Parents/Carers message - December 2009

As we approach the end of term and prepare for the holiday period I would like to thank the pupils, staff and the many parents I have met for the support I have received since becoming Headteacher in September.

I have spent a lot of time talking to pupils during break, lunchtime and as I visit lessons. One thing that is very clear to me is that the vast majority of our pupils enjoy school, feel safe and are working hard to achieve their potential. There is always room for improvement and the teachers and support staff are all working to ensure that all our pupils can make the progress they are capable of.

As parents, one of most important things is the progress being made in lessons. I have therefore provided you with the key dates for Parents Evenings. Please make a note of the date of your child’s Parents Evening as I believe it is very important that you make every effort to attend this important event.

Parents Evenings 2010

Year 9 Thursday January 28
Year 11 Thursday February 11
Year 10 Thursday May 27
Year 8 Thursday June 17
Year 7 Thursday July 8

I am available to meet parents if you have any unresolved concerns. If you are unable to visit during the day, I am available every Tuesday 5.30 – 6.30pm by appointment. Please contact Mrs Sandra Bailey Acting School Manager.

Some key dates for the spring term
Jan 11 Yr 10 Hair & Beauty Principal Learning Exam
Jan 13 Yr 11 Applied Business
Jan 13 Yr 10 Hospitality Principal Learning
Jan 21 Yr 10 Diphtheria/Tetanus inoculations
Jan 25 Yr 10 CSI Day
Jan 26 Yr 11 Health & Social Care
Jan 26 Yr 10 ICT Functional Skills Resits
Jan 27 Yr 10 Diphtheria/Tetanus Catch-Ups
Jan 28 Yr 10 Religious Studies
Feb 1 Yr 7 Enterprise Day
Feb 3 Yr 9 Enterprise Day
Feb 15 – 19 Half-Term
Mar 2 Yr 10 & Yr 11 Maths (Resits)
Mar 3 & 5 Yr 10 & Yr 11 Science Modules
Mar 26 Yr 11 GCSE Drama Performance to Parents
Mar 30 Yr 8 Girls HPV Inoculation
School closes for Spring Bank Holiday Thursday 1 April. First day back for pupils Monday 19 April.

Attendance and Punctuality
Our pupil’s attendance to school is generally good but it could be even better. There is a very clear link between good attendance and examination success. Please ensure your child’s attendance is the best it can be.

Punctuality to school and lessons is monitored daily. If your child’s punctuality is causing a concern you will have received a voicemail from myself asking for your support in improving the situation. Pupils whose punctuality remains a problem will be expected to make up for the lost time.

Holidays during term time
Permission for holidays during term time will not be given as I believe taking your child out of school during term time can seriously disadvantage them.

Cumberland Cares at Christmas

Although many of our pupils ‘care’ all year round it has been very pleasing to see so many pupils and staff raising funds to support a number of local charities. The Cumberland Cares at Christmas campaign is supporting Richard House, NSPCC, Save the Children and Winston’s Wish.

Spring Term begins January 4. There will be a late start for pupils to allow for some staff Inset. Pupils should arrive for registration at 9:40am. Gates will open at 9.15. Pupils who have borough transport will be picked up at the usual time.

Our School Uniform

I have been pleased with how smart our pupils look in their school uniform. I have included below a uniform list, as a reminder, followed by our PE kit. Variations to this are not acceptable. Please ensure that your child has the correct uniform. The vast majority of our pupils arrive to school regularly, on time, and in perfect uniform. I look forward to this continuing throughout the year.

When buying the school uniform, parents/carers and pupils have a choice of many items. For example, they can choose a red, or white polo shirt, or whether to buy a fleece or a sweatshirt. Parents/carers need to buy all items with a logo on from Ian Howard, the school outfitters. Pupils are not permitted to wear non-uniform items in school, or to wear, for example, hats, scarves, hoods, caps, etc inside the school building.

OUR SCHOOL UNIFORM

OUR PE KIT

Business Studies Educational Visit to Tate and Lyle

In December the BTEC Business Studies candidates visited Tate and Lyle Sugars as part of their course. This was one of a number of educational visits that pupils take part in to help them contextualise the work they produce for their examination coursework.

Yasmin said, “it was incredible to see the whole process, from the raw material being delivered in a ship and stored in heaps in a shed, right through to the packets of sugar being packaged ready to be delivered to the supermarket – now I understand why there are always ships moored on that part of the river – I never knew before!”.

Jordi thought, “the most interesting thing about the visit was to see how the whole production process was controlled and monitored from one room, on a series of computer monitors and controls, by just a couple of staff – I didn’t think it could be possible to control an enormous factory from just one computer room”.

It has already proved to be an invaluable experience as pupils have been able to include accounts of their visit in coursework produced since the visit.

Cumberland Cares at Christmas

Over £4000 was raised by pupils and staff this half term for our four chosen charities, £1000 of which was presented to our most local charity - Richard House. As the photograph above suggests, sponsored silences were one of the many ways pupils employed to raise money.

Cinderella - Christmas Production

At the end of term the BTEC Performing Arts pupils staged Cinderella. Local primary school pupils and senior citizens of our community saw the first performances in the afternoon, before parents and friends visited for the evening performance.

Alongside our cast, the Cumberland Choir, the Senior Choir and the Jazz Band, I would like to thank a number of people who helped make the event a success, including:

Mr Wallis (Director), Ms Hulme (Musical director), Mr Henry (Jazz Band Leader), Jordan Smith (Sound technician), The Art department (Set Design / Props), Ms Tobias / Miss Dewing (Costume), 7N (Tickets sellers), Mr Robinson (Choreography), Rhiannon Eglin (Piano), Jessica Squibb, Jessie Stafford & Ellie McKenna (Poster and ticket design).

Money raised from the performance went towards the Cumberland Cares fund raised for our chosen charities.

MOVEMBER 2009 raises over £1,500 for charity

Movember is about having fun, growing a moustache and raising much needed funds and awareness for men's health - specifically prostate cancer. What many people don't appreciate is that one man dies every hour of prostate cancer in the UK, more than 35,000 men will be diagnosed this year and that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK.

This year saw many of our staff participate, each brave enough to grow a moustache for one month. Collectively the team raised £1536.04, with Mr.Gubbins alone raising a £490.50. Well done to all the staff above who joined in, particularly Mr Naylor for organising the team.