Bulletin 15 september 2017

King Edward VI School

Start of Term Bulletin

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15 September, 2017 he School has got off to a crisp start with the completion of the reconstruction of the Dobson Theatre, Atrium, Art Department and Sixth Form Concourse on time and on budget. The addition of space in front of the school with the moving of most staff carparking to the back of the School has created much more external space for our students.

Our students have enjoyed an excellent set of academic results with a 100% pass rate at A level, 61% of grades at A* and A (a record), 87% of A level grades at A*, A and B and 77% of all grades at IGCSE at A* and A with 51% at A*. 100% students passed Mathematics and English Language with the 5 minimum passes, a measure used by the DfE to measure success. The Higher Education results have also been excellent with 91% of students achieving their CI or CF offers. 88% students will be going to The Times top 25 universities, 7 to Oxbridge and 9 to medical school.

Sport has got off to a good start in spite of wet weather with the pre-season South Coast Rugby competition at Wellington and some excellent results in the initial fixtures.

The summer holiday has been busy with many of you involved in activities abroad and in the UK including the Summer Camp, the Goedgedacht team in South Africa, the hockey tour to South Africa, the trekking expedition to Nicaragua and Costa Rica and the watersports holiday in France as well as various Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.

Once again this year we are inviting parents and friends of King Edward VI School to join forces with our School choir and orchestra for the Carol Service at Romsey Abbey on Monday 11 December at 7.30pm.

Our students have enjoyed a wide range of opportunities over the summer holiday including the Summer Camp in the New Forest, the Goedgedacht team and Hockey tour to South Africa, an expedition to the Costa Rica and Nicaragua and the water-sports trip in France as well as various Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.

These visits continue to give our pupils enormous opportunities and I am very grateful to all who organised and managed them so effectively over the summer break.

If you sing and read a little music we would be pleased to welcome you into our SATB choir. There will be a few evening rehearsals for those who need to learn notes and then one massed rehearsal for pupils and adults.

If you have sung in our adult choir previously you will automatically receive full details about repertoire and rehearsals. If you are a new parent to the School and would like further details please email Miss Anderson on ima@kes.hants.sch.uk.

We welcome a number of new teaching staff: Mr Hyder (Biology), Mr Jepson (Head of German), Mrs Lane (RS and English), Miss McGregor (Biology), Miss Pastor (Spanish), Ms Peterson (D & T), Mr Sinclair (Spanish), Mr Twum-Barima (ICT), Mrs Walls (Geography), Mr Willis (Mathematics).

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES Co-curricular activities form an integral part of life at King Edward’s and we are very proud of the number of opportunities on offer. We would like our students to participate in at least two activities. Click here to view the extensive Autumn 2017 programme.

CALLING ALL PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF KES

There are also some internal changes of staff responsibility to note: Mrs Henderson (Head of First Year), Mrs Rugge-Price (Head of Second Year), Mrs Burnett and Mrs Penn (Assistant Heads of Year - Lower School), Mr Eyssens (Head of Mathematics) and Mrs Thimbleby and Mrs Asiki (Seconds in Mathematics). Mrs Medjnoun is the new French assistant.

Lockdown rehearsal As part of the School’s Critical Incident planning we will be rehearsing our Lockdown procedure with the whole school on the morning of Tuesday 26 September. This is the second year of these practices and is already becoming as routine as the termly fire drills but something we all hope we never have to use in reality.

Prize Giving is on Friday 15 September and the Chief Guest is Dr Steve Bull, three time Olympic Team GB Psychologist and former consultant to the England Cricket Team.

I look forward to meeting you at this and other KES events throughout the term.

AJ Thould Head

The Fifth Year Physics trip to Thorpe Park is on 16 October and the whole year group is invited to take part in this fun and educational day out. Students will attend a workshop in the morning, which is directly related to the Kinematics and Dynamics topics studied in the IGCSE course and there will be time afterwards for students to experience some of the rides. The trip departs at 8.40am and will return at approximately 6pm.

THERE ARE NO LATE BUSES ON 6 OCTOBER School Policies Parents can access all School policies on the website by clicking here.

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TRIPS & VISITS HUB

Cybercrime Notification If you receive an email from King Edward VI School/Stroud School purporting to amend our bank details please delete it. We will never communicate new bank account details by email. If you have any doubt about the legitimacy of an email alleging to be from us please contact us by telephone to clarify.

Parents can access information for any future trip by accessing the website here.

When pupils are included on an upcoming trip, it might be useful for parents to be aware of the following points: When parental consent is required for a trip, the School will send an email to parents with the username evolve.kingedschvisits@edufocus.co.uk, which will contain the relevant consent form. Parents will always receive an email from the School in advance to let them know that there is a form on the way.

SPORT NOTES Parents are kindly requested to ensure that they check the Sports section of the website for all up to date information - click here to access.

A reminder to parents when picking up their sons/daughters from away fixtures that they leave space on Hill Lane for the coach to park to drop off the students. It is unsafe to both our students and other road users for the coach to stop in the middle of the road to drop off. Parents are able to park inside the main school by use of the code given at the start of the school year.

Parents are responsible for ensuring that emergency contact details and pupils’ medical records are up to date.

For further information about any upcoming School trips please contact the School’s Co-Curriculum Administrator on trips@kes.hants.sch.uk.

KES PTA New Parent Wine Tasting Evening Paris 2017 The Information Evening for Paris 2017 will be held in the new Dobson Theatre at 7pm on Monday, 25 September for parents and students. Parents should make sure to pay the final instalment and send in photocopies of passports and EHIC cards to ymp@kes.hants.sch.uk.

Friday 13 October Click here for information and booking details.

If you have any feedback on the service and products offered by Stevensons, our uniform suppliers, please email Miss Smith on hms@kes.hants.sch.uk before Friday 22 September.

Montpellier 2018 The Sixth Form Language Trip to Montpellier will take place from Sunday 15 April to Friday 20 April. All Lower and Upper Sixth French students are welcome.

Examination Certificates Certificates for examinations taken in the summer will be distributed early in November to Fifth and Sixth Form students through Group Base. These certificates are valuable documents and will be required for future university applications and prospective employers throughout your son/daughter’s working careers.

They cannot be replaced.

Normandy 2018 The first instalment was due to be paid by Friday 8 September and parents are reminded to pay as soon as possible if they have not already done so. Further communications about the Second Year trip to Normandy and the Information Evening will be sent to parents in due course.

Third Year Opal Coast Trip May 2018 All Third Year pupils studying French have the chance to spend a long weekend in France visiting markets, a bakery, a cheese factory and even a theme park. To secure your child’s place, please pay a £75 deposit on KESpay KP609 by 6 October.

PUPILS’ £600K PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE SCHEME (INCORPORATING DENTAL) The School insures all pupils for accident and dental cover, whether in or out of school, 365 days a year. Please click here for further details of the scheme.

Expedition to Nepal 2019 Open to current Fourth and Fifth Year pupils. Please click here for further information.

Please note change in telephone claim number to 0800 051 6585

Ski 2018 There are two places available on the trip to Serre-Chevalier in France, from the 31 March to the 7 April, available to all Second and Fourth Year pupils. Places can be secured by paying a deposit via KESPay KP510 and emailing Mr Wood on rjlw@kes.hants.sch.uk. Any additional pupils who wish to go will be placed on a reserve list.

SIXTH FORM INFORMATION EVENING 7pm on Thursday 19 October This evening is an occasion for Fifth Year pupils and external candidates, to find out more information about the subject choices on offer and wider Sixth Form life. Teachers and Sixth Form students from all academic departments will be present, so this is an excellent opportunity to find out more about A Level study and discuss your preferred options.

Spanish Theatre Trip Sixth Form Hispanists will be visiting the Cervantes Theatre in London to see La Casa de Bernarda Alba on Monday 13 November at 7.30pm.

There will be short presentations from the Head and the Director of Sixth Form, as well as a chance to hear from Sixth Formers about their choices and the academic opportunities available in the Sixth Form.

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HIGHER EDUCATION

There are copies of both the Parents’ Guide and Sixth Form Parents’ Guide on the School website.

These publications contain a wealth of information about life at King Edward’s. Click here to access copies of each Guide. If you would like a paper version, please contact the Main Office and a copy will be sent in the post.

Work Shadowing 2017/2018 The Higher Education & Careers Department will help Lower Sixth students find and organise work shadowing opportunities. Click here for details of how invaluable this opportunity is and how to participate in the 2017-18 scheme.

Students intending to apply to Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science The deadline for UCAS applications is 18 September.

Deadlines for registering for additional admissions tests are:

KETA TRANSPORT Temporary Bus Passes Pupils wishing to obtain a temporary bus pass to enable them to travel on a different route must arrange this through the Main Office giving at least 48 hours notice. Parental permission must be agreed by the Main Office before a temporary pass is issued and will only be available on buses where there is spare capacity.

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HOMEWORK TIMETABLES Homework timetables can be found by clicking here and referring to the year group you require.

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Staff and Parent Prayer Meeting A prayer meeting will be held on Tuesday 3 October between 1pm and 2pm in the Commemoration Room All welcome to this informal time of prayer.

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The generic registration form for BMAT and Oxbridge tests is here. This needs to be completed before registering with the Examinations Office.

Candidates are advised to check the School website here, for full details of additional university admissions tests.

Parents’ Evening Dates Year

Date

Upper Sixth

Thursday 21 September 2017 Thursday 8 February 2018

Lower Sixth

Tuesday 3 October 2017 Thursday 14 June 2018

First

Wednesday 15 November 2017

Fourth

Tuesday 5 December 2017

Fifth

Wednesday 24 January 2018

Third

Tuesday 27 February 2018

Second

Tuesday 6 March 2018

BMAT - 1 October.

All other tests (excluding Oxbridge LNAT) is 15 October.

LNAT and UKCAT need to be registered for independently and are sat externally.

UKCAT registration deadline is 19 September and the last date for sitting the test is 3 October.

LNAT last date for registering for Oxford entry is 5 October and the last date for sitting the test is 20 October. The last date for sitting the LNAT for nonOxford applicants is 20 January 2018.

BMAT, Oxford TSAs and all other tests (excluding LNAT and UKCAT) are sat in School on 2 November.

MILKROUND SCHOOL LEAVERS’ ACCOUNTANCY PARENTS’ EVENING 16 October 2017 6pm - 8.30pm Blue Fin, Southwark Street, London SE1 0TA Fifth Year and Sixth Form students may be interested to learn about Apprenticeships and School Leaver training schemes from some of the UK’s top accountancy employers.

For more information and to register, please click this link.

New Parents’ Evening 28 September, 2017 at 7pm Parents of new pupils in the First, Second and Third Year are invited to the School Hall where snacks with wine and soft drinks will be served by the KES PTA. The Headmaster, the KES PTA, Mrs Henderson, Head of First Year, and Mr Allen, Assistant Head (Digital Strategy & IT), will be presenting from the stage at 7.15pm. The evening will give you the opportunity to understand the transition process, and will try to answer some of the questions you may have on moving to a new school. If you have not yet made your choice of seminar to visit after the main presentations, please click here and if you require any particular access arrangements, please do contact me in advance of the event on lcb@kes.hants.sch.uk.

Substance Abuse Talk for Parents Monday 16 October at 7.00pm - Hospitality Suite Bob Tait, of Drug Education UK, is a former member of the Royal Navy Drugs Education Team and he has been working with the School on Drug and Alcohol Education for many years. He delivers sessions to our students as part of our PSHE programme.

The talk will last for approximately one hour with time at the end for questions.

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Friday 15 Sept Thursday 21 Sept Thursday 28 Sept Friday 6 Oct Monday 9 Oct Thursday 19 Oct Monday 23 Oct -Thursday 2 Nov Friday 3 Nov Monday 6 Nov Tuesday 14 Nov

Prize Giving in the Dobson Theatre Upper Sixth Parents’ Evening New Parents’ Evening Open Evening: School ends at 3pm INSET Day Sixth Form Information Evening Half Term INSET Day Autumn Term resumes KES PTA AGM

Please note: A more comprehensive calendar, which is updated and reviewed regularly, is available on our website.

OPEN EVENING FRIDAY 6 OCTOBER, 2017 We would be delighted to welcome any current parents to attend our Open Evening.

Any pupil staying to help on the evening needs to give their name to Reception to arrange a meal by 4pm on Monday 2 October.

CAR PARKING We would like to remind all parents that parking or obstructing the zig-zag markings outside the principal entrances to the School is a traffic offence. Please make a point of keeping these areas clear at all times, particularly when delivering or collecting your children.

Shoe Box Appeal The Charities Commission launches its annual Shoe Box Appeal on 15 September. Pupils and parents are kindly asked to fill shoeboxes with gifts and useful items to be sent to children in Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria and Ukraine.

First Year Toy Appeal Fun Run The local toy appeal run by SCRATCH spreads some festive joy to nearly 2000 children and young people last Christmas. We hope that we can help to increase this number this year. On Monday 16 October the First Year pupils, joined by some Sixth Formers, will run across the School dressed as their favourite toy or character to help raise money to buy Christmas presents for children in Southampton who may not otherwise receive one.

Please remember to attach £2 to cover postage and do not seal the box. Completed shoeboxes should be taken to the Main Office by Friday 13 October. Please contact Miss Enfield for more information on rle@kes.hants.sch.uk.

A reminder for parents that mobile phones belonging to Lower School pupils should be out of sight throughout the School day

First Year Disco The Summer Camp team will be running a disco for First Year pupils on Friday 20 October. Pupils should listen out for more information in Group Bases.

News from the Drama Department We have a Preview Evening for the GCSE and A Level Devised practical examinations on 12 October in the Dobson Theatre. This will be a chance for parents and friends of the students involved to see the students' work and give them feedback before the final exams, which will take place on 19 October.

SAVE THE DATES! The first major School production in the new Dobson Theatre will be Beauty and the Beast which will run from Thursday 30 November to Saturday 2 December.

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