The Lakeview building was busy last night with parents at the year nine consultation evening. I was really pleased to hear a lot of good feedback, in particular about the support for students with special educational need and also the positive experience that students who have recently joined us from other schools have had in terms of the support with the transition, the welcome into school and the challenge of our curriculum.

There was also feedback on behaviour and a concern that there are still some examples of poor behaviour that some students are bringing into school. The recent feedback from student council shows that students have appreciated the clear expectations we have and the clear sanctions that result where behaviour is not appropriate. I am pleased that parents recognised the high expectations we have and I am pleased that the feedback is that we are tackling the issues that matter. We will take the information and the comments as a further driver to challenge behaviour both in and on on the way to school as we are clear that the vast majority of parents support our efforts.

I was pleased to welcome Dawn Butler, shadow women and equalities secretary, who came in to school on Thursday to discover more about our work and the successes and challenges that we have as a secondary school in the east midlands. It was a good opportunity to show her our school and we dropped in to a sixth form sociology lesson as well as a year seven technology lesson. Students were keen to show her their work and talk about their experiences at Chilwell.