News

Open Evening 2024 – Year 7 intake

Dear Parents/Carers,

Please spread the word if you know anyone who would be interested.

John Taylor High School welcomes Year 6 parents & children to join us for our School Open Evening on Thursday 24^th October from 6pm-8.15pm. Discover what our school can offer your child by attending a presentation and a self-guided tour of our school’s classrooms and facilities.

This is a free, ticketed event. Click here to book your tickets now: bit.ly/4ebJJ4S

See details below:

Our Hot Chocolate with the Head is back and what a wonderful session it was. Not only was this the first celebration of the year for our students, but it was the first one for Mr Blanchenot in his new appointment of Headteacher, which he felt very proud to be part of!

Whilst the students tucked in to their chocolate goodies and enjoyed their hot chocolate, Mr Blanchenot began by congratulating Bethan and Rebekah for being nominated. The students also shared what they had been up to over the summer holidays, which included holidays in France, camping in the Lake District and lots of fun days out visiting castles.

The first nomination was for Rebekah who had been put forward by Mrs Clayton for participating in the Alrewas Show and winning 2^nd prize and the ‘Best in Show’ trophy. Rebekah explained that her favourite subject is art and her winning entry at the Alrewas Show was inspired by Henri Rousseau - here is her incredible entry:

Next, Bethan told the group about her Careers Logo that she had designed as part of a competition led by Mrs Ball. Despite Bethan not winning with her design, Mr Blanchenot explained that the nomination was more about the commitment and contribution Bethan had made for taking part in the competition, which she should be very proud of. Here's her fantastic design:

Unfortunately, Chloe and Lexi were unable to make it today. Chloe had been nominated for her handwork and commitment to dance outside of school and Lexi for winning 1^st prize and ‘The Promising Artist Award’ at the Alrewas Show.

It was a pleasure for Mr Blanchenot to spend his break time listening to our inspiring students who have demonstrated our core vales and gone above and beyond. You are all role models to all other students and we are proud to have you in our school community.

Last week, 38 Year 13 A-level Biology and Environmental Science students set off to Ainsdale beach on the Sefton coast near Southport. Here’s what Mr Kelly, Teacher of Science, said about the day:

‘‘The Ainsdale beach nature reserve is one of the largest areas of wild dunes left in Britain and is home to a vast diversity of rare, special and beautiful species including the Natterjack Toad, the Great Crested Newt, (Britain’s most protected species of amphibian) and the Sand Lizard, a secretive, shy reptile that is rarely actually seen. Rare wildflowers found on the reserve include the Dune Helleborine, Seaside Centaury and Yellow Bartsia. 

We received a tour from John the ranger who pointed out some of the more common species we would see on the dunes and showed us a brown long eared bat that had been found there that morning. We carried out a transect from the beach across the dunes to investigate succession.  We measured a number of different environmental factors such as soil temperature, humidity and wind speed to see how the distribution of different species such as Marram grass changed as we moved in land. 

It was a great day out and despite the torrential rain on the drive up, the weather was great until we were ready to pack up when the heavens opened just in time for us to get soaked as we were getting back on the bus.’’

Thank you to our Year 13 students for their impeccable behaviour and engagement during the tasks throughout the day.

John Taylor High School’s Sixth Form Open Evening & Resources

• 6.00pm to 6.15pm
• 6.25pm to 6.40pm
• 6.50pm to 7.05pm
• 7.15pm to 7.30pm
• 7.40pm to 7.55pm

Please ensure that you book a ticket for each person attending the evening so that there is a seat for each person. This will ensure that rooms are not overcrowded. If a presentation slot is full or you are unable to attend, we have provided a copy of all presentations on our website. These will also be available throughout the year to support the decision-making process.

Over the next few weeks, please take your time to read about the full range of courses that we offer and the entry requirements for each course. You may want to review your son/daughter’s projected grades on www.go4schools.com when making decisions about how suitable a course is to pursue in the sixth form. Students have also been advised to think about their Post 18 opportunities when making subject choices, for example, if they have a particular university course in mind, I would suggest that you log on to www.ucas.com to search for the course and review their entry requirements, as they may stipulate that a certain subject is taken at A Level. Universities will also accept vocational courses as an equivalent qualification to A Level. If you require any advice, please do not hesitate to contact the Sixth Form office by e-mailing [email protected].

The application process:

As your son/daughter is currently a student at John Taylor High School, they are not required to complete an application form to join our sixth form. However, they will need to inform their form tutor that they require a place. The sixth form application process is as follows: 

Students will need to select a minimum of three subjects to study in the Sixth Form. Below is a table called ‘Y12 Option Blocks 2025-2026’ which includes the subject combinations that can be selected. It is important that students select only one subject per column (minimum of three subjects in total). Vocational courses are listed in the bottom section of the table. Students can select a mixture of A Level and Vocational courses. If a vocational course is selected which is equivalent to more than one A Level, it will have a number after its name e.g. 2. This will mean that the same subject will need to be selected in the other column, for example, if a student selected BTEC Sport 2 in Block C, they would also need to select BTEC Sport 2 in Block D. This would mean that the student would then be able to select their third or fourth subject from Blocks A and B. If an AAQ course is selected you should select two other A Level courses to accompany this. 

Students who are projected to achieve mainly grade 3s and below would be best suited to a Level 2 course for their next pathway. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer these courses at John Taylor High School, however other local providers do offer them. You may want to explore the following local providers for Level 2 courses:

Burton and South Derbyshire College https://www.bsdc.ac.uk/

Paget High School Sixth Form https://www.paget.staffs.sch.uk/sixth-form - Business, IT and Health & Social Care

South Staffs College Lichfield Campus https://www.southstaffs.ac.uk/courses/

Miss Spurrier ([email protected]) as the Work-Related Learning Coordinator, will be ensuring that all Year 11 students are also provided with a 40-minute Career Guidance interview with a Level 6 trained Advisor to further support Post 16 decisions.

I hope that the information provided supports you through this process and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself via e-mail [email protected].

Yours faithfully

Mr W Legood

Assistant Headteacher: Director of Post 16 & EPQ Lead

Dear all,

It is with immense pride and great pleasure that I am writing as the new Interim Headteacher of John Taylor High School to welcome our students back to the start of a new school year. The buzz around school this week has been fantastic, lots of smiling faces, with students and staff pleased to see each other and raring to go.

John Taylor High School is a special place. Not only do we achieve fantastic results for our students, as evidenced once again this summer, but we understand the importance of developing fully rounded young people. Young people who are confident and happy, ready to make the most of the opportunities given to them and ultimately make their way onto the next stages of their life.

I have been at the school now for nearly 12 years. In that time I have worked with many students, staff and families and have enjoyed every minute of my time here. I truly believe in our vision of 'One community, striving for personal excellence' and see our school values of respect, kindness, integrity and perseverance displayed on a daily basis, by all members of this community.

Whilst we are an excellent school, I do not intend for us to consider that our work is ever done. Our constant aim is to be at the pinnacle of educational provision. There truly should be nowhere better for our students and staff to be and that will always be my guiding aspiration.

This newsletter includes details of phenomenal development work which has taken place over the summer to create state of the art science facilities for our students. We are already planning wider enrichment opportunities such as our Year 7 bonding day and Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. It looks like being another exciting year for our students! The school continues to provide wider opportunities in addition to an excellent education and I am extremely proud to lead such an dedicated, passionate and highly-skilled staff body.

I am excited about the journey ahead of us and very much looking forward to continuing the good work completed over the last few years. I thank all students, staff and parents in advance for their support, both for myself and the school in general and wish all of our students best wishes for the coming academic year.

Kind regards,

Mr J Blanchenot

Interim Headteacher

It's been an exciting summer on the science corridor as nine laboratories, our Science Prep Room, Science Staff Workroom and Science Office have all seen significant improvements with a complete refurbishment.

Each lab has received a total renovation with new flooring, decoration, lighting,  benching and seating.  Each classroom has had a new teacher wall installed with a state of the art touchscreen panel integrated for interactive teaching.  The new facility is bright, modern and spacious providing an invigorating place to learn.  The renovation has also incorporated the creation of a dedicated sixth form Study Library.  

Mrs Spencer, Deputy Headteacher and Careers Lead said 'The financial investment in these facilities not only enhances the learning experience for our pupils but cements our commitment to invest in our young people. We have seen a growth in this sector and more of our students are choosing science as their pathway. It is our responsibility to give our pupils the best chance at succeeding and the new facilities are a great addition to our school's offering'. 

 The project has been led by Mrs McConnell, Business Manager and is scheduled to be completed in early October. Here is a sneak peek at the progress so far. Look out more details of our official opening! 

With Euro 2024 tournament that took place last term, the MFL department included lessons enhancing students' knowledge of German culture alongside mastery of the German language. 

KS3 students communicated with their counterparts in both our French and German partner schools through the medium of decorated origami football shirts. 

Our students enjoyed the creativity that this project has allowed us and we have relished the opportunity to use our German language skills expressing preferences for particular players and teams in the tournament. 

The sporting theme continued as many KS3 classes enjoyed interactive lessons using the IPads to discover information about Olympic games that took place in France! There were some small prizes to enjoy too!

The John Taylor High School Year 11 cohort were today celebrating another year of excellent results in their GCSE and Vocational courses.

Notable students who achieved exceptional results include; Nathaniel Wolverson who achieved 8 grade 9’s and 2 grade 8’s, Fleurella Boyden who achieved 8 grade 9’s, 1 grade 8 and 1 grade 7, Paige Dyche who achieved 4 grade 9's and 6 grade 8's, Ellie Wykes who achieved 6 grade 9’s, 2 grade 8’s and 2 grade 7’s, Henry Bush who achieved 5 grade 9s, 2 grade 8’s, 2 grade 7s and a level 2 Distinction, Bisma Rashid achieved 5 grade 9’s, 4 grade 8’s and 1 grade 7 and Momina Taqueer who achieved 5 grade 9’s, 4 grade 8’s and a level 2 Distinction*.

In addition to the above, the following students received a grade 9-7 (and equivalent) in all subjects; Isabella Acheson, Evelyn Crampton, Luke Wilkins, Madeline Pearson and Louise Moore.

In vocational subjects, the following students achieved the prestigious Distinction*; Momina Tauqueer, Laiba Khan, Caitlin Cuthbert, Harley Gazzard, Husnaa Naveed, and Aleeza Shahzad.

In addition to the results, there were a substantial number of students who have progressed immensely throughout their time at John Taylor High School. The following students achieved the highest progress in the year group;  Abigail Smith, Samuel Gobran, Mueez Kabal, Farhaan Ahmed and Amelia Whiteford.

John Taylor High School is thrilled with the strong performance of their students across the cohort. Many have exceeded expectations and achieved their personal excellence, which they should be extremely proud of.

“We are so proud of the class of 2024! The students have performed exceptionally well this year. There have been some really remarkable results which are a testament to their hard-work, perseverance and dedication”, commented Headteacher, Mrs Cochrane. ‘’Our subject specialists offer a knowledge rich, broad and balanced curriculum which is well-supported by staff, families and students. We are proud to provide a high-quality educational experience which places us as one of the top performing schools in Staffordshire. It has been an absolute pleasure to have these individuals within the JTHS school community and we are delighted to welcome the majority of them back to our Sixth Form. They have continuously demonstrated the schools’ values of respect, perseverance, integrity and kindness, and made valuable contributions both in and outside of the classroom’’.

Mrs Cochrane finished by saying ''I have every confidence that they will thrive both academically and personally as they make the next step in their education or career. A huge well done, and good luck to you all.’’

 Dates for your diary:

If you are interested in joining John Taylor High School, we would welcome and encourage you to attend one of our open evenings:

Year 11 (For Year 12 September 2025 intake) 10^th October 2024

Year 6 (For Year 7 September 2025 intake) – 24^th October 2024

John Taylor High School celebrate student’s promising future after exceptional A Level and Vocational results.

Staff and students at John Taylor High school celebrate exceptional A Level and Vocational results.

John Taylor High School provides a learning environment with expert subject specialists that together with a culture of hard-work, resilience and perseverance students can be successful and reach their full potential and aspirations.

A considerable number of students have achieved impressive A-level results. They include:

Harry A*A*A*A*, Erin Minott A*A*A*A*, James Shilton A*A*A*A*, Isaac Gill A*A*A*A, Holly Price A*A*A*A, Esme Kender A*A*A*A, Fern Lloyd A*A*A*A, Jasmine Magill A*A*A*, Ed Bush A*A*AA, Alex Forbes A*A*AB, Thomas George A*A*A, Jasmine Lakin A*A*AA, Malissa Buajeeb A*AAA, Samuel Madill A*AAA, Grace Sutherland A*AAB, Ella Kim A*ABC, Ellie Sadley A*ABB, Savannah Haslam A*AB, Niamh Kelly A*AB, Mary Akinrele A*BB, Kellen Sutherland A*BB, Millie Walker A*BB, Kyle Scotton A*BB,

Jess Boat AAAA, Kian Hicks AAAA, Jacob Holmes AAAA, Dougie Simpson AAAA,

Ella Holden AAA, Amber Conyers-Davies AAAB, Ben Rawlins AAAB, Sam Hadley AAAB, Sam Bradley AAAB, Isobel Dodge AABB, Safa Azhar AABB, Sol Leyland AAB, Andrew Harvey AAB Niamh Hemmings AABD, Isaac Wilkinson AAB, Scarlett Waite AAB, Sam Duggan AAB, Mollie Harrington AAB, Liv Goodburn AAB, Zara Miller AAB, Freya Wadham AAC, Sienna Wycherley AAB Distinction.

Rowan Pass ABBB, Cesca Smith ABBB,  Ruby Wright ABB, Sophie Salt ABB, Arthur Vigliecca ABB, Georgia Pearson ABB, Peggy McCleod ABB, Phoebe ABB, Lexie Olbison ABC Distinction*, Alice Hudson ABBC, Maryam Chaudhary ABBC, Neve Pepperell ABBC Dominik Jobbins ABCC, Edward Hall ABC, Tom McHoul ABC, Sarkheel Akram ABC, Matthew Smith ABC, Ellanor Peach ABCC, Ben Handford ACD, Tom Poole ACC Merit, Lola Porter ACC, Jed Owen AB Distinction,

The vocational qualifications were equally as impressive:

 Imogen Smith Distinction* Distinction* BC, Sarah Silverwood Distinction* Distinction* Distinction, Tom Holden Distinction* Distinction* E, Maddy Groves Distinction* Distinction Distinction Callum Smith Distinction* Distinction Distinction, Sam Pawley Distinction* Distinction Distinction, Travis Brough Distinction* Distinction, Distinction, Jack O’Donnell Distinction* Distinction Merit, Conor Emery-Green Distinction* Distinction Merit, Millie Field Distinction* Distinction Merit C, James England Distinction* CCE, Oliver Ramsey Distinction* BD, Reece MacGowan Distinction* Distinction* B,  Demi Riddell Distinction* Distinction E, Maddie Ingles Distinction AD, Kailen Barnes Distinction Distinction Merit, Sienna Wycherley Distinction AAB, Zac Greensmith Distinction Distinction C, Harry Neeson Distinction Distinction Pass, Huw Davison Distinction BB, Hannah Munro Distinction BC, Lucy Yau Distinction BBC Hassan Zaman Distinction Merit Merit, Natalia Edwards Distinction, Merit C Harry Heath Distinction Merit Pass, Aronas Baziliauskas Distinction Merit Pass, Alex Barter-Clamp Distinction Merit Pass

The class of 2024 have promising futures in their Post-18 pathway. There have been a considerable amount of students taking on apprenticeships in Law, Manufacturing, Research and Development, Finance, Business and Insurance for example, where others have chosen to secure employment, take a gap year or continue into Higher Education. Destinations for University include Cambridge, Durham, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Loughborough, Bournemouth and London to name a few, where students will be studying Archaeology, Architecture, Business, Computing, Economics, English Literature, Finance, Geography, Law, Mathematics, Sport Science, Animal Management, Professional and Commercial Dance for example.

Director of Post 16, Mrs Spencer said ‘watching our students grow and develop has been a real privilege and I have every confidence that they will embark on the next chapter of their life with the same tenacity and rigour they have shown during their time here at Sixth Form. We are proud as a school to offer a number of opportunities which our students have fully embraced which has aided their choices about their next steps. I am extremely proud of the Class of 2024. Not only have they produced some phenomenal results, they have shown personal excellence in abundance and been fantastic role models within the school. I hope they leave John Taylor with the confidence to embrace every opportunity that faces them and take on change and new challenges. That combined with their determination will mean they truly will thrive in the next chapter of their lives.’’

Noteworthy students were delighted to share their Post-18 plans;

Having joined us for her Sixth Form studies it was very clear that Erin Minott was destined to succeed. Having achieved outstanding results of an A* in History, English Literature, Chemistry and Biology, Erin is looking forward to a future career in Law as she embarks on her undergraduate studies at University College London. Erin said “I cannot say how well John Taylor has prepared me for my future endeavours in the field of law for I have yet to embark on that chapter of my life and the law is an unpredictable science. But what I can say with complete and unwavering confidence, is that if it was not for John Taylor's academic and pastoral investment in its students, I would not be entering this chapter with such optimism or ambition for my future and for that I cannot be more grateful. I was told that if I came to John Taylor, I would just be a number, a statistic, but I've found my experience to be quite the opposite. In the two short years I've spent here I've come to realise just how deeply the students and staff alike care for one another and how firmly entrenched the sense of community is within the Sixth Form especially. It’s truly been an honour and a privilege to have been welcomed so graciously into the John Taylor family.

As a dedicated Air Cadet, we would like to wish Ben Carty good luck in his future career with the Royal Airforce. Ben said “I'm excited to share that I'll be joining the Royal Air Force (RAF) after finishing my A-levels to pursue a career in avionics, fulfilling a lifelong dream. JTHS has been incredibly supportive of this decision, helping me prepare for this next step. I chose to study A-level Maths, Physics, and Computer Science, subjects that are essential for a career in avionics, definitely crucial subjects for understanding and working with advanced aircraft systems.  The teachers in these departments provided excellent instruction and tailored their support to align with my career aspirations. This comprehensive support system has been instrumental in equipping me with the skills and knowledge needed for a successful career in the RAF.”

Congratulations to James England who has been an impressive advocate of the Apprenticeship route and we are confident he will be able to share his experiences in the future with our younger students. James studied BTEC Extended Certificate in Science, French, History and Religious Studies. James said “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in the world of food. While doing my Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s award with John Taylor I spent time in the kitchen of a ski chalet in Switzerland and gained a qualification in food hygiene and preparation. My A level French skills came in handy! I’m excited to be starting a degree apprenticeship with Unilever, studying to become a professional in their R&D department. I’ll be at the forefront of innovation in ice cream working with brands such as Magnum and Walls as I study for my degree as a Food Technical Professional at Nottingham Trent University.”

Alice Hudson will also be studying a degree whilst building her CV at Rolls Royce. Alice studied A level Business Geography, Product Design and Financial Studies. Alice said “I am looking forward to joining Rolls Royce as a Business Management Degree apprentice as I feel it is a great way to get experience in many different departments across the business. RR operates on a global scale which was appealing to me as it will open up many great opportunities. The Sixth Form at John Taylor High School has helped me with each stage of the selection process. For the assessment centre I was given a brief on creating a technical presentation on a topic of my choice for which I was able to use my A level Product Design project. I feel the experiences I have had at John Taylor will prepare me for a great start to my career at Rolls Royce”. 

Kyle Scotton is looking forward to moving to The University of Warwick to read Law. Kyle said “Seven years ago I wished to become a pilot, studying Maths, Physics and Computer Science at A-Level, a far cry from those I actually studied. It all changed following an eye test that made it impossible to join the RAF. Despite the devastation that I faced at the impracticality of the career pathway I had formerly wished to pursue, with the opportunities provided by the school I was able to kindle my passion for language, through my French GCSE and A-Level, giving me the linguistic skills that I have applied to learning a third language, Spanish and my love for reading translated into a love for literature. Furthermore, the available leadership positions at school, such as Head Student and House Leader, provided the experience that enhanced my personal statement for university and my CV. Armed with these advantages, I was accepted into Durham law school, with the Hogan Lovells scholarship, where I endeavour to study Corporate Law, considering both National and International opportunities. Ultimately, John Taylor has served as a platform that has enabled me to embark on opportunities I would not have otherwise been able to undertake.”

Esmee Kender is looking forward to studying at the University of Cambridge where she will read Architecture. Esme studied A Level Art, Business and Religious Studies achieving A*A*A* We have no doubt that we will see her work in the future. Congratulations!

Samuel Madill will also be studying at the University of Cambridge where he will read Geography. Samuel studied A Level Geography A*, English Language A, Biology A and completed an Extended Project Qualification in which he achieved a grade A.

Mrs Cochrane, Headteacher, commented “Life beyond John Taylor High School begins now for our Year 13 cohort as they take that next step of their journey. We are thrilled and incredibly proud of the remarkable achievements of our students. Our pupils have once again shown success in a range of academic and vocational courses, which has enabled them to secure University places as well as higher level apprenticeships. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate every single student on their results and for exceeding the high-expectations John Taylor High School have established.’’

 

Dates for your diary:

If you are interested in joining John Taylor High School, we would welcome and encourage you to attend one of our open evenings:

Year 11 (For Year 12 September 2025 intake): Thursday 10^th October

Year 6 (For Year 7 September 2025 intake): Thursday 24^th October

Welcome to our final Celebration Newsletter, JT NEWS!

Our Hall has been a hive of activity this morning as we welcomed over 30 local & national exhibitors for our annual Careers Fair. There was a great variety of businesses, education institutions and training providers which gave our students a fantastic opportunity to interact with potential employers and discover different career pathways across an incredible range of sectors.

Before the event began, the pupils were given a handbook to guide them through the fair. For many, this is the first time they’ve attended something of this scale so it was important for them to know what to expect. In the handbook there were a selection of key questions the students could ask to help prompt and encourage engagement. These included; How long is the training, what are the benefits of doing an apprenticeship, what would my working hours be, what are the benefits of studying at university, do you offer bursaries, how much can you earn whilst learning a trade, what are you looking for in an applicant, what life experience do you need, what roles are available within the company.

During the fair, everyone was given a postcard which employers could stamp when the students had visited their stand. At the end of the event, if the students have a completed card, they will be placed into a draw for a prize!

Miss Spurrier, Work-Related Learning Co-ordinator, facilitated the day and said ‘it has been a wonderful experience for all our Year 7-10 students. There have been some great questions and interactions between our students and employers, and I hope it was beneficial for all those who attended. We have had great feedback from the employers who were impressed with the quality of questions and engagement. Thank you to all our exhibitors for supporting our young people and well done to all our students for representing the school so brilliantly’.

We asked our exhibitors to nominate any students who stood out to them during the careers fair. Here's what they said:

'Anna has some clear career goals & wanted to know how to get there. She asked lots of progression questions & seemed interested & engaged.'

'Jeff, it was lovely chatting with you today about Science related courses, Whilst we saw there were loads of options, you have plenty of time to work out which kind of exciting science degree/careers will suit you best! Have fun!'

'Nancy, it was lovely speaking with you earlier. Keep researching those medical courses and put the work in to your studies! Best Wishes!'

'George asked lots of questions about opportunities in property and was highly engaged about apprenticeship routes with us.'

'Ameline has been to Pick Everard to do work experience twice and helped us prepare today's fair! Thank you Ameline.'

'As well as asking the required questions, Hamish dug deeper and challenged us on project control and budgets in the built environment.'

'Verity asked us lots of questions about Architecture and opportunities for work experince within the profession.'

A special thanks goes to those in attendance; Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Navy, B&B tractors, British Army, Burton Albion Community Trust, Cardiff University, Chameleon School of Construction, Tara Group, Deloitte LLP, Derby University, Falmouth University, Keele University, Luminate, Maintech Recruitment, Aberystwyth University, Nestle, Oxford Brookes University, Pick Everard, Achievement Training & Skills, Russell Roof Tiles, Sciensus, Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service, Staffordshire Police, Whitemoor Lakes, Manchester Metropolitan University, Derby College, Lichfield Garrick, Rolls Roya, RAF, The Mercian Regiment, Burton and South Derbyshire College.

For more information about student’s career pathways at John Taylor High School, please speak to Miss Spurrier [email protected] or visit our website: Students - John Taylor High School (jths.co.uk)

On Friday 5^th July a group of nearly 150 Year 8 students waved goodbye to parents/carers as they began their much-anticipated adventure on their PGL trip to Boreatton Park.

The students were so excited to be taking part in activities such as canoeing, abseiling, laser tag, jacob’s ladder and trapeze, as well as taking part in survival skills workshops. Throughout the weekend the students were constantly pushing their boundaries and demonstrated perseverance in everything they did. It was wonderful to see so much encouragement amongst the pupils who supported eachother every step of the way.

We are so proud of how our Year 8 pupils behaved and represented the school. As each day ended there was a real sense of achievement between the students as they reminisced at dinner.

We are delighted to hear that all the students had a fantastic time. Take a read through at what some of our Year 8’s had to say about their trip!

On Wednesday 10^th & Thursday 11^th July a group of Year 12 law students got the opportunity to spend 2 days completing virtual Work Experience with the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mrs Nurse who facilitated the session, linked the group into the online workshop where one of the Senior Leaders of the Magistrate Court Unit began the introduction. It was really interesting for the group to hear from Linda about the different pathways to becoming qualified whether that is through University or an Apprenticeship. Linda began her law career as a temporary administrator, then moved to become a paralegal, then a prosecutor, then all the way to the top as Senior Manager.

Mrs Nurse said ‘it’s fantastic to hear from industry experts who can inspire our students to achieve their career goals. Law can be challenging and involves a lot of hard work, but it makes all the difference to listen to employees who feel passionate and love what they do. When it comes pursuing a career in law, it is important for our students to figure out what matters to them when deciding their pathway, whether that be university or an apprenticeship. Factors to consider include; job satisfaction, salary expectations and work/life balance. It’s been great for our students to have this opportunity and the beauty of it being online is that we are able to have many more students involved.'

Over the 2 days the students got the chance to look at case studies, participate in workshops and debate real-life cases. Throughout the work experience the students learnt the process of a criminal case, what’s involved in an investigation, presenting evidence at a trial and how to manage the relationship with the victims and witnesses. It became very clear to the group that striving for justice is at the heart of what the CPS do and the most important aspect of working within the law industry.  

Laura Brian from the Crown Prosecution Service said ‘CPS West Midlands is committed to supporting and developing young people in the West Midlands and we are excited to be offering this Work Experience opportunity. We hope everyone enjoyed and benefited from the programme.’

We’d like to wish all our Year 12 students the best of luck as they start looking into their post-16 options. If any parents or pupils have any questions, please contact Mrs Ball, Subject Leader CEIAG (careers education, information, advice and guidance) [email protected]

On the 6^th – 7^th July, 64 Year 9 students successfully completed their Bronze DofE Assessment expedition. The groups walked from Bakewell town centre through Lathkill Dale towards Mandale campsite. Many students shared stories about their experience walking through the Peak District: the countless stiles, encounters with cattle and plenty of rain puddles! The weather wasn’t always on our side, but it was lovely to see students cheering each other on and supporting each other when the miles started to feel tough. A huge ‘well done’ to our Bronze cohort! 

On 3^rd & 4^th July, John Taylor High School were delighted to host the annual JTMAT Forensic Science Challenge Day, which saw local primary & secondary school teams arrive to take part in ‘Operation Engage’ and ‘Operation Diplomat’.

The purpose of the events were to introduce and encourage the pupils to develop and use scientific skills in a staged environment using real materials and props to collate evidence and draw conclusions.

Operation Engage – Primary School Challenge:

The primary pupils were welcomed and started their day with an introductory video that set the scene. The storyline was that there had been an air accident and there was parts, smoke, fire & explosions all around and it was their job to investigate what had happened using a number of methods. The pupils changed into scene suits, gloves, masks, hairnets and shoes covers to get a real understanding of what a real forensic scientist would be required to wear to carry out an investigation of this nature.

At the scene they used drone footage to find evidence, carry-out fingertip searches and investigate passenger items. Each team were taken to different scenes to participate in further activities and come to conclusions about fingerprints, footwear marks, fibres and hairs.

It was fantastic to see the pupils so enthusiastic and engaged throughout the day. To finish, the pupils were then invited to collate their evidence, draw conclusions as to what happened, to whom and in what order and present this to their peers and teachers. Despite some of the pupils feeling nervous during the presentation, their rationale and workings were outstanding. Mrs Clarke was so impressed with all their efforts!

Congratulations to the pupils at The Mosely Academy who took the Primary School winners title and were presented with their trophy. We hope all the pupils had a wonderful day, it was a pleasure for our Science Faculty to spend the day with you all.

Operation Diplomat – Secondary School Challenge:

The secondary pupils were briefed with the scenario in which an air accident has led to debris, fire, explosions and a parachute being tangled in a tree. Two dead bodies were also discovered and there were some survivors who had been rescued. Again, the pupils really got into character with suits, gloves, masks, hairnets and shoes covers to get a real understanding of what a real forensic scientist would be required to wear.  At the scene the pupils found the parachute and the bodies on the ground. It was their job as forensic scientists to investigate what happened. The analysis included interviewing survivors in a press conference style setting, using the drone flight recorder, looking at DNA and the passenger manifest items. Throughout the day the pupils also attended analysis workshops to complete various tasks in relation to the investigations. The level of work was of an exceptional quality and all the students should be extremely proud of themselves.

As the day came to a close the students collated their evidence, came to conclusions and presented their findings. After much deliberation the Secondary School winners were Chase Terrace Academy.

Mrs Clarke who led and facilitated the days said ‘this event gets better and better each year. I am blown away by the props, the scenes, and how ‘real’ this investigation has been. There is no better way to learn than an immersive hands-on experience, and I hope everyone involved has enjoyed the day and their learning has been enhanced. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the success of the Forensic Day. The students approach to the tasks were outstanding and their evidence and conclusions were commendable. Congratulations to The Mosely Academy and Chase Terrace Acadmey who were the crowned the winners. We now look forward to next year’s event!

EXAM OFFICE WILL BE OPEN FOR POST RESULTS SERVICES AS FOLLOWS:

THURSDAY 15th AUGUST 2024 10:00 – 16:00

FRIDAY 16th AUGUST 2024 9:00 – 12:00

MONDAY 19th AUGUST 2024 9:00 – 14:30

TUESDAY 20th AUGUST 2024 9:00 – 14:30

WEDNESDAY 21st AUGUST 2024 CLOSED

THURSDAY 22nd AUGUST 2024 10:00 – 16:00

FRIDAY 23rd AUGUST 2024 9:00 – 13:00