As this is the final newsletter of the term, I want to send you all my sincere thanks for your support over this term. Our school has a very longstanding reputation for academic excellence and developing young people of integrity. You are a critical partner in this endeavour and we really appreciate the fact that you share the same values and priorities for your children as we do.
Schools are like families; most of the time things run smoothly with everyone just getting on with their everyday lives. Occasionally, change comes, sometimes uninvited, as it did to us in October when the headteacher took some personal leave. I now have an update for you: Mr Andrew Portas has taken the decision that he will not be returning from his personal leave. We understand this news may come as a surprise.
As you know, Christopher Cox is the interim headteacher and Christopher Martin is the interim senior deputy. They are supported by an extremely experienced and highly effective senior team. The trustees have every confidence that Mountbatten will continue its ongoing success in their very capable hands.
We will of course update you on long term leadership arrangements in due course.
We wish Mr Portas every success in the future and thank him for his valued contribution to the school.
We are a very steady family here at Mountbatten with boundless resilience to look forward, welcoming new challenges and celebrating events in our calendar. We are all looking forward to one of the greatest highlights of the year this evening as we prepare for our much-acclaimed Carol Service. You can live stream the service here. After the event, we love to look at the countries around the world where people have joined us from afar to sing along with us and to listen to the carefully chosen readings that reveal the mystery of Christmas.
From our school family to yours, we wish you joy and peace this Christmas.
Click here to see what's on next term:
Monday 6 January
All students return to school at 8.35am
Tuesday 7 January
Nothing advised
Wednesday 8 January
Nothing advised
Thursday 9 January
Year 9 Options Evening in the Olympic Hall, 6.00pm
Friday 10 January
Nothing advised
INSET Days for 2024/25
Monday 24 February 2025
Thursday 3 July 2025
Every effort is made to ensure these dates are accurate. There are occasions when circumstances beyond our control may result in changes.
Over the past two weeks, our House Captains have driven an amazing campaign, collecting canned goods for the Romsey Food Bank in each year group’s Celebration Assembly. After Year 11’s Celebration Assembly tomorrow we will be able to announce the grand total but so far, a special thank you needs to go to Year 9 who have collected the greatest number of tins! It is truly heart-warming to see the sheer number of cans we have collected as a community - you have helped to put food on the table for local families and individuals – a sincere thank you to everyone for your generosity and kindness.
Alongside this, we’ve enjoyed celebrating as one community and we were delighted to see the incredible array of Christmas tights and socks accessorising the uniforms today! We look forward to seeing the range of festive Christmas hats tomorrow; we know we have a few strong competitors on staff for that category! As we finish the term on Friday with our Mountbatten Christmas Jumper Day (blazers, shirts and ties not required for those donating and participating!) we eagerly anticipate seeing how much we have managed to raise for Save The Children.
We’d like to take this final opportunity to thank you for your continued support and we wish you all a safe, happy and healthy Christmas.
Carol Service - Tuesday 17 December 2024
Tonight we are holding our annual Carol Service in Romsey Abbey at 7.30pm.
Good luck to all our wonderful students, staff and Community Choir members who are contributing to such a fantastic event.
If you would like to watch the livestream of the Carol Service, it can be found on the button below.
Congratulations to our wonderful Christmas Bake Off competition winners: Noah B 8JAD, Jack G 8ERL and Amelia R 8GWT. Well done to everyone that entered; Mr Cox and Miss Roodt had a really difficult job as our official judges, as the standards were so high!
Year 7 Tackle "Christmaths" Challenges on Number Day
In one of their final maths lessons this term, our Year 7 students took part in an exciting "Number Day," embracing the challenge of solving some big “Christmaths” calculations. Working collaboratively within their tutor groups, students tackled festive-themed mathematical questions that required them to simplify problems, make reasonable assumptions, and use their problem-solving skills to find solutions.
Examples of the questions included:
How many mince pies will Father Christmas eat in England on Christmas Eve?
How much will the electricity cost to run the Christmas decorations in Romsey?
Students planned, researched, and presented their findings with creativity and enthusiasm, motivated by a soundtrack of Christmas music! The final step was to deliver their presentations to a panel of Year 11 judges, who were impressed by the quality of work and the collaboration demonstrated by the Year 7 teams.
The activity allowed students to engage with real-world mathematical problems and also highlighted their ability to work together effectively and present their ideas confidently. Well done to all the Year 7 students for their hard work and demonstrating our 3D curriculum values of problem-solving and collaboration.
Bluestar Bus update regarding last day of term
The Mountbatten School is finishing at 12.30pm on Friday 20 December 2024. Bluestar is able to provide one bus at approximately 12.50pm.
This bus will do a combined 504 and 505 service doing all the normal drop-offs along both routes. Students not wishing to wait until 12.50pm also have the option of using Bluestar 4 from the Luzborough Roundabout.
Tips during the Christmas period
If your child is finding the festive season and extended time away from their usual routines more stressful than you expected, here are a few tips to help.
It’s so important that they take time out every day, not just during the festive period. If they feel themselves getting a bit overwhelmed, remind them to take five to ten minutes away from everyone. Just have a bit of time by themselves!
When it comes to the festive period, ensuring they get enough sleep can become difficult due to things like late nights at home, family gatherings and favourite films on Netflix! As the festive period draws to a close in January, try to encourage them to go to bed at normal times and get back into their usual routine. This will make getting up for school easier and, in turn, will help their emotional wellbeing.
It’s easy to say “Christmas is fun - just relax”, but the reality is that relaxing can be tricky for some children (and adults!). They could try new activities like yoga, breathing exercises or meditation to calm down if they’re feeling a bit stressed.
Getting outside is really important, especially if they’ve over indulged either at the table or on their devices! Spending time outdoors isn’t just enjoyable — it’s also necessary. Many researchers agree that children who play outside are happier, better at paying attention, and less anxious than children who spend more time indoors. So, as we wave our lovely students off for the holidays on Friday, let’s keep fingers crossed for a sunny, crisp and dry festive period.
If you need to direct your child to any additional support over the holidays, please encourage them to reach out to any of the following organisations:
This term, we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on the incredible reading achievements of our Year 7 students. Reading not only enhances imagination and knowledge but also fosters a lifelong love for learning—and our school’s library has been buzzing with activity!
Congratulations to our Top Readers of the Term, who have devoured an impressive number of books and demonstrated outstanding enthusiasm for literature. A special shout-out to:
Emily A 7SCD - 21 books
Molly C 7LAD/AGN - 24 books
Holly R 7BPY - 30 books
Aiden S 7SGY - 24 books
Emily W 7OWS - 23 books
Liam V 7TDN - 23 books
Emily B 7VTE - 16 books
Leila R 7EHK - 11 books
Eleanor K 7EML - 32 books
Anna G 7CPE - 30 books
These avid readers are an inspiration to us all, showing the power of books to entertain, educate, and inspire.
If you haven’t already, why not visit the library and see what all the excitement is about?
Let’s make next term an even bigger success! Will you be our next Top Reader or Borrower?
Last half-term in RSHE, students made a great start to their discussion-based lessons where they explored a range of topics. The lessons are taught in tutor groups once a week. Teachers use a range of oracy-based strategies, including a Philosophy for Children approach. This is where students are encouraged to think more deeply through critical, creative, collaborative and caring thinking skills. Below are links to more information regarding RSHE.
Students will be exploring healthy living this half-term. They will be identifying what type of lifestyle they lead by considering their diet and exercise habits. They will also consider dental hygiene and pressures from the cosmetics industry. Energy drinks and caffeine will also be discussed, as well as the importance of sleep and brain development. Vaping will be the final topic in this healthy living series and we hope students will recognise the known and unknown risks associated with e-cigarettes.
Year 8
Students will be exploring the online world this half-term. They will be considering the impacts of social media and their responsibilities when it comes to online activity. They will also discuss the stress that can come with managing various online platforms and how media sources can have bias, misinformation and disinformation and it is therefore important to validate the information they view.
Year 9
Students will be exploring internet safety this half-term. They will consider how to use the internet safely and appropriately, as well as identifying what digital resilience is and how to develop it to keep themselves safe and happy. Students will also be completing their #beewell surveys this half-term, which will provide us with an insight into the mental health and wellbeing of our students, which helps inform our RSHE themes and in school support.
Year 10
Students will be exploring mental health and wellbeing this half-term. They will consider who are role models and what they may aspire to be like now and in the future. They will also consider how to reframe negative thinking to take a more positive approach to challenges and ways in which they can support mental and emotional wellbeing, including mindfulness and signposting on how to access quality support and guidance if ever needed.
Year 11
Students will be completing some Emergency First Aid training which will lead to a St John’s ambulance certificate if students fulfill the practical elements of the session. Students will also explore peer pressure and ways to manage it as well as discussing risky behaviours and lifestyle choices such as substance abuse.
Should your child wish to seek support related to any of these topics or about anything else that is worrying them, please advise them to speak to their form tutor in the first instance or request some support from our Student Support Team by completing the Student Support form on the student area of the school website.
We have our reporting system 'TootToot', where students can report anonymously or with their name.
Please note all calls both to and from the school are recorded for training and monitoring purposes.
December Activity Camp
Looking to keep your children active and entertained during the Christmas Holidays? Our December Activity Camp is packed with exciting activities, including the ever-popular giant inflatable obstacle course, team games, creative challenges, and more!
Whether your child loves sports, arts, or adventure, there’s something for everyone!
Don’t miss out—book now to secure your child’s place!
Dates: Monday 23 December, Thursday 2 January & Friday 3 January
Time: 8.30am to 4.30pm
Free for children who receive benefit-related free school meals
In one of their final maths lessons this term, our Year 7 students took part in an exciting "Number Day," embracing the challenge of solving some big “Christmaths” calculations. Working collaboratively within their tutor groups, students tackled festive-themed mathematical questions that required them to simplify problems, make reasonable assumptions, and use their problem-solving skills to find solutions.
The Mountbatten School is finishing at 12.30pm on Friday 20 December 2024. Bluestar is able to provide one bus at approximately 12.50pm.
Albie D 7TDN
Jessica T 10RLE
Evie C 9RLR/HMS
Ellie B 8MAZ
