Rossett News Update - 10 January 2020

Welcome back and a Happy New Year to all parents and students from all the staff at Rossett School.

Changes to our Year 8 Options Process

Following a change to our curriculum delivery in Year 9, there will be a letter forthcoming from Mr Stone (Deputy Headteacher, Curriculum Development) to all Year 8 Parents/Carers to learn more about the curriculum offer for next year's Year 9.  There will be a further opportunity to discuss this at our Year 8 Parents' Evening on the 30th January 2020.  The information available at the Year 8 Parents' Evening will replace Year 8 Options Evening on 23rd January which is now cancelled.

Mock Examination Success

This week Year 11 took part in our annual 'Mock' Results Day - celebrating their successes in their trial examinations and considering where they need to invest more time and effort to secure the results they wish to see in the summer. 

GCSE Languages' students have been sitting their mock speaking examinations this week, and these practice orals continue next week.

Staffing

We are pleased to welcome back to Rossett, Ms Thompson (SLT/Teacher of Science) from maternity leave. I would also like to welcome the following new members of staff to Rossett School:

Mr K Denny - Teacher of Science

Mrs T Atkinson - Teacher of Science

Visit by Lepra Charity

A representative from the charity Lepra visited Rossett on Wednesday to talk to our Year 7 students  about the charity's work to beat leprosy. 

Lepra is committed to the eradication of leprosy and as an international charity they work directly with communities in Bangladesh, India and Mozambique to find, diagnose and rehabilitate people affected by leprosy.  Following the talk in school, students will have the opportunity to undertake extra-curricular fundraising alongside a sponsored ‘Zumba’ which will take place in school on Wednesday 22nd January.

If your child is in Year 7 they will have brought home a fundraising envelope along with a letter and we would be grateful if you could support them by permitting them to collect donations towards this lesser-known international charity which has been supported by the school's Year 7s over many years.

To kick-start the fundraising, our Year 7s are organising a bake-sale next Wednesday 15th January in the Junior Block.

Harrogate Homeless Project

We were delighted to send an amount of £360 to the Harrogate Homeless Project just before Christmas which was very gratefully received by the charity.  Raised by our Sixth Form students in their RAG Week activities, this donation will help staff at the charity support homeless people by ensuring they have the strategies, support and services that are needed to begin the difficult journey back to  independent living.  Well done to our Sixth Form students and thank you to all who donated.

St John Ambulance Skills Assessment

In December, our Rossett First Aid Team took part in a St John Ambulance skills assessment.  This was the culmination of over a year's work and the last assessment for our current Year 11s.  The assessments are for students aged 12-18 years and completion of this  First Aid/Young Lifesavers' qualification allows them to matriculate at three different skill levels. 

The assessment teams are made up of a paramedic, a nurse and an ex-police traffic officer and the students are tested on some realistic first aid situations such as responding to a patient with a severe allergic reaction or an unconscious patient who is in need of the recovery position.  The assessment team were incredibly impressed with the skills that our young first aiders displayed.  The students received their certificates at a celebration at the end of the Christmas term - well done to them all!

Exam Invigilators Needed

We are looking for additional examination invigilators to join our team for the external examinations this summer (between May and July 2020).  Training will be given.  Exams commence at 9.30am and 1.15pm each day and invigilators are expected to attend 15 minutes prior to the start of each examination.  Invigilators may occasionally be asked to report earlier to help with the setting up of our larger examinations.  Further details of these positions are available on our website here.

Cross-curricular links between Mathematics and Science

Our Year 9 Mathematicians have been learning about 'standard form' and 'scientific notation'. Having already discussed the use of this in Science, the students learnt that a Mole is the SI unit of measurement used to measure the number atoms. One mole of something is equal to 6.022×10 to the power of 23 particles.

Having discussed that a mole of Carbon has a different mass to a mole of sulphur but both would have the same number of particles, the Science Technicians brought over samples of a mole of Iron, carbon, water and sulphur for the students to look at during their Mathematics lessons.

 

PTA Quiz - Friday 7 February 2020

Planning is well underway for the Annual Rossett Quiz Night which is taking place on Friday 7 February 2020 at Rossett School, 7pm-10pm.  It is a great social night with a fish and chip supper (with a vegetarian option), bar and a raffle and a chance to pit your wits against Rossett staff and Sixth Form teams.  Tickets are priced at £8 with food and £5 for the quiz only.  Doors and the bar open at 6.30pm.

Tickets will be on sale soon - watch out for an email with further details and a booking form which will be sent out early next week.

PTA Meeting - Tuesday 14 January, 7.15pm

A reminder that there is a PTA meeting on Tuesday 14 January at 7.15pm in the Meeting Room just inside the Main Reception.  We are always looking for new members to join our friendly team and your contribution, however large or small, would be much appreciated.

Fame

A number of our talented Rossett students and a member of our support staff are performing in a production of 'Fame' at Harrogate Theatre between 6-8 February 2020.  Please contact the Box Office at the theatre directly if you would like to purchase tickets.

Congratulations to...

• Ex-Rossett student, Robbie Gotts, who played his debut first-team match for Leeds United in the FA Cup this week.  Televised on the BBC, Robbie's triumph was also highlighted in assemblies at school.

What's happening next week...

Monday 13 January

• MFL Mock speaking examinations continue all week for Year 11 students.

Tuesday 14 January

• PTA Meeting, 7.15pm - Meeting Room just inside Main Reception.

Wednesday 15 January

• Year 13 reports sent out;
• Year 7 Bake Sale in the Junior Block.

Thursday 16 January

• Bewerley Park Parents' Information Evening (Year 7): 6.00pm, Main Hall.

H Woodcock

Headteacher