During this week Mrs Chapman has been responsible for organising an opportunity for year 9 pupils to discuss with Senior Citizens their experiences of the 2^nd World War.  As always this is superbly organised and both young people and senior citizens thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to share experiences. 

Pictures here

18th January 2012

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The Navy visits SHS

Pictures click here

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BONJOUR PARIS!

On the 16^th December 2011, a group of Y9 and 10 pupils set out to the French capital, Paris. After a long journey, we finally arrived at the Château du Romaine just on the border of Paris.

On Saturday, we visited Le Louvre, as well as seeing magnificent sights such as Notre Dame and the Mona Lisa. The pupils got the chance to also speak French when out and about, like ordering food or even just small talk in public places.

On Sunday, pupils and teachers were all excited for the visit to Disneyland Paris! The day was simply fantastic, experiencing the amazing rides and of course meeting the famous Mickey Mouse himself!

I’d just like to give a big thank you to everyone who helped organise and prepare for the trip. The PGL team were so helpful during our time in Paris and I’m sure everyone enjoyed themselves.

Overall, the weekend was incredible! Also, a last thank you to our lovely coach driver Julie who drove us everywhere whilst we were in France. Thank you Julie from Shevington High School! Miss Hames. For pictures click here

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New Timing of the school day from Tuesday 10th Jan 2012:

Morning as usual

1.55pm Warning bell.

2.00pm Period 5 start's

3.00pm End of the school day.

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Readathon - 1st December - 14th December 2011

“Inspiring children to read is one of the greatest gifts you can give them.I'd recommend Readathon to anyone.” Julia Donaldson, Author and Childrens Laureate.

All of Shevington High is taking part! our aim is to raise as much money as possible for these two very worthwhile causes...

Roald Dahl Foundation:

Specialises in helping children with serious neurological conditions, it provides children's nurses, equipment, carers and toys.

CLIC Sargent:

Helping children and young people with cancer.

Prizes:

Top Girl and Boy - Terry Pratchett Novel "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents"
Top Form - Tin of chocs (for forms with a number of entrants)
Top Class - Tin of chocs (for those English groups with a number of entrants)

Every entrant will receive a metal pin badge "Readathon 2011" when handing in their cash as a reward for taking part.

 

Winners to be announced on our website and facebook.com/shevingtonhigh.

STRIKE ACTION WEDNESDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2011

You will be aware from the media that Trade Unions have balloted their members for strike action in response to the proposed changes by the Government to Public Sector pension arrangements which affect the Local Government Pension Scheme and the Teacher’s Pension Scheme.

Due to the number of staff in school that will be taking action next Wednesday I have no option but to close the school to all pupils, however, school will be open for those members of staff who have chosen not to take strike action. 

I do understand the difficulties that this can pose for parents and guardians and to this end please find details below that may alleviate problems.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for any further clarification.

Yours sincerely

Mrs H Mackenzie OBE

Headteacher

As you’ll no doubt be aware, next Wednesday the whole of the country will be affected by the National Strikes. Would it be possible for you to pass these details on to parents who may be struggling to find arrangements for their children that day?

Next Wednesday we will be offering a ONE DAY ONLY Football camp for parents / pupils affected by the National Strikes.  This gives parents the opportunity to drop children off between the hours of 8:30am – 9:00am and pick up between 3:30 and 4:30pm and attend our football camps.  (School Hours)  Please note we will be running the camp for £17.50 per head for the full day.  Should you have parents interested they must book in before 6:00pm on Tuesday 29th November.  Unfortunately we cannot accept any children on the day, as we’ll need to know numbers to arrange coaches.

Should you know of any parents interested, please get them to give us a call on 01942 210080 or email us on the details below.  Alternatively you can give Paul Kelly a call on 07960 801167

  Lucozade Powerleague Soccerdome Wigan
Stadium Way
Wigan WN5 0UN

Tel: 01942 210 080  Fax: 01942 210 081
Email: wigan@powerleague.co.uk
Web: www.powerleague.co.uk 

Children in need at Shevington!

This year we managed to raise £900!! Beating last years total by nearly £400!! Well done to everyone who contributed.

Shevington Goes Social!

Shevington High is on Facebook and Twitter! Ahead of the other schools we're bringing you daily news and updates, along with photos of the latest events and coming soon...competitions!

Like and follow us at www.facebook.com/shevingtonhigh and www.twitter.com/shevingtonhigh.

 

Skate Smart with Shevington

Year 7, 8 and 9 join us for skate smart lessons Wednesdays 3.30pm till 4.30pm in the gym. All equipment is provided!

Learn to skate forwards, stop safely, turn and skate backwards! Interested...See Mr Lunt or Mrs Douglas.

 

Lord Sharkey visits Shevington

On Friday 11th November we were pleased to welcome Lord Sharkey to school. Members of School Council were privileged to meet him and listen to his presentation about the House of Lords.

Pupils listened attentively to his entertaining and eloquent description of how the House of Lords functions. Following the presentation they had the opportunity to ask questions.

Lord Sharkey's visit has been a wonderful opportunity for students to engage in the process of democracy which they can relate to their roles on School Council and may have set the seeds to future career opportunities.

Shevington's Christmas Card Winner!

The card's have been judged by our christmas card experts and the winner is....

lst prize - Sorcha Lawler 7A - £20 voucher

2nd prize - Lucy Cotton 7C - £10 voucher
3rd prize - Poppy Halliwell 7C - £10 voucher

The following pupils have received a certificate:

• Elena Lewis 7C
• Jessica Thomas 7D
• Jake Sculthorpe 7P

Congratulations to Sorcha and to all the pupils who took part! It was a very difficult decision!

See the winning card and all the runners up on the Shevington Facebook page here

The Shevington High School Gym Opens!

Our new school gym opens to staff and Y10 and Y11 pupils from Monday 7th November!
£25 per term for pupils (7th Nov - Easter) Money to be delivered to cash office with a letter distributed in school by the PE department.
£35 per term for staff.

Open for pupils 3.15 - 4.30 - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

Washington D.C. Study Trip - Gallery here

At the end of October Mrs Mackenzie and Ms Garfield went on a study tour to Washington DC to look at how schools are run over in the capital of the United States.  Ms Garfield is on a course training to be a Headteacher, so they were invited by the "Future Leaders" programme to join other trainee Heads and their mentors for this fantastic opportunity to look at how education works in another country!

After long flights, the days started early with 7.30 being the opening time for all the schools visited.  The first school was called Achievement Prep and had very high standards of routine and behaviour.  Corridors were silent, and students worked much longer hours than here in the UK - from 7.30am to 5.30 everyday.... and sometimes Saturday aswell!

The second school (Meridianb Public Charter School) was like our primary schools, but took students as young as three years old into their classes.  It was a very lively and vibrant atmosphere here and the students performed their school song for the group to listen to.  All these schools are based in very tough areas of Washington and some of the students have very difficult lives.

On the Friday, the group visited Thurgood Marshall Academy which was created by Law Graduates who felt they could create a better education for the people in the area.  It is a top-performing school and had lovely facilities - especially their sports hall!  Students were very polite, well-behaved and achieved very well in this school.  It was important that students took charge of their own learning and they were expected to seek out help and support if they felt they were falling behind.

The final school was Capital City Charter School.  This was a really family-centred school in a very odd building.  It used to be part of a church, so some of the classrooms looked more like dining rooms and ball rooms.... they even had chandeliers!  The students and staff were all very friendly, and although it was a more relaxed atmosphere than some of the other schools, the students managed to get into good colleges.

Ms Garfield and Mrs Mackenzie learned alot about how different countries educate young people during this time in America and are looking forward to sharing some of the good ideas with staff and students at Shevington High.  We may even receive a visit from some of our new American friends later in the year!

View the pictures here on our official facebook page - gallery

Stay safe on bonfire night!

Always follow the firework code:

• Ensure that all children are supervised
• Read the instructions carefully, using a torch or hand lamp NEVER use a naked flame
• Light fireworks at arms length using a taper or a firework lighter
• Stand well back and NEVER return to a firework after it has been lit, it could explode in your face
• Keep fireworks in a sealed box or tin
• Use them one at a time, replacing the lid immediately
• NEVER throw fireworks
• NEVER put fireworks in your pocket
• Take care with sparklers, wear gloves to hold them and dispose of sparklers in a bucket of water as soon as they are finished
• NEVER give sparklers to a child under 5
• Keep all pets and animals indoors
• Don't drink alcohol if setting off fireworks
• Only buy fireworks marked BS7114.

http://www.safe4autumn.com/

Polyglotz day at Shevington - Friday 14th Oct 2011

Shevington High school Language Department opened up its doors to 60 Year 6 pupils from local primaries. The pupils enjoyed a lively and interactive day of taster sessions in French, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin. The day culminated in our 'Grand Café' where parents, teachers and pupils met to celebrate the event. Pupils performed songs and parents enjoyed typical French, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin sweet treats.

See the pictures here

Quelle journée! 

National poetry day balloons float to Holland!

Shevington Speakers Prepare To Shine Again!

 On Monday 3rd October, Shevington High had the privilege of a visit from Mr.Terry Hogan, the member of Wigan Rotary Club responsible for the organisation of the Youth Speaks competition in our local area. Mr Hogan met with Mr Lunt, who is coordinating our hosting of the next local heats in June 2012, to begin preparations for what we hope will be a successful and enjoyable event.

 Letters will shortly be sent to local secondary schools inviting them to enter a team in the competition, which has proven, year after year, to be a huge success for Wigan schools. Shevington, current winners of the local heat for this years' competition, are progressing on to the local zone round to be held in January 2012; if successful our team will go on to compete at district, then regional level.

 The Youth Speaks competition is a great opportunity for Wigan school pupils aged 11-13 to rise to the challenge of public speaking in a formal setting. The standard of entries from schools is outstanding, and according to Mr Hogan, continues to improve every year.

Our Headteacher, Mrs Mackenzie OBE, was on hand to meet Mr Hogan, as were Mr Lunt and the three members of our current team - Laura Whitter (Chairperson), Ben Foster (Speaker) and Matthew Turner (Proposer).

Preparations for the event are now underway, and the current team is back in training for the ongoing competition. We continue to celebrate our success so far, and look forward to more to come!

Mr Lunt

Year 6 Open Evening

Examination Results 2011

5A*C including English and Maths = 65.19%

5A*-C = 84.4%

Congratulations to students, staff, governors and parents.

Shevington Arts Festival

The Inspiration

On a cold Sunday in January, I went to visit the Tate Modern Gallery in Liverpool, I was cold, tired and ready for a large hot chocolate covered in marshmallows when i was completely blown away by an exhibition of sculpture. In particular the one featured below. This was because filmed images surrounded the piece of young people talking about the impact of art in their lives. I immediately felt that i wanted young people at Shevington to have an experience of being immersed in art and allowing them to express their individuality and creativity in a stimulating environment. To this end i have worked tirelessly with members of staff on putting together the Shevington Arts Festival - Gateway to Success.

Life is a journey and Shevington plays a large part in young people's journey, it is their Gateway to Success.

Science Festival

Mrs Ashcroft accompanied 4 scientists to the Salters Festival of Chemistry at Manchester University on Monday 20th June 2011. The pupils had a wonderful day and came 1st out of 19 schools in the Forensic Science activity. Well done to all involved!

Shevington Victory at Youth Speaks

In response to the devastating events in Japan, Renaissance Learning would like your help in raising as much money as possible for the Japanese Relief Fund (Japanese Red Cross).

On Wednesday 6th April 2011 we will be hosting a 24hr "Quiz for Japan" event whereby we will donate 5p to the Japanese Relief Fund for every AR quiz we take.

Children In Need - Shevington High has raised L680!!

Thank you to everyone involved and to everyone who donated!!

I would like to thank all stakeholders for their contribution in the consultation process of our Vision for Shevington. It is great that we work collaboratively together to achieve the best for our students and staff.

SHEVINGTON'S VISION

A family centred school at the heart of the community that nurtures potential, embraces technological innovation and fosters high aspirations to succeed in education, work and life

All different, all equal Taking pride Succeeding together! Meeting the future!

It is with great pride that I accept the honour of an OBE which appeared in the New Years Honours List. This is very much about all of us working together and the practices that we establish together to ensure all of our young people achieve to their full potential. I feel very honoured to be working with staff, governors and parents who are very supportive and work very closely together. All of us put our children first. This has always been and will always be my major priority. Children and young people deserve the very best that we can give them. If we can’t champion their cause well who will? This philosophy has always lived in me and I have done my best to live this out in my personal and professional career and so it was with great surprise combined with joy to hear that I had been awarded an OBE. I have been teaching and in leadership roles for 30 years and how wonderful for the teaching profession that this award recognises collaborative working practices. I will again be visiting the Palace in the next few months to receive my OBE, another new outfit! I look forward to sharing this experience with you all. Helen Mackenzie OBE

On Thursday 21 January Mr Brian Hadgraft Chair of the Governing Body and myself attended the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust reception at the Guild Hall in London. This was a specific invite to myself and Brian. We mingled with the good and great! We spoke with the Secretary State Rt Honourable Ed Balls MP and with Elizabeth Reid Executive Director of Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. Liz was delighted at the Honour I have received and was delighted with the progress the school is making. The Secretary of State was also pleased that when we last met he didn't let it slip that he knew about my forthcoming award.

It was with great sadness that we received news that a former pupil Gilly Prescott passed away. A number of staff attended the funeral on Wednesday 27 January and in the order of service celebrating the life of Gillian I thought these words were so pertinent "may her faith, courage, love and determination never be forgotten." We will always remember Gilly as a lively, dynamic young person full of care and consideration always for others.

Year 11 are coming to the end of their GCSE mock examinations and some pupils have taken early GCSE modules. It is imperative that we all work closely with these young people to ensure that they achieve to their full potential. Also screening will be taking place for year 9 shortly. At our Leadership Team meetings staff always present the data with regards to the information from the screening, recently Mr Griffiths has presented screening information from year 10 and we will be looking forward to Mrs Banks presenting screening on years 7 and 8. The crucial bit in this jigsaw is the action that is taken as a result of what we know about the pupils and groups of learners via important screeing.

On Wednesday 10 February 5.30 – 8.30 pm a Careers Fayre will run for years 9 and 11 pupils and parents. This is a very big event with many employers and colleges present. For year 9 running alongside the Careers Fayre will also be a parents evening . Later on this term there will be an opportunity for year 9 pupils and their parents to have an individual interview with a member of the senior leadership team with regards to the KS4 options process.

I am very grateful to all parents for their co operation with regards to the recent poor weather. The Governors Health and Safety Committee will be receiving reports from both myself and Mrs Neilson on this issue. New procedures are now in place please ensure you click on the correct link.

ICT Support

Welcome to the school's VLN and Remote application server help page. Here you'll find helpful advice, tips and fixes.

VLN:

The school's VLN is currently undergoing changes to enable every department and area in school to have the latest upto date information available to the staff, pupils and in some sections governors and parents.

If basic support is needed please contact clewis@shevingtonhigh.org.uk

Remote Logon:

By logging in to the Remote Application Server you will be able to access your documents ANYWHERE in the world!
Also available is several programs which may be beneficial to your educational needs.
To login simply enter your username and password in the boxes. If you are unsure of how to login please click on the helpful guide below for tips about the remote application.

Using the Remote Application Server guide

If you are experiencing errors when logging in you may need to update your internet browser or download a specific patch for the server.
Here is a link to the latest version of internet explorer, by clicking on the link and following the simple instructions you should be ready to access the RAS.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/default.aspx

If your internet explorer is upto date and your still having problems please download the following patch and then close and reopen your web browser.

Webapp fix

If you're still having difficulties please don't hesitate to contact the team:
administrator@shevingtonhigh.org.uk

Lexia Reading Guide:

Lexia Reading Guide