Also on Thursday, Mrs Khan took a group of students outside the front of Broadway campus in the hope of seeing the solar eclipse which happens when the moon passes between the earth and the sun. Despite donning protective goggles, sadly the cloud was too thick to get a good view. Our Science Technician, Mr Dean did manage to catch a snapshot of the annual eclipse.

On Friday, I had the pleasure of having breakfast with a group of inspirational Year 7 students, all of whom had achieved top scores for Attitude to Learning (ATL). Mr Williams and Ms Ives planned the event to celebrate the achievements of these fantastic students.

COVID-19 Update

You will be aware that Stockport is experiencing a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, and we are beginning to see an impact on the number of cases reported in school. In line with the local guidelines we have re-introduced the need to wear face masks whenever in the school building, including classrooms. This is because we are not able to guarantee 2m social distancing and the latest variant of COVID-19 is more easily transmitted between people. Each student should have their own face mask and hand sanitiser.

We are issuing Lateral Flow Device test kits for students this week. It is really important that all students complete these tests twice a week and report results on the NHS app, and positive results need to be communicated to school. A significant number of people with COVID-19 do not show symptoms, and these tests are designed to help identify asymptomatic people. We are aware that the number of test results reported from students at the Kingsway school before the holidays was low. Please help us to protect everybody at our school by conducting these tests twice weekly. 

During this latest upsurge we are striving to keep the school operating as normal and your help is essential in us achieving this aim. Please do not send your child to school if they show any of the COVID-19 symptoms, and with the recent variant these may now include headaches, sore throat and muscle aches. (British Medical Journal).

Our Year 10 students are well underway with their exam season. This is their first experience of sitting exams formally in our Sports Hall with our team of fabulous invigilators. The year group has been excellent in their conduct. One more week to go.

A reminder that aerosols (e.g. body spray) are a banned item in school. This is because they can cause a severe reaction if sprayed in the vicinity of any student or member of staff who suffers from asthma. Please do not allow your child to bring an aerosol spray into school.

A message from our Safeguarding Lead, Miss Cropper: "At The Kingsway school, we encourage all students to report concerns, and encourage this through our "It's Safe to Talk" policy. If any of our students feel unable to speak with a trusted adult in school, or at home, the NSPCC have just announced a new helpline, dedicated to reporting incidents of sexual harassment or abuse. Please see the attached flyer, with the contact number and email. As always, if you need further advice or guidance, our Safeguarding Team in school are available to discuss further."

Finally, huge congratulations to Jessica L who came second in the Greater Manchester Athletics Championships 75m hurdles achieving a personal best of 12.14 seconds. Jessica has also been selected to represent Greater Manchester in the North West schools combined (pentathlon) events regional qualifiers on Sun 27th June in Telford. This is a huge achievement as only four have been selected. Well done Jessica.

Dates for your diary

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting alumni and award-winning poet, Matt Goodfellow. Matt is working with the Education Learning Trust to develop a poem capturing the student voice across all 5 Trust schools to help form a Children’s Charter. During his visit he spent some time speaking to a group of students asking them what the Trust and school’s core principles mean to them. He will then use this information to create a poem which will then be illustrated by the schools. During the time he also spoke about his latest publication, ‘Being Me: Poems about Thoughts, Worries and Feelings’ which has just been released.

Great News! On the 8th June 2021 the children of Stockport aged 11-19 years will have easy and confidential access to health and wellbeing advice from their local school nursing team via text. For non-judgemental help and advice they can send a text to ChatHealth for support with a wide variety of health concerns. 

A letter went home last week to parents of students in Year 8, however the message can also apply to students in other year groups. Here’s the letter sent by Miss Hulance:

It has come to our attention that many of our Year 8 students are members of very large group chats, most notably on Snapchat. In many cases, there are whole classes and sometimes in excess of 50 students in the same ‘group chat’. Whilst on the surface this might seem like an effective way to keep in touch and feel connected as we emerge from a year of isolation, in reality these groups are causing significant issues in school. 

Firstly, the sheer volume of messages our young people are receiving via these groups are damaging to their mental health as they are constantly bombarded with notifications. 

Moreover, the content of these chats is frequently highly inappropriate and sometimes illegal. The year team have seen a number of incidents of bullying, inciting of violence and even some racist/homophobic content. Whilst these specific incidents have been dealt with through The Kingsway School’s behaviour policy, it is impossible and unsustainable for us to police our students’ social media use. Our Year 8 students have been instructed to:

• • Only belong to ‘group chats’ with close and trusted friends.
  • To leave any ‘group chats’ they are added to without their permission.
  • Not to name their ‘group chats’ after their form group (e.g. ‘8T’ as this suggests the group is condoned by school and pressurises all members of the form to join it).
  • Avoid discussions about serious issues such as race, sexuality and religion in ‘group chats’.
  • Understand that bullying or prejudice content will be dealt with seriously with police involvement if necessary.

We request parents and carers to:

• • Openly discuss the pros and cons of social media use with your children.
  • Be informed about the social media platforms your children are using (at the moment Snapchat and TikTok are prevalent but no doubt these will be replaced by new ones soon), including the age restrictions and parental controls that these platforms are legally obliged to provide.
  • Understand that whilst we as a school will use our behaviour policy to address issues that impact upon the learning and wellbeing of our students, ultimately mobile phone use is prohibited in school so we require your support in monitoring phone use out of school that brings issues into school.
  • Limit screen time, especially when this is impacting on children’s sleep patterns and therefore their performance in school.

You may find the guidance here useful in navigating the new and somewhat overwhelming world of social media: 

Many thanks for your support, The Year 8 team

Congratulations to Mr Williams who was the grateful winner of the chocolate hamper raffled last half term to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Here’s Mr Williams with Abigail F, Akira E and Elsa J receiving his prize. The raffle was organised by Akira who wanted to do something to support her younger sister Cerys who has a heart condition. The total raised was £280.

Well done to our newly appointed House captains, Deputy House Captains and prefects in Year 9 who were appointed last half term and have received their House Captain ties.

A message from our Performing Arts Team: 

After May half term, pupils will be able to get changed into practical kit for their Dance and Drama lessons. Pupils will get changed in the lesson, so must not wear a kit to school. The kit will be The Kingsway PE kit and Bare feet. In the future, there will be an optional Performing Arts T-shirt available. The lessons, under normal circumstances, are very practical with pupils moving around, sitting on floors etc. So from a practical and Health and Safety perspective, kit allows freedom of movement and pupils are more comfortable. Bare feet help pupils with balance and they are unlikely to hurt themselves and others whilst moving. Unfortunately, for this reason, footwear such as trainers, is not suitable. Trampoline socks can cause injury because there is no give in them which means pupils can jolt or twist their ankles whilst moving. However, a couple of pupils have asked if they could wear their soft soled jazz/ballet/gymnastics shoes for our lessons. If your child is unsure whether their dance shoes are appropriate, please ask them to check with their teacher. We will trial the wearing of these specialised shoes for the last half term.

Thank you for your patience over these recent months, The Performing Arts Team

A reminder that we are now in summer uniform and as such school jumpers are optional. Please also encourage your child to bring a water bottle into school. They will only be able to fill their bottle, before and after school and during their allocated lunch time.

Finally, a COVID update. You will all be aware that the numbers of COVID cases are increasing within Greater Manchester. The Department for Education asks us all to remind our communities to continue with asymptomatic testing using Lateral Flow Devices. The local authority public health team have asked us to share this letter with our families to communicate the continued need for us all to exercise caution.

Most cases of COVID-19 are now occurring due to the new variants, and in response to this we are asking all contacts of cases to get a PCR test (through usual routes) as well as self-isolating. It will be important to emphasise that, at present, getting a PCR test is a recommendation in addition to the requirement to self-isolate as a contact, and not an alternative. Please continue to report any cases of COVID or track & trace notifications to covid@kingsway.stockport.sch.uk with a screen shot of the message from the NHS app, notification text or NHS email.

The school has also received government advice on children travelling abroad. We’ve been asked to remind parents that people should not travel to “red” or “amber” countries and that strict rules on testing and quarantine remain in place. Further information can be found here.

Dates For Your Diary

COVID update

The Government’s guidance remains that students and staff need to wear face masks in corridors. The overwhelming majority of students have been very responsible, but it has been noticeable this week that we have had to supply more disposable masks. Please can you ensure that your child leaves home with at least one face mask each day, as many disposable ones can break throughout the day. Alongside our other measures, such as additional cleaning, this helps to reduce the risk of children and families having to self-isolate.

Our local Public Health England body is closely monitoring the situation with the new variant, and all cases of COVID-19 must be reported to school. This helps protect our school community and helps map the spread of the virus.

The Lateral Flow Tests should be taken twice weekly, we suggest Sunday and Wednesday evenings, or Monday and Thursday mornings before coming to school. These tests are designed to detect the virus even though the person does not have symptoms, so please, do not only test if you believe your child is symptomatic. All positive test results must be sent to covid@kingsway.stockport.sch.uk. 

Arriving and leaving school

Unfortunately, we have received a number of complaints about the behaviour of a few students on their way to and from school. Please can you remind your child that when they are in our uniform they represent our school, and poor behaviour will be sanctioned. There are particular issues with students on bikes behaving in a dangerous or inconsiderate manner for other road users or pedestrians. I am pleased to say that the behaviour of the vast majority of students is a credit to you and the school.

We will be monitoring students’ cycling habits and where we feel that they are cycling in a manner that is deemed dangerous - we will advise them that they will not be allowed to store their bicycles in our school pods/shelter.

Broadway is particularly congested at the end of the day and students must use the pedestrian crossing at all times, even if their lift is parked opposite the front of school. 

Rail safety

The Rail Safety manager at Network Rail has contacted schools regarding incidents of youngsters being on the railway lines in our local area. They wanted to pass on the following information:

• At present the trains are still running (although this may be at different times to usual so never presume you know when the next train will pass)
• It is against the law to trespass on the railway and can result in a fine of £1000
• The electricity is ALWAYS switched on around the railway
• Always Stop, Look and Listen before using a Level Crossing

Transition update

Transition plans are well underway and Mrs Jones, Mrs Wardle and Mrs Lowe have loved meeting our new students. Last week Prospect Vale had a COVID secure after school visit with students declaring that “If Kingsway was a food - I’d give it a chef’s kiss!” We’re taking that as a seal of approval. Also last week, in addition to the visits to many primary schools, Bolshaw Year 5 and Year 6 met their Year 7 alumni via a virtual live stream. Thalia, Dotty, Ewan and Daniel were superb representatives of the school and explained what secondary school is like as well as answering a number of questions asked by the Bolshaw pupils. After half term primary visits continue, alongside preparations for the Year 6 Induction Day in July - we can’t wait to meet everyone face to face for the first time.

Uniform Donations

If your son or daughter has grown out of their uniform, particularly if they are Year 11 students, and it is still in good condition, please consider donating it to the school. We share the uniform to students who may have forgotten elements, or for those who need it, so that they can continue to wear their uniform with pride. This year if you are able to donate any items, please ensure that they are in good, clean condition and are bagged so they are easy to collect. Drop off points are with Mrs Jones, Mrs Nay and Mrs Bartle on Foxland.

Pressing Reset

It has now been 10 school weeks since we returned from lockdown and we have taken this time to support students’ return to school both academically and pastorally. Where we have given some flexibility in terms of allowing students time to fit back into our routines and expectations, we will be resetting after this Whitsun half term. Here are some of the rules which will be enforced from Monday 7th June 2021:

Uniform

With (hopefully) warmer weather next half term, school jumpers will be optional. However students must have all other items of uniform worn correctly including tie and blazer.

Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 can continue to wear their school PE kit on days that they have PE lessons only. Last year we were made aware of a proposed change in the law to make school uniform as affordable as possible. This has come into force this month and as such we have reduced the number of branded items which students are expected to wear (unless they are representing a school team). Whilst branded options are still fully available and our preferred choice for value for money and durability, any non branded options must be plain and follow the guidance, as detailed below:

Hoodies, piercings, acrylic nails and sports branded items are NOT part of our uniform policy and will be confiscated. 

Mobile phones and listening devices

Likewise, we have seen a significant increase in students’ use of mobile phones and AirPods. In a recent speech the education secretary, Gavin Williamson said “Mobile phones are not just distracting, but when misused or overused, they can have a damaging effect on a pupil’s mental health and wellbeing. This is not acceptable. I therefore fully support headteachers who ban mobile phones from the school day.” At The Kingsway School, we have always had a policy that mobile phones are not to be seen from students’ arrival at the school gates to the time they leave at the end of the school day. Post lockdown, we are determined to reinforce this message for the reasons stated by the Secretary of State for Education. After half term, if any student is seen with a mobile phone or AirPods, the items will be confiscated until the end of the school day where they can be collected from reception. Where students defy staff requests to hand over their phone/AirPods - parents will be contacted and asked to collect the items on behalf of their child.

Dates for your diary

Wellbeing Student Voice 

As part of an ongoing research project between The Kingsway School, NASEN and Education Endowment Foundation, all students in Year 8 and 9 completed a short online survey on student wellbeing in form time last week. It is hoped that this survey will contribute to improved national and local services, and increased awareness of the wellbeing and mental health of students so that appropriate support is made available. 

Mental Health Awareness Week 

Last week we recognised the importance of good mental health and raised awareness of where students can seek help through National Mental Health Week. Ms Cropper presented assemblies to all year groups and promoted tips throughout the week, asking students to draw inspiration from this year’s theme of nature to regulate emotions and provide wellbeing opportunities. Whilst this week is vital in raising awareness we recognise that good mental health awareness is not restricted to one week and is a year round commitment, particularly with the challenges that many students and families have faced this past year. All pupils were asked to reflect and identify at least one person in school that they could approach if they were struggling. And some worthwhile discussions took place in form time. Should any parents or carers have any concerns about their child’s wellbeing please do not hesitate to reach out to someone at school.

Face masks in school

As you will be aware the Government has changed its guidance to schools about the wearing of face masks. It is now advised that the wearing of face masks in classrooms and any communal areas should be voluntary. But, where social distancing cannot be maintained in corridors then face masks need to be worn. In effect for our school it means our requirement for wearing a face mask is the same as it was in September. Students can choose to wear a face mask in lessons and in the canteens. Face masks must be worn when in corridors because of the difficulty in maintaining appropriate social distancing in these areas. It has been heartening to see the recent fall in COVID-19 cases in our community but we are still having cases affect our students. Fortunately, our prevention measures have meant that the need for families to self-isolate has been kept to a minimum. The wearing of face masks has contributed to this impact and we do not want to relax our measures too quickly resulting in large numbers of families having to self-isolate. We will review this approach again in-line with the Government’s decisions on June 21st.

One of the most important ways we can protect each other is to remain at home if any member of your household has symptoms of COVID-19. Please use our dedicated COVID email address, covid@kingsway.stockport.sch.uk to report positive results from Lateral Flow home tests, PCR tests or when your family needs to self-isolate.

Every lesson counts

Attendance to school matters more than ever. As you are aware the government announced that from the 8th March school attendance is mandatory. This means that it is compulsory for all children to attend school unless they have been advised to remain at home by a medical professional. 

We would like to remind all of our parents and carers that the usual rules on attendance apply. This means that all parents and carers have a legal duty to ensure regular school attendance. We expect all students to aim for 100% attendance. Any attendance under 98% may initiate intervention by the attendance team. The range of strategies could be as simple as a conversation with the Form tutor or Pastoral Head of Year or in more severe circumstances, lead to the involvement of our Family Outreach worker or agencies outside of the school. 

Given the disruption to children’s education caused by the pandemic, requests for leave during term time are highly unlikely to be authorised. Family emergencies also need careful consideration. It is not always appropriate or in the best interests of the child to miss school for emergencies which are being dealt with by adult family members. 

Every attempt to resolve parents’ concerns and improve a child’s attendance will be made before any form of referral to the local authority is made. If you are worried about your child/children attending school regularly please contact the school to discuss your concerns with the attendance team directly on 0161 428 7706 ext523. We have specialist staff who may be able to help.

Reading for pleasure

As part of our continued commitment to making reading a priority at Kingsway, our library has been gradually reopening over the last few weeks. The space has been converted into a multimedia resource centre with the library integrated into it. As COVID restrictions are lifted we are now, once again, able to accept donations of any used or unwanted books from students’ families, friends and the wider community. If you or anyone you know are having a clear out and come across any titles we would gratefully accept them. The books can be of any difficulty level or genre to provide the widest selection possible for all students, regardless of where they are on their reading journey. If you need further information please contact our librarian at b.carr@kingsway.stockport.sch.uk

Thank you in advance.

Year 9 Brilliant Club

On Tuesday a dozen of our Year 9 students were hand selected to work with a PhD tutor to complete their own research project. The idea is to introduce secondary pupils to student life at highly selective universities. We were impressed with the way our students engaged with the launch session and look forward to seeing the outcomes of their study.

Thank a member of staff

Over the past few months we have been inundated with messages from grateful families for the support that our staff have been providing. We will also be passing on our thanks as part of this year’s National Thank A Teacher Day on Wednesday 23rd June. This national day acknowledges all the work that ALL educational staff have done over this past year. All school staff, including support, administrative or any member of our fantastic staff, can receive an e-card. If you are interested in passing on your thanks to any member of our staff complete the form via www.thankateacher.co.uk

Free Bike Pods

We have a limited number of spare pods on both campuses. These can be a great alternative to storing students’ bikes in the communal bike sheds. Further details can be found below and any interest should be expressed directly to Ms Carrigan.

Dates for your diary