iGazette - Autumn Term 2021

iGazette Honywood School

Issue #18 Autumn Term

FEATURES

Welcome to C7 Our new C7 have had an exciting first few weeks.

C11 Mock Exams With C11 Mock Exams approaching read our Exam Special with top tips to get the best results.

Danbury Both C7 and C8 visited Danbury Outdoors this month.

04

Danbury

06

Exam Special

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Learner Leadership

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CONTENTS

Welcome to C7

It was so good to see the cohort arrive on Thursday morning. It is a significant day in many ways, for the children themselves making that transition to secondary school, for their families seeing them look so much more grown up in their new school uniforms and of course for the school as their new intake begins their five year journey with us.

As the only cohort in school for the first two days they had the perfect opportunity to find their way around and become familiar with their peers and the staff. Thursday morning they spent with their new Learning Groups, getting their timetables and a tour of the school. After lunch it was into learning sessions and a feel of what was expected of them. By Friday morning it felt like they had been here for so much longer, they were more confident in finding their way around the school (some slower than others!) and the feedback from their teachers was what a great impression they had made in those first sessions.

Come Friday afternoon they had made the most of their first days and felt a lot more comfortable about being at Honywood.

Mr Hall - Cohort 7 Leader

TEAMBUILDING SPECIAL

Cohort 7 spent a glorious day at Danbury on Friday 24th September, the weather couldn’t have been better and the activities that had been planned by the Danbury staff were enthusiastically embraced. The small groups of 9 or 10 gave both staff and learners an opportunity to really get to know each other and start to forge the relationships that will be so beneficial in the future.

We had the benefit of it being a lovely sunny day and there were a great range of activities that the cohort were able to experience, including: aerial trekking, archery, zip wire, bmx bikes, climbing walls and of course the challenging leap of faith!

It was a packed day with only a short break for lunch.

I had the opportunity to get to see all the groups and was so impressed with how all of the cohort engaged with the activities, it was really fantastic to see them enjoying themselves so much. What stood out for me was how they were willing to try all of the activities and the centrepiece of the Danbury centre is an exciting array of 14 high-level obstacles including cargo nets, balance bars, barrel swings and even a traversing wall, this certainly took them out of their comfort zones.

Altogether this successful day was a great start to the year for them.

Mr Hall - Cohort 7 Leader

C11 Mock Exams Top tips to survive the exam season

Getting ready for exams can bring out many emotions ranging from excitement to apprehension and elation to exhaustion. However you feel these top tips will help you to approach the exams in a positive manner.

1. Manage your time Don’t leave it until the last minute. It’s widely accepted that this is not the best way to approach an exam. To help sort out your time management set up a timetable for your study.

Write down how many exams you have and the days on which you have to sit them. Then organise your study accordingly. You may want to give some exams more study time than others so find a balance that you feel comfortable with.

2. Organise your study space Make sure you have enough space to spread your textbooks and notes out. Have you got enough light? Is your chair comfortable?

Are your computer games out of sight?

Try and get rid of all distractions and make sure you feel as comfortable and able to focus as much as possible. For some learners this may mean almost complete silence for others background music helps. Some of us need everything completely tidy and organised in order to concentrate while others thrive in a more cluttered environment. Think about what works for you

3. Use flow charts and diagrams Visual aids can be really helpful when revising. At the start of a topic challenge yourself to write down everything you already know about a topic - and then highlight where the gaps lie. Closer to the exam condense your revision notes into one-page diagrams. Getting your ideas down in this brief format can then help you to quickly recall everything you need to know during the exam. Flash cards are useful for learning the relationship between two pieces of information - write a question or key term on the front and then the answer or definition on

4. Practice past papers

section.

One of the most effective ways to prepare for exams is to practice taking past papers. This helps you get used to the format of the questions and - if you time yourself - can also be good practice for making sure you spend the right amount of time on each

5. Organise study groups with friends Get together with friends for a study session. You may have questions that they have the answers to and vice versa.

As long as you make sure you stay focused on the topic for an agreed amount of time this can be one of the most effective ways to challenge yourself. Explain an answer to a question to them. That will help you to get it clear in your head and also to highlight any areas where you need more work.

6. Take regular breaks Studies have shown that for longterm retention of knowledge taking regular breaks really helps.

Everyone’s different so develop a study routine that works for you. If you study better in the morning start early before taking a break at lunchtime. Or if you’re more productive later in the day take a larger break earlier on so you’re ready to settle down come evening.

Remember that being well hydrated is essential for your brain to work at its best. Make sure you keep drinking plenty of water throughout your revision

7. Get plenty of sleep Getting enough sleep is vital to feeling and performing your best. A good night of sleep will help you feel more energetic alert focused and upbeat.

C11 Mock Exam Special

Exam checklist for students

Did you know?

Before each exam, be sure to check: The date, time and location of the exam (particularly if it’s in the morning or afternoon)

To keep exam papers confidential until students sit them, all exams in a given subject qualification are taken at the same time nationwide.

The equipment you need for the exam (pencils, black pens, ruler, calculator, maths set etc). Remember to bring it with you.

The exam boards and Ofqual, the exams regulator, monitor social media throughout the exam period to make them aware of any breaches of confidentiality.

If you are allowed to bring a calculator into the exam, check that: it is an approved model the batteries are working anything stored on it is cleared parts such as cases, lids or covers are removed

If you have a case for your equipment (i.e. pens, pencils etc), it is transparent

Exam rules apply to every school and college throughout the country, and checks are made to ensure the rules are followed.

You must not take any exam stationery with you out of the exam hall once the exam has finished, including question papers, answer booklets (used or unused) or rough work.

There is no label on any drinks bottle you intend to bring in

Your mobile phone and any web-enabled devices are switched off and stored in line with advice from your Exams Officer

If you have your phone in the exam room, you could be disqualified, regardless of whether or not it is switched off or in aeroplane mode. You could even be disqualified from all your subjects.

C11 MOCK EXAM TIMETABLE

NEW STAFF

LEARNING

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

At the end of the Summer Term we were able to support C7 (Intake 20) visits to Marks Hall Estate. Each Learning Group visited in their bubble spending the day outside exploring the wonderful gardens and Arboretum for a day of learning. They arrived at Marks Hall to then walk to the Europe area of the Arboretum for a History session learning about local History specifically the Honywood family. The Marks Hall site dates back to the Doomsday book! The learners then made their way to the Gondwanaland area where Southern Hemisphere species of trees grow for a Science session. After a picnic lunch the learners then walked to the beautiful Walled Garden for an English session and used the inspiration around them to write a poem. They all had a lovely day with wonderful weather. Thank you to Marks Hall Estate for welcoming us to their grounds!

NOT ALL CLASSROOMS HAVE FOUR WALLS

in June 2021 we appointed our new Lead Learners and Ambassadors. It was a huge achievement for our learners to be appointed to their roles. They had put themselves through a real life application process.

Starting by writing an application, attending an interview and waiting for an outcome.

We believe these experiences will prepare our learners for real life situations in the years ahead.

Environment Leadership Progression

Learner Leadership

& Ambassadors 2021 Wellbeing House Captains

HAWKING

Environment

Beth Chapman Lead Learner Environment

Marcia Swain Deputy Lead Learner Environment

Leadership

Layla Al Ryami Lead Learner Leadership

Jake Ring Deputy Lead Learner Leadership

Progression

Rosie Waine Lead Learner Progression

Fern Hazell Young Deputy Lead Learner Progression

Wellbeing

Mia Fisher Lead Learner Wellbeing

Roxy Slaney Deputy Lead Learner Wellbeing

House Captains

Megan Walby Lead House Captain

Isabel Corbett Deputy Lead House Captain

Lead Ambassadors Rosie Smith - Lead Ambassador Business Studies Emily Watts - Lead Ambassador Dance Rose Forster - Lead Ambassador Environment Eloise Mills - Lead Ambassador for Art Hannah Edwards - Lead Ambassador for English Nathan Spraget - Lead Ambassador for Geography Rosie Dale - Lead Ambassador for History Matthew Collier - Lead Ambassador for Maths Basant Sherif - Lead Ambassador for Media Studies Ben Gaskell - Lead Ambassador for MFL Melissa Lemin - Lead Ambassador for Music Amelia Jenkins - Lead Ambassador for PE Freya Edwards - Lead Ambassador for Science Holly North - Lead Ambassador Health and Social Care Emily Champion - Lead Learning Support Ambassador Emmie Bellingham-Wood - Lead Wellbeing Ambassador.

Ambassadors Bethany Cutter - Ambassador English (reading) Kala Dunne - Ambassador for Art Izzy Willis - Ambassador for Business Studies Nicholas Mckeown - Ambassador for Drama Alfie Bryan - Ambassador for English Dakota Martin - Ambassador for English (literacy) Lienke Viljoen - Ambassador for Environment Tay Sinclair - Ambassador for Health and Social Care Faye Ely - Ambassador for Learning Support Aisling Pellowe - Ambassador for Learning Support Andy Wood - Ambassador for Learning Support Cheyenne Walker - Ambassador for Media Studies Tyler Greenwood - Ambassador for Media Studies Tom Birks - Ambassador for Music Taylor Hughes - Ambassador for PE Alfie Spurgeon - Ambassador for PE Charlie Long - Ambassador for PE Corey Bowers - Ambassador for Physics Harry Alderton - Ambassador for Wellbeing Holly Murrell - Ambassador for Wellbeing Sarah Evans - Ambassador for German Josh Farrow - Ambassador for Business Studies Charlotte Baker - KS2/KS3 Cohort Ambassador Millie Greenaway - KS2/KS3 Cohort Ambassador.

Our delayed Sportsday kicked off on 24th September with much anticipation and excitement over the new format.

Learners compete in their Houses to earn points in events such as Football, Netball, Rounders and Pétanque, with the whole school coming together to witness learners race it out for double points in the relays. It was great to have the opportunity to celebrate together as a school and was fantastic to see the level of engagement and participation from all learners.

Congratulations to Attenborough house!

With over 100 exhibitors in attendance, the learners proved their maturity and demonstrated their current mindset by making the most of the expertise on hand.

Senior leaders/careers staff from other schools and employers all commented how engaged and well informed the learners were.

It was great to spend the morning with such a lovely group of individuals, they continue to make me proud to work at Honywood.

TEAMBUILDING SPECIAL

On Friday 1st October, C8 visited Danbury Outdoors, their first trip as a cohort! They didn’t let the weather deter them and had a great time doing lots of activities and team building exercises.

Mr P Field What do you like most about your job?

IT Technician

Helping the learners to use the school’s technology.

What three words would you use to describe your job role?

Varied, evolving and engaging.

Have you ever met anyone famous?

The actor David Prowse - the original Darth Vader.

What was the best book or series that you’ve ever read/watched?

The Harry Potter books – I have read all of them and thoroughly enjoyed them. I found the books much better than the films.

Red Dwarf as a TV series.

What’s your favourite line from a film?

Roads? Where we are going we don’t need roads. – Back to the Future.

If you could only travel to one other country, which country would you choose?

USA. The country is so vast and varied with so much to explore.

Favourite season of the year?

Definitely Summer!

What’s your favourite family tradition?

Members of my family have to invent a game and buy a small prize to give to the winner. We usually play this on New Year’s Eve. What is the one thing, you can’t live without?

My phone!

If You Had Your Own Talk Show, Who Would Your First Three Guests Be? Mark Hamill, Chris Barrie and Rowan Atkinson.

Why did you decide to do the work you are doing now?

My love of computers and technology.

COME AND SEE OUR SCHOOL Personalised tours are available at 9am and 10.30am from 27th September to 15th October.

To book email: schooloffice@honywoodschool.com or call 01376 561231

Term and Holiday Dates For Honywood School Academic Year 2021 -2022 September 2021

October

November

December

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6

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20

27

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10

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24

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January 2022

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= School days

=School holidays

=Training days

=Bank holidays

Autumn Term:

Wednesday 1 September 2021 -Friday 17 December 2021 Half term 25 October - 29 October

73 days

Spring Term:

Tuesday 4 January 2022 - Friday 1 April 2022 Half term 14 February - 18 February

59 days

Summer Term:

Tuesday 19 April 2022 - Thursday 21 July 2022

63 days

Half Term 31 May - 3 June and May Bank Holiday 2 May 195 days

Expressive Arts clubs 2021- 2022 - Autumn term DANCE

DRAMA

MUSIC

Monday Before school

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Guitar workshop (All years) MU2 Mr Philpott

GCSE Music STUDY MU2 Mr Philpott

Latin Dance DA1 Mrs Weiland

Week BGCSE Drama STUDY DR1 Miss Sadler

GCSE Dance STUDY DR1 Mrs Houghton

7:30-8:30am Lunch

Vocal group (All years) MU2 Mr Philpott KS3 Contemporary dance Da1 Mrs Houghton

Week AGCSE Drama STUDY DR1 Miss Sadler After school

Wednesday

Primary Expressive Arts DA1 Miss Sadler

School production Main Hall Dance/drama KS3 Mrs Bailey DR1 3:20-4.20pm

School production Main Hall