Teaching Skills for Life
This week Miss Linnecor delivered an assembly to all year groups about the importance of good punctuality to school. I have put together a parent-friendly version of her assembly. Please take a few minutes to watch the assembly which gives tips for students on how they can be organised and therefore, punctual to school.
The core values of Opportunity, Achievement and Respect are central to our school ethos. We promote these values in partnership with our students and their parents/carers. In the assembly I refer to our Home-School agreement. In order to strengthen the tripartite partnership between school, students and parents/carers, all 3 parties are asked to sign the KOAR agreement on an annual basis. This can be found in your child’s planner. Can you please take a moment to read through the agreement and ask for you and your child to sign it.
Congratulations to the following Year 8 students who completed an outstanding Maths summer homework project:
- Lexie J
- Meadow K
- Lola H
- Clare L
- Amy H
- Sahil A
- Vicky C
- Emily B
- Harrison G
- Maddie S
- Isabella N
- Emma H
- Oliver C
- Ellie E
We were delighted to be awarded a plaque from The University of Manchester in acknowledgement of our sustained and high-quality contribution to the university’s PGCE secondary programme. The programme supports graduates who qualify as teachers through school based placements where our experienced teaching staff support and mentor the post-graduate students, under the guidance and leadership of Miss Murray.
Class Charts and Home Communication
This year we plan to streamline our communication systems with home. As such we have a planned move to using announcements on Class Charts. Class Charts is both an app and website which you can track your child’s homework, behaviour and communications. All new Year 7 students have been sent details enabling both parents and students to access their accounts from home. If you haven’t logged on to the system for a while please do so. Enabling notifications will help you keep on top of messages and your child’s progress in school. Further information will be shared at the year group information evenings.
COVID-19 Update
We have continued to be notified of students contracting COVID-19, and it is clearly very prevalent in our local community. Please ensure that your children are conducting the Lateral Flow Tests twice a week. It is best to err on the side of caution if your child is unwell and seek a PCR test, this will reduce the risk of it spreading to groups of friends. Results are being processed extremely quickly at the moment.
Everybody should have completed at least one LFT at home by now. Here is a link to a short video in case you are unsure how to test at home.
Remember all results have to be sent using the NHS app, and you must inform school of a positive result.
A reminder that your child should bring hand sanitiser to school and we recommend that a face covering is worn.
Behaviour
I’m pleased to say that our students have made an excellent start to the year. They are looking very smart and I thank you for your help and cooperation in ensuring that our uniform policy is being followed so closely. Already, many students have received merits from their Form tutors and teachers. You can monitor your child’s merits and demerits by using the Class Charts app. A reminder that if a student disrupts learning then they will go to the Patrol room to work. If this is during the afternoon then they will leave the Patrol room at 3.20pm after they have completed their detention.
If your child comes to school on a bike can I please urge you to ensure a helmet is worn, and that your child rides safely and is considerate of other road users or pedestrians.
In the summer term we were advised that there was a proposal to build additional housing in Gatley and how this could generate additional demand for places in our school. Meeting the needs of our local area, and being the secondary school of choice for our local community, which includes Gatley, Heald Green and Cheadle, remains our priority. We have now been approached by the project management organisation to make our local community aware of a local housing development on the site of Gatley Golf Club. Local parents and carers can make comments on the application by registering on the Council’s planning portal or by post to Stockport MBC, Planning Services, Place Directorate, Stopford House, Piccadilly, Stockport SK1 3XE.
The Council’s consultation on the application runs until Thursday 23 September 2021 and all comments should quote the application reference DC/081468.
Open Evening 2021
Subject to no changes in COVID we are delighted to announce that we are able to run our Open Evening live and face to face and look forward to welcoming Year 6 prospective parents.
The event will have some small adjustments to keep everyone safe and secure and as such it will be a ticketed only event with a limit of two people (one parent/one child) per family. There will be two time slots available (5:30-6:15pm and 6.15-7:30pm). Further information is available on our Eventbrite registration page.
In order to provide as much information as possible we will also pre record the Headteacher’s and senior students’ speech and provide our virtual open evening webpage which will go live on our website on the same day.
There will also be a limited number of places available for people who have been unable to attend the open evening and to meet the transition team. Please look out for details of these primary transition events on the school webpage following the Open Evening.
We look forward to seeing as many new prospective families as possible and showcasing the students and the school.
Dates for your diary
