Another week has flown by.

Our Year 11s have been busy with their option mocks, with a second week of assessments next week. I have been really proud of the positive attitude and the determination they have shown. It bodes well for the summer.

The Year 11 Fine Art students completed their Art prep day this week, producing some outstanding outcomes. I know the Art department are really proud of their students and excited to see how their work progresses during the exam! 

Last Friday, our Drama group staged a fabulous performance of Aladdin. After a very busy week it was the perfect tonic. The students excelled and put on a great show enjoyed by friends and family. A huge thank you to all who attended, to the staff who supported the students and most importantly to the students themselves who demonstrated fabulous commitment and a lot of talent to put on this production.

On Sunday our PE department took a group of basketballers to watch the British Basketball finals in Birmingham. It was a great day out with the boys watching both the men's and women's SLB trophy finals and a slam dunk contest in between. The women's final was a lot more entertaining and ended with a tighter score, with Newcastle dominating the men's final. The PE department wanted to pass on their thanks to all those who participated, saying they were a pleasure to take on a trip! 

On Wednesday, students from Year 9 and 10 took part in the UK Maths Trust Maths Challenge. The UK Maths Trust is the leading British charity that advances the education of young people in mathematics. Their Maths Challenges are annual events which sees students tackling assessments designed to stretch and challenge students’ mathematical thinking. Well done to all who participated.

On the sporting front ….

• Our Year 7 Netball team played their latest fixture away at Gloucester Academy this week.  In a game played in excellent spirits, the girls were victorious, 2 – 0. Player of the match went to Bish.

• The Year 7 Boys took part in a mass participation game against Churchdown. We had 50 students who all played a part in every game. It was a brilliant evening and great to see so many students engaged and representing the school. Special mention to Mason H who was brilliant in goal and to Year 11 students Joe and Mason for reffing the games.

• On Tuesday, the Year 8 Boys Football team played their first game of the season against a strong Churchdown side. Despite trailing 0 – 3, the boys battled back and rode their luck to draw 3 - 3. Player of the match went to Toby W for his outstanding hat-trick!

• Our Year 9 Boys kicked off their football season this week with two matches. On Monday they played Tommies in a game where they created loads of chances, but just couldn’t get the goal they deserved. The game ending 0 - 0. Their second game ended in defeat against a tough Henley Bank side, despite battling well and showing great resilience. Players of the match went to Rylan and Reuben for their well taken goals.

• The Year 10 Boys kicked off their season against another very good Tommie's team on Thursday night. The boys battled their hearts out and gave everything but lost 1 - 6. They enjoyed every minute of it and the game was played in great spirit.

• The Year 11 Boys also played their first game of the season this week against another strong and physical Tommie's team.  The game ended in a draw but the boys showed great resilience and team spirit to come back from 2 - 0 down to bring the score back to 2 - 2. The game could have gone either way but in the end, the result was a fair one.

• The U16 Girls Football team hosted Churchdown on Monday. The game, played in terrible conditions, was extremely close. The girls fought until the end, getting a late equaliser in the last minute. The game finished 1 – 1. Player of the match went to Millie S for her excellent solo goal. 

A massive congratulations must go to one of our Geography teachers, Matt Howard. Last weekend, he took part in the Arc of Attrition. This 100 mile Ultra Trail Race saw competitors take on an incredibly challenging route around the Cornish coast. Matt, who was raising funds for our Friends of Severn Vale group, completed the race in 35 hours. An unbelievable achievement.

I also wanted to say how proud we all are of Keeley Simpson in Year 7. She is raising money for the Little Princess Trust. This brilliant charity raises money to make wigs for cancer patients who have lost their hair due to their treatments. Keeley is having her haircut, and donating the hair which will be made into a wig, in support of the charity on Saturday. She has been raising money and has so far had over £200 pledged to her from the SVS community. Thanks to all who have sponsored and well done to Keeley for supporting this fantastic charity.

A reminder that as part of our partnership with Menstrual Cycle Support (MCS) all our students have access to an evidence-informed framework that includes a 45-minute online course aimed at equipping students with practical tools to manage their menstrual health. Students can access the course using their school email address at www.menstrualcyclesupport.com. For more information about the MCS program, please visit Menstrual Cycle Support or join MCS founder Kate Shepherd Cohen in an online workshop with Q&A on Tuesday 4 February between 7.00 – 8.00pm. Email sss@severnvaleschool.com for further details.

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.   

I do hope you have a great weekend.  

Kind regards,  

Richard Johnson 
Headteacher