13 December 2024 - Letter to Parents

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope that you have had a great week. Festive lunch was lovely on Wednesday, with so many staff coming along to serve pupils – our lunch hall was full of cheer! We have one week to go until the end of term, with lots of exciting activities, including our reward trip on Thursday and an early finish next Friday, when all students will be off site by 12.35pm (Year 7 will be the last year group to leave). Students are welcome to wear a festive jumper, or their own clothes, on the last day of term. Just a reminder that school reopens at the usual time on Monday 6th January 2025, with mocks resuming for Year 11 for their final two weeks.

Key Dates 

Year 11 Exams Prep Information Evening – Wednesday 26th March 6.15 – 7.45pm

 Parent Subject Consultation Evenings 

The dates for these through the year are as follows: 

Year 7 Parent Subject Consultation Evening – Thursday 3rd April 3.30 – 7pm 

Year 9 Parent Subject Consultation Evening – Thursday 6th March 3.30 – 7pm 

Year 11 Parent Subject Consultation Evening – Thursday 13th February 3.30 – 7pm 

Please also note the following date: 

Year 9 Options Evening – Thursday 27th February 5 – 7pm 

To help parents and children decide together which options subjects/GCSEs they might choose to take over the next two years in school.

Year 11 Mocks Update

Year 11 have been an absolute credit to the school during the mock examination period so far. Their exam conduct has been superb, their efforts and attitude exemplary. We have been running afternoon revision sessions with subject staff the day before each exam and the atmosphere has been brilliant in these sessions.

This week, students sat exams in Biology, Maths, English Language, French, and Classics. Next week sees exams in Hospitality and Catering, Health and Social Care, English Literature, Chemistry, Home Languages, Spanish, History and Geography.

Attendance

Congratulations to the following tutor groups for having the best attendance in each year group this week!

7A1, 8W1, 9A2, 10B1, 11D2

Friday 6th attendance winners were:

7A1, 8A2, 9B2, 10D1, 11D1,

Year 7 – Overall best attending year group

Butterfield and Dorchester- Overall best attending Houses

Free School Meals - Reminder

Your child may be eligible for Free School Meals, and we do not want them to miss out.

There are some common myths about Free School Meals:

• Your child does not have to queue or eat separately. Other students will not know that your child receives Free School Meals. You can still give your child a packed lunch if you prefer!

• You do not have to live in social housing to be eligible for Free School Meals.

• You do not need to have been claiming Free School Meals when your child was at primary school.

• It’s not just about food. If a child is registered at our school as in receipt of Free School Meals, then we as a school get additional funding, which means we can offer you discounts on school trips, educational resources, revision materials, extra mentoring and in some cases, uniform, or IT for home learning.

The quickest way to apply for Free School Meals in via the council website: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/schools-learning-early-years/free-school-meals

We can help you to fill in the form if you need it – just email us or phone us: info@orchard.tila.school or 01173772000. We can print and send off forms for you too at school reception.

Alternatively, download the form attached to this email, print and send to:

Free School Meals Service, Bristol City Council (City Hall) PO Box 3399, Bristol, BS1 9NE

We know that lots of parents could claim Free School Meals for their child but have not yet done so. The process of applying using the link above is quick and easy and in most cases, you will get an instant decision.

More information can be found here: https://parent.bristol.gov.uk/web/portal/pages/parents/travel-and-free-schoolmeals

Staffing Update – Year 7

We are delighted to have appointed Ms Fear as our new Pastoral Manager for Year 7. Once Ms Fear has been enrolled, we will pass on her contact details. She is a very experienced pastoral leader, and we are thrilled that she will be joining our brilliant team of staff in 2025. In the meantime, please continue to e-mail info@ FAO Year 7 Pastoral Team if you need support for your child.

Uniform Reminder

Our uniform code aims to:

    - Help students feel equal to others and not left out

    - Encourage students to wear their uniform with pride

    - Create a sense of belonging to the school community through a common dress code

    - Enable students to feel that they are a valued member of the school community             
       irrespective of ethnicity, gender, religion or socio-economic background.

Most of our students wear the correct uniform to school every day. There have been occasions recently though where students have come to school wearing incorrect uniform such as leggings, nose piercings or white socks and some have been arriving without blazers. If these errors are not rectified after supportive discussion with the year teams, the school will follow the school behaviour policy. This will be a focus after half term, so please do ensure that you remind your child of the correct uniform for the first Monday back.

Please remember that we have a Hardship Fund to support you with expensive items as necessary – contact your child’s Pastoral Manager if this is the case. Please also check with your child that they understand what correct uniform looks like here: Orchard School - Uniform (orchardschoolbristol.co.uk)

Uniform Shop Update

The Stoke Gifford Monkhouse store is now closed. And the new shop will open in Kingswood in the New Year.

You can still order any required uniform from the website www.monkhouse.com
Remember that until it opens all deliveries are free when ordering online using FREEDELSTOKEG and fittings and expert advice can be sought from the Bedminster branch.

Behaviour Curriculum

We are reminding students that it is essential that students arrive on time to lessons as valuable learning time can be lost.

We expect the students to start making their way to lessons when they hear the whistle at break/lunchtime and be in their rooms ready to learn when the bell goes.

They must respond to instructions to walk on the left and get to lessons on time.

If they are late to lessons, they are on an immediate warning and risk being sent to the Isolation room.

We regularly remind students of this and that during break and lunchtime is the time to go to the toilet and have a drink or something to eat – toilet visits during lessons for students without a medical need should be minimal unless there is a clear urgent need.

If they are late, valuable learning time is lost.

We expect good punctuality.

Safeguarding in the Holidays

School is closed to all staff throughout the school holidays and staff will not see e-mails or messages, so therefore if support is needed for young people in the break, please use these services:

     - 999 in an emergency

     - 101 for non-urgent contact with emergency services

     - 111 for non-urgent health matters

     - Call the Samaritans – 116123

     - Off the Record (www.otrbristol.org.uk) - mental health services

     - Brook (www.brook.org.uk) - sexual health services

     - Call ‘Mind’ on 03001233393 – mental health charity

     - Call Childline on 08001111

Whisper reports will be picked up by staff on the return to school after the 2-week holiday and should not be used for any urgent safeguarding matters nor to resolve community matters – please contact the appropriate service as above and keep us informed of any issues when school re-opens to pupils on 6th January 2025.

Community Events

Your Holiday Club is offering a range of holiday activities, with funded places for eligible families. Click here for more details.

As always, the Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust is running a variety of festive and winter events. See their website for more information: What's on at Christmas? — Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust

 A bereavement group is running at St. Marys and St. James, see the poster below:

Bristol Parenting Support

Please see below a link to information regarding parenting courses offered by Bristol City Council for parents/carers with children aged 0 – 8 years old. These courses are run by expert facilitators and Family Support Workers who are based at Children’s Centres across the city. These parenting courses are FREE and are all universal – any parent/carer can attend. http://www.bit.ly/BristolParentingGroups

Clubs in Term 3

Please see our brilliant range of clubs at the link to our website below. Participation is key to students feeling a sense of belonging and supports their mental and physical wellbeing. Please do encourage them to come along. Clubs and Enrichment (Curriculum menu tab)

Finally, I wish you a safe and restful weekend.

Kind regards,

Mel Sweet, Headteacher