Weekly Information - Friday 9th December 2022

The NSPCC have been uploading some new videos onto their YouTube channel over the last week, we thought these would be usefult to share to support parents with understanding topics like bullying and healthy relationships. 

NSPCC - YouTube

Students are currently receiving an important assembly around expectations linked to our school values. These assemblies have been delivered by Mrs Cochrane. We feel it is important to inform parents of the content of these assemblies to allow discussions between students and their parents. 

The main focus of the assemblies was around the importance of displaying our school values of respect, integrity, kindness and perseverance. It was also to recognise the great majority of students in our community who display these values every day in lots of ways.

We would welcome your support in reinforcing the importance of the following key messages.

Prohibited items (including vapes)

We have reinforced the message about prohibited items but particularly focused this on vapes. You may have seen reports in the media about the increased use of vapes across the country by children. We feel that it is important to outline the health risks of vaping to adolescents as well as the law around their sale and consequences if students were to be caught vaping at school.

You may find the following resources useful linked to vaping:

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/e-cigarettes.html

https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/242465/CDC_Tip_Sheet_on_Vaping.pdf

Vandalism

Unfortunately, we have experienced incidents of vandalism recently, particularly in our student toilets. This is unacceptable behaviour and has caused us to have to close some of these facilities which is not fair on the majority of our community. The importance of showing respect for the school environment and equipment was reinforced, as well as the potential consequences for students found to be causing this damage.

Toilet use

Linked to the above two issues, we have felt the need to introduce a rule banning students from being in a toilet cubicle in groups of two or more. There is no need for this to happen and the assumption will be made that students are not behaving appropriately. If students are found to be breaking this rule, they will lose some of their social time on that day. If this is repeated, then we will also be on contact with parents to discuss this.

Just a reminder that school will close at 12.30pm to students on Friday next week. We have arranged for school buses to collect the children at this time.

A polite request that parents picking up their children do not come on to school site and try to avoid Dunstall Road as it will be very busy with the bus services gaining access to the school site. Where possible please could parents arrange to collect their children from another point in the village e.g. the Co-op or Holland Park.

School will open again to students on Wednesday 4th January 2023.

It has been a very busy season for our girls football teams, smashing their way through each county round and winning the EFL cup, going through to regional. 

Firstly, congratulations to our U13 girls team who are through the regional finals after competing in a tournament at Burton Albion, playing all schools in the area. They beat every team they played and beat King Edwards school in the final 2-0. They will now go through and represent Burton in the next regional round- our pathway to WEMBLEY!!!

In the county rounds, our U13s are through to the 4th round, which is one before the semi-finals after beating Kingsmead at whopping 7-0 away from home. They put on a fantastic peformance and should be super proud of themselves. Our next fixture is in January against Landau Forte school in Tamworth. 

Our U12s (Year 7) team are also through to the semi-finals in the coutny cup- TBC team, date and venue. 

Our U14s & U15s are also through to the next round. Our U15s team recently played away at Alleynes school in Stone beating them 5-3. Another fantastic performance. The next game TBC!!

Congratulations to all of our teams and we hope we continue to the finals!!! WATCH THIS SPACE!

STRIPE in Antarctica!

A huge congratulations to our Year 7 students who took part in our Innovate and Create STRIPE competition this half term.

Students were asked to use their Innovate and Create skills to produce a flag to promote Antarctica Day on the 1^st December. Students were given a success criteria and were asked to create a bright, impactful flag that would raise awareness of Antarctica.

We had a significant number of entries, and it was a very difficult decision. Unfortunately, we could only send one entry and they were narrowed down to 5 finalists. Mrs Cochrane and I consulted, and the winning entry was Sophie! A huge congratulations to Sophie and a massive well done to all those who entered.

Sophie’s fabulous flag has now been sent to Antarctica and has been photographed with scientists who are currently based there.

The pictures of the scientists who are standing in front of the ice caps are located at the Rothera Research Station which is the central base of the British Antarctic Survey. There are 150 people located there in Antarctic summer and 25 in Antarctic winter and therefore is occupied all year round. Rothera Research Station is the closest arrival point to Antarctica and aircraft travel through this location to enter Antarctica and use the runway following a 4-5 hour flight from Chile.

Timothy Below is the Pilot at the British Antarctic Survey and he is stood in front of the British Antarctic Survey’s 4 DH6 Twin Otter aircraft. The images were taken in a remote location called Fossil Bluff on the Antarctic Peninsula. There is no runway there and he had to land on a glacier. As a result, the plane is fitted with skis to help them land on the ice.

This was an amazing opportunity for students to develop their Innovate and Create STRIPE skills and to have their work displayed on a large platform whilst also raising awareness of the need to protect Antarctica. A huge well done and thank you to all involved.

Miss K Barker

Teacher of Geography and Lead Teacher of STRIPE

The year 7 leaders on Wednesday raised an amazing £70 in the Christmas Cake Sale - all proceeds going to the charity 'MIND'. Many thanks to all those that took the time and effort to bake home made goods. Year 7 shall be holding a second Christmas Cake Sale on the 14^th December, again any donations or home-made goods would be gratefully appreciated and brought into school on the Wednesday morning to the lower school office.

The following students celebrate their achievements with Mrs Cochrane this week, congratulations to them all!

Students will have the opportunity to buy a Christmas dinner from the canteen on Wednesday 14th December, please see the menu below.

We will be holding a cake sale in school to raise funds for the charity MIND on Wednesday 7th and Wednesday 14th December. Please see the poster for details:

You will be aware, from the calendar, that Year 13 have trial exams between the 4^th-16^th January (incl). A level students will only need to attend when they have an examination. If they would prefer to come into school to revise, they will be able to use the LRC or Sixth Form Study Room in L1a/b. However, it is essential that they use the Sign in/out system, using the iPads in the Sixth Form reception, so that we have accurate records of who is on the school site for evacuation and safeguarding purposes. When on the school site, students are expected to adhere to the dress code and wear their lanyards. They should not leave the school site unless they have signed out. Students will be expected to return to school on a full-time basis on Tuesday 17^th January.

Students studying a vocational course are expected to attend their lessons as normal. They will need to sign in using the iPads as soon as they arrive on the school site and wait in the Sixth Form room until their period 1 lesson. They do not need to go to their form room for registration. If vocational students have a trial exam in an A Level subject or an external exam, they may take the day before the exam as study leave. It is important that they e-mail their subject teachers and Miss Spurrier to let them know that they will not be attending the lessons on that day.

Students have been provided with personalised exam timetables. If they misplace these, all timetables can be viewed on our website by visiting the links below:

Trial Exam Timetable

https://johntaylorhigh.schoolzineplus.co.uk/_file/media/3698/y13_trial_examinations_2023_generic_timetable.pdf

Timetable For External Exams in January

https://johntaylorhigh.schoolzineplus.co.uk/_file/media/3695/january_2023_exams.pdf

Dear Parents / Carers, Please be advised there will be an additional Bank Holiday next year on Monday May 8th 2023, in lieu of the King's Coronation on May 6th. School will be closed on this date. 

Dear Parents / Carers, 

We have been asked to share the following information with you by the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service:

We are delighted to announce that What University? & What Career? Live is returning to the NEC, Birmingham, on 4 March 2023! 

This unmissable event for 15 - 19 year olds is the perfect opportunity for your students to explore their higher education and career options under one roof so they can make an informed decision about their next steps. 

Organise a school trip to the event to give your students the chance to: 

• Speak directly to top employers and leading universities about what it’s like to work or study with them and what the application process involves

• Watch 35+ inspiring talks, covering everything from applying for an apprenticeship, through to student finance
• Get one-to one advice from independent careers advisors in the Careers Advice Lounge
• Plus much more!

If you are thinking of applying for medicine or dentistry in the future, we would advise you to apply for the lecture series run by King’s College London.

Applications close in a week’s time for the upcoming online and free King’s College London Medicine and Dentistry Lecture Series 2023.

This programme is for students across the UK in Year 11, 12, and 13 who have only attended non-selective state schools since age 11 and are interested in becoming a doctor or dentist.

Over the course of the 14 lecture programme students will hear from a variety of speakers to help them make the best application to medicine or dentistry possible! Last year’s lectures included the following:

• Medical and dental specialities: cardiology, prosthodontics, renal transplant, and many more!
• Q&As each week with current medical and dental students as well as a lecture dedicated to the student experience.
• A session on other careers in healthcare with six professionals currently working and teaching in the sector (nursing, dietetics, clinical science, etc.)
• September Q&A with key admissions colleagues in the schools of medicine and dentistry at KCL and UCL.
• Lectures on the application process: the UCAT, personal statements, and interviews.

Lectures will be held on Tuesday evenings at 6-7.15pm and will run in blocks of three throughout 2023. The first three lectures will take place on the 31^st January, 7^th February, and 14^th February. The remaining three blocks of lectures will take place in Spring and Summer.

For more information and to apply, students should follow this link. The deadline to apply is next week Friday 16^th December 2022.

Students should apply using this form here.

Effective Revision Skills Booster is a free self-paced online course which draws on learning research to provide a highly practical, step-by-step guide for students to help make their study and revision more effective throughout their courses.

By working their way through the teacher-guided videos and activities, students discover:

• How to set up an effective revision environment
• What is meant by a revision mindset
• Revision myths - and how to bust them!
• How we learn - key findings from the science of effective learning
• How to plan your revision
• What good revision looks like
• How to using flashcards and mindmaps
• Ways to complete effective revision notes
• How to use questions and testing in revision

As a parent, you may want to create an account and complete the course yourself so that you can support your son/daughter to revise effectively or ask them to complete it and tell you what they are going to do differently to prepare for future assessments.

To create an account and complete the course please click here

With Army Bursaries our students have the opportunity to fund their university undergraduate degree with a career that makes a difference. The cost of university can be prohibitive, but the Army has various ways to help your students fund their education.