June 2022 Edition
School Council
Cricket Star at Stafford
Tenushka from our Upper Sixth is a rising cricket star. As well as playing for the school he also represents the SSC under-23 team and the division 3 team, is the first student from Stafford International to play at this level there. Furthermore, he was the captain of the SSC under 17 team. He is one to watch for the future!
Successful Exams
It is with great pride that we can inform you that despite all the hurdles we have had to face during these uncertain times, we have successfully conducted the external IGCSE/ AS/ A2 Level exams this year. We still have more to go but so far we witnessed 100% attendance which is commendable, and we would like to thank the parents and pupils for their efforts in getting in on time. My thanks also go to the exam team who have (and still are) supervising all the exams in their efficient no nonsense way!
Bullying
It is with regret that I need to announce that I have taken the decision to suspend from school 8 pupils from Year 10 for cyberbullying. They have taken it upon themselves to pick on and be unkind to a number of pupils, whilst hiding behind the anonymity of social media. This is disappointing given we had organised a number of sessions last term for this year group specifically about cyber bullying and the implications of it for pupils. I am determined that School will be a safe place for all pupils, and that they should be able to be happy here. We pride ourselves on the key core values of kindness, honesty, tolerance and integrity. Values that I know you as parents share. I very much hope they will learn from their suspension and reflect upon their actions . We will be running extra sessions with the pupils to help them with this reflection.
I refer you to my last newsletter where we outlined our zero tolerance of bullying.
We now hope that Year 10 will collectively learn from this experience and move on, not holding grudges.
A reminder that if pupils or parents have any concerns please do contact your class teacher, Head of Section or Michelle Herft as Deputy Head Pastoral. Everyone has the right to be happy at school.
Computer Club work
Well done to Andreo Niles in Year 5 who has worked extra hard to create the Olympic flag via Scratch (a computer programming code) If you would like to see what he has created click on the link and then the small flag in the middle. Then sit back and marvel! https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/688718881/ Also Vismaya Dhande Class – Year 4C who has produced these computer programmes. Great stuff!!
Canteen: ‘Gami Gedara’ – Healthy food at School!
‘Gami Gedara’ is a Good Market Approved brand that makes healthy juices and a variety of nutritious foods and snacks from sustainably sourced local fruits and vegetables. They follow a high standard of hygiene while providing tasty healthy foods that encourage students and health-conscious parents to make better food choices!
Morning
- Kola Kada with Hakuru – 150/=
- Kiribath ( Local rice) – 200/=
- Polrotti ( Rice Flour) -200/=
- Sandwiches – 200/=
- Kadala – 200/-
Lunch
- Fried Rice with Salad and Chicken / Eggs/Fish – 400/=
- Evening
- Kadala – 200/=
- Throughout the day
- Brownies – 300/=
- Éclairs -300/=
- Oat Cookies – 300/=
- Cakes – 300/=
- Popsicles (Seasonal Fruit) -200/=
- Natural Juices -200/=
- On request Hoppers/ Panini /Wraps
Anxiety
Across the school we gave Class Teachers the time to talk to their pupils about what has been going on here in Sri Lanka, and to voice their concerns. We also got class teachers to talk to them about coping strategies. Class 3C came up with this excellent video which they have put together themselves to show how they are coping with the uncertainty and anxiety this is causing. Good advice for us all!
Borderlands Trips
Sadly, we are going to have to cancel our two Borderlands trips planned for June 2022. The economic situation and the fact that they are based in US dollars means they are out of reach for most parents and our take up rate (with the new prices) was not sufficient. We hope that we might be able to run it in the future.
Nelson Mandela Exchange to Pakistan
For similar reasons our planned exchange in September with a school in Pakistan (for next year’s Year 9) is going to have to be postponed. Both countries are going through significant turmoil, and now is not the time to do this exchange.
Speech and Drama success
Both Siyath ( Year 11) and Inara (Year 7) have received top scores/ prizes in ‘Speech and Drama’. They both obtained the highest marks in their respective grades in an International Competition. A fantastic effort – well done.
Sleep
At the risk of telling you (the parents) what to do, please can you ensure that your children are getting enough sleep. I am seeing some very sleepy children coming into school first thing. As a guide (and it does depend on the individual) the recommended amount of sleep is as follows:
- Preschoolers (3 to 5 years) 10 to 13 hours per day
- School-age children (6 to 12 years) about 12 hours per day
- Teenagers (13 to 17 years) 9 to 10 hours per day
Lack of adequate sleep has been linked to negative health outcomes for children such as mental health problems, behavioural issues, poor attention, obesity, and higher risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes. An estimated one-third of kids and teenagers experience sleep problems. Parents can help their children sleep better by encouraging good sleep hygiene and establishing a healthy bedtime routine with them. (from Sleep.org) For those of you doing exams – there are lots of myths about revising late into the night. Experts all agree this is NOT a good tactic. Click on the link to find out more.
What to tell your students about sleep and exam success | Tes Magazine
Future dates for your attention
- June 10th Bakthi Gee
- June 13th Yr. 10 exams start
- June 17th Art Exhibition
- June 20th AS lessons start for the current Yr11 (3 weeks until the end of term)
- June 20th Internal Exams start July 7th Interhouse Swimming meet July 8th End of Term for all
- Nursery: 10:30am Reception: 11:00am
- Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 leave at 11.30 am Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 at 12.00 pm. Year 7-Upper Sixth end term at 12.30pm
- July 9th Prize Giving at BMICH
Next term starts on Monday 5th September– have a wonderful holiday.