Dear  Parents  and  Carers,    This  term  has  been  extremely  hectic  and  as  you  will  see  from  this  summer’s  Newsletter  there  have  been  many  exciting  activities  and  events  that  have  taken  place.    Please  take  some  time  to  read  through  these  reports  as  I  am  sure  you  will  find  them  interesting.    I  have  enjoyed  my  last  2  years  at  this  school  and  am  very  pleased  to  report  that  we  have  achieved  a  great  deal  in  that  time.    We  fully  expect  the  examination  results  (GCSE  and  post  16  results)  to  be  another  record  breaking  year  and  I  look  forward  to  celebrating  this  with  our  students  on  the  15th  (KS5)  and  22nd  August  (KS4).        You  will  have  gathered  from  previous  communications  that  the  school  has  a  new  Leadership  team  who  are  outstanding  and  will  be  headed  up  by  our  new  Head  Teacher,  Mrs  Carolyn  Roberts.    Mrs  Roberts  is  an  exceptional  Head  Teacher,  and  I  am  sure  will  take  the  school  forward  to  achieve  the  Ofsted  Outstanding  badge  which  it  so  richly  deserves.        May  I  take  this  opportunity  to  thank  you  all  for  your  support  and  also  to  thank  all  of  the  students  who  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  working  with  over  the  last  2  years.    I  am  truly  proud  and  honoured  to  be  associated  with  the  school,  which  I  am  sure  will  become  one  of  the  best  in  the  country,  in  a  very  short  space  of  time.    May  I  also  offer  my  heartfelt  thanks  to  my  colleagues  who  have  worked  so  tirelessly  to  give  our  students  the  best  possible  opportunities  for  their  futures.          Finally,  I  must  thank  our  Governing  Body  which,  under  the  outstanding  leadership  of  Tim  Warner,  has  achieved  so  much  in  so  little  time.    I  look  forward  to  hearing  of  the  successes  of  your  sons  and  daughters  in  years  to  come.        I  wish  you  all  the  very  best  for  the  new  term.    Enjoy  the  summer  break,      Mr  Byron  Parker      

For  further  information  and  news,  please  visit  www.thomastallisschool.com/news  

Message  from  the  Executive  Head  Teacher  

Tallis News July 2013

         

Goodbye                  Welcome                                                                                                                                            

                                           

                     

Summer News………………………

Staffing  

Mrs  Carolyn  Roberts       Head  Teacher    Ms  J  Rawlings         Assistant  Head  Teacher  Ms  Tremaine  Bilham   Science  Teacher  Ms  Roxanne  Blakelock   English  Teacher  Mrs  Jo  Cameron     Deaf  Support  Teacher  Ms  Elizabeth  Church   English  Teacher  Ms  Louisa  Coppins   Psychology  Teacher  Ms  Grace  Galvin     PE  Teacher  Ms  Anna  Gilmore     Science  Teacher  Ms  Katie  Goodrum   Humanities  Teacher  Ms  Zara  Jaffray   Deputy  Curriculum  

Leader  of  Drama  Mr  Alexander  Jibb   ICT  Teacher  Ms  Sheila  Kelly     Inclusion  Teacher  Mr  Paul  Lederer     Science  Teacher  Ms  Hannah  Lees     Geography  Teacher  Mr  Haroon  Mansour   Maths  Teacher  Delmorine  McKoy   Health  &  Social  Care  

Teacher  Ms  Hannah  Phull     Science  Teacher  Ms  Allana  Rider   Drama  and  Dance  

Teacher  Mr  Patrick  Robson   Maths  Teacher  Miss  Helen  Sheehan   Deputy  SENCO  Ms  Rebecca  Wells   Classroom  Teacher  Ms  H  Davey  Smith   English  Teacher  Ms  Sarah  Phillips   Art  &  Photography  

Teacher  Marie  Smith     Head  of  the  LSU  Hannah  Tomlinson   English  Teacher  Stacey  Condell     Science  Teacher  Sarah  Strilchuk     Science  Teacher  Gareth  E  Smith     Science  Teacher    

Mr  B  Parker     Executive  Head  Teacher  Ms  N  Pankhurst     Art  and  Design  Ms  G  Benson     Deaf  Support  Centre  Ms  K  West     Drama  Ms  R  Willoughby     English  Ms  G  Mitchell     English  Mr  G  Robertson     Head  of  LSU  Mr  C  Catling     Humanities  Ms  M  Mulrenan     Inclusion  Ms  S  Myers     Maths  Mr  M  Bennett     Maths  Ms  C  Gradowicz     MfL  (maternity  cover)  Ms  G  Nichols     PE  and  Dance  Ms  K  Swannack     Science  Mr  M  Ray     Science  Ms  E  Agboola     Science  Mr  B  Doerner     Science  Mr  A  Obembe     Science  Ms  E  Strachan     Science  Mr  W  Jenkinson     Visual  Media  Arts  Mr  M  Shaw     Visual  Media  Arts

Thanks to all staff leavers for your dedication and

contribution to Thomas Tallis, We wish you every success in

the future.

Term  Dates  2013/2014       Staff  Inset  day         Tuesday,  3  September     Yr  7,  Yr  12,  1st  day  back     Wednesday,  4  September     All  years  return       Thursday,  5  September     Autumn  Half  Term       Monday  28  October  –  Friday  1  November     Staff  Inset  day         Friday,  6  December     Last  day  of  Half  Term       Friday,  20  December     Xmas  break         Monday,  23  December  –  Monday,  6  January       Staff  Inset  day         Monday,  6  January  2014     1st  day  of  Spring  Term       Tuesday,  7  January  2014      

         KS3:    It  has  been  a  busy  year  for  KS3  English.    The  lunchtime  book  club  has  been  a  huge  success  and  Year  7&8  took  part  in  a  Greenwich  schools'  book  quiz  in  April.  The  book  quiz  was  organised  by  students  from  Shooter's  Hill  Post-­‐16  Centre.  There  were  eight  rounds  including,  'Classics',  'Dystopia'  and  'Diary  of  a  Wimpy  Kid'.  The  students  really  enjoyed  themselves  and  every  participant  got  to  choose  a  book  at  the  end  of  the  competition.  Students  were  also  treated  to  talks  by  two  published  authors;  Ellie  Daines  and  Francis  Hardinge,  with  an  opportunity  to  ask  questions  and  get  their  autographs  afterwards.  The  teams  came  joint  fifth  out  of  sixteen  teams  and  represented  the  school  fantastically.      Year  9  students  sat  their  end  of  Key  Stage  3  Reading  and  Writing  tests  at  the  end  of  April;  their  conduct  throughout  this  period  and  their  performance  in  the  tests  was  impressive.    The  end  of  Year  9  levels  are  promising  and  the  number  of  students  achieving  an  overall  level  6  or  7  is  on  the  increase.          KS3  Book  Club:    We  meet  every  half  term  to  discuss  books  that  challenge,  engage  and  entertain  KS3  students.  We  buy  the  books  and  students  get  them  for  free.  We  carefully  choose  a  range  of  fiction  and  non-­‐fiction  from  both  the  classic  literary  canon  to  contemporary.  This  book  group  discusses  complex  issues  such  as  war,  politics  and  race  to  name  a  few  themes  that  come  up  through  our  choice  of  texts.    We  provide  refreshments  for  a  lively  atmosphere  and  everyone  contributes  to  our  blog  after  each  group  meeting.  Please  see  http://ks3tallisbookgroup.tumblr.com/  for  more  information  on  books  that  we  have  read  over  the  last  2  years.    Please  see  Ms  Vyas  or  Ms  Walsh  in  the  English  Faculty  for  more  information  or  email  kwalsh@thomastallis.org.uk.                                  

KS4  and  5:    The  GCSE  English/iGCSE  English  examinations  and  English  Literature  examinations  ran  smoothly  in  May  and  June,  with  the  dropdown  revision  sessions  and  warm-­‐ups  running  successfully.    Pleasingly,  many  of  our  Year  11  students  came  out  of  their  English/English  Language  Unit  1  GCSE  exam  feeling  very  confident  and  positive  about  the  paper.    Results  for  English/English  Language  this  year  are  expected  to  exceed  75%  A*-­‐C,  and  may  end  up  above  80%  A*-­‐C.    We  all  have  our  fingers  crossed!    The  A  Level  examinations  for  Philosophy,  English  Literature  and  English  Language  have  also  gone  well,  with  English  staff’s  powers  in  exam  question  prediction  proving  spookily  accurate,  and  students  feeling  confident  

of  their  success.    KS4  and  5  Reading  Group:    The  KS4  and  5  Reading  Group  continues  to  work  its  way  through  some  twentieth  century  classics,  with  Daphne  Du  Maurier's  "Rebecca."  The  Reading  Group  is  going  well  and  we  have  well-­‐attended  meetings,  twice  in  a  half  term.  It  has  been  great  to  see  many  sixth  formers  who  have  

not  pursued  English  at  Key  Stage  5,  especially  scientists,  who  are  continuing  to  foster  their  love  of  reading  through  this  group.    We  have  read  a  range  of  texts,  chosen  by  the  students  from  a  selection  (although  'Slaughterhouse-­‐5'  has  proved  most  popular).    The  facebook  group  has  46  members  including  former  students  who  are  keen  to  stay  in  touch.  The  current  students  are  enthusiastic  about  keeping  things  going  and  would  like  to  find  ways  to  replenish  our  books  stock  once  the  current  supply  runs  out.  Find  us  on  facebook  at  Tallis  Reading  Group.    Creative  writing  Group:  Members  of  the  Tallis  Creative  Writing  Group  have  been  working  with  Claire  Powell,  an  aspiring  young  writer  and  graduate  of  the  University  of  East  Anglia's  prestigious  Creative  Writing  MA  course.  Their  short  stories  will  be  published  in  an  anthology  which  is  launching  soon.  Watch  this  space!    Our  creative  writers  are  currently  compiling  their  work  into  an  anthology,  which  will  be  produced  and  launched  during  the  Summer  term.    

English   Faculty Updates……

KS5  school  journeys  and  residentials:                                        

"Summing"  things  up  in  Maths                                        Chris  Hordern,  Head  of  Mathematics.          

                                     

It  has  been  a  busy  time  for  trips  in  KS5  English,  with  English  Language  students  participating  in  workshops  at  the  Guardian  newspaper  and  the  British  Library  and  Year  12  English  Literature  students  attending  the  opening  performance  of  the  Globe’s  new  production  of  The  Tempest  and  a  private  screening  of  Baz  Luhrmann’s  new  adaptation  of  F.  Scott  Fitzgerald’s,  The  Great  Gatsby.      English  Literature  students  have  just  returned  from  the  infamous  residential  school  journey  to  North  Yorkshire  in  July  in  preparation  for  their  study  of  Gothic  Literature  as  part  of  their  A2  course.  They  visited  the  village  of  Haworth,  where  Emily  Bronte  lived,  and  Whitby,  where  Dracula’s  ship  makes  landfall.  In  Whitby,  they  toured  the  ruined  abbey  and  wandered  the  narrow  streets  of  the  port.    We  looked  down  from  the  headland  to  the  beach  where  Dracula’s  ship  ran  ashore,  and  met  the  Whitby  Walker  himself.    They  then  stayed  in  the  recently  refurbished  Youth  Hostel,  on  the  headland  looking  out  to  sea.    In  Haworth,  they  visited  the  various  sites  in  the  locality  so  powerfully  described  in  Wuthering  Heights.    They  also  went  to  the  Bronte  Museum,  walked  on  the  moors  at  twilight,  and  bathed  at  the  Bronte  Bridge,  visited  Penistone  Crags.        

Maths  It’s  been  another  busy  year  in  the  Maths  department  with  the  usual  focus  and  push  on  examinations  which  will  allow  students  to  follow  the  pathways  they  desire.  

Year  11  have  done  really  well  and  we  predict  that  the  number  of  students  that  will  get  an  A*-­‐C  will  be  higher  than  last  year's  75%,  meaning  a  new  record  for  the  4th  year  running!  We  also  predict  there  will  be  a  record  number  of  A*-­‐A  grades,  potentially  as  high  as  20%  of  the  year  group.  Year  12  and  13  are  also  predicted  to  have  record  breaking  results  as  we  expect  87%  of  year  12  to  get  an  A-­‐E  grade,  with  41%  getting  an  A-­‐B.    In  Year  13  we  are  hopeful  for  100%  A-­‐E,  with  47%  getting  an  A*-­‐B  grade.    As  well  as  the  examinations  however  there  has  been  lots  of  interesting  and  creative  Mathematics  going  on.  A  2nd  edition  of  the  Tallis  Fanzine  has  been  published;  "Alchemy"  follows  up  on  the  well-­‐received  "Delicious  Pi".    Please  email  myself  or  Mr  Nichols  if  you'd  like  a  copy!  We  have  also  been  using  AppleTv,  YouTube  and  Weebly  to  modernise  learning  in  Maths,  please  visit  www.mathstallis.weebly.com  and  have  a  look  at  all  that’s  being  going.    You  will  also  see  details  of  our  world  record,  a  KS3  Magic  show,  a  year  7  puzzle  day  and  lots  more!    

 

We are re-launching Friends of Tallis in September and are looking for parents and carers to take part in a variety of ways. Are you a dad with a little bit of spare time? or a mum who might like to help out? or a carer who'd like to get involved? Email sbolton@thomastallis.org.uk and we'll be in touch over the summer holidays.

Friends  of  Tallis  

   

   

It  has  been  a  very  busy  and  successful  year  in  the  Science  department,                 there  have  been  some  changes  this  year  to  the  way  that  Science  is  run  at  Thomas  Tallis.  The  KS3  course  has  been  condensed  into  a  2  year  course,  leaving  3  years  for  the  students  to  gain  a  range  of  different  science  qualifications  from  BTEC  Science  all  the  way  to  Alternative  and  Traditional  Triple  Science.      KS3  90%  of  year  9  students  achieved  a  level  5+  in  their  end  of  KS3  exams,  which  will  put  them  in  good  stead  to  achieving  their  target  grades  at  GCSE.      GCSE  Student  in  Years  10  and  11  have  been  working  their  socks  off  to  achieve  the  best  grades  possible  in  their  coursework  and  preparing  to  sit  their  GCSE  exams  for  the  multiple  GCSE  routes  that  we  offer.  The  exams  went  smoothly  and  we  are  hoping  to  have  another  successful  year  of  GCSE  results  as  we  are  predicting  that  77%  of  our  students  achieve  2  A*-­‐C  grade  in  science,  In  addition  we  also  anticipate  that  30%  of  our  current  year  11  Triple  Scientists  will  be  moving  onto  Post  16  courses  with  at  least  A  grade  triple  science  GCSEs  under  their  belt.    POST  16  The  success  continues  through  to  Post  16  where  we  are  predicting  above  90%  A*-­‐E  grades  for  Biology,  Chemistry  and  Physics  AS  and  A2  Levels    It  hasn’t  been  all  work  and  no  play  though…  please  see  below  for  a  selection  of  the  enrichment  trips  run  this  year.    

• A  Biology  trip  where  students  received  a  seminar  on  Animal  Behaviour.  Students  were  engaged  and  were  involved  in  practising  different  training  techniques  after  a  demonstration.  They  clearly  loved  this  session.  After  the  taught  seminar,  students  had  the  opportunity  to  observe  the  different  animals  and  look  at  animal  behaviour  

• A  Physics  trip  to  the  national  maritime  museum  to  view  an  astrophysics  exhibition  and  to  the  royal  observatory  to  use  their  telescopes,  and  listen  to  lectures  from  famous  astronomers.  They  also  attended  a  lecture  at  UCL  on  the  nature  of  magnetic  monopoles.  

• A  Chemistry  trip  to  Kent  University  where  they  prepared  light  sensitive  chemicals  and  use  spectroscopic  techniques  to  prove  that  their  synthesis  had  been  successful.  A  great  trip  that  really  inspired  the  students,  several  are  now  interested  in  studying  chemistry  at  university.  

• Year  13  students  attended  a  residential  study  trip  to  Wrotham  in  Kent.  The  students  completed  48  hours  of  intensive  study  in  biology,  chemistry,  physics  and  maths,  and  this  led  to  the  students  being  particularly  successful  in  their  January  modules.  Several  students  score  150/150  in  chemistry,  the  highest  marks  in  the  country.  We  subsequently  have  many  Year  13  students  who  are  extremely  hopeful  of  going  on  to  study  science  and  engineering  at  top  Russell  group  universities.  The  trip  wasn't  all  work  however,  and  the  students  had  a  chance  to  improve  their  climbing  skills  in  driving  winter  rain!    

 The  science  department  has  been  working  hard  to  put  a  bank  of  learning  resources  onto  our  website  http://thomastallisscience.weebly.com/  Here  you  will  be  able  to  find  revision  materials  for  all  year  groups,  past  papers  for  GCSEs,  online  homework’s  for  KS3  and  KS4,  PowerPoint’s  to  help  with  homework,  Information  on  the  different  courses  we  offer  and  lots  more.  Please  bear  with  us  as  this  site  is  still  under  construction,  but  it  should  be  fully  functioning  by  September  2013.                                                                                            Zahra  Shaikh,  Director  of  Science              

Science  

   As  part  of  efforts  to  support  achievement  in  Year  7  the  students  win  merits  for  their  efforts  in  lessons,  with  those  gaining  the  most  winning  a  Golden  Ticket.  The  Golden  Tickets  get  students  a  reward  at  the  end  of  each  half  term.          

Over  the  last  half  term  each  tutor  divided  the  students  into  mini  teams  with  each  student  working  hard  for  their  merits  but  at  the  same  time  to  benefit  their  team.  Each  group  then  enjoyed  a  two  hour  kayaking  session  at  Southmere  Boating  Club,  Thamesmead.      This  year  most  students  have  won  a  Golden  Ticket,  with  all  of  them  aspiring  for  success  which  we  all  hope  will  embed  a  value  that  will  stand  them  in  good  stead  for  their  learning  journey  at  Tallis  as  well  as  into  their  futures.      I  wish  them  continued  success.    Robert  Walsh  (Pastoral  Leader  Year  7)  French  Exchange  Visit  

 On   Wednesday   15th   May   we   had   a   fantastic   morning  when  50  French  students  from  South  West  France  visited  Thomas  Tallis.      

A   former   Tallis   teacher,   Martine   Lapeyre,   (who   in   fact,  had  been  my  French  teacher  many  years  ago),  contacted  us  to  arrange  a  visit.      The  students  were  interested  to  meet  English  students    and  see  how  our  schools  differ   from  French  schools.  We  started   the   exchange   process   by   writing   letters   to   the  

students.   Our   pupils   were   very   excited   to   receive   post.  The   letters   were   very   well   written   and   beautifully  decorated  with   stickers,   pictures   and   photographs.     The  students   enjoyed   receiving   actual   letters   rather   than  emails  and  immediately  replied.      Martine   then   contacted  me   to   arrange   the   visit.   The   50  students   arrived   at   8.30am   and   we   split   them   into   2  groups.  They  joined  2  French  year  7  classes  and  we  ran  a  French  version  of  “speed-­‐dating”  in  order  to  break  the  ice  and   get   the   kids   talking.   This   was   very   successful   and  friendships  started  to  form.      We  spent   time   in   the  Dojo  and  played  games  with  hula-­‐hoops   and   footballs.   The   students   were   then   given  refreshments   of   cake   and   juice   they  were   introduced   to  the   students  who  had  been  writing   to   them.    We  had   a  wonderful  time  with  the  French  students  and  we  hope  to  arrange  a  weeklong  exchange  with  the  students  and  their  families  in  the  future.        Laura  Crocker  Head  of  French  

           

Year  7  

                            It  has  been  an  incredibly  busy  and  successful  year  for  Year  8.      Over  the  course  of  the  last    

three  months  all  year  8s  have  been  engaged  in  a  dialogue  that  has  helped  to  set  their  course  for  their  future  at  Thomas  Tallis  and  beyond.    The  students  have  displayed  a  high  level  of  maturity  and      

             thoughtfulness,  as  well  as  tenacity  in  seeking  out  advice  to  choose  the  best  pathway  for  them.    

   

                                             Wrotham  May  2013    The  trip  to  Wrotham  involved  our  24  G&T  students  in  Year  9  who  spent  several  hours  planning  a  peer  mentoring  session  in  Maths  for  other  Year  9  students;  the  group  was  coordinated  by  Ms  Willougbhy  and  was  charged  with  preparing  three  sessions  to  be  delivered  as  a  learning  away  day  with  the  intention  of  getting  students  

ready  for  their  Math  assessment  the  following  week.  The  group  was  taken  to  Wrotham  for  an  overnight  stay  by  Ms  Willoughby  and  Mr  Rodwell.  

They  spent  all  day  Thursday  doing  final  preparations  for  their  sessions,  which  also  included  completing  some  of  the  challenges  at  Wrotham.    The  following  day  the  G&T  students  were  joined  by  another  48  students  whom  they  were  going  to  lead  and  deliver  the  sessions  to  with  support  from  staff.  The  

students  had  three  challenges  to  fulfill  on  the  day,  which  was  hugely  successful,  and  there  was  a  real  vibe  about  the  centre;  feedback  from  those  involved  was  very  positive.    

 

Year  8  

Year  9  

As  a  year  group  the  students  have  had  a  lot  to  celebrate  academically.  A  number  of  students  have  already  achieved  their  target  levels  set  for  the  end  of  year  9  which  bodes  well  for  the  start  of  their  studies  at  Key  Stage  4.        As  well  as  the  academic  side  of  school  the  year  group  has  also  managed  to  ensure  they  have  continued  to  work  well  together  and  support  each  other.    The  Sports  Day  held  at  Sutcliffe  Park  Athletics  track  was  triumphant  –  not  only  on  the                

 40  students  has  an  enjoyable  trip  to  the  Tyn  y  Berth  Mountain  centre  in  Wales  where  there  participated  in  a  range  of  activities  including  rock  climbing,  gorge  walking  and  raft  building.  Despite  the  mud  and  rain  the  photos  suggested  that  they  all  had  a  ball.  

 Next  year  the  students  will  face  great  challenges.  If  they  display  the  same  degree  of  mettle  that  they  have  shown  this  year  we  have  no  doubt  they  will  achieve  the  successes  that  they  deserve.

Students collaborated, cooperat ed, shared and developed their skills in learning together.

track  and  field  but  also  in  the  manner  the  students  encouraged  and  looked  after  each  other.        Students  also  had  the  opportunity  to  try  their  hand  (or  legs?)  at  static  bike  racing.  Rollapaluza  Cycling  Club  in  association  with  the    Sustrans  charity  brought  their  Roller  Racing  Rig  into  school  whereby  riders  would  be  able  to  ride  250  metres  in  order  to  turn  a  hand  on  a  clock.  Some  of  the  fastest  students  managed  this  in  less  than  14  seconds  with  legs  spinning  at  over  200  rpm.    

Year Group Updates……

The  year  10  have  been  working  extremely  hard  over  the  last  couple  of  months,  the  majority  having  sat   their   1st   early   entry   for   Maths,   Science   and   English.     They   are   to   be   congratulated   for   their  excellent  attitude  and  hard  work.      The  1st  Drama  examination  days  have  also  taken  place,  the  students  were  very  positive  about  their  performance.    Year  10  Sports  day,  the  final  one  was  a  great  success,  excellent  competition,  close  run  and  fantastic  weather.     Congratulations   to   all   who   took   part   and   particularly   to   10RA   who   won   the   event.    Additional  congratulations  to  Ms  Pollitt  and  Mr  Ray  who  in  support  of  the  tutors,   literally  went  the  last  ½  mile  –  entering  the  1500m  to  motivate  the  runners.    Directions  Day  students  will  be  given  the  opportunity  to  sample  Year    12  lessons  and  will  be  given  advice  about  future  pathways.    A  big  thanks  to    Jon  Nicholls  and  the  year  10  students  for  their  promotional  materials  for  this    event.    Finally,  thank  you  to  all  staff  who  have  supported  the  year  group,  your  help    and  guidance  has  been  invaluable.    Denise  Armstrong  Pastoral  Leader  Year  10    

     

Performing  Arts  

Year  10  

2014  School  Trips    

Year  8  and  9  are  going  to  Spain  15  May  –  22  May  2014  

Pay on-line for school meals, uniforms and

school trips from 1 September

with our very easy to use system

‘Wisepay’ Login instructions

       

     

       

     

During  the  second  week  of  July  over  100  Year  10  students  took  part  in  fieldwork  for  their  GSCE  studies.    They  visited  Canary  Wharf  to  look  at  the  impact  of  economic  regeneration  and  the  influence  of  global  companies  in  providing  work  and  wealth.    They  were  lucky  to  be  based  at  the  international  Law  Firm  Clifford  Chance  for  the  day  and  thanks  go  to  the  hosts  for  providing  a  space  for  the  group  to  based  at,  as  well  as  an  excellent  talk  from  the  global  premises  director  about  the  worldwide  operation  of  a  global  corporation.  

   On  the  second  day  the  students  visited  the  Darent  Valley  in  North  Kent  and  spent  the  day  studying  the  river.    This  involved  them  measuring  and  observing  different  aspects  of  the  river’s  behaviour  including  its  speed,  its  depth  and  the  size  and  shape  of  the  stones  and  sediment  it  was  carrying.    The  students  relished  the  opportunity  to  learn  from  the  natural  landscape  and  to  experience  the  work  and  power  of  a  river  at  first  hand.      We  were  lucky  to  experience  glorious  sunshine  throughout  these  days  and  the  students  were  superb  ambassadors  for  the  school.    Thanks  to  Mr  Sheedy,  Ms  Uden,  Mr  Macdonald,  Mr  Frederick  and  Mr  Greig  who  provided  the  transport,  motivation  and  geographical  inspiration  to  make  these  days  such  a  success.    

Maths  

Geography  Fieldwork  –  July  2013  

The  students  had  a  great  time  familiarising  themselves  with  skills  such  as  causation,  and  making  plasticine  animations  drawing  the  most  significant  reason  why  William  won  the  Battle  of  Hastings.    

The  Humanities  Department  welcomed  30  Year  6  students  for  a  little  taste  of  Year  7  History  and  Geography.  

Cherry  Orchard  Visits  Humanities  

     

Spain  Trip  –  Spring  2013  

Year  7  Day  Trip  to  France      On  Tuesday   2nd  July  Mr  Greig,  Mrs  Robinson,  Mr  Hordern,  Mrs   Tunnicliffe  and   I   took   46   year   7   pupils   to  France  for  the  day.  The  day  trip  was  open  to  all  students  who  study  French,  including  our  fast-­‐track  French  as  a  second  foreign  language  class.    We  departed  from  Thomas  Tallis  at  6.30  am  and  made  our  way  to  the  Euro  Tunnel.  Many  of  the  students,  and  our  own  Mr  Greig,  had  never  been  on  the  shuttle  before  and  so  even  the  journey  became  an  exciting  event!  

 Our   first  visit  was   to   Cap  Blanc  Nez  where  we  admired   the  view  of   the   sea.  We   then  made  our  way   to   a  Chocolatier  and  discovered  how  chocolate  is  made,  and  just  how  good  hand-­‐made  chocolates  taste!      Our  third  visit  was  to  a  goat  farm.  We  were  shown  how  cheese  is  made  and  the  students  were  able  to  taste  different   types  of  goats   cheese.  The   farmer   then   allowed  us   to  eat  our   packed   lunches   in  her  garden  and  after   lunch  we  were  allowed  into  the  barn  with  the  farm  animals.  The  students  really  enjoyed  holding  the  ducklings  and  petting  the  goats  and  rabbits.      For  our  evening  meal  we  went   to  a  restaurant  in  Calais.   It  was  a  real  pleasure   to  share  dinner  around  the  table  with   the  whole group.   The   students  were   served   freshly  made   French   cuisine  which   they   enjoyed.  After  dinner  some  of  the  students,  and  teachers,  had  a  paddle  in  the  sea.  Then  it  was  time  to  go  home.    It  was   a   fantastic   day  out  which   I   intend   to   repeat   next   year.   The  pupils   behaved   immaculately   and  we   all  wished  we  could  have  stayed  longer.  

In  June  2013  our  students  were  placed    at  the  following  organisations;    

• Bank  of  England  • OFCOM  • Accenture  • Canary  Wharf  Group  • McGraw  Hill  • Moody’s  

Career  Academy  students  follow  a    rigorous  two-­‐year  enrichment    programme  alongside  a  curriculum    equivalent  to  at  least  three  A  levels,    enabling  students  to  progress  to  higher    education  or  the  world  of  work.  The    programme  aims  to  tackle  social  mobility  and  raise  the  aspirations  of  16  to  19  year  olds,  boosting  their  employability  skills  by  giving  them  real  life  experiences  of  the  workplace,  something  which  is  particularly  relevant  in  the  current  climate.  

                                                                                                             

Caption describing picture or graphic.

 Thomas  Tallis  Career  Academy  

STUDENT  VOICE!  

14  March,  Student  Voice  discussed  the  role  of  the  arts  with  Sir  Nicholas  Serota,  and  his  team.    As  part  of  our  intellectual  symposium  series,  Tallis  Talks,  the  Student  Voice  organised  a  trip  to  The  Tate  to  meet  and  discuss  ideas  with  Sir  Nicholas  Serota  and  his  team.  This  was  a  truly  inspiring  experience,  where  the  students  spoke  eloquently  and  thoughtfully  about  the   role  of   the  arts   in  education.  Nick’s   team  commented  that   they  were   truly  impressed  with   the  critical   reflection  of   the  students.  Nick   sent  a  personal  note  after  the  meeting  praising  our  students:  "I  found  the  group  so  impressive  in  their  articulate  examination   of   the   issues   and   their   self-­‐awareness".   Thank   you   to   everyone   for  organising  the  trip  and  to  everyone  involved  at  The  Tate  for  facilitating  the  session.  It  has  given  The  Post  16  Team  and  students  much  food  for  thought  -­‐  perhaps  a  creative  intervention  of  the  month  led  by  students?.......from  Barbara  Hepworth  to  Turner.    Student  Voice  Up-­‐date:    This   is   one   of   the   many   exciting   and   innovative   events   organized,   and   led   by   the  student   voice.   The   social   wing   of   student   voice,   have   organized   a   cinema   night,   a  cultural  event,  and  several  other  fundraisers.  They  are  now  in  the  process  of  evaluating  the  year  with   their  peers  and  will  use   this   to  plan   for  priorities   in   the  next  academic  year.      Work  in  progress  is  the  setting  up  of  a  weekly  Tallis  podcast.  The  planning  meeting  for  this   is   on  Monday   24th   of   June.   In   July,  we   are   hoping   to  make   a   visit   to   a   new   link  school   in   Cambridge   to   exchange   thoughts   and   ideas   on   the   central,   and   innovative  role  to  be  played  by  our  growing  student  voice.      Students   have   also   had   a   say   in   redesigning   the   school   gym,   changing   library  procedures,  changing  the  colour  of  their   ID  and  are  due  to  meet  with  representatives  of  the  canteen  to  see  if  they  can  improve  their  choice  of  food!    

University Links;

Forging closer links with our local university - Sociological Imagination Conference: Goldsmiths University

On the 20th March the Year 13 sociologists attended a 'Sociological Imagination' conference at Goldsmiths. They enjoyed lectures from inspiring academics such as Bev Skeggs and Les Back. The students then debated the morning lectures in small seminar groups, where they explored analyses of the London Riots - looking at the moments that weren't part of the mainstream discourse - encouraging us all to be attentive to the small everyday occurrences amidst extraordinary events. The second challenging theme looked at 'new perspectives on class' and introduced the students to cutting edge research being conducted by the sociologists at Goldsmiths. The students found this an exhilarating event and rose to the challenge of exploring these complex, yet deeply relevant ideas.

The students found the university to be both welcoming and exciting: we will be continuing to forge closer links.

A group of Year 12 students visited Goldsmiths during our progression week, to help explore their post-16 plans through their Aim Higher event.

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 KCL  K+  Programme  This  year  we  have  had  a  group  of  students  involved  in  the  exciting  K+  programme.  This  is  specifically  targeted  at  students  with  no  family  history  of  

university  education.  The  students  have  found  this  mentoring  scheme  really  useful.  It  has  been  really  inspiring  to  have  contact  with  leading  academics  in  a  wide  range  of  subject  areas.      Aspiring  Professional  Programmes  This  government  programme  is  sponsored  by  the  SMF  (Social  Mobility  Fund).  Two  of  our  Year  12  students  applied  for  this  and  have  been  accepted  on  what  can  only  be  described  as  an  amazing  opportunity.  At  the  end  of  Year  12  they  now  get  to  work   with   NASA   scientists   at   Kings   London,   creating   biomedical   experiments   to   be   tested   on   Astronauts   on   the   space  station…Not  a  bad  excuse  to  have  time  out  of  school!    Teaching  and  Learning  Group  A  student  voice  sub  group  –  “The  Teaching  and  learning  group”  have  been  working  with  staff  to  create  a  teaching  and  learning  manifesto  for  the  6th  form.  They  have  also  had  a  say  in  redesigning  some  of  the  curriculum  offer  for  next  year  and  

in  creating  evaluations  for  progression  week.  They  have  also  taken  part  in  considering  how  to  improve  the  advice  and  guidance  given  to  students  across  the  whole  school  as  well  as  meeting  with  representatives  from  the  borough  to  discuss  transition  into  Year  12.  Some  of  these  students  have  taken  part  in  senior  staff  and  governor  meetings,  giving  student  voice  feedback  and  helping  think  strategically  on  the  direction  of  the  Post  16  part  of  the  school.

       

   

       

         

A broad selection of speakers from the world of work came in to share their experiences with Tallis Post 16. We were very privileged to have guests from the Tate

Gallery, Haymarket, Barristers chambers and even some ex-Tallis students.

6th Form Update ……...

Year  12  and  Year  13  

6th Form enrollment 22 September – Recommendations

23 September – Meeting requirements

Exam Results Day;

A Level – 15/8/13 GCSE’s – 22/8/13

         

       

 

   

   

 

For  further  information  and  news,  please  visit  www.thomastallisschool.com/links  R    

   

 

Film

           

Links  to  images,  videos,  podcasts    and  news  blogs  www.thomastallisschool.com/news  

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Students   in  Year  11  and  Year   13  have  worked  very   hard   this  year   in  preparation   for   their  exams.     They   have   been   attending   revision   classes,   Saturday   sessions   and   mentoring  diligently.    They  have  arranged  study  groups  and  attended  revision  sessions  tirelessly.    None  of  these  sessions  could  have  taken  place  without  the  kindness  of  staff  giving  up  so  much  of  their   time   and   dedication   to   our   students.     Students   themselves   have   been   fantastic   at  attending  and  taking  part  in  peer  mentoring  by  arranging  times  themselves  to  meet  up  and  prepare  for  exams  together.    

TTRA  2013  

   

‘Cup  Winners’  6th  Form  boys  won  the  London  Cup  and  the  Blackheath  District  Cup  

 

Beryl  Davies  Girls  Trophy  (11  schools  completed)  

Thomas  Tallis  came  ‘2nd’    

Greenwich  Schools  Athletics  (11  schools  completed)  

Yr  7  and  Yr  8  girls  WON!  Yr  9  and  Yr  10  came  ‘2nd’  

 Boys  Competition  (9  schools  competed)  

Yr7  ‘3rd’  Yr  8  and  Yr  9  came  ‘2nd’  

Yr  10  came  ‘3rd’    

Congratulations  and  well  done!