Year 11 Leavers’ Assembly

We are incredibly thankful and proud to have said a real goodbye to our latest cohort of Year 11 pupils after being unable to do so properly in 2020 due to the initial impact of COVID-19 lockdown.

Our traditional leavers assembly for those departing the school had been held every year since our inception in 1981 until last year.

Determined that the same wouldn’t happen this year, school staff worked tirelessly to make sure the event could be held outside with social distancing measures in place.

The traditional leavers assembly includes prize-giving ceremonies and offers a chance for pupils to say goodbye to one another before starting the next chapter of their lives.

Headteacher Dr Daryl Brown said: “When our pupils join us, they are often really struggling due to their dyslexia and have a lot of catching up to do.

“They can often be shy and withdrawn due to feeling isolated in their previous school.

“By the time they are in Year 11 and ready to leave us, the transformation they have undergone is vast and it really is something that we want to celebrate.

“Nobody really knew what was happening or going to happen this time last year, so that cohort basically got a very simple goodbye - it isn’t what they deserved after working so hard and it wasn’t how we wanted them to leave.

“Schools are a community and everybody from pupils to parents and the school staff have all worked hard to make sure we got to say a proper goodbye this time around.”

This year’s Head Boy, Jacob Green, from Stoke-on-Trent, said: “I have been here four years and it’s been a rollercoaster, i’ve learned so much I don’t know where to start. I am excited to move on now - i’ll be focusing on my favourite subject, Geography, at college.”

Head Girl, Sophie Fletcher, from Walsall, said: “My time at Maple Hayes has made me feel more confident - I can talk to people now, i’m better at speaking and listening and feeling comfortable with myself.”

GCSE Results Day 20th August 2020

Congratulations to all our year 11 pupils on their grades and for making it through a very challenging school year. We are pleased the results reflect the grades we thought the pupils would have been able to achieve, had the examinations been able to go ahead.

We wish them well for the future and we hope to be organising some form of leavers event when we safely can.

Pupils Boost Art Skills During Lockdown

During the lockdown period, we encouraged our pupils to get creative and focus some time on art. The sketchbook challenge aimed to encourage improvements in our artistic students as they worked from home. 

The response was incredible, with a large number of pupils really taking the challenge to heart and showing some real progress.

You can find a selection of the work here.

Phased return commencing 1st June 2020

All parents have been contacted by Miss Cain regarding a phased return to school.

We had a very successful week in school last week with the social distancing measures in place. The pupils were excellent and enjoyed their days. Everything has gone well with Year 5 and 6 in school plus the key worker group.

Please can parents remind their children to bring in any work they have completed at home in to school when they attend as part of the phased return.

Parents have been sent a letter via email with the specific details of their child’s phased return.

Thank you to all parents for their kind comments so far about the school set up and for the positive feedback on the work that has been sent home.

Please contact the school office if you have any questions.

We hope you and your families are well.

Changes to the school calendar following government advice

Swimming sessions at the Friary are cancelled for Juniors - please bring normal PE kit to school.

Gym sessions at Burntwood Leisure Centre are cancelled for Year 11 - please continue to bring normal PE kit to school.

Year 10 parents evening is cancelled 2/4/2020. Pupils will receive their school reports at the end of term either in person or via post if school is closed.

Whitemoor Lakes is following the same guidance as schools and the residential for Year 8 will go ahead if school is open. If schools close during the residential, pupils will return to Maple Hayes and be dismissed from there.

The Wales trip parent meeting 28/3/20 will go ahead as planned unless school is closed.

Coronavirus - Government advice for schools

Dear Parent/Carer Re: Coronavirus and advice for schools

The latest government guidance has advised schools to share the following information with pupils, parents and staff.

Although the current risk in the UK is low and we do not have any current concerns in our setting, we are taking a proactive approach.

We are aware of schools in the Midlands area that have either closed or taken action due to flu like symptoms being present in school.

The advice from the government is as follows:

People can continue to go to work, school and other public places. You only need to stay away from school if you’ve been:

• To Hubei province in China in the last 14 days

• To Iran, areas of northern Italy in lockdown or ‘special care zone' areas in South Korea since 19 February

• To other parts of mainland China or South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath

• To other parts of northern Italy (anywhere north of Pisa, Florence and Rimini), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar since 19 February and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath

• In close contact with someone with confirmed coronavirus

• Living with a family member who has symptoms of coronavirus

• Have presented with a cough, breathing difficulties or a fever

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Call 111, stay indoors and avoid close contact with other people.

Symptoms of Coronavirus are fever, coughing, a sore throat and difficulty breathing.

If your child has a sibling that attends a school that has reported action regarding Coronavirus parents must notify us of this before sending your child to school at Maple Hayes. Please contact the school office on 01543 264387 or office@dyslexia.school.

We have been talking to the pupils in school about regular handwashing and the “Catch It, Bin It, Kill It” message.

We are taking extra precautions in school to help reduce the spreading of germs and we kindly ask parents to support this by:

• talking to their child about the importance of this and;

• ensuring that their child carries tissues at school especially if they have a cold or ‘sniffles’

• washing Tupperware/snack boxes every night that pupils use for snacks

It should be remembered that most respiratory illnesses are likely to be the common cold or, in extreme cases, influenza.

Any staff or pupils who display symptoms or who are in a household with people displaying these symptoms should remain away from Maple Hayes for 14 days

If you have any questions please contact the school office on 01543 264387 or on office@dyslexia.school.

February Half-Term News Update

We hope that everyone is enjoying a well deserved break after a very busy half term at Maple Hayes. We have lots to celebrate and be proud of.

College Preparation

Year 10 mock interviews for college a huge success in January – thank you to Rick Hill at Lichfield Bridgebuilders and all their volunteers for helping prepare our pupils for the next stage of their education.

PCSO visit

PCSO Tracey Horton recently visited the school and spent the morning with our Year 9 pupils - leading a workshop based around how to keep yourself safe online.

PCSO Horton commented that she was impressed with our pupils and their attitude and maturity towards online safety.

She will be back in school soon to visit more of our pupils which is very exciting.

Bedstone Cross Country

A group of 18 pupils went on a visit to Bedstone in Shropshire to compete in the ISA cross country event. 

The following pupils were taken on the two hour journey by Mrs Grubb and Dr Brown to compete against other independent schools:

Codey Longmore

Monty Gambrell

William Willis

James Robinson

Harrison Smith

Edward Gray

Niamh Farrell

Erin Robins

Jacob Blakemore

Amaan Jhetam

Archie Smith

Liam Robins

Jacob Green

Loui Charles

Robert Ramsden

William Robinson

Lewis Binks

Oliver Esposito

All pupils performed really well, supporting each other and representing the school positively. 

A Special mention goes to Jacob Green who came 19th in the Under 16 boys race which is an excellent performance.

William Robinson was also selected to represent the school’s district and country cross country championships on 1st February and we are very proud of this well-deserved sporting achievement.

Koala Bear Adoption

With the generosity of our pupils and parents, not only have we made a $500 donation to the Koala Hospital Port Macquarie, but we have adopted Koala bears Anwen and Paul, who were the first rescued bears from the Australian bush fires! We have adoption certificates on display in school for all our pupils to see.

A donation of $555 has also been made to the Australian Red Cross.

Next half term

Next half term will be a busy one with plenty to look forward to. 

Year 8 will set off for the Whitemoor Lakes residential for a week of activities on 23rd March. 

The parents meeting for this trip will be on Saturday 7th March and letters will go home with pupils in due course.

Year 8’s will also visit the Wedgewood factory on 10th March which is linked to the topic of ‘slavery’ they are studying in English.

The school is also holding its annual SEN legal advice workshop on 14th March in partnership with HCB solicitors. 

Tickets can be booked at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/special-educational-needs-and-ehcp-funding-seminar-tickets-89580189759

Year 10 parents evening will take place on 2nd April 2020 at 2.30pm

We wish all our pupils and their families a very happy, safe and restful half term break.

Pupils raise money for Australian bushfire crisis

Our caring pupils have grouped together and raised funds to assist with the Australian bushfire crisis.

We have raised more than £600 through charitable activities arranged especially to lend a helping hand to the cause, which has shocked the world.

Despite being located on the other side of the world from the tragedy, our pupils showed solidarity by wearing an item of green, yellow or gold clothing to represent Australia’s national colours, while making a donation to either Australian Red Cross or Port Macquarie Koala Bear Hospital.

School prefects Sophia Zaman and Lily Stevenson came up with the idea to fundraise for the cause, which was backed by head teacher Dr Daryl Brown.

Dr Brown said: “It was a really thoughtful idea from Sophia and Lily to get everyone together in a bid to show support and offer a helping hand to those in Australia and the total raised shows the compassion our students have.

“To split the total between two different charities also shows their awareness of the situation and how this is not just one part of society affected.”

Merry Christmas from Maple Hayes

It has been a busy Christmas build-up at Maple Hayes, with lots to celebrate as we enter the festive season.

Year 11 mock exams and a new Head Boy

We would like to congratulate our Year 11 pupils for recently completing their mock examinations. Working so hard in the run up to the Christmas holidays will pay off in the near future!

Congratulations are also in order for Year 11 pupil Ben Owen, who has been promoted to Head Boy. 

Ben continues to be a credit to the school and can be very proud of his achievements.

Festive theatre 

Year 10 pupils and staff had a great time at the Lichfield Garrick Theatre, enjoying a performance of Cinderella for our annual Christmas pantomime trip. 

This is a wonderful Maple Hayes Christmas tradition and is enjoyed by both pupils and staff.

We also welcomed parents of Key Stage 2 and Year 7 pupils to watch our Christmas production of Peter Pan followed by drinks and mince pies in the school hall.

Our performers put on a fantastic display after working very hard since September with some pupils learning up to 100 lines! 

A special thanks goes to the staff who have also put in the hard work to make this show a success.

Whole School House Cross Country Competition

As always at the end of the autumn term we finish with the Whole School House Cross Country Competition. 

This year the pupils braved difficult wet and cold conditions, all showing a great attitude, determination and effort to win points for their house.

It was a very close competition and for the first time in a long time Shannon House ran out the Maple Hayes 2019 Cross Country champions. 

House captain Sophia Zaman was the proud recipient of the Cross-Country House Shield for this year.

The winners for each race were:

Junior race: Codey Longmore

Year 7 boys: Monty Gambrell

Year 8 boys: Edward Gray

Year 9 boys: Jacob Blakemore

Year 10 boys: Jacob Green

Year 11 boys: Will Robinson

Year 7 - 11 girls: Sophia Zaman

Trips and Treats

Mrs Rhodes and Mrs Veszpremi took 15 junior pupils to go bowling in Stafford as part of our Reading Reward Scheme. 

Those who took part made time to read at home every day to help improve literacy and reading skills - well done to everyone who have made such an effort with this.

On the last day of term, the whole school enjoyed a wonderfully festive Christmas Lunch in the school hall followed by a speech from our Head Pupils.

We would like to wish all our pupils and their families a very Merry Christmas and the very best for 2020.

Maple Hayes Dyslexia School news update November 19th

Christmas may be on the horizon but we are as busy as ever at Maple Hayes.

Odd socks day raises awareness and cash for Anti-Bullying Alliance

We actively participated in Anti-Bullying Week 2019, working with our pupils to help them better understand the impact bullying can have and why it has no place in our school.

We used assembly time to share stories of how bullying can affect someone's life and discuss how it can be stamped out through a collective effort.

The theme of this year’s Anti-Bullying Week was ‘a change starts with us’ and hopefully we got that message out to all of our pupils.

Staff and pupils also participated in ‘odd socks day’, which is designed to encourage people to embrace their individuality and show that being different is OK - raising £80 for the Anti-Bullying Alliance in the process.

Remembrance Day

We are keen to instil a sense of pride and respect in our students around Remembrance Day.

A two minute silence was held, while we also sold poppies and remembrance wristbands, with a really supportive response from pupils.

The event was particularly poignant after a recent visit from the Chelsea Pensioners.

Roy Palmer, part of the group who visited in October, sent us a book containing his memories from the war, which was used during our Remembrance Day assembly.

Sports science students complete First Aid course

Our year 11 sports science students recently completed a First Aid course with St Johns Ambulance as part of their work for the Cambridge National Award in Sports Science. 

All students passed and the visitors leading the course were really impressed with their behaviour and knowledge of first aid skills.

Congratulations!

Black Country Museum trip

Our Key Stage 2 pupils have recently enjoyed a trip to the famous Black Country Museum.

It is worth a special mention that those who attended were so well behaved that the museum allowed them to see some extra sights that others do not normally see such as the fake blood! 

Across the day, we attended various science workshops and everyone really enjoyed themselves. 

Our Year 8 will be visiting after Christmas so please keep a look out for letters being sent home.

NEC Skills Show

Year 10 pupils will be attending the Skills Show at Birmingham NEC this Friday, where they will have a chance to learn new skills alongside getting up to date careers advice and access to apprenticeship and job opportunities.

This is a key part of their journey towards making that next important step - thinking about life after GCSE’s.

Shoebox Appeal

We have collected 30 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's 'Operation Christmas Child' this year. 

Pupils have donated toys, school supplies and hygiene items which are sent abroad to disadvantaged children. 

We are very pleased with the contribution to this appeal from our pupils and their families and we will continue to do this every year.

Maple Hayes Dyslexia School news update October 25th

With October half-term upon us we hope all of our pupils enjoy a relaxing break and come back refreshed.

Prefect Team

Dr Brown has appointed a Head Student and two Deputy Head Students for this academic year from Year 11.

Congratulations to:

Head Girl: Grace McLean-Blake

Deputy Head Boy: Ben Owen

Deputy Head Boy: Jake Flood

These pupils will lead the Prefect and Vice Prefect Team for the year and support both pupils and staff throughout the school. 

They have been recognised with this responsibility for their hard work, excellent behaviour, positive attitude to learning and leadership skills.

Sporting Success

We would like to congratulate the following pupils for representing Maple Hayes in the Cannock Schools Cross Country competition at the Friary School. 

Our runners performed exceptionally well in tough conditions, showing superb determination, sportsmanship and endeavour during the competition. 

The pupils that took part were a credit to the school and themselves. 

These were: Edward Gray, Jacob Blakemore, Archie Smith, Loui Charles, Amaan Jhetam, Harry Wood, Oliver Esposito, Robert Ramsden, Jake Flood and William Robinson.

Special mention should go out to the sporting achievement of William Robinson, who finished a superb fourth place in the Year 10 and 11 Boys race.

Back at school, Erin-Rose Johnson and Jessica Rees in the Junior created and performed a fantastic gymnastics sequence this week in PE, showcasing their work to school in assembly with superb skill, balance, shape and control, impressing both teachers and pupils.

Congratulations to Codey Longmore and Harry Wood who have been awarded Sports Person of the Week over the last fortnight.

Important Information

Key Stage 2 will be going on a trip to the Black Country Museum on November 7th, so could we please ask parents to ensure that all consent forms are returned to the school office as soon as possible.

We are now collecting shoeboxes for the Samaritan’s Purse in school. 

Please ask the school office for a leaflet on how to pack your shoebox.

We have special Samaritan’s Purse Shoeboxes on sale for 50p for you to fill with your gifts if you wish.

Art Calendar

Following the success of last year’s art calendar, our art department has compiled an updated version for 2020. 

Each year groups work will be given a showcase of two months and orders must be placed by November 4th to allow time for printing.

If you would like to purchase a calendar please complete the slip your child should have brought home and hand in to the school office or Mrs Griffin stating how many you would like. 

These make great Christmas pressies!

Each class from Key Stage 2 and 3 have also designed a Christmas card and we are offering them to parents and carers for £4 per pack of 10.

Safeguarding over the holiday

Safeguarding pupils continues to be a top priority at Maple Hayes School throughout the school holidays, which can be full of hazards and risks for pupils.

If you are concerned about a child over the half term break please use the following resources:

Staffordshire County Council's First Response Service: 0800 1313 126

Emergency Duty Service/Out of Hours Service: Telephone: 0345 604 2886/Mobile: 07815 492613. In an emergency always call 999.

We kindly ask that parents monitor their child's use of the internet over the holidays. 

Please visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk for further information on how to keep your child safe online or use the school package on National Online Safety https://nationalonlinesafety.com/ that was sent to parents last term.

The School Office is open during half term Monday - Friday between 9am and 1pm. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Murray, Mrs Starkey or Miss Cain in the office on 01543 264387 or via email: office@dyslexia.school

Maple Hayes welcomes Chelsea Pensioners for second year

Earlier this week, we had the honour of welcoming a group of five Chelsea Pensioners to meet staff and students at Maple Hayes.

The Chelsea Pensioners are the iconic faces of the UK’s veteran community and brought a lot of joy into our Monday afternoon.

After meeting with Dr Daryl Brown and Dr Neville Brown, the group met our excited juniors before sitting down for lunch.

George, Peter, Jim, Roy and John tucked into spaghetti and meatballs followed by chocolate cake, with each taking a seat at a table of our pupils.

After lunch the Pensioners, who had visited the National Memorial Arboretum earlier in the day, posed for photos and were given a guided tour of the school.

They were then reintroduced to the same pupils who they met a year ago on their first visit for a catch-up.

We would like to thank everyone involved in bringing the Chelsea Pensioners to Maple Hayes, including Jenny Rhodes, KS2 and Year 7 coordinator, who played a key role in organising the visit.

Open morning showcases Maple Hayes Dyslexia School to parents

Maple Hayes Dyslexia School welcomed parents of Key Stage 2 and Year 7 students from across the Midlands to the school for our latest open morning.

Led by Dr Daryl Brown and senior staff, parents were given a chance to explore the school, see classes in action and ask crucial questions relating to their child’s future.

The morning got underway with a presentation from the Headteacher on Maple Hayes’ unique teaching methods and approach to transforming the educational outcomes of our dyslexic pupils before attendees were given a guided tour around the site.

Our students who were in the middle of Saturday classes took the time to show their work to our visitors and talk about how their days were going, which was great to see.

After a short break, the open morning continued with a talk on Education Health and Care plans and how Maple Hayes can work with parents to try and make the transition from mainstream education as smooth as possible for them and their child.

The feedback staff received from parents throughout the morning was highly positive, with particular focus on the good behaviour of our pupils, their focus on their work and the ethos that is behind everything we do at Maple Hayes.

We are looking forward to our next SEN workshop on 14th March 2020 where parents can take advantage of independent legal advice and seek further details on the process behind the Education Health and Care Plan. We will advertise this event after Christmas.

Maple Hayes Dyslexia School news update October 10th

As we approach the Autumn half-term, the last two weeks have been super busy but we still have so much to look forward to!

Swimming for success

A number of pupils attended the ISA Swimming Gala at Walsall Swimming Baths on October 3rd, accompanied by Mrs Veszpremi and Mrs Grubb. 

The squad consisted of Niamh Farrell, Summer Warrilow, Alfonzus Gilmore, Monty Gambrell, Charlie Haynes, Cleeve Poxon, Will Murdock, Lewis Binks, Elsie Oliver, Cody Moore and Jacob Blakemore. 

We are very proud of all their performances, competing against some of the top sporting Independent schools in the Midlands.

All of our pupils behaved impeccably and represented Maple Hayes very well. 

Sports and art stars

Congratulations to Alice Coats who was awarded Sports Person of the Week for w/c September 27th and Oliver Hill who earned the title for w/c October 4th.

Well done too to Grace McLean-Blake, our Artist of the Week for w/c September 27th and Ben Owen for October 4th.

We would like to encourage all of our winners to keep up the hard work and push our pupils to put themselves in the running for these awards in the future.

At the Zoo

Our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils took a trip to Twycross Zoo on October 10th  with Mrs Rhodes and Mrs Lovatt to participate in the workshop ‘Biomes of the World’. 

Pupils were given the chance to learn more about the difference between continents, biomes and habitats, studying different animals and identify their adaptations, as well as exploring what characteristics animals share in some of the world’s most wonderful biomes. 

Flu vaccinations

Flu vaccinations for all pupils will take place on October 16th. 

Please could parents return the associated forms to the School Office by the end of this week if you wish for your child to have this vaccination.

Chelsea Pensioners

We are looking forward to welcoming the Chelsea Pensioners, who are returning to Maple Hayes after thoroughly enjoying their previous visit last school year. 

They will be having lunch with some pupils, as well as a tour of the school on October 21st.

Dates

Please note that our holiday dates for 2020-2021 will be published during October half term on the school website.

As always, please contact the office if you have any questions on 01543 264387 or office@dyslexia.school

Maple Hayes Dyslexia School news update September 24th