KINGS NORTON

HIGH TIMES

July 2009

IN THIS ISSUE

SCIENCE IS FUN!

YEAR 11—

DRESSED TO

IMPRESS

WHO’S COOKING?

CELEBRATING

SUCCESS

QUALITY OF TEACHING At the beginning of this academic year, September 2008, I reported to our governors that teaching and learning was improving all the time and that the quality of our teaching staff was now higher than ever. The chair of governors, Mr Guy McEvoy, therefore set us a challenge. He said we should test out this assertion by inviting the local authority to come in and observe the teaching of every single teacher in the school. His challenge was that we should be judged to have no inadequate teaching and at least 60% good or outstanding. We took on that challenge with confidence and duly invited a team of advisers and consultants from the local authority to carry out the Ofsted-like observations. Not only did they agree that we had met our target, but they also identified good and/or outstanding teaching in every faculty in the school. GOOD TIMING As soon as we had come through that challenge at the beginning of June, by an amazing stroke of good timing we were telephoned by Ofsted who told us they were coming in at the end of June for a one-day inspection. We were of course ready! Once again, of the possible gradings (inadequate, satisfactory, good or outstanding) we achieved another ‘good’. We felt that this was an excellent note on which to end our year. EXAM RESULTS FOR YEAR 11 We will have exam results ready for collection on Thursday 27th August. You will appreciate that it takes a little time to gather the various lists and put them into the appropriate envelopes once the post has arrived, so we ask that students come in at 10.00am unless by prior appointment and for some exceptional reason. If they are unable to come in in person, we cannot unfortunately give results to anyone else unless this has been pre-arranged with Mr Moore, Miss Morris or Mrs Horton, again directly by the students themselves. This is of course for security reasons. LAPTOPS FOR LEARNERS Now at the end of the last term of the school year, it is a good time to look back on how successful the first year of Laptops for Learners has been. You will remember that, working in partnership with the e-Learning Foundation, in October 2008 we launched the Laptops for Learners initiative aimed at making sure every learner in key stage three (initially) had the use of their very own mini-notebook laptop computer. With overwhelming support from staff, governors, parents and carers – and most importantly the learners themselves, Laptops for Learners has enjoyed a successful first year. Learners come to school with their laptop which has become the main tool for learning in many subjects. The laptop has become the learner’s planner, exercise book, reference tool, means of tracking their performance and main means of communication –though please be assured, we still value the pen and paper! We wanted to promote ‘any time, anywhere’ learning. Alongside Laptops for Learners, the launch of our own virtual learning environment (VLE) has helped us move toward realising that goal. Teaching staff can share resources with learners on the VLE. As well as materials that help learners revise and consolidate difficult concepts, teachers have also created completely on-line lessons to extend and develop a learner’s subject knowledge. More than one member of staff has commented on how common it is now to find emails from learners with assignments, essays and home learning tasks attached. In addition to this learners all have their own secure log on which enables them to see their timetable, their current assessment data and their attendance data. Parents and carers also have a password to log in so they can see their child’s progress and make use of direct email links with staff if they have a query or require clarification. If you have lost your log in information or require any further information about how you can use our VLE to strengthen the partnership between home and school, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Some useful websites: www.kingsnortonhigh.bham.sch.uk – Kings Norton High School homepage and access to the VLE www.samlearning.co.uk – SAM Learning: log in to access activities and resources for all subjects www.mymaths.co.uk – Activities and resources for mathematics KS3/KS4 www.wordle.net – use keywords/concepts form your learning to make eye-catching posters Or if you fancy doing something a little more creative why not try your hand at an animation? Watch the screencast some of our learners decided to make to learn how to do it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9tIp-8bSGU THE NEW YEAR When we come back in September, the new year 11 will be going straight to work experience so we wish them luck in their placements. While they are away, year 10 will be having concentrated sessions on maths and English to prepare them for early GCSE entry in November, and key stage three will be following a fortnight of cross-curricular projects designed to give them the skills they will need to be successful in a variety of subject areas. We feel sure that we have prepared the way for another brilliant year. Have a wonderful summer! Denise Burns, headteacher

ANOTHER YEAR,

ANOTHER ‘GOOD’ FROM OFSTED!

FOR CHARITY

As many of you are aware Kings Norton Education Action Zone holds an

annual attendance celebration at the Council House in the presence of the

Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress . This year’s event will takie place at the

start of the new academic year in September. Further details will be sent

to those students who have achieved 100% or 99% and above

attendance,with good punctuality throughout this current academic year

in September.

You will see from the graph how drastically poor attendance

can affect attainment.

ATTENDANCE

AND

ATTAINMENT

Regular school attendance is important in order for your child to reach his or her full potential. The information below is taken from the DfES National Strategy and demonstrates the possible impact of attendance upon attainment.

Attendance levels can sometimes be regarded in the same way as examination results. In an examination, 80% would be a very positive result. In attendance terms though, this would be a negative result, meaning that your child had missed 40 days’ education - just over one day per week. Therefore, if your child’s attendance remains at 80% for the whole of their secondary education, they will miss more than a full year of education.

Please remember

every school day

counts!

Celebrating Success

Awards Evening July 2009

Students were rewarded for achievement and effort in all subject areas.

Heads of Year awards were given to those who had made an outstanding contribution to their year.

The Governors’ Award was given to Nick Harris for his continual outstanding contribution to the school and wider community

The Headteacher ‘s award for academic excellence was given to Asia Wray.

Celebrating Sanctuary Festival is Birmingham’s contribution to National Refugee Week, which is celebrated annually across the country. It celebrates the art of refugee communities in the UK, thus providing a platform for refugees to voice their experiences through music, literature and dance. The festival also offers a chance to connect with the incredible diversity of cultures and traditions in the UK. Friday 12th June was a day focused on children and young people from local schools. Victoria Square and Chamberlain Square were transformed into a vibrant open-air event that featured a diverse range of interactive activities, educational sites, information points, street entertainment, and live performances by local artists. Workshops, demonstrations and activities were facilitated by professional educators and artists, refugee community agencies and international musicians. Students from Kings Norton High who visited the festival were a real credit to the school. They took part in the events which demonstrated the rich diversity of talent that has settled here in Birmingham. The students were able to get a taste of what life is like for millions of refugees around the world, in the UK and in Birmingham’s communities. They learned that people who leave their countries because of persecution and look for safety elsewhere are called 'asylum seekers', and when they arrive in another country and are allowed to stay, they become refugees. This year the organisers introduced a new addition to the site, Escape to Safety Trailer, an interactive multimedia installation that enabled the visitors to experience what it is like to be a refugee seeking asylum in Britain. Escape to Safety is designed as an emotional experience combined with facts and figures, that challenges racism

towards refugees. Every year the event aims not only to raise awareness and educate young people, but also support integration of newly arrived pupils and those from refugee backgrounds. In addition to this, the festival was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity of Birmingham and Kings Norton High School.

Kings Norton High students visit

Celebrating Sanctuary Festival

Amy Coggins

Year 7

English homework On Friday 3rd July 2009, year 9 students

sat their first formal French exam—

‘Breakthrough Asset Languages’. The whole cohort completed the reading

paper and twenty five lucky students sat

the writing paper too.

The purpose of these exams is for those

year 9 learners who do not wish to

continue studying French to KS4 to end

their 3-year learning of French with an official test providing them with a life

time certificate.

Students will be given their results in August and certificates in September.

The MFL department aim to have every

learner at Kings Norton High School

achieve an entry level qualification in a foreign language during the course of

key stage 3.

QUALIFIED TO

SPEAK FRENCH!

As the curtain fell on year 11 courses, the pressure mounted and the last round of revision kicked in. Emotions ran high at the leaving assembly as the pupils waved goodbye to their normal timetables and embarked on revision and exam sessions. The maturity with which the year group approached the exams was impressive and the disciplined nature of the cohort was a fine example to the rest of the school. We hope they get results that befit their efforts in the summer and wish them every success for their future endeavours. Turn the page for prom photos . . .

Year 11—goodbye . . .

On Tuesday 7th July, 2009, a group of key stage 3 students were invited to a science family fun day at Swanshurst school. Students took part in lots of exciting activities and imaginative tasks such as making a rocket and launching it into space, and creating a kaleidoscope with an astronomy theme. Everyone had a fantastic time and many were lucky enough to win prizes for their creative work and participation in the workshops. The students were a pleasure to be with and behaved impeccably. They were a credit to the school’.

FAMILY LEARNING IS FUN!

At lunch time on the 13th July 2009 our learning mentors told us that there was a draw for tickets to go on the guest list for a Flo Rida concert that night at the

O2 Academy in Birmingham. We didn’t think that our names would be pulled out of the hat so we were very surprised when at the end of the day we heard we had won tickets!!!! We rushed home from school to get ready to go out. We got there and went to the front of the queue as we were on the guest list!!! Some

of us were lucky enough to get to the front and had a really good view. Sacha got hold of his sweaty towel that he threw into the audience and then Flo Rida held her hand!! The best bits were when he sang ‘Sugar’ and ‘Low’! It was crowded at the front and a lady kept fainting! We would like to thank all the staff at school who helped organise it and thank the promoter who got us the tickets. It was a late night but well worth it and we were still on time for school the next morning! Sacha, Leah, Adele, Abbie, Nathan, Agneiska, Charlotte, Tammie, Katie, Sasha—Year 10

NO. 1 FANS!

We have been collecting plastic bottle tops

since December to help raise awareness and support for young people with disabilities.

The total weight of bottle tops is measured

against the weight of a wheelchair so lots of

bottle tops are needed to ensure we can help to provide as many wheelchairs as possible.

Many students have supported this appeal and

we would ask that you help too by letting us have

your waste plastic bottle

tops of any shape or size and bring them in, no mat-

ter how many, to the learning support centre. B

OTTLE TOPS From our recent student survey (June

2009):

• 85% enjoyed coming to school

• 96% felt the work they did in

school was stimulating and

challenging • 94% felt encouraged to work to the

best of their ability

• 92% of parents ask how their

children how their school work is going

The legacy that year 11 have left behind is

very positive and reflects well on the rest of the

school.

Year 11 bade farewell to their time at KNHS and celebrated their prom at the Westmead Hotel on 18th June.

A wonderful night was had by all and the maturity with which the students

approached the night was highly commendable.

Some arrived in a variety of flamboyant vehicles but all were dressed to impress.

Year

11

prom

Hotel staff commented that our students were the best behaved party of young people they had ever had the pleasure to host.

Twice yearly we will have a

clothing collecting to raise funds so please help us to

raise funds for our school, clothe people in developing

countries and to reduce environmental damage by

donating old clothes, shoes (pairs of course!),

handbags, blankets, bedding, curtains and soft

toys.

All we ask is that they are clean and in good condition

and delivered to the learning support centre.

On 9th July, Kings Norton Education Action Zone

(KNEAZ) hosted a celebration event at Kings Norton High School.

Over 90 children from the eleven schools within

KNEAZ took part in live performances, which

included a guitar trio from Hawkesley Church Primary School, dancers from The Oaks Primary

School and Broadmeadow Junior School, a choir from Wychall Primary School, a cheer leading

display from St Paul’s RC Primary School, presentations from Primrose Hill Community School

and Fairway Primary School and a musical

performance from ‘High School Musical’ by students from Kings Norton High School. Filmed

performances by students of Kings Norton Primary School, Bells Farm Primary School and

Broadmeadow Infant School were shown

throughout the evening.

Parents, students and staff were treated to light refreshments prepared and served by the year 10

BTEC hospitality students from Kings Norton High School during the interval. It was the first event

our students had catered for and the cakes they

made were delicious. School displays from all participating schools were there for visitors to find

out more about the work that has been happening over the academic year.

A Celebration of the

Kings Norton Education

Action Zone

THE PIZZA PROJECT On 14th July, 50 students from Hawkesley Primary School spent a day with us working on ‘the pizza project’. The students, in three groups, used ICT to create a pizza design and explore ingredients and then went on to our technology and vocational areas to make a pizza box and cook their own pizza using ingredients of their choice. Lots of colourful toppings were chosen such as peppers, salami, tomatoes, onions and herbs. Lots of learning and fun was the order of the day and everyone went home happy and looking forward to pizza for their dinner! A big thank you goes to all the staff involved and to Sima Khan, Hayley Glendinning and Bader Ibrahim for all their hard work and help during the activities.