Winston is Celebrating!

 TES Schools' Awards

Stuart Phillips, our Business Manager, has been shortlisted for 

the School Business Leader of the Year category 

in the 2020 Tes Schools Awards

TES Schools Award 2020

 

Nomination: Stuart Phillips;  School Business Leader

 Describing the work and achievements of Stuart in 500 words was a challenge...

School Business Leader for 19 years, Stuart’s enthusiasm for young people and education has not waned.  Not just a Business Leader; he is passionate about providing opportunities for children.  His passion for the school is infectious, his commitment unrivalled.

Stuart has used resources wisely to transform a 60 Year old building into a safe, modern school.  His pro-active attitude towards Surrey CC has meant he has secured a regular investment in capital work over 7 years.

Stuart manages our own school businesses, including a Sports Centre and radio station.  This now includes our Planetarium. Stuart is able to see opportunities, create an offer that is appealing and deliverable, within the confines of a large secondary school. 

Stuart successfully bid to the Heritage Funding to create a book telling the story of local peoples’ involvement in World War 1.  Student collected the names/roles of family members and complied a book of their stories.  Students then reflected on sacrifices made; the book contains their comments.

As Headteacher, I decided to build a library, including a Planetarium, requiring £1 million.  Stuart ensured that the project became reality.  No other state school has a Planetarium.  As well as teaching astronomy, students gain an immersive experience in a range of subjects; virtual worldwide field trips.

Stuart successfully bid to fund access to the Planetarium for primary schools in disadvantaged areas, including transport and staffing.  Thirty-four schools have, free of charge, visited our planetarium.

Winston has established some of the best music provision in the country.  Stuart successfully bid for funds providing instruments/teaching for disadvantaged students and created a marketing film for our website.

Stuart applies his outside passion for football to coaching the Year 7 boys’ football team.  Stuart believes that this investment in students will develop their sense of belonging.

Stuart drives the provision of resources for our disadvantaged; during discussions with caterers on menus/prices, uniform and access to tutors.

Stuart is skilled when it comes to negotiating contracts.  One contract is for catering; the KPIs for Stuart when negotiating is affordable, quality food and the income generation to fund our projects. Through his negotiation, the school secured significant investment from the catering provider and curriculum involvement curriculum.  

To be effective as Headteacher, Stuart provides accurate budgetary forecasting for five years.  Stuart, as a Senior Leader, contributes to our lunchtime duty rotas as well as 'on call'. 

Stuart is never phased when I discuss the next large capital project.  He is currently raising money for ‘Performance Space’; a £1.2 million new build.

Stuart offers holiday opportunities in sport, radio production or astronomy for students to gain valuable skills. Disadvantaged children are welcomed to a summer holiday club, funded through careful management of our budget. 

Stuart is committed to Winston, so that our young people can be the best version of themselves, understanding of British Values, reducing prejudice, encouraging unity.  He leads by example, as a bone marrow donor, he helped to save the life of Celia Hutchinson, from Massachusetts. 

Week 3

Return to School

Well done Winston!  We have all returned to school and even though things are a little different, everyone is being very respectful and working together to keep our family safe.  Each day we review and amend they way we work, for example we have re-thought the use of the dining hall, now we know how many children are buying lunch.  The weather is, currently, helping us to keep doors and windows open and it is great to see so many staff on the gates welcoming children in the morning with some hand sanitiser.  Children now just walk towards us with their hands ready to be sprayed!

Department for Education!!!

Sadly the image below is the sum total of the resources sent to Winston by the Department for Education.  This is intended for 1500 students and 175 staff and would not last a day.

The PE Department

With lessons and extra-curricular clubs in full flow, we are proud of the positive attitudes, behaviours and efforts shown from all students within PE. The PE department have enjoyed teaching a range of summer activities that have seen full engagement and students supporting the changes that have had to be put in place.

Last Friday also saw the return of the much-anticipated Winston vs. Churchill fixture amongst the Yr11's. Churchill came out on top winning 4-3 on penalties after it finished 2-2 at full time. Great to see the positive energy and smiles throughout the game as well as many staff and students out to support. 

The PE Department look to continue offering variety and opportunities where we can and look forward to students maintaining their great start!

Mr Martin

Year 7 Opportunities

 Opportunities at Winston

Mr Drake sent me this video, prepared for the Year 7 Freshers Fair.  It includes information about the string scheme and also the clubs we have for Year 7.

Friday Morning Assembly

The Year 7s enjoyed a virtual 'Teams' assembly delivered by Deputy Year Leader, Mr Harrington Tucker. He started the assembly by congratulating the students on participating in the hugely popular Extra Curricular Taster Week, where students enjoyed a variety of musical and sports clubs, computing and rainbow club and even Japanese! 

We would usually hold a Freshers Fair, run by students, to introduce our year 7s to our clubs. As this was not possible this year, our year 11 students created a short film, introducing just some of the opportunities available.

Next week, the actual ECA timetable will start and students will be encouraged to keep track of their participation by completing a record card. At various stages, students will receive achievement points, certificates and even a hot chocolate with the year leader!

We’re looking forward to seeing our students in their chosen clubs from Monday!

Following this, Mr Harrington Tucker announced the achievement point tutor group leader board; rumbles of hand rolls on tables could be heard coming from the Year 7 Centre, with the announcement of :

1. 7NBI - 512

2. 7KPE - 475

3. 7THA 468

Well done everyone!

Mrs Smith’s Year 7 Winston Extra

 

During the first Winston Extra Lesson, students explored the theme of belonging and participation. We know everyone has a different sense of belonging and some will take longer to feel like they are a full part of the Winston family, and their classes, while others already expressed a feeling of belonging to Winston on their 2nd day of school.  

The students had to be resourceful to find ways to communicate with a class mate, without using spoken or written words.   All of the students demonstrated an ability to “overcome stuckness” and took risks with trying different ways to communicated. Student discussion led the group to conclude that our self perception will have an impact on how engaged we are in the task, therefore, those who felt that they could do it and have a level of self-belief were more inclined to take a risk and have a go while  showing more resilience. 

Following this student where given some dried spaghetti and mini marshmallows, they had to collaborate with their partner to try and find the most effect way to build a tall free standing tower. Some student showed an ability to effectively analyse their work and use ingenuity to solve the problem, while others found themselves “failing” at this task and were left with a pile of mashed marshmallows and broken pasta! “It’s ok to fail” I find myself saying “it’s the process you have gone through and the resilience you have shown which is the true purpose of this task”. Student felt empowered by this and are excited for their next Winston Extra Lesson, when we explore the statement “Phones: are they a source of evil”.

Welcome Year 10

 Thursday 3rd September

Year 10 re-joined the school today and it was great to see how positively they approached their lessons, having been out of the classroom for five months.

Everyone is getting used to the one way systems in our corridors, as well as the zones on the patio!  Year 10 waited patiently to allow Year 7 through the lunch hall, before going in to select their lunch, keeping the Year Group bubbles apart.  Thank you Year 10, it's so good to have you back.

We have explained to all of our students that our new systems are aimed at keeping them safe, so that they can help to keep their family safe.  Today we had 900 children in school from three year groups.

Lunch today offered a wide choice:

Lasagna, Chicken Pasta bake, Vegetable filled Jacket Potatoes

Spicy Noodles with Chicken, Vegetable Stir Fry and Cheesy Jacket Potatoes.

All salads have to be pre-packed in the current situation, plus a range of sandwiches and wraps.

Chocolate Sponge and Custard

Welcome Back!

 Welcome to All Our Students

On Wednesday we started our return to the classroom at Winston, with Year 7 and Year 11 arriving ready to make the most of being back in school. 

Somethings are different:

• one way systems in corridors
• in classrooms everyone is facing the front
• staggered end to the day
• hands sanitised before entering the building and as you enter each classroom
• the use of external classroom doors in MFL and Home Technology
• the way food is purchased and consumed
• Additional benching under the canopy for packed lunches
• staggered release from lessons to avoid too many students in corridors
• surfaces treated with a product that captures and destroys coronavirus
• new toilets and hand washing facilities

The most important thing is that our students have all the opportunities that we can offer and enjoy being back in our school with their friends and their teachers.

Almost every student in Years 7 and 11 returned to school today.  At least 600 children were welcomed from 7.30am onwards, they were welcomed on the gate with hand sanitiser and then they were all introduced to our new systems.  Expectations were made clear that we all have a responsibility for each other and that the new systems would help us to look after our family.

Students enjoyed a superb roast dinner, practiced their fire drill positions, had their photographs taken for our records and engaged in lessons this afternoon.

Year 11 have come back ready to focus on their GCSEs for the next nine months and there was significant excitement about our new toilets! 

Before.

Now!!

Our Library is Ready for You!

 Our Library is Ready for You!

Miss Dodds is keen to see the library buzzing again with students who want to use the resources and those who want a quiet space to study.

The library has been divided into zones for each year group and resources will be sanitised or left for 72 hours between use.