«Dear Parents and Carers Welcome to the Summer Term! As we enter the business end of the academic year, with the start of the public exams only a few ...»

The Knights Templar School

Headteacher: Park Street

Mr T. Litchfield, G.G.S.M. Baldock

Herts

SG7 6DZ

Email: admin@ktemplar.herts.sch.uk Tel: 01462 620700

www.ktemplar.herts.sch.uk Fax: 01462 620701 PARENTAL WEEKLY UPDATE – 21st April 2016 (available on our website) Dear Parents and Carers Welcome to the Summer Term!

As we enter the business end of the academic year, with the start of the public exams only a few weeks away and the internal exams starting after half term, can I please remind you that there is a wide range of advice on the school website aimed at parents. Having a quiet space where students can work and revise is vital. Please do take a few minutes to look at the powerpoint slides and other information provided (http://www.ktemplar.herts.sch.uk/KTSParent-guide-to-exams/).

Our year 10 students were given some outstanding advice regarding revision in our ‘Revision Cracked’ sessions over the last two days. These sessions have been brought forward to ensure the best possible preparation for the upcoming GCSE Science and internal exams. Tim Foot presented a wide range of ideas for revision as well as giving all students an excellent revision booklet. If you have a child in year 10, please do ask them to share with you what they found useful and have a look at the booklet yourselves as it really is a terrific document.

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) was tackled in a hard hitting presentation to year 9 students on Tuesday when a theatre group presented ‘Chelsea’s choice’ as a play. Chelsea’s Choice is a real life story and was acted brilliantly by our visiting theatre company. There was an opportunity at the end for some questions. This was a really good session and the feedback from the students was very positive indeed.

th We are holding our Year 7 Parents’ Evening next Tuesday, 26 April. I am aware that some parents have had difficulty in arranging meetings with all the staff they would like to see. May I apologise for this. I will be around on the evening and would welcome the opportunity to hear how things are going.

I wrote to you on a previous parental bulletin about the use of email as a means of communicating to staff, explaining that staff cannot respond immediately to emails and it may take up to 48hrs for a response. However, there have been many occasions recently of parents emailing or ringing to leave a message at reception to excuse their son or daughter from their PE lesson that day. We cannot guarantee this message will be received and read by the PE department in sufficient time for it to be acted upon. Can I therefore remind you of the procedures for the PE

department which are explained on our website:

“Injuries and medical conditions  Pupils must bring a written note to the lesson. For longer term or ongoing medical conditions, pupils should provide a medical note.

 Pupils are expected to bring their full PE kit for all lessons, even if they are not participating due to an injury. This will ensure they are still able to engage in the learning of the lesson through activities such as coaching, leading, officiating and evaluating work.

 Pupils will not be excused from PE for the following reasons: illness*, period, fasting, asthma.

*Illness: if pupils are well enough to attend school, then the expectation from the school is that they are well enough to try all of their lessons, including PE” Kind Regards, Tim Litchfield Headteacher

Dates for your diary:

Friday 22.4.

16 G&T Athletics Training at Ridlins, Stevenage – 8am – 3.20pm Saturday 23.4.16 Bronze DofE Assessment Expedition Monday 25.4.16 Bronze DofE Assessment Expedition returns Yr 11, 12 & 13 Senior District Rounders Tournament, Stevenage, 2.20-6pm Tuesday 26.4.16 Yr 7 Parents Evening (including Peripatetic Consultations for Yr 7-13) 4pm-7.30pm Year 8 HPV Vaccinations, all day, K7 A2 & A level PE moderation Wednesday 27.4.16 Yr 11, 12 & 13 Senior Athletics Championships, Stevenage, 4-6.30pm Thursday 28.4.16 Yr 12 Art/Photography AS Exam, All Day Yr 7-13 County Athletics Combined Events Championships, Ware, All Day Yr 7 & 8 (7KA, 7TA, Yr 8 Set 1) Junior Maths Challenge, Period 5, Hall 2.20-3.20pm Friday 29.4.16 Yr 12 Art/Photography AS Exam, All Day Visitors from Moldova, 10.30-11.30 all day

Alto Ego creative solutions visited the year 9 students on Tuesday and delivered a 40 minute play called Chelsea’s choice, based on the diary entry of a young girl called Chelsea who had been sexually exploited from the age of 14. The actors’ energetic and emotional performance delivered a strong message and raised awareness of child sexual exploitation. Their final message to Year 9, supported by the song by A Great Big World, was Say Something! Sensitive issues like child exploitation need to be talked about so I encourage all year 9 students to share at home their experience of Chelsea’s Choice.

Biology Olympiad students earn Silver & Bronze Three KTS Year 13 Biologists have won silver and bronze medals in the national Biology Olympiad. Along with more than 6,000 students from over 500 schools, they sat two demanding hour long papers designed to stretch and challenge the most able biology students.

Building on other medal successes over the past few years, Kate Bennett and Bethany Jones came away with bronze medals for attaining in the top 15% of results,, whilst Amelia Ellis walked away with a Silver medal and is amongst the top 10% of results across the whole country.

Students from many from top private schools enter the Olympiad so to have won three medals is a great achievement and the students should be really proud of themselves.

Any Year 12 Biologists interested in entering next year’s competition should see Mrs Allman or Mr Chantrell for more details.

Hertfordshire County Junior Fencing Championships Dylan Daniel (8 Knights) took part in the Hertfordshire U14 Boys foil championships at Hertfordshire University Campus in Hatfield on 2nd April. In his preliminary pool of 7 fencers Dylan dropped only 3 hits, winning 6 out of 6 fights to begin the direct elimination (knock-out) stage ranked No 1.

He then went on to win his Quarter final 10-4 and the semi-final 10-5 to set up a final against the no.3 ranked fencer Tiger Campbell-Yates from Fencers Club London. In a hard fought final Dylan was never behind and kept his nerve to remain unbeaten and win 10-8 taking the cup and gold medal as the under 14 boys Hertfordshire County Champion. Well done Dylan!

Year 7 Parents’ Evening Thank you to all those who have made appointments for the Year 7 Parents' Evening being held on Tuesday 26th April.

There are still a few Parents/Guardians who haven't yet booked appointments. Please be aware that the online booking system closes on Friday 22nd April @ 11pm.

All students are expected to attend and wearing full school uniform.

If you have any problems with making appointments, please don't hesitate in contacting me.

Mrs K Curtis, Year 7 Leader Library News Shakespeare – Celebrating 400 years Throughout the year the library will be hosting a series of events and activities celebrating arguably the greatest ever play write, Mr William Shakespeare (1564-1616).

Displays, posters, and activities can be seen within the library and school corridors, and later in the term we will be hosting an after school screening of a piece of live theatre. More details to follow.

This is an International celebration, with a huge wealth of information accessible in libraries, on TV and via the Internet.

Here are just a few sites and events you might want to explore.

BBC CBBC Shakespeare: Games, Clips, Facts http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/curations/shakespeare Posters Carelpress.co.uk Book Review http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/genre/sha/ShakespeareAnniversary.html

ACT / SING / DANCE – SUMMER SKILLS!

Youth Music Theatre are holding Summer Skills Courses from July through to August across the UK for people aged 11 – 21.

The week long residential course will be in our area, Hemel Hempstead, 1st – 6th August and offers fun and creative training to help build confidence and learn essential performing arts skills. Contact www.youthmusictheatreuk.org or call 02085637725 for further details on other venues, dates, cost etc.

OPEN AUDITIONS for ‘James and the Giant Peach’ – Friday 6th May.

Herts County Youth Theatre with Watford Palace Theatre will be visiting Knights Templar School to hold open auditions from 4pm – 6pm.

The workshop auditions are open to anyone in school aged 13 – 19 wishing to perform or hold a production role. Rehearsals will be in the Summer holiday and Mondays and Wednesdays during September and October. The performances will be during October half term.

Those interested should speak to Mr Sills or email participation@watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk or call 01923 810307.

EST team plant nursery trees at Ivel Springs A small group of students met during the holidays to firstly to dig up the sapling trees that we planted three years ago behind the tech block. They have grown a lot since that time and we have then planted in the copse at Ivel Springs. This was part of schools project to grow on trees and then plant them out in the community. Thank you to the support from Phil Charsley of Friends of Baldock Green Spaces.

Music News Congratulations to Gabriel Taylor (year 8) who has been selected to play violin in the National Children’s Youth Orchestra.

Gabriel also entered the Royal Opera House Fanfare Competition and was shortlisted as one of the top 30 submitted fanfares.

A reminder that the rehearsals for all Music Tour ensembles are now taking place. Students coming on tour should follow the Music Department’s Twitter account @music_kts to ensure they receive regular updates and information.

As part of this year’s Baldock Festival, the Knights Templar School Jazz Spectacular will take place on Saturday 14th May at 7.30pm.

Tickets for this ever-popular concert are now on sale and can be purchased online via Wisepay, from the School Reception or from Baldock Community Centre and are priced at £8.00 (£5.00 Concession).

Beer, wine and soft drinks can be purchased at the concert from the KTS Parents’ Association Bar.

Congratulations to the following musicians for passing their recent Rockschool drum exams:

Arts Award Bronze for ALL Year 8 The Creative and Performing Arts Faculty have included an added bonus in this term’s projects for Year 8!

The Art, Drama and Music departments have been working together to allow all Year 8 students to complete Arts Award Bronze, which is a national qualification that recognises a child’s participation and engagement in the arts. All students will complete the tasks involved in Arts Award Bronze as the activities promote excellent study skills. Tasks will be completed during timetabled lessons and through homework.

In order to gain certification, the cost would normally be £20 per person, however, we have been able to secure some funding so that KTS students will receive a reduced cost for certification. More details will be sent via In-Touch in the next few weeks.

Arts Award Bronze is split into four parts. The table below shows in which subject the tasks will be completed.

Outside of school, Ben’s caring and giving nature is in evidence through his recent application to work for the Samaritan’s as a ‘listener’. Ben is awaiting a date for his training for this opportunity to begin. The initiative he has shown to seek out such an opportunity is a true testament to his outgoing personality.

Outside of school, Hannah has demonstrated her interest in Musical Theatre through her involvement in productions and related activities.

We are confident that we have appointed 2 excellent students to the assigned roles and expect them to make a fantastic contribution during their time as part of the Senior Prefect Team!

Student finance deadline A reminder to all year 13 students and their parents that the deadline for applications to be made for student finance is Friday 27th May 2016. It is imperative that applications are submitted on time to avoid the risk of not getting sufficient finance to start a university or college course in September. It is also crucial that applications are not left to the last minute, as complications or a late national surge of applications can still result in students not receiving their money on time.

A reminder that students who have decided to defer entry to university need not apply for finance this year and instead should apply in 2017.

KTS students visit Auschwitz Earlier this week Mila Vasey and Alex Massie (year 12) travelled to Poland for a day trip to Auschwitz, the former Nazi concentration camp.

This initiative was made available through the Holocaust Education Trust, with Alex and Mila representing KTS amongst 200 students from all over the UK.

In a recent conversation with Mila she stated:

‘I found the visit interesting but also rather disturbing. Seeing personal effects of so many of the people that were sent to the gas chambers, or stayed in one of the camps was rather daunting. However, I now believe that I have a more thorough understanding of what actually happened in the Auschwitz camps and as a result, even greater sorrow for the victims.’ Sixth form student works with young readers On Wednesday 16th March, I accompanied a group of very talented readers from Years 7 and 10 to visit Hitchin Girls’ School to take part in the North Herts Book/Author event. I worked with a specific group of KTS students throughout the day’s events which involved students reading books which have been selected by local librarians, and then discussing them in small groups. The books discussed by the Year 7 readers included: The Bubblewrap Boy by Phil Earle, Curses and Smoke by Vicky Alvear, and Smart by Kim Slater. The Year 10 students discussed different novels such as Bomb Maker by Claire McFall; We were liars by E. Lockheart, and The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson.