On Tuesday 8th February is was Safer Internet Day. Each year there is a different theme for this. This year, the theme is ‘All fun and games?’
As a school, we will have been using this theme for all the assemblies to make every student aware of demonstrating respect and building positive relationships whilst online.
Top Tips for Parents and Carers
Having conversations without judgement.
Knowing where you can learn more about their favourite apps and games.
Reassuring your child that whatever happens online, you are there to support them.
You can join our online safety forum using the QR code below;
Discord
We have been informed that this app is becoming more popular with children can be used to send inappropriate sexual content and is linked to cybercrime.
In our last week of Term 1, Mrs Gill teamed up with Mrs Scott in Food Technology and they organised a German Christmas baking club after school. It was incredibly popular but, unfortunately, we only had space for 20 students so we pulled names out of a hat and the lucky 20 girls got the opportunity to bake some delicious German bakes. Firstly, the students had to read a recipe in German, match up the English and German instructions and then read through them to understand what to do. Once everyone knew what the process and instructions were, we began the baking. We baked some lovely German gingerbread biscuits and then decorated them. The students had a fantastic time and the biscuits looked and tasted amazing. Well done, everyone! As this club was incredibly oversubscribed, we will be running another MFL baking club to give others a chance to take part so watch out for that!
Year 7 Wanted Posters
This term, Year 7 have been working on our new unit of work, which involves learning all about how to give information about animals, pets and family members. We have been working on learning about whether words are masculine, feminine or neuter and learning the definite and indefinite articles and also the plural forms of the nouns. To complement our learning, we have all made ‘wanted’ posters for our pets. Unfortunately, our pets escaped one night and ran around Penwortham so our students have put up ‘wanted’ posters to try to find them again! The students gave a detailed description of their animals and wrote about their personality and special powers that they possess in German, even offering a ‘Belohnung’ (a reward) in a bid to get them back! They also enjoyed practising ‘superpowers’ in groups, explaining what their animals can do. Looks like ”Niamh kann fliegen!” (Niamh can fly!)
German Spelling Bee
The German Spelling Bee is a national competition that brings together Year 7 students across the country to compete in their German spellings. Students must try to spell as many words in German in one minute and move through the different rounds. Congratulations to our Stage One German Spelling Bee winners! These girls have worked tirelessly to learn all 50 words for Stage One and performed incredibly in their individual Stage One final. Each girl had to reply with the German translation of the English word given and then spell it out using their German alphabet. They each did as many as they could within one minute – I think you can agree that’s very impressive!
These girls now move on to Stage Two where they will learn an additional 100 words for the school’s final, where the winners will be moving on to the regional final in Manchester. We cannot wait to head to this competition and show everyone how well we are doing!
French Penpals
Year 8 and Year 9 French were very pleased to receive replies from our French penpals. We got some lovely Christmas cards and letters which arrived throughout December and January. As always, we are so impressed with their English and love receiving real letters. We are already busy writing back to them.
This term, Year 9 have practised asking for food in a café and used the future tense to plan for a special weekend in Paris. Madame Raine was impressed with how well they did in their Speaking assessment. Bravo!
Year 8 are learning how to talk about their typical school day, uniform and are discovering what differences and similarities there are between French and English schools.
Blooket
Students have enjoyed practising vocabulary using Blooket for homework and we have had the opportunity to use iPads in lessons too. Some students are incredibly competitive!
MFL Speaking Mocks
Year 11 took on the challenge this half term of our French and German speaking mocks. We are super proud of them all as it was their first experience of a formal speaking exam. All of our students gave their best, tackled the role play, photo card and conversation with confidence and all had lovely pronunciation and intonation throughout. Well done to everyone, the MFL team are proud of you!
Mrs Gill, Curriculum Leader for Modern Foreign Languages
On Friday 21st January, 6 of our Year 11 GCSE Dancers attended a Dance workshop at Runshaw College where they had the opportunity to learn choreography and perform with a professional dancer. The choreography was from ‘A Linha Curva’, which is one of the professional works they are studying on their GCSE Dance course. This was a fantastic opportunity for the students and they all worked so hard and performed exceptionally. Well done to all who took part!
We use Bedrock with all classes in English at Penwortham Girls’ High School to improve literacy and empower voices. The programme encourages students to read more whilst immersing themselves in academic vocabulary. Engaging in fiction and non-fiction prose, introduces words in context, encourages more varied reading and increases cultural capital. Regular use of Bedrock will make students’ written and spoken language richer at the same time as building their confidence to tackle challenging texts.
Language is the foundation of all learning: the Bedrock.
CLASS LEADER BOARD:
8pg/SIB
The total number of points scored was 2192.
7af/SIB
The total number of points scored was 2764.
7af/DSN
The total number of points scored was 3035.
PROGRESS LEADER BOARD:
8pg/SIB
Claudia B made the most progress: 1000%
8pg/DSN
Anisa A made the most progress: 312%
8pg/GST
Grace B made the most progress: 291%
This month students have been learning the following words on Bedrock:
At Penwortham Girls’ High School, we know that schools have a far bigger role than simply teaching your daughter the knowledge needed to pass their GCSEs.
As set out in our mission statement, we want our students to become articulate, independent, questioning, and tolerant young people; ready to face the challenges and seize the opportunities of life.
As such, we have an ambitious and carefully planned wider opportunities programme of clubs, societies, visits, residential trips and in-school experiences. This programme is closely aligned with our termly festivals.
During the Autumn term, we hosted our Festival of Literature and Languages, a fortnight crammed with acting, debating, writing and reading related events. In the final weeks of the Summer term, our school production of ‘The Sound of Music’, along with Sports Day and our annual Passport Walks, will be the highlight of P&A22 (Festival of Performance and the Arts).
This term, we are hosting our first STEM festival, from Monday 28th February to Friday 11th March. A celebration and exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. As well as an extensive in-school programme of activities, we are also offering every student in Years 7 to 10, the opportunity to experience a school trip; which sadly due to Covid has not been possible for the past two years. Visits range from trips to Blackpool’s Sealife Centre and Zoo, to opportunities to learn at The Holocaust Exhibition and Lancaster University.
As we only received the Covid ‘green light’ for these visits in the past week, we need to confirm bookings with all of the venues and coach companies as soon as possible, ideally before the half term. To ensure all these trips go ahead as planned, we are asking parents to return reply slips and make payments as quickly as possible.
Mr Ward, Senior Assistant Headteacher, Personal Development Lead.
We are having a non-uniform day on Friday 11th February 2022 to support Mental Health Week. We are asking students who participate on this day to make a £1 donation, which will raise funds for the Children’s Mental Health Charity – Place2 Be.
