Headlines - 14 June 2024

HEADLINES 14th June 2024

By James Saunders

STAFFING UPDATE

We have reached the point in the year where we start to plan our staffing and timetable for September. Therefore I would like to take this opportunity to update you on the changes to staffing and any internal movements therein.

Firstly, I would like to say ‘Good luck and farewell’ to several colleagues who will be leaving us at the end of term. Andrew Clark will be leaving us to teach Maths at Ormiston Rivers in Burnham on Crouch - a lot closer to home for him. Sophie Benon will be moving to Budapest to teach French at an international school. Steve Hall and Craig Robertson are both retiring from their respective roles in Maths and Cohort Leadership, and Attendance and Bonnie Collins will be moving onto pastures new after a year supporting our cover team.

We are also excited to welcome several great new members of staff to Honywood for September and I am pleased to say that we will be fully staffed - something that is not a given in the current climate. Jack Mantle will be joining the Science team; Robyn Straken will be joining the English team; Layla Goodchild and Jack Pragnell will be joining the Maths team. We have just one more teaching vacancy to fill in Art and will be interviewing in the coming weeks for this role. We shall also be interviewing for a new school minibus driver next week.

We will also be welcoming back Abbi Bansropun; Chloe Mills and Alice Girling who will be returning from Maternity leave.

Learning Group Leaders for September 2024:

Our Cohort 7 team of Learning Group Leaders for September 2024 are: (1) Amy Harris; (2) Ashlin May; (3) Aidan Tolhurst; (4) Claire Wakeling; (5) Chloe Mills; (6) Robyn Straken; (7) Jack Pragnell; (8) Layla Goodchild.

The Cohort 8 team is largely unchanged and consists of: (1) Amy Dennis; (2) Camilla Howard; (3) Fran Jones; (4) Holly Golding; (5) Rebecca Soropure; (6) Tamsyn Day; (7) Jack Mantle (replacing Andrew Clark); (8) Jenny Veness will be taking over Gemma Varney’s group as Ms Varney will be supporting across the Cohort 9 and 10 teams to cover our part time staff.

The Cohort 9 team will also have a couple of changes and will be as follows: (1) Charlton Timms; (2) Hollie Lever, supported by Lyndsey Morrow; (3) Victoria Hill and Hannah Ginn when she returns in the autumn term; (4) Kate Houghton and Rachel Hoogakker; (5) Natalie Wheatcroft, supported by Gemma Varney; (6) Rob Philpott; (7) Milly Harrington; (8) Ben Williamson, taking over from John Somers.

The Cohort 10 team is largely unchanged, consisting of: (1) Andy Byrne and Gemma Varney; (2) Amy Sadler, supported by Matt Ramsay; (3) Daniel Spelman; (4) Jesse Dyer; (5) Vicky Sparrow, supported by Collete Khoshkou; (6) Philippe Bilby; (7) Carol-Anne Frogley has joined the team to create a further learning group to support the expansion of the cohort.

Finally, the Cohort 11 team will be as follows: (1) Gemma Ward and Alice Girling; (2) Lena Putter and Katie Cody; (3) Nick Powell, will be taking over from Rebecca Cole when she goes on maternity leave; (4) Rebecca Musk; (5) Sharon Palmer, supported by Collete Khoshkou; (6) Tom Gribben, supported by Matt Ramsay.

START OF TERM DATE - SEPTEMBER 2024

As we approach the summer break we would like to make you aware of our arrangements for the start of the new school year in September. I am sure you will be aware of the issues we have had to face this year due to the national RAAC agenda. I am pleased to say that we have been able to navigate this situation well and should be all set to start in our newly refurbed school building for September.

Currently the project is on schedule and is set to complete at the start of September. To enable this tight deadline to be met, we have delayed the start of term by two days.

Therefore, term will begin on Thursday 5th September for C7 learners only - who will complete the first two days on their own as usual. The rest of the school (C8, C9, C10, C11) will begin on Monday 9th September.

C7 TRANSPORT INFORMATION

Please note that school buses will not be dropping children off on their first day (5th September). For C7 learners, we would appreciate it if parents are able to bring their children in for their first day so they can share this important transition together. At the end of the day school buses will be available to take children home and staff will be on hand to support them to find the right bus. On Friday 6th September buses will be running as usual.

LAST DAY OF TERM

Friday 19th July is the last day of this school year, the arrangements for the day are as follows:

8.45 - Registration

8.55 - Learning Session 1

10.30 - Break

10.45 - Learning Session 2

11.45 - Registration / LS3 / Assembly

12.50 - Learners depart

School buses will be notified of this change in pickup time.

*Lunch will not be provided on the 19th. Any youngster entitled to a free school meal will be able to collect this at break time.

Have a great weekend

James Saunders

Exam results will be available for collection from 9.00 am on Thursday 22nd August in the Community Building.

Learners will need to sign for your results. If you are unable to attend can you please ensure that you have nominated an adult to collect them on your behalf. However, you will need to provide a letter signed by you (NOT AN EMAIL) giving me permission to hand over your results.

Results will also be emailed to your Honywood email address after 12 pm on 22nd August.