A Good Book
So – what’s your favourite book?
When I am asked this question, I often reply that mine is ‘Catch-22’, by Joseph Heller. It is certainly true that it is a book I have returned to often over the years… I love the fact that it is both charming and clever, but also deeply, depressingly cynical. I worry a little about what that says about me! However, there are many other books that I can read and re-read over and over. I love Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, Charles Dickens, Lee Childs! I love slowly evolving books about polite society just as much as fast-paced gruesome murder-mysteries. I have reached the stage in life when I do not feel that I need to be ashamed or precious about the literary merit of what I read for pleasure, but instead I can just… well… read for pleasure.
Which brings me to the KES library. A library is the beating heart of any school. A refuge from the world, an Aladdin’s cave full of treasures, all just waiting to be discovered. It is more than a source of information, it is also a place of fun. Where one can read to learn; read for pleasure; or (hopefully!) do both at the same time. A library should excite you and welcome you in, should inspire you to make new discoveries and take you on epic journeys across the length and breadth of history and your own imagination. A library fosters literacy and scholarship (of course), but it also develops empathy… reading allows you to walk in someone else’s shoes, to inhabit their world. I know that our library does this and so much more for so many of our students, because (when we are not in lockdown) we see so many of them in there every day.
But at the moment our library cannot be directly accessed by our pupils. Just one more consequence of these difficult times. Therefore, as you may have seen in last week’s Bulletin, Ms Speck and Miss Phillips, our librarians, have opened up a brand new eLibrary, so that the adventures can continue from home. Please encourage your child to give it a go, because reading allows us all to go wherever we want - even when we cannot leave our own house. Happy reading!
Neal Parker
Head
Neal Parker
@HeadKESSoton
Whole School Notices
KES eLibrary
Students can now access ebooks, audiobooks, GCSE and A Level texts via the KES eLibrary. The online platform has over 2500 ebooks and 900 audiobooks.
There are also specific reading lists available such as the ‘Wellness Reading List’ and ‘Lower School Recommendations’, to help students browse the eLibrary. These reading lists will be updated each week by Library Manager, Ms Speck.
You can access the eLibrary here: King Edward VI School (Southampton) - King Edward VI School (Southampton) (eplatform.co)
To log into the new service students will need to use their Office 365 accounts. This is new to most students, and their username is made up of their normal school user ID (two numbers, three letters, two numbers) followed by '@kes.hants.sch.uk'. The password is the normal password they use to log into the school computers.
Each pupil is allowed two books at one time – or one book and one audiobook, which can be borrowed for a duration of 14 days. If these are not returned or renewed after 14 days, they will automatically be returned.
For help with logging in please email this address and for any book or library issues, please contact Ms Speck.
Les Miserables Auditions
Lights, camera, action the KES 2021 Production is launched! The Creative
Arts faculty are now welcoming audition videos for the upcoming performance of
Les Miserables. Join the google classroom: fadmw33 for all the information you
need to audition for this exciting show. Good luck!
Click on the image below to enlarge.
KES Art Competition
A reminder to all students that the KES art competition, inspired by David Attenborough's 'Take Action Through Art Competition' submissions are due Friday 12 February.
The full brief & further information can be found here.
Next Generation Economics Competition - Upper School & Sixth Form
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is inviting UK students to write about big economic challenges.
Open to all in the Upper School & Sixth Form, whether or not you study economics. To enter, students must write a letter (no longer than 800 words) about the biggest economic challenges facing their generation, in response to one of these questions:
1. Which economic policies should governments introduce to tackle the impacts of climate change on your generation?
2. Which economic policies should governments introduce to tackle rising global inequality?
Students interested in taking part (and to be in with the chance of winning £250) should email Mr Sheppard, so that students can be included in preliminary discussions about the issues. The competition is open between 15 February and 25 April 2021.
Full details of this national competition can be found here.
History at Home Challenge
Lockdown means that we can't satisfy our
historical cravings with outdoor visits so we'll have to look inside. Share
with us your own historical family treasures and heirlooms. A letter from the
Western Front? A ticket to the 1966 World Cup final? A suffragette poster? A
photo of your grandfather with Churchill? Anything goes.....let's see what's
out there and produce an E-Book. Send a photograph of your historical
possession, together with a word or two of explanation, to Mr Diver.
First Year Notices
No notices this week
Second Year Notices
No notices this week
Third Year Notices
No notices this week
Fourth Year Notices
No notices this week
Fifth Year Notices
A Level Subject Choices
A reminder that A Level subject choices for the Sixth Form
are due by Friday 5 February. A link to the online form can be found here.
Options submitted after this date will still be accepted, but there is a
reduced chance of being able to accommodate individual choices.
Exams Update
At the time of writing no further details have been released regarding the method for assessing domestic GCSEs and international GCSEs are still set to sit exams as scheduled. Mock exams remain scheduled for 16-25 March. It is hoped that students will be back in school prior to these dates, and if so 9-15 March will be set aside as a revision week. Lessons will continue as timetabled and teaching staff will supervise and assist revision in class during this week – no new material will be introduced. Whilst most students will want to be in school for this revision week, it will be acceptable for students, with parental permission, to remain at home for study leave if they feel this would be more beneficial.
Lower Sixth Notices
No notices this week.
Upper Sixth Notices
University Applications - Next Steps
Please see this
presentation from Mrs Millar (Head of HE & Careers) about the next steps in
regards to university applications, in advance of Upper Sixth Parents' Evening
next week.
Upper Sixth Parents' Evening
In advance of the Upper Sixth Parents' Evening on Thursday 4 February, Dr Waymark has provided this letter detailing what to expect in relation to potential discussions regarding expected final grades.
Exams Update
At the time of writing no further details have been released regarding the method for assessing A levels. Mock exams remain scheduled for 16-25 March. It is hoped that students will be back in school prior to these dates, and if so 9-15 March will be set aside as a revision week. Lessons will continue as timetabled and teaching staff will supervise and assist revision in class during this week – no new material will be introduced. Whilst most students will want to be in school for this revision week, it will be acceptable for students, with parental permission, to remain at home for study leave if they feel this would be more beneficial.
Lockdown Clubs
For information on all clubs running through lockdown, see here.
Music While You Lockdown!
Would you like to
perform in our virtual concert? The Music Department welcomes students to submit
their performance for consideration by Monday 8 February. Details, guidance,
and tips are available on our Google Classroom. Please join us with the
code: 6mxly2l
Children's Mental Health Week
From Monday 1 February to Sunday 7 February, it's Children’s Mental Health Week, and this year the theme is Express Yourself.
Expressing yourself is about finding ways to share feelings, thoughts, or ideas, through creativity. This could be through art, music, writing and poetry, dance and drama, photography and film, and doing activities that make you feel good.
DivSoc have designed some colouring pages for students to colour in, and express themselves.
Click on the image below to download and print the entire pack.
KES Library Literary Review
The second issue of the KES Literary Review is here!
Each week the newsletter features guest reviewers to share their opinions on recent or favourite reads. This week the librarians are joined by Miss Forsey, Head of Creative Arts and Alex, First Year.
Click on the images below to read the newsletter in PDF format.
ROAD TO MELBOURNE
We reached Tokyo in just 3 weeks! So the Sports Department have set us all a new challenge.
The Australian Open Tennis Championships start Monday 8 February in Melbourne, Australia. Can we get there in time?
Of course – not really... but absolutely virtually! So let's keep moving and logging our distances and see if we can make it. All distances submitted after reaching Tokyo will be applied to this challenge.
Papua New Guinea 4290 KM
Australia (Queensland) 5150 KM
Australia (New South Wales) 7200 KM
Australia (Victoria) 9600 KM
For more information on the challenge, how to take part and how to calculate your distance, click here.
Click on the image below to enlarge.
KEY DATES
Thursday 4 February - Upper Sixth Parents' Evening
Monday 15 February - Half Term
Wednesday 24 February - Third Year Parents' Evening
Friday 5 March - Deadline for GCSE subject choices (Third Year)