CJM/HV March 2015 Dear Parents You would often think that most things were predictable at this time of the year. Indeed, we approach the Easter break soon and thoughts move to egg hunts for those with small children, religious celebrations around the resurrection and why we celebrate the festival; for others it is just a relaxing holiday. Those things are predictable, as are the inevitable trips to garden centres, the odd cup of tea and a cake while there and, for the enthusiastic, there may even be some plants bought for spring cultivation. There is one other undeniable and inescapable signal that the Easter holiday brings and that is a firm focus on revision. Whether it is Year 10 in Double Science, Year 11 GCSEs, Year 12 AS-Levels or Year 13 A-Levels, the approach of the external exams is no longer avoidable. They turn from distant events to being firmly in the mind’s eye; returning from the break there is the realisation that during that half-term the exams will start in earnest. Exam timetables have been issued and the landscape for each student is now firmly set. In Drama the practical exams are already complete, controlled assessments are being signed off, coursework in final moderation before submission and Art exams will arrive very quickly as we return. It can be difficult for younger students to comprehend the magnitude of this period of time for the older students; in some cases it can be hard even for those taking the exams to truly grasp. That is why the end of the forthcoming half-term will signal the start of exam weeks for the younger students and by the end of June all will have been assessed thoroughly in strict exam conditions. While some students do not relish the thought, increasingly the system is that written exams are vital in awarding qualifications and no excuse or nervousness can be used to avoid them. As a school we will support and guide as much as we can but ultimately the only people allowed to directly influence what is written are the students themselves. They need to prepare themselves for the exams and in that sense the Easter holidays should include revision for all students. The importance of that revision is multiplied for those with university, apprenticeship or 6th Form offers but the skills of coping with the pressure of exams is certainly one best learnt young. Even though the exams will be a big focus in the coming months the wider life of the school will continue and there is much, as always, to keep you informed about: Exam Revision Sessions and Materials The Year 11 revision sessions that are held each week are listed on the home page of the school’s website. They can be found under the appropriate tab in the Latest section along with a link to numerous revision materials for each subject. The timetable is updated weekly and I would like to thank the staff who give their time freely to help the students by providing these extra sessions. Harvard and Studying in the USA Stuart Gordon of Harvard UK Outreach will be giving a talk at the school on Monday 23 rd March at 5:00pm. He will be explaining the process of applying to go to university in America and will be able to provide an insight into the available financial support. We are eager to broaden students’ horizons so this is an excellent opportunity for any interested students in Years 10 through to Year 12 and their parents to find out as much information as they can. All are welcome but, to assess the provision of refreshments, we would ask you to let Mr James, Head of 6 th Form, know if you wish to attend. He can be contacted at the school or by emailing: [email protected] Art Exams These signal the start of the exam season and are invigilated, fully controlled events. It is essential that student who take Art organise themselves fully by completing the necessary preparation as outlined by the Art department. The exams take place on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th April for Year 11 and on Thursday 16th April for Year 12. Students unable to attend will need medical notes in order to still be eligible for their exam entries. Teen Empowerment Conference Miss Morrison and Miss Devlin accompanied ten Year 8 and 9 students to a Teen Empowerment Conference at Canary Wharf, London. This was a fantastic opportunity for the students involved to not only visit the capital at a heavily subsidised cost but we hope it will help the girls attending to be inspired to aim high in their studies and aspirations for the future. Beatrix College Visit We will welcome our now annual visitors from Holland and Beatrix College on Tuesday 17 th and Thursday 19th March. The students will be working with many of our Year 9 students on a joint English text. The English department has chosen this year’s joint text to be “Of Mice and Men” and I am sure the Year 9s will be both insightful about the book while also learning about their peers from another country. It is an indication of the level of difficulty in the new GCSE in English that this book which our current Year 11 has studied is now seen as a Year 9 text. Maths Feast A gallant team of our brightest Year 10 Mathematicians will take part in a “Maths Feast” at the University of Northumbria on Wednesday 18th March. We wish them well and every success in what I am sure will be a challenging but rewarding competition. I am currently teaching one of the top sets in that year group so I may be a little biased in having the confidence they can do very well. U-Dance Final A large group of students has been preparing for the upcoming U-Dance Festival. The students have shown a great deal of commitment in preparing for the competition and we wish them the very best. They will appear in the final at the Theatre by the Lake, Keswick, on Thursday 26 th March. I am sure they would greatly appreciate any support you can give. Ski Trip Mr Hammond, 50 students and numerous staff will depart on the last Friday of term for the annual ski trip. The students find this an extremely rewarding trip and we hope the snow and general weather is good for them. I do have to thank the staff for giving their time to supervise the students during their holidays and know that, while they may get a few hours of skiing in, most of their time is spent ensuring the students have a purposeful and safe trip. Year 12 Geography Trip Students will be undertaking their fieldwork on the first two days back after Easter. This forms a vital part of their course and is examined specifically in their skills paper. We hope that on their residential course they develop the techniques and evaluative methods required. Notice of upcoming Parents’ Evenings Year 12 - Wednesday 18th March 6:00 - 8:30pm Year 10 – Wednesday 29th April 6:00 - 8:30pm It is essential that all parents should meet regularly with staff to discuss the progress of the students. If you cannot make a Parents’ Evening please do contact the school and we will ensure that someone contacts you to update you on their school work. Roof and Air Conditioning The new flat roof has now been laid and I would thank all the students for putting up with the odd bang and smell they have experienced. We are very happy the project has finished ahead of schedule and can only commend the company undertaking the work. As part of the project the students will benefit from air-conditioning and air-handling in some of the internal G-Rooms which will greatly improve the conditions in these rooms. Students Feeling Unwell Students are not allowed to call home to be picked up. If we deem your child is not well enough to stay in school we will contact you. If your child does call you asking to be picked up, please ask them to go to Student Reception as they will not be allowed to leave the school site unless they have been assessed by a member of staff. It is worrying that a small number of students have been trying to circumnavigate the system that is in place for their own safety. Changes of Address If you have moved and need to update the school with a new address please ask for a Change of Address form from either Student or Main Reception, or download one from the school website (in the Parents section). We will not change permanent records until we have signed confirmation of new details. Elements of funding and school transport access are determined by addresses and it is essential that they are correct. Furthermore, we cannot be held responsible for any data protection breaches if we have not been informed of any changes. Please remember to inform the school of any changes to email and mobile numbers, too, if you are users of the school texting system. Year 7 in September 2015 I have often written about the fact that the school is fuller than ever before and that situation remains. We received a record number of admission requests this year for entrance into the upcoming Year 7, numbering 480 in total for just 174 places. Having worked with local authority through the common admissions process we made a one year variance of our PAN (Published Admission Number) and offered 189 students places in the school for September. This equates to our new Year 7 staring with seven classes and will be the largest year group ever admitted to the school; one we feel, as an exception, we have the capacity to accommodate. It will be a one-off but the Governors felt we had little choice if we were to accommodate those students within catchment and also those with siblings already in the school. There remain 87 applications on our waiting list and we will no doubt face many appeals for entry in due course. It is clear that long term we will need to look seriously at the overall capacity of the school. This is, and will remain, something that the Governors consider regularly, although opportunities for securing a rebuild or expansion are in the short-term most likely limited due to the large amount of money spent in the Carlisle area on new school buildings. We will however keep working to see what we may yet be able to secure so we can provide the very best learning environment for the students. I hope that all our students have a relaxing and purposeful break. Those with formal upcoming exams should endeavour to revise but also relax as the new term will bring many challenges. I may even try to detach from work myself and my wife’s penchant for going out for tea and cake may yet flourish once more; I am sure I will join her occasionally under duress... Yours sincerely Mr Chris McAree Headteacher [email protected]