Yarm Preparatory School Issue 525

Friday 20th January 2017

Head’s Message . . . We encourage our pupils from an early age to take on responsibilities at school and believe that this

allows them to develop aspects of self-regulation and personal organisation which are so very important

in a busy school and indeed further down life’s road. Responsibilities such as being a house or form

captain, class monitor, peer mentor, librarian, eco monitor or a member of the food council also help to

foster other key traits that will help our pupils be the leaders of the future. Within this are many valuable

skills and behaviours which include being confident, a good communicator, being able to collaborate and

showing commitment. I feel that these qualities were very much on show during Open Morning when

many pupils came to school to guide visitors around the site or take part in some of the activities taking

place. All of our pupils enjoy developing the aforementioned qualities through their class assemblies, the

learning opportunities with the curriculum, the extracurricular programme, our house system and the

fixtures and events we attend. I relish seeing every pupil flourish and feel it is our duty to help them

delight in stepping into our shoes in the future.

Heads’ Challenge: you have two egg timers; a four minute one and a seven minute one. You want to

measure nine minutes. How do you do it?

Bill Sawyer

@HeadPrepYarm

Visit the Prep School Pages:-

www.yarmschool.org

Lost Property

Samuel S, 3A is missing his school coat and two table

tennis bats (red & black with blue handles).

Recipe for Friendship

Firstly add 1tsp of honesty to a cup full of smiles,

Secondly take 1tsp of laughter and pour it in,

Thirdly stir in some kindness and happiness,

Then tip in all of your forgiveness,

Next, put in a bottle full of respect,

After that add a drop full of sharing,

Then mix in a jar of helpfulness,

Finally, pour in a bowl of joyfulness.

Manya R, 3H

Government League Tables Nonsense

The government has released its school performance tables again this week and some of

the country’s leading schools, including Yarm, have figures recorded that, at first glance

and without contextual understanding, would seem very odd – for example that an absurd

0% of our pupils enter three single sciences, when in fact the vast majority of them do so

and get extremely strong grades! The government data lists that only 21% of our pupils

achieved “a good pass in both English and Mathematics”, which is very wide of the mark –

their figure is based on the fact that the government does not count the IGCSE

Mathematics qualification taken by all our pupils, but has counted the Level 2 Further

Mathematics certificate by the pupils in our top set, hence the bafflingly low 21% figure

rather than 0%. In actual fact, over 60% of our pupils achieved an A*/A in IGCSE

Mathematics and over 65% achieved an A*/A in IGCSE English Language.

The reason for some misleading figures is that the government does not include most

IGCSE qualifications in their tables. Like many of the country’s top-performing schools,

Yarm School offers a range of IGCSEs as more stretching and substantial alternatives to the

regular GCSE examination in those subject areas. IGCSEs are widely seen as a better way

to prepare students for the step up to A level and university education and are used in

many countries throughout the world.

Yarm School Headmaster Mr Dunn said: “Despite being one of the best performing

schools in the country, we find ourselves perversely at the bottom end of the government

league tables that decline to incorporate IGCSEs. This is an insult to both our pupils, who

work incredibly hard to achieve fantastic results, and our talented staff, who work just as

hard to support them. The only consolation is that we are in good company at the bottom

of this league table, alongside other top-performing schools, including some very famous

leading schools. Even the quickest glance at the tables reveals they are an absolute

nonsense.”

We would like to draw to parents’ attention the full strength of our 2016 GCSE results as

outlined in the table:

Yarm School North East National Average

Percentage of A* 37% 4.9% 6.5%

Percentage of A* - A 66.1% 17.3% 20.5%

Percentage of A* - B 85% 38.5% 41.9%

HAPPINESS WEEK

Last week was our first ever Happiness

Week at the Prep School. The focus was

on what makes us happy and how we

can help to make others feel happy.

As well as some questions of the day

(see some of the answers below!),

assemblies looked at how a smile or

laughter can help create happiness,

with some help from Kid President and

The Pig of Happiness.

It was an important time to take a step

back as a school and think about if we

are really happy and what helps us to

be so. There was some super work in

PSHE lessons too to compliment this, as

well as a terrific story told by Nurse

Lanfranconi about cold pricklies and

warm fuzzies.

Below are some of the answers from the

daily questions, seeing a wide range of

answers!

What makes you happy?

My family.

Lola V. 4P

Nanna, family, friends and bunnies.

Anon.

Playing with friends.

Oliver A., 5J

How can you look on the bright side?

Think of unicorns.

Ella M, 4J

Treat others how you want to be

treated.

Tilly G, 5J

You can think of your favourite things.

Anon.

Smile at them!

Hannah M., 4P

Make them laugh or tell a joke.

Chloe P., 4J

Are people born happy or unhappy?

I think I was born happy.

Alisha T. 3N

Everyone is born happy!

Mr Simpson 4P

Everyone is born happy—look at

smiley, giggly babies!

Mrs Craven

Friday 27th January 2017

On Friday 13th January the U10A netball team played The Grammar School at Leeds. After only a week of train-ing and playing as a team, we were all a little apprehen-sive on what to expect. The girls however, definitely pulled it out of the bag! Each girl played superbly, driving into space, showing great skill and determination, there was some great movement down the court and some fantastic defending and shooting. An excellent start to the season that still gives us lots to work on for our next games.

Thank you to all who came along to spectate, player of the match goes to Scarlett Smith.

Miss R Bradley

5J Happiness Quotes

Stay happy, be happy, don’t stay

angry or your life and others will

be miserable. When you are

alone think happy like Mr Happy.

Harriet J, 5J

Happiness is everywhere you just

have to let it fill you up to get

inside you.

Eva S, 5J

Being happy means the world

to me because I am with my

family and my friends.

Phoebe N, 5J

The thing that makes me most

happy is friends and friendship

and people smiling.

Cara M, 5J

In life if you want friends and you

want a happy life just do one

thing, share happiness and you will

have a better life.

Haris S, 5J

I am happy when I am with my

friends, pets and family.

Grace H, 5J

Happiness is a lifetime experience

and will not ever stop! Also

friends, animals and family make

me happy.

Natasha C, 5J

Happiness is a great thing in life and

if we don’t have it our lives will all

be dull. My friends all make me

happy, there must be at least one

thing that makes you happy.

Kiyan B, 5J

I am happiest when I am with my

friends playing games at break

time.

Isobel K, 5J

Smiling makes me happy.

Rhianna G, 5J

My family and friends make me

very happy!!

Eve H, 5J

Happiness changes the look of

everything!

Rehan G, 5J

Happiness is everything and mas-

sive at Yarm School.

Eleanor L, 5J

Happiness is when you have fun.

When people around you make you

happy. Friends make me happy.

Vedhika J, 5J

Sports Round Up

Last Friday we had a match against GSAL. Unfortunately

we, the U11A team, lost 17-7 but we did try our hardest.

Kayla R, 6G

BEDE HOUSE PRESENTS:

Bede’s Night of Music

And Drama.

Come and support members

of Bede House in a fun filled night of entertain-

ment, raising money for the charity: Children

With Cancer.

Join us on Monday 6th February in the Recital

Room.

Doors open at 5.30pm, music starts at 6pm.

Tickets are £3 from the Senior School Office of

£3.50 on the door. Further charitable donations

are welcome.

Refreshments will be served from 5.30pm and a raffle will

be taking place in the interval.

5P Class Assembly – Martin Luther King

Our Dreams – 5P

I have a dream that people all over the world

will be kind to each other and not fight.

I have a dream that little boys and girls won’t

have to take refuge from war.

I have a dream that countries won’t go to war

but will talk to sort out their differences.

I have a dream that people will be judged by

their personality and not their appearance.

I have a dream that one day all around the

world people, whether rich or poor, will have

clean water and fresh food.

I have a dream that cures will be found for the

bad diseases that people suffer from.

I have a dream that all people won’t be judged by their skin colour or religion

I have a dream that we will all be kind to each other and try to be happy.

IZZIE: My favourite part was the life changing message that the class told. The assembly was about

Martin Luther King and how he changed things for us.

PEARL: Joshita was so good at being Martin Luther King because after each sentence of the ‘I have a

dream’ speech it left us on a cliff hanger.

BEN: After the play I was so relieved because I didn’t get any lines wrong!

CARYS: Everyone was nervous when we came to the assembly but luckily everything went as it was

supposed to and no one forgot their lines.

MATTHEW: My favourite part of the play was when the TV show began because I think the

characters were really interesting.

AMEEN: My favourite part was when I did the class ‘I have a dream’ speech with Henry. The play was

nerve-wracking but it was fun!

Next Week:

Mon 23 House Chess begins—Arkwright v Stephenson, Brunel v Telford

Arkwright House Duty

Self-Esteem Week

Tue 24 Primary Schools Singing Day (Senior School)

Wed 25 U11 A/B Netball v Bow School (home; 3pm start)

Learning Support meeting for parents POSTPONED

Thu 26 U9 Football v Bow School (Home; 2pm start)

Fri 27 5B class assembly

Prep New Year Disco (Prep Hall; 6-7.30pm)

U10/11 Football v Durham Chorister School (Home; 2.15pm start)

U10/11 Netball v St. Olaves (away; 12.30pm depart, 2pm start, 5.30pm return)

Mon 30 Brunel House Duty

House Chess—Arkwright v Brunel, Stephenson v Telford

SATIPS Handwriting Week

Tue 31 Year 5 trip to MIMA, Middlesbrough

Fri 3 5J class assembly

8am Drop Off

Please can we remind parents that morning care

begins at 8am. No children should be dropped off

on site prior to this time as they will not be

supervised.

Grammar School Lane

A reminder to parents that car access to Grammar School Lane and the

school site is prohibited, unless permission has been given by Mr Sawyer or

Mr Stone. This is for the safety of your children.

Mobile Phones

We only expect children to bring in a mobile phone if they take the

school bus. If your child intends to bring their device in, we would expect

you to request and fill in the Mobile Phone Information Form, which is

available from Miss O’Hara. Once this has been done, any mobile phones

are left with Miss O’Hara for the school day and can only be used with

permission from a teacher to make calls only. Do speak to Mr Stone if you

have any questions.

Coats

Please can we remind parents that children are to

wear the school coat, available from the school shop.

The school uniform shop can be contacted on

(01642) 786023. With the unpredictable nature of

the weather at the moment, it is important that the

children come fully prepared and dressed

appropriately.

Prep Celebration Assembly 3A Endeavour— Elizabeth N. Values— Claudia C.

3H Endeavour— Henry B. Values— Kate H.

3N Endeavour— Noah V. Values— Jasman S.

4J Endeavour— Samuel A. Values— Ffion R.

4P Endeavour— Rose T. Values— Annabel C.

4S Endeavour— Zeph A. Values—

5B Endeavour— Florrie T. Values— Eve H.

5J Endeavour— Isobel K. Values— Eve G.

5P Endeavour— Joshita M. Values— Izzie S.

6G Endeavour— Izzy B. Values— Rosie F.

6L Endeavour— Rishik K. Values— Erin S.

6M Endeavour— Miles H. Values— Emma F.

Head Teacher’s Awards:

Siri P. (Year 3); Harry S., Zaara S., Sam P., Alice W., Paras C., Ben W.,

Phoebe N. (Year 4); Olivia C., Gaurav K., Ava M. (Year 6).

Coming Up:

February

Mon 6th—Safer Internet Week begins

Tue 7th—Class photographs

Fri 10th—Half-term begins

Mon 20th—Pupils return

Thu 23rd—Year 4 trip to Vindolanda

Sat 25th—UK Chess Challenge—School Round

Tue 28th—House Pancake races

March

Mon 6th—Year 3 trip to Murton Park

Tue 7th—HMC Football and Netball

Wed 8th—Year 5 London residential

Fri 10th—6L class assembly

Thu 16th—Yarm U9 Football and Netball tournament

Fri 17th—6M class assembly

Fri 17th—Brunel charity event

Mon/Tue 20th/21st—Parents’ Evenings (4-6pm)

Thu 23rd—Year 6 trip to Durham Cathedral