Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Executive Principal, Alastair O'Connor and the Senior Leadership Team
Thank you to staff, students, Governors and parents for all your support this term.
Our Coffee Morning, hosted by the SEND Faculty, was a great success on Thursday 12th December. A big thank you to staff and in particular the students for their baking, hosting and a recital of 'Twas the Night before Christmas'. The Choir also performed for parents.
Our Christmas Dinner on Tuesday 17th December was very festive. Staff were on hand to serve the students their Christmas dinner and everyone took part in 'Twelve Days of Christmas'. Thank you to Mrs Jamieson and Caterlink for a wonderful meal and to Mrs Hall and the Premises Team for setting up the hall.
Information and photographs from our other Christmas events will follow in the next Newsletter.
REMEMBRANCE SERVICE
On Monday 11th November, Armistice Day, staff and students from Charnwood College held a Remembrance Service.
Wreaths were laid by representatives from each year group and the last post was played by Harry in Year 12. The poem ' Still here in Flanders' by Chris Ross was read out by student leaders and Mrs Rowe led the service.
Homework Success and Innovations
We have been incredibly impressed with our students’ positive attitude towards homework this term. They clearly understand how homework supports their learning in school and have shown eagerness to overcome any challenges they’ve encountered, whether with Bromcom or the specific platforms we use. As a result, homework completion rates across the school are exceptionally high, and we couldn’t be prouder.
To celebrate this success, we share class homework achievements in the weekly student bulletin, giving students well-deserved recognition for their efforts.
Sparx Maths
Our students have made remarkable progress using Sparx Maths for their personalised maths homework. So far this year, they’ve dedicated 4,082 hours to their learning and correctly answered over 352,000 questions! These efforts placed us second in the David Ross Education Trust (DRET) Sparx Maths League table this term. While we’re proud of this accomplishment, we’re determined to aim for first place!
Seneca Learning
For science homework, we rely on Seneca Learning, where our students have consistently excelled. Since the start of term, we’ve ranked first in the DRET league table every single week. Beyond this, we’ve also led the regional schools, often achieving more than twice the points of the second-place school. So far, our students have completed nearly 2,555 hours of study on this platform—a phenomenal achievement!
Introducing Sparx Reader
We’re excited to announce that our school has been selected to trial Sparx Reader for Key Stage 3 English homework. This innovative programme promotes reading for pleasure by providing students with a curated selection of books tailored to their reading age. Students carefully read the texts online and answer comprehension questions as they progress through each book.
We introduced Sparx Reader in an assembly and followed up with an online reading assessment during English lessons. This assessment helps the programme assign books suitable for each student’s reading level. We’re excited to see how this initiative will impact both reading enjoyment and proficiency over time.
Homework Support
To help all students succeed, we offer a dedicated homework club every Monday to Wednesday after school in our computer room, E9. This club is fully supported by our fantastic team of Teaching Assistants and provides a quiet, focused environment where students can complete their homework before leaving school. All year groups are welcome to use the computers and seek support as needed.
If your child is still struggling to access homework or use the Bromcom student portal, they can visit Mrs Arrowsmith or Mr Rama, who will assist them in getting online as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your continued support in encouraging your children to engage with their homework and these fantastic learning tools!
An Inspector Calls
The wonderful staff at Charnwood College gave a performance of a lifetime when they took on the characters of An Inspector Calls to support the students with their GCSE English Literature.
Miss Gardner asked for help to support her project and she was overwhelmed with the number of volunteers she received.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the performance.
Miss Gardner would like to thank all the staff who supported with costumes, props, sound and lighting and stage management.
HUMANITIES FACULTY UPDATE
YEAR 11 TRIP TO HARDWICK HALL
As part of their Elizabethan Period study, students have to complete a depth study on a location that changes every year. This year, that depth study is Hardwick Hall.
On the 18th of November, the Year 11 History students were given the chance to visit and were given tasks such as questions, hunting for features and finding out information not taught in lessons.
A LEVEL GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP
On the 18th of October two Year 13 students from Charnwood College and students from Skegness Grammar School attended a field visit to Birmingham city centre. This was to enhance their knowledge about the city and to help develop fieldwork skills and greater understanding of the development of urban areas.
Louise in Year 13 at Charnwood College wrote the following report.
During the visit we spent the first half in Birmingham Council Offices and met with Councillor Yip. He showed us around the Birmingham Council Chambers while explaining its importance as a decision making space for the city. After this we had the opportunity to work with the City Planning Team where we asked questions about the past, present and future plans for the city, as well as learning how the planning team works with local neighbourhoods to create their own sustainable plans.
The second part of the visit took us on a walking tour around the city. We visited areas of growth and development. We initially visited Birmingham Library which gave us an aerial view of the changes over the cityscape. We also visited the Gas Street Basin, showing regeneration of the canals; Grand Central; Chamberlain Square; The Bullring Shopping Centre. Areas of the city which were once ‘grey’ and industrial are now ‘buzzing’ and vibrant civic spaces with bars and restaurants attracting young professionals, students and businesses like PwC, HSBC and Barclays.
This was beneficial to us as it allowed us to understand the theory we learn in class and apply it to real spaces and places. We could compare Birmingham to other UK cities and their response to similar deindustrialisation and decentralisation. It was particularly useful to me as it supported my investigation into the legacy of Commonwealth Games in Glasgow by reviewing Birmingham's Commonwealth legacy.
Curriculum and Timetable Update
We are excited to share that we are working on updates to our curriculum and timetable in preparation for the next academic year. These changes will include moving to a 30-period week, with lessons lasting 50 minutes and six lessons each day. This new structure will enable us to enhance our core provision at Key Stage 4, improving outcomes in English and maths while expanding opportunities for students to study separate sciences.
At Key Stage 3, we remain committed to offering a broad and balanced curriculum. We will continue our enrichment programme, ensuring students have the chance to explore a variety of activities and subjects beyond the standard curriculum, broadening their horizons and sparking new interests.
The final version of the proposed curriculum is still being carefully refined to ensure it supports both academic excellence and the holistic development of our students. After the Christmas break, we will share the new curriculum plan with parents and carers. For our current Year 9 students, we will also present the full range of GCSE options to help them make informed choices as they begin their Key Stage 4 journey.
We are confident that these curriculum and timetable updates will provide our students with the tools they need for greater success while nurturing their interests and aspirations.
competition winners
SENIOR MATHS CHALLENGE
The Senior Maths Challenge is an annual competition open to students from colleges and schools across the UK. This year, 650,000 pupils from 4,500 schools and colleges took part in the three individual challenges, which make up the UK's biggest national maths competition. The Challenge is a multiple-choice quiz that takes 90 minutes in class.
Charnwood College achieved six bronze, two silver and one gold, with Bronwyn achieving the best in year 13 (Silver) and Miles achieving the best in year 12 and the school overall.
SPELLING BEE
November saw the annual science house competition, the science spelling bee!! All tutor groups were asked to select five students to represent them in the competition and double points were available for those brave enough to spell their words in front of the other students. All year groups were absolutely brilliant with some tutor groups achieving maximum points for all of their contenders.
With words ranging from temperature to deoxyribonucleic acid our students showed how fantastic they are. Results were announced and prizes were given with Venture showing they are the science spelling bee champions for 2024!!
HALLOWEEN COSTUME DESIGN
Over 50 students entered the Charnwood College Halloween costume design competition in October and entries were of a high standard with great spooktacular creativity!
They were independently judged by a group of De Montfort University 1st year Fashion design students and were judged on originality and creativity of the theme.
The winner of the competition was Charlotte in 8T3 with 2nd place going to Rose in 7T2 and third Holly in 9T2. Congratulations to Charlotte.
FOOD BANK POSTERS - YEAR 8
A huge thank you to Aishwarya and Emily-Rose from 8T4 for their amazing food bank posters!! Here they are with their prizes from Miss Littlewood.
ART/DESIGNER OF THE MONTH
The winner of this month's Artist/Designer of the Month is Piper in Year 10 . Piper's work is displayed below.
Celebrations this Term in Sport
The Sports Team have had amazing success this term and here are a few of the teams involved.
A copy of the Term 2 Sports Newsletter can be found on our website.
We are also delighted that Charnwood College won the Rowvember Challenge across all the secondary academies in the Trust thank you to the hard work and dedication of Miss Rider, Mr Strange and all the Sports Team.
Congratulations to the U13s Girls Table Tennis Team who came second in the tournament on October 30th.
The U13s Rugby Team had an amazing day at Northampton Saints Rugby Club. They had a tour of the Cinch Stadium
Congratulations to our U16s Table Tennis team who came second.
Well done to our U15s and U13s Netball teams who came 1st and 2nd respectively.
Congratulations to our Year 8 Boys Basketball Team and Year 7 Boys Basketball Team who came 1st and 3rd in a tournament in November.
We are very proud of our DRET All Stars Netball players. Charlotte received the Player of the Match Award and Amelia who was the Coach's Player of the Match. Congratulations!
Congratulations to our Year 10 Boys and Year 11 Boys basketball teams who came first in their tournaments.
We also became U13s Sportshall Athletic Champions on the 20th November - congratulations to the team.
Well done to our Year 7 Girls Basketball team who played for the first time in November.
Congratulations to the U8 Girls Basketball team who came first and are now through to the county finals.
We are really proud of our All Star Rugby students.
Our Year 9 Girls Basketball team also came first in a recent tournament. Well done.
Science News
At the end of October our Year 7 students took part in POP 24.
This was a series of workshops all around the theme of protecting our planet.
Students had the opportunity to hear from experts across the world on a variety of topics including biodiversity and protecting our polar ice caps. They were able to ask questions and have them answered by leaders in their field. Whilst this fits in with our ecology and chemistry of the atmosphere topics it was also a great way to see how what we do can have a massive impact on the world around us.
Developing Oracy Skills
At Charnwood College, we are committed to helping students build their oracy skills, both in lessons and during special events where they may speak in front of an audience. Our goal is to develop confident individuals who can express themselves clearly, articulate their opinions, and justify their answers when called upon.
In lessons, we encourage students to enhance their responses through our core LEARN principle: ‘Respond like a Scholar’. This approach emphasises using key vocabulary accurately and speaking in full sentences, fostering a culture of thoughtful and articulate communication.
To further support the development of oracy skills, we are integrating targeted strategies within lessons and tutor times. One such initiative is ‘Talk 5’, a five-minute discussion activity linked to the weekly assembly themes. This provides students with regular opportunities to engage in structured, meaningful dialogue and refine their verbal communication skills.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
Congratulations to Amy in Year 10 who has attended two GB Archery Boot Camps this term. A typical Boot camp involves a lot of shooting, technical developments, workshop talks and Sports Science Studies.
Amy is also training 5 times a week on her technique. This will typically be around a 1000 arrows a week.
Arran in Year 7 raced in the National Schools Ski Racing Outdoor Championships on the 23rd November at Swadlincote. Arran did manage to record a personal best and will be competing in other races over the coming months. Well done to Arran.
Well done to Lily in Year 8 for achieving second place in the Leicestershire Badminton Association U14 girls singles on the 8th December. Lily faced some tough opponents but managed to win all her matches in the heats and the semi-final, and only just missed out in the final!
We are very proud of Katie in Year 9 who is taking part in this year's pantomime at the Town Hall, Loughborough in the chorus. Our singing teacher, Cara, is also in the pantomime and is playing the Wicked Witch.
On Friday 6th December one of our students competed in the Future Chef Competition.
Alice, who is in Year 9 at Charnwood College, has attended these courses many times and jumped straight in to the competition. She had one hour to produce two main course dishes with the criteria of home cooking, she produced Shasuka, cumin rice and a feta flatbread.
Although she didn’t make it through to the national heat, we have our fingers crossed she will get through on the wild card. Well done Alice!!!
We appreciate that this time of year can be challenging for families.
Mrs Mortimer is always on hand for the students to have a quiet space for a chat.
During the last few weeks of term the Year 8s have collected items for the Foodbank.
Donations will be made to the Loughborough Area Foodbank based at Gorse Covert - see link below.
Assessment Update
This term, students have completed assessments across most of their subjects. For Year 11 and Year 13 students, these assessments took place in the exams hall or smaller rooms, allowing them to become familiar with the formal process they will encounter during the summer’s external examinations.
We were very impressed with the conduct and attitudes of our students, who approached these assessments with focus and seriousness. However, we would like to remind all students of the importance of bringing the correct equipment to each exam. This ensures they are fully prepared and able to perform their best.
Students must bring the following items to every exam:
- A clear, plain pencil case
- Two black pens
- Two pencils
- A 30 cm ruler
- A calculator they are familiar with using
- A protractor
- For some exams a highlighter may be useful
All assessments have now been marked, and the results are available in the progress reports uploaded to MCAS. These reports will give you a clear overview of your child’s progress this year.
STAFF NEWS
Congratulations to Mrs Farmer who gave birth to a baby boy Zachary. We wish Mrs Farmer and all the family well.
Well done to Mrs Arrowsmith and Mrs Bishop who passed their NPQH Qualification last week.
On the 5th November a panel of six students interviewed the new Interim Director of Secondary Education, Steve West.
The students asked Steve about his interests and hobbies and he revealed his passion for American Football.
Steve completed a chemistry degree at University but was inspired by his Uncle to chose a career in teaching maths.
He thought that the sports offer in the David Ross Education Trust is amazing and would like to see more participation around STEM and partnerships with local universities.
Steve is based at the Head Office on Tuesdays and will be a regular visitor to Charnwood College.
Dates for the diary
- Monday January 6th - Teacher Training Day.
- Tuesday January 7th - Students return.
- Tuesday January 7th - National Youth Orchestra music trip to Albert Hall Nottingham.
- Wednesday 15th January - Year 11 Parents' Evening.
- Wednesday 29th January - Year 9 Parents' Evening.
- Wednesday 5th February - Recital Evening at Loughborough Grammar School.
- Wednesday 12th February - Supporting Your Child through GCSE evening - more details to follow.
- Wednesday 12th February - Recital Evening at Loughborough Grammar School.
Follow us on @CharnwoodCol
Safeguarding during the Christmas Break
When the Academy is closed there is always someone who can help you.
If you are concerned that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer significant harm, you should contact your local authority safeguarding partnership directly.
Please go to our website www.charnwoodcollege.org for the relevant contact information if you have any welfare concerns.
In an emergency, call 999.
For any other queries, please contact us via cip@dret.co.uk.
If you have a general enquiry during the Christmas break please contact the office on office@charnwoodcollege.org There is limited access so it may take a few days to respond.
Credits:
Created with images by OSORIOartist - "Glass Christmas ball on green Christmas tree" • fuzzbones - "Homework text on green board" • Maryna - "Background with simple pencils and the inscription back to school." • Anna Efetova - "Three golden winner cups with confetti on a purple background. Flat lay style. Competitions concept." • Tawanboonnak - "science research concept,Dropping chemical liquid to test tube," • Vitalii Vodolazskyi - "Never stop learning sign on the colorful books." • deeaf - "You are amazing text" • netrun78 - "Mental health matters motivational quote on the letter board. Inspiration psycological text" • AntonioDiaz - "Taking a test in high school" • Matias - "Congratulations banner with confetti. Vector illustration flat design" • Liudmyla - "'Save the date' words on a modern board on a white wooden background, top view. Overhead, from above, flat lay. Close-up."