Issue No.14, November 1994
Issue No.14, November 1994
| FROM THE HEADTEACHER
We now have the date for our OFSTED inspection - 27th March 1995. A special Newsletter will be coming out soon concerning this important event. On Tuesday I led a team of local Headteachers to meet with the Under Secretary of State for Education re the Glyn selection of pupils issue. We were very warmly received. Only time will tell what decision the Government will make - thank you for your support. Prospective Parents' Open Evening on the 16th was very popular with over 1000 visitors touring the school - many of them coming from a considerable distance and some with plans to move house to get into our catchment area. Tours of the school have been taking place this week so that parents can see a working school day. Reports of the London Sinfonietta 'STEP' concert at Bourne Hall on Sunday show that it was a brilliant evening with our 30 Year 7 pupils acquitting themselves well. The Samba number in which all six schools took part produced an electric atmosphere and Mr. Wood tells me he was proud of all our youngsters. Those who took part will be able to attend a concert at the Barbican by the London Sinfonietta in which the deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie will be featured. The Sailing Club held its Open Evening on Friday and, as usual, attracted plenty of interest. As well as giving information about the popular training week on the Isle of Wight, visitors were able to see an impressive display of trophies. Mr. Stewart and Mrs. Wingrove devote a great deal of time to the Club and its popularity with pupils is shown by the queues outside Mr. Stewart's office - waiting to 'sign up' for any activities. Two of our pupils, Gareth and James Spencer, have been selected to train as part of the national squad for Optimist Sailing Dinghies. Only 32 top sailors are selected for training to represent Great Britain at the World and European Championships next year. Sixth Formers report that sale of poppies this year for Remembrance Day went very well - "we were besieged by the lower school" reported one. The Year 9 pupils who went on the trip led by Mr. Tattershall to the World War I battlefields in Belgium and France found the experience moving and this was followed by Assemblies in the week leading up to November 11th. About a dozen pupils submitted projects on the Flanders Trip and these are now being judged. Nearly all pupils in Years 7-11 opted to have the measles immunisation - there were times when the admin. corridors seemed to resemble 'recovery wards' but on the whole, given the numbers involved (approx 1025) the whole operation went smoothly. At least we avoided the mass hysteria and ambulance call outs cited in the national Press! On a matter of Administration - if you need to bring items (i.e. forgotten lunches, books, homework etc.) into school for your child please see that it is clearly named and that any money is in a sealed envelope. Also only messages that are truly URGENT and VITAL should be phoned into school. Classes should not have to be interrupted with reminders about dental visits or to 'meet at the side gate'. If a phone call comes in early enough a note can be put in the Register but all such calls clog up the switchboard - so we would be grateful if URGENT AND IMPORTANT MESSAGES ONLY came through by 'phone. 'Chemistry Can Be Fun For Parents Too' attracted plenty of interest and a full report and pictures appear in this week's local paper. GENERAL NEWS The performance will be accompanied by 'Orchestra Impromptu' which has been formed by our Director of Music, Christopher Pratt, and consists of professional players and the very best of our local student musicians. Mr. Pratt will direct the performance and the keyboard continuo part will be played by Mr. James Wood. Tickets priced at £4 per adult and £1 per child are available from the school office {0372 818123}. SPECIAL REQUEST from the Year 11 Ball Committee - they need old white sheets to dye and then decorate the Main Hall for their Ball on December 9th. Any discarded sheets to Miss Smith in the Technology Department please. Also does anyone out there have any old Meccano that they no longer need? The Design and Technology Faculty has recently been given some but would like to add to it. To buy new Meccano is incredibly expensive, not least because it is now made in France. Mr. de Little says that the condition is immaterial as old Meccano is as useful now as the day it was made. He assures you that any Meccano contributed will be invaluable as a learning tool. An 'Introduction to Motorcycling' course is to be held at the School in the Spring for pupils in Year 11. Letters should have come home and as numbers are restricted please make sure they are returned promptly if you would like your son/daughter included. Philip Haines, Neil Ferguson and Karen Ellis were the winners in the Africa Press project when. they were asked to report on Africa Evening in newspaper style. Amnesty International group - December is the time when greetings cards are sent to Prisoners of Conscience all over the world and so the school group has been raising money to pay for the purchase of cards and stamps. A sponsored swim was organised during a lunch hour and eight Amnesty supporters ploughed up and down the Leatherhead pool for 45 minutes - as a result about £180 has been raised. The Readathon Charity event held during Children's Book Week was taken up by 25 pupils in Years 7 and 8 and £185 was raised to be sent to the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children and the Roald Dahl Foundation. Top fund raisers were Jeremy Weeks, Lisa Williams, Nicola Tidy, Sarah Le Brocq and Naomi Simpkins. SPORT Football - Bryn Halliwell, Neil Smith, Daniel Lacey, Wayne Sturman and Daniel Dunleavy have all been selected for County squads in their respective age groups. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY |