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Dear Parent/Carer We’ve made it! The end of term always seems to hurtle towards us with so many opportunities for students to take part in. Since the last newsletter, students have been involved in STEM competitions, a careers day. Sports day, the Sponsored Walk as well as a whole variety of trips and visits. We hope they have enjoyed them. This morning, we have celebrated students’ success at our Junior Prize Giving ceremonies. It was lovely to see so many of you there. You’ll see photos below of our Headteacher Award winners – students who were nominated for their achievement, effort or progress by four subject teachers or more. As the year comes to a close we must say farewell to some of our teacher colleagues (see below). I’m delighted to say that we have recruited some excellent staff for next academic year to follow in their footsteps. We will introduce them to you in the first newsletter of the term. Some of our current staff take on additional roles next year too. Mrs Kayles Brown will take on responsibility as SENCO as Associate Assistant Headteacher as well as Subject Lead for Maths, whilst Mr Lee Rooke will join the Head of Year Team as Head of Year 8. School reopens on Tuesday 3 September for staff only. Students in Years 7, 11 and 12 will return on Wednesday 4 September and students in Years 8, 9, 10 and 13 return on Thursday 5 September. All that remains is to wish you a very enjoyable and safe summer break! Thank you for all your support this academic year. Mrs J Smith
Headteacher |
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Year 7 students with Mrs Smith and Miss Nutt, Head of Year 7 |
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Year 8 students with Mrs Pankhurst, Head of Year 8 and Mrs Smith |
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Year 9 students with Mrs Smith and Miss Byrne, Head of Year 9 |
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Year 10 students with Mr Shivas, Head of Year 10 and Mrs Smith |
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Bella, Year 12 with Miss Chant, Head of Sixth Form |
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Mrs D Collett – Assistant Headteacher. Teacher of Geography. It is with mixed emotions that I bid farewell to this incredible community. Serving as your Assistant Headteacher has been a privilege. I have been fortunate to watch the remarkable growth and achievements of our students and staff. Together, we have navigated challenges and celebrated triumphs, always striving for excellence. I am immensely proud of the progress we’ve made, the innovations we’ve embraced, and the spirit of collaboration that defines our school. I’d like to extend my thanks to parents for supporting the school and to my colleagues for their dedication to the profession. Lastly, thanks to all our students, past and present, who have made every day a joy and a learning experience. Their enthusiasm and resilience are the heart of this community. They should never stop believing in their potential. As I move on to support my family and to new adventures, I carry with me the memories shared. Thank you for an unforgettable journey. 
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Mrs T Milnes – Teacher of Art After 24 years there are some aspects of KSHS that have changed almost beyond recognition – as one would expect. The school environment is after all, a small reflection of the world beyond the school gates. Major global events have impacted aspects of all our lives over the last few decades: social media, the internet, financial disasters and the increasing presence of AI have all reverberated into education. However, the one thing that has not changed over years, is the unique character of KSHS. It is, quite simply a very special place and its reputation within the wider community confirms this. Every day I am in awe of the students, their compassion, curiosity, humour, perceptiveness, motivation, their sense of fun, determination, resilience and kindness. The High School has been a big part of my life and will always hold a very special place in my heart, and in a world which can be confusing and sometimes frightening, where normality can be turned on its head in the blink of an eye, the school has provided stability and continuity for students and staff. It has been a wonderful and most fulfilling adventure, and I wish each and every student and colleague all the very best for their future paths. Personally, I am off to do some serious painting! 
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Mr A Shivas - Head of Year. Teacher of Modern Foreign Languages.
After 5 years the time has come to leave KSHS. I have loved working here as both a teacher and a Head of Year. I will leave the High School with many happy memories having rediscovered my love of teaching here. I have enjoyed teaching French, German and PSHE here and particularly enjoyed three Year 9 trips to the WW1 Battlefields and a Year 11 trip to the Lille Christmas Market. As a Head of Year it has been a privilege to see students grow in confidence and resilience and tackling all manner of challenges that life has thrown at them. For the current Year 10s I have loved journeying with you. You are strong and resilient and I look forward to hearing of your adventures in the years to come. I am sad to be leaving but excited to be returning to teach in Newark. I wish all involved in KSHS the very best.
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Mrs I Lawrie – Teacher of Mathematics
It has been an absolute pleasure to work at KSHS for this short period for maternity cover and have a glimpse into the amazing work of both students and staff. The opportunity has provided me with the chance to work alongside a lovely and hardworking team who have all given their own bit to my professional development for which I am thankful. As phrase I have come quite accustomed and fond of as a military spouse…. There are no goodbyes, so see you soon. 
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Mme K Birgé - French Teaching Assistant It was about 5 years ago (Mar 2019) when serendipity brought me to this school as the French Language Teaching Assistant. I was very touched!
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of you for these last 5 beautiful years. When I say to all of you, I do mean to all, to the management, the teaching staff, the support staff and parents.
And not just for the teaching, as I will not forget October 2021 when your help was more than needed and when yes, had I not been in school, the outcome would have been very different, so I also need to say again: Thank you I wish you the very, very best for your future life. !'!I shall miss you all!! 
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It has been a lovely end to Term 6 in History as we had the pleasure of accompanying Year 8 to Burghley House on Monday 8 July and Year 10 to Lincoln Castle on Wednesday 10 July. At Burghley House, Year 8 learned about the Cecil family and their ownership of the house to consolidate the work they have done this year on the Tudors, specifically the Elizabethans. We loved looking at the grand decoration as part of the house tour. Our trip to Lincoln Castle was to help Year 10 consolidate the work they have been doing in lessons on the History Around Us unit for GCSE. We had an excellent talk from Rachel at the castle and then enjoyed exploring the prison, trying on prisoner outfits and seeing the Silent/Separate System in the chapel. My thanks go to all staff who joined us on these excursions and to Mr Dennis for being trip leader. We are looking forward to more outings into the historical environment in the next academic year. Miss S Gray Subject Leader – History |
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This term the Year 8 Geography students have been learning about issues of urban regeneration. To support their learning, they visited the Bass Maltings site in Sleaford. Built between 1901 and 1907, the site of the former brewery is now derelict but holds huge regeneration potential. Students discussed physical and human reasons to explain why Sleaford had been chosen as the site for the brewery. They conducted environmental quality surveys, drew labelled sketches and considered the social, economic and environmental impacts of regeneration. Back in the classroom the students are taking on the role of urban planners, creating and presenting most imaginative ideas about how the site could be regenerated in a sustainable way. We look forward to hearing their suggestions!
The Geography Department |
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Rotary Technology Tournament Sleaford schools went head-to-head in an exhilarating technology tournament on Friday 5 July 2024. Over 100 students competed to be crowned champions. Teams of four students were challenged to design, develop, build, and test a solution to an unknown technical challenge, using materials supplied, against the clock, in a one-day event. On the morning the task was revealed to the students. They were challenged to design, build and test a vehicle that could cross a crocodile infested river. There was no bridge, only a suspended cable, which was used to carry a relief package to the other side, eject the package then return the vehicle to the start point. A range of skills were needed to succeed, with students’ portfolios, designs, communication, teamwork, and final construction all contributing toward the final points tally. The task aimed to test their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematical skills above all else, giving teams a small taste of what a career as an engineer could involve. All the teams rose to the challenge and had a successful and enjoyable day. KSHS, Carre’s, St George’s Sleaford, St George’s Ruskington, and Sir William Robertson Academy all sent teams from Year 8 and Year 10 to compete. A huge well done to all the teams that took part, all students worked hard and should be proud of their efforts. This year’s Year 8 champions were Team 4 from St George’s Sleaford, and this year’s Year 10 champions were Team 24 from Carre’s Grammar School. The event was organised and run by a collaboration between KSHS and the Sleaford Rotary club. A special thank-you also goes to Grunwald, a local engineering firm, who provided judges for the event. This was the third annual competition the school has hosted, with early planning already underway for next year’s competition in the summer of 2025. Mr S Norris STEM Leader |
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Year 10 Workplace Experience Day |
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On Wednesday 17 July, Year 10 took part in an Employer Experience Day. Four well-known local employers came to school for the day and students were given an introduction to their businesses, the different job roles and routes in, as well as other key information about the organisations. The rest of the day was spent completing project briefs set by the employers to simulate real-life tasks that they would complete in the workplace, before presenting back their ideas at the end of the day. Prizes were awarded by the employers for the best presentations and ideas. The day was a great end to the Careers Programme in Year 10, where students have learnt about applying for jobs, creating CVs and ccovering letters and preparing for interviews, as well as starting to look ahead to their post-16 options. The companies and projects were: Bakkavor – design a wrap or dessert. Students had to think about the target market and trends, internal and external influences, the product itself, place, price and promotion. East Midlands Railways – design a new station for Sleaford. Students had to think about the historic nature of the buildings, accessibility for all, community spaces, signage, safety etc. as well as the potential budget. Lincolnshire Highways Partnership – plan a proposed route for a Sleaford southern link-road. Students had to conduct a feasibility study setting out how the road would intersect with existing features such as other roads and water courses, what type of traffic would use the road in 15 years’ time, suggest the most cost-effective route, and conclude whether the project is feasible or not. Lincolnshire Showground – plan an event aimed at a younger audience. Students had to decide what kind of event it would be, plan the marketing, costs, health and safety considerations and any contingency plans. Student feedback from the day was overwhelmingly positive, with students enjoying the chance to work on a project all day, being creative and working in a team. A highlight was the blind food tasking in the Bakkavor session, as well as winning prizes such as air pods and soft toys. The employers likewise were incredibly impressed with our students in terms of both their behaviour and positive attitude, and their creative and innovative ideas; several of them said they would be taking their ideas back to their workplace teams! Miss S Chant Careers Lead |
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Sleafordian Coaches - travel information |
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North Kesteven District Council gave notice some time ago that the marketplace in Sleaford will be out of action for school bus collections and drop offs until further notice. Parents of students eligible for free school transport, will receive a letter from Sleafordian informing them of their child’s timetable and stop locations for the new academic year. Parents whose children use commercial operators should receive similar information from them directly. |
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First day of term - September 2024 |
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All students should be in normal school uniform for the first day of term and bring their PE kit with them in case they have PE on the first day. Timetables will be issued to students on the first morning by their form tutors. |
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Could you spare some time to be a Duke of Edinburgh Verifier for KSHS and Carre's? |
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A new learning platform for DofE Adult volunteers - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme is a UK charity that makes a difference to young people’s lives, by taking part in the DofE Programme to broaden their horizons, develop their leadership skills, learn to work with others, volunteer in their local communities, and prove to themselves they can achieve the challenge. DofE verifiers perform a vital role on behalf of the charity, through the use the online system Edofe to grant final approval to the awards achieved by our participants. A verifier is completely independent from the delivery of the DofE programme and act independently to quality check programme planners and are responsible for liaising with the DofE manger/students to address programme concerns.
We are looking to appoint a verifier on a voluntary basis to support the DofE programme at KSHS, and a overview of requirements can be found on the attachments. Training is through EDofE leaning platform, e-introduction and e-learning modules. If you are interested in this role, please do get in touch with our DofE department via email at dofe@robertcarretrust.uk
Mrs E Banks Duke of Edinburgh Manager |
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Duke of Edinburgh - Gold Expedition |
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On Monday 1 July, 11 Robert Care Trust based Year 12’s travelled to the Yorkshire Dales near the location of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge to complete their assessed expedition for their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. We walked for four days across the Peaks and completed around 80km worth of route that consisted of a variety of terrains and environments. This allowed us to see beautiful landmarks such as the Malham Cove and Victoria Cave as well as other stunning features such as waterfalls. We were all able to complete our expedition despite multiple setbacks such as relentless wind that nearly blew people over at points, injuries and illness that resulted in some rerouting. Other adverse weather conditions meant we needed to reroute for safety reasons, though at least we didn’t have the problem of overheating as it was quite cold at times! Overall, we had a lot of fun and we all developed many skills during our expedition, such as improving teamwork, map skills and communication, which are vital skills. We look forward to completing our presentations then our whole award. Katelyn 12F |
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On the 1st-5th of July, myself and my teammates completed our assessed Gold DofE expedition starting in Horton in Ribblesdale.
This was a very challenging task and the torrential rain and gusty winds made it no better, however it was a great experience, one which I will never forget.
The first day was sunny, tiring and rather uneventful in comparison to the events of the upcoming days. The walk of Day 2 came with the motive of the promise of luxury showers which I can say lived up to every expectation - there was even a hair dryer! However the heavy rain and horrible wind of walking Day 3 dimmed this mood significantly as we climbed many steep hills in constant battle with the elements. Walking Day 4, the last day, the motive of home and McDonald's made the walk much more hopeful than previous days despite pain and heavy bags.
The campsite ball games and jokes kept morale going for the week and all in all, the DofE experience no matter how challenging, was an amazing experience which I have no regret doing! Eve 12F |
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Library and Literacy News |
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Carnegie Medal and Shadowers Choice winners 2024 The annual and prestigious children's book award winner has been announced as Jospeh Coelho with The Boy Lost in the Maze. His story, written in a narrative poem format, follows two boys- separated by centuries but united on a journey through grief, anger and isolation. The award is uniquely judged by librarians simultaneously alongside school children from across the country, who form their own judging panels to vote for the winner of The Carnegie Shadowers Choice Award. The winner of this year’s Shadowers Choice Award is Crossing the Line by Tia Fisher; a timely story about a young boy reluctantly caught up in a county lines gang. This year in our school library, we have had our own group of shadowing judges from Year 8 and 9 who have met each Monday lunchtime to discuss the shortlisted books together. The group discussions have been lively and enthusiastic, with all agreeing that taking part in the judging process has developed a broader individual reader experience by reading books that wouldn't usually be considered. All the shortlisted books from this and previous years are available to borrow from the library. |
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New Children's Laureate announced Former Carnegie Medal winning children's author and screenwriter Frank Cottrell- Boyce has been announced as the new Children’s Laureate. A passionate advocate for libraries, Frank intends to use his time in role to champion the importance of reading to children, especially in early years. In a statement about his tenure, he said: "It will be about calling for national provision so that every child – from their earliest years – has access to books, reading and the transformative ways in which they improve long-term life chances." His novels include Cosmic, Framed, The Astounding Broccoli Boy, Runaway Robot and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again. His screen writing credits include co-writing the Platinum Jubilee Paddington sketch, credits on Doctor Who, Goodbye Christopher Robin and The Beautiful Game. |
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Parallel Election 
The library has played its part in the excitement surrounding our school’s recent parallel election, with a range of resources on display and available to borrow to explain the many elements of our democratic process. Our comprehensive library collection provides students with opportunities to explore in further detail some of the many topics that are covered throughout the year in Personal Development; always reflecting on what is happening in the wider world, be it the recent general election (please read below a student's view of being a candidate), Holocaust Memorial Day, Black History Month, Armistice or Pride Month. |
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Being a candidate has been very fun, it has got me to look at things from a different perspective. It has been very fun to create my campaign and advocate for Vision by putting up posters, speaking to people and with my manifesto video. I am grateful that I had this opportunity to see what it's like to be within an election. Chlöe B 10A (Vision) |
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Reading over the summer break With either a restful or busy schedule planned over the coming weeks, reading for pleasure during the well-deserved summer break is a daily activity that many of our students and staff are looking forward to. Although the school library closes over the summer our Ebook library remains open and can be a fantastic resource to borrow and download books from, particularly whilst traveling abroad. Students all have free access to the Wheelers Ebook library which is specifically curated with titles for young readers (age restrictions are in place for some titles) Details and log in reminders will be sent out to individual student school email accounts before the end of term, and there is also information on our school website under the Learning Resource Centre tab. Scan the QR code to access the Ebook App. 
Also, don't forget to check out your local library, which will have plenty of books, audio books, magazines and newspapers available as well as events and activities to encourage reading over the summer months. |
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Textbook returns If your child still has outstanding textbooks- particularly if they are from outgoing Years 11 and 13, Please could you return the items to school. There are return bins in the main foyer/ reception area throughout the summer and on results days. If textbooks have been lost or not returned, parents will have already received a replacement charge notification on ParentPay. Many thanks for your help in retrieving textbooks; making it easier for our departments to plan and purchase their resources for the next academic year. Library opening hours A reminder that the library opening hours when we return in September will continue to be: Monday - Thursday 8.30-4.30 Friday 8.30-4.00
Mrs C Gibson Learning Resource Centre Manager |
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Well done to our fantastic Sport Leaders who led events at the Community Crew Games on 5 July. They were brilliant at leading activities for primary aged pupils and there was some really lovely feedback from many of the primary school teachers about their patience, kindness and inclusivity. Great ambassadors!
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Year 10 GCSE PE students were lucky in the ballot this year to have the opportunity to visit Wimbledon and watch Women’s doubles semi-final matches on court 1. It was a fantastic day of watching some of the best tennis players in the world play amazing tennis. Lots of strawberries and cream were consumed and some life long memories were made. |
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Staff are invited to nominate students who have demonstrated a Growth Mindset in the past few weeks. This might have been in lessons, in clubs, tutor time or simply around school. Please note we already award bi-annual subject badges and merits for good academic work, effort and improvement. These Growth Mindset nominations recognise those who show resilience (academic or otherwise); who aren’t afraid to get things wrong and learn from it; those who have a go, take themselves out of their comfort zone or show that even if a task is tough, they will persevere. |
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| Student | Form | Teacher | Subject | | Róisín Dowd | 7A | Mrs L Cook | Science | | Anika Etherington | 8AH | Mr N Periam | Science | | Ella Pratt | 8FJ | Mrs J Pankhurst | Technology | | Sophia Barry | 8HB | Mrs N Jackson | English | | Scarlett Davis | 8HB | Mrs N Jackson | English | | Hajra Uddin | 8HB | Mr L Rooke | German | | Anya Jenkinson | 8PA | Mr L Rooke | German | | Maisie Kelham | 8PA | Mr N Periam | Science | | Cisha Nash | 9L | Ms H Renard | Mathematics | | Courtney Corringan | 10A | Mrs E Constantine | Pastoral | | Molly Guest | 10A | Mrs L Cook | Science | | Leah Dixon | 10F | Mr A Shivas | French | | Holly Marshall | 10L | Mrs J Pankhurst | Pastoral | | Charlotte Suffield | 10L | Mr S Norris | Science | | Paloma Sykes | 10L | Mr S Norris | Science | | Gaby Roberts | 10W | Mrs L Cook | Science | | Katie Roberts | 10W | Mr A Shivas | French | | Abi Stephens | 10W | Mrs E Taylor | Business Studies | | Dulcie Sumsion | 10W | Mrs E Taylor | Business Studies |
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As we get ever closer to the school holidays and look forward to an opportunity to recharge, we have to also remember that some young people may find themselves struggling without the structure and support network of school.
The Anna Freud National Centre of Children and Families has produced some really excellent resources in preparation for secondary school aged students and these packs (#SelfCareSummer) feature a range of creative activities based on self-care strategies that other young people have found useful in helping them stay mentally healthy. You could print the self-care summer guide attached, or go to this link to explore a range of other resources for children and young people. Or go to this link and use the flipbook:- My self-care plan: secondary (annafreud.org)
They also signpost young people and their families to additional support, including the AFC crisis messenger text service. If you are a young person looking for immediate support, visit this page for ChildLine, Samaritans and the Emergency services:- On My Mind: Urgent Help for young people with their mental health (annafreud.org) Advice from the NSPCC about leaving children home alone or going out alone This is a useful web page at any time but particularly ahead of the Summer holidays and the NSPCC webpage gives some practical support about children staying home alone or going out alone. The link can be found here. Leaving Your Child Home Alone - Advice | NSPCC Wishing you a restful enjoyable Summer holiday from everyone on the Pastoral team. |
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08 Nov 2023
We are looking to appoint a Relief Catering Assistant
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05 Sep 2023
We are looking to appoint a Cover Supervisor.
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