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Month: February 2023

Head of School’s Blog – 24 February 2023

24 February 2023

I have very much enjoyed leading assemblies this week, they have been based on Equality and Rights Advocates and students in all years embraced the subject very well. It has been a pleasure to see the students return in smart uniform, and ready to learn.

I would like to say a big thank you to all the Federation Dance Live team who competed on Monday in Portsmouth. I had the pleasure of watching their performance and although they didn’t get through, the performance was spectacular and they all did the Federation proud!

Thank you to those parents who attended the virtual parents evening for year 9. Next week, Tuesday 28 February, we will be having the Keystage 4 Pathways Evening for year 9 students and their parents/carers from 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm in school. This is an opportunity for you and your child to talk to subject staff about the courses that are on offer in the next stage of their education. We look forward to welcoming you.

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Head of School’s Blog – 24 February 2023

24 February 2023

Dear Students, Parents & Carers,

Welcome back, I hope you had a productive half term and have produced high quality revision materials for yourself. By the time you read this there will be 5 weeks of this term and 2 weeks of Easter to finish creating your revision notes. Therefore leaving you 5 weeks to start going over them again and again to burn that information into your long term memory.

This is your job to do and no-one else can do this for you. If you have found something you don’t understand, ask your teachers for help and support, that is something we can help with.

We are about to start advertising revision workshops that will be accessible to all students. If you are struggling or need some support, look out for the advert on the Student Services Hub google classroom.

Year 12 students: EPQ (Extended Project Qualification)

Are you interested in taking another subject which accounts for half an A Level, on a subject of your own personal choice? The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is recognised by universities and employers for helping students to become great project managers.

How does it do this? You choose the topic, you complete research, you use that research to either write a report or create an artefact which answers your chosen topic question. Of course, taught sessions on project management will help you on your way.

If you’re interested, come along to the Year 13 Presentation Exhibition of their EPQ projects on Thursday 9th March from 2-4pm in the Main Hall, attend the Project Information Meetings and email jo.gardner@iwef.org.uk.

Best wishes

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Head of School’s Blog – 24 February 2023

24 February 2023

Welcome to the first newsletter of the half term.

I have a message particularly for Year 9 parents/carers this week. Next Wednesday 1 March is our on site Keystage 4 Pathways Evening. The evening will run from 5.00 pm – 7.00 pm. This is a vitally important evening as it gives you and your child the opportunity to talk to the subject staff about the various courses on offer. The whole process will be explained to you by our Federation Deputy Headteacher at 5.00 pm in the Theatre. There will be examples of work on display in the subject areas and you will receive the booklet with all of the relevant information in. Please take advantage of this as it is a key moment in your child’s educational journey.

Well done to our Federation Dance Live team who competed on Monday at Portsmouth Guildhall. They were fantastic and did themselves and the Federation proud! Thank you to all of the students and staff who have worked tirelessly on the amazing performance.

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Isle of Wight Story Festival

Isle of Wight Story Festival

This years Isle of Wight Story Festival took place over February half-term at Quay Arts. This year the festival had a variety of performers, including authors, musicians, poets and artists. 

Students from The Island VI Form took part as young journalists and photographers over the course of the event. Jake, Taylor, Makenzi, Rosie-Lou, Rosie, Allister, Izzy, and Faith all took turns interviewing the likes of Horrible Histories’ Simon Farnaby and former CBeebies presenter Cerrie Burnell.

The students received access to all the shows to allow them to carry out reviews and take photos. The articles will be published on the Isle of Wight Story Festival website shortly, please look out for this! The photos that were taken by Taylor and Makenzi are already published and can be found in the Gallery section of the Isle of Wight Story Festival website here – https://www.iwstoryfestival.com/gallery/

This was an amazing opportunity for our students, which they truly embraced, resulting in some fantastic work being produced. 


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Year 7 Kindness Breakfast

Year 7 Kindness Breakfast

During the last half term Year 7 focused on Kindness. We launched Kindness Bingo, where the students had to complete a range of activities which showed kindness to others. The winners of this activity were then invited to have breakfast with Mrs Lythgoe and Miss Bracegirdle. 

The students were treated to pancakes, croissants, pan au chocolate, fresh fruits and fresh fruit juices. The students were able to enjoy this treat and share their stories of how they have been kind to others and how this made them feel. 

Our focus for the half term ahead, will of course be to carry on being kind to others, but also how we prepare ourselves to have the correct focus and approach to learning within the classroom. 

Well done Year 7!

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IOW College & CECAMM Open Evenings

IOW College & CECAMM Open Evenings

The Isle of Wight College would like to invite year 10 and 11 students to book onto the next run of exciting engineering tasters taking place on Wednesday 8 March at CECAMM in Whippingham. This is also their next open evening (4.30pm – 6.30pm).

There will be two sessions of six subjects running, they last for one hour, students are welcome to book for two different tasters if they wish.

Tasters will be:

All links are available on this March CECAMM Engineering Tasters page

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Head of School’s Blog – 10 February 2023

10 February 2023

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

Have a great break! You notice I say break rather than holiday? You need to be building up your revision (Year 12 and 13). As I have said before, for your own success, health, wellbeing and possible stress levels; you need to start early. Revision materials should be created and finished by Easter so that you can repeat, repeat, repeat going over them so that information burns into your long term memory.

Our canteen has updated its pricing structure, this will take effect from 20 February. The new price list will be displayed in the canteen

See you back after half term on Monday 20 February.

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Head of School’s Blog – 10 February 2023

10 February 2023

Welcome to the final newsletter for this half term.

On Thursday we had our second Pathways Assembly for year 9 students. This week was the Technology Faculty. A letter was sent out on Monday with information regarding our Pathways information evening. Please remember to complete the expression of interest form by 8.00 am Monday 20 February. Also, please remember to book your appointments for the upcoming year 9 parents’ evening https://carisbrooke.schoolcloud.co.uk/

We had our celebration assemblies this week and it was excellent to see so many students recognised for their achievements. Well done to them all!

For parents/carers of year 11, please remind your child to attend the revision sessions over the half term and to continue revising at home.

Have a lovely half term.

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Head of School’s Blog – 10 February 2023

10 February 2023

As we are in the final week of the half term, we have had our usual celebration assemblies this week. Well done to all of our award winners. Let’s see who we can reward at the end of the next half term.

Year 11 parents/carers, please remember to encourage your children to attend half term revision sessions and revise at home, as well as enjoying some ‘down time’.

Year 9 parents/carers please ensure that you complete the expression of interest form as the initial step in the KS4 Pathways process by 8am on Monday 20 February.

All students need to return in full school uniform and ready to learn on Monday 20 February.

Have a lovely half term.

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U13’s Cricket Festival

U13 Cricket Festival

On Tuesday 7 February students from Carisbrooke College took part in an U13’s Cricket Festival at Medina College.  This was the first time the students had played competitive cricket in this format, however, what took place over the course of three hours was quite frankly remarkable. 

From start to finish, all 10 girls performed to an amazing level and competed in all disciplines of cricket; batting, bowling and fielding and did so as a solid unit. In the first game against local rivals, Medina set Carisbrooke a target of 82 to win after some excellent bowling from the whole team.  Tali J, Rosie B, Daisy R, Evie R, and Cerese B all bowled consistently straight and at a good length, with Madison W stopping every ball from reaching the wall and giving runs away. The Year 8 students were great role models for the younger students. With Summer C and Jasmine D completing the roster for the first game and showing no signs of weakness, Carisbrooke really did look as though they could compete on all ends. 


In reply to Medina, Carisbrooke started well with Captain Tali leading from the front and who eventually went on to score 20 before having to retire.  Rosie complemented this effort with 12 of her own and as the team continued to perform well, it went down to the last ball of the game for Carisbrooke to go away with their first win.

Tali continued to captain the team well and quickly found that the team liked to follow in the current England team footsteps by batting second with a clear target to aim for. This could not have been a better decision as the next game against The Bay went down to the penultimate ball with Carisbrooke needing 81 to win.  What was so nice about this game was that whilst the older students put in another great performance, it was the younger students who brought the team home to eventually take the win with 85 runs.  It was once again nice to see how the team supported each other to change positions in the field and adapt tactics throughout. Daisy W, in her first game, took two well timed wickets to slow The Bay run rate and Miley H in her first appearance bowled superbly and supported the run chase.

In the third game Carisbrooke held the Priory to 59 and managed to score 95 runs in reply which meant they would only need to win their final game to take the championship. In the final game against Ryde Academy, Carisbrooke put together an amazing display in the field to hold them to 64 all out, which was the second game in a row that Carisbrooke had managed to bowl their opponents out.  In return Carisbrooke steadily built a good run chase but lost some key wickets at crucial times.  However, the girls on the side did not stop cheering on their batters and pushed them on to eventually take the win, thanks to some outstanding batting by Daisy R in the last over.  

The girls were an absolute pleasure throughout the tournament and did Carisbrooke proud.  Some individual highlights include:
Tali J – great captain, inspirational in the field, bowling and leading out the attack when batting. Player of the tournament as selected by the other players.
Daisy R – consistent throughout including bringing the team home in the final game to take the trophy.
Evie R – calm and reassuring throughout with some big hits to the boundary and taking wickets at key times.
Daisy W – massive hits with the bat and outright speed when bowling which was almost impossible to hit.
Rosie B – excellent catching, consistent bowling and high run scoring in all the games.  Vice captain throughout which really supported others.
Madison W – Best wicket keeper in the tournament and the difference between winning by 1 or losing by 1.  Simply outstanding behind the wickets.
Cerese B – hitting the most 4s and 6s in the tournament and always willing to help others including other teams.
Summer C – scored the vital runs in the second game to bring the team home and went throughout the tournament without making a mistake. 
Miley H – Enthusiasm to stop everything in the field and running between the wickets and putting the pressure on the opponents fielders.
Jasmine D – showed no fear in taking on some of the fastest bowlers in the tournament and taking some wickets at the key moments in the game.

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