From the Headteacher

This is the fifth newsletter of the term and I do hope that parents/carers and students find these quick reads useful.

I am pleased to report that the numbers of COVID-19 cases across the local authority have started to plateau and, in school, we are seeing a significant fall in cases. If this continues next week, I hope to remove some of our safety measures after the half-term break.

Please do note the interesting opportunity below for parents/carers to join a local research group – details are below.

I hope you have a good weekend and week ahead.

Euan Ferguson

Safeguarding Updates

We have updated our Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy, which you can find on this website here.

If you have a concern about the safety or welfare of your or another child, please email the safeguarding team at safeguarding@isleworthsyon.org.

Free School Meal Vouchers

If you are eligible for free school meals, you’ll be emailed a £15 voucher to cover the half-term on Saturday 12 February.

The local authority is using COVID grants for these vouchers. If you have any problem accessing the voucher, you can contact support@evouchers.com.

Word of the Week

We want all students to feel that they can express themselves fluently in the classroom, every day.

The word of the week for next week is “ambition“. Please do discuss this word with your child – what it means and how they could use it.

COVID-19 Updates

Track and Trace Scam

We have been made aware of a scam, where someone pretending to be from Track and Trace calls to tell you that you need to self-isolate. You are then asked to follow a link to book a PCR test and you get charged an amount of money, in this case £1.50.

This scam is an attempt to get your bank details. Do not pay for a PCR test via a phone call.

Real PCR tests can be booked, for free, here.

Vaccinations

If you want your child to get the vaccination (first or second dose) please ensure that you get your consent form delivered to the school reception, as soon as possible.

  • You can read about the vaccination programme for young people here.
  • For a first or second vaccination, or a booster, you can book online here.
  • Further local information about the vaccination programme can be found here.

Useful COVID-19 information can be accessed on our website.

Pre-Public Examinations (PPE) – Year 11 & 13 Students

These take place during the week of 7-11 March 2022. They will provide an opportunity for students to sit a “mock” paper ahead of the summer examinations. It is unlikely that the summer exams will be cancelled, but if this is the case, we will use these papers to support the awarding of final grades.

Today, the PPE timetable has been published in school and on our website here. Students will receive their Individual Candidate Timetables in late February.

Research group opportunity for Hounslow parents/carers

‘Participation People’ is looking to recruit for their Parent & Carers Research group in Hounslow. This group will be 12 parents/carers of young people/children who live in Hounslow.

They will be undertaking their own research in the form of focus groups and interviews with other parents/carers to find out what young people in Hounslow like and dislike and their needs from future planning. The research will feed into the work young researchers are creating and leading.

This will take place during March and April 2022. There will be four meetings to start with, where the group will learn more about the research and agree on questions. The group can then organise their own interviews and focus groups, and data used for future planning.

Applications are open now! For full details and to apply, click here.

News

Site Improvements – AEDs

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable life-saving device that can give a casualty’s heart an electric shock when it has stopped beating. We have had one AED in the school’s reception area for a number of years now.

Two more life-saving devices are being added to the safety equipment that we have for all members of the school community, and for those people who use the school during out of hours sessions. One device will be installed in the Sports Hall lobby area and a further device will be installed in our changing rooms at our Busch Corner playing fields.

Raymond Anum – Former Student

The Performing Arts BTEC class of 2014 continues to go from strength to strength. Following in his classmate Taheen’s footsteps, Raymond Anum (pictured above during a school performance) is forging an excellent career on the stage.

He has just been cast as Gratiano in the production of Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London. This venue is the indoor performance space of the Globe Theatre on London’s Southbank. Get your tickets here.

Theatre Trip – Donmar Warehouse

On Thursday 4 February, a group of Year 11 and Year 12 drama students attended a performance of ‘Force Majeure’ at the Donmar Warehouse in London. The students loved both watching live theatre and meeting one of the show’s stars, Sule Rimi, afterwards.

Holocaust Memorial Day

This important event fell on Friday 28 January. We marked it in school in a number of ways, including reflections during Study Support and a featured book display in the library (pictured). Ms Squires also hosted some students in Years 9 & 10 to watch a webinar with Holocaust survivor Mala Tribich.