Sign2Sing Event 2019

22nd January 2019Sarah Hall

The students of Newminster and Chantry Middle Schools have been learning to sign and sing songs ready to join the yearly Sign2Sing event on Tuesday 5th February. This will be done as a whole school and will take place in the Chantry School Hall during the school day.

We think this is a terrific initiative which has taught the children a new and valuable skill as well as raising awareness of Deaf issues.

SignHealth, which is a national charity, is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of deaf people, organise the event. Both schools would welcome a voluntary donation of ÂŁ1 for wearing non school uniform on Tuesday 5th February. All money raised will go towards helping SignHealth transform the lives of thousands of people living in the UK.

For more information about Sign2Sing and the songs your child is learning, please visit www.sign2sing.org.uk

Thank you for supporting this exciting challenge and helping to “inspire a generation to sign”.

School Direct Teacher Training Primary and Secondary Vacancies at The Three Rivers

15th January 2019Mrs C Allison
The Three Rivers Teaching School Alliance has developed a strong network of schools to deliver a dynamic School Direct teacher training programme.

Our Alliance is led by the The King Edward VI School based in Morpeth approximately 20 minutes north of Newcastle upon Tyne. We are an outstanding school and have a rich history and a longstanding reputation for academic excellence, and continue to be a central part of the local and regional community.

“Teachers are highly skilled and enthusiastic; they are relentless in their drive to help students to achieve their very best.” OFSTED 2014

You would become part of this long established partnership of schools that work closely together to share good practice and learn from each other. We believe passionately in the school based route into teaching and are dedicated to using our knowledge, skills and expertise to train the next generation of teachers. We are fortunate to be able to offer a wide variety of host schools. In our schools trainees feel valued and supported. They have access to a high quality training programme and engage in a wide variety of experiences. Each trainee is assigned a mentor, an expert teacher carefully selected for their ability to develop the practice of new entrants to the profession, allowing them to fulfil their potential to become outstanding practitioners.

Applications can only be made through the UCAS website. Prospective trainees need to register for the application process. Once you have registered and received your personal ID number, you will need to complete an online application.

More information can be found on our website

Artist Visit – Bethan Laker for Bronze Arts Award

15th November 2018Sarah Hall

The Bronze Arts Award students were invited to take part in an illustration workshop with Newcastle- based illustrator, Bethan Laker, as part of the “Big Draw” Event on 13th November 2018.

Bethan began by showing examples of her work and then explained that the students would be making a drawn environment depicting an “Alice in Wonderland” tea party.

Bethan encouraged the students to be experimental and brave, using pens to make quick drawings of tea party objects and then to design characters from the story. These were then enlarged onto card and coloured using chalk markers.

The work will be completed in the Arts Award sessions and then displayed in school.

The students really enjoyed the project and particularly valued having the time to develop their ideas and techniques during the session.

The activity was sponsored by Northumberland Arts Development. (NAD) is a partnership between Hexham Book Festival, Berwick Visual Arts – Maltings, Queens Hall Arts, Museum and Archives Northumberland (Woodhorn), Alnwick Playhouse and is funded by Northumberland County Council and Arts Council England.

NAD provides support and advice to arts initiatives and organisations within the county in order to strengthen the sector and improve opportunities for anyone to access excellent art and culture.

Kids’ Lit Quiz 2018

13th November 2018Sarah Hall

This year’s regional heat of the annual literary competition proved to be the hardest yet.  With rounds as obscure as Ducks and Drakes and Rocks and Stones, not to mention Squirrels and lastly, Unicorns, we were seriously challenged.

Expecting to be quizzed on books, we soon discovered that the word book would be interpreted very loosely.  Manga, popular merchandising, film and TV were not off-limits in this very gruelling quiz!  Questions skipped from The Last of the Mohicans – surely not a children’s book – to My Little Pony via the classics, comics, fairy tales and Disney.  It was a real mixed bag!

We are so proud of our mixed teams of students from Years 6, 7 and 8 who maintained their concentration and enthusiasm throughout and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Chloe, you really deserved to win that tie-break!

Newminster A: Iona, Chloe, Michael and Will

Newminster B: Tallula, Ann, Tom and William