Events Coming Up
30th Art Day – Marchwood Junior School
JULY
1st Wimbledon Trip
1st Year 11 Prom
1st Art Day – Blackfield Primary
2nd Art Day – Blackfield Primary
3rd Moving Up Day
4th Moving Up Day
6th -11th Year 7 Bude Trip
7th -11th Activities Week
8th Year 9 Paultons Park Trip
9th Year 8 Paultons Park Trip
10th Year 7 Marwell Zoo Trip
7th -11th Year 10 work experience
7th -11th Year 9 France Trip
Message from the Leadership Team
Dear Noadswood families,
You know we write this most weeks, but what another action-packed week this has been! We thank our staff and students for participating so brilliantly in all of the enrichment we have on offer, and you’ll read more about upcoming events in the pipeline too!
Year 8 made us proud this week at Chalke Valley History Festival! Noadswood took 44 of its keenest history students to experience talks from Historians and to experience many of the different tents showing life from different periods of History. We learnt about World War Two, Gladiators, The Wars of the Roses, Civil War Weaponry and watched some Jousting! Our guides complimented our students for their impeccable behaviour, genuine interest in the talks and fantastic attitude throughout the day. Huge well done to Year 8! Thank you to Miss Ebblewhite, Mr D’Arcy, Mrs Lavetiviti, Mr Britton and Mr Middleditch for all of their hard work.
Two further highlights of my week have been our ‘Moving Up’ Evening, and our Arts Days with Year 5s. The ‘Moving Up’ Evening is a fave because I really enjoy welcoming the next generation of Noadswood students, and their parents and carers, to the five-year adventure ahead. Adventures, by definition, aren’t always easy, but they are very much worth undertaking, and I am looking forward so much to it all. I also love that evening because of the student speakers Mr Hewitt and I get to work alongside. They always prepare exactly what they want to say, and speak from the heart, which we hope is reassuring to families – getting to know the ‘real us’.
The Arts Days are full of vibrancy, and give a flavour of curriculum and fun at secondary school, whichever one the Y5s go on to choose, right across our Creative and Performing Arts teams. The sounds and sights of their work have been lovely so far! Big thanks to our local primaries and all my colleagues who facilitate all of this, plus the students here at Noadswood who help coach, guide and support it all. Great leaders, they are.
Careers
On Tuesday 24th June, Year 10 students attended the Brockenhurst College Taster Day. The students received a welcome talk before splitting into groups. They then explored the different courses that the college offers as well as the wider campus. They were also lucky enough to hear from some of the college staff and a student panel and to be able to put their questions to them about college life. The students represented Noadswood brilliantly and made the most of this fantastic event.
Staying with Year 10 and all things Careers: the Year 10 students will soon be completing their work experience placements the week commencing, Monday 7th July. Today, students have had an assembly about what to expect whilst on their placement and they were reminded of any information they need to know. Next week, a pre-placement survey will be set on Frog for them to complete.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about work experience, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Careers Advisor, Gordon Lewis, at glewis@noadswood.hants.sch.uk or our Careers Lead, Miss Clews, at jclews@noadswood.hants.sch.uk. We would like to thank both of them for their phenomenal hard work on our Careers provision – we genuinely consider ourselves very fortunate indeed!
Calling all parents and carers and friends: Do you work for a business or organisation that would like to have a stand at the annual careers fair held in September each year? Would you or a colleague be willing to assist us at the mock interview event next spring? Also, Noadswood is always looking for new work experience opportunities for Year 10 in readiness for July 2026. If you can provide any support, please email jclews@noadswood.hants.sch.uk
Rwanda 2025 – the Adventure Begins!
As you are reading this, our 13 intrepid Year 10 students will be waking up on their first day in the beautiful western flank region of the East African Rift Valley, with the genuinely inspirational Dr Shaw, Mr Pike and Mr Giles.
After a year in the planning, that I have been privileged to be party to throughout, the team arrived in Rwanda in the early hours of Friday morning after an 8 ½ hour night flight. Their first stop will be to an educational nature reserve, home to rescued Crowned Cranes, renowned as the stunning national bird of Rwanda. There are reportedly 120 different species of birds in the nature reserve alone – binoculars will be at the ready! Our group includes several keen photographers, with Cameron T and Evan J looking to develop their SLR skills under the dusty African sun. They will be meeting up with St Andrews parish partners in the Dibden link parish Maranyundo, and will being getting their hands dirty helping with the building of a new school admin building. They will have a chance to meet local school students, and present sports and educational equipment to the link parish school. We all wish to thank all those involved in fundraising through our very own brilliant March Fair and the St Andrews gift day.
We can’t wait to tell you all about their adventures and continue to build and extend friendships when they return.
With our thanks, too, to Hythe & Dibden YFC for the donation of the football kit, balls and training equipment.
Cycle to School week – Winners
Here are the winners of our Cycle to School week along with the students in each house who cycled the greatest distance every day to and from school. Last week was a huge success with both Orchard Infants and Junior school seeing more students scoot to school.
Save the Date
We have an exciting opportunity for current Year 8 pupils to go to Williams F1 Racing Centre in Oxford in October! They will show us around the Centre, experience the car simulators and give a deeper understanding into the science behind the racing. If your child is interested in attending, please complete the Expression of Interest on Arbor by 4th July!
Student Voice Group – Wear Something Different Day survey
The group are wanting to know the views of all students on the Wear Something Different Days that we have run throughout this year. For those students who have not yet given us their views, they can click on this link: Wear Something Different Day
The answers given will determine if we continue to run these into the next academic year to help raise funds for projects around the school.
Awesome Alumni
Since my first day at infant school, I had aspired to become a teacher. Therefore, I was very excited, after studying for my BA (QTS) at Canterbury Christ Church University College, to become a primary school teacher.
I have enjoyed a 20-year career in primary education and have relished the many opportunities that have presented themselves along the way! Throughout my career, I have been committed to providing a stimulating, creative and challenging curriculum in which every child is able to succeed; I feel strongly that it is of the utmost importance that all children benefit from learning in an environment that enables them to strive for excellence and offers them the opportunity to develop the skills they need to realise their potential and achieve their aspirations. Throughout my career, I have held different senior roles, which have enabled me to widen my experience and expertise, including working as an 'Improvement Champion;' an assessor for spoken English; a 'Specialist Lead for Education,' in which I supported other schools in making progress and working with the University of Winchester as a lead for ‘Creativity and Curriculum.’ This role enabled me to develop a curriculum to enable every child to deepen both substantive and disciplinary knowledge through innovative, exciting learning opportunities.
I have a passion for organising and delivering opportunities that develop pupil confidence, enabling them to apply their learned skills to real contexts. For instance, I worked to support English and oracy skills through a ‘Primary Reporter’ initiative. This gave the children the chance to report on local attractions and interview people working within different roles. I have also organised opportunities for children to speak at county conferences and at community events.
I am privileged to be a member of the Hampshire history steering group and enjoy working on the primary committee of the Historical Association through which I have had the enviable opportunity of running networks, conferences and training opportunities across the country. In 2024, I was awarded a History Fellowship for the HA in recognition of services to Primary History Education
Throughout my career, one of the things I have loved most is coaching teachers at different stages of their careers. Therefore, in September 2024, I was excited to take the role of 'Programmes Lead' for HISP Teaching School Hub. Working for HISP Teaching School Hub is a dream come true. My role is really varied, working with ECTs, mentors and teachers taking their NPQs. I have also enjoyed the opportunity to work as the Primary School facilitator for Initial Teacher Training (ITT). I have always been an advocate for the importance of continuous professional development, seeking opportunities to develop my own knowledge and expertise, including undertaking a National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership (NPQSL). The work undertaken by HISP Teaching School Hub is underpinned by educational research and I feel very privileged to be working in a position that enables me to support others in having a rich, fulfilling and successful career in education.
Thinking of my school days at Noadswood, it is the relationships formed there that I look back at with fondness. I feel very fortunate to have been taught by some inspiring teachers. Mr Moore had an interest for his subject that was contagious and was the teacher that inspired me to take A Level history. Ultimately, this has led to so many opportunities throughout my career. Miss Tolchard had a huge impact on me. She was the teacher that I aspired to be - kind, supportive and passionate about education. I remember her devoting her own time to teaching us clumsy students dancing skills; she must have had the patience of a saint! Finally, the teacher that has had the most influence on me was Mr Miles. I still quote him regularly when delivering training and share the many things he taught me - an amazing man!