King Edward VI School
Half Term Bulletin 22 October, 2014
T
he new academic year began with some excellent weather, so much so that we might have been better advised to have extended the cricket season rather than playing rugby and hockey in near tropical temperatures. October rain has quickly brought us down to earth but we were much cheered by the excellent concert at Turner Sims with our musicians sharing the platform with the Southbank Sinfonia. We have had a good term so far on the sports field making excellent use of the new facilities at Wellington.
However we are aware that the hospitality facilities and car parking at Wellington have been under particular pressure this term. In order to improve the experience for parents and visitors, we have brought forward plans to expand the hospitality area on the ground floor. This should be complete by the end of November along with a new viewing gallery and additional car-parking. I wish you a very good break over Half Term. AJ Thould
Head
SCHOOL LUNCH REMINDER
Carol Service
The deadline for changes to school lunch arrangements for the Spring Term is:
The School’s carol service is on Monday 15 December at 7.30pm held at St. Mary's Church, St Mary Street, Southampton. SO14 1NX
9am on Monday 8 December, 2014 It will not be possible to meet requests that arrive after the deadline. Please email dinners@kes.hants.sch.uk giving pupil name, tutor group and the change intended. No action is required if arrangements are to continue as at present.
You are warmly invited.
Any request using the dinners@kes email address will be acknowledged
The service is followed by mulled wine & mince pies. We do not issue tickets for this event but would advise you that it is extremely popular and it has been known for latecomers to have to stand at the back! PLEASE NOTE Monday 17 November is an INSET Day and Tuesday 18 November will be Monday’s timetable Videos and photos taken by parents at School events should be for personal use only and may only be uploaded onto social media sites with appropriate privacy settings in place. It is important that images of other pupils are not made publicly available without their consent. The School’s e-safety policy may be found on the School website or by clicking here. 1
MESSAGE TO CURRENT FIFTH YEAR PARENTS FROM THE BURSAR
King Edward VI School & Wellington Sports Ground are NO SMOKING SITES Parents are also reminded that there are NO DOGS ALLOWED on both the School site & Wellington Sports Ground Exceptions are hearing assistance and guide dogs
The deadline for Sixth Form Studentship applications, worth up to 20% fee remission, has been extended to the end of October. For further details please click here. 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 St Mary’s Church Southampton on
Reporting Reports for Second Year, Third Year, Fifth Year and Upper Sixth Form will be posted before the end of autumn term.
CALLING ALL PARENTS & FRIENDS OF KES
PARENT CONTACT INFORMATION It is important that the records we hold for your child are as up to date as possible in case of an emergency. Please check your contact details on the Parent Portal and notify us of any changes http://parents.kes.hants.sch.uk/ If you have not already signed up to the Portal, please email isams@kes.hants.sch.uk for more information.
Monday 15 December at 7.30pm 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 Mrs Freemantle on hf@kes.hants.sch.uk
PERMISSION FOR ABSENCE It is expected that family holidays will be taken in the School holidays and ideally all appointments should be arranged outside School hours but there may be occasions when you need to request time out of School for your child.
Rehearsal dates: 1, 4 & 8 December - 7.30pm in the Music Department and a Massed rehearsal on 11 December at 7.30pm in the Main Hall.
If this is the case your child’s tutor should be informed, in writing, in advance of any appointments. Requests for permission for absence for other occasions should be made to the Head of Year, giving plenty of advance notice.
Fifth Year GCSE Devised Performances Preview Evening Wednesday 12 November at 6.30-8.30pm in the Dobson Theatre Family, friends and pupils are invited to support the performances which have been devised by the pupils for their GCSE Theatre Studies.
Second Year PSHE Day As part of our PSHE education programme, all Second Year pupils will take part in a PSHE day on Tuesday 18 November. Sessions will cover Friendships, Internet Safety, Managing Your Money, Communication Skills, Why People Work and Body Image. Some of the sessions will be run by School staff and others by outside agencies. We hope that the students will find the day interesting as well as useful and that it will provide a solid foundation for future learning in this area.
Young Enterprise are selling 2015 KES Calendars, featuring pictures and quotes from daily school life. For more information and an order form please email kescobusiness@gmail.com. KES PTA invite you to their 42nd AGM on Tuesday 11 November, 2014 at 7.30pm in the Music Recital Room The proceedings will start with a presentation about the School’s Greenpower Programme Refreshments will be provided If you wish to attend the AGM or are interested in joining one of KES PTA’s sub-committees, please follow the link KES PTA AGM
Archaeology Club (ARC) A trench is being dug by the club on the School site to explore how archaeologists work. We hope to find objects of interest after conducting careful research about the history of the site using archive materials from Southampton City Museum services. 2
Listen While You Lunch
CAR PARKING We have been asked to remind all parents with regard to the zig-zag markings outside the principal entrances to the School. The Southampton City Council Parking Enforcement Team are at present producing signage to put into effect parking regulations. Please make a point of keeping these areas clear at all times, particularly when delivering or collecting your children.
You might like to know that once a month the KES Music Department invites all pupils to a free concert of our top School performers for them to enjoy whilst eating lunch together. The dates for the next concerts this term are 21 November & 17 December.
Prior to the marking up of these lines, not only was there a critical problem of congestion at the School entrances but these areas were also unsafe for pupils. This was particularly true at the Kellett Road gates, where the whole area in front of the Caretaker's house, to the road, must be kept completely clear of cars, as a safe zone for pedestrians only. The gates themselves must be left clear for essential access to and from the School site. Parents are advised to park further down Kellett Road or in Radway Road, Wilton Road and Kineton Road and make arrangements with their sons/daughters to meet them there. By using these alternative roads, parents can do much to ease the congestion at the end of the School Day.
If your son/daughter would like to attend, information can be found on the Music Department noticeboard. Staff and Parent Prayer Meeting A prayer meeting will be held on Tuesday 25 November between 1pm and 2pm in the Commemoration Room. All parents welcome. This year’s Upper School and Sixth Form play is Welcome To Thebes - please see poster below for details. It is a gripping, modern political play that is, unfortunately, unsuitable for children under the age of 10. Tickets are now available on KESpay.
Examination Certificates Certificates for examinations taken in the summer will be distributed early in November to Fifth Year and Sixth Form students through their Tutor Groups. 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. The certificates will need to be signed for and must be taken home for safe and secure keeping. WELLINGTON HOSPITALITY Due to the large numbers of pupils playing at Wellington Sports Ground this term, we have had a larger than normal amount of very welcome spectators and have therefore made some shortterm changes to the serving of match teas. You will find refreshments post-match for spectators in the marquee between the astro turf and the Pavilion. In the long-term we are carrying out work on the downstairs area of the Pavilion to create more space for our guests. We appreciate your patience and understanding. KES PTA New Parent Wine Tasting Evening Friday 7 November Click here for information and booking details 3
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Thurs 23 Oct Fri 24 Oct - Mon 3 Nov Tues 4 Nov Tues 11 Nov Fri 14 Nov Mon 17 Nov Thurs 20 Nov Tues 25 Nov Fri 28 Nov Wed 3 Dec Wed 10 Dec Mon 15 Dec Thurs 18 Dec
INSET Day Half Term Second half of Autumn term begins Act of Remembrance Open Evening INSET Day First Year Parents’ Evening Lower Sixth Parents’ Evening Non Uniform Day Krispy Kreme doughnut sale Fourth Year Parents’ Evening Closing date for 11+ and 13+ applications Carol Service - St Mary’s Church - 7.30pm Term Ends
Please note: A more comprehensive calendar, which is updated and reviewed regularly, is available on our website at http:// www.kes.hants.sch.uk/ calendar
KETA BUSES ON FRIDAY 14 NOVEMBER All routes will leave KES at 15.05 THERE WILL BE NO LATE BUSES Back in the (iPAD) classroom
SCHOOL ARRANGEMENTS FOR OPEN EVENING
On 13 November we will be running an evening ‘Back to the Classroom’ event at KES for parents of our First and Third Year pupils. This is an opportunity to return to the classroom and be taught how to use a range of apps.
Please be reminded that the school day finishes at 14.50 on Friday 14 November. Tea will be served to pupils who have volunteered to help members of staff with the evening and a film will be shown in the Main Hall.
If you would like to register for a place, please book here. Places will be limited and in the event of this being oversubscribed we will run further events later in the year.
Digital Leaders
MEDICAL MATTERS
Digital Leaders are children who have an interest in using technology to enhance learning, and have been specially trained to support their peers and staff members. They run a Genius Bar at lunchtimes in the Library and structured workshops to help support students with iPads.
It is very important that the nursing team are kept up to date with any medical changes or health needs relating to your son/daughter. Please contact them as soon as any changes arise on schoolnurse@kes.hants.sch.uk or by phone on 02380 799213. LOST PROPERTY
The Leaders are hosting the National Digital Leaders Kidsmeet Conference on 5 November with 12 schools from around the country attending. The event is being sponsored by a number of leading technology companies and gives our students chance to work with likeminded innovative children to improve their digital knowledge but also their communication skills and other vital transferable skills.
If property is found it is sent to our Lost Property Store. Students are able to claim property back from the store for a small charge of 20p which goes to charity. The Store is open at break time, Monday to Friday. Pupils are informed through their tutor about named property that has been found. Weekly reminders are sent three times to the pupil and when the final reminder is issued, an email will also be sent to parents. If the item has not been collected two school weeks after the final reminder it will be disposed of. 4