This is the time of year when our Year 9 students decide which subjects they would like to study in Years 10 and 11. This is an important decision for them and so we were delighted to welcome many of them and their parents or carers to school last night to discuss the options. Further information on the courses we offer in Years 10 and 11 is available on www.ladymanners.net/upperschoolcurriculum

The deadline for entries to Lady Manners School Sixth Form is fast approaching. We offer more than 25 different courses to students after their GCSEs. There is also a wide range of further opportunities for personal development here at Lady Manners School. If you want to find out more, the Sixth Form prospectus is available to download from www.ladymanners.net together with further information and application forms. If you have any queries about our Sixth Form please do call us on 01629 812671 or email sixthform@ladymanners.derbyshire.sch.uk. The deadline for applications is Friday 31 January.

Members of Chef Club had a sociable lunchtime making and sharing a delicious meal earlier this week. The students started by preparing a fruit sponge pudding. While this was cooking, they enjoyed making sandwiches and salad together. The food was delicious, the company good and the pineapple infused sponge pudding gave off a fantastic aroma when it emerged from the oven. There were some excellent skills learned and a good time had by all!

Our school library has a huge range of books for students to borrow and our librarians work with teachers to make sure that we stock plenty of books to complement our curriculum. One such example is an initiative between the library and Geography Department. A list of fiction books set in locations that are studied in Geography lessons is made available to students on our learning platform, Myvle. They can then bring their studies to life by borrowing their chosen book from the library and becoming absorbed in a story set in the place they are studying. A bonus is that it's not only their geography knowledge that will improve. Literacy is an essential skill that brings all sorts of benefits to the reader and is the key to learning across all subjects at school. Evidence suggests that students who read for enjoyment every day develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures. We encourage all students to make use of the fantastic facilities we have to offer in our library!

Earlier this week, four of our Year 10 students travelled to Eastwood Hall Hotel for a Youth Sport Trust Girls Active Conference. The Youth Sport Trust is a charity working to ensure that every child can enjoy the life-changing benefits that come from play and sport. Girls Active is one of their initiatives and it aims to find ways to ensure that PE, sport and physical activity are relevant and motivating for girls. During the day our students, together with students from ten other schools, took part in workshops to identify why some girls do not participate in physical activities. They also had the chance of some physical activity themselves by trying out Zumba, Drumba, yoga and boxercise. The students have returned eager to share their enthusiasm for sport with those of our younger students who are currently non-engaged in our lunchtime clubs. They already have plans for a new club, which they will run with the support of our PE staff, focusing on activities that students have said they would like to try. Well done girls for embracing this opportunity to get involved!