It has been another busy week in school with a wide range of activities taking place.

The overwhelming majority of our Year 10 students have been on work experience this week. This has seen students in placements far and wide. Many of our staff have been visiting the students this week and it has been a pleasure to hear the positive feedback on how the students have been doing.

It is increasingly challenging to get placements, but we still value what work experience offers our students. Having completed the process for Year 10, the process for our current Year 9s will begin early in the new academic year.

In terms of careers, on Thursday our Year 9s watched a careers theatre performance which focused on Post-16 pathways. This production centered on re-enforcing the importance of lifelong learning within education and training for students’ lives now and in the future. It was an opportunity for Year 9 to be made aware of the benefits of all the post 16 options available and different the routes into higher education, including a discussion on the benefits of going to university.

The summer that has failed to arrive looked like it was going to scupper this week’s Sports Day. The forecast for Friday was dreadful and it looked like the event would have to be cancelled. Fortunately, we were able to bring the plans forward and run the day on Thursday (thanks to Sameera in Year 8 for the great idea!!)

The sun shone and the students had a great time, with competitions taking place in basketball, football and athletics. We even had a group of Year 9 girls run a charity face-painting service, which raised over £50. The standard of the performances was excellent, as was the sporting spirit on display. I hope the students enjoyed what was a fabulous day. 

This week also saw the Induction Evenings for the class of 2029. It was a delight to see so many of the new students and their families. Members of our student leadership team and 4 of our Year 7 students spoke to the parents and students, impressing all who heard them. We are all looking forward to getting to know the class of 2029 and to working with them over the next 5 years.

We had some even younger students in school this week as our annual Year 5 Science Taster Days took place. These provide the Year 5 students with the opportunity to work in our science labs and to complete a range of practical science experiments. The staff delivering the taster days were ably supported by a group of Year 9 students. A huge thanks to them.

Later this evening I am looking forward to watching our Drama Club students second show of the year - Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. Having seen a sneak preview during rehearsals earlier, I know that those attending are in for a treat. It will be a great way to end the week.

In addition to Sports Day, the big sporting fixture this week saw our All Stars Cricket Team travel to Brecon to take on a team from Christ College Independent School. With a backdrop of the Brecon Beacons and on a pitch that has played host to both county and international teams, the boys put in a superb performance. Bowling first, they restricted Christ College to 110 runs from their 30 overs. A topsy-turvy reply which included a dynamic start, a middle order collapse and a lower order rear-guard action, saw the All Stars chase down the total in 23 overs. An outstanding performance in a stunning setting. What a great experience for all involved.

In other sporting news, Year 9 student Parker B has been selected to represent the South West in the upcoming British Gymnastics UK Regional Finals to be held this weekend in Birmingham. We wish Parker the best of luck.

I conclude 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 hope you enjoy a great weekend. 

Regards,  

Richard Johnson  
Headteacher