Another week has flown by. It is the first week for some time when attendance has been lower than expected. It is clear there are a number of common winter bugs and viruses circulating at the moment. Given that, I thought it timely to remind you that the NHS have published guidance to help parents decide whether their child is too ill for school. The guidance can be accessed from the following link: Is my child too ill for school?  Thank you in advance for all you do to help your child maintain high levels of attendance.  

On Thursday we held our Year 11 parents evening. It was a delight to see so many parents and students in school. It was such a useful evening as teachers were able to share key information and answer many questions as the students head into the final part of their GCSE studies. Overwhelmingly, the Year 11s are working well and are in a good place ahead of the summer exams. I have every confidence that they will achieve some fabulous results. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Our drama group has been busily rehearsing for their latest panto, which takes place next Friday evening, 23 January at 6.00pm. The production of Cinderella promises to be a lot of fun and one I am looking forward to. Tickets are available via ParentPay and on the night for £5.00 if you would like to attend.

We are always keen to see new extracurricular clubs starting for our students, so I was delighted to see our new F1 club meeting this week. This club was started by Year 11 student Niamh Hanson. It is clear that her interest in F1 is shared by a number of others and I see the club going from strength to strength over the coming weeks, and particularly when the new F1 season kicks off in March. We do our best to facilitate any new clubs. If your child has an idea for a new club, please ask them to see Mr Spooner or Mr Ball, and they will do all they can to get it up and running.

The football season kicks off in earnest next week with a raft of fixtures across most year groups. This week did see our U16 girls play their latest game against Ribston Hall. Despite putting in a battling performance, the girls lost the game 5 – 0.  Player of the match went to Lily H for her excellent effort in midfield.

I was also delighted to hear about the achievements of Year 10 student Kara Nicholls. Kara is a keen archer and recently competed in Archery GB’s National Indoor Championship at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. What an amazing achievement Kara! Congratulations also go to ex-student Fin Williamson. Last weekend he competed in the World Pairs Bowls Championship, an amazing achievement for a 19 year old.

As always, I end with 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.   

I do hope you have a great weekend.  

Kind regards,  

Richard Johnson 
Headteacher