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Month: April 2024

Head of School’s Blog – 26 April 2024

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Head of School’s Blog – 26 April 2024

We are now well and truly into the summer term and almost into May. It is a very full-on time in school with lots of events happening. We have seen notably great success in the girls Netball this week.

We had about 50% of our Year 9 students take part in ‘Take your child to work day’ yesterday and we are looking forward to hearing about all of their experiences. If you have any photos of your child at work that you would be happy to share for our next newsletter, please do email them in to us: careers@iwef.org.uk

Next week we have Year 8 Parents’ Evening on Wednesday 1 May between 4-7pm. If you haven’t yet booked appointments, please do this through Arbor as soon as possible.

Next week is the last full week before Year 11 start to complete their formal written GCSE exams. Please continue to encourage students to attend all revision sessions that are on offer. The Year 11 Exams page on our website has lots of information and materials to support with revision. 

I would like to issue a polite reminder about asking to see members of staff. School is a very busy place and we really want to ensure that we reply and listen to any queries or questions parents may have. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee staff will be able to see you if you turn up at the school, as they may be on duty, teaching or seeing other parents etc. So, if you would like to see a member of staff, can you please phone the school reception and they will ensure that you are put through to the appropriate person to make an appointment to come in.

Finally, as always, I would like to congratulate this week’s Hot Chocolate Friday winners who achieved their place either through 100% attendance over the previous week or were top achievement point winners for their year group for the same period. Well done to: Callum, Amelie, Avalon, Jessica, Summer, William, Ava, Joe, Isaac and James.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mr Pearce-Jones

Head of School – Medina College

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Head of School’s Blog – 26 April 2024

Written by Gemma Long on . Posted in Carisbrooke College, HoS Blog - CC. No Comments on Head of School’s Blog – 26 April 2024

Head of School’s Blog – 26 April 2024

Welcome to this week’s blog.

Year 8 Parents’ Evening is on Thursday 2 May. Bookings are now open via Arbor – please do book appointments as this is an excellent opportunity to discuss your child’s progress at school with their individual subject teachers. If you have any problems with making the bookings, please email donna.keogh@iwef.org.uk.

On Tuesday, Year 8 students who had consent received their HPV vaccinations. If you were unable to complete the consent form, you can still do so and a mop up session for vaccinations will be held on Wednesday 15 May. This will also include those students who had consent but were absent for this week’s session.

Thank you to all of the parents/carers who got involved in the Year 9 Take Your Child To Work Day yesterday. The students were full of positivity and enthusiasm about their day. If you have any photos of your child at work that you would be happy to share for our next newsletter, please do email them in to us: careers@iwef.org.uk

Next Friday, after school, we have a trip to Cineworld for Year 11 students to see a streamed live performance of Macbeth. There are still places available on this trip so if your child would like to attend, please contact the school. This will support them in their English GCSE.

Important and useful information about the exams can be found on our website here. Year 11 have three weeks before they have their first written exam. They have been briefed again in assembly this week on routines and expectations. Well done to our Year 11s who have completed their Mandarin and French speaking exams and to those that have sat their 10 hours art practical exams. Feedback from staff about their conduct and attitudes has been very positive. From next week, Year 11 students can use S10 computer room at lunchtime, 12.55 pm for revision/study.

On Monday 29 April, the Mental Health Support Team are running an Exam Stress Workshop for Year 11 at 3.15 pm. Please encourage your child to attend this to learn more about identifying and managing the effects of stress on their physical and mental health. More details can be found here. 

Whole school attendance for this year is currently 90.8% which is well below where we should be – our minimum target is 95%. Attendance remains a key focus for us. Good attendance helps children to make good progress in school and fulfil their potential in life. Miss school, miss out – every day counts.

Congratulations to our highest achievement point winners from last week – Amelia, Alfie and Tyler – Year 7, Olly – Year 8, Milly – Year 9, Archie – Year 10 and Sophie and Darcy – Year 11.

Have a good weekend.

Miss Begley

Head of School – Carisbrooke College

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Head of School’s Blog – 26 April 2024

Written by Gemma Long on . Posted in HoS Blog - VI, The Island VI Form. No Comments on Head of School’s Blog – 26 April 2024

Head of School’s Blog – 26 April 2024

Dear Students, Parents and Carers,

Some key dates are coming up and I’m also repeating some of the information from last week as it is vital and, if there are any errors, they need to be acted upon now.

– Year 13 Leavers Photo, Tuesday 7 May, break time in the main hall

– Year 13 Celebration Assembly, Wednesday 15 May, break time (9.50 to 10.35)

– Year 13 Prom, Thursday 27 June, at Quay Arts. Tickets cost £30 and include food and the DJ. Tickets are available through Arbor (see reception if you are struggling to pay £30 in one go). ‘Plus one’ tickets will be available after 20 May, See Mr Mumford or Mr Cody to request these.

A Level arts-based exams are now finished, with students continuing to work on their coursework / portfolios. The main bulk of exams start from 20 May, when study leave starts, although there are a few exams the week before. Year 12 trial exams start in early July and revision materials (flash cards, highlighters etc) are available at reception to support your preparation.

We distributed exam timetables last week in the assembly and they have also been emailed to students and parents. Please make sure that you check them carefully and raise any issues with the exams team next week. Do not leave it until the morning of the exam – that would be too late for any amendments to be made.

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Mr Mumford

Head of School – The Island VI Form

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Creative Arts & Technology Technician

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Creative Arts & Technology Technician

Salary: NJC Scale 3: SCP 5 -6 (£20,200.96 – £20,538.79; pay award pending)
Hours: 37 hours per week (possibility of a part time role available)
Term time plus 1 day
Permanent contract

The Governing Board for the Isle of Wight Education Federation is seeking to appoint a Technology Technician to work with teaching staff to support the teaching and learning in the Federation Technology Faculty by ensuring the effective preparation, maintenance and storage of tools, materials, equipment, furniture and fittings, ingredients and undertake learning activities with students and teachers.

The Isle of Wight Education Federation has been established to harness the very best education practice within two secondary schools and a large A Level sixth-form centre of almost 500 students. The aim is to create a culture of continual improvement with increasingly successful outcomes for young people across the Island.

The Federation comprises of Carisbrooke College, Medina College and The Island VI Form and candidates should, therefore, be prepared to work at any site as necessary.

The Colleges are fast-paced, fun and caring environments in which to work and there are excellent opportunities for personal and professional growth and development. If you feel you have what it takes to be part of our dynamic team, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To apply, please complete the application form below and return it to hr@iwef.org.uk. Please note that we cannot accept applications which are not submitted on the official application forms, and we do not accept CVs under any circumstances. 

The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.

The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Please note that the Governing Body of an Aided or a Foundation School is the employer. 

Closing date: 9am Monday 13th May 2024
Interviews: TBC

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Learning Support Assistant

Written by Gemma Long on . Posted in Vacancies. No Comments on Learning Support Assistant

Learning Support Assistant

Salary: NJC Scale 2: SCP 3-4 (£16,375.60 – £16,647.13 – pay award pending)
Hours: 31 hours per week Term time plus 1 day
Permanent contract

The Governing Board for the Isle of Wight Education Federation is seeking to appoint Learning Support Assistants to support access to learning for students and provide general support to teachers in the management of students and the classroom.

The Isle of Wight Education Federation has been established to harness the very best education practice within two secondary schools and a large A Level sixth-form centre of almost 500 students. The aim is to create a culture of continual improvement with increasingly successful outcomes for young people across the Island.

The Federation comprises of Carisbrooke College, Medina College and The Island VI Form and candidates should, therefore, be prepared to work across the three sites, as necessary.

The Colleges are fast-paced, fun and caring environments in which to work and there are excellent opportunities for personal and professional growth and development. If you feel you have what it takes to be part of our dynamic team, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To apply, please complete the application form below and return it to hr@iwef.org.uk. Please note that we cannot accept applications which are not submitted on the official application forms, and we do not accept CVs under any circumstances. 

The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.

The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Please note that the Governing Body of an Aided or a Foundation School is the employer.

Closing date: 9am Monday 13 May 2024
Interviews: TBC

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Careers Leader

Written by Gemma Long on . Posted in Vacancies. No Comments on Careers Leader

Careers Leader

Salary: NJC Scale SO1 SCP 23-25, £28,868.40 to £30,550.50 per annum (pay award pending)
Hours: 37 per week, Term time plus 10 days
Permanent contract

The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is seeking to appoint a Careers Leader to plan and implement a strategy for developing a careers programme for the Federation that meets all of the eight Gatsby benchmarks of good practice and prepare young people for the choices and transitions in education, training and employment. To provide independent advice and guidance across the Federation in line with the Federation’s policies and procedures.

The Isle of Wight Education Federation has been established to harness the very best education practice within two secondary schools and a large A Level sixth-form centre of over 500 students. The aim is to create a culture of continual improvement with increasingly successful outcomes for young people across the Island.

The Federation comprises of Carisbrooke College, Medina College and The Island VI Form and candidates should, therefore, be prepared to work on any of the three sites, as necessary.

The Colleges are fast-paced, fun and caring environments in which to work and there are excellent opportunities for personal and professional growth and development. If you feel you have what it takes to be part of our dynamic team, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To apply, please complete the application form below and return it to hr@iwef.org.uk. Please note that we cannot accept applications which are not submitted on the official application forms, and we do not accept CVs under any circumstances.

The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Please note that the Governing Body of an Aided or a Foundation School is the employer.

Closing date: 9am Monday 13 May 2024
Interviews: TBC

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Family Liaison Officer

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Family Liaison Officer

Salary: NJC Scale 5 SCP 12-17, £22,711.90 to £24,731.13 per annum (pay award pending)
Hours: 37 per week, Term time plus 1 day (possibility of a part time role available)
Permanent contract

The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is seeking to appoint a Family Liaison Officer to support the pastoral teams in the delivery of high-quality behaviour for learning by co-ordinating and leading on all issues relating to the support of vulnerable students within the federation, particularly the areas of behaviour, attendance and early help support.

The Isle of Wight Education Federation has been established to harness the very best education practice within two secondary schools and a large A Level sixth-form centre of over 500 students. The aim is to create a culture of continual improvement with increasingly successful outcomes for young people across the Island.

The Federation comprises of Carisbrooke College, Medina College and The Island VI Form and candidates should, therefore, be prepared to work on any of the three sites, as necessary.

The Colleges are fast-paced, fun and caring environments in which to work and there are excellent opportunities for personal and professional growth and development. If you feel you have what it takes to be part of our dynamic team, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To apply, please complete the application form below and return it to hr@iwef.org.uk. Please note that we cannot accept applications which are not submitted on the official application forms, and we do not accept CVs under any circumstances.

The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.

The Governing Board of the Isle of Wight Education Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Please note that the Governing Body of an Aided or a Foundation School is the employer.

Closing date: 9am Monday 13 May 2024
Interviews: TBC

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Prison History Talk with John Kingsbury

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Prison History Talk with John Kingsbury

On Monday 15 April, criminology and sociology students were treated to an in-depth talk from a local Island ex-Prison Guard and Historian. John Kingsbury used to work at HMP Isle of Wight/Parkhurst/Camp Hill between the 1970s to the early 2000s. During this time, he witnessed many changes in the criminal justice system and how prisoners were rehabilitated whilst receiving retribution from society for breaking the law.

John also ran the former prison museum and readily took us back to the early 1800s when the institute was originally a prison for young boys. We heard some horrific stories of 14 year olds being locked up in dark solitary confinement for over 4000 hours, straitjackets and restraints being used on some as young as 12. We were told about how a wing became a women’s prison and how they rioted worse than the men – and insulted a visiting Queen Victoria to the point where she made a royal decree that no royal should ever visit a prison again (which, interestingly, had to be formally revoked when Princess Anne came to visit in the 1980s).

John has worked with the likes of the Krays, The Yorkshire Ripper, the Black Panther and several IRA members. He provided several colourful stories and anecdotes, really giving us a detailed look into what it’s like on the other side of that big prison wall.



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Success for mixed-year basketball team

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Success for mixed-year basketball team

On Wednesday 17 April, Carisbrooke College hosted The Priory in a mixed year group basketball game. This allowed for those who have been attending basketball clubs all year to get some additional playing time before the end of the season.

The game remained closed for the first three quarters with both sides playing some lovely basketball. Ashton and Charlie, two of our year 11s and who have been part of the school basketball team for the last five years, played one of their best games ever, combining for 28 points and double digits assists. Harry and James, the other two year 11s, contributed well with some good rebounds and defence throughout. Our year 10s were led by Matthew who played hard throughout as the point guard, but it was Oli who came away with 10 individual points and just as many rebounds to help the team battle it out close to the basket.

Alban and Oakleigh supported with some fast movement away from the ball and supported an allround performance from the team. Jim, who had a standout performance earlier in the season at the annual tournaments, continued to dominate near to the basket with his strength. Logan and Dylan, two of our year 7 students, played without fear despite being many years younger that the other team’s players and with great confidence whilst on the ball, shooting and taking big hits defensively; clearly showing the potential these two have.

However, it was in the fourth quarter when the combination of Ashton, Charlie, Jim, Oli and Matthew started to show the difference between the teams and it was here that a 15 point lead opened up which pretty much gave the win to Carisbrooke. With a few minutes left, players were rotated but Carisbrooke came out as winners with a 51-43 final scoreline.

The team has two more games next week and we hope they can put similar performances together for. Well done!

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Head of School’s Blog -19 April 2024

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Head of School’s Blog -19 April 2024

Welcome to the first blog for this term.  I hope you all had an enjoyable Easter break.  Thank you to the students who attended the revision sessions during the holiday.  It’s only weeks away now until the year 11 exams begin.  Please encourage your child to revise and remind them that there is a plethora of support available to them should they wish.  If there are any issues, please speak to Mrs Smith, Head of Year or their tutor. 

This week I have enjoyed delivering assemblies to the year groups. Linked to our Aprire and Achieve strap line and the word ASPIRE which focuses on our core values, the theme this time was Respect. Other key messages were around our expectations in terms of attendance and attitude to learning.

During the Easter break, some of our students went on a Ski trip to Austria. It was great to receive positive feedback from the staff on their excellent attitude and behaviour. A huge thank you to the staff – Miss Caddick, Mr Rock, Mrs Mackett and Mr Jones for giving up their time – trips like this broaden our students’ horizons and help them to gain confidence and independence, amongst many other skills. The students made new friendships and memories which will last them a lifetime. 

Well done to our two teams that have made it through to the Young Enterprise Grand Final on Tuesday 30 April. Lissy, Molly-Nora and Morgan who are running ‘Insignia’ – they are designing, manufacturing and selling a range of badges and Sophie, Freya (and Archie from Medina College) who are running ‘Wild Wax Melts’ – they are creating, manufacturing and selling handmade wax melts.

Thank you to all of the parents/carers who came to year 10 Parents’ Evening.  It was a great turnout and feedback was very positive.  We now have year 8 Parents’ Evening open for bookings via Arbor, this will be held on Thursday 2 May in school.  Please do book appointments as this is an excellent opportunity to discuss your child’s progress at school with their individual subject teachers.  If you have any problems with making the bookings, please email donna.keogh@iwef.org.uk.

Next Tuesday, year 8 students who have had consent will receive their HPV vaccinations.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of running the interschool dressage competition and I am very proud to say that Carisbrooke teams came first, second and fourth overall. All of the competitors were excellent and it was a great day.  Thank you to all involved.

Congratulations to our highest achievement point winners from last week of term – Lilly-May and Oliver – year 7, Riley – year 8, Mason – year 9, Sam – year 10 and Tristan – year 11.

Have a good weekend.

Miss Begley

Head of School – Carisbrooke College

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