Weekly Newsletters

I am delighted to inform you that we have been awarded this week, recognition for being in the top 25% of sixth forms in the country for the third year running. Just under 3,000 sixth forms and colleges in the UK use a measurement of student progress called ALPS.  We have been recognised by ALPS as a top 25% centre for the progress we make and achievement we secure at  A level and in vocational qualifications for our students. 

As we move into the new year, students in Year 10 and 11 need to be mindful of our success rate and the excellent guidance that we provide, ensuring that they are on the correct courses at appropriate centres.  Next week, Mr Abbott will be explaining to Year 11 the Post16 Taster Day schedule which takes place on Friday 10 January where there will be a differentiated experience for students wishing to explore our sixth form and for those wanting to go to the local colleges.

Finally, we will close at approximately 13.30 on Friday for the holidays.  There will be a final newsletter next week.
 

Bryan Erwin
Principal

This an opportunity for students and parents/carers to hear from the subject leaders of English, Maths and Science on how to make the most of the remaining time in the build up to the GCSE exams. Vital information will be shared, as well as guidance given on key revision sessions being held in school. 
 
There will also be the opportunity to speak to the subjects leaders if you have any questions. We are keen to work alongside parents/carers in helping our students meet and exceed their target grades and look forward to welcoming you to the evening.
 

Mr T Hussain
Assistant Principal

The financial education programme by Metro Bank teaches young people how money, banking and personal finance work.

The visit to the store today allowed the students to meet various staff, finding out about their roles within the bank and they were also able to see the bank vaults.  Metro Bank are keen to encourage their younger customers to start learning about savings early and they got the opportunity to see the Bank's Magic Money Machine, an interactive machine which rewards members for saving.  They finished the visit by learning how to calculate compound interest for a savings account customer.

Many thanks to the staff at Metro Bank for hosting us today.
 

Mrs R Patman
Pupil Premium Administrator & Careers/Wellbeing Mentor

It's a classic that everyone seems to know but few have read. Whether you're staff or a student and you're still interested in joining, please see Mr Billson in 1U10 for more information.

Anyone in the Book Clubs will tell you the difference to their reading being part of a group has made, both in the varied choices of books, the discussions and the many benefits of reading at least one book a month.

The Staff Book Club is now into its second year while the Student Book Club is now five years old! 
 

Mr K Billson
English

We would like to show you what your son or daughter does in English at Year Seven and beyond, by giving you a series of taster lessons in English reading, writing and speaking and listening.

The ‘lessons’ will be friendly, interesting and creative; they will last an hour in the evening at a time most suited to all.
This is a great chance to support your child’s learning, gain an insight into English at Secondary School level and re-kindle an enjoyment of learning.

If you think you might be interested please contact
Mrs Ayre - a.ayre [at] kscs.org.uk - Telephone 01733 765950 ext 272
 

Mrs A Ayre

Royal Sun Alliance in Lynchwood welcomed our Year 7 students into their business. Students worked with employees discussing what skills they would need to be successful in the workplace.  Students then had a tour of the building.  Many thanks to Enabling Enterprise and Royal Sun Alliance staff for supporting our students.

Peterborough Skills Service delivered their “Ducks Challenge” to Year 8 students with the support of BGL, Perkins, Ab-Agri and BCVideo.  Many thanks once again to all visitors supporting our students.

Post 16 History Students visited Anglia Ruskin University to experience History Fest, a day in the life of a History student.

Post 16 students attended a Youth Employment Forum to discuss (alongside businesses around the city) plans to make Peterborough a “Youth Friendly City”. Hopefully this group will develop a plan on how to tackle youth unemployment in the city and give students more opportunities.

Year 13 students attended the NHS Discovery Day organised by Anglia Ruskin University and Peterborough Hospital. Students spent the morning attending workshops delivered by student nurses, midwifes and lecturers and in the afternoon enjoyed a motivational talk by a pharmacist alongside a visit to the Special Care Unit and the Special Care Baby Unit.

Year 12 Law students attended a Law Event at Norwich University led by Causeway Education which took the students through the process of applying for internships with Allen and Overy.  We wish our students the best of luck in achieving one of the positions which includes work experience, one to one mentoring and access to resources to help them on their journey.

Year 10 and Year 12 female students attended the Monster Confidence event led by Stemettes and hosted by CDW in Hampton. They enjoyed a day of workshops regarding profiles and CV’s, presentation skills and interview skills. Many thanks to Kerry from CDW who did a fantastic job of showing us around the business and hosting, Beth from GCHQ (its ok Beth your secret is safe with us!) and Dr Anne- Marie Imafidon  MBE who at the age of 11 was the youngest girl to pass A Level Computing. All were fantastic role models in inspiring our female students.  

We are also continuing with the “Advice with a Slice” sessions for Post 16 students, pathways workshops for Year 9 students and one to one career interviews for Year 11 students.

Year 8 students have been completing their Career Investigator online programme. This programme produces a report which is email to the student’s school email address. Please do encourage your child to share this with you as it highlights skills they have and job families that they could potentially be suited to.

I would like to thank all who have supported our extensive Careers Programme over the past half term and if you would like to support our programme in any way please do contact me at a.ayre [at] kscs.org.uk. 
 

Mrs A Ayre

Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Peer Relations and Social Behaviour Study aims to investigate young people’s friendships and their social behaviour at school. We hope that the findings will help to promote positive school environments, support prosocial behaviour, and reduce aggression in schools. 

As part of the study, more than 60 Year 9 pupils completed an online survey and answered questions about their attitudes, their friends, and their school. In addition, 18 pupils attended a follow-up interview to discuss how they spend their time during the school week.  

It was a pleasure to work with Ken Stimpson pupils and I really enjoyed visiting the school. The pupils were enthusiastic and engaged brilliantly with the project. I was particularly impressed by their insightful questions and thoughtful responses. I am also grateful for the support of Mr. Whales, Mrs. Nickerson and Mrs. Kelly who kindly facilitated this research. I look forward to sharing the findings from the study in due course.
 

Laura Kennedy
PhD Researcher, Cambridge University

As part of their transition project, Sport Studies students had to plan, organise and lead a Multi Sports Festival. Following a large amount of work on teamwork and leadership skills, the students were let loose organising their event. Groups were chosen and planning of stations within the festival commenced, with every little detail being taken into consideration. A number of stations were created, varying from bean bag balance whilst walking on a bench, skittles, target hoops, speed bounce, tennis ball balance and many more.
 
In total we had 50 year 1 and 2 children attend the festival who left Ken Stimpson with the biggest grin on their faces, and that was all down to our fantastic Sports Leaders. The students did not only themselves but the whole school proud, and we cannot wait to organise the next one!

Miss Z Marley
PE

The methane bubbles took everyone by surprise and gave a 'Harry Potter feel' to the session with many wanting to set alight Miss Chalmers and Miss Davies hands over and over again!!

The Elephants toothpaste needs some working on- but we managed to get a big explosive eruption!

Mrs N Chalmers
Science

While we appreciate that Y11 students need a chance to relax and refresh themselves in this 2 weeks, our students also know how much information they have to learn for Science. The recent PPEs have highlighted a lack of home revision for a number of students, so this work has been emailed to support that. These past papers are not intended to be treated as a test, more as an opportunity to keep their Year 10 Science information fresh in their minds, using revision guides and other resources to help.

We appreciate your support in encouraging all Year 11 students to complete these test papers, thank you.

Mrs K Young
Science KS4 Coordinator