Winston's Got Talent

I hope you have all managed to vote for the Winston Churchill School Firework Safety Radio Advert.  If not the the web link is:

http://www.eagleextra.co.uk/advertchallenge/

Please help our students to win this competition.

The week ended on a high note with the GCSE Music Recital. Each member of the group performed a solo piece to entertain family, friends and staff.  Yet again the wealth of talent in Year 11 was impressive, the quality in each performance and the confidence with which it was performed outstanding.  Well done to everyone involved.  Images below.

There was an opportunity this week to hold a staff meeting, to discuss a five year strategic plan for the school, to focus on the style of questioning used in the classroom and to highlight the range of data being used in the school.  It is great that all staff, not just teachers, attend these meetings.

25th October 2013

It's has been a great week at Winston.  On Monday students had the opportunity to work with Theo Fennell, famous jewellery designer, who designs and makes beautiful, unusual pieces for the rich and famous. His talk was very interesting highlighting the difference between fashion accessories and pieces of art.  The workshop session revealed the talent that is within our students.

This was followed by an inspirational Sports Awards Evening.  This was my first experience of this annual event and I was overwhelmed by the number of young people involved in the Gifted and Talented Sports Programme.  The dance and gym demonstrations were an opportunity to showcase some of the students and their skills.  This event highlights the range of clubs and teams that the PE Department run, including 123 extra curricular activities each year.  The commitment of both students and staff is impressive.

I was able to walk the school with Dr John Trigg MBE and Ian Saunders, colleagues with extensive experience of other schools, who commented very favourably on the students and their appearance and took a particular interest in the new Music facilities, including the recording studio.

Below are images of the Warhammer Club.  I was invited to observe the action and was delighted to see the more experienced students teaching the younger ones, not only how to play the game but also how to paint the models.  The club has been very successful in National Competitions.  If anyone has any items that they no longer want the club would be able to make great use of them.

Food Glorious Food

Today the special in the dining hall was curry.  The new recipes proved to be a great hit and I was able to sample the dishes which were delicious. These curries will be available every Tuesday, alongside a home baked chicken pie with fresh vegetables.

18th October 2013

This morning's assembly was taken by Mr Parsons and addressed the issue of image using the start point of 'judging a book by its cover'.  Year 7 linked the ideas together and then made the connection with the Winston Way.

Catering Academy have introduced a new chef into our kitchen and we look forward to a successful partnership.  

I met with Martin Leigh of the Rotary Club this week to discuss the opportunities that our students could become involved in.  The first of these is to be the Youth Speaks Competition in January, where up to two teams of students will compete, against other schools, in a public speaking competition.  We believe the first round will be held at Winston.

Developments with the Radio Station and recording studio are underway and this will provide more opportunities for our students to have their work in the public domain, requiring that they ensure the quality and meet deadlines.  These are skills which will serve them well in the workplace.

A number of Governors have been in school this week, supporting the appointment of new staff and observing the work of the school. Parents will receive a letter next week which outlines the strategic plan for the school which has been developed by the Governors and the Senior Leadership Team.

Bradford Business Game

Year 10 had the opportunity to develop their own business through an enterprise experience set up by Surrey SATRO this week.  Each group of students had to create stationary items around which they developed a business plan.  They had to work with the bank to gain access to funds to invest in the production of prototypes; they then had to make a pitch to the buyers to create a market for their items.

Students at the end of the day presented their business model.  We could not provide this experience without the help of volunteers from the business world; the students and staff appreciate the support through the time you have devoted to the day.  Thank you.

11th October 2013

It has been a very positive week at Winston, as two appointments have been made to the teaching team; one in Science and the other in the Drama Department.  We look forward to our new colleagues joining us in the near future.  The 'Effective Homework' evening which Mr Phillips organised and which was aimed at our students for whom we receive Pupil Premium Funding, proved to be very successful, as well as entertaining.  Key messages revolved around that 'can do' approach and how to break down large volumes of information into manageable segments.

Students, staff and parents are all talking about possible changes to the school day.  Work has only just begun and I will keep you up-to-date with the progress being made.  All partners will be consulted, including the Parental Forum.  I am sure everyone will have a view, the aim is to structure a day that will facilitate effective teaching and learning, as well as introducing a little more time for communication.

I have enjoyed visiting our local primary schools to talk about how we can work together to support students as they move into the secondary sector.

Year 9 Rugby Success

Year 9 students were very successful at a tournament involving three other local school on Thursday 10th October.  They had wins against Collingwood and Tomlinscote.  It was very cold afternoon but I enjoyed watching the students create opportunities and work as a team to overcome the opposition. It was good to meet some Winston parents cheering from the sideline.

The pictures below highlight their skill with the set piece.  Well done!  I look forward to the next game.