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Term 1 - 6 September 2024
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Dear Parent/Carer
Welcome to the new academic year. I hope you and your family had an energising summer!
As well as celebrating some recent school events with you, we hope you will find this first edition helpful. It aims to share information you may find especially useful at the start of the year. Please read on for dates of parents’ evenings, assessment weeks, financial support, who to contact…..
We are always keen to celebrate the achievements of our students, in and outside of school – so please don’t hesitate to contact us via enquiries@kshs.uk. It’s the quickest way for the right person to get back to you.
We are very much looking forward to working in partnership with you during the year ahead!
Mrs J Smith
Headteacher
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We were absolutely delighted with our public examination results again this year at both A level and GCSE. Hopefully you had a chance to see our social media postings around the time of results days.
Our A level students' success meant that KSHS made the Times newspaper placing us in 62nd place nationally for state school achievements at A level.
GCSE students can be just as proud of their success and it’s been super to see so many of them back in the Sleaford Joint Sixth Form this week. We await government data but will be excited to share with you nationally validated scores which suggest they have made truly exceptional progress. These students were in Year 7 when the pandemic affected their transition into secondary school and have brilliantly navigated a challenging few years, demonstrating their resilience and determination each step of the way. Some students have overcome considerable challenges to achieve their results.
Both sets of results open extraordinary opportunities for our students which allow them to be really ambitious about their futures. There is a strength of the collaboration between the staff of the Sleaford Joint Sixth Form, and the success of developing teaching that supports students and encourages their independent learning, a skill that is required in many walks of life.
The staff also deserve huge recognition for the part they have played in preparing students for their next ambitious steps as they have worked harder than ever before to deliver high quality teaching and learning. We would also like to thank all the parents and carers for their ongoing support.
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Volunteering in Costa Rica.....a report by Year 12 students
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Our Costa Rica Adventure
Our Costa Rica experience has been one of a kind to say the very least, and one that we will most definitely treasure as we branch out into the endless wonders the world has to explore and that this trip has presented to us. Not only have we witnessed the vivid landscape of the Monteverde rainforest, but we have also been acquainted with the tranquillity of the Pacific water.
We began our journey in Monteverde where we each planted a tree as an act of returning the kindness to the community that welcomed us, then being rewarded by a rare sighting of a Quetzal bird, even impressing our local guide. A spectacular waterfall and hummingbird gallery were also two thrilling experiences many of us could tick off out bucket lists.
We soon moved to the exotic camp of Cirenas where we stepped into the shoes of long-term volunteers which entailed practising a more eco-friendly lifestyle, composting our food waste and completely avoiding single use plastics. Additionally, one of our most exciting highlights of the trip so far was the turtle night patrols, where small, divided groups ventured out onto the coastline to pace up and down, taking shifts at night, in search of tracks indicating a turtle has made its nest. Our group had the privilege of locating one of these nests where we were able to safely transfer 107 baby turtle eggs into a nearby hatchery to save them from predators and poachers. Once we transferred the eggs to the hatchery, we dug them a new secure nest with sand containing the mother’s placenta, it was all a very memorable experience.
We then moved to the final leg of our journey, an on the coast resort called Jakera in the town of Santa Teresa. Here we continued to contribute to this beautiful part of the world, enjoying the amazing opportunities surrounding us. Pura Vida!
Lois Ayres and Isabel Lee
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Don't they all look smart? Here's to their KSHS journey....in years to come they will also be celebrating exam success and maybe volunteering in a different country.
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Introducing our new staff
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Hello! My name is Mrs Kopsidas and I am really excited to be coming ‘back to school’. As an ‘old girl’ of KSHS I have some amazing memories of my time here and I can’t wait to help shape the future of the school in my role as Assistant Headteacher for Behaviour and Culture as well as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). I have previously worked in schools in Lincoln, most recently as Assistant Headteacher responsible for Sixth Form and Deputy DSL. I have been a teacher of Business and Economics over the last 13 years and will continue to teach Business in my new role. Outside of the classroom I enjoy tap dancing, baking and spending time with my family.
I look forward to getting to know all the students and continuing my career within education back at the place which inspired me to teach.
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Hello, my name is Ms Johnson and I am so excited to be joining KSHS as an Art and DT teacher and form tutor of 7KLM. I have been teaching for six years in Peterborough and previously worked as a Designer and Illustrator after studying Architecture at University.
Outside of school I am kept very busy by my one-year-old daughter and as a family we enjoy getting out and exploring the countryside.
I am a keen swimmer and love to sketch and paint in my free time, creating artwork for my family and friends.
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My name is Miss Willoughby and I am excited to join the Kesteven and Sleaford High School Mathematics department, whilst Mrs Mahfouz is on maternity leave. Some of you may already know me as I have taught Maths up to and including A Level at Carre’s Grammar School for 12 years, so I have probably taught many of your siblings, cousins or relatives. I am the form tutor to 7KLM, alongside Ms Johnson, and I look forward to helping you all have a great first term at KSHS.
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My name is Mrs Clare and I am very pleased to join KSHS MFL Department as a teacher of French. I also work at Carre’s Grammar School and I am the language assistant for 6th Form students of French within the Robert Carre Trust. In the past I have taught German and Spanish.
In my spare time I enjoy a variety of activities such as reading, walking in the forest, traveling and spending time with my family.
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To help with communication, I thought it would be worthwhile reminding everyone as to who’s who in the school and, therefore, to whom parents/carers can address their communications.
Whilst the form tutors remain as the first point of contact for many issues, the Pastoral Leaders are an important and additional point of contact.
| Pastoral Leaders |
| Assistant Headteacher/DSL |
Mrs A Kopsidas |
| Associate Assistant Headteacher SENCo |
Mrs K Brown |
| Head of Sixth Form and careers lead |
Miss S Chant |
| Head of Year 11 |
Mrs E Constantine |
| Head of Year 10 |
Miss N Byrne |
| Head of Year 9 |
Mrs J Pankhurst |
| Head of Year 8 |
Mr L Rooke |
| Head of Year 7 and Transition |
Miss J Nutt |
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Subject Leaders
For academic issues, please address any concerns to the appropriate Subject Leader. A full list can be found here Kesteven & Sleaford High School - Staff List (kshs.uk)
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There is a safeguarding page on the school website. This will give you key information about the Safeguarding team, should you need to contact them. There is also a Parents’ section where you will find useful links to help you support your child. Kesteven & Sleaford High School - Safeguarding (kshs.uk)
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The Student Support department is a team of four highly experienced Learning Mentors overseen by the SENCO. The department's aim is to ensure that every student is fully supported to thrive during their time at KSHS. Whether a student has an academic concern, a learning need, is in mental health crisis or is simply in need of a quiet space, the Student Support team is able to help. In addition to the dedicated Student Support area, the team also offers support in the classroom as appropriate to meet the needs of our students.
Should you feel that your child requires some extra support, please do not hesitate to contact the team via enquiries@kshs.uk.
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| Learning and Support team |
| SENCo |
Mrs K Brown |
| Pastoral manager |
Mrs M Watts |
| Learning Support Assistant |
Mrs E Banks |
| Learning Support Assistant |
Mrs J Grimmer |
| Learning Support Assistant |
Mrs M Simpson |
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What will my child be learning this year?
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Our school website curriculum pages Kesteven & Sleaford High School - Curriculum (kshs.uk) map out what students in Year 7 -11 will be learning across all subjects. We hope this is a helpful way of your being able to see what students are studying in lessons and what knowledge they will gain over time. You might like to scroll to each subject and look at our Knowledge Sequencers that look like this. An example is given for History.
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Or look at our learning pathways for a more visual representation of learning across a subject over Key stages 3 and 4. Again History is given as an example below.
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Homework timetables have been shared with students: please ask them to show you their planner where they have recorded this information. Year 7 for example are set homework in 2-4 subjects per night with the expectation that no more than 20 minutes is spent on each subject. Year 11 on the other hand, might be expected to spend up to an hour a night per subject but on fewer subjects.
We don’t ever set homework for the sake of it, or set students ‘busy’ work. We want them to enjoy a rich programme of extra-curricular activity and to relax after a day of thinking hard at school too.
If you think your child is overloaded please contact their form tutor in the first instance. We often find that our diligent students are spending longer than they need to perfecting work and we can advise them on how to work smartly, or we can intervene where necessary.
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| Information Evenings |
| Year 7 - settling in evening with tutors |
Thursday 10 October |
| Year 12 - information evening |
Tuesday 10 September |
| Year 12 (Higher Education/UCAS) |
Thursday 12 June |
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| Parents' Consultations |
| Year 7 - face to face in school |
Wednesday 11 June |
| Year 8 - online |
Thursday 6 March |
| Year 9 - online |
Wednesday 4 December |
| Year 10 - online |
Thursday 22 May |
| Year 11 - face to face in school |
Thursday 23 January |
| Year 12 - online |
Wednesday 15 January |
| Year 13 - online |
Wednesday 20 November |
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| Internal Examination Dates |
| Year 7 |
w/c 12 May |
| Year 8 |
w/c 19 May |
| Year 9 |
w/c 28 April |
| Year 10 |
w/c 17 & 24 March |
| Year 11 |
w/c 11 & 18 November |
| Year 12 |
w/c 21 April & 9 June |
| Year 13 |
w/c 28 October & 24 February |
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Year 11 and 13 Public (External) Examinations (GCSE, CNAT, A Level, CTEC/BTEC)
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Public examinations for Year 11 and 13 begin during the week commencing 5 May 2025. The awarding bodies have designated Wednesday 25 June 2025 as the ‘contingency day’ for examinations. The afternoon of Wednesday 11 June has been designated as the 'contingency afternoon' for examinations.
All students will therefore need to be available for examinations up to and including Wednesday 25 June 2025.
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Pupil Premium - direct financial support for parents
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As we begin another academic year, we realise that this can be an expensive time for parents. The Robert Carre Trust receives Pupil Premium funding for students in Years 7-11 in receipt of Free School Meals and is committed to supporting equitable opportunities for all young people. This funding is used to raise attainment in various ways across the trust, but there is also provision for supporting families directly , most notably:
- Financial support for Educational Visits and School Trips.
- Financial support for peripatetic music lessons and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme.
- Financial support for hiring a locker in school
- An amount of £120 per child is additionally available to parents to assist with the purchase of uniform or contribute towards transport costs. This can be claimed by submitting receipts to the school Finance Office using the claim form available on the school website here. There will be a letter sent to the parents and carers of eligible students on Monday 9th September with this form attached.
Full details of how Pupil Premium is used to raise attainment is posted on the website of each school. Please do not hesitate to contact enquiries@kshs.uk if you require any further information.
Sixth Form students can qualify for a sixth form bursary rather than the above - please have a look on the school website for further information.
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Our PTA run a pre-loved uniform shop and often have a stall at school events. You can also see what’s available online here KSHS Uniform For Sale (padlet.com)
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Staff vacancy -
Would you like to work with our students as a Cover Supervisor?
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We would like to build our team of cover supervisors. The role involves supervising students whilst they undertake work left by an absent teacher. Our students are hardworking, have exemplary behaviour and are welcoming. They want to learn!
Full training is given and the role is suitable for adults of any age, we just ask that you enjoy the company of young people! The role is offered without commitment on your part – you can accept or reject the offer of work as it becomes available. We pay an hourly rate of £12.84. We are happy to show you round the school if you are interested.
For further information, please contact Mrs White: Assistant Headteacher Gaynor.white@kshs.uk
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Some notices from the school office
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- Please remember to label all of your child’s belongings so that should they get lost, we can return them to their correct owner. Each term we have a Lost Property Amnesty with items of clothing, stationery, footwear, books, lunchboxes and much more, none of which is labelled.
- Please remember that parental cars are not permitted on site at either end of the school day; this to ensure the safety of students and staff on site. If you need to collect your child, please arrange to meet him/her away from the school.
- Always ensure that your child has sufficient funds on their ParentPay account to enable them to buy the food they need in the dining room. Overdrafts are not permitted, so please provide your child with a packed meal if there are no/insufficient funds on the account. Please note that the default setting for daily spend is no more than £5.
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Follow us online
Do follow us on Instagram (you’ll see our Instagram posts feed through to Facebook too). Look for us @ kestevenandsleafordhighschool. We are gradually moving away from using Twitter as a platform in order to reach the majority of our stakeholders most easily.
We would encourage parents to use our website at www.kshs.uk. The website is a source of information about all aspects of the school, and you will be able to find the answer to most of your queries on there. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please email: enquiries@kshs.uk.
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 At the start of the year we remind students of our clear mobile phone regulations in school. For parents/carers our policy can be found here download.asp (robertcarretrust.uk) Thank you for your support in this. Helping students navigate the ever constant world of social media is something we are committed to. We are clear with students that mobile phones are for safety moving to and from school and that in school they can only be used for learning purposes with permission from their class teacher at the point of use. Otherwise, if seen they will be confiscated with increasing sanctions for the number of confiscations. We think it is kind to be clear with students and to provide phone free time in their day to focus on other opportunities and skills. Please look out for information and advice in our regular newsletter columns on how you can support your child in a busy online world to stay safe and happy.
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If you would like to purchase a house badge in the appropriate colour for your child’s house, please pay on ParentPay and the badge will be issued. If your child has already got a house badge, there is no need to purchase a new one.
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Who are we and what do we do?
We are a small but enthusiastic group of teachers and parents who meet once a term to organise fundraising events and plan support for the school in a number of different ways.
Through our fundraising, we can provide some of the ‘little extras’ which the school would not normally be able to provide from educational budgets.
Over the course of the last year we have provided:
- Every student with a school planner
- picnic blankets in the school grounds
- beanbags in the Library
- part-funded the new large-screen and sound facilities in the Sports Hall.
Last year we hosted an Easter Bingo event, provided refreshments at school events and continued to run our ever popular ‘100 club’. We also raise money by providing the school pre-loved uniform shop which you can access via the school website.
Can you help us?
Do you have any unwanted school uniform at home to donate? We are always on the lookout for good quality pre-loved uniform – simply drop items into school.
Could you join us on the PTA? We meet 6 times a year in the school Conference Room and are always keen to welcome new members. Our first meeting is on Monday 30 September at 7pm and will include our AGM.
'100 Plus Club’ lottery draw with £25 monthly prize
For the cost of £10 per school year you will be allocated a number which is entered into the prize draw. There is no limit to the amount of numbers you can buy and your ticket is entered every time – even if you have already won!
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