The Lister Weekly Update #6

Many young people struggle with building positive relationships with food, often feeling nervous about trying new ingredients and lacking the confidence or awareness to identify unfamiliar foods, which can hinder their willingness to explore and eat a balanced and nutritious diet.

In a creative partnership between Newham Council and Nutrition Kitchen, the Sensory Stars project has brought food to life for secondary school students across Newham.

The core of the project was a school-based masterclass that challenged students to identify various foods and drinks through their senses in a friendly, competitive setting. Each table in the classroom focused on one of the five senses, allowing students to explore how each sense influences their experience of food. Students identified foods by touch, by the sounds they made when cut or bitten, and even by tasting foods while blindfolded, testing how texture and temperature affect flavour perception.

This immersive experience not only made the learning more engaging but also helped students build confidence in their ability to explore new foods. For many, it was an eye-opening experience that helped them overcome a reluctance to try unfamiliar ingredients.

As the competition progressed, the students’ sensory skills were tested and scored. The 2 winning students from our Year 10 Hospitality and Catering class, Pawel Milewski-Kwasny and Thalia Collins-Daley, were invited to represent Lister Community School at the Grand Finale.

The excitement culminated at the Grand Finale, held at East Ham Leisure Centre on the 27th November 2025. The event was a true celebration of sensory learning and friendly competition with Lister Community School bringing home the trophy and winning first place! Pawel and Thalia have won an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the prestigious Union Coffee Roasters factory for themselves and a friend each!

Andy Gold, Head of Food Strategy, LB Newham hosting the event said: “It was exciting to see the learning that having this programme has inspired – and perhaps most of all the friendly competition. A goal of the work is to enable students to approach food with their senses fully engaged and able to appreciate and critique food, building on the evidence that this can be part of identifying and eating less ultra processed foods.”

This half term, our students have been exploring themes of community, wellbeing, and social responsibility through their PSHRE curriculum. As part of this work, we have been collaborating with Your Place, an East London charity that supports individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

Students recently took part in a highly engaging lesson delivered by a representative from Your Place, who spoke about the charity’s vital work and the real-life challenges faced by people in our local community. The session prompted thoughtful discussions and helped students understand the practical ways charities make a difference.

In the coming weeks, students will begin planning a social action project to raise both money and awareness for Your Place. This forms part of our wider partnership with the First Give programme, which empowers young people to champion causes they care about and develop the skills needed to lead positive change.

We are incredibly proud of how maturely and compassionately students have engaged with this work, and we look forward to seeing the creative social action ideas they develop.

At Lister we are always looking at ways to enrich and develop the lives of our students. Part of this is our commitment to taking students outside of their normal school lives on school trips. The vast majority of students will be taking part in enrichment trips on Friday 12th December. Please look out for the letter and complete the permission slip. All payments are due on Arbor by no later than Monday 8th December.

• Year 7 will visit Vue Stratford Westfield for a cinema trip
• Year 8 will also enjoy a cinema outing, this time to Cineworld West India Quay
• Year 9 will be split into two activities: 250 students will go ice skating at The Queen’s House, Greenwich, while 45 students will attend the cinema at Vue Stratford Westfield.
• Year 10 will visit Flip Out Canary Wharf, where they can enjoy roller skating, bumper cars, laser tag, and the arcade.
• Year 11 will attend the Canary Wharf ice rink for a 45-minute skating session.

Any students not attending the trip are expected in school as usual, to complete work independently on site.

Each year group during this academic year will be given a week to raise money for their chosen charities. The forthcoming focus is on year 7 with the theme 'Light Up Winter' - the year 7 charity week.

Every Year 7 form group will be expected to lead on a range of events throughout the charity week to raise money for their chosen local charity. This is a crucial element of the First Give programme, which promotes:

• Teamwork and Leadership: Students must collaborate within their form groups to brainstorm, plan, budget, advertise, and execute their fundraising ideas.

• Social Action: The goal is not just to raise money but to engage in meaningful social action that supports a local cause.

• Creativity and Enterprise: Events often include bake sales, sponsored activities, talent shows, non-uniform days, or school-wide games. Each form is challenged to be creative to maximise their impact.

Lister Community School's annual Year 11 Post 16 Progression Fair is a crucial event designed to support students in making informed decisions about their education and training options after completing their GCSEs.

The primary goal of the fair is to provide Year 11 students with direct access to a wide range of Post-16 education providers. This engagement is vital as students finalise their applications for Sixth Forms, Colleges, and other training pathways.

The sports hall will be transformed into an exhibition space featuring representatives from numerous institutions:

• Local Colleges: A strong contingent of colleges from Newham will be present.

• Nearby Boroughs: Colleges and Sixth Forms from neighbouring East London boroughs (such as Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, etc.) will also be attending to broaden the options available to Lister students.

• Stalls and Information: Each college will host a dedicated stall, fully stocked with prospectuses, application guidance, and details about their academic and vocational offers.

  • This includes information on different pathways such as A-Levels, BTECs, T-Levels, Vocational Qualifications, and Apprenticeship programmes.

Event Details

DetailInformation

DateThursday, 4th December

LocationThe Assembly Hall / Gym

TimePeriod 3 to Period 4, continuing into Lunchtime

This fair is a key part of the school's commitment to careers guidance, helping every student to secure a strong and suitable progression route for their future.

Sparx Learning platforms (Maths, Reader, and Science) are designed for personalised, independent learning. The most effective parental support focuses on establishing good habits, providing a supportive environment, and encouraging resourcefulness, rather than directly helping with the answers.

Across all three platforms, the best support you can give is to promote 100% completion, encourage the use of the platform's in-built help resources, and establish a quiet, consistent routine for homework.

As parents on the Lister news desk, we also receive those notifications to say how much progress our children are making with their sprax homework. It's important that you check in with your children and support them in completing this work. Below are some more details to help you with helping your children:

All platforms require students to achieve 100% completion on their compulsory homework, often including revision questions from previous topics.

Area of Support - Action for Parents - Key Reason

Routine & EnvironmentSet a Schedule: Encourage your child to start the homework early in the week, not right before the deadline. Allows time to seek teacher help if truly stuck and prevents last-minute stress.

Workspace: Provide a quiet space with minimal distractions (eg - phones used just for the sparx platform.

Use the weekly Sparx email or the Parent Portal link to check their completion status.Quickly see if they are on track for 100% completion and celebrate their effort.

Contact Teacher - If your child is repeatedly struggling, encourage them to contact their teacher before the deadline. Teachers can provide targeted support or reset the work if necessary.

Reading Time - Set aside dedicated, quiet time for their weekly reading assignment. Consistency builds reading habits and ensures completion of the required reading points.

Engagement - Discuss the Book: Ask your child about the book they are reading. Inquire about the plot, the characters, and what they think will happen next. It shows interest, encourages critical thinking, and reinforces comprehension.

Keeping students active is one of the keys to unlocking a bright future for students at Lister. As a result of this, our PE team offers a wide range of extracurricular clubs. Please see the image or click on the link to access more details on the variety of clubs offered.

We’re excited to share the December Workshop Programme at Time for Young People Newham!

This month, they're offering a dynamic mix of creative, educational, and wellbeing-focused workshops designed for young people aged 8 to 25. Whether it's building new skills, making friends, or simply having fun in a safe and welcoming space — there’s something for everyone!

The workshops aim to:

• Boost confidence
• Build resilience
• Spark creativity
• Encourage connection
• Support mental wellbeing

Please see the attached flyer for more information

The new Family Hub brochure is here! Explore the refreshed, Best Start in Life–branded brochure, packed with free services and activities for families across Newham. From pregnancy to teenage years, the Family Hubs are open to everyone- no matter where you live in the borough. Drop in to any venue, join an activity, or get tailored support to help your family thrive.

Click here to view the brochure

The Thought for the Week this week is focused on slavery. Please discuss the thought with your child who will be looking at the thought in assembly and discussing the idea with peers and the year team.