February is LGBT History Month! We want to use this month as an opportunity to celebrate the strength and spirit of the LGBT community. Over the coming weeks, we will be posting a variety of LGBT icons, animals and historic events over on our Twitter account as well as updating this page with our posts.
Welcome to the first Newsletter of 2020. I hope that the information provided is both informative and useful. Please make every effort to attend the forthcoming Coffee Morning as this is a great opportunity to meet and discuss current SEND news. Please be reassured that the Inclusion Team continue to work hard to ensure pupils feel happy, safe and supported in school. All staff receive regular Continual Professional Development on specific topics aimed at supporting children with additional needs. Staff have recently received training around ‘Autism Awareness’, Mental Health, Dyslexia and Speech, Language and Communication Needs. I will keep you updated on such news in future issues.
If there is anything that you feel would be useful to include in future editions please do not hesitate to contact me at school.
You can also read more here about an upcoming workshop from Birmingham City Council called Be Empowered.
Please be aware of a chat room application called Discord. This app is commonly used by gamers to talk to each other whilst gaming. Users can send direct messages to one another or listen in to larger group chats. Connecting with friends is easy – users can simply join an existing gaming server or send an email invitation to start a new one. Most significantly, you do not have to download an app to use it as it can be accessed via any browser and is free to use.
Safeguarding professionals have asked us to share with parents as the Discord social networking tool is geared towards adults, not children and young people.
The link below provides more information about Discord, with some parental advice relating to the app.
Outstanding performance by our Dame Elizabeth Handball Team at the School Games Girls’ Handball Finals. The girls walked away with Silver Medals – narrowly missing out on being crowned champions during extra time!
Well done team – you have made everyone at Dame Elizabeth proud.
The RAF Combined Cadet Force at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury is a fantastic addition to our wider curriculum.
Our new Cadets have this week piloted their first aeroplane, taking to the skies one by one at RAF Cosford.
Monday 20th January we left school at 07:15 with ten excited cadets on route to RAF Cosford for the school’s and the CCF’s First Flying experience.
On arriving at RAF Cosford we were taken to the briefing room where the cadets received a safety brief, watched a safety video and practised putting on the parachute.
We dressed to impress – flying suits, helmets, gloves and their aviator sunglasses. After waiting for the temperature to get above zero, the first two were Airborne into the beautiful blue skies.
Everyone had a fantastic time and could not stop talking about this fantastic experience and they are looking forward to the next flying day.
If you have any questions about joining CCF please speak to Miss Faulkner or Mr Norton.
This February sees the school embark on its sixth ski trip into Europe, where we will be heading again to Austria with HTS. The students will be heading to an area called Dachstein west. We will leave school on 14th February heading to Dover and into Europe.
Our students will travel through at least four different countries and experience different cuisines and cultures. We will be staying at a local hotel, where students will have the time to rest and unwind after a tough days skiing. Our students will also gain the benefit of being able to try Austrian food and experience the culture of living in the Alps.
During our stay, we will get to ski for 5 days, where professional ski instructors will teach them to ski on a daily basis.
At Dame Elizabeth Cadbury we understand the importance of ensuring that our students leave us as well-rounded young people with the qualifications, skills, knowledge and aspirations to go on to succeed in the pathway they choose in their life after school. Through the Pupil Pledge, we make a firm commitment to provide opportunities for our students to be exposed to a holistic educational experience during their time with us.
The Pupil Pledge is an exciting new concept which will complement our existing innovative and challenging curriculum. It will provide pupils with a ‘bucket list’ of activities to complete before they leave our school. The activities and experiences have been carefully selected in consultation with pupils, parents and staff, and we believe they will equip pupils with the softer life skills in preparation for adulthood.
Every pupil has a different menu of Pledge items to complete, appropriate to their age and year group. Throughout the school year, your child will work to complete each item until they have completed every item on their Pledge. For each completed item your child shows their Pledge Passport with a note of confirmation from a responsible adult (i.e. a club leader or any adult involved in the completion of the item) and a photo of themselves completing the Pledge item. For students who complete a minimum of 90% of their Pledge items there will be a graduation ceremony and celebration event at the end of the year, but the real reward, of course, will be that students have taken part in many enriching events, gained in confidence and ability and will become involved in supportive communities in the process.
Happy New Year
We hope all pupils and families have had a restful Christmas break
Please use the following links below to find all information relating to DEC standards and expectations.
Pupils return for the start of spring term 1 on Tuesday 7th January
As always, pupils need to arrive no later than 08:30am
Bratwurst and Knoblauchbrot?
On Tuesday 10th December 2019 a mini-bus load full of students from year 8 set off together with Ms Stait, Ms Tooley, Ms Norton and Ms Butler to explore the German Christmas Market in Birmingham City Centre. Once at the market we split up into groups of four to complete a trail around the market. The task was to find out what the German signs on the stalls all over the market meant in English. Do you know what Bratkartoffeln, Zwiebeln or Kastanien are? So, we hunted down to find out by using our knowledge of German and English but also by speaking to the stall holders themselves. The best team were promised a prize but as everyone on the trip did so well, everyone got a “Schokokuss” in the end. If you don’t know what that is, maybe go to the German market and find out! We learnt that Birmingham’s German Market is also called Frankfurt Christmas Market because it was originally brought to the city from Frankfurt/Main in 1997 as this is Birmingham’s twin city in Germany. It is the largest Christmas Market outside of Germany and Austria counting around 5.5 Million visitors every year. We got to see some of the decorations and crafts on offer and to try some of the different food which was delicious!
Frohe Weihnachten = Merry Christmas!
Welcome to the latest SEND newsletter. There is lots of information in regard to external support for both young people and parents/carers. Please take time to read the information within this newsletter as we would encourage you to attend the various events.
If there is any information you would like to see in future newsletters please let us know. All suggestions welcome. If you require further information please don’t hesitate to contact the inclusion team.
Woodbrooke Road, Birmingham,
West Midlands B30 1UL
Contact Number: 0121 464 4040
enquiry@decschool.co.uk
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
