Welcome from the Co-Headteachers
‘Tis the season of giving!
In the run-up to Christmas, we have enjoyed a series of high-quality House assemblies in which our seasonal fundraising campaigns have been wholly promoted around “’tis the season of giving”. Such is school life at Isleworth & Syon; we are much more than an academic conveyor belt. Instead, we are hugely successful at producing confident, resilient and responsible citizens – young people who are fully prepared for a successful life in modern Britain. Nothing better fits this vision than seeing our students collecting much needed non-perishable goods for those less fortunate than themselves – our local focus has been on the Ivybridge Pantry. A second communal push has seen Key Stage 3 students writing heartfelt Christmas messages, poems and stories – more on that next week. Deep consideration is given to everyone promoting kindness across both our school and local community. We wish everyone happiness, joy and peace at this family-centred time of year.
Finally, we must mention last night’s outstanding Winter Concert which was so uplifting. A packed-out audience were enraptured with a beautiful blend of drama, superb solo Shakespeare performances, and amazing interwoven musical contributions. Well done to all the performers and the amazing staff who committed so much time and effort. We are proud in school to buck the national trend of drama and music being under-resourced and under-valued. We believe that it should not be the sole preserve of the privileged and wealthy, but that all young people should have opportunities to learn about the arts within a broad, balanced and coherent curriculum. Crucially, this is a curriculum taught by experts and charismatic teachers who have appropriate levels of subject knowledge.
Click the image below to view just one piece of outstanding feedback from the concert – more will follow next week.
Simon Fisher and Jo Higginbottom
Active, Caring Citizens
More about our theme of the week
Schools play a vital role in fostering active citizenship. We provide a vast array of positive opportunities for students to participate in community projects, engage in debates, and learn about different perspectives. By encouraging students to take responsibility for their actions and understand their rights and responsibilities, we help young people develop into confident and capable individuals.
The benefits of active citizenship extend beyond the individual. It helps create a more inclusive and just society, where everyone feels they belong and can contribute. By encouraging young people to participate in the political process and advocate for change, active citizenship helps ensure that their voices are heard and their needs are met.
Active citizenship is not just about volunteering or participating in formal civic activities. It is about being a good person, caring about others, and making a positive impact on the world. It is about embracing fundamental British values, understanding diversity, and working towards a more just and equitable society. By fostering these values in young people, we can create a brighter future for everyone.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Coming Up!
Dates for the diary, into the new year
- Thursday 5 – Thursday 19 December – Year 11 & 13 December Examinations
- Monday 16 December – Senior Awards Evening
- Friday 20 December – End of Autumn Term (students dismissed at 12.30pm)
- Tuesday 7 January 2025 – Start of Spring Term
- Tuesday 7 – Friday 14 January 2025 – Year 12 Internal Examinations
- Tuesday 7 – Friday 14 January 2025 – KS5 External Vocational Examinations
- Thursday 16 January 2025 – Year 7 Parents/Carers Evening
- Thursday 30 January 2025 – KS5 Parents/Carers Evening
- Thursday 6 and Friday 7 February 2025 – School Production
- Friday 7 February 2025 – DTP/MEN ACWY Immunisations (for Year 9 with consent)
- Monday 17 – Friday 21 February 2025 – Half-Term
- Thursday 27 February 2025 – Year 9 Parents/Carers Evening
You can access the entire calendar via this link.
End of Autumn Term and Start of Spring Term
Key dates for December and January
Please be aware that the end of term is on Friday 20 December. Students will be dismissed at 12.30pm. Please note that Monday 6 January is designated as an INSET Day, so students do not attend school. Therefore, they return to school on Tuesday 7 January at 8.25am.
The Met Christmas Tree Appeal
A community fundraiser to support if you are able
We wanted to bring attention to another very important charity drive this Christmas – the Met Christmas Tree Appeal. The Metropolitan Police is working with The Childhood Trust to raise money for some of the most vulnerable in society. Despite being the fifth wealthiest city in the world, London has a third of children living in poverty. Learn more about the appeal – and how to donate if you can – via The Childhood Trust’s dedicated webpage.
Flu Immunisations – Catch-Up Clinics
Still a chance for students to get a free immunisation through
This term, we hosted the local NHS team into school to conduct flu immunisations via nasal spray for students in Years 7-11 with consent. If your child missed the immunisation, the Hounslow NHS team are running a catch-up clinic on Saturday 13 December at Brabazon Community Centre, 106 Brabazon Road, Hounslow, TW5 9LT from 9.30am – 2.30pm. There are also other dates and locations listed in this attachment.
If you wish to attend, you must book a slot. For more information, please call 0208 432 7070.
Extra-Curricular Spotlight – Maths Challenge Club
Encouraging students to love problem-solving
The Maths Challenge Club is an enrichment opportunity for anyone who is keen or passionate about mathematical problem-solving. Using the UK Mathematics Trust’s resources, we tackle interesting problems together using basic mathematical techniques. The problems are designed to encourage mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency. In the sessions, the more keen and often more advanced young mathematicians are invited to lead. Ayman Shah has taken on a huge share of this work, while being ably supported by, at different times, Hanaan Hussain, Finley Thomas and Roo Clark. They are following in the footsteps of last year’s inspirational Sixth Form leaders – Anya Brucal, Dalbir Gill and Mikaeel Shah, the latter of which represented the UK in an international maths competition.
These young leaders offer hints when problems become too stretching and then walk through the solutions. The entire group are encouraged to share their thoughts on these strategies which they seem to relish.
Pride of House
A new set of award winners
The House system is a pillar of life at Isleworth & Syon, offering a “school within a school” and another community for students. The Pride of House awards are a great way for tutors and staff to reward students for a great contribution to school life. These awards are displayed on our signage screens across school, and you can often find students huddled around them celebrating the latest winners!
Click a house badge below to view their winners.
Extended Project – Will Hemmings
Another outstanding Sixth Form essay, this time about democracy
Over the last few weeks, we have been highlighting Extended Projects from last year’s Sixth Form leavers. As a reminder, the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is equivalent to one A level and is taken in addition to students’ three Level 3 subjects. The qualification offers a unique opportunity for students to explore a topic of personal interest in depth. It also allows students to demonstrate independent research, critical thinking, and project management skills.
Our latest Sixth Form Extended Project is from Will Hemmings, who left us in July for a degree at University of York, reading history and politics. It is no surprise, then, that Will wrote his Extended Project on voting systems. In this deeply academic analysis, Will notes how the debate over which voting system is best is an ever-raging topic with some people thinking that “first-past-the-post” is unfair and others thinking that proportional representation is better. Following widespread reading and research, Will focused on the benefits and caveats of four main voting systems proposed for use in the United Kingdom, namely:
- First Past the Post (FPTP)
- The Alternative Vote (AV)
- The Single Transferable Vote (STV)
- Proportional Representation (PR)
In his final analysis, Will considers important issues such as bias and representation as well as proportionality before summarising his own viewpoints. The full EPQ is well worth a read as it showcases the quality of academic study needed to become a highly successful Sixth Form student. You can read the full essay – which earned him an A grade – by clicking the link below.
What is the fairest system of voting that could be applied to the UK?
Safeguarding and Personal Development
Keeping children safe over the holidays
The holiday period can be stressful for children and young people as well as their parents/carers. Indeed, 2023 research by the charity Barnardo’s reminds us that the reality of school holidays for many children is being immersed into difficult, unpredictable and sometimes unsafe environments. This report also highlights the importance of maintaining effective safeguarding and supporting children all year round, particularly during any school holiday periods.
Given this, parents/carers should be aware that members of the school safeguarding team always monitor the safeguarding@isleworthsyon.org email account over the holiday break. If there are any domestic and/or community issues of which you want the school to be aware, please use this communication channel and we will endeavour to support you.
If you have a concern about the safety or welfare of your child, please email the safeguarding team at safeguarding@isleworthsyon.org. A member of staff will be monitoring the account. If there is an emergency call 999 or, for non-urgent matters that require police attention, call 101.
News
Celebrating our superb Winter Concert, plus students spread festive cheer and kindness
Winter Concert
Last night (Thursday), 111 students took part in our Winter Concert. We were delighted to have one of our biggest crowds ever for this event, which also included the Mayor of Hounslow, Karen Smith. The theme was ‘You’re the Voice’, reflecting our wish that students use their voice.
It was fantastic to see some of our superb musical groups given the spotlight during the 90-minute show, including the House and Wind ensembles plus bands from Years 8 and 10 We were also delighted to hear a few tracks from the band Soulful – you will hear more about them next week.
We also gave centre-stage to some superb solo efforts, including Ayman Shah’s captivating clarinet performance plus Sam Gilmour’s original interpretation of a Christmas classic. There were also poetry recitals and original drama pieces – including one written by Year 11’s Axle Moldero – plus the school final of the Performing Shakespeare competition. And that all led to a spine-tingling singalong finale! Well done to every single student involved – it was such a fantastic showcase of how the arts are an integral part of our school.
View slideshow images
Christmas Lunch
As the end of term draws closer, we wanted to spread some festive cheer in school. First, yesterday (Thursday), we held our annual Christmas lunch in The Pantry. Students paid just £3.40 for a full Christmas dinner (vegetarian option also available) plus all the trimmings! Students were also given a cracker to pull at the festive-clothed tables. It was a huge hit, with students complimenting the quality of food provided by our caterers!
Christmas Jumper Day
Also on Thursday, we took part in Christmas Jumper Day, with students able to wear a festive jumper underneath their school blazer! It really helped spread the festive spirit in school – you can see some fantastic efforts pictured above. You can view them full size by clicking the links below.
The event was to raise money for the Save the Children charity, and the vital work they do for children worldwide. If families haven’t already and are able to donate to Save the Children, they can do so via SCOPAY.
View slideshow images
Christmas Charity
Our latest charity drive asked students to consider one item they could ‘sacrifice’, to help others in need. We asked for donations of non-perishable food items and toiletries to be sent to Ivybridgelink, a food pantry in our local community. Families were encouraged to donate as much as they could manage, and we were overwhelmed with the response! Items will be delivered by student ambassadors next week – we are very grateful to you all for your generosity. We see this as a fantastic lesson for students – to be altruistic, mature citizens who contribute to making people’s lives better.
CyberThreat Conference
When students reach the Sixth Form, work begins immediately to prepare them for life after Isleworth & Syon – particularly in terms of future career paths. One such example came from the computing department earlier this week, forming part of their studies on cyber-security. Protecting wider society against external computer threats is an ever-growing career, such is its important. Therefore, it is useful for students studying the vocational Cambridge Technical course to learn more about it.
The conference was called CyberThreat24 and took place at the Novotel hotel in Hammersmith on Tuesday afternoon. It was a fantastic day, with students learning more about the cyber-security industry from trained practitioners. There was also a series of hands-on workshops, events and talks during the afternoon. All the students were full of praise for the trip afterwards.