Tutor Curriculum

During our tutor time sessions this term, Year 8 students have predominantly been working with their tutors and developing leadership skills along with the PSHE sessions which have been based around “Gaming and Gambling”, where tutors and students have delivered sessions relating to topics such as Probability and Luck, as well as links to Addiction and Mental Health.

During the second half term, we started tutor time with sessions delivered on young people growing up LGBTQ+ today.  This was followed by a session on how young people sometimes need an ally.  Students have also explored the world of apprenticeships and the careers to which they can lead.  We also marked Children’s Mental Health Week at the beginning of March.  Our Year 8 students approached all these topics with real maturity and many of our student leaders were exemplary in helping to deliver the sessions to their classmates. 

Loudmouth Theatre Production

On 4 March, our Year 8 students were lucky enough to attend a production by the Loudmouth Theatre Company of ‘Calling it out!’.  The performance lasted just over an hour with students taking part in Q&A sections during the show.  The cast then spent the rest of the day with us at school working with smaller groups of students in workshops.  I am extremely proud of our Year 8 students.  They got to grips with very sensitive and emotive themes and coped with them in such a mature and insightful way.  All members of the teaching staff who accompanied our students to the workshops were very impressed with their probing questions and their thoughtful comments. 

Paris 2024

For those joining the  Year 8 trip to Paris it gets nearer by the day! 

A massive thank you for getting copies of passports and insurance cards to us so swiftly.  There are a few outstanding that we’ll need as soon as possible please.  The itinerary for the trip has now been confirmed and looks as follows:

 

A reminder the full balance of payment needs to be completed before 3 May 2024.  Parents must ensure that passports are up to date and are valid until December 2024.  All students will also need a valid EHIC/GHIC card and these are readily available from:  https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

There will be a meeting for all students and parents in our school theatre at 5.00pm on Monday 22 April 2024.  At this time, we can give all necessary information, collect in passports and answer any pressing questions you may have.  I look forward to seeing you then.

Rewards

As always, we have concluded this term with a couple of  Reward and Celebration events. The 30 students with the most rewards points within the year group were invited to a Rewards Celebration Event where pupils were treated to pizza and chips in the canteen.

    

In our end of term Celebration Assembly,  a number of Year 8 students received certificates to acknowledge their achievements and successes from the Autumn Term between Data 1 (December 2023) to Data 2 (March 2024).

Certificates were awarded across three categories to the top two students in each college:

• Achievement (progress against own targets)
• Attainment (highest average points scored)
• Most Reward Points

The tables below show which students received which certificates. All recipients should be extremely proud of their excellent efforts and high levels of engagement across this past term!

Reward Points
 

Top Rewards per College

Achievement Progress

When we return to school in April for the summer term, work will begin on getting ready for the end of year examinations for our Year 8 students.  Having seen the enormous amounts of effort put in over the course of my first term at NLS, I am sure that there will be some enormous successes for them at the end of the school year.

Finally, I would like to thank all parents and carers for the warm welcome you have given me at NLS and for your support over the course of this spring term. It has been very much appreciated.

I wish you all a very happy Easter break and I am looking forward to the summer term!

Mr. Boyes
Year 8 Lead