1. Dates for diaries
Mon 26th Sept: Open Morning (Y6 students/parents)
Wed 28th Sept: Meeting 1: College; Meeting 2: HoF/HoY
Tues 4th Oct: Year 7/8 Open Morning
Wed 5th Oct: Meeting 1: Dept (T&L); Meeting 2: Dept
2. Reports/APs
None
3. Head of English vacancy
The Head of English job is now being advertised: http://www.cheney.oxon.sch.uk/Head-of-English-Faculty
The school would welcome any internal and external applications.
4. Open Morning
Year 6 students/parents will be in school today so be aware that you may have guests popping into your room. If there is a particular class you would rather was left alone, please leave your door closed and leave a 'Do Not Disturb' sign.
5. Performance Management
Please make sure all PM review/Target Setting documents are signed, scanned and emailed to HR and to JKY.
6. Working as an examiner
If anyone is considering being an examiner in the summer, we would love to support that: the benefits to you personally and us as a department in terms of understanding the new exam would be invaluable. In light of this, the school is prepared to offer an extra £200 on top of the money paid by the exam board as well as 1/2 days off (TBC). If anyone is interested, please see JKY.
Sunday, 25 September 2016
Sunday, 18 September 2016
Bulletin - 19.9.16
1. Dates for diaries
Wed 21st Sept: European Day of Languages (see MFL note on Staff/Student News)
Thur 22nd Sept: Open Evening (students go home at the end of P4)
Fri 23rd Sept: INSET Day: Performance Management
Fri 23rd Sept, 9:30-14:30: Year 12 Final Cut Pro training day, Mac Suite
Mon 26th Sept: Open Morning (Y6 students/parents)
Wed 28th Sept: Meeting 1: College; Meeting 2: HoF/HoY
2. Reports/APs
None
3. RFL Team
The RFL (Respect for Learning) Team would like to incorporate members from across all departments. If you would like to be involved in shaping the schools RFL policy, please can you email Judy Gleen (jgl@cheney.oxon.sch.uk) and she will furnish you with all the relevant details. They are looking for people with a range of experience and from a range of backgrounds so if you've come from a different school (that might have some useful insights for us) or are new to teaching but have some great ideas and are enthusiastic about getting involved, they'd love to hear from you.
4. Macbeth DVDs
Copies of the new Macbeth DVD (Michael Fassbender/Marion Cotillard) are in the dept office. I had a look this weekend: it's a brilliant film but I'm not sure it's the most useful in terms of helping the students understand the plot of the film. Some of the interpretations they bring out are very interesting but there is a danger that students, certainly weaker students, might take them too literally. It's also quite abridged. Have a look and see for yourselves. We still have the Polanski version on ClickView, as well as the Patrick Stewart version, which is very good.
5. Open Evening
Please meet in C5 after lunch on Thursday, that gives us an hour or so to set up the room. At that point, people are free to do as they please until 6:30 at which point parents will arrive and will be in school until 8:30. As I said in my email, we can split into two teams so people can at least go upstairs and get on with some work for one of the two hours.
Phoebe and I will be on duty the whole time, the rest of you can divide up as follows:
6. Performance Management
PM reviews and target setting will take place on the INSET day on Friday. Please see my email for detailed information but existing staff will need to review their targets from last year and set targets for this year. New staff will only need to set targets for this year.
In both cases, two of the three targets are pre-defined (one whole-school, one departmental), the last is your own personal T&L target. If you have any questions, please come and see me.
7. Year 7 Accelerated Reader rooms
Thanks to those Year 7 teachers who have let me know if they want to have their AR reading lessons in the library or their normal teaching rooms. If you haven't let me know yet, please do so asap so that I can let the timetable team know when to book the library and when classrooms are free.
8. Year 7 spelling tests
The Literacy team tell me they're still missing a couple of classes' worth of spelling tests. If you haven't completed this test with your Year 7s, please do so asap. If you have a split class and were assuming the other teacher had done it, please check.
Wed 21st Sept: European Day of Languages (see MFL note on Staff/Student News)
Thur 22nd Sept: Open Evening (students go home at the end of P4)
Fri 23rd Sept: INSET Day: Performance Management
Fri 23rd Sept, 9:30-14:30: Year 12 Final Cut Pro training day, Mac Suite
Mon 26th Sept: Open Morning (Y6 students/parents)
Wed 28th Sept: Meeting 1: College; Meeting 2: HoF/HoY
2. Reports/APs
None
3. RFL Team
The RFL (Respect for Learning) Team would like to incorporate members from across all departments. If you would like to be involved in shaping the schools RFL policy, please can you email Judy Gleen (jgl@cheney.oxon.sch.uk) and she will furnish you with all the relevant details. They are looking for people with a range of experience and from a range of backgrounds so if you've come from a different school (that might have some useful insights for us) or are new to teaching but have some great ideas and are enthusiastic about getting involved, they'd love to hear from you.
4. Macbeth DVDs
Copies of the new Macbeth DVD (Michael Fassbender/Marion Cotillard) are in the dept office. I had a look this weekend: it's a brilliant film but I'm not sure it's the most useful in terms of helping the students understand the plot of the film. Some of the interpretations they bring out are very interesting but there is a danger that students, certainly weaker students, might take them too literally. It's also quite abridged. Have a look and see for yourselves. We still have the Polanski version on ClickView, as well as the Patrick Stewart version, which is very good.
5. Open Evening
Please meet in C5 after lunch on Thursday, that gives us an hour or so to set up the room. At that point, people are free to do as they please until 6:30 at which point parents will arrive and will be in school until 8:30. As I said in my email, we can split into two teams so people can at least go upstairs and get on with some work for one of the two hours.
Phoebe and I will be on duty the whole time, the rest of you can divide up as follows:
6:30-7:30: Holly, Louise, Kelly
7:30-8:30: Jenny, Brad, Emer
7:30-8:30: Jenny, Brad, Emer
PM reviews and target setting will take place on the INSET day on Friday. Please see my email for detailed information but existing staff will need to review their targets from last year and set targets for this year. New staff will only need to set targets for this year.
In both cases, two of the three targets are pre-defined (one whole-school, one departmental), the last is your own personal T&L target. If you have any questions, please come and see me.
7. Year 7 Accelerated Reader rooms
Thanks to those Year 7 teachers who have let me know if they want to have their AR reading lessons in the library or their normal teaching rooms. If you haven't let me know yet, please do so asap so that I can let the timetable team know when to book the library and when classrooms are free.
8. Year 7 spelling tests
The Literacy team tell me they're still missing a couple of classes' worth of spelling tests. If you haven't completed this test with your Year 7s, please do so asap. If you have a split class and were assuming the other teacher had done it, please check.
Monday, 12 September 2016
Bulletin - 12.9.16
1. Dates for diaries
Mon 12th Sept, Tutor: Year 8 girls HPV assembly
Thur 15th Sept, 5-7pm: Year 7 + 12 welcome meetings
Wed 21st Sept: European Day of Languages
Thur 22nd Sept: Open Evening
Fri 23rd Sept: INSET Day - Performance Management
2. Reports/APs
None
Mon 12th Sept, Tutor: Year 8 girls HPV assembly
Thur 15th Sept, 5-7pm: Year 7 + 12 welcome meetings
Wed 21st Sept: European Day of Languages
Thur 22nd Sept: Open Evening
Fri 23rd Sept: INSET Day - Performance Management
2. Reports/APs
None
3. Learning Walks
I'll be popping into lessons a bit this week, just to see how everyone is getting on. Please don't think I'm checking up, more checking in.
Monday, 5 September 2016
Bulletin - 5.9.16
1. Dates for diaries
Tues 6th Sept: Year 12 subject surgery
Wed 7th Sept: Meeting 1: Dept; Meeting 2: HoFs
2. Reports/APs
None
3. Nicci Brassey fundraiser
Many of you will remember Nicci Brassey, former Head of EAL and sometime English Teacher. One of her twin boys, Thomas, has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Nicci is hoping to raise funds for him to have surgery to enhance his quality of life. More information can be found here: http://www.treeofhope.org.uk/thomas-story-help-thomas-to-dance/
On Sunday 11th Sept, Nicci is holding a fundraising event. Details can be found on this website.
4. Fantastic start
Well done and THANK YOU for such a fantastically positive start to the academic year. I've popped into pretty much everyone's lessons and found students happy and attentive, and I know this doesn't happen by chance! Thank you for your patience with new ICT systems and the inevitable teething problems of a new year - if you have any problems or questions, please send them my way.
Tues 6th Sept: Year 12 subject surgery
Wed 7th Sept: Meeting 1: Dept; Meeting 2: HoFs
2. Reports/APs
None
3. Nicci Brassey fundraiser
Many of you will remember Nicci Brassey, former Head of EAL and sometime English Teacher. One of her twin boys, Thomas, has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Nicci is hoping to raise funds for him to have surgery to enhance his quality of life. More information can be found here: http://www.treeofhope.org.uk/thomas-story-help-thomas-to-dance/
On Sunday 11th Sept, Nicci is holding a fundraising event. Details can be found on this website.
4. Fantastic start
Well done and THANK YOU for such a fantastically positive start to the academic year. I've popped into pretty much everyone's lessons and found students happy and attentive, and I know this doesn't happen by chance! Thank you for your patience with new ICT systems and the inevitable teething problems of a new year - if you have any problems or questions, please send them my way.
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