AGM 2018
2018. There remains a clear sense that ‘person-hours’ will need to be clearly ring-fenced for the international/boarding market from the Autumn Term 2018.
Open Mornings We were unfortunately unable to hold our Open Morning in March due to inclement weather. To this end it was fortuitous that we had organised an additional event for the Junior School in February. Our most recent event on Friday 4 May saw double the number of prospective families from this time last year. Interest in the school both for September 2018 and beyond remains high.
Year 7/Retention Current projected numbers for Year 7 in September 2018 are 37 confirmed and five ‘in the pipeline’. My hope is that this will convert into a firm cohort of at least 40. We did give serious consideration to reducing our number of Year 7 tutor groups from three to two as a cost saving exercise. On balance however we decided to stay as a three form entry for now at least. The implications of reducing to a two form entry are significant. As with last year we are uncertain as to how many of our Year 11 students will stay into Year 12. It is a time of year when many of our students are considering their options and it would be helpful for us to have less uncertainty at this time. Ensuring a quality product with a good deal of choice is important and I have been pleased by the raised number of external applicants to the school this year.
Quaker News Further to my meeting with Paul Whitehouse in April, Friends School Council (FSC) and Executive Group met in York which happened to coincide with when we were
HEAD’S REPORT CONTINUED
The Sibford equestrian team is going from strength to strength
being inspected. To this end I missed the meeting however Paul was able to report our desire to further develop a common website which would be known as the ‘Quaker Education’ website rather than FSC. This has met with approval and will, once completed, be a useful resource for celebrating Quaker education and values as well as sharing resources and good practice. It should also be a useful marketing avenue. Paul Whitehouse is also
encouraging all Quaker Schools to become a ‘Quaker Recognised Body’. With the backing of School Committee I would like to support this as a way to strengthen bonds with Yearly Meeting. I understand that Paul Parker, Recording Clerk of Friends House, is also supportive of this action. Seren Wildwood and I have moved forward with our application since our last meeting. This is to be ratified at our next full meeting of School Committee. Zoë Simms and I met with Tim
Yeomans from Sibford Meeting to further explore Sibford School, alongside Sibford Meeting, becoming a ‘Sanctuary Meeting’ – which we were all broadly supportive of. This would mean that we would support local refugees and their families - not least through the occasional use of our facilities. I understand that similar projects have been undertaken in the past. We are hosting Quaker Heads and Deputies tomorrow and on Monday. Extra-curricular After a busy term it was a pleasure to see our pupils enjoying their annual Sports Awards dinner at Ettington Hall. Triathlon, equestrian, swimming and traditional sport are all well represented by the school with our fundamental raison d’être being ‘sport for all’. I am looking forward to throwing climbing into the mix next year! We have held a successful
The Sibford Rocket / 19
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