Freddie's Focus
For Parents & Carers
- Issue 113
- February 14, 2025
Freddie's Focus
For Parents & Carers
- Issue 113
- February 14, 2025
Message from the Headteacher
Dear Parents & Carers,
As we approach the end of this half term, I’d like to thank parents and carers for your continued support and for making this a successful half term. There have been many positives over the last few weeks with one of the highlights being our production of The Wiz last week. For those of you who saw the show, I am sure you would agree it was an exceptional event showcasing not just the talent of our students on stage but also of those students working backstage on costumes, set design, stage-management, lighting and sound.
This week, external reviews were conducted of both our DT and Science Faculties. Both reviews were extremely positive, reflecting the strong curricula and high-quality teaching in both areas. Your children are very lucky to be taught by such exceptional and dedicated teachers.
Thank-you to all parents who attended the Year 9 Parents’ Evening on Thursday. We had an excellent turn out. A reminder that after the half term, parents of Year 9 will have the opportunity to meet with a member of the Senior Team to discuss their child’s option choices if required. There are two choices: Tuesday 25th February 4:30 to 7:30 which is on-line or Thursday 27th February 3:30 to 7:00 which is face-to-face here in school. Details about how to make an appointment have been sent out separately.
Further communications were sent out to parents this week regarding our intentions for uniform in September 2025. A link to that letter can be found here.
We’ve also communicated with you this week about the price rise of cartons of water sold in the canteen. To prevent these additional costs being passed on to students and their families, our caterers have made the decision to no longer stock this item. Instead, we strongly advise that students bring to school a reusable water bottle which can be refilled at the various water stations around the school site. In the long run this is more cost effective and will also reduce some of the litter on our school site.
We return to school on Monday 24th February after the half term break which is a Week B. Finally, I will take this opportunity to remind parents about how you can help to ensure that your child is prepared for success at the start of the next half term.
- Arrive at school for 8:30am for a prompt arrival into the Line Ups. Students are marked late for school if they arrive to the Line Up after the second bell has rung at 8:35.
- Bring a suitable school bag which allows room for the key items they will need during the school day such as books and PE kit.
- Bring the correct basic equipment – black pen, green pen, pencil, ruler, highlighter, calculator and headphones (not Air Pod type headphones)
- Wear school shoes (no trainers).
- Wear full school uniform including blazer and tie.
- No make up and no jewellery as per school policy. False eyelashes and/or false nails to be removed.
- No extreme hairstyles as per policy. Hair bands, bobbles or bows must be plain, black and a sensible size.
- Mobile phones should be switched off and out of sight on the school site. No Air Pods or similar type headphones allowed.
Thank-you for your continued support.
Mr Davies.
Message from the Headteacher
Dear Parents & Carers,
As we approach the end of this half term, I’d like to thank parents and carers for your continued support and for making this a successful half term. There have been many positives over the last few weeks with one of the highlights being our production of The Wiz last week. For those of you who saw the show, I am sure you would agree it was an exceptional event showcasing not just the talent of our students on stage but also of those students working backstage on costumes, set design, stage-management, lighting and sound.
This week, external reviews were conducted of both our DT and Science Faculties. Both reviews were extremely positive, reflecting the strong curricula and high-quality teaching in both areas. Your children are very lucky to be taught by such exceptional and dedicated teachers.
Thank-you to all parents who attended the Year 9 Parents’ Evening on Thursday. We had an excellent turn out. A reminder that after the half term, parents of Year 9 will have the opportunity to meet with a member of the Senior Team to discuss their child’s option choices if required. There are two choices: Tuesday 25th February 4:30 to 7:30 which is on-line or Thursday 27th February 3:30 to 7:00 which is face-to-face here in school. Details about how to make an appointment have been sent out separately.
Further communications were sent out to parents this week regarding our intentions for uniform in September 2025. A link to that letter can be found here.
We’ve also communicated with you this week about the price rise of cartons of water sold in the canteen. To prevent these additional costs being passed on to students and their families, our caterers have made the decision to no longer stock this item. Instead, we strongly advise that students bring to school a reusable water bottle which can be refilled at the various water stations around the school site. In the long run this is more cost effective and will also reduce some of the litter on our school site.
We return to school on Monday 24th February after the half term break which is a Week B. Finally, I will take this opportunity to remind parents about how you can help to ensure that your child is prepared for success at the start of the next half term.
- Arrive at school for 8:30am for a prompt arrival into the Line Ups. Students are marked late for school if they arrive to the Line Up after the second bell has rung at 8:35.
- Bring a suitable school bag which allows room for the key items they will need during the school day such as books and PE kit.
- Bring the correct basic equipment – black pen, green pen, pencil, ruler, highlighter, calculator and headphones (not Air Pod type headphones)
- Wear school shoes (no trainers).
- Wear full school uniform including blazer and tie.
- No make up and no jewellery as per school policy. False eyelashes and/or false nails to be removed.
- No extreme hairstyles as per policy. Hair bands, bobbles or bows must be plain, black and a sensible size.
- Mobile phones should be switched off and out of sight on the school site. No Air Pods or similar type headphones allowed.
Thank-you for your continued support.
Mr Davies.
Things to celebrate
- This week we have celebrated our BEST Awards. Four students from every Form have been chosen to receive the award after demonstrating one or more of our Freddie’s character values.
- On Thursday we hosted our Year 9 Parents’ Evening. It was lovely to see so many parents and carers in school.
Wider cultural experiences at Freddie's
At Freddie’s our staff offer a wide range of clubs, activities, trips and events for our students. Here is a selection of what is on offer this term, in addition to the range of clubs and activities.
At Freddie’s we offer our students a wide range of other extra-curricular activities. For further details, click here.
- Sporting Success this week
We are always excited to learn of any sporting successes outside of school so we can celebrate the student’s achievements. Please can parents email Mr Gregory with any information so we can share with everyone on Freddie’s Focus – gregoryi@flhs.wigan.sch.uk
Sporting Success this week
We are always excited to learn of any sporting successes outside of school so we can celebrate the student’s achievements. Please can parents email Mr Gregory with any information so we can share with everyone on Freddie’s Focus – gregoryi@flhs.wigan.sch.uk
School Reminders
Did you know that you can read previous editions of Freddie’s Focus from this Academic Year? To do so, click here.
School Reminders
Did you know that you can read previous editions of Freddie’s Focus from this Academic Year? To do so, click here.
The Library
Here is the latest issue of the Library newsletter. Please find attached information about everything that has been happening during a busy half term.
Please click the newsletter to read all about the exciting events that have happened in the library this term.
What we do at Freddie's and why we do it
BEST Awards
Today, four students from every form have received a BEST Award. This is because they have demonstrated one or more of our character values seen above. We do this to highlight the importance of good character and to make sure that our students know that their positive contribution to our school is valued.
Year 7 to Year 10
100 HoY Mug/Earphones/Water Bottle/Skip the queue pass
175 JWY Power Bank/Skip the queue pass/Calculator/£5 Amazon voucher
250 JWY £10 Amazon voucher/Skip the queue pass
350 PDA £15 Amazon voucher/Skip the queue pass
Year 11
100 HoY £5 Amazon voucher/£5 off Prom
150 JWY £10 Amazon voucher/£10 off Prom
200 PDA £15 Amazon voucher/£15 off Prom
On the run up to the Musical ‘The Wiz’, students with 250 rewards (150 Y11) may opt for a free ticket to see the musical when they see Mr Whalley.
Homework and Independent Learning
The OSCAR model is something that we are promoting at Freddie’s in order to support your child with independent/self-directed study at home.
The ‘C’ stands for creativity. We know that learning happens when we have to think hard and actively do something with the information that we are trying to learn (and store in our long-term memory)
To support your child with this, the following tasks may be useful:
- Creating a set of flashcards (there could be key questions or vocabulary on one side and the answers or definitions on the other);
- Creating graphic organisers- this is a method of capturing information in a visual way. For example:
- Creating their own mini quizzes based on a topic so that they can self-test.
- Capturing information as images alongside words (this technique is called Dual Coding). For example:
Applications that we use for learning
The following applications are used by our students during their time at FLHS to aid their learning. You can learn more about them below.
Microsoft Office
Did you know that your child can access Microsoft Office at home for free? As a student at Fred Longworth High School, your child is allowed to download a fully working free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use on their computer, smartphone and tablet whilst they are a student at our school. Click on the button below to learn more.
Satchel:One
Satchel:One is the school online learning platform for students and is the parental portal for all information related to your child’s overall progress within school. You can keep track of your child’s homework using Satchel:One. It is advisable to remind your child to get into the habit of checking their homework on Satchel:One regularly. Relying upon notifications is not the right approach and we advise students to turn off notifications so that they are not disturbed by them.
GCSEPod
GCSEPod is an online study platform and is the perfect resource to help your child learn, retain and recall all the information they need to achieve their GCSE goals. GCSEPod provides 3-5 minute bursts of audio-visual, teacher written learning which can help to reinforce and consolidate key GCSE topics covered in lessons. Experts read and explain everything clearly including all the right facts, quotes, keywords, dates and diagrams on screen. GCSEPod is only available to students in Year 10 and Year 11.
Homework Club
Please remind your child that homework club is available to all students Monday-Thursday in the Library (apart from Monday week B) where support and IT equipment is is available.
Attendance
We want to do all we can to support your child to be in school every day and ask that you support this important message from home, encouraging your child to avoid missing curriculum content through absence. Here is a breakdown of the absences for the following attendance percentages:
Thank you for your continued support with attendance.
Can we please remind all our parents and carers to use the correct channels of communication should they wish to raise a concern or question. You continued support is invaluable to us.
Belonging, Engaging, Succeeding Together.
Can we please remind all our parents and carers to use the correct channels of communication should they wish to raise a concern or question. You continued support is invaluable to us.