THERFIELD SCHOOL
HEADMASTER'S NEWSLETTER
December 1986

Another term draws to its end and this newsletter is to bring you up to date with major events that have taken place and to highlight achievements and forthcoming events.

STAFF CHANGES
After many years teaching Home Economics, Mrs. P. Wells is leaving. She and her family are moving away from the area and a new addition to the family is not far away. We thank her for her many years of service and wish her every happiness for the future. After only a relatively short time with us, Mrs. Luff is leaving the P.E. Department to return with her husband to Norfolk and we are grateful for her special contribution to school sport in that time.

END OF TERM ARRANGEMENTS
16 December About ninety pupils will be involved in a "'Great Egg Race" style engineering competition.
17 December 7.30 pm. School Carol Service. All parents are warmly invited to the Carol Service.
This will be held in St. George's Church, Ashtead, and we are very grateful to the clergy and parish for allowing us to celebrate Christmas in the church.
18 December The Sixth Form are holding a party for some of the local senior citizens.
19 December It is customary to finish early on the last day before the Christmas Holiday. The school day will consist of periods 1-5 with a registration period at the end. Pupils will be dismissed at approximately 1.00 when the school is clear and tidy. Lunch will be served for those pupils wishing it from 1.00 pm onwards. Pupils will therefore leave at 1.00 pm or after their lunch.

Next term starts on Tuesday, 6 January.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

1. Exam Results
Pupils taking public examinations in the summer of 1986 achieved what are probably the best overall results achieved by the school.

The Fifth Form taking '0' and CSE exams consisted of 230 pupils in all, of whom:
a) 39.5% gained five or more GCE '0' Levels Grade A--C or CSE Grade 1 passes.
b) 53.9% gained English Language '0' Level Grade A-C or CSE Grade 1 passes.
c) 41.7% gained Mathematics '0' Level Grade A-C or CSE Grade 1 passes.
d) 61.3% gained one or more GCE '0' Levels Grade A-C or CSE Grade 1 passes.
e) 85% of the total CSE entries were gained in Grades 1 to 4.

The Upper Sixth consisted of 72 pupils who were entered for 198 subject entries at Advanced Level.

The total passes were 158 (80%) and failures 40 (20%).

The above figures when compared with 1985 figures for Surrey and national results indicate that Therfield's results are considerably better than those for Surrey as a whole, which in turn are better than the national average.

For example:
% of leavers with 5 or more GCE '0' Levels Grade A-C or CSE Grade 1 :-
West Sussex 33.6 (highest in country)
Surrey 33.1 (next highest)

2. The final amount raised by parental contributions to the School Fund was £2,201. We are enormously grateful for this and it will be used to improve the facilities and environment for the young people of Therfield.

3. The Sponsored Walk has to date raised £4,890, most of which will go towards replacing the school minibus. Some is at the disposal of the Pupils' Council Council and they have decided that some should be spent on a carpet for the Drama Hall, improved music and P.E. equipment, together with a more permanent school tuck-shop.

4. The production of 'THE MATCHGIRLS' seems to have wan universal acclaim for its quality, life and vitality. I would like to thank all those staff and pupils who contributed so generously of their time and talents.

5. This term has seen some incredibly generous gestures of help and support.

Frazer-Nash Group have provided finance to help pay for the printing of a much improved school brochure.

Mr. Phillips, a parent, has provided enormous help in the printing of the school brochure.

The Central Electricity Generating Board contributed a cheque for £625 towards the production of The Matchgirls, profits from which will go towards the refurbishment of the stage lighting system.

One parent has been able to make available to the school large amounts of top quality second-hand Wilton carpet being -removed from a London Bank. This has enabled the carpeting of the Drama Hall at a fraction of the estimated cost, with a quality of carpet that we could never have even hoped for.

Other parents have been able to put us in touch with sources of cheap secondhand office furniture.

For all this help, and many other generous gestures we say a heartfelt thank you.

If parents or friends know where we might obtain any of the following cheaply, I would be delighted to hear from you:
a) Outdoor seating, picnic style wooden tables and benches to provide an outside picnic area for pupils.
b) The new Pre Vocational Certificate in Education Course is wanting to set up a model office. Would any local firm or organisation be interested in sponsoring this development?
c) A very cheap hover-type lawn mower with a petrol engine.
d) A second-hand Ansafone.

6. The new General Certificate of Secondary Education courses are now well under way. We are hoping to organise an evening for parents of Fourth Years early in the new year to report on progress and answer questions. More details soon.

7. We have recently been informed that Therfield is to be one of the first Surrey schools to be included in the extension of the Government backed Technical and Vocational Education Initiative. Courses funded under this scheme should start in September 1988 i.e. for those pupils presently in the Second Year.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, 6th Dec (tomorrow) : Friends' CHRISTMAS FAIR at the school from 2.00 to 4.30 p.m.
Friday, 12th December : Friends' CHRISTMAS DANCE (further details attached)
Wednesday, 17th December : School CAROL SERVICE, 7.30 pm at St. George's Church, Barnett Wood Lane, Ashtead.
Friday, 19th December : End of term
Tuesday, 6th January. : Term starts.
Wednesday, 14th January : FIFTH FORM PARENTS' EVENING
Friday, 23rd January : PRESENTATION EVENING : Rt. Hon. Kenneth Baker, M.P., Minister of State for Education, as our Guest of Honour.

I have become increasingly conscious of the enormous fund of help and goodwill offered to the school, for which we are extremely grateful. May I take this opportunity of wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and an exciting and stimulating New Year.

Yours sincerely
TJ Reddin

5th December 1986.