News

LOXFORD IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

Within the month of October our students took part in the following activities:-

• The Art department have organised three special workshops for our Gifted & Talented Year 11/12 students.  One is a Fabric Transfer Workshop, the other an Oil Painting Workshop and the third one Batik Art.  The purpose of was to help students develop their artistic skills in a media they may not have explored before
• Year Care Team Parental Surgeries were held across all year groups
• A 3-week lunchtime club was held to celebrate Black History month for KS3 students.  They were taught Batik which is a very common African technique and students also designed their own African pattern and created their own fabric
• The Ben Kinsella Trust are running workshops for parents and carers on 3^rd & 10^th October via zoom.  It is free, and the theme is “Exploitation, Gangs & Knife Crime Awareness
• An Elop LGBTQ+ Youth Mentoring Information session was shared on google classroom inviting those interested to a free Microsoft Teams lunchtime presentation to learn more about how to refer LGBT+ young people to Elop and what their mentoring services can offer to young people.  Our Year Care Teams received an online training session
• During am registration, students read from the board a poster to facilitate a discussion regarding E safety.  The topics so far are Insta, The dangers of witch craft online, The dangers of WhatsApp and Online Influence and the Dangers of Vaping Guide
• Families of students currently in Year 6 were invited to visit our school and attend one of five Open Mornings.  Students and Parents received a tour of the school and the opportunity to see our staff and students in action and get a real sense of how our school works.  In addition, on 5^th October, an Open Evening was held and our Headteacher gave a short address and departments ran interactive activities throughout the evening.  We received a lovely comment from a parent “really fascinated and amazed at the warmth of the school and staff, the cleanliness of the corridors and wonderful displays you all had”
• Week beginning 2^nd October, the Safer Schools Police Officer delivered to workshops to every year group on “Female Empowerment”.   This can include accepting women’s viewpoint, promoting women’s sense of self-worth, ability to make their own choices and raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy and training.  Female empowerment equips and allows females to make life-determining decisions and gives the opportunity to redefine gender roles, which allow them more freedom to pursue desired goals. All students found the topic very current and useful.  The Officer will deliver different workshops each half term
• We held a Year 13 UCAS Parental Surgery on 4^th October to provide parents with further information about the UCAS process, making right choices and the expectation of students
• Our Anti-bullying Ambassadors completed an Online course entitled “Emotional Intelligence: Cultivating Immensely Human Interactions”
• The Year 10 Monitors completed their final Online course entitled “A Technical Leader’s Qualities and Effectiveness”.  As part of their Autumn Term project, they watched a WWF video and designed a poster “It is time to fix our food system”.  They were encouraged to write their concerns of our food system and how to resolve it
• On Monday 2^nd October PC Lisa Smith delivered a very informative assembly to Year 7 on the topic of Cyber Choices. The presentation was well presented and the students were very focused and interested by the topic delivered. Students left with new skills on how to deal appropriately with E-safety
• Year 10 attended a Mental Health Workshop
• Our SEN Department raised £110.50 for Mental Health Day though a bake sale
• Our Sixth Form provided volunteering opportunities as part of our Community Service Programme.  They had a weekly placement to one of our trust primary schools for students to read with primary age students
• E-Safety Workshops were held for Parents and students on 18^th October to ensure children’s safety online as this is an increasing issue and one that we are keen to support parents with.  Recent research shows that every time a child is online they are just three clocks away from danger
• We held our “Welcome to Loxford” evening for new staff to meet one another
• Selected Year 9 students attended a workshop on Anti-Discrimination
• Online First Aid Training for Year 9 was completed in their own time on google classroom
• Appearance Workshop was run for Year 7 helping them with practical things such as how to tie your tie/shoe laces/aprons
• Our KS3 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors premiered the “Respect Project Showcase Online” Diana Award video
• Our EAL Department took part in a quiz for Black History Month
• During Tutor Time, the students read a guide from National Online Safety regarding “Content Online” and supporting children in how to deal with upsetting content
• KS3 took part in a workshop on “Planning and Budgeting” provided by the Money Charity
• Drama, Music & Dance workshops were held for Year 7.  In Drama, the lesson was on an African style theatre focussing on storytelling using movement and sound effects using a theme of the world elements in groups.  In Music the lesson focussed on famous black musicians that have contributed to the music industry and in Dance the lesson was on the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre based in New York and Alvin’s struggles, vision and accompanlishments in the dance world
• Our Cabinet Representatives from Years 7, 8, 9, 10 & 12 took part in Focus Groups with ParentZone to gain a more detailed understanding of young people and their peers spending activity online, their habits and parental monitoring and whether they feel vulnerable to losing money online
• A “Perfect Pets” competition was held and students had to draw their perfect pets allowing their imagination to run wild!  This was for Year 7 in conjunction with “After School Club”.  Each child received a sticker and selected pictures were chosen for publication
• Mr Curcio obtained a £3,000 funding from RockRose Energy Charity Committee.  The funding will go towards such things as books for the Library, Maths equipment, chrome books
• The Anti-Bullying Ambassadors were privileged to watch the Respect showcase video by The Diana Award and took part in tasks surrounding respect.  The video opened up many conversations, such as "What does respect actually mean?", "What is a microaggression?" and "Why is it important to respect everyone?". Students gave many ideas and stories from their own personal experiences.  We had different ages, cultures, and religions in the room and students were able to gain insight from a range of different lived experiences.  We ended the session by producing some written work on the various people students respect in their everyday lives and what respect looks like to them.  Overall, it was an enjoyable afternoon with engaging conversations and interesting stories

We visited the following places:-

• Year 12 students attended an ARU Crime Day taster event at the Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.  Topics cover were potential career paths as well as an insight into the latest issues affecting criminology and policing
• The SEN department arranged a celebration trip to LEGOLAND to reward consistently high levels of behaviour, effort & achievement.  In addition, the visit also took into account our successful Lego Therapy Intervention we have been running for two years now to nurture and enhance pupils’ interpersonal, group and life skills
• Year 10 Art, Textiles & Photography students went to Kew Gardens to collect primary source material for their current Natural and Mechanical Forms Project
• Year 12 attended The National Apprenticeship & Educational Event at Saracens StoneX Stadium
• Year 11 went on a reward trip to The British Museum
• Year 8 & 9 visited The O2 for a Science trip
• Year 7 students went on a trip to the Science Museum

Loxford took part in many sporting fixtures:-

• Year 10 football played away against Valentines and won 1-0
• Year 11 football played away against Wanstead and lost 0-2
• Year 9 football played away against Valentines and won 2-1
• Year 11 football played away against Seven Kings and won 7-0
• 5 students Cross Country Event for Essex at Fairlop Waters DWI
• Year 8 football played home against Valentines and lost 1-8
• Year 10 football played away against Seven Kings and lost 1-4
• Year 9 football played away against Seven Kings and lost 2-3