Term4Newsletter–April2018DearAll,ThankyoufortakingthetimetoreadourEasterNewsletter,asalways,somuchhashappenedsincethelastnewsletterthatthereisalottocover.AtthistimeofyearwestarttogearupforthesummerGCSEandALevelexamsthismeanstheschoolisverybusywithpreparations,Easterrevisionclasses,weekendsandafterschools.Thisyear’sY11andY13arealreadyworkingveryhardandearlyindicationsshowtheyarepoisedforsuccessandsomeofthebestresultswehaveeverseen.Thisistestamenttothehardworkofthestudents,parentsandourstaffteamandIwouldliketosincerelythankeveryonefortheirhardworkinmaximisingtheirchancesofsuccess.Unusuallyforthistimeofyear,wehadaspellofheavysnowandicyconditionsforcingustoclose;itisalwaysdifficulttomakeadecisiontoclosetheschoolbutthiswasmadealoteasierbythewealthofparentsupportandfeedbackthatIreceived.WithlotsofworksetonSMHWandgooduseofourparentcommunicationchannelswemanagedtonavigatetheconditionsandensuretheimpactofbothsafetyandacademicstudywasminimised.Thankyouforthissupportandhopefullywewon’thavetomakethisdecisionagainforalongtime!Term5and6willbepackedfullofevents,opportunitiesandcelebrations,pleasecheckinregularlytoourwebsiteandFacebookpageforuptotheminutenewsandinformation.BehaviourPolicyThankyoutoeveryonewhohassupportedtherecentchangestoourbehaviourpolicy.Thechangesareaimedatreducinglow-midleveldisruptioninclasses.WehavealreadystartedtomakeanimpactonthenumberofstudentsbeingissuedadetentionforaC2whicharedropping,weekbyweek,alongsidereportsfromstudentsandteachersthatclassroombehaviourhasnoticeablyimproved.ThegoverningbodyandIwillcontinuetoensurethatfirmboundariesareinplaceandthattheschoolmeetstheneedsofthemajorityofstudentswhowanttolearnwithoutdisruption.Nexttermtherewillbeadriveonschooluniformcompliance,givingstudentsachanceovertheEasterbreaktoreplaceanymissingordamageditemsofuniform.BuildingUpdatesFollowingthecompletionofournewroofingandexterior,wehaverecentlyreceivednewsthatwehavebeensuccessfulwithourmostrecentschooldevelopmentbids.Inthisyear’sbidswehavebeenawardedfullfundingforabrandnewandmuchneededsportshallfacilityaswellasfundingforthecompletionofthecurtainwallingthatwillcoverthebackoftheMblockandConcourseareas.Thiswillmeandouble-glazingandnewdoors/panellingforthetheoldestschoolbuildingsandanexcitingnewbuildtoextendoursportsprovision.Ilookforwardtoupdatingyouonthisworkasitdevelopsthroughouttheyear.

OfstedParentViewsItislikelythatOfstedwillvisitusthisyearand,althoughweregularlysurveyparentsforyourviews,theywillberequestingthatyourviewsarerecordedontheirofficialpage.Iamalwaysgratefulforparentfeedbackandformallyinviteallparents’usethislinktocompletethe“official”Ofstedparentviewsformthatwillsupportuswithanyforthcomingvisit.https://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/login?destination=give-your-viewsThequestionsmirrorourownsurveyquestionsandwillrequireyoutoundertakeaquickregistrationprocesstologin.Thankyouinadvanceforcompletingthis.MusicShowcase–TimetoChangeOnthe6thofFebruaryYasminHurleyandMeganMaddeninYr12organisedaneveningofmusicperformancestoraiseawarenessofmentalhealth.Thedramaroomwaspackedfullofparents,studentsandvisitorswhoenjoyedtheincrediblyhighstandardofmusicianshipyouwillbefamiliarwithatWrothamSchool.Theeveningwasagreatsuccessandhopefullyspreadtheimportantmessageofraisingawarenessofmentalhealthandwellbeingthroughmusic.ScienceCareersOnthe16thofMarch18ofouryear11and12studentsattendedatalkon'GettingintoMedicine'whichcoveredtheapplicationprocess,personalstatementadvice,UKCATandBMATmedicalschoolentranceexamtips,andMultipleMiniandPanelInterviewadvice(includingpastquestionsandafeedbacksession).Adviceonmedicalworkexperiencewasalsogiven.InMaythesestudentswillbeinvolvedinaSkypeinterviewwithanNHSDoctortofollowupfromthepresentation,wheretheycanaskanyfurtherquestions.Thishasreallyencouragedourstudentstothinkabouttheirnextstepsandwearecurrentlyintheprocessoforganisingsomemedicalrelatedworkexperienceforsomeofthesestudents.Thisispartofourfocusonraisingcareersadviceandguidanceforstudentsattheschoolandispartofawideprogrammeofvisitsandtalks.

MarkingandAssessmentReviewAsyouwillhaveseeninthenationalmedia,theteachingprofessionisstrugglingwithrecruitmentandretentionofqualifiedteachingstaff.ThelargestcontributingfactorthathasbeenidentifiedbyOfstedandtheGovernmentisunsustainableworkloadcausedbyexcessivemarkingandassessment.ThishasnowbeenrecognisedbytheSecretaryofStateasbeingaleadingcontributortoteachersleavingornotjoiningtheprofession.BoththegovernmentandOfstedhaveaskedallschoolstoreviewtheirmarkingandassessmentpolicywiththeaimofsignificantlyreducingworkload.Wewillbeundertakingareviewprocessthroughoutterm5/6andIwouldwelcomeparentviewsandcontributions.IwillbehostingaparentgrouptodiscussthisandIamalsohappytoreceiveparentemailsonthesubjectofmarkingandassessmentandhowwecanbalanceprogressofstudentsandfeedbackwitharealisticworkloadforstaff.Pleaseemailmeyourthoughtsandviewsatthisaddress–mcater@wrotham.kent.sch.ukStaffingUpdateWearepleasedtoannouncethatwehaverecruitednewstaffforSeptemberinBusinessStudies,Geography,PEandEnglish.Aspartoftheschool’snaturalgrowth,thisextendsourstrategyofrecruitinghighquality,fullyqualifiedprofessionalsacrosstheschool.Wecontinuetohaveanincrediblylowstaffturnoverwhencomparedtootherschoolsandareexcitedtowelcomeournewadditionstotheteam.Weremainhighlyover-subscribedforSeptemberaswecontinuetobethefirstchoiceforparentsinthelocalarea.CambridgeUniversity–VisitingSpeakersOn19thMarch,threestudentsfromQueens’CollegeCambridgevisitedtheschool.Theirbriefwastotalktoagroupofyear11and12studentsaboutwhatit’sliketostudyatCambridgeUniversityandhowtogoaboutachievingthatgoal.Theysharedfromtheirpersonalexperience,talkingabouttheirGCSEsandAlevels,aswellastheapplicationandinterviewprocess.Oneofthestudentshadmissedalotofschoolthroughillnessandonlyachieved6GCSEs,butwasstillofferedaplaceatCambridgebecauseofthepotentialhewasabletodemonstrate.Anotherkeymessagewasthatit’snotjustaboutthegradesachievedatGCSE,butalsohowyouperformcomparedtoothersatyourschool.Thestudentswereenthusiasticandhadapassionfortheirsubjects.Theyadvisedourstudentstothinkabouttheirinterestsandrecommendedthatsuper-curricularactivities(onesthatenhancecurrentstudies)aremoreusefulthanextra-curricularactivities.Theseactivitiescanthenbementionedinapersonalstatementorinterviewandprovideevidenceofgenuineinterestinasubject.Attheend,ourstudentshadanopportunitytoaskquestionsaboutapplyingtoCambridge,UCASapplicationsingeneral,anduniversitylife.

Year12and13–CareersandFurtherEducationYear12and13studentshavebeenworkinghardandgettinglotsofguidancefortheirpost-18options.Universityapplicantshavebeenattendinginterviews,goingtoapplicantdaysandreceivingoffersfromuniversitiesaroundthecountryinawiderangeofsubjectsrangingfromPolicing,toOsteopathy,toFineArt,toBiomedicalSciencestoVeterinaryMedicineattheRoyalVeterinaryCollege,wearereallyproudofthesestudentsandwishthemwellintheexaminationsforwhichweknowtheyareworkingincrediblyhard.Forstudentswhoarenotapplyingforuniversity,therehasbeenlotsofhelpandadvicethistermandI’mpleasedtosaythattheyaretakingeveryopportunitytoexploretheiroptions.FromattendingtheNationalApprenticeshipShow,CVandapplicationsessionswithourcareersadvisorMrDoggett,andinterviews,theyhavebeenreallybusy!Degreeandhigherapprenticeshipsarereallyexciting–especiallywithsomanynewapprenticeshipsbeingreleasedfromlawtobusinesstodigitalmarketing.IfanyofourYear13studentsorparentswouldlikeanyadditionalhelpandguidance,pleaseletthesixthformteamknow.

Year12Year12havebeenworkingwithYear7pupilsintheirenrichmentsessionstocreatematerialsthatwillgowithourstudentsontheirvisittoKenyathissummer.Theyhavebeenmakingvideos,scrapbooksandallsortsofinformativeandcreativepiecessothatwecanshowthestudentsinKenyawhatlifeislikeinWrothamSchoolforstudentsoftheirownage.Thisisafantasticopportunityforourstudentstodeveloptheirleadership,organisationalandcommunicationskillsandanevenmoreimportantopportunityforthemtotaketheirplaceasglobalcitizens.Wecan’twaittoseethefinishedpieces.

SixthFormTripstoMaidstoneCrownCourtThisterm,theSocialSciencesDepartmentrantwotripstoMaidstoneCrownCourtwiththeYear13psychologyandsomeoftheYear12criminologystudents.Itwasafantasticopportunityforstudentstostudytheoreticalperspectivesaboutcrimeandtoconsiderwhycrimesarecommitted;thistopicisanimportantpartoftheexaminationsforbothsubjects.StudentsalsostudytheworkingsofthelegalsystemintheUK,sothefactthatstudentshadthechancetospeakwithandinterviewajudgewassuchanamazingexperiencethatwewerereallyluckytohave.Overthecourseofthetwodays,thestudentsalsowatchedrealcourtcasesastheywerehappeningandlastweektheysawtrialsforcasesinvolving:murder,armedrobbery,conspiracytorobberyandassault.Theysawsomeonebeingsentencedandtheyalsosawlotsofcross-examinations.Thiswassuchavaluabletripandthestudentsnowhaveaninsightintoanexaminationtopicthatinfarmoredepththantheyevercouldhaveintheclassroom.AhugethankyouisowedtoMsWilliamsfororganisingthesevisits.EasterRevisionSessionsItisthattimeofyearagain,aswemovetowardsthesummerexams,whenwestartourY11andYear13revisionsessions.ThesekickoffintheEasterbreakandweareprovidingmorningandafternoonsessionsoneveryworkingdayforthefull2weeks,runbyourdedicatedteachingstaff.Thesesessionsarevitaltoexamsuccessandhaveahugeimpactonstudent’sfinalgrades.

Pleaseusethefollowinglinktobookontoeachsession:

https://goo.gl/forms/dl4YvioZj5h7V4Ft1

LGBTQ+SurveyWehaverecentlydeliveredassembliesandprogresstimesessionsaimedatraisingawarenessofourLGBTQ+communityandensuringthatallstudentsareawareofthehighvaluesweexpectwhenensuringthatourschoolhashighexpectationsoftolerance,kindnessandrespectforallofitscommunitymembersregardlessofgenderandsexuality.AsoneofthefirstschoolstoDe-genderitsuniformcodeandtoopenlydiscussLGBTQ+topics,wehaverecentlyachievedcertificationfromStonewallandarefullytrainedtosupportLGBTQ+students.Resourcesforparentsandstudentscanbefoundonourschoolwebsitewell-beingpage.Tofollowthisupweinterviewedourstudentstoseeifthesediscussionshavehadanimpactandwerethrilledwiththesurvey’spositiveoutcomestothefollowingstatements:

• Thisschoolwelcomesallstudents,regardlessofsexualityorgender–100%STRONGLYAGREEDorAGREED

• Iknowthatthisschoolisaninclusiveschool-97%STRONGLYAGREEDorAGREED

Welookforwardtocontinuingthisworkinthefuture.

StepupforSportReliefThePEdepartmentorganisedarangeofsportingactivitiestomarkSportReliefandtoraisemoneyforagoodcause.Eventsincluded,amongstothers,aTugofWarandaStaffVSPro-Soccerfootballmatchthatwasverywellattended.Thankyoutoeveryonewhotookpart,gotinvolvedanddonated.

Science-TassomaiCompetition

LiveBikingThisterm,agroupofourstudentshavebeenworkingwithOllieIrelandofLiveBikingbyextendingtheirPEactivitytoincludeoff-roadbiking.Studentshavebeenlearningabouttrackdesign,bikemaintenanceandsafetyalongsidegettingoutandaboutinthefreshairtotacklechallengingridesinthelocalarea.Tofinishthe6-weeksessionstudentstookpartinavisittotheCyclo-Parktoputtheirskillstothetest.Ifyouhaveachildthatwouldliketoparticipateinfuturesessions,pleaseemailtheschoolofficeformoreinformation.

FrenchEnrichmentInasuccessfulattempttobringtheculinarycultureofFrancetolifeintheclassroom,MrsGannontreatedtwoofherclassestoatastingofstapleFrenchfoodsanddelicacies.Althoughsomestudentswerereluctantatfirst,thecroissants,pains-au-chocolat,brioches,pate,goat’scheese,BrieandRoquefortsoongotpolishedoff!

JekyllandHyde–Theatretrip

EarlierinMarchtheEnglishDepartmenttookover100ofourKeyStage4studentstoseeaproductionofJekyllandHydeattheOrchardTheatreinDartford.Itwasawonderfulopportunityforsomeofourstudentstoaccesslivetheatreforthefirsttime.TheproductionitselfwasaninterestingadaptationofthenovellathatwestudyforGCSEandincludedsomenewcharactersthataren’tintheoriginaltext.Thispromptedlotsofdiscussiononthecoachesonthewayhomeaboutwhyamodernperformancemighthaveadaptedthetexttoincludemorefemalecharactersinwhatwasoriginallyamaledominatednovel.Wealsodiscussedthewaysthatitmightbedifficulttoturnanovellaintoastageperformance,andtheuseofthegothicformtocreateanatmosphereforaliveaudience.Welookforwardtoorganisingmoretheatretripsinthefuturetogiveeveryoneanopportunitytoseethetextswestudyinaction.Years7and8GirlsFootballTeamWearecurrentlycelebratinganamazingseasonfortheyear7/8girls’footballteamwhoremainundefeatedinallgamesthisyear.SpecialthanksisreservedfortheteammanagerStephanieBorg,oneofour6thformstudents,whohasputsignificanttimeandeffortintocoachingtheteamthisyear.

USATripDuringtheFebruaryhalf-termstudentstookpartinoneofourmostambitioustripstodate.Leavingonthelastdayofterm3over30studentsandstafftravelledtotheUSAforanepicroad-tripinthenameofGeography.Stayingnolongerthan1nightperlocation,studentsandstaff‘hotelhopped’theirwaythroughSanFrancisco,Nevada,LasVegasandvisitedtheGrandCanyonamongstothernotableandfamouslandmarks.Asyoucanseeformthephotos,thestudentshadanincredibletimeandanexperiencetheywon’tforget.Thankyoutothestaffteamwhoorganisedandtookpartinthetrip.

RevisionWebsiteForallYear11,12and13studentsourrevisionwebsiteisnowbeingupdatedweekly.Thisisavitalresourceforrevisionmaterials,pastpapersandreportsalongsidehelpfultipsforrevisionstrategyandmanagingexamstress.Ourrevisionsitecanbevisitedviaourschoolwebsiteorbyfollowingthislink:https://wrothamrevision.wordpress.com/GCSEFoodTechnologyAnotheramazingpresentationofculinarytreatsfromourYr11GCSEstudentswhocompletedtheirFoodTechnologypracticalexaminationthisterm.Ithinktheamazingphotosoftheirrestaurantstandardcreationsspeakforthemselves.

RugbyRugbyTraininghasnowstartedandisaspopularasever.Sessionsforyear7and8boysruneveryTuesday3.05-4.15ontheschoolfield.

KenyaFundraising-JumbleSaleAbigthankstoallofthestudentsandparentsinvolvedintheWrothamSchoolJumbleSale.Alotofhardworkwentintothisfundraiserandjustunder£1000wasraisedfortheKenyatrip.OurEasterRaffleisrunningatthemomentandwearesellingraffleticketstobedrawnonThursday29thMarchtocoincidewithourownclothesday-£1toweartheirownclothes.Headteacher’sCommendations:EachTermIliketothankahandfulofstudentswhohavecometomyattentionfortheiroutstandingcontributiontotheschoolcommunity,outstandingacademicprogressandfortheirstrengthofcharacterandachievements.ThistermIamproudtocommend:YasminSaglamforbeingconsistentlythehighestachieveronTassomai,completingthousandsofquestionsperweekandhavingalreadycompletednearly65%ofthecourse.AliceWildinYr13forshowingdeterminationtoachieveexcellentITgradesbyturninguptoeveryinterventionsession,askingforextrainterventionsessionsandrevisingeverydayathome.SheisnowontrackforaDistinction*gradeinIT.OrlaithOatesforherbraveattitudeandresiliencetocontinuetoattendschoolandhaveafantasticattitudetolearning.

DanielGurneyforhisandhisparents’effortsandempathyinsupportingalocalhomelessman.Danhasbeenprovidingeveningmealsandhotwaterbottlesduringtheawfulweatherandwithhisparents,inconjunctionwithPorchlight,hasnoworganisedaflatforthegentlemantostayin.KatieSizmur,DanielGurney,MillieandMollieSelfe,andJackHorleyinyear7forgoingaboveandbeyondtoraisemoneyforKenya.Theyhaveraisednearly£300betweenthem.Thefundraisingincludedperformingmusicinalocalpub,shovellingsnowydriveways,makingandsellingcakes,andasponsoredmartialartsperformance.JackHorleyforsinglehandedlyraising£80forKENYAbyorganisingasponsoredmartialartsevent.ForHistoryYear7;JamesElliottforproducingamazingHistoryhomeworkincludingabrilliantmodelofaconcentriccastle.HistoryYear8;EllisThomasforexcellenteffortinhisHistoryhomeworkthatisalwayswellpresentedandwellresearched.HistoryYear9;LouiseBodyforexcellentassessmentresultsinHistoryandalwaysworkingreallyhard.LouiseisnowachievingherYear10/11targetgradesinYear9.HistoryYear10;KatieLordforworkingreallyhardinHistorylessonsandalwaysproducesexcellentdetailedclassworkwhichisveryneat.HistoryYear12;TeddySuttonforhisverbalcontributioninHistorylessons,formulatinghisideasandevaluating.HistoryYear13;TobyHurleyforasetofexcellentHistoryPPEresultsandperformingwellabovehistargetgrade.Year11–IssabellaDissanayakaandShannonMillsforachievingoutstandingPPEresultsinalloftheirhistoryPPE’s.Year11–YasminLoveandSamanthaHockey–excellentattitudeandeffortandbothachievedtheirtargetgradeorhigherinthePPE’s.Year10–YasminWisemanforcompletingworktoahighstandardconsistentlyandattendingrevisiononFridaysafterschoolwithenthusiasmandforhavingagreatworkethic!Year9–AbiPhilpottforbuildinganincrediblemodelofaNazibookburning(noactualbooksharmed)forherHistoryhomework.Year9–TedRedsullforanincrediblydetailedaccountofthedifferentexamplesofNazicontrolofGermanyinHistory.KindregardsMrM.CaterHeadteacher