Message from the Headmistress
Dear Parents,
I have just been to an assembly, not one to take- but one just for me. I was treated to some fabulous poetry, drama and singing (I want to break free: Thank you Lisa and Judd!) and pupils saying some fabulous things. What a wonderful treat in the garden on a lovely morning. Many thanks to those who organised this wonderful surprise and for the lovely flowers and chocolates.
As with many things, we discover, having used the garden for meetings and assemblies to mitigate the risk of spreading infection, just how lovely the space is for such things and how we must continue to make the most of all our spaces!
We are all working hard as the end of term draws nigh. Parents will receive the end of year reports, new year invoices and our Holly Leaves magazine, at the beginning of next week. We have already met our new Year 7, yesterday in the garden, and they are a great bunch of young people who I know will thrive in senior school.
Next week, Year 10 will have their careers conference day on Monday (12th). It is important that they are here that day as they do their Morrisby careers profiling, which leads into their individual career interviews at the beginning of the new year, just in time for their start seeking post 16 places. On that evening we are hosting a garden Prom for our leaving Year 11, 6.30-9pm.
On Tuesday, the whole school is decamping on their days out, Seniors are looking forward to a day at the seaside. Then in the evening, the Juniors will be treating us to an online show and quiz.
Mrs Howlett as asked me to send you the following information for Senior pupils attending the Skegness trip on Tuesday 13th, they are reminded:
- Pupils can wear their PE kit
- Bring a packed lunch
- Travel sickness medicine to be taken if needed and given to their form teacher
- Return to school for 4.30pm and the homework club will run until 5pm
Wednesday 14th- is a non-school uniform day £1 donation towards ‘Nottinghamshire Mind’
I remind parents that school breaks up on Wednesday at 12.30. (Slightly earlier for Junior children- please see Mrs Wrights news for the finish times to avoid cross bubble mixing). I will enjoy my final, final assemblies that morning.
You will have heard the news about guidance changes coming up and I will highlight the key things here. Of course, over the summer holidays, there will doubtless be further changes but as things stand for the new term:
- Bubbles will go, pupils will be able to mix again.
- Mask wearing and social distancing will go.
- We will retain expectations of good hygiene, hand sanitisation and good ventilation.
- We will no longer be responsible for contact tracing if a member of our community is tested positive. This reverts back to the NHS track and trace system.
- We will no longer have to self-isolate close contacts (it is likely that we will do daily testing instead, but this is not currently confirmed.) This is to ensure that all children who can be, are in school to continue with their education. You will have heard that last week over 640,000 children were out of school, the majority with no infection, but noted as a close contact.)
- We can travel by buses, use external venues with no capacity limits and sing again! Hurrah.
- The senior pupils and staff are being asked to take an LFD test the day before they return to school, but NOT to test throughout the holidays. Further supplies have been sent out today. Additionally, the Senior pupils will be tested IN SCHOOL twice on their return, before continuing with LFD testing at home until the end of September (current guidance.)
And for families: you can go on holiday, and will not have to self-isolate even from Amber list countries- though of course, you will have additional statutory PCR tests to do.
The new term recommences on Wednesday 1st September.
This week Mrs Seaton’s Arts Awards were verified by an external moderator. They all passed with flying colours. This means that every pupil in Year 7, 8 and 9 participated and now have an award! Thank you so much to Mrs Seaton, for setting up this incredible programme with the Key Stage 3 children. It is an amazing feat given the year we have had and I know that performing arts will grow from strength to strength in the future.
Can I implore parents, please to remember to be considerate of our neighbours on Villa Road and in the streets around the school when parking, dropping off or waiting for children at the end of the school day. We know that space is limited and it is difficult but you should not park over neighbours drives and do anything which antagonises them. We have to live and work in harmony with our community and this is quite tricky sometimes.
This weekend is another monumental moment of national pride as England’s football team face Italy in the final of the European Cup. I feel obliged to say, they have done well even if they don’t quite make it (Italy’s track record is pretty solid) and to get to the final is itself a major achievement! I hope they win, even if it means there will be some bleary eyes on Monday morning…
Have a great weekend.
Mrs Hutley
Headmistress
Message from the Head of Juniors
Dear Parents,
Firstly, I am really sorry that we have had to cancel Sports Days this year. We were really unlucky with the weather and disappointed, as I am sure you were, that parents could not come to watch. The Junior events have run within lessons this week (similarly this will happen for EYFS next week) and although there were no parent spectators, the children all had a brilliant time and enjoyed competing. Winners for individual classes will be announced in assembly on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Years 1 – 6 are out on end of year trips whilst EYFS are having a fun day at school. I am sure the children are very much looking forward to these treats. In the evening, our Junior School end of term performances will begin at 7pm on Zoom, followed by a quiz.
A reminder that on Wednesday 14th July, we finish at lunchtime. EYFS and KS1 children should be collected at 12:10 and KS2 at 12:20 from Elm Avenue. There is no after school club on this day.
We are looking to change the school PE kit and this is likely to be ready for the Spring Term next year. If you child has grown out of their current kit, please do not replace it all, only to have to replace it again in January. Plain black or bottle green tracksuit bottoms, a plain white top and a red hoodie are suitable alternatives for next term.
As this is my final weekly news of the year, I would like to say a huge thank you to all parents for their support through what has been a really difficult year. We are so proud of the children and incredibly impressed with their resilience and what they have achieved. Also, a huge thank you to all staff who have worked so hard to keep the children motivated and enjoying learning. I am sure everyone is looking forward to the summer holidays and equally to the return in September. Start and end times to the day will no longer be staggered so all junior children should be in school by 8:45am (but can arrive from 8:00am) and school will finish at 3:30pm.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs Hutley for everything she has done for the school. The list would be far too long to write down, but we all know how much she has accomplished over her time here and she will be greatly missed. We wish her a very long and happy retirement and hope she will be back to visit us in the not too distant future.
The week’s Stars of the Week can be viewed here.
Have a fantastic summer break, ,
Mrs Wright
Head of Juniors