Whole School Events
Year 7 students have actively participated in a wide range of extracurricular activities. From sports teams to music clubs, drama productions to science event, their involvement has been impressive. These activities have not only enriched their school experience but also helped them develop valuable skills such as teamwork and leadership.

Celebration Evening
This is a highlight of the year for staff, when we celebrated our students across all year groups for their outstanding contributions. Students were nominated in each year group based on their outstanding contributions at a Faculty level (CORE, Humanities and Performance), to their Year Group and Sports Personality of the Year Awards. and it was wonderful to see so many parents and carers joining celebrating successes. Many congratulations to all the students who were nominated. You can view photographs of the evening, and in particular Year 7  here 

Sports Day
One of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year is our Sports Day which took place on Tuesday. The enthusiasm and sportsmanship displayed by our Year 7 students were truly inspiring. From the sprint races to the long jump, each event was a testament to the students' dedication and teamwork. It was a day filled with fun, camaraderie, and healthy competition as year 7 students participated in a number of events.

 

Year 7 STEM event
In June there was an opportunity to participate in an Engineering Experience Day, hosted by the Smallpeice Trust and funded by the RAF charitable trust. It was a great opportunity for students to experience real life applications of engineering, with a chance to design and build an object to solve a problem. Students had the opportunity to develop teamwork skills over the course of the day, completing activities such as building paper towers, designing and flying model planes and presenting their design to the whole group. The students conducted themselves impeccably throughout the day, and were a credit to the school. The facilitators commented on what a well-behaved group they were. We hope the Engineering Experience Day was a fantastic opportunity for our Year 7 students to ignite their passion for STEM and gain practical experience in the field of engineering.

National Numeracy Competition

We are delighted that Isabelle J was chosen as a runner up in the National Number Heroes Competition in the Secondary category.  As part of NLS celebrating National Numeracy Day all Year 7 Students had the opportunity to complete an entry for this competition which focused on how numbers might be used in different careers and design a poster outlining how numeracy would be used in their dream job or hobby.

They loved her Prop Designer drawing commenting that it was so beautifully done with real creative use for numbers, many congratulations! 

Isabelle is also the creator and manager of the Year 7 Debating Club, which has been a huge success.

 

 

 

 

 

We also celebrated National Writing Day in June (which aims to encourage everyone to find their own motivation and voice) with a writing challenge during one of their English lessons. Well done to   

Harsh P the winner for Year 7 and Lillian U the runner up - we hope they enjoy their prize of an Amazon Voucher and a fiction book.  

Young Writers Competition
We are also delighted that 61 Year 7 students have had their poem selected for publication by Young Writers in their next anthology.  Students entered this competition as part of developing our wider opportunities in English and to have 61 selected is a phenomenal achievement that we are extremely proud of, as well as students developing their written literary and confidence throughout this experience.

Maths Bee add wording
On Thursday 18 July Year 7 competed within Colleges in the annual Maths Bee competition. Over a number of scored rounds, students worked extremely hard on their Numeracy and Maths skills and worked collaboratively in teams for their Colleges.

Manor took an earlier win in session one but congratulations goes to the overall winners, Blackdown, who made a surging comeback in the second session!

The Scores are:

 

 

 

 

Sports
Year 7 continue to achieve success in representing NLS sports teams with Sade E and Lucas C winning the 200m at the recent District Athletics Championships.

Our girls rounders team have completed their successful season winning the District Year 7 tournament at Myton. They beat  Aylesford, Myton and Kenilworth teams to be crowned champions!

Finally well done to Elsa C and Izzy R who have been selected to play for the County Football Team – congratulations!

Tutor Curriculum
This half term students have been looking at: Body Confidence, Physical Changes in Puberty, Peer Influence, Looking after Physical and Mental Health, Self-Esteem and Empowerment, as well as the General Election.

Student Wellbeing The wellbeing of our students remains a top priority. Throughout the year, we have implemented various initiatives to support their mental and emotional health throughout PHSE and Tutor time curricular. Our pastoral care team has been actively engaged in providing guidance and support, ensuring that every student feels valued and heard.

Rewards and celebration:
As ever celebrating achievements is one of the most pleasurable aspect of our roles so a huge congratulations goes to the following students for their outstanding commitment to their school journey by having the highest number of rewards

A fantastic total of 106511 rewards has been accrued across the year group.

Top ten students across the year group:

Top two Year 7 students in each College:

Highest Achievement – this award recognises those students who are working above their target grades in the highest number of subjects.

Outstanding students in each tutor group:

Summer Rewards event
On Monday 15 July, 50 students who have earned the most reward points this term were invited to participate in a rewards activity where we hired a number of inflatables for them to have fun on. The students involved really enjoyed the afternoon and it is always great to have the opportunity to celebrate the efforts of those involved this term.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Careers in Year 7 - Discovery
Our careers team are excited to share with you the career-focused activities that have been a part of our school's career education program for Year 7. Our vision is to support students in making informed choices about their futures and to provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the world of work.

Year 7 have been introduced to the world of careers through their Tutor Time and PHSE curriculum. Some of the careers based learning they have discovered about are:

• How manage their transition to secondary school (Grow through life.)
• What skills they have, how to develop their employability skillset and how to have a Growth mindset (Grow through life.)
• Rights and responsibilities in the work place (Balance Life and Work.)
• How to make safe financial choices and budget (Balance Life and Work.)
• How to look after their mental health (Balance Life and Work.)

Year 7 have started to develop their understanding of Post 16 options and a range of different types of careers through:

• A post 16 careers event that focused on A levels and Apprenticeships hosted by an external provider from one of our local colleges. This included our own Year 13 Careers Student Leaders sharing their experiences here at NLS.
• Their subject curricula where subject teachers have shared information and real-life stories of a range of careers and routes to those careers that link to their subject.

We very much value parent/carer feedback on our careers provision and would be grateful if you would complete a short survey  here as soon as possible.  This will help inform us of our provision and shape working towards National Quality in Careers Award  

Calendar

As we prepare for the next academic year, I am excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Our focus will continue to be on providing a nurturing and stimulating environment where every student can thrive. We will build on the foundations laid this year and strive for even greater achievements.

Autumn Term starts on Wednesday 4 September

Upcoming events

Race for Life Event - Friday 27 September

School Photos – Monday 30 September

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the parents and carers for your unwavering support and involvement in your child's education. Your partnership is invaluable, and together, we create a strong foundation for our students' success

To the students, I want to say how proud I am of all you have accomplished this year. Your hard work, enthusiasm, and kindness have made this year truly special. I look forward to seeing you continue to grow and achieve great things in Year 8.

Finally, I wish everyone a restful and enjoyable summer break. Take this time to relax, recharge, and spend quality time with family and friends. I look forward to welcoming you all back in the new academic year.

Mrs Sarah Barley-Morey
AHT Y7 Lead, CEIAG/Student Self Reflection Lead