EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – DECEMBER 2016 PAGE 1

CONTENTS

Page No.

Headteacher’s Message 1

Primary 2

Secondary 4

Health Centre 9

Whole School 9

Mobility 10

Page No.

Lunchtime and After School Clubs 11

AFEGS 12

Term Dates 16-17 12

Xmas Card Entries 13

P.E. Newsletter 14

HEADTEACHER’S MESSAGE

Dear Parents,

We are all looking forward to a restful festive break after a long half term which has been packed full of events. I hope that you are able to read about some of them in this newsletter.

Our pupils have just tucked into their Christmas lunch and were waited on by staff – the full works. You will never guess who was serving the vegetables ……

I am pleased to let you know that our annual band concert held on the 5th December and organised by AFEGS, raised over £500. It was a wonderful evening with some excellent performances by pupils and staff. If you missed out this year – please do consider coming next year.

We are holding a whole school celebration assembly tomorrow to mark the efforts and achievements of all our pupils. I do hope that you will be told all about it when the pupils return home.

I am delighted to inform you that Mrs Helen Hughes will be joining the school after Christmas, as Assistant Head with responsibility for the primary department. Some of you have already met Mrs Hughes, if you were able to attend the wonderful Primary Christmas concert. We look forward to welcoming Mrs Hughes to our school.

May I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and we look forward to welcoming all of our pupils back on Wednesday 4th January 2017!

Chris Marshall Headteacher

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PRIMARY

Reception

Three of our reception children joined Ms Natha and Mrs Kerr in food technology to decorate some lovely Christmas cookies. A great time was had by all !

Mrs Franklyn

Red Class

Our work this half term has centred around nursery rhymes. The children have been trying to learn the words and actions for some of the classics. It’s a fabulous way to teach language skills and train memories. The children particularly enjoyed breaking eggs at Humpty Dumpty's café and

watching their eggs cook - boiled scrambled and fried, all on toast.

Our trip to the pantomime to see Cinderella at Bedworth Civic Hall was just wonderful. I was lucky enough to be able to watch the children's faces as they became caught up in the story and joined in with all the typical pantomime lines.

There has been a lot of excitement as we learned our song and dance for the Snowman at Sunset Christmas Show and had fittings for our snowmen costumes. It was fabulous to see just how much the children enjoyed performing and with such confidence.

Miss Jordan

Yellow Class

We have had a lovely and very busy first term back at school. The children have enjoyed learning about cities and ww2 in our topic lessons. Yellow Class have learnt all about animals, including humans in science and got to visit Brandon Marsh to support our learning.

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The highlight of the term was definitely having Zoo Labs visiting us in school, in which we met a range of different animals from around the world. The animals included; Rio the rat, Charlie the cockroach, an Indian stick insect, Fanta the corn snake, Rose the tarantula and the two giant African lands nails called Turbo and George. We are looking forward to our Christingle service at St. Giles church, sports festival with the Sixth Form sport leaders and Christmas party in our final week of term.

Next half term we will be learning all about mountains, coasts and rivers.

Merry Christmas!

Miss Bridges

Blue Class

We have had a really lovely Autumn Term. The children have all worked hard and enjoyed our topic - Earth Matters. We have also been to Brandon Marsh for the day with Yellow Class and we really did have an absolutely fantastic day. We learnt a lot about habitats and food chains and also learnt the names of some common wild plants and herbs. We indulged our senses making smelly potions and made mud hedgehogs and homes for hibernating hedgehogs. It was a lovely day.

We continued the biology theme with a visit from Zoolab and so enjoyed meeting the animals and learning about them. My favourite I think was the corn snake but I think the children preferred the very friendly rat. One or two, but not many liked the tarantula but most, understandably, were a little wary of the tarantula.

We have also been on a trip to the cinema to see Finding Nemo. I had a hard time stopping the children telling me what happened next! I loved it and I know the children did too. We also did some linked in PHSE work on celebrating difference and not tolerating bullying with a Nemo theme. The class tell me there is a sequel called finding Dory - I am going to investigate over Christmas.

To continue our performing arts mini theme, we are off to see Dick Whittington tomorrow at the Standard Triumph Club - I think I am looking forward to it! Just need to borrow some ear defenders I think!

Our last trip out of 2016 will be to the Christingle service at St Giles' church and that I am definitely looking forward to that. We all enjoy making the Christingles with parents/guardians and whilst transporting the whole of Primary is a challenge, it is very

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rewarding to see everyone in church with their candles lit enjoying the service.

Our main topic for the Spring Term is the Ancient Greeks. We will also being doing some science work with electricity and circuits as well as growing things.

Thank you to Mollies mum for the wonderful Christmas French foods she and Mollie shared with us. We definitely learnt a little French as well! I so hope the lovely French people have special Easter celebrations too!

It just remains for me to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !

Mrs Bridges

Christingle Service at St. Giles's Church - 12th December 2016

A big thank you to all the family members that attended our Christingle assembly and making session with the children. It was lovely to see everyone working nicely together.

All of the Primary Department, from Reception to Year 6, visited St Giles's Church today. We had a magical time; the children sang beautifully and listened intently to the wise words of the Reverend Gandon.

It was wonderful to see all children with their Christingles lit and singing the Christingle song. A very special moment.

Miss Bridges, Mrs Bridges, Mrs Sharma, Miss Jordan and Mrs Franklin

SECONDARY

Year 8 Trip to Cadbury World

On 24th November 2016, year 8 took a trip to Cadbury World in Birmingham to link in with their current topics on Tudor exploration and rain forests. The journey there was better than expected and the students behaved beautifully (possibly because there was the promise of chocolate at the end of the journey).

Upon arrival we trekked through the Amazon rainforest (well, a replica of one), witnessed the birth of chocolate houses in Britain and learned all about Bournville and the history of Cadbury’s.

Then – which everyone had been waiting for – the students got to taste molten chocolate as well as seeing how chocolates used to be made by hand and witnessing the modern conveyor belt systems.

After a trip on the car ride and lunch, students were able to visit the 4D Experience

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before being let loose in the shop where most of them bought even more chocolate.

The journey back was also good with tired but happy students who then (so they say) all went home and ate vast quantities of chocolate!

Amazingly, no one was sick!

Well done Year 8 – you were a credit to yourselves and to school !

Mrs Melville

Science Department

This half term in Science, Key Stage 3 pupils have been focusing on developing their practical skills, in particular being able to follow a method for an experiment and record results accurately. Key Stage 4 pupils have been carrying out their Chemistry controlled assessment as well as mock exams. Post-16 pupils have been studying forensic science, including analysing their own fingerprints and hair fibres, and looking at the Science of cosmetics such as shampoo and soap. We wish everyone a happy Christmas from the Science department.

Mrs Newman, Mrs Gregory, Mr Allsopp and Mrs Bennett

Linguists of the month!

octobre novembre Jon Bradley Charlotte Webb

Ben Morris Tyrese Siziba

Kayleigh Halliwell-McEwan Tommy Harris

Lucy Deeming Yasemin Mavish

John Moseley Emily Whittaker

Olivia Cockayne Lewis Barnwell

Tia Porter Jamie Langston

Ellie Rowe Lauren Hughes

Rayn Tabbassum

décembre Charlotte Purslow

Jake Malin

Charlie Cooke

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Paul Williams

Oliver Ingram

Levi Craig

Chloe Lee

Albert Twomey

Michael Harrison

Joe Rice

For outstanding effort and progress in language lessons.

Madame Samra et Madame Cantrill

News From the English Department

In the second half of this term Year 9 studied poetry relating to Childhood Memories and Experiences. They analysed poetic techniques and wrote at length about their interpretation of the language in the poems and how poetic techniques convey meaning to the reader. Jack Owens, Nathan Faulkner, Lucy Deeming and Charlie Cooke enjoyed performing a dramatic reading of Carol-Ann Duffy’s Poem “Stealing” which led to some thought provoking discussions and monologue writing.

Year 10 Year 10 have shown real focus and determination this term in tackling the new specification AQA English Language and Literature GCSE and are to be congratulated for their hard work. Year 10 Literature students have been transported to Edwardian England in their set play text “An Inspector Calls”. They have analysed the deeper meanings of the play and have considered what JB Priestly’s hopes for a better Britain were after the second World War. English Language students have studied a variety of Post and Pre 1914 extracts. They have also debated, through discursive writing, the rights and wrongs of contentious topics such as homework, over-protective parents and whether young people today lack motivation.

Year 11 Year 11 are to be congratulated on their maturity and conscientiousness in both preparing for and completing the GCSE English mock examinations. We are very proud of the pupils’ performance in the GCSE English mock examinations and will be working hard with the pupils to address their areas of development in the examination paper ready for the examinations in the Summer.

Congratulations to Jamie Langston, Becky Trickett, Lochlann Hannon and Jacob Randell for excellent GCSE English Language mock results.

Mrs Stephens

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Over the last 6 weeks community staff from the Wasps Rugby Club have been coming into school to coach rugby skills to our year 10 pupils. Jordan, the Wasps coach has been excellent, providing new challenges every week. All our pupils really enjoyed the coaching and have benefited enormously from the experience.

We look forward to renewing our Wasp connections in the New Year.

Mr Brookes

Year 12 – Enrichment Programme

The ‘Secret Garden’ is situated in rural Warwickshire, a small part of a larger working farm, where students can immerse themselves in nature, in a safe environment. Very much ‘hands on’ the students are expected to feed, pet and clean out the animals from rabbits to gerbils and hamsters, as well as learning about their welfare and gaining valuable life skills under supervision. Students will also bottle feed the new born lambs, attend to the donkeys and groom the three gorgeous ponies (Angel, Isla and Hope). Each season brings new experiences from planning vegetables in the Spring to harvesting them in the Autumn.

This outdoor, fresh-air environment is enjoyed by all the students, a highlight of their week.

… oops ! I nearly forgot to tell you about the tropical fish and the birds of prey !

Mrs Ross

Who has ‘blown our socks off’ this term ?

EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – DECEMBER 2016 PAGE 8

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EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL – DECEMBER 2016 PAGE 9

HEALTH CENTRE

IMPORTANT

If your child is away from school due to a long term illness/hospital stay, could you please ring Laura Bennett on 024 7636 9866 or 07748 393932 to arrange a return to school visit.

This is so that we can make the necessary arrangements for any change in circumstances i.e. handling plans, personal care needs etc. and have the correct procedures in place for health and safety reasons.

Miss Bennett Learning Support Manager

This half term, we have seen our Year 1, 2 and 3 children receive the flu immunisation here in school. It was given by a nasal spray and not an injection! Please don’t hesitate to contact your GP if you would like your child to receive the immunisation if they have longstanding health problems.

Please can I also encourage you to buy your child a water bottle/sports bottle for Christmas, because, whatever the weather, drinking throughout the day will help your child to keep hydrated and able to concentrate better?

At this time of year cases of Noro Virus (Gastro Enteritis) are on the increase. Please can you remind your children to wash their hands before meals and after using the toilet? If your child does have symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting, they need to stay off school for 48 hours after the last episode.

We have also welcomed Jo to our School Nursing team, a very welcome addition!

Wishing you a healthy happy Christmas and New Year

Janet Christopher/Jo Meaton School Nursing Team

WHOLE SCHOOL

Lost Property Once again, we have accumulated a large number of items that are not labelled. Please ensure that ALL of your child’s belongings are CLEARLY labelled. Any items of property handed in to the school office are checked for names and, where they can be identified, they are returned to their rightful owners. School Office

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Used Tassimo Coffee Pods

If you have a Tassimo coffee machine at home don't throw your coffee pods away. Please could you send them in to school in a plastic bag c/o Mr Horspool.

The pods will be recycled and will raise money for a local church. Thank you.

Miss Bridges

MOBILITY DEPARTMENT

Well it’s that time of year and I hope everybody is being safe when walking out and about on the cold and dark evenings by wearing or carrying something brightly coloured or reflective. Remember, “Be Safe and Be Seen” is the phrase.

I mentioned in the last newsletter about the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme walk and me going around with team of our candidates. Well they did extremely well as it was a cold day across muddy tracks. I think their only problem was having to drag me along and keep me away from the map – I'm too old for this!

A group of our students and their parents had a fantastic time at the Guide Dogs for the Blind Centre Christmas party and meeting Father Christmas, who gave out presents to all those who had been good. Hmm … I wondered why Mr Muldoon complained that he did not receive a present because Mrs Mee got one !!

Our "VI Plus Club" came up with a lovely idea for this Christmas, collecting food items to give to Coventry City Missions food bank. So far, there is quite a haul of essential goodies filling decorated boxes, all ready to go for a great cause.

A few weeks ago, we went with a group of our VI students for an environmental visit to Birmingham's newly refurbished New Street Station. What a huge place it is, which can make travel complicated. I think well worth the visit to prepare our students for when they might pass through the Stations as independent travellers.

I was asked the other day where do we get the Long Canes that some of our VI students use. Well the answer is that we order them from a place called Bayswater, Victoria in Australia.

Those really nice people from GDBA volunteers in Bedworth have donated a number of tickets to the Mobility Department for this years Pantomime production at Bedworth Civic Hall. These have now been passed out to students and their families for a traditional evening of meeting the cast then sitting back to enjoy "Cinderella". I will try to find out how they all got on and let you know in the next newsletter.

The Mobility Team would like to wish everybody a very merry Christmas. See you all in new year !

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LUNCHTIME AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

Gardening Club

Even though the after school Tuesday gardening club has stopped for a while the lunch time gardeners have been giving it their all. It has been lovely to have some help from the older students, Jake, Simon and Blake - thank you. We have planted spring bulbs in the planters around the Primary playground and are in the process of planting saplings in the Outdoor Area which were donated to us by the Woodland Trust. Thank you to, to Mrs Steele who procured the bulbs and compost for us.

Thankyou to John Mosleys Gran for the kind donation of a mesh cloche for the raised beds. This should deter those pesky pigeon, rabbits, squirrels and birds!

Mrs Bridges

Birdwatching Club

We have had an interesting half term especially with the weather. The first week back after half term we were picnicking and sunbathing at the wildlife area at Pro Logis and then the next week it was so cold, wet and miserable we could not venture outside! Instead we made edible pictures with lard and seeds for the birds. I suspected the squirrels were eating our edible pictures but I was wrong - it was amongst others, the magpies! I witnessed them having breakfast one morning on my way into school. We have also decorated one of the wooden trees on the Outdoor Area fence with some pretend birds and branches - all good stuff. Mr Muldoon has a cunning plan for after Christmas for days we cannot venture outside for - I shall look forward to telling you more in the next newsletter.

Wii Club and Construction Club

This continues to be a very well supported club. I have noticed that we have some really cool movers dancing to the Wii Cheerleading game! I wish I could move like that! We also have some great construction experts with the Lego. Callum's model, in the photograph below looks very striking and is standing the test of time despite some vigorous handling by one or two others.

Mrs Bridges

KS3 Gymnastics

This half term we have been learning to vault! All pupils have developed their squat on technique. A few pupils have also worked really hard on developing their squat through and straddles over. A big thank you to all of the pupils who attended. Please remember that after the holidays it will be Primary Gymnastics.

Miss Bridges

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AFEGS

Christmas Carol Concert

On the 5th December our annual Carol Concert took place.

Once again this event was well attended by pupils, parents, staff and the local community. Our sincere thanks go to The Band of the Regiment of Royal Fusiliers Warwickshire and St Giles Choir for once again giving up their time and effort to support this annual event. In addition to the Band, we had singing and dancing performances from a number of our students, Mrs Melville (Teacher) and readings by Mrs Marshall and Matthew Horspool.

The evening raised a grand total of £ 584.47 that the Committee will look to put to good use on future projects. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

AFEGS Committee

IMPORTANT TERM DATES : 2016 – 2017

Friday 16th December 2016 Autumn Term Ends

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY 2017 Monday 2nd January 2017 BANK HOLDAY – School Closed Tuesday 3rd January 2017 Teacher Training Day Wednesday 4th January 2017 Spring Term Begins Friday 17th February 2017 School Ends

SPRING HALF TERM HOLIDAY Monday 27th February 2017 School Returns Friday 7th April 2017 Teacher Training Day/Spring Term Ends

EASTER HOLIDAY

Monday 24th April 2017 Summer Term Begins Monday 1st May 2017 MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY – School Closed 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

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Christmas Card Designs Received

Cameron Cave – Year 8 Josiah Patterson – Year 3 Jamie-Leigh Sipson – Year 2

Ben Morris – Year 8 Sam Mannion – Year 8 Fabio Gomes – Year 8

Ashton Blackwell – Year 2 Nathan Den Haan – Year 4 Lainey Milligan – Year 4

James White – Year 8 Lenny Payne – Year 3 Anthony Fallan – Year 4

Levi Wilson – Year 4

Eyden Grainger-Dhami – Year 8 Callum Turley – Year 10

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A group of Secondary pupils have been to 2 football festivals hosted by the Sky Blues in the

Community. The team played extremely well and finished 2nd in the last tournament. The

coaches commented on the fantastic skills, but also sportsmanship of every pupil that attended.

Congratulations to the following students; Liam Wright, Oliver Sherratt, Tom Painter, Roman

Sallis, Ryan Tweed, Tommy Harris, Pacey Robinson and Jake Malin. Thank you to Mr Briers

for his outstanding coaching from the bench.

The Dance Squad attended a festival hosted by the SEND Active Team. The students learnt new

moves and built up a routine. Well done to the following students that attended; Sophie Arthur,

Charlotte Webb, Chloe Lee, James Robinson, Kayleigh Halliwell-McEwan, Casey Acton,

Shyam Somaiya and Simon Dodd. Thank you to Miss Haines and Mrs Coupe for preparing the

squad with the lunchtime practices. The Nuneaton and Bedworth Leisure Trust and coaches from SSCU have been delivering

fantastic games sessions for Secondary pupils afterschool on a Thursday night. After the half-

term holidays they will be back to lead more enjoyable sessions. The Primary pupils have also

taking part in fun swimming activities. A big thankyou to Mrs Holland, Mr Brookes, Mrs Tull,

Mrs Smith and Miss Bridges for supporting the clubs and allowing so many pupils to participate.

The Christmas Sport and Social night was a great success, with 30 children attending the event.

The Secondary Pupils played some fun Christmas themed games in the hall whilst the Primary

students were in the pool Christmas themed activities. They joined up afterwards to watch the

film ‘Nativity 3’ and have some light refreshments. Thanks to all staff that helped out. The after-

school clubs recommence the 2nd week back with Secondary students in the pool & Primary

students in the hall doing games.

Duke of Edinburgh

Thirteen Post 16 students have been on more day walks in preparation of their Bronze Duke of

Edinburgh (DofE) Award. They have all lead part of a route and navigated successfully.

Fantastic effort by all students. Thank you to Mrs Holland, Mr Holland, Mrs Underwood, Mr

Norman, Mrs Stephens and Miss Marshall.

The Year 11 Leisure Class has been learning about accessing leisure services. They been

learning about gyms and the safe use of fitness equipment. Individually they have set targets and

prepared a training programme which they are completing at the Xcel Leisure Centre on a Friday

afternoon. These students have been a credit to the school. Well done!

Events to follow:

Year 9 Calvert Trust Trip- 13th-17th February

Whole School Dance Display: 8th February

Secondary Swimming Gala- 6th April

Camping Event- 28th April-29th April

Fishing Trip- 11th June

Secondary Sports Day- 12th July

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WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND A

HAPPY NEW YEAR

From the Governors, Staff and Students

EXHALL GRANGE SPECIALIST SCHOOL