Steyning Grammar School

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

SGS ECO COUNCIL SETS ITS SIGHTS HIGH

Eco Council Directors Chloé Barron and Michael Shirley set out their agenda for Steyning Grammar School (SGS) The Eco Council at SGS has had a busy few weeks in preparing to run our six topics for the remainder of the academic year. To start this process off, a strong foundation of Eco leaders at every SGS campus and year group is required in order to drive forward the changes we are making to our school. To establish such a team, we have been selecting students in the Eco Council for the positions of Deputy Directors, Topic Leaders and Deputy Topic Leaders through an interview process. All of the interviews went incredibly well and we are immensely proud of the passion, commitment and leadership traits shown by all of the candidates. Thank you to all students who applied and congratulations to those successful in becoming one of the members of our Board of Leaders. Following the election of our Board of Leaders, we held a meeting with the newly established team to discuss how we will go about tackling our six topics - energy, marine, litter, waste, biodiversity and global climate. These topics have been identified by students as consisting of monumental importance in the pursuit to transform our school’s environment. These climate focus points will enable us to centre our actions around specific environmental aims for each of the topics, leading to the achievement of consistent environmental successes across all school campuses and all topic areas. That’s the vision for this academic year - something which we hope to get all students, staff, parents and members of our school community on board with. The Eco Council has also been on a large student-driven recruitment drive to encourage more students to join our Eco Council and be on our side in the fight against the climate and ecological emergency. This was done through 14 collective workshops which were carried out across all of the year groups at our school and were led by student leaders in the Eco Council. Not only this, but during the assemblies we have been asking students to ensure they take responsibility for their actions - ultimately, it is our future’s at stake. If all students can make small changes to their lifestyles, as a school, we can make a large difference. These assemblies have been a great success, with more than 60 applications to join the council. Finally, we would like to say thank you to John Lewis & Partners who have made a generous donation to the Eco Council - a box of goodies full of eco-friendly products. We plan to put these items to a raffle at our school’s Winter Fayre.

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

TPS NATIVITY WALL

During break times throughout last term, Teaching Assistant Miss Kattenhorn at TPS illustrated this stunning Nativity scene in the Literacy Lab for students.

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT…

TPS RECEPTIONIST FINALIST AT HAMPSHIRE EDUCATION AWARDS

The Petersfield School’s very own Sue Bloor from Reception was a finalist in this year’s Hampshire Education Awards in the Wider Support Contribution category. The category was for staff undertaking wider support roles, such as office, site, community, home/school liaison, welfare, looking at the impact their work has on the relationships, culture, environment and engagement that positively influence individual students or groups in the school community. Sue has worked at TPS since 1995, starting in reprographics but moved quickly to Reception where she has been the welcoming face of our school ever since. Sue’s kind, empathic manner has had a significant influence on improving and enhancing the school experience for so many cohorts of students and their families. She is the consummate professional, unfailingly cheerful, positive and polite, and always goes the extra mile to help anyone. As a result, Reception has been widely praised for its welcoming and efficient manner. Sue took on many responsibilities beyond Reception over the years, including being Secretary of the school fundraising Appeal Trust, which has raised significant funds towards school projects and facilities, and producing ToPicS, an excellent half-termly school newsletter which is highly rated by students and parents. She has been a DofE Bronze team leader; Staff Association secretary; and organiser of the annual Macmillan Coffee Mornings. Sue is the “go to” for nearly everything after so many years’ experience - and if she doesn’t know the answer, she knows someone who does! She is a team player and very much the “mum” of the Reception admin team. As Sue enters her final few months before retirement, she continues to offer exemplary front of house service to visitors, students and staff. She is training her successor, who, if she proves to be even half as good as Sue, will be excellent! We will miss Sue and her wonderful smile but wish her every happiness in her retirement.