Noadswood News

Events coming up

28th April                       Oliver (Jnr) Production 29th April                       Oliver (Jnr) Production 30th April                       Oliver (Jnr) Production 1st May                           Wear Something Different Day 4th May                          Bank Holiday – School closed 5th May                          Inset Day School -closed to students (except those taking exams)

Message from the Leadership Team

Dear Noadswood families,   Excited is the word about our forthcoming production week next week – I can’t wait to see lots of you for our very special Oliver (Jnr) show. Everyone, students and adults alike, have worked so hard and shown so much determination as well as talent, and I am so thankful. I will be there for the afternoon show for our primary school friends on Monday and then again on Wednesday evening. We would like to extend our thanks, as usual, to all the families who joined us for the Year 10 subject event. Your engagement and support make a meaningful difference, and all the staff and your children are grateful for your partnership. Our thanks also go this week to the History team and the other staff who accompanied Year 11 on our annual very special trip to Longford Castle. This remarkable Elizabethan house, built in the late 16th century in a rare triangular design, provided students with a fascinating insight into Britain’s past and brought their learning vividly to life. We feel very proud that it was said that the Noadswood visit is one of the highlights of their year at Longford. Amongst my other highlights comes what a pleasure it was to be out on duty on the field on Wednesday lunchtime. I am usually in a very different zone of the school for my daily lunch duty, but on Wednesday we shuffled the pack, as it were. It showed me that when everyone pulls together and keeps a good sense of self control, the lunch break is both relaxed and fun. We will keep reinforcing good, safe expectations, but it's great to see how our students do know how to get this right. Year 11 students get another shout out this week as they continue their preparations for the upcoming examinations. Such a crucial period, and we are proud of the focus and determination they are showing. We hope they can continue to find the perseverance for structured revision, regular retrieval practice, as well as maintaining a healthy balance between study and rest. Thank you for how you all support students by encouraging consistent routines, helping there to be a quiet space for study, and promoting their wellbeing alongside their work. Please note that a small number of students will have a GCSE exam on our INSET day on Tuesday 5th May. Students involved should come in for their exam, follow our usual exam processes and leave after their exam is concluded. Thank you, as always, for your continued support, partnership and challenge with all matters throughout the school week. Best wishes,   Kathryn Marshall and the Noadswood Leadership Team

Year 11 Final Revision Programme

Just a reminder that we have our final after school revision sessions running this term for Year 11. Please see this link. It is also available on the school website. KS4 Revision Plan Summer 2026

Safeguarding Reminders:

Last week, we shared with you some general guidance around vaping; we are also going to be sharing some information with students in due course about some specific dangers relating to THC type vapes. Below is the message that we will be sharing. We would encourage parents and carers to have open and honest conversations around the general risks and harms of vaping, including around THC labelled vapes and the dangers of not being able to tell what these vapes contain.

Mental Health Support from CAMHS

Hampshire CAMHS is offering a range of free events, training days, and information sessions designed to support young people’s mental health, as well as to equip parents, carers, and professionals with practical strategies and advice.   These events are open to families across Hampshire and cover a variety of topics including anxiety, low mood, trauma, neurodiversity, parent wellbeing and more. Sessions are facilitated by CAMHS clinicians and partner organisations.   Upcoming CAMHS Events Information & Advice Sessions in Winchester:   Free drop‑in opportunities for parents/carers, young people and professionals to speak directly with CAMHS clinicians, ask questions and access resources.    6th May 2026 3rd June 2026 1st July 2026     P.A.C.E. (Parent and Carer Events): Free events aimed at helping families understand the needs and challenges young people may face and how best to support them:   8th May 2026 – Lyndhurst 25th June 2026 – Andover     Parent & Carer Training Day – Chandler’s Ford 15 May 2026   A full day of learning focusing on understanding parental emotional needs while supporting a young person’s mental health (topics include guilt, responsibility and acceptance.)     Full details and booking links are available on the CAMHS events page: https://hampshirecamhs.nhs.uk/events

Sparx Reader

As we embed our Sparx Reader homework for Key Stage 3 students, here are some hints, tips and reminders to help support your child with using the platform. What to do:

1. Log in to Sparx Reader using the ‘sign into Microsoft’ option.
2. Open the assigned reading task.
3. Students must earn 300 SRP (Sparx Reader Points) to complete the homework.

  Important:

• Take your time. If students rush, they are more likely to get questions wrong, which means the platform will ask them to redo the questions and it will take longer overall.
• Encourage reading each section properly before answering. The system is designed to check understanding, not just speed.
• Students are still encouraged to read books for enjoyment in their own time; this has not been introduced to replace reading for pleasure, rather to work in addition to normal reading routines. Sparx is being trialled to support accurate reading and enable swift intervention from our Literacy and English department.

  Why are we doing this? Sparx Reader is set up to match reading levels, so the texts are not too easy or too hard. It also checks that students really understand what they are reading, which is one of the most important skills for all subjects. The more they read and understand, the easier their work becomes across the curriculum. Think of it like training for the brain. The more students practise reading carefully, the stronger comprehension becomes. This will help in exams, but also in real life when they will need to understand information quickly and accurately. Our rationale: We are using Sparx Reader to help students become more confident and independent readers. Strong reading skills will improve writing, analysis and overall progress in English and beyond. If your child is unable to complete Sparx Reader at home, they can attend M18 after school every Tuesday at our Sparx Reader Catchup session. Alternatively, they may use the Library during break, lunch or at Homework Club after school.

Student Voice

Our last Wear Something Different Day for this academic year will be held on Friday 1st May. For those parents who did not pay a contribution for the year, Arbor is now open for you to make a £1.00 contribution. All monies raised from these events are used to help support projects around the school that student voice reps bring to the group from members of their tutor groups.   We now have a lovely extended cycle shelter which holds up to 120 bikes that are always locked away during the school day. The shelter is always locked again at the end of the day so that any bikes left in there are safely stored overnight. We do encourage all bike users to lock their bikes up and to make sure they wear a helmet. There are signs on the bike shelter itself letting students know which doors to use at the start and end of the day to make movement easier and safe for all.   During May half term, Bikeability will be providing Level 2 and Level 3 training for Years 7 and 8. A letter has already been emailed out for parents and carers to click on the link to register their child’s interest. A member of the Bikeability team will get back to you. If they are oversubscribed, Bikeability will try to accommodate extra dates in the summer holidays. All lessons will operate at Noadswood to start with before going out on the roads.   Here are the links in case you missed the letter.   Level 2 Tuesday 26th May from 9.00am – 12.00pm. Fully funded for children who missed Level 2 at primary school. https://consent.bikeability.org.uk/bulk-hero-sub  Level 3 Tuesday 26th May from 12.45pm – 3.45pm. There will be a charge of £10 which is subsidised for children who have completed Level 2 already. https://consent.bikeability.org.uk/nose-shut-bin