Weekly Update

17th October 2024

Message from the Headteacher

It has been such a busy half-term that I am sure our students, after all their hard work, and parents and carers too will be looking forward to next week’s break.

Our amazing Sixth Form students have, as always, been very productive this half-term. The Sixth Form History Society have delivered whole school assemblies to raise awareness of Black History Month, Josie Hankin in Year 13 organised a sustainable fashion swap sale, with proceeds raised going to Greenpeace and this week we collected for Olive Branch Foodbank, a local charity.

Don’t forget to register for attendance of our 2024 Sixth Form Open Evening which will take place straight after the half-term break on 6th November. You will have a chance to talk to students and staff and find out about all the wonderful opportunities which await students at LGGS Sixth Form.

The mental health and well-being of all our students is always a key priority for everyone who is part of the LGGS community. Last Thursday our Sixth Form Leadership Team organised a lunchtime drop-in as a space for students of all year groups to come together and connect for World Mental Health Day.

Within school we have regular initiatives to support our students’ well-being, including Place2Talk which provides mental health support in school through one-to-one and group counselling and drop-in sessions with our Counsellor, Miss Qureshi. You can find further support and contact details for external organisations listed on our website.

Meanwhile, I hope you have a very restful half-term and we shall be back at school on Monday 28th October.

We are active on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Please follow, like and share to keep up to date.

Positive News

Black History Month
Well done to Honey and Saffron in Year 13, President and Deputy Head of LGGS History Society, who presented assemblies to students last week about ‘Reclaiming Narratives’, the inspiring theme for Black History Month 2024.

‘This theme is not just about revisiting history; it’s about taking ownership of the stories that define our culture, our contributions, and our very identity. It’s a call to action for Black communities across the UK to step into the role of storytellers, historians, and custodians of our heritage.’ blackhistorymonth.org.uk

Lost Property

We have a very large, and growing, number of unclaimed items in the lost property area and many of these items have been there for over 30 days. Please make sure to collect any items which are lost before the end of this week. In line with our policy, we will have to donate any items which have not been collected by Friday to charity as, unfortunately, we do not have space to store them. Thank you.

Year 7 Author Visit

On Wednesday this week we welcomed author Piers Torday, a Guardian Children’s Book of the Year Winner, who spoke to Year 7 students about his new book ‘Midnight Treasure’ a fantasy world set in an empire of vampires and werewolves. We heard of his inspiration for becoming a writer and his visit will, I am sure, have inspired our LGGS creative writing club group.

Kooth

Kooth is a free, safe, and anonymous online platform where young people can access mental health support whenever they need it. Delivered in partnership with the NHS, Kooth is available to anyone between the ages of 11-18.

How to talk to your child about your feelings
It can often be difficult for parents and carers to talk to children about emotional situations. Therefore, Kooth have created this guide:

Parents and Carers Support Pack for Talking to Your Children About their FeelingsDownload

Please find below further information from Kooth:

i) Advice on smartphone
ii) Meeting the needs of neurodivergent and Special Education Needs & Disabilities (SEND) young people.

Meeting the needs of neurodivergent and Special Education Needs & Disabilities (SEND) young people.

Children and young people waiting for an assessment or navigating a diagnosis may need additional emotional support. Kooth offer a webinar on Monday 11th November from 10am-10:30am or Thursday 14th November from 2:00pm-2:30pm. The talk explores how their platform meets the needs of neurodiverse and SEND young people. Please book here to attend this KoothTalks for families webinar.

KoothTalk for Families Helping young people stay safe on their smartphone.

With over a third of parents feeling uneasy about their child having their first smartphone, Kooth have organised a webinar for parents and carers of Year 7 students. The webinar (Monday 21st October at 2:00pm or Thursday 24th October at 6:00pm) will explore supporting your child’s mental wellbeing whilst using the device and will offer online safety tips. The talk will also provide information on UK law and social media usage.
Please book here to attend this KoothTalk for families webinar. However, if you are unable to attend any of the live dates, please select the ‘I cannot attend’ option and we will email you with a recording and additional resources on this subject.

If you would like any further information about Kooth, please visit their website.

Clothes Swap in aid of Greenpeace

Thanks to Josie Hankin in Year 13 who, supported by Lyra, Indigo, Eliza, Lizzie, Milo and Saffron, organised a Clothes Swap for Sixth Form students at lunchtime today in the aim of fighting against fast fashion. The money raised will be donated to Greenpeace, a movement with a vision of a greener, healthier and more peaceful planet. 
Our School was awarded an Eco Schools’ Green Flag, which recognises our efforts towards making a more renewable and sustainable school.

Olive Branch Foodbank

For many years LGGS has collected food to donate to The Olive Branch Foodbank. The foodbank provides support to people in need through the difficult winter months and this week Year 13 collected donations at school which will be delivered to the foodbank tomorrow. Thank you for your contributions.

Explore Week free Activities

Ahead of the main ‘Light up Lancaster’ festival, there is going to be an ‘Explore Week’ event at The Storey, Lancaster, from October 21st to October 25th. The week will consist of free activities, family friendly engagement and participation in fun and exciting sessions. 

In conjunction with artists, creative technologists and arts companies, and a range of researchers and academics from Lancaster University, Explore Week will reveal fascinating insights and learning about light, art and science. 

The event will be produced by the ‘Light Up Lancaster’ delivery team and coordinated with the Engagement team at Lancaster University. 

More details and how to take part: Explore Week | Light Up Lancaster 

Recruitment

We are currently recruiting for the following role within our school:

Please find more information on our website.

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