EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – MAY 2017 PAGE 1

CONTENTS

Page No.

Headteacher’s Message 1

Primary 2

Secondary 3

Health Centre 6

Page No.

Lunchtime and After School Clubs 7

Coming Up ! 7

Term Dates 16-17 7

P.E. Newsletter 8

HEADTEACHER’S MESSAGE

Dear Parents/Carers,

This has been a short half term, but as this newsletter shows, we have managed to pack a lot into it.

The exam season has well and truly started. We ask that our younger pupils are respectful of this as they move around school. As I write, a maths exam is in progress which is requiring almost every room available and is very staff intensive. We wish all of our students taking exams at this moment the very best of luck and hope they use every opportunity to show their potential.

Regarding staffing news, we have said goodbye to Mrs Val Schipke, part-time admin assistant. We shall miss her wit and cheery disposition and we are in the process of recruiting for her replacement.

May I wish you all a happy and sunny half term break. School re-opens on Monday 5 June.

Chris Marshall Headteacher

www.exhallgrange.org.uk THE SCHOOL WEBSITE HAS LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTY

NEXT WEEK THAT YOU MIGHT FIND OF INTEREST

THERE ARE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF STUDENTS BRINGING EXPENSIVE

DEVICES IN TO SCHOOL THAT THEY USE EITHER ON THE SCHOOL BUS OR AT

BREAK TIMES – PLEASE CAN WE REMIND YOU THAT THEY DO SO AT THEIR

OWN RISK AND SCHOOL CAN NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SAFEKEEPING

EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – MAY 2017 PAGE 2

PRIMARY

Red Class

I can't believe just how much we have managed to fit into five weeks. Our topic 'Famous for more than five minutes' has explored the lives of explorers, scientists, artists, musicians and monarchs. The children have learned about Christopher Columbus, Neil Armstrong, Barbara Hepworth, Vincent Van Gogh, Mozart, the Wright brothers, Mary Seacole ... the list goes on. We have climbed aboard our own ship to explore the oceans, enjoyed Space yoga, created sculptures from beach pebbles, painted with oils, investigated materials and their properties including which float and sink, conducted an orchestra and so many more activities. The children have also been learning about fractions, sorting and naming the value of coins,

how to form their numbers correctly, counting in twos and Rowan has begun to multiply! The children particularly enjoyed riding bikes this half term. It was a real challenge for some while others sped quickly away. Kam spent the morning cycling a circuit with the wheelchair bike and deserved a medal rather than sore calf

muscles! Forest school has got off to a great start and all of the children love their afternoon outside with Sam no matter what the weather. We have learned how to blog too. You can read the Red Class blog by logging onto our school website and finding Red Class. The children know how important it is not to use their real names and enjoyed inventing a screen name. Such a lot of learning in five weeks!

Miss Jordan, Mrs Padam and Mrs Trickett

EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – MAY 2017 PAGE 3

Blue Class

What a busy half term. Well done to all the Year 6 pupils who have all worked really hard for themselves and been incredibly supportive off each other. They are now all working hard to make sure they are ready for Year 7 in September.

We are enjoying our Ancient Egypt topic and also the science topic, electricity. We are hopefully going out next half term on an Egyptian themed trip to finish off this topic. More to follow shortly.

On the subject of trips, Years 5 and 6 (Orange and Blue Class) are currently planning our end of year sleepover. Details will follow shortly. In broad terms, we will be going out on a trip on Friday 30th June during school time. At 3.30 pm there will be a fun swim session, a take away tea, a walk around Pro Logis wildlife area, a campfire with the singing club, a film, a storytelling session and an overnight sleepover in popup tents in the school hall. Saturday morning there will be a continental type breakfast and children will go home at 10 am. Teachers/helpers will also go home and no doubt catch up on the sleep they will not have had on the sleepover!

Next half term we will continue with our Ancient Egyptian theme but our science topic will be living things and their habitats. There will also be the Film Festival for which we are already preparing.

Mrs Bridges and Mrs Glover

SECONDARY

This work ‘blew my socks off’

Well done …

Sophie Arthur Tia Porter Harrison Hughes

Cole Lyson Ryan Woodhouse Charlotte Webb

Thomas Coombs Xavier Stott Nathan Faulkner

EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – MAY 2017 PAGE 4

English Department News

Key Stage 3 English This term Years 7, 8 and 9 have been working on analysing and comparing the viewpoints and perspectives of authors of non-fiction texts from this century with texts from the 19th century. In addition, pupils have been working on perfecting their discursive essay writing skills where they express their viewpoint and perspective on a variety of issues. The pupils have written on a wide range of topics, such as, why young people should protect the environment, should young people be expected to complete household chores and whether or not social media has had a negative or positive impact on young people. We have discovered some pupils who hold strong opinions and are developing a strong voice through their writing. Well done to Jack Owens, Simon Dodd, Charlie Cooke, Luis Porter and Yasmin Mavish for your very convincing, discursive essays.

Key Stage 4 English Year 10 embark on their study of their set GCSE Literature play - William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet when we return after half term. We are very excited about our Year 10 impeding trip to Stratford Upon Avon on July 17th 2017 where pupils will have the opportunity to work with actors for the day to explore the themes, stagecraft and language of the play.

This term pupils have retaken the Star Reading Test and we have some pupils, who due to their commitment to read in Registration time and at home, have had positive progress in their reading ages. Congratulations to Jon Bradley, Ryan James, Xhesi Mustafa, Shaun Morgan, Tyrese Siziba, Joseph Turnbull, Ryan Woodhouse, Stephen Aldridge, Olivia Cockayne, Shyam Somaiya, Lauren Bray, Luis Parker, Lewis Barnwell, Benjamin Morris and Yasin Bolakar. Keep up the hard work – improving your reading ages will help you access information in text books and exams as well as assisting you all in understanding your academic subjects at school better. Parents please support us in our quest to improve the reading ages of all the children. This will give your child the necessary literacy skills to enable them to tackle the academic work across the curriculum and to succeed in their vital Year 11 final examinations. Please ensure you child reads independently for at least 25 minutes a day.

Mrs Stephens

EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – MAY 2017 PAGE 5

Technology

Well done to all Year 11 for completing their coursework in resistant materials. After around 25 hours in the workshop using hand tools, machinery, the laser cutter and many sanding sheets, the results have been outstanding. The students worked on storage units, having researched the theme and people’s needs, they produced a number of designs and then chose one of these to take forward and manufacture themselves in the workshop.

Work by Ashleigh Work by Evan

Work by George Work by Jamie

Work by Jake

Work by Lucie

EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – MAY 2017 PAGE 6

HEALTH CENTRE

Don’t forget to encourage your child to drink more on hot sunny days, and to keep them in the shade and remember Wrap, Splat, Hat! Wrap up in a shirt, splat on sunscreen and slap on a hat.

Drinking more water is very important too. Please can we ask that your child starts next half term with a water bottle which they can refill at the water coolers situated around the school.

If you haven’t sent in your child’s NHS Number please could you do this as soon as possible, thanks!

Janet Christopher and Jo Meaton School Nursing Team

MOBILITY TEAM

I think the first bit of news is Mr Muldoon did go to Crufts 2017 with some of our students, as usual they had a fantastic day which is only to be expected meeting all those varied pooches. Our thanks go to Guide Dogs funding branch in Bedworth who kindly donated the tickets.

Troy Club is still going strong, being held monthly at Guide Dogs Branch in Leamington-Spa or the new venue of the Coventry Resource Centre. Those attending decorated plant pots then planted summer flower followed by fun games.

Talking of our Buddy dog Troy, he is soon to retire after 10 years of service, as with all these great dogs who come from GDBA. But don't worry Mrs Marshall still very much wants our Troy in School, so he will still be around as usual along with Mrs Mee waiting for that odd pat or fuss.

Work experience. The Mobility Department work very closely with Miss Parkhouse, Lead Teacher Post 16 and 6th form Students who are now starting out on this important phase of their School career, it's stepping stone to future employment.

One of the not so well known aspects we do in the Mobility Department is to help when out and about on training lessons. We talk to, meet or canvas potential organisations/charities who could possibly take on our Students for meaningful work experience. Not an easy task these days, but we have been successful in the past, but still need to keep going needing more contacts.

This is why we are asking please, if there are any Parents out there that work with a company, organisation or a Charity who might provide us with some much needed contacts and information to give our students work experience. If you can possibly help us please contact Miss Parkhouse or Mobility, thank you.

Have great half term. The Mobility Team

EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – MAY 2017 PAGE 7

LUNCHTIME AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

Cook and Grow Club We have all had a very busy time planting seeds and growing the plants on. Mrs Jordan has also organised some cooking activities including a very tasty tomato soup. All the children have had great fun watering the wellie garden and all the containers. We have also launched our composting scheme with a brand new compost bin on the playground for vegetable and fruit waste (plus teabags from the grown ups).

Mrs Bridges

Birdwatching Club We have recently been watching out for the buzzards over the playing fields and along Blackberry Lane. We have evidence of birds nesting in our bright and colourful boxes and a slightly confused blue tit who is nesting in the bat box. The Maintenance team have reported a robin nesting in a hole made by squirrels in a secret location and photos have been promised. The weather this week has allowed us to go on a picnic up to Pro Logis to see the baby coots, Ducks and a heron! Long may the weather last. Mrs Bridges

COMING UP

11 June 2017 Fishing Trip

16 June 2017 D of E Final Expedition

22 June 2017 Year 10 – Belgrade Theatre

30 June 2017 Year 11 – Leavers Assembly

5 July 2017 Year 9 – Hippodrome Theatre

7 July 2017 Year 7 – Warwick Castle

12 July 2017 Year 8 – Harry Potter Studio Tour

17 July 2017 Year 10 – Shakespeare Rehearsal Rooms

TERM DATES : 2016 – 2017

Friday 26th May 2017 School Ends

SUMMER HALF TERM HOLIDAY

Monday 5th June 2017 School Returns Friday 21st July 2017 Teacher Training Day/Summer Term Ends

Term dates for 2017-2018 are also available.

EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – MAY 2017 PAGE 8

MAY 2017

The new extra-curricular activities for this half-term:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Lunchtime Secondary

Fitness

Secondary

Fitness Dance

Year 6 Fitness

&

Secondary

Fitness

Primary Gymnastics

Afterschool Secondary /

Primary Games

Since Easter we have had Nuneaton and Bedworth Leisure Trust deliver Bikeability to Key Stage 2 and 3. Students have had an excellent time developing their skills on a whole range of different bikes. Many thanks to all those that took part. Future Events: Primary Swimming Gala 22/06/17 D of E Assessment 16/06/17 Primary Sports Day 29/06/17 Secondary Sports Day 12/07/17 Fishing Trip 01/07/17