I am filled with immense pride and joy as I reflect on the incredible journey we have all embarked upon this past year. Our school community has shown remarkable resilience, adaptability, and a spirit of collaboration, making 2023 a memorable year.
Our pupils have excelled academically and in extracurricular activities, showcasing their talents and hard work. I am particularly proud of this newsletter, a testament to our staff and pupils’ dedication and creativity.
10 Steps To Pupil Voice
In the educational landscape, the term ‘pupil voice’ is often bandied about, but what is a meaningful pupil voice? For me, it’s about creating an environment where pupil opinions are heard, valued, and acted upon. Where inclusivity is a given. Staff have been working on a revised strategy (listed below), which will come into play in the new year.
1. Clear Commitment to Pupil Participation – We will commit to involving pupils’ views and encourage their participation. Ms Gregory is seeking accreditation from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as a Rights Respecting School. Pupils will be informed of their rights through displays, assemblies and the PHSE programme.
2. Supporting Pupil Participation –Pupils will be given the time, space, and resources needed. Planned activities, such as circle time, where pupils can discuss important issues and questionnaires to gather their views, will be used to enhance involvement.
Systems will be in place to ensure that:
- All pupils are consulted.
- There is a database to track what’s been asked, to whom, when and what resulted.
- There is a continual review of pupil involvement to gauge the effectiveness.
- Staff are mindful of the wider process and do not offer random stand-alone surveys.
Mrs Wright is devising a fully inclusive School Council.
3. Inclusivity – Every pupil will have the opportunity to express their views. Careful consideration will be given to our pupils’ age, maturity, and understanding when supporting their participation. To ensure the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), our SENCO will be involved in all Pupil Voice processes.
4. Meeting Quality Standards for Working with Children – Policies and procedures regarding confidentiality, data protection, and child protection will be followed. This includes agreeing on a code of conduct for staff and pupils.
5. Working Groups – Specific-issue groups will be created for charity, the environment, behaviour, community projects and developing outdoor provision. Structures will be in place to facilitate the communication of findings to relevant decision-making processes. There will also be a review of the current school prefect system.
6. Pupils working with governors – Productive collaborations between pupils and governors will be implemented. For instance, appointing pupils as ‘associate members’ of the governing board or holding meetings between governors and pupils can create opportunities for meaningful dialogue.
7. Pupils’ involvement in lesson observations – We gain important insights from pupils’ perspectives by involving them in lesson observations. Pupil feedback can contribute significantly to enhancing teaching practices and pupil engagement. We are considering how best to implement this.
8. Pupils’ involvement in recruitment – To continue to include pupils in the recruitment process, which gives them a say in who will be responsible for their learning. Pupil input is sought in the form of desired qualities in teaching staff or through participation in interview questions and tasks.
9. Introduce a Culture of Peer Support – Opportunities for older pupils to support younger ones to create a sense of responsibility and solidarity.
10. Realistic Promises in a Structured, Sustainable Approach – We will set realistic expectations and follow through on commitments. We want the pupils to be confident speaking up, knowing their contributions can lead to real change. Pupil voice WILL NOT be a one-off event but a sustainable process integrated into the school’s culture.
Welcome, Mrs Critchley
ISA Swimming Stars
Congratulations to our brilliant ISA swimming competition winners, and thank you to Mr Southward for organising and supporting the children at the event. Mr Southward told me that the day was full of wonderful moments and that the swimmers thoroughly deserved their excellent achievements. For Elsie, James G, and Ruby, this was their first National final, and by how they performed, I can see them being regulars at future ISA finals: my admiration and congratulations to you all.
Results
Morning Session
- William S – 2nd in the Breaststroke and 1st in the Relay
- William D – 3rd in the Relay
- James D – 4th in the Relay
- Joshua – 4th in the Relay and 5th in the Backstroke.
- James G – 6th in the Breaststroke but lost his goggles at the start and was determined to finish.
Afternoon Session
- William S – 1st in the Butterfly and 1st in the Relay
- William D – 4th in the other medley and was unfortunate not to place top 3.
- James D – an incredible comeback with an outstanding individual performance.
- James G – 3rd in the Relay
- Ruby – 3rd in the Relay
- Elsie – 2nd in the Relay
PSHE Takes On A New Dimension
Mrs Turner’s dedication and innovative approach have significantly contributed to engaging our pupils in this vital area of their education. The new modules and activities have made the lessons more relevant and interesting – resonating with the pupils personally.
The words in italics below are Mrs Turner’s.
PSHE has been highly informative for our young people this term. Lower school have been learning about relationships and being good friends, including online, which is an important issue today. To mark anti–bullying week, we ran a very successful poster competition based on the themes of ‘Banter or Bullying?’ and ‘Make a noise About Bullying’ – encouraging pupils to speak up if they or someone else is being bullied. We had some magnificent entries, which are now displayed in the school. Also, we had Odd Socks Day to mark this week and express and celebrate our individuality.
Furthermore, we proudly announce that we became part of the Anti-Bullying Alliance, a national coalition of organisations united against bullying. We explored various topics in middle and upper school, from addiction to energy drinks to being ready for an interview. Once again, pupils have approached these topics with a mature outlook.
We held a very successful open evening for parents and carers, as my goal is to ensure transparency in everything we do in PSHE and look at how we can best support parents. In the new year, we have some exciting new initiatives. Firstly, we will install anonymous question boxes so pupils can receive support on matters they want to address in PSHE lessons. I’m most excited about launching The Space – an informal drop session for middle and upper school pupils. This will be a weekly space to support well-being with fun activities, mindfulness and time to chat.
Enrichment To Envy
I’d like to thank the Senior Management Team whose dedication and creativity have greatly enriched our school experience. With oversight from Ms Gregory, the team meticulously planned and executed a whirlwind of engaging activities and educational trips, topped off with Christmas festivities the envy of any school. Some activities are shown below (the words are from Ms Gregory).
Here Comes Santa
On Wednesday the 13th of December, Pre-School and Lower School enjoyed a visit from the main man himself – Father Christmas. After a chat with him and some last-minute present requests, we all settled down to watch the Polar Express. It’s not every day you get to wear your pyjamas to school!
Patient Care
Our Charity Ambassadors have been so busy this term helping people in the local community and as far afield as Kenya! This year’s Christmas appeal was to help the paediatrics ward at Whiston Hospital. Thanks to your kind donations, we delivered many gifts to the staff at Whiston Hospital, including pyjamas, puzzles, colouring books, and pens.
They were so happy and grateful for your generosity. They were amazed at the number of beautiful handmade cards the pupils of Tower College had made to cheer up their patients. With your kind contributions, we have also been able to fund ‘A Christmas Meal Appeal’ through African Adventures – ensuring that all 278 pupils at West End Academy in Nakuru will all have a Christmas Dinner this year—children whose families may otherwise struggle to feed them.
The impact you are all having on these children’s lives is immense. A huge heartful thank you and a Very Merry Christmas to our parents, family and friends from the Charity Ambassadors for your continued support and generosity throughout the school year. We can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store for us!
A Beautiful Gift
As part of the Twelve Days of Christmas, every pupil designed a Christmas card for the Charity Ambassadors to deliver to Whiston Hospital to help cheer up children and the elderly who may have to spend the festive period away from loved ones.
Best Form Photo
The annual ‘Best Form Photo’ and ‘Best Decorated Form Room’ were hotly contested as always. Congratulations to Mr Sweeney and 6S, ‘Best Form Photo’, and to Mr Leigh and 10L for winning ‘Best Decorated Form Room’. Both classes have a well-deserved treat coming their way in the New Year!
Temporary Absence
In case you missed the ParentMail that went out on Thursday… I will be undergoing routine surgery soon after Christmas, which will necessitate my absence from school from January 8th for approximately six weeks. I anticipate being able to work from home for part of my recovery, but I will need to take time off to focus on my recuperation.
Mrs. Wright will assume responsibility for certain aspects of my role during my absence. She is a valued team member, and I have every confidence in her and the Senior Management Team to maintain the usual high standards of teaching and support.
Should you need to address any complaints or raise any serious issues during this period, I would kindly ask that you direct them towards Mrs Wright (mrswright@towercollege.com). I will do my best to stay connected and liaise with her remotely, but she will be the primary point of contact in my absence.
Thank You!
Thank you, parents, for your unwavering support of the school and your children. As partners in your children’s education, your involvement is crucial for their success. We welcome and encourage your involvement and look forward to seeing you in school activities in 2024.
Thank you, staff, for a brilliant term, and I am thrilled to see that our efforts have truly paid off, with happy children thriving and engaging in a wide range of activities. Your ideas and initiatives implemented over the past few months (especially over the Christmas end-of-term events) have been exceptional.
As we celebrate this holiday season, let us take a moment to appreciate the warmth and joy of our community. May this Christmas bring you and your family peace, happiness, and a time to make cherished memories together.
Looking forward to the new year, we are excited about the opportunities and experiences that await us. We remain committed to nurturing and inspiring every child, helping them to achieve their full potential.
Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
The Best Christmas Present
It Doesn’t Get Any Better!
