Blessed George Napier Catholic School O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5 E D I T I O N A word from the Principal This year has got off to a flying start with some wonderful achievements at A Level and the best ever GCSE results at BGN the third best in the county! Congratulations to all our candidates and to our dedicated staff. Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October Friday 6 November Monday 2 November D A T E S F O R Y O U R D I A R Y Half-term break BGN day School closes @ 1.30 pm to pupils Yr10 Soli House retreat The Archdiocese of Birmingham has again judged the RE department and the Catholic life of the school to be outstanding. Congratulations to Rachel Smith and all the staff on this wonderful accomplishment. Congratulations also go to Mr Orton and all the team as we have been awarded the Sainsbury s Gold Mark for sport. I would like to welcome new members to our staff: Jatinder Bains and Helen Joslin [ICT], Alice Tonner [English], Helen Furniss [Drama], Hamish Savania {Science] and Sarah O Donnell as Assistant Headteacher. Finally, Kasia Maslowska joins our Maths department to cover maternity leave for Gamu Chidzambwa. I would also like to say goodbye to Niamh Rolph as she takes up her new role as Deputy Headteacher at Thornton College. Our term started with the staff from BGN and our primary feeder schools meeting at BGN for our spiritual life day. The guest speaker was David Wells who spoke to us about Evangelii Gaudium, the document written by Pope Francis. He is a wonderful speaker and really showed us how we can turn the words of Pope Francis into actions. Monday 16 November Tuesday 17 November Thursday 19 November Friday 20 November Thursday 26 November Tuesday 8 December Thursday 10 December Tuesday 15 December Friday 18 December Monday 4 January Yr7 Alton Castle retreat Yr9 option introduction evening Yr10 parents evening @ 4 pm Lourdes fundraiser @ 7 pm Yr7 parents evening @ 4 pm Senior citizens Christmas lunch Christmas concert @ 7 pm St John s carol service @ 7.30 pm at St John s Church School closes for Christmas break @ 1.30 pm Return to school The term has been busier than normal with prizegiving taking place in September this year. Our speaker was Jo Boyce who has written many popular hymns and mass settings. Jo is an old friend of BGN and this is the only prizegiving she has agreed to do. She was truly inspirational and we look forward to seeing her on our Lourdes pilgrimage. We have also had our Yr7 welcome mass led by Father Bill and our whole school mass for staff and pupils. A wonderful way to start the year. Events this term have also included open evenings for prospective Yr7s and Sixth Formers wishing to join us in September 2016. I would like to thank our pupils who so readily gave their time to support these evenings and make them such a great success. Other highlights have included Sixth Form Science trips to the OIBA and the Oxford International Biomedical Centre, a Sixth Form Art trip to Oxford, a Year 10 GCSE Geography fieldwork trip, a French exchange and the Tempest production at Chipping Norton. Finally, may I wish you all a relaxing holiday. Fraser Long Principal IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL PARENTS REGARDING COMMUNICATION If you are not receiving emails from the school on a regular basis, please contact the school reception on 01295 264216 as a matter of urgency so that we can rectify the situation. Please also ensure we have your most up-to-date contact details should we need to get hold of you in an emergency. FORGOTTEN OR LOST ITEMS IN SCHOOL Please note any items brought into school by parents i.e. forgotten PE kits, books etc must be collected by pupils from reception. We are unable to interrupt lessons to deliver these items. Similarly, we will notify pupils of lost property items that have been found via their tutors and they must collect them from reception.
P AGE 2 VLE information for students VLE Logging On You will have been given a log-in during form time. Make sure you keep it safe. Website address: bgn.myvle.co.uk Why use the VLE? The VLE can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. Revision materials, resources etc can all be found on the VLE. You can use it to store work instead of a memory stick. Teachers have put all common resources onto the VLE You can send a message to a teacher if you have a question. VLE Handouts are around school about the VLE. Any problems please see Miss Smith (ICT).
P AGE 3 Welcome to our pupil leadership team for 2015/16 Pupil Leadership Team Ella Shawyer Head Girl Randy Forson Head Boy Molly Slattery Deputy Head Girl Ghaydaa Hassan Deputy Head Girl Robert Napiorkowski Deputy Head Boy Mark Smith Deputy Head Boy Pupil Leadership Team Caitlin Moore Edith Stein Head of House Ciara Tennant Calcutta Head of House Kate Morris Bakhita Head of House Shannon Chittenden Devereux Head of House Beth Locke Youth Sports Trust Ambassador Jasmine Carrasco Social Secretary Charlotte Riley Assisi Head of House
P AGE 4 Our head boy and head girl s visions for their roles Ella Randy Hello, my name is Ella Shawyer and I am the new Head Girl here at BGN. I hope that, as part of my vision, all students who come to BGN use the foundations that the school provides them with to help them be the best they can be: academically and personally. I would also like to reinforce student voice, to give my fellow peers the opportunity to speak from the heart and express their ideas and solutions to any problems they feel they face. Pope Francis said, We all have the duty to do good, and I hope to encourage others to do good by participating in the many opportunities that BGN presents them with, such as fundraising. My main wish is that I could make everyone feel equal and to be there with a warm smile and a kind word. As a leader I would hope to encourage others to live out the gospel values, but also enjoy their time at BGN as it a truly precious and special period, which is sure to be missed by students when they leave. I feel privileged to have been appointed such a creditable leadership role as Head Boy. I am thoroughly looking forward to fulfilling my sense of responsibility to serve the BGN school and community, in which I take great pride. I hope to be a prime example of how being truthful, forgiving, respectful and compassionate can harmonise the community within the school. As a role model, I d like to leave a lasting impression in BGN for successive pupils to look up to and be inspired by. Ultimately, inspiring change is a vital part of this role. I hope to make the voice of pupils and Sixth Formers in the school heard, and look forward to helping to provide an outstanding working environment and maintaining the high standards and reputation of this school. Your options after BGN evening Pathways to the Future A range of post-18 choices to suit pupils aspirations were discussed at Your Options after BGN on Thursday 1 st October in the LRC. Parents and Sixth Formers met with Rhia Powell from Northampton University, who gave presentations on writing an effective personal statement, and on finance for university applicants. The www.ucas.com website has information on everything to do with university applications, while www.opendays.com/calendar lists all the university open days which interested pupils and parents can visit. Helen Calkin, from Oxfordshire Apprenticeships, was joined by Luke Mullan, an ex-pupil who is currently an Electrical Apprentice with Clarkson Evans they both described apprenticeships as an excellent pathway for pupils who do not wish to go to university but want to receive training leading to recognised qualifications. A good website for apprenticeship information is www.oxfordshireapprenticeships.co.uk, which advertises apprenticeships as they come up. For parents who could not attend the event, an envelope will be sent home containing information from the evening.
P AGE 5 GCSE/AS/A Level results At BGN we are proud of all our students every single day and the last academic year was no exception. However, on results day in August our expectations were surpassed when our Year 11s became the most successful ever GCSE group at BGN! Congratulations to our students Year 11:- 73% 5A*-C including English and Maths. 79% 5A*-C grades. Sixth Form:- 44% A*-B grades at A Level. 69% achieving A*-C at A Level. 98% achieving A*-E at A Level. 89% achieving A-E at AS Level. We are so proud of the effort and commitment of each and every student and couldn t be happier that they were rewarded with the results they deserved. So what did make the class of 2015 so successful? The students put it down to the following:- Our teachers were really committed and let us come to their classrooms at break time, lunch time and after school so they could explain the work to us and help us with our revision. The revision packs our teachers gave us were brilliant. They showed us exactly what we needed to do and where the resources were that would help us. I know it was a lot of work for my teachers to mark all of the past papers that I completed, but that definitely helped me more than anything else. Being told which revision sessions to go to in the two week block before Christmas was really helpful because I didn t have to choose between subjects and I felt like all my teachers were glad that I was revising with them. It was good that it was compulsory too! The extra revision that subjects put on were really helpful. It meant there was always someone there when I needed them. I loved the food at the booster sessions! I think we were all a very self-motivated year group who worked well because we were really competitive with each other and wanted to do better than our friends. Mr Proudfoot dragged me to Science and made me sit there at lunch and break! The second set of mocks we did were perfect because even though it was really stressful at the time, it made me start my revision earlier and it meant that we were all really relaxed when it came to our real exams because we had done it all before. That was definitely the most helpful thing to improve our confidence. Our teachers really motivated us all throughout the year. Thank you!
P AGE 6 Prizegiving On Thursday 24 September pupils, staff, parents and guests gathered for our annual distribution of prizes. This was the fourteenth Distribution of Prizes evening. It was an extraordinary year as, in a break with tradition, the event was held in September rather than May. This meant that there were some awards to be presented for the previous two academic years. We were excited to welcome our guest of honour, Jo Boyce, who is a singer/songwriter and cofounder of CJM Music. Jo has written many of the hymns that we sing regularly in school. She gave an inspirational talk with words about her life and urged us all to remember that, in difficult times, the thing we must do is Just trust. She also treated us to four pieces of her music which everyone was able to absorb in the serene atmosphere of the night. The BGN choir sang two fabulous pieces: a Glee mash-up and Worthy is the Lamb. Our pupil leadership team were also busy on the evening, ensuring that everyone was well looked after. As it was an extraordinary year, we had members of both last year and our current leadership team with us. All of them gave us a lovely insight into their time at BGN. One of the most spectacular parts of the evening was a rendition of 10 000 reasons which was performed by Ghaydaa Hassan and Ella Shawyer, with accompaniment from Mr Wilson. There were numerous certificates handed out in the first part of the evening, recognising pupils who had achieved 100% attendance and those who were acknowledged for their effort in a particular subject. During the second part of the evening, the special awards were presented. Each of these awards is a cup or shield that has been donated by someone connected with the school and it is a great honour to receive one. We congratulate all of our prize winners and thank everyone who worked to make the night such a success.
P AGE 7 Prizegiving [continued ] Special Awards Cup Awarded to The Challoner Award for personal challenge The Cummings Family Award for outstanding effort The Grimshaw Award for service to the school The Proctor Award for the most committed choir member The Principal s Award for outstanding academic achievement The Principal s Award for great potential The Verena Childs Award for most improved Mathematician at Key Stage 3 The Monsignor Corrigan Award for consideration to others The Ross Warland Award for bravery in the face of adversity The Fr Brabazon Award for the scholar who has contributed most to the wellbeing of the school The Fr Peter Conley Award for service to the liturgy The Terry O Flynn Award for outstanding achievement in drama and theatre arts The Martin Jones Award for the student who contributed most to the Tall Ships voyage The Mary White Award for construction The Paula Walsh Memorial Award for outstanding personal achievement The Grimshaw Award for outstanding personal achievement at GCSE The Grimshaw Award of Merit for academic achievement at A Level The Grimshaw Award of Merit for academic achievement The Shooting Star Award for just being you in memory of Tomas Ryan-Vig The David Dawson Award for exemplary behaviour The Clive Ward Cup for enthusiasm for learning The Catherine Weaver Award for service to Lourdes Miah Collis James Smith Joseph Allen Ella Shawyer Joe Deakin Randy Forson Kelly Whitehouse Austin Estavillo Harriet and Kate Scotford Hannah Englishby-Smith Joseph Allen Ghaydaa Hassan Orlaith Lyford and Benjamin Allen Maks Miodek Ella Shawyer 2014: Mark Smith 2015: Juliet Lawrence 2014: Chris Little 2015: Alex Cotter 2014: Charlotte Riley 2015: Aoife Lyford Myles Bishop Sylvia Danquah Neave Smith Caitlin Moore
P AGE 8 Prizegiving [continued...] When I went to prizegiving, I didn t expect anything as special as the second prize I received. It was a truly humbling moment and made me realise that hard work definitely pays off at times when you least expect. Thank you to everyone who voted and all my teachers who encouraged me to go the extra mile. Sylvia Danquah 12 Assisi Receiving this award was a great surprise and I feel very lucky to have had my results recognised. It was a wonderful celebration and I am thankful to my teachers at BGN for their thoughtfulness. Juliet Lawrence 12 Edith Stein I was so surprised when Mrs Rolph said my name and I am so thankful for the award. I am so grateful my teachers decided I deserved this award and I will continue to have the same enthusiastic approach to BGN life. Neave Smith 12 Edith Stein A wonderful experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. It was an amazing night and the guest speaker was a real inspiration to me and everyone who was there. My award was for the incredible experience on Tall Ships which was one of the best weeks of my life. I made new friends and became closer with people who I had never really spoken to before.. Orlaith Lyford 10 Edith Stein Honestly, I thought I was at prizegiving just to receive my brother s award since he was already at university. As the night strolled on, and people were collecting their awards, I was thinking to myself: Yep, I was right! I was shocked when my name was called. It was the consideration for others trophy; words of inspiration: winning is the best motivation, you are defined by your actions and people will remember you forever for what you do. Austin Estavillo 12 Devereux It was a real surprise and pleasure to receive the shooting star award. I was very proud and grateful that I had been chosen for the award. It was truly amazing to receive such a great award on such a great night. It was a really good night and the guest speaker, Jo Boyce, was lovely and a real inspiration. It was great to see everyone being recognised for their achievements and for the school to be together as a community. Aoife Lyford 12 Edith Stein Myles Bishop 10 Devereux I am really grateful that I won the Martin Jones award for contributing the most to the Tall Ships voyage. The voyage was truly amazing, as was the prizegiving night. I thoroughly enjoyed the voyage and put as much as I could into it and I therefore feel extremely grateful for winning this award. Ben Allen 10 Bakhita
P AGE 9 Attendance Attendance and punctuality Punctuality and good attendance are essential if students are to fully benefit from their education. All students are expected to attend for more than 95% of each school year. This is the national expectation for all students, as research shows that anything less than this will mean students miss out on more than 10 days of school in an academic year and will more than likely drop a grade in their achievement each year that this happens. If a student s attendance is less than 90%, they will be classed as persistent absentee by Ofsted and the Department for Education. Absence requests Holiday must be taken in school holiday time and, where a child s attendance drops below 95%, the school may contact you to request a meeting. Please ensure you advise the school in advance of any absences as we cannot authorise an absence retrospectively. When your child can miss school You can only allow your child to miss school if either:- They are too ill to go in You have obtained advance permission from the school Holidays in term time You have to get permission if you want to take your child out of school during term time. You can only do this if:- You make an application in advance There are exceptional circumstances Please be aware authorised holidays during term time are extremely rare and you can be fined for taking your child on holiday during term time without the school s permission. Sickness Please notify the Attendance Officer, by telephone: 01295 264216 extension 518 or email: absence@bgn.oxon.sch.uk by 9.30 am each day of your child s absence. As a duty of care to our students is paramount to us, should we not hear from you we will send out a text to remind you to contact the school regarding your child s absence. If we still have not heard from you by 11 am as to why your child is absent, we will telephone you as our student s welfare is a priority. Doctor/dentist/hospital Appointments (other than orthodontist) should be made outside of school hours whenever possible. However, if this is unavoidable, the student is expected to attend school either side of the appointment. Appointments should be notified to school in advance so the registers can be marked accordingly. A whole day off school should not be necessary and, unless information is provided as to why a whole day is required, this will not be authorised. Please ensure you notify us of any change in contact details. Punctuality At BGN we encourage all students to arrive to school on time. If students do arrive late to school or need to leave school early, they MUST sign in/out with the Attendance Officer and have a note confirming the reason for arriving late/leaving early. If your child arrives late to school on two occasions without a valid reason, an after school detention will be given.
P AGE 10 Maths department news Our login details for MyMaths will be changing soon please make sure that you know the new password! It will be displayed in every Maths classroom. We have had fun with the Yr6 Master Classes this term. We invited Gifted and Talented pupils from four local primary schools to take part in classes on algebra, probability and tessellation. The children all enjoyed themselves and loved the chance to try out secondary school a bit early. World Maths Day has returned after a sabbatical and is now in October rather than spring. We are enjoying the opportunity to take our classes to compete online against one another and against other pupils around the world, trying to complete mental Maths problems against the clock. Student logins will work at home as well as at school, so enjoy! Yrs 9 and 10 are now working towards the AQA 9-1 GCSE qualification, so we have new schemes of work and are getting to grips with the 9-1 banding of the new system, where 9 is beyond A* and 1 is the old G grade. We have also rewritten the Yrs 7 and 8 schemes of work to prepare children for the requirements of the new curriculum. Calling all those who, like me, spent years on column method multiplication and long division now is the time to dust off your skills and help your children progress from grid method multiplication and chunking division, because the old methods are the ones required by the new curriculum. We will be selling scientific calculators, new-style revision guides and Maths Watch CDs at the appropriate Parents Evenings. Yr11s are still following the Edexcel syllabus, and grid method multiplication is fine for them! Thank you for equipping them so well for school. There are a number of Gifted & Talented opportunities this term for Sixth Form students in Maths. We are looking forward to the Senior Maths Challenge paper on Thursday 5 November for all A Level Mathematicians and the Senior Team Maths Challenge at Warwick University for our best four Sixth Form Mathematicians on 12 November. We have two Maths students in Yr13 who are studying online for the STEP papers next summer. Russell Group universities are increasingly asking for the grades in these extra Maths papers for pupils wanting to study Maths at university. Well done to Jordan Delaney and Luke Jobling for their commitment! The new Core Maths course goes from strength to strength; the Yr12 class has nineteen members. Aimed at Sixth Formers who have already achieved their grade C in GCSE Maths, it supports the Maths content of Science, Geography and Business Studies A Levels. Core Maths earns the same UCAS university entrance points as AS Level Maths and is a very practical Maths course teaching skills which will be immediately useful in the workplace. The full Maths A Level has the entry requirement of an A at GCSE and is much more rigorous, including all the calculus, algebra and trigonometry which is needed for many university Science, Maths and Engineering courses. Finally, please help us welcome Miss Maslowska to the department; she will cover Mrs Chidzambwa's maternity leave and has been with us since September so the transition is as seamless as possible. Not only is she an experienced Maths teacher, Miss Maslowska is Polish and is helping some of our Polish students to become more familiar with the English technical vocabulary they will need in Maths.
P AGE 11 Uniform expectations BGN uniform is compulsory for all pupils in Years 7-11. All items of clothing must be named. The uniform is: All Plain navy or black top coat no logos Navy blue blazer with BGN badge Navy V neck jumper with BGN badge Black substantial shoes with heel no higher than one inch. No material shoes or ballet shoes A plain navy or black scarf may be worn Boys Plain white shirt with collar large enough to allow the top button to be fastened. The top button must be fastened at all times BGN tie which should be fastened allowing at least 12 stripes to be shown Grey trousers, not black Girls Blue and white check revere neck blouse Navy pleated skirt with the BGN logo on, no more than three inches above or below the knee Navy tailored trousers Plain navy or black tights, or socks below the knee Leg warmers are not permitted General No body or facial piercings are permitted whatsoever, covering of such with plasters is not sufficient. Studs, rings etc may not be worn in school time. One pair of small ear studs, a small crucifix on a chain and a watch are the only permitted items of jewellery. These items will have to be removed for PE Hair colour and style must be appropriate for school with no tram lines cut into the style. Hair must not be dyed in any unnatural colours Make-up, including nail varnish, is not permitted in school [Years 7-11] Coats and outdoor clothing may not be worn in school Boots may not be worn in school [Years 7-11] PE Kit Boys Navy and gold rugby shirt Navy blue shorts Navy blue football socks with gold stripes Football boots Training shoes Girls Navy blue short-sleeved polo shirt with school crest Navy blue shorts, skirt or skorts with BGN badge Navy blue socks with gold stripes Training shoes Optional Navy blue hooded sweatshirt with BGN crest Sports College navy blue tracksuit bottoms Navy blue t-shirt with BGN crest Optional Navy blue hooded sweatshirt with BGN crest Sports College navy blue tracksuit bottoms Football boots A high standard of personal appearance is expected of all students and anyone arriving at school in non-uniform clothing may expect to be sent home to get changed.
P AGE 12 Welcome to our new Year 7s Having arrived from 31 different primary schools, the Year 7s have now settled into their five tutor groups really well. They are fully involved in all the extracurricular activities that are on offer. The long bus ride from Bicester has given rise to new friendship groups and all are getting along wonderfully. Preparations for the Year 7 welcome mass resulted in a magnificent occasion enjoyed by over 250 parents/grandparents and siblings with Father Bill commenting on the quality [and loudness] of the singing. The hearts pictured were created by the Year 7s to fit in with the one body theme of the mass with the individual hearts all beating together as one. Mark Crawford Head of Key Stage 3 Physical education keep up to date! Please could I refer everyone to the Sports pages of the BGN website for all the latest news on Sports and PE matters within school. Here you will find pages devoted to fixtures information, results and reports, the latest news and an emergency information page for postponements, cancellations, late returns etc. The weekly extracurricular activities and fixtures timetable is also posted each Friday for the forthcoming week. There are pages for pupils studying academic PE split into GCSE, AS and A2. On these pages are all the lesson presentations, student notes and support materials for current topics. Homework is also posted here for anyone missing lessons, plus a page devoted to revision and re-sits! The Sports pages are updated every night so please save to your favourites and get used to clicking and checking out our news! You can also follow us on Twitter: pe@bgn_school.
P AGE 13 Geography department news Back in July the Yr10 Geographers, Mr Parrish, Mr Thornton and Mrs Johnson went on a residential trip to Swanage [or as some suggested, started the summer holidays earlier than everyone else ]. It wasn t the case. Mr Thornton had organised a busy long-weekend filled with talks and fieldwork. We arrived in Swanage Bay on the Friday evening, where Mr Parrish and Mr Thornton carried out a guided tour, discussing the ecology and management of the beach. Saturday morning was an early start as we headed over to Christchurch Bay and the beach at Barton-on-Sea. Upon arrival we were greeted by a coastal engineer from New Forest District Council who took us on a guided tour of the beach and discussed the various management strategies that were in use. Afterwards, the students completed a beach profile and wave analysis exercise, before taking a clifftop walk to see the extent of coastal erosion and the impact on the cliffs. In the afternoon, Mr Thornton led a guided tour of Hurst spit and Keyhaven Salt Marsh, studying the effects of longshore drift and coastal deposition. After working in our classroom for most of the evening, the group headed into Swanage to relax on the seafront. The Geography department treated everyone to an ice cream due to the commitment and hard work they had all put in throughout the fieldwork weekend. There was an early start on Sunday morning as we headed out of Swanage and completed some fieldwork at Old Harry Rocks and Studland Bay before setting off for Banbury in the early afternoon. We returned in the evening with the Monday of a new school week only hours away!
PAGE 14 School information Mock exam preparation All year 11, 12 and 13 students will have mock examinations beginning 30 November 2015. School ties are available for sale in the school office at 5.50 each Mock timetables will be issued after half-term, both in hard copy and on our school website. Friends of BGN AGM Monday 2 November 2015 at 7.30 pm BGN reception Email: friendsofbgn@bgn.oxon.sch.uk ATTENTION CHANGE OF DATE Matt and Julia Allman s quiz night back by popular demand NOW Friday 5 February 2016 A fabulous event for all the family Strictly Fever has come to BGN See next page for further details
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PAGE 16 English department news It seems that things have been busier than usual in the English Department this term, as we embark on teaching the new syllabi for both Language and Literature GCSEs and GCEs. Yr7 have got off to a brilliant start studying poetry. Here are a few examples of their work.
PAGE 17 English department [continued ] This first term, we have been looking out for pupils who are enthusiastic and who have also made a great effort in class. Congratulations to the following pupils who have impressed us:- Year 7 Josh Davidson Abigail Charlton Leon Heath Lydia Glennon Augustas Kavaliauskas Year 8 Natalia Szymkiewicz Maddison Deans Ishbel Maclellan Dylan Vaughan Year 9 Amy Taylor Carla Hawkins Libby Monaghan Steph Napier-Kowski Simrah Ahmed Year 10 Rebecca Reji Kenny Guwa Severina Young Lavinia Bryer Thomas Allman Year 11 Cameron Falcus Emily Cooper Aminah Asghar Isabel Filby Chloe Savins Carly Bryne Word Walls The English Department is extending pupils vocabulary by creating Word Walls around the school. Each week a new challenging word is added to the wall and pupils are encouraged to use the word in conversation or in their written work. This term s words are: gratuitous, obscurity, archaic, allegiance, sumptuous. And last, but certainly not least, we have some advice on using the apostrophe from Year 8.
PAGE 18 Work experience Yrs 10 and 12 have one week of work experience during which they find out about employer expectations and specific jobs. To help pupils to find their own work placement, we now have a database of employers who have offered placements in the past. To access this information you need to login to the VLE. Locate the button BGN Advertiser to the right of the screen Click on Oxfordshire Work Experience and select student. Enter user name Student A. Enter pin 2205 and then search for what you want.
PAGE 19 Why should you consider TechBacc? The subjects included with the TechBacc at Blessed George Napier School have been identified by the Department for Education as subjects which support and develop skills needed by employers and universities. The TechBacc will require students to have three elements - qualifications in Maths and Literacy and a high quality vocational qualification. We offer vocational qualifications in:- BTEC Information Technology 2 year course leading to an A Level equivalent up to A*. BTEC Travel and Tourism 2 year course leading to an A Level equivalent up to A* [full approval for Techbacc]. BTEC Business 2 year course leading to an A Level equivalent up to A*. Core Maths 2 year course leading to an AS Level or equivalent qualification. Extended Project - the final component is the Extended Project qualification, which will develop and test students skills in writing, communication, research, self-discipline and self-motivation. Such skills are in high demand by industry and academia. The Extended Project component also gives students the opportunity to undertake research projects with an industry-focus, relevant to their vocational programme. It will encourage them to explore further aspects of the occupational area and equip them with a breadth of knowledge and understanding to strengthen their employability. Each of these qualifications can also be studied alongside an A Level course or another BTEC. Additional reasons for studying this combination of courses are:- Universities include the points and grades within their entry requirements. There is less reliance upon end of course external examinations; with the evidence for a grade being developed throughout the course. An interest in a particular career or area of study can be included within these courses, especially the Extended Project, IT and Travel and Tourism. It will give young people the opportunity to be stretched through high quality and rigorous qualifications, and to demonstrate their personal best DfE. Food Technology department Over 180 pupils cook at school each week! This is quite a challenge! It is an enjoyable experience which does not happen in every school. Please could you support us by:- Ensuring all ingredients are weighed beforehand. Bringing a container to cook the food in and/or to take the food home in. Having a suitable bag to take food home in preferably canvas. Good News now ALL recipes are on the school Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)! This can be accessed from home to get details. Thank you!