Colton Hills School Bulletin

Website: https://www.coltonhills.co.uk/highperformancelearning

Happy New Year!

2025 has been deemed as a year to thrive with many people making thrive lists. We look forward to many events in our thriving community this calendar year including our first cohort of Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award starting this term. Year 9 students are pioneering this well-respected qualification and we look forward to seeing the skills, volunteering, sport and expedition news over the next few months. The plan will be to then offer silver award in Year 10 and of course the prestigious Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award in our sixth form. Exciting times ahead.

We have already started this term with over 80% of our Year 12 students passing their GCSE Maths and English resits that they sat in the Autumn Term. Our pass rate was over 80% compared to the national pass rate for resits being just over 20%. Well done to our sixth formers who are more than aware that grade fours and above open doors to workplaces, higher level apprenticeships and university courses. Rapidly upgrading Maths and English from the summer of Year 11 to the autumn of Year 12 requires significant support from staff and dedication from students. Congratulations!

We look forward to seeing Year 9 families at 2 events this term for discussions with class teachers and then to find out about our new options process. Mr Begley will be providing booklets and dates in the options evening and there will be many opportunities to reflect upon the right courses for Year 10.

With a brand new year it is fresh perspective that we take to school improvements. Some areas of school will be having new art installations at half term and we will be sharing our 2025 – 2030 vision with all stakeholders imminently.

Our Year 9 Options Evening will be taking place on Thursday, 30 January and families are invited to attend this evening event to find out more about the options and subjects available for GCSE. It will be a great opportunity to ask questions, find out more about subjects and chat with teaching staff. Hopefully this event will provide the essential information for students and their families to make a more informed decision about their academic journey.

On the final day of school back in December, our Deputy Headteacher, Mr Winward, led a group of Year 11 students in a group bake off session in the Food Technology zone. Many delicious baked goods were churned out, including a Victoria sponge cake, brownies, cookies and buns. Well done to everyone who gave it a go!

To celebrate the end of term, on Saturday, 16 December, our Colton Hills Sixth Formers took a group trip down to the big smoke. They enjoyed the sights of London including stopping at Buckingham Palace , Trafalgar Square and No.10 Downing Street, before finishing off the day at Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland as a treat!

A massive well done to all the students who took part in our Winter Showcase before we broke up for our Christmas holidays. They performed to a group of primary school students, to our pupils and also to families and friends on 19 December. Thank you to our Performing Arts department who have worked hard to put on the show and all the performers involved in the production. The department is now advertising for students to audition for our next production, Matilda, the Musical, sign up sheets are now up on Performing Arts department.

Here at Colton Hills Community School, we are delighted to be confirmed as a school to run The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme.

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DofE helps young people to develop qualities and values that many employers look for – self-discipline, motivation, commitment, determination and many more. Participants work through 4 sections: skills, volunteering, physical and expedition.

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We are currently running the Bronze level Duke of Edinburgh scheme with our Year 9 students. For more information, please see Mrs Tolliday. For any DofE updates or information, please visit our school website or click on this link: Duke of Edinburgh | Colton Hills Community School

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Key Dates

Training Day : Saturday, 15 March 2025

Expedition : Saturday, 12 July - Sunday 13 July 2025

Our new Spring 1 Homework Topics have now been uploaded to the school website. Parents and carers will be able to view the topics and home work allocated to their child. Please click on the respective year groups for your child.

We are pleased to share Pixl's recommended Spring 1 reading list for secondary pupils in the link below. Do have a look. Alternatively our library has reopened and you can now have a browse for more reading materials. Happy reading!

Parents and carers, are you thinking of working in a school but lack the experience or qualifications? Click on the link to find out how you can work towards the qualification.

BecomeaParentAmbassador leaflet Feb 25.pdf - Google Drive

If you suspect or believe a child is suffering or is likely to suffer Significant Harm, including any form of mistreatment or abuse, you should report your concerns on the following numbers:

Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5pm,

Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm on 01902 555392

Outside of the above hours for emergencies on 01902 552999

If the child or young person is at immediate risk of serious harm dial 999