NEWSLETTER – 16TH FEBRUARY 2024

Headteacher Message

Mrs. Josette Arnold & Mrs. Faye Bond

Dear Parents/ Carers We hope you have enjoyed your week. We have had important few weeks here at AMCS. Years 11 & 6 have demonstrated commitment, diligence and resilience during the Dean Trust mock examinations for Year 11 and mock SATs for Year 6.  We had a successful Year 9 Options Evening- one of the busiest evenings of our academic calendar as pupils and parents gain further insight into the options process and can engage in discussion with subject staff. Our teaching focus at AMCS in lessons across school has been on checking for our pupils’ understanding. Teachers are using a range of strategies in class and via their curriculum planning to ensure they know how well pupils are grasping and retaining the key knowledge they need. Parents can also support us with this area of focus at home by quizzing pupils on their knowledge across subject areas using flash cards, revision guides, websites such as BBC Bitesize and the pupils’ exercise books. We continued to have important visitors coming to see us and engage with our pupils on a range of topics.  The feedback about our pupils from visitors is always so positive and it makes us so proud to lead Abraham Moss. You may be aware that our Head of Year 10, Mrs Dawson, temporarily moved to another of our Dean Trust Schools to share her expertise. We are pleased to inform you that whilst Mrs Dawson is supporting the other school, Miss Guinan, another of our experienced leaders here at Abraham Moss, will be leading the Year 10 group. Last week Year 6 have greatly benefited this week from James Riley, an ex-Criminal Justice System Probation Officer coming in to talk about the GANGS Get Away ‘N’ Get Safe program which is an intensive 5 session educational, preventative and diversionary intervention which aims to educate young people on the dangers and consequences of criminality, anti-social behaviour, knife crime, drugs, exploitation, gang lifestyle for the individual, their families and the wider community. The pupils were  credit to the school and asked many informed and mature questions. I am also so proud of the Year 6 children who took part in the Inspire Basketball Competition against other local schools!  I am pleased to announce that we got into the finals and came joint second!  Well done to all those who took part, they all represented the school amazing and received a medal for their achievement.   Thank you again to so many parents for coming in recently to hear about us setting up a School Parent Helper’s Committee, we look forward to working more closely with parents arranging and running fundraiser events.  We are specifically looking for three key roles within this Committee, we would like a parent to Chair (Lead) this Committee, a Treasurer (Finance) and a Secretary (Admin).  If parents are interested, please let Mr Rana know. Please look out for a “MYEd” message from the Primary phase regarding new guidance/information regarding attendance and punctuality.   Finally, We sent you a “MYEd” message last week to inform you about the Council’s free half-term places for all pupils who are eligible for a free school meal.  Please see below for more details.   With best wishes for the weekend,   Mrs J. Arnold and Mrs F. Bond