Start of term letter

Dear parents and carers,

We hope all pupils and families have had a restful and enjoyable half-term break. Today’s letter is to provide key information about the term ahead. Please read carefully and provide updates to your child’s Year Team where necessary.

Heating

We are pleased to inform you that all of the temporary heating generators have been successfully installed. All buildings now have heating and hot water supplies to key areas such as the canteen have been reinstated. Therefore, school will be open as normal for all pupils from Monday 27^th February.

Safeguarding information

We want to ensure we keep you informed of any potential safeguarding risks to your children and we are in regular contact with outside agencies, such as the West Midlands Police to stay up to date with local issues. On that note we have received information from the police regarding the risk of children coming into contact with cannabis edibles. These items are packaged in a way to look like regular sweets, aimed at children. Please see attached letter for further information - https://www.swanshurst.org/additional-safeguarding-resources/1716.html

Medical information

We work hard to keep our records up to date regarding pupils who have ongoing or new medical conditions, or allergies. We act promptly when we receive new or updated information, or medication. However, we can only act when parents/ carers provide the necessary information to us. You must let us know of new information or any changes relating to a child’s medical needs and/ or allergies without delay. Therefore, please act on the following if applicable to your child:

1. An ongoing medical condition or allergy: contact your child’s Year Team to engage in a review of their care/allergy plan so we can be sure all of the information we hold is up to date.
2. A new medical condition or allergy: contact your child’s Year Team who will work with the school nursing service to set up the necessary care plans to enable us to support medical needs/ allergies effectively

The contact email addresses for Year Teams are:

Year 7                   year7postbox@swanshurst.org

Year 8                  year8postbox@swanshurst.org

Year 9                   year9postbox@swanshurst.org

Year 10                year10postbox@swanshurst.org

Year 11                year11postbox@swanshurst.org

6^th Form               sixthformpostbox@swanshurst.org

Parent Governor Elections

Earlier this year, we wrote to all parents/ carers advertising a vacancy for a parent governor. The election process has now concluded and we are pleased to announce that Ms Nicola Collins received the largest number of votes and will be recommended to the Governing Body for formal appointment at the next meeting on 23^rd March.

Attendance

As a new term is about to commence, starting as we mean to go on is crucial. Whether your child is sustaining already excellent attendance or if they are now working to improve their attendance, a new term provides the opportunity to set and achieve aspirational targets. Strong levels of attendance (95% or more) improve the progress, outcomes and future life chances of your child.

Most pupils with attendance below 95% underachieve in almost all parts of their education, often culminating in lower examination results. For children to do well, they must be in school. It is never too late to improve attendance. For pupils whose attendance is currently below 95%, we urge all pupils and families to make every effort to ensure pupils are in school every day in order for them to make the best possible rates of progress. If you require any support with improving attendance, please contact your child’s year team without delay.

Year 11, Year 13 and Year 10 (E Option) Examinations

There are just 8 school weeks (10 calendar weeks) left until the summer examination season begins for pupils taking GCSE qualifications, A Levels and/ or vocational qualifications (BTECs).

If they haven’t already done so, pupils must now start a programme of structured revision. Over the coming weeks, teachers and tutors will be working with pupils to create a revision timetable that is personalised to take account of the subjects for which they are sitting examinations, their mocks examination results and the target grades they are aiming for.

We will write next week with more details of the full package of support that will commence from the start of term for all pupils taking examinations this summer.

Dates for your diary

1^st March 2023                  NEU Industrial Action. Please see letter from 16^th February for more information

8^th March 2023                 Year 8 Parents’ Evening

WB 13^th March 2023       Year 11, Year 13 and Year 10 (E option) mock examinations in class

16^th March 2023               Year 8 Pathways Form Deadline

8^th May 2023                     GCSE Examinations Begin

15^th May 2023                   A Level Examinations Begin

We hope these key updates provide a useful overview of the new school term.

If you have any questions, please contact your child’s Year Team using the relevant emails address above.

Yours faithfully,

 

Mr M Dunn

Head Teacher