Dear Parents and Carers

A Happy New Year to you all. I hope the holiday was fun and that your children felt rested for the new term ahead. That slightly shorter first week for the students always helps them get back into the routines and we all look forward to doing our very best to be an even better school in 2024.

Some start of year reflections…

It may surprise some parents and carers to know that whilst ‘things’ like Ofsted inspections or GCSE and A level results appear to be major milestones in a school year, they are not.

Obviously, we were and are really pleased that our school was at its best when Ofsted visited us in May last year; giving us a chance to show how far we have come in the last five or ten years. Moreover, our 2023 results were of course great – but that was then and this is now. In short, schools and school staff live very much in the present and work for the future. There isn’t a great deal of time to reflect too much on the past.

You will be aware, to greater and lesser degrees, of the challenges facing all schools in this country. Recruiting and retaining great teachers and support staff is accurately described as a ‘national crisis’. We must not assume that CNS will be immune from this problem at some point in the future. You will also be aware of the pressures on school funding that thwart innovation or the extension of provision at a time when perhaps that need is greatest. And then there are the issues with attendance since the COVID lockdowns – fewer students than ever before have strong attendance and there is widespread, growing and deep concern across society that school attendance has failed to bounce back in our country.

We try our very best and focus on the innumerable positives and advantages that we have at CNS – and not get too worried about the things beyond our immediate control.

We are very confident that if your child is here and they are engaged in our curriculum and routines, then they will be very successful at CNS. This is why there has never been a more important time to build a school where teachers can teach and learners can learn. Every employee wants to work in place where they can put their expertise to best use. Every student, deep down, wants to be settled, successful and enjoy their school days so that they can live their adult life as they choose.

Start of Term Values Assemblies

Given it is the start of term, I delivered an assembly to years 7 to 11 throughout this morning. Whilst I avoided any reference to ‘new year’s resolutions’, I invited students to think about the baggage they carry when they ask how far they wish to journey in life – how high do they wish to climb. My key message was and always will be that their social, emotional and educational journeys are never alone and that their teachers and support staff are always there to support and guide them on that journey. We know that some children need more support and encouragement than others, but no child is an island and we hope they see and feel our commitment to their happiness and success each day in their lessons and life around school.

Department for Education Consultation Invitation

You may or may not have been aware that the Government committed itself to produce non-statutory guidance on what they have termed ‘gender questioning children’. The draft guidance consultation was launched just before Christmas and all stakeholders are all invited to contribute (until 12 March 2024). In their words, “The focus of this is to provide practical advice for schools and colleges to help them make decisions regarding children who are questioning their gender, in a way that prioritises safeguarding and parents’ central role in their children’s lives.”

It is important that I draw all parents’ and carers’ attention to the content and the consultation. For further information please visit gov.uk for the press notice and full draft guidance and consultation.

And finally…

It is that time of year to mention the white stuff that may or may not fall in this area in the weeks ahead. Whilst we are often governed by the decisions made by the bus companies, we shall always aim to communicate updates or decisions by 7:15am on any given day. Those decisions would be communicated via InTouch, emails to all students and a notice on our website. Gone are the days when we all listen-out for those lists that were once read-out on the local radio. In the event of a full or partial closure, work would be set for all affected lessons on Show My Homework / Satchel One.

Have a lovely weekend.

Yours faithfully
Barry Doherty
Headteacher