Parental Bulletin

26th January 2017

The Knights Templar School Headteacher: Park Street Mr T. Litchfield, G.G.S.M. Baldock Herts SG7 6DZ Email: admin@ktemplar.herts.sch.uk Tel: 01462 620700

PARENTAL WEEKLY UPDATE – 19th January 2017 (available on our website)

Dear Parents and Carers

Show week is always one of the great weeks in the school calendar and the performances of ‘The Wind in the Willows’ have created a real buzz around school. The school hall has been transformed into a riverbank and there are some real stand out performances from the actors and some lovely original compositions from Gabriel Taylor (Year 9) who is directing the band. A most impressive fea-ture this year is the amount of students in the back stage team – a great opportunity to

show leadership! Many congratulations to all the students and staff involved. Tickets for Friday evening are now sold out and there are only a few left for this evening and the Saturday performances. Please do come along if you can! Some brilliant photos here from Sasha Mills (year 11)!

This is your last chance to take part in our raffle for three amazing prizes - 49inch curved 4K TV, Apple ipad air2 32GB and a 64GB ipod touch. The draw will take place during the final performance of Wind in the Willows on Saturday. Tickets have been passed to all the students in the school or they can be bought from school reception. Good luck!

I was honoured to deliver an assembly to our sixth form students yesterday. The focus of the assembly was preparation for exams and taking responsibility for your own destiny. As AS and A2 mock exams are fast approaching, please may I remind you that there is a very useful link on our school website called ‘KTS parent guide to support their child’ , giving some great tips about how to create a positive environment for revision at home (http://ktemplar.herts.sch.uk/KTS-Parent-guide-to-exams/).

Kind Regards,

Tim Litchfield

Headteacher

Dates for your Diary Friday 27.1.17 19:00-22:00 School Production, ‘The Wind in the Willows’ [Hall]

09:00-13:20 Yr8 House Matches CANCELLED

Saturday 28.1.17 19:00-22:00 School Production, ‘The Wind in the Willows’ [Hall]

Sunday 29.1.17 17:00-22:00 Yr13 Theatre Trip - A Year From Now

Monday 30.1.17 Yr11 Protected time for Technology Controlled Assessments (all week)

15:30-17:30 Yr10 Indoor Hockey Tournament [Sports Hall]

Wednesday 1.2.17 Protected Time for Yr10-13 until June 30th

18:00-19:00 Iceland Trip Parent Meeting in Hall [Hall]

19:00-21:00 Gold Expedition Training - small group only. [T12]

Thursday 2.2.17 08:55-09:55 Yr9 & 10 (Set 1) Intermediate Maths Challenge [Hall]

KTS ‘NOT THE CHRISTMAS RAFFLE’ – Final Call for Tickets Thanks for your support so far. There have been great returns from some year levels, espe-cially Years 7 & 8. All proceeds raised will go towards The Student Council and some new outdoor lunch tables. The last day for returns is tomorrow though so please get your tickets in ASAP. The raffle will be drawn on Saturday 28th of January in the interval of the Wind in the Willows.

Friends Of Knights Templar School Would you like to help raise funds for our school? Could you volunteer for a couple of hours, every now and then?

The Friends of KTS attend school events to make the school community aware of current fund-raising projects and to encourage others to become members by making a donation to the school. If you would be willing to hand out leaflets and chat to people about Friends of KTS at school events, please email admin@ktemplar.herts.sch.uk if you’re willing to be added to our list.

The Wind in Willows

The school production of ‘The Wind in the Willows’ is in full swing, with over 100 students participating on stage,

backstage and in the orchestra. The show epitomises the ethos of the students who are involved, showing coura-

geous passion and drive to perform an incredible six performances across the week. Tickets are still available for

the Saturday Matinee performances (1pm and 5pm) so float an email down the river to the Box Office today to re-

serve your ticket and celebrate the talented students of KTS!

(DramaBoxOffice@ktemplar.herts.sch.uk)

(photography by Sasha Mills, Year 11)

Advanced Notice – Year 11 Maths GCSE Because of the changes to the Maths Curriculum this year with the introduction of the new 9-1 GCSE, we have ar-ranged an extra Mock sitting for all of our Year 11 students. There are three papers and they will take place during the week beginning 13th March.

Pupils will be expected to arrive for the exams with all of their mathematical equipment.

Karen Dixon Head of Mathematics

Date Time

Mon 13th March Paper 1 Periods 3 and 4 Non calculator

Tues 14th March and Wed 15th March Paper 2 During Maths lessons Calculator

Thurs March 16th Paper 3 Periods 4 and 5 Calculator

Click here to

Important—Road Safety!

There have been several incidents reported recently where our students have been

seen on their way to school behaving irresponsibly. Please remind your child(ren) to

take care at all times, whether on foot or bike and particularly when crossing the road!

Year 9 Parents’ Evening, Wednesday, 8th February, 4pm-7.30pm

Booking is now open for Year 9 Parents’ Evening on the website.

EXAM CERTIFICATES

Exam certificates from the Summer 2016 exams are available to collect from the school during school hours. Candi-

dates will need to collect them in person or send a signed letter in with the person they nominate to collect the cer-

tificates on their behalf.

Thank you,

Mrs Merrell, Exams Office

PE News

Davies receives County call-up Erin Davies (year 11) has received a call-up to the Herts Ladies football squad for their upcoming match against Kent. Erin has received numerous other footballing honours including; U16 County representation and a call up to the Wales youth team. However, this recent recognition of her talents by an ‘open age’ team is a huge honour- we wish Erin the best of luck in her fixture next week! Fixture results Year 7 boys’ basketball: KTS 31- 16 John Henry Newman

Year 7 boys’ rugby: KTS 25-15 Nobel. This result extends the rugby team’s undefeated run this season.

Year 8 boys’ football: KTS 3 – 1 Greneway.

Girls’ Indoor Hockey District Tournament: Joint 5th place finish. Year 7 football success

The year 7 boys’ football team have secured their place in the semi-final of the County Cup with an excellent 4-3 win over John Warner School. The boys’ attacking flair was too much for their Hoddesdon opponents and 4 well-taken goals from Rory Gilham helped the boys clinch a crucial victory. We now await confirmation of who our year 7 football stars will face in the semi-finals of the prestigious County Cup competition. Senior Basketball Last Thursday the Knights Templar senior basketball team travelled to St Albans to take on Beaumont secondary school in their fifth county match up of the season. With a record of 2-2 in games so far, it was important that the ‘Knights’ brought their ‘A’ game in order to compete on a level with a Beaumont team that had achieved County Cup success in recent years and are currently heavily involved in the National Cup competition.

It was clear from the opening tip that Beaumont possessed some talented individual performers, but some fantas-tic team play kept the scores close all throughout the first three quarters of basketball.

About halfway through the final quarter, it was clear to all that game the was going down to the wire. The game swung both ways depending on the calls of the officials, with free throws being taken on both ends of the court and causing more than a little tension on the team benches. Jim Acquaah then hit some crucial three point shots to turn the game in favour of KTS and they were able to hold out to win 51-47 for a famous team victory.

Ibs Odumade

Jackie’s Drop-in Centre Ben and Rosemary from Jackie's Drop-In Centre came into school and spoke to the year 11 GCSE Business Studies groups about the independent self-funded charity in Letchworth. Jackie’s Drop-In is a unique centre for adults of 18 and above with various disabilities. Members can make full use of the centre including a host of recreational and educational activities on a daily basis.

After the presentation, the students were asked to work in groups and then present ideas on ways the organisation could increase its revenue. Some of the ideas included a regular Bingo event; the selling of arts, crafts and jewellery that might be made by the members; a sponsored football match against students and ‘Afternoon Tea’ served at the centre working in collaboration with a local baker in the area. Needless to say, our guests were very impressed with the calibre of the business studies students and their ideas. In turn our students were made aware of different types of organisations and objectives and how some people are more motivated by a social conscience rather than just financially.

We would like to thank Jackie’s Drop-in Centre for their time and the valuable contribution they made to our students education.

If anyone would like to know more about the centre in order to get involved, help out by either volunteering or contributing to the char-ity, please visit the link below:

http://www.jackiesdropin.org.uk/

Student Absence

We have introduced a new “absence” reporting system. You may still phone the school and leave a message on the

absence line but there is now a new feature on the school website where you can email directly to the absence

line.

The email address for student absence is absence@ktemplar.herts.sch.uk for Years 7-11 and for Year 12 and 13 it is

sixthform@ktemplar.herts.sch.uk . These email addresses can be found on the school website under the “contact

us” tab. Please do not use the “admin email address” to report an absence.

Please note that all reasons for absence must be specific, simply saying that your child is “unwell” or “poorly” is not

satisfactory.

Mr Paul Clayton

Assistant Headteacher (Pastoral)

Year 7 Singing Assembly to raise money for the Deaf Health Charity SignHealth On Monday February 6th, the Music department is hoping to help raise some money for the Deaf Health Charity “SignHealth” by participating in the Sign2Sing project with our Year 7 students. During lesson time this week and next, Year 7 students are learning a song which they will all perform to-gether in their Monday morning assembly time. You can find out more and listen to the song on the website http://www.sign2sing.org.uk/ . Please encourage your child to listen to the song and make sure they are as familiar with it as possible, as there are also some signs which accompany the song. If you would like to donate to a brilliant cause, helping vulnera-ble deaf children and adults, please send your Year 7 child in with a small cash donation on the 6th February. We will be collecting the money during the assembly. If you are the par-ent of a child in another year and would like to donate, please send cash donations addressed to the Music department into reception in a clearly marked envelope by Friday 10th February. Weston Way Nursery says farewell to Mrs LaRoche Many of you will know Mrs LaRoche at Weston Way Nursery School. She has been the secretary there for over 28 years and she will be retiring at Easter so the nursery are making a collection for her. If you would like to contrib-ute to the collection, please give donations into the school office at the school your child presently attends. Mrs Millett, Headteacher of Weston Way Nursery, will then arrange for donations to be collected on Friday, 24th Febru-ary. If you would like to send a personal card with a message, please give these in at the same time. They will be presented to her in a gift box so she can ready through all your memories in her spare time.

Calling all Year 11 Geographers! The Geography department have a number of revision guides, work booklets and summary textbooks which we are looking to sell due to the new GCSE specifications. All books are £1 and available from the Geography office. Lim-ited stocks available! Wild Fires in the UK Lecture

Mr Cosker, who retired last summer after 44 years of teaching at Knights Templar, has had a fair bit of clearing out

to do and came across a copy of a letter he wrote to The Times in 1997, who printed it on Nov 12th, that seems

quite relevant today. He writes:

‘This was sent in response to an article in The Times on the then hot topic of the

introduction of the Euro, and whether we should join – only it wasn’t called that

then: the whole single currency project was called ‘EMU’ – European Monetary

Union. (So the expression ‘Europhile’ that crops up does not mean someone in

favour of the ‘Euro’ as a currency: at that time it just meant a lover of the idea

of the EU.) The original article argued that being against the idea of the single

currency did not necessarily mean you were anti-European - you could be in

favour of the idea of the EU but anti-EMU. I went on to argue that if you be-

lieved in the worth of the EU, you ought to be against the single currency.

It is I suppose possible to argue that the failure of the Euro to bring prosperity to

the EU is one of the key factors responsible for ‘Brexit’ (leaving aside the rights

and wrongs of that!) : had the Eurozone economies all thrived it is unlikely that

working in Britain would have become so attractive to so many Europeans –

there would have been plenty of work at home or in neighbouring countries –

and the issue of immigration, which seems to have played such a large part in

swaying many people to vote ‘Leave’, would not have been so important. And

this is not to mention the anti-EU parties in the France, and Italy,(where youth

unemployment last November was still as high as 39%).

I hesitate to say it, and it took a while, but….. no, I won’t say it!!

Adrian Cosker

Information for Parents

Please click on the link to our website to read the full detail if any of the following should interest you:

Information for Parents of Children with ASH/ADHD

Family Lives Helpline Online Parents Together Course

Zoku Shotokan Karate Club

Ladies’ Self-Defence Classes

The Relationship Between Mental Health and Physical Activity

JOHN LEVY VISIT

John Levy of The Friends of Israel Educational Foundation gave a

lecture to Government and Politics A-Level students, about the

current political climate in the Middle East, Bill Bowkett reports

PHOTOS WIND IN THE WILLOWS

PODCAST BARNICOTT E.S.T. FUTURE

THE COMET BILL BOWKETT’S ARTICLE

WWW.KTSNEWSKNIGHT.COM

Sarah Horscroft is an ex-student at KTS who you may have spotted in the local paper recently:

Senior football success

The senior boys’ football team secured their place in the semi-final of the County Cup with an

impressive 7-2 victory over Onslow School.

Theo Reed was the stand-out performer on the night with 4 incredibly well-taken goals. In addi-

tion, Charlie Bedford, Elliot Campbell-Gumb and Joe Fantom each chipped in with a single goal

to ensure that the final score line reflected KTS’ dominance throughout the match.

We now await confirmation of who the boys will face in the semi-final of the County Cup as they aim to secure a

place in the final of this prestigious competition!

Well done to all of the boys involved!

Year 13 student profile- Simran Sidhu

Simran joined the KTS sixth form having completed her secondary education at High-

field. From her first day at KTS, it was obvious that Simran was a high performing student

and she went on to prove this in her AS Level exams, achieving A grades in; Economics,

English Literature, Maths and Biology.

In addition to her academic success, Simran is a member of the school Interact com-

mittee and is currently completing her Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Simran has recently received an offer to study Law at Oxford University- a truly fantastic

accomplishment.

We are very pleased that Simran chose Knights Templar for her post-16 education and we look forward to seeing

her fulfil her ambitions.

Senior basketball success

The senior basketball team continued their County League campaign with a tough

fixture away at Beaumont School and performed brilliantly, securing a 51-47 victo-

ry!

Standout performances from Eliot Campbell-Gumb, Elliot Powell and Joe Croker

(year 13) and a very impressive display from year 11 student Jim Acquaah, ensured

that the boys maintained their slender advantage all the way to the final buzzer.

Well done to all of the boys involved with this gripping and exciting fixture!

Year 12 student profile- Ylana Schafer-Thomson

With production week in full-flow, Ylana has been kept very busy with rehearsals and

performances, immersing herself in the role of Toad in The Wind in the Willows.

Ylana has always flourished on the stage, both as an actor and dancer. She entered

the KTS sixth form with an impressive set of GCSE grades, including; 2 A grades, 4 B

grades and 3 C grades and has made a good start to her A Level studies.

While Ylana is an obvious stand-out talent in the school productions, her enthusiasm

for the arts extends beyond the opportunities available to her at KTS. Ylana is a mem-

ber of one of the best regarded youth theatre groups in the country, Big Spirit, and

has recently achieved a lead role as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, which will be per-

formed at The Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin.

We are hugely proud of Ylana’s achievements both in and out of the classroom and we look forward to watching

her academic and acting career go from strength-to-strength!

Apprenticeship opportunities

Over the last week, both year 12 and year 13 students attended an informative presentation about the range of

apprenticeship opportunities available for 16-19 year olds.

The guest speaker explained the various levels of apprenticeship and provided students with invaluable guidance

on how to research and apply for apprentice vacancies.

A group of year 13 students who have opted not to apply to university were given the opportunity to attend a small

workshop where our guest speaker introduced students to the ‘find an apprenticeship’ government website. Stu-

dents had the chance to navigate the website, sign up for job alerts, browse the opportunities available to them,

both locally, and further afield.

We would encourage parents and students to familiarise themselves with the website shown below, to keep updat-

ed on the latest apprenticeship information.

https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship