Latest News

Aviva Premiership trophy visits the school.

18/04/2012 00:00:00

On Monday 16th April thanks to the help of Saracens ‘Hitz’ community rugby coaching, Loxford School were lucky enough to have the Aviva Premiership trophy visit the school.

Rugby has become popular at Loxford. Throughout the winter terms more than 50 students regularly attended a lunchtime extra curricular club.

The year 7 and 8 Loxford ‘Lions’ had their first game against Mayfield school in February which they unfortunately lost, however more games are planned for the near future where they will be hungry for victory.

If you would like to give rugby a try in or out of school, then contact Mr Simpson in the Physical Education department for more details.

Loxford makes it onto the BBC!

26/03/2012 08:28:59

Loxford makes it onto the BBC! Students from Loxford School of Science and Technology in Ilford were invited to co-present Tommy Sandhu's breakfast show on BBC Asian Network. For more details on how you might join in with such events
see Ms. Kober.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/17382971

We Will Rock You

23/03/2012 10:19:13

We Will Rock You

11^th – 13^th July 2012

We are currently working on this years’ school production of We Will Rock You. Please come and support our students.

Royal Albert Hall

23/03/2012 00:00:00

A few of our lucky students were given the opportunity to perform at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Redbridge Choral Festival.

Imperial War Museum

23/03/2012 00:00:00

Around 30 students from Year 9 visited the Imperial War Museum. They got to learn about the effects that World War had on British society from when it began up until today.

Visit to The Guardian newspaper.

21/03/2012 00:00:00

A few Year 9 students recently had the privilege of visiting The Guardian newspaper. They were able to learn about how a newspaper is structured and what goes into their production, things like sub-editing and writing in house style. It surprised the pupils just how much effort and dedication on a daily basis goes into printing a newspaper.
The children even got to try their hand at creating their own front pages, which included editing and writing headlines. It made them aware of how tough journalism can be, but that it can also be rewarding and fun.

YR 12 students see Matilda The Musical

16/03/2012 00:00:00

Earlier this month Year 12 students studying A-Level Drama were taken to see Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge theatre in London.

Debate Mate Trip To Ursuline School

09/03/2012 00:00:00

Loxford took three debating teams to the second round of the Urban Debate League run by Debate Mate, hosted at St Angela's Ursuline School. It was a big round, with five schools competing, and we came up against some very strong competition, particularly in the form of St Angela's themselves, who were finalists last year. However, our A team - Aneesa Ali, Amina Mohamed, Minahil Khan and Naomi Preston-Low - won both their debates. The B and C team suffered some very near losses but showed great progress since their last debate. A very successful evening!

Schools of Good Hope Newsletter

29/02/2012 00:00:00

Click here to read the full newsletter

Change of lesson times on Friday 2nd March and Monday 5th March

27/02/2012 10:07:32

On Friday and next Monday a very large number of students will be sitting their final GCSE Mathematics examination. This examination starts at 1.30 which is during our usual
lunchtime. In order to support the achievement of these students we are having an early lunch break on these two days. The students will be refreshed and the school will then be very quiet for the examination to start at 1.30.

Lesson 1, 2, morning break and lesson 3 will be as normal.
At 12.20 we will start the lunch break which will last till 1.10.
Lesson 4 will begin at 1.10 and last until 2.10
Lesson 5 will be from 2.10 until 3.10 with registration at the usual time of 3.10 until 3.25

If your child has a home lunch pass please be aware that they will be leaving at 12.20 and must be back in school for 1.05.

We do hope this does not cause any inconvenience. As always we are dedicated to our students achieving their very best.

Match Report

24/02/2012 09:27:12

Loxford makes it into the news again! - Children need to see adults "caught reading"

24/02/2012 08:22:10

Loxford makes it into the news again! - Children need to see adults "caught reading"

On the Guardian website you can read about how our pupils have been deeply inspired by discovering which books the adults who work at our school love, through these eye-catching "I got caught reading" posters.

For the full story please use the following link -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/2012/feb/17/1

Our school worked with First Story which is a charity

23/02/2012 00:00:00

Our school worked with First Story which is a charity that puts writers into schools to run weekly workshops with the pupils. Last year, Laura Dockrill, a published author and performance poet, visited Loxford every week to work with a group of 20 pupils.

They produced the anthology, which they named 'Imagine'. It is a collection of short stories and poems that they have written over the course of the year. The book was published and launched on July, 13th 2011. This year Laura has returned to work with a similar group of students on a second project. This work is supported by one of our excellent English teachers - Ms Steel.

One student Mohamed Mardadi, from the Imagine book, has beenshortlisted for the finals of the LSE/First Story Relating Cultures competition. The winner is going to be announced at an event his is attending called 'Space for Thought Literary Festival'. He has also been asked to perform his poem at The Tabernacle (Notting Hill) on 29th February - again, it is an evening of performances and reading by poets and authors.

We are very proud of his achievements and to hear him perform his work is highly moving.

8.T visit the Karamsar Gurdwara Sikh Temple in Ilford

10/02/2012 00:00:00

On the last Friday before the Spring half term, class 8.T visited the Karamsar Gurdwara Sikh Temple in Ilford. They were able to observe the Sikh culture and learn about their religious practices.

Hajj Exhibition At The British Museum

06/02/2012 00:00:00

Mrs Patel’s Year 9 RE class recently visited the British Museum to see their Hajj Exhibition. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and represents the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make in their lifetime if they are able. The exhibition is a display of deep personal journey.

The children were able to study the Hajj in detail by looking at many different artefacts such as replicas of the Black Stone and the Key of Kaaba, and they were also shown a film about Hajj. It proved to be an enjoyable day out for the class.

Class 9.S Go To See Shrek The Musical

03/02/2012 00:00:00

At the end of last term class 9.S went to see Shrek The Musical at the Drury Lane Theatre in London as a reward for working hard and receiving the most positive feedback in Year 9 for the winter term. For many of the students it was their first time experiencing a West End musical and it was well received by all of them.
The students enjoyed the show’s special effects and also the performance of the actors, and not just for their acting ability but their singing as well. The fact that the children got to go to central London seemed to be a big attraction for them with many of them enamoured by the big city. They all appreciated being rewarded for their efforts in school and know that they need to keep it up!

Year 8 Cress Project

03/02/2012 00:00:00

Year 8 students recently attended a cress project at Loxford where they took part in various fun experiments. These involved: finding out which is the best shampoo by testing them on fake hair strands. Making healthy smoothies by using various natural fruits and also understanding the fruits’ fat content and calories. Measuring the speed and distance of toy cars by learning about the different types of energy that can be used, and how the aerodynamic designs affect them.

Vote Haajarah Hussain for Redbridge's member of the Youth Parliament!

26/01/2012 00:00:00

At the end of January, all Redbridge school students will have the chance to vote for who they would like to be Redbridge's member of the Youth Parliament. You will get a voting paper between the 30th of January and the 3rd of February. Please think about who you want to vote for.

Our representative, Haajarah Hussein, is on the campaign trail and needs the vote of all Loxford students!

My name is Haajarah Hussain, studying in year 11. I am currently running in the elections for Redbridge Youth Parliament. I need all students' support to help me win my way to the top 4! I am fighting for what the youth of Redbridge need and want, in particular:

More Police Officers, particularly around schools and on public transport
More youth activities, sports clubs and work experience
A lowering of the tuition fees for Higher Education
I'm representing Loxford and Redbridge and need your support!

VOTE HAAJARAH! VOTE FOR CHANGE!

Salman Rana - Exceptional Cricketer

18/01/2012 16:39:23

Congratulations to Salman Rana of year 9 who has continued to be a leading player in Ilford Cricket Club. Their recent results and his high scores can be seen in the following link.

http://www.essexcricket.org.uk/uploads/PDFs/Cricket%20Centre/Indoor%20League%20Results/U15-Results.pdf

Please also look at the following website where you can see photographs of a competition at the end of last season and Salman enjoying his success.

http://www.essexcricket.org.uk/development/recreational-competitions/peter-coe-cup/

Eco-Warriors!

16/01/2012 00:00:00

The Eco-Warriors are currently planning and initiating a school wide campaign to reduce the school’s energy consumption. The campaign is called “Switch it off!...Go green!”. In the first term the Eco-Warriors conducted an energy survey of the school to collect data on the school’s energy consumption. The survey revealed that Loxford is using large amounts of energy by leaving lights on when rooms are not in use and by leaving appliances left on when not in use e.g. computer monitors and photocopiers.

Following the survey, the Eco-Warriors took part in an eco-training session. In this session they generated ideas on how Loxford School can reduce its energy consumption and on how the campaign can be promoted. The Eco-Warriors have begun to launch the campaign by putting up various posters and stickers to help remind you to switch off lights and appliances when not in use. In order for this campaign to be a success the Eco-Warriors need your help! Remember to “Switch it off!...Go green!” when you are finished using lights and appliances (computers, monitors, photocopiers, speakers). Together, let’s make Loxford more eco-friendly!!!

How to write.

13/01/2012 00:00:00

Last term we launched a new writers' workshop with an event at a castle in Oxfordshire with a whole bunch of published novelists like Philip Pullman and Michael Morpurgo and poets like Jackie Kay.
It was a fantastic event and our students wrote imaginative, sad and funny pieces reflecting their lives and experiences. They also had the opportunity to talk to Philip Pullman about his work and the way he writes.
The event was filmed for the BBC and this is the programme they made.
Watch carefully and you will see Loxford students in uniform at the event.
The book we wrote called 'Imagine' is available to buy from the school price £7.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b019h5z6/How_to_Write/

Loxford welcomes our guests from Finland.

10/01/2012 00:00:00

On the 10^th of January we welcomed a delegation of senior educationalists from Tampere, Finland. The aim of the visit to the United Kingdom was to see new schools and how they use online learning to support student achievement. We are extremely proud that Loxford was chosen to be the only school in London that they wanted to visit. The party toured the school, visited classrooms, talked to students and discussed with our teachers how we provide a high quality education.

The afternoon included presentations on video conferencing and how Finnish schools can become our international partners. We are excited that a number of schools want to join with us in collaborative projects such as writing a book. We received excellent feedback and comments on our students, the building and were invited to visit their schools in the Tampere area. Yet again Loxford can be seen as outstanding.

Mobile Phones - Out of Sight is Safer!

10/01/2012 00:00:00

Dear Parent/Guardian,

I have received the following advice from our Crime Prevention Officers to share with you.

Mobile Phones - Out of Sight is Safer!

Young people are especially vulnerable to mobile phone theft. Often the offences occur after school hours as children are travelling home from school.

Our advice is simple - ' Out of Sight is Safer'.

Is it essential that you child takes their mobile phone to school?

If so please ensure they follow this advice:-

Make essential calls from a safe environment - ideally before leaving school premises.
Avoid using the mobile phone in public areas or where you feel unsafe.
When using your mobile phone remain aware of you surroundings.
Always use your phone’s security lock code or PIN number.
Keep a secure record of the 15 digit IMEI number which can be found on the box, under the battery or by keying *#06# into your phone.
Register your phone details on www.immobilise.com it’s free, quick and easy.
Property mark your phone using UV pen with your postcode and door number.
Report a lost or stolen phone to the police immediately.
Inform your service provider if your phone is stolen or lost.

In addition, you can help police locate your stolen mobile device and potentially identify suspects by using relevant applications. Please refer to your mobile phone to see if such an application or function exists. For example:-

Find My iPhone - http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/find-my-iphone-setup/

BlackBerry Protect - http://uk.blackberry.com/services/protect/

Please discuss this issue with your child and above all remind them that their personal safety comes first. Further specialist advice can be obtained from Redbridge Police Crime Prevention & Problem Solving Office on 020 8554 9264.

If you see anything suspicious, call the police - dial 999. Non urgent enquiries can be made through the switchboard on 101.

If you have information about stolen mobile phones or any other crimes please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. You can call anonymously.

Maths Brainteasers Day

16/12/2011 12:00:00

We took a team of eight of our most gifted Year 9 French students to 'La Journée des Casse-Têtes Mathématiques' (Maths Brainteasers Day) at Ilford County High School. Their hall was set up with fifty tables, each with a different maths or logic puzzle, with the main challenge being... that all the instructions were in French! We worked alongside one of Ilford County's Year 9 form groups and were split up into pairs and threes, where we worked for an hour trying to complete as many of the puzzles as possible, learning some new French along the way. We had great fun and it was really great to use our French in a new and interesting way!

Loxford Primary Phase Nativity Play

15/12/2011 00:00:00

Loxford Primary Phase Nativity Play

The children in our Year 1 and Reception classes preformed their nativity play for parents/carers
on Friday 9th December 2011 in the main hall of the secondary school. All the children worked extremely hard practicing their roles and songs in the weeks leading up to the play. Every child had a part in the play; they made us all very proud and performed brilliantly. After the performance parents/carers were given the opportunity to take photos of their child dressed in their nativity costumes.

We would like to thank Mr Kalmakrain for taking photographs and videoing the play. Our DVD will be available shortly. Please read the weekly newsletter for more information on the release date.

I would like to thank all members of our dedicated and talented primary team who helped make the play such a success.

Wishing you all a happy and restful holiday

Mr A Hook
Head of School (Primary Phase)

Winter Concert

14/12/2011 15:55:36

Loxford School has just hosted its Winter concert where 50 students from Year 7-13 took part. It was the first ever performance from the Loxford Choir who sung hit songs such as “Price Tag” by Jessie J, “I’ll Be Missing You” by P.Diddy, and “Rolling In The Deep” by Adele. Alongside the choir there were performances from other students and the Steel Pans group, a new promising band from Year 8 performed “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon. It was a great turn out by parents who came to support their children.

Our link with Zambia is becoming real!

01/12/2011 10:49:00

We have just seen the latest newsletter from PEPAIDS where they have announced our link with Kafefwe Community School. We are very excited about working wityh the teachers and students in Zambia. PEPAIDS is a UK charity which promotes links with between schools in the UK and Zambia.

PEPAIDS writes “As well as visiting the school to observe the teachers, we thought we’d take the opportunity to let the pupils and teachers at Kafefwe know that they had been linked with Loxford School as part of our UK-Zambia schools linking programme. There was lots of excitement about this – the pupils and teachers applauded and said that ‘God had blessed them’ with this opportunity. They can’t wait to learn more about Loxford and see photos of the teachers and pupils!”

For the full story please click here.

STEM Club Complete the Water Challenge!

01/12/2011 00:00:00

In STEM club (Science Technology Engineering Maths) year 8 and 10 pupils worked together on an exciting challenge to move water from one place to another using only a few things like string and paper. The winning group would be the one that spilt the least water! Almost every group was successful, with only one group spilling their water all over the table. Incredibly, the winning two groups managed to only spill a few drops of water. This was a fun challenge which used the pupils’ science and design skills as well as testing their ability to work as a team. The club is looking forward to more challenges which will include designing and racing boats dog-fighting with aeroplanes they make.

PEER MENTORING through “PAIRED READING” at Loxford!

30/11/2011 00:00:00

The aims of this programme are:

Support yr 12 students in their ongoing personal development/support their UCAS statements i.e. volunteering experience/inspire up and coming young readers.
Support yr 8 & 9 students into becoming confident and independent free readers.

16 yr 12 students signed up to this exciting programme and are all attending; they have been paired up with 16 yr 8 & 9 students.

Meenujah Logansounthiran 12Y- supports the coordination of this programme and has really shown great commitment.

This programme started on Friday 25th November and will be ongoing.

Achievements will be recognised in a brief, informal award presentation at the end of every 6wks.

Miss Atkinson

Sixth Form Library

After school STEM Club.

29/11/2011 00:00:00

Currently Loxford School are running a STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Club after school. It has attracted a lot of interest from students and recently they are taking part in ‘The Big Science Project’ – based on solving water issues. The project should be completed on 8th December, and the school is looking to select one entry to go through to the international competition.
Upcoming challenges include: The powered boat challenge - Building a motor-driven boat to cross the swimming pool & Mousetrap drag racers. If you’re interested in attending, the club meets once a week every Thursday in F11 at 3:30pm after school.

MiCommunity Intergenerational Project

24/11/2011 00:00:00

On Tuesday mornings Loxford welcomes 10-12 older members of the local community. A group of year 12s support them as they learn how to use a pc; sometimes for the first time. This project is delivered in conjunction with Age UK Redbridge with the idea that young people make a volunteer commitment to support an older learner. Our students have never known a time when they did not use a computer but for older people this is a new technology that they want to use but need support to do so. This is where we step in and on a one-to-one basis support our older learners from using a mouse to doing the weekly shopping online. This is a wonderful project that allows the generations to mix and get to know each other and from which everyone benefits.

RAJENDER

Today is my second day here. I have never have touch computer before but today I got bit control on mouse the girls are very helpful and I enjoy my day.

SHIRLEY

This course has helped m realise that I can achieve my goal which is complete mastery of the computer instead of being fearful.

BRIGID

I am learning to go on the internet and finding different subjects to see. The recipe for Christmas Turkey is very interesting and will try it. Hopefully next week on my laptop will be able to go on email. Couldn’t remember my email address! Enjoy learning and hopefully will enjoy it.

MAHMOODA

I am enjoying it, getting to know different things on the computer. I have been on different courses but one to one help is wonderful.

DHARMA

It’s wonderful experience to come down to Loxford School and especially to see all students. Sabiya helped me a lot. I learnt some different stuff which I didn’t know. I should be thankful to Sabiya and all the staff, much appreciate. Once again thank you for all your support.

Maria (Student)

Personally I’m really enjoying sharing my skills with someone in my community. It’s really interesting and has helped me to see older people in a whole new different way.

FLAVIA (Student)

My experience in these past days has been extraordinary and has made me more confident in communicating and has increased my speaking skills too. I really enjoyed it.

The National Portrait Gallery in London

15/11/2011 00:00:00

Year 11 students recently visited The National Portrait Gallery in London as part of their GCSE Art course. They were able to study many different paintings and various forms of artwork, which will greatly aid them with their creativeness. The students learnt about how different artists use different types of techniques like various brush strokes. It was also inspiring for the pupils to look at the kind of work that adorns the walls of a gallery, and to find out about the context behind each artist’s work. The students enjoyed themselves so much that many of them were left wanting to see of the work by other artists, but unfortunately there was not quite enough time for them to see everything.

Media Magazine Student Conference

10/11/2011 00:00:00

They learnt many insightful things about the media, such as how they portray controversial topics, how social networking is being used to report stories and how much of an impact the media can make on society. They also got the chance to meet people who have been able to pursue successful media careers, which were able to provide them with key knowledge to help them with their A-Levels. Many students felt as though the information that they gained from the day’s events could greatly help them in future projects, an area that which many felt could be improved was the amount of activities that were given to them as it wasn’t that engaging at times. On the whole the trip was well received and enjoyed by Year 12.

Pink Day

10/11/2011 00:00:00

Last month Loxford School was able to raise over £300 for Pink Day. Nearly every student and staff member wore pink in order to promote awareness for breast cancer. There were bake sales taking place in order to raise money which was organised by the students. In addition to baking cakes they also knitted pink ribbons and sold them to staff.

Loxford Student Visits 10 Downing Street

09/11/2011 00:00:00

On the 12th October I went to a reception celebrating women’s contribution to UK business held at 10 Downing Street. It was a great honour to be invited by the Prime Minister through SMF to attend this prestigious event. My experience proved very exciting as I was surrounded by great female business women, as well as Nick Clegg and David Cameron. The evening began with a lot of networking and exchanging of experiences before the Prime Minister delivered his speech. The whole intention of the event was to celebrate women’s contribution to business and also address targets made by the 30% club. The 30% Club is a group of Chairmen and organisations committed to bringing more women onto UK corporate boards. Overall I had a great time and got a lot out of the event.

By Jamala 13Y

Year 8 listen to live music performed by Redbridge Music String Quintet

21/09/2011 00:00:00

On Wednesday 21st of September, the whole of the Year 8 students had the privilege to listen to live music performed by the Redbridge Music String Quintet.

During an hour, players mesmerized students with, as entrance number, an arrangement of Pirates of the Caribbean for strings before moving on to Waltz, Tango, and Classical pieces of music. To close the concert, the quintet performed Harry Potter’s soundtrack, which blew away aspiring musicians.

Students had the chance to ask all sorts of questions, which were happily answered by the players and some of our students even got the chance to conduct the quintet. Our year 8s discovered live play by instruments they had never really heard before in concert as well as different instrumental techniques used by string players.

The afternoon has been inspiring and an enjoyment for both students and staff and the Music Department hopes to organise a similar event during the year.

House of Commons

02/09/2011 00:00:00

On 19th November 2010, we visited the House of Commons with Mr Coffey on a Critical Thinking trip. Despite early travel troubles, the day was a stimulating insight into what makes our country tick.

We arrived at the House of Commons in good time and faced thorough security checks. All our electronic items were taken away and so were our bags. At first we were quite intimidated by the fact that there were many police men with guns, highlighting that we were at such an important place in the country.

After passing through the security gates we found ourselves amidst a modern courtyard in which we were given an introduction by the tour guides and split into two groups in order to be led into the Houses.

Next we were taken through a tunnel, linking the courtyard with the Houses. As we passed through the tunnel there was an apparent change in scenery and the environment began to look more gothic. We were taken into the viewing gallery for the House of Lords. The view was breathtaking as the seats were so high enabling us to have a stadium-like view into the House of Lords. While in there, a debate was taking place but the House was particularly empty and the topic was not too important.

The tour guides then brought us into the central lobby, a grand staple of Gothic English Architecture. The ceilings were beautifully adorned with intricate paintings and each wall seemed to be alive with pieces of stone work.

Following our tour of the Houses we were taken to a room, where we were given an insight into how our government actually works and what steps we should take in order for our voices to be heard, including a meeting with our local MP, Mike Gapes.

The day proved to be very successful and gave us more reason into believing that our voices maybe heard. Well, we can hope......................

Daniel Toby and Mariam Nabi

Transition Day

28/07/2011 00:00:00

On 28th July 2011 27 new year 7students, supported by 4 year 8s attended an activity day at school. This was for students who were coming to Loxford but did not know any other students. The idea of the day was for them to get to know each other so the transition to Loxford was as easy as possible.

The 4 year 8 students had been in a similar position last year came in to help out and to support the new students. They will continue to help these students settle in to Loxford in the new term and will be buddies to help out with any difficulties they have settling in to Loxford .

A sports organisation called Premier Sports organised activities on the day. They began with a treasure hunt around the school to get familiarised with the building then went out to the astro-turf to play sports and team-games. They had a packed lunch then went out again to play more sports.

Everyone agreed that this was a great day and it helped the new year 7s to feel more confident about starting at Loxford in September.

Year 7 Day Trip to France

19/07/2011 00:00:00

Teach First Work Experience By Sana Seth

15/07/2011 00:00:00

Last week I was given the opportunity to carry out one weeks work experience at one of Britain’s leading teaching charities, ‘Teach First’. Although, they may not look very much like a charity considering the London branch is situated in a huge building in More London Riverside in London Bridge!

For those of you who haven’t heard about Teach First, it aims to get exceptional graduates properly trained in all aspects of their field and then place them onto low achieving schools to help improve the education levels. They are trying to break the link between family income and the child’s education. As evidence shows income levels is a major factor which lowers the chances of many students to progress in education.

During my time there I expected to be doing a lot of boring jobs e.g. making drinks, shredding paper etc. (well I did actually have to do some shredding, but it was only for a little while). I was actually rather busy and I carried out several key tasks such as sorting huge amounts of data into separate spreadsheets, which took absolutely AGES! But I was given the opportunity to attend induction periods and focus days alongside the other employees. These sessions were inspiring and interesting as I learnt how the charity operates internally.

This was an exceptionally busy period at Teach First as they were preparing for their big 10 year summit, celebrating ten years of success since Teach First was founded in 2002. Therefore my experience was at the right time as I was able to witness the high point of the charity where they were conducting several celebratory events.

This was an incredible experience for me and will be of great benefit to me in the future and it was due to Mr. Sims who arranged it for me. So thanks Sir!

Sana Seth

12Y

Loxford School First Story Launch

13/07/2011 00:00:00

This week we launched the Loxford School First Story Group’s anthology, ‘Imagine’. This year, the pupils in the group have been writing poems, short stories, extracts and songs with our writer-in-residence, Laura Dockrill. We have put them together to create ‘Imagine’, a wonderful book, illustrated by Tahmina Shamim and written by the First Story group: Kamal Byron-Bolessa, Tahmina Shamim, Wasim Iqbal, Poonam Gosai, Kico Bela, Faye Oliver, Ibtisam Ahmed, Mohamed Mardardi, Raheel Iqbal, Hanaa Baboorally, Pradeep Kaur and Amrik Manku.

Faye Oliver, one of the group, writes:

First Story has been the most amazing opportunity ever. When I first heard about it, I was a bit sceptical; it all sounded too good to be true. But I was wrong. The workshops proceeded to happen on Wednesdays with the wonderful Laura Dockrill, and if you were to stand outside, all you would be able to hear was laughter, the sound of eating and the magical words people have written. First Story gives young people the chance to express themselves creatively and it really helped me with my confidence, to be able to say “Yes, I do write.”

The book launch was the most surreal event ever. The preparation for it was huge, from getting the invitations out, to listing the readers, but it was all worth it. Standing up on the stage, with the lights soft and dim, reading out an extract of my work, it brought back all the memories of the workshops. The readings were a great success but my favourite part of the night had to be the book signing. People came in streams, one after the other, holding their books out for our signatures, it was amazing. I felt dazed; I knew I would remember this night forever.

Written by Faye Oliver, 10S

Religious Education Visit to the Jewish Museum

12/07/2011 00:00:00

On the 12th July 2011 Y7 and Y8 went to the Jewish Museum London. The pupils had the opportunity to further expand their knowledge and understanding of the Jewish faith.

Pupils took part in two workshops entitled 'A Taste of Judaism' which was about Jewish food and Jewish food laws, where the pupil had the chance to taste Jewish foods. The second was ' Change and Responsibility' which was about Bar and Bat Mitzvah, where the pupils had the chance to wear Jewish clothing, for example, the Tallit. Pupils then visited the fantastic galleries, which ranged from the Sabbath and an old Jewish kitchen, the Passover and the Seder meal, festivals, Jewish History and the Holocaust.Pupils were given interesting worksheets to complete as they were walking around the galleries. Pupils really enjoyed the trip and the RE department will surely be organising this again next year.

Upcoming trips:

St Pauls Cathedral trip KS4. Autumn term 2011
Regents Park Mosque KS4. Autumn term 2011
Philosophy and Ethics conterence KS5. Spring Term 2012

Visit to Queen Mary on 10th June 2011

24/06/2011 09:20:14

It was a privilege to be one of the students from Loxford School present at a Biology and Chemistry lecture at Queen Mary. T

For biology we had a zoologist talk about his research into how animals and their young recognised each other right after birth. It was a very informative session and it gave an introduction to zoology, a branch I would say is very much underrated after hearing the lecture. I find it particularly amazing for day old fawns to be able to recognise and distinguish sounds of their mothers from sounds of other parents. From audio graphs, we saw that mothers’ sounds were more distinct than fawns’, which was backed by studies showing fawns responded more and faster to their parents than parents recognised their fawns. This led to the conclusion that smells from fawns helped their parents to tell them apart (backed by further studies). - Intriguing.

Chemistry was next. This was more practical and we got to experiment most of the concepts we had had from school and play around with solid carbon dioxide, liquid oxygen, ‘artificial’ blood and lots more. It was surprising to learn that not only very hot, but very cold substances scorched. Who would think that the air around us exerted pressure on us but because we have grown used to it we hardly recognise that effect?

The day ended with a session about careers and alternative career pathways, particularly into medicine.

The session has indubitably given us a feel of higher level education and made us more interested in it. Generally, the entire programme was well co-ordinated and we say thank you to the organiser.

Samuel Eduawor, 12Y

School Uniform Summer Dates

08/06/2011 10:42:26

The School Uniform Supplier will be in school on the following dates:

Thursday 21st July 2011   -   3.30pm - 5.30pm
Monday 1st August 2011   -   12.00pm - 4.00pm
Tuesday 9th August 2011   -   3.00pm - 4.00pm
Thursday 18th August 2011   -   11.00am - 4.00pm
Tuesday 23rd August 2011   -   3.00pm - 7.00pm
Friday 26th August 2011   -   11.00am - 4.00pm
Thursday 1st September 2011   -   11.00am - 4.00pm

Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge

08/06/2011 00:00:00

On 12th May 26 year 10 students took part in an amazing workshop where we developed our speaking skills. We discovered ways to project our voices, speak convincingly and communicate with our audience. At the end of the workshop we had all prepared a short speech that we had to deliver to the rest of the group. Every speech was brilliant, some were funny, some were sad, some were about hobbies and interests and some were personal viewpoints and experiences. Every one of them was thought provoking. Rose Sawkins was our tutor for the day and it was her job to choose the winners who would be put forward for the East London final. The winners were Usaama Nadeem and Rosa Kimbembi.

The final was on 25th May. Loxford hosted the event. Mr Louis and the Steel Pans groups performed the entertainment and Mr McCarey and some of his students provided a magnificent buffet. 14 schools in Redbridge were represented and the speakers had to perform in front of an audience of about 150 people plus the Mayor of Redbridge and a judging panel that included Mike Gapes, our local MP. If you take a look on http://www.speakoutchallenge.com/photodisplay.php?pg=71 you will see photos of the evening. Usaama and Rosa were very nervous but spoke brilliantly and , although they were not the eventual winners they were amazing – well done Usaama and Rosa!

LOXFORD GCSE ART EXHIBITION 2011

07/06/2011 00:00:00

The annual GCSE Art exhibition is always varied, bright and imaginative and the 2011 show continued this tradition. The exhibition was a celebration of two years of student’s hard work and included a variety of media and techniques, show casing the student’s skills.

The themes of Natural Forms, Landscapes and Myself were noticeable and responses were varied. This year’s exam theme of ‘Similarities and Differences’ ensured each student had truly unique outcomes.

The exhibition was visited by current Yr 11’s and their families, staff and current Yr 11’s and their families, staff and current Yr 10’s.

Year 11 Study Leave

24/05/2011 00:00:00

Year 11 will be officially starting their Study Leave on 25th May 2011.

They will attend a leavers assembly at 11.00am in which we will go through their examination timetable and the requirements for examinations.

It is extremely important that every child has their examination timetable and arrives to all examinations on time.

We will be releasing the results for the GCSE examinations on 25th August at 10.00am.

We wish all students well during this time and we hope that they take this time to study.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. A. Johnson Headteacher

Our old furniture makes it to Ethiopia!

18/05/2011 00:00:00

When we moved to our new building there were many tables and chairs which we knew we would not need. These were offered to various charitable organisations and the Rotary club of Redbridge took up the offer. We now have photographs of our furniture in 2 schools in Ethiopia.

Please read the following letter which we have received from the Rotary Club of Redbridge. This explains where the furniture has been used.

You will recall that on 12 May 2010 Tony Barden, Ken Styles and me of the Rotary Club of Redbridge together with James Brown of GB Transport UK & International Movers and two of his employees and you loaded many chairs and desks onto James Brown’s lorry that your school had donated and that you very kindly organised.

Well I am now delighted that the attached six photographs show that these chairs and desks have been put to such good use in Edeget Feleg Secondary School in Gondar town, Ethiopia and Jenda Elementary in Ethiopia as otherwise they may well have ended up in a land fill site somewhere in the United Kingdom. Please also read the following email that Martha Ware the General Manager of School-Aid UK sent to me on 10 January 2011:

Dear Tony,

I am really pleased to be able to provide you with the following feedback from our partner in the shipment, Link Ethiopia. Thanks for your patience. As you will see from the following feedback the team was out in Ethiopia distributing the shipment when I last emailed them to follow up.

"The shipment was a big success. I (Link Ethiopia Director) was over there in October and November and the shipment had arrived a few days before my arrival which was great timing. The furniture element of the shipment was a huge success! Our team on the ground, and the schools, were really surprised by the quality of the chairs and tables. I’ve got a few photos from when I helped with sorting the furniture, getting one of the new computer rooms kitted out with new tables and chairs, and got furniture for other schools packed up into lorries (attached). The computer room in the photos is at Edeget Feleg Secondary School, in Gondar town (the school is located here: http://maps.google.com/maps)
Thanks again for all your help with this project. It was SO great seeing all the furniture in their new home!"

I hope that this initial feedback is helpful to you and I will send on all the further information once I receive it. I would like to take this opportunity once again to thank you and the Rotary Club for your support..

Best regards,
Martha.

May I again take this opportunity of thanking you for your generous gesture in this very worthwhile project.

Kind regards,

TONY BETTS.

Summer Polo's Sale - 13th April 2-5pm

01/04/2011 10:03:29

There will be Summer Polo's on sale on Wednesday 13th April at 2pm - 5pm for students and parents to purchase.

Loxford Debate Mate Club - UDL Round 2

24/03/2011 00:00:00

We took 2 squads to this round, where the pre-released motion was: "This house believes that protest is an ineffective way of bringing about change" and the motion released on the day, for the second debate was: "This house would pay children to go to school." Both Loxford A and Loxford B put up an excellent fight in their respective rooms, with Loxford A winning both their debates, and Loxford B unfortunately being unsuccessful in theirs (although there was just one point in it for the second debate!)

An outstanding show from the Loxford Debate Mate Club, who are growing in confidence and ability with every debate!

Magic of Computer Science

09/03/2011 00:00:00

On 16th February Loxford School of Science and Technology was pleased to invite Dr Paul Curzon, an inspirational leader in Computer Science, to give a two hour interactive magic show to Key Stage 4 and 5 ICT and Computing students. Dr Curzon, from the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science at Queen Mary, University of London, has recently been appointed as a National Teaching Fellow by the Higher Education Academy for his excellence and contributions to teaching and learning. He is one of the co-founders of cs4fn – a not-for profit organisation funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council with support from Google, ARM and Microsoft. The cs4fn magazine has been a great tool to intrigue the young and old about the wonders of Computer Science and how we come across it in our everyday lives. Part of the cs4fn project involved the birth of ‘The Magic of Computer Science’.

Dr Curzon showed how fundamental computer science methods are the real power behind some of the most cunning conjuring effects. Students were constantly engaged and actively involved in the show and in the process learned some great tricks and some exciting computer science. The event also highlighted how mathematics and computer science make the ‘magic’ of modern technology work through examples of Human-Computer Interaction in the medical world – a large part of Dr Curzon’s research area.

The student’s each received a book full of ‘Computer Science magic’ and other tools to repeat the show! If you’re intrigued and want to find out more, pick a card here!

Magic of Computer Science

03/03/2011 00:00:00

The student’s each received a book full of ‘Computer Science magic’ and other tools to repeat the show! If you’re intrigued and want to find out more, pick a card here!

Loxford celebrates Chinese New Year

17/02/2011 09:57:51

Our students adorned the reception of the school with Chinese kites and colourful decorations. We would like to wish everyone who celebrates this festival a Very Happy New Year!

The Lunar New Year, or more accurately the lunisolar new year, began on February 3rd and in most countries that celebrate it ushered in the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese zodiac. In China Lunar New Year is the most important date on the calendar and triggers over a month of holiday travel which is often described as the largest annual human migration in the world. The new year also marks the beginning of the Spring Festival in China which continues until the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day. Lunar New Year is celebrated in many countries, with many different traditions as well.

Oxford University Day Trip

11/02/2011 00:00:00

Oxford University Day Trip!

The Oxford University trip was an exhilarating opportunity, particularly quizzing undergraduates about all of the amazing aspects to university life, but also the very ugly! Primarily, the HEAPs team had a few activities to warm us up, before diving into the introduction to Higher Education and Finance. It was particularly fascinating to hear a variety of views regarding the recent rise in Tuition Fees, and knowing that not everybody is as depressed regarding the change in the government system! Understanding the myths and realities of the new system was pretty beneficial to all of us students.

But probably the most wonderful opportunity was the afternoon in the life of university students- shadowing undergraduates. I was chosen to shadow a second year History Undergraduate. As she had no History lectures, she took me on a journey to all of the various (and in fact, the most oldest) colleges, libraries, the Oxford Natural History Museum, but most importantly, the magical streets of Harry Potter! The colleges were beautiful and traditional, (with dinner halls like those you see in Harry Potter!). In fact, it was fascinating to know that there is an argument regarding which college is the oldest one standing! The colleges are relatively compact, with some consisting of as little as 300 students; therefore the trip to the library was very sinister indeed. In actual fact, there is a library in Oxford containing all of the books ever published in the UK. Pretty impressive! Also, due to the strict ‘No Visitors’ sign, I had to confidently act as a university student to prevent getting thrown out! The undergraduate and myself had a little sneak peek at the History and Law books before undertaking a tour to the land of Harry Potter! The student showed me around the ‘Harry Potter like’ aspects to Oxford University, which included a variety of very surreal sweetshops (Mr Simmms Ole Shop), glamorous dinner halls, and distorted lanes.

Finally, we embarked on a journey to the Natural History Museum, after spending some time in the University Common Room. It was a little riotous there, as the students had only recently received a Coffee Maker, of which they were consuming cappuccinos and hot chocolate to death! The Museum was also fascinating as it contained almost every aspect of human nature you could possibly think of, from artificial monkeys to real-life (but shrunken) human faces (Yes, astonishing)! To round off the day, we returned to St. Hughs College (the HEAPs base), where we engaged in conversations from admissions tutors and summer school advisors, to members of the student union and university students. Considering I had to wake at 5am, it was a wonderful experience, and I would advise anybody to try and organise a day trip for themselves.

HEAPS trip to Oxford University

As one of the University trips that Heaps has planned for some students at Loxford, we had the great opportunity of visiting the most prestigious Oxford University. On Friday the 4th of February, seven Loxford students were forced out of their beds at 5am in the morning in order to reach Barking Station on time. After our journey to Victoria Station, we were easily able to access the Heaps Coach that was waiting for us at Bressenden Place.

Finally, after two hours of exhilaration and excitement in the coach, it halted next to one of the colleges at Oxford University, St Hughs College. As soon as we walked in through the doors, we all immediately approached the refreshments table, as many of us had no time for breakfast at 5am in the morning! At around 10:30, we began the sessions with a few quizzes and games to wake us all up for the rest of the challenging day that we awaited. After succeeding in the first task, group 3 received an appetizing Kit Kat each! Next, we participated in an activity sharing our own pros and cons of going to university with other members of our group. As an obvious con to many of the prospective undergraduates, we were given the opportunity to discuss our own views of the new Government scheme of higher tuition fees. Following this was a session on issues on finance and we were introduced to the myths that have been circulated about the new plans. If any of you are concerned, I would advise you to go onto the following link; it gives you the real facts on the tuition fee rises.
http://www.factsonfees.com/

Despite the fabulous starting session to the day trip, after lunch we were able to meet and shadow a current Oxford undergraduate student. Of course, this is probably what most of us were anticipating for weeks! Myself and another student were given a second year undergraduate to shadow, who escorted us around the town of Oxford. Very surprisingly, it took us around an hour and a half to swim through lecture halls, libraries and colleges. A few metres away from one of the libraries was the Christ Church, which was where part of the Harry Potter movies were filmed. (The end of the Philosopher’s Stone where Harry manages to seize the stone from Professor Quirell, and the ballroom dancing in the Goblet of Fire).
We also later approached another library; the history, law, and social sciences libraries, of which the history library was relatively smaller than the other two. Both the Social Sciences and Law libraries were one of the largest libraries (3 floors) in the whole of Oxford. Altogether, Oxford contains every single book ever published in the UK!

Finally, just as we were on our way back to St. Hugh’s college, the undergraduate showed us around St. Catherine’s College, which is where she is located. It is currently the most modern college, built in the 1960’s. To end the thrilling experience, some other students were able to remove the myths associated with Oxford graduates; wealthy, arrogant, and workaholics! Of course, we learnt that all three of these lies are in reality, not true!

Although we only stayed at Oxford for a few hours, I learnt so much in such a short amount of time. It was my first visit to any university and I felt privileged that it was Oxford, one of the most prestigious Universities!

Trip To House of Commons

09/02/2011 00:00:00

Urban Debate League Round 1

27/01/2011 00:00:00

On the 25th January 2011, eight Loxford students travelled to Clapton Girls' Technology College in Hackney for the first round of the Urban Debate League, organised by Debate Mate. There, they took part in two debates, one prepared and one whose motion was only released fifteen minutes prior to the start.

The first of these motions was: "This house believes celebrities should be punished for their misconduct in their private lives". Maria Muhib, Sania Riaz, Haajarah Hussain and Aruba Abbas were representing Loxford in opposition to the motion and did us proud, sadly losing in a close debate to a team from Bridge Academy.

The second, unprepared motion was: "This house would ban all people under the age of sixteen from using social networking sites." Taking to the floor in opposition to the motion this time were Hiba Azim, Kajal Patel, Naomi Preston-Low and Laraib Siddique, who were up against a different Bridge Academy side. Another closely fought debate and unfortunately another loss.

However the evening was enjoyed by pupils and staff alike, and we're already thinking about how we're going to win next time! The Debate Mate club is going from strength to strength, and I have been reliably informed by one of the organisers that ours is one of the best-attended clubs in the country! Bring on the next round of the Urban Debate League, we say.

For more information about Debate Mate, visit their website: http://www.debatemate.com/index.asp

Our visit by Mala Tribich – A Holocaust Survivor

12/01/2011 00:00:00

On the 7th January Loxford School of Science and Technology were fortunate enough to have a holocaust survivor visit the school to share her story and work with a group of year 9 students.

Mala Tribich was born in Piotrkow Trybunalski in Poland in 1930. When the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, Mala’s family fled eastwards. When they returned Mala’s family had to move into the ghetto which was established in her home town, the first in Poland. When the ghetto was liquidated, Mala became a slave labourer until November 1944 when the remaining Jews were deported; Mala was separated from her father and brother and together with Ann was sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp. After about 10 weeks they were transported in cattle trucks to Bergen-Belsen where conditions were appalling and Mala contracted typhus. At the time of the liberation by the British Army, Mala was very ill. She was transferred to a hospital/children’s home and it was many weeks before she recovered. Three months later she was sent, with a large group of children, to Sweden where she spent nearly two years. In March 1947 Mala came to England to be reunited with her brother. She learnt English, attended secretarial college and within a year was working in an office.

Some quotes from students who took part in her visit:-

‘She had an innocence and purity about her even though she had been through so much'

' It was unreal, so inspiring, it made you think that you can do anything if you put your mind to it'

' Normally you just get the facts, but when Mala spoke I could feel the emotion'

'It was a once in a life time experience'

'It was a fantastic experience, a once in a life time! She taught us many things'

Mala’s visit was part of holocaust project run by the History department and the Library. Mala’s visit was the second of 5 workshops the students will be taking part in. In these workshops the students will be discussing what they have learnt from Mala, looking at literature written about the holocaust and creating a final written piece of work.

Student Lockers

11/01/2011 09:10:39

Whilst the school provides a locker for students, may we remind parents and carers that the contents of the lockers are each individuals responsibility. Students should report any locker damage or loss of key to the Student Reception.

Many thanks.

Loxford celebrates Christmas

16/12/2010 00:00:00

This is our first Christmas in our new building. To celebrate such an exciting occasion students and staff came together to erect and decorate two trees. Our Year 7 Student Council was assisted by Sixth Form students and staff. One legend behind putting up a Christmas tree is that it is a reminder of springtime during the cold, dark winter!

We hope you enjoy the photographs of our activities and we would like to wish everyone who celebrates around this time a very peaceful and happy time.

Click here to view more Xmas photos.

Loxford goes pink for a day

06/12/2010 09:59:05

On Thursday 25th November a group of students from year 12, planned and ran a PINK DAY to raise money for Breast Cancer Research. Students and teachers all came into school wearing pink shirts, pink ties, pink socks etc. to show their support for the charity. The students lead by their elected president Khadija, sold Breast Cancer pins, hosted a football tournament and a cake sale, allowing them to raise over £500 for this very worthy cause. Well done to everyone for getting involved and making a difference, pink rules!

(Pink day organised and ran by Khadija, Inderjit, Vithoorshan, Preeta, Taabish, Simran, Mariam, Aarti, Misha, Meha, Pawandeep, Farhaan, Rahul, Rachel, Ramashram, Rubeina, Arsalan, Sana, Loveleen, Malik, Victorien, Maryam, Khalil, Ruheena, Jamala, Penniana, Omotola, Samiul, Daniel, Qasim, Ikraam)

Loxford stays open in the snow

06/12/2010 09:48:52

Whilst other schools closed we stayed open as the snow kept falling. Our students enjoyed their first opportunity to have a snow ball fight in our new playground. We always make it a priorty to stay open if the weather permits it and enough staff can safely get to work.

Debate Mate comes to Loxford!

11/11/2010 00:00:00

Nearly 40 of our Year 8, 9 and 10 pupils embarked upon an exciting journey on the 10th November. They attended Loxford’s inaugural Debate Mate club and were introduced to Ross and Monica, two university students and experienced debaters, who will be training them how to argue, to persuade, to voice their opinions and to know that truly winning an argument is about what you say, not how loudly you say it. Ross is a research student and law tutor at King’s College London and Monica is a first-year student in International Relations at LSE, but they also work on behalf of Debate Mate, an organisation which aims to develop the verbal intelligence of young people in state schools through debating.

Around half of our debating club were also lucky enough to be able to attend Debate Mate’s 2010 Launch Event at the Royal Geographical Society on the 9th November, where they witnessed world-class university debaters speaking alongside some of the programme’s best school debaters on the motion, “We believe that teachers should receive performance-related pay”. The atmosphere was electric and the debate got a little heated at times!

Our pupils are now looking forward to spending an hour after school each Wednesday developing the skills and confidence they will need to beat their club-mates, and other schools, in some exciting and controversial debates.

For more information about Debate Mate, visit their website: http://www.debatemate.com/index.asp

School Day Changed on Thursday 11th November

08/11/2010 10:23:34

On Thursday 11th November, due to GCSE exams, the school day will be altered as follows:

8.55am    am Registration
9.00am    Period 1
10.00am Period 2
11.00am - 11.20am Break
11.20am Period 3
12.20pm - 1.10pm Lunch
1.10pm    Period 4
2.10pm    Period 5
3.10pm    pm Registration

Loxford makes news again

14/09/2010 12:25:20

Click here to view news article

School Uniform Summer Sale Dates

22/07/2010 11:01:28

The school uniform supplier will be selling uniform from the reception on the following dates;

Wednesday 11th August 10am to 3pm
Thursday 19th August 3pm to 7pm
Monday 23rd August 3pm to 7pm
Friday 27th August 10am to 3pm
Wednesday 1st September 10am to 3pm

For more information contact School Uniform Direct on Telephone: 07880 838732.

Woodlands & Loxford Summer Fete

09/07/2010 00:00:00

Year 11 Prom

08/07/2010 15:33:53

School Children to be Taught Exclusively Online

07/07/2010 00:00:00

The original article can be found on Guardian’s website via this link, http://www.guardian-series.co.uk

The UK’s first ever ‘virtual school’ is set to be launched in Redbridge.

Students at Loxford School of Science and Technology, in Ilford, will be taught online for two weeks while the school is moved into its new £40 million home on the same site.

The scheme, which will run for a week either side of the Easter holidays - from Monday March 29 - is thought to be the first time an entire secondary school has exclusively used a web-based system for teaching.

Deputy headteacher Andrew Bainbridge said the initiative, which will involve pupils taking part in ‘virtual’ lessons and having their questions answered in online forums, is designed to keep disruption to a minimum during the big move.

He said: “The new school is essentially finished, so we need to begin moving things across - but it’s just not possible for the children to be taught at the old building during that time.

“There has not been a delay. The move date has been planned since the application was first passed.

“We have been at the mercy of the building process.

“We have been using Fronter (the online learning system) for a couple of years to teach a number of subjects.

“The system allows teachers to give out information and set work and deadlines online, with pupils using a forum to share ideas and to ask questions.

“The teacher will then either answer the questions in the forum or email that pupil individually.

“Very few pupils don’t have (internet) access. We’ll be handing out paper learning packs to all the children, so that those without multiple access to the internet can still do the work.

“We encourage pupils to learn together, so some pupils will visit classmate’s houses to access the web with them.”

Mr Bainbridge said special revision sessions would be held at the school, in Loxford Lane, during the holidays for older pupils with upcoming GCSE and A-Level exams.

He said: “The younger children will be back on (Monday) April 26th and (Tuesday) 27th with the older children coming back midway through the previous week.

“The new school looks fantastic. We are really looking forward to beginning teaching there after Easter.”

He reserved special praise for Tanya Hurst (who organises ‘e-learning’ at the school) for her work in helping to set up the innovative scheme which is supported by the London Grid for Learning.

Loxford School Logo Competition

09/03/2010 00:00:00

As we move into our new school many things will change, one of these will be our school logo. A design company is going to create a new logo and wants your ideas. All the entries will be judged in school and the best ones will be sent away to help the company design the logo. We want lots of imagination so there are only a few simple rules -
1. The name or initials of the school needs to be included (Loxford School of Science and Technology or LSST) but you don’t need to use all of the name.
2. You can have no more than 3 colours, this does not include white.
3. The logo must be no larger than A5 sized.

The competition is open to anyone who is linked to the school. Your family can also enter but your name must also be on the design. The designs must be handed to your teacher or into the school reception by 3.25 on Friday 15th May. There will be a first prize of £80 in vouchers for the entry which comes closest to the final design. You and your family will also be invited to tour the new building before it opens. There will also be a number of runner up prizes. If you are a student please make sure you put your name, tutor group and age on your entry.
So what is a logo!?

Logos are signs, marks of identity designed for easy recognition. Logos can be symbols containing abstract or pictorial elements, e.g. Nike’s ’swoosh’, they can also be just a combination of letters or word elements set in a chosen font/typeface e.g. Kellogg’s. Logos form a part of the overall brand of an organisation.
Some of you might choose to research before you start designing -

Think about the school as a brand, using brainstorming or talking to other people find answers to some or all of the following:
» Values - what do you think the school believes in (e.g. the Schools ethos)?
» Vision - where are you think we are going (e.g. the schools aims)?
» Personality - how do you want to the school come across (e.g.’efficient and businesslike’, ‘friendly and chatty’ etc)?
Once you have answers it should help you in deciding on a look and feel for the logo. Remember the schools brand and therefore the logo should help to ensure the success of the organisation. It can reinforce a good reputation, encourage loyalty or assure quality.
All of you should consider these points when designing the logo:

» What will be the most important aspect of the logo?
» Is the school known by its full name or just initials? Does the school or where we live have a geographical or architectural element that is well known that could be used as a pictorial element?
» Where will the logo be used? This could have an impact on how complicated the logo can be. (e.g. a complicated logo may look great on screen or printed articles, but can it be replicated when sewn on a school uniform?).
» It is often best to start designing in black and white first so that you can concentrate on the logos composition.
» The typeface used will need to represent the schools personality, for example a font like Comic Sans should be avoided unless you have decided that the schools personality should be ‘informal and humorous’ rather than ‘business like’.
» Should the logo be contemporary or traditional, for example using modern typefaces or perhaps creating a school coat of arms?
Useful resources:
» http://www.logoorange.com/company-logo-1.php
» http://www.logodesignlove.com/best-logo-design-resources

GCSEs and GCE (Yr 11, 12 & 13) Exams

09/03/2010 00:00:00

GCSEs and GCE (Yr 11, 12 & 13) Written Examinations start from Monday 11th May and finish on Monday 22nd June 2009

Cricket Victory

09/03/2010 00:00:00

The Year 9s won at cricket on Tuesday 16th June.

The Year 10s played cricket at Seven Kings Park on Wednesday 17th June, and despite the rain, the wind, the rain, the wind, the dogs - we won at cricket.

The Year 7 Cricket Team went to Seven Kings on Wednesday 24th June. They must have been inspired by the 20/20 as we won by 21 runs.

Refugee Week Performance - Refuge

09/03/2010 00:00:00

On Wednesday 17th June 2009 eighteen students from years 7,8 and 9 took part in a performance as part of Refugee Week. The performance included songs, monologues and duologues all based around the idea of “Refuge.” Each of the characters in the story had their own unique idea of what the word meant to them. For one of the characters who had been made homeless by a hurricane their refuge was the sports centre they were staying. Another character described their refuge as playing football.

We invited the audience at the end of the performance to answer, “What is your refuge?” Here were some of the answers we got:
“My refuge is playing the guitar.”
“My refuge is talking on the phone to my mum.”
“My refuge is spending time with my wife.”
“My refuge is sitting down with a cup of tea in my favourite cup.”

The performance was a great success thanks to the dedication and skills of all the students involved. Well done!

Ms. J. Allen

Romeo and Juliet Project June 2009

09/03/2010 00:00:00

Last term the year 10 took part in a collaborative project with the RSC (Romford Shakespeare Company). Their task was to design for the show Romeo and Juliet. They were in groups of 2 to 3 and had to make a garment for one of the actors. The period was the Italian renaissance.

They started the project with a workshop. The director of the show Vernon Kebble-Watson got them thinking about their character and even got some of them to act out part of the play.

Once the students were clear who their characters were they started designing and then making their costumes. It was a lot of hard work but it soon paid off when they saw their costumes on stage.

Ms. C. Randell

Breakfast Readers and Breakfast Mathematicians

09/03/2010 00:00:00

The following students have been helping students at Uphall Primary School with their reading and Maths:

Basit Chaudhory 8F
Mohammed Ahaad 8x
Jabir Jhouree 8X
Aamir Riaz 8F
Sowmyan Kesavan 8R
Daanish Iqbal 9S
Ikram Ibrahim 9C
Manal Abdullah 9L
Fara Hussain 9L
Deepak Gohil 9S
Charlene Coulibaly 8X
Ines Bove 9L
Pooja Sahota 9L
Bukky Adeniran 9L
Ilhan Jama 9C
Asya Ahmed 9C
Ibtisam Ahmed 9C
Aqsa Bokhari 9C
Asim Ur-Rehman 9C
Laiba Gul 9C
Pranav Patel 8H

Every week they go to Uphall at 8.15am. They have breakfast with the year 5 and 6 students then either read or help them with their Maths. These students have been fantastic and helped their primary school buddies by turning up every week and supporting them.

Last week we had a celebration for them in the Loxford library. All the Uphall buddies came along and joined the Loxford students to meet the poet, Joe Coelho, who entertained them all with his wonderful poetry and got the students to write their own.

All the students got certificates and books in appreciation of their work. The teacher from Uphall told us all that the Uphall students had progressed so much because of the work the Breakfast Readers and Mathematicians put in and she wanted to record a big ‘Thank You’ to them all.

Ms. L. Kanolik

Quality in Study Support (QISS) Accreditation

09/03/2010 00:00:00

Loxford has just achieved QISS (Quality in Study Support) accreditation. This is in recognition of the work done in school to support students in out of school hours learning opportunities.

Examples of the activities going on in school are:
» A wide variety of sports clubs
» Art Clubs
» Drama Clubs
» Creative Writing Club
» Revision School
» Sports Leadership Academy
» Breakfast Readers and Mathematicians
» Reading groups
» Breakfast clubs
» Games club
» Support for revision
» Trips and Holidays

All students have the opportunity to access these activities and they help students expand their knowledge and experience new opportunities. They are also able to access extra support in their studies to help them through their exams.

We know that students benefit from study support and data shows that grades improve through exam support and also, importantly, self-esteem is raised through participation in a wide range of after school clubs.

The organisation, QISS, were impressed with the standard of study support at Loxford and awarded us with Established QISS status in June 2009.

Ms. L. Kanolik

A Level Exam Results

09/03/2010 00:00:00

A Level exam results will be ready for collection on Thursday 20th August from 11am onwards.

GCSE Exam Results

09/03/2010 00:00:00

GCSE exam results will be ready for collection on Thursday 27th August from 11am onwards.

Specialist Schools Regional Hub

09/03/2010 00:00:00

Specialist Schools and Academies have said we are the regional hub for the leadership programme.

Happy Diwali

09/03/2010 00:00:00

Jeans for Genes Day

09/03/2010 00:00:00

Thank you everybody for your help. We raised £1,497.54 which we have sent off to the Charity.

Year 7 Girls Netball

09/03/2010 00:00:00

Year 7 girls played their 1st netball match last night against Canon Palmer and they won 12-6.

Year 8 girls played their first netball match against Mayfield and won 4-2.

KS3 Badminton Competition

09/03/2010 00:00:00

A KS3 badminton tournament took place on the 12th of November at Chadwell Heath School.

Our Loxford team came 4th out of 16 teams.

PTFA Winter Celebration Day

09/03/2010 00:00:00

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Performance

09/03/2010 00:00:00

Money Raised for Haiti

09/03/2010 00:00:00

The total raised for Haiti is £5,700.

We have done extremely well as a school.

Congratulations to all the students and staff because they put a lot of work in to raising this money.

Parents Association Meeting

09/03/2010 00:00:00

School Logo Competition

09/03/2010 00:00:00

Congratulations to Jamila and Hamdun for their ideas in our recent logo competition. Jamila came first with an idea which included a ribbon symbolising education continuing forever. Hamdun created an idea including a solar system. This gave the graphic design company the idea of using the graphical symbol for diamond which shows education to be valuable and long lasting. This final design will be used when we move to the new school building.

Home Access Grant

09/03/2010 00:00:00

The Government has introduced a scheme called the Home Access Grant to provide a free computer/laptop preloaded with software and one years internet access for any student in Years 3 to 9 meeting certain criteria. This offer is one per family and the criteria is:

Do you receive at least one of the following?

- free School Meals for your child
- income Support
- income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit)and income of less than £16,040
- guaranteed Pension Credit
- income Related Employment Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

If you think you are eligible for a Home Access grant simply call the Home Access Grant Helpline on 0333 200 1004 to get an application form. We do not have any in school.

If you want to find out more then go to www.homeaccess.org.uk. We know that Comet are offering a laptop as part of the scheme so you might want to visit one of their stores or look on their website at www.comet.co.uk.

The school will be open as usual on Wednesday 4th Feb

04/02/2009 00:00:00

We will be open as normal on Wednesday. Students should arrive at their normal time. Please take care on your journey to school as the paths and roads will still be slippery. We hope you have enjoyed the last two days and are ready to get back to your learning!

Please can you also be aware that Woodlands Junior and Infants schools are open as normal on Wednesday.