The Bay CE School Inspire Magazine - Summer 2023

Dance Live Winners King’s Coronation

Yellow House Walk

A message from Peter Higgin Chair of Governing Board

Reading through the magazine and the addresses from leaders, there is much to reflect on this term and indeed this year. Looking at the all-through school at 5 is quite a moment, not least for pupils whose journey through The Bay may well have begun some 11 years ago as a child in Reception on the primary site aged 5. Like that 5 year old, the all-through school is early in its journey and lifetime, but has made great leaps forward this year and we relish the possibilities of the next 5 years of growth.

One of the most pleasing achievements this year is the news of a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating. A big congratulations to all the school community involved in securing this, as the report said ‘it is no mean feat!’. As we know, you can never sum up a school in a word. The truth is that behind this word is a culture of care and dedication to ensuring the very best outcomes for all students and pupils. Alongside this, an environment for staff to help students and pupils achieve their best. The events; sporting, academic, performative or other, detailed in this edition of ‘Inspire’ are testament to this. The memories of these moments are what students will carry with them, alongside their academic achievements these are the memories that will last a lifetime. Well done to all involved.

The governing board continues to work alongside leaders at the school. We execute our core functions - Holding leaders to account for education performance, Overseeing school finances and Ensuring a clarity of vision, ethos and strategic vision. We continue to work with the school to help develop and strengthen to ensure it can be its very best.

This year has been yet another tough one. On behalf of the governing board I wish all staff a well deserved summer break and thank you for your hard work and dedication.

Congratulations to all pupils leaving, we’re so pleased that you have been able to partake in the rites of passage that come with the end of your time at school. We can’t wait to see what you go on to achieve.

A message from Nina Lawrence Head of School (Primary)

As the academic year draws to a close, it is wonderful to look back on the vast array of exciting experiences that our pupils have accessed this year. We have continued to maintain a strong sporting position on the Island, with pupils qualifying for football, cricket, incrediball and athletics finals, as well as our amazing success in winning Dance Live. We have also facilitated a wide variety of educational visits, including a residential trip to London. We have been so impressed by our pupils taking part in these competitions and activities and for often pushing themselves out of their personal comfort zones and facing a challenge. It has also been pleasing to receive such high praise from members of the public who encounter our pupils at these events; hearing how they emanate our school values always fills me with pride.

As our recent Ofsted inspection highlighted, ‘Expectations for pupils to work hard and be successful are evident throughout. Consequently, pupils gain the knowledge they need for a successful future.’ Our Year 6 cohort are about to embark on the next phase of their future and we are pleased that we have been able to provide them with the foundations for success. They have been an inspiration for our younger cohorts, demonstrating a love of learning and positive behaviour. We look forward to hearing of their successes and send them off with our very best wishes.

Finally, I must add that none of the experiences highlighted within this edition of our Inspire magazine would be possible without the dedication and, at times, sheer resilience and determination of our staff team. I am so fortunate to work alongside a group of highly skilled and motivated practitioners who continuously strive for the very best for the children and families within our community. I wish them, yourselves and your children a wonderful summer break and look forward to seeing you all in September.

A message from Duncan Mills, Executive Headteacher

The summer term has been full of successes, opportunities and celebrations across the school; from the King’s Coronation, Year 6 Transition Day, Yellow House Walk, Year 11 Prom, various sporting successes, a huge array of trips across both the primary and secondary sites, as well as GCSE exams and Key Stage 2 national tests for year 6 pupils. I must give a special mention to some outstanding Performing Arts successes this term; winning the Regional Dance Live final, the fantastic Matilda Jnr Production and our choir being invited to sing at the Isle of Wight Education Awards. I am so pleased that alongside their education in school, our students have so many rich opportunities.

As we come to the end of the fifth academic year as an all-through school, our school has gone from strength to strength. Our recent Ofsted report judging us as a good school is testament to all of the hard work from staff, students and our local community.

A very special announcement linked to our secondary site! I received news today that the school has been included in tranche 1 of the new DfE school rebuilding project. The DfE has prioritised schools according to the condition of their buildings, so we are delighted to hear that we are part of the first phase of development. The programme, due to start in the new academic year, will involve the replacement of West Block with new technology, computing and science classrooms. Wonderful news to receive at the end of term.

So finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff and volunteers across both sites for your hard work and support throughout the year. As a school, we would also like to wish all parents, carers and students a safe and restful summer break and look forward to welcoming everyone back at the start of the Autumn term.

A message from Emma Bowden

Headteacher (Secondary)

Prom? Ball? What’s the actual difference, and does it matter?

Well: On Thursday 22nd June in the charming setting of Landguard Manor, was billed as a prom. Great food, great company, fantastic attire, and some joyous dancing – surely they were both the same type of event, just with a different badge?

‘That’s just an Americanism,’ my mother declares annually around this time of year. I typically use the weekend before a prom to dust off my prom attire which, if nothing else, gives me something to talk to her about during our regular phone calls. And she’s sort of right. ‘Prom’ does conjure up images of dances in American high school movies (Get ready for next year’s production - hint hint!). For those of and over a certain age, that means Grease, Back to the Future or the horrors of Carrie. But does that make proms any less traditional or significant? I would argue not.

Records of proms, or ‘promenade dances’ to give them their full title, date back to the late 19th Century in Massachusetts, so there’s already a fair weight of history behind that label. The term ‘Ball’ is of course older, deriving its name from the Latin word ‘ballare’, meaning ‘to dance’, and was possibly first used to describe a formal dancing party in the 12th century. However, the ‘Debutante Ball’, the forerunner to the current school ball, was an 18th century concept and not the most savoury of affairs. They provided the first opportunities for young women of ‘civilised society’ to essentially be paraded in front of eligible bachelors. Painful outfits aside, the corruption and objectification of young women helped perpetuate the concept that girls were commodities, possessions that could be sold by fathers to suitors. Astonishingly, variants of these balls still exist in certain circles worldwide, despite Queen Elizabeth II banning them in royal court in 1958. Thankfully, the school prom, along with all of our trips, acting roles in the fantastic production of Matilda, Amy Clarke (and David Morris) achieving top awards at The IOW Education Awards and a fantastically inclusive Year 6 Transition Day is significantly detached from the debutante model, and possibly owes its identity more to the discos of the 1970s and 80s, thereby making the ‘school prom’ a more traditional event, despite its North American roots. Whatever we or anyone else calls them, the prom was hugely enjoyed, and played a significant role in the BayJourney of the first cohort of Bay students starting in September 2018. For the staff, it was a privilege to share these ‘rites of passage’ with our students. This year group, who collectively faced the biggest academic challenges of their lives to date, embraced the opportunities to make themselves and their friends feel special for an evening, to enjoy each others’ company, and to celebrate both their own hard work and the wonderful times they have spent together.

Prom? Ball? It doesn’t matter: both are magical. Wishing you all a safe, happy and fun Summer break!

Trips

At the Bay we place great value on visits and trips. We know that pupils learn so much when exploring outside of the classroom and gaining real-world experiences, opening their minds to different cultures and strengthening their knowledge of the world around them. We work really hard to offer as many opportunities for our pupils as possible and to bring their learning to life.

Primary pupils have been incredibly lucky this term to experience some fantastic trips. Here are a summary of recent trips:

Reception - Butterfly World, Sandown Library, Los Altos Park

Year 1 - Carisbrooke Castle, Butterfly World

Year 2 - Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Year 3 - Brading Roman Villa

Year 4 - Brading Roman Villa, Residential to Urban Saints (including a day trip to Go Ape in Hampshire)

Year 5 - Natural History Museum, London, Winchester Science Museum

Year 6 - London, UKSA Sailing, River Medina Geography trip, Blackgang Chine, Bowling

As a reward for good behaviour and attendance, pupils on the secondary site were given the opportunity to attend an end of year trip. They all had an excellent time and enjoyed a day off site taking part in a wide range of activities including: Robin Hill, Lymington Water Park, Chessington and Thorpe Park. We have also offered a variety of university trips throughout the year to inspire our pupils to aim high. Year 10 pupils recently enjoyed a cultural trip to the Tate Gallery in London.

As part of the school’s programme to offer international trips that encourage teamwork, independence and, of course, fun, 76 students aged from Years 9 - 11 took to the slopes in Austria in April. Pupils enjoyed 6 full days of skiing with instructors on the beautiful slopes of Nassfeld.

Dance Live Regional Champions!

Pupils at the primary site were celebrating after beating 106 schools to win first place in the Southern Regional Final of Dance Live at Portsmouth Guildhall on Friday 28th April.

They secured a place in the final after winning the regional heat on 23rd February.

The group travelled over to Portsmouth Guildhall, after months of preparation and perfecting of their dance routine. The entry ‘Save Our Rainforest’ was performed by 51 pupils, in front of an audience of over 300 people.

Judges commented that they loved the different parts within the dance, from the office workers, woodman and the different animals to explain the story. They were impressed with the facial expressions of the children performing. All three judges laughed at the way the sloth tried to do the dance moves!

The school would like to thank all of the children for their hard work over the past 6 months and their parents and carers for their support. They are also grateful to local companies who kindly donated money to help them perform at the final: Wilkinsons Pies, ICR Touch, Howdens Newport, Amazon World and ICR Systems.

“When myself and our two Year 6 representatives, Sienna Pierce and Orlaith Burton, were on stage listening to the results, we could not believe we had won the final! It was very emotional and I couldn’t have been more proud of the children and team of staff who helped get us there. I would especially like to thank the local businesses that donated money to support us participating in the final as, without them, we may not have been able to attend.”

Mrs S Dunford

Celebrating the King’s Coronation

The whole school on the primary site came together to celebrate the King’s Coronation in May. Dressed in red, white and blue they attended a Coronation assembly and sang ‘Sing for the King’ and ‘I just can’t wait to be King.’

Each class took part in a range of activities linked to the Coronation and learnt about a coronation through time.

At lunch time, everyone enjoyed a picnic outside, followed by games.

Congratulations to Barney in Year 6 who won the competition to design a Coronation logo to be printed on a drawstring bag. All children took home a bag with Barney’s logo design on it as a commemoration.

Rennovated Sports Centre

There was an official opening for The Bay CE School Sports Centre in April after it underwent extensive refurbishment. Local councillors attended the opening, they met with pupils, had a tour of the sports centre and learnt about the benefits they get from using the facility in their PE lessons and extra-curricular clubs.

The refurbishment at the secondary site on The Fairway included brand new changing rooms and toilets, a refurbished Sports Hall and a new Fitness Suite and Gym.

The Sports Centre is used by The Bay CE School for PE lessons for both primary and secondary pupils and is also let out for community use. The refurbishment was the first phase of development at The Bay CE School secondary site under the Building Schools for the Future Programme

Matilda Jnr Production

Pupils brought Matilda Jnr to life in their outstanding production on 6th and 7th July 2023. The audience were thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination. With fantastic songs, great group dance routines, comedy, and drama, this year’s production had it all.

In the leading role was Mary S as Matilda, giving a brilliant performance of the unloved and underappreciated youngest child of the Wormwood’s. She was supported by Charlotte J who was the embodiment of Miss Honey, Matilda’s loveable teacher; and Ember S shone in her outstanding performance as Miss Trunchball, the school’s mean headmistress who hates children.

“Throughout the show, Mary was a perfect Matilda: she joined the ensemble singing but her lovely voice really came into its own in ‘Naughty’, as she plotted those tricks on her father.”

“Ember was terrifyingly brilliant as Miss Trunchbull, from her boots and mac to her evil eye, to her habit of throwing children across the room by their plaits and threatening to send them to Chokey. I can see why the children were scared of her – I think I was!”

“I would love to mention each and every one of the wonderful cast of Matilda by name, because they were all fabulous – I also loved ‘When I Grow Up’…in fact I loved the whole show, and as so often, whatever the talents – and there were plenty – in the main cast of characters, it was the ensemble that really made the show.”

“As well as, of course, the people working backstage: the setting changed frequently… (with) well rehearsed slick changes, the action was fast paced and seamless – well done to all concerned”

Maureen Sullivan,

IW Theatre Review

“It was faultless, showcased some amazing talent and was a great evening.”

“Well done to all who put on this wonderful show. It is so important for young people to have these positive experiences.”

“The characterisation by all of the students was outstanding. It was lovely to see the enthusiasm and total immersion in the performance from every student involved.”

Sports Days

Children from Reception class up to Year 10 competed in Sports Days at the end of term. The children performed superbly and they all enjoyed taking part in the many events. Well done to all of the sports leaders who did a fantastic job helping to run the sports days and make them such a success.

Congratulations to Green House who took the title on the primary site.

Congratulations to Red House who took the title on the secondary site with 751 points.

Primary Results

Secondary Results

Isle of Wight Education Awards

Congratulations to David Morris (Science Technician) and Amy Clarke (Deputy SENDCO and Teacher of The Cove) for winning their respective categories of the Unsung Hero Award and Unleashing the Potential Award at the IOW Education Awards on Friday 23rd June.

David Morris won the Unsung Hero Award. Eric, the Judge said

“David really does serve his community – humble, gentle and caring – he will do anything for anyone. I know this award will mean the world to him and he is incredibly deserving of it.

He is reliable and dependable and is loved in the department by everyone! David has gone above and beyond in sourcing grants and making links with external agencies. During lockdown, David helped develop a piece of ground in the school into a beautiful garden – this has then developed a gardening club. Within this club, David has taken children with additional needs under his wing which has developed their sense of belonging.”

Amy Clarke won the Unleashing the Potential Award. Lizzie, the Judge said

“Amy has transformed the provision for the most vulnerable pupils at The Bay. Her impact on pupils’ attainment and achievement is clearly evident. Her leadership has ensured a clear vision on how to support all SEND pupils to achieve. Her dedication to ensuring the provision is right for her pupils includes designing a scheme of work to build 10 golden skills for each subject; fitting a kitchen in the school holidays; and creating a school garden.

Amy builds relationships with her pupils’ parents that are vital to build student success and one parent simply stated “Amy saved him.”

She has broken down the barriers that can exist for students between resourced provision and the mainstream. Under her vision, pupils are thriving because they feel valued and included.”

Year 6

As the term draws to a close on what has been a momentous year both in school and externally, we, as Year 6 staff, would like to say a massive well done to all of the children for their resilience, enthusiasm, commitment and kindness over the year. Every child has tried his and her very best to achieve, taken on challenges in terms of behaviour and learning and responded in a mature and positive way. With cheerful good humour and a determination to succeed, children have taken part in additional support sessions, sometimes in more than one learning area.

Within the wider curriculum, we have seen some incredible creative work, cooking skills and artistic masterpieces, whilst, on the sports field and when representing the school on educational visits, Year 6 children have modelled responsibility and cooperation at a very high level. Caring for others has also been a core element of this group of children with superb eco champions, cyber ambassadors, house captains and sports and health leaders, to name but a few.

Thank you to all of you and we wish you all the very best for the future.

Year 11 Prom

The Year 11 Prom took place at Landguard Manor on Thursday 23rd June. Pupils arrived on the red carpet, played garden games, enjoyed a BBQ and a DJ set - including special awards and the crowning of prom royalty. The Year 11 pupils had a fantastic evening, enjoying the sunshine and dancing into the evening.

“It was such a fantastic evening, with much deserved celebrations for my wonderful year group. It’s been an absolute pleasure to get to know them all so well for the last five years. They have put in such a lot of hard work over the exam period, they deserved a brilliant prom.”

Ms Jones, Year 11 Manager

Sports Update

We have had lots of sporting successes this term in both our primary and secondary sports teams. Here are just a few highlights:

Primary

• The U9 girls’ football team were crowned U9 champions after beating Ryde School 4-0 in the final.

• U10 boys’ football team were cup final winners.

• As part of Hampshire School Games weeks, some Year 6s got the opportunity to go to Winchester and take part in the Hampshire Festival! This was a fantastic opportunity for the children to try out new sports and activities. They tried Ultimate Frisbee, Frisbee Golf and Squash. They had a wonderful day, enjoying sports they had not tried before.

• Children from Key Stage 2 took part in the East Wight Cross Country competition at Bembridge’s Steyne Park. It was a truly wonderful event with The Bay not only showing off their running talent, but their team spirit. The Y3/4 girls team came 1st and the Y5/6 boys team came 3rd.

• All pupils in Years 2-6 had a ‘Chance to Shine’ cricket session on Friday 9th June. Cricket coaches spent the day in school giving pupils a fun taster session into cricket.

• Key Stage 2 children got an opportunity to take part in a cricket festival at Shanklin & Godshill Cricket Club. Year 3/4s did a circuit of different activities that focused on the key skills in cricket; batting, bowling, overarm throwing, and running. Year 5s got the chance to do the same circuit of activities, looking at how far they could bat, how many times they could throw and hit the stumps, and how many runs they got in an amount of time. At the end of the circuit, the Year 5s got the opportunity to play a small game of diamond crickets against one of the other schools.

• Children from Year 4 had the chance to attend the PEACH Games at West Wight Sports Centre. They got an opportunity to taste different activities and sports, including Boccia, New Age Kurling, Seated Volleyball, and Archery. They even spent time with the First Responders learning how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator.

• U11 girls’ cricket team got through to the semi-finals.

• U10 cricket team were crowned island champions!

• U11 cricket team narrowly lost the final against Niton.

• U11 cricket team narrowly lost the island finals of the incrediball competition against Carisbrooke.

• The Year 5/6 Quad Kids Athletics team came third.

Sports Update Secondary

• Year 8 boys’ rugby team were crowned Isle of Wight Champions after winning the rugby festival. The Year 7 team were runners up after narrowly losing in the final.

• Fifteen girls from Years 7-10 went to the Girls Island rugby tournament at Cowes Enterprise College. They won the tournament.

• Year 8 girls rounders team played a tournament at Cowes Enterprise College. They won one game and lost two.

• We hosted the Isle of Wight Schools Athletics Championships. Pupils were brilliant and represented the school with pride. We came second overall out of nine secondary schools who took part.

• Seven girls represented the school in the Island Showjumping Championships. In attendance were RosieMai H, Sophie B, Thea B, Olivia H, Hollie B, Ruby H and Freya J. A huge well done to all the girls for a fantastic effort all round. A special congratulations goes to Ruby H who jumped clean in both of her events and finished third after a jump-off final.

• Congratulations to Harvey A in Year 10 who has been selected by GB coaches to compete in the European Championships for Kick Boxing (full contact). This is a fantastic achievement and is all down to the hard work and dedication put in by Harvey.

• U13 girls cricket team played Medina College at Newclose Cricket Ground

• U15 girls cricket team came 2nd in the IOW girls cricket festival

• Four U15 students attended the Hampshire Athletics competition representing the IOW. Charlotte J won her Javelin event and was selected to represent Hampshire at the Inter-counties meet.

• Eleven U13 students represented the IOW at the Hampshire athletics championships on Wednesday 12th July.

• The U13 boys cricket team beatCarisbrooke in the final to become IOW Schools Cricket Champions.

• The U14 boys cricket team reached the IOW schools cup final and came runners up.

Celebrating Success

Rewards and celebrating success is an important part of life within The Bay CE School; students’ success both within and outside the classroom is rewarded. Rewarding students makes them feel valued, builds confidence and motivates them to achieve. In addition, rewarding good behaviour enables students to realise that desirable behaviour, self-discipline and responsibility to self and others is highly valued in our community.

Primary House Points

Pupils earn house points for displaying good behaviours, positive attitudes to learning and homework. The winning house is announced each week in our celebration assembly.

Best of The Bay

Best of The Bay stamps are used to promote good learning behaviours. For every 25 stamps awarded, a child receives a certificate of achievement, which is presented in Celebration Assembly.

25 stars = a bronze certificate

50 stars = a silver certificate

75 stars = a gold certificate

125 stars = a platinum certificate

Headteacher Award

Over the course of the year, children may be recommended for a headteacher award if they have produced exceptional work or demonstrated outstanding effort or enthusiasm. Pupils present their work to the Head of School and are awarded a prize and a certificate in the Celebration Assembly.

Celebrating Success

One of the ways that pupils are rewarded at the secondary site is through termly House Celebration Assemblies where they receive certificates in a variety of categories, including, individual subjects, participation in inter-house activities and attendance. Pupils also receive ‘Believe, Inspire, Excel’ awards; the award recipients are selected by their House Leader for demonstrating qualities that encompass our school ethos.

Annual presentation evenings are staged for all year groups in the summer term and provide an opportunity for families to celebrate sustained success and commitment within subject areas, pastoral work and across the school. Congratulations to all of the pupils who received awards at the recent Presentation Evenings and House Celebration Assemblies.

Excellent start for Reception children

The children in Reception have had a great first year at school. They have formed new friendships, learned how to share, co-operate and negotiate with others and have begun to understand the importance of our whole school valuesLove, Courage, Truth, Friendship and Respect.

They have all made such amazing progress from their individual starting points Each and every child has made great progress with their phonics, reading, writing and maths. They demonstrate enthusiasm and are learning and consolidating many new concepts every single day. They really enjoyed their exciting trips to Butterfly World, Los Altos and Sandown Library. They have settled so well into the routines of school. They wave good-bye to their parents and carers each morning at the gate, come into school with a smile and continue along their own learning journey! Well done to all of you!

You have made such amazing progress from the beginning of your Reception year and I am confident that you will continue to make good progress and that your own confidence will continue to grow as you move into Year 1. Keep working as hard as you can! Be the best that you can be! Remember that.

Year 6 Transition

It was wonderful to welcome the Year 6 pupils into school for a Transition Day in July. The children had an action packed day with a variety of taster lessons including Science, PE, Performing Arts and Technology. They got to know their tutors and tutor group, and watched a matinee performance of the school production Matilda Jnr.

Throughout their transition day our Year 6 pupils were supported not just by our staff, but also by an enthusiastic team of Year 9 & 10 student transition leaders who were a credit to themselves and the school - a genuine example of wonderful student leadership in action.

It was a great opportunity for the children to get a taster of life at secondary school and all of the exciting things they have to look forward to when they start in September.

High Fliers Programme

Our high flyer programme at secondary began with gusto this year; we managed to secure enrichment trips for all the year groups to experience different elements of university life. In addition to this, Year 8 and Year 9 have enjoyed working in partnership with Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, participating in two Teenteach events, an immersive day at Teemill Tech and a Hackathon day at Fareham College.

Teentech Innovation Hack

We recently took a group of High Flyer students to Fareham College to take part in the TeenTech Innovation Hack. The TeenTech Innovation day is designed to inspire and enable students to come up with their own ideas for the future by taking part in a supported hackathon with industry experts and getting hands on with cutting-edge technologies. The students took part in workshops which included using Microsoft HoloLens to interact virtually with a F1 car, simulating a pit stop. They took part in a Sport Science lab where they analysed their own gait and force pressure exerted by their feet. They interacted with an interactive NHS mannequin in a clinical ward environment and they explored how a design brief in industry is realised by working with experts from Viasat which use satellite communication technology.

In the afternoon, they split into small groups to use what they had learnt to devise a solution for a NHS problem they identified for example misdiagnose. Finally they presented their ideas, branding and technological concept to all the other visiting students and industry experts. All of our students received recognition, picking up awards for best design, super safety and kindest innovation to name but a few.

Teemill Tech Trip

A group of Year 8 and Year 9 High Flyer students visited Teemill Tech as part of a Solent Careers Hub initiative where they had an immersive day learning all about the business. As well as learning about key skills needed to enter the workforce, this trip was an amazing experience that allowed students to design and create their own sustainable T-shirts. They learnt how the company is taking care of the environment with every order placed and discovered the massive importance of technology and teamwork with every single business venture. This was such an eye opening experience as students, and staff, learnt how simple changes and thinking ahead has a massive impact on the environment. Students were commended on their excellent behaviour and engagement.

Computer Programming

Year 5 organised an exciting gaming session exclusively for Year 2 children. They had invested considerable effort into creating a captivating 3D computer game using Purple Mash. Brimming with enthusiasm, the young participants embarked on an adventure, joyfully conquering the progressively challenging levels, skillfully evading menacing monsters while collecting valuable tokens. This experience proved to be immensely valuable, fostering meaningful interactions and learning opportunities for both year groups.

House Update

This term’s Inter House competitions have included Rounders, Softball, Dingbats, Fishing, Tennis and Capture the Flag.

Yellow House Walk and Go Yellow Day were a highlight of the term and raised lots of money for Yellow House’s charity Mountbatten.

The House Leaders have been impressed with the number of students taking part in the competitions and for embracing the friendly competitiveness.

Over 200 pupils took part in Yellow House Walk on Friday 30th June 2023

The event was part of Yellow House Community Day to raise money for Yellow House’s chosen charity, Mountbatten.

It is one of the longest running traditions of the school, each year run in support of Yellow House charity The Mountbatten Hospice

The first Yellow House Walk took place over 30 years ago. Staged in memory of a well-loved, courageous Yellow House pupil Ian White, who very sadly passed away from cancer at the age of 15.

206 pupils set off from Cowes and walked 14 miles to Sandown along the cycle path. 23 pupils joined them walking 6 miles from Merstone to Sandown.

Pupils and staff on the walk had a fantastic time and were excellent ambassadors for the school. Thank you to all members of the community who supported the event and sponsored pupils.

“It was a fabulous day and over £6000 was raised! Well done to all of our amazing walkers - pupils and staff. A huge thank you to those who gave up their time to make the event such a success and to raise money for such important charities.”

Mr Johnson, Head of Yellow House Go Yellow Day

Pupils and staff from the primary site took part in ‘Wear Yellow Day’ to raise money for Mountbatten. All children who took part in Schools Walk the Wight were given their medal and a certificate in the celebration assembly.

Over £1400 was raised through sponsorship and the ‘Wear Yellow Day.’ We are so proud of all of the children who took part.

Equalities and Rights Ambassadors

On the 11th July we hosted the termly EARA (Equality and Rights Ambassadors) meeting for all the secondaries on the Island. Minnie Moore from Hampshire Education Authority brought along Osman Ahmed, an artist and designer who ran a workshop on using art as a means to getting your voice heard. The pupils from The Bay CE School, Medina College, Carisbrooke College, Christ the King College and St Georges were challenged to think about how art can help unite people and make a difference to those who feel different and alone. All pupils and the school itself were presented with a signed copy of his print “Speak up, Speak out” that features a lion. Pupils from the different schools then took it in turns to present an update on the work of their EARA group this academic year. The pupils left with lots of ideas and were overwhelmed by the positive reaction to some of the things they had done.

Pupil Leadership

We have been busy recruting the pupil leaders for next academic year.

On the primary site we have introduced the new:

House Captains and Vice Captains

Sports and Health Leaders

Eco Champions

Cyber Ambassadors

On the secondary site we interviewed some fantastic Year 10 students for a place on the Student Leadership Team. Each House Council will be announced in the Autumn Term.

Watch this space for more announcements and updates in September.

Prayer from Reverend Emma Cooksey

Almighty God,

We thank you for this past school year - for all of the opportunities of learning and new experiences that we have had. We thank you for all of the teaching staff and all staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to try to make this school the best that it can be. Lord may your Holy Spirit be a calming presence on all those who are nervously awaiting their end of year exam results.

We pray for protection for all students starting at new colleges, universities and apprenticeships this year. We pray for a restful and enjoyable summer holiday for all students and staff, so that we can return refreshed and ready for a new academic year in September. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

From Deep Sea to Space

Year 7 enjoyed a very energetic, wonderful journey from the deep sea to outer space with the BAE Systems, the RAF and the Royal Navy Education Programme Roadshow.

The pupils were taken from the depths of the ocean to outer space. They participated in a fun and lively and interactive performance, which showed them opportunities for science and engineering careers (STEM). Year 7 pupils learnt about the similarities and difficulties in communicating in submarines and spaceships, took a journey through the different layers of the atmosphere to space and even had a photograph next to a gigantic blow up sun to show a visual representation of how large the sun is compared to earth!

We hope it has inspired some future scientists, engineers and even astronauts!

Healthy Eating Week

Healthy Eating Week is an annual event created by the British Nutrition BNF. It is all about celebrating healthy living and encouraging people to make positive changes to their lifestyles and promoting healthy eating, drinking and physical activity. There were a wide range of activities taking place across the school between 12th-16th June.

In Reception children listened to the story of Handas Surprise and tasted all of the fruits from the story. They also designed a healthy meal on their plate.

As the term draws to a close on what has been a momentous year both in school and externally, we, as Year 6 staff, would like to say a massive well done to all of the children for their resilience, enthusiasm, commitment and kindness over the year. Every child has tried his and her very best to achieve, taken on challenges in terms of behaviour and learning and responded in a mature and positive way. With cheerful good humour and a determination to succeed, children have taken part in additional support sessions, sometimes in more than one learning area.

Year 1 made smoothies and worked out which food groups different foods belong in and how to make healthy food choices. They tasted yummy dips like hummus and guacamole, with mixed responses! As part of the lesson ‘I can eat a rainbow’, they used fruits of all different colours to make kebabs or fruit faces.

Year 2 learnt how to make a delicious fruit salad and fruit kebabs during Design Technology lessons. They talked about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Within the wider curriculum, we have seen some incredible self- directed Egyptian projects, carpentry skills and artistic masterpieces, while, on the sports field and when representing the school on educational visits, Year 6 children have modelled responsibility and cooperation at a very high level. Caring for others has also been a core element of this group of children with superb eco champions, house captains and sports and health leaders, to name but a few.

In Year 3 the children had the opportunity to make some fruit kebabs using a wide range of fruits. They thoroughly enjoyed doing this. They also learnt about the different food groups and the importance of having a balanced diet.

Year 4 had a brilliant time making colourful fruit kebabs. They were delicious!

Year 5 children engaged in the creative process of crafting their own recipe for a nutritious salad wrap. The meticulously selected ingredients comprised fresh lettuce, crisp cucumber, carrots, avocado, tomatoes, chicken, ham and cheese. Elevating the culinary experience, the children tested out different salad dressings, showcasing their innovative approach. The final products were nothing short of remarkable.