Welcome from the Co-Headteachers
Developing students to become “finishers”
With the onset of important, internal examinations, it has been great to witness students in Years 11 and 13 taking yet another step towards gaining their independence. All these students have been incredibly well-organised and mature in their approach to their studies. Congratulations to students as well as parents/carers for preparing our young people for this necessary “hoop” to jump in their educational journey – you can read more about it below.
Throughout the week, our outstanding Year group assemblies have also been messaging younger students about becoming stronger independent learners and, in particular, breaking the cycle of avoidance. This means being more responsible and becoming what employers call “finishers”; completing classwork, completing PPA (homework) and completing our expectation of reading for 20 minutes everyday. Key to successfully breaking the cycle of non-completion is a shared responsibility; a partnership between school, parents/carers and every student. Given this, we encourage all parents/carers to devote time to discussing – and checking – these important habits with their son/ward.
Finally, the highlight of the week was undoubtedly the Year 7 Induction Assembly, celebrating Year 7’s successful completion of the Induction process. One parent/carer said afterwards, “Thank you for organising such an uplifting and positive assembly for the boys. A precious opportunity for parents/carers to catch a glimpse of school life and values.”
We are always on the lookout for feedback, positive or negative. If you have any comments, please do let us know via this form.
Simon Fisher and Jo Higginbottom
GCSE Art
Outstanding student work
Tuesday and Wednesday this week saw 49 GCSE art students producing memorable pieces of 2D visual art. The majority of students were extremely well prepared having researched their subject matter as part of their PPA (homework). A number of stunning pieces can be viewed below.
Examination Certificates
Summer 2023 certificates available for collection now
This week, emails have been sent to parents/carers of students who have left the school, sat public exams last summer, and have certificates to collect. Full details on how these certificates can be collected is contained in the email. These certificates are important legal documents that will be required as evidence when applying for higher education and employment.
Term & Holiday Dates 2024-25
Just published to aid your planning
This week, we have published the term and holiday dates for next academic year (2024-25)- running from September 2024 to July 2025.
You can find them on this page.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Coming Soon!
Some upcoming dates for the diary
- Thursday 7 December – Tuesday 19 December – Written December Exams (Years 11-13)
- Monday 11 – Friday 15 December – Food pantry collection
- Wednesday 13 December – Christmas Lunch for students
- Wednesday 13 December – Christmas Jumper Day
- Thursday 14 December – Winter Concert
- Friday 15 December – Flu immunisations for those with consent
- Monday 18 December – Senior Awards Evening
- Thursday 21 December – End of Autumn Term (students dismissed at 12.30pm)
- Monday 8 January 2024 – Start of Spring Term
The full calendar is available at this link.
Christmas Charity Drive
An opportunity to help those in need
On Monday, we sent a letter about our next charity drive, to help those most in need this Christmas. We will hold a collection for food and other products, as well as taking part in Christmas Jumper Day in aid of Save the Children. Do read the letter and get involved if you can. Taking part in these worthwhile causes is a fantastic way to teach students the importance of being mature, caring citizens. Thank you for your support.
Hounslow Christmas Project
Helping to ensure that no child goes without a gift this Christmas
If you are able, please consider donating to the Hounslow Christmas Project, which is in its fourth year. We are one of 42 schools across Hounslow that are trying to source donations of at least 2500 gifts for Hounslow children in all ages ranges whose parents/carers cannot afford gifts themselves. It is chaired by local MP Seema Malhotra. Find out more information – and donate if you can – via this JustGiving page. Thank you.
Transport for London – Buses
We are giving feedback about their H91 service
Parents/carers should be aware that we are in communication with Transport for London (TfL) about increasingly the frequency of H91 buses, east and westbound, at the peak times along the A4 arterial road. In particular, we have highlighted to TfL how, after school between 3.10pm and 3.45pm, there is an acute shortage of capacity on the buses. We are very conscious of the fact that, too often, H91 buses arriving at the Ridgeway Road and Osterley Library bus stops are full and unable to pick up students. We have made TfL aware that this is unacceptable and, indeed, is a safeguarding risk especially during the darker winter months.
Winter Concert 2023
The countdown is on – a week to go!
Rehearsals are in full swing as the performing arts department gets ready for our festive extravaganza, the Winter Concert. Over 100 students will take part in a feast of music and drama to finish the term. We really do recommend coming along if you can – it takes place on Thursday 14 December and will last for about 90 minutes starting at 6.30pm. Tickets are from just £1, with all proceeds donated to charity. Find out more by clicking the banner below.
Safeguarding
Encouraging mature and sensible corridor behaviour
We plan carefully to ensure good behaviour in the corridors, which extends beyond just “following rules”. Good, purposeful corridor behaviour contributes significantly to the overall school environment, character development and student feelings of safety and well-being.
Safety First: Emphasising clear expectations and good behaviour ensures a safe environment, minimising the risk of accidents and promoting a sense of security for all.
Positive Learning Environment: Students who experience calm and respectful behaviour in corridors will carry this demeanor into the classroom, creating a positive environment for focused learning.
Social ‘Soft Skills’ Development: Students will develop crucial social skills such as empathy, cooperation, and a positive mindset. The habits formed in these formative years will contribute to success in various life scenarios.
Respect for Rules and Authority: This respect extends beyond the physical space of corridors to create a culture of personal discipline and responsibility throughout the school.
Character Building: By emphasising the importance of good behaviour and allowing students to manage themselves with a degree of independence, teachers contribute to the holistic development of students, nurturing qualities such as responsibility, integrity, and self-discipline.
Our corridor policy, therefore, is designed to promote feelings of safety and wellbeing, but also the long-term development of responsible, respectful, and mature citizens.
If you have a concern about the safety or welfare of your child, please email the safeguarding team at safeguarding@isleworthsyon.org. If there is an emergency call 999 or, for non-urgent matters that require police attention, call 101.
Careers Corner
Introducing the ‘Next Steps in London’ guide
‘Next Steps in London’ is a guide to support students choosing their best next steps into the world of work, brought to you by the four London Careers Hubs. This guide provides information on the pathways and routes available as they move through education and training into employment.
As well as supporting young people to understand the full range of qualifications and training available to them, this guide can also be used by parents and carers to support their young people with decisions around their best next steps. You can view and download the PDF booklet.
Pride of House
Celebrating student success
As we rapidly approach the end of term, well done to this week’s ‘Pride of House’ awards, who have shown commitment to excellence towards the very end. Well done to this week’s 40 winners – click a house badge below to see who they are.
News
Celebrating student success so they can achieve their potential
Year 7 Induction Assembly
The nine-month Year 7 induction process begins in March with an offer of a place and ends in December with the Induction Assembly, a fantastic event where parents/carers are invited to share students’ success. This year’s event took place this morning (Friday). The induction process is so important to help families adjust to the jump from primary to secondary school.
This celebration assembly lasted just over an hour, with every single student receiving either a bronze, silver or gold medal to reflect their progress so far. Throughout, form representatives reflected on their journey so far with a series of excellent speeches.
It was lovely to see students wearing their medals with pride at the end of the assembly and for the rest of the school day! Parent/carer feedback was very positive, including:
- “It was a motivating experience for the children.”
- “Thank you so much once again for a wonderfully thought-out and executed opportunity to see into school life.”
- “So smooth and enjoyable. Well done to all concerned.”
Caroling at St. Mary’s Church
This year, the music department have set up a Carol Crew – a vocal ensemble bringing some festive cheer to the local community in Isleworth, as well as our own Winter Concert. The first live performance for this talented group took place at the Christmas Fair down at the local St Mary’s Church, just around the corner from the school. It took place last Saturday. Students performed a number of carols during the service and were a credit to the school. Well done, boys!
Scholastic Book Fair
Throughout this week, we have hosted the Scholastic Book Fair in the school library. It was a great way for students to discover new stories and support the school at the same – if we reach last year’s target of £400 of sales, the school receives 40% in free books. We will find out soon if we hit the target. Thank you to everyone who supported, as well as the student librarians (some of whom are pictured in the first picture above) for their help during the week.
December Exams
Finally for this week – the December examinations have begun in earnest for Years 11 and 13. These internal examinations continue until 19 December and give students the chance to gauge their progress so far, less than six months away from their public examinations. Students will sit assessments in all their subjects, with results released in January. We wish students well – and urge families to re-read our notices from last week’s newsletter about coping with exam stress.