Message from John and the Team: Friday 27th May 2022
Hi everyone,
We’re doing staff training today. Just so that you know, that means we are getting in various groups throughout the day and having training on various things, such as dysphagia, medication, positive handling, Rebound Therapy, the curriculum, safeguarding – things like that. I mention it because people often ask! I hope that the day together is ok for you, and very best wishes for the week ahead. We’ll see your children next on Tuesday 7th June, and I hope you have a lovely time
What we did yesterday was celebrate the theme of Belonging as part of our Emotional Resilience project. But it was also just a really nice day where we had like a garden party for lunch, and all sorts of lovely things were going on. The students were brilliant, some of them dressing up and all sorts. It was a really lovely day
It’s been a lovely week too, with a huge amount going on, and a good, although short, half term. There have been exams (!), lots of sport, some smashing things outdoors, in classrooms and in therapy
Have a lovely half term, and the next time we talk, it will be the last half of the year, and we’ll be talking about you coming in to school at long last! All the very best, and thanks for your support. Have a quick read of what’s been going on if you fancy…..
This was the coin I got when I was at school in Plymouth in 1977, for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee
But this is the one that hopefully went home to you guys yesterday
Hope you like it – I’ve still got mine, all these years later!
You Said, We Listened: Parent View
Eileen has sent out a Parent View questionnaire; please do see if you have a few minutes to fill this in. We want to do all we can to listen and be responsive. Thanks
Please do check out Eileen’s blog on another page
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Also under this section, I’m going to reprint below another version of this information about Relationship, Sex, Health Education (RSHE), in case you missed it last time. Really important stuff
The team working on this have been consulting and seeing what you at home you’ve said about it. Here are some links that you may find helpful and interesting. They had a bit of a low turnout for their Spring 2022 Parent Forum, so they decided to collate some information to share with you regarding the parent and student consultations that have been carried out over the last year. They’ve also included their journey of how we have implemented the new statutory outcomes so far and information regarding our assessment tool. I really enjoyed looking at this – it’s so much better than when I used to teach this kind of thing! Sometimes difficult, but always important stuff!
The first one is more primary, the second one more secondary, if you’re thinking about the ages or stages of the pupils, and your own son or daughter
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1aXrp34qzV21t_rrOCT3SiGtuyw-zc0ktOZMSCF_4lEY/edit?usp=sharing
Actually, I’ve got a third one too under this. You remember that we have been having these lovely Taster Days, following feedback, where the kitchen staff put on lots of choices of foods for the children to try? Well there was a great one the other day that had sandwiches and puddings that were then going to go into the choices for the Jubilee Day. Have a look
Sandwiches and puds…………….mmmmmmmmmmmmm………..yum
Achievement & Progress: Parent Consultations, and Coffee & Catch-up
Just putting a shortened version of this in again too
We’re very much looking forward to discussing your son or daughter’s progress at the new Parent/Carer Consultation that we’ve set up, whereby the Class Teacher will make contact and arrange a date and time with you at a convenient within the two weeks
- beginning 27th June
- and beginning 4th July
Please do book an appointment at a convenient time during this two week period, face-to-face or on Teams, whatever suits you. We anticipate that about twenty minutes will be enough
At the meeting the teacher will go through the work that has been done and how your child has been doing, and anything else that’s relevant too, like Key Drivers, Annual Review targets, safeguarding or perhaps e-safety or other training that you would like
I hope that it will prove to be helpful and interesting, and indicate to you how your child is making progress – and if they are not making progress, what it is that we are doing about it
If it goes well, then we’ll do one of those every term, so three times a year, towards the end of each term, so in late Nov/early Dec; March or April depending on when Easter is; and in early July
Also, we are organising Coffee & Catch-up sessions, where you can chat with each other, see some aspects of the school that perhaps you haven’t seen yet, and talk to people in a slightly more relaxed manner. These are what used to be the Coffee Mornings. Departmental heads will be in contact about those. Again, these will be three times a year, but in the first half of each term, so roughly in October, February and perhaps May
Hopefully both of these events – one more informal, one more formal – will be helpful. It will be good to see you in the school after all this time
 The Wheel |
| Reading
It’s been another busy week in terms of our phonics program, as yet more staff are trained in how to deliver ‘Essential Letters & Sounds’ in preparation for rolling the program out further throughout school. We’ve seen some excellent progress this half term and will be sharing what our students think of the new phonics programme soon! For now, we’d like to make parents aware of the first of our parent training opportunities focusing on literacy Wednesday 22nd June 9:30- 11am – An introduction to phonics and Essential Letters & Sounds We invite parents to join us in the school hall for a cup of tea or coffee and an introduction to how we teach reading within Percy Hedley. We hope that as many of you as possible will join us in person but do understand that this won’t be possible for all. A recording of the training will be made available after the event, and we’ll share the presentation for those of you who would prefer to read in your own time Further information will follow after half term. Happy Reading! Allotment Corner Sandpipers visited their allotment again this week where they all worked together completing garden maintenance jobs. Plants needed watered, fences painted, grassland cleared, and pebbles moved to frame the pond which helps frogs and newts climb in and out.
Max collected a lot of litter flying in on the wind Nieve helped carry and move piles of dirt using a spade Therapy Focus – MOVE: a message from Tina and Sophie In the summer term on the 6th July 10am-11am we are going to hold a parent/carer session in which we will discuss the MOVE program. The aim is to provide an overview and answer the following questions · What the Move Program is? · How is it implemented at Percy Hedley School? · What have we learnt in our first year of MOVE? · It will be an opportunity for families to ask questions to the MOVE co-ordinators What would be great would be if you could help us by expressing an interest on this form and providing a preference of whether it is an in-school event or on TEAMS and therefore recorded https://forms.gle/yCYFZhpFDfstKzjp6 You may also find the following FAQ’s helpful MOVE FAQ’s 22, however if there is anything else relating to MOVE which you would like us to cover in addition to what is outlined above, then please do pop this on the form, or feel free to contact us in advance of the session via email on c.christopher@percyhedley.org.uk or sophie.thompson@percyhedley.org.uk Tina and Sophie, MOVE Coordinators
Rap of the Week! We should definitely have a Rap of the Week every week. But anyway, just wanted to share a class rap with you from yesterday’s Belonging day that I mentioned. The students really enjoyed making this together and everyone participated which was just lovely. Macey’s beatboxing was second to none!!! This Resilience Framework has really created some amazing work, and we’ll bring it all together at the end of the year Thanks, Leanne and the ‘6LD gang’ – the Owls!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6LD gang – Belonging Rap Yo, yo, yo – 6LD is the place to be, I belong with you; you belong with me. Always together and never apart, Forever we’ll be in each other’s heart.
There’s our Liam, loves nuns and the Wiggles, Then we have Jess with a dance and a giggle! Daniel K? He’s a movie buff, And Tom? The planets? He knows his stuff! James C? He loves the games, and George? Well, he knows all the names! And Callum? He knows all about trains! Jensen is our water baby, and then our Macey? A future actor maybe????? Last but not least, our Lucy dot, dot, dot!!! What an amazing unity we have got!!
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Lesson of the Week – Music with Parus Major
On Thursday, 4PC were joined in class by Clarence Adoo MBE from the Sage Gateshead. Clarence has a unique way of playing instruments within the Royal Northern Sinfonia MOVES orchestra. Students loved learning all about the inclusive orchestra who have played all over the world and even with Coldplay at the 2012 Paralympics!
Check out the orchestra here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POnot8syUWQ. And of course, some pics – it’s was actually pretty special! Great stuff!
Another lesson of the week – Acrostics
Now, parents and carers, I am going to use my best teacher voice here and ask you if you are familiar with acrostics? You are? Excellent. (If not, look here)
OK? Right then, well you will be able to see that here are some excellent acrostics that the post-16 English class did. Awesome!
Physios teach us
Exercises to help us
Run really fast
Can
You catch me?
Sophie
Have a great day
Eat choices of grub
Dance all the way
Lessons grow your brain
Each and every day
Your teacher will not yell
Finny
Pilates makes me relaxed
Eat a lot of lunches
Relaxation helps me chill
Cookery is fun
You can come too
Thomas
Happy
Enjoy
Dinner
Laugh
Excited
Yey
Grace
Physio helps me move
Edinburgh and the duke
Richard grooves
Charlie runs fast
“Yipee” he yells
Harvey
Happy
Excited
Dinner
Lessons
English
Yoga
Jack
Sports News (honestly, Helen could do a whole separate blog on her own, she does so much of this with our pupils) ????
The Panathlon Primary Games
Last Monday pupils from Steffi Bell and Andrew Halls class went to their first ever primary Panathlon event. The event was held at the Lakeside Centre and our pupils took part along with 5 other schools in skittles, precision bean bag, polybat, shooting baskets, kurling and boccia skills.
They had a really great time and did brilliantly, coming back with medals and a lovely certificate. Fab
The next day was the secondary Panathlon festival, and it was hosted by the school in Hedleys sports hall. Our students took part in the morning’s activities along with two other schools and came in first place! Congratulations to our KS4 team! In the afternoon session four more schools came to take part, the whole day was a big success, and it was so nice to be able to host events again in our Sports Hall. Check out the video on the Twitter site
DofE Award
Cycling at the Rising Sun Country Park this week, the students worked on cycling up hills and down using their gears effectively going uphill and using their breaks and body position going down
Next week is the first lesson in the Bike4Health workshop.
Billingham Ice Rink trip KS4
This is a trip that should have taken place back in February but due to Covid it had to be postponed. So, Monday 23rd was the new date and off we went. For some of the students this was the first time they had ever been on ice, and it was a very different experience to what they were used to in PE. But they were all very keen to give it a go. They got their boots and practiced walking in them first very wise! Then one at a time they went onto the ice and the photos say it all!
Waiting patiently to go on the Ice
Another Fabulous Thing That Happened
4JF enjoyed the last day of the half term by learning about Belonging as others did. They started the day by learning what Belonging is. The students identified the different groups that they belong to, including the school and their local communities. They made some bunting and paperchains which were used to decorate the hall ready for their picnic lunches. In the afternoon they had a quiz to test their knowledge about the Queen. We were all very proud of them for all their help and support during the preparation and tidying up of the event. They clearly demonstrated our shared values and their sense of belonging……..
Excellent. Check out a few pictures to give you an idea
Sunflower Watch with Woodpeckers!
OK, so now the news you’ve all been waiting for – how big are the Woodpeckers’ sunflowers?
OK, well, the wait is over……..here we go….
First picture: not bad growth, not bad at all………
Now, the eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that the second picture is not in fact a sunflower. It is a pumpkin. They’ve just got green fingers down there. It’s lovely to get updates
More PE! More good stuff!
This week the KS4 PE group completed a carousel of activities. These included badminton, table tennis, bowling – where they had the chance to gain an insight into what it is like for our wheelchair users, sitting volleyball and noodle mania. The students all enjoyed the session and there were good levels of participation.
Makaton Signs of the Week
Hungry and Thirsty
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u6AvlVuD1M_pd1S3dHy-dAicAnuQGX8p/view?usp=sharing
Hungry – Thirsty
Engagement Star of the Week
Millie for joining first video call since surgery
ELTBA Star of the Week
This week we would like to give the star of the week to ALL of the amazing children following the ELBTA Pathway. As everyone knows, yesterday was our Jubilee Picnic and lunchtime was very different for all the children. Although it took a lot of them massively out of their comfort zone they all embraced it and joined in making sure they had, as some said “the best time ever.” They were all superstars!
Finally…..#1 PROM!
Our first official Prom, happening at the school in July!
Finally finally…..
The Summer Fair! On the 16th July!
Look on Eileen’s blog! Can’t wait!
All the very best to all of you, from all of us here. Have a lovely few days together and we’ll see you all soon
John & the Team
The Wheel
