Grey Coat 2 Issue 18: December 2011 Headteacher's let ter to parents


The past month has been a very hard working, busy and creative one at The Grey Coat Hospital as you will see from all the articles and photos in this month’s edition of the Newsletter.


Many students from all year groups in the school performed in the annual Gym and Dance display as well as students from Millbank Primary school trained by Grey Coat girls. The audience was treated to a wide variety of styles of dances and gymnastics, and was even allowed to join in at the end! The staff and students had worked incredibly hard to put together an entertaining and professional performance.


On the same night as the Gym and Dance display was the private view of the annual Foundation Art Show at the SW1 gallery in Victoria. The exhibition includes work selected by the Heads of Art by students representing the five schools in our Foundation; The Grey Coat Hospital, Westminster City School, Emanuel School, Queen Anne’s School and Sutton Valence School. The quality of the work is truly inspirational and we are very lucky to have the opportunity to show the work in the SW1 gallery.


The winter music concert was a real success. Year 7 to Year 13 students sang and played an impressive range of styles of music to a delighted audience. This was followed closely by the school play, The Government Inspector. The cast and crew had worked together as a team to produce a very accomplished performance, which had the audience laughing all evening.


We had our own Government inspector in school on the day of the school play. As part of our cycle of self-evaluation and review, we invited an Ofsted inspector to visit the school to evaluate our safeguarding practices and to discuss the school with groups of students. Our safeguarding practices were judged to be outstanding. The inspector will visit us again for two days in the spring to evaluate teaching and learning across the school.


We have also been looking at the proportion of students who take part regularly in extra curricular activities as we strongly believe in the importance of such activities for developing confidence, friendships, skills and for discovering and enhancing your passions. I do hope that any students who do not yet belong to clubs or teams take the opportunity to join in with activities they enjoy in the New Year.


The students will soon be receiving their tracking reports. Students have completed self- evaluations, and met with their tutors on Academic Tutorial Day to discuss their progress in lessons, their independent learning skills and their participation in extra-curricular activities. The tracking reports show how hard the students are working and the progress they are making. We look forward to them working on the targets they have set themselves for the coming term.


The Great Hall was transformed on Friday 9th December as the venue for the Guild carol service and Christmas Fair. It was lovely to see so many students and parents there.


Parents of Year 7 students should expect their Christmas presents beautifully wrapped in Christmas boxes as the Year 7 students took part in a Mathematics workshop on Academic Tutorial Day and learnt some impressive paper folding skills!


Good luck to all students sitting public examinations in January.


Wishing you all a very happy and restful Christmas.


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