Junior Girls Bulletin
Claires Court Maidenhead - from Nursery to Sixth Form
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Mr Spanswick's Words Summer 10
Mr Spanswick's Words Summer 10
Dear Parents and Guardians A shorter set of words from me this week, despite my beloved Liverpool FC winning the Premier League title (had to mention this somewhere!).
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Friday 10 JulySchool Term FinishesAll Day
Sites wide news
Sports kits - Hawkinsport shopping guide
With the challenges caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, things are unlikely to be normal with the social distancing measures all retailers have in place. Our partners Hawkinsport are planning so all pupils are able to get the necessary school wear well in advance of September, so we ask for your support to shop for school kit as early as possible.
 
Hawkinsport wishes to ensure you have the best shopping experience and at the same time look after the health of their customers and colleagues. Please see below their advice:
 
Shopping online: Please order online at www.hawkinsport.co.uk. A click and collect service is available to provide a safe and secure way to get your goods. 
 
Shopping in-store: There are two designated shopping days dedicated to Claires Court pupils – Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 July from 8.30am to 6.30pm and we request you book an appointment online or book to visit the store at your own convenience. 
 
Covid-19 guidelines:
  • Numbers of shoppers will be limited in-store
  • Please use the supplied hand gel as you enter the store
  • There will be limited handling of kit and uniform items
  • There will be limited use of changing facilities (we are currently allowing trying of shorts, skorts, trousers, jackets, but nothing over the head)
  • Please respect two metre social distancing using the markings shown on the floor
  • One person only; or one parent only with child where possible
  • Please pay by card and avoid cash
  • Footwear, if needed, then please make this known to Hawkinsport person managing queue as there is limited space in this area
  • Hawkinsport is currently unable to offer customer toilet facilities.
Details of the specific kit your child will require will be shared by each school division.
SPORTS FIXTURES AND RESULTS
Claires Court finish 5th in National eSailing CompetitionClaires Court finish 5th in National eSailing Competition

For the past eight weeks 33 school teams from across the country have competed in over 100 virtual matches and nearly 550 races, an initiative  organised by Head of Sailing Paul Robson along with the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association...
Leading by example as Sky News reports on Claires Court's safe and secure reopening amid coronavirus crisis

A spotlight shone brightly on Claires Court this week as Sky News crews descended on our Junior Boys and College Avenue sites to report on how the school has managed to reopen safely to the majority of our pupils. Claires Court was featured on Sky...
Leading by example as Sky News reports on Claires Court's safe and secure reopening amid coronavirus crisis
Divisional Updates
From Mrs Rogers, Head of Sixth Form
Mrs Rogers shares a short film clip with an update from Sixth Form this week. You can watch the full video here.

From the Senior School Heads, Mrs Heywood and Mr Wilding
 

This week we have been holding our breath awaiting the Department for Education (DfE) official announcement of the re-opening of schools in September. To be honest, the early distillation of the detail indicates our plans look spot on, with a specific focus on establishing form bases for most teaching, leaving some specific practical areas of art, design, drama, music, science and technologies available for bespoke practical work in those areas. We always knew we were going to have to wrap up warm for our PE and Sports this coming term, and our main sports halls are going to be incredibly useful as additional academic teaching areas.
 
Our Tuesday ‘natter’ slot for parents with children in Year 7, 8 and 9 was left solely to Mr Wilding to host, as the internet went down for two hours for Mrs Heywood. The summary notes and link to video of the event can be found here.
 
Our next Tuesday talk on 7 July is for parents and guardians with boys and girls in Year 10, 11 and 12, find here the MEET link. We have also decided to plan for some further MEET events on Tuesdays during the Summer holidays, so as and when public announcements on education arise, we can give opportunity to our community to find out directly how we are managing their impact upon provision in the autumn. 
 
This week, we have also been able to focus on our Year 11’s who have been kept busy since the 8 June taking part in various TIO1 courses which will support their future Sixth Form and A level choices. They have attended university lockdown lectures and been introduced to further ICT training skills to support them in their next stage of education, the courses have been a great success.
 
One of the more popular courses on offer has been our in-house Claires Court Playworker Programme and thank you to Mrs Ruddick who has put the programme together. This week, our first 10 Year 11 pupils have been working hard, learning skills which will equip them to apply for a playworker role at our highly reputable Claires Court Holiday Activities programme. Specialist staff from Claires Court have shared their knowledge across a variety of different topics which include a qualification in basic first aid and food allergy awareness. Graduates from the course have had the opportunity to learn more about the complexities of working with children and people and how to keep them safe, all alongside giving children in their care a great time and giving them the necessary support to learn new skills and make new friends. Next week we welcome the Year 13 cohort to the course and very much look forward to working with them.
 

 Other Senior faculty news
  • Year 10 pupils (girls and boys) to ensure they return library books loaned from the school library when they come back into school next week on their allocated day. 
  • Chromebook return - please use this form to book a one-hour slot to return your Chromebook on either Tuesday 14 or Wednesday 15 July (9.30-2.30pm) to the marquee in the car park at the Senior Boys site. Please note the site is closed to all parents on Monday 13 July due to the large number of staff that will be on site for INSET day. Please ensure you hand your chromebook to a member of staff to have it checked over and recorded as returned.  If you are returning textbooks 7-9 July and you also wish to return a chromebook then, please feel free to do so provided your child can still access google classroom and their pastoral classrooms for the remainder of term. All Chromebooks to be returned to school by close of play Wednesday 15 July at the latest. 
  • Years 7 to 9 return of textbooks to take place onTuesday 7, Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 July. Further details can be found in the forms below, please complete the form to book your slot. Please note, Library Books can be returned at this stage, but if you are still using them, please feel free to keep them over the summer.
  • Notice to Year 10 pupils: We are planning your first set of mock exams in Year 11 to commence from Monday 5 October to Thursday 15 October. Whilst it is too early to give you your mock timetable, your subject teachers will make available their advice for your revision programme via your subject Google Classroom and the ‘Hub’ by the end of term, and you will receive an update briefing in the last week of this summer term. 
  • Senior Boys Year 10 Science arrangements/requirements for the final week of term are as follows….
    • Tuesday 7 July 10A Biology - sampling fieldwork at Ray Mill Island, so please bring Biology books, hand sanitiser, sun cream, waterproof coat, plastic bag and money for an ice cream (once work is complete!)
    • Wednesday 8 July 10D Chemistry - text book, and clothes suitable for working in the labs without lab coats
    • Thursday 9 July 10C Physics - as well as in the labs, the boys will be outside in the playground, so waterproof clothing or sun cream may be required
Senior School (Boys and Girls) Summer Reading Challenge 2020
School may be closing soon, but public libraries are due to open! So take the KS3 Summer Reading Challenge! 
 
This year there will be two challenges:
  • House Challenge: a House Point prize for the House that reads the most words over the summer break
  • Individual Challenge: prizes for pupils who read and PASS an Accelerated Reader (AR) book quiz on at least THREE books between 11 July and 4 September
NB. The books must be inside your AR Reading Range (RR). Books with levels higher than your RR will be counted. Books with levels lower than your RR will NOT count. 
 
Accelerated Reader will be available for Years 7 to 9 to use every day, ALL summer long. Use AR Bookfinder to find a great book inside your Reading Range. Make sure you know your AR username and password before the end of term!

Need help finding perfect summer reads? Try the recommendations in the Year 7, 8 and 9 Library Services Classrooms. 
 
Year 10? We've not forgotten you! See the best summer reading recommendations for your age group in your Year 10 Library Services Classroom. 

From Mrs King, Acting Head of Junior Girls and Mr Richards, Head of Junior Boys

In both Junior divisions we often use the phrases,‘aim high’, ‘dream big’ or ‘reach for the sky’. Well on Wednesday we certainly enabled them to do so as SKY literally came to the children.

Whilst none of us are camera shy and we certainly had an extra think about our outfits and hair, it was interesting to note that a few cars had been cleaned and a few fringes had been trimmed and one or two extra special plaits had been twisted! The appearance of the school and grounds had also seen another polish and we must acknowledge and thank the incredible efforts of both Mr Bushell and Mr Turner as well as Mrs White and her housekeeping team for keeping everything ship shape.

We might have avoided the limelight and glare of the cameras but we were both delighted to welcome back someone who has been watching the unfolding dramas from maternity leave. I wonder if Sky’s arrival was preordained? Our team has been strengthened by Mrs Kirby, there are now four head teachers often on site who are all prepared to roll up their sleeves and do what needs to be done for the best of all our pupils.

Mrs Kirby’s first impression of our impressive operation was, 
“I’m back…! And it is genuinely nice to be back. Yes things are a little different (!) but only the logistical things. The same smiling faces have greeted me each morning, the familiar playtime games and the same buzz around the school is still here. Ok it is strange not being able to sit down in a classroom or be within two metres of each other but I am so pleased to see each and every person at Claires Court working hard, remaining positive during these challenging times and reminding me of why I love this school so much!” 

Well done everyone you have had another extremely successful week. Our tv critique would probably read, calm, organised, welcoming, friendly, achieving and up for a challenge. Those words resonate strongly throughout Claires Court. Congratulations to our children, colleagues and parents all for always giving your best.

Let’s have a really great last week.

If I haven’t seen you in the mornings or at drop off, I hope to see you very soon. I am very much looking forward to our end of year celebrations next week, albeit they will be a little different. Having said that, we will do our utmost to make them special. 

Other Junior faculty news
  • If your son or daughter is interested in receiving individual chess tuition as from September please see here to complete a form.
  • If your son or daughter is unable to attend lessons due to illness or ‘absence’, please contact the school office via:
Junior Girls: girls@clairescourt.com or leave a voicemail message on 01628 327500 before 9.30am
Junior Boys: Juniorboys@clairescourt.com or leave a voicemail message on 01628 327400 before 9.30am.


From Mrs Wilding, Head of Nursery
As I come into the office to write a few words I have left the children all dancing in their outdoor classrooms to the sounds of “Uptown Funk” and other lively pop songs and having enormous fun. Fortunately before lockdown the PTA had provided our department with a small wireless speaker so Mrs Freeman has used her Nursery playlist and all the classes have been joining in - a great end to another hugely successful week. Yes we have got a little damp again but being outside seems to be keeping all the usual little bugs at bay and the Nursery attendance has been remarkably good. Fingers tightly crossed that it continues this way for our final week. Nursery staff have now been back for five full weeks and none of us know where that time has gone which shows how much fun we have all had being back.

The home learning for next week is minibeasts and the letters x and y for the Transition aged children and holiday preparations, the number 10, the letter s and all the colours for the three year olds (it’s a holiday from getting this home learning being sent for you to adapt as you see fit!).

Reading Mr Spanswick’s words concerning high risk lockdown areas for Covid-19 brings my words to a close today: PLEASE STAY SAFE whilst enjoying your weekend.

My very best wishes as always

Other Nursery faculty news
  • You may continue to contact the Nursery School Office on nursery@clairescourt.com or you can leave a voicemail on 01628 327500.
READ OUR PRINCIPAL'S BLOG
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MORE SNAPS OF THIS WEEK IN SCHOOL
1 College Avenue, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 6AW
Tel: 01628 327500     Email: juniorgirls@clairescourt.com

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