Newsletter 2024 - Easter Break Edition

WHITEFIELD NEWS

A message from our Headteacher, Mr Hunt

Dear Parents/Carers,

We have had a wonderful Spring term with so much to be proud of First and foremost we must congratulate Andra for being offered a place to study at Oxford University reading French, this is a remarkable achievement and a testament to her hard work and dedication. Congratulations!

This term has seen the return of the Barnet Dance Festival Our Year 10 and 11 Dance students made us exceptionally proud by representing our school. Their routines were ambitious and all of their commitment behind the scenes paid off as their amazing talent shone through making the event a resounding success.

Students have been treated with a number of engaging and fun activities across March participating in both British Science week and Careers week. It was a pleasure to see how much Year 8 pupils learned during the Careers speed networking sessions. Within an hour students were introduced to over 10 new careers and what was truly special was some of our past Whitefield students were back in leading sessions and inspiring students to seize their opportunities whilst at Whitefield

There was a great buzz around the school for British Science Week, students had the opportunity to take part in a plethora of events like a trip to the Science Museum, a visit to Middlesex University and attend the Planetarium exhibit and the Science Fair in the Acorn Theatre led by our sixth formers and Y8s

I am delighted to see the consistent display of our school values ‘We ARE Whitefield’ by our students both in and out of lessons and as a result staff nominations continue to increase each half term.

As we approach the exam season, I would like to extend my best wishes to our Year 11 and 13 students With less than four weeks left before they start I encourage them to stay focused. We wish them the best of luck for their final preparations and look forward to welcoming them in over the Easter break for targeted revision. We are here to support every step of the way

Finally, I would like to wish all a very happy Easter break and cannot wait to welcome the students back in April.

Chris Hunt Headteacher

World Book Day is a celebration of the joy of reading and takes place in over 100 countries. It takes place on Thursday 7th March, but we like to celebrate ALL week, so from Monday 4th March we hosted a range of events

There were student design and writing competitions, we were visited by guest poet Kimba and staff took part in creating their own costumes based on fictional characters. This was a great opportunity for us to show students how impactful writing and reading is to all staff as well as our students. Design and writing competitions gave students a platform to share their amazing creative talents

World Book Day was created by UNESCO on 23rd April 1995 as a worldwide celebration of books and reading. World Book Day is marked in over 100 countries around the globe. The first World Book Day in the UK and Ireland took place in 1997 to encourage young people to discover the pleasure of reading.

Guest Poet: Kimba

WORLD BOOK DAY 2024!

Design a Bookmark Competition

We had an incredible thirty eight designs submitted for the bookmark competition, with first place award going to Aisha (Year 8), second place award to Hla (Year 9) and third place award going to Lamar (Year 7).

Book Poster Design Competition

As well as the bookmark design competition we also had amazing submissions for the book poster design competition, the top three winning designers are Abdulrahman 10J, Tudor 7J and Hla 9A.

Poetry Competition

The winning poem was by Aysha in Year 7, featured below.

Worlds Within Pages

On World Book Day, let's celebrate

The wonders found within the page

In every tale, a mirror's gleam, Reflecting truths, both real and dream

Through windows wide, we journey far, To lands unknown, beneath each star

With every book, a door unlocks, Inviting us to walk new blocks

In mirrors, characters see themselves, Their triumphs, flaws and hidden shelves

We find our likeness in their plight, And in their stories, see our light.

But windows offer vistas grand, To distant shores and foreign lands.

Through words, we soar on boundless wings, Exploring realms where wonder springs.

So let us read, on this special day, And let our minds dance, sing and play.

For in each book, a mirror gleams, And through its window, we chase our dreams.

Aysha

Year 7

Aisha Year 8 Hla Year 9

Lamar Year 7

WHITEFIELD STUDENTS SHINE AT BARNET DANCE FESTIVAL

Huge congratulations are in order for the outstanding Year 10 and 11 Dance students of Whitefield School who stole the spotlight at the Barnet Dance Festival on a memorable Monday evening. The event, hosted at The Arts Depot, a professional theatre in North Finchley, provided a platform for these young performers to showcase their talents and dedication to the art of dance.

The students, representing Whitefield School, immersed themselves in the opportunity to rehearse and perform on a professional stage leaving a positive and lasting impression to the audience and organisers

The night was a culmination of weeks of hard work and tireless dedication from the students, and their efforts did not go unnoticed. Their sophisticated performance reflected not only their technical skills but also their passion for the art form. The success at the Barnet Dance Festival is a testament to the holistic education provided by Whitefield School, fostering not only academic excellence but also nurturing the artistic talents of its students. The Dance department has proven to be a hub for cultivating passion, discipline, and creativity in the realm of performing arts

Below are testaments from some of the Year 10 and 11 Dance students from their experience at The Barnet Dance Festival.

Ms Portland Dance Teacher

WHITEFIELD STUDENTS SHINE AT BARNET DANCE FESTIVAL

After performances we spoke to students Keitlin and Micah to hear more about their experience.

Student Interview - Keitlin, Year 11

How would you describe your experience?

Performing was a fun experience, and a good learning experience.

What was the biggest challenge?

Working together as a team, making a dance that everyone wanted to perform. Getting everyone’s best efforts as a group

What did you learn from the experience?

If you put hard work in, you’ll get the results that you want.

Favourite thing about Dance?

Dance is very different to other subjects, it’s creative and a chance to express yourself, it’s also a good de-stressor.

Student Interview - Micah, Year 11

How would you describe your experience?

it was a great experience to perform on a big stage with an audience, everything leading up to the performance too

What was the biggest challenge?

Bringing together everything and understanding abstract concepts, the movements were challenging

What did you learn from the experience?

Patience is key. Everything will come together.

Favourite thing about Dance?

Dance is very expressive and you get to show your personality. I would definitely recommend it to others as a great experience and it builds your confidence.

Micah and Keitlin - far left

BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK 2024

During British Science Week, our school was filled with a range of captivating activities and events to celebrate Science Students were able to engage in interactive workshops, trips, enlightening science talks, hands-on experiments, debates and even science themed competition. The week had offered something exciting for everyone to enjoy.

One of the highlights of British Science week was the mobile planetarium The planetarium provided a unique educational opportunity for students to learn about astronomy and space science in a visually stimulating environment By showcasing celestial phenomena and astronomical concepts in a captivating manner, the planetarium fosters curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the universe

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the science department for their invaluable support, passion and creativity during British Science week. Their dedication and commitment made the event a huge success Special appreciation goes to the enthusiastic students whose participation made the event a success. Also to our amazing Sixth Form students who supported with the Science Fair

Students’ British Science Week Experiences

Science Museum - Vihaan, Year 8

The science museum opened me up to new information. It was informative and entertaining. I found the exhibitions to be interesting and significant. My favourite exhibition was the Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery. I explored an interactive version of Shuri's lab from Marvel's Black Panther. I even tried welding some parts with a robotic arm. It showed how and what technicians do every single day to serve our community and what a vital task they have. The science museum inspired me and showed me how fields in science and STEM are vital to keep our world running.

Mr Karolia Science Teacher

Middlesex University STEM Fair - Ruby, Year 10

The science fair was very interesting and exciting. My favorite attraction was the VR Rollercoaster which was very impressive and realistic. There were many other stations where I learnt more about molecules and blood cells. The entire outing was fun and engaging and there were a lot of intriguing stations to visit. I also discovered more about STEM at the university fair.

Middlesex University STEM Fair - Sam, Year 10

The science trip to Middlesex University was an education and exciting trip which presented to our curious minds, the wonder of how the world works. Through the various work stations, it gave us a view into the creation and exploration of STEM Furthermore, it showcases how anyone has the capability to do whatever they want and contribute to human kind and science. My favorite workstation was the height test because personally I set the record of 54 4cm in the vertical jump Thank you!

Middlesex University STEM Fair - Biatriz, Year 10

The science fair hosted at Middlesex University had a diverse range of stations ranging from biosciences to engineering The experts who led the workshops explained everything in detail whilst also making interactive tasks for enthusiasm and educational purposes. My favourite was a seat that was engineered to follow the exact movement of a VR rollercoaster Additionally, the effects of wind was added to give a more realistic experience. To summarise, the fair gave us a small snippet into the works that go into STEM. This was inspiring to me and I look to pursue a job in this field

STUDENT MEDICAL RECORDS REVIEW REMINDER

We recently sent parents/carers to inform you that we are reviewing student medical records to ensure we are aware of all medical conditions, allergies, and surgery contact details in case of emergencies. Please click the link provided in the letter to complete the form by 19th April You will need to do this even if nothing has changed since you last updated us.

If you need to discuss further, please contact the school via email or telephone

schooladmin@whitefield.barnet.sch.uk

020 8455 4114

NATIONAL CAREERS + APPRENTICESHIPS WEEK

The Spring term has been busy at Whitefield School with a wide range of careers and employability skills activities planned and delivered in collaboration with Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS) We celebrated both National Apprenticeship Week and National Careers Week with activities for Year 7 and Year 8 students.

As part of National Apprenticeship Week Year 7 students had the opportunity to meet apprentices and also develop their own communication and presentation skills through an assembly activity. We are grateful for our employer support from Wates, McDonalds, London Square, Notting Hill Genesis and Accolade Wines

This term it was the turn of Year 8 for National Careers Week, they had the opportunity to speed network to meet a range of employers from different sectors Abdalla said “The event helped me to understand different careers” and Mohamed F said “The event was inspiring. It helped me to understand the variety of jobs available”.

We would like to thank all employers who supported this event including Deerns, the RAF, Language Angels, Lloyds Banking, Harvester, Wates, Barnet Council and exstudents Arsham Moti-Ghavanin and Nathan Mann

Ms Cavanagh Assistant Headteacher

UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS

We are delighted to be building excellent relationships with several universities at Whitefield School. This means our students can visit a range of campuses through Year 7 to Year 12. All of our Year 7 students took part in visits to Middlesex University in February and March Students enjoyed this amazing opportunity and said they are looking forward to going to university to make friends and learn more about their favourite subject

We have also started our Year 8 visits, our first stop was the University of Reading on the 11th March. The students participated in a campus tour and Science and Technology activities as the visit fell during British Science Week.

Our students enjoyed the visit and said they would like to find out more about university life Izabel said “I enjoyed the tour of the campus because I was able to see the variety of facilities are that available at the uni. I enjoyed the final activity involving making a bridge out of spaghetti and marshmallows as it was hands-on and brought the learning to life”

Finally, we were delighted to host the University of Cambridge in school to work with students in Years 7-12 to introduce them to studying at university as well as enhance their thinking and problem-solving skills. Stella, a Year 7 student, remarked that she found it “intriguing to discover that certain websites are unsafe and that the information they provide isn't consistently trustworthy”. Diyar, also in Year 7, expressed a newfound understanding that “individuals may not always share the same perspective” He emphasised the importance of employing attentive listening skills to grasp both sides of a debate.

Look out in the summer edition to find out where our other students visit.

Ms Cavanagh Assistant Headteacher

SKILLS FOR LIFE WITH THE TALENT FOUNDRY

Our Year 12 and Year 13 students were fortunate to participate in an employability programme entitled - The Talent Foundry's Skills for Life! The students had the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills to support them when they enter the world of work.

Topics covered included identifying personal skills and attributes, writing an effective CV and cover letter, preparing and practising for an interview and improving financial awareness. The last workshop was held at M&G Investment Bank on 14 March

Johnny in Year 13 said, “The workshop has given me more confidence in myself and how to speak in public.

During the activities I had the opportunity to take a leadership role which is something I normally shy away from”

It has been a really exciting year so far for our students with a range of exciting and engaging opportunities, we look forward to updating you in the summer term on our latest news.

TASTER WEEKS

We welcomed City University into school to deliver a presentation on taster week activities at the university for Year 9 and 10 students, this workshop was also to support students with their application for the taster week. Our students were enthused and excited by the prospect of a week on campus and duly submitted applications

Around twenty students were successful in securing places for a range of subjects, these will take place in the Spring and Summer terms.

Lyla in Year 10 recently attended the Business and Finance taster week and said “Attending the taster week really helped me to develop my knowledge and interest in the world of business In addition, I had the opportunity to meet students who are studying Business and Finance at City University”.

BELAZU WORKSHOPS AT WHITEFIELD

This term we have again had our friends from Belazu's Fresh Enterprise programme running creative cooking workshops with some of our Year 7 students. There were two sessions, a sauce development and follow up marketing session

We currently have previous sauces developed by our students available to buy online and in school. Whitefield students have had three sauces developed with Belazu, Summer Sunset, Smoky Delight and Blushing Beets.

Our current sauces are available in school, where any purchase proceeds will go towards investing back into the school catering department.

Keep an eye out for updates with our latest sauce potentially in development. We are hopeful that our students' new product will make it through the next stage of development, facing a panel of industry experts! Good luck to L'Marian, Stella and Tudor.

PRINCE’S TRUST PRESENTS: BRIDGING THE GAP

Our Year 11 Employability class, who are working towards qualifications on The Prince's Trust - Achieve programme, had the opportunity to attend an Apple Bridging The App workshop. During the workshop students developed an understanding of the processes behind product development and also digital design

The “Bridging the App” sessions led by Prince’s Trust staff were a combination of App Design, Education and an Introduction to Coding in the Swift Playground App, which was conducted via iPad’s which have been kindly gifted from Apple to The Prince’s Trust.

WE ARE WHITEFIELD BASKETBALL ACADEMY

It has been a pleasure to see the team spirit and Whitefield Values embodied within squad players as well as those that have consistently attended training this term Well done to the Year 7 team who have made it to the Barnet League semi finals and Barnet Cup finals! More details to come on fixture results after the Easter holidays

As the passion for athletic and sporting development within basketball is growing at Whitefield, we are working with the London Elite National League team (based at Capital City Academy). Students have had the opportunity to attend their higher level training once a term and the chance to sign up to one of their teams at their ability level. This term, a mixture of Year 7 to Year 9 students visited training on Tuesday 27th March.

A number of fixtures are due to be played after the Easter Holidays These are against Saracens School (Year 10/11), Wren Academy (Year 8), King Alfred School (Year 9/10) and more.

Special mentions this term go to these students, who have and continue to represent the school in an outstanding manner.

Year 11: Eduardo - Playing for London Knights Local League team and offered a place in the All Star Team within the North London Conference League

Year 10: David - Playing for Hemel Storm National League team. Achieving highest KS4 point score tally this season

Year 8: Noah - Recent winner of the Jack Petchey Award for Sport.

Year 7: Donnell - Captain of Year 7 Team with a MVP clutch performance in the SemiFinal cup game versus Hendon School

A massive well done to all players across year groups!

RSHE WORKSHOP: GUARDIAN ANGEL WITH TFL

Guardian Angel, Year 9 Project on Staying Safe while using public transport

In February, we hosted TfL staff who delivered the Guardian Angel Project to our Year 9 students. This initiative focused on ensuring that students are aware of the protocols and procedures if they notice any unwanted behaviour on public transport.

Students had the opportunity to discuss behaviours related to sexual harassment and all possible ways of reporting them.

Make a note of the information below:

Emergency - call police on 999

Non-emergency - report using 101

British Transport Police - 0800 40 50 40

For rail incidents you may wish to TEXT 61016 (including: What? Where? When?) and expecting to be contacted within 24h.

Download the Railway Guardian app

The free Railway Guardian app is an all-in-one safety app that helps you report crime on public transport or at stations. It also provides information on what to do if you witness sexual harassment.

The app allows you to report crimes or concerns on the rail network, share your journeys with trusted contacts, and get access to news, guides, or support

ASPIRING JOURNALIST

Ruben, who is a member of our ARP (Additional Resource Provision) is a budding young journalist and this term he created his very own magazine. This edition contains quizzes, puzzles, interesting articles and even a recipe for cheese twists which he had cooked at school during a Food lesson.

He brought the magazine to show Mr Hunt who congratulated him on his wonderful publication. Well done Ruben, we look forward to seeing your next piece of work!

YEAR 11 - 13 ELEVATE STUDY WORKSHOPS

This term, we've had the privilege of collaborating with Elevate Education, who have conducted workshops for students in Years 11 through 13. The workshops covered topics such as 'Study Sensei', 'Ace your exams', 'Time Management', and 'The Finishing Line' Their purpose is to assist students in developing effective study habits, refining their revision techniques, and managing their time efficiently.

Feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing that they found the workshops valuable and worthwhile Asra, a Year 11 student, commented, "The workshop was really helpful and motivating. It helped me to get an idea about what I need to do." Similarly, Leyla in Year 11 remarked, "I appreciate the presentation style of the workshop, and the provided booklet will be beneficial for me " Ayman, a Year 13 student, praised the presenter for being friendly, kind, and offering plenty of useful and succinct insights.

YEAR 11 FIELD WORK

On Wednesday 13th March, the Geography staff took Year 11 GCSE students to Friern Barnet to complete their Physical Geographical Inquiry Students had to conduct research on an Ecosystem, namely Bluebell Wood. Students had to conduct research to answer their enquiry question: ‘Has human activity affected the level of biodiversity on a smallscale ecosystem?’

Students would have considered that areas closer in proximity to roads (A406) will have higher rates of pollution and more ground pollution due to greater public exposure. However protected green spaces will have a greater level of biodiversity. The skills students developed on the day were how to do field sketches, environmental quality surveys, litter surveys and species abundance tests. These are all valuable skills required of geographers. This work will be examined in paper 3 in May/June in Section B, Fieldwork. We all had a lovely day and much was gained from the valuable experience

Bluebell Wood was once part of the ancient woodlands of London, in the London Borough of Haringey. It is the last surviving section of what was Tottenham Wood, which previously covered 157 hectares in 1619. Ms Ritacca

WHITEFIELD SCIENCE AMBASSADORS ANNOUNCED

We are happy to announce we have just named two students as our new Science Ambassadors, for their contributions to the Science Department. Congratulations to Vihaan and Michael

They have been a great asset and provided valuable support to the Science Team. This term they have supported Science staff with primary student links, the science technicians work, science club and other STEM related activities, most recently being the Science Fair. Not only have they developed their own skills in team work and communication, they have also helped other students to develop understanding of science

BARNET TRAMPOLINING COMPETITION

In February we took a team to compete in the Barnet Trampolining Competition, with students from Year 7 to 11 representing the school. Students worked hard and performed incredibly well at the competition.

All students competed well, with particular mentions to the following students:

2nd place (individual) Keyllan, Year 9

3rd place (individual) Alfie, Year 9

Year 9 Boys team - 1st Place

Year 10/11 Boys team - 3rd Place

YOUNG WRITERS WINNERS

We are delighted to announce that Shaila and Ruby in Year 10 had their poems published this year! This is a wonderful achievement and we are so proud of both students for their excellent work.

The following students will be having their pieces published in the next few months also Parents and carers will need to provide consent before this takes place. You will receive an email about this.

Year 7: Amin, Arman, Azziah, Carter, Donnell, Essa, Fatima, Giovanna, Javier, Lamar, Leo, Legend, Lilyxiang, Marwa, Nilsa, Stella, Aryan and Diyar.

Year 8: Dyako, Amarah, Armaan, Danwer, Davit, Nikolozi, Mohamed, Yousef, Zinat, Ibrahim.

Well done to you all! We will keep students posted about future competitions with Young Writers. Please encourage your child to take part in this wonderful opportunity.

Ms Khan English Teacher

ATTENDANCE UPDATES

Attendance is a key focus at Whitefield School. We prioritise the learning of all students which means their attendance must be excellent We are aware that, in some exceptional circumstances, your child may not be able to come to school.

Please ensure you call the school or email the Attendance Team, via attendanceteam@whitefield barnet sch uk, to inform us of their absence

Students are expected to be in line-up by 8 40am We open our gates are 8 25am for students. The gates close at 8.45am. If your child is late, they will be expected to sign in via reception using the InVentry system. They will be issued with a Food Break 2 detention that same day Along with this, we value punctuality to lessons also If your child arrives to lesson after the late bell, they will be issued with a FB2 detention that same day.

Thank you for all your ongoing support with attendance this year We had an excellent turn out of 25 parents and carers attending our Attendance Support Group in February. As per your feedback from the first session, we now offered both a morning and afternoon session We will be hosting our third session next term You can, however, contact us prior to this session if you would like any further information or support surrounding attendance.

MISST TOGETHER DAY

This term thirty nine students from Whitefield travelled to Dormers Wells High School in Ealing for an amazing MiSST Together Day. Over the course of the day, a massive orchestra of about one hundred students learnt to play three pieces almost from 'scratch' and then performed to parents at the end of the day.

Although it was a long day of rehearsing and performing music, Aisha in 7A said that she really enjoyed 'meeting the students from Dormers Wells', and according to Noah in 8H, it was 'really helpful to learn more about the trumpet'!

You may have noticed recent updates to the school such as the new basketball courts and modern IT suite in the Sixth Form but with your help we can go even further for our students

Our next goal is to expand and enhance the Acorn Theatre. This space is the heart of the school where the students come together for assemblies, workshops, lessons and celebration events. Our vision includes modern facilities that will empower our students to explore their creativity and have a space that they will enjoy to spend time in

Please follow the link or visit our website to learn more about how you can help us achieve this goal and donate!

Mr

PARKING AT WHITEFIELD REMINDER

Please be advised that parents and carers will no longer be permitted to use the school car park to pick up or drop off their children The school’s car park is not big enough to cater for parents, the footpaths are very narrow and we have students with disabilities that need to be picked up and dropped off using buses. The buses need enough space to turn around which isn’t possible when there are multiple cars entering and exiting the car park.

Parking outside the front of the school is strictly prohibited. You must not wait or park, or stop to set down and pick up passengers, outside the school entrance even if only for a few moments.

We are working with the local authority to implement control measures and want to avoid issuing fines to parents for not adhering to these safety measures therefore we need your understanding and support

The local Tesco has ample parking so if you are dropping off your child please use this carpark as it is a safer option for our school and our students.

Our students safety is our utmost priority and thank you for your cooperation on this health and safety matter.

SAFEGUARDING CONCERNS?

If you have any safeguarding concerns, please do not hesitate to report a concern via our website. These reports are then followed up by our designated safeguarding team

You can also find a link to report safeguarding concerns from the homepage on our website.

Report a safeguarding concern

YEAR 7 UPDATES

The Year 7 cohort are smoothly working their way through the academic year with pastoral staff endeavoring to support students. Year Team Leader assemblies have set the tone of expectations, empowering students to have a mindset of confidence and motivation towards their school life and learning

Outstanding attendance is being acknowledged via Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum 100% Attendance Awards. Learning is being underpinned through careful review of behaviour data around student strengths and areas of development, with follow ups. Students on the whole are building momentum in displaying both academic excellence and our Whitefield School values, in and out of the classroom.

A range of complementary events have taken place this term to spark and stimulate career interests, grounding students so they can move forward with a better vision for personal Year 7 success. Including: an Apprenticeship Day/Career in Human Resources and the role of a Magistrate (speaker); a Middlesex University visit; British Science Week with a special Science Fair/Planetarium experience; wins across several sporting events, e.g. Basketball and Netball; Form Bonding special activities, e.g. Flash Card competition; raising students' wellbeing awareness via understanding their 'Window of Tolerance'

Additionally, many of our students have been engaging in Ramadan or Lent, showing commitment to their faith Survey results from events are being used strategically to pave and scaffold the next steps moving into the Summer Term. With end of year assessments approaching, students will be involved in round 2 of forming a SMART Goal for a subject of their choice. We are preparing our Year 7 students to be the professionals of tomorrow by equipping them today.

Well done to the eight Top Behaviour students that are set to receive a Nandos Gift Card and attend a lunch visit on Wednesday 24th April These students are 7A: Anisa and Hiromi, 7H: Mustafa and Donia, 7J: Eleah and Lily, 7R: Afniya and Ahmed S.

Attention all Parents: Thursday 13th June is the day for Student Progress Evening. Form Reps will be working with Mr Croucher (Year Team Leader) to showcase work examples across the year group Do ensure you note this date in your diary We expect all parents to attend!

Mr Croucher

Year 7 Team Leader

YEAR 8 UPDATES

I want to thank everyone who helped out and who played a part in the Year 8 SPE/ Options Evening. We had a really good turn out of 82%! It was great to see our students with their parents have meaningful conversations with teachers about their progress

Having this opportunity is crucial in fostering a supportive learning environment, as they provide valuable insights not only into students' progress but also setting out targets for improvement

Have a great break!

YEAR 9 UPDATES

Dear Year 9s,

As we draw to the end of another busy term it's refreshing to see the spring sunshine and temperatures start to rise. It's been amazing to see so many of you showing the values of our school You have been Ambitious and Respectful and you continue to strengthen your Effort to understand what's been learnt; applying them where possible.

It was a delight to see you all with your parents at Students Progress Evening to share how you have all progressed so far I was very proud of all of you

As the clock continues to wind down and summer approaches, let's not forget the exemplary behaviour we have demonstrated this year. Your continuous efforts have not gone unnoticed and I trust that they will remain for what is left of a very successful year t

Mr Tan Year 8 Team Leader

YEAR 10 UPDATES

As we approach the end of the spring term, I would like to congratulate Year 10 for their hard work and positivity throughout the term. The cohort have continued to show integrity and perseverance throughout the term. They continue to actively be engaged in school, take part in extracurricular activities and always have a positive attitude towards school Many of our Year 10 students are beginning their own personal journeys and I would like to thank the year group for being supportive of one another and always demonstrating acts of selflessness to ensure their peers are doing well. The cohort always strive to adhere to Whitefield's Values; Ambition, Respect and Effort.

As the Year 10s are approaching their final year in KS4, it is imperative for us to ensure that the cohort are getting enough support for their next pathway. Therefore, I am thrilled to announce that we will be partnering with Barnet Education Learning Service (BELS) after Easter. BELS will be delivering different workshops, interviews and events to support the cohort with their next steps.

I would like to congratulate Mohammed A, for winning student of the term and Ariyan for winning the YTL reward. A special shoutout to Tiah, Sumaya, Mustafa and Dana for their tremendous efforts this year so far. Well done to 10R for having the highest attendance in the year and 10J for accumulating the most positives so far!

YEAR 11 UPDATES

Another half term in the bank for Year 11 and it brings us ever closer to the GCSE exams. We are now looking at only a handful of weeks left before exams start on the 9th of May. Information regarding the start of exams and exam timetables will be forthcoming via email.

This has definitely been the 'engine room' of the year, with the vast majority of students working very hard and putting in lots of revision hours and intervention sessions after school. We know that this dedication and commitment will be rewarded with some stunning results in August.

Ms T Burnett-Simon Behaviour Support Lead

As we get closer to the exams, we will be starting to plan our celebration events for the Year 11s who will have definitely deserved some fun!

Our first celebration event will be the celebration assembly, taking place on Friday 3rd May and we will celebrate the end of exams on Monday 17th June with our Prom at Forty Hall.

Letters have been sent home regarding Prom details and payment details; thank you to those who have already paid their deposits. We will be in touch to confirm the final amounts due in the Summer Term, as we have had some fantastic fundraising happening which may reduce the final price!

We look forward to the upcoming 'final push' with Year 11, who we know will continue to amaze us with their efforts and dedication

Have a restful, but productive, Easter holidays Year 11!

REFLECTING ON EASTER

As we approach the Easter Break, it is also a time to reflect on the religious period and to think about it’s significance to other people within the Whitefield community. We recently had assemblies run by Ms Ahmed where she discussed with students both Easter and Ramadan

One of the key Whitefield Values is to be Respectful, this means practising being kind and courteous to all members of the community, regardless of who they are. To be respect and appreciate what makes us similar and different.

Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet.

Easter

Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar It celebrates Jesus rising from the dead, three days after he was executed

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar It has a special significance in Islam It is during this month that Muslims believe the first verses of the Quran (Islam's holy book) were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad

Ms Ott

Year 11 Team Leader

SIXTH FORM UPDATES

Well done to all for getting through your assessments and mocks this term, I have heard lots of positives from your teachers regarding students who are continuing to do well and about those that have improved significantly since the last set of assessments.

For Year 12s, teachers will continue to run their small assessments as usual with you over the next few months, however in June you will have an important set of mocks, that you will need to commit some time during the to revise for.

Following our return there will only be six school weeks until this final set of mocks for the year, and these will be important in terms of your teachers awarding predicted grades for university applications and determining your next steps. So please do take them seriously.

As for the Year 13s, this is your final term at Whitefield, and the half term in which your final examinations will begin, and as stressful as you may find it, do try and enjoy it. Working hard and reaping the rewards can be exhilarating. But please do make sure you revise and make good use of past papers to get your exam and time management up to speed

Thanks to all the students who have made every effort to follow expectations this term, in terms of behaviour, attendance, uniform and attitude to learning If you are a student that has struggled at all with these expectations, let's make the next term a fresh start and hit the ground running when we return.

Additionally, thank you to all students who have been volunteering and mentoring throughout the school. This is much appreciated by the students and staff that you are helping, while also being great for your CVs and university applications.

Finally, I would just like to remind all students to stay safe over the break and also make sure you schedule some downtime to recover from a busy term, and also prepare yourself for an important one to come.

Thanks again and well done. See you next term!

Mr Harkin Director of Sixth Form

COUNSELLING SUPPORT AT WHITEFIELD

We are proud to have an experienced counsellor, Jon Thompson, who runs one-to-one support sessions for students identified as needing extra support Jon works for FYP (Forever Young People) and helps students understand the difficulties they are facing, work through a booklet to help set targets, and learn strategies to cope with problems that may arise in their future If you would like more information about this, please contact Mrs Hammond or Ms Thomas.

Forever Young People uses thought, emotional intelligence and ethical practices to create an inclusive and meaningful future through our teenage mentoring programs and coaching which engages young people through conversational-based learning We aim to provide young people, children, and community groups with coaching/mentoring that will support them with their low emotional well-being

To learn more visit: www.foreveryoungpeople.com

Jon Thompson School Counsellor / Life Coach

COST OF LIVING SUPPORT

The rising cost of living is becoming a growing concern to many households through the UK. To support residents Barnet Council has launched a new site to provide support.

The site includes information for:

Benefits and employment services

Money and debt advice

Housing, energy and utilities

Family, children, pensioner and disability services

Foodbank, mental health and wellbeing services

Find out more

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

April

1st - 11th April - Easter Break

15th April - Staff INSET Day

16th April - Students return to school (Week 1)

May

1st May - Performing Arts Showcase

9th May - Year 10 Parent’s Evening

13th-24th May - International Week

27th-31st May - Half-term break

June

3rd June - Students return to school (Week 1)

13th June - Year 7 Parent’s Evening

17th June - Year 11 Prom

20th June - Sports Day

27th June - Year 6 Friendship Day

July

1st-19th July - International Student Visit

4th July - Year 12 Parent’s Evening

10th July - Year 7 + 8 Celebration Event

11th July - Year 9 + 10 Celebration Event

12th July - Year 6 Friendship Day

19th July - End of Term (Half day)

Ramadan

Mubarak

Follow us on social media for updates and highlights: Whitefield

Whitefield NW2

WhitefieldSchoolNW2

whitefield nw2