- Headteacher 1
Headteachers' Blog
Week Commencing Monday 16th July 2012
Design Award Success
Last Tuesday we attended the London Design Awards at the Guildhall in London. We are delighted to announce that we won the Education Category. We were amongst some famous landmarks, including The Shard, The Olympic Basketball Arena and Kings Cross Station. The judges said: “We particularly liked the scheme’s internal public street as well as its informal spaces - important ingredients with which to fire students' enthusiasms and their artistic creations. The architects have shown a fantastic sensitivity to seamlessly mix new with old. It is a beautiful thing, a major contribution to a vital piece of new London, and a triumph.”
All of the shortlisted designs have been included in a book that is available to look at in Spark. We will also be a part of an exhibition throughout the summer. Please see www.newlondonarchitecture.org for more details.
Sports Personality Evening
Last Thursday we held our Sports Personality Evening in the Atrium. Lennie Lawrence, Assistant Manager at Crystal Palace FC, was our special guest and he presented the awards to our winning individuals and teams. Overall we have had a fantastic sporting year, with us participating in more semi-finals and finals than ever before. With all of our facilities available from September, we envisage an even better year in 2012-2013.
Unfortunately we were unable to run the Mini Olympics for our feeder primary schools on Friday due to the weather.
Olympic Torch
On Friday we had a visit from an Olympic Torch Bearer. Jean Lance, the very spritely 79 year old great aunt of Jessie Walters (7AR) visited the World EFC studios to talk about her joy in participating in the Torch relay. She was an inspiration to us all.
This coming week
This week will be very busy, especially for Year 8 students. On Monday and Tuesday they have their Graduation Interviews. On Wednesday they go to Thorpe Park and on Thursday they have their Graduation Evening.
We end the term with a mufti-day on Friday. Students will be required to pay a £1 for the privilege of wearing their own clothes. This donation will be forwarded to the students’ chosen charity. Students will be dismissed at 11:40am.
Examination Results
The Examination Results Days are as follows:
A Level – Thursday 16th August - 10am
GCSE – Thursday 23rd August - 10am
The New Academic Year
We have two Inset Days on Tuesday 4th September and Wednesday 5th September. Students in the new year 7 will start on Thursday 6th September. Students in the current years 7, 8, 9 and 10 return to school on Preparation for Learning Day, Friday 7th September. You will be receiving a letter about this in due course. Post 16 Registration is on the Wednesday and Thursday of that week. The normal timetable will start for all students on Monday 10th September.
From September we will be altering the arrangements for accessing our buses. There will be no changes in the morning all year groups will able to get on the buses, but we will be restricting their use to certain year groups in the afternoon. Year 7 students will be able to get on the first buses at 3:20pm. Year 8 students will be able to get on the second buses at approximately 3:35pm. Our apologies but other year groups will need to find alternative means of transport.
We wish you all a great summer break. Let’s hope the sun shines. The next Blog will be on Monday 3rd September.
Week Commencing Monday 9th July 2012
Thursday was a day of ‘out with the old and in with the new’! Although, a lot of the Year 11s will be returning very quickly to study Post 16.
Year 11 Graduation Prom
Nearly 100 Year 11 students and staff celebrated their achievements and hard work at our Annual School Prom. Luckily it was held on the sunniest day of the week at Addington Palace. The students, who all looked spectacular and arrived in spectacular style, danced the night away and only stopped for photos or getting their caricature drawn. The evening ended with the crowning of the Prom Queen and Prom King who were Abigail Godfrey and Daniel Cox.
A fantastic evening and one we're sure all the students enjoyed!
Year 6 Induction
At the other end of the age range we welcomed those Year 6 students who will be joining us in September. It was a tremendous success. Students were given an assembly by some of our Year 7 students. They also experienced a range of lessons and had the opportunity to meet their Tutor. Crucially, they were also given a tour of the school. At the end of the morning they gathered together to have their photo taken.
Music Evening
On Thursday we held our Summer Concert, which had a Diamond Jubilee theme. There was a wide range of music and dance, all performed in front of a full house. There were many highlights and some superb individual performances. It was fantastic to see the progress made by the Choir. It made the hairs stand up on the back on your neck! We also have the makings of an orchestra with strong performances by both the strings and brass sections. The future looks very bright indeed.
The second half of the evening contained many patriotic songs, with the audience joining in. It was rounded off in fine style by the teachers playing Land of Hope and Glory.
Year 10 Work Experience
On Friday the Year 10 students enjoyed a Work Experience presentation by the Rah-Rah theatre company who in their own "X-Factor" style presented the WEX factor where teams competed to win points to see which team would have the WEX factor. The students were fantastic at getting involved in the presentation and we're sure they will take some of the ideas discussed into their work placement this week.
Year 10s will come back to school on Thursday 19th July for their Work Experience de-brief day at the usual time. Those students without a placement should attend school as normal.
Year 8s move into Vertical Tutor Groups
Last week Year 8 students were given a taste of life in a Vertical Tutor Group when they met their new tutor and tutees this week. Letters giving details of their new form tutor will be sent out this week.
The Week Ahead
It promises to be a busy week ahead. Year 7 students return from the Isle of Wight today and will continue with their individual projects for the remainder of the week. The interactions between students and staff regarding these projects have been just brilliant. On Thursday we have our annual Sports Personality Evening. On Friday morning we are holding a Mini Olympics for local primary schools.
Sports Results
Year 7 Rugby League v Carshalton Boys - Won 54-4
Year 7 Rugby League v Bacons College - Won 28-4
Year 7 Rugby League v St Joseph's College - Drew 8-8
Year 8 Rugby League v Bacons College - Won 26-4
Year 8 Rugby League v St Joseph's - Lost 18-4
Under 15 Surrey Twenty20 Finals Day - Finished fourth in Surrey
Sports Fixtures
Monday 9th July
- Year 7 Rugby League v Norwood (A)
Tuesday 10th July
- Year 8 Rugby League v Bacons College (A)
Week Commencing Monday 2nd July 2012
The start of three busy weeks. Half of the Year 7 are currently on the Isle of Wight and will return later today. The other half will be going on Friday. Also, this week we have our Music Evening on Wednesday and the Year 11 Prom at Addington Palace on Thursday. Also, on Thursday we welcome our new Year 7 students for their Induction Day. We will let you know more details about the events in the final two weeks of term in the Blogs preceding them. However, I am delighted to say that Lennie Lawrence, Former Charlton Athletic Manager/Current Crystal Palace Assistant Manager, is our Guest of Honour for the Sports Personality Evening.
The last day of term is Friday 20th July and we close early at 11:20am as is usual at the end of term. The day will be a Mufti-Day, with proceeds going to the students’ chosen charity. Students will need to bring £1 on that day for the privilege of wearing non-uniform clothing.
Students will be bringing home the last edition of the Achiever on that day. Our website now provides all of the information. We are looking into the possibility of producing a Year Book as an alternative.
I was delighted to hear that Ollie Sanders has recently graduated from Cambridge University having studied Medicine for three years. We are keen to hear from other students that have left us, so that we can develop an Alumni organisation. If you are willing to become involved please contact us via the contact tab of this website.
Sports Results
Year 8 Cricket - 2nd place finish in Sutton Borough Comp
Year 7/8 Girls Cricket - 4th place finish
Year 8 Rugby League v Carshalton Boys - Won 54-16
Year 8 Rugby League v Harris Academy - Lost 48-20
Year 7 Rugby League v Carshalton Boys - Won 54-4
Sports Fixtures
Wednesday 4th July
- Year 7 and 8 Rugby League v Bacons College (A)
