As we draw to the end of the third week I want to take the opportunity to congratulate our Year 9 students in their transition to Samuel Whitbread Academy. The year group has achieved the most achievement points across the school and have continually demonstrated our school values in particular that of respect, empathy and integrity. 

This week they have completed their GL assessments and the feedback from supporting staff has been fantastic, with comments about the Year 9 students' mature approach to their learning and assessment. 

Year 9 uniform has been brilliant, as we head into the colder seasons students are able to wear plain black non-branded jumper underneath their blazer and a coat if they wish to. Any uniform issues that may arise e.g. broken school shoes or a lost tie could I ask that parents/carers email their son/daughter tutor. Information about the school uniform can be found on our website. 

Keep up the brilliant work Year 9!

Welcome back!

A huge thank you to all parents/carers for taking the time and effort over the summer break to ensure our Year 10 students were ready and equipped to start school this September. So many of our Year 10 students have settled back into academic life with a spring in their step and a smile on their face. 

It has been a pleasure to see the progress Year 10 are already making in their chosen options subjects. Lessons have been productive, engaging and students have been enthusiastic about their new topics. Very well done, Year 10. 

As the weather begins to turn colder, please remember that our school uniform includes an optional plain black sweatshirt, without any fashion labels, that can be worn underneath a blazer. Blazers are a compulsory part of the uniform and should be worn every day. Students are welcome to ask permission from teachers to remove their blazer during a lesson. Information can be found here, on our school uniform page.

A big Welcome back to Year 11, I hope that all had a restful break. As the new Head of Year, I wanted to introduce myself to parents/carers. Thank you to all for taking the time over the summer break to ensure our students are ready and fully equipped to start their final year of GCSE’s. It has been wonderful to see the year group start this September with a sense of purpose and maturity for their final year ahead. A Big Well done Year 11!

A uniform reminder, blazers are a compulsory part of school uniform and must be worn in transition from one lesson to the next, students are then to ask permission to remove their blazer once they have arrived in the lesson. As we approach the colder months, students are allowed to wear a plain black jumper underneath their blazers, these jumpers should not have any fashion labels. For more information please visit our uniform page on the website.

Finally, a big thank you from the Year Team for a great start to Year 11.

Year 12 has made a fantastic start to Sixth Form at SWA. On 5^th September we completed a second induction day, so students could get to know their tutors and peers. They are now a few weeks into their courses and should be settled into their lessons, and learning how to use their study periods (non-teaching hours). 

Registration with form tutors is an essential part of the day, and we have so far delivered sessions on study skills, organisation, moral and religious views, emotional wellbeing, and safeguarding. 

Last week we welcomed parents/carers and students to our Year 12 information evening, if you missed the event the presentation is now available on their year group Google Classroom and on the school website. 

Students had their photos taken on Tuesday and will get their personalised ID cards during the first week of October.

Coming up in the next few weeks are the Year 8 open evenings and we are immensely grateful for the many students who volunteer their time to help on the night. 

We have had a good start to the term, with a few new adjustments to our new compulsory registration attendance. We are really pleased with how the students have responded but would appreciate the support of parents/carers to ensure all students attend every morning registration. We also want to reiterate that the dress code does state that students should not be wearing trainers, as we continue to have a battle over these, our uniform policy can be found on our website. 

These next few weeks are a huge push for students applying for University. There is a presentation from our parent Information Evening on Thursday 22^nd September now up on the website that will offer some guidance on the application process. Students are also being given even more guidance and support from next week. This includes a session in the theatre Period 4 on Thursday 29^th September, when all Year 13s are in study periods. We will use this time to launch the OSCAR programme which is a website that will give guidance and support to students in writing their personal statements. 

Our predict 3 reports will be released next week via email, and this proceeds our very last Year 13 Parents Review Evening (online) on the 13^th October. Details on how to book appointments will be sent out shortly.