Term 3 Newsletter 23/24

Welcome from the Headteacher

Dear QEHS Community,

As you will be aware, the school was inspected by Ofsted on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 December 2023 and the full report was shared with the school community at the end of January. Everyone associated with QEHS is thrilled that the school has been graded as ‘Good’ in all five of the inspection categories.

The inspection team rightly noted that QEHS is a school where expectations around what students can achieve are high, and that students thrive on this challenge and are successful in their academic studies. Just as importantly, it is recorded that students, ‘…get on well together and enjoy each other’s company’ and that interactions with their teachers are similarly positive and productive. Above all, students were seen to be benefitting from an ambitious curriculum and ‘…a rich educational experience’ that serves to develop their confidence, character and to broaden horizons – something that the articles in this edition of our termly newsletter serve to exemplify quite wonderfully.

The school has been on a significant journey since the previous inspection of September 2021, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all families linked with QEHS for their support, patience and loyalty as a comprehensive programme of whole school improvement has been planned and implemented. Similarly, I would like to share my sincere appreciation of all colleagues’ dedication and endeavour over this period. Inspectors were in no doubt that, ‘A considerable amount of work has taken place since the last inspection to improve the school for the benefit of all pupils.’ Indeed, our LCC Education Locality Lead, Michelle Dewland, just this week shared with staff her view that, ‘Everyone at Queen Elizabeth’s High School has worked tirelessly to bring about the improvements required, and the Ofsted report clearly reflects how much this has been valued and appreciated by the pupils, parents and community you serve. I know that the school will continue to go from strength to strength in the future and I wish everyone at QEHS every success.’

Following on from two consecutive years of outstanding examination results and a top ten regional placing in ‘The Sunday Times Parent Power Survey’, the findings of this Ofsted inspection clearly serve to demonstrate just how amazing the students of QEHS truly are and the extent to which they thrive and blossom by committing whole heartedly to the utterly unique Queenies offer – an offer that is most certainly touched upon in this Term 3 Newsletter.

As you will read in this edition, what with House Music, drama auditions and rehearsals, sporting successes, debates, subject trips and university visits to mention but a few, this really has been an action packed and fun-filled term!

For many students, now is the time to start making some key life choices. Thanks to the incredibly supportive and experienced staff here at QEHS and through the advice and guidance offered during events such as Options and Parents' Evenings, assemblies and presentations, our students now find themselves in a strong position to make informed choices about the next steps along their learning journeys. Similarly, forthcoming Work Experience opportunities will offer students in Years 10 and 12 a taste of working life beyond the school gates.

Senior Presentation Evening at the start of January was a time to celebrate the hard work of many of our current and former students. It was a genuine pleasure to welcome back students as QEHS alumni and to hear their tales of successful beginnings to university life. And as the cycle of school life continues, you will read here how Year 12 recently visited the University of Hull to explore aspects of undertaking their Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ). This experience will stand them in good stead as they head into Year 13 and for their own learning journeys beyond A Levels. The closing date for university applications has now passed and many Year 13 students have already received offers for further study. Many congratulations to those who have been offered places. Just the small matter of securing those grades now!

As always, thank you for your ongoing support and please do enjoy a relaxing half term break.

Kind regards,

Mr R Eastham

Headteacher

Term 3 Headteacher's Commendation Award

Following recommendations from staff, congratulations are in order for Durwin C (13E) and Madeline W (12S), for being awarded this term's Headteacher's Commendation Awards as detailed below:

Learning to Learn:

Durwin C (13E) was awarded the Learning to Learn Award for his work ethic being consistently outstanding since the beginning of Year 12. He has consistently scored the highest in his cohort in every CP test since starting in Year 12 and is currently on track to attain an A* grade in his A Level Physics, compared to his ALIS projection of a grade B. Durwin exemplifies thevalue of hard work.

Leadership for Learning:

Madeline W (12S) was awarded the Leadership for Learning Award for being instrumental in the success of the House Music performance for Scott. She has spent copious amounts of time rewriting different music parts, learning solos and organising the songs. In addition, Madeline showed fansastic communication and leadership skills when dealing with the younger year groups. Many students from Scott House said how fansastic Madeline was throughout the whole event from start to finish. Madeline is certainly more than deserving of this award.

Senior Presentation Evening

A fantastic evening of celebration to recognise the talent and achievements of our wonderful senior students was held on 04 January 2024. Very well done once again to all prize winners

Swimming success for Elyse

Hello, my name is Elyse and one day I would love to be an Olympic swimmer. I currently train five sessions a week at my local club Scunthorpe Anchor, which is split between the Pods and Riddings pools. Luckily for me they are mostly evening sessions plus one Saturday morning, as I’m not great at getting up for any early morning sessions! Every training session is two hours long and I also do some land based exercises at home. Weekends are usually very busy as we have lots of galas and open meets booked throughout the year. Juggling training, competing, school work and social life can therefore sometimes be tricky but I always try to find the right balance. 

This season I have been selected for the Swim England County Pathway programme, where we have a mixture of online and face to face training throughout the year. This has given me the opportunity to learn different skills and techniques from other teachers and coaches, and I have really enjoyed meeting and getting to know some of my rival swimmers from other clubs in the county a bit more, as you don’t really get much chance on competition days.

My favourite event is 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke, as I am definitely more of a sprinter, but I do take part in longer distances too. During the short course season from this September onwards I have won a gold medal in 50m breaststroke, silver medals in 50m free/breaststroke and 100m free in the Yorkshire County Winter Competition. At Regionals in November, I also achieved gold medals in 50m free/breaststroke and silver in 100m free and breaststroke. 

Unfortunately, I have recently been experiencing shoulder injuries which has really affected my training and times, however I will hopefully be training normally again soon and be ready for the new swimming year.

As the long course season starts, I hope to have a successful February competing at the Yorkshire and Humberside County Championships, where all events are covered as well as team relays, which are always good fun. 

From March onwards competing becomes a little more serious as the British/national qualifying window opens. This is where you try your best to achieve your fastest possible times in your best events at various Level 1 meets, in the hope that you remain/end up on the qualifying list by the time the window closes in May. You then take part in the British and English summer national competitions at the start of the summer holidays. 

Last year I managed to qualify for one event (100m free) in the English 12/13 age category, whilst being a Swim age 12, which I was very proud of. The British age group this summer is age 13/14, so qualifying for any races here would really mean a lot to me. I am also hoping to qualify for some events at the English nationals, which take place after the British competition, and this year I will be in the top end of the age group so I’m really hoping to make it into some finals. I have lots of training to get through and many races to complete in order to try and get to this stage. 

Swimming is a tough sport where you have to put a lot of time and energy into the training, as well as travelling to and from many different places as it takes up so much of your time, but I love it. I have made lots of friends, have stacks of medals and awards, I keep fit, learn about health and nutrition, build resilience, and experience the highs and lows of competing. Having been at my swim club for nearly 6 years, I hope to have many more positive experiences and, who knows, looking ahead if I train hard and keep building resilience, one day I may achieve my goals of being an Olympic swimmer.

Matilda Production

The Matilda Performance is a production for all Year 7 students to be involved in. Students auditioned and signed up for different roles, making the performance quite memorable as we all had important roles to fulfil. It was a fun time because everyone in Year 7 have put in alot of time, dedication and effort.Therefore, we have asked the cast and other members of the production team how they felt and what the experience was like. Let’s see what they said....

What it was like to be a make-up artist in the play?

(lnaya) The experience as a make-up artist in the play was quite intriguing. I had the chance to do many people's make-up and make them look their best for the stage. We used face paint and we had to make posters to make an ideal look for the main cast. I really enjoyed it!

What it was like to be backstage in the play?

(Ava) We moved props and helped out with the stage setting. It was really easy and I quite enjoyed it because I got to be part of the play without being in the spotlight. I had an important role and I aced it! I would love to be part of it again.

Rehearsals

The Year 7 cast was full of individuals who were eager to participate in all the rehearsals. The cast had to practice the songs, choreography and speeches. Most of the members of the production said that the training was quite exhausting but absolutely worthwhile for the final performance in front of friends and family.

Costumes

(Molly) Most people had to bring costumes but that was a good thing because it meant that we knew we could wear something our character was fit to wear and we could still perform in something we felt comfortable wearing. Some people had costumes required by school, I had an overall to wear and this meant that we had something supplied to us that could work for the role. Another example, is that the school children wore school uniforms as this made it clear they were actual school children. Everything was very well thought out.

Performance

(Molly) After much preparation, the final night had come and although it was unbelievable that the final production was really going to be performed, every single person in Year 7 was ready to take it on even if they were worried about forgetting their lines or misplacing an prop! After it was finished, everyone was relieved but upset that it had come to an end. I wish we could do it again!

Sofeya N (7C) and Hibba A (7B)

Bebras National Computational Thinking Competition

The Bebras Computing Challenge is organised across 50 countries with the aim to get students all over the world excited about Computing and introduce them to the concept of computational thinking. 

Over the course of a two week window (06 to 17 November 2023), all computing students at QEHS were given the opportunity to take part in the challenge. The competition consisted of 18 mini challenges of varying degrees of difficulty, which students were able to complete online, in a range of different age classifications (Juniors age 10-12, Inters age 12-14, Seniors age 14-16 and Elite age 16-18).

Within each age category, awards were given as follows:

Merit – Above 50% within QEHS 

Gold – Top 10% nationally 

With a Best in School award given to the highest in each category. 

Over 650 QEHS students took part in the challenge with 98 students achieving a Gold certificate – placing them within the top 10% nationally. All of these students were given the opportunity to complete the next stage, The Oxford University Computing Challenge, which took place in school from 15 to 19 January 2024.

Certificates will be organised shortly and awarded to students.

Huge congratulations to all students who took part. Hopefully they found the experience an interesting opportunity and something they will continue to experience into the future. 

Teacher of Computing

The Historical Association’s Great Debate

On the 17 January 2024, I visited the University of Lincoln to take part in the annual Historical Association’s The Great Debate. This year, the question was Which historical place or person from your local area deserves greater recognition? I decided to write about Gainsborough Old Hall, as I love the history it holds, particularly from the Tudor period. There were many other people there from around the Lincolnshire area, presenting their speeches about influential places or people, such as Nichola de la Haye, who was the first female sheriff under King Johns reign, or the Lincoln Lunatic Asylum. It was honestly such a great experience to not only learn about the local history, but also to challenge myself by delivering this speech in front of an audience.

Here is an excerpt from my speech:

Notoriously, Gainsborough Old Hall is known for housing Henry VIII, alongside his then-wife, Catherine Howard, in 1541 during their summer progress towards York, where they stayed in bedrooms on opposing sides of the long gallery. The progress was significant, as it was full of scandal; On June 28, 1541, Catherine and Thomas Culpeper, an English courier, started an adulterous romance, as Culpeper travelled with them on their progress. As they returned, Catherine was sentenced to prison, and soon death by 1542. It could be suspected that their affairs took place, and thus should be recognised for its role in history.

Furthermore, Howard wasn’t the only wife of Henry VIII who had a history with the manor, as Katherine Howard was first married to the great-grandson of Thomas, the First Lord Burgh, as well as Anne Boleyn through her Lord Chamberlain. These royal ties to the Old Hall deserve to give the house more recognition because it shows the significance of the manor at the time, and how it was, even then, clearly an impressive and influential place.

Char J (12B)

Year 10 and Year 12 Work Experience

Work Experience – placement submission deadline reminder

For those students in Year 10 or Year 12 who wish to carry out a work placement between 08 and 12 July 2024 and have NOT yet submitted their placement form the deadline is fast approaching and action is required!

The deadline for all placement paperwork to be submitted is Thursday 28 March 2024.

Numbers submitted for work experience placements so far for both year groups are comparatively low for this stage in the process. I therefore ask parents of students who are interested in taking part, to encourage their child to source a placement and submit their Google Form as soon as possible. Please ensure all the information is accurate before submitting as any discrepancies can lead to delays in processing their placement application.

Please use the school support letter available on the website to send to employers.

All information and the Google Form are available on our website under personal development > careers > work experience.

It is the need for ensuring the safety of students whilst on placement, which dictates us getting our placements booked in a timely manner. Our Health and Safety partners, Safety Measures, visit and make checks on thousands of student placements across the East Midlands every year, which takes a significant amount of time. They will always require an employer to be able to show a valid Employer’s Liability Insurance certificate and will draw up an appropriate job description and risk assessment for the placement. Employers who regularly take students for work experience are fully aware of the process and the time required for risk assessments.

There is strong competition for work placements in July from other schools, therefore Half Term week is an ideal time to contact or chase up any employers already contacted.

As a reminder there is a Power Point presentation to help guide students through the process in the tutor area of their Google Classroom, and a poster summarising the process is in each Tutor room and the Information room in College House. Alternatively speak with Mrs Thorpe with any further questions.

Thank you for supporting students through the work experience process. I am sure all efforts will be rewarded with worthwhile placements.

Mrs J Thorpe

Work Experience Co-ordinator

Year 7/8 Girls Football Team

On Thursday 18 January, the Year 7/8 girls football team travelled to Doncaster for the Utilia Girls cup, having already made it through the first round. Here is what they had to say:

‘Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster was a great experience for us to have. We enjoyed ourselves very much and I am sure our team/friends did as well. We were very lucky to attend this tournament by being picked out of all the girls that wanted to take part. The day was very enjoyable, and the facilities were great, with a massive 3G pitch to play on and even more inside. As a team we did not go on to win it, by being 3^rd, overall, out of nine teams, getting knocked out at the semi-final stage against Burton Albion where we lost on penalties. But overall, we had a really nice day. We were very excited when we woke up that morning and feeling ready for the day, but also a little nervous for ourselves and the team. But other than that, we walked out onto the pitch representing Lincoln City and it was a great experience to have’

 Phoebe B (7D) and Ava-lily C (7D)

I would just like to say how unbelievably proud I am of all the girls who took part in the competition. To win the first round and then nearly win the 2^nd round is testament to how much hard work they have put in. A fantastic achievement and I cannot wait to do it all again next year.

Miss Allen

Teacher of PE

Year 9 History -WW1 Trench Project

During our Year 9 History lessons, we were recently given the task of researching and presenting information about what the trenches of World War One were truly like and if they differed from the ideas suggested by recruitment posters and adverts. This meant we had the opportunity to present our work in a creative way and some students produced models, however for our project we decided to bake and present the project in cake form! One cake resembling a trench and another cake which showed the Christmas truce.

The cakes took us quite a few hours to make, and we both worked cooperatively on them. We took inspiration from the a few photos we found on the internet and then put our own creative spin on them. In the end we were both very proud of our work as we had put in a lot of time and effort. 

It was a very creative and fun experience and we were so excited to hand the cakes in to our teachers and the feeling was very much reflected by them. The reaction from our teacher made all the hard work worth it. We enjoyed being able to work together on our project for History, a subject we both really enjoy. It was super fun and made the homework a lot more exciting to complete. Emilia, who was also in our group created some signs to add the finishing touch to our finished project.

Isabelle B (9S) and Sophie B (9S)

MFL Faculty Term 3 Newsletter

Cambridge Offers for Year 13 Students

A massive congratulations to Andriana C (13S), Tom B (13B) and Shay O (13S), who have all been offered places at Cambridge University. After a rigorous selection process which included writing competitive personal statements, completing challenging subject tests, submitting samples of work and excelling at interviews, these three students have shone throughout the entire process.

Andriana has been offered a place at Murray Edward’s college to study Engineering.

Tom will be reading Geography at Robinson College with the added element of being an organ scholar. An absolutely remarkable achievement.

Shay has an offer from Christ’s College to read Human Social and Political Sciences (HSPS).

At QEHS, we are extremely proud, not only of these three students, but of all our Year 13 students who have applied and had offers made through UCAS. Many of these are to Russell Group Universities and this demonstrates the potential within our remarkable Sixth Form.

A huge ‘well done’ to all!

Mrs Griffin

GMAT Co-ordinator and Teacher of History

Term 3 Staffing Update

We will welcome the following new member of staff after February half term:

Mrs N Turner - Level 2 Teaching Assistant

Music Exam Success

Very many congratulations to the following students who have passed their Violin Exams:

Lexi S (8B) - Grade 2, Merit

Rhiann T (8C) - Grade 2, Pass

Annmaria W (8C) - Grade, Distinction

Also congratulations to Ruby W (9B) on passing her Piano exam with Merit.

Mr D Rigby

Acting Head of Performing Arts Faculty

House Music

A very enjoyable evening had by all, on Wednesday 25 January when House Music showcased the exceptional musical talent of our students. Very well done to all involved and congratulations to Scott House who won the prize for Variety and Quality, and to Brunel House for taking the prize for Entertainment and Range. 

Zara K (11E) has written the piece below about the event:

I have always loved music, and being part of the QEHS community has allowed me to explore my passion with so many amazing individuals. I admire the way that everyone supports each other whatever the situation, and I also love the memories created that will last a lifetime.

For House Music, I really enjoyed the songs we chose this time around, which were:

• “I’m Still Standing” - Elton John (Big Group Category)
• “My Heart Will Go On” - Celine Dion (Instrumental Category)
• “Amazing Grace” - (Small Group Categry)

Everyone always tries their hardest and I am looking forward to future House Music events that are yet to come. It is always a joy to take part in and a great way to build teamwork and courage for your own personal benefit. If you want to join, or even if you just want a way to spend time with your friends, I highly recommend doing events like House Music. They always consist of amazing and highly talented fellow students, and there is always something exciting going on, along with new experiences to be made. Also, we can’t forget the Just Dance and free pizza! They are always a good treat after working hard on a performance.

House Results

The graph below shows the House Results so far for this academic year.  As we approach the end of term 3, we are now at the halfway point for this year. Austin is currently in the lead, closely followed Brunel. With the other Houses not too far behind, the competition is definitely on!

Term 4 House Events

Inter Girls Football & Boys Rugby

Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 February - Lunchtime

Junior Girls Football & Boys Rugby

Thursday 29 February and Friday 01 March - Lunchtime

Cross Country

Wednesday 20 March - pm

Junior Maths

Friday 22 March - P1 to P4

House Cooking

Monday 25 March - Lunch & P5

Senior Handball

Thursday 28 March - All day

Inter Table Tennis  

TBC

Exploring the World of Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ) at Hull University

Introduction

Just before the Christmas Break, the academic journey of many Year 12s was greatly broadened as we embarked on a trip to Hull University, where we were given specialist advice into the realm of Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs). This educational outing was both enlightening and empowering, offering us a unique opportunity to expand our horizons by perceiving University life first-hand. The experience helped enhance our essential skills for independent research and critical thinking, for the purpose of building on our EPQ Projects, strengthening independence and a feel of how University life will be structured.

Arrival at Hull University

Many of us had no experience of what it would be like inside a university so, the historic, traditional architecture hosting modern facilities certainly provided an insight into a small campus university such as Hull. The university's welcoming atmosphere instantly put us at ease, being a comfortable and close environment. The relatively small campus was full of surprises, such as its claim as the country’s only Uni with a Weatherspoons!

Introduction to the EPQ

Our main focus for the day was to gain insights into the Extended Project Qualification, a course designed to strengthen students' research and project management skills, eventually leading to the production of a 5000 word essay or ‘artefact’ on a specific, chosen topic. The EPQ encourages independent study and allows students to delve incredibly in-depth into a topic of their choice, fostering a passion for learning beyond the traditional curriculum, and allowing students to research topics of personal interest which may not be usually studied at A Level.

Interactive Sessions

The highlight of our visit was the informative lecture led by experienced facilitators who guided us through the process of crafting an EPQ, focussing on how to cite authors and sources for information gathered in the research stage of the EPQ, as well as ensuring that the way the essay is structured is guaranteed to achieve the best points possible, aswell as choosing a research question, developing a robust methodology and presenting findings on this effectively. This took place in the Cohen Building which is almost straight in front of the main entrance to the campus.

Using the Library

In the second session, we had the chance to explore Hull University's ‘state of the art’ library and research facilities, which houses tens of thousands of articles on uncountable subjects. Here, we were shown exactly how to search for very specific articles and the resources required. The university's extensive resources, including online databases and a vast collection of academic papers, books and journals, reinforced the importance of access to information in academic pursuits, which form, for the students on the trip, the foundations of beginning an EPQ.

Campus Tour and Resources

Before the session on gathering resources on the online academic library, we were offered a tour of the University Campus. The campus tour provided a glimpse into the unique and specialised environment that students at Hull University are privileged to experience daily. We were shown around the campus housing blocks, and were also shown the encompassing five floor Brynmor Jones Library, before being shown around the numerous buildings designated for different areas of study, all of which are named after important places or people associated with Hull or have links to the University (Poet Brynmor Jones was the librarian from 1955 to 1985). There is, however, an exception, as the chemistry block is still simply named ‘chemistry’! After the Campus tour, we dined in the Student Central, as all students travelling with QEHS to Hull University were generously granted a free lunch token courtesy of the University.

Conclusion

Our trip to Hull University was an enriching experience that left a lasting impact on our academic journey. This visit also forged the path to us all properly grasping the understanding of life at University, and how to structure, write, cite, and improve production of an EPQ. The insights gained into the world of Extended Project Qualifications have equipped us with the skills necessary for independent research, critical thinking, and effective project management. As we left the campus, we carried with us not only new found knowledge but also a sense of confidence, independence and enthusiasm to embark on our own EPQ projects. The visit to Hull University was a stepping stone towards academic talent and skill, and gave a justified reasoning for the importance of growing and cultivating a passion for learning beyond the confines of the traditional curriculum, and how pursuing knowledge in fields unusual to you can be a positive experience and journey.

Cameron D (12C) & Jamie S (12C)

Spring Concert

Don't miss out, book your tickets now! Please scan the link on the poster below: