Contents: Pages 3:
Message from the Head Teacher
4:
The first day and what will happen
5:
The school day and equipment needed
6-8:
Uniform
9:
Travelling to and from school
10:
Pastoral Structure
11:
Attendance
12:
Rewards
13:
Behaviour
14-15: Home/School Agreement 16:
Extra-curricular opportunities
17-27: Subject information
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Dear Parent/Carer,
May I take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to Woodrush High School. This pack of information is designed to support your child with the transition from Primary School to when they start with us in September. Today, your child has had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the school, the staff and some of the policies and procedures within the school. This will continue tomorrow, where your child will also be given the opportunity to get to know some of the students in the older year groups. We do hope that, thus far, your child has enjoyed the time they have spent with us and we look forward to welcoming them back tomorrow. As part of our two day transition programme, your child will take part in a variety of activities. These include taster lessons in a variety of subjects, team building activities, assessments and ‘ice breaker’ activities. This two day programme is designed to familiarise your child with the school and make them feel more confident and comfortable about their start in September. Of course, we realise that starting secondary school can be a daunting experience for your child, but rest assured, we are here to do all we can to support your child with their start in Year 7 in September 2016. We are also aware that, as parents/carers, you will have certain concerns and anxieties about sending your child to a schooling environment that is very different to that of Primary School. We also understand that you will have many questions you would like to ask about your child’s start at Woodrush High School in September. We hope that the information that follows in this pack will help answer many of these questions. However, should you have any further questions, please do speak to our staff tonight, or alternatively, please do contact the school and we will ensure the relevant member of staff contacts you to answer any questions you might have. We trust you will find this evening informative and we very much looking forward to working alongside you over subsequent years to support your child through this very important phase in their academic career.
Ms N Rancins - Head Teacher
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The first day and what will happen: Your child’s first day will be a very exciting time , and understandably for some, it will also be a nervous time.
On the first day, your child will arrive before the rest of the school to help them settle in and find their way around. Their first day at Woodrush High School will Monday 5th September. Please ensure your child arrives at school no later than 8.35am. At this time your child will be directed to the Hall for an assembly. Following on from this, your child’s new form tutor will escort them to their form rooms. At this juncture, they will have an opportunity to get to know their new form tutor and ask any questions that they might have. They will also be given their student planners and their timetables. They will remain with their form tutor until morning break at 10.55am. This will also give them an opportunity to get to know some of the other students in their form.
At 11.15am, when morning break ends, your child will attend lessons for the remainder of the school day. They do not need to worry about getting lost when finding their way to their lessons because there will be teachers and students on hand to point them in the right direction.
All of our new Year 7 students will have an extended lunch break for the first two weeks of the academic year. This is to give them the opportunity to get their lunch first and grow more comfortable with the recreational environment during lunch time. At the end of the school day, your child will attend afternoon registration with their form tutor at 2.50pm. After receiving their registration mark your child will be dismissed 5 minutes earlier than the rest of the school at 2.55pm. Your child will leave school at this earlier time for the first two weeks of the academic year so that they have the opportunity to exit the school site before the corridors get busy.
We believe your child will have a great first day and that they will settle in fine. Having said this, please remind your child that they can ask their form tutor or any other member of staff should they feel unsure or anxious about anything at all on their first day.
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The school day: 8.35 am-First bell rings 8.40am-Morning registration/assembly 8.55 am-Period 1 9.55 am-Period 2 10.55 am-Break 11.15 am-Period 3 12.15 pm-Period 4 1.15-1.50 pm-Lunch 1:50 pm-Period 5 2:50 pm-Afternoon registration 3pm-End of school day
Equipment needed:
Pen
Pencil
Sharpener
Rubber
Ruler
Calculator
Protractor
Exercise books*
Student Planner*
PE Kit
(
* provided by the school during the first week) 5
Uniform: A school is frequently judged by the appearance of its students and its reputation is a powerful factor in their future success or failure. Please check that your child leaves the house properly dressed in the morning. We shall notify you first if there is any modification to the published uniform.
We believe that a smart and distinctive school uniform helps discipline and makes students aware of being part of a community. Long term, it is both practical and economical. It is hoped that you will support this view and encourage your child to do so. Please be aware that he Headteacher’s decision on all matters regarding uniform and hairstyles is final and fully supported by the Governing Body.
Key Uniform Rules:
ALL CLOTHING AND PERSONAL BELONGINGS should be marked clearly with the owner's name.
BLAZERS – All students must wear a blazer at all times inside the school premises, unless they have been given permission by a member of staff to remove their blazer. The school jumper is another additional item of clothing students can wear. The school jumper must be black and must be a V-neck. Tracksuit tops, Hoodies and Sweatshirts are not allowed in school.
SCHOOL SKIRTS - Any girl wishing to wear a skirt must wear the Woodrush school skirt with a small green “W” above the hem. Girls may also wear black loose fitting trousers of suit material (ie not stretch/lycra/jean material). Any visible appendages (i.e. gold zips) or logos on trousers are not allowed.
MAKE-UP - In Key Stages 4 and 5 (Years 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13) this should be appropriate to a professional working environment. Make-up should not be worn in Key Stage 3 (Years 8 and 9).
JEWELLERY - One plain sleeper or stud in each ear lobe is permitted, no hoops/long earrings for health and safety reasons. No other visible body piercing is allowed. One ring per hand is allowed. Other jewellery is not allowed for safety and security reasons.
HAIRSTYLES – Should be appropriate to a professional working environment e.g. no extreme styles or colours and no brightly coloured braiding.
SHOES - Sensible flat shoes (not trainers, canvas/deck shoes or boots) are required for students, bearing in mind the staircases, carpeted areas and the need to negotiate outdoor pathways in inclement weather. Students wearing opentoed or high-heeled shoes will not be able to work in laboratories or technology rooms. Shoes will be plain, black and polishable. Trainers of any description are not permitted, even if they are black and close in style to that of a shoe.
SCHOOL BAGS - A suitable bag should be used for school books. The British Medical Association recommends bags with two shoulder straps e.g. rucksacks. All students should have a pencil case containing a blue or black pen, a pencil, a ruler, a rubber, a pencil sharpener and coloured crayons. All students must also be in possession of a calculator. Other specific items of equipment may be required for subjects such as Mathematics and Modern Languages. Students will be informed by the appropriate teachers.
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School coats are available from Early Years starting at £15.00.
School Uniform suppliers
Clive Mark Schoolwear
Early Years
38 Poplar Road
407-411 Stratford Rd
Kings Heath
Shirley
Birmingham
Solihull
0121 733 1456
0121 444 0606
Uniform List
Key Stage 3 boys and girls:
· Black trousers or skirt with the Woodrush logo · Plain black or natural coloured tights and black ankle socks, not knee high socks (for girls) · White shirt, long or short sleeved · Key stage 3 clip on tie with house colour · Black V neck sweater · Black blazer with school badge · Black fleece with school badge and (optional item as outdoor coat or PE item) · Plain, black polishable shoes · Optional Woodrush black outdoor coat—available from ‘Early Years’ @£15-99
Key Stage 4 boys and girls:
· Black V neck sweater · Black blazer with school badge - Black fleece with school badge (optional item as outdoor coat or PE item) · Plain black, polishable shoes · Optional Woodrush black outdoor coat—available from ‘Early Years’ @£15-99
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PE Kit for Boys:
- One pair of sports trainers - Football boots - Two pairs of Black shorts - PE Polo shirt - School Rugby Shirt - School PE hoodie or Plain black sweatshirt/ fleece - Black tracksuit bottoms - Black football socks - Shin pads - Gum shield (optional)
PE Kit for Girls:
- One pair of Sports trainers - Black school PE skort or shorts - School PE Polo Shirt - Plain black tracksuit bottoms - School PE hoodie or Plain black sweatshirt/ fleece - Black football socks - Black sports socks - Shin pads - Gum shield (optional)
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Travelling to and from school: We realise that your child may experience a change to their travel arrangements when they start at Woodrush High School in September. By foot: - If your child is walking to and from school we would encourage them, where possible, to always travel as part of a group. We also advise all students to be careful and take the necessary precautions when crossing roads to and from school, particularly when crossing Shawhurst Lane as this can get busy with traffic at the beginning and end of the school day. By bicycle: - We do have a bike shed that students can use at school. Please be advised that students are solely responsibility for their bicycles and the school accepts no liability for any damage caused to bicycles on the school’s premises or any theft of bicycles. Students are advised to wear suitable safety wear when riding their bicycles, including a helmet. We require all students to observe the highway code when making their way to and from school on their bicycles. The school reserves the right to inform any students who ride their bicycles recklessly, dangerously or irresponsibly, on their way to and from school, that they will lose the privilege of bringing their bicycle onto the school site and will therefore have to arrange alternative means of transportation. By bus: - The Green Bus company runs 2 bus services to Woodrush school. The 50X starts on Vicarage Road, Kings Heath and goes through King's Heath, Yardley Wood, Maypole and on to Woodrush High School. The 50Y starts on Vicarage Road, Kings Heath and goes through King's Heath, Brandwood End, Druids Heath and on to Woodrush High School. The journeys are reversed at the end of the school day. You can get on or off the bus at any bus stop along the way. Students will need to purchase a bus pass (Swift Card) to use either of these services. To purchase a Swift Card please visit: https://www.thegreenbus.co.uk/ Buses are available to the general public but tend to just carry our students. Most buses have Wi-Fi and CCTV. You can find full details of the routes and times online at www.thegreenbus.co.uk or ask for a leaflet at student services. Worcestershire County Council (WCC) also provide a bus service. For more details on routes, eligibility criteria or costs of any remaining vacant seats please contact WCC at www.worcestershire.gov.uk or 01905 765 765 By car: Please be aware that if you are driving your child to and from school that the area immediately in front of school can become congested at the beginning and end of the school day. Please do not park or drop off your child in the bus bay at the front of school.
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Pastoral Structure: At Woodrush High School we have a pastoral structure that is designed to ensure your child feels fully supported during their time with us. As well as having a form tutor that your child will meet with on a daily basis, there are other members of staff that will support your child with their educational, emotional and social needs. Head of Year 7: Miss Robbins is the Head of Year 7. Working alongside her team of form tutors, Miss Robbins’ role is to ensure that all of the pastoral needs of your child are met. She will also oversee attendance, punctuality, rewards and behaviour for Year 7. Miss Robbins will also co-ordinate a weekly assembly for Year 7. Year 7 Progress Co-ordinator: Mrs Francis’ role is to specifically support the learning and academic progress of your child. She will monitor and oversee the progress your child is making across all of their subjects. Where necessary, she will offer additional support to your child to ensure that they are making the necessary progress with their learning during their time with us. SENCO and Learning Support: As head of our learning support unit, Mrs Stafford co-ordinates any support that is needed for students with additional learning needs. Mrs Stafford and her team work intensively with those students that require additional support inside and outside of the classroom. This includes supporting students with very specific educational, emotional and social needs. House System: We have four Houses at Woodrush High School (Brindley, Cadbury, Eliot and Lanchester). Your child’s form will be allocated to one of these Houses. Throughout the academic year these Houses will compete against each other to become House Champions for the academic year. There will be various House Competitions held throughout the year and attendance and merit figures will also contribute towards House totals. One House assembly is held every term to celebrate House success and to promote the House ethos.
Head of Year 7: Miss Robbins
Year 7 Progress Co-ordinator: Mrs Francis
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Attendance: Our aim as a school is for every child to have an attendance of 96% and above. Research has shown that students with poor attendance: • Get behind with work • Lose the thread of the topics being taught • Become demotivated when they return to school • Lose friendships • Miss out on important careers and guidance inputs • Miss out on extra-curricular opportunities • Are less likely to feel part of the school
Your child’s attendance is very important to us. We therefore politely request the following: Wherever possible, please do not make routine medical appointments during the school day. Holidays during term-time will not be authorised except in exceptional circumstances. If it is exceptional circumstances
please put this in writing to the Head Teacher. Please remember a two week holiday in term-time means 50 hours of teaching missed and several homework’s too. Students often find it difficult to catch up with work missed.
If your child cannot attend school, please take the following steps: Please contact the school’s attendance officer, Mrs Davies, on 01564 823777 Ext 7107 or email:
jdavies@woodrushhigh.worcs.sch.uk . Please explain the reason for absence and give an estimate of how long your child is likely to be away from school. Send a note in on the first day your child returns to explain the reason for absence.
In regards to punctuality to school, please be advised: That the first bell for school rings at 8.35am. Students are expected to be in their form rooms for morning registration or
assembly by 8.40am. The student entrance to school closes at 8.40am. Any students arriving at school after this time will have to ring the buzzer
for the main entrance and sign in late at Student Services. Any students that are late to school in the morning without a legitimate reason for their lateness will be issued with a thirty
minute detention for that same evening after school. We will inform you of this detention via a text or a telephone call. If your child does have a legitimate reason then please ensure they are able to provide a note or a medical appointment card.
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Rewards: Woodrush High School has a proud culture of celebrating student success. Immediately in Year 7, students will have the opportunity to collect merits. These merits have electronic codes that can be inputted on-line and then transferred into various prizes. These include anything from stationary items to free prom tickets in Year 11. These merits are also totalled and contribute towards House competitions. Your child will also have the opportunity to collect badges that can be sewn onto their blazers. These badges are to acknowledge any specific achievements linked to certain subject areas, which may include anything linked to attainment, participation, effort or progress. Any successes or achievements in school are also celebrated during weekly Year group assemblies and termly House assemblies. We also hold awards events that parents are invited to attend.
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Behaviour: Good behaviour and a positive attitude to learning leads to both academic progress and improved prospects for your child. At Woodrush High School we encourage all of our students to behave impeccably and follow the school’s code of conduct. We do have high expectations for behaviour in our school and, as such, we aim to have clear and consistent processes for addressing instances of poor behaviour:
Level
C1
C2
Behaviour a) Uniform infringement b) Lateness to registration/lesson without valid documented reason c) Disrupting learning d) Lack of equipment/kit e) Incomplete work f) Mobile phone seen or heard without teacher’s permission g) Littering h) Out of lesson without documented permission
a) Repetition of any C1 behaviour b) Refusal to follow a request from a member of staff c) Inappropriate language including swearing in conversation
Consequence/Action a) Removal from form/learning until rectified b) Verbal warning c) Verbal warning d) Verbal warning/supply e) Verbal warning f) Confiscated until the end of the school day g) Verbal warning/rectify h) Verbal warning/return to class (Log on SIMS)
Staff responsible
a-h) All Staff
30 minute after school detention (Contact parents by text)
a-c) All Staff
1 hour afterschool detention (Contact parents by text and phone call home at discretion of teacher)
a-e) All Staff f) Form tutor
a) Repetition of any C2 behaviour b) Failure to attend 30 min detention for C2 behaviour
C3
c) Rudeness/inappropriate behaviour towards a member of staff, including walking away from, or lying to, a member of staff d) Rudeness/inappropriate behaviour towards a fellow student
C4
C5
C6
a) Repetition of any C3 behaviour in lessons b) Failure to attend 1 hour detention for C3 behaviour
a) Failure to attend 1 hour detention with Head of Faculty, Head of Year or Progress Leader
a) Failure to attend 2 hour detention with Head of Year/SLT or failure to behave appropriately during 2 hour detention b) Fighting/assault/dangerous behaviour c) Smoking or suspicion of smoking d) Graffiti e) Bullying f) Possession/bringing inappropriate items into school
1 hour after school detention (Contact parents by text and phone call home by Head of Faculty or Head of Year/Progress Leader)
Head of Faculty/Head of
a) 2 hour Friday after school detention (Contact parents by text and phone call home by Head of Faculty or Head of Year/Progress Leader)
a) Head of Year/SLT
One day in time out isolation and a minimum of one day in intervention (Phone call home and/or parental meeting with Head of Year/ Progress Leader)
SLT/ Progress Leader/ Personal Welfare Intervention
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Home/School Agreement: All schools are encouraged to have in place a Home School Agreement. Our Home School Agreement was originally formed in partnership with parents and, in recent years, it has been amended after parents have made some further useful and helpful suggestions. Please read the following information carefully and please keep this document in an accessible place during your son or daughter’s education at Woodrush High School.
Home School Agreement Parent(s)/Guardian(s) will:
See that my child maintains good attendance (96% and above) and arrives before 8.35am each day (apart from Wednesday morning where a later start of 8.55am is required); Ensure that my child is wearing the correct uniform as outlined in the school’s uniform policy; See that my child is properly equipped for school; Let the school know about any concerns or problems that might affect my child’s work or behaviour; Support the school’s aims, ethos, policies and guidelines for behaviour and bullying and encourage my child to follow them; Support and reinforce sanctions given by the school in terms of misbehaviour; Attend parents’ evening and discussions about my child’s progress; Inform the school when my child is absent from school on the first day of their absence; Agree any planned school absence by my child in advance with the school (term time holidays will not be authorised); Work in partnership with the school and outside agencies to support my child’s progress and well-being; Take an interest in my child’s school work, looking at their exercise books and the school’s virtual learning environment (FROG) regularly; Encourage my child to participate in the extra-curricular opportunities offered by the school; Acknowledge that, as a school, we do not advise that students bring mobile phones to school and we accept no liability for loss, damage or theft of mobile phones; Acknowledge that any communication with your child during the school day should be made through the school reception; Communicate with all staff at Woodrush High School in a respectful manner; Communicate any concerns about my child and their education or well-being at school through the appropriate pastoral channels and not on social media or online forums.
Staff will:
Provide the best possible teaching and learning opportunities; Ensure the safety of every child is given priority and that a caring, safe and supportive environment is provided that promotes learning and well-being; Guide students towards becoming inquisitive, independent and taking ownership of their own learning; Reward students for their success; Contact parents if there is a problem with attendance, punctuality, uniform or equipment; Let parents know about any concerns or problems that affect their child’s work or behaviour; Ensure that lessons are not interrupted by poor behaviour; 14
Report to parents on your child’s progress; Set, mark and monitor independent study and provide facilities for children to do independent study in school; Arrange parents’ evenings during which progress will be discussed; Keep parents informed about school activities through regular letters home, news sheets and notices about special events; Ensure that the school behaviour and bullying policies are consistently applied; Monitor pupils’ behaviour, taking fair and consistent action if necessary and informing parents/carers of any concerns; Help students leave school well prepared and ready to make the most of future career/educational opportunities; Listen to parents/guardians and work in partnership with them.
Students will:
Attend regularly and punctually and with a positive attitude; Come to school prepared to work, with the correct equipment and the correct uniform at all times, including at the beginning and the end of the school day; Respect other members of the Woodrush community; Accept that bullying, intolerance and discrimination are unacceptable in our school; Ensure they do not disrupt the learning of others; Follow staff instructions immediately without questioning; Ensure their mobile phone is switched off during the school day and kept out of sight; Conduct themselves appropriately in lessons, between lessons, during break, lunch and on their way to and from school; Ensure proper and safe use of the school ICT systems as outlined in the acceptable usage policy for ICT; Remain within the permitted recreational areas of the school during break and lunch times; Be positive ambassadors for the school at all times; Respect the environment of the school and other people’s property; Complete all work to the highest possible standard and to the agreed deadline; Take responsibility for their own learning.
Parent Signature:_______________________Student Signature:__________________________
Headteacher: ______________________Chair of Governors: _____________________________
We require all parents and students to sign the Home School Agreement. Please be aware that advice from the Government, via the Department for Education (DFE), states that refusal to sign a school’s Home School Agreement does not provide exemption for any students from the rules outlined by the school. If you would like to discuss any issues arising from the following Home School Agreement then please do not hesitate to contact us. We believe this document fairly and reasonably outlines the expectations we have as a school from our staff, our students and our parents. The aim of our Home School Agreement is to encourage consistency, equality and fairness in all matters pertaining to the school.
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Extra Curricular Opportunities: During their time at Woodrush High School your child will be encouraged to participate in a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. Below is a list of just a few of the clubs, trips and whole school initiatives that have happened during this academic year:
Some of our school clubs: Dance club Orchestra Cookery club Lego club Animal club Woodrush entrepreneurs
Some of our trips: Avoncroft museum North Italy skiing trip Drayton Manor Park Hive library Cadbury World Lower Drayton farm Weymouth New York
Whole school initiatives: Literacy Leaders Numeracy Ambassadors Prefects School Council Representatives
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Subject Information: The English Faculty: English is certainly an important and amazing subject! Students at Woodrush study a range of units in KS3 and develop key skills within three core areas: Speaking and Listening Reading Writing. Success in English enables students to develop the tools they will need to access other subjects and help them confidently and effectively access the world around them. In Key Stage 3, students have four lessons a week. During three of the lessons, students will complete units of work that will help them gain a range of skills that aim to prepare them for their GCSE studies. These units include: studying a class novel, writing for purpose, Shakespeare and poetry. Students are assessed after each unit of work within the core assessment focuses. In the fourth lesson of each week, students will have a specific skills based lesson called a Literacy Lesson where they will spend time on spelling, punctuation, grammar and independent reading skills.
Independent Study As well as working in class, students are required to complete Independent Study (I.S). One aspect of this I.S will be to learn a set of spellings each week. This will include commonly misspelt words as well as words which are more subject specific, in order to support the increasing focus on spelling, grammar and punctuation across all subjects. Teachers may also set tasks which support their current scheme of learning. We also follow the Accelerated Reader programme. This is a fantastic way of engaging students with reading whilst raising and monitoring their reading ability. As part of their English lessons, students will visit our new library each week where they can select books as well as take quizzes on the books they have read. Most importantly, students are expected to read for at least 20 minutes each evening, as this will ensure they make sufficient progress in their reading ability. We would very much welcome your support in making sure that I.S is completed as this is an essential part of your child’s work in English. In particular, supporting your child with reading their Accelerated Reader books can prove incredibly beneficial; this may include reading with your child, asking them about what they have read, or helping them choose interesting and appropriate books. You can search for books which support Accelerated Reader by searching arbookfind.com. Equipment and Reading Books In the English department we ask that students have basic equipment with them. This includes at least one pen, pencil, rubber, ruler, coloured pencils/felt pens. Teachers do have some equipment that can be used but we would like to encourage students to be as independent as possible. Furthermore in order to promote the importance of independent reading and enjoyment of reading, we ask for all students in Years 7 and 8 to have a suitable reading book with them at all times.
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Extra-Curricular Opportunities Students within the English Department take part in a variety of exciting activities each year. The department supports events such as Readathon and World Book Day. Furthermore, students will also have opportunities to enrich their learning with a variety of trips and excursions which could include The Harry Potter Studio Tours, Madame Tussauds or The Natural History Museum as well as seeing a variety of West End Theatre productions such as Matilda, War Horse and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Expectations The department aims to reward good behaviour, effort and work with celebration letters and postcards home. These are a fantastic way to celebrate achievement! Every year 7 student should be aiming to achieve their very best in each and every English lesson.
To summarise English is a dynamic and exciting subject! Students have the opportunity to be creative and analytical by exploring language, empathising with characters, learning important facts and discovering and developing the ability to express themselves for different audiences and purposes. The English team look forward to teaching your child next year and helping them to achieve their full potential in this important core subject.
Mrs Metcalfe-Taylor Head of English
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The Maths Faculty: Mathematics is the key that unlocks the future your child desires and deserves and the Maths Department at Woodrush is dedicated to helping all pupils achieve their full potential. We hope that your child will grow to not only recognise the importance of Maths as a subject, but truly enjoy exploring and deepening their understanding as well. In order to help your child’s mathematical development, we have prepared a list of the necessary equipment which your child will be required to bring to every Maths lesson: - Calculator - Pen - Pencil - Ruler - Rubber - Compass - Protractor - Coloured pencils In an effort to assist pupils in learning how to use their calculator effectively we are trying to standardise the type of calculator used in lessons. We therefore recommend the Casio FX85GT-Plus Solar Scientific Calculator, which can be purchased from any good retail outlet for between £7 and £12. We will endeavour to have some of these available in the Maths shop and we will publicise when we do as well as their price. The slightly less expensive non-solar version, Casio FX83GT-Plus Battery Scientific Calculator (between £6 and £11) is also recommend, but as this calculator needs to last the duration of your child’s secondary education, we recommend spending slightly more. Other makes of scientific calculator would also be suitable, but teaching will be based around the above model. The Casio is well regarded as the most “user friendly” and its wide variety of functions make it applicable to other subjects as well. It is essential that all pupils arrive fully equipped for each Maths lesson. As a department we would really appreciate it if you could help your child to pack their equipment for every Maths lesson. We cannot provide equipment for everyone and it is very difficult for staff to teach new concepts if the pupils do not have the necessary equipment. In year 7, pupils will find that they are put into maths sets based on their KS2 Maths SATs results and other data that we ha ve available. Setting in Maths enables us to more easily differentiate the work and make it entirely appropriate for each pupil. They will also do a test in the first few weeks to confirm these previous levels and give us a baseline assessment from which to move them forward. The students then follow a comprehensive five-year scheme of work that supports both the development of foundation level understanding and extends into topics that stretch and challenge the most able pupils. This means that some pupils in year 7 will be introduced to certain Higher GCSE topics not necessarily taught to their age group in other schools. All pupils will cover the 4 main aspects of Maths: Number, Algebra, Shape, Space and Measure, and Handling Data. Algebra may be a new concept for some pupils as it is more abstract, but they will have met the other areas before. Maths at secondary school should not be an intimidating experience. Pupils will find that some things, especially early on, are quite similar to what they have done at KS2. Initially they will be able to use the same methods they have utilised before for calculations and to solve problems, but gradually they will be introduced to new methods and techniques for solving more difficult problems. One key difference is that we prefer them to write in pen now and only use pencil for underlining and drawing. At Woodrush we embrace the use of technology in Maths. In addition to lessons presented using interactive whiteboards, we often use an online teaching resource called ‘MyMaths’. In September your child will be given the user name and password to access the site fully. Please take the time to explore the site with them when you can. If your child is absent from school for any reason, this resource can be used to help them catch up with any maths lessons they may miss. Another extremely valuable resource is MathsWatch. The MathsWatch VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) is an online resource that has video tutorials along with linked worksheets pupils can access from any PC, laptop, iPad and even mobile phones. This is likely to be your child’s best friend for revision and will hopefully help eliminate “I didn’t know what to do” from the reasons for not completing independent study tasks such as homework and revision. As with MyMaths your child will also get a log in for this website and may prefer this to MyMaths for revision purposes. The department aims to reward good behaviour, effort and work with reward stampers, merits and postcards home. Occasionally, however, if your child does not behave or complete the work set to the best of their ability in a Maths lesson, they may be
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given a detention by either their class teacher or the Head of Department. If their behaviour does not improve as a result of the detention, then it may be necessary to place a pupil on subject report to monitor their behaviour and encourage improvements - Parents / carers will be informed of this and will be asked to support us to help their child work to the best of their ability by discussing their behaviour and signing the report card on a regular basis. Maths goes far beyond the classroom and we aim to provide ample opportunities for pupils to use and explore Maths outside of lessons. We have several competitions throughout the year including entering pupils in KS3 for the Junior Maths Challenge run by the University of Leeds. We also hold several in house events designed to engage and celebrate their talent and creativity. In September there will be a competition for pupils to illustrate “Maths about me�. Other opportunities for enrichment in Maths include our yearly Farm Trip to see how a farmer uses maths in his everyday life, visits to Bletchley Park, and events at local universities and colleges. Our goal is to make Maths not only real, but really fun! My team and I all believe that Maths is the key to a bright future and look forward to introducing your child to all that Maths has to offer in September. Mr Watson Head of Mathematics
The Science Faculty: In Key Stage 3, students will study a mixture of Biology, Chemistry and Physics topics. Year 7 will start with an introduction to learning Science in a specialist laboratory. Students will learn how to use new equipment and how to be safe. Each topic has a focus on scientific skills for example: planning an experiment and drawing a graph of their results. Year 7 students will carry out a base line assessment early on in year 7 which assesses Key Stage 2 knowledge and skills in Science. This will be used to set students by ability into 4 groups in each half of the year to maximise the support we can give. Practical work plays an important part in Science education at Woodrush and features heavily in our curriculum. We firmly believe that effective practical work can really help students understand difficult concepts and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and inventors! Throughout key stage 3, assessment is embedded into each topic and an end of topic test is done. Pupils are able to use the results of these to track their own progress over the year and compare it to their own target achievement levels. Students will be expected to revise for these assessments and online revision tools such as BBC Bitesize and educake will be used by teachers. To support your child in Science please ensure that they come to lessons prepared with pens, a pencil, a ruler and a scientific calculator. A pair of scissors and a glue stick will also be useful but not essential. We expect all students to purchase a KS3 workbook for ÂŁ5, this contains revision pages and practice questions and homework will be set using this. There are exciting opportunities for students to be part of our science club where they can work with older students on projects and achieve accreditation through the CREST Award Scheme which is led by the British Science Association. As a department we are very much looking forward to welcoming your child into Year 7 in September. Mr Raistrick Head of Science
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The Technology Faculty: Design and Technology is about providing opportunities for students to develop their capability, combining their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding in order to create quality products. Gone are the days of Woodwork, Metal Work and Home Economics‌. Through activities in D&T, students develop skills in designing and making. They gain knowledge about design, materials, structures, mechanisms and electrical control. They are encouraged to be creative and innovative and are prompted to think about important issues such as sustainability and enterprise. Secondary design and technology builds on the skills and knowledge children have already learnt at primary school. It leverages increasingly sophisticated resources, including dedicated teaching environments, manufacturing equipment and specialist teaching. As students progress through this phase, they may be given the opportunity to focus on specific aspects of the subject such as Product Design, Food and Nutrition, Engineering, Systems and Control, Electronics, Fashion and Textiles and Graphics. However, at its core, is creativity and imagination. Students learn to design and make products that solve genuine relevant problems within different contexts whilst considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. To do this effectively, they will acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on additional disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. D&T develops confident and capable young people with the potential to produce effective solutions to many of the problems we face today. Critically, it builds the skills people need to solve problems we do not even know exist yet. It can support employers to address skills shortages across sectors such as advanced manufacturing, the creative industries and engineering. In doing so, it makes a huge contribution to economic growth. It engages disaffected young people with valuable knowledge and skills which they can enjoy in school and use in their future working lives. And it prepares everyone to gain value from life in an advanced, technological 21st century economy. Design and Technology gives pupils the confidence to live, work and contribute in a technological world!
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Things to know: It is compulsory under our current government that students study Food and Nutrition. It is a vital and important part of growing up in our society to know how to prepare, cook and budget for a range of healthy dishes. Students will study Food and Nutrition in years 7 and 8. They will have two hours a week and will be expected to cook regularly. Technology works on a carousel system so they will not study the course for the whole year but will have 12 weeks during the year to learn these skills. As a department we try to provide students with easy systems to use and to train them in being independent. Students will always be given one weeks’ notice on ingredients and we endeavour to have practical lessons at the same time each week. Please be aware we will have the recipes on Frog to make it easier to provide the ingredients. Please do invest in a Tupperware box where students can bring their cooking home. As we only have 1 hour practicals we ask that the weighing out of ingredients is done at home. We would love to teach them these skills but time is against us. Please also invest in an apron. This means students can bring in their own apron during the lessons. They do not need to bring in cooking equipment as this will be provided. If you are in receipt of a Pupil Premium Grant, we will provide the ingredients for your Son/Daughter. Extra Curricular Clubs: We run the following clubs on a weekly basis: Cooking Club, Fashion Club, Engineering Club, CAD Design Club, New for Next year - Young Enterprise Trips planned: Cadbury World, Clothes Show, Jaguar/Land Rover Competitions: Class and house competitions run termly. Ms H Robinson Head of Technology
The Computing and Business Faculty: It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you and your child to the Computing & Business Faculty at Woodrush High School! Your child is entering at a very exciting time in the Computing subject as the curriculum has seen major changes in recent years. It is a fast growing, hugely popular and in demand subject to tackle the current job shortages we face across the country within this sector. Our aims of the Faculty are to enable students to come up with their own problems and provide them with the skills to develop practical solutions. We want to provide high challenge and develop students’ creative, logical and analytical abilities so that students will be engaged, feel confident and provide them with skills transferable to other subjects. In Year 7, students will be introduced to “The Computing Way”, a three strand approach to the curriculum made up of ICT, Computer Science and Digital Literacy. Each half term students will study units underpinned by these strands. Units include Graphic Design, E-Safety, Game Creation, Binary: Nuts & Bolts, Spreadsheet Modelling and Web Design. Students will then go onto Key Stage 4 to choose a GCSE pathway based on which of these strands they find the most rewarding, engaging and enjoyable. 22
Assessment in Computing takes place in a number of ways. Students will be given colour coded booklets for each unit they study (colour depending on the strand) and these will be used for lesson and assessment purposes. Teacher feedback, student response, current attainment levels and specific personalised targets will feature in the booklet to help your child progress as far and as rapidly as possible. At the end of a unit, your child will bring the booklet home to allow for parental input and to keep you in the loop with how your child is performing in the subject. There are also many extracurricular clubs that we offer in the Computing Faculty which we would love for your child to be a part of! Whether it is to develop their coding skills to design and create their own game or they have an interest in media and would like to be in our BBC School News Report team, there will be plenty for your child to get involved with. Due to regular computer use by our students, we do ask that students follow the ‘Computing Code of Conduct’. More details of this will be given in September. All subject resources will be allocated on the School Virtual Learning Environment (FROG) which can be accessed in school and from home. Internet Safety is essential to all competent users and as part of our curriculum your child will learn how to embrace the wonderful technology around us and flourish in their learning. My team and I cannot wait to meet and welcome your child to the world of Computing in September! Mr J. Bentley Head of Computing & Business Faculty
The Humanities Faculty: In Humanities, students study 3 subjects: Geography (2 hours per week) History (2 hours per week) Religious Education (1 hour per week) There is a thematic approach to Humanities lessons where possible, with cross-curricular topics at different points throughout the year. Independent Study will be set on a half-termly basis and differs depending on the subject/unit being studied. The aim of independent study is for pupils to develop knowledge and personal learning skills. Individual humanities subjects can set more comprehensive projects that focus on developing a particular skill set or base of knowledge within a certain topic. Exceptional work will receive a postcard home and we regularly recognise pupil effort through our Humanities Star of the Week for each Key Stage. In addition to class work and independent study, we aim to provide extra-curricular enrichment opportunities in each subject area. Neatness of work and spelling is important – students must underline all headings, date work, use a pencil for diagrams and a pen for labelling and writing.
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Geography In Geography lessons students will start the year by thinking about their own geography, whilst developing their basic map and geographical enquiry skills. They will go on to look at a range of human geography topics including population & settlement, weather & climate and will study the contrasting countries of China and the USA. The Year 7 course is designed to help students to consider their place in the world and understand how they are connected to other places. It will help develop their questioning & analytical skills by looking at a range of issues and by studying a variety of images, graphs or maps. It will also improve their evaluative skills through a number of decision making exercises. History In History lessons students will find out about the history of their community, Britain, Europe and the world. The focus for Year 7 topics includes ‘Medieval Times’ and ‘Tudor England’. They will develop a chronological overview that can enable them to make connections within and across different periods and societies. Students will ask and answer important questions about the past, evaluate evidence, identify and analyse different interpretations of the past, and learn to substantiate the arguments and judgements they make.
Religious Education Religious education encourages students to appreciate beliefs that are different to their own and consider how society engages with these ideals. Students will investigate key aspects of society (such as crime, education, families, poverty), explain how different individuals experience these aspects and understand how religions vary in their approach to these matters. By combining the study of Sociology & Religion it allows students to develop their understanding of the world around them, whilst analysing and evaluating the responses of people or belief systems to important moral and societal issues. Mr A Reece Head of Humanities 24
The Physical Education Faculty: PE is a really fun, exciting and important lesson at Woodrush. The PE department ensure that every student will have the opportunity to take part in a broad range of physical activities which will help to inspire them to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. We aim to provide opportunities for students to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness and to compete in sport and other activities to help build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect. Throughout Key stage 3 students will learn the following: - How to use a range of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in direct competition through team and individual games including badminton, basketball, handball, ultimate Frisbee, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders, rugby and tennis. - How to develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports including fitness, athletics and gymnastics. - Perform dances using advanced dance techniques within a range of dance styles and forms including street dance, bokwa, cheerleading. - Take part in outdoor and adventurous activities which present intellectual and physical challenges and be encouraged to work in a team, building on trust and developing skills to solve problems, either individually or as a group - Analyse performances compared to previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best The PE department also offer a wide range of extracurricular clubs and we really encourage all students to get involved whether it is to become part of one of our competitive sports teams including football, trampoline, badminton, rugby, netball, hockey, cross country, rounders, athletics, cricket or basketball or to join an activity to improve your health and fitness such as cheerleading, trampoline, dance or fitness. Health and safety is extremely important to so we would ask that parents ensure that students are dressed appropriately for activities. A full kit list is available within this information pack and items are available from local suppliers. Mrs Holtom-Brown
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The Modern Foreign Languages Faculty: The Modern Foreign Languages Faculty encourages all students to value the ability to communicate in a second language and promotes understanding and tolerance of other cultures and traditions. We strongly believe that learning a language is important but that lessons should be fun and we work hard to make our lessons as engaging as possible. Students will have the opportunity to study either French or Spanish during their time at Woodrush. In Year 7, students will have two language lessons a week where we concentrate on building confidence and improving all four communication skills in the foreign language. Some of the topics students cover are: personal information, school life, healthy lifestyles and food and drink All pupils will be issued with a vocabulary book at the beginning of term which contains all the vocabulary they will need for that year as well as how to form the basic structures. Students are set Independent Study once a week which may be a reading task or may be a set of words from their vocabulary book to learn. Parents may wish to help their child by testing them on these. We ask all pupils to bring the basic equipment with them to class. This includes a pen, pencil, ruler and rubber. A small dictionary will be of use to your child throughout their lessons and Independent Study tasks. From time to time we will use websites to support their learning at home as there are countless languages websites which provide valuable materials and can enrich pupils’ language learning. We look forward to meeting your child in September. Mrs Croxall Head of Modern Foreign Languages
Creative Arts Faculty: The Creative Arts Faculty at Woodrush is made up of Art, Photography, Drama, Dance and Music. In Year 7 and 8, all students receive 2 hours of Creative Arts lessons on their timetable, rotating between Art, Drama and Music. Students can then opt to take these subjects and Dance or Photography at GCSE level. As well as the learning that takes place in lessons, we offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities that take place after school such as Art Club, Drama Club, Choir, Pop Band and Orchestra and we actively encourage students to get involved in these. In addition to this we also put on a school musical every two years which students of all ages can audition for, so far we have performed The Lion King, Hairspray and The Wizard of Oz on the school stage. We also have exciting things happen throughout the year like visiting professionals and artists in residence, trips to concerts and the theatre, exhibitions and other relevant live Arts events. Art: “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” Scott Adams The Art Department aims to: Develop confidence, value and pleasure in Art – to take risks and to have fun. Encourage the individual student’s creative ability and develop the technical skills necessary to reach their full potential. Use Art to help students to express their ideas, thoughts, feelings and experiences effectively. Help students to explore their world at first hand using all their senses and experimentation to gain knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live. 26
Develop students’ aesthetic awareness and enable them to make informed judgements about Art. Develop students’ ability to value the contribution made by other artists, makers and designers and respond critically and imaginatively to ideas, images and artefacts of many kinds and from many cultures. Students will undertake a balanced programme, which takes account of abilities, aptitudes, physical, emotional and social development. It also takes into account multi-cultural issues and equal opportunities. Students will also be provided with a range of skills, concepts and attitudes and will be helped to develop mastery in a range of techniques and methods of working. Drama: In Drama students are given the opportunity to grow in confidence, improving their ability to speak in front of others and a sense of independence and creativity. Students study various scripts and stimuli in order to create characters. They also learn about various drama techniques in order to bring scripts to life and create new and exciting pieces of drama. In addition to this, students learn how to evaluate their own and other students practical work in order to learn from and improve performances. Music: The music area consists of two music room and two practice rooms. These are equipped with keyboards, ukuleles, djembes, drum kits, a samba kit, electric guitars and acoustic guitars. Through the curriculum students study various different topics including Reggae, Samba, Ukuleles and Film Music where they learn how to compose, perform and listen and identify key musical features. The department has several extra-curricular activities including an Orchestra, Choir and Pop Band.
It is also possible to have lessons on a variety of instruments. We currently offer singing, piano, keyboard, flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin, viola, cello, trumpet, horn, electric guitar, classical guitar, bass guitar, and drums. There is a separate booklet with the relevant form should your child wish to learn a specific instrument. These lessons are provided by visiting teaching at an extra cost. Miss Dyer Head of Creative Arts
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Woodrush High School, Shawhurst Lane, Wythall, Worcestershire, B47 5JW Tel: 01564 823777 Fax: 01564 20092 www.woodrushhigh.worcs.sch.uk 28