It has been wonderful to welcome back our students and welcome our new Yr7s into the John of Gaunt community. It is so good to have our new Yr7s with us at last, and they've done so well! Students, as ever, have been a pleasure to talk to and find out about their holidays at home and abroad. It still amazes me how some of our students grow significantly taller and mature in their facial features over a short space of six weeks. If you hadn't realised by all the new uniform and shoes you may have bought, you will notice in the school photos that have been taken this week! It really has been a settled start and purposeful with students getting straight into their learning on day 1 with a smile.
All week I have seen multiple moments of students and staff demonstrating our new school values of Kindness, Positivity and Belonging, something we have been focusing on throughout all our assemblies. It is pleasing to see these positive behaviours on such a regular basis.
I feel this is underlined and acknowledged by over 700 of our students and nearly 400 of our parents/carers who completed surveys for us at the end of last year. The vast majority of our students (between 85-95%) have a sense of belonging to JoG, and they feel they are challenged with the work delivered by our teachers. They also feel supported, feel safe, and they always have the help they need and support they require in lessons and in a pastoral way. Parents echo this with over 90-95% of the responses indicating they feel the school is well led, staff are welcoming, their child is looked after and feels safe. The similar high levels of parents feel the curriculum is appropriate for their child, it is challenging, their child is taught well, and the school has high expectations of them.
I would like to thank staff for their diligence and professionalism over our training days. We continue to focus on our curriculum and how we deliver this effectively to all students. We also focus on our legal responsibilities of keeping up to date with safeguarding best practice and knowing the needs of all our students including how to adapt to specific adjustments so that we provide the best experience we can for our young people.
I also want to comment on the wonderful start for our new resource base. The students who have started are a real asset to The John of Gaunt School and have settled in fantastically. I would like to say a huge thank you to Ms Marshall for all her efforts making this new provision possible and opening on time! I would also like to thank our site team who spent the summer ensuring the physical space was prepared for our students.
Finally, I would like to welcome a number of new staff to The John of Gaunt:
Mrs Rossiter: Assistant Headteacher
Mrs Blyth: Director of Learning for MFL
Mrs Bowman: Head of Biology
Mrs Clift: Maths Teacher
Mrs Delahay: Resource Base Leader
Miss Ferreira: Science Teacher
Mrs Jeffries: English Teacher: Raising Standards Lead
Mrs O’Nians: Art Teacher
Mr Owens: English Teacher
Miss Warrington: English Teacher
Thank you for your co-operation and support with uniform this week, it has been an extraordinary start, but the majority students have looked so smart in their John of Gaunt clothing. As stated in earlier communications, there will be a survey coming soon to gather parental, carer, student, staff and governor voice on the introduction of tailored grey shorts. We can then make a timely decision and announcement for the summer term.
I would like to request that anyone dropping off or collecting a student in a vehicle not to park on the double yellow lines in our car park and follow the one-way system so not to congest the area. We have limited parking, therefore, please drop off and pick up your child outside the school grounds in a pre-arranged location where possible. There is an increase in vehicle numbers at the beginning of the year with our new students starting, however, I am sure more Yr7 students will make their own way to school as the year progresses, and they become settled at The John of Gaunt.
11 John of Gaunt Students participated in the Ten Tors Snowdonia Expedition from 31st July to 3rd August. This was a reward trip for those students who had completed their Ten Tors training hikes and expeditions and fancied enjoying some more challenging Welsh peaks (without a huge rucksack and racing the clock!).
We were based at Garth Farm campsite, in a small and VERY basic bunkhouse nestled at the base of Moel Siabod. Students cooked their own meals using the kitchen stove and used the bunkbeds provided to sleep.
On Tuesday the group summited Snowdon, in wet and drizzly conditions. Waterproofs were a necessity and due to the weather we chose to do the safest routes up and down - The Pyg track to ascend and the Miners' track to descend. On the descent the students did a "litter pick" with rubber gloves and black bin liners - huge respect for the enthusiasm they showed for this - finding tiny bit of orange peel, chewing gum and cigarette buts alongside some rather more disgusting things. We ended up carrying 3 bin bags of litter off the mountain. Well done folks!
On Wednesday we clambered up Tryfan, a steeper route involving scrambling and again beset with rain and fog as we reached higher altitudes. However, we were afforded some stunning views before the weather came in and the rain on the lower moorland meant that the waterfalls and streams were in glorious full flow. A great time was had by all, and as always the students who came along were a huge credit to themselves, their parents and the School. Well done!
As always, a huge thanks to our two volunteers on this trip, Xavier Lord and Mountain Leader Iain Richards without whom this expedition could not have taken place.
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Your child’s Annual Nasal flu vaccination is now due.
This vaccination is recommended to help protect your child against flu. Flu can be an unpleasant illness and can cause serious complications. Vaccinating your child will also help protect more vulnerable family and friends by preventing the spread of flu.
Please complete the consent form using the following link:
Please ensure you complete your child’s consent 48 working hours before your school session to ensure your child receives their vaccination.
We are visiting your child’s school on 3rd and 4th October 2023
The vaccination is free and is a quick, simple and painless spray up the nose. Even if your child had the vaccine last year, the type of flu can vary each winter, so it is recommended to have it again this year, or they won’t be protected.
and includes details about the small number of children for whom the nasal vaccine is not appropriate. The nasal spray vaccine contains a very small amount of purified porcine gelatine as an essential ingredient to keep it stable and able to work. For those who may not accept medicines or vaccines that contain porcine gelatine, a flu vaccine injection is available. Since the programme was introduced, most children offered the vaccine in schools have had the immunisation.
If you have any queries, please contact the School Aged Immunisation Team on 0300 247 0082or email us using vcl.immunisations@nhs.net
Yours sincerely,
Roanna Ellis
Acting Professional Lead for School Aged Immunisations
If your child becomes wheezy, has a bad attack of asthma, or has started oral steroids for their asthma after you return this form, please contact the healthcare team on 0300 247 0082.
If you decide you do not want to vaccinate your child against flu, please complete the consent form giving the reason. This will help us plan and improve the service.
The explosive third and final thrilling instalment in the acclaimed One of Us... series.
Ever since Simon died in detention, life hasn't been easy for the Bayview Crew. First the Bayview Four had to prove they weren't killers. Then a new generation had to outwit a vengeful copycat. Now, it's beginning again.
At first the mysterious billboard seems like a bad joke: Time for a new game, Bayview. But when a member of the crew disappears, it's clear this 'game' just got serious - and no one understands the rules.
Everyone's a target. And now that someone unexpected has returned to Bayview, things are starting to get deadly.
The thing is, Simon was right about secrets - they all come out, eventually. And Bayview has a lot it's still hiding..
Oh my goodness, I was so excited to read the final instalment and it really didn’t disappoint! What a perfect way to end the trilogy! Lovely to meet all the characters we have got to know yet still have new twists (one that made me properly gasp!) and beautifully tying up lots of loose ends. It was an obvious choice for the first book of the week this year!
Happy Reading!
Mrs Bruton
School Gateway - The easiest way to interact with your school
Welcome to School Gateway
We use School Gateway, an essential tool to keep you informed about what’s going on at school. It keeps everything in one place, behind one login, so you can easily keep in touch.
Trusted by over 2 million parents
“I work full time so finding the time to notify my daughters school about absence etc is difficult, this makes it really quick, and I can do it from my desk. So glad our school is moving with the times.”
- School Gateway user “Both my husband and I have School Gateway accounts as the school have both of our details, so we can both view all the information at any time.”
- School Gateway user
Attendance
Advise school of absences and keep track of your child’s attendance rate.
Reports & Achievements
Receive school reports straight to your phone, so you stay up to date with your child’s progress.
Timetable
View your child’s school timetable via the app, website and now the Apple Watch. A good conversation prompt and can help save last minute P.E kit dramas
Creating an account is simple and will take no more than a couple of minutes:
1. Register
Register using the same email address and mobile number held by the school
2. Four digit PIN
School Gateway will send you a text with your PIN
3. Login
Login, you are ready to go
Download the FREE app
The John of Gaunt School t: 01225 762637 e: office@jogschool.org
If you’ve recently changed your email address or mobile number, let us know so we can update our records.
Instrumental Tuition
Interested in having instrumental or vocal lessons next academic year? Music lessons are an excellent way for students to develop their skills and understanding of music, as well as giving them the potential for a lifelong passion and opportunity for social development. Lessons are open to all students at all levels including complete beginners. We currently have lessons for the following instruments: singing, drum kit, percussion, trumpet, cornet, euphonium, piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin, viola, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and ukulele.
Lessons are generally taught in blocks of 10 lessons and are available for 15, 20 or 30 minute slots. The costs vary according to the teacher involved but are in the region of £30-£36 per hour. The cost for a block of 15-minute lessons works out at between £75 and £90. We are also able to fund some lessons through Wiltshire Music Connect. For students who are Pupil Premium or have a Special Educational Need then we can fund 70% of a 15-minute lesson through Wiltshire Music Connect leaving the remaining 30% to be paid by the parent/carer. For children that are Looked After we can fund 100% of a 15-minute lesson through Wiltshire Music Connect.
Lessons take place in a music practise room within school and may be before, after or during school depending on the teacher involved. Lessons are on a rotating timetable so that students don’t continually keep missing the same lesson.
If your child is interested in learning an instrument or having singing lessons please drop me an email and I will get back to you with further information: nmaguire@jogschool.org
STAVERTON ROAD CLOSURE - Changes to School Buses from September 2023
During the closure of the main road through Staverton village for up to 5 months, there will need to be some changes to school bus services from September.
Pupils living in:
HORSE ROAD and PAXCROFT MEAD
MORNING Bus X77 will continue to operate as usual Paxcroft Mead at 0752 and Horse Road at 0803. Fare paying pupils can also use bus X34 from Paxcroft Mead/Horse Road at 0754 or 0809.
AFTERNOON will need to use bus Faresaver bus X34 from The John of Gaunt Bus Park at 1515.
STEEPLE ASHTON, KEEVIL AND BULKINGTON
MORNING Bus X77 will continue to operate as usual from Bulkington at 0730, Keevil at 0734, Steeple Ashton at 0741 and Paxcroft Mead at 0752 and Horse Road at 0803
AFTERNOON will need to use bus Faresaver Bus 77 from The John of Gaunt Bus Park at 1520.
STAVERTON - This new route is currently out for tender, so the name of the bus company is not yet known.
MORNING – bus 68 commencing at
Marsh Road at 0800
Cottles Barton 0801
Canal Road at 0805
Arriving Trinity Church 0818
AFTERNOON Pupils will now need to walk to bus stop opposite Trinity Church near Skateboard park. There is a new temporary bus service bus 68 which will depart from TRINITY CHURCH (SKATE PARK SIDE) at 1525.
HOLT
MORNING will continue to use Bus 68 but will divert via Bradford on Avon times are not changing.
AFTERNOON will continue to use Faresaver bus 68 from The John of Gaunt Bus Park at 1515.
from 31st July to 3rd August. This was a reward trip for those students who had completed their Ten Tors training hikes and expeditions and fancied enjoying some more challenging Welsh peaks (without a huge rucksack and racing the clock!).
We were based at Garth Farm campsite, in a small and VERY basic bunkhouse nestled at the base of Moel Siabod. Students cooked their own meals using the kitchen stove and used the bunkbeds provided to sleep.
Waterproofs were a necessity and due to the weather we chose to do the safest routes up and down - The Pyg track to ascend and the Miners' track to descend. On the descent the students did a "litter pick" with rubber gloves and black bin liners - huge respect for the enthusiasm they showed for this - finding tiny bit of orange peel, chewing gum and cigarette buts alongside some rather more disgusting things. We ended up carrying 3 bin bags of litter off the mountain. Well done folks!
On Wednesday we clambered up Tryfan, a steeper route involving scrambling and again beset with rain and fog as we reached higher altitudes. However, we were afforded some stunning views before the weather came in and the rain on the lower moorland meant that the waterfalls and streams were in glorious full flow. A great time was had by all, and as always the students who came along were a huge credit to themselves, their parents and the School. Well done!
