Stony Dean Schoolstonydean.bucks.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Bulletin-19.10.… · school....

Stony Dean School Working to Inspire

Orchard End Avenue, Pineapple Road, Amersham, HP7 9JW Tel: 01494 762538 Fax: 01494 765631 www.stonydean.bucks.sch.uk

Dear Parents and Carers, Welcome back to a new school year, the summer holidays are now a distant echo of the past and autumn is upon us. While the pupils and staff have had the opportunity to rest over the summer holidays, the school has undergone maintenance and is looking ready for learning. This half term has gone very quickly and a lot has been achieved. The transition from a long holiday back into school life is a hard one; the anxiety of starting a new school or the anxiety of returning after a restful holiday can be unsettling, but the students and staff have excelled in managing this transition. Students have adapted to new timetables, new classes and teachers well and they should reflect positively on this achievement as half term approaches. The Governors and the Senior Leadership team have been busy reflecting on what the school needs to improve and we have now instigated our priorities for the year; our priorities continue to be the drive towards improving communication and interaction, independence skills and opportunities for independence. These skills are embedded into the curriculum, new opportunities or the way lessons are taught. An example of this is our Internship that we have developed with De Vere Hotel in Latimer. We have developed a strategic partnership with The Adult Learning Team and Buckinghamshire County Council. This partnership is enabling our staff to work side by side with the young adults with the aim of securing full time employment. This is only targeted at 19-25 year old adults, but is yielding great results. These young adults were not in education training or employment and now are. They are achieving, they have a purpose and are giving back to society and it’s great that as a school we are able to create something for young adults once they have left our care. I encourage you to take a look at the school Twitter feed to see the activities that we regularly take as a school. Twitter gives you a taste for the range of activities; sporting fixtures; Bushcraft, our new golf facilities, our new appraisal system and the new European Union Research project. That’s even before we look at our two guest speakers of Ian Rose (Paralympian) and Mike Mullans (X- Champion) who were an inspiration to pupils and staff alike. I would also like to add a big thank you to all of those who were involved in the creation of the schools golf course; it is already in full swing and pupils are enjoying and benefiting from the new resource. These ventures aside it’s the culture of the school that pushes us forward to be successful; the values of the staff and the quality of the pastoral and academic support that the school provides continues to be a real driver. As a school we are engaging with our pupils more about what they want to do. The student council has had many of their ideas implemented already and are striving for changes to their school. This change has come in different ways, e-safety, our use of plastic across the school or option blocks for the Year 11 Learners.

Stony Dean School Bulletin

Autumn 2018

A message from our Head Teacher



As we engage our pupils I also want to engage parents to help us better support you. If you ever have any feedback, good, bad or indifferent then please do contact the school. We are always keen to hear from you and I personally assure you that we will listen to what you have to say. The role you play in helping us to help your child is paramount; this relationship is vital and enables us to build lasting relationships focused on your child. As such it’s really important that we maintain good levels of communication. So please do keep up us to date with your contact details and do keep us informed about your attendance to the vital annual reviews and parents evenings we hold each year. As a school we use Parent Mail to send letters and keep you informed of what is happening in the school; please consider downloading and using the Parent Mail app, it is extremely beneficial for interaction between the school and parents. At the moment 47% of parents use this app; I’m sure many of you have smart phones, if you struggle to download this app please do ask your child! They will relish the opportunity to guide you. Please find the ParentMail link here: https://www.parentmail.co.uk/help/parenthelp/parentmail-app/benefits-of-the-app/ . In addition to ParentMail, please do also follow the school on our Twitter Account (@StonyDean) or our Vimeo Account (https://vimeo.com/stonydeanschool; password: stonydean). Please may I remind you that our minimum target for attendance is 95% for all pupils; high levels of attendance are really important in supporting any young person’s schooling experience. As always, the school seeks to understand why pupils’ attendance can vary. Please do continue to communicate with the school if there are barriers to high levels of attendance, we are always happy to talk and see what can be done to sustain high levels of attendance at school. I would also like to draw your attention to the Parents and Friends Association (PFA) of Stony Dean School. This body of volunteer parents have worked tirelessly over the last few years to bring you the end of term events we have in the school. The PFA always welcome help in anyway shape or form; if you would like to enquire about becoming involved in the PFA please email [email protected]. We will be having a Remembrance Day Service on the 9th November that you are welcome to attend. Additionally, we will be having an end of term Christmas Service at Kings Church on the 19th December at 10:00am which families are welcome to join. The first term is always a hard half term; the change of weather and getting back into school after a holiday isn’t easy, but this term we have focused on our resilience and ability to manage that in our day to day actions. So in homage to Batman, a very resilient Super Hero…

“Our greatest glory is not in ever falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

https://www.parentmail.co.uk/help/parenthelp/parentmail-app/benefits-of-the-app/

https://www.parentmail.co.uk/help/parenthelp/parentmail-app/benefits-of-the-app/



Parent’s Evening

Year 7: 15th November 2018


Year 9: 12th February 2019





Nurture Groups: TBC

Dates for your diary

Term dates 2018/2019



Messages from our staff.

English The English Dept would like to welcome back and congratulate all those students who sat assessments at the end of last year! A big welcome to our new Year 7's who have all settled in really well to English lessons. Staff have been very impressed with show and tell activities as well as the attitude towards trying new things. Please remember to encourage discussion at home about topics and stories. The curriculum map is up on the website for English. As the year progresses there may be some minor changes as teachers adapt to suit their class. We are updating the Dept page on the website all the time so please do pop back. Our latest addition is a collection of high frequency word powerpoints aimed at practising sight words. These are sometimes assigned for additional learning so check your child is familiar with where to go. Here are some of the latest recommended children's books currently available to read together at home: KS3

The Last Chance Hotel by Nicki Thornton

Beetle Boy by M. G. Leonard

The Chocolate Factory Ghost by David O'Connell

The Light Jar by LIsa Thompson KS4

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The 1000 year old boy by Ross Welford



Maths Skill for Life (MSfL)

Year 9 students have been working on Math skills for life. The aim of this lesson is to develop financial knowledge, skills and attitudes in the learners so that when they leave Stony Dean School they have the confidence and ability to manage their own money. Lessons covered these areas:

1. Knowing how to manage money

2. Being an informed consumer

3. Understanding the risks and emotions associated with money

4. Understanding the role money plays in our lives

We had one lesson a week in MSfL and our lessons included:

A practical activity (using plastic coins, dice, balloons)

Work sheets

Number work in place value, addition and multiplication

Four Additional Learning (AL) were given during lessons. The last lesson was “Coffee Shop” in order to have a

practical activity related to the real world.



Mathematics – Vertical Group The students in VH have been practising using money by setting up their own café in the classroom. They have been working out how much they can buy with their coins while the ‘shop keeper’ works out how much change they will get. We have been lucky enough to have Josh from year 11 help with the organisation and hot chocolate making. Next week we will be visiting a real café where the students can put their skills into practise in a real life setting.



The science curriculum has been re-created so that pupils learn

‘science of life’; the science curriculum is no longer based on

examinations at the end of KS4 but incorporates the necessary

theory needed in the world of work and in our everyday lives.

The new curriculum is age appropriate and is delivered in a way

that all pupils can access the information and be able to use it

for everyday decisions as well as developing functional skills and

employability skills.

This term the pupils are learning 'Everyday Chemistry' which

involves, forensics, learning about different materials for

construction, knowing uses of metals and non-metals and also

how fuels are made. Other parts of the topics include; pollution

and recycling, emulsions and bonfire night and fireworks.

The science department are looking for any speakers connected

with the topics that may be able to come in and help link their

jobs or experience to the science topics; helping the pupils to see

the topic in a real life context. Is there any parents/carers that

work at or have a link with construction workers, car sales,

police/detectives, anybody that makes materials? If anyone has

any ideas for speakers or could in for an hour into a lesson

please contact the school office and leave a message for Mrs

Andreou-Dorey, Science curriculum leader. Thank you in

advance.



Message from Head of Year 7

BTEC Retail

As part of the BTEC Retail module Mr Fox's class visited Tesco Amersham. Their learning objective was to identify the layout of a shop. Here they are completing set tasks to fill out their work books. One student said "It's better to visit in person than on the computer. I feel that it helps me to understand it much better!"

I cannot believe how fast this first half term has flown by! Our new year 7 pupils have settled in really well to life as part of the Stony Dean School community. Staff across the school have made a point of stopping me to tell me how pleased they are with the effort and enthusiasm shown by pupils in their lessons. Pupils are taking full advantage of everything on offer here; from enjoying lunchtime clubs and being responsible classroom monitors to already representing the school in sports fixtures. We hosted a fantastic afternoon tea for year 7 and their parents this week and are looking forward to our team-building reward trip to Legoland on Friday. Happy Half Term everyone



Volunteering

Sixth formers are taking

part in a community

project where they help

to maintain the grounds

of a local care home.

Each week they are set a

variety of tasks, from

weeding and sweeping to

helping to set up a fish

tank for the residents to

enjoy. Our pupils have

demonstrated an

admirable attitude to

giving back to the

community and we are

very proud of what they

continue to achieve at

the care home. Well done

year 12!



Art

Graffiti art is writing or drawing illicitly on a wall in a public space. It expressed social or political messages and although still seen as vandalism it is now recognised in the art world. Banksy and Basquiat’s works sell for a fortune. Yr 12 have used messages and images which pay homage to graffiti or street art. Here is a selection of their fantastic work.



Personalised Curriculum

Bouldering We have been going rock climbing and bouldering. It was amazing fun, scary and all. It is very therapeutic and it helps your muscles and it is really fun to learn. I climbed all the way to the top after a few weeks and it was very scary coming back down but I managed to do it and then go up again. By Johnny



Bushcraft We have been going to weekly bushcraft sessions one week at school and one in the woods in Little Chalfont. We have been whittling wood, learning how to start a fire, cooking food over the fire, putting up hammocks, learning how to burn out a spoon. I have been learning some great wood skills as I hope to learn carpentry. I’d also like to help lead bushcraft sessions when I am in the 6th form. Nathan



Health Tec Visit

Students from years 9, 10 and 11 attended a ‘Day in

the Life of a Patient’ workshop provided by Health Tec

in their immersive classroom at Aylesbury College. The

students experienced what it felt like to have the body

of a 70 year old and how difficult it can be to move

around as we get older. They also learnt a variety of

first aid procedures included removing a grape lodged

in the throat! The aim of the day was to experience

the many roles the NHS has to offer and to gain an

insight into medical procedures. They also had a lot of

fun in the process!



Furniture Restoration

Thank you to all the parents and staff who donated furniture for our

furniture restoration project. The students have generated some

fantastic ideas between them and have been using techniques such

as decoupage, mosaic, painting, distressing and varnishing. The

students are hoping to sell the items at the Christmas Fair to make

money for further activities and resources.

We are now looking for tiles and old crockery for our mosaics. Any

donations would be gratefully appreciated.



Activities

BMX Academy

We were lucky enough to have Mike Mullen from BMX Academy join us on Tuesday 2nd October for the day. Mike talked to the whole school in assembly about growth mindset and how we can overcome failure to learn from our mistakes…he even introduced us to his own new word ‘flearn’ meaning to learn from failure! Mike managed to get Mr. Strain out of his comfort zone and into his learning zone to perform a stunt in front of everyone! Mike is previous World and British Champion at half pipe and he related lots of his talk to his career in BMXing. He did an amazing trick show for us on the playground and even jumped over 8 brave members of staff! Mike spent the rest of the day running workshops for the pupils; using the BMX bikes as a way of encouraging them to try new things and not be afraid of failing. Some pupils managed some fab tricks & jumps, others who couldn’t ride a bike at the start managed to get pedalling by the end of the session. Everyone enjoyed Mike’s time with us and we are looking forward to welcoming him back soon…..Watch this space



Macmillian Coffee and Cake Sale

On Friday 5th October some 6th Form pupils arranged a Macmillan Coffee and Cake Sale’ morning,

this is part of their Princes Trust course on Enterprise. They arranged small games and made cakes to

be sold, helped set up and run the day. It was a lovely morning, ran very well and raised over £200.

Here are some of the games that the pupils came up with for the day.

Guess where the treasure is – the winner won the contents of

the chest!

Guess the length of the sausage roll – the winner won a £10

GAME voucher!

Pin the Cherry on the Gateau – the winner won a Dominos

pizza for two at lunch!



Don’t post any personal information online – like your address, email address or mobile number.

Think carefully before posting pictures or videos of yourself. Once you’ve put a picture of

yourself online most people can see it and may be able to download it, it’s not just yours

anymore.

Keep your privacy settings as high as possible.

Never give out your passwords.

Don’t befriend people you don’t know.

Don’t meet up with people you’ve met online. Speak to your parent or carer about people

suggesting you do.

Remember that not everyone online is who they say they are.

Think carefully about what you say before you post something online.

Respect other people’s views, even if you don’t agree with someone else’s views doesn’t

mean you need to be rude.

If you see something online that makes you feel uncomfortable, unsafe or worried: leave the

website, turn off your computer if you want to and tell a trusted adult immediately.

General Information

Children are embracing more

technology and keeping them safe

can sometimes be a challenge.

Here are some top internet safety

tips to keep your child safe online.

Children are embracing more

technology and keeping them safe

can sometimes be a challenge.

Here are some top internet safety

tips to keep your child safe online.



We’re on Twitter! Make sure you are following us (@StonyDean) for up-to-date school news and e-safety advice/tips and tricks.

Stony Dean School has a Vimeo account! You can download Vimeo on Google Play and iTunes. It can also be accessed via the internet; www.vimeo.com. The Stony Dean School channel is https://vimeo.com/stonydeanschool; password: stonydean

Follow our school news

Park Ranger - Little Chalfont Nature Park

Are you interested in the natural world? Do you like working with children? Do you want an opportunity to bring them together in an enjoyable and rewarding part-time role that benefits your local community? Little Chalfont Nature Park was created by the community for the community. Located in the heart of our village, a Park Ranger role has been created to build closer links with children and schools using the Park’s many natural features and facilities including information boards, storytelling area, picnic tables and play facilities such as the Wildwood Den. The Park Ranger will help deliver educational visits to the Park and visit local schools to help teachers with learning about nature linked to the national curriculum. This role would suit someone with teaching experience or parent with an interest in teaching and learning. A DBS check will be required. The role is voluntary, but a charitable donation means there is a budget for learning materials and expenses when working in schools or the Park. Interested? Please contact Dr Mark Pegg for an initial conversation at [email protected] 01494 766520 or 07734 997298

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwie07qpp7rRAhXBWxoKHQcOAewQjRwIBw&url=https://geekemporium.spreadshirt.com/owl-cartoon-tweet-to-woo-A10637792&psig=AFQjCNGucnfr2dgr3tTNttJloB_L4_rb9w&ust=1484231485529534

http://www.vimeo.com/

https://vimeo.com/stonydeanschool

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