Arts News!

What’s new from the start of the year?

It’s been a fun and inspiring first half term in the Arts Faculty with a phenomenal creative response from students, staff and parents to lots of exciting new experiences.

Something that has been at the forefront in staff minds is how we can provide opportunities for pupils to really enjoy social experiences alongside their academic Arts learning.

October was a great month to raise awareness about Historical figures and learning about Black role models. On Friday the 7th of October, pupils in Key stage 3 were given the option of participating in an African Dance workshop with an instructor from Dancedays or doing Art and Craft around Black role models and Maasai mask collage. The pupils from different classes worked together and showed an impressive knowledge of why learning about Black History and role models is so important. 

During the Friday afternoon session Key stage 4 and 6th Form pupils also had the option of doing the Dance workshop, there was a massive turn out from Pathway one, several of our 6th Form and year 11 Pathway 2 and 3 pupils mentioned how fun it was to join in with students across the school. Rafia mentioned “I have never done that sort of Dance before I really enjoyed it!” Archie also said he wasn't expecting to enjoy it so much as it is quite different to what he is used to, both were keen to have more new experiences.

With Mr Ellis in Music this term he also inspired Year 8 and 9 pupils to get involved in Musical Cultural activities. He said, “they have particularly enjoyed learning about Music genres from Africa, China and India, whilst year 7 have experimented with a broad range of new instruments, scales, and signing while singing”. 

In Dance Miss Kalia shared that, “students have been independently remembering their dance kits to wear to their practical lessons in the quiet eater's hall. This has been a great chance for them to use the mirrors and dance in the larger space.

In Year 9 Dance students have been working on their expressive movement and linking emotions. There have been some brilliant observations from 9LC when watching contemporary dance and then trying out some of the techniques. The class were very eager to learn other styles and got to try out the basic Tap moves. Great job!

In Art and Drama combined lessons, Year 9 pupils enthusiastically celebrated Chadwick Boseman’s life and groundbreaking role in Black Panther, debating what makes a hero?

This year we have been really pleased to welcome our new Art and Design Teacher Miss St John, to the Art and Design Department. She has settled in quickly to the culture of the school and is really engaged in getting to know the pupils and their personal Art interests.

Miss St John recently shared her thoughts, she explained that “all the pupils have been working really well in Art and Design”. One project example she shared is, “the year 8’s have been enjoying their Autumn project on Architecture and Buildings, where they have researched imaginative Architecture and looked at the Artist’s Kandinsky and Mondrian. One student in particular found it hard to settle at first, but is now producing amazing pieces. Emily achieved the Lower school Art student of the Month Certificate for October (please see below) and she also bravely joined in with dancing during the African dance workshop.

We are very proud of all our pupils' participation.

October 2022 Artists of the Month 

Emily 8FM (Lower school)
Fireworks, Mondrian geometric painting and her role model choice Beyonce

Kaine 13AP (Upper school)
Experimental printmaking 

 September 2022 Homework Artist of the Month

Ruweyda made a Van Gough inspired self-portrait that she did at home.

Please feel free to share with us your opinions or further opportunities for pupils studying Arts subjects.  We welcome your feedback,

Miss C Kepinska
Faculty Leader - Arts

REQUEST FOR SUPPORT FROM
GIVE AND SHARE
(charity supporting local families)

Well it’s nearly “the most wonderful time of the year” and again we are calling on our lovely community. So many of you have helped us for the last few years  but we know this year will be very different for many of us, and we understand this, but we still have loads of families needing help, actually even more so this year. So with this in mind if you are able to put maybe one extra item a week in your basket that will be such a big help. 

Below you will see a list of the items we include in our boxes, if you can help with donating anything we would be very grateful. Remember your gifts help many families that otherwise would struggle during this holiday time. 

 

PRESENT LIST

 

This year again we will be asking for specific items for our gift boxes. We decided this as it will reduce unusable gifts ( wrong ages, likes, ability) and help us to spread the boxes further.

Here are the items we would like to collect. 

• Luxury food items ( no nuts if poss) 
• Tins of chocolates ( Quality Street, Heroes, Celebrations, Roses)
• Sweets ( Haribo Type)
• Family biscuit boxes 
• Tins of Meat/Tuna/Chicken Breast Roll 
• Mince pies & Christmas cake
• Twiglets, Pringles, Family share bags of Crisps etc 
• Hot chocolate
• Marshmallows
• Cake mix’s / ginger bread houses / ginger bread  men •
• Tinned Fruit/Vegetables
• Custard
• Toiletries (men and women’s)  
• Children’s Bubble Bath
• Selection Boxes
• Family Board Games
• New Toys 

PLEASE CHECK THE DATES AS THEY NEED TO LAST UNTIL MID JANUARY. 

ALSO EVERYTHING MUST BE NEW DUE TO COVID, I,M SURE YOU WILL ALL UNDERSTAND.

We would also love to receive the following please....

• Sets of make your own decorations, ie, paper chain packs, crackers, cards. 
• Fluffy socks
• Scarves/ hats/ gloves

If you wish to donate but getting out is difficult for you, we would be very grateful of Tesco’s, Sainsbury’s and Asda Vouchers, alternatively we set up an updated Amazon Wish List set up on our Facebook Group. The vouchers and any Cash donated will be used to buy items we need to complete boxes prior to delivery. I’m sorry, but we ask for only these three stores vouchers, so we can do a big shop rather than visit lots of different stores. 

OUR PRE ARRANGED COLLECTION POINTS ARE;

• Smiths Garden Centre, New Denham.
• Bites Sandwich Bar, New Denham.
• Iver Flowerland, Iver.
• Croxley Hardware, Croxley Green.
• The Three Tons Pub, Uxbridge High Street 
• Meadow Families can also leave donations in School Reception.

Please don’t forget to join our Facebook group “GIVE & Share” for all updates and if you need any more information or a home collection please call Craig Alexander Tnms on 07748973527 who will arrange this for you. 

Lastly Thank you all so much for your continued help, let's spread a little love this Christmas to those who need it most   

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1956873931043536/?ref=share_group_link

Craig Alexander
Give & Share

Brilliant Parents Newsletter

Dear Hillingdon Parents

On September 30th we held our first Lunch and Learn Webinar on 'Building Emotional Resilience' with guest speaker Sam Abrahams. It was a great success with excellent feedback

As an extra bonus Sam produced a Resilience Coaching Workbook to further support you!

This was the first in a series of webinars which are designed with you at the forefront of our minds to be concise, informative and support positive wellbeing and good mental health.

 

For our next Lunch and Learn, on Tuesday 8th November, we welcome our excellent guest speaker Judah Rachem to join us and talk about

'Understanding ADHD and ASD'.

You can also follow us on Eventbrite to keep up to date with upcoming Lunch and Learn webinars.  

Please take 30 seconds to complete our survey about future subjects you would like us to address through the Lunch and Learn webinars.

*You will automatically be entered into a draw.  The winner will receive one of our recommended books.

If you have any questions regarding Parent Champion support, you can call Sarah on 07495 024 449 or email sarah.rust@brilliantparents.org

Our Brilliant Parents/Hillingdon page has lots of relevant links to services in the borough and do remember our Hillingdon Facebook page. We would love you to get involved.

The Hillingdon Post 16 Partnership team have produced an informative digital prospectus for parents of year 10 and 11 students who are thinking about their choices after GCSE’s.

There is a range of pathways available, whether this be apprenticeships, traineeships, further education or entering employment.
  
You can access all the information and guidance by clicking the link: Hillingdon’s Post 16 Prospectus 2022/23

Resources and guidance for you and your family
The Mix - Essential support for under 25s
Urgent Support - Kooth
CEOP Safety Centre

WorldMentalHealthDay_PrioritiseYourMentalHealth_Resource.pdf (mhukcdn.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com)