Good evening
As we approach the end of a tough week for our community, we must be consoled by the strength of our school and the kindness and community spirit with which staff and students have operated this week in the context of the devastating news of the tragic passing of a member of Year 8, Phoebe Schultz, that we received at the start of the week. Grief and bereavement do affect people in different ways and not necessarily in the immediate aftermath of a bereavement. We have signposted to all students this week that we have a variety of support networks in school such as their form tutors, heads of year, student support staff and these networks are constants for them. If you do feel your child is struggling, do make contact with the school so that appropriate support can be put in place.
Uniform
We have had some disruption this year with the builds that have been completed, with the knock-on effect that students were permitted to wear PE kit on the days that they had dance lessons. This allowance was removed at February half-term. Sadly, school staff are still having to remind some students that sportswear and leggings in particular are not acceptable to be worn to school.
It makes such a difference to the school atmosphere and environment when students are immaculate in school uniform, not only do they look great but there is a discernible sense of pride amongst the community when we are altogether looking smart. When students are wearing non uniform items, they do stand out and do lower our high standards. The uniform guidance is clear on our website, and I would appreciate if parents do check what their child is wearing for school, and do not accept any excuses! We have not changed the uniform policy. We will be communicating with specific families next week if students are not in correct uniform.
RAG Week
As the community comes together following this week’s tragic news, we have decided to postpone a number of events in the run up to Easter. This includes RAG week and our Year 11 Excellence Tie event. Both these events will be rescheduled. Therefore, there will not be a non-school uniform day on Thursday 3rd April.
Careers News- Mr Myers writes
Starting Off Apprenticeship Presentation
Helen Deacon from Starting Off , spoke to over 20 students from Year 11 and Year 13 about the variety of apprenticeships that they offer, Feedback from some students is as follows:
Corey Fowler said ‘I enjoyed the apprenticeship lunchtime intervention due to the insightfulness it provided and how it directed me to follow up on finding a apprenticeship next. This is because even after lunch when I have to go away, I was given resources on how to look for apprenticeship using the websites provided.’
Richard Fajinmi commented ‘On Tuesday, we were presented with the opportunity to talk to a representative of “Starting off” which is an apprenticeship provider. This representative was Helen Deacon, she spoke to us about what apprenticeships are, the benefits of them but also the challenges that they pose to students. We ended by looking at some case studies/success stories about people who had completed apprenticeships through starting off.’
It has been a pleasure to arrange a few careers opportunities for students over the last week. Some feedback from the Year 11 – 13 students are below :
Accountancy Bootcamp , Saturday 15th March in Northampton
Thabo of Year 11 commented ‘ the event was insightful as I learnt a lot about different areas of accountancy. It also made my future career path clearer’
Abdallah of Year 12 said ‘The event made me realize just how impactful the right apprenticeship can be in shaping one’s career. Hearing from Ellis Harris-Boulter was particularly motivating, as his journey from Level 4 to running his own business really highlighted the value of AAT membership. I also appreciated Helen Deacon’s detailed breakdown of the various apprenticeship pathways and technical routes available. Martin Crooke’s perspective on alternative ways to break into the industry was incredibly helpful as well, showing that there are multiple entry points into the field and a variety of ways to succeed.’
Camp America Presentation , 18th March lunch time in School
Jess Best of Year 12 said that’ On Tuesday lunch time I attended a zoom session led by Tom Myers (University of Cambridge post graduate student) regarding Camp America. Tom has worked at a summer camp in New York state for the past four summers. During the session, he explained all the vital information we need to know along with his personal anecdotes and recommendations. After this, I feel I can make a very informed decision about how I apply and continue my journey to Camp America as the zoom call was extremely enlightening and inspiring!’
Saxbys Cider Presentation , 20th March during AM registration
Year 13 students Mark and Max said that Phil Saxby was most charismatic during his presentation and gave some good information about the opportunities available. Will , also of Year 13 thought the presentation gave a great insight into the various roles involved in running a successful small business. Amelia also attended and said that ‘ the session was most helpful as it enabled me to find out about a variety of opportunities.’
Update form the Schools Transport Team
If your child accesses the Home to School Transport, you should expect an email from them. This is due to a need following an updating of their systems and to update contact details and ensure they are compliant with GDPR regulations. They are mindful that an unsolicited email asking for personal details may be concerning for most people and wished us to notify you to expect an email and that this will come from the Gov.Notify system.
Key Dates
Thursday 3rd April- last day of term for students.
Tuesday 22nd April – first day of the summer term
Best wishes for the week ahead.