Please note the following changes to Engage@upton:

• Basketball club is cancelled for the remainder of the academic year as the basketball season has ended.
• Year 8 netball is cancelled on Tuesday 3rd of February due to a fixture.
• Football club is cancelled on Tuesday 3rd of February due to the InterYear football competition for charity week, learners can sign up for the competition with their form tutors.

Dear Parent/Carer,

This is just a reminder of our current Mobile Phone Policy. The absence of mobile phones in our school undoubtedly has a positive impact on learning and progress.  Learners are more engaged in their work, more focused on what is going on around them in the classroom, and generally happier with their school experience.  Mobile phones are not allowed to be seen, heard or used in school and must be turned off and out of sight.  Headphones are also ‘classed’ as using a mobile phone because they are connected to a phone. Smartwatches can be worn but must not be used for anything other than telling the time. 

Mobile phones are also not used in the classroom for learning activities.  If the planned learning activity requires the use of technology, the teacher will provide a Chromebook/Computer access instead. This applies to all learners in years 7-13. There are a few exceptions to the mobile phone ban which are detailed below.

Exceptions to the mobile phone ban.

• Sixth-form learners are permitted to use their phones in study areas only, for the purpose of their work. 
• A learner can still use their phone to contact home, with the permission of a member of staff.
• Phone use will be permitted by the teacher, in some subjects, in order to complete and upload their work.  For example: Photography, Media Studies and Textiles.
• Phones will be permitted for learners with medical needs e.g. diabetics who need to monitor blood glucose
• Phones will be permitted for translation purposes if English is an additional language for learners.

School Trips/Visits

The trip leader will decide on the mobile phone policy that will apply to their trip/visit.  This may include one of the following:

• Mobile phones can be used by learners during the visit 
• Mobile phones need to remain at home during the visit 
• Mobile phones can be used at specific times during the visit

Our full mobile phone policy can be found within the behaviour Policy (Appendix 5)

https://www.uptonhigh.co.uk/attachments/download.asp?file=1099&type=pdf 

If you have any questions regarding this policy please do get in touch.

Kindest regards

Mrs Bradbury

Next week sees the return of one of the highlights of our school calendar- 6th Form Charity Week. This is always a fantastic week. Throughout the week you grasp the energy that it brings to our learners and the incredible buzz throughout school that runs throughout the whole school community during this week. This year we are raising money for 3 wonderful charities:

• SPACE- A support service for families and children with disabilities.
• Let’s Farm- An activity service for individuals for learning difficulties to learn practical skills.
• Maggie’s- Supporting people with cancer and their loved ones.

I think you’d agree that once again we have 3 amazing charities that we are supporting this year. Charity Week really showcases our wonderful school community to help those in the wider community. In each of the previous 3 years we have raised over £4500 to be split over the respective charities we had chosen to raise money for.

All learners can obtain event tickets online for Charity Week via ScoPay, with our Charity Week pass already proving very popular. We will also accept cash for each of the events and bake sales throughout the week. There is a comprehensive array of fundraising events throughout the week; this includes bake sales, sponge the teacher, dodgeball, staff v 6th Form football and netball matches, and not to mention our OFSTED famous staff karaoke amongst many other ongoing events. The final event of the week is non-uniform day on Friday, please ensure learners arrive to school on that day in suitable clothing for the February climate. Learners should make donations of £1 for non-uniform day.

As always your support of the week is really appreciated. Thank you to those of you who have donated raffle prizes already, and if you are able to offer any additional raffle prizes then please do let us know. If you are wondering how you could donate without purchasing event and/ or raffle tickets then there is an option on ScoPay for this.

Thank you for your continued support with this event.

Mr P Lewis 

Assistant Headteacher

The JJ Effect

On Tuesday, year 10 had a powerful assembly on the reality of knife crime.  Learners remarked on how valuable and impactful they found the session. Thank you to Byron from the JJ Effect for sharing this important message and to the Youth Service for outlining the work they do within the community to support young people. 

Empowering Minds

On Wednesday, we welcomed Mohammed Sheraz from empowering minds, to talk to year 9 learners about the importance of critical thinking and staying safe online.  A valuable session that supports the work we do in PSHE to empower learners to be informed, safe digital citizens.

Miss S Welch

Head of PSHE

It is very important that we hold the most up-to-date contact details for you. Should you need to update anything you can complete a form on our website https://www.uptonhigh.co.uk/page/?title=Online+Forms&pid=537 or email us at admin@uptonhigh.co.uk

Click on the link below to see the latest information:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ab57VM41x7_yzr0Q19PUj0r4KoWn--X2iSfZR7Kl_yc/edit?usp=sharing