It has been a very disjointed week this week with the school being closed to students on two days, however, there has still been lots going on as we hurtle towards the end of term. There is a misconception that things start to slow down as we head towards the summer holiday, but I can assure parents the exact opposite is true! We welcomed back our students and staff from Zambia last Sunday and I am pleased to announce that everyone is back safe and well after what sounds like an experience of a lifetime. A number of students visited the theatre on Wednesday to see ‘Shakespeare in Love’, a group of Year 8 students are off to the Harry Potter experience today and a large group of Year 9 students have set off to Le Touquet today as well. Next Monday also brings the Year 11 Final assembly and the Prom in the evening. As I said, it’s all go at school at the moment! Our new Head Boy, Naru George (10X), and his brother Taku (Taku was in last year’s Year 11), will be undertaking a sponsored climb of Mount Fuji in Japan this summer. They are hoping to raise money for the Wonder Foundation: http://www.wonderfoundation.org.uk/ The boys are raising money for a specific project in the Democratic Republic of Congo that helps to provide education for children in a country where many children cannot access even the most basic of education. I am sure you will agree that the challenge of climbing Mount Fuji - all 3,776 metres of it, will be an exceptionally difficult one and to help out we will have collection boxes in each form for students to make a donation to this cause if they wish. Our ‘Mock Interview’ day for Year 10 students takes place in school next Wednesday (16th July). The day gives all our Year 10 students the opportunity to get feedback on how they interviewed so that, when they move into later life, they will have experience and have received feedback to help them in interview situations - an invaluable life skill. There are a large number of volunteers from local and national businesses coming into school to work with our students and this is a day which our students really value. Congratulations go to 7T who won a nail biting Year 7 Sports Day recently by one point from both 7U and 7X. Well done to everyone in Year 7 for their efforts in what was such a superb day. Well done also to everyone who represented the school in the recent District Swimming Gala. Next Thursday (17th July) is the next meeting of the Parents’ Forum. We will be looking at the issue of homework and also setting out the priorities that the Forum would like to discuss next year. As well as being my last forum meeting, we are hopeful that the school’s new Headteacher, Mr Luck, will also be in attendance but I will confirm this with parents at the start of next week. The meeting will be held in the Library and there will be light refreshments available as well. I look forward to welcoming everyone to this meeting (please enter by the Brook Road entrance to the school). Finally, can I remind all parents that the last day of term is Tuesday 22nd July 2014. This is a half day and students will be dismissed from 12.20pm. Periods 1-3 will run as normal and students should bring all necessary equipment for these lessons. I wish you all a good weekend. Paul Banks Headteacher
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