A Message from the Headteacher

I hope that you are well. I am delighted to report that this new academic year has started very well, with students returning to School much more focused on their studies. As you know, we have provided every student with a School bag, a pencil case and a homework diary. Please ensure that your child continues to bring all of these things to School with them in the morning.

There is much activity around the rebuild of the School as each of the three companies eager for the contract are beginning to put together their plans. I am meeting each of them every fortnight and will share their plans with you as these develop.

I want to tell you about a new idea I am introducing from this half-term, to reward those students who have made the greatest improvements over each half-term. I shall be asking each Head of Year to give me the names of the three most improved students for that half-term and I shall be taking those 15 students across the School out to lunch to a high quality restaurant. The first lunch is scheduled for October 16th.

Finally, we are working this half-term to come up with an improved reward system for Years 10 and 11 to help motivate and reward students. I would love to hear any ideas which you, as parents, might have to help recognize students.

As always, I look forward to welcoming you into School in the near future and, during this month of Ramadan, would like to take this opportunity to wish those of you observing it a happy and peaceful month.

With very best wishes,

Simon Harris
Headteacher

What a Day!

The Arts and Community Day held at St. Paul’s Way on Saturday 15th September was the first of its kind at the School. The day started with a flurry of activity, setting up gazebos and putting out tables and chairs. Among the first to arrive were the spray artist and Martin, a professional musician who had given his services for free. All were quick to pitch in, setting up art and henna stalls as well as a bouncy castle and cake decorating for the little ones - although some big ones also had a go too!

Drumming proved a very popular workshop and as the rhythms echoed across the School, it felt as if you were at a festival and not at SPW in Bow. Everywhere you looked, students, parents and helpers were working together and having fun.

The staff put on a fantastic jamming session and the dance activity saw even the most unco-ordinated of us having a go. Meanwhile, people did so many prints at the Art Department stall that soon they had a little production line on the go. Out of all the activities, a real crowd puller was the robot making stall. I think a craze has started!

The one thing Ms Redd from Poplar Harca and I could not have organised was the weather. We need not have worried, as we basked in glorious sunshine for the whole day. Many thanks to all those who took part.
Ms Mason, Assistant Headteacher

Ms Mason, Assistant Headteacher

SPW Fitness Centre

The School is delighted to announce its programme of After-School Art Clubs for the coming year. These clubs are available to all students and run on Tuesday and Thursday evenings after school. Each club is run and guided by a professional working artist and will help to develop the participants artistic, creative and social skills.

Please encourage your daughter/son to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities.

Every Day Matters

We know that your child will do better at School if they attend every day. We aim high at St Paul's Way Community School and want all our students to have attendance of over 97%. Remember: every lesson missed could affect your child's progress. Here is some basic guidance.

If your child is...
• Not feeling well? Can they take a painkiller and attend school?
• Feeling better by lunchtime? Then send them into school.
• Has a medical appointment? They must attend school before and after their appointment. Send them to school with a note and we’ll give them permission to leave to attend the appointment.

Even if your child arrives late because they did not feel well first thing in the morning, they will not miss so many valuable lessons as missing the whole day of school.

If your child is so unwell that they cannot attend school you must:
• Telephone the school on 020 7515 2828 by 9.30am in the morning to advise us what is wrong with your child. You must do this each day that they are absent.

REMEMBER - There are only certain reasons as to why your child can genuinely miss school:
• Genuine illness;
• Religious observance (one day only as authorised by Tower Hamlets Education Authority);
• Attending an interview for your child to attend college / another school.

Your child is legally NOT allowed to miss school for these reasons:
• Translating at appointments for parents or other relatives;
• Meeting or saying goodbye to family / friends at the airport;
• Regular days off for mild illness / feeling unwell.

If your child is absent on too many occasions without a genuine reason, then they may be referred to the Attendance and Welfare Department.

Mapping the Way

This two day workshop took place recently with Year 8 students involved. On each day, the students set out to map the school grounds by walking all around the School buildings and grounds, carrying GPS receivers which recorded their positions every two seconds for an hour.

When all the walks from both days were overlaid a map was composed of over 40 miles of tracks (above). This shows the overall accessible areas and details of the features within, while the densities of lines distinguish the popular and unpopular places.

Back in the classroom, the GPS tracks were uploaded and students scrutinized them on a big screen. There was also a large outline of the school drawn on the wall that students gradually filled in with annotations and details of where things were.

This fascinating workshop was part of the Creative Mapping project by inIVA, the Institute of International Visual Arts.

Mapping the Way

Arts & Community Day: The Icing on the Cake!
The decorated cake stall at our Arts & Community Day was very successful. Lots of people visited the table where iced fairy cakes and sugar flowers and images were used to create tempting snacks and Iftar offerings for family and friends. Some children chose to decorate gingerbread figures which left the table wearing all manner of sugared outfits. Lidiya in Year 10 dressed hers in an iced bikini! More than two hundred cakes and biscuits were completed by the end of the event.

Ms Taylor, Technology Department

KS4 English Club
This is primarily aimed at Year 11 pupils, particularly those needing extra help to finish coursework. There will also be exam preparation and revision sessions. It takes place every Friday in A109 and A102 (computer room) after School 2.45 - 4.45pm.

Mr Wilks, English Department

Fitness Centre Community Use
The School’s new Fitness Centre is open to members of the community free of charge on Tuesday afternoons from 1.00 to 4.00pm for female use and on Thursday afternoons from 1.00 to 4.00pm for male use. There will be a qualified fitness instructor in the Centre to give training, help, advice and instruction to anyone who wishes to attend.