Wilson Stuart School
Wilson Stuart School Spring Term A Special Academy
Newsletter Spring 2014
G
rowing success. We have enjoyed a very busy and exciting term, with our Year 9 students going away to the Lake District, some fantastic workshops for parents and pupils, and many other exciting events in school such as the Festival of Wheels last Friday.
You may be aware that the Local Authority has asked us to increase to 185 school students, and we will also have 20 students in 19-25 from September. We have already started to recruit new staff and are on track with a new building to provide the facilities we will need. Expansion is a busy and exciting process with many benefits and challenges. However we are very mindful that any growth must not dilute quality! There will be obstacles with so many new students and members of staff to integrate into school. Yet ,we are confident that this expansion will provide even more exciting opportunities for everyone but at the same time maintain the special nature of Wilson Stuart School. The future is bigger, but also better! The commitment and dedication of our staff in all areas of school has continued to be truly outstanding. It remains the reason that our students continue to make such incredible progress and achieve so much.
Steve Hughes Head Teacher
Birmingham Panathalon Final 2014 marked the first ever Birmingham Panathlon Final. Special guests Louise Sugden who co-captained the GB women’s Wheelchair Basketball team at London 2012 and her Paralympic team mate Jude Hamer were on hand to motivate and present the medals to the four teams who had qualified via hard fought semi-finals. The Final took place at Birmingham Metropolitan Colleges’ Sutton Campus. All our Leaders received great feedback and comments on how they had explained the games, displayed patience and encouraged the competitors to do their best. It was a great day of competition involving 72 students from the four schools who qualified from the previous round. Wilson Stuart dominated, winning 4 out of
the 6 sports with wins in Table Cricket, New Age Kurling, Field Athletics and Athletic Races. We won the gold in style and have been crowned the first ever Birmingham winners! Hall Green take home the silver medal, with Victoria and New Oscott / Wilson Stuart Primary in third and fourth respectively. However It could have been a closer outcome with Wilson Stuart winning the cricket final with the scores tied by virtue of losing fewer wickets.
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Wilson Stuart School
Spring Term
Visiting the CBSO
Chinese Dance Workshop
During the Spring Term, lots of Wilson Stuart pupils have attended concerts given by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Class 4 and 3.4 attended a Percussion Concert at the CBSO Centre. We got to see and hear some amazing music played solely on percussion instruments.
On the 30th January, pupils had the opportunity to take part in a Chinese dance workshop. Chinese New year was celebrated with fan and ribbon dancing. A Chinese dance artist modelled dancing techniques using the fans and ribbons; all the pupils had the opportunity to use these items in the workshop. The workshop ended with a mesmerising and tranquil performance by the artist
Festival of Wheels 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2 all attended a full orchestral concert at Symphony Hall where we listened to a varied programme ranging from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” to Labrinth’s “Earthquake”. Each piece was chosen to showcase different sections of the orchestra so the pupils were learning about the 4 different families of instruments: Strings; Woodwind; Brass; Percussion. Class 4 were lucky enough to go to another concert – sponsored by DBS Law Ltd. It was to help young children understand about road safety and as well as listening to the CBSO Musicians, Class 4 got to meet “Mr Clock”.
On Friday 28th March we hosted an event called the 'Festival of Wheels' in partnership with the Inner Wheel. An organisation for females only, created 90 years ago by partners of men who attended Rotary Club meetings. As part of their 90th National Anniversary celebration, each Inner Wheel Club had to find a partner who they could work with on a Wheels Project. As we have a constant need of wheeled items, we were an ideal partner and the event became a celebration of our new partnership. The Club and the Rotary Group plan to raise money for the school to donate further wheeled items!
Staff communication aid training This term all staff have had training on the many different types of Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCA’s) used by some of our students in school. This was only made possible by the pupils themselves kindly allowing us to keep their Aids overnight. Thank you to all those pupils!! It was a real hands on experience which gave staff the opportunity to find out for themselves how much effort and time is required to use a Communication Aid effectively.
Other organisations also offered their support, with the Fire and Police services bringing police cars, bikes and fire engines and Wizkidz Karting provided accessible go karts for the children to try out. The day was a fantastic success and lots of money was raised to be put towards the purchase of accessible tricycles to be used at break and lunchtimes, as well as being used as part of the PE Curriculum. In addition, the Inner Wheel donated a new super lightweight wheelbarrow for our green fingered students to use when gardening in the school grounds.
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Wilson Stuart School
Spring Term
Bendrigg Trip Diary On the week beginning the 17th of March, Wilson Stuart took a small group of children from Key Stage 3 to Bendrigg Lodge, in the Lake District for a week of Outdoor activities. After a long trip on Monday, we arrived and explored the surrounding area. In the evening, after a hearty meal, the Instructors took us to the Archery range in order to practice our use of a bow and arrow. Some students did very well, and some staff certainly did not! On Tuesday we went to the nearby canal for some Canoeing. This was the most amazing day for all involved and something many of us had not experienced before. Although a bit cold with some rain in the air it was still a day never to forget. The evening was chilled out with a good film. Wednesday we stayed on-site to have a go at rock climbing, abseiling, and zip-wiring. For many of the students this pushed them to the extremes of their comfort zone, and allowed them time outside of their wheelchairs. This day was the epitome of what Bendrigg is all about – pushing yourself to the limit, and experiencing
new things. It was great to see that everybody overcame their fears and took part! Thursday, saw a trip to the Ingleborough show Cave near Clapham. Two groups were formed to explore the limestone cave and to learn about the rock formations inside. The day was topped off with an evening disco, where everyone learnt to do the “Lackshhya”. Afterwards, there was a presentation of certificates to all students for participating. Meanwhile, the staff spent the evening packing the students’ extensive wardrobes! Friday we woke up early to pack the coach, and to have breakfast to set us up for the journey back home. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed our week away and many were sad to leave.
Thank you to Mr Dawson for organising another successful trip, and to all the staff for their constant support. Lastly, thank you to the students for their enthusiasm and good behaviour which made the week enjoyable for everyone involved.
“Parents came into class to see what their children had been doing in school and learn a few of the massage strokes themselves.”
Parents massage group This half term Loretto has been working with Butterflies to develop a peer massage group. Pupils have been learning massage strokes linked to their numeracy topic on shape. Parents came into class to see what their children had been doing in school and learn a few of the massage strokes themselves. It was really well attended with even baby brothers joining us for a mini massage. The group was a great chance for parents to get a free massage off their children.
Maths workshops In February Monkeys teamed up with a group of children from Bray's school to participate in a Maths morning. They visited us for a 'using and applying' morning with the theme of 'Ice World'. There were a range of different activities for the children to move around including hot chocolate making, mint making, clothes sorting, snowman picture building and snowball aiming, all with Maths links. The morning was a great success, the children made new friends and next time we hope to visit Brays for another fun filled Maths morning. Also in February 3.3 had a joint maths lesson with pupils from Queensbury school on a Chinese new year theme. They had 4 rotating activities which covered work on all 4 areas of maths; each activity ended with a timer and self assessment. Activity 1 was sequencing the year of the animal. Activity 2 was creating a pictogram from a tally chart. Activity 3 looked at coordinates and carrying out instructions on a grid. Activity 4 was creating symmetrical animals. The lesson ended with a quiz on all 4 areas. 3.3 enjoyed the opportunity to work with and get to know Queensbury pupils.
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Wilson Stuart School
Spring Term
Homegrown @ The Hive
Caterpillars dress-up
Students from The Hive (19 to 25) have worked incredibly hard in all weathers since September to clear out and set up the school poly tunnel. The transformation has been incredible and it’s fantastic to see all the seedlings, plants and vegetables growing within, and the students lovingly planting up, watering and caring for them.
The children in Caterpillars have enjoyed dressing up in their role-play area. The topic this term has been ‘Night and Day’ and so they have been looking at different types of clothes and what we would wear for going to bed, going to school and going out for the day. Obviously any excuse was used to try on the dressing up clothes! Can you tell who they really are?
We invited Mr Hughes to officially open our new business venture ‘Homegrown @ The Hive’ at our grand opening. Our students enjoyed selling pea plants, bean plants and potato plants to many of the staff who attended. Homegrown @ The Hive will be open at regular intervals selling a range of seasonal vegetables, fruits and flowers. Please look out for emails and posters to inform you of opening times.
Power2Inspire Charity Swim
In March, John Willis who is raising money for his charity Power2Inspire, visited Wilson Stuart School as part of this challenge to swim 1000m in 50 swimming pools across the UK in 100 days. Wilson Stuart was John’s 18th pool. John completed his 1000m swim in just over 45minutes on Friday finishing 40 lengths of the swimming pool, some of the students from Wilson Stuart kept John company by also challenging themselves to swim as many lengths as they could in the same time. Following the swim John led an inspirational talk with the students about his disability and how he has overcome different barriers in his life to achieve all the things he has done so far in his life.
5.4 and 19-25 TESCO trip On the 3rd March 19-25 students worked with 5.4 as “buddies” – helping them complete their ASDAN Personal Progress unit of “Myself and Others”. Course requirements are to “meet new people” and to “take part in an activity with new people”. Consequently we met in the café and after chatting (and eating!) we went shopping. 5.4 students all had some money and the 19-25 students supported them in the choosing of items as well as at the checkout. The joint venture was a great success and we are hoping to work together again later this year.
Dates for the Diary Apr May
Jun Jul
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Teacher training day Pupils return to school Open Day Primary Residential till 9th SATS week Exams week Parents learning experience day PFPA meeting Induction day Parents evening Butlins residential till 11th Primary sports day Secondary sports day PFPA End of year disco End of Term