February Newsletter
SCHOOL NEWS / UPDATES
It seems like no time at all since we were celebrating Christmas and the New Year, but with the end of the half term upon us it is apparent that it has been a hugely productive one.
We are delighted to be able to report that at the half way point of the academic year, our students have broken the six figure barrier in terms of praise points received, gaining a collective total of over 101,000 (with an average of 57 per person). That is an increase of over 25,000 at the same time last year!
The hard work of our students continues to be rewarded in a wide variety of ways and we look forward to continuing to celebrate their successes with them. With 85% of all events logged on Go4Schools being of a positive nature, it is very apparent that our students, in the main are demonstrating a fantastic attitude towards their learning.
It is important that we, as a school, ensure that we support those students who are consistently demonstrating these qualities. Therefore, after half term, we have taken the decision that any Year 7-11 student receiving multiple detentions in a single day will not only serve a detention that night, but will also be issued with a Phase 4 sanction. We hope that this will act as a deterrent to those who may have fallen below our expectations in the past to work hard to improve their behaviour.
Further to this, if a Sixth Form student fails to attend a detention, they will be expected to sit a 60 minute detention on a Friday afternoon in the Sixth Form Centre. Notification of this will be provided to the parents in a text message on a Thursday evening and the tutor will also inform the student during tutor time on Friday Morning. Please remind your child, that with the exception of the 60 min Friday detention, if they do receive a detention, they must report to the main hall so that they are marked as present.
As always, we are eternally grateful for the fantastic support we receive from parents and carers as we look forward to the new half term.
Safeguarding
Please find below our third Safeguarding Newsletter of this academic year. We hope you find the information useful and that it supports you further in keeping your child safe and happy.
Please CLICK HERE to view.
Contacting School
Please can we ask that if you require an appointment with a member of teaching staff that you either email the ‘enquiry@’ email address or phone in and speak to reception who will email the teacher directly for you. Our teachers often teach five periods a day and when not teaching, are involved in meetings and pre-booked parental meetings and therefore may not be available to take call or meet with you on the same day.
Alternatively, please email the email boxes listed below which are manned throughout the working day by admin staff, all messages received will be passed on to the relevant staff.
Please see below the options available when you call Arthur Terry School (0121 323 2221).
1 – Attendance / Absences
2 – Admissions (direct line 0121 323 1150)
3 – Sixth form
4 – Finance
0 – Reception
For pastoral related enquires, you will need use one of the following email accounts:
Once your email has been received, an automated response is generated as an acknowledgment of your enquiry. Your email will then be sent to the most appropriate person who is able to deal with your enquiry and therefore they are able to respond accordingly. We expect that all enquiries are replied to within two full school working days (if received on a Friday, please expect a response by end of school on Monday).
For all general enquiries, that are not pastoral related, then please continue to use the ‘enquiry@arthurterry.bham.sch.uk’ address where this will be forwarded to the most appropriate person. Again, please allow two full school working days for a response.
Parental Conduct: – Unfortunately, we have experienced, from a minority of parents contacting The Arthur Terry School, rudeness and aggression towards staff. Please be reminded that Arthur Terry employees have a right to be spoken to with courtesy and respect. Repeated aggressive behaviour may result in action being taken by The Arthur Terry School.
PE Kits / Items to Reception: – We have recently seen an increase in the amount of PE kits and other items being brought into school throughout the school day. Please can we remind parents that we are not able to deliver items to students during the school day due to the considerable disruption this causes to lessons.
Unfortunately, we will have to turn parents/carers away if they do bring in any items throughout the day in the future.
Thank you in anticipation of your support with this.
Year 8 Options Update
If you are a parent of a Year 8 student, this half term is an important one with regards to making decisions as to what Option subjects your child will be studying at GCSE. There have been a few date changes from what was originally published in the calendar. Please see below.
Thursday 28th February – Options Workshop Evening (this has been moved from the original date of Thursday 14th February)
Friday 1st March – Deadline date for Options to be handed in at reception (this has been moved from the original date of Monday 25th February)
We look forward to seeing you all there!
Heads of School
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
| Thursday 14th February | School finishes at 3.05 pm for Half Term |
| Friday 15th February | Staff Training Day |
| Sat 16th Feb – Sat 23rd Feb | Canada Ski Trip |
| Monday 25th February | School re-opens at normal time |
| Thursday 28th February | Year 8 Options Evening 4 – 7.30 pm |
| Friday 1st March | Option forms to be returned |
| Mon 4th & Tues 5th March | Year 13 Drama Exams 6-9 pm |
| Thursday 7th March | Year 9 Parents Evening 4 – 6 pm |
| Mon 11th – Fri 15th March | Fund Raising in School Sport /Comic relief |
| Tuesday 19th March | Men ACWY Year 9 A Block Vaccinations |
| Friday 22nd March | Year 11 & 13 Group Photos |
| Thursday 28th March | Year 7 Parents Evening 4- 6 pm |
| Tuesday 2nd April | Men ACWY Year 9 B Block Vaccinations |
| Mon 8th – Thurs 11th Apr | Praise Week |
| Monday 8th April | D of E Award Night |
| Tuesday 9th April | Cheer-leading Competition |
| Thursday 11th April | School breaks up for Easter at 3.05 pm |
| Friday 12th April | Staff Training Day |
| Monday 29th April | School re-opens at normal time |
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
FAQ -Site Access
Q. Can we drop children off on school site?
A. There is a drop zone on site, however access is limited and the school site gets very busy with staff arriving for work. If your child is unable to walk or cycle to school there is the option to drop your child on Clarence Road and for them to walk through the path between Clarence Road and school site.
Q. How do we get on site?
A. Via Beaton Road, school operates a one-way system once on site and you will exit the site onto Kittoe Road. If you drive along Kittoe Road you must observe the NO ENTRY signs at the top of the turning circle and NOT enter site..
Q. Can we park at the front of school?
A. No, the front of school is for permit holders, and delivery/emergency vehicles only. At the end of the school day, the front of school is coned off for the safety of students, staff and visitors, DO NOT move the cones.
Q. Is disabled parking available?
A. Yes, there are marked bays for blue badge holders.
Q. Can we park on the top carpark?
A. If you have an appointment during the school day you can park in any designated area on site, excluding the front of school, however if you are picking children up at the end of the school day access to the top carpark is not permitted. DO NOT drive into the top car park from Kittoe Road, this is signed NO ENTRY
Q. Can we park on residential roads?
A. You must observe any parking restrictions and the Highway Code when parking on public roads. Be mindful of the possibility of emergency vehicular access being required. As ever, we request that visitors are sympathetic to our residential neighbours and do not block their driveways.
Q. What are the local roads speed limit?
A. 20 MPH
Q. Is there a speed limit on site?
A. Yes, 10 MPH
STAFF, 6TH FORM, VISITORS
We are aware that parking on site can prove difficult and would like to take this opportunity to remind you to please park in designated areas only.
Please ensure the drop off/pick up area remains clear.
Parking in the area in front of reception is for permit holders, visitors and emergency vehicles only.
6th former’s must confirm their vehicle details to the 6th form team and park at the foot of the all-weather pitch.
The safety of our children and visitors to school is of the utmost importance to us and we are eager to reduce any possible difficulties.
Many thanks for your ongoing support.
THINK BEFORE YOU PARK. YOU COULD ENDANGER A CHILD’S LIFE
Examinations
We share lots of information on the exams section of the school website:
https://www.arthurterry.bham.sch.uk/exams/
TRIAL EXAM DATES 2018-2019
Please note trial/progress exam dates may be subject to change.
Year 10 Trial Exams
W/C Monday 5th July 2019 (English and Maths – TBC)
Year 11 Trial Exams
Wednesday 13th March: Computer Science (Practical)
Thursday 14th March – Friday 15th March: Spanish and French (Listening/Reading/Writing)
Monday 18th March – Friday 22nd March: English, Maths, Science, History and Geography
Year 12 Progress Exams
Monday 24th June – Friday 5th July 2019
All trial timetables will be made available on the exams section of the school website closer to the time. Trial dates are subject to change. Please click here: TRIAL EXAMS
SUMMER EXAMS 2019
GCSE AND GCE EXTERNAL EXAM DATES
Monday 13th May – Wednesday 26th June 2019
GCE Results Day (Years 12 & 13)
Thursday 15th August 2019
GCSE Results Day (Years 10 & 11)
Thursday 22nd August 2019
Summer Exam Timetable 2019
The master summer exam timetable is available by clicking on this link Summer 2019 – Exam Dates
Personalised will be handed out after February half term. Please ensure personal details (LEGAL NAME, DATE OF BIRTH) and the list of exam entries are checked, any student with a query should go to the exams office as soon as possible.
Any change to personal details notified to us AFTER the certificates have been prepared by the exam boards will result in you being charged for replacements.
*PLEASE NOTE – students with a clash of exams that exceed 3 hours in the same session will need to speak to the exams officer as there may be a change to their timetable. Any students with a clash of exams that total 3 hours or less will sit their exams in the same session.
All examinations must be taken at the time and date allocated.
EXAM RULES AND REGULATIONS
All external and trial exams are conducted according to the procedures set out by the Examination Boards and the Joint Council for Qualification (JCQ). A copy of the JCQ guidelines can be found here: JCQ Exam Notices
Please ensure your child is familiar with the regulations in particular the following document: Information for candidates – written exams
The following devices are banned in the exam hall:
- Mobile phones
- Headphones
- Smart watches and Stopwatches/Countdown watches
- Any other technological devices or web enabled sources of information.
- Revision Material/Notes
Other items not permitted in the exam room include food, fizzy and coloured drinks. Students are also, not expected to leave the exam room to use the toilet during individual exams. If necessary, water can be brought in a clear, unlabelled bottle, which should be kept under the exam desk.
All students sitting examinations will be required to wear their school uniform. Sixth formers will also need to wear smart business dress and have their school ID badge on at all times.
It is important that the regulations outlined by the exam boards and JCQ are adhered as failure to do so can result in disqualification from the examination and the overall qualification. Therefore, we would ask for your support to ensure your child is fully prepared for their external and trial examinations.
EXAM CONTINGENCY DAY
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) have announced a contingency day for the summer exams series 2019. The date that has been set aside as the ‘contingency day’ is WEDNESDAY 26TH JUNE 2019.
The contingency day for ALL external examinations has been put in place “in the event of widespread, sustained national or local disruption to examination during the June 2019 examination series”
Therefore, in the event of a major disruption, JCQ and/or the relevant Awarding Bodies may decide to postpone an exam to another date in the June 2019 exam series. This means that any students sitting external examinations in June 2019 must be available up until Wednesday 26th June to sit any exams that had to be postponed.
EXAM EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST
Ensure your child arrives fully equipped for their exams. Equipment needs to be in a see through plastic bag or transparent pencil case.
ESSENTIAL ITEMS
Black ink or ball point pens (no gel pens or blue ink are permitted)
Pencil
Pencil sharpener
Rubber
Ruler
ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED DEPENDANT ON EXAM
Calculator (lids must be removed)
Coloured pencils
Pair of compasses
Protractor
Set square
OPTIONAL ITEMS
Highlighter pen (to highlight text in the question paper only – cannot be used in answer books)
CERTIFICATES: SUMMER 2018
CURRENT STUDENTS
Summer 2018 certificates are now available for collection. Current students can collect their certificates from Miss Mir (Exams Officer) at the end of the school day.
Once you have received your certificates, please check your personal details and the grades. If your grade has changed through a review of marking this may not be corrected on your certificates.
Please note if your personal details (legal name, DOB) is incorrect you will be charged the exam board fee for a replacement certificate.
SCHOOL LEAVERS
Please email Miss Mir at exams@arthurterry.bham.sch.uk to arrange a suitable time to collect your certificates.
Did you know that whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could collect a free donation for our school?
There are over 3,000 shops and site on board ready to make a donation, including Amazon, eBay, John Lewis, insurance comparison sites, Dominos, Trainline, Booking.com and Sainsbury’s – and it doesn’t cost you a penny extra!
It’s really simple, all you have to do is:
- Join.
Head to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/arthurterry/ and sign up for free.
- Shop.
Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first, pick the retailer you want and start shopping.
- Raise.
After you’ve checked out, that retailer will make a donation to us for no extra cost whatsoever!
There are no catches or hidden charges and it’s a free and easy way to raise funds .
This isn’t just for personal purchases, if you make business purchases many suppliers are affiliated with easyfundraising so be sure to check.
To make it even easier there is an app to download to your mobile devices.
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/easyfundraising-app/
Please share this with your friends and family and let’s get fundraising..
Thank you so much in anticipation of your support.
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The annual D of E Award Night will now be on MONDAY 8TH APRIL 2019 6.30 – 8:00 pm. A letter has been sent with notification of this change and inviting those who have an award to collect.
Students and Parents/Carers in Year 9 will soon be invited to find out more at our introduction evening on Tuesday 26th March.
Dates for your diary
SPRING TERM NEWS AND EVENTS
International
For the first time in many years, one of our Gold Award participants in Year 13, Marcus Ray, has completed the Residential section of the award in another country. The requirement is to spend five days away from home but as you will read he went above and beyond to undertake a truly life-enriching experience:
My Trip to Vietnam
When reflecting on my summer in 2018 I can truly say it was one of the greatest times of my life. My summer took me to many places but the event that stood out was my two weeks spent in Vietnam.
In August I spent two weeks in Hanoi (the capital city of Vietnam). My reason for visiting was for my Gold Duke Of Edinburgh Residential but, for me, it was so my more than that. During my time there I worked at a school for autistic children ageing from 2 to 18. The school was completely different to anything in the UK. It was fascinating seeing the difference in teaching styles and the relationships between the student and teacher, which had no correlation to any of the education I have experienced.
Aside, from my voluntary work, I got to see different aspects of Vietnam such as Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh. These day and weekend trips were brilliant as I got to see what people mainly associate with Vietnam. During this time travelling outside of the capital, I was able to take in the beauty of Vietnam and understand why it is such an amazing country. The trips I took were with people from all around the world who I had met through my programme, and also backpackers and tourists who were also exploring the country like me. Despite them being from all different corners of the world and of different ages it is amazing how you can connect with someone despite being so different.
Marcus Ray HB10
Careers Fair
On Monday 4th February 2019, in excess of 30 employers, education, apprenticeship and work experience providers visited Arthur Terry to connect with the entire lower school (years 7-11) as well as targeted sixth formers.
The companies and organisations represented included; ESN Solicitors, Skills for Care, West Midlands Care Association, John Taylor Hospice, University Hospital Birmingham, West Midlands Police, The Army, the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy, High Speed Rail, Engie, Solar South West, Honeybourne Construction Limited, Align Architecture, Project ASK, Pathway CTM, Jericho Foundation, YMCA Sutton Coldfield, Kings International Ballet Academy, Romulus Football Club Academy, College Prospects of America, The Point.1888, Independent musicians, Will Bennett & Sofia Mills of the Caribbean Regals Steelband, Proftech Talent, The University of Birmingham, Aston University, Loughborough University, BCU and Oxford Brookes.
The event was a terrific success, with both Roger Thompson of College Prospects of America and the RAF’s Flight Lieutenant, Carrie Moore, independently commenting that:
the event was one of the best organised careers fairs they have attended, alongside the quality of our student engagement.”
We now look forward to building upon this inaugural Careers Fair with an ever more diverse programme of exhibitors next year!
Eco-Committee Newsletter
SHOW THE LOVE:
February 2015 marked the beginning of the biggest climate movements yet: hundreds of thousands of people from all backgrounds, gathered together to voice their concerns and exercise their ability to make a difference in the world. Join us from the 5th– 24th February 2019 to #ShowTheLove in support of protecting our planet from climate change.
With your help, together we can protect the people, places, and life we love by speaking up and encouraging our leaders to take action on climate change. Global warming is likely to be the greatest cause of species extinctions this century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says a 1.5°C average rise may result in 20-30% of species being at risk of extinction. If the planet warms by more than 2°C, most ecosystems will struggle. With that being said, we have the ability to rewrite the future, should we decide to.
Writing Instruments Recycling Programme:
Over the course of the past five months, Arthur Terry School has collected an astonishing 5 kilograms of used writing instruments in collaboration with Terracycle and BIC. Some of the equipment accepted include: biro pens, felt tip pens, highlighters, tip-ex and fountain pens.
Once collected, the writing instruments are separated by material composition and then melted into hard plastic that can be re-moulded to make new products.
Considering the success that we have experienced, we will continue with this programme for the foreseeable future. It has a huge impact on the environment due to the fact writing instruments are such an essential part of our everyday lives, so even small changes can make a big difference.
Crisp Packet Recycling Scheme:
In order to encourage students further, a scheme has been put in place to collect crisp packets and prevent them from ending up at landfill by recycling them. Following recent articles in the news regarding Walkers crisp packets, we have been inspired to replicate their endeavours. We believe it is our responsibility to reduce the impact of our packaging on the environment. At the moment, Walkers are aiming to make all their packaging 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025, which will go a long way in aiding the recovery of our planet.
Holly Tayler and Saffron Boora
World Book Day 2019
Thursday March 7th is World Book Day. Across the country book lovers everywhere will be celebrating with a variety of exciting events and activities. Arthur Terry staff and students will be getting in on the action too.
For the first time ever Year 7 students can come to school dressed as a book character. So start planning a costume now!
Staff will taking part and last year we saw teacher’s come as lots of interesting character’s including Mary Poppins, Where’s Wally and Gangsta Granny.
There will be a variety of tutor time activities for students to take part in and we will be handing out the £1 World Book Day tokens (WBDT) to Year 7 students that can be exchanged for one of the specially produced World Book Day books or used to gain a £1 off any book in participating book stores.
The Scholastic Book Fair will be in school between 25th-29th March offering bargain books for sale during the school day and at the Year 7 Parent’s Evening. Students can use their WBDT at the fair to get a £1 off any of the new titles on sale.
Look out for “bookish” events in the Library and around the school.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter for weekly news and updates:-
@ArthurTerrySch
