USH Newsletter 21st January 2019

On Monday, 21st January, Upper Shirley High welcomed 21 Chinese students to the school for the week. These students were buddied up with an USH student in years 7, 8 or 9 to give them an immersive experience. Chinese students took subjects that are not offered in their home country and put their English skills to the test. The USH students learnt about cooperation and being tolerant and understanding of new cultures. The USH buddies  were an absolute credit to the school; well done!
 
By the end of the week, not only did the Chinese students gain an insight into the English school system, but they also made some very good friends.

“I can’t believe how friendly the students are here”
“I loved all the lessons I went to”
“Why can’t the Chinese students stay for one more week?’
“The Chinese students loved our school”

During their visit the delightful Chinese students shared some very different – and similar - experiences of Music with us - these two (photographed) played some lovely pieces with a distinct harmonic flavour that we are less familiar with, and played technically very competently.

Food Technology was also another exciting subject for the students and the four teachers who came with them as this is something that is not taught in China.

The visit concluded at the end of the week with a short certificate presentation followed by the release of several confetti canons!

On 22nd January 3 undergraduate students from Arts University Bournemouth came in to school to talk to Year 9 and 10 Photography and Graphics students. The AUB students; Judith, Sophia and Toby are studying Photography and Illustration degrees and were able to tell our students all about life at a specialist creative university. We found out what career choices they had made at school, at college and on arts foundation courses that lead them to choosing Photography and Illustration. Giving USH students a chance to look through their sketchbooks and degree work really inspired the Year 9 and 10 students. Each student had specialised in a different aspect of photography from fashion to fine art to games design. Here are some examples of their impressive work. Can you spot which one is a painting?

There was a treat last week for the GCSE students in year 11 and 10, and those from Year 9 GCSE who were available - a visit from the Professor of Commercial Composition at the Faculty of Music, University of Southampton, Dr Andy Fisher.  Dr Fisher came and talked to us, answered questions and brilliantly demonstrated, at the keyboard, his observations and advice about Composing.

As a film music composer, arranger, orchestrator, writer of ten musicals, several symphonies and lots for vocal and instrumental ensembles, he has a wealth of experience and expertise to share, and has such a thorough grasp of form, harmony, melody that he conveys in a very accessible, clear and motivating manner. Combining this with a love of jazz and Disney, and with credits behind him such as orchestrating the Mr Bean soundtrack and - coincidentally - the GCSE Film Studies set work Attack the Block, he made what he was imparting to us very relatable.

Comments from the students:
He was very good and really inspiring. He also knew what he was talking about, it was all very helpful and useful.
A well-spring of wisdom.
A great way of conveying high-level techniques and composing ideas.
Inspiring, informative and enlightening.
Splurge and edit.
Roles map form.
Amazing, and fascinating to see how “they” work.
Potentially life-changing.

I feel that the forthcoming weeks of completing GCSE compositions might be charged with a new level of creativity and energy and a forensic attention to detail, and that we all might be inspired to train our composing muscles daily!

Mrs L Owen, Music.

Tuesday 15th January saw an exciting day out for the Year 11 Art & Design students, as well as for some year 10 students and the Art Department staff. The school-trip to London gave students the opportunity to visit both Tate Britain and Tate Modern, as well as see parts of London by coach as we travelled around. Students were able to see first-hand famous artworks by Turner, Picasso, Lichtenstein, among many other contemporary exhibits at both of the galleries. Year 11 are currently working towards their final exam piece and the trip to both Tate’s has helped to provide the students with added inspiration and ideas for their work leading up to this. 

M. De Ruiter, Subject Leader of Art

Tickets are on sale now for the USH production of Aladdin.  If you wish to purchase tickets for any of the performances, 13th, 14th or 15th February please contact The Point, Eastleigh.

Here is the solution to Maths Challenge Question 5 and Question Number 6 for you to have a go at.

Send your answer to Mr Wallace at robin.Wallace@ushschool.org

Is your son/daughter interested in learning to ski or perhaps skiing is a skill they already have.  We are currently taking deposits for a skiing trip to Santa Caterina in Italy departing at Easter 2020. The trip is open to current year 7, 8 and 9 students.

If your son/daughter is interested they should collect a ski letter from Miss Suffling.

Deposits need to be in by February 14th.

If you have any questions please email lisa.suffling@ushschool.org

If your child is unable to come to school, please contact the school before 09.00 to inform us of this. You can phone Alison Small (Attendance Officer) directly on 023 80522721 (there is a voicemail option), or email her at Alison.Small@ushschool.org

If you phone the main switchboard there is an option to select ‘report an absence’ from the menu. Please phone every morning that your child is not attending. We cannot assume that they are unwell on any given day because they were ill the day before. Truancy call will be sent out every day to all parents whose children are not in school, unless the parent has informed us of their child’s absence.

If your child has an appointment during the school day, please inform Mrs Small prior to the appointment. We must have an email, or telephone call from parents before we allow a child to leave site. Again, this is to ensure the safety of your child.

In the event of your child feeling ill during the school day, please discuss with them the procedures they need to follow. They must go to the Medical Room, where they will be assessed by a trained member of staff. If the child needs to go home, you will be contacted by the member of staff.

Please discourage your child from texting/calling you during the day and asking to go home because they are feeling unwell, or upset. They should go to the Medical Room; not only to be assessed, but so that staff are aware of their location.

Since Christmas, there has been a surge in availability of inexpensive multi-tools in shops around the city. USH would like to clarify the following:
Multi-tools, designed for active pursuits such as fishing and Scouts, are not allowed in school. Please see below for examples of utility tools (sometimes called gentleman’s tools) all of which are not suitable to be carried around by children in school.
For clarity, Hex (or Alan) keys, for the purpose of scooter and cycle maintenance, can be purchased on their own and do not need to be part of the general multi-tool as referenced here.

With regard general safety, we also ask that parents:

1. Regularly assess your child’s scooter or cycle for safety checks at home.
2. Support the school’s safety message about helmet use.
3. Remind children to take care on their way to and from school (particularly in these adverse conditions) and as traffic gets very busy around Bellemoor Road.

Thank you for your support in helping our children stay safe.

We are currently in the process of updating our system which we use to send information and letters to parents.  We now have the ability to send you forms online for completion.  The most important form we have been trying to get parents to complete it the photo permission form.  We are hoping that the online form will make it a lot easier for you as parents to return relevant information back to us at school. 

If we have not received a photo permission form from you, we will shortly be emailing you the online version. 

It has also been noted that in some instances email sent from school may default to your spam account.  Please check your junk/spam folder if you think this may have affected you.  If so you will them be able to mark them as non-spam in order to continue receiving updates from the school. 

With the GCSE Exams fast approaching we do all we can to ensure our students are as prepared as possible.  Students know mobile phones are not permitted in the exam hall, this could lose them marks or even stop them certificating in that qualification. Click here to view the blog from the GOV.UK website regarding mobile phones.

All girls will now be permitted to wear black sports leggings for PE. These must be PLAIN BLACK SPORTS leggings with no large logos. No hoodies are allowed, girls should wear the USH PE school jumper (supplied by school kit) or Rugby top.

Year 7: Blue USH PE T shirts are compulsory NOT white or any other T shirt.

All girls will require boots from September (Use of field).

Thank you from the PE Department