National and international links

I was at ASCL conference last weekend with the opportunity of listening to a range of speakers on the theme of "Empowering Leadership." In addition, it was an opportunity to speak to other school leaders and the shadow secretary of state for education, who made the effort to attend and shared the current thinking with regards to school organisation, the curriculum, partnerships and OFSTED. Amanda Spielman, current HMCI, talked about the inspection framework and the impact it has had upon schools. With the news this week of the tragic death of a primary head teacher after an OFSTED visit, it is important to ensure there is greater transparency in the process and a recognition of the incredible strain that schools are put under. Events like the ASCL conference are always a good opportunity to recognise our place as a school in the wider national context. The conference ended with a presentation from the influential writer, Benjamin Zephaniah and I was able to make it back in time for a great celebration at school.

Hong Kong exhibition

Thank you to everyone who was involved in the exhibition at the weekend. There was a range of fantastic art, photography and design pieces as well as a rich exploration of the culture, history and politics of Hong Kong. Our school is enhanced by the range of cultural backgrounds of our students and staff and this weekend was educational, celebratory and positive.

Governing body business

On Thursday, the business committee of the governing body met to discuss the short, medium and long term plans for the school. We discussed the current proposal for the new build and we will be engaging in a number of events with the School Rebuilding Project over the next few weeks. I hope that I will be able to give a clearer timeline as we move over the next few months for when the rebuild project will commence and we can look forward to a new environment for our students. We already have commitment from our local partners, the local authority and the department for education to ensure that the future is bright for our community.

It may be of interest that we have previously co-opted members of the community on to our full governing body and I would offer the invitation again, especially to members of community groups that are under-represented.

Comic Relief

Today has been Comic Relief and we have continued our commitment to raise money today as we do regularly throughout the year. Thank you to all families who continue to support others, whether locally, nationally or internationally.

Year eight specialisms

Next week, on Thursday 23rd March, we have an online meeting for parents of year eight students to hear about the specialisms that we run in year nine. This is an opportunity for students to spend a little more time on arts and design subjects as a taster of the breadth of choice they will receive when they take their GCSE options a year later.

Free school meal (FSM) vouchers

Our FSM eligible families will have received £3 for every strike day their child has not had access to our canteens. There are still several unclaimed vouchers, therefore please ensure you claim these vouchers through the primary email address for school.

Pupil dietary and food allergy information

We have recently been informed by a few students of allergens that we were unaware of.  Could we please remind families that it is the responsibility of the parent/carer to notify both the school chef and the school office in writing of any dietary requirements along with the EC46 Pupil Dietary and Food Allergy Request Form. This must be supported with the appropriate medical evidence (GP letter). This information can be found on our website.

School library assistant - vacancy

We are seeking a skilled, organised and dedicated person to support our school librarian in the effective provision of our school library service. With a love of reading, the successful candidate will be committed to developing a reading culture and foster a love of library services in school. This position is 16 hours a week and hours are flexible. For further information or to receive an application pack, please email.

Industrial action

There have been two days of industrial action affecting the school this week. We hope now that the talks commencing today between the government and all unions will lead to a resolution of the situation. I will keep parents informed of any updates.

Beeston Community Hub - thank you

We are sorry to hear of the loss of the Beeston Community Hub. We are very aware that there are significant pressures on families and that the cost of living crisis is having an impact on many. We were proud to work with the community hub during the pandemic and it is essential that services like this are available to support families. Thank you to everyone who had been part of this community support.