Freddie's Focus
For Parents & Carers
- Issue 35
- January 27, 2023
Freddie's Focus
For Parents & Carers
- Issue 35
- January 27, 2023
Things to celebrate
- On Thursday, our Year 9 students were treated to a live performance called ‘Shut up, I’m Dreaming’ by the National Theatre. This was a wonderful experience which enabled our students to see a professional piece of theatre performed in our school in our very own theatre.
- Sporting success this week
- Y7 & Y8 girls’ football teams beat Westleigh High School this week.
- Y7 boys’ rugby team took on Wigan’s best and won 2 games out of 4 at Robin Park, the home of Wigan Warriors.
- Four Freddie’s students have been selected to represent the Wigan Borough at the Greater Manchester school’s cross-country championships on the 4th February: Sam Barlow, Jess Hodgkinson, Ava Broomes and Ella Watson. Good Luck!
- It’s a busy time of year for all the Y11 Sports Students, with plenty of students getting involved in Table Tennis (Monday) and Badminton (Thursday) practise after school this week. Keep up the hard work in preparation for your upcoming practical examinations.
- Mr Abbott was really impressed with a group of Y7 boys who went to Howe Bridge Leisure Centre this week and participated in the skate park, boxing and indoor climbing.
Homework and Self-directed study
To support all of our students with homework and organisation of self-directed study, we would like them to ask themselves the following questions:
- What homework do I have this week? What’s in my Satchel?! And IF I haven’t got any, what can I do?
- When will I focus on each piece of homework?
- How will I complete it to the best of my ability and how do I need to submit it? (hand in or online submission?)
Satchel:One
You can keep track of your child’s homework using Satchel:One
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.
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Attendance
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are very keen to ensure that as many of our students as possible have good attendance. Please see the information below on the importance of good attendance.
Why is attendance at school so important?
When students are not frequently absent, their grades and reading skills often improv – even among those students who are struggling in school. Students who frequently attend school feel more connected to their community and develop strong social skills and friendships, which are important life skills.
How does attendance affect achievement in UK schools?
Of those who were persistently absent (below 90% attendance), 40.2% achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths compared to 83.9% of pupils with no missed sessions, and 71.9% who missed between 0 and 5%.(May 2022).
Does attendance affect GCSE results?
Students whose attendance drops below 94% will have missed 2 weeks of school. This has a significant impact on GCSE results. Students with no absence are over twice as likely to achieve 5 or more GCSEs at grades 5-9 including English and Mathematics.
Is attendance truly important?
Missing 10 percent, or about 18 days, of the school year can drastically affect a student’s academic success. Students can be chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every few weeks. Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child do well beyond school and secure employment in later life.
Message from the Headteacher
Dear Parents and Carers,
You should have received a communication from school explaining the closure of school for the majority of students on Wednesday 1st February due to the teachers’ strike organised by the National Education Union (NEU). We appreciate the inconvenience that this will cause for some families, and we thank you for your continued support and understanding during this time. Further strike dates have been scheduled for later in the term- and as long as this dispute remains unresolved, this will inevitably and unfortunately lead to more disruption. This dispute is not with the school or local authority. As with other workers and professionals in the public sector, this is part of a national dispute over pay, and for the provision of adequate funding for public services, including schools.
Regards,
Mr Davies.