Message From the Principal 15.12.23
Dear Parent / Carer
The end of term and Christmas festivities are in sight as the penultimate week draws to a close.
On Saturday evening, Miss Hunter and members of the Parent, Teacher and Friends' Association (PTFA) coordinated the annual Christmas sleigh event which was a roaring success, as always, and a big thank you to anyone who contributed to this festive event.
Mr Noblett led assemblies for all year groups in which he shared the Grace Foundation’s Christmas narrative. Students were encouraged to reflect on what Christmas means to them and were prompted with stories about compassion and care for those less fortunate at this time of year. Whilst Christmas is a time of joy for many, it is also important to remember that it can also be a difficult time of year for many who are less fortunate.
On Tuesday night, Lizzie and the Ethos Team invited many families into school for a movie night. The movie of choice was Elf and it was great to see so many of you in attendance. I also wanted to say thank you for sharing lots of lovely feedback about the event. Rushden is a true community school and events such as this reflect how strong the community is.
Mrs Raven hosted the library’s Christmas Cracker event on Thursday afternoon which was very well attended and even benefitted from a visit from Father Christmas himself. When I went into the event, the library was truly buzzing and all the children were having a wonderful time participating in various festive activities.
Alongside the festive activities, many of our Year 11 students have been busy meeting final Btec deadlines and have worked very hard to ensure they achieve the best grades possible for the units. The progress board for all Year 11 students was also updated outside the main hall and students were keen to see where they are in the table and how much they have improved since the end of Year 10 assessment. They have all been provided with work to complete during the Christmas break to ensure that they practise and maintain key skills for different subjects. You will receive a letter detailing your child’s performance in their mock examinations and an update on where they are in the progress league. Finally, in relation to Year 11, parents’ evening is scheduled for the 18th January and it is vital that all parents and carers attend.
Ahead of January we will be contacting parents regarding any persistent uniform issues to ensure that they are rectified for the new year. I am also aware that there has been some misunderstanding conveyed on social media around toilet cards. For clarity, toilet cards remain in place for students but we will be requesting medical evidence to corroborate the need as the requests for such cards is increasing exponentially. I appreciate that messages via students are often misinterpreted but please can I ask that you seek clarity from the school directly rather than social media forums to ensure that you receive accurate information.
Finally, I want to thank you for your continued support as we continue to strengthen the education we provide for your children. It is a fantastic community to be a part of and I look forward to working with you to continue to ensure the very best standard of education and support for all children within our care.
Please have a warm and restful Christmas whatever your plans may be,
Yours sincerely,
Mr B Baines
Principal
