Student Shout-Outs 

As always, it’s been pleasing to see a number of Shout-Outs from staff linked to our school values – House Points and Postcards have been issued and any student receiving Shout-Outs will also be in the draw for rewards during our termly rewards assembly. I’m particularly pleased to see the number of students acting with “Kindness” towards staff and peers, demonstrating the character we aim to instil in all our students. 

Subject focus 

As we approach Year 11, I will be sharing some brief updates from across the range of subjects taught at Key Stage 4, summarising the work completed recently and what to be looking out for in the near future. Our first spotlight is on Sociology, studied by over 50 students in Year 10. 

GCSE Sociology helps students to gain knowledge and understanding of key social structures, processes and issues through the study of families, education, crime and deviance and social stratification (layers of society). 

So far this year, students have studied: 

• the “Family” unit (including looking at how families have changed over time and the roles families play in society)  

• the “Education” unit (where we have looked at the purpose of education, different types of school and what they offer, as well as how education has changed over time).  

Pupils have recently completed their end of “Education” unit assessments with students making progress from previous assessments with many of them meeting or beating their target grades. All students have shown great resilience and aspiration with many keen to find out their marks and asking how they can improve for next time.  

This term, we begin our final module of Year 10: Research Methods. Over the coming weeks, students will be learning about why sociologists carry out research, the ethical problems they have to overcome, and how they ensure that their research is valid and reliable. I look forward to their continued efforts and progress over the Summer term. 

Sporting Update 

Finally, some sporting success. Three Year 10 students represented the school this week, playing for the Year 11 rugby team. Riley, Harry and Dylan all played a big role in a resounding 44-0 victory in the quarter finals of the Yorkshire Plate with both Riley and Harry successfully kicking over to add to the score. The semi-final draw is yet to take place but we already know it will be an away match, as will the final if the team is successful in the next round. A huge congratulations to the boys involved – Mr Compton could not speak highly enough of the way you conducted yourselves. Well done.