02 October 2020

It is a rather wet and windy end to the week but this certainly doesn't reflect the mood in school today. It has been a very busy, fun-filled and engaging week for pupils across all sections of school. It has been brilliant to share in their energy and enthusiasm for school life as we settle into the rhythm of the Autumn term. As ever, walking around the school this week, talking to pupils and colleagues and visiting lessons, I have been struck by the adaptability and energy of our pupils, their curiosity and sense of adventure and willingness to take on new challenges.

In Sixth Form this week, our tutors have been enjoying one-to-one interviews with our Year 12 students, reviewing together the first month of A levels, life in Sixth Form, time management and organisation and planning for next steps.

We were also really excited to launch the 'Extended Project Qualification' to our Sixth Form students. Equivalent to half an A level and viewed very favourably by university admissions, the EPQ is an independent project, where students research and produce an essay on a subject of their choice. It is a big commitment, requiring the ability to organise work around other subjects, but is great practice for further education. We are looking forward to hearing what topics our Sixth Form students select!

However, life in Sixth Form isn't all work! Students have been enjoying yoga, dance classes and not to forget Chef Paul's amazing lunches!

We look forward to sharing more with you about life in Sixth Form as the term unfolds.

Sixth Form Options and Open Evening

Thank you to all of the parents and pupils who took the time to visit our virtual Sixth Form Options and Open evening on Wednesday night. If you haven't had a chance to do so, please do take the time to find out a bit more about life in Sixth Form, whether that is through the virtual tour, hearing from key members of staff, or whether you are interested in finding out about specific A level subjects. There is a lot of information to digest and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Our Sixth Form event was followed up by our Subject Options Fair for Year 10 and 11 pupils yesterday morning. There was a brilliant buzz of energy and enthusiasm in the Sports Hall as pupils found out all about the various subjects on offer at A level. The pupils asked excellent questions and shared their aspirations both for A level study and beyond. It is always a pleasure to speak to the pupils about what their passions are and what motivates them to do well. There is no doubt that the step up from GCSE to A level study is a big one, and beginning to think about A level subjects now allows the pupils to begin honing their skills and developing their understanding of specific subject areas with plenty of time to spare. Over 22 subjects were represented at the fair and many of the pupils said they managed to visit every single stand! An impressive feat!

2021 Admissions

It seems strange to think about the beginning of the next academic year, when this one has only just started, however, our admissions process is in full swing and we hope that Nursery, Year 6 and Year 11 parents have had a chance to review the letters and information that was sent out earlier in the week. As ever, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Reminders

Just a few quick reminders around our Covid-secure protocols:

• Many thanks for dropping off and collecting your son or daughter at the designated times. Please can I remind all families to only drop and or collect your children at the published times. We are unfortunately not able to accommodate ad hoc alternative collection and pick up times. As I am sure you will understand, in order to manage our clubs provision and wrap-around care within year-group bubbles and to safely manage the car park requires significant extra-staffing and individual, unexpected requests for late or early collection places considerable strain on the systems. We understand that traffic can occasionally be a problem, but this should not be happening every day. Many thanks for your support with this.
• Thank you for not sending food into school on birthdays, we are unfortunately not able to accommodate this over this term. We very much hope to be back to normal as soon as the wider circumstances allow.
• As the weather gets colder, we would recommend that pupils arrive at school in track suits and with a warm coat. This should be the school coat in Junior School or a black or navy coat in Senior school.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend!

Best wishes,

James Raymond
Headmaster