International Women's Day
Today, Wednesday 8th March, is International Women’s Day; this is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality. KBA fully supports this year’s theme of #EmbraceEquity and our staff try to increase the equity in our curriculum on a daily basis by talking about women in each subject area that history, and GCSE specifications, may have overlooked.
For example, on World Book Day, the students in science read about Jane Goodall, an English anthropologist who is considered the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees.
A number of KBA staff
are also involved in celebrating and supporting women in leadership via United
Learning’s ‘Women in Leadership Network’.
International Women’s Day belongs to everyone, not just
women, so if you would like to continue these conversations at home, please do
visit the dedicated website at https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
Term Dates Reminder
Please be reminded that our term dates are always available to parents and carers on our website. We encourage you to check these for any updates to training days.
Strike Action
Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March
As
you may be aware, the membership of the National Education Union (NEU) has
voted to take industrial action in schools across the country. This will take
the form of strike action with the next strike affecting this area due to take
place on Wednesday 15th March and Thursday 16th March. I
am writing to give you as much notice as possible about the likely impact this
will have on our school.
The
industrial action is a result of a national dispute between the NEU and the
government and is not specific to our school nor to United Learning. The
overwhelming majority of schools locally and nationally will be impacted but
each school will have different arrangements for pupils due to the number of
members of its staff who are likely to strike.
We
have been working closely with colleagues here in order to plan for the strikes
so that we can minimise any disruption to our pupils’ education. Our current
understanding is that a significant number of colleagues will be taking
industrial action and we are thus planning for this accordingly.
Following
a full risk assessment, we are disappointed to inform you that, due to the
number of NEU members likely to join the industrial action, we will not be in a
position to open the school to all pupils on the strike days. This change in
position has been forced upon us by an increased number of staff who have made
us aware that they will be striking on the day.
Our view, at present, is that we will be able to keep the school open on the proposed strike days for the majority of students except:
- Wednesday 15th March – school closed for Year 7 and Year 9. Please keep these year groups home on this day.
- Thursday 16th March – School closed for Year 8 and Year 10. Please keep these year groups home on this day.
School will
be closing at 3pm for all secondary students on both dates except for
the following:
- Year 11 who are in an exam – they will finish when the exam finishes
- Students using any of the bus services will remain on site until
3.50pm
- School of Rock performers – students will receive a separate
communication advising of plans for the dress rehearsal
Arrangements
Students not in school will receive communication for their Heads of year in relation to an assembly on the day they are at home.
From
9:00am onwards students at home should follow their normal school timetable,
accessing resources provided by our Remote Learning Plans which can be accessed
via the homepage of our website or, for ease of reference, located here: https://kba.uk/secondary/information/remote-learning-plans
Student
who are home and in receipt of Free School Meals can call into the academy via
Main Reception between 12.30pm and 1.00pm to collect a packed lunch.
We apologise for any potential inconvenience this causes you but we are doing
everything we can to minimise the number of pupils who are impacted on by the
industrial action.
It
is unlikely that the industrial action will be called off, but if this were to
happen, I will write to you to confirm that the school will be fully
open.
If
you have any questions or concerns about the alternative arrangements outlined
above, please do contact us via enquiries@kba.uk
If
the industrial action continues beyond the dates already announced, I will
write to you again with an update on our plans for dealing with this.
Thank you for your continued support of the school and your child’s education.
Sixth Form News
Year 13 Mock Examinations
We would like to congratulate our Year 13 students on the way they have conducted themselves through their second and final set of mock examinations. They have been well prepared and have approached them with maturity.
Attendance has been fantastic! Year 13; we are very proud of you.
There will be a mock examination results day on March 29th
Easter Bake Sale – 24th March
Our Year Head Student team and Prom Committee are organising an Easter cake sale to raise money for the Year 13 Prom – thank you to everyone’s support with the previous sale.
Due to the success of the first one which was Valentine themed, Sixth Form students and staff will be making Easter themed cupcakes and cakes but this time it will be a House event.
Each cake contribution will equal one point for the student’s House, with higher numbers of House Points available for any showstoppers which will be judged by Miss Rao and also sold off in an auction style.
If you have a son/daughter within the Sixth Form, we would love it if they could bake or contribute some sweet treats. All other students, please bring in cash to buy cakes at break time.
Trip to Pembroke College
Mrs Smedley and Miss accompanied some of our Year 12 students to a trip to Pembroke College, Cambridge where students heard all about life as a University of Cambridge student, had a tour of the campus and learnt how to write an effective personal statement.
Our students were a real credit to themselves, KBA and their families and they asked lots of useful questions.
This week’s PSHE
Votes For Schools
Following the rise in misogyny online and amongst young people, this week's Vote Topic takes a closer look at some examples of misogynistic behaviour in action and the potential barriers to calling out friends or peers in these situations.
Have a look at the lesson – how would you vote?
VFS 15min - Calling
out misogyny behaviour - wk beg 6th March.pptx
Life Lessons
There will be no life lesson this
week due to teacher training day.
