Updates from NLS
This half-term is, of course, the last one before we disembark for the summer holidays!
Our excellent students in the Sixth Form have done a great deal once again– and, as always, have been a pleasure to work with and remain a credit to you as their parents/carers.
KS3 Drama
Year 7 Drama
Exploring Comedy
This unit of work focuses on collaboration skills and how to work well in a group. Students have explored the Elements of Comedy including stock characters from Commedia Dell Arte, Non-Verbal Communication, Slapstick and the use of Status through practical activities. Students have had the opportunity to create small performances in groups to build up their confidence using the elements of comedy to develop their storytelling. For the final performance students devised a comedy based on their chosen scenario and considered how they could interpret the characters through the performer skills and using elements of comedy to enhance the performance
In Year 7 students have been studying the theme of Identity and Culture through the lenses of literature and non-fiction. Students have been building on the historical learning that took place in Summer 1: such as South Africa’s apartheid era, the migration of those from the Caribbean and South Asia and the tyrannical brutality of despotic leaders and, after analysing the way the voices of those who experienced these times is portrayed through various literary and non-fiction texts, have been creating their own voices, being able to write evocatively, persuasively and passionately about travel, culture and destinations from across the globe.
Congratulations to Year 13 and 11 Art students who have now completed their external set task for component 2. The artwork they have created has been fantastic. Over the supervised test the students created a wide variety of artwork including sculptures, paintings, prints and mixed media outcomes, which we will photograph and display in September. Good luck to you all and well done!
This term has been a short but an incredibly busy one for Year 7. We started the half term with an incredible weekend away to Whitemoor Lakes Activity Centre. This was a fantastic experience for all involved. If you haven’t had an opportunity to read the article about the trip on the website you can read it in the News Section in this Parent Bulletin
Year 7 are already proving to be a really talented year group on the sports field and I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate again the boys and girls football squads for winning the District Cup.
Year 8s continue to ROCK at NLS
The students have continued to support the whole school ethos being respectful, organised, committed and kind. We have a superb set of Tutors this year, who have supported me and the students on their journey in Year 8. Tutors play a pivotal role in the outcome of our students’ attitude to learning levels, consequences as well as their academic progress.
I am proud that Year 8s currently have the highest number of reward points in the school, leading by over 6000. Their attitude to learning is also improving in some key subject areas. We have achieved an incredible amount this year, ranging from displaying infallible commitment and dedication to the range of charity events that have taken place throughout the year. We exhibited tremendous team spirit in tutor groups and celebration assemblies. There are a plethora of events that have occurred this year that have made me incredibly proud to be the Year 8 Leader.
Year 9 students have had a brilliant start to the final term of the academic year and we are really proud of their achievements. There has been lots of exciting work going on in school, from careers to STEM events and it has been wonderful to reflect on some of these as part of this update
As we come to the end of the penultimate term, I would like to take the opportunity to reflect on the activities and events of the past few weeks within Year 10.
Year 11 have made a great start to their terminal exams. They have shown both maturity and calmness as they have gathered in the canteen in readiness for the start of each exam. We are incredibly proud of their attitude in the run up to the exams, and to the actual GCSE exams themselves.
We have no doubt that they will do themselves proud for the remainder of the exam season, after which they can heave a sigh of relief, and relax.
As always, this half-term has been a very positive one and there has been much to celebrate.
We were delighted to learn that Adam and Thomas received awards for their involvement in the recent Physics Olympiad. Aimed at very high-performing students, the Olympiad brings together many students from across the nation in an incredibly exacting process to stretch & challenge students at the top end of their subject and to bridge any gap between the A-level curriculum and the demands of degree-level study.
KS3 Update -
In Year 7 students have been studying the theme of Identity and Culture through the lenses of literature and non-fiction. Students have been learning some historical elements such as South Africa’s apartheid era, the migration of those from the Caribbean and South Asia and the tyrannical brutality of despotic leaders and analysing the way the voices of those who experienced these times is portrayed through various literary and non-fiction texts. They will be using these voices to create their own voice, being able to write evocatively, persuasively and passionately.
Similarly, during the summer term, Year 8 students have started studying a scheme of learning on Minority Voices through the base text of Long Way Down, a novel written entirely in verse, where they look at writers’ creation of a voice and recreate their own ‘voices’. An excellence transitionary module that will see our students prepared for the next step of their learning journey into Year 9.
KS3 Drama
Year 7 Drama - Exploring Design Billy the Kid
This unit of work focuses on Live Theatre and students have had the opportunity to watch a live performance. Students have explored the story and themes and considered the production elements in the play including Costume Design, Set Design, Lighting and Sound Design.