HEADTEACHER Dear Parents/Carers,


All members of the school community will share my sorrow and anger at the tragic events in Manchester on 22 May. As a parent and teacher I find the loss of so many young lives almost impossible to bear. As a school we are looking carefully at planned school visits, and Wednesday’s Geography trip to London was rescheduled to the Dorset coast, in response to the heightened terror alert on Tuesday evening. We are also determined that the terrorists – whose distorted world view puts them in a tiny minority – shall not be allowed to dictate how we live our lives. Please be assured that the safety of students and staff is our first priority at all times.


As I always report at this time of year, we are fully into the business end of the school year, with the exam season well underway. Thanks to the best efforts of the staff, and most of our students, preparation for these exams has gone well. However, with the first run through for completely new specifications in English and Maths GCSE, and about half of our A level candidates, there is probably more uncertainty than usual. I have to say that the amount of change coming all at the same time has tested us, as it has all schools, and this has not been helped at all by the lack of availability of support materials and text books for some revised courses. The exams seem to have got off to a good start, with the only glitch so far being a fire alarm during the GCSE RE exam! After a brief break, the students carried on with the paper and seemed unperturbed.


We recently appointed our new prefect team, with Head Prefect Sebastian Lewis and Deputies Eddie Downing and Max Pearson-Smith leading a team of 31 prefects. As in previous years, the standard of applicants was excellent, and I have to say this is one of the most positive tasks I am involved with, as the candidates have some excellent ideas, and a list of contributions to school and outside organisations that are impressive. The selection process includes a vote by students and staff, as well as the outgoing prefects – a group who have made an excellent contribution to the school this year. I would like to thank the outgoing prefect team, led by Ben Sheppard, Lewis Shepherd and Alex Wright for their commitment over the past year. It is great fun to try to predict which students in the lower years will end up as prefects – I’m sure someone runs a book on it!


I would like to clarify the school’s position on private tuition. We have absolutely no objection to parents employing tutors to support their boys, and I know that parents may on occasion ask school staff if they can recommend suitable tutors. In some cases this may involve staff at Poole Grammar. Parents are welcome to enter into private arrangements of this kind, but I want to make it clear that the school cannot accept any responsibility for such arrangements, and that such private coaching cannot use the school premises for this purpose – it is something that a teacher may do but it is separate from their duties as a school employee. I have said to my colleagues that staff should not be undertaking private coaching with students that they directly teach in school. This is to protect the school and individual staff from any potential conflict of interest, and is no way a criticism of my colleagues, who are an excellent group of professionals.


A few dates for your diary. The PSA/School Summer Extravaganza takes place on 17 June (see the flyer in this newsletter for details), and Sports Day is on the afternoon of 29 June – parents are welcome to this smashing event.


I must finish on some sad news, as I report the death of John Howe, who was Chair of Governors from 2004-9, and was Vice Chair for a number of years previously. John was a pupil at Poole Grammar in its last years before the school moved to its current site, and both John’s sons, Neil and Jeremy, are former pupils. John’s sudden death came as a shock to many of us, and our thoughts have been with his family and friends. I must also report the sad death of Vi Morris, wife of Colin who was a mainstay of the Old Grammarians for many years. Vi was a fixture at school events, and helped Colin deliver the Dolphin magazine to local old boys – Vi will be much missed.


A.J. Baker Headteacher


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