Dear Parents/Carers
It is a bumper update this week with lots of information on:
- Our ongoing and exciting work in school
- Upcoming presentations of learning
- Reverse advent – student activism at Christmas
We are moving towards some really important and exciting times in our diary with Presentations of Learning for both G28 and G29 in the next two weeks.
Our students are working hard on their final products and preparing their responses to the guiding questions that they have been exploring all term. We cannot wait for them to share their beautiful work with you and know that as always they will impress with their compassion in supporting each other in the coming weeks, and the courage they will show when presenting their learning to the community.
Our G29 students had a great fieldwork visit on Tuesday to meet interview members of the Northumberland mining community. This was the first time our year 7 students had carried out oral history interviews and they did a fantastic job. Experts were delighted that young people were so interested in their stories and moved that our students would go on to tell their stories in their final product – a book which will be published in the New Year. Particular praise was given to Peyton, Fallyn and Harry M for their enthusiasm, questions and sensitivity to their experts.
Some of our students enjoyed additional fieldwork at Woodhorn Colliery and the community around Burradon to carry out primary research on the pits in these communities. Connor, Nathan, Ryan, Braydon and Joe were all fantastically engaged and now have lots more information to include in their histories of these pits. A big appreciation was given to Braydon too, who had taken lots of photographs and shared these with his group on return to school to make sure that everyone was well-prepared to start writing.
And so, back in school, Year 7 have been writing up their interviews and these will form part of our final book alongside with histories of local pits. The quality of listening and note taking has really paid off and supported the drafting of their work for their book.
On Thursday, G28 had the privilege of spending time with the inspirational Luke Wigman ,who shared his response to our guiding question ‘What does it mean to be Human?’ Luke is a former RAF military serviceman and was part of an elite special operations unit until an injury during a tour of duty changed his life forever. After being medically discharged, Luke went on to become an international sportsman whose plaudits include:
- North Pole Marathon- Runner-Up- 2014.
- London Invictus Games – 1500m gold medalist – 2014
- Sports Personality of the Year Awards- Winner of the Helen Rollason Award- 2014
- Pride of Britain Awards- Special Recognition Award for GB Invictus Team- 2014
Luke was particularly impressed by the depth of our students’ questions and discussed with them how the simple things in life are often taken for granted and how he views the gift of our humanity, and how adversity can be a fuel that drives us on to fulfil our dreams.
Our clubs have continued to run this term. We are really pleased with the number of our students who have made a regular commitment to extended study or an after school club.
Student activism in the run up to Christmas:Charity initiatives
We are carrying out reverse advent in both Year 7 and Year 8 across all Crews, but a special appreciation to Crew KDO and Crew Frank (MRS) for coordinating our work. Any donations for these charities will be gratefully received, but it is by no means an expectation.
Year 7 Reverse Advent – Led by Crew KDO
Tomorrow sees the launch of Year 7’s ‘Reverse Advent’ collection on behalf of Gateshead Foodbank. This will run until Monday 12th December and is being organised by Crew KDO. Year 7 students will be able to access the full food bank list after tomorrow’s launch but everyday items on the list include tinned foods, dried pasta/rice/noodles, pasta sauces, UHT milk and biscuits. Gateshead Foodbank are also accepting donations for their Christmas Hampers, which include foods like tinned ham, shortbread, luxury biscuits, savoury crackers, tubs of sweets and selection boxes. Any donation really helps. Thank you in advance, Crew KDO.
Year 8 Reverse Advent – Led by Crew Frank (MRS)
Sr Josepha, an expert from our current expedition does a lot to support Bethany City Church in Sunderland and the St Vincent de Paul Society in Newcastle with their advent appeals. These appeals ensure that children and the elderly who would be unlikely to receive gifts this Christmas do indeed get one. As a thank you for the kindness of giving her time to support the learning of our students, our Year 8 crews will be putting together at least one shoebox full of small gifts that will make a huge difference to someone struggling this Christmas.
The types of families and people who benefit are those who are seeking asylum due to war or persecution in their own country, those who have had to flee domestic abuse and elderly people who are alone with no families this Christmas. So as well as receiving a small sweet treat from a crew Christmas advent we are asking our year 8 students to give something and give their time this advent in so that they work together as a crew and be activists this festive season. Crews may have already decided the age group for their shoebox/shoeboxes. Students should start to bring in things for their shoebox this week and early next week where they are able to.
This week:
G28 YEAR 8 Presentation of Learning – What does it mean to be Human?
On Thursday 8th December at 5:30pm, our Year 8 students will share their expedition work with parents and carers. This will be the first in-person PoL to take place in our school and we ask families to arrive from 5.20pm. We expect to be finished by 7pm.
Where possible if you could limit the number of adults attending to two, this would be much appreciated.
As was discussed at our very first meetings with families at the end of Year 6, it is an expectation that all students have at least one family member attend every presentation of learning.
YEAR 8 Parents: Please confirm your attendance by completing this Google Form.
G29 get ready for their Presentation of Learning
This week students will be preparing for their very first presentation of learning which will be live steamed via Youtube in our final week: Monday 12th December at 5.30pm. The link to join the stream will be shared in next week’s family update.
We discussed in our community meeting this week how brilliant we know your children will be and how students will need to show lots of compassion in supporting each other to show craftsmanship and quality in completing their work to the best of their ability, and to show the courage to present to the community.
During these coming weeks, students will share moments together that will become stories that they will tell each other for the rest of their time with us because there is more in them than they know.
As usual, thanks for your ongoing support. Please contact your child’s Crew Leader with any questions or issues.
Have a great week
Julie Mosley