A letter from the Head - June 2008

 

Dear Parents, Carers & Friends of St Wilfrid’s

 

The exam season is well under way and there is a very positive atmosphere of candidates feeling well prepared to ensure that they perform at their optimum, which is, of course, the meaning of success.  What follows, in no particular order are some highlights of school life and some reminders pertinent at this time of year.

 

New School

The internal block-work for the ground floor is almost complete now and so we are able to get a real sense of our new learning and support areas.  The internal courtyard is always commented on by visitors to the site as an extremely attractive and potentially dynamic area for events and liturgies being at the heart of the campus.  The Sports, Dance and Assembly Halls are almost water-tight and will undoubtedly be fantastic learning spaces.  The builders have been frustrated by the amount of rain of late and consequently the roofing has been a challenge, although this is almost complete throughout the structure.

 

The Chapel & Partnership Learning Centre (for which we need funds) are currently having fine design work finalised and I am certain that these areas, assuming we get the finances, will be enormous assets to us as a school and to the Catholic and wider community.  Please remember our fundraising efforts in your prayers.

 

‘The Last Stand’

Sarah Gildea (Fundraising Co-ordinator) reports excellent levels of ticket sales for this major re-union and fundraising event.  Please see the web site or email s.gildea@stwilfrids.com for further details.

 

Year 11 GCSE Preparation & Leavers Day

I have been absolutely delighted by the efforts of students and teachers alike towards submitting excellent coursework and revising thoroughly in an effort to reach our exceedingly challenging targets. I am particularly grateful to Mike Lewis (Assistant Headteacher – Director of Achievement KS4) whose efforts have been fantastic in supporting staff and students with encouragement and motivational initiatives.  I do not believe in study leave and hence our students remained in formal lessons longer than any other Crawley (and possibly West Sussex) Yr 11 student!  I was impressed that not one student bemoaned this decision and this is, I think, indicative of their understanding of the rationale that students need teaching and support ‘right up to the wire’ to have the best chance of success.  Equally, I can report that their leavers’ day celebrations went really well with the right mix of fun and reflection on this ‘rite of passage’ day.

Congratulations and thanks to the staff and students who meticulously planned the day.  I must pay tribute to Margaret Matthews who has been Head of Year for these students since Year 7.  Margaret’s dedication to her students is obvious and there is no doubt that she has had a major impact on the holistic education of the entire year group.  We now look forward to the Prom at the end of the exam season.

 

Year 9 SATS

Congratulations to our Year 9 students who were reported by our invigilators to have behaved in an exemplary fashion for these very important public examinations.  I am sure their results will be as impressive!

 

Curriculum News

Music - The Music Department will once again have students performing as part of Crawley Festival's Senior Citizen Concert with a program of liturgical and eclectic music appropriate to the age of the audience.

 

Students are also being invited to join in the West Sussex voice initiative with a choir of students performing numbers from Grease as part of the 'Festivities Concert' in Chichester Cathedral in July.  This will be a massed choir accompanied by the County Youth Orchestra - also featuring some of our Gifted and Talented musicians - and with students from most West Sussex Secondary Schools.

 

Physical Education – the Yr 10 BTec group are about to embark on the Sports Leaders Level 1 Award.  This entry level coaching qualification is an additional award which is subsumed within the BTec course, giving an extra qualification.  Students taking it get experience of coaching small groups which increases confidence, gives broader experience and stimulates interest in the possibility of further coaching in the wider community.  It is hoped that students will participate in the new House system, organising, refereeing and ‘managing’ younger year groups in a variety of inter-house activities.

 

UNICEF Rights, Responsibility & Respect Initiative (RRR Group)

John Tarrant, our Advanced Skills Teacher, has established a group of students from each Form to work on this UNICEF project which focuses on the right that everyone has to receive a quality education and the responsibility we have to ensure all have access to this.  Essentially it suggests that in the affluent west it is crucial that all learners and teachers treat each other with respect.  The UNICEF web site has much more detail on the scheme.  We have decided to ‘grow this initiative’ ensuring that it sits, as it does, within our Catholic foundation.

 

New Web Site

We are very pleased with our new look web site.  The colours reflect our ‘base’ colour of dark blue and the 5 House Colours.  New publications, literature, letter heads etc. will have a similar corporate ‘feel’ as will the finishes and furnishing schemes in the new building.

 

Sixth Form Applications

I am delighted to report that our applications for the Sixth Form have ‘gone through the roof!’  Many students are recognising that their further learning will be best catered for by staying with the teachers that know them best.  We are also beginning to attract students from other institutions to continue their studies with us.

 

Uniform and Appearance

As you know our uniform will change officially when we move in to our new school in February next year.  In the meantime there are some aspects of footwear that are causing us some concern and need to be addressed now rather than waiting for the new uniform.  Please see the enclosed information sheet and please note that shirt top buttons are to be done up, so when purchasing new shirts please purchase on the generous side, so they are able to be buttoned up!

 

Serious Incident 8^th May

Many of you will know that the cash machine at the garage on the A23 was the target of an armed robbery attempt as it was in the process of being loaded with cash.   Unfortunately 1 of the perpetrators armed with a firearm escaped from the pursuing police and they believed that he may have entered our site.  The first we knew of this was 3 armed officers coming on to our field during break-time informing staff on duty of their fears.  Immediately I was informed of the situation I decided to ring a fire alarm and carryout a fire drill procedure to gather the whole school in one place.  I was also keen for us all to remain in sight of the armed officer stationed on the field.  Very soon after we had assembled I was given the ‘all clear’ as the offender had been apprehended elsewhere.  The students reacted extremely well to the drama given that this occurred during break-time with the presence of armed response officers.  We have been commended by the Police for our management of this extreme event and they wanted to convey to students and parents alike that our students’ behaviour and maturity was ‘a credit to the school’.

 

Sixth Form News

We bade a fond farewell to Year 13 and those of Year 12 on 1 year courses at the end of last half term.  Their leavers Mass was beautifully prepared and observed.  A football match against the staff followed with a narrow victory for the teachers.  Our prayers and best wishes go with them as they venture onwards.

 

Staffing for next year

Apart from a part time English post (for details see the West Sussex Grid for Learning web site) I am delighted to report we are fully staffed with specialists for September.

 

In Conclusion

This half of the summer term is crucial to maintaining a student’s learning and progress.  A reminder that it is school policy to mark as unauthorised any term time holiday requests.  We do understand the issues that mean that parents take their children away during school time but cannot condone it.

 

I would like to thank you for your support in all we do to provide the best possible education for your child.  Partnership between school and home is the key to successful and holistic education and we are very lucky to have such a supportive parent body.

 

Reminder - Last Day of Term

Wednesday 23^rd July is an INSET day so the last day of term is Tuesday 22^nd July.  The day will end at 12.30 pm.  Please let us know in writing if you require us to supervise your child until the usual end of the school day.

 

 Yours sincerely

 

Jonathan Morris

Headteacher

Please click here to read the policy on shoes and trainers

 

Please click here to read about our learning drop-in sessions for students and parents