Dear Parents and Carers,

I recently asked you to submit feedback in response to the following question: What behaviours would you like your child to leave school with? I asked the same question to all our students and staff and would like to take this opportunity to share some of the results with you below. I have selected comments that were representative of  the over 700 total submissions –all of them moving, articulate and full of hope and aspiration. We will now spend some time to break these overall aims into teachable, well-sequenced and age-appropriate units and align these with our four values. This work will build on the strong foundations of our existing Character Education and allow us to apply for the ‘School of Character’ Award scheme next academic year. This prestigious kite mark is usually the preserve of selective or private schools and I will update you as we meet key milestones towards this goal.

Staff comments:

“Recognising red and green flags in lots of situations. React appropriately to big life events – not a knee jerk reaction on social media”

“Believe that they are valuable and have a huge contribution to make to society”

“Decrease sense of self importance but increase of self worth “

“Grace and Gratitude”

“Being able to have a family and share the lessons/values that they have learned. “

Student comments:

“I would like to leave school and leave a positive impact on everyone I meet.”

“I would like to leave school and be confident in my own ideas enough to outwardly voice them.”

“I would like to leave school and be able to public speak in front of a lot of people, have a kind character and show all four values in my daily life.”

“I would like to leave school and be able to do complex math equations, decent story structures and self belief.”

“I would like to leave school with the ability to admit when I’m wrong and apologise properly rather than making excuses.”

“I would like to leave school with the ability to read and speak in front of large groups of people who I feel are important and will respect me if I speak well.”

Parent/Carer comments:

“I would like my children to have a quiet confidence about them & the courage of their convictions; to try their best to understand others ie their behaviours & beliefs, to know their value & that they are valued. Also to know how to keep themselves safe & be able to look after themselves. I hope this may be of some help. Thank you.”

“Above all, I would like them to demonstrate a high level of morality, making thoughtful choices, acting with integrity, and doing the right thing even when it is challenging.”

“Resilience and compassion. I would like my children to not give up easily but to not be so competitive that they are not team players. I want them to see the best in themselves and others and to be able to collaborate. “

“I want them to feel like they can take on the world. I want them not to listen to the noise in the world and push ahead. I want them to look after themselves even if times are bad.”

Uniform update – Keeping standards high

We want our students to be defined by their character and by doing the right thing – this is represented by wearing our uniform with pride. There were was no noticeable impact of the adaptation we put in place from Monday, allowing blazers or school jumpers. However, the overall standard of uniform was noticeably and consistently higher following my communication and virtual uniform briefing last week. Below is another reminder of the Home-School agreement we entered when your child started with us and I would like to thank you all for your support in keeping expectations and standards high by sending our students to school in correct and smart uniform:

• We will ensure that our child adheres to the school’s published uniform and appearance policy and expectations.
• We will work closely with the school to ensure that problems with our child’s uniform and appearance are addressed without delay.
• We understand that we may be required to collect and return our child if they fail to be dressed or appear correctly.

Human Library – Year 9 Careers Event – Mr Parker, Careers Lead

Once again, it was a huge success, transforming the hall into a chattering hub of curiosity and discovery. It was amazing to see such a diverse range of local employers take the time out of their busy schedules to connect with our students, offering a rare window into the realities of their respective industries. From the intricacies of daily tasks to the long-term rewards of their career paths, the speakers provided invaluable insights that simply cannot be taught in a traditional classroom setting. There was such a positive atmosphere and our students were completely captivated, leaning in to ask thoughtful questions and showing a level of engagement that was both impressive and heart-warming. Seeing their enthusiasm as they discovered potential futures they had never previously considered was a testament to the power of community collaboration. We thank every single employer who joined us; their willingness to share their personal journeys, challenges, and successes, I am sure has left a lasting impact on our students, empowering them to dream bigger and approach their future careers with newfound confidence and excitement.

Community Kitchen in action (with Soho Farmhouse)

We would also like to say a big thank you to another local employer, Soho Farmhouse, whose kitchen team came for a live demonstration of advanced cookery skills. This took place in our new ‘Community Kitchen’ which is starting to get used regularly. The picture on the right was taken in the first regular session following the grand opening by Dame Prue Leith two weeks ago.

A reminder that the email address [email protected] is our dedicated email for sharing and celebrating acts of courage, creativity, curiosity and compassion that take place outside the school gates. We look forward to pictures and a brief description of any achievements that you would like to share so that these can inspire others in our community.

Yours faithfully,
Mr Bertram Richter
Headteacher

Key dates:

Wed 4 Feb KS3 Solo Evening

Thu 5 Feb Year 9 Options Evening

Fri 13 Feb Non-uniform day

Thu 26 Feb Mental Health Support Evening