HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

This week we held our Sixth Form Open Evening.  Our students and external students had the opportunity to discuss with staff and current Sixth Form students the courses we have on offer and what life is like in the Sixth Form.  The Sixth Form students who supported the departments, helping to explain in depth the subjects they are studying and how they find Sixth Form life, were 'amazing', a word used by several visiting parents .  More information about our Sixth Form can be found here.  Applications open today 15 October.

SOCIAL MEDIA

An interesting report on the BBC that you may wish to read about potential social media addiction HERE

DRUG DETECTION DOGS

As part of our continuing stance on drugs, we hosted the drugs dogs in the school.  We have three visits a year; the first announced, and the others will be unannounced.  The dogs are used to search the school site and also 'sniff' students to see if there are any drugs or traces of drugs on them.  This is an intergral part of our drugs education programme to help us support any individuals that the dogs indicate.   

SCHOOL PRODUCTION 

The Creative Arts Team are excited to announce the launch of tickets-sales for our whole school production of ‘Legally Blonde the Musical’. Performances will be on the following dates:

Wednesday 24 November at 7 pm

Thursday 25 November at 7 pm

Friday 26 November at 7 pm

Saturday 27 November at 2 pm

Tickets cost £10.50 and can be purchased from the trybooking site via the button below

We have students from year groups 8-13 in both the cast and orchestra as well as students helping with production features such as lighting, sound and costume.

We are looking forward to the school community coming together to support the students and staff involved in creating this production.

HEADTEACHER'S HALF-TERM COMPETITION FOR STUDENTS

I would like to invite students to get creative during the next week and through half-term and design a Christmas Card and a School greeting card for me to use.

The competition is open to all students from Year 7 to Year 13.  Students can submit one design to each category (Christmas card and Greeting card), each submission to be no more than A4 in size.

To enter, please send a photograph of your design to me, head@chartersschool.org.uk Remember to include your Full Name, Tutor Group and House name along with the image/s.   Keep your original artwork though as it may be needed. 

Deadline for receipt of entries to the competition is Tuesday 9 November at 9 am.

I look forward to seeing all the imaginative designs again this year.   House Points will be awarded to everyone who enters.  The winning designs from last year’s competition are shown below.

HELLO YELLOW FUNDRAISING TOTAL

We are delighted to say that last week, on World Mental Health Day, Charters School raised £815 for the YoungMinds charity.

Thank you to everyone that donated and to all of the students and staff who wore yellow to raise awareness about wellbeing and mental health. 

WELLINGTON COLLEGE ARTS FUND

We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Wellington College who have donated £1000 to our Music department through their Arts Fund Grant. The funds will be used to purchase 15 clarinets to use with our students and also with students from local primary schools.

 

STUDENT NEWS

ESAA CROSS COUNTRY CUP 

  

Our Girls' Cross Country team was really pleased to be able to get back into competition this week at the Berkshire round of the English Schools Athletic Association (ESAA) Cross Country Cup hosted at Downe House School on Wednesday.  

Some of the older girls in the team had not so fond memories of the very hilly course from previous years and knew what a tough challenge they had ahead.  All the girls performed exceptionally well, as this course was such a big step up from the House cross country held on the Charters playing fields earlier this term!

Five girls finished within the top ten in their individual races despite many competing against older students and some tough competition in the Junior and Inter competitions. Congratulations go to:

Junior Girls - Holly (Year 7) was 4th
Inter Girls - Fleur (Year 9) was 8th
Senior Girls - Manisha (Year 12) was 3rd, Abi (Year 11) was 5th and Amber (Year 12) was 9th.

The positions of the first six runners across the line make up the team score with the top three teams continuing to Regional Finals. Our Senior Girls qualified in first place becoming Berkshire Champions.  Congratulations to Manisha, Abi, Amber, Tabby, Morgan and Macy who will compete in the Regional finals in November.  

ENGLAND FOOTBALL TRIALS

Year 10 student, Liv, had international trials at the weekend for the U15 Lionesses. The England football trials were held at Millfield school and Liv played very well.

It has been confirmed that of the fifty girls in the South West region that played, she is one of seventeen who have been selected to go through to the next round. She is obviously over the moon and will play the girls from the South East region in November.  If Liv gets through this next trial, there will then be one final trial between the North and South of England before final selection.

We are incredibly proud of all our students who complete at the highest level and manage to combine their busy training schedules with the rigours of school work.

We wish her all the best for the forthcoming trials and will keep you posted on her progress.

 

NOTICES

FLU AND COVID VACCINATIONS - HAVE YOU REPLIED?

These will take place on Friday 22 October for Years 7-11 (Flu) and Years 8-11 (Covid).  

If you have not yet done so, please let the School Immunisation Service know if you do or do not consent to your child receiving these vaccines. There is a separate form for each vaccine. Each form needs to be completed for each child.

Charters School is unable to collate any responses or respond to queries. Please respond directly to the Immunisation Service using the forms provided.

COVID VACCINATIONS FOR YEAR 7

For Year 7 students who will be 12 years old by 31 October 2021, Covid vaccinations are being offered at Wokingham Hospital. Please click here to read more.

For students not yet invited, arrangements will be made later in the term.

WHEN YOUR CHILD NEEDS MEDICATION

If your child needs medication during the school day, please complete and return this form with the medication indicating whether they carry the medication on them or if you would prefer the school to hold the medication.

Whilst students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own medication and devices, they should not carry any more than is necessary for the school day.

Please read the form for more details.

PIXL EDGE PROGRAMME

This week we have launched the PiXL Edge programme with the Year 7s and have been delighted with the way many of them have already been showing the key attributes of Leadership, Organisation, Resilience, Initiative and Communication.

PiXL Edge is a key part of what we do at Charters, to not only support the personal development and enrichment opportunities for students, but also as a way for them to be able to showcase and gain an accreditation for embodying the school motto of Unity Respect and Excellence.

Once a fortnight every student in Years 7 to 11 have a dedicated Edge computer session to help support them in this fantastic initiative. For further information please ask your child about it and also check out the page on our website PiXL Edge - Charters School

PE UNIFORM - SKORTS

Further to the email to parents / carers last week please see below for some additional information and further clarification.

We have worked with our uniform supplier to find a different skort which is of a better fit which can be purchased from the school shop.

Skort - Direct Clothing

Skorts should be of an appropriate length and as a guide should be no shorter than mid-thigh. The skirt part should also be longer than the short part and the short part should not be seen.

If preferred there are alternative items that can be worn in place of a skort which are as follows:

• Charters shorts or Charters tracksuit bottoms
• Charters Base leggings (need to be worn under a skort or shorts)
• Navy Unbranded, plain, non-logo base layers/Leggings (need to be worn under a skort or shorts)
• Navy Unbranded, plain, non-logo tracksuit bottoms (branded tracksuit bottoms are not permitted)

Thank you for your continued support.

 

ACTIVATE LEARNING HIGHER EDUCATION TAKE OVER WEEK - 18-22 OCTOBER

This is an opportunity for learners to gain first-hand knowledge about Higher Education study, directly from a wide range of institutions.  Over 50 scheduled online talks across the week, delivered by a number of universities, colleges and organisations, which are designed to help learners consider Higher Education. 

There are general sessions covering topics such as Choosing a Course, Writing your Personal Statement, Preparing a Portfolio as well as subject specific talks relating to areas including studying mathematics, biological sciences, nursing or hospitality (and many more). 

This would be of interest to students in Year 11 and above who may be considering higher education in the future.  Here is the link to the virtual event:   

https://activatelearningonline.instructure.com/courses/26491

 

COMMUNITY

COUNTY LINES AWARENESS

Thames Valley Police is raising awareness of exploitation and County Lines.

County Lines is a term used to describe organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone ‘lines’.  A process of grooming is used to entice a child into acts of criminality.  This may include promises of something the child needs or wants, such as money, expensive clothes and shoes, power and status or a sense of belonging.

Exploited young people do not always look or act vulnerable and we are asking that everyone looks closer for signs, some of which could be the following:

• Truancy
• Anxious, frightened, angry or displaying other behaviours that are out of character
• In possession of more than one phone
• Having unexplained money or belongings, or buying new things
• Taking drugs or abusing alcohol
• Unexplained injuries and refusing to talk about it
• Hanging around with older people
• Going missing from home, staying out late or travelling for unexplained reasons
• Spending more time on phone and being secretive about who they are calling or texting

If you spot any of these signs, speak to your child and let them know that help is available. 

If you are concerned about a child and think it’s an emergency please dial 999, otherwise please dial 101.  If you would rather remain anonymous, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers online or call 0800 555 111.

More information can be found at childrenssociety.org.uk/lookcloser

HEATHROW VIRTUAL CAREER TALKS

During the week of 25 – 29 October (during half-term), Heathrow Airport is delivering a series of virtual career talks aimed at young people aged 16-24 thinking about their next steps.

Each webinar will be up to 45 minutes long and features a colleague from a different area of the airport talking about their role, their career journey and what it’s like to work at Heathrow. Viewers will be able to ask questions directly to the webinar speakers through a Q&A function.

Heathrow colleagues hosting webinars are from areas as diverse as IT, Security, and Engineering, in addition to airport-based employers Louis Vuitton, Mace and JCDecaux.

To close the week, a colleague from the Heathrow Employment & Skills Academy will lead an employability skills workshop to help young people brush up on their job searching and interview skills.

We have teamed up with education partner Springpod to bring this experience to life. To access the webinars, and for the full list of topics, dates and times, please go to our landing page. To watch the webinar, viewers just need to click the link when it starts – no sign-up is required. If viewers can’t watch live, each webinar will be recorded and uploaded within 24 hours.

Please click here for the webinar schedule for the week.

If any viewer has accessibility requirements, or if you have any questions about the programme, please contact education@heathrow.com.

We hope young people will use this opportunity to learn more about careers to help inform their next steps.

The Education, Employment & Skills team
Heathrow Airport

SPEAKERS CLUBHOUSE

Calling all 15–18 year olds! Do you want to be part of a micro business, earn money and gain valuable skills for university or employment?

Speakers Clubhouse at Cordes Hall Sunninghill, in collaboration with local businesses, has been launched to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with the chance to learn how to set up a business from scratch. The micro-business will help teens become leaders and managers as they learn to take responsibility for tasks, time management and motivate others. Each team will be given a budget and an adult mentor who can advise them how to plan, produce and bring their ideas to market.

The Speakers Clubhouse helps teenagers develop their public speaking, critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a fun, creative way.

Learning entails first-hand experience. The first project created by young people in the community is a Murder Mystery being held at Cordes Hall during the October half-term break (26 and 28 October). Our budding entrepreneurs have excelled at learning how to organise, plan and market an event and think creatively to find solutions to real-world challenges.

We welcome 15-18 year olds to join the fun in participating in a detective thriller during half-term.

We have a passion for supporting young entrepreneurs. Our mission is to build future leaders by teaching skills that matter. We equip young people with new ways to approach challenges, communicate and learn.

Speakers Clubhouse will be running year-round programmes in small groups at Cordes Hall.

www.speakersclubhouse.co.uk 
 

SOUTH ASCOT VILLAGE PRIMARY SCHOOL OPEN DAY

Please click here for a flyer regarding SAVS Open Day on Monday 18 October.

 

 

HALF-TERM ACTIVITIES

BAGSHOT TENNIS CLUB

Bagshot Tennis Club are holding a half-term Junior Camp which is suitable for 4-16 year olds, all levels and abilities are welcome.  Please click here for a flyer.
 

PARENTAL CURRICULUM INFORMATION

Course content knowledge and skill development across KS3 KS4 and KS5 can be found by clicking here  .

Personal Development content across KS3 KS 4 and KS5 can be  found by clicking here