18th February 2022
Dear Parents/Carers,
As we reach the end of the term I would like to that you for your continued support. Our students have worked really hard this term and it has been great to see them continue to make progress. A highlight of my day is when a student brings me work that is their personal best and I am able to give them a Headteacher’s award. This term I have been brought a great range of personal best work including English, maths, art, ELSA, construction and science.
As you will know, we have been lateral flow testing all students on a Monday morning but after the half term we will no longer be doing this in school. Please ensure that your child continues to take regular tests at home.
Term 3 saw year 11s doing their mock exams and their focus, behaviour and effort in these was exemplary. Students have received their mock results and are now working hard with their teachers to ensure that they secure the grades that they need for the next stage in their educational journey. Well done Year 11, you should be very proud of yourselves this term.
Mr Gowell wrote to you recently about phones and I would like to thank you for your support in ensuring that phones are switched off and out of sight in school hours, including at break and lunch time. We will continue to ensure that this is the case after half term and so please can you talk to your child before they return and remind them of this expectation.
Can we also ask everyone to check uniform for the start of Term 4? As you know, our uniform was chosen by our students and creates a strong sense of belonging to our school community, so playing an important role in educational engagement. Please make sure that on their return to school, your child is in full school uniform including school shoes.
We are really pleased to announce that we have appointed a new reading intervention tutor, Mr Marmot, who has been working with students for the last few weeks on developing their reading skills. As per the letter from Miss Hennessy, after half term, the
school will be pushing the importance of reading further and students in years 7, 8 and 9 will be bringing home their banded reading book and a reading record for you to record reading activity in. Students will be awarded extra points for completing some reading on the weekend, as well as being put forward for reader of the week and reader of the term reward. Your support with reading at home is essential and only by working together can we ensure your child achieves their potential as a reader.
Finally, we want to say thank you to all those parents and carers who have already joined us in annual reviews this year. It’s great to be able to celebrate progress and successes at these reviews and we thank you for the very positive comments that have been made about the school and staff, which have been passed on to them. Our staff do work extremely hard and your recognition of this is always appreciated.
Obviously, the school closure today was not part of our plans. We hope you are all able to stay safe and will look forward to seeing pupils on Monday 28th February.
Best wishes
Jo Grayson
