Winter 2018
Newsletter
Raring to go in our efforts to make Caterham the best Head’s vow to make big improvements
Potential: Ms Chapple says the students have a desire to achieve
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ew headteacher Belinda Chapple believes the school’s latest Ofsted inspection will be the catalyst needed to make improvements. The school was rated Good in the areas of leadership and management, personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils and for the sixth form but Requires Improvement overall. The inspection came two weeks into the tenure of the new Headteacher, Belinda Chapple, who took over from Dr Alan Atkins, who was at the helm for 32 years. The report says changes put in place by the “purposeful leadership” of Ms Chapple are already making a “substantial difference” to pupils and achievement at the school. Where the school fell short, Ms Chapple (left) backed the inspectors’ findings, agreeing that exam results and teaching and learning need to improve in some areas. Ms Chapple, who as Deputy Headteacher helped to significantly improve George Mitchell School in Leyton so that it now sits in the top 1% of all schools, said: “It is pleasing the inspectors have clearly recognised that the changes we have already made are beginning to have an impact on both pupil experiences and achievement. “However, in my view there are clearly areas where we can improve to ensure very high expectations for our young people. “In the short time I have been here, it has become abundantly clear that I am working with students with tremendous potential, with a limitless capacity and desire to achieve. “Our teachers here are raring to go, and fully committed to getting the best for their students – they want change. “We have more to do to nurture that talent, and more to do to raise expectation and aspiration. We will make those changes now. “I have no lesser ambition than to make this the very best school in the area, the school of choice for the local community. Rest assured, I will not stop until that is the case.”
On the right path to a better future Chair of governors Peter Waller says the Ofsted report shows the school made the right decision to appoint Ms Chapple. He said: “It is less than ideal that this inspection came just two weeks into Ms Chapple’s time as Headteacher. “As a school with huge ambition for our students, we are confident that we will rapidly improve from our Requires Improvement judgement. “The report makes clear that steps taken by Ms Chapple and her team have already
Caterham High School Newsletter n Winter 2018
made a significant impact on pupils and the school. “We now have an experienced and motivated Senior Leadership Team in place to bring the stability and focus required to meet the very high aspirations and expectations we have for all our pupils. “Our ambition is to become the best school in the local area and the school of choice for the community. “This inspection confirms that we are now on the right path.”
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Moving from primary school to secondary can be a daunting experience. Our children go from a small, familiar environment to the complete unknown. Through my son, I had made lots of friends at the primary gates who I could turn to if I needed any support or advice. But that all stops when they leave. When your child joins secondary school, you have loads of questions. So who do you go to? That is the reason I have started an online community group for supportive families which replicates the community we had on the school gates. I am hoping it will be a ‘go to’ place for news, info and queries, or if you want to celebrate your child’s achievements with supportive, like-minded parents. After joining, we encourage you to share, post and like as much as possible, as we depend on your support and contribution. To find out more, search Friends of Caterham High School on Facebook and click to join.
Year 7 pupils settle in new environment YEAR 7 students say events organised to help them settle at Caterham High School made them feel at home in their new surroundings. The students took part in a team-building day with activities and games aimed at helping them integrate with their peers. They had time to chat about the fun-packed day over lunch during an indoor picnic held in the Year 7 canteen. Jaeda, who joined us from Gilbert Colvin Primary School, said: “When you are at a new school it can be quite intimidating because there are so many students you don’t know. “This was a really fun way of getting to know everyone. It is important as well because we are going to spend a lot of time together.” Maya, who joined us from Fullwood Primary, said: “We found out we all had a lot in common with each other which helped us to make friends.” The Year 7 students also got to know their peers and Head of Year during lunchtime Come Dine with Me sessions. A pupil from each form group got the chance to sit down to a delicious lunch and discuss interest and hobbies with Ms Glaser in the Year 7 lunch hall in October. Shanpreet said: “It was nice to have lunch with my
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fellow students in such a nice environment. It really helped me to settle in at the school.” Ms Glaser said: “In a day and age when communication ever increasingly revolves around technology, I wanted to students to
have the opportunity to sit around the table with each other and talk. “It was also an opportunity for the students to get to know others in the year group who they may never have had the chance to speak to.”
STUDENTS will write, produce and direct their own films as part of a new initiative by the drama department.
Mountainous challenge tests geography students STUDENTS spent a week learning outside the classroom on a geography field trip to Snowdonia. Students studied land mass, coastal lines and got the chance to climb Mount Snowdon during the visit to Wales in September. The Year 11 students also looked at local water and air quality and the impact of environmental changes on a small nearby village. They also marked the 30th anniversary of
students taking part in geography field trips to Snowdonia with a delicious cake. Student Zainab said: “Climbing mountains is not the sort of thing a person gets to do in East London so it was a really incredible experience. “Geography is a subject that you can only learn so much in the classroom. “To truly understand the subject, you have to get into the real world.”
Students’ tough questions put politicians on the spot Bright sixth formers impress councillors STUDENTS at Caterham High School were described as “very engaged and intelligent” after quizzing local politicians during a Question Time-style debate. Sixth form students posed topical questions to Conservative councillor Howard Berlin and Labour’s Vanisha Solanki during their visit in September. The councillors were impressed by tough questions asked on Brexit, the NHS and affordable housing in Redbridge. The event, part of Local Democracy Week, was organised by Redbridge Council’s Youth Involvement Team and is aimed at getting young people engaged in politics. Councillor Solanki, at the age of 23, is among the youngest councillors in Redbridge. She said: “It is so important for young people to feel a part of the political process. “I was very impressed by the intelligent and engaged students at Caterham High School. Their questions were excellent. “I hope that because of my age, they are inspired to get involved in politics, either through the youth council or in activism.” Councillor Berlin added: “I was so impressed by the questions posed by the students today. They showed maturity well beyond their years. “They are clearly very well informed on all the main issues of the day and are able to articulate their opinions and ask really insightful questions. “It is vitally important that young people engage with politics because ultimately they have the biggest stake in the future and how their country and community is run.” Caterham High School student Kishan, 15,
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Question time: Students with Conservative councillor Howard Berlin at the event from Gants Hill, is the youth parliament member for Redbridge. He said: “Young people have just as much right to have their voice heard and their opinions listened to as any other age group. “These students talked passionately about the issues that affect them and their community and clearly impressed our local councillors. “These types of events are a fantastic way not only to get students involved in politics but also to hold local politicians to account on issues that affect our community.”
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A school brimming with wonderful students Headteacher Ms Chapple thanks the Caterham community for making her feel welcome in her first term leading the school.
groups. We have held professionally-run mocks to ensure they are exam-ready come the summer. We have held extensive reviews of all areas of the school to make sure the extremely high standards we expect for our students are met. I have been pleased with what has come back after looking at our sixth form and there are plenty of ideas to continue to improve on our recent Good rating by Ofsted. Most pleasing is the mature and positive manner in which our students have responded to this new academically focused approach to school life. Having spoken to them extensively in the playground I
Kledion rewarded for his dedication YEAR 8 Kledion has been described as an “inspiration” by our new Headteacher after receiving a Jack Petchey award. All-rounder Kledion (right) is a two-time recipient of the Head Teacher’s award, plays for the school football team and helps in the library. He is often seen around the school helping teachers and is also known to help his younger sister with homework. His achievement is made all the more remarkable considering he spoke only limited English when he moved to the UK from Albania at the beginning of Year 7. He is now among the top performers in his class across a range of subjects after asking his teachers for extra work and attending every English intervention lunchtime session. Kledion said: “It makes me very proud to win the Jack Petchey award because it shows how far I have come in the short space of time I have been in England. “I have to give a lot of thanks to all my teachers who have put a lot of effort in to help me make the progress I have made. “To be called a role model is a nice feeling because it shows that the hard work you put in is being recognised.” Headteacher Ms Chapple said: “Kledion is an inspiration to us all. He has achieved so much – at a young age. I’m looking forward to many more achievements from this wonderful student. “Our teachers support many young people like Kledion at Caterham and it’s a joy to watch these youngsters grow and flourish.”
have been deeply impressed by their good manners, intelligence and politeness. As you will read in this newsletter, this a school brimming with wonderful students achieving and taking advantage of the great opportunities organised by dedicated and committed staff. I know that as a community we share one over-riding common goal: we want the best for our children and young people. I am full of ambition to achieve this – I relish a challenge – and I am determined to work tirelessly to realise this ambition. I talk often about ensuring the best life chances for our children. Caterham High has started the journey to provide those opportunities – and we will continue again with our ambition in the new year. I wish you and your families all a happy holiday and season’s greetings to you all! Our hard work starts again next year when we welcome students, parents, carers and families back for another busy term.
Poetic pupils recall first day
THE first day of secondary school was the inspiration for poems written by our Year 7 pupils for a school competition. Pupils gave artistic expression to emotions such as happiness, trepidation and excitement to describe starting at Caterham High School. Winners Fatima, Zaina, Danny and Hallie received a £5 gift voucher to spend at WHSmith’s. Zaina said: “It was a happy feeling for me starting a new school, so I tried to get that across in my poem. “I love poetry because it is a great way to talk about your feelings in an artistic way. It was the perfect way to start my life at Caterham High. Fatima added: “Starting a new school brings up a lot of emotions so I think it is a good subject to write a poem about. “Being a student at this school is great because you get the chance to express your feelings in an artistic way.”
Unique insight into STEM opportunities
STUDENTS joined the Aviation Minister Baroness Sugg at a STEM challenge run by London City Airport. Professionals from top industry firms including British Airways, NATS and Accenture were on hand to tutor our students. They learned about voice recognition, machine learning, artificial intelligence and virtual reality at the event held In November. Year 10 student Yusuf said: “This was
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FIRSTLY I would like to say a huge thankyou to all in the Caterham community who have made my first term as Headteacher a fulfilling and enjoyable experience. I am very pleased that our families, staff and students have welcomed efforts being made to create a culture of high aspirations and expectations. There is a thirst among the entire school community to strive for academic excellence and combat underachievement. Leaders and teachers have placed a renewed focus on teaching and learning and a rigorous sustained focus on raising standards. A lot of our efforts in this first term has been focused on our students who about to take important exams: specifically our Years 11, 12 and 13. We want our students to push themselves to exceed their expectations, so we have set aspirational targets across all year
a really insightful trip for me because I am very keen to pursue a career in STEM, particularly maths. It was a great opportunity to work with some really top people from big companies. Fellow Year 10 Milly said: “What surprised me was just how many jobs there are at an airport that involve STEM. “The benefit for me, apart from talking all the top people in STEM, was that it helped to broaden my horizons on exactly what type of jobs are out there.”
New school resource helps to combat bullying threat STUDENTS can now report any incidents of bullying anonymously thanks to an innovative new resource set up by our Student Council. The Sharp system allows pupils to contact Safeguarding Lead and Assistant Headteacher Mr Casey anonymously via the school’s website. Pupils using the portal do not need to give their name but are encouraged to include the as much information as they feel comfortable giving. Reports come directly to Mr Casey, who ensures they are dealt with quickly by the appropriate member of staff. Head of Student Council Zainab, who helped to have the resources implemented, said it has made the school a safer and friendly place to be. She added: “The system works well because students feel more comfortable reporting incidents because they know they can do it anonymously. “These reports are also seen by a very senior member of staff, which means incidents are resolved much more quickly. “Bullying is very rare in this school but if we are honest, it happens in every walk of life so having something like this makes a real difference. “It also makes us, the Student Council, very proud to know that we are making a positive difference in the lives of our peers.” Sharp
Help is at hand: Zainab shows off the Sharp system posters stands for School Help Advice Reporting Page. For more information please visit caterham.thesharpsystem.com Safeguarding Lead Mr Casey said: “The Sharp System promotes inclusion, safeguarding, e-safety and provides additional opportunities for students to report their
concerns. It is a support tool which students, parents, teachers and local residents can use to address issues and concerns regarding the school. “It creates a feel good factor around the school as students know they can use the system as and when needed.”
Students’ chance to experience a life in the media STUDENTS got a taste of life working at one of the UK’s biggest media organisations on a school trip. Pupils met top executives and took part in interactive workshops when visiting the Channel 4 headquarters in Westminster, central London. They also got top tips on education and career pathways for media jobs from current apprentices, on the trip in October. Year 10 Bene said: “This was a great visit for me because this is exactly the type of job I would like to do after I
leave university. To have the chance to see what it is like to work at Channel 4 and to meet the really top people in the organisation was a great experience.” Fellow Year 10 Hassan said: “Experiences like these really help you to see how many options are available to you after you finish university. “We know a lot about sixth form and university but work is something that seems a long way off. “This helps to make you more focused on what you want to do.”
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ADVICE: Joshua Bright talks to students
Banker Joshua’s tips for success INVESTMENT banker and former student Joshua Bright returned to Caterham Sixth Form to give inspirational advice to current students. Joshua, who works for the world-famous company JP Morgan, talked about his career path into the financial sector. He told students about his degree in business economics at Hertfordshire University and studying A-Levels in history, business and sociology at Caterham Sixth Form. Joshua, who left the school in 2011, thanked Caterham High teachers for helping him on the path to success. He said: “The support I was given, particularly given the rough patch I was going through during parts of my sixth form
education, really helped me to stay focused and get to where I am now. It was a pleasure to go back and share what I do in the bank, and share some advice on success with them. “My top tip to the students was to get work experience outside of school now. Before they start university, they have three months. “Use it to volunteer or get an internship, because that experience can make all the difference down the line. Miss Christie, who taught me sociology, always told us this, and always pushed us to do our best.” Former head boy Luke Rainbird, who now works for finance firm Ernst & Young, also returned this term to speak to sixth form students.
Reece targets top university place YEAR 9 student Reece has set his sights on a place at a top university after graduating from a prestigious programme at the London School of Economics (LSE). Reece says he has been inspired to push his limits after taking part in the Promoting Potential programme at the world-famous university. It is aimed at supporting pupils from African-Caribbean backgrounds become more engaged with higher education. Reece took social science and motivational workshops, met students from LSE’s AfricanCaribbean Society and visited a City law firm during the five-day programme. He was among just 50 students across London accepted on to the course, which ran in
the Easter holidays earlier this year. He said: “I think it was good that it was focused on students from African and Caribbean backgrounds because it really makes you feel like you are welcome. “The people I met were really positive role models and they gave me lots of encouragement.” Ms Haastrup said: “This programme is a fine example of the many ways the school promotes a culture of our high aspirations and expectation among our pupils. The impact on Reece has been significant. As a school we believe that with the right education and support, there is no glass ceiling. “We aim to get the best for every child so they can fulfil their potential.”
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Avril recalls her 60s school days FORMER student Avril Moss has lifted the lid on life at Caterham High School during the 1960s. Avril, who attended the school between 1961 and 1966, says there was less focus on emotional wellbeing of students in those days. Comparing her experiences to that of her grandchildren, she said: “Like today, there was a big focus on traditional academic subjects like reading, writing and arithmetic. “The school was always very well managed. You most certainly didn’t get away with anything in those days. “But back then they did not focus as much on the emotional feelings of the children, it was a lot stricter. “I know today because of my grandchildren, that the teachers at schools are much more interested in making sure children are happy at school and more well-rounded.” There was one teacher at Caterham High School that Avril will always remember with fondness – her English teacher Miss Swallows. She explained: “She seemed to stand out from the rest of the teachers – she was much more like a teacher you would find today. “She was a very kind and caring lady who was always looking out for us and making sure we were okay. She was always my favourite.” Because of her relationship with Miss Swallows, Avril says English was her favourite subject at the school, alongside art. She added: “I loved English because of Miss Swallows but I also really enjoyed art. There were some really good departments at the school at that time. Staff always pushed us to do our best.” Avril is married to film maker Tony Klinger who had a documentary about his father Michael, the producer of hit films such as Get Carter, shown at the Premiere Cinema Romford in November.
YEAR 10 students delivered food and toiletries donated by students, staff and families to the Redbridge Food Bank in December.
Students get masterclass to improve deaf awareness Hearing-impaired students at Caterham High School have been teaching their peers about deaf awareness at workshops this term. All Year 7 students have now received their Deaf Friendly Form Certificate Classes following masterclasses run by our hearing-impaired students. During the sessions, students learned how to communicate with the deaf and got the chance to practise their own lipreading. There are currently 20 hearing-impaired students getting additional support in the unit with note-taking, visual resource and using audio visual equipment. Hearing-impaired Year 10 student Alizae said: “Because a lot the students who come to this school may have never met a deaf person before, it is important they learn to communicate. “You have to face us when talking otherwise we can’t lip-read. It is also a good way for everyone to get a better understanding of each other.” Head of the unit Ms Hutchins said: “The deaf awareness training each student in this school receives is crucial in developing relationships and understanding.” The school also runs a weekly British Sign Language (BSL) club. This term, Year 10 students completed their introduction to BSL course as the skill section of their Duke of Edinburgh award.
Communications skills: Students practise sign language in the classroom
Mayor’s presentation visit
Sociology students’ day trip
THE Worshipful The Mayor of Redbridge councillor Debbie Kaur-Thiara attended the school to present GCSE certificates to the Year 12 students.
YEAR 13 students attended the Institute of Education in December for lectures on topics they are studying in A-Level sociology.
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Kishan battles to fight hate crime YEAR 11 student Kishan led a delegation that helped to pass a motion to oppose hate crime in schools at Redbridge Council. Kishan, who is a member of both the youth council and the Redbridge representative for the youth parliament, spoke at a full council meeting in November. Addressing the mayor, he urged the council to contact schools across the borough asking them to tackle hate crime in classrooms and the playground. Kishan said: “It was extremely nerve wracking but it was an issue I feel very strongly about and so I wanted to make sure I got all my points across. “It was a wonderful feeling knowing that my motion had been passed and I was able to convince the council to take action. “It is so important that students engage in politics and have their voice heard. Young people are the future so what happens in politics directly effects them.”
Advantage for Mia in rankings push
Role: Kishan at the youth parliament
Sports leaders help run rugby tournament Students put their leadership skills into practice when helping to run a primary school rugby tournament. They were tasked with warming up younger pupils, refereeing matches and keeping score at the competition held at Wanstead rugby ground. Student Kody, who also plays for
Wanstead’s U14s team, said: “We are taught a lot at school about the importance of developing leadership skills so it was good to be able to put it into practice. “I love rugby so getting the chance to help out the younger students and share that love for the game was very exciting.”
YEAR 8 student Mia says our school swimming pool has helped to propel her to glory in an East London gala this term. Mia (above), who is ranked third in the UK for her age group in long-distance swimming, uses our pool three times a week to prepare for competitions. And it seems the hard work has paid off after Mia scored a remarkable 12 gold medals in the Romford Swimming Gala. Her victory follows a fourth-placed finish in the UK National championships earlier in the year, which propelled her up the UK rankings. Mia, who represents Redbridge Swimming Club, said: “It really helps having a swimming pool in the school to use to prepare for competitions. “It does give you an advantage over other swimmers because most schools do not have their own swimming pool to practise in. “Winning 12 golds is a big achievement and is really encouraging for the bigger races I have coming up.”
Jiu jitsu ace Ellie’s on top of the world
SIXTH Form students learned about employment options, universities and apprenticeships at the Skills London fair held at the the Excel.
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YEAR 7 student Ellie has been crowned the world jiu jitsu champion for her age group at her first attempt. Ellie scored four victories against international opponents on her way to taking the title in the 12-14 age category at the World Championships held in Gibraltar. Her martial arts victory is all the more impressive as it was the first time she had taken part in an overseas tournament. Ellie, who trains at Wakarishin Jiu Jitsu Club in Harold Hill, said: “To win the tournament and to be the best in my age group in the world is like a dream come true. “Seeing as I had never taken part in an overseas tournament, I did not think I could win but I told myself to try my hardest and I did. It paid off.”