Thank you to all the parents who have been attending our Information Evenings. My thanks also go to the staff who have made these evenings possible and hopefully useful. We are in earnest preparation for our annual Open Evening which will be a lovely time to celebrate our journey as a school so far. We have had several external visitors these last few weeks and all have commented on the positive school environment. An example of an email I received from someone who knows the school well is shown below, but all this would not have been possible without our students- your children, who have been a delight this term.
''I just want to say how impressed I was today. Behaviour in corridors was excellent. Students in the classroom were focused and well behaved. Your staff and you have created a positive working environment in lessons which is commendable''.
Assal Ruse
We have reviewed our rewards system in order to get it right for both KS3 and KS4 students. As some of you will know from the information evenings', we have introduced a new rewards system called Epraise, which students have embraced wholeheartedly. Through Epraise, students can earn praise points and badges for their accomplishments, which can be spent on rewards or entered into prize draws.
Features of Epraise
- Profiles: View your child’s achievements, behaviour, attendance, and more.
- Badges: Students can earn badges for various accomplishments, such as representing the school or completing the Duke of Edinburgh awards.
- The Shop: Students can spend their praise points in the online shop for rewards.
- Prize Draws: Students with 95% attendance and punctuality can enter half-termly prize draws, with prizes awarded in the final assembly of each half term.
The Matthew Arnold School | epraise.co.uk
We believe that Epraise will be a valuable tool in fostering a positive and motivating environment for our students. We encourage you to explore the platform and engage with your child’s educational experience.
Chris Browne
Year 11 have had such a strong start to their final academic year here with us. There is a true feeling of determination in the year group, which is going to lead them to great things. Thank you to all parents and carers who made it to our Year 11 Information Evening last week. By sharing the key messages delivered by the school, we can ensure that we are all on the same path to support your child in reaching their goals.
To those who could not make the information evening, the slides and key information were sent to you by Mr Watts at the end of last week. Please do read over the slides and reach out if you have any questions.
This week saw the start of Year 11 intervention sessions. The energy with which the students have attended the sessions is wonderful, and if continued, will make real differences to their results.
Our focus as a year group now is ‘What Next?’. Deciding where to go after The Matthew Arnold School is not an easy one, however we have set up mentoring sessions and Tutor time activities to help your child in that decision making process. We expect every Year 11 student to have completed their college/6th Form applications by the end of term. If you need any support with this, please reach out to your child’s Tutor in the first instance.
Again, I cannot express the pride I hold for the approach Year 11 have taken to the start of this academic year, and I know with your support, this will continue throughout the remainder of their time here with us.
Naoimh O'Connor
We are thrilled to share that our school’s attendance has significantly increased compared to last year. Our attendance so far is 95.9% which is fantastic, and reflects the relentless efforts of our students and parents. Regular attendance is key to academic success as well as mental well-being, and we are grateful for your ongoing support.
Please continue to encourage your children to attend school every day. Together, we can maintain this positive momentum and ensure that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Just to remind parents/carers that if they take their children out of school without authority for 5 or more days (which do not have to be consecutive), they will be liable to receive a penalty notice. Currently the amount payable under a penalty notice is £80.00 per parent/carer per child if paid within 21 days. Thereafter the amount increases to £160.00 if paid between 21 and 28 days. If the penalty notice remains unpaid after 28 days, the Local Authority will consider a prosecution in the Magistrates Court. Please note that penalty notices are issued per parent/carer per child so a family of two parents and two children will receive 4 penalty notices.
Karen Barham
Over the next few weeks, students in Years 9-11 will be logging on to Pearson Revise Online. This is a platform where students are able to select their subjects and the corresponding exam boards, and will be able to access revision guides.
Students will be able to log on from any device using their Microsoft accounts and will immediately have access to resources and revision calendars. We are hoping this will encourage students to revise early and will help to relieve any stress and anxiety leading up to assessments.
Excitement is in the air at The Matthew Arnold School as we prepare to enter students into the prestigious UKMT (United Kingdom Mathematics Trust) Challenge.
The competition is designed to spark curiosity and develop problem-solving skills among young mathematicians in Year groups 7 – 10.
Students in Year groups 7 and 8 will compete on 1st May, whilst students in Year groups 9 and 10 will tackle the challenge on 29th January, 2025. They will face a series of multiple-choice questions that test their mathematical reasoning and precision.
To ensure our learners are well-prepared, our dedicated Maths club will be hosting special sessions every Monday from 3.00-4.00pm in room L43, where students will work through past papers and hone their skills. Not only will this challenge push them to think critically, it is also a fantastic opportunity to have fun while learning.
We look forward to seeing our students take on this exciting challenge and represent The Matthew Arnold School! Stay tuned for updates and good luck to all participants!
You are welcome to attend a Coffee morning with Ms Ruse on Tuesday 24th September, 9.15 – 10.15am. This will be an opportunity for you to collaboratively work with us and share your views.
If you would like to attend, please can you let us know by completing this online form:
We look forward to meeting you on the day.