Welcome back to the new half-term. As always, it has been very positive welcoming the learners back to school and seeing how well the vast majority have settled back into their studies and all the other opportunities available to them.
Year 13 Learner Progress Evening
Thank you to all the parents and learners who attended our Year 13 Learner progress evening last night. It was good to see so many of you and to hear about the positive progress many of them are making as they move towards the final part of their Level 3 studies. As always, if there are any concerns over the coming weeks or months, please do not hesitate to contact the Sixth Form team in the school who will be happy to help support your child navigate the build up to the examinations.
Year 11 PPEs
Year 11 have been taking apart in their second round of PPEs (Mock Examinations). Again, as throughout the last two years, they have approached this really positively and seem to be gaining a great deal from the opportunity. I would also like to thank you for your support in making sure that so many of them made the most of the half-term revision classes, which were very well attended – with over 100 learners in school on some days. This shows a real commitment to their own success.
A Level Value Added 2025-26
Prior to the half term holidays the Department for Education (DfE) published the final value-added performance of our Year 13 learners who left in the previous academic year. A value-added measure looks at the progress that the average learner should make, based on their starting point, and then considers the progress that learners on average made in the school. This meant that the learners in last year’s Year 13 achieved a progress score of 0.12 which was above average nationally. This is a significant achievement and one we are committed to building upon.
Update on New Build.
Over the last few weeks the pace of the new build has been incredible to watch. The steel structure is being put in place and almost half of this is now built! We are really starting to see the new school taking shape. As they build the steel structure they are adding the concrete floors and we can see the first of the two lift shafts have been added.
Whilst there is still a lot of work to do it is quite overwhelming to see the scale of the project. Next week myself and some of the learners will be involved in a ceremony of signing a piece of the steel structure and seeing it lifted into place.
Next week.
Next week we are looking forward to a focus on careers both in assemblies and in lessons. We know that where learners have an ambition for their own future this can really motivate them and we hope that some of the activities we have planned will capture their imagination and give them the chance to consider the opportunities available to them.
With very best wishes,
Mr L Cummins
