YEAR 8 GCSE OPTIONS EVENING - THURSDAY 15TH MARCH 7PM

Please remember this essential evening is this coming week. The evening will consist of a talk about the options process and a subject fair where you can gather all information about the subjects and what they offer. Form tutors and members of the inclusion team will be available to offer guidance. Nicky Honeywell our YCHertfordshire Advisor (formerly Youth Connexions advisor) will also be available to provide guidance about potential careers and qualifications. Within school time, students have started to experience "typical" GCSE lessons to give them an insight into the changes from Key Stage 3 to GCSE as well as listening to talks about new subjects available to them. All students and parents/carers are required to attend this important evening and students should be in full school uniform. We look forward to seeing you Thursday

Miss Reynolds

Shakespeare Exhibition last week

Last Friday saw a Shakespeare Exhibition being held in the Discovery Centre.  Students from years 7 and 8 have been working on a project in which they have to create their own Shakespeare related artefact, along with a write up of what it is and how they made it.  The centre was open at lunchtime for all students to view the pieces, as well as for staff to judge the winning entries!  Well done to all students, such a lot of work had gone into the projects and they looked fantastic!

Anti bullying week day 3

Wednesday - Anti - Bullying Cinema - Years 7,8 and 9 - X Men: The Last Stand 3.30pm - 5.30pm in the Discovery Centre. Support Children in Need by playing bingo at lunch!

Food Tech year 8

A range of chicken fajitas made by year 8 recently. Well done to everyone who worked at the medium and challenge levels!

Food Tech!

Well done to year 8 this week in their omelette challenge. Chefs of the week was Natalie and Addur

Author Richard Mayers visits Townsend

Local author Richard Mayers visited Townsend on Wednesday to deliver a creative workshop to some students in years 7 and 8 who have been working particularly well in English this term.

Students were introduced to Richard's two books, Spikez and Making Trakz, written about cyborgs made from animals, and had a presentation/discussion about animal testing and rights of animals.  They were then asked to create their own cyborgs, with designs being presented at the end of the session.

Students thoroughly enjoyed creating their own concepts and designs throughout the afternoon and we thank Richard for his time visiting us!

Accelerated Reader Rewards time

It's approaching the end of term, which means rewards for reading are rife!

A big well done to those students who have earned a certificate for their reading, and an extra well done to those who received a prize, either for receiving a Platinum certificate, STAR reader of the month, or STAR reader of the term!

Prizes can be collected from Miss Ismail at breaks and lunchtimes.

Accelerated Reader tests now completed

As part of our accelerated reader scheme, years 7 8 and 9 students carried out their STAR reading tests this week, in order to determine their reading level and to choose their first book to read for the scheme.

So far we have had some students complete their books already, taking quizzes and getting 100% of the questions correct!  Well done!

Please remember you need to have a reading book on you at all times for the 5 minute reading at the beginning of every lesson.  If you don't have a book yet, please see Miss Ismail at break or lunchtimes

Accelerated Reader Relaunch!

Last week, the Accelerated reader scheme was re-launched to Years 7 and 8 students to give a refresher of what should be happening in the school sessions and a reminder of their extra 20 minutes of reading per night when they are at home.

Parents will be sent detailed information about their child's reading progress with other reports that go home with progress across subjects, so more of an idea of levels can be gained.

We would like to congratulate all students for completing their STAR tests last week and to remind them to keep on their correct level of books, keep putting in the reading time and taking their quizzes as soon as possible after completing the book.

Enrichment day sign up

Today is the day that Year 7 students get to sign up for their chosen enrichment day activity.  Students can choose between a number of activities in or outside of school, including Photography, Thorpe Park, Westfields Shopping and Cooking!

Students should have all taken home a booklet about the various activities last week which have all the details.  Tomorrow is Year 8 sign up day and Wednesday is Year 9.  Don't forget or you may miss out on your first choice!

Comic Relief stories

Last week, students in years 7 and 8 were set the task of writing a funny story for Comic relief, with prizes for the best ones.  The story had to be a paragraph to a page long, and could be a short story or the beginning of a story, but had to include humour as the key element!

A big well done to Year 7 winners:
Emmanuel, Zayn, Chloe, Bethany, Hannah, Isabelle, Peta, Aimee, Ben and Elisia

And to YEar 8 winners:
Sam, Louise, Layah, Esther, Ariane, Jack, Jake, Owen, Chelsea, Nazima

The winning stories will be displayed in the Discovery Centre soon!

World Book Day 5th March 2015

World book day next Thursday is fast approaching and we have a lot of activities throughout the week to celebrate!

The celebrations begin THIS FRIDAY with author Alex Woolf visiting Townsend to speak to year 7 and 8 students about creative writing and why regular reading is so important for everyone!  Alex will also be signing books at lunchtime Friday with 20% off all books, so if you would like to buy a book, please bring money along on Friday to the Discovery centre at lunch

20% discount on all books. 
Paperbacks £5.60
Illustrated hardback novel, Iron Sky: Dread Eagle, sold for £8.00.

Readathon challenge raises £950 for charity!

From 3rd November for two weeks, Townsend C of E students in years 7 and 8 carried out the Readathon challenge to coincide with our literacy scheme and to raise money for charity for ill children.  The students wrote on their sponsor cards their chosen books to read for the challenge, then collected sponsors for their reading for once they had completed the challenge.  The current total raised so far by Townsend students is £950, with more sponsor money to be collected!  Well done everyone and keep up the reading over the holidays!

Accelrated reader Certificates

This week Year 7 and 8 students were awarded their Accelerated reader certificates.  Students receive a certificate for achieving 100% in three of their book quizzes.  If they achieve 3, a bronze is awarded, 6 is silver, 9 is gold and 12 or more is platinum!

A lot of children have certificates, with some even gaining gold and platinum since last half term!  Well done to everyone for all your reading and effort with Accelerated reader and congratulations to the Star readers of the month too!

Year 8 trip to the Black Country Museum

Last Thursday all year 8 students visited the Black Country Living History Museum in Dudley, Birmingham.  The trip was to compliment the students' learning; currently they are learning about the Industrial Revolution especially the living and working conditions of the time.

The students had a tour down a coal mine to view the working conditions of the time, with shafts and baulks.  They also had a lesson in a 19th Century school room, where Mr Buckland was unfortunately badly behaved and got the cane to the hand - a typical punishment of the times.  The students practised writing in a Victorian Style, using copper plate writing and hooks and hangers.  They also wrote on slate.

Another section visited was the chain maker (a big industry at the time) along with an old fashioned chemist, sweet shop, bakery and hard wear store.

The houses of the time were also visited (along with outside privvys!), some houses were crooked due to the mining industry underground.  These houses were reinforced using metal braces.

Students also got the chance to ride in a double decker bus through the museum, as well as experiencing a Victorian Fairground.  Lunch was old fashioned fish and chips.

Throughout the day the guides were dressed in authentic costume from the time.  The students finally got to see a replica of the Newcomen steam engine in working condition.

The students all thoroughly enjoyed themselves on the trip and learnt a lot about the living and working conditions during the industrial revolution which will help them with their studies!!

Readathon Sponsored Read

Townsend are excited to announce we are running a Readathon Sponsored Read for all students in years 7 and 8. Readathon is a national sponsored reading event for schools that encourages children to read for pleasure - an activity proven to increase children's chances of success and personal happiness for the rest of their lives (source: OECD).

Our scheme will run from Monday 3rd November to Friday 28th November. Students: - All donations should be returned in an envelope with the sponsorship card to your form tutor before Friday 12th December.

Simply by reading, our students will also raise money for seriously ill children through four UK children's charities (ReadWell supplies free books and storytellers to children in hospital;CLIC Sargent supports children/young people with cancer and their families;Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity specialises in helping children with serious neurological and blood conditions;Together for Short Lives is the leading UK charity for children's hospice services).

All year 7 and 8 pupils have been given a sponsorship card to complete over the half term holiday. House points and a prize will be given to the house that manages to collect the most in donations!

Good luck and get reading!

Accelerated Reader Awards

Yesterday in assembly students were presented with certificates as part of the Accelerated Reader programme which began in September.

Students received certificates for achieving 100% in three book quizzes, as well as one student per class receiving "Star Reader" of the month for September.

Well done to all students for a great start to the scheme, remember to keep reading over half term to gain your reading minutes!

A journey through the universe

Yesterday Dr Nick Wright from the University of Hertfordshire came in to talk to students about a journey through the universe. 

The first talk was delivered to a select group of students from years 7, 8 and 9 about space:

"We were given lots of information, some key facts were how the sun transmits energy (hydrogen to helium); how there is a black hole in the middle of each galaxy and how we might be pulverised by the exploding sun in three billion years time.  Overall I enjoyed the presentation and hope there will be another one."


"We also learnt about our solar system and how scientists don't know why the planets are spaced apart.  We looked at examples of planets and stars and other possible life.  After this we looked at galaxies and the different types.  There is a spiral galaxy and when two spiral galaxies collide it makes an elliptical galaxy.  We finally heard about about the big bang and how the universe is expanding.  Overall I enjoyed the visit from the astronomer very much and I hope there is another one soon."

Another talk was then given to Year 10 GCSE students:

"n the triple science lecture, we learnt a lot of interesting things about our universe and galaxies.  We learnt the different galaxy shapes, the main ones being spiral and elliptical.  We found out how astronomers work out the amount of galaxies and stars and how they are created.  We learnt a great deal on how all of the elements we need are made and how these elements are distributed throughout the universe during supernovas and explosions of stars.  Dr Nick also answered any questions we had, which was all really interesting!"

Book club Friday lunchtimes

Miss Noble and Miss Ismail have begun their book club again, open to years 7 and 8 students.  This runs on a Friday lunchtime in the Discovery centre, helping to promote literacy and a wider reading culture.  Pop along to see what's happening this week!

Year 8 Celebration ceremony

Today year 8 students took part in their Celebration Ceremony at 2:00pm, with parents also attending the event.  Well done to all of you who received an award!