Blog week ending 23rd September

Stone Lodge School offers a wealth of after school and lunchtime clubs and activities to complement and enhance students’ academic learning.  Taking part in extracurricular activities give students lots of opportunities to explore their existing interests or discover entirely new ones, develop talents, acquire fun and useful skills, as well as contribute through important social activities.  Our clubs offer something for every child to enjoy .. from Street Dance to Chess Club and Computer Coding to Basketball, there is a club to suit every interest and ability.  Additionally, on Wednesday after school (from 2.30pm – 4.30pm) we host a free youth activities session with a fully equipped mobile van full of activities including music, sports, gaming, craft and more!  All our Clubs are completely free of charge (except private music tuition) and teach children skills which will benefit them in everyday life.  Please do encourage your child to sign-up for at least one club.  For more information please click here

Our Year 8 and 9 musicians have been learning about The Blues.  Music routines are already well-established in the department and this lesson began as all others do, with rhythm work and singing. Students practised clapping different rhythms and reading notation as well singing back melodies in a call and response style. They went on to practise their keyboard skills - after only a few lessons students can find the note 'C' and play simple melodies using all 5 fingers.  Well done class - you are demonstrating a great understanding of musicality!

Mrs Archibald joins us after a career of 20 years in music education. Originally from East London, she taught music, drama and performing arts first at Oaks Park in Ilford before moving to Kent to lead the performing arts faculty as an Assistant Headteacher at Hextable in Swanley. Showing her passion for music education at all levels, Mrs Archibald also ran a small business for 10 years teaching babies, toddlers and their families and has spent the past 5 years teaching in a local primary school, firmly establishing a programme of excellence in music there. She is incredibly excited to be working at Stone Lodge and has already begun to develop a fantastic buzz around music - you can certainly hear the students' enjoyment as their musical performances echo down the corridor! 

At Stone Lodge we have a range of brand-new equipment, instruments, and facilities to develop a school culture of musical appreciation and performance.  All students, of all abilities are invited to come along to our school clubs to get involved and explore new talents and interests.  This term the range of clubs includes keyboard skills, singing and percussion and recorders. 

Introducing Ms Evans our new Head of English who joins us from De La Salle School in Essex where she held responsibility for GCSE assessment as well as being a Pastoral Lead and running a successful creative writing competition. “I’m thrilled to be joining Stone Lodge and am already impressed by the student engagement in learning and the wider school community”.  Ms Evans is looking forward to continuing to develop the excellent English curriculum and to promoting a life-long love of the written word in our students.  

Our new Library is open to all students (and you can read more from our Librarian below) all students in Years 7-9 will have regular library lessons to support their learning across the curriculum.  Through reading, students have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually and socially.

Our Year 7 English students have been learning how to write an analytical paragraph.  In order to analyse a piece of writing, we look in detail at what the writer has done in terms of words, techniques, and the structure of the writing. This helps students understand how the piece of writing was created and the effect the writing has on the reader.  To help remember our writing skills check-list Miss Haynes’ class played an interactive game to underpin their learning .. well done everyone!

Introducing Miss Clayton who is our new Librarian.  Miss Clayton has extensive experience of matching potential readers with books to inspire creativity and develop literacy skills having worked at Dartford Library for the past six years!  “Our Stone Lodge Library is a welcoming place, and I would encourage all of our students to come along and find out more about our new school community hub.  Together with the School Librarians we are planning to offer a range of book clubs – as well as special literary events, and compile student book reviews to help you choose your next favourite book!"

Our library is open to all students for quiet study and is equipped with a number of computers and wealth of reference information.  I look forward to welcoming you!” 

To read our School Library Induction booklet please click here

If you don't know where you're going, you're probably going wrong.” - Sir Terry Pratchett

Mr Matthews is our new Head of Geography and joins us from Holcombe Grammar School. Having taught Geography for twenty-five years at Meopham School, Strood Academy, Holcombe, and now Stone Lodge, Mr Matthews is passionate about the subject believing that the knowledge and skills learned in Geography not only ground students in a sense of place but enable them to understand the complex world outside of the classroom. Geographers are part of every industry, every business, and all the Armed Forces, utilising their ability to discern patterns, appreciate diversity, understand how and why places are changing, and developing solutions to real world problems.

“In the end, it’s about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together.” - Barack Obama

In this Year 7 topic student are taking a ‘virtual journey’ across Great Britain from Lands’ End to John O’ Groats.  The journey highlights locations, distances and topography across the route providing an introduction to mapping skills and physical geography (the study of landscapes and environments)

Ms Ayling joins us as Head of History having worked at Blackfen School for Girls. I am looking forward to working with students to develop their curiosity about the past through exposing them to a wide range of British, Local and World History. By studying a range of different histories, I hope that students can create a personal connection with History as well as gain greater insight into how history has influenced current affairs.  

Our Year 9 History students have been learning about an introduction to the Holocaust by focusing on the life of one Jewish child from Amsterdam - Lien De Jong. Students have been exploring Jewish life before the Holocaust to understand the human cost and impact of the persecution on the Jewish community following World War 2. Ms Ayling shared the story of De Jong and how she was hidden by different families throughout Europe to escape the tragedy of the Holocaust committed by the Nazis. 

Mr Bailey, our new Head of Performing Arts led the Drama and Performing Arts Department within the Harris Federation for the past 10 years. During this time, he expanded the presence of Performing Arts by running a breadth of extra-curricular activities, including school productions, performances evenings, trips and clubs; all of which he will emulate whilst at Stone Lodge School. Stone Lodge students have already demonstrated an abundance of talent and enthusiasm which they have showcased at our new building live event and during after school clubs. Our curriculum allows students to explore, develop and express ideas and concepts, helping them to develop life skills and engage with their emotions and intellect, expressing thoughts and feelings through voice and movement in an imagined context.  Mr Bailey added “I am thrilled to begin a new chapter at Stone Lodge, working with students to broaden their perspective of our world through the arts, helping them become more rounded and empathetic people. The Drama Studio will be an environment of challenge, growth and opportunity, allowing students to truly shine and be successful through theatre. I have the highest of expectations for every student in my care, ensuring they become disciplined and considerate members of the school community." 

Pictured below, our Year 10 GCSE students have been honing their performance skills, in this lesson using a video stimulus to develop themes and create a group piece. 

The Year 8 Performing Arts students have been exploring ‘stereotypes’ in this lesson they were challenged to create a melodramatic scene of a stereotypical bank robbery.  Great work!

Special congratulations to Year 10 student - Sophie C who was awarded the PTFA Gold Award for Endeavour.  This award is presented once a year to a student who has gone above and beyond our school values with exceptional effort and resilience regardless of any personal challenges.  Congratulations also go to Tillie-Rai R of Year 8 who received the PTFA Silver Award for Endeavour.

Message from the school office – To help us reunite your child with their lost and misplaced items please can we urge you to check that all uniform and pencil cases etc are labelled with their name.  Thank you!

Best wishes,

Gavin Barnett

Head Teacher