a day, which is a legal document that is kept for five years. Any absences will be recorded with a specific code depending on the type of absence.
Absences fall into two main categories: Authorised – those which schools can give you permission for Unauthorised – those which they will not.
Examples of absences which the school is unlikely to authorise can include: Sickness of a parent, or other family member Inadequate clothing for school Child being used as a carer Problems with transport Non-urgent medical treatment School refusal or truancy Days off for birthdays, shopping trips Family holiday since new regulations came in September 2013.
Some common rules about illness absences Minor illness If your child is unwell on a school day, always contact the school in the morning to let staff know. Longer-term absence If your child is absent from school for three or more days, or is often absent for short spells, Brighouse High School staff may ask you to present a doctor‟s note to verify the reason for the absence. A letter from a parent/carer is needed when • a child has any condition requiring hospital or surgical care; • the child returns to school with a cast or stitches; • the child needs restricted PE lessons for more than three consecutive days. If your child has seen their GP or been to hospital, please follow the recommendation of the doctor on when your child can return to school. When a Parent or Sibling is Ill You should make alternate arrangements to get any well children to school. Family illness is not usually considered a good reason for school absence. Please discuss any difficulties with the school as they may be able to offer support. Punctuality Establishing good habits is important. Ensure that your child goes to bed early as lack of sleep will affect his/her ability to function in the morning, leading to lateness. Medical appointments Where possible, please arrange doctors‟, dentists‟, opticians‟ appointments outside of school hours. If this is not possible, your child should attend school for the remainder of the day. Medication in School Your child does not need to be kept at home, just because they are taking medication. If your child needs to take prescribed medication during the school day, please talk to the school staff about this. Each school will have a policy for management and administration of medicines.
Common sense Use this when deciding whether your child needs to stay at home. Work on the basis that sick children belong at home and well children belong in class! Please remember that early morning aches often pass, so don‟t keep your child at home “just in case” when he or she could be learning in class. If you are not sure, check the guidance in this leaflet. For further advice, you could talk to a member of the staff, your GP surgery or NHS 111. Your contact details Please make sure that the school has these up to date. It is important that staff can contact you during the day if your child is not well enough to stay in school. If your child needs a leave of absence you must ask for permission in advance. The Headteacher can only approve the absence if she views them to be exceptional reasons. The Headteacher also decides on the number of days to authorise or unauthorise. You can request a leave of absence form from your school. Brighouse High School will be carrying out home visits to students whose attendance is deemed as below 90%. Please be aware you may be visited by a member of staff at home to discuss your child‟s attendance/ absence. Advice on “Is my child well enough to go to school?” Your child should only be kept away from school if they have an infectious illness, need care during school hours that cannot be carried out in school or are not able to cope with lessons. Many children experience common ailments from time to time. Most of these do not need a prescription, are rarely serious, do not require a visit to your doctor and do not require time away from school. Often treating your child‟s illness yourself, or with advice and medicines from your pharmacist, can be the quickest and easiest way to deal with it. Brighouse High School may not agree to authorise your child’s absence for minor illnesses and you have a duty to ensure your child is not absent where this can be avoided. High temperature If your child looks or feels shivery or is unusually cold or hot, he or she may have a high temperature. There may be various reasons for this. A child with a high temperature should not be in school. However after feeling and looking better for 24 hours, a child should be able to return to school. Cold and cough A slight cold and a cough does not disable a child from attending school. However children with heavy colds or persistent coughs should stay at home. A child whose cough is disappearing and who is feeling better should return to school.
Sore Throat If your child complains of a slight sore throat and has no other symptoms they are fit to go to school. If the sore throat occurs with a raised temperature, they need to stay at home. Rashes A rash could be the first sign of one of childhood‟s many illnesses, such as chicken pox or measles. The rash or spots may cover the entire body or appear in only one area. Do not send a child to school with an unexplained rash or skin eruption until you have contacted NHS 111 or your GP surgery for advice. Minor aches and pains A child with persistent toothache should see a dentist without delay and one with earache should see a doctor without delay. A child whose only complaint is a minor headache does not usually need to be kept at home. Vomiting and diarrhoea If vomiting occurs, your child should stay at home until he or she can keep food down. A child with diarrhoea should also be kept at home. If your child does not improve as you expect, contact NHS 111 or your GP surgery for advice. NHS advice is that you should stay off school for 48 hours following vomiting. Raised Temperature (fever) If your child is shivery or feels hot, they may have a raised temperature. This may be due to a variety of reasons. If your child has a raised temperature (over 37.5˚C), they should not be in school. It is important to measure the temperature accurately with an appropriate thermometer. However your child should be able to return to school once they feel and look better. Toothache, headache or stomach ache If your child has a persistent tooth or ear ache, they need to see a dentist or doctor without delay. If the only complaint is slight headache, your child will not usually need to be kept at home. If your child complains of repeated mild stomach ache, headache or other symptoms and does not want to attend school, this could be due to your child being unhappy at school e.g. bullying or finding school work difficult. Speak to staff to discuss this and find ways of dealing with it. General information Please remember that early morning aches and pains pass, so don‟t keep your child at home „just in case‟ when they could be learning in class. When you send your child to school with minor aches or pains, tell the school staff and they will phone you if your child continues to have symptoms. If you are not sure, check the guidance in this page. For further advice you could talk to a member of school staff, your doctor or visit the links below.
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/ NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/ Emergencyandurgentcareservices/ Pages/NHS-111.aspx www.meningitis.org https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence
Family holidays/school holidays Children have 13 weeks annual holiday from school and school holiday dates are published well in advance online. As such, all parents/carers are expected to plan and take their family holidays at this time so as not to disrupt their children‟s education. Education law states that parents do not have a right to take their child out of school for a holiday during term time. Only in exceptional circumstances may the Headteacher grant permission for leave; and it is the Headteacher‟s decision on whether the absence is exceptional and how many days to approve. When you take your child out of school during term time for a holiday this is likely to be recorded as an unauthorised absence and can lead to a fine. School also has a policy of excluding pupils who have unauthorised absence from any term time rewards trips which take place in the academic year of the unauthorised absence. Transition and Beyond – Emotional Well-being Information Events for Parents and Carers Brighouse High school have organised a series of awareness raising meetings for Parents/Carers on Emotional Health topics. The first event on Wednesday 28th September 2016 was an information fair for new Year 7 Parents/Carers on Emotional Health & Well-being. Its aim was to raise awareness of local agencies that support young people‟s emotional well-being. There were representatives from the following agencies: - Community Police Support, Barnardo‟s BEAMS, Lifeline, PACE and local youth agencies. Brighouse High School Council had student representatives who outlined to parents/carers their project work on supporting other young people with their emotional needs, e.g. stress and homework. The second event on Bullying was held during Anti bullying week. The meeting was delivered by Mrs Naylor and Ms Wardle who discussed indicators of bullying, how home can support young people and where victims of bullying can get help. Ms Wardle went through all the different types of support in school and the bullying policy. Below is an outline of our policy and support mechanisms. Brighouse High school Anti – Bullying policy Three strands: Preventative • Encourage a culture of support and openness • Supportive • Communication with victim, provide support mechanisms around the victim, communication to staff e.g. seating plans, provide secure place/refuge. • Bullies – monitor behaviour closely, give support, mentor and contracts.
Corrective • Victims - use outside agencies and mentors to improve self-esteem and access to counselling agencies. • Bullies – Parents informed, punishments and targets. Recording is key to ensure no repeat offenders. Anti Bullying Support Mechanisms in School Preventative Mechanisms Tutorial programme (L4L) Assemblies SLD Theatre group productions Poster campaigns School Council Student Planners BHS Website
Supportive Mechanisms Respect box Pastoral teams + SMT Prefects Safeguarding leads Peer mentoring programmes Counsellors Mentors Group counselling Community Police Bullying Reflection Programme – For repeat offenders
UNIFORM REMINDER We regard school uniform as an important element in maintaining standards and hope that parents will support us in this. Sensible attire and hair styles sum up our approach. The school colours are navy and light blue and most items can be easily obtained locally. Ties can also be bought through the school. The following uniform applies on the journey to and from school as well as within.
Boys Dark grey trousers (School type, not cord, denim, cotton or skin tight fit trousers) Pale blue shirt – worn tucked in to trousers and sleeves rolled down School tie (clip-on tie for Years 7-9). Tie knots should be fully visible and clip on ties should be attached at the top Navy Brighouse High school sweatshirt Standard length plain dark socks Plain black leather or leather-looking shoes (No trainers / boots / pumps) No logo, writing and must be all black. Canvas, suede or fabric, Vans and Converse style footwear are not appropriate Girls Navy A-line or pleated skirt with a length to the top of the knee(pleated skirt only from September 2018) Navy trousers (school type, not cord, denim, cotton and no leggings) Pale blue shirt – worn tucked in to trousers and sleeves rolled down School tie (clip-on tie for Years 7-9). Tie knots should be fully visible and clip on ties should be attached at the top Navy Brighouse High school sweatshirt Standard length Plain dark socks or navy or black tights Plain low heeled black leather or leather-looking shoes (No trainers / boots / pumps) No logo, writing and must be all black. High heeled or backless shoes, boots, canvas, suede or fabric, Vans and Converse style footwear are not appropriate Notes The minimum length of skirt Frank Harrison‟s will provide to our students is a minimum of 18 inch to ensure the length of the skirt reaches the top of the knee. For some younger or petite students the suppliers may order a shorter length. All outdoor clothing must be removed on entering school and is at risk of being confiscated if worn in class or corridors. Articles of clothing made from denim are not regarded as appropriate for wear to and from school nor inside the school. Minimal jewellery; a watch, one small stud in each ear for boys and girls. (no stretchers, spikes or tunnel type earrings). No bracelets and bands. No other form of body piercing is allowed. All jewellery must be removed for PE/Games. Hair should not be extreme in terms of style, cut or colour Nails must be of a short length and a natural colour. (no polish, gels or acrylics) If you are in any doubt about any of the information above, please contact the school before making your purchases
BOYS UNIFORM
Hair should not be extreme in terms of style, cut or colour
Navy Brighouse High school sweatshirt
Minimal jewellery; a watch, one small stud in each ear (no stretchers, spikes or tunnel type earrings). No bracelets and bands.
Plain dark socks, Standard length
Pale blue shirt – worn tucked in to trousers / skirt and sleeves rolled down
Years 7, 8, 9 Clip on tie Years 10, 11 School Tie Tie knots should be fully visible and clip on ties should be attached at the top
Dark grey trousers (School type) (Not cord, denim, cotton or skin tight fit trousers)
Plain low heeled black leather or leather-looking shoes (No trainers/ boots/ Are you pumps) wearing correct school No logothe or writing & must be all black.uniform? High heeled or backless shoes, boots, canvas, suede or fabric, Vans and Converse style footwear are not appropriate.
GIRLS UNIFORM
Hair should not be extreme in terms of style, cut or colour
Nails must be of a short length and a natural colour. (no polish, gels or acrylics)
Navy A-line or pleated skirt with a length to the top of the knee. Navy trousers (School type and not cord, denim, cotton or leggings)
Plain dark socks (Standard length) or navy or black tights
Pale blue shirt – worn tucked in to trousers / skirt and sleeves rolled down
Navy Brighouse High school sweatshirt Years 7, 8, 9 Clip on tie Years 10, 11 School Tie Tie knots should be fully visible and clip on ties should be attached at the top Minimal jewellery; a watch, one small stud in each ear (no stretchers, spikes or tunnel type earrings). No bracelets and bands.
Plain low heeled black leather or leather-looking shoes (No trainers/ boots/ pumps) No logo or writing & must be all black. High heeled or backless shoes, boots, canvas, suede or fabric, Vans and Converse style footwear are not appropriate. Not acceptable are
Mobile Phone Policy – REMINDER Students are permitted to bring phones to school but they must be switched off and kept in bags or lockers unless teachers specifically ask their class to use a mobile phone for learning purposes. Anyone seen with a phone out during the school day will have it confiscated and held in the school office until the end of the day. If it is a second offence parents must then collect the device. If your child needs to contact you for any reason they will be able to do so at the school office or with permission from a member of staff. The policy has been established in an attempt to reduce the number of mobile phone technology and social media related incidents and to emphasise that during the school day we expect pupils to focus on academic work, extracurricular work and face to face social interaction. Many schools locally and nationally are adapting similar policies successfully and we look forward to the co-operate of pupils and their families in this matter. Please note that if you allow your son or daughter to bring a mobile phone to school, this is at your own risk and any loss or theft of the device would not be covered by the school policy. Thank you in anticipation of you support with implementing this policy and ensuring all students have the right learning environment.
LOST PROPERTY We have accumulated various unnamed items including coats in lost property. Any items not claimed by the 15th January 2018 will be recycled. Please clearly name all items brought into school by your child so they can be reunited. Detention System 2017 – 2018 After consultation with our student council and feedback from all staff, we will be introducing a new detention system from September. The new centralised system will have a staged approach based on the number of detentions a pupil accumulates within a school week. The new system will replace all existing detentions. Under the new system students will be informed of a scheduled detention on a Monday, followed by a text home. A summary of the new system can be seen below.
Teacher Led Detention (TLD) When: Triggers:
1
Break, Lunch or After School Minor subject or form issues
Organised by a subject teacher or Form Tutor. Allows pupils an opportunity to complete missed homework, classwork and/or to discuss behaviour concerns. Not recorded in the centralised system but failure to attend will result in a Stage 2 Detention.
Lunchtime Detention
2
When: Tuesday - 13.25 – 13.45 – S13 Triggers: Pupils being issued with ONE Detention in a one week period, failure to attend a Stage 1 TLD, failure to follow the behaviour policy and/or pastoral issues (late marks, uniform) Pupils will be informed of the Detention by their Form Tutor, followed by a text home
After School Detention
3
When: Triggers:
Wednesday - 15.10 - 16.00 – Dining Hall (50 minutes) Pupils being issued with TWO Detentions in a one week period, failure to attend Stage 2 Lunchtime Detention, and/or subject or pastoral matter or more significant misdemeanours as decided by HOY/SMT
Pupils will be informed of the Detention by the School Office. Detention slip signed by pupil, followed by a text home
After School Detention
4
When: Triggers:
Thursday - 15:10 – 16.30 – Dining Hall (80 minutes) Pupil being issued with THREE Detentions in a one week period, failing to attend the 50 minute Stage 3 Detention, S17 isolation twice in a one week period or more significant misdemeanours as decided by HOY/SMT
Pupils informed by the School Office and asked to sign in detention slip followed by a text home
Full Day Isolation (08.45 – 16.00)
5 S17
When: Day agreed with the Senior Leadership Team Triggered: Pupil being issued with FOUR Detentions in a one week period, failing to attend a Stage 4 Detention, S17 isolation (more than twice in a week period) Arranged by the Head of Year and Pastoral Administrator). Pupils will be informedof the Detention by the Head of Year, followed by a phone call home
S17 Lunch Detention (13.25 – 13.25) Pupils sent to S17 Isolation will attend a Stage 3 Detention the following day
Activities in the
Tues Year 7 Homework club with Mrs Makinson 3.10- 4.20
See Mrs Makinson- literacy and library co-ordinator if you are interested in any of these exciting activities. c.makinson@brighouse.calderdale.sch.uk
FRIDAY FILM CLUB 3.10-4.30 See Mrs Makinson
Who? With Mrs Makinson What? The Festival Book Group When?- Mon lunchtimes Where? The LMH
The school office accumulated a large amount of lost property without names, including winter jackets. If your child has lost any items please ask them to check with the school office. Any items not collected by 30th April 2017 will be recycled.
Advertise your Business here!! For ÂŁ20.00 per year If you own a business and want to discuss advertising in this newsletter, then contact Nicola Carthew at school on 01484 404830
www.DrivetoThrive.co.uk
Professional Driving Instruction Driving lessons for beginners. Free on-line Theory / Hazard Perception Pass Plus. Refresher and development lessons available in motorway driving, parking, fuel efficient and safer driving. Driving Instructor training available for those looking for a new career opportunity Occupational road risk management available for businesses
Andrew Adams ( A.D.I. ). 0791 3900 494 : adams@drivetothrive.co.uk Please see the website for current lesson prices and special offers
*NEW YOUTH DANCE PROJECT – YOUTH DANCE ELLAND* A community dance project for young people in Elland and the surrounding areas. Focusing on health and wellbeing, participants will develop their strength, coordination, flexibility and self-esteem whilst also learning a new skill! Suitable for complete beginners. Places are limited – get in touch as soon as possible to secure your place.
Future Events 11th, 12th, 13th April
Easter Revision School
16th April
Staff Training Day
17th April
School Opens
20th April
Gold and Silver DofE Expedition
7th May
May Day
10th May
Year 8 Geography Trip – The Deep
18th May
School Council
23h May
Year 7 Parents Evening
25th May
School Closes
4th June
School Opens
5th June
Year 10 Art/Photography Trip
6th June
Year 10 Geography Trip
7th June
Year 7 Lakes Trip Parents Evening
11th, 12th June
Year 8 London Trip
13th June
Year 6 Parents Information Evening
21st, 22nd June
Year 10 Art Trip
24th June
Year 7 Lakes Trip Year 10 Exam Week Year 12 HE Week
30th June
Normandy Visit
5th July
Summer Soiree
8th July
Berlin Trip
9th July
Year 12 Work Experience Week
12th July
Sports Day
14th July
Music Tour
16th July
Rewards Trips Years 8, 9 & 10
17th July
Bronze DofE Trip
20th July
School Closes
School opening time in the morning Please remember that school opens to pupils at 8.30 am. No pupils should be in school before this time unless they are attending breakfast club which opens at 8.15am. There is no supervision available before these times so please avoid dropping children off at school before these times. Anyone attending breakfast club must remain in the hall until 8.30am.