Senior & Prep School News | 19th June 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians, I hope this finds you well. It has been really pleasing to welcome back some of our Year 10 and Year 12 pupils this week on Tuesday and today. Everything went to plan operationally which is testament to the staff and pupils. I know staff and pupils enjoyed being back. We will continue with this model next week adding Year 10 Food Technology as well. Year 12 pupils and parents will have received further details regarding the next stage of the Higher Education and Careers programme. There is some action required, if applicable, to respond to Mrs Longstaffe or Mr Boot. Thank you for your attention to this. Last week I talked about the innovation amongst our Graphics pupils, and this week it is the turn of our Musicians. You may have noticed through our social media platforms musical performances throughout the week. This has been put in place to replace our music concerts, which would have taken place at school this week in normal circumstances. You will have seen and heard performances from Harry M (Year 11), our Lockdown Choir, our Lockdown Mass Ensembles Group, Honey M (Year 8) and Charlie A-J (Year 13). Thank you to all involved in putting this together, not only the arrangements and performances but also the editing as well. The end result has been most impressive. Another excellent opportunity, which it has been very pleasing to see a good number of our pupils sign up to, is the Digital Explorers course. The programme is designed to give students an insight into digital and tech careers and will run as a series of five interactive one-day events from Monday, 29 June – Friday, 3 July 2020. On completion of the programme pupils will have an insight into a breadth of tech careers, understand the essential skills required for the sector and will graduate as Challenger level Industrial Cadets. Key Stage 3 pupils will look at app designs and technology inventions, while Key Stage 4/5 pupils will explore tech start-ups and the impact they have had. Mrs Mason, Head of Science, is overseeing this opportunity. I hope you have a nice weekend. My very best wishes, Mark Wallace Lincoln Minster School Headmaster
Lincoln Minster School
www.lincolnminsterschool.co.uk | communications@lincolnminsterschool.co.uk
Message from the Headmaster
Message from the Head of Pre-Prep/Prep
Dear Parents & Guardians We welcome Year 2 back on Monday at Pre-Prep on a part-time basis and it will be good to at least have one site back to capacity before the end of the school year. These days in school will help Year 2 take the very big step over to Prep in September. I appreciate that others not returning will be disappointed, but as I said in assembly this morning we need to focus on the future, in particular, September and hope that guidance and the plans for schools enable us to bring everyone back. Usually at this time of year we are very busy organizing such events as sports day, prize giving and the many other end of year celebrations. It feels very strange that these events are unable to go ahead, however it is only right that we say farewell to our Year 6 pupils and mark the occasion in the best way we can. We are planning a socially distanced picnic on the school field for Year 6 on the last day of term. There won’t be the usual hugs and closeness, but we will do our very best to make it a special occasion for them. Staff are in the process of preparing end of year reports which you will receive either at the end of term or during the early part of the holidays. The reports follow the same format and are based on the whole year, however for the Trinity term the judgements will be based purely on teacher assessment as we have been unable to carry out our usual termly formal assessment in Maths and English. Weather is looking good for next week with very warm temperatures on some days. Please make sure your child has sun cream and brings a hat and of course they are welcome to wear their PE shorts. Have a lovely weekend Best wishes Fiona Thomas Preparatory Head Teacher
This week to celebrate what would have been our school senior music concert we have launched a performance a day on our Music Twitter Account. The performances have been very well received and we would like to congratulate and thank all pupils, peripatetic music staff and other staff who have helped to make this successful. Weekly choir sessions and a newly merged ensemble band have been meeting weekly on teams, it has been wonderful but at the same time is very different from our usual live sessions. In order to create the choir and band sound musicians have to record themselves playing or singing their part on their own, this sounds very different. The sound recordings are then edited together using music software to create the final sound. We are very proud of how students have embraced this new way of music making and when it is safe for us to do so, we will have one amazing live concert with all of our music we have been rehearsing in lockdown! Thank you again to all pupils involved- well done! Mrs Hutchinson Harry M, Year 11, Piano and Voice, ‘I’m a song , sing me’ by Neil Sedaka, arrangement by Bev Jones Mass Ensemble, ‘Coldplay Classics’ arr. Michael Brown Trumpet: Grace W, Year 11 & Mr Palmer Clarinet: Ms Winter (Vocal teacher) Bassoon: Mrs Hutchinson Violin: Liv Jessop, Year 8 Cello: Honey M, Year 8, Mrs Hill (Cello teacher) Marimba: Zoe Scheuregger (Piano and percussion teacher) Drum Kit: Jack Harris, Year 12, Rob Clark (Drums teacher) Honey M, Year 8, Cello Suite, No. 1 Prelude, G major, Bach Choir, ‘Game of Thrones Theme’, arr. J. Werry Soprano: Aakash P, Year 7, Honey M, Georgia S, Year 9 Alto: Georgia S, Mrs Glenn-Batchelor Alto 2: Mrs Hutchinson Baritone: Harry M Bass: Harry M Charlie A-J, Year 13, saxophone, extract from Rondo, Concerto for Saxophone, R. Binge, accompanied by Mr Davies
Music News - Senior School Concert
Lincoln Minster School Remote Concert Programme
Drama News
Students in both KS3 and KS4 classes have been learning about the performance style of Theatre Company Kneehigh this week. Kneehigh are famous for their colourful, energetic and physical productions and for their use of puppets. Here are a few characters created by students Max and Sam in Year 7, Honey in Year 8 and a rare still of Charlotte Coach Potato, Benjamin Banana and Brian the Sweet Potato, pictured during rehearsals for their latest play by Year 12 student Grace! Mrs Wafer
Mrs Wafer recommends ........... With the longest day of the year approaching, the Globe Theatre are screening their 2013 production of Shakespeare's most loved comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Available until Sunday, 28 June 2020, this is a fast-paced, funny and joyful production. Free to watch via the link below: shakespearesglobe.com/watch/a-midsummer-nights-dream-2013-youtube-premiere-2020
Free Course
News
Digital Explorers There is still time to sign up for this free event. Get in touch with school or visit this website :https://membersarea.etrust.org.uk/ content/digital-explorers-june-2020. Additionally Mrs Mason has registration packs available.
3C: Nancy B - super contribution in form time this week 3D: William J - super contribution to this week’s live English lesson with Mrs Stevenson 4T: Annabel F & Aften C - for fabulous effort and quality of work in English 4TW: Harry C - excellent engagement in Maths and superb pronunciation in French 5H: Lily B - excellent effort across all subjects this week 5D: William S - consistent hard work and effort in History 6B: Elis P - carefully applying the steps in Art and creating a super portrait 6H: Maro - excellent effort in History Music: Isabelle G - for the time and effort she has put into writing an LMS song Sport: Florence - enthusiasm and effort in PE & Games activities Heads Award: Eva H - for showing great independence and focus in her independent studies
Prep Awards
Survey Feedback
We recently undertook a second survey of all parents & pupils across Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior School - firstly, thank you for taking the time.Your feedback from the first survey at the start of lockdown was hugely helpful in allowing us to develop the virtual learning platform and deliver the curriculum in the way we have over the last 3 months. Following on from the previous survey, we have summarised in exactly the same way so you can contrast and compare the differences in responses such as: Survey 1: 74% of parents felt their children were receiving the right amount of work Survey 2: This has jumped to 86% Survey 1: 68% of children spent 3- 5 hours a day on their virtual learning Survey 2: This has jumped to 85% Pupils have found the reduced lesson times have really helped them with concentration and less screen time and they have adapted amazingly well to virtual learning. We had just commenced our learning by Teams as the last survey dropped but I can tell you that nearly 250,000 minutes of live teaching has occurred since we launched it - which is an amazing effort by both teachers and pupils 70% of you were happy with the level of remote support we offer 90% of you had the right technology at home to be able to access all virtual learning 80% of you found it easy to access help from staff if required All in all, you have responded overwhelmingly positively to the virtual learning we have offered, this has helped us to deliver the curriculum for the year on time and as we head for the summer holidays. I hope this gives you an insight into how we continue to listen and respond to the needs of the LMS community and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us or join one of our virtual coffee mornings with the Senior Leadership Team.
Term Dates 2020 - 2022
MICHAELMAS 2020
Boarders Return
Year 7 & 12: Thursday, 3 September 2020 All other years: Sunday, 6 September 2020
First Day of Term
Years 7 & 12: Friday, 4 September 2020 All other years: Monday, 7 September 2020
HALF TERM
Monday, 19 - Friday, 30 October 2020 (incl)
Last Day of Term
Friday, 11 December 2020
Boarders Enrichment
Friday, 25 September 2020 Friday, 20 November 2020
LENT 2021
Sunday, 3 January 2021
Monday, 4 January 2021
Monday, 15 to Friday, 19 February 2021 (incl)
Wednesday, 31 March 2021
TRINITY 2021
Monday, 19 April 2021
Tuesday, 20 April 2021
Monday, 31 May to Friday, 4 June 2021 (incl)
Lincolnshire Show Day
Thursday, 24 June 2021 (School Closed)
Thursday, 1 July 2021
MICHAELMAS 2021
Years 7 & 12: Thursday, 2 September 2021 All other years: Sunday, 5 September 2021
Years 7 & 12: Friday, 3 September 2021 All other years: Monday, 6 September 2021
Monday, 18 to Friday, 29 October 2021 (incl)
Wednesday, 15 December 2021
Friday, 24 September 2021 Friday, 19 September 2021
LENT 2022
Tuesday, 4 January 2022
Wednesday, 5 January 2022
Monday, 14 to Friday, 18 February 2022 (Incl)
Wednesday, 30 March 2022
TRINITY 2022
Monday, 18 April 2022
Fist Day of Term
Tuesday, 19 April 2022
EARLY MAY BANK HOLIDAY
Monday, 2 May 2022
Monday, 30 May to Friday, 3 June 2022 (Incl)
Thursday, 23 June 2022 (School closed)
Thursday, 30 June 2022
Live Q&A with Headmaster Mr Wallace
LMS invites you
Every Wednesday & Thursday 10:00am
Virtual Coffee Morning
2k run challenge – run for a charity of your choice. Kindness challenge – send us your videos and images of charity work. Fitness challenge – inter-house Press up and Keepie uppie competitions. Inter-house zoom bake-off – can you rise to the challenge? The boarding zoom choir – sing together during lockdown and share your videos with BSA. Audiobook challenge – record your favourite story, poem or book to share with fellow boarders. We can't wait to see your entries!
Next week from Monday, 22 until Sunday, 28 June 2020 BSA (Boarding School Association) celebrate National Boarding Week, sponsored by Squadkit. As a BSA member , we are looking forward to getting involved in this year's celebrations, focusing on the importance of health and wellbeing. The BSA are encouraging everyone to get involved in fun and innovative activities that support mental health and wellbeing. We would love to see LMS entries on social media with the BSA hashtags, #nationalboardingweek #squadkit #iloveboarding & LMS hasgtags, #oneschool #onecommunity #nevermissabeat. Ideas include:
Challenges
Lincoln Minster School are unbelievably proud to have been voted into the Top 100 Independent Schools in the UK for Sport. There are 2500 Independent Schools in the UK so this recognition of our sport provision puts us in the top 5% in the whole of the UK! This is all down to the tireless efforts of our dedicated team in the LMS Sports department and they should be proud of themselves along with our pupils who are benefiting from this excellent achievement!
One of the positive results we have already been seeing due to the widespread lockdown in response to COVID-19 is the range of free online resources and activities being made available. Below are some examples I have been able to identify:- · Gooseberry Planet · Phonics Play · Audible Stories · PE with Joe · Elevenses with the World of David Walliams · BBC Bitesize · Pobble writing lessons · Geography & Nature Q&A with Steve Backshall · Kids cook with Theo - live cookalong · DDMIX for schools - daily dance 'shake up' · Myleene Klass' Music Klass · History Hit TV · The Maths Factor with Carol Vorderman · Stem4 resources - supporting teenage mental health
"This is just a quick note to say thank you to all the staff for all their hard work in the past weeks. It was so helpful for us to have our daughter focussed on her work and have a proper school schedule to follow. The iPads have proven to be such a valuable asset for children for distant learning".
Resources available to support home learning
We would like to send a massive thank you to all staff and parents for your support and positivity at this time...
'As parents we are absolutely blown away with what the school are doing for their pupils. Thank you so much. It’s really appreciated.'
I just wanted to email to inform you how brilliant having teams is, having only had lessons with it for a day and a bit , I can say that it has made lessons so much better and much more engaging. I’m understanding topics easier and it’s so helpful having the teacher there to ask any questions. So a big thank you from me as this is a great app and it’s being used brilliantly by the school. So thank you ! - LMS Pupil