May 2022 Edition
Hartal
Last week we remained open on Friday. This was partly because we feel pupils have missed out on so much face to face learning over the last two years, that we owed it to them. However, we only had about 40% attendance and many staff struggled to make it in to school as well. As a result if the Hartal continues next week (Wednesday +) we will move to online lessons. We appreciate that this is also fraught with difficulty with all the power cuts but we feel that this is a safer option and one which also saves on precious fuel for everyone. We will make the call on this once we know a bit more but please be prepared for this should it arise. However for Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th please come into school as normal as we will be holding normal face to face lessons. Exams will continue as before.
iGCSE and AS Choices please
All those in the current Year 9 and Year 11 should have submitted their subject choices form please. We need this information now so we can adequately plan for next academic year. Please submit them to the office asap if you have not done so already. Thank you.
Internal promotions
Congratulations to Ms Sumaya Ramanayake who will take over as Head of Section for Years 7,8,9 in September. We look forward to her enthusiasm and care for the pupils.
Congratulations to Mrs Nilupulee Bogahawatte who will take over as Head of Modern Languages in September. She has driven up standards in French and we look forward to her input across all languages.
Internal Exam changes
I am a great believer that children should be children for as long as possible. I also believe that exams are, for some, a necessary evil, and need to be prepared for. The issue is trying to strike a balance where we allow pupils to have fun and learn in a variety of ways without the pressure and anxiety of exams, whilst also getting our pupils into top universities like Harvard with Humaid this year.
As a result of numerous conversations and debates we are shifting our policy on internal exams. We are going to limit the amount of exams and move toward a more continual form of assessment for many of our pupils. These changes will take place from the new academic year (September).
Years 1-3
– will henceforth have no exams at all. They may have low stakes tests on topics but they should be totally free to play, learn and enjoy themselves. They are young and they do not need the anxiety of formal exams.Year 4-6
– will have one end of year test (and not the termly exams they have been used to). We will continue with their learning, and of course check their understanding, but this can be done a number of ways, without the pressure and anxiety of termly exams.Years 7-10
– will have two tests a year (not three as is currently the case) in March and June. Year 11 / L6 / U6 – this is where we will need to focus a bit more on their forthcoming IGCSE/AS/A2 exams and so they will have the regular mock exams in preparation for the real thing. Practice makes perfect! November mocks (Application Test), March mocks and the real thing in the summer. We are sure that this will free up a lot of extra time (each exam series takes about three weeks of teaching time out of the year), and will achieve that balance between preparation and also enjoying ones childhood without too much pressure.
Timetable tweaks internally
We have decided to tweak the timetable internally so as to maximise good academic learning time, that currently we are not maximising. The impact upon you as parents will be minimal as it is all about using the time when they are here better. The main thing to note is that we will start at 7.30am. This is nothing new, but we will actually start with a short tutorial with the class teacher and then go straight into lesson 1. The day then unfolds and there is a slightly longer break than is currently the case. We have also split the breaktimes so that the playground can be less crowded. The only significant change is that the day for the Junior School ends at 1.15 (and not 1.30) there by allowing us to stagger the exits and prevent overcrowding. If as a parent you have a child in both the Junior and Middle/Senior School then there is no problem waiting until the older pupils break up at 1.30pm.
7.30 – 7.35 Registration period – latecomers to register at reception 7.35 – 7.50 Wednesdays: either religious observance or Assembly time. Then lesson 1 7.35 – 8.45 Lesson 1 8.45 – 8.55 All Pupils to have snack 8.55 – 9.55 Lesson 2
Junior School Middle/Senior
9.55 – 10.15 Break 9.55- 10.55 Lesson 3
10.15-11.15 Lesson 3 10.55 – 11.15 BREAK
11.15-12.15 Lesson 4 11.15-12.15 Lesson 4
12.15-1.15 Lesson 5 12.15-1.30 Lesson 5
End of day at 1.15 End of day 1.30 as now
Stafford is magic!
Congratulations to Santosh who participated in the junior stage magic contest of the Magic Circle and the open for all closeup contest. He was adjudged as the 1st runner up in both categories. Here is a short video of one of his tricks. It is lovely to see the diversity of achievement here at Stafford.
National level athletics
Nurandie Handunnetti and Nemindee Handunnetti both competed at The Ceylon Sports Athletic championship held on the 3rd May 2022. They both represented Stafford International School.
Nurandie won (Under 18)
- 100Mts gold
- 200Mts Silver
- 400Mts Bronze
Nemindee won (Under 14)
- Shot put Bronze
Nurandie also qualified in 100,200 & 400 to run for the Junior National Athletic championship held next week.