Birchwood Update 23/04/2018
- Josie Evans
- Apr 23, 2018
- 11 min read
Birchwood Update week Commencing 23/4/18
Jacob gets third place from over 2,000 contestants!
The evidence of a great department is the success of its learners and this year our learners have really excelled in every competition that the maths department have entered.
We have had brilliant results from the UKMT individual and team challenges. And we did fantastically well in the Maths Feast competition.
Now we have more great news from the 2018 MEM Challenge (Mathematical Education on Merseyside) run by the University of Liverpool.
There were over 2,000 entries from across 117 schools on Merseyside and beyond. Our year 8 learners had to prepare solutions to six challenging questions with marks awarded for getting the right answer and showing clear workings out.
Congratulations go to Jacob in 8NI who, out of those 2,000 children entered, managed to achieve an outstanding 3rd place.
What a fantastic achievement Jacob, we are incredibly proud of you.
Keeping your child safe.
This week in our safeguarding advice, we look at how to talk to children about sexting. It can be an awkward subject to talk about, but it is important to explain to children the risks of sexting. You can help them stay safe and remind them that they can talk to you if something ever makes them feel scared or uncomfortable.
The advice from the NSPCC is here.
Please remember to give your feedback on Parent View
In last week’s Update, we asked for your help in completing Ofsted’s Parent View survey. Many thanks to those who filled in the survey. If you have been able to find time over the last week, please try to find ten minutes this week to complete the survey. Your feedback will really help our school.
All you need to do is log on here then click on “Give your views” on the top tab and register. It will take about 10 minutes of your time but it will support us to give an accurate picture of our school at our next OFSTED visit and will also allow us to see more of your feedback.
Thank you for your support.
2018 British Physics Olympiad stars
The science department would also like to share the success of our year 11 triple science learners in the British Physics Olympiad.
The British Physics Olympiad is organised by the University of Oxford, and is a prestigious and challenging competition designed to test understanding and problem solving skills. Our learners were competing against the highest ability learners from top selective and independent schools across the country.
Well done to Joshua in 11KR, Thomas in 11ED, James in 11KR, and Will in 11SM who received a certificate of commendation. George in 11KR and Luke in 11RE achieved the Bronze 2 award and were within the top 45% of entries. Sean in 11SM achieved an exceptional Silver award, which meant he was in the top 15% of entries.
Well done to all the learners and staff involved.
Year 7 Residential Trip to Conwy Centre, Menai
Last Wednesday a very excited year 7 set off for their activity packed residential trip at the Menai Conway Centre in Anglesey. The weather could not have been better as they enjoyed three glorious days in the sunshine.
Whilst at the centre, learners had the chance to try a huge selection of activities including indoor and outdoor rock climbing, mountain biking and water sports such as canoeing and kayaking. Learners also worked in teams to build their own rafts and check how sea worthy they were!
Some learners conquered their fear of heights when they climbed to the top of the high ropes.
Though they were tired out by the daytime activities, learners still found the energy to enter that evening’s Conway Centre talent show. On their second night, learners put on their dancing shoes and danced the evening away at a disco.
Learners and staff had a fantastic time and everyone said that they would love to go back and do it all again.
Back at Birchwood, year 7 learners not the trip had the chance to try something different. Learners sampled media studies with Mr Hamilton and Miss Denny. And Mr Walker gave learners the opportunity to test their DT skills when they designed and build their own racing car.
There are lots more photos to view on our galleries page which is here.
Praise for performing arts learners and students
We had some great results last week in our externally assessed music exams.
Charlotte Yarwood in year 12 was awarded a Distinction in her Grade 5 singing exam.
Erika Strong in year 9 passed her Grade 3 Electronic Keyboard exam.
Hayden Astley and James Harper in year 13 both passed their grade 5 Music Theory exams.
These are fantastic results and we are really pleased and proud of our learners and students who have done so well.
Thank you for your support
Last Friday, we held a non-uniform day to support our bid to replace our 3G pitch. Thank you to everyone who supported this cause and with your help we raised a fabulous £640!
We are confident the new state of the art pitch will be up and running by November this year and the support that you have shown will keep us on target to make this happen.
Together we can succeed; success stories from last year’s exam results.
This week’s star is Ellie Butler. Ellie is motivated and talented member of our school community who joined us from Gorse Covert Primary School.
Although Ellie is confident performer with a fabulous singing voice but she was not as confident her ability to do well in her exams. On results day, Ellie surprised herself by achieving some fantastic results with grades 9, 8 and 6 in English and Maths and 7 A*- As including an A* in history, RE and drama. We are pleased to say that Ellie has stayed with us at Birchwood College where she studies music, acting, history and biology. She continues to wow us with fantastic performances at our college showcases.
Nominations are currently open for the 2018 Warrington Guardian School Awards
Warrington Guardian School Awards honour the brightest and best from classrooms across Warrington, including teachers, pupils and support staff. In fact anyone in a school who goes that extra mile, and we have lots of staff and learners who do just that!
Nominations are now open and it would be great if BCHS could feature amongst them, so if there is someone who you think deserves recognition for what they do, now is the time to help them shine.
For details of the award categories and how to enter, please see here
The KS3 Maths Problem Solving Challenge
The correct answer to last week’s puzzle was A-17/15. Unfortunately, there were no winners.
This week’s challenge is
Answers should be taken to Mr Ashcroft on a sheet of paper, showing your full working out for the answer.
Years 8 - 12, Ski residential trip to France, Friday 15 February – Friday 22 February 2019
Payment schedule for this trip is:
27 April - 2nd payment - £150
23 November - Balance Due
Be Active at BCHS
At BCHS we aim to offer a full range of extra-curricular activities which will appeal to a wide spectrum of interests, both before and after school and also at lunchtimes. For a full timetable of all the activities available, please see the timetables below:-
Year 7 - No specific information
Year 8 - No specific information
Year 9 - No specific information
Year 10
Summer Examination information
All learners in Year 10 will have received their initial summer 2018 Individual Candidate Timetable which details the dates and times of all exams they will be sitting this year. Please check this document with your child to see when their exam takes place. Also be aware that the name that appears on their Individual Candidate Timetable is the name that will appear on their exam certificates, if this is not their legal name please inform the exams officer, Mrs Kinnaird at JKinnaird@birchwoodhigh.org.
For the full timetable, please see here
Media Studies tour to Prague 14 - 17 February 2019 for current Year 10 learners
Payment schedule for this trip is:
4 May - 2nd payment - £125
7 December - Final payment -£125
A message from our English Department
York notes revision guides will be available to purchase through the school shop on the school’s website, here, from Monday 4th December. All guides are priced at £2.40 each and learners will be able to collect the revision guides from their English teachers.
For Year 10 classes the guides required are:
A Christmas Carol
Blood Brothers
Macbeth
Year 11
Year 11 Prom, Thursday 5 July at the Hallmark Hotel, Warrington.
A letter went out to all year 11 learners last Thursday with details of how to book a place at the Prom.
We do hope that your child will join us for what will be a fantastic final celebration of their time at BCHS.
The Prom will be at the Hallmark Hotel (formerly the Fir Grove) on Thursday 5 July. Learners will enjoy a mocktail on arrival, a three-course meal and then a disco. Return travel by coach from school is included in the price alongside a memento Year Book to keep and cherish.
You can find a copy of the letter here.
Important careers information and guidance for Year 11 learners
All Year 11 learners should now have made some plans for after year 11. According to the Government, young people must stay in education or training until at least the age of 18. See the information here
They must do one of the following:
stay in full-time education, for example at a college/6th form
start an apprenticeship or traineeship
spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training
It is possible to get financial help with education costs. In England, you can apply for a 16 to 19 Bursary Fund to help with education costs – this is means tested. Please see here
If you are eligible for Child benefit, this will continue if your child stays in education. You will need to inform the CBA about this.If your child starts an apprenticeship, then you will not be eligible for Child Benefit as they will receive a wage.
Apprenticeships
The following companies are currently recruiting:
Nuvia -http://www.nuvia.co.uk/careers-apprentices-design.asp (closing date 16/3/18)
Volvo – HGV technician
Kone – Engineering
United Utilities – Science
Mercedes Benz – Light Vehicle Maintenance
Barratt Homes – Engineering and Design
Daresbury Labs – Engineering
Atos – IT Software Development
All these and more vacancies are advertised here
Even if your child is keen to get an apprenticeship, it is still a good idea to apply for a college place as a back-up.
Birchwood College offers our Internship Placement Programme. This is a specially tailored educational pathway, which allows the student to learn at college whilst completing a placement at a partner organisation, allowing a more hands-on learning experience. For more information, contact Mr Burrows, Head of College at cburrows@birchwoodhigh.org.
Warrington and Vale Royal College is also an option as they offer both apprenticeships and full time courses.
If your child requires any assistance with securing a place in education, training or an apprenticeship please get in touch with our Careers Adviser, Mrs R Morris rmorris@birchwoodhigh.org asap.
Summer Examination information
All learners in Year 11 will have received their initial summer 2018 Individual Candidate Timetable which details the dates and times of all exams they will be sitting in May/June this year. Please check this document with your child to see when the first and last exams take place. Also be aware that the name that appears on their Individual Candidate Timetable is the name that will appear on their exam certificates, if this is not their legal name please inform the exams officer, Mrs Kinnaird at JKinnaird@birchwoodhigh.org.
For a full copy of the summer exam timetable see here
Important date for your Diary
Friday 15 June – Year 11 Celebration Assembly following on from the GCSE Physics exam
Thursday 5 July - Year 11 Prom at The Hallmark Hotel, Warrington
A message from our English Department
York notes revision guides will be available to purchase through the school shop on the school’s website, here, from Monday 4th December. All guides are priced at £2.40 each and learners will be able to collect the revision guides from their English teachers.
For Year 10 classes the guides required are:
A Christmas Carol
Blood Brothers
Romeo and Juliet
Birchwood College
Summer Examination information
All students in Year 12 and 13 will have received their initial summer 2018 Individual Candidate Timetable which details the dates and times of all exams they will be sitting in May/June this year. Please check this document with your child to see when the first and last exams take place. Also be aware that the name that appears on their Individual Candidate Timetable is the name that will appear on their exam certificates, if this is not their legal name please inform the exams officer, Mrs Kinnaird at JKinnaird@birchwoodhigh.org.
For the full timetable, please see here
Other School information:
We would like to hear your views about our school so we can share these with OFSTED
We are asking for your support so that we are aware of your views about our school. It will also help us to prepare for our next OFSTED visit which is due this academic year. Thank you to all parents and carers who have already filled the online form in. We have had 18 responses so far and all parents have said that their children feel safe and happy at school. We would love more views though! Please read and fill in the online form below.
Parent View is an online facility launched by Ofsted in October 2011 that allows parents and carers to give their views about their child’s school at any time of the school year. The questionnaire is also the main mechanism for parents to give their views to inspectors about their child’s school at the time of a school inspection. If you are a registered parent or carer of a pupil at the school, you can tell us your views about the school by completing Ofsted’s online survey here.
E-Safety update
As ever, BCHS are always looking out for your child’s safety whilst online. Please find the latest guide for parents and children with regard to safe use of live streaming Apps.
As the guide says
“You can now broadcast from anywhere in the world, to anywhere in the world for free using the device in your pocket.”
So please read the guide found here, and keep your child safe
View your child’s information on your mobile phone or tablet, a great new way to keep in touch.
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new service to make communications between school and home quicker, easier and more effective.
You will be able to view information about your child or children securely on your mobile phone or tablet using the Groupcall Xpressions app.
Once you are set up you will be able to see information such as:
Free messages sent by the school delivered to the app
Attendance and absence information
Attitude to learning (“ATL”) scores for each lesson.
Daily/Weekly timetable information
The app is completely free of charge to you and supports Apple iOS and Android devices (with Windows mobile to follow).
In order to use the app school must have your correct mobile number and email address on our school system. Forms are available from the school office to check and update your details or you can simply email them to the school. You’ll need to make sure you keep these details up to date in future to maintain access to the service.
You can download the app by searching for “Xpressions” in the App Store or on Google Play. Once the app is downloaded, simply follow the on screen instructions.
We hope that you take advantage of this new service, which has replaced our ParentsLive system. If you have any issues or need to know more please contact Mr O’Reilly here at school on aoreilly@birchwoodhigh.org
Children on site out of school hours
As a Community School, we welcome clubs and booked activities to use our facilities and school grounds outside the school day. We have become aware though that there are groups of both learners and ex learners on site in the evenings. Please make your child aware that learners are only allowed on site after the school day, if they are part of an organised and booked group. Thank you for your co-operation.
School Nurse: Please note that the school nurse comes into school every Wednesday from 12.15- 1.30pm and is available in the BSR Mentoring Room if any learners or students have any health related issues they would like to discuss.
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