Woodlands Newsletter 25/09/15

@Woodlands_CC

Upcoming Diary Dates

At Woodlands we aim to become an outstanding school by INSPIRING and CHALLENGING

our pupils so that they ACHIEVE well and are able to enjoy successful and happy futures

Woodlands has social networking accounts on

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October

3rd

Music in the City Event Southampton City Centre from 1.00pm

October

2nd Open Morning for Year 6 9.15am to 10.15am

October

7th Arts Experience Day Year 9

Inspiring

Challenging

Achieving October

15th Year 7 Pastoral Evening 5.00pm to 7.30pm

October

14th Half Day INSET

School finishes at 12.40pm

“Don’t forget …

Reuse

Reduce

Recycle”

ISSUE 3

A Message from our Head Teacher…

Dear Parents/Carers,

It has been another lovely week at Woodlands. On Wednesday we had a visitor from the Local Authority in school. She was very impressed with the conduct of our students around the school and their politeness throughout the day.

This Tuesday evening we held the community meeting to discuss the situation with the buses. This meeting was extremely well attended with representatives from all ages coming together to express their frustrations at the lack of service. It was pleasing that a representative from Bluestar was present to hear the concerns. I will keep you updated via the newsletter of any news with regards to a solution.

The highlight of the week for me was when a member of the community stopped me to tell me how one of our students, on seeing her struggling to breathe after walking up the hill, stopped to ask if they could carry her bags. She did not know the boy’s name but was so pleased he had taken the time to help her. This just highlights for me what a fantastic group of students we have at Woodlands.

Best wishes,

Toni Sambrook

Woodlands Voting Voice

Last week, 100% of students voted that trophy hunting should be illegal worldwide. Students studied a series of information about trophy hunting, including the story of Cecil the lion, before casting their vote.

The purpose of voting voice is to provide students with an opportunity to share their opinion on topical issues. It provides a fantastic vehicle for debate during tutor time and provides our students with information about the wider world.

This fortnight, we will be voting to decide what the UK should do to support the Syrian refugee crisis.

Results will be revealed soon.

Miss Connery, Assistant Head Teacher

Artwork of the Week

Student: Chaya Brown

Year group: 10

House: Shackleton

Media: Oil pastels

Accelerated Reading

This year we are again fortunate to have the support of volunteers, including Soroptimist and Rotary Club members, who generously give their time to read with individual students during library lessons as well as providing many with a personal dictionary. Students who have received this additional help have found it extremely beneficial and we are truly grateful to the volunteers for their commitment.

As we enter the rainy season (when isn't it? you may ask) can you please make sure that your child’s books are protected. Not all school bags are waterproof so it may be a good idea to use a carrier bag, or similar, as a lining.

All Key Stage 3 students have a library lesson each week which gives them an opportunity for focused reading, vocabulary building and selected literacy activities. This year we are including regular comprehension practice to familiarise students with the style of questioning which they encounter when they take a reading test. It is already proving a useful learning exercise.

The blue section in your child's planner is their DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) log:

Page 55 displays a current reading age, the level of book that they should ideally be choosing and their own personal reading target.

Pages 56 and 57 are for recording each book and the quiz result when taken.

Pages 58, 59 and 60 are for recording new words with their meanings.

Pages 61 and 62 are for collecting stamps which are awarded for quizzes passed at 80% or above. There is a choice of prizes for every twenty stamps recorded. Please remind your child to always present their planner when they have printed a TOPS report or they may miss out on these rewards.

The first prize this year was earned by Harry Chivers (pictured left).

Tyreece

Chatta

Jordan

Diaper

Sobia

Habibi

Leon

Lambert

Caitlin

McColm

Abdul

Mutasim

Alan

Neary

Jake

Price

Shelley

Wesley

Matthew

Wood

Our Reading Stars this week, selected for their effort and achievement...

Numeracy Across the Curriculum

Last Friday, pupils spent 20 minutes learning how mathematics plays a part in writing and deciphering coded messages. They learnt how Julius Caesar had a code where he used the letter that came three places on in the alphabet instead.

Instead of writing the letter A he would write the letter D and so on. For example: to give the command ‘retreat to forest’ he would write ‘uhwuhdw wr iruhvw’.

This week’s competition is to break the following coded message:

“KYCW, AI QEHI MX YT SZIV XLI VSSJ PEWX RMKLX! LEVHIWX CIX; KIXXMRK TEWX XLI RMKLX AEXGL AEW RSX IEWC, FYX MX FIEXW IZIVCXLMRK AI’ZI IZIV GPMQFIH. GER’X FIPMIZI AI’ZI HSRI FPIXGLPIC! FYX XLEX’W RSX XLI QSWX EQEDMRK XLMRK. WSQISRI IPWI LEH FIIR YT XLIVI FIJSVI YW, ERH M HSR’X QIER VIGIRXPC. ALIR M AEW GVSWWMRK XLI VMHKIW M TYPPIH SR E FVMGO MR SRI SJ XLI GLMQRICW ERH MX GEQI SYX MR QC LERH. XLSYKLX M AEW WXYJJIH JSV E QMRYXI, FYX G KVEFFIH QI ERH AI KSX WEJI EKEMR. ERCAEC FILMRH XLI FVMGO XLIVI AEW E TEGOIX AVETTIH MR WSQI SPH GPSXL ERH WXIRGMPIH AMXL SRI ASVH. M LEH E UYMGO PSSO MRWMHI ERH JSYRH ALEX PSSOW PMOI ER SPH RSXIFSSO ERH E FYRGL SJ TETIVW. QSWX SJ MX MW MR E GSHI WS M HSR’X ORSA ALEX MX’W EFSYX, FYX MX PSSOW MRXIVIWXMRK. LIVI MW XLI JMVWX TEKI SJ XLI RSXIFSSO, ASRHIVIH MJ ERC SJ CSY GSYPH GVEGO MX. ERCAEC, MX KEZI QI ER MHIE. AI WLSYPH LEZI E RIA REQI JSV XLI RMKLX GPMQFMRK GPYF. AI GSYPH REQI MX EJXIV XLI ASVH SR XLI TEGOIX, ALEX HS CSY XLMRO? MX NYWX WECW, XIQTIWX.”

This uses a similar code to Julius Caesar, except that each letter has been replaced with the letter that came 4 places on in the alphabet. For example by using the grid below you can see that the letter A has been replaced with the letter E. Can you crack the code? If you can, your answer should be handed or emailed to Mr Caplen by Friday, 2nd October. One correct answer will be selected at random and a prize will be awarded to the winner.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

E F K

Eco Zone

Attendance

Just a reminder that routine medical or dental appointments should not be taken during the school day as it considerably impacts on your child’s learning and progress. In addition to

this, if your child is not in school at 8.30am or 12.40pm, then they lose their attendance mark for that session.

If your child has an unavoidable medical or dental appointment in school time, we will require medical evidence to authorise this absence and would expect to see your child in school before or after the appointment.

Thank you as always for your support.

Miss Iverson, Assistant Head Teacher

The energy we save when we recycle one glass bottle is enough to light a traditional light bulb for four

hours.

DET Department - Fascinating Facts

Pieces of bread were used to erase pencil lead before rubber

came into use.

British Values

At Woodlands Community College, we promote

fundamental British values through teaching:

democracy

the rule of law

individual liberty

mutual respect

tolerance of those of different

faiths and beliefs

This is not only thread throughout all curriculum subjects, but is

directly taught in our Personal Discovery curriculum. Please look

at the curriculum map on our school website for further

information.

Thank you for joining the

team here at Woodlands on

17th September for our

fantastic Curriculum Evening

All of the parents/carers that attended and filled in feedback forms said that they enjoyed the evening and found it useful. They were pleased with the presentations, as they found the contents really helpful, and all were delighted to be able to speak to their child’s subject leaders, and talk through any concerns or worries such as how best to revise.

The language café was a welcome respite for tired, thirsty folk, and the Art on display was simply inspirational.

If you couldn’t come, please do look on our website for the presentations, and make sure to come next year.

If you have any queries, please contact Mrs Smith, Deputy Head Teacher at natalie.smith@woodlands.southampton.sch.uk

Instrumental and Vocal Lessons

Woodlands contracts specialist instrumental and vocal teachers in order to offer additional, affordable, dedicated music tuition to our students outside of their classroom Music lessons.

We currently have space to take new students in the following instruments: guitar, bass guitar and drums.

Lessons are held at the end of the school day in our dedicated suite of music practice rooms.

For further information, please speak to Mrs Allen, Head of Performing Arts, either by telephoning the school on (023) 8046 3303 or by email on...

rebecca.allen@woodlands.southampton.sch.uk

Cross Curricular Trip

The Roller Coaster Experience at Disneyland® Paris

16th February 2016 to 19th February 2016

The Roller Coaster Study Experience explores the practical application of STEM subjects at this world-famous theme park resort in a number of different and engaging ways:

• Seminars are hosted by Paris based facilitators with considerable experience of working with Disneyland Paris and featuring back-stage video interviews and footage filmed exclusively for these study experiences

• The interactive workshop uses the student’s knowledge of STEM subjects to complete the first stage in the student challenge.

• The experience finishes off with a day in Paris.

Letters with more information can be found in reception, with any DET teacher, Miss Petre and also on the “recent letters” page of our website.

Science News, Clubs & Activities

STEM Club

STEM club will be running after school on Wednesdays and Fridays. Please tell your child to see Mr Vetterlein if they would like to come and join in.

Has your child got their revision guide yet?

Science revision guides for Years 10 and 11 are on sale at a reduced cost of £4.00 per copy. Students can pay at the front office and bring their receipt to the Science Prep room to collect a copy.

Parental guide for using Doddle

With the start of a new school year it is never too early for your child to start reinforcing their learning in class and reminding themselves of all the subject areas they covered last year. Doddle can be used to aid this.

When your child logs in, they can access all the revision resources they need by heading to the Browse tab. Here they can access:

Presentations – covering entire topics, these are great for when they need to revise a topic from the very beginning

Revision – great for targeted revision sessions on a topic

Interactive content – animations and interactive activities are a great way of injecting some variety into revision.

Doddle homework

Remember, your child will be set homework on Doddle at the beginning of every week. This must be completed by the following Friday.

** Attention Year 11**

College Open Evenings - Where will YOU go?

Barton Peveril 7th October 5.30pm to 8.30pm

CEMAST, Fareham 8th October 5.00pm to 8.00pm

City College 6th October 5.00pm to 7.30pm

Eastleigh 15th October 4.00pm to 7.00pm

Fareham College 30th September 5.00pm to 8.00pm

Itchen College 11th October 5.00pm to 8.00pm

Peter Symonds 21st & 22nd October 6.00pm to 9.00pm

Richard Taunton 14th & 15th October 6.00pm to 8.30pm

Out of Hours Study and Revision Timetable

for KS4 students

Effective from: Monday, 21st September, 2015

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Year 11 Week A

English Science Option Y Art – invite only Photography – invite only PE Catering Textiles Computer Science Travel & Tourism

Year 11 Week B

Option W Construction Geography

Option X Spanish French Catering (2yr) Resistant Materials ICT OCR – invite only

Option Y Art – invite only Photography – invite only PE Catering Textiles Computer Science Travel & Tourism

Year 10 Week A

Option Y Art – invite only Photography – invite only PE Catering Textiles Computer Science Travel & Tourism

Year 10 Week B

Science Option Y Art – invite only Photography – invite only PE Catering Textiles Computer Science Travel & Tourism

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