As you may know, November is Movember, a month dedicated to raising awareness for men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health. This year, we are excited to participate in this important initiative and would like to invite you to help us make a difference.

We are organizing a fundraising campaign to support Movember and encourage everyone to contribute, no matter the amount. Your donations will go directly to programs that promote awareness, research, and support for men’s health.

We aim to collect donations by using this link https://movember.com/m/15312251?mc=1 , students will also have the opportunity to buy moustache badges for 50p each or donate cash in school. So please consider supporting this worthy cause. Together, we can help improve the lives of men affected by these health issues.

After a full month on Mathwatch students have attempted over 8300 questions as part of their homework tasks and 3000 independent activites completed the mathswatch scoreboard has really taken a competitive turn this month.

Each month students compete for top of our leaderboard with the total amount of marks they have achieved in Independent Activities and their assigned homeworks. This month our top scorers where:

1) E Oguntimehi

2) Y. Embaye

3) L: Connolly

As well as the homework students can attempt questions on any topic they have done (or are about to do) in maths. This means you can find your own revision to refresh yourself on topics you have done previously or look ahead at topics that are about to appear. Lots of students have been doing this over the October half term too, well done!

Any student stuck on a homework question or questions they are attempting independently can watch the videos attached to any question to help them answer it or leave feedback for their teacher to see.

This academic year marks an exciting expansion of our music department, offering even more opportunities for students to explore the world of music. With the addition of new string, brass, and woodwind lessons, we now offer a total of eight different instruments -  up from five in previous years.

This significant growth reflects our commitment to fostering musical talent and giving students a broader range of instruments to choose from. The introduction of strings, brass, and woodwind lessons allows pupils to now learn the violin, trumpet, and clarinet, in addition to instruments that were already offered such as the piano and guitar.

Currently, around 160 students are enrolled in lessons, a testament to the growing interest and enthusiasm for music across the school. Lessons are conducted by highly skilled instructors, each dedicated to nurturing both the technical and creative aspects of learning an instrument.

Anyone interested in having lessons can speak to Miss Harrison to be added to the waiting list.

We are thrilled to see how the new additions will inspire and elevate the musical experiences of our students, and we look forward to hearing the beautiful sounds from our budding musicians throughout the year!

We are pleased to share that a total of 19 pupils have actively participated in the Princess Diana Mentoring Programme on a 12 week programme starting in May 2024 and finishing in July 2024. This initiative has provided these students with invaluable opportunities for personal growth and development, fostering essential skills in readiness for the workplace such as leadership, communication, and teamwork. Throughout the course of the programme, pupils’ engaged in various activities designed to enhance their understanding of workplace readiness, instil active citizenship and increase social mobility through mentoring interventions and community service, all while being guided by experienced mentors who offered support and encouragement.

After successfully completing a rigorous 12-week curriculum, these pupils have earned their badges and certificates, signifying their commitment and achievements within the programme. This accomplishment not only reflects their dedication but also highlights the positive impact of the mentoring experience on their personal and academic lives. We are proud of their hard work and look forward to seeing how they will apply the skills and knowledge gained through this programme in their future endeavours.

Using a variety of drama devices Yr 9 Students have been working on how to use a picture as a stimulus. Students are exploring the complex emotions and perspectives involved in bullying. By incorporating techniques like still image, split screen, thought tracking, slow motion, and

The students begin their role play by creating a series of still images, capturing significant moments that many bullying scenarios encompass. From a victim feeling isolated to a bystander torn between action and inaction, these frozen moments allow the audience to reflect on the underlying emotions.

One student explains, “The still images really help us focus on the feelings involved. It’s like pressing pause on a tough moment and giving everyone a chance to understand what’s really happening.” By highlighting facial expressions and body language, these still images create a poignant visual storytelling element that emphasizes empathy and connection.

In one powerful scene, students use the split screen technique to portray simultaneous actions of different characters. On one side, the bully brags to a group of friends, while on the other, the victim is seen grappling with feelings of isolation. The audience can witness both realities at once, underscoring the contrasting perspectives.

Students have commented in their reflection “We all have thoughts we don’t say out loud,”. “When we use thought tracking, it’s like letting the audience hear what’s going on inside. It helps them understand why we make the choices we do.”

 “Slow motion gives us the chance to really show what’s happening,” “Every little movement matters. It lets the audience feel the weight of that moment and see how it affects everyone involved.”

In their final scenes, students incorporate stage combat to represent the physical aspects of bullying. Using safe, choreographed moves, they demonstrate how bullying can escalate from words to actions. This element adds a sense of realism to the performance, making it all the more impactful.

By using these techniques, the students are not only developing their acting skills but also cultivating a deeper understanding of bullying and its effects. The topic has opened up discussions among classmates, and teachers about the role of empathy and the importance of standing up against bullying. Mrs Haynes, who leads the drama class, believes that topics like this help students connect with one another on a personal level. “When they step into these roles, they’re not just acting—they’re learning to see the world through someone else’s eyes. That’s a powerful lesson, both on and off the stage.

Doctors and researchers from the University of Birmingham came to Turves this week to show our Year 9’s how they can test the air quality in our school! Linking into their KS3 past curriculum and their future KS4 curriculum, pupils were able to make links between how the quality of the air we breathe affects our health. They have started an experiment where they have set up particle “traps” to be placed around the school in the areas where they think the air pollution would be greatest. Then, when the outreach team return on Wednesday 20^th November, they’ll be able to see which of them was right! The pupils behaved admirably and it was great seeing them take advantage of having such experts in the room by asking lots of questions!