2012.10

Christopher Whitehead Language CollegeChristopher Whitehead Language CollegeChristopher Whitehead Language CollegeChristopher Whitehead Language College Headteacher: Neil S Morris B.Ed, M.A.

Bromwich Road, Worcester WR2 4AF Telephone: 01905 423906 Fax: 01905 420788 Email: [email protected] Website: www.christopherwhitehead.worcs.sch.uk

“In pursuit of excellence”

December 2010

Dear Parents and Carers

We apparently live ‘in interesting times’. This is politicians’ speak for daily cuts, with sport, specialist funding and teacher training being the most recent targets. Whatever your political viewpoint, cutting education budgets has always seemed like a short term, foolish policy. At the risk of paraphrasing Whitney Houston, I believe the children are our future and we are trying to give them a sense of pride, ‘teach them well and let them lead the way’!

Commiserations go to our Year 11 footballers who fell in the quarter finals of the English Cup 1-2 but hope to defend their County Cup. Congratulations to our Year 10 rugby team who dismantled Nunnery Wood 19-5 with J Evans scoring two tries and to our U12 netballers for a close win over Blessed Edward Oldcorne.

Thank you to the nine staff and 65 students who took up the funding provided by Positive Opportunities for Worcester (POW) for a weekend of adventure at a PGL centre. If you think you or your family may be entitled to support please contact Sue Falconer in the LSC.

For now, continue reading to enjoy some of the fabulous successes of our marvellous students.

May I wish you a very happy, peaceful Christmas and thank you for your continued support.

Neil S Morris (Headteacher) Cashless Catering Update The “go live “date for the new system is Monday 17th January . Just to remind you, from then on no money will be taken at the till points and students must credit their accounts by using the revaluation units or preferably by parents/carers paying on line or by cheque.

Detailed information on how to pay will be sent out during the first week back after Christmas.

There will be catch up sessions, for those students who have not yet had their biometrics registered, during the first 2 weeks in January and students will be given details of the times and location for these. We will also be talking to students about the management of their accounts and how to operate the revaluation units.

Please refer to our website where there is more information on the cashless system. Academy Status Consultation You should have received a letter last week that was given to your child to bring home explaining the consultation process. If you missed it, please see our website for further details and a copy of the response form you can use to let us know what you think. Gymnastics Winners In November, we entered the U13 West Midlands Schools Gymnastics Championships in Stoke on Trent for the first time ever and we won! We also won the individual competition (Georgia Roberts 8DGLM). We have now qualified for the National Finals in May 2011. The team members are: Georgia Roberts, Natasha Gordon, Hollie Morgan, Elena Reid, Dani Baker and Georgina Austin-Brown. Abigail Upfield and Amy Salter also competed. U16 Football Congratulations go to the following boys who have been selected to represent the County at football: Ryan Gwilliam, Ben Mitchell, Martin Welsby, Jordan Merton and Tom Baker. Trampolining Well done to Bronte Smith (Y8) and Paige McNeil (Y7) who were winners in the St John's Jets trampolining competition in November. County Rugby Congratulations go to Blade West (Y10) who has been selected for the county rugby team.

Student Name _______________________

Blade West

“In pursuit of excellence”

Netball Congratulations to Ella Blizzard and Carly Nutt who have been selected for the West Midlands regional netball squad. Young Chef Competition Congratulations to James Brooking (Curie House) for gaining 3rd place in the Worcestershire Rotary Club Young Chef of the Year Competition. James was a credit to the school representing CWLC in a cook-off with 10 other schools. Well done! Thank you to Mr Brighton (Chef) for working with James to prepare him for the competition. European Visitors In November, 11 teachers from France, Italy and Slovenia visited the school. They were on a course to develop bilingual teaching in humanities and came to CWLC mainly because of our very positive Ofsted report. They were very impressed with the school, particularly with the way our students took more responsibility for their learning rather than being spoon-fed information. Ironbridge Trip On a chilly but bright day just before half term, 70 Year 8 students took the opportunity to be involved in a joint trip between the history and DT departments. In the morning, they visited the Victorian Town at Ironbridge where they enjoyed learning about arts and crafts to link to the Year 8 work on the industrial revolution. The Victorian fair was a great hit as were the 'real' chips fried in beef fat! In the afternoon, they decamped to the Enginuity Centre where materials & structures, systems & control and energy could all be investigated through a series of interactive displays and all DT areas were studied. A great day was had by all and it is one that we hope to repeat in the future.

Values & Ethics Presentation On Wednesday 3rd November, the Zip Theatre Company came to our school to present a short production called 'SPARX'. It gave us a very strong message not to play with fire. The structure of the play was about a woman who had been arguing with her daughter on the 'phone, when the chip pan went up and her baby sons were killed in the fire. The eldest daughter was also later killed because she played with fire; along with one of the fire fighters. The message of the play was very effective and when we had the question session at the end we found out that it was based on a true story. Mel Mash (Year 8)

Introducing a New House Competition and the Wonderful World of Geosquishing!!! What is Geosquishing?

Anyone can geo-squish anything, anywhere! You can use any camera (phone or digital camera) to capture your geo-squishing! You have the opportunity to hold the world in your hands!!! Examples:

This competition is open

to all year groups. Please send photos you wish to enter to you Miss Farmer in room A13.

The closing date is 6th June 2011 so there’s lots of time to get snapping!!

“In pursuit of excellence”

Year 9 and 10 Trip to Paris We are delighted to be able to offer 35 students in Years 9 & 10 the exciting opportunity to visit Paris from 17th-20th March 2011. The trip is aimed at students currently studying, or planning to opt for, courses in modern languages, design technology and performing arts. The trip is being organised by the MFL, DT, and performing arts departments.

The trip includes a visit to Disneyland Paris where students studying performing arts will look at how the costumes, parades and shows are used to enhance the overall Disney experience for millions of tourists each year. Students studying DT will look at the 'imagineering' (imagination & engineering) of the rides in the park whilst students studying French will be expected to engage in a simple conversation with a native speaker. There will also be time in Paris itself looking at the world famous structures of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Rodin Sculpture Garden.

The cost of the trip is £260 per student. This includes travel, full board and the cost of all visits and activities. Please see Miss Farmer in A13 for a letter if you wish to go on this trip.

International Student Leaders This is a fantastic opportunity for students to help organise and lead international initiatives and activities. Students from all year groups are welcome to be part of the team. You will have the chance to...

• teach lessons in primary school; • run an international festival; • create guidance time activities; • create an international display board; • help towards creation of our Global Gazette.

You will receive a certificate at the end of the year that will look great in your progress file.

If you are interested please see Miss Farmer in room A13 as soon as possible.

Wanted – Tins for Food Technology Tins that can be used as cake tins or for storage are being sought by the technology department, i.e. Roses, Quality Street and biscuit tins. They can be left at either reception or students can bring them in to

room A1 – thank you. Wanted – Wood for Resistant Materials If parents have any wood pieces (hard or softwood) they do not require, DT would make use of them for KS4 students to practise hand tool skills and for making prototypes. If you can help please deliver them to the reception in the science block – thank you.

Reporting Student Absence Can we ask parents to please let us know if your child is unable to come to school. During the recent bad weather, although school was open, 178 students were absent. We had no reason provided for 86 of these! This creates a lot of work for us in contacting parents so that we can determine who is truanting and who is absent but parents have forgotten to let us know. To report absence please telephone the school on 01905 423906 and select option 1 for the attendance officer – please state who you are, who your child is and the reason for absence – thank you.

The ‘Friends’ of CWLC The Christmas Fayre was very well attended. Thank you to everyone who visited and took part. We are delighted to have made over £500 profit towards the purchase of a new minibus.

Upcoming events:

• The next Friends of CWLC meeting is Monday 10th January 7.30 – 9.00pm.

• An adults’ quiz night is on Friday 21st January from 7pm in the arts block hall, Bromwich Road.

• The students’ quiz evening from 6.00 – 8.00pm is on Friday 4th Feb in the arts block hall, Bromwich Road.

Further information to follow in the New Year.

Wanted – Tubes for Physics Used Pringle containers including their plastic lids and tube-like packaging from kitchen towel rolls and wrapping paper rolls are wanted by the physics department. Please bring them to the main office in the arts block – thank you.

Wanted – Used Stamps Mrs Done is collecting used stamps for the RSPB in aid of “Save the Albatross”. Please save them from any Christmas cards you may receive and give in to the main office in the arts block – thank you.

School Closure due to Severe Weather

In the unlikely event that school has to close please listen to Radio Wyvern or BBC Hereford &

Worcester for updates, alternatively visit the County Council website at:

www.worcestershire.whub.org.uk

The Highways team will also be updating any road closures on a regular basis.

“In pursuit of excellence”

Term Dates 2011

Spring Term 2011

Term starts Tue 4th Jan

Half term Mon 21st – Fri 25th Feb

TED (no students) Tue 15th Mar

Term ends Fri 8th Apr

Summer Term 2011

Term starts Tue 26th Apr

Bank Holiday Mon 2nd May

Half term Mon 30th May – Fri 3rd Jun

Term ends Fri 22nd Jul

CWLC Dates for your Diary

School ends at 3.30pm on Mondays and at 3.10pm for the rest of the week

Thu 16-Dec Yr.9 reports & Choices Booklets to parents

Fri 17-Dec Christmas Carol service - 12.30pm Worcester Cathedral

Fri 17-Dec Term ends

Tue 04-Jan Term starts

Mon 10-Jan Yr.11 ICT Functional Skills exams this week

Thu 13-Jan Yr.10 BTEC Art gallery visit

Thu 13-Jan Yr.10 Biology module 1

Thu 13-Jan Yrs. 10 & 11 core Science resit

Mon 17-Jan Yr.10 Chemistry module 1 & module 2 resit

Mon 17-Jan Cashless cafeteria system goes live today

Wed 19-Jan World War 2 Day & Vamos Theatre Co.

Wed 19-Jan Yr.10 Physics module 1 & Yr.11 Additional Science module 1

Thu 20-Jan Yr.11 Maths GCSE exam

Thu 20-Jan Yr.9 Parents & Choices Evening

Mon 24-Jan Yr.11 Geography resit module

Mon 24-Jan Yr.9 Choices sheets returned today

Wed 26-Jan Yr.11 mock interviews

Wed 26-Jan Yr.4 Indoor Athletics at CWLC (incl.Yr.10/11 sports leaders)

Wed 26-Jan WCoT Open Evening 5.00-8.00pm

Thu 27-Jan Yr.11 mock interviews

Thu 27-Jan Yr.10 R.E. GCSE module exam

Thu 27-Jan New York trip Parents Evening 6.00pm

Fri 28-Jan Yr.11 mock results issued in Guidance Time

Fri 28-Jan R.E. Media trip

Mon 31-Jan Yr.8 R.E. visits to Church this week

Mon 31-Jan Staff & Yr.11 photographs today

Thu 03-Feb History visit to Doctors Show - Year 11

Thu 03-Feb Yr.11 Aim Higher visit to Aston University

Wed 09-Feb Yr.10 Dip/Tet/Polio vaccinations

Fri 18-Feb Ski trip to Austria departs (returns 26 Feb.)

Fri 18-Feb Half term

Mon 28-Feb Term restarts

Term Dates 2011 – 2012

Autumn Term 2011

TED (no students) Mon 5th & Tue 6th Sept

Term Starts Wed 7th Sept

TED (no students) Fri 7th Oct

Half Term Mon 24th – Fri 28th Oct

Term Ends Tue 20th Dec

Spring Term 2012 Term Starts Wed 4th Jan

Half Term Mon 13th– Fri 17th Feb

TED (no students) Wed 7th Mar

Term Ends Fri 30th Mar

Summer Term 2012 Term Starts Mon 16th Apr

Bank Holiday Mon 7th May

Half Term Mon 4th – Fri 8th Jun

TED (no students) Thu 21 Jun

Term Ends Fri 20th Jul