Preparing for Christmas

 Art Club

As is always the case, Mrs Pinion has been inspiring our students in our after-school club.

In Art club this week students were busy getting ready for Christmas, making clay Santas and friendly Nordic Gonks. Next week we will have fun painting them.

Our Music Department: Christmas Performances

Which Pathway?

 Careers Fair at Winston

On Wednesday 16^th November we held our annual careers fair with over 1000 students across the whole school attending, as well as a record number of parents and carers.  We were delighted that our exhibitors represented a broad range of sectors including healthcare, construction, conservation, wellbeing, education, sport, arts, culture and science to name a few.

Career is your journey through life, learning and work and representing these components were colleges, universities, charities, apprenticeship providers, companies, employers, employees, entrepreneurs and the self-employed.

We have a very supportive community who understand the importance of careers education and are willing to give their time to help raise awareness and knowledge among the next generation.  Our exhibitors included parents, alumni, our staff and local businesses.  They were able to share information about future pathways as well as their own experiences and roles.

Students were able to practice the Winston competencies and skills that are key to their future career, such as being open-minded, questioning and listening.  They planned for the event in advance, by doing activities in form time and during class, to identify exhibitors they might like to find out more about, as well as considering their strengths and skills.

Our exhibitors shared the top skills they use in their roles, to help our students understand their importance and they were a good topic of discussion.

Some of our pupils had a work experience day in the school, by helping with the smooth running of the fair, escorting exhibitors around the site, assisting them with setting up their stalls, taking orders and serving refreshments and preparing discovery space for the exhibitors’ lunch.  Our barista students experienced a busy service, preparing and serving drinks all day for around 60 visitors.

Exhibitors had lunch in our Discovery Space building and were able to see our planetarium in action.

Employers said that they thought that the overall engagement with the students was good, that they had some great questions and that the student helpers were amazing.

Students comments include:

“I learnt what other careers are available”

“You get a wider perspective of the variety of careers and education options as a student”

“I learnt how to become an accountant and a lawyer”

“The people hosting the stands were very informative which was really useful, especially when it comes to considering what you want to do after Winston. For instance, I got a lot of information from Woking College with regards to A-Levels.”

“It showed me different options of pathways out of school”

“I found it useful as it’s rarely that we can ask them these questions”

“Being able to explore different and unique career opportunities that I hadn't known of/considered before”

 

Overall, it was a very successful day, which we are planning to organise again next year.  If you would like to support our careers programme, wherever you are in your career journey, we would welcome you to our community.  Please contact our careers department on careers@wcsc.org.uk.

Reach Out

This week, the Anti-bullying Committee (The A.B.C.) have been leading our assemblies for National Anti-bullying Week 2022. The theme for this year is ‘#Reach Out’.

Students have been considering who they can ‘Reach Out’ to and how they can do this.

Students have been reminded of the definition of bullying:

The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face to face or online.

 

 

 

We looked again at the types of bullying: Physical, Verbal, Psychological and Online.

And we reinforced how, if we challenge an act of unkindness at the very start, we can prevent a potential future case of bullying.

During our assemblies, students have been reminded of some ‘Pathways Out’. Here, at Winston, the term ‘Pathways Out’ is used to help students seek support, help and advice when they need it.

The most important message is for students to ‘Reach Out’ to someone if they need help. Students can talk to someone at home or a friend. If they tell someone in school, or use the ABC button, we can help.

For online help, we have recommended:

www.kooth.com

www.childline.org.uk

www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

 

Equally we can all Reach Out to someone who needs support.

 

Congratulations to the A.B.C. who were magnificent!

  

Acting on Feedback

 Girls Football U14s - Second Round Win

Winston girls took on some tough opponents in the 2nd round of the county cup this evening. 

As the evening grew colder the girls took to the pitch, to attain their position in the County Cup Tournament 2022. 

Rosebery V Winston got off to a touch start, with the oppositional team having a lot of possession. The Winston girls kept pushing and with a penalty given away by a hand ball in the box by Rosebery, Ava takes to the penalty spot. The atmosphere is tense, Ava shoots and SCORES, 1-0 Winston! 

Rosebery come back with pressure, the ball is played back and forth, back, and forth with possession averaging at 50/50. The half-whistle blows, 1-0 Winston. 

As we take the field for the second half the rain starts to fall. The field is wet, the ball hard to hold and Rosebery are trying to equalise. With a long ball by the opposition and a long reach from Amelie, the ball slips just past the keepers' fingertips and into the back of the net 1-1! 

However, with the resilience the Winston girls know so well they push back. Slipping the ball consistently down the wing, Lucy makes some brilliant runs with fantastic help and assistance from striker Charlotte and centre mids Chloe and Ava. The ball is in the box and Ava takes a strike, it hits the back of the net, perseverance and a fantastic shot, the score is now 2-1 to Winston!

Ten minutes left, the rain keeps coming but so do Winston girls! Keeping the ball out of the back of our home net the final whistle blows the final score 2-1 to Winston. A tense but fantastic game of football, resilience and perseverance takes us into the third round!

Number 1 - Amelia B, named player of the match by the opposition. Fantastic game and some brilliant saves, well done Amelie!

Well done girls and thank you to Rosebery School for a fantastic and challenging game of football! 

Miss Turner 

Learning Review Feedback

What an incredible 2 days. The objective of Learning Review is that our students are given the opportunity to spend time to reflect on their strengths and identify areas that they can develop, creating personalised strategies that they can use to help them be the best version of themselves. 

A selection of quotes from students:

'It gave me a good understanding on what to do in the future to help me be the best I can be'

'I was able to feel more confident about how I need to improve and specific subjects I need to focus on'

'Coming up with constructive strategies that I feel will help me to progress further in my learning'

'It went well, and I know what to focus on'

'I am proud that I was able to come up with some really useful strategies to improve my skills.'

A selection of quotes from parents:

'It's a really valuable experience for the kids AND the parents'

'It was nice to sit down and have a look at the bigger picture with them and hear their voice'

`She has just thrived under face-to-face teaching at the school. Learning Review has allowed us to think of what her primary school said about her and see where she is now. We are so proud of her'

A selection of quotes from staff:

'I have had honest conversations about what we can do together to enhance their learning'

'It is valuable to see students identify their weaknesses but also focusing on positives, taking a lesson they enjoy and really want to thrive in.'

'I have been able to get to know some of my tutees better. Some have had some excellent strategies that I have used for other students later.'

Here are some of the strategies that our students have created for themselves:

'After I receive feedback on a piece of work, I will look over what I have done, identify where I can improve and take action to develop my answers'

'If I do not get the mark that I want, I will remind myself that this is a direction, not a criticism.'

'Remind myself that resilience doesn't mean I have to do it alone, I can always for help, and this is not a weakness'. 

 Speakers4Schools

On Tuesday 15 November Year 9 had the opportunity to hear from Deborah McKenzie, Chief People Officer at NHS Blood and Transplant. To coincide with Careers Week, the Assembly gave the students insight into all the jobs available within the NHS - including architects, managers, van drivers - as well as the doctors and nurses they would expect.

Students studying Health and Social Care, and selected Year 9s, then got to take part in a Q and A session where they asked wide-ranging questions about careers and the opportunities available. Questions ranged from routes into social care, the qualifications needed to be a physiotherapist, the different blood types, and whether it mattered that Matt Hancock was taking part in I'm a Celebrity! The students also asked about work experience opportunities and how best to make GCSE and A-level choices.

Many left with new ideas, questions, and renewed focus for next steps to discuss during the Careers Fair on Wednesday.

Its Careers Day today and our students will have the opportunity to visit the exhibits, to talk about the skills required and routes into roles and take away ideas/pathways to discuss at home.