THERFIELD SCHOOL
HEADMASTER'S NEWSLETTER
November 1990

This newsletter is being written after one of the busiest weeks I can remember at Therfield. We have now completed West Side Story, certainly the finest productions I have seen at Therfield, and all performances were completely sold out. We have also had enormous numbers of prospective parents looking around the school with very encouraging comments. I feel sure that our reputation as an enthusiastic, innovative school with high academic standards, remains as strong as ever. I am very grateful for all those of you who have recommended Therfield to neighbours and friends who have children transferring to secondary school next September.

RETIREMENT OF MR du MONT
The end of this term will see the end of an era for Therfield, because it marks the retirement from full-time teaching of Mr du Mont, Head of the Languages Faculty.

Mr du Mont has been an the staff of the school for 31 years. He joined the school when Mr Macmillan was Prime Minister, the first mini had just been unveiled and the Russians had managed to get the first rocket to hit the moon.

His contribution to the school has been without equal. He has always insisted on the highest of standards from pupils to whom he taught English and Latin. This has resulted in excellent examination grades for literally thousands of pupils. He has always been willing to use his time widening the cultural experience of students, and will be remembered by many for leading visits to most of the major centres of culture in Europe. He will be sadly missed: fortunately he will remain with us on a part-time basis until July.

NEWS
It has been an exciting term. The Friends' Auction raised over £2,500 for school funds. We have welcomed artists in from the Royal Academy to work with GCSE students and a BBC TV team to film for a programme about excellence in racket sports. This will go out early in the New Year.

We have seen the opening of our new £130,000 Resource Centre and major re-decoration and re-roofing is currently under way.

Thanks to a generous donation from National Power and the County Council we shall have the first ever Home & Food Technology Laboratory by the start of the Spring Term. Plans are well advanced to upgrade the showers and toilet areas, together with our administration accommodation.

This term 90 pupils have visited Flanders and a further 50 have been to Paris. Plans are well advanced for the development of an exchange with a school just outside Cologne.

On December 12th we welcome Sebastian Coe as guest of honour at the school's Presentation Evening.

SAFETY
I am. very concerned that some pupils who cycle to school have inadequate front and rear lights. On these gloomy evenings it is absolutely essential that cyclists can be clearly seen.

I would also ask parents who drop off pupils by car, not to drive into the school but to use Dilston or Cleeve Road. The fewer car movements on site, the less likelihood there is of an accident.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
SAT. 1st Dec. - Parents' Work-in. We need some parents to help remove kitchen fittings and re-decorate the room which will be the new Technology Lab. If you can help, please arrive any time after 9.30.
SUN. 2nd Dec. - Friends CHRISTMAS FAIR. Lots of fun for all the family. Donations of raffle prizes appreciated.
WED. 5th Dec. - Year 8 Parents' Evening.
WED. 12th Dec. - PRESENTATION EVENING.
FRI. 19th Dec. - Year 11 BALL.
MON. 17th Dec. - School CAROL SERVICE at St. George's Church, Ashtead at 7.30 pm, All parents and pupils are very welcome.
WED. 19th Dec. - Last day of term. As is traditional, pupils will be dismissed at approximately 1.15 pm.

REQUESTS FOR HELP
Heating Engineer We need someone who is capable of advising us about how the heating system of the school might be zoned for more economical running.

The Maths Department are looking for good, second-hand BBC hardware - micros, monitors, disc-drives etc. If anyone can help, please get in touch with Mr. Horder in the Maths Department.

The Resource Centre is looking for one or more record cabinets for storing topic folders that are the same size as long playing records. If anyone has converted to CDs and no longer needs as much storage for their records, we would be pleased to hear from them.

We would also like to hear from anyone who could volunteer occasional mornings or afternoons of clerical work, such as preparing books for the shelves and scanning newspapers for useful articles. A friendly atmosphere and a cup of tea are assured and a chance to borrow books from the library if you wish!

If you regularly subscribe to a periodical suitable for ages 12- 18, the Resource Centre would be glad to receive them, once you have finished with them. Please telephone the Librarian, Mrs. M Bvrnham, on Leatherhead 370291.

May I thank you for all the support and encouragement you have given this year, and wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Yours sincerely,
TJ Reddin