With February nearly gone and March quick on it's heels, the pace is ever increasing as we careen towards the exam season.  Just to hammer home this point next week are the second set of Trial Exams in English and Maths for Year 11 (Monday 6th - Friday 10th) and there will be a number of other exams taking place during lesson times to build confidence and hone skills.  Equally this Wednesday the Y11 Drama students have their trial exam and the Year 13 Drama students have their exam between 6 and 8pm on Monday (27^th).  In an effort not to make it all exam based the Drama department are off to see ‘School of Rock’ on Thursday evening – no doubt to get rid of all that pent up stress!  It’s definitely the show to let your hair down to!

Year 8 continue to get information, advice and guidance through the Options process with assemblies and interviews.  The deadline for options forms is looming with the first opportunity to hand these in being this Friday (3^rd March).  All options forms MUST be handed in by Monday 6^th March - so not long to go.  Anyone who has lost their form should get a spare from my office (Middle School).

It’s the Year 10 Success Evening this Wednesday evening, so I look forward to seeing parents.  This is an opportunity to consider what creates successful students and an outline of all the changes to the GCSEs.  Just as important,  but perhaps a little less welcome, are the Year 10 vaccinations which take place this Wednesday in the OMD.  This Friday both Years 9 and 10 will be off timetable for a lesson in order to watch a theatre production called ‘Tough Love’.  This is a show all about relationships and how to ensure they are appropriate, what the key features of damaging relationships are and how to get help should it be required.  We hear a lot in the news about how schools should be equipping students with life lessons, and this is certainly one of those areas our youngsters need as much information on as possible.

We also have the first meeting of our Student Teaching and Learning Committee.  We have a special launch on Monday lunchtime to get the Sixth Form students thinking about what makes a good lesson and what their role in their learning should be.  Ultimately this group of students will help inform training for staff and oversee the ‘Lesson of the Month’ initiative to recognise the excellent teaching and learning that takes place on a daily basis.

A few up and coming dates for your diary:

On Wednesday 8^th March Year 12 students have a Post 18 Options Day where they can attend sessions about going to university, student fees, apprenticeships and the world of work.  Outside agencies and universities will be delivering sessions on the day with the hope that students will then have a clear direction to aim for.

On Wednesday 15^th March is the annual Dance Show Performance.  I’ll let you know when tickets go on sale!

With all that is going on our focus on resilience continues to be pertinent.  This weeks’ theme links to this, looking as it does at 10 ways to learn to be more resilient.  This is a skill for life and one which will help students achieve if they learn not to give up too easily (or do a Warren Beatty and pass the wrong information to a colleague when you don’t know what to do!).

On that note, have a great week everyone!

Anna Nightingale

Vice Principal