Term 6 Newsletter 22/23

Message from the Headteacher

Dear QEHS Community

In the mists of time, there was claimed to be an ‘easy’ final term once Year 11 and 13 classes had left and A Level and GCSE examinations were completed. Really? Term 6 has been a whirlwind of events, activities, achievements and ongoing school development. It never ceases to amaze me just how much we manage to squeeze in to six weeks at QEHS, how giving of discretional effort the staff team are, and how enthusiastic and engaged the students are with whatever opportunities come their way.

Right on cue, to wonderfully illustrate the sentiments expressed above, just a couple of weeks ago, QEHS received the prestigious SMSC Gold Award, the highest accolade possible, in recognition of the all-encompassing work we do around spiritual, social, moral and cultural education. The assessor was significantly impressed by the extent to which our values of Tradition, Achievement and Opportunity permeated all that we do and waxed lyrical about how embedded the QEHS Learner Standards of Learning to Learn, Leadership for Learning and Behaviour for Learning were as he triangulated student, parent and staff voice. Indeed, as he concluded in his report, ‘We congratulate Queen Elizbeth’s High School on achieving the Gold standard of SMSC development, and on the exemplary curriculum and relationships that are the hallmark of this excellent school.’

In other areas of school life, QEHS has been recognised with another Attendance Award for being in the top 10% of schools for pupil attendance across all FFT (Fischer Foundation Trust) secondary schools, as well as being re-accredited with the International Schools Award in recognition of the global links, trips and exchanges experienced by our students. A perfect example of this international dimension to the Queenies experience is the German exchange programme, which has seen 19 students and their teachers from Fraunhofer school in Germany spend time with our students and their families this week. Within an action-packed programme they seized the opportunity to immerse themselves in cultural experiences as diverse as visiting the Cathedral and seeing the Magna Carta in Lincoln Castle to enjoying fish and chips on Skegness seafront!

Earlier in the term, both Years 11 and 13 celebrated in style at their Proms – Hemswell Court Hotel and The Crown Hotel, Bawtry, respectively. These were truly poignant occasions for the students as they enjoyed these rites of passage and reflected upon a ‘job well done’ at the end of two years of hard study and dedication. Whether Bugatti or Beetle, Aston Martin or Asda trolley, each student arrived with their own personalised take on style!

At the opposite end of the age range, building on staff visits to feeder primary schools and the PE Activities / Music Market evening, our new Year 7 cohort due to join us in September thoroughly enjoyed an extended two-day transition experience and left all the more confident as a result. Meanwhile, our future Year 12 students notably benefitted from their initial induction to Sixth Form life with a morning in College House – a true taste of things to come as they look forward to starting A Level studies in September.

This term, we have been wowed by the whole school production, ‘We Will Rock You!” The show was a genuine foot tapper from start to finish. Somehow, each year, this showpiece stage event gets better and better. With an in-house designed and produced stage set with enough power banks to cause a dip on the national grid, to bespoke costumes and make-up, to West End standard singing, dancing and acting, ‘We Will Rock You!’ was a triumph!

Open Evening, meanwhile, exemplified why we are absolutely the school of choice in the region. By throwing our doors open in this way, students and staff alike were proud to demonstrate how it is we excel through our academic offer and why it is our youngsters are so confident and happy thanks to the wrap around pastoral support and care. The highly personalised approach adopted during the evening came through as a real highlight, with visitors commenting upon just how impressed they were with the levels of discretionary effort staff were demonstrating and how incredibly effusive our serving students were about their QEHS experience.

Sports Presentation Evening also took place this term. Held in the Upper School Hall for the first time, we acknowledged and celebrated the achievements of the top teams and individual stars of QEHS’ sporting elite. Quite rightly, students were made to feel special, and their families so very proud. A very impressive series of presentations to students in recognition of their sporting achievements culminated in Iris H receiving ‘QEHS Sports Personality of the Year 2023.’

As this academic year draws to a close, it is always important to thank the work of those colleagues leaving the school for the significant contributions they have each made to life at QEHS. This term we say farewell to: Miss Brown (one year Drama Intern) who heads off to begin teacher training; Miss Woods who leaves us as Learning & Progress Assistant (Science) after 1 year to take on a new post as STEM co-ordinator; Mr Burditt (Physics) after 2 years to work in a school south of the country with his partner; Miss Plant (History) who moves after 4 years to a school closer to home on the south coast; Mrs Cropper (Maths & Deputy Head of Sixth Form - UCAS, EPQ) who takes up a lecturing role at the University of Lincoln after 8 years at QEHS; Mr & Mrs Boyd-Wilson (Learning & Progress Assistant - Maths and Teaching Assistant) have seized the opportunity to run the business of their dreams in the north-east and leave us after 2 and 9 years respectively; Mrs Snow (Business) having enjoyed two spells with us, originally starting in 1992 and totalling 14 years’ excellent service takes retirement; Mr Fortis (Spanish) moves to fulfil an ambition to work in Further Education after 10 years with us; Mr Corner (Music) moves to take a promoted post as Head of Music in a school in Sheffield having spent 13 years at QEHS with two periods here as acting-Head of Music; Mrs Henighan (Support Officer for Arts) retires after 14 years of committed service; Mrs Sindall (RS) retires following 20 years of loyal service; Ms Duncalf (Head of Humanities and RS) also takes retirement having worked at the school for 24 years as a most dedicated colleague; and Mrs Baldwin completes an incredible 30 years at QEHS having joined in 1992 and excelled in posts such as Head of Girls PE and Head of Austen House. Finally, moving on from the Governing Body having each committed a decade of time, effort and energy to this hugely significant strategic role, we say goodbye to Mrs Shan Jaehrig (Vice Chair) and Dr Julian White (Chair of Governors). Heroes and legends all. Thank you so much for everything each of you have done during your time here at Queenies. Good luck and very best wishes for the next exciting stages of your professional and personal life journeys.

Finally, it leaves me to thank you as parents/guardians for all that you do to support the school. The triangle of success which operates between families, students and school is something that clearly makes a real difference here at QEHS. Without your ongoing support and commitment, the positive impact the QEHS offer has on our youngsters would not be so significant nor so sustained. The part you play in supporting us to develop and to encourage young people to grow as resourceful, resilient and well-rounded individuals is hugely appreciated.

May I wish you and your families a wonderful summer break.

Kind regards

Mr R Eastham

Headteacher

More Attendance Awards for QEHS

Queen Elizabeth's High School have received another Attendance Award! We have been recognised as being in the top 10% of all FFT schools nationally for attendance figures during Spring Term 2023.

Well done everyone! 

National SMSC Quality Mark – Gold Award

We are delighted to share the news that we have been awarded Gold level of the National SMSC Quality Mark, after our verification visit last week. Our provision for SMSC development at Queen Elizabeth’s High school was described as ‘excellent’.

Below are some key highlights taken from the report that evidence our outstanding SMSC provision:

• The school’s clear vision for SMSC is reflected in the aims and core values, which are prominently displayed around the school, but also, more importantly, understood, and reflected by staff and students

• A significant amount of work has been done to map SMSC across all aspects of the curriculum and beyond. This has resulted in an ‘underground map’ which helps staff and students alike to identify where SMSC is happening and how different aspects of provision interlink and contribute to support each other

• The PSHE curriculum has been updated to provide even better support for the statutory components of RSHE and an adapted provision tailored to meet the needs of QEHS students

• The school has also made a significant investment in ‘Leadership for Learning’ and the ‘QEHS Learner Standards’ which gives students responsibility for behaviour, leadership, learning, and mental health and well-being which also supports initiatives, including subject ambassadors, student counsellors, and sports leaders

• This is supported by a strong ‘House’ system which provides opportunities for a very diverse programme of extracurricular activities. This creates, for most students, a strong sense of belonging, but also enables them to become confident and resilient citizens as part of the character education provision

Mr J Burge

Assistant Headteacher (Enhancing Best Practice)

International Schools Award

QEHS is very proud to announce that we have been re-accredited as an International School by the British Council. The International Schools Award is a badge of honour that celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in international education. Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life work in today’s world. Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of our ethos, allowing our students to gain the cultural understanding and skills they need to live and work as global citizens.

QEHS has forged links with schools all over the world. Groups of students have visited our partner schools in China, Tanzania, Germany, France and Spain. We also have strong links and participate in joint activities with partner schools in Australia, France, Morocco, Poland and Romania. We have welcomed teacher visits from many of these countries. 

A further string to our bow is our Camps International programme, which allows students to work on development schemes for a five week period during the summer. So far, students from QEHS have assisted with projects in Cambodia, Tanzania, Ecuador and The Galapagos Islands and next year students will be travelling to Borneo.

In a personal message of congratulation to us, Sir Ciarán Devane, CEO of the British Council, said: ‘The fantastic international work at QEHS has rightfully earned it this prestigious award. The International School Award is a great chance for schools to demonstrate the important work they’re doing to bring the world into their classrooms. Embedding an international dimension in children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful lives and careers in an increasingly global economy.’

The award, which celebrates its 20^th Anniversary this year, is now available worldwide in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Lebanon, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Over 6000 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.

The International School Award encourages and supports schools to develop:

• An international ethos embedded throughout the school
• A whole school approach to international work
• Collaborative curriculum-based work with a number of partner schools
• Year-round international activity
• Involvement of the wider community
  

Mr J Kingdom 

Deputy Headteacher

Recent International Trips

The Duke of Edinburgh Award at QEHS

We are proud to announce that the vast amount of work that our students put into volunteering as part of their participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme (DofE) has been recognised:

This has been a very ambitious year for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme at QEHS. Over 90 Year 9 students have completed the Bronze Award and 32 Year 12 students have completed the Silver Award sections of volunteering, skills and physical challenges. Amongst a plethora of activities, students have volunteered in animal welfare centres, homes for the elderly, learn to bake, knit and type, coached football, run half-marathons and mastered the eskimo roll in a canoe! The students have also attended training days in school and have mastered camp craft, navigation, route planning and first aid. 

They tested their skills during expeditions in Clumber Park for the Bronze Award and The Peak District for Silver Award students. The students faced tough navigation and the Year 12 students in particular had to face some extremely testing weather. The students rose to the challenge and showed determination, resilience and good humour to pass their assessments with flying colours. 

Huge thanks also go out to the staff team who have not only managed a huge number of students but who also suffer considerable privations in order to see students through the award.     

DofE is a life-changing experience. It offers a fun time with friends, an opportunity to discover new interests and talents, and a tool to develop essential skills for life and work. It is a recognised mark of achievement; respected by employers.

At QEHS we offer the award at Bronze level to students in Year 9 and at Silver level to students in Year 12. We can facilitate the Gold Award for Year 13 students.

Each level involves helping the community/environment to become fitter, develop new skills, plan and train for and complete an expedition and, for Gold only, working with a team on a residential activity.  Students complete and log activities under three section headings:  volunteering, physical and skill. They also complete a one night expedition at Bronze level and two, two night expeditions at Silver. We have a store of equipment, including tents, rucksacks and stoves which we lend to students. Students do need to provide walking boots and waterproofs. The award is currently open on SCOPay to students in Year 8 and will open in September for students in Year 12.

Mr J Kingdom

Deputy Headteacher

Term 6 Subject Superstars

Well done to the following students who have been identified as the Term 5 Subject Superstars.

KS3 

KS4

KS5

The Subject Superstars are nominated by departments and are identified in recognition of good behaviour, academic achievement, progress, extra-curricular or something that has made the student stand out for all the right reasons!

ABRSM Music Exams

Congratulations to the following students for passing their Music exams: 

Tavonga in 10S, passed Grade 4 Singing

Timas in 9D, passed Grade 4 Guitar

Niamh in 8D, passed Grade 1 Piano with Merit

Nishant in 9S, passed Grade 2 Piano with Merit

Cameron in 11E, passed Grade 4 Oboe with Merit

Ashe in 11A, passed Grade 1 Piano with Distinction

Lotti in 8D, passed Grade 1 Piano with Distinction

Alfie in 9B, passed Grade 5 Percussion with Distinction

Jacob in 8B, passed Grade 8 Clarinet with Distinction

Mrs Henighan

Admin Support Officer - Arts

Term 5 Headteacher's Commendation Awards

Following recommendations from staff, congratulations are in order for Suzanne T in 12A, and Tara P in 12D, for being awarded this term's Headteacher's Commendation Award.  

Learning to Learn:

Suzanne T (12A) was awarded the Learning to Learn Award for her outstanding academic performance across the entire year. In her recent year 12 mocks she scored highest in the year by a significant way and even achieved full marks on the notoriously tricky multiple choice questions section. She has also participated in the chemistry Olympiad a year earlier than students typically do and still managed to achieve one of the highest results amongst our students who entered.

Leadership for Learning:

Tara P (12D) was awarded the Leadership for Learning Award for being a key asset to the start of the Senior Student Team and making changes to the school for the better alongside everyone in the team. Tara has done a few speeches filling in for Harrison and Ella and she has progressed fantastically in her public speaking skills, which initially she was nervous about and her speech at Open Evening was excellent.

Well done to the both of you! 

Sixth Form Marketing Team

I would like to say a huge thank you to the Sixth Form Marketing Team. They have been the face of School Tours and they have all done such a fantastic job! Also, thank you to each and every one of you who joined previously but had to leave due to other commitments, your time was appreciated. 

The Marketing Team have made many improvements and offered ideas on how to improve next year's team so they will be even more prepared! They will be training the new team from September. 

You are all fantastic role models! Having the confidence and knowledge to tour families around our school during a normal day is something you should be very proud of. 

Thank you,

Miss S Stubley 

Communications, Marketing and Development Officer 

STEM

The Year 7 STEM students presented Kieron D with a pen as a token of appreciation for the massive effort that he has put into running STEM club for them this year. Well done Kieron! 

Open Evening

We held our annual Open Evening on Wednesday 12 July which was a huge success! Potential parents and students had a fantastic time visiting the school and collecting the puzzle pieces to win a sweet prize at the end! Thank you to everyone who attended and to all the staff and students who made the evening such an infortative and vibrant experience. 

Incoming Year 7 Enjoy an Amazing Taster Experience

We welcomed our future Year 7 students into school this term for a series of transition events to ensure they have had the opportunity to see what is on offer when they officially begin with us in September.

The PE Sports Evening was first up, with nearly 130 students in attendance this year,  it was a roaring success. Students were led by a team of students and PE staff through a range of activities that they will enjoy during their PE and games lessons from September. The PE leaders, from Year 7 & 8 hosted activities such as tennis, kinball, tchoukball, rounders and football. The aim of the session - to provide an opportunity for students to get to know the other new starters whilst being introduced to the sports they will be able to access during their 7 years at QEHS. The PE staff made comments on how enthusiastic and engaged the year group were on the evening.

Next up the Music Market, showcasing what the music department has on offer for the New Starters. Parents and students were welcomed to the session with live music from current students who were starring in the Summer School Production- We Will Rock You. The Music Department demonstrated the instruments future students would have the opportunity to play during music lessons and the external provision offered at the school. The New Starters were then able to try out the various instruments for themselves- we certainly have some talented students joining us in September.

The following week the Year 6 'Taster Days' saw future students learning which house they would join in September. Students learnt the colour of their new ties for September 2023 and were welcomed into their new tutor groups by their Form Tutors and House Leaders. The students spent two days exploring the school, meeting teachers and older students. They learnt about the House System and the vast array of activities that they will have the opportunity to take part in. They were able to choose library books to take home for the summer and had taster lessons in Art, Science and Maths.

The two days were concluded with a New Year 7 Parents Evening, where students were able to guide their parents around QEHS, show them their form rooms and meet their New Year 7 Tutors- Mrs Heathershaw, Mrs Robinson, Mr Downing, Miss Meneer, Mrs Brown and Mrs Jones. After messages from Mr Eastham, Mrs Watson and Mrs Walker, our current Year 7 students bravely spoke to a packed Upper School Hall, of their advice and experiences during their first Year at QEHS. The students gave reassuring advice to our future students and told them of all of the exciting experiences that were instore for them. Harrison and Ella- our Head Boy and Head Girl for the next Academic Year, led parents and students through their journeys from Years 7-12. The QEHS Performing Arts Team then gave a fantastic conclusion to the event, performing songs from the Summer Production. 

We look forward to our New Year 7s beginning in September and wish you all a restful Summer break.

Miss H Walker

Head of Year 11

Sports Presentation Evening

The penultimate Thursday of half term saw students recognised for their outstanding efforts and achievements in PE as part of the QEHS PE Sport Presentation Evening in the Upper School Hall.

The first students to receive an award were those students whom had shown ‘outstanding effort and engagement in PE’. Seven students were recipients of our first award including Niamh J, Georgia Louise-M, Emily A, Robbie O, Ben P, Jacob G, Charlie D, Holly K and Summer D. All of the recipients were recognised for their consistent outstanding engagement and effort in PE throughout the academic year, this includes during lessons, extracurricular sport involvement or being and outstanding sport leader.

The second and third awards of the evening were given to those students that have consistently shown ‘outstanding effort and engagement in GCSE / A Level PE’ throughout the academic year. We are excited to see the results these students achieve next summer! The recipients of the ‘outstanding effort and engagement in GCSE PE’ award were Isobelle B, Mia S, Madie W, Ihzaan C and Lily-Mai M. Students that were awarded the ‘outstanding effort and engagement in A Level PE’ were Lily B-G, Sophie E, James E, Reuben L and Harrison C.

The next award was presented by Miss Allen, to those students that have shown ‘outstanding contribution to PE and School Sport’. Students receiving this award have immersed themselves in all aspects of the Physical Education and Sport Department, whether that be representing the school in teams, outstanding engagement in PE but ultimately for going above and beyond in their contributions to PE and School Sport. The winners of the ‘outstanding contribution to PE and School Sport’ award were Will C, Sophie R, Harrison H, Monty D, Emily B, Iris H, Noah J, Sabrina H, Matilda V D H.

As the evening progressed Mrs Walker was invited to the stage to present the ‘QEHS Sport Leadership Award’ to our young and aspiring sport leaders. The students receiving this award were nominated as a result of showing outstanding leadership for learning in a variety of different ways in Physical Education and Sport. The students receiving this award were Isobelle B, Lily-Mai M, Sam W, James T and Talitha O.

The penultimate award of the evening was a special recognition award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to PE and School Sport’. Winners of this award have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to the QEHS PE Department over the last seven years. Winners of this award go to three special students in Lola H, Isaac M and Jake S.

The final set of awards were presented by Mr Eastham and were the prestigious ‘QEHS Sport Personality of the Year’ awards for 2023. This student exemplifies an outstanding student athlete, who continually demonstrates outstanding engagement in PE and Sport and academically. She has represented school exceptionally well not just in her own year group but in Year 9 as well. As she has progressed from Year 7 she has started to demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities. She has unbelievable potential and we are excited to see her progress as she moves up the school. Third place in this years Sports Personality of the Year goes to Sophie R.

Second place in the QEHS Sport Personality of the Year was awarded to Monty D.  Monty is a student that immerses himself in all aspects of Physical Education and Sport, where he consistently demonstrates an unbelievable work ethic in everything he does. He excels not just within school but outside school as well through cross country and athletics. As well as being an extremely talented performer, he is also a fantastic young man. Another student who has an exceptional future ahead of them and we are excited to see him progress through the school, where he has already begun to excel in GCSE PE after only a few weeks.

The winner of the QEHS Sport Personality of the Year award this academic year goes to Iris H! Iris demonstrates a unique characteristic where she drives those around her to be better, the demands she places on herself are replicated to those around her. She has led the Netball team to district and county glory, as well as leading the Handball team to county champions where the team played a year up. Where they finished 3rd at the North regionals missing out on nationals (whilst being a year younger) by one place.

Her commitment to QEHS PE is outstanding, particularly knowing the huge demands on her time outside of school with her netball career. She recently won the Under 14 National Club Championships with her netball team (Kingsway), where she was an instrumental member of the team. More importantly she is a pleasure to teach and a credit to the school and her family. Well done Iris!

The evening of celebrations continued as Mrs Baldwin was recognised for her 31 years of service to the QEHS PE and Sport Department, very befitting of her status as a ‘legend’ of QEHS. We wish Mrs Baldwin a happy retirement and already know this will be filled with plenty of triathlon competitions, we look forward to hearing of your successes Mrs Baldwin!

At the end of the evening it was only right Mr Burge was recognised for his outstanding work leading the QEHS PE and Sport Department for the last nine years. Mr Burge has been successful in achieving a permanent positions as a member of the QEHS Leadership Team as Assistant Headteacher (Enhancing Best Practice). The QEHS PE Department would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Burge for all of his support and leadership over the last nine years.

Mr A Fearn

Head of PE

Year 11 Prom

What a fabulous night of glamour and glitz on Tuesday 27 June as Year 11 celebrated their Prom at Hemswell Court. Students certainly dressed to impress with amazing gowns and suits as well as some spectacular entrances in various forms of glamorous transport as well as mopeds, tractors, and monster trucks!

We are so proud of all our Year 11s and what they have achieved over the last five years. We hope our students had a great time and enjoyed letting their hair down after working so hard on their studies this year.

We look forward to seeing everyone again on GCSE Results Day and wish you the best of luck!

Mrs E Walsh 

Assistant Headteacher (Sixth Form)

Year 13 Prom

The much anticipated Year 13 Prom took place at local hotspot The Crown Hotel, Bawtry, last month as students arrived dressed to the nines to celebrate the end of their QEHS Sixth Form journey.

With the mesmerising backdrop, students were welcomed to the venue with photo opportunities alongside their friends as they gathered. After mingling in the garden the students took to their tables for a three course meal before dancing the night away.

Congratulations to you all and we wish you all the best with your exam results and beyond! We will look forward to celebrating with you on A Level Results Day.

Mrs E Walsh 

Assistant Headteacher (Sixth Form)

Year 8 Extended Project

Year 8 finished their year of PSHE study by researching and presenting their interests as part of their extended project. The Activities Hall and Room 27 were full on Tuesday afternoon with students discussing their research projects with their peers and later welcoming parents and guardians to see their projects. It was fantastic to see the range of different projects on show from Year 8. Projects ranged from research into the coral reef, to the tasting of Japanese food. Well done Year 8!

Cosmodome

Between 21 to 23 June, students from The Gainsborough Academy, Mercer’s Wood, Whites Wood and Benjamin Adlard visited us. The students were from early years up to Year 9. When they came to the school they got the chance to visit the Cosmodome where they were treated to an immersive experience of space. They also got the opportunity to participate in STEM activities that were led by our fantastic Year 9 students. All of our Year 7 students also visited the Cosmodome to complement their learning in Physics. The entire event was funded by the Royal Astronomical Society educational grant.

Licsha S, 9B

STEM Crest

Between 7 to 12 July, Year 1, 2 & 3 students from Mercer’s Wood visited QEHS to undertake Science activities leading to their STAR CREST Award. On 7 July, our Year 9 STEM Champions led two activities; discovery bag and plant detectives. Both these activities allowed students to interact with their outdoor environment and apply their knowledge in Science to things they encounter in their everyday life. The other 6 activities were led by our Year 10 students that could not go on work experience. By 12 July, the primary children had completed all the necessary activities which meant they were able to get their STAR CREST Award. The students that led the activities are also getting an award from the Ogden Trust and QEHS partnership.

https://twitter.com/MercersWood/status/1681271285228138496?s=20

Licsha S, 9B

Trips Day

Trips day is a day that everyone looks forward to and this year’s was no different. As a reward for all of the hard work, determination and good humour that our students have shown through a challenging year, trips day 2023 set out to be something special. As the sun rose a fleet of coaches arrived at QEHS, destined for: Go Ape; Bawtry Paintball; Wild Pines; The Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Skegness. Students who remained in school took part in a plethora of activities including: a chef masterclass with Leslie Gadd of Lovely Loaves; creating animated films; treasure hunts; sports; enrichment activities and literacy tasks. Days like this don’t happen without considerable amounts of planning and huge thanks go to the planning team: Miss Lowe, Miss Meneer, Mr Johnson, and to the trip leaders:  Mrs Crick; Mr Watt; Mr Downing; Mr Johnson and Mrs Coupland. In the words of one of the students leaving the bus park after a hard day’s paintballing,  ‘It was the best day ever…..’

Mr J Kingdom

Deputy Headteacher

The Lincolnshire Show

On Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 June, a team of two teachers and six STEM Ambassadors attended The Lincolnshire Show. We were asked to provide an interactive learning activity in the Farm Gate Education Marquee around the theme of ‘Agriculture and Food’. We decided to base our activities around the science of soil. Activity one enabled visitors to view soil samples under a microscope and identify whether the soil sample they were looking at was a clay, loam or sandy soil sample. Visitors then learned what crops would grow best in each type of soil. Activity two involved testing the pH of three unidentified soil samples using universal indicator paper. Once visitors had identified whether the soil sample they were experimenting on was acidic, alkaline or neutral, they were then asked to match the soil sample to crop that it would best support to give the highest yield.

Our final activity allowed visitors to develop the best shape of plough that they could using lollipop sticks and card. It was an incredibly busy two days with visitors to the stall from 08.00-18.00. A special mention must be made to our fantastic STEM Ambassadors: Kieron D, Tom W, Andriana C, Francesca B, Lily H and Evie F. They engaged with visitors of all ages and were extremely fluent in their explanations of the science behind each experiment. Attending the event also allowed us to check in with one of our feeder schools, The Marton Academy. I had provided some science outreach to the school including a lesson on testing the pH of the school pond they were developing as part of their entry. They entered the small schools competition and I am pleased to report that they achieved a very respectable third place. A huge thank you must also be passed on to Mrs N Spawton who was the other Science teacher responsible for organising the learning activity along with the Science Technicians at QEHS who were so helpful in preparing the equipment needed over the two days. The feedback from the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society Education Team has been resoundingly positive and we look forward to working with them again next year.

Mrs P Worrell

Science Teacher

Year 10 German Exchange UK leg - Friday 14 July – Monday 24 July 2023 - Visit of Joseph von Fraunhofer students to QEHS

As many of the QEHS community may already remember the German department has run a highly successful exchange programme with our partner school in Bavaria since 2005.  Quite often we hear stories of how our exchange has built long lasting friendships between students and families or led to pupils living or working abroad  using their German language skills, this indeed makes it all worthwhile.  The importance of our young people being able to experience an exchange programme such as ours, connecting with other pupils in a different European country is something all colleagues involved are very proud of.  This is our first exchange post pandemic and thank you to all members of the QEHS and JvFG communities who have helped in their continued support of the programme.

19 excited but tired students from Cham arrived last Friday with their two teachers Erika Christoph and Katrin Müller (who is a first-time visitor to QEHS Herzluch Willkommen!) and we have spent a busy week together visiting York, Lincoln, Gainsborough old hall and participating in the end of year trips paint-balling or visiting high ropes! The German students has an official welcome from Mr Eastham at the start of the week, and today all will be celebrating our partnership together with a reception lunch with Gainsborough mayor councillor Tim Davies.

Highlights of the week have also  included fish and chips at Skegness together with lots of chats about British summer time weather and how it isn’t always this bad! We are also delighted to announce that a small amount of funding has been secured from UK German connection to help our exchange to continue to flourish! Year 9 German had the pleasure of meeting our friends on Wednesday and we hope they were inspired to consider taking part during their GCSE study.  We wish our JvFG visitors  much fun and sunshine over this last remaining weekend before departure on Monday. Safe journey and ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ until we come to visit you at JvFG in October!

Ms G Turnbull

German Teacher

Rhineland

On Thursday 25 May, 40 Year 9 students trundled out of bed in the depths of night for a 20 hour bus journey to Rhineland in Germany. This may seem like something that you would rather not be doing on a random Thursday evening but trust me, from someone who has first hand experience of this ridiculously long journey, it was definitely worth it. When we got to the hotel, we were all extremely hungry and in need of a good quality meal after eating a limitless amount of sweets. We were gifted with a three course meal of soup, chicken dinner and ice cream. It was delicious! The next day we got up for breakfast where there were many options to choose from and whilst we were in the dining hall we made our packed lunch. This was a ham and cheese bread roll with fruit, a chocolate bar and your choice of drink. After this we got back on the bus for a trip to the beautiful city of Koblenz. We got a chairlift down from the viewpoint. We were all lost for words over the stunning view of the Deutsches Eck- where the two rivers, the Rhine and Mosel, join. We then went on a boat trip down the Rhine whilst eating our lunch. We rushed to our next stop, Burg Eltz. After a tiresome march through the woods we made it to the most beautiful castle where we had a personal tour of the combined home of three historic German families. The interior was so unique that we weren’t even allowed to take pictures, however this gave us time to take in all the interior designs. In the evening we went bowling and had a great time but it was very clear to see who the more experienced bowlers were.

On the second day of activities, we went to Rüdesheim, a stunning town with lots of nice food to choose from and went to Siegfried’s Musikabinett, a museum with many interesting instruments. We got a cable car over vineyards down to the Germania monument and then took a chair lift back down to the bus. This was such an amazing experience as you could see for miles and at one point it looked like you were going to go over the river. That evening, we went to the long-awaited Eiscafé where many of us had our first ever Spaghetti Eis. On our final day we went to one of Germany’s best theme parks called Phantasialand. We had free roam of the park all day and went on some of the most amazing rides. The best ones were Taron which is the world’s most intense roller coaster and FLY. It was the perfect end to a once in a lifetime experience. On our final day we got back on the dreaded bus and got back to school at 04:30 in the morning. Even after such an incredible trip, we were all ready to get back home.

Poppy G, 9B

A Level Historians visit Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln

In June, the Year 12 historians were able to enjoy a day at Lincoln’s Bishop Grosseteste University as part of an NEA study day, and to experience life as a university student. In spite of the torrential rain, we enjoyed a tour of the campus visiting accommodation, cafes and many lecture and seminar rooms. We were introduced to the History Department and attended workshops designed to support the writing of the NEA, use of interpretations and sources. The afternoon session gave students access to the wide range of university online resources to help with the planning of their investigation. The advice was invaluable and will be beneficial in the planning, structuring and writing of their enquiry. We were very grateful for the opportunity to visit the university, meet the lecturers, benefit from their advice and receive the BGU gift bag!

Mrs N Slack 

History Teacher

We Will Rock You

One of the Arts Faculty’s biggest projects over the last few months has been the production of this summer’s whole school musical, We Will Rock You. Over the course of four performances, we have seen two excellent casts raise the bar night after night, leaving the audience hungry for more! The audience could not praise the cast enough for the outstanding show they put on. The level of commitment and excitement has been extraordinary, and each individual rehearsal saw a new energy from the cast. Some members of the cast expressed their favourite moments of their We Will Rock You experience:

“I have really enjoyed learning the dances as they challenged my ability. I also loved watching ‘It’s a Kind of Magic’ during rehearsals because that dance was truly amazing!”

“I have really enjoyed working with people in all year groups with a shared love for drama and musical theatre. I have made so many friends that I will keep in touch with and have had great fun with over the last few months. It is an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone.”

“The cast really make the show and the cast this year have been wonderful and supportive. I have made so many friends through theatre and this show is no different, I love meeting people with similar interests, and this is where you can do that.”

“I love how everybody had a good time at rehearsals and had an even better time on show days.”

If you were able to see the show, I am sure you will agree that it is one of the best ever. QEHS students and staff worked incredibly hard to produce this show and we are so excited to do it all again next year!

Miss E Brown 

Drama Intern 

Professor Khan helps Students to Achieve their Goals

Professor Mansoor Khan, our QEHS medical school admissions expert, spent some time with our early applicants to discuss strategy and give guidance to our Year 12s to help them achieve their goals.

Professor Khan is a highly accomplished consultant general, upper gastrointestinal, and trauma surgeon and honorary professor of general surgery, so he really knows the inside track and what our aspiring medical students are up against. Professor Khan specialises in hernia surgery, stomach surgery, acid reflux, gallbladder surgery, oesophageal cancer, appendicitis, as well as complex trauma follow-up and management.

Professor Khan has also been a trauma surgeon for the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix for the last decade, Course Director for the internationally acclaimed Definitive Surgical Trauma Skills Course, and Director of Traumakhan Ltd. Impressively, amongst all of his varied work, he manages to also actively carry out trauma-based research, international trauma training, as well as corporate advisory roles.

Professor Khan will be back in school in September to help medical and dental school applicants with their personal statements and to support them with preparation for their interviews.

Mrs E Walsh

Assistant Headteacher (Sixth Form)

Joe Secures Prestigious Savills Degree Apprenticeship

Everyone at QEHS has been delighted by the news that Joe H of 13A has secured a degree apprenticeship with Savills in London.

Joe writes,

I am thrilled to have received an offer to join Savills in September at their global headquarters on Margaret Street in London on a surveying degree apprenticeship scheme, where I will be a part of the Global Cross Border Investment (GCBI) team, a capital-focused team comprised of 22 members globally, 8 of whom are based in London. My role will involve working alongside members of the team with global clients to fulfil their investment needs, along with many other aspects due to the highly varied nature of the GCBI team’s business. Previous work from the team has seen operations involving the likes of 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin) and the Lloyd’s building in the City of London, among myriad other asset-types globally. 

To compliment my role, I will also be working towards a degree (BSc Real Estate Management). This degree is funded within the package from Savills, as well as a salary and support in completing my Assessment of Professional Competence leading to MRICS status, resulting to membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. 

The application process for the scheme involved an online application with a CV and cover letter, an assessment centre in London where I completed a presentation to other candidates and directors, followed by group tasks and discussions, written assessments and more. All candidates were monitored closely by assessors from the team to ensure a suitable fit with Savills’ culture. I was then invited back down to London for an interview with the head of the GCBI team, and subsequently offered the place shortly after. I feel very privileged to have been offered the role due to only one place being available from amongst the very high number of applications.

Max takes an Incredible 7 Wickets!

Max D in 10D picked up his first ever senior five wicket haul in Scunthorpe Town Cricket Club's 4th XI match against Haxey. Not only did he pick up 5, he took an incredible 7 wickets which is an outstanding achievement for someone so young.

His figures read as below:
8 overs
1 maiden
26 runs
7 wickets

He has gone all the way through their junior ranks and is continuing to develop. Max also topped the County Bowling Honours for the weekend!

Well done Max!

Elyse qualifies for the Summer English Nationals

Congratulations to Elyse H in 7E. She has qualified for the Summer English Nationals Meet at Ponds Forge in Sheffield this August in 100m freestyle. She will be competing in the 12/13 age category, so aged 12, she has qualified than most competitors - an amazing achievement!  Good luck Elyse!

Zain's Memorial

On Friday 14 July, QEHS welcomed Zain’s family and Year 11 students to take part in an act of remembrance for Zain Beeharry.

We wanted to thank everyone in our large, loving community who have helped support each other in so many ways over the past few months. The void created by the sudden death of someone as beloved as Zain is still hard to grasp. Your help, your conversation, your laughs, and your hugs have kept our school community strong during this time of grief.

We planted a beautiful Golden Rain Tree as a lasting symbol of Zain’s life, aimed at benefiting future generations of QEHS students and giving family and friends a place to visit and feel close to their loved one. When memorial trees are planted, the hope is that they will ensure a person is not forgotten and the memory they represent will endure for many years to come. It is our sincerest wish that visiting this space, being with nature and watching this tree develop and grow, can hopefully help us to connect with our emotions and reflect on our memories of Zain.

Many of us are aware of the environmental benefits of trees, but in Islam, planting a tree can be a very virtuous act. Planting a tree is an act of Sadaqah Jariyah, an act of faith and charity, as trees provide shelter and food for animals, purify the air of pollution and regulate the temperature within urban environments. They play a critical role in the quality of human life, as well as the environmental well-being of our communities.  But there is one thing in trees that I find particularly poignant. With its roots burrowing deep into the soil and its branches rising to the Heavens, the tree is universally seen as the symbol of the connection between Earth and Heaven. Their annual cycle, associated with the natural development of life and death. So as this tree grows, and it’s leaves stretch towards the light, we want to say we miss you Zain and we always will.

Because Zain’s not there to care for us.

Because Zain’s not there to talk to.

Because Zain’s not there to sit next to.

Because Zain’s not there to laugh with.

Because Zain’s not there.

Our lives have all been better, because Zain has been there;

So Zain, now we leave your memory, in Allah’s all-loving care.

Mrs E Walsh 

Assistant Headteacher (Sixth Form)

Former Student Anna named one of the Top 20 Best Young Writers in Britain!

Dr Anna Metcalfe, who left QEHS in 2006 and who now teaches creative writing at the University of  Birmingham, has been named by Granta Magazine as one of the top 20 best young writers in Britain. 

The list, which is published every 10 years, has in the past included the names of Booker prize winners and recognises the best up and coming literary talent in Britain.

Anna’s story collection ‘Blind Water Pass’ was published in 2016 and the story ‘Number 3’  which is contained within it was shortlisted with five others for the Sunday Times short story award.  Her first full length novel, ‘Chrysalis’ was published earlier this year. Anna was recently at an event in Waterstones in Lincoln on Thursday 13 July talking about her novel and her work as a writer. 

You can read more here: https://granta.com/contributor/anna-metcalfe/ 

Staffing Update

Farewells

We say a sad farewell to the following colleagues this term. We wish them all the very best for the future:

Mrs Baldwin – Teacher of PE - who retires after 30 years of service at QEHS.

Mrs Boyd-Wilson - Teaching Assistant and Mr Boyd-Wilson - Learning and Progress Assistant (Maths) - who leave after 9 and 2 years respectively to run the business of their dreams in the North East. 

Miss Brown – Drama Intern - who leaves to pursue teacher training.

Mr Burditt – Teacher of Physics - who leaves after 2 years at QEHS to take up a new post in the South of England. 

Mr Corner – Teacher of Music - who takes up the position of Head of Music after 13 Years at QEHS. 

Mrs Cropper – Deputy Head of Sixth Form - who takes up a lecturing position at the University of Lincoln following 8 years at QEHS. 

Mrs Duncalf – Head of Humanities - who retires after 24 years of service at QEHS. 

Mr Fortis – Teacher of Spanish - who after 10 years at QEHS, takes up a position in the South of England.

Mrs Henighan – Music Admin Support - who retires following 14 years service at QEHS.

Miss Plant – Teacher of History - who returns to her home town in the South of England to take up a teaching position following 4 years at QEHS. 

Mrs Sindall – Teacher of RE - who retires after 20 years service at QEHS. 

Mrs Snow – Teacher of Business - who retires to pursue a tutoring role having first joined QEHS in 2015. 

Ms Woods – Science Learning and Progress Assistant - who following a year at QEHS, takes up a position as STEM co-ordinator at a new school.

Welcome

We will be welcoming the following new members of staff to QEHS in September 2023:

Mrs Almufti – Teacher of RE

Ms Auchterlonie – Teacher of Business and Economics

Mrs Bestwick – Teacher of MFL

Mrs Clapham – Teacher of Music (maternity cover)

Mrs Gibb – Teacher of Maths

Mrs Howard – Teacher of Spanish

Mr Howe – Teacher of Physics

Mr King - Premises Manager 

Mrs Mann – Welfare and Attendance Administrator

Mrs Player – Head of RE

Mrs Turney – Teacher of Music (maternity cover)

Mrs Viscomi – Teacher of Biology (temporary)

Mrs Wallis – Teacher of English (maternity cover)

Mr Wood – Teacher of Humanities

School Fundraising

At Queen Elizabeth's High School, we strive for continuous improvement in all that we do.  Whilst we have a number of school improvement projects lined up to develop the learning environment, the funds to support them are unfortunately somewhat lacking. So that you are aware, our forthcoming projects include:

Toilet refurbishment

Initially, starting with those facilities in the Upper School, we are looking to create two new all-gender facilities as well as refurbishing the male and female facilities in the Maths corridor. This is a project we have prioritised following both Student Council and parental feedback. Our intention is to:

-Increase the provision of all-gender facilities

-Improve the balance of male-female facilities

-Enhance the hygiene, cleanliness and aesthetics

-Improve visibility for staff monitoring of facilities

-Minimise negative behaviours within these facilities

-Reduce student anxiety around utilising school facilities

-Support healthy daily lifestyles and confidence

Form groups have been able to vote on the colour choices, with the most popular options being selected, and we hope to get this project underway during the summer holidays. Of course, there are further toilet facilities across the school site and this ongoing refurbishment project will likely be a phased over a number of years.

Dining tables

New foldaway dining tables are being sourced for the Upper School Hall, creating an additional indoor lunchtime social space for Years 7-11. During inclement weather in particular, we struggle for supervised indoor social spaces for our large QEHS student community so having foldaway tables in the hall will allow students to utilise this space yet for it to be quickly converted back into an assembly venue as required.

External Fencing

Additional fencing is needed around the site to delineate queue areas and out of bounds areas for students.

Wall Art

In order to brighten and to generate a better sense of identity for certain areas around school, we are investing in 'wall wraps'. Again, this will be another project which will continue over coming years as signage and direction indicators associated with the wall wraps will serve to assist with general student movement during the school day.

We are looking to invest time in new fundraising initiatives and sponsorship opportunities moving forward to allow us to make the necessary changes for QEHS and ensure only the best experiences for our students. If you would like to support us in our endeavours, please contribute towards any or all of our projects via SCOPay.

The projects detailed above are listed separately on SCOPay so that you may specify exactly what you want your donation to go towards. Whether there is something your child is keen to support which would improve their daily experience with us or something you would like to see improved yourself, please visit SCOPAY and make a donation at any time via the payment options in the Trips section.

As targets are met, and as new projects are underway, we will keep you posted through our newsletters and social media platforms. If you have any suggestions to add to our school improvement fundraising priorities, please do get in touch and let us know.

Thank you in advance for your continued support. We do hope your child has enjoyed the 2022/23 academic year and we very much look forward to seeing them again in September for a successful and enriching 2023/24.

Mrs K Peaker

School Business Director

Laybo's Legacy

On Friday 26 May we had a Civvies Day, in support of Laybo's Legacy. In total we raised £311.00. Thank you for your contributions!

Eboney's Bake Sale

Well done to Eboney A in Year 11 who hosted her own Bake Sale on Friday 23 June in school to raise money for MacMillan and the Lincoln Breast Cancer Unit. She sold all of her bakes and raised a total of £87.40. 

House Champions 2022-23

Congratulations to Darwin, our 2022-23 House Champions!

House Events 2022-23

House Events 2023-24

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