Welcome to the weekly Newsletter for parents and carers of students attending John Hanson Community School.
Inspire - Care - Succeed
‘HEAD’ Lines
Well Worn Path
Dear Parents/Carers
In my ‘HEAD’ Lines last Friday, I outlined how the school will be focusing on developing our Learn to Learn curriculum and that you, as parents/carers have a key role to play in its inception, development and ultimately its success.
One of the key foci of embedding Learning to Learn in to our curriculum is giving students the appropriate tools to make sure they can work independently at home, in their preparation for assessments and ultimately examinations.
If you have a clear understanding of what we are working on with the students, you will be in a better position to support them at home.
Before we get in to some of the specifics, which I will do in subsequent weeks, I want to use ‘HEAD’ Lines over the next couple of weeks talking about the brain and how it works when it comes to learning.
Imagine for a moment, that you are a villager in the amazon where your ancestors have lived for centuries. For hundreds of years, your people have walked the same path to the river. This path is well worn. There is no grass on the path and the thick vegetation of the jungle has receded around the path, accommodating the human form that frequently walks through it.
This path is exactly the same as the way your brain works when you learn and eventually master ‘something’.
The first time you are taught a new piece of knowledge or attempt a new skill you are likely to remember bits of it or be able to attempt the skill if asked to repeat it. Within your brain the brain cells make a connection between the teaching and the knowledge or skill being learnt. This is like the first few attempts at cutting your path through the jungle.
However, each time to return to the piece of knowledge, you remember more of it and each time you practice the skill you get better at it. Going back to my jungle path analogy, this is the same as continuing to cut your path through the jungle.
If you return to the piece of knowledge or practice the skill often enough, you will eventually ‘know it/be able to do it’. You are now at the point where you have cut your path through the jungle and you are walking it on a regular basis. By doing so, the path stays clear of jungle vegetation and you can easily use the path to get to where you are going. This is exactly what your brain is doing when you have learnt something new and then returned to it on a regular basis. You are developing strong connections between your brain cells and every time you revisit the knowledge/skill you are making the connections strong and transferring the knowledge/skill from your short term to long term memory.
Thus, relearning/revision has to be done over a period of time (cramming does not work), and the same ‘thing’ (knowledge or skills) has to be repeated over and over again.
I hope you find this useful the next time your son/daughter says they have done their revision, which is often code for the fact that they have looked at something once, or they say ‘why do I have to do this again, I have already done it’.
Stay safe and well
Russell Stevens
Headteacher
CLICK HERE or on the image below to find out more about the Hampshire and
Isle of Wight Saliva Testing Programme
Message from Chair, Board of Governors
And, in the blink of an eye, the half term is upon us, I cannot believe it’s mid-February already but I hope this means that spring is around the corner! Since the beginning of the year, the Governors have returned to a standard rhythm of Board and sub-committee meetings but sadly we’ve done so virtually given the ongoing Covid situation but I’m delighted that there appears to be light at the end of that particular tunnel and we should return to ‘in person’ gatherings after half term.
In this Newsletter entry, I wanted to highlight how the Full Governors Board meetings operate. For those unfamiliar with meetings like these, it’s worth noting that the agenda and any supporting papers are circulated to every Board member at least a week in advance. This gives us all the chance to consider the issues that will be discussed and prepare any points that we wish to raise. Agenda items change with each meeting, sometimes there are mandatory issues that we need to sign off and at other meetings there might be issues that have come up in the sub-committees that need wider consideration. There are always some ‘set pieces’ that appear on every agenda. One of these is the Head Teacher’s Report that Mr Stevens diligently prepares. On a personal level, I find this report incredibly useful as a way to maintain an over view of what is going on in the school community. The Board are able to see how many students attend the school and the report makes predictions on how many might join us in future years, the Board has an ambition to make John Hanson the 1st choice school in the Andover area. Also, considering the likely future intakes enables us to keep an eye on the facilities that that the school has and the levels of staffing needed to deliver a quality education. The Head Teacher’s report also provides information on attendance, behaviour and overall performance which helps us identify any emerging trends.
As the Chair of the Board, I’m always delighted to welcome new members and this month a colleague from the Senior Leadership Team at Andover College has joined us. I’ll introduce him in more detail in future Newsletter entries. Sadly, this month one of our colleagues has had to resign from the Board due to other pressing commitments and I’d like to formally thank Kay Wallis for her dedication and professionalism during her time as a Board member. I’d also like to wish Kay well for all of her future endeavours.
I hope that I’ve been able to highlight that your Board isn’t a mysterious body, it’s a group of volunteers that really has the best intentions for the school and its community at heart. If you would like to know more about the Board, or even join it, please let me know.
As well as a Full Governors Board in February, this week, my colleague Piers Bingley has chaired the latest Pay sub-committee meeting. This is an excellent opportunity for the Governors to be assured that the staff at JHCS are fairly rewarded and that our policies reflect the requirements of the local education authority.
Finally for this month, a shout out to our ‘un-sung hero’, our Clerk, Deborah Swales. Deborah attends all meetings and keeps detailed records of them. She keeps me in check and maintains our policy and document database. Quite frankly, I’ve no idea what we’d do without her.
Thanks for reading, and I hope that you are all getting the frying pans ready for Shrove (pancake) Tuesday on 1 March – my favourite is lemon and sugar by the way! 1 March is also St David’s Day, so an early “Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus” to any Welsh readers!
Gary Benham | Chair, Board of Governors | John Hanson Community School, Floral Way, Andover, SP10 3RH| 07522 124299
Hampshire Cup success for the girls!
The U13 football girls played their semi-final game against Milton Cross on Monday 31st January in the hope to secure their place in the Hampshire Cup Final. The girls had many chances in the first half but were 1-0 down at the break. They took this time to refocus and evaluate what they needed to do in order to get themselves back into the game. John Hanson came out strong in the second half and their persistence was rewarded by drawing level through a MC own goal. They used the momentum of the goal to pressurise the MC defence and saw the girls dominate possession. With 15 minutes to go, Ella Hall found herself through on goal which put JH 2-1 up. It was a long 15 minutes but the girls worked tirelessly until the final whistle and left everything they had on the pitch. I couldn’t be prouder of their performance.
It has been a pleasure to see how much these girls have grown as individuals but also a team over this season and I look forward to taking them to the final against Kings School Winchester. What makes this even more special for this team is the fact they are the first team to reach a final for JH girls’ football. Well done on your fantastic achievement girls!
A massive thank you to all the staff, students and parents that came to watch in the freezing cold, your support was greatly appreciated!
Miss Goater
John Hanson Community School PSHE Day 2: 8th February 2022
Our second PSHE day of the year – rescheduled from term 2 – which was jam-packed full of informative presentations, learning activities and multiple opportunities for questions on our enlightening selection of topics. Our students had the opportunity to learn about themselves and others, the world and environment around them, difficult and topical issues, and how to prepare for their futures.
Year 7: A range of vital sessions for life both in and out of school Debating session
Year 7 students will be learning how to debate. Examining what makes a good debater and how different styles of debating/arguing can be used dependent on the situation. Through the use of model debates, YouTube clips and real-world practice students will gain a more in depth understanding of how to communicate with one another.
Fire Safety
In this session Year 7 learnt about the different causes of fires at home, and how they could be safely avoided by reducing the number of hazards. They also learnt about how to cope with fires if they find themselves in a dangerous situation, and need to make a decision quickly, including calling 999, Stop/Drop/Roll, and how to prepare a Home Evacuation Plan. Puberty
The boys and girls split for their session on puberty to support more detailed and specific discussion on key concerns or questions. The boys covered not only the physical changes involved, but the emotional changes associated with puberty as well as debunking some common myths and misconceptions. In a similar way the girls discussed physical changes involved with puberty, but also discussed menstruation and periods with helpful insight to products and the myths surrounding bodily changes.
Smoking
Year 7 will be looking at the dangers of smoking today along with the pros and cons of vaping. They will learn about the ingredients of cigarettes and the cost not only to health but to finances as well. After watching some informative videos, they will have to create their own arguments for or against vaping.
Successful starters
All Year 7 are being asked to consider how they can overcome the uncomfortable feelings of, ‘I can’t do this’ when presented with new learning or new experiences.
We have been discussing the importance of understanding that learning is uncomfortable, it can at times make us doubt ourselves. Good learners accept that they will have to persevere, there will be times when we will need to be resilient and keep trying. This enables learners to change the statement, ‘I can’t do this’ to, ‘I can’t do this yet’. Road Safety
As road accidents cause more deaths than anything else for school aged people, this session included facts, safety tips and discussion points for year 7 to think safely when out and about Who am I?
Students will be taking time to reflect on all of the things that make us who we are as unique and fabulous, individual human beings. We will be exploring how some of these things, we are born with, others we choose or learn and these things can have a substantial impact on our happiness and well-being. Students will learn that diversity is part of human nature, whereas our attitudes towards others’ differences are learned and can evolve over time and with experience and education.
Year 8: A day of topical and sometimes hard-hitting subjects, exploring our planet and how to take care of it for the future Being Me
In this session, students begin by exploring biological sex, gender identity and gender expression before moving onto a discussion around attraction. They explored the meaning of key LGBT+ terminology and looked at famous examples of the LGBT+ community. Cyber Safety
This session reinforced what students need to be aware of as they explore relationships with others when communicating over electronic devices. Discussions were planned to highlight what is illegal, in addition to providing statistics of who and how many people play participation in sexting and what repercussions may result. Health & Safety
This session began with facts and figures around road and cycle safety, with top tips for greater understanding of how to stay safe. They then had an introduction to common health problems including diabetes, heart disease and asthma. Immunisations & Vaccinations
This session focuses on the three different types of immunity and how vaccinations protect us. We explored the impact of the media on vaccination take up and the concept of being an anti-vaxer. Understanding Drugs
This session introduced students to the most common drugs that are abused, covering the health implications, the law around different classifications and the harmful effects surrounded with taking them. It also explored addiction and the cycle of drug use. Young Carers
This session was delivered to specifically raise awareness of Young Carers in school and offer them the support they need to excel both personally and academically. Through conversation we were able to promote the support available for Young Carers at John Hanson and discuss how students can support Young Carers with empathy, kindness and understanding.
Year 9: A collection of sessions to get students thinking about their futures and what paths they might take I, Daniel Blake
Year 9 started the day watching I, Daniel Blake. This is an emotionally structured film which resents everyday life of the working-class people and their struggles. It showed how the Government isn't willing to help and understand situations of others in need of support. The purpose of this film was to highlight to students how quickly life can spiral out of control and to look at ways to secure their financial future. Career Pilot
Career Pilot is an online service which provides tools and career information for students aged 11-19. It allows students to identify their skills & favourite subjects and explore the jobs available as well as assisting in the formation of a plan of options at both 14 and 16. Employability Skills
Year 9 spent this session reflecting on employability skills and career options. This was especially poignant as year 9 will soon be choosing their GCSE options. Discussion on the world of work and industry gave students a clear insight into what their future may hold and the opportunities that John Hanson offers students to allow them the best chances possible for their future. Gender Equality
During this session the students were recognising that, historically, certain groups of people with particular characteristics have experienced discrimination in the work place. In today’s session this focused on gender inequality, specifically the gender pay gap, and the reason behind this. Students had to consider upon what characteristics pay should be based and what reasons/influences there may have been for the disparity in pay existing in the first place. Finally, the students had to reflect on ways a modern society could help support and encourage a better gender balance. SUN Discover your options
This session was a virtual session delivered by SUN (Southern Network Universities). It was designed to help students who feel unsure about what to do next after they finish their level 2 qualification or want to find out about all the options before making a decision. The session was engaging and informative and pitched perfectly for year 9 students who are thinking about the next steps.
Year 10: A range of challenging issues and themes to promote safety, maturity and awareness Discrimination in the workplace
Covering the law around discrimination, this session helped students consider their rights in future employment. Body image
Discussing with students how they compare themselves to others and how the promote positive body images. We are looking at the facts of how current social media and advertising impact body image in teenagers today. Career Choices
Year 10 students were reintroduced to the website – Careerpilot (careerpilot.org.uk) They were shown a free online platform that offers a wealth of impartial information about routes to higher-level study. It helped students to identify their GCSE, post-16 and post-18 options, with sections dedicated to a variety of qualifications, how to find providers, researching future courses and potential job sectors. This will continue to be a useful tool as they move on to the next phase of their education journey. Emotion Coaching
Year 10 learnt about emotional intelligence and the importance and usefulness of developing their own strategies to help them manage emotional conflict, whilst understanding what factors influence their lid ‘flipping’. Finance
I work all night, I work all day to pay the bills I have to pay. Ain't it sad? And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me. That's too bad. Money, Money, Money! Must be funny in a rich persons world. Year Ten are considering the implications of financial investment, the choices available, future investment, risks and what may impact their ability to save. From current accounts, to Premium Bonds, to stocks and shares – what can they do with their money and what exactly is interest? Mental Health Awareness
We spoke about the difference between mental wellness and mental illness. We focused on ways of identifying exam stress, anxiety and depression, and explored some techniques for coping with these common mental health problems. Students were also provided with a range of information for expert support to reach out to if they or someone they know is going through mental health challenges. Queen Mary’s College
Year 10 welcomed Queen Marys College, where they learnt about their £26million campus in a leafy part of Basingstoke. They learnt about the modern facilities available to them.
Students were given job roles and had to use prospectus’ to work out what courses were needed to support that role that role. Who knew you might need Esports to be a software engineer!
QMC offers 60 courses, not just traditional A levels, but also diplomas, BTech and, Vocational courses. Courses are supported by amazing trips to LA, NY and all over Europe!
Year 11: A range of challenging issues and themes to promote safety, maturity and awareness for life in and after John Hanson Digital Footprint
In the year 11 session on digital footprint students learnt that information about a particular person exists on the Internet as a result of their online activity. Your digital footprint paints a picture of who you are – it is your very own online portrait. Comments on social media, tweets, app use and email records are part of your online history and can potentially be seen by other people, or tracked in a database. These details can be either active – This means you have left your details when making deliberate choices on the internet (logging in) or passive – This means you have left your details without meaning to do so, or without knowing about it. The key to the session is that anything you do on line leaves a footprint that may be used in the future to build a picture of you from possible employment opportunities to marketing schemes. Learning to Learn
Students have been reminded of how our brains work when it comes to learning, retaining and subsequently using the knowledge and skills they have been taught across the curriculum. In preparation for their upcoming PPEs (March 2022) and the final exams in the summer (may/June 2022) they have been given a tool kit of ideas and options to support them with:
• Making sure they learn/relearn the content required in each subject
• Transferring their learning from short term to long term memory
• Being able to ‘output’ relevant knowledge and skills at the right ‘place and time’ in response to examination questions.
Students will take away from this session:
• A practice exam timetable
• Two ideas for how they might want to transform the work in the books/folders/revision guides in to revision resources LGBT
Year 11s LGBT session will focus on the significance of role models, who we look up to and why it’s important to acknowledge our own bias. Students will discuss the benefits of having a diverse range of role models and how this benefits wider society. Students will then focus more specifically on LGBT history and LGBT role models, culminating in a quiz, with a prize for the winning team. Upskirting & Revenge Porn
Students learnt about the laws surrounding upskirting and revenge porn, where they watched and then discussed scenario’s linked to both topics. Managing stress with Stacey Miller
Year 11 welcomed Stacey Miller who delivered a talk to help them recognise the mind and body connection to stress. The students discussed healthy coping strategies for increased resilience. The lesson left them with practical tools to implement in their everyday lives. For example, the students were surprised to learn they needed 9- 10 hours of sleep for good physical and mental health. Useful Apps such as Insight Timer and Calm Harm were signposted for supporting wellbeing. Your future fitness
The Year 11 'future fitness' sessions this morning included two different activities. Mr Nash had the students participating in a traditional circuit training style session, similar to what would be on offer to them at a leisure centre. Fitness instructor Claire Buck delivered an introductory yoga session with the focus being on core strengthening, flexibility and balance. The students tried a variety of poses which really challenged them. This was a fantastic opportunity to try something many of them confessed that they have not done before.
Both sessions were created to promote activity post school and ensure students were aware of what types of classes are on offer to them.
Red box
On PSHE day, our Year 7 students had a puberty session that also covered personal hygiene. We were able to give out lots of products from our red box cupboard which is just brilliant.
If you would like to make a donation to keep our stocks high, we are always looking for the following items:
Size S/M or size 8/10 black Pants and 40 denier plus black tights
Deodorant – male and female
Shampoo and conditioner
Whilst the government funding covers tampons and sanitary towels, it doesn’t cover the smaller panty liners which our girls often require.
Year 9 Option Choices update
Year 9 Options information will be published on the website on Thursday 17th February. The booklet will be available online on that day. Students will be given a booklet and form to complete, on Friday 18th February. Deadline for returns will be Friday 4th March.
Memorial Garden
Our garden has had its spring tidy up by the bereavement group and our spring bulbs have sprung! If you’d like to make a donation of plants, or cash for us to buy some, please deliver to reception.
We rely on your generous donations to maintain such a beautiful space
Please encourage your son/daughter to use their SCHOOL EMAIL for work rather than their own private email. This is important for safeguarding and also some of our messages for students are being sent to school email addresses.
Think you know – Activity Packs relating to online safety Who’s watching yours? – 17% increase in children livestreaming since lockdown (Advice to help parents/carers minimise risk to children online) Mental health – How to look after your family’s mental health when stuck indoors Houseparty – Everything you need to know.
John Hanson Computing Department
Performing Arts
Our after school activities return as normal starting next week.
Instrumental Lessons
If your son/daughter would like to learn to play a musical instrument please contact Mike Adams - Head of Music and Drama for details. Email - mike.adams@jhanson.hants.sch.uk
Teachers from Hampshire Music Service visit the school and we can offer lessons in Piano, Woodwind, Brass, Guitar, and Percussion (Drumming).
Vacancy for Piano Lessons - please contact for more details.
We have added a page on the website of video How To Guides
