Principal’s Update

Dear Colleagues,

As we draw to the close of another calendar year, it’s been a joy to attend the students’ Christmas Fayre and to see so many enrichment activities going on this week.

I know many of you will be trying to clear your “desks” of the many tasks you have to complete before Thursday at 12:00. Try to prioritise those that will have the greatest impact and defer the ones that don’t.

We have a shortened SLT this week – looking at our budget year-end and Risk Register update.

We held the Governing Body Christmas meal and the last GB meeting of the year on Thursday evening, after the group had taken a tour of our campus.

The Academy Restaurant and first year students prepared and served a wonderful meal. At that event, we said farewell to two Governors who have served for eleven years on our board: Paul Masterton and John Pinel. We also thanked Danielle Schenk and Dave Freeman for their service as staff governors as their tenure came to an end.

Thank you for all those who took part in the Learning Walks again this term; either being observed or observing. The vast majority of lessons showed good and effective practice with excellent relationships at the core of all great learning.

This is a time of year to reflect, workwise signing off annual statements and reviewing performance, and personally for us all an opportunity to take stock before the new year.

I look forward to seeing you on Friday at our staff meeting at 12:30pm, and for the 90 colleagues attending the Christmas meal, I hope to see you on the dance floor 😊.

My thanks to those staff who are in over term break. Rob Moy will be here and SLT on varying days to complete quiet tasks.

Let’s end the term with a random act of kindness. Think of one thing you can do to make the end of term even better for you and your colleagues.

I wish you a very merry Christmas and a healthy and happy new year.

Jo