KINGS NORTON

HIGH TIMES

June 2008

Ofsted: Your children have

done it again!!

As you know, we had a full inspec-

tion last Wednesday and Thursday.

Until the official report comes

out we are not allowed to say too

much but we can say …:

‘It went well …’

• teaching was judged to be

much improved

• behaviour – as last time,

judged to be good

• three big student groups were

seen and they really did them-

selves and the school proud

• parent questionnaire re-

sponses were overwhelm-

ingly supportive – so

thank you!

In celebration, it was doughnuts

all round at break!

The full report should be out in the

next few weeks so we will send it

out with our end-of-year news-

letter.

PART OF OUR ‘BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE’

PROGRAMME

After a visit to Kings Norton High from a representative of the Birming-

ham e-learning Foundation, we have been awarded a sum of money which is specifically

for ICT access for school and home! The money is meant to provide as many learners as possi-

ble with a state-of-the-art mini laptop – if possible, every student in years 7, 8 and 9 from Sep-

tember 2008. Not only will learners have the use of this laptop during their school day, but if

they do not have internet connectivity at home, they will have a wireless or hardwire connection

fitted as part of their laptop package which means that any other members of the family who want

to have an internet connection will also be able to make use of this family resource.

HOW WILL THE SCHEME WORK?

The pot of money helps to subsidise the cost of purchasing a number of laptops. These laptops

will be small, light and very portable and will eventually take the place of homework planners,

reports, even pens and paper in many cases. In other words, the laptop will be a child’s main

piece of school equipment. Parents will be invited to make a ‘voluntary contribution’ of

about £6.50 per month (21p per day!) over a period of three years, after which the laptop would

no longer belong to the school but to the student. In all of that time, the student would be able to

carry it to school or home every day.

Any family who could not afford even this small contribution would not be disadvantaged.

They would still receive the laptop and internet connection, but the laptop would belong to the

school.

If a large number of parents cannot afford the contribution, then only a certain number of learners

will be able to have laptops because the pot of money will soon be used up. But if a large number

of parents can manage that small sum, then a larger group of children will be able to have one –

hopefully every child in Key Stage Three.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT? WANT TO HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED AT SCHOOL

WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY A FORTUNE FOR THAT CHRISTMAS COMPUTER?

Your children will have heard something about this already in assembly but there will also be a

meeting for parents and their children on Tuesday 24th June at 6.00 pm in the school hall. Ian

McCall from the Birmingham e-foundation will be there to tell you about the scheme and to an-

swer all your questions.

LAPTOP FOR ALL STUDENTS IN

KEY STAGE THREE? STOP PRESS:

OFSTED

VISIT KINGS

NORTON

HIGH

SCHOOL

Behaviour and attendance during SATs exami-

nations was excellent. Overall attendance for

the week was ….

We need that commitment every week!

IN THIS ISSUE

Booked up!

Here at Kings Norton High, we instil the value of

education in all our learners. To spread the word and

help others achieve their goals, we have donated all

of our old textbooks to schools in Malawi.

We hope to

expand our

links with

these schools

and that some

of our learners will become pen pals with students

in Malawi.

BOOKS FOR MALAWI!

WELL DONE YEAR 9 ...

�

� Congratulations goes

to ...

Check out the school’s newly

launched website

web.kingsnortonhigh.bham.sch.uk

A selection of boys from year 7 and boys and

girls from year 8 took part in the ‘Secondary

Slams Tennis Festival’ at Kings Norton Ten-

nis Club on Thursday 6th June.

Standards were very high and dis-

appointingly we did not win either the boys’

or girls’ competitions. However, the day was

enjoyed by all and our students are to be

congratulated on their behaviour.

Slams Tennis Festival

97%

Has the Bard been

found?

Saturday jobs!

achieved 100% in their module 3 GCSE exam

Dominic Mathuse

achieved grade ’A*’ in their module 3 GCSE exam

Deng Haoliang

Stephanie Goulei

achieved grade ’A’ in their module 3 GCSE exam

Farhiya Ali

Jessica Beard

Stephanie Cheung

Aaron Ketley

Jack Savage

CONGRATULATIONS TO

YEAR 10 LEARNERS WHO ...

Year 7 visit Bridgnorth

On Thursday 5th June, a group of Year 7 students

went to Bridgnorth, Shropshire to undertake some

fieldwork with Birmingham University PGCE students.

Students completed land use surveys and an en-

quiry into the suitability of the area for a new super-

market. A trip up and down the cliff railway also

meant some great views of the area and saved some

very tired legs. A great time was had by all and the

quality of the students’ work was excellent. The

University students, who work with a number of

schools from all over Birmingham and Sandwell

commented that our group was the most enthusiastic

and well behaved group they had ever seen. Well done

to all of the students for representing our school so

well!

Mr Moore, teacher i/c geography, head of year 10

Well done to

Kayley Turner

who came 2nd in the

discus in the South Bir-

mingham West Mid-

lands’ County Schools

Athletic Champi-

onship on 14th June.

She will now represent

the West Midlands in

the Mason Trophy

shortly.

�

On Wednesday 11th June a group of students went to Symphony Hall to see the farewell concert of CBSO’s mu-

sical director, Sakari Oramo. The programme included Janacek’s Sinfonietta and

Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. The students were great ambassadors for the school

and they now know a lot more about the symphony orchestra than they did before. Mr Lovgren, Head of Music

We went to the Symphony Hall to listen to a concert given

by the CBSO. They played really well and it was quite ex-

citing listening to it. I really enjoyed the trip and would like

to do more of them. I liked the first part which included

brass and Timpani. I also liked the singing in the second

part which was Beethoven’s 9th symphony, a quite

popular piece of music. Dominic Mathusen

At the orchestra we saw a variety of different

instruments. My favourites were the violas

and the violins. It was quite good. Some of the

choir was good but I thought they repeated the

music and songs over again.

Lauren Frost

I liked the first piece of music with the instruments

but I didn’t really like the choir.

Some of it was a bit long but most was really good

Norma Andrews

CBSO farewell concert

On Friday 6th June a group of year 10 humanities students visited

Ironbridge to work with Birmingham University PGCE students.

The focus of the trip was to understand how tourism had affected the

area and also flooding protection schemes that had been put into

place. Without exception our students worked hard and behaved im-

peccably. It is hoped that collaborations between the university

and the humanities faculty will continue to flourish in the future and

more of our students will be able to enjoy these experiences.

Mr Moore, teacher i/c geography, head of year 10

Year 10 Trip to Ironbridge

A successful revision weekend took place at

Stansfeld in Oxfordshire assisting 25 year 9 stu-

dent to prepare for their SATs examinations

in mathematics and science.

The students were committed to their

work and achieved 16 hours of study

time across the two subjects over the

two days. There was, of course, the

opportunity for some leisure activities

planned by the centre staff!

Apart from the benefits of the revision,

the strengthened relationships be-

tween the students and the six staff

who accompanied them

should be beneficial to all as the

students enter key stage 4 in

September 2008.

WEEKEND

WORKING

Thank you to the warden, Patricia, and the knit-

ting ladies from Melrose Place who have started

knitting blankets again for the homeless. They

have also started to knit hats, scarves, gloves and

small jumpers for the Christmas shoe boxes,

which our learners will start to put together in

September.

On Tuesday 29th April, year 8 went to Stratford-

Upon-Avon as part of their English curriculum.

Students had a map and list of questions to search

Stratford for landmarks and locations relating to

William Shakespeare. During English lessons,

year 8’s had been learning about Shakespeare’s life

and times. The aim of the trip was to bring this

knowledge to life.

Overall the day was a huge success with all of the

children behaving exceptionally well. Teaching as-

sistant, Rachel Hulme, reported that ‘the children

were fantastically behaved and we all had a great

day’.

The group even managed to visit ‘The Falstaff

Experience’, a reputedly haunted museum, which

they were able to explore at leisure with guides on

hand to explain exhibits.

Abdale Ibrahim

thought that ‘the

haunted house was

great’.

Lovinia Gorden said ‘It

was great. I loved it’.

Rabi Kasinga said that the

day was ‘fantastic’.

Year 8 -’SEARCHING FOR

SHAKESPEARE’