Dear Parents and Carers
In my penultimate letter to you as headteacher, I plan to share a few updates and reminders, whilst acknowledging that a small number of us are departing in the coming weeks. It has been a really great final week and it never ceases to amaze us how much excitement we all get from the appearance of an ice cream van. We were blessed in terms of weather for Friday’s sports day and by all accounts was one of those perfect school days.
I hope you will find time to read the final edition of the CNS Newsletter, available here on our website. Whilst I have tried to bring you snippets of news in my own letters, the CNS Newsletter provides more comprehensive summaries of some of the major highlights at our school in recent months.
Farewells
Once the students have safely departed tomorrow, we shall say our own farewells to a number of colleagues who will be moving on to new adventures in September. Mr Baker will be very greatly missed by the history department and is somewhat of an institution having invested his entire thirty-two-year career at CNS. We can easily forget that schools cannot function without the array of talents provided by our associate staff – chief amongst them is Mrs Matthews, who will be retiring this week as well. Dr Hall (science and rock star) is also retiring, whilst Mr Hawkins-White (PE) will be taking up another position at a different school, and Ms Ware (Learning Support) will return to complete her psychology degree. And finally, Mrs Lee, who has worked here as a Curriculum LSA in English and, more recently, as a senior pastoral leader. I and we wish them all great happiness and excitement in the next chapter of their lives and thank them for their dedication and service for so many years. I shall leave Mr Richter the pleasure of introducing you to the terrific new staff joining in September!
Safeguarding
During the summer holiday closure, if you have a concern about a child, please call the MASH team (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) on 0345 050 7666 during office hours (8.30am – 5pm, Monday to Thursday, 8.30am – 4pm, Friday). Outside office hours you can call the Emergency Duty Team on 0800 833 408. If you are concerned that a crime may have been committed, then you can call the police on 101 for non-urgent concerns. For urgent concerns, call 999. Our [email protected] email account will only be checked occasionally and therefore only suitable for non-emergency advice, reassurance and guidance if needed.
And finally…
The term will end for students at about 12:30pm tomorrow, Tuesday, with school buses and taxis leaving a few moments later once all are aboard and ready to go. The school reopens for Year 7 students on Wednesday 3 September, with all other students returning the following day, on Thursday 4 September.
In the meantime, and on behalf of all my colleagues and the Governing Body, we wish all of our wonderful students and their families a happy, restful and rejuvenating break. I shall write to you once more tomorrow and try my best to express some thanks and reflections as my own time at CNS also draws to a close.
Yours faithfully
Barry Doherty, Headteacher
