Newsletter

As we come to the end of an extremely busy but also extremely rewarding term it is with real pride that I introduce the first Garibaldi School newsletter of 2021-22. Included are a wide range of examples of the great work, efforts, attitudes and character of Garibaldi students supported ably by our fantastic staff and wonderful parents. Whether it is recognition of student achievement, examples of students and staff going the extra mile to help those less fortunate, opportunities to raise aspirations and build ambition for the future or taking the chance to reflect on how we can all work together to celebrate differences, the items set out below show what our school community is all about. Well done, congratulations and thank you, to all those people - students and staff - who are recognised in the newsletter. I wish all students, staff, parents and governors a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

“When I was eight, I had a brain-stem stroke. I quickly learned that imagining I was tracking down treasure or exploring a mythical land was much more exciting than what was happening around me! This taught me how important stories can be. How they have the magical ability to whisk you away into new worlds (which is handy when yours isn’t so good).

​When I eventually got a bit better, I was able to go to hospital school, and then a year later, back to mainstream school (Forest Town Primary & Garibaldi College). I had my ups and downs, but in the end, thanks to the support I received, I came away with good enough grades to get into university. I studied Advertising and Branding at the University of Lincoln. After the first year, however, the course was cancelled, and since I had been struggling to cope with living away anyway, I decided to come back home.

I jumped straight back into my studies and started a degree in Creative Writing at the University of Derby. After that, I went on to do a master’s degree (also in Creative Writing) at Nottingham Trent University. This gave me the skills and confidence to put out my first book, Scrapbook of Dreams.”

WC 30th November during Science Enrichment, Year 7 looked at the etymology of the word photography. We found out that the word was created from two Greek words, which when put together mean "drawing with light”. Using our new knowledge we did some long exposure photography - above and below are a couple of examples of the great light drawings which Year 7 produced.

Please can we ask that parents/carers help students to send their photos into wrae@garibaldischool.co.uk so that we can start to put our calendar together. Any problems, please feel free to contact Mr Rae KS3 Coordinator of Science on the email above.

This week we celebrated Year 7, 8 and 9s  achievements in Accelerated Reader for this term.

Students who achieved their point targets were able to choose a selection box, and the top readers from each class also received a prize!

A special mention to the students of 7A2, 8A1 and 9B4 who were the winning classes in each year. They were treated to cupcakes, Celebrations and Haribo!

Many students are already quizzing and earning points towards their targets for next term – well done!

Thanks to all of the Year 7, 8 and 10 students (and staff!) who attended yesterday’s charity board game event. We raised £26.19 for

@CwC_UK  the charity chosen by those who attended. Also a big thanks to Luke and Philip (Year 8) who organised the event.

On Thursday 4th November Year 7 teachers delivered the Safety Awareness Drop Down Day, planned by Miss G Smedley and Miss A Bleasdale. The day incorporated a range of visiting speakers and outside providers and covered online/cyber safety, fire safety, water safety, road safety and opportunities to engage with drama scenarios to reinforce learning. Feedback was positive from students, staff and the outside providers. To mark Anti-Bullying week (15th -19th November) a range of activities were put in place including a whole school assembly to launch the week, study period activities and an Anti-Bullying poster competition (winner to be confirmed this week). All students were encouraged to fill out notes and messages to support the themes of Anti-Bullying week and to put these up around site.

Students and staff commented on how well received these messages of kindness and positivity were on walking around site.  On Friday 26th November a non-uniform day raised over £550 for Anti-Bullying charities.

This is the first year we have introduced an enrichment programme, with the Year 7s being the first to trial this experience. All subject areas have offered a club to allow Year 7s the opportunity to experience a subject in a different light. There have been some fantastic achievements over the course of this half term with products being produced in the Enterprise club, in readiness to sell for Christmas, new kickboxing skills learned and some very interesting Science photography experiments taking place,  marquetry and International Culture Club.   Feedback from the students has been positive and I hope they have taken away new skills and achievements that they can hopefully continue to develop.

This term we have been running a GCSE Pod competition for chances to enter our mega Christmas Pod Raffle!  Since November our students have watched over 14,000 pods!

Pods are a great way to revise covered content from almost every lesson at school.  They are proven to raise attainment so if you haven’t seen it yet on your child’s device, then ask them about it!  The app is available freely on all stores.

The winners of the raffle will be drawn this week and prizes handed out on the last day of term.  Well done to everybody who has been actively podding.

Well done and good luck in our raffle!

On Tuesday 7th December, 40 Year 10 students visited the University of Nottingham University Park Campus for a University Experience Day. They met with student ambassadors from a range of courses (German, Psychology and Medicine), went on a campus tour, took part in a Q&A session on university life and developed their networking skills in some group tasks. The University was complimentary about the students’ conduct and said that they were a credit to Garibaldi.

On 4th November, the English Department took 137 Year 10 students to Nottingham Playhouse to see A Christmas Carol in theatre. Students enjoyed the play, described as ‘A new retelling of Dickens’ classic winter ghost story starring Nicholas Farrell and Mark Gatiss’, and have been able to apply this adaptation to their study of A Christmas Carol in their GCSE English Literature lessons this half-term. Mr Lane, Director of Languages added that “The play was wonderfully festive and cemented students’ knowledge of the text”.

Year 11 students began to receive their Ideas4Careers Careers Interviews and follow up action plan support in school. To date around fifty students have completed their sessions. On Friday 19th November all Year 11 students had the opportunity to access bespoke trips/activities linked to their Next Steps. Seventy students visited Nottingham Trent University and forty students visited Bishop Grosseteste University for a campus tour and widening participation events. These events were put on specifically for the Garibaldi School at our request and in recognition of the close partnership working established over recent years, supported mainly by Mr B West, Director of Sixth Form. 

Forty students accessed a bespoke programme including talks from local business people, Ask Apprenticeships and a local engineering company planned by Mr B Hall - Achievement Lead and supported by Miss A Bleasdale, Lead Teacher of Personal Development.  Twenty students accessed provision planned and delivered by Mrs K Bullimore and Mrs H Brown, Specialist Learning Assistants  in Student Support around preparation for working life and in support of applications to West Notts College courses. Students conducted themselves brilliantly and feedback from the universities and outside speakers was very complimentary. The day produced a real ‘buzz’ and has generated a huge number of follow up conversations from students.

We couldn’t be more proud of our Year 11 art students who produced the above lino prints as part of a ‘heritage’ project, through which our community’s mining past is explored.  Clockwise from top right: Tallulah (work in progress), Ruby, Calvin, Leighton & Hannah.  Well done, some great work!

On Wednesday 17th November all Year 12 and half of Year 13 students visited Magna Science Adventure Centre for the Sheffield Rotherham University Fair. Students were highly engaged and made effective use of opportunities to speak to a range of providers. Garibaldi students drew compliments from the attending universities for their searching questions and enthusiasm. In the last few days we also found out that three students who had made Oxbridge applications had secured interviews for their first choice colleges after completing entrance exams.

This Half Term the newly constituted Sixth Form Committee started work on implementing some of it’s ideas and actions and is already directing its energy towards initiatives to improve Sixth Form facilities, engage students in younger year groups in Student Voice and to reinforce what the Sixth Form has to offer.

The Sixth Form students at Garibaldi have been collecting once again for the local food bank.

Students will be delivering to the local food bank to help families in need at Christmas time.

Thank you for your continued support!

Students are making a choice on the permanent replacement for The Garibaldi School Pride flag which will be on display in the main hall.  Mr Hales is collating all the votes ready to announce the winning design in the new year.  Choices of design are set out below.

It is important that we recognise all of the fantastic effort, hard work and those students who regularly go above and beyond expectations. Below are just a few of the different things coming your way:

                                                                                                                      Exciting news for all students

Early in January 2021, students who have demonstrated an excellent ATL, excellent progress and excellent attendance will be awarded The Garibaldi School PIN badge in either gold, silver or bronze. Remember this is ongoing and if you have missed out previously, this does not rule you out from earning The Garibaldi School PIN badge in the future. The deserving students should wear these badges with immense pride.

I am also delighted to announce the return of The Garibaldi School fast pass initiative. These passes entitle you to an extra 5-minute lunch break on a Friday. You will get to the front of the queue and the best seats in house. The mentor group which is awarded a fast pass will be the group in each year who has the best attendance each week. However, there is an added caveat. If you receive a sanction in your winning week, you will forfeit your fast pass.

We will recognise positivity.

True to his word, Head of School, Mr Aldred promised Yr 11 students in 2019-20 and 2020-21 an end of year prom. As a reward for their hard work, resilience and patience shown by both year groups, the Autumn Prom took place at the John Fretwell Centre and was attended by numerous students.

The students’ arrived by various means of transport and looked amazing in their prom attire.

A special mention to Kelly from ‘A Touch of Charm’ who spectacularly dressed the room giving it the real ‘wow’ factor.

Pictured: Macy Bradley and Cameron Ball current Year 13 Sixth Form students