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News - Sixth Form

Headmaster's Weekly Update for Parents
30/06/2020

Dear Parent,

Welcome to this week’s Update.

You will have sensed my frustration over recent weeks about our inability to plan with any certainty for an opening in September given the absence of government guidance other than a glib although welcomed declaration that all pupils will return. Well now the wait is almost over! Schools have been promised detailed information on Thursday of this week with the widespread expectation that we will start the new academic year with each year group in attendance, each operating as a discrete ‘bubble’ of 200, with only limited interaction with the other 1,000 or so pupils. Whatever the guidance we will of course plan in such a way that places the health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff at the heart of all we do, and we will keep you informed when we know a little more.

Thank you for all that you continue to do in order to support home learning. Dining rooms and kitchens are not classrooms, most of you are not teachers and demand for laptops and tablets can outdo supply. Virtual lessons, in whatever form they take, can never fully replicate the dynamic of a lesson in school. Under these various pressures I remain staggered at the quality of work that continues to be produced by so many of our pupils. A great combined and collective effort.

Do please keep a look out on the web site or through Facebook and Twitter for the most recent editions of Faith at Home, Food Bulletin, Library Resource Updates, PE department sporting challenge, Eco group sowing schedule, Year 7 Weekly Quiz, and QUEST award scheme. How pleasing to see so many ways in which our pupils can continue to enrich themselves beyond the confines of academic subjects.

Plans are coming together for both GCSE and A-level results days in August. It is our intention that both of these important events will take place in person rather than through email or post. Of all year groups it is 11 and 13 that have been affected most directly from the current school closure and we want to be able to offer congratulations and support to them, face to face. Enrolment to the sixth form will also be organised in this way.

Year 10 pupils will begin school lessons in their option subjects from next week. Mrs Moran will write to parents in the next day or two to confirm arrangements.

Year 6 pupils have just received their welcome packs, complete with a novel to read over summer (thanks to FOSC for providing the funds for this initiative) and work for maths, science and RE. All of this complements our revised and updated Guide for Parents and new Welcome video, both of which can be found on the Year 6-7 Transition section of the web site.

We have received nearly forty appeals for September Year 7 entry. These will be considered by the independent panel during the second week of July and families informed of the decision directly from the local authority and by 15th July at the latest.

Until next week…

RD Jones
Headmaster