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GHS Connect #2 Monday 13 September

GHS Connect #2 Monday 13 September

From the Head

I hope that everyone had a good week last week. It certainly does feel as if things have reverted to a greater sense of normality, for now at least!

A few reminders from me this week:

  • Please remember to do ‘meet and greet’ at the start of every lesson. Although SLT and pastoral staff will continue to support in the corridors, we really need your help too. ‘Meet and greet’ also aids emotional check ins with students, and signals to them that you ‘own the room’ before they go in.
  • Please check the duty rota, put a reminder in your outlook calendar and be on time. The more watertight we can make these systems, the better everything will run for everybody.
  • While we have not had a huge number of Covid cases so far, there are some, so please remember to undertake your lateral flow tests. New ones have been put in staff trays in reception.

As we continue with our ‘bounce back’ focus, it’s worth noting that some of our SEN and more vulnerable students are struggling, particularly some of our Looked After Children and our SEN students with SLCN (speech, language, and communication needs) and SEMH (social, emotional and mental health needs).

Some of these students find basic things such as listening, following instructions, dealing with more than one instruction at once, as well as managing anger incredibly difficult. They will not process things in the way that we do, or in the way that other students in the class do, and will need plenty of take up time, with instructions repeated a number of times. 

Please check SEN records for students with needs in your class, and remember that the staff in the Learning Support Department are always available to offer advice and strategies.

I hope you have a great week,

Mia


Monday
Normal day

Tuesday
Meeting: Department meeting (3.15pm - 4.30pm)
Year 8 Expectations Evening (5.30pm - 6.15pm)

Wednesday
Meeting: HODs meeting, HOY/DHOY meeting or Teacher Marking, Planning and Collaboration (3.15pm - 4.15pm)

Thursday
Year 12 Expectations Evening (5.30pm - 6.15pm)

Friday
Friday Football for staff after school (3.30pm Sports Hall)


Learning and Teaching

Spotted!

A round up of some of the great learning and teaching strategies we’ve noticed being used around school recently…

  • Ben Gunn modelling excellent reading out loud with his form 7T3 and then following up with no hands up questioning that develops the students Tier 2 vocabulary. 

  • Faye Hudson using the visualiser to model to students how to complete a task.
  • Rubina Iqbal demonstrating folder organisation to Post-16 BTEC students.
  • Sammy Ebzao circulating around the classroom to take a peek at student answers on mini whiteboards.
  • Naomi Foot demonstrating how the digestive system works to enthusiastic biologists! (Right)
  • George Lanigan helping his year 10 students to organise their books and creating a calm focussed environment.

  • Shem Parry and Naomi Foot continuing the modelling after school and preparing for a practical lesson on Monday.

Learning and Teaching: SEN information on MINT Class

We’ve had fantastic feedback on the new availability of detailed SEN information through MINT. This information is so powerful in helping us to make our lessns inclusive for all our students as well as helping building those ever important relationships. 

Below is a reminder of how to access the information:

1) Click on the green eye at the top of your screen to turn off “safe mode” and reveal the detailed information about your class

2) Hover over the SEN box to reveal basic SEN information. 

The meaning of these codes can be checked on the SEN glossary stickers that were handed out at the beginning of the year. 

3) Click on the faint > symbol to flip the card. Hover over the second SEN box to reveal more detailed, classroom focussed information.

4) Click on the student's name to open their information card. In the strategies tab you will find a link to access to their passport. 

The information in the passport is particularly useful for helping build great relationships with students. It also highlights the difficulties they face, which in some cases could present as behaviour issues in your lessons, so can preempt them in your planning. 

GHS Homework Types

Please remember when setting homework on SMHW and Google Classroom to communicate to students which type of homework it is so that they understand the purpose and can place more value on independent learning. 


 

Kelly McCarthy


Inclusion Heroes!

This week’s Inclusion Heroes is another shared award across the staff for embracing PSHCE so brilliantly on Thursday - I have had some great feedback on how the lessons went, from both staff and students. Thank you! Long may it continue.

Greenford Pastoral

I hope that everyone had a good weekend - I felt like we had been back for a month!

Most of our external professionals will be coming back this week to work with some of our more vulnerable individuals - Scott is back, our counselling services will be up and running and Teens and Toddlers will be taking students to local primary schools very soon. Staff will always be informed if students are going to come out of lessons and I apologise in advance for the disruption to lessons. Remember Jo is there for staff too.

You will have also noticed our team of Pastoral Support Workers out and about, popping their heads into lessons and beginning to familiarise themselves with both the school and key students. Come and visit them in BG10 to get an idea of the work they are doing and to say hello.

Finally, two quick reminders from me for your to-to list: SMHW and KCSIE… Thank you for both!

Lou


Character strengths at GHS

Already our students are showing great examples of GHS Character Strengths. 
 
Ellie Roome spotted a group of year 11 girls who showed community and compassion on Friday: “During my break duty today, I noticed that Aadil Butt (year 8) and his friend were sat outside their MFL classroom looking a little bored, as some of you may know, Aadil cannot go outside at break and lunch due to recent surgery. I noticed the Y11 girls were playing Uno and asked if they had any other card games with them that Aadil could use. They very graciously stopped their game of Uno and immediately took the set of cards over to Aadil to let him and his friend use them.”
 

 
If you spot a student showing great Character give them Character remember to award them Character Points. Also, in your planners on page 28 are descriptions and prompts. 

Andrea and Noble


GHS Social

Greenford High School Follow
If you would like to receive music lessons this term, but have not yet applied, there is still time. Please click on the link below and fill in the online form. https://t.co/slVLLHBdrd Please complete this form before Monday 13th September.
3 days ago
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Greenford High School Follow
Instrumental music lessons will begin the week commencing Monday 13th September. If you had previously applied for lessons, you will be contacted via email with further details and an invite to the instrument Google classroom, which will provide weekly updates.
3 days ago
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Greenford High School Follow
Had a really enjoyable lesson with year 12 today. They created mini abstract thumbnails based on a given key-word. Really got them thinking about structure, composition and space. Love how much they all improve so from the top to bottom of the page! https://t.co/LKu16p3VjK
3 days ago
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12 Sep 2021
Parents' Evening Staff Survey
Should we continue with remote meetings or return to face-to-face?
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