Dear Families,

This week has included more careers support for students with a focus on Apprenticeships, a wonderful online Q&A for our politics students with Lord Borwick, a business leader who sits in the House of Lords, and a wonderful primary school dodgeball tournament led by our sports leaders.

Back to the 80’s

All of this has been accompanied by the sound of 80’s classics from the final rehearsals for our annual musical - Back to the 80’s. A small number of tickets are still available to buy online. This is a wonderful way to spend an evening and support the school.

Internet Safety

We also concluded our focus on Internet safety with students through assemblies this week. If you read only one resource to help your child in being safer online then we would recommend the guides on this website, saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/parents-and-carers

To support students in enjoying a range of activities, beyond their mobile phones, Suffolk County Council has arranged a rich February Holiday Activity Programme, which you can read about here, tgschool.net/files/resources/february-half-term-activities.pdf 

Accessing Online Systems & Apps

As well as staying safe online it is worth checking that your child can still access school systems, such as email, Go4Schools and Google Classroom. They use Outlook for email at outlook.office.com/mail/, and this is the same username and password as their Google Classrooms, accessible at classroom.google.com/  and to log into school computers.

To access Go4Schools they may need to request a password, from the forgot password link at www.go4schools.com/ - they then receive a reset link sent to their school email. The password they choose for Go4Schools can then be saved.

Outlook, Google Classrooms and Go4Schools all have apps that students would find helpful to have on their phones or tablets. 

Year 11 Revision Activities, and support for Y10-13

Our staff provide a wide range of activities after school, and these also include support for stronger academic progress, We call these Co-curricular activities. Attached is the updated programme for students in Y10-13.

Year 11 students received their latest progress checks, which also show recent mock grades, on Wednesday. This was accompanied by a lilac sheet of paper which shows very clearly the sessions that they are required to attend. As well as being required to attend, students can also choose additional sessions.

There is more information about support for revision at www.tgschool.net/revision and if you have any questions about what this means for your child please contact their tutor or subject teachers.

Year 9 Options Evening

A reminder that our Year 9 Options Evening takes place on Thursday 29 February, from 5 to 8pm. Please be available to join us for a presentation on the options process and the chance to meet students and staff for each of the option subjects available. Full information on the subjects available and the process is on our website at www.tgschool.net/ks4-options 

Personal Social & Health Education

Throughout the year Key Stage 3 students cover topics in PSHE relating to Living in the Wider World, Sex & Relationships and Healthy Lifestyles.

After half term students in Year 9 will be looking at a unit based around Sex, Sexuality and Sexual Health. These lessons will of course be covered in a sensitive nature but should you have any concerns or wish to know more about the lesson content please do contact your child’s PSHE teacher.

PSHE is also delivered through our Enrichment Day programme.

Our next Enrichment Day is for all year groups and takes place on Thursday 15 February.

  • Year 7 will cover E-Safety, Environment Awareness & Self Awareness.
  • Year 8 will cover E-Safety, Communities and Risky Situations including drugs.
  • Year 9 will be focusing on the iDEA Award, Health and Safety & Finances.
  • Year 10 will have a mock interview with an external employer, they will also have a session to prepare them for their mock exams this year and they will have a session on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and contraceptives - this will be delivered by OM Health who come in to support our Sex Education lessons.
  • Year 11 will be looking at Future Planning, Finances and Health and Wellbeing.

Some students in Years 7, 9 and 10 have also been selected to complete an online survey about sport and physical activity amongst young people on behalf of Sport England, all data collected will be anonymous and protected under GDPR.

Parents of Year 9 students please do remember to complete the following google form once you have arranged a placement for their Y9 Out to Work Shadow Day on the following Enrichment Day on Friday 15 March: https://forms.gle/8SZsiy3R5qerUYvM6 

Bures Road Safety Group

We are very fortunate in our community that we have some wonderful places to live, but there are times of day and roads where walking is not as safe as we would like. There is a group of local residents who would welcome your support in trying to make travel along Bures Road safer for everyone.

If you would like to be put in touch with the Brues Road Safety Group please email Mr Ryall, cryall@tgschool.net who will pass your details on.

Careers Newsletter

And finally please see this week's Careers Newsletter which is packed full of information, talks, open events, University Taster Lectures and more. 

Have a wonderful weekend,

Thomas Gainsborough School