We hope that you are doing well and staying safe. It has been another busy time at school as we are not only setting work for our students both at home and at school but we are now preparing for the next academic year.

As I said last week, we are preparing for our school to be open to all pupils from the first week back in September. We are intending Tuesday and Wednesday (1st & 2nd September) to be Inset days, the new Year 7 & 11 to be in on Thursday and then everyone in on Friday. Please be aware that this may change over the coming weeks as we are expecting more guidelines to be published from the government regarding reopening and it may be that we will need to look at various other aspects such as having different timings for break and lunches, keeping year groups in bubbles, etc. However, as I have said, we will communicate this to you when we have a clearer idea of the expectations.

I would like to reiterate my thanks to the students and the parents for their continued hard work in supporting the learning online. I am looking forward to having all of our students back with us as soon as it is safe to do so. We will endeavour to catch up on any work missed and support our students in returning to lessons.

Tutors have been calling students over the past week to see if they are managing to access their learning. This isn’t to try and catch people out; it is just to make sure that people aren’t struggling with logging on or technology. If anyone is finding it difficult, please do contact us at school.

So, have a good rest of the week and take care of yourselves and each other and I hope you enjoy the attached newsletter.

We would like to thank the members of the PVS community who have contributed to date but we would love to hear from more of you.

If you have anything that you wish to share; whether it be ideas to keep people entertained, examples of work, good news stories, etc. please contact Mss Dean cde@pewsey-vale.wilts.sch.uk. so, we can share it in our communications.

• Events and Activities & Other Things to Try

Liam R has been keeping incredibly busy over the lockdown period not only completing his schoolwork but helping around the house. Liam’s mum says, “he has been a total star and working really hard form 9am to 3pm on his school work, then he’s been helping his Dad with lots of garden projects. He’s helped make me a couple of garden planters, a potting shed and he’s made his Gran a pergola!!”

I wonder if Liam is taking orders – these planters are fantastic.

Ffion B has been busy in the kitchen and whilst she keeps forgetting to enter the star baker competition she has been making lots of other delicious goodies including potato bread, cupcakes, carrot cake and various other delights. Her marshmallow chocolate bites are certainly packed full of tasty treats.

Oliver K wanted to share, with the whole school community, his recent baking efforts (sugar and chocolate coated doughnuts).

If you have any exciting or interesting things you have been doing, new skills you have been developing, then please let us know.

• Learning Resources and New skills

Pewsey’s Got Talent:

Entries are now open for the much-anticipated virtual talent show ‘Pewsey’s Got Talent’. What could you could do as a performance? Remember practise makes progress! Find out more by watching this video https://www.powtoon.com/s/dKwcfC5aVdx/1/m.

Life skills:

Speakers for schools continue to run their online programme of guest speakers. Over the coming week the following timetable will run. Perhaps there is something that interests you linked to your super north star. https://www.speakersforschools.org/inspiration/vtalks/upcoming-vtalks/

CELEBRATING WOMEN IN ENGINEERING WITH THAMES WATER & UTC READING

• Dina Gillespie, Area Operations Manager, Thames Water
• Katherine Whatley, ICA Technician, Thames Water
• Cheryl Atkinson, Thames Valley East Systems Operator, Control, Thames Water
• Stephanie Mitchell, Executive Director of Careers and Destinations, UTC Reading
• Elise Hammond, Year 11 Engineering Student, UTC Reading

DATE: Wednesday 1st July, 11am

Celebrating women in engineering! Engineering is a key part of the water industry – through engineering we can innovate and help shape our world. Women in engineering roles in Thames Water vary from on-site technicians to design engineers working on developing new projects. 

Today we will meet three Thames Water colleagues along with UTC Reading’s Careers Lead and one of her engineering students to discuss how we can support a more diverse workforce, challenge stereotypes and provide greater opportunities for women and girls in engineering.

Please note, this event will be moderated and managed by Thames Water.

• Year 10 Post 16 Options

This is the time of year that year 10 students start to think about what they would like to do when they leave us at Pewsey Vale School. Many of the institutions that our students choose for post 16 studies are thinking up new and creative ways to provide the information you might want.

Below are a couple who have already sent us information – you can also find links to this on our careers pages on the school website.

Bishop Wordsworth’s School – Coeducational sixth form

Join one of our open events online to find out more.

These will take place on: Friday 3rd July and Friday 10th July, all at 2.30pm 

To register please email sixth@bws.wilts.sch.uk  or go online www.bishopwordsworth.org.uk/sixth-form/

Take an Open University Course: It’s free, takes anything from 2-30 hours, and you can study subjects from sociology to biotools! Visit https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue  

• Competitions

Star baker:

Thank you for all of your wonderful entries from the last week –the winning entry from last week was Matthew M-A who made some cheese scones. They certainly look like the perfect scones for a sunny afternoon tea. Emilia B has been highly commended by Mrs Sparke for her efforts. Eliot S’ scones with clotted cream and jam will not last long on the plate.

Why not have a go and join in with the weekly star baker competition. Bake something of your choice or have a go at a wonderful classic sponge cake. Why not send us your favourite recipe, you never know, it may get featured next week.

Recipe of the week

This week we are doing something a little different and going with the ‘Big Sandwich Challenge’. What is your favourite sandwich?

Make it and take pictures to send in. Mrs Sparke will be awarding a prize for most attractive and tasty looking sandwich. Be creative with your fillings.

Democracy – World after COVID:

What’s your vision for the world after coronavirus?

The COVID-19 pandemic raises many questions about how our societies are organised, and how public health challenges can be tackled. As governments struggle to protect lives and keep our economies afloat, ambitious ideas that once seemed improbable have suddenly become surprisingly plausible.

Now that everyone is thinking about what our post-lockdown future might look like, open Democracy and UCL are teaming up to invite young people to have a say. They want to find and shout about the best ideas from the next generation for what should come next.

What might democracy look like as countries emerge from lockdown? How will public health change as a result of this global pandemic? What lessons from history have we forgotten that might guide how the world recovers? How will our societies and cultures respond to this global crisis and its aftermath?

How to Enter:

Whatever your interest or background, we want to hear your thoughts on these and many more questions. In particular, we're looking for ambitious ideas about how governments, citizens, scientists, artists – or anyone else you think has a role to play – can shape a different and better future.

The competition is open to school, university and higher-education students over the age of 14. 

Submit your entry as either: a written article, short video or image/photograph that describes your vision for the world after coronavirus. 

Only one entry per person. 

If you submit more than one entry, only the first entry submitted will be accepted.

Art - The Ikabog Illustation Competition

Calling all budding artists from ages 7 to 12 years! J.K. Rowling is inviting you to help illustrate The Ickabog for her. Every day when chapters of the story are uploaded, she will be making suggestions for what you might like to draw or paint to illustrate the story as it goes along. You should let your imagination run wild! https://www.theickabog.com/competition/

Tim Henman and Compass for Life:

Don’t forget every Wednesday on the Tin Henman foundation homepage three new challenges will be launched around the themes of being fulfilled, having fun and staying topical. There will be plenty of things for everyone so get involved and share what you are doing. This week the challenge focuses on Making the Impossible Possible. If we think hard we can all think about times where we have managed to achieve something that we never thought we could. If we learn from this how can we apply it to new challenges we will face in the future?

Take a look on the website for the coming challenges: https://thfonline.org/home/ and don’t forget to share your work with #THFOnline2020 @PewseyValeSch (twitter).

Look out for the Wimbledon themed challenges that will be coming up in the next few weeks.

• Subject-Specific Activities

Art:

Last week we were contacted via Instagram, for our students work to be featured in the Seawhites of Brighton Art supplies catalog. They will feature the works of several of our GCSE artists in their next publication- so watch this space!

Keep up to date and check out new resources, competitions and opportunities on the Art department Instagram @pvs_arttextiles. Last week we reached over 200 followers- a big thank you goes to our creative community.

• Exercise and Well-being

Virtual Sports Day:

Don’t forget the virtual sports day we have running this year; you have until the 3rd July to send in your results. Please see last week’s newsletter or the social media pages for information about the events and how to enter.

Molly S has already had a go at some of the events including the standing long jump. Can you beat her current effort of 186.5cm?

Mental Health:

There are lots of resources around to help with mental health – we have been trying to suggest a wide range of sites in order to provide something for everyone.

The Kooth service will be coming to an end at the end of June but all of the resources relating to mental health can be found at https://www.onyourmind.org.uk.

This video about supporting young people through the current crisis may also be a useful tool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME5IZn4-BAk&feature=youtu.be

For a list of all resources to support with mental health and well being you can find a comprehensive list on this webpage https://www.wiltshirehealthyschools.org/new-mental-health-resources-and- covid-19-support-materials-/

All of the links to competitions and resources mentioned in this newsletter can be found on the school website on the following page https://pewseyvale.org/school-life/covid-19-school-closure- information/links-to-external-resources-for-home-working/

Keep an eye on the school twitter feed @PewseyValeSch and facebook page @pewsevaleschool to also find out as things are happening.

• Calendar of Events

July:

Year 6 Transition Pewsey’s Got Talent End of term

Future events

2019/20 Year 11 Prom/Reunion Presentation evening

We hope that you are enjoying our weekly communications.

As I have said, please do feel free to send us stuff to share or add. During these strange times, it is important to stay in communication and the more we hear from you the more normal it feels.

Stay safe, stay positive and see you soon – I hope. 

Mr Pritchard and the Pewsey Vale Staff