Blog w/e: 17/03/2023
Hi All,
Wow! Time seems to be flying past at a rate of knots as we hurtle towards Easter. We have been really busy in school as you can see below.
Science Week
As part of science week out year 9s have been making models of the National Grid out of recyclable materials. The winning group bagged themselves an Easter egg each. As you can see from the photos, there were some fantastic efforts.
Well done to Cal Mackin, Lucas Edwards, Summer Challinor and Ella Marshall.
Other activities saw Yr 8s making parachutes and launching them from the balcony on the third floor into the Diner below, not while people were eating of course, and tracking their flight paths.
Girls Basketball opportunity
If you’re interested in trying a new sport, or you already play basketball, please see the flyer below.
This is a great opportunity to get involved in something new and a chance to make new friends. Sport is also a fantastic way, not only to learn new technical expertise and improve your fitness, it is also great for developing both team working and leadership skills.
Students to the rescue
It is my pleasure to introduce to you our new team of Librarians. Initially, they will be helping Mrs Williams in the Library each Thursday.
The Library is used as a classroom all day, it hosts clubs, and it is also, of course, a place where you can go to read or to borrow books. With this much activity, it’s a full time job just trying to keep on top of everything. As such, the help that this team will provide is very welcome.
Thanks in advance to: Ava May, Ben, Sofia, Bethany and Evelyn who have now all been issued with shiny, new Librarian badges. It is a reflection of the outstanding character of our students when they offer much needed help.
Student Parliament Meeting – 17/03/2023
Friday saw the latest meeting of our Student Parliament.
Students were working on two key questions:
- Follow-up response and feedback on the school day now that we are half way through the year
- The food offer in school: What you like? What you don’t like? Is there anything you’d like to add?
The good news is that, following initial concerns about the shorter lunch break when the new school day was launched in September, this doesn’t seem to be an issue.
Student voice was almost entirely positive:
‘I like the two lessons, then break, then two lessons until lunch’
‘I like that we only have one lesson after lunch’
‘Afternoon tutor session is put to good use, especially in year 11’
‘Break is at a good time’
‘It’s better that lessons are 60 minutes now rather than 65’
The only negative was:
‘Tutor is too long in the middle of the day’
In terms of the food offer, again, students were positive and said they liked:
‘Chip Friday, chicken curry, hot panini, good sized portions’
In terms of what they want, students were very clear:
‘Salad bar, all day breakfast, fruit pots, bring back pizza,
Students also wanted to make sure that the menu matches what is on offer if it has been changed.
Thanks to all of the Student Parliament for their input and honesty. Their feedback is always shared and discussed and, where possible, we will react and inform them what actions we have taken based on their advice.
Student-led advice for Year 9 Options
Whilst most of our Year 9 students had already made their initial GCSE option choices, understandably, if there is a subject that you haven’t had any experience of, how do you decide whether you want to take it for GCSE?
Fortunately, most of these questions were answered at our Year 9 options Evening on 2nd March. However, there were still a few students who were unsure what to pick so what better way than to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. Any Year 9s who wanted to were invited to chat to those students from Years 10 and 11 who are already part way through the course in subjects like: Computer Science; iMedia; Child Development and Health and Social Care.
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
On Sunday 21st May, it is World Cultural Diversity Day and, although in the earliest stage of planning, Blacon High School is hoping to host an event on an evening very close to that date.
I have been doing a bit of research and note that we have students from a host of different cultures and backgrounds, and it is our hope to celebrate this diversity by hosting a community event. Just what format this will take is, at this stage, unclear but we hope that it will involve food, flags, maps and music.
Keep an eye on the school website and social media for update; I’m really excited about this one.
And finally,
Thank you, as always to parents and carers for your ongoing support.
If your child is in Year 11, please encourage them to do some revision each night; the exams will be upon us in no time.
