Blog week ending 21st October

Spotlight on Science. Our Science Department is uniquely positioned to develop students’ confidence, analytical skills and practical abilities, whether they enter a fully scientific career or a career where the same skills are highly valued by employers.  Stone Lodge students leave the school as confident scientists who are ready to achieve a successful life no matter what careers they choose in the future.

Please join me in welcoming our new Head of Science.  Mrs O’Donnell is a champion of STEM subjects with a wealth of experience leading and developing Science Departments to deliver exceptional learning which enables all students to make the connection between their studies and the ‘real-life’ application in industry.  Mrs O'Donnell joins us with over 10 years' teaching experience and a prior career in the scientific industry. 

Mrs O’Donnell’s Year 7 Biology students are currently studying skeletal and muscular systems and in this practical lesson dissected chicken wings to observe and correctly identify tendons, bones, socket, and muscle groups. 

Introducing Mrs Finch, Teacher of Health and Social Care, a highly skilled teaching practitioner who joins us from MidKent College, where she set up the science element of the T level in Health.

Across the country, Health and Social Care is a popular subject for students in years 10-13, providing a vocational pathway into a range of careers including nursing, midwifery and social work.  In addition to having extensive experience of teaching Health and Social Care in Sixth Forms and Colleges, Mrs Finch also has a background in science, having studied Medical Sciences at the University of Nottingham.

In the lesson below, Mrs Finch’s Year 8 Science students conducted a practical investigation on mixtures and compounds, as part of their topic on atoms, elements and the periodic table.  This practical lesson re-visited topics covered in year 7 on states of matter (solids, liquids and gases), building on this with particle diagrams of mixtures and compounds.

Miss Deacon’s Year 8 Chemistry students are completing their study of the three main types of rock – igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.  In this lesson Students are investigating the appearance and properties of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.

Fossils are generally found in sedimentary rock, as per our examples shown below.

Our Y10 GCSE Biologists have been exploring energy and nutrients and the different components of our diet.  In today’s practical lesson (which contributed to their GCSE qualification, students conducted food tests to detect Carbohydrates, proteins and lipids in a range of food samples.

Year 7 Biology students 'have been studying how the muscular system and skeletal system work together to help us move with Miss Cogswell and the help of her skeletal assistant!  Using the scientific model students successfully identified the three types of muscle and their location on the body. 

Good work class .. or High-five!

Miss Deacon’s Year 7 Biology students have been learning about pregnancy and foetus development.  In this practical lesson students created models and 3D diagrams to illustrate factors important to the safety and healthy growth of the foetus.  Students considered the function of the placenta and embryonic fluid in the making of their models.  Great work!

Introducing our Science Technicians Mrs Blizard and Mrs Lovell Technician.  Both bring a vast amount of industry experience, having working pathology (the science of the causes and effects of diseases) as well as having experience running science practical study support at secondary schools in Kent. 

Congratulations to our Year 10 Medical Society Students who were accepted onto ‘The Futures Doctors Programme’ working in conjunction with Kent and Medway Medical School  the scheme plans to inspire young people to consider potential careers in medicine and healthcare.  Our students recently attended a special training day at Canterbury Christchrist University.  Mollie M of 10A reported back saying “My experience at Canterbury University was just as informative as it was fun.  We got an insight into the real-life training a doctor would go through as well as participating in some life-skills based activities”

The Programme covers a range of online live lessons on topics including Heart, Lung and Blood; Health and Disease; Neuroscience and Behaviour; Immune System; and many more.

Mr Uddin’s Year 8 Computer Science students have been studying the ethical, legal and cultural issues of computing.  Students have been researching key historic computing-related moments and the overall impact on society before producing a powerpoint presentation to communicate their findings and views.

Message from Rev Joel Schofield

“Thank you all so much for working with the churches to support the people of Ukraine! We are so grateful for Stone Lodge School’s support. 

 The collection will go to both a food project run by a church, St. John’s, in Sidcup with Ukrainian people from all over the area travelling to get support and also to the front line to support those in need. We have been supporting this work for a few months. The need isn’t going away, your support is amazing, it will make a real difference to people’s lives. 

 I am not used to measuring generosity in Ford Fiestas, it’s not a typical unit of measurement, but that is what the SLS Ukraine appeal achieved! One, very, full Ford Fiesta! 

 I have to admit I was surprised by the scale of the generosity! Thank you, thank you to the students, to the families, and to Stone Lodge for pulling it together! 

 I wish you all a very restful half term!”

Rev Joel Schofield

The engineering department are host a pumpkin carving competition, over the half term if students carve a pumpkin they can send a picture to Mrs George at cgeorge@stonelodgeschool.co.uk or their form tutor.  The Engineering and Art Departments will act as the judges - The winning pumpkin will receive a prize and be awarded house points.

Engineering Request.  If any parents and carers have any scrap materials such as old wallpaper, carpet, fabric, wood, metal etc, we would really appreciate donations for our KS3 projects. Students are making architectural models – and the more components and materials the better!

Alex of Year 10 has recently cut and donated his hair to the Little Princess Trust.  Alex had been growing his hair for over a year to ensure it was long enough for it to be used to make a wig.  The completed wigs are donated to sick children and young people.  There is no doubt of the positive impact Alex’s donation would have on a young person during their cancer treatment.  To find out more about the Little Princess Trust and their work please click here 

Please join me congratulating Sammy H of Year 8 who has again been selected to represent England in the World Karate Championships in Florence, Italy.  Sammy is an accomplished competitor and talented sportsman who won three Gold Medals in the last World Championships.  Good luck Sammy .. we look forward to hearing about the competition.

 

 

 

I hope you all have an enjoyable half term, and we will welcome students back to school on Thursday 3^rd November.

Forthcoming;

Learning Beyond the Classroom Day – All Year 7-9 School Trips have been rescheduled to 10^th November – all other information remains the same.

Office Request!  To help us reunite your child with their lost items of school uniform and equipment please can you ensure that all of their property is labelled!  Thank you!

Best wishes,

Gavin Barnett

Head Teacher