Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope this newsletter finds you well.
What a positive start to Summer 2 we've had at Danebury, despite the weather not quite delivering on its seasonal promise! Our pupils have returned with genuinely purposeful attitudes to learning, and the school has felt settled and focused from day one. It's this kind of energy that makes leading a school such a privilege.
Our Year 11s are well over halfway through their GCSE exams now, and study leave began on Monday. What has been particularly heartening is seeing so many of them attend our Masterclasses between their exams and on days when they haven't got any scheduled. That kind of commitment to their revision is exactly what we want to see, and I'm confident that all their hard work will absolutely pay off come results day.
We're making some changes to our assessment calendar this year, and I wanted to flag these with you. Year 10 Mock exams will begin on 16th June, a few weeks earlier than we've done previously, starting the day after Year 11s finish theirs. Our staff are currently preparing them thoroughly for these papers, and I have to say we continue to be incredibly impressed with this year group's excellent attitude to learning. It is genuinely a pleasure to see.
We are also using this as an opportunity to prepare Year 9 for the significant step up to Key Stage 4. To help familiarise them with the process and expectations of mock exams next year, they will be sitting end of year assessments under proper exam conditions in the gym and in Aspire, also starting on 16th June. Getting them used to the procedures now means we can identify any adjustments that might help them going forward sooner. It is an important part of preparing them for what lies ahead.
I am delighted to share that we have received permission from the Department for Education to open our Resource Provision in September. This is genuinely exciting news, and we are thrilled about the opportunities it will bring to our community. Building work will commence once the exams are finished; I will keep you updated on progress.
Beyond our Resource Provision plans, we are keen to refurbish and refresh some of the tired areas around the school. We are currently having new carpets fitted in the classrooms along the main block and in Bronte block, and new science chairs with backs, along with new tables, are on their way. These might seem like small things, but they really do make a difference to creating comfortable, welcoming learning spaces for our pupils.
I want to celebrate Year 8's immersive experience watching Romeo and Juliet at Salisbury Playhouse on Thursday. It was a very alternative experience – pupils and staff wore headphones and moved between different stages set up throughout the town of Salisbury. Many thanks to Mr A-P and Ms Martin for leading such a memorable trip. The play is still on for another few days, I believe, well worth a watch.
On a practical note, we are welcoming over 100 Year 5 pupils, parents, and carers to our Taster Mornings over the next month, and we have two Transition events for our Year 6 pupils joining us in September. We are currently at 97 Year 6s coming into Year 7 in September. This time, 2 years ago, we only had 38 Year 7s joining in September. Our in-year admissions continue to rise, and we’ve been inundated with tours this week for new pupils wishing to join our community. Our school growth is incredibly uplifting to see.
Our key focus this half-term is maintaining expectations and standards both in classrooms and around the school. We've zoomed in on the start of lessons this week, challenging pupils to be sat working on their retrieval practice within five minutes of the bell going. It is a challenge, but I'm pleased to say 80% of our pupils are managing it. We will be working with the other 20% who need to speed up their transitions between lessons!
Finally, a reminder about our mobile phone policy. If phones aren't handed in and are seen or heard during the school day, they will be confiscated and only returned when parents and carers come into school to collect them. Please do impress on your child that they must hand their phones in during line-ups each morning, just like everyone else does.
I wanted to thank you for your support with uniforms; the majority of pupils look incredibly smart. It’s always a challenge at this time of year to maintain high standards in uniform. I appreciate that Year 11 parents and carers won’t be replacing worn out shoes for the last 2 weeks, but it’s important for the rest of the community to follow the uniform policy. We have spare shoes and clothing if pupils need them.
Have a great weekend.
Nicky Goodridge
Head Teacher
