Newsletters

News from Mr Grady

Hello Everyone!

It occurred to me, minutes after last week's newsletter went live, that as it was going out on the 23rd April, I could have mentioned Shakespeare's birthday.  Or I could have talked about St George's Day.  The fact that I forget to mention Shakespeare means that I hang my head in shame as an English teacher.  I mean, I could have got hundreds of words out of Shakespeare.  None better than his own, but there you are.  Of course, it means that I've got plenty to talk about in the newsletter this time next year!

And that in itself, is perhaps something to be pleased about.  I'd forgotten these two quite large things in the calendar, because at the moment, I suspect we feel as though we can't do much about the bigger things, but can really focus on the smaller things.  So talking about listening to birdsong, and improving my listening last week, was something I could control, and so it was something at the forefront of my mind.  

We could all drive ourselves potty thinking about, reflecting on, and trying to control all those large things in our life that are happening to us all, but the important thing, I think, is perhaps to try (I say try - this isn't always easy) to only worry about the things you can actually control.  

I know I can spend inordinate amounts of time winding myself up, adding anxiety I don't need by speculating and indeed having discussions about all sorts of things that I have no control over, and worse, encouraging other people to have conversations about things none of us have any control over, whilst at the same time ignoring the things I could actually be productively doing!  

The cooker needs cleaning.  I've looked at it every day for a fortnight.  It needs a proper clean.  I know that if I clean it, which will take about an hour, that every time I cook in it or on it I'll feel really good about myself, and I'm likely not to get food-poisoning.  BUT INSTEAD I spent 45 minutes today scrolling through a load of social media posts and online articles, speculating and not getting any answers to things over which I have no control, and at the same time not feeling any better.  I then had to cook my lunch, and felt doubly bad.

I will assume you all have stories like this at the moment, and, as I get out the oven-cleaner and the rubber gloves, I can only urge you to take pleasure in the small things we can achieve.  You'll feel better for it!

I hope you are all staying well and safe,

Best wishes,
Mr Grady

Sixth Form Notices

Year 12 Students

The following UCAS pack has been emailed to all Year 12 students.

It provides tasks and activities to think about university choices.  Parents might want to have a read of it too, to discuss through some initial thoughts and ideas with their son/ daughter. 

More information and guidance will be fed regularly to students over the coming weeks. 

Year 13 Students

This week, Year 13 students should be finishing courses with their teachers, and next week we will be providing some University transition material. The Year 13 students have been notified that they their study period ends on  Friday 8th May. 

The Sixth Form Team would like to celebrate the following students for their hard work and dedication to their studies.

Senior Creative Writing Club

Anyone between Year 9 and 13 is welcome to join us.

Just send Mrs DB an email and she will join you to the club: we meet on a Thursday 1:30- 2:15 via Microsoft Teams.

Here is a wonderful poem by Ellie Shawcross in Year 13:

eleven

you see the world through rose-tinted glasses and say it’s your favourite colour.
you call it love, black and shadowy against a lurid sky,
love as deep as a bottle of cheap liquor smashed over ice,
the hum of naked bulbs against your stardust skin.
who cares about the black and the blue when the radio is playing your favourite song
and he’s touching you like that?
thick fingers and fists, a dime in his pocket just for you.
be a doll, won’t ya?
you complain of the heat as if your hands aren’t in the fire,
crying even though you promise you love the burn.
you clutch your heart like a shattered plate and ask me why it hurts.
i give you paper planes and porcelain yachts and you throw them
back in my face,
packing them in a suitcase and placing them on the front step.
you see him through rose-tinted glasses and say he’s your favourite colour.

for the first time, I believe you.

Poem inspired by
the Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Royal Academy’s Young Artists’ Summer Show 2020

Evie Hancock in Year 8 has submitted this artwork into the Royal Academy’s Young Artists’ Summer Show 2020

https://youngartists.royalacademy.org.uk/about

We wish her the best of luck and are keeping our fingers crossed for the outcomes later on in the summer!

Life and Death

I wanted to show the idea of life after death. I also wanted to depict the contrast between life and death and by using the same mediums, in both the living and dead parts of the image, I allowed it to contradict itself. This contradiction embodies the differing ideas about life after death.

Acrylic, watercolour and ink on paper, A3.

Message from Ms Richmond

Dear All,

Next week sees the 75^th anniversary of VE Day (the day that marked the end of WW2 in Europe) and we should have had a day off school on Friday 8 May.  The country was planning a number of events such as street parties and a march past which obviously can’t happen at this time. 

This link has a lot of activities that you could do at home such as cooking ration recipes, trying out WW2 make up tips and a play list of WW2 music as well as some more info on the events themselves.

If anyone does try any I’d love a picture of what you’ve been up to.

Take care,
Ms Richmond

75 years since British troops liberated Bergen-Belsen

This month marks 75 years since British troops liberated the Nazi concentration camp Bergen-Belsen. 

Earlier this year, two of our Year 12 Philosophy students took part in a legacy project to commemorate this anniversary: to remember all those who perished there, and to hear the stories of some who survived. 

Here is a poem written by Emily Smith, following her visit to the Bergen-Belsen site.

"After my visit to Bergen Belsen I was inspired to somehow put my thoughts and feelings into words, thus I wrote a poem from the perspective of someone who was at Bergen Belsen but now much older. I used butterflies as a metaphor for the Jewish people. The way in which the lines become shorter and shorter represent the decaying nature of Belsen and the unfortunate amount of lives we lost. I tried to capture the conflicting feelings people may experience - one that Belsen can represent hope in that from darkness becomes light but also that for those that witnessed it that there will forever be haunted by the sights they see".  

Emily Smith, Year 12

National Theatre at Home

National Theatre at Home launched on YouTube on April 2, and now, every Thursday (7pm) sees a new National Theatre play released – free to watch for one week – along with bonus content including cast and creatives Q&As and post-stream talks.

What’s on this week? Thursday 30^th April – Frankenstein

Filmed live in 2011 from the stage of the National Theatre in London, this thrilling, sold-out production became an international sensation, experienced by more than 800,000 people in cinemas around the world. Directed by Academy Award®-winner Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire), this production of Frankenstein sees Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange, Hamlet, Sherlock) and Jonny Lee Miller (Elementary, Trainspotting) alternating between the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his creation.

Childlike in his innocence but grotesque in form, Frankenstein’s bewildered creature is cast out into a hostile universe by his horror-struck maker. Meeting with cruelty wherever he goes, the increasingly desperate and vengeful Creature determines to track down his creator and strike a terrifying deal.

This filmed performance is recommended for ages 12 and up. This recording has been adjusted for YouTube.

You can watch both versions of Frankenstein on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJgBmjHpqgs4rKf-Xlvhbw2ihlM8eN4rT

Benedict Cumberbatch performing as the creature from 30 April at 7pm, to 7 May at 7pm.
Jonny Lee Miller performing as the creature from 1 May at 7pm, to 8 May at 7pm.

Please find below information that has been passed to us that may be of interest to you and your family.

Do check frequently as it's updated every day

Latest information on coronavirus from Warwickshire County Council

Warwickshire Family Information Service Newsletter
Friday April 24th Edition
Tuesday April 28th Edition

Click HERE for the Parent Support Guide and links

Click Here for more information on telephone access for parents/carers for the Educational Psychology Service

Empowering children and young people to build resilience and to fulfill their potential

ThinkNinja is an app specifically designed to educate 10-18 year olds about mental health, emotional wellbeing and to provide skills young people can use to build resilience and stay well. ...read more information

Click Here for the latest information from Compass Young People

Are you in isolation ? 
Do you need to talk to someone?

https://www.thehelphub.co.uk/

This is a free interactive challenge that is usually sent out to schools but has been adapted for parents to do at home with their children in the current circumstances.  ...for more information