Spring Term Newsletter 2019/2020
29th March 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians
This term has been an unusual one with challenges, including the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which we have had several communications regarding. However, I would like to use this communication to reflect on all the fantastic achievements of our community.
On the first day of term Mary and a few of our secondary students attended the planting of two silver birch trees at Fulbourn Village Centre. This was part of the initiative to aim for us being carbon neutral by 2050. Several of our students were interviewed and appeared on the ITV news that evening. The Councillor attending the event commented on the knowledge and passion for the environment that our students demonstrated.
On January 21st students from the Secondary Department took part in the Landmark Careers Day. We had twelve parent volunteers who came in to tell the students about their careers, what they entail and the path they followed to get there. From a Personal Protection Officer, to an award winning Sports Photographer to a Child Psychologist, all the talks were fascinating and gave our students plenty of food for thought.
At the end of January we received the exciting news that Tom Fox, who left Year 11 of Landmark in 2017, has been offered a place at Downing College in Cambridge to study Linguistics. Many of the Landmark teachers have known Tom since he came to us as a primary student. Tom also popped in to school to connect with some of our current students.
Robin and Toucan Class enjoyed an Egyptian Day in January, they dressed up in Egyptian clothes and carved scarab beetles, created canopic jars, wrote in hieroglyphs and enjoyed a banquet with a queen! The day was full of fun and learning.
Throughout the term we have watched the Landmark library undergo a complete transformation. Connie, Danett and Liz have worked tirelessly to achieve this. They have organized all our books into the Dewey Decimal system, put up colourful and exciting displays, arranged an amazing array of new books through both donations and a readathon as well as organizing the provision of more shelves for both the primary and senior book collections. The library was officially opened by famous author, Sophie Hannah, on World Book Day. Even the bow that Sophie cut was a work of art – thank you, Liz!
We had a really great week for British Science Week with a range of activities put on for students. Our students submitted entries into the national poster competition and had a range of assemblies that included hands on activities, demonstrations and (safe) explosions!
Our students enjoyed a range of trips to reinforce and bring alive their learning. The Year 7 and 8 pupils visited Ely Cathedral and the students in the Secondary enjoyed a wonderful production of Othello at the Cambridge Arts Theatre. Students in Eagle Class visited the Archaeology and Anthropology Museum and Kingfisher had a wonderful day at Mount Fitchet Castle. Our Secondary students also spent a day touring the Houses of Parliament and made the most of the opportunity to question Lucy Frazer, MP.
As always, Landmark students gained some great results in examinations and in competition with other schools. Four of our year 11 students took their IGCSE maths exam in January and the received excellent grades with three 8 gardes (A*) and one 6 grade (B). Our Year 8 Class were awarded the gold medal at the city-wide Latin competition. In the National Latin Reading Competition Silver medals were awarded to Sofia and Sara in Year 9 and a Bronze to Noah. Four of our students qualified to enter the Oxford Computing Competition (only 5% of those pupils across the UK qualify to enter) and of those Westcott, Ania and Sara achieved a Merit. Thomas Letal achieved a Distinction, putting him within the top 50 competitors in the country. Our girls achieved a victory in Netball against St Mary’s, showing great teamwork on a bitterly cold and blustery day.
The term finished with our year 5 and 6 students completing the Bikeability Course. The organisers commented on what a welcoming environment, with polite and friendly students, the school provides.
The last two weeks have seen our school slowly move from our normal environment to distance learning. This has been a transition for all of us in the community, but I would like to thank everyone, students, parents and staff for their work in making this possible. Some of the work and creativity we have seen over the last week has been exceptional. We are all unsure how long this period will last, but we will continue to develop our distance learning provision and provide engaging tasks and resources to support our students.
During this break I hope we all get to enjoy time with our families, whilst staying safe and well. I look forward to seeing everyone back at Landmark as soon as it is possible.
With best wishes
Gareth Turnbull-Jones and the Landmark Team
