Dear Parents,

It has been great to see our students back in school every second day this week. There has been a real buzz in the school over the past few days. It has been especially pleasing to see our sports pitch ‘come alive’ with Physical Education lessons, and spontaneous games at break time.

Our work in the area of Inclusion and Equity is continuing with pace, with our six improvement teams implementing their plans. We reported the progress of each group to our KGV Inclusion and Equity Steering Committee last night, and received some positive and constructive feedback on our work.

We have six Inclusion and Equity Resource Groups working on the following foci:

• Curriculum

• Mission, Vision and Values

• Celebrations

• Voice

• Policy and procedures

• Continuous Professional Development

One of the most pleasing aspects of the work is seeing our staff and student teams come together and collaborate as one. As we know, no one person is smarter than the team, and to see how ideas are generating from a diversity of perspectives within the teams, is inspiring.

We have also been talking about leadership and how new leadership models are evolving to reflect more inclusive, collaborative and humble approaches. In many ways humility underpins all learning, especially learning that challenges our current ideas and preconceptions. It is hard to learn new things, if you are coming from a position where you think you already know most things! 

This discussion reminded me of a famous quote by ex Honeywell CEO David Cote, when he said “It’s more important to be right at the end of a meeting, not at the beginning.” It also relates to the work of Brene Brown and her recent book Dare to Lead, where she writes about how leaders need to show up each day to work listening, and should be committed to ‘getting it right, not to thinking they are right’. In this sense, we are enjoying this Inclusion and Equity work, as to get this work right, we must listen, hear the diversity of voices and ideas, and ensure everyone is a learner in the room.

To finish up, just a couple of quick reminders:

• We are swapping Period 4 and 5 for the rest of this term. This is to balance the lessons that are online in the afternoon. We wanted to give the students and teachers with lessons in Period 5, a greater chance of seeing each other face to face. Lionel will update later this afternoon to reflect this change, so students and parents can easily follow. 

• Please continue to use the ESF App to record student temperatures each day as part of the EDB and School expectations.

• Thank you to parents who participated in the Year 8 Learning Review on Wednesday and a reminder that we have Year 10 next Thursday 4 March. For Year 10 parents, please see the Year 10 message below for sign up details.

Thank you for all your work at home as parents, and working in partnership with us as we start to make the transition back to full time school. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, concerns or ideas. 

Have a great weekend and happy Lantern Festival to those celebrating.

Kind Regards,

Mark Blackshaw

Dear Year 12 Students and Parents,

Year 12 IB Students are in school on the following dates:

• Tuesday 2 March
• Thursday 4 March
• Tuesday 9 March
• Thursday 11 March

Year 12 BTEC Students are in school on the following dates:

• Monday 1 March
• Thursday 4 March
• Monday 8 March
• Thursday 11 March

As mentioned in Mr Blackshaw’s message, don’t forget we are swapping Period 4 and 5 for the rest of this term. This is to balance the lessons that are online in the afternoon.

Thank you and kind regards,

Rory McKeague

Dear Year 13 Students and Parents,

Year 13 IB Students are in school on the following dates:

• Tuesday 2 March
• Thursday 4 March
• Tuesday 9 March
• Thursday 11 March

Year 13 BTEC Students are in school on the following dates:

• Tuesday 2 March
• Wednesday 3 March
• Friday 5 March
• Tuesday 9 March
• Wednesday 10 March
• Friday 12 March

As mentioned in Mr Blackshaw’s message, don’t forget we are swapping Period 4 and 5 for the rest of this term. This is to balance the lessons that are online in the afternoon.

Thank you and kind regards,

Rory McKeague

Attendance next week
Year 11 students will attend face to face lessons at school from 8:15 to 1:00pm on:

• Tuesday 2 March
• Thursday 4 March

Mon, Wed and Fri next week will be online learning from home.

(I)GCSE exam update
All Year 11 students should continue to complete all assessments and assignments to the best of their ability. They should continue to study, revise and prepare for final exams in every subject, even those where the external exams have been cancelled.

The following exams are confirmed to run in May/June: Business Studies, Chinese, Computer Science, Drama, English, Geography, ICT, Korean, Music, Sports Studies and World Literature.

For subjects with cancelled exams, we are waiting for details of how grades will be awarded. These details will be shared with you as soon as we know, however they will be based on evidence drawn from assessments. The exam boards may supply us with assessments similar to final exams. We are waiting to find out. You can access the latest news from our 3 exam boards here. Pearson Edexcel, AQA, Cambridge CIE

Y12 Option choices
Following mock exam results, some students may wish to adjust their subject choices for Year 12. Students can see their current choices from their summary page in Lionel and can apply for any changes in the week beginning 15 March. 

PSHE - Relationships and Sexuality Education
For the rest of this term, PSHE lessons will focus on Relationships and Sexuality Education. You can find out more about the curriculum and topics covered here.

Year 10 Learning Review
Thursday 4 March from 2:30 to 6:30pm. Please make bookings through the App. Tap the Lionel2VLE button and scroll down to the appointments link.
We recommend making appointments to talk to all of your child's teachers if possible and for them to join you for the conversation. The booking system closes at 6pm on Wednesday.

Curriculum questions
During the Learning review on Thursday, please drop in to the curriculum helpdesk if you have any questions about assessment, grades, option choices, CAG, MLO, GPA or anything to do with the curriculum. It will be open to answer your questions from 2:30 to 6:30pm. Curriculum Helpdesk

Attendance next week
Year 10 students will attend face to face lessons at school from 8:15 to 1:00pm on:

• Tuesday 2 March
• Thursday 4 March

Mon, Wed and Fri next week will be online learning from home.

PSHE - Relationships and Sexuality Education
In PSHE this term, Year 10 and 11 students will be participating in Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) lessons.
RSE is a core element of student wellbeing and holistic development which builds knowledge, skills and behaviours to empower young people to make positive, safe and responsible choices. RSE focuses on respect for oneself, and others. It combines the biological, social and emotional aspects of sexuality education.
The lessons will be underpinned by a focus on strong, positive, empathetic relationships, and topics will include: diversity, rights and responsibilities, safety, contraception, effective communication and decision-making. We want all students to feel confident to participate in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
If you have any questions about RSE, please feel free to contact Mr Jack Chappell. My colleagues and Mr Chappell are looking forward to engaging with our students on these important topics.

Message from the Year 8 Team

Dear Parents

Thank you to all parents who supported this week’s Learning Review. It was a pleasure to meet so many of you and to talk about the progress your child has made so far this year at KGV School. We have been so proud of the way our Year 8 students have embraced online learning and grown in confidence over the last term and the Learning Review gave teachers the opportunity to connect with parents to share their feedback.

If you haven’t done so already, please can you spend a couple of minutes completing our feedback form to enable us to hear about your experience and how we can enhance our provision for future events.Please click here for the link to the feedback form.

A reminder too that our curriculum website is still accessible for you to look at your leisure and see how our curriculum is mapped out across Year 8. Please click here to access the website.

Over the next couple of weeks Year 8 students will be making option choices for Year 9 courses. This involves students deciding on which of the four Creative and Performing Arts (CPA) subjects they will no longer study in Year 8. Students currently study three out of the four CPA subjects; Music, Drama, Art and Media. Depending on their current subjects, students will decide on whether to stop learning either Art or Media (Creative Arts block) or Music or Drama (Performing Arts block). Students will spend Year 9 studying one subject from each of the CPA blocks.

Students will also need to make decisions about their language pathways. Students can either

1. Continue to study both their European and Chinese languages.

2. Drop their European studies and increase their Chinese language lessons.

3. Keep either their European or their Chinese Language and pick up a new course called Global Perspectives.

Language and CPA teachers will speak to students over the next couple of weeks to give further details. An update will be posted in next week’s newsletter.

Next week, we get to see our Year 8 students three times, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please make a note of this schedule. We are also switching Period 4 and 5 lessons. These changes will happen automatically in LIONEL and digital versions of timetables will be updated. If your family refers to paper timetables, please make a note that all Period 4 and 5 lessons will switch from now until the Easter holidays. Tutors have worked with Year 8 students this week to make sure they are prepared for this change.

Have a great weekend.

The Year 8 Team.

Dear Parents

It has been lovely seeing our Year 9 students back at KGV this week. Next week, we get to see them 3 times, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please make a note of this schedule. We are also switching Period 4 and 5 lessons. These changes will happen automatically in LIONEL and digital versions of timetables will be updated. If your family refers to paper timetables, please make a note that all Period 4 and 5 lessons will switch from now until the Easter holidays. Tutors have worked with Year 9 students this week to make sure they are prepared for this change.

Thank you to those Parents who attended this week’s information session looking at Triple Science and Double Maths options for Year 10. Teachers will continue to work with students over the next couple of weeks, talking to them about the options available to them next year and giving them advice on suitable pathways.

A huge well done to our Year 9 students on their latest Community Project Day this week. Mr Beard and the CAS and Service Advisers Team told us how fantastically the students interacted with the materials presented to them and they spoke highly of the work students are undertaking. Please speak to your child to learn more about the work they are doing in this space.

Have a lovely weekend.

The Year 9 Team

Dear Parents

It has been lovely seeing our Year 7 students back at KGV this week. Next week, we get to see them at school three times, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please make a note of this schedule. We are also switching Period 4 and 5 lessons. These changes will happen automatically in LIONEL and digital versions of timetables will be updated. If your family refers to paper timetables, please make a note that all Period 4 and 5 lessons will switch from now until the Easter holidays. Tutors have worked with Year 7 students this week to make sure they are prepared for this change.

I wanted to say a big thank you and well done to an amazing group of Year 7 students who helped Mr Wrigley this week in interviews for some new Head of Year positions. Brianna Searle, Abby Pinder and Justin Wong were fantastic interviewers who impressed Mr Wrigley with their maturity, knowledge and insight of the candidates. Well done team, I am really proud of you.

Over the next couple of weeks Year 7 students will be making option choices for Year 8 courses. This involves students deciding on which of the four Creative and Performing Arts subjects they will no longer study in Year 8. Students can choose to drop one of the following subjects in Year 8; Music, Drama, Art and Media. Creative and Performing Arts teachers will speak to students over the next couple of weeks to give further details. I will let you know further details in next week’s newsletter.

Have a lovely weekend

The Year 7 Team

Mon 1 Mar: Period 4 and Period 5 classes swap until Easter break (live on Lionel)

Mon 1 Mar: Kindness Week

Mar 2: PTSA Positive Family Relationships Talk 

Thu 4 Mar: Year 10 Learning Review

University of Hong Kong Academy for the Talented

The University of Hong Kong University Academy for the Talented (HKU AT) has recently published their list of courses between now and August for students currently in Years 10-13, and they are inviting students to apply to join. There are application and/or course fees, and you will need to pass the HKU AT admissions test. If you are interested, please see this website: https://www.hku.hk/talented

If you have not previously taken part in one of the HKU AT courses, KGV may also need to submit a school transcript and/or recommendation for you. If you need this, please submit your application, then email the Careers Office (careers.office@kgv.edu.hk) for a transcript or Mr. Hotwani (krishin.hotwani@kgv.edu.hk) for a recommendation. Please note that it will take a few weeks to prepare the transcript/recommendation, so please allow enough time for this when applying.

Dr. Frank K. W. Leung, counselling psychologist and Founder & Director of Care & Beyond – wellness services, will discuss the importance of positive relationships within a family and the effect on children. He will explore types of communication styles and dynamics within a family with tips for parents. He will also touch on the topics of separation, divorce and bereavement, the concept and the coping strategies. There will be tips on how to maintain healthy parent-child relationships. The talk will end with a Q & A.

For registration sign up here.

Enquires contact Kiran, ptsa@kgv.edu.hk

The KGV Careers Office is sharing a lot of information on higher education via different channels/platforms.

• Our Career website is full of H.E. news & resources, scholarships, events, summer/enrichment programmes and many others. New items added this week include JAHK Workshop, Summer/Enrichment programmes around the world & scholarship offers.
• This calendar lists H.E. events and taster lectures offered by universities around the world and is updated regularly.
• We also share other H.E. news and information on our Facebook page. You can find us here.

From KGV Careers Team

Dear Parents, A friendly reminder that the deadline for Year 7 students to submit auditions for the Year 8 KGV Music Academy is Monday 8th March

All the details are on the live presentation document link below KGV Music Academy Information Presentation

Please do get in touch with me or your class music teacher if you have any questions at all.

Best Wishes - Ms Alexandra Carlile

Feedback Friday with the Principal – Fri 5 March, 8:30am

We are committed to support our parents through their journey at KGV, therefore have created several opportunities for you to engage with the school. ‘Feedback Friday‘ is one such opportunity for you to engage in a personalized, small group session on a Friday morning, to chat with the Principal, Mark Blackshaw on various topics or areas you would like.

These online sessions will run from 8:30 - 9:30 am, and are limited to 15 parents.

Our upcoming session will be on, Friday 5 March 2021.

If you would like to attend this or other sessions this term, please sign up on the form. https://forms.gle/hw5DF8p6K21v239i7

Once you sign up for a session/s, a link will be sent to you closer to the time of the meeting.

For enquires contact Kiran at ptsa@kgv.edu.hk

KGV school receives a certificate from Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

It's Lantern Festival! KGV School wishes you and your family a happy and light-filled Lantern Festival.

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