Senior School Weekly Bulletin

Principal’s message

Did you know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel prize? And the only person to have been awarded prizes in two different sciences? In the week that Dr Purves spoke to Y8 in assembly about Nobel prize winners, on Marie Curie’s birthday no less, he encouraged the pupils to think big and value innovation and industry across all disciplines.

And then, because it’s a typical week with 2,000 talented GSAL pupils, we have been thrilled to return from half term with our own crop of new achievements from among our impressive students. My personal favourites included the latest Maths Challenge successes in the sixth form and Oscar, from Y6, who won an individual gold representing Yorkshire in the national men’s gymnastics, just as he helped the county to the silver medal position. What a great way to start a new half term – welcome back!

Sue Woodroofe
Principal

Please note that to access the downloads in this bulletin you will need to be logged into the school intranet GSAL World. Should you have any difficulty logging in please visit the GSAL World home page and follow the instructions under Password Reset Request.

Whole school notices

Nut allergies

As outlined in the 2019 Allergen Management document for parents, GSAL endeavours to be a nut free school. We have several students in school with nut allergies and in order to keep them safe, nut products should never be brought into school, consumed on the school buses or taken on school trips. People with nut allergies can have a reaction simply by being in the same room as a nut based product, touching a surface contaminated by someone else with nuts on their hands or touching the hand of someone who has been holding a nut based product. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

2kit – nearly new uniform shop

Saturday 9 November 10:00 to 12:00 in the theatre foyer

The PFA will be holding a sale of nearly new uniform for all sections of school, with good reductions on the cost of buying new. All proceeds to support PFA projects for the school.

Remembrance Service

Sunday 10 November at 10:30 in the assembly hall

Senior Chamber Choir will be singing at the service and must attend a rehearsal at 09:00 in the assembly hall. Please wear school uniform with poppies.

All GSAL families are welcome to attend the service, which is expected to finish at 12:00.

GSAL park run

Saturday 9 November, 08:45 registration

The GSAL fun run is open to all GSAL families and friends. Please register at the pavilion at 08:45 for a 09:00 start. There will be an option of running a 2km course (one lap) or 4km. All abilities and ages welcome. Children under 11 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Parking is available in the staff car park.

Rose Court Christmas Fair

Saturday 30 November 11:00 to 14:00

Bring the family to the Christmas fair at Rose Court for lots of fun activities and tasty seasonal treats. You can order your Christmas tree, meet Santa and get ahead with your Christmas shopping! Visit our website to find out more about what’s on offer, including the fabulous raffle prizes.

Charity update

The charity collection on Friday 18 October raised £340 for Oxfam. Today’s collection was on behalf of St Gemma’s Hospice. On Friday 15 November the collection will be on behalf of Children In Need. Thank you for your continued support.

Year 7 notices

Speech Day – school closure for Y7

Friday 22 November

School will be closed for pupils in Y7, Y8 and Y9 for the whole day. All Senior School teaching staff and students in Y10 and above will be present at Speech Day in Leeds Town Hall.

Year 8 notices

Speech Day – school closure for Y8

Friday 22 November

School will be closed for pupils in Y7, Y8 and Y9 for the whole day. All Senior School teaching staff and students in Y10 and above will be present at Speech Day in Leeds Town Hall.

Year 9 notices

Y9 battlefields tour

Thursday 11 June to Sunday 14 June 2020, Belgium and northern France

The history department will be running its annual three day tour of the First World War battlefield sites in Belgium and northern France. Visit the Y9 trips and visits folder on GSAL World for further details, in the document Battlefields information letter 2020.

All registrations of interest should be provided no later than 16:00 on Thursday 14 November via the sQuid listing.

We now cover WW1 in lessons so the tour is specially designed to complement the Y9 programme of historical study and should provide stimulus and inspiration for those likely to choose to study history at GCSE.

Speech Day – school closure for Y9

Friday 22 November

School will be closed for pupils in Y7, Y8 and Y9 for the whole day. All Senior School teaching staff and students in Y10 and above will be present at Speech Day in Leeds Town Hall.

Year 10 notices

Y10 subject teacher consultation evening

Thursday 14 November

Please see the attached letter from Mrs M Collins, head of Y10, for further details. Please use the online booking system to make appointments with teachers. The booking system will close on Tuesday 12 November at 16:00.

Speech Day – going home arrangements

Friday 22 November at Leeds Town Hall

Please complete this short survey by 16:00 on Tuesday 12 November to advise us how your child will travel home from Speech Day, so that we can make suitable transport arrangements.

All students in Y10, Y11, Y12 and Y13 will attend Speech Day at Leeds Town Hall at 13:15. The ceremony is expected to finish at 15:30, after which time students may be collected from the Town Hall or make their own way home from the centre of Leeds. Alternatively we will provide coaches for students to return to Alwoodley Gates for collection or to catch the late bus service, which will depart at approximately 16:30.

Year 11 notices

Speech Day – going home arrangements

Friday 22 November at Leeds Town Hall

Please complete this short survey by 16:00 on Tuesday 12 November to advise us how your child will travel home from Speech Day, so that we can make suitable transport arrangements.

All students in Y10, Y11, Y12 and Y13 will attend Speech Day at Leeds Town Hall at 13:15. The ceremony is expected to finish at 15:30, after which time students may be collected from the Town Hall or make their own way home from the centre of Leeds. Alternatively we will provide coaches for students to return to Alwoodley Gates for collection or to catch the late bus service, which will depart at approximately 16:30.

Year 12 notices

Speech Day – going home arrangements

Friday 22 November at Leeds Town Hall

Please complete this short survey by 16:00 on Tuesday 12 November to advise us how your child will travel home from Speech Day, so that we can make suitable transport arrangements.

All students in Y10, Y11, Y12 and Y13 will attend Speech Day at Leeds Town Hall at 13:15. The ceremony is expected to finish at 15:30, after which time students may be collected from the Town Hall or make their own way home from the centre of Leeds. Alternatively we will provide coaches for students to return to Alwoodley Gates for collection or to catch the late bus service, which will depart at approximately 16:30.

Year 13 notices

Speech Day – going home arrangements

Friday 22 November at Leeds Town Hall

Please complete this short survey by 16:00 on Tuesday 12 November to advise us how your child will travel home from Speech Day, so that we can make suitable transport arrangements.

All students in Y10, Y11, Y12 and Y13 will attend Speech Day at Leeds Town Hall at 13:15. The ceremony is expected to finish at 15:30, after which time students may be collected from the Town Hall or make their own way home from the centre of Leeds. Alternatively we will provide coaches for students to return to Alwoodley Gates for collection or to catch the late bus service, which will depart at approximately 16:30.