NewsletterHalf Term 4 Parent Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers, 

As a very busy Spring Term draws to a close, I wish to take this opportunity to say a huge well done to all staff at NFS for their hard work and commitment to providing enriching and exciting opportunities for our students. As the newest members to the NFS family, our Year 7 students enjoyed a very active trip to the outdoor center at Walesby, creating memories that I hope will stay with them for a long time. Other highlights to the term include:

• Year 10 students being inspired by a talk from biomedical university students
• Year 9 students visiting Cambridge Univeristy 
• Year 10 students taking part in a Shakespeare performance at Oxford University 

Our wonderful Year 11 and Year 13 students have continued to show remarkable resilience and courage in their ongoing preparations for their upcoming examinations.  One particular year 13 student deserves a special mention; Abdalla Abdalla, who has been awarded the Youth Power Award for being such an inspiration to the entire community at NFS. 

I hope you find the following articles interesting and informative. Please note the opportunity for parents/carers to be involved in our July Culture Day. I hope this is something that you might consider. 

Wishing you and your family an enjoyable break and we all look forward to seeing your child(ren) on Tuesday 22nd April. 

Yours faithfully, 

Dr J Simpson

What's happening in Half Term 5?

• Tue 22 April - Stop The Bleed Workshop for all Year 10 children
• Tue 22 April - Year 10 Parent-Teacher Meetings event (4-7pm) EARLY SCHOOL FINISH OF 2:45pm
• Mon 28 April - Israel-Palestine Speakers for Year 9 - 13 Student Leaders 
• Tue 29 April - Year 8 Parent-Teacher Meetings event (4-7pm) EARLY SCHOOL FINISH OF 2:45pm
• Tue 6 May - Year 11 and 13 School Photos
• Thu 8 May - Formal GCSE and A-Level Exams begin
• Wed 14 May - GCSE Drama Year 10 War Horse Theatre visit (1-4:30pm)
• Tue 20 - Thu 22May - Year 10 Work Experience 

On Tuesday 1st April, Year 10 Triple Science enjoyed a visit from two Biomedical Scientists from Nottingham Trent University. Claudia Pearse and Chloe Lee Varley gave information about Biomedical Science and followed up with a practical session. A very informative and enjoyable session for all.

Mrs Barrett - Careers Coordinator

The Youth Power Awards is an organisation that celebrates inspirational young people, who are making a difference in their communities. Whether they've helped others, shown leadership, overcome challenges, or displayed an incredible talent, The Youth Power Awards want to recognise and uplift these young people. Staff from our school proudly nominated a number of students for the great work they have done in the school and local community. We are delighted to announce that Abdalla Abdalla in Year 13 has been chosen as the winner of the Young Inspiration Award. 

Since joining Nottingham Free School Sixth Form in September 2023, Abdalla has consistently demonstrated that he is a wonderful ambassador for equality and diversity within our community and a natural born leader. Here are some of the awesome things that Abdalla has done for our community:

• As Student Vice-President for Equality and Diversity, the first opportunity Abdalla had to demonstrate his fantastic leadership skills was chairing the NFS Israel-Palestine Forum.
• Abdalla led a fundraising project for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The £832.02 sum raised for charity was the highest ever at Nottingham Free School, with all money donated to the Egyptian Red Crescent charity to support children impacted by the conflict.
• Abdalla also worked in conjunction with Mrs Inglis and Mrs Wilken (joint Heads of Personal Development at Nottingham Free School) to arrange a visit from the group Solutions Not Sides.
• Abdalla has also be instrumental in supporting and inspiring members of our school’s Muslim community, through leading the Zuhr/lunchtime salah prayers. Abdallah will organise the room and facilitate spaces for males and females to pray. Abdallah often leads the prayers and on a Friday for Jummah prayers he often delivers a khutbah/sermon to offer guidance to his fellow students on a religious or moral matter.

It goes without saying that every member of staff is immensely proud of Abdalla for the unique achievement. Abdalla is pictured above with Romel Davies from the Youth Power Awards organisation and Mr Cleveley (Abdalla's very proud Head of Sixth Form). 

Well done, Abdalla! We hope you enjoy your awards evening on Friday 25 April. The red carpet awaits!

In the realms of design and technology, students have been actively engaged in completing their practical work. The Year 7 students have been immersed in the fascinating world of shaping and molding plastics and how this is done in industry. This has led to the creation of some impressive pieces of packaging.

Meanwhile, Year 8 students have been exceptionally busy making their own pewter accessories inspired by Alessi. Under the guidance of Miss Cockayne, they have consistently exhibited remarkable resilience in every lesson, a testament to their dedication and hard work.

Year 9 students have also been diligently working on their tote bags, resulting in some stunning designs. Throughout this process, they have explored various fabric finishes, including tie dyeing, batik, and sublimation printing, expanding their understanding of textile art.

As we look forward to the summer term, Miss Cockayne is thrilled about the exciting projects ahead. Year 7 students will dive into using CAD software to design a puzzle game. Year 8 students will work with timber to create birdhouses inspired by a variety of renowned designers, and Year 9 students will have the opportunity to 3D print their very own phone cases.

Below, you will find a selection of the remarkable products that have been made so far. Stay tuned for more creative endeavours ahead!

Miss Cockayne - Teacher of Design Technology and Head of Year

Every year, NFS holds a fabulous Culture Day. 

NFS Culture Day aims to:

• Express our diversity and inclusivity, by putting every culture on a pedestal.​
• Celebrate our diversity including our beliefs, cultures, interests and differences.​
• Unite and better understand each other.​

In the afternoon, the school congregates on the school sports field to engage in cultural activities. 

This year, we would love parents/carers to help us celebrate Culture Day by offering stalls or activities that celebrate different cultural heritages. 

If you would like to help, please register your interest here: https://forms.office.com/e/A0K3RqVxCT 

Nuestra Escuela is a Sunday school for families with Hispanic heritage who want to offer their children Spanish lessons. It also serves as a gathering point to promote Hispanic culture and connect with other families. The school meets every Sunday at Nottingham High School, offering lessons for children aged 1 to 11. Lessons for older students may be offered if there is interest, and they currently offer lessons for non-Hispanic partners who want to learn the language.

The association is a charity, and none of the organizers are paid. The £20 registration fee and £5 per lesson are entirely invested in renting the facilities and compensating the teachers.

If you are interested, please visit the website at https://nuestraescuela.co.uk/, check out the active Facebook page, or send an email to hola@nuestraescuela.co.uk 

I am pleased to share there will be a number of supportive boosters running over the Easter Holiday's for year 11. 

• Monday 7th April - Food and DT NEA support - 9am-12pm and 1-4pm
• Tuesday 8th April - History - 11am-1pm and 1:30-3:30pm
• Wednesday 9th April - Business - 11A 9-10am, 11C 10-11am, 11D 11am-12pm
• Thursday 10th April - Spanish Speaking - 9-11am
• Monday 14th April - RE - securing a grade 4+ 10am-12pm, securing a grade 7+ 1-3pm
• Tuesday 15th April - Art - 8am-4pm
• Tuesday 15th April - Drama - 9am-12pm

Attendance: Whilst these sessions are optional, there may be some students and parents/carers who are contacted by staff to encourage attendance. 

Access the building: If your child would like to attend these sessions please ensure they arrive on time, as they may struggle to gain access to the building once the session has started.

Lunch: If they are staying over a lunch, they will be allowed to leave in the break and return for the afternoon. Students will not be able to buy lunch in school, but they are able to bring a packed lunch if this is preferred.

On a splendid sunny day, 11 Year 9 students, accompanied by Miss Cockayne and Mr. Eyres, enjoyed a remarkable outing to Cambridge as part of the Ambition Nottingham programme. The day was filled with enriching experiences, including an engaging question-and-answer session with current University of Cambridge students. This interaction provided valuable insights into university life and academic pursuits.

The students also had the opportunity to explore Peterhouse College, where they were guided through its historic grounds and learned about the college's rich heritage. Additionally, their visit to the Fitzwilliam museum allowed them to view a variety of fascinating historical artifacts, deepening their appreciation for history and culture.

With the sun shining brightly throughout the day, it allowed everyone to relish the beauty of the picturesque gardens. Miss Cockayne is proud in the way the students conducted themselves, showcasing their enthusiasm and respect during the entire visit. This experience not only broadened their horizons but also inspired them to think about their future academic ambitions.

Miss Cockayne and Mr Eyers

In their PD-Enrichment lessons (Art) Key Stage 3 students have been making paper sculptures of food and packaging inspired by Claes Oldenburg. I think you will agree with me that the results are stunning.

Miss Davies (Art and Design Trainee Teacher)