Whole School Newsletter - 24-01-2025
BackFriday 24th January 2025
Dear Parents and Carers
Llangrannog 2025
I am really proud of the attitude and conduct of our Year 8 students who went to Llangrannog last week. They enjoyed many different activities, ranging from abseiling, tobogganing, skiing, quad biking and go-carting and were great ambassadors for our school. They even managed to fit in a trip to the beach where there was hot chocolate waiting for them! It was certainly a busy few days and it was lovely to see that everyone had fun and enjoyed themselves.
I would like to thank the staff involved who were also extremely proud of our students.
Our group were also highly praised throughout the trip by the staff at Llangrannog, who sent this message:
I would just like to send this acknowledgement to you after I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days with your staff and pupils last week at Llangrannog. I have to say your pupils were well behaved and very respectful to each other and other pupils from other schools as well as staff at Llangrannog. Your staff were also fantastic.
Da iawn, blwyddyn 8!
School Values and RISE
The themes of this week have been integrity and being safe. As part of integrity, we have explored doing the right thing even when no-one is watching and taking responsibility for our own actions. We have also looked at peer pressure in the form of mob mentality – also known as herd or pack mentality, groupthink or crowd psychology. This is when individuals are influenced by a wider group and end up following the crowd.
At Newport High School we want all our students to take responsibility for their own actions and not to be influenced by their peers, especially those that are making poor choices.
The author Stephen Covey asks us to consider the word responsibility. He says "response-ability - the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive successful people recognise that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behaviour. Their behaviour is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling.”
Alongside our three core values of integrity, commitment and equality, we continue to work on RISE. This stands for respectful, independent, safe and equipped and underpins all of our work.
RISE is discussed in assemblies and lessons and each week we work through a different aspect of RISE to help all students to be kind, resilient, responsible and ready to learn. The focus of this week has been being safe and the importance of students being where they should be at all times. We take the safety of all our students very seriously and it is vital that students are not in parts of the school that they should not be. We have sanctions in place if students are ‘out of bounds’. If this potentially compromises safeguarding or health and safety then the sanctions are more severe and I work with the Governing Body and Local Authority to manage this.
Anti-social behaviour in the community
Just a reminder that the drop-in session being held by Jayne Bryant and Jessica Morden at the Active Living Centre is taking place tomorrow, Saturday 25th January. This is specifically to discuss anti-social behaviour in Bettws.
School Uniform
It is vital that every student is in school uniform and with a coat.
We have worked hard to ensure our uniform is affordable and easy to get hold of. It consists of plain black shoes/trainers, black socks, white shirt and the school tie. Skirts must be of appropriate length and trousers or shorts should be tailored fit. Students are not allowed to wear sports shorts, tracksuit bottoms or leggings to school.
Cardigans, jumpers and blazers are optional but students may choose to wear a plain black knitted V neck jumper or cardigan without the logo, or purchase the Newport High branded jumper, sweatshirt or cardigan.
All students should have a school bag with them to securely store all their equipment and resources for the day. This must include a pencil case with pens. If they choose to bring a mobile phone to school, it must be switched off and kept in their bag for the duration of the school day.
We will pick up any students not in correct uniform on an individual basis and work with you to ensure they are in the correct uniform.
We have a range of ‘pre-loved’ school uniform at school which is available for anyone who would like to access it.
Jewellery is limited to one pair of small stud earrings and one ring. Students are allowed to wear a nose stud but please note that this has to be a stud and not a sleeper or any other style. Any headwear, worn for religious reasons, should be of a plain black material. Extreme hairstyles are not acceptable and hair should be of a natural colour.
If you have any problems getting hold of school unform please let your child’s Form Tutor know in the first instance or email info@newporthigh.co.uk with “Uniform” in the title.
Lunch theme days
Our next themed lunch day is next week, Thursday 30th January, to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Lunar New Year 2025 falls on Wednesday, January 29th, and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on February 12th.
Chinese New Year marks the transition between zodiac signs: 2025 is the Year of the Snake; 2024 was the Year of the Dragon.
Free School Meals
We are aware that many of our families may be entitled to Free School Meals but are not claiming this additional financial support. You can check if you are entitled to Free School Meals at www.newport.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/school-meals/free-school-meals
If you are not in receipt of Free School Meals but think you are eligible and would like any help in accessing, please let us know so we can support.
Families who are eligible for Free School Meals can also apply for additional help with other school costs including school uniform. You can find out more at https://www.newport.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/school-meals/free-school-meals
Proposal to amalgamate Millbrook and Monnow Primary Schools
The formal consultation has been launched by Newport City Council on a proposal to amalgamate Millbrook Primary School and Monnow Primary School into a single three-form entry school with effect from September 2026.
The consultation period commenced on 8th January 2025 and ends at midnight on 19th February 2025. The consultation pack is published on the Council’s webpages at https://www.newport.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/proposals-and-consultations
Hard copies of the consultation document are available on request by emailing school.reorg@newport.gov.uk or by telephoning 01633 656656.
I would encourage as many parents and carers as possible to engage with this consultation.
Social Media
Please can I urge all parents who have an issue or concern about school to contact us directly to discuss. This will give us the opportunity to try to resolve the issue.
If you have any concerns, please email us on: info@newporthigh.co.uk
Inset days and Term dates – 2024/2025
The remaining INSET days (when school is closed to students for staff training) for this year are as follows:
- Friday 7th March 2025
- Friday 27th June 2025
- Monday 30th June 2025
- Monday 21st July 2025
With many thanks for your continued support
kind regards
Mrs Lee