11th October 2019A Message from the Head...Yesterday, on World Mental Health Day, Mrs Wallis and I had the very great pleasure of listening to Sally Ingram, Director of Student Health and Wellbeing at Newcastle University, speak passionately about the importance of supporting young people to achieve good mental health, as well as good results. The "5 ways to wellbeing", shown below, certainly resonated with us both and we will be thinking more about how we might implement and recognise these principles with our school to sustain positive mental health and wellbeing. One prep pupil is already ahead of the game with this however and we are very proud of her. Isabella Noble, Lower 3, organised and supplied yellow ribbons for her year group to wear around their wrists or in their hair on World Mental Health Day in order to raise the profile of mental health awareness. Not only this, but she spoke eloquently in Prep Merit Assembly, explaining the initiative to the younger pupils so that they understood the message her year group was trying to get across. Well done Isabella! Well done also to the High School Choir who were surprised by the Leadership Team on Wednesday when they interrupted a rehearsal of Louis Capaldi's "Someone You Love". It was fantastic to hear the male voices harmonising beautifully with the female voices and I am so excited to see and hear what is produced for House Music next week! Fireworks Extravaganza preparations are well underway...The flashing toys have started to arrive at school so the annual Fireworks Extravaganza must nearly be upon us! Tickets can be bought via the button below - but please don't delay as this event is a sell-out every year! We also have (or more correctly, had) 100 tickets available to buy through school and if you would like to purchase this way then please email Mrs Wallis here, stating your name and how many tickets you would like to buy (click the button below to see ticket options and prices). She will then pop your tickets in an envelope and leave them with Nurse Diane on Reception who will gladly receive your payment in exchange for your envelope! Please be aware though, we released this option this afternoon and nearly 50 of the available tickets went within the first 90 minutes of being on sale! Attendance at this event sadly is limited by licensing regulations so, once we are sold out, we are sold out! Have a great weekend everyone. - Dr Tracy Johnson - Considering Opportunities for the 21st CenturyPupils in Lower 5, Upper 5 and the Sixth Form warmly welcomed back a number of regular guests to our annual Careers Fair on Thursday, alongside the largest number of new faces to date, to talk about their own Career sectors and areas of expertise. All the visitors were enthusiastic in sharing their knowledge and opening up awareness for our pupils, and keen to support them in considering potential future pathways. Representatives from all of the Leeds universities, as well as Northumbria, Newcastle and Sheffield universities, apprenticeship providers, conservatoires and universities abroad, were present and ready to discuss a plethora of courses and careers. Experts were available to inform on health careers, design, architecture, law, town and urban planning, theatre and TV, the finance industries, marketing, journalism, make-up services, Army careers, and the all-encompassing and critically important worlds of data science and artificial intelligence in the twenty first century. If you would like to find out more about our visitors and the sessions offered to the pupils during this event, please click here to view the event booklet. Upper 5 pupils will continue their decision-making, research and career planning during one-to-one guidance meetings with me in the next half-term. I will also be attending the Upper 5 Parent’s Evening in December should parents wish to discuss options further. Please remember that I am also available for all pupils requiring further support, information or a reassuring chat, concerning all aspects of career choices and options for the future. - Mrs Marlene Sharrock - House Music Competition The school has been ‘humming’ this week to the sound of the three House choir songs. In classrooms in both Prep and High School, groups of pupils have been meeting to practice solo and ensemble pieces in readiness for the competition next Friday. Look out for an update in next week's newsletter. Good luck everyone! - Mrs Sara Holmes - Holiday Clubs We have a number of fantastic clubs here at Gateways this October half term. Play In Leeds, Stir Krazy Kids and SCS Sports Camp will be on site offering a range of Halloween themed activities. For more information visit http://www.gatewaysschool.co.uk/news/october-half-term-holiday-clubs-announced/ or contact the providers directly. Quick Links To Popular ContentArticles from ...Parents & Friends of GatewaysThank you so much to everyone who donated items for our Bag2school collection this morning. We collected 400kg of clothing and raised a fantastic £185! We will arrange another collection in Spring. The PFA are looking forward to welcoming any new volunteers at our AGM on Wednesday 16th October at 8.45am in the Seminar room in the Library. Just report to Reception on arrival and Nurse Diane will point you in the right direction. Refreshments will be served. We would love to increase our army of helpers particularly with our Festive Fayre coming up next month where many hands are needed! Please do come and join us! - Mrs Kathryn Dyer, Chair of the PFA - |