Regents Review - Autumn 2024

REGENTS PARK COMMUNITY COLLEGE NEWSLETTER

AUTUMN 2024

Open Evening Success

KS4 Boys Basketball Team

Author Visit

Armistice Day

Page 29

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Page 17

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

WELCOME

Headteacher’s Welcome

Regents Park is an amazing place to be throughout the year and at this time, as we come to the end of autumn term, it is extra special with so much to celebrate. In this school, we often talk about our diversity and this term, we have been awarded for our equality and diversity within a national context by the Football Association. We have received an award from Barness Sue Campbell DBE, for our Equal Access - Girls’ Football in School. Thank you to the PE team, in particular Miss Robinson, who have worked so hard to accomplish this fantastic accolade, which embodies our ethos of respect and challenge . It has been great fun this week to reward so many students: guinea pig winners who solved clues to collect prizes, student ethos badges awarded, so many prizes in our reward assemblies, which for Year 7 included a Christmas sing along! We also have our traditional end of term Hot 50 event and I have just completed my positive telephone calls for top achievement point winners in each year group. Our rewards culture is such an important part of our ethos and showcases the pride students have in being at Regents Park Community College. Year 11 have experienced their mock GCSE results day, followed by their IAG morning. This provides students an opportunity to reflect and set clear targets to improve their GSCE outcomes over their last full term with us, before they move on to the next phase of their future. Colleges and apprenticeship interviews are well underway and we wish all Year 11 students the very best and hope they are accepted onto their course of choice. Our autumn term Regents Review captures the magic of the school and our community. As you will see, we have been as busy as ever: we have won competitions, we have been on fascinating trips,

we have celebrated digital leadership, we have paid respect on an emotional Armistice Day, we have had raffles with wonderful prizes, we have had quiz nights and perhaps, most importantly, we have been proud of our learning and progress. At the heart of all of this, are the hard working staff and our truly amazing students, who embrace our ethos of respect, pride, creativity and challenge . Thank you for supporting each other every day in many ways, as we come together as a community. This term, we prepare to say farewell to Mr Ellis, who has brought expertise to our swimming pool, teaching hundreds of children the importance of swimming. As he moves out of the area, we wish him the very best, as he starts his new chapter. As an ever-evolving community, we will also be welcoming new members of staff in January, with Mr Maistry and Mrs Viljoen, joining our teaching team within science and maths. We know our students and staff will give them the usual Regents Park welcome. As we finish the term, you will notice that the front of the school has had a glow up and over the next term, this work will continue. Thank you in advance for your support over this time of change. Finally I would like to thank you for your unwavering support and to wish you all a restful festive holiday. I look forward to another wonderful year in 2025 at Regents Park Community College. Mrs Barnes Headteacher

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GENERAL NEWS

Armistice Day On the eleventh hour, staff and students observed a two minute silence. Once again, Mr Barron played ‘The Last Post’ to mark the occasion. #regentsrespects

Calling all ex students! We would love to hear from our ex students to see what you have all been up to! Please contact us if you would like to be part of our growing alumni community at info@regentspark.southampton.sch.uk

SIMS Parent App SIMS Parent App enables you to access real time information. • Achievement points

• Behaviour points • Student timetable • Attendance • Calendar

• Update student data information • School reports (when available)

If you wish to register for SIMS Parent App, please contact us via telephone or email.

Cold Weather Due to the increasingly cold weather, please can you ensure that your child comes prepared for these conditions with a winter coat, gloves and non slip shoes. Students are also able to wear a navy blue school jumper with or without the school logo, for an additional layer under their school blazer. Hooded tops or jumpers are not permitted. Thank you

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

GENERAL NEWS

Year 7

community. Attendance is incredibly important, as even one day missed, means six lessons lost, alongside valuable time to catch up with friends and build connections with staff and peers. Well done to all! Another exciting initiative this term, has been our tutor achievement point league, which has created a wonderful buzz across Year 7. Each week, the tutor group with the highest achievement points are awarded a box of chocolates - an absolute joy to hand out! Additionally, the top five students each week, receive a special Head of Year mention during assembly, recognising their hard work and positive contributions. These moments have been a fantastic way to celebrate the achievements of our students and inspire everyone to keep striving for success. Year 7 also embarked on their first ever residential trip to Tile Barn Activity Centre, a milestone that created memories to last a lifetime. Students embraced the adventure, staying overnight in wooden pods and taking part in a variety of activities, including abseiling, mountain biking, crate stacking and archery. Cooking s’mores around the campfire was a definite highlight, as was the laughter and camaraderie shared throughout the trip.

A Fantastic Start to Life at Regents Park Community College As we approach the end of the first term, we are delighted to celebrate the fantastic start our Year 7 students have made to life here at Regents Park. Since joining us in September, they have settled in brilliantly, embracing every opportunity to demonstrate our ethos values: Respect, Pride, Creativity and Challenge . We’ve had the pleasure of awarding so many ethos badges this term and it’s wonderful to see these being worn with such pride across the year group. The commitment shown by Year 7 to upholding our values, is a testament to their positive attitude and eagerness to thrive within our school community. A particular highlight, was seeing so many Year 7 students stepping up to help at our recent Open Evening. They acted as fantastic ambassadors for the school, confidently leading tours and speaking to prospective parents about their experience so far. Two of our students even joined Mrs Barnes during the Headteacher’s address, impressing parents with their articulate reflections on life at Regents Park. Year 7 have also achieved the highest attendance in the school, a fantastic accomplishment that highlights their dedication to learning and being an active part of the Regents Park

More recently, I led the newly formed Year 7 rugby team to the Hampshire Schools Development Festival. The team displayed fantastic determination, scoring numerous tries, making impressive tackles and breaking through lines with confidence. It was a day full of fun and teamwork and I was incredibly proud of their performance. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all Year 7 students and their families for their continued

support. The dedication, enthusiasm and resilience

shown by the students make me immensely proud to lead the year group.

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GENERAL NEWS

We look forward to seeing what else our Year 7s will achieve, as they continue their journey at Regents Park. Here’s to exciting new opportunities! Mr Wilson Head of Year 7

Year 8

Adam Collette Adam Ellie Adrian Emaan

Keira

Rihan

Lian

San

Dear Year 8 What a term you’ve had! I have been so impressed with your return to school since September. You have embraced all the new challenges that comes with moving up a school year with your heads firmly held high and it has been a joy to see. As a result, we have already given out over 50 ethos badges, proving how our year group are consistently demonstrating and upholding our school ethos of Respect, Pride, Creativity and Challenge . In addition to the wonderful badges shining proudly on your blazers, we have over 14,000 achievement points already! On that note, I would like to congratulate the following students on having zero behaviour points this term:

Libby

Tia

Alfie

Emmanuela Lucas

Wisdom

Alisha Evie

Luke Najib

Yalda Zaine

Angel

Freya

Asrielle George

Ola

Zander

Becky

Kamila

Poppy Rachel

Beth

Kean

I am already excited to see what the new year will bring but until then, I wish you a restful and relaxing break and I cannot wait to see what the next term brings.

Miss Harrison Head of Year 8

Year 9 Dear Year 9

never too early to start preparing. Rest is crucial for your wellbeing, but reflection is just as important. Take some time over the break to think about the subjects and skills you’d like to focus on in the coming months. Are there areas you feel particularly confident in? Are there some you’d like to improve? By reflecting now, you can set small goals that will help you feel more prepared and motivated

when you return to school. Remember, it’s not just about hard work – it’s about working smart, staying organised and keeping a balance between study and rest. Wishing you a well-deserved break and a refreshed start to the new year ahead. Mr Ramshaw Assistant Headteacher

As we approach the end of the year, it’s important to take some time to rest, recharge and reflect. You’ve all worked hard and it is now the perfect opportunity to pause, gather your thoughts and look ahead to the exciting challenges of the year to come. The transition from Year 9 into Year 10, marks the start of your journey towards GCSEs and it’s

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GENERAL NEWS

Year 10

Daisha

Jax

Olivia

Eliza Ella Enis Eran

Jessica Jessica

Payton

As we approach the end of the first term, it’s a perfect moment to reflect on Year 10s hard work, achievements, and the progress they have made so far. The journey towards their GCSEs has officially begun, and it’s important to remember that every step they take is vital in building the foundation for future success. We’ve seen so much growth this term! Many Year 10s have made great strides in their subjects, whether it’s mastering challenging concepts in maths and science, developing writing skills in English, or becoming more confident in their practical subjects. The dedication and effort they have put into their learning is commendable and we hope you are proud of the work they have done. As we look towards next term, remember that Year 10 is just the beginning of their GCSE journey. There will be ups and downs, but every challenge is an opportunity to grow. It is important that Year 10 students keep working hard and stay focused on their goals, spending at least an hour working on home learning, using online platforms like Carousel and Sparx Maths to support their studies. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the following students for having zero behaviour points.

Ruby

Julia Kinti

Subasna

Tate

Georgia-Rose Koyna

Tawana

Harry

Liam Luke

Zaine

Helena

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the following students for having 100% attendance throughout the autumn term.

Alice Alicja

Enis

Jasmine Oskar

Harvey

Jawed

Sophie Tawana

Angjela Helena

John

Ashley Daisha

Holly

Joseph Waswa

Isla

Kato

Zaki

Dyllyon Jacob

Michal

Eliza

James

Mitchell

Ella

Jasmina Olumide

I am extremely proud of the progress Year 10 have made so far, and I look forward to seeing all the amazing things they will achieve in the months ahead. I hope all of our students and their families have a happy holiday. Keep up the excellent work, Year 10 – the best is yet to come! Mr McIntyre Head of Year 10 Year 11 students have recently completed their mock exams. These assessments not only prepare them for the summer GCSEs, but also help identify areas for improvement. We’re pleased to report excellent effort across the board and we are expecting a huge improvement in attainment. To support students, we have held a series of revision workshops, focusing on effective study techniques and exam strategies. Attendance and participation

Alicja

Humeyra

Magdalena

Amelia

Iwan

Mateusz Michael Mitchell Monica

Ayan

James

Charlie

Jasmina

Cliff

Jawad

Year 11

As the Christmas holidays draw near, we reflect on the hard work and progress made by our wonderful Year 11 students this term. It has been an eventful period filled with learning, growth and determination and we are proud of each student’s achievements.

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GENERAL NEWS

have been outstanding. As we move into the final months before GCSEs, we encourage students to use the holiday period wisely. While rest and family time are important, setting aside time for revision will make a significant difference. To Year 11 students: thank you for your hard work and dedication this term. Remember to take pride in how far you’ve come, and look forward to the Hot 50 Students had lots of fun during our HOT 50 event on Thursday 19th December. Well done to those students who made the final list of this academic year. Remember the four criteria to be in for a chance of taking part in the HOT 50 next time, which is: attendance, attitude, behaviour and achievement.

exciting opportunities ahead. To our parents and guardians: thank you for your unwavering support and encouragement. We wish you all a merry christmas and a happy new year! Mr Sinclair Head of Year 11

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GENERAL NEWS

Christmas Trolley Appeal

Due to previous success, Regents Park Community College, once again, promoted the Christmas trolley appeal. We would like to thank everyone who has helped to support this.

Library Thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome since I joined the school in the spring. There have been a lot of changes in the library, as we have been clearing out some of the very old books and making room for new ones, which we hope, will help encourage the students to read for pleasure. We have also been creating lots of bright and colourful displays to celebrate some of the events, which have happened this year and to encourage students to discover more about the world around them. If students have any suggestions for books they would like to see in the school library, they are very welcome to speak to me and I will see what we can do. Students have also been enjoying some ‘tech-free’ sessions in the library at lunch time, with lovely craft activities and board games, which have created some fantastic social interactions. Thank you to all of the student librarians who have helped with the activities and have made the library a nice place to

read and relax. Mrs Wooldridge

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GENERAL NEWS

Author Visit Towards the end of the summer term, we were delighted to welcome author and playwright, Alan Bissett to the school. Alan spoke to our Year 9 students about his book, LADS, which is a fascinating look at the very important topics of consent and respect. The students were really engaged and there were some thought provoking issues raised. Thank you to Alan for coming all the way from Scotland to see us! Public Library If you haven’t already joined the public library, this is a fantastic free resource available to everyone. Just pop in to your local branch and you can sign up for FREE , you will then be able to borrow any of the resources including e-books, audio books and magazines. See this link for more information: southampton.gov.uk/libraries/

Struggle to Read? If you, or someone you know is struggling with reading, you can get help from the ReadEasy scheme. You can also help others with their reading journey by volunteering with them. Read more at: readeasy.org.uk/

eBooks We are delighted to now be able to offer our students access to over 1,500 FREE e-book resources, so that they can read on their devices at home. Students can log in to the Wheelers e-platform system using their school Google log in. This system offers students the chance to change background and text size, making the reading materials more accessible for students, who find reading standard text a challenge. Why not download the app and give it a try, it is FREE ! regents-park.wheelers.co/

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GENERAL NEWS

Business Manager’s Update

queues and ensure they can order their favourite items without being disappointed if we run out. Please visit this link to use our preorder system: regentspark. swift-order.co.uk/. • Access to our Parents Evening Booking System is also available from the website using the ‘family’ icon at the top of the homepage. regentsparkcommunitycollege. schoolcloud.co.uk/ • Calendar – This is updated on a regular basis, with additional events: regentsparkcollege. org.uk/home/school-details/ calendar/. • Skoolkit / KoolSkools - Please visit the dress code page on our website for up to date information on our uniform: regentsparkcollege.org.uk/school information/school-uniform/ • Uniform/Cards – please ensure your child remembers to wear their lanyard and school card, as this is part of the school uniform. Not only is this used to purchase lunch, as part of the fast track service, but it is also needed if your child needs access to a laptop or to borrow books in the library • FSM – is your child entitled to a free hot meal at school? Please complete the online form to see if you are eligible. cloudforedu.org. uk/ofsm/southampton/ • School Street – we currently have a road closure on Richville Road at the start and end of

the day to allow safe arrival and exit by the students. Please can parents ensure that they are parking appropriately on King Edward Avenue and Oakley Road. Please avoid blocking driveways, double parking or parking on yellow lines. • Alumni – if you are, or you have a child who is, an ex-student, we would love to hear what you/they have been doing since leaving Regents Park. Please get in contact by emailing us at info@ regentspark.southampton.sch.uk • Clubs & Classes – We have a range of different clubs & classes that run after school. For a full list of these, please visit: regentsparkcollege.org.uk/school information/clubs-classes/ • Breakfast Club – Students have the opportunity to start their day with breakfast and a drink at Breakfast Club, which Mrs Simmons, Welfare Officer, continues to run every morning from 8:00am – 8:25am. Communication • If you are contacting the school as your child is absent, please dial the absence line 02380 725712 (answerphone service available) • For all other urgent enquiries please call our main reception – 02380 325444. Due to high volume of calls received during school hours, if your call is not answered there will be an option to leave a message. Please be aware that calls may be recorded for training and quality

The school is continuing to improve its streamlined communication system. Our website is the hub of all information, where daily school news can be found. • All general letters will be emailed, they are also available to view under the parent section on the website. regentsparkcollege. org.uk/news-and-calendar/ letters/ • Access to X (Twitter) is available from the website so that you can follow the school news or Spencer, our Therapy Dog – use the ‘X’ icon on the right of the homepage. twitter.com/ RegentsParkCC • You can also follow us on our Facebook page for up to date news and information facebook. com/RegentsParkcc • Access to the SCOpay online payment system for school meals, trips etc is also available from the website using the ‘£’ icon at the top of the homepage: scopay. com/login • Catering - Please visit the catering page on our website for information regarding the current school meals menu regentsparkcollege.org.uk/school information/school-meals/ . We would like to encourage students to pre-order food, as this will allow the students to avoid the

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GENERAL NEWS

purposes. • All urgent communication from the school to parents will be via text message and email in the first instance and posted on our website and social media platforms. It is therefore, important to ensure that the school has your up to date contact information and this can be updated via SIMs Parent App or contacting the school reception. In addition to the above, if the school has an urgent matter to discuss regarding your child, you may receive a phone call on this occasion by the relevant member of staff. Non Urgent Communication • The main method of non urgent communication from parents to the school is via email and SIMS

Parent App, in order that our phone lines are kept available for urgent messages. Our email address is info@ regentspark.southampton.sch. uk – please indicate in the subject header, the person you would like the information passed to. We will always check to ensure it is the most appropriate person for your request. You will receive an automated response confirming that your email has been received and that you will receive a response within 2 working days, however this is likely to be longer during the school holidays. There is also an expectation that staff will keep you informed of your enquiry if it is likely to be longer, due to a matter being investigated. • All non urgent communication from the school to parents will

be emailed, in addition to being posted on our website and other social media platforms. We welcome feedback from you and this can done in several ways: • Email: info@regentspark. southampton.sch.uk • Contact Form via the website https://www.regentsparkcollege. org.uk/home/school-details/ contact-us/ • Phone: 023 8032 5444 • If you wish to speak to the Headteacher, Mrs Barnes, please contact Fiona Hayward, Headteacher’s PA, on 023 8072 5711 Carlene Amos Business Manager

Christmas Guinea Pig Advent Challenge The RPCC guinea pigs Christmas advent challenge returned this year! You’ve heard of ‘Elf on the Shelf’! RPCC presented, ‘Marshmallow and Cocoa Going Loco’. When all the students had gone home, we noticed some movement on the security cameras and captured pictures of this all over the school - every day a picture was hidden of the ‘piggies’ in places they should not be and the student who solved the riddle and found the guinea pig, could collect a prize! Here are some of our winners.

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GENERAL NEWS

Exams

Highlights This Term • Tutor Time Interventions: Dedicated English and maths interventions during tutor time have provided students with focused support in these key subjects. Attendance and engagement in these sessions have been excellent and students are making visible progress as a result. • Walking-Talking Mocks: Before sitting their mock exams, students participated in walking talking mocks across various subjects. These sessions allowed students to break down exam questions with guidance, equipping them with strategies to approach their actual exams confidently. Feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive—they found these sessions both useful and motivating. • Mock Exams: The first round of mock exams is now complete, and we’re proud of the positive attitude and maturity displayed by our Year 11s. Their focus and preparation were evident and they have embraced this opportunity to reflect on their strengths and areas for improvement. • How to Revise: During tutor time, students have been learning valuable revision techniques through dedicated “How to Revise” sessions. Each student has also received a ‘How to Revise’ guidebook, providing them with practical tips and resources to use independently at home.

Supporting Success: News from the Exams Team As we approach the end of a busy term, the exams team would like to commend our Year 11 students for their hard work, dedication and engagement with the range of revision opportunities available to them. The journey towards exams is challenging, but our students are showing resilience and determination every step of the way. Looking Ahead To continue supporting students on their revision journey, we are hosting a ‘How to Support Your Child with Revision’ evening on Tuesday 16th January, from 5:00pm - 6:00pm. This event will provide parents and carers with tools and strategies to help their child succeed during this crucial time, along with feedback from curriculum leads regarding revision in their subjects. We encourage as many families as possible to attend. Once again, well done to Year 11 for their fantastic efforts so far. Let’s keep up this momentum into the new year!

Green Gym We have recently, successfully rolled out a new intervention programme called Green Gym, at the RPCC allotment. Green Gym is tailored to help with school engagement, build self-esteem, resilience, promote team work and hands on work experience, as well as mentoring. During these sessions, students have been involved in a variety of tasks including: growing,

maintenance and repairs of a garden gazebo, general gardening and building equipment needed to facilitate our new produce. These sessions are designed to help students acquire new skills, learn to identify their emotions. Selected tasks, help to self regulate, apply literacy, numeracy and science in real-world context and improve wellbeing and social and academic engagement.

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GENERAL NEWS

Space Missions We have been asking our students how challenged they feel in lessons and teachers have been asking their classes to rate the challenge level of their work on Challenge-O-Meters! It’s very important to us that students feel challenged in their lessons! In recent weeks, we have seen the re-launch of Space Missions! Reminders were given to staff, as well as, for the benefit of new staff on how these missions work. Students should look out for the symbol in all lessons when they are seeking a little more challenge! They can also collect stickers on reward cards and trade completed cards for prizes. Students who can show three completed reward cards, will earn a Challenge badge for going on their challenging adventures! Please speak to Miss Fison if you have any questions, or if you would like a reward card! Halloween Raffle Well done to the winners of our Halloween Raffle. We are pleased to inform you that we raised £155.00 in total to help fund our Year 11 prom.

1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize 4th Prize 5th Prize 6th Prize 7th Prize 8th Prize 9th Prize

Daisy

Max

Mrs Jarvis

Emma

Lotty

Miss Robinson

Mr Sinclair

Izzy

Cole 10th Prize Ruby 11th Prize Miss Moore

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Mathematics DEPARTMENTAL NEWS Sparx Maths Sparx Maths has got off to a flying start this year. At the time of writing, there has been a total of 5,440 hours spent on it, with a total of 397,975 questions answered correctly. Year 7 students have had amazing completion rates, closely followed by Year 10. Who will be the winners for the autumn term overall? We look forward to handing out our first round of certificates and prizes to celebrate the hard work and dedication of our RPCC mathematicians. We will share this wonderful news on our social media. New to Sparx They are continually updating and improving the platform. They have now introduced a leaderboard, to help motivate and increase engagement. Many of our students love a healthy bit of competition! However, for those who don’t, there is also an opt-out option. Independent Learning Sparx is not just for homework! Anyone can log on to Sparx and do some independent learning. We have incorporated Sparx into our reflections following our termly tests. Students identify the areas that they wish to work on to help them make progress and then simply type in the code to Sparx. This will bring up a task and supporting material to help them improve. Maths Week This year from 11th - 15th November, we hosted our first Maths Week! Students had opportunities to see how maths could be incorporated and used in all of their subjects across the week. Students had the opportunity to do some code breaking in the library, as well as taking part in competitions.

Shopping & Money We are surrounded by opportunities in everyday life to develop our numeracy skills through shopping and budgeting. • Encourage your child to look at the prices of items in the shops • Support them to find out which items offer the best value for money • Encourage them to work out how much money they will need to pay for shopping and to plan a budget • Let them look for errors in receipts and make them check the change they are given • Help them plan the budget for family trips, for example going to the cinema, swimming baths etc. • Encourage them to look at the labels on the items they buy, in order to understand their weight and capacity, and also their nutritional information • Talk through household bills, mortgage statements and bank statements with your child promoting numeracy at Regents Park? Each term, you will receive an update, detailing various ways on how you can support your child with using maths in everyday life. Here is a reminder of this term’s. Promoting Numeracy at Regents Park Have you seen Mr Faur’s newsletter on

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DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Useful Revision Websites Maths Genie – practice questions, videos, past papers

Access Maths - Practice questions

M aths4Everyone - Practice questions

Corbett Maths - Practice questions, videos and past papers

E xamQ - GCSE past paper questions and official mark schemes

English This year, has seen the launch of our new guided reading program for Year 7 and 8. Students will be reading a novel as a class, however the focus will be on reading for pleasure and discussion. Like a book club for each class. As we read the books, the class will have the opportunity to discuss key events, characters and most importantly, what bit they are enjoying. Currently our Year 7s are adventuring with Lyra in Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights. Understanding the impact and effect of a heart transplant in Malorie Blacks Pig Heart Boy. As well as, exploring the idea of war in Private Peaceful by Michal Morpurgo and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Year 8s are going to be starting their guided reading and as soon as the new books arrive, they will be reading one of the following: The Life of Pi, 1985, Noughts and Crosses, Thirteen and The Five Clues. The benefits of this, will help students gain confidence, develop reading strategies, allowing all students to progress and develop a love of reading for pleasure. Year 7 students have already commented: “I am getting more and more confident with reading aloud” “The story is really interesting and I like it when Miss uses the visualiser”

“I find reading entertaining and I enjoy doing it in the library, as this is a chance to read new books.” “I like that we get to receive signatures for reading out loud, as this encourages us to feel more confident. I can really see the impact this has on me.” “I enjoy how we take turns in our class to read through something called pop-corn reading, as each week, this is different and it makes it more fun and interesting, because different people are reading out loud.”

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DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Science Exciting Progress in Science!

Record-Breaking Achievement Points

This term, our science department celebrated the highest achievement points in recent history. Students have shown fantastic engagement and dedication in lessons and we are particularly proud of Year 11, who are attending after school revision sessions with commitment and determination. Curriculum Highlights Across all year groups, students have been diving deep into fascinating science topics and honing their practical skills: • Year 7: Particles, cells, and mastering scientific equipment • Year 8: Tissues and organs, acids and alkalis, movement, pressure, respiration, and photosynthesis • Year 9: Prokaryotes, eukaryotes, forces, and acceleration • Year 10: Forces, quantitative chemistry, and decay processes • Year 11: Completing their paper 2 specifications and focusing on refining their knowledge and exam techniques.

This term has been a whirlwind of activity, growth and achievement for our science department. All year groups are fully engaged with the Ark Science Mastery curriculum, a carefully designed program that develops knowledge systematically over time and equips students with the skills they need for future success. Here’s a round up of our recent highlights. Celebrating Chemistry Week 2024 Chemistry Week was a fantastic opportunity for our students to explore the wide range of careers available in science. Year 7 enjoyed a particularly exciting hands-on experience, making plastic from potato starch in dedicated lessons. This practical project was a hit, showcasing how everyday science concepts can have real-world applications. 'Pizza and Physics' After School Event Our popular ‘Pizza and Physics’ session was an event to inspire! Students joined a live lecture from Southampton University, delving into the fascinating world of black holes and the processes behind their discovery. Thank you to all who attended – the combination of pizza and cutting-edge science was clearly a winner!

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DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Exciting Updates from the DfE In a welcome announcement, the Department for Education confirmed that equation sheets will be provided in science exams for the next few years. This news was met with enthusiasm by staff and students alike, who are now incorporating this change into their revision strategies.

Open Evening Success Our students shone at this term’s Open Evening, helping Year 6 students and their families through a range of exciting practicals. Their enthusiasm and professionalism made a wonderful impression on prospective parents and students – well done to all involved!

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DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Looking Ahead As we head into the next half term, we are excited to continue building on this momentum. Whether it’s through engaging lessons, hands on practicals, or after-school opportunities, the science department is committed to fostering a love of learning and achievement in all our students. A big well done to everyone for their hard work this term. We can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds for science at RPCC.

Upcoming Trips We have a number of upcoming trips in Science. Selected Year 10s will be travelling to London to watch the chief examiner and some of the countries top research scientists present at ‘Science Live’. Also, some of our Year 9 scientists will be travelling to Life Lab at Southampton General Hospital to learn new and exciting skills, along with the vast range of medical careers available to them. Science Club Success The newly launched science club, for Year 7 and 8 has been successfully launched! This term, the club has embraced a festive Christmas theme, with students enthusiastically taking part in creative, seasonal experiments. Stay tuned for exciting new themes after half term!

Creative Arts & DT

Textiles Year 7s are learning about

textiles, such as appliqué and using the sewing machine. They are applying these new skills by creating their own wall hanging with pockets, inspired by the cross-curricular theme of the seasons. Year 9 are continuing to develop, advance and progress in using the fundamental skills of textiles to create a tote bag. These are

inspired by the graffiti artist, Mr Brainwash. Students are learning the difference between graffiti, vandalism and street art.

fundamental key skills in textiles, such as: sewing a button, back stitch and running stitch. They have applied these new skills by creating their own junk monsters inspired by Jon Burgerman. Year 8 students are developing their fundamental key skills in

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Year 8 Food In Year 8 food tech, students have created a variety of different meals. These include: rainbow salad, garlic and rosemary focaccia bread and mac and cheese. Students learned practical skills, such as: knife safety, health and safety and preparing food. Alongside the practical aspects of the curriculum, students have also been learning about making healthy food swaps, ‘The Eat Well Guide’ and shopping on a budget. Students have been able to watch their teacher demonstrate good standard and quality of recipes made and then get to create the recipe themselves, to take home and enjoy.

Year 7 Food Students in Year 7 have been looking at health and safety in the kitchen, learning how to safely use the kitchen and how to safely prepare food. Alongside this, students have been cooking some tasty savoury treats.

Year 9 Food Students in Year 9 have been learning about the dangers of cross contamination in the kitchen, in regards to allergens and intolerances. They have been learning about gluten and diary free lifestyles, as well as, cooking some recipes, which look closely at the 14 major allergens people suffer from.

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS Year 7 Resistant Materials

Year 8 Resistant Materials

Year 7 resistant materials students, have been looking at creating bird boxes. From learning about health and safety in the wood workshop, to designing and creating a spectacular bird box to take home.

Year 8 have been doing a great job at designing and creating a pinball machine. From looking at designing on paper to designing on computers, students have loved looking at the mechanics of pin ball games.

Year 9 Resistant Materials Year 9 have been designing and creating a functional clock, in which they have learned the mechanics of the clock mechanism, health and safety in wood workshop, along with painting their clocks in their own design. Year 7 Graphics Students have been looking into the world of typography. Learning about letters, designing their own name tags and eventually designing their own 3D letter inspired by things they enjoy.

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Year 8 Graphics Students have been researching and learning about how food packaging is developed and made by graphic designers. Students have created their own logo designs, developed their knowledge on Serif and San Serif fonts and created wonderful final products, which show off these skills.

KS3 Photography Club Photography club students have been learning to take still life and portrait photographs in the studio using DSLR cameras. From here, the students have produced work that includes: hand rendered outcomes (embroidery), used a graphics tablet to digitally draw their photographs and created interesting compositions using their portraits and the opacity tool on Photoshop. The students have been intrigued to learn about camera settings such as: ISO, aperture and shutter speed, as well as some basics of using Photoshop.

Year 9 Photography

Students have looked at several portrait photographers and have researched and annotated the photographers work. Students then began to take photographs in the style of the photographer they have looked at, to try different editing techniques, such as: glitch, double exposure and colour select. To finish their photography rotation, Year 9s are given a self-study to take their own portraiture images, inspired

by the artists and the work they have been doing in lesson to create a final piece, using an edit they have enjoyed and learned over the past ten weeks.

This year, Year 9s take part in a 10 week photography rotation, as part of their design and technology overview. Two classes have finished their photography rotation, with two new Year 9 classes having just started their rotation. In Year 9 photography, we are looking at portraiture.

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Year 7 Art This term’s project theme for Year 7 art is flora and fauna. The Year 7s started the term by learning about tone and how to apply this in different contexts, completing a beetle grid drawing to demonstrate their skill. They have also been learning about Louis Renard and his book, ‘Fantastical Fish - Fishes, Crayfishes, and Crabs’. Using watercolour and pencil, the students have been drawing their own ‘fantastical’ fish.

Year 8 Art Year 8 have been exploring the weird and wonderful world of Yayoi Kusama and her obsession for patterns and mark making. Looking at the fundamentals of art and design, students have been obliterating Yayoi Kusama sunflowers with dots, bricks and nets in bright colour. They have also looked at Robert and Sonia Delaunay’s circle paintings for developing their understanding of colour theory.

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Year 9 Art In art, the Year 9s are learning about culture, specifically Mexican culture. Looking at the artwork of Frida Kahlo and Jose Posada, students are creating some amazing artist study pages in their sketchbook. Students have been exploring art outside of traditional sense of painting and drawing, by watching the film Coco, which was directed, animated and voiced by Mexican people.

Year 10 Fine Art Our Year 10 fine art students have been investigating the formal elements of art with different techniques and materials. Inspired by the work of Giorgio Morandi and Patrick Caulfield, we have been looking at how art can elevate an everyday object from something ordinary to something extraordinary. We are very excited to see what this talented group of students will produce next term.

Year 10 3D Design Year 10 are in their introduction phase of the GCSE, exploring all the different materials 3D design has to offer including: monoprinting, drawing from observation, clay and textiles. Students have been exploring the nature and man-made world of structures.

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Year 10 BTEC Hospitality and Catering Year 10 have just started their culinary journey in hospitality and catering, but have already learned so much about health and safety, cooking in a professional kitchen and how to make tasty savoury dishes, which include: pizza, crispy chicken and so many more.

Year 11 GCSE Art, Craft and Design Year 11 are hard at work, completing their final project of their coursework. Students have been hard at work since Year 9 to create a portfolio, which is worth 60% of their final grade at GCSE. The GCSE art exam starts in January, with it’s completion coming to an end with a two-day practical exam in May. Miss Brookes is very proud of all her GCSE students. Keep up the good work everyone! KS3 Art Club Students have been exploring a range of printing techniques such as: polystyrene print and monoprint, with amazing designs inspired by an ‘under the sea’ theme. Students have created a range of beautiful artwork. This festive season, we are using clay to make Christmas decorations, these will be painted for students to decorate their tree with.

Year 11 Hospitality & Catering Students are in the mists of planning their final practical for their exam. Looking at time sheets, health and safety and equipment lists. Students have also been revising for the hospitality and catering exam in June. Mrs Green is very proud of how hard you have worked this year!

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS Computing & Business Studies

Computer Science – KS4 Year 11 have just completed their mock exam for unit 2. Special congratulations go to: Andrei, Hikmet, James & Leo for scoring grade 9. Luca & Gayathri, grade 8 and Joshua & Sophie, grade 7. They are now revising unit 1 topics in preparation for their second mock in the new year. After school revision is available on Thursdays and is open for any student that would like extra support in practising exam style questions. This will help to develop core knowledge to support with final exams in May/June. The Smart Revise platform is up and running and all students are encouraged to complete as many questions as they wish on the quiz section for testing their knowledge across all topics and mastering questions. They can work on Creative iMedia – KS4 As part of iMedia, students undertake several controlled assessments covering different topics within computing. Year 11 students have been completing one of these controlled assessments, which is creating an interactive product to promote a local hero using kiosks in libraries aimed at older people. This will be submitted to the exam board in the summer for final assessment. They have recently been practicing their exam skills for their mock exam. Congratulations go to Victoria, Shoeey, Taisia & Wiktor, who were at the top with Level 2 Distinction* and also Eliza, Rebeka, Rayyan & Eleanor who achieved Level 2 Distinction. After school sessions are taking place for those needing to improve their current work or improve their knowledge of exam topics on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Year 10 are working on their first controlled assessment, which is to produce a visual identity and packaging for a new chocolate brand. This term, we have been focussing on the making elements and will begin evaluation of the final products upon return in January.

it independently or through tasks set by the class teacher. Year 10 completed studying units 1.1 System Architecture, 1.2 Primary & Secondary Storage and 2.1 Algorithms. They also had a chance to start coding in Python, which will be studied in the Spring term. They also have been given accounts to Smart Revise and more than half the class have already mastered more than 100 questions. Congratulations to John, Koyna, Subasna, Kismet, Ayan and Tate for scoring grades 7-9 and achieving high grades in these units. Computing – KS3 In the first half term, Year 7 & 8 were taught the importance of e-safety and how to be safe online. Year 7 produced informative presentations, while Year 8 created interactive websites. Year 7 moved on to a festival celebration project, with themes like Christmas grotto or other religious/non-religious themes of their choice. They have been using a range of skills with software creating different office-based tasks like desktop publishing and spreadsheets. Year 8 have developed their knowledge from last year about hardware specifications in computers and making decisions about how to construct an appropriate computer, e.g. how much ram, what processor speed etc. They have also completed mini assessments, along with their end of unit exams on peripherals, components and storage devices.

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The Regents Review Autumn 2024

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

Year 9 have focussed on improving their online digital awareness and understanding of technology in the real world. Our first unit involved investigating and understanding different cyber security issues, including current threats and online safety issues. They have then moved on to artificial intelligence (AI) developing their knowledge of how AI is created and the rules and limitations that it can have. They have explored the ethical issues connected with this technology. For example, AI is expected to contribute up to $15.7 trillion dollars to the global economy by 2030, making it one of the most significant technological drivers of economic growth. Business GCSE Year 11 have been securing their knowledge of topic 1 in business, as part of their preparation for the mock exams. Well done to Luca for achieving a grade 8 and Andrei for grade 7. All students have logins for Smart Revise, which is an informative platform for revision and testing their knowledge across all topics. They can work on it independently or through tasks set by the class teacher. After school revision is available on a Wednesday. Year 10 have been investigating enterprise & entrepreneurship and spotting a business opportunity. This includes: the dynamic nature of business, the role of business enterprise and market research and segmentation. Special mention to the following, for demonstrating a fantastic attitude to learning: Waswa & Tym

Enterprise & Marketing Year 11 are working on their second controlled assessment, which involves them pitching a business proposal for their ‘Ali’s Ice-cream’ coursework, which they completed last year. We have been revising a wide range of topics for their mock exams. Well done to Mya, Krish and Rayyan for achieving D2* and Brenda, Henry, Gracie-Ava, Shooey and Lilly achieving D2. Year 10 class are working on their first controlled assessment, which is to develop a business proposal for a new t-shirt product aimed at a target audience of their choice. This term, we have been focussing on market research, customer profile and design techniques. Special mention to Koyna and Isla for always thriving to achieve mark band 3. After school intervention is available on Monday for either year group, for students to improve or complete any work not completed during lesson time.

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