Edu-care Students Project
I start this week paying tribute to both the students who have been attending our Edu-care on site provision and our staff for the support they have given the children of critical workers and vulnerable students.
Below is some work which was produced with the enthusiasm and organisation of Mrs Bradley and the team of staff on Wednesday. All students took part in a socially distanced pebble painting activity underneath the shade of the tree on our roundabout.
This is followed by the art work of Kianna, Anoushka and Tia who have all been absolutely fantastic in Edu-care and the staff have nominated them for their ongoing enthusiasm and politeness as well as their individual hard work.
The students took a virtual tour of the national gallery on the computers. They made notes of the paintings and artists they liked and then tried to recreate a piece of art in the style of certain artists. This included work by Monet, Van Gogh and others. Some students also started to design and make their own computer games.
Thank you to the whole team of staff who volunteered to help in the half term holiday, we were inundated with volunteers.
Partial re-opening and the ‘new normal’
Following recent government announcements, and in line with other WeST secondary schools, Plymstock School will be open, on a limited basis, for Years 10 and 12 from Monday 15 June.
From 15th June the education of our students will continue to be driven using Distance Learning; this will be complemented by an in-school Face to Face programme for year 10. Government guidelines require that only 25% of the year group is in school at any one time. We will make direct contact with families in these year groups to share details of when they should attend.
The emphasis in this second half term for all students will be on supporting, reviewing and moving forward with distance (home) learning and providing Educare for the children of critical workers and vulnerable students.
The site continues to be prepared for the partial re-opening on 15th June, last week the Department for Education, released further guidance to assist with the limited re-opening. You will find the guidance here:
The DfE guidance on the wider re-opening of schools is based around the stay alert principles, so the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced.
“To limit the risk of increasing the rate of transmission, scientific advice indicates that we need to take a phased approach that limits both the number of children and young people in school and how much they mix with other pupils and staff.”
We are working to prepare the site to be prepared for Covid19-compliant health & safety arrangements with one-way systems and distance marking so we will only be inviting small numbers of students into school at any one time and they will be meeting or working in very small groups. The restriction is no more than a quarter of Year 10 and 12 on any one day.
Stay Alert: “Stay two metres apart. We can help control the virus if we all stay alert.”
It is very important therefore that the much needed re-opening of schools is not undermined by the potential for broader social mixing outside school and that we communicate the Government message clearly to our students about not socialising with each other in groups outside school.
To keep students safe we must all promote and explain the importance of the following key message:
“Stay alert” and to “Keep our distance, wash our hands, think of others and play our part. All together.”
We all need to stay alert so we can control the spread of the virus
To stay alert you must remain at home as much as possible
- Work from home if you can
- Limit your contact with other people.
- If you have to go out keep your distance from others.
- 2 metres apart where possible
- Continue to wash your hands regularly
- Do not leave home if you or anyone in your household has symptoms
- Stay alert, control the virus, save lives
The whole community will need to work together throughout this phase to keep us all safe and well.
Transitions
Year 7 2020, New Transition Webpage
Our new ‘Plymstock Transition Year 7 cohort 2020’, webpage is now live.
This virtual transition webpage has been designed to support all our Year 6 students, parents and carers in joining Plymstock School. I mentioned in an open letter on 24th April to our Year 6 families in the blog that ‘we have not forgotten you.’
https://plymstockschool.org.uk/a-message-to-year-7-september-2020/
A team of staff are working actively with our primary feeders to find out all about you.
Please find it on our homepage in the menu bar.
https://plymstockschool.org.uk/plymstock-transition-year-7-2020/
It includes all of our key information, parent letters, introduction from Mrs Kirk and Mr Chivers and a new ‘Virtual Tour’.
We hope you get a chance to have a look.
Since our original post before half term we have updated the page with this fabulous Plymstock School video produced by Gareth Allen, Managing Director, Sound View Media Limited. It’s a fantastic video with some superb aerial shots of the school, we hope you enjoy the video as much as we do and it will help you learn a little more about the site. The link to the video:
https://player.vimeo.com/video/425063216
Have a safe and enjoyable time back at primary school. We hope to see you soon when restrictions allow.
Mrs Kirk and Mr Pearsall
Year 7 into 8
Recently Miss Robb wrote the following letter to our Year 8 parents about taking over as their new Head of Year from Mrs Kirk who is now working with our Year 6 students.
She has been in touch with them and wants to thank the students for their really lovely responses. Miss Robb is really keen to meet them in person and has been really impressed by their comments and engagement with their work.
Sofia told Miss Robb that she has been drawing a lot. Miss Robb said, “I sent her a photo of my dog and she very kindly drew a picture of him for me.” I’m sure you will agree it’s a fabulous sketch and has made Miss Robb’s week.
She’s Miss Robb’s student of the week and we know there will be more nominations in weeks to come from this impressive group of students.
Year 6 Library Page – promoting reading at home
In addition to the webpage for Year 6 students and families, Miss Hogben has been hard at work developing her library page to support Year 6 as well as the rest of our school.
Reading is her passion and we know how important it for all our students to keep reading. Their library page is incredible and you can feel the passion within the page.
The Year 6 page includes videos created by Miss Hogben for Year 6 students which will incorporate weekly readings for students, the link is below:
https://sites.google.com/plymstockschool.co.uk/library/welcome-year-6
The link to our virtual website:
https://sites.google.com/plymstockschool.co.uk/library/home
I wanted to thank Miss Hogben and her team in the library for their ongoing work from afar to support our students and families at home. It’s fantastic work and really valued.
‘Plymstock Lockdown Literacy Challenge’
And finally, many thanks go to our literacy coordinator Mrs Oakley for this page we featured before half term to promote literacy.
Plymouth Food bank
Before half term we featured a story about several community-minded students.
Mrs Wilkins has been working with Jess and her family this week on an update below as to how we can safely support Jess in collecting food.
Jess in Year 9 has started a collection for the Plymouth Food bank. Well done Jess – you are a star!
We would like to help her build on this great effort. Below is information from the Food Bank about what is needed, drop off points and direct contact details. If you would like to be involved but would need your donation collected please email Mrs Wilkins – twilkins@plymstockschool.org.uk.
Over 90% of the food distributed by foodbanks in The Trussell Trust network is donated by the public – that’s why food donations are absolutely vital to their ability to give everyone referred a balanced and nutritious three day supply of food.
The shopping list shows the food items that we need right now.
- TINNED MEATS (CORNED BEEF/PORK/HAM/CHICKEN)
- TINNED CURRY
- TINNED CHILLI CON CARNE
- FRAY BENTOS PIES
- INSTANT MASH POTATO
- TINNED PUDDINGS (CUSTARD/RICE PUDDING)
- DEODORANT
- TOOTHPASTE
- SHAMPOO
If you are happy to drop off food donations, please see below for food collection point locations:
- Marks & Spencer Crownhill – 8am-8:30pm (10:30-4:30 Sunday)
- Morrisons Plymstock – 7am-10pm (11am-5pm Sunday)
- Sainsbury’s Marsh Mills – 7am-11pm (10am-4pm Sunday)
- Sainsbury’s Amarda Way – 7am-8pm (10.30am-4.30pm Sunday)
We hope you will be able to support Jess.
The Food Bank contacts are:
Phone – 01752 254981
Email – info@plymouth.foodbank.org.uk
All work and no play! Our students’ messages from lockdown
Working and Learning at home
“Here is a picture of a recycling monster made by Amelie in Year 8. I really liked her reasoning for the name of the recycling bin!”
Mrs Johns
‘This is the recycling monster I made he eats up your rubbish and reuses it. I chose to name him Fragile because I thought it would describe the fragile state the earth is in !’
Distance Learning
Business Studies
Mr Hughes has nominated the following as Students of the Week student for the quality of their work and attitude to learning. Simply outstanding students. Well done to all.
Elli, Bronwyn, Caitlyn, Rhiannon, Kiara, Jess and Holly
D&T
Mr Wookey and Miss Pring have been really impressed with some work Elliott in Year 8 has been involved with. The pictures below show his home projects and he is a worthy student of the week for his creativity and D&T skills. Well Done Elliott
EPiC – Spirited Arts Project
Mrs Slade has sent me a series of nominations for student of the week for their work on the spirited arts project. Some very creative designs and superb work and skill. Well done to all.
We start with Lara in Year 7, for her piece entitled ‘Sunset’ which Lara has described below on her work.
Amy in Year 9 said
“This is my project. I used the newspaper because that is what influences us and tells us about the world and what is going on. I used the foil at the bottom as a thought that we need to look back and reflect on what we are doing to the world today. I then painted the world to show how amazing the world actually is and how we don’t want to damage it by not looking after it.”
Owen in Year 9, described his thinking behind his creation:
“The title that I have chosen is ‘Where is God?’ My RE work is an eye with different photos showing where people would look for god. In this photo you can see different things in the eye like the sun, the heart and places of worship. Doing this work makes me think about where people look for god.”
Phoebe in Year 8 has produced a thoughtful piece of work around the eye. The quote below is from Phoebe explaining her thought processes.
“I enjoyed creating it. It was fun to make. My idea was that people believe that god can be found in the sky but some believe that god is in our hearts so the telescope is looking at a patch of stars shaped like a heart which means look inside your heart.”
Mrs Slade commented about the high quality of the work that she has received. “I think the standard of the work, time and effort that has gone into this work is truly exceptional.” Well done to all our students.
MY SEA GLASS WINDOW
The following piece though she felt particularly demonstrated excellent thinking skills and truly fulfils the brief of creative work that a national competition requires. She said “I have recommended that Jake in Year 7 enters the competition.
I am extremely impressed with the quotes that he has used ‘Sea glass is symbolic of the magic of transformation’ and the reference to church windows (stained glass) and how they hold history in a picture. Both the sea glass journey and the religious journey are explored here; it really is an excellent and thoughtful piece of work.”
Mrs Slade
MFL
Quizlet live
Y8 French Quizlet live winners: Phoebe with George and Olivia in close pursuit.
Y9 German Quizlet live winner was Rosie
Well done to the Y9 German cohort this week – we have been doing some challenging work on adjective endings and there has been some very good work submitted so far.
Special mentions for excellent (and very prompt) German work this week: Will, Poppy, Dominik, Ben, Mel, Annie, Polly
MFL competition time! Le défi Crêpes
Another optional creative language learning competition is being run by our dynamic and very motivated MFL department. This time we have joined an international challenge organised by Linguascope. Our MFL students have an opportunity to follow an original French recipe to prepare and make some delicious pancakes.
Then our linguists will take pictures of their creations and email them to Ms Ziegler and Ms Baker who will post the pictures on Twitter. The winner will be announced in early July and we are hoping to win some exciting prizes for our school.
Additionally, we have also decided to select three Plymstock School winners!
Stay tuned! There will be some mouth-watering pics coming up on the blog!
Art completed at home
Mr Hurd Thomas has sent in a range of work from his KS3 classes.
Pictured below is the work of: Keenan in Year 8, Ben’s own work Year 10, Isabella in Year 8 and finally Isabelle in Year 7 and Isabelle’s dad has given permission for the inclusion of his fine scalp. Parents literally can’t escape home learning!
Mr Hurd Thomas has nominated Keenan for taking his art work to a new level and both Ben and Isabelle for their week-on-week artistic dedication and inspiration well beyond the call of lockdown duty.
Students of the week
All our winners have demonstrated Endeavour, Resilience and Empathy; Plymstock School students striving to “Be the best you can be”
Our winners include:
The following students mentioned in the blog have received nominations as Year 7 students of the week:
Isabelle, Jake and Lara
The following students mentioned in the blog have received nominations as Year 8 students of the week:
Phoebe Kennan, Sofia, Elliott, Amelie, Anoushka and Tia
The following students mentioned in the blog have received nominations as Year 9 students of the week:
Amy, Owen and Kianna
The following students mentioned in the blog have received nominations as Year 10 students of the week:
Ben, Elli, Bronwyn, Caitlyn, Rhiannon, Kiara, Jess and Holly
And finally…
Careers Insight – Let’s get quizzical!
This week the careers team have been thinking about ‘what am I good at?’, often that first step in finding your chosen career.
Many thanks
The Careers Team
Forthcoming Events and important announcement
Staying in touch and up to date with Plymstock School
We continue to update parents with direct messages through our MyEd messaging service. To support the volume of updates as requested by parents only a limited number of key important messages will be sent home each week.
Please do check our Plymstock School Newsfeed for all our latest updates and messages.
https://plymstockschool.org.uk/news/
Information about Distance Learning can be found here:
https://plymstockschool.org.uk/distance-learning/
Information on Mental Health and Wellbeing can be found here:
https://plymstockschool.org.uk/mental-health-and-wellbeing/
and specific information related to COVID-19 is on our distance learning page below the Newsfeed banner.
Thank you to Mrs Kirk (Sunsets) for her photographs used in this week’s blog from her daily exercise walks.
