Notice for Year 8 Pupils

Posted on by

Dear Parent/Guardian,

In order to continue with our drive towards maximising the achievement of all young people at Tong High School we have decided to make some changes to learning groups in Year 8. This will enable us to teach your child in a way which best meets his/her learning needs through more focused grouping for learning in mathematics, English and science. Unfortunately this may mean a change in teacher for some of your child’s lessons and he/she will be issued with an amended timetable on their return to school in January.

We have made the decision to make these changes during the school year, rather than waiting until the beginning of a new school year, because we believe that this will best enable your child to realise their learning potential. We ask you for your support in this matter. If you have any questions about this process or require any further explanation please do not hesitate to contact either Trude Feiweles, Deputy Headteacher or Jane Girt, Assistant Headteacher at the school.

Yours sincerely,

Mr S. Curran
Headteacher

XL Club

Posted on by

The members of the XL club have arranged a community Christmas Party for the elderly in Holmewood. They have invited 60 members of the community to the Hope centre for a Christmas lunch which they will set tables, serve lunch and entertain, clear up after from 9.30am until approx 2pm on Tuesday 14th December.

Pat Trueman is coming in to demonstrate and help them make the centre pieces which they will be selling as part of their enterprise project for £3.00 each.

Also we URGENTY need raffle prizes if you have anything please.

After School Badminton

Posted on by

Badminton has reached a whole new level at Tong High School, after demand soared following a series of successful after school club sessions.

Tom Millbank, a level 3 coach at a local Badminton Performance centre, has been brought into Tong to help improve the skills and performance of our young people.

Funded by South Bradford School Sport Partnership through the School Sports Coaching Programme, the sessions have proved to be so popular a second dedicated Girls club has been started, running on Mondays.

“The response from our young people has been fantastic. Tom Millbank has really helped to engage them and improve their skillset. The overspill of numbers into a second group really shows how successful the programme has been.”
Jason Baddeley, School PE Teacher

As well as being popular, the series of after school clubs has had a particularly positive impact on those students taking the GCSE PE.

“Our evidence indicates that the badminton programme has really improved the skills of our students. As well as this, there has also been an improvement in the behaviour of our students, and this in turn impacts on their attainment.”
Jason Baddeley, School PE Teacher

By Laura Dawson
Sports College & South Bradford SSP Administrator

South Bradford’s answer to Strictly Come Dancing

Posted on by

South Bradford’s answer to Strictly Come Dancing raised the roof again this year, forming another run away success for Bradford’s young people.

All schools who took part received 6 weeks’ expert tuition to learn 4 ballroom competition dances – as well as the show-finishing dance the electric slide.

20101110_536
20101110_7
20101110_744
20101110_693
20101110_1983
20101110_1136
20101110_106
20101110_135

120 pupils stormed the dance floor, dance partners by their sides and numbers on their backs, to put on a dazzling display.

Held at Tong High School, the young people thrilled a theatre packed with parents from all participating schools.

Cha Cha Cha, Tango and the Jive were just some of the dances on display at the competition, which required young people to dance in pairs.

Despite initial reluctance from the majority, the dance tuition challenged the young people to push their boundaries to dance in mixed partners..

“The competition demonstrates the progress young people can have with positive encouragement. At the beginning, some of the young people refused to touch each other – and look at them now. A fantastic confidence building opportunity, as well as fantastic competition.”
Claire Caunce, Partnership Development Manager for South Bradford School Sport Partnership

As the young couples danced, teachers cheered from the sides in their ballroom dressed and smart suits.

Tong High School’s new Headteacher, Mr Stephen Curran was amongst the judges faced with the arduous task of deciding the winners.

After fierce deliberation, St Columbas were announced as the overall winners of an excellent night of ballroom dancing.

Well done and thank you to everyone who took part, and we hope to see you at Tong again in the very near future.

By Laura Dawson
Sports College & South Bradford SSP Administrator

‘Pom Cheer’

Posted on by

A series of cheerleading events for over 1700 young girls from around South Bradford may be the last of its kind to run in the city – due to the government’s axe of the School Sport Partnership (SSP) funding.

20101109_93
20101109_226
20101109_118
20101109_313
20101109_293
20101109_352
20101109_223

The ‘Pom Cheer’ event, organised by South Bradford SSP, has been running in the district for 3 years, welcoming girls from all ethnic groups to enjoy the spectacular cheerleading event.

Being run this year by Hot Ice Cheer and Dance Academy, the competition gives the girls the chance to show their own choreographed routines as well as learning routines such as the much-loved ‘Peanut Butter Jelly’ on the day.

“The Pom Cheer event is a particularly special event for us as it allows young girls from all ethnic groups to come together at this one event. As you can see, the girls really raise the roof!”

Sarah Bouskill, Competition Manager

In the governments’ recent Comprehensive Spending review, the 15% budget cut to the Department of Education will hit school sport the hardest – leaving the system that created 450 SSPs across the country facing the chop.

“These cuts will be simply devastating for the progression of grassroots sport and the opportunities that are currently available for our young people. These opportunities will simply not exist without the fantastic SSP teams across the city, who really care about the futures, and health, of Bradford’s young people.”
Claire Caunce, Partnership Development Manager for South Bradford SSP

The South Bradford School Sport Partnership brings together schools across South Bradford to develop Physical Education and sport opportunities for young people. The 2009/2010 annual PESSYP survey showed that 68% of young people in South Bradford participate in at least three hours of PE and school sport.

The survey also showed that 71% of the 14,118 young people also participated in High Quality inter school competition, such as the recent Pom Cheer events.

“The range of competitions we offer the young people is simply unrivalled. It is devastating to think that competitions such as Pom Cheer, which all have exit routes into clubs, will not exist next year.”
Claire Caunce

By Laura Dawson
Sports College & South Bradford SSP Administrator

Quicksticks Hockey Competition

Posted on by

Sixteen Primary school teams from around South Bradford battled it out to win the Quicksticks Hockey competition and be titled champions, in the competition held at Tong High School recently.

Skill, determination and success formed the theme of the day as the competitors fought to win their pool. With two of the four pools being won by Wibsey Primary School, Home Farm and St Stephens Primary Schools contended for a place in the semi-final.

After a series of close matches, the 4th place runners up were Home Farm A Team, St Stephens B Team in 3rd place and 1st and 2nd place could not be separated so joint winners of the 2010 U11 Quicksticks Hockey were Wibsey A Team and Wibsey B Team.

IMG_0700
IMG_3232
IMG_3312
IMG_0713
IMG_3332

The competition was hosted perfectly by Tong High School and Sports College, who offered their fantastic sporting facilities for the afternoon.

“Tong has the perfect facilities for us to hold our competitions here, and the children revel in the competition element. Competition is thriving within South Bradford, and some of the achievements of our young people are simply phenomenal.”Claire Caunce, Partnership Development Manager

Sport within South Bradford plays an exemplary role to the rest of West Yorkshire, with South Bradford School Sport Partnership being the highest performing school sport Partnership in the West Yorkshire Area.

In last months PE and Sport Survey for Young People, it was revealed that as many as 66% of South Bradford’s young people take part in 3 hours PE and out of school hours sport, far exceeding both the government target of 50% as well as the national average of 57%.

Competition Manager, Sarah Bouskill said: “The event today has proved that our young people in South Bradford are ever improving. I would like to mention Wibsey Primary School in particular, whose players showed both great skill and great sportsmanship.”

By Laura Dawson
Sports College & South Bradford SSP Administrator

Children in Need

Posted on by

Friday 19th November

‘Show your spots, let’s raise lots!’

Community Challenge

On Friday 19th November all students have the opportunity to wear an accessory to their FULL SCHOOL UNIFORM in their community colour or a spotty item if they bring in 50p.

Pioneers currently hold the fundraising award as they raised the most for the Pakistan Flood Appeal.

All money needs to be collected by the student leader and taken to TL office (Artists may need to collect at the end of community meeting)

All students are encouraged to participate or donate to raise money for this worthy cause.

Other Fundraising for Children in Need

Please tell students that if they want to do any other fundraising (sponsored events etc) they must go through their TL and money must be handed in to the team office! All sponsor forms must be signed and dated by TLs.

Any queries, please see Miss Reilly