I hope that you all had a lovely Easter break despite some terrible weather.
This half term the NEU has planned for two days of strike action. These are due to take place on Thursday 27th April and Tuesday 2nd May. We believe that we will be in a position to be able to safely accommodate the following year groups in school: Y10, 11, 12 and 13. Y7-9 will be sent work as per previous days via their school email accounts. Any child who is eligible for a free school meal in Y7-9 will be able to collect a packed lunch on the previous day. If your child has been in school on previous strike days, they should also come in. You will have received a phone call previously advising you of this. Our actions are not linked to our staff’s total commitment to your child’s education. We speak regularly about a ’commitment to learning’ and seek to live this mantra every single day. The strike is happening because of a national dispute between the unions and the government with regards to a fair pay settlement and recouping lost earnings over the last decade. It is not teachers striking against the school. I would like to thank all parents and carers for the way in which you have supported our decisions and whilst I understand how frustrating this is for parents, request that parents and carers contact your local MP to express your concerns. Fiona Bruce can be contacted at: fiona.bruce.mp@parliament.uk
This term we really do hit the ground running, particularly for our exam year groups. Lessons are very much geared towards exam preparation and staff are putting on bespoke additional sessions as part of our period 6 programme. As I mentioned in earlier correspondence, the exam period can be a challenge for parents and carers. I will be hosting an informal drop-in session on Saturday 29th April from 10-11:30 in Hollinshead Hall for all parents/carers of a pupil in Y10/11 or Y13 who want to chat about ways in which you can support your child and come through the exam period in one piece. Please be advised that this is a session solely focusing on exam preparation.
A reminder that the government is rolling out a new Emergency Alerts system. A test alert will be sent on Sunday 23 April 2023. The alerts will be used to let you know about emergency situations (like severe flooding) through your mobile phone or tablet. However, the alert will be accompanied by a loud 10-second sound even if your device is on silent. Your mobile phone or tablet does not have to be connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi to get alerts.
We have joined up with The Oaks, a teacher training provider and will be hosting a ‘Get Into Teaching’ morning for anyone interested in becoming a teacher. Please access our website for details.
Thank you to all parents/carers for sharing your child’s achievements out of school. Please keep sending these to me. It is lovely to hear about all of the activities our students are involved with.
Whatever your plans, have a lovely weekend.
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” (Marie Curie)
