The Flagpole

Tutor Reports for Year 8 will be published on Friday 15 November 2024, and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

Tutor Reports for Year 9 will be published on Friday 22 November 2024, and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

Tutor Reports for Year 10 will be published on Friday 29 November 2024, and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

This month the theme is Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and the cross curricular links you can find in many subjects. As it is Fibonacci day on 24 November, some of the articles and videos relate to the Fibonnaci sequence and how it impacts on many areas, including poetry, music, art and architecture. November also sees Marie Curie's birthday celebrated; there is an article to find out how fireworks used on 5 November get their colours and a special poetry competition for Remembrance Day. 

I hope pupils enjoy looking at the articles and watching the videos - the Gresham series on Sir Christopher Wren is fascinating, only one of the four lectures is included but pupils are able to explore the further talks if they wish.  

A copy of the November Challenge Calendar can be accessed here.  

Now we are in to the second half term, it is important to recognise the stresses and demands on our Lower Sixth students. You should have noticed the level of study has increased somewhat but be aware that this level of load can cause difficulties and anxieties. Here are some tips to support your youngster.

Encourage your youngster to ask for help when they need it – seeking out a teacher before stress starts to build up is essential. This could be as simple as finding the teacher before class, chatting to their tutor or sharing worries with friends.

Stay organised – consider how your youngster is scheduling their time and ensure that they are setting aside time for each subject throughout the week. Encourage them to start assignments early, set deadlines and make the most of study periods in the school day.

Mix up your study routine – talk to your youngster about staying focused and positive during their study time. It is important that they use a variety of study techniques from using flashcards or mind maps, writing summaries and watching online tutorials to getting a friend or family member to quiz them, completing practice tests under exam conditions and working through questions from the text book.

Take time to research your post-school options – get your youngster thinking about their future aspirations. Taking time to research and make plans for post-school life can provide a nice break from studies, while also helping them to stay motivated by reminding them of the bigger picture. This may include researching institutions and courses of interest, organising things for a gap year and putting together course applications.

Stay calm and keep things in perspective – Sixth Form studies are rewarding but also demanding. Your youngster’s mental health is a vital component to success. Take time to encourage them to be involved in other activities and have a balanced life style.

For more suggestions, please click on this link.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning