Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope you've had a good week.
Positives to celebrate
- Our applications for September are looking healthy. We have more 1st choices than last year and double the number of 2nd and 3rd choices. This is very reassuring and great for the growth of Danebury.
- Year 11 have embraced the additional revision sessions and are now 'locked in'. Please note that the late bus is running on Tuesdays and Thursdays to transport pupils back to Andover after revision sessions and clubs. Please do sign your child up if they would like to use it office@danebury.hispmat.org.
- We've had a wet and windy week, so I've challenged pupils to lift the spirits of others to maintain a positive mindset in January! This week, I challenged our pupils to carry out random acts of kindness towards people they wouldn't normally mix with. The response was incredible – pupils embraced the challenge, earning extra positive points and rewards while helping to brighten someone else's day. As you know, kindness is one of our core school values, and I often discuss the different forms kindness can take in life. By Wednesday, we felt a genuine lift in spirits, with pupils complimenting each other and strengthening connections across our community. Long may that continue.
- On the whole, I've been really impressed by uniform standards and behaviour for learning around the school. Our positive to negative points ratio as a school remains at 97%, which is excellent.
Proposal for enhanced provision
- I'm excited to share an important proposal that could significantly enhance our school's provision. Hampshire County Council have approached us about establishing a Resource Provision for children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. We already support a number of children with complex needs at Danebury, and this opportunity will allow us to expand and improve our alternative provisions and pathways for these pupils. There's been an increasing number of children in our local area being diagnosed with social, emotional and mental health needs, and we're committed to supporting them and helping them to thrive academically and personally within the Resource Provision also.
- The Trust, Governors and I are working closely with Hampshire County Council to ensure the provision is carefully planned over the coming months. The funding from Hampshire County Council will go towards refurbishing parts of the school, providing specialist resources, specialist staffing and developing our outside areas – particularly around the top field where our animals and allotments are located. These refurbishments will benefit our entire community, which is exciting.
- A consultation will run for the next three weeks, and a detailed consultation letter will be shared with you on Monday, providing further information. Hampshire County Council is committed to developing provision to meet the growing demand, and currently, providing school places for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs is a priority.
Notices
- Our production of Oliver is shaping up and promises to be a great show. Tickets are on sale now. Please see the blog below for show dates and ticket information.
- We still have a small number who continue to challenge the uniform policy, please can I ask for your support with this challenge. This week I met with all pupils who wear skirts to remind them of our expectations regarding the appropriate length. I recognise this is a challenge schools have faced for decades, but we need to stand strong on this. Some pupils have mentioned cutting skirts to shorten them – I strongly advise against this. Please can you help us with this challenge by ensuring skirts are of a suitable length. We are in a professional environment and need to dress accordingly.
- Lastly, please remind your child that all pupils must wear their Danebury school coat until we let them know otherwise.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership in creating a positive, inclusive learning environment. Have a great weekend.
Nicky Goodridge
Head Teacher
