The following students celebrated their achievements with Mr Blanchenot this week, congratulations to them all!

Mr Blanchenot had the pleasure of enjoying a hot chocolate with eighteen star students, for their fantastic contribution in the ‘Pupil Panel’ as part of the recent headteacher interview process. 

The students had been nominated by Mrs Letren for providing valuable written feedback, displaying maturity, respect and integrity throughout the process. The students were tasked with giving the candidates a tour of the school and being involved in the assembly presentation.  

Congratulations to: Annie (Y10), Will (Y10), George (Y10), Kamila (Y10), Jeffrey (Y9), Sam (Y9), Milo (Y9), Jessica (Y9), Adiel (Y9), Emily (Y9), Rebekah (Y8), Jacob (Y8), Elsie (Y8), Halchi (Y8), Noah (Y8), Freddie (Y8), Hamish (Y8), Sadie (Y8).

Mr Blanchenot said ‘it was great to see how our students found it an honour to be selected and trusted to represent the school in such an important process. Their feedback had real influence in the way the candidates were judged and selected. I was extremely impressed with our pupils when they answered questions about the school, it is not an easy task to be put on the spot in front of MAT staff and governors, but these students handled the questions with confidence and maturity. Thank you for showing kindness and integrity, you were all very much appreciated.’

If you would like to nominate a student for demonstrating our core values of Kindness, Respect, Perseverance and Integrity and worthy of celebrating Hot Chocolate with the Head, please email [email protected].

This year's whole school show is 'Back to the 80s'. The performances will take place in March 2025. Our show needs actors, singers, dancers and musicians. Please find a copy of the audition pack below which includes the link to sign up for auditions: https://forms.office.com/e/xmqUBk2CXH 

Dates and times for audition days and details about the show itself are included in the pack. Auditionees must complete the online form by scanning the QR code (or following the link provided). Students who require printed copies can see Mr Roxburgh. If there are any queries, please speak to Mr Roxburgh.

On Thursday 26^th September, our Year 12 BTEC ICT group were joined by Matt Lilley, PGA Qualified Golf Pro & Social Media Manager at Lichfield Golf & Country Club. Matt has a wealth of knowledge and experience which he shared with the group who are currently working on their topic of; ‘how do businesses use social media?’

Mrs Bostock, Vocational Lead for ICT at JTHS said ‘you wouldn’t typically invite a pro golfer to talk to a group of ICT students, however, off the golf course Matt has a wealth of knowledge in Business Operations and Social Media which is of huge benefit for our Year 12 cohort who are studying this topic. Applying real life situations to what we teach in the classroom is an invaluable exercise and enhances our student’s learning beyond measure’.

Matt began the interactive session with an introduction to life at Lichfield Golf Club and described the variety of facilities within the business. There was a lot of enthusiasm amongst the pupils who were keen to get involved with the tasks and learn more about building a brand, writing content, differentiating between platforms, scheduling posts, analysing engagement and responding to feedback; these were just a few of the areas Matt covered.

For the first task, the group split off into teams and were given a specific industry to focus on including Boutique Clothing, Gardening, a Car Wash, a Fish & Chip Shop and a Doggy Daycare. It was the responsibility of the teams to develop a business name, a slogan, which social media platform to use, and write engaging content to post.

The discussions and brainstorming from the teams were commendable. The students were then asked to present their business idea to their peers, Mrs Bostock and Matt. He said ‘I was really impressed with thought process behind their ideas and the conversations the students were having. It became apparent they really began to understand the concept of what value social media can add to a business and they presented their ideas really well. I am looking forward to returning to coach this group further in the near future as they continue their social media topic’.

Well done to all those involved and thank you to our students for their input and focus throughout the session. You can find out more information about our BTEC ICT curriculum topics here: PowerPoint Presentation (schoolzineplus.co.uk)

Let the book quizzing begin!

This week saw the launch of the annual Accelerated Reader scheme for Year 7 pupils. Over the course of the academic year, all Year 7 pupils will be encouraged to read as many books as possible and take the online Accelerated Reader quizzes. By successfully completing these online book quizzes, pupils will earn merits and book points for their House teams.

Pupils can access Accelerated Reader in school or at home via the JTHS Intranet. Throughout the year, pupils will be set a variety reading challenges to complete that compliment the events and themes being celebrated each month. Our weekly merit rewards will highlight the pupils that earn the most book points (High Score Champion), pass the most quizzes (Quiz Master), and demonstrate outstanding progress throughout the year (Legend of Reading).

Pupils are also encouraged to take the Worldwide Word Millionaire challenge. For every successful book quiz, the Accelerated Reader program will calculate a total word count score. Year 7 pupils can earn extra merits by increasing their word count to become a Word Millionaire in variety of countries. By converting the words into worldwide currencies, every pupil can achieve ‘Word Millionaire’ status; from Jamaican (5,000 words) to Brazilian (100,00 words), from Polish (200,000 words) to American (800,00 words). However, the ultimate goal is to earn the British Millionaire achievement - a word count of over one million. Pupils reaching this incredible goal, will be eligible to join the Word Millionaire’s Club, giving them extra library privileges and priority access to future events.

We hope your child will enjoy participating in the Accelerated Reader scheme and be inspired to take on our many reading challenges. More information about the scheme will be communicated later in the year; however, feel free to contact the school if you would like more details on how we support reading and literacy at John Taylor High School.

We ask parents for your support in encouraging students to become involved in the Accelerated Reader Programme. Here's how to access the programme.

Dear Parent or Carer

Your child has been provided with information about how you can order a copy of their school photograph this week. The company is called Jane Stapleton School Photography (JSSP) and they have asked us to share the following information with you.

Please note:

• You will receive the child's individual online proof a few days after the shoot and their online access code will be available at the point of being photographed. This was a card that all students were given and may be in your child's bag if they have not already given it to you.
• Please place all orders directly to Jane Stapleton School Photography (No orders or money should be sent to the school office). This can be done either:
  • Online- visit photos.jssp.co.uk and create an online account (this is a straight forward process); or
  • Phone- call the JSSP office on 01773 717984 and pay by card. (Office hours 9.30am-4.30pm)
• Orders made before the final order date of 3^rd October will be delivered to school within two weeks after the order deadline
• Any late orders after 3rd Oct will incur a late charge (£3.99) and will be sent through to home addresses within 14 days of the order being placed.

Any queries, please contact JSSP directly and one of the team will be happy to help.

Dear parents/carers,

We currently have members of our school community who have nut allergies. John Taylor High School aims to be a Nut-Free environment. Whilst we recognise that this cannot be absolutely guaranteed, we take all necessary measures to reduce the risk to those children and adults who may suffer an anaphylactic reaction if exposed to nuts.

The school requests that parents/carers ensure your child is not bringing any food item into school that contains nuts. Please also make your child aware. 

Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

Dear Parents and Carers;

Please find updated information regarding student attendance and absence at John Taylor 6th Form

Reporting a student’s absence: Please can we ask that all absences for all students are reported to our dedicated absence line- 01283 376751.

Please ensure you tell us:

· Your child’s name

· Your name

· Their tutor group

· The reason for absence.

Absences must be reported each day the child is absent.

Medical appointments in a school date:

Appointments should, where possible, be arranged outside the school day. If they are unable to be scheduled at any other time, please provide us with details about the appointment before the absence is taken.

To inform us of this appointment, please use: - John Taylor High School (schoolzineplus.co.uk)

Should your child have an ongoing medical illness please do let the school know so that a medical health care plan can be completed.

Request for leave of absence:

All requests for Leave of Absence over 1 day or a Leave of Absence which is regular must be submitted via: John Taylor High School eNewsletter (schoolzineplus.co.uk)

You must provide documents to support the reason for absence e.g. proof of travel, exam or competition confirmation.

Headteachers are unable to authorise Leave of Absence in Term Time unless the reasons for this are deemed to be exceptional.

Leave of absence, which is deemed not to be exceptional, or is not applied for prior to the absence being taken, is classed as Unauthorised Leave of Absence.

Late arrivals:

We kindly request that all students are on site, ready for registration, at 8.55am. Students arriving after 9am will be recorded as late arriving to school. An accumulation of late arrivals may lead to behaviour sanctions. Should a student arrive late due to dedicated school transport issues, their late arrival will not be recorded as late.

Attendance expectations:

At John Taylor High School, we believe that students need to attend school regularly to benefit from their education and to fulfil their potential. Missing school leaves students vulnerable to falling behind. The reason which is most often provided, for a student to be absent from school, is that they are too unwell. At John Taylor High School 6th Form, during the academic year 2023-24, 4277 sessions or 2138.5 days, were lost due to students being too unwell to attend. We ask that as far as possible, parents and carers encourage their children to be up early enough to have a healthy breakfast before they come to school and ensure they follow a healthy lifestyle including the appropriate amount of sleep, exercise, relaxation and study.

Should a student be absent for more than 5 consecutive school days, due to illness, additional documentation is requested to support and validate this prolonged absence from school. This can be emailed into school at [email protected] . Should your child have any ongoing medical issues, please do let the school know as a Medical Health Care Plan may need to be completed. A virtual or in- person meeting is also offered to students who have an absence for more than 5 consecutive days.

At John Taylor High School, we are proud of our high expectations and the positive collaboration with our students, parents, carers and other key stake holders, which enables us to achieve high attendance levels. We believe that students need to attend school regularly to benefit from their education and to fulfil their potential.

• Students can wear an item of yellow clothing. This could be socks, tie, hat, scarf, jumper, hair accessories.
• This must be worn with the normal school uniform. Students should still be wearing all of their uniform, including skirt/trousers, shirt, tie and blazer along with their yellow item.
• A minimum donation of £1 should be made to form tutors on the morning of Thursday 10^th October. 

We're so excited to be holding our Sixth Form Open Evening on Thursday 10th October. Whether you are a current year 11 student, or looking to move from another school we'd love to see you! For more information, or to book tickets click on the link below:

John Taylor High School eNewsletter (jths.co.uk)

Whilst the majority of our Sixth Form is made up of former Year 11 JTHS students, we are delighted to be able to welcome 'New to JTHS' students from other schools after their GCSE's. We pride ourselves on providing a quality education and hold high expectations in everything we do; this includes both academically and personally. We are thrilled to be able to offer fantastic enrichment opportunities and love to celebrate our student's successes.

Here's what our Y12s have been up to this week as they settle in:

Celebration Breakfast

'This week we invited all our 'new to JTHS' students in Year 12 to a Welcome Breakfast Celebration during form time. This was a great opportunity to see how everyone had settled into what we know can be a challenging phase in a students career.

We deliberately do this a couple of weeks into term as it allows students time to settle and acts as an opportunity for the Sixth Form Team to check that all students are doing well since moving from their previous school. It was great to hear how positive everyone was about the start of their two year journey and how they have got on in their chosen subjects. It was also a great opportunity for students to converse with each other and it was good to hear conversations between people who did not know each other well before this event.

Each and every one of the students who attended has made an excellent impression and a fantastic start to their time here. I look forward to supporting each of these students, as well as the entire year group, and helping them achieve their personal excellence over the next two years.'

Mr Rostron, Head of Year 12 

Testimony from Pippa, a 'New to JTHS' student

In September 2024, I decided to join John Taylor High School Sixth Form and it was one of the best decisions I made. The staff are extremely welcoming, the pupils are friendly and bubbly, and the overall school atmosphere is kind and loving.

Since joining JTHS sixth form, I have gotten to know all my teachers, been embraced into the year group and have never felt alone. I decided to move to JTHS because they offered specific A-Levels that not many schools offer, with specialised subject teachers, and the outstanding previous A-Level results proved that they would help me reach my full potential.  The newly built sixth form is equipped with everything I would need, from laptops available to use at all times to incredible food provided by the sixth form canteen. I am thoroughly enjoying my time at JTHS sixth form and look forward to travel through my A-Level journey with them.

Enrichment Programme

In 2024, an improved enrichment programme has been offered. Students have the opportunity to either complete additional qualifications in Sports Leadership or Extended Project or participate in a range of activities such as Music, Cooking for enjoyment, Sport and Fitness, Finance, Culture and Community on a rotation basis. This is in order to help prepare students for the next steps in their lives. Our sixth form also offers a wide range of opportunities outside of lessons to help students to fully immerse themselves in the life of the school/wider community and to develop confidence, character and resilience. Activities include: Higher Education and Apprenticeship talks, Sixth Form Leadership, Reader Leader Scheme, mock interviews, school productions, Rotary Youth Leadership Award, Holocaust Trust, Mentoring, Bar Mock Trial Competition, Sixth Form Management Games, ICAEW BASE Competition, Duke of Edinburgh, and sports coaching to name a few.

Message from Mr Rostron, Head of Year 12

You can read Mr Rostrons welcome message from last week here, if you missed it.

Message from Dan at Young Professionals

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We are excited to invite you to an exclusive online parent event designed to provide valuable insights into how you can support your child in making informed career choices when they leave school.  

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn how to help your son or daughter gain a foothold in the world of work with the many major brands (mentioned below) from various sectors who will be joining us for the event. 

This event will touch upon applying to corporate roles and the application process, commercial awareness and how young people can develop these skills as well as highlighting degree apprenticeships, what they are and key deadlines to make applications.  

Event Details:
Date: Thursday, 3rd October 2024
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: Zoom 

Agenda:

• 6:00 PM - 6:05 PM: Welcome from Young Professionals
• 6:05 PM - 6:30 PM: Skills Session – Commercial Awareness & Career Guidance
  Forvis Mazars, AICPA & CIMA, Wates, Mishcon de Reya
  Learn what employers are looking for in students, and how parents can help their child develop the right skills for the corporate world.
• 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM: The Recruitment Process
  PwC, Clifford Chance, Amazon, Experian
  Tips on how to prepare your child for online tests, assessment centres, and interviews to give them an edge in the recruitment process.
• 7:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Degree Apprenticeships Explained in full
  KPMG, BDO, Linklaters, Evelyn Partners
  Understand what apprenticeships are, how they can benefit your child, and how they compare to university. 

This event will provide you with an in-depth understanding on the career and work experience prospects out there for your child across sectors such as Finance, Data, Technology, Law, Engineering, and different Corporate Functions. 

The whole session will be led by the direct hiring managers at these global firms  so you’ll learn from the very best on how to support your child as they transition from education to the professional world with leading brands. 

We would encourage you to join this event with your child to get the most out of this session.  

Sign up below to secure your place:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YPYourchild-theirFuture

You're welcome to share this event invitation with any other parents who might find it beneficial. 

We look forward to welcoming you! 

Best Regards, Dan / Young Professionals

After the success of our recent NHS National AHP Work Experience session, I am delighted to extend an invitation to your students in Years 10-13 or S3-S6 year groups for our upcoming session on Sunday 6th October, 8:30am - 5pm, focusing on Communications & Fractures.

Register here: https://alliedhealthmentor.org/nhs-healthcare-careers-virtual-work-experience/

The NHS Virtual Allied Healthcare Work Experience offers a unique opportunity for aspiring healthcare professionals. It's a rare occasion for students to hear from our exceptional guest speaker, Lucie Rochfort, a seasoned Speech and Language Therapist, with a wealth of knowledge and insights to share.

Lucie will provide invaluable guidance to help these future professionals embark on their dream healthcare careers. Following Lucie’s talk, students will gain an intimate look at the healthcare industry in the LIVE virtual work experience, delving into diverse roles within allied healthcare and taking a closer look at patient care by following the journeys of two patients from incident through to treatment.

The NHS Allied Healthcare Work Experience is the largest programme for aspiring healthcare professionals, having successfully invited over 12,000 students to participate in its programme last academic year - many of which have gone on to study:

Nursing, Midwifery, Paramedicine, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Radiography, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Speech and Language Therapy, Pharmacy

Registration Link: https://alliedhealthmentor.org/product/live-virtual-work-experience-programme/

Once registered, students will receive access to their virtual work experience portals. Better yet, every complete session comes with a Work Experience Certificate, and for those who complete the full 6-month programme, there's a Highly Commended Reference – a golden ticket for their apprenticeship and UCAS applications.

Registration will start at 8:30am, with guest speaker Shelley from 9-10am, then the live work experience session starts at 10am, with an end at 5pm. Plenty of breaks are scheduled throughout.

Students can register at any time throughout the 6-month programme using the link below. We recommend booking early to gain as much out of this programme as possible.

Places are £10 a session to cover administrative and technological costs, or £50 for the full 6 months:
https://alliedhealthmentor.org/nhs-healthcare-careers-virtual-work-experience/

Degree Apprenticeships - What Are They All About?

FREE BROADCAST - TUESDAY OCT 1ST:  6.30PM - 7.30PM

What!! So some people go to university and get their degree......but don't have to repay a student loan AND get paid for being there? How does THAT work?!

Tuesday night's webinar from My Great First Job CIC is all about Degree Apprenticeships, which can sometimes feel like the secret no one has let you in on!

Book your FREE ticket here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/degree-apprenticeships-so-what-are-they-all-about-tickets-1026788822007

With many super-high profile companies recruiting Degree Apprentices (eg Bank of England, PWC, SKY, BBC, Jaguar LandRover, JP Morgan), we want to make sure that young people know about this option. 

Because who wouldn’t want to at least consider doing a degree ....but instead of having a student loan, getting a £25K salary instead?!

The session will cover

• How Degree Apprenticeships work....and there's more than one type!

• Where you can find the opportunities

• When you should be applying

• What can an application process look like?

• Your Money! How does the student loan/maintenance/salary all work?

Please make yourself familiar with our School Calendar which includes key dates of Events, Parents Evenings, Trips, Reports, Exams, Holidays & Inset Days 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CALENDAR