Friday 3rd March 2023

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER FROM SOUTHBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

WORD FROM THE HEADTEACHER
Our vision is: Aspiration—Commitment—Excellence
Our Values Are:

Support Challenge Respect Resilience Responsibility Relationships

Purpose
Our purpose is to make the difference for all of our students.
Young
PTA Enterprise
Comedy Night Inside: Links
Our new Young
I was delighted Enterprise
with company,
the PTA Indigo, have made a real splash with Forthcoming
their
Comedy new Night,
“dipping” service.
which I must
took placesay that I was a little mystified by this Events
process,
earlier inbutthecan revealand
month thatmade
it means
a having your mobile phone case or Parental Coffee
trainers
profit of over £2,000. I would like toplasticised paint. Apparently it’s the
(or whatever) dipped in
Mornings 2023
latest
thank thing..!
the PTA for Pantry. This
The team have hadinitiative
great success Outstanding
community based is anrecently at local trade fairs, winning
several
example of the impact we canfar
awards. They should go allin the Young Enterprise competition..! Art for launch
have when we work together. Madrid 2023
Host an
Exchange
Student
Student
Success
Rugby League
training
National Offer Day Book Review
We have offered over 180 places to Year 6 students across the borough Quote of the
and beyond. We are very much looking forward to welcoming the next
Week
generation of Southborough students to Friendship Day on Saturday 25th
Year 9
March.
Engineering
Ofsted Report Courses
I will be sending out our new Ofsted report as soon as it is published, Extra Curricular
which should be very soon. Timetable
Mental Health
Kind regards, First Aiders
Health Drop-in
Mr N. Smith
Safeguarding
Headteacher
 Driving onto the School Site Forthcoming Events
As a school, we have a duty of care to ensure Wednesday, 8 March
that our students are as safe as possible in and
around the school site. One aspect of this is Year 9 Options Evening
road safety, particularly around the school’s Thursday, 9 March
Main Entrance on Hook Road, where the
number of cars driving on and off the site is Year 9 Immunisations-
now causing concern. I am particularly DTP & Men ACWY
concerned about a car hitting a student on foot DEAR Time P4
or, as the number of students cycling to school
has increased, on a bicycle. Monday, 13 March
Exam Week 2 Years 11 and 13
With this in mind, I am asking parents and
(until 24/03/22)
carers not to drive onto the school site.
Students should be making their way to school Monday, 20 March
by bus, bicycle or on foot, unless there are Exam Week 2 Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12
exceptional circumstances. (until 24/03/22
In the unlikely circumstance that your son Saturday, 25 March
cannot walk, cycle or travel by bus to school,
please could I ask you to use Kent Way (off Y6 Friendship Day
Tolworth Road) as a drop off and pick up point,
Saturday, 1 April
bearing in mind that residents of that road
have also raised concerns about traffic Easter Break Starts
congestion.
If you would like advice on how your son can Monday, 17 April
travel to school, please do contact me at the
Professional Learning Day- Staff Only
school.
Tuesday, 18 April
Yours sincerely,
First day back for students

Mr N Smith Friday, 28 April

DEAR Time P1
Headteacher
Wednesday, 3 May

Homework Club! Year 11 Parents' Evening

Ms Pollicott is running Thursday, 4 May

Homework Club every
Year 10 Devised Theatre-
day from
technical and dress rehearsal
3:15 until 4:10.
Friday, 5 May

Places are limited, and Year 10 Devised Theatre performances

allocated on a first-
come-first-served basis! Monday, 15 May

Year 7 Parents' Evening 2 (Online)

Wednesday, 17 May

DEAR Time P2
Outstanding Artists
Support foodbank launch
Many readers of The Griffin will recall how
successful the Southborough charity food
collection was in the run up to Christmas.
Several car loads of provisions including
tea, coffee, sugar, cereals, tinned sauces,
soups – together with vital household goods
and baby products -were donated by
parents, carers, students and staff of
Southborough for a new ‘off-shoot’ branch
of Kingston Foodbank.

Set up to directly support families in need The launch went ahead on the evening of
living in the Tolworth, Surbiton and Friday 16th February, just before we broke
Chessington area, this new foodbank, called up for Half Term. It was an amazing event
the Kingston Pantry, had only been in from start to finish and highlighted the
operation for a few months and was already
wonderful supportive relationship that the
supporting over 140 families by Christmas.
charity was forging with its clients.
And demand was growing by the week.
Volunteers working for The Kingston Pantry
were extremely grateful to Southborough
for its generous collection and they didn’t
hesitate to approach our Head of Art Mr
Morgan to suggest whether some of our
students would be happy to work on their
official launch in mid-February.
Of course, Mr Morgan and our G.O.T.
(Gifted, Outstanding and Talented) art
students jumped at the chance to get
involved and so it was that over the first six
weeks of term, they worked hard producing
artwork to be proud of!

Working closely with the charity, the

students were asked to focus on a number
of the charity’s clients. The idea was to
bring the link between the charity and its
community to life on a more personal level.
The students were provided with photos and
profiles of a number of individuals and We are incredibly proud of the artwork that
worked incredibly hard to do justice to our students produced for the event and we
these wonderful people and bring to them would like to thank Kingston Pantry
to life on canvas. The results, we hope Foodbank for inviting us to work with them.
you’ll agree, are superb! It was, indeed, a true privilege!
 Madrid Trip 2023 Could you host a
Year 9 Spanish Exchange student
October 17th - October 23rd this June?

I am delighted to announce that booking for Following another successful trip to our
our annual residential exchange trip to Spanish partner school, Colegios el Valle, in
Madrid is now open. 2023 marks the 10th the autumn of 2022, we will be hosting the
anniversary of our long-standing partnership return leg of our exchange this coming
with Colegios El Valle School in Madrid. June.
Students who go on the trip get to spend the
If you are in Year 9 and thinking of taking
week with a Spanish family as well as
Spanish GCSE or attending the Madrid trip
visiting various sights within the city, like El
in October this could be a great
Parque del Buen Retiro, La Plaza Mayor,
opportunity. We are looking for families
Royal Palace and Santiago Bernabeu, the
who are able to pick up their guest on
home of Real Madrid. We will also be going
Sunday June 18th, and look after them for
on a Day Trip to nearby Aranjuez. The cost
the week until Saturday June 24th,
of the trip is £420 and is now open on Parent
providing them with board and meals.
Pay. The trip is open to students in Year 9
Interested families should contact
and is strongly recommended to those
thinking of studying Spanish at GCSE. Mr. Johnson, Head of Languages Faculty at
Please contact Head of Languages Faculty, [email protected]
Mr. D. Johnson at
[email protected]
for further information.
 Year Group Weekly Celebrations
Year 7
Student Points
of the Week of the Week

No image
available
Year 8
Student Points
of the Week of the Week
Hashir Q Matthew H
7SLE 7CHR
No image
availale
Year 9
Student Points
of the Week of the Week
Syed M Nathan McC
8SHO 8STY
No image
available

Year 10
Student Points
Gustavo L O Aidan R of the Week of the Week
9CPA 9CPA

Year 11
Student Points
of the Week of the Week

Ivan D Doan M
10DYU 10DPE

George B Philip C
11JFO 11DMO
 “Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea!”
by Ben Clanton
This book is the first in a series of
eight. It is a narwahl called
Narwahl and a jellyfish called jelly.
Who have never seen each other
beforesdince they do not live in the same part of the
oceans. However, they meet because Narwahl got lost .
Both Narwahl and Jelly were confused about what was
going on, and they both think that they are imagining
it. However after a while they believed it because
everyone else could see them both. Aftewr the
confusion, they both went on some adventures
together, including in this book a big party with all the
other creatures in the sea: octopus; turtle; puffer fish;
clams.
Something I really like about the book is that it looks
like it is made for younger children, but it really works
for older children too. I also like that the book is small
and not too long, and that I can read the next book in
the series when I finished this one.

Rating Reviewed by George S 7CHR

QUOTE OF THE WEEK Engineering residential courses for Year 9

during the Easter Break
Many of us are understandably anxious Run by the Smallpeice* Trust, an educational
and troubled by the conflict in the charity that encourages young people into
Ukraine as it passes the first anniversary. engineering careers
Our hearts are 'heavy' as we witness
Cyber Security
daily death, damage, displacement and
Students will explore the risks of cyberspace
distress. "Where will this end?" some ask.
and the latest security measures protecting us
"What can I do?" others ask. The
from hackers, to see if they have what it takes
answers are unclear I think.
to be a cyber security expert. Located at Royal
Perhaps the wisdom of the past can help Holloway University London, this course takes
us at this moment, specifically the place from 3-5 April.
reflections of a Greek Stoic thinker. APPLY HERE
Engineering Experience
“The chief task in life is simply this: An insight into three different disciplines:
to identify and separate matters so cyber security, electrical and space
that I can say clearly to myself which engineering. Students will get creative and
are externals not under my control, improve teamwork, communication and
and which have to do with the choices leadership skills. Based at the University of
I actually control. Hertfordshire from 4-6 April.
Where then do I look for good and APPLY HERE
evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, These courses enable Year 9s to fuel their
but within myself to the choices that passion for STEM, picture life beyond the
classroom and meet industry leaders and top
are my own…” - Epictetus
academics.
* Yes, that is how it is spelt!
 Extracurricular timetable: PE Department Spring Term 2023

Early Lunch Time After School

0810 : 0830
Monday KS4 Table Tennis Year 7 & 8 Football Academy
Mr Taylor Mr Eacott

Tuesday KS4 Basketball Year 7,8 Indoor Football Gyms Mr Eacott

Mr Johnson Year 7 & 8 Indoor Cricket
Gyms Mr Taylor & Mr Colbert
Wednesday Circuits Year 7 Table KS4 & KS5 Basketball Mr Johnson
Gym Tennis Year 7 & 8 Badminton
Gym Mr Grin- Mr Taylor & Mr Colbert
stead & Year 10 Football Training -Field Mr Wood
Mr Colbert Athletics All Years - Throwing events -
Astro Mr Penagos
Thursday Year 8 & 9 Table Year 7 Rugby -Field Mr Taylor
Tennis Year 8 Rugby -Field Mr Colbert
Mr Johnson Year 7,8,9 Basketball Mr Johnson
Table Tennis - All Years Mr Grinstead
Year 9 Football - Astro Mr Eacott
Friday Bleep Test No Lunch Clubs KS4 Volleyball Mr Colbert
Gym Year 7 Dodgeball - Gyms Mr Grinstead