On Wednesday it’s the Year 8 Parents’ Evening.  This is a vital part of the Options Process as it is an opportunity to hear what your son/daughter’s teacher thinks about their progress and suitability for the GCSE courses.  I hope to see lots of you there!  Of course the Year 8 students are getting lots of support in making their option choices.  They have already had a special Options Assembly, an Options Evening to explain the process and look at the range of courses on offer in addition to some taster KS4 lessons in their normal lessons.  These tasters will continue this week, along with taster session of new subjects in their form time and an options interview with a member of staff, so they can talk through their choices and ask any burning questions.  Just a reminder that the options forms need to be handed in to Form Tutors between 5^th-8^th March 2016.  Reports to show progress will be coming out before the parents’ evening so there is a basis for discussions.  An exciting time for Year 8!

There is the A’Level recital on Tuesday in the PAC from 6pm, where we get to stare in awe at the range of talented students in our Music Department.  Perhaps a less welcome event is the Y11 Meningitus C vaccinations on Thursday.  Having said that there is the start of the ‘Run-in Tutorial Sessions’ for Year 11 this week.  Every Monday and Tuesday during form time for the next 4 weeks there will be special sessions delivered to help them survive the run-up to the summer exam season.  Students will have sessions on eating properly, stress relief, how to answer questions and other specific exam techniques.  Each 30 minute session is designed to help the students cope with the pressures of the next few months and to really ensure they can fulfil their potential when the time comes.

On Thursday this week there is a Post-18 Parents’ Information Evening and a careers event for Year 12 on the same day.  All week there is the Interhouse Public Speaking Competition in the House Library (Go Pepys…obviously showing no bias!) and on Wednesday some of our Psychology students will be taking part in a Brain Day.  This is all about Forensic Psychology and sounds fascinating.  On top of all that there are also trips out this week.  The Geographers are continuing their coursework at the River Kym and there is a Raspberry Pi Big Birthday Bash in Cambridge on Saturday which Mr Kilby is taking some of his Computer Science students to.  Not sure there will be cake and candles at that one! 

On a slightly different note, Margaret Medwell in our accounts office is about to embark on a 1.5k swim for Sport Relief.  This will happen at the Ivo on Sunday 20^th March – so we wish her well with this amazing challenge.  I really hope it’s an indoor swim…bit nippy out there currently!

This week’s theme is centred around following instructions at the first time of asking and is part of our general focus of the ‘Right to Teach, Right to Learn’ series.  By not following instructions students are disrupting lessons and therefore the learning of others.  This is not common, but a message that bares repetition from time to time to remind students of our high expectations.

Here's a date for your diary...Wednesday 23rd March.  At 7pm there will be a parents' forum about homework.  There will be an opportunity to look at Doddle and how staff have been setting homeworks through this and other learning platforms.  Also you will get your say on the school planner, as we launch into a full review of how this is used and what it needs to contain.  We will consider if we even if we need a planner at all...or should we go electronic?  Have an opinion, want your say, then come along on 23rd March.  Biscuits and a warm welcome guarenteed!

And finally…over to our ‘Did You Know’ section:-