Newsletters

Free School Meal payments or vouchers

Parents who are eligible for these payments or vouchers will receive them either next Monday or Tuesday. This relates to the two-week period of 18th - 29th January 2021.

Year 7 Remote Learning, Rewards and Feel Good Fridays

The Year 7 team have received several emails from different teachers over the last week expressing how well Y7 students are doing in the remote learning lessons. It is so pleasing to hear of all the positive engagement and the support the students are giving each other which is also evident in the number of positive reward points being given out. Since the start of term another 43 students have gained their bronze award for 100 points and a further 21 students achieved this just before the end of last term (Names below)

In these dark and wet January days of lockdown it is sometimes hard to stay positive so every Friday students will be invited to contribute something to the Y7 Wall of Happiness. Watch out for an email with the link. Other top tips from the team include getting out for daily walks, taking regular breaks from screens and calling a friend for a chat. Remember your tutors and Y7 team are also still available for support if you need it.

Mrs Addison, Miss Wood and Mrs Stewart

Year 10

So far this term we have been hugely impressed with the way our year 10 students have responded to the changing circumstances and having to learn from home. A new way of studying is becoming more of the norm and it has been great to receive so many positive comments from staff about great lessons they have had with year 10. As a team we would like to share a selection of some of the positives so far and let all the parents and students know how proud we are of their focus, efforts and resilience.

From Mrs Taylor: a big well done and thank you to the following students for working so well, being fully engaged and answering lots of questions on demand in Creative iMedia; Tom Morgan, Ellison Rochester, George Tiley, Haydn Rumens, Josh Tuinasakea, Edward Waite and Luke Waldron.

Some great work being produced in Miss Liddington’s maths class but a particularly big well done to Chloe Harvey for producing some lovely work and putting in high levels of effort.

A massive well done to all in Mr Walker’s year 10 Sport Science class. As always, a mature and hardworking attitude shown by all but a particular mention goes to Dylan Radwell and Daisy Jefferies for always volunteering answers and developing points raised.

A huge well done and thank you to Devan Jackson for making some insightful contributions and questions posed to deepen his understanding in Mrs Beattie’s Food lessons.

Mrs Foster’s English class have been working extremely well with really good levels of work produced from Cori Brewer, Amelia Mead, Tyla Woolston, Sophie Wooldridge and Jas Hudd, in particular. Keep up the good work.

Ms Callaghan would like to shout out for her whole Spanish class for their high levels of engagement and participation. As she puts it “A teams lesson I know will always be good!”

From Madame Green: What an amazing class!  I'm so incredibly lucky to teach this wonderful group of students!  During my Teams lessons they behave in exactly the same was as they do in the classroom with me - they are perfectly behaved, very hardworking, engaged & keen to please & make progress every lesson!  They have also been both patient & polite whilst I get to grips with my lessons on Teams.  In one lesson in particular, the students asked for the lesson to be extended so that we could play another game of Quizlet Live together.  I'm so proud of all of them!  An absolute delight to teach every lesson!

As the term continues, we hope to highlight even more examples of how the students are working incredibly well and taking everything in their stride in order to keep progressing and show how wonderful they are. A real credit to the John of Gaunt community.

So… we would like to say to all the year 10 students; keep going. You are doing amazingly well in difficult circumstances and your teachers really appreciate and recognise your efforts. It keeps us smiling (even if it is at our computer screens!).

And finally, thank you to all the parents and carers for supporting your children with accessing their learning. Without your help, things would be significantly tougher for us to do our job for your children.

Mrs Green, Mr Walker and the whole year 10 team

Challenge accepted!

The Year 10 GCSE Business group have made a great start to online learning.  It’s been ‘Business as Usual’ for us as the group have had some experience previously in attending webinars with visiting speakers. 

This term we have continued studying Human Resources management and we have been looking more closely at Motivation.  A few members of the group have made such great progress with this topic that Mrs Green has challenged them to have a go at some of the A Level essay style questions on this topic. 

A big elbow bump to Chloe, Sophie, Basma and Wasiur for taking on this challenge and pushing themselves that bit harder.

Year 9 options

Yesterday Yr 9 students and their parents received an introductory letter that included an overview of the options process and the links they require to access all the resources that will support them.  

It is unfortunate that the students will not experience the 'KS3 into KS4 day' first-hand, but I hope they will find the presentations on the whole process and unfamiliar subjects not taught at KS3 informative and useful.  I would like to thank the staff for creating these presentations so quickly; only last week we were putting the final preparations together for our in-school event. For staff to shift to online learning and put together the presentations is commendable - it really does show the commitment our staff have for all our students.

Will students and parents please read the letter sent to them and use the hyperlinks to read, watch and listen to all the support resources available as the options process is now fully remote. It is crucial that the wealth of advice and guidance available on our website, within the KS4 options tab on the Curriculum page is used.  

Included, at the back of the options booklet, is our step-by-step guide to students making their options on SIMS online. Students will have received an invite through their school email today to allow access to this platform, Using the guide will make the experience a simple and enjoyable one.

Please also watch the presentation by our careers advisor, Mrs Lynch and, if you require, make an appointment to speak with her.  Support is also available from subject specific staff, the YR9 pastoral team, Ms Marshall (SENDCO), Mrs Baines (Assistant Headteacher - Head of 6th form) and myself.  Please do contact any of us if you feel you need advice.

Deadline for options to be completed is Friday, January 29th.

Kind regards and stay safe

Mr Rhodes

Deputy Headteacher

The DTP/MenACWY vaccination for the current Year 9 cohort and any Year 10/11 students who have missed their dose to date will be given this on 18^th January 2021.

The HPV1 vaccinations for current Year 8 boys and girls and current Year 9 boys and girls who have missed their first dose last year, along with any other students who have missed a dose that is due, will be given on 27^th April 2021.

Further information will be sent out to parents as soon as this is available from the School Immunisation Team. However, if you have any queries please contact them on 0300 247 0082

Face Covering Exemption Cards for dedicated school bus travel

Should any student be exempt from wearing a face mask on a school bus due to a medical condition, we can issue them with an exemption card.

Please contact snichols@jogschool.org if you wish your child to have one.