Youth Connexions

University of Hertfordshire

Primary Teacher Training

It is not too late to train to be a Primary school teacher this year.

The University of Herts still has places available.

For more information go to the Open day on Saturday 8 June 2013 Undergraduate 9.00- 12.00

Post graduate 12.30 -3.00 or look on the website;  go.herts.ac.uk/teachertraining

A Career at Sea

Explore the world of opportunities in The Merchant Navy

It can lead to a unique and adventurous life packed with exciting and rewarding career prospects

Interested? Go to the Careers Open day Friday 28^th June 2013

Or go to website; www.warsashacademy.co.uk for more information

What is Measles?

Measles is an infection caused by a virus (germ) and can cause:

1. Fever
2. Irritability
3. Cold/Catarrhal symptoms – running nose
4. Sore and runny eyes
5. Dry ‘croupy’ cough
6. White spots on the gums (second and third day)
7. Rash (fourth day) starting on the face and behind the ears, then spreading down the body
8. Diarrhoea – often in the early stages in children
9. Serious complications of measles infection can occur and secondary infections such as ear infections (approx 1 in 20), bronchitis/pneumonia (approx 1 in 25), convulsions (approx 1 in 200) and in rare cases, encephalitis (infection of the brain) or meningitis (approx 1 in 1000) may occur. The likelihood of problems varies with age and complications are generally more common in young babies, older children and adults.

Who does it affect?

ANYONE – who has not developed natural immunity or has not been vaccinated against measles. Children are most vulnerable though. Babies are usually protected by their mother’s antibodies up to six months from birth.

Pregnant women exposed to measles should consult their GP for advice.

How do you get Measles?

Measles is very infectious and you catch it by being in close contact with someone who already has the infection. The virus is passed in the secretions of the infected person’s nose and throat and is spread by their sneezing and coughing. Also it is possible to catch measles from direct contact with articles which have been contaminated by these infected secretions e.g. hankies.

How do you prevent Measles?

• By immunisation – there is a safe and effective vaccine which protects against measles. It is one of the components in MMR vaccine and a child needs a total of two doses of this vaccine, the first at 12 – 13 months and a second before starting school. Protection is lifelong.

Do you need to stay off School/Work?

Yes – Measles is very infectious.

Measles is infectious from just before the symptoms occur and for approximately 4 days after the appearance of the rash, so gneral advice is to stay off school or work for at least 4 days after the rash starts.

Ben has written his own report of this event – well done to Ben for achieving third place with his team, especially as this was his first competition.  Please read Ben’s report here below:

Last term the English Karate Championships was held in Crawley.

On this day, five students from Tigers Shotokan Karate club were taking part in various events for example kata (a sequence of prearranged strikes and blocks), team kata (Three members of the team performing kata in perfect synchronization) and sparring.

I myself took part in individual kata and team kata. The competition began by calling the competitors to the allocated area. This was my first competition and I was immensely nervous.

Each competitor was called up individually to perform a kata. I was competing against some very experienced people. Unfortunately I was knocked out of the first round of individual kata.

I then proceeded to the next event which was team kata. My two team members and I worked extremely hard in such a short period of time to achieve an incredible degree of accuracy for the little time we had. The effort we put in to working together and performing the kata in synchronization helped us to achieve third place!

Other team members took part in sparring and managed to make us all proud by also achieving third place.

Chief instructor Vando De-Bellis of Tigers said “We are very proud of their achievement – the competition was tough and they have shown great commitment and stamina in their training and deserve this recognition – They are great ambassadors for the Association”.

Everyone in the team worked exceptionally hard to attain this amazing achievement and I myself am very proud and honoured to train with them.

Ben Praag

Visit to London School of Economics

Last term I reported on the masterclasses that we offer highly able students from local primary schools in Maths and IT.  As the programme is coming to an end with their SATs fast approaching our Maths Faculty organised a trip, together with a group of our KS3 students, for the Maths Masterclass students to visit the London School of Economics last week.

Two of our students have written reports on their day.  Here’s a few extracts to give you a flavour of what the day offered them and what they felt they gained from it:

Sainka Shah from Year 9:   Upon arriving, we were giving a small tour of the site which allowed us to gain a valuable insight into the daily routine at the London School of Economics and the direct contrasts between University and school life. The interior design had a contemporary style, which made us all feel in awe of the actual scale and complexity of the buildings. The library itself has been estimated to contain an astonishing figure of over 4 million books and we were also informed by our guide that students can borrow up to 20 books in one go!

Sahil Sindhi, Year 7 says:  I also enjoyed this trip because there were fun and mathematical activities that we participated in such as a question and answer section with some lecturers. We got the opportunity to find out about their childhood ambitions and their favourite parts of Maths. In addition to this we had a quiz, this quiz didn’t only have maths questions it had logic and lateral questions, which I found fun and I really enjoyed trying to solve some of the riddles. 

And to sum up the day, Sahil reported:  To conclude this was an amazing trip I would definitely go again. I learnt some new things about the history of some of the buildings and some complex maths. All in all I would say I had a really good time.

Although University is still a long way off for all these students a trip like this can assist in giving them the inspiration and drive to aspire.  I wonder if any of these students will be attending the London School of Economics themselves in future years?

Mr Douglas

Headteacher

Oaklands College are holding taster days on the 2nd July 2013

These taster days are a chance to meet Staff and have hands on experience in the subjects of their choice

For more information go to Oaklands web page www.oaklands.ac.uk

Cricket

Rounders

DINING HALL

You will recall last summer the Dining Hall was refurbished, providing the students and staff with a much brighter environment with its fresh décor and new furniture.  Sixth Form and staff can now purchase drinks throughout the day and if they wish can use the dining hall as an alternative place of work or study.  Our IT Department are also looking towards enhancing the wireless network in this area for mobile devices to aid work.  (Of course, during the examination season access to this area will need to be restricted).

Our catering company, ABM Catering, are now also providing us with weekly menus in advance and therefore on Friday afternoons the following week’s menu will be uploaded onto the website under Practical Information/This Week’s menu so that parents/carers can view this.  The students will have access to the current week’s menu via the plasma screen in the dining hall.

ABM are also introducing theme weeks/days and competitions for the students.  For instance next week on Tuesday 7 May it is Bangladesh Day and the menu will be:

 Chicken Rogan Josh – (Chicken fried with ginger, tomato sauce, aromatic cardamom and fresh coriander).

Lamb Korai – (Spiced Lamb with cumin and green chillies).

 Red Pepper Dhal – (Roasted Red Pepper with red onion, lentil curry and finished with fresh basil and cream).

These are served with naan bread and mushroom pilau rice

 This week ABM has extended the ‘Alarm competition’ whereby intermittently an alarm bell rings and whoever is at the till point at that time receives their purchase free of charge!  This was in place last week but due to its success has been extended through this week also.

 Week commencing 12 May will be a design a sandwich competition – the winning entry will get a free sandwich for a week.  Entry Forms will be given out at the tills shortly so please inform your child of this competition.

 I do hope your child/ren use the dining hall.  We provide a good range of healthy food and it is somewhere that your child can socialise with their friends whilst ensuring they have eaten properly through their busy and challenging day at school.  Feedback on your views of the service provided by ABM Catering would be very welcome.  If you would like to do so please email:  reception@busheymeads.herts.sch.uk, marking your email ‘ABM CATERING/DINING HALL FEEDBACK’.

Mr Douglas

Headteacher

A team of students visited Aspire in Stanmore last Thursday to play a wheelchair rugby match against  WoodfieldSchool, Kingsbury.

Our students (Michael Pope, Charlie Baker, Lola Chappell, Grace Bonner, Ben Lawson, Jasmine Frost and Lee Keogh) fought hard, creating some great passes and moves against a KS4 team. It was an exciting game: the action swapping from end to end as the wheelchairs raced around the court. Michael and Lee gave pre-match interviews to a Brockley Hill radio presenter, who also gave a live commentary on the game.

The match ended in a 5-4 victory to Woodfield.

Youth Connexions

School Leaver Programme

The Close Brothers offer an alternative to University

Ideally suited to students in year 13 who are looking for an alternative route to University

The Aspire School Leaver Programme offers a structured yet tailor-made 3 year programme working across the Banking division within a variety of lending areas and business locations.

For more information go to;

www.cbschoolleaver.gtios.com

Already we are into the second week after the Easter holidays and examination students must ensure they are working and revising.  Last Thursday we ran a revision evening for Year 11 parents / carers to demonstrate how you can support your child at home.

Here are some general revision tips for parents / carers:

• Try not to nag (I know it is difficult) but it is negative for students
• Encourage – ie ‘why not spend an hour on this now and we will do something different later’
• Provide an incentive – short term rewards during revision and perhaps something more significant if they have worked hard for all their exams
• Make sure they have all they need – buying pens, pencils and other equipment from the supermarket is cheap and it shows you care – it also reduces the stress of having to make these purchases directly before the examinations
• Make sure they have a quiet place to work – encourage no social media contact via the computer / phone
• Encourage working in shorter / sharper periods – an hour is enough without a short break.  Long periods of revision have diminishing returns
• Ask your child to tell you what they have been learning – to articulate it – it makes a huge difference in assimilating information

School to School Support

Your child may have said they have not seen my usual level of presence around the school site since Easter.  This is because I have been asked by Hertfordshire to assist another local school.  This support is likely to be through this term and into next.  Therefore, during this period Ms Morawska has been promoted to Acting Headteacher and Ms Weddle to Acting Deputy Headteacher.  I am still in Bushey Meads every day, but spending time at our support school as well.  This form of support is supported by the Department for Education and I am pleased to be able to assist another local school.  Most communication with home on a day to day basis is typically with your child’s Key Stage office.  However, if you need to see the Deputy or Headteacher please refer your enquiries to Ms Weddle in the first instance or, if the issue requires, to Ms Morawska.

Mr K Douglas