News

28^th March 2023

It has been another busy term and I know we are all looking forward to the two week Easter break.

For year 11 it is important that they get the balance right between rest and revision! As highlighted at their exam preparation evening earlier in the term, short blocks of revision interspersed with rests everyday are most effective. They should also attempt the 30 hour challenge. If anyone has lost their booklet, please see Mr Hibbert for a replacement.

I was filled with pride as I watched our amazing students and staff produce and perform ‘Bugsy Malone’ in February. The audience participation and enthusiasm was incredible, and I know their energy helped the students to dazzle us. A huge thank you to everyone involved, it really was a fantastic team effort.

The last of the year 11 Duke of Edinburgh group are finalising their assessor reports and we are hopeful they will all have achieved their Bronze Award before their examinations start. The year 10 group have been working hard with Mr Thomas in their Thursday lunchtime sessions and have now completed their final Saturday training ahead of their practice expedition on 28^th & 29^th April. Fingers crossed the weather is more favourable this year!

A huge thank you to the whole science department for all the events and activities they put on during science week. The lunchtime quiz round the school was hotly contested, and the Harry Potter experiments certainly caused great excitement.

The world book day quiz organised by Mrs Rowe was a great opportunity for some healthy inter tutor group rivalry. Mr Birtchnell’s tutor group came out on top – well done to them.

Mrs Witmore took budding A Level mathematicians to Wymondham College for a taster session a few weeks ago. This was an excellent opportunity for them to experience the demands and challenges of the next stage of education. Having won the Trust inter school maths competition last year I know Mrs Witmore has high hopes that a number of students will move on to study maths at post 16 and university.

Mrs Spence and Mrs Seeman took a group of year 11 students to St. Catherine’s College, Cambridge University to experience life in further education. This was an incredible insight into university and one that will hopefully help students realise the breadth of experience they could have if they apply themselves and achieve a place at university.

Year 10 and 11 have also had a visitor into school. We were delighted that Mrs Seeman secured a visit from ASK apprenticeships to talk with students about CV writing, employability skills and the various levels of apprenticeship available locally. This was a really interesting session and I know the students were left with a better understanding of the various post 16 options available to them.

It was encouraging to see so many parents and students at year 10 parents’ evening and year 9 GCSE options evening in the past few weeks. These are important events and parental support is so important to students being successful and engaged with their learning.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone about the importance of road safety. In recent weeks there have been reports of a number of students running across the road to the swimming pool/community centre without looking out for traffic. One of the school coaches had to do an emergency stop to prevent them hitting a student. Please discuss with your child the importance of road safety and emphasise the need for care to be taken at all times, but especially at busy times like the end of the school day.

I hope everyone, whatever they are doing, has an enjoyable Easter break and I look forward to welcoming the students back to school on Tuesday 18^th April.