Author: Gemma Long

Head of School’s Blog – 1 March 2024

Written by Gemma Long on March 1, 2024. Posted in HoS Blog - VI, The Island VI Form.

Head of School’s Blog – 1 March 2024

Dear Students, Parents & Carers,

Two weeks down and four to go, or 19 school days until the Arts based exams start. Revision materials are available from reception and revision sessions are running after school and will also be offered over the Easter break; details of which we will share next week.

Congratulations to Oliver Kurt and Olivia Metcalf who have been appointed to the role of Head Students. I look forward to continuing to work with them and Student Voice over the coming year.

The Year 12 Parents’ Evening is on Thursday 21 March. This will be a virtual event and details of how to book appointments have been shared this week via email with parents and carers.

Have a great weekend.

Mr Mumford
Head of School – The Island VI Form

Head of School’s Blog – 1 March 2024

Written by Gemma Long on March 1, 2024. Posted in Carisbrooke College, HoS Blog - CC.

Head of School’s Blog – 1 March 2024

Welcome to the blog for this week.

As part of the support we have for Carisbrooke following our Ofsted, faculty leads are working with leads in HISP, looking at how formative and summative assessment is used to check pupils’ understanding – an area for development in our Ofsted report.

Year 10 had the start of their trial exams this week. These exams are an excellent opportunity for the students to experience working in exam conditions and how the exam papers look. The students were well behaved and respectful of each other and I hope they continue this behaviour into next week.

On Thursday 7 March, we have the Pathways Evening for parents and students in year 9. This is an opportunity for parents and students to speak to individual subject teachers about the lessons on offer to study in KS4. Please try to attend this event as there will be valuable information shared to help your child make their final decision for their subject choices.

Next week, our year 11 students have their Food Technology practical exams. I have the pleasure of being one of the official ‘tasters’ and look forward to savouring the delights from their menus. Good luck to them all!

We will be celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 7 March – lots of exciting things will be available for students to get involved in. Information will be shared with the students on Monday.

Congratulations to our top achievement point winners this week. Year 7 – Evie, Summer, Tulisa, Year 8 – Jackson, Year 9 Liam, Year 10 – Xanda and Year 11 Bethany and Mia.

Have a lovely weekend.

Miss Begley

Head of School – Carisbrooke College

Student Reporters at The Isle of Wight Story Festival

Written by Gemma Long on March 1, 2024. Posted in News - VI, The Island VI Form.

Student Reporters at The Isle of Wight Story Festival

Report by Ruby Hendey

Students from The Island VI Form attended the IW Story Festival which took place during half term from the 15 – 17 February at Quay Arts. It was a brilliant few days packed full with inspiring authors and storytellers, amongst those being the famous author of ‘Horrid Henry’ Francesca Simon, stand-up comedian and author Alasdair Beckett-King and the Great Great Grandson of Charles Dickens, Gerald Dickens, who read out the winning stories of the Island wide Year Five story competition. The Festival also featured local talent, with the Island’s Kieran Larwood, and Southampton-based Nazneen Ahmed Pathak.

Each student was allocated a particular performance to watch and to write a review of, some even getting the opportunity to interview the performer afterwards in the green room. Year 13 student, Jake Curran was on the committee for the Festival and helped out in organising the event.

The VI Form student reporter team included Cerys Briscoe, Ellie Chambers, Summer Donovan, Jess Freeston, Ruby Hendey, Rhianna Honey, Willow Samuel, Lilly Summer, and Emily Williams.

Thank you to student photographers Taylor Knight and Makenzi Holder for the images below of Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry series and James Knight, BAFTA nominated film maker.

Annual Basketball Tournament

Written by Gemma Long on February 26, 2024. Posted in Carisbrooke College, News - CC.

Annual Basketball Tournament

On Tuesday 20 February, our year 11 boys basketball team took part in the annual basketball competition at Medina College. In their first game, they took on local rivals and home team Medina and in what was a very tight affair, Carisbrooke managed to sneak through winning the game by one point, thanks to a three pointer from Ashton.

In the second game, Carisbrooke carried on their positive start and beat The Bay (current defending champions) 8-2 thanks to some more impressive scoring from Ashton and solid defence from Harry, Alfie and Louis.

The third game saw a change of venue in the shape of a smaller court which would account for Alfies three point shot which went over the top of the backboard, but in the end Ryde Academy were stronger throughout and more consistent on the rebounding and scoring and eventually took a convincing 13-3 win.

Due to other results, Carisbrooke still had a chance to win the tournament if they beat Cowes in their final game. The game proved to be another close encounter with some excellent play from Matthew and Charlie and the rest of the team chipping in with good all round play. Unfortunately, the final score saw Cowes win 4-0 and, as a result, any chance of winning the tournament for Carisbrooke was gone.

Overall, the boys did very well and maybe surprised themselves with how close they came in the end. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the boys for taking part and to make a special mention to Charlie and Ashton for being a constant positive contribution to basketball at Carisbrooke over the last five years. I am sure they will make the Carisbrooke Hall of Fame someday.

Mr Peake.

Head of School’s Blog – 23 February 2024

Written by Gemma Long on February 23, 2024. Posted in HoS Blog - MC, Medina College.

Head of School’s Blog – 23 February 2024

I would like to start off by wishing you all a warm welcome back after half term, it has been lovely to have students back in school and completing excellent learning.

This week we had a very busy Year 9 Parents’ Evening on Tuesday and Year 11 have been completing two days of mock exams in English, maths and science. Next week we have Year 10 completing their first set of exams on the GCSE courses they have chosen to study.

Don’t forget that on Wednesday 6 March, 5-7pm we have the Pathway Evening for Year 9, an evening designed to assist them in choosing the right subjects for their GCSE courses.

This week I have been delivering assemblies on ambition and, now we are half way through the academic year, it is important that all students reflect upon their great ambition. What is it they want to achieve? What are the barriers that are getting in the way? How can school help them realise their ambitions? And finally, understanding that along the way we will all fail at things, but the lessons we learn at these points help us improve for the future. I know as a school our ambition for all students is to be the best version of themselves.

I would like to finish off by saying a special congratulations to Sophie for her impressive performance in Phantom of the Opera outside of school. I would also like to say well done to our Hot Chocolate Friday winners who gained a place for either 100% attendance in the last week or were top achievement points winners in their year group. This week we celebrated with Alfie, Dean, Naomi, Lily, Sammy, Rosie, Pip and Scott.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mr Pearce-Jones
Head of School – Medina College

Head of School’s Blog – 23 February 2024

Written by Gemma Long on February 23, 2024. Posted in HoS Blog - VI, The Island VI Form.

Head of School’s Blog – 23 February 2024

Dear Students, Parents & Carers

One week down already, five to go until Easter; or just 24 school days! Here are some reminders about revision:

– Revision sessions are on after school from various subjects, ask your teachers if you are unsure.
– Revision sessions will be offered over the Easter break.
– Revision materials: flashcards, highlighters, jotters etc. are available from Reception.
– Revision techniques support is also available from Student Services.

If you are struggling, please speak to us or someone from home.

World book day is on Thursday 7 March this year and we will again be distributing book tokens for students to use.

Finally, National Careers Week begins on Monday 4 March, and staff are being asked to display a ‘Career Pathway Door Plaque’ about their own career journeys and the skills they have developed through these roles.

My career choice and pathway was not one wonderful plan that all worked out as I thought. I left Liverpool University thinking a career in finance or business would be most likely. But I found myself doing bar work due to the recession in the early 1990’s. A teacher’s absence at the local High School created an opportunity for me to try teaching, which I enjoyed and then decided to qualify and return to University. I was unsuccessful at my first interview, but got offered a job on the IOW at my second interview. I thought I would be here for a couple of years, as I had no links to the Island; clearly I’m still here after 30 years!

Have a lovely weekend.

Mr Mumford

Head of School – The Island VI Form

Head of School’s Blog – 23 February 2024

Written by Gemma Long on February 23, 2024. Posted in Carisbrooke College, HoS Blog - CC.

Head of School’s Blog – 23 February 2024

Welcome to the first blog for this half term.

This week I have enjoyed delivering assemblies linked to our Aprire and Achieve strap line and the word ASPIRE which focuses on our core values. The main theme this time was on inspiration. Other key messages were around our expectations in terms of attendance and attitude to learning.We held our Year 9 Parents’ Evening on Wednesday and it was a great success! Thank you to those parents who

came along. If you were unable to attend but would like an update from your child’s teachers, please email the school for this to be arranged.

There will be a Pathways Evening for Year 9 students, parents and carers on Thursday 7 March, please add this to your calendar.

Year 11 had their core subject trial exams Thursday and Friday this week. These exams are an excellent opportunity for the students to experience working in exam conditions and how the exam papers look. They were all extremely well behaved and respectful of each other.

Next Wednesday we have the School Immunisation Team coming in to administer the Teen Booser vaccinations to those students whose parents/carers have given consent. If you haven’t completed the consent form, you will have been sent an email with the details. If you require any assistance with this, please contact the school.

As You will have seen on our social media platforms and further in this blog, we are already looking to arrange our end of year reward trips: Year 7 – Friday 28 June – Splashdown in Poole, Year 8 – Wednesday 26 June – Paultons Park, Year 9/10 – Thursday 27 June – Thorpe Park. These are offered to the top 45 students in their year group with regards to the following:

Highest Achievement Points
No or few Behaviour Points
Good attendance (above 95% for the year unless appropriate evidence has been provided)
Overall, behaviour and attitude will also be taken into consideration.

Please do speak with your child about their achievements, attitude and attendance and stress to them that they have until the end of this term to gain as many positive achievement points as possible and to improve their attendance if needed.

Congratulations to our top achievement point winners this week. Year 7 – Riley, Year 8 – Jackson, Year 9 Taylan, Year 10 – Solomon and Year 11 Eleanor.

Have a lovely weekend.

Miss Begley

Head of School – Carisbrooke College

Reward Trips 2024

Indoor Football Tournaments

Written by Gemma Long on February 23, 2024. Posted in Medina College, News - MC.

Indoor Football Tournaments

Last half term, during lunchtimes, an indoor football tournament was contested between teams from Year 7 and Year 8. Some great games were played with many great goals scored and memories created. The support for the other teams was also great to see.

Third place were Year 7 team The X Men, Second place was Year 8 team Reeves Rovers and the Winners were Year 7 team ABC United (pictured).

The Year 9 boys are regulars to lunchtime indoor football so it was great to see them playing a competitive tournament. Third place was Chunky FC, Second place was Big Boys FC and the Winners were Dibbens Doughnuts (pictured).

Top goal scorer of the tournament was Harry and the player of the tournament was Billy. Well played everyone. Special thanks goes to Bailey and Max from Year 11 who refereed all the games.

Resilience Challenge Success

Written by Gemma Long on February 23, 2024. Posted in News - MC, News - VI, Uncategorized.

Resilience Challenge Success

A resilience challenge took place last half term for schools and colleges across the Island organised by Ed-Wise. Students were given a hypothetical emergency scenario and had to put relief plans in place and present them.

IWEF students performed fantastically in this challenge with The Island VI Form team being crowned the overall winners and Medina College students being presented with the award for the most innovative response.

Students showed great career capital skills including: public speaking; teamwork; creative thinking; leadership and creative problem solving.

“During the Digital Twin Resilience Challenge our team of six, along with many other Island schools, were given a fake scenario (in which an unexploded bomb was unearthed during construction near the car park adjacent to the Council building) and tasked with creating a presentation detailing our evacuation plan and response, focused on infrastructure. Our favourite plan we came up with was to suggest sending children to the local soft play center, JR Zone, providing a safe and engaging environment during the crisis. This imaginative strategy not only prioritised the safety of our youngest community members but also showcased our team’s ability to think creatively under pressure and in an ever changing situation. Despite technical difficulties we won ‘best overall course of action’, making the difficulties and hard work worth it. Overall, we most enjoyed working together as a team and completing the wide variety of different tasks and responses needed, allowing us to get to know each other and complete tasks most suited to our individual skills. We knew this hard work paid off when we managed to finish our presentation with just four seconds left of the 15 minute time limit! We have learnt many skills from this experience, such as working well under pressure and communicating effectively with one-another, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”
– Amelie and Rachel, The Island VI Form students

“The whole experience was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. We got to speak to people from many different jobs like the police and a water company, and we got to spend lots of time planning our own evacuation plan for a hypothetical situation. It made me think in a way I’ve never had to for any of my subjects and helped me understand just how much goes into planning evacuations in the real world; I found it a very interesting experience. The presentation at the end, I thought, would be scary to do, but because of how much work we’d all put into planning it, it was instead exciting as we got to share our ideas. I spoke to people from my year I hadn’t before and got to know other peers better. Also, the food was amazing! This has helped broaden my knowledge of future jobs and inspired me a lot. I would definitely recommend The Resilience Challenge happening again.”
– Imogen, Medina College

Dance Live! 2024

Written by Gemma Long on February 23, 2024. Posted in News - CC, News - MC, News - VI, Uncategorized.

Dance Live! 2024

Dance Live! is a competition for schools and colleges which sees students put together a choreographed performance to the backdrop of a giant digital screen. There is a focus on raising aspirations, strengthening health and wellbeing and developing skills for creative career choices.

Students from across the Federation have been working hard for the last six months to put together an amazing entry into this year’s competition. The piece focused on two young siblings placed into foster care and the impact this has on them. The theme was highly emotive and our students really brought it to life through their performance.

The team received some absolutely incredible feedback from the judges and received awards for their soundtrack and their technical skills – lighting, LED content and backstage efforts.

Throughout the development of this year’s entry, students have developed their leadership, creativity and teamworking skills. They have developed social bonds and have made memories that will stay with them forever. We are so proud of this year’s team and are very grateful to all of the staff involved. Thank you to Mr Williams, Miss Fairweather, Miss Stevens, Ms Ryan and Mrs O’Callaghan.