Grey Coat 2 Issue 19: January 2012 Headteacher's let ter to parents


Happy New Year! I know that we are nearing the end of January but I hope that you all had a restful Christmas after a busy and productive term.


The term for the teachers started the day before the students returned from the Christmas holiday. We spent the day discussing our teaching and learning priorities. We are working hard to ensure that all students are sufficiently challenged by our lessons and that they all participate and are encouraged and supported to do so. We are focusing on actively developing their thinking and independent learning skills and their ability to work together effectively in groups as well as giving them detailed and specific feedback to help them to make good progress. We are evaluating


our progress with these priorities in a variety of ways including student voice consultations, scrutiny of students’ exercise books and the written feedback they are given by teachers. We are also inviting a consultant in to observe lessons over a period of two days before half term.


All students have completed a questionnaire this week giving feedback on a variety of different aspects of the school and of their learning experience. The outcomes of these questionnaires will be collated by the Centre for Successful Schools at Keele University and will help us to incorporate the students’ views as we build on our strengths and continue to grow.


The students have also been giving us feedback on the extra-curricular activities with which they are


Academy update


Following the resolution in the Autumn Term to convert to Academy status, the Governors have established an Academy working party to ensure the smooth transition to Academy status.


The members of the Academy working party are:


Julian Slater – appointed as Parent Governor in March 2004 Chair of the Academy working party and Chair of Finance Committee Chartered Accountant, Vice President Finance – Europe, Middle East and Africa of Korn/Ferry International


John Nesbitt – Trustee since July 1998


Governor appointed by the Trustees in October 2003 Chartered surveyor, Managing Director of O’Flynn Group


Elizabeth Gibson – appointed as Parent Governor by the Trustees in January 2005


Chief Executive of the Evelina Family Trust


Frederick Studemann Schulenburg – elected Parent Governor in March 2011 Analysis Editor at the Financial Times


Marie Holmes – Bursar Siân Maddrell - Headteacher


The Academy working party has registered our interest in conversion with the Department for Education and is liaising with lawyers over the process in order to establish the aspects to be completed and the legal framework for them. It is also drawing up a timeline and overseeing practical steps for successful conversion. Monthly meetings are scheduled and the working party will communicate progress to the school community through updates in the newsletter and briefing documents.


involved. We are delighted that 76% of our students take part in at least one extra-curricular activity at school with many students taking part in several more! We have an extensive range of extra-curricular activities on offer for the students organised and run by our passionate and dedicated staff. These opportunities really do enrich the experience of the students from Year 7 to the Sixth Form. Please do talk to your children about the activities they are involved in and encourage them to take part in these if they do not do so already.


I look forward to seeing you at one of our many events this term.


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