Centre assessed grades and examinations

Our subject teams have now completed the process of assessing year eleven and thirteen students and compiling the grades we will submit to the examination boards. It has been a significant undertaking and we appreciate all the work that our teaching staff have done. It is frustrating for schools that the examination boards, who have not set examinations this year, have kept their usual fees. This next week the grades will be submitted and will be released officially on 10th August (A Level) and 12th August (GCSE)

Our other year groups are in the process of starting their examinations, with year seven examinations having started this week and year eight, nine and ten ahead of us.

Extra-curricular opportunities

As activities start to develop, we are pleased that we had two Duke of Edinburgh expeditions out this week and also received a certificate from the organisation to recognise over 700 hours of volunteering that our students have undertaken over the last year. We also discussed with the National Badminton Association and Chilwell Olympia the opportunities for sport and health activities to expand further on our site over the coming months. We look forward very much to activities on site and beyond developing further.

Included in these will be our summer school, which will offer a week's tutoring and support for students making the move from primary to secondary and in addition, we are planning for there to be an ongoing programme of activities based at Chilwell Olympia over the summer break. Please look out for further information on these.

Covid and personal safety

These will, of course, all depend upon further relaxation of the rules regarding Covid. It was unfortunate that again on Friday we had to ask a group of students to self-isolate. As our personal and community safety expectations continue, please can all parents ensure that students leave the house in the morning with a mask, remembering this especially on PE days, when students are in different uniform. We have a supply of masks in school, but we would ask that parents and students take responsibility for ensuring that they arrive at school with their own.

Professional development in our area

At the end of the week, I was pleased to be part of a group of school leaders developing professional development for staff across our area. Chilwell school is already involved in a number of national networks and it will be good to share our expertise further and provide opportunities for our staff in partnership with other schools.

In praise of our support staff

Friday was the final day for Mrs Riddell, who has retired from her post as school business manager after thirty years. It was an opportunity for us to say thank you and also to reflect on the contribution that all of our support staff make in all aspects of the school. The work of teachers is often acknowledged, but our support staff ensure that the environment, the resources, the co-ordination and the supervision of students combine to allow teachers to do what they need to do. The school is thriving and this is down to the excellent work of the whole team.

Planning for the future

We are hoping to be able to welcome both year five and year six students on to our site before the end of term. Our planning proceeds, but these events will clearly be dependent upon the Covid rules and whether we can be satisfied that the events can proceed safely. We continue our discussions and planning with our primary schools and will keep you updated.

We also have the day plan in place for next year, with the intention to continue with staggered breaks and lunchtimes. The current longer lessons will continue to be a central feature of learning at key stage four and five, with breaks within sessions at key stage three.

Transition in the sixth form

Our year eleven students have completed their first week of sixth form transition, with calls home and on line resources for students who are planning on attending college in September. Our current year thirteens ended the week with a picnic and the opportunity to celebrate the time that they have spent with us. They are a delightful group of students and we wish them every happiness in the future.