JULY 2016


ISSUE 26


www.gms.bucks.sch.uk What an academic year 2015/16 has been, it began with fantastic IMPORTANT DATES


School closes for the Summer Holidays on Tuesday 19th July at 1pm.


All pupils return to school on Monday September 5th.


A Level results are published on 18th August and GCSE results are published on 25th August.


KEY EVENTS at GMS


Please note all our important dates and events, including Parents’ Evenings and Examination Timetables, are available on the website and are regularly updated.


examination results in both the GCSE and A level courses studied over the previous two years. I am pleased to report to you that our results and academic achievement will continue to grow and improve.


Qualifications, results and levels are hugely important, of course, but are not the only outcomes that count. Great Marlow School has been an enormously happy place to work and to learn this year and I would like to attribute this in some part to three areas.


Firstly, in every single subject and department teachers have grown in strength and their dedication and commitment is reflected in the passion they show for their own Continuing Professional Development, because, just like our students, great teachers never stop learning.


Secondly, our students have worked very hard to be positive by giving their time and ideas to fund- raising for a wide variety of causes ranging from Can Appeal in High Wycombe, Help for Heroes, to the National AIDS Trust, a local hospice, Comic Relief and education in other countries. Overall, because of the efforts of the school as a whole, our charitable donations this year are close to £15,000.


Thirdly, the extra-curricular life of the school is second to none.


Despite having taught close


Don’t forget to view the online gallery for photographs relating to many of the articles in this newsletter.


to 45,000 lessons this year, the commitment of the staff does not end there. Additional lessons go on from 7 in the morning, also after school when the Caretaker is chasing people out of the buildings to lock up, in the holidays when a huge majority of students will come in, of their own accord to better their grades on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year. But this is not all. Teachers and other members of staff who willingly give of their time to take young people away to learn outside the classroom show some of the most selfless dedication. Over the course of the year, opportunities have been made available to every student of the school with visits ranging from London Zoo, to Parliament, to the Home Office, to Borough Market, the Saatchi Gallery, to


universities, the NEC, to the RHS gardens at Wisley, the Olympic Park, Tirabad, numerous Duke of Edinburgh camping weekends, Paris, Ypres and not forgetting Space Camp in Alabama, USA in July.


In the fields of Art, Music, Drama and sport the school continues to develop and to excel. The variety, skill and perception evolving in our young people, is testament not only to their talents but also the ability of their teachers to guide them with creativity, subtlety and care.


And what of Sport? Such success “we used only to dream of”; from rugby, to hockey, football, netball, cricket and athletics, the achievements, the hard work and the team spirit kept flowing.


Well: I am retiring after being a teacher for 38 years, having started as an English teacher, (naturally still my favourite subject.) I have been Headteacher at GMS for 13 years. I have absolutely loved being the Headteacher and am lucky to have worked so successfully with an excellent Leadership Team and Governors and staff. Thank you. I plan to travel relax and spend time with our 3 grandchildren. I will keep in touch with school leadership and management because I am working with an organisation called ‘Future Leaders’ to prepare Headteachers for the future.


I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for our school and I wish you and yours every happiness in the future.


Best Wishes Mrs Geralyn Wilson Headteacher


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