Ammonite-2nd October 2015
Fiona Rogers
Open Evening
A sincere thank you to all visiting parents/carers and guests who came to visit us at our Open Evening on Thursday. On a delightful evening, we welcomed a large number of prospective new parents, carers and some old friends to our school to get a feel for the kind of education we provide. Our students who helped at this event were outstanding ambassadors for our school; thanks go to the parents/carers who supported this event by ensuring students were transported to and from school safely. I would also like to thank all of the staff of the school who worked so hard to put on such a wonderful evening, before – during – and after the event. A huge amount of planning goes into such an evening and I feel we can be very proud of our school and the warm welcome we were able to offer our community on Thursday. | Mr White
Open Morning Tours
We welcome families who were unable to attend our Open Evening to visit the school between 5th and 16th October. To arrange a tour during this time, please contact our Reception Team via enqu...@wellswayschool.com or telephone 0117 9864751. | Mr White
Dates for the Diary
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Parent/Carer and Student ‘Need to Know’ Dates |
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Year |
Activity |
Date |
Venue and Start Time |
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All Year Groups |
Open Evening for Prospective Sixth Form Parents and students Parent/Carer Forum (1) Last Day of Term 1 Inset Day First Day of Term 2 PTA Craft & Gift Fair |
14/10
22/10 23/10 2/11 3/11 8/11
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Early Closure 1.05pm
6.30pm Sixth Form Common Room Term Ends at 2.45pm
12.00-4pm |
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7 |
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8 |
HPV Vaccinations
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21/10 |
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9 |
HPV Vaccinations
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21/10 |
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10 |
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11 |
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12 |
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13 |
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Supporting High Standards
In assemblies taken since the start of the year students have been reminded about our expectations on a variety of issues. By doing this we wish to ensure that students are very clear on how we expect things to be done at Wellsway. We take this approach at the beginning of each year so that our community is orderly, safe and an enjoyable place for everyone to learn and work. I have decided to summarise the key points here so that parents/carers and our wider community can be kept fully informed.
Punctuality
Students need to be in school at 8.40am in order to be ready to start lessons promptly at 8.45am. Being on time is an essential component of being a good learner. Being on time also shows respect for peers and teachers alike. When a student walks late into class it disturbs others and stops learning. Please can we ask that parents/carers do their best to ensure that students leave home early enough to get to school in good time and to take traffic delays into account where these are predictable.
Uniform & Piercings
Generally, students wear their uniform very well indeed when in school parents/carers can assist us by ensuring, in particular, that girls wear skirts that are of a decent length, knee length is a good rule of thumb to bear in mind when buying a new skirt. All students are required to tuck shirts in when at school. Students who choose to ignore our expectations will be issued a detention and a communication with home to explain our expected standards.
In order to maintain high standards, facial piercings of any kind are not allowed in school and students will be isolated from other students should they come to school with piercings, even if they are covered up. Students also need to be in proper school shoes. Please see our website here for further clarification. Trainers or daps are not permitted even if they are black. Hoodie jackets, leather jackets, denim jackets or cardigans are similarly not permitted in Years 7-11.
Hair styles and colours must not be ‘extreme’ and we ask that you check with your child's Head of House if you are in doubt.
For more details on our uniform requirements from our website please click here.
Mobile Phones
We do permit students in Year 7-11 to have mobile phones and these items can be used at break and lunch. If they are seen outside of these times without permission, or if they are seen being used inappropriately, then they will be confiscated and parents/carers contacted.
Coats
As the weather gets colder students are asked to wear appropriate clothes to school, this includes a suitable coat.
We have informed all parents/carers in the summer term of our uniform requirements and clarification is available via the website here.
Students who are Unwell
If your child is unwell it is essential, in the first instance, that they visit Student Support. At this point, a decision will be made whether to make contact with you to organise whether to your child needs to go home. Please can I ask that you ensure your child knows the procedure so that we can always account for the whereabouts of all of our students.
Serious Incidents
We are encouraged by the DfE to fully explain our policy on 1) drugs use and/or possession and 2) weapons possession/use. In our assemblies students were reminded that a permanent exclusion from school would be likely if these rules were broken. | Mr White
Sixth Form Open Evening
This fantastic event will take place on Wednesday 14th October from 6.00-.8.00pm, with a keynote speech at 7.30pm. You will have a chance to meet and speak to the teachers and existing Sixth Form students, and find out about how our wonderful Sixth Form works. The new prospectus will available on our website as soon as possible; hard copies will be available on the night. Students will also have a chance to sign up for three of nineteen subject 'taster sessions', on the same afternoon, from Monday via their tutors. A talk will be given by Mr Bray at 7.30pm in Mendip Hall that will go into much greater detail about our highly successful Sixth Form. | Mr Bray
A-Levels from 2016
Thank you to all the parents and carers who came along to the A-Level information evening on Tuesday. We hope you found it useful, the presentation can be found in the Sixth Form section of the website, under Future Curriculum. | Mr Bray
Reviews
The first Year 12 and 13 Reviews were distributed to students this week, detailing their progress since the start of term. Please ensure you discuss the contents of both the reviews and the accompanying letter that explains how the reviews work with your charge. If you have any questions please contact the Personal Tutor. | Mr Bray
Staff Training
I would like to thank all parents for their forbearance and understanding during our early closure on 22nd September, which enabled us to deliver important training for our teachers. The closure created three hours of training time, where we focused on developing the way we teach in the Sixth Form. You are probably aware that both A-Level and GCSE qualifications are changing, so that students are assessed through very high stakes examinations, taken at the end of the course. In order to support our students to be able to present their case well in these examinations, we are developing the way we teach effective study and revision skills as part of our lessons. We are confident that investing this time and effort in staff training now will pay handsome dividends, when our students take the reformed A-Level and GCSE qualifications in the future.| Mr Thomson
HPV Vaccinations
The Human Papilloma virus (HPV) vaccinations will take place on the morning of Wednesday 21st October Year 8 girls: this is the first of two immunisations (immunisation 2 due in Year 9)
The second HPV immunisation for Year 9 girls will be given after the Year 8 session on the same day. The Girls will told the times nearer the day. Please could all parents/ carers complete the consent form which is being sent home; this will be for Year 8 girls or Year 9 if they are new to Wellsway or now decided to start the immunisation schedule. Consent forms must be completed and returned, indicating whether you do or do not wish your daughter to have the immunisation. Please ensure they are returned to Student Support by Friday 9th October. If you need to discuss these immunisations further or any health concerns, please contact Fiona McGlynn, School Nurse – I will be running immunisation phone in sessions on 1st October, 3.00-3.30pm and on 8th October 10.15-11.00am, for this and at other times please phone school main reception and ask to speak with Fiona McGlynn or to leave a message. If your daughter wishes to talk to Fiona they may e-mai, attend a drop in clinic or ask for an appointment via their House team. Please ensure all of the girls eat a good breakfast and wear T-shirts or vest tops under their school shirt on the day of immunisation. Thank you. | Fiona McGlynn, School Nurse
Green Team Events
1. Otters talk, Friday 9th October, see link: https://www.wellswayschool.com/upload/Otters_October_20156.pdf
2. River dipping, Dapps Hill Bridge. Sunday 11th October, 2.00-5.00 pm. Bring wellies or waders, families welcome. | Mr Sage
Roald Dahl Day
Last Friday saw Wellsway overtaken by Twits as Year 7 joined in with national Roald Dahl Day celebrations. Students entered into the spirit of the event enthusiastically, with an impressive and amusing range of Dahl-inspired props spotted across the day. From an alarmingly large version of Mrs Twit’s stick to a carefully cradled home-batch of George’s Marvellous Medicine, Year 7 successfully created a school that Miss Trunchbull would have nightmares about. As well as activities put on in the library by Matilda (also known as Mrs Pearce) there was also a Roald Dahl Live event during the afternoon in Mendip Hall. Schools up and down the country took part in the stream, in which there were entertaining interactive activities for the students as well as interviews from Dahl’s biographer and Twit-inspired App-makers. It was suitably revolting in parts, much to everybody’s delight, and overall great justice was done to the bizarre worlds given to us by Mr Dahl. It was a great event to end the week…as long as nobody was having spaghetti for dinner that night! | Mr Palmer
Music News
The department is filled with activities throughout the week. We are now on Twitter @wellswaymusic and Instagram @wellswaymusic; follow us for the latest news from the department.
We are starting a new Year 7 choir in the Old Gym Studio from Monday lunchtime at 1.30pm. It’s open to all Year 7 singers, and we will need some beatboxers too!
Ukulele Group is also running every Monday lunchtime in Room 29. We were delighted to welcome new Year 8 players. Come along – no previous experience necessary.
Wind band – Every Tuesday 3.30-4.30pm. We had a fabulous start with some challenging, but fun film music. We’d love to see all our wind players attending this rehearsal. Players from Grade 2 standard onwards. Again, we were really delighted to welcome new Year 7 students – it’s not too late to join!
Orchestra – Every Wednesday 3.30-4.30pm. The string section continues to grow! Music will be going home next week.
Choir – Every Thursday lunch from 1.30pm in the Old Gym Studio. Open to anyone who enjoys singing, from Year 7 to Sixth Form students. GCSE Music students, this is a GREAT way to develop your aural skills – see you there!
The soul/funk band will have their first rehearsal on Thursday 3.30-4.30pm. We’ll be playing Blame It On The Boogie, so you might want to listen to it before the rehearsal. The rehearsal is open to Grade 4 + players on woodwind and brass, we’ll also need confident chord readers on guitar and some drummers! Looking forward to see you all on Thursday.
And finally… We have students running a clarinet choir and flute choir every Tuesday lunchtime. Any player who wants to be involved should come to the Performing and Visual Arts block (next to Mendip Hall) on Tuesday lunchtime. | Ms McLean
SPORTS SECTION
World Dragon Boat Championships Winner
Congratulations to Lee Curtis of Year 11 who competed in the World Dragon Boat Championships in Canada this summer. In the competition Lee won two bronze medals as part of the Great Britain team against some very tough competition. We are delighted for Lee and in admiration of the considerable amount of hard work and dedication he has shown in the lead up to this competition. Well done Lee! | Mr White
Tetrathlon Success
Special commendation to our Year 10 student Ellie Gussey who this past weekend competed in the National Tetrathlon Championships in Solilhull, West Midlands. Despite competing against athletes two years her, senior Ellie produced some wonderful performances in her fencing, swimming (new PB) and combined run/shoot (new PB). All in all Ellie finished 18th in the country at this event! This is an extraordinary performance for an athlete of her age and shows fully not only Ellie’s talent but her sheer determination to succeed. Huge congratulations from all here at Wellsway School, keep up the amazing work Ellie! | Mr Moffett
U12 Boys' Rugby
Match: Wellsway v Norton Hill
Date: Wednesday 23rd September 2015
The Wellsway U12 team set about correcting some of their mistakes from the previous game. With an immediate rush for the ball at the starting whistle, the Wellsway team stated their intention for the game from the off. Two very well worked tries were quick to follow, delivered by Elliot Walsh and Joe Tantram. Norton Hill began to counter attack however, and despite some excellent tackles from across the Wellsway team, Norton would go on to score their third, winning try, two minutes from final whistle. The Wellsway team acquitted themselves in this match with excellence and were unfortunate to come away with a second loss of the season. With continued hard work in training, this team have a real potential to do well this school season! | Mr Moffett
Year 8/U13 Rugby Wellsway v Ralph Allen
Ralph Allen 0 – 58 Wellsway U13 Rugby
Another strong performance for Wellsway U13s saw them comfortably beat Ralph Allen. Charlie Morris opened the scoring with a trademark run carrying multiple defenders before Max Seward was bundled over with help from the rest forwards to give Wellsway an early lead. A huge tackle from Harvey Baker dislodged the ball and allowed him to beat several opposition players before scoring in the corner. Charlie Morris grabbed his second before another searing break down the wing by Isaac Banks finished the scoring for the half with the score 0-25. Playing up the hill in the second half saw Wellsway continue to carry the ball strongly with Ben Parker standing out. Parker grabbed the first score of the second half which was converted by Charlie Hodges. Oli O’Sullivan (Forward) then scored a hat-trick in ten minutes; two from close range and a longer effort, one of which Hodges converted. Sandwiched in between O’Sullivan’s tries, Ed Draper added another to continue his fine scoring run. Final score Ralph Allen 0 – Wellsway 58. Wellsway are away at St Gregory’s on Tuesday 13th October. | Mr Ive
Year 7/8/9/10 Girls’ Rugby
Kingswood Knights Rugby Club is offering a free rugby taster session to girls in Years 7-10 on Thursday 22nd October. This session will run from 3.30-4.30pm here at Wellsway and will provide many with an insight into the game and an opportunity to join Kingswood Knights. If you have been inspired by the Rugby World Cup to date and would like to register for this free session please see Miss Mitchell to sign up. | Miss Mitchell
Netball v Royal High School
On Wednesday evening the U16 and U14 netball squads travelled to Royal High School, Bath for a challenging fixture ahead of the District Netball Tournaments in a few weeks’ time. The U16s, who were very successful last year, began the new season with a decisive victory. They performed exceptionally well as a team with Freya Money and Martha Scott working exceptionally well together in the defensive circle. Also of note was the quality of feeds from Millie Stanford into the shooters. The final score was 38-7 with Georgie Hennessy being voted Player of the Match.
The U14s have improved massively over the past few weeks and are beginning to work very effectively as a team, developing their tactical awareness and becoming a strong squad. They were up against very strong opposition but performed very well and by the final quarter were outplaying the opposition. Special mention to Meg Stratton who was particularly effective in defence. The final score was 13-20 with Remy Arblaster being voted Player of the Match. | Mrs Riddoch
Wellsway Netball Teams Unbeaten against Hayesfield
Congratulations to all four netball teams who played against Hayesfield School on Tuesday evening. It was a pleasure to see so many Year 7 students represent the school for the first time and to recognise the huge potential in that year group. Thanks go to Meg Stratton and Ellie Jupp who were unable to play for the Year 9 team due to injury but helped to umpire and coach the Year 7 teams. The results and Players of the Match were as follows:
Year 9 Won 18-11 Katie Shannon
Year 8 Won 12-9 Naomi Bartlett
Year 7A Drew 10-10 Elena Gould (against Hayesfield Year 8B)
Year 7B Won 5-0 Lucy Coltard | Mrs Riddoch
English Schools’ Football, U18 Girls’ Football v Rednock School
Well done to the senior girls’ football team for a fantastic effort on Monday against Rednock School. A tough game and although we lost 1-3, a fantastic goal scored by Kelsey Manning and some fantastic football was played. Next afterschool training session: Thursday 15th October – 3.45-4.45pm. Please confirm attendance with Miss Mitchell. | Miss Mitchell
Year 10/11 Girls’ Hockey v Hayesfield School
Another fantastic effort by our U16 squad led by Captain Martha Scott. Although a loss of 0-4, this is a real improvement on last year and with over fifteen players in the squad at this match we should be extremely pleased. Well done girls! | Miss Mitchell
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