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King Edward VI School

Easter Bulletin

28th March, 2013

Information Evening - 19th June at 7.00pm

in the Dobson Theatre

South Africa 2013

Teenage Mental Wellbeing Evening for Parents

7.00pm on 7th May, 2013 in the Dobson Theatre Refreshments from 6.30pm

Parents attending will have the opportunity to attend a session from a choice of two workshops surrounding issues commonly met by parents with teenagers. Workshop one: Understanding your child's temperament: Lorraine Lee This session will look at understanding your child's specific natural tendencies and how you can minimise conflict and maximise the opportunities for your child to do well and succeed. The aim is to help parents with strategies to enable them to lay a strong foundation for having an on-going positive, respectful relationship with their children. Workshop two: ‘Coping with your adolescent….your adolescent coping with you’: Dick Moore This session will involve information on both adolescent development and on identifying the difference between sporadic low mood and teenage malaise on the one hand and emerging mental ill-health on the other. The session also aims to give parents the tools to know where they can get help and support if necessary. The sessions will run in parallel and will be approximately an hour long with time for questions and discussion afterwards. Parents will be able to choose which session they wish to attend using an on-line survey closer to the date.

As ever, there are one or two students who could do with a haircut and please note that pupils will be

expected to return in normal school dress next term.

When the weather is sufficiently warm we will inform the School of the introduction of summer dress.

T he second half of term concluded with an outstanding sell-out Spring Concert, our Thanksgiving Service in Winchester Cathedral with Bishop Peter of Basingstoke and an excellent

production of Jim Cartwright's “Two”. We have also had a good term on the sports field although rain, sleet, hail and snow have not always been conducive to sporting enjoyment! All of this, as well as a combination of a variety of school trips and activities, language exchanges, the visit from students from Charlotte Country Day School in North Carolina, various charity events, the KESSoc Quiz, mid-sessional IGCSE examinations and A level modules has understandably left some very exhausted staff and students in need of a break. We have two important farewells to make. Mr Courtney is retiring after eighteen years as our Deputy Head (Academic). He has been outstanding in this role and we wish him a well-deserved break from managing our curriculum. His successor, Mr Dellar, is currently the Deputy Head of the Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester. Mrs Alexander is retiring after joining us in 1987 as our Librarian. She has made an enormous contribution to the School’s archives, a legacy that future generations will be truly grateful for. She retires with our good wishes. Ms Swainson, formerly of Barton Peveril Sixth Form College, replaces Mrs Alexander as Learning Resources Manager. I wish you a good break over Easter and hope to see a number of you at various events in the summer including our biennial arts festival in June and Sports Day with, we all hope, some sunshine!

AJ Thould Head Master

The 1st King Edward VI School

M I C H E L A N G E L O C O M P E T I T I O N

Art – Photography & film – Sculpture 3d – Architecture Artwork can be on any theme or subject.

Work must be submitted to the Art Department by 4.00pm on

Monday 10th June

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting

our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our

aim too low, and achieving our mark.”

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Le Havre Exchange Away leg: Friday 5th to Monday 8th April

Home leg: Friday 24th May to Monday 27th May

Normandy Second Year Visit 4th to 7th July

Information Evening 7.00pm on 21st May in the Dobson Theatre

Tout ce qui est français 2013!

Fourth Year Career Induction In the Summer Term all Fourth Year Tutor Groups will be given the opportunity to visit IT1 for a brief introduction to the careers resources available within the school.

We would remind parents considering moving their son or daughter to another school or college that a term’s

notice, in writing to the Registrar, is required under the terms of the parent contract if fees in lieu of notice are

to be avoided.

First Year Language Choices

This year, First Year pupils have been studying one language, however, from the second year they will

have the opportunity to study a second. Information about languages on offer will be sent out after the

Easter break along with a preference form.

GCSE and IGCSE examinations start on 7th May and AS examinations begin on 13th May which gives students a very short time before they begin and this highlights the need for careful preparation over the Easter break. As the examination season approaches it is worth noting that internal examinations take place for the First to Fourth Years during the period 13th –19th June. All pupils will be given guidance on revision and in the Lower School pupils will be given a Revision Guide to help them develop their own individual skills in study and revision.

An organised approach towards revision can reap rewards and students will be advised that they should be trying to spend some time revising during the summer half term break, so it would be worth bearing this in mind when organising holidays around this period.

EXAMINATION GUIDANCE

Staff and Parent Prayer Meeting Tuesday 7

th May

1.00pm to 2.00pm in M1 All parents are welcome to attend

Leave of Absence Summer 2013

FOURTH YEAR No study leave. GCSE Religious Studies examination on the morning of Monday 13th May. FIFTH YEAR Leave of Absence begins on Friday 3rd May at 4.00pm.

LOWER SIXTH Leave of Absence begins on Friday 10th May at 4.00pm. Return to lessons on Monday 10th June. Students in the Lower Sixth taking the C3 Mathematics module have study leave from 1pm to 3.55pm on Wednesday 12th June.

UPPER SIXTH Leave of Absence begins on Friday 24th May at 4.00pm. Students in the Upper Sixth taking the S2 Mathematics module have study leave from 1pm to 3.55pm on Thursday 23rd May.

Fifth Year Book Collection: Thursday 20

th June at 8.40am

Upper Sixth Book Collection & Leavers’ Assembly:

Thursday 27th

June at 8.40am

All Fifth Year and Upper Sixth pupils are

required to attend on their respective days

CHALLENGE 13 UPDATE

Dr Sinnett-Jones has completed the first two of her thirteen challenges which were to run a very muddy 10km race and to complete the Waterside Series (4 kayaking races on the Kennet & Avon Canal). Her next challenge is to complete a non-stop 125 mile kayaking race over the Easter weekend from Devizes to Westminster which will take around 24 hours; Mr Blow is also taking part in this race. Find out more about her challenges by clicking www.challenge13.co.uk.

ISTANBUL 31st March – 4th April 2014

PLACES STILL AVAILABLE! Includes visits to Hagia Sophia, The Blue

Mosque, the Chora Museum, the Grand Bazaar, the famous, cathedral-like Underground Cistern,

the Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome the Gallipoli battleground and Troy and a trip on the

Bosphorus. Costs £799.

Please email Mrs Meredith at

jmm@kes.hants.sch.uk for further details.

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UNIVERSITY OPEN DAYS

Please click here to access information about the University Open Day visits available for members of the current Lower Sixth. Students need to see Miss Jordan in the Student Guidance Office to confirm their attendance for all University visits, as places booked without consultation may needlessly prevent others from attending. Students will also need to register online with each university for individual lectures.

KESSOC LECTURE “TITANIC – A FRESH LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE” Friday 10th May, 2013 - 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start

in the Hospitality Suite This year’s lecture is being given by Rear Admiral John Lang who, after 37 years at sea, became the UK’s Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents. It is with this experience that he has re-investigated the details of the Titanic Disaster with some fascinating findings and conclusions . . . Tickets cost £8 to include a glass of wine (Students FREE – donations please) and can be purchased via KESpay or by cheque made payable to KESSOC and sent to the Main Office clearly marked “KESSOC Lecture”. All proceeds from the evening will be donated to Rear Admiral Lang’s chosen charity: The Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. For more details: Petra Sansome on petra.sansome@gmail.com or Lorraine Morgan on lmchilcomb@aol.com.

The 15th Annual Tennis Tournament will be held at School on Sunday 23rd June - 9.30am until 12.30pm and is open to any family in the First Year.

The tournament will take the form of a knock-out competition

with a plate competition for first-round losers.

Refreshments will be available during the morning and lunch will be served at approximately 1.00pm.

If you are interested in taking part in this fun event, please

email Mrs Henderson (lch@kes.hants.sch.uk) by 16th May, with your child’s name and tutor group and indicating who

will be partnering them.

It is that time of year to start to think about what your son/daughter would like to do on this year's Activities Day that will take place on Friday 5th July 2013. The Staff at KES are pleased to be able to offer an exciting and varied choice of activities. Up-to-date information about all on offer can be found on the School website HERE.

At this stage we need to allocate pupils to specific activities and make sure we have enough places where they are needed. To facilitate this we would therefore ask all students to select their top 3 options. In a change to previous years, we aim to be paperless this year. To this end you will have received an online options form to enable you to make the 3 choices. The online links are https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/1st2ndActivitiesDay for First and Second Year choices and https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3rd4thActivitiesday for Third and Fourth Years. Activities Day offers all students at KES a great opportunity to spend a school day challenging themselves and trying something new. Thank you very much for your help and support in what promises to be an excellent day.

Parents are reminded that no breakfast or lunch will be available on Activities Day even if the activity is on the school site.

South Downs Way Bike Ride The opportunity has arisen, for members of the School community over the age of 16, to participate at a reduced entry rate in a fully-supported mountain bike ride along the South Downs Way on the weekend of 1st - 2nd June. The entry fee of around £100 would cover full mechanical support over the whole route, kit transport, transport from the finish back to Winchester, camping fees, food and drinks on route and an evening meal and breakfast. The reduced entry rate is based upon the association with KES and a willingness to raise money for Southampton Young Carers. Anyone interested should register their interest by completing the survey at the following link http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2CVF95K . For more details contact Dr Purves at gtp@kes.hants.sch.uk.

First Year Parent/Pupil Tennis Tournament

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Wed 24

th April Second Year RS trip: Bournemouth Synagogue: 2/1, 2/2, 2/3

Thurs 25th April Charity Spring Recital

Sat 27th April Rhythmic Gymnastics National Competition

Sun 28th April Upper Sixth Music trip: London

Mon 29th April Christian Union Charity Tin Collection

Tues 30th

April Second Year RS trip: Bournemouth Synagogue: 2/4, 2/5, 2/6 House Ready Steady Cook Wed 1

st May House Chess

Fri 3rd

May Second Year Camp: Dartmoor: returns 6th May

Mon 6th May BANK HOLIDAY

Tues 7th May Fifth Year GCSE/IGCSE examinations commence

Teenage Mental Wellbeing Evening for Parents Fri 10

th May Junior House

Mon 13th May Fourth Year GCSE RS examination

Tues 14th May Second Year History trip: Arundel 2/1, 2/2, 2/3

Wed 15th May Third & Fourth Year Drama trip: 39 Steps: Nuffield Theatre

Thurs 16th May First Year Butser Ancient Farm trip: 1/1, 1/2, 1/3

Wed 22nd

May First Year Butser Ancient Farm trip: 1/4, 1/5, 1/6 Third Year Music Concert Thurs 23

rd May Second Year History trip: Arundel 2/4, 2/5, 2/6

Fri 24th May First and Second Year Spanish trip to Catalonia departs: returns 28

th May

Break up for half term Wed 29

th May Second Year Camp: Dartmoor: returns 1

st June

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Higher Education Matters Seminars for students who will be facing extra vocational tests for university (Law, Medicine, etc.), commence Thursday 25th April. Lower Sixth students should check to see which meetings are appropriate for them to attend. 19th June is designated as UCAS Day for the School, and all members of the Lower Sixth MUST be present to receive training in the electronic application procedure. Upper and Lower Sixth students will receive their public examination results on Thursday 15th August and our usual “face to face” advice service (known as the Post Examination Clinic) is available on the Thursday and again on Friday 16th in order to help students make appropriate decisions based upon exam marks and grades. Details of times will be posted on the school web site and will, in addition, be sent to Upper Sixth students within the usual Post A Level Advice Booklet in July. Please be aware that due to this commitment, e-mail cannot be given priority. Students have been advised to attend the clinic at the published times if they would like to discuss their post qualification position.

Please note: A more comprehensive

calendar, which is updated and reviewed

regularly, is available on our

website at http://

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/calendar

Life Drawing for Parents As a prelude to the Arts Festival and our annual Art exhibition, Mr Piggott is considering running two

evenings of life classes for parents on 18th & 19th June.

Please contact him on glp@kes.hants.sch.uk if you would be interested in attending.