Letter from the Headteacher (2023-24) 7

Ramadan Iftar

Our annual Ramadan Iftar takes place on Tuesday 19 March 2024 from 5pm to 7pm at the school. This student-led event is ticketed, raising money for the One Ummah Gaza Appeal.

One Ummah Charity is an award-winning, humanitarian and disaster relief aid organisation based in the UK. The Gaza Appeal donates life saving food packs, medication, winter packs, water aid, clothing and blankets for the people of Gaza.

Our school Iftar is an interfaith event, and students of all faiths and none are invited. Hurry! You only have until Monday 18 March 2024 to purchase tickets online here.

School attendance and punctuality

Poor school attendance remains the biggest barrier to learning and progress for too many children. The National Parent Survey, conducted by YouGov on behalf of Parentkind, revealed that one in four parents are struggling with the everyday costs of sending their children to school, rising to half of parents with children entitled to free school meals. For young people, anxiety can build up to the point that they feel they cannot go to school. This is often called ‘school refusal’ – although we prefer to use terms such as emotionally-based school avoidance or anxiety-related absence.

It is essential that parents and carers prioritise good school attendance and are proactive in ensuring that children arrive on time and every day. Holidays must not be taken during term time.

Please read our advice page for improving your child's attendance to school here.

Uniform

Following a successful uniform trial with Year 7, we are now accepting orders for the new school uniform from children in Years 8 to 11. The purchase of new uniform is entirely voluntary and both the existing or the new uniform can be worn to school.

The approach is simple: the school will procure, brand and sell uniform directly to parents to drive down cost by cutting out the 'middle man'. For children, any branded uniform can be worn at any time - whatever they are most comfortable in.

This next phase involves branded tops only. Pupils are invited to purchase t-shirts and sweatshirts or hoodies should they wish. The requirement for black trousers or skirt and black shoes remains. The deadline for orders, with payment, is Friday 22 March 2024 (order forms have been given out in hard copy to pupils). A digital copy of the form, along with order information, can be found here.

Catering

Our new and improved menu is proving very popular! We have been asking children for feedback each day and are making changes based on what they tell us. Of course, fresh, quality food remains our focus and we are seeking to encourage young people to enjoy healthy, balanced diets. Strategically, we are working with our caterers to continue to move towards net zero before 2030 and are also seeking to eliminate as much ultra-processed food from the menu as possible. Next steps include improving our queuing systems and making our free breakfast service available to even more children. You can support our charitable food services by making a donation here.

To access your child’s school meal account, please click here. It can take up to 24 hours for balances to be transferred to the tills so please do manage the account carefully and add funds in good time.

You can read the answers to commonly asked questions about catering here.

Vehicle access to the school site

Nothing is more important to us than the safety of children. If you have cause to drive onto the school site, please do so slowly and carefully.

In the morning, it is possible to drop your child off by using the safe drop-off zone. Simply move along to the end of the zone as directed by the banners and allow you child to step out onto the designated pavement. Please be patient and do not overtake others.

In the afternoon, parents and carers must park on the main road and should not come onto the school site. Only those parents with children with particular needs, and permission from the Headteacher, may park in the car park using the agreed one way queuing system. I need to emphasise that collection on site is not permitted and I ask parents and carers to observe this important rule to keep our school site safe.

Gingerbread Single Parent Group

Our School Priest, The Reverend Rose Hill, is leading a new parent group for single parents and carers. As a single parent herself, she is passionate about bringing single parents together across the community to build friendships and share experiences and coping strategies.

Gingerbread is a charity that aims to create a world where all single parents and their children don’t just survive, but thrive. They campaign against the injustices that single parents face every single day and challenge the stigmas around being a single parent. You can read about the charity here.

If you are a single parent and would like to join us for a cup of tea while your children play, please come along from 5pm to 6pm on the first Wednesday of every month (during term time). You can contact Mthr Rose directly here.

With every blessing,

Mr I Loynd, Headteacher