It has been another busy week for our Year 11 students with exams taking place every day this week. The students continue to impress with their positive attitude and application throughout what has been a demanding period. It was lollipops at lunchtime today as a little reward for all their hard work.

I have also been impressed with the respect shown by the other students. The exams mean we have to close access to parts of the school and require silence in certain corridors when exams are taking place. The other students have been consistently respectful and have helped us manage the logistics of the exam season, which is pleasing to report.

Earlier this term, a group of students in Years 7 and 8 participated in the UK Maths Trust Junior Mathematical Challenge.  This is an assessment designed to encourage mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency to make students think. The problems on the Junior Mathematical Challenge are accessible yet still challenge those with more experience. The results achieved were the best in the school’s history with 44 Bronze Awards, 10 Silver Awards and 2 Gold Awards. Many congratulations to all who participated, but in particular to Ollie Harris in Year 7 and Daniel Luther-Ferris in Year 8, out 2 Gold Award winners.

Our Outdoor Ed group enjoyed perfect weather for their latest adventure. This saw them travel to the Wye Valley for some rock climbing at Wintour’s Leap. Rock climbing presents both a physical and a mental challenge. The students had to put their trust in others, and themselves. They did not disappoint, particularly with regard to effort, and pushing the boundaries of personal comfort zones! Most climbed at least two routes and then finished off with a 14m abseil. Well done to all who participated.

On Thursday we held our Year 8 parent evening. As always, it was a pleasure to see so many parents with their children in school, discussing progress being made, sharing areas for celebration and those for further development.

This week saw the first Year 7 cricket fixture of the year against Gloucester Academy. The number of students taking part from both schools meant we were able to have two games running alongside each other. All the boys got to bat and bowl and it was a pleasure to see the enjoyment the boys experienced, especially those for whom this was their first game. Special mention to Seth L for his brilliant batting and Jake K for his outstanding fielding which included 5 catches!

It’s a pleasure to share even more examples of the successes being achieved by our students. Lauren Hopkins in Year 8 is a member of a Wolverhampton-based cheerleading team. Her team recently participated in the All-Star World Championships in Florida. Lauren’s team took the Silver Medal as the second-best team in the world in their division. What an amazing achievement.

As always, I include my weekly reminder about Free School Meals eligibility. If your financial circumstances have changed, your child may be eligible for Free School Meals. If you click on this link you will find guidance on the eligibility criteria and the application process. It's a quick process and we are notified of all FSM entitlements by Gloucestershire County Council each Monday. I would urge you to take a look if you think you may benefit from financial assistance.   

Kind regards,  

Richard Johnson 
Headteacher