5 June 2017 Newsletter

Portland Place School

Weekly Buzz 5 June 2017

Pirates of the Curry Bean tickets out now Upcoming play, trips, concerts

What’s happened in the week and key dates in the diary

Academic and Sports fixtures

Ad space or related photography

2

Letter from the Headmaster Dear Parents, Well, it has been quite a half term! I am very grateful for the warm welcome and messages of support I have received from pupils, parents and staff – thank you. This week we had our termly governance visit which was a very positive and forward looking meeting outlining some exciting potential developments for Portland Place in the next year. More on those in due course.

Portrait of Editor

I have had the pleasure of seeing two great musical performances in the last few weeks. First, our four Sixth Form musicians performing their exam pieces in Portland Place Hall, a lovely way to spend a Thursday evening.

Second, last night at RADA Studios for the Year 7 Concert – a super collective performance by the whole year group in front of a large audience, done with skill, confidence and no sign of nerves.

My thanks to Steve Hill, Christina Boyle, and the whole music team for those. The creativity of PPS students is impressive. The wide range of media and influences being used by our Year 13 Art students; the beautiful portfolios of the Year 12 Photography students; the inspired design of the projects from our DT students, have all been a real pleasure to see.

I am now looking forward very much to watching “Pirates of the Curry Bean” and “Alice in Wonderland” in June and seeing the dramatic talents of PPS students on show. .

And I do spare a thought for our Year 11, 12 and 13 students who continue to focus hard on their public exams as the rest of us enjoy a week where summer seems to have firmly arrived with warm days, brilliant sunshine and blue skies.

Hopefully that will hold for another week and we can all enjoy a relaxing half term break.

David Bradbury, Headmaster

3

Notice board PORTLAND PLACE SCHOOL - HELPING CHILDREN COPE IN UNSETTLING TIMES Ms O’Neill, Deputy Head Teacher Dear Parents/ Guardians, The terrible events in Manchester on Monday night highlights the very unsettled world in which we live. Deaths, explosions and violence can be seen on 24-hour television, web and newspapers and children are often totally exposed to this media, often with no explanation. There is no “watershed” on the news.

Some of our pupils attended the Christmas Market in Berlin on a recent school trip, they have also visited Paris, played on a Tunisian beach, or attended a Music event at the O2 . We don’t know what effect hearing concerns about these events has on children, but we need to be sensitive to their needs, questions, and fears.

In Portland Place School we aim to support pupils with regard to the questions they are asking.

Here is an example of a link we used in school during assemblies, and in form time in recent weeks: BBC Newsround - summary of events http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/13865002 This is a link from the PSHE association about how to approach conversations about yesterday’s terrorist attack in Manchester: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/news/supporting-pupils-after-yesterdays-terrorist-0 Article in the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jan/13/how-do-i-talk-to-children-about-distressi ng-news-stories A guide for teenagers: What happened in Manchester? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-40012115

4

Notice board Ramadan 2017 Ms O’Neill, Deputy Head Teacher Dear Parents/ Guardians, I have attached the ASCL document on Ramadan 2017 – “Exams and Information for schools”. https://www.ascl.org.uk/utilities/document-summary.html?id=B28773D7-A5D7-4B07-99E67827D2 850F79 We are moving the “prayer room” to Room 23 in PPS Building this year. The dates are 27 May – 29 June – (the pupils return from the half term holiday on the 5th June) The room 23 is a fresh airy carpeted room where pupils can also rest. Toilets for washing hands are nearby. The room will be supervised over lunch time from Monday – Friday. We will keep registers so that we can note anyone who is absent.

Staff and pupils are welcome to attend.

YEAR 9 LUNCH ARRANGEMENTS – from MONDAY, 5 JUNE 2017 Dear Year 9 Parents, This is to remind you that from Monday, 5 June our Year 9 pupils will be permitted to leave the school premises unaccompanied during their 45-minute break at lunch time.

As part of the transition from lower to upper school and to prepare our Year 9 pupils for increased independence, they will share this privilege with our current Year 10 & 11 and Sixth Form students.

A designated staffed area will still be set aside in our 56-58 Portland Place building for those Year 9 pupils wishing to remain on the premises during their lunchtime break. The Year 9s will have access to the 3rd Floor in PPS Building. We move the Year 8s down into the PPS Hall to give them more space in the warmer weather, as they HAVE to stay indoors and be supervised.

There is an electronic registration taken at the beginning of Period 4 (1.30pm) to ensure that all pupils who have left the school at lunchtime have returned promptly to their lessons. By the time the Year 9 students come back after the summer they will have had a chance to trial lunchtimes out of school.

Should you wish your child NOT to leave the school premises at lunch time please email me at elayn.oneill@portland-place.co.uk Please remind your child that we expect considerate and respectful behaviour from all pupils at all times - on and off the school premises.

5

News Year 7 Visit to L'institut Français Mr Lalande, Head of French On Friday, Year 7 French students went to “l’Institut Français” in South Kensington for a screening of Ma Vie de Courgette in French. Claude Barras’ first animated movie was critically acclaimed at the Cannes film festival last year. The movie is both for children and adults and is the story about an orphan who has to deal with bullying at school. First struggling in a hostile environment, he eventually finds true love.

Students loved the film and also walked around the French shops in South Kensington.

Nicholas Kazarina, Joshua Hallam, Sergei Pollock Anthun, Caspar Waldrun, Arturo Grandi, Amy Cooper, Polina Zaluzhskaya

Year 13 Farewell Breakfast Ms Butler, Head of History On Thursday morning Year 13 enjoyed a farewell celebratory breakfast, with lots of delectable pastries, fruit, cereals and muffins on offer. This was a lovely opportunity for staff and students to come together and wish Year 13 students good luck before they embark on study leave. Year 13 have been a fantastic year group throughout their time at Portland Place, they have been true ambassadors for the school in every way and this can be visible in so many ways, from their sporting and drama achievements through to their academic success and determination to succeed. We wish them all the best for their revision and exams.

Portland Place Community Big Band Mr Hill, Head of Music On Sunday 14th May, the Portland Place Community Big Band played at gig at the Ivy House in Nunhead.

A great venue to perform at and thoroughly enjoyed by all, audience and band members alike. If you are interested in joining the PPBB, please get in touch with Mr Hill, Director of Music and also visit www.portlandplacebigband.com for videos and information about the band and their availability to perform for your special occasions!

6

News Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award at Buckingham Palace Ms Price, Deputy Head of 6th Form This Wednesday our Senior Student Leaders Michael McKenna and Isabella Weintraub, along with Benjamin Barclay and Jono Deacon (former Portland Place School students) attended a presentation and awards ceremony in honour of them completing the prestigious Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. It was a sunny day with a unique opportunity to experience the beautiful grounds at Buckingham Palace. ‘I had a very good time and it was great to reflect on the Duke of Edinburgh journey.’

Michael

‘It was an interesting experience and we were allowed to explore the Buckingham Palace Gardens.

We were allocated a senior representative who was really inspirational.’ Benjamin

Benjamin Barclay, Michael McKenna

Isabella Weintraub, Michael McKenna

Preparation for the Summer School plays is underway!

David Chivers, Head of Drama This week we were set painting! It seemed a great idea at the time, Year 6 students being ‘creative’ with brown paint on my Drama Studio floor? I have a newfound respect for Art teachers!! Having said all that, it was great fun and the set is coming together. Rory Dixon is fantastic with a mini-roller, a skill that he will no doubt pass down to his children when the time comes! I want to thank Ms Jones for coming along with Year 5 to help out with a very messy job!

You can book your FREE tickets, by emailing christina.boyle@portland-place.co.uk

7

Ms Jones, Grace Bradshaw, Tom Hallam, Marc Mora

7

8

Compelling Article Shot

Sports Cricket Club Mr Mcloughlin, Head of PE We are running cricket club this term mainly on Tuesdays after school. This is taking place at Lord’s Indoor Cricket School from 4pm – 5pm. If you wish to attend you must have cricket ‘whites’ otherwise you will not be permitted into the Cricket School, these are the rules of the MCC. Please register your interest on a weekly basis with Mr Kubik in the PE department to avoid missing out as we have limited spaces.

Netball Mr Mcloughlin, Head of PE

Westminster League Champions 2017: Congratulations to the Girls U13 Netball team who have recently been confirmed as the 2017 Westminster League Champions after a busy winter and Spring Term.

9

Left to right: Back Row:, Manon de PeYearonnet, Erin Dytor, Freya Francis-Baum, Michela Carbosiero, Carolina Martinez De Luco, Front Row: Amy Cooper, Cristina Carbosiero, Audrey Hammer, Ava Jones, Marielle Staunton, Lola Martinez De Luco

9

Sports Middlesex Satellite Netball Squad Mr McLoughlin, Head of PE Congratulations to Freya Francis Baum who has been selected for the Middlesex Satellite U14 Netball Academy.

Freya was nominated to attend the Middlesex Academy trials last weekend and was one of the few girls selected by the coaches to progress into the Academy squad. There were around 70 girls fighting for a place and Freya, who has been a key member of the Portland Place team, was delighted to have been selected. Well done.

Freya Francis-Baum

Athletics Sports Day Mr McLoughlin, Head of PE

House T-Shirts are being ordered for sports day. We will only have a limited number of T-shirts and these will be issued out on a first come first served basis.

The t-shirts order will be collated by Mr Kubik in the PE department and cost £6 each. Please don’t bring money in, your name will be taken and this will be added to the school bill at the end of term. For those of you who already have a House T-shirt there is no need to buy another unless of course it is too small for you. Please see Mr Kubik for further information.

10 Augustus Gibson Luca Pilotto

Calendar and Contact

11

Thanks for reading!

Look for our next issue at www.portland-place.co.uk/ @PortlandPlaceHD